Published: September 10, 2025
※This is a surprise update to commemorate the release date.
"――I cannot stand by Master’s side like this."
In the otherworld of the Great Desert, I muttered to myself.
I had overheard Arisa and Mito talking.
The Purple Mounds that appeared all over the world were creations of God's hand and could not be harmed by any means other than anti-god magic.
I lowered my gaze to the dragon spear in my hand.
Even Master’s swinging Dragon Fang Sword couldn’t pierce through the Purple Mounds, so there’s no way I could do anything about them.
Frustrated with my own inadequacy, I bit my lip, when a huge black shadow passed by.
“What’s wrong, little rival?”
A giant figure landed near me, blowing the sand away with a gust.
It was Master’s friend, the black dragon Heilong.
“Shall we fight to the death?”
“No, I’m not in the mood for that right now.”
“...Unusual.”
Heilong circled his long neck and looked me squarely in the eyes.
“If you have troubles, I’ll listen.”
“I am…”
How should I say it?
“I am a greedy lizardman.”
I want to be useful to Master.
I want to be someone Master can rely on.
For that—
“I want to become someone who can hurt the gods.”
“Then you should become so.”
Heilong said casually.
“Even Master’s Dragon Fang Sword couldn’t do it. With my far inferior strength—”
“You lack fighting spirit.”
“—Huh?”
Heilong looked down at me.
“I said you lack fighting spirit.”
“This is not a gap that can be filled by fighting spirit—”
Heilong cut me off.
“We did it.”
I waited for him to continue.
“For thousands, tens of thousands of years, we kept challenging an unreachable opponent, and in the end, created fangs that pierce everything.”
“That’s because dragons have eternal life.”
Facing someone who encouraged me, childish excuses slipped out.
Realizing it was just me leaning on others, I lowered my head in embarrassment.
“Good grief, even with a weapon made from dragon’s fangs, and power to match me despite being small, you show such weakness.”
The forceful snort of the black dragon nearly blew me away.
“Little rival, what have you learned from the ancient dragon grandmother?”
—Ancient dragon?
“I have never met the ancient dragon, though?”
“Never? Hmm, was that with Kuro?”
Heilong’s eyes drifted in the air.
Rather than pressing the misunderstanding, something else caught my attention.
“Please tell me, what did Master learn?”
I would have Master teach me what was learned from the ancient dragon.
Though he said it was troublesome, Heilong conjured a goat from the sand to show me.
“T-This is primal magic—”
“Yes. An ancient magic that shapes strong feelings into form.”
It’s power that can surpass one’s own limits.
That seemed to be Heilong’s point.
“Your eyes have regained strength. Resist, little rival. And surpass your limits.”
Spreading his wings with a whoosh, he chanted wind magic like a song and soared into the sky.
I bowed deeply to Heilong, grateful for the "awakening" he gave me.
◇
Speaking of which—
“Tama.”
“Yes~?”
Tama appeared from the shadow at my feet.
“Please go call Pochi.”
“Yes.”
Tama plunged his hand into the shadow and immediately pulled up Pochi.
It seemed they had been playing together inside the shadows.
“Called and jumped out, it’s jambalaya...”
“Pochi, I have a question.”
I recalled the story about how Zaikuon had been injured before Arisa’s anti-god magic during the divine punishment incident, and asked Pochi, who was probably present, for details.
“The great weasel demon king Ryuga Kakujirain blew the yellow giant away with a blast from below.”
That shockwave chipped the blade of Pochi’s Divinely Bestowed Holy Sword Durandal, reportedly piercing even through a phalanx.
Ryuga Kakujirain—yes, that was the name of the weapon Master mentioned.
It scatters fragments of crushed Dragon’s Fang created by a powerful bomb, ignoring any defense to deal damage.
In other words, Dragon’s Fang could damage gods if used properly.