Editing Hagure Yuusha no Aesthetica:Volume 9 Chapter 2 (section)

===Part 8===

Zahhak.
 
It was an evil dragon known throughout the world of Alayzard, but at the same time also a higher-order lifeform.
 
The lair of the beast was in black mountain, and it also reigned over the whole island.
 
In the past -- Listy had fought against Zahhak once.
 
In the middle of the journey to defeat Demon king Galious with her comrades Akatsuki, Zechs, Loutier, she was asked to search for some adventurers who had not returned, thereupon the four had set off to black mountain.
 
During their search for the missing adventurers they had encountered Zahhak. The fight was almost immediately discontinued, and they withdrew. But after that incident, in addition to the race called dragons, she was made aware of the the power of a higher order creature, and regarded its existence close to a God.
 
-- After that......
 
She had learned that Phil Barnett had made a contract with Zahhak to come to this world in order to fight Akatsuki. At that time, it was said because it was a pact with a human as the catalyst, only about half of its original strength remained.
 
...... It seems this time its different.
 
Listy estimated her opponent's strength in her mind as she dodged the jet black dragon's fierce attack.
 
The battlefield was the vast open space in JPN-Babel's biggest battle arena.
 
It seems that what Listy was looking at was a program based on Zahhak.
 
It was about half of its original size, and also its dark body was different from the original Zahhak.
 
There was also no absolute barrier that belonged to a higher-order being.
 
However, it was the same as the beasts from the security program the "guardian beast system" that Haruka mentioned, normal physical attacks did not work, nor did magic.
 
Akatsuki had once again poured his ki into her magical staff, but both the size and strength of the dragon could nowhere be compared to hell hounds or cyclops from before.
 
In fact Listy had hit it a few times already, however she couldn't do any damage. The dragon not only had a huge size, its body was akin to a thick layer of armor itself, and impervious to her attacks.
 
Even if it was a different story for Akatsuki who can manipulate renkan keikikou, at least with Listy's physical strength it was virtually impossible to do anything.
 
Still, that was not the worst problem.
 
"Oh......!"
 
Listy jumped backward to avoid the sweeping claw of the jet black dragon.
 
She was not allowed to avoid the attacks by a hair's breadth, or else she would be wrapped up in the wind shear.
 
...... This pressure......!
 
Each time she dodged an attack, Listy could feel the cold sweat.
 
Although its size was smaller, its physical strength was probably at the same level as the original Zahhak.
 
Any kind of hit would be enough to end her life.
 
Therefore, Listy had to continuously invoke wind magic to fly, however rather than flying in air it was used for high speed movement.
 
Even though from the beginning she was at a disadvantage, Listy kept fighting in hopes of an opportunity to win would present itself.
 
It was an exceptionally bitter struggle.
 
Still -- she was unable to ask Akatsuki for help. Because,
 
....... Out of the question.
 
Listy momentarily glanced towrds at Akatsuki.
 
He was also fighting, but he was even worse off than herself.
 
There were four dragons in total that appeared.
 
And Listy was only in charge of dealing with one.
 
The remaining three were all left to Akatsuki to take care of by himself.
 
"AAAAAAAAAAhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
 
Akatsuki roared as he dodged the attacks from the three jet black dragons, and quickly charged ahead.
 
As he got close he delivered a slash with his black magic sword that cut the third dragon in half to its tail.  
 
Ignoring as it turned into particles of light, and disappeared, Akatsuki turned,
 
"Next one!"
 
After shouting, he went straight towards the remaining two dragons.
 
Therefore -- she too could not be defeated.
 
...... Anyway.
 
The dark dragon before her eyes was clearly restricted.
 
This was perhaps inconsideration that it was an indoors battle, the dragon never attempted to use the attack she was most cautious of, the ability to breathe fire.
 
....... This should be a blessing in disguise.
 
If it breathed out those kind of flames in the building. there was no guarantee they won't comprise the tower of Babel's structure. This sort of situation was something Hikami Kyouya definitely wanted to avoid.
 
-- Of course, even without being able to breath fire, the dangerous of the dragon wasn't lessened at all.
 
In order for Listy to withstand the fire breath she had been invoking multiple magic formations over and over again, so much so that she wouldn't even feel the any warmth from the attack. But now that it was being restricted the odds of Akatsuki and herself winning increased.
 
"-- I must absolutely win."
 
The reason why she came with Akatsuki was not that to become a burden on him.
 
So Listy focused her mind, and compressed the air around her to to the utmost limit.
 
And then unleashed it towards the dragon's head.
 
Her wind magic cut through the air in the atmosphere at an high speed.
 
-- A direct magical attack wouldn't have any effect, but Listy had a way.
 
Immediately before it hit the dragon Listy removed her magic compressing the air. The result was an intense shock wave, and an ear deafening explosion.
 
The impact and explosion sounds were directly driven into the dragon ears.
 
Having its head shaken to such a degree the jet black dragon became somewhat unsteady on its feet,
 
"--------"
 
Its gigantic body swayed, until it was forced to kneel.
 
Everything went as Listy hoped.
 
-- The inner ear of vertebrates were special.
 
It was comprised of three semicircular ducts controlling a sense of balance. Furthermore, the ear directly leads to the brain.
 
Upon receiving a heavy shock, even for something like a dragon it would still be temporary affected.
 
...... Now's the time!
 
Listy finally found her chance at victory.
 
She immediately closed in on the dragon with her flying magic, and as it was ascended to its head.
 
Then she firmly grasped her magical staff with both hands, and made a thrusting motion towards its neck.
 
-- The dragon reflexively swiped out with its claws to stop her from getting any closer.
 
However, in its disoriented state any sort of an attack from it would naturally miss,
 
"-!"
 
Then Listy suddenly gasped.
 
The huge razor like claw unexpectedly was coming from the lower right, and was on track to directly hit her.
 
It would be undoubtedly an instant death if she didn't avoid it. But,
 
"......! -- AAAAHhhhhhhhhhhhh!"
 
Listy chose not to dodge, or temporary retreat.
 
She had resolved herself already -- and accelerated forward without any hesitation.
 
At the same time, she unfolded many wind formations behind her.
 
Afterwards the chain reaction caused an explosive propulsion that sent Listy flying to the dragon's head.
 
As it was, she thrust her magical staff towards a gap between its teeth -- that was in the gigantic dragon's mouth.
 
Gakiiiiiiin!
 
A sharp sound noise echoed wildly.
 
The dragon had caught Listy's staff with its teeth.
 
At point-blank range, and left momentary at a standstill in the air, it was the dragon who acted first.
 
She watched as the dragon's right claw was raised, and then was swung down towrds her from overhead.
 
But, the moment before the claw had sliced her up into pieces,
 
"-- HAAA!"
 
Listy released all of Akatsuki's energy that he infused inside her magical staff, aw well as all the magic power in her body.
 
It was not to activate magic, but to produce an intense shock wave. The destruction wave rapidly swelled in the dragon's mouth -- with a loud bang the dragon's head was blown to pieces.
 
"I did it...... Yeah!"
 
Watching as the jet black dragon was turning into particles of light, Listy couldn't help feel a real sense of victory.
 
-- That was until another gigantic dragon had suddenly appeared.
 
"-!"
 
It should be one of the two that Akatsuki was facing.
 
When the dragon found its companion defeated, it changed its target to Listy.
 
It was already too late to react when Listy gasped.
 
She could only look on helplessly as its sharp fangs were about to bite her to death,
 
"I'm the one your fighting!"
 
Akatsuki had come over right above the dragon like a bullet, and stabbed into its head with his black devil sword. Then forced his sword all the way though its jaw, and into the dragon's shoulder.
 
"Ooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
 
Akatsuki shouted as he grabbed tight his sword hilt to draw it out.
 
The wide heavy blade split the dragon's jaw, and neatly came out from an incision between its eyebrows.
 
"And with this -- you'll be finished!"
 
Akatsuki deliberately released his hands holding on his sword as he motioned.
 
The black devil sword had been launched at astonishing speeds towards the remaining dragon. The sword had been filled full of his energy as it soundlessly passed through the abdomen of the dragon, and pierced into the ceiling of the arena.  
 
-- It marked the end to their battle within the arena.
 
The dragon that Akatsuki split its head open, and the one his sword went through turned into particles of light at the same time and disappeared.