I dodged the Emperor’s attack by rolling on the floor and then I also retrieve my sword that had fallen. The invisible slash shattered the place where I had been earlier.
“You don’t know how to give up huh.”
The Emperor’s sword once again sliced in the air. Even though it is an invisible blade, if you trace the source, you can see that it extends from the sword. Thus it is possible to predict the trajectory by watching the movement of his hand. With the sword I held in my left hand, I managed to block his slash.
“Are you planning to fight with only one arm?”
“Of course!”
I managed to block the slashes he swung at me with one hand. Honestly, losing my right arm hurts a lot. Since it was a sudden incident, I haven’t retrieve my arm yet. But now, I should stick it back right away. I want to pick up my right arm somehow.
“Then, you don’t need that. Flame Bomb!”
The Emperor used his magic to blow up my right arm which had fallen to the floor. I couldn’t help but contort my expression.
“Kuhahaha! That was a pity. Now you really have to fight with only one arm!”
“Ku!”
This situation, in which I have lost my dominant arm, is very unpleasant. If I don’t fix my arm back somehow, I won’t have a chance. But first, I need to buy time.
“Let’s play something a bit more special. I don’t dislike hurting the weak you see.”
His Dragon Beheading Slash was about to attack me again. In that case, it is Dragon Beheading Slash for a Dragon Beheading Slash . I caught his invisible blade with my invisible blade.
“Hoh-, you could use it too huh. This is unexpected.”
“Don’t underestimate me. It hasn’t been decided who will lose yet.”
I and the Emperor strike at each other with invisible blades. The length of each of our blades is about fifteen meters, which is barely enough to fight in this throne room. Repeatedly fighting with only one arm in this unfamiliar environment really pushes me into a corner.
“What’s wrong? Your strength is getting weaker and weaker you know?”
“Damn it!”
My left arm was numb from the intense impact. Even though the blade has become longer, it is barely enough to block his attacks. I have to get a little closer.
“Now!”
I released my Dragon Beheading Slash in accordance with the emperor’s strike. When I caught the invisible blade with my sword, I let it slide as it is and then I closed the distance between me and the emperor. With a screeching sound, sparks flew between the two swords.
“So that’s your move huh.”
He quickly released a Dragon Beheading Slash and blocked my attack with his sword. With our swords crossed, we pushed against each other. I was slightly pushed back though.
“It’s inconvenient not to have a right arm, right? Ah-, now that I think about it, I was the one who cut it. Kuhahaha!”
“My left hand is enough to fight you. If I got to beat you, I’ll laugh heartily then.”
“Fine with me. That is, if you could defeat me!”
The Emperor put his strength into the sword and he pushed me away in one fell swoop. I rolled backwards, regained my position and fired a thread bomb from the fingertips of my left hand. The bomb explodes over the Emperor’s head and a large number of threads rain down on him.
“What the heck is this!?”
The sticky threads that clings to his body restricted his movements. Meanwhile, I took out a rainbow mushroom from the bangle and throw it into my mouth and chewed it quickly.
“Uh-, Uggghh…”
The moment I swallowed the rainbow mushroom, my right arm, which should have been cut, grew back. It was like a planaria that’s regenerating the part that had been lost. And like the green man in a certain comics, my arm was completely regenerated. I couldn’t help but feel that my arm was disgusting. However, now I can fight the Emperor on an equal footing again.
“Tsk! What a hindrance! Fireball!”
Struggling with the tangled threads, the emperor finally began to use magic against himself. The threads were then burned down by the fire.
“What an impudent behaviour!”
“I told you not to take me lightly. Also, I’m retracting my previous statement. I’ll stop fighting with one hand.”
When the Emperor noticed that my right arm was restored, his expressionless face contorted slightly. Well, I returned to my original state after all.
“How did you get it back? I’m sure I destroyed your right arm.”
“If you want to know, think about it yourself. There is no reason for me to tell that to my enemy you see.”
“Heh-, then I’ll cut it off again and observe how you do it.”
The emperor and I crossed swords again. The regenerated arm was moving without any problems. With this, it seems that I can find a way out.
Every time our swords crossed, a high-pitched sound echoed throughout the room. Our sword skill is almost evenly matched. If there is any concern, it is the length of reach due to our physical difference.
In that case…, I took advantage of our height difference and jumps under his feet.
“Foolish! Don’t you know that it is suicidal to come to my feet?”
Without any hesitation, he tried to trample me down. However, I lightly caught the approaching foot with my left hand.
“U-uwah!? What the hell!? Why can’t I crush you!?”
No matter how hard he tries, he can’t trample on me. The reason for that is my Impact Nullification skill. I don’t understand the logic but the skill is nullifying the power that weighs on me. In other words, in hand-to-hand combat, I am almost invincible.
“Yaaa!”
When I pushed back his leg, the emperor loses his balance and falls to the floor. I immediately jumped on his chest and thrust my sword into his heart. I am confident of my victory.
“With this— uguuh!?”
I was grabbed by a large hand and was thrown violently against the wall. I banged my back against the hard wall, but thanks to impact nullification, there was no pain at all. More than that, I was surprised that the emperor, who should have been stabbed in the heart, was slowly standing up. His wound closed quickly and it disappeared without a trace. It makes me want to mourn, it’s that Self-regenaration again.
“You’re the first one that ever made me this mad. As you wish, I’ll bury you without even a bone.”
It seems that I have touched the emperor’s reverse scales.
His body is now covered in dark green scales and his face transforms into a dragon. Wings protruded from his back and a long tail grew from his buttocks. From the people I knew, his transformation is the closest to a dragon.
I also activated my dragon transformation skill. Black scales then covered my entire body.
“Turn to ashes!”
The emperor took a deep breath and exhaled flames at me. I barely dodged it to the side. The flames obliterated the wall where I was before, creating a large hole. The power of the flames he exhaled was so powerful that the one from Gaen looked like a mere child’s play. At that moment, I noticed that the light outside was shining through the hole.
“Chance.”
I spread out my wings and decided to escape from the castle through the hole. It would be too disadvantageous to be attacked like before in such a limited space. If we are going to fight, it would be better to have a larger space. Besides, I would like to avoid destroying the castle.
“I won’t let you escape. I’ll chase you down to the ends of the earth and kill you!”
The emperor chased after me. I increased my flight speed and flies far above the Imperial City. When I stopped above the clouds, the emperor also emerged through the sea of clouds.
“You’re not going to run away anymore huh, little human?”
“I didn’t run away. I just led you to a wide area.”
“Impudent talk!”
Flames spew out of the emperor’s mouth. It is no longer at the level where it can be compared to a flame thrower. If I am to describe it, it’s a hellfire. The amount of heat is so high that even I, who had transformed into a dragon feels the hotness on my skin. Faced with the oncoming flames, I took a deep breath.
“King Dragon Breath!”
A bright red flash of light radiates from my mouth. It stretched straight and collided with the fire. The shock wave spreads to our surroundings, pushing the clouds in a circle.
“Gururuaaaaaaaaa!!”
“Ugaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
Our breath jostle against each other. This will probably be the last fight. If the current me can finish him off, it is only with this King Dragon Breath.
In that case, I will bet everything on this blow!
“Ugaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!”
The flash of light I exhaled gained even more momentum. Gradually, I was able to push back his fire and I slowly approached the emperor.
“Guruaaaaaaaaa!!”
The Emperor’s hellfire pushes back the flash of light. However, it soon faded, and the flash of light that I spewed finally struck the emperor’s head. When the flash faded, the body of the headless emperor begins to fall to the ground.
I think I finally won this time.
However, considering his regenerative power, I can’t let my guard down yet. After retrieving the Emperor’s body, I decided to return to the throne room for the time being.
◇◇◇
“Looks like he’s dead huh.”
I had been observing the corpse for quite a while now but there was no sign of the emperor being resurrected. Self-regeneration does not seem to regenerate the head after all. It is a relief.
I decided to use my Skill Picking and acquire the emperor’s rare skills.
| 【Status】 Name: Shinichi Tanaka Age: 17 years old (56 years old) Race: Homeless (King) <High Dragoneut | Vampire | High Elf | High Dwarf | High Beastman | High Winged Man> Occupation: Adventurer Magic Attribute: No Attribute Magic: Restoration Space, Isolation Space Skills: Familiar Creation, Familiar Summoning, Dragon Transformation, Skill Picking, Race Picking, King’s Vessel, Emperor’s Vessel(New) ▹Special: Stealth, Danger Detection, Sense of Touch Enhancement, Taste Enhancement, Eyesight Enhancement, Hearing Enhancement, Smell Enhancement, Digestion Enhancement, Super Sensation, Shock Absorption, Hardening, Plant manipulation, Leadership, Indomitable Spirit, Small Dragon Breath, Separation, Intimidation, Division, Sand Walking, Enemy Search, Digestion Strengthening, Flight, Familiar Strengthening, Analysis(↑),Life or Death Technique(↑),Dragon Beheading Slash(↑), Self-regeneration(↑) ▹Advanced: Theft, Stealth, Paralyzing Eye(↑), Limit Breakthrough, Sand Walking, Flight, Hardening, Plant Manipulation (Improved), Dragon Breath, Master of War(↑), Danger Prediction(↑) ,Nerve Strengthening(↑),Limit Breakthrough(↑), Dictatorship(↑), King Dragon Breath(↑) ▹Intermediate: Underwater Adaptation, Fist King Technique, Metal Manipulation, Self-recovery, Universal Thread, Dual Blade Magnate Technique, Awakening(↑), Impact Nullification(↑), Oppression(New), High-Speed Flight(New) |
What I got was Dragon Beheading Slash, Awakening, Self-regeneration, Dictatorship, Oppression, and Emperor’s Vessel. Oppression seems to be a high-level skill of intimidation so the effect seems to be roughly the same. In addition, some of my skills leveled up by fighting the sacred beast and the Emperor. The ones that leveled up are Analysis, Life or Death Technique, Master of War, Danger Prediction, Nerve Strengthening, Limit Breakthrough, Impact Nullification, and Paralyzing Eyes.
It is quite a harvest.
| 【Certain conditions have been met, your skill evolved.】 【Skill Evolution: Hardening→ Slash Resistance】 |
Skill evolution is displayed in my field of view. I didn’t expect that Hardening would become Slash Resistance. It’s a good news. After that, I used Race Picking and acquired the Emperor Dragoneut race.
“Now then, time to clean up…”
I can’t help but sigh.
In fact, the war was supposed to end with the emperor agreeing to my negotiation. But what happened? In the end, I killed the emperor. The worst case I thought of has come true. I scratched my head about what to do from now on.
“Father!”
When I heard the voice, I turned around and saw a woman at the entrance of the room. She was trying to get inside but Suketarou stops her. The woman shook off Suketarou’s restraint and entered the throne room.
“Aaahhhhhh!!! Father! Father!”
When the woman saw the emperor’s body, she slumps on the floor and weeps. Apparently, she is a member of the royal family.
“Katakata”
Suketarou apologizes to me, saying, “Please forgive me.”
I replied, “I don’t mind.”
“…… You-…… Are you going to destroy this kingdom?”
The woman who stopped crying looked at me with a sharp gaze. She has long purple hair and well-shaped eyebrows that are slightly back-arched. She has an appearance that everyone would describe as beautiful. In addition, the pink dress looked good on her, furthering her grace.
I didn’t answer her question right away. When I looked at the floor, I saw the crown the emperor wore. I guess it somehow fell down at some point when we were fighting each other. What’s more, about half of it has melted which makes you think that it’s impossible to use it as a crown again.
I picked it up and restored the crown back to its original form by using my restoration space skill. I then put it on the woman’s head.
“What…”
“I did kill the emperor. However, I don’t have intention of destroying the empire. Therefore, you will lead the empire from now on.”
“I-, that…………”
The woman was perplexed by my words. I guess that would usually be the case. It’s no wonder that she would be perplexed if the person who killed her father asks her to become the empress.
I felt that she was the right person to rule this kingdom. Of course, it’s just my hunch, there is no clear logic behind it. However, the intuition cultivated by my experience told me that the woman in front of me should become the empress.
“I’m Shinichi Tanaka, an adventurer in Mana. If you want to avenge your father’s death, I’ll take your revenge anytime. However, if you’re planning on going to war again, you’ll end up like your father.”
“…..I-, I won’t start a war. I’ve always been against Father’s ideas. And-, I won’t seek revenge either.”
“That would be good if that’s true. What’s your name?”
“I… I’m Scáthach Dragnil, the sixth in line to the throne.”
I made a mental note of the woman’s name. Well, I’m not sure if she will actually become the Empress. Maybe someone else will become the ruler but I would like to recommend her.
“Alright, we’ll take our leave. You should never touch the kingdom again.”
“…….Yes. The Empire will never again make a move on the kingdom where Shinichi Tanaka lives.”
Hn?
I think that it is slightly different, but I feel that the end result is the same so it is okay I guess. As I was about to leave the throne room, I remembered something.
“Oh, I forgot to mention that you should pay reparations to the five kingdoms that fought the war.”
“I understand. I’m going to make amends for the invasion even if it takes a long time.”
“That’s fine, and may I have the vase on the first floor?”
“Vase?”
Scáthach looks at me with a stunned expression. She must have been wondering how much treasure the man who killed the emperor was going to take away. I am not in trouble with money though. The only thing I wanted was the vase that Suketarou was interested in.
“If it’s just the vase, please take as much as you want. And-…, if you want money, I’ll give you as much as you want.”
“No, all I want is that vase. I’ll gratefully accept it.”
Once we got down to the first floor, I took the desired vase. Suketarou clattered his jaw happily. This would further polish the interior of the tea room for sure.
After I joined up with the skeleton army, we then left the empire and went our way to return to the kingdom.
This is translated by Yume Neiji. Kindly read at yumeineijiworks.wordpress.com.
Previous ⚜ Table of Contents ⚜ Next
Yume Neiji's Works 