In the plaza, Kiji was giving a speech on behalf of the New City of Ket Nya for the city's completion ceremony. The rest of the executives were present as well.
With everyone already here, there was no need to go out of my way to gather them.
"Gil!"
Spotting me, Char came pattering over and threw herself into my arms. As I embraced her and gently stroked the back of her head—
"Gil, are you really okay?"
Tama asked with a sour look. The others showed similar concern, likely wondering about what had happened in the conference room.
"Yeah. Thanks for worrying about me."
"I-I wasn't worried about you at all!"
As Tama flushed bright red and looked away, Chato crossed his arms with a smirk.
"Not very honest, are you?"
That remark earned him a swift punch to the back of the head from the beet-red Tama.
"Gil, get your ass over here!"
Already completely drunk off the fruit wine I had brewed, Bū raised the wooden mug in his right hand and hollered. At the same table, Cyclone and Crocodus were busy drinking themselves into a stupor as well.
While my memories had been gone, I had used Mimicry on the techniques of the kingdom's finest brewer—whom I had watched as a child—to produce alcohol, and it had instantly become wildly popular among the monsters. Bū and the other warrior tribes in particular had taken to it with an absolute passion, drinking like this whenever there was an excuse to celebrate.
"Yeah, let's have a drink later. More importantly, there's something I need to tell everyone right now."
Something in my expression must have conveyed the gravity of my words, as if I were wrestling with fate itself. The other executives gathered around, and so I began a long, arduous explanation.
"I find that pretty hard to believe," Orgo muttered, his expression troubled.
"I understand how you feel. Even to me, having actually faced that Great One, he feels like some kind of absurd joke."
"Don't get me wrong. I'm not doubting the existence of this ultimate powerhouse. What I can't believe is that you used to be such a scoundrel." Orgo shook his head firmly in denial.
"Yeah. I've heard plenty about how foolish and rotten humans are, but I can't picture Gil being anything like that. Right, Kiji?"
At Bū's words, Kiji nodded. "Yeah. At the very least, you've put your life on the line for us monsters over the past few months. We know that better than anyone."
"That's right. It's impossible to believe this big crybaby used to be a prince."
A burst of laughter erupted at Tama's teasing.
"Anyway, the past doesn't matter. Gil, you're our comrade. That's the only truth that counts. Isn't that right, old man Cyclone?"
Cyclone, who had been listening with folded arms, looked away. "Who knows?" he replied curtly. Given his deep distrust of humans, I had fully expected him to outright reject the idea. Caught off guard by his reserved response, I blinked in mild surprise.
"And? Are you saying this strongest Great One is actually coming here soon?"
Rami, clearly not believing a single word, steered the conversation back on track.
"Yeah. There's only one way for us to survive: we need the help of the strongest existence, Kai Heinemann."
"Kai Heinemann, huh...?"
Just as Rami scoffed in mockery, Crocodus pointed to the sky and yelled, "W-What the hell is that?!"
Looking up, black clouds were rapidly blanketing the sky above the New City of Ket Nya.
"Prostrate yourselves! Prostrate yourselves! Our Great One shall now make his arrival!"
A flock of small black birds circled through the air, screeching at the top of their lungs.
"Hey, Gil, what is—"
Chato's voice was drowned out as a black cylindrical pedestal materialized in the center of the plaza amidst a tempest of dark energy, followed by countless colossal swords raining down from the heavens to encircle it.
"H-Hey, look..." Bū's voice trembled as he scanned their surroundings.
And with good reason. On the rooftops, in the air, and across the ground, plumes of black mist surged forth, and from within them stepped monstrous aberrations.
Then, from the dark fog rolling directly in front of the open space by the pedestal—the only spot untouched by the falling blades—a horde of aberrations poured out. Leading them was the giant long-nosed monster, alongside a beast with the head of a lion, a man with the head of a dragon, a red-haired youth with vermilion wings sprouting from his back, a breathtaking silver-haired woman with nine tails, and the tall man with horns on his forehead and sanpaku eyes.
In the blink of an eye, the plaza of the New City of Ket Nya was utterly overrun by these monstrous beings.
"..."
No one uttered a word. No, no one could. The only sound echoing surreal through the square was the collective, quiet clatter of trembling bodies. Every single person there instinctively understood, beyond any shadow of a doubt, the terrifying nature of the beings before them.
I could swear on my life that every single entity surrounding us was a supernatural powerhouse of absolute might—beings compared to whom someone like Urokoonu wouldn't stand a ghost of a chance.
Then, atop the rooftops, in the sky, and across the ground, the aberrations turned toward a single focal point and dropped to their knees, bowing their heads in unison. As I turned my gaze toward the object of their reverence—
"The Great One has arrived! All present, prostrate yourselves!"
The long-nosed monster's booming voice roared across the plaza. As if an invisible, colossal hand had slammed down onto our heads, every single one of us dropped to our knees and bowed deeply.
Rami, who had looked so smug and unbothered moments ago, was likewise pressed flat against the ground, her teeth chattering violently as her entire body shook.
"Raise your heads."
The moment the long-nosed monster's deep voice echoed, the crushing weight lifted, granting us the freedom to look up. When I timidly raised my eyes, standing there in magnificent, overwhelming majesty was none other than the strongest Transcender, Kai Heinemann.