Editing Leviathan:Volume 2 Chapter 3 (section)

===Part 3===

"Contemporary humans refer to sapient dragons as elites... Between dragons, they are known as the Zizou."

After a sip of coffee, Sophocles began to explain tirelessly.

"Actually, all of the Zizou share a common objective. Namely, to seek eligibility to enter the Road to Kingship, vowing to reach this road's endpoint no matter what it takes."

"All elites?"

Hal muttered and peered at Hinokagutsuchi's face. Regarding the explanation given by the man who seemed to be her old acquaintance, the girl who called herself the devil shrugged then crossed her arms. She looked like she intended to listen quietly.

Meanwhile, the dumbstruck Orihime was listening intently to what Sophocles had to say.

"Indeed, that is the nature of the creatures known as the Zizou. Following the Road to Kingship to the very end is their ultimate wish. It is for this purpose that they raise their intelligence and hone their magic so as to allow the mysterious power of runes to inhabit their resilient bodies..."

"This 'kingship' you speak of... Would that be referring to the dragon kings?"

In response to Hal's question, Sophocles looked straight at him and nodded firmly.

"Correct, becoming dragon kings is precisely the cherished wish of all Zizou. However, the key to the Road to Kingship is not easy to find. For the sake of their quest, the Zizou wander between the earth's surface and underground, dive to the very depths of the sea, and even fly to the sky to enter the domain of the stars."

Hal could not help but look at his right hand. The hand where the Rune of the Bow resided.

At this moment, Sophocles smiled. That being said, it was extremely faint.

"Your comprehension is very strong, young man. Your imagination is correct. That dragonslaying rune is precisely the key for entering the Road to Kingship&mdash;It is what makes you eligible."

Sophocles whispered solemnly as though reciting a prayer.

"That is precisely why the Zizou bear a grudge towards those who inherit the power of dragonbane. In their eyes, these inheritors are beings who could potentially become dragon kings faster than them. To those who have stepped foot into the Road to Kingship, they give the title Tyrannos&mdash;false kings. Their desire to kill these false kings at every opportunity is completely driven by these feelings of hatred and jealousy."

"So that's why Soth saw me as a thorn in his side..."

"O young man, I know not whether you have the passion for advancing along the Road to Kingship, but you must become strong in order to survive. No matter what kind of dragon comes to challenge you, you must repel them then exterminate them in turn. Since you cannot commit suicide easily, this is your only recourse."

"C-Can't commit suicide? What do you mean by that?"

"The dragonslaying runes are the supreme symbols of Ruruk Soun. Even though their forms have changed, they have endured to this day since the ancient age of myths. A mark of indestructibility. Bearers of such runes cannot possibly die so easily."

Sophocles stared at Hal with an extremely sincere expression.

"The runes confer imperishable indestructibility to a certain extent, but of course, not to the point of invincible immortality. It is essentially impossible to die by hanging yourself. If you intend to commit suicide, then be prepared to spend a commensurate number of years to make perfectly thorough preparations."

Hal gasped. Next to him, Orihime also felt shocked.

The cheerful classmate, who was always as bright and cheerful as the sun, went pale this time.

"Be that as it may, young man, if you intend to die, there is no need to worry. Just devote your full effort to fighting powerful dragons. Warriors capable of challenging usurpers should have various mystical techniques in their arsenal to destroy imperishable bodies."

"......"

Leaving Hal speechless, Sophocles brought his cup to his lips. Perhaps the coffee had gone cold already, so he finished it in one go. Then he said:

"Please feel free to summon me any time if you make up your mind to follow the Road to Kingship to become a dragon king."

"S-Summon you?"

"Indeed. By ''conquering water, sky and earth'', successors to the power of dragonbane can become even stronger. If you wish for power as befits kingship, do consider what lands you intend to conquer then make a proposal as a trial. The more you increase your territories, the greater your power will grow, while at the same time, the closer you will get to becoming a dragon king..."

"Y-You're saying that I can become a dragon king?"

"It might take years, decades or even centuries before you ascend to the throne. O young man, I hope you will survive well before that day arrives."

Sophocles made that faint smile of his in the end, thereby ending the explanation.

However, Hal retorted strongly:

"Hold on, there's a decisive point of contention in what you said just now. I'm a human, not a dragon. How can I possibly become a dragon king!?"

"Racial difference does not constitute any barrier."

In contrast, Sophocles answered very calmly.

"In the past, the type of non-dragon creatures known as 'hybrid' dragons&mdash;In truth, they were unexpectedly commonplace. Of course, pure dragons were very numerous too."

Hybrids, pure dragons. Getting a vague sense of the meaning of these words, Hal instantly felt his spine run cold.

"You mean they were humans to begin with but transformed into dragons...?"

A complete transformation of ordinary humans, reborn as dragons. This was totally unheard of, yet Hal found himself unable to laugh.

His terrifying experience with the Rune of the Bow prevented him.

"However, it is fine too if you have no intention of becoming a dragon king."

"......"

"Speaking of which, it is rather curious how among the dragon kings, there are many who remain indifferent to the Road to Kingship despite having obtained the power of dragonbane, devoting themselves to single-minded pursuit of their own paths. This includes King Hannibal for instance. The same goes for Princess Yukikaze. Perhaps that approach might suit you more."

After Sophocles finished, Orihime finally spoke up for the first time in a while. With a fearful expression, she asked:

"Knowing so much, who on earth are you...? One would think you're a dragon too...?"

"No, priestess. He is human."

Instead of Sophocles, it was Hinokagutsuchi who answered.

"Like all of you here, this man is human. During the height of heavenly Hyperborea in the past, he was known as an unrivaled sorcerer. He was a priest who served ancient gods. At the same time, he is also an immortal who has obtained eternal life."

Finally breaking her silence, Hinokagutsuchi spoke with mockery in her tone.

Hal glared at Sophocles and felt compelled to ask:

"Why would someone like that side with the dragons...?"

"Rather than siding with the dragons, I simply play the role of facilitator in the Road to Kingship game where the exceptional existences called dragon kings are born. In other words, I run errands. You can even call it fanning the flames."

"Fanning the flames?"

"Yes. I simply wish to watch. Using these eyes to witness the world in flames due to the conflagrations known as dragon kings, the dazzling light given off by life and chaos&mdash;"

These were his last words before he left. A spring breeze blew by.

Then Sophocles vanished, as suddenly as he had appeared. Hal silently shook his head then sighed.