” (I’ve found it, the ‘Ancient King’s’ 〖Zone Control〗…!)”
A little while after defeating the “Green King.”
After creating a weapon from the “Green King’s” body and returning to the Southern Continent with Paula’s magic, I finally reached the “Ancient King’s” domain.
It was a forest like any other, but the vegetation was different.
Somehow, the trees were larger than elsewhere, and the demon beasts that lived there were also a size bigger.
There were several that had physiques comparable to 〖King Beasts〗, but their 〖Mana〗 was low.
Probably, the environment formed by the “Ancient King” makes it easier for creatures to grow larger.
“(I have no idea what kind of effect it has… but I guess I’ll just have to go in and see what happens.)”
I steeled myself and stared at the domain.
~Unidentified Information Recording Area~
…
The pure white light of the sun (?), Fue Toukouya’s 〖Courage〗 has been activated.
…
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Whether it was judged as ‘harboring courage’ or not, my body felt lighter.
I used all the strengthening 〖Skills〗 I had, such as the newly acquired 〖Solar Lord〗, and prepared myself for the battle.
“(Release ‘Convergence’!)”
–The world trembled.
It was an illusion as if space had cracked. A sensation of a crack being etched into the foundation of the world.
More than the roar of the blast that blew away the forest, I was preoccupied with that sensation.
“(That was scary… is that what happens when 〖King Beasts〗 clash their 〖Zone Control〗?)”
Since I was in the air, the point of impact of the shockwave must have been relatively high, but a wide area of the Great Demon Forest had been reduced to a wasteland.
The trees, which should have been strong and sturdy, and the demon beasts with their oversized bodies, were gone after the shockwave passed.
The sensation of the world cracking was gone, but I instinctively understood that 〖King Beast〗’s 〖Zone Control〗 shouldn’t be clashed too much.
“(Well, after something like that, they won’t stay silent, will they?)”
Beyond the dust cloud kicked up by the shockwave.
I glared at the point where the 〖Zone Control〗 originated with 〖Clairvoyance〗.
The “Ancient King” I was about to challenge was the strongest 〖King Beast〗.
According to God, it was a Chimera, but I couldn’t get any specific information about its species.
Back then, it was still undecided which 〖King Beast〗 to hunt, and the time I could communicate with God was limited.
That’s why I had to make sure not to miss even the slightest movement of it.
That’s why I immediately noticed the shadow that flew in after the thudding sound.
The shadow drew a parabola and fell a few hundred meters away from me. In other words, it was a distance that a 〖King Beast〗 could close in the blink of an eye.
The fallen shadow was a giant beast like a mountain, even more enormous than other 〖King Beasts〗.
With the tremendous tremor, the forest, which was being burned by the 〖Zone Control〗 and transformed into Mana Crystals, was further devastated.
“GURURURURUOOHHHHH!!”
Just a single roar. It alone caused a blast of wind, clearing the dust cloud.
Its appearance was truly something that could be called the ultimate.
There was an overwhelming presence that made it impossible not to understand that it was the strongest of the Ten Kings.
“(…Wh-)”
It had fangs.
Fangs as large as towers, sharper than any famous sword, lined up in its mouth.
It had horns.
Three horns extended from both sides of its forehead and above its nose, their tips pointed towards me.
It had claws.
The claws, slightly curved like sickles, had a blade length that easily exceeded the length of a hand.
It had dorsal fins.
Even though they were called fins, they were not gentle like those of a fish, but had an extremely vicious and cruel form, like a semi-circular saw blade.
It had wings that covered the sky. It had several plate-like bones from its back to its tail. It had a tail with a structure similar to a flail. It had–it was, to put it simply, a Chimera that combined the characteristics of many dinosaurs.
“(–That’s so coolllllllllll!!)”
My tension suddenly boiled over.
Cool! Cool! Cool!!
It looks supremely strong, the strongest, and the ultimate!
The crown of fangs, which seemed to be a Lord-type 〖Skill〗, was also wild and cool.
It was so full of dreams and romance that I almost didn’t want to defeat it.
“(But that’s impossible, isn’t it…)”
I could feel a burning fighting spirit. A belligerent gaze.
Demon beasts are usually ferocious, but the “Ancient King” seemed to have an unusually strong fighting instinct… stronger than any other demon beast.
There was no way it would listen if I said, “Let’s be friends now.”
The “Ancient King’s” entire body was tensed with fighting spirit.
“GARUWOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
“(So fast!?)”
Reinforcement by Electrification.
Reinforcement by 〖Courage〗.
And accelerated thinking by 〖Clear Mirror Still Water〗.
Even with my eyesight enhanced by many buffs, the “Ancient King” closed in with a speed that I could barely keep up with.
“(But that’s how it should be!)”
My heart was involuntarily excited from the bottom of my heart.
From the start, I had no intention of trying to get along with the “Ancient King.”
Apart from the need to level up to defeat Chaos… I had a pure desire to defeat it.
That impulse increased even more when I saw its leg strength, befitting the apex of the ecosystem.
I raised my 〖Mana〗 and activated a 〖Skill〗.
“(First, it’s this, 〖Solar Lord〗!)”
I activated the other effect of 〖Solar Lord〗, separate from the buffs.
The Mana Crystals around me floated up on their own.
“(Bombification, go!)”
〖Solar Lord〗 allows me to manipulate the surrounding Mana Crystals and Artifacts, but with this 〖Skill〗, I can now modify Mana Crystals remotely.
The bomb Artifacts created in this way flew out from the white demonic flames that burned the earth.
“GRAAAH!”
“(Well, I guess that didn’t work!)”
Numerous bombs exploded, but the “Ancient King” appeared unscathed, cutting through the flames.
The distance between us was now less than a hundred meters. There, the “Ancient King” accelerated further, and I leaped.
In an instant, its upper and lower fangs snapped together, and a tooth mark like a valley was carved into the ground.
The damage was clearly greater than the size of its fangs. Did it have the ability to expand the range of its bite attack?
“(That was close, the sudden acceleration and range enhancement are too much of a first-time killer.)”
I had estimated the “Ancient King’s” abilities highly and moved to evade early, so I barely made it in time.
If I had been even slightly late, I would have been torn to pieces by those spire-like fangs.
“(That’s troublesome, those 〖Fangs〗)”
While escaping into the air, I recalled the explanation I had received from God.
In ancient times when there were no 〖Levels〗, 〖Skills〗, 〖Races〗, or 〖Attributes〗, the only special rule that existed was 〖Fangs〗.
The performance of 〖Fangs〗 varies greatly from person to person. It seems to be a form close to a Unique Skill.
And the main effects of the “Ancient King’s” 〖Fangs〗 are ‘Bite’, ‘Change’, and ‘Invariance’.
Simply put, its bite is enhanced, its close-range attacks cannot be blocked, and the wounds it inflicts cannot be healed.
It seems that healing is possible after defeating it, but healing during battle is nullified.
This is a battle where the danger to my life is closer than usual.
“(That’s why it’s worth it! Let’s both give it our all, ‘Ancient King’!)”
“GYUOOOOOOOOOO!”
The “Ancient King’s” wings spread, and it flapped them with enough force to blow away the atmosphere.
The battle with the unyielding white dragon, GOGORO, had begun.