Author: Akashari	Original Source: Syosetu
Translator: Mui	English Source: Re:Library

Project GB is an official initiative by Re:Library.

No good. Yes, that is no good. I couldn’t understand it at all. Even after enduring it hundreds, thousands of times with this body, the mechanism eluded me—a humiliation beyond words.

I didn’t understand—what exactly was going to kill me now?

――――――――…………
――――……
――…

“…A unique magecraft, isn’t it?”
“Yes. You focus on preparing to purify the ghost ship. I’ll handle the remaining defenses.”

The unique chant was successfully completed, and the Sea of Stardust (nothing but junk) was now active.

Visibly, there was little change, but the Saint’s sharp perception would surely grasp the essence of this unique magecraft in no time. For the dragon, which had already experienced its effects once, it was the highest-priority threat.

“GRUUOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH!!!”
“Such an ear-splitting racket. You’d be better off using your remaining time more meaningfully.”

In response came not words but a barrage of stones—or rather, a solid wall of them.

In an instant, an unrelenting mass of rock fragments filled the entire field of vision, leaving no room for delay or escape. This countless hail of projectiles would shred us into pieces in the blink of an eye.

At such density, defense or evasion was impossible… unless the opponent could be made to miss entirely.

“Support?”
“Not needed. Come a bit closer to me.”

The dragon’s malice-laden projectiles all missed, veering off and crashing harmlessly away from us.

No matter how many were launched, the targets were just two small humans. A spread like that ensured most were wasted, and even the slightest adjustment to their trajectory rendered them useless.

“Pretty clumsy. Is this your first real fight?”
“GRUHHH… GAAAAHHHH!!!”

No matter how much magic power the dragon possessed, its attack patterns were simple. There was no ingenuity in its methods—its experience was lacking. It seemed the world had grown rather peaceful over the last millennium, even for dragons. Or perhaps…

“Isn’t provoking it a bit reckless? Desperation can be terrifying, you know.”
“Not at all. The angrier it gets, the easier it is for me. Its body is no longer strong enough to withstand a powerful spell.”

From the mountain to the city, the corpse of the already-dead dragon continued its steady decay.

Its body had been pushed to its limits, and the internal rampage, which had even fractured its skull, hastened the collapse. In just the past few minutes, the rate of disintegration had clearly accelerated.

“If its body crumbles away, even the dragon gem will be useless. Considering the time needed to track down Momo, one shot is likely all it can manage.”
“Then, do you intend to defend… I mean, divert that one strike, as you did earlier?”
“No, this time I’ll use it. Besides, it’s almost time.”
“――Hey, it’s nearly in range. Should I start the countdown?”

Despite all the resistance it had faced, the dragon never once stopped its advance. Perhaps its final shred of pride demanded that perseverance. Yet, because of that same pride, it had marched straight into the jaws of death.

Behind us awaited the combined force of Aldebaran’s sorcerers and wizards, pooling every ounce of their magic power into one decisive blow.

“Firing in five… four…”
“You can sense it, can’t you? The entire city you’re trying to crush is here, united. Perhaps you could have handled this in your prime.”
“Three… two…”
“Ooooh… oooOOOHH…”
“But now, having lost your dragon gem, with your body rotting away and invaded by the ghost ship, can you still prevail?”
“One――”
“GUOOOH… GRUAAOOOOHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!”

The dragon let out its mightiest roar yet, its maw opening wide.

Within, it gathered every last fragment of its remaining power—a display of what made dragons the apex of all life. It was nothing less than a monumental concentration of magic power: its breath.

“Dragon’s breath…it’s been ages since I’ve seen and felt it. And it’s even laced with ghost ship residue. How charming.”
“Not to mention, support fire from the city is incoming as well. I won’t be able to block all of it alone.”
“No issue. Just focus on amplifying your holy energy. I’ll handle the rest.”

Dragon’s breath, in essence, was a high-density stream of compressed magic power.

Often described as a “beam” or “ray,” its nature—be it flame, frost, or something else—varied by dragon. The one constant was its lethality: to a mere human, it was certain death.

This particular breath, infused with Claxton’s remaining might, was a strike so devastating that even a dragon would not escape unscathed.

“Seems you never figured out the true nature of Nothing But Junk (Sea of Stardust), right to the very end. Or perhaps you thought dense magic power would obliterate all trickery in its path.”
“…Zero. Do it right, Laika.”

Behind and ahead, two immense concentrations of magic power hurtled toward us, converging at the exact midpoint of their paths—where we stood.

As expected, the timing and distance were flawless. A perfect synchronization of forces.

This precision made my job all the easier.

“――Swing-By¹ (Playing with Stardust).”

――――――――…………
――――……
――…

“――――Die, die, die, die, die, die, die…!!!”

The recoil from my breath had shattered everything above my jaw, leaving my head in ruin. Yet, I could still see. I could still utter words. That alone proved one truth: I was no longer alive.

It was already too late. Even if the dragon gem was restored, this rotting husk of a body could never be revived. And yet, my identity as a dragon was still there.

“I will not allow this… for you to survive while I perish…!!”

Such an outcome was unacceptable—an abrupt, one-sided demise. The thought of being defeated by mere humans was intolerable.

I had to kill them. Drag as many of them down with me as possible. I could not let myself die like this.

My breath, imbued with the essence of the cursed ghost ship, would doom the city if evaded and ensure death if confronted.

“Serves… you right…!!”

As my shattered vision cleared from the blinding flash of my own breath, the last sight I beheld was the hateful magic power of the humans and… my own breath spiraling back toward me.

Ah, so that was it. The truth of that magecraft… That’s what it was all along—

Where had I gone wrong? If only I hadn’t clung to that wretched mountain, shackled by my pitiful pride…

Perhaps I wouldn’t have been killed by that child of thunder.

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