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Volume 8 Chapter 193

Dragon God

I used to be a Red Dragon. By the nomination of the Creator God, I managed a dungeon in the Beastmen’s kingdom.
It was a dungeon specifically designed to nurture heroes, so adventurers rarely came, making it quite dull.
About a hundred years ago, a hero finally entered my dungeon, a place that had seen no visitors for ages.
At that time, I vividly remember my excitement reaching its peak.
That’s because I had thought of a thousand possible lines that I wanted to say to the hero when they reached the final floor.
The hero who challenged my dungeon was a duo: a human hero, likely transmigrated from another world, and a half-elf woman who seemed to accompany him.
The woman, presumably the hero’s companion, had a remarkable sword skill.
Although the hero was stronger, there were moments of peril, skillfully supported by the half-elf woman.
I thought they made a good pair.
And they reached the final floor where I awaited.
Facing the heroes, I was quite satisfied that I could finally say the line I had been considering for a hundred years.
Now, it was time to engage them casually.
I monitored the heroes’ movements through the crystal managing the dungeon, knowing they were not yet strong enough to defeat me.
In the battle that ensued, they skillfully dodged my attacks while trying to strike back, but their attacks weren’t powerful enough to harm me.
No matter how they struggled, defeating me was impossible.
They should give up and try again another time.
That’s what I thought, but—
Suddenly, the woman sheathed her sword and moved behind the hero.
In the next moment, my survival instinct screamed at me to escape this place immediately.
It was a sensation I had never felt before.
Fear—born as the mightiest dragon, living without ever facing a threat to my life, this was the first time I experienced it.
In response to my astonishment, the hero uttered words that I still remember.
　『Sorry, but I’ll cheat a bit』 —-The hero said.
Certainly, the hero had been fighting me without going all out.
However, realizing they couldn’t win as is, they used a cheat skill unique to heroes transmigrated from another world.
I lost.
I couldn’t move a finger.
Unable to catch the hero’s unbelievable speed, I found myself beaten to a pulp.
Without any mercy, the hero delivered the finishing blow.
When I was about to be defeated, I had so many lines I wanted to say to the hero, but they didn’t allow me to say anything.
My final words were, 『Huh, wait, sto—』.
Damn, how lame.
I died.
Or at least, I should have died. But I woke up.
Before me stood the Creator God, who said they would make me the next Dragon God.
The Creator God gave me a new life.
To say I was given life is a bit off.
I became a god.
I became an existence beyond life and death.
However, being a god with too little faith could lead to my disappearance.
Yet, gods couldn’t directly intervene with the people and creatures of this world. So, I created the 『Dragon Priestess System』.
I bestowed my protection and power upon a female dragonewt of the dragonkin—a dragon priestess—to heal the wounds of the dragonkin and dragons.
When the dragonkin thanked her, their feelings became faith in me, nourishing me.
It was a system somewhat imitating the『Holy Saintess』 of the Creator God.
I didn’t steal it, okay? It’s an homage.
As a young god, I thought I was doing quite well.
White Dragon and the Dragon Priestess were calling for me.
I used to play a lot with the White Dragon.
Actually, before I became a god, I fought the White Dragon several times. However, the young White Dragon was stronger.
It was a bit frustrating.
But now, as the Dragon God, I couldn’t lose to the White Dragon! —I think.
I can win……right?
The current Dragon Priestess is working hard.
Just recently, a large amount of faith came to me through her efforts.
So, in response to the call from the nostalgic White Dragon and the Dragon Priestess, I decided to manifest.
From the two I met, there was a scent of THAT hero’s soul. Faintly, I also sensed the scent of the half-elf.
Since my time as a dragon, I could smell the scent of souls.
「From you two, there’s a scent of the hero I once lost to」
While I thought it couldn’t be possible, I couldn’t help but speak out nostalgically.
「The hero… … you lost to? Does that mean—」
「Could it be the Guardian Hero?」
「Yes, indeed. That’s what he was called」
After I became a god, I found out that the man who defeated me was called the Guardian Hero.
The Guardian Heroes are said to have their status doubled when they have someone to protect behind them.
If the hero at that time was level 100 when the half-elf woman put away her sword and moved behind the hero, which means that the hero’s status had risen to the equivalent of level 200.
Isn’t that a cheat!!
So it’s no wonder I lost.
Well, now that I’ve become a god, there’s no way I would lose to him.
When I was trying to justify my defeat in the past, the White Dragon gave me some unbelievable information.
「That Guardian Hero was actually reincarnated」
「—-What?」
W-what?
What did she say?
「I-Is this true?」
「Yes. It’s true. I believe that the smell of the Guardian Hero’s soul that Dragon God-sama sensed belongs to him」
The Dragon Priestess answered.
The Dragon Priestess wouldn’t lie to me.
The Guardian Hero was reincarnated?
Eh, seriously!?
So, that means—
「I’ve got a chance for revenge against that guy!」
「Uh, um… …Dragon God?」
「Hahaha, the Guardian Hero. I’ll make him regret returning to this world」
No, I don’t intend to kill him.
I just want to get back at him a bit.
It’s a bit of payback for not letting me say the lines I had been thinking about for so long.
While gods can’t directly interfere with humans, that’s the rule in the human realm.
So, I’ll bring the Guardian Hero into the divine realm and challenge him to a fight there. The one who defeated me should be off guard.
All I need is to give him a reason to fight……
Somehow, I have to find a reason for the hero to want to fight me.
Well, I can think about it after meeting him. As a god, I have plenty of rewards to offer in case of victory.
Of course, I have no intention of losing.
I’ll say those lines I couldn’t say before as he kneels before me!
After ages, I took on the form of the Red Dragon.
Thanks to becoming a god, my body was overflowing with power compared to before.
I grabbed the Dragon Priestess and the humanized White Dragon and leaped into the air.
They seemed surprised by my sudden action, but both the priestess and the White Dragon behaved quietly in my talons without resisting.
If I follow the scent ingrained in these two, I should be able to reach the hero.
Hahaha, wait for me, hero.
I’m coming now!
Let me settle the score from a hundred years ago!