Chapter 155 - Chapter 17: "It's Not You!"
This is bad! Just when I thought the King had turned into a monster, his previous lack of spirit vanished, and he started attacking!
That power is not that of a human! It looks like he has at least as much power as Doran's attacks!
Between him suddenly turning into a monster and the princes and princesses trembling in the back, I don't understand the situation at all!
What is this!? What is this!?
If I stand there confused, I'll definitely be killed. Yes. Therefore, I move.
The arm of the King-turned-monster swung down toward me, and immediately after I jumped back, it smashed the floor where I had been.
The floor here is marble, you know? It's not a particularly sturdy stone, but even so, what does it mean to be able to smash thick stone slabs with bare hands!? Does it mean he's obtained power equal to Doran's!?
"W-Wait a moment! What are you!?"
"I have obtained power! It is a feat made possible by the blood of a King! How is it, isn't it wonderful!"
Oh, he can still speak? I didn't think he'd become more communicative after turning into a monster!
"I shall bury all of you filthy rebels!"
...But even if he can speak, this is getting us nowhere.
Yes. I shall brilliantly kill this monster for you.
I've never fought Doran, but if I did, it might feel like this.
First, every attack the King unleashes is stupidly fast and stupidly strong.
The arm of the King-turned-monster is as large as a bear's. It might even be as large as a young dragon's limb.
Such a thing is unleashed with stupidly high power. Not to mention smashing the floor, the decorative pillars of the throne room were snapped and blown away in an instant!
However... well, if I were to point out the biggest difference between Doran and the King, it would be technique.
Yes. The King looks like he has simply 'obtained power.' He might have learned the basics of martial arts as part of his education, but conversely, he doesn't look like he's acquired anything beyond that.
However, pure power is troublesome in itself.
The King said it was a 'feat made possible by the blood of a King'... so, did he use a secret art passed down through the royalty, or something like that...? By the way, why aren't the princes and princesses trembling in the back running away...? There are many things I'm curious about...
Now then. If I worry about those things, I'll die. It's quite dangerous. Even an opponent who just swings his arms around stupidly is a sufficiently strong enemy if he has this speed and power. Already, the hem of the dress I was wearing was taken! Or rather, I cut the hem!
If I hadn't thrust my sword into the hem of the dress at the last second, I would have been taken along with the hem! Truly, I can't let my guard down for a moment!
How should I put it, the feeling of fighting him is like a dragon with low intelligence, a small body, and good maneuverability... in short, a troublesome opponent.
...Well, fine. For now, let's concentrate on killing him while surviving the monster in front of me.
While dodging the opponent's attacks, I somehow look for an opening to attack.
After all, the opponent's strength is that power. I don't know if his muscle strength has increased or if it's due to physical reinforcement magic, but well, that's the result.
Moreover, even though the opponent has been unleashing those attacks continuously, his attacks haven't slowed down at all. His stamina is also that of a monster.
...Yes. After all, the opponent has become a monster.
He has power like a dragon while being more maneuverable than a dragon, and stamina like an undead. He's a bit like an ogre, but something much uglier.
The opponent in front of me is that kind of opponent. What on earth is this, really?
Analyzing it... is difficult in this state. Yes.
After all, there are no openings!
It's a blunder. I thought he was just a King, but he's quite something now that he's a monster.
If it were a dragon, I would use its sluggishness as an opening to shoot my blood arrows into it, and if it were an undead, I would splash holy water on it or burn it. If it were an ogre, I'd just cut off its head.
But against the monster that is the King's end, I can't do that.
The place where I was is being smashed one after another. Now, the floor of the throne room is completely cracked and broken, and my footing has become quite bad.
As for me, I'm just continuing to dodge the monster's attacks while being careful not to lose my footing on the broken floor.
If only... if only I could read the opponent's actions... there would be a chance of victory.
"Scurrying around... just die quietly!"
"I'll have to decline that!"
The monster's arm swung down, smashing the floor where I had been again, and the arm he swung through passed over me as I crouched.
Furthermore, this monster has started using magic. A shockwave-like thing attacked me, and even I was troubled by this.
The crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling couldn't withstand the magical shock and shattered, raining down like sharp blades. It's truly awful!
"Rebel! After looking down on us all this time... don't think you can leave here alive now!"
"That's my line, you 'small-time villain'!"
Taking my cheap provocation, the monster finally became enraged, and the shockwave-like magic also increased.
...Since he uses magic, he must be consuming mana. There is definitely a limit to mana. If I can make him use it all up...
Suddenly my breath caught, my body wouldn't move, and there I realized for the first time that I had been hit by the shockwave magic.
I was blown away, flying through the air... and as I was slammed onto the floor, the monster's arm approached.
The monster's arm approached me slowly, as if advancing while stopping time moment by moment.
If that arm hits me, naturally, I'll die.
...But, I refuse that.
If I'm going to be killed helplessly, I'll kill the opponent too.
Yes. That's right. I am a daughter of Fortesia. I am an anti-royalty weapon who obtained the strongest poison in exchange for my future!
If I could inflict even a slight wound on the tip of the monster's hand, that would be my victory.
The monster that crushed me would be drenched in the blood overflowing from me, take the poison into its wound... and should have died.
...But, it didn't turn out that way.
"What are you doing?"
"...I was a bit out of it. But don't worry anymore."
The one catching the monster's arm in front of me was Doran, who had come from the ceiling!
"Curse you! Werewolf, where did you come from!"
The monster's next attack was again caught by Doran.
Doran grinned at that... and brought out his ears and tail!
"Would you be satisfied if I said I came from the moon?"
At that moment, it seemed Doran's power became superior! The monster's arm was grabbed by Doran, and he was thrown just like that!
The monster smashed through the doors of the throne room and was thrown into the hallway. Doran watched it vigilantly and asked:
"I couldn't confirm anyone in the private rooms, so I came to join you. ...What is the situation? What is that monster?"
"The King has gone mad."
"I see. ...I'll assist you, is that all right?"
"Yes. Please. It's frustrating, but I need your strength."
"That is an honor."
Well, it can't be helped. I wanted to kill the King with my own strength alone if possible... but that's not an option now.
It's not the time for that.
"My guess is that the magic the King used is a secret art passed down through the royalty."
"Does such a thing exist?"
"It wouldn't be strange if it did. After all, this country was built by picking fights with other countries and winning, wasn't it?"
In other words, they had that much power. The surrounding countries are all spineless now, but the House of Orchesta must have been much stronger when it was founded. If they could keep picking fights and winning against surrounding countries back then, doesn't that mean they had some kind of secret art?
"They won wars with magic that turns them into monsters?"
"No? That magic, I'm sure it's supposed to properly take a human form. However, perhaps time, preparation, or skill—or all of them—were slightly lacking. Isn't that the case?"
Judging by the King's reaction when I tried to kill him, I don't think even the King expected this magic to succeed. It just happened to work well... but it didn't reach completion, and instead of a superhuman, it turned the King into a monster.
"I see. Then, to do something about that..."
"I want Keeb. Even if we're to undo the magic, it's a bit too much for me."
Beyond our gaze, the monster was returning, crushing the remains of the doors.
His appearance was somehow... somehow larger and uglier than before.
...Could it be that he's become another stage stronger...?
Doran stood up against the monster that rushed toward us at once.
Doran lowered his hips and caught the monster's tackle... but the previous composure was gone from his expression.
"I'll help you!"
I won't just watch! The time for being out of it is over!
I brandished my sword coated in my blood and slashed at the monster!
...But the sword was deflected.
"Eh."
"Magical armor!?"
W-What is this!? What does it mean for the sword to be deflected!? Isn't something wrong!? This is cheating!
"Come to think of it, the sword was deflected in the same way earlier..."
"That is bad news...!"
Doran had been holding back the monster until now, but it was clear he could no longer win with strength. After a momentary clash of wills, Doran diverted and used the monster's power to throw him backward.
...And then, he desperately stopped the monster's next attack... but terrifyingly, the monster seemed to have increased its power even more than before.
It's obvious that Doran won't be able to keep holding out at this rate. We have to do something.
...That's right. If what's making this monster a monster is magic, then the best way is to do something about the magic.
And the one who can do that is not Doran, but... ideally Keeb, but as for who is here now, it's me.
Therefore, I must do something. Otherwise, in the worst case... we might lose.
It was then.
Suddenly, the throne was blown away.
And what appeared from beneath it was...
"The basement was empty, so I came here, but is it my turn?"
"IT'S NOT YOU!"
It was Chesta! The one who appeared was Chesta!
But it's not you! Keeb! The one I wanted to come now was Keeb!