Chapter 218 — Arc 5 – 34, “Chaotic Duel”

—Standing on the rooftop of the City Hall, a black dragon flaunted its wings at Subaru’s group.

Opening its mouth to reveal rows of sharp teeth and a long, snaking red tongue, the black dragon narrowed its golden eyes, continue to issue a choking, sharp laugh.

That black dragon’s appearance was more or less exactly how Subaru pictured the dragon species.

It had the same aura of awe that earth dragons like Patrasche, but its hair and physique weren’t the same. If ground dragons averaged the size of a pterosaurs, this dragon was as large as an elephant.

With that physique, the black dragon couldn’t possibly be capable of flight. Perhaps its strong wings merely served as a bluff.

Yes, flight should be impossible.

Capella: “Being ravished by your heated gazes isn’t exciting at all, you meat creatures in heat! Ah~ this is awful, being seen by people like you who can only think of sexual gratification! So I won’t approach you!”

Fanning its wings towards the ground, a gust of wind is cast. A red tongue flitting outward as if licking her lips, the black dragon, Capella, gave a twisted smile. That dragon’s expression was incredibly chilling.

Because of the language barrier, communication was heavily to interpretation. Patrasche was a good example.

Because Patrasche was so expressive, her stern attitude came of as quite likable. However, this dragon evoked nothing but disgust.

Subaru: “…I haven’t heard any mentions of this before, but can dragons speak?”

Julius: “Having lived for so long time, dragons are extremely intelligent and can understand human language. Lugunica’s patron dragon Volcanica, who tied a covenant with the kingdom, can of course communicate with mankind through language, but his expression isn’t terribly rich. I’ve never heard of any other dragons having that ability.”

Julius, from beside Subaru, gave a detailed answer to his question.

The Knight of Knights had his blade raised at shoulder height, eyes never leaving the black dragon. Of course, Subaru and the others were in the same state.

Standing in front of them were two swordsmen of outstanding strength, and the black dragon who had named herself the Archbishop of Lust.

Their original unease had compounded into a wall of tension.

Subaru: “At the least, we have a chance of dealing with the swordsmen…”

The woman, who wielding her blade with nary a flaw in posture, and the giant, who waved his swords around, as if refamiliarizing himself with Subaru’s group.

Although the extent of the swordswoman’s strength was still unknown, the giant had chosen to directly take Ricardo’s attack. Needless to say, it was not because of any clumsiness, but because he had a strategy in mind. Long range attacks, their earlier plan, would still be incredibly effective.

However, there was one pressing problem without a solution.

Subaru: “Is there anyone here who’s fought a dragon…”

Wilhelm: “—Yes.”

Subaru: “Wilhelm-san, seriously?”

Although Subaru had thought his question hopeless, Wilhelm had responded with affirmation. The old swordsman turned to face the surprised Subaru.

Wilhelm: “Nearly 40 years ago, I was sent to subjugate an evil dragon named Valgren who appeared to Lugunica’s south. The incident caused much diplomatic tension because of its proximity to Vollachia.”

Subaru: “Setting the diplomatic ramifications aside, how was the experience of fighting a dragon?”

Wilhelm: “More than ten percent of our knights were sent to the battle, and, although the crusade succeeded, forty percent of those knights died. The crusade succeeded, but the result was considerable. It’s ability to fly, it’s endless stamina, were things that we should have taken into better consideration.”

Subaru: “It would seem that our situation is rather desperate…”

Seeing Subaru’s despair, Wilhelm continued,

Wilhelm: “Come to think of it…”

Wilhelm: “Compared to Valgren, this dragon is smaller in size. It should die upon beheading.”

Subaru: “And Valgren wouldn’t?”

Wilhelm: “Valgren had a total of three heads which all needed to be removed.”

Having finished speaking of that distant battle, Wilhelm tightened his grip on his sword. So beheading would certainly kill it. That was reassuring.

Seeing Wilhelm’s well-prepared stance, Subaru also took up a battle pose, whip in hand. Seeing their refusal to yield, Capella seemed rather surprised.

Capella: “My, my, my, you’re all so disgusting. You’re beaten and miserable, and, aside from my reinforcements, you’re facing a Sin Archbishop! You rotten creatures should hang your heads and channel the meekness of mice, and yet you’re acting all normal? Was putting you with all the other insects wrong? Gahahahaha!”

Garfiel: “Stop fuckin’ around! What can ya do ‘gainst our numbers? My amazin’ self’ll go up there ‘n crush ya!”

Capella: “Kahhahahaha, the barking of this rabid dog is hurting my sacred ears. Or, rather, I made a mistake. You’re not a rabid hound, you’re only a puny kitten! Meow~ meow~ meow~, don’t be angry just because that kitty you were with died!”

Garfiel: “W-Wha, —hk!?”

Faced with those cruel jabs, Garfiel shouted, but choked on his own response.

The dragon was clearly referring to Garfiel’s earlier defeat, where he had almost been beaten to death. Someone, Capella, had been watching the fight.

And, what surprised Garfiel even more,

Garfiel: “Bastard, how’d ya know my amazin’ self’s a demi-human…”

Capella: “Hah? How do I know that? Don’t think so highly of yourself, not even a single of one your hairs interests me. I could tell that you were a filthy half-breed the moment I saw you! Go die the way you lived, as a degenerate beast!”

Speaking unspeakably cruel curses, Capella turned toward the rest of their party, sniffing the air.

Capella: “What a stench! What a stench! You slabs of meat all smell rotten! Moldy, rotten, garbage meat! Preserved meats from the trash! Ah, disgusting!”

Capella, constantly giving her toxic comments, turned her gaze slightly — in Crusch’s direction.

A sticky, feverish light entered her eyes as she pouted all her attention upon Crusch, who subconsciously hugged herself tightly. When Capella spoke again, her voice was almost pleasant.

Capella: “But mixed with all that refuse is quite a slab piece of meat! So attractive, perfectly in line with tastes! This meat smells like the finest of meat! What beauty! That body! That appeal! Ah, I reallyreallyreally want to break it with my own two hands!”

Crusch: “—That’s, enough.”

Capella: “Ahh?”

She’d become fascinated.

Her expression trancelike, the black dragon leaned toward Crusch, as if wanting to lick her from top to bottom.

At this moment, the pressure of anger interjected to interrupt each other.

Capella: “——”

Her attention still fixed on Crusch, the dragon looked up impatiently.

Julius, who had approached Crusch in her distracted state, looked rather like a conductor.

Julius: “Be burned by my sixfold light, Al Clarista!”

Julius’s six spirits each gleamed with a different color as they fired a beam of light upward. When that iridescent light’ reached Capella, it shone white, and she began to scream.

Capella: “—GAAAAAAH!!”

Julius: “This is the price of your chatter. If you had any real skill, you wouldn’t spout such nonsense.”

Obeying Julius’s command, his spirits continually fired their scorching lights.

With Cappella’s piercing scream serving as background music, the two swordsmen who had been silent and still, suddenly kicked off the slate ground, flying towards Subaru’s group.

Wilhelm: “Stop there!”

Garfiel: “The hell!”

Here, Garfiel and Wilhelm both spoke up.

Wilhelm flew straight for the swordswoman, while Garfiel faced the giant’ twin blades with his own twin shields.

Woman: “——”

Wilhelm: “Don’t leave, show me your swordplay!”

As she began to retreat after meeting his first blow, Wilhelm cut her off with a sudden strike.

The old swordsman full breakthrough struck up and down with the violence of a storm. The length of her blade wasn’t conducive to quick action, which served her defense poorly as Wilhelm gave rapid strike after strike.

Even so, the woman also proved fearsome. She cleverly shied away from any swing that she was unable to parry, and smoothly, with practiced ease, regained her balance.

Each time her whirling sword stabbed forth it became more apparent that the female swordsman’s body was born for the sword to which she used.

Wilhelm’s skill was enough for him to challenge the white whale, but, facing him, the woman’s skill was enough to press Wilhelm back.

Wilhelm: “G-Gooah!”

Woman: “——”

Issuing a roar, with momentum smooth as silk, Wilhelm’s rotation of cuts and swings increased in speed.

Although his body itself was old, his technique was still incredibly honed. His swordplay was the pinnacle of swordsmanship, and most young swordsmen would never match up to him.

His blade a mere flash, he flew through the air, preparing to flatten the woman into the earth. Still silent, the woman was prepared to withstand each blow, her resolve steeled.

Without words, without righteousness, the woman was like a doll whose only purpose was battle. Obedience had been carved into the body of this doll who only swung a blade.

The collisions of steel erupted through the air like a blast.

However, her sword must have been light, much lighter than Wilhelm’s.

Each side’s swordplay was clean and pure, and, aside from strikes on their respective targets, no unnecessary destruction happened.

The two flew into their solitary dance of swordplay.

Wilhelm: “Hah!”

Woman: “——”

The two waged their silent battle, their swords only being seen as flashes.

—This was the sacred realm of their duel, and intruders could not be tolerated. Not far away, another battle was being waged.

Garfiel: “Yah! Hah! Yah!”

Giant: “——”

Roaring, muscles flexing, Garfiel deflected the giant’s blows.

Stuck with dizziness, he counterattacked, beating, roaring, visceral defeat, nausea, bones creaking.

Unlike the elegant duel taking place next to them, this battle was one marked by chaos.

Although the giant could be called a swordsman, his fighting style was different from what that would imply. It was irrational as a barbarian’s or a beast’s.

Garfiel: “Hah, kuu, ah!!”

Correspondingly, Garfiel also fought without a sense of etiquette.

Garfiel’s fighting style was wild and animalistic. Due to Subaru’s influence, he’d named it ‘Garfiel’s Flowing Battle’. This was an absurd violence that only Garfiel, who relied on instinct, could perform; it couldn’t be imitated by anyone.

In fact, Garfiel’s violent blows suited the barbaric giant before him.

This obviously savage duel was one of stamina; the opponent who tired first would lose. Therefore, success or failure was incredibly variable.

Giant: “——”

Those giant swords were so incredibly heavy that a direct blow would surely shatter Garfiel’s elbow, yet he needed to use his arms to deal with them.

Garfiel needed to decisively use his shields. Holding them obliquely, his arm blocks the massive sword, but he allows it to slide along the shield, thus parrying it away.

The giant’s unpredictable movements were no mere barbarism, but he used not the slightest trick, his strikes were shockingly direct and powerful.

This could not be achieved with talent alone; the giant had clearly practiced tens of millions of swings to earn his power.

Taking those swords head on, blocking them, would surely be impossible.

If there even a slight wrong move, the giant sword would cleave the silver shield in half, and Garfiel’s body would resemble that broken shield.

Garfiel: “Don’t… kid ‘round… no more!”

Garfiel had been doing everything possible to combat the pressure of the large swords.

As they slashed from above, as they swept from the sides, as they swung up from below, Garfiel parried all of them. Then, from a gap, his arm took a punch, forcing Garfiel to retreat.

The trouble was, in addition to two powerful hands waving large swords, the giant had another six arms.

Garfiel’s defense could be punctured with a third attack, and the giant had started using not two, but three arms to wield swords.

Garfiel had the advantage in speed, but that giant’s strength was far superior.

As his chin was struck, as he parried those massive swords, his knees were kicked, sending his face plummeting toward the ground. Four more blows followed this, but Garfiel caught himself as he fell, and finally managed to block an attack, planting his feet firmly on the ground.

Blood, broken bones, and bitter cries, those were what this savage battlefield was filled with. Watching the two passionate warriors, Subaru unable to interfere with that chaos.

Subaru: “——”

On one side Wilhelm’s quiet duel, and on the other was Garfiel’s chaotic war.

Subaru and Crusch held their breaths, unable to join the battlefield on either sides. This was not due to any inability; rather, they were too shocked by the fighting spirit from both sides to react.

However, unlike Subaru, who was submerged in awe,

Ricardo: “This is bad, we have to act soon.”

Ricardo, who had been surveying Julius’s magic, took a step forward. Seeing Ricardo’s movement, Subaru issued a ‘right’ and also began to move, but,

Crusch: “Subaru-sama!”

Ricardo: “Get down!”

Feeling a sudden yank on his collar, Subaru found himself being dragged to the ground by Crusch. Ricardo stood in front of the two, shielding them, releasing a ferocious roar.

Ricardo: “WAAA, HAAAA—!!”

The fierce sound waves shook the atmosphere, creating an invisible force of destruction.

This roaring wave was the same as the one Mimi and her brothers had used against the White Whale. This was an incredibly powerful skill that had noticeably injured it, and Ricardo had just now unleashed it completely on his own.

Beaten back by the roar was a glowing black flame.

That dark flame had scattered in the face of that wave. The nature of the fire was even more frightening than its burning. Anything it touched crumbled to ash, which poured all over the square as it fell.

However, the real horror in those scattered residual flames was, in fact,

Subaru: “That fire… isn’t going out…?”

Black ash fell to the slate ground, still burning, without any sustenance. The flames continued to burn and they swelled and stretched and spread.

Any fire that had fallen on the surface of the water also continued to burn,

Like dripping oil into the water, the fire leapt higher, as if showing its superiority.

Ricardo: “Bro, how long are you planning to stay that way? Speaking of which, doesn’t this situation usually happen in reverse?”

Julius: “Subaru, no matter how you look at it, being protected by a woman is…”

Ricardo and Julius both offered discouraging words to Subaru, who was still recovering from the terror of scattered fire. From their point of view, Subaru lay on the ground, under Crusch, who was deflecting any damage from him.

Subaru: “Wah!”

Crusch: “It’s great that you’re unhurt. Please rest assured, I’ll refrain from saying anything about this to Ferris and Emilia.”

Subaru: “I feel even more ashamed for feeling relieved!”

Crusch pulled him to his feet, adding another point to Subaru’s shame score.

Patting himself off, Subaru looked up to the source of the black flame— of course, that was the black dragon, who sat wearing a frown.

He could sense nothing from her but a sense of disgust.

Capella: “Disgusting, disgusting, don’t look at me with such an excited gaze! Stop looking, don’t violate me with your dirty eyes! Kahahahaha! It’s like they say, you’re forbidden from stroking any dancers who perform for you, so stop ravishing this charming lady! Gahahaha!”

Subaru: “How…”

Despite being directly attacked by Julius’s magic, Capella acted as if nothing had happened.

However, that wasn’t to say that she hadn’t suffered any harm. In fact, she’d suffered considerable damage from his attack.

The dragon’s right wing had been burned until it was no more than a festering bloodied piece of flesh. Perhaps she’d wanted to use the wing to protect her body, but injury had been the price for her body’s safety.

The magic had burned through the dragon’s wing, reaching her body. Her abdomen had been scorched and melted, and her innards seemed to have been boiled. The right side of the dragon’s face had been blown off, and her wagging tongue which enjoyed ridiculing others had been severed. Her eyes dangled freely, no longer resting in their sockets.

Half-dead wouldn’t cut it; this was nothing but a corpse.

Subaru audibly swallowed, Julius and Ricardo frowned, and Crusch couldn’t help but give a little girl’s gasp. But this wasn’t due to the dragon’s horrific state.

— Instead, it was due to that battered flesh regenerating.

Melted bones regrew, destroyed muscles lengthened, severed tissues sutured; Capella’s destroyed body regenerated at an alarming rate.

The impossible heat given off by her regeneration evaporated any remaining traces of blood.

Capella: “Now, having seen even my beautiful internal organs, are you satisfied? Are you a group of rotten garbage creatures who get turned on watching my metamorphosis? Gahahaha! Satisfied? Hey, were you so satisfied you started leaking?”

Subaru: “How… what happened?”

Capella: “Shouldn’t you be able to tell on sight? Did you actually have to ask? How foolish are you? But this compassionate lady shall answer you. As you can see, I’m obviously immortal!”

Immortal— this was the simplest, most absolute description of her power.

Subaru couldn’t help but gulp at Capella’s description of her own power. The thought that she was bluffing crossed his mind. Indeed, it would be comforting to think that she was bluffing.

Subaru: “It’s nothing but a quick regeneration ability…”

Capella: “Call it what you want. I’m not strong enough to call it invincible, so immortal it is.”

Subaru: “——”

Capella: “My my my, you’re unable to even talk anymore! You disgusting rotten eggs! You putrid filthy meat! Go die! Everyone except me should go die—wait! Wait! Wait!”

Capella interrupted her own foul words. She unfurled her healed wings and fluttered them, slowly bringing her bulky form toward the roof of the City Hall.

Thinking that she was preparing to swoop upon them, Subaru braced himself for her attack. However,

Capella: “Time’s up, I have to go make the next broadcast, so I’ll go back inside. Talking to you is just a waste of time, and I’m in a hurry! You all just stay here and die, along with that rather lovely piece of meat! Go rot in hell!”

Subaru: “H-Huh?”

Suddenly losing interest, Capella yawned and stroke leisurely into the hall, where Subaru lost sight of her.

He couldn’t help but consider whether or not that was meant to lure her enemies deeper in—

Julius: “She might be trying to lure us in, don’t you think… but we can’t let her make that broadcast.”

Subaru: “If we let her go, the city’s going to fall into a panic. Everyone will find out what we’re doing. We have to catch up with her!”

Some unknown hunch led him on.

Furthermore, with that size, how did Capella enter the inside of the City Hall? Although he didn’t know how large the broadcast room was, it seemed that Capella would destroy the room with a single large movement. But he didn’t have the time to consider this right now.

Ricardo: “Alright, I’ll stay with those two to deal with the guys on the outside. Bro, you’ll go inside with Jul-chan and Crusch-san.”

Ricardo gave instructions to Subaru, who gave a questioning look at his decisive words.

Ricardo: “These swordsmen are a bit too much for you and Crusch-san, and I’m not suited for indoor action. Jul-chan can handle that pretty good. Don’t ya think.”

Julius: “A very apt judgment. To be honest, I’d be worried leaving only Wilhelm and Garfiel here, so I’ll leave it up to you, Ricardo.”

Ricardo: “Of course, I won’t disappoint!”

Julius and Ricardo nodded to each other, leaving no room for doubt.

Being from the same faction, perhaps they could communicate their intent with only a glance. Subaru was unable to protest, so, scratching his head,

Subaru: “Garfiel! You’re absolutely not allowed to lose! After you send that guy flying and we defeat Lust, we’re going to go save Emilia, you hear me!?”

Garfiel: “Captain, I ain’t got time t’deal with ya right now!”

Subaru spoke to Garfiel, who was still engaged in his chaotic war. Next to him, Crusch lifted a hand towards her mouth, aiming her voice in Wilhelm’s direction.

Crusch: “Wilhelm, I’ll leave it to you!”

Wilhelm: “No need to worry!”

Wilhelm gave a brief response to his master’s brief words.

A true master and vassal only needed those brief words. Then, led by Julius, Subaru and Crusch made their move.

Leaving the central square, the three ran toward the interior of the City Hall. The two figures guarding the tower responded to this, forgoing their current opponents for Subaru’s group.

Ricardo: “Standing in a line like this makes things easier for me, haa—!”

His ferocious laugh created destructive sound waves which swept up small scattered stones, and the giant and woman faltered slightly. Although the power of the roaring waves had begun to diminish, they were still effective in halting the two. Behind them, their opponents caught up, contempt in their eyes.

Wilhelm: “How discourteous, ignoring me when I have eyes for only you!”

Garfiel: “Don’t turn yer ass t’ yer opponent unless ya want it gone!”

“——”

Slashing and slicing, striking and stabbing, the chaotic duels in the square continued, fierce battles which allowed for no outside intervention.

Unable to hear the sounds of the battle any longer, Subaru rushed toward the entrance of the City Hall.

Subaru: “Where would the room be?”

Crusch: “I don’t know for certain, but I think it would be at the uppermost level, for the sound to reach as far as possible.”

Julius: “There may be ambushes along the way, be careful.”

Passing the main entrance, they arrived inside the City Hall.

A place that should have been crowded, with a lovely lady providing a reception service and bright lights coloring the scene, was now dimly lit, in a state of apparent turmoil.

Fortunately, there were no other cultists occupying this level, nor were there corpses strewn across the room, so—

Subaru: “Come on, let’s go. There should be some kind of floor map telling us where the room is!”

Julius: “If we can, I’d also like to confirm the safety of the staff here, although that’s looking a bit hopeless…”

Subaru: “What’s…”

He checked the help desk and confirmed that no one was hiding there, then pointed to the stairs. Julius ascended the steps quietly, peering deep into the corridor, and gently shook his head.

Crusch followed him with a frown, and, upon tracing his gaze, her expression trembled.

Seeing her reaction, Subaru joined the two— and seeing what they had, held his breath. With dragging, pitter-pattering steps, a figure appeared.

Peeking around the stairs, a child wearing a devilish smile emerged. At first glance, he was only a kid.

A petite physique, a childlike face, evoking an image of youthfulness. However, this notion existed in appearance only.

His dark brown hair hung loose, and his body was wrapped with a single cloth, giving him a rather grim appearance.

With a devilish smile on his little face, his eyes looked as if they contained all the poisons in the world, with decaying glows and toxic liquids — they were, of course, not the eyes of human beings.

And, in the present circumstances, it was evident what was wrong with him.

Kid: “So happy, very happy, so very happy, so very very happy, because of this happiness, such happiness, incredibly happiness, such incredible happiness, such incredibly incredible happiness, deserves! A feast! Feast! It’s been a really suffering wait, with this empty stomach! So the first bite must be delicious to make up for it!”

Pleased, happy from the bottom of his heart, the barefoot boy marched as if dancing to a beat.

As he spoke, he revealed his teeth, which were the length of a canine’s. Seeing that image, that attitude, that exaggerated speech, Subaru’s mind began to boil.

If that wasn’t just his imagination, if this boiling rage did indeed exist, then this kid was—

Subaru: “If you’re some naughty kid who slipped in here playing hide-and-seek, explain yourself quickly. If that’s really the case, we’ll let you go. But, if not, hurry up and name yourself.”

Speaking in a low voice, Subaru deliberately forced himself to remain calm.

And, as if deliberately provoking Subaru, the kid twisted his juvenile face in a mocking laugh.

Kid: “Are you really confronting us with that attitude? Is that attitude meant for us or someone else? Check it for yourself.”

Subaru: “That’s enough. I can see that you’re my enemy!”

Roy: “We are the Witch Cult’s Sin Archbishops of Gluttony, Roy Alphard.”

Subaru: “GLUTTONY— !!”

As soon as the child claimed to be Gluttony, Subaru struck with his whip.

Slashing through the air, his whip mercilessly cut toward his enemy’s face. However,

Roy: “Well, it’s hardly uncommon to encounter those who want a bite of us.”

His teeth biting the end whip, Gluttony spoke brazenly.