Published: August 15, 2025
“Kyah!?”
The demonic beast that suddenly swelled up hadn’t exploded. The cat-like demonic beast, which was about the size of an adult’s knee, had instantly grown more than ten times larger.
It was even taller than me, who was riding a Mount in the air. At that size, it blocked the moon and cast a dark shadow.
“A Golze!?”
Eckhardt Brother, who had been chasing after Luel to retrieve it, immediately leapt away and rode back on his Mount.
Darmel and Brigitte also mounted their Mounts and looked up at the Golze with astonished eyes.
“What is a Golze?”
“It's an advanced form of Zanze, but this is the first time I've seen a Zanze evolve into a Golze.”
According to Justox’s explanation, the cat-like demonic beasts that are abundant around here are called Zanze. By absorbing mana, they undergo several stages of transformation, eventually becoming Golze.
Even if a Zanze eats Luel Fruit or other demonic beasts and grows a bit larger, it only transforms into Feltz, at best.
“This is probably because it absorbed the princess’s mana, but such a transformation is normally impossible.”
The Golze, about the size of a two-story building, moved sluggishly. It opened its huge mouth wide and began devouring the smaller demonic beasts around it.
The sudden appearance of a giant Golze with overwhelming mana caused the smaller demonic beasts to panic, flee in confusion, and even try to bite the weakened ones to gain power, plunging the area into chaos.
“Ordnance.”
Justox summoned an Ordnance and urgently contacted the High Priest.
“Ferdinand-sama, a Zanze that ate the Luel Fruit imbued with the princess’s mana has transformed into a Golze. Immediate extermination is necessary. Please request reinforcements from the knights order.”
Clenching his teeth tightly upon hearing the report, Eckhardt Brother transformed his Stave into a large longsword, gripping it firmly with both hands.
“Eckhardt, can you handle this?”
Justox frowned as he watched Eckhardt Brother steady his grip on the longsword.
Pouring mana into the longsword, Eckhardt Brother stared down the Golze without breaking eye contact.
“We won’t know until we try. The Golze itself is probably still adapting to the mana it absorbed, its gigantic body, and strength from the sudden transformation. If we can attack, it must be now, while its movements are sluggish.”
The Golze wrapped up small demonic beasts with its enormous tongue and swallowed them. Eckhardt Brother steered his Mount above the Golze's head, which was looking only downward, and swung his sword broadly.
“Uooooohhh!”
The moment Eckhardt Brother swung his sword, a dazzling light shot straight toward the Golze.
The power was small, but it closely resembled the attack Father had shown during the prayer ceremony assault. Since Eckhardt Brother resembles Father physically, it looked even more similar.
The brilliantly shining slash struck the Golze just as it moved its head. The Golze cried out in pain and anger, showing that the attack was at least somewhat effective—but it was clear that Eckhardt Brother alone could not handle this opponent.
Still sensing some effect, Eckhardt Brother raised his longsword to strike again.
Startled by the dazzling light or fearing collateral damage, the smaller demonic beasts scrambled into the bushes to escape.
Meanwhile, Justox, collecting the Luel Fruit with fluid motions, issued instructions.
“Brigitte, Darmel! Retreat immediately with the princess! Wait in the farming village!”
“Yes!”
Led by Brigitte, I left the area on a Mount.
After passing through the forest, we returned to the empty farming village. Since we were ordered to wait, I stopped and looked back.
The unnatural swaying of the forest trees showed that the Golze was rampaging.
...What should I do?
Defeating a small Zanze was easy—it was just a minor nuisance with little damage. But even Eckhardt Brother, a high-ranking noble, couldn’t easily defeat a Golze. It was clear that this was all caused by my mana.
Until now, I mostly used my mana when anger made me lose control or when giving blessings, so I never had an opportunity to objectively consider the scale of my mana.