First Outer World Story Series: The Black Mist that Devours - Chapter 73
Translator: MadHatter Editor: MadHatter
(Kurokiri POV)
Shortly seven years before the present at a certain place in Japan.
[Seriously… I never would have expected that to be the reason why your subordinates advanced south, Snow Sage. How are you planning to settle the matter?]
[Well? it’s my bad. I didn’t want to issue that order. Hahaha.]
[Hmph. What impudence you’ve shown us. You have no idea how much pain you have caused us.]
I, the “King of the Devouring Black Mist,” the “Hundred Beast Clad Fox Princess,” and the “Frozen Silver Snow Sage,” had all assembled at a certain place with each of us in full control of our own demons.
Incidentally, I was operating my Fog as usual, while the Fox Princess was controlling a small fox-shaped demon called Little Fire Fox, and the Snow Sage was using a small square ice demon called Ice Cube.
[Well, forget about it. The reason we’re gathered here today is not to exchange silly arguments.]
[Indeed. It’s going to be a challenge to deal with that opponent by myself.]
[I’ve heard of her, but is the ‘Dragon Sovereign of the Caged Cherry Blossom Flame’ really that formidable?]
Yes, that was the reason why three of the four Demon Kings in this country had appeared in one place this time. That was to discuss measures for the fourth Demon King, “Dragon Sovereign of the Caged Cherry Blossom Flame” who was not here.
First and foremost, information on the Dragon Sovereign was being exchanged at this time.
[To start with, since my analyst was the one who desperately researched the name of the Demon King, ‘Dragon Sovereign of the Caged Cherry Blossom Flame,’ there can be no mistake about her name.]
[And as for her abilities, based on her name and her attacks when intercepted, it’s safe to assume that she’s a fire-based type demon.]
[As far as I can tell from the report, she is a four-legged, two-winged Western dragon with cherry-colored scales, over 10 meters in length. If so, the question is how close her body is to that of a dragon. Assuming that even her physical capabilities are worthy of being called a dragon, she must be quite a handful.]
[I’ve received despairing information that one of my well-trained Mud Soldiers was successfully repelled by her scales and wiped out without a trace by the claws of a counterattack.]
[Then, with half the attack power… no, even if there were enough demons, their presence would be futile.”
[Since that is the case, shall we send our kin to face her?]
[No, even if I send my current leader, Ryo, to attack, it will be tough from what I’ve learned from the reports.]
[If so, I guess even my own Mugi would struggle.]
[Hmm. If your top two can’t accomplish it, I don’t see how Yuu, who is at my side, can do anything about it.]
All of us were at a loss.
I have a strategy in my head to overcome this situation, but….
[Mist King. How many times have your ‘The King Acts for the Sake of His People’ been used?]
Well, there’s only one way out of this.
[I used it once a long time ago. But after that, I used another method (?The Lord Transcends Reason for My Sake?), so the cost had risen a little.]
[How much?]
[I have no obligation to enlighten you… but I can use my full strength in battle without any problem. By the way, Snow Sage, you can produce ‘The King Acts for the Sake of His People,’ right?]
[No problem. But since you have brought this into the discussion, does that mean we’re doing this?]
[Well, I guess that’s the way it is. If neither the demons nor the kin can do it, then we will have to directly confront the issue, won’t we?]
[Well then, that’s what it comes down to. Though that being said, we don’t have to beat her. Our aim is to drag her out of seclusion.]
[Hahaha. For the first time in a long time, my blood is boiling… I wonder when my blood has been pumping like this ever since…]
[Then…]
[So…]
[Mmm…]
[[[This time, we shall unite in a joint line of battle!]]]
Thus, the three Demon Kings, the Mist King, the Fox Princess, and the Snow Sage, had initiated an operation to break the “Dragon Sovereign of the Caged Cherry Blossom Flame” out of her seclusion.
————–
(Third person POV)
“Ahhhhh, this is the messenger of the Mist King! O Dragon Sovereign! For the love of all, go and create at least a single kin and emerge on the front stage! Heyyyy! Don’t you dare be a hermit under these prevailing circumstances of the world!”
The voice of a Kirijin man reverberated through the area. A Kitsunejin woman and a Yukijin man were also standing around him, observing the development of the scene.
And the Dragon Sovereign’s reply to the Kirijin’s words was…
“I refuse! I want to sleep here forever!”
Following these words, the three kin each pulled out a pendant from their pockets and hurled it into the Dragon Sovereign’s dungeon.
“Shut up, you damn lizard!!”
And in the next moment, an explosive sound resounded throughout the area accompanied by Kurokiri’s furious roar.
————–
(Kurokiri POV)
“Ah… ggh… how dare you do this to my dwelling…”
“Shut up, you stupid lizard.”
Before my eyes, there was a 10-meter-long, full-body, cherry-colored dragon. There was no doubt that this was the Dragon Sovereign of the Caged Cherry Blossom Flame.
“Now, as far as we are concerned, if you would be so kind as to make a kin and establish a relationship with the outside world, we would be content to leave you here…”
“Shut up! I won’t listen to a word you say!”
“I guess your response is within my expectation.”
The Fox Princess attempted to persuade her, but it seemed to be in vain.
“Then I’ll make you suffer a little.”
“If you want to fight, then bring it on! You old silver skin geezer!”
As the Snow Sage took his position, everybody in the place adjusted their combat posture.
By the way, I was now in human form, looking like a young man all in black.
The Fox Princess had blond hair, fox ears and a tail, carrying a fan in her hand and wearing a miko (shrine maiden) style costume.
With the exception of his white hair, the Snow Sage was an elderly man with a bent waist and silver skin.
However, these appearances were for the purpose of negotiation, and their original appearances, including mine, would be something else.
“So, let’s get started. ?Mist Plosion? x32!”
In order to make a preemptive attack and to set the stage, I released ?Mist Plosion? around the Dragon Sovereign.
But this level of attack seemed to be of little significance to the Dragon Sovereign and did not seem to be effective.
“As expected, she is very firm. Then I too will utilize my ?Sacred Fox that Seduces Hundreds of Beasts?, ?Enchanting Fire?.”
With a fan in her right hand, the Fox Princess readied herself by lighting a blue flame, then slashing at the Dragon Sovereign at a speed that paralleled sound. The Dragon Sovereign, of course, had no intention of taking this passively and sought to intercept her, but…
“I won’t let you do it. ?Bewitching Mist?!”
At the same time as the Fox Princess entered the mist, dozens of illusions of the Fox Princess’ materialized through my ?Bewitching Mist?. At the sight of these dozens of Fox Princess’ appearing, the Dragon Sovereign involuntarily froze in her tracks.
The Fox Princess then capitalized on this opportunity to reach the Dragon Sovereign and delivered dozens of attacks in a flash. The damage inflicted on the Dragon Sovereign provoked a groan from her.
But suddenly the Dragon Sovereign swung her gigantic tail, which complemented the length and thickness of her massive body, and knocked the Fox Princess and the illusion I had created away. I cast a quick glimpse at the Fox Princess as she suffered the blow, but it appeared that she had escaped a direct hit and that by flying away from her, she had sustained practically little harm.
When the onslaught halted for a second after blowing away the Fox Princess, the Snow Sage approached the Dragon Sovereign.
“Hohoho. Well then, here I come. ?Snow Giant of Frozen Silver?.
A silvery light emanated from his entire body for a split second, followed by the appearance of a silvery 8-meter-tall giant who was limiting the Dragon Sovereign’s mobility.
“Ugh! Let go of me!”
“I will have to refuse.”
The Dragon Sovereign was straining to shake off the Snow Sage with her entire body, but the Snow Sage was completely in control of the Dragon Sovereign’s movement by meticulously shifting the spot of suppression, probably owing to his many years of expertise.
And the moment the Fox Princess considered this as an opportunity and attempted to slash at the Dragon Sovereign again with her ultra-speed…
“I told you to let go! ?Cherry Blossom Fire that Traps Life?!!”
Sakura-colored flames erupted from the Dragon Sovereign’s overall body, forcibly yanking the Snow Sage off and hurling me and the Fox Princess away.
As the wall was closing in on me, I shifted from human form to mist form to neutralize the damage I would suffer from the collision with the wall. The Fox Princess, on the other hand, landed on the wall with cat-like motions, whilst the Snow Sage merely tumbled on the ground before retreating slightly.
If I may say so, the current strike did absolutely little damage, which is exactly what one would anticipate from a Demon King.
And the most vital part, the Dragon Sovereign, had recovered from all the damage that the Fox Princess supposedly inflicted earlier, and was displaying the identical appearance she had at the outset of the battle.
“I see. Damage + Recovery. How convenient,” the Fox Princess muttered as she descended to the ground.
“Furthermore, she is this powerful at this level.” While assessing his body’s condition, the Snow Sage observed, “She certainly deserves to be called a dragon.”
“If you understand, get the hell out of my house! Otherwise, I’ll burn you to a crisp next time!” roared the Dragon Sovereign, her wings spread wide as if to threaten.
But, Dragon Sovereign, your proposal is…
“I refuse. I’ll show you something better next round.”
And so the battle moved into the second round.