Nation of Negesta
“I’m faster than you in a race, you know!”
I dashed from one end of Heian Street to the other, located east of Heijo Street, and the result was a complete victory for me. By the time Gorita had passed the halfway mark, I had already completed three laps. I was surprised at how nimble he was for such a massive body, but I had confidence in my speed. I managed just fine without even going all out.
If I had created such a gap, I thought he wouldn’t challenge me again, but I was sorely mistaken. Next came a tree-climbing contest, then a boulder-lifting contest, and finally, a food-eating contest. I only agreed to switch with Kurinka for the last eating contest to fulfill her enthusiastic request. I wasn’t sure if I should be happy to witness the moment when a dragon’s stomach overwhelmed a gorilla’s. Gorita, who hated to lose, stuffed bananas into his mouth until he looked like he might throw up, and in the end, he cried out that he never wanted to see another banana again, having been thoroughly defeated by Kurinka. It was a more tragic outcome than our competition.
“I-I’m smarter than you, you know!”
Just when I thought I had the upper hand, Gorita put me in the biggest pinch yet. It was a math competition, and according to Kurinka, the problems were so simple that anyone could solve them just by looking.
“Three plus… five… equals two…”
“Ugh! I got it!”
“Rua-chan lost… to a gorilla… Rua-chan is less intelligent than a gorilla…”
I didn’t know how to comfort Kurinka, who was in shock and staring blankly. Solving such problems wasn’t a big deal, and I could manage just fine in life. That’s what I thought, but seeing her so downcast made it feel serious.
The real pinch came after we returned to the inn. Kurinka had prepared a mountain of math problems. I felt a cold sweat running down my back.
“I love you, Rua-chan. But you have a flaw that absolutely must be fixed. You thought you could get by without solving these, didn’t you?”
It was as if she could read my mind. I was filled with the desire to escape as Kurinka presented me with a mountain of calculations. There was no way I could understand this. If I got an answer wrong, I would be met with a “No!” from her. If this continued late into the night, I wouldn’t be able to handle it. Kurinka must have been deeply shocked that I lost to Gorita.
“Kurinka… I can’t take it anymore…”
“It’s only been five minutes! Don’t give up!”
“I can’t…”
I couldn’t think anymore; my mind was filled with numbers. Yes, I was less intelligent than a gorilla. I was dumber than a gorilla. Wait, isn’t this a really bad situation? It was bad, bad, but I was so sleepy.
Negesta: Fist Saint Dojo
“Phantom was kidnapped!? There’s no way they would do that! I don’t even know those two, Kou and Bun!”
“That’s definitely the work of the Demon Race.”
Thanks to Gorita and the others, I had learned quite a bit about Phantom. First, Phantom was made up of four races: Beastkin, Giant Race, Demon Race, and Dwarves, with Elmera as their leader. The numbers varied, but it seemed there were only seven Dwarves.
They had lived deep in the caves for hundreds of years and had only recently emerged. Inside the caves, Elmera provided everything they needed, and they lived without any inconvenience. It was said that her knowledge could allow her to dominate the world. However, it seemed that all elves except for Elmera had gone extinct.
“We, who were chased by humans, were led by Elmera. We were sworn to gain strength and one day take revenge on the humans.”
“Sworn to…?”
“I don’t care about revenge. If I had the time for that, I’d rather be playing…”
Living at the bottom of the earth for hundreds of years. That easily surpassed my ten years in the Abyss Cave. In the dark depths of the cave, Phantom had been accumulating resentment and power. While Phantom generally obeyed Elmera’s orders, the Demon Race acted independently. They had occasionally ventured to the surface, engaging in activities as Phantom, including kidnappings.
The rumors about Phantom that Gantetsu heard as a child were about these four surviving members of the Demon Race, the Twelve Demon Generals. They had been causing trouble since then. After that, the four joined the Demon Lord Army and continued to fight against Heroes and humans. As we know, they lost to the Hero and fled to the Great Garnis Glacier. Then they re-emerged as the Neo Demon Lord Army.
“Among the Beastkin and Giant Race, there are those who aren’t keen on revenge. But they can’t defy Elmera, and above all, the obsession of those Demon Race members is strange.”
The four Demon Race members hardly listened to Elmera’s orders. They rarely showed their faces in the occupied Nation of Negesta, and more importantly, they were acting independently alongside the surviving Nentro and the Death Weapon Merchant. If that’s the case, then they must be the ones who kidnapped Kou and Bun.
“Originally, the Demon Race hates humans even more than we Beastkin do. Just as Gorita said, we want nothing to do with revenge.”
According to the Dragonfolk, the Demon Sword I possessed, Disballade, was created by the Demon Race to counter the Hero. It absorbed the blood of the Demon Race, and its vengeful spirit was intertwined within it. Just then, I felt a chilling sensation emanating from Disballade, which was sheathed at my side.
“…Rua-chan?”
“N-No, I’m fine.”
It was something different from the Frost Aura; it felt like something released from the sword was piercing through my body in an instant. As Hans had said, if I didn’t have the qualifications, it would try to kill me. I had been taught that a Demon Sword was inherently like that.
Was it really okay for me to possess something like this? Suddenly, that question surged within me. Perhaps it was dissatisfied with being used for a purpose other than its original one. I felt as if I could hear a voice from the sword urging me to fulfill the Demon Race’s tragic wish.
“I would prefer to get along with humans, but Elmera… above all, Balbus and Nice won’t allow it.”
It seemed that the other Beastkin, aside from Gorita, were against revenge. The current Phantom was roughly divided into three factions: the revenge faction, the neutral faction, and the opposition faction. However, the revenge faction made up about seventy percent, and many in the neutral faction didn’t think highly of humans either. The remaining opposition faction didn’t even make up one percent.
“Besides, the humans who cornered us are no longer around! There’s no point in revenge!”
“Exactly! Balbus and the others are out of their minds!”
“And what if we are out of our minds?”
Two fierce beasts leaped over the dojo’s walls in a crescent arc from far away. One landed gracefully, while the other shattered the cobblestones with its impact. It wasn’t just weight; it was as if they were deliberately showing off. Nice and another figure. No, the other was a creature that resembled a dog, a wolf, and a lion all at once. Its massive body was so large that it didn’t seem like it belonged to the same race as the Beastkin present, supporting the dojo with just one arm, which was thicker than the pillars.
Above all, their violent entrance made the Beastkin present tremble to the core. Even the cheerful and rowdy Gorita curled up, holding his head. There was no doubt; that creature was the leader of the Beastkin.
“Something significant has happened beyond Nice’s report.”
Each word made the bodies of the Beastkin tremble. I stared at that presence, which could instill fear even in their breath, for a while. Nice stood a step behind, as if accompanying that Beastkin. The fact that Nice, who was usually so friendly, was following so closely meant that this Beastkin was incredibly strong.
“It seems there are some cowardly kin among us.”
“Yes, a few. What shall we do?”
“A punishment is necessary.”
A hand that could completely envelop Gorita’s head pressed down on him. As it bore weight, Gorita’s head collided with the ground, scattering dust and fragments of cobblestones. Despite Gorita’s struggling power, it was effortlessly subdued with calmness.
“Ugh! Ugh, ugh!”
“At this rate, you’re no different from livestock that has lost its fighting spirit.”
“Balbus, please stop! We were wrong!”
What is this? Calling them kin while using force to subdue those who wouldn’t listen to him. This was the leader of the Beastkin? And Nice accepted this. At this rate, Gorita would die.
“Let go of him.”
With my small hands, I couldn’t even grasp that massive arm. So it looked like I was merely placing my palm against it, but this was enough to stop him. First, Balbus noticed that he couldn’t apply strength to his arm. Then, he slowly shifted his gaze to me, who was far smaller than him.
“Nice, is this the human child you spoke of?”
“Yes, she possesses an incredible strength that I cannot contend with.”
“Is that so? You’ve made me say that much.”
Power begets power. I pressed my palm against Gorita’s massive muscles and fur, slowly prying him away. It was heartbreaking to see Gorita, face buried in the ground, crying so pitifully.
“Incredible, I can’t believe you’re a human.”
“You see? That’s why—”
“Hmph!”
It was clear that he wasn’t using his full strength. With a huff, he swung his massive arm as if swatting away an insect. The gust of wind from his movement sent me soaring through the air. I managed to land on the wall, using one hand to stabilize myself before regaining my footing. Balbus watched me from his stance, and I realized I had underestimated him. I knew he was stronger than Nice, but I never expected him to possess such raw power. Emotions I had buried deep began to bubble to the surface, a fierce desire to truly test my strength against him.
“What a shame to possess such power and still choose to oppose us.”
“I have no intention of opposing you. I just won’t allow you to do anything wrong.”
“Reversal.”
“…Huh?”
“We are about to reverse the ecosystem. The strong will dominate and consume the weak. This is the natural order of things. It seems some strange ideas have spread in this country, so I thought it best to correct them. That is the result you see before you.”
Two Beastkin entered through the dojo’s main gate, dragging along Ryoho and the others. They were stripped down to nothing but their underwear, collars around their necks, walking in humiliation. They were forced to walk side by side, their backs kicked, anger and shame evident on their faces.
“Ryoho!”
“W-we were wrong… We wielded power like these beasts… and took on a one-sided form of domination… But the Uzei Religion… we… will not impose such punishment…”
“Don’t say that, Lua-chan… You’re completely losing your composure…”
Ryoho’s eyes were vacant, unfocused. It was clear he had been severely beaten, judging by the scars covering his body. I felt an overwhelming urge to punch the two Beastkin and free them right then and there.
“The Uzei Religion of humans is no different at its core; it’s just survival of the fittest. They impose their ideology on the weak and bind them. Can you really speak about us? Fellow kin, laugh at them! Wahahaha!”
“Hya-hya-hya!”
“Hehehehe!”
Whether it was because Balbus commanded them or they genuinely found it amusing, Nice smiled, and the two Beastkin laughed in a way that grated on the nerves. It was infuriating to be in such a situation and not be able to retort. Kurinka, while tending to Ryoho and the others, bit her lip in frustration.
It’s pathetic, but Balbus was right. In fact, our ancestors persecuted those Beastkin, and now they were seeking revenge. I couldn’t say anything; even if I did, it would only invite mockery.
“Listen, human. We have already begun our march against the various human nations. It is only a matter of time before this continent is slaughtered by the Phantom.”
“March…? Does that mean you’re declaring war on us humans?”
“That’s exactly what I’m saying. We may have been delayed hundreds of years ago, but humans are ultimately insignificant. The reality of this pathetic country speaks for itself.”
“What a thing to say…!”
Even Kurinka glared at Balbus. In response, the two Beastkin who had brought Ryoho and the others fell into a battle-ready stance, their eyes gleaming as if to say, “Come at us.”
“Nice, you have a plan, right?”
“Yes, the Dwarves have already moved to the Nation of Kashiram, bringing a total of 143 individuals, including the Giant Race. Eighty-six have headed to the Nation of Noibranz. They should be delivering good news by now.”
“Kashiram… Noibranz?!”
If they attacked the Nation of Kashiram, the King would surely not remain silent. He would unleash his fighting spirit and sweep away the Beastkin. This was bad. But what was this Nation of Noibranz? Kurinka seemed to know something.
“Only that many…?”
“Isn’t that enough?”
“Avangarde, Kashiram, Fron, Negesta, Noibranz. The reason this continent has enjoyed a certain degree of peace for so long is that there used to be many more nations! The Nation of Noibranz wiped them all out until only four remained! It was only after that, when a stalemate was reached, that a treaty was finally established for peace!”
“Kurinka, you know a lot…”
“I study too! Unlike you, Lua-chan!”
Her words struck deep. Just like yesterday’s problem set, it felt like the universe was conspiring against me. More importantly, that Noibranz or whatever was a terrible nation. What reason could they have had to destroy others?
“Just a petty squabble among humans; I have no interest in that.”
“Petty squabble…? This continent is so chaotic that it’s even recorded in history books as the Demon Continent War!”
“Hmm, perhaps this is a tale from after the dark age ruled by Vandalsia.”
Balbus and Nice seemed so confident in themselves that they disregarded even Kurinka’s words. Indeed, the Beastkin were strong, and these two were exceptional. If it came to a fair fight, humans might not stand a chance. But these two were oblivious to why the Beastkin had been cornered by humans. I felt like I was beginning to understand.
“Since the terror of Vandalsia’s reign, the nations with relatively strong power are simply those that remain. If the situation remains chaotic, it wouldn’t be surprising for nations to attempt invasion like opportunistic thieves.”
“As expected of Nice, a good perspective.”
“Thank you, I’m very happy.”
Watching the happy Nice and Balbus nodding in agreement made me feel indifferent. Kurinka seemed to have lost all will to speak, and I was starting to feel the same way. Well, I had defeated Vandalsia, after all.
“Thus, human, such threats will not work on us. By now, our kin…”
“…Balbus-sama, could it be that something is flying in from over there?”
Nice seemed to spot something in the sky; a small dot was indeed floating. No, it was a winged birdman. Covered in blood, he struggled to flap his wings. As soon as the birdman landed, Balbus and the others rushed over. The birdman collapsed, as if he had no strength left to stand.
“Balbus-sama… Nice… sama…”
“Igulu! What happened?!”
“W-we… humans… we are… nearly… exterminated…”
“Impossible! To injure someone of your caliber to this extent!”
“In the Nation of Kashiram… a human… with silver hair… riding a strange creature… was unbelievably terrifying… and strong…”
“Get out of the way!”
Kurinka’s small body slipped between Balbus and Nice. Without hesitation, she began to heal the birdman, leaving the Beastkin wide-eyed in shock.
“What are you thinking? Trying to curry favor now?”
“Shut up! That’s my choice! More importantly, did Igulu and the others attack the Nation of Kashiram?!”
“The dark-skinned human king was… incredibly strong…”
Igulu, the bird Beastkin, had recovered enough to speak without struggling, but his body trembled slightly. It was clear that the King of Kashiram and Weiss had pushed the once confident Beastkin to this point. At that moment, an unsettling feeling stirred within me. Until now, I had faced the Demon Lord Army, but this time, I had no idea what to do. But I had to do something; otherwise, a terrible situation would unfold.
“Balbus-sama! The troops that advanced to the Nation of Noibranz have been annihilated! They seem to have begun their march toward Negesta for retribution! Their numbers are in the thousands… The messenger, Burton, just breathed his last…”
A Beastkin rushed in through the main gate, breathless, and fell to his knees.
◆ Shin Report ◆
13 plus 6 equals 19
32 minus 11 equals 21
Hehehe, another one has fallen.
Lua, more foolish than a gorilla, has been captured.
Hehehe, this is more than just a report.
102 plus 89 minus 43 equals…
Well, I’ll think about that later.
Hmm, the Beastkin got carried away and picked a fight, but did they get a taste of their own medicine?
Only 143 for a war?
Even the beasts dared to challenge humans with thousands?
Are they stupid?
That’s why they’ll be wiped out by humans.
Even the Demon Lord Army fell that way.
What will happen now, I wonder?
Ah, remembering that makes me giggle.