## Chapter 807 – Winter of the Capital

Spirit King.

I had been thinking about it.

Risha had explained about the spirit realm, so the cause of this inhuman phenomenon had to be it.

—Power of a high-level spirit exceeding the normal range.

If so?

An entity superior to a high-level spirit. Calling it a supreme spirit sounds a bit funny, so to put it simply, I figured there might be a being called a Spirit King. That’s what I was thinking.

“…”

Still, seeing the real thing with my own eyes is quite intimidating.

Whether it knew I was sizing it up or not, the Spirit King was just staring at me with that expressionless, mannequin-like ice face.

—Whoooosh.

More than anything, Arquina floating there. She just held her staff with her eyes closed, not reacting much. Judging by how she was maintaining her composure, she must possess great magical abilities.

This duo caused this insane phenomenon.

They both seem strong.

But the Spirit King is probably stronger than Arquina.

And.

—The gate that opened behind them.

A cold wind was still blowing from there. The size isn’t that big. Think of a hole about three times the size of a manhole cover in the air.

Beyond that gate, an endless glacier zone is visible.

The possibility of that being the spirit realm… is high. And seeing the glacier mess, it’s also highly likely to be the land of the Spirit King in front of me.

That’s right.

The reason this inhuman ice maze could be created was ultimately due to the intervention of the spirit realm and the Spirit King who rules it.

—Thud.

Suddenly, the Spirit King, who had been floating in the air, descended and landed on the floor. It’s a really strong-looking body. Over 2 meters tall with sculpted ice muscles.

Did it take on a human form?
Or is that its original form?

Without information, there’s no way to know. I even wonder why mid-level spirits look similar to humans in the first place… Whatever the case, we’re probably the first to encounter the Spirit King, except for spirit mages.

But.

“Hey, Spirit King. Surrender while I’m asking nicely.”

I said that to him while pointing my sword.

—Thump.

My heart starts beating fast. I unleash extreme concentration. I have to watch this entire space. I don’t know what kind of attacks will come. I maximize the tension and spread the surging fighting spirit throughout my body.

—…!

My blood is boiling.

Kim Kkat, the manager who shouted about losing everything in front of a powerful enemy, is no more. I have the Holy Sword Vugal, Mershin, Berial, Bulverza, Salberin, and Garos, who are my trusted colleagues and friends.

Above all, I have my wives behind me.

I have to show them only my strong side. There’s also the fact that I trust them, and my pride is on the line. Anyway, strength is surging.

“If you surrender, I’ll spare your life. It’s not a bad deal.”

—Haa.

Hot breath flows out with the words.
I have to find the timing to attack.

“…Arrogant for a human.”

The Spirit King’s voice seemed to magically resonate. There’s no way such an inhuman voice could come from a living creature’s vocal cords. Only a being who can slaughter thousands of people without a second thought can possess such a terrifying voice.

The Spirit King is the world’s greatest serial killer.

“Hehehe, do you think I’m arrogant? I think you’re more arrogant. Believing that you can beat us in a state where you can’t exert your full power is beyond foolish, it’s just plain stupid.”
“…”
“Ice Spirit King, even in perfect condition, you wouldn’t be able to defeat us, so how can you have such unfounded confidence in such an incomplete situation? You’re not some inhuman hen, but you cherish your confidence like you’re holding an oriole egg.”

I made a guess and threw out some words.

If that Spirit King could properly use all of its power, it wouldn’t have needed to fight the knights in the first place.

Without even creating ice monsters, if it came out alone and engaged in guerrilla warfare, annihilating the knights would be instantaneous.

But it didn’t do that.

Why?

Why?

Even so, it’s a Spirit King. I don’t know much, but it’s definitely damn strong. Maybe even stronger than a Sword Master. There’s no denying that it has absolute power.

But if it could use that power.

Would it need to be holed up in this palace, wasting power by creating ice monsters? I can confidently say, no. There’s no need. That’s an extreme waste. There’s no reason to do it at all.

There’s no way a guy who came to invade the human realm came here just to play around without thinking.

Let’s think rationally.

That means there’s a reason why it has no choice but to do that. That it needs to create an ice legion instead of fighting directly.

—Combat power of the main body is reduced.

So, it’s speculated that it created the legion by assisting with Arquina’s power.

It can’t use all of its power like other Great Demons right now. Whether it’s because it crossed dimensions or because of an unstable summoning. Whatever the case, the current Spirit King is weakened.

Or there’s some kind of restriction.

I know that.

“So, go back to your land while I’m asking nicely. If you go back, I’ll guarantee Arquina’s safety. I know very well that you used a lot of power fighting the humans yesterday.”

Saying that, I flicked my fingers behind my back and sent a signal to Risha. First, a preemptive strike. I have to strike first when it’s focused on my words, being deceived by words like sparing its life.

That’s how fights are done.

First, reconnaissance is necessary.
I gathered enough information while running my mouth.

There’s no need to treat an inhuman bastard humanely. That’s not a person. It’s an ice cream bastard that needs to be eaten and eliminated.

“The cunning tongues of humans… haven’t changed at all since then.”

—Crack!

The Spirit King shook its head once.

“You wouldn’t understand the phenomenon of ice that endlessly changes, repeatedly melting and freezing. Your mother changed men countless times with that kind of feeling. She’s a really amazing woman. I respect her. So go back there quickly.”
“…”
“Risha!!!!!!!”

—Pachichichichik!!

With my signal, black lightning was fired from behind. Not only that. As if she had been preparing from before, demonic claws created from the black current also flew towards the Spirit King and Arquina.

“Hahahahahahaha!!!!!”

I burst into laughter and tried to add my attack to this successful surprise attack. As a signal, everyone deployed in formation according to the plan.

With Claudie’s backup, I’ll go in with Karin and destroy them all—

—Fwoooosh!!!!

A moment later, an explosion rang out.

“What!!!”

Risha’s black magic was completely nullified.

—Zzzzzzz.

Arquina’s closed eyes opened. A pure white light emanates from her eyes. She summoned a transparent ice shield! Not only that, but dozens of giant ice spears were also created, and beams were fired from the floating white magic circles!!

It blocked Risha’s black magic!! These damn bastards are also receiving power from the spirit realm, that’s what it is!!!!

“I’ll turn you into shaved ice—!!!!!”

Whatever, first, attack…!

—Kwaang!

I immediately kicked off the ground and charged, being careful of follow-up attacks. Karin also ran at my speed, creating sword energy. —Fwoosh! An explosion was heard. Risha’s Death Beam continued to fly from behind. It pounded on their shield, broke the flying ice spears, and destroyed the magic circles that fired beams.

As if to help, Winia’s Blaze Beam and Hilde’s Hellfire magic exploded.

Even so, the shield doesn’t break.

“Leave the magic to me, and quickly subdue them!”

Risha’s voice was heard from behind. Yes, Risha will somehow take care of the magic like this.

It’s the first time I’ve seen Risha’s magic blocked by a shield, but it can happen. There are all sorts of things that happen in life. If something like that happens, we can assist. While Risha is dealing with their magic, we’ll finish them off!!!!

“Dejaaaaaaaat!!”

At that moment.

—Swoosh!!!

The Spirit King seemed to take a single step.

—Hwaak!!!

It charged towards me and Karin at super speed, fast!! Incredible speed…! The ice muscles swelled, and the fist that was pulled back as if to punch stretched out at a devastating speed.

First, dodge—

“Good.”

Karin’s voice. A strike from the Rare Metal Sword, overlaid with a fiercely swirling purple sword energy, struck the Spirit King who was extending its fist.

—Kwaang!!!!

The Spirit King, hit by that, flew backward at the same speed it was flying forward. It was like a tennis ball hit by a racket swung by a killer tennis player. It sent it flying with one blow?

Of course, I know this isn’t the end.

“First, eliminate the mage.”

—Kwaang!

“The witch’s power is finite, but the power coming from beyond that gate might be infinite. Let’s go for a quick victory! We have to kill that bitch first!”

Karin, who sent the Spirit King flying with one blow, kicked off the ground and charged towards Arquina floating in the air. Yes, she’s right! I also chased after Karin. First, we’ll catch Arquina, who seems relatively easier to kill…!

—Fwoooosh!!

That’s when it happened.

The Spirit King, who had flown all the way there and crashed into the wall, flew back towards Karin like a cannonball.

“How dare you humans!!!”

Its body was not damaged at all. Whatever the case, it’s clear that it’s receiving power from the spirit realm! We can’t damage it unless we close that gate!!!

“I’ll kill you all and bury you in ice—!!!!”
“What a load of bullshit, you shaved ice bastard! Sis! Aim for Arquina first!!! I’ll hold this guy back!!”

—Kwaang!

I also used Thrust at the same time, stepping on the Heavenly Demon’s Descent to fly towards the Spirit King.

—Swaaaaaaak!!

As the space narrowed, an inhuman sense of speed was felt. I stabbed the sword, creating sword energy, into the Spirit King’s shoulder as it flew towards Karin.

—Crack!!!
—Spinning!!

The attack worked.

Being attacked by me while flying, its trajectory changed and it rotated. But even though I overlaid it with sword energy, the sword doesn’t go in. Only a dull sound was heard, as if I had stabbed it with a blunt weapon.

Inhuman durability…!

“Good job!!”

Karin, who praised me, swung her sword at Arquina’s shield. Anyway, I interfered with that bastard.

—Kwaang!!!
—Fwoosh!

A series of explosions, explosions.

“What!”

Even so, there was no sign of Arquina’s shield breaking. No way, it’s still fine even though it’s being hit directly? Rather, ice attribute magic was poured towards Karin.

—Pachichik!

Of course, Risha covers it. Both sides were pouring magic at each other, but Arquina’s defense was too strong.

Anyway, we can only win if we kill that bastard.

—Papat pat!!

“Kieeeeeeeeeeeeeeek!!!”

I screamed and charged again towards the Spirit King who had flown to the other side. That bastard reacted to Karin immediately. It’s thinking that it has to protect Arquina and the gate right now! So it’s definitely going to interfere with Karin again! I have to stop it!

Claudie is waiting anyway, so there’s no problem!

“If I kill only you, I can perfectly summon my palace. Good, you reckless vermin!! I will trap your corpses in ice and display them forever!!!!”
“You son of a bitch, your mouth is flowing like a clear stream!! Did you get the Spirit King position by talking shit!!!”
“You—!!!”

—Kooong!

The Spirit King, who stepped on the ground again, flew at super speed as if to kill me first. Its feet don’t touch the ground. On top of that, it has acceleration that doesn’t even require preparation, and an ice body that doesn’t take damage.

I’m not an opponent I can win in a one-on-one.

Still!!

“Unstoppable impulse dejaaaaaaaat!!!”

I also flew towards the Spirit King, slashing the sword that created sword energy diagonally! —Kwaang!! The fired blade accurately struck its neck. Even so, it had no injuries.

“Do you think you can destroy a glacier body with a blade that contains such petty tricks?”

It stretched out an ice arm towards me.

“No.”

I immediately pushed the sword that touched its neck outwards, hooked its arm that was stretching out on my cross guard, and, “Heavenly Demon’s Destruction Palm.” I let go of Vugal’s handle and punched its solar plexus with one fist.

—Kooong!!!

But all I could do with that was make it take a step back, rather, it grabbed my wrist before I could retract my arm. Incredible durability and defense. It’s unharmed even after being hit by an attack filled with mana.

—Squeeze.

Anyway, the grabbed wrist felt like it was going to explode. The combat priest gauntlet is getting crushed…! The onslaught of pain! But…!

“Really, it’s unpleasantly hot flesh.”
“Just like your mother.”
“You—!!!”

—Kwagang!!!!

At the same time, a roar rang out, and the Spirit King looked back.

“Kya-hahahahahaha!!!”

Karin was completely going berserk, bursting out sword energy. The place where that overwhelming violence was directed was the shield created by Arquina.

Will it break?
I don’t know.

It’s just important that this Spirit King bastard is paying attention to that.