“No way, is that for real!? He took down the Red King!”
Akito, on top of the building, was bewildered. The giant that suddenly appeared had defeated the [Red King] in an instant. He couldn’t make heads or tails of it.
The Ancient Dragon, which had been flying around the building, was also flapping its wings in confusion.
As the Seekers present were dumbfounded, their leader, Osaka, spoke up.
“That giant… could it be ‘Black Armor’?”
“Huh!?”
Akito looked at the giant again. The figure clad in black armor, the horns growing from its head, and its humanoid form certainly resembled Black Armor.
However, the towering, gigantic monster had an even more ominous appearance.
More than anything, the level of strength was on a completely different level.
“Is that… the true power of Black Armor!?”
◇◇◇
“Hey, Aisha! That’s Yuma, right!?”
Kanzaki, who had been glued to the TV in an electronics store, shouted.
“Yes, that’s Yuma-kun’s form when he defeated the Chimera. Did the government send him to defeat the [Red King]?”
“Whatever the case, he took down that damn strong Dragon in one shot! Isn’t that amazing!”
It was certainly an amazing display of offensive power. What was particularly concerning was the purple glow. It looked like several blue streaks were running through his body.
“Can Yuma-kun use Water Magic?”
“Hmm? Oh, he absorbed the Blue Magic Gem into his body, so he should be able to use it to some extent.”
Aisha covered her mouth with her hand. The fact that he punched with a fist imbued with Water Magic was probably why it had such power… but it wasn’t just a little Magical Power. Did he receive the Magic Gem from the government?
“If he’s intentionally using Magical Power, then he’s not in a berserk state.”
“Seriously! If that’s the case, then we don’t have to worry about him rampaging.”
Aisha let out a small sigh at Kanzaki, who was talking so cheerfully.
“Good grief, you’re so carefree. More than that, I’m worried about the ‘Water Magical Power’ running out. If he’s channeling Magical Power into such a huge body, it’ll be depleted in no time.”
“But, he already defeated…”
“Don’t be an idiot!”
Aisha furrowed her brow and glared at the TV screen.
“There’s no way the [Red King] would die from something like that. He’s at the top of the Unique Monsters, and he’s a ‘Red Monster’ with high Regeneration.”
◇◇◇
Huffing and puffing, Yuma looked at the enemy lying on the ground.
“Did I… do it?”
The moment the opponent was about to attack, he landed a counterattack. It worked out well, and he was able to blow its head off. But—
Suddenly, the surrounding atmosphere changed.
Flames erupted from the Red King’s body. Flesh swelled from the wound on its neck, regenerating at a terrifying speed.
“Just like the Red Ogre, after all!”
Yuma took a step back and braced both fists.
The Red King regenerated its head, gathered flames in its mouth, and turned its eyes to the giant. The leaking flames condensed and turned into a sphere.
The [Red King]’s strongest attack. It spewed the “Scorching Fireball” towards the giant in one go.
The pressure was enough to make him lean back. But Yuma didn’t flinch and channeled “Water Magical Power” into his fists.
He brushed away the Fireball that was approaching right in front of him with a backhand blow from his left fist. With a Crushing Impact that seemed to tear the atmosphere, the sphere was blown away.
The Fireball rose far into the sky and flashed brightly.
The sky was covered in light, and the flames from the explosion dyed the sky crimson.
Yuma clenched his right fist and rushed out without hesitation. The Red King also gathered Fire Magical Power in its mouth to intercept.
“Too slow.”
He punched through its face with his right arm. The Dragon’s head bounced back and leaned back.
Yuma stepped forward with a large stride and thrust his left hook into the Dragon’s flank. A liver blow.
The fist with Spikes deeply gouged into its abdomen, twisting further to crush its internal organs.
A deafening Dragon’s roar.
The [Red King] writhed in agony from the attack imbued with Water Magical Power and turned its head back.
The Dragon, its face distorted, glared at the giant. Just as it was about to gather scorching flames in its mouth, the giant’s right fist exploded on its chin with a short uppercut.
Bones shattered, and the impact pierced through its brain.
Yuma’s favorite combination attack.
The Dragon staggered back.
The Black Giant raised its right arm and extended a Longsword from the back of its hand. A weapon imbued with Water Magical Power.
The swung-down sword cut off the Dragon’s right arm and wing. Blood spurted out, and the Red King screamed.
The Dragon rotated its body and swung its tail at the giant.
The giant took the attack with its left shoulder shield. When the tail collided, a violent explosion occurred, the ground was gouged out, and dust danced.
However, the giant’s shield imbued with Water Magical Power was not destroyed.
Completely blocking the explosion, it grabbed the thrown-out Dragon’s tail with both hands. When it pulled with all its might, the Dragon’s body floated in the air.
Spinning it around and around in a giant swing, it released its hands, sending it flying over a hundred meters.
The Dragon crashed into the rubble, and an explosive Crushing Impact spread.
Groaning as it lay fallen, the Dragon writhed in agony. With heavy sounds of “thump, thump,” the giant advanced.
The earth shook with each step, and the air became tense. The Ancient Dragons flying in the sky cried out all at once.
Soon, two of the Dragons glided down.
Gathering flames in their mouths, they charged at the Black Giant while emitting Flames.
The giant didn’t panic. When it swung its sword in its right hand as if it were boring, the two flying Dragons were split in half in the sky.
A slash imbued with Water Magical Power. The Dragons’ bodies burst and turned into sand in an instant.
As the sand scattered, the Black Giant glared at the fallen [Red King].
The Dragon King spewed flames from its entire body, regenerating its right arm and wing in an instant. It slowly stood up and screamed at the giant.
The surrounding temperature rose sharply, and the ground bubbled and evaporated.
The Dragon’s anger and murderous intent were conveyed. But it didn’t feel any fear.
Yuma ran out and grabbed the Dragon’s head with both hands. He jumped up as it was and slammed a knee kick into it.
The Dragon King’s head was crushed into a mess, and it staggered back.
The giant, landing with a thud, swung the sword extended from the back of its right hand horizontally. The sword easily sliced through the Dragon’s neck.
The severed head danced in the air, fell to the ground, and bounced two or three times.
Yuma kicked the Dragon’s torso with a left roundhouse kick and crushed the head that had fallen to the ground.
The head made a sizzling sound and turned into sand. Even after losing its head, the [Red King] did not die. The Dragon regenerated its head again and roared.
It couldn’t be defeated even with Water Magical Power. That meant that the Water Magic Yuma used was still weak. Still, there was no fear.
Because he was convinced that he could fully defeat this enemy.
Yuma placed his fists on his waist and charged towards the [Red King], who was spewing flames.
◇◇◇
The countermeasures headquarters in the Prime Minister’s Office.
The politicians, researchers, and bureaucrats watching the monitor were stunned by the unbelievable sight.
No matter how injured it was, the Red King spewed flames and recovered. It was amazing, but what surprised them even more was the giant’s fighting style.
“…Too strong.”
Takakura let out a voice of astonishment. The [Red King], who possessed power beyond human comprehension, was being unilaterally beaten down.
It couldn’t keep up with the giant’s terrifying speed and seemed helpless.
Takakura swallowed hard.
Ethan Noble of the IDR had said that Black Armor… Yuma Mitaka, had the same level of power as the [Red King].
But it wasn’t the same.
It was overwhelming. Was there a difference in power even among the [King]s?
There were many things he didn’t know, but there was only one thing he could say for sure.
—As the IDR said, the only one who can defeat the [King]s that have appeared in the world… is him.