23. A Peaceful Person
A voice that shook heaven and earth boomed out.
—Are you spouting nonsense because you want to die, you whelp?
Dragon. In Western fantasy worlds, the supreme being among all species. Among ancient dragons that had lived through eons, some were said to possess godlike powers. In games, novels, dramas—they were depicted as transcendent entities. They resembled massive lizards, with reptilian scales and eyes, wings sprouting from their backs, razor-sharp claws, and a size that set them utterly apart from ordinary lizards.
—Why have you come to my lair? Answer me.
If such a colossal lizard also possessed the intelligence to speak like this, it was almost certainly a dragon—a monster worthy of the name. Wielding transcendent magic, shrugging off a swordmaster's blade aura with their scales. A beast of such monstrous might couldn't be taken in a fair one-on-one, at least not without some trickery. Not quite a god, but close enough that it might even withstand my powers.
—Hey! Are you deaf, you brat? Can't you hear me?
I wasn't bold enough to charge headlong into the den of such a brute. My heart was so fragile that training the protagonist Kenichi to his limits sent delightful thrills through me each time. Worried I might suffer a heart attack, I'd stepped out for a short walk.
"Ahaha, sorry about that. I've never met a lizard quite as big as you before, so I got a little startled!"
—...What did you say? What was that just now, you little—?
Shock flickered in the reptile's massive pupil. It looked as if it suspected it'd misheard. Well, no one had ever called it a "lizard" to its face before, so no wonder it was stunned. Even a dragon might get mad at that—but imagine how furious a mere pretender would be. Realizing this too late, I clapped a hand over my mouth in feigned shock and shouted.
"Oops, it slipped out! Sorry, Mr. Lizard! Any chance we can make up?"
—...
For starters, Endlubco wasn't a Western fantasy game featuring those signature monsters. No goblins, no orcs, not even the ultimate boss of Western beasts, the dragon. Which meant the lizard before me wasn't a dragon. Why would something with near-divine powers hole up in a mortal mountain, anyway? Nor was it an Eastern dragon. Its body had too many flaws for that. Wings riddled with holes, a black-stained scar slashing across its flank—scales. Two arms and two legs attached to its torso. Horns atop a head like antennae. Neither dragon nor true dragon, but something in between...
That's right. The lizard before me was an imugi, a half-breed that had failed to ascend and slumped to the earth. In other words, a jiaolong. Still a monster beyond mortal reach, of course—but not one bordering on godhood. Which made it fair game even for a coward like me to visit personally.
"Haha, are you hard of hearing by any chance? Mr. Lizard, please accept my apology and let's—"
—Insolent fool! Shut your mouth!!!
Aiku, it was seriously pissed now.
—No one's ever dared spout such drivel at me...
Its eyes wavered briefly as it glared at me, then the massive body—coiled in this cave for who knew how long—began to rise, slowly at first, then fully.
Guuuu... rumble...!
The lair shook violently as the jiaolong stirred. The air grew heavy with pressure. The creature, which had shown some initial leniency, now brimmed with killing intent. As a half-formed dragon, its presence overwhelmed ordinary lifeforms. The moment it willed my death, the surrounding air and mana itself constricted around me like iron bands.
—I meant to bestow my grace as humanity's guardian, but you deserve death!
Standing tall at last, the jiaolong glared down at me with blazing eyes. Reptilian as they were, I could somehow tell—it truly meant to kill me. My heart twinged deliciously at that ruthlessness, and I cried out in a pitiful voice.
"Who in the world deserves to die like that?!"
Yeah, I didn't want to die.
—Shut up!
But the heartless imugi seemed dead set on killing poor me. Not wanting to strike directly, perhaps, it gathered mana in the air, forming an iron spike. Sharpened to a lethal point. Even my sturdy body would hurt if that pierced me.
"Sigh. I'm a peaceful guy who hates fighting unless I have to."
When my life hung in the balance like this, self-defense was the only option.
—Die, you worm!
With the jiaolong's furious roar, the iron spike plummeted from the void. A paltry spell for something transcendent. Probably meant as a joke or to swat a minor foe—but it still stung my heart.
"Seriously, how's a guardian this weak supposed to protect a dragon vein?"
Kwachik!
The spike crashed behind me. The jiaolong's eyes trembled. Somehow, I'd ended up on the bridge of its nose, my longsword pressed to its brow. Grinning slyly, I said,
"In case you've changed your mind, how about we make up?"
—...
—To show such mercy even when death loomed first...
"Let's have a nice, leisurely chat."
I'd always thought so, but yeah—I really was a peaceful person.
I'd cleared seven out of fifteen episodes in Endlubco before possessing this body. Just barely half. Despairing news, after all that suffering. And getting tossed into that hopeless trash game was a crisis big enough to make diving off Fuji sound reasonable. But there was hope. For one, I hadn't possessed the useless Kenichi. And I could predict and intervene in future episodes.
I hadn't seen the final ending, so I had to guess at the twists, layering speculation on speculation. But some things I was sure of. Episode 4: A hidden cave on Fuji housed an imugi. Pick the right dialogue options, and you'd get an elixir to heal Eris's parents. A unique item event that skyrocketed affection with one of the main heroines. No more Fuji visits after, so no updates on the jiaolong—but after countless bad ends, I was half-convinced. This guardian of the dragon vein looked polluted. Hole-riddled wings, blackened scales—it was half-dead, corrupted. Such clues screamed future foreshadowing.
This guy's 99.9999% becoming a boss.
I didn't know which episode, but if it turned boss, it was a hassle. Killing it was secondary; finding a new dragon vein guardian would suck. Better to handle it now than scramble later.
"And so, kind-hearted me came here to save you! Touching, right? Does that answer your earlier question?!"
—...S-Stop! Enough, I get it!
"Haha, no need to be shy between friends! So, all better now?"
—...Yes! It's fine, so stop poking me!
I bobbed my head happily, pressing the blade lightly to its brow like lancing a boil.
"Haha, glad to hear it! Here's to our everlasting friendship!"
—...
The jiaolong eyed me like I was a lunatic. Possessing utterly normal values, I tilted my head.
"Something wrong?"
—...Nothing.
I'd have loved to solve my new friend's doubts, but oh well. With early dismissal today, I had all day free. Feeling a twinge of regret, I hopped down from its nose and mentioned another errand.
"Mind if I pick a couple of those ripe spirit herbs by the entrance?"
—Hmph! Do as you like.
The jiaolong slumped dejectedly to the floor. I waved cheerfully with a kind smile.
"Just wait a bit, and I'll keep my promise."
—...
"We're best friends, after all!"
—Shut your nonsense and get out!
"Haha, so shy!"
Seemed my new pal was shy around strangers, so I hurried out. No sense tormenting a stressed friend. Pluck. I gathered spirit herbs infused with draconic curse and mystery along the way, then passed through the barrier. Emerging from the dim cave, blinding sunlight greeted me.
"Hmm, this should get me closer to Eris."
Heroine affection up—confirmed. Worth the hike. In high spirits, I clutched the herbs and skipped down Fuji.
—...
The sprawled imugi idly lifted an eyelid, glancing sideways.
...Finally gone.
Was it even human? It hadn't even resisted properly.
—Hmph! Next time, I'll crush it flat.
Snorting repeatedly, the jiaolong soon collapsed limply. Already low on stamina, this had drained it further—especially its spirit.
—...Hoo.
Frowning deeply as it recalled the intruder, the imugi sighed.
'Oh dear, does it hurt? Well, I can't just stand by as a friend.'
The sly-looking bastard had grinned like a devil before a contract.
'I'll bring you the yeouiju!'
Nothing to lose, so it'd agreed. But had it actually made a pact with a demon? The jiaolong grew uneasy.
The very next day after Fuji, I was summoned behind the school per a familiar request. Another duel challenge? My heart raced—then thunderstruck me.
"I like you."
"...Pardon?"
This time, it was a real confession.