Chapter 231 - Labyrinth’s Encroachment Part 6

Labyrinth’s Encroachment Part 6

 
Beretta and Apito, who were fighting Dino, vanished suddenly in front of his eyes.
Since his feet were trapped in the ground, he could only continue to endure their torture, but it ended suddenly.
He wrote off the pleasures he had started to feel as just his imagination[1], and pondered the reason why Beretta and Apito left.
‘Why did they both leave?’

It didn’t take long for him to find out why.
He sensed a powerful energy approaching at an immense speed.
As each of the floors seemed to be on different subspaces, using『Magic Power Perception』became harder the more floors there were between him and the thing he was trying to sense.
Despite the several floors between them, Dino was immediately able to notice it.
「Hey, Ramiris! What’s going on?」
Dino asked shouting.
『Ummmm, you see, the match is temporarily postponed. If you want to continue, we’ll do it later!』
And the answer was an unclear one.
(I see, because Zero has completed the labyrinth’s encroachment, they panicked and ran away.
Alright, with this I’m saved.)
Dino smiled, happy to have escaped danger.
However, that was too naïve a thought.
As Rimuru predicted, Zero had completely lost his sanity after fusing with the labyrinth.
After all, Zero was a being whose ego grew by assimilating other things.
In the face of a torrent of great power, he was reduced to a beast dominated by his instincts.
However, this was as Velda expected.
Zero would absorb the energy in the surroundings, growing larger and more gigantic.
And then, he would cause everything in his vicinity to breakdown.
This was how the completed『Evil Dragon Lord Azi Dahaka』worked.
Even for someone of Zero’s caliber, he could be nothing more than a medium for the skill’s activation.
The stronger the activation medium was, the stronger the rampage state of『Evil Dragon Lord Azi Dahaka』would be.
Moreover, the labyrinth would serve as an enormous reservoir of energy.
That energy would allow the incarnated evil dragon to evolve into a being that could be considered the sixth
True Dragon[2]
.
Then, true to its malevolent nature, it would seek to annihilate each and every being within the labyrinth.
Its name, the
Berserk Evil Dragon[3]
Zero would bare its malicious fangs.
　　　　　　◇◇◇
Tremors rippled through the labyrinth.
It was because the source of the shaking was approaching the floor that Dino and co were on.
「Hey, I feel something bad is coming……?」
「What a coincidence. I feel the same too, Pico――」
Pico and Garasha conversed uneasily.
Towards those two was,
「Hey you two, forget about that and help me pull my leg out!
That Beretta bastard, he metallized the ground as he ran away……」
Dino shouted as he struggled to pull out his legs from the metallized ground.
It was like the two forgot about him, which wasn’t funny for him.
「Ahaha, sorry sorry. But, there’s such an unpleasant ability like that heh.
Can’t you turn yourself into energy with Apotheosis[4]?」
「I can’t. It seems it’s due to that damn ability, a jamming wave is flowing……」
「That demonic doll guy seemed to be stronger than the people we fought.
Hey Dino, it’s a disgrace for a spiritual life form to be trapped in physical matter.」
「Shut up. Never mind that and help me out quickly, Pico.」
「You reap what you sow, Dino. You suffer like this because you always lived slothfully.
Had you pull out some seriousness, you wouldn’t be so unsightly like you’re now, you know?」
「I wonder about that. I think he was pretty serious there. The least he could do is resisting the pain earnestly!」
Pico and Garasha looked at Dino with eyes seeing a fool.
‘If you had time to receive the pain earnestly, you should have tried to escape seriously’ such an intention could be seen clearly from their gaze.
「Wh-what is it, you two. Even I, I have various――」
When Dino attempted to talk, that thing 
reached this floor.
Due to extreme hunger, the
Berserk Evil Dragon
Zero had lost the distinction between friend and foe.
「Uahh…… How can I say it, that’s Zero, he looks similar but he’s like a different person……」
「Rather than that, is that
 thing
 even Zero?」
「Not good, it seems he has lost his reasoning completely.  We are in danger too.」
The three were dumbfounded, but Garasha perceived the danger promptly.
And then, she knew the meaning behind the bad premonition from a little while ago.
The
Berserk Evil Dragon
Zero attacked the three when they were caught in its sight.
Pico and Garasha had saved their strength in order to escape.
Garasha stepped to the front in order to repel the tentacle attacks sent out by the
Berserk Evil Dragon
Zero.
The Circle Shield equipped on her left hand transformed into a Huge Shield which didn’t suit Garasha’s slender body, the shield continuously repelled the tentacle attacks that were like a sharp lance.
Her shield’s shape resembled Gerudo’s and even the performance was almost the same.
Originally, Garasha was a defensive focused heavy warrior.
However, as Zero had fused with the labyrinth―― becoming the
Berserk Evil Dragon
Zero―― it was now possible for Zero to create tentacles from all directions.
The situation didn’t look good for Garasha as it wasn’t something that could be repelled with just one shield;
While being protected by Garasha, Pico attacked by creating numerous spears as if to counter the tentacles.
However, her attacks were also ineffective against the tentacles that sprung out ceaselessly.
In a match of numbers, there was no opponent that could win against the
Berserk Evil Dragon
Zero which had the energy of
True Dragon
class.
Pico and Garasha felt their energy drop very fast, which resulted in the
Berserk Evil Dragon
Zero’s power rising even more.
「This’s not good! At this rate, we will lose all of our energy and be eaten!」
「What should we do? My defense will not last long against these attacks.
There’s a limit for me to create shields too!?」
The two dedicated themselves to self-defense now, but as long as they couldn’t defeat the problem, Zero, they were just postponing their death.
And, there was only a little time to think.
The
Berserk Evil Dragon
Zero could absorb the energy inside the labyrinth,
(What should I do? At this rate, we will be annihilated. But, then Velda-sama――)
Dino was troubled.
―― Dino, think about it carefully. Veldanava and Velda are not the same, right? ――

He recalled Ramiris’ words and steeled himself.
(Yeah, that’s right. Why did I get puzzled by such a matter?
What was the reason I tried to deprave and unleash Dagruel?
Wasn’t that because I want to forget the fact that Veldanava-sama is gone?
When did I start to think that Velda is Veldanava-sama?
Certainly, he has the same memories, but his personality and his way of thinking are like someone else……
Come to think of it now, it’s strange. Perhaps, he manipulated my thoughts too?
Oh well. Right now, dealing with Zero is more important!)
Dino clasped his fist and struck his cheek with full power.
There was no pain. However, it caused some considerable damage to numb the brain.
But, that blow blew away the troubles inside Dino’s mind.
「Hey, you two! I decided to revolt against that Velda bastard.
But, how about you guys? If you guys are with me as things are――」
「Ahhhhhhh, stop! I don’t care about the minor details so be quick and help us, you good for nothing!」
「That’s right, Dino. If you don’t hurry up, he 
will breakthrough my defenses, you know?
Since a while ago, I have summoned stacks of defensive shields consecutively, but they were all destroyed one after another.
My power is already at its limit to buy us some more time――」
「Besides, Dino. I didn’t think that this world is bad.
That thing called Octo-yaki[5] we ate when we infiltrated this country was delicious too.」
「I heard it’s made from monster ingredients, but it was unexpectedly good.」
「That’s why, I didn’t really want to participate in this war.
 I only accompanied you because you were obeying Velda.」
「That’s right, Dino. The two of us will follow you.」
「You guys……」
Dino couldn’t hide his honest wonderment to Pico and Garasha’s replies.
He was bewildered that these girls didn’t have any shred of loyalty towards Velda who’s equal to a god.
But, at the same time he thought.
‘As expected, it seems my thoughts had been manipulated’.
「Okay, I got it. It seems I have kept you two waiting for a while.」
With that been said, Dino smiled without hesitation.
While still smiling, he smoothly said「By the way, Pico. Please do something to the metallized ground around my legs!」and was rewarded with a punch from Pico, but that was a story between those two.
　　　　　　◇◇◇
Dino advanced while smiling fearlessly.
With Pico’s help, his feet were freed from the ground.
「Well, then. It’s been a long time since I got serious.」
As he murmured, his eyes that had always seemed tired were opened wide.
「Divine Weapons Manifestation![6]」
Dino had taken his combat form using Apotheosis after a long time.
His appearance became splendorous with 6 pairs of white and black shining wings.
He outfitted himself with spirit clothing similar to a jet-black colored priest robe, and summoned two swords to his hands.
The Sword of Gold, Excalibur[7] and the Sword of Dark Silver, Caliburn[8].
As the sacred treasures of God Class, both were the strongest swords tempered by the Star Heart[9].
White and black swords, Holy Sword and Demonic Sword.
Excalibur shone like gold, Caliburn’s pitch black blade was like studded with stars.
A twin swordsman who skillfully wields two opposing swords, this was how Dino fight.
Using the God class Great Sword
Crumbling Fang
was Dino’s temporary style; this was the reason why Ramiris realized that Dino hadn’t been serious before.
As Dino didn’t train the skills needed to handle a great sword with both his hands, in the previous invasion Dino’s combat only relied on his physical ability and the Hyper Mode of his Ultimate Skill『Slothful Lord Belphegor』.
If Dino had pulled out his twin swords, his ability would surpass Albert and Grasword.
Because Dino was the strongest swordsman in this world.
Dino walked casually and stood next to Garasha who was defending against the tentacles with her shield.
「Leave the rest to me.」
Saying so, he instantly cut all of the tentacles.
Garasha took a breather.
Although Garasha saw Dino’s figure like this for the first time in several thousand years, she felt a sense of security same as before.
(Good grief…… He’s really lazy……)
In contrast to the amazed like feelings, a smile appeared on Garasha’s face.
「Go, Dino! Send that monster
 flying!」
Pico cheered Dino.
Dino responded to Pico’s cheer by shrugging his shoulders slightly.
And then.
Thunk, Thunk, someone’s footsteps could be heard.
Someone came walking calmly.
And then, that person asked Dino.
「Is this how you’re when you get serious?
Even the mark of the『Deathly Butterfly[10]』 that I had carved on you was broken, heh.
Unsurprisingly. As expected, it seems my eyes weren’t wrong.
So, did you feel like apologizing to Ramiris-sama?」
That person was Zegion, naturally he didn’t get surprised by Dino’s transformation.
He had expected that Velda couldn’t control Dino completely.
Dino who got serious was strong; he rivaled Zegion or was maybe even stronger than him.
「Ahh. It was my bad, Ramiris.」
Dino obediently spitted out words of apology.
Ramiris’ reaction was――
『Ohohohohohohoho! As I expected, righteousness is obviously on my side!
Okay, I’ll forgive you! So Dino――
Let’s quickly defeat that evil
True Dragon
!!』
Like that.
Dino tightened his expression and smiled wryly.
He noticed the word
True Dragon
in Ramiris’ speech just now.
(Good grief, that Zero bastard…… He ate
 the labyrinth and evolved into a
True Dragon
.
No―― that was Velda’s aim when he granted『Evil Dragon Lord Azi Dahaka』 to Zero.
If that’s the case, the only thing I can think of is to crush his subordinate completely.
I’m certain―― that guy wasn’t Veldanava-sama’s reincarnation.)
Dino stood forgetting about his doubt.
「D-do you want to cooperate, Zegion?」
「Of course.」
Hearing Zegion answered without any hesitation, Dino laughed.
Dino casually passed a sword to Zegion.
It was the God Class, Great Sword
Crumbling Fang
that Dino usually used while he was pretending.
「Let’s do it. We will defeat that guy quickly; I have something to settle with Velda.」
Dino slightly nodded and said 「Take it.」, Zegion received the sword with one hand.
Then, Zegion put
Crumbling Fang
on his back.
On that moment,
Crumbling Fang
shone dazzlingly.
As the light settled down, a pair of shining wings appeared on Zegion’s back.
This was the reborn form of
Crumbling Fang
which had fused with Zegion.
It was the moment Zegion’s new power,
Crumbling Wings
, was born.
「……So quick, it seems it acknowledged you as its master.
In the end, I wasn’t acknowledged as the master of
Crumbling Fang
…..」
Dino complained.
Zegion didn’t mind him, and then he handed over something he was holding in his hand to Pico.
「Kyuiーー!!」
It was the Minidora, Gaia.
Before Zegion came to defeat Zero, he was looking after and protecting Gaia inside the labyrinth.
「That dragon is Demon Lord Milim-sama’s pet. You better treat him carefully.」
「Eh, ah? Wait!?」
Pico panicked.
‘Why me?
‘ so she lamented, but it could be said the role suited her.
As Garasha concentrated on her defense, only Pico was available.
Even while they were conversing, the attack of the tentacles didn’t cease.
Dino repelled everything.
And so, the people left behind inside the labyrinth were ready.
As for Dino and Zegion.
Next was their turn time for a counterattack.

[1] A Masochist’s awakening??? XD
[2] 竜種 Ryuu Shu, Literally Dragon Kind/Species/Race
, True Dragon is how Clown had translated it since the start, if you guys want to change it, I’ll change it in the future and past chapters.
[3] 狂邪竜 Kyou Jaryuu. 狂 is kanji for lunatic, insane, crary, it’s also the first kanji for Berserker too.
[4] 生体神格化 Seitai Shinkakuka – Living Deitification.
[5] It’s half katakana half kanji, オクト焼 Okutoyaki. It’s Takoyaki xD
[6] 神格武装発現 Shinkaku Busou Hatsugen.
[7] 黄金の剣(エクスカリバー) Ougon no Ken, Ekusukaribaa~.
[8] 闇銀の剣(カリバーン) Yamigin no Ken, Kalibaan.
[9] 星の核(スターハート) Hoshi no Kaku (Sutaa Haato).
[10] 死刻蝶 Shikakuchou.