Holy Nation of Uzei – Holy Capital – Outer Wall
What was assigned to me, the deputy instructor, was the security around the Holy Capital. Out of a total of 1,200 personnel, only 16, including myself, have reached the level of full mastery. Five of them, including Ryoho, are operating independently, leaving 11 to command here.
There is ample reason to maintain security even with a rotation system in place. The Religious Founder and Madias are fully aware of everything. They understand that one day, the Flash Strike Girl, driven by righteous indignation, will invade this Holy Capital. While she may have been subdued in the Avangarde Kingdom, her fangs are undoubtedly directed at us.
“The elevation of the Tenryu-ken that has been implemented for some time has been achieved. Deputy Instructor Oudo, with our current abilities, we will not fall behind the Flash Strike Girl.”
“Do not be arrogant. The fact that we are not the only ones here is proven by the presence of those individuals.”
“The Celestials…”
Madias is accompanied by the True Angel, Zaniel, sent from the Celestial Realm, and three newly descended Holy Angels. Their wings, pure and innocent, sprout from their backs. Though they may appear similar to us, their skin, glistening with purity, is incomparable to that of humans. Even the most renowned sculptor in history would fail to capture their beauty. They transcend even the finest expressions of human art.
“Humans. How great is the threat?”
“We are far from the power of the Trembling Angel, Graniel. We merely wish to behold that power… with our own eyes. Of course, I understand that this is an exceedingly humble request from mere humans.”
“Consider it done.”
“Thank you for your kind words! Everyone! Pray to Graniel!”
The unwavering prayers of the waiting masters fill the air. Should we ever incur the wrath of Graniel, the Trembling Angel, the very continent would crack, leaving no place for humans to dwell. In ancient times, a continent sank after incurring Graniel’s anger, now only a phantom spoken of in tales. The phantom existed, yet it has vanished. The power of a single Holy Angel is more than sufficient to bring calamity to this world.
“Humans, when will the threat arrive?”
“An incursion by the unruly is certain, but we, lacking in ability, cannot ascertain the timing. We ask for your generous understanding.”
“Very well. It has been 2,000 years since I last visited the human realm. How nostalgic.”
“They come. From the northwest.”
For the Sky Angel, Aeriel, even a distance of a thousand miles is trivial. No matter what army approaches, she can perceive even the finest details.
“They come, the Demon Race.”
“The Demon Race…?! No, are they not humans?”
“The Demon Race. Encountered long ago, over 2,000 years past.”
“Are they a threat?”
“Insufficient.”
Aeriel has grasped the approaching Demon Race. The term “insufficient” alone indicates that they are not even a threat, let alone an enemy. Additionally, the one questioning Aeriel is the Thought Angel, Tiresiel. Before Tiresiel, who senses thoughts beyond thousands of beings, any strategy becomes futile. In mundane terms, it could be interpreted as reading thoughts. Thus, even if the Flash Strike Girl were to engage in battle, she would merely be dancing on Tiresiel’s palm.
Therefore, Tiresiel only converses with those of the same Holy Angel rank who cannot be read. I, on the other hand, would be seen through entirely, likely not even registering in her sight. It is akin to how a person would not bother to notice a small insect crawling on the ground.
“No matter the Demon Race, this Holy Capital shall not be sullied by any! It is our time to show our worth as humans—”
【Aboro’s attack! Dealt 156,544 damage to the Death Angel Zaniel, heralding the end of days!】
Zaniel, who watches over the Holy Capital, is struck by something. Did anyone here realize that the red substance raining down was Zaniel’s blood? Most likely, many interpreted it as some form of divine protection.
“Zan…iel?”
“The Death Angel…”
“Is shedding…”
“Holy blood.”
The Holy Angels murmur their thoughts. Even when attacked by that braggart known as the Metalican, such a situation never occurred. Why? How? Aeriel must have grasped the reality, and Tiresiel should have read everything. There should be no possibility of an unforeseen event.
“Hmph, it seems I won’t die from a single blow.”
“Y-You…!”
“My name is Aboro. My goal is your annihilation.”
“Aboro?! How dare a mere dog of Noibranz commit such an affront to Zaniel!”
“Your pet dared to meddle with me. It was splendidly devoured by the dog.”
“H-Holy Angel!”
There is nothing we can do. Being masters of our respective styles, we understand. How could we, mere mortals, deal with someone who has drawn blood from Zaniel? This monster, whom even Aeriel and Tiresiel could not fathom, is treading lightly in the realm of the divine.
“The Demon Race. They are strange.”
“They possess a will that devours even the sky.”
“The thoughts sensed earlier differ from the current ones.”
“Considered beyond comprehension.”
Even the Holy Angels harbor feelings of dread toward that monster. Why could it deceive Tiresiel? If thoughts are read, then no matter who they are, they should become worthless. Is there a skill that cannot be read?
“I caught a glimpse of the future. There seems to be no problem.”
Why must I endure such treatment after finally rising to the position of deputy instructor? Since childhood, I have immersed myself in the scriptures of the Uzei Religion, serving with sincerity. I have lived without arrogance, adhering to morality, never forgetting the natural order. Yet, why has it come to this?
“Holy Angel! Please protect us!”
Would they laugh at our helplessness? Indeed, we are mere humans, after all. No, the Holy Angels do not even concern themselves with the disgrace of humanity; they quietly observe the aberration that stands before them.
Avangarde Castle – King’s Chamber
Starting from the plush, flamboyant sofa, the King’s Chamber bore little resemblance to what I had seen before. The floor was littered with remnants of food, and many women lay sprawled over the mess. Not just women, but men too. All were naked. Some even held bottles of alcohol in one hand, likely having passed out from drunkenness. I understood that, but what was this situation?
“Ahahaha! For the past few days, we’ve been having a party! You know, a party. We ordered the finest alcohol in the country, and soldiers and ministers are all mixed up and having a blast! It’s been like this the whole time!”
So why is everyone naked? Moreover, there are two women snuggled up to each man. And this smell. The stench of alcohol, which I despise, fills the air, making me feel dizzy. There are puddles of what seems to be alcohol spread across the floor. I can’t fathom how much noise they must have made to reach this state.
“Everyone’s been so busy with work, it’s boring, right? I’m a great king, so I do things like this to reward you all. Isn’t this the kind of ruler who will go down in history? There’s no other king like me!”
“And how long do you plan to continue this party?”
“Whenever, really. It doesn’t matter, it’s all good!”
“Sending the Special Operations Unit off to war while you indulge in luxury. Can’t you resign right now?”
“You just barged into the king’s castle, you know? This is considered treason against the nation, right?”
Kurinka no longer wants to comment on this situation. The reasons for everyone being naked are too disgusting, and I really don’t want to know. I can’t help but search for Ritta, hoping she isn’t among them. She shouldn’t be here, but still…
“I’ll have you leave this country.”
“Are you really going to use force? You should just stop while you’re ahead.”
“Are you really the strongest in the world?”
“No one can beat me!”
“Is that so?”
I ruthlessly cut into the pervert. Just as I expected, he was caught off guard and took the blade of Disballade. But that was all.
“Ahahaha! See?”
“You can’t cut me!”
I couldn’t slice through his chest; in fact, the blade didn’t penetrate at all. Was it some skill, or was he just incredibly tough? In times like this, I mustn’t panic. That would play right into his hands. Observing calmly, I could see that the blade indeed reached his flesh. The skin had elasticity, and it was clear that it was biting in.
“No matter what you do, it’s futile. I’m the strongest. By the way, do you have that thing? You know… that thing. Right, a skill? Do you have something like that?”
“Of course, I do.”
“Ahh, so you do have one…”
I slapped my forehead dramatically, mocking him. There was no point in putting more strength into my sword; I decided to sheath it for now.
“I never expected a human to come,” he said, a smirk playing on his lips. “But you know, techniques and skills are meant to defeat opponents, right? Or maybe they’re for protecting the weak? Training and practice are done because you’re weak, aren’t they? But I’ve never had to do any of that. Why would I, when I can win without lifting a finger?”
He waved his hands around carelessly, completely defenseless. I began to understand a little more about why this guy was called the World’s Strongest Man. No, it was more about why he was referred to as such. It was a different kind of overwhelming strength compared to Aboro.
“If I ask for food, I get it. If I say I need a place to stay, I can settle in. If I talk to a girl, I can do whatever I want. Even if I sleep in a monster’s den, I won’t die. Do I really need to do anything? Especially not train.”
Divine Nature. And a super powerful one at that. He must have lived his entire life relying on that alone. Divine Nature is a concept; for example, my Divine Nature of Destruction embodies destruction itself. Therefore, I can destroy anything. The only result left is destruction itself. He was the same; a concept taking human form and walking around. That’s why he only produced results tied to that concept, and no one could oppose him. The only ones who could stand against him were those of us who possessed Divine Nature. Meria had explained that to me so thoroughly. The problem was understanding his Divine Nature; if I could grasp that, I’d be in a better position.
“See, I can walk around without clothes and be just fine. I’m not cold, and nobody says anything bad about me being naked. It’s embarrassing for those who try so hard to dress up and attract attention to lose to a naked guy like me, right? In that sense, I win just by existing.”
He had said the same thing when I first met him here. Winning and losing, it was all he cared about. He was trying to provoke us for the same reason. He wanted to win against anything and everything.
“The reason I’m still called the World’s Strongest Man is… because everyone has forgotten my real name.”
“Name? Do I really need one? Oh, now that you mention it, I never got one from my parents. What terrible parents they were.”
“You keep winning without putting in any effort, and that’s why everyone calls you that. It’s not because you’re strong; it’s just your Divine Nature doing the work.”
“I don’t get it, but it’s a fact that I’m the strongest, right?”
A strange feeling surged within me, a mix of frustration and urgency. It was maddening, and I couldn’t quite grasp what I felt towards him.
“Effort, effort, huh? You can keep doing that if you want. Even if you train hard, I’ll still win. Fighting and women are so easy that they bore me. I wonder why everyone struggles with this?”
He was belittling the struggles others had faced, effortlessly reaping the rewards without understanding the hard work behind them. I had my own struggles. Why had I fought in the Abyss Cave for ten long years? I had faced death countless times, cried, felt lonely and pained. I believed that those experiences shaped who I was today. But he…
“You’re going to win anyway, huh? I mean, I’d like to know what defeat feels like sometimes, but I just keep winning.”
He denied everything—other people’s efforts, their processes, their very existence. He felt no value in what I had worked so hard to achieve. He had gained strength more easily than I had. Even though he hadn’t always known about his Divine Nature of Destruction, he was using it unconsciously to its fullest.
I couldn’t allow this. I was furious. I wanted to defeat him, to make him understand. It wasn’t just me; even the Special Operations Unit had struggled—ah, I finally understood. The feelings they had harbored towards me.
“Ah, I’m being envied again. Delicious, delicious, the wine is good today.”
Yes, it was jealousy. The Special Operations Unit had been so desperate because they were jealous of me. They thought I had leaped over their struggles. This ridiculous guy, who won without effort, infuriated me. I wanted to win. I wanted to make him understand. Effort does not betray; I was stronger.
“Hey.”
“Hmm? What is it, jealousy?”
“You’re not the strongest. You’re just lucky to have that one Divine Nature. It’s not something you earned through hard work.”
“Yeah, yeah, that’s right.”
“Let me put it more clearly: your ‘victory’ is insignificant.”
I was certain now about his Divine Nature. As I conveyed that, I stepped forward once more. Without using Disballade, I aimed my fist at the Pervert’s face. The force was enough to obliterate, but perhaps his Divine Nature was too strong; once again, he stopped my attack.
“See? It’s pointless.”
My fist sank into the Pervert’s cheek, and I refused to relent. I wouldn’t give up. He wasn’t the strongest. I was number one. Even if there was victory in that, it would be—
“It’s me!”
“Ugh!”
My fist struck true. The Pervert twisted his head and finally lost his balance, crashing to the floor. He moved sluggishly, as if finally realizing he was on the ground. I could tell this had never happened to him before. Being knocked down by someone else was a first for him. That’s why he didn’t quite understand his situation.
“Ugh! It hurts! It’s throbbing! Agh!”
“That’s what ‘pain’ feels like.”
“It doesn’t hurt! Yay, I win! It doesn’t hurt!”
“I’ll say it more clearly this time.”
I looked down at the Pervert, who was crawling on the floor, refusing to acknowledge the fact he had been hit.
“I am the strongest.”
Despite his bravado, the Pervert held his cheek with his hand, his eyes wide with disbelief. His eyelids trembled. I couldn’t tell if it was anger or humiliation, but today was a first for him. The day he experienced pain for the very first time in his life.
◆ Shin Report ◆
This lewd scene…
What a stimulating experience, I can hardly endure it.
I won’t even dare to imagine what happened here.
I just won’t.
Am I the strongest?
I knew it all along. Yes, I’ll disband.