Quickly Becoming Stronger in the Dungeon! Epilogue
First, the direct damage towards the dragon.
My fists tore through its scales, ripped open its muscles and landed at the bones.
And the bones shattered.
With a snap, the sensation of the bones crushing reverberated through my hands.
Next, the mass of magical energy burst through the dragon's body in waves of impact.
There was an uncomfortable echo of tearing throughout the hall.
—Likely, the internal organs of the guardian were now wasted.
Unlike the giant catfish, it had not opened up a crater-like hole and exploded into bits of organs, blood, and flesh in every direction. Probably due to the impressive strength of the scales.
And with a loud smash, the body of the golden dragon thundered to the ground.
And in that position, it vomited blood and began to convulse.
At the same time, I was experiencing dizziness, like the symptom of having lost too much blood.
There was a pounding headache as my knees gave in. I was now covered in a greasy sweat.
—That was cutting it pretty close… Had I not been able to finish it in a single blow…I would have been toast.
My shoulders heave up and down as I breathe.
Finally, I stand up again and look at the fallen dragon.
Again and again, I take in a deep breath.
With each time, the pain lessens a little more, and after several minutes I was somehow able to move.
Then I picked up the fallen ax from the ground.
I walk over to the dragon’s neck and raise the ax high into the air.
My gaze moved over to Lilith.
It would be so easy for me to deal the finishing blow here.
But…
“Lilith? Are you really okay with this?”
“…Yes. This what father had been wishing for.”
Well, then… I continued with an uncertain expression.
"Why are you crying then?"
Tears had not stopped running down her face for a while now.
They were like large pearls that fell to the ground and created patterns with their stains.
"…I don't know."
"What do you mean, you don't know…"
"………I really don't know why….why I am crying. My father is already dead. In that case, it would be better…to have you…to have someone young, kill him so he can become a Dragon God… That is what happiness is for dragons…."
I brooded over this. Then, looking back at the dragon—-I swung the ax downward.
It went right into the back of the dragon's brain.
The dragon convulsed strongly, but even now, it hadn't reached its limits of being able to act as an undead.
"Why are you crying…was it? This ceremony is holy to the dragons, none of them ever question it, all of them accept this as being normal, do they not?"
"…Yes. They become spirits and ascend into godhood. It is something to celebrate."
"But in spite of this, you are crying…Is it perhaps because you are human?"
Even among humans, differences in skin color or religion could prevent people from understanding each other, making them attack one another.
Even if both were intelligent beings, dragonkin, and humans…There were obvious differences in thinking and feeling that had nothing to do with how they were educated.
"…Because I am human?"
In that case, Lilith should…It would surely be best to have this funeral end in a human fashion.
"In that case…you must deal the finishing blow."
It was always the relatives of the deceased who closed the casket.
In the end, he had fought for all that he was worth as Lilith's father… In that way, it was also validated as dragon's funeral.
"…Me? If I did…surely the blessing of the dragon god skill will not go to you, but to me…"
"You shouldn't worry about that."
"….but….you….You are standing here as the result of an extraordinary resolve and determination. Then, you absolutely must become stronger. I cannot receive the skill."
I sighed deeply and opened my mouth.