Chapter 172: Facing a Murderous Confrontation

It was a few minutes later that they arrived at the royal chamber.

In what seemed to be a gloomy, spacious room of some office, there was a single worn chair with a broken backrest.

For a moment, I couldn't see anyone at all, but then the chair slowly turned halfway around and faced me again.

An elderly man of small stature sat with dark eyes.

Job: King

Level: Unidentifiable

Skill: Unable to Identify

…Lately, haven’t there been more things that haven’t been useful? Skill Identification.

“Looks like we meet again, ‘Warrior.’”

“Same to you.”

I give a brief nod.

The old man remained silent for a moment.

“…What do you want?”

No need to say it aloud.

The course of action was already clear.

“Surrender.”

If it could avoid a fight, that would be best.

“What if I say no?”

“I’ll kill you.”

I stated my demand plainly.

The king still seemed eager to say something, but after glancing briefly at En's face standing beside me,

"Then... I decline."

As if making that choice were the most noble way to live.

Yet, I thought to myself:

In the end, he chose the easiest path.

If he had truly faced his own mistakes and walked the path of atonement,

that would have been the most difficult road he could have taken.

"I was planning to issue the surrender demand myself... hm. Never thought you'd have allies, now, did you?"

So you really intended to use Akiba's people as hostages.

Unfortunately, that's exactly what Kyoraku-dono anticipated.

The people of "Makigahara" seemed to be moving exactly as planned.

Suddenly, facing the prospect of bloodshed, a warm feeling washes over my chest.

"By the way, you two"

The old man looked at us with a sigh, as if resigned,

"……You're awfully full of yourself."

I did something.

Then,

"Oh… oops."

A force presses down on my head, making me stagger slightly for a moment.

Seems this is what Yui-san meant by the "law's" enforcement power.

Looking at Yui-san beside me, she had a strained expression, her head bowed low.

"Guh… …《Domestic Mode》… Cancel that 'law' right now!"

Only then did the "King's" power finally vanish.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I mean, warrior, you were just acting normal a moment ago—were you really fine?"

"I didn't find it any harder to endure than expected."

"...Did I even need to come here?"

"Of course you did. I'd hate to fight while feeling this heavy-headed."

"Whoa, you're seriously reliable. You're practically cheat-level."

But it wasn't enough to shake the "King's" composure.

He was smiling as if watching a circus clown.

"Ah, I see. Then, the next move."

Suddenly.

From a space that should have been empty, a creature crawled out, creeping forward with a shiver: one beast emerging as if from nowhere.

It was... an utterly bizarre creature.

A lion's head, a goat's body, and a serpent's tail.

Its overall size was perhaps slightly larger than that of a lion.

I've seen something similar in a fantasy-style RPG.

"A chimera... is it?"

The old man narrowed his dark eyes.

"Which one? This one's quite a fighter, huh?"

"Why not just provoke it quickly?"

"Fine... Go!"

Then, the bizarre creature let out a sharp cry and lunged forward.

"…Eep!"

Enji took a few steps back, startled.

I caught the Chimera's movements with the ease of lifting a playful puppy into my arms,

—zap!

I severed its head in one swift strike.

The creature was silenced before it could even utter a final cry.

Blood spread across the aged floorboards.

—Congratulations! Your level has increased!

Huh.

It seems I just leveled up, too.

"Hoho. Not bad at all."

"King" exclaimed, sounding impressed.

"Then, please proceed with your next move."

"Hmm. Very well."

With that, the "King" slowly rose from his chair.

He then stretched his body, cracking his joints one by one, and assumed a clumsy, amateurish fighting stance.

"First, I'll just lightly graze you—no problem with that, right?"

"Be my guest."

"Then, I'm going to fight seriously now—hey, edge, step back."

In this situation, En was strangely hesitant, his expression turning awkward.

"I—what do you think I care about what you say now...!"

"En, do as I said. —From here on, I can't imagine you fighting while protecting me."

He couldn't have En finish off the "King."

After all, he had a job—canceling the "law."

"Then, I'm going."

In the next instant.

"——!"

The old man's fist struck my abdomen three times.

"……wah!"

Fast.

Truly fast.

The phrase "like a bullet" is often used, but this movement was exactly that—just like that, exactly that, precisely that.

In the next instant, I felt a sudden tug at the back of my hair, and before I knew it, I discovered myself with my head slammed into the floor.

"Ahgya"

"Y-you, warrior-san!"

By the time I suddenly lifted my face, the "King" was already standing in his original spot.

"...Well, well. You seem to be quite the fighter, aren't you?"

"That was just a light touch."

What a talkative old man.

——I’m pretty sure the "King" is the player in this world with the highest experience points ever... Probably even more than that "Hero" did♪

...That's what Haruna said, anyway.

Is this power the result of "absorbing experience points from around me"?

Quite an orthodox kind of strength, I must say.

But then again...

The "King" seemed to be carefully confirming each of his abilities, one by one.

"Very well... I've seen enough. You have no chance of victory."

"A full-course defeat flag, thanks for the meal."

I raised my blade,

"Judging by your movements, this is probably your first real battle."

"Exactly."

"Then, I should have a chance to win, shouldn't I?"

Even so, the old man didn't stop smirking.

"Since you don't know, I'll tell you—what's truly terrifying in this world is an old man fighting with nothing to lose."

It was as if he were utterly convinced this very moment, this very place, was the ideal spot for his death.

"Then—let's begin the real thing."

Or perhaps...

Perhaps the "King's" previous movements had all been calculated actions after all.

I wasn't exactly careless either.

――《Compliance (Compliance)》 has been activated.

――Due to specific conditions being met, all your skills have been disabled.

"Huh?"

Feeling the blade, once as light as a feather, suddenly grow heavy.

The old man chuckles.

"This... is still just the beginning— you wouldn't know, would you?"