Chapter 376: (Beetle) BUBUBUBUBUBU!!!!
* * *
"Uwaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!"
THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD, THUD!!
Under the pre-dawn sky, on the main street of the Ashgo Kingdom's royal capital.
A single 'giant', with no arms, was running desperately down this large, deserted street, with pathetic screams and noisy footsteps.
"What is thisーーー!? What have I gotten myself intoーーー!?"
Shouting that, occasionally looking back with a pale face, was the man controlling the 'Heroic Giant Armor', which looked like a giant, made of a jumble of rock and steel... General Orbos!
"This isn't the time to be talking nonsenseーーー!! Our speed is droppingーーー!! Can't you run any fasterーーー!?"
The man with white-rimmed glasses, stuck to the chest armor of the Heroic Giant Armor, unable to move, was shouting and cursing... Ambitious the assassin!
He was accidentally caught in the formation of the Heroic Giant Armor and is now stuck between rocks, unable to move!
Also, the effect duration of his trump card, [Battle Beast Transformation], has already expired, and he's back to his original human form, a tanned man with white hair.
"Uwaaaーーー! Uwaaaーーー!"
And then, stuck to Ambitious with honey, screaming and crying, was the emaciated man in a dirty robe... former Viscount Maqueterra!
He's completely covered in honey, and because the honey is so sticky, he can't separate himself from Ambitious!
Isn't this honey a little too sticky!?
"Hey! You dirty, skinny old man! You've been noisy this whole time, you know!?"
"You're the one who's noisy, white-rimmed glasses! What's with all the complaining and whining this whole time!! You're just stuck to this armor, stop acting all high and mighty!!"
"What did you say!? And who are you anyway!?"
"Who are YOU!?"
"Uwaaaaーーー!! Uwaaaーーー!"
""Shut uuuup!!!""
Now, this trio of old men.
Why are they running down the main street, making a ruckus?
"BUBUBUBUBUBUーーー!!"
The answer is this buzzing sound.
They're currently being targeted by Destroy Bunbun, the super giant beetle with an abnormal obsession with honey, and are continuing their desperate escape from this honey hunter, who boasts extraordinary toughness!
"Ah!"
"Geh!?"
"Uwaaaaーーー!?"
But in this long chase... the moment of truth finally arrives.
General Orbos's Heroic Giant Armor... tripped on a dip in the cobblestones.
"Wh-Whoaaaaーーー!?"
ZUUUOOOON!!
The Heroic Giant Armor, unable to stop its momentum, was thrown forward into the air!
General Orbos tried to brace himself for impact, curling his giant body and spinning in midair, but his arms were already destroyed, and he couldn't move as he wanted upon landing!
As a result, this giant of rock and steel landed on its butt on the cobblestones of the main street and came to a stop!
And Destroy Bunbun wouldn't miss this fatal opening!
"BUBUBUBUBUBUーーー!!"
BAAAAAAM!!!
Destroy Bunbun, without slowing down, charged at full speed into the Heroic Giant Armor, which had fallen on its butt!
It's the same charge that easily destroyed this giant's arms, made of steel and rock, before!
Naturally, there was no way it could withstand this blow, and the Heroic Giant Armor, taking the charge on its back, finally shattered and was blown away!
"""GYAAAAAAAAHーーー!?"""
...It wasn't just the debris of Mechanical Soldiers and cobblestones that made up the giant that were blown away.
The trio of old men were also thrown into the air by the impact of Destroy Bunbun's charge.
"Nuwah!?"
"Guh!?"
"Uwaaa!?"
And they rolled pathetically on the cobblestones!
And not just rolling!
Originally stuck together, Maqueterra and Ambitious, and even Orbos, who happened to be blown away in the same direction!
These three, tangled together as they rolled!
And when they finally lost momentum and came to a stop on the cobblestones... there it was!
...A ball of old men... glued together by honey, unable to move... was born...!!
Isn't this honey a little too sticky!?
"BUBUBU, BUBUBU, BUBUBUBUBUBUーーー!!"
Now, seeing his target finally immobilized, Destroy Bunbun danced in joy, swaying and somersaulting.
And then, after staring intently at the old man ball with his large, round eyes, aiming...
...He began his final charge... at ultra-low altitude!
"""UWAAAAAAAAAAAHーーー!!!"""
The old man ball, already gravely injured, had no way to resist!
They could only scream in despair, imagining their fate in a few seconds!!
...But, it was at that moment!
"Shhh...!!"
Exhaling shortly... a slender man, suddenly appearing, ran past the old man ball, towards Destroy Bunbun!
"BUBUBUBUBUBUーーー!!"
Destroy Bunbun didn't care about this newly appeared slender man.
He'll pierce and kill him, along with the old man ball behind him, with his prized horns!
But!
"Hup!!"
This slender man, the moment he passed by the old man ball, forcefully stepped on the cobblestones and accelerated rapidly!
"Bubu!?"
Without giving Destroy Bunbun, flying at ultra-low altitude, a chance to react to his sudden change of movement... this man!
...Slid under Destroy Bunbun's belly!
And then!
"YAAAAHーーー!!!"
He thrust the sword in his right hand... deep into Destroy Bunbun's belly!
"BUBUBUBUBUBUーーー!?"
Destroy Bunbun, with his shell boasting invincible defense... actually had a weak point!
And that is his soft abdomen!
The sword that the slender man thrust into his weak point, deeply wounded Destroy Bunbun's body... !
He could no longer fly.
The slender man had inflicted such a fatal wound on Destroy Bunbun!
ZUZUUN...!
Destroy Bunbun, forced to fall to the cobblestones, rolled along the ground, crushing it, towards the old man ball, due to his momentum...
...Painfully leaking fluids from the wound in his abdomen... but still, somehow managing to turn his body towards the slender man who had inflicted the fatal blow...
<<<...Well done!!>>>
He sent a thought of praise.
And then, he died.
"Your Highnessーーー!!"
Now, there was a group of soldiers chasing after this slender man who had just delivered that brilliant blow.
"Wh-What are you doingーーー!! The Prime Minister-kakka specifically instructed us to have Your Highness stay behindーーー!!"
Leading the group was a serious-looking female knight, wearing glasses and armor.
"...Negamen, I told you to stop calling me 'Your Highness'..."
The slender man said, pouting and scratching his cheek.
But the female knight... Negamen, ignored the slender man's complaint and continued her lecture.
"What are you going to do if something happens to you!? Why don't you understand how much we care about you!? Normally, if the opponent wasn't that idiot... excuse me, if it wasn't the Duke, Your Highness would have to stay in the royal castle! It's a very rare exception for you to sortie with the soldiers!? And yet..."
"Ahhh! Alright, alright! I was wrong to rush in... Geez, back in the day, it was MY job to admonish comrades who charged in recklessly..."
The slender man sighed, pushing Negamen's face away with both hands as she approached.
"So, hey..."
And then, he glanced at the old man ball rolling nearby.
"What is that? A forbidden old man ball, born from some evil experiment?"
"Who, who are you calling a forbidden old man ball!?"
"I'm not an old man yeeet!!!"
"How rude, YOU BASTAARD!!!"
The trio of old men, despite being unable to move, protested his words, shaking their bodies.
The sight of six pairs of twelve limbs wriggling around was somewhat unsettling.
The soldiers surrounding the old man ball were also slightly repulsed by its creepiness.
"Ah!?"
But Negamen, as a knight, was calmly observing this creepy old man ball.
And then, she saw the face of one of the men... the gaunt, emaciated man in a dirty robe... and instantly recognized him!
"T-This man! He's Maqueterra Lotten, the former Viscount who conspired with the demons and put this country in danger, isn't he!?"
"Whatーーー!?"
"Apprehend himーーー!!"
At Negamen's words, the surrounding soldiers tied Maqueterra's arms with ropes!
"S-Stop... It hurts, it hurts!"
"Ah!?"
And Negamen, being a knight, had memorized various wanted posters of criminals.
So, she saw the face of one of the men... the tanned man with white-rimmed glasses... and instantly recognized him!
"T-This man! He's Pri-Pri Poplencho, the leader of an assassination organization, a wanted criminal, isn't he!?"
"Whatーーー!?"
"Apprehend himーーー!!"
At Negamen's words, the surrounding soldiers tied Pri-Pri's arms with ropes!
"Stop it, don't call me by my real nameーーー! I'm Ambitious! Ambitiousーーー!!"
"Ah!?"
And actually, Negamen and the others are reinforcements, dispatched to suppress the coup d'état launched by the Duke Faction nobles.
So, she saw the face of one of the men... the large man with a scar on his cheek... and instantly recognized him!
"T-This man! He's General Orbos da Tomooou, believed to be the central figure of this coup d'état army, isn't he!?"
"Whatーーー!?"
"Apprehend himーーー!!"
At Negamen's words, the surrounding soldiers tied Orbos's arms with ropes!
"I-Is this the endーーー!? I... didn't do anything! I really, seriously, couldn't do anythingーーー!?"
"Alright! Take them awayーーー!!"
"""Oooooooh!!"""
And the old man ball, rolled by several soldiers, was sent to the royal castle...
They will be judged for their crimes in accordance with the law.
Now, watching the old men being rolled away, the slender man crossed his arms and tilted his head.
"Hey, Negamen... why was General Orbos rolling around here? I heard from Old Man Bokji that our side was at a disadvantage... that's why we were dispatched as reinforcements..."
"Well... there are a lot of things I don't understand. Anyway, there's no need to stay here any longer. Let's hurry to the Duke's mansion. The answers should be there!"
The slender man and Negamen nodded, reformed their ranks, and started marching down the main street towards the east again.
But... it was at that moment!
ZUGAGAGAGAGAGA!!!
With such a roar, the earth shook... and Mihabyushira Hill began to rise into the pre-dawn sky!
"Uwaah!?"
"Wh-Wh-What!?"
"What is thaaaat!?"
Even these elite soldiers couldn't stand properly from the intense tremors.
They all fell on their butts, staring blankly at the surreal sight of Mihabyushira Hill, a familiar sight, rising into the air.
<<<IHIHIHIHIHI ーーー !!!>>>
And then, hearing the creepy laugh echoing throughout the royal capital.
The slender man stood up, wiping the cold sweat from his forehead.
And then, he forced himself to grin.
"Seriously... I don't get it... but things have gotten really crazy..."
And as if to put up a brave front.
As if to muster his courage.
He deliberately...
Smiled defiantly!
"...Hehehe!"