'Then, I'll have to kill you.'
'Fwahahahaha! Try it, little lady!'
A Level 6 Dragonoid versus a Level 21 Superhuman. With the difference in levels, I'll have to say that Carlos will win. But I want to believe in Sakurako. The energy that she's giving off is similarly terrifying. I wonder...
(Identify!)
[Name: N/A
Lvl: Level 12
Age: 17
Race: Dragon
Evolution: Dragonoid
Skills: Impede, Strength Enhancement, Molten Lava, Flame Magic, Fire Magic, Dragon Magic, Iron Heart, Physical Enhancement, Kinetic Flow, Space Manipulation, Dragon Scales, Claw, Bloodthirst, Sixth Sense, Third Eye, Quasar, Dragon King Fafnir, Conceal
Resistances: Poison Resistance, Corrosion Resistance, Fire Resistance, Flame Resistance
Favourability of you has risen with the subject. Would you like to establish a contract?
YES/NO]
I noticed that there were a couple of new options with the Identify skill. Excluding the resistances and the thing about a contract, also the fact that the skills were showing, what surprised me the most was her level. It doubled compared to the last time I saw her. Ai, do you have any ideas?
«Calculating... 97.386% chance that Sakurako is a being which has forgotten many things, including her level. Her current level may not even be her true level. If one's body forgets its level, then the subject restarts from Level 1.»
I didn't understand the latter part, but I guess it confirms that she has amnesia.
With his shadow cloaked fists, Carlos charged forward. The unrecognisable Sakurako got ready in a side-on stance. Bending her knees, she placed her arms near her chest and pointed then outward, with closed fists. It slightly reminded me of a basic karate stance.
Sakurako didn't move. Not an inch. Even with Carlos dashing toward her at an intense speed.
'What are you doing, Sakurako?!'
She didn't answer me. Within four seconds, Carlos was only two feet away from us. I was ready to move in front of Sakurako, but my body didn't react properly. The Dragonoid's hand smoothly touched the air. Her open palm went counter-clockwise in an almost complete circle. It was so weird. It was like I could see what she was drawing in the air.
The circle... when I look at it again, it reminds me of... an ensō.
The fist of Carlos clashed with the reverse ensō, however, it only stopped him for a second. The ensō disappeared and the barrier broke, leaving Sakurako and I exposed. The shadows vanished–they were replaced with energy blades, one on each hand. Sakurako still stood there, waiting for him. At this distance, he wouldn't be able to reach us, so if we retreat backwards...
I dashed backwards, to escape the impending doom which would await me if I continue to stand there. Sakurako then retreated after me. She finds those dangerous, I guess...
The back of my shirt was pulled–it was Sakurako who pulled it–and I was launched into the air, above the houses, in the hands of Sakurako. The ground below us broke apart, revealing a large earth pillar. Similar to a train, it came towards us at remarkable speeds.
'He's persistent.'
Sakurako muttered.
Wait, I just noticed. Did her speech become normal? Before she would speak like a barbarian or a baby, but now she's talking normally, perhaps it has something to do with her memories like Ai was talking about earlier.
The emerald-eyed Dragonoid puffed out her chest and her cheeks. Temporarily, her eyes turned crimson. The temperature of Sakurako skyrocketed. Even I started to feel the heat. A distinct orange-yellow glow could be seen on the chest of Sakurako, from under the rags. Once the earth pillar got closer, her chest returned inside and she bent her whole body forward.
Fire escaped her mouth, but it didn't look like how any normal Dragon would do it. The fire looked redder, compared to normal fire and it shot down on the earth pillar, destroying it, like a laser beam. As I was next to the generator, Sakurako, I gained a new skill. Resistance would be more accurate.
«Requirements reached. You have earned the resistance, Heat Resistance.»
I guess that's good, but heat and fire are completely different things.
Ignoring the notification, icicles were flying towards us from behind Sakurako. Seemed like she didn't notice yet, meaning that this attack would hit her. I bet she would've been more aware if she wasn't holding me. I easily destroyed them with Iron Thread. They were brittle. I doubt that the enemy would send attacks like those at us since they lack power.
Man... time from time in my previous life, I would dream of moments like this, but when you're actually in it, it isn't as fun as you previously imagined.
Scanning my head around, I couldn't find anything. Sakurako landed smoothly, with me in her arms. I quickly got off and acted as if nothing happened. Carlos stood in front of us, still with his hood on, with a large smile on his face. I found that strange.
'You're plotting something, aren't you?'
'Oh? Why do you think that, chap?'
He went from "chap," to "kid," and now back to "chap."
'If you had put more power into those icicles you threw at us, then you may have injured either Sakurako or me. But, instead, you chose smaller icicles and brittle ones at that. I don't think a fighter like you would miss an opportunity like that and use lacklustre attacks, meaning that you exchanged that for an attack that could injure both of us, probably severely at that. That was merely a decoy.'
'You figured it out. Might as well tell you, since you don't have any chance of dodging it.'
Wait, I did? I was thought I was just spewing out conjecture.
'My Compaction skill can't be used without a catalyst.'
Sakurako slowly got closer to me. She hugged me, and tightly too. I couldn't understand what she was doing. Before I would start struggling, Sakurako spoke.
'Trust me.'
I doubt that I would be able to escape her hold anyways. It would be best if I just stand here and let her hold me.
'You see, the reason why I fired those small crystals at you is if smaller things are destroyed by something bigger, then they create more shards compared to something destroyed by something smaller, like your threads. Look around you.'
I foolishly followed his directions. There were dozens of, barely, visible shards of ice that had fallen on the ground from me destroying them with Iron Thread. Then, the realisation hit me like death.
He was going to use the tiny dozens of shards as a catalyst for explosions. He checkmated us early.
'Now, die.'
Carlos clasped his hand. Everything went dark and as the sound of explosions started, it died away almost instantly. This lack of sight; lack of smell; lack of hearing was what I was afraid of. The darkness which clasped me last time with pain and loneliness. But, this time... I could feel something and there was no pain. Meaning that I wasn't dead!
After a few seconds, light returned to my eyes. I really wasn't dead. Sakurako was still grabbing onto me. She had large red fans coming out of her back. Wings. She used her wings to protect me. It looked like the explosion damaged them.
'Aaaaahhhh!'
Carlos removed his cloak and stabbed himself with his energy blade. Blood seeped out from his blade. I couldn't believe what I had just seen. There was no need for him to stab himself with his weapon, so why–
'What's going on here?!'
The voices of familiar people come this way.
'A-Altair?! And... a Dragon... C-Carlos?!'
The woman who came towards us screamed, attracting more people to the battlefield. There were more screams. They were misunderstanding. That explosion Carlos did just now was to lure them here, and not to kill us. He didn't intend to kill me from the beginning. The reason he didn't was to ruin my reputation...
'Altair!'
'I thought you were a good kid!'
'You're quite the rebellious sacrifice!'
Sacrifice?
'W-what? Sacrifice? I thought Carlos said I wouldn't be one!'
One of the males answered my confused thought of desperation.
'Why wouldn't we? All Zyn's Children who come into the world get sacrificed. Anyhow, you hurt him... Get out of here if you don't want to die!'
Sakurako snared at them and the majority of them reeled themselves away. Her wings were all out in the open. Anyone could tell that she was a Dragon.
This reminds me of my previous life. When I went to class, I'd be shamed and bullied. That was one of the social reasons I become a shut-in NEET. I can't handle things that are so similar, I just... I'm too weak.
Too weak to make any kind of change. I can't change myself or handle a situation like this. Even after reincarnating, I guess I'm still a coward.
I hate it. I fucking hate it!
«...»
'It's okay, Alty.'
Sakurako said. She let go of me and took up my hand. A heartwarming smile appeared on her face. It somehow washed every negative feeling I had away. The girl who was shorter than a 130cm kid–I think I'm that height, at least–was comforting me.
'Alty always have Sakurako!'
Though she reverted back to her baby-ish way of speaking, it had the same effect on me. I thought that the moment I entered this world would be the start of my journey, but, in fact, my journey had just begun.
MEANINGS:
Ensō is an incomplete circle drawn in Japanese caligraphy and Zen. It symbolizes enlightment, strength, grace, the universe and the void.