Chapter 180 - Birth... Day? (1)

Alon stared blankly at the dragon that had swallowed the ruined world. Apart from its flashing red eyes, its entire body rippled like a shadow, much like Blackie’s. Then, as soon as Kailas formed a release seal, it slowly dispersed and vanished.

“... That’s a Death Shadow Dragon?” Alon murmured dazedly.

“No. Strictly speaking, what I showed you was a fully grown Shadow Dragon. The one I used to command.”

A trace of fondness colored Kailas’s voice. He shook his head once, as though rousing himself from his reminiscence.

“Anyway, twice that.”

“... Twice?”

“That’s how large a Death Shadow Dragon is when fully grown.”

“Twice the size of what you just showed me?”

It was unbelievable. He could not truly comprehend it. Even Kailas’s Shadow Dragon had been overwhelmingly huge.

‘It was clearly large enough to devour this entire world and then some... and twice that?’

Alon looked down without thinking.

[“Kyuu!”]

For some reason, Blackie was looking up at him with an exceedingly smug air. This tiny little thing could really grow that large?

“By the way, greenhorn. Where did you get that Death Shadow Dragon’s—no, Shadow Dragon’s egg?”

Kailas’s question brought Alon out of his daze, and he explained what had happened. A short while later...

“I see. So that’s what happened.”

Murmuring as though something now made sense, Kailas looked at Alon.

“You received the legacy I left behind.”

“... The legacy you left behind?”

Kailas nodded at his question.

“That was something I left for the last remaining Magus.”

“... The last remaining Magus?”

“Yes. Well, it seems you received the legacy instead of him.”

A thought suddenly occurred to Alon.

“Could this last Magus you mentioned be Duke Comalon?”

“... Duke Comalon? Unfortunately, I don’t know that name.”

“Hmm...”

He had asked the wrong question to begin with.

“... I’ve met a half-baked Magus.”

“... A half-baked Magus?”

“To be honest, I’m not certain he really was one. That was simply what he called himself.”

“Tell me more, greenhorn.”

After some deliberation, Alon explained everything exactly as it had happened, starting with his first encounter with the artificial Outer God. Kailas listened to the entire account in silence, then uttered a name.

“... It seems the man you met was Diad.”

“... Diad?”

Kailas searched his memory.

“No one took greater pride in being a Magus, yet he never actually learned Mourning of the Heart. He was also the disciple of a close friend of mine.”

“...”

“He couldn’t join the Magi in battle. He hadn’t even properly learned Mourning of the Heart, let alone a spell formula. That must be how he survived.”

Perhaps because he was recalling memories from the distant past, his voice grew somewhat subdued. He murmured softly.

“I see. So he clung to life all this time—to carry out words his master had spoken merely to comfort him.”

“... Did this master tell him to ‘slaughter humans so the black things cannot rise’?”

“I doubt he wanted to do it either. More precisely, he probably had no other choice.”

“... No other choice?”

“Yes. In the end, that was probably all a Magus could do when he had survived precisely because he was ‘half-baked,’ never having properly inherited that power. Well, the same goes for me.”

Kailas clicked his tongue. For the briefest instant, a strange mixture of displeasure and regret passed through his eyes. It reminded Alon of the scene he had witnessed before: Kailas indiscriminately slaughtering people.

After a stretch of silence, Kailas spoke.

“Hey, greenhorn. You asked me to teach you how to command a Shadow Dragon, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. I’ll teach you.”

“Really?”

“But first, I want to ask about your purpose.”

“... My purpose?”

“Yes.”

Kailas stared directly into Alon’s eyes.

“What do you intend to do once you learn how to command that Death Shadow Dragon?”

“I—”

“And don’t give me any idealistic nonsense. That isn’t what I want to hear.”

Alon considered the question in silence. To be honest, even without resorting to idealism, saying something Kailas would like was hardly difficult. Their conversation so far had given him a rough understanding of the man’s beliefs. But rather than supply the answer Kailas wanted, Alon decided to do as he had asked and reveal his true purpose.

“To live in peace.”

“... To live in peace?”

“Yes. That’s all. I want to learn so I can clear away every threat that comes my way.”

It was a plain answer. Yet Kailas responded with a satisfied smile and a nod.

“Not bad. Very well. I’ll teach you the technique.”

“Besides, I’ve also made a contract with Rainicius.”

“... With Rainicius?”

Alon told him about his conversation with Rainicius as well.

“... So I would have had to teach you whether I liked it or not.”

Kailas groaned, looking at Alon as though he were some curious creature.

“By the way, may I ask you something?”

A question had suddenly occurred to Alon.

“What is it?”

“Didn’t you say you’d lost everything except your name? How can you still use techniques involving a Death Shadow Dragon?”

Kailas looked around as though the answer were obvious.

“It’s simple. This is an inner world.”

“... Because it’s an inner world?”

“Yes. Here, it’s easy to manifest magic from my memories. Though it’s only an empty shell, after all...”

Kailas murmured the last words bitterly.

“Anyway, it’s almost time to say goodbye.”

“... What do you mean, goodbye?”

He rose to his feet.

“Exactly what I said. The mana is running out, so it’s nearly time for us to part.”

“There was a time limit?”

“We’re short on time, so I’ll quickly explain what you need to do before your next visit.”

Kailas explained, one by one, the things Alon needed to do before they met again. Then, immediately afterward—

“I’ll see you next time.”

Before Alon could say anything, a pure white light enveloped him.

And when Alon opened his eyes again, the familiar scenery—

“...?”

—was nowhere to be seen.

What appeared after the white light stole his sight was—

“!”

—a black abyss.

####

Alon was bewildered. The last time he had used The Foot That Runs Through the Past, he had seen the real world immediately after the white light appeared. In other words, this time, too, the real world should have followed that light.

Yet the sight before him now...

‘What is this...?’

It was an abyss. One in which he could make out nothing. One he did not recognize—

No. That was not true.

Alon knew this place. He had certainly seen this abyss before.

The instant he realized that, Alon spotted the Nebula at the edge of his vision and understood that what lay before him was an ‘eye.’

An eye like the Deep Sea, which he had once seen in the mirror the Observer had given him. That imposing eye was slowly raising its lid.

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!

His heart began hammering wildly. He had not yet formed any impression or judgment. Yet merely perceiving it made his heart pound as though his chest would burst. It thrashed as though it would tear his entire body apart.

Breathless from that uncontrollable pounding, Alon finally faced the fully opened eye—a vast pupil holding a radiant Nebula. Sinister yet beautiful. Terrifying, yet compelling reverence.

T̵h̸e̸ P҉u҈p̷il of All Things.

And then—

[“̵O̸n҈ly now... can you finally see.̷”]

The being uttered those incomprehensible words.

[“̷R̵each the Root, O Devouring—҉”]

[“̸L҈earn there.̶”]

[“̷How to wield your stature.̵”]

It commanded him in a voice riddled with static.

[“̷C̴lose your eyes.̵”]

Compelled by an irresistible power, Alon closed his eyes, then opened them again.

“Gah!”

He released the breath he had been holding.

THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP!

His blood surged as though racing down a highway. Clutching his aching chest, Alon barely managed to lift his head, and then—

“My lord?! Are you all right?!”

He realized he had returned to where he was supposed to be.

Evan had already rushed inside. Alon struggled to answer him as he faced that worried expression.

“I’m... fine.”

“You don’t look fine at all! Don’t you realize what condition you’re in...?”

Evan urgently seized both his shoulders.

“You’re bleeding from both eyes!”

Only then did Alon feel something running down his cheeks. Slowly raising a hand to touch it, he found bright red blood on his fingers.

‘What... was that?’

An incredulous laugh escaped him as he recalled the eye he had witnessed—that overwhelming being.

####

The next day, having finished his business, Alon decided to leave Coloni immediately. He would have liked to relax for a few days before setting off, but several things had begun weighing on his mind.

‘... Greinif.’

He planned to begin preparing for Greinif as soon as he reached his estate. When Siyan had first told him about it, he had intended to take his time. She had said nothing about any urgency, and he still had thoughts of his own to sort out. But after his conversation with Kailas, among other things, he realized how much he stood to gain by going to Greinif and decided to act a little sooner.

“Are you leaving now, Mentor?”

“Yes.”

By now, Alon automatically pressed down on Seollang’s ears even without her asking. Purring with evident delight, she exclaimed,

“Okay! Then I’ll see you in a month!”

“... In a month?”

“Yep!”

At this sudden arrangement, Alon mentally reviewed his schedule.

“I have no particular reason to come to Coloni in a month, though?”

However he thought about it, he had no plans to visit Coloni...

“I know! I’ll come to you then!”

“... You will, Seollang?”

“Yep! It’s your birthday then, Mentor!”

“Ah.”

Only then did Alon let out a quiet exclamation. That was right. His birthday was a month away.

“You want to give me a present in person?”

“Yep! I can’t give you this present unless I deliver it myself! You have to accept it, Mentor, okay?!”

“I look forward to it.”

Seollang’s tail whirled excitedly, as though the mere thought of giving him her present delighted her. Inwardly, he could not help smiling like a proud father.

‘... In that case, perhaps I should celebrate my birthday before setting off?’

As Alon considered this unexpected change of plans, his carriage left Coloni.

Meanwhile—

“Finally, it’s finished!”

“... This is Biggest Brother’s present?”

“Yes. Impressive, isn’t it?”

“... It certainly is, but...”

Luna Bloodsail, ruler of the Second Fleet Isle, barely swallowed the words, ‘Isn’t that a little excessive?’

Starting with the gift made by Hidan, who stood before her with his shoulders proudly squared, Alon’s birthday presents were being completed one by one.