Even though the third season of the KonoSuba anime is finished, Emperor Zel's powers have yet to be revealed.
Kingsford Zeltman is still an egg, being cared for by the goddess Aqua, hoping it will hatch into a strong dragon one day.
So, how powerful is Aqua’s “Dragon” Zel? Is it really a dragon or a chicken, as Kazuma claimed?
Spoiler Warning: This article includes spoilers for the KonoSuba light novel series, so proceed with caution.
Is Emperor Zel a Chicken or a Dragon?
Kingsford Zeltman, also known as Emperor Zel, is not a dragon, despite Aqua's assertions that her child is a mighty dragon destined for great things in the future.
Instead, Emperor Zel is a normal chicken, but it has a lot of mana thanks to the divine energy and magic that Aqua, Wiz, Megumin, and Vanir used to power it.
After Sylvia's defeat, Aqua spent 75 million Eris to buy Emperor Zel, using all her hard-earned reward money. She believed investing in the "dragon" would result in future profits, so she worked hard to raise Emperor Zel.
From warming the egg with her body heat to singing for him, Aqua offered Emperor Zel all of her love and attention, including her divine energy, only for it to recognize Vanir as its parent.
It is unknown whether Aqua still sees Emperor Zel as a dragon, despite its obvious chicken-like appearance to this day.
So, How Powerful Is Zel in KonoSuba?
Unlike other isekai anime in which the main character has a formidable dragon familiar, such as Yumiella Dolkness of Villainess Level 99, Aqua's "Dragon" Zel has no remarkable abilities because it is not a dragon at all.
It has a big mana capacity, but Zel can't use it because he's just an ordinary chicken, which Aqua refuses to recognize.
Even Aqua's friends tell her that Zel is nothing more than a chicken, but Aqua refuses to listen, hoping that Zel will achieve greatness in the future.
True enough, Emperor Zel made himself useful during the invasion of the Demon King’s army. He helped protect Kazuma’s mansion from the demon king’s forces, along with some helpful allies.
He was effective in protecting the mansion on his own, demonstrating that he could still be beneficial to Kazuma's party despite being a chicken.
It all started with Emperor Zel drinking a weird potion, which caused him to level up and become a full-grown chicken.
Aqua's “Dragon” Zel may not be the most imposing creature in the world of KonoSuba, but he proves to be a valuable asset to everyone.
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