A scary face, a bald head, sunglasses, and a firm build…it all adds up to a 『frightening』 first impression, no doubt about it.
But I wonder, is this really enough to scare Kaede?
“What’s wrong? You’re not coming? Don’t tell me, you’re going to run away――”
“You bastard!! Don’t mock us!!”
Layla unleashes her whip at the bald Demon King, who’s gentle smile seems designed to provoke us.“――! That’s it! Not bad! Not bad at all!”
The bald Demon King smiles and spreads his arms, as if welcoming Layla.
“Don’t underestimate me!”
Layla’s whip twists and rolls through the air, before hitting the bald Demon King.
“――ngh! …Fufufu. Nice! Really nice!”
“You asshole!”
――Layla! Fall back!When I see the ecstatic expression on her opponent’s face, I order Layla to retreat.
“Oh my? Where are you going?”
The bald Demon King mutters in disappointment without breaking his gentleman-like tone.
What’s with the composure of this guy…? What’s his aim…?
I start to get an eerie feeling from the unfathomable being standing in front of me.
“Hmm… Did I make you wary? …I guess it can’t be helped. As my last resort――”
All of us become cautious, readying our weapons, due to his ominous declaration.
“In the name of Demon King Hibiki, I order thee ― all living beings, become spellbound by my body! ――《Perfect Body》!”
――!?
The whole body of the bald Demon King ― Demon King Hibiki, is wrapped up by a luminescence. Within the radiating light, Hibiki’s charcoal gray suit flies off, exposing his toned body. The only equipment remaining on Hibiki’s body are the boorish tekkou on his two arms, and briefs in a deep crimson color, as if they’re burning.
…Scary. At that moment the state of the trembling Kaede flashes across my mind.
The special ability I just witnessed for the first time ― 《Perfect Body》, isn’t just a party trick that makes him radiate light…and scatters his clothes. It makes a deep hatred well up from deep within my body. 《Perfect Body》 is a special ability capable of hate control, just like my 《Coercion》.
“””Uuuoooohhh!”””
Being exposed to 《Perfect Body》 from the front, Red, Noire, and Rouge charge at Hibiki, while raising their blunt weapons overhead.
“Ha ha, it looks like it’d hurt if I got hit by those weapons of yours.”
Laughing cheerfully, Hibiki dodges Noire and Rouge’s bats with skillful body movements, while blocking Red’s bat, which was swung sideways, with his tekkou.
“…I’ll kill you!”
“Here I come!”
“Hah…! Let’s go.”
Next Layla, Rina, and Guy assail Hibiki.
“I’m going for it ~ssu!”
With a slight delay, Blue also attacks with a one-handed ax. Chloe, Dakel, and Kureha silently shoot arrows at Hibiki. I unleash magic at him along with Flora.
“――gh! T-This is…a bit too intense.”
Hibiki reveals a troubled smile, and jumps back a great distance. Once he raises a hand, a great number of kobolds, and a pack of direwolves, attack us from within the forest.
“You piece of shit! Running away!?”
“Ha ha, little lady, you must be joking? I’m just putting some real effort into this.”
Hibiki’s calm smile stays firm as Layla lashes out at him in anger. Even as all of us feel hatred towards Hibiki, our actions are hindered by the kobolds and direwolves standing in our way.
“Haaaaaaa! ――Now I’ll get serious pyon!”
Hibiki transforms himself while shouting out his fighting spirit.
――!
…Dread. The next transformation of Hibiki is truly an incarnation of ―― 『Horror』.
I thought I had understood the feelings that caused Kaede to shudder…when his lean body shone, and all of his clothes vanished, except for those deep crimson briefs.
…But, I was naive.
His true horror has surpassed my expectations by a mile.
What grew out of his shaved bald head ― were rabbit ears.
At the back of his briefs, the only piece of clothing covering his body, grew a round tail.
He adorned his scary face with rabbit ears, and exposed his tight muscles, without any scruples. And the only clothing covering his body, deep crimson briefs. Moreover, a fluffy, round tail has grown out of the back of those briefs.
“Ha ha, what’s wrong pyon? Are you scared of my true form pyon?”
He keeps his very low, hard-boiled tone of voice…and only adds that mysterious sound at the end of his sentences.
Without any shame about his own appearance, no…with a somewhat proud mannerism…Hibiki begins to pose.
Scary… I tremble for the first time since becoming a Demon King.
Having said that…there’s no reason for us to lose if we fight him head on.
“――Do it!”
“Eh? That ~ssu? To be honest, even getting close――”
――Do it!
With a sidelong glance at Blue, who’s reluctant to act, I forcibly use my authority to command my subordinates, spurring them on.
Rina’s sword sends the head of a kobold flying as it’s swung down. Hibiki’s face twists into an entranced expression as he’s hit by Layla’s whip.
Blue’s ax crushes the head of a direwolf. A soft scream escapes Hibiki’s mouth as he’s pierced by Chloe’s arrow.
My Gáelbolg penetrates the head of a direwolf. Hibiki shivers across his whole body as his body is cut by Guy’s claws.
…Oi.
Isn’t that guy enjoying this…?
Each time he suffers an attack, Hibiki screams “…ngh”, “…Ahn”, or “Ha ha ha. Not yet! One moar!” while making an expression full of ecstasy.
Even though he’s plenty unique with just his bald head, wearing nothing but a speedo, and rabbit ears…he’s adding even more eccentricity to the list…?
Recalling the report of Kaede, who’s superlative at observation ―― 『it might be a Demon King desired by you…』.
The Demon King I’m looking for is one that could serve as a tank.
Looking at him anew, pretty much all my attention has been focused on his looks, but…he has techniques that allow him to evade and dodge any attack that looks like it’d be fatal. Using his tekkou cleverly to block even Rina’s sword slashes, he possesses durability that allows him to smile in a trance, even after getting pierced by several arrows. Moreover, he has acquired a special ability that allows him to pull aggro.
And, the biggest advantage is his mental strength, he doesn’t run away in the face of enemy attacks, unlike normal humans and Demon Kings.
Certainly he meets all the conditions for the personnel I require.
He seems to be a guy with a lot of issues, but…such an outstanding talent…I guess it’d be a waste to pass on him…
――An order to everyone! Capture Demon King Hibiki!
“””Eehh?”””
Everyone – even Cloe and Layle, who possess a faith in me exceeding loyalty – looks at me as if they can’t believe their ears.
――Capture him!
I order everyone once more.
◆
One hour later.
Countless corpses of kobolds and direwolves litter the vicinity. And then, there’s Hibiki, with wounds all over his body.
He gasps heavily, “…My life is nearing its end as well pyon…”
Surrounded by my subordinates, who hold their weapons at the ready, he mutters those words while donning a satisfied expression.
“Demon King Hibiki…I will give you a chance. Become my subordinate.”
“Subordinate…pyon? After you have thoroughly slaughtered my subordinates…that’s unreasonable pyon.”
“You low-life! Don’t you understand Shion-sama’s benevolence!?!”
Chloe snaps at Hibiki, who has refused my offer. Hibiki shivers across his whole body.
No way――
“Hey, you pervert. Say that you’re a pervert with your own mouth.”
I throw those words at Hibiki, while staring him down with a cold look.
“――! W-Why…H-How could you…calling me…a pervert…pyon.”
Even though he denies my words, Hibiki appears somewhat happy as he answers.
“Surrender to me. I will make good use of your worthless existence.”
“…Good use pyon?”
“Indeed. I will work you to the bone as a meat shield.”
“――!?”
“If you get it, surrender right away.”
“B-But…”
“A meat shield has no right to a personal opinion! All you gotta say to me, your master, is yes! Understood?”
“Y-Yes…”
Hibiki nods his red-tinged cheeks.
◇
30 days later (One year and ten months since I became a Demon King).
The areas under my rule are: Kanezawa (partially), the Kahoku District, Kahoku City, the Hakui District, Hakui City, Nanao City, the Kashima District, and Wajima. The number of sectors under my control has exceeded 200.
The area left to unify the prefecture’s north is ― Suzu.
The decisive battle against the humans, to dominate all of the prefecture’s north, is about to open its curtains.
Translation Notes:
