Tensei Shitara Slime Vol. 15

That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime Volume 15 Colored Edition Author: Fuse Illustration: Mitz Vah Translation: DeepL Source Proofreaders: Apollo Editors: CharVANder, Voxel, gi2000, Sushi, loxy, Alaric Redrawing: Alexis Coloring (Illustrations): Cloudy Check out more of Cloudy’s awesome art: @Cloudyartt This translation is fan-made and free to access by the public. This is not to be used in any commercial means. The translators or editors are not liable to any action of the readers. Please respect the fair use of our translation as well as Fuse’s work. All rights reserved: Fuse and MICRO MAGAZINE LN fan translation Feedback Form: https://forms.gle/UUmkEyvNDShd5RGNA We welcome all constructive feedback and suggestions for our work. 4

3 rd Edition: March 2023 5

Abyss Liberation Contents Prologue: Scorch Dragon versus Storm Dragon Chapter 1: Time of Despair Chapter 2: Unleashed Power Chapter 3: The Intensifying Battlefield Chapter 4: The Eight Gates Chapter 5: The Truth of the Emperor Epilogue: Brother and Sister Afterword 6

Prologue Scorch Dragon versus Storm Dragon For Veldora, this was most definitely not a good day. In preparation for the invasion of the Imperial Army, the entire capital city had been moved into isolation in the labyrinth, leaving only an empty plane of nothingness where the city had once stood. Against this backdrop, the image of a beautiful woman in flight stood out prominently on the monitor. “S-sister…” Veldora thoughtlessly muttered. His voice lacked power, which was unthinkable to those familiar with Veldora’s usual demeanor. “P-perhaps,” Charys asked, “could that be your famed elder sister…Velgrynd-sama?” “M-mm…that’s right. That is my sister Velgrynd, one of the supreme True Dragons…Scorch Dragon Velgrynd.” Upon hearing this, the remaining people in the Control Room immediately took action, sounding the emergency alarms in the labyrinth and alerting everyone to the foreign presence. “W-wait, Master?! What can we do when Rimuru isn’t even here?” Ramiris panicked. Although she was normally a bit helpful, all she could do at a time like this was raise a ruckus. Research was one thing, but Ramiris had no place in a battle. However, Ramiris had a group of friends that she could rely on—there were the labyrinth managers, Treyni and her sisters, along with their subordinates, the dryads. She also had Beretta. Although no longer a part of the Dungeon’s Elite Ten, he was still the Dungeon Master. However, the most dire circumstance was that half of the Elite Ten, who would normally spearhead the defense in a situation like this, were currently in a state of evolutionary slumber. Therefore, Beretta, as the former leader, had to do his best to protect Ramiris. “She doesn’t look friendly. We shall meet her inside the labyrinth.” Treyni and the others had already assessed the situation at each level, and Beretta confirmed it. Of the Dungeon’s Elite Ten, only the Four Great Dragon Kings were still awake. Gadra was also awake, but absent, as he had taken the Demon Colossus and was on his way to reinforce the Armed Nation of Dwargon. 8

Beretta’s reasoning was that, although they were not strong enough to fight against Velgrynd, even their reduced force should be able to stall for time by using labyrinth’s perfect defenses. Veldora nodded in response. “I don’t know what she is doing here, but it was foolish to come alone. With all of you here, so there is nothing to be afraid of! Kuahahaha!” he laughed bullishly with a smile, yet his expression was tense. He was clearly afraid. Just a day ago Veldora had been tossed around by his elder sister Velzard. The memory was still fresh in his mind, and now his younger sister Velgrynd was single-handedly attacking the central city of Rimuru, the capital of the Jura-Tempest Federation. Veldora found the whole situation outrageous, and desperately wracked his brain, hoping to somehow find a way out. So he immediately jumped at Beretta’s suggestion. But at that moment… ‹Veldora, be a good boy and come out quietly.› Velgrynd’s mouth moved on the monitor, and her voice echoed in his mind in the form of a thought. To Veldora, it felt as though her gaze was fixed on him even through the monitor. “Veldora-sama…?” “Charys, this is not me being scared! This is a trap. If I go out there carelessly, I will surely get screwed over!” “Y-yes…” Veldora’s shameless remark left Charys speechless. “Huh? If it’s Master she’s after, then this has nothing to do with us—Mmph!!” Ramiris, who flamboyantly tried to avoid the crisis, was unwillingly cut off mid-sentence when Veldora’s hand covered her mouth. And with that, everyone had to prepare to fight to the end… “I see, so you’re not going to come out? You’re just as stupid as you always were, aren’t you? Fine. In that case, I’ll just give you a gentle warning.” From the monitor, it was hard to tell what Velgrynd was saying. But everyone in the room understood that the mood had changed. Veldora heard her loud and clear, and he could tell that Velgrynd was planning something. But— No, it’s okay. Ramiris built her labyrinth using superior power that can isolate even dimensions. Defeating it would be a difficult task even for me. No matter what she does, she can’t touch me as long as I stay here. That’s right. As long as one was in the labyrinth, escaping from Velgrynd was possible. A level or two may be breached, but Ramiris’ restorative powers were greater than any destructive force. With Veldora’s help, it should not be impossible to keep Velgrynd at bay. “No need to fear. As long as you and I work together, no matter who the opponent is—“ Veldora tried to explain, but he didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence, as Velgrynd suddenly summoned a crimson spear in her hand. “Ma-Master! This is bad. If we don’t do something, even ‘Labyrinth Creation’ might not 9

be able to protect us!” That goes without saying—Veldora thought. “I know! Everybody, prepare for impact!!” No one needed a second warning. Everyone immediately took a defensive stance, and moments later a violent onslaught assaulted the labyrinth. “N-no way…” “I’ve confirmed that the damage has spread to the fiftieth floor…the upper floors have been destroyed.” Alpha and Beta kept reporting damage one after another. At that moment, the myth about the labyrinth’s absolute safety completely collapsed. Just as Veldora was starting to let fear give way to full blown panic, he received a ‘Telepathy Net’ from Rimuru. ‹Hey… How are you?› Rimuru asked in a leisurely voice. Veldora replied indignantly, ‹Fool, this is not the time for that! We’re in big trouble!! Sister…my sister is coming after me. She is currently outside the labyrinth, but if things continue like this, she’ll get to us!!› This is Rimuru, he of all people can certainly do something. Believing this, Veldora waited for an answer, and after a moment he received Rimuru’s worried response, ‹Are you all right?› Upon hearing this, Veldora understood that Rimuru must have a lot on his plate as well. Otherwise, he would have come back immediately. He couldn’t rely on Rimuru’s help. I see how it is. Veldora’s naïveté then disappeared. He realized that if he could not rely on Rimuru, then he would just have to go himself. ‹I have no choice but to go out myself. It’s better than being attacked inside the labyrinth.› I think I can do it—Veldora thought so without any basis. Despite his best attempts to block it out, he couldn’t forget Rimuru’s demanding training regimen. If he could survive that kind of training, then he shouldn’t lose to anyone, not even Velgrynd. ‹I will take full responsibility, so I want you to take care of Velgrynd. Can I ask this of you?› Rimuru also did not seem to think that Veldora would lose. If Rimuru says he will take full responsibility, it means that he will not be angry no matter how much destruction Veldora causes. If Veldora took that into account, it was like being told to show off the fruits of his training. Now that Rimuru had asked this of him, there was only one answer to give. ‹Oh? If that’s the case, then just leave it to me! Kuahahahaha!!!› With that, Veldora turned his attention back to Velgrynd. The chat with Rimuru had brought him back to his usual mindset. Veldora felt himself quickly calming down. “I guess I have no choice but to deal with her myself,” Veldora said in a relaxed manner. “Master?” “Veldora-sama?!” 10

Ramiris and Beretta looked at Veldora in surprise. Veldora looked refreshed, as if all anxiety had been blown away. “Kuahahaha! I don’t like the idea of fighting my sister, either. But if the labyrinth cannot be used to buy time, there’s no other way.” “But—” “It’s all right, Charys. Immortality in the labyrinth is possible only because it is an isolated space. Now that it is known that it will not work in front of my sister, the only way to minimize the damage is for me to go out there.” Veldora would be indestructible as long as Rimuru was alive and well. The only way to avoid casualties was for Veldora to go. “In that case, I will go with you.” “No, don’t. Even though you have become stronger, you are still completely incomparable to me. Perhaps Zegion might be, but any others will only slow me down.” It was a harsh statement, but it was the truth. And Veldora’s mind was made up. Veldora put on a dignified expression that almost made his companions forget his shameful behavior to this point. “Are you sure you’re okay with it, Master?” “Hell no! Just thinking about how my sister has treated me makes me shudder… But never mind. I’ve grown stronger. Since meeting Rimuru, I have grown. I have taken on disciples and realized my past immaturity. I am not who I used to be. Kuahahahahah!” Veldora forced a laugh, lifting the mood and returning him to his normal self. “Don’t fret. Just watch me in all my glory!” With that, he left the labyrinth alone. Veldora recalled his past battle with Velzard. After such a long time, his older sister seemed to have grown much more powerful—almost infallible—compared to before. She now projected an aura that the old Veldora could not comprehend. However, since he met Rimuru, Veldora, too, had grown to a completely new level. The crowning achievement of his hard work was his Ultimate Skill. While he was sealed away, he had observed Rimuru from inside the ‘Stomach’ and learned many things. And then, locked away in that dark void, he realized: power is meaningful only when mastered. Veldora had a huge amount of magicules, the largest amount of all the True Dragons. It was precisely because he possessed more magicules than his two elder sisters that he was able to claim to be the strongest without much effort. But he realized his own naivete. He had learned that there were those who were weaker, but who never gave up on victory until the end. Rimuru was like that. Many of his opponents were like that too—such as Hinata, Granbell, and Demon Lord Luminas. They didn’t just rely on power to achieve victory, but also on their instinctual drive to win by any means necessary. Those are the people against whom you can never let down your guard. This realization prompted a change in Veldora, evidenced by the fact that even Velzard 11

could no longer unilaterally dominate him. Velzard was Veldora’s natural enemy. In terms of power compatibility and nature, she was a very bad match up. Velzard, who was the eldest of the three siblings, had a maximum power he couldn’t even fathom. Despite his higher magicule count, he could barely cope when fighting against her. It was as though his magicule count provided no advantage at all. Even if he fought to the best of his ability, he could not hope for victory. Veldora had tried to fight Velzard several times since he was born, but he was beaten back every time. Velzard’s ‘Eternal World’ was an ironclad defense and a weapon that sealed off Veldora’s movements. Storm, Destruction, Corrosion, Annihilation. All of these effects had no effect in the face of an absolute stop. Veldora himself was surprised that he had even been able to take on such a fearsome sister. Way to go, me! He psyched himself up. After all, he noticed that his sister Velzard was able to perfectly suppress her mana release, only because Veldora himself was able to control his own mana. The difference in proficiency between them was too great to compare. One reason may be that Velzard’s power was specialized in stopping kinetic energy, but even so, there was no doubt that there was a huge difference in their abilities. Velzard was a supreme talent, so Veldora was surprised to hear her praise his progress. “Well, I’m surprised. The Veldora-chan who used to do nothing but rampage is actually able to think and fight. At this rate, I might not have to destroy you anymore.” The subtext was disturbing, no doubt, but overall it was an unmistakable compliment. Though still terrified, Veldora found himself a little less so after hearing his sister’s compliment. That said, he still couldn’t beat her… So, what about Velgrynd? Velzard and Velgrynd were almost evenly matched. Neither of them had been good sisters to Veldora, and he really did not want to deal with them if he could avoid it. Of course, this time he had no choice. “Sister Velgrynd, you are as fierce as ever. Even I can’t easily pierce through the levels of the labyrinth like that…” He could probably destroy one or two levels by force if he distorted the labyrinth’s isolated dimension. However, he definitely could not penetrate multiple layers at once, even when cranking out as many magicules as possible. “This fight will turn on how we each use our Ultimate Skill—if I want to fight my sister properly, I will have to make skillful use of ‘Investigation King Faust.”’ Yes. If one compared only the amount of magicules, Veldora was superior to Velgrynd. So this was still a little better than having to deal with Velzard, Veldora assured himself in order to mollify his mental trauma. Victory and defeat will definitely hinge on how well he used his power. Though neither of them had ever gone all out when they fought in the past, Velgrynd 12

had the edge in skill in each of those confrontations. But that was a long time ago. Velzard was difficult to beat because of her natural affinity, but that was not the case with Velgrynd. And now, thanks to Rimuru, Veldora has his own Ultimate Skill, ‘Investigation King Faust.’ If this power worked against Velzard, then Veldora felt that he had nothing to fear, even against Velgrynd. That thought motivated Veldora. Kuahahahahaha! I haven’t lost just yet, right? However things go from here, I plan to test my power to the fullest against my sister!!! Having steeled his resolve, Veldora stood toe to toe with Velgrynd. The two True Dragons, each in human form, stood perfectly still in the sky, glaring at each other. “So you got the message? Clever. That means you’ll help me, right?” Velgrynd let out a beaming smile as soon as she saw Veldora. “I’m sorry to disappoint, Sister, but I refuse. I am not a tool for you to use. I would appreciate it if you did not drag me into your sisterly quarrels.” “That’s harsh. I’m just saying that I’d welcome you as a companion if you willingly cooperate. If you do, I’ll teach you how to use your powers and allow you to run wild all you want as long as I can choose the location.” “Kuahahaha! You have my answer, Sister. I am not the same person I used to be. I have already mastered my power. And it’s no longer fun for me to aimlessly rampage. I’m a grown-up now! A mature adult!” “Cheeky. Did I spoil you too much? Fine. In that case, let me see just how much you’ve grown up!” Veldora’s slight provocation was all it took to get Velgrynd going. Seeing this, Veldora shifted into a fighting stance. It never crossed Velgrynd’s mind that Veldora might obey her orders after a few kind words. She understood that with her brother, she had to demonstrate her strength and make him obey. If that didn’t work, she would simply ask Rudra to take control of him once he was weakened. She had made the offer only out of the goodness of her heart. Velgrynd, feeling mildly annoyed at her brother’s obstinance, swiftly unleashed a thrust at Veldora. She intended to quickly weaken Veldora and wait for Rudra to arrive. However, the blade on her right hand was easily deflected by Veldora. Not only that, but he immediately answered back with a kick. Velgrynd, while frustrated, caught the kick with her left hand, but— How?! This kind of power, no matter how you think about it, is not from someone in a weakened state!! Velgrynd still believed that Veldora had not fully recovered from the damage he had sus13

tained while sealed for the past 300 years. This assumption stemmed from the fact that the Veldora she had known always used his power at the max right from the off. Now, after this opening exchange, she realized that she was wrong. “Have you improved your skills a bit? Looks like you have something to brag about.” “My Veldora Style Killing Arts™ are undefeatable! Even you, Sister, will know your own powerlessness before these fists—W-wa-wait—Huah?!” Veldora was about to make his smug speech, but Velgrynd didn’t intend to listen quietly. In fact, she was annoyed, so she launched a series of violent attacks. Red lotus flames dwelled in both of Velgrynd’s fists as well as in the supple legs that extended from the hem of her dress. The graceful succession of dance-like moves was so full of fury that a grazing hit could burn an enemy to death. Nevertheless, Veldora held his ground. “Aaah hot, h-h-hot!!” Even though Veldora looked pathetic running around, he had not suffered much damage. “I disciplined you so much in the past, but it seems that you still haven’t improved your sorry wits. You shouldn’t talk so big, boasting about being invincible and undefeated right in front of me!” Despite the burning intensity of her fury, Velgrynd remained calm. She saw that Veldora had not only fully recovered, but was also stronger than expected. This is troublesome. In this form, I can’t take him on seriously nor do much damage. If this continues even Rudra won’t be able to control him… Velgrynd’s original intent was not to teach Veldora a lesson, but to control him. Once Rudra won the match against Guy, she would release him properly. But for now, she hoped that he could serve as an important pawn. Thus, for Velgrynd, there was no point in a small fight. And then there was Veldora. “Gwah?! My clothes… My clothes that Rimuru gave to me are now on fire because of you!!” The clothes that Veldora was currently wearing had been a gift from Rimuru as a token of appreciation. That precious gift had been burned by Velgrynd’s attack. Over time, as Veldora’s aura seeped into the clothes, they would have become a part of his body. However, such a change doesn’t happen in just a few days. Although Veldora had not suffered much damage, his heart was aching. Ignoring the fact that he had chosen to wear his new clothes into battle, he focused on taking it out on his sister. And, as it turned out, that was a lucky turn for Veldora. His anger masked his fear. No matter how much he steeled his resolve, his two sisters had been symbols of terror to him for years, and that fear was deeply ingrained in his psyche. In that state, he really couldn’t go all out if one of them was the opponent. But now, those shackles were broken. “Even if you are my sister, I cannot forgive this. Prepare to feel my wrath!” With a mighty shout, Veldora unleashed his power. A mighty and majestic jet-black dragon emerged. 14

Seeing this, Velgrynd snickered at the convenience. “Huh? Are you too stupid to know what you’re talking about? You seem to have forgotten the fundamental fact that you’re no match for me, so I’ll have to re-educate you.” With that, Velgrynd transformed as well. She transformed into a supple, beautiful crimson dragon. So commenced the great battle of True Dragons. 15

Chapter 1 Time of Despair Just as Rimuru was preparing to infiltrate the Imperial City, Dwarf King Gazel Dwargo found himself at the center of a desperate battlefield. He was unable to avert his gaze from the incarnation of beauty scattering death in the distance. “Was that ‘Gravity Collapse’? It can theoretically expand its power infinitely. Do you think legion magic can prevent it?” Gazel asked the assembled group. “That’s absurd. It’s impossible to prevent it, even if you place both the magic support team and the magic strike team on the defense. A True Dragon is not a danger that can be quantified,” answered Admiral Paladin Vaughn. Vaughn, along with the dwarf army deployed to the area, had been waiting for Gazel’s arrival. As such, he had a front row seat to the destruction of the Empire’s Mixed Corps. All the soldiers were shocked speechless by the scale of the tragedy. Their will to fight was crushed, yet they did not flee. Everyone understood that retreat here meant the death of their family and friends back home. If their death could help those precious loved ones survive for even a little while longer, that alone justified their sacrifice. That thought kept their feet planted in their orderly ranks. King Gazel, a champion, would not squander their lives in vain. That is what the soldiers believed, and from that belief sprang their deep loyalty to him. Although Gazel fully understood and accepted the feelings of the soldiers, Gazel was in agony. Although he remained calm on the surface, his mind was in turmoil. We can’t win, and this futile battle will end up wasting everyone’s lives. Should I surrender? The Empire will not allow it. We must show them at least some of our power… They had to convince the Empire that it was better to take them in than to fight them. Otherwise, the Empire would not even accept their submission. In that case, the only way to survive was to fight them tooth and nail. No matter how many sacrifices had to be made, they had to believe that they would not die in vain. “They say quality is better than quantity, but this feels like cheating. We’ll have to take her on all by ourselves and defeat her.” “Hey now, isn’t the king supposed to command the whole army?” 17

“Fool, there is only one enemy. Under the circumstances, what use is there in commanding the whole army?” Gazel laughed at Vaughn’s question. There was only one enemy—Velgrynd. Strategy and tactics were meaningless against her, and Gazel and the others had no choice but to find a way to survive. Vaughn, well aware of this, asked his question facetiously to ease Gazel’s mind. And it helped, as Gazel felt his anxiety diminish. Anrietta then reported to Gazel, “My king, it seems that the Scorch Dragon is not the only enemy. There are a number of people behind her, and they seem to be performing some sort of ritual. Jaine-sama says that the supreme magic may be part of that ritual…” Gazel nodded in response. The supreme magic that had sacrificed sixty thousand troops was being used in some kind of ritual. Gazel could tell straight away that there was an evil plot afoot, the details of which he didn’t wish to imagine. Even so, it would be extremely difficult to defeat Velgrynd, who was at the center of the plot. In that case, the only path forward was to defeat those behind her. “Do you want to move the troops?” Dolph asked, but Gazel shook his head. The heavily-armed strike force was not very mobile and would become a target for magic if they were not moved thoughtfully. Normally, they would use their strong defenses as a shield to push forward, but that would be pointless against Velgrynd. A suicide attack with five hundred Pegasus Knights would be their only option… “I don’t like the idea of weakening the defense here. Gazel’s right. We’ll just have to go in alone. Right, Dolph?” Vaughn spoke with a laugh. Dolph, on the other hand, scratched his head and responded earnestly, “That’s disrespectful, Vaughn. It’s beyond outrageous to call the king by his name! You need to consider your position…” Dolph lectured for a moment before agreeing with a smile, as if he had suddenly set aside his gripe. “But this time, you’ve got a point. If we want to buy as much time as possible, we should avoid dispersing our forces. Besides, if it’s just us, we’ll be agile and might be able to take the enemy by surprise.” “Jaine-sama also said she would join the war once she has persuaded the elders,” Anrietta added in agreement. “Let’s just leave all those worries to her, and we can go wild like in the old days!” They waited for Gazel’s reply with bated breath. These old friends had not changed at all. They were united with Gazel and stood by him to help him tackle this impossible situation. Gazel laughed, “Fufu! What a bunch of fools! I wonder what Jaine, our chaperone, would say if she heard…” For a long time, Jaine had been accompanying Gazel and his crew, giving them candid advice and suggestions. She was the most powerful wizard in the Dwarven Kingdom, and Gazel’s trusted advisor. Jaine would be very angry, I suppose. 18

With that in mind, Gazel was about to make his decision. But it seemed to be a little too late. “Oh dear. This is what happens when I take my eyes off of you for even a second. You’re such a trouble-maker, King Gazel.” Just before Gazel and the others set out, Jaine arrived via transfer magic. “Jaine. Did you hear everything?” Jaine stole a sideways glance at an embarrassed-looking Gazel and shook her head. “I thought that you had become a magnificent king and was relieved. However, I can’t blame you this time. With an opponent like her, there is nothing we can do. The reason that a True Dragon is Catastrophe-class is because it is impossible for a nation to deal with.” “Well, that’s true.” The True Dragons could not be touched by the kind of magic humans normally used. In fact, the spell that Velgrynd was currently wielding was far too powerful for human beings to manage. Even if all the champions of the human race were to unite, it was unknown whether or not they would be able to defeat a True Dragon. But that did not mean that there was no hope. “I just received notice,” Jaine said. “Hmm?” “His Majesty Rimuru is sending reinforcements. Let’s take action once they arrive.” And there was hope, right on time. “How is that possible? Barely any time has passed since I contacted you!” “Well, I’m having a hard time understanding it myself, but I’m not lying. Vesta-dono reported to me, and we all know that His Majesty Rimuru can mobilize all the people of that country with just a word…” All those gathered could only nod their heads in exasperation as they listened to Jaine’s dumbfounding words. That’s right, everyone understood right away. And before they could even change gears, reliable reinforcements had arrived. Suddenly, there was a distortion in space. As if enveloped in a giant cocoon, a small army of elite soldiers emerged. There were one hundred of the Hiryuu led by Gabil, and three hundred of the Kurenai under the command of Gobua. Four hundred in total—each at least A rank—a fighting group that could rival the Pegasus Knights. And what’s more, there was a huge weapon that demanded everyone’s attention. “I had heard that it was perfected, but I did not expect them to pull out all the stops and use it here. That’s Rimuru for you.” 19

“Is that the finished form of the magic armored soldier?” “That’s right. It seems that it was named the ‘Demon Colossus.’ It’s a reliable ally to have on your side.” Gazel certainly understood that it would be no match for Velgrynd, however, its majestic appearance could put the soldiers at ease by its presence alone. “How reliable. If we could have mass-produced them, we might have been able to fight a little better.” “Unfortunately, they would be useless against Velgrynd. It might be able to handle a Disaster-class, though.” As Gazel and the others were having their conversation, some newcomers approached them. It was Gabil, the legion leader, and the three demon girls, led by Testarossa. They were followed by Gobua and Hakurou. “It has been a long time, King Gazel.” For some reason, it was Testarossa who greeted them instead of Gabil. She was the right person for this situation. Testarossa had diplomatic authority, so she possessed a lot of experience and was used to these kinds of situations. “Long time no see, Testarossa-dono. Thank you for the reinforcements.” Under different circumstances, there would’ve been things to take issue with in Gazel’s reply. Formalities and etiquette were to be considered, and it would have been more normal to have a spokesman answer instead. However, this was not the time to be talking about such things. Everyone understood this and decided to ignore the formalities and hold a strategy meeting. They moved to the command post and everyone got down to business. Testarossa, on behalf of Rimuru and the others, informed them of the plan. She then proposed the strategy that should be carried out in this area. “Hmm. Rimuru striking the emperor directly, huh?” “That’s more realistic than a suicide mission.” “Is that so? It sounds like an absurd plan in and of itself…” Gazel snorted as if in deep thought. Vaughn agreed that the situation had improved. Dolph agonized over whether there was anything else they could do. There was no time to think about it. Since no one could come up with an alternative, Testarossa pushed the discussion forward. “We will take care of Velgrynd-sama. The rest of you should work to stop the ritual taking place in the back.” “I have no objection.” Gazel agreed to the unsolicited offer. With the absence of any alternative options, the demon girls were the only ones who could be trusted with the most dangerous task. It was Jaine who put the breaks on. “One moment. Testarossa-dono, can you, the Primordials, defeat the Scorch Dragon?” 20

This was an important question that would affect the entire operation. Velgrynd was so overwhelming that Jaine was convinced that Testarossa and her team could not win. There is no doubt that the three Primordials were their strongest force, but that made it all the more important to understand their odds of success. If Testarossa and the others were defeated here, the fate of everyone else would be sealed. “Honestly, I don’t think we can win.” “In that case you should stay on the defensive! Instead of provoking her rashly, why don’t we wait here for His Majesty Rimuru’s plan to succeed?” With the odds against them, they should stall for time. Jaine’s logic seemed sound, but Rimuru’s forces rejected it outright. “Unfortunately, we cannot do that. If we leave Velgrynd-sama alone, she may return to the Imperial City to interfere with His Lordship.” Carrera spoke firmly with determination. Although Rimuru had told them that they could leave Velgrynd alone, she had decided that they needed to draw her attention. “More importantly, we did not come here to discuss a battle plan. We received an order from Rimuru-sama, and only came to tell you about it. I will consult with you if I can help, but I want you to know that I will not allow you to stand in our way.” Even the usually soft spoken Hakurou harshly expressed his disagreement. Time was short, so he valued clear intentions over etiquette. Gazel got the message. He spoke quickly before his agitated companions could further object. “If Hakurou-dono, my master, has said so, then I have no choice but to move aside. Otherwise, do you guys have a better idea?” Gazel asked. His companions could only solemnly shake their heads. “It will not be easy to interfere with the ritual with the Imperial Intelligence Bureau on the move. I think it is best to keep grounded here.” Dolph’s statement was definitive. All that remained was to confirm the details before the operation commenced. Provoking Velgrynd was exceedingly risky. The three demonesses were fully aware of this, but they still did not hesitate. “Can we interfere with the ritual by dealing with her?” Ultima asked aloud. “I wonder.” “I don’t know, but even I would find it impossible to keep ‘Gravity Collapse’ running at that output,” Carrera added. “And for her to maintain the magic and take on the three of us at 21

the same time, absolutely impossible, right?” “I believe she can pull it off, which is why I am rather wary,” Testarossa muttered. “You’re kidding, right?” “I’m quite serious.” “Oh well. No need to argue,” Carrera exclaimed. “We’ll find out soon enough.” Unperturbed, the three conversed freely. Then, without hiding, they walked straight towards Velgrynd in a dignified manner. Naturally, Velgrynd was aware of them. However, she was not wary, but rather happily allowed the three demons to approach. “Good day to you. It is a good day for a fight, is it not?” Testarossa greeted, and Velgrynd responded with a smile. “Yes, it is. But before we fight, let me ask you something. Why don’t you join my side? You are Primordials of great strength. I promise to treat you well.” Before the three demons, Velgrynd kept her relaxed demeanor and made her offer. Needless to say, Testarossa and the others answered with a resounding no. “I have history with the Empire, so allow me to reject that offer.” “Same for me. It’s the first time I’ve had a master, and it’s surprisingly comfortable. I don’t want to give it up.” “As she said. More importantly, let’s just end this conversation and get on with the fight. If you don’t want to go one-on-three, you can call in the men behind you.” A clear rejection that left no room for negotiation. Carrera, for her part, did not care about negotiating, and was in high spirits as she prepared for battle. Seeing Velgrynd’s magic so close to her, her fighting instincts were on fire. Velgrynd laughed. “So that’s your answer. Okay then. In that case, I’ll play with you guys for a bit!” That was the signal for the battle to begin. And then, slowly, right in front of Testarossa and the others, Velgrynd split. No… Like a reflection in the mirror, the number of Velgrynds increased to two. Testarossa had an idea of what the phenomenon was. “How troublesome. This isn’t just a ‘Clone.’ If I had to say, this seems to be like Raine’s ‘Mist.”’ Testarossa had fought Raine in the past. She forgot the cause of the dispute, but she had accumulated a lot of combat experience from the exchange. Raine’s ‘Mist’ was a Skill that allowed her to generate a clone by splitting her body in half. However, unlike ‘Split Body,’ only one of the two could carry consciousness. Even so, depending on how it was used, it could be vicious, and was perfect for catching an enemy off guard. Although it was difficult to use against cautious opponents, it was an ability with strong safety insurance. However, considering that Velgrynd’s Parallel Existence could create ‘Split Bodies,’ it could not be denied that it was superior in all respects. The difference between the two Skills was like 22

heaven and earth. Testarossa did not know this, but a shadow began showing on her beautiful face. “What’s that?” “Raine, you see, can split her body and ‘regenerate’ from any one piece of flesh.” “I see. That means either one can be considered the main body, right?” “That is the case.” Testarossa and the others analyzed the situation without rushing. Even though the battle had already begun, their attitude was just as unharried as when they were elegantly speaking a moment ago. “Blanc is very clever, and yes, you’re right,” Velgrynd said, amused. “This is one of my powers, called ‘Parallel Existence.’ I don’t want you to interfere with the ritual, so I’ll deal with you here,” she declared while gracefully waving her fan. 23

Testarossa wasn’t amused by that statement. The corners of her eyes were glinting as she glared at Velgrynd. “I now have the name ‘Testarossa’ given to me by my lord, Rimuru-sama. I wish you would stop calling me Blanc.” As she said this, Testarossa casually twirled a flaming whip she had created out of nowhere. The whip twisted around like a snake as it attacked Velgrynd. “I heard about that. So it’s true that the slime has been naming Primordials.” With that bit of intel now confirmed, Velgrynd couldn’t hide her surprise. However, her body remained undisturbed as she flicked away Testarossa’s whip. “It’s rude to call His Lordship a slime,” Carrera roared indignantly and unleashed her magic. She opened with her trump card, ‘Gravity Collapse,’ right out of the gate. The scale was reduced in size as much as possible, thus increasing the intensity. The strongest attack that Carrera could currently muster hit Velgrynd, who was focused on Testarossa. Velgrynd was enveloped in a jet-black pillar that seemed to connect heaven and earth. The circular pillar, which was only big enough to hold a single person, was like a prison from which there was no escape. However… Velgrynd smiled fearlessly, remaining unperturbed in the cage of hypergravity. “As expected of a demon overlord. Your magic is perfectly powerful. However, for so long as you are bound by the laws of this world your attack won’t work against a True Dragon.” As if to prove her point, Velgrynd shattered the jet-black pillar from within. She raised her own mana and interfered with Carrera’s magic, rendering it powerless. “Hahaha! As expected of Veldora-sama’s sister, you’re making it seem like a joke. If magic doesn’t work, then there’s nothing more I can do, huh? No! I have a sword technique I’m learning from Agera. It may be useless, but I’ll give it a try!” Carrera seemed to be enjoying herself, even though her best move had just been defeated. Without any sign of distress, she raised the sword she had created with magic. The beautiful sword had a fierce presence that was unbecoming of a demon. Carrera’s magical energy flowed directly into the blade, giving it a radiant glow. “This is most likely our only choice. It is not simple magic nor Skill, but a technique you have developed and improved yourself. It may work even against the True Dragons, the source of the world. Veldora-sama says that a woman named Hinata has proven this approach effective.” Without needing to test it, Testarossa knew that magic would not work on Velgrynd. That was why she had materialized a whip using magic from the very start. The whip was white— a magic formula devised by Testarossa, possessing a contradictory nature known as “freezing white flame.” “Hmm, humans are interesting after all. Maybe I’ll use this too.” Saying this, Ultima materialized two knives and held them in her hands. The blades of the knives were a poisonous purple color and had a sinister aura around them. 25

“Ult, you’re already getting serious from the start. Aren’t those the same ones that wounded Zegion last time?” “Well. Honestly, I thought it was pointless for us to move our bodies.” “Isn’t it a surprise? I never thought my experience fighting Zegion-dono would come in so handy.” The girls were good at magic, and never really put much emphasis on close combat. However, in their battle against Zegion, all other means of attack had been ineffective. The reason for this was Zegion’s ironclad defense as well as his absolute superiority over magic. Almost all magic was ineffective against Zegion. As a result, they had been forced to seek other means. And the answer they came up with was this. They had finally succeeded in damaging Zegion with a blow infused with a strong force of will into which they poured their whole existence as a spiritual life form. For a spiritual life form, the power of the will triumphed over anyone. A Skill was just another form of will force created by the desire of each individual, and the ultimate culmination of that was the Ultimate Skill. If that was the case, how close could their wills get to it? They concluded that they would just have to test it. By materializing their will, they created weapons that each of them was good at. Zegion’s defense was not inferior to an Ultimate Skill. Nevertheless, Ultima’s knives had inflicted wounds on Zegion’s body. In other words, the attacks of the three demon girls could reach the Ultimate Skill level. “I tried to imitate Ult’s weapon. My swordsmanship was just for fun, but Agera has taught me the intricacies of swordsmanship. Let me be your opponent!” As soon as she said that, Carrera sprinted forward. Without any thought of defense, she slashed at Velgrynd with all her might. Velgrynd parried the slash with her feather fan. It was made of high-grade feathers and could hardly be called a weapon. However, its strength had been altered by Velgrynd’s demonic aura and was harder than a diamond. It was thin, light, flexible, and hard. It was not at all inferior to Carrera’s sword and was Velgrynd’s favorite weapon. “I’m surprised that you Primordials are so quick to dismiss magic.” “Is it that surprising? What is our pride but a pittance in comparison to the victory we shall bring to our Lord?” Testarossa’s whip struck Velgrynd, who had turned to the defensive in the face of Carrera’s onslaught. Like a white snake that had split into countless pieces, Testarossa hunted down her prey at will. “Tsk!” Velgrynd clicked her tongue in annoyance. The hem of her dress was torn by the whip. A glimpse of her beautiful legs peeked out, and a bright red welt could be clearly seen there. It was proof that Testarossa’s attack had worked. “Nice work, Testa. I’ll continue being the vanguard, so keep up the good work.” “I can’t believe you’re happy at such a fluke.” Even though she was slightly injured, Velgrynd was still relaxed and had plenty of time. 26

That’s why, while facing Testarossa and the others, she made a serious blunder. In other words, she had been careless. “It wasn’t a fluke, was it?!” Ultima’s triumphant voice sounded just as Velgrynd felt a pain in her side. —What?! A moment of confusion. As if aiming for that moment, Testarossa’s whip and Carrera’s sword strikes came one after the other. Velgrynd fell to her knee. She could not immediately understand what had happened to her. No, it wasn’t that she couldn’t. Rather she didn’t want to understand. “That was a clean hit, Ultima. We shall ask Rimuru-sama for praise later.” “That was impressive, but we must not be careless. Let’s keep this thing going!” “Yeah! There’s still another ‘Parallel Existence’ left, so let’s kill that one too and interrupt the ritual!” Hearing these voices in the distance, Velgrynd stood up. “Oh my, it seems you didn’t take too much damage from our attacks.” “Even I would take a long time to break the hold of Ult’s ‘poison curse.’ True Dragons are really amazing.” “But you see, it’s not like we can’t beat her, right? The damage will accumulate; at this rate, she’ll—” Velgrynd moved fast, outpacing Ultima before she could finish her sentence. She grabbed Ultima by the neck and slammed her to the ground with such speed that even the three demon girls’ super intuition could not detect her. “Guha!” Velgrynd kicked Ultima, who groaned involuntarily, and Velgrynd left the scene. Immediately after, Carrera’s slash passed through the space where Velgrynd had been. Velgrynd, now out of Carrera’s range, pulled a knife stabbed in her side and threw it away. Her clothes were still torn, but there were no scars on her white skin. It was as if the damage caused by the barrage of attacks was nothing to Velgrynd. “You really are a monster, after all.” Velgrynd responded to Carrera’s mumbling with a slight self-mockery. “Not really. I still have a long way to go. It’s been a long time since I’ve been careless enough to get hurt. No. I could have been doing it habitually, but I just was not aware of it, since it never resulted in issues. It’s like the fate of being the strongest, but you guys can understand that too, right?” Velgrynd chuckled, but her eyes were sharp. She glared at Testarossa and the others, ready to notice the slightest movements. There was no hope for her to be caught off guard a second time, and thus, at this moment, Testarossa and the girls’ chances of victory were reduced to zero. “The Primordials really are troublesome, but that doesn’t mean that they are a threat. It just means that they are a pain to deal with. However, I’ve changed my mind. Now that you’ve incarnated and been given names, you’ve become stronger than I ever imagined. I will acknowledge 27

that.” Velgrynd was not underestimating the primordial demons. Even if their strength was not as great as hers, she could still benefit from their help. They could be of great help to Velgrynd when she challenged her sister, Velzard. In fact, Velgrynd had been taken by surprise just now. If this had happened during a battle with her sister, Velgrynd’s defeat would have been decisive. As proof of this, Testarossa and the others’ attack had succeeded in ruining Velgrynd’s ‘Split Body.’ Of course, she would recover in time. However, as Carrera had said, it was a painstaking task for Velgrynd to break Ultima’s poison curse. So Velgrynd released the damaged ‘Split Body’ and created a new one. In this way, she made all her damage disappear. Such usage was the essence of ‘Parallel Existence.’ No matter how powerful the killer move was, it was meaningless in the face of Velgrynd’s power. However, this Skill was not all-powerful either. There were some restrictions on its use. The biggest restriction was that for every ‘Split Body’ created, 10 percent of the maximum amount of magicules would be used as collateral. This was not a consumption, but a maintenance cost. The term ‘collateral’ was employed since she would get the magicules back once the ‘Split Body’ was erased. However, it was also an irrefutable fact that there was a limit to the number of ‘Split Bodies’ that could be created. The maximum number of ‘Split Bodies’ that Velgrynd could produce was ten. However, if Velgrynd created ten of them, the amount of magicules she had left would be zero, and her fighting ability would be reduced. Velgrynd believed it would be more efficient to keep at least 50 percent of her magicules, since they could be shared with any ‘Split Body.’ Therefore, she kept the number of split bodies to three or four at most. There was one more limitation. It was the damage done to the Split Body. If the body was erased without issue, the full 10 percent of magicules would be returned. However, if the body was damaged, the amount of magicule returned would be proportionally less. This was the strategy that Rimuru had envisioned, and in a sense, it was correct. In this case, her magicules were depleted by five percent. Incidentally, Gravity Collapse, the nuclear magic that Carrera finally activated with all her might, had consumed less than one percent of Velgrynd’s magicules. That was how enormous the amount of magicules in a True Dragon was. Thus, Velgrynd was not completely immortal, even if she appeared invincible at first glance. Physical damage was pointless, but if you slowly depleted her energy, you would eventually be able to knock her down sooner or later. Although the probability was very small, Velgrynd had come to realize this possibility. As some of the strongest in this world, they might be able to defeat her. Although she had said they were of no threat, that had just been a bluff to break their spirits. Velgrynd was convinced. The three demon girls could be a useful trump card against Velzard. If she could get Testarossa and the others to join her in the fight against her sister, victory would be assured. That was why Velgrynd spoke words of invitation once more. 28

“You understand, don’t you? No matter how much you struggle, you cannot defeat me, so there’s no point in fighting any more, is there? Just help me out a little and I will give you your freedom, so why don’t you just surrender to me now.” The offer was the biggest concession that the proud Velgrynd could make. Nevertheless, the three ladies rejected it. “You want me to betray Rimuru-sama? That’s a funny joke.” “You know, you’re really looking down on us too much. It’s common knowledge that demons do not break their contracts, right? Just because we are losing does not mean we will betray him.” “You tell me. Certainly, there are some demons who can be negotiated with. There might even be some who only work with their own interests. But you should know that I would never betray His Lordship!” Each of the three spoke their true feelings and unleashed a simultaneous attack on Velgrynd to remind her of their displeasure. These attacks, with their maximum force, destroyed Velgrynd’s ‘Split Body’ in an instant, causing Velgrynd to consume another nine percent of her magicules. Negotiations had broken down. “…Well then. That’s unfortunate. Gravely.” Velgrynd, who had created a new ‘Split Body,’ muttered and gave a devastating smile. And then, the time of thrashing had begun. Gazel and the others set out on a plan to take a detour around the Gravity Collapse—the crimson pillar that was causing the rain of blood from the sky—and attack the site where Kagali was performing the ritual. If they got too close, even the Pegasus Knights would be caught in the gravity waves. It was up to Dolph, the captain of the Pegasus Knights, to be cautious about that and lead the way. However, his fears were unfounded. The “Gravity Collapse” maintained by Velgrynd had completely blocked off any influence on the surroundings. On the ground, the battle between the demon girls and Velgrynd seemed to have begun. And yet, the crimson pillar was still standing strong. Gazel felt a chill run down his spine as he grasped this fact. However, he did not show it and shouted loudly. “It’s hard to believe, but that is Velgrynd. To be able to produce a clone of the same level as the main body, what else could this be but a nightmare? But fear not. Know that we have powerful reinforcements that also defy logic!” 29

Gazel’s voice reached the ears of the knights. It was imposing and majestic, and erased the fear from everyone’s hearts. Gazel, in truth, was terrified. In the face of such an overwhelming presence, there was little that a Saint could do. Even if they attempted to resist, the difference in power was too great. However, he did not give up. His sense of responsibility as a king strengthened his heart. More importantly, the reinforcements from his beloved younger co-disciple (Rimuru) were showing him that it was too early to despair. The three demons Velgrynd was fighting now were inferior in terms of magicule quantity alone. Despite this, they were boldly challenging their opponent, who was almost a hundred times stronger than them. Kukuku, seeing them like that, how can I, as a king, complain about anything? Gazel made a strong vow in his heart. This resolve spread to Gazel’s companions and the knights under his command. By the time they reached their destination, all the fear had vanished from their hearts. On the other side of the crimson pillar was a battlefield that would be their destination. It was a large open grassland where a large army could be deployed. The ground was stained crimson with the color of blood. This was most likely the blood of the Empire Mixed Corps, which was making shady transactions—a proof of their demise. There were nearly a hundred people on the ground. One man who stood out from the rest was Lieutenant Kondou, who wore a different uniform. He threw his gaze at Gazel, giving off an overwhelming presence. In addition, Footman, Teare, and about thirty of Yuuki’s former comrades were gathered here. There were also nearly fifty Imperial Guardians. They were deployed to protect Kagali, determined not to let anything interfere with the ceremony. On Kondou’s side, a group of men in uniform could be seen. They were employees of the Intelligence Bureau, and some of them were also Imperial Guardians. In other words, the best of the Empire’s forces were all gathered here. In terms of location, Kagali was on the outer edge of the crimson pillar. She was immersed in a ritual, bathed in a rain of blood. Velgrynd was standing on the sidelines, watching over her. After creating a ‘Split Body’ on the other side of the crimson pillar, she came back to this side to prevent the three demon girls from interfering with the magic. Even the mighty Velgrynd, with only one Split Body, would have her hands full casting one of the most powerful spells in the world. For this reason, Velgrynd seemed to have no intention of making a move and instead planned to simply spectate the battle. Gazel confirmed the situation in the sky. He then began his descent with calmness. Kondou greeted Gazel and the others as they landed on the ground. “It is an honor to finally meet you—the famed champion—King Gazel,” Kondou spoke 30

brazenly. Gazel snorted and raised his sword. “And you are?” “Head of the Imperial Intelligence Agency, Lieutenant Kondou.” “So, you’re the ‘Information Monster.’ Interesting. I shall be your opponent, so quickly draw your sword.” Gazel recognized Kondou’s strength at a glance. When his skill ‘Though Read,’ which he used the moment they got face to face, didn’t work, he considered him to be his equal. “Hey, hey, he will be my—” “Vaughn, I need you to stay out of the way and take care of the others. You guys too. I am the only one who can handle him.” Gazel looked around at the others who entered this decisive battle and spoke up to them. Jaine was the first to nod in agreement at Gazel’s order. “That’s right. That person is a bit more than we can handle. Let us at least remove the obstacles and allow King Gazel to fight in peace.” Jaine’s decision was met with a nod from Dolph. “…Understood. Everyone, listen up! They may be outnumbered, but do not underestimate our opponent’s strength! Form into groups of five and engage in aerial combat!” He assessed the enemies and gave out an appropriate instruction. An unobstructed assault from above was the Pegasus Knights’ main tactic. This time, however, the strategy was to take advantage of their greater numbers and mess with the enemy. Yuuki’s comrades and the Imperial Guardians were as strong as the Sage class. Sage level was equivalent to Special A rank in the Freedom Association’s threat scale which was as strong as an archdemon. Those at this level were worthy of being called champions, as they could reach the Demon Lord Seed if they were cultivated properly. Dolph’s subordinates were only Over A rank when working together with a pegasus. Dolph himself was a sage, and while some of his men were stronger than others, they appeared to be no match in a one-on-one battle. Dolph did not see it exactly, but he could feel on his skin that the opposing troops were dangerous. While the chances were better than fighting Velgrynd, he believed it would not be an equitable fight. That was why he gave such an order. The goal was not to destroy the enemy, but to distract the enemy by using the advantage of flying. Buying time by doing so was Dolph’s true purpose. He wanted to stay out of Gazel’s way. The Pegasus Knights read his intentions and reacted immediately. I shall do my part, trusting that His Majesty will win. Besides, the reinforcements will be here soon! Dolph had made his decision. And it was affirmed by a cheerful voice. “Gwahahaha! We’re a little late, so it seems. This big thing was heavier than I thought, so we had a hard time carrying it. But now that we’re here, rest assured! Take pleasure in this 31

battle with peace of mind!!” It was Gabil. “Whooo! That’s Gabil-sama for you, so cool!” “Aye.” “You’re getting more and more manly. I will follow you anywhere, so you better be prepared!” And Gabil’s men. Held in the hands of the Hiryuu members was a chain that connected them to a huge object. It was the Demon Colossus. It had taken a hundred people to bring it here by air. The Demon Colossus had no issues waiting for the enemy in the labyrinth, but its massive body was a liability when it came to the battlefield. Its fighting ability was perfect, but its movement speed was very slow. Even so, its melee speed was so fast that the problem had been overlooked until now. “This problem needs improvement, but now that you’ve brought it this far, I shall do my best,” Gadra exclaimed enthusiastically. Now was the time to return the favor he said, entering the Demon Colossus with a motivated look on his face. Gadra turned his gaze to Kondou, but quickly averted it. Seeing that King Gazel was dealing with him, he felt that he should not interfere. And then he took notice of Velgrynd. So, Marshal-dono’s true identity was the Scorch Dragon Velgrynd after all. But if so, I don’t understand Damrada’s intentions. Did he really swear an oath of allegiance to His Majesty? Why did he need to order Bernie and Jiwu to protect Masayuki? I don’t understand. I don’t, but… Now is not the time to worry about that. If Velgrynd makes a move, the mission is over. I’ll have to keep an eye on her to make sure that doesn’t happen. With that in mind, Gadra sent the Demon Colossus towards the elegantly standing Velgrynd. After seeing Gadra off, Gabil flew to Dolph’s side. “It seems Gadra-dono has volunteered to take care of Velgrynd-sama. We will eliminate those who will be in the way, as planned.” “Fufufu, how reliable, Gabil-dono. In that case, let us get to work on the joint operation.” “Yes. My team will take the lead against the enemy and leave the support to you!” “Understood!!” Gabil and Dolph nodded at each other. As agreed upon in advance, the Hiryuu, with their excellent fighting ability, would take the lead. The dragonewts, with their superior defensive capabilities, would not be easily killed. In addition, Gabil’s team was lavishly supplied with full potions. As long as they didn’t die instantly, they could be revived, making them a good shield. “Now then, Dolph-dono, I’ll leave the command to you.” “Huh, wait?!” Dolph was surprised by Gabil’s undiscussed action. “Gwahahaha! I am the ‘Draco Lord’ Gabil! Let’s fight without cowardice!” 32

Gabil was unconcerned about Dolph’s behavior and launched an assault towards what appeared to be Kondou’s close associates—one of them. Seeing Gabil, Gobua could only stare blankly. They had been the last to arrive, but it couldn’t be helped as they had run across the ground. Even so, their speed was commensurate with their Over A rank, and they were just in time for the start of the war. Not only that, but they had managed to get behind the enemy troops as planned. “The fact that Gabil-sama went alone means that the man’s ability must be outstanding.” Gobua’s comment was countered by the man standing beside her. “Is that so? I can only see a weak, bespectacled kid who’s good at paperwork, though?” It was Phobio, the Black Leopard Fang of Karion’s Beastketeers. For some reason, he hadn’t returned to his home country, but had followed Gobua before he knew it. Inwardly, Gobua was happy, but she was still in charge of the Kurenai by Benimaru’s orders. She had to be stern in official duties, and so cautioned Phobio. “Phobio-dono, your abilities are commendable, but you would do well to develop a better eye for the strength of your enemies.” “That’s harsh, Gobua. Drop the honorific, call me Phobio.” “This is wartime and we’re on a mission. I expect you to keep your private and public life in order.” The two of them continued their conversation, but to their subordinates, it just looked like they were flirting. It was a tense battlefield, but for some reason there was a warm feeling in the air. “So, what happens after this?” Phobio asked, his expression suddenly turning serious. Gobua changed her mindset and responded. “We will stay here and bide our time. We have already failed to achieve our tactical victory conditions, and now the mission is doomed to failure. Depending on what Velgrynd-sama does, we’ll be wiped out. If all we wish to do is survive, the best choice is to run away, but that is not an option we can take. In short, the most important thing is to reduce the number of people in our way and lighten the burden of His Majesty Rimuru as much as possible.” It was the expression of someone who had made up their mind. If they kept Velgrynd here, then Rimuru would be able to take advantage of the opportunity and take out Emperor Rudra. Or, perhaps, get him to agree to a ceasefire agreement, which had been the point of the operation. However, that plan collapsed when Velgrynd released a ‘Split Body.’ Normally, all operations should have been suspended at that point, but the people with the authority to make that decision were currently unreachable. Gabil was the supreme decision maker in this situation. And Gabil’s decision was to continue the operation. Testarossa and the others agreed, and Gobua had no objections. Do what you can. That was all. It was unclear how many ‘Split Bodies’ Velgrynd could produce, but they were prepared to stall them all. And if possible, they were going to interrupt the ritual Kagali was performing. 33

“Are you trying to kill yourself?” “No. His Majesty Rimuru will never allow us to die. So, no casualties will be allowed.” At Gobua’s outrageous command, the Kurenai all nodded quietly. “If Velgrynd moves, there’s nothing we can do to stop her, right?” “If she does, we’ll leave her to Gadra-dono and run.” Gobua gave a wink in response. That look had enough destructive power to shut Phobio up. “Fine. I’m going to stop thinking so hard and go a little wild. It looks like I have a history with some of these guys, so I should say hello.” Phobio had once been tricked by Footman and Teare and had made a painful mistake in the past. However, he didn’t hold a grudge against them because it was all due to his inexperience. On the contrary, he was even grateful to them, believing that he had been able to grow from that experience. He was a simple and vivacious man, just like a beastman ought to be. It was precisely because he was such a man that seeing his nemesis being manipulated gave him something to think about. “Don’t do anything rash.” “I can’t promise that, but I swear I’ll try not to die.” With these words, Phobio joined the fight. Lieutenant Kondou faced King Gazel. The bespectacled intelligence officer was spotted by Gabil. Footman and Teare headed for Vaughn and Anrietta. Phobio intervened, and Gobua and the others tried to assess the situation. In front of Velgrynd who was contemptuously looking at the battlefield, was a Demon Colossus controlled by Master Gadra. And thus, the battles began. In the midst of the battlefield, Gazel’s mind was as calm as a tranquil sea. He was facing the man Kondou, not as a king, but as a warrior and a swordsman. Kondou drew his military sword as Gazel had told him to do. He, too, quietly exhaled in admiration at Gazel’s stance. “Well, that’s impressive. I guess the title of Sword Saint was not an exaggeration.” These words were not flattery, and he meant them sincerely. But Gazel snickered back. “Speak for yourself. Such words only sound sarcastic when spoken by someone like you.” Those were his true feelings. 34

Kondou’s stance was beautiful, and Gazel could see no flaw in it. Kondou now was holding his sword in both hands, unlike when he had fought Footman, he was in a serious stance. And there was an even more surprising fact. The two men’s stances were as identical as if they had rehearsed it together. They exchanged blows for a few rounds in silence, and both of them largely grasped the other’s strength. They were convinced that it was no coincidence that their stances were identical. Gazel’s swordsmanship had been learned from Hakurou, and although he incorporated his own techniques, his basic stance was faithful to Hakurou’s teachings. It was handed down from Hakurou’s grandfather, Byakuya Araki, as the “Oboro-Ryu.”1 There was no one else but Hakurou to whom this school of swordsmanship was passed down. Even Gazel, who was a direct disciple of Hakurou, did not know everything about the OboroRyu. He knew there were secrets yet to be discovered. But even so… In the country of monsters, Hakurou was involved in the training of soldiers as the instructor. Naturally, he would have taught them the basics of swordsmanship, but it was unlikely that this would have been spread to the Empire. To begin with, swordsmanship was not something that could be learned overnight. That is why Gazel asked the question. And strangely, the same question came out of Kondou. “That stance, how do you know Oboro-Ryu?” “I had suspected it when I heard about it, but His Majesty Gazel’s technique is similar to my “Oboro Shinmei-Ryu.” Who did you learn it from?” “…” “…” They stared at each other. Gazel was the first to open his mouth. “Oboro Shinmei-Ryu…so it’s not the same as OboroRyu, you say?” Kondou accepted the question without expression and pondered for a moment. In the Dwarven Kingdom, orthodox swordsmanship using a combination of a one-handed sword and a shield is the mainstream. That means this must have something to do with the information I got about a certain monster who is very skilled with a sword. From the little information he had, Lieutenant Kondou arrived at a mostly correct answer. Gazel asked Kondou a question as if he was impatient. “Are you not going to answer my question?” “Please do not be impatient. The Oboro-Ryu is probably of the same school as the one I learned. That is why I would like to ask you a question instead. Isn’t it impossible that the same school of swordsmanship could have been created from this world by chance?” “Hmm, that’s true…” While muttering, Gazel remembered. He recalled a story about Hakurou’s grandfather 1This can be translated as something like the “Haze” style. 35

which had been told to him during his training. “I was told by my master Hakurou-dono that the Oboro-Ryu was instilled in him by his grandfather. I heard that he was a “visitor” from another world which would make sense.” Unknown to both Gazel and Kondou, Byakuya Araki had a younger brother. That person had replaced his brother as the founder of the school and introduced the “Oboro Shinmei-Ryu” in the world where Kondou was born. It was to fight against the mountain and river monsters2 as the sword that dispelled evil. Kondou was one of those who had fought against evil and had been learning the Oboro ShinmeiRyu from a position close to the source. “Kukuku, it’s interesting to know that we are fellow students.” Kondou began to laugh in a rare and amused way. He was not usually one to reveal his emotions, so this laughter seemed to highlight his coldness. “I have a proposal, Your Majesty Gazel.” “What is it?” “A fellowship. I have determined that His Majesty Gazel is powerful enough to join our ranks. If you disarm and promise to swear allegiance to my Emperor, I promise to cease all acts of aggression against your country.” “What makes you think I’ll accept that offer?” “I think you will. Rationally speaking, it is the best way to minimize casualties.” He’s right—that’s what Gazel thought. It was a desperately needed offer. In order to protect the people of the Dwarven Kingdom, it would be correct to accept the offer. As a monarch, he should accept it without question. Now that the threat of Velgrynd was known, there was no way to win. The conditions for victory in this battle were so vague that they should never have been set in the first place. Before heavy casualties were inflicted, Rimuru and the others would settle things with Rudra—it was wishful thinking. If it’s for the sake of the people— Almost considering it, Gazel chuckled to dispel his doubts. “Ridiculous! You think you’ve already won; has no one told you overconfidence is one’s greatest enemy?! See how I correct you for your arrogant thoughts!!” While shouting this, Gazel focused his thoughts on the enemy in front of him. Chasing away all distractions, he thought only of defeating Kondou. Then, with mind, body, and his beloved sword as one, he unleashed the full force of his haki as Saint. What appeared there was a champion who could almost reach the level of an awakened demon lord. Even so, Kondou’s demeanor remained relaxed even when he saw Gazel. “My my, it seems you are a wise king in name only. In that case it can’t be helped. I will take care of you before your reputation goes down the drain.” Those words signaled the beginning of a battle between the “Saints.” 2The word used was “chimimoryō” which is a Chinese/Japanese term for monster and river monsters from ancient times. 36

A few minutes had passed. Kondou was starting to gain the upper hand. He could easily cancel out Gazel’s ‘champion’s haki.’ By wearing the same quality of aura, he was able to nullify all effects. It was the same even in pure swordplay. Gazel unleashed a series of vertical slashes with “Oboro Chiten Gourai,”3 but Kondou, whilst shifting his body to evade the attacks, swiftly unleashed a sideways counterattack with the “Shippu-Raiha”4 . Kondou then connected it with his fastest thrust, the “Shiden Totsu,”5 but Gazel parried it back with a “Ryusui Zan.”6 The two fellow students knew each other’s techniques very well. However, Gazel’s response gradually began to lag. Kondou had mastered more techniques than him. “I knew it. There are some techniques that I have never seen before in the Oboro ShinmeiRyu. Even I, a close follower of the original art, do not know all of them. Hakurou, was it? I was skeptical about how much a mere monster could comprehend the true nature of the sword.” That was Kondou’s honest opinion. However, it was not meant as a mockery of Hakurou. The way of the sword was profound and had been handed down from generation to generation. Kondou himself was proud of his own school, and that is why he said what he said. However, his comment struck a nerve in Gazel. “Are you insulting my master?” He glared at Kondou with more determination than ever. But then, someone arrived. “Hohoho. King Gazel, you’re not trained enough if you easily lose your cool on the battlefield. I will take your place for a while, so you can stay there and cool your head.” Hakurou, who had been leading the rear troops as Gobua’s advisor, arrived late. Kondou could see through Hakurou’s strength at a glance. The next moment, the clear sound of steel clashing with steel echoed through the air. Hakurou had caught Kondou’s extremely fast quick-draw slash with his own cane-sword. “Huh? You can stop this?” On Hakurou’s forehead, his ‘Third Eye,’ the ‘Celestial Eye’ was opened. It had now broken through the realm of Extra Skills and was about to exceed the realm of Unique Skills. That was why he was able to deal with Kondou’s quick-draw sword technique. “Excellent sword-drawing technique. I would call it anything but a strange coincidence that 3 I think this means something like ‘Haze: Heaven and Earth Thunderous Roar’ but it’s not 100% accurate. 4 I think this means something like “Gale-Thunder Supreme” 5 I believe this means something like ‘Purple Lightning Thrust’ 6 I believe this means something like ‘Flowing Water Slash.’ 37

you are of the same school as my grandfather? Kid, you can test and see just how far I, whom you call a mere monster, can understand the true essence of the sword.” “Fufu, interesting. If you say that much, then I shall cut you down to size.” And so, before Gazel’s eyes, the battle between Kondou and Hakurou began. Kondou had the best odds to win. Hakurou’s ability was certain, he could see that at a glance. But there was no doubt in Kondou’s mind that monsters did not understand the true essence of the sword. This was because the Oboro Shinmei-Ryu was the sword that dispelled evil. There was no way that a monster could learn a sword art designed specifically to combat them—it was only natural for Kondou to think that. Besides, it was beyond anyone’s imagination that the true founder, the elder brother of Oboro Shinmei-Ryu founder, had come to this world in the first place. It surprised me that he could even perform the secret techniques, but those that go beyond the hidden techniques can only be passed on to individuals who are descended from the original line. I’m not sure how proficient the “visitor” was, but it would be impossible for him to teach the hidden techniques to a monster. In a way, it was inevitable that Kondou had made a judgment based on his own common sense. That was a big mistake, and an unusual assumption for Kondou. It was a big price to pay… Hakurou and Kondou faced each other. Then, as soon as they got at a deadly distance, they simultaneously launched their attacks. “Baika Gokatotsu.”7 Kondou, with his pride as a swordsman, showed off his well-honed technique. It was only because Hakurou was a fellow student of the same school that he had made such a foolish move. In the back of his mind, he was calmly thinking that he should get serious and finish it quickly. Yet, the action he’d taken was intended for showing off. This is a rash conduct that was out of character for Kondou, who was usually calm and composed. He intended to impress his peers in this world by demonstrating the greatest technique he had learned. The “Gokatotsu” was a stabbing technique that symbolized the plum blossom. It was the finest technique that Kondou had been taught and was one of the hidden techniques that have never been passed down to outsiders. It consisted of five stabs aimed at five of the ten vital points of the human body—the eyes, throat, heart, kidneys, solar plexus, crotch, and also both shoulders as a feint. The aim was changed according to the situation, so it required a skillful technique. Even among his peers, there were very few who had mastered this hidden technique. That is why it was a miscalculation to find Hakurou in such a place. 7Baika, Gokatotsu translates to something like “Plum Blossom, Five Petal Thrust” 38

“Yaezakura Hakkasen.”8 Hakurou’s choice was a supreme technique—a series of continuous flowing slashes, in an infinite variety of combinations, that would slay the enemy eight times in an instant. Kondou and Hakurou were evenly matched in Proficiency, but there is a great difference between them in basic combat ability. In Hakurou’s opinion, Kondou boasted a physical ability more than ten times greater than that of Hakurou. That is why Hakurou’s defeat would be certain if his technique did not work. With that determination in mind, Hakurou pulled out his sword. “Nuu?!” “Oh…” Kondou had won overwhelmingly. Hakurou had wanted to strike a fatal blow to Kondou, even if it meant they would both get hit. That was what he had hoped for, but the result was something the both of them did not expect. Hakurou’s sword scattered like eight petals at a speed that no one else could even see. However, all of them were canceled out by Kondou’s five petals, and the attack ultimately missed. As a result of Kondou avoiding getting hit at the lower portion of his body, a graze to the cheek was the most that could be done. Still, this was a disappointing result from Kondou’s point of view. “I didn’t think there was a swordsman in this world who was better than me.” Hakurou’s “Hakkasen” was superior to Kondou’s “Gokatotsu.” This fact shattered Kondou’s perception and made him admit to his mistake. However, it was Kondou who won the battle. The difference in strength was too great even though Hakurou was able to cancel his special move. Hakurou’s arms were torn apart by the recent exchange, rendering them useless. “Even with the supreme technique, I could not reach you…” “No, you did. I apologize for looking down on you. Also, I would like to ask you. What was your grandfather’s name?” Kondou apologized for looking down on Hakurou as a monster. He also acknowledged that Hakurou was a better swordsman than himself and paid him that respect. He was a man who was sincere about the sword. But at the same time, he did not judge things based on his personal feelings. That is who Kondou Tatsuya was. “Hohoho. Byakuya Araki was my grandfather’s name. He was a great swordsman, but he left for the afterlife9 a long time ago.” “That is a shame. Araki is the name of his family. Perhaps he is related to the founder of the Oboro Shinmei-Ryu. If he had reached Sage level, he would have been one of the strongest swordsmen in this world.” 8Yaezakura, Hakkasen translates to something like “Double Cherry Blossom, Eight Petal Flash.” Yaezakura is a double cherry blossom tree, or cherry blossoms with more than five petals. 9They use a phrase here that also translates to “left to the road of the underworld.” 39

With that, Kondou said a silent prayer. He was truly a man who was serious only for his own school of sword. Hakurou looked at Kondou in dismay and asked him a question, thinking it was worth the try. “My grandfather was an eccentric man who liked living an ordinary life. More importantly though, would you mind retreating here?” Sensing Kondou’s respect for him as well, Hakurou made his request. However, the request was rejected. “I can at least guarantee your personal safety, but the war cannot be stopped. I have a belief that the worst thing one can do is to do things half heartedly,” Kondou spoke with no doubts. Well, I suppose that’s true, Hakurou thought to himself. Hakurou was not in a hurry. I already considered I was going to lose. It is impossible for me to get back into the fight with these arms, but I believe I’ve achieved my goal. That’s right, Hakurou’s goal was not to win, but to show Gazel the battle between himself and Kondou. The sword saint Gazel Dwargo would have understood Hakurou’s technique just by looking at it. Even if he couldn’t learn it right away, he would have been able to get some sort of hint. That was Hakurou’s idea. And this time, even Kondou had used his secret technique. This surely increased Gazel’s chances of winning. “Then, I will stop here. I do not need your protection. I have no intention to live in shame. In my final moments, I plan to take out as many enemy soldiers as I can. But now is not the time. I shall concentrate on healing these hands.” Hakurou’s hands were badly injured and wouldn’t recover even with a full potion10. The secret of the ‘Battlewill’ was to destroy the target by permeating fighting aura in them. Kondou’s fighting aura had penetrated Hakurou’s defenses. Because of this, there was no way to heal the injuries except by neutralizing them with his own demonic aura. However, Hakurou turned to Gazel with a nonchalant look on his face. “Well then, King Gazel. Has your head cooled down?” “Of course, I got excited, seeing my master’s skills.” “Hohoho. The truth is I really had no intention of teaching you, but I can’t say that now. I will leave the rest to you.” “Please leave it to me.” After Hakurou stepped back, Gazel stood before Kondou. Meanwhile, Hakurou left the front line with his head held high, as if his role was now over. 10Fuse created miracle potions early on and now has to keep adding restrictions to them, resulting in weirdly inconsistent and specific excuses for them not working, to salvage a semblance of having stakes. 40

Once again, Kondou and Gazel faced each other. Kondou was ashamed of his shallowness, but quickly changed his mindset. “I lost my cool for a bit, but playtime is over. It’s time to get back to work.” “Hmph! I’m reluctant, but I agree with you. I must live up to my master’s expectations, so I must get serious.” Both Kondou and Gazel acted differently from earlier. They had finished assessing each other’s abilities and had become serious. As for Gazel, he was grateful to Hakurou. If he had fought Kondou the way he was, he would have been defeated. The hidden technique that Kondou displayed, the ‘Gokatotsu,’ was impossible to defend against at first sight. Even if he had miraculously avoided a fatal wound, he would have been destroyed from the inside by the fighting aura, just like Hakurou had been, and would have been rendered incapable of fighting. I didn’t realize that a refined fighting aura would pose such a threat. I knew that it was the secret of the Battlewill, but it seems that I hadn’t fully understood it yet. As he reflected on this, Gazel felt his spirits lift. He realized that he could still get stronger. “Kondou, isn’t it? I will give you a taste of my full power.” As soon as he said this, Gazel released his trump card. “Spirit Summoning! Come, nameless Spirit King of the Earth!!” The summoned Spirit King of the Earth dwelled within Gazel, who had unleashed his power as a Saint. It was completely ‘unified’ and had an energy that rivaled or almost surpassed that of an old, awakened demon lord. Although there was a time limit, this was Gazel’s trump card. Kondou, however, was unfazed. “What nonsense.” Kondou spoke blandly, unperturbed by Gazel’s domineering aura. Gazel did not show any displeasure at his words, but silently held his sword up to his eyes. He sharpened his mind, refined his will, and let it flow into the sword. 41

Gazel was now in perfect control of the enormous amount of energy that had ‘unified’ with the Spirit King of the Earth. It was a feeling that he hadn’t felt before. He truly is an incredible master. He helped me realize the secret. I can win. As I am now, the current me can reach even greater heights! Gazel felt the improvement in his ‘mind,’ ‘technique,’ and ‘body.’ By ‘mind,’ it was his Skill. By fully utilizing the Unique Skill ‘Dictator,’ Gazel’s willpower was at full power. By ‘technique,’ it was his Arts. In the Oboro-Ryu he learned from Hakurou, the ‘Battlewill’—the art of transforming willpower into physical power is crucial. The current Gazel would be able to efficiently converge all the energy that flowed through his body. And that was the ‘body.’ In other words, he would use the Unique Skill ‘Dictator’ to consolidate his energy and convert it into the greatest blow. No one can defeat my sword—with such a drive, Gazel made his move. A blow of divine speed. However, it would never reach Kondou. Pwang! A small sound rang out and Gazel fell to his knees. “Kah!” Gazel coughed up blood and looked dumbfounded at the blood seeping down his abdomen. In Kondou’s right hand was a Nambu pistol, a cloud of gunpowder still smoking from the muzzle. The lethal bullet that had defeated Gazel had been fired from that very pistol. “You… Your pride as a swordsman.” Gazel, his face twisted in anger and humiliation, shouted while coughing up blood. But those words fell on deaf ears to Kondou. “I told you, play time’s over. There is no need for pride on the battlefield. My job is to win by any means necessary.” Kondou spoke in a terribly cold voice. He was a different person from the one who had been so obsessed with his own school of swordsmanship up until now. “Forget that! I won’t let this be the end—” Gazel desperately tried to stand up. However, his body couldn’t move as he wanted, and he fell to the ground once again. It was only natural. The bullet Kondou had shot was not ordinary, but rather a special bullet that contained Kondou’s own will— Necrosis. It was not something borrowed from Emperor Rudra, but an Ultimate Skill that Kondou had manifested on his own. Yes—Kondou had awakened to the ultimate power by his own ability. The Ultimate Skill ‘Conviction King Sandalphon’ was one that governed “battle.” As such, it was very strong. He was the one who fought on behalf of Rudra—he who desired to attain the throne of God despite being human. And Necrosis, which Kondou used earlier, was one of the powers of the ‘Conviction King Sandalphon.’ It had the effect of destroying the target’s mana circuits and could even kill spiritual life forms. Gazel was by no means weak. On the contrary, he was one of the most powerful beings in this world. Depending on the conditions, he was capable of defeating even an awakened 43

demon lord. Nevertheless, there was a strength barrier between him and Kondou that could not be overcome. It was the existence of an Ultimate Skill. In this aspect alone, the battle had already been decided before the fight. “Give up your futile efforts. I have no intention of killing Your Majesty. I will detain you for the time being, but I promise to release you once I’m done.” Kondou spoke in an indifferent voice. While it was not a falsehood, it was not the whole truth, either. Before letting him go, he was planning to take control of him with the ‘Dominion Bullet.’ Now that he was currently in control of Kagali, he wanted to capture him alive. Terrifyingly ruthless, and rational. This was another essence of Kondou Tatsuya. Hakurou was not in a position to move right now. He could only stand there, resigned at the sight of Kondou’s strength. At this point, it appeared as if Kondou’s victory was assured… “Gwahahaha! I am the Draco Lord Gabil! Let’s fight without cowardice!!” Shouting this, Gabil identified the enemy and charged, leaving his subordinates behind. Although this was an inappropriate act for a commander, it was not a mistake from a tactical standpoint. Because the enemy’s strength was exceptional. The enemy was not conspicuous within the group, simply a good-looking bespectacled man. Nevertheless, Gabil called out in a loud voice without any sign of hesitation. “You there. That man there, do not hesitate and be my opponent!!” When Gabil pointed his spear at him, the man with the glasses twisted his lips into a smile. “So, it’s come to this. I was playing the part of an ordinary intelligence officer, and now I’ve been spotted by someone who sees right through me.” While saying this, the gentleman took off his glasses. Immediately after that, the atmosphere around the man changed. “In that case, it can’t be helped, so allow me to be your opponent. But before that…my seniors, please stay away from here.” The man’s usual timid character had disappeared as he ordered the others around him. However, this did not go down well with his confused companions. “Hey now, Marco, aren’t you not cut out for fighting?!” “Yeah, you’re weaker than us, so stop acting so tough.” 44

The man called Marco smiled back at the worried voices of his companions. “Ah well, it was a really comfortable place to work. My true identity is a Single Digit, Number 8. You know what that means, don’t you?” Seeing how their peer’s demeanor had changed, everyone understood that Marco had been playing the good-natured intelligence officer in disguise. And they understood that he had the right to give them orders, and what he had just said was true. “Understood!” “Good luck!!” Leaving those words behind, Marco’s companions scattered. He let out a sigh of relief and turned his snake-like narrowing eyes to Gabil. Marco, too, had seen through Gabil’s strength. In this world, it was meaningless to challenge an outstanding individual with a group. Marco was well aware of this and drove away even those who were as strong as an Imperial Knight. “Wasn’t it Gabil-san; you’ve done it now. You must pay for the crime of robbing me of my office lifestyle.” “Gwahahaha! The Single Digits are the ones Rimuru-sama considered as dangerous. To be able to deal with such prey, it looks like an opportunity has come my way!” Gabil replied happily. Thus, the battle between the two men began. ……… …… … Marco was a man who was characterized by his lack of notable features. He became an Imperial Knight about 800 years ago. Because he possessed the Unique Skill ‘Impersonator,’ a Skill specialized in undercover, he had caught the attention of Damrada, the Commander at that time. The Unique Skill ‘Impersonator’ had a noteworthy power. It was the ability to transform into the exact likeness of the person he saw. It was not a ‘duplicate’ like the Unique Skill ‘Usurper’ that Hinata possessed; it could entirely mimic the same person. However, there was a limit to how much he could mimic. If the target was significantly more powerful than him, he could not mimic everything—that was its weakness. But even so, the more powerful people he met, the more versatile their strength would become. That was why Marco had risen to the rank of a Single Digit after overcoming a great upheaval and awakening as a Saint. That was about a hundred years after Marco became an Imperial Knight. It was precisely because of this that Marco could not shake his awe of the man Kondou. Even if he was a “visitor” from another world and possessed a soul more powerful than that of ordinary people, his strength was still difficult to comprehend. The first person Kondou challenged in the rank battles was Marco. In that battle, Marco was exposed to Kondou’s extraordinary strength. He had always thought that Kondou was favored by the emperor, but now he realized that he had been wrong. Kondou possessed a fighting ability that even Marco, a ‘Saint,’ could not imitate with his 45

Unique Skill ‘Impersonator.’ With this ability, Kondou easily defeated the top soldiers to get the position of a commander. Even the four horsemen, who were all monsters in Marco’s eyes, had been defeated by Kondo without a hitch. For this reason, Marco worshiped Kondou. He even emulated Kondou’s insistence on the rank of Lieutenant and kept his own rank of Ensign. He had stayed in the Intelligence Bureau just to serve Kondou. Marco was now facing a powerful opponent by the name of Gabil. He also fought back with a spear but realized that he could not win the battle as it was. That is why Marco decided to change himself into the form of the person he believed to be the strongest. ……… …… … Marco distanced himself from Gabil and transformed into the form of Kondou. By adding the Ultimate Enchantment ‘Alternative’ lent by the Emperor to the Unique Skill ‘Impersonator,’ it was possible to transform with even greater precision. The current Marco had power close to that of Kondou. “Hoh, that’s strange. Is that what you really look like?” Gabil asked, to which Marco, in the form of Kondou, replied. “No. This figure is a replica of who I believe to be the strongest man I know. The Four Horsemen were strong too, but not as strong as Lieutenant Kondou. In fact—” Marco glanced at the battlefield next to him and continued. “It seems even His Majesty King Gazel, the renowned champion, is no match for him.” Upon hearing this, Gabil let out a low “Mmm.” He knew from his wide-range ‘Magic Perception’ that the allied forces were not doing well, that Hakurou had left the front lines, and that King Gazel was struggling, as had just been pointed out. “Hmm, it seems so.” “From the moment that Lieutenant Kondou appeared, there was no doubt that we would win. That’s why I didn’t want to bother to show my own hand. You never know where the leak will come from and you always want to keep your power hidden, right?” With that carefree question, Marco changed his weapon from a spear to a sword. The Legendary-grade armor Marco had been lent now allowed him to change its shape at will. Marco held his sword in his Kondou form. His appearance was regal. Gabil also held a magical weapon, the Vortex Spear, which was the treasure of the lizardmen. It was a spear entrusted to him by his father, Abil, and he was now familiar with it. The spear had seen many fierce battles and had been reforged by Kurobee when it was damaged. Its performance was unique-grade, but it had been a very reliable partner. However, it still fell short of the legendary-grade. It is true that the difference in weapon performance is a factor that determines the winner, and this time, Gabil was at an overwhelming disadvantage. However, Gabil also had the ‘Dragon Skin,’ which was strong enough to reach the mythical-grade level. 46

Gabil believed that his enemy was a ‘Saint,’ and that he was equal to his awakened self. That is why Gabil did not spare any effort from the beginning, and gave it his all. Will this person be able to penetrate my defenses? Gabil was confident in his defensive capabilities. There was no victory in a fight unless you could inflict decisive damage on your opponent. It didn’t matter how many blows you hit, if they were not fatal, they were meaningless. Gabil thought that Marco’s weapon would not be able to break through his defenses, but he was not about to let his guard down, and would carefully watch his opponents moves. “Here I go.” “Hm, bring it on!” Gabil’s misfortune was that he had become hostile to Marco too early. The power he had awakened was vast, but he had yet to fully harness it for himself. As Ultima had feared, even in his pre-evolutionary stage, Gabil had not handled his magicules well enough. Even with such great power in his hands, Gabil was unable to use it to the full potential. High defense and healing ability—these two things alone were strong enough, but this time, his opponent was too strong. “Baika Gokatotsu.” “Vortex Crash!!” Gabil was able to survive because of his cautious approach. The two were evenly matched in strength or Gabil slightly above. However, in terms of Proficiency , Marco, who was impersonating Kondou, was far superior. Actually, Marco could not even imitate 80 percent of Lieutenant Kondou’s abilities. The Ultimate Skill ‘Conviction King Sandalphon’ was impossible to reproduce, and if Gazel had been his opponent, defeat would have been inevitable. In terms of Marco’s plain strength, he was evenly matched with Gabil. In terms of defense, Gabil’s victory would have been assured. Victory or defeat was all a matter of chance. Although Marco seemed to have won by a landslide, his victory was paper-thin. “Good grief, I can’t blame Major General Farage. Wasn’t it ‘Draco Lord’ Gabil? No wonder he mistook him for Veldora.” Marco muttered, looking at Gabil as he fell to the ground. At this moment, Gabil’s fate seemed to be coming to an end… “Brother!!” As if to protect Gabil, several shadows came to stand before Marco. It was Souka and the 47

others who had rushed to the scene. And then there were Gabil’s subordinates. “Gabil-sama!!” “Don’t die, Gabil!” “Aye. Gabil-sama is not a man who should die in a place like this!!” Even though they knew they could not defeat Marco, they still dared to face him. That courage saved Gabil’s life. Individually, these people were no match for Marco, a ‘Saint,’ but they were still Special A rank talents. They used healing potions generously, desperately trying to buy some time. However, Marco’s Kondou-inspired technique destroyed the enemy from the inside out with his well-honed fighting aura. Because it nullified the effects of the healing potions, Souka and her subordinates had to be prepared for death. And then, another one of Gabil’s subordinates fell. Then, Souka’s subordinate, Nanso, fell. Even though there was not that much difference in proficiency, there was too much of a difference in raw power. On top of that, Marco’s weapon was legendary-grade. One by one, each of them fell before the inevitable difference in strength. Fortunately, none of them had died yet. With the evolution of Gabil by Rimuru, the people linked to him had also become stronger. Thanks to this, their endurance had increased, and they were narrowly able to escape fatal injuries. However, the ongoing damage from Marco’s wounds prevented them from returning to the front lines. At this rate, it was only a matter of time before they were all killed. That’s why Gabil shouted, “Enough, that’s enough, so get out of here! Souka, that’s an order. Take everyone and get out of here!!” Gabil looked at Souka, desperately trying to rise up. But Souka refused to even look at Gabil and smiled fearlessly. “I refuse, Brother. I am a subordinate of Souei-sama, so I am not obligated to accept orders from you.” “What are you—” “Besides! If we run away now, we’ll end up with dead people! You, Brother, will die too!!” Souka, normally a calm person, shouted out with all her might. “…What are you talking about?!” Gabil was speechless and confused. “Isn’t it the role of the commander to reduce casualties as much as possible? Isn’t it your job to increase the number of survivors and leave me, who got defeated, behind?” It was difficult for Gabil to get up right now. He could barely speak his words out loud as he watched his comrades fighting. However, those words were dismissed by Souka. “Then my plan is the right one. There are no weaklings among us who can be killed by a single blow. That’s why we are going to buy ourselves some time.” Keeping on fighting, unconcerned even if a comrade fell. Battling Marco with numbers and being careful not to cause any casualties. By doing so, Souka and the others were looking for a 48

chance to win. “This is foolish! There is no guarantee that help will come—” Now that Rimuru and the rest of the executives were on their way to the Imperial Capital, extra support could not be expected. Even if the other executives who were asleep woke up, they wouldn’t be able to conveniently rush over here. The three demon girls they were counting on were dealing with an even more powerful enemy, Velgrynd. They were the ones who needed support; thus, there was no way they could ask for help. Gabil understood this and had decided that he had no choice but to retreat in this situation. However, it was Gabil’s subordinates who disagreed. “It’s you, Gabil! You’re the one we’re waiting for!” “That’s right, Gabil-sama! You’re hurt, so heal up soon and get up!” “Aye. We will buy time and wait for Gabil-sama’s return. That is the only way to save everyone here!!” Hearing this, Gabil felt ashamed. He wondered if he, alone, had given up on victory. “…What have I been doing? All right then! Everyone, hold your ground until I get up!!” Gabil shouted, knowing full well what an absurd order it was. Hot tears spilled from his eyes, eloquently expressing Gabil’s feelings. The goddess of victory would not abandon those who did not give up. Someone responded to Gabil’s voice. “Oh dear, you’re as reckless as ever, aren’t you? Allow this humble self to help you out here.” “It’s an order from my lady; her precious toy, Gabil-dono, is not allowed to die, so I shall go to his aid.” Arriving out of nowhere, Veyron and Zonda, Ultima’s subordinates, were standing there. “Although it would be better for us if you didn’t survive,” Zonda continued to mutter, but Gabil couldn’t hear him over the noise of the battlefield. That was a very lucky thing. Veyron, looking like a butler, stood beside Souka. He held up his cane to Marco. “My humble self shall deal with this person, so Souka-dono, please assist me. Zonda here will help with the healing, and the rest of you will take care of the injured.” “Understood!” “In that case, let’s go!!” Veyron moved as soon as he heard Souka’s reply. He was a marquis-level demon peer. His energy ratio was less than a quarter of Marco’s, but Veyron’s proficiency was superior. Even if he couldn’t win, he succeeded in irritating Marco. “Tsk, just how annoying can you be! You keep coming one after another before I can finish you off.” “Of course. It is our mission to grasp the enemy’s strength.” “Yeah. I understand how annoying it is when someone mimics what you’re good at. I’ll take you down at once and take out that other dangerous—” “An opening!” 49