She Who Became Immortal

In a command selection RPG where one must engage in a damage race rather than elegantly dodging enemy attacks, the werewolf tribe charges headfirst towards Randall, prepared to sustain their own damage.

Randall does not avoid their attacks, but rather gets hit by their claws, fangs, and strikes, while delivering a single blow to the werewolf tribe with his "claws."

Their armor is no longer serving its purpose. Torn apart by the beast king's "claws" shaped by magic, after withstanding fatal injuries once or twice, it is discarded haphazardly.

And the werewolf tribe, having used their armor, gets torn apart by Randall's "claws" every time they attack. Enduring at most once or twice.

Even so, as long as they avoid fatal injuries, by transforming into werewolves to reconstruct their bodies and erase all damage, they charge back towards Randall once again.

"Growl――!!"

A lion's roar. Not just a loud voice, but a vibration of the atmosphere using magic, probably something akin to a shockwave. The werewolf struck by the "roar" is floating in midair as if caught in a traffic accident.

Normally, in combat with the beast king, entrusting oneself to inertia could be extremely dangerous. After all, it's possible to instantly chase after the blown away opponent and strike them with the "claws" before they hit the ground. It's mad.

However, other werewolves don't allow that.

Somehow communicating their intentions, or perhaps instinctive coordination, as soon as someone exposes a fatal opening, someone else steps in to cover it.

The werewolf's transformed strike, it seems, is not something even the mighty beast king can ignore.

Avoiding attacks, if only they could be so easy. The werewolves are literally desperate, throwing themselves into a suicide attack with the resolve that they don't mind dying.

As a result, Randall manages to tear apart the werewolf's head with his "claws," narrowly avoiding fatal injuries in the process.

One down, several to go.

Only Valon Sendan, the chief who first stepped forward, remains untransformed among the werewolf tribe. The others have lost their armor, sustained injuries, transformed, attacked the beast king, and been wounded again.

Even the beast king is already heavily wounded.

A damage race paid with lives.

Originally, there were ten strong members of the "Anti-Lion Alliance." All of them continue attacking tirelessly, unafraid of death. Their coordination is eerily precise.

"Randaaaall――!!"

"Oooh...... Rooooar!!"

Valon charges in with a deadly resolve, his whole body enveloped in the light of magic. The beast king, on the other hand, raises both arms with all his might.

His six "claws" draw an X on the ground as they pierce through.

A flower of blood blooms.

Torn apart by the beast king's "claws," splashes of blood dance from the wounds.

At that moment, the transformation is complete.

The werewolf seizes the beast king's raised arms, forcefully prying open a gap and their vicious jaw, equipped with wicked fangs, reaches the beast king's throat.

A brief moment not even lasting a second for the bite.

A moment of intense force to sink their teeth in, to tear apart, to seize the gap.

Randall grabs the werewolf's shoulders and tears them apart.

Like a child pulling both sides of an insect's limb.

The werewolf's body is torn apart, ripped apart, in a terribly gruesome sight.

But it is not over yet. Unmindful of the chief's death, the remaining werewolves rush towards the beast king. Everyone, as if all their remaining strength had drained out, bites and thrusts their claws towards Lion King Randall Kruger. Some tries to bite and munch his skin.

With the chief Valon's dismembered body still hanging from his neck—arms, shoulders, legs, abdomen—the werewolves bite into him.

And each and every one—the beast king tears them apart, cuts them to pieces, crushes them. Crushing the head of a werewolf clinging to his arm, thrusting his claws into the back of another biting his side, pulling out the spine... the horrible sounds echoing.

Splat.

Crunch.

Squelch.

Crunch.

And so, all the wolves are dealt with.

All that remains is the scattered blood and flesh.

Among them, Lion King, covered in severe wounds, breathes heavily.

"It's over."

Brandon muttered without changing his expression, briefly checking behind him before walking towards Randall.

I also turned to check behind me, but it seems that the battle between the Lion Rebels and the Beast King's army is not yet over. Nevertheless, the Beast King's army will eventually crush them. Setting aside the main force on the other side, the Lion Rebels on this side have no choice but to retreat.

Although she couldn't have controlled every detail to this extent... looking at the results, it seems to be mostly in line with Lex Asuka's intentions.

"Hmph."

Exhaling, I followed Brandon towards Randall. Junos naturally followed me, and Serena, who had been playing with a fan in her hand, did the same.

The grasslands were bloody, and I didn't want to imagine how many liters of blood were soaking the grass and ground. Body parts and armor pieces were scattered around, and you could even spot limbs that were still somewhat intact.

At the center of this bloody scene was the dying Beast King.

Randall noticed Brandon and us approaching, and turned his gaze towards us. It seemed like even moving his body was too much of a hassle.

"Running wild against a bunch of weaklings, you're about to die, old man."

Brandon said sarcastically, with a smirk. Randall returned a similar smile and for some reason, directed his gaze towards me, completely ignoring Junos and Serena.

"Tell me, Euphemia. What... did I do wrong?"

Not regretful, not mourning, just a simple question.

The sight of him seemed incredibly pitiful to me.

"It's about how you live," I said, pausing for a moment before continuing.

"Randall Kruger. It's because of the way you lived that you ended up like this. Even if a group of twenty wolfmen came at you during peacetime, you probably wouldn't have ended up like this, right?"

"...My power didn't come out as much as I thought."

He chuckled in a hoarse voice.

I didn't find it amusing, so I didn't laugh.

"From leaving Gaeriko Village to attacking Spade Castle, then turning back without much rest. After that, when I returned to Gaeriko Village, I heard about the Lion Rebels' attack. It was night, but I left the village, ran straight to the battlefield. Of course, there was no rest. I went straight here, pushing through allies and enemies alike - it's exhausting, no doubt."

He tore down the gates of Spade Castle with his "Claws," rampaged inside, kept running without proper rest, used his "Claws" against the werewolfmen, and Valon Sendan and the others had exhausted their remaining stamina and magic power in a ten-on-one fight.

That's why he was in this state now.

Why not rest?

Why not delegate?

Why not stop?

Why go alone?

It's obvious, because he is the Beast King, Randall Kruger.

He has lived like that.

So he did the same this time.

That's all.

That's all Lex Asuka had predicted.

"Hahaha... definitely the first time I've gone on such a rampage. Hungry, hurting, not a good state to be in."

"If you were stronger, you could have overcome it."

I chuckled lightly.

I wasn't enjoying it, but I thought I should say it.

"Randall Kruger. You were weak. What you wanted to surpass as an enemy outweighed you. That's why, following your own code, you die here."

The Beast King chuckled softly.

As if to say he already knew.

"Well... if that's the case, I wish I were weaker. It would have been more... fun."

The words were left unspoken.

Because Brandon's right arm had pierced through his father's chest.

The same as the hole in the body of Garland, Brandon's brother and son of the Beast King. The same as the hole in the chest of Oren, the snake person and close aide of the Beast King.

The Lion's "Piercing Strike."

Not tearing with claws, but thrusting with claws aligned.

"Now I am the 'King'."

Announcing in a cold voice, Brandon withdrew his arm from his father's chest.

And thus, the Beast King Randall Kruger died.

And so, the Beast King Brandon Kruger was born.

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But this is not the end.

From here on, it's my - our time.