My Only Chance to Make This Right

His indomitable human spirit, his determination to kill every last one of them; this is King’s story after all.

They really are…

Just monsters.

…

She was too reckless, believing that they had any other intention. They all must be destroyed.

Some things are just as simple as they seem.

These monsters are our enemies.

And I’ll kill every last one of them.

“[Voltaic Arc] the fire of gods, I will erase you fiends!”

ZAP–

With a complete set of electrified equipment I’m unstoppable. The withering wall of monsters stands only to slow me down. A quick slash, a dig into their chests–it’ll rip and tear the very fabric of their miserable existence, delivering them to their natural doom.

I’d rather not think, remain mindless, and just kill them all. But questions stain my mind with reasoning…

What counts as a withered monster?

These ones in front of me count, there’s no question behind that. But now there are others, who’ve become partial to it.

Eryth, and now… Dr. Creeks.

I should kill them.

Shouldn’t I?

Maybe fighting them would grant me a harder challenge. Slashing through this wall of darkness only feels like child’s play.

Although maybe I shouldn’t be asking for something more difficult. That titan guardian from before was the greatest threat yet, and I alone was unable to stop it. But the fight wasn’t truly over yet… Who knows maybe I would have made it out on top.

These monsters just feel so lackluster. This is supposed to be the final showdown after all. I don’t know, I guess I just want it to feel like it is that.

I might as well clear these weaklings as fast as possible…

“With blessed might and steel, I call upon my [Thunder Surge]!”

With electrifying power the shovel can barely be seen through the thick layers of black electricity enveloping it. So much power, and I only continue to grow stronger.

Seeing my spear of power the formation of withered monsters begins to retreat. A sorry bet, they can’t out run lightning.

KABOOM–

The largest explosion I’ve conjured yet erupts at the far end of the hall, launching particles of darkness quickly disintegrating across the all perimeters of the area. The structure of the room falters as well, slightly caving in the center of the hall. From the hole I can see the black spire disappearing far above the clouds.

That’s the end of the line.

If I destroy all of the withering over there. Then will we finally be free?

Will this war between worlds finally come to an end?

…

“Doctor, can you move?”

“I’ll be just alright hah, tis only a flesh wound.”

She’s covering her face with one of her hands, just barely covering the cavity.

“It doesn’t hurt in the way you’d think it would, I think the withering around it prevents blood from leaking out.”

There she goes again, going on about science-y stuff. She’s kinda creepy when she’s talking about these monsters.

“I’m going to move on ahead… You should probably head back, it’ll be safer by the door.”

“No, I'm quite fine, really. This little wound won’t deter me from my observations, and besides you’ll need someone to watch your back.”

She’s not budging, so I won’t try any further. We’re on a time limit after all.

“Fine then, but I don’t want you touching any more demons. You’re seriously messed up looking already, what will Gil and Lala think when they see you like this?”

It's strange, she doesn’t seem the least bit worried about how her son will see her. I guess in a world as strange as this one, why shouldn’t she be nervous.

“Worry less about me, and figure yourself out, King. This is my fault, not yours–”

“But I-”

“No buts! I caused this, and I should deal with the consequences of my actions. You’ve got enemies to kill, yes? Allow me the opportunity to document your battles. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll write a legend about this whole ordeal.”

“Fine! Just don’t get in the way. These creatures aren’t toys to be used in your experiments. They are death machines, and a stain on my world. There’s no need to understand an enemy that will be extinct once I’m done with them.”

“My world?”

“I meant our world, whatever don’t get on my case about it.”

Jeez she’s really getting on my nerves. I hold all the power here, if I were her I would avoid pissing off the powerhouse…

… maybe some of the withering in her eye is making me angry. Damn it…

I need to stop thinking, and get that key!

…

The 3rd Observatory, this room must have been used to study daystar artefacts… And why do I say that?

Well there’s an eight-foot-tall withering monster in front of us. It wears armor of melded steel and wields a morning star of the same metal as my shovel. A mist of cold air surrounds it, creating small icicles across the trim of its armor.

“You?! You're the dark magician I’ve heard so much about.”

“I’m the hero that will destroy you! Once and for all!”

“You won’t hurt another Soul ever again!”

The monster flails its frost burned ball, as if trying to taunt me. Its motions almost appear like speech… Like that could ever happen.

No other withering creatures are in here, just this one.

The furniture of the observatory has been swept into the corners, left frozen in place. Almost as if this monster prepared a battlefield for us. Up above the roof has shattered, I notice the sight of withered creatures climbing up and out of it, likely heading towards the spire to call for backup.

The armored wither begins to spin its mace around, loosening the strain of chain it has hold of.

WHOOSH–

WHOOSH–

The ball of hurt twirls around like the propeller of a helicopter, with each revolution growing faster. Kicking up a storm of frost as it goes.

Fine then, this battle will do kindly.

My electrostatic armor still runs strong, and I don’t feel the least bit tired. If it's a duel it wants, it's a duel it gets.

I step forth toward the fast moving ball.

KERBLUNK–

After spinning that thing to its maximum speeds the withered armor slams it down upon me! It moves fast but my reflexes are much faster. This will be an easy fight after all.

My fist flies forth, full of static crashing into its attack–my electricity explodes on impact conducting a spark of power through into its very conductible armor.

“Hurts doesn’t it? You can’t hurt me with that flimsy mace.”

“It was never about defeating you…”

“Its about letting the others get away.”

“But I haven’t lost yet.

“Not until I give up…”

“And that will never happen!”

The electricity quickly consumes its entire body, however it seems the blow was softened by its freezing ability, which quickly cools down the heat surging through itself.

“That’s a neat trick, that ice of yours. But I doubt it can handle the heat of a direct hit, [Thunder Surge]!”

A blade of black lightning surges through the form of the shovel; this weakling doesn’t deserve to experience a death by my new spell [Heaven Piercer].

FZZZZT–

The spear of darkness pierces the body of the knight, narrowly missing its center torso, however leaving a large portion of its right side heavily damaged. So much so the lost parts immediately were vaporized on impact.

The monster collapses to its knees. Barely able to hold itself up now. It tries to summon its ice to freeze over the damaged portion.

I walk forward, staring down at the fallen monster.

It really thought it stood a chance against me.

I sort of hoped it would have too, could have been fun.

The monster reaches toward me, breaking apart the more it extends itself. Its armored hand reaching towards my own armored leg.

“I won’t let you hurt them…”

“I will protect them…”

“I’ll defeat you…

“I will…”

Oh–it still has some fight in it.

I could let it try its last ditch effort attack… But what would be the point in that?

As it nearly touches my electrified legging, I lift my leg up…

CRUSH–

Kicking down slams the monster's head into the floor. And yet it still lingers.

CRUSH–

STOMP–

THUNK–

With every stomp a small explosion of magic erupts on impact. Each bomb digging the monster further into its crater. Until eventually it finally gives up.

What a let down. Standing up I turn to look at Dr. Creeks, who’s already fiddling around with something in the room. It's probably the key piece we’re looking for.

As I walk in her direction the monster lets out one final screech as its body finally disintegrates completely.

“Are we done here doctor?”

“Yes.”

“You’re not very talkative now, has the gravity of your wound situation set in?”

“No, I wouldn’t say so. I’m just busy thinking. I feel like all the withering is making me hear things.”

“Really, like what?”

“Oh nothing much, just… incoherent babblings.”

When she says that she looked off in another direction.

She’s lying.

She definitely is.

…

She better not become an enemy to me.

“Let’s head back then, Lala and Gil are bound to finish their quest soon.”

“Say King, how was the battle?”

She’s more relaxed now. I must have been imagining things.

“It wasn’t much of note, they were our enemies so I killed them.”

“Good, then you’ll have full strength for the final battle. Let’s get a move on then.”

…

All the withering monsters either escaped, or were defeated. I can’t let so many slip away next time.

But this is it, the final battle this time for sure.

If The Demon Lord proves to be too powerful… I’ll make sure of it, that everyone else makes it out of here alive.

I’m prepared to make that sacrifice.

END CHAPTER 34