An ordinary profession creates the world's strongest

Hajime's expression was half surprise, half admiration. He approached from behind the black dragon. He sensed the aura emanating from the fallen black dragon and realized it was still alive, intending to deliver a fatal blow.

At that moment, the massive pile of Pile Bunker, which had been soaring high in the sky, fell down and stuck itself between Hajime and the black dragon. Seeing the pile falling at this perfect moment, Hajime suddenly remembered the proverb once said by the merchant Modo—the one about the dragon people, or “kicking the dragon in the buttocks.”

Hajime activated his "Giant Arm" and pulled out the massive stake that was deeply embedded in the ground. He then lifted it onto his shoulder and stood in front of the base of the black dragon's tail. He then assumed a stance similar to that of a javelin thrower, holding, of course, the massive, dark, and incredibly hard stake of Pile Bunker.

Everyone's cheeks twitched as they realized what Hajime was about to do. They figured, even if breaking the scales was a hassle, they couldn't pierce them there. Everyone except Yue and Shia shuddered at Hajime's cruelty, but Hajime didn't care.

"Start your death from the bottom, stupid dragon."

Just as Hajime cursed out these cruel words, Pile Bunker finally made a "Puff" sound and stabbed into the black dragon with all its might (beep~).

At that moment.

"Ah ...

The black dragon opened his eyes wide, made a sad sound, and woke up.

Hajime was about to use his iron fist to strike the half-inserted giant stake, forcing it to penetrate, but he unexpectedly heard a scream that sounded like a black dragon. Even Hajime was startled and unconsciously released his clenched fist.

"Ass~ My ass~"

The black dragon's voice sounded sad, worried, and even a little excited, startling everyone. They froze in their tracks, staring at the black dragon, thinking, "What the hell is going on!?"

It seems... it doesn't seem to be an ordinary monster.

"Pull it out~Pull the thing out of my ass~"

A deeply humiliating voice echoed across the riverbank, resembling the remains of a battlefield. It sounded female, not directly speaking, but rather like a widespread telepathic connection. A dragon's vocal cords and mouth couldn't possibly speak human language, so it must be communicating through some other method besides air vibrations.

However, it is impossible for a monster to speak human language to exist.

Currently, only the mermaid has been confirmed to speak human language. Even in general knowledge, with only one exception, there should be no monsters that can understand human language.

Besides, the black dragon before him was strange in itself. After all, outside the Great Labyrinth, there was a monster capable of withstanding Hajime's electromagnetic cannon and then spitting out an equally powerful breath in return. A monster that powerful couldn't possibly appear in a place like this. If it were to inhabit this place, its danger would have been widely known.

Therefore, there are two possibilities that can be speculated at this time. The first possibility is that this black dragon comes from an unknown area, and behind the fifth mountain range is a completely unknown monster.

Another possibility is...

"You...are you a dragonman?"

Hearing Hajime's question, the black dragon was momentarily at a loss for words, but then it sighed, seemingly giving up resistance. It seemed it didn't want to be known as a dragon-man. However, with all the circumstantial evidence, it must have realized that at this point, its clumsy cover-up wouldn't work. "What a failure..." I could hear it muttering in regret, but was it because its true identity had been revealed, or was it because it couldn't handle the impact on its butt and accidentally spoke out? It was probably a combination of both.

"...Yes, I am one of the glorious Dragonkin. There are many reasons for this, and I will explain them. Anyway, first, pull that thing out of my ass... My magic power is almost exhausted. If I return to my original form in this state... my ass will be in trouble..."

Although Hajime thought it couldn't be such a coincidence, the black dragon's answer proved that his guess was completely correct.

Hajime was inwardly amazed at his own "fate." Since arriving in this world, how many times had he encountered "rare beings"? Yue was a vampire princess, annihilated in war three hundred years ago. Shia was a rare being of this era, experiencing a "reversion phenomenon (presumably)." The black dragon before him was a dragon-man, extinct for over five hundred years. To call it fate was a bit too much of a coincidence.

“…Why are you in a place like this?”

Just as Hajime was speechless, Yue asked a question. To Yue, the Dragon People were also legendary creatures. Since they, like herself, were descendants of a race that should have disappeared from history, Yue would naturally be very interested. Her eyes were full of curiosity.

"No, I'll explain. First, the one in my ass... I'm running low on magic power... Ah, stop it! No hitting~ Stimulating! The stimulation from my ass will~!"

Seeing that Black Dragon ignored Yue's questions and only focused on making his own demands, Hajime acted like a gangster and said, "Yue is asking you a question, go ahead," and hit the huge stake sticking out of Black Dragon's butt with his fist.

The shockwaves penetrated the Black Dragon's body, and it screamed and struggled in agony. The majesty of the Death God that had first appeared to them was now gone, like a dream.

"Why would the Dragonoids, who should have been extinct, attack a mere adventurer in a place like this...? I'm curious about this, so I'd pierce you through the buttocks with a stake, but I'll give you time to explain yourself. Okay, just be grateful and confess quickly."

For Hajime, her actions were unnatural for a member of the legendary dragon tribe. Hajime would have mercilessly killed any enemy, but for these reasons, he gave her a moment to continue, his other hand still turning the stake.

"Ah, guwuwuwu, don't turn ~ I, I'm telling you, stop it now!"

Seeing what Hajime was doing, Aiko and the others retreated in fear, but Hajime didn't care. However, it seemed impossible to continue the conversation, so he stopped turning, but one hand still held the huge stake, ready to turn at any time.

The rotation stopped, and Black Dragon breathed a sigh of relief. She anxiously began to explain what had happened. There seemed to be a hint of eroticism in her voice. Could it be an illusion?

"I have been manipulated. It was not my original intention to attack you. My temporary master, that man, ordered me to find and kill the young man and his companions over there."

The black dragon's gaze turned to Will. Though Will's body trembled momentarily, he stared back with determination. Perhaps it was because he had seen Hajime's battle that he had gained a different perspective.

"What's going on?"

"Well, I'll start from the beginning. I am..."

Black Dragon said something like this:

This black dragon had apparently left its secluded Dragonoid village to investigate visitors from another world. She didn't elaborate, but a Dragonoid with exceptional perception seemed to sense a massive release of magical energy several months prior, and noticed something had entered this world.

Although the Dragon People's rule is not to interfere in the affairs of the outside world, they cannot just sit there and do nothing when they know nothing about the unknown visitor, so they decided to investigate.

The black dragon before her seemed to have left the village for investigation. After flying over the mountains, she had originally planned to disguise herself as a human and blend into the city, concealing her identity as a dragonkin, and begin gathering intelligence. But before that, she decided to rest up, so she stopped between the first and second mountain ranges in the Northern Mountain Range. Since there were monsters nearby, she naturally used the dragonkin's signature magic, "Dragon Transformation," to transform into a black dragon.

Soon, a man covered in a black robe appeared before the sleeping Black Dragon. He used various dark magics such as brainwashing and suggestion on the Black Dragon, gradually eroding her mind and spirit.

Of course, if someone were to cast a spell, they would normally awaken and fight back, but in this case, she had fallen into a bad habit of the dragon people. Indeed, as the saying goes, once a dragon person enters a dormant state, they generally won't wake up unless they're kicked in the ass. Even so, the dragon people are incredibly strong mentally and won't be manipulated so easily.

Why was she completely manipulated? That's because...

"He's a terrifying man. His dark magic is so powerful he could be called a genius. Even I couldn't bear being cast under the spell of a man like that for a whole day without interruption..."

"What a shame!" Black Dragon's sorrowful voice seemed to say, but Hajime coldly complained:

"So, you came here to investigate, but you slept like a dead pig and didn't even notice that someone was casting a spell on you all day, right?"

Everyone looked at him as if he were an idiot, but Black Dragon avoided their gaze and continued speaking as if nothing had happened.

Incidentally, she had a reason. After flying over the ocean, the Black Dragon's energy was severely depleted, but she had a mission to complete, so to quickly recover, she fell into a deeper sleep than usual. However, no matter what she said, it couldn't change the fact that she had made a mistake, so she kept it to herself.

As for why she knew that the caster had spent a whole day, since she still retained consciousness and her memories after the brainwashing was completed, she heard the caster himself complain, "It took a whole day..."

According to Black Dragon, she subsequently served under the Robed Man's orders, aiding him in brainwashing the monsters from the Second Mountain Range onward. One day, the Brutal Group, dispatched to the First Mountain Range, encountered Will and his crew, who had been commissioned to investigate. Having been ordered to kill any witnesses, the Brutals pursued them, and one of them reported back to the Robed Man. Fearing the potential danger of his brainwashing and gathering the monsters together would be discovered, the Robed Man dispatched Black Dragon to silence them, ensuring a flawless operation.

Just like that, one moment she was thinking about finding Will, the next moment she was struck by an unexpected existence—Hajime. Thinking that she would die if she continued like this, she fell into a state of panic. And then that magic explosion happened.

What happened next is well known to everyone. Brainwashed, she obeyed the orders ingrained in her mind and launched a final special attack, only to be struck on the head by Shia, knocking her unconscious. Then, an indescribable impact and stimulation from her buttocks snapped her back.

However, it is not known whether the reason for his recovery was the blow to the head or the blow to the buttocks.

“…You must be joking.”

After listening to Black Dragon's explanation, a trembling voice rang out, as if desperately suppressing excitement. Everyone present looked at that person—Will clenched his fists and glared at Black Dragon angrily.

"...Just because I was manipulated...are you saying that killing Mr. Gale, Mr. Nabal, Mr. Lente, Mr. Worsley, and Mr. Kurt was all done out of necessity?!"

Apparently, the situation was no longer urgent, and Will, filled with rage over the adventurers' deaths, roared at the black dragon excitedly.

"..."

The black dragon didn't argue, but simply stared at Will with a calm gaze, as if accepting all the accusations. This attitude seemed to make Will even more unhappy.

"Besides, I don't know if what she just said is true! I guess she just lied because she didn't want to die. That's for sure."

"...What I just said is the truth. I bet on the honor of the dragon race and guarantee that every word is true."

Will was about to retort, but Yue interrupted:

"...She must not be lying."

"! What basis do you have for saying she didn't lie..."

Will refused to give up. Yue glanced at him, then looked at the Black Dragon and slowly spoke:

"...The Dragonites are a noble and upright race. I lived in a time before yours, so I'm more familiar with their legends than you are. Since she said 'gamble her honor,' it must be true. And... I know exactly what a liar's eyes look like."

Yue slightly shifted her gaze away from the black dragon, looking into the distance. She must be thinking about what happened three hundred years ago.

She had been raised as a lonely princess. Now that the outcome was clear, she recalled that her surroundings must have been filled with lies. Even those closest to her were what she called "liars"...

The result of constantly refusing to face the truth was betrayal. Through what might be considered a "life lesson," though perhaps a bit too painful, her eyes could now discern a liar. It was with that vision that she judged the Black Dragon's words to be true.

"Hmm, I didn't expect that in this era, there are still people who know what the dragon people are like... No, did you mean in the past?"

Is the image of the Dragon People still circulating in the world? While the Black Dragon was astonished, a hint of joy also appeared in his voice.

"...Well, I'm a survivor of the vampire clan. Three hundred years ago, I was often told stories about the dragon clan, using them as role models for the royal family."

To Yue, the Dragon People were the perfect role models. Her words and actions were filled with respect for the Dragon People. Her decision to stop Will from scolding her was probably due to that sentiment.

Hearing Yue say that, Heilong was really shocked this time.

"What? From the vampire clan... and three hundred years ago... I see. I heard about you from the outside world and thought you were dead. I didn't know you were the vampire princess from the past. I remember your name was..."

It seemed this black dragon had lived as long as Yue. And judging by her tone, she wasn't completely unfamiliar with the world's current state. Perhaps, as was the case this time, they sometimes conceal their identities to investigate the world's current state. Even the black dragon, with its long lifespan, was surprised by the vampire princess's survival. Aiko and Yuka were even more surprised, their faces filled with astonishment.

In front of them, Yue stared directly into the black dragon's golden eyes, interrupting her to say her past name.

"Yue... This is my name. It's a precious name I received from someone important to me. I hope you will call me that."

After saying this, Yue's cheeks flushed slightly, and her hands seemed to be hugging something.

There seemed to be a faint glow of happiness emanating from Yue, and everyone was struck by this sudden flash of light, and the women's expressions seemed as if they were chewing something very sweet. Seeing Yue's blushing face and emitting an indescribable charm, the boys could not help but be fascinated, and Will's momentum seemed to be weakened by it.

But even so, thinking of the adventurers who were so kind to him and had died, Will couldn't help but say:

"...Even so, it doesn't change the fact that she killed him, does it?...Even if it was out of helplessness...it's the same! Mr. Gale said that after this job is over, he will propose to his partner...What will happen to the regrets they left behind..."

Will's mind had already determined that Black Dragon was telling the truth, but even so, he still couldn't help but blame her because his heart couldn't accept it. Will gritted his teeth, enduring the heavy emotions that were like a thick black fog.

"This is another perfect death flag," Hajime thought to himself, feeling strangely impressed, when he suddenly remembered the photo locket he had picked up on the way here.

"Will, is this something that belonged to that guy named Gale?"

After Hajime finished speaking, he took out the photo box pendant and threw it to Will. Will took it and looked at the photo box carefully, smiling happily.

"Isn't this my photo box? I thought I lost it, but you guys picked it up for me. Thank you so much."

"Huh? Is this yours?"

"Yes, it contains my mother's photo, there is no mistake!"

"Mom, Mom?"

His original guess was completely wrong, and he got an unexpected answer, which made Hajime's cheeks twitch.

Since the woman in the photo was probably in her twenties, Hajime was puzzled and asked the reason. Will replied, as if stating a natural truth, without blushing or panting, "Since it's a photo of my mother, it would be best to choose a photo of her when she was young and most beautiful." Everyone present thought, "Ahh, Oedipus complex!" and gave each other very subtle expressions, while the women took a few steps back...

Incidentally, Gale's partner seems to be a "man." His full name is *Gale Houmoluka, which is a truly fitting description. (Gale's first and last name are homophones of "gay" and "homosexual," respectively.)

Perhaps Will had calmed down considerably thanks to retrieving his mother's photo. As for the source of this, it's unclear. While he'd calmed down, his resentment hadn't subsided. This time, Will calmly argued for the Black Dragon's demise, arguing that if she were brainwashed again, she'd become a threat. But this was clearly just an excuse; his primary motivation was probably revenge.

At this moment, Black Dragon said in a guilty tone, as if confessing:

"Although I was manipulated, it is a fact that I took the precious lives of innocent people. If I am asked to atone for this, I will obediently accept the punishment. However, can you please give me a little time? At least until that dangerous man is stopped. He wants to organize a monster army. Although the Dragon People have a rule not to actively interfere in the fate of the continent, I am also responsible for this matter and cannot ignore it... I know I have no right to ask for this, but can you give me a chance to prevent the tragedy?"

Hearing Black Dragon's words, everyone present was stunned by the demonic army she mentioned, and their attention naturally focused on Hajime. It seemed everyone had naturally assumed he was the leader. In reality, Hajime was the one who held the power over Black Dragon's life and death, so it was only natural that he would be the one making the final decision.

The answer is...

"No, I don't care. You've caused us so much trouble, so just die and make amends."

"Wait a minute! After hearing what happened just now, are you still going to kill me without a second thought? Don't do this! Please, I will definitely atone for my sins! After this is over, you can do whatever you want to me! Please give me a little more time! I beg you!"

Shi ignored Heilong's words with a cold look in his eyes and was about to throw a punch, but he couldn't do it. At the moment when he was about to throw a punch, Yue climbed onto Shi's neck. Shi was shocked and couldn't help but hug her body. Yue whispered in Shi's ear:

"...Are you going to kill her?"

"Hmm? Of course, she's fought with us before..."

"...But she's not an enemy. She never harbored any hostility or murderous intent towards us. She's been stripped of her will."

It seems Yue didn't want the Black Dragon to die. Yue seemed to admire the Dragon People very much and had a certain respect for them, so she couldn't bear to let her die.

Despite the bloody battle, the Black Dragon never harbored any murderous intent or ill will toward Hajime and the others. Even now, they understood her reasoning. She had truly lived up to the description, stripped of her will, like a machine, carrying out the commands she had been indoctrinated with. While the previous battle had indeed been a bloody one, the Black Dragon had only targeted Will. The reason she fought Hajime was because she had challenged the Black Dragon with murderous intent.

Furthermore, since Will's death would be very disturbing to Hajime, she might be considered an enemy from the perspective of targeting Will. However, that was all due to the will of the black-robed man behind the black dragon, so if anyone was to be considered an enemy, it would be the black-robed man.

Yue had another reason to stop Hajime—

Yue was aware of Hajime's attitude, but in her eyes, the Black Dragon wasn't the same as the "enemies" she'd killed in the past. As the king of the vampire clan, Yue had her share of painful experiences. She had a keen eye for people, and her eyes saw that the Black Dragon wasn't truly an enemy. Yue hoped that Hajime would refrain from killing anything other than "enemies."

because……

"...If you compromise your beliefs, you'll collapse. Does killing the black dragon really not violate your beliefs?"

That's right, Yue was worried that Hajime would 'collapse' by killing someone other than the 'enemy'.

Hajime carefully considered Yue's words, understanding her intentions. On second thought, should the Black Dragon now be considered an 'enemy'? He still had some doubts. In the heat of battle, even if she was being manipulated, Hajime wouldn't be so naive as to consider such a thing. He would surely kill her without mercy.

However, after the brainwashing was lifted and she returned to normal, he deliberately killed her as if executing her. Doesn't this deviate from the idea of ​​"killing all enemies without mercy"?

Yue hugged Shi's neck. Shi was so close that he could almost kiss Yue, staring into her eyes and thinking. Suddenly, a rather urgent voice said to Shi:

"I'm sorry to interrupt you when you're in such a good mood. But since you're still hesitant, could you please remove the stake from my butt first? If you keep going like this, I'll be dead no matter what."

"Hmm? What's going on?"