Jibru wakes up about a week after the continental collapse.
「…Where… am I…?」
A sharp pain.
Her head hurts.
「Are you awake, sister?」
Looking to the side, she sees Ouronus.
But not just Ouronus.
Mýrus, Alto Parto, and everyone else seem to have been waiting for her to wake up.
「Thank goodness. You were asleep for so long, I was worried, sister.」
Ouronus grips Jibru’s hand, relieved from the bottom of his heart.
Jibru gives a wry smile as her brother rubs his tail against her while crying.
「I’m sorry for worrying you all.」
She says this while looking at all her subordinates.
Mýrus steps forward from among the subordinates.
「You really did! Do you have any idea how much trouble we went through because of your reckless actions, Lord Jibru? And then you wouldn’t wake up for so long… we were really worried!」
Hearing this, Jibru remembers.
That’s right.
She had released her 「power」 and descended to the surface.
To make the humans pay for taking something precious from her.
「…?」
Pay…? For what?
Taken…? What was taken?
「—!」
A sharp pain.
Her head hurts again.
Why? She can’t remember.
Why did she go to the surface?
Even abandoning her mission to protect the Stellar Vein.
Something… it feels like she’s forgotten something 「important.」
「Sister, what’s wrong? Are you still hurting somewhere?」
Ouronus looks at her with concern.
「No… I’m fine…」
She says this and stands before her subordinates.
「Everyone, I’m sorry for worrying you. And I apologize for causing you trouble.」
Jibru bows her head.
「Hah, what a pain in the ass! Do you have any idea how much I had to—oomph!」
「Be quiet for a moment, Yamu. How dare you speak to our lord that way!」
「Harsha…! What do you think you’re doing, you damn Holy Dragon!」
「I’m merely disciplining an ill-mannered Celestial Dragon. Though it doesn’t seem to be very effective.」
Yamu’s cheek twitches at Harsha’s defiant smile.
「Fine then, I’ll take you up on that fight at face value…!」
「That’s fine by me. You’ll learn the difference in our ranks—」
「Both of you, stop this at once!」
Just as Yamu is about to activate 「Heavens」 and Harsha 「Purifying Flames,」 Mýrus steps between them.
「Fighting in front of Lord Jibru is forbidden!」
「But Mýrus! This stupid Holy Dragon—」
「Do. You. Understand?」 *ominous pressure*
「…Yes.」
Both Yamu and Harsha fall silent under that pressure.
It seems everyone has someone they can’t talk back to.
「Well then, shall we move on to reporting the current situation?」
Alto Parto speaks up after making sure things have calmed down.
「Now then, Lord Jibru. First, let me report on the current state of the Stellar Vein.」
Saying this, Alto Parto explains to Jibru.
How much damage the Stellar Vein Dungeon suffered due to her rampage.
How many subordinates (mainly Mýrus’s antlings) were lost.
And how much the Stellar Vein Dungeon’s functions have currently deteriorated.
As she listens to the report, Jibru is filled with self-loathing.
Oh, what a foolish thing she had done.
Even if it was a momentary lapse in judgment, how could it have turned into something so serious?
「Therefore, Lord Jibru. If I may be so bold, I would like to propose inviting new subordinates to the Stellar Vein.」
The subordinates stir at Alto Parto’s suggestion.
「New subordinates? Do you mean Zepar will create new ones for us?」
「No. Lord Zepar is currently busy with restoration work in the innermost part. What I’m suggesting is recruiting ‘surface monsters’ to the Stellar Vein.」
「What?! Preposterous! Such a foolish thing cannot be done! You’re saying we should invite surface mongrels into our sacred Stellar Vein!?」
Holy Dragon Harsha is the first to object to Alto Parto’s proposal.
His magical power overflows with anger, intimidating the surroundings with crackling energy.
But Alto Parto remains unfazed by this pressure.
「Why not? Due to Lord Jibru’s rampage, our fighting force has significantly decreased. Most of Mýrus’s antlings have been lost, and Lord Zepar won’t be able to leave the innermost part for a while.
Even we, the main subordinates, are considerably exhausted.
Moreover, in this situation where humans with such power might appear again at any time, we should use whatever resources we can. Especially if they’re interested in us.」
「Interested…? What do you mean?」
「When Lord Jibru was rampaging on the surface, there was a slime watching.
Well, I’m quite doubtful whether we can really call it a slime…
According to Mýrus’s antlings’ investigation, it seems he has taken quite an interest in Lord Jibru. He would be valuable as fighting power, and if Lord Jibru approves, I’d like to bring him and his forces under our command.」
「Oh, that sounds interesting! I’m in favor!」
Ouronus is the first to show his support.
Among the Stellar Vein subordinates, he has a particularly high interest in the surface.
He raises his hand excitedly.
「I oppose. Surface monsters will only lower the Stellar Vein’s dignity.」
Conversely, Holy Dragon Harsha expresses his opposition.
For him, who considers Stellar Vein monsters supreme, this is natural.
「Hah, then I’m in favor!」
「You…!」
Harsha makes a bitter face as Yamu shows his support, seemingly just to spite him.
In the end, the majority is in favor, and Jibru’s approval becomes the deciding factor.
For Jibru, it wasn’t her intention to bring crisis to the Stellar Vein due to her own misconduct.
Even Harsha reluctantly gives in.
「Then with majority approval, we will invite Emperor Beast Agil and his group into the Stellar Vein. Ouronus, I’ll leave the recruitment to you, but please handle it diplomatically, okay?」
「Leave it to me, Alto! Come on, let’s go, Rias, Joker!」
「Ah, wait, Ouronus, don’t pull so suddenly!」
「Hey, you two~ wait for me~」
Ouronus leaves gleefully.
Jibru and the Stellar Vein subordinates watch with wry smiles.
Perhaps—everyone in their hearts had been wanting this.
A change in the Stellar Vein. Something to alter their time that had continued for far too long.
Ironically, Jibru’s rampage ended up pushing this forward.
And so, Emperor Beast Agil is invited to the Stellar Vein.
While most except Holy Dragon Harsha welcome him warmly, Agil’s first words are surprising.
「—I don’t mind becoming a Stellar Vein subordinate. But I have one condition.」
「What would that be, surface monster?」
「Divine Catastrophe Dragon King Jibru, I request a one-on-one battle with you.」
「A one-on-one battle…?」
The Stellar Vein subordinates stir.
「How disrespectful! A mere surface monster!」 「That’s right, know your place!」 「Ahaha, Agil’s got guts!」 「W-wait, Lord Ouronus!? Stop pulling me while laughing—」 「My my, quite spirited, aren’t we…」
Naturally, the Stellar Vein guardians react negatively.
They curse him as a fool who doesn’t know his place.
「—That’s fine by me.」
However, Jibru accepts without hesitation.
Restraining the surprised Stellar Vein guardians, Jibru agrees to fight him.
「Then let us begin, surface monster—」
Although she isn’t at full strength due to the exhaustion from 「Awakening,」 Jibru’s power is still overwhelming.
Agil is defeated in just two seconds.
「I… won’t… give up…」
Hearing these barely intelligible words, Jibru smiles wryly and places a small expectation on his growth.
An interesting child. He has potential equal to Ouronus.
She’s certain he will become stronger.
But why?
During those brief two seconds of battle, her head was filled with terrible noise.
It became especially bad when her stomach was about to be attacked.
Why is that?
Stomach…? Why did she need to protect it?
Because she’ll lose it again. …Lose what?
She can’t remember.
What… did she forget?
What did she—eat?
No one is there to answer these questions.
Bringing in Agil as a subordinate brings good changes to the Stellar Vein.
The knowledge brought by the surface monsters is fresh for Jibru and the others, and competing and growing together with them is an incredibly fun and fulfilling time.
Everything could be said to be going smoothly.
But—perhaps because of that, no one notices.
That these happy days are balanced on a knife’s edge.
That just one push could make it all collapse.
And then, 「it」 arrives suddenly one day.
「—Lord Zepar has passed away.」
The sudden news of death announced by Alto Parto.
The dragon who had secluded himself in the innermost part of the Stellar Vein, working on repairs.
The first and oldest Jiryuu, parent of all subordinates—Jibru’s beloved mate.
They are told that Zepar has died.
This would become the trigger for the worst tragedy in the Stellar Vein’s history.
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