Episode 331: The Yellow King’s Power
Yuma and the others were led by Albert, walking through the facility’s lobby.
The wide, clean lobby was bustling with various people, including those in military uniforms, school uniforms, and lab coats.
Albert stopped in front of a large door and swiped a card through a device next to it. The automatic door slid open, and a clamor poured out.
Yuma stepped inside and looked around, finding himself in a command center-like room with several large monitors.
Many staff members were seated at tiered desks, talking about something.
Albert called out to Yuma and the others, who were looking around in amazement.
“This used to be a military facility. It was built to withstand a nuclear war. So, it can withstand a nuclear attack.”
“Ah, okay…”
Yuma gave a lackluster reply. There were probably over a hundred people in this room alone. Yuma and his two companions were simply overwhelmed by the American frontline base, which was so different from their own country.
“What are those monitors showing?”
Rui asked Albert, pointing at the monitors. Each monitor displayed a different location, and there were about fifty of them.
They showed various places, such as city streets, suburbs, forests, and mountains.
“Those are showing various locations in Indiana. It’s so we can immediately detect when the 【Yellow King】 appears.”
“So, you’re still looking for the 【Yellow King】.”
Albert nodded at Rui’s words.
“America is overflowing with a wide variety of Monsters. But considering the power of the military and the Seekers, it’s not something we can’t handle. The problem is still the 【Yellow King】. As long as he’s around, this country has no future.”
Albert turned around and looked at Mia, who was behind him.
“I have business to attend to, so I’ll have to excuse myself. You can hear the details about this facility and America from her.”
Mia stepped forward and stood in front of Yuma.
“I’ll be guiding you from here. I’m Mia Ines of “Prometheus”. Nice to meet you.”
“N-Nice to meet you.”
Rui stepped forward with a nervous expression.
“I’ve seen you on magazines and TV many times… I’ve been a big fan for a while. Would you mind shaking my hand?”
Rui rattled off quickly. Yuma was taken aback, as he had never seen Rui so proactive.
“Well… I don’t mind…”
Mia shook hands with Rui without changing her expression. It seemed that only Rui was excited.
After that, they toured the facility with Mia as their guide. They arrived at a place with a long corridor and several doors.
Yuma and Akito exclaimed in admiration, “Amazing,” and “That cost a lot of money,” at the bright and clean space that didn’t seem like an underground facility.
“This is the living space. We’ll prepare rooms for you to rest in. Please wait a moment.”
“Thank you very much!”
As Rui thanked her, Mia let out a small sigh.
“Are you really planning to fight alongside us here? I know you’re powerful, but you don’t seem to understand the danger of this place.”
Akito bristled at Mia’s words, spoken with a cold expression.
“What’s with you all of a sudden! We’re saying we’ll cooperate. That’s a good thing, right?”
“You’re underestimating the 【Yellow King】 too much. Even Albert, I don’t know if he can defeat the Yellow King…”
“It’ll be alright! Yuma here has defeated three 【King】s. This time will be a piece of cake, right! Yuma.”
Akito slapped Yuma on the shoulder, and Yuma grimaced, shaking off Akito’s hand, “It’s not that easy!”
Mia shook her head and made a dumbfounded face.
“Defeating three 【King】s… There’s no way you could do that. Honestly, that’s what happens when kids don’t know reality.”
Mia started walking again. Rui called out to Mia from behind.
“No, Mia-san. It’s true. Yuma really has defeated Unique Monster 【King】s. So, this time too, he’ll definitely…”
Mia stopped abruptly and turned to look at Rui’s face.
“There’s no way I’d believe that story. Besides—”
A dark shadow fell over Mia’s eyes.
“Even if that story were true… it’s impossible to defeat the 【Yellow King】.”
◇◇◇
Thanks to Mia’s arrangements, Yuma and the others were provided with a room in the facility, where they decided to rest.
They were assigned to a large room with four beds, like a guest room.
“Why couldn’t they give us private rooms, if they were going to bother at all?”
Akito complained as he sat on the bed, and Rui gave him a dumbfounded look.
“They prepared such a nice room for us, you shouldn’t complain.”
“But we’re the Messiahs of this country. We should be treated better!”
Akito lay down on the bed, making his usual brazen complaints. In contrast, Yuma sat on the sofa, one knee raised, deep in thought.
“What’s wrong? Yuma.”
“No, it’s just… I’m a little tired.”
Seeing Yuma lost in thought, Rui remembered Mia’s words.
“…Mia-san said it, didn’t she? Even if you defeated 【King】s from other countries, you probably won’t be able to defeat the 【Yellow King】.”
Akito, who was on the bed, snorted.
“What, it’s the same in any country, right? The Monster that appears in their country is the strongest. That’s all they think. Yuma has defeated those 【King】s, hasn’t he?”
“That’s… true, but…”
Rui lowered his eyes. Certainly, Akito’s words were reasonable. No matter how strong a 【King】 was, he didn’t think Yuma would lose now.
Even so, there was an opponent they couldn’t say they could definitely win against. That was the Unique Monster 【King】.
Silence fell in the room. After a while, with no one speaking, a deafening siren sounded.
“What? What’s that sound!?”
Yuma and the others stood up and hurried out into the corridor. Many people were running, trying to go somewhere.
Rui stopped a man in a lab coat and asked, “What’s going on!?”
“The 【Yellow King】 has been discovered in Salt Lake City! Right now, we’re in a frenzy preparing for Prometheus to head out!”
“Salt Lake City!? That’s a long way away.”
Rui chided Akito, who was grimacing, “This is no time to be saying that.”
“We have to go too!”
Urged by Rui, Yuma agreed, “That’s right.”
The three of them followed after the soldiers who were running, heading towards the place where Prometheus would be gathering.