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Leaving Elton City and taking a carriage north for about an hour leads to the Alsace Forest.
Neither too far nor too close.
In the southern part of the Alsace Forest lies the mansion of the Red Dragon Ignis.
Ignis, having suffered a major injury in the battle against the Demon King, has returned to his original lair for complete healing, so it is currently empty.
If this place hadn't been empty, Davian wouldn't have chosen the Alsace Forest as the location for his duel with the Emperor.
Dragons extremely dislike any disturbance around their lairs.
And.
There is a special reason why Davian Naone chose this place as the location for his duel with the Emperor.
'Was it this cave?'
Davian, wandering alone in the Alsace Forest, discovered a large cave.
The place where he took the entrance exam this time around.
He came here with Luna and succeeded in the hidden quest 'Defeat the Hydra with Over 100 Heads' and obtained the Blessing of Hydra skill.
This is where Davian's journey began in earnest this time around.
In front of the large hole where the Hydra lived, there is a fairly wide hill.
'This should be suitable.'
The duel with Emperor Kaiser Rapax is three days away.
To the place that will be with him from the beginning to the end of this damned game.
Davian chose this place.
"Is this where you've decided?"
"Yes."
The official dispatched from the royal family looked around.
"You've chosen a wide space."
"I thought it should be."
"It seems like a suitable place for a duel. Hey, write down these coordinates and send one to the royal family and one to Portus City."
"Yes!"
At that moment.
Rustle, rustle.
'Did it respawn?'
A giant Hydra head appeared from the cave.
The total number of heads is 24.
"It's a Hydra! Draw your weapons!"
The soldiers dispatched from the royal family drew their respective weapons.
"You can only defeat it by cutting off its head and cauterizing it with fire! Mage! Mages, prepare fire elemental magic! You must cauterize the severed surface with fire at the timing when the swordsman cuts off the head! Otherwise, the number of heads will continue to increase!"
The royal soldiers and mages began to move busily.
Hydra.
Not an easy monster to deal with.
The Hydra, which spews poisonous breath, has the form of a giant snake and is covered with silver scales all over its body.
Those scales are as hard as dragon scales.
However, the weak point is the neck right below the jaw, but instead, two new necks sprout when the neck is cut off.
"Stand by for now! Attack all at once when it gets a little closer! You must cut off right below the jaw in one go!"
Rustle, rustle.
"Mages! Mages, concentrate too!"
Green smoke began to rise from the twenty-four Hydra heads.
It will soon spew poisonous breath.
At that moment.
Swish.
A small flame appeared on Davian's palm.
Flick.
As Davian lightly flicked his hand.
Whoosh!
Fire elemental magic fused with wind elemental magic was fired.
Davian further developed Professor Camilla Lucia's applied magic.
Thwack, thwack! Thwack!
Sharp winds containing flames cut through all 24 of the Hydra's necks.
At the same time, it cauterized the severed surface with fire, of course.
"Incredible..."
Three days later.
"Davian. Do you really have to fight that monster-like Emperor? You lost last time, didn't you? I heard it from Liber."
"There's no other way."
Luna Pueri shook her head.
"Why isn't there? There are royal guards and many soldiers from other cities. Our Elton Academy can help, and we can all invade and take back Portus City."
"It will only increase the damage."
Luna Pueri's voice, which had been calmly speaking, gradually grew louder.
"Why! Why are you trying to take responsibility alone! What are the others doing!"
Because Davian is the strongest.
It's not that Luna doesn't know that.
"Luna."
Eventually, tears began to well up in Luna's big eyes.
"You fought him! You fought him once before! You almost died then! How on earth are you going to beat such a monster."
"I'm not the same as I was then."
"The Emperor won't be the same as he was then either!"
This time, Davian couldn't refute Luna's words.
Bonita patted Luna on the shoulder.
"Have you ever seen Davian lose to anyone? Don't worry too much, Luna. Right, Davian? Go and slice that Emperor or whatever to pieces."
Liber also chimed in, as if trying to change the atmosphere.
"That's right! Who is Davian? He's the Demon King Slayer! A human Emperor wouldn't be a match for Davian now, would he? Right, Latia?"
Liber's gaze turned to Latia.
Latia couldn't bring herself to speak easily.
Because she had directly seen and experienced the battle between the Emperor and Davian.
Davian was beaten to a pulp until he was on the verge of death.
And.
She had died and come back to life once.
"Latia?"
"Y-yeah. That's right. Davian isn't the same as he was then."
Nubes, who was looking out the window, shouted.
"There! The carriage is coming!"
Davian and his friends all headed to the window.
A huge carriage was slowly approaching the dormitory.
A carriage made of white sandalwood, which is known as the highest quality wood because of its pure white color from the beginning.
The walls and roof are lavishly decorated with golden ornaments.
No, they are not golden ornaments, but gold.
Four pure white horses, as white as the carriage, are pulling it, and the horses are also wearing golden partial armor.
The emblem of the Alkancia royal family is clearly engraved on the carriage door.
It is the carriage that the King Alonso Alkancia personally sent, used by the king when there are important schedules outside the palace.
It will take Davian from the Elton Academy dormitory to the Alsace Forest.
Davian looked around at his friends.
"Then I'll be going."
"Can't we really go with you?"
Liber answered instead.
"According to the Emperor's request, no one can enter the Alsace Forest on the day of the duel."
"Why do they have to go that far?"
This time, Davian answered.
"Because you could get caught up in the fight."
"Are you saying that no one is allowed to enter the entire wide forest because they might get caught up in the fight?"
Bonita nodded.
"That's possible. Anyway, do well. Davian. We'll be waiting and believing in you."
"Thank you, Bonita."
Latia slowly walked over and took Davian's hand.
"Never. Never die, Davian Naone."
Davian grinned.
"Of course."
Together with his friends, he came out to the front gate of the dormitory.
The faculty and classmates were all out there, surrounding the carriage.
President Hugo Molton stepped forward.
"To burden you, who is still young, with such a burden. Forgive us incompetent adults, Davian."
It's not that he's going to the duel on behalf of incompetent adults.
It's to completely break free from the tedious quests and systems.
"It's okay. It's my job. I'll be back."
Davian got on the carriage.
Nubes loudly chanted Davian's name.
"Davian! Davian!"
The classmates also began to chant Davian's name in unison.
"Davian! Davian!"
As he left the academy's main gate.
Citizens lined both sides of the main street leading to the north gate of Elton City and shouted Davian's name.
"Davian! Davian!"
How far did he run after leaving the city's north gate?
The ice spirit Glacie appeared next to Davian.
"You really won't let me help?"
"Yeah."
"You almost died to him once."
"It's different now."
"He said he's doing some kind of swordsmanship training separately. And that sword of destruction that he has. It's incredibly strong."
"I have the Spear of Authority too."
"That's true, but. Really, don't let me help even if you think you're going to die?"
"I can die once."
"Who is a human who can die once? Humans die once and that's it."
No.
Davian has one immortal heart.
"Anyway, don't ever step in, even if I'm about to die."
"You're talking like you're going to revive or something? Then what about the second time?"
That's something to think about a bit.
Even if I fail the last event, should I prolong my life with Glacie's help?
If I can't escape from this damn system, should I just end my life there?
Still, it's better than dying, right?
"Help me a little when I'm about to die the second time. Don't ever step in before that."
"Are we going to defeat the Emperor together?"
Davian shook his head.
"No, take me and run away. Very far away."
"What? Are you saying that I can't handle that human Emperor?"
Davian stared intently at Glacie.
The top-tier ice spirit, Glacie.
The stronger Davian becomes, the stronger the influence she can exert on the human world.
And.
Davian, whose soul is connected to Glacie through the contract, could vividly feel it whenever the influence Glacie could exert on the human world grew.
But from some point on.
He couldn't feel Glacie's influence on the human world growing anymore.
'Does this mean that this is all the power Glacie has?'
Glacie, who had already become able to exert all the power she possessed as Davian repeatedly became stronger.
I've never seen Glacie fight with all her strength, but.
The Emperor is the same, he hasn't seen her exert all her strength either.
'If I get to that point. Maybe even Glacie won't be able to handle it.'
Anyway, what's important now is.
Before the second death comes.
Glacie must not rashly step in and create a situation where the last event cannot be cleared.
"Anyway, promise me. Promise me that you won't step in until I'm about to die the second time."
A promise with the contractor.
Spirits can never break it.
Glacie, who had been contemplating for a moment, replied.
"Okay."
Then she smiles brightly.
"Surely my Davian can't lose, right?"
While talking with Glacie.
The carriage arrived at the entrance to the Alsace Forest.
The place where the Red Dragon Ignis's mansion is located.
Knock knock.
The coachman knocked on the front window of the carriage.
"I'm sorry, Davian-nim. This is as far as I can take you. I received a message that no one is allowed to enter the Alsace Forest today."
"Yes, thank you."
Davian got out of the carriage.
"Then I'll be watching from the spirit realm, Davian."
"Yeah. Glacie. I'll be back."
Davian took out Perarius's gloves from the inside pocket of his school uniform jacket and put them on both hands.
"Wow, those gloves. It's been a while since I've seen you wear them."
"Because it's a gift you gave me, Glacie."
It's also a day to pour everything out.
"Then I'll go."
"Yeah, come back."
In front of the Hydra's cave.
"You're late. Davian Naone."
Davian raised his finger and pointed to the sky.
"I came on time, didn't I?"
The sun hasn't reached its highest point yet.
The promised time for the showdown is noon.
"I was too excited since morning to stay still. I came here as soon as the sun rose."
"You're more impatient than I thought."
Kuhahaha.
The Emperor laughed loudly, leaning back to his waist.
"Because today is finally the day my life has meaning."
"You're the Emperor of an Empire, and the meaning of your life is fighting a student from an academy in a neighboring country?"
"Neighboring country, academy student. Human, demon, god. It doesn't matter. The only thing that matters is that my rival has appeared."
Davian shook his head.
That such a madman is the final boss.
"Let's start. Emperor, no. Kaiser Rapax."
Kuhahaha.
"Good. Davian Naone."
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