— — — — — —
The battle between Kazuma and the Black Dragon raged for three days and three nights. Both had burned through everything they had, bodies pushed past exhaustion.
Yet neither showed the slightest intention of stopping. Dragging their heavy, battered bodies, they kept moving toward each other.
Up above, the Celestial Spirits watched in silence. Across the sea, countless Dragons observed the clash, and among them stood several Dragon-Slayer mages.
"Let me help him!"
Loke, the Celestial Spirit Leo, couldn't hold back anymore. He was ready to jump in, even if he could only help a tiny bit. Anything—anything to support Kazuma.
"You rushing in now wouldn't be helping your friend. You'd be hurting him."
"Right now, both he and the Black Dragon are completely drained."
"But your friend's energy is recovering faster, while the Black Dragon's recovery is a bit slower."
"If you step in now, the Black Dragon will kill you, absorb your magic, and recover even faster."
"Then your friend will be the one at a disadvantage."
The Spirit King raised a hand to block Loke. Standing in the sky, his gaze locked on Kazuma and the Black Dragon, his expression was grave and dignified.
On the dragons' side, the mighty beasts hesitated as well. They wanted to assist, but Igneel stopped them.
His reasoning, however, was different from the Spirit King's.
"Have you forgotten? This is the Dragon King Festival—"
"A battle where lives are the price!"
"The victor claims all glory. The victor earns the title of King."
"So open your eyes and look. Does that man need your help? Does he want your help?"
"Hmph. He has his own pride and resolve. He will win. No matter who stands before him, he must win!"
The Fire Dragon King stared at Kazuma with eyes full of respect. He respected the brave, and he respected unshakable resolve—even if it belonged to a human.
"That's right! Kazuma is the strongest in our guild!"
"Kazuma-niisan is gonna win! He's not losing to anyone!"
Natsu and Wendy shouted, fists clenched so tight their knuckles turned white. There was nothing they could do now except believe.
...
Kazuma and the Black Dragon faced each other again, and the fight resumed. This time, it was raw and primitive, stripped of technique and finesse.
Only pure strength and will remained. It was a test of whose body and soul would give out first.
Blade met claw. They tore into each other over and over, blood dyeing the seawater. Pain no longer meant anything to them.
"Kill! Kill! Kill! I am the strongest! This world needs only one me! Everything else should just be destroyed!"
Acnologia's eyes were filled with madness and bloodlust. He was fully unhinged now, wanting nothing more than to butcher the man who dared hunt dragons.
Kazuma said nothing. His eyes grew impossibly calm. In that instant, the ferocity of the Fang of Damocles vanished.
"You… are afraid."
Kazuma stared at the Black Dragon without expression, his voice ice-cold. In those draconic eyes he saw it—the fear of death.
"Afraid? I am Acnologia, the End of All Things! I am the strongest and the most terrifying! You're the one who is afraid!"
But the Black Dragon's pupils shrank. His overwhelming aura wavered, while Kazuma's conqueror's haki swelled stronger.
"Hahaha! So you really are afraid!"
"No matter how many dragons you've killed, no matter how strong you are, no matter how savage—none of that matters."
"You're afraid. Afraid of dragons. Afraid of powerful beings who can take everything from you, including your life!"
"And that powerful being… is standing right in front of you. And now that you've tasted real combat, you're terrified!"
Kazuma laughed wildly. He could feel it—the most terrifying Black Dragon in the world was afraid of him.
"They say when fear takes hold in your heart, you're already dead."
His conqueror's haki swelled even larger, step by heavy step as he approached Acnologia, his presence growing with every inch he closed.
"Die!"
The Black Dragon roared and swung his claws, intending to tear Kazuma apart. But Kazuma swung the Fang of Damocles in response.
One slash. In an instant, the dragon's forearm was severed clean, blood spraying and staining the air and sea.
It wasn't over. As long as they lived, the battle would not stop. Kazuma lunged for the dragon's head.
The Black Dragon counter-attacked with his remaining claw. In that moment, either one could have taken the other's life.
Kazuma's eyes remained calm, as if he didn't care about being hit, as if he was willing to trade his life for victory.
But the Black Dragon hesitated. In that instant, fear chose for him. Instead of trading blow for blow, he defended… and that single choice sealed his fate.
Lightning gathered into a star-touched blade and pierced the Black Dragon's heart. The Fang of Damocles sheared through his claw, then drove straight into his throat.
Kazuma stood drenched in dragon blood. The world fell silent. It felt like only he and the Black Dragon existed.
"Cough… Dragons are evil. Dragons slaughter life. So I killed dragons. And in the end, I became one myself."
"You're the same. Now that you've killed me, someday someone will come to kill you. That is my curse… and my prophecy."
Acnologia let out a crazed laugh. In that split second, his memories flooded back. He had once been a kind boy.
Back then he believed humans and dragons could live in peace. He studied healing magic, tended wounds, helped humans and dragons alike.
He believed the world was full of hope. But…
…the dragons he trusted betrayed him, slaughtering his village.
In that moment, the kind boy died. What survived was a Black Dragon obsessed with revenge, bent on killing everything and destroying everything…
…including himself, to end the cycle at its root.
"Ah… how blue the sky is."
His head fell away from his body. Sight already fading, he stared upward, convinced he saw blue sky again.
"You idiot. There's no blue sky left. The two of us destroyed everything around here."
Kazuma shook his head. He could have dragged Acnologia's soul into the Shadow Kingdom and made him a servant.
But he didn't. He destroyed the dragon's body and soul completely, sending him to his final end.
"Born in destruction, died in destruction. That's the fate of the Black Dragon, Acnologia."
Kazuma gathered up his treasures and stood on the water, gazing into the distance. Aside from Natsu and the others, no one would ever know what happened here.
No one would ever know that someone fought a dragon who could end the world… and won.
"My friend, you are the strongest human I've ever seen, and the most worthy of respect."
The Celestial Spirit King spoke solemnly, then bowed his head. He was king of spirits, yet even he was moved.
"Roar! Human, your will earns the respect of all dragons. Your strength surpasses ours. I, Igneel, Flame Dragon King, offer you the highest honor!"
One by one, the dragons lowered their proud heads. Dragons who never bowed to anyone. And the stars themselves seemed to shine in quiet approval.
Dragons and Spirits alike paid tribute to a single human.
To them, he was the strongest. The most worthy of respect. The king among humans.
[Ding. Congratulations, you have achieved the final accomplishment: Human King.]
[A true Human King is respected not only by humans, but by all races and all beings.]
[You have achieved that. The stars form your crown, and the dragons sing your name.]
[From this moment, you are the strongest in the world.]
"Man… time to go back. I'm exhausted. I need a solid week of sleep after this."
Kazuma let out a long breath and laughed. Time to head back to the guild. There were people waiting for him to come home.
.
.
.
A/N: There are a few small extra side stories afterward, and that's it.