The Great Sword is not the Main Body!
Chapter 217 – Ancient Dragon, Sirinias (2)

“It’s been a while.”

Crunch, Sirin stepped across the dry dirt, placing her hand atop my head.

“Have you been well in my absence?”

“Si, Sirin…”

“Hm, I thought you might’ve forgotten me since I’ve been away for quite some time, but thankfully, you haven’t.”

Sirin giggled and tousled my hair playfully. Then, her gaze dropped to the ‘fragments of the key’ in my hand.

“How was Cartia?”

“…It… it was incredible.”

“I see. So it was incredible.”

Sirin, who had been looking up at the sky Cartia had opened, soon turned her back to face Serr.

“Why didn’t you say it’s been a while to me? Did you not miss me?”

“No, I missed you too, Serr. But… it seems many things have happened in my absence. Was that a choice made for someone else?”

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll say you weren’t here. The other me didn’t miss Sirin, and I have no obligation to explain.”

“It must have been enjoyable, Serr.”

Serr’s eyes widened at Sirin’s remark, and after standing blankly for a moment, she gave a small laugh.

“…Likewise, the other me doesn’t want to answer that. Anyway… Sirin, what’s with your appearance?”

“Haha, I left it like this to show I’ve been working hard while I was gone. What do you think? Don’t I look like I’ve been through a lot?”

Sirin lightly spread her arms and twirled around with a playful smile toward me.

Before, I couldn’t sense anything from Sirin’s body. An unknown force had blocked my ki sense. But now, unlike before, it came through clearly.

So clearly, in fact, that it was hard to look at her, she was devastated.

“Sirin… what on earth happened to you…”

“I faced some very powerful enemies. Fought nonstop, twenty-four seven, three sixty-five, without even sleeping.”

“That does seem like it. See, I told you, you’d suffer if you left.”

“Ahahaha! That’s right, before I left, you did say that. Still, it wasn’t all suffering. What I did wasn’t meaningless. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Sirin turned her head.

“Foolish one who has lost her name.”

Toward the approaching ‘Rubia.’

“My, I go by ‘Rubia’ now, you know? Calling me a foolish one who’s lost her name… that’s hurtful.”

Clack, clack.

Apparently not wanting her heels to get dirty, ‘Rubia’ approached us while walking on a platform conjured by divine power.

“Anyway… you arrived sooner than I expected.”

‘Rubia’s’ immaculate hand reached toward Sirin.

At once, Serr raised her wand. Carpeng’s bloodlust exploded like a bomb. Frey’s greatsword was cloaked in a fierce sword-force.

But, 

“It’s fine.”

Sirin waved her hand and took ‘Rubia’s’ hand.

“Huhuhu, it’s been so long. Do you know how much I missed you?”

“You shouldn’t feel like it’s been long.”

“Even so, meeting like this again feels like forever. By our standards, it’s only been a quarter, but in this world’s time, it’s been two thousand years. Plus… this is the first time seeing you in such a cute little girl’s form.”

‘Rubia’ responded smoothly and let go of Sirin’s hand with a faint smile.

“So, did you complete what you had planned?”

“I wrapped it up moderately well.”

“Moderately? You don’t look so great for something moderate.”

“Don’t you think I got off cheap?”

“Well, considering you ignored the [Law]’… yeah, I suppose so. Huhuhu.”

‘Rubia’s’ coquettish laugh ceased.

The five pairs of wings she had spread wide now folded neatly.

At that moment, 

Clink!

Chains extended from behind ‘Rubia’s’ back, binding her arms. Then her legs, her waist, her chest. One by one, more chains wrapped around her body.

Still, ‘Rubia’ continued speaking unfazed.

“Sirin, about what you did, do you believe it had value?”

“It wasn’t worthless.”

“Even though you could’ve made a better choice?”

“I couldn’t have made a better one than that.”

Click!

All the chains locked in place with a loud clatter.

They now pulled tightly with no openings.

From within them, thorns sprouted. Some shot straight, others curled like an eagle’s talons. The thorns, claws, and talons tore through her skin, severing veins, and slowly dragged her body down.

That made my heart race with urgency.

I knew the one standing before us wasn’t the Rubia I knew. She was the nameless one we had to kill.

But inside her, Rubia would still be there.

Surely, within her, 

She would be waiting for me.

Like a moth diving into flames, 

I had no choice but to step toward ‘Rubia.’

But I didn’t make it more than a few steps before I stopped.

“Don’t worry too much.”

Sirin’s hand, her gentle voice, held me back.

“B, but…”

“It’s alright. That… no, ‘Rubia’ is simply returning to where she belongs, by the [Law]. Besides, that twisted expression of hers is probably just more deceitful acting.”

“Where she… belongs?”

“Yes.”

“It’s not acting, but… huhuhu, you’re right. So don’t worry too much, Noah. We’ll be seeing each other again very soon, ngh…”

Clang!

The chains coiled around ‘Rubia’s’ body tightened, as if even her words were no longer permitted.

“Hoo… Sirin, you’re just too much. Shouldn’t you at least let me say goodbye? After all… we do love each other, don’t we, Noah?”

“Silence.”

Sirin’s expression twisted as she raised her hand.

――Boom! The space behind ‘Rubia’ distorted, and a massive gate emerged.

Yggdrasil of Laila, even the primordial beast Ziz, were immense, but the gate before us was beyond comparison.

A gate so colossal it defied boundaries.

Large enough to seemingly contain every being in this world at once.

‘Rubia’ looked up at it with a radiant smile.

“I wonder why? Why did Sirin go this far? There’s still plenty of time before the End awakens… Don’t tell me, it’s because you’re worried Noah might suffer? Ahaha, that’d be a bit of a stretch, wouldn’t it? Especially since Sirin has lost all her authorities.”

Sirin ignored her and clenched her fist.

At the same time, 

―――!!

With an indescribable sound, the massive gate opened.

An empty void. Hollow and forsaken, where nothing existed.

That void was linked to the chains binding ‘Rubia’s’ body.

Then, 

Clink! 

The chains were pulled tight, as though something on the other side had begun to tug, drawing ‘Rubia’s’ body into the gate.

And then, 

“Kh… urgh… gkk, ptuh.”

Thick blood spilled from Sirin’s mouth.

“Aahahaha! Are you serious? That stiff, unbending Sirin, how could she have changed so much? Could it be… Noah’s influence on you too?”

“Stop spouting nonsense. I just didn’t want your drivel to ruin a long-overdue reunion.”

Wiping the blood from her lips, Sirin waved her hand. 

Craack! 

A thunderous crash echoed. The chains grew fiercer. The speed at which they dragged ‘Rubia’ into the gate increased.

“A reunion, huh… Huhuhu, fine. But what if I, like Sirin, defied the [Law] and cut these chains? What would you have done then?”

“You? Defy the [Law]? Ha!”

Sirin sneered and glared at ‘Rubia.’

“If you had that kind of resolve, you wouldn’t be trembling in fear, hiding like this, you’d already be inside Paradise.”

For a moment, all expression vanished from ‘Rubia’s’ face.

“Is that… really so?”

What followed was a chilling voice, stripped of emotion and tone, no longer sounding human.

But it passed in an instant.

Returning to her usual expression, ‘Rubia’ smiled faintly.

“Well, I’m a little hurt that Sirin thinks of me that way… but I guess I’ll be going now. Otherwise, Sirin might hate me even more.”

She relaxed her body, surrendering herself completely to the chains pulling her in.

“Goodbye, my Noah. I’ll be waiting in front of the gate to Paradise. Huhuhu.”

With that, ‘Rubia’s’ coy laughter rang out, and Boom! the massive gate swallowed her whole and slammed shut.

All that remained was the dry wind and heavy silence.

And in that silence, 

“Sirin.”

Serr’s cold voice rang out.

“Hm.”

Sirin, who had been blankly staring at the spot where ‘Rubia’ disappeared, turned her head toward Serr.

“Sirin.”

Again. Serr called her name.

“Sirin.”

And again.

“…Sirin.”

Over and over, she called out Sirin’s name.

“I felt it… From that gate just now, I felt your mana. The same power that saved me, again and again… it was yours.”

Still expressionless.

“Sirin, what exactly… are you?”

She raised her wand.

At that, Sirin, 

Drew her greatsword and spoke.

“I am the key… to the ‘True Paradise.'”

Sirin’s overwhelming magic.

Her greatsword.

Her killing intent.

“To you all, or rather…”

Her gaze fell upon me.

“To you, Challenger. I will be your final trial.”

At the same time, 

Carpeng, shrouded in Blood Aura.

Frey, raising his greatsword.

The spirits encircling the area.

And, 

Serr’s magic, 

All turned toward Sirin.

“Ancient Dragon, Sirinias.”

Toward the ancient dragon, who smiled serenely.

“The [Law] of this world.”   

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