‘Wow, the effect is definitely certain.’
Even though it was too serious to casually speak up, the scenery unfolding was breathtaking enough to make me want to whistle inside.
All the beastmen in this wide audience chamber were bowing their heads deeply. Some of them kept peeking up to confirm Kurika’s face, and each time they did, they trembled and quickly drooped their heads again.
No matter how you look at it, it was their invited king, Calios.
And to add to that, the Sword of Rest he was holding.
It was a famous holy sword known for being used by Emperor Calios, so they had no choice but to bow to the returned ruler.
“Current King Raizer, rise. You must not kneel so easily in front of many.”
“Thank you.”
Raizer jumped up.
He confirmed Kurika’s face from the front again and seemed to feel a surge of emotion, making his eyes slightly moist.
He opened his mouth, as if unburdening the gut ache he had endured.
In that moment, he appeared like a simple child witnessing the legends he had heard since childhood.
“I believed in your words that you would always be with us. I believed you would come back one day!”
“……”
“O Emperor! I will follow you. Please, your rule once again……”
“Enough.”
Kurika exhaled as if suffering from a headache. With a look that said things were still the same, she sharply scolded Raizer.
“Why do you so easily give your throne to someone else?”
“But…”
“Do not speak such words carelessly. It is a betrayal to those who serve you.”
“……”
Raizer looked at the nobles and soldiers around him, those who were struggling to thwart the Hoh family’s rebellion alongside him.
He had attempted to easily hand them over to the invited Emperor.
Realizing how foolish he had been, Raizer clenched his fist. Seeing a ruler far superior to himself before him, he judged he had to relinquish the crown for the citizens.
For Raizer, this position was very important, but he could pass it to someone like Emperor Calios at any time.
But that was an act of deceiving others.
As the thought crossed his mind that perhaps he was just trying to escape responsibility, shame washed over him.
“I’m… sorry.”
His tone towards Kurika changed.
Just moments ago, he had treated her as an absolute hero who saved the nation, but now he was addressing her as just one beastman among many.
It was only natural to show respect for the former king, but the gap between them felt incomprehensibly vast.
Raizer resolved to exercise his rights.
With a smile, Kurika nodded in satisfaction and stated her needs.
“I’ve heard that the Hoh family’s rebels don’t execute the criminals who killed their daughter, Horan.”
Raizer’s gaze immediately turned to me. He realized I was the one Kurika spoke of.
Kurika declared flatly.
“That woman I killed.”
“……What?”
Raizer’s expression, which had just been regaining royal dignity moments ago, broke once again at the unexpected confession.
But Kurika didn’t care at all, shouldering her great sword and adding.
“The group called Tudogs, to which she belonged, was conducting procedures to transplant the abilities of magical beasts and plants into their own bodies.”
“……!”
She pulled out a peculiar object with blades on both sides from the small bag at her waist.
“This is the evidence. The leader of Tudogs created this using their magical knowledge.”
Arianne’s Flower, Cockatrice, Dopple Slime. The Tudogs had been transferring the powers of many magical beasts living in the Forest of the Demon Realm into their own bodies.
‘That is exactly…’
The very item created by the leader of Tudogs, responsible for turning the Tudogs into an organization comparable to the Chokugen Faction.
Kurika returned the object to the bag, seemingly carrying it with her all the time, as it was undoubtedly important.
“I explain this for one reason only. To deliver accurate information about the situation to you who have suffered, and.”
With a growl, Kurika unleashed a ferocious aura. It was a sense of fear that could instantly render everyone in this place powerless.
“To take responsibility.”
With a swift turn of her body, Kurika added.
“I will stop the Hoh family’s army. You simply wait in trust, as you always have.”
That’s what a true strong person should be like.
Look at her graciously stepping out alone against the enemy’s elite forces, carrying nothing but her great sword.
I thought one of my friends was doing great, but Kurika stopped and turned her head just slightly to look at me.
“What are you doing?”
“……Why?”
“Shouldn’t you go with me?”
What on earth is she talking about?
“Weren’t you going to handle it by yourself?”
I was kind of moved by how cool she was a moment ago.
“Cough, hurry up. You have responsibilities too.”
The gazes of the beastmen slowly turned towards us. Even the Beast King nodded slightly, agreeing she wasn’t wrong.
“Sigh, I was hoping to go easy. If we sort those guys out, we’ll let Eris go. And take good care of Rin. Just in case.”
“I promise.”
Having secured a hint from the Beast King, I followed Kurika out.
*
“I thought you were going to handle everything alone.”
“Cough.”
Standing by the castle gates with our arms crossed, I was grumbling at Kurika for how she ruined her cool demeanor.
“Honestly, wouldn’t it be fine if I didn’t help?”
“You never know. I can definitely keep those at bay from crossing these gates, but some may go over the fortress wall.”
“Beastmen have to think of such things, huh?”
There could be beastmen who are good at climbing walls. Hmm, then Kurika going solo might be a bit tough.
“Moreover, you have the ability to stop time, so when the time comes, you could prevent variables.”
“That’s true.”
Well, to be honest, I was well aware that the enemy’s forces were coming because I had stormed into the underground prison, so I was willing to help.
However, I regretted that Kurika’s brilliant scene got a bit muddled at the back.
What if the Beast King didn’t trust us and dispatched even a bit of troops? Glancing at the fortress wall, there really wasn’t anyone.
Although I had already fought them once, the trust in their emperor might be fanatical.
‘So that’s why Kurika left.’
Just looking at Raizer, as soon as he learned Kurika was Emperor Calios, he was immediately ready to give his throne away, while the other retainers remained silent in agreement.
Emperor Calios was both an overwhelming ruler to the beastmen and a colossal wall preventing their growth.
He discarded the name Calios and entered the Forest of the Demon Realm as Kurika.
In the distance, dust began to rise, as troops moved across the earth like clouds hovering above.
“Have you ever fought an army?”
“Once in a past life. I fought against the Army of Calamity.”
“Ah.”
Kurika nodded as if he had just remembered. He pondered for a moment and then smiled.
“I’ll trust you with my back.”
“What? You’re making it sound like you’ll kill everything yourself.”
When I fought alongside Kurika and Sharcarl, I experienced my limits. There are things that can’t be done with a human body, or rather, as Daniel McLean.
They were both strong.
But not anymore.
With the power given by the Goddess of Time, there was now no existence on the continent that could win a one-on-one battle against me.
Regardless of who came, I was confident in my victory.
Even against Kurika standing next to me.
I felt the wall and gained new strength and grew.
On the other hand…
What about Kurika?
Seeing me capable of fighting equally with him in a human body, Kurika had no choice but to feel tense, and he had effectively lost to Sharcarl.
Like me, Kurika was unable to endure his limitations.
He unleashed a fiercer fighting spirit than ever as he gazed at the Hoh family’s army ahead.
“Huh.”
Kurika seemed to be well aware of his own condition as he sighed softly and glanced at the Hoh family’s army before telling me.
“You may not have a turn.”
At those words, I couldn’t help but chuckle.
Who else would make such confident remarks against an army of elite beastmen without it feeling arrogant?
Only Kurika.
That’s why I crossed my arms, watching his form as he stepped forward with the great sword on his shoulder.
*
In the special chamber provided by the Beast King.
Adriana, who was taking care of Rin, slowly stood up from her chair beside the bed and headed toward the window.
Since the palace overlooked the fortress walls, part of the ongoing battle was visible, but honestly, she felt at ease.
‘With Kurika and Daniel… is there anyone who can win?’
No matter how many troops they brought, she had a strange belief that if those two teamed up, they could handle it effortlessly.
Knock, knock.
There was a knock from outside.
As Sen, keeping watch by the door, carefully opened it, maids brought various fruits and foods, prepared by the Beast King.
Seeing the warm porridge prepared in case it could help Rin, a saying about making friends through fighting oddly popped into Adriana’s mind.
“And we brought the physician. You can trust him as he is our palace’s resident doctor.”
Behind came a turtle-like physician who bowed slightly as he greeted. Since Adriana could no longer rely solely on her magic to treat Rin, she welcomed him more than anything else.
“……Huh?”
Even though it was still daytime, the room suddenly darkened.
It felt similar to when the sun was suddenly covered by clouds, but the darkness was much deeper.
Adriana and Sen quickly turned their gazes toward the bed.
There lay Rin, who had just been collapsed due to a high fever, now sitting up.
In her hand, she held a ‘sword’ they had never seen before.
With overwhelming killing intent that could take a person’s life with just a slight touch and a mark etched on Rin’s chest, releasing darkness as if expanding her territory.
The darkness immediately bared its teeth at the people.
“Run!”
The darkness poured out over everyone in the room. Sen hurriedly pushed Adriana aside, and the two managed to escape, but the physician and maid were not so lucky.
“L-Let me live…!”
“Ugh! Ugh!”
The two were dragged down as if being swallowed up by the darkness. Sen and Adriana, witnessing the scene of them being absorbed while still alive, were engulfed in terror.
“That’s not Rin.”
Adriana quickly leaped toward her staff, using magic. That was not the Rin who had always been kind and gentle to people.
The apocalypse.
Yes, that was the apocalypse.
Why now?
Why has Rin awakened as the apocalypse?
Thoughts raced through her mind, but seeing her magic being consumed so easily by the darkness, Adriana ground her teeth in frustration.
This is dangerous.
Even if she used defensive magic, the darkness began to close in on them from all sides as if it were nothing.
“This way!”
The one making quicker judgments was Sen.
The door was already completely blocked, so there was no escape that way. So Sen chose the window. Fortunately, since she broke it open earlier with Kurika, there was no worry about the glass.
Sen grabbed Adriana’s hand and leaped towards the window.
