While channeling mana into "Recovery," I continue to regenerate my body.
I honestly don't know the mechanics behind how it's restoring itself, nor do I truly comprehend why I am capable of doing this. It feels exactly as though I am simply utilizing functions that my body was equipped with from the very beginning. Well, it's a "power" I've used countless times ever since I was born into this world, so it's not like anything too bizarre is going to happen. If it ever bugs out and goes weird, I can just smash my own brain to pieces and force a hard reboot!
Converting mana into energy, I pour it into the "Recovery Capability" residing within my form. There's no need to consciously think about where to direct it; I just circulate the mana through every single nook and cranny of my body at full throttle. The faster the rotation speed climbs, the more my body temperature rises, turning into an immense amount of thermal energy. My body feels burning hot, but that's perfectly fine. It's proof that my recovery is operating at a level that vastly outperforms its inherent efficiency and speed.
(Replacing the lost parts with newer, stronger ones... Well, if I only do that, the balance of my body will go wonky. Let's just do a total overhaul of everything.)
Both of my legs are still attached, but their insides are pretty banged up. One of my wings is completely gone, and the other is hanging by a thread. If this were a car, it'd be at the level where buying a brand-new vehicle would be cheaper than repairing it. In that case, it just means it's better to recreate everything from scratch. My brain—which is currently half-brand-new—sends out directives to the rest of my body, circulating the mana.
My scorched skin gradually reverts to its original state, and the blood that had drained from my body begins to generate anew. The sensation of my missing left wing returns perfectly the moment it suddenly sprouts right back from the root. ...Yeah, yeah, the sensation around my face has come back too. Just a few more seconds and it'll be a complete recovery.
"...A regeneration user."
"Oh, you're back."
While I am recovering in such a manner, my opponent has finally made his way back over. It appears that the previous mana cannon...? If that's what it's called. It seems he achieves high-speed hover movement by discharging that from the soles of his feet. I see, I see. At a glance, adjusting the output and keeping your sense of balance looks like a massive pain, but... it seems incredibly convenient. Maybe I could enjoy a trip through the grand skies that an ostrich normally can't manage. I think I'll practice that next time.
Even so... he really is unscathed. No, to be sure, the mana residing within his body has decreased correspondingly. But it's a trifling amount. No proper external injuries are visible. It seems unleashing the mana by diffusing it turned out to be my mistake. I managed to buy time for my kids to escape, but conversely speaking, that was all I could accomplish. ...Well, that's fine. If he had died right there, it would've spoiled the fun in a lot of ways, after all.
"So? Is it safe for me to assume you're the 'Beast King'?"
"...Indeed."
Aha, just as I thought. ...I can't imagine Matilde telling a lie, and I don't see any reason for the Kingdom of Heed to go out of their way to lie either.
I—or rather, we—are temporarily siding with the Kingdom of Heed, but it's a situation where we can leave immediately if we are presented with better conditions, or if we cease to find any merit in Heed. From what I've heard, a "Special Tactical Force" is like a nuclear weapon from my past life on Earth; an existence that can serve as a deterrent. If they were to be hated by us and have us walk away, it would mean the end for them as a nation; there are nothing but disadvantages.
Besides, judging by the way he spoke, the Prime Minister seemed like a decent guy. The young Queen felt like she was a bit too detached from reality in various ways for someone her age, but... I didn't see any intent to deceive us. Well, since I've lived in the highlands for a long time, I'm ignorant when it comes to stratagems and things of that nature. Consequently, I can't trust them completely, but at the very least, I've judged that I'll be fine.
In short, it seems there is no merit for Heed to deceive us, so the possibility that we were tricked is out of the question. ...Which means this Beast King guy was simply a step ahead.
"Mana concealment, was it? It was very well done. I took a pretty good hit from it. It gave me quite a surprise."
"...."
"Well, thanks to that, a lot of things have become clear to me... Should I offer my thanks for that, at least?"
Lightly spreading one of my wings, I attempt to generate a sphere of mana over it. I still can't refine it as skillfully as this guy I saw earlier. However, despite being completely unable to manipulate mana until I came face-to-face with death, I can now move it as if it were an extension of my own hand. There couldn't possibly be a better toy than this. If I don't give him a "return gift," it would disgrace the name of an "ostrich."
"Ah, that's right. Do you need me to introduce myself? I don't understand the etiquette around these parts at all. I'll give you my name just in case. I'm 'Lais.' I serve as the Chieftain of those kids from earlier—the ostriches."
"......The King of the Charda Beast Kingdom, 'Shi.'"
"Hmm. Well, I have no intention of remembering that. Now then, shall we die?"
For now, I've fulfilled the protocol. All that's left is to kill him.
The instant I say that, I release the sphere of mana I had generated above my wing, blasting a mana cannon straight toward the Beast King.
Honestly, you see, I am so angry my intestines feel like they're boiling over.
Is it because I was inflicted with such a massive injury, even though it's already healed? Ah, of course. That's a small part of it. But you see? Far more than that.
How exactly should I make him pay the settlement for harming my kids?
The kids of the flock are ones I've taken care of ever since I was in the highlands; every single one of them is my family, and though some are older than me, they are all like my own children. It's not just Dere; every single one of them is a precious existence to me. And he, he harmed them? I want to hack his body into mincemeat this very instant. He harmed my comrades, and he harmed the hearts of the other kids who had to witness it. I will absolutely not let him return alive.
Simultaneously, I harbor rage toward myself as well.
If I had been stronger, something like this wouldn't have occurred. If I had completely mastered mana, I should have been able to manage somehow. I should have been able to completely withstand that attack, and bury the entirety of the enemy army along with the Beast King.
I am thoroughly disgusted by my own weakness.
(Therefore, I shall have you become my nourishment.)
I'm going to kill him anyway. Utilizing him solely to vent my own rage would be a tad disrespectful to life itself. More than anything, it's the first time "Dere" has called me "Mama." Since I've been called a mother, a corresponding conduct is demanded of me. Allowing rage to take over and completely destroying everything sets a bad example for education. I shall handle this as the "Chieftain," as the "Leader of the Ostriches."
In the highlands, we never hunted more than necessary. When we killed, it was only to eat, or to protect ourselves. That is the law of nature. As expected, given that the opponent is a person, I honestly don't feel like eating him. Therefore, not his body, but the knowledge and techniques engraved within his form. I shall devour them to the absolute last drop. That is the bare minimum of courtesy.
"Well, I tried shooting it, but... as I thought, it's no good."
Just like before, I cause the mana sphere to discharge directly. However, there is one modification. The previous attack was unleashed to incinerate the other Beast Kingdom soldiers waiting behind the Beast King all together. But it is impossible to kill the Beast King that way. In that case, not diffusion, but convergence.
Personally, I am still inexperienced with proper mana manipulation, so I can't do it well. At most, I cut away the mana that was originally compressed inside my body, and round it out. Then, I punch a hole in that sphere and push it out with all my might. Unlike the artistic "Mana Cannon" the Beast King displayed, mine is a "Make-Believe Mana Cannon." In terms of mana consumption efficiency and whatnot, it's likely inferior to his in various ways, but...
Sensory-wise, the power is superior to the attack the Beast King unleashed earlier.
However, sure enough, there is no feedback.
"...Ah, I see. He's cutting through it."
The mana cannon I unleashed, and the polar light generated by it.
As that light slowly recedes, what comes into view is the Beast King-chan thrusting his hand forward. At a glance, a considerable amount of mana is residing within his arm. It appears he carved through the mana cannon I unleashed to secure a safe zone. I see, I see... he really is unscathed. However, his shoulders are heaving as he breathes. It seems to be a technique he can't pull off all that many times.
(I still have plenty of mana remaining. If I keep firing salvos like this without letting him get close, I'll probably win. However, that would be an abrupt victory. It lacks amusement.)
If he is to die, I want him to pour out his everything, only to die in utter despair as absolutely nothing works. If he dies without being able to do anything, a sense of resignation might bloom somewhere within him. Along the lines of, 'If I lost to an opponent who can do this, it can't be helped.' The guy who harmed my children dying with that kind of mindset? Like hell I'd ever allow that. You're going to become my nourishment, and die in utter despair.
"Now then, as my 'nourishment,' make sure to entertain me."
◇◆◇◆◇
While steadying his breathing through his heaving shoulders, the Beast King simultaneously restores the flow of his mana to its original state.
(T-That is not magic! It is merely discharging raw mana!)
A fact that anyone who has ever touched magic would comprehend at a single glance. However, precisely because of that lack of realism, the Beast King harbored confusion and terror within his heart.
The thing Lais unleashed just now—she called it a "Make-Believe Mana Cannon," but it was nothing so cute.
That was a mere lump of raw mana.
(Normally, if it is magic, it exerts a power of two or more against a mana consumption of one... However!)
The "Mana Cannon" the Beast King manipulated—the magic serving as its foundation—was a simple thing. It was a beginner-tier spell that any mage could utilize. However, through his preeminent mana manipulation, he had drastically elevated its efficacy. That magic, which normally possessed low power due to its simplicity, was something that brought forth a power of two with a mana consumption of one.
However, by utilizing exclusively that magic, continuously acclimating it to his body, and optimizing it, the Beast King became capable of drawing out a power of over a hundred with a mana consumption of one. While many individuals raised their mana consumption to increase power, or applied attributes to enhance power and grant other effects, he had continuously, exclusively utilized the "Mana Cannon."
Consequently, he utilized the bare minimum of mana to display the maximum effect. While he only possessed a capability rank in the middle tier of the Special Tactical Forces, his continuous combat capacity and his ability to annihilate lower-ranked opponents made him an exceptionally high-tier existence.
Precisely because he was such a man, he could comprehend the abnormality of the woman before his eyes who called herself Lais.
(Her 'Mana Cannon'—no, that is a mere 'discharge'! A one-to-one equivalent exchange!)
The "Make-Believe Mana Cannon" Lais unleashed—it was an inefficiency that would cause any mage to faint, consuming a thousand mana to generate a thousand power. Furthermore, perhaps because she had yet to completely master mana manipulation, she was actually making a loss. Despite consuming a thousand mana, the effect it exerted was roughly nine hundred to eight hundred. If one were a mage—and a Special Tactical Force at that—it was an impossible amount of loss.
Fundamentally, if one were to keep doing such a thing, their mana would run dry immediately and they would look ready to collapse, but...
(Her mana... her mana isn't decreasing in the slightest! No, is her total capacity just too massive!)
It was something unknown to the Beast King, but Lais's body was an existence akin to a bug in the world.
To be sure, the race called ostrich possessed the strength to recover even if a portion of their body was damaged, and after recovering, a certain level of improvement such as resistance against it could be seen so they would remain safe even if they received the identical attack. However, that was a trifling matter compared to Lais. Even if her brain splattered apart, she would repair it, and despite having a boost called mana, she would recreate a missing part entirely from scratch.
Furthermore, Lais's physical flesh wasn't satisfied with merely mending itself. It possessed the nature to recreate itself as something far sturdier so it could never be destroyed by the identical method ever again. And it possessed the nature where, the closer she drew to death, her total mana capacity would drastically skyrocket. The closer she came to death, the stronger she became; during her childhood, her brain had been destroyed and she had returned to life countless times.
And just a moment ago. She had returned once more.
Her total mana capacity had skyrocketed even further, ballooning to a degree she herself could not consciously perceive. Where it was originally just a single Demon King, it was currently a situation where another one had joined in, linking arms while performing a tap dance. In the first place, a Demon King-level mana was something that would cause a middle-tier Special Tactical Force like the Beast King to harbor terror. While it didn't go so far as doubling, the moment he realized the opponent's mana had increased to such an extent... what would he think?
...And. While this alone was a despairing fact for the Beast King, her abnormality did not halt there.
She was the type to look, put into practice, and remember. Furthermore, she could comprehend it at a speed incomparable to an ordinary person.
Did she originally combine such aptitudes within herself? During her ten years of living with the ostriches, she had acquired a certain skill. That was the power to "break down information." The ostriches were dummies who would forget immediately, but they were by no means fools who couldn't comprehend anything. If she broke it down to a level they could comprehend and taught them, they were capable of understanding it. Though the things they understood would be forgotten immediately, it would continuously remain within their brains as fragments.
Lais acquired that capability in order to converse with the ostriches. Breaking down the information she saw and heard in the highlands so even they could comprehend it, she transmitted it as knowledge. In the demonic territory known as the highlands, the ostriches were the weak; for Lais to organize a flock and survive entirely on her own, a certain degree of intellect was necessary for the ostriches as well.
Consequently, everything she saw with her eyes and heard with her ears was her nourishment.
(Her mana efficiency... it has improved compared to a moment ago...!)
As long as the "Beast King"—the textbook example of mana manipulation and the "Mana Cannon"—was right before her eyes, providing an environment where she could experiment as much as she pleased. She would grow without limit. The more time she took, the scarcer her mana consumption would become, and eventually, it would become possible for her to create the identical one-to-a-hundred ratio as the Beast King. If that occurred, the Beast King's death was guaranteed.
(I must not grant her time! A short-term decisive battle is the only path to survival!)
The Beast King made that judgment.
To force a short-term decisive battle, it was necessary to impose his own strengths to the absolute maximum. Competing in his own field of expertise—distance—and claiming victory without allowing her to do a single thing. Lais was harboring a considerable amount of fierce passion in her own right, but the Beast King was identical on that point. The soldiers—the citizens he was supposed to protect—had all died. The generals he had acknowledged as friends had all been erased into nothingness as well.
However, he was a King.
No matter how much his self as a mere human might scream, he contemplated what was optimal for the nation, for the remaining citizens, and acted accordingly.
Now that the army he placed his trust in had vanished, his military strength as a nation had plummeted drastically. He had lost all the excellent soldiers who could respond immediately, and simultaneously lost even his excellent generals. The combat capability as a nation could be patched over by conscripting the populace as a temporary measure, but in the first place, the personnel to command them would be insufficient.
He would likely be capable of holding a single battlefront entirely on his own, but for the Beast Kingdom, the enemy was not a single nation. In the first place, Heed's King—that young Queen—harbored a deep-seated hatred toward the Beast Kingdom. If he didn't halt them here, it was uncertain what would become of the Beast Kingdom itself. Merely winning wasn't enough. To ensure the opponent did not grow, and for the sake of the Beast Kingdom, he had to execute a short-term decisive battle.
"I am coming!"
◇◆◇◆◇
"Heh, close-quarters combat? Nice."
While firing a few "Make-Believe Mana Cannons" and contemplating how he could become better nourishment for me, he made the first move. I'm very grateful. Though it's only a vague sensation, I'm starting to grasp the mechanics of the mana cannon. Currently, I am simply pushing raw mana against him, but it appears that compressing the mana further inward and releasing it raises the power.
I still have places where my mana manipulation is a bit unsteady, but... give it a few more hours, and it should become something I can be satisfied with. With that, I'll say thank you for the feast regarding this field of nourishment.
(Oh, as expected, he's fast.)
Perhaps my modest wish reached him. He closes the distance. The leg strength of a beastman, combined with the high-density mana cannon from the soles of his feet. His speed—propelled like a bullet by those factors—is more than fast enough. Yeah, it's a speed that would pass muster even in the highlands. ...Ah~, could it be that a Special Tactical Force means "highlands level" or something of that nature? Ah, it's starting to feel like that.
Even so, close-quarters combat is great. Actually, I'm better at that side of things anyway. While thinking that, just as I am about to move my body as usual—
"Hm? What's this?"
I perceive a sense of discomfort. How should I put it... the sensation on my left and right is different, or rather, a discrepancy has manifested in my reaction speed. ...Ah, I get it. The brain.
A moment ago, half of my brain was blown away. Consequently, it feels like I remade only one side; because of that, it feels as though a brand-new brain with a fast reaction speed and an old brain with a slow reaction speed are residing inside my head. You know how there's a right brain and a left brain? It feels like a specs discrepancy between those has cropped up.
"Close-quarters combat is impossible like this. ...Can't be helped."
While displaying it clearly to the closing Beast King, I bring my wing against my head. Eh, what am I going to do? You don't know?
I'm going to destroy my brain.
With my wing completely reinforced by mana, I apply a fierce vibration to my brain. Something along the lines of a so-called "Fa Jin" strike. Unleashing it with a power that exceeded my own expectations, it shatters my skull and completely pulverizes my brain. At the edge of my vanishing vision, I feel like I saw the Beast King's face filled with stupefaction, but I don't give a damn about that.
Pouring the mana I had prepared in advance into "Recovery," I reconstruct my head.
"......Ahaha! This is great!"
It hurts like absolute hell, but my thoughts have become incredibly clear. Mmm, a brand-new, high-performance brain sure is nice! Aha! My tension is starting to rise! Oh, what's the matter, Beast King-san! What's with that face like you're looking at a monster! Come on, come on! Lais-chan said she'd play with you! Hurry up and come over! Ah, could it be that you were waiting for me to recover! Aha! What a heartthrob! I'll make sure to save killing you for last! Well, there's no one else besides you anyway!
"This is so fun!"
Or rather, that muscular lion physique! By any chance, are you the type whose specialty is close-quarters combat?! The delicate mana coursing throughout your entire body, and the high-density mana gathering in your palms! That spirit you wrapped yourself back in the instant I recovered! Nice! Nice! I like that sort of thing! A combat style where you sandwich mana cannons into the gaps between punches and kicks is your signature move, isn't it! Aha! Let me "devour" that too!
"Shi!"
Circulating mana throughout my entire body, I apply body reinforcement identical to his. Simultaneously, I stomp into the ground with all my might—ah, this feels great! Honestly, just with this, claiming the top spot in the highlands... is probably impossible. But it doesn't feel like I'd lose very easily!
Closing the distance at an explosive speed, I burrow into his chest. To prevent that, a mana cannon flew my way from the Beast King, but that doesn't matter; receiving it with my body, I continue straight forward. It's certainly weaker than the strike that nearly killed me, but even so, it possesses a power that would likely erase my kids into nothingness in an instant. However, it no longer holds any meaning against the current me.
The polar light fills my vision, but the pain I perceived was nothing more than my skin being scorched a tiny bit. Or rather, the instant it was scorched, my "Recovery" operated, reverting it to normal. Furthermore, the efficiency is on a completely different level compared to a moment ago! The recovery speed and mana efficiency are currently undergoing a bargain increase! Aha! Because I'm channeling mana over there as well, not just into body reinforcement! Maximum recovery Lais-chan at all times! Ahaha! Or rather! This is craaaazy! My mana quantity has climbed again!
"A return gift!"
"I shall not allow it!"
Continuing to close the distance entirely, I burrow into his chest. I instantly deliver a kick upward with all my might, but it gets guarded by the Beast King's arm. Huh? I thought I'd just kick straight through if it was around this much, but... why was it blocked?
"...Ah, a mana barrier!"
"Haaah!!!"
"Whoa! Jeez, that was dangerous!"
I went out of my way to double-check the answer for you, and yet! Attempting to erase me by firing "Mana Cannons" from both your hands and your mouth is pretty cruel, isn't it! Pout! Or rather, that mana barrier is amazing! Constantly keeping mana gathered in places like your legs and arms! Ensuring you can deploy a mana cannon or a mana barrier instantaneously! Is that what you call a stance that combines offense and defense! It's ceーrtainly a pain! I'm going to copy it!
"Something... like this?!"
"Wh-?!"
"Aha! The mana consumption is incredible! But it's not tough or anything at all! Now then, as thanks for teaching me, I'll test it out!"
When it comes to the method of refining mana, the compression ratio, and everything on the technical side, the crown goes to the Beast King. However, the absolute discrepancy in mana quantity between him and me isn't something that can be bridged by that sort of thing. To kill me, he has to bring out some kind of new technique, but the instant he brings it out, I devour it. Or rather, this technique! It's pretty troublesome and causes mana to leak out to the exterior, but it's incredibly convenient!
Amazing! I can perform offense and defense with zero time lag!
"Look at this!"
"Nuooooh!!!!!"
Just as he did earlier, I proceed while combining the mana barrier and the mana cannon. I receive his mana cannons with my bare flesh, and fend off the physical attacks reinforced by mana using my mana barrier. Ahaha! I'm holding back so I don't kill him immediately, but this guy is ordinarily strong! You're doing martial arts or something, aren't you! Your attacks are so skillful!
The Beast King drives in a continuous flurry of fists in a flowing sequence; I parry all of them with my wings or receive them with my mana barrier. In the intervals, he plunges in mana cannons while making it look like a mere thrust, but it doesn't hurt at all! No, my skin is being scorched so it does hurt, but it's not turning into damage! Come on, come on! Show me other techniques! Satisfy me further! Then, die in utter despair as you find yourself unable to do a single thing! Please!
"Next, next! You still have more, right! Hurry up and try to kill me—wait, what?! Ahahahaha!!!!!"
Next time, the conclusion.