739 – [Violent Beast Metamorphosis] (side: Treant)

『[Teeming Reincarnation]!』

Bluish-white light expands in a large circle around the Magic Beast King. The trees and ground caught up in the light lose their shape, transforming into countless chimaeras.

『It looks like it’s replenishing the pawns lost in its own [Inhaala]…』

The Magic Beast King’s [Inhaala] and [Flare Ray] are powerful skills, but quite a number of the chimaeras it uses as pawns have been caught up in them. Without them, it’d end up rapidly falling behind us. It seems to be going about replenishing its vanguard.

“…It doesn’t look like it’s ending there.”

Aro mutters, staring behind intensely.

『[Teeming Reincarnation]!』

Bluish-white light unfolds from the Magic Beast King for the second time in a row. Once more, a vast number of chimaeras appear from the light.

『C-consecutive activation…?』

The countless chimaeras kick off the ground, leaping towards us.

Apparently, the Magic Beast King has decided that the number of chimaeras earlier wouldn’t be enough to take us down. From our perspective, though, we were already struggling against the previous numbers… We only survived by using our skills without restraint. It looks like it wasn’t bluffing when it said it hadn’t been fighting us seriously.

I had thought that the Magic Beast King was being cornered since our escape was going well, but it looks like that was some serious wishful thinking. With how rapidly it’s using skills after that proclamation of war, it clearly still has leeway in its MP reserves.

The situation is rapidly becoming worse. However, we have no choice but to continue to escape while taking down chimaeras, like we have until this point.

『W-we’re not giving up, even if you increase your numbers of chimaeras!』

『[Violent Beast Metamorphosis]!』

A crimson vapour pours out of the gigantic Magic Beast King’s entire body. Seemingly of a scalding temperature, the chimaeras caught up in it are reduced to dried mummified bodies in seconds. Similarly, the trees swallowed up by the red smoke blacken and spurt fire. The Magic Beast King itself is enveloped by the smoke, and its shape disappears within it.

It looks like it’s going to throw something at us besides just the replenished number of chimaeras. But it doesn’t seem to be intending to use that high-temperature vapour as an attack. The things damaged by the vapour are only those in the vicinity of the Magic Beast King. It doesn’t seem like it’d reach us at all.

『Just what is it…』

When the red vapour clears, the Magic Beast King’s figure has changed.

It’s become one-third of its original volume. However, its body length hasn’t changed, having only become slimmer. But accordingly, its huge body has contracted, making it now look like a mass of pure muscle.

Furthermore, it’s taken up a bipedal stance where previously it had been crawling on six legs. What were originally its four frontal legs seem to have become its arms, and are rugged-looking, throbbing with veins.

『[Violent Beast Metamorphosis]… At the price of my HP and MP, I’m able to change my body’s shape. I can now supplement my lacking speed.』

The Magic Beast King glares at us through its four eyes.

『S-supplement its… speed…?』

So in other words…It’s clear that our strategy hinging on the Magic Beast King’s slow-footedness has broken down. It was because we knew our only advantage was in speed that we decided to go with this [Death God Seed] plan. Now we know that the plan was pointless from the start.

Wait, but… If this transformation skill, [Violent Beast Metamorphosis], continuously requires HP and MP to be spent, we might still be able to take advantage of that. Its offensive capabilities might become fiercer, but its rate of consumption will increase at the same time. With the battle shifting to a short and decisive one, if we can just weather the storm of its attacks, [Death God Seed] will bare its fangs for sure…!

『I’ll correct one of your misconceptions. Within the divine skill holders in history, I am the second strongest. My rank is Upper Legendary. I’m no mere Legendary rank.』

『U-Upper… Legendary…?』

The stats of an Upper Legendary rank are a step above those of a Legendary rank. Our underestimation of its rank is huge. The MP stolen by [Death God Seed] that we’ve been painstakingly buying time for until now… Most likely, it’s still far below the stage where it’d present a lethal threat to the Magic Beast King.

『To think that I would have to consume this much resources against those without divine skills. This will become a hindrance against the dragon. You lot have performed quite well. Return to nature and slumber gently.』

The Magic Beast King proclaims. The swarm of chimaeras begin to close in on us.

『A-Aro-dono, how about recalling the [Darkness Kaleidoscope]?』

Aro-dono glances behind at her two clones, hesitating, then shakes her head.

“…As expected, I can’t reduce our numbers now.”

I’m of the same mind. With the multiplied numbers of chimaeras, and not knowing what the Magic Beast King itself is going to attack us with, we absolutely cannot afford to decrease our firepower.

“AaaAAah!”

“AAh!”
“AAAAh!”

The chimaera forces attack. Swinging outstretched roots of [Woven Armour], I curb the approach of the chimaeras. Aro-dono already has no choice but to limit the use of [Gale] that was used to suppress the enemies’ strength.

Gnawing and slashing with their claws, the chimaeras smash my [Woven Armour] to bits in mere instants.

“Yaa!”
“Haa!”

With my [Woven Armour] as a decoy, the clones kick the chimaeras backward. However, though it’s bought some time, the chimaeras are Upper A rank. Given a little injury, they’ll quickly bounce back and come chasing again. The number of them near us is increasing rapidly.

It… It looks like this is as far as we go.

I look at the Magic Beast King in the rear even while I’m being pressed to deal with the chimaeras.

It kicks off the ground and advances directly towards us. Its speed is incomparable to what it had before. It’s overtaking the chimaeras that had gone out before it.

With this pace, the Magic Beast King itself will reach us in no time. It’s the end of the road.