While inspecting with Mother and Rika, I received a report that a Demise Species Kobold Emperor had appeared in Valentia.
To my surprise, the Kobold Emperor declared that Father would defeat it and was already heading there.
If Father is heading there, I don’t think there’s a problem, but since I heard about it, I have no choice but to go as well.
So after escorting Rika to the Amistat Marquis Residence, I transferred to Valentia with Mother.
“Is it already over?”
However, when I asked Remy at Valentia Headquarters of the Hunter’s Guild, I was told that the subjugation report arrived about 20 minutes ago, and the report was being given in the 10th Appraisal Room right now.
“Just a while ago, the Grand Dragoner’s Master also rushed here, and it’s said that the Prime Minister, Duke Hertraich, is also heading this way.”
The Grand Dragoner’s Master is already here, and the Prime Minister is on his way too? This is becoming a big deal.
Tescatlipoca, a Demise Species, already lives in Valentia, but if they say another one has newly appeared, it’s only natural that it would become a big deal.
“Isn’t it good that it was dealt with quickly?”
“Even though there are no casualties, it’s a Demise Species. Subjugation is ideal, but it’s a monster that requires an Ancient Class, so it actually takes time to subdue it, and even then, it’s not guaranteed.”
I have experience subduing Orc Emperors, Orc Empresses, Slume Lords, Antlion Empresses, and Hanuman, and I’ve defeated them all. However, in past Demise Species subjugation battles, I’ve never succeeded in subduing them, and a complete annihilation was the usual outcome.
Although less than a day has passed from the report to the subjugation this time, it’s only because Father was able to act. Normally, after the report reached me, I would request reinforcements from Wing Crest and other Ancient Classes, then compile the information and depart, so it would have taken two to three days to actually go subjugate it.
“Remy, can we hear that report as well?”
“Since it was Asuka-san who subdued it, I think it’s okay.”
“Then, could you please?”
“Understood, I’ll go and listen.”
I’m also curious how Father defeated the Kobold Emperor.
I’ll be able to ask later, but the sooner I can hear it, the better.
“Yamato, don’t worry too much, okay?”
“Huh?”
“About Father defeating it. It’s something that requires urgent subjugation, and you don’t have your sword right now, do you? You might be able to substitute it with Multi Edge or Wing Bit Liberator, but they’re different to use, so you can’t really go all out, can you?”
As Mother says, without Azure Silver Sword – Pale Green, even if I exert myself, I feel far from my full power.
I can generate any number of Multi Edges or Wing Bit Liberators, and they can be used as swords, but they are classified as daggers, and no matter how much I shape them to resemble a sword, the blade length is limited to 40 centimeters. I can’t use them the same way as Pale Green, which has a blade length of 75 centimeters.
Against a Demise Species, a slight difference can be fatal, so if there were no casualties, I would have prioritized completing my weapon.
“Helping people is important, but you don’t need to sacrifice your life for it. And no matter how strong you are, there’s only so much one person can do, so don’t push yourself too hard. Your Mother would be sad, and so would your wives.”
“I understand.”
Except for Father and Mother, I am the highest-level achiever of the Helios Orb and also the strongest force.
Therefore, if a request comes, I will be dispatched, but no authority would try to force me to do so in my current state without a weapon. However, for those who become victims, it leads to dissatisfaction, asking why they weren’t helped sooner.
Mother is not only worried about me but also clearly admonishes me about the limits of my strength.
Indeed, no matter how strong I become, if Demise Species were to rampage in multiple locations, I wouldn’t be able to handle it.
In fact, the Labyrinth flood occurred in two locations last autumn; Laofen Labyrinth was cleared by **Black Army**, while Gagun Labyrinth was not even explored, let alone cleared.
The reason for Gagun Labyrinth was that the overflow of monsters was all high-ranked and numerous, so it was judged that it would be fine for a while. However, there is also a prediction that it is a considerably high-ranked labyrinth, so a decision was made that it should be properly prepared before attempting to clear it.
It’s also true that there are voices from the people of Mistol, the closest ones, urging me to clear Gagun Labyrinth, which overflowed with an excessive number of monsters that ravaged their town, but there’s no need for me to try to do it alone.
“Yes. Well, Remy should be back soon, so let’s go ask how Father defeated that Kobold Emperor, right?”
“Yeah.”
Although that’s quite far off, once a labyrinth is cleared, it will no longer cause Labyrinth floods or Labyrinth expulsions, and dangerous traps will be removed, increasing safety.
Labyrinths are also treasure troves of resources, so the labyrinth core has never been destroyed after being cleared, and it also has the benefit of allowing the labyrinth to spend its remaining years in peace.
It’s difficult to make time now, so even if I go, it will likely be several years from now.
Since there are more Ancient Classes, they will likely clear some of the labyrinths, so I’ll look forward to that as well.
Led by the returning Remy, Mother and I headed to the 10th Appraisal Room.
Side: Lord Harut
What a day this is. Before noon, the Dragoness Menage, one of Valentia’s strongest forces, returned heavily wounded and reported to the Hunter’s Guild.
The birth of the Kobold Princess has also been reported to the Dragoner’s Guild, but since information indicates it is on an isolated island in Saphir Lake, the urgency is low. However, as it is an Abnormal Species, a reconnaissance request with the strongest forces dispatched is a natural choice for the Hunter’s Guild.
But the reported content was unbelievable.
I had never even conceived that a Kobold Emperor, a Demise Species, would also be born. With the Demise Species Tescatlipoca already inhabiting the Solpreza Mountain Range in eastern Valentia, the appearance of a second Demise Species here is unavoidable in terms of human and economic loss.
However, a subsequent report stated that the father of Yamato Tenshaku, the leader of Wing Crest and an Element Human, had gone to subdue the Kobold Emperor. We have also received reports about his father, Lord Asuka, but honestly, we didn’t expect him to act. Yamato Tenshaku was said to be on an inspection tour, but even in emergencies, it’s not uncommon for it to take several days to depart, so we would have been satisfied if he had moved tomorrow or the day after. I also heard that he has lost his weapon, but even so, **Yamato Tenshaku** is the strongest force on the Philia Continent and has numerous achievements in subduing Demise Species, so while it’s regrettable to rely on him, it’s also the best option.
Yet, just three hours after the second report, that is, about 30 minutes ago, another urgent report arrived from the Hunter’s Guild. Furthermore, it was a success report, which we were most eagerly awaiting. At the same time, the fact that the entire pack of Kobolds, including the Demise Species, was annihilated in just three hours is chilling. However, as we cannot avoid hearing the report, I decided to visit the Hunter’s Guild with the highest priority.
“Is… this the Kobold Emperor?”
“Yes. Kobolds are small Demi-humans, but as expected of a Demise Species, they seem to grow to a colossal size.”
With a body about one size larger than an ogre, standing at three meters tall, blood inexplicably flows from its entire body, and its expression is tinged with despair. The wounds on its body were not inflicted by blades like swords or spears, nor were there any signs of blunt force trauma. How could such inexplicable wounds be inflicted?
“First, I will report that along with the Kobold Emperor, a total of 8 W-ranked monsters, including Kobold Princesses and Werewolf Kobolds, also appeared. Additionally, in the village, we confirmed 9 W-ranked monsters, though they were still children. They have been annihilated, but it was a large settlement with a total of 497 monsters.”
Manalease His Highness’s report is nothing short of astonishing. A total of 497 monsters? This is an unusually large settlement in recent years! The fact that it was annihilated by fewer than 10 people, even if they are Ancient Class, is a terrifying story… However, with 15 W-ranked monsters, including children, appearing, leaving them unattended is too dangerous. Rather, from Valentia’s perspective, this is a welcome development.
“The breakdown is 152 Kobolds, 198 Ricaos Kobolds, 129 Werewolf Kobolds, 7 Kobold Princes, 10 Kobold Princesses, and the Kobold Emperor. Moreover, the main force consists of higher-ranked species. Even the number of rare species exceeds expectations.”
“It seems Kings and Queens were not confirmed, so in a way, that’s a relief.”
As Hunter’s Master Kaname-dono says, the absence of Catastrophe Species is good news. Having only a Demise Species is a big problem, but there’s a theory that Demise Species give birth to Abnormal Species, or that offspring born from Demise Species tend to evolve more easily, so it was only a matter of time. We can only speculate, but perhaps the Kobold Emperor, like the Orc Emperor and Orc Empress subdued in Amister, has only recently evolved.
“So, regarding the Kobold Emperor, what method did Lord Asuka use?”
“It’s one of my trump cards, so I will refrain from disclosing the details. However, suffice it to say that I used Engraving Magic.”
Lord Asuka’s trump card. I’ve heard that in the Polar defense battle, he defeated a Dragon, which is said to be equal to or greater than a Dragoon, with a casual swing of his sword. Such a person’s trump card is beyond the imagination of a commoner like me. I am curious, but trying to force him to reveal it would be futile, and even more so, opposing this individual would be fatal, no matter how many lives one had.
“H.R.H. Manalease, may I inquire about the details of the subjugation?”
“Let me see. Father-in-law, is it alright?”
“I don’t think it’s very interesting, but it’s necessary.”
Even Manalease His Highness hesitates to speak without her father-in-law’s permission. However, with his permission, and since I am also curious, I would very much like to hear it.
However, as the story progresses, I can’t stop breaking out in a cold sweat. While Manalease His Highness and the others were busy defeating the W-ranked Kobold Princesses and Werewolf Kobolds, he continued to evade the Kobold Emperor’s attacks, and even parried its sword head-on? Not only against a Demise Species, but even against superior species, or perhaps even the brute strength of a normal species, he was unable to match it. Yet, he was able to face the highest-ranking monster head-on? Is that not the act of a god? Furthermore, approaching the Kobold Emperor in an instant and killing it with a single slash, causing blood to spurt from its entire body, is something that would normally be unbelievable and even considered a fabrication. Moreover, that Lord Asuka single-handedly annihilated the Kobold settlement – how could that possibly be accomplished in just about three hours…?
“Excuse me. Yamato Tenshaku and his Mother have arrived.”
“Oh, they’re here.”
“It seems so. Lord Harut, may I guide them in?”
“Of course.”
Since both Yamato Tenshaku and his Mother have arrived, I would also like to meet them. Yamato Tenshaku, despite being on an inspection tour today, altered his schedule to come here. As the head of the Dragoner’s Guild, which protects Valentia, I am truly grateful. It is also my first time meeting his Mother, Lady Maoh, so I must greet her first.
