A Break In The Case!

Today was the day when Mr. Urushihara reveals to them the good news regarding the case. Tatsuya felt somewhat more energized and eager to attend today’s club meeting. As he was getting ready at home and entering the kitchen to grab his lunch, he heard a knock at the door. He opened it and was greeted by a handsome young man with electric blonde hair and shocking amber eyes. He was dressed in a bright yellow with a blue tie and his skin was of a light yellow tan color. The man bowed and said, “Greetings.”

“H-Hi,” greeted Tatsuya. “Um, excuse me for asking, but, who are you?”

“I am Vajra, personal butler and retainer to princess Shurai,” introduced the man in a very refined and gentlemanly manner.

‘So it’s a butler this time,’ noted Tatsuya. “Please, come on in,” he told the butler.

“Thank you,” said Vajra. He walked in and took a quick look of the surroundings. “This is a nice change from the castle,” said the butler with a nod. “It is very quaint and charming and has a certain comfort feel to it.”

Tatsuya wasn’t sure if he should be offended or grateful by the butler’s comments. He led the butler to the kitchen and sat him down. “You must be hungry,” said Tatsuya politely, remembering what Sasuke had told him yesterday about Druks.

“Thank you for your consideration, but I have already ate my fill of breakfast,” said the butler. “I have to say, I know that humans don’t have a big appetite, but the serving sizes are too insufficient it should be illegal! It took me over twenty human-sized bowls of ramen to fill up! And I ordered the extra-large option too!”

‘Well, we’re humans after all, not monsters like you,’ was what Tatsuya wanted to say, but he refrained himself from saying anything that would anger his new guest.

“Of course, I can’t really blame them. Not even the other tribes compare to us when it comes to appetites. But I still appreciate you for possessing some basic knowledge regarding my kind,” continued Vajra. “I’m sorry, I haven’t asked for your name.”

“I’m Owatatsumi Tatsuya,” introduced Tatsuya.

“You are the Dragonborn, correct?” asked Vajra straightforwardly.

“Yes,” answered Tatsuya carelessly.

“So Sasuke was right,” said Vajra with a laugh.

“Sasuke?” inquired Tatsuya.

“Your friend Nanami Sasuke,” answered Vajra. “He told me where my princess had gone off to and of your identity as the Dragonborn.”

“Y-You know Sasuke?!” exclaimed Tatsuya in surprise.

“We’re old friends,” said Vajra.

And then a thought struck Tatsuya’s head. “Wait, why were you not with your princess in the first place?” he asked the butler.

“My princess has a tendency to go where she pleases once hunger strikes,” explained the butler. “She is always in search of food. It is embarrassing for me as her personal butler to admit that she often eludes my every watch while in her constant search for something to satisfy her appetite. I am but one man after all. It would be easy if I could use magic, but of course such an action is restricted within this realm. And if I were to use my other powers, I risk using up all of my energy and enter my empty state. Then, I would really be useless.”

Hearing that made Tatsuya feel a bit sorry for the guy. The sudden sound of voices coming down the hallway reminded him of what he should be doing. “Well, Shurai is here if you want to meet her. I have to go now. Please, make yourself at home,” said Tatsuya.

At that moment, Ingrid entered the kitchen. She noticed the new houseguest and introduced herself. “Owatatsumi-sama, you should be one your way,” she told Tatsuya. “I will help Mr. Vajra get acquainted,” offered the maid.

“Thanks, Ingrid!” said Tatsuya as he rushed out of the door. The girls were already waiting for him outside. Once the gang was all there, they marched onwards to school.

Meanwhile, back at the house, Ingrid and Vajra were engaged in a stare-down. Neither the butler nor the maid dared to look away. Ingrid’s eyes were as intense as smoldering coal. Vajra’s eyes were shocking like pure lightning bolts. It was an intense psychological battle between two worthy combatants.

“Vajra, the ex-Blitzkrieg Brigade Knight who was renowned for his expertise of combat magic and is now the current personal retainer for Princess Shana of the Druk tribe,” said Ingrid.

“Ingrid, the prodigious agent of the United Front who was promoted by Prince Nobara to be the personal retainer and maid of Princess Ashira of the Draco tribe because of her unrivaled skills,” said Vajra.

“Though I know you are here for your princess, I can’t help but feel that you have other business here as well,” Ingrid told the butler.

“This is why the Draco prince trusts you with his life, I presume,” said the butler with a smile. “Your instincts are impressive indeed. I have some business with Ouroboros and I heard that they’ve been operating here in the human realm.”

“So your agenda is the same as ours,” concluded Ingrid.

“For a few weeks now, Ouroboros had attempted many times to kidnap the princess,” revealed Vajra. “I brought her here to the human realm under the orders of my king and queen. We’ve been living in an apartment for some time until they told us a few days ago to seek the Dragonborn. Apparently, the United Front had been discussing with the various tribe leaders about ways to prevent the capture of their heirs and came up with the solution to have them under the protection of the Dragonborn.”

“I see,” said Ingrid with a nod. She could imagine Prince Nobi suggesting this plan and enforcing it to the best of his power. And then a sudden realization struck her—the motive behind enacting this type of plan could very well be his desire to help his future “brother-in-law” out with the latter’s destiny. ‘I should’ve guessed,’ thought Ingrid with an exasperated sigh. “So, how did you know that Owatatsumi-sama is the Dragonborn?” she asked the butler.

“Two sources,” said the butler, “First, his name was introduced to the royal family via the United Front. I mean, what’s the point of having your daughter protected by a legendary figure if they don’t know his name and can make sure that he’s a real being. Secondly, I have a comrade here in the human realm already who helped me with where he lived.”

“Nanami Sasuke,” concluded Ingrid. “I knew he looked familiar that time I met him.”

“He’s an old buddy of mine from the Blitzkrieg Brigade Knights,” revealed Vajra.

“Who are you working for now besides the royal family?” inquired Ingrid.

“If you mean to ask me if hunting for Ouroboros is a personal thing or part of some other organization’s agenda, I can tell you now that it’s neither,” answered Vajra. “It’s all for the safety of my mistress.”

“I see.” Ingrid could tell that he was telling the truth. Besides, it would be a very good thing to have another strong ally on their side.

Tatsuya walked into the classroom behind the girls and was greeted by a cheery hello from his friends. Upon sitting down, Toki Nekoyashi came up to him and greeted him with a cheerful hello. “How are you doing, Owatatsumi-kun?” she asked him.

“Doing fine,” replied Tatsuya with a small laugh.

“Himeko says hello too,” she told him, “even if she pretends otherwise, nyan!”

“K-Koneko!” whined Torahime from her seat with a bright red face.

“Well, see ya later, nyan!” said Nekoyashi, running back to her seat.

First, second, and third period came and went without a hitch. It it now the third break. Tatsuya got up and joined his friends in conversation. The girls had also joined in and the entire group began to discuss what the possible good news could be. Manami offered that the authorities could have arrested the evildoers already and are planning to hold some sort of ceremony to recognize the group’s work in helping them achieve their goal. (Of course, this was an impossible plan to even consider and was immediately dismissed by the entire group). Daiki believes that it could be something along the lines of discovering the identity of the culprit behind the bank scheme. Sasuke suggested that it could be the connection between the underground organization and Ouroboros, such as the person responsible for bridging both entities. Aika posited that the United Front could’ve finally located the place where the underground organization had been operating and is planning a raid. Kanjomizu hypothesizes that maybe the authorities have captured the people responsible and have received some valuable information from them about Ouroboros. Arashi thinks that maybe it’s not as grand as what the others’ think, and that it might be something small but still significant, like a clue that could lead to bigger answers.

“Owatatsumi Tetsuya!” called out Natsume Torahime. She appeared before the group with a finger pointed particularly at Tatsuya. “I don’t know what you and your group are planning, but I am sure that you are up to no good again,” accused Torahime.

“Wait a minute, why am I the victim here?” exclaimed Tatsuya offendedly.

“Now, now, Himeko,” interjected Nekoyashi with a nervous laugh, “I’m sure they’re just having a fun discussion among friends, nyan. Let’s not be too hasty with our accusations now, nyan.”

“It’s our job, Koneko,” protested Torahime.

“It’s not like we have to do it now, nyan,” reasoned Nekoyashi.

“Well, sure, but—,” began Torahime as Nekoyashi dragged her away.

“Sorry about that, nyan,” apologized Nekoyashi to the group with a wave.

“That Natsume Torahime is a very scary foe,” said Daiki after the duo left.

“I’ve heard that she had slayed over thirty dragons in her dragon slaying career,” said Manami with a shudder.

“Toki Nekoyashi also has an impressive record too,” revealed Sasuke. “Thirty-two, if I remember correctly.”

“That’s pretty scary,” commented Tatsuya in a low voice.

Once school had ended, Tatsuya and the others walked together to the club room. Mr. Urushihara happily greeted them when they arrived. After everyone got settled, the teacher started the meeting. “I’m sure that you all must’ve heard that I received good news from the United Front regarding the case,” began Mr. Urushihara. The others answered with a nod of their heads. “Basically, the United Front has successfully pinpointed the central base of operation.”

“Really?!” exclaimed Tatsuya with a victorious smile. “Have they secured the ones responsible yet?” he asked anxiously.

“They’ve managed to shut down the associated bank branches and have taken the employees into custody, but the masterminds behind this scheme are still yet to be found,” answered the teacher.

“And their connections to Ouroboros?” asked Sasuke.

“Many of the captured employees have been confirmed as members of Ouroboros,” revealed Mr. Urushihara. “Albeit, lower tier members. But they possess the mark.”

“The mark?” inquired Tatsuya.

“Members of Ouroboros carry with them a tattoo of the organization’s symbol to signify their membership,” explained Sasuke. “The image is that of a winged-serpent swallowing its own tail in a circle. They normally carry it on their bodies in inconspicuous places so that they can blend in with the public while carrying out their missions in secret.”

“And about seventy percent of the captured associates carried the mark,” revealed the teacher with a shake of his head.

“So we are certain then that Ouroboros is the one pulling the strings,” concluded Sasuke. “I guess we shouldn’t put it pass them to use these destructive methods to achieve their goals.” His face darkened into a grimace.

“But I thought that their goal is to promote dragon superiority over humans?” posited Tatsuya. “So why are they deliberately drugging their own kind to the point of suicide?” he wondered.

“In order to achieve their goal, sacrifices have to be made,” answered Mr. Urushihara in a grave voice. “They are a ruthless bunch who will sacrifice as many dragon lives as it will take until their goal is achieved. Secondly, using dragons as personal suicide terrorists allow them to instill fear into humans, which will result in chaos that they can then take advantage of so they can complete their goal of annihilating the human race.”

“Those bastards,” cursed Tatsuya angrily with clenched fists.

“Right now, the United Front is preparing a plan to infiltrate the target sometime in the following days,” informed Mr. Urushihara.

“Then this will hopefully put an end to this entire case?” asked Tatsuya expectantly. Tatsuya glanced around at the others and noticed that they didn’t possess the same positive expectation as him. Their expressions were stone-cold and grave like the faces of funeral attendees.

“Though I appreciate your optimism, it’s not that easy,” said Mr. Urushihara.

“What do you mean?” asked Tatsuya.

“Remember, Ouroboros has many people who are high ranking members of society such as nobles and aristocrats,” reminded Mr. Urushihara. “Despite it being a well-known radical group that is high on the United Front’s capture list, the organization possesses very powerful connections. And these people aren’t afraid to publicly display their support for the organization either. They possess money and power and influence that makes it impossible to touch the organization. Even if the United Front is able to uncover evidence, they can make it disappear at the snap of a finger.”

“So you’re saying that it’s virtually impossible to take them down once and for all,” concluded Tatsuya with a grimace.

“Even if we can, it’s not going to be easy,” added Mr. Urushihara. “The organization has a very large cult-like following ever since ancient times. They have even managed to recruit members of the general population into their organization through public demonstrations and the like. Most of the time, these people are innocent folk who have been led astray by the organization’s alluring ideology. Even the United Front can’t stop these people from believing what they perceive to be the true natural order of things. It’s one thing to say that Ouroboros is a radical group that is evil beyond a shadow of a doubt, but can we truly blame everyone involved, especially those who have no idea what they are actually choosing to be a part of?”

“How can people seriously believe an organization who are willing to sacrifice its own kind just for some outdated idea?” exclaimed Tatsuya in disbelief.

“It’s the same as asking ‘Why did the Romans choose to believe in their emperor and blame the burning of Rome on the Christians?’, or ‘Why did the German people put their faith in their Fuhrer and believe his comments about persecuting the Jews?’,” reasoned Mr. Urushihara. “In the end, people, whether they’re humans or dragons, just want something to believe in. It allows them to be in a position of power, to alleviate their fears by having a visible problem to focus on, and to place their trust in an idea that allows for them to identify with others.”

Tatsuya still couldn’t believe just how powerful the evil organization Ouroboros really is. Not only do they have protection from persecution, but they also have public support. ‘No wonder the United Front has been having a hard time against them,’ realized Tatsuya. “Then, how can we defeat them?” wondered Tatsuya.

“Easy, the Dragonborn,” answered Mr. Urushihara with a smile.

“The Dragonborn?” asked Tatsuya.

“Believe it or not, the Dragonborn has a lot of influence over the denizens of the dragon realm,” revealed the teacher with a proud grin. “You are a legendary messiah figure who is destined to lead the dragon realm into a new golden age. There are many who believe in your existence and who put their faith in you. And now, with your existence being made known to the various royal families, it won’t be soon before the public is made aware of this and Ouroboros will greatly lose their influence. You see, the organization sees you as the only obstacle to their goal. No one poses the biggest threat to them than you, Tatsuya.”

Once again, Tatsuya was forced into the spotlight because of his identity as the Dragonborn. He now knows the importance of his position as the destined messiah for both the dragon realm and the human realm, but at the same time he felt like he was being used by some higher power to solve all the world’s problems as if he was capable of that. “Cut the crap,” he said in a low voice. “Are you saying that only I possess the power to stop these horrible people? That’s bullshit! Why is it that only I am the one they fear? And who gives a damn about some prophecy? Destiny? Messiah? Give me a break!”

“Darling,” uttered Aika with sad eyes.

“Tatsuya, I know that it must seem unfair, but this is how the universe wills it,” said Mr. Urushihara wisely. “You can’t escape from your fate.”

“Fate can kiss my ass!” cursed Tatsuya. His eyes had become dangerous like a savage animal’s. Only anger and hatred exuded out of them. The once calm and cool azure-blue eyes had quickly changed into cold and biting gems filled with negative energy.

“Now, now, let’s all calm down for a bit,” interjected Sasuke with a nervous smile.

Aika had never seen Tatsuya so angry before. She had seen him furious during the night of her arrival because of her intrusion on his life, and she had seen him enraged when he protected her from the Okami (Ice Dragon). But never before had she seen him with eyes impassioned with rage before. It was the eyes of a man who was angry with the world, with his life, with himself. Something beyond his control has forced him into another position that encroaches on his desire of a peaceful life.

Kanjomizu was also beyond terrified at the look in Tatsuya’s eyes. She had thought that she had seen it all: his kind smile, his irritableness, his bashful innocence, his determination to accomplish something for himself—but she had never seen her Love with eyes filled with hatred and self-loathing. She could sympathize with his feelings because she herself had felt strong emotions of repugnance against her own disability to take the initiative. And if only she could steel herself and take the initiative now, perhaps she could think of some way to comfort her Love and possibly pacify his rage.

Arashi had never seen this side of her childhood friend. She had seen him angry before, but never at this level. It was as if she was looking at a dangerous shadow of her friend that was an accumulation of his negative emotions. A small feeling of pity surfaced within her. Perhaps her childhood friend had really changed into an entirely different person from the kid she used to know. But more than that, she could sympathize with his resistance towards fate. She knows the feeling too well since it was the entire reason behind her return to the human realm after all. And as she looked on at Tatsuya with those impassioned eyes of anger, she could feel a chill running down her spine that bit her every bone.

Tatsuya’s friends were no better off. Daiki became like a silent stone statue, too afraid to utter a single word or move a single muscle. Manami simply hid himself like a mouse, far away from any possible danger. And Sasuke, who had attempted to try to lower the tension within the atmosphere, could only stare at the ground to avoid any eye-contact with his friend. They had experienced many of Tatsuya’s fits of anger before, but this time, they could feel that it was different from the others and had to it an intensity they had never felt before.

“Thank you for the information, Mr. Urushihara,” said Tatsuya in a low and intense voice, “but it’s time that I go.” He reached the door and opened it. “See ya,” he told the entire group. No one stopped him…no one dared to stop him. They could all sense that Tatsuya needed some time to himself. It would be foolish for them to do otherwise.

As Tatsuya was walking down the hallway, Torahime appeared in front of him. “Owatatsumi Tetsuya! What were you and your group discussing in that room? Just what are you planning?” she asked him furiously. Tatsuya ignored her and kept on walking. Torahime couldn’t believe that her enemy had given her the cold shoulder and just walked on as if she wasn’t even there. “Owatatsumi Tetsuya!” she called to him, turning around. Tatsuya turned his face to her and flashed her a very intense glare that was unlike him. Torahime quickly shut up. She had never seen eyes like those before. It sent a harsh chill down her spine and left her feeling terrified.

Tatsuya walked on home with the same eyes, unsettling the people he passed along the way. Once he made it home, he entered his house and walked to the living room and sat down on the couch. Next to him was Shurai eating a bag of potato chips without a care in the world while watching a popular kid’s anime series on TV. The maids weren’t present, leaving the two alone together in the house.

‘Why is it that only I have the power to stop them?’ he asked himself furiously. ‘This does not make any sense! And why is it me? Who the hell decided that it was me who will save the world as a messiah? Is this really what God had in plan for me? Did he just one day decided to assign me to Dragonborn duties and hope that I can live up to its name?’ More and more of these negative thoughts popped in his head. It hadn’t occurred to him at all that while he was doing so, Shurai attempted many times to feed him a potato chip by jabbing it against his lips. He casually licked his lip while deep in thought and noticed that they were salty. He had finally realized what had happened and was completely surprised by the close proximity between the lightning dragon princess’ face and his own. “S-Shurai?” he uttered.

“Eat,” she told him with the potato chip still in her hand.

“Eat?” asked Tatsuya in confusion.

Shurai answered with a nod. She had on her face the same lethargic and bored expression as before, but this time it was really lighter and softer. The dragon princess actually wore a very discernible smile on her face and her eyes had some life to them. “Eating makes you feel better,” she told him.

Tatsuya wasn’t sure about that. But he graciously accepted her offer and ate the potato chip. The flavor hugged his tongue and unleashed a small wave of pleasure unto his brain. Suddenly, he felt a little better and positive than before. It seemed that all of the negativity was slowly diminishing in influence. “This is pretty good,” he told her.

“Vajra got me these this morning,” she told him. “They’re from a very expensive store and is considered to be the best potato chip in all of Japan.”

“Really?” mused Tatsuya, intrigued.

“Of course,” said a familiar voice. Vajra entered the living room and sat down on a chair. “I only provide for my mistress the best of the best.”

“According to Vajra, this one bag cost 500 yen (about $3.37 USD),” revealed Shurai.

‘Seriously?!’ exclaimed Tatsuya in disbelief.

“Owatatsumi-sama,” began Vajra, “I haven’t yet presented to you my gratitude for helping my mistress. Please, accept my humble thanks.”

“Sure thing,” replied Tatsuya with a smile. He looked at the butler and a question popped up in his head. “Say, Vajra, you said that you know Sasuke, right?” he asked the butler.

“Yes, I do,” answered the butler. “We were acquaintances back in the dragon realm.”

“So you guys were like childhood classmates or something?” wondered Tatsuya curiously.

“Something along those lines,” said the butler.

“Oops, I’m out of snacks,” said Shurai. Tatsuya and Vajra turned to see the dragon princess sifting through the giant pile of empty bags in front of her. “I’m hungry,” said Shurai with a sigh.

“You must excuse my mistress,” said the butler. “Her appetite is more insatiable than most Druks. While it is common for a Druk to consume somewhere between fifteen to thirty human-sized servings of food and fill up, the princess has proven that her appetite requires more. But even with forty human-sized servings of food, only about twenty to thirty percent of her is charged, as you humans would say.”

“I see,” commented Tatsuya.

“If there is one thing I can tell you that is true for all Druks , Owatatsumi-sama, is that all Druks are weak to sugar,” offered the butler.

“What do you mean by weak?” inquired Tatsuya.

“Not weak in the sense that it will make us vulnerable opponents,” answered Vajra, “but weak in the sense that it is the perfect source to quench our constant cravings and satisfy our appetites.”

“So you’re saying that I should just stock my kitchen with candy for Shurai?” asked Tatsuya.

“Not exactly,” said the butler with a laugh. “But all Druks are attracted to sugar. Additionally, depending on the type of sugar and the quantity present, Druks can become quickly supercharged or charged enough to reach energy stability. However, similar to what you humans call a sugar crash, Druks will also lose their energy quicker and in greater quantities and enter their empty states. Sometimes, they will also become unconscious for a while before waking back up. This also depends on the type of sugar present and its quantity.”

“Even after waking up, you guys remain in an empty state?” inquired Tatsuya curiously.

“Of course!” answered Vajra proudly. “We gain our energy solely from food. It is the only source of energy for us. Sleep is good and all, but you see, we’re not like you humans who rely on more than one activity to regain energy.”

Once again, Tatsuya wasn’t sure if he should react positively or negatively to his words. But that remark aside, Tatsuya really felt like he’s learning more and more about the bizarre nature of dragons. This suddenly made him realize that he hadn’t really made an attempt to understand dragons. Even though the butler himself was being nice and giving him information that he didn’t even ask for, Tatsuya felt like he was cheating since he didn’t actively tried to seek out these answers himself. The only things he ever learned about dragons have only occurred whenever they come up in conversations. But here he is, living with a group of dragons under his own roof, and he hadn’t even made any effort to understand his guests.

But then again, he didn’t want this. He was forced into this role. His entire world had been flipped upside down right before his very eyes. He didn’t ask for his life to be infiltrated by princesses from another dimensions. He didn’t ask to get sucked into a world of dragons. He didn’t ask to be a part of some otherworldly crisis with lives at stake. And more importantly, he had never asked to be elected messiah of two warring realms. Even if he decided to understand his guests, to understand dragons and their culture, it wouldn’t do him any good. All he wanted was a quiet and normal life. So what if its his predisposed destiny to be a savior figure? He could care less for some fate or destiny that tries to tell him who he is and what he is supposed to do.

Tatsuya could feel the negative energy coming back. He got up and said, “I’m going out for a bit.”

“Me too,” said Shurai, rising from her seat.

“Why?” asked Tatsuya with a raised eyebrow.

“I’m hungry,” she told him straightforwardly.

Tatsuya let out an exasperated sigh and said, “All right. I’ll take you out to eat.” And so, the duo exited the house and walked together into the city.

The two of them came to a ramen shop. Tatsuya opened the door to let them inside when a familiar voice caught his ear. “Owatatsumi Tetsuya!” shouted Torahime with a pointed finger.

“H-Hey,” greeted Tatsuya with a half-smile.

“What are you doing here?” asked Torahime suspiciously.

“To enjoy a bowl of ramen,” he told her. Shurai tugged on his shirt to tell him to hurry up.

Torahime noticed the tugging and was surprised to find Shurai, a girl she had never seen before, with her enemy. “Who is that girl?” asked Torahime.

“Just a friend,” Tatsuya told her.

“Just a friend?” she asked suspiciously.

“What does that matter to you?” wondered Tatsuya with a frown.

“M-Matter t-t-to me?” said Torahime with an offended expression. “Nothing!” she answered back adamantly. “Absolutely nothing!” She crossed her arms over her chest and turned her face away from him.

“By the way, are you perhaps here to eat ramen too?” asked Tatsuya. After a few seconds of silence, Torahime slowly nodded to him in answer. “Well then, wanna come in?” he offered to her politely.

“I-I don’t need your help!” she snapped at him.

“By the way, where’s Toki Nekoyashi?” he asked her.

Torahime suddenly lowered her head and mumbled, “S-She’s hanging out with some girls from class.”

“Excuse me?” asked Tatsuya.

“She’s just not here today, alright!” she snapped at him furiously.

“Yes ma’am!” yelped Tatsuya.

It didn’t take Torahime even one foot through the door when the sound of panicked screams caught her ear. Tatsuya also caught wind of the commotion and the both of them quickly left the shop to see what was going on. They followed the sound of terrified screams and made it out to a city square. People were running away from the square in large masses, quickly clearing the open area. The duo then faced their enemy—a giant beast they were all too familiar with.

The dragon was a beautiful silver-blue, like clouds illuminated by silver moonlight during dusk. It had silver eyes like lustrous steel, glistening scales like translucent pearls, a long star-shaped tipped tail that was as long as half it’s body length, and a wide mouth like a Venus flytrap’s. It stood on four pillar-like legs with large knife-like claws and its neck seemed longer than a giraffe’s. Around its head were large projections that formed a sun crown, and giant black runic tattoos covered its entire being from head to toe. In the middle of its forehead was a prominent red tattoo of a third eye.

“What the heck is that?” questioned Tatsuya aloud.

“A Bakunawa,” answered Torahime. She pulled out her scroll and said, “Hear my prayers, O Great God Susanoo! Give me your blessing so I can vanquish thy foe! Shake the Heavens and make the Earth quiver in fear before your mighty power! Sea, Storm, Calamity, Vanquisher!” The magical katana that was kept within the scroll was brought out. “I’ll finish it with the Kusanagi-no-Tsurugi,” she told Tatsuya. “Do me a favor and stay out of this.”

Tatsuya didn’t take kindly to Torahime’s words. He brought out his own sword, the dragon-slaying sword Gram, and prepped himself for battle. Torahime jumped forward and made the first move. The Bakunawa opened its mouth and unleashed a powerful sparkling yellow beam of pure magical energy. Before the beam could strike Torahime, Tatsuya jumped in front of her and swung his sword, slicing through the beam like a piece of paper.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Torahime asked him furiously.

“Protecting you,” answered Tatsuya with a raised eyebrow in a ‘duh’ expression.

“I don’t need your protection,” Torahime told him adamantly.

While they were arguing, the dragon opened its mouth and released yet another powerful beam of pure magical energy. The duo only noticed this attack right at the last minute. Tatsuya wasn’t quick enough to respond with his sword but his right arm instinctively crossed itself across his chest in a blocking gesture. Suddenly, the Mark of Marduk appeared and glowed a  brilliant black color. An invisible barrier formed between him and the incoming blast, effectively protecting him and Torahime from harm. Tatsuya had forgotten about the mark until now. For once, he was glad to be its owner and greatly appreciated that it chose this exact moment to appear.

“What was that?” asked Torahime.

“Just something only I can do,” answered Tatsuya with a shrug. “Anyway, we got to take this guy down. How do you suppose we do that?” he asked the dragon slayer.

“Magic is weak against nature,” explained Torahime. “Nature absorbs magical energy in order to sustain itself.” She brought out a talisman and said, “Dragon Slaying Ninja Art: Vines of Wrath.” She threw the talisman and it disappeared. Suddenly, the ground under them began to shake and large cracks began to appear. Large green vines shot out of the cracks and quickly entangled the legs of the dragon. The Bakunawa roared as its magical energy was being absorbed by the vines—an almost transparent golden aura could be seen travelling from the dragon’s body into the green vines. “That should do it,” Torahime announced with a determined nod.

The dragon thrashed about and the runes around its body began to glow a mysterious blue color. And then its middle eye became a dangerous crimson color. A single red energy beam shot out of the eye and struck the vines, turning them into shriveled compost. It unleashed a victorious roar and again shot out a beam of red energy from its middle eye. However, the beam wasn’t aimed at Torahime nor Tatsuya; it was a stray shot that struck a nearby statue, cleanly cutting it in half diagonally.

As the top half of the statue was slowly falling off, Tatsuya could hear the terrified yelps of children. He quickly dashed over to the falling statue and noticed two kids, a boy and a girl, hugging each other with fearful tears in their eyes. It appeared that they weren't able to completely evacuate the area like everyone else. Adrenaline pumped through Tatsuya's body and his mind quickly went into overdrive as he desperately tried to figure out what to do. Without any room for doubt, he stood beside the children with his back to them. And then, with pure determination in his heart and a burning desire to help these kids, he swung his sword and shattered the falling statue half into a million pieces. Grey dust from the shattered pieces covered his hair and clothes. He turned to the kids and quickly told them, “Hurry and get out of here! It’s dangerous to be here any longer!” The kids scrambled to their feet and hurried out of the area.

Tatsuya quickly turned his attention to the dragon and tightly gripped his sword. He dashed forward with his sword drawn to slash its knees. However, the dragon noticed his movement towards it and stomped the ground. A shock wave of pure magical energy traveled through the ground and forced Tatsuya to fall down.

Meanwhile, Torahime had brought out another talisman and was about to use it when the dragon shot a very focused red energy beam from its third eye at her, forcing her to jump out of the way and disintegrating the talisman to ashes. She landed on one knee and decided on using a different strategy. She placed a talisman on her katana and said, “Dragon Slaying Ninja Art: Intertwining Branches of Life.” Suddenly, the talisman glowed a brilliant green color and covered the entire blade in the same light. Once the light settled, the blade of the katana was fully enveloped in leafy branches. It was like it became an entirely new sword. Torahime gripped the blade of her leaf covered katana and rushed forward. When the dragon attempted to unleash blasts of its magical energy on the dragon slayer, she simply placed the side of her blade in front of her and absorbed those magical blasts like a sponge. She had finally approached the dragon and got ready to execute a jump attack for its neck when its figure shimmered and then the dragon disappeared. Torahime landed on her feet and cursed to herself.

Tatsuya noticed the dragon’s disappearance and was bewildered that it could do such a thing. A giant shadow suddenly loomed over him. Tatsuya slowly turned around and couldn’t believe what he was saw—the dragon had reappeared right behind him. He gripped the hilt of his sword and jumped forward towards the dragon. He brought the sword to his side with the tip pointed straight at the beast, ready to stab it in the neck.

The dragon used its tail to try and swat Tatsuya away, but the Dragonborn quickly landed a slash on the dragon’s tail. The dragon roared in pain and stomped the ground in a fit. And then, in another astonishing show of its abilities, the dragon’s image flickered like a flame and projections of it began to split away from its body. Its body and projections then solidified. Now, in addition to the dragon that was the main cause of the commotion, there were six of the same beast. They gathered around Tatsuya and Torahime in a circle that surrounded the entire square.

“What the hell just happened?” muttered Tatsuya, dumbfounded by the entire situation.

“If I’m going to be honest with you, this is my first time going against a Bakunawa,” revealed Torahime unashamedly.

“Wow, this is actually the first time you told me something about yourself,” Tatsuya told her with a smirk.

“S-S-Shut up!” she snapped at him. “I’m only giving pertinent information! This is not me talking to you about myself in any way! As if I would do that! Humph!”

“So, how are we going to get out of this one?” Tatsuya asked her seriously.

A voice rang out from above them, drawing their attention to the skies. “Ring out thunder and let the world know of Druk’s might! Shatter my enemy into a million pieces and let their souls be offered to hell! Summon from the skies a rain of bolts that will split my foe apart! Lightning Rain!” A golden yellow ring appeared in the sky and covered the entire square. Suddenly, six giant yellow bolts of lightning shot down from the ring and struck each of the dragons. The copies ultimately disappeared and the main dragon fell down on its belly, scorched like coal and devoid of any further will to fight.

Once the battle was over, Tatsuya and Torahime exchanged confused glances. They weren’t exactly sure who did that, but the save was greatly welcomed. At that moment, Shurai walked up to them in a sprightly manner and wearing a bright and animated smile that Tatsuya had never seen before. “Shurai? What are you doing here?” asked Tatsuya.

“Just saved your butt from being destroyed, Tatsu-kun!” said Shurai with a laugh. Her voice was notably more energetic and spirited than before.

“T-That was you?” inquired Tatsuya in surprise.

“Of course!” replied the dragon princess. “Man, I haven’t felt like this in a long time! But that battle was great! Of course, you and your girlfriend took quite a bit of time. But my save right then was perfect, wasn’t it? Man, talk about arriving at the nick of time, am I right? Who knows what would happen? Oh, thank goodness I was here to help you. But that spell I cast was also pretty epic, right? I haven’t used that spell in a long time. I think the last time I did….” The princess continued on chattering and going off on tangents in rapid succession. Tatsuya had never seen her so animated before! Her constant babbling, accompanied by quick body movements and wild hand gestures, reminded him of hyper baby monkeys at the zoo.

“Listen!” interjected Torahime furiously. “I am not his girlfriend!” she declared spitefully. But those comments fell on deaf ears as Shurai continued on with her ramblings like a car without any brakes.

“Say, Shurai, have you always been hyper like this?” Tatsuya asked the dragon princess.

“Of course!” answered Shurai with a frantic nod. “Then again, I did consume a bag of candies. They were very colorful star-shaped candies! I think I might get addicted to them. Actually, can we get some on the way back home, Tatsu-kun?”

‘So this is what Druks must be like in their charged state,’ concluded Tatsuya.

“Is this girl normally this incorrigible?” asked Torahime.

“Well, I wouldn’t really know,” replied Tatsuya with a nervous laugh.

Instantly, Shurai’s expression transformed back into her default bored and lethargic look and all of her newfound energy quickly dissolved into nothingness. She had reverted back to her usual self, the self that Tatsuya was all too familiar with. She yawned and licked her lips. “I’m hungry,” she said in her regular dull but effectual voice.

“Ah, she’s back,” said Tatsuya. Torahime began to walk away, prompting Tatsuya to ask her, “Are you okay with this?”

Without turning around, she simply told him, “To be honest, I would rather prefer to finish the job. But I know that if I try to, you would just stop me like last time. Besides, I’m tired today, so you can do whatever you want. It doesn’t matter to me anyway.”

“Thanks,” he told her.

“Next time we meet, I will kill you!” she told him before walking off.

Tatsuya called Ingrid and explained the situation. In just a few minutes, the maid arrived and got started on her work. Tatsuya and Shurai then walked back home together. When he arrived back, Aika and Kanjomizu quickly made a big deal out of him returning home covered in grey dust. He reassured them that he was alright and immediately went in to take a shower. Today, a lot has happened. However, he knew that the days to come will be even more challenging. A feeling that something big is coming was slowly building up inside of him. Indeed, the break in the case they have received today is likely the beginning to something even bigger. Bigger and dangerous.