The butterfly wings fluttered. In an instant, Rizevim's remaining arm flew off, disintegrating into sand.
"AGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Rizevim's scream tore through the air. As he writhed on the ground in agony, Asem looked down at him.
"Geez, if you make that much noise, the neighbors are going to complain. No one's going to want to take care of you. Unless the helpers in the afterlife are particularly nice."
Miu and Alice gasped at the gruesome sight.
No matter how much Rizevim was tortured, I knew he deserved it. But the look in Asem's eyes was so cold it made my blood run like ice.
Asem looked back at Rizevim.
"So? What's it gonna be? Die here? Or… Oh? Well, well. It looks like your ride is here while we were chatting."
Asem's gaze shifted to a single point.
A Dragon Gate was opening. A golden aura began to pour out from the rift.
Seeing it, Rizevim fell into a state of total, panicked disarray.
"…No. No way!"
The figure emerging from the gate was a Dragon King. His massive body swayed as he moved; it was clear he hadn't recovered the stamina he'd lost in Heaven.
And yet, carrying a crushing weight of pressure, fighting spirit, and unmistakable murderous intent, the Golden Dragon King—Fafnir—dragged himself forward.
[…Finally… I found you.]
The pressure radiating from Fafnir as he locked onto his sworn enemy was immense. Even though it wasn't directed at us, we broke into a cold sweat.
Rizevim shook his head in disbelief, trembling with a fear more profound than when I had cornered him, or even when Asem had betrayed him.
"Why…?! Why are you so obsessed…?! You even followed me into my dreams…!"
Dreams? Fafnir had appeared in his dreams?
Asem answered my unspoken question.
"Grandpa Rize was cursed by Fafnir-kun. Night after night, Fafnir would appear in his dreams and kill him dozens, hundreds, thousands of times."
So that was it. That explained the dark circles under Rizevim's eyes. He had been hunted by Fafnir every single night. Even as a Transcendent, he had been helpless in the world of dreams.
The sloppy, desperate nature of Rizevim's recent plans finally made sense. He was a man who hadn't slept in weeks, driven mad by fear.
[…You… made Asia-tan cry.]
Fafnir's eyes glowed with a dangerous, predatory light. He dragged his body forward, one heavy step at a time, closing in on Rizevim.
I couldn't remember the last time I'd felt such concentrated killing intent. Actually, this might have been the first time.
The sheer, unnatural pressure forced Rizevim back. Having lost both arms and with his stamina bottomed out, he couldn't even move properly. He tripped and fell onto his backside.
Fafnir didn't stop. He crawled until he was looming directly over the devil.
Rizevim forced a jagged smile, looking up at the dragon.
"W-Wait! Just wait! That was… look! It was just a performance! To spice things up! I thought if the son of Lucifer attacked Heaven, it would—"
CRUNCH.
A heavy tremor shook the ground, followed by the wet, sickening sound of shattering bone. Fafnir's massive foot had ground Rizevim's legs into the dirt.
"GAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Rizevim shrieked, his upper body convulsing in agony. But with both legs crushed under Fafnir's weight, escape was an impossibility.
Asem let out a weary sigh at the sight.
"Begging for your life at this stage…? Honestly, how much lower can your stock drop? You're beyond pathetic. The blood of a Demon King is far too good for you. Don't you agree, Hero?"
"He's my enemy, but I'm with you on that one, Asem."
He was showing us the most wretched end possible.
Fafnir lowered his massive, rage-filled face until he was inches away from Rizevim.
[You bullied Asia-tan. I will never… EVER… forgive you!]
Fafnir cherished Asia. Every time she smiled, he seemed satisfied. For him, her happiness was more than enough.
And Rizevim had trampled all over that without a second thought.
Asem delivered his final, cold verdict.
"If you're going to hurt others, be ready to pay the price, Mr. Demon King's Son. You touched things you shouldn't have just for the sake of a prank. Well, I suppose I'm one to talk, considering I was your partner."
I don't know if Rizevim even heard him. He was lost in the absolute despair of his impending death. His arms were gone. His legs were pulp. There was nowhere left to run.
The Dragon King's jaws clamped shut around him at the exact moment Vali arrived on the scene.
Vali watched Rizevim's final moments and closed his eyes once.
"Rizevim. You disgraced the name of Lucifer for far too long. But rest easy. I am the one who will carry the name now. And I promise you… I will never be a Lucifer like you."
[Post-Script Mini-Episode]
Koneko: "Issei-senpai is so warm… nyan."
Issei: "Ugh… Koneko-chan is always… so freaking cute!"
Kuroka: "Oh my? You're only paying attention to Shirone? That's cheating, nyan. Is the Red Dragon Emperor not interested in me?"
Issei: "Of course I'm interested! I'm incredibly interested!"
Kuroka: "In that case, want to give me a try? You know, a Nekomata Sister Sandwich isn't something you get to taste every day."
Koneko: "I'm not… giving Senpai to Sister. He's… my Senpai."
Issei: "GAH! (My heart!)"
[End of Mini-Episode]
-------------------------------
I've already uploaded 70 chapters of this story on Patreon!
If you enjoy it, come check out the latest chapters in advance.
Here's the link:
[patreon.com/Greyhounds]
Thank you so much for your support!!
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"