It was so noisy.
Who was it that dared to wake me?
I was the Whale King.
The king of whales, who had lived for ten thousand years.
The day I was meant to swallow the world should have been far in the future. So why had I been awakened?
The light of the world seared my body. My eyes had long since rotted away, and it felt wretched to experience nothing but pain in the absolute darkness.
My body... it seemed I had become nothing but a skeleton.
My strength had not returned. Had it been the me from before my slumber, I would have regenerated my form before I could even register this discomfort. As I suspected, it had been far too early for me to wake.
However, it went against my pride to return to sleep now. I decided I would simply hunt whatever was nearby to reclaim my power. Even in this skeletal state, there were only a handful of beings in existence who could truly harm me. There was no reason to fear.
I began to regenerate my eyes.
Ugh, the light was as loathsome as ever, reigning over the heavens as if it owned them. One day, I would swallow even that star.
And... as expected, the small ones were swarming here as well. The small ones always flocked together, falling under the delusion that their numbers granted them power. They were incorrigible fools. I had little desire to slaughter such lowly beings for strength, but it was for the sake of my body's restoration. It could not be helped.
Just as that thought crossed my mind, I was struck by an attack.
It was considerably painful. To think something could pierce my barrier—who was it?! No, I could tell without even looking.
It was the Age of Gods Dragon Race—those loathsome Lizards! To think they had sensed my presence and rushed here so quickly.
Hah! I would turn the tables on them!
...Wait.
Hold on a moment.
Normally, there should only be one of you, right? Since each of you maintains a vast territory, you never act in groups. So why were there so many of you?
Don't tell me... was I lured out? Did you intend to wake me only to destroy me?
Don't underestimate me!
First, I strengthened my barrier. Then, I prepared to counterattack. I would never forgive them for trying to trap me. I would absolutely never—
...Or so I thought, but then I realized that perhaps talking things out was more important.
Yes, shouldn't everyone just calm down a bit? True, I had a history of conflict with the Age of Gods Dragon Race, but that was likely with your ancestors. It isn't good to inherit ancient grudges. I had no desire to be your enemy anymore. Well, I did for a second, but I've had a change of heart. I truly believe there is no need for us to fight.
Hey! Are you even listening to me?! Do you not know the meaning of Love and Peace?!
Why were they attacking so relentlessly? I see—was it because I was in their territory? Fine, then I would leave! How about that?
No? Still attacking? Either way, just stop for a moment! This wave of attacks was brutal! I told you, it's too much!
Don't kick me! My rib just snapped! Look! Since I have no flesh, you can clearly see that it's broken! Hey! Don't target the broken part! You have no manners at all!
Urgh. I see. So they refused to stop their assault no matter what. Fine. It seemed they had finally forced me to get serious. They would regret this!
Wait! I was about to change my form, so stop interfering! You truly have no concept of etiquette!
Argh, in that case, my subordinates! My servants! Help me! I was in a pinch! A massive pinch! Reinforcements, please! I promise to improve your treatment if you come! I won't use you as disposable pawns anymore!
...At least give me a reaction!
What had happened? Could it be that they had already perished? All million of my subordinates who once blanketed the sky? Absurd! Impossible!
No... what was impossible was me waking up early. If I considered that, then had everything been orchestrated specifically to destroy me? It wouldn't be strange if my subordinates had already been wiped out.
In other words, I was in a truly desperate situation.
I see. Well, the members of the Age of Gods Dragon Race were essentially half-gods themselves. And they had gathered in such numbers. It wasn't strange that I was being overwhelmed.
Hmph. So this was the end for me.
...Like hell it was, you idiots!
If I were the type to give up at this level, I wouldn't be the Whale King! I would survive! No matter what! Even if I had to sleep for tens of thousands of years to gather my strength again, I would return to swallow this world!
First, I forcibly executed the form change that had been interrupted. I shifted into an Armor-focused state! Then, I triggered a forced Purge!
The purged armor flew out to strike the dragons. I didn't expect that to actually defeat them, though. I had to follow up properly!
As I took a follow-up stance to make my opponents brace themselves, I detonated the majority of my remaining body to make my escape. It was a waste of mass, but I would have been obliterated if I had stayed. Besides, the sacrifice worked. The Age of Gods Dragon Race lost sight of me.
Currently, I was only about the size of a human head. Furthermore, I looked like nothing more than a stray fragment of bone. Mingled among the debris of my exploded body, they wouldn't be able to identify me.
I lay flat on the ground and played dead. None of the dragons were chasing me.
Good, I had survived! Now I just had to stay hidden—
Just as I thought that, I was snatched up. A beak clamped down on me. I checked the owner of that beak. Against an ordinary beast, I wouldn't be harmed even in this state. There was no need to fear.
And yet... the owner of the beak was a Phoenix.
An existence that could destroy me even if I were at full strength! Absurd! Why was one here? Had it joined forces with the dragons? This was bad! I was going to be eaten! If I were eaten, I would die. I would be erased! My existence would vanish! No! Please, forgive me!
Perhaps my prayer was heard. The Phoenix did not eat me; instead, it spat me out with a disgusted "peh."
I was relieved to be alive, but was the spitting really necessary? It made me feel quite wretched, as if I were so unpalatable that it didn't even want to swallow. Not that I wanted to be eaten, but before it spat me out, it gave me a lick... Was I really that distasteful?
...I don't need a detailed review. It'll break my heart, so just stop. My apologies. Yes, I was saved. Thank you.
Um, well then, I'll be making my escape now, so could you perhaps not chase me? No?
The Phoenix grabbed me with its talons, and I realized it was taking me somewhere... toward the place where the small beings were swarming. Was it going to make a spectacle of me? A Phoenix wouldn't do something so petty, surely? Then what was it doing?
Hm? Eh? You've got to be kidding me.
There was someone with the power of a god over there? Was I being brought to stand trial before them? I was just sleeping!
I was placed before the person standing next to the one with the power of a god. Huh? Wasn't this the Three-faced Six-armed one? This being was surely a remnant of a God of Magic, wasn't it? I could still gather information even while I slept; I was impressive like that. Hahahaha.
Um, Phoenix? I don't think we can communicate unless you act as an interpreter. Also, you suddenly got much smaller, didn't you? Is that your true form?
For now, since I had come this far, I decided not to offer any futile resistance. However, I did wish to make my case before I was judged. So, the interpretation...
Hey! This is no time to be eating fish so gleefully! And don't leave behind nothing but the bones so cleanly! Bones are delicious too, you know! If you don't like them raw, you could at least grill them or something!
A few days later.
I didn't quite understand how it happened, but I ended up being enshrined as an object of worship at a mountain temple near the great settlement known as Village Five.
Why was I being treated as the Object of Worship of the Whale? I had no complaints about the treatment, but... well, in terms of human concepts of good and evil, I was fairly certain I leaned toward the evil side. Was that really all right?
I didn't feel bad about being worshiped, so I remained on my best behavior. I didn't do anything unnecessary, and I spent most of my time sleeping anyway.
However, I did wish something could be done about the members of the Age of Gods Dragon Race who came to show their faces every now and then. I understood that their goal wasn't me, but the nearby place where dragons were enshrined... but even so, I couldn't get any peace of mind.
Dragon: "Surround him! Surround him!" Whale: "Do you have no heart?" Aegis: "Look what I found." Village Head: "There, there. Good boy."