“You and I… we’re going to have a discussion now.”

Was my tone sounding scary? Perhaps. I couldn’t care less at this point.

It didn’t really matter how it was achieved… as long as I could get what was required, that was victory.

‘And what I require is every single person I care about being intact.’

“But you compromised that, Vaizer.” My smile broadened.

Now right in front of the paralyzed Beastfolk, I prepared myself for what I was going to put my interlocutor through.

“I really hope you cooperate… though I’ll get what I want either way.”

I drew closer to the Beastfolk, whispering as clearly as I could into its scaly ears.

“So… as soon as I undo this paralysis… you better start talking.”

****************

Vaizer felt an emotion squirm within him when the human in front of him spoke.

RAGE!

‘How dare you?!’ His thoughts pounded.

Had it not been for his clearly miserable state, he would have crushed the boy’s jaws and proceeded to draw out his intestines.

It was simply because of his current weakness!

‘Don’t think you deserve my fear, boy. You’ve earned nothing!’

The human before him was fifteen—maybe sixteen at most—by human standards. He was still a fledgling, no matter how one sliced it.

Yet…

“It seems we’re in agreement.” He spoke, now summoning some sort of potion to cure his current predicament.

Vaizer felt pain as he awaited the moment he would be free—enough pain to drive someone to the edge of insanity.

He waited to be cured so desperately!

However, compared to the pain he endured ‘back then’, this was nothing. He simply grit his teeth and awaited the moment he would strike.

‘Stupid brat. I’ll show you…’

The human went ahead to inject a potion into Viazer’s body. The draconic warrior wondered how he was able to pierce his armored skin so easily.

‘It”s probably the material used for the injection. What’s it made from?’ Vaizer found himself pondering.

Still, it didn’t change the end result.

‘Haa… I feel it… the pain leaving me…’

Slowly, Vaizer began to feel his nerves and his aching muscles. His insides had been bastardized beyond belief, but not beyond redemption.

He slowly healed himself when he could, and while he was slightly able to move, he remained stagnant.

“This should do it. Should I wait for a while?” The boy whispered, turning away from Vaizer.

He casually walked to his seat, most likely intending to have a good time while watching his prisoner slowly gain control.

‘Fool!’ Vaizer grinned.

Once he was done healing, he would go on a rampage. He could sense it well… the reinforcement behind the walls that surrounded the room.

‘I’ll kill you first, impudent brat! No one will be coming to your aid.’

Then, he would pour out his strength and concentrate it in a single portion of the wall. Vaizer assumed he would be able to break it down eventually.

‘But first…’

His eyes narrowed on the boy as he prepared to have his seat.

‘… How could you turn your back on an enemy, paralyzed or not?’

Vaizer felt like he could easily tear down the brat, but he kept his cool. He would prefer it if he was completely recovered.

The blonde sat down, patiently watching him. A moment of silence pervaded the room, and some minutes flew by in a flash.

Then—

‘Hehehe… FINALLY!’

Vaizer’s eyes bulged as he enhanced every muscle in his body.

He would have preferred letting his prey suffer as much as he did, but other pressing matters required his attention.

As such…

‘… I’ll blow off his head in one hit.’

>BOOOOMMMM!!!<

The shockwaves made by Vaizer suddenly moving extremely fast sent echoes flying in the room.

He swiftly made his way to the seated lad, preparing to launch his fist at the boy. Vaizer had poured a great deal of energy—enough to tear down mountains—in his fist.

Surely, that was enough to kill someone.

“Sloppy.”

In a blur, The boy’s hands moved, grabbing Vaizer’s neck. His strong grip and sudden movements shocked the beastfolk.

‘E-eh…?!’

The human boy, still seated, had so easily grabbed his throat?

‘Y-you—!!!’

Realizing things could get awry due to this slight deviation from his plans, Vaizer instantly sent his raw punch flying in the boy’s direction.

“Dieeeee!!!”

>BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM<

The walls were sturdy enough to absorb the impact, but certainly not the boy. He was human, after all.

… Right?

“N-no way… with a single hand?” Vaizer’s eyes widened in disbelief.

What unfolded before him shouldn’t have been possible. This single boy had casually stopped his blow with one hand.

He was even smiling at him—almost as if the hit meant nothing! Even the other humans he faced couldn’t have taken this hit and remained unscathed.

Besides, Vaizer was in his transformed state. Hid power and speed had reached a different realm completely.

‘He’s not even in any form! T-this is just his normal strength?!’

The former Beast King found it preposterous. This simply shouldn’t have been!

However, even as he was making these thoughts of shock, Vaizer sensed a sudden change in the boy.

He was no longer smiling.

‘W-what is—?’

>WHOOOOOOOSSSHHHH<

In a flash, the human zoomed forward, Vaizer still in his grip, and crashed the latter into the wall.

“Guark!” Vaizer found himself spitting out blood due to thr impact alone.

His throat ached as its muscles were tightly squeezed by the kid. The boy’s deadly gaze slowly made Vaizer realize how powerless he was.

“You…” He coughed as he spoke.

“W-who are… you?!”

Vaizer tried to use his fists to respond, struggling to the best of his abilities. However, the human bou easily caught every single attack with his unoccupied hand.

‘Guek!’ The boy’s monstrously strong grip kept crushing his throat.

“Ah, I see now. I never introduced myself.” The boy grinned, his hold tightening further.

Vaizer shivered, instantly giving up on attacking.

He now decided to remove his opponent’s hand from his aching throat. Unfortunately, even that bore no fruit.

Despite how hard he tried, the boy wouldn’t budge.

It was just… impossible.

“I told you to start talking the moment I undid the paralysis.”

“S-shut up, bra—”

>BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM<

A sharp, stinging sensation spread through Vaizer’s body as his stomach was kicked by Jared’s single blow.

‘U-urk!’

“Now, then, for the sake of introductions. My name is Jared Leonard.”

Vaizer’s bloodshot eyes widened.

Why hadn’t he realized it sooner? Was he so caught up in rage and defeat that he couldn’t recall the most pervasive enemy that the Nether Cult currently faced.

‘T-this… this is THAT Jared Leonard?!’

“Now then…”

>BOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMM<

Another echo of devastation spread through the room, sending a round of pain course through Vaizer’s body.

It felt… utterly overhelming!

“… Speak.”