Capítulo 164: -161- Dragon? A second one?
*Whoo... Whoo... Whoosh...*
It was the sound of breathing.
A rhythmic and measured breathing.
The owner of the breathing was dozing off, as if deep in slumber. It lay sprawled in the grand hall, eyes shut, its body gently rising and falling.
And with each breath, the air seemed to tremble slightly, creating a soft rumbling.
Rozen found himself unconsciously holding his breath. Because the creature napping before him was truly deserving of this reaction.
It was a dragon.
Not a Wyvern, but a true and genuine dragon.
Its size could rival that of a building.
Its muscles rose like boulders.
It possessed powerful limbs and sharp fangs.
Its breath seemed as though it could spew forth flames, heating the air around it.
Compared to it, the Wyverns were like children.
Even the mightiest Phantasmal species paled in comparison to it.
It was a dragon kind.
A true dragon kind.
Even among Phantasmal species, it stood at the pinnacle. Different from the pseudo-dragons that were Wyverns, this creature was so powerful that even top-tier Servants would approach it with caution.
A magical beast?
The entity before him was beyond that classification.
A mythical beast?
Perhaps even that description would be inadequate.
"Could it be a divine beast?" A thought crossed Rozen's mind, one that made him want to turn and run.
While he had considered that the "Dragon Witch" might use the Holy Grail to summon a true dragon kind, Rozen hadn't anticipated the summoning of such a monstrous creature.
This was no ordinary dragon kind.
"At the very least, it must be on par with the highest-tier familiars." Rozen felt a tinge of bitterness.
"Fou!"
In contrast, Fou's demeanor seemed utterly naive, urging Rozen to praise him. With its head slightly raised, it gave off an air of pride.
If it weren't for the fact that Fou had successfully completed its mission and had helped Rozen rectify his physical anomaly upon arriving at this Singularity, Rozen might have had the impulse to slap it.
"What's the benefit of bringing me to see this monster?"
Rozen had no intention of provoking the dragon. Not only did he lack any Servants by his side now, but even if he had them, he wouldn't want to recklessly challenge the creature.
Considering its strength and rank, ordinary Servants wouldn't stand a chance against it.
"If I had an Assassin-class Servant by my side now, I could try to eliminate it to prevent future troubles."
But for now, how could he approach it without any complications?
"Truly..."
Just as Rozen was quietly contemplating retreating from the scene and not provoking the creature until he found a solution later on, Fou suddenly made a move that sent shivers down Rozen's spine.
"Fou!"
Fou dashed out boldly and ran right past the giant dragon, as if encouraging Rozen to follow.
"You little rascal!"
Rozen's heart almost stopped from the fright.
However, Fou seemed completely unperturbed. After passing by the dragon, it walked towards the creature's rear.
"What's that...?"
Following Fou's line of sight, Rozen's gaze settled on what lay behind the dragon, leaving him astonished.
"A door?"
Indeed.
Behind the dragon was a door.
To be more accurate, it was the entrance to a passageway.
The dragon lay as if guarding this door, dozing in front of it, its enormous body concealing the entrance.
Seeing this, Rozen understood.
"Could it be that the core of this place is right ahead?"
In other words, beyond the door guarded by the dragon, there must be the most crucial part of this castle.
It could be the sleeping quarters of the "Dragon Witch."
It might be the nest of the Wyverns.
It could even possibly house the location of the Holy Grail.
In other words...
"That's my destination, isn't it?"
Thinking this, Rozen knew that even if there was such a creature there, he had to enter.
"Fou! Fou!"
Annoyingly, Fou paid no attention to the dozing dragon, standing before the door and calling out to Rozen. It was urging him to move forward, not be so timid, and act more confidently.
"...Did I just get scorned by an unidentified creature that doesn't even know its place?"
Rozen's anger flared.
What's timid? He was being cautious! Cautious!
"Forget it, I'll take the risk."
Rozen gritted his teeth and cautiously moved forward.
Rozen wouldn't assume that he could do the same thing as Fou just because it had done so.
What if the creature woke up suddenly? What then?
Therefore, Rozen didn't even use "Telekinesis" to reduce his weight and footsteps. He was worried that the fluctuations in magical energy might awaken the slumbering dragon.
Even so, as he passed by the dragon, Rozen still felt uncomfortable.
"Phew..."
The breath exhaled from the dragon's nostrils was like scalding lava, raising the temperature of the air significantly. It even reddened Rozen's skin.
Fortunately, the journey was uneventful.
With sweat on his brow, Rozen finally managed to bypass the dragon and reach the door.
"Fou!"
Fou nodded in satisfaction and darted into the corridor.
Witnessing this scene, Rozen had one thought.
"When I get back, I'm definitely going to teach this little thing a lesson."
With gritted teeth, Rozen followed.
...
"Fou! Fou!"
"Huff... huff..."
In the desolate corridor, Fou and Rozen ran, one in front and the other trailing behind. One was agile and swift, while the other's stamina was starting to lag.
At this point, the stench of blood was less pronounced in the air, and even the scent of Wyverns was hardly detectable. This indicated that this area was different from the outside.
However, with the absence of the bloody odor and Wyvern traces, the sense of tension and weight grew even more intense.
Then...
"Clang!"
The sound of clashing metal suddenly rang out, capturing Rozen's attention.
"Is someone fighting ahead?"
Rozen was momentarily stunned and surprised.
"Fou!"
However, Fou paid it no mind, continuing to run forward.
Rozen hurriedly followed.
Soon, a bright light emerged at the end of the corridor, signifying its termination.
Rozen slowed his pace, opting not to rush out directly but instead to hide in the shadows and observe.
And as he observed, Rozen's eyes widened in disbelief.
"Clang!"
The clash of weapons resounded once more, igniting sparks.
In that moment, Rozen saw clearly.
Ahead in the corridor, within a hall reminiscent of an audience chamber, two figures were engaged in fierce combat.
One of the combatants wielded an evil flag with dragon motifs, a pitch black witch wearing a mocking expression.
Unbelievably, it was the "Dragon Witch."
Rozen hadn't anticipated that she hadn't left Orleans but had returned to her stronghold.
Even more surprising was the person battling against the "Dragon Witch."
"Ha!"
With a resolute cry, facing the sinister flag's swing, a girl counterattacked using a sacred flag adorned with motifs resembling angels and flowers. She deflected the witch's attack with her own, sending it back.
A flag.
She wielded the same weapon as the witch.
And not only that.
The girl had the same attire, the same physique, and even the same appearance as the witch.
She was...
"A second... Jeanne...?"
Rozen was thoroughly shocked.
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