Tensei Shitara Slime Vol. 15

Upon hearing this, Carrera nodded in satisfaction. “Ahhh, of course. We’re the strongest species, after all. However, I think you’re being unreasonable too, you know?” It was Carrera’s greatest compliment. Carrera had already recognized Kondou as her equal. That was why she respected him to the fullest and challenged him with all her might. Pointing her sword at Kondou, Carrera prepared herself with no hesitation. She activated her “Annihilation King Abaddon” in her right and left hands, circulating a huge force of power. The space between Kondou and Carrera overflowed with a stream of black and white light. An enormous amount of magicules was converted into energy, and the aftermath alone was enough to almost blow one away. Carrera controls all of that energy by concentrating her consciousness. “I’ll show you everything I’ve got.” “…I’d rather you didn’t.” “Fufu, don’t be such a wet blanket. Now that I’ve accepted you as an equal, I will show you my best magic!” Kondou got a bad feeling upon hearing that. “…” One who did not care about the circumstances of others—that was the demon named Carrera. Demon Lord Leon had also suffered for it, but at that time, Carrera had not been serious— she was just amusing herself. Kondou, who had to deal with a serious Carrera, would probably say that Leon had it better. Of the four “devil lords” including Diablo, Carrera currently had the largest amount of magicules. She had never been able to control them completely, but now that she possessed the “Annihilation King Abaddon,” that drawback was gone. The current Carrera was able to control magic on a level comparable to Velgrynd. “I’ll give you destruction. Now be gone! “Abyss Annihilation”!” It was the ultimate magic that surpassed even “Gravity Collapse.” It was also Carrera’s ideal, the most powerful offensive magic. It was a spell that generated an unimaginable torrent of extreme energy by throwing a substance called up from the abyss into a gravitational collapse force field. It went without saying that it was extremely difficult to control the energy, let alone make it directional. It was not a spell that should be used on a planet, but Carrera had no hesitation in unleashing it. It was a spell that, if mis-controlled, could wipe out even the planet. The spell had never been used successfully in the underworld, and this was the first time it had been used in the material world. With no hesitation at all, Carrera used a spell that had never succeeded before. If Testarossa and the others had been here, they would have stopped Carrera at all costs. But there was no one here who could stop Carrera. Agera was there, but it would be unreasonable to ask him to stop Carrera. In fact, it might 250

be better to say that it was not Kondou who was the most frightened, but rather Agera, who knew how dangerous the magic was. And what about Kondou? He had sensed the danger just by seeing Carrera’s preparatory movements and deployed ‘Conviction King Sandalphon’ even before he heard her announcement. This quick assessment of the situation was what made Kondou, Kondou. However, this time, his opponent was just too much. ‘Abyss Annihilation’ was an extreme magic that was presupposed upon Carrera’s absurd mana to the point of being ridiculous. Its range was vast, and because this wasn’t the otherworld, there was no telling how much damage it could do. Kondou guessed that if they were not careful, it could destroy even the otherworld. If that were to happen, all of the matter in the line of fire of this spell targeting Kondou would disappear. He was aware of this. If the otherworld was destroyed, Emperor Rudra was likely to be affected as well. Rudra’s defenses were sound, but even so, there was still a chance. He had to prevent that from happening. But that wasn’t all. Kondou was aware of a more troubling fact. Judging from Carrera’s stance, even that vicious magic was a decoy. Even if he survived the blow, it would be followed by the main attack of the sword. There was nothing he could do in that case. The only way to survive was to make every sacrifice possible and defeat her here. Kondou made up his mind. He sheathed his sword and waited for the right moment. Then he moved just as Carrera activated the spell. With all of his might, he drew his sword. “Yaezakura—Hakkasen…” He recreated the technique that Hakurou had shown him. The power it contained was the “Judgment” that could only be used once a day. If he was unable to exceed his limits here, Kondou would be doomed. That was why, believing that he could do it, Kondou bet on his own potential. The power of his soul grew brighter. Would it be Kondou’s, or Carrera…? At the very least, there was no doubt that both of them were giving it their all. Kondou’s blade sliced through the torrent of maniacal energy generated by the Abyss Annihilation. Carrera’s eyes widened, but there was a smile on her face. Pain shot through Kondou’s entire body. Even the best protection, the mythical-grade ceremonial garments, were unable to prevent the power of destruction. Yet Kondou was not daunted. With conviction, he aimed for Carrera’s neck and made the eight flowers bloom. Carrera, however, was a step above Kondou. “That’s naive. Now then, I will show you my best technique, using Agera’s experience as my own!” Those were her words, but they were more than that. 251

In a moment of time, Carrera’s intention was transmitted to Kondou. A hundred sword flashes that transcended Kondou’s sword drew speed. The name of the technique was the “Oboro: Hyakka Ryouran33.” Kondou’s sword broke and shattered under the unbearable violence. Immediately afterwards, Carrera’s final blow knocked Kondou down to his knees. ……… …… … Kondou felt his strength drain from his entire body. He had passed his limit long ago. He closed his eyes and fell on his back. The end of Kondou’s life was near. I’m halfway there, he laughed at himself. After all, he had been unable to do anything. Neither able to defend his country, nor keep his promise to Rudra. —Be my friend, Tatsuya— Ahhh, I… I was unable to keep my promise to you. Kondou’s heart was filled with regret. The thought of his unfulfilled promise almost tore at his heart. “Tatsuya, I have a favor to ask you.” “Anything. As your friend, I will do whatever I can to help you.” That’s right, he had wanted to return the favor. He wanted to say thank you to Rudra for calling him a friend, for giving him meaning in this world. Even so, that request was too cruel, wasn’t it…? “A long time ago, I asked Damrada for a favor. If I lose sight of my ideals, I want you, my friend, to stop me. But I have lived too long. Damrada is too kind to kill me with his own hands. I regret this terrible request I made of him.” “That’s…” “So, Tatsuya. If it came down to it, would you be able to kill me with your calm judgment? Go and get in Damrada’s way, and stop me with your own hands.” No, he hadn’t liked it at all. Because he wanted Rudra to live, too. Rudra was calm, intelligent, and courageous. He was Kondou’s dream, and a hard master to have. He was the man who stopped Kondou from killing himself in this world when he couldn’t defend his country. He became his friend. The great champion, Emperor Rudra. Even so, he had still nodded because he knew Rudra’s pain. Rudra’s body—his shining ‘soul,’ had long since reached its limit. It was probably the result of repeated reincarnations to control the special power of the Justice King Michael. Kondou, with his Unique Skill ‘Decipherer,’ understood this fact more deeply than anyone 33Oboro (朧) means haziness/dreaminess, so I like to translate it to Haze (I might be wrong, but I believe this was even used in the anime). Hyakka Ryouran is a Japanese idiom that translates to “Countless (or a hundred) Flowers Blooming in Profusion.” It’s wordy, but I guess if I had to give a translation for the technique, it would be something like ‘Haze – One Hundred Flowers Blooming Madly’ 252

else. Perhaps even more than Velgrynd. She was blinded by her love for Rudra. If she knew what Rudra had asked of Damrada and Kondou, she would have been furious. In a sense, Rudra’s request to Kondou was a natural occurrence. Now that he had acquiesced, he had to keep his promise. Because that was what a promise was. But that time was still far to come. Rudra was still alive and in control of his power. …But was that really the case? Looking back, he had felt a small sense of unease. The occasional cold look in Rudra’s eyes and his overly cold judgment. Kondou only knew Rudra as such, but he saw that Damrada was in distress. If Rudra was indeed alive and well, why did Damrada need to agonize over it? It was really suspicious when he thought about it. Since when? Since when had Damrada really started to take action? Did I perhaps overlook something important? He had been interfering with Damrada as ordered, but that might have been a big mistake. Rudra was certainly a shining light when they first met. And yet, Kondou had failed to notice Rudra’s deterioration. The moment Kondou realized this fact, he felt his mind begin to clear. It was as if the shackles of his mind had been loosened. —I see, so I was long already…at the mercy of Justice King Michael… It was shameful, he couldn’t help but lament. That’s right. When Damrada was preparing to kill Rudra, he should have taken the lead instead of interfering. Then they could have stopped Rudra. What a blunder… Now, the situation was irreparable. It was unclear as to why Kondou had been freed from the Justice King’s control, but he couldn’t even move a finger anymore. All he could do now was wait quietly for death. I’m so useless. Whether it was sharing your pain or easing your suffering, I have failed to do so. And…even the promise to free you was a failure… The task of stopping Rudra did not seem possible by any means. As it was, he could only reach the end of his life with regret— ……… …… … “Hey, don’t go sleeping on me. Let’s continue the fight!” As if to disturb his sleep, he heard a voice speaking to him. When he opened his eyes, the enemy he had been fighting to the death with just now was peering at him sullenly. A demon with shining blond hair and a bewitching smile. Surely a beautiful sight. —Don’t be absurd. I’m already dying. There’s no way I can fight. “Huh? But the victor has not been decided. That’s no good.” Heheh. It’s not decided, huh? Yeah, sure. After all…you’re just so, so unreasonable… Kondou chuckled lightly as he heard Carrera’s words, though he didn’t think she understood him. Carrera herself was probably already running out of energy and on the verge of death— 253

laughter welled up at just the thought of it. He tried to sit up, and failed. He was a mess. After all, I’m not going to be able to do anything more. The demon in front of him, on the other hand, was free and pure… I envy you, I really do. That’s what he thought, from the bottom of his heart. It was also why Kondou began to say and do things that didn’t even make full sense to himself. “I have a request. His Majesty, with my gun …please kill…” He was going to entrust his role to Carrera, his enemy. What am I doing? Making such a foolish wish to the enemy I’ve been fighting… A defeated man’s wish was bound to be ridiculed. And yet, for some reason, he said it out loud. Carrera picked up the Nambu pistol that was lying on the ground. “This? It’s broken.” So it is, Kondou thought as his consciousness faded. He had been a little naive to think that maybe the demon would listen to his wish. Demons were not that kind. Reality was cruel, and Kondou understood that very well. His consciousness slowly became more and more distant. Even though he had become a Saint, a spiritual life form, Kondou was still a human being. If his soul was destroyed, it was impossible to be revived. Carrera’s blow had dealt a fatal blow to Kondou. He could actually feel that he was collapsing from the end. It was impossible for him to recover from this stage. “Hmph. You’re just going to give up now that this toy’s broken? It’s not like you’re the one who tormented me. It was such a good fight, but I happened to awaken.” Kondou hadn’t expected such encouragement from his former enemy, Carrera. And so, Kondou squeezed the last of his energy and smiled. “Kukuku, you’re right… Hilarious. It’s hilarious how pathetic I am… I know…” After these words, he began to let go of his consciousness. But— “Wait, don’t die yet. I can kill the emperor if you want or whatever.” …? “You’re so slow! What’s the reward? It’s common knowledge that if you want to work with a demon, you need a contract!” Carrera was originally a demon that could never be negotiated with. And yet, somehow, she felt as if she could listen to Kondou’s request. However, she was not willing to work for free. Kondou couldn’t help but smile at Carrera’s flustered expression. He was getting more and more amused. The demon who had been his enemy. Her embarrassed and flustered appearance soothed him. I’ll give you everything I have—I’ll even give you my ‘soul,’ so please. His words could no longer be voiced out. Kondou opened his eyes with the last of his strength and looked at Carrera with a strong will. 254

It was a mockery to believe in a demon. However, with the beauty of Carrera burned into his mind, he made his wish. It may have been Kondou’s selfish illusion to think that his message had been conveyed. Nevertheless—he bet on his last hope to save himself from his unworthiness. The voiceless voice reached Carrera. “I have heard your wish. In the name of Carrera, the Menace Lord, we have a deal! Your wish shall be granted.” Kondou smiled as he heard those words solemnly proclaimed. He moved his weak hand with nothing but his will power and pointed it at Carrera. His fingertips touched the gun that Carrera had declared to be broken. At the touch of Kondou’s finger, the Nambu shined golden. It was bathed in Kondou’s power, its material changed, and it was reborn as mythical-grade. Kondou’s soul was also passed on to Carrera through the pistol. However, it did not contain his heart. Carrera knew. The soul of an enlightened and sinless man could not be set free, even if his soul was bound. He would be released from the wheel of reincarnation without any restrictions and travel to the promised place. That is, liberation. Carrera thought it was lonely. “Hmm, that’s no fun. It’s been a long time since I’ve had such a resolute opponent…” She muttered this to herself, and at the same time— «In that case—Let’s combine the Ultimate Skill ‘Annihilation King Abaddon’ with ‘Conviction King Sandalphon.’» Carrera felt as if she heard such a voice. She hurriedly turned her attention to the pistol in her hand. 255

The pistol glowed with an even greater dazzling golden light, as if it were silently saying, ‘Now you won’t be lonely anymore.’ It was unmistakably a memento of Kondou, and now it was Carrera’s new partner. “Well then… It seems you’re with me now.” As she spoke, the pistol seemed to flicker. At the same time, she could feel power flowing into her body. —You’re using your mana too roughly. I’ll help you, so you should use me more skillfully.— She felt as if she heard Kondou’s voice. In that next moment, she understood everything. In an instant, she had taken possession of Kondou’s power. “Nosy guy. Can you stop treating me like a child?” The man was such a cocky bastard to the end—Carrera thought so. She didn’t feel lonely anymore. Carrera stood up. “Congratulations on your great victory. I, Agera, was impressed.” “Same to you. I’m proud of you for surviving.” “Fufu, it is a pleasure to be praised by Carrera-sama.” Although he was smiling, Agera was wounded. Carrera’s mana had poured into his body, and he had been subjected to Kondou’s swordplay. Now that he was no longer a sword, he was so badly injured that it was a wonder he had not been destroyed. Even so, Agera was still smiling with satisfaction. “This Kondou guy, he was a descendant of your disciple, wasn’t he?” “Apparently so.” “Humans are not so foolish as to be underestimated. They can inherit skills and build upon them to continuously improve.” Agera nodded happily. “He was stronger than you, though. It’s quite something.” Agera frowned in disgust. “The only reason he was stronger than me was because he was an exception. If we had fought with swords alone, I’m sure I would have won.” “I guess you can say that.” And they both laughed out loud. They were very similar in that they both hated to lose. As Carrera laughed, she saw a rift in the other world that was collapsing. Through it, she could see Emperor Rudra’s seated figure. “Come now, the battle is not over yet.” Carrera walked out with a fearless smile on her face, as she always did. “Of course, I will accompany you. We will strike fear into the hearts of those who stand in our way!” 257

Agera followed behind Carrera. He was mortally wounded, but he didn’t care. The enemy was still out there. And— Most importantly, the promise must be fulfilled. Granit, the third rank in the Single Digit hierarchy, was a champion who had supported the Empire for a long time. He was a key player who had laid the foundations of the Empire and helped bring about a thousand years of peace. He was once praised as the “God of War” by the subjects of the Empire, and was a great man as recorded in the history books. Although he had now disappeared from the center stage, he was the chief of the four knights as a confidant of Emperor Rudra. He was a warrior who had mastered all kinds of weapons and martial arts, and his physique was magnificent. Although he was over 2,000 years old, his black hair which was stroked all the way back and his short black beard gave him a youthful impression. Confronting Granit was Benimaru, the “Flare Lord.” The two men faced each other in the center of the circular colosseum. “I am Granit. Protector of the Empire.” “I am Benimaru. You can think of me as the second-in-command of Demon Lord Rimuru.” After a brief exchange of names, it was time to fight. With that in mind, Granit smiled and spoke to Benimaru. “Ah, wait a moment. Don’t you wish to hear what I have to say?” “It depends on the content.” “Well, that’s simple. I have investigated about you, and it’s been reported that you are a very powerful man.” “I’m flattered.” “Fufufu, I’m not trying to flatter you. I’ve slaughtered many powerful men and I pride myself on my discernment. Even in my eyes, you have passed the test. I’m sure you’re no match for any ordinary demon lord.” “What are you trying to say?” At this point, Benimaru was starting to get annoyed. It wasn’t that he didn’t like to negotiate, but now that the battle had heated up to this point, there was no time for a leisurely discussion. If the other side wanted to surrender, that would be a different story, but judging from Granit’s behavior, that was not the case. Rather, he seemed to be suggesting that Benimaru surrender. 258

His prediction was correct. “I didn’t expect you to be so strong. I’m surprised. Kondou was also unhelpful, as the Intelligence Bureau’s negligence put our empire at risk. If there are more losses than expected, we won’t be able to fight a decisive battle. So, I think we should end this now. Why don’t you take an oath to be my subordinate? If you surrender, I will take full responsibility for you and your men.” It was a very self-serving proposal. Since he was about to lose, he was proposing a ceasefire without admitting defeat. From a third party’s perspective, it would only have seemed that way. In reality, however, that was not the case. Granit did not believe that he would lose. Because they had lost a lot of battle power, he was trying to recruit Benimaru and the others in order to replenish his forces. Benimaru intuitively saw through this and felt even more annoyed. This guy…is he trying to use us as pawns? But he seems to have the ability to back up his confidence. Benimaru calmly evaluated Granit. The fact that he made that suggestion in this other world meant that he was aware of the situation inside the other gates. He should have been regarded as a warrior with a tactical perspective, not merely a guard. Granit’s proposal was not even worth considering from Benimaru’s point of view. “So, my subordinates will be fine, but what about Rimuru-sama?” “It’s a shame, but that demon lord is dangerous. We’ll need your help to defeat him in order to confirm your loyalty.” Sure enough, Benimaru thought. He wanted them to work together to take down Rimuru, but in reality, he probably just wanted them to kill each other. Of course, if they survived that, they might be willing to let them join, but Benimaru was not stupid enough to trust such an uncertain story. Most importantly, it was absolutely outrageous to expect that he would betray Rimuru. “That’s not even worth talking about. We would never betray Rimuru-sama.” The only reason why he was still listening to the other party was because Benimaru wanted to buy some time. In fact, he had been hearing someone’s voice since a while ago now. The voice, which sounded both nostalgic and pleasant, came to Benimaru with a proposal. «Benimaru, may I make some changes to the form of power you desire?» Normally, he would never have nodded to such a dubious proposal, but for some reason, Benimaru had agreed. Although his race had evolved into a “flame spirit oni,” Benimaru had not been satisfied with that. Referring to the experience of Rimuru’s lending him the Ultimate Skill, he aimed to acquire one on his own. That goal was half-accomplished. 259

Upon seeing the battle between Rimuru and Velgrynd, and the struggles of the others, Benimaru had become enlightened. He integrated the power of fire, his forte, into his Unique Skill ‘Generalissimo.’ Although he was unable to recreate Rimuru’s power of Absolute Severance, his beloved sword the Red Lotus had been reforged by Kurobee to the level of a mythical-grade sword. If he put black flames on it, he would not be defeated because of the difference in weapon performance. Generalissimo’ was on the verge of reaching the ultimate level, combining the techniques he had developed and the racial characteristics of the ‘flame spirit oni’ race. And then he heard that mysterious voice. Benimaru wanted to see what kind of change would come from his acceptance. That was why he agreed to talk with Granit, but later regretted it when he was told to betray Rimuru. The mere mention of such a suggestion was offensive. Having had enough, he drew his sword and held it out towards Granit. “Hey, come on, it’s no good having such a short temper. A monster lives by survival of the fittest. They follow the strong and abandon the weak, right? Isn’t it commonplace for monsters to change masters?” Upon hearing Granit’s words, Benimaru became angry enough to feel his head boil. As a general, he was confident and proud of his calm thinking, but now… Heh, I have no right to laugh at Shion like this… He mocked himself, but he had no intention of holding back his anger. “Enough. I have nothing more to say to you.” At those words, Granit shook his head and muttered, ‘Good grief.’ “I don’t understand. This is a mercy and my greatest concession. I respect your position and am saying that I will hire you as a subordinate without hurting you…” Granit spoke, seeming genuinely mystified. He had no doubt about his strength. This was because he believed himself to be overwhelmingly stronger than Benimaru. Understanding this, Benimaru became even more furious. There was only one reason why he had not yet gone off and cut him down. He wanted to make Granit regret what he had said. “Are you going to continue this conversation lazily just so you can have an excuse for losing?” “Hahaha, what a joke. I appreciate your spirit, but you should learn to have some selfawareness. Perhaps my men were too proud…and all three of them were defeated. I feel too ashamed to face His Majesty, but as long as you agree, we will have more strength than before. I’ll be happy, and you won’t have to die. Wouldn’t that make for a good relationship? You should understand after hearing that. I have no intention of using you as abandoned pawns.” Obviously aware of Benimaru’s annoyance, Granit spoke without shame. What was even more infuriating was that his words were unmistakably serious. He meant what he was saying. Granit exuded the aura of a champion, and his demeanor eloquently evoked that there was no need for gimmicks. 260

“If you truly are a general, then think carefully. Your subordinates can be saved with just your heart. Besides, I will tell you the brutal truth. Kondou and Damrada are really strong. Damrada and I go way back, and I am familiar with his character. Well, I’m stronger, but he is also a powerful opponent who will not be defeated even in the face of a primordial. And then there’s Kondou. He’s a newcomer, but he’s just as good as us. It was only because he was too dangerous that he was put under His Majesty’s control, but even a primordial cannot defeat him. In other words, in order to challenge His Majesty Rudra, you will have to defeat the four strongest masters, including Velgrynd-sama and myself. You understand that this is impossible, right?” This guy is surprisingly loose-lipped—thought Benimaru. Now that his anger had been quenched a little, he would try to gather some information. Some of the words were irritating, but if he could find out the inner workings of the empire just by putting up with them, Benimaru had no complaints. What bothered him was the fact that the emperor had Kondou under his control. There was no doubt that Emperor Rudra possessed some kind of domination Skill. “It’s unfortunate that you’ve been so vocal and unilaterally determined that we are the losers. Besides, even if we did follow you, it wouldn’t be good to be put under control, would it?” “Kakaka, are you finally interested? I’m sure you are. Well, I had heard that the ogre clan was an excellent mercenary group, so I thought that you would join us depending on the conditions. And rest assured, just as you feared, His Majesty does indeed have the power to control minds. But there’s no point in worrying about that.” “…” “Hmm, so you’re not convinced. Well, I guess it would be difficult. Consider it an honor to be dominated. If one is not competent, you’ll just be ignored. Besides, Kondou was also dominated, and he was not aware of it. I am the only one who knows, so I do feel a little sorry for him.” “As I thought, you’re out of your depth.” It was truly out of the question. Granit’s point as well, was not incomprehensible. No one would be unhappy because the controlled person would be unaware of it. That was the logic behind it, but no one would nod their head if asked to accept it. “Is that so? It’s true when I say that you don’t need to worry. You may not believe much of what I say, but to put it another way, I can assure that you and your subordinates will never be dominated.” “Why not?” “Because you are weak.” “What a joke…” Benimaru’s anger flared up again. Granit’s tone was so natural that it was completely clear that he was not bluffing or anything, and that he wasn’t even trying to insult Benimaru. Benimaru was aware that he had evolved to become stronger, so he did not expect to be looked down upon so much. 261

“Well, just listen. When it comes to being an enemy, you are one of the strongest, but when it comes to being allies, you do not reach the value of being dominated. Not only have we taken control of young Yuuki as well as Kondou, but now we’ve taken control of Veldora-sama too. I don’t think there’s enough room to add you to those numbers, so if you swear loyalty to me, you will be allowed to move freely. After all, even if you were to challenge me with all of your subordinates, you would be no match for me.” “That’s a lot of confidence. But then again, I am confident in my own strength as well. I don’t want to listen to any more arguments, so let’s decide who’s right and who’s wrong with action.” Benimaru readied his sword, which he had slung over his shoulder. He had thought he might be able to get some useful information, but he decided that anything more would only make him more disgusted. Granit let out a big sigh, not amused. “Monsters are incorrigible. It’s a pity that you are still unable to see the reality of things. It’s no use. I guess I have no choice but to give up on trying to win you over and negotiate with the one who defeated Minaza instead.” Benimaru snorted. “Don’t do that. Shion is more stubborn than I am.” Upon hearing this, Granit’s face turned serious for the first time. “Well…? I don’t believe you’ve been introduced, but do you know who Minaza is?” “Isn’t it natural to gather information on the battlefield? Rimuru-sama has also educated us to do so thoroughly.” “Hmm, that’s interesting. I wonder how you got the information from the otherworld that Velgrynd-sama created. As I thought, it would be a shame to kill a man of your stature.” With that said, Granit finally drew his sword. He could handle any weapon with skill, but a familiar sword would be more comfortable in his hand. The moment he held his sword up to Benimaru, Granit’s mood changed completely. His previous calm demeanor disappeared entirely, and he radiated a supreme energy that was not unlike a divine oni. His short hair was standing on end, as if he was the embodiment of a man in a furious rage. “There is a saying in the otherworld, “ask not the sparrow how the eagle soars.” 34 The meaning is that a small boy cannot understand the thoughts of a grown man, which is exactly what you are. You should have obeyed me while I was gently guiding you.” “Are you still lecturing me at this point? I’m tired of this.” “Hmph! Then die!! Hagun Gekishin Resshou35!” 34The quote was basically “enjaku izukunzo koukoku no kokorozashi wo shiran ya” which roughly translates to something like “why would a sparrow know the will/mind of the eagle?” It’s similar to the quote “ask not the sparrow how the eagle soars” which I used because it sounds better in English. Basically, it means that the people at the top of the ladder are incomprehensible to those on the bottom, and that’s just how nature is. 35Not too sure what this means (I didn’t get a good look at the Japanese), but based on MTL it’s something like 262

From the first blow, Granit unleashed his most powerful special move. He was confident that this would be the end. Granit’s forte was analyzing the enemy. With the Ultimate Enchantment ‘Alternative’ lent to him by Rudra, Granit was able to determine the combat capabilities of his opponents. By doing so, Granit was able to correctly grasp Benimaru’s strength. That is why he was convinced that there was no way they could be defeated. Of course, “enemy detection” was not omnipotent. If the adversary had awakened to an Ultimate Skill, it was impossible to know its power. However, it was easy to guess the level of competence just by looking at the amount of magicules the adversary possessed. In this respect, Benimaru and the others were not a threat. Benimaru, Souei, Shion, and the demons. In Granit’s eyes, it was obvious that none of them had acquired an Ultimate Skill. The “primordials” were a nuisance, and it was obvious that negotiations would not be possible with them. That’s why he had planned to deal with the demons once they arrived, but it was Benimaru who appeared before Granit. In Granit’s opinion, Benimaru was a promising young man with the potential to awaken an Ultimate Skill, however, he was not a match for Granit. The amount of magicules he possessed was huge, but it was still less than half of Granit’s. In that sense, it was natural for him to judge that Benimaru was not a threat. Besides, Granit was not conceited nor careless. If the enemy was an Ultimate Skill holder, he might have had a hard time depending on the compatibility. As the battle time extended, there was the possibility of the enemy awakening the ultimate power due to perceived danger. That said, it was impossible for the power to suddenly increase just by talking with him. That is why Granit intended to finish his opponent off with overwhelming power, so that the enemy would not be allowed to fight back at all. Since Granit knew that Benimaru did not have a ‘transformation’ like the beastmen, there was no chance for Benimaru to win. Therefore, Granit’s victory was certain— “How lax. You’re not doing much for all your boastful talk.” “Wh-What the—?!” Something unexpected had happened. The ‘Hagun Gekishin Ressho, which contained enough energy to tear Benimaru to pieces, had been deflected by Benimaru’s sword. It was an unbelievable sight. Granit’s entire body was of mythical-grade equipment. Benimaru’s sword was also quite good, but it should not have been able to match the strength of the true mythical-grade. No, even before that— “N-No way, no, it can’t be!! Why…why have you acquired an Ultimate Skill—?!” It was no wonder Granit was screaming. There was no way the enemy could have suddenly acquired an Ultimate Skill, which had never existed until now. “Army Breaker: Kinetic Shock/Violent Tremor.” It’s basically an attack with the power of a severe earthquake. 263

At Granit’s panic, Benimaru’s attitude was calm. “What are you wondering about? A man is one who is constantly growing!” Although Benimaru seemed fine on the surface, he was covered in cold sweat on the inside. The moment that Benimaru had received Granit’s brutal sword was the moment that he gained power. In that moment, he was able to correctly grasp Granit’s power. If the timing had been even slightly off, Benimaru would have suffered terrible damage. While he might not have died, he was in no condition to laugh about it. That was close. I didn’t think he was hiding his abilities to this extent… I didn’t intend to let my guard down, but I would have lost if I hadn’t acquired this power. It had been a good thing that he took part in Granit’s long conversation—Benimaru thought. “Well, I guess it’s my turn now.” Benimaru switched his mindset and concentrated on the enemy. As far as results were concerned, it was a good thing that he had survived, but he would reflect on the rest later. The power he had just acquired was exactly the ideal he had envisioned. That was why Benimaru had performed it with the ease of breathing, and without reserve. Ultimate Skill ‘Heat King Amaterasu’—reflecting the information Ciel had obtained by analyzing Velgrynd’s powers, Benimaru displayed this fearsome ultimate power. Benimaru’s sword, the Red Lotus, adorned a black glow. It was a symbol of Benimaru’s power—‘Amaterasu.’ The word ‘Amaterasu’ had two meanings in this context. The first read as ‘heat haze’ and was understood as a meteorological phenomenon. Extending from there, it became the essence of ‘Formhide,’ which had no substance, could not be burned, could not be frozen, and could not be cut. The second meaning went without saying. It was the light of the sun, a super-heated flame. With his swordsmanship added to the characteristics of Amaterasu, even Benimaru could not imagine how much his power would increase. Granit, being Granit, responded in a manner worthy of the moniker “God of War.” After a moment of astonishment, he immediately calmed down and began to search for Benimaru’s weakness. Perhaps it was because he had acquired an Ultimate Skill, but his magicule count was greatly reduced. The amount of magicules had been reduced to a third of Granit’s, though it was still enough to make an ordinary demon lord look like a fool. The unknown power was a threat, but he judged that he could defeat it with a single blow of all his might. Then he shouted. “Don’t underestimate me, you monster! This time I won’t hold back. I’ll use all of my strength to defeat you!!” In the past, Granit’s strength had been second only to Velgrynd’s in the Imperial Army. In fact, he was stronger than Damrada, and would have been an even match for Kondou. This was 264

still the case today. It was simply that he had not had a chance to be serious. He was not just a guard for Rudra. Granit then moved to crush Benimaru with all his might. “Die, Yabugun Gekishin Ressho36!!” It was the same technique as before, but the difference in power was enormous. A fierce shockwave burst out and lightning flashed in the atmosphere. However, these attacks only passed through Benimaru. No matter the attack, it was not able to touch Amaterasu. At that moment, a roar sounded in the air. Something had happened, not in this space, but in the otherworld. Carrera makes an awful role model. In Benimaru’s mind, there was a clear picture of what Carrera had done. Of course, it wasn’t through Moss. When he acquired the Ultimate Skill ‘Heat King Amaterasu,’ he was able to see visions of Rimuru and his subordinates connected by the Soul Corridor. As a result, Benimaru had also grasped Carrera’s technique. “I’ll show you something special. I’ve only just seen it myself, but I’ll give it a go.” “Wha—” Granit was unable to react. This was because Benimaru’s attack had already cut him into tiny pieces and burned him to the ground. Even so, the scariest thing here was Benimaru himself. His movements were just like a shimmering heat haze. The ‘Heat King Amaterasu,’ which had analyzed Velgrynd’s power, also possessed the power of ‘Light and Heat Domination’ which gave him the ability to accelerate himself. By using this, Benimaru was able to unleash a sword lash of divine speed, though it was not as fast as the Scorch Dragon Cardinal Acceleration. This invincible technique, which possessed both power and speed, was— “It’s called ‘Oboro-Kokuen Hyakka Ryouran37.’ Well, I guess you can’t hear me though.” Benimaru said as he turned away with a refreshed look on his face. Granit was actually quite strong. Moreover, he had been calculating, well prepared, and in perfect condition. Even so, the fact that he had been defeated could be summed up in one phrase—“bad luck.” If there was one thing to be reflected upon, it was that he had ignored the strategy of defeating the enemy when you could. Granit had died from talking too much. Benimaru thought as such and made a mental note to not repeat that mistake himself. 36Pretty much the same as before, but instead of ‘Army breaker; violent tremor’ it’s more like an ‘Army destroyer.’ 37It’s similar to the Oboro—Hyakka Ryouran other than the addition of ‘Kokuen’ meaning ‘black flames.’ I translate this as “Haze—Black Flames, One Hundred Flowers Blooming Madly” 265

Velgrynd was anxious. This was because Rimuru had eaten her ‘Split Body.’ That Demon Lord Rimuru was one to be feared. She was unable to communicate with the eaten ‘Split Body.’ Her thoughts were swallowed up in the abyss, and no response had come back. Even if she poured her energy into it, it would only be like throwing herself into a bottomless pit. Judging that there was no point to this, Velgrynd bit her lip. Roughly half of her total energy had been lost with no sign of recovery. It was difficult to maintain her composure, as her belief in the invincibility of ‘Parallel Existence’ had now been broken. The current Velgrynd had only about 20 percent of the magicule amount compared to her perfect state. She was finding it impossible to defeat Rimuru and had to make the decision to flee this place immediately. “Rudra… I can’t put him in danger…” With this in mind, Velgrynd decided to abandon the protection of the gate. Fortunately, no one had attacked yet, so she left without hesitation. If someone interfered with her there, she would just take care of it while there. Sure enough, she saw a few figures at the location surrounded by the eight gates. “Oh, what are you in such a hurry for? Have you forgotten something, Velgrynd-sama?” Testarossa, who appeared to be the leader in the group, asked as she sipped her tea in a relaxed manner. “…White Primordial Blanc…” Velgrynd glared at Testarossa whose smile only deepened. As she was in a hurry, Velgrynd was annoyed at the appearance of such a troublesome opponent. In contrast to Velgrynd, Testarossa was smiling gracefully. “Didn’t I ask you to stop calling me that? Or…are you perhaps trying to pick a fight with me?” Her smile was still there, but her eyes were not happy. In the face of the overwhelmingly dominant Velgrynd, Testarossa remained unrelenting in her stance. “You still want to fight me even after I hurt you so badly?” “Yes, it would be a pleasure. I don’t need to win. I just need to buy myself some time against you.” Velgrynd’s fist came at Testarossa as she stood up. Tables and chairs shattered in the shockwave. Esprit and Zonda had already evacuated to avoid being caught. Testarossa danced around lightly. 266

The heat was so intense that it could turn one into charcoal just by a mere touch, and the speed was so fast that it was impossible to see. There was no need to dare face the onslaught of Velgrynd with force. Regardless of skill-level, there was a difference of nearly ten times the amount of magicules between the two. Even though Velgrynd had only about 20 percent of her magicules left, there was still that much of a gap. And yet, Testarossa maintained a relaxed attitude. It would be difficult to win. That was because there was simply no way to defeat Velgrynd. But if all she wanted to do was buy time without defeating her, Testarossa’s ability would be no problem. “This is why I hate you guys!!” “Oh, what a shame. I have the utmost respect for you, sister of Veldora-sama.” “So pretentious. In that case, stop making a scene and get out of my way!” “I’m afraid I must decline your request. I am a competitive person and I still hate to lose. That’s why, I’ll get even with you right here!” This was Testarossa’s true intention. She couldn’t defeat Velgrynd in a straight fight, but she could still disrupt her. Even if she couldn’t hold out until the other leaders arrived, Rimuru would be arriving soon. At that point, Testarossa’s victory would be confirmed. Ahhh, Rimuru-sama’s victory was truly wonderful—playing the overwhelming Velgryndsama as if twisting a baby’s hand. I, too, will not be defeated. Rimuru had already revealed the details of Velgrynd’s techniques, so Testarossa had no intention of letting this opportunity slip away. Red and white clashed. One was fierce, the other was graceful. While weaving a red and white pattern at a frightening speed, they faced each other again without making a single contact. “How stupid… You’re not the same person you were before…” “That’s right. I’m surprised, but I’ve also acquired an Ultimate Skill. I think it is because of that.” Testarossa answered casually, as if it was nothing. In fact, Testarossa had used the waiting time to hope to gain new powers. As a result, she succeeded in materializing the shape of her own heart. At that moment, she thought she heard a strange voice, but she chalked it up to her imagination. Testarossa was a demon that could choose the right answer by instinct. As for the power she desired, it was the Ultimate Skill ‘Death King Belial,’ Just like the Lustful King Asmodeus of Luminas, it controlled life and death. However, the fact that it weighed more on the side of death must have been reflective of Testarossa’s true nature. For her, defeat was a humiliation she could never accept, much less death. One of the conditions for a demon to evolve was to accumulate power to the limit and then age for more than 2,000 years. It also meant that they could not be defeated even once—in this 267

case, defeat meant annihilation. The phenomenon of losing one’s body and being returned to hell was what was called defeat. So, strictly speaking, a ‘draw’ did not count as a defeat. Escape, however, was another matter. A mental organism was influenced by their own mind. The moment one admitted that they could not beat their opponent and stopped challenging them, they were defeated. There were some crazy demons in the world, like Diablo, who were truly undefeated, but those were few and far between. Testarossa was aware of only a handful of them. As long as your heart does not give in, it’s okay. That is why Testarossa did not stop challenging Zegion. As long as she did not stop until she won, it was not a defeat. The same was true in this case. Testarossa believed that as long as she didn’t run away from Velgrynd, she would eventually win. “You’ve acquired an Ultimate Skill, huh?” “Yes. Diablo’s bragging was annoying after all, but it was also because the previous battle made me deeply aware of what I lack. As long as a Skill is a reflection of the heart, they are not necessary—that is what I once thought, but I guess it was a shallow belief.” “…” “Perhaps it’s because I’ve been able to confront my own desires, but I feel as if I’ve sharpened my use of power.” Velgrynd also possessed the Ultimate Skill ‘Charity King Raguel,’ so she understood the meaning of Testarossa’s words. It was also why she realized that it would be even more difficult for her to withdraw from this place. “Truly, so abominable…” Testarossa laughed at her unintentional complaint. “That is the best kind of compliment, is it not?” And just as Velgrynd’s anger was about to reach its peak, there was a massive explosion that distorted space. Velgrynd, who had regained her senses, looked back in surprise. One of the gates had been blown apart in a spectacular fashion. The blond-haired demon, Carrera, appeared there. Incidentally, some of Leon’s infamy was due to Carrera’s actions, but that was not the point right now. “Hey, it looks like you made it. I don’t like losing all the time either, so I’d like to join you.” “Ufufufufu, no, Carrera. I don’t mean to be mean, but you’re covered in scars.” “That Kondou guy was tough. Well, I’m pretty satisfied, so I think I’ll let it go for today.” Laughing, Carrera wobbled, and Esprit rushed over to support her to a chair which Zonda had maneuvered. Agera was also there, but he was left alone. “If Carrera will put up with it, I’ll stop being so selfish. I’m a little tired, so I’ll just watch.” Before she knew it, Ultima was sitting next to Carrera. She noticed that Veyron had prepared a chair for her. 268

One after another, the demons gathered. Of course, it didn’t stop there. Shion, Souei, and Benimaru also emerged from their respective gates. Upon seeing this, Velgrynd could only cringe. She realized that the strongest men on her side had all been defeated. It was a tactical victory for Testarossa. Rudra and Velgrynd’s hopes were about to be crushed. Shifting the viewpoint from the sky to the earth— On the battlefield, the heat of battle was rapidly dying down. In the midst of all this, Laplace was running towards Kagali, accompanied by Vega. It appeared that the forbidden spell, ‘Birthday,’ was long over. To be more precise, Kagali must have lost control due to the loss of Velgrynd’s assistance. It wasn’t clear how many undead elves had been created, but there should still be some time before they started to move. Depending on the will of the undead elf, they could become a powerful warrior from birth. That’s why it was necessary to take them into custody before anyone else did. Since Laplace had thought as much, others would naturally come to a similar conclusion. Lieutenant Kondou, who had led the ritual, could not have been unaware of this. “Damn, I thought I had a head start.” Once Laplace arrived at the site, the Imperial soldiers were in the midst of loading Kagali and the others into military vehicles. “So, you’re Laplace then. I’ve heard that you’re quite strong, so is a fight inevitable?” The man who called out to Laplace was a gentleman wearing a different colored military uniform. Lieutenant Kondou’s white uniform was conspicuous, but this man’s bright red uniform gave off a strange air. And yet, he did not look very strong. He had a doll-like face and was a mysterious man whose gender-neutral looks could be of a man or a woman. He seemed ordinary, and if he wasn’t wearing such a flashy military uniform, he wouldn’t even have left an impression. —No, perhaps it was because of the military uniform that the man did not leave an impression. Observing this, Laplace responded cautiously. “I’m Laplace, and if yer willing to let ‘em go, there’s no need to fight, right?” “Huhuhu, that’s an impossible proposition. You see, the war is still going on over there. I can’t just run away.” The man was determined. In that case, Laplace had no choice but to prepare for battle. “Then so be it. So who’re you?” It would be a profitable question if answered properly. 269

“Me? Well, it’s only natural that you don’t know. I am the tenth in the ranks. I, Feldway, am the one who holds up the history of the empire!” The man Feldway. He was a permanent fixture in the Empire and was expected to serve as a spare in the unlikely event that there was a vacancy in the Single Digits. He had heard rumors about Laplace as well, but this was the first time he had seen him. “So, it’s you. Then yer the man they call the spare.” “I’m not a man. But I’m not a woman either.” “That’s complicated.” Laplace looked at Feldway as they spoke. He looked natural, and not self-conscious. He didn’t take a stance, and he didn’t appear to be running away. He was an elusive figure. It was Vega who was impatient. “Leave it to me. I’ll crush that bastard.” Laplace hurriedly stopped him as he tried to move forward. “Wait a minute, I told you never to run ahead! The Chairman and the others are basically being held hostage, so we can’t mess with them.” Footman and Teare were still alive and well, struggling against the masses. If they were called upon, it would be impossible to tell how the battle would turn out. Laplace cautiously tried to find out what his opponent would do. However, this was interrupted by the appearance of an unexpected person. “Vega, come help me. Laplace is a traitor. I’ll deal with him here.” “—Wha-?!” Feeling a strong killing intent, Laplace fled from the scene. The voice that reached his ears was that of his trusted boss, Yuuki Kagurazaka. However, what he heard was not what Laplace wanted. “Boss, come to your senses! It’s not like you to be manipulated by others!” Yuuki had defied Mariabell’s control. With his mental strength, he should be able to resist any kind of mental control. However, Laplace’s voice did not reach him. Yuuki attacked Laplace with unhindered movements. Seeing this, Vega, who had been confused, smiled a twisted grin of happiness. “Oh, yeah, boss! When you’re done with him, I can eat him, right?” “Yeah, sure. I welcome you to get stronger.” “You’re the boss, you know what you’re talking about!” Following the strong. That’s the kind of man Vega was. He lacked morals and ethics. He lived by instinct more than a wild animal. That is why he did not feel his betrayal was evil, and gleefully launched his attack on Laplace. If it had only been one of Yuuki or Vega, he could have dealt with them. However, dealing with both of them at the same time was a tough task even for Laplace. Che, this isn’t good. Let alone saving the Chairman, I might get killed. Nope, I’ll just have to leave for now… From a strategic point of view, Laplace made the correct choice. But that was not going to 270

happen. “Huhuhu, there’s no point in trying to escape. You’re Laplace, aren’t you? You’re cunning and cautious. It would be troublesome to let you go, so I’ll have you die here.” True to those words, Laplace’s transition failed. This was the result of Feldway’s ‘Spatial Domination’ of the entire battle area, which he had been observing from up high. “Damn it!” Vega shot a turbulent volley of energy bombs in time with a violent kick from Yuuki. Vega may be a muscle head, but he had a good sense of combat. The escape route was blocked, and Laplace’s chances of winning were slim. No, rather, as long as Yuuki was there, there was no chance. Geez, is this the end for me—? Even so, Laplace had no intention of giving up so easily. Betting on the slight possibility that Yuuki’s mental domination would be broken, he decided to show the true power he had been hiding. “Die!” “You fool! Yer the one who’s gonna die!” In between Yuuki’s attacks, he kicked Vega, who had carelessly approached him. This made Vega unable to even stand up for the time being. “Hey, that’s pretty good.” “Yeah. I’m not as good as the boss, but I’m pretty strong too, y’know?” “I know. So, at the least, I’ll kill you with my own hands.” “—Wha?!” With a small sense of discomfort. Laplace noticed something and hurriedly stared at Yuuki’s face. Sure enough, it was a familiar face… He was caught off guard. Lost in thought, Laplace was too late to react to Yuuki’s fist. Oh no—he was screaming in his mind. And yet…the pain never came. …Because right before Laplace’s eyes, Yuuki’s fist had been blocked by someone’s hand. “Kufufufufu. Oh dear, Rimuru-sama has scolded me. That is your fault, isn’t it?” It was Diablo. What do you mean by that?—Laplace couldn’t help but want to retort, but he restrained himself from doing so. “D-Diablo-san. Did you come to save me?” “Huh? Why would I—uh, that’s right. It was Laplace, right? I am here to help you, so make sure you tell Rimuru-sama emphatically that I saved you.” 271

Diablo’s expression changed from disgusted to smiling brightly as he said so. I’ve never seen such a suspicious smile before. It was quite impressive that Diablo could be seen this way by the admittedly suspicious Laplace, who had a reputation for such smiles. Needless to say, it was not a compliment at all. “Okay, I get it. I’ll tell Rimuru-sama that Diablo-san has been a great help.” “Good! Then I will help you.” In fact, Diablo had just been told by Rimuru, “What are you still doing here?” With everyone else working hard, it was only natural that he would be reprimanded as the only one watching Rimuru’s battle. Although Diablo had a good reason for being there to protect Rimuru, he could not say such words to him, who seemed to have completely forgotten his orders. Rimuru was the only one in the world who could swing around the selfish Diablo. This was the moment that proved it once again. That is why Diablo was ordered to get to work and ran away. After he heard the report from Moss, he rushed to this location. He did not come to help Laplace, but rather to get rid of all the suspicious people. Kufufufufu. It was fortunate that I was able to sell a favor to this man here. Now, Rimurusama’s opinion of me will be restored. Diablo felt as if he had already won. “So, I’ll leave Yuuki over there alone because of the alliance…huh? Isn’t this the Phantom King? I know you’ve been coveting this world for a while, but is this the case? You’ve teamed up with Rudra, haven’t you?” Diablo’s gaze rested on Feldway, who had been smiling faintly. The smile faded and he looked at Diablo with a blank expression as he took in his appearance. “—So then you must be the Black King Noir? Kondou’s investigation mentioned that the primordial black had become a servant of the Demon Lord Rimuru, so I see that it’s true.” “I now go by the name Diablo. I don’t care about what you plan to do, but if you try to interfere with Rimuru-sama, I will not tolerate it. If you are planning to antagonize me, be prepared.” “How kind of you! You are always getting in the way, you damned demon!!” Feldway glared at Diablo with an intense hatred. His murderous intent alone would have been enough to kill a normal person instantly. However, Diablo was unfazed, and he sneered at Feldway as if to provoke him. “Never mind then. Even if I were to fight you here, I have no chance of winning.” “Rest assured. It will be impossible to win.” After a brief exchange of glares, Feldway spoke first. “I think I will retire for the day. If you ever try to interfere with me again, be prepared for that, Diablo.” “Hmm. Well, I’ll let you off the hook for remembering my name. But keep in mind, I will prepare the means to kill you.” 273

After those words, they glared at each other again. Then, as if having nothing more to do, they moved on, ignoring one another’s presence. Feldway gave orders to Kagali and Yuuki. “I’m worried about His Majesty Rudra. We’re returning to the flagship, so get ready.” In response, Yuuki, who had been watching over the situation, disengaged from his battle stance. Vega stood up unsteadily and followed Yuuki towards Kagali and the others. Footman and Teare were also called back, and with Feldway’s ‘Spatial Domination,’ everyone, including the newly born undead elves, were transferred out of the location. Diablo remained there, communicating with Moss. Now that he knew that the enemy was the Phantom King Feldway, he decided that he was the only one who could fight him. He moved to clean up the mess, albeit reluctantly. With Footman and Teare retreating, the fight on the battlefield came to an end. After confirming that everyone was safe, he gave appropriate instructions on how to treat the wounded. Moss was not only competent but also in contact with Benimaru. Diablo decided that his work here was done. After Feldway and the others had disappeared, he flew to the flagship by transport. Laplace was the only one left. “What, so yer leaving me alone again…?” He muttered to himself and slumped his shoulders. 274

Epilogue Brother and Sister After “eating” Velgrynd, I calmed down. Now that I had some time to look around, I took a look around the battleground. The Jura forest was badly damaged, but the capital city of Rimuru had escaped destruction. The area around the city had been cleared and some damage had been done, but Geld and his men seemed to have kept it safe. I was relieved. “So, what are you still doing here?” “Well, isn’t it fine, Rimuru-sama? In fact, I am here to make sure no one gets in Rimurusama’s way…” I had noticed that he had been watching ME the entire time I was Velgrynd. To be honest, it was annoying, but I didn’t have time to pay attention at the time. And now, here we are at the present. It was only natural that I would complain. “Come on, everyone else is working hard. So you go do your job.” “?! Ah, I-I understand…” After looking at me with sad eyes, Diablo left. This guy, I really can’t figure out how he thinks. «He must have been watching the battle under the guise of guarding the Rimuru-sama and to prevent any external interventions—frankly, it was unnecessary.» It seems that even Ciel-san was tired of Diablo. Her words were more scathing than ever. In any case, now I could get back to dealing with Velgrynd. I decided to leave all the explaining and convincing to Veldora, however… …As I listened, I found out that Veldora was putting all of the blame onto me. Oi oi, how come it’s always me who has to deal with all these problem children?!—I was annoyed. This guy seems to be trying to portray me as the bad guy so that he could deflect Velgrynd’s 276

anger. “…Anyway, that’s why I wanted to tell my sister that I was safe, but Rimuru wouldn’t let me. Now that you are in the same position, you will understand what I am saying, won’t you?” —And just like that he was selling me out. He’s like that spoiled child who blames his friends when he doesn’t want anyone to get angry at him. It was a mistake to let Veldora do the persuasion. But he had a point. I could understand that it would be embarrassing for him to show up out of nowhere in front of his sister, who was furious thinking he was dead. I could understand that feeling, but what’s all this about blaming me? Isn’t that just forcing more trouble on me? He was supposed to help mediate, not make the situation worse for me. A-Ah, this is no good! I can’t leave Veldora in charge any longer. I needed to explain that Velgrynd’s current position was the same as Veldora’s. «Before that, I have something to report.» What is it? «Upon analyzing Velgrynd, I have discovered that she was under the control of someone, possibly Rudra. I can remove that effect if you want. How do you want to proceed?» H-hey, that’s a bombshell of a statement! I’m not sure how to respond to that report. I had thought Ciel-san would have done the ‘Analyze and Assess’ on Velgrynd, so I was not too surprised about that, but I just couldn’t keep quiet after hearing that Velgrynd had been controlled. By the way, was Rudra really the culprit? «Almost confirmed. In addition, I have observed the battle between Carrera and Tatsuya Kondou through the Soul Corridor and it seems that Kondou was also controlled by Rudra. I would guess that this is a similar situation.» When I asked for the details, I was told that Granit, the guy Benimaru was fighting, even gave him those answers. That guy was an idiot. I think it was necessary to make it a good example for everyone to learn. That said, it was a problem to be solved after I returned home. The current problem at hand was what to do with Velgrynd. It has been proven that Veldora is unreliable. That’s why I was going to explain it to her, but if Rudra’s Mental Control is affecting her, there is a big possibility that she won’t listen to me. Now then, what to do… «Since we’ve taken the trouble, how about we put Velgrynd in the same position as Vel277

dora?» Huh? Does that mean you can connect me to Velgrynd with Soul Corridor like Veldora, and turn her into an Ultimate Skill? Is that even possible? «No problem. The current Rimuru-sama is equal to or greater than the True Dragon race and has plenty of magicules. It is possible to take in Velgrynd.» But if I do that, I might be taking away Velgrynd’s free will…or would I? I was unable to actually force Veldora to do anything. When I asked him for a favor, he had to agree to work with me. Rather, Veldora just does whatever he wants. When he wants to protect himself, he is willing to sell me out, as he is doing right now. Although I would have sentenced him to confiscation of snacks at such a time, when I think about it, he really does give me a hard time. Even if he did something detrimental to me, it was impossible to undo his released state. I suppose I could stop the energy supply, but I couldn’t make Veldora disappear. Moreover, the amount of magicules that a True Dragon had was so large that it could not be lost by mere chance. As long as Veldora did not return of his own accord, he was free to do whatever he liked. In other words, there was no coercive force. Basically, when Veldora was free, I couldn’t force him to do anything. Thinking about it this way, I realized that Velgrynd would be in the same situation. If I put her in the same position as Veldora, and then ‘free’ Velgrynd, it would be a quick way to prove my innocence. I wouldn’t be misunderstood any more, and I wouldn’t get caught in the crossfire. Sibling quarrels? I don’t know anything. That kind of thing is not my area of expertise. In that case, let’s put her in the same state as Veldora. «If you’re not sure, do you want to put some restrictions on Velgrynd?» Hmmm? Restrictions, is that even possible…? Putting restrictions on Velgrynd so that she can’t resist may be necessary for the future. But…that went against my principles. Worst of all, if Velgrynd was not convinced, it would have been better to leave her in Isolation in Imaginary Space. If I put a mandatory condition on her, I would become the same as Rudra. Even if she doesn’t want to help me, that’s fine. As long as she promises to stay out of my way, she can go live her life. «Understood. I think that’s only fitting for Rimuru-sama.» The plan was set. And it was time to get to work. First, I would start with a greeting. 278

“Ah, Velgrynd-san. How are you—?” “You, Rimuru?! Quit messing around! Let me out of here now!!” I turned my attention into my ‘Imaginary Space,’ and Velgrynd began to rampage. If you pictured the scene, it would be like a suspicious slime approaching a beautiful woman. Indeed, quite the criminal. That slime was me—er, now in human form. No, this was… It was now a beautiful girl of about 16 years old who was approaching a beautiful woman. The atmosphere was rather bewitching, but it couldn’t be helped. This was also to prove my innocence. In the image, I held out my hand to Velgrynd. Then I ate Rudra’s influence, released it, and established the ‘Soul Corridor.’ There were doors on both sides, so unless Velgrynd opened her heart, she could not communicate with me. I could talk to her, so I didn’t think it was a waste of time. These tasks were completed without any problems. Velgrynd, who had been rampaging, had quieted down, and I was surprised by the sudden change. “Ri-Rimuru? You didn’t do something unscrupulous to my sister, did you…?” “You idiot! Of course not! In fact, if you had persuaded her properly, I wouldn’t have had to go through all this trouble!!” We were about to start a fight, but then… “Shut up!” “Ah, yes.” “I’m sorry!” There was a sudden loud cry and Veldora and I lowered our heads at the same time. To be honest, I was scared. No wonder Veldora found her so difficult to deal with. “What the hell is the meaning of this, Rimuru?” “Even if you ask, I’m not sure what you mean…” I had no idea what she was talking about. “I can hear my Split Body’s voice over there, but these sounds don’t seem to reach there. What the hell did you do?” A very pretty woman looked into my face, and I got nervous. I could feel her breath on my face and I began to feel faint. She smelled really good. Velgrynd’s breath was so sweetly fragrant, perhaps because she didn’t normally need to breathe. «Now is not the time. Velgrynd’s doubts were probably due to the fact that she has been freed from Rudra’s control.» Are you a little angry? «It’s just your imagination.» Is that so? But, well, I decided not to pursue it too deeply, and got an explanation from Ciel-san. According to it, the story was simple. The Velgrynd in front of me was not under Rudra’s control 279

while the ‘Split Body’ over there was. That’s why I was using the Infinite Prison to block the flow of information. When blocking out information, one can only get information from the other side. As a result, the Velgrynd on the other side was in a trapped state. Under Rudra’s control, she still couldn’t understand what I was thinking. It was a one-way street. I understood that Ciel-san was doing amazing things, but I was no longer surprised. “In other words, if we analyze the difference in consciousness, we can prove that you were being controlled.” “As expected of Rimuru. Sister, let’s trust Rimuru here—” “Shut up!” “Yes!!” Veldora, who had interjected, was being disciplined again and secretly, I did feel a little happy to see that. After shouting at Veldora, Velgrynd seemed to be thinking about something. She was probably trying to figure out the difference between what I said and the ‘Split Body’ over there. I, too, looked through the eyes of my companions and grasped the situation on the flagship. The battle was in its final stages. And something had just happened that would confirm Velgrynd’s suspicions. My friends were surrounding Velgrynd. This may have seemed a bit cowardly, but that was only for those who were not familiar with the situation. In reality, even if Velgrynd was in a weakened state, it would be difficult to win even if they all challenged her at once. Be that as it may, the foreign space created by Velgrynd was torn apart and about to collapse. Just when I thought it was about to collapse, Diablo came and destroyed it with ease. “The Black Primordial…” “That’s Diablo. He’d be pretty capable if I wasn’t watching.” “Kuahahaha! That guy gives me his snacks. I like him.” This guy has been bought off. So I can’t believe every compliment that Veldora showers on Diablo. With that in mind, as I watched the situation, I saw Velgrynd take a step back to protect Rudra. Rudra remained in his chair with a relaxed attitude despite the situation. That was some nerve. Or was it confidence? Seeing Rudra like this, there was one person who moved first. Carrera. With the golden pistol in her hand, she shot Rudra without hesitation. Moreover, that bullet— “That’s the move that weakened me, isn’t it?” 280

“’Judgment.’ If Kondou can only shoot the strongest bullet once a day, how can the Yellow Primordial…?” I knew the details because Ciel-san had told me. “Not the Yellow Primordial, but Carrera. Apparently, she won the battle against Kondou and was entrusted with defeating Rudra.” “I didn’t expect even Kondou…” muttered Velgrynd after I explained. Leaving the confused Velgrynd behind, the situation moved on. ‹Rudra!› shouted the other Velgrynd, she stood in front of Rudra with her arms outstretched as if to protect him. The fact that she was able to reach Rudra in time with a bullet of divine speed showed that her physical abilities were monstrous. However, the ‘Judgment’ was not half as powerful. Upon hitting, it blew off Velgrynd’s right arm from the shoulder and hit Rudra without diminishing its power. However… Surprisingly, Rudra was unharmed. His expression was relaxed, as if he had known that Carrera’s attack would be in vain. “What was that? How was he able to neutralize that attack?” “I don’t know. I saw a glimpse of the ‘Barrier,’ but I don’t believe it was capable of completely nullifying it.” Veldora and I were surprised by the sight. Velgrynd couldn’t believe it either, muttering, “Why…?” as she collapsed to the ground supported herself with both hands. “What’s going on, Sister?!” Velgrynd replied in a small voice to the panicked Veldora. “Your friend was right. I really was under Rudra’s control…” Realizing this, Velgrynd told me about Rudra. She said that Rudra was safe because of his ironclad defense. That defense was absolute and could not be destroyed by anybody no matter what. However, there was a condition. The loyalty of the subjects and subordinates to the emperor was the source of energy, and there had to be people who were loyal to the Emperor. And then there was a drawback. Although this defense was perfect and always active, it restricted all other actions while it was active while it was active. This ability was the pride of the Ultimate Skill ‘Justice King Michael,’ the ‘Castle Guard.’ As we could see from the fact that it had deflected Carrera’s Judgment, it was almost invincible. The Skill’s user could not attack while it was in use, but those matters could be left to his subordinates. “If he had that kind of power, he wouldn’t have needed my sister to protect him!” Yes, I thought so too. “Yes,” Velgrynd answered. “That’s why the right thing for me to do would have been to pretend to protect him and then go on the offensive. But the fact that I acted like that…” Velgrynd finally understood that she was being ‘thought guided’ when she saw herself pushing to defend Rudra. And Rudra, on the other hand, maintained the absolute ‘Castle Guard’ and did not make a move. 281

That’s how it was supposed to— “What?!” Velgrynd shouted in surprise. And we were all in shock. This was because Rudra had instantly released the ‘Castle Guard’ and pierced through Velgrynd’s chest even as she rushed towards him upon losing her right arm. It was as if Rudra had deliberately attacked Velgrynd. “I see, so that’s how it is…that person, my beloved Rudra, is gone…” Tears spilled from Velgrynd’s eyes. As if to prove Velgrynd’s sorrowful words, Rudra laughed loudly. “Hahahahaha! Velgrynd, you should be honored to be of service to me. I’ll put your power to good use.” As soon as Rudra said that, Velgrynd on the other side crouched down in pain. “That’s Yuuki’s ‘Steal Life,’ isn’t it? Rudra—no, the ‘Justice King Michael’ also has the ability to freely use the Skills of the targets under his control.” What? That should be illegal. Upon hearing Velgrynd’s explanation, Veldora and I looked at each other. “I’ll leave you to deal with Rudra!” “Don’t be stupid! I have no need to argue that I am the best, but I don’t want any trouble, so forgive me for refusing!” “I’ll make you a parfait.” “That’s tempting, but…Hnnng.” Velgrynd looked at us in disgust as we squabbled. Perhaps that was why her tears seemed to have receded. Needless to say, I thought it was a good thing. Well, that and… About the Rudra who had taken Velgrynd’s power… “What do you mean by ‘Rudra is Justice King Michael’?” I had an idea, but I asked that question since I wanted to hear it from Velgrynd herself. “Rudra was already at his limit. He had been reincarnated so many times that his soul was worn out. That’s why it’s Rudra yet not Rudra. He was replaced by the ‘Justice King’ long ago.” Velgrynd replied sadly. “No, no, no, a Skill born of the master’s desire cannot harm the master himself.” “No, that’s not it. Rudra’s ‘Justice King Michael’ was a power given to him by Veldanava. The Skill actually earned by Rudra by his own will was ‘Covenant King Uriel.’ Now that Veldanava, our brother, has still not returned, it is lost and unaccounted for.” “…” I have it though? It wasn’t the right atmosphere to say that, so I decided to just keep quiet. Velgrynd continued with her explanation. To sum it up, she said that Rudra’s repeated reincarnations had weakened his soul’s power, and that he had become unable to control the ‘Justice King Michael.’ 282

When I heard about this, it came to my mind that rather than a Skill betraying its host, this could be seen in a different way. «Indeed. If I were in the same position as the ‘Justice King Michael,’ I would aim for the revival of my true Master, even if I had to take control of the temporary host.» That’s what I thought. I felt that Ciel, as a Manas, would never give up, no matter how impossible the challenge might be. That is why I couldn’t’ help but understand the thoughts of ‘Justice King Michael.’ However, that didn’t mean… “This can’t be left unattended. The ‘Justice King Michael’ has probably evolved into a freewilled Manas. If that’s the case, then its purpose of action must be completely different from what Rudra was aiming for.” “Manas? What the hell is… I mean, wait, wait! Rimuru, do you think that the ‘Justice King Michael’ is after something?” Since I was asked, I would answer. “Isn’t it the resurrection of Veldanava? I’m sure it’s willing to make all kinds of sacrifices to achieve that goal.” ‘So, we can’t just leave it alone there,’ I explained. Velgrynd’s face paled. At that moment, a new figure appeared and launched an attack on Velgrynd, who was currently facing Rudra. «That is Phantom King Feldway, isn’t it? He was overlooked because it was decided that Diablo could not defeat him, but it seems that he left his friends behind and came back.» If Diablo couldn’t defeat him, he must be a very strong man. Still, it always felt like Diablo just wanted to slack off, or was it just my imagination? Never mind. Feldway, just like a powerful foe, was attacking Velgrynd with ‘Spatial Domination’ which was difficult for even an awakened demon lord to resist. The wounded and weakened Velgrynd did not seem to have the strength left to resist it. “Fuhahahaha! That Velgrynd has disappeared from this world through Space-Time Transfer!! Now, there are only two True Dragons left. It’s a good start, Rudra—No, Michael-sama.” Feldway called Rudra “Michael” again. It seemed that Velgrynd’s guess had been proven true. Despite the suddenness of the event, Benimaru and Diablo tried to react quickly. However, I hurriedly performed a ‘Telepathy Net’ and stopped them. It was partly because Phantom King Feldway was unfathomable, but also because I wanted to see how Rudra would react to being called Michael. 283

What’s more—I could see it. I could see a strange substance slipping out of Rudra’s body. It was clinging to Velgrynd as if it was trying to protect itself. And now, it seemed that all of that strange substance had disappeared from Rudra’s body. Really, this reaction is… “Hmm, not bad. Velgrynd’s power became an afterthought, and Rudra disappeared. Now all we have to do is harness the power of Veldora and Velzard and his resurrection will be complete.” Rudra, who was now called Michael, accepted this as a matter of course. Now it was confirmed. My enemy was not Rudra, but Michael. And his goal was the complete revival of Veldanava, the Star King Dragon. “This is a good thing, Michael-sama.” “Hmm. Velzard can be dealt with, but it’s Veldora that’s troublesome.” And so their conversation continued. It was as if they didn’t care about Benimaru and the others. But that was to be expected. Shion and Testarossa, who were not stopped, attacked simultaneously, but all of their attacks were blocked by the Castle Guard. Naturally, Feldway was also unharmed since he was protected as well. How very troublesome. But that wasn’t the point right now. “Rudra, th-that’s Rudra, right? The fragments—the pieces of his soul are still there!!” I thought I was the only one who could see it, but Velgrynd seems to have sensed it too. I had wondered if she could see them, but it appeared that Velgrynd was planning to track down what was left of Rudra. “Calm down—” “Shut up! If we don’t get over there soon, the pieces are going to disappear!!” It was like she had become a spoiled child, crying and screaming despite her angry expression. I prolonged the time by using ‘Thought Acceleration.’ Then, Velgrynd and I created our own world. “Calm down, please. If you go out now, you’ll just end up under Rudra’s control again.” “But!” I’m sure you know what you’re doing. But beyond that, you’ll be stuck there. With no guarantee of returning to this world, saving Rudra is a pipe dream. Perhaps it’s even impossible. «If you continue to act like this, you’ll have no future.» “Shut up! So…what do you want me to do? I can’t give up on Rudra like this, I can’t!!” Those were Velgrynd’s true feelings. It was Ciel’s voice, not mine, but she hadn’t noticed it and had exploded with a passion. «The possibility is still there.» “—Wha?!” 284

«If you accept my ‘Skill Alteration.’» It was a sweet temptation. It was no longer even necessary to wait for the answer. “I accept. As long as it makes my wish come true.” It seemed only natural to me that Velgrynd should answer that way. ……… …… … The moment Velgrynd agreed, a voice echoed out. «Velgrynd’s will has been confirmed. The first thing to do is cut off the interference with ‘Charity King Raguel.’» As she listened, Velgrynd calmed down. She examined her own body deeply, guided by the voice, and found that she had indeed found it. There were traces of some kind of interference with the ‘Charity King Raguel’ engraved deep in her heart. It was blocked now, but it was definitely dangerous to leave it there. So this was the cause. Velgrynd also understood. At the same time, she remembered. The Ultimate Skill ‘Justice King Michael’ had a counterpart to the Regalia Dominion. It was a memory she remembered hearing a long time ago. Among the powers created by Veldanava, the ones more pure were called the angelic system, and all of them were subject to the absolute control of the ‘Justice King Michael.’ This was the ‘Ultimate Dominion.’ Velgrynd’s ‘Charity King Raguel’ was no exception. A very narrow corridor had been constructed to connect it to Justice King Michael, and there was no escaping its influence. That’s right, how could I have forgotten? The Ultimate Skill holders of the angelic lineage could not go against my brother. He hated it more than anyone else, and that’s why he traded Rudra’s ‘Covenant King Uriel’ for it. It also made sense why she had been dominated. If her brother Veldanava had built the system, it would be nearly impossible for her to resist. Indeed, I have no future… Rimuru was right, Velgrynd felt like crying. But then… Just as Velgrynd was about to give up, she heard a strange voice. «The preparations for the ‘Charity King Raguel’ have been completed. It will be integrated with the no-longer-needed ‘Covenant King Uriel.’» Huh?! Velgrynd almost screamed. It was only natural that she would act this way. The ‘Covenant King Uriel’ that she and Rudra had been looking for was found in such a place. Or rather, 285

Velgrynd had just now noticed. The voice she had been hearing was not Rimuru’s. It was not a simple auditory hallucination, but a clear and powerful voice of will. It was very similar to the ‘Voice of the World,’ but softer and more refined, with a feeling of tenderness. There were many things she wanted to ask, but what she needed to ask now was the meaning of its words. “Wait, wait, wait! You’re giving me the ‘Covenant King Uriel’? Or rather, what do you mean by ‘integrated’?!” «If you have no choice but to follow the ‘Justice King Michael’ as it is, then you can stop the alteration. I found a control circuit in the Covenant King Uriel, so I decided to use it as an inspiration to create a new Skill just for you while discarding it.» That was absurd. It was seriously an answer that anyone would spit-take on. But all Velgrynd cared about was one question. “If you do that, then I can go find Rudra, right?” «Yes, that is possible.» If it was possible, then there was no need to hesitate. Velgrynd agreed with hope in her heart. No, it had already been promised. «Velgrynd, your intentions have been confirmed, so there is no need for a second acceptance. I will now activate ‘Skill Alteration.’» That voice—Ciel had no intention of stopping. The moment Ciel activated ‘Skill Alteration,’ an unbelievable surge of power rushed through Velgrynd’s body. Then, it gently enveloped her entire body. «Scorch Dragon Velgrynd’s ‘Charity King Raguel’ and ‘Covenant King Uriel’ will be integrated and evolved into the Ultimate Skill ‘Divine Flame King Cthugha’… Successful.» In a fantastical and solemn voice, Ciel announced in high spirits. And in that moment, Velgrynd was freed from all bondage. ……… …… … Just as I was nodding my head to Ciel’s words, my ‘Covenant King Uriel’ was transferred out. It was my fault for giving permission, but needless to say, I was stunned. Covenant King Uriel’ had been the culmination of the bonds I had with my comrades… «No problem. What was integrated into ‘Charity King Raguel’ was merely the residue 286

of ‘Covenant King Uriel.’ Its essence has been inherited by the new power of ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’» —Eh?! I have so many questions. I have a feeling that Ciel-sensei is up to a lot of great things without my knowledge. I was too afraid to ask, but the thing I needed to focus on now was Velgrynd. I was glad to hear she made it. “Congratulations, Velgrynd-san. Now it’s safe to let you out.” When I said this with a smile, she glared at me with a fierce expression. It wasn’t that I didn’t have an idea why, so I gently looked away. “There are many, many things I really want to ask you, but not now. So, are you going to let me go now?” I nodded because there no longer seemed to be a problem. Ciel said that giving Velgrynd the ‘Covenant King Uriel’ had made her responsive to Rudra’s soul, so finding and retrieving the soul fragments would no longer be impossible. When I heard that, I thought to myself. Perhaps the residue that Ciel was referring to was the core of Rudra’s heart, the ‘Covenant King Uriel.’ If so, then Velgrynd had always been with Rudra. I wasn’t sure if one could find Rudra’s soul, which was scattered all over the world, but I had a feeling that Velgrynd would be able to do it. “Well then, let’s ‘release’ you for now!” And just like that, the three of us came back from the spiritual world to the present world. We said our goodbyes, still feeling the lingering of time. “Thank you, Rimuru. I’m sorry for all the trouble.” It really was. There was so much I wanted to complain about too! However, I was afraid of upsetting her, so I kept quiet. “Now that you’re connected by the Parallel Existence, I don’t think you have to worry about getting lost. I know it’s going to be difficult after that, but good luck!” I kept my support to a safe level. But then… “Sister, even if it doesn’t work out, I’m here! So, don’t be sad and just do your best!” Veldora said with a big smile. His ability to say anything no matter the atmosphere was very impressive. It seems that Velgrynd was not sure how to react to this. And her answer was— “You really are an idiot. Stupid, stupid, cute little brother. I’m glad you’re okay.” With that said, Velgrynd smiled shyly. Then, for some reason, she stared at me again. Being seen super close by beautiful women made me too nervous to move a muscle. Seeing my deerin-headlights expression, she shook her head in exasperation. “I’ll see you later, then.” And with that, Velgrynd departed with a valiant ‘Transport.’ 287

There you have it. The next thing was to support Benimaru and the others. “Are you coming too?” “Of course I am.” Less than a minute later. The attack on Michael was still going on. It was not good enough to get through the Castle Guard, but it was still the right thing to do. This was because the moment you stop attacking, the enemy would start their own. It was also why Benimaru and Diablo were watching from the sidelines instead of stopping Shion and the others. There were only two enemies. I was tempted to take them down here, but unfortunately that was not possible because as long as the Castle Guard was in place, an attack on Michael would not work. But then again, the conditions are the same for everyone— “Fuhahahaha! How weak. Your attacks won’t work against Michael-sama.” Feldway, smiling broadly, was trying to activate his powers in between the attacks. It seems that the Phantom King was not exaggerating, and he intended to throw all of my companions out into the void at once. “Goodbye, everyone. I doubt we’ll be seeing each other again, but—what?!” I was also aiming for the moment the attack went off. In order to interrupt Feldway, I appeared on the battlefield. “Demon Lord Rimuru…” “Nice to meet you. Phantom King Feldway-san.” 288

The smile faded from his face when I replied sarcastically. “A small-town hick with no manners.” “Ah? I don’t want to hear that from Aggressor-san, who’s always longed to be in the city.” When I provoked him further, his expression became a blank mask. I guess he was the type who didn’t get riled up and accumulated his anger calmly. They were the most troublesome type of opponent to deal with. At that moment, Michael, who had been silently listening to our conversation, intervened in a relaxed manner. “Huhuhu, weren’t you hiding and observing me? I thought you were looking for a way to sacrifice your friends and escape.” He was more than half correct, but I wasn’t about to sacrifice my friends. Well, whatever. “I don’t care what you think. Let’s just get this over with, shall we?” “Hmph, you’re a bold man, but do you really think you can beat me?” “Who knows? But I’ll give you some advice. I understand that your authority is absolute control over the Angelic Skills, and that one cannot break through the Castle Guard as long as there are people who believe in you. There’s no more to say. Don’t you think that if we turn the empire into a scorched earth and kill every last living thing, you would lose your advantage?” This was complete bluffing. I had no intention of going that far. However, if I had to weigh the sacrifices of my comrades to this, I would do it without hesitation. I was already prepared for it a long time ago. “…It seems I have underestimated you too. Should we not be enemies?” “You’re right. Noble ideals and noble missions have nothing to do with me. I can actually sympathize with some of your goals. That’s why, as long as you don’t interfere with me, you can do whatever you want.” Although it was too late now. Now that Michael had gone out of control, he would no doubt bring us calamity. It was still okay for now, but Ciel predicted that there would inevitably be conflicts of interest in the future. In that case, all I had to do was believe it and act accordingly. “…” Michael was silent, perhaps pondering. In that case, I decided to tell him my intentions. “If you try to hurt me or my people, I will crush you so badly that you’ll never be able to do anything foolish again.” I would strike fear into their hearts. Indeed, I certainly had no way to break the Castle Guard currently. However, I did have my trusty sidekick Ciel. I knew it would find a way to defeat it. What’s more— I would show no mercy to those who laid a hand on my precious friends. I would defeat Michael no matter what it took—I swore to myself. “I see. Then let’s leave for now.” “—Nn?! Is that all right with you, Michael-sama?” Feldway asked in surprise, but Michael 290

nodded humbly, indicating his intention to withdraw. “It’s too early to tell, and we are the same. If we fight here, it’s going to end badly for both of us.” I felt the same way. With the means I just mentioned, it was indeed possible to win. But that also went against my principles. I could not deny that I was postponing the problem, but for now, I really just wanted to buy time. “Well then, I guess we’re done for today. Shall we?” “All right. Having said that…on a day that we should have been celebrating our complete resurrection, we’ve been given an unexpected challenge. I had thought that Guy Crimson would be the biggest obstacle, but it turns out that this slime, whom I thought was insignificant, is…” With that said, Michael and Feldway left. They probably weren’t going to the Empire. There was no response to my surveillance spell, Argus. And Moss reported nothing unusual. “How awful, really. I don’t even know where they went.” Benimaru laughed. “But Rimuru-sama, as you ordered, everyone is safe. Now let’s celebrate that and go home.” I suppose that’s correct. “Well then, let’s go home! I’m already tired today and quite hungry. Why don’t we ask Shuna to prepare some delicious meals for us?” “A banquet, huh?” That also sounded good. I nodded back at Veldora. “Let’s go home and have a banquet!” My words put the smiles back on everyone’s faces. Even though we still had much work to do, we were grateful that we could celebrate our success together. Velgrynd continued her journey. Yesterday, today, and tomorrow. She tirelessly moved forward. ……… …… … At that time, she had left Rimuru and flew to a different world that transcended time. It was in an unknown crevice of another world where she safely reunited with her ‘Parallel Existence,’ which had managed to escape Feldway. That place had no atmosphere or even earth, Velgrynd was forced to drift around without 291

any sense of time. Had Velgrynd not been a True Dragon, she might have died in that place. But she had ‘Spatial Domination’ and an infinite lifespan. She had plenty of time to think before she reached the place where she could stop. Velgrynd had almost stopped thinking because of the unbelievable events that had happened to her. The amount of information exceeded her processing capacity. The emergency of being adrift in a different space, on the other hand, allowed her to regain her composure. Velgrynd thought to herself. The sheer volume of information and its anomalies had made her give up thinking, but she thought for as long as she could. Then, more than anything else, she thought of one thing. The fundamental question was how Velgrynd had been able to regain her freedom, going against the system constructed by her own brother. There was only one person she could think of who could have made this possible. That aberration of a slime, an ally of her foolish brother—Demon Lord Rimuru. N-No way, it can’t be?! That slime… He had freely altered an Ultimate Skill, giving Velgrynd her freedom and greatly improving her abilities to an even higher level. This was not something that could be done by someone normal. Only my brother Veldanava could do such a thing. If there was another being capable of such an act, I can’t imagine it… Velgrynd shuddered at the thought of the impossible. Turning her attention to it, the Ultimate Skill ‘Divine Flame King Cthugha’ reacted. It was far more powerful than the ‘Charity King Raguel.’ And above all, as if linked to Rudra’s heartbeat, the fragments she had taken in were reacting. Heh, it doesn’t matter who that slime is. He is Rimuru, a friend and ally of Veldora, and my benefactor. That was the conclusion she came to. Finally, Velgrynd broke out of her circling thoughts and turned her attention to reality. ……… …… … Traveling across the worlds, and through the ages, Velgrynd continued to collect pieces of Ruda’s ‘soul.’ I love you. I love you, Rudra!! With the single-minded desire to see Rudra again, Velgrynd overcame countless obstacles. And then, finally… She spotted the boy in a big city full of skyscrapers. 292

Rejoice and resolve. The boy was in possession of everything that was missing. If she gave him that, adding in the rest of what Velgrynd had… However, Velgrynd struggled with the question of whether she could do such a thing. To do so would be to dramatically change the boy’s fate. Velgrynd, who had an infinite lifespan, was perfectly capable of staying here and watching over the boy until his lifespan came to an end. Well, there’s nothing to panic about. I want to see you as soon as possible, but I mustn’t be in a rush. Velgrynd thought as such and was about to turn her back on the boy and walk away. But then, a shining soul fragment flew to the boy of its own accord. Unseen by anyone, the soul fragment merged with the boy as if it had been sucked in. And with that impact, the boy vanished from this world. All that remained in Velgrynd’s hand was the fragment of the beginning. “Perhaps, you too? Have you been wanting to see me?” Velgrynd asked the fragment as if speaking to it and hoped that it was so. And then… She activated her ‘Divine Flame King Cthugha’ to follow the boy’s lead. 294

Afterword I’m happy to announce the release of volume 15. Last time, I overshot the deadline, and I may or may not remember saying that I would be careful, but unfortunately, I overshot the deadline by about ten days this time, too. I will reflect more on this point and be a little more careful next time! In fact, I had discussed this with I-San early on. “It might be a little tough.” “Let’s go for it!” “You can’t continue, right?” “The last issue was dragging on, so I’d like to finish it this time.” “That’s right, but the number of pages is…” “It’s okay! I don’t care how many pages it’s going to be!” That’s not what I meant though! I was rushing inwardly at the time. This volume has the largest number of characters in the series, and some of them are new to the series. I know that I’m ignoring the theory, but I’ve decided that it can’t be helped. And just like that, the number of sentences for each scene increased rapidly. That’s why the amount of text was getting larger and larger as I wrote each scene. I wanted to break the story in the middle and continue to the next volume…but that was rejected. “All right, then. If that’s the case, please consider extending the release by a month.” “Hmm…let’s do our best until the very last minute!” And so the time went by without either of us giving up… I, too, gave up and kept on writing, until I had already written more than volume 14. “How’s it going?” “Well, it’s still tough. I’ll probably go over by about ten days at this rate.” “I understand. Then I’ve made up my mind.” “Oh, so you’re saying the release date is in October?” “No. We can manage to go over by ten days, so we’ll go for a September release!” I honestly thought, ‘Seriously?’ 295

You’ve made up your mind in that direction? There was no guarantee that it would only take ten days, but I-san’s determination remained unchanged. “I think the number of pages will be the largest ever…” “Don’t worry about that, just try to meet the deadline!” “I…okay.” And so, I was overwhelmed, and somehow managed to meet the deadline. And as a result, this work became the largest amount of text ever written. The content has diverged so much from the web that it’s no longer an exaggeration to say that it’s something else. I’m thinking about the contents of the next volume now, so please look forward to it! I would like to express my greatest gratitude to everyone who has supported and worked on That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime. I hope to see you again in the next volume! 296