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 170: The Beginning of the Final Battle

Episode 170: The Beginning of the Final Battle

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

‘──So yeah, we got his cooperation!’  

“I’m not quite sure what happened, but… that’s fortunate.”  

“You did it, Katsu-kun!”  

I reported the outcome of my battle with the Demon King to the two of them.  

They were in the courtyard of the imperial castle.  

Apparently, after me and the Demon King disappeared, they felt the fierce clash of |Mana| in the sky and waited here, concerned.  

I had worried not just these two but also the imperial officials. But since everything had been resolved peacefully, I decided it was all good.  

The Demon King had been talking with someone who looked like a civil official. After a while, he started walking toward us.  

Even such a simple action carried an air of dignity.  

“I will take a rest from now. If the battle against Karkinos drags on, I will extend your stay as necessary.”  

“We are deeply grateful.”  

“So, you mentioned earlier that there’s about half a day for preparation. Specifically, what will be done during that time?”  

“We will align our abilities and prepare for combat against Karkinos. I believe it’s important to confirm our coordination as well.”  

And so, we steadily progressed with our preparations against Karkinos.

—

Half a day later.  

“It’s time, huh?”  

‘Yeah, it’s finally here.’  

As I waited for the damage inflicted by the “Ancient King” to fully heal, Paula came over to talk.  

We were on a beach, the sound of gentle waves filling the air as I responded to her.  

This coastline used to have a fortress, but it had been pushed back nearly a kilometer by the Margrave’s magic—a feat accomplished by manipulating the terrain with grand magic.  

Thanks to the Demon King, the evacuation had gone smoothly.  

“Things have gotten pretty wild, haven’t they? I used to dream of attending magic school. Being chased out after losing the [Political Sphere] feels like it happened so long ago.”  

‘I was pretty shocked when I heard about that. By the way, can’t the Demon King help you with that? I bet he could get you back in school easily.’  

“He probably could… but right now, I need to focus on what’s in front of me.”  

‘You’ve got a point there. You’re a key part of the fight against Karkinos. I’m counting on your support.’  

“Leave it to me! …Well, I can’t say I’m brimming with confidence, but I’ll do my best. After all, Katsu-kun was the one who showed me the true value of my Attribute. There’s no way I’d hold back now.”  

Paula spoke with a voice filled with strong resolve, her sky-blue eyes glaring at the distant sea.  

‘…It’s out there beyond that horizon, huh?’  

“Yeah, I can feel it at the edge of my [Spatial Awareness]. That sinister, overwhelming power like a corrupting torrent… Karkinos’ [Dominion] is drawing closer.”  

‘Then it’s about time to get started.’  

“Are your wounds okay?”  

‘Yeah, they’ve pretty much healed. Let’s go, Obia Mark II.’  

At my command, the winged, dog-shaped pseudo-magical construct took off into the sky.

　◆　　◆　　◆

In the Eastern Great Magical Wilderness.

Karkinos had defeated the “Green King”. It continued its advance westward.  

Its |Speed| was relatively low—compared to the other Beasts Kings, of course—but because the battle took place closer to the west, it had reached the coastline in just about a day.  

At that moment, it noticed something flying through the sky.  

It was a four-legged creature soaring at a height unreachable by any attack from the ground.  

Though it resembled a pegasus, its body looked more like that of a dog.  

──Devour… Devour… Devour… Devour…  

But its identity didn’t matter.  

The 〔Spirit of Chaos〕was known as “The Cursed Plague of the World”. What occupied the mind of Karkinos as one of these creatures, was an obsession with devouring all life.  

Like a child trying to catch an airplane, it raised its branch-like limbs toward the sky.  

The difference between Karkinos and a child, however, was power.  

The raised branch-like limb extended higher and higher, warping and twisting as it reached out toward the flying dog.  

Despite the pseudo-magical construct’s desperate attempts to evade using the [Skills] it had been granted, the difference in speed between it and the Beast King was overwhelming. In no time, Karkinos’ grasp was about to snatch it—

‘──Not happening.’  

Just before it could, a portal opened in front of the flying dog, and someone emerged to block the branch.  

The dog immediately dove into the portal, which closed the next instant.  

Having confirmed this, Fuwa Katsu shifted his flight downward and began a rapid descent.  

“(Altitude calculation complete. Optimal bombing altitude in 300… 200…)”  

Karkinos remembered him.  

He was the one who had stolen a part of the “Green King’s” <Soul Fragments> and the corpse, a brazen thief.

Countless branches, far more than those aimed at the flying dog, surged forward. They were trying to engulf Katsu.  

But just before the two clashed, Katsu struck first.  

“(This is it… activate—)”  

He had been fully prepared from the moment he arrived on the scene.  

It wasn’t just about the buffs from [Conduction] and [Sun Sovereign].  

He had also completed the long charge necessary for his trump card.  

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

Over 900,000 units of stored |Mana|, including the ones in [Storage], were poured into this attack. It was his absolute maximum firepower.  

An overwhelming attack that was capable of vaporizing even a Beast King in a single blow. That very attack was unleashed from the optimal altitude calculated by scholars to cause the greatest destruction to the ground.  

And so, the battle that would decide the fate of the planet began, accompanied by a flash of light that dyed the sky and earth alike.