"Are you two okay!?"
Of course, I immediately asked their safety.
"That hurts…"
"Sorry, I was careless…"
However, from how they looked, they didn't seem to receive any
serious injuries as they were already getting up.
To be honest, I'd thought my heart would stop for a moment there,
but thankfully they were both safe.
"Magmell, go cast healing magic on them just in case."
"U-understood," with a nod, Magmell rushed towards the two.
After confirming that, I turned my gaze in King Vale's direction.
What I saw there was the figure of the King whose left arm had
transformed into something like a tail.
"Oh, this is a surprise. That blow was supposed to be able to kill a
normal human in an instant, but perhaps I should say, that's
saintesses for you."
"Ha, it just felt like an insect bite! Lemme tell ya somethin', I have
fought with the strongest man in the world! And guess what, ya can't
even begin to be compared to him!"
"Ditto. That blow of yours was heavy and fast, I'll give you that, but it
wasn't to the point of inducing fear. Know that would be your first and
last chance."
Looking at the two who surprisingly seemed energetic even while
being treated by Magmell, I sighed and patted my chest in relief.
King Vale then looked at me and said, "Hm, could you perhaps be
the 'strongest man in the world' that she was referring to?"
"Well, you can say that."
Blaze! I had Hinokaguzuchi manifested a single-edged sword.
Seeing it, King Vale nodded, "I see now," and said, "you are the
rumored 'Fire God's Agent'. Now everything made sense. I initially
thought that you were just the saintesses' luggage carrier."
You sure are treated as a luggage carrier everywhere you go, me.
Well, can't do anything about it.
"Haha, I've heard that plenty of times before. So, what's the deal with
your power? Did by 'nonhuman person', you were referring to it?"
"Yes, that's right. Pretty curious, don't you think?" Having said that,
King Vale reverted his left arm back to the original.
I thought it was some kind of transformation-type skill or Magic Art,
but it appeared that wasn't the case.
"This is something I achieved through the application of Berqua's
homunculus technology."
"I knew it, you people have already gotten your hands on our
technology."
"But of course. The moles that had been planted in Berqua did a
very good job. That being said, what we truly wanted was
'technology to incorporate a base information into a body', so
something like a homunculus didn't really pique our interest."
"What do you mean by that?" Zana frowned doubtfully.
King Vale, still having a leisurely smile hung on his face, said, "Don't
you get it, yet? Your technology has allowed me to evolve into a
person that is not human.
"Like this," The King swung up his right arm, which then turned
muscular and big like that of a Great Ogre's.
No, it was actually two times thicker than that of a real Great Ogre's.
"No way, you…" I looked at King Vale in shock.
"Yes, it is as you've guessed. I've incorporated the information of all
sorts of monsters into my body. Of course, I came close to death
because the information displayed rejection the moment it entered
my body at first, but after a while it suddenly stopped, then I had a
realization, 'Ahh, I'm acknowledged by the monsters'."
"Didn't you mistake it with 'being possessed'?" I said sarcastically.
But of course, King Vale continued without giving it heed, "I thought
that maybe they needed a 'king'. And I was the 'king' they chose.
"In other words," King Vale swung his gigantified arm, "—'Demon
King'. That is what I, Vale A Lastall, am supposed to be."
Bang! A huge hole opened in the wall after being hit by his arm.
It was as powerful as it seemed but, it wasn't fast to the point it
couldn't be dodged.
"Zana, back me up!"
"Yes, I've got it!"
We rushed towards the left and right at the same time, and
immediately launched attacks at King Vale.
――Bang!
But as you'd expect of someone proclaiming to be the king of
monsters—his legs immediately transformed into that of some
monster's, and his movement speed rose dramatically.
"Phalanx Blow!"
――Boom boom boom boom boom!
While avoiding Zana's barrage by running on the wall, King Vale
brought his arms together and transformed them into a dragon's
head, on of which mouth then converging some kind of energy.
But, there was no way I would let him release that in this kind of
small space.
"I won't let you!"
――Slash!
"Kh!?"
I ran on the wall from the opposite direction and swung out
Hinokaguzuchi, which I had turned into a greatsword, at the mouth.
"Now!"
"Ahh!" "Ou!"
In response to my shout, Arca and Ophir, who had recovered,
dashed over, attacking King Zestgard from the left and right at the
same time.
――Slash!
"Gah!?"
"Everyone, please move back! —Grand Tempest Fang!"
"""!"""
To top it off, Magmell gave the final blow with the wind-attribute
Magic Art she had acquired from Turbo-sama.
――Ka-whoooooooooooosh!
"Guuh!?"
A torrent of devastating wind torn King Vale's body apart and
slammed him into the ceiling, after which he fell back down to the
ground along with the rubble of the destroyed ceiling.
Was he dead…?
As we were cautiously watching the pile of rubble to see the
outcome, a figure suddenly came out of the rubble with a bang.
"…Haha, you are all very strong. It seems like I will end up losing at
this rate."
"In that case, why don't you just surrender now?"
"It is unfortunate, but I'm afraid I can't go along with your suggestion.
I—have a 'goal', after all."
...A goal? As we frowned, King Vale snapped his fingers.
And then,
"""""—Guoooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhhh!!"""""
"""""—Wha!?"""""
The attendants and guards who we thought had evacuated
transformed into monsters one after another.