MHGA Chapter 157: The Nergigante That Came to Hunt
Just as Kairo Retsu was speaking, the prison that had confined the group suddenly crumbled, returning to plain earth and stone.
Kairo then explained the final wager between Laios and the demon to Laios's companions.
"That's how it is,"
Kairo said. "Laios really did persuade the demon. But the last condition is—whether we can stop monsterized Laios from killing anyone."
"If we succeed… the demon is ours to capture."
Kairo gave a beaming smile and a thumbs-up. "The world is saved. Congrats, everyone, congrats!"
"Seriously?"
Namari frowned. "If that's the case, then wouldn't it work if Laios just transformed into a relatively weak monster? Or if he turns into a monster and doesn't attack anyone?"
Upon hearing that, Kairo made a confused face. "Laios…?"
"Turn into a weak monster?" Joseph scratched his chin.
"Not attack people?" Kazuma tilted his head.
"Come on, does anyone here actually believe that?" Naofumi Iwatani spread his hands helplessly. "We're talking about Laios here."
"Ah…"
Everyone who had ever dealt with Laios realized it at the same time.
The guy who was about to become a monster… was Laios.
It's Laios…
Laios…
"That bastard, he's still causing trouble for everyone even now!" Veins popped on the foreheads of all of Laios's companions.
"It'll be fine!"
Just then, Tanjiro stepped forward, his expression firm. "I won't let Mr. Laios hurt anyone! If we can protect everyone, then we'll have resolved the world's disaster, right?!"
"I will protect everyone!" Tanjiro's voice was filled with determination. Behind him, his Nergigante-like Long Sword began to grind against itself, as if it were preparing to act according to his will.
"Where the heck did you kidnap such a good kid from?" Chilchuck muttered as he looked at the four original Hunters.
"Tanjiro was hand-picked by me!" Kairo Retsu declared proudly. "Just like me—righteous, brave, and with total main character vibes! Pure charisma!!"
"HEY!!!! Don't use your filthy image to pollute Tanjiro's, you bastard!" Kazuma loudly objected. "Tanjiro's clearly more like me! I'm the hero meant to defeat the Demon King—!"
"No way, not a chance! You're a comedy protagonist!" Kairo and Kazuma immediately started bickering, grabbing each other. "It's obviously me!"
"You Guildmaster buffoon!"
"Backwards! Completely backwards!"
Watching the two of them fool around at a time like this, the locals present came to a sudden realization.
No wonder Laios fit in with this group…
And now they couldn't help but wonder—how had someone as upright as Tanjiro ended up among these people?
"…Sheesh."
Naofumi sighed.
He couldn't read minds, but just looking at their expressions, he could tell exactly what everyone was thinking.
After all, Tanjiro was the only one among the six Hunters who had actually applied to join the Gathering…
"We need to prepare to contain Laios."
Naofumi said firmly. "We can't let him go on a rampage."
"Then… we'll help too."
...............
While everyone inside the Dungeon was getting ready, in the coliseum outside, the people were waiting anxiously.
"Can those Hunters really pull this off?" someone from the Canaries muttered nervously.
"All we can do is believe in them now," another elf whispered, hands clasped in prayer.
Mithrun, however, remained calm.
No matter what, this was the closest anyone had ever come to resolving the demon crisis.
But just then, a commotion suddenly broke out in the crowd.
"That serpent! That monster! It's still moving!!!!"
A scream pierced the air.
Instinctively, those still capable of fighting raised their guard—just in time to witness a horrifying sight.
The Shah Dalamadur, thought to be thoroughly defeated, slowly lifted its colossal serpent head once more.
"Don't panic! Everyone prepare for battle!"
The more responsive warriors began readying themselves. "We beat it once! We can beat it again!"
"Are the weapons systems still working?! Hurry—!"
Just as tension spiked and chaos neared, a dragon's roar suddenly echoed from the sky.
But before anyone could even raise their heads, their peripheral vision caught a blur—a high-speed figure tearing through the air.
"ROAAAAAR——————!!"
Accompanied by a bestial, thunderous roar—
A barbed figure plummeted from the sky like a meteor, slamming directly into the head of the newly risen Shah Dalamadur.
An explosion of black spikes erupted from the impact point, instantly obliterating the already ruined serpent skull.
Only now did the people clearly see what kind of monster had arrived.
A massive, muscular frame radiating violence. Broad wings stretched from its back. Twin grotesque, curled horns jutted from its head. Its entire body bristled with terrifying spikes.
Just looking at it filled everyone present with raw, instinctive fear.
This unknown monster—wherever it came from—was now savagely tearing apart the Shah Dalamadur's skull, devouring its flesh and bone.
But even that didn't seem to satisfy it. After shredding the corpse, the Nergigante stomped atop the slain serpent's head and roared down at the stunned crowd.
Then, as if following a scent trail, it sniffed the air—after a moment's pause, it flapped its wings and rocketed toward the entrance of the nearby Dungeon.
"…What is that…?"
A member of the Canaries dropped to the ground in shock.
But among the crowd, someone suddenly cried out—
"That—that's the armor Demon King Laios wore!!!!"
The moment those words were shouted, everyone present understood.
That monstrous armor Laios wore when he declared himself the Demon King to the world… looked nearly identical to the creature they just saw.
"It has to be Laios's doing!"
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