#816 The Immortal King vs The Princess

A match?

Between Sensei, the Lifeless King, and Letasreit?!

A one-on-one duel without any interruptions?!

“Your growth is something I yearn to witness firsthand. What do you say? If you lack confidence, running away is also an option.”  

“Hahaha...! Sensei, you sure know how to motivate a student...!”

Letasreit clenches her fists, cracking her knuckles with a pop.

Wasn’t there a recent study suggesting that wasn’t good for you?

“With such a provocation, there’s no way I could scurry away in fear! I, Letasreit, have the pride of a former princess of the Human Kingdom! To ignore a thrown gauntlet would be a maiden’s shame!!!”

“An admirable spirit indeed. The duel is on, then.”

“DUEL!!!”

Something’s kicked off...?!

What kind of situation is this?! An unexpected match-up... Sensei vs. Letasreit is really happening?!

It’s impossible to predict how this battle will unfold!

Sure, Letasreit has grown significantly stronger over the past few years. She could be touted as one of humanity’s strongest contenders without exaggeration.

But still, if you ask whether she’s a match for Sensei, I couldn’t give you a straightforward answer.

After all, Sensei exists on a plane beyond humanity’s strongest.

The Lifeless King, who transcended human taboos to obtain an immortal body, ranks among the top three in strength and wisdom—and that’s Sensei.

How far can Letasreit, though formidable but has not stepped beyond the bounds of humanity, hold her own against Sensei?

That’s going to be the highlight of this contest.

“Then, I shall make the first move, Sensei.”

“Of course, take the initiative as you like. As elders, we are to watch over the actions of the young.”

“How cheekyyyyy!!!”

Letasreit charges in?!

But isn’t a head-on charge recklessly naive against Sensei, a master of magic?!

“No, that’s acceptable.”

Sensei?!

“It’s better to clash with full force and speed than to resort to petty tricks against an opponent known to be superior in both wisdom and strength... It is how one finds a way to escape from death’s clutches...”

“Bean-ify your heart! Only the sprouting seedlings that dare to can split the cobblestones from beneath!!”

She seems to be reciting some learned maxim as she closes in on Sensei.

And then, a single punch.

“Bean Fist!!!”

A peculiar, winding punch lands squarely in Sensei’s abdomen.

That punch is definitely the type that brings internal pain. If Letasreit, who’s already all about ‘might is right,’ has learned to infuse her punches with such penetrating force, what then?!

“Hmph!”

Sensei lets out a slight groan.

After all, Letasreit’s punch could pulverize mana metal. If a living being were hit with her first, the results would be too gruesome for those under eighteen to watch.

But how much of it got through to Sensei, who has transcended life itself?

“Fukukuku... what a splendid blow, concentrating all your muscles’ strength into a single point. It shows the fruits of your daily training.”

“Huh? It didn’t work?!”

Not only has she failed to take down Sensei, but there seems to be no damage at all!

Is Sensei’s Lifeless King body tougher than mana metal?!

“That can’t be. One would think that a body as decayed as mine would crumble with a mere flick. There’s no way it could withstand a punch that’s the culmination of Little Letas’ relentless training.”

But you’re so full of vigor, Sensei, so how?

“The secret lies in the very nature of being a Lifeless King. This body, hailed as the Undead King, is both material and spectral at once. It combines the traits of both zombies and ghosts, the two principal types of undead.”

A being that is both material and spectral.

Because it possesses both attributes, it can’t be defeated by means of destruction that targets only one aspect.

No matter how much Letasreit has perfected her physical attacks, they’ll only affect one aspect of Sensei’s body, rendering them effectively meaningless.

“That’s why it’s commonly said among humans that a Lifeless King cannot be defeated. Nonetheless, such a weighty blow resonates with my spiritual aspect, hinting at her growth.”

“Uryaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!”

Letasreit?!

She continues to hammer away, ignoring Sensei’s explanation!

Is she the type to become blind to everything else during a fight?!

She’s singularly focused on victory!

“Oooogh! But persisting with tactics that do not connect will not reveal a path to victory—Oh dear, oh!”

Sensei may be semi-spiritual, but being pummeled around two hundred times in a single second makes him shake like someone sitting on a massage chair.

Nevertheless, the most that gets transmitted to his spiritual body is a mere vibration; inflicting any real damage seems far off. 

Are the available means to a mortal not sufficient against a king who has transcended death?

“Don’t give up, Letasreit.”

Huh?

Who’s there?!

Despite it being a 1v1 match, the one who butts in is none other than the angel Horkosfon—Letasreit’s best friend!

“It’s only natural for me to rush to your aid during your time of need. Together, we shall vanquish this undead menace.”

“You know you’re not actually trying to kill him, right?!”

Technically, this is more like a practice match, but is it really okay for reinforcements to barge in like this?

“Do not fret. It’s a pleasure to see young ones striving so earnestly,” Sensei declares magnanimously. 

He’s like a grandpa who’d let his grandkids get away with anything.

“That complacency will be your downfall. Were you unaware that we angels possess the perfect means to end you?”

With those words, Horkosfon brings out a looming large cannon.

“The mana cannon, a standard weapon among us angels, can affect spiritual bodies and destroy them. Plus, it’s imbued with holy properties, making it the worst nightmare for an abominable existence like yours. I’ve heard my comrade Songokufon once took down a Lifeless King with it. Prepare to be turned to ash by my holy barrage,” she says, firing a sacred beam. 

Sensei doesn’t even attempt to dodge, taking it head-on. It’s a direct hit, but that’s all it was.

The mana cannon, supposed to be exceedingly effective against a Lifeless King, fails to harm Sensei.

“...Had you faced me three or four years ago, that would have inflicted considerable damage...”

Sensei plays it cool, not breaking a sweat.

“I’ve had the good fortune of some wonderful encounters. Through my interaction and shared learning with the students who once studied on this farm, I’ve acquired a holy attribute—one that an undead like me wouldn’t normally possess. A same-attribute-attack tends to be less effective.”

Sensei has overcome the very weaknesses of the undead?!

“Without the effectiveness of the holy attribute, your cannon doesn’t possess the firepower to threaten the endless existential force of an immortal king. While it can affect both material and spiritual things, it fails to deliver the finishing blow.”

“Kuh, to think an angel would be bested by the undead!”

That’s a bit rude towards Sensei, Horkosfon.

Yet, with a show of elder dignity, Sensei looks set to snatch victory.

“We can’t give up yet, Holly!”

“Letasreit?”

“This is exactly the time for the power of friendship! Your technique combined with my strength! If we merge both, it will surely reach Sensei!”

“Understood!”

Letasreit possesses the physical destructive power to pulverize even the hardest metal... 

And Horkosfon has the mana cannon, a destructive force that works on spiritual bodies as well.

If they combine their forces and strike precisely in the same manner, could they manage to shatter the body of a Lifeless King?

Their action on this hope was swift.

“Letasreit Sonic Punch!!!”

“Mana Cannon: Astral Side Full Swing Mode!!!”

With Letasreit dealing physical damage and Horkosfon spiritual, they merge their roles and strike at the exact moment, facing down Sensei with the combined characteristics of both!

Their coordination, perfect as ever, hits the target simultaneously.

At that moment, Sensei’s body is blown away.

Shattered into fragments, like a pulverized insect.

“We did it! We won!!!”

“We sure did, Letasreit!”

WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAT?!

Wait a gosh darn minute!

Sensei... Sensei has been blasted to bits?!

What in the world have you done, you foooooooools!!!

“Lord Saint, you mustn’t shout.”

I had a moment of pure panic, believing things had gone south.

But Sensei regenerated from dust in a snap, pristine as ever, not dragging an ounce of that tattered look.

“Incredible. I never imagined my undying body could be shattered.  Little Letas and Horkos’ efforts and friendship are commendable.”

“Sensei... um, are you hurt?”

“A Lifeless King hardly finds meaning in a physical form. Even when reduced to dust, I simply draw in the mana around me to reconstruct myself. But to think that you two would go so far as to destroy my body! What splendid skill!”

Reflecting on the skirmish, I realized Sensei hadn’t launched a single attack.

It was all Letasreit and Horkosfon landing blows that Sensei would immediately heal from. Sensei is something else, indeed.

“Sensei is truly an incredible person...!”

“You have my sincerest respect, Sensei...!”

Letasreit and Horkosfon’s understanding and admiration for Sensei deepened.

I think to myself, seeing the interactions of people who normally don’t mingle might not be so bad after all.