"Ladies and Gentleman, I'll be your wonderful announcer for today, because today we've got one spectacular event being held right now!"
The announcer's voice was an immediate give away for me, Shiro, he was the announcer. I know his obnoxious voice anywhere, even in another world if he had some sort of doppleganger, I could tell who'd be the original.
"Today's event ain't gonna be a 3v3 match between these two teams! Instead, it's gonna be a subjugation match!" Everyone began cheering and screaming, which really hurt my ears, even when Cynthia's got much more sensitive ones.
"On the farther side of the arena we've got the heroes of Castille, the guys who took down both the evil demon dog and the black dragons that were living nearby!" Everyone cheered for them in decibels I could not think were possible to achieve. However that opening remark got me thinking hard, were they perhaps responsible for the death of the dragon we just met outside. Secondly, did they actually kill Feru? Cynthia was beginning to pipe up, although her outer expression was more of a silent gaze, her inner emotions were violently lashing out.
"On the losing side, we've got these idiots who tried escaping..." Everyone in the crowd began booing and jeering on us, and then came to me the part where they said we were escaping. Which dawn onto me that perhaps maybe that was a spell they placed on us before we left, to make sure we never leave the match.
"As a little surprise towards our ungrateful contestants on that side, we've got something special for them to kill, but first, they get to see our glorious heroes kill this..." he dramatically paused for a moment as iron gates on one side of the arena began rising up in a slow manner. After several seconds, a red hulking creature stepped into the light, in one hand he was holding a club that was covered in boney spikes, and the other used to rub his 2 squints of eyes.
"...Red ogre!" Shiro continued, the red ogre was shocked by the sudden uproar of Shiro's voice and swung violently at the wall he was on, his attack was stopped midair by an invisible force. "Oh right, there's a magical barrier surrounding the arena you guys are on, so that no one get's in and nothing get's out as well, meaning the only way you guys are getting out..." He points to the red ogre with his right hand "...Is by killing your target!"
Yuuki, Stella and Leon began charging and screaming at their target, the ogre swung his club violently at them but they reacted quickly to it. Leon parried it with his axe, Stella and Yuuki dodged to the sides as each took one good swing at the poor ogre's ankles. The ogre naturally tripped and Leon dodged to it's side, it's nape being revealed, Leon charged and brought his axe upwards and decapitated the ogre flawlessly.
The entire crowd roared as they began making stupid victory poses, the soldiers poured in from one side of arena and began effortlessly hauling the ogre's dead body, and head, away from the arena. "And now, we attend the funeral of the departed, oh I mean, it's their turn!" Shiro said as guards hurried dragged in a large cage wagon, and sticking out from one end was a large, scaly tail. Cynthia pulled out the sword in a quick manner while the bird we have suddenly began cowering.
'Wait, don't tell me that's...' everyone also began screaming in excitement as a violent, and fearsome roar echoed from within the cage. One person on the sidelines of the arena did a weird hand sign, which was familiarly the spell formation of 'unlock'.
The next second later, a great winged lizard bursts from within the cage. It was roaring greatly as it stood up. "You foolish creatures! you shall pay for your crimes of injustice against our clan-" However, it paused momentarily as it looked at us, and what I failed to mention earlier was that I was still holding a dragon's egg in a fanny pack manner, only then when it mentioned 'crime' did I realize who this was. It lowered it's head and screamed: "Thieves!"
It then swiped it's claws at us, Cynthia grabbed the scared bird and pounced upwards while I did a swan diving forward and yelled "Hold on! you got it wrong!"
"You are the ones who wronged me boy! Return to me what you've stolen!" It said, I then retort and said "Yo! I found this egg I didn't steal it!" I held the egg up as he tried to make another swing, but it stopped a near second and, it slowly moved it's head closer to mine, it sniffed me and the egg and said "Given, by whom?" it angrily replied.
"A dead dragon body told me I could have it..." I lowered the egg slowly, the dragon's eyes open wide. As it did, Cynthia and the bird dove straight into it's forehead, her sword slashing as violently as the dragon staggering backwards into the barrier, the crowd gasped and awed as Cynthia and the bird began slowly gliding around the dragon. While I stood there dumbfounded by their team-coordination.
"Master! what are you waiting for?!" She screamed at me as she began flying towards the it's wings, I tucked the egg back into the small, make-shift fanny pack and brought out my newly made staff. This time my staff wasn't some random stick I pulled out of a magic tree, this time it was a random stick I pulled out of a tree that had crystal point on one end, and no, It's not a spear if you think of it that way.
Pointing the crystalline edge towards the dragon, it began refracting reddish light. I also began making Somatic symbols for a make-shift spell I made during my training with Arthur "I'm real sorry by the way! we literally can't afford to lose!" the dragon gained it's momentum once more and began clawing at the aerial duo, I braced my head for impact and fired off a laser-like beam that dissipated immediately in the air. "What..."
"Ouch! that must've been a let down, loser! this barrier not only prevents your escape, but you can't use your stupid magic either, meaning you've got to fight it like how your friends are fighting it..." everyone around the arena began slowly whispering amongst one another as they realized we were going to have to fight a pure black dragon, an A-rank creature with nothing but the sharpest tools we've got...
...
"Hehehe..." I began slowly realizing what he had to do, and the reason why they stole almost all my gear. They didn't want me to die, they wanted everyone here to be given a reason for them to not have faith in me, and my slaves. But then right there as I stood still, the dragon's tail hit me with great impact. I hit the barrier like a goddamn rock, and just like one I almost broke, although it felt like absolute pain I searched for the egg that was no longer within the constraints of my make-shift fanny pack, I looked up however and saw the egg flying mid-air as it began descending towards me.
If that egg got destroyed, not even this barrier would save everything inside the kingdom...
So with the last of my bloody, dying arm strength, I tried bracing it's fall with my mushy ass body. The egg landed heavily on my bloody body, breaking whatever was left-over of that tail hit. I hugged it tightly as to find comfort in the pain I felt from almost dying. The dragon that was fighting Cynthia looked over to me and saw what had happened, it roared out as it ran towards me. Fitting, being eaten by a dragon, one way to end my adventure as a stupid isekai protagonist.
However, something landed in front of me before it got too close, it was a pretty girl with a wolf-like tail and similar ears, she held a blade that was pretty damaged and half of it's upper portion disappeared entirely, next to her a bird-like child cawed out violently towards the dragon. My mind began going hazy once more, however, it went back to normal as I tried to resist the tempting call to use it.
A foggy image of Cynthia helped me up and pushed my staff into the palm of my hand
"Can you... properly... Master?" she said in a disconnected sentence, I simply nodded to let her know, because I couldn't bear to describe the pain as I clutched onto the egg. She held up to me my crystal edged stick and with the last of my arm strength, I grabbed it and used it as a crutch. Standing up slowly with my legs shivering like it's the cold war all over again.
When I raised my bloody face, the crowd suddenly began whispering. "Sora..."
"...that's his name, right..."
"...to think he's standing after that hit..."
"...Is this even a fair competition..."
I grin maliciously as I stare down the eyes of the great black dragon, "Sorry to disappoint you all then, but I'm gonna be beating this thing one way or another..." I exclaimed, the crowd wondered how I'm going to be doing that against a creature with a shitload of resistance against non-magical blade attacks.
Even if this magical barrier would be preventing me from triggering this staff, I had the craziest plan, and yes, It's one of those plans with high-risk and an even higher reward. I focused my energy into my left palm, and although I have no idea whether or not focusing mana into my most volatile produces any good result, I've got no fuckin' choice as of the moment...
"You! launch me!" I pointed to the bird as he grabbed me with his talons, he then used me as a launch pad as he sent us both gliding into the air. The crowd began to look at me with great curiosity...
...
"That idiot thinks he can really beat a pure dragon without magic? Cocky bastard..." Maxwell said as he looked at the Sora, who was only standing in the sidelines as the
"It took us at least an entire day to beat this thing into submission, even with Yuuki's [Divine retribution] the dragon pretty much had some degree of strength to rival Timothy's useless shield skills..." Shiro said as he glared over at Timothy, one of the many heroes who served at the frontline of the 'Circle of Heroes', although not as effective as Leon's pseudo-tanking role, his ability to grant great defense and magical resistance is barely ever appreciated...
"I-I just need a few more skill points, then I'll be able to meet the pre-requisites for 'Greater defense'..." Timothy tried to explain, but his words fell on deaf ears. Micah sees Timothy's discomfort, and hugs him gently. "It's okay Timothy, one day when the world will encounter a danger Yuuki and the others can't destroy, you'll be the one to protect everyone! Because by then, your skills must be pretty great by the time we beat the demon lord!" everyone else was cheery because of Micah's cheerful disposition. Even Shiro smiled a little bit from her helpful comment.
"Yeah... I guess you're kinda right..." Timothy felt a bit disheartened, but he decided to keep smiling as to not deter Micah's cheerful behavior. "Anyways..." Micah then glared at Yuuki, Shiro and Leon "Why'd you make Sora fight that awful dragon?! Aren't you concerned that he might get hurt?" She yelled at the trio who were carefully watching Sora, as he calmly stared at the great being.
"Relax. This is only a little lesson to teach that spineless bastard that he should treat his superiors with more respect, if he gets a little bit hurt we'll step in to-"
A great crash echoes through out the arena, as a now beat up Sora lies on the ground...
"SORA!" Micah screams, Shiro and others look over to see what the craze is about, as they see the same scenario. A beaten up Sora, who's mouth was gurgling with bloody splatters and his right arm twisting in a manner that it shouldn't be...
"Hold on! I got you!" Micah yells as she tries to cast 'Greater Restoration' on Sora, but to no avail, as the magical field block the spell's entry. "NO!" She screams as she tries to jump from the arena's seat. "Micah, No!" Shiro said as he grabbed her garments, Yuuki then commands Leon "Leon! Go stall the dragon-"
Another bone-shattering noise echoes, this time, they see Sora grasping an oval object covered in black scales. They look at it in wonder, as they realize what it was laying on the presumably dead Sora's body...
...
The arena went silent for about a few minutes, afterwards...
Sora's slaves then helped him up, as the Beast woman under Sora then grabbed the egg and shoved it into his fanny-pack. The harpy under Sora also grabbed his staff, and puts it into his slightly quivering arm, he then stands...
The arena's audience awes at his perseverance, as Micah takes deep breaths knowing her friend lives, Yuuki and the others knew what was gonna happen next. as they stare at Sora with a degree of surprise...
...
The calming winds blew past me and my bird, as I looked into my left hand, the dark power that was with me from the day I left Xander Elementary.
"Cesaer..." I whisper underneath my cold, and almost lifeless breath. The bird didn't understand what I had spoken, and I repeat myself once more...
"From this day forth, I shall name you Cesaer..." I said as I pointed my left hand towards him. He caws in great surprise, as he accidentally let's go of me for a few seconds...
"Fuck..." I said as I began descending downwards, along with Cesaer literally next to me. Cynthia watches in great concern, she hesitates as she chooses between me and Cesaer. However, to make matters worse, the dragon charges directly at our group, his maw wide open to devour both me and Cesaer. But I smile devilishly, as I prepare my left hand for whatever I am about to do...
Downwards as I fall, both my hands suddenly became surrounded in a strange energy. On impulse, I began reaching out towards the open maw of a dragon...
My fall was halted, as Cynthia then instinctively caught the falling Cesaer. Suddenly, the dragon pauses too in it's mad charge, and closes it's mouth... only to be re-opened again by the force of a pair of ethereal, red hands. As this happens a strange energy begins to slowly flow out of the dragon's maw, as I see it's eyes suddenly flow with sudden tears, then I could sense it's emotions.
First, was the emotion of Dread, being taken over suddenly by the sense of sorrow. Knowing well that it will be it's end in a matter of seconds...
The dragon then struggled less, as the energy that left it's body then suddenly began to swirl and twist, and then finally that energy surged into the hands. The hands then dissipate, and all of a sudden the pain in my body subsides. And my body slowly descends onto the ground.
The crowd went wild as the dragon's lifeless body laid there, or more accurately, it's 'soul-less' body laid there, breathing slowly.
"Master!" Cynthia said as she ran up to me with Cesaer's unconcious body. She then begins to put down Cesaer's body and then quickly begins to use some sort of bandage made form the weeds she gathered from our forest gathering earlier, for once in my miserable life, I fuckin' beat a dragon, no...
"..." I remained silent as Cynthia began treating me and stabilizing Cesaer's breathing, I realized that this was the first time in all of my existance. That I managed to something, with the aid of others...
Yes, this was the first task I have done, that I was of actual use...
Yes, this was my first victory, with slaves that treat me more than a burden. Even though they have no free will, I can say this was my first victory with people I can call 'friends'...