Chapter 71 The Iron Beast King and the Stage of the Finals
Edited by: Kanaa-senpai
Zahara’s princesses, Fatima and Layla, had chosen to live by my side.
From now on, they would shine with their talents in this theater as dancers and songstresses.
In their homeland, the Kingdom of Zahara, the corrupt minister Karim Al-Hakim held the real power, and the movements of their doting elder brother, Prince Azim, were impossible to read. For now, it was best to stay still and maintain the status quo.
After taking a brief nap in the girls’ room, I used Teleportation Magic to return to my residence and headed to school with a straight face, as if nothing had happened.
I was a bit sleep-deprived, but not enough to warrant rest.
That entire day, I sat through the boring classes properly. The sunlight streaming through the window reflected an ordinary, mundane day.
The illegal colosseum [Bottom of the Abyss].
Our team, [Royal Phantom], had advanced steadily through the annual Iron and Blood Festival at the Abyss Colosseum, and we’d finally made it to the finals.
Zoltan, who had no intention of letting anyone else claim this year’s grand prize, had held this team in reserve for the finals.
Our opponents in the finals were the undefeated champions—a team formed by Zoltan Rex, the ruler of this colosseum, who had poured his vast personal fortune and every underworld connection he possessed into their creation.
Zoltan was the servant of my servant, Ashraf.
If I gave the order, I could make the opposing team throw the fight on purpose or have them hand over the prize—the Beastfolk Princess—before the battle even began.
But I had no intention of doing any such thing.
An unnatural match-fixing would inevitably arouse someone’s suspicion somewhere. That would increase the risk of creating unforeseen new scenarios.
More importantly, as the final boss of this game, I couldn’t possibly resort to such cheap tricks.
I would win with overwhelming power—openly, from the front.
That was all.
Before the start of the final match, the colosseum was filled with huge excitement.
In the large space with no visible ceiling, seats were packed together. The loud cheers, screams, and clapping from the crowd joined together like the roar of a giant creature.
The noise of the iron frame, the smell of alcohol, the scent of beasts, and the sweat of excited fans mixed together to create a unique atmosphere. The bright lights shone down on the ring, and the stands looked full of energy.
At the center of the ring, under a single spotlight, we faced our final enemy in silence.
Beside me stood Elenor, always composed, and Kuuko, who swished her tail with an amused air.
In the depths of their eyes lay quiet confidence. Their unwavering experience—earned by defeating countless powerful foes—was surely what gave it to them.
The name of the opposing team was [Iron Beast King].
Their commander, Luca, stood motionless as a statue, glaring at us.
His thick plate armor wasn’t polished, but its many scars told the story of a veteran warrior. The deep scar across his face silently spoke of the fierce battles he had survived.
The massive morning star in his hand fit his muscular arm as though it weighed nothing. His cold gaze was like a bird of prey locking onto its target.
And behind Luca—
A jet-black giant radiated menace: [The Gatekeeper of Hell, Kerberos].
Its three heads faced different directions, their crimson eyes scanning the surroundings on guard. From their mouths, each occasionally let out a different breath, causing the air to waver faintly. The heat of flames, the chill of ice, and the faint sharp smell of lightning announced its presence.
The thick fur covering its massive form absorbed light, giving it an even more dark and heavy impression.
The final member, the leopard beastman Nerfel, stood at Luca’s right, her entire body covered in a black robe, hiding her appearance.
But occasionally, the eyes peeking through gaps in her veil held an eerie gleam.
Even in her human form before transformation, her slim frame hinted at hidden speed and sharp claws. The way she stood silently on the ground, like a shadow, suggested she was a skilled assassin.
From a section of the stands, passionate cheers for the opposing team rang out: “Iron King!” “Kerberos!” They clearly placed absolute trust in this undefeated champion.
But mixed in with them, there were also voices of expectation for our team, [Royal Phantom]. Some were placing a sliver of hope on us challengers, shouting, “Royal Phantom, do it!” “Take down that magic beast!”
”I’d like to take out the commander, Luca , first, but if we do that, there’s no predicting how Kerberos will act once it loses control. We’ll need to take down that big one first.”
Elenor, standing beside me, nodded quietly at my words.
Her eyes were coldly analyzing Kerberos’s three heads. Kuuko let out a low growl from my shoulder, already in battle mode. Her golden eyes had taken on a nervously excited gleam.
”Right. And who’s going to handle that?”
”Naturally, I will. The three breaths of different elemental magic are quite troublesome, but I can manage.”
Against my [Magic Seal], any magic was powerless. I could handle it with ease, but here I explained it with the nuance of “just barely managing it.”
”Which means Kuuko takes on the leopard beastman, and I take on the heavy warrior.”
”Yeah. Kuuko won’t lose to that leopard. Elenor, don’t try to force a finish on the defensive one—just focus on keeping his attention.”
I gave my final instructions to Elenor and Kuuko, who sat on my shoulder.
Kuuko’s golden eyes gleamed sharply, like a predator sizing up its prey.
”Understood.”
”Nya~”
As if waiting for our brief strategy session to end, the announcer’s voice crackled through the microphone, practically bursting with volume.
”Now then, ladies and gentlemen, the moment you’ve been waiting for! The annual festival has arrived—the day when blood and iron intertwine! Tonight, who will seize the glory?! Will it be the undefeated champion, [Iron Beast King]?! Or the rising star before us, [Royal Phantom]?! The final battle begins NOW!”
His voice thundered through the entire colosseum, driving the audience’s excitement to its peak.
”The final match is about to start!! Alright, you lot, are you ready?! From here on, the Iron and Blood Festival [Abyss Coliseum], the finals! Match START!!!!”
The gong signaling the start of the match rang out, high and clear.
Its heavy metallic note vibrated through thousands of eardrums, setting the stage ablaze for our battle.
—
Summary:
The protagonist reveals that Zoltan, the colosseum ruler, is subordinate to his servant Ashraf, giving him power to rig the match, but he chooses not to because it would risk creating unforeseen complications and because a final boss wouldn’t stoop to such tactics. The team Royal Phantom advances to face the undefeated champions Iron Beast King, whose members include the scarred commander Luca, the three-headed beast Kerberos, and the shadowy leopard assassin Nerfel. After a brief strategy session where the protagonist assigns targets and downplays his Magic Seal ability, the battle begins as the gong rings out across the roaring colosseum.
—
Trivia:
Zoltan is not merely the colosseum ruler but also a subordinate in a chain of command: Protagonist > Ashraf > Zoltan.
The Beastfolk Princess is this year’s grand prize and is still in Zoltan’s possession before the match.
Kerberos breathes three different elemental attacks: fire, ice, and lightning.
The colosseum’s full name is the Abyss Colosseum, also called the Bottom of the Abyss.
Luca’s armor is described as unpolished but covered in countless scars from past battles.
Nerfel is in her pre-beastification human form and may be able to transform.
The protagonist’s Magic Seal ability completely nullifies any magic, making him capable of handling Kerberos with ease despite his modest claim.
Notes:
• Fatima – Princess of Zahara who chose to live by the protagonist’s side and perform as a dancer in his theater. The elder princess of Zahara with clear, insightful eyes. She possesses a cool-headed and analytical demeanor, carefully assessing political realities. She remains protective of her younger sister Layla and serves as the voice of reason in their situation.
• Layla – Princess of Zahara who chose to live by the protagonist’s side and perform as a songstress in his theater. The younger princess of Zahara who expresses herself with a coaxing, pleading tone. She is emotionally open and affectionate toward Xenos, clinging to him while expressing both a desire to return home and a reluctance to leave him.
• de – A particle used in the aristocratic name of the Margrave Albion de Blanchefort.
• Karim – A corrupt minister who holds real power in the Kingdom of Zahara. The corrupt minister of Zahara in his mid-fifties with a well-fed, portly build and gold rings on his fingers. He is the de facto leader of Zahara and the original enemy faction leader. The corrupt minister who currently holds real power in the Kingdom of Zahara. His control makes it unsafe for the princesses to return home. The evil minister of Zahara who dispatched the bandit group ‘Sand Fang’ to abduct the princesses.
• Al-Hakim – Karim’s last name. The corrupt minister in the Kingdom of Zahara
• Azim – Prince of the southern desert kingdom of Zahara and a transfer student at the Royal Magic Academy. He has a lean, well-built frame, brown skin, long black hair, and sharp, cool amber eyes. A high-minded diplomat, peace advocate, and rational strategist, his movements are impossible to read. However, as an extreme, doting “siscon” to Fatima and Layla, he becomes a reckless, impulsive idealist.
• Zoltan – Zoltan Rex, the brutish, gold-chained colosseum ruler and kingpin of the Abyss Coliseum, rules with cruel, arrogant authority. This shaved-headed criminal mastermind commands an iron-fisted network of spies and guards. A prideful showman, he personally oversees his illegal arena, exerting terrifying dominance over all who enter, particularly the beast-kin slaves under his thumb.
• Zolta – Zoltan Rex, the ruthless master of the Abyss Coliseum, is a muscular, intimidating figure with a clean-shaven head and a dragon-and-sword tattoo on his right arm. Known for his thick neck, heavy gold chains, and cold, greedy eyes, this profit-fixated kingpin commands absolute authority over his underground domain, having climbed to power through brute force to organize the annual tournament.
• Zoltan Rex – Zoltan Rex, the brutish, gold-chained colosseum ruler and kingpin of the Abyss Coliseum, rules with cruel, arrogant authority. This shaved-headed criminal mastermind commands an iron-fisted network of spies and guards. A prideful showman, he personally oversees his illegal arena, exerting terrifying dominance over all who enter, particularly the beast-kin slaves under his thumb.
• Rex – Zoltan bears the Rex family name, an authoritative lineage that commands the underworld hierarchy and rules over the underground colosseum.
• Ashraf – Ashraf is a shadow operative with pitch-black eyes and inorganic white fingers, balancing elite decorum with cold, ruthless efficiency. As a shadow-bound anchor and demon servant to Xenos (the protagonist), he uses magical teleportation to act as a formidable protector. Having previously enslaved Luca Dalton, he now holds authority over and manages the Colosseum’s ruler, Zoltan, while eliminating threats.
• Elenor – Princess Elenor, the “Saint of Light,” is a haughty, blonde-haired princess and elegant swordswoman with piercing blue eyes. As a composed, analytical member of Xenos’s Royal Phantom team, she stands beside him in battle, executing his commands without question. Though cold and precise when studying opponents, she turns berserk when fighting. Bound by his Magic Seal, her stubborn, tsundere facade masks a secret desire for his dominance.
• Kuuko – A cat beastkin infiltration agent and companion to Xenos, she disguises as a tiny black kitten via a transformation ring, sitting on his shoulder and excitedly growling or saying ‘nya~’ before battle. Doted on by Cecilia and Lizel in Royal Phantom, her devotion to Xenos lets her draw his mana to shift into a massive black panther, breaking enemy magic through their unwavering bond.
• Luca – A prideful, blonde-haired noble student and fiancé of Lizel, this former lackey to Xenos turned commander of the opposing team Iron Beast King is a heavily armored warrior with a scarred face and cold gaze. Originally a water magic bully whose fragile arrogance mask trembled in fear when opposed, a sudden personality change granted him vast dark Mana and a massive morning star to wield.
• Nerfel – A leopard beastman and the third member of the Iron Beast King team. She wears a black robe and stands silently like a shadow, suggesting she is a skilled assassin.
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Edited by Kanaa-senpai.
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