Chapter 81: Return of the Crimson Dragonfly

Amphere Harrison

Executing coordinated raids on six separate sites demanded meticulous planning and the division of forces into specialized teams. Each team, under the leadership of skilled figures, assumed responsibility for a designated target. Cleru and Rudolf took charge of the first team, assigned to scout an abandoned town in close proximity to Twilight City. The second team, led by General Holster, embarked on an expedition into an underground basement. Sherman, Dennis, and Adrian directed the third, fourth, and fifth teams respectively, targeting slum areas adjacent to major cities.

As for the sixth squad, it fell to Reina Fleuret and myself. Our ranks were relatively modest due to the unique nature of our assignment – to investigate the colossal crater that marked the site of Vanilla City's former existence. It was a location that held deeply personal significance, largely due to the circumstances surrounding its decimation, an event inextricably linked to my girlfriend, Airi.

Surveying the debris-strewn expanse of the abandoned city, I couldn't resist a hint of sarcasm. "Brings back memories, doesn't it?" I remarked, my tone drenched in irony. Beside me, Airi shared a fleeting smile, and together, we embarked on the search for any clues amidst the scattered wreckage.

This very place had witnessed the catastrophic event known as the Crimson Dragonfly Incident – the calamity that transformed Airi into a Monolith Dragon, a force that wreaked havoc on a massive scale. It claimed countless lives and obliterated an entire city within the span of minutes. The aftermath left a trail of devastation and nearly fractured our relationship beyond repair.

In Airi's eyes, a mixture of worry and teary apprehension became evident. "Doesn't it... matter now? Y-you still love me, right?" Her voice quivered with an emotional vulnerability.

I reassured her with a warm smile, my response brimming with sincerity. "Absolutely! We've long since discussed this, remember?"

Meanwhile, Reina's gaze settled upon a hill where her mansion once stood. The present scene bore little resemblance to its former grandeur. Endless brown bricks stood in place of the mansion's walls, a solemn reminder of time's inexorable passage and the transformations it had wrought.

"Reina..." Richard's voice carried an undercurrent of concern, a testament to his ongoing apprehension regarding Reina's feelings towards Airi.

Reina's response was measured, her eyes closing as she summoned a genuine smile. "Just as Amphere mentioned," she began, her voice resolute, "we've already addressed this issue. Seeking revenge against someone who acted without understanding the consequences is pointless."

Airi, demonstrating her trademark sincerity, approached Reina with a polite bow. "I am profoundly grateful for your forgiveness, Reina. Your capacity for kindness knows no bounds. Totally!"

As our exploration of the decimated city continued, an eerie silence hung in the air, arousing suspicion of potential traps. To mitigate any uncertainties, we engaged our Vesryn Pulse technology and commanded our dragons to survey the area from the sky. This strategy, carried out individually, facilitated comprehensive coverage. Despite a half-hour of meticulous observation, the scene remained monotonous – dilapidated structures, eerie homes untouched by time, and mountains of discarded debris.

Our communicators sprang to life as Reina's voice sounded. "A young dragonoid maiden has been sighted below. We intend to make contact and assess the situation. Requesting your rendezvous at our coordinates, over."

With our instructions clear, my Chimeratech Dragon activated its photon boosters, propelling us with remarkable speed towards the indicated spot. We arrived at an aging warehouse in mere moments, only to find it devoid of any sign of Reina or Richard. Opting for a ground search, we opened the door and entered.

The sight that met Airi within the warehouse froze her in her tracks, her expression a complex mix of shock and disbelief. Her reaction was so intense that it raised concerns – what had caused her to react in such a manner?

In the dim interior of the warehouse, a tableau of interaction unfolded before us. Reina and Richard conversed with a dragonoid woman whose dark hair cascaded down her form, elegantly attired in a long dress that befit a married woman. She appeared to be in her late twenties, her presence commanding attention.

Reina directed our attention towards the woman, her words pregnant with meaning. "This woman claims to be a friend of yours, Airelina."

The sudden spotlight cast upon Airelina seemed to trigger a visceral response. Her heart raced, a tempo akin to a bass drum's resonant thump. Fear appeared to claw at her, as though an instinctual urge to flee waged a silent battle with her body's unwillingness to comply.

"It's been some time, Airi," the woman addressed her, a measured calm in her voice. "I'm still here – Noira."

Airi's initial response was stilted, a question laced with an undertone of rudeness. "W-why are you... still alive?" The words held the potential to wound, a brusque inquiry directed at a friend she hadn't seen in years.

Noira's reply held a note of detachment. "Some good Samaritans extended their hand after you left me in the wake of your destruction, Airi." Her tone seemed casual, almost dismissive.

"You can't place all the blame on me for what happened to this city!" Airi's voice thundered through the warehouse, the walls reverberating with the force of her words. An accusation had been flung, met by Noira's subtle laughter, dripping with sarcasm.

"True, how could I forget?" Noira's response carried an undertone of jest. "Close friends share sins, don't they? So why, I wonder, did you choose to abandon me like a cast-off rag?"

Airi's voice quavered, emotions teetering on the edge of breaking free. "W-we had no choice," she choked out, her voice hanging between a plea and a sob. "Estoff and I... We were struggling to save ourselves."

"You selfish bitch!"

The warehouse atmosphere crackled with tension as Noira's shout rent the air. A palpable aura of intensity radiated from her, prompting Richard, Reina, and myself to remain on the sidelines, watching as the exchange unfolded.

Airi clenched her eyes shut, a determined effort to restrain her tears. As they opened once more, they held a resolute crimson gleam, fixed upon her former best friend. The depth of her words reflected the magnitude of her guilt. "Yes, I am," she conceded, her voice steady yet heavy with the weight of her confession. "I'm aware of your resentment, your anger because of what happened to you and Zac. I apologize from the depths of my heart for that pain. If you wish to hurt me, go ahead. I won't resist. The truth remains – the Crimson Dragonfly incident is my responsibility."

Noira's next words, while less heated, continued to probe Airi's sincerity. "Are you truly sorry, Airi? Completely?"

A new voice joined the conversation, the smooth timbre of a young adult man. We turned to face the source, discovering a brown-haired individual with a distinctive anime-esque harajuku hairstyle. His tattered American suit lent an air of disheveled charm. Around Airi's age, he was uncannily casual in addressing her by her nickname.

Airi's spine seemed to tingle with a renewed chill. "You..." Her voice wavered as shock set in. "H-How are you both alive?"

Amusement played across the man's features as he chuckled. "Didn't Noira mention it earlier?" he teased. "Dragunov was our savior. He's my foster father, in fact. Those mock executions you witnessed were pure theatrics. Dragunov orchestrated the rescue of Noira from prison, while some unsuspecting soul took my place at the guillotine. A bit of makeup was all it took – a staged performance, if you will."

Airi's voice, laced with disbelief and frustration, pierced the air. "Why didn't you tell me you were still alive, Zac!? I-I thought you were..." Her words tapered off, a raw mix of emotions evident in her expression.

The room seemed to shudder under the weight of Zac's confession, his words like a dagger to the heart. "I never loved you, Airi," he admitted, his tone tinged with an eerie calm. "My only intention was to manipulate and exploit your anger, using it as a catalyst for mass violence."

Airi's reaction was visceral, her voice cut off in a cry that spoke of deep hurt. I felt a strong urge to step in, to deflect the escalating tension away from her and onto myself.

Seizing the moment, I spoke up with unwavering assurance. "Airi never loved you either," I proclaimed, my voice carrying a certainty that mirrored the truth. "Her heart has always belonged to me."

Zac's response was aloof, a self-assured tilt of his chin. "Is that so?" he challenged, an air of intrigue coloring his words. "Let's test that loyalty."

A rush of confidence surged through me. I knew Airi inside out. Her devotion to me and her disdain for Dragunov was undeniable. There was no way she would waver.

But reality proved me wrong.

Zac's chest illuminated with a vibrant blue glow, his words punctuated by his actions. "Activating Vesryn Pulse!"

In an instant, the world around us transformed. The room seemed to blur, the boundaries between reality and something else fading. A force pressed upon my senses, a disorienting shift that made the world twist and contort. As if suspended between two planes, I struggled to maintain my balance, my thoughts a whirlwind of confusion.

In a jarring twist of events, Airi's form was enveloped in a radiant golden light. Before us stood the imposing figure of an eight-meter Futuretech Dragon – her previous embodiment. The sight was both astonishing and bewildering, leaving me grappling for comprehension. How had this transformation occurred?

Zac's laughter, tinged with malevolence, pierced the air. "Hahahaha! Your heart remains known to me, Airi. Our contract remains intact. You believed my demise rendered it null, didn't you? But you were mistaken!"

The resonating roar of the Futuretech Dragon reverberated through the space, a fierce protest against the constraints imposed upon her. Yet, the Vesryn Pulse's power lay firmly in Zac's hands – a cruel twist of fate that rendered her helpless.

"Noira, I'm ready!" Noira's shout reverberated, a call to action that held a sinister undertone.

Zac's response was filled with ominous triumph. "Excellent! DRACARYX!!! Activate Crimson Dragonfly!"

A rush of foreboding cascaded over me as Zac's command hung in the air. The words were laden with a power I couldn't fully grasp, their meaning a harbinger of something grave. As the events unfurled before us, I could only watch, a gnawing helplessness settling in.