Chapter 152 - At the End of the Strongest

"Gwoaaaaaaaaah!? Kibaba!! Pipepepepepepep!?"

Inside the lamp, the blue flame shrieked and wailed pathetically.

Its true identity was the former King of Niosebuk. Even in death, he clung to the mortal world, a wretched remnant who had gone so far as to exploit his own flesh and blood—his son. And to top it off, he had been utterly humiliated and set up by his own daughter.

"Sister Shinseniza... was this your goal all along?"

Tamagushi was the first to speak up regarding the shocking turn of events.

"To lure Father back to the world of the living by using Sir Sao... all just to seal him away with that magic tool!?"

"You make it sound so sinister. To 'use' someone implies pushing them into a situation with unequal interests. Sir Sao and I don't have that kind of relationship, do we?"

What exactly do you mean by that?

"I wanted Sir Sao to cooperate in bringing Father back and sealing him. I paid for that assistance by letting him hold me so many times. Is that not a case of mutual benefit and co-prosperity?"

"I guess so."

If anything, I feel like I got the better end of the deal by getting to have sex with her. From that perspective, the argument that Shinseniza "used" me doesn't really hold water.

"But Sister, what was the point? If Father was an eyesore, you could have just left him alone. Dead men can't influence the world of the living. Without a special bridge like Teracoas—and unless you plotted something strange—there was no way Father could have manifested!"

"That’s not quite right," Shinseniza replied, lightly brushing off Tamagushi’s fierce interrogation.

"Father’s obsession with this world isn't so easily dismissed. Why do you think he was able to possess Teracoas so conveniently the moment the Fusion Level reached 100 percent?"

"That's...!?"

No way...!?

"Because it was pre-arranged to happen that way. Even a piece of trash is a King; it was a simple matter for him to mobilize subordinates with mind-manipulation skills."

The King of Niosebuk had placed a mental suggestion in Teracoas's "empty" mind, ensuring that his spirit would be invited in once a certain set of conditions were met.

"A suggestion that would remain active even after Father's death... once the Fusion Level exceeded 100 percent. It could have been triggered at any moment by pure chance. If Father had resurrected at a time when no one noticed, it would have been the worst-case scenario."

True. While we managed to flatten him easily this time, a big part of that was because we caught him right after he hijacked Teracoas's body. He was able to use the many powerful skills via the [Medium] 'Divine Calling', but he wasn't used to the body yet and couldn't master them. Had he spent time researching and getting used to the controls, he would have been a massive headache.

"That's why I had to time it. To ensure that when Father resurrected, the preparations for his sealing were perfect."

Shinseniza gestured toward the lamp. The blue flame flickering inside signaled the end of everything.

『CURSE YOU, SHINSENIZA!! YOU WOULD BETRAY YOUR OWN FATHER?! THIS FATHER!?』

"Of course, Father. You know better than anyone how much I love a good conspiracy. To be placed in a situation so ripe for betrayal and not betray you... it would be impossible for me."

She said it without the slightest hint of remorse.

"Besides, Father... did you honestly think your children would follow you unconditionally? Not just me—every one of your children despises you. They’ve spent their lives praying for a chance to stab you in the back."

『YOU UNFILIAL BRATS!!』

"Perhaps you should reflect on your own actions."

She had woven a complex plan just to seal her father away and render him harmless. So that was Shinseniza's true intention.

"Everything went perfectly thanks to Sir Sao. It was worth the effort of offering my virginity..."

"You're as slippery as ever, Sister. Is this truly your only goal? Or do you have another?" Tamagushi asked, making no effort to hide her suspicion.

"You're so distrustful, little Tamagushi."

"For instance, why move now? If the goal was to train an opponent until they reached 100 percent fusion, Gangastra would have sufficed as a training dummy, wouldn't he?"

The Third Prince, Gangastra, was the top contender for the throne. In this country, "strongest" was the primary condition for succession, so he seemed to fit the bill as a sparring partner.

"How naive, Tamagushi. Having actually fought Teracoas, can you really be so optimistic? Gangastra was far too weak to be a training partner. Teracoas would have slaughtered him before reaching even 60 percent fusion."

"That's...!?"

Tamagushi searched for a retort but found none. Having fought both Teracoas and Gangastra myself, I understood. Teracoas, who could fight using the combined skills of various spirits as a [Medium], was infinitely more formidable. Gangastra’s skill was a "strongest" unblockable attack, but that was his only trick. He relied on it too much; once you bypassed that, he crumbled easily. Teracoas, with his vast hand of cards, was much tougher.

"So, I waited. While I pretended to maintain the balance against Gangastra, I knew the surrounding nations would eventually lose patience and intervene. I hoped that among them, there might be someone with the strength I required. And then, I met him..."

Me, huh? I came waltzing in exactly according to Shinseniza's plan.

"Sir Sao was an even more ideal collaborator than I imagined. At minimum, I wanted someone to pull out Teracoas’s potential. And if possible, I hoped they would fight the resurrected Father and weaken him as much as possible..."

"Was it necessary to weaken him?"

"This magic tool isn't something that can seal just any spirit unconditionally. A spirit with a strong grudge or obsession becomes a vengeful ghost, and half-baked measures won't work. You have to weaken such a spirit until it's vulnerable to our tools..."

Like a certain monster-catching game. First you weaken the target, then you catch it. Basic protocol.

"Of course, I didn't know if I’d have a cooperative partner, so I was prepared to seal him alone if necessary."

"You... personally, Sister?"

"Is that surprising? I take responsibility for the strategies I build. If it comes down to it, I have the resolve to shed my own blood. I am a Princess of Niosebuk, after all."

She said it without a change in expression. Even a master of intrigue has her own brand of resolve.

"Though, I didn't expect to be asked to 'shed' semen before shedding blood. Thanks to Sir Sao, my greatest ally, the problem was solved almost entirely by him alone."

"It was a mission where a top-tier body was a cheap reward."

"For me, if it means sealing Father away this easily, I’d be happy to be held another hundred times as a bonus reward ❤️❤️"

That sounds wonderful. But a hundred times won't even last half a year at my pace; let's make it a million.

"Well, Tamagushi? Do you still find me suspicious?"

"...Why? I mean... why go so far to seal Father...?"

"Do I really need a reason? To bury that shitty old man once and for all, utterly and completely?"

"NO REASON NEEDED!!" Tamagushi replied with maximum force.

Sometimes in this world, no justification is required to move forward.

『DAMN YOU... FOOLS, EVERY LAST ONE OF YOU...!!』

The flame inside the lamp spat out venomous words. A deep, eerie blue. It was the quintessential "ghost light." If a human soul can take the form of fire, this was undoubtedly the soul of the King.

『FOR YOU TO PREVENT ME, KING IMASHINUNDA I, FROM BECOMING THE GREATEST AND MOST TERRIBLE KING IN HISTORY... WHAT SACRILEGE! WHAT TREASON! YOU HAVE CLOSED THE PATH FOR NIOSEBUK TO UNIFY THE WORLD AND BECOME THE ONE TRUE SUPERPOWER! DO YOU NOT FEEL SHAME AS ROYALTY?!』

"I really couldn't care less."

A merciless, realistic shutdown.

"Father, you aren't worthy of respect. Don't assume your desires are the same as those of your children. In fact, the one thing all your children unanimously desire is your death and ruin."

『UNFILIAL BRAT! YOU ARE ALL BEYOND SAVING!!』

Those words are the last things that should ever come out of your mouth. The blue flame thrashed inside the lamp, but it couldn't even make the metal frame rattle. Pathetic.

『Hah... hah...! Fine...! My grand ambition is not yet crushed. It is a tragedy that I cannot achieve it with my own hands, but Niosebuk shall surely destroy every nation in this world and achieve total unification...!』

"Hmm? Why?"

The ghost's tone was so full of confidence that I couldn't help but ask.

『WHY?! BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE, MY SON!!』

"Huh?"

『YOUR STRENGTH IN DEFEATING ME IS MAGNIFICENT!! YOU CAN UNIFY NIOSEBUK AND MAKE IT STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE! COMPARED TO YOU, GANGASTRA AND TERACOAS ARE MERE TRASH!』

Coming from the biggest piece of trash in the world, that doesn't mean much.

『I AM OVERJOYED! TO BE BLESSED WITH SUCH AN EXCELLENT SUCCESSOR! EVEN IF MY PATH TO SUPREMACY ENDS HALFWAY, IF YOU TAKE UP THE MANTLE AND FINISH IT, MY NAME SHALL BE ETCHED IN ETERNITY AS THE 'FATHER OF THE CONQUEROR'! NOW GO, MY SON! INHERIT MY LEGACY AND COVER THIS WORLD IN THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE!!』

"......"

『HERE AND NOW, I FORMALLY APPOINT YOU AS THE SUCCESSOR TO THE THRONE OF NIOSEBUK! AS OF TODAY, YOU ARE THE NEW KING!! HOW WONDERFUL IT IS FOR THE WILL AND WISHES OF MAN TO BE PASSED TO THE NEXT GENERATION!! THIS IS THE TRUE STRENGTH OF HUMANITY! HAH-HAH-HAH!!』

"I refuse."

『...What?』

Inside the lamp, the blue flame seemed to go still with shock.

『YOU... WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?』

"I said I refuse. 'Niosebuk' is basically a synonym for human garbage; why would I want to inherit that? It’s too cruel even for a punishment game."

『WHAT ARE YOU SAYING?! I, KING IMASHINUNDA I, AM PERSONALLY APPOINTING YOU!! YOU SHOULD ACCEPT IT WITH HUMBLE GRATITUDE! DO NOT DISRUPT THE ORDER WITH YOUR PETTY SELFISHNESS!!』

Don't drag me into your petty selfishness, you bastard.

『YOU ARE MY SON! A SON MUST OBEY HIS FATHER'S EVERY COMMAND!!』

"I don't recall you raising me, and I don't think of you as my father."

Besides, you’ve spent your life trampling over the wills and wishes of countless people. How spoiled do you have to be to think your will is the one that gets passed on?

"Listen. My wish is only one..."

To have lovey-dovey sex with lots of women... is a permanent life goal. But regarding Niosebuk specifically...

"...The total annihilation of Niosebuk. That’s it. I won’t leave a trace of anything related to Niosebuk on this earth. Not the soldiers, not the facilities, not the history, not even the name. I’m going to erase it so thoroughly that it can never cause trouble for anyone ever again."

『DON'T BE ABSURD! THE MILITARY MIGHT OF THE WORLD'S STRONGEST KINGDOM IS THE GREATEST TREASURE FOR POSTERITY! IF YOU LEAD THEM, EVERY NATION WILL KNEEL! STOP THIS NONSENSE AND TAKE YOUR PLACE AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF TO LEAD THE REBORN NIOSEBUK ARMY!』

"I told you, I already killed the Niosebuk army."

『...Huh?!』

"Well, just the ones in the capital. Was it 180,000?"

Plus the thousands Shinseniza brought with her. And I plan to kill every other one I find from here on out, quickly and surely.

『IMPOSSIBLE! 180,000?! THAT IS THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR FORCES! IF THEY ARE GONE, THE LOSS IS INCALCULABLE...! AT THE VERY LEAST, THE INVASION OF RENIOSEGRA THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN IMMEDIATELY IS RUINED?!』

There is no such schedule, now or ever.

『I DON'T BELIEVE IT! IT'S A LIE! NO MATTER HOW STRONG YOU ARE, YOU COULDN'T HAVE KILLED 180,000 SOLDIERS ALONE! AND NOT JUST ANY SOLDIERS—NIOSEBUK'S HAND-PICKED ELITES! SLAUGHTERING THEM ALL IS IMPOSSIBLE!!』

You're the one who just hailed me as the 'strongest,' and now you're doubting my strength? Pick a side.

"It is a tragedy for you, Father, but it is the truth," Tamagushi added. "Look at the emblems glowing on Sir Sao's chest."

At Tamagushi's prompt, the light of the four-colored emblems on my chest drew the ghost's attention.

『TH-THOSE EMBLEMS... COULD IT BE...!?』

"So you knew of them. After all, Gangastra only sought the Spirits because he was following your lead. Yes... the proof of one recognized by the Six Great Spirits, who are the incarnations of nature itself. The Emblems that allow whoever gathers them all to become the ruler of the world..."

『FOUR SPIRIT EMBLEMS?! ALL THAT REMAINS ARE THE EXCEPTIONAL SPIRITS OF LIGHT AND DARK! EVEN WITHOUT THEM, GATHERING THE FOUR ELEMENTAL SPIRITS OF EARTH, WATER, FIRE, AND AIR IS ENOUGH TO CONQUER THE WORLD! I KNEW IT! YOU ARE INDEED THE ONE TO INHERIT MY HEGEMONY!!』

Again, stop including me in your plans. The title of your successor is an insult to me.

『YOU ARE THE PERFECT SUCCESSOR FOR NIOSEBUK! WITH THE FOUR SPIRIT EMBLEMS, A MILLION OR TEN MILLION DISPOSABLE SOLDIERS ARE MERE TRASH! NOW, REALIZE YOUR MISSION! WITH THE PRIDE OF MY SUCCESSOR, COVER THIS WORLD IN THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE!!』

...Seriously, what a selfish piece of shit. But hey, if you're going to go that far, I might as well live up to your expectations.

"Tamagushi, Shinseniza, get dressed. We’re moving."

"Eh? Where to?"

"To the Niosebuk capital."

I’m going to show this bastard exactly what his "Law of the Jungle" feels like, until he’s sick of it.

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