Kaijin Fighter: So I Have to Make Monsters, So What?-Chapter 1255: Zako Growth and War
As the zakos threw themselves into battle against the Silver-tongue warriors, the kaijin in charge of them were simply watching from the sidelines.
While they could've easily walked in and slaughtered the lot without much thought, Razorstella, Screamira, and Springerdermain thought it was best to stick to the sidelines this time around. After all, they needed a more controlled environment to train their respective zako proteges.
[You know, I always thought paternal pride was a bit of a myth,] Razorstella told her cohorts. [But seeing Castor and Pollux do their thing is making me feel quite proud.]
[Rattler is doing a good job as well,] Screamira stated, parroting the sentiment.
[Rabbit could use some refinement on their execution, but they are doing quite well,] Springerdermain noted.
The names that the Kaijin were rattling off were not true [Names], rather, they were identifiers that the Kaijin themselves came up with for their respective apprentice zako.
Unlike how the Kaijin Lord can give a [Name] to a zako or a proto-kaijin to help accelerate their development into a proper kaijin, the identifiers that the Kaijin gave didn't do anything of the sort.
At most, it helped them and others separate their personally trained zakos from the rank-and-file.
Then again, the fact that zakos assigned to a Kaijin developed mutations similar to their mentors was probably a better source of differentiation anyways.
Sometimes these mutations were dramatic, sometimes it was subtle, most of the time these mutations were somewhere in-between.
[Come on, Castor! Come on, Pollux! Make sure to dance out of that guy's reach!]
An example of the extreme end of things were the ones raised by Razorstella.
Castor and Pollux were initially fairly standard rusty metal-type zakos before they were assigned to Razorstella. Over time though, the two zakos ended up developing more and more obvious changes that aligned them closer and closer to their assigned kaijin, especially after having so many dance lessons drilled into their heads.
First, their material composition began to take on a more brass-toned hue that matched Razorstella's look, and significantly more decorative as well. Their bodies then became significantly more polished until they were basically dazzling under the sunlight and enchanting under the moonlight.
Later on, for reasons nobody but Razorstella could understand why, Castor developed a pair of oversized claws that were sharp enough to slice through wood and stone like tofu and butter, while Pollux grew long, heavily armored legs that could kick down an iron wall in an instant.
Incidentally, this lop-sided development lead to Castor and Pollux sticking together constantly, with the former always riding the latter's shoulder...except for this one incident during practice that didn't end well.
That stated, the changes weren't always this visually dramatic. Sometimes, they were more focused on one's abilities.
[Let's go, Rabbit, let's go!]
On the flip side, Rabbit was significantly more subtle with their changes...sort of.
When Rabbit was first assigned to Springerdermain, they had no theming, no springs, or any abilities other than to hit stuff incredibly hard.
Under his tutelage though, Rabbit developed spring-like limbs, a jester-animal theme and the odd ability to teleport across incredibly short distances.
It wasn't enough for them to go from one city to another, but it was just enough for them to teleport at weird angles in order to bring the pain in a variety of directions.
[Dodge and scream, Rattler. Dodge and scream!]
[WOOO!]
[There we go!]
Rattler was an evolved spectral-type zako that started from a skeletal-type zako, so she was a bit more advanced in terms of development in comparison to the others.
As such, Rattler's development was a touch...strange.
Spending time around Screamira, many of the other kaijin assumed that Rattler would get louder and more wild looking, but maintain their ghostly visage.
Which is why, when Rattler suddenly developed a face mask made of bones, everyone became rather confused.
Since Rattler started as a skeleton and became a ghost, a good chunk of the kaijin thought that she was regressing. However, that notion was dismissed when they saw how Rattler's face mask helped to amplify their scream to a level that matched Screamira's, possibly even exceeding it,
All of this, despite how varied their respective zakos developed, the kaijin were still proud of their kin and would absolutely lose their shit if they got harmed in any way shape or form.
[Man, this battle is going surprisingly smooth for us,] Razorstella noted. [I figured by now that there would be somebody getting involved and—]
^What the fuck?!^
The source of this c𝐨ntent is freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.
[There it is.]
...Who is that somebody...
^What the fuck?!^
^It's a warzone!^
When Alfonzo and Duke Diamoro reached the surface, they weren't expecting things to be terrible.
Sure, they witnessed a small yet formidable attack force enter the stairs, but that could've easily been a fluke.
However, once they saw the truth of the situation, they realized that the attack force was anything but a fluke.
No matter where they looked, they could see nothing but humanoid monster after humanoid monster attacking them like an endless tide of nightmares.
Making this sight even more absurd was that they could make out more than one instance where a basic aether art did absolutely nothing against them.
The only ones that seemed to be able to do something against these monsters were the Grandmasters, and there was barely enough of them to keep the battle in a stalemate.
But this wasn't a situation that could be maintained for long.
Mixed into the horde, Alfonzo and Duke Diamoro could identify three incredibly strange looking warriors that were actively suppressing an Aether Grandmaster each, which actively suppressed the Silver-tongues ability to retaliate.
Understanding the situation, Duke Diamoro informed Alfonzo of their plan of action.
^Alfonzo, keep me covered. I'm going to have to use my [Icon] to assist the others and—^
^Great plan, how about you die first instead?!^
[Savage Pummeling!]
^SHIT!^
However, moments before they could plan a counterattack, Duke Diamoro and Alfonzo found themselves blindsided by Lythero and Kidanna, respectively.
Lythero had attempted to run through Duke Diamoro using Master Razorback's [Unrelenting Piercer], while Kidanna tried to smash in Alfonzo's head with her [Astra].
Unfortunately, the wiley bastards were able to defend themselves in time.
[Mariposa's Guard!]
[Silver Scales of the Sixth Realm!]
Duke Diamoro managed to condense his aether into the form of a giant Mariposa flower that absorbed Lythero's desperate charge, while Alfonzo managed to summon a series of silver scales shields that caught Kidanna's war club.
While neither attack managed to land,the moment at least allowed Kidanna and Lythero to isolate their personal targets of revenge.
...
^Wait a minute, this blade! You're—?!^
^That's right, Duke Dickweed, it's me! The one and only apprentice of the Seven Swords of the Shattered Battlefield! And I'm back to take your head from those fucking shoulders!^ Lythero roared with indignation and fury.
^This doesn't make sense! There were no reports of your cultivation being restored! I fucking sealed it myself! Wait! Unless...^
^Yeah, I had a little help breaking his seal of mine and additional help in humiliating your kin!^ Lythero preemptively answered while circulating his aether to even greater heights. ^And now, I'm going to use this opportunity to bury you here!^
...
^Ya know, I'm surprised it hadn't taken us this long to get to this point,^ Alfonzo observed as his scales pushed back against Kidanna's [Astra]. ^Then again, there was an opportunity for a peaceful resolution that you thoroughly rejected.^
^Peaceful? Peaceful?!^ Kidanna repeated in a clearly offended tone. ^Your resolution was that I marry you and hand over my father's company and assets over as a gift.^
^Well—^
^Why in the nine hells would I ever marry a man who has actively sent criminals to attack my routes, actively sent those same criminals to harass my clients and basically undercut me at every fucking turn in?!^
^Hey, business is business. One needs to be a little ruthless to come out on top and all that.^ Alfonzo half-heartedly defended himself, only to belatedly realize that his scales were breaking under the pressure of Kidanna's [Astra]. ^Oh shit.^
^And on top to all that,^ Kidanna began to roar as her anger reached a boiling point, her [Astra] becoming more active as a representative of her inner feelings. ^Why the fuck would I ever get close with the man who betrayed my father?!^
^Ah...that's fair.^
As soon as Kidanna made this point, she began to remember all the years Alfonzo had spent as her father's protege, how he was essentially an adopted son, and how he became her father's closest confidant and right-hand man.
Only to have all of that accumulation thrown away mere days after her father's death, when he took a significant portion of the company's coffers, several ledgers, and multiple key contracts that the Golden Gorilla Union had forged over the years.
Immediately after this discovery was made, Alfonzo had established the Silver Jungle Shipping Company, like a fucking parasite.
And that wasn't even the worse thing that Alfonzo did.
^Well...what else can I say? Boss Kongara was short-sighted.^
^I WILL EAT YOUR EYES!^
