Chapter 22: Those Who Command Phenomena
Al furrowed his brow as he confirmed the explosion in the previous space.
(This is bad…)
“Sorry, Seles. I’ll go ahead a bit.”
“O-okay… but…”
The moment Al kicked off the ground, he vanished. Yet, when she glanced at the floor, a deep indentation was visible. He must have sprinted forward at an almost invisible speed.
“I’ve always wondered… just what kind of physical abilities does he have…”
Strictly speaking, it was an extraordinarily advanced enhancement of his body through magical power. Perhaps someday she might be able to use it too.
◇◇◇
Having effortlessly repelled the Shadow Blade Laspada, Al walked slowly toward the center. Crow’s face contorted with frustration at the earlier turn of events, his whole body trembling.
“M-My perfect plan… to be ruined by some worthless nobody…!!”
But after a moment of reflection:
(Wait… he just deflected my higher-level magic with only his sword. He relied purely on magical body enhancement. There’s no one in this world capable of such a feat. And that damned jet-black robe…)
Crow suddenly raised his voice, and, to Al’s surprise, it was full of delight.
“So, you are one of them… the Dream-attribute court magician, Al Dragals!!”
“I don’t care. That doesn’t interest me.”
“Then we’ll settle it directly! The magic of destruction, a power granted only to transcendent beings whose biological limits have been removed! Let’s clash the realities each of us controls!”
Crow spread his arms wide, drawing his magical energy to its maximum.
“Dark Abyssal World!!!!!!”
A violent dark energy manifested as a tangible world, oppressive and overwhelming.
Against it, Al responded:
“Dreamlike World.”
A gentle world, pure white, embracing everything.
The two collided at the center of the space. Black met white, shaking the entire duke’s territory. Tremors rolled through the empire.
It made sense. Two gods of worlds that should never have faced each other were clashing.
“Excellent, Al Dragals!! Your death will be the crowning glory of the Empire’s destruction!!”
Yet the space did not collapse. Al’s power suppressed Crow’s overwhelming magic. Here, the shield had surpassed the spear.
Just then, Seles arrived.
“W-What… is this…?”
It looked as if two worlds were quarreling, perfectly divided in color. On the left, Al and the nearly unconscious Estella; on the right, the mysterious magician.
“Estella-san…!!”
(Al’s protecting her. No, he’s protecting this space, even the city above.)
Al and Seles exchanged a glance and nodded. Words were no longer necessary. Seles hurried to Estella and retrieved the highest-grade potion from her item bag.
‘Listen well. If anyone suffers a critical wound, give them this potion immediately. In just a few minutes, they will be fully revived. Kakakaka!’
She tilted Estella’s chin up and poured it down her throat.
“Se-Seles…”
“Don’t talk now. You might spill it.”
As the potion sank in, Estella’s wounds gradually healed.
“It feels… warm. Cozy.”
“Al is protecting us from that formidable enemy.”
“Crow… was once the lead court magician. He should be a transcendent… I see now.”
(So Al is one of them…)
The dreamlike world steadily began consuming Crow’s dark abyss. Cold sweat dripped from his forehead.
“Y-You… long-extinct dream attribute trash!!”
Crow forcibly overrode his magic, trying to repel the dreamlike power. With a sharp pop, silence returned.
“Haa… haa… Al Dragals. We are transcendent beings, demi-god-like, blessed by the gods to govern reality itself. And yet, we are fighting over a human empire… isn’t that amusing?”
“……………”
“Yet here you are, protecting two insignificant mice behind you. Forget such trivialities. Fight me for the empire itself! With you, this scenario is already complete!”
“Don’t drag me into your petty story. It sickens me. I’m only acting for my one friend, Estella.”
“Strangely calm, aren’t you? Pretending?”
“Haa… don’t lump me with you.”
‘Al, anger is the key to surpassing your limits. But if you surrender to it, you lose sight of those you must protect. Always stay calm. That is what it means to be an Imperial Knight.’
‘I’m not planning to become a knight…’
‘No. You will join the Imperial Knights and protect the nation with me.’
‘…Alright…’
Al curled his lips into a faint smile.
“───Now, let’s finish this.”
“Hahaha!! Come, Al Dragals!! Show me everything you’ve got!!”
And he whispered:
“Come, Kurikara Ryuo.”
A colossal black Eastern dragon appeared behind Al. The legendary phantom beast of the island where his beloved blade, Kurikara, was forged. Every detail—roar, form, expression, magic, presence—was exquisitely real.
Though purely imaginary, it felt tangible enough to deceive the senses.
Crow instinctively stepped back.
“W-What… is that monster…?”
(I know dream attributes can’t create real bodies. I know that. And yet my instincts recognize it as real…!!)
“────Go.”
Al extended his hand. The dragon opened its maw and charged at Crow, teeth aimed to crush him, gouging the ground as it ran.
“D-Damn!! Shadow Blade Laspada!!”
Yet, as he’d realized before, it was only an illusion. The dragon snapped its jaws shut, but nothing happened.
───Only the transcendent master of illusions remained.
Al slashed toward Crow’s torso in an iai strike. The blade shattered the Laspada and cut deeply into Crow’s chest.
“Guhah!!”
Blood sprayed boldly. As Al prepared a counterstrike:
“Al Dragals!! Watch out behind you!!”
A black wolf approached, aiming for Seles carrying Estella.
“Tch.”
Al spun on his heel and, at faster-than-sound speed, cut the wolf in half just before it could reach them.
…Crow did not miss such an opening.
“Farewell, Al Dragals!! Or should I say, Dream-attribute court magician!! Hahaha!!”
He vanished into the shadows, disappearing entirely from the branch office—likely teleporting far away.
(Hmm, he escaped.)
───The holy war of transcendent beings ended with the flight of one combatant.
“S-Sorry, Al.”
“It’s my fault we let him escape… forgive me.”
“I don’t care about him. He’s worthless, not even worth a name. Are your wounds okay?”
“Yes, thanks. My magic is zero, though.”
“Don’t worry. Seles and I will protect you.”
“How reassuring… kakaka.”
But the main objective was not defeating the officer.
“We must retrieve the ancient dragon’s egg quickly.”
“Exactly. As long as the Dragon God Cult holds it, the threat never ends.”
“Can you move, Estella?”
“I can stand, but not walk yet.”
Al looked at the motionless Estella.
“Al, go ahead. I’ll protect Estella-san.”
“But…”
“Trust me.”
“Understood.”
Al cast an illusion, concealing his presence, and advanced alone.
◇◇◇
“I never thought Crow-sama would be defeated…”
“H-Hurry!”
“The Duke’s army will arrive if we delay!”
The researchers clutched the egg and headed for an emergency exit. Then Crow came running from behind.
“C-Crow-sama!?”
“You are safe!”
“Yes. Just a minor delay. Hand me the ancient dragon’s egg.”
“Yes. Be careful; it’s heavy.”
The researchers passed the egg to Crow.
“Good work, foolish researchers.”
“E-eh…?”
The researchers fell unconscious. Crow’s form blurred, replaced by Al—his signature illusion.
“Good. Egg recovered. Let’s regroup quickly.”
As he retraced his steps—
Al’s magical energy plummeted.
…No, the egg was absorbing it.
“Whoa, impressive. Stealing my magic, quite the appetite.”
He absentmindedly patted the egg.
Crack.
A fissure appeared.
“Huh? Could it… be hatching? Hold on a bit longer… leave these troubles to His Majesty…”
Crack, crack, crack.
The egg split entirely, and a baby dragon emerged. Pure white, fluffy feathers, an utterly adorable ancient dragon.
“Pii!”
“Ah.”
The dragon’s gaze met Al’s.
“Pii!”
It leapt onto his face, nuzzling his cheek.
“Pii, pii!”
“Hey, that’s not… I’m not your parent—”
“Pii, pii!”
◇◇◇
A few minutes later, Al reunited with the others.
───Still with the baby dragon perched atop his head.
“I’m back~”
“Al… that white one… is it… an ancient dragon?”
“Kakaka! It’s so attached to you!”
“Pii!!!”
Al had gained a new companion.
“Pii.”