I Am the Weakest Cat, but If I Keep Evolving, Can I Become the Strongest? - Episode 48: The End of the Death Match

Episode 48: The End of the Death Match 

▽ Episode 48: The End of the Death Match 

The situation is extremely disadvantageous. 

One of my trump cards, [Wonder Cat], is in cooldown. 

[Counter Gate] has also been used. Not only is it in cooldown, but I’ve also used up a bit of MP. 

On top of that, I used [Super Acceleration]. So I’m a little fatigued. Because I got hit by a composite magic, I’ve also taken some accumulated damage. And if I take another big hit, [Reverse Scale] will shatter. 

Meanwhile, the enemy has hardly consumed anything. 

Even its [Breath] is stronger than my [Dragon Breath]. If I’m not careful, it might be able to fire it repeatedly. 

…Nyan. 

It’s hopeless. 

However, there is also something that can be called hope. That is… the truth I came to understand after reaching the level of the strong, Drago Felis. 

That guy… the rank of the Absorption Demon is — VII. 

I once thought it could easily be Rank VIII or IX. 

However, now I can somewhat grasp the extent of its abilities. 

There’s a 2-Rank difference between us. 

Even taking boss modifiers into account, it’s not an unreachable opponent. Well, since it’s also on the same “side” as me, boss modifiers are probably nullified anyway. 

“Nyao ([Hound Flare]).” 

First, a warm-up. 

At times like this, some would say to fight with full power from the beginning. However, if you go all out in a situation where you lack information on the enemy and it gets dodged… you’ll be left with no cards to play. 

Full power should be saved for the time it’s truly needed. 

Flames that chase the enemy. 

I’ll entrust it to the [Dragon Orb]‘s performance. I deployed twenty of them at once. A bombardment from all directions using [Another Point] as well. 

The power is low. 

Even so, it’s troublesome if it burns. I’ll hide the enemy’s vision with flames. 

Now, what will you do? 

As I took a backstep to put some distance and tried to observe the enemy— 

The thing calmly made a move. 

What it cast was wind magic. 

A mid-level [Wind Magic] that blows away everything in all directions. 

With overwhelming magic power, all of my flames were erased. And even my body was blown away. 

I involuntarily closed my eyes due to the wind pressure. 

And right then, the tentacles of the Absorption Demon were approaching. Without even moving a step, it flicked its long tentacles like a whip to strike. 

A strike released instantly after seeing my eyes close. 

Smart. 

But I always have [Search] activated. 

Without even looking, I slash the whip with my claws. I can do it. The tentacles themselves aren’t that durable. Just claws with a simple [Enchant Fire] can cut through them. 

I soar through the air. 

From the sky, I release [Thunder Burst]. 

The enemy has a giant body. Even though [Thunder Burst] spreads out radially, with a body that big, every shot will hit. 

The sound of flesh burning. The smell. 

Seems my firepower is somewhat effective now. It’s different from the past. 

Still, I can’t say my firepower is sufficient. 

At times like this, I wish I had [Scratching]. 

That one could unleash massive firepower against large bodies. I never rated it highly. But once it’s gone, I find myself wanting it—a troublesome skill. 

“You’ve gotten tastier. Dragons are delicious.” 

“Nya.” 

Don’t talk. 

Even while feeling fear, I’m shaken by the fact the opponent spoke Japanese. I want to believe it’s just a derivative skill of [Howl]. 

While looking up at me, the Absorption Demon casts a spell. 

Jet-black magic. 

I don’t want to get hit by that. I respond with [Lightning Magic]. 

My vision goes dark. 

Probably got hit by [Dark Magic]. 

I see. It still thinks I rely on vision. 

It doesn’t work. 

You must always hide your hand, and use bluffs to gain an informational advantage. Predict the opponent’s hand, counter it, and adapt. 

That’s the wild way of fighting. 

My [Search] can serve as a trump card. 

At the very least, the enemy doesn’t know [Spatial Magic]. Doesn’t have it. 

No matter how smart you are, moving with consideration of things you “don’t know” is incredibly difficult. I pretend to be confused and randomly fly around in the air. 

Seeing my fly-like movements, the Absorption Demon laughs “ge-ra-ge-ra.” 

Again, a whip-like strike. 

Even on a favorable battlefield, it doesn’t carelessly come close—probably because of its intelligence. 

I can’t let my guard down either. 

I have to consider that even my strategies may be exposed. Think. How much does the enemy understand? 

But then again, assuming it knows everything would be foolish. 

Folding a good hand on your own is weak play. I must guide the battle to a board where I have the advantage. Whether I’ve been read or not… I just have to deceive. 

“Nya!?”

I… *intentionally* take a direct hit. That said, I make sure it won’t be fatal.

I’m slammed into the ground. A cloud of dust rises up.

I get hit with some kind of [Black Magic] again.

I feel tired somehow.

It’s probably some magic that increases fatigue. That’s actually a pretty useful spell. Considering that active skills use fatigue, it’s a decent advantage with no risk.

Tentacles come at me from all directions.

There’s no way to escape.

Even if it thinks I can’t see, it won’t let its guard down. But, no problem.

My vision is still dark.

Even so, I open my eyes wide—

“Nyaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! ([Bind Howl])”

I use the skill.

For a moment, the enemy definitely froze. In that instant, I launch myself straight at it. Of course, I use [Super Acceleration] to move.

I close the distance.

The ground explodes beneath me. As expected of a Dragon.

Our foreheads are close enough to touch.

Panicking, the Absorption Demon tries to shoot a breath attack. So it was still holding that back, huh. Makes sense.

But—it’s too slow.

I use [Short Warp] to teleport behind the enemy. As it turns, I slam [Gladius Tonitrui] into one of its mouths.

It explodes.

The breath attack forming inside its mouth backfires. It caused a massive rupture in its body.

A clean hit to the head (well, part of it).

On top of that, its own [Dragon Breath] exploded inside its mouth. A self-detonation with no defenses in place. It must have taken a huge amount of damage.

“…!”

I get caught in the blast from the breath, too.

Even as I’m blown back, I use the last of my strength to activate [Dimension Strike]. The skill that triggers is [Venom Bite].

I bite carefully, making sure I don’t accidentally get parasitized.

…The poison doesn’t work.

Of course. It already has resistance. Meanwhile, I quickly use [Fire Magic] to incinerate the lump of flesh trying to crawl into my mouth.

“…!”

I understand now.

The [Reverse Scale] near my stomach shatters. The only reason I survived the breath’s backlash was because of that [Reverse Scale].

As long as it’s not a direct hit—

A Dragon can endure it.

That’s the gamble I went all-in on.

I don’t have enough firepower.

That’s why I prepared a way to make up for it. It’s all or nothing. If it doesn’t work, I die. But if I do nothing, I’ll just die slowly anyway.

—This is the best move to survive.

Let me show you.

My [Reverse Scale] isn’t just a defense buff. When it shatters, I go into a berserk state, and on top of that—my firepower drastically increases.

A sense of omnipotence fills my whole body…

I can feel every cell in my body rejoicing, cheering, overflowing with power. It’s like a broken faucet, gushing out limitless magical energy.

My vision turns red.

“NYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”

Time to go on the offensive.

▽

So freaking weak, man.

I thought berserk mode would make me stronger. But when I came back to my senses, I was badly wounded.

It’s laughable.

Thank goodness I wasn’t parasitized.

Looks like the enemy took a good amount of damage, too.

The area is full of holes, and there’s chunks of the Absorption Demon scattered everywhere. More like the aftermath of a missile war than just battle scars.

That just goes to show how absurd the fighting power of berserk-mode Drago Felis and the Absorption Demon really was.

I said the mode was weak, but I take that back.

To push the Absorption Demon this far without being parasitized—there’s no way my normal self could’ve done it.

Even so, “death” was still far off.

I couldn’t reach it.

“…Nya.”

“—Ah, ah, ah, ahhh—”

Panting, both of us are breathing heavily through our shoulders.

Even my trump card, [Reverse Scale Collapse], didn’t work.

I did deal damage, but it wasn’t enough to corner it… If only I had my rationality. Berserk mode is really crap after all.

I don’t even know what was happening.

To stop my insides from spilling out of my stomach, I use [White Magic] to seal the wound.

And I see it.

The enemy is casting a healing spell on itself.

The broken body regenerates. And the wounds slowly begin to heal. Clearly, its life force is returning. What the hell.

It has a more diverse set of magic than I do.

Its talent is far above mine.

It’s laughable.

Even in front of an enemy like this… I still don’t feel like dying. A fighting spirit boils up from my whole body. It feels like my bl00d is bubbling and boiling.

My fur stands on end. Instinctively, a cry bursts out.

“Nyaaaaaaaaaah!”

Do you understand, Absorption Demon?

I was always so dry. Needed by no one, loved by no one, didn’t know how to be loved, didn’t know how to love… I was always drying up in a desert-like loneliness.

And then, I was given water.

I remember the proud and noble mother cat.

Even with that weakened body, she never submitted.

I remember the proud and noble Two-Headed Dog.

Even though it was in such a desperate situation, it stood up to repay the kindness it had once received.

I remember the Armor Ogre King I killed.

In that final moment, I’m sure we could have become friends.

I remember the faces of the Armor Ogres I fought alongside afterward.

Surely, they were my comrades too.

All of it was given to me by the mother cat.

Life and love.

Just that small everything kept me alive this far. Guided me. Invited me. Brought me here.

I was supposed to be just a weak little cat!

And now!

I’m standing before you, a mighty one!!

“Nyao.”

Don’t underestimate me…!

I’m. Not. Done yet.

I bare my fangs, lightning bursts from my claws. Who cares if I don’t have enough firepower. So what if it can heal.

I’ll just tear it to pieces.

From here on out, I’m going all in. No matter how weak my hand is—I’ll corner you. The one who drains the other in the end—is the winner, right!?

I leapt with all my strength.

▽

It was a fierce battle.

It was only three minutes, but I fought the Absorption Demon with everything I had. How many times did I slash with my claws?

How many times did I send lightning flashing?

How many times did I bite?

How many times was I slammed down?

How many times was I twisted?

How many times did I suffer from its magic, get beaten down?

I understand now.

My HP is almost gone. It’s already down to single digits… no, it’s zero. The only reason I still have consciousness is because I’m barely clinging to life in the decimals.

I can’t win.

I can’t even stand.

As a lifeform, we’re just on completely different levels. I can’t even breathe properly, and my heartbeat—it’s already stopped. I can’t hear it.

I can’t see.

I can’t even activate [Search] anymore.

Cold, pitch-black darkness. Deep despair……….. it’s strangely comforting, I feel like I could just let go.

I see.

I didn’t realize it at first, but maybe… dying doesn’t feel so bad.

Or maybe it’s because I gave it my all. I tried hard to live. For someone like me, who used to want to die so badly, I did a good job… someone, please praise me.

I… close my eyes.

My whiskers feel the wind. A blast of wind pressure—something is approaching at high speed. Maybe it’s trying to absorb this body, right before I completely die.

But…

It’s okay. Even if… that happens.

I…

I’m already satisfied. Because I gave it everything I had.

There’s nothing more—

――It was at that moment.

A voice was heard.

That voice I’ve heard so many times…

With the last of my strength, I open my eyes wide.

[Level cap reached…………………]

[Please select your evolution path…………………]

Sunlight shines through the leaves. The crown above my head catches the light. It emphasized its eerie glow… The [Search] I activated with the last of my strength showed me this scene in vivid detail.

I see.

I’m not done yet……… it seems.