Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 129: Will you keep the seal? YES/NO

Episode 129: Will you keep the seal? YES/NO

(Note: Special for this chapter the MC’s dialogue is written in ‘…..’)

“There’s no way my dad would do something like that!!”  

Krissa, who had been silent until now, suddenly yelled.

Her outburst startled me a bit.

“You might not know this, but my dad has never done anything crooked or wrong, not even once! He always worked hard for the people in town and volunteered for dangerous missions! There’s no way he’d do something to Fisu and the others… Don’t just make things up like that!”

She spoke with incredible intensity. But the Sage, unfazed by Krissa’s fury, showed no sign of being pressured or embarrassed.

“I believe I’ve already answered that question, but discussing it here is pointless.”  

As if to indicate the conversation was over, the Sage shifted her gaze from Krissa to me.  

“Katsu, you’ve been calm this whole time, but do you also believe Xanthos wouldn’t betray you?”

‘Uh, well… yeah, I guess…’  

I ended up giving a vague answer.

To be honest, we’ve only known each other for less than a month, and while I think Xanthos is serious and a good guy, I’m not confident that I fully understand his inner self. Especially in extreme situations, like when a loved one is in danger and the only way to save them is by sacrificing someone else.

The reason I’m acting calm isn’t because of Xanthos. It’s because I trust Fisu. I’m convinced that if their goal is to capture her alive, we’ll figure something out even if we get attacked. But, of course, I can’t say that in front of Krissa. I want to keep Fisu’s combat abilities hidden for as long as possible.

“You are astonishingly optimistic. Well, no matter. It is my duty as ruler to guide my people in the right direction. Since the moment Katsu entered this room, I have already dispatched the royal guards. The artifact that maintains the seal is in the basement of this tower, and I don’t think they will miss it.”

‘Royal guards…?’

“Oh, It’s referring to the Sage’s personal pseudo-magical constructs. They’re smarter than the regular ones and can handle complex orders. It was one of those constructs that guided me here this morning.”

“Indeed, they are highly autonomous, general-purpose pseudo-magical constructs.”

‘Huh, so they even have things like that…’

……………….. 

The conversation trailed off, leaving an awkward silence. I started looking for a new topic but then remembered the real reason I came here. I’m here to ask them to stop the sacrificial system.  

I understand the circumstances, but I can’t overlook people dying. We’ve gotten off track, so I need to steer the conversation back.

‘That’s not important right now. More importantly—’

“!”

Just as I was about to speak, I sensed a rise in |Mana| next to me, on the side opposite Krissa.  

The Sage noticed it too, turning her sharp gaze in that direction, but it wasn’t my doing.  

Before I could explain, the |Mana| materialized.

“Katsu-kun, something terrible has happened!”

Sure enough, the one who appeared from a hole in the air was Paula. 

It seemed she had acted impulsively, and her expression changed to surprise when she noticed the Sage.

“A surface dweller with barrier magic… It’s Paula, isn’t it? So this is the teleportation hole mentioned in the report. It’s truly a terrifying magic.”

“Uh… and you are?”

‘She’s the Sage.’

“Eh!? This… person, is?”

Paula tilted her head in confusion.  

I get it. When I heard “ruler,” I also imagined someone older. But since she has the Immortal Attribute, looking like she’s in her twenties isn’t strange at all.

“So, Paula, what’s going on? You seemed to be in a real rush. But I can guess—it’s about Xanthos, right?”

“Yes, exactly. Xanthos asked me for advice, but—”

“I’ll explain the rest.”  

A second person appeared from the still-open hole. It was none other than Xanthos himself.  

Fisu followed soon after, not tied up or threatened but walking with her usual poker face.  

‘(No, wait… she seems more energetic than usual, doesn’t she?)’

“Katsu-dono, you may already know since you’re here, but—”

“Hold on, Captain! What are you doing here?”  

The Sage interrupted, sounding slightly confused.

“I apologize for the late greeting, Sage. I came here to, of course, offer our assistance in the subjugation of the Calamity Beast. Katsu-dono, I know I’m asking a lot, but could you please lend us your strength?”

‘Um… you mean the Calamity Beast that’s been sealed for a thousand years, right?’

“Yes. If we can defeat it, Krissa won’t have to sacrifice herself.”

“I was asked too, to help out. Barrier magic is effective even against stronger enemies and can be used for evacuation, after all.”

‘I see…’  

It would be hard to directly attack an opponent who can use magic to control space, but that’s not the only strength of barrier magic.

For example, barrier magic could be exceptionally powerful for both defense and evasion.  

While I was coming to terms with that, the Sage groaned, placing her hand on her forehead.

“…Did I mishear? You couldn’t possibly have said you plan to defeat *that one*…The Earth God, ‘The  Devouring Horizon’, The Earth Dragon?”

“No mistake, Sage. I am fully committed to slaying that great beast, even if it costs me my life.”

“…I’m at a loss for words. After all the warnings about its threat, someone from my own people dares to embark on such a reckless endeavor.”  

Her voice carried a mixture of disbelief, anger, and fear that she could not fully hide.

“The beast’s seal is maintained by shifting its internal phase. To defeat it, we must first break the seal. And I will never allow that. You are far too ignorant of the terror that is the Earth Dragon… the Calamity Beast.”

“Sage, we’ve heard the stories from a thousand years ago. Six beings with strength comparable to Sovereign Beasts were defeated. That’s clearly a massive threat. But we have people from the Third and Fourth Class here—”

Fisu’s words were interrupted by the Sage’s sharp voice—more of a shout, really.

“Your understanding is far too shallow! Listen well, the Calamity Beast is a catastrophe capable of destroying entire nations. A thousand years ago, a neighboring kingdom was wiped out in a single night just because it lay in the path of the beast. And that was a major power with several warriors from the Fourth Class! Humans can barely stand up to a Sovereign Beast, even with many from the Fourth Class, and you think you can defeat a Calamity Beast? Such foolishness!”

The Sage, who had been calm until now, began to lose her composure after hearing Xanthos’ determination.  

Listening from a step back, I could tell that her frustration came from a sense of duty and responsibility.  

Xanthos holds a significant position, and he might even know the location of the sealing mechanism. He is one of the few people who could realistically break the seal.  

For the Sage, who has worked to maintain the seal after the tragedy of a thousand years ago, the idea that Xanthos was seriously considering releasing it must have felt like a grave threat. She was desperate to make him reconsider.

“…Why, Dad?”  

Then, unexpectedly, Krissa joined the conversation.

“If I die, won’t that solve everything?! You know there’s no way we can beat a monster that can destroy an entire town, right?! You agreed with me last month when I said that! It’s the only logical choice, so why are you…?”

“…I’ve always told you to do what’s right and stay on the correct path. I’ve lived the same way. I swore on the day you were born, and again on the day your mother—my wife—passed, that I would never turn my back on justice so that I could be a father you could be proud of.”  

Xanthos’ words were spoken with a calm yet forceful conviction.

“But I failed to tell you one crucial thing. Krissa, you are precious to me. No matter how many lives it could save, I cannot allow you to throw your life away. I want you to laugh with your friends, pursue the things you love, and find happiness. That’s why I’ve decided to take up the sword, even if it means defying common sense or justice. Please forgive your father for breaking his word.”  

“…What the hell, Dad…?”  

“It doesn’t matter! Offering Krissa Sideros is a settled decision. Whether the shrine maiden objects or the Captain of the Sentinels does, it will not change.”  

The Sage interjected sharply, cutting off Krissa’s emotional response.

“I respect the will of the shrine maiden to the utmost. However, I will not bend on the matter of using her soul to maintain the seal. If you have lingering attachments, I suggest you resolve them in the time remaining before the Earth God Festival.”

Her voice was as heavy and resolute as Xanthos’, laden with the weight of the burden she carried.  

However, there was one thing she had overlooked.  

Well, calling it an “oversight” might be misleading, since I was deliberately hiding it. Anyway, it was time to reveal it.

‘Oh yeah, I haven’t given you my answer yet. Fine, I’ll do it. I’ll join in the fight to defeat this ‘Earth Dragon’ thing. I’ve been wanting to take on a Calamity Beast anyway, for both the materials and the <Soul Fragments>.’

“You—!”  

‘Relax. I’m not stupid enough to charge in without a plan.’  

As I spoke, I deactivated the concealment on my |Mana|. 

Seeing the people around me recoil in shock, I continued.

‘I get it—the Calamity Beast is insanely dangerous. Even though I’ve never seen one myself, your words alone have made that painfully clear. I understand that no ordinary person—or even an exceptional one—could hope to defeat it.’

“Then why—”  

‘But what if another Calamity Beast fought against it?’  

While using [Telepathy], I directed my thoughts inward.

‘I’m going to {Evolve}. The {Possible Evolution} I’m choosing is—”

“””Wh-what!?”“”

“EEe, Katsu-kun, are you really revealing that now!?”  

I had finally begun the {Evolution} into a Calamity Beast, a step I had been holding off on for so long.