Reincarnated as a Dragon Hatchling, Volume 8, page 1
Table of Contents
Color Gallery
Title Page
Cast
Table of Contents Page
The Story So Far
Copyrights and Credits
Chapter 1: Alban Mine
Chapter 2: Royal Capital Reconnaissance
Interlude: A Girl and a Royal Feast
Chapter 3: Assault on Alban Castle
Chapter 4: Rogueheil, the Sword of Infinity
Bonus Story 1: Volk’s Side Story
Bonus Story 2: Idle Chitchat with a Certain Saint
Afterword
Newsletter
Chapter 1:
Alban Mine
Part 1
HAVING WORKED WITH Saint Lilyxila to defeat the Dragon King Eldia and escape the Island at the Edge of the World, I was now flying across the vast expanse of the sea alongside the Holy Dragon, Seraphim. Our destination was the city where the Demon King was said to be hiding: Alban, the royal capital of the kingdom of Ardesia.
“Groooaaa!” I called out to Lilyxila, who was perched atop Seraphim’s back, trying to catch her attention. She seemed to figure out that I had something to say to her, because she looked back at me and nodded.
“Go ahead.”
Since I didn’t have the Telepathy skill myself, Lilyxila had to use Telepathy and read my mind when I wanted to communicate.
Hey, Lilyxila… Don’t you think letting other humans see the two of us together is a bad idea?
“Ahh… Forgive me, you’re quite right. Across the great ocean lies my homeland, the Holy Land of Lialum. I will stop there to rest for a short while; would you mind if we parted ways temporarily once we’ve sighted land? I will give you a map detailing the way to Ardesia’s capital, of course.”
Well, that seems reasonable. Lilyxila had said she would guarantee my safety and free passage, but that wouldn’t be a simple feat. Things were sure to go badly if she brought me into her homeland without prepping anyone for my arrival.
“Before we part, I’d like to discuss our plan for defeating the Demon King. He’s likely rank A…but I think his level may be a little lower than yours. If all goes well, you may not have too much trouble defeating him. But of course, this is all just conjecture.”
Hmm. That’s great, if it ends up being true. Could you explain your reasoning?
“The Demon King’s actions seem…far-fetched. He took over a castle of humans by impersonating their princess. This allows him to safely raise his level while also hiding his true identity from me.”
So he’s trying to level up? I guess it was true that if he was stronger than Lilyxila and Eldia, there’d be no need for him to sneak around.
“But there are holes in this line of thought. First of all, it just seems too roundabout of a method. Perhaps there’s some other advantage to doing it this way…or maybe it’s just how the Demon King is?”
Yeah… There’s gotta be a quicker way to kill a bunch of powerful opponents than pretending to be a human princess and summoning them to your castle.
“That being said, I’ve never met the Demon King, so I cannot speak for his personality. And I have too little information about the skills he possesses to be able to say anything about them at all. I’m sure he must have a skill that allows him to transform into a human, but that is all I know.”
There was a surprisingly large number of monsters who knew the Human Transformation skill. In order to use it for an extended period of time, you had to find a way to counteract the skill’s MP drain. But even monsters that didn’t have as much MP as I did could counteract it with skills like the manticore’s Nekomata or Nightmare’s One Hundred Faces. With so little information, it’d be tough to nail down the Dragon King’s species.
“Secondly, no matter how intelligent this Demon King may be, the fact that he’s succeeded in impersonating the princess is strange. The Demon King may have an accomplice working inside the castle who is helping him keep control.”
So you’re saying there might be other enemies in the castle besides the Demon King? I see. Even if we could theoretically take the Demon King down without issue, we shouldn’t let our guard down. With this many uncertainties at play, the idea that he could be under-leveled was nothing more than wishful thinking.
“If you succeed in defeating the Demon King, I will head to Ardesia’s capital. Should things begin to get out of hand, I’d appreciate it if you could at least find a way to get him out into the open. If I can expose his monstrous form, I’ll be able to act without any concern for the relations between our countries.”
So if I fail to defeat him and let him escape, or retreat because I’m not strong enough and make him chase after me, you can attack the Demon King under the pretense that he’s a monster who appeared in the castle and is trying to escape? That sounds like a plan… When will you be able to get to Ardesia, Saint Lilyxila?
“The longer we allow him to remain there unchecked, the more it will cost us, and the higher the Demon Lord’s level will be when we do face him. I’d like to strike at him right away, but since we need to cross the border between nations, that seems ill-advised. I don’t want to do anything that will attract the Demon King’s attention. I’ll have Seraphim make haste for the Royal Capital. If he flies like the Demon King is at his back, I’d wager he’ll arrive there in two—no, three days.”
At this, Seraphim’s eyes narrowed slightly in disgruntlement, which Lilyxila couldn’t see from her perch atop his back.
But… Three days, huh? If I flew hard, it wouldn’t take me more than a day or so to get to Ardesia. If I spent the first day flying and the last one defeating the Demon King, that’d still leave the second day completely free. It might not be a bad idea to use Human Transformation to get some information in the Royal Capital in the meantime.
I might even hear some rumors about the Demon King. I wanted to get information that backed up what the saint was telling me before I faced the Demon King. Everything I knew about the current one came from her lips—I couldn’t rule out the possibility that the saint might be making up the story about the Demon King in order to frame me somehow.
Suddenly, I noticed the Saint staring at me as I was deep in my thoughts. Crap! She might’ve caught something I didn’t want her to hear. Ballrabbits! Yeah, ballrabbits! Before too long, my thoughts were fully occupied with the image of a tower made entirely of ballrabbits.
After a while, I began to see land on the horizon, signaling the end of our long flight. This was true land, the kind where monsters like Adams didn’t roam free.
As Lilyxila had told us, this was her homeland: the Holy Land of Lialum.
Lilyxila pulled Seraphim to a halt in midair. I moved in front of them and stopped, wheeling around to face them. Lilyxila gave Allo a map detailing the way to Ardesia and its Royal Capital, and then our two groups parted ways.
Part 2
I HEADED FOR THE kingdom of Ardesia, flying low to avoid attracting attention. The headwind blew across my scales in a caress, and the salty scent of the ocean air reinvigorated me. As I looked behind me, I noticed that the shockwaves caused by my flight created a valley along the ocean’s surface. I asked Allo, who was riding on my head, to take a look at the map and direct me along a route that would avoid land as much as possible—especially occupied land.
A couple of little detours were no problem for me. I might not have been as fast as some others of my rank, but being rank A in and of itself made me one of the fastest monsters in the world. This sort of large-scale travel reminded me for the first time in a long time that I was now an Ouroboros—a dragon outside the realm of ordinary dragons. I suddenly found myself missing the days of being a Baby Dragon, running amok in my little forest.
Allo, who was resting on my head and looking at the map, suddenly spoke up in a voice that sounded close to tears. “Um, Master Dragon…? I’m sorry, I think maybe I’ve gotten us lost…”
Lilyxila had given us a map along with a tool that looked like a golden balance, which was supposed to help us steer us toward our destination. But the sea was vast, and it was impossible to tell which island was which from just a single glance as we flew by. Plus, we’d taken several long detours that made it even harder to tell where we were.
Okay, then I’ll fly up a little higher and take a look around. There weren’t any large continents nearby, and even if someone saw me, from this distance they’d just assume I was a flying dragon instead of an actual Ouroboros. If I was noticed, I could just fly away. I’d make it to Ardesia before they heard any word of my arrival.
I shot straight up, quickly gaining altitude. The ocean’s surface fell away beneath me, and I began to see islands dotting the horizon and the continent beyond them. How’s that, Allo? Think you can figure it out now?
(“She’s nodding her head,) reported Partner, craning her neck to look at Allo where she was perched on my head.
Okay, cool. Then we should get moving. As I tilted my head downward and prepared to descend back to the ocean’s surface, I noticed that Partner’s head was frozen in place, staring behind us.
I turned around and saw a massive bird monster, maybe four meters long, standing on a lone rock in the distance and repeatedly thrusting its enormous beak into the sea. I figured it must be hunting for fish. It didn’t seem particularly strong, so I wasn’t sure why Partner was so transfixed. But then came her telepathic message:
(“Mmm… Looks tasty…”)
Oh, so that’s what the deal is? Well, we’ve been flying for a while. Why don’t we stop for a bite to eat?
“Graa! Graa!” Partner gave a few big nods, looking pleased. What a simpleton. But I was getting hungry too, so I didn’t really mind.
It’s probably rank D or C, so I should be able to take it down with a Whirlwind Slash or two once I get close enough… As I contemplated my course of action, a large whirlpool began to form on the surface of the sea, near the rock where the bird stood. My Psychic Sense skill tingled, telling me that there was something lurking in the depths of the whirlpool. The bird monster sensed something was amiss as well and took its head out of the ocean, looked up toward the sky, and tossed the fish it had caught in its beak into its throat. With its meal finished, it kicked off from the rock and flew into the air.
Then, a single blue tentacle sprung up from the whirlpool and snatched the bird out of the sky, dragging it back down and into the sea without giving it any chance to resist. I watched in stunned silence, amazed at the suddenness of the scene. Partner, too, was watching the developments with wide eyes.
In no time at all, the bird monster was pulled beneath the waves, disappearing from sight. A few final screeches came from the center of the whirlpool as the bird monster succumbed to its fate. Then, a pale figure that was twice as big as the bird monster emerged from the vortex.
“Ooooooon…” A low roar echoed across the vast expanse of the ocean.
Wh-what the hell? What is this grotesque creature?
Kraken: Rank B monster
The king of the sea. Lures in ships and dragons with its tentacles, then devours them.
One of the three great scourges of the sea.
Sailors unfortunate enough to meet the Kraken are certain to meet their watery death.
Oho… So it even kills dragons? Scary. Partner seemed pretty surprised by the Kraken’s appearance, and she stared at the strange figure with her mouth open in disbelief. Sorry, Partner. The Kraken took that plump bird for itself. I’m sure we’ll find another monster of that caliber soon.
A thin line of drool dripped from Partner’s open mouth.
(“Now that looks tasty…”)
Huh? You want to eat it? I-I mean, I won’t stop you, but do you really think it looks tasty? It’s got, like, six eyeballs. I’m not sure that’s the kind of thing you’d want to eat. I guess it’s a little late to question your eating habits, though…
As if sensing it was being contemplated for our dinner, the Kraken sank back down into the depths of the whirlpool to make its escape.
(“H-hey! Go after it!”)
Huh? Do you really think we’ll be able to catch it? Now?
As I was considering our options, I noticed that Partner was staring at my face with a glimmer of magic gathering in her eyes. She was going to use Master’s Demonic Gaze to take control of our body, wasn’t she?
O-okay, fine! I’ll try and get it for us, so hold your horses!
I swooped down to close the distance between me and the Kraken. But by the time I reached the whirlpool, the Kraken had already disappeared beneath the swirling vortex. That’s one fast octopus, I thought. Or maybe it’s more like a squid…? Whatever it was, it was gone, and I was somewhat relieved that I hadn’t reached it in time.
“Graa! Graaaaaaa!!”
Partner twisted her head around, throwing a tantrum next to me. Fine, I got it! I’ll try a little harder!
I flapped my wings and fired a Whirlwind Slash toward the center of the whirlpool. The slash sent a wave of ocean water spraying into the air and made a deep ripple on the ocean’s surface. It was hard to tell if I’d actually hit anything or not. I squinted my eyes, trying to look deeper beneath the surface, and saw a faint blue fluid floating up from the recesses of the ocean.
Looks like my attack hit.
The next moment, a black, gaseous substance sprayed out from the ocean’s surface.
I flapped my wings, sending out a gale of wind to divert the Kraken’s ink. Some of it landed on the tip of my snout, and I suddenly felt a little dizzy. The ink must cause some sort of status condition.
A huge, pale tentacle shot out of the whirlpool, heading straight for me. I tried to dodge it by flying up higher, but with my brain feeling like it was rattling around inside my head, I was only partially successful.
The first tentacle only grazed my back leg, but the second and third ones managed to wrap themselves around my ankles. I felt the tentacles begin to pull with a surprising amount of force.
This thing was kidding itself if it thought it could drag me into the sea just like that, though. I flew higher, straining against the vice-like grip of the tentacles. The Kraken’s body was lifted out of the sea and into the air.
“Ooonn? Ooo, oooOOooooOOnn?!”
The Kraken unraveled its tentacles from around my ankles and tried to escape back into the sea, but before it could, Partner bent down and grabbed both tentacles in her mouth and bit down hard. Now there was no escape.
I swung my paw at the Kraken, who was left exposed and unprotected in the air. A single strike with my claws sent fluid spewing out of its body and completely crushed three of its six eyes. The Kraken’s body writhed and convulsed as I went in for a second strike.
My attacks coupled with Partner’s fangs piercing the Kraken’s tentacles were too much for it. The tentacles the Kraken had been using to anchor itself were ripped from its body, and the Kraken’s massive carcass floated to the surface.
Gained 910 Experience Points.
Title Skill “Walking Egg” Lv — activated: gained 910 Experience Points.
As usual, my Divine Voice announced the Kraken’s erasure from existence. Its massive, pale body floated on the surface of the water. Black ink dripped from the ends of its limbs and open maw.
Oh, right… I wonder what that status condition was? Curious, I examined the ink.
Sea King’s Ink: Value B
Ink released by the Kraken, one of the three scourges of the sea. Its toxins cause Hallucination, Poison, and Sleep status effects.
Can be used as both an attack and escape mechanism. When the Kraken is attacked by a monster that preys on it, it releases concentrated ink with a unique, rich flavor to distract the monster and allow the Kraken to escape. The toxins can be neutralized by diluting the ink, allowing it to be used as a sauce or seasoning. Considered one of the seven great delicacies of the world.
Due to the Kraken’s ferociousness, the ink is a remarkably rare find on the market.
So it’s not just one of the three great calamities—it’s one of the world’s seven great delicacies too? I caught the smell of concentrated, boiled-down seafood wafting over from the black liquid seeping into the seawater.
I stuck the tip of my snout in the water. The scent was strong but kind of addictive. I stretched out my tongue to try and lap some of it up.
On top of its rich flavor, I assumed the Sleep and Poison status effects must’ve had an effect on me too, because my brain was quickly enveloped in a drowsy, euphoric haze. The ink, combined with the ocean’s salty seawater, created quite the agreeable mix of flavors.
W-wait, this definitely isn’t something I should be drinking undiluted. I shook my head and pulled back, restraining the urge to guzzle it all down. My mouth was overflowing with drool.
Endure it, me! This flavor, combined with the status effects, made this stuff incredibly addictive. If I kept drinking it, I’d be a completely useless human…or a completely useless dragon, even! I held back and looked over to Partner, who was dipping her entire face into the blackened water.
(“’S good! Soooo good! Delicious!!”)
Oh, c’mon! I’m over here doing all I can to resist, and you’re just going at it, you jerk!
Part 3
THE SUN WAS BEGINNING to rise into the sky, turning the sea at the edge of the horizon a bright vermilion. Even though this world was flat, the sun still somehow rose in the morning and set in the evening. I stopped for a while to watch the sunrise but eventually got annoyed by Treant nodding thoughtfully at the sun from where he was perched on my back. I decided to turn around and wade through the sea for a little while.
