THE BLACK DRAGON’S SPACE BATTLE
As I proceed through empty space and pass a certain boundary, I feel an ever-present magic-runelike link weaken: the rune that connects me to the system.
The connection hasn’t been cut, but I know from experience that I cannot interact with the system from this distance.
From here on out, I will have to fight with my own power alone, not the power provided by the system.
Of course, I have never fought using the power of the system, so it makes no difference to me. I can function perfectly well without it.
As a true dragon, no mere weapon made by human hands is a threat to me.
However, that takes only my own self into account.
When I consider the possible harm toward others it could cause, the difficulty level rises considerably.
A man-made weapon could never kill me, of course.
No matter how advanced it might be, it cannot possibly defeat a true dragon, a god.
If only humans understood that, then this current strife could have been avoided, but I suppose there was no use trying to tell them as much.
Even if they had known that, I doubt the people of the past would have given up on developing these weapons.
To know something and to understand it are two very different things.
If you don’t accept a fact as reality, you cannot really say that you understand it.
And even if you do understand it, accepting it is yet another story.
A difficult conundrum.
Instead of judging what they can or cannot do, humans make their conclusions based on what they want to do.
Their desires, their noble intentions, and their feelings toward others.
They all have different reasons, but ultimately, that is the primitive drive that moves humans to act.
If you probe deeply enough, it all comes down to the simple question of whether they want to do something or not.
Their motives are all the same; it is only the resulting directions that differ.
Although it is these differing directions that cause such problems.
Their different desires are exactly what cause humans to fight among themselves.
Since they always prioritize what they want to do individually, it leads them to clash with one another.
And if they cannot reach an agreement, it comes to blows and eventually to war.
Arguments. Violence. Military might.
In order to accomplish their personal desires, humans will use any means to push through all obstacles.
In which case, the machine I am about to destroy was likely made with such a purpose in mind.
Even if the meaning of that purpose may be long lost to the past.
We cannot possibly know what its purpose might have been.
Of course, if I look into the past, I would be able to see what was happening at that time.
But in the end, that is nothing more than reading memories of the past. I cannot go so far as to read the intentions of the people involved.
A higher god than myself, such as D, might be able to see even that, but I cannot.
God though I may be, there are things I can and cannot do.
Even so, there is one thing I do know.
The people who made these weapons had their backs against the wall.
Otherwise, they would not have created these terrible weapons that even Potimas was surprised to hear they had built, so cost-inefficient and impractical that using them would lead to their own destruction.
Surely they must have realized what would happen if they created and used such weapons.
The GMA bomb can blow away an entire continent, and even the G-Meteo has the potential to destroy the very planet.
If these people had even the slightest bit of sense, they would have realized what would happen to them if they used these.
And yet, their situation was such that they had no choice but to make them anyway.
For they were fighting an enemy who could not be defeated by any half-baked measures.
After all, their opponents were dragons like me.
They must have placed the last of their hopes on these weapons.
Yet, clearly they had a change of conscience or else simply did not complete them in time, for in the end, these weapons were buried underground without ever seeing the light of day.
Most likely, this was for the best at the time.
If the buried weapons had been used, they would have plunged the world into even greater chaos.
But the fact that this peril has come to pass in our current day instead is truly grave.
At the time, there were other gods such as myself who could have dealt with the weapons.
But now I am the only one left.
Which is why I had no choice but to accept Potimas’s proposal that I go into space to deal with the G-Meteo.
I know this was the only choice. Nobody else could possibly fight in outer space.
Knowing Potimas, it is possible that he was concealing a weapon that could have done the job, but of course he would never admit it.
I have no doubt that he deliberately sent me away so that he could attempt something while I am gone.
He has always been this way.
Whenever something unexpected happens, that man attempts to use it to manipulate things in his favor.
Even if he himself was not expecting it, he is cunning enough to find a way to profit from it in the end.
I am sure that this situation, too, was not something he anticipated.
But it was all too clear that he is trying to use it to his advantage, nonetheless.
Since I had no choice but to go along with his wishes, I must curse my own inadequacy.
But it irritates me that he thinks he holds everything in the palm of his hand.
Up ahead, I can see my target.
The frightening weapon with the ability to capture meteors and intentionally drop them onto the planet.
The results would likely depend on the size of the meteor, but in the worst-case scenario, this weapon has the potential to destroy the entire planet.
Yet, despite how alarming its power may be, the weapon’s appearance is rather foolish.
Its main body is spherical with propulsion devices attached, and it is equipped with eight arms for the purpose of latching onto meteors.
From some perspectives it may look like a strange sea creature, but as the sphere emits flames to propel it along, its appearance is more humorous than anything.
Though I suppose that makes sense, considering its designer.
Potimas is concerned only with mechanical efficiency and pays no attention to appearances.
This foolish-looking shape must be the result of another efficiency-focused design.
And since its emphasis is on such efficiency, no doubt there is far more to this weapon than meets the eye.
The G-Meteo, perhaps noticing my approach, begins shooting light bullets.
Outer space does not decrease the power of these optic weapons.
If anything, the vacuum only makes them stronger.
However, a weapon made by man cannot affect a god.
I proceed forward, not bothering to dodge the bullets.
My barrier neutralizes them instantly, so, far from injuring me, they cannot even slow me down.
As a true dragon, I have a barrier far more potent than any created by a system-based skill.
A true dragon’s barrier is limitless, blocking both physical and magical attacks.
Not Potimas or even D could completely reproduce this unique ability of dragons.
D created an inferior version using skills, and Potimas developed a barrier that wards off magic, but neither of them comes close to the original.
It is the existence of this barrier that makes it so difficult to defeat dragons.
Even if one did instigate a disaster that destroyed the planet, it’s still not certain whether the true dragons would be harmed.
All of that effort for only the possibility of putting a scratch on a dragon.
Even that would not be enough to break through a dragon’s barrier.
That is the real difference between man and the godly dragons.
The humans of the past knew this, but they did not understand it.
Which is exactly why they created these weapons, believing they were their last hope.
And now, I crush that hope of the past.
The G-Meteo is destroyed in no time.
The now-meaningless hope from a bygone era, reduced to so much garbage in space.
I cannot help but feel the slightest twinge of sadness at the sight.
Perhaps it is because I, too, am a thing of the past, clinging to a purpose that may no longer have meaning in the present.
For I am just like man.
I continue to struggle for the sake of accomplishing my personal desires.
It is unlike a dragon, which is exactly why I am here.
Of all the dragons who once abandoned this planet, I alone remain.
This is the only place I can be.
As the remnants of the G-Meteo drift around me, I put aside my emotions and turn back.
If I hurry, I can still go to the aid of Ariel and the others.
The GMA bomb has not yet been dropped.
If a dragon such as myself appears in front of the G-Fleet, it may drop the GMA bomb, but even then, I would be able to handle such an event.
I am far more certain to be able to resolve this situation than Ariel and the others.
No matter what Potimas might try to do.
Whatever he is planning, I shall crush his attempts without mercy.
“Splendidly done.”
The voice instantly takes the wind out of my sails.
Even in space, this voice reaches my ear effortlessly.
It’s coming from a thin device floating directly in front of my face.
Even I did not notice the appearance of this object.
That alone shows the difference in power between myself and the being who sent this device to me.
And there is only one being who would contact me at a time like this.
“What do you want, D?”
I open my mouth so that my voice will reach my opponent.
For a god, it is a simple task to produce sound in space.
D: the evil god, the final god, the god of death.
The being who reigns as the most powerful of all gods has many names.
Normally, such a being would not bother speaking to a lesser god like myself.
And yet, this voice speaks to me quite freely.
A human who worships D might see this as the greatest joy imaginable, but for me, it brings nothing but a bad premonition.
“Hello to you, too. Your role in this particular incident is now over. So please watch the rest from here, if you will.”
And my premonition is correct.
D is telling me to stay here and do nothing.
But I don’t understand why.
Surely D would not want the GMA bomb to put an end to this little performance.
“Why?”
“Because it will be more entertaining this way,” D responds unabashedly.
D wants to let the world remain in danger, simply because it will be more amusing.
The nerve of this god is unbelievable.
But she’s being completely serious.
People’s actions are based entirely on their personal whims.
And this god thinks and acts in a very similar way.
D acts purely on whether something will be amusing or not.
Everything she does is for the simple purpose of her own entertainment.
If it amuses her, she’ll do anything—no matter who might be hurt or what might be broken.
That is the true nature of D, the being often called an evil god.
And since she’s making this demand of me now, she must have decided that things will be more amusing if I don’t return.
She wants the people down there to resolve this situation of their own accord, without my help.
No doubt D considers that highly entertaining.
But for me, it’s not entertaining in the slightest.
“But…”
“Just stay where you are for now, please.”
I attempt to protest, but D cuts me off with an order.
Her tone is polite but carries a firm undertone that suggests she will not allow me to act against her wishes.
Such a prideful, selfish will.
She really is just like her.
Their inclinations may be different, but the girl in white displays that same shameless drive to follow her own base desires.
She puts herself first and will gladly wreak destruction if it means getting what she wants.
That’s precisely what concerns me so much about that girl.
I fear that drive of hers will someday bring about a serious situation.
However, I’m currently conversing with someone far more dangerous than that girl.
If D wished it, she could easily end even me.
“All right.”
That’s the only response I am permitted to give.
Because if I spoil D’s mood, I will not be the only one to suffer the consequences.
As long as D’s beloved girl in white is around, I doubt she will cause any serious harm to this world, but she certainly has the power to do so if she wishes.
And it is not within my power to stop her.
“Good answer.”
The device that was producing D’s voice is already gone.
Once she’s said her piece, she simply goes on her way.
Now I have no choice but to stay here and watch the battle unfold.
Even if Ariel’s life is in danger or if Potimas is on the verge of a pompous sneer.
No matter what the end result might be, D will most likely not intervene.
Because that simply would not be entertaining to her.
D has such overwhelming power that she could do just about anything if the mood strikes her.
Which is why she simply watches and rarely does anything at all.
Regardless of the outcome.
In the darkness of space, I clench my fists tightly at my own helplessness.
Please find a way to survive this.
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