◆ Avangarde Castle, King’s Chamber ◆
It was true that he had no skills. His only means of attack were punches, kicks, and for some reason, slaps. Each of these was delivered at a painfully slow speed. It seemed that the Divine Nature of Victory didn’t extend to speed. Not only did he lack skills, but it was also clear he had no experience in battle whatsoever.
“If I hit you, I win! And if I hit you, you’ll die, so you’re just running away—guh!”
“Hmm, even if I hit you with all my strength, it doesn’t feel like much of a challenge.”
The thought that being hit by me wouldn’t hurt him made my full-force strikes ineffective. It was a testament to just how incredible the Divine Nature of Victory was. At this point, he still didn’t think he had lost, and as long as he was stubbornly holding on, he would continue to act like this. But that stubbornness revealed certain truths.
“Next, I’ll slice you!”
I unleashed a full-powered Sonic Ripper without mercy upon the pervert. At this point, not only the King’s Chamber but also the people lounging around were caught in the crossfire, but with Kurinka around, it was fine. Even if the walls, floor, and sleeping people were obliterated, she would regenerate them. I felt a bit sorry for the people, but there was no time to move them out of the way. It was a bit infuriating that he had fallen into such a pathetic state, even if it was due to his Divine Nature.
“Ngyaaaah! Higi, higi!”
“Wow, it’s amazing that you’re not blown away and only bleeding…”
The damage was merely a diagonal cut from his shoulder. Even so, he was bleeding profusely, and under normal circumstances, he would have fainted from the pain. The only reason he hadn’t was, of course, thanks to his Divine Nature. Victory—such a powerful Divine Nature, and yet I couldn’t help but feel jealous that it wasn’t mine. Why did it have to belong to someone like him?
“Hehe… it doesn’t hurt, though?”
“You’re bleeding a lot, and if it keeps up like this, you’ll die, you know?”
“I won’t die or anything…”
“Claiming to be the King’s illegitimate child is a lie, right? You just said some random stuff to gain their trust. All thanks to your Divine Nature.”
I had only recently learned that the King of Avangarde had no children and was struggling with succession issues. With his sudden arrival, he was welcomed in no time. Given what had happened with Belmund and considering the past, I couldn’t just say this country was the best. Still, I couldn’t say everyone was bad, especially since they were trying to shift to a republic. How many times did this country have to rise up after the Demon Lord Army, the Comet Wolf Brigade, and Vandalsia? Enough already.
“Damn it… I should be the best. The best…”
“You’re feeling dizzy. If you’re leaving this country, I won’t do anything more.”
“I’ve always… won until now… why is this happening… wasn’t I the world’s strongest…? No one could beat me… they all ran away…”
“Winning is difficult.”
Thanks to his Divine Nature, he could be considered victory incarnate, but that was all there was to it. He just needed to win against someone to feel strong. He was just doing trivial things, and if they went his way, that was all that mattered to him. That was everything for him, and because of his victory, it would end at this level.
I had recently come to understand that Divine Natures weren’t something that could be overcome with skills or training. Vandalsia’s mastery of Vanishing wasn’t just about strength; it was also influenced by his mindset. That unfathomable cruelty deepened his Divine Nature. The Divine Nature of Victory might be broader and more powerful than my Power of Destruction, but he hadn’t done anything. He hadn’t learned anything. Thus, his goals remained simple.
“I’ll win, I’ll win… I’m the best…”
“Still not admitting it…”
“Huh? I’m the best, though…?”
“Somehow, the bleeding has stopped…”
It was incredible how he unconsciously influenced his Divine Nature to this extent. More than that, the Divine Nature of Victory was truly something else. I had felt envy, but I wondered what I would have done if I had possessed such a Divine Nature. I might have ended up thinking I was strong just because I could win without doing anything.
In that case, Divine Nature wouldn’t necessarily be a good thing for the person who possessed it. Even if he didn’t realize it, the day would come when he would face pain and wouldn’t know how to deal with it. He wouldn’t even be able to acknowledge his own defeat. No, he would remain stubbornly strong without realizing it.
“Lua-chan… um, it’s hard to say, but are you still going to continue?”
“…No.”
I sheathed Disballade, leaving the pervert muttering about not losing in my peripheral vision. The man who had single-handedly defeated the world’s strongest man, the Kaiser Dragon. I wondered what he was like, and I imagined that the Kaiser Dragon had simply run away. More accurately, he hadn’t bothered to engage. I could picture him glancing at the tough guy with a hint of exasperation before turning his back and walking away.
“Come on, come at me! Destruction or whatever!”
“I’m not using the Power of Destruction.”
“…Huh? No way.”
“I’m serious. If I had used it, you’d be nothing but dust. Like this.”
I tried obliterating the left half of the pervert’s body with just my fist. The wind pressure alone tore through his skin, crushed his muscles, and left not even a speck of bone. At this point, he had been destroyed. No matter what healing magic was used, the fact that he had been obliterated couldn’t be undone. Except for one person.
“Angel Heal.”
Only Kurinka, who could regenerate the results of destruction, was different. The obliterated parts revived in mid-air, gathering back towards the pervert. It all happened in less than a second. He felt neither the pain of destruction nor the comfort of recovery. His consciousness fell into the abyss of death, only to awaken again. The pervert stumbled and tripped over a naked man lying on the ground, crashing spectacularly. The sight of naked bodies overlapping was disgusting.
“See? This is just bullying now.”
“No, it’s not.”
“It really is.”
“It can’t be! Why?! Why?! Why?! I’m strong! I’m strong! Aaaahhh!”
He screamed in madness and finally began headbutting a nearby pillar. He “defeated” the pillar, and it started to crumble. This was getting out of hand. Just as he began to direct his fists at the sleeping people, I kicked him away.
“Gyah!”
“Seriously, wake up already?”
“I don’t understand… ahihihihih!”
“…This person is beyond saving.”
I understood that much. Kurinka wouldn’t be able to heal the mind of someone who had gone mad, and she probably wouldn’t even want to. He wasn’t someone who could be dealt with through words. It was pathetic that Aboro, a demon who had lost in battle and accepted his defeat, was the most reasonable among them.
“Citizens! I’m your king!”
“Oh… I have to chase after him.”
The pervert suddenly took off running. He dashed out of the King’s Chamber and fell from the terrace, of course, still alive. Covered in dirt, he got back up and headed toward the town below, looking rather pitiful.
◆ Avangarde Royal Capital ◆
“Hey! I’m the king!”
The naked man shouted as he ran around. People glanced at him but did nothing more. The bustling scene of various people passing by felt like a city, but now it was completely dreary. Even though it was the Royal Capital, there weren’t many people in sight, and some were sitting on the ground chatting. Although it was due to Rulud, the lack of vitality was alarming; at this rate, the entire country would perish.
“Hey! I’m the king! Ahihihah!”
No one reacted anymore. At this point, I quickly realized something was wrong. Even with the Divine Nature of Victory, he couldn’t capture anyone’s attention. Was it really just Rulud’s fault?
“Kurinka, something feels off. It’s as if everyone isn’t just uninterested in that pervert, but looking down on him.”
“Normally, if a naked person was shouting, that would be the expected reaction…”
“Tch… what kind of king is he? Just a fake pervert.”
Finally, the townspeople began to call the pervert a pervert. They looked at him with the same disdain they would have for a rat scurrying around. Oblivious to this, the pervert continued to prance around, trying to draw attention.
“What’s the deal?! I’m the king!”
“Shut up! You’re just a lying illegitimate child! I don’t believe you anymore! I don’t believe anything!”
“What’s wrong with you all?!”
“Get lost! Get out of our country!”
Finally, everyone began throwing stones at the pervert. I watched, thinking that with his Divine Nature, he wouldn’t flinch, but they hit him squarely, and he started bleeding. Stones struck his head, shoulders, and chest, and soon the pervert began to scream.
“What the hell?! What the hell?!”
“Get out! Get out!”
“Everyone… maybe you should stop that.”
As soon as I stepped in to intervene, everyone turned to glare at us. A sense of foreboding washed over me as their bodies shifted in our direction. The moment I felt the grip on the stone in my hand tighten, I understood.
“Flash Strike Girl… I can’t believe you!”
“That’s right! How cheeky for a child!”
“Honestly, I can’t trust someone who’s a pervert marrying another girl! It’s disgusting!”
“Hey! Just because we’re naked doesn’t mean we’re perverts!”
“Repent. Question your own existence. Cursed Child.”
From among the townsfolk, a familiar voice echoed. That nonsensical way of speaking was unforgettable after hearing it just once. I should have recognized that strange mask at a glance, yet I couldn’t see the figure.
“From this moment, there is no place for you.”
It was the Smooth One. He wasn’t wearing that mask, and there was no mistaking he wasn’t Rulud. I could tell he belonged to the Uzei Religion. But his voice and manner of speaking were unmistakably Rulud’s. I wouldn’t let myself be shaken here. Thanks to Juo—no, because of Juo—I had grown accustomed to this.
“You’re using the same skill as Juo, Rulud. You’re communicating through that person as a medium from another location.”
“J-Juo’s skill…?”
“Ridiculous. The level is incomparable. Do not underestimate the Spirit Emperor’s technique.”
In essence, he was saying not to compare him to Juo. Why did he have to speak in such a strange way? I wished he would just talk normally.
“Rulud, can’t you come out without using that person as a shield?”
“To act openly is a sign of foolishness. Do not underestimate your threat.”
“Well, at least he acknowledges me. But what’s going on here? Is this your doing?”
“From this moment, the Royal Capital shall be governed by that person.”
“O humans, worship!”
A half-naked man with gaunt features and thin gray skin, his back adorned with white wings, descended slowly from the sky.
“Worship! I govern in the name of Ash Angel Zeyel, who descends from the Celestial Realm.”
Just like Zaniel, those wings were unmistakable. His ally had joined forces with Rulud. Thinking back, it was only natural. Madias couldn’t have only Zaniel as his subordinate, and the appearance of this being meant they were serious about crushing us.
“Aha! An angel, an angel! You all know, right? He’s a subordinate of Madias, so this is perfect! If I defeat you, I’ll be the strongest! Madias isn’t my enemy!”
“O you who rebel against the Divine Being and seek to deceive. You shall be judged by divine decree.”
Rulud raised one hand to the heavens. Blood erupted from the mouths and ears of the naked man, as if he were a fountain.
“Ahhhhhh!”
“I cleanse your sins to the heavens. Henceforth, you shall suffer from the miraculous power, afflicted by the world’s most dreadful ailments. Though it may be but for a moment, it shall be the utmost agony.”
“Aah… ah, ahh…”
It wasn’t just blood and tears; snot and drool were scattered everywhere. The World’s Strongest Man met a miserable end. Even if he died, it would leave a bad taste in my mouth, and Kurinka must have tried her best too. But Rulud was simply better. No, it was more accurate to say that was entirely Madias’s power.
“N-No… This is completely different from when we helped the Special Operations Unit… Just Rulud directly intervening makes such a difference…”
“Why is Rulud able to use Madias’s power… I need to solve this mystery…”
“What is bestowed is but a mere fraction.”
In other words, he was saying Madias’s power was far beyond this. The townsfolk’s rejection of the perverse Divine Nature could be due to either Rulud or Zeyel. Regardless, I couldn’t leave something like that unchecked, and I would take them down here, including that Zeyel.
“Kurinka, let’s do this.”
“At least let’s take down Zeyel…!”
“Stop.”
As I reached for Disballade, something descended to block us. Fluffy white fur floated in the air, like a snowy landscape, revealing a back covered in such fur.
“L-Lord Daigami…!”
“Zeyel. I am one who serves the Divine Being in the human realm. Please, I ask for your understanding.”
“From the beginning, I had no intention of taking the lives of those humans.”
“I am grateful.”
“Wait! Lord Daigami!”
Wrapping us in his fluffy tail, Lord Daigami lifted us away from the scene. He didn’t answer our questions, but at least we were leaving the Royal Capital for now. I was quite dissatisfied, but Lord Daigami had helped us, so I needed to calm down. We could take them down anytime.
◆ Shin Report ◆
The World’s Strongest Man, upon opening the lid, is nothing but trivial.
Had I not met Rua, I surely could have been happy.
But even if I say I’m fine being naked, the meaning of choosing to be naked is…
This time, even Shin is at a loss.
Is the victory of the Divine Nature not getting through?
An angel? Even Shin has never seen something like that before.
Well, with Rua in front of me, looking down on me, it’s just like always.
No surprise there.
Speaking of which, the fox was scared a long time ago.
Surely, there are circumstances that cannot be measured by a mere lowly race.
Well, Shin is a demon, so I can understand with ease.
Hmph, for now, the fluffy custard’s case will flow for a while.
A sigh of relief.
Hmm, is this destination perhaps the village of Ikanamu?
Wait, wait, wait, this is bad!