Becoming the Strongest Through (Draconic) Racism - Chapter 10 (Patreon)

I was flying through the air. The sky in front of me, all I could see was blue.

The clouds were dispersing or moving too quickly for me to see their shape. I don't remember how I got here.

An instant, then I realized I had blacked out.

Another instant and I realized I was in pain. The most loud pain was coming from my right arm. There was a cone of air breaking around me.

I looked to see my right arm was broken. No. It was ripped apart, like a chicken leg cracked open.

I could see the two pieces of bones sticking out of my forearm, and the other two pieces of bones they're suppose to connect to at my elbow. I could see the muscles too. It was a butcher's vivisection.

Only the muscle fibers of my forearm holding the two pieces connected together, upper forearm and rest of arm.

My right hand was still holding onto my red greatsword. I didn't let go. Good.

Seeing Chaoskampf Ordained, my mind instantly replayed what happened. I remembered.

Crom Cruach punched me. That was all there was to it. A single punch.

My mind sped through the event.

Crom Cruach holding my sword and even with all my might it didn't budge from his grip.

The Evil Dragon letting go, moving in a deliberate slowness to pull back his arm and hold the post of throwing a punch. A moment passed and then he through it.

All of it was a blur to me. I reinforced myself, body, Sacred Gear and all, let the Dragon Slaying Aura exploded to act as a momentary addition to my defense, even used Tekkai with complete focus for the first time in battle.

None of it made a difference. The level in power was too vast.

The dragon's punch went through it all, and it hit my blade. I didn't even see a blur, I only knew by the impact. The force collided with my body, and my arm was ripped in place, holding from snapping completely away by a miracle.

So that was a taste of what a Heavenly Dragon's strength was like.

I could feel my power raging and circulating through my body, keeping me alive and awake from that impact. And more than that, it was rising.

I could tell right now, my power felt equal to Grendel in his Outrage Mode. I had reached it, Dragon King Class. The depth of the Ultimate Class.

Yet as I said before, if Ultimate Class was a sea, then Heavenly Dragon Class was the ocean.

Crossing that gab was the challenge of a lifetime for any living being, unless you were born into that power level, or had a cheat. A Sacred Gear, a talent, or racial advantage.

And right now I had to cross that gab and enter into that level. Right. Fucking Now.

If I ever want to hope to survive.

Heroic Second Wind was working overtime devouring all negative energy in the area as I flew through it to heal all the internal and external injuries in my body. I had to push everything aside to focus on actively controlling and reinforcing the Holy Cross Blessing's actions, rather than letting it work on automatic as I did till now.

I grabbed my flapping forearm and held it against the almost stump of my elbow, forcing healing energy to rush to the area.

PAIN!

First thing that returned as the nerves were rebuilt. Slowly bit by bit, through the agonizing fissures of pain, I could feel my arm again. I could feel my hands and my fingers.

I could focus only on healing my arm, and then my body that I didn't react even as I crashed through a mountain, rock and stone breaking against me, and piercing through to the other side, before crashing into the ground.

The force kept me going for a while, having my body make a deep dug trail through the ground.

Eventually enough earth made my body stop moving, and I could focus on healing myself in peace. I grabbed actively grabbed at the malice of the world, dragging it into my body like a sink, and feeding it to Heroic Second Wind.

The damage was extensive, but bit by bit, moment by moment it was all disappearing, like a movie on fast forward. All that was left was scars.

I let out a sigh of relief... and stayed lying on the ground.

I needed a strategy. How do I win against an opponent so vastly above me?

Just because I'm now one level below him didn't mean my Dragon Slaying Aura could affect him. Just as a said that no two Ultimate Class beings are alike, that statement is hilariously even more true for being in the Super Class.

It's why the Top Ten Strongest list is treated as such a joke. More of a reference than anything definitive. It was a list made by the Heaven System, but it was more of a tier list than an actual definitive list stating exactly in order who the strongest beings in the world were.

Satanael had showed it to me before I left. The list was too extensive. It literally had a 'Expand List' feature for every tier. Admittedly the full list was too big, but every tier had too many names in my opinion.

However, the important thing was, it was categorizing every potential enemy of Heaven. Or maybe peer. Getting on that list was hell of a badge of honor. Massive bragging rights.

Any being that enters the Super Class enters the 10th Ranked Tier.

Rizevim, the fucking jobber, the devil bum is in that tier too. Honestly I think he's just there as pity.

But then again he is technically the actual, real, biblical Antichrist, what's with being the Son of Lucifer and all.

He really doesn't seem like it. That's how much of a disappointing enemy he was in canon.

Wait, what was I talking about?

Right. Beating Crom Cruach.

I'm stalling. And while Crom is 'honorable' in the Noble Savage sense, that doesn't mean he won't come for me if I took too long. Or ran away.

My mind was moving at accelerated speed. So honestly not even a handful of seconds have passed since I crash landed. I could sense Creatures of Darkness coming to my location. They were moving in slow motion from my perspective. It would take hours for them to reach me.

Right, Dragon King Class ability. I sat up.

Thinking about it, I have a great extensive list of powers and techniques to draw from.

Wind Breathing Style from Dragon Slayer.

The Six Powers from One Piece.

Shoot Style of Heracles from Fate. Actually, that's probably not the correct name, but I like 'Shoot Style'.

Focus!

Right. Touki, Senjutsu, Heroic Second Wind.

My Sacred Gear, Chaoskampf Ordained.

And then there's my nature as a Dragon Slayer.

Thinking about it, I haven't really been fighting as well as I should. From an outsider's perspective, my battle against Grendel might as well be me playing and trying to learn and perfect different cool moves.

I felt an odd pulse from my Sacred Gear. I looked toward the red greatsword.

Odd yet familiar. Like back when I was fighting Beithir and the other dragonified-devils.

Chaoskampf Ordained was telling me it can evolve. It can reach the next level by opening the path and reaching for Balance Breaker.

I flipped my hold of the handle, groaned and pushed myself to standing. I held the greatsword, stabbing it into the ground to hold onto like a walking stick.

My mind flashed with the idea of going for an endurance battle with Crom Cruach.

With my nature as a Dragon Slayer, and Chaoskampf Ordained new form and power, I should be able to hold on long enough for my power level to rise till it reaches a point where my Dragon Slaying Aura can affect him.

It's honestly the logical plan here. Any rational person, even the smart shounen hero archtype would go for it.

"But that is the mentality of a loser!" I whispered a growl to myself.

I brought my left arm slapped it down on the pommel of the hilt. I sent an energy pulse to counteract my Sacred Gear. I told it my intent.

"No. Don't evolve just yet." As if hearing me, Chaoskampf Ordained stopped and held on to it's ordinary function. I raised the sword and touched the flat side to my forehead. Feeling the heated metal against my head, I spoke as if my blade was alive. "I haven't truly mastered you. Not really. Rushing to a Balance Break would just be a coward's way out."

I lowered the sword, holding it normally to my side once more. I noticed the blade edges of the greatsword were sharper now. Chaoskampf Ordained can still grow its own way, or would this be considered an evolution into a Subspecies? Can that even be a thing, when the Sacred Gear itself is still new, or is that its still adjusting itself to utilize its functions better?

"Thinking about it, Heracles' Shoot Style is about bringing the maximum power and ability of his weapon. I haven't done that for you yet." I looked forward, and with my senses, far away to where Crom Cruach was strolling to my general direction.

I sent a concentrated burst of killing intent toward him, announcing my challenge.

He stopped in his path, and I could feel his grin and excitement from his aura.

Almost comically, just as a settled my resolve, the Creatures of Darkness finally reached me in real time.

Vampires of course, along with a few dozen thralls.

"Halt! You there, human, do you know in who's land you're trespassing." Spoke the pompous vampire. I didn't even look in their direction, gathering negative energy for Heroic Second Wind, because I was gonna abuse it like never before for this next bit. Also I'm sure the pompous ass would tell me regardless of me answering or not. "You are in the lands of her Great Ethereal Majesty, Queen Carmilla!" Yep, see? I was right. "And you dare intrude upon our lands, oh you pitiful hu... man... that Holy Aura, that's..."

Oh? He noticed something?

"Are you with the Church? An Exorcist dares to come to our territory?" Said one of the other vampires.

"Not an Exorcist, no." I said plainly side-eyeing them, not bothering to turn to face them.

"Wait, that distinct Holy Aura, I felt something like it before. You... you're a Vampire Slayer!?" Shouted another one next to the first one who talked.

This time I actually bothered to turn my head to address them.

"Vampire...?" I smiled. "I'm the Dragon Slayer."

I poured my rage into Sacred Gear and it growled and glowed with a feral corona of red energy.

"And no, I don't care about any of you. I am fighting..." I stopped talking because there was no point anymore.

The moment I said I was a Dragon Slayer, they fled. I've never seen anyone rush away that fast or that panicked.

Like damn. Go pale bitches, go. They didn't even bother grab their thralls with them, who just looked around, not reacting or confused.

I gathered some of the Blessing of the Holy Cross's healing energy and swung my arm in their direction. I willed the healing energy to wash over them and suffuse them.

They all blinked and immediately seem to wake up. They had life and color in their faces again, while looking around in perplexed awe, or looking at their body, realizing it's their own again.

"Welp. You're free. Good luck." That's all the mercy I could afford them. I hope they can manage from here on their own.

I paused for a moment as something occured to me.

"Ophis, can you evacuate all the humans in the Carmilla Vampire Faction too?" It didn't hurt to ask, and I felt an affirmative agreement from... somewhere.

Okay, wow. Sneaky Ophis is fucking invisible to everything and that's a jumpscare I didn't want to consider.

I shook my head and focused on the present. Right. Focus.

"Now to... Slay the dragon!" I shouted to myself.

I lunged forward toward the surprising patient Evil Dragon. No, I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that this is how Crom Cruach would act. But reading about it and experiencing it were two different things.

I was dashing through the air as if I could fly, but once more, I was just jumping good. It was exhilarating, rushing through the sky simply by physical might.

Once I reached over the peak of the mountain I crashed thought, I pulled out all the stops.

I don't have time to train all my powers and techniques individually like I would like. Maybe in another life I might have had that chance, but in this one I can't be a Jack of All Trades, Master of All.

Even though the original saying condemns it, I need to be a Master of One. That One being a Dragon Slayer, and it just so happen to involve multiple disciplines.

Thus to facilitate the growth of that One skill, I need synergize all my abilities, and forcing them to advance by using them all at once.

It would be a chaotic mess, and the improvements would be even slower than just learning each individually and then combining them later.

"But needs must, so fuck it, let's ball!" I shouted.

Soru Times Ten.

And sound broke.

It felt like my legs were strained, overworked. Gotta love Dragon King Class constitution. That also meant I can push myself further.

Before I crossed a quarter of the distance I used Soru Times Ten again.

BOOM!

Further speed. I could see Crom Cruach's grinning face coming closer. His arms spread wide, pulling one arm back, hand making a fist.

I can't hope to match his strength, so I'll overcome that gap with technique.

Half the distant crossed. The quarter marking coming up. Legs still only feel strained as the healing energy coursing through me removing all damage.

Then further still! Soru Times Forty!

BOOM!

I felt the bones crack and muscles snap before instantly healing.

"Fifth Form Shoot!" I met Crom Cruach's fist with my sword. "Hundred Cold Mountain Wind!"

BAAAAM!

A hundred wind cover Dragon Slaying Slashes met the Crom Cruach's fist. The Evil Dragon's fist stopped. The force pushed him back, making his legs leave a trail across the ground.

"Hahahaha! You actually met my blow. You actually pushed me back!" He said with a joyous savage grin. "Now show it to me once more!"

Crom Cruach threw a punch. It was a blur but I could see it this time.

Soru Times Fifty.

My legs' bones cracked. Heroic Second Wind washed over them.

And I dodged!

Wind and force shattered the ground where I was, and I managed to circle around the Evil Dragon, avoided the attack and could now counter.

"Sixth Form Shoot," I dug my heels in, rotated my hips and swung upwards. "Five Hundred Black Wind Mountain Mist!"

The bones of my arms fractured from that move.

Even from behind himself, Crom Cruach managed to turn and bring his arm up.

Slash.

Upon hitting him my arms' bones shattered, before Heroic Second Wind got to them. I need to speed up my healing to match my self-damaging moves.

Just hitting Crom Cruach's body in any real way was like hitting a steel wall with a wooden blade. The crack of explosion and shockwave of managing to hit him rang out around us.

Yet that didn't matter as much as the result of my attack.

A cut.

A single cut on his forearm. Blood dripped from it.

He can bleed. He can die!

Then let's build toward that with a thousand more—!

DEATH!

Imminent death was heading towards me, as Crom, with a savage grin, as he turned his block into a spinning back kick.

It would spear through me. That was the only thought in my head.

Soru Times One Hundred.

The bones in my legs shattered, muscles ruptured. My body just moved before I could think.

The kick passed me by, I could feel the shockwaves it made, only to immediately feel another danger coming. Crom Cruach, as if anticipating I would dodge, had jumped and twisted to pull the extended leg back, while in turn swinging the other into a roundhouse kick.

That connects, I'm going to die. Was the immediate thought in my mind.

Any defense I pulled up, if I take that kick, it's not just my arms, my upper body would likely separate from my lower one. That's how much force he had.

Wind Breathing is about cyclones. The thought came in that moment of flow between life and death. Ultimately it's about spins.

Tekkai.

I didn't have time to dodge, so I didn't.

Wind Breathing cycle wind energy through my body.

Reverse grip my sword to hold as a shield.

BOOM!

CRACK-SNAP!

Kami-e!

Sword arm shattered. Shoulder shattered. Right arm bent at a WRONG angle. Damage extending to right side of ribcage.

Move with the energy. Move with the kinetic energy even as it shatters me. Ignore internal organ ruptures, keep moving the energy.

Clench left hand into fist. Complete body turning. PUNCH!

Contact. Left arm completely shattered.

BAAAM!

Crom Cruach was thrown back, skipping across the ground once, before flipping and regaining his balance, falling into a three point landing.

He held a hand to his stomach, looking at me with genuine wide-eyed surprise.

Half my body's bones and muscles broken or teared. Arms useless. Internal organs damaged.

But I got my first real hit on the bastard.

Heroic Second Wind exploded as I was devouring all the negative energy I could find in the area, that it was starting to empty for miles on end. My right arm was fucked.

Cr-Cr-Crack!

Had to pull and snap it back in place. Was still holding onto my sword all the while though. Go me.

I should be able to absorb Crom Cruach's malice to add to my healing. Except I can't feel any negative energy released from the Evil Dragon, like Grendel did.

Fuck, don't tell me he learned from my fight with Grendel and is holding back on his negative energy lest it empowers me?

Or worse. He has such control over his own energy that he just doesn't let it loose. Fuck, he can use Elan Vital too, doesn't he?

All that passed through my mind in an instant, meanwhile Crom Cruach grinned, then stood up and started laughing.

"Hahahahahahahaha! Oh! Oh that was a good one." He looked very pleased right now, much to my annoyance. "You can do it again, right?" He crossed his arms, and waited for me to make another move. "Come on, what other tricks do you have?"

"I'm not here to entertain you!" I growled out.

"Then stop trying to kill me and kill me!" He shouted back with excitement, and the battle was back on again.

For the next few exchanges, happening in moment, I was always on the edge of death.

Soru Times One Hundred. Wind Breathing Shoot Style. Tekkai. Kami-e. Even Geppo at one point.

The land shattered from our blows. Hell, just the after effect Evil Dragon's strength was enough.

I can only be glad that we didn't find ourselves near any population centers, or any towns or villages. Thank fucking dead God.

I was barely surviving. Barely dodging. Every attack I manage to land is one where I'm damaged, and he treats it like a fun game that he lost.

I hit him, he pauses for a moment, as if to let me have a chance to heal and survive so we can do this again.

This fucking overgrown lizard scaly piece of shit! I'm not your damn toy to play with!

Yet the difference in strength, speed, durability was too much. Too big to cross with just techniques as it had become apparent.

Dammit, this is why I didn't want to fight Crom Cruach yet. His strength is far too great. I wanted to fight Aži Dahāka or Apophis first to make my way to the Heavenly Dragon Class while learning how to use magic, or nature manipulation via Elan Vital.

Sure Aži Dahāka or Apophis were also Heavenly Dragon Class enemies like Crom Cruach, but that's like saying both 100% Fenrir and Shiva were on the Top Ten Strongest list. Anyone that makes or implies that comparison would be laughed at. As they naturally should.

If only I could do some real damage to him. Even taking damage myself would be fine since I can heal. Tekki and Kami-e mitigated things enough for me to survive.

Within my abilities there has to be something.

Think! Think!

Another by hair's length dodge was made, and I can't help but be frustrated that even the shockwaves of the Evil Dragon's punches can hit me. Those shockwaves passing through me felt too much like having phantom pain to the one time I got hit by him.

My mind caught onto that.

Advanced Armament Haki's Internal Destruction. Shinmei-Ryū from Negima and Love Hina. Senjutsu. Ki.

I immediately realized my answer. I'm a fucking idiot, it was right in front of me the whole time.

Senjutsu is about manipulating one's life force. I can attack the soul.

I know what to do. I instantly act.

Crom Cruach speeds up, launching another punch.

Soru Times Hundred Fifty. Dodge. Legs' bones shattered. Heroic Second Wind. Legs healed.

I went around Crom Cruach's latest punch, feeling it grazed my shoulder.

CRACK!

Welp, that's lost for a few seconds. It was flesh holding on by meat right now. Not important.

I was inside Crom's guard. I didn't dare get this close before because there was no point if I can't hurt him significantly.

I slash horizontally. Sword made the arc, Elan covering the blade hit Crom's side.

CLANK!

Contact! And I let the energy sweep forth and explode inside the Evil Dragon.

A ripple occurred from the blade's contact point and then... nothing.

Crom Cruach hissed. He tried to knee me but I managed to dash back with another overgeared Soru, then focus on healing the damage to my legs and shoulder.

"Ooo, that stung." Crom said, as if I made him stub his toe or something.

But at least I got a method now.

Another dodge, turned into a jump-fly dodge before landing and using a Wind Breathing Shoot Style just to parry and divert his kick.

Arms bones and muscles shattered. Heroic Second Wind healed them.

Crom began to move, I didn't want to give him a chance to set the pace again. I reacted.

Crom Cruach blinked as he leaned his body away, looking surprised at the spinning blade zipping through the air where aimed at where his body.

In that moment where he reacted, to look at the thrown greatsword, with confused mirth, I reached him once more.

I gathered my Elan, focusing my Dragon Slaying Aura into my fist.

"First Form Shoot," I said as I gathered wind energy around my arm, along with moving the wind around my body, as I executed a perfected karate punch, along an improvised Rokuogan. "Hundred Dust Whirlwind Impact!"

A continuous cyclone of wind slammed into Crom Cruach's torso, moving so fast to finish all those punches in one moment, as I focused on upping the speed beyond anything.

The bones in my arm shattered. My shoulder broke as well, and blood exploded from opened wounds from within my arm.

Yet the important part, all that force, all that energy passed right through the Evil Dragon's body along the accompanying shockwave.

His upper clothes, trench coat and shirt were ripped apart. The air around and behind him was loud as a volcanic eruption had went off. I could see the wind shockwave go through him, shattering the ground behind him and continue onward, breaking a hill and slamming into the side of the nearby mountain.

For a second, with his eyes shadowed by his hair I thought I knocked him out. Then his shoulders started shaking, with mirth.

Soru Times Hundred and Fifty. I dashed back.

A fist filled my vision. I summoned my Chaoskampf Ordained before I could think and held it up to shield me, while jumping back.

BRAAM!

I was blown away. My arms shattered and bent at an awkward angle.

But I'm still awake, this momentum will give me distance, and I can heal afterwards. The internal damage has to build up for him—

Crom Cruach disappeared. I felt a hand holding the back of my head, then the ground kissed me.

CRASH!

I blacked out. For a second I lost thought of where I was. I couldn't breath, lungs collapsed. There was dirt in my mouth.

Huh? How? His reactions were faster now. That doesn't make sense.

"Come on now, do you think you're the only one learning and improving?" Crom Cruach let go of my head as he stepped back.

"W-Wha...?" A wheezing voice came out of my mouth. I tasted blood.

Heroic Second Wind. It took a few moments longer than usual to heal enough to move. Too much damage to all my body. How come?

"Do you think this fight is one you're doing alone?" Crom scoffed and laughed. "It takes two of us. Of course I also studied you, anticipated you. The moment you made that internal attack, I expected it again." He tilted his head as he looked at me like a curious animal. "When you see an attack has worked once, you assume it will work again. That your opponent wouldn't react different. That they wouldn't plan. But most of all for me, it was as simple to defuse before you got going with it, by doing this!"

Crom Cruach let loose his hold on his Dragon Aura.

The corona of energy around him heated the air, and cracked the earth. No, it cracked from the heat turning it to glass.

It felt like the world and my senses were devoured by a predator. That the only thing existing in this moment was this physical walking disaster in front of me.

The realization slammed into my head. It was so obvious, it was stupid of me not to notice or think about it.

I looked at the Evil Dragon in disbelief. Angry, indignant, wrothful... mostly at myself.

Why was I mentally celebrating? Why was I so proud of myself? Why was I so arrogant as to not realize, no, to forget that all this time...

The Crescent Circle Dragon was fighting me with only physical strength.

No Dragon Aura, no negative energy, so special ability.

Was that even the full might of his physical ability? He was always faster than me. Just enough for me to overcome by going beyond my limit. He's... training me...? Just to enjoy the fight longer. To get a better fight.

"Now then," Crom's Dragon Aura settle, but now felt very much present. "What will you do now? What new ability will you pull? How will you evolved to fight me? This fight has been the most enjoyable for a while, because in real time I can feel you growing stronger." He grinned at me. Like he was a friend encouraging me or something. "Come on, show me more. Soon you'll get stronger enough for me to put in my full power and effort. The anticipation is killing me."

I healed enough to groan and push myself to stand.

It's bitter. This feeling of only surviving because I was allowed to. That all my efforts could have been undone at any moment, on the whims of a monster.

I gritted my teeth.

Wanting to fight. Wanting not to give him the satisfaction.

Wanting to kill him. Wanting him not to enjoy this battle. Same as Grendel. Another evil monster that I must kill.

I felt like I was back on the island.

Almost as if sensing my frustration as hesitation, Crom Cruach paused and held his chin.

"Hmm? Did you need some extra motivation to draw out your full potential?"

This fucker. Him, Satanael, that Neberius asshole. All acting like my life was something they could conveniently push and prod on to get the results they want.

To get a better fight. To satisfy a curiosity. To see the results of your experiment.

All of it, people treating me like, treating my life, like something cheap they can use however they wish.

Satanael, yeah... my anger toward him wasn't gone. It was just delayed. More important things came up, but that didn't mean I forgave.

My mind kept running. What else do I have? What can I do to defeat this Evil Dragon? Here. Now.

I—

"Perhaps I could kill her?"

Silence hit me. A cold quiet filled my chest.

"...What?"

"Walburga, I think I should kill her." He said. I blinked in confusion. My mind just not catching up to what he was saying all of a sudden. "She is your friend, isn't she? There's no way she sought me out to fight you, without knowing I'd try to help you grow. She's an observant one, so she should know me well enough. So..." Crom Cruach looked back at me smiling, after that little deduction. "If I kill her would that motivate you?"

Killing intent exploded out of me, slamming into Crom Cruach. He smiled back, looking pleased.

Walburga wasn't a friend.

Walburga wasn't someone I cared for.

However.

Walburga wasn't an enemy. She wasn't someone I hated, nor considered to have betrayed me.

Objectively Crom Cruach was a better opponent to grow against, since Aži Dahāka or Apophis would be more focused on just killing me.

It was a connection that wasn't defined yet. Not to me.

A bond I was still forming. Still wanting to make sense of.

The first bond I've made since the island. The first bond I've chosen and made in this life. A life that I now live, not that of my Unawaken Self.

And now before I could even decide for myself anything about how I actually think about Walburga, her personality and her actions, she will die?

Another vague hole in the shape of a person that I won't be able to define.

...How dare you monsters.

I hate how these evil fuckers always determine things for me, always decide the path of my life.

I hate this arrogance. This assurance of just doing anything you want because you're powerful.

I'm still deciding. Why are you taking this choice from me?

But really, wasn't this expected?

Might makes right. That's how this world works, regardless of how its dressed up. That's how every story, every shounen narrative, death world in anime works.

Violence is the only language this world knows. Those fluent in it get to talk and dictate to others.

Because...

Hasn't that always been the case?

We watch stories because the hero gets to beat everyone else. They prove they're right, they're just, they're the good guy, because they beat the bad guy.

Because they were stronger than their enemy.

If the roles were reversed, couldn't reasons be made to justify me as Crom Cruach being the good guy, and him as Caleb Gunnar as the bad guy? All because I would have been stronger?

Chaoskampf Ordained pulsed.

And I remembered.

The enemy is a Dragon.

In this world, gods and dragons reign supreme.

But no, that's not right. They never were. They never meant to.

There was only one God. Our God. Our Creator who made and loved us humans.

Our God and our world where we were Good, and Evil and Cruelty didn't exist.

Our world... that was torn away by a Dragon's whim.

God, who loved us, died trying to fix Creation.

And now I remember, all of it leads back to Great Red.

Dragons exists because of that stain on reality. This evil dragon exists to cause death, ruin and cruelty because of Great Red being the origin of dragons.

This Evil Dragon exists to further stain the world. To break it further. That's all what their existence is!

I stopped restraining my rage. I stopped being logical and rational about it. About directing it and using it.

And suddenly, everything became very, very simple.

I'm a Dragon Slayer.

That's all there is, and all that matters.

Techniques, powers, abilities. All superfluous.

A Dragon Slayer contains and generates Dragon Slaying Aura.

My Sacred Gear, my Longinus, Chaoskampf Ordained makes the wielder a Dragon Slayer by taking in anger, hatred, negativity and reforging it into energy that slays dragons.

But what about me?

What about my own Dragon Slaying Aura?

It's here. It's right there, in my body. In my soul.

My Elan contained my aspect of Dragon Slaying. My Touki was my Dragon Slaying Aura.

That acknowledgement made it all crystal clear.

Then in that case, it really is that simple, isn't it?

I have two Dragon Slaying Auras. Why am I using them separately?

Chaoskampf Ordained drank freely of my wrath, exploded in Dragon Slaying Aura, and I took it back into my body, overlaying it with my Elan.

Crom Cruach doesn't release malice into the world. The negative energy around this region is getting thin.

I can use my own negative emotions to fuel Heroic Second Wind.

I would have to halve that energy to use both the Holy Cross Blessing and my Longinus.

It's less effective than focusing that energy on one or the other? No.

My hatred alone was enough.

I held my red great sword beside me. I crouched down, one leg front, one back, ready in a runner's stance.

Thus I ran.

And the earth shattered.

I stopped counting the Soru kicks. I stopped counting the Shoot Style swings. I stopped strategizing, and planning which Wind Breathing Form to use.

I Breathed. My Elan was Wind Energy attributed. My Elan was my Dragon Slaying Aura. Wind was movement. Motion of Self in the World.

My legs shattered and healed in the same instance. I reached a surprised Crom Cruach before he could react.

I swung and for the first time the Evil Dragon raised his arm to actually block, to defend.

My arms shattered and healed in the same instance. Crom Cruach's arm was sheared.

Crom Cruach's eyes widened. Then his grin returned wider than ever.

He threw a haymaker with his other arm. I was already gone. Legs shattered and healed.

He twisted in place, arm pulled back having sensed and anticipated me. He expected me to slash him with my greatsword.

I had my arm pulled back same as him. Gleaming surprise was on his face, yet he didn't stop.

Elan filled, covered and overflowed from my arm. I wasn't focusing on only empowering my arm.

I was memorizing it with the Dragon Slaying Aura. Every bone structure, every vein, every nerve, ever muscle tendon, every ligament, every spiritual vein and energy path. Everything that makes my arm, my arm, physically and spiritual.

We punched. Our fist connected and the earth and the sky shook with the shockwave.

My arm exploded off my elbow. Turned to pieces of gore.

Other arm pulled back. Crom Cruach did the same. Not copying me. A follow up. He expected me to run. To strategize.

He took his eyes off the stump. That was his mistake.

He realized too late that I recreated my arm from Dragon Slaying Aura. I sensed too late when I overloaded my stump with healing energy, while running my Elan through it.

The other arm met his punch and exploded off my shoulder.

My first arm was recreated. Done to the marrow. Completely. Perfect.

Overlaid on the memorized copy I made with Dragon Slaying Aura. Formed out of that Dragon Slaying Aura. My flesh returned more of a weapon this time.

I met his fist again, while recreating the other arm.

This time the remade arm from Dragon Slaying Aura exploded in less pieces.

Then our fists clashed again.

"Heh." Crom Cruach began laughing.

Reforged again. Again.

"Haha!"

A kick met his fist before he could react. Leg exploded.

Spun on the one left, into a punch. Leg reforged.

Fists met. Arm didn't explode this time. It shredded, but stuck to my body.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" He was enraptured.

I was breaking and reforging my body against him. He was my whetstone. Nothing more.

"DON'T DIE ON ME JUST YET DRAGON SLAYER!" He shouted in elation.

"I will not die." I summoned my greatsword, holding it with both hands. "For I am not done."

I swung the blade, meeting his fist.

BRAAAM!

My arms shattered from the inside. Wounds exploded from within, blooding bursting from vessels under my skin.

My arms remained in one piece though.

Instantly healing once more, I attacks. Crom Cruach's eyes were wild for I was no longer evading. I was not merely dodging.

I was parrying. I was blocking. I was not breaking any longer.

He laughed. I let out no sound. Only looked on with eyes wide in focus, slashing at him, meeting his punches head one.

Another explosion of collision.

Another clash. Another explosion.

The land was breaking. Foot holds might start to become a problem to find.

We dashed across the land, we reached a mountain where the Carmilla Factions lands were behind.

Our weapons, our bodies clashed as we struck one another.

My body broke, ruptured, shattered, and was healed and reforged in the same instance.

Ribcage broke from mere movement. Spin snapped from the strain and from taking and blocking a direct flying overhead kick.

Elan held all internal organs and systems in place, long enough for Heroic Second Wind to instantly fix.

I was surviving. I can finally fight, but I wasn't winning.

I needed more. More negative energy. More Dragon Slaying Aura.

I was spinning, about to slash sideways when the thought hit me.

My Longinus was in my soul. My Holy Cross Blessing was in my soul.

Chaoskampf Ordained had access to Heroic Second Wind.

Chaoskampf Ordained can devour negative energy directly.

I swung the sword—

Crom Cruach unleashed his malice. His Elan carried pure Destructive Force.

My Longinus shined like a red star. Consuming his malice like gravity bomb.

CRACK!

Broken.

The land. My body. The mountain. The sky.

The mountain was sliced at the bottom, flew up from the concussive force before landing back down on the ground. Thankfully at its normal resting place.

My heart stopped. I had to restart it.

A storm was forming above.

I survived once more.

But how? How do I win!?

And then the last person I imagined to do so, did something most unexpected.

Her voice came to me in my mind.

"[ ]. Kill." Ophis gave me advice.

A simple phrase, but the delivered intent was more important.

That block of nothing. It wasn't that she didn't have the words, but rather she wanted to convey the concept of 'Don't think. Act' in it's purest form.

Crom Cruach was smiling in pure joy. Having fun.

His negative energy was plunging the world in despair. As if suddenly we were at the bottom of the ocean.

The land died around us. He pulled his malice into his body to power his ability. Pure destructive, of the physical world and the spiritual. Unlike Grendel, he'd destroy everything for a fun fight.

He exploded in motion, shattering distance to appear in front of me, before I could act. The same tactic I used.

There was a hole in my chest.

I died.

...I died?

No, I did not. I'm not done.

I stood up. Upper body felt weird. Legs were more steady. Ah, I see, it was the hole in my chest.

Heroic Second Wind zapped Crom Cruach's malice from the world, from the land, from his body. Like a sink, not just draining, and vacuuming the water out.

Breathing was easier now. Like my body was working in complete sync. My Elan was circling my body in reverse.

But it felt better. It felt right.

"What... the hell did you just... Hey. You are awake, right?" The Evil Dragon was talking. "What is this? Did you lose consciousness on your feet?" What it said didn't matter. "Dammit, and this was getting good." He lunged to attack. "Oi, you better wake up, or I will end you right now!"

The Evil Dragon must die.

The two Dragon Slaying Auras, were over layered, and moved through my body as one.

Arm up, I parried the punch, sliding it away, entered the surprised dragon's guard, and punched forward.

My fist pierced through his chest.

===x===

Crom Cruach POV:

It is said that Slayers are all decedents of Cain.

A false rumor of course. Completely unsubstantiated.

But there was a reason it circulated during the olden days.

Because theoretically, Slayers could grow infinitely, so devils, the fallen and others, needed a way to ensure they were culled.

Humans tended to be wary of them, and want them gone after the local monster was slain. Their presence, their strength frightened them.

But above all, the supernatural races always tried to ensure Slayers never live long.

For if they do, if a Slayer were to master their abilities, and dive deep enough into their instinct granted skills.

If they hone their body, mind and soul to the limit, and truly dive into the flow of their beings, they enter a state of the perfect predator.

Crom Cruach looked into Caleb Gunnar's eyes, and felt something he had not since his days of forcibly serving Balor.

The Evil Dragon's instincts screamed to him that final, true death had come. The instinct that reminds a living being that they can die, and the one who can kill them was here.

He held his chest, forcing the wound to heal. Reversing his Destructive Force with Senjutsu to scar the wound over so as to focus on the fight.

Slayer Origin Threshold.

Once that point is crossed, Slayers can fight as undying gods. Battle becomes breathing. Violence becomes feasting. And bloodshed was their art.

Crom Cruach wanted to be excited. This was the best battle he's ever had, with the best possible outcome.

Yet, that small nugget of rationality kept pointing out the wrongness of all of this. The absurdity of it all.

Caleb Gunnar should have become a Dragon Slayer less than a week ago, according to Qlippoth's information gatherers, and Walburga's intel slip.

This human climbed from the start to the top of the Ultimate Class in a day.

No. In a single battle. And against him, he was going even further.

The rational part of him asked in fear if this was too fast. Crom Cruach had to conscious shut it down. He acknowledged how much of a possible disaster Caleb Gunnar's existence could be to Khaos Brigade. No, to almost any supernatural group or even pantheon.

And yet...

And yet, Crom Cruach's heart whispered.

Why not go further and see what happens anyways?

Crom Cruach observed Caleb carefully. Then he realized he was hesitating, and scoffed at himself.

Caleb moved.

Crom Cruach had to bend back to avoid the blood red greatsword that was thrown spinning at him.

Only to have to block a kick that he could actually now feel bruise his arms.

His grin couldn't be wider. His joy couldn't be higher.

He punched and Caleb swung and arm up, stopping his punch. He didn't feel the human's arm bones break and heal in the same instant of impact.

Rather Caleb moved with that force to launch his arm like a spear toward Crom Cruach's face.

The Evil Dragon dodged and did a roundhouse kick, only for Caleb to take the impact and turn it into a crescent kick while back flipping.

Bit by bit the speed of their exchange increased.

Crom Cruach grinned and added more Dragon Aura to his attacks.

Caleb's Dragon Slaying Aura kept hardening, focusing, becoming more dense till it matched him by their third exchange.

He added his Destructive Force to his blows.

Caleb returned to use those explosive movements from before.

Yet now they didn't break Caleb's body. They instead made Crom Cruach's bones rattle.

In the distance Crom Cruach felt the red greatsword flying in a circular form, around the skies of Romania.

What? That...!

It was collecting malice. Gather negative energy like a sponge ripping apart the dirt stains of the world, and pull them into itself.

Idly Crom Cruach noticed mortal military airplane coming toward their general location. It was unavoidable that the mundane humans would start to notice something and come investigate, or some kind of reaction.

The moment he realized that, he noticed Caleb had stepped back, leg pulled back for a kick. No, that stance was for consecutive kicks. The Evil Dragon's knowledge of martial arts told him the human, the Dragon Slayer before him was taking in everything from this battle, everything Crom Cruach had shown him, and incorporated it into his body and mind, that he can use it while unconscious.

"YOU REALLY ARE!" Their kicks met, quaking the world. "THE BEST OPPONENT, CALEB GUNNAR!"

Kick repositioned into another kick. Momentum change to a spin kick.

Again and again. Force redirected into a punch. Punch redirected into a counter punch or kick.

Every one of Caleb's kick sent a crescent wave of Dragon Slaying Aura. Every punch unleashed an explosive burst of Dragon Slaying Aura.

Crom Cruach had to answer with his Dragon Aura or risk injures piling up to death. He loved every second of it.

For Crom Cruach the world vanished to him. There was only the battle and this moment.

The red greatsword made its return trip.

Caleb took a punch, broke his body to make it into a spin to gain distance, in trajectory to catch his blade.

It was a concentrated block of malice. The kind that confirmed the world was evil and sinful.

The moment it reached Caleb's hand, it could spell the Evil Dragon's death.

Yet Crom Cruach welcomes the challenge all the same.

He stopped holding back. He unleashed his true malice, making the world seem like the darkest of winters. He gathered it up, forming his Dragon Aura into that to True Destructive Force.

The entropy that spells natural ruin for all thing given form.

Caleb caught the blade. His body instant was healed. No, remade to be suffused with Dragon Slaying Aura down to the marrow.

But all that took a paltry amount of energy compare to the rest.

The corona of red energy covered the land, smashing against Crom Cruach's own aura before they even clashed.

The moved at the same time. Destructive black energy concentrated from around the Evil Dragon's body, to around his arms.

Caleb compressed the scarlet energy to around his form. It seemed to create echoes of energy around him as he moved.

No. Crom Cruach realized. He is making those explosive movements so many times, afterimages are moving alongside him.

The Dragon Smash met the Destructive Force.

To anyone it would be like a nuclear explosion had went off. The impact would be felt for miles.

Crom Cruach didn't think on how odd it was that any nearby mortal city was empty.

He was thinking of the follow up attack.

The moment him and Caleb landed back on the ground, the second they touched the ground, they dashed at each other. Air screaming from their movement. Bodies catching fire on their clothes.

Crom Cruach empowered his fist with Dragon Aura. He grabbed his malice to do something he hadn't needed to do for a long time. Reverse Destructive Force, for he was the Crescent Circle Dragon.

The moment Caleb moved to heal himself from their clash, he would—

Caleb and the Evil Dragon's fists met. An explosion occurred.

And Caleb's body was no longer getting injured.

For a moment Crom Cruach forgot his next move. He was lost in the joy of what this meant.

This boy, this human had taken his serious punch and didn't break or need to heal. He could feel it. He knew it in his bones.

Caleb Gunnar had entered the Heavenly Dragon Class.

Crom Cruach grabbed his negative energy and golden energy started to—

"Crom Cruach, you are called back."

A gigantic portal opened up behind the Crescent Circle Dragon. The voice of his colleague annoying damping down on his enjoyment.

Surprisingly enough, the arrival of the other dragon, made the Dragon Slayer pause. As if mentally reassessing how to kill them better, now that there were two opponents in the Heavenly Dragon Class.

"Aži Dahāka." Crom Cruach said with a clearly irritated tone. "Why are you interrupting me?"

"Rizevim wants you to return. The next phase of our plan requires it." The three headed dragon answered.

"Tsk, you lot dare think you can order me?" Crom Cruach was usually more easy going, but this interruption was souring his mood.

"It is already bad enough that you fought the Dragon Slayer for this long, anymore and he could grow into a threat." Aži Dahāka state. "If you dally any longer, you will be barred of fighting other strong opponents or worse."

Grow? Ah. He doesn't sense Caleb's inner power, only what he has on the surface level, nor does Aži Dahāka know the Slayer can heal. ...Heh. You know what? Let's see how Rizevim and the boy react to this.

Crom Cruach clicked his tongue, acting annoyed, before composing himself.

"Fine. Although I don't think he's gonna let us leave." He said, before immediately dashed and skipping past Aži Dahāka through the portal, to Qlippoth's pocket dimension headquarters.

"Heh. He is no worry." Aži Dahāka said confidently as he held a purple and black energy in his hand. A potent curse even Crom Cruach recognized and was wary of. "Let's leave things here, Dragon Slayer. Should you wish to pursue us, then I'll leave you with this curse that created me to content wi—"

"▂▂▃▃▄▄▅▅!" Caleb lunged, crossing the distance in an instant, stabbing his greatsword forward.

Aži Dahāka for all his posturing was a Heavenly Dragon Class, thus could react.

He screamed in pain, reflexively unleashing the curse at Caleb, shocking the boy enough that the human regained consciousness.

Aži Dahāka looked at the sword that be blocked with his hand. At the blade that pierced through his palm and almost took out the eye of his middle head.

The blade began to glow.

Aži Dahāka tilted his middle and right head away from the laser beam, before flinging Caleb away from him.

Only for the Diabolism Thousand Dragon to realize too late that Caleb's surprise stab attack had caused him to jump back into his portal, closing it reflexively from the pain.

Meaning the Dragon Slayer was now in the Qlippoth Faction's pocket dimension. Caleb Gunnar was in their home base.

"You. Feral. Idiotic. Fool!" Aži Dahāka growled as with his magic he signalled every subordinate within the pocket dimension, alert all the leaders, and cast Dragon Gates calling for everything dragon of all strengths to arrive and help vanquish the Dragon Slayer they were stuck with.

"It seems you have managed to invite trouble into our den, Aži Dahāka." Apophis, the Nemesis of the Egyptian God, Ra, and the Primal Eclipse Dragon commented. He was in his human form as he observed this situation, not yet acting for battle. Although he likely won't for a while, as he disapproved of unfair tactics.

"Crom was the one that dragged him here." The Diabolism Thousand Dragon deflected the blame.

"I did not. It's not my fault you were too slow to close the portal." Crom Cruach said with amusement as he turned around to leave.

"Where do are you going?" Apophis asked.

"To rest. Got some injuries to nurse. Plus I don't share opponents. You do your best, till I come back." He said casually and left. "You all should be able to handle one Dragon Slayer, correct? You all fought them before." He said with a smirk.

"Quite. There will be no need for you as backup." Aži Dahāka stated as the other Evil Dragons finally arrived answering the call.

Grendel, Yamata no Orochi, Ladon, Niðhöggr. All answered the summons, along with all fifteen thousand newly born Evil Dragons.

Caleb had managed to slay five thousand before Qlippoth got them and actually taught them how to be Evil Dragons. Now there were all points of negative energy darkening this dimension.

"You have made a grave error in coming here, Caleb Gunnar." Aži Dahāka, stated with grandiosity. "Look upon our forces. See how outnumbered you are and know it is hopeless to fight us."

===x===

What... the hell was that toward the end of my fight with Crom Cruach? And can I do it again?

"Of course, that is if there is a need for us to fight." Apophis spoke.

Right. Evil Dragon army with me in a dimensional cage match.

...Hehe. Okay don't fucking laugh, regardless of how funny this shit is.

"Aw, come on!" Grendel shouted, only to be silenced by a glare from Apophis.

Aži Dahāka took on his fellow Heavenly Dragon's point to continue.

"Quite right. You needn't fight us, Caleb Gunnar. What you seek, we also seek. We would help you find each of Holy Relics so you can finish your quest. Your goal aligns with ours, don't you see—"

Oh wow, they just really expect me to be a calm and reasonable, don't they?

"Yeah, no thanks." I cut the three headed dragon off.

Of course, as a dragon, that offended him.

"Look around you, fool. You think you can fight all of this!" He gestures to all the Qlippoth members. Also I'm sure all those magicians floating in the sky are part of Nilrem, so Euclid should also be here.

Wow, this is just perfect. All the bad guys in one place. I grinned, which just pissed off Tweedle Dumb, Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dumber Dahaka up even further.

"What are you smiling about? You... Are you delusional enough to think you can fight us? Fight me and survive? The Diabolism Thousand Dragon?" He laughed. "All I need is a single gesture and—"

"Oh! You know magic?" I said in a cheerful tone, cutting him off intentionally again. "I know some too."

All three heads of Aži Dahāka snorted.

"Reveting." "This should be fun." "Go ahead and show us then, Caleb Gunnar."

Each head answered on their own.

I grinned.

"Please seal this dimension." I said much to amusement and confusion of everyone around. Then I said the word of dawning, dreadful comprehension. "Ophis."

The dragons, Qlippoth and Nilrem the minions blinked in confusion.

And then a wave of purple energy covered the sky, circling the boundary of this dimension, closing it to leave me and them in it.

"'Please' is one hell of a magic word, don't you say?" I said cheekily. It's a very stupid joke, but I'm very proud of it right now. Heh.

Now shock and terror filled their ranks.

And it became visible panic when Ophis appeared in the flesh at the side of this confrontation.

"Go ahead, Caleb! The stage is set!" She said a bit too bombastically than her usual stoic self. Her expression didn't change though beyond a smile. Weird.

"Th-THE OUROBOROS DRAGON!" Grendel shouted in panic.

"Welp. We're dead." Niðhöggr casually said.

"..." All eight of Yamata no Orochi's head stared with wide eyes, and completely frozen.

"Ladon! How confident are you in your barrier to help us escape!" Grendel cried out.

"I'm confident in my barriers." Ladon said, much to Grendel and some of those listen's hope. "That they can last one second." And that hope immediately died.

"""W-What? Why? Why is the Infinite Dragon God taking an active role?""" All three of Aži Dahāka's head said together.

"Wh... why are you here, Lady Ophis?" Apophis tried to act calm. 'Tried' being the operative word. "Are you here to... aid the Dragon Slayer? You answered his call."

"Nay." Ophis said, her voice reaching all in the dimension. Then she did something that made the blood flee from their faces, and almost made them shit themselves. She grinned. "I am here..." Ophis began. And then her voice echo loudly across anyone of the supernatural world that can hear. "For I and all the gods of all the pantheons..."

Ophis had the look of maternal pride as he glanced at me once, before looking forward again and continuing.

What she did next, was horrifying.

Because the Infinite Dragon God took cruise control of this whole situation, and did something that freaked the fuck outta everyone.

She acted on her own.

"TO BARE WITNESS TO THE CHRONICLES OF MY GREAT RED DRAGON SLAYER, AS HE ASCENDS THROUGH THIS CRUCIBLE OF DRAGONS!" She shouted in joy and excitement. "GO AHEAD! FEED YOUR LIVES TO MY SLAYER! MAKE MY BAKA RED SLAYER GROW!"

Panic didn't even come close to what was happening in the Qlippoth and Nilrem's ranks. Also I have never seen so many dragons have their jaw drop in utter terror.

Also, my pants are very close to being brown right now.

"OPHIS!" I shouted in panicked horror. "Please stop volunteering critically important information to the enemy and who knows what else!" I begged.

"NAY! I'M NOT VOLUNTEERING INFORMATION!" She happily said back. "I, OPHIS, AM BRAGGING!"

===

AN: So yeah. God this took a lot of time.

You can think of the last song in this chapter as the ED to this chapter/episode.

Hope the first fight against Crom Cruach was enjoyable. And yeah, ya boi Caleb is officially a Heavenly Dragon Class being, which means he's officially entered the Top Ten Strongest list.

And yeah, Ophis is here just being a hype woman:

Ophis doesn't understand, or rather doesn't care for OPSEC. Yep, this is what excited Ophis is like. :D

Ophis: LOOK AT MY BOY! LOOK AT HOW FUCKING AWESOME HE IS!

Also one final question before I leave you off and take a break:

Do you want the next chapter to be a PHO-like segment with some reaction, or to leave that till after the fight against Qlippoth and Nilrem is done?