Manowa

The world suddenly changed.

The Naga Line in the sky was covered with jet-black darkness and disappeared. The same was also true for the scene below that he had been watching. Lyle was standing in the center of that space of swirling darkness, and in front of him, there was a black dragon.

「... What is this place?」

Lyle was astonished. He suddenly found himself in an incomprehensible space, and a huge black dragon he had never seen was sitting before his eyes. However, he felt like he recognized the indications it gave off from somewhere. Moreover, it was very familiar; for some reason, he felt a sense of security as if they had constantly been together.

『This is my domain...』

Then the dragon opened his mouth.

『I temporarily sealed Master's soul inside me so that it wouldn't flow into the Naga Line.』

Lyle was agitated by those words.

(Inside him? Sealed? Master? What is he talking about?)

However, if what he said was true, Lyle was still on the verge of death. But he didn't understand why this happened.

「Why did you seal it? And who in the world are you?」

Lyle asked the dragon in front of him. The dragon goggled at Lyle. Lyle was surprised by his blood-red eyes, but the dragon obediently answered his question.

『I am a soul fragment from the dragon once called Black Rock Dragon Gieve. No, it seems that from the start, that soul was different from the original Gieve, but, well, that doesn't matter.』

That name sounded familiar to Lyle.

(If I remember correctly, that's the dragon Kazane and the others defeated. That should be the name of the dragon from Rock Hold Cave. Moreover...)

The dragon fang spear, dragon scale armor, and dragonbone shield that Lyle possessed were made of materials from that dragon.

『I came to make a proposal.』

「Proposal...?」

Lyle tilted his head.

『That's right. Master's body is already dead. If I let go of your soul, it will flow into the Naga Line, everything will go back to its original state, and someday, it will return to the world again as an individual.』

That was the rule of the world. Lyle knew that the world was composed of a cycle of life and death. Those words weighed heavily on Lyle.

『However, I can return Master to his body and grant new life.』

Lyle suddenly raised his face after those words.

「That is, in other words... I can come back to life?」

The dragon nodded after Lyle's words.

『Indeed. To be precise, my proposal is to unify your soul with mine to obtain a new life, however.』

Naturally, Lyle was worried about those words.

「What do you mean?」

『I mean that I will become one with Master; no longer mere armaments, I'll become a living existence together with Master. At the same time, Master will become one with me and will no longer be only human, but a dragon as well.』

Lyle understood those words. The dragon in front of him was made of the soul fragments from one, or maybe all, of his dragon material equipment. Therefore, since Lyle was the owner, he was being called Master.

(Human and dragon? What he's saying is complicated, so I don't really understand, but...)

「If I refuse, I'll die, right?]

The dragon nodded after Lyle's question.

『Naturally. However, your karma as a human being will be preserved. If Master stays as you are now, you will be able to reincarnate as a human in your next life. Conversely, if you accept, Master will also be a dragon. An unstable existence on the boundary between human reason and dragon reason. Rather than being reborn as you are, you may attain a misfortunate fate.』

The dragon told him. It was roundabout, but even if he died, he could be reborn as a human being, but it seemed it was unknown what would happen if he became one with the dragon. So understanding the dragon's words, Lyle smiled wryly.

「Haha... even if you say that. Human beings aren't the type of creatures that worry about things like their next life.」

『I know nothing of that. Since I'm not a human.』

Lyle sighed at those words. Despite being dumbfounded at the overly honest dragon in front of him, he didn't have any bad feelings about becoming one with him.

And he faced the dragon.

「Well, it doesn't matter. In any case, if I'll die otherwise, I have no choice but to accept. What should we do? Do we write a contract?」

Lyle asked. But the dragon shook his head.

『No, this is a place where only souls exist. Words become reality, and promises become contracts. The preparations are already in order.』

Together with those words, the surrounding black space cleared away, and the Naga Line in the sky as well as his companions' figures on the ground became visible again.

(Eh? I'm no longer feeling drawn to the Naga Line?)

『Now then, Master. No, myself. From now on, you are me, while also being yourself. Therefore, from this moment on, your name is Lyle Gieve Barnes. Conclude the contract by accepting this.』

After the dragon spoke, Lyle nodded. His own name was engraved with the name of the dragon in front of him. So doing, Lyle and the dragon said:

「Understood. I am Lyle Gieve Barnes. The fate of living on the threshold of being human and dragon... wasn't it? I'll accept it.」

『The contract is complete. I am Lyle Gieve Barnes. From now on, I am you, and you are me.』

Then, the dragon『Gieve』opened his jaw and swallowed Lyle's soul. Lyle screamed, but the dragon paid no heed to him and descended towards the ground. Along the way, Lyle felt himself become Gieve, and he perceived that he was racing through the sky.

(Aah, is this Kazane's field of view?)

Lyle understood that he had truly become a dragon.

『Hm. Myself. I aspired to be a Dragon Knight?』

Gieve, who was now himself, said that and laughed.

「What of it? That's fine, isn't it?」

『No, it's not bad. However, that being the case, I think it would be fine to become that.』

Gieve laughed even more. That wasn't ridicule. It was a joyful expression from acquiring something he once craved.

『An unmistakable genuine existence. A dragon, but also a knight. You are a dragon's knight. I am a dragon knight.』

At the same time as those words, the phantom of a huge dragon collided with Lyle's body on the ground.

And a new『life』was born.

＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊＊

「Brother, this is a joke, right? Come on, get up!」

By using her spear as a walking stick, Yumika barely managed to reach the front of the carriage where Emily was crying, and when she did, she saw Lyle's corpse. Yumika had already returned to her human form, but even so, she could see that the power of life was already gone from the body of the companion before her eyes.

「Louise-san, please. Do something!」

Emily shouted at Louise, who was applying healing magic next to her, but it was hopeless. Lyle's soul wasn't inside. His body was gradually growing cold. That being the case, as was the natural order of things, he was simply a mass of meat that was starting to decay.

And Louise stopped her magic. Any more was meaningless... his appearance told her that.

Seeing that, Emily collapsed. Looking at Lyle, then looking at Louise, she understood that everything was over, and she cried loudly.

However, the battle wasn't over.

Tiara, Shippuu, Jin Bahar, and Shirokiba were fighting against the white bear and Marie. This wasn't the time for crying. As a person who would eventually be in charge of a country, Tiara understood that well. Therefore, while wiping away the liquid overflowing from her eyes, she continued fighting.

「Why... brother, brother!」

Louise noticed Yumika's arrival and shook her head. Their companion died. That fact caused a drop of water to overflow from Yumika's eye.

But before that tear spilled, Yumika sensed something descending towards them. Then Yumika looked up at the sky. There was a red moon there. But Yumika sensed that there was something beyond it. Past the barrier...

「Black... Dragon?」

Those words leaked from Yumika's mouth.

There was something beyond the red moon that was heading towards them. Yumika grasped that it would cross the barrier and fall down at Yumika and the others' location.

(Wha–!?)

Yumika reflexively put herself on guard due to the situation, but that something didn't collide with Yumika. It was a mass of Dragon Spirit, and as a person who possessed Dragon Spirit, Yumika witnessed the enormous amount of power being sucked into Lyle.

Then the fire of life was lit in Lyle's body. Yumika could practically see the vitality overflowing like spouting magma.

Like the thunderously blazing flames of hell, the Dragon Spirit raced through Lyle's entire body; it was too sudden, and the body that should have died resumed activity.

「Brother?」

Emily's red eyes were opened wide as she watched his figure.

「What in the world?」

Louise was looking at Lyle with an disbelieving expression. Louise could see the vigor returning to his face. Louise only understood that his corpse wasn't being manipulated.

Then Lyle stood up. But currently, the bones in Lyle's entire body were broken. He wasn't able to properly stand and staggered.

Understanding his own condition, Lyle grabbed his dragon bone shield, transformed it into a mass of Dragon Spirit, and began taking it into his body. Not only did that repair his broken bones, but all the bones in Lyle's body started transforming into dragon bones as well.

Furthermore, a magical power producing『Dragon Heart』Core was formed next to his heart, and his destroyed organs started regenerating thanks to the enormous magical power emitted from it. At the same time, his body was also being remodeled. His skin turned dark brown, his light brown hair changed to silver (and became swept back for some reason), and his brown eyes turned red like blood. Then fangs grew from his mouth, and Lyle laughed.

「Hahaha, my body is light!」

Emily, Louise, and Yumika had been staring at him in amazement, and after those words, their eyes widened even further. Even though he had changed so much, the voice they heard was the same voice as ever.

「Bro, brother?」

Noticing Emily's astonishment, Lyle raised his hand and called out「Yo!」Seeing that, Emily fell to her knees and began to cry.

Lyle was startled by that reaction, but he was whacked by Yumika from behind.

「That hurts. What the heck?」

「You made us worry, so that's an appropriate response, don't you think?」

「No, it was dreadful for me too.」

Lyle became sulky, and Yumika replied「I understand.」He was dead until a moment ago. He'd surely had an experience that could only happen once in a lifetime. Next, Louise jumped at Lyle.

「You've become splendid. With how Lyle is now, you can have the OK for tonight.」

「What are you saying, Louise-san? I mean, we're blood-related, you know?」

Lyle replied to Louise, who was hugging him from behind. The sensation of her boobs was amazing.

「Oh? A great great granny is the same as a complete stranger.」

「「No, no!」」

Yumika and Lyle shook their heads at the same time. By the way, 4th degree of kinship and beyond are safe for marriage in Japan, but not if it's a direct line.

Then Lyle put his hand on top of the crying Emily's head. Emily felt the warmth from the hand carrying the heat of life.

「Sorry. I made you worry.」

Lyle said that with a smile to his teary-eyed sister.

「Jeez, if you're going to get up, get up earlier. I look like an idiot.」

After Emily's words, Lyle said「Sorry」again, then looked at the white bear.

「Brother?」

In response to his sister's worried expression, Lyle told her.

「Well then, I'm going to counterattack for a bit.」

「Eh, a bit?」

And leaving behind Emily's words, Lyle broke into a run. The dragon fang spear that should have been left behind when the white bear's head was blown off started flying beside him.

『Kukukuku, we were thinking「Boobs」and「What a waste.」Myself.』

「Shut up, they're boobs. If only she wasn't my grandmother's grandmother.」

While they argued, the shape of the spear also changed. The blade at the tip split and spread as if it were a mouth, and on the whole, it changed into a form that imitated the shape of a dragon's head. Also, that voice seemed to come from the spear.

Lyle grasped it tightly. Furthermore, plates in the shape of small dragon wings grew from the back of his armor. He wouldn't be able to fly in the sky with those, but now that he had Divine Protection of Wind, Lyle was faster. The Dragon Spirit formed the shape of a dragon.

Then, a dragon charged toward the battlefield. An extremely rare humanoid dragon named Lyle Gieve Barnes was born here.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Summoning Fighter

Title: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King, Liberator, Guardian

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Draghorn Tonfa x2, Dragon Eating Ogre Army Armor (True), Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, White Magic Accumulator (Revised) ×2, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring, Angel Bracelet

Level : 40

Health: 156+20

Magic Power: 378+520

Strength: 81+45

Agility: 83+39

Endurance: 45+20

Wisdom : 75

Dexterity : 53

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror Shield』『Rabbit Speed』『Flare Mirage』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Kick Decapitation Wave』『Warrior's Memory: Lv2』『Night Vision』『Crushing Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv4』『Aegis Shield』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition: Lv2』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material Shield: Lv2』『Information Link: Lv2』『Optical Camouflage』『High Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv3「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『Sturdier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Devil King's Intimidation』『Stone Minotaur: Lv2』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『Space Expansion』『Pseudo-Silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur: Lv3』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』『Boost』『Monkey's Strong Arm』『Two-sword Style』『Boobies Plus』『Living Armor』『Alarm』『Six-sword Style』『Mental Attack Complete Protection』『Spider Web』『Wire Cutter』『Flexible』『Magic Power Absorption』『Red Body Transformation』『Friendship Tag-team』

Kazane: 「Yuuko-nee sensed Lyle's scent!」

Naoki: 「Alright, she found them!?」