Episode 156: Opening of Hostilities

“(I’ve found it… the “Ancient King’s” [Dominon]…!)”

Shortly after defeating the “Green King”.

After crafting a weapon from the “Green King’s” body and returning to the southern continent with Paula’s magic, I finally arrived at the “Ancient King’s” [Dominion].

It was a forest like any other, but the vegetation was different.

The trees here were larger, and the beasts inhabiting the area were also noticeably bigger.

Some of them were comparable in size to the Beast Kings. But despite their size, their |Mana| levels were low.

It’s likely that the environment created by the “Ancient King” facilitates the growth of larger creatures.

“(I have no idea what kind of effect this might have… but I guess I’ll just have to dive in and see.)”

With resolve, I gazed toward the territory.

―――Non-Notification Information Recording Zone―――――――――――――

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>> The Radiant One with the Amber Sun and Divine Wisdom (?), Fuwa Katsu, has activated [Courage]..  

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Perhaps because my action was considered an embodiment of ‘courage,’ my body felt lighter.

I activated several enhancement [Skills], including the newly learned [Sun Sovereign], and prepared myself.

“(Release ‘Convergence’!)”

The world trembled.

It felt like space itself cracked. The sensation of a fissure being etched into the foundation of the world.

I was more captivated by that feeling than by the roar of the explosion that blew away the forest.

“(That scared the hell out of me… Is this what happens when Beast Kings collide with their [Dominions]?)”

Since I was in the air, the point of the shockwave’s origin was fairly high up. But the vast forest of the Great Magical Wilderness had been reduced to a wasteland.

The sturdy trees, which should have been resilient, and the colossal magical beasts were all obliterated in the wake of the shockwave.

That strange sensation of the world cracking was gone now, but I instinctively knew—letting Beast Kings’ [Dominions] collide like this was something to be avoided.

“(Well, no way it’d stay quiet after something like that.)”

Beyond the cloud of dirt kicked up by the shockwave.

I stared through it with [Clairvoyance], focusing on the origin of the [Dominion].

The “Ancient King” I’m about to face is the strongest of the Beast Kings.

According to the gods, it’s a Chimera, but I never heard any specifics about its species.

Back then, I hadn’t decided which Beast King to hunt, and time for communication with the god was limited.

That’s why I couldn’t afford to miss even the smallest movement from it.

So, I quickly noticed the approaching shadow after the rumbling of the ground.

The shadow traced a parabolic arc and landed several hundred meters from me. For a Beast King, this was a distance it could close in the blink of an eye.

The shadow that landed was a colossal beast, towering like a mountain, even larger than other Beast Kings.

With the massive impact of its landing, the forest—already being burned away and turned into Mana Crystals by the [Dominion]—was further devastated.

“GRRROOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAHHHH!!!”

Just one roar. That alone stirred up a gale, clearing the dust.

And there it stood, a being that could only be described as the ultimate creature.

Its presence alone made me instinctively understand—this was the mightiest of the “Ten Kings”.

“(… Woah—!)”

It had fangs.

Fangs towering like a spire, sharper than the finest blade, lined up in its maw.

It had horns.

Three horns extended from its forehead and nose, all aimed directly at me.

It had claws.

Scythe-like claws with a slight curve, longer than its hands.

It had dorsal fins.

Not the gentle kind found on fish, but more like the vicious, circular blade of a saw—an incredibly savage and cruel form.

It had wings that could overshadow the sky. It had plate-like bones running from its back to its tail. Its tail had a structure resembling a flail.

In short, this thing—if described simply—was a Chimera with features of countless dinosaurs.

“(This is… 

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀             ⠀⠀⣷⡆⠀⠀⠀⠀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

         ⠀⠀⠀⠠⢤⣦⠤⠀⠀⠉⢏⠀⠠⣤⣦⠄⠀⡸⠁⠀⠀⠀⣠⠹⠛⠏⠀⠀⠀⠀

         ⠀⣠⠀⠀⠉⠈⠐⢄⠀⠀⠈⢆⠀⠉⡏⠀⠰⠁⠀⠀⠠⠊⠀⠀⠠⢤⣦⡤⠀⠀

         ⠘⠛⠋⠒⠂⠤⢀⠀⠁⠀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠣⢤⣦⡤⠀⠁⠀⡀⠤⠒⠉⠈⠈⠁⠀⠀

              SO COOL!!!⠀⠀

       ⣀⣤⣀⢀⣀⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠈⠀⠐⠀⠀⠀⠁⢤⣶⡄⠀⠀⣀⣀⡀⣀⣠⣀

         ⠘⠉⠁⠀⠀⠀⢀⡠⠄⠂⠀⡠⠀⠀⠀⠐⢄⠀⠀⠂⠠⠄⣀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠘⠛⠃

⠀⠀       ⠀⣶⣶⠉⠁⠀⢀⣄⠞⠀⠀⠀⡄⠀⠀⠑⠄⡀⠀⠀⠀⠉⢳⣾⡖⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀        ⠀⠀⠙⠛⠃⠀⠠⣴⣦⠄⠀⠈⠝⠛⠅⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀        ⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

)”

My excitement soared.

Cool! Cool! Cool!!

It’s the absolute coolest, strongest, and most ultimate-looking thing!

Even the crown-like array of fangs, likely a [Sovereign-type Skill], was wild and awesome.

It’s so overflowing with dreams and imagination that it almost feels like a waste to kill it.

“(But that’s not going to happen, is it…?)”

I could feel its burning fighting spirit. A bloodthirsty gaze.

While beasts are typically aggressive, the “Ancient King” has a fighting instinct that’s even stronger… far beyond any ordinary creature.

There’s no way I could say, “Let’s be friends,” and expect it to listen.

The “Ancient King’s” entire body was drawn taut with battle intent.

“GARRRRRRRROOOOOAAHHH!!”

“(It’s fast!?)”

I strengthened myself with [Conduction].

Enhanced by [Courage].

And accelerated my thoughts with [Clear Tranquility].

The “Ancient King” closed in at godlike speed. It was so fast that even my vision, enhanced by numerous buffs, almost lost track of him. 

“(But that’s what I was hoping for!)”

My excitement surged from deep within. 

From the start, I never had any intention of getting along with the “Ancient King”.

Beyond needing to raise my <Level> to defeat Karkinos, I simply had the desire to take it down. 

That desire only grew stronger as I witnessed the sheer power of this apex predator’s leg strength.

I roused my |Mana| and activated my [Skills].

“(First, let’s go with this one—[Sun Sovereign]!)”

Aside from its buffing effect, [Sun Sovereign] had another ability, which I activated now. 

The Mana Crystals around me floated up by themselves.

“(Time to turn these into bombs!)”

With [Sun Sovereign], I could manipulate nearby Mana Crystals and artifacts, even from a distance. 

The bombs I created flew out from the white magical flames scorching the earth.

“GRAAH!”

“(Well, that didn’t work, huh!)”

Countless bombs exploded, but the “Ancient King” burst through the fire unscathed.

Now, the distance between us was less than a hundred meters. As it accelerated further, I jumped.

In that moment, its upper and lower fangs clamped together, leaving a canyon-like bite mark in the ground.

The damage was far greater than the size of the fangs themselves. It seemed like its bite attack had the ability to extend its range.

“(Damn, that sudden acceleration and attack range extension is seriously deadly!)”

Luckily, I had already anticipated how dangerous its abilities were and moved early to evade. 

Had I hesitated even slightly, those towering fangs would’ve torn me apart.

“(Fangs are a real pain, aren’t they?)”

As I dodged in mid-air, I recalled the explanation given to me by the gods.

In the ancient times, before there were <Levels>, [Skills], Species, or even Attributes, the only special power that existed was called [Fang].

The performance of [Fangs] varied widely from one being to another, similar to [Unique Skills].

The “Ancient King’s” [Fang] had three core abilities: ‘Bite’, ‘Change’, and ‘Unchangeable’.

Simply put, its biting attacks were enhanced, making his close-combat strikes impossible to block. And any wounds it inflicted could not be healed. 

After defeating it, the wounds could be treated. But during battle, recovery was completely negated.

This was a fight where death felt more real than ever.

“(That’s what makes it all the better! Let’s both give it our all, “Ancient King”!)”

“GYOOOOOAAHH!!”

The “Ancient King” spread its wings, flapping with such force that the very air seemed to vanish.

Thus began my battle with The Ancient White-Fanged Dragon of Unchanging Might—Gogoro.

(Note: This is one of the comment in the original site for this specific chapter with the Original Author’s reply.

→Random dude:

“Ancient King”, “Green King”, “Polar King”, “Demon King”, “Ten Kings”, what king’s name do you think is cool?

What is the king’s name for our MC?

King of the Sun, “Yang King”

King of the whole sky, “Heavenly King”

The King of Brightness, “Radiant King” 

Too many choices, I can’t choose one. 

→Author:

Thank you for your feedback. It is very encouraging.

I am not sure if it will appear in the main story, but it will be “The King of Light”.

)