The Gran Beetle slowly advanced, each heavy step shaking the ground beneath it.
Ligan remained crouched, trembling uncontrollably.
“Y-you don’t understand how terrifying that thing is! It may look slow, but—”
Before he could finish—
BOOM!
The Gran Beetle kicked off the ground, tearing into the earth as it launched forward.
“What—?!”
A dull, crushing impact shook the air.
This wasn’t just a simple collision.
It was like a massive iron projectile had been fired straight at its target.
The Demon Queen took the full force head-on.
Her body bent unnaturally as she was sent flying, carving a deep trench into the ground.
Dirt exploded. Stones shattered.
She didn’t stop.
Straight into a massive tree—
CRAAACK!!
The trunk warped on impact, then snapped completely in half.
The tree collapsed with a thunderous crash, sending debris and dust everywhere.
—All from a single tackle.
It defied all logic.
“Tch…”
The Demon Queen rose to her feet, clearly injured.
It was the first time I had ever seen her take damage.
So this was one of the mountain’s three apex monsters…
It was on a completely different level.
The Gran Beetle charged again.
“Don’t get cocky! Try this—Fleche Obscurité!”
A magic circle formed before her palm, and a jet-black arrow shot forward.
It struck the Gran Beetle—
—and bounced off.
“What?!”
Caught off guard, the Demon Queen was hit again.
“Gah—!”
She was blasted back even harder this time, crashing into a boulder that shattered into dust.
“I told you we should run!!” Ligan screamed.
“That thing’s shell deflects any attack! And it’s fast—way faster than it looks—and smart too!”
“Zeke!! At this rate, the Demon Queen will be defeated! Let’s help her!”
I drew my sword and shouted.
But Zeke only smirked.
“Whoa there, Chris. Don’t underestimate her. Against something like that… she’s more than enough on her own.”
“…What?”
Just then—
“Ow… that stings…”
The Demon Queen stepped out of the dust cloud.
She looked slightly battered—but her composure was unchanged.
She had taken two direct hits strong enough to shatter trees and boulders… and was still standing.
If that had been me, I would’ve been dead from the first one.
The gap between us was overwhelming.
“Heh… you’re not bad,” she said, staring at the Gran Beetle.
“If you were from my world, I might’ve taken you as a subordinate.”
The Gran Beetle charged again.
This time, she leapt high, effortlessly dodging the attack.
The creature skidded to a sudden stop, then turned upward—
—and spread its shell.
It launched itself into the air.
“Wait… it can fly too?!”
But even in midair, the Demon Queen twisted gracefully—
…and remained floating.
“…She can fly?!”
I turned to Zeke.
“Levitation magic. Anyone can do it,” he shrugged.
“Well… normally. Since coming to this world, our magic’s been cut in half, so we can’t use it for long.”
…Of course.
At this point, nothing about them surprised me anymore.
The Gran Beetle turned midair and attacked again.
“Just charging over and over? How boring,” the Demon Queen said.
“You’ll never rule this mountain with such simple tricks.”
She dodged again—
But this time, the Gran Beetle flipped its body midair—
—and unleashed a barrage of ice shards from its arms.
“It can use magic too?! Zeke, we have to help her!”
But Zeke didn’t move.
The Demon Queen avoided most of them—but not all.
Two struck her—one in the shoulder, one in the leg.
“Tch…”
For a brief moment, pain crossed her face.
The Gran Beetle pressed the attack, firing more ice.
“…I see. You spam simple charges to get your opponent used to them… then switch to magic. Clever.”
She raised her hand.
“But playtime’s over.”
In an instant—
All the incoming ice evaporated.
Heat magic.
Then—
She rushed forward.
The Gran Beetle fired again and again, but every attack was erased before reaching her.
“Is that all you’ve got?”
She closed the distance.
I couldn’t even imagine how she planned to defeat something that her magic couldn’t penetrate…
Then—
She reached its chest.
“…HAAAH!!”
She drove her fist forward.
BOOOOM!!
A deafening impact echoed.
The Gran Beetle froze—
Then slowly fell from the sky.
It hit the ground, twitching, foam spilling from its mouth.
…One punch.
Just one.
Ligan and I stood there, jaws hanging open.
The Demon Queen floated back casually.
“Took you long enough,” Zeke laughed.
“Hmph. My magic’s just weaker in this world. With my full power and my sword, that thing would’ve been done in one hit.”
…That wasn’t even her full strength?
And she defeated that monster… with a single punch?
I made a silent vow:
Never make her angry.
“Th-that was amazing!!”
Ligan suddenly rushed forward, eyes sparkling.
“Please! Take me as your disciple!”
He dropped to the ground, bowing deeply.
The Demon Queen blinked in surprise.
Zeke stepped in instead.
“Why do you want to be the strongest?”
Ligan lowered his head.
“…I just… want to be strong. That’s all.”
He clenched his fists.
“My kind—the Licant tribe—we’re considered low-tier monsters.
Even among us, there are stronger types… but I’m a Baby Licant.”
“…Baby Licant?”
“We’re the weakest of the weak. Small, powerless… even ordinary humans can beat us.
And I… I was the weakest even among them.”
His voice trembled.
“I was bullied my whole life… born at the very bottom.”
He looked up.
“But hating my fate won’t change anything. So I decided—
I’ll rise from the weakest… and become the strongest!”
Silence.
Then—
“…Ligan.”
Zeke was shaking.
“…I like you!!!”
He grabbed Ligan’s shoulders, eyes shining.
“Come with us! Starting from nothing and aiming for the top? That’s the coolest dream ever!”
“Y-you mean it?!”
“Of course! You won’t get stronger hiding in a mountain. You need to see the world!
Our journey might not last forever—but while it does, we’ll train you!”
He turned to us.
“Right? Demon Queen? Chris?”
“I’ll follow your decision,” I replied.
The Demon Queen sighed.
“…Fine. But you’re responsible for him.”
Then she added dryly:
“Make sure you feed him. And take him for walks.”
…Wait, what?
He’s not a pet.
…Right?
I decided not to question it.
For my own safety.
And just like that—
our journey gained a new companion.
コメント