Dawn has arrived.
From today onwards, we’ll be officially trying to subjugate Peony.
Of course, we aren’t going to suddenly challenge Peony out of nowhere.
We’ll first be making adequate preparations.
We are in the prep-phase, so to speak.
“Around here should do…”
I’ve come to the borders of the “Safety Zone” first thing in the morning.
Piles of rubbles and destroyed buildings are all that I can see.
From every angle, it looks like the end of the world has arrived.
The most eye-catching things are Peony’s vines which are hanging in the air, sticking to the invisible barrier of the “Safety Zone”.
There seems to be more of them than yesterday.
(I doubt that the barrier would collapse …but it’s such a sight that I can’t help but brace myself for it…)
Dokun. Dokun.
Each vine is as thick as a person’s arm, and they’re pulsating like blood vessels.
From the inside of the barrier, I try cutting down one of them.
This wouldn’t even itch Peony, but I’m just testing things out.
I slash down with the orc’s knife, and the vine gets cut with less resistance than I expected.
The vine withers the moment it falls to the ground.
However, from where it has been cut, a new vine grows, regenerating from its wound immediately.
Although I test a few other vines out, the results do not change.
(It isn’t showing any signs of retaliating…)
Did it realize that counter attacking someone who’s inside is futile, or was the damage so trivial that it couldn’t be bothered by it?
Anyway, it’s good that Peony isn’t reacting.
I don’t care about the vines as long as they don’t get in the way of my work.
“Alright. Momo.”
I tap on the “Shadow” beneath my feet.
Soon after, Momo appears.
“Wan!”
“Good work, Momo. What is the situation like?”
“Wan! Wan wan!”
‘Smooth sailing,’ Momo replies cheerfully.
Since yesterday, Momo, Aka, and Kiki have been persuading the Dragon who’s still in the “Shadow”.
“…Will it be okay for her to come ‘out’?”
“Wan!”
Momo nods her head.
I’ve come here today to greet the Dragon.
Although she became our party member, the Dragon hasn’t opened up to us yet.
Unlike Aka and Kiki, she hasn’t volunteered to join the party.
To work together and cooperate with the Dragon as a party, we must be able to hold conversations with one another.
That’s the reason why I’m here at the boundaries of the “Safety Zone”.
If something goes south, being here would minimize the potential damage.
I have to say though, Ichinose-san was very reluctant about letting me go.
(Nishino-kun seems to have renewed his determination. I should do my best too…)
Yesterday, when he returned to the base, Nishino-kun had on a reinvigorated expression.
It was as if he had been relieved of a burden.
Goshogawara-san appears to have talked him through about something, but I’m not sure of the details.
That said, Nishino-kun should be fine by himself.
But what did he mean by “I won’t lose”?
Those were his finishing words, and he said it with such a refreshing smile.
…Whatever, that’s not what’s important right now.
“Huu…”
As expected, I’m feeling nervous.
Alright, calm down.
I steady by breath and wipe the sweat off my hands using my pants.
I should concentrate on persuading her to the best of my abilities.
“Now then, Momo, whenever you’re ready.”
“Wan!”
Momo dives back into the “Shadow”.
Moments later, the “Shadow” begins to spread rapidly, just as ripples would in water.
That’s when I feel the chills.
—She’s coming!
DOPAAAAAA!
The “Shadow” shoots up like a fountain of water, and the Dragon appears from within.
Her beautiful, blue scales are reflecting off sunlight, and her wings are spread majestically before me.
What’s more, inside her huge mouth which could swallow a person whole, I can see traces of her razor-sharp fangs.
No matter how many times I confront her, I can’t help but be awed by her overwhelming presence.
The Dragon looks around and notices me by her feet.
“Gururuu….”
Jiiiiiiiii.
A few seconds pass by as we stare at each other.
Suddenly, I hear sounds of something breaking from behind the Dragon.
“!?”
A dust storm rises as piles of rubble are blown away.
At long last, I come to the realization that the Dragon is slamming her tail on the ground.
“GUAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
“~~~~~!?”
Not good. This is scary as hell.
What’s up with her? Why did she suddenly enter rage mode?
What happened to Momo’s persuasion?
Am I going to be eaten?
Taking care not to be noticed by the Dragon, I desperately stop myself from trembling.
Momo and Kiki appear from the “Shadow”.
“Wan! Wan!”
“Kyu! Kyukyu!”
“Gao…?”
“Wan! Wan! Wan!”
“Kyu!”
“…Ga.”
Momo and Kiki enter another round of persuasion.
For some reason, the Dragon appears to be fed up… or at least that’s the impression that I’m getting.
“….Gururu.”
The Dragon turns to look at me again.
Something akin to an electric shock runs through my head.
“Ouch..!? What was that?”
‘—Did it connect?’
I hear a “voice” just as I’m holding my head.
Compared to the “Heavenly Voice”, this female voice is slightly lower and clearer.
‘—What’s wrong? Stop standing there looking dumb and respond. You can hear me, right?’
The Dragon in front of me peers into my eyes.
“…This voice is from…?”
‘—From me, of course.’
KYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!
SHE SPEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKS!!
Watching me freak out, the Dragon makes an exasperated expression.
*****
Basically, the reason why I was able to hear the Dragon was because of her skills.
It makes sense.
According to President Igarashi’s “Appraisal”, the Dragon has the skills “Telepathy” and “Thought Resonation”.
I had asked Momo and Kiki to persuade her knowing that the Dragon had these skills, but I was so scared that I forgot about them.
‘I shall say this beforehand. Not everyone can perform ‘Thought Resonation’ with me. Only those that I have acknowledged are allowed to do so.’
Does that mean it’s limited to party members?
No, since she had these skills before the worlds merged, they should be for the purpose of communicating with other races in general.
She might have set this self-imposed rule because of her pride.
…Does that mean I was acknowledged by her?
Speaking of which, Momo is amazing.
After all, she was acknowledged by this Dragon much earlier on.
“Wafun!”
Momo makes a triumphant face.
‘You can praise me, you know? You can mofu-mofu me, you know?’
Momo glances at me as if to say this, so I proceed to stroke her without holding back.
“Kyu! Kyu!”
I also mofu-mofu Kiki.
Ah, they’re so lovely.
I’m healed.
Fuu, I’ve calmed myself down.
I notice that the Dragon is looking at me with interest.
‘…Is that part of your culture? Deepening your friendship through bodily contact? …Hmm, then there’s no helping it.’
The Dragon silently presents her head before me.
“…?”
‘What’s wrong? Why aren’t you touching me?’
“Eh?”
‘I’m abiding by your customs, so touch me quickly.’
“Y-yes! Understood!”
I hurriedly touch the Dragon’s jaw under her intense glare.
‘Hmm, not bad indeed…’
When I stroke her, the Dragon says so comfortably.
“Wan!”
“Kyu♪”
Momo and Kiki are spinning around the Dragon’s feet as if to say ‘Innit?’.
…To be honest, her skin is so rough that it hurts.
Every time I stroke her, a part of my skin gets scraped off. It feels like my skin is being peeled by a grater.
It’s not like I can say that out loud, so I keep stroking her until she is satisfied.
‘—Hmm, enough.’
After a while of stroking, the Dragon is finally satisfied.
Ah, my hands really hurt. They’re tingling.
‘That was satisfactory. To think you can make me feel this comfortable with your hands alone. It seems like these two critters weren’t lying to me.’
“Wan! Wan!”
“Kyu! Kyu!”
The Dragon nods in understanding alongside Momo and Kiki.
Wait a minute, what kind of “persuasion” were you guys doing in the “Shadow”?
“You heard about me from Momo and Kiki?”
‘The strongest hero among the human race and the most powerful existence on this planet, am I wrong? Oh, and I heard that you’re really good at stroking.’
AS IF!
I mean, I am confident in my ability to stroke others, but—
Hey! Momo, Kiki, why have you guys lied to her!?
“Kuun?”
“Kyu?”
I try to admonish them with my eyes, but Momo and Kiki tilt their heads in confusion.
Eh? Wait a minute. Is that how you guys see me? For real?
Also, Dragon-san, I’ve only stroked your jaw for a little. Don’t jump to conclusions so quickly.
Isn’t it obvious enough that what they said wasn’t real?
On what basis are you believing in their lies—
‘The strongest human…An existence that rivals the ‘Death King’…Never thought I’d meet one here…It’s no wonder that you don’t die. That person was also a monster that kept reviving no matter what happened.’
…Who in the world is this “Death King” that she speaks of?
Why am I being compared to this ridiculously overpowered existence?
Reviving no matter what…Ahh, so she’s referring to how I used the “Art of Cloning” to distract her.
Well, it’s understandable for a monster that doesn’t know about Ninjutsu to think that I kept reviving in that situation.
…Which means that it was me who provided her with the basis to trust Momo and Kiki’s lies.
‘If it was some unknown midget that suggested the alliance, I would’ve shredded that person with my claws; however, as you are as powerful as the ‘Death King’, I shall permit this alliance, oh human.’
“T-that so…”
For some reason, the Dragon firmly believes that I’m the strongest human alive.
What should I do? She’ll see through the lies sooner or later…
Right, I’ll just be honest and—
‘Of course, if there was any falsehood in what the critters told me, our alliance is void. Understood?’
“I look forward to working with you.”
Yup, it’s, uhhh, that.
Let’s be optimistic.
Momo, Kiki, and Aka did their best to persuade the Dragon, so I have to live up to their expectations.
“T-then let’s first talk about what we’ll do from now on. This is what we have planned—”
For the time being, thanks to Momo, Kiki, and Aka’s stellar (?) job at persuading the Dragon, our first contact with her ends successfully.
My stomach aches…