A boy raised by a demon king and a dragon king seems to be peerless in his school life.

Volume 11 Chapter 10 Rumbling

“…So it’s come to this.”

Pirate Captain Cindy muttered as she watched the scene in front of her.

Unfolding before her eyes was a fierce battle that exceeded her imagination. Ruisha and Captain Bat clashed with all their might.

“Haahhh!!”

“Ora ora ora!!”

Ruisha skillfully evaded the opponent’s attacks and delivered sharp strikes, while Bat abandoned defense and attacked relentlessly. Their combat styles could be described as contrasting.

To an onlooker, Ruisha, landing hits repeatedly, seemed to have the upper hand. However, Bat, being a robust skeleton, was tough, and he couldn’t inflict damage as he desired. If the opponent had a human body, the outcome would likely have been decided by now.

“He’s so tough… My fists feel like they’re going to break…!”

“What’s wrong? Is it over already!?”

Laughing triumphantly, Bat unleashed a powerful blow.

Ruisha guarded against the punch with both arms, but sharp pain shot through the area he guarded. It seemed pointless to defend like this.

“If I stay on the defensive, I’ll lose. I need to keep attacking, attacking, attacking!”

With determination, Ruisha’s right eye underwent a transformation.

Eyes like a fierce beast—resembling those of a dragon. It was the “Dragon Eye” inherited from the Dragon King. When Ruisha activated these eyes, his body became more dragon-like, and his Qi and strength increased significantly.

“Dragon Technique: Dragon Star Fist – Ryuuseiken!!”

A punch charged with the power of the dragon pierced Bat’s abdomen.

The force of this blow far exceeded Butt’s expectations, and his bones made a loud, creaking sound as they were pushed to their limits.

“Ga…ah!?”

Bat, sent flying forcefully, bounced off the ground three times before finally rolling on the ground.

He didn’t immediately get up and lay sprawled on the ground, unmoving.

“I haven’t… defeated him, have I?”

Ruisha remained vigilant.

He could still sense an incredible fighting spirit emanating from the opponent’s body. Furthermore, Bat was a formidable opponent, awakening to the Royal Emblem. He understood well that he wasn’t an easy opponent to defeat with a single blow.

“…Not bad at all.”

Bat spoke while lying down, then slowly rose.

His face was filled with a sense of contentment.

“I’ve fought strong guys even when I was alive. Pirates, marines, fierce monsters—I’ve brawled with all sorts. But having a fight this intense is a first. Heh, dying doesn’t seem too bad either.”

“It’s an honor to receive such praise from a legendary pirate. If you think that way, I’d be even happier to let you pass further.”

“Well, that’s an impossible request. I’d love to share a drink with you, but I have my own circumstances. I can’t let anyone pass here, no matter how many.”

Bat declared firmly, with a sharp glare in his eyes.

His words conveyed a resolute decision. It seemed impossible to resolve this through words alone.

“I’m worried about everyone. It doesn’t seem good to let this drag on any longer…”

Ruisha muttered, his expression grim.

There was a high likelihood that his comrades were still in danger while he remained here.

(There’s no choice. I’ll have to use the Demon Dragon Mode…)

Just as he was considering using his trump card, an anomaly occurred.

“Buooooooooo!!!!”

An enormous explosion resounded suddenly in the deep sea.

It was a sound like a terrifying roar, echoing as if it came from the depths of hell—a low, dreadful noise. Ruisha’s skin crawled as he heard it.

“What…!?”

Simultaneously, Ruisha sensed a fearsome presence.

An eerie aura, dark, deep, and slimy, unlike anything he had experienced before. This aura engulfed the island sinking into the deep sea in an instant.

Ruisha thought Captain Bat had done something and looked at him. However, even he seemed flustered, exclaiming, “Is this a joke!?” It appeared that he wasn’t the one causing this disturbance.

“Hey, kid! Could it be that you guys have more allies with you!?”

“Uh, y-yes.”

“Dammit! That makes sense! No way you two would’ve come this far on your own!”

Bat muttered curses and held his head, evidently something really bad was happening.

“They say not to stop fighting and drinking halfway, but we’ve ended up in a situation where we can’t afford to say that. Sorry, but I’ll have to postpone this fight.”

Saying so, Bat turned his back to Ruisha and ran towards the center of the island, leaving him behind abruptly.

Ruisha, interrupted abruptly, was left alone in that spot.

“…What was that?”

Releasing the Dragon’s Eye and relaxing, Ruisha wondered.

He had been somewhat exhausted, but he didn’t have major injuries, and he had managed to conserve the Demon Dragon Mode. If he could end it with this after battling such a formidable enemy, he considered it a win.

“Are you alright, Ruisha?”

“Cindy-san.”

Cindy rushed to Ruisha and checked on him.

Though there were some minor cuts and bruises on his body, there were no significant external injuries. His expression was normal, and he didn’t seem to be seriously hurt.

They had engaged in such an intense battle, yet it seemed to end with just this. Cindy was amazed by this.

Certainly, she also possessed the emblem of the ‘King of the Seven Seas’. Her abilities would likely rank high on a global scale.

However, she didn’t feel confident about defeating the boy standing in front of her.

“You seem fine, but it’s a good idea to drink a healing potion just in case. We might have to fight again.”

“Thank you. Here goes.”

After downing the healing potion, Ruisha turned his gaze in the direction Captain Bat had run.

“Shall we go?”

“Yeah, let’s do that.”

The two of them prepared to chase after Captain Bat, but then they noticed a figure approaching them.

“…Wait up?”

A voice came from behind.

Ruisha and Cindy quickly turned around. There stood… a skeleton.

The skeleton was dressed in clothes, but other than that, it was no different from the other skeletons. It lacked the distinctiveness of Captain Bat.

“Who are you…?”

“Uh, don’t be so wary. I mean you no harm.”

The skeleton showed no hostility, spreading its arms wide.

Ruisha, not sensing the presence of a formidable opponent from the skeleton, decided to lower his guard for now and listen to what it had to say.

“I understand. I’ll talk to you.”

“Oh, thank you. I appreciate it.”

The skeleton spoke while clacking its jawbones.

“I knew you weren’t just ordinary thieves when I saw the fight with the captain.”

At the mention of the captain, Ruisha reacted slightly.

It seemed that the skeleton before them had been on Captain Bat’s ship.

In the legends, Captain Bat vanished along with his ship. The crew that was with him also disappeared. It wouldn’t be surprising if they were on this island.

“Surely you didn’t come here just for treasure. There must be a different reason. Am I right?”

Ruisha fell silent in response to the question.

It was true that treasure was a reason, but not for the sake of wealth. It was for the legacy of the hero he was said to possess. He couldn’t honestly discuss this here.

Cindy, too, remained silent, her face serious.

Observing them, the skeleton said, “Well, I won’t force you to speak. Everyone has their reasons.

“More importantly, I want you to know why the captain is acting like a guardian in the depths of the sea.”

At the skeleton’s words, Ruisha and Cindy became serious.

That was one of the things they most wanted to know right now.

“Could you please tell us?”

“Yeah. But this story will take a bit of time. I’ll tell you while we chase after the captain.”

“Understood.”

The three of them started running in the direction Captain Bat had headed.

◇

Volume 11 Chapter 11 Awakening

―――― Just before an abnormality occurred on the island.

Sharo and Iris, exploring the island together, had reached the central part of the island.

There were no trees, and it was an open area.

“This seems like a place where we’d notice if someone came.”

“Yes. It’s better to wait here than wander around aimlessly and miss the rendezvous.”

The two decided to take a break and wait for their companions at this location.

As they went further into the center of the open area, they came across a crumbling structure.

“What’s this? Clearly man-made, isn’t it?”

“…Yes. Perhaps a stone house. Judging by the extent of decay, it must be quite ancient.”

The remnants of what used to be buildings, once homes.

It clearly indicated that people had lived here at some point.

“Someone lived at the bottom of the sea like this?”

Sharo tilted her head.

She wondered if there could really be others who could come to a place like the bottom of the sea.

On the other hand, Iris observed the remnants closely and said.

“Perhaps this island was once above the sea. These rocks look similar to the ones used in the port town of Lasisco. It’s realistic to assume they were transported from there by sea.”

“So this island wasn’t originally at the bottom of the sea, but something happened and it sank? How on earth could something like that happen?”

“I don’t know. But if we think of it that way, it makes sense.”

The legendary pirate Captain Bat. The reason he could reach this underwater island was unknown. If he had aimed for the bottom of the sea from the beginning, the preparations would have been something extraordinary.

However, no such records existed. He set off from the port like any other voyage and never returned.

“Maybe Captain Bat initially came to this island while it was still above the sea, and for some reason, they both sank together. That would make sense.”

“Well, that certainly fits if you think about it that way, but why would that happen? In normal circumstances, you’d think they’d sink it to hide a treasure. But would anyone go through all that trouble?”

“That’s true. Once sunk, you can’t turn the hard-earned treasure into money.”

After examining the remnants of the building for a while, Iris stood up. She had hoped to find some clue, but due to the effects of sea wind, the decay was severe, and there was nothing to be found.

“If the Pirate King were alive, the mystery would be solved, but well, a human can’t live that long… huh?”

As Sharo spoke while looking around, she noticed something and reacted.

It was a stone well.

Placed alone away from the building, it exuded an odd presence.

“What’s wrong, Sharo?”

“…That well over there, it gives off an eerie vibe.”

“Really? I don’t feel anything.”

Iris carefully observed the well.

It was a completely ordinary, unremarkable well. She didn’t sense any magical properties.

However, Sharo felt something ominous from it.

“What should we do? Should we approach and investigate?”

“…No, I think it’s dangerous for us to approach it alone. It’s better to investigate with everyone once we regroup.”

Seeing Sharo’s serious expression as she spoke, Iris also tightened her own expression. Perhaps there was something that only the bloodline of a hero could sense.

“I understand. If you say so, let’s do that.”

Saying that and about to turn away from the well, they heard a clattering sound coming from it.

“――――!!”

Both of them instantly took a defensive stance, watching the well. What was going to happen? They were on maximum alert when a human hand emerged from the well.

Sweat trickled down Sharo and Iris’s faces. Their hearts thumped loudly, and their breathing became heavy.

The hand that emerged from the well slowly grasped its edge and then crawled out. The person who appeared from there was someone they knew.

“Ugh… ah…”

“V-Viness!?”

Seeing her cousin weakly emerging from the well, Iris was shocked. Viness’s body was soaked through, and his face was pale. It seemed like his body temperature had dropped drastically.

They needed to warm him up quickly. Iris was about to rush to him, but Viness, noticing her presence, put out a hand to stop her.

“S-Stop, Iris-nee.”

In a feeble voice, he restrained Iris.

“He’s coming…!”

The next moment, something huge emerged from the well. Initially resembling a massive pillar, upon closer inspection, its tip was sharp.

It had a slimy membrane on its surface, giving it a glossy look.

Resembling tentacles, it moved at a speed not befitting its size and coiled around Viness’s body.

“Gu… ah…!”

Viness struggled to break free, but even with a vampire’s strength, he couldn’t escape the restraint.

” Viness!”

Seeing his cousin in peril, Iris rushed forward.

She knew the danger posed by the mysterious tentacles, but she couldn’t just stand by and watch.

“Release Viness! Blood Blade: Blood Edge!”

Swinging her right arm, Iris unleashed a blade made by condensing her blood.

It was a powerful strike that could cleave through even iron armor. However, the blade could only slightly damage the tip of the tentacle. The mucus on the surface of the tentacle made the blade slip off.

“Iris… nee…”

Viness reached out toward Iris.

Iris, running with all her might, tried to grab his hand, desperately stretching her own hand.

However, just before their hands could touch, the tentacle dragged Viness back into the depths of the well.

“Ah…”

Iris’s hand cut through the air.

The person she thought of as a younger brother vanished into the depths of the well.

A sense of powerlessness and sorrow threatened to break her heart. Despair dominated her thoughts, and her expression turned mournful.

Then Sharo came up to Iris, firmly grabbing her shoulders.

“Iris! What are you standing around for? It’s too early to give up! You’re going to rescue him, right!?”

“Sharo…”

Even in such a despairing situation, Sharo encouraged Iris, refusing to give up. Her unwavering determination reminded Iris of someone she deeply cared for.

(That’s right. That person never gives up. I won’t either…!)

Life returned to Iris’s eyes. Seeing this, Sharo smiled reassuringly.

“You look more composed now.”

“Yes. I’m sorry for worrying you.”

The two stood side by side, gazing at the well.

“Oooooooooo! ! ”

From the bottom of the well, a low groaning sound could be heard. The sound gradually grew louder and finally revealed its form before the two.

“Ooooooooooooooooooooooooo! ! ”

The intensity of that voice made the island tremble. Instinctively, the two covered their ears and contorted their faces. Even with their ears covered, the roar was so powerful that it hurt their eardrums.

To describe what emerged in one word, it was a colossal octopus.

A giant octopus with dark skin. Its massive body was so large that it was hard to fathom how it fit in the well, measuring tens of meters in length, enough to coil around a ship.

Not only did it have eight legs, but countless more, making it impossible to count. Each leg was thick and robust. The mysterious tentacles that emerged from the well seemed to be the octopus’s legs.

The eyes of the octopus emitted an eerie red light. A putrid smell emanated from its entire body, making the air heavy.

It was clearly a terrifying being, distinct from ordinary creatures or monsters.

“What on earth is this…!”

Seeing this strange creature, Sharo was rendered speechless.

It was beyond a matter of whether one could win or not.

When people see a typhoon or a tsunami, they don’t think about winning or losing.

Sharo felt the same way. She wanted to shrink into herself and wait for the threat to pass. That instinct was taking over.

However, Iris stared at the monstrosity without faltering.

Regardless of its identity, it had taken Viness, and Iris couldn’t afford to back down.

“Viness… give him back!”

Iris kicked one of the countless legs.

Spang! A fierce sound echoed, but the surface of the skin only trembled, and no damage was inflicted. Naturally, with a larger body, durability increased.

“Haaaah!”

Iris took out the hilt of her sword and let her own blood flow onto it, generating the blade.

The weapon, “Crimson XII Twelve,” created a blade using her blood as a medium. This was the strongest weapon Iris could wield.

This sword, said to have been wielded by the progenitor of vampires in the past, boasted incredible sharpness but consumed a large amount of blood.

In other words, it was a weapon that couldn’t be used for an extended period. Iris drew this sword, fully aware of the danger.

“There!”

A sharp blade flashed, severing one of the giant octopus’s legs.

The thick leg wriggled even after being severed for a while, but eventually fell silent. The attacks were effective. Iris saw a glimmer of hope.

“Viness, where are you…!”

Desperately cutting off legs, Iris searched for her vanished cousin.

She thought he might be caught by one of the legs, but she couldn’t find Viness. Then, taking advantage of that moment, a leg of the octopus lunged at her from behind.

“Iris, watch out!”

“What…!”

Sharo shouted, and Iris realized what was approaching.

She tried to evade quickly, but she was preoccupied with dealing with the other legs and couldn’t make it in time.

It’s over… she thought for a moment. At that instant, someone descended from above.

“Yaaah!”

Yelling loudly, the figure that came down crushed the approaching tentacle by stomping on it with all their might.

Iris was amazed that just by stepping on such a sturdy thing, it was defeated.

But even more than that, she was surprised when she saw the face of the person.

“Hey, you okay, miss?”

“Sk-skeleton…!?”

The one who saved Iris was Captain Bat, a stout skeleton wrapped in a black coat. He quickly glanced at the octopus after a brief greeting.

“Tsk, so it finally woke up. It would’ve been better if it had stayed quiet.”

When Bat glared, the octopus returned the look with its huge glowing red eyes.

Clearly, it felt hostility. Sharo and Iris wondered what had happened between the two.

“Miss, you went into the well, right? Did you do something?”

“Um, my friend was kidnapped inside, and then…”

“I see. So that’s the cause.”

Nodding in understanding, Bat clenched his fist towards the octopus.

The difference in physique was clear. However, the fighting spirit emanating from him was so great that it didn’t make the physique difference noticeable.

“Come at me, octo-brat. I won’t let you have your way in this sea.”