Chapter 15
「Today, eat to your heart's content! You really saved my life!」
In high spirits, Mars treats Onyx, who became his lifesaver, to a meal.
Of course, he also prepared plenty of Onyx's favorite sake.
However, due to Mars's arm injury, most of the food is pre-made.
Besides them, Hazuki desperately tends to Mars's treatment.
「Sion-san, this guy is a good guy, so don't worry.」
「Sup!」
Onyx, who naturally has a loud voice, laughs extravagantly.
Sion seems slightly intimidated by Onyx's unfamiliar face.
Unlike Mars's group, who know his personality to some extent, Sion is meeting Onyx for the first time.
In terms of appearance alone, Onyx's intimidating presence is overwhelming.
「Wow, this sake is superb!? The best there is!」
Onyx chugs down a bottle of sake worth over ten million yen, his face showing a mixture of surprise and awe.
Although it should be a large one-liter bottle, it looks like a plastic bottle when Onyx holds it.
「Onyx Lordlight, thank you very much for saving my master. I would like to express my gratitude on behalf of everyone.」
Lilia bows her head with a polite tone and gesture.
They have never seen her express her gratitude so politely except towards Mars.
「Don't worry about it! I'm just repaying a debt!」
Gahaha! Laughing loudly, Onyx made Lilia raise her head.
Onyx is an impulsive person who doesn't know how to lie.
He doesn't lend a hand to schemes for personal gain.
He follows his heart sincerely, and his heart is pure.
That's why this reaction is also genuine.
In another rare moment, Lilia smiles at Onyx, who is of the opposite sex.
「Why is a bearded guy like you here-nyaa?」
「I've been traveling since then, you see. I've also conquered several dungeons. On my journey, I heard that this World Tree is one of the Seven Great Dungeons. As a man, I can't resist a challenge!」
Nodding approvingly, Onyx talks about his own aesthetics.
Because there's a mountain. That's the closest principle to his actions.
He risks his life for the sake of proving his strength.
By choosing the first-person pronoun "Ore-sama", it is evident that he is a person with a haughty demeanor.
He charges forward recklessly, bravely, and intrepid.
He became this kind of person because he was able to crush every wall in front of him and continue forward.
In fact, he is a man who never knew defeat until he met Mars.
By birth, he was given a huge muscular body, a dwarf with a sudden mutation, and can be called a cheat holder.
「I believe it's somewhat healed! But it's still not completely healed, so you shouldn't move too much, okay?」
「Thanks, Hazuki-chan. Truly, it's a finishing move full of flaws.」
Mars's technique is to receive all the impact he generates, destroying both himself and his opponent.
In short, it's a self-destructive move.
Furthermore, Mars doesn't possess any healing methods like recovery magic.
It's a flawed strategy that relies on his allies.
Mars's self-punishing mental structure as a wandering traveler is embodied in his technique.
The true origin of the technique lies deep within, so much so that even Mars himself is unaware.
The lack of hesitation in sacrificing his own body is the key.
Lately, no matter how quick the treatment, there has been a slight discomfort in his arm.
The fractures in his bones and muscles cannot fully recover.
Even subtle changes in muscle and bone alignment can affect movement.
He hasn't told anyone about his concerns because he doesn't want to worry them; it's a feeling only Mars knows.
Although this dungeon is the last one, this kind of adventure was unlikely to continue for much longer anyway.
He doesn't remember the day he first grasped a sword, but he feels that the day to put it down is drawing near.
「Onyx, where are you going to sleep tonight?」
「Since I obtained the 'Treasury of Dreams,' I plan to sleep there. And I want to have a drink too!」
「After drinking that much, you're still going to drink... Spare us from the hangover.」
「Oh, come on, it's practically the same as water!」
Despite drinking almost everything except for what Mars and the others used for cooking, Onyx doesn't show any signs of being drunk.
At this point, one would think he doesn't even need to drink alcohol.
It's no different from drinking water. Of course, he's probably enjoying the taste.
「By the way, is this really a dungeon?」
Onyx's question is valid.
If they were familiar with other dungeons, the peculiarities of this dungeon would surely raise concerns.
After all, it's not a labyrinth. It's just a space where they go straight up the stairs.
Other than Mars and his group who are provided with bosses, there is no excitement for anyone else.
「This dungeon is currently in a modified state by 'Jet Black'. The maze section and traps have all been eliminated, and the bosses from the Seven Great Dungeons, like the Salamander earlier, are placed here.」
「So that's how it is... In that case, is the next boss somewhere around here too?」
Yeah, Mars nodded.
「Now that you mention it, the Salamander earlier did feel strong!?」
「It was indeed strong. The bosses from the Seven Great Dungeons can't be defeated by a single person alone. We wouldn't have been able to deliver the finishing blow to the Salamander earlier if it weren't for your strength and Hazuki-chan's magic.」
The stronger the enemy, the more preparation is required, and Mars's brute strength alone is not enough to win the battle.
In this case, they were able to defeat the enemy because Hazuki's ice magic fulfilled the necessary conditions.
「That girl is strong. There aren't many dwarves who can use magic, so there's no standard, but she's likely a highly skilled mage even among humans, right?」
「Lilia, the elf, was amazed by her. Among the living mages, she may be the strongest in terms of achievements.」
After all, she is known as the "Witch of Catastrophe."
If asked who the world's strongest mage is, Mars would undoubtedly answer Hazuki.
Hazuki is someone who possesses achievements and abilities that would undoubtedly be legendary, even if she is not yet widely known.
Mars is essentially taking credit for Hazuki's accomplishments. Moreover, it's because of that approach that Hazuki is being overshadowed.
Although he feels a slight sense of guilt, it seems that Hazuki doesn't really care.
The honor she desires will likely be fulfilled in the form of her autobiography, and she herself desires that.
「I'm thirsty! Aniki, want to have a drink together?」
「Count me out. I can drink, but I'm not a strong drinker. Besides, won't the parts that were strained that day hurt more if we drink alcohol?」
「Ahh, I kinda get that.」
「Well, if there's a treasure trove, you don't need a place to stay. Generally, men aren't allowed to stay because there are many girls, but I was planning to let you stay since you're our benefactor. Well then, see you tomorrow. Goodnight. Thanks for today.」
Using energy for recovery, Mars was already reaching the limit of his sleepiness.
His maximum stamina is only slightly higher than an average person's.
In that regard, Onyx's maximum stamina is abnormally high.
So the level of fatigue is different.
At night, everyone rests in the "Treasury of Dreams."
Each person takes care of their skin after bathing, dries their hair, and prepares to sleep well.
Mars is forcefully given medicinal baths and the like for recovery.
It's bitter and unpleasant, but since Lilia has knowledge of herbal remedies, its effectiveness is certain.
「I just realized, I'm strong against weak monsters, but not very useful against strong ones, right?」
「Isn't that harsh to say!?」
Strong against the weak, but unable to lay a finger on the strong.
In reality, strong monsters often have magic resistance, so what Hazuki says is correct.
However, it was a sad reality.
Hazuki sighs deeply and feels down.
「It may be true, but if it weren't for you, we would have all died long ago. Even if you weren't helpful this time, the good you've done so far cancels it out.」
「Lilia-san... You're incredibly kind when I'm feeling down...」
With teary eyes, Hazuki gazes at Lilia.
Lilia feels embarrassed and immediately looks away.
「I-It's natural to worry about our comrades' well-being!」
Seeing Lilia behaving differently than usual, Nemu and Sion grin mischievously.
Hazuki is Lilia's first friend.
Although it's different from her feelings towards Mars, she has the same level of affection and attachment to her.
It's Hazuki's choice, and Lilia doesn't intend to interfere, but she secretly hopes that they can live together for a long time.
At first, it would have been enough to live and die together with Mars.
Now it's different. She wants to be enveloped in this atmosphere.
「You get along well-nyaa.」」
「Yes, just like sisters.」
Nemi buries her head in Sion's cleavage, and Sion mutters teasingly, grinning.
「Y-You're wrong, ah...」
Blushing, Lilia tries to deny it but stops herself.
「.....Yes. I also think of Hazuki like a younger sister.」
Mumbling with a muffled voice, Lilia looks genuinely embarrassed.
「L-Lilia's being dere...」
「Y-You went beyond being happy, I was surprised...」
Mars and Hazuki are also astonished, gaping with their mouths open.
They never expected Lilia to express her feelings in this manner.
「I-It's just because I'm nearing my mating season and acting strange! Please forget about it!」
「I absolutely won't forget it! Ahh, I'm so happy! Lilia-onee-chan, pat my head!」
「Don't get carried away!」
「Gyah! Ahahaha!」
Lilia chops Hazuki's head and blushes, trying to hide her embarrassment.
Mars sincerely wishes that this peaceful everyday life could continue forever.
「I wonder what kind of enemy will we face tomorrow?」
「Today we dealt with a dragon, but will tomorrow's monster be even stronger?」
Lying on the bed, they voiced their anxieties about tomorrow. Due to Mars' injury and everyone's exhaustion, they decided to sleep quietly at night.
It was just like old times, with only Mars and Lilia together.
Lilia continued to cast healing magic.
「Will it be another dragon, or perhaps a stronger monster?....... Any ideas?」
「Most likely, it will be the pinnacle of Dragonia Sky City. Judging from the city's name, it's probably a dragon and one that matches our image of a dragon.」
There was a high possibility that the dragon Lilia expected would be the next enemy.
Mars and the others were unaware of this information, but the Sky City Dragonia was a land ruled by a different race, the Dragonkin.
They had no relations with other regions or races.
The Dragonkin were a powerful race, drawing their strength from the blood of dragons, and, apart from monsters, they were considered the strongest race.
However, they were also a race that had already gone extinct.
Because of the "Jet Black", Dragonia's residents were all wiped out by him.
「......I wonder if we can defeat them. It was fortunate that the previous one turned into a zombie and collapsed on its own, but living ones won't be so easy.」
「However, living dragons would have a sense of pain and rely on sensory organs such as their eyes. Tactics that impair their vision could be effective. It's similar to what we used against the Hydra. In that sense, it might be easier to deal with living dragons, right? The legends surrounding dragons are often based on the threat of their breath attacks. The breath of a true dragon, similar to raw magic without any elemental attribute, boasts destructive power proportional to its enormous magical power.」
「...... Sounds like Hazuki-chan, doesn't it?」
「Yes, there is a similarity in terms of relying on magical power to destroy everything.」
"Hazuki as a dragon...," Lilia stifled a laugh.
The ultimate attack used by dragons was a breath that obliterated anything it touched.
It was said that the breath erased everything in a straight line it passed through from this world.
Its trajectory was truly a miraculous feat.
It was a unique and absolute attack, unparalleled in its power.
The weakness was that even the dragon itself bore a great burden.
The consumption of magical power was enormous, to the extent that it temporarily depleted even their life force.
Therefore, dragons usually used breath attacks infused with elements such as fire or ice. Subspecies of dragons eventually inherited only specific elements and evolved to suit different environments.
Only those who inherited the traits of the original species that emerged in the environment of the sky world, the Sky City of Dragonia and its surroundings, could unleash breath attacks without any elemental attributes.
All the dragons on the surface are descendants of those who fell from the sky.
「Let's defeat them using our past experiences. I'm sure we can do it.」
「Yes. We are a party that will be remembered in history. Well, if we choose to publicize it, though.」
「I'm not really interested in that. As long as everyone remembers, it's enough for me.」
「...Indeed. Our adventures are for us alone.」
Clinging to Mars's right arm, Lilia whispered with a smile.
「It's fine if Hazuki-chan and Nemu-chan write about it. But I've never really thought about becoming a legend.」
「I like that about you. Now, let's go to sleep.」
Lilia kissed Mars's cheek and covered him with the blanket up to his neck.
Before long, Mars fell asleep without much time to doze off.
As always, Lilia put Mars at ease.
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