Chapter 88: Contradiction

Send Freyja?

I heard about the divine dragon from Greys. I should tell Gojo while he’s fighting. But sending Freyja… that’s too dangerous.

Leo, I’m going. I can’t use magic, but I’m the only one who can call Gojō. I want to do what I can.

If what Freyja said is true, there’s no way we can beat Gojo… Everyone here has seen Gojo’s terrifying power firsthand. I don’t want to believe Gojo himself can’t win—but now isn’t the time to be saying that!

Got it. We’ll cover you. Be careful.

Freyja mounted the dragon beside her and took off from the spot.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

The Flame Dragon King gathered magic in his mouth. One strike before the Hydra could set its trap. A ball of destructive fire shot from his jaws—

"——Breath of Annihilation——!!"

The fireball slammed straight into the Hydra, exploding into a blinding flash that swallowed the creature in searing heat. An unimaginable blast filled the sky.

Shouldn’t work without a magic defense like a Titan’s. That’s what I was thinking—

"Kyaaahhhhh—!"

I realized with a scream—Freyja was riding a flying dragon, coming this way. Blown away by the explosion.

What the hell are you doing...?

I teleport straight to the rescue. A wind barrier surrounds Freyja—protecting her. Leo’s power…?

Leo and the others were getting thrown back by the explosion, but they barely held on thanks to Elias’s Barrier Art shield.

Why’d you come all the way out here?! It’s dangerous, isn’t it?!

"Gojo... you gotta go back to everyone. Gres has something important he needs to tell you."

"Something important?! What kind of thing?!"

"About the black dragon. You can't beat that dragon like this. Please... trust us."

Honestly, I don't get it—but something big's trying to get through.

"Got it."

I teleported back to where Leo and Gres were, alongside Freyja and the flying dragon. The sudden appearance startled them—obviously.

"Gojo!! You can't win against that dragon! It's hopeless!"

Gres pleaded, his face twisted with dread. But even if he says there's no chance... the Hydra's over there, behind the explosion's smoke.

Still, it can't be untouched—right?

Then—three heads roared, and flames and smoke exploded outward. In the sky, it unfurled massive wings, its black-silver body gleaming, spreading its wings like a shadow over everything.

Gathering massive magical power, it unleashed a blazing breath from all three mouths—light so intense it blazed across the sky. The Flame Dragon King didn’t stand a chance. It just... vanished.

One hit... that’s insane.

And the attack didn’t even *work*!? Wait—what? No resistance... no feedback... it's not just strong defense, is it?

"Attacking it's pointless. Even your power... it won't matter."

"What do you mean?!"

"That dragon has a unique skill—'Absolute Defense.' It nullifies every attack."

"Absolute Defense!?!"

That explains why it felt like nothing was working... but still—

"Can Gres see the Hydra’s stats!?"

"See it. My skill 'Magic Eye' can read any status. Not just Absolute Defense—its breath can atomize any matter or energy. An attack that bypasses all defense."

An attack that bypasses all defense... This is worse than I thought.

A perfect shield... paired with a perfect spear... is that even possible...? Just as we’re talking, the Hydra has noticed us. It’s glowing—flickering with destruction.

The light rips through the earth, erasing everything in its path.

I freeze time and teleport everyone away. Put some distance between us and the Hydra’s back—should buy us a little time.

They’re startled by the sudden move, but since they’ve been through it before, they get it. My power.

"Then I can’t beat it. We’ve got no choice but to retreat."

No one argues. Not even Gres. Leo and Freyja just lower their heads. It’s not hard to get humans out of here...

The Hydra turns in midair, circling toward us. I open a rift to instantaneously teleport everyone to safety.

I was going to get us out before it attacked—but the dragon stops. Doesn’t look at us. Stares off in another direction entirely.

"What’s going on...?"

Leo frowns, confused. The beast gathers power in all three mouths. It fires a vicious beam in that direction. I don’t know what it’s doing...

I use Thousand-Mile Eye to check where the Hydra’s light was aimed.

There—far out at sea—a warship’s wreckage is sinking. Flames still burning. This is...

Leo must’ve asked Luca to use Thousand-Mile Eye too. Luca took one look and understood immediately.

“NATO naval forces. All destroyed.”

Leo grimaced at Luca’s words, forcing out a strained whisper.

“Can it really hit that far…? If it goes after Ireland or France, we’d be wiped out. We can’t just run.”

“Even so, if we can’t find a way to stop it, there’s nothing we can do.”

I’d rather not run either, but I didn’t know what else to do. The Hydra turned back toward us, spreading its wings and lunging in a slow, deliberate attack.

In the thick tension, Greys spoke up.

“There might be one way to kill it. Salman—”

The Hydra unleashed beams of light from its three mouths. It’s determined to kill us—no, maybe it’s just determined to kill me?

When the light of annihilation swallowed everything around us, I froze time and teleported everyone.

“Whoa!?!”

Greys and Leo were still stunned. Of course they were—being forced to move through frozen time? That’d feel unnatural, no matter how you looked at it.

“So… what’s the way to kill the Hydra?”

“Ah, right. There’s this guy—Salman—who gave us the weapons back in the Sanctuary Knights. Among them was a blade called the Dragon Slayer.”

“Can that actually kill a divine dragon!?”

“Probably… the鉴定 said it could cut through anything, if wielded properly. Can’t say for sure it breaks ‘Absolute Defense,’ but if there’s any chance of beating a divine dragon, that’s the only weapon I can think of.”

Leo interrupted, a sudden spark in his eyes.

“Wait… is that the sword that absorbs magic?”

"Yeah, Leo’s guy. That sword nobody could handle."

Absorb magic?...A sword like that even exists...? If that's true—then—

"But Gris, that thing consumes insane amounts of magic. Gojo’s already drained a ton. Pushing it further... could cost him his life, right?"

"No... Gojo’s fine. That guy’s got the 'Infinite Mana' skill."

A ripple went through the crowd. Anyone with supernatural abilities would instantly grasp what it meant to have limitless magic.

"Damn... can I check my own stats too?"

"Yeah, I know you’ve got some freaky abilities. At first, all I felt was fear... Gojo! I’ve got no choice but to rely on you now."

"Got it. So where’s that sword?"

"Dresden, Germany—Salman’s lab. Can’t you just teleport there?"

Dresden... I’ve never been there. Berlin, yeah, but teleporting requires a clear mental image. Should’ve scouted more places before the "Day of Calamity"... damn it...

"Is it far from Berlin?"

"Pretty far, actually..."

If I teleport to Berlin first, then fly at top speed... maybe I can make it...

"Even at top speed, it’ll take 20 to 30 minutes. We should evacuate everyone, at least for now."

Leo shook his head at my suggestion.

"If I lose sight of him now, who knows where he’ll go? If he heads toward people, the damage could be catastrophic. And if he slips back into the Abyss’s rift? Tracking him’ll be impossible. I can manipulate the atmosphere to ground him. Gris, take him with you!"

I feel Leo’s resolve clear as day. The other Knights of the Sanctuaries seem to agree. It’s obvious they truly trust him.

“Go, Gojo. We’ll handle this here.”

“Count on it. Gojo, come back before we kick the bucket, okay?”

Freyja and Carlo speak brightly, but it’s obvious they’re just putting on a brave face.

“Gojo, we believe you’ll come back with that sword. We believe you can beat him. We’re counting on you!”

Wang pushes me firmly in the back. All I can do is go all out and bring back the sword… then there’s no choice but to do it!

I take Gris’s hand.

“Be back soon.”

As I turn, I see everyone smiling, sending me off — and behind them, the Hydra speeding toward us at high speed.

I bite my lip and step through the interdimensional rift toward Berlin —