EP.20
The Dragon is an arrogant and greedy being.
However, the Dragon was not arrogant and greedy from the very beginning. When the Dragon became the world’s mediator through the two Gods, the feeling bestowed upon the Dragon was, in fact, a sense of mission.
A sense of duty to fulfill a goal.
With that sense of duty, the two Dragons born from the Gods governed the world.
But that was merely temporary.
As tens, hundreds, and even thousands of millennia passed, the Dragons grew weary of their own emotions.
They felt a sense of doubt in themselves, unable to harbor even the slightest greed.
Thus, the entities they created—be it their fragments or offspring—possessed traits completely opposite to those of the Dragons who were the world’s mediators.
They became endlessly hedonistic, selfish, and greedy.
Because of this, all creatures instinctively feared the Dragons. They feared the malevolent tendencies the Dragons possessed. They feared those who were unpredictable and whose actions could not be foreseen.
However…
[Why are they coming closer…?]
Rehilis Artreina.
The most savage and ferocious Red Dragon, she thought as she petted the head of a rabbit that approached her feet.
Somehow, it seemed that the majesty of the Dragon had fallen to the ground.
How dare this insignificant creature rub its head against her foot?
It seemed she would have to teach it a firm lesson.
Rehilis lifted the rabbit in her hand.
In an instant, the rabbit’s eye level matched hers.
Beaming.
The rabbit smiled the moment their eyes met.
Instinctively, Rehilis hugged the rabbit tightly. Though it was incredibly small and barely felt, its small, racing heartbeat felt all the more precious.
[Come to think of it.]
As she gently stroked the rabbit’s head and felt the number of animals gathering around her increase, a certain snake came to her mind.
A snake that was extremely large.
Larger and far stronger than herself as a Dragon.
[Jörmungandr.]
Her initial impression was terrifying.
Its dark scales had the appearance of iron armor, giving the impression that not a single drop of blood could be spilled, and its blue eyes exuded an eerie coldness.
Above all, its overwhelming size compared to her was fascinating.
Although she too was very large as a Dragon.
Due to her polymorphic ability, it was difficult to pinpoint her exact size, but her true form easily exceeded several dozen meters.
Yet even that size was merely that of a child compared to Jörmungandr.
Measuring size in numbers felt meaningless; Jörmungandr was incredibly colossal.
Honestly, if it wanted to eat her, it looked strong enough to swallow her whole in one bite.
So when she faced that predator, Rehilis sensed her own death.
After all, a formidable predator like that would not leave her alone. Moreover, she had been the one to show up and provoke it first.
If it had been her, she would have properly taught a lesson, even if she let it go in the end.
However, it did not do that.
Instead, it took her—the fainted one—to its lair and cared for her.
What’s more, it even gave her a gift.
[Hmm~]
Rehilis carefully stroked the dark scales.
They were incredibly smooth, solid, and refreshing.
Moreover, the gentle sheen made them perfect for her collection.
She carefully stroked the scales and then gently placed them at the deepest part of her lair.
The dark scales shimmered against the gold, making them appear to anyone as a rare treasure.
With a satisfied expression, she curled up her body in the lair. Although the cold floor wrapped around Rehilis, such chill could do nothing to harm a Dragon.
Instead, as the animals came closer to her, their tiny warmth filled her body.
Thus, she closed her eyes and prepared to doze off.
[……?]
Animals entered her lair.
If it had been just that, she wouldn’t have thought anything of it.
But the number of them was different.
Countless various animals rushed into the cave where she lived in a hurry.
They seemed to be panting so heavily that it made her worry they might pass out from exhaustion.
Rehilis quickly raised her body.
Something unusual was certainly happening.
She could hear the voices of the animals.
A squirrel, the first to arrive in a hurry, climbed up her body and whispered in her ear.
There was an unfamiliar intruder.
And that intruder was devastating the forest, tormenting them.
[……How dare they.]
It was unbelievable.
How could someone dare to intrude upon her, a Dragon, and destroy her nest?
This was unacceptable.
Above all, what angered her were the visible wounds on the animals.
Though not deep, they were clearly painful injuries.
Her eyes blazed red.
As Rehilis closed her eyes and concentrated, a radius of several kilometers fell within her range.
And there.
She was able to locate a human brandishing a massive dark sword, smashing through the forest indiscriminately.
Rehilis’s eyes calmly ignited.
[…….]
As she began to draw a magic circle, Rehilis’s true form vanished.
* * *
A hero.
Noble beings who gained power through the Goddess’s selection.
They possessed overwhelming strength and were brave souls who fought to vanquish enemies that had crossed over from the Demon Realm.
However.
Could all heroes truly be noble?
Would they go around saving people without expecting anything in return?
The answer to that question was simple.
They did not.
Humans are comprised of numerous tendencies, and that included the human heroes as well.
In fact, it was quite rare for a hero to save someone without expecting anything in return. Most heroes were primarily interested in their own strength, often neglecting the consequences for others during that process.
And that was the case for…
The greedy hero, Deltian.
He too was no different.
“This forest is overflowing with energy….”
He was currently exploring a newly discovered forest.
Untouched by human feet, it was a clean and pure forest untainted by filth.
Surrounding him were small animals wandering peacefully, and the gentle sunlight entering filtered through the trees created a warm, picturesque scene.
It was like a dreamlike place.
A place infinitely pure and clean, untouched by human greed.
Therefore.
“I don’t like this.”
It disturbed Deltian’s mood. He despised anything pure and pristine.
To be more precise, he enjoyed smashing all those things with his own hands and reveling in the chaos that ensued.
He was the greedy hero.
True to his name, he possessed the ability to grow stronger the more he pursued his desires.
For someone like him, this clean forest only intensified his urge to destroy.
“Is there any reason to hesitate?”
A dark sword shone in his grasp.
It was a cursed sword reborn from the blood of countless victims, now thirsting for more.
The sword trembled and howled in response.
Although it was a dreadful sword that consumed the user’s lifespan, Deltian did not care.
His cursed sword was not something that fed on the user’s life force.
“Ah, you’re also lacking in blood, aren’t you?”
Having been reborn through bloodshed, the sword demanded blood in return.
An enormous quantity of blood was needed to stain his entire body.
For that, Deltian swung his sword.
As the crimson slash spread in all directions,
BOOOOM!!
The forest began to shatter into pieces.
The endlessly tall and lush trees were smashed to the ground, and the peacefully wandering animals were mercilessly torn apart by the slash.
“Hahaha!! This is it!”
With a smile, Deltian swung his sword.
Each time the red slash swept through the forest, the energy that filled the woods became thick and sticky like blood, and the air was thickening with the scent of death.
The stench of death.
With that scent, Deltian bared his teeth in a grin.
This was the moment.
In times like these, Deltian felt truly alive.
He destroyed the forest and slaughtered every visible animal, continuing deeper into the woods. He believed with certainty that, deep within, a strong presence awaited him, one he so desperately craved.
A stronger opponent.
More massacre.
Only for himself, Deltian charged even deeper into the forest.
Then, at his feet, he spotted an animal.
A squirrel trapped beneath fallen branches.
Its body was stuck, and with frightened eyes, it looked at him yet couldn’t move an inch, making it seem pitiful.
“Do you want to live?”
Deltian bared his teeth and laughed.
The fear radiating from the squirrel sent shivers of delight through him.
He savored the thick terror before murmuring,
“I don’t want to.”
He swung his sword.
Just as the massive blade was poised to slaughter the squirrel,
[Stop.]
A spell shot at him from somewhere, enveloping his body.
BOOOM!
In an instant, his body was sent crashing into several trees before finally coming to a halt.
Rising from the impact, Deltian lifted his head.
And there stood—
[Get out of the forest, now.]
“Ha ha.”
Before him was the large, grand target he had been longing for.
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