Manowa Chapter 234

A Dragon Eater was a parasitic monster that would invite dragons with a sweet scent, then transplant the seeds that were their children to parasitize them. A Dragon Eater's seed would absorb a dragon's Dragon Spirit and capture the dragon with its abnormal growth power. A possessed dragon could no longer attack the sweet-smelling seeds and would become parasitized as it was.

However, the black Ogre in front of the Dragon Eater tore off the seeds coiling about him and recklessly charged forward while drooling. The seeds also gave off the sweet smell used for dragons, but the Berserk Ogre was a hybrid Ogre fused with the factor of the Black Rock Dragon, not an actual dragon. In other words, the effect was weak.

And he didn't only have Dragon Spirit; he also had magical power as an Ogre. Therefore, the Berserk Ogre wouldn't stop.

『……Scary.』

『Well, his appet.i.te being lively is good.』

Behind him, Tiara's Flame Power and Kazane's Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon were backing up the Berserk Ogre. The Dragon Eater in front of them had lost its right arm and was being held in check by the black armor wearing Stone Minotaur's sasumata. Though the dragon couldn't be suppressed by the power of the Minotaur alone. The Flame Power and Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon were helping with the restraint, so it was barely able to hold it in check.

(...However, this Dragoon control is a bit different than I expected)

At present, Kazane's body was far away as she fought completely by operating Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon. Looking at Jinrai's prosthetic arm control power and dreaming of Puppeteer mobility, Kazane was fighting with remote control, but it seemed the movements were no more than Kazane's degraded movements without Skills.

(Well, right now I have no choice but to do this, though)

Kazane concluded that there was no choice but to obtain the Puppeteer Skill from somewhere or use some similar method after all and concentrated on doing what she should do now.

And what she should do was support the Berserk Ogre. The Berserk Ogre had become the incarnation of appet.i.te. He chewed all the approaching seeds, but it was still insufficient. It seemed like the Core of the Dragon Eater was continuously moving at the moment. Right now the Berserk Ogre was a hunter pursuing it.

The opposing Dragon Eater was fl.u.s.tered by this situation. Although it was a plant, its will firmly existed due to the presence of its Core. The consciousness of the dragon it was possessing was waking up from the pain of losing its arm some time ago, and its body was also currently being hindered by the black armor wearing Minotaur. Above all, the black Ogre that had been following it about since some time ago was troublesome. From his movement, the Dragon Eater knew he was aiming for its Core. The Dryad Lizards were also being hindered by humans, so they couldn't come help. The Dragon Eater thought it would be subjugated as it was and decided to act quickly to defeat the black Ogre in front of it.

The Dragon Eater decided that since trying to possess the Berserk Ogre with seeds didn't go well,『itself』possessing him would be fine. The Dragon Eater separated from the body of the dragon it had parasitized for a short time and covered the black Ogre with all of its body's branches and vines.

Then the scream of the Berserk Ogre resounded.

**********

「Baad!?」

Kazane in the rear unintentionally shouted. Kazane was able to fully understand the status of the Berserk Ogre through『Information Link』. For that reason, she canceled『Information Link』. Until then, powerful hypnosis had been affecting Kazane through the Berserk Ogre.

「It looks like the Berserk Ogre was parasitized.」

After Kazane's words, Louisa and Tiara looked at the battlefield where the Dragon Eater and the others were.

The last thing Kazane saw through the Berserk Ogre was vegetation completely covering him.

(His entire body was wrapped up to parasitize him? Was it difficult to untie even with his ridiculous physical strength?)

It seemed his summoning couldn't be canceled. It was only a little, but Magic Power was also flowing from the Dragon Eater through the Path『from him』to her. There was no sign of him running out of Magic Power and becoming unable to move anytime soon.

Kazane never expected the main body would possess the Berserk Ogre and was fl.u.s.tered, but Kazane couldn't go to the scene herself. She knew from watching what happened with the Berserk Ogre that the Dragon Eater would scatter seeds around if she approached, and she would probably be parasitized quickly. She didn't have a strong body like the Berserk Ogre.

And in front of Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon and the Flame Power, the Berserk Ogre was covered with something like a ma.s.s of wood and gra.s.s, making him even more enormous. The Berserk Ogre was 4 meters tall, taller than ordinary Ogres. He had now become a tree giant around 6 meters tall.

However, standing in his way was the black flame armor wearing Stone Minotaur. The now formerly Dragon Eater parasitized dragon had gone limp, so the Stone Minotaur's sasumata was pointed at the Berserk Ogre.

Also, the collapsed dragon naturally started to become parasitized by the seeds flying around, but the dragon himself was completely exhausted, so it seemed they couldn't grow well.

『What should I do……』

Among them, Tiara was searching for a breakthrough solution while watching the surrounding situation.

Kazane's real body couldn't go, so she couldn't use Kazane Bazooka. The dull-moving Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon probably wouldn't be able to cope. If the Stone Minotaur could win against the Berserk Ogre it would be fine, but from watching their current battle, that seemed difficult.

「GUruuOOOOOOOO!!!」

A battle between fellow giants. Putting it simply, a sasumata was a long stick with two p.r.o.ngs at the end to capture opponents. It was a weapon used by police that was also placed at schools for use against suspicious individuals. Capturing an opponent of the same size should be possible with it, but the Berserk Ogre had absurd physical strength, and the attacks from the sasumata were obstructed by the Dragon Eater's vines and branches.

(What I can do ...)

Kazane's Dragoon was attacking the vines and the like to support the Stone Minotaur. What should her Flame Power do?

(This Flame Power's main use isn't protection. But to bring out its full power...)

Through her summoned knight's eyes, Tiara looked at the Flame Knights and Naoki's group,

『Flame Knights, return!!』

and declared that through『Information Link』. Naoki and the others also understood the Berserk Ogre's situation from looking to the side. Their a.s.senting voices arrived, and except for the Power, Tiara cancelled her summoned knights.

And after the Flame Knights around Naoki and the others thrust their crystal spears into the ground, they died out in an instant like flames.

At the same time, the vigor of the flames spouting from the Flame Power increased. Its wings enlarged, and the thickness of its armor increased. That change was the result of increasing its output by concentrating all the Magic Power that was being sent to the Flame Knights on the Flame Power.

Also, after the Flame Knights disappeared, Naoki started struggling, but Lyle's situation didn't particularly change. In other words, the Flame Knights had only been protecting Naoki. Was that because she trusted Lyle's ability, or did she simply completely ignore him?

In any case, the Flame Power could demonstrate its original ability, and it started fighting against the Berserk Ogre.

(Main is Mino-san, so I will restrain!)

In accordance with Tiara's will, the Flame Power flew in the sky, and a dozen flaming feathers were shot from its wings. They stuck into the Dragon Eater covering the Berserk Ogre, then exploded in a chain reaction, and the Berserk Ogre roared.

『Nice. Tiara, continue attacking. If you wake up the Berserk Ogre with pain, he might be able to release himself!』

Tiara nodded after the instructions from Kazane, then concentrated the Flame Power's flames on the dragon bone spear. The next moment, it turned into a flame lance. The flame dragon factor inside the dragon bone spear resonated with the Flame Power, and it changed into the desired form.

Dragoon also charged to support the Flame Power, but it was easily repelled by the Berserk Ogre. Unfortunately, it seemed the current fighting power of Tatsuyos.h.i.+-kun Dragoon was the same or less than when it acted independently. Kazane groaned gununu in frustration.

『It's fine. Please leave it to me!!』

Tiara said, and the Flame Power ascended further in one go.

Then it aimed its flame lance at the Berserk Ogre, who was looking up at it.

『Now, wake up with this!!』

Together with Tiara's words, it pushed its lance out, its wings folded to cover its body, and it nose dived like a beam of light.

「GURUuoOOOO!」

As might be expected, the opposing Berserk Ogre's battle sense hadn't weakened. He sent the black armored Stone Minotaur flying with his full power and raised his fist toward the red fang approaching from the sky.

But the Berserk Ogre was forgetting. No, should it be said that he wasn't conscious?

Right now, the Berserk Ogre's fist wasn't his original first. It was a fist that had increased in size from being covered with the Dragon Eater's wood. And approaching from the sky was a flaming blow.

『Do itttt!!』

And together with Tiara's shriek filled with fighting spirit, the red hot fang gouged out the wooden arm of the Berserk Ogre. The prised area burned, and the black fist inside was exposed. The Flame Power landed on the ground as it was, and without stopping, it fired flame feathers at close range and made them explode, then used the blast to flawlessly take distance.

『Ooh, well done, Tiara.』

Kazane's delighted voice resounded. So far, Tiara's duty had been making walls and decoys, but this Flame Power was completely specialized for offense. It was completely different from her evolutions until now, and moreover, it seemed the change made it a considerably powerful summoned knight.

And while being satisfied with Tiara's growth, Kazane turned her gaze to the Berserk Ogre and told him:

『So then, are you going to keep playing the fool, Berserk Ogre?』

A groan was raised after those words.

The area around the exposed black arm cracked, and that arm destroyed the restraining wood and pierced the Dragon Eater's plant part. The Dragon Eater body covering the Berserk Ogre trembled, but that didn't stop his arm.

Then after tearing sounds, a green round object came out with the black arm. It was obvious from its strong scent that it was the Core of the Dragon Eater.

Then the Berserk Ogre chewed through the vegetation covering his face, and with his head exposed, he immediately ate the Core in one bite.

Name: Yuihama Kazane

Occupation: Magic Swordswoman

t.i.tle: Ogre Killer, Dragon Slayer, High Beast Summoner, Rea King

Equipment: Staff 『White Blaze』, Two Handed Sword『Black Fang』, Spell Dagger Feather x2, Dragonscale Breastplate, Drake Gauntlets, Silver Sheep Clothes, Sylphyn Skirt, Plasma Pants, Dragon Eating Ogre King's Greaves, Indestructible Cloak, Mysterious Pouch, Crimson Saint Coffin, Heroic Spirit Summoning Ring, Circlet of Wisdom, Aim Bracelet, Magic Acc.u.mulator, White Magic Acc.u.mulator, Rainbow Necklace, Rainbow Dragon Ring

Level : 33

Health: 135

Magic Power: 260+420

Strength: 57+20

Agility: 52+14

Endurance: 33

Wisdom : 65

Dexterity : 41

Spell : 『Fly』『Torch』『Fire』『Heal』『Firestorm』『Healer Ray』『High Heal』『Golden Dusk「Dragon Exclusive」』『Mirror s.h.i.+eld』

Skill : 『Kick Devil』『Warrior's Memory』『Night Vision』『Crus.h.i.+ng Blow』『Dog's Sense of Smell: Lv2』『Golem Maker: Lv3』『Rush』『Fire Principle: Third Chapter』『Healing Principle: Fourth Chapter』『Air Jump: Lv2』『Killing Leg: Lv3』『Fear Voice』『Invisible』『Tiger Eye』『Wall Walking』『Intuition』『Cheat Death』『Nimble』『Charge』『Material s.h.i.+eld: Lv2』『Information Link』『Optical Camouflage』『Dash』『Bloodsucking Blade』『Dragonization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Regenerate』『Soul Breaking Blade』『Stealthy Hand Placement』『Thunder Chariot: Lv2』『St.u.r.dier Teeth: Lv2「Dragon」』『Crystallization: Lv2「Dragon」』『Fabricated Coercion』『Stone Minotaur』『Mega Beam: Lv2』『s.p.a.ce Expansion』『Pseudo-silver Creation』『Poison Claw』『Fireball「Dragon」』『Cuticle「Dragon」』『Arms Creation: Black Flame』『Ingredient Connoisseur』『Dragon Pheromone「Dragon」』

Kazane:「Tiara played a major role.」

Yumika:「Mmm. That's good, but tactically, Flame Knights are hard to throw away, right?」

Kazane:「They manage the hate, which means we don't take too much damage.」

Yumika:「The difficult choice between offense and defense? Well, it's thanks to Tiara's growth that we have such a choice, though.」

Kazane:「Yeah, I was a little surprised.」