Yuto took a deep breath and straightened his suit as he approached the throne room.
["He won't kill me for sleeping with Kana, right?"]
Yuto pushed open the door, stepping into the throne room to meet with the Dragon King.
"Yo, what up Kaz!"
Kaz looked up from the papers he was signing and sighed, "Fuck not this human again"
Yuto couldn't help but chuckle at Kaz's reaction, "Yeah, it's me again. Just can't get rid of me, can you?"
"Are you here about the 9 million I promised?"
Yuto nodded. "Yep, I'm here about that, but I also wanted to talk to you about something else"
"... The fragments I have..."
Kaz's sighed as he rubbed his forehead, "I did promise Mizuki to give them to you"
"Yup, not going back on your word again, are we?"
Kaz glared at Yuto, clearly annoyed by his teasing tone, "Watch your mouth, human. I'm being generous here"
Yuto's smirk only grew as he clapped his hands together, "Same here, guessing Mizuki gave you an earful, seeing as how you're not automatically jumping me"
Kaz crossed his arms, his expression turning serious, "She did, and I'm doing this for her, not for you, understand?"
Yuto chuckled as he raised his hands, "And not the fact that the great Dragon King broke his promise and beat up a defenseless human?"
Kaz gritted his teeth, clearly displeased with Yuto's comment.
"That's beside the point. I'm only doing this because Mizuki asked me to. Don't push your luck"
"It seems like you can't control your emotions much"
Kaz's expression darkened, "I have my limits, human. You'd do well to remember that"
"... I remember clearly, old man"
Kaz slammed his fist on the table, his voice echoing through the room.
"You're testing my patience, human. If you don't watch your mouth, I might just change my mind about those fragments"
Yuto was about to respond when he felt Mizuki's presence, "Looks like Mizuki's here too," he quipped, looking around the room.
"Come on out, Mizuki. We know you're there"
Kaz shot Yuto a warning look, clearly not pleased with his antics, "Behave yourself, human," he warned.
"Mizuki is here to keep an eye on things, not to deal with your nonsense"
Mizuki let out a chuckle as she appeared right beside Yuto, wrapping her arms around his neck.
"Get this straight Kaz, I'm here to protect my human from you losing control again"
Kaz grumbled under his breath, clearly annoyed by Mizuki's presence.
"I have control, Mizuki. I'm not going to let myself be provoked in the same way twice"
"Need I remind you of the warning I gave yesterday, old friend?"
Kaz's expression softened slightly as he looked at Mizuki.
"I remember, still did it have to be this human?"
"Yes"
Kaz sighed as he rubbed his temple, "No use arguing, I won't do anything stupid"
Mizuki nodded, accepting Kaz's promise, "Good, I'm glad to hear that, Kaz. Just remember, Yuto is under my protection now, and I won't hesitate to step in if I need to"
Kaz nodded grudgingly, "I understand, I won't test your patience, Mizuki"
Yuto chuckled, patting Mizuki's arm, "Thanks for the backup, Mizuki. Always nice to know I have someone looking out for me"
She chuckled as she planted a kiss, "Yuto I did tell you not to annoy him"
Yuto laughed, wrapping his arm around Mizuki's waist, "I know, I know. But I can't help but push his buttons now and then. It's just too easy"
Kaz rolled his eyes, clearly annoyed by their playful banter, "Can we focus on the fragments now? I'd rather not spend the entire day listening to your flirting"
Yuto chuckled, releasing Mizuki from his embrace, "Alright, alright. Let's get to the fragments"
Mizuki shook her head, smiling at Yuto's antics, she transformed back into a ring on his finger as Kaz stood up and led Yuto out the door.
…
Kaz led Yuto through the winding corridors of the castle, grumbling to himself, "You're lucky Mizuki asked me not to kick you out..."
'Yuto, don't do anything stupid'
["I won't, don't worry"]
Kaz shook his head in disbelief, "Out of everyone, she chose you?"
[...]
"I guess because of how stupid you can be, she felt the need to protect you"
[...]
"Another problem she has to take care of"
[... Fuck it]
Yuto let out a soft chuckle, "Oh yeah, well guess what?"
Kaz raised an eyebrow at Yuto's tone, "What now?"
Yuto leaned in and carefully whispered, "I fucked your daughter, old man"
Kaz's face turned red with anger, his hands clenched into fists, "You did what?!"
Yuto smirked, enjoying Kaz's reaction, "You heard me. And let's just say, she was a wild one"
Potentially losing my 9 million just to piss Kaz off, wasn't the smartest idea.
But it felt just right seeing him start to lose his shit, Yuto thought.
Kaz growled, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Yuto, "Y-you bastard!"
Kaz started to grow in size as Yuto smirked, shrugging nonchalantly, "What can I say? I couldn't say no"
Yuto grinned as he watched Kaz grow larger and larger.
He knew he was probably worsening the situation, but he couldn't help himself.
"Don't worry, I took good care of her," he said casually.
"You should be proud to have me as a son in law"
Kaz roared in anger, his massive dragon tail whipping around wildly, "You dare make such a joke at a time like this?"
Yuto chuckled as he dodged the tail, still not taking the situation seriously.
"Oh come on, it's just a little joke. Lighten up a bit, old man"
Kaz's anger grew as he grew in size, his wings unfurling as he bellowed.
"You think this is a laughing matter, human?!"
Yuto dodged another swipe from Kaz's tail, still maintaining his cocky demeanor.
"Not gonna lie, this whole 'big and angry dragon' thing looks good on you"
Kaz let out a deafening roar as he lunged at Yuto, his jaws snapping shut as he tried to catch him in his grasp.
Yuto managed to evade Kaz's attack once again, his expression never wavering.
"Whoa there, big guy. You gotta work on your aim"
Kaz's anger was reaching its peak, his claws tearing into the stone floor as he bellowed.
"You think this is a game?!"
Yuto chuckled, still dodging Kaz's attacks with ease.
"You're right, it's not a game. But it's certainly entertaining"
Kaz's claws and tail missed Yuto by millimeters, his dragon breath scorching the ground as he lunged at him again.
Yuto continued to dodge Kaz's attacks with impressive agility, showing no signs of fear or concern.
"You know, this is the most workout I've had in a while"
As Yuto kept dodging every attack he heard Mizuki's voice again.
'Yuto what do you plan on doing, I can't side with you on this'
["Training a dragon, of course, he needs to learn how to control that temper of his"]
'Don't get yourself killed'
["Of course"]
Yuto continued to dodge Kaz's attacks, his smirk growing wider as he taunted Kaz.
"Come on, old man. You can do better than that! Show me what you've got!"
Kaz bellowed in anger, his body trembling with rage as he continued to lunge at Yuto, unleashing a barrage of fire and claws as he tried to catch him.
But no matter how hard he tried, Yuto always dodged him easily, infuriating Kaz even further.
Yuto chuckled, still dodging Kaz's attacks with grace and finesse.
"You know, I have to give it to you. You're quite the persistent one. Most people would have given up by now"
Kaz's frustration was reaching its peak as he lunged at Yuto once more, his claws and teeth bared.
"Insolent human! I will not be mocked!"
Yuto chuckled, still maintaining his composure as he evaded yet another attack.
"Calm down, old man. You're just making this more fun for me"
"YOU LITTLE RAT!"
Yuto chuckled, his grin growing wider as he taunted Kaz. "Is that the best you can do? Come on, I know you can do better than that"
Kaz let out another roar of anger, his body shaking with rage.
Yuto continued to dodge Kaz's attacks with ease, his movements fluid and controlled.
"Wow, you need to keep your anger under control"
"SHUT UP!"
Yuto chuckled as he casually evaded another attack, enjoying the thrill of the chase.
"Oh come on, Kaz. You're making this too easy. At least make it a challenge for-"
Kaz's frustration boiled over as he unleashed a massive blast of fire at Yuto, his body trembling with anger.
"I've had enough of your insolence!"
Yuto quickly dodged the blast, his expression still calm and unbothered.
"Alright, that's more like it. Getting a little serious now, aren't you?"
"Mizuki"
Mizuki sighed as she took on her claymore form.
'Don't do anything too stupid'
["Don't worry, I have everything under control"]
<- System Equipment ->
[ Ring of Ernaline ]
Yuto's dark suit of armor surrounded his body, his red scarf blazing, symbolizing his upcoming victory.
"Okay, you fucker, time for the true round two"
Kaz let out another roar, his body trembling with anger, as he swung his claws around, slamming to the ground and then the wall.
"What would Kana say if she saw this?"
Kaz took a moment to hesitate, not expecting the mention of his daughter. For a brief moment, he paused, feeling a pang of guilt.
Before the fire in his eyes charged up again, "She will understand in time"
"Huh?"
With a swing of his tail, he sent Yuto flying through the castle's walls, and to the private flowerbeds for Kana.
Yuto groaned as he stood up, wiping the blood from his mouth.
"Okay, I take that back, that hurt"
'You think?'
["Come on Mizuki don't be like that"]
'The fact that you're being a dumbass?'
["Exactly"]
<- System ->
[ Health below 30 percent, activating Grace Healing ]
Yuto grinned as any wound he had healed, his expression unchanged, "I'm just testing the limits of this old man, that's all"
BOOM!
Yuto heard a loud growl as he saw Kaz break some of the castle walls and fly up into the sky.
13 Tier Magic: Dragon x Explosion Breath
"Oh, fuck"
Yuto braced himself as the explosion engulfed the area, feeling the intense heat and force of the blast as rocks and debris flew everywhere.
Once the explosion subsided, Yuto looked around, surveying the damage. He coughed, feeling the smoke in his lungs.
"Man, I didn't expect that to be so powerful"
Kaz landed in front of Yuto, his eyes glowing with rage, "We end this now!"
Yuto smirked, his resolve unwavering, "Bring it on, Kaz. I'm not backing down"
Kaz stumbled back from the blow, surprised by Yuto's quick reflexes. He growled, "As expected of Mizuki, being able to cut through my scales"
Kaz tore the ground up and swung it at Yuto who easily parried every single bolder.
Yuto dodged and weaved through the flying debris, his agility and reflexes on full display.
"Is that all you got, Kaz? I'm impressed, but not defeated yet"
Right when Yuto jumped, Kaz grabbed him and began beating him down, his heavy hands breaking Yuto's armor.
Yuto gritted his teeth as he was pummeled by Kaz's blows, his armor starting to crack and crumble.
However, he refused to give up, still trying to find an opening to counterattack.
<- System ->
[ Title: Dragon Fucker is now active
Any Dragon who is hostile towards you, their attack will decrease to around 1 hour ]
Kaz's attacks suddenly grew weaker as he stumbled, "What is this? Why do my attacks feel weaker?"
Yuto grunted as he struggled to stand up, his armor badly damaged and broken. He panted heavily, looking at Kaz with a small grin.
"Looks like the effects of my title are starting to kick in"
"You think I only rely on strength?"
Kaz unleashed a wave of fire, engulfing Yuto in a sea of flames.
["Argh!"]
'Yuto, your armor is taking most of the damage the problem is…'
["It's searing onto my flesh!"]
Although Yuto's armor was one of the strongest in the world and protected him from the worst of the heat, the searing flames still seared his flesh.
Yuto emerged from the flames, his armor scorched and his body bearing the marks of the Dragon King's fury.
But his spirit remained unbroken.
He wiped the blood from his lips, his eyes burning with a fierce determination.
He would not yield.
"You fucker!"
Kaz chuckled at Yuto's resilience, clearly impressed by his spirit.
"You're tough, I'll give you that. But don't think you can win this fight with just determination alone"
Their fight continued a desperate struggle for survival.
Yuto, battered and bruised, fought with the desperation of a cornered animal.
He dodged, weaved, and parried, his movements a blur of motion, it was clear that Kaz wasn't taking him seriously, why would he?
The Dragon King, a respected individual to every other race that could live longer than a thousand, a being of so much power that not even the Demon Lord would mock him.
And yet, Yuto fought with the ferocity of a man facing his end, his every move fueled by adrenaline and a burning desire to survive.
Kaz however, was relentless, his attacks growing more ferocious with each passing moment.
His claws tore through Yuto's armor, leaving deep, bleeding wounds.
His fiery breath scorched the flowerbeds, leaving trails of destruction in its wake.
The whole castle itself seemed to tremble under the weight of their conflict.
Yuto fought back with everything he had, his sword a blur of motion, his every strike aimed at Kaz's vulnerable points.
He sought openings, exploiting Kaz's momentary lapses in concentration, delivering blows that drew blood and forced him into reacting.
But even that was a struggle, it all seemed so pointless as Kaz's power was simply overwhelming.
Kaz's frustration grew as Yuto continued to dodge and weave, his attacks barely landing a hit.
"Damn it, human. You don't know when to quit, do you?"
"Ugh, s-shut up"
Kaz chuckled, landing another blow that sent Yuto flying back.
"You're good, I'll admit that. But you're still just a mortal. You can't hope to match the power of a dragon that fought in the old war"
Yuto struggled to stand up, panting heavily as he spat blood, he used Grace Healing when he landed in the flowerbed, he only had one use left.
'...'
"I've faced worse foes than you, Kaz. I won't give up that easily"
"... Human… even with Mizuki, you cannot beat me"
Yuto smirked, despite his injuries.
"Don't underestimate my strength. I may not have the raw power of a dragon, but I have something you don't"
"And that is?"
Yuto chuckled, wiping the blood from his chin.
"Perseverance, Kaz. You may have the power, but I have the will to keep fighting, no matter the odds"
A memory flashed through Kaz's mind, the memory of when he fought on the first hero's side.
Kaz shook his head, trying to push away the memory, "Stop, don't remind me of that-"
Yuto raised an eyebrow, sensing Kaz's hesitation.
"What's wrong, Old man? Afraid of stirring up old memories?"
Kaz gritted his teeth, as he swung his giant tail, sending Yuto flying through the rubble.
Yuto crashed to the ground, grunting in pain as he struggled to get up. He spat out blood, glaring at Kaz.
"Guess I struck a nerve"
Kaz's tail came swinging down, repeatedly bashing Yuto down.
Mizuki wanted to help, she really did, but there are rules that she must abide by, even though she bit her lip till it bled.
Yuto struggled to evade and block the relentless attacks, his armor taking the brunt of the damage.
"Gah, Kaz! You're not holding back, are you?"
Kaz growled, his eyes blazing with anger, "You think I'll show mercy to you?"
"Come on, what did I do that was so bad?"
Kaz snarled, and his claws continued to claw, bash, and pierce Yuto.
"You dare ask what you did?"
"You've been nothing but a nuisance from the moment you arrived. I should have never let you into my castle!"
Yuto groaned in pain as Kaz continued his relentless assault.
"I get that I can be annoying, but this is a bit much, don't you think?"
Kaz's anger grew with each word, and he swung his tail again.
"You're not just annoying. You're a threat to everything I care about. You're a danger to my daughter, to my people, to my kingdom"
"You humans always bring trouble wherever you go"
"Look man, don't blame humanity just because I slept with your daughter"
Kaz roared in anger, his eyes blazing with killing intent.
"You insolent brat! My daughter is a treasure, not some conquest for you to brag about"
"Oi, I never meant it like that"
Kaz swung his tail again, slamming Yuto into the ground.
"You don't understand the significance of what you've done!"
"Ugh"
Yuto coughed up more blood, his vision blurring from the pain.
He struggled to stand up, his body heavy with injuries.
"Look, I've said I'm sorry. I didn't mean to cause any trouble. Can't we just talk this out like civilized beings?"
Kaz began to create a giant fireball, "The time for talk, is over"
Yuto's eyes widened as he saw the massive fireball Kaz was creating.
"Crap, that's gonna hurt"
Kaz roared and unleashed the fireball. It tore through the landscape, destroying everything in its path.
Yuto narrowly dodged the fireball, feeling the intense heat brush past his face, "Holy crap, that was close"
Kaz grinned, his eyes glowing with sadistic pleasure.
"You can't keep dodging forever, human. You'll tire out eventually, and when that happens, I'll end you"
Yuto huffed as his body felt like it was collapsing, his vision was getting blurry, his bones were broken, and his arms had been burned earlier.
Kaz chuckled as he saw Yuto's weakened state.
"Look at you, human. Already defeated and weakened, yet you still refuse to give up. It's almost admirable, if not foolish"
Yuto raised his claymore, "Let's keep this up till I fall then"
Kaz smirked and readied his claws, "Fine by me, human. Let's see how much more you can take before you collapse"
- 10 minutes Later -
Yuto, exhausted and bleeding, launched a final, desperate attack, his sword aimed at Kaz's heart.
But at the last moment, he caught Yuto's blade with a single claw, the steel groaning under the immense pressure.
His other hand descended, crushing Yuto's defenses, his body crumpling under the weight of the Kaz's might.
Yuto's armor finally cracked and splintered, unable to withstand the sheer force of the blow.
His breath hitched, his body screaming in protest.
Kaz's hand rested heavily on Yuto's chest, a symbol of his absolute dominance.
This was it, his struggle was over.
Everything felt silent, the only sound was the heavy breathing of Kaz and the faint, ragged gasps of Yuto.
The air hung heavy with the scent of blood and burnt earth.
Yuto was defeated.
Kaz looked down at Yuto with a mixture of exhaustion and disappointment.
"You fought well, human. But in the end, you're still just a mortal. A strong fighter, but that's it"
"..."
Yuto's breathing was ragged and shallow, his body battered and broken.
He couldn't muster a response, his eyes staring blankly at the sky.
Kaz let out a sigh, his expression softening.
"You're a stubborn one, I'll give you that. But you can't keep fighting like this. Your body is worn out"
"Hah…"
Kaz transformed back into his human form, he crouched down next to Yuto, his eyes filled with a mix of pity and curiosity.
"Why do you fight so hard? Is it for glory? Wealth? Power? What drives you to push yourself to the brink of death?"
Yuto let out a low ruff chuckle, "A-asking me that n-now?"
Kaz nodded, "Yes, now. You're on the verge of collapsing, yet you continue to fight, even though it's clear you have nothing left to give"
"L-like you, f-for my l-loved ones"
Kaz's expression softened a hint of understanding in his eyes.
"Ah, so it's love that drives you. A noble cause, human. But is it worth it, at the cost of your own life?"
Yuto grits his teeth in anger, "Wouldn't you do the same?"
Kaz's expression turned sad, his voice filled with regret.
"I did do the same, once. But it cost me dearly. I lost everything that mattered to me because of my own stubbornness. I don't want you to make the same mistake"
"Y-your w-wife, r-right?"
Kaz sighed, the pain still fresh in his memory.
"Yes, my wife. She was everything to me, and I lost her because I chose to fight a pointless battle. A battle that I could have avoided if I had been more rational"
Yuto chuckled despite his weakened state, "Looks like we're both stubborn in our own ways. But at least we have something in common"
Kaz blinked, slightly taken aback by Yuto's words.
"I suppose we do. We both fight for those we love, even if it means risking everything"
Yuto managed a weak smile, "Guess we're not so different after all, huh?"
"A-and look, you finally calmed down"
Kaz huffed, looking away, "Don't make it sound like I was throwing a tantrum earlier"
Yuto's eyes were slowly losing color, "W-weren't you?"
Kaz grumbled, his expression softening a bit.
"I was... frustrated, that's all. But I shouldn't have let my emotions get the best of me. I'm sorry"
Mizuki transformed back into her physical form as she helped Yuto out of the crater and gave him a lap pillow.
Yuto let out a small groan as Mizuki helped him up, but he couldn't deny the comfort of her lap pillow. "Thanks, Mizuki. You always know how to make everything better"
Mizuki smiled as she brushed the hair out of his eyes, "Never thought I would hear a genuine apology out of you Kaz"
Kaz huffed, crossing his arms, "Don't get used to it. It's not like I make a habit of apologizing"
Mizuki chuckled, "Well, it's a nice change of pace. Maybe you should try it more often"
Kaz rolled his eyes, "I'm not some kind of emotional sap, you know. I have a reputation to maintain"
"Whatever, do you mind healing my partner now?"
Kaz sighed, "Right, right. I suppose it's the least I can do after nearly killing your companion"
Kaz raised his hand and a soft, warm light emanated from his palm.
It surrounded Yuto, bathing him in a healing glow that seemed to soothe his injuries.
"There, that should take care of the worst of it"
"Yuto?" Mizuki shook him lightly.
"You okay now?"
"..."
Mizuki's eyes filled with worry, "Yuto? Can you hear me?" She gently continued to shake him, hoping for a response.
"..."
"Kaz, something's wrong"
Kaz leaned in closer, his expression turning serious, "What do you mean? He's still breathing, isn't he?"
Mizuki nodded, her eyes fixated on Yuto's face, "Yes, but he's not responding. I think the exhaustion from the fight might have taken a bigger toll on him than we thought"
"What Tier Magic did you use?"
"... 13th"
Mizuki's eyes widened in disbelief. "13... That's the highest tier of magic. No wonder he's in such a state"
Kaz shook his head, "I didn't think it would have had such a severe effect on him"
"Humans truly are fragile creatures"
Mizuki wanted to punch him but stopped herself, "You know the healing spell wish, right?"
"Yes, it requires you to lose a limb"
"Then do it!"
"For a human?"
"Yes!"
Kaz sighed as he ripped off his right arm and placed it on top of Yuto, another limb grew but he still couldn't believe how far he was going for a human.
Mizuki watched in disbelief as Kaz removed his arm, her frustration turning to shock.
"You... you're actually doing it?"
"He matters to Kana…"
Mizuki's voice softened a bit, "He does..."
She gently rested her hand on Kaz's shoulder, "Thank you, Kaz"
Kaz grumbled, "Don't get used to it. This is a one-time thing"
He looked down at Yuto, concern etched on his face despite his grumpy demeanor.
"Will he be alright?"
Mizuki looked confused, "What do you mean?"
Kaz gestured towards Yuto, "I'm sacrificing my own limb, a dragon limb"
Mizuki nodded, her eyes filled with gratitude, "Yes, and it means a lot. I know it's not easy for you..."
Kaz huffed, "It's Fine, here goes nothing"
As Kaz began reciting the spell, a warm glow enveloped Yuto.
The magic worked its way through his veins, healing the deepest wounds, and rejuvenating his body.
Slowly but surely, he started to regain consciousness.
"Ehhhhh"
Mizuki breathed a sigh of relief as Yuto regained consciousness, "Thank goodness you're awake! You had us worried sick"
Yuto groaned, sitting up slowly, "Ugh... What happened? The last thing I remember is Kaz tossing me around like a ragdoll"
Mizuki chuckled, patting his head, "Yeah, you could say that. But you held your own surprisingly well against him"
Yuto rubbed his head, wincing slightly at the lingering pain.
"I guess I did, but I wouldn't want to repeat that experience any time soon"
Kaz chuckled, "Now do you see our difference in power?"
Yuto nodded a hint of respect in his eyes, "Yeah, I do. You definitely showed me my place, that's for sure"
"Good that you know"
Mizuki interjected, "Alright, boys, let's not make it a competition. The important thing is that we're all okay"
Yuto nodded in agreement, "Yeah, let's not push our luck any further"
He then turned to Kaz, "And uh, thanks. I guess. For, you know, not killing me and all"
Kaz rolled his eyes, "Don't think too much of it. I didn't do it for you"
Yuto was about to respond when they both heard an angry voice from behind.
"What the hell did you two do?"
All three of them turned to see Kana approaching, a furious expression on her face.
Freya followed behind with a worried expression.
Kana gestured at the damage around them, "Look at the mess you've made!"