Chapter 29
Chapter 29
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 29
Chapter Title: Roar (5)
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Kwaaang!!
It was a movement closer to instinct.
A desperate strike from a beast of prey lunging first at its natural enemy before it could be overwhelmed!
With another massive explosion, Valian shot forward like an arrow, thrusting his fist—named spear—with all his might.
Even when he'd crushed the secretary, it hadn't been full power. Now, a cannon-like boom echoed as his fist slammed into the staircase—!
Kwarung—!
An actual earthquake erupted, crumbling the stairs.
"...And yet it doesn't collapse."
Seeing no cracks despite the impact that must have hit the outer wall equally hard, Valian gave a bitter smile.
"Your fist...!"
"Enough. Shut it out."
Proving that even a body honed like diamond was still flesh and blood, his skin tore and blood flowed.
It laid bare the limits of a body uncoated by mana. And the Fly King, who must have taken a direct hit, was laughing.
"Well, now... How did that mighty great warrior's strike end up so soft? Oh, right—you can't use mana anymore? Haha, what a shame. I was hoping to feel that soul-shaking punch again."
"......"
Mirni felt despair at the sight of him dusting off without a single scratch or even a speck on his clothes.
"...Hey, how the hell are you even alive?"
"Finally ready for a chat? Well, yeah—fighting's pointless since you can't win. Smart choice."
"......"
Humiliating words, but not wrong.
Still, Valian burned with fighting spirit.
"Mirni, don't talk to it. You won't get a straight answer from that unholy thing."
"That's harsh... I was about to answer nicely."
"......?"
"Can't I show a bit of mercy to livestock I could kill anytime? Right—?"
"......"
At his seeking agreement, Valian clenched his fist without hesitation, and Mirni sharpened her claws.
Fly King Beelzebub.
One of the seven demons summoned by the Demon King during the God-Demon Great War, and one of Hell's grand dukes.
His power doubled with every minion, and since stabbing or slashing did nothing as he regenerated endlessly, rumors even called him immortal—the "Inexplicable-grade Demon."
Demons were typically ranked 1-3rd grade, then special grade. But the Inexplicable-grade archdemons above that were synonymous with terror.
No one knew how to kill, defeat, or seal them...!
Only the holy sword bestowed by the goddess was known as a countermeasure. Leon's party—the latecomers in the Hero Party—had severed Beelzebub's lifeline with it, proving the sword's legend true. Leon's feat shook the Hero Party rankings and the unchanged century-old hierarchy of the Five Kingdoms.
And now, facing such a demon...!
'Bare-handed against an Inexplicable...! Are they insane?!'
This was like begging to die—sticking your neck out.
No different from suicide.
And yet...
'What? How are we still alive?'
That was definitely Beelzebub, so why were they still standing?
"...You're weakened."
"Less weakened, more fallen?"
Beelzebub didn't deny Mirni's sharp words.
"Even rotten, you're still top-grade. Not fully rotted yet, Mirni."
"Don't say my name with that stinking mouth. It's disgusting."
"So harsh."
Whoosh!
Juuuruk...
Just a casual hand wave, and her head nearly flew off.
"...Still the same."
Even in his fallen state, that habit of toying with life remained unchanged.
"Fallen's the wrong word. My soul, flesh, and authority remain in my domain. I'm just... like this for now."
"......"
Mirni rapidly gathered, sorted, and predicted information in an instant.
A scout searches, discerns intel, observes, and reports.
Her brain spat out an answer and yelled at Valian.
"Kill it now!"
"Hm—?"
"I don't know why, but that dung fly's lost most of its power! Not even its prime—it's struggling to make a single maggot...! Otherwise, it wouldn't have so few minions."
"I see..."
Valian didn't fully grasp the explanation, but he got one thing.
The conclusion.
"Fight."
The simplest demand for a barbarian.
Mirni's judgment was this:
They'd definitely killed Beelzebub, but he'd somehow survived by possessing a human body.
Proof: His current appearance was unmistakably human male.
But that was that.
Kkumulkuk...!
Weeeeng!
...And this was this.
"Kuhk!"
Swarms of flies and mosquitoes formed clusters like waves of water droplets, crashing into Valian as a tsunami.
One of the Fly King's authorities: the "Insect Slave" power.
A horrific ability commanding pests that tormented humanity.
The worst, capable of spreading plagues depending on use...
"At least it can't spread germs yet."
"Hasn't recovered enough mana for that, haha."
"......"
Mirni was pissed—not just at his leisure, but how freely he answered!
Didn't that mean he no longer saw them as threats...?
'...Or does he have another goal?'
No matter how strong Valian was, holding out this long was impossible.
The enemy had demonic energy. They had no mana.
Matching it should've been impossible from the start, so why entertain them...?
Wuuung—!
The massive insect horde around Beelzebub spun like a buzzsaw.
An electric chainsaw of bugs...!
'Gross...!'
Getting hit by that would be more disgusting than painful.
Mirni could tolerate ugly, but not filthy and repulsive.
Especially flies or mosquitoes—!
Juuuruk...
She bit her lip against the oncoming revulsion.
Now wasn't the time for cleanliness—beating him was key!
'Use [Beastkin Transformation]?'
Even as she debated her trump card, she kept directing.
"Stop at 3 o'clock, target only 5:30 range! Not there, you blockhead!"
"Your directions are off."
"Shut up and duck!!"
Kuuung!!
Her precision in reading the black waves was near-divine skill.
Beastkin senses—acute and protruding—read everything.
Smell and taste discerned enemy emotions and killing intent.
Sight and hearing calculated the surroundings.
Touch alone enabled near-prophetic judgments for the right choices.
The Hero Party scout, slothful for three years, forcibly drew out her peak prowess to direct. And the kingdom's top tank—the party's strongest pillar—executed beyond her commands, producing terrifying results.
Kwaak...!
Elastic, flexible muscle fibers like springs linked full-body strength.
Kkududuk—!!
Thrown like a shotput!
Combat sense and instinct enabling forbidden real-battle prep motions in seconds were superhuman. Valian's back muscles writhed fiercely.
Assuming youth as human peak, average male grip is 40-50kg, world record 128kg. Valian's unofficial max: 235kg.
Humanly possible? Questionable if that strength converts to power, but...
Huuuung—!!
Barbarians made it natural—why they're called Little Giants!
Theory: 100kg+ grip yields 2-3 tons force. Absurd, but Valian had the talent and tempered body to realize it!
Max grip became mass, rubber-flexible spring-bouncy fibers triggered full strength into speed!
"That crazy bastard...!?"
Mirni's super-sensory survival instinct screamed to flee; she bolted.
Perfect choice.
"----."
—Kung!
...Valian's mighty fist extended like a detonating shell.
Mass and speed from immense strength, plus will!
Iron fist—three-in-one—clashed with the black tsunami—!
Jjeok...!
Jjeojeok...!
Air barrier shattered first...
Kwaaaang!!
"Always that crazy monster bastard..."
Mirni muttered in awe.
The belated shockwave shook and pulverized everything.
Like a sonic boom, the area was typhoon-ravaged.
A literal disaster.
Impossible for a human body.
"You... how'd you lose to Luke?"
"Strength alone doesn't win everything—that wouldn't be battle."
"...What're you saying?"
"Tch! You wouldn't know the glory of a warrior's honed arts."
"......"
Ignored by Valian of all people—it short-circuited her brain. But Mirni coldly assessed the disaster's aftermath.
Tok tok.
"Phew, as expected, Valian. Nearly caused a mess there."
"......"
...Beelzebub showed no wounds.
Untouched by such a blow, casually relaxed.
Mirni's eyes twitched; she chewed her lip.
This was...
"Exposing your gimmick, huh? You're unstable after all?"
"......Caught."
"Who'd you think you were fooling, idiot."
"...Why do kids these days talk like they've got rags in their mouths..."
Long Korean life? He reeked of boomer vibes. Mirni snorted.
"You... were trying to suppress us the whole time, right?"
"......"
"Thought it was weird. Even fallen, an Inexplicable's inexplicable. But you oddly lacked killing intent~?"
Mirni laid out predictions and analysis.
In this candle-flicker life-or-death struggle, she'd formed a "fun hypothesis."
"You had chances to kill me, that brute—anytime."
Full demonic energy or authority would've crushed mana-less them effortlessly.
"But you didn't."
Suppress, not kill.
"Or you only have enough power to suppress."
"What do you mean?"
"That outer wall. Weird—no cracks no matter what. Like... you're pouring everything into it."
"...Plausible theory."
Valian finally sensed the incongruity, agreeing.
The wall's hardness demanded fiercer demonic aura than now—just pesky flies.
"Tail says beaten dog, but acting tough..."
"......"
"Anyway, point is—one reason he's doing this."
Mirni smirked at her lifelong foe, eyes narrowed.
"You... can't move in this building, can you?"
"......"
"Or you die the moment you do?"
"......Sharp-eyed bitch."
The Fly King—overflowing with leisure—had his lips press into a firm line for the first time.