Kumo desu ga, Nani ka? Final Battle ⑯

Combat shifts to Darkness Dragon Reise’s perspective.

Final Battle ⑯

I have been seeking a place to use my abilities. Seeking a place where I could die while using that power to my heart’s content. We who are referred to as the ancient dragons leaders are simply poor imitations of true dragons. We are chimeras created during Potimas’s experiments. Unlike the humanoid chimeras such as Ariel who were protected by the Goddess Sariel’s orphanage, we ancient dragon leaders are closer to true dragons in appearance. Because of that we weren’t given any protection by people, and were treated as animals. In places unknown to us we might well have had brethren who were treated like laboratory animals and died. Or rather, that probably did happen.

The one who protected us was our lord Gyuriedistodiez-sama. For that reason, we hold our lord in deep respect. It is surely similar to the feelings Ariel has for the Goddess Sariel.

If there’s one major thing that’s different between us and Ariel, it would be that the System considers us to be monsters. Even in the eyes of god, we were just animals. Which is why we made the choice to become the kin of our lord. We gave up on intermingling with people, but despite that we refused to simply become monsters, becoming instead managers of our kin. Each of us took up respective roles in that, increasing the numbers of our kin, preparing the foundations for how we would live in this world. Hyuvan cleaned the polluted wastelands. Eina took control of the oceans to prevent people going out to sea. Nier, Rendo and Gouka took charge of various lands, managing them.

Wherein, I took responsibility for sealing the Demon King’s Sword. The main reason for that was that there was no land suitable for me to manage. In addition, the other reason is that my abilities are rather specialised compared to the others. If it happens that the Demon King’s Sword is used, then that might also be the time when my power is needed. For that reason, I was sealed along with the Demon King’s Sword.

I intentionally developed my abilities in certain categories. Namely, anti-god abilities. Abilities that would be effective against gods. In other words, the ability to attack the soul. Heresy attacks that directly harm the soul. Corrosion attacks that grant death. Abyss magic that extinguishes the soul. I focused most of my skill points on improving such things. All of that was done in case gods ever invaded this world.

However, such a scenario is highly improbable. According to our lord, our lord’s superior, the high ranking administrator D-sama, is an eminent god who is particularly feared amongst the gods. It’s doubtful whether any god would come to a world administered by D-sama. If they did they would likely be highly ignorant. Therefore, my existence was merely insurance. As preparation for the inconceivable yet absolutely critical event that gods ever invaded.

However, although I exist to be insurance, I’m far too ineffective at that. If gods ever invaded, the first one to respond would be my lord. So if I ever got my turn, it would be after my lord has already lost. If it was an opponent that my lord couldn’t beat, then I couldn’t possibly win. Therefore, I’m too weak to be useful as insurance. It would be unreasonable to take no countermeasures, but even countermeasures are limited. That is what I am. I’m a being who makes little difference whether I’m here or not – if the occasion ever arose where my lord lost and I got my debut on the stage, it’s virtually guaranteed that I would lose on my debut.

It makes me laugh. I’m here as insurance for the one in a thousand chance that my lord loses and the one in a billion chance that I can beat his opponent. A being who exists for the faint reason of “just maybe”. For that reason, I didn’t understand the reason for my existence. I wanted a place where I could shine. A place where I could wield these powers. A place where my existence could be properly validated. That is surely this place!

My hand shot out at Ariel. It’s too late for her to avoid it. She can’t guard against it either.

Ariel appears to be considerably weakened for some reason. She made no sign of getting up from her chair despite the battle having already begun, and it felt out of place when she left everything to her subordinate Taratekts. However, when a Queen protected her that was when I had the first definite proof. Ariel is currently so weakened that she can’t even fight properly.

If Ariel had had her strength, she would have had no need to rely on subordinates like the Queens and Puppet Taratekts. Ariel has the strength to annihilate us ancient dragons by herself. But she doesn’t, she can’t. And finally, a Queen protected her against an attack that wouldn’t normally have even scratched her. It is certain.

I’ve got her!

Immediately on thinking that, my arm was grabbed from the side. My hand was stopped just before it reached Ariel’s body. The hand that had grasped my arm stretched out from empty space.

Then, something suddenly struck my body, and that something and I was sent crashing into the ground, rolling over and over in a heap. When I scrambled to my feet and saw what that something was, I was dumbfounded.

「My lord……!?」

It was my beloved lord, Gyuriedistodiez-sama. His body is in tatters and covered in wounds, the light is gone from his eyes and his gaze is staring vacantly staring into space. Don’t tell me… he’s… actually… dead…?

While I was frozen in shock, someone appeared next to me. The reason why I wasn’t attacked despite having taken leave of my senses, was because this person was also covered in wounds. Her white clothes were dyed with patches of blood, and her lower spider body was also covered in red patches. One of her eyes had been ruined, continuously leaking blood as if shedding tears. Despite having such a painful looking appearance, her remaining eye blazed with determination.

As if to protect Ariel, the white god appeared in front of me.

Translation notes:

Reise has a slightly more prominent role in the LN version of the story. It’s also suggested that the Demon King’s Sword, which has anti-god properties and was made by D, was used by the previous Demon King in the attack that led to the start of the story.

“the one in a thousand chance that my lord loses and the one in a billion chance” – the original is closer to being an idiomatic expression and would literally translate as “the one in a ten thousand chance that my lord loses and the one in a hundred million chance”. These numbers shouldn’t be taken literally.