—Northground, wetlands north of the former quagmire
"Curse you..."
Cetus, the ill-tempered youth, crawled through the muddy marsh, spitting curses of pure venom.
Both of his arms and legs had been torn off at the root, half his face was melted away, and his torso was horribly scorched. Yet even in this near-fatal state, countless fine blue threads sprouted across his body, rapidly mending his wounds.
"That human-wannabe bastard! I won't let you die easily! I will make you suffer every conceivable agony and humiliation for all eternity!"
Just as Cetus screamed his vow of vengeance—
"How pathetic, really~♬"
A muscular, bearded giant of a man looked down at Cetus, his tone carrying an oddly cheerful lilt.
"Aldebaran! You bastard, you tricked me! What was all that about reaching 'King' status?! As if a Dragon King would ever fall behind mere monsters!"
Cetus shouted, his fury so violent it shook him to the core, but Aldebaran merely shrugged and shook his head vigorously from side to side.
"You are the King of Dragons. That much is an undeniable fact, you know~ Isn't that right, my Lord~?"
When Aldebaran addressed the squirrel perched on his right shoulder, the creature replied,
"Indeed. You are a King. You lost simply because that fellow happened to be a cut above you. Or rather, that was probably the guardian of this region's land—no, regardless, I can guarantee that you are a King."
Though the squirrel momentarily hesitated, it reaffirmed the reality Cetus refused to accept with absolute certainty.
"The enemy was a cut above me, you say?! Don't mock me! The Dragon King is the most powerful existence in this world. As if anyone could surpass that so easily!"
"Ah-ah, you're wrong there. There are plenty of beings in this world who surpass a lizard king. Claiming a lizard king is the strongest isn't even funny as a joke; it's utter nonsense~"
The squirrel delivered the dismissal in an exasperated, scornful drawl.
"A lizard, you say?! Did you just call me a lizard?!"
With bloodshot eyes, Cetus roared in fury, spitting small pillars of flame from his maw.
"Whatever, I'm done. That lizard is getting on my nerves, so finish him off!"
Grimacing, the squirrel gave the order to Aldebaran.
"Understood, my Lord~"
Aldebaran gripped Cetus by both shoulders and slowly began opening his mouth.
"Wh-What are you doing?! Let go of me!"
Ignoring Cetus's frantic, terrified protests, Aldebaran's mouth stretched unnaturally wide. The corners of his lips split, his features warped and swelled, and his face shifted into that of a monstrous reptile.
"Stop it—!"
The instant Cetus let out a bloodcurdling shriek,
—CHOMP!
Aldebaran's monstrous jaws swallowed Cetus whole. Even as Cetus screamed in his death throes, Aldebaran chewed him down repeatedly. But all at once, Aldebaran clutched his own chest, sank to his knees, and began to writhe in torment.
The flesh across his entire body surged and bulged wildly, rapidly forming a massive, blood-red cocoon around him.
The squirrel dropped to the ground, raised both of its front paws high into the air, and let out a triumphant cry brimming with unbridled ecstasy:
"With this, we've gotten our 'True Demon King' as well! The piece's evolution went far beyond our expectations! Now, the preparations for the 'God-Summoning of Soul Restoration' are completely set! All that's left is to perform the ritual once that sacrifice hatches from the cocoon~!"