[ Verdra's POV ]
"V-Verd?" I called out to the black-robed man in disbelief. "You're Verd, right?"
The man sat at the far end of the room, he had the exact same appearance as someone dearest to me from the past—someone who supposed to be long gone by now.
"Long time no see, Miss Dragon," He—Verd—replied, giving me a warm smile. It was a simple smile, one that wouldn't mean much to anyone else.
But to me, it was unbearably nostalgic.
He rose from his throne and spread his arms wide, as if ready for an embrace after a long-awaited reunion.
A storm of emotions flooded my heart. There was no doubt about what I was seeing. Before I even realized it, my body moved forward on its own.
"Verd…" I murmured as I stepped toward him again. "I thought I'd never see you again. I'm so gl—"
"Stop, Verdra."
Yuu's voice cut through the air—low, cold, and utterly serious.
In an instant, my body froze. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't move. The mark of my Contract beneath my collarbone flared through my clothes, glowing a vivid red.
"I'll never let you fall into some random stranger's embrace," he continued, tone deadly serious. "Even if I have to use force to do so."
It was rare for Yuu to be this relentless towards me. My body shivered in some kind of tickling sensation as my heart skipped a beat or two at his warning. Even so, my longing for Verd didn't fade— yet, I couldn't move at all.
Each breath came harder than the last. It hurt—badly—yet there was a strange warmth buried in the pain, as if suffering itself meant I was finally fulfilling the role meant for me.
What… is wrong with me?
What… is happening…?
I'd felt something similar last night—when Yuu firmly demanded me to fullfil his 'needs'—but it was nothing this intense.
"Stop it, young boy!" Verd shouted as he stepped down from his throne, genuine worry on his face. "You're her master, aren't you? A True Dragon cannot defy their master's order—they'll suffer unbearable pain!"
"What? Really?!" Yuu panicked. "I—I'm sorry, Verdra!"
The moment he apologized, the invisible force binding my body vanished at once. I could freely move again.
"Haaagh…!"
Gasping for air, my legs buckled and I stumbled forward. Just before I hit the floor, Yuu caught me by the waist, pulling me against him.
"I'm so sorry," he apologized sincerely once again. "I didn't know the contract had a feature like that."
"…Neither— did I," I replied once my breathing finally steadied.
"Are you alright, Miss Dragon?" Verd asked anxiously. "I can help y—"
"Could you just shut the hell up?!"
Yuu snapped, deep hatred clearly shown on his face, cutting Verd off mid-sentence.
Verd took a step back to his throne.
I had never seen Yuu this angry before.
But… why was he so angry at Verd?
"Don't worry, Yuu," I said softly, straightening myself. "I told you about him before. He's Verd. He's not an enemy."
Instead of answering, Yuu stepped forward and placed himself in front of me, shielding me with his body.
"I'll ask you once again," he said, pulling a light-blue-colored sword from his book. "Who are you—and what the hell are you doing this deep inside this acursed dungeon?"
"C-calm down, young boy," Verd replied nervously. "Yuu, right? Your partner already tell you my name, didn't she? I'm Verd—an important acquaintance of hers."
"Hahaha." Yuu laughed flatly. "Nice try, buddy. You really think I'd buy that?"
"I—I really am Verd."
That timid tone… there was no mistaking it. It's him.
Sure, Yuu never met him before, but I didn't feel any malice from him at all, why'd Yuu still doubting him?
"Then explain this," Yuu said coldly. "Elves only live about 20x longer than humans. How are you still alive and kicking more than 2500 years later? Even if you were Verd, you'll look older than my grandpa by now."
Verd fell silent.
"Second," Yuu continued. "You've never seen Verdra in her human form before. So how did you recognize her? That means you've been watching us. And if she mattered that much to you, you should've helped her long before now."
Still silence.
"And lastly," Yuu said, tightening his grip on the sword, "your name isn't even Verd."
"Why are you so certain?" the man finally asked.
"One of my skills lets me see a monster's Lv—and their name."
…A monster?
"Haaah…" Verd(?) sighed. "So you knew from the start. Now I just feel stupid for putting on that act… I bet the idea of another easy-to-get True Dragon collection was now out of the picture." he muttered inaudibly towards the end.
"Was there really a need for such a lengthy explanation?" he continued.
"Of course," Yuu replied smugly. "I've been yearning to do a full detective-anime reveal since my childhood."
"Hahaha!" the man laughed maniacally. "I don't know what are you talking about, but you're right. I'm not Verd—this body is just borrowed. But I have access to his memories. That's how I knew who the girl really is. After all, she's the last True Dragon alive… and that bastard you called Verd was the one who brought her here."
"That's a relief," Yuu said with a sigh. "I thought you were actually monitoring us. That would've been super embarrassing."
"If you're referring to what you two have been doing recently," the man said dryly, "there's no hiding it now. I already know."
Yuu's face instantly flushed. "Y-you were really watching us?!"
"What? No," he replied flatly. "I'm just stating the obvious—those reddish marks on her neck aren't exactly subtle."
Reddish marks…?
…!!
Realization hit me like lightning. I immediately covered the left side of my neck—the place Yuu had bitten repeatedly last night.
"W-why are you glaring at me?!" Yuu asked nervously. "You didn't stop me, so I thought I had your consent!"
"Th-t-that's…" I stammered, my cheeks burning. "Honestly… it somewhat f-feels good, so I just couldn't stop you fr—"
"I got it! I got it!" Yuu cut me off desperately. "So stop! Please! There's a spectator right there—save that for later, when we're alone!"
My face felt like it was on fire now that I remembered we weren't alone.
"I can't believe you two found time to flirt in front of me," the impostor said with a sigh.
"Still… she's damn cute when she blushes. I almost want her for myself—though," he smirked and take a glance at Yuu. "not as much as you do, Yuu."
Yuu's entire body stiffened like he'd seen a ghost.
"T-there's actually a man out there who wants me more than Verdra?!" he shouted in horror. "Hell nah! I'm 100% straight! And while I agree with you about Verdra's cuteness, I'm not giving her to you either!"
"Seems like you misunderstood something here," the man said, scowling. "What I want was your power, not your body. I'm also 100% straight—and devoted to my lover, I'm not falling for other woman."
"Oh… You scared me for a seco—"
"Wait! Wait! Wait! Stop!" I butt in angrily. "I don't understand anything you two are saying! Yuu! Can you just please explain who the hell he really is, instead of debating about your sexual orientations?!"
"W-well…" Yuu flinched. "Sorry for stalling. His real name is Seth—the 7th Epitome of Evil. In other words, the one responsible for the fall of Draconia Empire."
"..."
My mind went completely blank.
There was simply too much to process.
I couldn't even form a response.
"Verdra?"
"…W-what? How—?" My breath hitched. "Verd succeeded in sealing him for good. I poured years—years—of my mana into completing the dark elves' sealing magic, exactly as Verd instructed me."
"Hahaha…" Seth chuckled softly. "Miss Dragon, how do you think I was able to wear Verd's face… and still retain his memories?"
"…N-no way." I staggered back a step, my legs suddenly weak.
"That's right," Seth said, his lips curling into a cruel smirk. "Dark elves' sealing magic was built using Verd's own soul as its stabilizer. So tell me—what do you think happens once his soul can no longer uphold it?"
"B-but the dark elves said—"
"You still believe them?" He shrugged dismissively. "They were merely using you and Verd for their own gain. What they truly wanted was a method to siphon my power—to fuel their so-called technological advancement. If not for that, they wouldn't have spared an elf such as Verd a single glance."
His voice grew sharper, dripping with contempt.
"They were a prideful race. The fact that they never stood as equals to Draconia gnawed at them endlessly. Why do you think this place was sealed so tightly after the ritual was complete?" He leaned forward, eyes gleaming.
"Because they already had a way to harvest my power from the outside. And they feared what you would do once you realized you'd been deceived."
Seth leaned back onto his skeletal throne, crossing one leg over the other.
"All of them were just hollow-headed fools," he sneered. "They convinced themselves their sealing magic was too perfect simply because it worked on the one sent before me. They never once considered the obvious truth—I am far stronger. Their spell was simply flawed. Temporary. Incomplete."
His smile twisted.
"Their extinction was well deserved, given their utter foolishness."
I could only stare at him in silence as he finished his grotesque monologue.
"…Still doubting me?" Seth tilted his head. "You can ask your beloved master."
Slowly, I turned to Yuu.
He nodded grimly. "He's telling the truth. The Dark Elven Kingdom no longer exists—at least, that's what the elves told me."
Then… everything Seth said were true?
Had the dark elves deceived me from the very start?
Then why… why did they treat Verd and me with such reverence? Was all of it nothing more than an elaborate lie?
Verd… wasn't really here.
And the one who destroyed my homeland… the one who slaughtered my kin… was standing right in front of me, masquerading as him.
Did that mean everything Verd and I fought for—everything we sacrificed—was meaningless?
There's also the elves, who once welcomed me with open arms… were the very ones who betrayed and broke my master.
…Just who am I supposed to put my faith in now?
My head lowered on its own. My chest tightened painfully, flooded by emotions I couldn't name—anger, hatred, despair, bitterness… sorrow? I don't even know anymore.
Everything blurred together until I couldn't tell one from another.
"…ra. Verdra!"
A hand tugged gently at my shoulder.
"You okay?"
Yuu's voice—caring, steady—pulled me back from the abyss.
…That's right.
I have Yuu now.
My master. Someone who will never betray me. Someone who won't abandon me.
As long as he stands by my side… I don't need anything else.
"…I'm fine," I answered after a pause. "Thanks for worrying."
"Really? You look awful, are you sick—" he frowned. "Do dragons even get sick?"
"I'm fine. Really."
"…Is that so?" he pulled back his hand. "Then that's good."
Yuu turned back toward Seth.
"Hey, Imposter Verd."
"What?"
"You said you wanted my power, right?" Yuu asked calmly. "If I comply, will you let us leave this dungeon?"
"Yeah, sure," Seth replied casually. "I'm the master of this dungeon, after all. Once I take your otherworlder skill, I might gain even greater control over it."
"Might? I don't like the sound of that." Yuu's eyes narrowed. "I'm having a problem with severe trust issue nowadays, so if you're not Verdra, you'll need to come with a better reason to convince me."
"Then—" Seth rose from his throne, bones creaking beneath him. "We'll have to settle this the hard way."
Yuu tightened his grip on his sword. His jet-black hair and shirt lashed violently, moving without any wind to drive them, as the temperature around us plunged down in an instant.
"This is my last question, you better answer it honestly." Yuu said coldly. "I saw someone who looked eerily similar to you among the elven mages who sent me here. Who's that?"
"Haha… so you noticed." Seth grinned widely. "That was me—my body double, to be precise."
His voice grew louder, more frenzied.
"I was the one who taught the elves otherworlder summoning magic centuries ago. I was the one who designed the sacrificial altar where they bound you. I told them that sacrificing an otherworlder would reinforce Verd's seal—when in truth, it only strengthened me."
His laughter echoed through the chamber.
"And what better way to deceive them than to masquerade as their beloved savior?" His eyes gleamed madly. "They were fools. All of them. All mortals are fools! Hahahaha!"
"I didn't know whether you were a shameless narcissist," Yuu said flatly, "or just a complete idiot for confessing all of your wrongdoing in front of someone you wronged in every way imaginable."
…He was right.
Everything—Yuu's summoning into this world, the elves' betrayal, trapped in this dungeon—it's all led back to this man.
He had the every reasons to be despised by Yuu.
Yuu begun to emmits faint cracklings of lightning all over his body.
Seeing him ready for battle, I constructed my gauntlets and sword as well.
"Did you really think you could beat me—a mere mortal like you?" Seth sneered. "Don't make me laugh!" In his grip, a long scythe materialized from nothingness.
"Reinforced."
Before I could even register it, Yuu was already in front of Seth, blades clashing in rapid succession.
*Clang!* *Clang!* *Clang!*
The sound of colliding metal echoed throughout the room as Seth blocked each of Yuu's slashes with his scythe.
"Your feets are quite nimble for a mere mortal," Seth scoffed. "You reminded me of a grasshopper."
"I'll take that as a compliment," Yuu replied, launching several fist-sized ice shards toward Seth.
He didn't even bother to react. The ice were simply shattered before reaching him.
Without hesitation, Yuu followed up with a downward slash aimed at his head.
Seth deflected the blow effortlessly, knocking Yuu's sword aside. The impact tore the weapon from Yuu's grip and threw him off balance. Seth immediately reached out, fingers stretching toward Yuu's head—
"Do not let him touch you!"
Seth suddenly froze, his own voice barking the warning.
Yuu reacted instantly, summoning his wings and shooting back, then upward.
I didn't waste the opening.
I lunged forward and swung my Hellfire-wreathed sword straight down, aiming to sever his head.
*Clang!*
He blocked the strike with the handle of his scythe.
"Woah…" Seth muttered. "That's heavy. How frightening. As expected of a True Dragon."
He tightened his grip and violently knocked my blade aside, spinning his body as the tip of his scythe shot toward my torso.
Just before it could reach me, I summoned my wings and flew backward, narrowly avoiding the attack.
"Tch." He clicked his tongue. "Forget grasshoppers. You two are more like flies."
"Verdra, are you okay?" Yuu asked, his voice tight with concern.
"I'm fine," I answered quickly. "But… what was that just now?"
"I don't know," Yuu replied. "It's like he lost control over himself for a second."
"Haaah…" Seth exhaled deeply. "It seems I underestimated you both. Very well—time to get serious."
He snapped his fingers.
*Snap* sound echoed through the whole room.
Then the world around us warped instantly.
The cramped boss chamber vanished, replaced by barren ruins of an immense city. Crumbling buildings stretched endlessly in every direction. Sunlight poured down from above, illuminating the desolation and making the scene feel even more… hollow.
I recognized it instantly.
It was a sight that brings many nostalgia.
"…Draconia," I whispered.
"I've prepared the stage for our play!" Seth declared proudly. "It's only a replica, of course, but it's faithful enough for the actress' to take stag—"
He stopped mid-sentence.
"I don't have much time, so listen carefully!" He pointed at himself, his tone suddenly urgent. "This guy can only be damaged by advanced elemental magic. He can also manipulate your souls—do not let him touch you, or it's over."
Then he turned toward me.
"Miss Dragon, I'm so—"
He suddenly slapped himself across the face. "—Son of a bitch! Just shut the hell up! You damn ghost!"
I flew higher until I was level with Yuu. "What was that?" I asked, bewildered.
"Like hell I know," he replied, equally confused. "But at least we learned his weakness."
"…Yeah," I muttered. "Thanks to whatever that happened to him was."
"Ahem." Seth cleared his throat, visibly irritated. He snapped his fingers again. "Nyxia."
A massive magic circle formed before him.
Nyxia?!
From the circle emerged a colossal figure, towering over 5 (16 ft) meters high and and roughly about 15 (49 ft) meters long.
White scales covered its entire body. Dark-blue horns curved from its head, and enormous wings stretched wide behind it. Even from a distance, there was no mistaking it.
A dragon.
But something was wrong.
Its eyes were completely black—empty, lifeless. Dense black miasma poured from its body, warping the air around it.
The moment I saw it, my breathing grew shallow. My chest tightened as a rage so deep it felt bottomless surged through me.
"..."
"Hahaha…!" Seth laughed maniacally. "What do you think of my keepsake from Draconia?"
"V-Verdra?" Yuu Called, intimidated, but not from the massive dragon that is now looming before us. "What's wrong?"
I could barely force the words out.
"That's… my mother."