Chapter 196: Hakua's Prank

“Halt-sama. A strong aura is approaching us at high speed.”

Tina noticed something drawing near, so she sat up.

“How strong is it?”

“It’s... probably stronger than me.”

“Eh!?”

Stronger than Tina, the world’s most powerful magic knight? That was concerning.

I hoped it wasn’t heading for us, but—

“T-this is...”

“What happened?”

“Ryuka and Hakua’s mana are mixed in with it.”

“No way.”

If their mana was involved, its destination was definitely here. But what could it be?

If Ryuka and Hakua were with it, maybe it was connected to dragons? I hoped it wasn’t an enemy...

“I’m going to check it out. The academy could be in danger if a fight breaks out.”

“Indeed. Then I will too—”

“Tina, you rest. You’re tired, right?”

Tina had lifted her upper body, her negligee shifting as she moved, but I gently pushed her back onto the bed.

She fell onto the bed with a soft *plop*.

“B-but—”

“It’s fine. I’ll handle it.”

I kissed her lightly and patted her head before teleporting toward Ryuka’s bracelet.

---

“Eh, Halt—!”

“Ryuka!”

I teleported beside Ryuka, but the dragon clutching them was flying too fast. I was left behind in an instant.

I quickly used wind magic to compress the air beneath me, forming a foothold so I could float. However, I wasn’t as skilled as Tina, who could fly effortlessly.

Ryuka and Hakua were trapped in the red dragon’s claws, but they didn’t seem injured. Still, I couldn’t be sure, so I chased after the dragon.

Using my magic suit to enhance my speed, I created footholds in the air and dashed across the sky. But the dragon was too fast. Despite running at full speed, the distance between us kept growing.

As they began to fade from earshot—

“Halt!!! Help!!”

Hakua’s scream reached my ears. It reached me.

---

“Hakuryuu, did you say something?”

The Sekiryuu, flying at top speed toward the source of Halt’s soul scent, heard Hakua shout. However, the wind drowned out her voice, as the Dragon God had forgotten to use magic to reduce the noise.

He didn’t hear what Hakua said, but it didn’t matter. His real mistake was holding Ryuka and Hakua in his claws.

Suddenly, something flashed in front of the Dragon God. It disappeared just as quickly.

At the same moment, pain shot through his claws.

“—AAARRRGGGH!?”

His claws had been severed.

Before the Dragon God could react, he spiraled downward, overcome by the sudden pain.

During that time, I lowered Ryuka and Hakua safely to the ground after severing the dragon’s claws with Hakoku.

“It’s okay now. I’ll kill that thing.”

Without waiting for a response, I launched into the sky once more.

“H-Halt! That esteemed person is—”

Ryuka called out, but I had already surrounded the dragon with thousands of flaming spears.

“Fire Lance!!!”

The flaming spears shot toward the Dragon God, piercing his body one after another.

But the Dragon God was a deity.

Even though the Sekiryuu had high resistance to magic, this one had reached the status of a deity. A few thousand spears, each consuming just two mana points, weren’t enough to inflict serious damage.

Still, the constant barrage prevented the Dragon God from moving.

He waited, knowing his chance would come when the spears stopped.

(Just endure for a few more seconds. They’ll weaken soon, and then it’ll be over for him.)

Though he couldn’t open his eyes due to the spears piercing his face, he could sense where I was.

(I don’t know who this mage is, but he attacked a deity. I’ll make him regret it.)

The Dragon God began imagining ways to make me suffer.

Seconds passed, yet the attack didn’t slow.

(Tsk, annoying. He has a lot of mana, huh.)

Tens of seconds passed, but the flaming spears only increased.

(What is happening?)

Unable to shout from the constant barrage, the Dragon God began to panic.

Deities didn’t have typical flesh bodies. When they manifested in the Human Realm, they did so with the strongest form possible. Yet, this body was beginning to reach its limit.

He attempted to escape to the Divine Realm using a teleportation portal exclusive to deities, but it was blocked.

(I-impossible! Is this mage a deity?)

He tried to counterattack, but every spell was negated before he could even release it. It was as if I knew exactly what he was trying to do.

Minutes passed. His wings and arms, once guarding his body, fell limp as his enormous form plummeted to the ground.

I stopped my attack and descended, approaching the dragon.

“Die!!!”

The dragon suddenly rose, attacking with his fully regenerated right claw.

But his sharp claws didn’t touch me.

“—Huh?”

I didn’t even flinch as he attempted to strike me. Instead, I raised my right hand.

The Dragon God looked up and froze.

“W-what the heck is that…”

A colossal pillar of flames loomed above the Dragon God’s head, so massive that he couldn’t see its top.

“You made a mistake trying to harm my wives. Goodbye.”

“Eh, wai—”

“Fire Lance!!!”

The Sekiryuu, once resistant to fire, was reduced to a charred husk by the sheer intensity of my fire magic, without a chance to defend.