The Reaper and the North Pole
The petrified monster Cockatrice. It’s not on the big side for a monster, and it’s a monster that doesn’t feel a little lacking in terms of physical strength and the name of a monster.
Instead, it has two extraordinary abilities, one is a venomous venom from its mouth and the other is a petrified beam from its eyes.
“Of course, it’s not a deceptive ability that turns everything it touches into a pile of stones. If that was the case, the Demon King or whatever, he would have been the strongest person in the world. In fact, it didn’t work for me at all.”
Already with Epirna’s affirmation and Roca’s example, we know that the petrification of the Cockatrice does not work against the truly powerful. Perhaps the expression of the true strong is only applicable to those who have reached the apex among masters.
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Master of master. Those who have the skills to call themselves Grand Masters. The most powerful people in an era where it is difficult for even one to appear.
Even if they didn’t reach that level, the fact that they reached the Master’s was already proof of their qualifications. Leon tapped the petrified Kisea’s face, making a depressed expression.
“Even if the Master is not wearing a self-defense weapon, he is resistant to his petrification rays. That’s the reason I turned into a stone when I looked down on him. I thought it wouldn’t work for me, but it didn’t. It wasn’t immunity, it was just resistance.”
We thought we had to ‘see’ the light to become petrified, but in reality, that wasn’t the case. Originally, Cockatrice’s petrified ray has the ability to turn an opponent into a stone just by touching it without having to look directly at it. It is indeed a deceptive ability.
In fact, the princess who is well-versed in the battlefield and has broad knowledge, repeatedly swept her chest, repeating the words that she was good at killing earlier. It was because he was able to predict what would happen if that monster appeared in human warfare.
“It is unbelievable strength. As the saying goes, when Cockatrice appears on the battlefield, the war is over immediately. Even if there are tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of soldiers, if the light flashes, they will turn into stone statues…”
“Perhaps it will be. That’s why we couldn’t gather a bunch of people and drive Epirna out with the power of a soldier. The other one, needless to say, is her strength.”
No matter how elite they are, each soldier cannot be strong enough to withstand the rays of the Cockatrice. Since there is no certainty that even a knight born after much more arduous training can do that, his beam is practically close to instant death below the master.
“Then you mean it doesn’t work for Master? But he was turned into a stone. Kisea unnie also turned into a stone like this.”
“It doesn’t work enough to touch the skin… but the eyes are a different story. It is an organ that ‘sees’ light from the beginning. You can’t block the light by circling self-defense until there, right? In that case, you better close your eyes.”
It is said that even the Master’s resistance is meaningless if you look directly at the petrified beam. Because the light rays enter the inside of my eyes and start petrifying from within.
Unless you have the strength to overcome petrification on your own, if even the Master gets it wrong, it’s the end.
If you block the light with self-defense around your eyes, of course, it doesn’t just block the Cockatrice’s monster ray. All light is blocked as it is, so it is no different from fighting with your eyes closed.
Since humans have eyelids, it is much less energy consuming and natural to just close the eyes. And, crucially, more comfortable. Even a newborn baby can close its eyes.
Rocca pointed that out.
“Then why don’t you just close your eyes as they say?”
“So! That’s what makes me upset Rather, if he was overwhelmingly stronger than me, if there was such a gap that neither hands nor feet could touch, he would have resigned himself, but he said that if he was good at his weaknesses, I could do it alone.”
“Hmm.”
“As you said, if I had closed my eyes and only developed a sense of humor, I would have avoided being petrified even if I was torn by claws or teeth. Fighting him to the point where I was a wreck was also a punishment for myself. A foolish lion who lost everything due to a moment’s inattention would be cheap even if it was like that.”
He said that he was careless because he thought that the light was not going through, and that he had hardened when he saw the flashing ray of light. Presumably, Ms. Kisea suffered similarly, or she would have turned into a stone without any chance to resist in a surprise attack.
“Even if it’s not like that, if you only know that you shouldn’t look at the light, there are actually countless ways to do it. I suffered because I didn’t know that. Kisea probably didn’t know either. If I had known that I was going to meet Cockatrice, I would have just told you this before I left.”
“What good is it to come and talk to you now? I was lucky though. Because here the saint is, and we have the least resistance to the cockatrice’s rays.”
Leon agreed to the words of the princess.
“One big problem has disappeared, so I feel a little lighter. But I keep regretting it. If possible, I should have defeated even the Hydra. Only then will this eastern plain truly be freed from the influence of the primordial demon lord.”
“Like the previous promise and this battle with the monster, Leon-san owes me a debt. As you may already know.”
The princess folded her arms and looked at Mr. Leon.
“For me, I would like you to pay some interest on that debt. I’m not going to tell you to keep your promise and surrender to the Empire, so why don’t you raise your hand in dealing with the Shinigami instead?”
“Sa, the death? Isn’t that from a legend? What kind of death all of a sudden? Who in the Empire has committed human sacrifice? Did you combine your sins to create a god?”
“It’s worse than that. Because the Demon King himself created the Shinigami.”
Leon’s voice trembled.
“Which demon king?”
“Who else would it be? It’s not like he’s not even the devil Harmael, and he doesn’t think that a single demon lord can create a god. Who else but the primordial demon king who dwells in the North Pole?”
“Collock! Cologne! H! Gosh! Looks like he got the poison from the cockatrice. I guess I should go home and get some rest. My, if I die, I won’t need any condolences, so don’t come to me.”
“I picked up a knife for you, who is unfamiliar, are you really coming out like this?”
In spite of the face, they all looked at Leon-san, who was suddenly rolling on the floor, with pitiful eyes. The princess shrugged her shoulders.
“And if the Empire loses in that battle, there is nothing else. Everything will be dyed in the bridle of the Shinigami. Do you think the beast kingdom will be an exception?”
“Ugh, we still have a guardian dragon…”
“I am going to the North Pole.”
Yanid cut him off with one word.
“Will you follow me?”
“…No matter how scary the Shinigami is, it’s not like that. Confronting that ancient demon king is something I absolutely hate to do, no matter how fearless I am, sister.”
“I don’t think I’m afraid. Aren’t you only afraid of spunky guys?”
“Don’t stab a painful wound. And so is the princess there. What kind of interest is it to deal with the Shinigami? I think there will be more than enough to pay off the principal, so let’s do the calculation a little straighter. First, tell me everything you know about the Shinigami.”
While I put my hand on Kisea-san’s forehead and infuse it with divine power, the princess divulged all the information the Empire had found about the Shinigami.
If it’s a secret, it’s a secret, but what does it mean to come and ask such a thing now? Leon, who had heard all about the Shinigami, heard a terrified sound.
“Damn it! If you listen to it, you’re more a monster than Epirna. I wish I could have coaxed that woman so well that she made the reaper self-destruct, but let me tell you sooner.”
“Can you help me?”
“Hey, I can’t help you. If you are destroyed, we are the next destination for the Shinigami forces, and the new Beast King will also go to the North Pole, so how do we stop that?”
The man with a resigned expression sighed deeply.
“Of course, I still don’t trust anyone other than you here. But I don’t believe in the Shinigami and there’s nothing I can do about it. It’s just a disaster. A disaster with no other option but to prevent it somehow. If the Shinigami is the opponent, humans are not the problem, even demons should hold hands.”
“It’s surprising. I thought you would run away.
“If there is a crisis, it is right to avoid it, but in this case, avoiding it would be a waste of money. Above all, I have a wife. I can’t let my wife live in a world where the reaper has risen.”
“Did you have a wife?”
At Roca’s puzzled expression, Leon-san was furious.
“I really don’t care! Anna is my wife! You never knew that?”
“Should I know? I am the king and you are a servant.”
“ah…”
Then, upon hearing Rocca’s words, she immediately changed her expression and changed the subject. Because there was nothing wrong with that one word.
“No, more than that, can’t we delay our trip to the North Pole? If it was the power of the beast king, it would be more than enough to be eaten by the reaper, but first, you can subdue the reaper first and then go slowly to the North Pole.”
“It is difficult. So…”
Clearing her throat, she recalled what had happened in the Imperial Palace. I told the story of an angel sent by the Lord whom I serve, descending directly in front of me and setting my destination to the North Pole.
Leon’s face was full of absurdity when he heard that he didn’t think of the messenger as a task for me. Perhaps the absurdity was getting bigger and bigger, and his expression became more and more strange.
“I can’t believe it, I really can’t believe it, but when I think of the power the priest has shown me, I can’t help but believe it… well, it’s God’s will, and I can’t say anything…”
“So I have to go to the North Pole. And as quickly as possible.”
“Then I can’t stop the King and the Guardian Dragon from going, but…”
Leon, who had been thinking about it for a while, responded by pointing his finger at Kisea-san, who was starting to dissipate the petrification.
“Kisea and that robo over there. And the princess, let’s go to the island with me. Let’s use our power properly against the goddamn reaper. What is the North Pole? No one is going there.”
He trembled and added.
“It’s a shameful story, but since these two are the only ones who can even get a scratch against the primordial demon lord. I’m not saying the princess is weak. It’s just that the demon lord is too strong…”