"The war is over, vile Demonkind. Your defeat was inevitable."

The silver-haired, crimson-eyed girl gripped her sword hilt with both hands. With one powerful sweep of her leg, she sent the elite Greater Slime blocking her path flying—despite its size dwarfing hers twice over, it tumbled away as easily as a pebble kicked aside.

Her sharp, sword-like gaze swept the battlefield. Scattered low-tier demons lay strewn across the ground, their eyes replaced with uniform swirly Xs. The few high-intelligence demon commanders who’d led them were now fleeing in tears and wails.

This wasn’t war anymore. It was slaughter.

"Hah. Is *this* the Demon King Army’s elite? Pathetic. You couldn’t even graze my hem, yet you dared dream of ruling the world? Don’t make me laugh—"

Behind her, adventurers and nearby human villagers stared in stunned silence at the petite yet towering figure before them, hearts swelling with awe.

The chilly evening wind tousled her silver strands. Despite her mocking words, her brow furrowed slightly. Across the scattered demon corpses and barren field, a lone figure stood firm at the battlefield’s edge—tiny, with frantic little leathery wings fluttering behind her.

The girl’s eyes narrowed at the last remaining demon. After a brief pause, she shifted to a one-handed grip, slinging the sheathed Holy Sword over her shoulder. Her free hand shot forward, flashing the universal sign of disrespect.

"*Zako~*"

That delicate, doll-like face now radiated pure provocation. Clad in cloth armor, sword sheath in hand, she sneered at the lone humanoid demon across the field.

When the crowd realized she’d annihilated the entire Demon King Army without even drawing her Holy Sword, a deafening roar erupted after a heartbeat of silence!

"Long live the Hero!"

"Miss Alquett is amazing!"

"With Alquett here, any who trespass on our lands shall be crushed!"

Human cheers shook the earth. In stark contrast, the last demon stood utterly alone at the far end—a fragile silhouette frozen in place, pitiful under the crimson dusk.

"Alright, that Slime King’s been booted into next week."

"Those Abyss Werewolves probably bolted into the nearby woods. Heh~ But none of that matters now—"

"Only you’re left, Miss Dragon."

Amid the thunderous cheers and Alquett’s unreadable stare—punctuated by a taunting wag of her index finger—the final demon stirred. The girl with tiny draconic wings, otherwise human in form, began to move.

"Ho ho! Walking right up to me? Choosing to face Alquett head-on instead of running?"

"Your comrades fought desperately to reveal my [*Holy Sword*]’s secret—like students scrambling to finish exams as time ran out—"

The young red dragon girl clenched her fists, whispering shaky encouragements only she could hear. Step by deliberate step, she advanced.

"Oh? Up close, you’re actually kinda cute~ Barely passable as an opponent for me, Alquett—"

Her tone wasn’t that of a warrior sizing up an enemy, but a gourmet appraising a delicacy. Alquett scanned the dragon girl head to toe, nodding in satisfaction. Her furrowed brow finally smoothed.

*Shing!*

She drew the Holy Sword with a crisp ring, gripping the hilt firmly as she leveled its tip at the young dragon.

"Come!"

Among all the kingdom’s Heroes, Alquett stood peerless—not just for her slender frame and exquisite features, but for her absolute mastery of the Holy Sword, a feat that humbled most hollow-title bearers.

Let alone the terrifying strength, agility, stamina, and near-monstrous regeneration coiled within her seemingly petite, loli-like body.

Some claimed she was the one true Hero chosen by the gods, burdened with saving the world. Others whispered she was a six-winged angel sent by the Light God—hence her ageless immortality. In some regions, her likeness already graced church and shrine statues, worshipped as a living deity.

"Still not attacking? Sunset’s almost here~"

Alquett glanced at the darkening sky, nudging the red-haired girl who’d halted before her.

As one of the most renowned Heroes, everyone knew Alquett’s power surged at night—especially under moonless darkness, where it multiplied tenfold. She claimed it was the Night Goddess’s blessing. Thus, she hunted demons by night and vanished by day, resting alone at home.

The young dragon girl, crimson eyes wide with fear at the terror of the Darklord Citadel, bit her lip. After a long pause, she whispered:

"Can… can you fight without your sword?"

"Hah? What nonsense—"

"But you didn’t use it against them! Why draw it just for me?"

Dressed in a dark crimson gothic dress, the dragon girl pressed a finger to her lower lip, gazing up with innocent, shimmering eyes and a voice so sweet it melted hearts. Even battle-hardened Alquett felt a flicker of hesitation.

"Fine. I’ll sheathe the Holy Sword. Let’s settle this with bare hands!"

Alquett slammed the blade back into its scabbard and tossed it aside. It hit the ground with a resonant *clang*, as if protesting.

"Now then—"

***BOOM!***

A ground-shaking roar cut her off. A piercing draconic cry tore through the blood-red twilight. Dust billowed as massive wings beat the air—revealing a full-grown Western dragon in its juvenile form.

Deep crimson scales glowed under the setting sun. Muscular claws dug into the earth, radiating volcanic heat. Her crimson eyes held a hint of mischief as they locked onto the now-unarmed Alquett.

"Ho. So this is your true form? A baby fire drake?"

Alquett tilted her head up, her expression unreadable—surprise? Fear? Or… delight?

"ROAR! You fell for it! Human! Without your Holy Sword, how will you—"

"*Uuuugh~* Such overwhelming draconic aura… I can’t… stand…"

As the sun dipped below the horizon, Alquett suddenly clutched her chest, staggering with exaggerated agony.

"W-What’s wrong, Lady Alquett?!"

"Hero Sister, are you okay?!"

"Despicable! Shameless! Lowly demons! Not a word they say can be trusted!"

The crowd erupted into chaos.

The dragon blinked, scratching her head with a claw.

*Huh? I just transformed… didn’t even do anything… What’s wrong with her?*

Seeing the dragon hesitate to attack, Alquett clicked her tongue in frustration. She lunged forward—*thud!*—deliberately slamming into the dragon’s claw.

*Thump-thump-thump!*

She spun backward in three theatrical pirouettes, then collapsed with one hand over her heart, the other draped dramatically across her forehead—a vision of elegant despair.

"Ugh… Such a mighty Dragonmaid… Without my Holy Sword… I stand no chance… I yield—"

With that, she lay motionless on the ground, eyes shut tight.

"Lady Alquett! That vile dragon… ambushing her when she was vulnerable! She’s—!"

"Cowardly! Dishonorable! Base!"

The crowd’s fury turned the lone dragon into a target. Adventurers surged forward, eyes blazing.

"No! It wasn’t me! I didn’t do anything! She threw herself at me! Can’t you see?! This is blatant faking injuries for compensation! I demand CCTV footage! Is there magical CCTV?! This is 100% the Hero’s fault!"

The dragon frantically waved her claws—but the gale from her movements sent warriors flying, and her panicked shouts knocked out mages and civilians alike with sonic force.

In moments, only the dragon remained standing on the darkening battlefield.

"What are you waiting for? You won. Take me prisoner."

Alquett’s voice drifted up from the ground.

"Eh? Eh?!"

"*Ghk*… Damn you, Dragonmaid… I refuse to accept this… But defeat is defeat. Do as you will with my body!"

The girl on the ground growled.

"W-What does that mean?"

"Hmph… Hurry up and drag me to your demon dungeons. Imprison me. Torture me for secrets!"

"Ah? Sorry… did you hit your head? Should I… give you back your sword first?"

The dragon fumbled awkwardly with her claws, carefully lifting the Holy Sword.

"Even if you chain my body, my spirit will never bow to you!"

"……"

The young dragon fell silent.

This was her first battlefield. She had no idea how to handle this.

After a long pause, she shifted back to human form. She circled the prone Hero three times, tilting her head with wide, confused eyes.

*No visible head wounds… Is she sick? Or… is this a trap? What if I get ambushed when I get close?*

Spotting the dragon’s hesitation, Alquett’s eyes darted. She suddenly gasped, feigning panic:

"Oh no! My Anti-Magic Chains! They fell out of my pocket!"

"Disaster! If bound by these, I’ll lose all magic!"

A glittering golden chain slapped onto the dragon girl’s face.

"No! Don’t wrap these chains around me and chant ‘Hakimi’! Or I’ll be dragged back to demon territory helpless as a fish on a chopping block, at your mercy!"

"……"

The dragon stared at the chains in her claws. Silence.

"*Aaah!* The dragon’s shockwave… my head… I’m fading—"

Alquett’s final cry faded into utter stillness.

"This…"

Chains in hand, the dragon girl stood speechless. After a long struggle, she finally muttered the incantation:

"*Hakimi—*"

The legendary Anti-Magic Chains—one of the Hero’s Three Sacred Treasures—flared gold, binding Alquett tightly.

*Well… I’ll drag her back. At least I can report something…*

*Though the way she’s tied up… something feels deeply off—*