Unlimited Fafnir:Volume 7 Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - "Black" Vritra

Part 1

Turning the clock back slightly earlier—At Mitsuki's currently uninhabited house in Nanato City.

The second-floor bedroom was occupied by a heavy atmosphere.

The crossdressing girl, Jeanne Hortensia, remained unconscious, lying on the bed. While pressing on her right hand, whose dragon mark was changing color, Kili was on the bed, examining Jeanne's sleeping face.

Sitting on the bed's edge, Vritra stared out the window.

Having moved futons from the adjacent room to lay out on the floor, Tia, Lisa and Firill were watching Vritra and Kili.

There was no electricity in this house and the flashlights they had brought were switched off, hence the room was dark. However, due to the moonlight and starlight streaming in from the window, they could still discern one another's facial expressions.

"...Mononobe-kun and the others will be okay, right? Maybe they've already started fighting the Kraken."

Firill wondered in worry.

"No need to worry. By now, Mononobe Yuu and Iris-san have replicated dragon powers in addition to Mitsuki-san. The situation is more favorable compared to the Kraken battle two years ago."

"If it's Yuu and the others... They'll surely win."

Tia rubbed her eyes drowsily while agreeing with Lisa.

But after listening to them, Vritra suddenly spoke up.

"'Twould be a grave mistake if ye regard the enemy as the Kraken."

"Huh?"

Firill and the girls looked at Vritra in surprise. Originally observing Jeanne, Kili also looked back with an incredulous expression.

"Born from the mate, offspring betwixt a dragon and a D. To me who standeth as the mother of Ds, 'tis tantamount to my grandchild."

Vritra spoke calmly while Lisa watched her warily.

"...What are you implying?"

"This is the birth of a hybrid dragon inheriting mine and the Kraken's authorities, the second generation I have long anticipated."

After replying Vritra got off the bed and approached the window.

"Hybrid dragon? Second generation? What do you know about the Kraken's child?"

Firill asked with a frown.

"—Everything. The genes allowing you Ds to wield mine authority... Everything is engraved upon them. Everything is preordained. After encountering Yggdrasil's obstruction, I continued using Hekatonkheir to spread genes. These efforts have finally bore fruit."

Vritra's shoulders shook as she laughed happily.

"Mother, you seem to have gotten talkative suddenly. What are you planning?"

"......"

Kili asked with nervousness in her voice. Vritra opened the window without saying a word. Instantly, the night's chilly breeze blew into the room, causing the girls' hair to flutter in the wind.

"Although I don't know Mother's plan entirely, I can guess the gist, so allow me to say this: Don't do anything unnecessary. So long as Tia, capable of controlling Yggdrasil, and he are present... Mother's plan is not needed."

Staring into the black pupils of her mother, Vritra, Kili asserted.

"He...? Dost thou truly believe that irregular is Neun?"

"Not just me but Yggdrasil also wanted to obtain him—obtain Yuu—hence he must be..."

"Even if thy speculation proveth to be correct, I will still achieve mine objective personally."

Vritra interrupted Kili in a fierce tone of voice. Unable to understand the conversation, left on the side, Lisa and the girls stood up, sensing the unusual atmosphere.

"Don't do anything rash! Tia will stop you if you're plotting something!"

With lightning erupting from her horns, Tia glared at Vritra.

"Yggdrasil's core huh... Indeed, in front of thee, control of my dark matter would be wrested away, however... 'Tis a separate matter for things that are already created."

The room suddenly dimmed. Something was blocking the starlight.

"If 'tis necessary to fight ye, I only need to engage using a physical vessel whose transmutation is complete. Just like the time when using Hekatonkheir to challenge Yggdrasil."

Strong wind blew in from the window, causing the frame to shake nonstop. Small items inside the room also began to fly.

With long black hair fluttering in the wind, Vritra smiled proudly.

"A human body is truly inconvenient, requiring rest no matter what."

"Eh...?"

After hearing what Vritra said, Tia's expression instantly froze.

"Hast thou not realized? Though only for a brief moment, thou dozed off just now. Hence, seizing that opening, I created a stand-in capable of fighting without relying on dark matter."

A giant dragon's head appeared outside the window. Its body was covered in a black exterior resembling armor. The opened jaws were lined with rows of sharp teeth.

Blowing into the room in place of the night breeze was the dragon's warm breath.

"What—"

While everyone was shocked by the scene, Vritra jumped out of the window into the dragon's mouth.

"Tia will protect Kili!"

Tia spread her arms and stood in front of Kili, trying to defend her.

"I shan't show any mercy if you wish to fight!"

Lisa and Firill summoned their fictional armaments and stood on guard at Tia's left and right.

"You..."

Seeing Tia and the others defending her, Kili looked quite surprised.

Standing in the dragon's mouth, Vritra looked at them and laughed as though she found things ludicrous.

"Ye seem to be mistaken. I have no intention of taking my daughter away. Now that the second generation is born, 'tis not necessary for me to obsess over one mate."

"...What do you mean?"

Firill frowned and asked. Vritra simply shrugged.

"Meaning that to me, rather than the targeted D, priority goeth to the existence capable of exterminating the second generation."

Displaying a smile on the corners of her lips, Vritra issued her declaration. The dragon's giant jaws immediately clamped shut.

Swallowing Vritra's girl form, the black dragon flapped its gigantic wings.

"Freeze!"

Ignoring Tia's command, the dragon stand-in flew into the starry sky.

"Move aside—Laevateinn!"

Kili leaned forward from behind Tia and fired a red heat beam at the distant black dragon.

However, the black dragon swerved and dodged the beam, rising in altitude and speed.

"Where does Vritra intend to go!?"

"The existence capable of exterminating the second generation... That might be referring to Mitsuki who can use antimatter."

Firill answered Lisa's question. Listening to their conversation, Kili nodded in agreement.

"That has to be it. She chose her direction without hesitation... She must have placed some kind of marker on Yuu and the others. We must give chase now, Tia! Her dark matter must be sealed away, or else Yuu and the others will be at a severe disadvantage!"

"O-Okay!"

Tia nodded frantically in response to Kili, but just as the two of them were about to jump out the window, Lisa called them back.

"Please wait! If Vritra is heading to Mitsuki-san at the NIFL base, Kili-san will be in danger if she goes. I will stay behind with her as her bodyguard. Tia-san and Firill-san, you chase Vritra together!"

"...Let's go, Tia."

Firill extended her hand with a serious expression.

"Got it!"

Tia held Firill's hand. Summoning their fictional armaments, they jumped out the window to chase the black dragon.

After watching Vritra and the girls leave, Kili turned her gaze to Lisa beside her.

"To think I would be under your protection—What an unbelievable feeling. Aren't you afraid to be alone with me after I almost killed you last time?"

"...I am certainly not afraid. Moreover, I do not consider myself weaker than you are."

Lisa turned her face away and answered in displeasure.

"Oh dear, that really doesn't sound like words that should be coming from someone who was completely helpless against me."

"I simply did not have the mental preparation and skills to fight humans at the time. Now—I am different. After losing to you, I came to understand... In order to protect those I wish to protect, there are times when I must fight things other than dragons."

After saying this, Lisa looked out the window.

"Oh... So even if NIFL's special forces attack, you'll help me get rid of them?"

"Indeed. No matter what kind of entity comes, I will protect you. You can rest assured on this fact."

Kili felt disappointed that her sarcastic question was answered by Lisa so confidently.

"...How arrogant."

Sighing deeply, Kili shifted her gaze away uncomfortably.

Part 3

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