The Poison Topopolock Queen

* * *

THUD!!

As I was greedily devouring the fallen topopolock corpses to recover my magic power, a deafening rumble announced the arrival of an overwhelmingly massive topopolock that towered above as I looked up.

Its deep green skin, glistening from the rain, was mottled with purple patterns. The spines protruding from its back were thick and large like swords. The two legs stomping the ground were powerfully muscular.

The fangs peeking from its lizard-like face, the claws extending from its forearms each evoked visions of deadly damage.

<That mottled pattern! Its a characteristic of the poison topopolocks! And with that massive sizeits undoubtedly the Queen! A poison topopolock queen who has accumulated years of experience!>

Extrass explanation rang with a hint of alarm in my mind. I ripped off part of the spine from the corpse I was eating, reinforced it with Solidify, and hurled it at blinding speed toward the queens third eye.

However, the queen swiftly moved her head, taking the incoming bone shard on her forehead, just above the third eye, with a dry cracking sound as it shattered.

The queen glared at me with irritated, murderous eyes.

No effect.

<It seems her sturdy body combined with Body Strengthening deflected Emis attack!>

Oh crap, thats bad. Does this mean my Infinite Pebbles wont work either?

MIGYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

The queen let out an earth-shaking roar that made my body tremble, and then charged straight at me with the momentum of a dump truck crashing into you.

<M-Maybe we should evade while we have some distance!>

No, I cant evade. If I do, who will protect the mansion?

I glanced back. The barrier around the mansion still wasnt restored, and it seemed it would take much more time. Reinforcements from the Baron also seemed unlikely at this point.

Turning my gaze back to the charging queen, Ibegan running towards her as well!

<W-W-Wait, Emi! What are you>

What am I doing? Isnt it obvious, Extra-sama! If I cant evade, then Ill meet her head on!!

I flung pebbles at her. But thats not all I can do!

The distance between the queen and I rapidly shrank. The queen seemed intent on simply swatting me away with her momentum.

As for me, I channeled the magic power I had partially recovered thanks to devouring the topopolocks throughout my body, further amplifying my constant Body Strengthening.

Then, focusing that magic power into my right fist, I poured more and more into it.

HAH!!

When the distance closed to just a few meters, I accelerated in an instant, diving straight into the queens chest area and smashing her there with my magic power-infused fist a Magic Strike!!

BOOOOM!!

An tremendous sound rang out as the queen was sent tumbling backward through the air.

A small girl had just punched and sent a massive monster the size of a small house flying a fantasy sight that defied the difference in mass.

<H-HeavensEmi, just what kind of audacity allows you to keep doing such things!>

Extra-sama praised me, but I had no leeway to respond.

The queen crashed to the ground with a thunderous impact, but deftly used her neck and arms to quickly stand back up.

Unlike the bone shards, I think I was able to inflict some actual damage this time. But it seemed that much was still far from a fatal blow.

MIGYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

The queen let out another roar, this one seemingly imbued with Intimidation.

The pressure from it would have left anyones legs shaking, unable to move, if they werent accustomed to my masters Intimidation.

The queens anger and hatred towards me for continuing to slaughter her brethren all that fury poured into her Intimidation as she glared at me.

Dont fuck with me.

I dont care about your circumstances.

Im protecting what I want to protect!

And Ill kill what I want to kill!!

..

Without flinching, I silently released my own Intimidation in return.

Ill slice off your body, crush you, and devour you whole.

Unleashing pure murderous intent.

Naturally, the queen didnt falter either. Why would she?

The other topopolocks had already fled back into the forest. The only ones left on this field were just the queen and I.

The rain continued to patter down.

Amidst our exchange of Intimidationglares, I made the first move.

Applying the footwork techniques derived from Grasshopper, I instantly closed the distance to the queen in a flash.

Though the muddy ground prevented me from reaching my usual speed, it was enough against the queens massive, cumbersome body.

While continuously circling around the queens thick, powerful legs, I kept slashing at them with Mantis.

MIGYA! MIGYAAAAAAA!!

Enraged, the queen raised one of her massive legs to try crushing me by slamming it into the ground.

From a distance, it might have looked like she was simply stomping the dirt.

Of course, I immediately evaded and put some space between us.

Faint traces of blood seemed to be seeping from the queens legs where I had slashed, but

<It doesnt seem very effective. Continuing Magic Strike attacks may be a better approach.>

Not very effective, huh. Just how sturdy is this damn queen?

My current Mantis can slice through regular rock no problem, you know?

At this rate, even Magic Slash Thread might not work.

MIGYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

!!

In the next instant, the queen leapt!

As if retaliating against my Mantis, the queen swung down her sharply pointed claws with full force in mid-air!

After the sound of the wind being cut, a deafening explosion as the ground was gouged.

I barely managed to sidestep and evade, but the shockwave from the queen slamming her claws into the earth blasted me away, sending me tumbling.

After regaining my footing from the rolls, I looked to see a large crater had formed where I had been standing just moments ago.

<W-What tremendous power! Emis Body Strengthening wouldnt be able to withstand a direct hit from that!>

MIGYA! MIGYA! MIGYAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

Of course, the queens offensive didnt end with just one swing of her claws. Two, three more times she brought them crashing down, creating more and more holes in the surroundings.

Each of those deadly slashes held fatal power. A direct hit would likely tear through my body like paper in an instant, killing me.

If it hits, that is!

Once again, I closed the distance to the queen in a flash, this time scaling up her back.

MI-MIGYA!?

The queen seemed startled and confused.

Those proud claws of yours cant reach your own back, can they?

MIGYA! MIGYA!

The queen thrashed about, trying to shake me off, but it was futile!

Of course, since my feet were adhered to her back using Silverfish!

With both fists infused with magic power, I continually pummeled the queens back!

Magic Strike!Magic Strike!Magic Strike!Magic Strike!Magic Strike!

Fists capable of shattering rock struck the queens back repeatedly.

MII! GYA! GYA!!

Even the queen couldnt endure the relentless Magic Strike barrage, letting out agonized wails.

Yes, I can do this!

At this rate, I can beat her!

Or so I thought.

Kkakak!

Suddenly, an unfamiliar sound echoed from the depths of the queens throat.

The queen maneuvered her long neck to glare at me on her back with her three red eyes, and then

<!! Get off her back, quickly!!>

Heeding Extra-samas warning, I leapt away just as

BUSHWAAAA!!

a purple mist-like substance spewed from the queens mouth.

It hung in the air for a moment before dissolving into the falling rain and dispersing onto the ground.

That ominous purple color clinging to that massive body, it couldnt be

<Poison. That was her Poison Breath! The signature attack of the poison topopolocks! If Emi breathed that in, even you would be in grave danger!>

MIGYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

Having her breath attack avoided, the poison topopolock queen roared with frustration.

While she had undoubtedly accumulated considerable damage from taking my Magic Strikes repeatedly, her killing intent showed no signs of waning.

Meanwhile, the magic power I had managed to recover was rapidly draining again, and I would be running on empty soon. At this rate, I would be worn down eventually.

This situation might be a little dicey.