The Laughing Swordsman

Vicar and Apollo walked side-by-side, walking across the boundless snowy wasteland. They had walked for quite a while and even passed by a few passing colossi along the way.

Vicar and Apollo didn't really react to the various colossus and they didn't react to their presence either.

After a while, Apollo couldn't help but speak up.

"Where are we going?"

Vicar shrugged his shoulders. His index finger lightly tapped against his chin several times, thinking about something.

"It is a rather... different place."

Apollo rubbed his chin.

"What do you mean?"

Vicar laughed.

"It is actually the home of a dragon."

Apollo let out a soft gasp.

"Wow! I think those things are pretty strong."

Vicar nodded.

"Stronger than me, at least."

Apollo blinked a few times.

"Did you try to fight it?"

Vicar brought up his arm up to his face and began coughing. He had closed his eyes as though that would help him escape the situation.

"Perhaps a little bit."

Apollo's eyebrow twitched.

He couldn't help but wonder how, 'a little bit', applied to a yes or no question. Apollo let out a soft sigh.

"How was it?"

Vicar blinked a few times.

"It felt... unfair."

Apollo raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

Vicar closed his eyes as he recounted the events.

"...He is very, very strong. Under normal circumstances, I would use the forces acting on me as well as the environment to my advantage. What would be a disadvantage for the short-sighted would either benefit me, or at the very minimum not hinder me."

He narrowed his eyes.

"However, it was different with him."

Vicar took a deep breath.

"There was... some sort of strange pressure. It wore down on my shoulders making it incredibly difficult to move. My first instinct was to use it in order to amplify my overhead strikes. However, the biggest problem was that the dragon was flying in the air."

A bitter smile formed on his face.

"Not even mentioning an overhead strike, I wasn't even able to reach him. In the end, the dragon came down to me to give me a chance."

He sighed.

"However, his strength was far greater than mine. Other than being able to last for a few hits, there was nothing else I could do. My body was thrown far away as though it was a piece of trash."

Apollo tilted his head to the side.

"That sounds really strong."

Vicar chuckled.

"Yes. Though other than the rude pressure he exerts all the time, that dragon isn't that bad of a person. Just a tad bit... outspoken."

Apollo scratched the side of his head.

"Ah. What is his name?"

Vicar rubbed his chin with his thumb and forefinger.

"To be frank, my attention wasn't the most rapt while that dragon was speaking. However, I am fairly certain that it stated its own name as Yzan."

Apollo nodded.

"Hm, ok. Yzan."

The two of them continued through the snow for quite a while. The sun that had been high in the sky was now beginning to set.

However, they eventually reached their destination.

Vicar pointed up ahead.

"He's over there."

Apollo followed his finger.

"Hm, I don't think you needed to tell me that he was there."

Vicar raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

Apollo blinked a few times.

"...He's really big, you know?"

In front of them was a dragon that stood at a height of five hundred meters. The dragon was black, like the night. There was a slight gleam coming from his scales that reflected the light.

Though it was hard to tell what kind of expression it had due to the fact it wasn't a human, Apollo could still tell that the dragon was confident within itself.

Like there was nothing that could stand before it.

The eyes of the dragon were amber colored and had a faint glow.

As for its wings, they were spread out wide, almost like a swan spreading out its wings.

The dragon was currently resting on the side of a mountain. The section that the dragon was resting on was bare stone, while the other side was covered in snow.

To the other side of the dragon was a fairly large stack of silver-colored rocks.

Vicar waved.

"Hey, dragon. I brought one of my friends."

Yzan looked at Vicar with annoyance, and let out a sigh.

"Is it truly so difficult to refer to me by name?"

Vicar didn't even flinch.

"I don't like your name."

Yzan blinked a few times.

"I truly dislike people like you."

Vicar gestured towards Apollo.

"And that's why I brought another."

Yzan shifted his gaze.

"Hello there. What exactly did Vicar here see in you?"

Apollo tilted his head to the side.

"Um, hi. I'm just a person walking around."

Yzan scoffed.

"Is that so? Though you may be a person walking around, you are also walking next to that freak."

Apollo raised an eyebrow.

"Freak?"

Yzan pointed towards Vicar with his snout, like how a person would with their chin.

"That man."

Apollo scratched the side of his head.

"He doesn't feel like a freak to me."

Yzan blinked a few times.

"You truly don't think he is a little different from the norm."

Apollo shook his head.

"Not really."

Vicar scoffed.

"I told you that it was your misconception."

Yzan stared at the two of them for a while before letting out a sigh.

"You two truly don't have any respect for me. Do you not realize I am a dragon? One of the esteemed ones?"

Apollo rolled his eyes.

"Well obviously you're a dragon. I'm not that dumb."

Yzan stared at him and was speechless for a moment.

"You two are the kinds of people I hate the most."

He sighed.

"Though I suppose life would be too boring without your shameless kind. What are you doing here anyway?"

Vicar shrugged his shoulders.

"Just a whim. I felt like he might've wanted to see you."

Apollo raised his hand.

"Could we spar?"