A C-Rank Magic Student Who Deludes Himself into Thinking He Is SSS-Rank - Chapter 35: In the Eyes of the Black Dragon <2>

When he first encountered Shion, Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise, harbored a strong suspicion that the man before him was likely Siegfried. Even moving Siegfried’s descendant at a speed invisible to the eye was evidence enough that this was no ordinary individual.

Moreover, despite having the unmistakable scent of a pure human, the man spoke the language of the dragon kind, possessed golden eyes like Siegfried, and referred to himself as “Blackie.”

These facts alone were sufficient for Schwaldius to suspect that he might be facing Siegfried.

However, the most compelling evidence for Schwaldius was not these facts. It was that the person before him showed no fear whatsoever. Schwaldius inherently could sense the ‘fear of living creatures.’

For Schwaldius, basking in the fear of living beings was the ultimate pleasure, and he had indulged in this sadistic delight for thousands of years. All creatures, whether they knew of the Black Dragon of Demise or not, felt undeniable fear in its presence. Even the most brave and motivated warriors could not suppress their instinctual fear.

Yet, in thousands of years, only one person had ever shown no fear towards Schwaldius: Siegfried, the great hero.

From when Siegfried first encountered Schwaldius for three years, he never showed a hint of fear.

He was an exception among exceptions, and for Schwaldius, Siegfried was the only person who could be this fearless.

And yet, the man who suddenly appeared before him also showed no fear. This was the primary reason Schwaldius strongly suspected that Shion Kurosaki might be Siegfried.

It wasn’t that Schwaldius’s senses had dulled; he had just recently sensed intense fear from the students at Crawford Magic Academy and even from Alphonse Freed, a descendant of Siegfried.

The man before him undoubtedly felt no fear towards Schwaldius.

Someone who speaks the language of dragons has golden eyes and calls himself “Blackie” – it was almost impossible for Schwaldius not to associate him with Siegfried.

Yet, for Schwaldius, this was an incredibly difficult or unwanted truth to accept.

Therefore, Schwaldius, attempting to deny this overwhelming possibility, insisted to the man that he had no memory of such a past.

Then, it appeared – the “Dragon-slaying Sword, Balmung.”

A weapon that had repeatedly sliced through Schwaldius four hundred years ago.

Not merely cutting in half or beheading, but a sword that shredded Schwaldius, whose body could regenerate almost instantly into tiny fragments.

Schwaldius, afraid every time he saw this sword, could never forget it.

Realizing that the sword held by the man was the “Dragon-slaying Sword” solidified Schwaldius’s suspicion.

However, if this was indeed Siegfried, the reasons behind his survival for four hundred years, altered appearance, and scent were puzzling.

Holding onto a thread of hope, Schwaldius challenged the last possibility that the man was not Siegfried, confronting him with this fact.

But the response he received was the worst imaginable: the man had been reborn, anticipating the unsealing of Schwaldius and his attraction to the scent of Siegfried’s descendants – a despairingly perfect answer.

Schwaldius felt a deep fear rise from within at the realization that everything was within Siegfried’s plans and that Siegfried’s relentless vendetta persisted even after four hundred years.

Yet, even in this unstable state of mind, the concept of “reincarnation magic” seemed unbelievable.

But faced with the overwhelming aura and confidence emanating from the man, Schwaldius had no choice but to believe.

“Ah… Yes. It makes sense…”

No matter how implausible the story, if it involved Siegfried, it became conceivable.

Siegfried was not only a master swordsman but also possessed the highest magical ability known in history.

Four hundred years ago, he used every magic at his disposal to try to kill the immortal Black Dragon of Demise, Schwaldius, eventually even devising a sealing spell to contain Schwaldius’s magical power.

“If it’s you, you could do something like that…”

Calmly thinking about it, it would be more unnatural to say that a man like him couldn’t reincarnate. Furthermore, it made sense that Siegfried’s seal on Schwaldius would be broken easily after just four hundred years.

There was no room left for doubt.

“Siegfried…”

Schwaldius had no choice but to accept that the man before him was Siegfried.

◆

“I’ve wanted to see you, Siegfried…”

It was a lie. He had hoped never to see him again.

“Why are you here? I don’t understand.”

“To think I would meet you again, I never even dared to hope for such a miracle…”

Lies! All lies!

My only solace in these four hundred years was that you were no longer in this world!

“Because, for four hundred years, all I’ve thought about is taking my revenge on you!”

He said it! He said it!

In his utter despair, he blurted out his exaggerated bravado.

Facing the embodiment of his fear, Schwaldius could feel his face contorting.

So scary!

He’s looking right into my eyes with such a serious face! It’s too scary! No other creature has ever looked me in the eye like this!

It’s over! I’m finished!

As Schwaldius trembled, regretting his words and actions, the person who was supposed to be before him suddenly vanished from sight.

“Revenge, huh?”

In an instant, Schwaldius felt the cold touch of metal under his throat.

“──What⁉”

Reflexively, Schwaldius leaped back, and where his throat had been, Siegfried stood, casually holding the “Dragon-slaying Sword.”

What?! How? Was the “Dragon-slaying Sword, Balmung” just touching my throat?!

Am I okay? Is my head still there? Am I alive?

Having had his head decapitated at such speed in the past that he couldn’t perceive it, Schwaldius checked with his front legs to ensure his head was still attached.

Good… my head is still there…

But the relief was short-lived.

“What⁉”

Ignoring Schwaldius’s state, Siegfried walked towards him, sword in hand, without changing his expression.

“Hey, Blackie.”

As Schwaldius stood frozen in fear, Siegfried approached and questioned him.

“Do you think you can beat me with such drained power?”

“Busted…”

Indeed, Schwaldius, sealed for four hundred years with only his head intact, had used much of his magical power for his incomplete revival, leaving him with only a tenth of his former strength.

Even in this weakened state, he still possessed enough power to defeat the current elite of humanity easily. However, against Siegfried in his prime, it wouldn’t even be a contest.

Seizing that Siegfried had seen through his weakened state, Schwaldius felt a deep despair.

It’s over… I’m going to die this time…

But then, a thought struck him.

Die? Wait… why am I still alive?

A strong sense of incongruity hit Schwaldius.

Why hasn’t he attacked me? He had plenty of opportunities to finish me…

The Siegfried of old would have attacked Schwaldius without hesitation. Their interactions had been limited to Siegfried hurling angry words at Schwaldius, with Schwaldius replying casually.

He wasn’t a man to engage in prolonged conversations with me…

If he knew the seal would break after four hundred years, why didn’t he just reseal or kill me from the start?

Why did he leave me be until now?

There was no longer any doubt in Schwaldius’s mind that the man before him was Siegfried. However, why hadn’t he attacked even once?

A conclusion dawned on Schwaldius – perhaps Siegfried no longer possessed his former strength.

This doubt crept into Schwaldius’s mind: Why hadn’t Siegfried attacked yet? Why had he allowed the seal to break, knowing it would happen?

If there was a logical explanation, it could be that “Siegfried no longer had the power he possessed four hundred years ago.”

Even Siegfried, with his extraordinary magical talent and the unprecedented feat of reincarnation magic, could have failed to fully execute it.

It’s not just a possibility – it’s more likely that such an extraordinary spell couldn’t be perfectly successful!

That’s right! Even the sealing magic Siegfried used on me wasn’t permanent! Even Siegfried could fail in his magic!

The incomplete reincarnation magic might have prevented Siegfried from retaining his abilities from four hundred years ago. That would explain why he overlooked Schwaldius’s release and hasn’t engaged in combat.

He’s avoiding a fight with me now!

This was a glimmer of hope for the desperate Schwaldius.

If Schwaldius were right, Siegfried wouldn’t want his loss of power to be discovered. Despite Schwaldius’s bluster earlier in front of Siegfried, he sensed no fear from him. Instead, Siegfried boldly faced Schwaldius with his sword.

If he’s hiding his lack of power, that’s quite the courage. But perhaps his confidence comes from knowing I won’t attack.

If Siegfried’s loss of power was directly pointed out, even he couldn’t help but be unsettled.

Such turmoil would create an opening in his stoic demeanor, allowing fear to seep through.

Schwaldius, who could sense the instinctual fear of living beings, would not be fooled no matter how much he feigned composure.

When Siegfried showed the slightest fear towards Schwaldius, doubt would almost turn into certainty.

And if this doubt were confirmed, the situation would tilt in Schwaldius’s favor, possibly even allowing him to defeat Siegfried then and there.

Attacking Siegfried directly would reveal how much strength he retained, but war would be inevitable once an attack was launched.

If contrary to Schwaldius’s doubts, Siegfried retained his former strength, it would be a suicidal move for Schwaldius.

Hence, Schwaldius used words as his weapon to confirm the truth.

I can’t just guess; it must seem like I’m certain.

I need to act as if I’ve seen through everything.

It’s time to show the world’s strongest dragon’s greatest eloquence!

Schwaldius decided to gamble.

“Kakakaka…”

Schwaldius, the Black Dragon of Demise, laughed heartily before his greatest enemy.

“You’re right to say that my power is just a drained husk, Siegfried.”

Silence from the man.

Schwaldius spoke in a sarcastic, somewhat mocking tone.

“I haven’t regained most of my power from four hundred years ago. But what about you, Siegfried?”

Silence again.

“Thinking ‘impossible,’ are you? Sadly, it’s that ‘impossible.'”

Still, the man remained silent.

“Did you think you weren’t found out? Don’t indulge in such convenient fantasies.”

Schwaldius didn’t make a conclusive statement; just continued to prod.

“I found it hard to believe you were the person. Not that I couldn’t believe in reincarnation magic. As I said earlier, it’s unsurprising if it’s you.”

Silence.

“I couldn’t believe how much weaker you’ve become.”

The man continued to listen in silence.

“Did you think you could hide it? There’s no way.”

Finally, Schwaldius hit the core of the issue.

“Siegfried. It’s clear that you no longer possess the power you had four hundred years ago after reincarnating.”

The more Schwaldius spoke, the more confident he became that his words were true.

To him, the man standing opposite now seemed nothing more than an ordinary human.

Convinced that fear would now emanate from the man, Schwaldius awaited the reaction.

But then…

A moment of realization struck. The blood that had been boiling with excitement suddenly ran cold.

His breath caught, and the sound of his heartbeat seemed deafeningly loud.

His vision blurred as if the world was warping, and his thoughts, previously overflowing with visions and strategies, turned blank.

In this almost paralyzed state, Schwaldius understood one thing clearly:

He felt no fear.

Desperately, he focused his consciousness on the man standing a short distance away, hoping against hope for a mistake. But no matter how hard he concentrated, he could not sense any fear emanating from the man.

Schwaldius’s plans crumbled to dust.

“Sorry, Blackie,” the man spoke, having quietly listened to Schwaldius’s words from a distance.

“I was far away; I couldn’t hear you well.”

Holding the “Dragon-slaying Sword,” the man approached and stopped before Schwaldius.

“Can you repeat what you said?”

Schwaldius, grasping at straws, thought he might be able to deceive the man, pretending nothing significant had been said.

“What was that about my power?”

Schwaldius knew, however, that deception was futile.

“As always, it’s good to see that you haven’t changed…”

“Do you want to test whether I still have my power from four hundred years ago?”

Schwaldius realized the man had heard everything.

“What? Test it?”

The man crouched down and swung his sword back, slowly charging it with a golden light.

“Glory’s Sparkle──”

“Wait!”

Schwaldius instinctively shouted just as the man was about to unleash his technique.

The man halted at Schwaldius’s cry.

“Wait, Siegfried…”

After panicking, Schwaldius tried to regain composure, addressing the man.

“Glory’s Sparkle” was Siegfried’s ultimate technique, almost annihilating Schwaldius, reducing him to a mere wisp of magical essence.

Facing this technique, it was natural for Schwaldius to react with a scream.

“What’s the matter? Afraid of a weakened me using a technique?”

“No, it’s just…”

“Hey, Blackie,” the man continued.

“You thought my reincarnation magic was incomplete?”

“Well, it’s just that…”

“There’s no way that could be true.”

Schwaldius internally scolded himself for such wishful thinking.

Of course, Siegfried wouldn’t fail in his magic.

“How foolish of me!”

Schwaldius was acutely aware of his folly, especially as the man seemed ready to unleash his technique at any moment.

But then, a new sense of incongruity arose in Schwaldius.

Why had the man stopped his attack? It was clear that he hadn’t lost his power. So why hadn’t he attacked yet?

A fleeting thought crossed Schwaldius’s mind – had he been forgiven over these four hundred years?

No, that couldn’t be.

But Schwaldius quickly dismissed such a hopeful thought.

“Listen, Siegfried…”

“What is it?”

After a brief silence, Schwaldius began to speak.

“Could you hear me out?”

Resolved, Schwaldius asked the man to listen.

“Alright, I’ll listen.”

To Schwaldius’s surprise, the man agreed readily.

The fact that Siegfried hadn’t attacked yet remained a mystery.

It was hard to believe that the man who harbored such murderous intent against him four hundred years ago was now willing to listen to him.

But the fact remained – there was still a chance for conversation.

Attacking in despair was the worst option. Fleeing was futile, too; he would be caught and finished.

So, the only way for Schwaldius to survive this situation was to seize the opportunity to talk.

Setting aside his dragon pride and dignity, Schwaldius chose negotiation as his means of survival.

“Four hundred years… It might not seem long in my lifetime, but these four hundred years, constantly enduring unbearable pain with only my head and the ‘Sealing Sword’ stuck in it, felt like an eternity of torment. No criminal in the human world would ever face such punishment, right?”

“Indeed,” the man agreed.

“I don’t think my sins are forgiven, nor will they ever be. But how long will this continue, Siegfried? I cannot die. Will you seal me, then in a few hundred or thousand years, after the seal breaks and you reincarnate, seal me again? How long will this go on?”

Schwaldius looked directly into the man’s eyes.

“Maybe someday you’ll find a way to seal or completely erase me forever. But when? You’ve relied on your descendants and other humans to maintain the seal. This heavy-duty will continue to fall on many people… How long will you keep this up?”

The man remained silent.

“What do you think, Siegfried? Isn’t it time to end this?”

The man kept looking at Schwaldius, silent.

Schwaldius couldn’t read his thoughts but continued to express his will.

“I’ve regretted my actions while sealed… I can’t say I’ve thought about those I’ve hurt, but I’ve regretted it, wishing I could redo things and not repeat my mistakes.”

Schwaldius was speaking his heart out.

“I might have attacked today without killing anyone, perhaps unconsciously fearful of killing or of being sealed for four hundred years again… I want to pledge again.”

The man listened silently.

“I will never kill again. I will never attack people again. I will never show myself to people again… It’s a pitiful thing to say, but I don’t want to suffer like those four hundred years again.”

“So, Siegfried…”

Schwaldius, having spoken his piece, made his final plea.

“Can we call it even?”

It was a genuine wish from Schwaldius’s heart.

And in response, the man finally spoke.

“I understand what you’re saying, Blackie.”

He spoke calmly.

“I can tell your words are sincere. I believe you regret your actions and your pledge… I believe it.”

Schwaldius’s hope flickered.

“But,” the man’s tone turned chillingly cold, cutting off Schwaldius.

“Whether your regret is true or your pledge is sincere doesn’t matter. I will never forgive you. The idea of me letting you go is impossible.”