Chapter 8: The Hero
Once upon a time.
In an age of chaos, when the worship of gods and spirits was desecrated by the hands of those who followed an evil deity, darkness reigned.
“Then, will you grant this to me? [Flame Spirit Faranan]?”
[So it shall be.]
The founder of the Luckbird family, an ancestor of Rose Luckbird, had made contact with the [Flame Spirit Faranan].
Though he was no priest, nor did he own a shop at the time—he was merely a wandering merchant.
The reason such a man came into contact with Faranan, one of the Four Great Spirits and a servant of the mighty sun god Zeuradia, was something trivial.
On his journey, he simply repaired a broken statue of the Flame Spirit by the roadside.
It was an era when labyrinths suddenly erupted from the depths of the earth, spreading unease and discontent among the people.
And as if timing it perfectly, a suspicious doctrine that cast doubt on the spirits began to spread.
Faith crumbled, suspicion ran rampant, and the world fell into disarray.
It was only later that it became clear this was the scheme of a heretical cult.
The chaos continued until the [Temples], which rose to replace the dysfunctional nations of the time, sealed the labyrinth of great sin that had become an extreme threat and deployed the [Sun’s Barrier] to protect the city-states. The destruction of the statues of faith was likely part of that plot.
He simply repaired the statue and prayed. That was all.
Though doubt about the spirits existed even around him, he couldn’t bring himself to spit on the spirits who had helped him so much until then.
[The spread of the evil doctrine had shaken me. Your prayer was a great help.]
Even when told that his actions had helped, the founder of the Luckbird family didn’t quite understand.
To make matters worse, what he received from the Flame Spirit Faranan was something of a burden to him.
“[Flame Spirit Faranan].”
The Luckbird spoke to Faranan, a humanoid figure wrapped in a majestic and beautiful white flame.
[What is it?]
“I’m just a merchant.”
[So it seems.]
“I can’t wield a sword.”
Holding the [Blazing Flame Sword] he had been given with trembling hands, he pleaded.
[Relics]—occasionally bestowed by spirits, these magical artifacts held immense power.
He had heard rumors of them, but he had always assumed that, lacking the power to connect with spirits, he would never have anything to do with them. To suddenly be given such an item was honestly a bit of a problem. After all,
“I’m a merchant. I’m not a fighter.”
What was he supposed to do with this?
[You don’t have to use it. Just keep it.]
“Just keep it…?”
[In time, it will fulfill its role and aid you.]
Though overwhelmed by the spirit’s voice echoing in his head, the man managed to decipher its words.
“You mean in the future, then…? By the way, do you know how long that might be?”
[Ten years, fifty years, two hundred years, or perhaps even longer.]
“That’s… vague.”
It was common for races with different lifespans to have slightly different perceptions of time, but it seemed even spirits were no exception. Still, this was a bit too vague.
But whether or not it noticed Luckbird’s confusion, the Flame Spirit Faranan continued calmly.
[It is a sword that will sever the fate that will befall you or those connected to you, at some time, in some place. It will save you from an inevitable destruction—even if it loses its form as a sword.]
With those words, the Flame Spirit Faranan shimmered like a heat haze and vanished from Luckbird’s sight.
And so, this was the story of how the founder of the Luckbird family came to receive a [Relic].
Later, Luckbird found success as a merchant. Of course, this was not due to the power of the Blazing Flame Sword but rather the result of his pure business talent.
However, he enshrined the [Blazing Flame Sword] as a family heirloom that would lead the Luckbird family to prosperity.
The founder never explained the sword’s role to his family.
He thought it unwise to burden them with a role whose time might never come, and his family quickly accepted it as a precious heirloom that would protect and guide them. And so, he decided that was enough.
Thus, the [Blazing Flame Sword] was passed down through the generations, and time flowed on.
“——Huh!?”
Rose Luckbird woke up.
The sleeping spell cast by Diz had worn off.
She sat up and was speechless at the sight around her.
The gruesome laboratory created by the necromancer had been utterly transformed.
It was as if the space had deepened into the abyss, where even the light of the sun god Zeuradia could not reach—dark and gloomy.
The only light came from the barrier Diz had created at her feet, glowing white as if protecting her.
But if she took even a single step outside of it, she would surely be swallowed and devoured by this darkness.
It was a sight reminiscent of the deepest parts of a labyrinth, though Rose had no way of knowing that.
And in that darkness, two shadows clashed.
[GAAAAAAAAAA!!]
One of them was easily recognizable by its terrifying cry—the grotesque monster she had seen before losing consciousness. Its voice was even more horrifying than before, and the writhing shadow appeared far larger than it had then. This was no illusion.
And facing the monster was,
“——!!”
A hero clad in crimson armor and wielding a sword, with golden hair—Diz.
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[GUGE GEGE GEGE GEGE……!]
——It wasn’t growth. It was expansion.
Before Diz’s eyes, the form of the small dragon continued to transform moment by moment.
Likely in response to the threat Diz posed. Its claws grew longer, its fangs sharper, and its wings larger. Only the functions that would harm its enemy were expanding, and as a result, its form became increasingly grotesque and ominous.
Yet, even as it stood against her, Diz did not retreat.
[GUGE GEGE GEGE!!]
The tongue that would devour anything it touched—Diz deflected its attacks with her crimson sword.
Deflect, deflect, and deflect again.
Every time the sword and tongue clashed, sparks flew as if two pieces of metal were grinding against each other.
The chaotic dance of gluttony—she continued to deflect it, barely managing to keep up. But,
“——!”
Because it was so close, the tongue grazed her armor, tearing into it. Parts she couldn’t protect were devoured, her skin ripped open, and blood gushed out.
[Muuuuuuuuuuuuniiiiiiiiii!!]
“Don’t panic, Akane. You’re doing great.”
To Akane, who growled in frustration or regret each time, Diz called out.
Indeed, she was doing well. Even though this was her first battle with a dragon, she was fulfilling her role.
The wounds she sustained were nothing serious. Even if all the skin on her face were torn off, as long as she could still wield her sword, it didn’t matter.
“[Starfall].”
[GI!?]
Seizing the slightest opening, Diz cast a spell. The space around the small dragon warped. The force of the stars, which bound all things to the earth, increased tenfold, crushing the dragon in place. Maintaining the spell, Diz raised her blade and closed in.
[GAAAAAAAA!!]
Seeing this, the dragon extended its wings like claws.
But its target wasn’t Diz. It aimed the blades of its wings at Rose, who stood behind her.
The barrier protecting Rose was nearing its limit. Its power to shift the phase of space was almost completely depleted.
“Hmm.”
Diz leaped, cutting down all the wings that sought to tear Rose apart—but in the next moment, the gluttonous tongue tore into her arm once more.
[GYAHAHAHAHA!!]
As it tore into Diz’s arm, the dragon laughed. Seeing its ugliness, Diz became certain.
This dragon was not right.
Its malice was too raw, too petty. A true dragon, a being of true demonic nature, would not be satisfied with something so trivial. Dragons were not creatures that took pleasure in such small-minded malice.
This was malice akin to that which humans directed at each other.
If so, then the end was near. And with it would come desperate struggles. Anticipating this, Diz steadied herself without faltering, and the answer came swiftly.
[GAAAAAAAAAAAA!!]
The dragon roared. In that instant, the walls of the room, which had become like the depths of darkness, cracked and holes opened. From those holes, a black-purple light spilled out.
“I see.”
The black-purple core stone the dragon had expelled outside had returned. It now carried an even stronger, black-purple light.
And toward that light, the dragon extended its wings. They branched like tree roots, grasping the stone and entwining with it. Immediately, the black-purple light began to flow slowly into the small dragon’s body.
——In short, it had devoured its surroundings to nurture and feed itself.
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