"Are you wreaking havoc, little dragon...?"
Hey, Little Dragon, you're trying to act cool, but you can't hide your pettiness. If you didn't hear me because you're too big for your personality, I'll say it again.
Wh...What are you saying?
Deabolica turned quickly toward me.
I said I would discipline him instead of his parents. He has only grown in physique and attitude without receiving a proper education, and if he continues like this, he will only get worse.
Yu, Yuji! Bastard! You're taking away my sorrows...! N-No, that's not true, Dragon-sama! It's just something he's saying, I have absolutely nothing to do with someone like that...!
I stopped Deabolica, who was desperately trying to explain himself, and approached the supposed dragon, stepping on Deabolica's feet.
There's no need to flatter a guy like that. He's just a brat who rests on his laurels thanks to the power his parents gave him and enjoys bullying the weak. I don't know if he's the Dragon King's son or something, but if he has so much strength to be proud of, why doesn't he challenge someone stronger than himself?
And yet you satisfy your pride by constantly bullying those weaker than you. Doesn't that make you feel pathetic compared to your great father? Or are you just a brat who doesn't even realize it until a mere human points it out to you?
"Y-You...!!"
The dragon was so angry that he was speechless, opening and closing his mouth, but his open mouth was trembling and it was clear that his internal temperature was rapidly rising, emanating a mist of heat.
Deabolika held her head and looked alternately at the dragon and me, and the adventurers were pale. All except one, Ursuna, who was whistling.
Well, I also do what I want with the tricks God gave me, so I'm in no position to say anything to a dragon who is becoming arrogant with the power and status he inherited from his parents. But at least I don't bully the weak. No...
"—If I punish you, would you be like my pet?"
When I smiled at him, it seemed he had finally reached his breaking point.
"—!!! Damn fox!!!"
"—You deserve a thousand deaths!!"
He opened his sharp jaws wide.
An enormous amount of heat built up in his mouth, radiating red-hot magical power that turned into a blinding light heading toward me. I see, so the laser the wizard showed me earlier was based on this thing's breath.
"Quick, everyone, deploy a barrier...!"
Deabolica belatedly ordered the leaders to deploy a barrier, but they probably didn't have enough time. Even the previous barrier that lifted rocks required a fairly long chant.
On top of that, this dragon was able to prepare a breath of overwhelming power in such a short time, so there must be a huge gap in the amount of magical power between humans and dragons.
"Damn you!"
The moment the dragon tried to thrust its head forward...
[Influencer] - [-1 Magic].
she whispered softly.
Immediately, the radiant light that had been concentrated inside the dragon's mouth dissipated.
What escaped from its mouth was not a devastating laser powerful enough to melt bones, but only a very weak puff of steam.
"What...?"
The dragon blinked with its eyes narrowed and grabbed its throat.
And in the next moment, it suddenly stopped in midair, losing its balance and falling from the sky.
"Aaaaahhhh...?! I... I feel suffocated...! What... what's happening...?"
The dragon trembled and roared, its body rapidly losing altitude.
I see, there was no way it could stay afloat with those wings. So it used magic to lift its body and make it look like it was flying. This creature, which completely defied aerodynamics, had lost the power of magic and was now about to be caught by the laws of physics.
"Aaaaaaaahhhhhh?!"
A huge object weighing tens of tons crashed into the ground, causing a wave of suffocating smoke and a tremor that shook my legs.
The adventurers watched silently as the Sky King suddenly lost his balance, perhaps due to the consumption of magical power, and fell to the ground.
Although he crashed into the ground, he did not appear to have any visible injuries, which is normal for a dragon. However, he seems unable to use his body properly, as he continues to writhe and struggle even after falling to the ground. It seems we should not get too close.
The dragon was struggling and glared at me with eyes full of rage. He managed to get up with one fin, and now he was giving me a murderous look, as if he were about to devour me at any moment.
"What did you do to me...? Where did you put all my magical powers?"
"Your magical powers have been sealed. You can no longer move or fly."
Sealing magic?! That's ridiculous, impossible...! Magic powerful enough to seal a dragon's magical powers would require an immense amount of magical power and an extensive chant for a human to resist... Especially for someone like you, who doesn't have a shred of magical power...
"That's right. In other words, it's just like now. You've been reduced to a crawling lizard with no magical power. How does it feel to no longer be able to fly, former queen of the sky?"
"Grrr...
Suddenly, the dragon stood up and raised its wings.
"Don't underestimate me! If I kill you, the magic seal will be broken!"
I see. Even if it loses its magical power, the sheer strength of its enormous body is enough to pose a threat.
If its claws touched me, it would tear me to pieces in an instant.
"Eugee?!"
"Yujiii!"
Irene and Ursuna immediately intervened, trying to save me... or replace me. It's okay, there's no need. But thank you.
Even as they pushed me to the ground, I kept my eyes on the dragon, which was trying to lower its wing.
[Influencer] - [Strength].
[Influencer] - [Physical Strength].
With a loud thud, the dragon's limp arm sank into the ground.
With my physical state overwritten, the dragon couldn't move, as if it were sewn to the ground by an invisible force.
Well, I train quite a bit, but I still don't have the strength to support a giant body weighing tens of tons. If a giant monster's physical strength were that of a human, it would obviously be unable to move due to its own weight.
"No...—can I... move my arm...?" "
It seems you really like to wreak havoc, so I've given you human-level strength and endurance. I hope this teaches you how the weak feel.
I patted the arms of Irene and Ursuna, who were staring at the dragon, to get them to let go of me, and then slowly got up.
"Grr, ahhhhhhhhhhhhh! It hurts! It hurts! My body! Stop...! Help me!"
The dragon groaned and screamed in pain.
It seemed that it could no longer afford to maintain its arrogant tone.
"...Pain? Ah, I see, you're being crushed by your own weight, so you're inflicting pain on yourself. I hadn't thought of that... Anyway."
"Please stop this! Stop, help me! It hurts, it hurts! Aaaah! Please forgive me!"
"No. If I give you back your powers, you'll try to kill me, won't you?"
"...I won't! I won't kill you, so please help me! I'm going to faint! I'm going to faint...! Waaaaaaah! Help me, Mom! Dad!
I thought he was just a big kid, but now he's started asking his parents for help. His cries are a little pitiful, but there's no need to forgive him. If I forgave him, he would definitely try to kill me. The pain isn't enough to make him reflect on his actions.
Well, even if your body gets a little crushed, it won't be a problem, since I have a potion. If you pour it directly on your body, it will be extremely effective.
"Yu, Yuji... That's something you inhale in an emergency, and if you do it without anesthesia, it will be extremely painful and leave you with aftereffects..."
The leader said this from the side.
Ah, I see. Well, it only works for me through direct administration, so that's the only way I can use it.
Dragons are big, so they can withstand that much. It doesn't matter, that's how I always use it.
The dragon's eyes seemed to be filled with fear as it looked at me. The adventurers' faces also seemed to tense up. Maybe it was just my imagination. My empathy is dead, so I don't know.
"This guy... he's really crazy...!!"
What a rude guy. I'm just an ordinary human being who has lost a little empathy due to [Mental Resistance] and can endure unbearable pain thanks to [Pain Resistance]. No, that's no longer an ordinary human being. If I may say so, I'm a bit of a monster.
"Well, whatever. That pain is because your body collapsed under its own weight, so you only have yourself to blame for becoming too big for your size. It would have been fine if you had been human-sized."
When I said that, the dragon closed its eyes as if it had given up.
"I, I can't do this anymore..."
At that moment, the dragon disappeared.
The gigantic body, over 10 meters in size, suddenly vanished, and I couldn't help but blink.
Huh? What? Did it die?
...No, that wasn't the case.
The dragon was definitely alive. It just seemed to disappear because it changed size in an instant.
"Haha..."
A short distance away, a humanoid figure was slumped over.
He was hunched over, hugging himself, and his crimson hair, which reached down to his waist, was drenched in sweat. Their clothes were pure white, similar to the traditional dress of the ancient Greeks. Their body was covered in scratches and shreds.
The proof that they were not human were the two small horns protruding from their forehead and the red tail, similar to that of a reptile, protruding from their rear.
"It's so cold... so cold... The heat is fading from my body... I can't believe it's so cold without the power of the fire spirit..."
His soprano voice, which had previously sounded like an instrument, now trembled and vibrated.
Yes, the dragon had turned into a boy of about 12 years old.
It's a common fantasy pattern where once you defeat a dragon, it changes form into a cute girl.
However, the gender was male.
"Oh, a man?"
So you don't have to forgive me.
===
=
==
I didn't expect him to escape the self-harm that his weight imposed on him.
No, in this case, they need to reform him, so it's okay if he remains evil.
But... a man. That brings my spirits down.
If it were at least a beautiful Lolita girl with teary eyes begging for her life, I would probably hesitate.
I approached the trembling dragon boy and grabbed his cheeks under his chin, forcing him to stand up.
"Hey, you're disguised as a child and trying to convince people to let their guard down isn't going to work. You're a cruel monster!"
"N-no, that's not true... This is my other form. I can also take the form of a dragon man..."
Wow. Is that how they live?
When I turned my gaze back to Deabolica, she tilted her head in confusion.
"—I don't know anything about the forms of dragons."
"—B-but this is a secret to humans... If they found out that I can take the form of a dragon man, they would look down on me..."
"Then, you shouldn't have said that either?"
"Ah...!"
The little dragon hurriedly covered her mouth with her hand and her shoulders shook violently. What a clever gesture!
This is an emergency evacuation. If I die, it will be a great loss to Lady Ddraig, so they have no choice but to let me go.
"It would be unfortunate for the dragons if a stupid idiot like you became the next boss."
When I calmly pointed this out, the pretty boy puffed out his cheeks in annoyance.
Who calls me stupid!? I'm a Red Dragon! And I'm a man, so I'm very valuable and important! It is said that I am a miracle that occurs once every 1000 years, the living treasure of Ddraig!
I see, so being flattered by everyone like that is how he ended up becoming an idiot.
However, I thought he was a childish boy, but he really was a child...
Now what should I do?
Ah, I guess I should ask everyone.
"You could kill this guy easily now, what do you think? Do you want the title of Dragon Slayer?"
"Hello...?"
The adventurers looked at each other with obvious confusion at the sight of a child.
"What, Dragon Slayer?!"
Only Deabolica had a gleam in her eyes, but I couldn't see it in the others.
After some deliberation, all the adventurers said the following.
"...Killing a defenseless child is a bit..."
Killing humanoid creatures that speak human language is wrong. We are adventurers, not murderers.
"Killing a child is a loss to the world. It is absolutely forbidden."
"I don't have a taste for killing children."
Don't underestimate us, Yuji. How could we call ourselves Dragon Hunters if you kill a dragon that has lost its power? That is a title to honor heroes who have proudly fought against a terrifying threat. It should not be a title for cowards.
Okay, we are unanimously in favor of not killing him.
"You are all so kind. I love you all so much." The little one smiles appreciatively.
So let's do it that way.
I lifted the dragon's chin and looked into his beautiful emerald eyes.
"Everyone is asking me not to kill you, so I will spare your life."
"Eh...! You're sparing me! That's right, I'm beautiful and magnificent!"
Suddenly his eyes turn and shine with hope.
I nodded and confirmed his words.
"Yes, I won't kill you. I'll let you go now. You will survive in the desert, having lost both your magical powers and your physical strength."
"Teeth...?"
You don't understand the pain of the weak. So you should put yourself in their place and understand their pain. It's a pity that the leader of a clan cannot understand the feelings of the weak.
The eyes that had been shining with hope quickly lost their color.
The dragon child looked at me, his shoulders shaking violently.
I'm going to die! There's no way I can survive with such a weak body and no magical powers...! At this point, I would lose even to a horned rabbit...!
You can win if you have a weapon, right? I've survived half a year hunting horned rabbits. Just with equipment.
Since it's a transplant of my physical parts, he can simply make a spear and a shield.
Since his agility and endurance haven't been altered, he probably has an advantage over me.
Don't worry, I'm not a demon either. I'll return your magical powers sooner or later. That's right... I guess I'll leave you like this for about 50 years.
That's less than the lifespan of a dragon, right?
That was the thought behind the suggestion, but the little dragon's face turned even paler.
Fifty years?! That's the same as a whole lifetime! I'll be an old man by then!
"That's an exaggeration. After all, you're a dragon, so you live for about 1,000 years, right? Fifty years is no big deal."
"That can't be true! I can only live for about 70 years at most!"
"Is that so?" I asked Deabolica, but he just shrugged.
No, I don't know. Nothing is known about the lives of dragons. We only know that they nest somewhere in the mountains and that they occasionally attack castles and villages to amass treasure...
Wow.
However, with a life expectancy of 70 years, it seems that they are not very different from humans...
No, wait a minute?
"...Let me ask you something. What is 'playing hunt'?"
"Um, um... were you listening...?"
Suddenly, the dragon seemed unsure and began to fiddle with his fingers as he looked down.
I won't be fooled by your cute gestures.
You weren't hunting rabbits, were you? If you were chasing them for food, that would be 'hunting', not 'playing'. Tell me, what do you mean by 'playing'?
"...Umm, well..."
"Let me guess what you're hunting? Humans, right?"
"...Ah..."
The adventurers' gazes changed from looking at a cute, defenseless child to looking at something threatening.
While being exposed to the needles, the dragon child confessed with a look of resignation. As if the mind could read minds
One day, while the dragon child was walking through the hidden village of the dragon tribe, he came across a noble human who was hunting. The human was on horseback chasing a rabbit. He galloped in the direction indicated by his hunting dog and shot at it with his staff.
It looks like fun! The dragon's eyes lit up and he wanted to try it himself. But he had no horse or dog. And the rabbits were too small for a dragon to hunt.
So he made some modifications. Instead of a horse, it had its imposing wings. But how about a hunting dog? Exactly, a stampede. It attacks a group of monsters with great skill, scattering them to create a stampede that then attacks human settlements. This is the true nature of its "game hunting," which mimics the hunts of human nobles.
This dragon was responsible for some of the damage caused by the stampede.
This damn dragon is despicable after all.
And then I had a hunch.
A classic fantasy character who incites monsters to attack humans.
Yes, the mysterious race whose existence is unknown to most dragons. No, a single dragon wreaked havoc that, if not for me, would have resulted in massacres.
Now my reasoning had reached this conclusion, whether due to an unknown source that had to arrive at this result.
"—I don't know. Should I kill you right here, right now?
"...Teeth?"