Chapter 530 - 520 As I watched my own body crumble

Chapter 530: Chapter 520 As I watched my own body crumble

"?! This is...?!"

As I watched my own body crumble, Asem explained in a flat, even voice:

"That is a compressed manifestation of my power. It breaks down and erases anything trapped within. The only ones who could resist it are those with power equal to or greater than my own."

As my consciousness began to fade, Asem walked slowly toward the sphere. Placing a hand on its outer surface, he spoke his final words:

"This is the end. Farewell, Hero-kun."

With those words, absolute darkness swallowed my vision entirely.

—Here it comes again, huh.

As my consciousness drifted away, I muttered quietly to myself.

This sensation of being dragged down to the bottom of the sea felt just like the time I was killed by Losward. I swore to protect them. I promised I would return without fail. And yet, here I was, dying once again. Am I really going to make everyone cry all over again? I knew the overwhelming despair of losing someone. And yet, I was about to plunge everyone into that very same hell.

...I really am a hopeless guy.

Miracles don’t happen easily. I knew that better than anyone. Still, if there was any meaning to my birth—if there was any purpose behind the world’s will summoning me to Ast-Ade—then please.

Just once more... give me the strength to stand back up... At least enough strength to protect everyone...

I don’t need any more despair. I absolutely cannot afford to lose here.

So—

"Well now, my current Partner finds himself in a rather fascinating predicament, doesn’t he?"

Out of nowhere, a man’s voice echoed inside my head.

"Hmph, completely lacking in talent... At this rate, that white fellow might just leave us in the dust. And yet..."

Just when I thought my vision was engulfed in blinding white, I found myself standing amidst roaring flames.

And right before my eyes stood a colossal red dragon.

"My name is Ddraig, the one once known as the Welsh Dragon... Though I suppose we haven’t had this exact exchange since the day we first met, Partner."

Saying so, the red dragon—Ddraig—grinned broadly.

Before I realized it, I was standing face-to-face with Ddraig in a vast, pure-white space. Hearing his words, I chuckled softly and shrugged.

"Back then, you said some pretty harsh stuff right off the bat. Calling me ’completely talentless’ was a huge shock, you know?"

"It couldn’t be helped! It was simply a fact that my Partner possessed zero talent. Your physical endurance and magic capacity were the lowest among all generations. The only unique thing about you was the fact that you got summoned from another world. That, and being an utterly hopeless oppai-maniac."

"Shut up! Besides, wasn’t there a predecessor who activated Balance Breaker for an unbelievably stupid reason?! Compared to him, I’m way better, right?!"

"Don’t bring that up!"

"And what about how every single predecessor awakened to being a masochist?!"

"That was entirely that useless goddess’s fault! Speaking of which, didn’t you awaken to being a sadist yourself, Partner?! Who was it that took joy in tying up and teasing all the ladies from past generations with ropes?!"

"That was also that useless goddess’s fault, wasn’t it?! It’s not like I awakened to being a sadist because I wanted to!"

"How can you say you didn’t want to?! Lately, you’ve been tying them up on your own initiative!"

"That’s because the ladies keep asking for it, damn it!"

Whenever my S-side turns off, they start throwing a fit inside the Sacred Gear! What else am I supposed to do?!

Our bickering continued on for a while—

"Hmph! You useless oppai-maniac of a Partner!"

"Hmph! You useless red lizard of a Ddraig!"

We were having the exact same argument as before. Just then, a woman’s voice chimed in:

"My, my, what are you two bickering about? You need to get along, okay?"

"""Here she comes—the useless goddess who started all of this!"""

Ddraig’s voice and mine overlapped perfectly!

That’s right! It was this useless goddess who made me awaken as a sadist and turned all the predecessors into masochists in the first place!

"""We’re filing a formal protest against you, you useless goddess! We’re suing you!"""

"Fufu, try it if you dare. You’ll both regret it, you know? Now then, whoever wants to be tied up first, step right up! I’ll make you cry in bed~♡"

"""We’re terribly sorry for getting carried away! Please, anything but that!"""

Instantly submitting in unison! As expected, there was no winning against that useless goddess...!

Ddraig had been tied up again and again during her "dragon BDSM for killing time," leaving him thoroughly traumatized, while I had been completely drained to a crisp during my time with Tia and Ignis! Reduced to pure white ash! That supreme useless goddess was truly terrifying!

After a conversation completely devoid of tension, Ignis turned to Ddraig with an unusually serious expression.

"Now then, Ddraig. Are you ready to change as well?"

Change...? As a question mark floated above my head at Ignis’s words, Ddraig spoke up.

"Partner. Up until now, the power you used against Asem was entirely your own. It did not include your strength as the Welsh Dragon."

"...Yeah."

Ever since awakening to my current power, I hadn’t used the gauntlet. Or rather, to be precise, I couldn’t use it.

Ddraig continued:

"The true essence of your power as a Reformer lies in taking the feelings and desires of others and turning them into your own strength. But that power was simply too immense. When you became a Reformer, I couldn’t keep up with you. But finally... I am finally able to fight by your side."

As he spoke, Ddraig’s body began to emit a brilliant radiance. A powerful light illuminated the white space.

When the light receded and I opened my eyes—standing before me was a shade of red far more vivid than crimson. A scarlet dragon grandly spread its wings.

"Ddraig... is that you...?"

"Indeed."

The scarlet-clad Ddraig replied, looking down at his own crimson-dyed body.

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