Editing Leviathan:Volume 7 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 1===

Urayasu City in Chiba Prefecture was on the coast of Tokyo Bay.

Located there was what used to be the nation's biggest theme park.

However, when the Old Tokyo Concession was established roughly twenty years ago, the former capital was turned into an uninhabited wasteland. The population in Tokyo and its surrounding areas was dramatically reduced.

Tourist numbers went down as a result and the theme park was moved to the Kanagawa area...

"If possible, I'd rather this be a usual raid."

A high-speed helicopter was flying over the former site of the giant theme park.

Riding a helicopter on a beeline to Tokyo Bay, Hal spoke quietly.

The visit to the Juujouji residence was already last night. The next morning at 5am, he had boarded the helicopter.

"Instead of attacking New Town, the invading Raptors yesterday gathered at a mysterious island that had ''suddenly appeared'' in Tokyo Bay... An elite or even higher ranked dragon must be behind this, no matter how you look at it."

"Senpai, so it must be a dragon king after all?"

"Either a dragon king or someone&mdash;or rather, a dragon&mdash;in the same position as me. That's the most likely case."

Hal replied to the only witch present in the helicopter cabin, Hazumi.

...At roughly 8pm last night, Raptors had flown down from satellite orbits. At the same time, a cataclysmic event happened in Tokyo Bay.

A sudden shift in the Earth's crust&mdash;

The seabed suddenly bulged up, producing an ''island'' within the span of merely one night.

Then a hundred Raptors gathered, circling over the island and its vicinity. The witches of New Town had exterminated them last night.

Nothing worthy of note had happened during the elimination process. The mission was accomplished without issue.

After exploring the island using investigative magic and drones equipped with night vision cameras, they finally made their way to the scene this morning.

"So that's the island huh..."

Coming into a view was an island floating all alone in Tokyo Bay.

It was roughly the area of a fort built on reclaimed land.

This piece of land was quite breathtaking. The center of the island rose up high, looking like an underwater volcano that had become active and surfaced from the ocean due to volcanic activity.

Hal sighed.

"Were these waters located near the Ogasawara Islands or the Izu Islands, it'd still be possible to explain this as volcanic activity along the Pacific Ring of Fire, causing an underwater volcano to surface."

"It took us less than thirty minutes to fly here from Tokyo..."

"Because this place is pretty close to Tokyo, after all."

This was not a part of the sea with tectonic activity. This part of Tokyo Bay was visible from the shore of Urayasu City&mdash;the former site of a large theme park.

Hal and Hazumi were sitting in the back seats with the cockpit in front of them.

The pilot and the co-pilot were seated in the cockpit, in charge of operating this JMSDF high-speed helicopter. They were currently on a mission.

"Excuse me. Please let us off here, just as the plan dictated," said Hal to the pilot and the co-pilot.

They were about to get on the island to start investigating.

However, it would be to risky to deploy their entire team at a clearly unsafe place.

Hence, the trio of Asya, Orihime, and Luna Francois were on standby at the theme park's former site. Hal took only Hazumi with him.

Her partner, Minadzuki, was also flying in front of the helicopter.

The emerald serpentine dragon was moving her gigantic body gracefully, swimming through the sky over the sea.

Normally, the job of entering a dangerous area as the vanguard should be left to the strongest witches such as Asya or Luna, but Hal had chosen Hazumi on purpose.

After a while, the helicopter landed on the rocky and uneven shore.

Hal and Hazumi were the only ones to disembark. The pilot and the co-pilot waited inside the helicopter. They were to fly away immediately if any emergency situation came up.

"Senpai. Minadzuki... is wary. She says there is a unpleasant smell&mdash;and it's a smell she has encountered before!"

"Figures, so it is someone from before, huh?"

For the time being, the two of them were making their way to the center of the island.

The center rose up like the peak of a mountain. One could even call the entire island a mountain.

However, it was a lifeless mountain of rock. Since it had been under the sea until half a day earlier, the lack of life was only normal. However, there was not even a single weed growing out of the ground.

Only rocks no matter where they went, it was a land devoid of vegetation.

Furthermore, the ground underfoot was moist from seawater, giving a sticky feeling when walking over it.

Fortunately, they had brought slip-resistant hiking boots. The two of them advanced to the center while taking care not to slip or fall. Suddenly, Hazumi cried out.

"Senpai, that's&mdash;!"

"I sort of guessed it, but I'd really prefer if I didn't have to meet him."

The giant body of a dragon suddenly appeared at the peak in the center of the island.

He had probably used teleportation magic. The dragon was ten-odd meters in body length, his silver scales glittering brilliantly under the sunlight.

Pavel Galad, the Tyrannos who had inherited the Rune of the Sword.

The peak where Pavel Galad had appeared was a few kilometers away from Hal and Hazumi's position.

Spreading his silver wings in leisure, he flew slowly towards them.

"It has been a while, Haruga Haruomi, successor to the dragonslaying Rune of the Bow."

Despite the distance between them, the silver dragon's youthful and beautiful voice reached Hal and Hazumi's ears with great clarity.

A type of sound transmission magic must have been used. Pavel Galad's voice was as clear as if he were speaking while standing in front of them. Hal responded normally since Pavel could hear him regardless.

"So it seems like you've been skulking around Tokyo lately?"

"Have I been discovered? You are truly a man not to be underestimated."

Despite having more than a kilometer betwen them, they could converse normally.

"So the reason why you've entered the stage openly... It's for ''that'', right? This time, you're going to have a showdown against Princess Yukikaze for real?"

"Oh? How rare to see you asking such a question."

"What do you mean?"

"Given your intelligence, I would expect you to know without needing me to explain."

"......"

"Needless to say, I returned only to cross blades with Princess Yukikaze. Nevertheless, Haruga Haruomi, you are an important rival too. I regard you as one that I must defeat..."

"I wish you could be more friendly to me, if possible."

Pavel Galad's gigantic body was flying straight towards them.

Slowly and carefully, he lowered his altitude. A double-edged longsword suddenly appeared in his right hand. It was a rugged silver sword.

Hal had seen this sword before. It was the manifestation of the Rune of the Sword...!

"Hohohoho, I hereby swear that I shall defeat you this time. No matter what obstacles I must surmount, I will be victorious against you!"

"Damn it! I don't want to see that sword ever again!"

An additional layer of pearly light surrounded the silver dragon that was wielding the dragonslaying sword.

Imperishable protection. This was the defensive barrier that Hal and others regarded as a valuable treasure too. Fully armed, Pavel Galad approached by air&mdash;And that was not all.

"I offer prayer to the seal in my possession, that of the Divine Sword of the Heavens. Let the thunder god's sword manifest here and now!"

"Uh, a finishing move right off the bat!?"

Nineteen magical symbols appeared along the blade of the dragonslaying sword.

All runes of Ruruk Soun. Hal had some recollection of this arrangement, which signified "I summon the thunder god's sword to unsheathe in haste"&mdash;

In the next instant, the dragonslaying longsword flashed with electrical radiance&mdash;

Together with the dragon wielding it, the sword descended upon Hal and Hazumi swiftly from above!

"Let my mystic sword serve as the signal to herald a new war. Here I come, Haruga Haruomi!"

"You're hot-blooded as always, never stingy with the big moves!"

Hal grumbled, looked at the witch beside him and requested, "I'm counting on you, Shirasaka!"

"Yes! Minadzuki&mdash;Protect us!"

Hazumi's order was quite vague, but for her partner, this was enough.

This leviathan was not only intelligent, but among Hal's comrades, the power she had mastered was also the most special and rare.

The serpentine dragon leviathan, Minadzuki, had been waiting ready behind them the whole time.

She charged head on towards Pavel Galad who was flying at them. Held in Minadazuki's right forelimb was a white jewel.

Inside that glowing orb, a magical symbol similar to a half moon appeared.

It was Hal's seal, the Rune of the Bow. After a long absence, the sword was finally reunited with the bow. These two powers of dragonbane&mdash;did not clash.

"Thanks, Minadzuki!"

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

The prayer of Hazumi and the howl of Minadzuki, a sacred beast rather than a demonic beast, resounded in all directions.

Fourteen runes of Ruruk Soun appeared behind the serpentine dragon leviathan's back. This arrangement signified "armistice," abandoning the use of force.

The runic arrangement for the lowering of weapons&mdash;enacted a miracle!

"Oh!?"

Pavel Galad was very shocked.

This was because the dragonslaying sword, enveloped in lightning of maximum power, had vanished from his hand.

The jewel held in Minadzuki's forelimb also disappeared at the same time. This was a mystic rite for sealing away the weapons and dragonslaying powers of both sides.

Only Hazumi and Minadzuki, a "serpent" that had awakened this kind of goddess power, were capable of using such a spell.

Seizing this opportunity to attack was Hal's job&mdash;

"Queen! Use a technique of assured annihilation!"

The giant dragon, standing twenty meters tall, instantly appeared.

It was Hinokagutsuchi's form in the past&mdash;The Crimson Queen. Enormous and dignified, it even made Pavel Galad look inferior in contrast.

The giant dragon, akin to Hal's avatar, was holding a bow in its right forelimb.

A crimson longbow. The dragonslaying bow. The queen nocked the arrow&mdash;an arrow of light and flame&mdash;drew the bow and shot it.

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!?"

Attacked by the arrow and the scorching blaze, Pavel Galad howled loudly.

Currently, twenty-one runes of Ruruk Soun had appeared overhead of the archer, the queen.

The arrangement signified "I will fire the sun-shooting divine bow at the sky, to exterminate the sun."

This was Hal's most powerful trump card. The result of mastering even King Solomon's legacy, the Rune of the Ring, meant that he was finally capable of firing the sun-shooting divine bow on his own.

&mdash;Sealing away both the enemy's and one's own power of dragonbane, then unleashing the most powerful attack.

Hal had chosen to bring Hazumi with him in order to execute this surprise attack.

Just as planned, the crimson arrow struck Pavel Galad directly. Wailing while scorched by intense flames capable of even burning dragons to ash&mdash;

"H-Hohohohohoho."

"Senpai!?"

"No way..."

Seeing the silver dragon laughing to himself despite being immolated, Hal muttered to himself.

Next to him, Hazumi was speechless. She knew better than anyone that the holy mystic technique of a goddess had definitely sealed away Galad and Minadzuki's powers of dragonbane.

However, the dragonslaying sword reappeared in the silver dragon's hand.

In addition, the sword was pointed straight at them. Using the tip of the sword, he blocked the arrow&mdash;the divine bow's arrow.

The arrow, capable of shooting down the sun, shattered that very instant.

Pavel Galad extended his longsword and seventeen runes of Ruruk Soun manifested on the body of the blade.

The arrangement signified "O blue sky, I beseech you to grant the sword god's favored affection unto my blade."

Hal widened his eyes. Blue-white flames surrounded the entire dragonslaying sword.

The flames were imbued with extremely powerful magic. Presumably because of the flames' effects, the dragonslaying sword's potency and magical power had greatly increased.

In the next instant, the ground underfoot shook violently, accompanied by a thunderous "BOOM!"

The Tyrannos who had defended against the surprise attack and technique of assured annihilation&mdash;Pavel Galad&mdash;landed on the ground.

"I thought we'd made that sword go away..."

"Do not underestimate me. For the sake of fighting you again, I too have made many preparations."

"Here you go again, doing things that dragons don't normally do..."

"What are you talking about? I learned all this from you. Precisely when you cannot match a formidable opponent in strength do you have to rack your brain and struggle with every power at your disposal. Hohohoho."

Having effortlessly countered Hal and Hazumi's surprise attack, Galad laughed with satisfaction.

If one were to use an RPG analogy, Pavel Galad would undoubtedly be a "hero"-class dragon and larger-than-life character. Hot-blooded and possessing excessive righteous fighting spirit.

However, in the case of the Road to Kingship where the dragon king's throne was the goal&mdash;

Confronting enemies head on, fair and square, could lead to death.

Now, Galad had finally grown accustomed to this excessively challenging and unfair game.

"You don't have to use me as a strategy guide..."

Every dog has its day.

Hal recalled this idiom&mdash;How uncharacteristic of his style.

During the battle against Princess Yukikaze before the summer break, Hal and allied temporarily with Pavel Galad. Perhaps what he had seen and experienced back then had changed him.

No matter what, this crisis must be resolved. Hal switched mindsets.

"...Huh?"

There was a strange feeling in his chest.

His heart&mdash;or rather, his heartmetal&mdash;was scorching. His entire body also heated up. Furthermore, something was also happening to the Crimson Queen.

The red body of the former dragon queen was entirely covered in ''flames''.

The intense blaze instantly expanded.

Using the sun-shooting divine bow had pulled some kind of trigger, as though turning heightened fighting spirit and magical power into burning flames&mdash;

Crap. At this rate, the Crimson Queen was going to ''awaken'' for real!

Hal was utterly terrified.

"S-Senpai? Are you okay...?"

Probably noticing the color was off in Hal's face, Hazumi inquired in concern.

As expected of the angel on earth, she was considerate and attentive. However, Haruga Haruomi was currently too preoccupied to answer. All he did was touch his chest&mdash;the area near his heart&mdash;in surprise.

The next instant...

"Fufufufufu. I, Yukikaze, smelled a fight and came to look. Surprisingly, it was you two."

An adorable and gallant voice descended from the sky.

Hal looked up. Just as expected, a girl dressed in a white one-piece dress entered his view. She was standing confidently on top of her "flying surfboard" of a magic wand, looking down with amusement at the silver dragon and Haruga Haruomi who were facing off on the ground.

"Hello again, both of you. I see that the two of you have taken great pains to prepare a venue worthy of receiving my presence. This place is not half bad!"

A nostalgic voice entered Hal's ears.

During the summer break, he had met Princess Yukikaze at Izu.

Watching with delight at the desperate struggles of the two lower-ranked Tyrannoi&mdash;This was the confidence and composure of the current queen.

The elusive dragon king, Princess Yukikaze, had arrived.