𝐌𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫
“Huff, huff, huff. . . . . .!!”
“Damocles, release the 『Fusion』!! From here on, it’s up to me!!”
“Guh, nngh. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Having released the fusion with the Summoned Beast Titan, Damocles falls to his knees, completely exhausted.
Then, Venus, who had been covering for Damocles, readies her large sword and shouts.
ㅤ
“『Fusion』━━『Heavy Sword Exzax』!!”
ㅤ
Venus, covered in steel armor, wields two giant swords of about ten meters each.
She charges towards Ogre with them, but as expected, Ogre just sneers.
ㅤ
“Alright, alright, let’s have fun!!”
“This battle maniac! Garnet, Arjan, cover me!!”
“Leave it to me!!”
“Should I get serious now?!”
ㅤ
Garnet and Arjan use 『Fusion』.
Garnet, enveloped in a purple mist, and Arjan, fused with his dragon, approach Ogre.
ㅤ
“『Magic Mist』!!”
“『Dragon Breaker Cannon』!!”
ㅤ
The purple mist envelops Ogre, and blood sprays from every hole in his body.
Then, from the mouth of Arjan, transformed into a dragon, a thick compressed fire cannon is released, turning Ogre into a burnt lump of flesh.
To finish him off━━Venus’s gigantic dual blades deliver a rapid succession of slashes too fast for the eye to see.
ㅤ
“『Thousand Fierce Blades』!!”
ㅤ
Ogre is shredded into pieces, and his flesh is scattered everywhere.
At the same time, the three of them deactivate 『Fusion』, falling to one knee due to the intense strain on their bodies.
Arjan murmurs, turning pale.
ㅤ
“I, don’t want. . . . . .to get, any, older, you know. . . . . .huff, huff, huff.”
“I feel the same. . . . . .haha, I’ve become an old woman.”
ㅤ
Venus agrees.
Garnet tries to talk to the two with a wry smile, but then━━
ㅤ
“HAHAHAHA!! That’s good, that’s good, I love it!!”
ㅤ
As if nothing happened, Ogre is resurrected.
Then, brandishing his axe, he charges straight at Garnet.
Garnet can’t move.
Damocles, Arjan, and Venus try to move, but they won’t make it in time.
“Die!!” 『Summoned Beast Smash』!!
ㅤ
A huge 『Hand』 extending from the side blasts Ogre away.
It’s Albero’s right hand.
Despite the hit, Ogre gets up, unaffected.
ㅤ
“『Super Penetrating Bullet』!! Second one today!!”
“『Emerald Slash』!!”
ㅤ
A jade-colored bullet and an emerald green blade of wind fly out.
Ogre’s head is blown off, leaving a big wound on his body.
With his head gone, Ogre’s body wobbles.
ㅤ
“Fly away!!”
ㅤ
Ridelle’s 『Red Queen』, lurking in the shadows, kicks that body.
Ogre’s body flies straight up.
Chasing after it, Albero, who had climbed the school building and jumped off, clenches his right fist tightly.
“Kura, take this!!”
“It’s you.”
“━━What?!”
ㅤ
In an instant, Ogre’s regenerated right hand pierces through Albero’s abdomen.
He was too aggressive. With his head gone, he was vulnerable. Albero’s carelessness proved fatal.
ㅤ
“Gah?! Ah. . . . . .ugh, nooooo!!”
“Huh?!”
ㅤ
Albero, coughing up blood, activates his right eye.
As his golden eye pierces through Ogre, Ogre clicks his tongue in annoyance.
ㅤ
“I hate that eye!! Jabberwock. . . . . .the eye of the traitor!!”
“Ugh, nghhh!!”
ㅤ
Feeling a burning sensation in his stomach and a metallic taste in his mouth, drowsiness overcame him.
Yet, Albero saw.
His right eye felt as if it was on fire, and his brain felt like it was burning.
But he ran out of energy.
ㅤ
“━━Ah.”
ㅤ
Coughing up blood, thrown by Ogre, Albero crashed to the ground.
“Albero!!”
ㅤ
It seemed like Ashe was shouting.
Ashe was crying. Kid clicked his tongue, and Ridelle quivered her lips.
Damocles and the others were shouting something.
Albero, quietly closed his eyes and━━listened.
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
『Don’t die, Albero━━』
ㅤ
ㅤ
ㅤ
◇◇◇◇◇◇
ㅤ
Albero was defeated.
Seeing Albero, soaked in blood and collapsed, Damocles went berserk.
ㅤ
“You bastard!! You really did it, didn’t you?!”
“Hahaha!! Nice, you’ve got the spirit like the old times! Let’s continue playing!”
“Venus!! Garnet!! Arjan!! Show your guts!”
“Hmph━━of course!”
“Touching my disciple!!”
“Giving it my all till the end!!”
ㅤ
Four heroes stood up and headed towards Ogre.
They probably didn’t have much strength left. But. . . . . .they still charged.
And next to the fallen Albero, there were Ashe and the others.
ㅤ
“No, no, no! Wake up, wake up!”
“Damn it. . . . . .isn’t there anyone?! Hey!! Damn it, there’s no A-class summoner!!”
“Ah, ah. . . . . .what do we do?”
ㅤ
Ashe was crying out, Kid was looking for someone, and Ridelle looked pale.
Albero’s life seemed to be fading away.
ㅤ
“. . . . . .”
ㅤ
But Albero could hear.
He couldn’t speak, couldn’t open his eyes, couldn’t even move a finger.
But he could hear the cries of Ashe and the others.
ㅤ
(To die━━)
ㅤ
His consciousness was drifting away━━.
ㅤ
◇◇◇◇◇◇
ㅤ
ㅤ
“Ah.”
ㅤ
ㅤ
When he woke up, he was in a familiar place.
A shady and somewhat lonely place, but a nostalgic one. . . . . .the backyard of the Rushout house.
Leaning against the wall of the house, Albero stood up.
ㅤ
“This place is━━.”
ㅤ
This was the favorite spot of him and Mog.
Mog would search for earthworms, and Albero often watched that scene.
ㅤ
“. . . . . .Did I die again?”
ㅤ
Merging with Mog, the first fear of death.
Albero slumped down.
ㅤ
“. . . . . .Ah.”
ㅤ
The moment he touched his face, realizing he couldn’t defeat the demon. . . . . .
ㅤ
『Mog!』
“Huh. . . . . .?”
ㅤ
Mog appeared in front of Albero, popping out of the ground.
ㅤ
“Mo, Mog…?”
『Mog~』
“Ah… haha, Mog!!━━Huh?”
ㅤ
He reached out to touch Mog but couldn’t.
The ground and Mog were translucent. He couldn’t touch them.
But Mog was there.
ㅤ
“Mog. . . . . .why? Let me touch you, let me hold you. . . . . .”
『. . . . . .』
ㅤ
Mog shook its head.
Then, crawling
ㅤ
“Can you still go on?”
“Mog. . . . . .”
“It’s okay. You won’t lose to someone like that. I’m right here with you.”
“. . . . . .Yeah.”
“Let’s fight. For the sake of peace. . . . . .for the world of Albero where humans and Summoned beasts live.”
“Yes. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Mog’s body becomes translucent and turns into a small light, merging with Albero.
Surrounded by a mysterious warmth, Albero’s consciousness fades.
ㅤ
◇◇◇◇◇◇
ㅤ
Damocles is struck by Ogre and rolls on the ground multiple times.
ㅤ
“Gahhhhh?!”
ㅤ
Titan is already lying in a pool of blood.
Venus’s sword is also broken, Garnet has fallen covered in blood, and Arjan’s dragon lies beside, groaning.
The four heroes were overwhelmed by only one demon.
Challenging the strongest demon that even twenty-one summoners couldn’t defeat, with just four of them. And above all. . . . . .the heroes couldn’t defeat 『old age』.
ㅤ
“Ku, damn it!!!!”
“Ah, you’ve become weak, haven’t you? You used to be stronger.”
“Gahh?!”
ㅤ
Kicked by Ogre, Damocles rolls on the ground again.
Then, Nisrok catches the rolling Damocles.
Supporting Damocles, Leivinia moves forward tremblingly.
ㅤ
“Hey, Ogre. . . . . .enough is enough.”
“Huh? You spineless creatures. The likes of you, wagging tails to humans.”
“I didn’t betray! Why are you doing this?! Didn’t we come to this world because we admired the 『colors』 of the human world?! Even though we came through human souls, why are you doing this to humans?”
“Shut up. We only need the Demon Emperor as a human. Besides, this world is full of interesting things. Humans are just in the way of my fun. And you guys were also rampaging against humans.”
“That was. . . . . .because the Demon Emperor-sama wanted it.”
“Same thing. It’s what both of us want.”
“No, it’s different. We did it for Demon Emperor-sama. I don’t hate humans, I like this world with humans in it! I like Ashe and Ridelle, and delicious food too!”
“Hah. . . . . .that’s pathetic. Oh, I’ll tell you something at the end.”
ㅤ
Ogre points his axe at Leivinia.
Nisrok steps forward to protect her, but he’s trembling.
ㅤ
“You guys have been watched by Beelzebub from the beginning. Me, Hubris, Abel, and probably Florentia too. His 『flies』 are inside us. Florentia woke me up, but Beelzebub ordered her to do that.”
“What. . . . . .?”
“The complete revival of the Demon Emperor is near. He’s been preparing for it. You and Nisrok are now disposable.”
“D, Disposable?”
“Yes. Your ability to control demon beasts is rare, but once the Demon Emperor fully revives, we won’t need it anymore. And we have 『Queen』 as well.”
“, No way. . . . . .”
“That’s how it is. Goodbye, weakling.”
ㅤ
Ogre approaches Leivinia and Nisrok.
Nisrok, with his trembling body, tries to shield his sister.
Tears form in Leivinia’s eyes as she trembles.
ㅤ
“Goodbye.”
ㅤ
As the axe swings down━━
ㅤ
“━━Wha? Grrr?!”
ㅤ
━━As the axe was about to strike, 『a black something』 appeared from next to Nisrok and hit Ogre, sending him flying.
ㅤ
“Eh. . . . . .?”
“What’s this. . . . . .?”
Leivinia and Nisrok turned around.
There stood. . . . . .
ㅤ
“A, Albero…?”
“What. . . . . .what are you doing here?”
“This can’t be. . . . . .”
ㅤ
Ashe, Kid, and Ridelle were in shock.
“What. . . . . .what is it?”
“Is this. . . . . .?”
“Is this Albero. . . . . .?”
“What’s going on?”
ㅤ
Damocles, Venus, Garnet, and Arjan were taken aback.
Albero’s risen right arm, with its mutated section covering his chest.
It looked as though it was covered in a dark shell, like that of a demon beast. The right arm itself was larger than usual, with a menacing change in its form.
ㅤ
“. . . . . .It’s okay.”
“Albero!!”
“Ashe, Mog. . . . . .Mog said 『live』…”
ㅤ
A tear fell from Albero’s eye.
He gently stroked his extended right arm.
Then━━Ogre yelled out.
ㅤ
“HAHAHAHA! Look at you, still full of energy!”
“. . . . . .”
“But it’s over now! I’ll kill all of you and devour every human here!”
ㅤ
Ogre swung his axe around wildly.
Albero gently placed his right hand over his chest.
ㅤ
“Thank you, Mog. I can still do this.”
ㅤ
His heart was beating strongly.
His menacing right arm felt warm, as if filled with kindness.
Albero readied his right arm.
ㅤ
“『Total Assimilation』.”
ㅤ
THUMP━━his heart raced.
Starting from his right arm, a pitch-black skin formed, followed by an outer shell.
The shell covered his entire body, transforming him into something not human. . . . . .resembling a demon beast.
“What. . . . . .?”
ㅤ
Ogre, Leivinia, and Nisrok were astonished.
That form was something every Summoned beast would recognize.
“It’s. . . . . .Jabberwock…!!”
ㅤ
The king of the Summoned beasts, Jabberwock.
Albero’s right arm, its true form, had awakened.
ㅤ
“Let’s finish this. . . . . .Let’s go, Mog. . . . . .no, Jabberwock!!”
ㅤ
The final battle between the 『Warth』 demon Ogre and Jabberwock began.
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