Veldora's massive golden eyes trembled slightly as he stared at Bordeaux. For a being known across the world as a calamity incarnate, the Storm Dragon looked oddly fragile in that moment. His claws dug lightly into the stone floor, and his long tail curled inward, betraying emotions he clearly wasn't used to showing.
"W-wait…" Veldora said, his voice echoing through the cave but lacking its usual booming confidence. "Are you… are you really going to try and get me unsealed?"
Bordeaux looked up at the towering dragon and smiled, a calm, genuine smile without even a trace of hesitation.
"I'm not going to try," he said simply. "I am going to get you unsealed. I promise."
The words landed with weight. Not the kind that crushed mountains, but the kind that settled deep into the soul.
For a moment, Veldora didn't say anything. His breathing slowed. The oppressive magical pressure filling the cave softened, as though responding to his emotions. Then, almost awkwardly, he turned his head slightly away.
"…So," Veldora muttered, suddenly much quieter. "Does that mean… we're like… friends now?"
Bordeaux let out a small laugh.
"Of course," he replied easily. "Do you know how cool it is to be able to brag about being friends with a literal dragon?"
Veldora froze.
Then his eyes widened, and a grin spread across his massive draconic face.
"Heh… heheh… hahahaha!" His laughter boomed through the cave, shaking stalactites loose from the ceiling. "You've got guts, Primordial! I like that!"
After laughing himself out, Veldora leaned forward again, peering closely at Bordeaux.
"Say… you don't have a name, do you?"
Bordeaux blinked. "A name?"
Veldora nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! You said it yourself earlier, Bordeaux is just a title, right?"
"That's right," Bordeaux admitted. "I don't have a proper name."
Veldora's eyes sparkled. "Good! Then why don't I name you?"
Bordeaux stiffened in shock. "Y-you'd name me?"
"Of course!" Veldora declared proudly. "You might not know this, but naming holds tremendous power in this world. When non-humans are named, their very existence is reinforced. Their magic grows stronger, their soul stabilizes."
He scratched his chin with one claw.
"Normally, naming a Primordial Demon would be extremely dangerous. It could even kill the one doing the naming. But I'm a True Dragon, so it doesn't count for me!"
Bordeaux felt something tighten in his chest. His vision blurred just slightly.
"…You'd really do that for me?" he asked quietly.
Veldora laughed, puffing his chest out. "Of course! We're friends now!"
Then his expression softened again. "And in return, you'll give me a name too. A family name, like humans do. That way, it'll be etched into our souls as equals. A bond that won't ever break."
Bordeaux swallowed.
"Family name… huh."
"Go on!" Veldora urged. "Give me a cool one!"
Bordeaux nodded. "Alright. But you give me a cool name too."
"Deal!"
Bordeaux fell silent, deep in thought.
When Rimuru named Veldora… he used another word for Storm, Tempest, he recalled. Maybe I should follow the same principle.
Then it clicked.
Storm… in Japanese…
His lips curled into a smile.
"What about… Arashi?" he said aloud. "It means Storm, in my home language Japanese."
There was a split second of silence.
Then—
"ARASHIIIIII!!"
Veldora roared the name with such force that the entire cave shook violently. Magical energy surged outward like a stormfront, rattling the seal etched into the walls. Bordeaux stumbled back slightly, shielding his face.
"Y-you don't like it?" Bordeaux asked uneasily.
Veldora snapped his head back toward him.
"No! The opposite!" he bellowed joyfully. "I like it too much! From this day forth, I shall be known as Veldora Arashi!"
Bordeaux blinked. "…Oh. I see."
"My turn!" Veldora declared eagerly. He tapped one claw against his chin, humming loudly as he thought. "How about… Chini?"
Bordeaux's face twisted in instant disbelief.
"Veldora. Absolutely not."
"Oh? Really?" Veldora tilted his head. "Hmmmm…"
Suddenly his eyes lit up.
"Oh! I've got it! How about Loki? It sounds awesome, doesn't it?"
Bordeaux froze.
Loki… the god of trickery?
Does Veldora know about Loki? Or is it a coincidence?
Either way… it was one hell of a name.
"…Yeah," Bordeaux said, smiling. "I like it."
Light erupted around him.
"From today on," he declared, his voice steady, "I shall be known as Loki Arashi."
Power flooded his body. Magic surged through his veins like a raging current. His very soul vibrated as if being reforged. Loki clenched his fists, feeling strength pour into him at an overwhelming pace.
Veldora sniffed loudly. "I'm not crying, you are!"
Loki laughed awkwardly. "But… I'm not crying though."
"I can feel it," Veldora said proudly. "Your strength has grown exponentially."
Loki flexed his hands, grinning. "Yeah… this is insane. This might be the biggest jump in power I've ever had."
"That's the power naming holds," Veldora explained. "At this point, you'd be considered a Demon Lord Seed."
"A Demon Lord Seed?" Loki echoed in shock.
"Yes," Veldora nodded. "You're one step away from the pinnacle."
Loki smiled. "And I'll get there."
After a moment, he exhaled. "Well then… I have to leave now."
Veldora frowned immediately. "Can't you stay a few seconds more?"
Loki shook his head gently. "The longer I stay here, the longer you remain sealed. Don't you want to live under the sun again?"
Veldora hesitated, then nodded. "…I do."
"Then I have to go."
Veldora flushed slightly. "Then you have to promise you'll visit me every day."
Loki smiled. "I promise. Every day, until I free you."
With that, Loki vanished in a flash of space-warping magic.
---
Outside the cave, Loki sighed.
"Leaving that crybaby is hard…"
Then he smiled.
"But Veldora really is a good guy. I'll break his seal, no matter what."
His gaze sharpened.
"The logical choice would be to wait for Rimuru to unseal Veldora himself… but I won't make him wait anymore. He's been sealed for over 300 years"
He turned away.
"Besides, I know exactly which Hero sealed him. Hinata… or Chronoa. That's the power of being reincarnated. And I know who holds the key to unseal Veldora."
"Luminous Valentine."
---
Elsewhere – Guy's Castle, Freezing North
Velzard sat elegantly atop a stool, striking a flawless pose. Rain stood before her canvas, brush dancing across it with practiced precision.
"Wow," Dino commented lazily. "Your paintings are always amazing, Rain."
"Of course," Rain replied smugly. "I'm the best painter in the North."
"How much longer Rain?" Velzard asked calmly.
"Almost done, Velzard-sama!"
Misery, sweeping nearby, scowled. "Rain, I wish you wouldn't use painting to skip your housework."
"Do you really have to hate art that much?" Rain shot back.
"I don't have a problem with you painting!" Misery yelled. "If anything you could do it till the end of time, but only after you've finished your job. You haven't completed a single one today.!"
"Don't shout," Dino added. "You'll ruin the brushwork."
"What are you complaining about, freeloader?!" Misery shot back.
Velzard sighed. "Misery… let her finish first. Then shout at her. I've been holding this pose for too long."
"Velzard-sama, don't speak in her defense!" Misery pleaded back.
But just then—
BOOM.
The wall exploded inward. Debris scattered everywhere, obliterating Rain's painting in an instant.
Rain stared in horror as her painting was destroyed.
From the rubble emerged a grinning maroon-haired boy.
"WHERE THE HELL IS ROUGE?!" he shouted.
"BRING HIM OUT SO I CAN KICK HIS ASS AND CLAIM MY PLACE AS THE STRONGEST DEMON!"
________________________________________
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