—Aldebaran Army Detention Facility, Blue Dragon Laboratory, Central Northground
With the alliance forged between Cetus, the great blue dragon, and Aldebaran, one of the Four Great Demon Kings, the monsters throughout northern Northground were overwhelmed and subdued in the blink of an eye.
The Aldebaran Army established an expeditionary base right in the heart of Northground, cramming the detention facility there with hordes of captured monsters.
What unfolded inside was nothing short of hell on earth—a laboratory dedicated to engineering the ultimate, most abhorrent biological weapon.
Following behind Aldebaran, a heavily muscled man with a mane of red hair, Ashmedia's close aide Neimu grimaced instinctively as the stench of rotting meat assaulted her nostrils upon entering the facility.
Aldebaran strode up to a massive, pulsating lump of flesh resting in the center of the chamber.
"Looks like it's coming along quite nicely, doesn't it?"
Gazing upon the grotesque mass with obvious satisfaction, he offered his critique while stroking the thick red beard that framed his face from sideburns to chin.
"Yes, my lord. We have successfully carried out ninety percent of the designated procedure. All that remains is for Lord Cetus to assimilate it, and we anticipate he will ascend to the rank of 'King.'"
A man in a dark blue two-piece uniform—evidently a researcher—respectfully delivered his report with a hand pressed to his chest.
"I see, I see. The birth of a new King... It's truly moving, isn't it?"
Aldebaran nodded several times, pleased with the result.
"Aldebaran, I'm sure you don't need reminding, but..."
Neimu spoke up to press the point. These subjects were the vital key to summoning the chief god—their ultimate trump card against the Hero. Summoning the chief god demanded adherence to a series of rigorous prerequisites. Foremost among them was attaining the title of "King." Reaching this rank was Aldebaran and his cohort's ultimate goal.
In truth, not even Ashmedia, lauded though she was as one of the Four Great Demon Kings, had attained the status of a true King. In the first place, living beings outside the human race—the vast majority of whom were granted Gifts—were categorized into the ranks of Pawn, Rook, Knight, Bishop, and Prime Minister. The difficulty of reaching King varied drastically by race. In particular, while the demon race fell under humanoid taxonomy, they were devoid of Gifts. Though inherently powerful, their ascent to Prime Minister was the most arduous of any race. In fact, the only demons to have ever reached Prime Minister were the four rulers known as the Four Great Demon Kings. A "King" among their kind was termed a "True Demon King"—a title that had long since faded into the realm of myth and fable.
Naturally, seeing her own master, Ashmedia, crowned as King would be ideal, but that lady was far too gentle at heart. Ever since learning the conditions for ascending to King from the chief god's vile emissary, Neimu had known with certainty that her master could never walk that path. Above all, observing Aldebaran's grotesque transformation made it abundantly clear that the road to King was a one-way descent into becoming a genuine, heartless monstrosity. Her tender master must never, under any circumstances, be dragged into such depravity.
Neimu understood full well how cowardly and despicable her own actions were. Even so, if things were left to run their course, the demon race would inevitably be wiped out by that genocidal Hero. Indeed, there was every chance the current Heroes had already slaughtered their very god. Simply securing the title of "King" offered not a shred of security. They had to summon the chief god and forge a new world order centered around the demon race.
Attaining the crown of King was essential, but failing to carry out the summoning would be the absolute worst-case scenario—one they could not afford under any circumstances.
"No need to worry, is there? After all, I am but a faithful servant to our chief god, aren't I?"
Tilting only his head toward her, Aldebaran flashed a grin that bared his elongated canines. A shiver ran down Neimu's spine at an appearance so grotesque it scarcely seemed demonic anymore.
"And you'll be showing us proof of that, won't you?"
A single squirrel poked its head out of Neimu's breast pocket, hopped onto her shoulder, and questioned Aldebaran in a teasing tone.
"Why, of course, my Liege."
Aldebaran placed his right hand over his heart and offered a deep, reverent bow to the creature, sending a ripple of murmurs through the surrounding onlookers. Small wonder—to see the haughty, prideful Aldebaran bending the knee to a mere squirrel was an extraordinary sight.
Just then, a deep tremor shook the ground, growing heavier by the second. A massive pair of doors shattered into splinters, and the great blue dragon revealed its colossal form.
"Aldebaran! Is it not finished yet?!"
"I was just about to send for you, wasn't I? It's sitting right there, ready and waiting. All that's left is for you to fuse with it, and you'll become the Dragon King, won't you?"
The great blue dragon arched its neck, narrowing its eyes as it peered down at the slab of flesh.
"Is that what became of those wretches?" it asked.
"Indeed it is. Every last one of your subordinates, you know. Poor things—they were all ground down into fodder just so you could become a King, weren't they?"
Aldebaran made an exaggerated show of dabbing at the corner of his eye.
"Such sacrifice is merely their duty to me, their King! Art thou not much the same?"
"Ah, you might just have a point there, mightn't you?"
Dropping his solemn act in an instant, Aldebaran's mouth stretched into a grotesque grin from ear to ear. His unnaturally long tongue flicked past his lips as a shrill cackle escaped his throat.
(Scum, the lot of them!)
Neimu knew she had no right to cast judgment, yet she could not suppress the overwhelming revulsion rising within her toward Aldebaran and Cetus.
"You lot really are refreshingly vile, aren't you?"
At the squirrel's almost admiring remark, Aldebaran bowed once more, pressing his hand to his chest.
"I am utterly unworthy of such high praise."
Cetus lowered its massive head slightly, following suit.
"Just get on with it already. I can hardly wait to see our chief god revived in this world."
"By your will."
Offering a final bow, Aldebaran gave a curt jerk of his chin, prompting the researchers to scatter away from the mass of meat.
"Sacrifice of Gluttony♪"
Aldebaran snapped his fingers, chanting the words in a playful, singsong voice.
In an instant, the giant mound of flesh churned violently, flattened out, and surged toward Cetus at blinding speed.
"What—?!"
Before the dragon could react, the mass engulfed it completely.
The wet, sickening sounds of crushing muscle and snapping bone echoed through the laboratory. Swallowing Cetus whole, the mound of flesh bubbled and convulsed, gradually contracting in size.
When the transformation finally ceased, it had taken the shape of a young humanoid man with a cruel, sharp glare.
(I-Incredible...)
Suffocating under the sheer, oppressive aura radiating from Cetus—a pressure that threatened to bring her to her knees—Neimu clutched her chest tightly to steady her ragged breathing.
The youth lightly patted down his new body with both hands, his face flushed with ecstatic triumph.
"So this is my new vessel! It overflows with boundless might! Magnificent! Truly magnificent!" he roared in delight.
"Cetus, not to rush you, but I'd like you to take command of my troops and secure our dominion over southern Northground right away, wouldn't I?"
To Aldebaran's request, the youth merely scoffed.
"Very well. I am in exceptionally high spirits today. I had been itching to test this Kingly power of mine anyway."
Without sparing them a backward glance, he turned and strode out of the chamber.
"Heh-heh... With this, we're one step closer to the 'True Demon King,' aren't we?"
Watching Cetus walk away, Aldebaran's face twisted into a hideous sneer. There was not a shred of pity in his eyes for the great dragon dancing so blindly in the palm of his hand.
"You lot really are delightfully wicked, aren't you?"
The squirrel—the chief god's emissary—sighed in a tone blended with awe and utter madness. Feeling as though the barb was directed at her as well, Neimu bit her lower lip against the wave of nausea rising in her throat.
(Even so... I will do whatever it takes to see that lady smile again. Even if I must plunge into the darkest depths of depravity to do it!)
She reaffirmed her vow, sealing her resolve once more.