"Squawk—"
Gelman and Netero both held their stances, unmoved by the ear-splitting shriek.
A Champion Grade Greater Species monster spread its ten Spider Legs and blocked their path.
It had twenty-four plump gourd sacs, just like those of Camilla's Guardian Spirit Beast.
Between the gourd sacs grew a head that resembled a gourd stem.
"The monster that won the previous Succession War alongside the former King has now merged with him."
"Like the god-king Cronus, he swallowed most of his own children, leaving only the next heir. But his purpose was clearly different..."
From the mouth splitting open beneath the small head in the middle, a dripping-wet human head emerged. It turned halfway around before facing them.
Netero quickly recognized him. "Nasubi..."
Nasubi, no longer human—or even remotely human-looking—had his slightly chubby face squeezed into the monster's mouth. He grinned at Gelman and Netero.
At the same time, the other twenty-three plump gourd sacs burst, spraying foul-smelling, thick juice!
Twisted faces appeared between the "petals," each contorted in agony!
Only one plump gourd sac remained intact, spurting a little juice from its tip with a hiss.
After Nasubi won the previous Succession War, his Guardian Spirit Beast told him that he was destined to have twenty-five biological children.
One would become his heir; the other twenty-four would be forever merged with him and his Guardian Spirit Beast.
But in reality, Nasubi had only had twenty-four children so far, including twelve princes and twelve illegitimate children.
Third Prince Chorai, of course, was not among them. He was not Nasubi's son, but the child of the "adulterer" Onior.
In other words, Nasubi should have had one more child, and most likely that prophecy would have been fulfilled by Princess Oito's unborn child.
Unfortunately, time had run short. Princess Oito had not become