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Chapter 362: The Clash of Dragons (3)

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[Dragon Domain]

Details: The user can generate a circular domain, creating a dimension where the space is twisted in a manner that countless white dragons from countless worlds are connected to it, connected via the 4th dimension, the Limbo. Under the user’s control alone, the dragons will be ready to attack anyone inside the domain.

The Dragon Domain had the single restriction that it could only be used against opponents who are dragons, or are part of the snake/lizard family.

By opening the dragon domain, Neji pulled all the nearby dragons inside it, being only Ryukyu for the moment. Quetzalcoatl was knocked out, so she wasn’t brought here automatically.

“This is…”

Rhongomyniad blinked inside the domain, her hands a little shaky, and her eyes wandering all around her – the silver dragons all growling and roaring at her. Existing between each atom within the space, images of foreign dragons roared at her,

The space was weird and impossible to be comprehended by normal people, but it was easy to grasp for Rhongomyniad. Even better than Neji, she could see the depth of this Divinity. This was fascinating to her senses, her primal instincts as a dragon telling her how beautiful this was.

“How did you do this?”

The armor-wearing Neji stood with his arms hanging, staring at the woman with his blue eyes shining.

“You don’t know? I think you do. Maybe try to recall it.”

“I don’t think there is any reason to.”

Rhongomyniad’s eyes lit up. Perhaps she was trying to look into the future, or maybe just look into the answer – but it didn’t work.

“…?”

Rhongomyniad frowned when her attempt didn’t work. Neji stared at her without any movement.

“It will not work. Eye powers are useless.”

In Naruto world, he had gained two divinities at the last war. One of them was the Dragon Domain, while the 2nd one was something he hadn’t used yet before – Optical King. To keep it simple, he could block all eye-powers in his vicinity, and while that wouldn’t have worked on Rhongomyniad usually – she was currently in his domain.

As of right now,

Neji had zero chances he could win.

Even though she was in his domain, she could destroy it without much effort. Then again, she would probably need a little effort, but she would still be able to destroy it. She wasn’t yet, because just like Quetzalcoatl, she was fascinated by this.

"What are you planning to do, now that I am here?" Rhongomyniad sighed and asked. "You seem to be aware this can't contain me if I wish to be free. In that case, why? Ah, you are delaying me."

Rhongomyniad stared at him.

"Why do you wish to bring a monster into this world? Gilgamesh, the King of Heroes – the King of Humanity, why would someone of your stature want the end of humanity? I do not understand."

"Hey, seriously?"

Neji sighed and ran a hand through his hair, how white hair rattled together as he stared at him.

"Gilgamesh? Fuck Gilgamesh. Woman, you seriously don't recognize me? Not even a speck of doubt?"

"...."

"The Dragon Hero Ryukyu. Do you not recognize me? We first met through my sister, Nejire’s link. Then I saved you from the Villain, Muscular, one day. Did you forget all that? Right, we were not that close at first. But we did spend a total of eight months inside the Arcane plane. Did you forget all that? Is that fucking lance really that influential?"

"What are you talking about?"

Rhongomyniad had a frown spreading on her face. She looked conflicted, her expression twisting in a strange mixture of emotions, as she grumbled.

"Are you messing with my head? Is it this Domain? What're you talking-"

Neji raised his hand in the air, and with that gesture, his mana spread through the domain. 

Neji used Genjutsu right then, however, it wasn't directed towards the mind, but the atmosphere. The moving images of white dragons shifted a little to add a new white space between them, and in that spot, some parts of Neji's memories flashed.

Rhongomyniad shook in her spot. Her expressionless figure which had long been broken started to crumble further. Her face which was scoffing at the idea until now, began to look skeptical, as she saw the memories Neji was sharing.

The first time they met.

When she lost against Muscular, Neji was there in time to save her.

When she started avoiding him after hearing that he and Rumi slept.

…When they made up again after they met in a shopping mall accidentally, Neji helped her shop.

When he took her to a barber and had her change the hairstyle that she had been wearing for many years.

'Hairstyle…'

Rhongomyniad's eyes shook as she saw how she looked just like how she did right now, after changing her hairstyle.

'This is…'

The memories rolled further and she saw how she fell under the control of a stronger dragon, under his hypnosis. How she was made to attack Neji and his group, and how Neji defeated her – and saved her thereby.

At the end of the remaining memories,

Rhongomyniad saw something she had pondered about for a long time, in the depth of her heart.

The back of the white-haired man in her dreams. How did he look from the front?

That wasn't exactly what she saw here, but she saw what the white-haired man was seeing since it was… his memories.

Rhongomyniad watched as Neji's eyes focused on five girls. Amidst whom… a woman looking like her was present.

The five girls were devastated faces, as they tried to break the barrier around them. However, they couldn't do it. At the end of it all, they could only stare at him and scream, as the spell activated and…

"Ah-!"

Rhongomyniad fell on her butt.

The memories ended. However, at the same time, it continued inside her head.

The Battle of Camlann.

Rhongomyniad… no, Artoria shook on her spot as memories continued in her head from that point forward.

After the light had blinded her… her? Huh, was it her who got blinded? But…

After that happened, she found herself on a battlefield. Artoria fought. She won. She was hurt. She was on the verge of dying. Bedivere didn't return Excalibur to the lake, so she couldn't die. Her spirit ascended, and she slipped into another reality. She entered another world.

A total of 1,500 years, that's how long she wandered the multiverse.

Then, she came here.

Artoria… or Rhongomyniad… whoever she was, she was in the Sixth Singularity.

"Ryukyu."

Neji sighed as he called.

"Artoria had a dragon core. However, she wasn't a dragon."

Neji added further doubt in her head.

"In that case, how do you think you became a dragon?"

"...I-"

"You have always been a dragon. This is a reality shift. You replaced Artoria's existence. You aren't Artoria. You can be her if you wish, but you aren't her. You are who you always have been. You are the ex-Pro Hero, Ryuko Tatsuma."

Ryukyu's breathing was rough. Neji was a little surprised this was going so well. He would have sworn it would be a lot harder than this. Not that he was going to complain.

"You…"

Rhongomyniad then suddenly stood up. Her expression was still shaky, but she looked a little furious.

"You have built quite a believable story. Did you see my memories somehow and built a story depending on that? Or is it this Domain that is messing with my head? Because no way, if you are the same young man from my memories, would you bring the Beast II into this world? I do not remember well, but that young man sacrificed his life for me and the four other girls, but you?"

Neji was surprised she could remember that. He was delighted seeing that she admitted that memory was hers. It was going well. Except…

"But you're no sacrificing hero. You are bringing humanity to its end, for reasons that don't make sense."

"I can explain."

"You should have started with that, then shown me fabricated memories. Now I cannot waste any second here. Someone is descending into this world, and it's not mere Tiamat. Do not stop me if you want me to believe you."

Neji would have stopped her if she hadn't spoken the last line. He didn't care about whatever being was descending, it was probably Goetia – Beast I – who should have noticed his existence by now. Neji didn't care about that. So he would have stopped her. 

However, she implied in the last line that she wasn't going to fight him anymore. It meant the showing of memory had at least some effects, and she was willing to give him a chance to talk things out later – as long as he didn't stop her from going wherever she was trying to go.

As if to confirm his hypothesis, the system window popped up and announced his win. Since the enemy was forfeiting, it was a win in technical terms.  

[Quest Chain – Quest (2 of 3) – has been completed.] 

[Main Quest "Defeat Ryuko Tatsuma – Goddess Rhongomyniad at any cost" has been completed.

[Bonus Quest "Defeat Ryuko Tatsuma alone" has not been met.

[You have received quest rewards!]

[You have gained 300 Levels.]

[You have reached level 2800.]

[The Debuff has been lowered to 50%!]

[You have received 100 HP Potions, 200 Mana Potions, and 300 Stamina Potions.]

[You have received a Random "Dragon Skill Coupon". Will you use it?]

[Proceeding with the 3rd Quest.]

Neji didn't pay any heed to the countless notifications. He ignored them and went beside Rhongomyniad, closing the new quest window without giving it a single look.

 The dazzling Goddess narrowed her eyes, but she didn't appear threatened by his approaching figure. She didn't sense any fighting will from his steps.

Neji reached out a hand to her.

"I'll take you where you want to go. I have regained enough of my powers. I can take you anywhere on this planet at a moment's notice."

Now that his powers were only 50% sealed, he could do that.

He just wanted her to realize that he wasn't a threat. He wanted to make sure the opportunity to talk to her didn't miss past him. So he would take her where she wanted to go, and finish the situation fast, and then return to talk.

Rhongomyniad hesitated. However, she soon put a hand on top of his, as she let out a mutter of words.

"Uruk. In a cave on the northern side."

Neji canceled the Dragon Domain. The white space vanished in thin air, slowly dissipating into essence. There was an odd purple mark in the white space, taken by a humanoid dragon who wore a sadistic smile, as she had long straight purple hair and red skin. She really didn't fit in the area, as she was of purple color amidst the countless white dragons. 

Out of pure luck, she had managed to avoid Neji's gaze, since she was behind his figure, and he wasn't using Tenseigan here. Her image was always behind him, so she hadn't noticed, and she was only noticed by Rhongomyniad for a moment before the entire space crumbled.

Neji and Rhongomyniad appeared back in the throne room. As they looked around, they noted that the fight had already ended. It was Agravain and Bedivere's loss, and even the other members of Neji's group were joining the team here, such as Kurai's team and Da Vinci.

"Papa!"

"Oh, has it ended already?"

The newcomers rushed in and asked, some noticing the hand Neji was holding gently.

"For now, yes. However, we have to deal with something else, it seems. You guys stay here, I'm sure she and I are enough for this."

Neji took out a few health potions and threw them at everybody, that included the defeated enemies too. In that sense, the war had already concluded, and by it’s looks Neji’s side was the winner.

Neji fed a few potions to Rumi and the still knocked out Quetzalcoatl, using his telekinesis. The two started to move, while Neji looked at Rhongomyniad.

"Want me to move right away?"

"I need my lance."

"No. You know it's bad effects."

Neji looked at Bedivere, who was being fed a potion by Da Vinci, and his eyes focused on the man's right arm.

"Use Excalibur."

"That will kill him. I don't wish for that to happen."

Neji suggested Rhongomyniad use the purer weapon, which was Excalibur. But she didn't want to.

Neji slipped his hand inside his golden portal and threw a Fruit of Immortality at Bedivere. It was a fruit that grew in his heaven, back in Naruto world, that all the girls had eaten. Kurai brought them with her after Neji told her since he didn't want someone to die just like how Salia was about to.

"Eat it and give her the sword. You will survive, trust me."

Neji told Bedivere, who was breathing a little rough even now. Rhongomyniad gave Neji a look from the side, but it didn't contain much emotion to explain.

Bedivere nodded and ate the fruit in one go, causing his body to shine gently. Then, in a single swoop, he yanked his right arm in one sweep. His fake arm came off, and the rusty arm fell off to reveal the shining weapon of light.

Bedivere walked over and knelt before Rhongomyniad, and therefore kneeling before Neji too, who was holding his King's hand, refusing to let go.

"Please, use it as you should."

"Thank you for protecting it until now."

Neji smiled as Rhongomyniad accepted the weapon. He was glad she listened to his request. With Excalibur in her hand, the reverse effect compared to the lance might happen, and she might get healed over time just by holding it.

Rhongomyniad turned her neck to the side, looking at Neji.

"Let's go."

"Let's."

Rumi got up in the back and yelled out where they were going, but it was too late as Neji's eyes focused on where Ryukyu wanted to go – and he appeared there in a golden light.

It wasn't done yet, she wasn't entirely back to her senses yet, but given that she was holding hands, it was going well. Everything should be fine as long as he finished whatever problem was inside this cave.

…In hindsight, if Neji had spent a split second checking the third quest, at least even its title, he would have taken this a lot more seriously.

[The 3rd Quest of the Chain, "Survive", Has Been Initiated.]

Then again, would knowing beforehand have changed anything at all?

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Master4thWall Note: We are in Fate’s endgame now, and the next few chapters would be truly important.