A staff fluttered as it swept through the empty air.
Trailing behind it was a long streak of pure white light. From it formed a magic circle.
It was a formation so beautiful that even someone completely ignorant of magic would instinctively cry out that it was a magic circle.
The mana that was emitted gathered amongst itself and gave off light. It became points, and surpassing lines, became surfaces.
A continuing sequence of geometric patterns soon to be completed.
Patterns of every kind arranged and clustered in complex ways, gradually filling a round circle.
“…….”
The surroundings were deathly silent.
The high priests led by Irina, and the Holy Knights.
The Royal Knights including Claire and Melissa.
The group of the possessed gathered, including Antipus and Daphne.
The countless other knights, and even Vitalianus standing at the very forefront.
All gazes were concentrated on Hio’s movements, on the tip of that staff, on the splendid form of the magic circle it was drawing out.
A wide, cleared vacant lot.
A giant magic circle drawn at its center.
When it had filled about halfway, emitting a bright light through the power of mana, the wind began to blow.
It was a light green wind that no one had ever seen or heard of in their lives.
“What are you planning to do…….”
“Shh!”
Even the expedition members who had been with Hio since the Conquest Floor were seeing this sight for the first time.
Until now, the magic he had used had never involved drawing a magic circle with such care; a few waves of his staff and—boom boom—it would pour out without cease.
Thus, they were curious what sort of incredible magic he was preparing, but fearful that it might disturb the concentrating Hio, they were careful even to breathe.
Not long after, all manner of patterns filled the giant circle.
Though it looked haphazardly drawn at a glance, there was likely no one in this place save Hio who could properly recognize how profound and meticulous a creation it was.
The completed magic circle erupted with light once more.
Not a soft light, but a brilliance so intense they had to close their eyes.
The light green wind blew ever more fiercely.
It was an effect arising from the drawn patterns and mana interacting with one another.
Rumble—
So powerful was it that the ground beneath their feet tremored.
A light so intense they couldn’t help but furrow their brows.
The shaking ground.
Just what was about to appear, what magic was about to be completed, that even its residual effects could cause such phenomena?
It was what most of the expedition thought, and thus, while steadying themselves against the strong tremors, squinting against the intense light, they did not take their eyes from the magic circle.
But the light erupting from the magic circle was so intense that they eventually had no choice but to close their eyes.
As it subsided, the tremors that had shaken the ground also cut off abruptly.
It was only natural that the expedition members quickly opened their eyes.
And what met their eyes.
“…Hm?”
“What? What changed?”
A space where nothing had changed.
Only the brightly shining magic circle had vanished as if it had never existed; everything else remained the same.
Knowing the splendid magic Hio had shown until now, they had thought a magic prepared to this extent would be something even more majestic and grand, but……
At the very moment they were about to be disappointed, a small sound came from somewhere.
Munch, munch!
The sound of someone stuffing their mouth very hastily.
Following the sound, everyone’s gaze slowly lowered.
Because they had expected a grand and splendid magic and had stood far back, because their gazes had remained somewhere between heaven and earth, they had missed the being that had appeared.
Munch, munch, munch!
What had abruptly appeared in the spot where the magic circle had been was a girl with light green hair.
A being to whom the word “child” suited better than “girl.”
“What is that…….”
So absurd was the sight that words wouldn’t come out.
To think that something so small was what had appeared after making such a racket.
And she wasn’t merely standing there—she was clutching bread in both hands, no less.
Munch, munch, munch, munch!
The munching sound they had heard was her stuffing her mouth full of such bread and chewing.
Despite rolling her light green eyes about under the gazes of many people, her mouth busily moved without rest, swallowing the bread in gulps.
“…….”
Silence fell over the 58th Floor of the Abyss, shrouded in thick fog in the distance.
What kind of magic was this, prepared so grandiosely? Who was that tiny child?
With Hio, who had cast the magic, remaining still, the others were busy trying to grasp the situation.
Only.
Munch, munch, munch, munch!
Only the sound of chewing echoed softly.
But that silence did not last long.
The light green-haired child, who had staunchly eaten her bread while glancing around, had finally eaten all the bread clutched in her hands.
Only then did Hio begin to move.
“…Freya.”
At Hio’s call, Freya’s pure and clear eyes looked at him.
“Is it delicious?”
Nod, nod!
Brushing away the crumbs around her mouth, he swept his hand over Freya’s head.
“I summoned you slowly on purpose so you wouldn’t be flustered, but it seems you picked up some bread in the meantime.”
Nod, nod!
No doubt she had been eating the bread Hio bought her, sensed the signs of summoning, and grabbed both hands full.
“Anyway, see that city over there? Could you blow all of it away?”
Freya pondered for a moment, then looked up at Hio with an expression full of question.
Hio nodded his head at that expression that seemed to ask if it was truly alright.
“It’s fine. If possible, I’d like you to blow away all that poisonous mist infused with mana, too.”
At Hio’s definite answer, Freya finally broke into a bright smile and raised both arms high.
Understanding her intent, Hio picked up Freya, who was stretching both arms straight out.
“You can do it well, right?”
Nod, nod!
Maintaining the posture of being held, she fixed her stance.
The stance looked exactly like he was about to throw Freya, so the knights watching reflexively moved to stop him, but—
“Blow it all away.”
With those words, Hio hurled Freya high into the sky.
“G-Guardian Knight! What is the meaning of this…!”
The flustered shouts of the knights and the rising clamor.
Quite apart from that, Freya flew through the air with an extremely happy expression.
Soon, the speed of that small body gradually decreased, and when it reached the highest point—
Kwaaang—!
A wind incomparably stronger than before began to sweep in.
A wind so fierce that everyone who had been blankly looking up at the sky hurriedly ducked their heads.
With gazes lowered thus, a shadow began to loom slowly.
Something massive had appeared overhead, in the sky above.
Thus, they wanted to raise their heads and look up, but it was no easy task.
Kwaaaang—!
They were hard-pressed just to keep their footing in the blowing storm.
Even though they were all strong knights, that was the best they could manage.
But there are always those who stand out as exceptionally strong among them, and they finally managed to raise their heads and look between the blasts of the storm.
That was why they could see it.
The flashing green eyes within the savage wind that felt as though it would blow their bodies away at any moment. Those ferocious eyes.
And.
Kwaaaaah—!
A breath shot into the distance.
No, a calamity disguised as breath.
Because of it, the city scattered like dust. The gray mist retreated in haste.
The storm they were experiencing now was merely the aftermath of that thing.
The knights who witnessed this couldn’t help but realize.
“A d-dragon. It’s a dragon.”
That the common sense of the world would be overturned from this day forth.
* * *
In the world of Ventail, dragons do not exist.
Most of the occasional rumors were baseless rumors arising from skill effects.
Thus, the rumors related to dragons that had come from Hibernia a few months ago had also been thought to be part of that.
Indeed, the related rumors had quickly died down, as if that were true.
Then, just what was this thing before their eyes now?
Kwaaaaah—!
The green breath poured down.
The gray city crumbled into nothingness.
【Disappear】
An incomprehensible, resonant echo.
Simultaneously, the gray mist vanished without a trace.
Could this truly be possible?
Antipus gazed into the storm with empty eyes.
The will to even attempt to catch up no longer arose in him.
A dragon, of all things.
“Ha.”
A hollow laugh was all that came out.
How could one possibly surpass a human who could summon and command such a thing?
No matter how desperately he struggled, he would only be obscured by effects as spectacularly unleashed as those.
In the end, what would remain in everyone’s memory was Hio Pavlenko.
Having lost his fighting spirit, he was finished now.
It was obvious what became of a ruler who failed to dominate.
Should he not have chosen this path from the very beginning?
Had the problem been daring to challenge the Supreme Heavenly Demon?
No, what meaning could such thoughts have? The loser’s penalty had already begun to activate.
One who failed to dominate was no longer a ruler. Merely a loser.
The loser’s penalty that had begun slowly tightening since last month was shaving away the stats that had been inflated thanks to his traits and lowering the grades of his skills.
Even at this very moment, continuously, slowly.
A penalty that tightened as if urging him to dominate quickly; as if warning that if he could not, he would eventually be cast down to the very bottom.
Just thinking about it made his breath catch. He felt as though his mind would snap.
The power built up through years of effort was disappearing all too easily.
What should he have done?
No, what should he do now?
Was he forced to simply watch with folded hands as his power disappeared?
Hollow eyes.
The sky looked up at with an empty gaze.
A mighty power that seemed capable of overturning the whole world.
And within his dazed mind.
—Still hesitating?
The voice came again.
—The method is simple.
A voice endlessly sinister, yet endlessly sweet.
—Will you fall to ruin like this? Will you end as a loser?
Antipus said nothing.
Without words of denial or affirmation, he simply looked at the dragon in the sky.
The city becoming dust, scattered by the wind.
The mist evaporating as if frightened by a single gesture.
That was a ruler.
It was the ultimate image of a ruler that he had desired.
The voice in his head giggled as if reading his mind.
—It seems you are prepared.
Thus, he could not remain a loser like this.
He could not disappear helplessly without attempting anything.
Then what must he do?
How could he surpass the Supreme Heavenly Demon, who even commanded such a dragon?
—It’s simple. You need only do as I say.
The voice told him the method.
—The consequences it brings are not significant. Thus, you need feel no guilt whatsoever.
The voice was presenting Antipus with a possibility.
The possibility of not remaining a loser.
The possibility of standing tall once more as a ruler.
The voice was his hope.
—Once the mist recedes and the city is erased, the Floor Core will appear.
Emptying his thoughts made his mind at ease.
—You need only destroy it. After all, it is a well-known floor, so no one will suspect anything, and nothing else will happen.
It was clearly an extremely rational statement.
Not doubting made his mind at ease.
In any case, it had been decided to try destroying or controlling the Floor Core; he merely had to destroy it with his own hands.
It was an easy task.
—Only one person. Only the Supreme Heavenly Demon will die, and it will be over.
It was something that would make everything comfortable if he simply closed his eyes once.
—And you shall take his place.
He would not remain a loser, nor would he suffer heartache at his diminishing power.
—You will soon surpass his fame and power, and the world that watched the Supreme Heavenly Demon will turn its gaze to you once more.
The wind gradually began to die down.
The shocking sight of a massive city erased before their eyes in mere minutes, and the mist filling the floor completely annihilated.
The massive green dragon fully revealing its form.
The vast floor with a desolate residual wind blowing.
—Bear this in mind.
Everyone was busy looking around in a daze at that spectacle, but Antipus set his sights much farther.
The bizarre energy felt in the distance.
That which was likely the Floor Core.
—You are a ruler.
Soon, the wind stopped completely.