There was no longer any doubt: the master of the beastmen who had attacked me was indeed the Beast King, Marticolas.
That meant he was likely the one who had ambushed Hatake-raune from the sky. Why had one of the Four Heavenly Kings of the Demon King’s Army targeted me? It surely had something to do with the warning the Flame Dragon Lord gave me regarding the secret meeting between the Witch Queen and his older sister, the Prime Minister.
But I didn't have time to dwell on that. I had to get to Hatake-raune immediately!
I activated Teleportation, projecting my consciousness into Hatake-raune’s body. However, despite the successful transfer, my vision remained pitch black.
What was going on?
“Hatake-raune, talk to me!”
(Mama... I’m sorry...)
Thank goodness, she was still alive.
“What happened?”
(Something dropped from the heavens... and in an instant, my body was shredded to pieces.)
So, my vision was gone because her surface body had been obliterated. I must have materialized in whatever remained of her root system beneath the soil. As long as her roots were intact, Hatake-raune wouldn't die; she could always regenerate. Though she had been crushed by an unknown assailant, the fact that she was still alive allowed me to breathe a sigh of relief for the moment.
Just as I felt a wave of ease at the Child Alraune’s safety, I sensed the presence that had defeated her leaping away from the ground. It was likely heading straight for my true location.
“I’m returning to my original body. Heal yourself thoroughly while I’m gone.”
(Okay... Mama, be careful. This enemy... he’s different from anyone we’ve fought before.)
“I understand. Thank you.”
I snapped back to my main body. At that exact moment, something plummeted from the sky like a falling star. Looking up, I saw a winged, black figure spinning toward me at high velocity.
I immediately layered my Gajumaru vines to form a massive wooden shield. Bolstered by Spirit Power, the hardened barrier collided violently with the aerial intruder. The enemy continued to spin rapidly, grinding away at my Gajumaru defense at a terrifying speed.
“How sturdy.”
The attacker muttered those words as he leaped backward, putting distance between us. My wooden shield had been gouged to its very core, but I had somehow managed to hold my ground. I realized then that if I hadn't been strengthened by the power of the Dryades and my half-spiritization, that single impact would have likely blown me to bits.
Now, I finally stood face-to-face with the intruder from the sky. He was a demon of the race known as Manticores.
His eyes were a deep, dark navy, and his skin was the color of fresh blood. He possessed the humanoid form of a lion, with black bat-like wings sprouting from his back and a tail tipped with a wicked, scorpion-like stinger. Despite the ferocious, predatory expression befitting a "Beast King," his human-like features were remarkably handsome.
This was Marticolas. He looked exactly like the descriptions in the history books.
“Hello there. You must be the Alraune. Though you seem a bit different from the first one.”
Marticolas’s voice was unexpectedly rich and sultry. I was taken aback; I had anticipated a gruff, masculine roar, but his voice was slightly high-pitched for a man—a calm, resonant tone that seemed to vibrate deep within my chest.
“Not only is your reaction time better than the first weed's, but you’re far more durable. The other one was torn apart by that attack just now.”
I had imagined a hot-blooded warrior, but this Manticore gave off an oddly serene impression. Was it possible he wasn't the Beast King? I decided to confirm his identity just in case. There was a slim chance this was all a misunderstanding and he might actually be a decent demon.
“Are you... Beast King Marticolas?”
“Indeed. I am Marticolas. I didn't realize my name was known even to the common weeds of the forest.”
It really was him. I hadn't expected him to be so articulate, but his choice of words was unacceptable.
A weed? Did this "King" not have the eyes to appreciate the beauty of my flowers?
“I heard there were two Alraunes in this forest, so I split my forces to strike both simultaneously. Judging by the scent of blood, however, it seems my subordinates failed on their end.”
So it was definitely Marticolas who had crushed Hatake-raune. That explained why his beastmen had come for me.
“If only you had remained a lone plant, my precious subordinates wouldn't have had to die... I truly despise weeds. Their reproductive rate is simply too high.”
“I... am... not... a weed!”
“To be fair, the weeds groveling in the dirt wouldn't bother calling themselves such. Bestowing names upon the lowly is the privilege of those of us at the top of the food chain.”
Grrr...
He was far too condescending. Every plant, even a "weed," has its own name! Besides, even if I was a plant now instead of a human, no one had ever insulted me like that before. I was furious. Even without the insult, I had to pay him back for what he did to the Hatake-raune I cherished. I would have to give him a very "thorough" welcome.
That said, Hatake-raune’s combat power was roughly equivalent to mine before I fought Big Sister Dryades. Even in her young girl form, she was strong enough to easily handle most foes. Yet he had ended her in a single blow. This meant the third of the Four Heavenly Kings was likely even more powerful than Big Sister Dryades had been.
“Now that I think about it, it’s been fifty years since I last visited these parts. That was when the Hero died, wasn't it?”
Fifty years ago? That meant this Beast King was the very same member of the Four Heavenly Kings who had been involved when the Witch Queen betrayed the Hero’s party.
“At the time, I showed some respect to the Witch Queen and the Spirit Princess and left Tower City alone. This time, however, I’d like to finish my work quickly so I can get to dinner.”
“...Dinner?”
“Precisely. My body has been aching to consume every human in that city over there. I’m dying to feast on some humans!”
Marticolas licked his lips. Watching him, I recalled a book I had read in the Royal Capital's library. The Manticore race was known for an insatiable gluttony; it was said that wherever Marticolas walked, not a single corpse was ever left behind. He was infamous for annihilating a great western nation three hundred years ago. Legends said not a single human remained in that land after he was through.
“Once I’ve savored the people of Tower City, maybe I’ll just march straight into the Royal Capital. Since the previous two Heavenly Kings failed so miserably, I doubt anyone would complain if I took over their territory, don't you?”
“The Royal Capital...”
“I wonder what the population of Gardenia is these days? I’m looking forward to seeing how many times I can gorge myself before the entire citizenry is gone.”
My family from my life as Saint Iris still lived in that capital. My old comrades were surely there as well. And this monster intended to devour them all as mere cattle.
“The tender meat of young women is exquisite, but the lean muscle of young men and the rich flavor of mature adults aren't bad either. I’m also quite fond of swallowing children whole. And as a connoisseur of human flesh, I’d love to taste the rare vintage of royalty or a Saint again.”
I had briefly hoped he might be someone I could reason with, but I felt absolutely no empathy for anything he said. Only one thing was certain: I had to fight this man. No matter how much I had distance myself from humanity, I could never tolerate a wholesale slaughter of the kingdom’s people.
As a former Saint, that was the one thing I could never forgive.
“I... cannot... let you... leave this forest... alive.”
“Oho? Then by all means, try. I’m curious to see what a mere weed can actually do.”
Marticolas sneered at me provocatively.
“The Prime Minister told me about you. Apparently, you’ve managed to defeat two of the Four Heavenly Kings already?”
“Are you... angry... that your... comrades... were killed... by a... weed?”
“I couldn't care less. Those two were newcomers with no real history. Garudafresvelgr of the Light Crown had only held his position for three years, and even that Spirit Princess, Vergissmeinnicht, had only been around for fifty.”
He paused, his eyes narrowing.
“I, however, was appointed to the Four Heavenly Kings two hundred and fifty years ago. My experience and my status are on a completely different level than theirs.”
It was true. Marticolas was a legendary demon from the annals of history. Including his time before joining the Demon King’s Army, he was an ancient creature who had stalked the continent for over three centuries. The Golden Birdman had been formidable, and Big Sister Dryades had possessed unimaginable power, but this Beast King was likely on a different plane altogether.
“You are strong, certainly. But you have yet to learn the true scale of the world.”
The air around the Beast King seemed to thicken and expand, dominating my vision. I could feel his life force brimming like a concentrated nuclear reactor. He was unlike any enemy I had ever faced. A truly apex predator stood before me.
“I shall teach you, little plant, why I am called the Beast King—and what it truly means to be strong.”
He was certainly overflowing with confidence. But there was one thing he said that I could agree with: weeds are incredibly resilient. They can crack through solid asphalt; their life force is unrelenting.
He might be the King of Beasts, but the strongest creature on this earth isn't a lion. True strength belongs to the one who struggles and survives until the very end. Whether the lion or the plant is the one left standing... I will take it upon myself to find the answer.
The third member of the Four Heavenly Kings has arrived. To protect the people of the kingdom as a former Saint, the Alraune prepares for battle!
Next time: Beast King Marticolas.