King of Flies (1)

'... Plague?'

I frowned at the system messages popping up in front of me. Not your average fly, huh? What kind of fly goes by the grandiose name of Plague Fly?

But I didn't have time to dwell on it.

"Haat!"

"Tch."

Risanna had closed in before I knew it, swinging her sword at me. It packed way more punch than the strikes from those women upstairs who'd been called the Green Fruit Knights. Did family hierarchy affect their strength? Or maybe it worked the other way around.

Either way, the key point was that Risanna's attacks hit way too hard to just tank them like I had upstairs. And her sword paths were vicious too—aiming for vitals like my throat or heart, or my legs to cripple my mobility. When I swung my arm to counter, she'd dart back and slash from an angle.

Risanna was clearly a top-tier swordswoman.

"Tch."

Hell, this might be the first time I actually shed blood in this world.

Not that I was scared. Humans adapt for a reason. Even if I was just your average guy back on Earth with zero war experience, in a world like this where you're constantly fighting for your life, battle instincts build up naturally. The timid turn into hardened warriors.

And the opponents I'd faced? Not exactly small fry. S-rank heroes and villains who'd been called the world's strongest before I showed up. Hell, I'd even scrapped with monsters. And I'd beaten every damn one of them.

So yeah, I'd win this time too.

"Guardian God of the Green Forest!"

Saint Dunn struck from behind Risanna. An invisible force slammed into me.

"Urgh!"

The impact shoved me back five steps. As expected from the boss—serious power.

Elis's siblings, cousins, the whole damn Gwen clan piled on too, wielding all sorts of weapons. Made it a pain to deal with.

"What is this, the People's Liberation Army?"

Flies on one side, Gwen family on the other—total chaos.

"Guardian God of the Green Forest!"

Boom!

"Guh!"

Saint Dunn thrust both arms out, hitting me with another iron-club smack. This time I staggered back eight steps. His attacks were getting stronger.

"Lordwin."

Slash!

"Gah?!"

Risanna had snuck behind me and carved into my broad back like a mountain. Her sword, shrouded in poison cloud, sliced through my suit and split my skin. Blood spurted at her.

"Fuck!"

Pain tolerance kept it from hurting that bad, but I was pissed anyway. I spun and threw a back kick, but Risanna had already retreated.

"Guh!"

"Hng!"

Two women blocked ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠the kick instead, getting blasted back.

"Guardian God of the Green Forest!"

"Gack!"

Saint Dunn didn't miss my divided attention. The blow hurled me backward.

Viiiing!

The flies swarmed my airborne body, lightning gap be damned. System alerts for Plague Fly contact spammed my vision.

"Argh! Gross!"

I hated flies!

Bzzzt!

Lightning erupted across my body, frying the swarm.

"Hoo... hoo... Feels like I'm the raid boss."

I was supposed to be the hero here, but it felt more like the demon king getting ganged up on by the hero party.

'Raid boss, huh. Sounds pretty badass.'

Way cooler than a hero party that gangs up as routine.

"Guardian God of the Green Forest!"

"...Fuckin' that artisan prick?"

Saint Dunn was the biggest annoyance. He'd snipe from behind whenever I slipped or focused elsewhere.

'Gotta take out that artisan fucker first.'

Problem was reaching him. Risanna and the Gwen elites, plus the ever-growing fly swarm, stood in the way.

'Demon kings from subculture lore—how the hell did you pull it off?!'

Couldn't help but respect those majestic demon kings holding off hordes solo to preserve their dignity.

"Hm."

I brainstormed ways to close in on Saint Dunn. Checked my remaining brainpower points too. If I played it right, I could wipe him and the pests.

Bzzzt!

Started with lightning, as always. Like our friendly neighborhood spider shooting webs, I fired bolts from my wrists. Felt natural for weak shots.

The lightning arced through the ceiling swarm like a web, spidering everywhere.

'Charge.'

"Ride the current."

Activated Charge and surfed the web of bolts.

"Scatter!"

I vanished into the lightning, and the Gwen clan scattered like they'd anticipated it.

Viiiing!

The flies ascended too, even as they fried—desperate to preserve any power.

Didn't matter. I was Steel Armor. I didn't stop at scraps.

'Now.'

Blended in the swarm, I dropped the skill mid-point and revealed myself. Predictably, flies swarmed me.

'Gotta endure...!'

Wanted to blast them off, but held back. All or nothing, like I said.

"Kill him!"

"Raaah!"

"Guardian God of the Green Forest!"

The Gwens charged as I landed, fly-covered. Saint Dunn hung back.

'Doesn't matter.'

Target was Saint originally, but all-in meant he wasn't special. Sniping a lone ranged dealer past meat shields? Easy as pie.

Slash!

Thud thud!

Swords shredded me, arrows embedded. Screams bubbled up, but I swallowed them.

'My turn.'

'World of Zero Gravity.'

"Wha?!"

"B-body!"

Attackers floated up. Only the flies on me held firm.

Bzzzzzt!

"Gaaaaah!"

"Kyaaaaah!"

Unleashed the charged lightning. It fried the Gwens and flies. Only Saint and an archer woman dodged.

'Attraction.'

"Hng?!"

"N-no!"

Pulled the bitches in and punched.

"Guhk!"

"Urk!"

The archer dropped cold. Saint took more.

"I've got a grudge against you."

"Grahhh!"

Beat him till he passed out.

"Hoo! Feels good."

His swollen, steamed-bun face vented my frustration.

"Just you left, huh?"

"Kekekeke!"

Elzev on his wooden throne laughed merrily, despite no guards left.

"Hahahahaha!"

So I laughed back. Real pros laugh in tough spots. I was laughing easy, so super-pro.

"Kekekekeke!"

"Hahahahaha!!!"

"Kekekekekekeke!!!!"

"Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!"

"..."

"Fuckin' rice-cake bitch."

I won the laugh battle. Cocky prick. Who you think you are?

"Rule established."

Anyone I beat once? I beat a hundred times. Elzev lost the laughs—couldn't win ever.

Victory locked.

"Kneel now and beg for a painless death? Might kill you clean."

Lie, obviously. I'd toy that arrogant old fuck who claimed Elis every way possible before ending him.

"Kekeke! Think you won after a few punks? Arrogant bastard!"

"Not arrogance—confidence. Got none in losing to you."

"Kekekeke! Can't wait to see how long that lasts!"

"Huh?"

Elzev grinned wide and gaped his mouth.

Viiiing!

A fly buzzed out.

"Ugh! Nasty!"

Carrying flies wasn't enough—now eating them? Zero redeeming qualities.

The fly stuck to the tree behind the throne—rotting flesh instead of bark.

Squish squish!

It burrowed in.

"Time to get wrecked, Elzev... huh?"

Approaching, I froze in shock.

"H-he's... dead?!"

Elzev, mid-laugh, was gone. No pulse.

"You fuckin' coward! Killed yourself to dodge my beating! Arrrgh! Pisses me off!"

What to do ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠with this bitch? Tear limbs? Pointless—he was already dead. No screams.

"Ending ruined..."

Disappointment sapped my strength.

Rumble rumble!

"Huh?"

Then the basement shook. Earthquake?!

Crack!

"...Huh?"

The tree split like a lumberjack's axe hit. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠And from inside—

"...Oh shit."

—a massive fly monster.

Six pairs of cicada-like transparent wings on its back. Easily 20 meters tall, body bristling with spike-like hairs. Half its face a giant red eye, long proboscis like tentacles. A horrific mashup of flies and insects.

"What?"

Otherworld Demon King? Beelzebub?