Chapter 311 - Nemea Narasimha

「I’m going in!!」

Mare jumped off Llinde, descending from high above. Although it appeared as though she landed gracefully, her landing actually presented quite a few defensive openings. Fortunately, with the ever-present threat of an attack from Fran, Valkyrie didn’t dare move recklessly.

At some point, I don’t know when, Mare’s true body had replaced her illusion and, rising from where she landed, she glared at Valkyrie with blazing eyes.

「If you come clean about your purpose there’s a chance I’ll show you mercy.」

「Don’t delude yourself, that’s impossible!」

「How unfortunate. But if that’s your answer, I’m getting serious! Fran! You ready?」

「I’m ready!」

In the current situation, Fran wasn’t so foolish as to try to go one-on-one with Valkyrie. She seemed far more invested in fighting alongside Mare and nodded enthusiastically.

「Kuina, you bring Dullahan to heel now!」

「Actually, I’m not very good at tackling heavily-armed opponents.」

「You’d need to do it now!」

「Words fail me. Is it really okay for me to tackle such a tough enemy? I just hope I don’t cause Miss Fran any trouble.」

「Come on! Right now, please!」

Kuina, urged on loudly by Mare, saluted gracefully and launched an attack on Dullahan. Although, at first glance, Kuina appeared to be running normally, her speed was astonishing, it seemed that she was using some sort of unique footwork technique.

「Llinde, you try to restrain the Evil Beings over there. Remember not to push yourself too hard.」

「Coollll!」

Roaring, Llinde, who was in the air, dove towards the army of Evil Beings. Llinde deftly avoided the Evil Beings’ arrows while simultaneously spraying flames at them. As a result, the Magic Beasts fled helter-skelter when they saw Llinde coming.

「Next, we two shall begin our attack as well. She has brought disaster to my people, does she really think she can leave with a happy ending?」

「Ha? Who do you think you are? Do you think you are a member of the Royal household? How dare you speak like that?」

「Well, it seems that I can only convince you by showing my true power. In that case, I’ll show you now!」

With that, Mare twirled her coat, raising her right hand to the sky and jumped up.

「In this moment, I have become The Swordswoman of Beauty !」

I had thought she would do something special, but she just made an extravagant pose. Then, she shook her left arm and changed to another pose.

「Now I’m The Girl Who Manipulates the Giant Dragon!」

Next was a pose No. 2, Rider Shapeshift. The forms of Mare’s Shapeshift poses were becoming more and more exaggerated. I mean, can’t she just say it already? Why does she have to pose over and over again?

「However, my true identity is……!」

Finally, she puffed out her chest, arms aloft. However, just as she was about to announce it, a torrent of explosive flame burst out of her mouth, as if she was performing fire magic.

「The eldest daughter of the Beast Lord - Rigdis Narasimha, Nemea Narasimha!」

No, wait. Despite the sudden revelation, Mare actually is the Lord’s daughter?

Is Mare Nemea Narasimha?

Although my Appraisal has been blocked, I’m sure she’s not lying because she hasn’t triggered the Principle of Falsehood all this time.

Not only that, but in terms of all her behavior and manner, the shadow of the Beast Lord is ever present. Either judging from her appearance or from her temperament, it’s not in the least bit surprising that she is the daughter of the Beast Lord.

「Let me show you just the tip of the iceberg. Awakening-」

With a fearless smile, Mare released her power.

After Mare’s Awakening, much like Fran, her appearance hasn’t changed much. The only difference is that Mare’s body has begun to radiate fire. Wait, her hair has gained volume and stands up now? Looks like lion’s mane. Ok, fine, I think it just means that Mare is a girl. In addition, her teeth and nails have grown.

「Mare, You’re so cool!」

「Hahaha! I know, right?」

「So… you are the daughter of the Beast Lord. It’s said that the daughter of the Beast Lord is born white-haired, seems the rumor is true.」

「Yes, it’s me. I have to keep this secret because my white hair is too conspicuous. After all, people will talk. But even so, there seems to be a lot of rumors about me.」

「Indeed, you certainly do possess pretty wonderful mana.」

As Valkyrie said, I could feel fairly powerful mana hanging over Mare, whose power seems to be on a par with Fran using Brilliant Lightning Rush.

「……What!」

Shocked by what she saw, Fran stared at Mare in bewilderment.

Mare, hearing Valkyrie’s murmur, showed a fearless smile. And then, she leaned back and laughed.

「Kukuku」

「……What’s wrong? 」

「You think this is all my power?」n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

「What?」

「I said I would show you all my ability, didn’t I?」

Howling again, Mare struck another pose. This time, her pose was exactly the same as the normal 3rd pose of Shapeshifting.

「Golden Flame of Extinction!」

With that, a storm-like golden fire burst out from Mare’s body. It was the innate skill of the Red Catkin’s high breed, Golden Flame Lionkin: Golden Flame of Extinction. Mare, now, covered by the golden flame, was exactly the same as the Beast Lord Rigdis from before.

It seemed that, like Fran and the Beast Lord, Mare had reached the level of the Ten Original Tribes which had greatly surprised Fran. Because they were both Magic Beasts, Fran seemed to know Mare was evolving immediately and, after witnessing Mare’s evolutionary posture, Fran also figured out Mare’s race type, Golden Flame Lionkin.

The way I see it, Mare, who is now using Golden Flame of Extinction, has an absolute advantage in both Magic and raw strength. If an average person faced her, it would probably be impossible for them to stand their ground. Moreover, in the face of such an extraordinary existence, ordinary people would either be prostrate, petrified or may even lose consciousness. Whatever the outcome, it would impossible to maintain one’s composure.

「Now, that we’ve come this far, I won’t show you any mercy. Suffer my punishment! 」

In that instant, Mare roared, pouncing on Valkyrie with deafening roars and terrifying momentum. Mare’s bloodlust, intimidation and magical force merged into an invisible pressure that made straight for Valkyrie.

「Damn……!」

Facing the oncoming, overwhelming pressure, Valkyrie was about to speak up, but then she drew her bow, aiming at Mare and released the Arrow of Godspeed.

「Will you still keep on coming?」

Despite being released instantaneously, Valkyrie’s Arrow of Godspeed was easily disintegrated by Mare’s Golden Flame, this seemed to be how the auto-defense of Golden Flame of Extinction worked.

The arrow, containing power strong enough to penetrate dozens of magic beasts’ bodies, that had tormented Fran and I, was instantly burnt to ashes before it broke the Golden Flame barrier of Mare, despite containing no less malevolence than before.

Despite its power, however, Mare hasn’t been left unscathed, there is a shallow wound on her face. Sure enough, Mare isn’t as powerful as the Beast Lord, but even so, I’ve no doubt that Mare’s power is comparable to Fran’s. Mare certainly is an invigorating reinforcement.

「Get ready to suffer my punishment War Maiden!」

「En!」

「Fran, you come and support me!」

「……Roger that!」

Fran seemed to understand Mare’s intentions. She breathed a sigh of relief and stopped using Brilliant Lightning Rush. This was because Mare, who belonged to the same skill system as Fran, had understood that Fran’s use of Brilliant Lightning Rush was beyond her limits.

Thank God. If Fran had continued to push her limits, then I would have had to discharge the Brilliant Lightning Rush myself.

And so, the fierce battle between the two girls and War Maiden began.