The 5000-year-old Herbivorous Dragon

Chapter 38 – The torrent of darkness

『Guaaaa! Darkness! I am being swallowed by a torrent of darkness!! It is too overwhelminnggg! 』

That’s why I told you… I tried to stop you. I told you for your own good, you should’ve turned into a grasshopper and returned where you came from. You ignored me and look what happened――

While sympathizing with the resounding in my mind death throes, I reflected on the short memories we shared.

――――……

Due to the approaching evening coupled with the boredom of keeping watch, I was being overwhelmed by waves of sleepiness. Even if I stayed awake I wouldn’t be of much help anyhow; besides, Lady Saintess was keeping watch properly. Rēko, who needed an overseer at all times, was also asleep, so it should be fine for me to rest, right?

By the time my train of thought got there, the weight of my eyelids had already peaked and I was half-asleep.

The problem occurred a while after.

Suddenly the chills ran through my whole body while I was sleeping flat on the ground. I opened my eyes frightened and tried to move my body. However, it didn’t budge even an inch. It had to be the so called sleep paralysis. In my field of vision I saw the carefree Lady Saintess kneading and playing with mud, not even being able to move my mouth and call for help.

What the heck is happening? As I was bewildered in a petrified state, a voice echoed inside my mind.

『Kukuku… you fell for it thoroughly. You certainly did not think My Great Self would fall to such a trivial attack, did you?』

I wonder what does he mean by an attack? When I groaned (no voice came out due to sleep paralysis though), the mysterious voice snapped at me like he was angry.

『Stop acting the fool! You erased your heart’s maliciousness during my attempt to possess you, trying to purify me. That was quite a feat you accomplished, yet I still narrowly escaped the danger all the same. Afterwards, I erased my presence and bided my time in obscurity.』

『Ah, I see. You’re that spirit demon?』

I didn’t need to speak out, since it seemed he understood what I wanted to say just by thinking. Be that as it may, the misunderstanding was awful. That wasn’t a purification attack. It was only due to my way of living being unbelievably pathetic.

『What foolishness… Are you not at least one of dragon kind? The worst evil deed a member of the dragon kind, standing at the summit in terms of strength, had supposedly committed is “Hogged a tree with delicious leaves all to myself”? Such nerve to jest, even if the heavens allow it? I would never accept it.』

『It’s a misunderstanding. Strictly speaking, I’m more of a lizard than a dragon. I don’t have magic power, and I also don’t have any strength.』

The spirit demon turned silent. However, I acutely felt a flare of seething wrath after a moment. His pride must have been hurt, being nearly annihilated by a mere lizard.

『Well… nevermind. At any rate, I shall have you pay the price for insulting me. The one who is with you―― that girl with the dreadful magic power. I will capture her, and turn you into dust using her magic power.』

『I’m telling you this for your own good. You better reconsider laying your hands on her. There’s no way it’s going to turn out well.』

『Hmph… A shameless deception. Are you so fearful of me obtaining that power?』

I wondered what I should do. It was like he couldn’t understand what I was saying. I felt as if a child, who wanted to play at the storehouse with the easily flammable hay, was telling me “Are you so fearful of me playing there?” Clearly he was the one who would be exposed to danger.

『I mustn’t forget to voice my thanks for how well it went. When I possessed that water demon, the girl had not given up her vigilance for a split second. It would have been impossible to take hold of her even if I came in contact, and if I made a wrong move, she might have annihilated me along with the water demon.』

It looked like Rēko had been overflowing with bloodlust when I wasn’t paying attention. Scary.

『However, after transferring into you, her alertness has disappeared completely. So much so that she now sleeps defenceless upon your back. Taking hold of her now is a simple matter.』

It wasn’t good. If it went on like this, he’d pick a fight with Rēko. I desperately concentrated my mind and prayed silently.

『I’ve hogged a tree with delicious leaves all to myself. I’ve hogged a tree with delicious leaves all to myself…』

『You are wearing on my nerves. You surely cannot be presuming it to be some sort of convenient incantation with guaranteed effectiveness. Besides already acclimating to your lack of maliciousness, I have also replenished my magic power using the form which possessed the silver dragon. The powerless breath you were struck with was a replenishing cluster of magic power my other form sent forth. If I have that much, I will be able to take action briefly, even if it is inside you.』

I wonder if it’s like breathing in an air bag? As far as I understand, my insides seem to be an uncomfortable place to live for that spirit demon.

『Well, enough… I can finally say my farewell to this place. I now will obtain the supreme vessel. With that much strength, I will be the one to sit upon the very throne of darkness. Without a doubt I will be able to cross my swords with the Demon King, whom I have yet to meet. The one standing at the apex is going to be ME!』

『Hello, can’t you hear me? I’m telling you, you should definitely give it up. Just change back into the grasshopper demon and go back. Otherwise, you’ll end up regretting it.』

『Silence, you good-for-nothing filthy lizard! Tearing you apart will be the first thing I will do after possessing this girl! Buahaha, you fool!』

While the spirit demon was overflowing with disdain and repeatedly calling me names, the sleep paralysis cast on my body was cleared like a receding tide. It seemed he began moving towards my back, trying to possess Rēko. The abusive voice I had heard in close proximity became like an echo in the mountains.

However, that voice soon turned into a loudly echoing scream.

『Guaaaa! Darkness! I am being swallowed by a torrent of darkness!! It is too overwhelminnggg! 』

I knew it… When I turned my head to take a look, I saw the Rēko in question still peacefully sleeping.