I Don’t Want to Be a Heroic Spirit [339]
"Then, the organization's hopes rest upon you!"
With great solemnity, Nero placed the access pass to Elroad's national casino into Kazuma's hands.
Kazuma, uncharacteristically serious, gave her a respectful salute.
"I swear I'll complete the mission! I won't betray the organization's trust!"
"Hmm! Such vigor! Now, repeat our objective. What is our goal?"
"To bring Elroad—to absolute financial ruin!"
Nero and Kazuma both shouted in unison, "Ooooh!"
The poor kingdom of Elroad had no idea what was about to hit it.
Nero's faith in Kazuma was absolute. After all, his luck rivaled that of the Goddess of Fortune herself. Calling it a protagonist's aura no longer sufficed—his luck was practically super-high-school-level.
Kazuma, radiating newfound confidence, strode toward the casino entrance, exuding an air of triumph. Following closely behind, Aqua puffed out her chest, ready to join the fray.
"You're not going in."
"Why not?!"
Nero grabbed Aqua by the back of her collar, dragging her back before she could enter.
"You're seriously asking me that?" Nero scoffed, narrowing her eyes. "You, who always opens mimic chests, loses every game of rock-paper-scissors, and cracks rotten eggs every single time? You're the walking definition of bad luck! Do you not realize what's at stake here? This mission is crucial for the future of the Kingdom of Belzerg! I can't allow you to sabotage it with your cursed hands!"
"Trust me just this once, Nero! I have a good feeling about today! When I drank tea this morning, the tea stem stood upright—do you know what that means? It's a sign of luck! I'm going to turn my fortune around!"
"Don't think I didn't see you. You kept changing the water until you forced the tea stem to stand up!"
Ignoring Aqua's indignant wails, Nero turned to Darkness.
"Darkness, go with Kazuma. Your family name should smooth things over if he runs into trouble. If anything goes wrong, you'll need to drag him out."
"…Fine, but Nero, I still think this plan is a bit reckless," Darkness replied hesitantly.
Oh, foolish Darkness, Nero thought, smirking inwardly. Despite being one of Kazuma's closest companions, you still don't understand his absurd levels of luck.
Nero refrained from further explanation. Soon enough, Kazuma's actions would prove her right. In fact, knowing Kazuma, he might even take the opportunity to have Darkness serve him tea in a smug show of superiority.
As Nero watched Darkness follow Kazuma into the casino, its lavish exterior rivaling Nero's own Golden Theater in grandeur, she turned to the rest of the group—Alice, Yunyun, and Megumin, who were all fully equipped and ready.
"Hmm! Well, then, it's time for us to move out as well," she declared.
"So, the day has finally come…"
Megumin adjusted her hat with her left hand and gripped her staff with her right. She flipped her cape dramatically, her uncovered crimson eye glowing fiercely.
"Blood spilled to fill the chalice, beasts roaring from the abyss, and the dark sun now set. At last, we raise the banner of dragon-slaying!"
Yunyun fidgeted nervously.
"Nero-sister will definitely be fine, but… I hope I won't mess things up for everyone…"
Alice, clad in elegant armor and holding her ancestral holy sword, smiled brightly, her tone filled with anticipation.
"A dragon… I've only ever heard of them in hero stories. If we manage to slay one, would that make us heroes too?"
"Hmm! Of course! Perhaps they'll even compose an epic about us. What do you think of The Tale of Heroic Alice?" Nero suggested, grinning.
"No way! It should be The Legend of Megumin!" Megumin shot back indignantly.
---
Dragons.
In countless worlds, they are the most legendary and fearsome of monsters—beasts worthy of the title "King of Monsters."
In the Fate universe, pureblooded dragons are among the most powerful of Phantasmal Species, ranking at the very pinnacle of their kind. Even among Heroic Spirits, only the most elite are capable of slaying them.
Throughout mythology, slaying a dragon is often portrayed as the ultimate test for heroes. Siegfried of Germanic legend, Sigurd of Norse myth, Saint George of Christian lore, and Cadmus of Greek mythology are just a few examples.
And yes—dragons existed in this world, too.
Nero had overheard from local conversations that a colossal dragon had taken over the kingdom's largest gold mine.
While Nero wasn't particularly invested in reclaiming the mine for Elroad, the opportunity to achieve the legendary feat of dragon-slaying was irresistible. She yearned for the glory of being hailed as a dragon-slaying hero!
"Now that I think about it, this might be the first time I've encountered a genuine dragon…"
Such an opportunity might never arise again!
Her resolve was infectious. Everyone in the group, save for one, shared her excitement.
"I'm not doing it! Why should I risk my life fighting a dragon? Are you all out of your minds?!" Aqua shrieked, her voice rising in indignation. "Slaying a dragon? Seriously? Are all of you brain-dead or what?!"
"And why should I tolerate being insulted by a useless idiot like you?!" Nero snapped back.
If it weren't for the fact that I can't let Aqua near the casino where she'd wreak havoc, I wouldn't have brought this dead weight along, Nero thought irritably.
"Whether you like it or not, you're coming with us," she said firmly.
"No! I refuse! Let me go home! I want to go home!" Aqua wailed, digging her nails into the ground as Nero dragged her along. Long gouges marked the dirt in Aqua's desperate but futile resistance.
---
Dragons.
Biologically, they sit at the apex of existence.
In some worlds, such as High School DxD, their power even surpasses that of the gods, inspiring fear in deities.
Their vast wings block out the sun when spread. Their molten breath can melt the earth. Their scales, both physically and magically resilient, are nearly impenetrable. And their innate [Dragon's Aura] can crush the will of most creatures.
Whether by luck or misfortune, Nero and her group encountered the dragon before even reaching the mine.
The moment Nero laid eyes on it, she squinted as her vision was assaulted by a blinding radiance.
The reason was simple—the dragon's entire body gleamed with a dazzling golden hue.
Having dwelled in the gold mine for so long and consumed countless gold deposits, the dragon had seemingly transformed into a creature of pure gold.
---
...
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– Syr ✨