Mizuki vs The Dragon King

Kana let out a small sigh before turning to Yuto and said, "I'll go inform my father that you're here. Wait here until I come back"

Yuto and Freya nodded, "Okay, we'll wait here"

Kana nodded in response before walking through the doors, leaving Yuto and Freya alone at the front of the gate.

Yuto sighed as he let out a small chuckle, "So that was-"

"What were you thinking!" Mizuki came out yelling, which caught Yuto off guard as he had a baffled expression.

Freya jumped into the conversation, "Yuto, it was reckless to anger a dragon like that"

Yuto rubbed the back of his neck, "I know, but it all worked out in the end, didn't it?"

"Barely!" Freya exclaimed.

"You could have gotten us killed, you dummy!"

Yuto chuckled nervously, scratching the side of his head, "Yeah, I know, I know. But hey, I got us through, didn't I? That's gotta count for something?"

"I suppose you have a point," Freya admitted, her tone a bit calmer but still annoyed.

"But don't do anything like that again, alright? I'd rather not get roasted by a dragon any time soon"

Yuto looked over at Mizuki who didn't want to meet his eyes, "Mizuki?"

"Yes?" Mizuki replied, their arms crossed, clearly still upset.

Yuto walked over and pulled her into a hug, Mizuki's expression softened slightly as Yuto wrapped his arms around her.

Her irritation faded slightly at the contact. Yuto's embrace was warm and comforting, and she found herself relaxing in his arms.

"I'll be more careful next time"

Mizuki let out a deep sigh, her annoyance slowly giving way to resignation. She nodded against Yuto's chest, her voice more forgiving now.

"Alright. Just... just don't do anything so stupid again, okay?"

Yuto opened his arms wider, "Fae, you gonna join this hug?"

Freya couldn't help but roll her eyes at Yuto's question, but there was no heat to it.

She stepped closer and joined the group hug, wrapping her arms around both Yuto and Mizuki.

Freya rested her head against Yuto's shoulder, the warmth of his body a reassuring presence. Mizuki was silent but her muscles relaxed, her anger from earlier now forgotten.

"Ah, my girls, what would I do without you?"

Freya and Mizuki both chuckled at Yuto's comment. 

Freya spoke up first, a smile in her voice, "Probably get yourself into a lot more trouble"

Mizuki chimed in, a light tone in their voice, "And get yourself killed, more likely"

"Hey now, that's not fair," Yuto protested with a laugh, a hint of mock offense in his tone.

"I can handle myself just fine, you know"

"Sure, you can," Freya replied dryly, her voice full of sarcasm.

"If by handling yourself just fine, are you getting into trouble every five minutes, I worry for our future"

"Exactly," Mizuki agreed, a smirk on their face.

"You're a regular trouble magnet, Yuto"

…

"Hah, I can't argue with that logic"

"So you admit it," Freya said, her tone light but triumphant. She poked Yuto's side gently.

"You do get into trouble a lot, more than any of us, anyway"

"Oh? And just two years ago, I remembered saving an elf girl who got herself into danger the first time we met"

Freya's cheeks turned pink in embarrassment, "Hey, that was different!" she protested weakly.

"I was young and foolish back then, and... and I didn't know what I was walking into!"

"Yeah, sure," Yuto teased, a playful smirk on his face.

"But you still needed rescuing. And I was perfectly willing to do so if I recall correctly"

Freya huffed, her cheeks still slightly rosy, "That's beside the point," she muttered in feigned annoyance.

"We were talking about how you seem to attract trouble like a magnet, not about my one mistake"

Mizuki and Yuto shared a laugh as Freya dug herself a hole, they spoke for what felt like hours before hearing the giant door open, Mizuki went back inside the ring, and Freya stood behind Yuto.

- Kana's POV -

As she walked through the hallway of the palace, she took a deep breath to calm herself down.

Her mind was still racing from the encounter with Yuto, and she couldn't shake off the fluttering feeling in her chest.

'What a strange human, most would be running away from me in fear, and yet…"

She shook her head as she continued walking until she reached the throne room, where her father was sitting, looking as regal as ever.

She approached him and bowed her head respectfully, "Father, there is a human that wishes to speak with you"

He raised his eyebrow in surprise and asked, "A human, you say? What business could a human possibly have with me?"

"The human said he needs your help," She responded, still keeping her head bowed.

His expression hardened as he sat up straight on his throne, "Help, you say? What kind of help does this human need?"

"He didn't give me any specifics," Kana replied before lifting her head to look at her father's face.

His eyes narrowed as he considered the very odd situation, "Very well. Send the human in, I will hear what he has to say"

"Yes, Father," Kana said with a nod before turning to walk back to the front doors, where Yuto and Freya were waiting.

When she reached the doors, she found Yuto standing with his arms crossed, while Freya was standing behind him, looking a little nervous.

'That elf girl and I think I saw the other girl turn into a ring, what's their relationship with him?'

She pushed those thoughts aside and said with a serious tone, "The king is ready to see you now, human"

- Normal POV -

Yuto nodded in understanding and he began walking towards the entrance, with Freya following closely behind him.

Kana led the way into the throne room, silently walking in front of Yuto and Freya.

She could feel her heart beating faster as they neared the throne, and the fluttering feeling in her chest returned.

They finally arrived outside of the throne room, Yuto walked forward, and Mizuki manifested her physical form and stood beside Freya.

"Alright, you two stay behind, Kana, will you guide me inside?"

"Y-yeah, I'll guide you," Kana's voice was soft, and her cheeks were still slightly red from earlier.

She led Yuto forward into the throne room, stopping just at the foot of the king's throne.

The dragon king's presence was both awe-inspiring and intimidating, and he looked down at Yuto with a scrutinizing gaze.

"So, you're the human, who requested to be in my presence, you sure are bold"

"I am the Dragon King, Kaz Le Seraphina, what is your name human?"

"Yuto Akimitsu, Your Majesty"

Kaz nodded his head in acknowledgment and said, "Very well, Yuto Akimitsu, what is it that you seek my assistance for?"

"I heard from the Elven King that you have two fragments of a sword that you have no idea what they do, correct?"

Kaz's brows furrowed slightly as he looked at Yuto with a mix of curiosity and caution.

"That is correct, I do have two fragments of a sword, but how do you know about them, and how do you know that I have no idea what they do?"

"I do, that is my reason for coming to your kingdom"

Kaz leaned forward slightly on his throne, clearly interested, "And what do you intend to do with these sword fragments, Yuto?"

["Can't tell him about the system or the dreams, I don't even want to think how he'll react"]

"Reclaim, I wish to reclaim something of mine that is loss, that is all I can say"

Kaz set up a 13-tier barrier before releasing a lot of killing intent, "Here's the thing, how do you know about the sword of Elise when you look to be around 20, the great war was 3,000 years ago!"

"And how did you know the location of the two sword fragments?" His tone was stern as he spoke, but his eyes held a hint of suspicion.

Yuto had to tread carefully now. One wrong move and he would be reduced to a crisp if the Dragon King deems him a threat, all of his loved ones could be in danger as well.

"May you ask your daughter to step out?"

Kaz's eyebrow raised in surprise but did what Yuto asked, "Kana, please leave"

Kana hesitated for a moment before nodding obediently, "Yes, Father"

She gave Yuto a small glance before turning and leaving the throne room, leaving just Yuto and the Dragon King.

Once the doors closed behind her, Kaz spoke once again, "Now that she's gone, you may speak freely"

"Kaz Le Seraphina"

Kaz was caught by surprise when Yuto addressed him by his full name, but he remained composed and waited for Yuto to continue.

"Before I continue may I ask, what is the sword of Elise?"

Kaz leaned back on his throne, his expression growing a bit more relaxed.

"The sword of Elise was a legendary item forged during the great war, over 3,000 years ago. The Goddess Elise that you humans worship, crafted the sword herself"

"I fought alongside her during that war, that sword was an ego sword, which is a sword with a soul of its own, I doubt you humans even know about it since most have long passed"

Kaz continued, his voice filled with nostalgia.

"That sword was a powerful weapon, able to cut through almost anything, and the two fragments in my possession are part of that sword"

"My memory fails me but I remember that her lover and she decides to break that sword into 15 Fragments"

"Her lover?"

Kaz nodded his head in confirmation.

"Yes, the lover of the goddess Elise. A human, just like you"

"A hero from another world, he died in that war, heartbroken she left the human world after the war ended"

"And the rest of the Fragments?"

Kaz let out a sigh, the memory of the war still weighed heavily on him.

"The rest of the fragments went missing after the war ended. No one knows what happened to the majority of them, they simply disappeared into thin air"

He paused for a moment before he continued, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"I tried searching for them over the years, but I found nothing. The two that I have now are the only ones I could find"

"And they have been gathering dust in my collection, without any purpose"

Kaz's eyes then looked at Yuto intently, "So my question to you is, how do you know about these fragments, and what do you intend to do with them?"

["System is what he said true?"]

<- System ->

[ … ]

["Answer me damn it!"]

<- System ->

[ I cannot confirm or verify until you obtain more fragments, only then shall I explain the truth to you ]

Yuto, despite feeling rage, calmed himself down, he looked back at Kaz who had a serious expression.

"Your Majesty, what I say next, can you swear not to harm me or my people?"

Kaz raised an eyebrow in surprise, he could sense the serious tone in Yuto's voice, and it raised some suspicion in him.

"I swear that I will not harm you, or your people," Kaz said after a pause, his voice firm.

"If I told you that I know where the sword of Elise is, would you believe me?"

Kaz's expression changed to one of surprise and disbelief.

"You know where the sword is?"

He leaned forward on his throne, his eyes fixed on Yuto, trying to discern any hint of deception.

"I do because she is my partner, my ego sword," Yuto stood up to look the Dragon King in the eyes.

Kaz's eyes widened in surprise as he heard Yuto's words. The idea of a human being partnered with the sword of Elise was unheard of and almost unbelievable.

"Your... partner?"

He grits his teeth as he lets out a roar, "DON'T BULLSHIT ME HUMAN!"

His voice echoed through the throne room, and his killing intent flared, filling the room with a sense of danger.

"You're telling me that YOU, a human, are the partner of the ego sword, the sword of Elise herself!?"

He lunged forward, his right arm slamming Yuto to the wall with such force that had it not been for the barrier, the whole castle would have been destroyed.

Yuto used the ring of Ernaline to create his suit of armor, this only served to anger Kaz even more.

"The Ring of Ernaline, how does a human like you have it!"

In a flash, he kicked Yuto's stomach with such force that the air around them shaped.

<- System warning ->

[ Health is below 40 percent, host has broken ribs and is bleeding out ]

["Don't do anything, I-I will take care of it!"]

Despite his injuries, Yuto didn't give in, he still managed to stand up and glare at Kaz, a look of determination in his eyes.

"Don't underestimate me, you bastard"

He gritted his teeth and clenched his fist, his body in a very bad condition, but still filled with fighting spirit.

A slap, Kaz slapped Yuto so hard that his helmet broke, "Know your place, Human"

Yuto could taste blood in his mouth as his helmet shattered, and his cheek was left red and swollen from the force of Kaz's slap.

Despite the pain, he stood his ground and looked up at the dragon king with a defiant expression.

<- System ->

[ The host's health is below 20 percent, Grace Healing is now active ]

All of Yuto's wounds, broken ribs, and missing blood, healed, he stood tall, and glared at Kaz, his helmet reforming again.

"You broke your promise, losing yourself in your anger, pathetic"

Kaz was taken aback by Yuto's sudden recovery, and his expression darkened even further.

"You... You heal too quickly," he said in a low voice, "And how dare you call me pathetic, you insolent human!"

He clenched his fist, and his eyes flared with anger.

"I may have broken my promise, but you are still just a weak human at the end of the day, you dare to stand before me and make such accusations!"

He punched Yuto in the stomach, sending him flying to the top of the barrier but before he hit it, Kaz appeared above and slammed him down to the ground.

Kaz's anger was growing more and more intense, his eyes glowing red with rage.

"You think you can come here, make these outrageous claims, and then just leave unscathed?! You humans are so damn arrogant!"

He continued to punch and kick Yuto, each blow hitting him with incredible force. The throne room was filled with the sound of flesh hitting flesh and the occasional grunt of pain or rage.

As Yuto lay on the ground, battered and bloody, Kaz loomed over him.

"You should know your place, human. You are nothing compared to dragons. We had the honor to fight alongside the Goddess, and you are just a pathetic mortal. You have no right to face me like this!"

He walked from Yuto's battered body, ready to end Freya's life.

<- System ->

[ The host's health is below 2 percent, Grace Healing is now active ]

Yuto's wounds, broken ribs, and missing blood healed, and he stood tall once more.

Skill: Accelerate x Dash x Speed Boost

Passive: One-Sided Slaughter Victim

[ All stats increase by 100 ]

"Hey"

Kaz turned back around and looked at Yuto in surprise.

"You're still alive? Impossible-"

He couldn't finish his sentence as in a blink Yuto punched him so hard that he sent him flying upwards, breaking every bone in Yuto's arm.

As he flew through the air, the barrier shattered, and the throne room shook violently.

Kaz managed to stop himself before he hit the wall, gritting his teeth in pain and anger.

"You... How are you becoming stronger? How are you healing so quickly?"

He landed on the ground with a thud, his body shaking from the blow he had received.

Kaz looked at Yuto, the shock and confusion evident in his eyes.

"You are a human, how is it possible that you can overpower me?"

He looked at Yuto's limp and bloody arm, the armor surrounding his arm desperately trying to fix itself.

"No, you risked your life to stop me"

Kaz's mind started to race as he looked at Yuto with a mix of anger, confusion, and now a hint of respect.

"Just who are you, human?"

"..."

Yuto already passed out, this was perhaps the worst beating he ever received, the most one-sided fight.

Kaz walked over to Yuto, his steps slow and deliberate. He knelt next to the unconscious Yuto, studying his face closely.

"You fought me with everything, even though you knew, you could not win," he said to himself, his voice laced with a hint of respect.

He looked over Yuto's body, taking in the damage he had inflicted on him.

He couldn't deny it, Yuto's determination and willpower had impressed him, and it made him question many things.

"Just how strong are you, human?"

He looked at Yuto's face again, a slight frown forming on his own.

Kana, Mizuki, and Freya broke in, as the barrier was now broken, they heard everything, and they stopped in their tracks when they saw Yuto's unconscious body, standing lifeless.

Freya teared up and Kana looked in disbelief at what her father did, the throne room was a mess of blood and broken walls, Mizuki stepped forward shaking her head slowly. 

Kaz's eyes hinted nostalgia as he saw Mizuki, "It's you"

Kana's heart was racing, and her eyes were wide with shock at the state of the room and Yuto's unconscious body.

She felt a mix of anger and disbelief at what her father had done.

"Father, what have you done?" she said, her voice trembling.

Meanwhile, Freya was on the verge of tears, looking at Yuto with a heartbroken expression.

Kaz looked at Mizuki, his expression a mix of surprise and recognition, "Mizuki," he said, his voice soft.

He tried to reach forward but Mizuki slapped him so hard his face turned red, she was angry, very much angry.

"What the fuck, where you thinking?"

Kaz stumbled back a few steps, taken aback by Mizuki's outburst. "I-"

Before he could say anything, she interrupted him, her voice firm and filled with anger.

"You nearly killed him! You lost control in your anger, you could have seriously hurt him!"

"Mizuki, I haven't seen you since the great war-"

Mizuki's eyes glowed with anger as she looked at Kaz, her clenched fists shaking.

"And it seems like you haven't changed! You're still a hothead who lets his anger consume him!"

"That's not-"

Kaz tried to speak, but again he was cut off as Mizuki slammed her fist against his chest.

"SHUT UP"

Her voice echoed through the room, and even Kana and Freya flinched at her anger.

"You should be ashamed of yourself! Losing control and taking your anger out on a human, it's disgusting!"

"MY HUMAN OF ALL THINGS!"

Kaz was taken aback by her words. "Your human?"

Kaz looked at Yuto and realized that he was telling the truth, the Sword of Elise was right in front of him, an old friend, who now looked at him with disdain.

Mizuki stepped over to Yuto, checking his vitals to make sure he was alive.

"Yes, MY human," she said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"And look at what you've done to him. You hurt him, almost killed him!"

Kaz's expression darkened as he looked at Yuto. "I...I didn't intend for it to be this severe. I lost control of my anger"

Mizuki clenched her fists, her anger still present.

"That's not an excuse, you're a dragon king, you're supposed to have better control over your emotions!"

"And look at Yuto, he's covered in blood, his body broken and bruised..."

"What would Kaelyn say if she saw this!"

Kaz flinched at the mention of his dead wife's name, his eyes glowed red.

"Don't bring her into this, she-"

Mizuki cut him off again, her voice firm and resolute.

"No, you don't get to shut me up. You need to take responsibility for what you've done!"

Kaz's jaw tightened as he struggled to control his emotions.

"And what do you expect me to do!" he snapped back. "The damage is already done, the boy is in this condition because of me!"

Mizuki sent him flying to his throne with a punch, "Heal him"

Kaz looked at her with a mix of anger and disbelief.

"You truly think I can fix him? His body is broken, his bones shattered, not to mention the blood loss-"

Mizuki cut him off, her voice firm and resolute.

"If he dies, so help me. Heal him, NOW"

Kaz grumbled, but he knew that he couldn't refuse Mizuki's command.

He focused his powers and approached Yuto, his hands glowing with a soft, green light.

Slowly but surely, the deep cuts and lacerations on Yuto's body began to heal, the broken bones mending back together, and the blood slowly stopping.

After a few minutes, Yuto's body was fully healed, the damage completely erased.

Mizuki checked Yuto's vitals once again, and after a moment she let out a sigh of relief.

"He's stable, but he'll need some time to recover, he's just asleep"

"Um excuse me?" Freya stepped forward, "Mizuki, what does this all mean?"

Mizuki looked up at Freya, her expression softening.

"In time I shall explain, I'm sorry"

"Huh, sorry for-" Mizuki raised her hand and wiped Freya's memories of this incident, she caught her before she fell and laid her down gently.

"I shall explain in due time"

Kana had been watching the scene in silence, her heart filled with a mix of emotions.

She was relieved that her father had healed Yuto and that he would survive, but she was also deeply disturbed by what had happened.

This was the first time she had seen him lose control, his anger nearly killing Yuto, and she didn't know how to feel about it.

"Father... how could you do this?" she whispered to herself, her voice trembling.

Kaz turned to face Kana, his expression now softening.

"Kana, I..."

He struggled to find the right words. "I lost control. I was blinded by my anger and my pride... I never meant for Yuto to be hurt"

Kana stared at her father, "But you did hurt him," she said, her voice quieter than usual.

"He nearly died because of you..."

Kaz sighed, his expression filled with remorse.

"I know, and I'm sorry," he said, his voice soft.

"I never wanted it to come to this. I let my anger consume me, and I acted impulsively. I have made a mistake, a grave one"

"Shut up Kaz"

Kaz's eyes widened in surprise at Mizuki's stern voice.

"I don't want to hear your apologies, not after what you've done," Mizuki continued, her eyes fixed on Kaz.

"You nearly killed my human because of your selfishness, and you think a simple apology will fix that?!"

She gripped his neck, "Give me one good reason, I shouldn't rip your head off"

Kaz struggled to speak, his eyes wide with fear.

"M-Mizuki, please-"

She tightened her grip, her eyes narrowing.

"I said a GOOD reason, now give me one!"

Kaz's face began to turn red as Mizuki's grip made it harder for him to breathe. He desperately tried to find the right words.

"I...I can't-"

He struggled to form a coherent sentence, his life literally in Mizuki's hands.

"Miss Mizuki wait!"

Mizuki loosened her grip slightly but kept her hand around Kaz's neck.

"What?"

Kana stepped forward, her voice shaking slightly.

"Please, don't do it," she said, her eyes meeting Mizuki's.

"He may have done something terrible and nearly killed Yuto, but he's still my father. I don't want to see him dead"

…

Mizuki sighed and let go of his neck, "We came here in good faith because the Elven King said you changed, so what led up to this, Kaz?"

Kaz coughed and gasped for air as Mizuki let go of him.

"I..."

He took a deep breath, trying to regain his composure. "I lost control. Yuto's words angered me, and I lost my temper"

"What did Yuto say?"

Kaz grumbled, his expression souring.

"He...he said that he knew you, I thought it to be impossible because I haven't seen you for the past 3,000 years"

Mizuki crossed her arms, her expression hardening.

"And you took that as a reason to nearly kill him?"

Kaz looked down, his expression filled with shame.

"I...I didn't mean for it to go that far. But when he mentioned your name, something inside me snapped"

...

"Here's what you're going to do"

"When Yuto wakes up, you will treat him with respect, you will give him the two fragments"

Kaz looked up at Mizuki with a mix of anger and disbelief.

"You can't be serious, give him the fragments? Those are-"

Mizuki cut him off, her voice firm.

"I said what I said, you will give Yuto the two fragments when he wakes up"

Kaz grumbled but knew he had no choice but to comply.

"Fine"

Mizuki then turned to Kana, "And you"

Kana took a deep breath, "Yes?"

"Not a word to anyone, not even a peep"

"I will keep my silence, I promise," Kana said with an obedient nod.

"I will not speak of what has happened here"

"Kaz, we shall speak after Yuto is put on a bed and is tended to"

Kaz nodded, his expression sullen.

"Very well, I shall have my servants attend to him"

He called a few servants, and they picked up Yuto's unconscious body and carried him away.

They also carried Freya so that she may wake up in Yuto's arms.

Once Yuto and Freya were out of sight, Mizuki turned to Kaz with a stern expression.

"You and I need to talk"

Kaz braced himself for the conversation that was about to come.

"Very well, we shall talk," he said, his voice laced with resignation.

- Meanwhile -

Yuto's mind was blissfully at ease as he floated in a warm, comforting ocean.

He relished in the sensation, feeling fully relaxed for the first time in a long time.

As he floated, a familiar voice suddenly broke through the peaceful silence.