Ultra had made all sorts of preparations for the battle.
'Oh... Sardonyx is showing interest in the Korean student?'
Rather than fighting, they were hugging each other. The subjugation that had turned desperate after two rank 7 hunters were put out of action began flowing in a weird direction.
'This is a good sign.'
The tides of battle had changed, and Ultra wasn't the only one who ca to that realization.
'Even if it only buys us so ti, it will be beneficial...!'
Shoichi put away his sword and backed off. He was willing to put his life on the line for Sardonyx's subjugation, but there was no need to risk his life for nothing if they could buy ti without any sacrifices.
'This...?' Adela was worried that Sardonyx might attack YuSung, but Eliza grabbed her shoulders and gave her an order.
"Adela, let's back off at the mont."
Although Sardonyx wasn't showing any animosity, the mana pouring out of her was so hot that it could make even rank 6 hunters feel irritated.
'To think that she can transmit heat through mana... As expected of a rank 7.'
The core of the subjugation was the guardian god of the Yalu River, Unsa, and the deer that grew up eating the leaves of the World Tree, Durarr.
'Since Rosa isn't here, if things go wrong and Sardonyx uses its breath, we could all die.'
Eliza wasn't sure what was going on, but she thought giving YuSung an opportunity was the best thing they could do.
Sardonyx opened her mouth. Instead of fire, sweet words flowed out.
"Taru... you ca to search for by yourself?"
'I don't have mories of anything like that.'
YuSung didn't have Taru's mories. He wasn't sure if he was really Taru's reincarnation or not, and there was no way for him to prove anything. He was just soone who looked like Taru.
- Only you can save Sardonyx.
Crupeus had asked YuSung to play the role of Taru.
- Since she has opened her eyes, my voice will soon disappear.
- I'll ask it one last ti Please, save her.
A choice was given to YuSung.
The key to making the subjugation successful wasn't with the out-of-commission rank 7 hunters or the rank 6 ntors. Rather, it was all in YuSungs hands.
Seeing YuSungs serious expression, Sardonyx once again asked, "Taru...?"
Instead of asking him as a dragon, she was asking him as a partner.
He thought about it briefly and gave a short answer. "Yes."
Why was Taru important in an immortal dragon like Sardonyxs life? YuSung recalled Lepinas life that hed witnessed through Crupeos.
He wasn't sure about Taru's life, but he knew Lepina's.
That's why he could guess what answer Lepina, not Sardonyx, was waiting for.
"Lepina..."
He spoke the na only the people who'd known Sardonyx back when shed first descended on Earth knew.
Sardonyx's blank expression instantly distorted into a mixture of happiness and sadness.
Mana leaked out of Sardonyx's body, and the image of her past was recreated. The surroundings turned into a forest, and Sardoynx took the form of Lepina. No one besides YuSung and Sardonyx existed there. On top of that, leaves drifted from the trees in the Spring weather. Spring was the season Taru used to like the most.
"Taru, Taru..."
Sardonyx hadn't forgotten anything when it ca to Taru.
"I'm sorry, I'm late, right...? I as I promised... I kept looking for you. We made a promise, after all," she said, tears streaming down her cheeks.
She had fought all by herself to keep her promise to find him, no matter where he was or what form he took.
What did Sardonyx want to hear from Taru? YuSung thought.
"I missed you."
"Yes. I've missed you too..." Sardonyx was at a loss for words. Dragons werent too different from humans when it ca to such things.
Just like humans, they also missed people and suffered from loneliness. They had to endure lives close to eternity without receiving consolation or being able to heal from their wounds.
Rather than being a redy, maybe Taru was closer to a poison for Sardonyx. Hadnt the warmth he made her feel caused her to thaw from her eternal winter?
'Thats a dumb thought...' YuSung cast aside such thoughts.
[How about that? Will you follow ?]
YuSung rembered the rainy day when his master spread his warm hand toward him.
Although the process and result differed, he'd also gone through sothing similar to what Sardonyx had. Forgetting that warmth when you felt cold inside was impossible.
Finding a partner was probably like finding a needle in the middle of a desert for Sardonyx. He understood why she was so focused on the past.
"Lepina, thanks for not giving up and for keeping your promise. Thank you..."
Crupeos was right.
Even if he wasn't Taru, YuSung could save Sardonyx. Even though the opponent was a rank 7 boss who was called a catastrophe, she was, in the end, a poor girl who'd been searching for her first love for close to an eternity.
"Taru..."
Sardonyx made a mysterious smile and kissed YuSung on the lips.
Following Sardonyx's emotions, the sun shone, and the leaves drifted around them.
Sardonyx smiled brightly at YuSung.
"Did you forget everything after reincarnating? Don't worry. Even if you forgot everything, I rember it all."
Ti was pointless in the world she had created. An eternity could pass in the real world and be nothing but an instant there, and the opposite was also true.
* * *
* * *
YuSung heard Crupeoss voice after hed spent a week within the illusory world.
- You're a kind person.
At the sa ti, Sardonyx smiled at YuSung.
"Taru... thanks," she said in a soft but serious tone, "You're very kind."
'Whats left behind...'
What Taru left to Sardonyx, what Sardonyx left to YuSung, what his masterthe Fist Kingleft to him, and the things he'd given and received from SiWoo, Sumire, EunAh, and Amy, his party mbers.
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