Destruction King (4)
As soon as I came to my senses, exactly two things caught my eye.
Strength slightly increased!
The notification window that always popped up after Berserk ended.
(Reason unknown)
And a massive mound besides. I could understand the notifications, but why was there a mound?
It loomed so large that its shadow blanketed my face as I lay there. What the hell was this?
This soft, fluffy headrest is weird too...
With the notifications and this huge mound in view, my brain wasn't working right. Last time I passed out after Berserk, Ellie's face was the first thing I saw. This felt like a bed—soft under my head—but I had no idea what the mound right in front of me was.
My eyes weren't blind. Regeneration could heal everything anyway, and blindness would've left me seeing nothing at all.
I shook off the fog in my mind and slowly raised an arm. Then I grabbed the mound blocking my view.
Squish—
I figured something big enough to cover my whole face would be firm. Nope, the opposite. This softness was new. My fingertips sank right in the moment I squeezed. Bury my face in this, and I'd never get out.
Can't even grab it all with my hand.
That's when it happened.
"Kyaa!"
A woman's startled scream pierced my ear. From the top of the mound. I blinked slowly and shifted my head. My hand stayed clamped on the mound the whole time.
Finally, beyond it, I locked eyes with a very familiar face. Brown hair, striking golden eyes—a beauty.
"Sh-Sivar? Y-You're awake?"
It was Ellie. Her cheeks were flushed for some reason, her expression all weird. Like she was forcing down embarrassment. No clue why.
Squish—
Squish—
Man, this thing's seriously soft. Even staring Ellie in the face, I kept kneading the mound. Started with one hand, but now both, exploring every inch. Too big to hold, shape shifting under my grip. Let go, and it bounced right back.
"Hngh... Uhn..."
Why was Ellie making these weird moans? I glanced up, and she had her head turned, eyes squeezed shut. Face beet red, lips pursed tight—like she was holding something back again.
Clunk—
"Ellie. What was that noise just... Y-You, you, you—what are you doing?!"
Suddenly the door flew open, and a shocked voice yelled. Calm tone—I knew it was Luna. I turned toward her voice. For some reason, she was marching right over.
Grab!
She seized both my arms and yanked them off the mound by force. The squishy softness vanished from my hands. I resisted, wanting more, but she fought back with all her strength. What the hell?
"You can't just grope a girl's breasts! That's sexual harassment, harassment!"
"?"
Her shout short-circuited my brain. Sexual harassment? Before that—she said I groped a girl's breasts.
I blinked at her words, then looked back at the mound. Come to think of it, Ellie's face shouldn't be right above my head unless she was looking down at me.
"I-I'm fine, Luna. It happens."
"What do you mean 'it happens'... Haa. First, let's get Sivar up."
"Got it. Sivar? Time to get up now."
Ellie gently stroked my head and asked sweetly. That's when it hit me. She'd been giving me a lap pillow. That soft mound? Her breasts.
They were so huge, it threw off my judgment for a second.
"Why didn't you say anything? Sivar listens to everything you say."
The moment I sat up from Ellie's plush thighs, Luna scolded. Not me—Ellie. I might get a pass for being clueless(?), but Ellie just sitting there was weird.
Ellie peeked at me with her still-tomato face, then giggled and replied.
"Sh-Sivar doesn't know anything. I didn't wanna hurt his feelings by scolding him..."
"That's true, but sometimes you gotta firmly say no. What if he does it to someone else?"
Who're they calling a real perv? I pouted. Sure, Ellie's breasts were so soft and squishy I wanted to keep going! But I'd never do that to anyone else.
I could play the wild man card to a point, but I'm not trash. Only a beast worse than animals would stoop that low.
"You gotta teach him not to do it to others. Instead..."
"Instead?"
"......"
Ellie didn't answer right away. Just peeked at me, face even redder than before. Luna looked puzzled, then Ellie stammered it out.
"If, if Sivar wants to t-touch my breasts, I'll say it's okay."
"......What? What? No, what?!"
Luna reacted like she'd misheard Ellie's bombshell. Of course. I was dying to know how her brain jumped to that conclusion. Fine by me—I get legal(?) access to those breasts—but to outsiders, it's sketchy as hell.
"Sivar doesn't know society yet. Probably doesn't get laws or that you can't just touch women's bodies."
"......Yeah."
"Before he messes up with someone else, I'll let him touch me. Might prevent accidents, right?"
"......"
Luna gaped at the miraculous logic. Breathless, speechless. Same here. Keeping a straight face outside, but damn, why go that far?
"......You really have to go that far?"
"I brought Sivar here. If he causes trouble, it's on me."
The responsibility thing she'd mentioned to Kara too. She was dead serious about taking charge of me. Luna had no comeback, so she shut up. Glanced at me, then quietly said,
"What if Sivar wants more? Like, not just touch—show him?"
"I'll show him?"
Oh. For real? Almost said it out loud. Still insane, though. Luna pressed her forehead, clearly against it. Seemed like she was mulling if Ellie even got it.
"......What if he asks for even more? You gonna say yes?"
"Probably?"
"That far? Sure, prevent accidents, but it's too..."
"He saved my life. This is the least I can do."
Luna started exasperated, but Ellie cut her off. The monkey rescue. That one thing, and she forgave everything.
"Sivar's my lifesaver. I just wanna repay him. If I take responsibility for him, maybe he'll learn how important it is someday. That's what I think."
"You..."
"I know it's optimistic. But I'm sure. Sivar doesn't hurt people without reason. Body or heart."
Pure Ellie optimism shining through. Luna's face twisted at the fluent reasoning. Ellie's words weren't wrong. I'd stayed chill unless attacked. Caused some chaos, sure, but never directly harmed anyone.
"......Fine. If you're set on it."
"Thanks for understanding."
"But figure out a way to stop the breast stuff. People will think it's weird."
No way. I screamed internally. Luckily—or not—Ellie replied with a shy face.
"Got it. I'll only allow it where no one's watching."
"......That's not what I meant."
"Or do you wanna do it instead, Luna?"
"No."
Not Luna. Me. They both whipped around, eyes wide, when I finally spoke up after just watching.
Honestly, instinct beat reason. Slipped out before I knew it.
"......Sivar. What did you just say?"
"Said no clear as day."
"No to what? You don't want Luna's breasts?"
"W-What's wrong with my breasts! They're not small!"
I didn't say shit. Must've hit her berserk button—Luna snapped. I compared her puffing up to Ellie's calm ones. Ellie wins, hands down.
Maybe she felt my stare—Luna's face flushed fast, lips clamping shut.
"Men are all beasts, huh..."
"Obviously. Males are beasts."
As Luna grumbled sitting on the bed, a familiar voice hit my ears. From the window side. I turned—Porori stood there, acorn tucked under his arm from god-knows-where.
"Don't get too mad, blondie. I don't get human standards, but they say you're plenty hot. You could seduce that guy easy."
"No idea what you heard, but it's not that."
"Really? Must've misheard. Up we go."
Porori hopped lightly onto the bed and popped the acorn in his mouth—not chewing, stuffing his cheek pouch. Then, with puffed cheeks, he kept talking smooth as ever.
"Redhead girl's coming soon. Muscle lump in a day."
"How's Mr. Hector?"
Luna's question. I wondered too. Last thing I remembered: Hector slamming his axe into my chest. After that? Probably Berserk. Hospital meant he survived.
"Shoulder and face messed up, but otherwise fine. That lump recovers fast for a human. Way below this guy, though."
"Got it. Hector almost died?"
"True story. Without me jumping in, dead for sure."
Luna stared at me, disbelieving. Ellie took it in stride—too far from combat for her.
"......Berserk Sivar that strong?"
"Insanely. Stronger than last time I fought him. Redhead teach him moves?"
"Hector's worries were spot on."
Like Luna said, Hector nailed it. Berserk turns everything to rubble. But too reckless—he nearly died himself.
"More than that, why'd that human pull that dumb stunt? Go big or go home. Half-assed just looks bad. Destruction King? More like Half-Ass King."
Porori nailed it. Hector was stuck in limbo now. Identity crisis. Founded Tatar, but barbarism lingered inside.
King Hector vs. rampaging Destruction King. Kara holding the center. Awaken fully, and he'd have power and swagger. Now? Annoying mess.
Lives regretting every day, huh? Vaguely recalled that.
Hector's a fun character. For his people's sake, he picked 'civilized' life. But 'barbarism' was the snag.
Erasing it kills ethnic 'identity,' sparking backlash. Damned if he did, damned if he didn't. Holding by brute force, but Tatar had issues.
"Old man's dragging him here tomorrow, but whatever. Seems sorted, so chill."
"Got it."
"Yeah."
"And you."
Porori called me. I faced his puffed cheeks.
"Like I said before, fix those damn red eyes first. I'll be busy—no time for your cleanup."
This squirrel for real? I was the wronged victim. Without Hector, I'd be chilling at the academy. He swung first—what gives?
"Busy?"
I asked. Why? Speech getting better—could string syllables now. Faith boost, probably. Still short, but Porori got it.
"What? You can talk now?"
Porori's eyes bulged. Not just him—everyone. They missed my "no" earlier. Too quick.
"Anyway, that eyesore told me. Not daily—offer tribute on cycles or holidays, heaven buffs my power. That's why."
"Hector told you?"
"Yeah. Solid tip. Acorns out, variety in."
"Sivar. Say something, anything?"
While Luna and Porori chatted, Ellie pleaded with sparkling eyes. Full of hope. No reason to refuse.
"Ellie. Me."
"Yeah! Yeah! And?"
What to say? Brain blank. Then my eyes hit it—Ellie's massive breasts. Overwhelming compared to others. Wanted another squeeze.
"Breasts."
"......Breasts?"
Instinct? No clue. Word slipped out. Ellie panicked. Thank god I stopped before "let me touch."
Would've been bad if...
"He wants to touch breasts?"
"......"
"Knew her softest spot, huh? Addictive as hell."
Damn rat. Wanted to sew his mouth shut. Ellie blushed at Porori's translation, arms hugging her chest. Luna laughed awkwardly, clueless. Ellie peeked at me, then dropped a shocker on everyone but Porori. Voice laced with expectation.
"......Just touching, right?"
"Ellie!!!"
"Eek!"
Luna finally snapped. Ellie flinched. Sermon incoming. Porori tilted his head at the scene, asked me,
"Humans can't touch each other? Why freak?"
"......"
"Fat lumps—what's the big deal? Won't wear out."
Rare moment—we agreed.
"Then I'll head out. Tomorrow, come to my room. Prep to kowtow."
Clunk—
Door shut, silence blanketed the hospital room. Only Hector—the patient—and Kara at his side. Roles reversed in a day. But Hector's state was worse.
Shoulder muscles torn, face a mess. Nose and cheekbones caved, mouth split sharp. Academy could fix it fully—elsewhere, lifelong scars.
"......"
"......"
"......Feel better now?"
Kara broke the heavy quiet first. She eyed Hector's bandaged face. Angry? Sad? Complicated mess.
Then, sneering tone.
"Great, right? Confirmed Sivar's Berserk, handing over that damn axe. All done?"
"......"
"If done, say so. You can talk, yeah? Or can't you, like Sivar?"
Kara spat rapid-fire accusations. Hector just stared at the ceiling. His non-response fueled her rage. Hurt mixed in, but anger dominated.
Hector had changed. Too much from the man she remembered.
"King? Fine, neighbors strong—need diplomacy."
"......"
"But this half-assed crap? Sivar stronger than expected, sure. Did you have to go that far?"
Kara's logic spot-on. Hector built a nation to avoid needless foes—then made one he couldn't handle. Sivar'd see him as enemy now. Infuriating—she got drilled not to, but he caused every mess.
"Say something. What're you after? Why send me to the academy?!"
"......"
"Please, anything...!"
"Kara."
Just before explosion, Hector rasped her name. She clamped shut. He continued weakly.
"Sorry."
"......"
"Only sorry I can say."
"Why do sorry shit?"
Pulled an apology, but Kara pressed. Wouldn't leave without venting. Hector sighed deep, complex, turned to her. Met green eyes mirroring his.
Stared long, then asked with disillusionment.
"Remember what I taught? How to face death."
"Yeah. Don't regret it—at least not at death."
Tatar folk battled daily in harsh deserts. Trade improved things, but past was brutal. Tribe wars, foreign raids constant.
Hector unified tribes, ended internal fights—but problems lingered.
"Nothing dumber than dying with regrets. Means you weren't satisfied with life. I know."
"Right. You said that."
"......Regret it?"
Hector silent at her hopeful probe. Just stared. Silence screamed yes. Kara exhaled sharp, bit her lip hard.
"......Father."
"......"
"Why so weak?"
Weak—not body, mind. Past Hector roamed deserts uniting tribes, crushing monsters, earning 'Destruction King' with thunder. Kara at his side, sharing the fire—teen passion fueled her.
"What's the problem? King? Civilized? Our people? What?!"
Back then, death's door? No regrets—grinning, axe swinging to victory. Now? Feared death, regretted. Tatar identity fading.
"Can't be good king, can't protect identity, can't be role model dad. What do you want?!"
"......"
"You're not the father I knew. Be king or quit. Dismantle tribes, go back to old ways."
Harsh on the useless king, but...
"Better than... Quit it all, pick one."
She worried for this weakened father. Weakness Sivar exposed—never seen otherwise. Reason for his flailing directionlessness. Pitiful.
"......Kara."
"Speak."
"Must I pick just one?"
"What?"
Out of left field. Kara stared, baffled. Hector dead serious. Like he'd figured something, he said,
"Great king. Ethnic identity. Good father."
"......"
"If forced to drop one? I'd say can't."
Words rose in her throat—swallowed. Felt something in his eyes. Near-death with Sivar must've been a wake-up. Good for him.
"......Do you. But leave Sivar alone. Give the axe, get lost."
"Going tomorrow to apologize. Kowtow like the old man said."
"If Sivar picks a fight again?"
Hector smirked at her question.
"Who knows."
Then gazed ceiling, dropped something profound.
"No idea."