Chapter 91: Chance and Necessity

I picked up that "ball" and examined it—

Dragon Blast UR

Destroys all matter.

Can emit waves of light.

A skill that reveals the traits of the monster it defeated. That’s why I’d always thought this was the monster’s "magic core."

But now that I think about it… this is the same thing as the "candy" that came out of the gacha.

I thought the gacha vending machine had just vanished and ended there—but no, it wasn’t like that.

The thing I’d thought was a "magic core"? Someone… put it… here… just like the gacha. If that’s true… then finding the gacha wasn’t just luck, was it?

If everything’s part of someone’s plan… my blood ran cold. Are they trying to make me do something?

Too many questions. I opened a pocket dimension and tossed the Dragon Blast orb inside. Not a chance I’d ever eat that.

I looked up at the sky.

Still being watched… by someone?

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

"Did he do it? Gojo…?"

A few beams of light shot out—then suddenly, the Hydra vanished. Did Gojo cut it down with his sword?

"Leo’s husband… the Hydra’s presence is completely gone. It’s over—Gojo did it!!"

We rushed toward Gojo. Wang was moving so fast he left everyone behind.

When we arrived, Gojo and Wang were already talking. Was it my imagination? After pulling off such a feat, Gojo looked… off.

"Gojo… you really defeated the Hydra?"

"Yeah. No doubt about it. You can relax now."

"Come on! There's no way a stronger dragon's gonna show up, right!?"

Freyja was asking Gojo, her face full of worry.

No way, no way. Seriously, cut me some slack here. There aren’t any strong dragons around this area, and I think dragon numbers are just dwindling overall.

Hearing those words, everyone here—including me—relaxed, relief washing over our faces. Finally over… finally…

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

Well, everyone’s safe and the dragon’s dead—call it a win, I guess. Either way, this time, that sword saved our hides.

Looking at the sword in my right hand...

"Ah!!"

What’s wrong with you, Gojo!?

Leo jumped at my voice, asking.

Broken... broken...

“Huh?”

Leo and everyone else’s eyes were locked on the sword. The blade I was holding was cracked all over, crumbling apart, its edge chipped and ragged.

Maybe it’s because I used it so recklessly...

Even though he just barged in uninvited... now he goes and breaks it? Salman’s gonna be furious with him...

I've got it—I'll tell Sister Salman myself.

Leo said with a smile. Ohhh... honestly, now he looks like a real hero.

"Please," I said, handing the broken sword to Leo. I can't fix something this rare with my current blacksmithing level.

Might have to pay some insane compensation... but...

"First things first... let's head back."

I said that and sliced a gap through the subdimension, opening the entrance. On the other side of the space—connected to Brest, France.

"Can I get to another place by going through here?"

Wang listened with genuine interest, but Sister Liu and the members of the Sanctuary Knights were all on edge.

In the midst of it all, Grese was the first to step through the rift.

"I've been in so deep, I'm used to it by now."

Grese said that with a sigh, vanishing into the other side. Without hesitation, Wang followed. Some of the Sanctuary Knights were still hesitating...

"Keeping this up isn't easy—get in already."

I urged them, and in the end, everyone moved into the breach together.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

【NATO Joint Staff HQ, General Hansen】

"The Sanctuary Knights have returned!? Really!? Is it true!?"

If they’d defeated the "Leader," they should’ve entered Ireland to rescue survivors. Even if they hadn’t found anyone, they were supposed to go in.

We were already preparing to send naval and submarine units to Ireland...

So how did the Sanctuary Knights return—if they could only come back from Ireland?

"Summon all commanders and the Political Directorate head. Call a meeting! As soon as it’s ready, send Leo to the first conference room."

After hearing the Navy had been wiped out, their survival had seemed hopeless... But then again, they *are* "supernaturals," I guess.

Soon after, an emergency meeting was called.

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

"We’re entering."

The door before me opened to reveal three desks arranged in a U-shape, NATO officers seated at them.

"Leo, you’re safe. We were worried."

"Thank you."

"Right away—did you defeat the Dragon’s "Leader"?"

"Yes. We confirmed the Leader’s presence, then eliminated it."

A collective "Wow~" rippled through the room.

"What kind of Dragon was it!?"

"Ah, tell us the details."

A question shot out from the attendees. Naturally, everyone wanted to know what happened...

"The 'Leader' was a huge, crimson Dragon. A tough opponent, for sure—but we managed to take it down by working together."

"So, you were the one who delivered the final blow? Leo?"

They really wanted to know who finished it. I took a breath before answering.

"That... is..."

◇◇◇◇◇◇◇◇

—— A few hours earlier

We were waiting at the Breth military facility. Right now, everyone’s gathered in the briefing room.

"Alright, Gojo, can you tell us about yourself? I promise not to spread it around recklessly."

Leo asked seriously. I’d already promised to talk, so I told them everything that had happened to me.

About the Gacha appearing, the Self-Defense Force, the Immortal King, the battle in America—everything.

Wang and Liu, who’d been listening quietly, and the members of the Sanctuary Knights—including Leo—looked skeptical, half-believing, half-doubting.

"Hmm... but that’s hard to believe. Do you have any proof?"

Carlo said, looking confused. Proof, huh...

"How about this?"

I placed Carlo’s ring and bracelet on the table. For a moment, everyone froze in silence. Then he gasped.

"Wait—those are the ones I was wearing!? How did you...?"

"I stopped time."

"「What!?」"

Everyone was stunned into silence.

"Can you really do that!?"

Even Grese looked shocked. Grese was supposed to see all my stats, right? So why didn’t he recognize “Time-Space Manipulation”? Was it just missing from his view?

"Is that the ability you got from a Gacha? What else is there!?!"

Wang’s eyes lit up as he asked. He’s really into this…?

"Another one’s ‘Immortality’—doesn’t age at all, seems like."

"Seriously?! That’s awesome… I wanna have that too!"

Wang’s energy spiked, but Leo and the others just stared off into space. Guess that’s normal reaction… yeah…

I pulled out the thing I’d thought was a mana core from the sub-space.

"This is the ‘gem’ that lets you gain Hydra’s skill. Looks like the same kind as the ones from the Gacha."

Leo and the others watched the ‘gem’ on my palm with clear interest.

"Shall we try it out, Leo?"