The Emerald Dragon, through his own will, broke out of Stolas's [Storage].
Originally, such a feat was impossible.
However, the [Storage] given by the Creator to the Demon Lords were designed to handle only average S rank monsters, at best. Considering that the Emerald Dragon was a higher-end A rank monster, had [Berserk] which improved its capabilities by a rank, and received a considerable power boost from [Dragon Emperor], his power levels were definitely, albeit only momentarily, exceeded that.
<<I will protect you>>
Ultimately, the Emerald Dragon's strong emotions was what made the impossible, possible.
◇
The moment the Emerald Dragon got out of Stolas's [Storage], the brute that dared to lay a hand on her was reduced to bits.
Even though the brute was an A rank monster with excellent defense, for the Emerald Dragon who had both the power of [Berserk] and the power borrowed from [Dragon Emperor], crushing such an enemy was easy.
After that, he unleashed a [Wind] breath attack.
That attack was on par, if not stronger, than even the tornado that took several wind monsters to make. And it wasn't simply wind; it was a swirl of countless wind blades. Any enemy unlucky enough to be caught in the breath attack would be minced meat.
"Why did you come out with that tattered body of yours? You'll die."
Tears in her eyes, Stolas looked toward the Emerald Dragon who looked back at her.
She saw that for the first time, his jade-green eyes were filled with gentleness rather than madness.
She then gasped that other than gentleness, there were also affection and strong resolve in the dragon's eyes.
The Emerald Dragon then hid Stolas behind his back and roared.
As the dragon was situated in a narrow passageway, the only way through was through him. His roar was both a threat for his enemies and a message to escape for Stolas.
"Do you plan to die here?"
<<Go, I will fight them.>>
The Emerald Dragon didn't answer her question. For how could he when she was precisely on the mark?
Although his mind was now free from the shackles of [Berserk] and although he had obtained additional power from [Dragon Emperor], the fact that he had reached his limits a long time ago still remained.
His body was wounded all over and his magic power was almost depleted. All that remained was his sturdy body, as tattered as it was.
He knew from the start that he wouldn't be able to defeat all of their enemies, but in order to save Stolas, he intended to take down with him as many as he could. If he could save her by acting as a shield, death was a fine fate to him.
The enemy monsters who were blown away and yet managed to escape instant death returned, this time warier of the dragon than before. Due to that wariness, they and their allies maintained their distance before firing their attacks toward the Emerald Dragon.
Swords, spears, arrows, fire, water, earth, and whatever else poured down like heavy rain toward the Emerald Dragon.
Having insufficient magic power for another breath attack, the Emerald Dragon decided to instead use his remaining magic power for [Hardening].
His goal was to hold on until Stolas has made her escape.
And so, against such an attack, his scales burst open and his flesh was gouged. Yet, through it all, he didn't make a shriek as he didn't want to worry Stolas even one tiny bit.
<<Why won't you run? Let me protect you.>>
The Emerald Dragon sent his thoughts to beg Stolas to leave. However, rather than escape, Stolas drew closer and touched the dragon's back with her small, cold, and shaking hand.
"Using my father's medal, you were the first monster I ever made. To escape by sacrificing you is something I cannot do. A long time ago, I've decided to name you. So, if you're going to be brave here… I've decided to be too."
With the countless attacks he had received, he wouldn't last a minute longer.
"Answer me: do you want to be reborn? To be reborn and protect me like this?"
Stolas spoke those words with resolve; she wasn't willing to lose the Emerald Dragon here like this.
With no second thoughts, the dragon answered.
<<Yes, I want to be reborn and be together with you more.>>
The Emerald Dragon had always wanted to be reborn into someone who could fly as they wished, someone that could stay by Stolas's side, someone that could protect her.
"Thank you… Phobos, Masamune! Buy us 30 seconds. That's an order."
Stolas strongly shouted so.
"Okay."
"Forget 30, we'll buy you 60."
Her two [Monsters of the Covenant] replied so.
After that…
"[Rebirth]"
Stolas closed her eyes and recited the word of power.
[Rebirth] was an ability she received as a prize during the [Evening Party] many months ago. Unlike Procell who won and thus received two, she received only one use of this ability.
As for what it did, it could transform a willing target into a medal and have that medal be usable for [Synthesis].
Upon accepting that power, the Emerald Dragon's body broke down into golden particles of light which then gathered in Stolas's hand. Once all of the particles were gathered, they formed an A rank medal called [Emerald Dragon].
Since the Emerald Dragon disappeared, the enemy monsters were now able to attack Stolas who was behind the now-gone dragon.
Before they could reach her, however, Masamune the Kamaitachi and Phobos the Pegasus appeared, the former riding on the latter's back. Phobos picked up Stolas with his mouth and then jumped up, very narrowly avoiding the incoming attacks.
Meanwhile, Masamune helped Stolas get on Phobos's back.
"Phobos, they're giving chase."
"Understood. Lend me a hand, then."
While Phobos cut through the wall of air in front, Masamune produced wind in the back to accelerate them further.
Through the cooperation technique the two monsters did, they traveled at an extraordinary rate which then made them able to evade the magic attacks targeted at their backs.
However, the scenery ahead became distorted. This was most likely due to monsters that had the ability to lay traps.
In reaction to that, Phobos did a 90-degree turn.
A Pegasus was a monster could use not only its speed but also its agility as a weapon. For them, a 90-degree turn was doable, if not easy.
"After all the rampaging that dragon did, we don't deserve to be [Monsters of the Covenant] if we can't buy at least 30 seconds."
"I hear you. Let's do our best, brother."
Phobos and Masamune continued to evade the countless attacks pouring on them like heavy rain. They have done so by expertly coordinating their actions. While Phobos made full use of his mobility, Masamune accurately accelerated or decelerated their speed using wind and deflected the attacks they couldn't avoid or take.
They were B rank monsters with static levels.
For being the [Monsters of the Covenant] of a Demon Lord like Stolas, they were relatively weak. Even without being told, they were perfectly and painfully aware of that.
However, rather than wallow on such fact, the two decided to do whatever they could. They constantly sought strength that couldn't be measured in numbers. They polished their individual strengths, and discovered ways they could work in coordination with each other.
Perhaps even an A rank monster wouldn't be able to avoid such a volley of attacks, but the two who didn't have high levels, high stats, or cheat skills did all that through their own hardships and abilities. Such a moment was the fruit of their sweat and blood.
As such, Stolas knew she couldn't waste the time the two were buying for her.
In her hand were three medals.
The first one was [Emerald Dragon] which was the medal the dragon turned into. Next was a medal bearing her own crest, the [Wind] medal. And the last was the one belonging to her rival, the [Creation] medal.
She then closed her hand into a fist, grasping the three medals within tightly.
"Procell, let me see the world that you see. Please, guide me and Emerald Dragon… [Synthesis]"
Light leaked from her hand.
It was a Synthesis beyond convention and that intense light proved it.
Like that, countless possibilities appeared and disappeared in Stolas's mind.
Her consciousness was then guided into a spirit world of sorts.
There, she met a jade-green dragon.
"All of this are your possible futures. It's so astonishing. There's really a lot."
<<Our possible futures.>>
The Dragon presented its paw and, in response, Stolas grasped it. Hand in hand like that, the two looked at the possibilities before them.
"I've always wanted to talk with you like this, you know. Despite our present circumstances, but I'm glad we have this moment."
<<Me too. I've always wanted to say I love you. I've always wanted you to know that I want to fight by your side.>>
The dragon had a fearsome appearance, but it spoke with a voice that seemed to belong to a little girl.
"Speaking with that voice, in that manner, it's so cute. Anyway, Emerald Dragon, what do you want to be?"
When the Emerald Dragon heard that question, his eyes sparkled brightly.
"Aside from being able to act as I wished, it's my dream to keep protecting you. When a dragon king heard of my dream, he called me a knight. So, Stolas-sama, what I would like to become is a knight that protects you."
Hearing that, Stolas smiled.
After voicing out his wish, a possibility shined before the two.
Stolas and Emerald Dragon, still holding each other's hands, reached for that glowing possibility. In reaction, it grew brighter and brighter until Stolas's consciousness returned to reality.
"Alright. This is our answer."
The [Creation] medal in her hand transformed and what it transformed into was… the [Knight] medal.
The light leaking from her hand also grew even brighter. Upon opening her hand, the medals turned into particles of light—golden in color with a tinge of green—which then coalesced.
The form it took was a gigantic western dragon with jade green scales, much like an Emerald Dragon. There were many differences though. First was that golden patterns were in several parts of his body. His claws were also much bigger. On his head was a horn which resembled a unicorn's. Also, his eyes had a much more vivid shade of jade green, indicative that he had the magic eyes called [Jade Eyes].
Like that, the Emerald Dragon was reborn.
Even though he still had [Berserk], he stave off that madness with his loyalty to Stolas.
He was dragon-knight of the wind known as a…
"Storm Dragon Knight Bahamut"
Stolas spoke aloud her monster's new race.
Meanwhile, pleased with his new appearance and, moreover, with the newfound strength he could use to protect Stolas, Bahamut roared heartily.
As good as that was, the enemies were still attacking.
As of the moment, the newly reborn Bahamut was following behind Phobos. As attacks continued to come, the dragon decided to create a storm, placing himself and Phobos within the center of it. In spite of the storm repelling each incoming attack, it continued to expand by each passing moment.
It wasn't just a tornado either. It was full-blown thunderstorm.
Anything and everything that came close to it were blown back by the wind and the lighting it produced.
"Can you hear my voice?"
<<I can. I am your knight and that means wherever we may be, your voice will always reach me.>>
"Good. Then, I'll give your first command as a Bahamut. Any enemy that your eyes can see, defeat them. I wonder though, can you do that?"
<<Easy.>>
The enemy forces at the moment were composed of more than 10 A rank monsters and over a hundred B and C rank monsters. Anyone who would say such an enemy force was no problem would be laughed at normally.
However, the Bahamut could definitely do it.
Firstly, he was a high-tier S rank monster made using three A rank medals.
Additionally, due to the nature of [Rebirth], his high level from being a static-leveled A rank Emerald Dragon was transferred to his new form as a Bahamut that could level up.
And then, of course, there were his skills. He had [Berserk] which increased all his high stats by a rank. He also had a skill called [Chivalry] which further increased his stats, while at the same time made him keep his sanity, both as long as he was near Stolas, the one he has sworn to protect.
"Procell, I have a request."
Stolas embedded the intent of her message into the special wind still around her. This special wind was sent by Aura the Ancient Elf and would circle back to her.
In truth, along the way, Stolas thought many times of asking for Procell's assistance but didn't follow through, thinking there was no way she could give up when her monsters haven't.
"I'm about to lose consciousness now. I'm leaving the rest of the battle to you."
The words that came out of her mouth were of calm acceptance.
She had already informed her monsters—via Rozelitte's telepathy—that she was going to fall unconscious and that they should listen to Procell's commands from then on.
After receiving Stolas's message, Procell replied.
<<Are you sure you want me to take over? Right when you're about to turn everything around?>
Hearing that, Stolas laughed a little.
It became apparent to Stolas that Procell knew of the measures she had taken to achieve victory.
The first of which was to prepare a group that excelled in espionage from the [Omnipresence] copies attacking the enemy dungeon. This group's goal was to avoid combat as much as possible and break the [Blade] Demon Lord's crystal. This had little chance to succeed, but it was a risk worth taking.
As for the other measure, the moment the [Blade] Demon Lord showed up, Stolas made the rest of the copies return to her dungeon and strike the enemies in the rear. With the enemy force being whittled down, the pincer maneuver would make it so that the [Blade] Demon Lord wouldn't be able to escape.
After all, defeating the [Blade] Demon Lord was equivalent of winning the [War].
As a side note, while it was true that he had placed several Transfer arrays for insurance, Stolas's scouts had already erased those.
"I have to do something more important than winning: fulfilling a promise. Because of that, I wouldn't be able to fight anymore. I know I'm asking for a lot, but I'll pay you back even if it will cost me my life."
In order to keep an old promise, Stolas has decided to cast aside her pride and rely on Procell.
"Bahamut, I've made you a promise, didn't I? That someday, once I've become a Demon Lord splendid enough to control you, I will give you a name right away. I've already thought up a name for you, so here it goes."
Stolas had heard from Procell about what happened to him when he named Duke. About how he felt weak and about how he feared he would completely lose his magic power.
Considering how Stolas thought of Procell to be stronger than herself and also how the Bahamut was just as strong as Duke, if she was to name her dragon now, she might end up with a worse fate.
Moreover, she was in the middle of a [War] at the moment. Common sense would dictate that giving a name right now would be foolish, to say the least.
However, Stolas would rather lose the war and her life than break her promise with Bahamut who has protected against all odds.
Besides, she had someone she could leave the rest to.
And so, with no hesitation in her mind, she uttered the following:
"Storm Dragon Knight Bahamut, your name from now on will be Enlil. Continue protecting me, my knight."
The moment she said his name, she felt her Demon Lord powers and her magic power being ripped out of her body. As though those weren't enough, she could also feel her very life being taken away.
It was unbelievable pain.
And yet, amidst that, she smiled as she saw Enlil.
"Everyone, Procell, I leave the rest to you."
After saying so, she began to lose consciousness and fell from Phobos's back. Phobos hurriedly tried to pick her up but stopped midway after seeing that there was no need worry. The reason he deemed so was because there suddenly appeared a man and a high-ranking elf.
After revealing himself, the man carefully caught Stolas.
"You've done well, Stolas. We'll handle the rest."
The man replied so while carrying Stolas in his arms.
Hearing that, Stolas smiled. Hers was a face of a maiden in love.
Still wearing the smile, Stolas finally lost her consciousness.
As if in tune with that, Enlil roared loudly and then continued to trample over the enemies.
Because Stolas's powers and feelings have reached him, instead of rushing over to her as he wanted to, he did what was needed to be done.
Like that, the [Blade] Demon Lord's army began to fall back, totally unaware of the almost uninjured copies of Stolas's monsters approaching their rear…
In case you’re wondering, Storm Dragon Knight Bahamut is written as 嵐騎竜バハムート
Also, for information about Enlil, click here to go to wikipedia
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