Chương 16: The Mad Lion of the Longinus

And needless to say— The dragon was not pleased about our intrusion. The moment we crossed into its territory, the air itself grew heavy with hostility. The mana density spiked, the atmosphere thickened, and the ground trembled faintly under the pressure of an apex predator announcing its presence. I had raised a hand, intending to negotiate. Enkidu, however, had other ideas.

"Oh?" he said, eyes shining with barely contained excitement."Leave it to me, Gil." Before I could protest, he was gone. Sebas and I exchanged a glance.

"…He's enjoying this," Sebas noted calmly.

"I know," I sighed.

"That look never means anything good for the other party." So we continued our investigation, pretending— very deliberately —that we were not listening to the distant sounds of roaring, explosions, and something that suspiciously resembled the cries of a creature questioning all of its life choices. Some time later— Enkidu returned. Dragging a massive dragon by the neck. A golden chain was wrapped snugly around its throat, glowing faintly with divine authority.

The enormous creature—one that had previously radiated dominance—was now reduced to something pitiful.

"Please… someone save me from this monster…" the dragon muttered weakly."I didn't even do anything…" Enkidu tilted his head.

"You attacked first." It took considerable effort to convince Enkidu not to keep the dragon as a pet.

"Are you okay, Gil?" Enkidu asked beside me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I turned to him and smiled.

"Yeah. Just lost in thought." He smiled back—bright, innocent, utterly unbothered by the fact that he had just psychologically destroyed a dragon. At the moment, Enkidu was dressed in modern clothing: a long-sleeved white shirt, a coat draped over it, blue pants, and sneakers. Getting him to stop wearing his original tunic had been… an ordeal. Usually, it involved Enkidu running away while Sebas and I chased him through the house like parents trying to dress a stubborn child.

I glanced sideways— And noticed Enkidu staring intently into the distance.

"What is it?" I asked.

"There's a massive accumulation of energy," Enkidu replied, expression serious."About two kilometers away." My eyes widened slightly. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.

"Sebas," I said immediately, "head that way."

"Yes, sir." The car accelerated. We stopped near the edge of a forest. The moment we stepped out, Enkidu and I vanished—our movements reduced to blurs as we raced through the trees. The closer we got, the worse it became. The air stank of blood, scorched earth, and lingering magic. And when we reached the source— We stopped. Before us lay a battlefield of carnage. Bodies. Piles upon piles of them. Fallen Angels with shattered wings. Devils torn apart, limbs scattered.

Humans—some armed, some not—crushed like insects. And standing atop this mountain of corpses— Was a lion. A gigantic lion, standing four to five meters tall, its mane bristling with raw power. Embedded in its forehead was a radiant jewel pulsing with overwhelming energy.

"A… lion?" Enkidu muttered, eyes sparkling with excitement. I recognized that look immediately.

"Don't," I warned.

"Do not —""Young Master," Sebas said sharply, "that creature is—""I know," I interrupted."That's one of the Thirteen Longinus." Both of them turned to me.

"The Lion King— Regulus Nemea." Sebas inhaled sharply. If my memory was correct— Regulus' previous master had been killed by a mysterious group. Upon losing its wielder, the Longinus manifested physically and went berserk, slaughtering everything in its vicinity. Eventually, Sairaorg Bael would arrive and subdue it. Which meant— The master was already dead. And the Longinus was completely out of control. Before I could finish processing that— I saw the lion raise its head. And charge.

Toward two people standing frozen at the edge of the battlefield.

"Move!" I shouted. We advanced instantly. I took the lead. My fist clenched. Black, metallic sheen spread over my arm as Armament Haki surged forth. In the blink of an eye, I appeared before the Lion King. Its eyes widened. And I struck. My punch connected squarely with its nose. The impact echoed like thunder. Regulus was launched backward—crashing into a nearby mountain and shattering it completely. Dust and debris exploded into the air.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing!?" a voice shouted behind me. I turned. The two people I had just saved stared at me in shock. One was a handsome young man with silver-white hair and crimson eyes. He wore a gakuran, layered beneath a priest's coat, and carried five swords strapped across his waist and legs. The other was a beautiful foreign girl with blonde hair and blue eyes, wearing a modified gakuran with light armor over it. Enkidu tilted his head.

"Who are you?" But I already knew. Those swords— Gram. Balmung. Dainsleif. Nothung. Tyrfing.

"…I see," I muttered.

"Of course."

"I am Siegfried," the boy declared proudly."Descendant of the hero who slew Fafnir."

"I am Jeanne," the girl added, cheeks slightly flushed as she glanced at me."Heir to the spirit of the Maiden of Orleans." I sighed deeply.

"My luck really is something." Two future members of the Faction of Heroes. Siegfried—wielder of the Demonic Emperor Sword, Gram. And Jeanne—Sacred Gear holder of Blade Blacksmith. I noticed Jeanne's blush and suppressed a groan. I had long since gotten used to reactions like that.

"Stay back," I said calmly.

"I'll handle this."

"Who are you calling a brat!?" Siegfried snapped."You're one too!"

"Details," I replied dismissively.

"I'll fight the lion!" Siegfried insisted.

"You're exhausted," I countered.

"Both of you are." They hesitated.

"Jeanne," I asked, "what happened here?" She straightened, still flustered.

"We were sent by the Church to assist the user of Regulus Nemea," she explained."When we arrived, the carrier was already dead… and the Longinus had gone mad." I nodded. Sairaorg would be coming soon.

"Hey!" Siegfried barked."What makes you think you can handle him?" I exhaled slowly. Guess I should introduce myself.

"My name is Gilgamesh," I said."I am descended from the King of Heroes." Their eyes widened. Even in this world, that name carried weight. I turned back to the Lion King, now rising from the rubble.

"Sebas," I ordered calmly, "protect them."

"Enkidu," I continued, "deal with any remaining Devils or Fallen Angels." Both nodded. Enkidu stepped forward. He raised his right hand. A small golden circle appeared in the air. From it— Chains. Countless golden chains burst forth like divine serpents, racing across the battlefield. Devils screamed. Fallen Angels attempted to flee. It didn't matter. The chains curved, adapted, pursued. They pierced hearts, bound wings, crushed bodies. In less than thirty seconds— Silence. The battlefield was cleared.

Siegfried and Jeanne stared in utter disbelief. I turned back to Regulus. The Lion King roared. And I smiled.