Final Battle⑭

Ariel's Perspective

Well then, having issued the challenge, the situation remains unfavorable.

Our main force consists of two Queens.

Queens should, by nature, surpass ancient dragons.

However, due to having had a portion of their soul consumed by Shiro, they are weakened.

The current Queens are likely no stronger than the ancient dragons themselves.

Opposing us are five ancient dragons.

Shadow Dragon Reise.

Fire Dragon Gien.

Wind Dragon Hyuban.

Ice Dragon Nia.

Light Dragon Byaku.

Each of these is a formidable adversary.

Gien possesses consistently high-level abilities across all domains.

Compared to the others, he lacks explosive power, but compensates with stability.

Hyuban excels in aerial combat and is unmatched in high-speed engagements.

Fortunately, within this enclosed space of the Elrow Great Labyrinth, free flight is impossible—his advantage is halved.

Still, the ability to manipulate air cannot be dismissed.

Nia is an inconvenient opponent.

She specializes in slowly draining an enemy's stamina using two types of power—ice and curse.

Yet, despite this, she possesses defensive capabilities second only to the late Earth Dragon Chief, Gakia.

She forces prolonged engagements despite being at a disadvantage in such scenarios, making her a particularly unpleasant adversary.

Byak is support-oriented.

Though lacking in direct combat capability, she can significantly enhance one individual.

Given that she is wrapped around Yamada-kun’s younger sister’s arm, she appears to be enhancing her.

The strength of an enhanced human is equivalent to that of an ancient dragon.

Additionally, Byak is a practitioner of healing magic and can fulfill a healer’s role.

And Reise... considering what lies ahead, this one may be the most troublesome.

Well then.

What should be done...?

Well, the course of action is already decided, isn’t it.

I issue commands to the Queens through my skills.

The Queens move in response.

All spider-like creatures present here launch their attack simultaneously.

At Yamada-kun.

"Nuugh!? Protect the Hero's apprentice!"

Gwen shouts.

Frustration is visible on his face.

Naturally.

Yamada-kun is the weakest here.

Yamada-kun is present because he is the wielder of the Dominance Skill—Mercy.

And the effect of that Mercy Skill is resurrection of the dead.

Lars-kun continued resurrecting the ancient dragons through that skill until he exhausted his power.

Therefore, targeting Yamada-kun—the one who holds the inconvenient resurrection ability, yet possesses the weakest combat strength here—is logical.

"Don't take it personally. I've already decided I won't care about appearances."

Whether a reincarnated being or not, if they oppose me, I will kill them.

Lars-kun, though a reincarnated being, has sacrificed himself.

If he has gone that far, we cannot afford to lose.

The other side understands this equally.

In battle against Lars-kun, the Thunder Dragon Goka has exhausted itself and surrendered.

If neither can back down, then only full effort remains.

And I have already heard Yamada-kun’s answer in the prior exchange.

Then no hesitation is necessary.

No mercy. Kill without exception.

The swarm of spiders charged forward—halted by the barrier.

Kotoda-kun’s purity skill.

The purity skill grants a powerful barrier.

Kotoda-kun’s skill is no different from Yamada-kun’s—indeed, weaker than Yamada-kun’s, less suited to this battlefield—but the barrier itself holds strength sufficient for this conflict.

Still, it is not unbreakable.

“Impossible!?”

Two queens simultaneously unleash breath attacks.

Even a barrier conjured by the Sovereign Skill cannot withstand the combined breath attacks of two Queens.

Moreover, the act of erecting a barrier means escape from within is impossible.

The barrier meant to protect those inside has become a cage.

Yet the enemy is not so naive as to allow such a transparent attack.

Guen and Hyban transform into draconic forms, countering the two Queens’ breath attacks with their own.

Fire and wind breath collide, amplifying each other’s power, meeting the Queens’ breaths head-on.

Result: mutual cancellation.

—Nn?

—Oun?

Guen and Hyban tilt their heads.

…Tch.

They sensed the weakening of the Queens’ breath.

No definitive proof, but the discrepancy is noted.

If there is no restraint on this side, the weakening of the Queens will become evident in time.

The longer it persists, the more flaws will show.

Well, assuming it persists that long.

Ten shadows approach Yamada-kun and the others, concealed by the flamboyant breath of the Queen.

Puppet Talatect.

Their forms are nearly indistinguishable from humans.

Except for the six arms.

The core of the Puppet Talatect is a spider-shaped monster roughly the size of a fist, but it fights by controlling puppets it weaves from its own silk from within.

The six-armed humanoid form is merely a puppet.

Ten Puppet Talatects attack Yamada-kun and the others simultaneously.

Puppet Talatect status: approximately 10,000.

Not comparable to the Ancient Dragons, but beyond the capacity of Yamada-kun or Oshima-kun to overcome.

And though not comparable, the Ancient Dragons are not so fragile as to be felled by a single touch of a sleeve.

Even against two opponents, they would be strong enough to threaten ancient dragons.

Regardless, against ancient dragons, only the Queen and Puppet Talatect are viable combatants.

Even Arcatratekt may prove of little use.

In essence, most of the spider-like monsters present here are little more than nonexistent.

Combat effectiveness favors them slightly.

There is only one course of action available.

Quick strike.

Before the approaching Puppet Talatects, Sophia, Reston, Niea and Rayce in humanoid form, and Yamada-kun's sister with Byak wrapped around her arm, stand in defiance.

Numerically, we are twice the number, but in terms of individual combat strength, we are inferior.

The puppet talatectors clashed against the ancient dragons, evenly matched.

Puppet Talatectors aiming to bypass the ancient dragons and target Yamada-kun and Oshima-kun, and the ancient dragons moving to intercept them.

Engaging in intense exchanges of attack and defense, each side probing for openings.

But ancient dragons—have you forgotten?

There is still a queen here.

“Wait—!? Are they planning to eliminate them all at once!?”

Breath light ignites once more in the mouths of the two queens.

Puppet Talatectors are in the line of fire, but it matters not.

If they can eliminate Yamada-kun and Oshima-kun—those holding dominion skills—here, the enemy’s scheme can be dismantled.

The victory condition for the Black God’s faction is not simply defeating us.

It is bringing dominion authority holders to the system core beyond the door behind me, and halting the system’s collapse.

To achieve that, dominion authority holders are required.

Therefore, if we eliminate Yamada-kun and Oshima-kun—the designated targets—and our younger sister, victory is ours, even if we die.

"Bad!"

"Can't stop it!?"

Ancient Dragons attempting to halt the release of the Queen's breath attacks.

But obstructing them are the Puppet Talatects.

Even though the release would destroy them as well.

The Puppet Talatects have already accepted death in this battle.

No hesitation. No delay. To honor their sacrifice.

"Fire!"

At my signal, the two Queens unleash their breath attacks.

They shatter Oshima-kun's barrier and strike Yamada-kun and the others directly.

Just before impact.

"Harmony!"

A voice, one that should not be present here, echoes.

The two Queens’ breath attacks, aimed directly at the heart of the enemy formation along with the Puppet Taratects, vanish without a trace.

Huh?

The mind cannot process the shift in circumstances.

In that fleeting gap of thought, the ancient dragons strike the Puppet Taratects with a single blow.

The Puppet Taratects freeze in place, likewise.

They are not so weak as to be felled by a single strike, but the tide of battle has undeniably turned against them.

I grimace at the realization, glaring at the man responsible for this turn of events.

"Dustin...!"

There, standing before them, was Dustin—the Pope of the Divine Word Church.

Key difference between the web and print versions of the Demon Lord’s faction.

— In the web version, the Demon Lord directly transmitted parallel wills to the Queens and consumed their souls. As a result, all Queens are weakened.

In the novel version, the intense confrontation between the Queens and the Demon Lord's entourage reduced the Puppet Tarract to only four survivors. However, the four who endured have since experienced numerous battlefields, making them significantly stronger than their web version counterparts.