Chapter 25

Episode 25: The Invasion

In the school cafeteria, Ted and his three friends were having a good time gossiping about Alphonse.

But they didn’t stay on that topic forever. Gradually, the conversation shifted to classes and casual chit-chat.

“——Oh, by the way, do you know why the teachers were summoned to the royal capital today?”

“Ah, now that you mention it, they only said it was an emergency meeting.”

“Most of the faculty being summoned for an emergency? Could it be something serious?”

“Do you know something?”

Ted turned to the person who brought it up.

“Well, it’s just a rumor, but——there’s been a sighting of a dragon.”

“A dragon? Does that have anything to do with the teachers being summoned?”

“Maybe, that’s what the rumor says.”

“I mean, I’ve heard dragons are strong, but it’s not uncommon for top guild members to hunt them, right? Would they really mobilize all the mages working at the academy just to form a dragon-slaying team?”

“That’s way too exaggerated, no matter how you look at it.”

“Right. It’s not like it’s the ‘Black Annihilation Dragon’ or something.”

“…Actually, that’s the thing. It might be that dragon.”

“…Huh?”

Everyone looked puzzled.

“The dragon that was sighted was said to be completely jet black.”

“Wait, jet black? So what? That doesn’t automatically mean it’s the Black Annihilation Dragon…”

Ted tried to dismiss it.

“Don’t you know? In history, there’s only been one dragon confirmed to be completely jet black——the Black Annihilation Dragon.”

“‼”

“…Ugh.”

“So, if the sighting is real, then it’s really…”

Really——the “Black Annihilation Dragon” has returned?

Zedel imagined it and felt a chill run down his spine.

The records of the destruction caused by that dragon and the scale of its power suggest that humanity’s current forces would be no match for it.

If it weren’t for the great hero, humanity would have undoubtedly been wiped out by the “Black Annihilation Dragon,” and all experts today agree on that conclusion.

Four hundred years ago, there was an extraordinary warrior named Siegfried.

But that great hero no longer exists.

“(If the ‘Black Annihilation Dragon’ really has returned, this world——)”

“——Just kidding. It’s a joke, a joke.”

“…Huh?”

“Well, I did hear there were sightings of something that looked like a black dragon, but the credibility of that itself is questionable. Don’t take it seriously.”

The student who brought it up laughed.

“So, the ‘Black Annihilation Dragon’ is…”

“Impossible, right? According to the records, the Black Annihilation Dragon was completely obliterated by the great hero. Even if the black dragon sighting is real, it’s probably just some other black dragon, not the ‘Black Annihilation Dragon.'”

“Wait, you just denied it yourself earlier!”

“Haha, it’s your fault for falling for it. It’s only natural that there are unconfirmed dragons in this world.”

The heavy atmosphere from earlier completely shifted, and everyone looked relieved.

“Man, that scared me…”

“Yeah, glad it was just a joke…”

“…Wait, then why were the teachers summoned to the royal capital? Did the kingdom really take that sketchy rumor seriously?”

“Probably not. It’s more likely related to the upcoming competition with the knight school in two months.”

“Ah, that makes sense. That sounds plausible.”

Everyone nodded in agreement with the speculation about why the teachers were summoned.

“Still, if the Black Annihilation Dragon really showed up, it’d be no joke.”

“Yeah, no doubt about that. Even if we gathered all the forces from around the world, we probably still couldn’t defeat it.”

“Not to mention, the descendant of the hero who defeated it 400 years ago is… well, you know.”

“Totally, haha. Seriously, why is the great hero’s descendant like that?”

And just like that, the conversation turned back to bashing Alphonse.

No matter what they were talking about or doing, they always found a way to twist it into mocking Alphonse.

For Ted and his friends, that was just part of their daily routine.

…And it wasn’t just Ted and his friends living their usual daily lives. Students eating, students studying for class, students chatting with friends.

The cafeteria was filled with the utterly ordinary daily lives of the students.

——However, that ordinary life was suddenly shattered.

What struck the school cafeteria, so normal just moments ago, was a sudden explosion and shockwave.

The cafeteria wall exploded with tremendous force, leaving a massive hole.

Amid the screams and confusion of the students, what emerged from the hole in the wall was——a dragon, its entire body jet black.

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