"Whoops! Careful now!"
"Are you alright, Lady Anhel?"
Anhel, having just evaded the Water Dragon's charge, gave the worried Sakura a light wave to signal she was unharmed.
The two then cast their eyes toward their opponent, who had pulled back to a distance, and began to confer.
"Its only attack is a charge, and its movements are linear. It's not so fast that we can't dodge it, but..."
"That shroud of water is the problem. It is keeping our attacks from reaching the dragon's body."
The four-legged Water Dragon’s only method of attack was a piercing charge using the sharp horn on its head. While the charge itself was easy enough to avoid, the real issue lay in the water swirling around its body, which repelled any attempt at a counterattack.
Zaraki had likely created these creatures with an instinctive understanding that Sakura and Setsuna’s Magic Items were his greatest weakness, which was why the dragons were equipped with such specific countermeasures.
The two jumped to evade another charge from the Water Dragon, discussing a way to break through their troublesome opponent’s defenses.
"We do not have much to spare either. At this rate, our stamina will fail us, and we will no longer be able to avoid its strikes."
"In that case... we’ve got no choice but to take it head-on, risks and all."
They were at a disadvantage in a battle of attrition. If that was the case, they had to be the ones to make the first move.
Having reached that decision, Anhel turned her hammer upside down and set it on the ground. She stomped on the head of the hammer, glaring at the Water Dragon as she spoke.
"Sakura, I'll do something about that annoying water! I’m leaving the finishing blow to you!"
"Y-You intend to face it directly!? That is far too dangerous!"
"I know. But it’s our only shot. There’s no winning this unless we trust each other and go for it."
"......!"
Anhel prepared to intercept the Water Dragon's next charge from the front. As Sakura—who still felt a lingering sense of guilt for keeping Raiha's secret—caught her breath, Anhel looked her in the eye.
"Trust me. I'll create an opening for you to take that thing down. And... I’m trusting you, Sakura. I know you’re the only one who can deliver the final blow."
"......Understood!"
Trusting one another... Hearing Anhel's words, Sakura accepted the profound sense of trust behind them and steeled her resolve.
Sakura believed that Anhel would find a way through the Water Armor, and she vowed to respond to the faith her friend had placed in her. Before them, the Water Dragon braced itself to charge.
"Jobaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
"Here it comes! Ready, Sakura!?"
"Yes! I entrust my life to you!"
Facing the roaring, charging beast, the two focused their spirit and heightened their Magic Power.
The moment the Water Dragon entered their range, trampling the earth beneath it, Anhel’s eyes snapped open and she moved.
"Seventh Tool... Fire-breathing Bellows!"
The hammer on the ground shifted its form, transforming into a set of bellows beneath Anhel’s feet. When she stomped down with all her might, a blast of crimson flames—not wind—erupted from the nozzle, engulfing the Water Dragon.
"Jororaaa!?"
Startled by the sudden inferno, the dragon’s protective layer of water instantly evaporated.
Realizing its armor was gone, the Water Dragon nevertheless pressed its charge, intent on skewering Anhel with its horn. But suddenly, its massive body began to float helplessly into the air.
"Jo, ro, ro...!?"
"......Warped Water Dragon. I, Sakura Amamiya, shall consign your wretched existence to the Underworld."
Naginata in hand, Sakura began a silent, graceful dance.
The bubbles she produced enveloped the Water Dragon, lifting it up and sealing its movements. Performing a dance as a Shrine Maiden to wash away the sins of a life that should not exist and to pay respect to the dragon's passing, Sakura gripped her naginata firmly and swung it in a wide arc.
"Water Dragon Dance, Act: The Little Mermaid."
"Gobo...!?"
The dragon’s throat was slit without a sound.
Spouting blood and letting out a muffled groan, the dying Water Dragon began to decay, its body dissolving into bubbles.
Sakura let out a long, deep breath as she released her tension. When she looked up, she saw Anhel sitting on the ground, likewise letting her guard down now that the threat was gone.
Their eyes met, and Anhel offered Sakura a bashful smile.
"By the way, I forgot to tell you something important."
"What is it, Lady Anhel?"
Was she really bringing something up now? Sakura wondered. But perhaps this was the only time it could be said.
Anhel took Sakura's hand and hoisted herself up. Once she was back on her feet, she looked at Sakura with a grin.
"You don't have to call me Anhel. Just call me Ann. That’s what I have my close friends call me."
"Heh... ha! Is that so? Then, Lady Ann! That was a magnificent display of skill!"
"Yeah, you too, Sakura!"
Having answered each other's trust and seized victory, the two shared a firm handshake.
Meanwhile, the battle involving Melt and Setsuna was also drawing to a close.