3 bar menu

Chapter 65 – Part 3

「Know that it is your own words that bring disaster upon you, Neltona!」

「Hmph, don’t act so impudently…… wha-!?」

Between Neltona and Ryoukichi, a blue and white light continued to spread throughout the sky and the sea, quickly filling the ocean demons’ world with Ryoukichi’s pure, spiritual power.

Ryoukichi’s power to heal her injured body was rendered pointless, as her soul was literally shaved away, turning into more spiritual energy. She was betting everything on this one attack.

The regeneration of her flesh stopped, and the loss of blood that she’d been holding back until now suddenly came flowing out, as a chunk of her flesh tore away and fell off.

As more and more of her soul was carved away, Ryoukichi began to lose her personality, along with the elements that made up her existence. Combined with the excruciating physical pain, Ryoukichi’s sense of self descended into something ambiguous and uncertain.

However, Ryoukichi still continued to try to destroy Neltona.

「Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!!!」

She raised up a scream that was no longer a part of the dragon’s magic language, and Ryoukichi launched the single, most strongest attack of her life.

The single attack made from the pieces of her own life and soul, covered even the sun as it became a vortex of holy water, and smashed through the ocean’s surface, swallowing Neltona’s figure as the pillar reached toward the end of the cloudy skies.

「Gu, gugya, gyugyaaaaaaaa, gueoooohh!!!」

Following the path of his own children, Neltona was swallowed by the vortex born from the Water Dragon Emperor’s complete body and soul. Starting from the extremities, his flesh crumbled away together with his soul, as he howled in agony in his last moments.

The spiritual energy blasted Neltona away completely, leaving no traces behind. He disappeared into the faraway ashen clouds, and Ryoukichi could finally stop shaving away at her soul, and restart her regeneration of her tattered body.

Because of parts of her soul having been sacrificed, she was still unable to gather her thoughts well, and she was quite absentminded. But more than anything else, thoughts of her beloved daughter were the first to come floating to the forefront of her mind.

With this, she could face Liu Yu again, and Liu Yu wouldn’t have to live with any ties to Neltona. Ryoukichi felt the uneasiness that she had always carried in her heart about this, ever since losing her husband, melt away.

As soon as she healed enough of her wounds, she had to once again pass through the doors of the ocean demon temple, and tell all the people of the Dragon Empire that she had claimed victory.

The summoning of the ocean demon god was left unaccomplished, the Ocean Demon Lord and his children had all been slain, and any leftover ocean demons would surely run to the other six ocean demon lords for help.

By the time the wound on her stomach slowly closed up, and the blood vessels, muscles, and bones started to come back together, Ryoukichi let out a small, tiny sigh of relief.

She was relieved that the futile fate that she’d resolved herself to, was finally settled after so many long years.

However, despite having destroyed even the soul of the Ocean Demon Lord Neltona, Ryoukichi realized the path leading to the ocean demon world at the top of the altar hadn’t closed yet.

No, wait. It wasn’t closing at all, but actually gradually opening wider!?

「It can’t be, was I too late!?」

Ryoukichi’s scream was filled with anguish and despair, as the whirlpool above the altar opened up, and a flurry of wind started to swirl into the portal to the ocean demon world.

If the ocean demon god were to set foot in this space, then he could easily advance into the earth, and someday bring the entire universe under his control. Or he might just destroy everything, whenever he feels like it.

Ryoukichi understood the things that she could do very well. The things she could do, the things she must do, and the things she should do; there are small differences between these three, and Ryoukichi was a wise woman who understood them all.

Barely keeping her head above the newly purified water, she then slowly raised her healing body out of the water.

Right now, she could still prevent the summoning of the ocean demon god from happening. The door to the ocean demon world wasn’t completely open yet, there could be a way to either block or destroy the door, and obstruct the demon god’s arrival.

But, even if Ryoukichi were in perfect condition, she probably couldn’t have been able to close the half-open pathway to the ocean demon world, which had been made with the demon god’s power.

That’s why, she’d have to give up her life in compensation.

Unlike the fight with Neltona, this time, she would die. Her soul would crumble away, and she would be unable to enter the cycle of death and rebirth and be reincarnated. She must go that far, she must take it to the end, or else the pathway won’t be destroyed.

Ryoukichi did not hesitate, and immediately decided that was what she would do. When she had made up her mind to infiltrate the ocean demons’ temple, she had always known that it meant throwing her life away.

She would regret not being able to see Liu Yu’s growth, but Dran was still there on earth.

He is a little rough around the edges, but he is a kind-hearted person. Ryoukichi couldn’t stop worrying about whether he could support Liu Yu or not, but even so, she felt at ease.

Numb even to the pain, Ryoukichi whipped her body around, and slowly rose to the surface of the water, looking up at the whirlpool above the altar.

「As the final use for my life and soul, this isn’t a bad way to end. Liu Yu, it’s only natural for a parent to die before their child.

There’s no need to be so sad. As long as you occasionally think of me, I am satisfied.

Dran-sama, please support Liu Yu. It is unsightly for me to ask this of you, who never had any obligation to concern yourself with us, so I don’t mind if you don’t forgive me.

However, Liu Yu is the only thing I must entrust with you……Fufu, to think I want to hear your voice in my final moments, Dran-sama, even if it’s just to hear your criticism」

Strangely enough, like her own daughter, when making up her mind about something, thoughts of the same man came to mind. She understood what must be done, and an expression of pride rose to her face at the thought of fulfilling it.

But then–

「Hmm, if you are happy with my voice, then I would let you hear it as much as you want though?」

–Just like that time with Liu Yu, somehow Dran was now there to her right.

「………!?!?!?!?」

Ryoukichi was so surprised, she was speechless, unable to get any words out. Dran, with the face of a white dragon’s sturdy face, reassured her with a tolerant and warm-hearted smile.

Then, he sang in the dragons’ magic language, and Ryoukichi saw a white light spread across the sea’s surface, forming into the dragon language letters and becoming a magic circle.

Even for the Water Dragon Emperor Ryoukichi, these words were so terribly ancient, she could barely understand their meaning.

Once, in the war at Ente Forest with Lafrasia, there was a magic circle that healed the injured Diadora, but this was superior to even that one, a healing and protection spell of the highest order.

「Don’t worry about Liu Yu. I took care of the enemies outside. Originally, I wasn’t going to interfere because it was your battle, and you were born on this planet much longer ago than I was, so I thought it might be rude. I’m sorry」

Ryoukichi finally regained her composure, as the magic circle completely healed most of her wounds. Once sure that she was healed, Dran spoke up again.

「Actually, I had already arrived when you started fighting the ocean demon lord. However, you told me that he was your husband’s sworn enemy, so I stood by and just watched.

Ryoukichi, just seeing you get hurt was a very, very painful and distressing time for me.

But also, Ryoukichi, the one who was in more pain, was you. You avenged his death well. You were admirable.

Liu Yu will also be proud of you. This ancient divine dragon guarantees it. I won’t let anyone say otherwise」

Even if he was now reborn as a human, his words were that of an existence that stood at the top of the Dragonkin, and filled with praise and deep affection from the bottom of his heart. Ryoukichi’s eyes suddenly got hot, and her tears continued to spill one after another.

「No, no, words such as those are a waste. For someone like me…!」

「Hmhmm. Well then, I stopped myself and simply watched over your fight with the ocean demon lord, but if your enemy is the ocean demon god, then I too have a small grudge.

This presence, it must be Octour. My older sister, the ancient dragon god, Leviathan, fought with Octour. Even among the ocean demons, Octour is an extremely high ranking evil god. Leviathan couldn’t deliver the finishing blow, so I will do it in her stead」

Dran protected Ryoukichi’s back, and he faced the evil god who was gradually stepping out of the portal, with a fearless gaze and smile.