A Furious King
(A/N: A little bit of a different chapter this time. It is shorter than previous chapters by at least 1k words and I'm sorry for that. I just wanted this chapter out before I have to focus on school!)
[Timeskip - 1 Day]
[Narrators POV]
Atop his glorious golden throne sat a mighty demi-human. No. Mighty wouldn't have done the scene, let alone the figure, enough justice. The beastman in question was none other than the King of the Beastmen Nation, Claughuth. Even when comparing the King with fellow members of the same race, Claughuth made even the strongest of Beastmen seem pitiful.
In simple terms, Claughuth was a panda demi-human. However, he wasn't the typical panda that eats bamboo and sleeps 24/7. He also wasn't chubby like a certain Kung Fu Panda. Claughuth was an absolute tank.
He wore nothing but a ragged cloth that covered his armoured pants. Claughuth also had armour along his forearms and a necklace made of human skulls. The beastman's entire body was bolstered with muscles harder than metal. From head to toe, there wasn't an ounce of body fat.
Claughuth's eyes, though small, glowed a startling white, which stood out from the black fur around his eye sockets. Together with his massive claws that were as sharp as his teeth, it is no wonder how Claughuth became the King of a warmongering nation.
The Beastmen King surveyed his Throne room before spotting a beastman pass by from a distant hallway. "HEY, YOU!" Claughuth shouted, pointing to the beastman with a singular claw. His voice was girthy and menacing, causing the beastman he called out to slightly jolting from shock and fear.
"Y-Y-Yes … your excellency! What is it you desire?" The servant beastman hastily replied with the utmost respect to Claughuth's sudden callout. "Fetch me a human. Preferably a female one. Then, tell Orok to update me on our most recent raid party so we can continue with our conquest. AT ONCE!!!"
The humble servant furiously nodded to the King's demand. "Your request shall be met with haste and care, your excellency." Claughuth huffed with annoyance. "Haste? If that's the case, why AREN'T YOU ALREADY DOING WHAT I ASKED?!?!"
The panda slammed his mighty arm against the armrest of his throne, creating a loud boom that could be heard throughout the palace.
Scared shitless, and justifiably so, the servent only bowed. "I'm sorry, your excellency. It won't happen again." "Hmph," The King slightly calmed his easily agitated temper. "You don't want to end up like Zurack, do you?" The servant gave a simple reply. "No." "Good, then do what you're told!"
The humble servant nodded before quickly scurrying to complete the tasks assigned to him. Claughuth didn't have to wait long for a female human to arrive at his doorstep. This time, two different Beastmen appeared. One was in guard attire while the other one was more properly dressed.
"Your excellency, as requested by you, I've brought this human girl to satisfy any of your needs." The guard said, tugging on the metal chain tied around the female's neck, signalling her to start moving.
The female was nothing special. In fact, due to the living conditions human captives live in within the Beastmen Nation, she could be described as ugly. The grime and wounds covering the female's body only cemented this idea in place.
The girl didn't say anything. She was too malnourished to formulate proper sentences. She simply obeyed as she quietly walked and stood next to the menacing Beastmen King. Claughuth gave a quick glance at the female before gently placing his massive hand on her head.
"Thank you, guard. You're permitted to leave now." The guard respectfully bowed before leaving the other beastman with the King. "Now tell me, Orok, what is the report for our most recent excursion?" Orok nodded once as he pulled out a piece of paper from a cloth pouch by his waist. He quickly scanned the information on the page before his face turned sour.
"Well … ahem," Orok cleared his throat before speaking. "The raid party at Carca village, which would be used as a base to capture Clebus … failed …" The King was quick to respond. "Failed? Was it the parasite Cerabrate that drove off the raid party? Hmph, it is not a matter. We can launch another attack with the same men." Claughuth said quite passively and without care.
"Uhm …" Orok bit the side of his lip, cautious with the words he was about to say. "Your excellency, Cerabrate didn't drive off the raid party. It was a new group. And unfortunately, this new group … killed off the entire squad …"
The silence was never louder than now.
"Go on …" The furs on Orok immediately stood up with fear from the calm words uttered by Claughuth. It was as if the King was so angry, no words could express his true emotions. Listening to the Kings order, he continued with the report. Not before gulping the collecting saliva in his mouth.
"The new group consists of three humans. Their leader, Ordan Karris along with two females going by Elsa and Báthory. Together, they form Hope. Apparently, this new adventurer team completely wiped the floor with the raid party. Reports say they have access to 5th Tier Magic …"
The King didn't say anything.
"Uhm … that is all the information we have. There were attempts to gather information with elite espionage units. However … they too were killed …" Though the one-sided conversation happened within a few seconds, it felt like an eternity.
Without warning, the hand that was on the human female's head clamped into a tight fist. Blood and brain matter flew in all directions as the female's body fell limp on the floor, collecting blood beneath her. Orok slightly flinched from the display of anger.
He had expected the King to scream profanities. After all, it was typical for him to do so as he had a wild temper. But he didn't. Not this time. Claughuth kept silent, which only frightened Orok more.
"You're permitted to leave now." Doing what he was told, Orok left the Throne room at a seemingly impossible speed. His heart throbbed so much, that it felt like it was going to explode due to uncontrollable fear. It wasn't until the guard left the room that Claughuth did anything.
"FUCK!!!" Claughuth's white eyes lit up with a fiery passion as he ripped and threw the throne he sat on from its hinges, splintering the magnificent chair into nothing but atoms. "FUCK, FUCK, FUCK!!! HOW DARE MERE HUMANS MESS WITH MY PLANS!!! MY PEOPLE!!!" His deep voice was filled with so much anger, that the palace shook with every scream.
"IT'S IMPOSSIBLE!!! HOW CAN THIS HAPPEN?! HUMANS ARE NOTHING BUT WEAKLINGS!!! PATHETIC SACKS OF FLESH AND BONE!!! 5TH TIER MAGIC?! LIES!!! ALL LIES!!!" The floor beneath Claughuth started to break and crumble with every stomp he made.
It wasn't until the Throne room was filled with dust and completely decimated that Claughuth's anger toned down ever so slightly. "Not another thorn by my side …" Claughuth said to himself. "That parasite from Crystal Tear is annoying but all he does is drive my forces back. This new group, Hope. To kill my raid party … with powerful magic no less … how … DARE THEY!!!"
"Unless I deal with that group early, I'll never be able to conquer the Dragon Kingdom for my kin. And eventually, that pesky Dragon Queen will use them to retake Kleset, Voit and Vripolis …" From an outside perspective, Claughuth may seem like a muscle head. All brawn and no brains. But, hidden under all that muscle is a practical mind.
'I'll have to change my plans for the Dragon Kingdom …' The original objective was to slowly drown and dwindle the resources of the Dragon Kingdom. Even if the Dragon Queen deployed Crystal Tear, all they could do was kill only a few Beastmen. Claughuth was perfectly fine with playing for the long term. Besides, it was more enjoyable to see the despair litter human faces.
But now? A new, unknown group has entered the fray, messing up everything. 'If I let this group cull my men and recapture those cities, those assholes from the Great Minotaur Nation and that mysterious Sea City will make their move …' Claughuth took a deep breath in before slowly exhaling.
The thought of the Great Minotaur Nation and the elusive Sea City only gave Claughuth a headache. "Grrrrrrrr," The King growled with frustration. "Those powerful weapons of the Minotaur Sage … I'll never forgive those bulls for what they did to my father. And that fucking dolphin with that vexing machine gun. I can still hear that annoying cackle of his … grrrrrrr …"
Claughuth was going to sit back down on his throne, before realizing he obliterated the thing into nothing. 'Ahhhh, I should control my anger better. Father always said it was my weakness. I'll note that when dealing with this new adventurer group …'
From the corner of his eyes, Claughuth saw a small group of curious yet fearful Beastmen peer into the Throne room from the unhinged door. The King only snarled, startling the small audience of Beastmen. "You all, step forward." The small audience of Beastmen stood out from hiding.
"I expect my Throne room clean and spotless by the end of the day. Is. That. Clear?!" "Yes! Your excellency!" The Beastmen shouted with respect. "Good. I have some … plans to make …"
[Timeskip - 1 Day]
[Scene Change]
"Hmmm? The Queen is interested in me?" Citrinitas asked Sophia with scepticism in his voice. 'I mean, I was planning on meeting her sometime in the future to study Wild Magic. But so soon as my Ordan Karris persona? Well, I did become an Adamantite adventurer …' The alchemist thought.
"And when am I scheduled to meet with her majesty? Do I have to go to the Captial immediately?" Citrinitas pressed on for more answers. "I don't fucking know. I'm not the Queen, am I?" 'Heh, I'm glad I sent Shalltear and Esdeath to complete some random tasks to boost reputation. If they heard that … Sophia wouldn't live to see another day, hahaha!'
"All I know is that the meeting isn't required. Though, unless you want to damage your reputation by ignoring her, I suggest meeting with her majesty or whatever. One more thing, you have until the end of the week to meet the Queen in the Capital, just sayin'" Sophia said with her typical spunk.
'End of the week, huh? Reminds me that the Lizard stuff starts happening in 7 days' time. Time flies by fast.' Citrinitas quickly reminisced about his time spent in the Overlord universe. Looking back on things now, the alchemist could have definitely done plenty of things better. Such as not being a coward even though he served in the military in his past life.
'Well, things are heading on the right track. I should visit the Queen so that I gain some knowledge of what Wild Magic is. Possibly even what Martial Arts are along with Talents. Too bad I haven't seen anyone with a supposed 'Talent' and my group has gone solo so we haven't seen anyone use Martial Arts.'
"I greatly appreciate your input on the matter, Sophia," Citrinitas said with his typical politeness. "Yea, whatever." The guild receptionist dismissed his remarks like usual. "Oh, one more thing. The guildmaster wanted me to tell you this." Sophia made a last-second remark to Citrinitas before he left.
"There have been reports of Beastmen sightings near Igale, the next city over. Usually, a quest like this would be Platinum or Mithril ranked. However, as we believe that the Beastmen Nation is being more … forceful due to the failed raid on Clebus, the difficulty has been increased to Adamantite rank. This is just a safety precaution. Alas, I don't give a fuck whether you die or not …"
"Igale, huh? That isn't too far from Clebus. At least on the map. I should be able to arrive there, complete the mission, and arrive back at Clebus within 2 days. Besides, it should be a good idea to do more travelling and explore the country more." Sophia sighed. "I don't really care what you do …"
'Would Esdeath and Shalltear be ok without me? Eh, they should be fine. They need to learn some self-control while I need a break from babysitting. Splitting up would also boost my team's reputation more. Yea, the plan seems fine.' Citrinitas concluded.
"Very well then, Sophia. Tell the guildmaster that I accept the quest and will be heading over to Igale effective immediately. Also, tell my companions that I'll be away for a small fraction of the time. They'll understand why I left." The alchemist said with confidence. "You sure they won't overreact like a girl Fanclub? They act like needy children and are very clingy." Sophia boldly retorted. Citrinitas gave a small chuckle. "Don't worry, I'm sure they'll be fine …"
[Scene Change]
"Ahh, old Tsar! How are you doing, friend?" Asked a woman loudly, catching the attention of the sleeping dragon in front of her. The woman had the physique of a grandma. Grey hair tied into a ponytail along with wearing a black robe, held in place with a red jewel.
Tsar, being none other than the Platinum Dragon Lord, was adorned with gorgeous white scales that shimmered like stars in the night sky. "Hmmmm, Rigrit? What are you doing here?" Tsar asked the woman, now identified as Rigrit with curiosity.
"What?" The reply almost sounded sarcastic and obvious. "Is it wrong to check up on a friend once in a while? The world is changing while you sleep, you know?" Tsar made a clicking sound with his tongue, matching the sarcasm of Rigrit.
"I'll have you know that I am very aware of the political and economic state of the world right now." Tsar rebuked. "Is that why Guilded Ordinance is scratched up like that? I haven't seen that armour so worn out since 200 years ago, haha!" Rigrit teased, chuckling at the end of her sentence.
"Indeed," Tsar started to get up from his sleeping position. "I fought a very powerful vampire, to say the least." Rigrit temporarily ceased her scheming and teasing mannerisms when she heard the emphasis on 'very.' It was a rare occurrence for the Dragon Lord to act like that.
"'Very,' you say? Was this vampire possibly Honyopenyoko? The one which was slain by Momon?" Tsar thought for a brief moment before answering. "Yes, yes it was. And the mention of Momon is what troubles me …" If Tsar had Rigrit's curiosity, he now had her full attention.
"Troubles you? How so?" Rigrit questioned. "That vampire … it was strong. Really strong. To be completely honest, I don't think I would have been able to win. That's why I disengaged before things got troubling." Tsar said.
"Yes, this 'Momon' figure, comes out of nowhere and supposedly kills the vampire?" The platinum dragon gave a low growl. "The advent of players …" His voice was low and menacing, which caused Rigrit to slightly gulp from fear. "Well, now that I think about it, it has been 200 years since the last Advent, right?" The old lady questioned.
"Indeed, it has. I fear that the looming threat of 'Players' will rise again …" The dragon trailed off with his sentence, thinking about the bleak past. "Just curious, what makes you think Momon and that vampire are 'Players?'"
"Momon, along with his partner, refuse to disclose their country of origin. It only makes me suspicious that they're 'Players' from YGGDRASIL. Not only that, but the aftermath of the battle … it was akin to the Evil Spirits of old, remember?" Rigrit smiled.
"I know, I know. How could I forget what's now known as the Wastelands, Tsar?" She teased. "Though the damage wasn't as severe compared to what happened in the Wastelands, it was still pretty significant." The dragon noted.
"Even with all that, Momon isn't a bad person by any means. Advents can be both good and bad."
"There is some truth to that. Aspect and Akira were 'Players.' Too bad they both unexpectedly died in the middle of our journey. I regret not pressing on for more answers. Aspect was always cryptic with his responses …" Tsar sighed and huffed with frustration.
"That said, Advents are more likely to lead to curses rather than any blessings." "I'd beg to disagree." Rigrit firmly replied. "There are some interesting things happening in the Dragon Kingdom." That seemed to catch the attention of the Dragon Lord.
"Oh, really?" Tsar asked. "You know, for someone who claims to 'watch over the world,' you sure are clueless. Shows how much you know about the political and economic state of the world right now, huh?" The Dragon Lord only growled with a playful annoyance.
"Anyways, I'll let you know on what I know so far. Hope consists of three powerful humans that can apparently use 5th Tier Magic. They appeared out of nowhere, claiming to come from the far east before slaughtering a raid party sent by the Beastmen Nation." Rigrit finished her summary, leaving Tsar to absorb all the information.
"Interesting … very interesting …" If Tsar had a human hand, it would have been stroking his chin. "Now, you think that Hope is a mini group of 'Players?'" Rigrit asked with curiosity. "If I was suspicious of Momon being a 'Player,' then this trio making up Hope are definitely 'Players.' Tch, 'from the far east.' There are no human nations that far east. All fabrications to cover up that they're from YGGDRASIL, I say!"
"Well, things don't seem too bad for now. Hope is going about and completing dangerous tasks in the Dragon Kingdom, instead of taking over the world. The same goes for Darkness." The old lady said. "Still," Tsar took a slight pause. "It doesn't hurt being cautious. Who knows what evils from YGGDRASIL will come next. We've been blessed with those two but who knows what other powerful beings might come next?"
"Well, shouldn't we prepare before that time comes? Recruit some potential allies to defend against the next Advent that threatens the world? I say we reach out to your fellow Dragon Lord brethren. Didn't you form an alliance 200 years ago?" Tsar only scoffed.
"Please, they aren't the type to lend aid. Deep Darkness is sleeping in that subterranean cave of his. Brightness is probably busy fucking someone only God knows where. Heavenly just flies around all day. Elder Coffin … he might join. Though he's busy building some undead army in the quarantine zone at the centre of the supercontinent." Tsar went on extensively as to why his fellow Dragon Lord friends wouldn't come to aid when the time comes.
"I have a much greater chance at awakening 'her' in the Sea City than finding help with my other Dragon Lord acquaintances. Though, that stupid dolphin and his silly minigun of his is annoying to deal with. He's the equivalent of that annoying cousin you want to hit, but can't!" Rigrit laughed.
"This would have been an easier task if Aspect didn't just die on us." Tsar was quick to rebuke. "His death was unavoidable after he killed Akira. He refused resurrection and chose death. Regardless of the past, I request your help in finding possible candidates for the Guild Weapon or any other YGGDRASIL item." Rigrit gave a warm smile. "That shouldn't be an issue for me, old friend …"
(A/N: It's that time again, unfortunately. I've got to focus on school as I have a few exams and projects to work on. I'll do my best to write when I have free time, but I can't make any guarantees. Join my Discord server to stay up-to-date on chapter status and to just chat! https://discord.gg/ck4XzBC6jt)