“Kkieeeeeeeeeeek!!!”

As another bolt of lightning struck, the creature thrashed in agony, arching its back. Amidst the chaos, Ms. Rebecca bellowed, exhaling clouds of steam and blue smoke simultaneously.

“Drive the wires attached to the weapon into your thighs and brace the rear end against the ground! The recoil will be severe!”

“Yes! Erika, Mr. Lopez! Step back!”

“Lo… Lope…?”

“I’ll help too… urgh…!”

While Erika’s expression shifted between relief and confusion, Mr. Lopez clung to the cannon, fighting back dry heaves. He then drove the two wires attached to it into his own thigh and mine.

“Urgh…!”

A subtle electric current flowed into my body, accompanied by a stinging pain akin to an injection. As I struggled against the unfamiliar sensation, Ms. Rebecca’s shout rang out once more.

“There should be a trigger beneath the barrel! The output is roughly calibrated, so pull it with all your might on my signal!”

“This is worse than I thought…”

“The rest of you, do the same! If we don’t bring it down here, we’re all dead anyway! Get your fingers on the triggers right now! One, two…!”

As Ms. Rebecca issued commands with practiced ease, the terrified guards finally began to lift their weapons one by one. With dozens of blue lights aimed at the Hatchling simultaneously, a sharp voice sliced through the air.

“Three! Fire!”

“Aaaaaaagh!”

In an instant, a massive amount of mana drained from my body, bringing a wave of pain that transcended mere exhaustion. The absorbed mana converted into sizzling mana rounds within the barrels, culminating in a blue glow that flooded the ground.

Thus, countless starlights formed upon the earth rather than the sky. Had the sky possessed eyes, it might have felt as though it were looking into a mirror for the very first time. Even the Hatchling seemed overwhelmed by the sight, ceasing its movements for a brief moment.

And in the next instant, tens of thousands of lightning bolts tore through the air and slammed into the Hatchling’s body.

“Kkueeeeeeeeeeeek!!!”

“Urgh…!”

True to Ms. Rebecca’s words, the recoil was tremendous. Completely drained of strength, I sank helplessly to my knees. The Hatchling, too, let out a scream unlike any it had made before, radiating intense agony. 

However, the lightning did not end with a single strike; it continued to incinerate the Hatchling’s body. As each discharged mana bolt pierced its skin and seared its flesh, the creature violently thrashed, flaring the scales across its entire body. Even I got goosebumps watching such a colossal lifeform writhe in agony.

Despite the chaos, I somehow managed to drag my legs and put distance between myself and the beast. I had fired the weapon only once, yet my entire body trembled uncontrollably, and all the strength drained from my shoulders. Looking up, I saw Haru, who had been on the hill, lying flat on her back, gasping for breath.

Whether it was the limit of an untrained human or simply due to my low mana reserves, either way, I knew I couldn’t pull this off multiple times. The rest of the guards seemed to be in much the same state.

But the Hatchling was still moving.

“Geueeeeek…”

“Fuck… why… why won’t it go down…”

“It’s not even running away…”

Hearing them say that, it seemed that in the past, a single shot was enough to make it flee. Then, after some time passed, they would summon it again. They probably thought of that as a carrot and stick, like taming a wild beast.

But the thing standing before us now wasn’t just some wild beast.

As if to prove that point, the Hatchling slowly raised its body. I, too, had no choice but to force myself up in response. And just as I hooked my finger around the trigger once more, Ms. Rebecca’s shout reached my ears.

“Prepare to fire again! One! Two!”

“…Urgh.”

“Three! Fire!”

“Auuuuurgh!”

Once again, all the mana in my body was sucked dry into the wire buried in my thigh. This time, because Mr. Lopez had dropped out, I had to bear the entire burden alone. The cannon, indifferent to its user’s circumstances, filled its greedy maw to the brim with mana.

And then, vibrating even more violently than before, it fired the mana round.

“Kkueeeeeeeek!!!”

Countless streaks of light struck the creature’s nape directly, unleashing another storm of mana. The surrounding air sizzled from the heat, palpable against my skin. Yet, this time, no one lowered their weapon. They knew the beast wouldn’t crumble so easily.

“Again! Everyone, aim for its neck!”

“Uuuurgh…!”

“Fire all at once! One! Two! Three! Fire!”

“Aaaaaagh!”

Screams erupted from all around. The weapon, designed to combat monstrous beasts, gnawed at the user’s life just as much as the enemy’s. As if reflecting that grim reality, a dark crimson mist surged from the direct hit of the mana rounds.

“Kkieeek… Kkieeeeeek!!!”

“Keugh…”

In that moment, dark blue smoke leaked from my mouth. Good god, I never imagined a mana backflow would occur in my own body. It was wringing out every last drop of my already meager mana.

And it seemed even Ms. Rebecca was no exception. Clearly struggling to keep up, she fought back dry heaves as she barely managed to shout.

“One… *cough*… more! One! Two…!”

“Urgh…”

“Keugh… three…! Fire…!”

“Just die already!!!”

“Kkiek…!”

Someone’s desperate battle cry echoed through the air. And as if that plea had reached the heavens, the Hatchling let out its first death rattle and began to stagger.

And for us, that was the signal of hope we would never see again. 

“*Cough*… Now… now’s the time! Maximize the output!”

“Uurgh…”

The lack of oxygen squeezed damp tears from my eyes. Even as my vision blurred, I fumbled for the output dial. Soon, my fingers brushed a crude lever in the center of the barrel, and I pulled it with all my might.

“Heo-eok…!”

With a hollow gasp, all the blood in my body seemed to drain away in an instant. My body could no longer hold out and began to collapse. For a brief moment, my consciousness faded, and my vision turned hazy.

“Lo… Lope!”

“…!”

But at that moment, someone yanked the wire out of me. I turned around to see Erika driving both wires into her own thigh.

“I… I have more mana than you. So…”

“Haa…”

“You just pull the trigger. Got it?”

“…Yeah. I got it.”

“Ready! One! Two!”

As I answered weakly, Erika’s hand grasped my shoulder. For the first time in my life, I leaned against the formerly powerless Student Council President. I had no time to feel sentimental about it before Ms. Rebecca’s desperate shout shook my consciousness.

“Three! Fire!”

“Please, let this be the end…!”

This time, a desperate plea spilled from my lips. I was probably not the only one; everyone on the field must have been wishing for the same thing. Those gathered hopes transformed into blue streams of light, surging with an unprecedented intensity.

All those streams of light had but one target: the Hatchling, staggering with its maw agape. The shells, capable of silencing any terrestrial lifeform, even a Dragon, flew toward the beast at the speed of light. They rained down upon its massive bulk as countless fragments.

But in that very moment, the creature launched itself into the sky with all its might. 

“Ah…!”

I don’t know who let out that groan. This time, everyone must have felt the same way. Watching the mana rounds detonate right beneath the feet of the creature that had barely taken flight, we all stood there with our mouths hanging open in sheer disbelief.

…

It dodged.

A full-powered bombardment.

They say that after a clear day, the rain must inevitably fall. The hopes of humanity scattered just as quickly as they had gathered. Behind me, I heard the soft thud of Erika collapsing.

And it wasn’t just Erika. Believing this attack to be their last, most of the personnel fell to their knees. Lacking even the strength to scream, they simply buried their faces in the dirt.

“Geuuugh… geueeeek…”

The Hatchling barely caught its breath, hovering in the air with its back to the sun. Then, it drew in a long, deep breath. Flames sizzled in its throat as it prepared to unleash divine punishment. At that moment, all the humans despaired and let their weapons slip from their grasp.

And it was right at that moment that the only one who hadn’t given in to despair—an elf—leaped toward the sky.

“Hup…!”

Saya, who had been running without a sound, briefly held her breath before kicking off the empty air and soaring toward the Hatchling’s head. As a human, I couldn’t possibly comprehend the mechanics of it, so that was the only way I could describe it. The creature noticed her presence and turned its head, but it was already too late.

Thus, Saya flew in like a meteor, scattering a pure-white blade in midair before sharply diving into the creature’s ear canal.

“Kkueeeeeeeeeek!!!”

In that instant, the creature contorted its entire body and let out a painful shriek. Blood sprayed madly from its ear, suggesting that Saya was stirring the inside with her sword. It might have been a negligible amount given its massive size, but it twisted its waist and violently clawed at its own ear.

The ear. Come to think of it, the Hatchling had substituted nearly all its senses with hearing back then. That meant if it had any weak point, it would be there. The moment I reached that understanding, Saya slipped out of its ear, and at the same time, its own sharp claws dug deep into the ear canal. 

“Kkieeeek! Kkueeeeeek!”

The Hatchling shrieked continuously before dropping to the ground as if collapsing. Its near-crash landing sent massive clouds of dust billowing into the air. The beast barely managed to inhale, seemingly trying to catch its breath.

But at that moment, Ms. Rebecca dashed in swiftly, parting the gray mist.

“Heugh…!!!”

“Kkiek…!”

Unable to finish gathering its breath, the creature snapped its mouth shut. Its neck, bulging with a massive volume of oxygen, stretched out long. In an instant, Ms. Rebecca rushed before it and pulled back her clenched fist with all her might.

Equipped on it was the very Gauntlet she had mentioned. Her metal prosthetic hand and the Gauntlet vibrated against each other, creaking as if they were about to explode at any second. Spewing blood, steam, and mana all at once, Ms. Rebecca glared into the Hatchling’s eyes with bloodshot intensity.

And with every ounce of her strength, she brought it crashing down onto the creature’s skull.

“Kkuek…!”

With an impact that sounded as if the sky itself was collapsing, that massive skull smashed into the earth. It was a shockwave that literally split the ground, preventing the Hatchling from even screaming. Even so, it didn’t seem enough to serve as a decisive blow.

That was why I stood up. I ripped the wires out of Erika and plunged them into my own two legs before breaking into a sprint toward the beast.

“…!”

Seeing me approach, it lifted its wings to desperately cover its ear canals. Though it lacked the strength to swing them, its will to hide its weak point was evident. 

But the weak point I was aiming for wasn’t there. I ran toward a more proven target. I stomped on its skull and sprinted with all my might along its neck until I reached the base of its wing.

“Huu…”

I steadied my breathing and recalled the sight I had witnessed that day. The fragments of the Hatchling’s wings, scattered like trash across the field. That was the only Dragon carcass I had ever laid eyes on. 

There was no time to hesitate. I pulled the lever all the way back once more and rammed the barrel right into the center of the wing base. A sensation, as if poking at soft down feathers, transmitted through the weapon. 

To me, it felt like my last chance.

“Just die, you son of a bitch.”

“Kkieeeeeeeeeeek!!!”

Lacking even the strength to scream, I muttered a curse under my breath. Then, I pulled the trigger with everything I had left. In the next instant, dark crimson blood surged like a flash of lightning, and the tough flesh was torn away like paper.

“Lope!”

“…”

My body was completely devoid of strength. The agony of the fall. The aftermath of the bombardment. The accumulated fatigue. Until the soft fragrance of forget-me-nots washed over me, I truly thought I was dead. But Saya shook my paralyzed body desperately.

“Lope! Wake up! Hurry!”

“Urgh…”

“Oh my god. Help me carry him, Haru. I can’t lift him by myself.”

“First you ask to borrow my sword, now you want help carrying him. See, you can’t do anything without me, can you?”

“Stop joking around!”

“All right… one… two…!”

“Uuuurgh!!!”

As the two of them forced me to my feet, a pain like my entire body was being torn apart rushed in. I almost passed out, but I barely managed to keep my senses and raised my head.

Then, the tragically mangled wing of the Hatchling caught my eye.

Just like the sight I had seen that day, the massive wing was smashed into the ground like trash. It twitched slightly as if the nerves were still alive, but it was undoubtedly severed from the torso. Dark crimson blood poured from the torn base of the wing, and the creature hung limp with its eyes rolled back. I couldn’t say for certain if it was dead, but it was clearly incapacitated.

I had no energy left to check. Even Ms. Rebecca struggled to her feet and laboriously picked up a cannon.

“Let’s head for the train. Hurry.”

“…We can board it, right.”

“Probably. As long as it’s operational, the mechanism isn’t that complicated. Besides, Mr. Lopez probably intended to leave as soon as the situation was sorted out anyway…”

Our gazes naturally turned to Mr. Lopez. But before that, a crazed woman lying prostrate right in front of the Hatchling caught our eyes.

And it was none other than Mrs. Lopez. She was trembling all over, reaching her hand out toward the beast.

“N… no…”

“Mom…”

“No… no… no…!”

Screaming, she finally lost her reason and brought her hand to the edge of the Hatchling’s maw. Then, Mr. Lopez, who had been lying collapsed behind her, approached and grabbed her shoulder.

“Honey, stop. We have to go, hurry…!”

“Do we even have anywhere to go? We’re all going to die anyway. This is our only hope. Yes, if we save this dying creature…!”

“Snap out of it, honey! Nothing is going to change by doing this!”

“Let go of me! You’re the one who knows nothing!”

“Please, stop!!!”

Mr. Lopez finally shouted and grabbed his wife’s shoulders. Then, he threw her backward. A light cloud of dust rose and drifted toward the creature’s maw.

In that instant, the Hatchling opened its eyes. 

“…”

“Why can’t you realize it! That this is completely meaningless! Can’t we just act rationally until the very end?! Can’t you just accept it and spend whatever time we have left preciously?!”

“You’re the one who doesn’t realize it! Why! Why! Why! This is the only chance to save our Erika! Fine. Then leave on your own. I will never let Erika die!”

“Honey!”

But the Lopez couple was so focused on each other that they didn’t notice. The Hatchling watched the humans fighting before it with hazy eyes.

And then it snapped up Mr. Lopez’s torso, which was right in front of it.

“Ugh…!”

“No! Dad!!!”

Mr. Lopez died instantly, unable to even let out a final death rattle. Only Erika’s desperate scream echoed high into the sky.

At the scene of that small tragedy, the Hatchling slowly opened its eyes. And it began to cry with a low sound.

“Geuuuuurgh…”

“Damn it…”

“Geueeeeek…”

It didn’t seem like it would stand up again now. It was just its final death throes. But even that was too lethal for us humans. The moment we realized that fact, we started running.

“Ah, I’m so sick of this bastard!”

“Stop talking and just run, Haru…!”

“You run faster first, Lope!”

“Geuuu…”

Amidst the urgent voices being exchanged, the roar of boiling flames could be heard. The heat was already licking at our feet.

“Damn it, don’t tell me…!”

“No time, hurry!”

“Just get on board for now! Hurry!”

Fortunately, we threw ourselves onto the train just in time. Confirming that we had boarded, Ms. Rebecca headed for the station office on the outside.

“Saya! There should be a lever in the driver’s cabin. Pull it when I give the signal!”

“Ah… yes!”

“Damn it… hurry… hurry…!”

She darted her eyes around, busily manipulating something. Meanwhile, the people outside hid in the surrounding buildings to avoid the Dragon. Most of them didn’t even seem to consider boarding the train, which hadn’t even started moving yet.

But Erika was the exception. She stood still in the middle of the burning world, weeping helplessly. Even though we had a bad history together, I couldn’t just leave her to burn like that.

“Uueuk… sniff… uuheuk…”

“Erika!”

“Uuheeuk… sniff… ah… Lope…”

Hearing my voice, Erika approached, scattering tears as she ran. And right on cue, Ms. Rebecca’s voice echoed.

“Saya! Now!”

“Yes!”

Matching her signal, Saya pulled the lever precisely. The train began to move slowly, spewing smoke. Seeing that, Erika barely managed to pick up her speed.

“Ah… heuk… wait… wait a minute…”

“…”

“Heueuk… wait…!”

“Lope! Is everyone alright?”

At that moment, Ms. Rebecca pointed at Erika and urgently dashed into the train. Meanwhile, the train rapidly picked up speed, racing toward the horizon. To catch up, she had to run. She had to run with all her might.

“Haa… haa… haa…!”

“…”

“Haa… heuk… wait for me… please…!”

“…Damn it.”

I clenched my teeth without realizing it. Erika’s tear-stained face flashed past the shaking window. Seeing those desperate eyes, I couldn’t help but be moved. 

“Damn it… Erika.”

“Haa… haa… haa…”

“Damn it…!”

“Haa… haa… haa…!”

Her breath, exhausted from running with everything she had, finally reached the threshold. Soaked in tears and sweat, Erika desperately reached out her hand. And I raised my arm, if only for this very moment, to clasp that hand. 

Pure white tears rolled down Erika’s face. The salt crystals within them sparkled in the sunlight. Only then did a very faint light of hope dawn on Erika’s face.

But at that moment, Ms. Rebecca blocked my path. With her head bowed low, she slammed the door shut as if it were an accident.

And she mercilessly pushed away Erika’s hand, which had been reaching this way.

“Ms. Rebecca…?”

Erika murmured her final words with a sorrowful expression. But before that voice could even seep inside, Ms. Rebecca ruthlessly shut the train door.