CH 74

(Kurokiri POV)

“Now, this will take a little time, and I need you to buy me some time.”

With my right hand in front of me, palm up, the power is concentrated there slightly at a time.

“Well, that looks like a rather fascinating move.”

“Don’t implicate me and the Snow Sage in this.”

The Snow Sage lowers his knees and adopts a stance in preparation for the Dragon Sovereign’s onslaught, while the Fox Princess pools her strength to strike even more searing than before, her fan lighting up with blue flames once more.

“I don’t know what you’re going to do… but get out of my house!”

The Dragon Sovereign begins to amass cherry-blossom colored flames in her oral cavity, and when it is enough to escape from her mouth, it is vivaciously shot at me with immense heat and intensity.

“I don’t think so. ≪Multiple Ice Walls≫.”

However, the Snow Sage intervenes between me and the Dragon Sovereign, erecting a five-layer ice wall to keep the flames at bay.

Nevertheless, the potent flames are progressively melting the wall that the Snow Sage has fashioned, and if this situation persists, the wall would be melted away in a matter of seconds. Yet,

“Oh dear, you are full of openings.”

“Gah!”

The Fox Princess glides beneath the Dragon Sovereign’s chin even swifter than previously, exceeding the speed of sound, and while doing so, she propels a kick into the Dragon Sovereign’s mouth from above and below, inducing her mouth to close.

And with that impact, an explosion occurs in the Dragon Sovereign’s mouth, which sends the Dragon Sovereign into a state of shock and pain that leaves her slumped over.

“She’s really impressive. Well then, it’s my turn, ‘Black blood flows in my body. All is devoured by the black fog. Now, let my blood become an ice storm and devour everything…’”

The black fog clumps together in my right hand, initially resembling a series of bubbles clinging to each other, but gradually the bubbles burst to coalesce into a sphere, ultimately producing a perfect black sphere.

Then I direct it at the Dragon Sovereign…

“Let’s go! If you don’t want to get caught in the middle of this, you better run! ‘Outer Skill ・Kurokiribaku’!!”

…and hurl it at her.

“This kind of thing is… argh!”

“What! This must be a joke!?”

“Uh-oh! That’s beyond dangerous!”

The scales of the Dragon Sovereign make contact with the black sphere. At that point, a vast amount of black fog and ice blankets the region, depriving the Dragon Sovereign of her HP, MP, and SP, which are subsequently absorbed into my body.

Unfortunately, as Kurokiribaku is activated, the Fox Princess and the Snow Sage are fleeing at full speed out of its range.

“Hah… you! If you are capable of this kind of skill, why didn’t you thoroughly explain it to us beforehand!”

“Indeed! I’ve never seen such a crazy skill before!”

The Fox Princess and the Snow Sage are both complaining to me.

“Hahaha! It would have been a treat if you guys had been embroiled in this anyway.”

But frankly speaking, I wouldn’t have minded if they had gotten tangled up in it. After all, you’re both my adversaries by nature.

[[Ah?”]]

Well, if I say that, they will inevitably react in this manner.

“Gah… ggh… what is this ice…”

As the fog gradually clears, our eyes begin to catch sight of the Dragon Sovereign.

The Dragon Sovereign’s right arm and right wing are overlayed in black ice, and her movement is quite sluggish, possibly owing to the fact that her power is flowing towards me little by little from there.

Outer Skill ・Kurokiribaku.

It’s a skill that combines ≪Devouring Black Fog≫ and ≪Mist Plosion≫. The area of drain is optimum.

Incidentally, since the power itself has been heightened, it can also be used as a purely enhanced version of ≪Mist Plosion≫.

“Now, Dragon Sovereign. Are you feeling motivated enough to emerge into the public eye?”

“Tsk… hah… who will…”

“Hmm. Then, I’ll give you another shot…”

“Stop it. If you continue to do this, she will really die.”

Despite the Dragon Sovereign’s relentless resistance, notwithstanding the substantial wounds she has sustained, I try to follow up with an attack, but I am halted by the Fox Princess.

“Now, Dragon Sovereign. I understand that you prefer not to associate with the outside world. Nonetheless, in the current world, we as Demon Kings harbor immeasurable power, and that power is indispensable for the sake of human beings. So, at the very least, if you don’t want to be affiliated with this, you need to at least have a kin to inform the people outside that you don’t want to be involved or it’ll turn out to be a dilemma.”

“For the sake of… humans?”

The Dragon Sovereign’s eyes widen, indicating her startlement.

“Mm-hmm. Since our time is running out, we’ll let you go this time, but should you still be unwilling to emerge after this, we’ll be here to subjugate you next time. You’d better think carefully about what your next step will be.”

Having released the drain effect of the Kurokiribaku, I give my final advice to the Dragon Sovereign and prepare to leave.

“You’ve been behaving like this all along, haven’t you?”

The Fox Princess also begins to prepare to leave, and her figure slowly fades away.

“Ha, it’s been a while since I’ve been roughed up, and I’m refreshed. My back aches somewhat though.”

The Snow Sage deactivates his skill, becoming smaller and smaller, and prepares to return to his dungeon, tapping his lower back.

“Ah… uh…”

Our gradual departure mystifies the Dragon Sovereign.

“Hmm. If you have created a kin, send them to the Fox Princess for the time being. She’ll teach you what you need to know.”

“What! You’re pushing the responsibility on me!”

“Hahaha. We are neighbors who get along well with each otherー”

And then we return to our dungeon, leaving a bewildered Dragon Sovereign behind.

(Third person POV)

A few weeks later. “Dragon Sovereign of the Caged Cherry Blossom Flame” joined up with the three Demon Kings.

After several months, representatives of the Four Demon Kings and humans assembled for the first Japanese Demon Conference, where a pact was signed prohibiting large-scale aggression among the Four Demon Kings.