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 153: King’s Authority

Episode 153: King’s Authority

~~Skill Details~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

[Colorless King’s Authority: Timeless Radiance]  

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • The supreme power of the “Colorless King. A pure destructive magical light that returns everything to nothingness.  

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Releases highly concentrated |Mana| in all directions. The |Mana| being output can dismantle any and all defenses and transform them into destructive force.  

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • To wield this power, one must demonstrate royal authority.  

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“So, that’s the explanation…”  

After I relayed the description from my |Status| screen, the scholars began sharing their interpretations.  

There were a few |Mana| experts among them. And soon a flurry of theories started flying around. Many of which went over my head. In the end, though, we decided to test it in practice.  

That said, trying it in the Great Cavern would definitely lead to a catastrophe.  

So, I made a quick return to the Great Magical Wilderness. Paula opened up a portal for me, and once again, I set foot on the icy land.  

“This is the Great Magical Wilderness?”  

“What an intense |Mana| concentration! With this, we might even be able to revisit that project we halted last year—”  

“This ice is also a prime magical material of the highest grade.”  

The scholars followed with various instruments in tow. They were all protected by Paula’s magic, so they ventured into the wasteland in their research uniforms. Just watching them made me feel cold.  

“(Well, not that I can feel the cold anymore.)”  

I sped through the icy valleys, keeping a safe distance for the upcoming experiment.  

Thanks to my {Evolution}, my body now constantly emitted high heat. My body temperature was likely higher than any magical beast I had encountered.  

“(I guess I can also turn off [Mana Eclipse] for now.)”  

I deactivated the [Skill] that had been preventing me from being blinding or too hot. My body, which had been pitch black, began to shine brightly. The sheer amount of light made it hard to tell, but it was probably a mix of white and orange.  

Aside from the change in color, there had been other minor adjustments due to my {Evolution}. While my main body remained a sphere, I now had eight new auxiliary units.  

These units were shaped like tetrahedrons made from equilateral triangles, constantly orbiting around me.  

From a distance, I probably looked like a sun icon you’d see on a weather report.  

(Note:

Sun Icons on a Japanese Weather Forecast)

“(Let’s give it a try… Hm, yeah, this seems useful.)”  

Since I couldn’t use them safely inside the Great Cavern, I tested out their maneuverability while traveling. I found that I could control them like extensions of my own body—well, they technically *are* part of my body.  

“(No issues controlling all eight at once. Looks like the boost from [Innovation Under the Sun] is working too.)”  

Even though they were part of me, controlling eight new limbs at once was harder than moving eight fingers independently. Yet, I was managing it with decent precision, all thanks to the [Skill].  

“([Compact Thrust], [Lightning Strike]… Yep, everything works perfectly.)”  

One of the auxiliary units shot through a distant ice mountain, and a bolt of lightning burst out from within it.  

I could use these units as conduits for my [Skills].  

Although they couldn’t change shape and would start to decay if they got too far from me, they could easily go up to a kilometer away. This was a highly useful body trait, and I needed to master it as much as possible with the time I had left.  

“(Alright, this should do.)”  

I stopped when the scholars were no more than specks in the distance.

It was time to test out the [Colorless King’s Authority: Timeless Radiance].  

“(First, let’s activate [Sun Sovereign].)”  

A crystal halo appeared above my head. This halo, resembling a crown, signaled the activation of [Sun Sovereign]. By constantly consuming a massive amount of |Mana|, it boosted the effects of any skills related to Mana Crystals or artifacts.  

The final line of [Colorless King’s Authority: Timeless Radiance] had said, “To wield this power, one must demonstrate royal authority.” This seemed to mean I needed to activate [Sun Sovereign] first.  

“(And now for the long charge-up…)”  

With the crystal crown hovering above me, I immediately moved on to the next step: gathering an enormous amount of |Mana|.  

Like with the trump card of the “Polar King,” activating this [Skill] required an exorbitant amount of |Mana|.  

Just like when I expanded my domain, I began compressing a huge amount of |Mana| into a single point.  

“(Phew, this should be enough.)”  

Although I had burned through a significant portion of my |Mana| in the battle against the “Polar King”, the |Mana| in the Great Magical Wilderness was regenerating me at an incredible rate.  

Apparently, [Colorless King’s Authority: Timeless Radiance] could be unleashed with a minimum of 10,000 |Mana|. And I had more than enough at this point.  

Now, it was time for the grand reveal.  

“([Colorless King’s Authority: Timeless Radiance]!)”  

My heart pounded. 

Of course, it was only a metaphor—Slimes don’t have hearts.  

Even so, I felt a strange sensation, as if the very core of my being was trembling.  

Then, after a brief moment of silence, like the calm before a storm, a deafening roar echoed as countless things were shattered.  

The sound came from the waves of light that spread in all directions, smashing the ice of the Great Magical Wilderness.  

The aftermath of the destruction was like a massive crater. A gaping hole had been carved into the ice field with me at the center, leaving no trace of the once-mighty ice mountains of the wasteland.  

“(Is… is this really the minimum output?)”  

I could hardly believe my eyes at the devastation.  

After all, it was likely on the same level as the [Skill] the Sea Angel used to wipe out my entire life force in one strike.  

But this is undoubtedly the [Skill]’s normal power.  

After that, I gathered some nearby ice samples and returned to hear the scholars’ analysis.  

From their findings, I learned two key points:  

First, it releases |Mana| directly, similar to a bombardment artifact. 

This meant that I could also combine it with the Mana Leak effect of Mana Eclipse.

Second, it could nullify other |Mana|-based abilities.  

During the compression process, it seems the |Mana| was imbued with a special property, causing any |Mana| touched by the light waves to lose its original function.  

This must be the part of the [Skill] description that referred to “dismantle any and all defenses.”  

Since the phrase “transform them into destructive power” followed, some speculated that the more |Mana| it nullified, the greater the increase in destructive power. But we didn’t have time to fully investigate, so we decided to test that in the field later.

Afterward, I returned to the Great Cavern and repeated tests and experiments with my [Unique Skill] and artifacts.  

Finally, I created a weapon from the Sea Angel’s remains, consumed the remaining parts, and set off on my journey again.  

This was roughly half a day after defeating the “Polar King.”  

“This is the closest spot. We’re still pretty far from the Great Magical Wilderness, though.”  

“No, this is close enough. Thanks, I’ll be on my way.”  

“Alright, take care.”  

Paula saw me off as I took to the sky in the early hours of the morning.  

My next destination: the Southern Great Magical Wilderness. 

Where the world’s oldest Beast King, the “Ancient King”, awaits.