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 169: Demon King 4

Episode 169: Demon King 4

Having destroyed the spirit, I rushed toward the Demon King hovering above.  

I hadn’t given him any time to activate his [King’s Authority Skill].  

“Fuh, haha, ha… To defeat a spirit with a physical attack… In such a way, I can’t help but laugh.”  

“Sorry for taking you out so quickly!”  

“No, there’s no need to apologize. I’ve had more than enough time.”  

“!”  

“Behold, [Salvo of the Order]!”  

However, if it’s not a [King’s Authority Skill], it’s a different story. The secret arts of magic, known as the core magic, was activated.  

What was concentrated was an immense |Mana| capable of wiping out the Imperial Capital ten times over.  

Drawn directly from the [Political Sphere] covering the continent, it was layered like a cumulonimbus cloud.  

“What the hell!? What are you doing, you fool! Stop for a second!”  

I questioned his sanity upon seeing the trajectory predicted by my [Projectile Prediction].  

The Demon King was above me, and beneath me lay the many people living in the Imperial Capital.  

The torrent released was thicker than my diameter; whether I fell or not, the Imperial Capital below would be destroyed.  

That was why I asked, but it seemed the Demon King misunderstood my intentions.  

“Now you’re afraid? It’s useless! It’s not just the power; the speed far exceeds anything before! It’s time to settle this!”  

He shouted that and pulled the trigger without hesitation.  

“Damn it! Sun Laser! [Lightning Strike]!”  

I tried to counterattack instinctively, but to put it simply, it was like trying to push back a waterfall with a water gun.  

It only slightly slowed down the velocity, but the |Mana| torrent approached without stopping.  

“(Please make it in time… [Yin and Yang Wisdom]!)”  

As I spread my body flat, I desperately dumped all the gray Mana Crystals I had stored into the sky.  

These were Mana Crystals that didn’t have any stored |Mana|. They absorbed the surrounding |Mana| rapidly.  

They managed to absorb some of the |Mana| torrent, but were quickly swept away by the |Mana| that followed.  

The time I gained was less than a second.  

“(But thanks to that, I’m barely safe! [Replicant Form]!)”  

I mimicked a weapon to cover the upper part of my body, spread out like a disk.  

It was a massive shield, complementing my ancient spear. This tower shield was made of thick, overlapping, fused scales, and its name was,  

“(Ancient Shield!)”  

The |Mana| torrent reached me.  

With my body spread flat, I was set to absorb all of its attacks.  

However, I felt no injury.  

This was the ability of the ancient shield left behind by the “Ancient King,” an effect of ‘Unchangeable’.  

It surpassed the defense penetration granted to the |Mana| torrent, a performance that was out of reach.  

The only force that was transmitted from above to below was the pressure pushing down. But I stayed put as much as possible with [Hasui Formation].  

“(Ugh, ugh…!)”  

But the truly terrifying aspect of the Demon King’s attack was its persistence.  

He was still simultaneously concentrating and releasing |Mana|.  

The relentless pressure bore down on me, gradually lowering my altitude.  

By mimicking the weapon, the number of flying artifacts decreased, and my buoyancy diminished.  

Moreover, the ancient shield wasn’t able to completely replicate the “Ancient King’s” abilities. So it had started to take some damage, albeit slight.  

“(Damn it, enough already, Ancient Horn!)”  

That was why I made my counterattack.  

What I mimicked in front of the |Mana| torrent was not just the ancient shield.  

The horn of the “Ancient King,” which looked like it belonged to a Triceratops, had the ability to summon lightning.  

The ancient horn was a weapon made from that horn. It could consume |Mana| to call down lightning.  

The difference from the lightning strike of my [Unique Skill] was that it would drop lightning from above.  

In this case, it would come from above the Demon King.  

“What the…!?”  

“(! Here it comes, [Super Jump]! )”  

After the sky flashed, the |Mana| torrent stopped. It seemed my attack had disrupted his concentration.  

Not letting that opportunity slip by, I jumped with all my strength and closed in on the Demon King. I thrust the tip of my spear before his eyes and shouted,  

“What the hell are you thinking?! Do you have any idea how many people would have died if I hadn’t blocked that?!”  

“…Why did you protect them?”  

What returned was such a question. There was no excitement like before, nor was there any fear of death; it was a tone filled with confusion.  

The boiling emotions within me began to cool slightly.  

“What do you mean by that?”  

“You are a magical beast. You shouldn’t have any obligation to protect humans.”  

“Ah… Actually, I used to be human. You might find it hard to believe.”  

“…No, I’ll believe you. There’s no reason to plot anything at this point.”  

The Demon King, who had been struck by lightning, had charred spots on his clothes. Yet, his body showed surprisingly little damage.  

He quickly followed up with another sentence.  

“However, even so, I don’t understand. Is there truly value in risking your own safety to protect them? Your speed should be more than adequate to replace the power of teleportation. They are nothing more than mere underlings of the Fourth Class fragile beings that would blow away with a gust!”  

“No, it doesn’t matter if they’re strong or weak. If it means many people will die, I can’t just abandon them that easily.”

“Is that how you think?”  

“Well, it’s not just me; I think most people feel that way, don’t you?”  

Not answering that, the Demon King opened his mouth with a distant look in his eyes.  

“When I was merely the Fourth Prince, those with unique Attributes were persecuted. Due to some trivial religion, they were deemed heretics. It was no exception for royalty; I was treated like a pariah.”  

“……..”  

“To change such a circumstance, I devoted myself to all manner of things. I worked hard in magic, studies, etiquette—everything expected of royalty. Yet those efforts were meaningless. The more power I gained, the more I was despised by those around me. Weaklings barely at the level of the Second Class flocked together like insects, ostracizing the strong.”  

He spoke of that past in a calm manner.  

There was no sentiment of sorrow or humiliation; he seemed to accept the facts as they were.  

“Prioritizing custom over capability. Disillusioned by such a nation, I used my power to its fullest to achieve a revolution. I wanted a nation where everyone would be properly evaluated based on their ability. Therefore, I cannot understand the significance of the weak. I do not comprehend your will to protect them.”  

“Honestly, that’s a tough thing to say… Values differ from person to person, so it’s not very convincing.”  

But I didn’t have much to say either; I didn’t possess any firm convictions.  

The reason I try to protect others is solely because of my experiences in my past life.  

If I had grown up in an environment where I was persecuted all the time, I might have had the same thoughts as the Demon King.  

But if I may say something irresponsible, I prefaced my thoughts.  

“If you’re a king, shouldn’t you take responsibility for the lives of your people? If I hadn’t blocked that last attack, the Imperial Capital would have been obliterated!”  

“No, that |Mana| torrent was narrowing its range and increasing its power. It would have dissipated before reaching the ground anyway.”  

“What?”  

So it was all for nothing!?  

While I was shocked, the conversation moved on.  

“But, it was still perplexing that you put yourself at risk to protect the Imperial Capital. You would be targeted with stones because of the magic that transformed you into a magical beast. Why should you care for the weak who continue to oppress us?”  

“Well, it’s true that I’ve been attacked by people…”  

It seems the transformation into a Slime was interpreted that way.  

Since it was convenient, I decided to leave it at that.  

“But there were also people who extended their hands to me. Some felt indebted for the help I provided, and others remained my friends even after realizing I was a magical beast. You lived through a much harsher time, so I can understand you might have some thoughts about this, but—”  

I wove my words while recalling the people I had met until now.  

“—I said before, values differ from person to person. At least in modern times, not everyone persecuted others simply for having unique Attributes like in the past. It seems unreasonable to harbor anger toward such people.”  

“…….”  

“And even in the time when unique Attributes were persecuted, there were humans who tried to help you.”  

“…Such people were very few.” 

So they did exist.  

If that’s the case, I could confidently persuade him.  

“Hey, you mentioned earlier that you aimed for a meritocratic society. The reason you reformed the country was because you wanted to save those with unique Attributes who were in similar circumstances to yourself… or perhaps to rescue other weak ones who were being oppressed?”  

“……”  

The Demon King opened his eyes wide in surprise.  

“Paula, whom you met in the castle, was isolated because she couldn’t use magic and was called a *dud* Attribute. The female priestess who attacked us also acted violently because she had been oppressed by evil people. If you, the king, don’t work harder, such tragedies will only increase!”  

Initially, the Demon King appeared dazed upon hearing my one-sided complaints. But eventually, his expression shifted to one of understanding.  

“Work harder, you say. Indeed. Thinking back, since I proclaimed myself an emperor and became the absolute power of force and authority, I haven’t had anyone offer their opinions. Before I knew it, I lost sight of the direction I should be aiming for, completely lost my motivation, and felt I had fulfilled my duties just by lending the [Political Sphere] and leaving governance entirely to my subordinates.”  

He looked down, reflecting on his thoughts while gazing at the Imperial Capital below.  

“I do not remember what my true feelings were back then. However, your words, which broke through my spirit with all their might, cannot be dismissed.”  

“So…!”  

“Indeed. As the emperor, I shall ‘work harder’ for a nation where both the weak and the strong are not oppressed. And the first step toward that is to eradicate the troublesome vermin. Will you lend your strength for the future of my empire?”  

“Of course!”  

I stretched out my body and shook hands with the right hand he offered. 

Thus, our alliance was formed.