Well, I was in trouble too. That’s what I thought as I finished listening to the report from Ramiris and the others. It was a bigger incident than I had expected.
“So, is Chloe going to be okay?”
“There are no problems. She reverted to her child form and is conscious. She’s just resting in the infirmary for now, just in case.”
I was relieved to hear that from Shuna. I had been told from the start that there were no casualties, but even so, I couldn’t rest until I saw for myself. She was probably already asleep right now, so I would go visit her tomorrow. That being said…
This time, the enemy was a real pain in the ass. A strategy to use the intruder as a diversion and separate Ramiris from her guards. Then use the opportunity for Dino to betray us. Dino’s strength was far greater than Beretta’s. Even Beretta and Apito joining forces were unable to stop Dino, and he had almost got his hands on Ramiris. In the end, Ramiris was saved thanks to Zegion’s timely arrival, but if even one step had gone wrong, it would have been a disaster.
I shuddered to think about what would have happened if Zegion had not woken up in time. I was really glad that he made it in time and couldn’t help grabbing my chest in relief. Still, Velgrynd-san’s return had come as a bit of a surprise. She was currently discussing her future plans with Masayuki and the Imperial commanders. We would have to meet and talk later, but I suppose they would all want to collect their thoughts. That being said, if Velgrynd-san had protected those people, then it must have been because of Masayuki. I feel that many things have become clearer to me, but have also added more questions. Then again, I’ll just think about those questions later. I looked around at the people who had just given their report to me.
“Ramiris, I’m so glad you’re okay!”
“It was nothing. But then again, that Dino really didn’t seem to want to do anything to me, but it would have been awful if I had actually left the labyrinth. Why? If I really got serious, then I could have knocked him down with all forty-eight of my special moves!”
Ramiris was the same as always. Although she was very angry, the moment she felt safe, she would put on a show of bravery. It was kind of cute. She was still sleeping happily when I had returned, but was still talking in her sleep, saying stuff like ‘Mmmmnn…Dino, I’ll show you all of my forty-eight special moves…’ Not only did she think she was strong in her dreams, but she also thought she was strong when not in front of me.
“Dino should be grateful that Ramiris-sama did not resort to her forty-eight special moves!!”
Treyni-san, who was taking care of Ramiris, was quick to flatter her.
“Well, of course!”
Ramiris nodded happily. It because she’s always like this that Ramiris gets carried away.
Do it in moderation, I thought to myself.
“I am so sorry, Rimuru-sama. It was poor supervision on my part. I never thought that Dino-kun would betray us…”
It was a drooping Vesta who said so. It seems that he wanted to come here to apologize to me as soon as possible. Vesta, who has a strong sense of responsibility, seemed to be quite depressed about this incident. So I smiled at Vesta to put him at ease.
“No, no, don’t worry about it. Dino’s been weird from the very beginning, hasn’t he?”
When I said that, Ramiris, Treyni and even Beretta nodded.
“He’s a demon lord, after all. I was suspicious of him from the start.”
“I didn’t expect him to do something this bold, but I had been keeping a close eye on him to make sure I could deal with him in time when he caused any problems.”
“By and large, he also showed an unbelievably serious attitude with his work, which surprised me.”
It was a slew of pitiful comments that even made me think that we should have given him a little more credit. But there was no way around it. In the first place, Dino had come here because Guy told him to. Even Dino himself made no pretense of hiding the fact that he was a spy. We had every right to be wary. But I think…
“Don’t be so depressed, Vesta-san. I don’t think that Dino really wanted to betray us from the bottom of his heart.”
That’s what I really thought. While Dino’s betrayal was to be expected, there had been the presence of his own agenda that implied that he wanted to be watched from the start. Perhaps Dino thought that this would happen someday. I couldn’t help but think so.
“He sure is clumsy, isn’t he? If that’s the case, he could’ve at least talked to someone about it…”
“Well, now that we became friends, I’d like to believe that. Besides, Dino might have had his own reasons.”
When I said that, Vesta seemed to agree.
“Indeed. I want to believe in him. I was once on the wrong track as well, but thanks to King Gazel and Rimuru-sama, I am back on the right path. It is encouraging to even know that someone is there for you.”
Vesta’s expression relaxed a little, as if his doubts had been cleared away.
That’s fine, I thought. I wanted to trust Dino too. I couldn’t say it out loud until I was sure, but there was another thing that came to mind.
It was the possibility that Dino possessed an Angelic Ultimate Skill. This coincidental convenience of having a Unique Skill evolve into an Ultimate Skill during combat doesn’t just randomly happen. If there was such a possibility, then that would mean he had the means to make it possible.
«Indeed. It is not common to evolve in the midst of battle.»
The one who agreed with me was Ciel. My confidant and friend, and the one I relied on the most. While in high spirits in the heat of battle with Velgrynd, I had named the Wisdom KingRaphael-san. As a result, the Manas (theosophy nucleus), an intelligent being called Ciel, was born. It was not a mere thinking being. As was the case with Chronoa, it also acted as an algorithmic device separate from its master. It could be thought of as another core that exists within my soul. There was no doubt that it has an ego, and its reactions were more human-like than before.
«Is that so?»
As soon as Ciel said that, I suddenly felt my persuasive power drop. Ciel had been doing a lot of things on their own, so what was it saying now?
Besides, even if Ciel had the time to say that now, wouldn’t we have been in trouble if it hadn’t evolved and remained as the Wisdom KingRaphael?
Now that I think about it, from the moment I had confronted Rudra (or was it Michael?), I was in trouble. But that was probably because he was under the influence of the Ultimate Dominion.
«…»
You still have the habit of shutting up when it’s inconvenient. In other words, if it hadn’t evolved into Ciel, then there’s a good chance I would have been defeated. It was only now that I realized how close the line between victory and defeat was, and I couldn’t help but be horrified.
«It’s a hypothetical situation, so it’s meaningless to wonder about what could have happened.»
Hey, hey, you hate to lose even more than I do, don’t you?
I forcibly concluded, stopping my thoughts. But well, I guess we’re definitely the exception. Returning to Dino, I think it was reasonable to assume that he was hiding some kind of power.
«Perhaps it was just intended to be a disguise. However, the unnaturalness of the manifestation can make us confident that he possesses other powers as well.»
‘Mm-hmm.’
If Ciel says so, then it must be certain. In other words, since Dino also possessed an Angelic Ultimate Skill, he was probably manipulated by Michael’s ‘Ultimate Dominion.’ Since Dino and I weren’t connected by a Soul Corridor, there was no way to disarm it immediately, but it was still possible if I ever confronted him. Of course, there was still the possibility that Dino had betrayed us by his own will, so we could not be careless, but I had decided not to indiscriminately regard him as an enemy.
That should have been the end of it, but there was another person who was depressed.
“I am so sorry, Rimuru-sama. I put Ramiris-sama in danger…”
Beretta knelt down before me and hung his head in apology.
“Wait a minute, Beretta-chan! You’ve done a great job!”
I agreed with Ramiris. Beretta did an excellent job against the far superior Dino. Rather than faulting him for negligence, I wanted to praise him for buying us all that time. Given Beretta’s character, I was worried that he might feel responsible for his defeat, and it turned out to be true. Like with Vesta, too much seriousness was not a good thing.
“No, you succeeded in buying time as you were trained to do, and that’s great work!”
“However, Ramiris-sama has entrusted me with the position of Dungeon Master, which is a key position in the defense. And Rimuru-sama has entrusted me to protect Ramiris-sama. And yet, here I am, in such a state of distress…”
Beretta was not convinced by my words, and continued to get more upset the more he spoke. Perhaps he was very frustrated, but Beretta’s actions were all appropriate. With Dino as an opponent, Beretta did his part well with the correct understanding of whether or not he could win. If he had misjudged the situation with a lapse in judgment and made a reckless assault, Ramiris would have been taken by now. I didn’t even want to imagine the damage that would have been done.
“So I tell you, Beretta, you should be more proud of yourself.”
Beretta finally calmed down when I praised him for his excellent work. As it turned out, the enemy’s strategy had been thwarted. In other words, Beretta and the others had achieved sufficient results.
“If that’s the case…”
He had calmed down, but he was still not all the way convinced.
“You’re still troubled? Then let’s talk to you about it later in my room.”
“Haha, thank you!”
Since Ramiris was safe, there was no problem. Beretta, on the other hand, was still too concerned. All in all, Beretta and I decided to talk about it later, and that was the end of the matter.
After the reports from Ramiris and Vesta, I heard from Geld and Adalmann next.
“Geld, you did an excellent job protecting the town! Thank you.”
“I cannot say it in words, but I love this town. I will not let the fruits of our labor be so easily destroyed. My friends and I feel the same way. I will continue to work hard and try not to let Rimuru-sama down!”
“I’m counting on you, but don’t push yourself.”
Geld still seems to be working too hard. If he worked any harder, it would look as if the rest of us were slacking off. Geld’s subordinates probably wouldn’t rest either, and a moderate amount of rest and relaxation from their superiors was also necessary. I nudged Geld not to do anything too rash, and then received his report. Apparently, the enemy seemed to be close to Dino. They were two women, Pico and Gracia.
As for the identity of the enemy, Ramiris confirmed that they were subordinates of Veldanava known as the Seven Primordial Angels. They were originally seraphim, the highest and most powerful of angels, who worked for the stability of this world. Dino was apparently one of them, but the enemies that appeared on the fiftieth and seventieth floors were presumed to be other forces.
“These ‘Originals’ were supposed to be in charge of controlling the otherworld by monitoring the powerful monsters that were sealed in the otherworld. However, from what Dino told me, three of them remained on earth.”
Those three people were probably Pico, Gracia, and Dino. They transformed from seraph to ‘Fallen’ and lived on earth. It seems that their purpose was surveillance, but it was not known whether they were ordered to do so by someone else or if it was by their own will. In any case, since all that was obtained were fragments of intelligence, one could only speculate on their intentions.
“The opponent’s strength was considerable. If I hadn’t evolved, it would have been impossible for me to resist them.”
That was what Geld said, so it must have been pretty bad. I heard that Pico’s opponent was Kumara, and that it was also a heated battle. And yet, the fact that the opponent was still able to interfere with the labyrinth during the battle was enough to speculate that the opponent hadn’t made the full extent of their abilities.
“I see. That’s troubling.”
“Yes.”
I would have preferred not to be hostile to them, but it’s too late now. I would bet on the possibility that Dino was being manipulated and think of a countermeasure. Next, there were the other forces at work.
“And what of Zalario?”
Adalmann began to report.
“He was a formidable opponent. Charys-dono and Treyni-dono were fighting him before I got there, but they were no match for him.”
This one was worse. I had checked the archives of the battles in the labyrinth, and it seems that the Fallen were a different race from the Phantoms. He had called himself one of the ‘Three Phantom Commanders’ and said he was a subordinate of the Phantom King. In other words, that pompous Phantom King Feldway used to be the leader of the Seven Primordial Angels.
The three Primordial Angels who went to the other world with him are now under Feldway’s command and call themselves the Three Phantom Commanders. During their journey to the Otherworld, Veldanava disappeared, and they became unable to return. They must have transformed at some point and become ‘phantoms.’ I understood completely.
They were different from Dino, and it must be because of their past friendship that they had formed a mutually supportive relationship. Those were just my subjective inferences combined with my wishful thinking.
«I agree with you.»
Oh, that’s reassuring. With Ciel’s agreement, I was almost certain.
“In any case, the Phantom King and his gang are the enemies. From now on, everyone should be on the lookout for them!”
I gave everyone all the information I knew. It was mainly about Michael and Phantom King Feldway. Especially important was Michael’s power, so I made sure not to hide that either.
“Th-Then—! Maybe Dino is being controlled?! That’s why Rimuru said he wanted to trust him, right?”
They noticed. I wasn’t planning on pointing that out until I was sure.
“I hope I’m not just overthinking things, but it’s possible that he is being manipulated. So, Ramiris, if that’s the case, let’s forgive him.”
“Well, yeah. I hope so!”
Ramiris said so and laughed happily. She seemed to be feeling better than before, so I took that as a good sign. All that remained was to hope that Dino was really being manipulated.
During the exchange of information, the atmosphere of the banquet was gradually heightened. Rigurd wailed with joy for everyone’s safety. Rigur got the budget from Myourmiles and arranged for the party to be endlessly entertaining. Myourmiles also joined the celebration and showed us his secret tricks. The subordinates were very competent, and I was happy for them. After the main debriefing, it was time to loosen up a bit and we were all having a great time.
“I don’t know who the Three Phantom Commanders are or whatever, but I’m going to kick their asses!”
As reliable as always, Benimaru. Actually, he seemed to be very different from before he went into battle, so I wonder what happened?
“Gwahahaha! With me here, you will surely be victorious in the next battle!”
Gabil also boasted that he was well qualified to do so. He seemed to have been very successful in the battle, and like Benimaru, his strength had somehow increased.
“Whaaa! Gabil-sama, how handsome!”
“That’s right.”
“You’re getting more and more manly. I will follow you for the rest of my life.”
Gabil’s men were also very excited.
“Brother, you must not get carried away. You almost died this time! It’s because you’re always being praised like that, that you’ve become so obnoxious!”
Souka was angry, but let’s just forgive him for today. That being said, it was Gabil’s fault for worrying her, so I decided not to interfere. This was definitely not an escape. That must be made clear. The more important issue was the old man standing next to me.
“Kuahahahaha! Charys, it seems you were beaten to a pulp. You need more training!”
“It’s quite a shame.”
“Kuahahaha! No excuses! Be a man and be brave enough to admit to your failures!”
He’s already admitted it. I mean, didn’t Veldora lose to Velgrynd too? You can’t exactly laugh at others either, can you?
“Didn’t you lose too?”
“Eh?! What are you talking about, Rimuru?! I didn’t lose. I was just in bad shape!”
He’s even making excuses! You’ve been lecturing Charys this whole time, but you’re no good at all either.
“Master, there was nothing you could do because your opponent was too vile. And there was even interference from cowardly outsiders, right? That doesn’t count!”
“Yes, exactly! Very well said, Ramiris! That’s right, I did not lose!”
You haven’t forgotten that Velgrynd-san is still nearby, have you? It was such a poor excuse that I thought about pointing that out to him. If Veldora hadn’t lost in the first place, I wouldn’t have had to worry so much, and yet this guy still…
“Charys-kun. Even if you get sick of Veldora, try not to give up on him.”
“Hahaha, please be at ease. My lord is now only Veldora-sama. I will do my best to be more respected in the future.”
Seriously. He’s way too good to be Veldora’s subordinate. His seriousness reminded me of Geld. It was great that Charys became Veldora’s servant—I couldn’t help but think that. And with that, the banquet continued. Sake was also being served.
I was the only one who thought that I was being too careful, but it seemed that it was nothing for the executives to neutralize the alcohol. There would be no point to drinking in that case, but so be it. I was able to enjoy the drunkenness, and the conversation was very animated. I felt the same way about that, so didn’t want to bother with the details.
“Come now, Rimuru-sama, I’ll pour you a drink!”
“Wait, Diablo, it’s my turn this time!”
Behind me, Diablo and Shion seemed to be in the middle of a tumultuous argument, and it was completely incomprehensible whether the relationship between these two was good or bad. Don’t compete with each other in such strange ways…
“Okay, don’t fight over such trivial things. You guys should drink too.”
“Kufufufu, then I shall make myself at home.”
“I won’t be fooled! If you drink, you’ll fall asleep, so I’ll take care of Rimuru-sama first today!”
So Diablo is a wine drinker? I’m not quite sure about the taste differences of wine, but red wine does seem to suit Diablo. And Shion…
This one’s drinking habit is pretty bad compared to just falling asleep. When she drinks, she gets delirious and troubles other people, so Shuna keeps a very strict watch on her. The fact that she doesn’t remember after it all ends makes her drinking problem even worse. That’s why I recommended grape juice to her, but if she was planning to control herself, I would keep quiet. Upon closer inspection, I could see that these two have also gotten stronger. Looking back on it, all the executives seem to have grown in some way. It’s not just that they’ve awakened, but there was something more than that…
«Please stop doubting me.»
Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, you’re right. Even for the mighty Ciel, it’s difficult to help someone else’s evolution, isn’t it?
«I only helped a little.»
So you still helped! I needed to ask about this in detail, but we were in the middle of a celebration. I could do it now, but I could also do it tomorrow, so let’s just enjoy this moment as much as possible. That’s what I thought, so I threw all my problems to myself tomorrow, and enjoyed the celebration with my whole heart.
The next day, I gave all the executives a vacation. Although, I still felt bad for Rigurd and some others who had to manage the affairs of the government. I had asked them to confirm the status of the city and explain the situation to the residents. Even though the city had been brought back to the surface from the labyrinth, it was still necessary to make sure that there were no problems with the plumbing.
As soon as we confirmed the safety of the city, we would give the evacuees permission to go home. Because of the massive battle, I would have liked the administrative staff to take a rest, but the life of the masses was also important. Thinking about it this way, I couldn’t help but think that politicians really were slaves of the people. There are many problems even in normal times, and in the event of an emergency, you can’t even think about rest days or anything. Now that Testarossa and the others were helping me with the administration, it had become a little easier, but I still had to work hard to recruit more people.
And me?
I’m just an amateur, so my job was to read documents and give permission for things. If I thought something was a bit unreasonable, then I’d reject it or send it back to the department for reconsideration. Of course, this was only possible because Ciel gave me detailed explanations. If it had been just me, the whole process would have fallen apart long ago. Anyway, even though it was only one day after the party, I still had to do my best to check the documents. With Rigurd and the others still busy running around, it was more of a relief than relaxation.
But before that. Before I set off to work, I decided to go visit Chloe first. As soon as I entered the infirmary, my eyes met with Chloe’s.
“Rimuru-sens—san!”
“Fufu, you don’t have to force yourself to act all grown up. From my point of view, Chloe is still Chloe.”
“Honestly! Despite my appearance, I am already an adult. In fact, I’m even older than Rimuru-san.”
Even if you say that…
Sure enough, appearances are still important. It was just like with me. People who didn’t know me often only thought of me as some beautiful young girl when they met me, to the point that I had a complex about it. In any case, it’s important to keep in mind that a careless remark can sometimes lead to stepping on a land mine. To Chloe, whose cheeks were red, I said from the bottom of my heart that it was good that she was okay. As a result, she hid her face behind a pillow.
“Honestly! That’s just foul, Rimuru-san!”
Huh? How should that sentence be interpreted…
«I don’t know. It is too difficult a question.»
Well, if even Ciel can’t understand it, then it can’t be helped. So, for the time being, I just said ‘Okay’ and continued pacifying her.
After waiting for Chloe to calm down, I asked her about what happened. What happened in the battle, and how it ended.
“I have no problems myself, but I’ve become unable to communicate with Chronoa anymore. It seems that the Ultimate Skill ‘Hope King Sariel’ is about to go out of control, so she’s trying to suppress it.”
As I thought, she was influenced by Michael’s domination. After fighting with him, it now felt like he was messing with those I cared about. I had already identified him as an enemy, but it seemed I didn’t need to show any mercy.
“What exactly is the situation?”
“Hmm, I can’t really say. I am now completely unable to use the ‘Spacetime King Yog-Sothoth,’ and am unable to talk to Chronoa, so I really have no idea of what’s going on.”
Apparently, the situation was more serious than I thought. Although I hadn’t planned on relying on Chloe’s strength from the very beginning, somewhere still, I had been naive enough to assume that she could just protect herself. I was disgusted with my own perception, but now that it had come to this, Chloe’s safety took precedence over everything else.
«Now that I have the authority to interfere with the ‘information particle (intelligence hub),’ I am able to influence Chronoa, who is the ‘Manas.’ If I can break into Chloe’s spiritual world and perform a ‘Skill Alteration,’ we should be able to remove Michael’s influence.»
As it turns out, Ciel is able to interfere.
“Chloe, if I interfere with your Skills, I think I can improve the situation…”
“Rimuru-san, that won’t do. At that time, Chronoa said in the end, ‘If we continue to rely on that person anymore, we will never be able to stand on our own. We have to get out of this situation by our own strength, in order to walk alongside him.’ I agree with her, so I can’t accept Rimuru-sensei’s help.”
Chloe looked at me straight in the eyes when she told me this. Although her face was young and crisp, the expression on her face reminded me of her beauty when she was an adult. It was enough to make me nervous. No, I am not a lolicon. It’s just that Chloe’s transcendence—Oh, it’s useless. It seems like the same idea as a certain blonde demon lord. That was a losing battle, so I hastily switched my thoughts.
“Okay. But if you need anything, just let me know. I’m always here to help.”
With that said, I patted Chloe on the head. Chloe smiled happily and nodded with a small ‘yeah.’
Upon returning from my visit to Chloe, Vesta requested to see me due to an urgent matter.
“What can I do for you?”
“Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. I have just been contacted by King Gazel.”
“Oh!”
Pushing up his glasses, Vesta said.
“Yes. As you might expect, he wants you to explain.”
I knew it. It had been such a big war, but I left the cleanup behind and had come back. For that, indeed, I was going to be scolded. It probably wouldn’t have been a problem if it was only within our territory, but after all, the Dwarven Kingdom had been involved…
“I see. Was he angry?”
“He seemed quite unhappy.”
Vesta was wiping the sweat off his face. It was no wonder. We had been drinking together just last night. Thinking about it for a moment, you can say that Vesta is also to blame. I guess he didn’t pay much attention to the situation, and it was honestly hard to blame him for that, but he seemed to be reflecting on himself for not advising me. Still, it was me who did the most wrong.
“Please reply that I will explain it at a later date.”
“After all, you’ll have to think of an excuse.”
As expected of Vesta. His quick wits made him very reliable. In any case, we needed to sort out our situation before we could explain anything. The first thing I needed to do was to arrange a date for the briefing. Therefore, I would leave it up to Vesta to deal with King Gazel. We decided to discuss the matter again after we had compiled our opinions.
Then, lunch break. I threw all those hard questions out of my mind. After enjoying today’s menu of my favorite fried chicken and yakisoba red bean noodles, I suddenly remembered. Ciel seemed to have been doing something behind the scenes. Last night, Ciel said that they had given the executives ‘a little help’ and I thought it was necessary to get a clear picture of what they had done, and how much they had helped. After all, it was highly likely that what Ciel called ‘a little help’ was not little at all.
«Hmm, I am very surprised to be suspected like this…»
The next thing I know, Ciel begins to make a statement. As I had suspected, it turned out to be a grand affair. First of all, the biggest thing was the unauthorized modification of my Skills. That modification led to the Ultimate Skill ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’
Yes, I did receive a report.
It was reported to me after the fact, but after Velgrynd’s ‘Skill Alteration’ was finished, I was told that the remnants of ‘Covenant King Uriel’ had been integrated into Velgrynd’s ‘Charity King Raguel,’ and that its essence was inherited by ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’
At that time, I was so focused on Velgrynd that I didn’t listen to the explanation. Looking over the documents, I listened to the detailed explanation about the Ultimate Skill ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’ This power was like the crystallization of the bond between me and my subordinates.
—Skill Creation: to create new Skills from the information obtained through ‘Food Chain’ and ‘Analysis.’
—Skill Duplication: to create a copy of an acquired ability.
—Skill Gifting: the ability to duplicate a Skill and bestow it upon the right person. It is also possible to take it back.
—Skill Storage: acquired Skills are converted into information (data) and reproduced instantly.
Well, that’s how it was. The capacity of a ‘soul’ was limited, so the number of Skills that one could learn was also limited. That was why there were some Skills that were attached to the body instead of the soul, even if those kinds of Skills seemed weaker in terms of willpower. In my case, I had four Ultimate Skills, so my capacity must have been getting overwhelmed.
«No, it’s five, not four.»
Oh yeah, that’s right. I had taken in Velgrynd and analyzed her the same way as Veldora. As a result, I had acquired a new power, the Ultimate Skill ‘Scorch KingVelgrynd.’ When you think about it that way, it certainly wasn’t a matter of overcapacity. The reason why Ciel gave Velgrynd the ‘Covenant King Uriel’ was probably because I was reaching my limit.
«Exactly! I had no choice but to optimize the abilities!!»
Suspicious to the point of being shocking. I think Ciel has even had this tendency of collecting skills since the days of the Unique Skill ‘Great Sage’—is it a hobby? The capacity is full, but it’s too good to throw away, so that’s why evolution is being strongly promoted, right?
«…Anyway, I’ll continue with the explanation.»
That’s digressing! Not only has Ciel become more human, but the number of instances where it feels useless has increased. No, it’s okay, it’ll be fine…
I just prayed and decided to trust Ciel. According to Ciel, it had dismantled the large number of Skills that had been unnecessarily eating up space, turned them into information, and then reorganized them neatly. The ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath’ was created to control that information. With this power, it was possible to influence the monsters connected to me by the Soul Corridor, or more specifically, to grant them power. It’s easily understandable just how much this ability can do.
Thus, Ciel used this ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath’ to help Benimaru and the others. As for the degree of help received, it seemed that there were two kinds of situations where one either received slight assistance, or a lot of assistance. There was a strong possibility that they would have been defeated had they been left alone, so it felt it wrong to complain. Or rather…
‘Thank you, I express my gratitude.’
«No, I was just doing what my master Rimuru-sama wanted me to do.»
I know I’ve said a lot, but Ciel has always been very helpful. I thanked Ciel for its continued support.
After listening to Ciel’s explanation, I got a general idea of what had changed in everyone. With Michael and the Phantom King as our enemies, it was necessary to get stronger. However, that did not mean that we should grant the strongest power to just everyone. Excessive power can lead to its own destruction. I trusted Ciel on that point. While it was still so fond of remodeling skills, I didn’t think it was going to do anything too unreasonable. It didn’t think it would give Skills to those who wouldn’t be able to use them, but it seemed necessary to confirm it. As I was thinking about this, Ciel asked me as if it suddenly remembered something.
«By the way, Master’s ‘Skill Alteration’ has been put on hold. Would you like to execute it?»
I’d forgotten all about it. Ciel seemed to be getting restless. It’s like it had been searching for something and had finally come up with an even more awesome modification. As I recall, it had said that by merging the Ultimate Skill ‘Storm King Veldora’ and ‘Covenant King Uriel,’ it could create the Ultimate Skill ‘Stellar Wind King Hastur.’—or something like that. But afterwards, I gave away ‘Covenant King Uriel’ to Velgrynd, so it should have been modified in a different way now.
Because it was Ciel, it was unlikely to be weaker than before. In the first place, although I had not heard or received any report, it probably had already analyzed ‘Charity King Raguel,’ right?
«Of course.»
Just as I thought. In that case, it was equivalent to having six Ultimate Skills. In addition to this, I had also been offered power from the ‘Food Chain’ through the evolved executives, which meant that Ciel needed the ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’ A larger number of Skills does not mean that they can all be mastered, so it made sense to integrate them. I was thinking that ‘Scorch KingVelgrynd’ and ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth’ could be combined to create something. I was also a little concerned about what had happened to the ‘Wisdom KingRaphael’ after Ciel was born.
If Ciel wanted to optimize the pile of Skills saved up, then I had no reason to stop it. We’re not in a battle right now, so I don’t see a problem. Okay, in that case I’ll leave it to you then…Ah wai—!
«Got it! It will be implemented immediately!»
I was about to say ‘wait,’ but it was already too late. In retrospect, I was a man who repeatedly made mistakes. Always ignoring the consequences and regretting it…
Why was it so easy to give permission…?
I shouldn’t have left it to go without knowing what kind of terrifying modifications it would make.
However, Ciel, who was already well-prepared, initiated the ‘Skill Alteration’ as quickly as possible, probably anticipating that I would try to stop it. The end result was Ciel humming and feigning deafness with the ‘«There’s no way to stop it already.» Strategy.’
Having given permission without paying attention, and then giving panicked attempts to stop things afterwards—that was definitely all within the scope of what Ciel had envisioned. It agreed at an alarming speed and immediately buried itself in the transformation. In that frozen state, I just kept waiting, and with great momentum…
Ciel was so absorbed in its work that it didn’t even reply. Ahhhh! I felt a sense of resignation, thinking that I would be surprised at the stuttering results once again. In any case, without Ciel, I was unable to make any progress in organizing my paperwork. I changed my mind and decided to work on something else.
While Ciel was busy with its work, I decided to have private meetings with the executives. After telling Shion and Diablo about it, they were kicked out of the room, so for the time being, it was just me in the room. Shion also needed to confirm that her men were safe and left without complaining about anything. Diablo was more trouble. He was very persistent, saying that I needed an escort, but in the end, I finally told him, ‘Depending on the results of these meetings, I’m considering removing you from your position as secretary. Testarossa is strong, beautiful, and suitable for the job, isn’t she? After all, I think one needs to be strong to be both a secretary and an escort!’ Such a half-hearted threat had him leaving in a panic.
Fufufu. Although I had no intention of doing so, he was such an easy man to deal with. He was probably desperately trying to start a battle against the evolved Testarossa by now. It is unlikely that Diablo would be defeated, but it would still be a good match. Losing is good medicine, so it’s good to feel threatened once in a while. With that, I began using the time to start the interviews. I called in Shuna and asked her to arrange the schedule. From dusk onward, people who were available were called to my room one after another.
The first was Beretta.
I had promised to talk to him earlier, so he was the first to be called. For these kinds of interviews, the first and the last slots tended to be the most stressful, but in this country, being the first person seems to be considered to be the most honorable. I wasn’t quite sure why, but it seemed to be the case as Beretta appeared to be very happy about it.
“Now, as for your troubles, you shouldn’t have to feel worried about your defeat this time. After all, you stopped the enemy’s objective, so rather than a defeat, it should be considered a victory.”
Without anyone having been killed, this could only be described as a big victory. I said this with certainty, but Beretta still looked unhappy.
“I understand what you mean, but a loss is still a loss. For us dependents of Black, defeat is unbearable.”
That is to say, even if one agrees that it is a victory on their side, is it still considered a defeat for Beretta himself? Charys, and Beretta too, are both too serious. If it were me, I would be touting the results as a great victory. Even if it’s a small thing, as long as I’m satisfied, even an indirect victory is welcome. By the way, the ‘dependents of Black’ refer to a lineage of demons. I only recently found out that Beretta was a Black dependent demon with Diablo, the Primordial Black (Noir), as the head. Indeed, their weirdness was very similar in some ways. The fact that they both hated to lose, for example, made sense to me.
So I could understand Beretta’s frustration…However, having said that, there was nothing I could do about it. I had my subordinates awakened as a reward for winning the war, but that was only possible because they had the Demon Lord Seed and were connected to me through a Soul Corridor. Did Beretta meet those requirements…?
«It’s fine.»
Well, wow, that scared me! Ciel was absorbed in its own work, but it seemed to have been listening in on our conversation as well. If that was the case, it could also help me with my paperwork—
«Just for this, there is enough souls to awaken one person. What do you want to do?»
…You’ve digressed from the story again, haven’t you? Weren’t things a little better before evolving?
«Negative. No such fact has been confirmed.»
No, no, no—don’t just pretend to downgrade and cheat. But, well, if that’s the case. It seems that during the battle with the Imperial Army, more ‘souls’ were also acquired. If those were used, Beretta’s wishes could be fulfilled. Beretta has clearly been working very hard, but I haven’t rewarded him. I was a little hesitant to reward Beretta because he is now a subordinate of Ramiris, but Beretta is also an important companion to me. After all, there was also the important mission of protecting Ramiris. I would continue to rely on him, so as a token of my gratitude, I chose to relieve Beretta of his troubles. Or course, there was a limit to what I could do, but from this point on, it would be up to him to make the effort.
“I understand why you lament your lack of ability. That’s why I will grant you more power!”
I got up from my chair, posed like a great demon lord, and held out my hand to Beretta.
“Don’t forget, I can only help you. Everything is up to you from here one out.”
With that, I used the 100,000 souls on Beretta and performed the evolutionary ritual. Since I was the one who ‘named’ Beretta, his path to self-evolution was closed. This ritual may have been a way to take responsibility for that.
“N-No way!!”
“Beretta, you will evolve in this way, too. Please continue to protect Ramiris!”
Beretta was surprised, but his evolution was completed without any problems. Very much keeping his part as a member of Diablo’s family, Beretta did not fall into an evolutionary slumber. Incidentally, the status of his evolution was…
Name:
Beretta [EP: 1,978,743]
Race:
Greater Chaos Spirit: Chaos Metalloid
Blessing:
Blessing of the Labyrinth
Title:
Guardian of Ramiris
Magic:
‹Dark Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Divine Machine King Deus Ex Machina’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
That was—
Beretta’s body had been transformed into the ultimate metal (Hihiirokane). This was equivalent to Mythical-grade level, so it made sense that Beretta’s existence value was greatly increased. By the way, ‘EP’ was the existence value. It stood for ‘Existence Point,’ not energy point. It was in English, but that was not worth worrying about. This was the result of the original material, adamantite, absorbing the huge amount of magicules leaked from Beretta. As for the most important Skill, it seems that he sacrificed the Unique Skill ‘Double-Crosser’ and gained the Ultimate Skill ‘Divine Machine King (Deus Ex Machina).’ This included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Mineral Domination,’ ‘Geological Manipulation,’ ‘Inverted Fusion,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’
«I worked hard!»
Oh, thank you for your hard work. Or rather, you’re always attentive to things that interest you, aren’t you? My skills are important, but I guess you won’t forget your own interests. It looks like you’ve messed with his Skills as well…
So true to Ciel’s style, I couldn’t help but think so. Ah, never mind that for a moment… Rather, Beretta is really amazing. By combining his new powers of ‘mineral domination’ and ‘earth attribute manipulation,’ he can now create and manipulate minerals at will. He would need materials, but there is a vault of magical steel in the labyrinth. Since the labyrinth is in contact with the earth, it is also possible to procure a certain amount of minerals. He seems to have acquired this power by evolving his own body into hihiirokane. The ability to manipulate the elements, perhaps? Any shape of metal could be freely deformed. He could do whatever he wanted without regard to hardness, so any armor that was not reinforced by magic or aura would be nothing in front of Beretta. What was even scarier than that was the fact that Beretta’s own body could be freely transformed at will. It goes without saying that that most weapons would not work on Beretta, and he could even turn into something like those stubborn fluid metal guys you see in the movies.
Approaching quietly like a Slime, entangling his opponent, and suffocating them…it was terrifying just thinking about it. Normally, Beretta looked like a top-quality humanoid doll with spherical joints, but his essence is not the same as his appearance, so one must be careful. Thus, Beretta evolved into what could be called a subspecies of spiritual lifeforms—a fearsome metallic lifeform. Although I had built the doll on a whim, it’s really something that it has evolved to this point. While making observations and wallowing in such sentiments, Beretta knelt down before me.
“I will never forget what Rimuru-sama has done for me. Even if it costs me my life, I will keep your order and see them through!!”
He swore to do so. Although I wanted to tell him not to push himself too hard, that could not be the case if Ramiris was ever in danger. I am sure that Beretta would live up to my expectations, even if there were to be tougher battles ahead. I was also relieved to have Beretta guarding Ramiris.
“I’m counting on you.”
I said this to Beretta with a nod. Beretta’s troubles were thus resolved. A job well done. I told Beretta to get some rest and let him go back to his post.
While I waited for the next interviewer to arrive, I began thinking about Skills. Based on the information I had gained from the recent evolution festival and the battles with the powerful people of the Empire, a question had arisen in my mind. Skills are based on the roots of the laws of this world, the power rooted in the ‘soul.’ It could be granted by the ‘Voice of the World’ after repeated practice or great achievements. It was a strange phenomenon that I hadn’t really thought about much until now. That’s how I had always went about it…but in the course of events that had taken place, it had become a question that I could not ignore. In other words…
What is the essence of a Skill? That was the question. When I came first came to this world, I possessed Unique Skill. Or rather, I had been hearing ‘Voice of the World’ while I was dying in the other world. From that fact, it can be inferred that a Skill is not unique to this world alone. If that was the case, then that would make the question even more difficult to answer, and to be honest, I couldn’t help but wonder if there were people who could use Skills in my original world. Originally, a Unique Skill was thought to be something only heroes could acquire. As the word ‘unique’ implied, the performance of these skills varied from one person to another, and they were very powerful. It gave form to one’s desires, and gave them the power to do what they wished for. In my case, I had acquired ‘Predator’ and ‘Great Sage,’ but I didn’t wish for ‘Great Sage,’ which was a funny story.
«Impolite. I am here because I was wanted by Rimuru-sama!»
Yes…?
Just because I’m a virgin—No, I’ll stop thinking about it. If that’s what Ciel said, then it must be that such a desire existed deep in my psyche. That was somewhat of a dangerous topic to dig deeper into, so let’s just leave it at that. Okay, back to the topic at hand. This means that although Skills are rooted in the soul, there are cases where they are not. Skills acquired at the limit of physical training may be engraved on the body, not the soul. This is especially true for Skills acquired from monsters, often acquired simply by eating them. Such Skills are called Race Intrinsic Skills. Each race of the same kind had its own Intrinsic Skill, which could be passed on to future generations.
Skills acquired through training often only reached the level of extra skills. After that, it was still relatively useful to weave original techniques by increasing proficiency or fusing with sword skills. Actually, magic was also a kind of Skill. This is proven by the fact that I was able to learn it by eating. As you can see, there are many kinds of Skills, but the most important are the Unique Skills.
A Unique Skill is a unique ability created by the individual. Naturally, each of them has different performance. Although there will be similarities on the larger classifications, Unique Skills that are identical will not normally exist. In some cases, they are reproduced over time, but that is a special exception. That is the case with the Unique Skill ‘Starved’ of an orc lord. It is an Intrinsic Skill that is inherited by the awakened race, and it is inherited only by blood relatives. Since this ‘Starved’ Skill is engraved in the body, it seems to be a Skill that could not originally be handled by people of other races. In my case, I immediately merged it with ‘Predator,’ so I just never paid attention to it until now.
I think that Shizu-san’s ‘Deviant’ was derived from her soul. Then it was entrusted to me. That is why even I can use it now, and if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have been able to acquire it. Somehow, I think that the Skills engraved in the soul are more powerful. Incidentally, the Ultimate Enchantment ‘Alternative’ skills given by Rudra were, of course, engraved in the body. If one is not a ‘Saint,’ then they will not have enough energy to use it, presumably because they did not receive the power themselves, and therefore would not use it efficiently. That’s why it was so powerful, but could be combated against even at the unique level.
Diablo had defeated Jiwu and Bernie, the ultimate skill holders, but originally, this should have been impossible. Unique Skills cannot be used against Ultimate Skills. Only Ultimate Skills can be used against Ultimate Skills. There were exceptions like Chloe’s ‘Infinite Prison’ and ‘Absolute Severance,’ and Masayuki’s ‘Chosen One,’ but it was impossible to defeat an ultimate skill holder at the Unique Skill level. Even with Unique Skills, there was a big difference in strength, but when it came to Ultimate Skills, the difference was as great as heaven and earth.
Those who acquired an Ultimate Skill understood the reasoning of the world. Therefore, one could become a higher being through magic, which was derived from the laws of the world. Only ultimate spells, such as ‘Disintegration’ or primordial spells, the most powerful spells in the sacred system, could resist this. So, it is also possible that Diablo defeated them with ultimate magic, but it didn’t seem that way. In his case, he might be able to anything just by forcing it. That’s a situation that shows there are no such thing as absolutes in this world. Anyway, depending on the situation, even if one doesn’t have an Ultimate Skill, it is possible to outperform an Ultimate Skill holder. However, there is no doubt that the best way to fight against an Ultimate Skill is to acquire one yourself. To sum up, here are my thoughts.
—Skills can be engraved in the ‘soul’ as well as in the flesh (body). Based on my experience so far, it seems that Unique Skills can be obtained by a strong desire or craving. It’s not so much of a talent as it is an aptitude. No matter how much you wish for it, you cannot obtain it unless your existence value is high enough. It is not something that can be obtained just by wishing for it, but can only be obtained by clearing various trials and conditions. The power one acquires is stronger than the power given to you by others. Furthermore, it seems that the powers that come from the soul are more powerful than ones that come from the body.
—Next, there are no identical Skills. Even if a Skill has the same name, its performance and laws are probably different. It is a desire translated into form, so there will be many differences depending on the owner’s state of mind.
—Next, the difference between Unique Skills and Ultimate Skills are not absolute. The strength of an acquired Skill is easily affected by the owner’s ego. A strong will is needed to make it more effective. A Skill is the power to influence the laws of the world simply by wishing for it. In order to exercise such a fundamental power, it is impossible to do so with a half-hearted willpower. When you look at it in this way, it’s clear that the most important thing is willpower. This is followed by a thorough understanding of the nature of the Skill and exploring how to use it properly.
I originally had Wisdom KingRaphael-san telling me how to use them correctly, but that was not usually the case. Even if it was a Skill created by your own desire, there may be cases where one would be unable to utilize it due to a mistake in usage.
«Fufufu, in a recent example, Dino made an interesting mistake.»
Huh? I couldn’t help but ask out like that, so Ciel felt amused and began to talk about it.
………
……
…
Dino’s Skills, as stated before, evolved during the battle. ‘Sloth,’ the most power of the deadly sin Unique Skills, became the Ultimate Skill ‘Sloth King Belphegor.’ It was originally said to be a skill that could exert terrifying power. And yet, it had been completely defeated by Zegion. Of course, one of the reasons was that Zegion was overwhelmingly strong, but the more fundamental problem was that Dino had not been able to fully utilize ‘Sloth King Belphegor.’ He probably didn’t understand it properly because he was using this skill as a disguise…
The Ultimate Skill ‘Sloth King Belphegor,’ which was created by Dino’s lazy nature, had the characteristic that the more he moved, the weaker he became. Therefore, the original use of this skill was to ‘support subordinates and companions.’ The ability to lend the power that Dino had accumulated to his friends. If he had used it in that way, then only then would the ‘Sloth King Belphegor’ have shown its true value.
………
……
…
Although it had happened while we were away, the battle records (archives) of the labyrinth were full of images. It was Ciel’s hobby to analyze them, so it told me about them in this way. Guy would not have made such a mistake. He would understand the nature of the Skill and use it correctly. However, a lazy person like Dino seemed to have been misled by the surface of the Skill and never realized its essence. Or rather, it was the enemy’s mistake to make Dino work in the first place. If Dino had slacked off as usual and let his friends Pico and Gracia do the work, Geld and Kumara might have been in trouble. In that light, I felt that we were lucky. It was only because I assigned work to Dino and awakened him to the joy of work that we got this lucky. The evaluation that the more you work, the more you fail is the worst, so if I could make up with Dino, I would teach him a good lesson if that time ever came.
Anyway, as you can see, it is not easy to correctly understand one’s Skills. In some cases, such as Masayuki’s, the Skill is triggered by itself, even if you don’t want it to. Such Skills are difficult to control, and even more difficult to use thoroughly. Knowing the nature of a Skill and using it fully is the same as knowing your own mind. It is very difficult to understand, and I think it may be necessary to spend a lifetime dealing with it. In other words, if one mistakenly believes that Skills are just a useful weapon of convenience, they will never be able to bring out its true potential.
«That’s right. Please take better care of me, and face me properly.»
Hmmm…
Somehow, I felt misinterpreted, but I stopped thinking about it.
Just as I was finishing my thoughts, there was a knock on the door of my room. It was Benimaru who came in, escorted by Shuna.
“You wanted to see me? I heard this was a private meeting. What did you want to ask me?”
As soon as he sat down on the sofa facing me, Benimaru asked me. He seemed to think that this an important private meeting, but unfortunately, it wasn’t.
“I’m sorry, this was just on a whim.”
“On a whim?”
“Yeah. This war has greatly increased everyone’s strengths, hasn’t it? We can also measure their presences in the labyrinth, so I thought I should get a good idea of everyone’s strength.”
“I see, that’s really important!”
Benimaru’s expression brightened as he heard my explanation. Apparently, he had been preparing himself to be questioned about his newlywed life.
“Well, I am curious about that, but wouldn’t it be power harassment and sexual harassment to ask about it?”
“Is that so? That guy Souei actually said, ‘Hmph, if you were able to evolve smoothly, then you only did what you had to do. You’re so late in life that I thought I would have to help you…”’
Just as Benimaru said that…
“Brother?”
Shuna, who was bringing in cake, interrupted him with a smile. The crushing force was so intense it sent chills down the spine.
“What are you talking so rudely about in front of Rimuru-sama?”
“S-Sorry… I’m sorry…”
Even the hard-core Benimaru was no match for Shuna.
“Rimuru-sama as well. You should have scolded him instead of just going along with my brother’s foolish talk.”
“Yes, that’s right. I’ll be careful.”
This is the kind of thing that one can’t go against. I understood that deeply, and waited for Shuna to get in a good mood.
I was so nervous that I could not taste the cake. The moment Shuna left the room to take away the tray, Benimaru and I let out a big sigh.
“Phew, that was a failure, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. Next time you talk like that, you should think about the time and place.”
“Understood. I originally wanted to say that I didn’t want to talk about it, so I don’t know how it turned out this way…”
Well, that’s right. I’m sure it happens, but to me, it just sounds like you’re showing off. Well, let’s talk about that later. For now, I decided to check Benimaru’s status as planned.
Name:
Benimaru [EP: 4,397,788 (+ Red Lotus 1.14 million)]
Race:
Divine Oni. Greater Chaos Spirit: Flame Spirit Oni
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Flare Lord
Magic:
‹Flame Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Heat King Amaterasu’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
It was like this. I mean—that’s so strong! After sacrificing the Unique Skill ‘Generalissimo,’ he acquired the Ultimate Skill ‘Heat King Amaterasu.’ Its powers included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Will Control,’ ‘Light and Heat Domination,’ ‘Spatial Domination,’ ‘Multilayer Barrier’ and so on.
According to Ciel’s statement, his skills even reflected a portion of Velgrynd’s powers. However, Benimaru had practically obtained the Ultimate Skill by his own power alone. Ciel told me that it had only helped him a little. But still…
Benimaru’s own Existence Value is over 4 million, and it increases by over 1 million when he possesses Red Lotus—Isn’t that more than Luminas?
By the way, there is no way to cheat the existence value—probably. To be more precise, the existence value of a person in the labyrinth can be measured with a great deal of accuracy. If one wanted to cheat, they would have to have a mythical-grade weapon hidden, or a ‘Split Body’ in another place like Velgrynd. For example, at the level of ‘Clone,’ the value of the ‘Split Body’ would be so small that it could easily be detected as an impostor. Outside the labyrinth, one could cheat all they wanted, but entering the labyrinth was like soaking one’s head in a full hot spring. They could not escape Ramiris’s ‘appraisal.’ Ramiris is very talented in this aspect, but she also has her regrettable aspects. In short, she does not understand what she can or cannot do. The reason why I am able to make measurements like this is because someone once said, ‘It would be nice if we could make accurate measurements’ in a chat.
I think it was Shinji who said it, but Ramiris’ reply was ‘It’s possible!’ At that time, I heard that there was a delicate atmosphere in the room. Everyone must have been thinking, ‘I wish she had told us earlier.’ If that was the case, then we could have measured the existence values of not only Luminas, but also Guy and Velzard-san…
Also, if we had measured Dino’s presence, then we would have realized that he was much stronger than his appearance suggested.
…Well, even if I had noticed, it wouldn’t have mattered if I wasn’t sure that he would betray us. We could have been more vigilant, but in this case, there was nothing we could do. Anyway, although it was a reference value, the existence value was useful as an indicator of strength.
With that, I was convinced that Benimaru would be able to keep up with the ‘Three Phantom Commanders’ and Dino. Even amongst Million-class, he belonged in the upper-ranks and could be counted on as my right-hand man. There was just one thing I couldn’t stop thinking about.
“I thought that monsters were supposed to get weaker after having children?”
“That’s true. Generally speaking, they lose a large amount of magicules.”
“Then how did you get so strong?”
“Ahahaha, that’s a mystery!”
Ah, what a refreshing smile. But trying to fake a smile isn’t going to cut it.
“What the hell is going on here?”
“I don’t know either! Souei was also pestering me about it, asking how I did it.”
Oh, so I wasn’t the only one who was curious. Well, it would be good news for the monsters if this question is answered. Many of the hobgoblins are married, but I haven’t heard of any problems about them suffering from weakening… But the higher up in the hierarchy the monsters affected were, the greater the impact would be, so this was something that I hoped would be resolved someday.
“Let me know if you find out anything.”
“Got it. Then, I’ll switch with Souei now.”
Leaving that one question unanswered, the interview with Benimaru ended.
Benimaru was replaced by Souei, who entered the room. As soon as we sat down facing one another, I complained to Souei.
“You shouldn’t make too much fun of Benimaru, you know.”
“Heh, that guy’s always been a late bloomer in strange places. I just thought that if I didn’t give him a good talking-to, he’d probably stay in the dark forever.”
Woah, that’s a good point. After all, Benimaru had said that there was no way to evolve without a successor, and it was understandable that Souei would be worried.
“Well, let’s leave it at that. Now, about your evolutionary status…”
Souei was influenced by Benimaru’s evolution.
Name:
Souei [EP: 1,281,162].
Race:
Divine Oni. Fair Chaos Spirit: Dark Spirit Oni
Blessing:
Flare Lord’s Shadow
Title:
Dark Shinobi
Magic:
‹Dark Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Moon King Tsukuyomi’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification
Hmmm, very strong. And his resistances are amazing. In order to defeat Souei, you can only use the Holy-Demon Attribute, Holy Sword Techniques, or some kind of Ultimate type of attack.
As for Souei’s Skill, it is the Ultimate Gift ‘Moon King Tsukuyomi’ given by Ciel. Its powers are diverse, and include ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Eye of the Moon,’ ‘Insta-kill,’ ‘Ultraspeed,’ ‘Mental Manipulation,’ ‘Parallel Existence,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’
“Hold on! You can even use ‘Parallel Existence’ now?”
I was so surprised that I couldn’t help but ask, to which Souei replied flatly.
“Yes. It’s not possible to use more than one at the same time, like Velgrynd-sama, but I am proud to say that just one is useful enough.”
That, indeed, is something to be proud of. One alone is enough. With this, even Souei is infinitely close to being indestructible… However, perhaps the most noteworthy is the ‘Eye of the Moon.’ It was an ability that allowed one to manipulate shadows at will, so they could do various things without your opponent even knowing you’re there. It was characterized by its wide range, to the point that a whole town could be put under its influence. In addition to being specialized in gathering information, this ability could also be used for assassination.
«Souei’s Skill is my masterpiece. In order to recreate the ninja from Master’s memory, I tried to cram in as much as Souei wanted.»
I had thought it was a lot of stuff, but I guess that was the reason why.
«The great thing about ‘Eye of the Moon’ is that it can also be used by a ‘Clone.’ If Souei dispatches ‘Clones’ to various places and uses ‘Eye of the Moon’ to share information, information from all over the world can be available through ‘Telepathy Net!’»
I can see why you are very proud of your work. The more I heard about it, the more I realized how powerful it was. In other words, this was like a superior version of my surveillance spell ‘Argus.’ He could now monitor situations around the world and visualize them with sound. He had become a versatile and dependable man. In the future, I would continue to entrust Souei with all of our country’s intelligence activities.
“All right. I’m giving you the new title of ‘Darkness,’ so please continue to lead the Dark Shadows in the service of our nation.”
“Haha! All actions are for the sake of Rimuru-sama!”
Not for me, but for our country—forget it.
“Well then, I’m counting on you.”
I said so, and then thanked Souei. After that, I spoke with Souei for about an hour, asking him if he had any complaints, or about how Souka and the others were doing.
He told me that the existence value of the five members had grown to nearly 200,000 while Souka herself had an existence value of 261,898, which was quite high. She was at the level of a former demon lord’s lieutenant and could even fight with the upper ranks. This battle seemed to have greatly enhanced her abilities. Combat was the best training, as I had heard Souei say. However, one thing to be aware of was that just because you can do it does not mean that others can do it as well. Everyone has their own personality, and their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Souei was indeed very capable, but I hoped that he would not force the same number of expectations on his subordinates. Doing that could cause even the best of people to lose their motivation.
“Isn’t it only natural to do everything in our power for Rimuru-sama?”
Well, that’s not natural.
“Don’t you see? If you only think like that, then no one will be able to follow you. It is your role as a supervisor to take better care of your subordinates so that they can effectively enjoy their work for a long time, right?”
After all, people will only follow you if you give them something worth doing. Of course, it’s still work, so just being fun isn’t enough. Even so, I still think that a sense of accomplishment is important. If the workload is always unreasonable, then you won’t be able to feel the joy of a sense of accomplishment. In addition, if you are given a large amount of work right after pushing yourself to complete your last load…
If it were me, I’m pretty sure I would be upset. You might say something like, ‘you do it,’ but in Souei’s case, he was always able to get it done. If that happened, one would have no choice but to blame themselves, and as a result, they might become mentally or even physically ill. That’s what I was worried about.
“I see. So you’re saying that I must use my tools with more care, right?”
“Stop calling your companions as tools. It’s truly important to keep glory in one’s work, but it should not be forced on you. If you, as a superior, can show recognition in your subordinates’ work, then they will feel very happy.”
“…I see. Indeed, I myself regard Rimuru-sama’s praise as the greatest joy.”
Umm, should I say that he’s too serious or too heavy?
“Anyway, why don’t you also take this opportunity to have a gathering with your subordinates?”
“I understand. It is my responsibility as their superior to understand their feelings, so I will make sure to take care of them more thoroughly in the future.”
“Remember to do things in moderation.”
Anyway, for the time being, I told him what I was thinking. After that…
I received a letter of thanks from Souka and the others. The letter was stained with tears of joy, and I felt satisfied that I had done a good thing.
The next interviewee was Gabil, who came in after dinner.
“Gwahahahaha! Because of Lord Rimuru’s summons, I, Gabil, have come to visit!”
Today—or rather tonight, Gabil was still full of energy. I told him to be quiet because it was nighttime, and offered him a seat. I asked Shuna to serve tea and then we got down to business.
“You did a great job this time. Because of your efforts, everyone was able to make it back alive. You did well to endure to the end and I’d like to thank you personally.”
I was grateful to Gabil, not from the standpoint of a nation, but as a personal expression. If Gabil had been unable to hold out, there would have been many casualties.
“R-Rimuru-sama! I am overwhelmed by your words!!”
Gabil burst into tears. I was so impressed. I didn’t want to disturb his emotional state, so I waited for Gabil to calm down.
“It is all thanks to Rimuru-sama that I was able to win and even survive. That voice—I was convinced after hearing Gadra-dono’s whisper—that was Rimuru-sama’s voice, wasn’t it?”
Oh, so he heard Ciel’s voice.
“Hmm? Well, sort of.”
It was troublesome to explain, and since Ciel’s existence was my trump card, it was better not to publicize it, so I decided to just go along with Gabil’s misunderstanding.
“I knew it! I understand that it would have been an unwinnable battle if I hadn’t gained that power. I have always been warned not to get carried away, so I will not claim credit to myself.”
Gabil replied, but there was a calmness in his expression that made me realize that he meant it.
“You’ve grown up.”
“Haha! Just to hear you say that, I am very grateful…”
In the same way as before, Gabil started crying once again. A handkerchief was not enough anymore, so I handed him a towel. Gabil’s condition was just as bad, but his growth had been amazing.
Name:
Gabil [EP: 1,263,824]
Race:
True Dragonewt. Fair Chaos Spirit: Water Spirit Dragon
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Draco Lord
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Psychology King Mood Maker’
Intrinsic Skill: ‘Magic Perception, Ultra Instinct, Dragon Skin, Flame Breath, Thunder Breath’
Resistance:
Pain Nullification, Abnormal Condition Resistance, Natural Effects Resistance, Physical Attack Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Before I knew it, he had become as strong as Souei. Gabil’s Ultimate Gift, ‘Psychology King Mood Maker,’ was also masterpiece of Ciel. It was not self-acquired, but that did not mean it should be disparaged. It was precisely because Gabil had the aptitude that he was able to acquire this power.
The five main abilities were ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Change Destiny,’ ‘Unexpected Effects,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier,’ but if he could fully control his overflowing power, he would also be able to learn ‘Demon Lord Haki.’
The most dangerous power was ‘Change Destiny,’ which was limited to once a day, but had the potential to turn the tide of battle against an opponent who was stronger than himself. This…what would have happened if someone other than Gabil had learned it? If someone like Diablo had acquired ‘Change Destiny,’ they would have become the strongest without question. When I thought about it this way, I felt that Gabil was a pretty great guy. What particularly surprised me was the way he fought. After wiping away his tears, Gabil told me about the part of the battle he was proud of…
“Well, the enemy’s spear was coming at me, so I laughed and hit it with my spear!”
Th-This is…
Gabil’s weapon was the Vortex Spear, a unique-grade magical weapon. It was said to be the secret treasure of lizardmen, but it was still only unique grade. Nonetheless, I thought it was some kind of a joke when I heard that the Vortex Spear had defeated the mythical-grade Seiryu (Blue Dragon) Spear.
“Looks like the difference in performance does not determine the winner. Gwahahahaha!”
Gabil was laughing, but I thought it was obvious. If the opposing weapon was a Legendary-grade, then I could have forced myself to accept it, but that was no longer possible if it was a Mythical-grade. The only possibility was…
«Gabil unknowingly used his Skill and added it to his Vortex Spear. Presumably, the spear only survived without being shattered because it was protected by the ultimate level of power.»
Well, that seems to be the case. Gabil was pretty awesome in that regard as well. He’s actually a hard worker, though he doesn’t stand out because of his usual behavior. He was a jack-of-all-trades, who could do research, fight, and everything in between. We could expect a lot from him in the future.
“Regarding that Vortex Spear, could you leave it with me for a while? I’d like to ask Kurobee to revive it.”
“What?!”
“That is, we’ll let the weapon’s experience be inherited and create a new one. I will provide hihiirokane for the material, so it might even be possible for it to evolve into a mythical-grade.”
Hihiirokane was still scarce, but it would not be a waste on Gabil. As a reward for this battle, I really wanted to strengthen Gabil’s weapon so that he would be able to survive any tough battles ahead. If Gabil did not want to give up his ancestral weapon, then I would think of a different way to do it.
“By all means, please do it!!”
Gabil left the spear with me, once again in tears.
Now that he could have a superior weapon, Gabil would become even stronger. If he was recognized as a mythical-grade master, his existence value would also increase. Since Gabil himself could become a semi-spiritual life form, his resistances would also increase. Gabil’s subordinates, the Tenshoshu (Heavenly Flying Crowd), now had an average existence value of over 200,000. I hoped that they would continue to support Gabil in the future. Gabil had cried from beginning to end, but the interview still ended successfully.
Late at night. In a private room of a special, members-only restaurant. Refusing the presence of the beautiful elf ladies, I faced Geld.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m in good shape. I have grown accustomed to this power, so I won’t be breaking any more cups.”
Geld laughed and drank his wine with dexterity. When held in his large hands, a normal-sized glass looked like a sake cup.
“Well, the reason I called you here today wasn’t for anything other than you. I thought we’d drink to your comfort.”
“I’m grateful. I feel unparalleled happiness just to hear Rimuru-sama say such things.”
Geld was normally a calm guy, but from the look in his eyes and the excitement in his voice, I could tell he meant it. I nodded back, and clinked our glasses in a toast. Then, after listening to Geld’s complaints for a while, I got down to another subject.
“Actually, I’m going to say something that might be rude to you, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course. Whatever it is, I won’t think Rimuru-sama is being rude to me.”
No, no, I can also be insensitive, so if it bothers you, please point it out. I sometimes say things in a joking way without thinking badly about it, so I want you to tell me out loud. I was a good talker, even in elementary school when I was talking to girls—No let’s stop there. There is no black history, and I’ve grown up since then. Even now, I was aware of my lack of delicacy, but I still made an effort every day to refrain from saying things that people might not like. Whether my efforts had been successful or not, I didn’t know. Now that I had Geld’s permission, I decided to go ahead and say it.
“Then I’ll tell you, but you can say no if you don’t want to, okay?”
After saying that, I made a suggestion to Geld. The suggestion was, of course, whether or not to accept Ciel’s ‘Skill Alteration.’ Since Ciel’s existence had to be kept a secret, I asked him, ‘Can I mess with your skills?’ Then Geld answered ‘yes’ without hesitation.
“I think it is because I am this way that I made Rimuru-sama worry. If you can make me stronger, I would be happy. Thank you.”
With that, Geld drained with glass of wine in one gulp. It wasn’t a mood of compulsion, but a determined declaration from Geld because it was natural for him to accept the offer. I nodded to Geld as I poured him another drink.
Name:
Geld [EP: 2,378,749]
Race:
Divine Boar. Greater Chaos Spirit: Earth Spirit Boar
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Barrier Lord
Magic:
‹Restoration Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Gourmet King Beelzebub’
Resistance:
Pain Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Resistance, Physical Attack Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
As soon as Geld accepted my proposal, Ciel, who had been waiting for it, immediately did something. Geld received the Ultimate Gift ‘Gourmet King Beelzebub,’ which included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Magic Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Ultraspeed Regeneration,’ ‘Predation,’ ‘Stomach,’ ‘Isolation,’ ‘Demand,’ ‘Supply,’ ‘Corrosion,’ ‘Iron Wall,’ ‘Grant Protection,’ ‘Substitute,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ ‘Multilayer Barrier,’ ‘Keen Smell,’ and ‘Full Body Armor.’ The skill was like a slightly degraded version of my ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth,’ with a lot of things incorporated into it.
By empowering his subordinates with ‘Grant Protection,’ an entire defensive force could be formed. Geld himself was also able to use ‘Iron Wall’ and ‘Substitute’ to take the damage of his comrades. ‘Corrosion’ was both an offensive and defensive skill that did not focus only on guarding, but was also useful for attack. It was great for Geld, who specialized in defense, to make the most of this ability. It was also worth noting that it was not just the skill that deserved to be praised. Rather, Geld himself was also outstanding.
Geld’s armor had become mythical-grade, and was as good as Geld’s own flesh and blood. It was similar to the garments of demons, and could be manifested at will by Geld. The same was true of his meat crusher weapon, as even if it were destroyed, a new one would be created immediately. After being repaired by Kurobee, the weapon was said to have a memory of remaining in that state. To be honest, I thought it seemed like a cheat. In any case, Geld’s existence value had been increased by taking in the armor, and his foundation was quite sufficient. In addition to this, the acquisition of ‘Gourmet King Beelzebub’ made Geld’s power overwhelm even Souei’s and Gabil’s.
The current Geld should be able to stall for time even against the Three Phantom Commanders. It would be difficult to defeat the defensive Geld without an extremely powerful blow.
“You’re becoming more and more reliable.”
“I am glad to hear that. I swear that I will continue to work with all my might to protect everyone!”
I smiled at Geld and said that I would continue to rely on him.
I went back to my room (my little haven). I was thinking about tomorrow’s meetings. The meeting had only started today from dusk, so there were only five people to meet. Because everyone was busy as well, I couldn’t just spend days on this. In addition to the remaining nine of the Twelve Guardian Lords, there were also a few others I needed to meet with. At least with Apito, there was a need to be interviewed at the request of Ciel. It seemed to want to mess with her Skills. That seemed a little too faithful to its own desires, but I couldn’t deny that doing so would serve everyone well. I had no reason to stop it, so I intended to keep doing my best tomorrow.
I asked Shuna to make a schedule with that intent. I also told her that Diablo and Shion would be postponed until later, so we should be able to finish everything quickly tomorrow. I was worried about Masayuki and his group, but I heard that they were also having a long meeting. I had received a brief report, but I wasn’t not sure whether I should get involved or not. So, until Masayuki and the others from the Empire finished their discussion, I was going to stay out of it. Well, Velgrynd’s presence had also become a reason for my restlessness. The current 70th floor levels had become an atmosphere that no one could approach. Veldora, for example, had long since panicked and rushed off to his room, and I was feeling slightly uneasy. It hasn’t been that long since I last separated from Velgrynd, but I was wondering what kind of experiences she had accumulated…
All in all, I would just have to wait and see what she did.
In the meantime, I would do what I have to do. As I was pondering like this, I suddenly noticed a presence. Ranga was staring at me from my shadow, his head and the tip of his nose poking out.
“Whoa, what a surprise! It’s Ranga, you woke up safely!”
I was so happy that I took human form and rubbed Ranga’s head and ears. The next moment, Ranga looked both happy and sad at the same time, and his ears flopped down.
“What’s the matter? Are you feeling sick?”
I was worried about whether he had failed to evolve, or if he was in some kind of trouble, but apparently that was not the case.
“Master, I missed the Great War because I overslept…”
He was so depressed and out of sorts.
“What? That’s it?!”
“I do not know how to apologize, but I heard that Gobta and the others lost their chance to play an active role because of me!”
That’s true, but it couldn’t be helped. Compared to that, it was better if Ranga evolved safely and played a bigger role in the future.
“Even Gobta and the others were so active in their chores and secret stunts at the banquet, and no one complained about you Ranga, so don’t worry about it.”
“Master, I am thrilled to hear you say that.”
Ranga ‘cooed’ and climbed up to the floor, rubbing against me sweetly. So I cuddled his fur, enjoying his fluffiness for the first time in a long time.
And now, back to the main topic. It was a good opportunity to check Ranga’s status.
Name:
Ranga [EP: 4,340,084]
Race:
Divine Wolf. Greater Chaos Spirit: Wind Spirit Wolf
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Star Lord
Magic:
‹Wind Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Stellar Wind King Hastur’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Oh, Ranga’s race also had a divine nature. I had been wondering about it for a while, but that seemed to be stronger than even the native gods worshiped in many remote areas—was that okay? With the exception of Souei who would be treated as a subordinate deity of Benimaru, it seemed that a race would become ‘divine’ once the existence value exceeded 2 million. I wasn’t sure, but that’s what I thought.
«We still need to collect more examples, but I am pretty sure that’s the case.»
Hmmm. An existence value exceeding 1 million is probably a ‘Saint,’ and a value exceeding 2 million may be a ‘Shinjin.’ That was not the same as the conceptual all-powerful ‘god,’ but it was a reliable symbol of strength. Ranga had an existence value of more than four million. That is comparable to Benimaru without his sword.
“Very impressive, Ranga!”
“Hahaha, this is all thanks to my Master!!”
According to Ranga, this was all thanks to living in my shadow, bathed in my demon energy. Perhaps it was because he had been lurking in my shadow and absorbing magicules for so long that his evolution has been going smoothly. What’s more, he even suddenly got a great power. It was the Ultimate Skill ‘Stellar Wind King Hastur,’ but…it seems that Ranga, and not Veldora, had acquired it. This was definitely…
«Correct. It was me providing a little help.»
I knew it. It wasn’t an ultimate gift, so Ranga probably got it on his own, but there was no way that Ciel didn’t have a hand in it. But well, since it was a power that suited Ranga, I had no complaints.
This power included the following seven abilities: ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Weather Domination,’ ‘Sound and Wind Domination,’ ‘Spatial Domination’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’ It was so powerful that it could even be considered exceptional.
I could understand the greatness of this supernatural power, which was capable of controlling even the weather. It was truly a skill worthy of Ranga. I was starting to worry about whether Gobta would be able to handle Ranga.
It was now time to work. Although I had played with Ranga all night without sleeping, I was in perfect shape. The first to arrive was Kumara. Her first words spoken to me after the greeting was.
“I heard Ranga-sama boast that Rimuru-sama could modify our Skills? I’d love for you to give me new powers, too!”
Kumara, dressed as a little girl, adorably made her request. Ranga acquired his abilities on his own, but he seemed have exaggerated the help he received. Actually, I think he should have praised himself, but for some reason, Ranga emphasized and bragged about receiving help from me. To be precise, it wasn’t me, but Ciel, but that was a secret, so I nodded ambiguously.
‘Now then, what should I do?’
«Let’s do it.»
I knew you would say that. I was worried about leaving the rest to Ciel, who had no intention at all of feeling sorry for itself… But I guess we should take all the countermeasures we possibly can since we have enemies.
“All right. Well, it’s mostly up to you, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Even for Ciel, what cannot be done cannot be helped. If Kumara did not have the right aptitude, she would not be able to receive a ‘gift.’ After obtaining her approval, I left it all to Ciel.
Name:
Kumara [EP: 1,899,944]
Race:
Nine Tails. Greater Chaos Spirit: Earth Spirit Beast
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Chimera Lord
Magic:
‹Earth Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Beast King Bahamut’
Intrinsic Skill ‘Beast Domination, Beast Unification’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
It took a while, but it seemed to have worked. Kumara acquired the Ultimate Gift ‘Beast King Bahamut,’ which included the following six powers: ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Gravity Domination,’ ‘Spatial Domination,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’
She could even interfere with planets, seemingly able to manipulate the gravity of a wide area. As for Kumara herself, her race had also changed. From the Nine Heads to the Nine Tails. It may seem that a change from ‘heads’ to ‘tails’ was a weakness, but that was not the case. She used to have eight magic beasts, but now she had only one head. In other words, Kumara could achieve complete control over all of them by her own consciousness. As it was before, the will of the magic beasts resided in eight of Kumara’s nine tails. Therefore, it was possible to leave them to their free will as subordinates. In that case, eight magic beasts with an existence value of about 200,000 would be separated from Kumara. Even so, the existence value of Kumara would remain over a million. This was not a miscalculation, but rather a fact.
The existence value of her subordinates would a multiple value of the separated value, which meant that they had been strengthened tremendously. Although she was not a divine race, she possessed existence value of nearly two million without relying on armor, so it was likely that she would soon evolve. Like Geld, she also had an earth attribute. Since she was an earth spirit beast, a semi-spiritual life form, she was very compatible with gravity manipulation.
The current Kumara, with all of her magic beasts integrated, could be ranked highly amongst the Twelve Guardian Lords in terms of specs alone. Unfortunately, she was still inexperienced. If they fought, she would still lose to Souei, and the only ones she had a chance to win against currently would be Adalmann and Gabil. That said, there were some scary things in store for Kumara, as she had a lot of potential. She was still a young girl, and her future growth was something to look forward to.
Apito and Zegion were the next to arrive. Leaving Zegion in the hallway first, only Apito entered the room. It would have been fine if they were both here at the same time, but in the name of a private interview, I decided to respect Zegion’s wishes. As soon as we sat down facing each other on the chairs, Apito gently handed me a package.
“Rimuru-sama, this is the honey that was just collected.”
“Oh, thank you!”
I was so happy, my cheeks relaxed. This honey can be used as a panacea and is amazingly delicious. It was a well-known story amongst my subordinates that I had used this to tame Milim with a single blow. That’s why it was a very popular product. Laughing, I put the package away in my pocket. I am not a man who would give in to bribes, but I decided to be nice to Apito. Apito’s current status was as follows.
Name:
Apito [EP: 775,537]
Race:
Star Wasp. Fair Chaos Spirit: Wind Spirit Wasp
Blessing:
Zegion’s Blessing
Title:
Insect Queen
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Queen Worship’
Resistance:
Pain Nullification, Physical Attack Resistance, Natural Effects Resistance, Abnormal Condition Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance
It would be impossible for an ordinary adventurer to defeat her. Apito’s strength had already surpassed that of the former demon lords. Although she was not as strong as the Special S ranks defined by our country, she seemed to be stronger than the pseudo-awakened Clayman. Moreover, according to Apito, her ‘Queen Worship’ Skill had created nine insectar majins. They were still chrysalises, but it seems that they would be quite powerful majins once they were born.
“In that case, we should celebrate.”
“I’m so happy! I beseech you to give them a name.”
A name, that’s right.
“Yeah…”
I tried to avoid answering directly and wanted to change the subject.
“Naming is dangerous, so…”
«No problem. I have mastered the art of total control, so there will be no danger.»
Mastered it…
That’s right, it’s the same as what you did with Charys back then. I guess I have no choice. I was hoping to avoid having to come up with nine names, but…
“Reichi, Reni, Resan, Reyon, Rego, Reroku, Renana, Rehachi, Rekyuu—how is that?”
Don’t ask me why, I’m just doing it. Although it was just a combination of number variations, I still hope she’ll be okay with it. I don’t even know if the majins will be male or female, so I’ll just assign them something appropriate like that once they’re born.
“Oh my! I can feel Rimuru-sama’s loving kindness, and my children are so happy to feel it as well!”
“Oh, you can sense that too?”
“Of course. The hearts of my children are unbreakably connected to mine.”
The children created by her Skill can be given orders through ‘Magus Control,’ and the speed of transmission in instantaneous. Also, unlike with ‘Telepathy Net’ where the exchange is mutual, the order of priority is made clear. This made sense to me, but let’s leave that alone for now. Ciel has been annoying me since a while ago.
«I don’t understand. I am just asking for permission to use ‘Skill Alteration’»
That’s what it said. Ciel seems to be eager to play with Apito’s Skills. In fact, Ciel could actually force Apito to do it even I didn’t give it permission because I had superior authority over the people I was connected to via the Soul Corridor. But this was currently a time of peace, and there was no longer an emergency. It didn’t want to do anything without my permission. What’s more, Apito was of Zegion’s lineage, so from my point of view, she was a secondary family member. Since the connection between us was a little weaker, it would be easier to do it if I asked for permission. Thinking it was too late, I asked Apito.
“By the way, if you don’t mind, I’d like to help you with the direction of your power. What do you think?”
“What do you mean?”
“Mmm. Your Skill seems to have two evolutionary possibilities. You can either be the commander-type who is served by her subordinates as the ruler of insect demons like you are now, or you could become the hero-type who leads her subordinates in battle herself. The difference is simple—The commander-type retains the ability to create insect demons, but the hero-type loses that ability. Instead, the hero-type’s physical abilities will be strengthened, and their skills will be enhanced to be more suitable for combat.”
I directly conveyed what Ciel had said. At the same time, I realized that Ciel didn’t go through with this because of the two possibilities. The choice was up to Apito. Otherwise, the true power of Skill would not be realized.
“Of course, you can also choose not to change anything.”
After hearing what I had to say, Apito asked me back without pausing.
“If I choose the hero-type, does that mean I will be unable to have children?”
What did she mean?
«Although the Unique Skill ‘Queen Worship’ will lose its power of ‘Birth of a Dependent (Insect Demon Birth),’ the ability to reproduce without relying on the Skill will remain, so doing so will not affect the natural conception of a successor.»
“It’s just that you will be unable create dependents through your skill. It won’t affect the natural birth of children.”
“I see. In that case, there is no problem at all. My children already have the Skill ‘Birth of a Dependent,’ so they will be able to produce an army exactly as I want them to as the Queen.”
Really? So Apito had already handed over a part of her power to her dependents. So then, Apito’s answer was…
“I would like to take the lead myself!”
Apito declared as such, just as I thought she would. As soon as that happened, Ciel immediately sprang into action, as if it had been waiting all day for it.
«Apito’s ‘Skill Alteration’ has been successfully completed. Unique Skill ‘Queen Worship’ has evolved into the Ultimate Gift ‘Queen Possession (Proserpina)’»
It really only took a moment. Perhaps it was because it had already been analyzed earlier, but not even a second had passed.
“It’s done. You can check on it later to practice using it.”
Ultimate Gift ‘Queen Possession (Proserpina)’ is a skill that seems to have been selected and enhanced from the original ‘Queen Worship.’ It included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Magic Perception,’ ‘Ultra Intuition,’ ‘Insect Domination,’ ‘Military Command,’ ‘Ultraspeed,’ ‘Lethal Attack,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’
It was just an enhancement of her original power, so it wouldn’t be out of place for Apito to use. I’m sure she would practice it without me telling her, but that’s what I advised her to do.
“I am thankful for the unparalleled good fortune. With supreme joy, allow me to pledge my allegiance to Rimuru-sama once again.”
With that, Apito knelt to the floor. I nodded grandly and finished my interview with Apito.
Zegion came in next, replacing Apito. Instead of sitting on the couch, Zegion politely sat on a wooden chair. It was obvious that he was already the strongest in the labyrinth, but he was still so thoughtful. He seemed to be trying to avoid damaging the leather of the couch with his exoskeleton, and I thought it was very meticulous.
That aside, Zegion’s performance had been magnificent. Zegion was already a high-spec existence, and even before his awakening, he had been on a par with Diablo. Compared to the other Twelve Guardian Lords, there was a clear gap in strength, and now he seemed to have become even stronger. Looking at his battle records (archives), it seemed that he had kicked Dino’s ass while still hiding his strength. What a terrifying child. Honestly, it a good thing that this guy is on our side.
“Zegion, you’ve done very well this time. If you hadn’t woken up in time, I don’t know what would have happened.”
“You’re flattering me. Even the timing of my awakening was all according to Rimuru-sama’s calculations, wasn’t it?”
No, of course not!
“No. I knew Dino was suspicious, but I didn’t expect him to make a move at the most inopportune time.”
“Ohoho, so that’s why. It was in anticipation of that situation that I woke up.”
I told you, I didn’t know that would happen!!
Speaking of which, I didn’t even know that Velgrynd existed—no, that’s not true, I did know, but I just didn’t think she’d come straight over here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have run off with my executives to negotiate with the emperor face-to-face. I was completely lacking in strategy this whole war, and we were lucky to have survived. And yet, Zegion seemed to want to give me credit for everything, no matter how I explained it. I gave up early.
“Anyway, I’m grateful you were there.”
“No, I’m really not much. Even if I wasn’t there, Rimuru-sama could have killed Dino with a blow that transcended time and space, right? I was merely responding to the opportunity you gave me to play an active role.”
What the hell are you talking about? A blow that transcends time and space?? I can’t do that… What kind of monster am I in this guy’s mind?!
“Uh, yeah. Right… Maybe I could…”
“Ha! It would be easy for Rimuru-sama.”
Zegion enthusiastically affirmed my powerless agreement. This was beyond the level of deep respect, and I felt like he was looking at me with a gaze that seemed to give reverence to a god. Although, Zegion has compound eyes, so it was all just my imagination…
I regained my composure and continued my interview with Zegion. I heard from Zegion himself about his thoughts on the battle with Dino. I had thought that Dino successfully managed to escape, but that was apparently not the case. Rather, Zegion said that he had carved a curse in Dino, in anticipation of his escape. It was a terrible thing that controlled the bearer’s life and death. To even be able to do something like that…just how far had Zegion evolved?
Name:
Zegion [EP: 4,988,856]
Race:
Divine Insect. Greater Chaos Spirit: Water Spirit Insect
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Mist Lord
Magic:
‹Water Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Illusion King Mephisto’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
‘Fueh?!’
I almost made a strange noise. The values that Ciel reported far exceeded my expectations. Zegion also seemed to be a divine race, but that was to be expected. His existence value was just under five million, the second highest after Benimaru. His attribute is water, but according to Ciel, he also has spatial attributes. As a semi-spiritual life form, he has excellent resistances. Not only does he not have weaknesses, but his skill level is also perfect. He was undoubtedly powerful.
Zegion seems to be able to condense the water molecules in the atmosphere to construct a temporary body. The magic steel that I gave him had already evolved into hihiirokane via adamantite. It is only because hihiirokane possesses such fantastic properties that such a thing was possible.
Zegion’s obsession with his exoskeleton was probably because it was the form I had originally created. Otherwise, he could have taken it off long ago and become a complete spiritual life-form. I was happy to see that he was taking such good care of it. Besides, Zegion, who specialized in close combat, was strong enough as he was. After all, a complete spiritual life form is meaningless without a physical body. Rather, shouldn’t it be said that his current form was the most perfect form?
«That’s right! And now Zegion is the masterpiece that Master and I have created together! Although I left the teaching to Veldora, many of the key points of knowledge were given by me to guide him, so there is no need to worry.»
Well, basically I don’t understand what that means, right? Ciel’s boastful talk continues bursting out, paying no heed to my confusion. Since Zegion dominates the water element, he is incomparably strong whenever water is present. So, because the world’s atmosphere is also laden with water, Zegion can use any place on this planet as a battlefield to his advantage. In addition, the majority of living things have bodies mostly made of water. With him being able to control that water, one can understand how dangerous Zegion is. The human body, for example, is about sixty-five percent water, so being hostile to Zegion would be suicidal. However, this is only the start of how dangerous Zegion is.
Zegion’s Ultimate Skill ‘Illusion King Mephisto’ includes ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Water and Lightning Domination,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Mental Control,’ and ‘World of Illusion.’ There were several dangerous abilities in it, but none of these were the one that had carved the curse into Dino.
The name of that technique was ‘Dream’s End.’ In other words, the engraved curse was a technique created by Zegion. This move could even break through Yuuki’s ‘Anti-Skill.’ To fight against it, one would have to have a very strong will, but it would still be very difficult to surpass Zegion. After all, the ‘Dream’s End’ was a combination of three powers—‘Water and Lightning Domination,’ ‘Mental Control,’ and ‘World of Illusion.’ With ‘World of Illusion,’ Zegion was able to create situations that were beneficial to him, and he could become practically invincible in such environments. Such Skills are called ‘World System’ skills and are very rare. Even I don’t have one, so it’s no wonder they’re so strong.
«Would you like me to prepare one?»
‘…’
I didn’t know how to answer that question, so I’d just pretend I didn’t hear it. Anyway, we were talking about the ‘Dream’s End.’ This technique was capable of instantly reaping the life of the target if they behaved in a way that was not in accordance with the caster’s will. However, because there were no restrictions on the target’s actions, the target could still move fairly freely. In this case, as long as Dino did not disobey Zegion’s will, he was allowed to act freely.
“So, how do you activate the curse?”
“Yes. It’s not something I do on my end, but it is triggered automatically the moment Dino takes a certain action.”
Zegion’s curse was an automatic type that required no management. Once it is activated, Zegion, the caster, will be made aware, but otherwise, he will not be conscious of it. And the key to its activation lied in Dino’s actions—that is to say, aiming ‘killing intent’ on my companions. The moment he decided to kill someone, the curse would destroy Dino’s core. It was impossible to escape from this curse even if you were a spiritual life form.
However, since the key to the curse was limited to Dino’s conscious actions, it would not be activated if he aimed for someone he did not know was one of our companions. There was no way for him to know the faces of all the people in our town, so I could not say that it was completely safe. However, since indiscriminate attacks on the town were judged to be murderous, this curse was sufficient to keep Dino at bay. How could Dino, who possessed an Ultimate Skill, be imposed to such a terrifying restriction?
“Excellent work, Zegion. Any reduction to a threat is welcome.”
“Thank you for your kind words. Although I am still inexperienced, the joy of Rimuru-sama’s praise sends a surge of enthusiasm to my heart.”
Why so serious??
Charys, Geld, and Souei were also this way. Beretta too, I think. Thinking about it this way, there were many serious guys in our group, but Geld and Zegion were particularly so. The growth of all these talents was really a threat considering they were not easily satisfied by their efforts. I hope that they would continue to do their best with pride in this manner, and not become complacent.
Anyway, I now understood that the Ultimate Skill ‘Illusion King Mephisto’ was a tremendous Skill. It should be impossible for Dino to be released from the curse, but there was no such thing as absolutes in this world, and perhaps it was possible to undo it easily with some unknown power. But even if that happened, Zegion’s reputation would not be diminished. In that situation, one could only honestly praise the opponent.
Honestly, Zegion was an excellent all-rounder in all aspects. This time, he had taken advantage of Dino’s death and used it as an opportunity to perform a move. It was this keen sense of judgment that made Zegion a fearsome opponent. It was not enough to have good Skills. Being able to utilize them properly is the real threat. In this respect, there was no one more specialized in combat than Zegion, and no one more suited to his Skills than Zegion. The two complemented each other.
While many tended to play to their strengths to gain abilities, Zegion eliminated his weaknesses to gain abilities, and was skilled and flexible with his Skills. Brilliant. There was nothing more to say!
With the ‘World of Illusion,’ he could create a situation that was advantageous to him, and the range of tactics would expand more than just by developing your specialty. He was probably one of the best among my subordinates in terms of combat sense and skill level. I was convinced that even fighting races like the ‘primordials’ could not defeat Zegion. Zegion, what a terrifying guy.
It’s no wonder Ciel calls him the greatest masterpiece. The strength he had shown up until now was only the tip of the iceberg. Even if I say this, I still think it’s quite unfair that I can check the status and Skills of my subordinates like this. Come to think of it, Zegion’s title ‘Mist Lord’ was given to him to imply mystery, but it also had the meaning of something hazy like fog. What an apt description. It was also a good match in terms of his attributes. Uh, then could it be…Zegion didn’t misunderstand my words and set his evolutionary path in that direction, did he? No, no way…
Ciel would’ve pointed it out. You’d point it out, right?
«…Of course!»
No way! The reaction was a bit delayed, and the pause in the beginning made me feel very concerned.
While hiding my suspicions that Ciel had become clumsy, I continued to wait for the next interviewer. It was Adalmann who came into the room.
“Rimuru-sama, I, Adalmann, am truly happy for the opportunity to attend this meeting today, and my gratitude is greater than words can bear!”
This is something beyond serious, isn’t it? I casually nodded and let him sit down on the couch. I would waste a lot of time to let this go on. That was the mood I was in, so I forced Adalmann to sit down.
“So, how are you feeling since you woke up?”
“Wonderful! I feel full of energy, as if every inch of my body has been filled with holy energy.”
That’s what Adalmann said, but he really did seem to be glowing. I couldn’t believe it, but when I checked his status—
Name:
Adalmann [EP: 877,333]
Race:
Dead Spirit. Fair Chaos Spirit: Light Spirit Skeleton
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Gehenna Lord
Magic:
‹Necromancy› ‹Holy Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Necronomicon’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
I knew it. Even though he was a Dead Spirit, he had a light attribute. From the looks of it, Adalmann was probably the most demon lord-like in appearance. I found it very ironic that he had the light attribute. However, in Adalmann’s case, he was also able to change his attribute with the Extra Skill ‘Holy-Demonic Reversal,’ so there wasn’t much to say. I thought it should’ve been the other way around, but I shouldn’t linger on that. Because there were other things to worry about.
For example, his existence value had reached the level of an awakened demon lord, and there were just so many things I had to say about him that it gave me a headache. The biggest issue was the Ultimate Gift ‘Necronomicon.’
‘What the hell is this…?’
«I gave it to him.»
I didn’t need to ask. I couldn’t think of anything else, but it seems that it really was the result of Ciel’s meddling.
“The most wonderful of all is this power given to you, Rimuru-sama. The ‘Necronomicon’ is the crystallization of wisdom and has become the source of my power.”
Adalmann recounted happily.
Adalmann’s ‘Necronomicon’ include ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Chant Cancellation,’ ‘Analyze and Assess,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Mental Crush,’ ‘Holy-Demonic Reversal,’ and ‘Domination of the Dead.’
In addition to his original powers, he could now use necromancy and holy magic without chanting. Adalmann’s army had become even more formidable as his control and protection over the dead was strengthened. He explained these things to me with great joy. If he was happy, then that’s fine. I decided to refrain from saying anything rude.
«Incidentally, this ‘Necronomicon’ is in the same system as the Ultimate Gift ‘Grimoire’ that was given to Gadra. I removed the knowledge unsuitable to Adalmann from ‘Grimoire’ and then added the necessary powers.»
Ciel seemed to want praise. I had also just learned that it gave Gadra powers as well. It was awesome, no doubt, but I couldn’t help but think there was no way for me to honestly understand it. Shifting topics, I realized that Adalmann and Gadra were good researchers. They were great friends who enjoyed doing research on magic together. From my point of view, those two were magic maniacs, and since they were harmless, I let them do what they wanted. It was a good thing to be passionate about something you loved, because you might be able to discover the truth. The ‘Necronomicon’ and ‘Grimoire’ could complement each other. They seemed to be appropriate Skills for these two people, so I decided that this was indeed the right answer.
The interview with Adalmann was over, but I also interviewed Albert and Wenti. The two of them said they did not dare to expect an interview with me and were overwhelmed with fear. They said that if they did not earn more achievements, then they were not qualified to see me. It was overly reverent to the point of being incomprehensible. What on earth do they all take me for…?
Anyway, it was important to grasp the situations of all my subordinates. Albert was a servant of Adalmann. And Wenti was a servant pet of Adalmann. Presumably, both of them would be destroyed if Adalmann were to die. But on the flip side, as long as Adalmann was safe, they were immortal beings. Thus, it could be said that they also received an Ultimate Gift through Adalmann.
«I worked hard.»
That’s because it’s a hobby, right? No doubt, Ciel has a good character. I listened to the report, convinced of that.
Name:
Albert [EP: 682,639 (+Spirit Sword 600,000)]
Race:
Dead Spirit. Fair Chaos Spirit: Flame Spirit Man
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Gehenna Paladin
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Immortal’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Name:
Wenti [EP: 984,142]
Race:
Gehenna Dragon
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Hell Dragon King
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Necromancy›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Eternal’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Due to the effects of evolution, their existence values had become quite high. In addition, both of them had a lot of nullifications and near-perfect resistances. Adalmann’s resistances were the same, so it must have been due to the fact that he had once died. As for their powers, their Skills had different names, but the contents were the same. They all included the three powers ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Complete Regeneration,’ and ‘Slavery Immortality.’ There was room for others, but that was still under consideration.
By letting Ciel do as it pleases, there might be some problems, but never any mistakes. Because their ‘souls’ were entrusted to Adalmann, their bodies appeared to be imperishable. If Adalmann died, they would die with him, just as I expected. Since Adalmann was also immortal, they were practically invincible. I couldn’t help but think that their team was a cheat.
Incidentally, Albert also had a lot of room for growth. After all, the potential value of his mythical-grade weapon was one million, and as long as Albert’s existence value continued to rise, his performance potential could still be enhanced. I believed that Albert, who was also an excellent swordsman, would be able to do so in the near future. With that anticipation, I watched as Adalmann and the others walked out of the room.
After lunch, the interviews continued Shion had been well prepared for this long ago.
“Rimuru-sama, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting! It’s finally my turn!”
I wasn’t waiting for her, but I decided it was better not to say that. So I simply nodded my head and faced Shion.
Name:
Shion [EP: 4,229,140 (+ Hercules Deluxe 1.08 million)]
Race:
Divine Fighter. Greater Chaos Spirit: Battle Spirit Oni
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
War Lord
Technique:
‹Divine Battlewill›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Cook’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Shion proudly explained her power. At the same time, Ciel explained everything to me, but it was mostly wrong. Shion’s strength did not depend on Skills. Shion’s weapons were mythical-grade, so even if she did not have an Ultimate Skill, she could still harm Ultimate Skill holders.
Her body itself was a threat, plus her ‘Infinite Regeneration’ was a nightmare. Even if one were to aim for an endurance match, Shion’s existence value was also outstanding, rivaling that of Benimaru’s. In other words, she had a huge amount of magicules, and waiting for her to run out of mana was a bad idea. Her resistances were also perfect, so the only way to defeat her was to fight head-on. If that was really the only way to win, I felt pity for the enemy.
“You’ve gotten stronger, haven’t you?”
“Hehe, it’s embarrassing, but I’m so grateful for the compliment!”
She didn’t seem to be embarrassed at all. But her getting stronger was true, so I wasn’t complaining. That said, I was surprised that there was only a Unique Skill, because everyone else so far had possessed Ultimate Skills. Ciel, could it be that Shion rejected you?
«No. Shion possesses massive potential, so she was carefully assessed. The Unique Skill ‘Cook’ is also very powerful, so I think it is enough to do nothing.»
Hmm, she’s certainly strong, but…
I had recently become better at reading Ciel’s emotions. It was mostly intuitive, but still pretty accurate. If I’m to believe it, then this feeling indicated that Ciel was hesitating to adjust Shion’s Skills.
«…That’s correct.»
This is a rare occurrence. When I asked why, Ciel answered reluctantly. What a surprise. The amazing fact was that if Shion’s Skill was strengthened, there was a possibility that she would gain powers sufficient enough to kill me. Apparently, Ciel judged that to be undesirable and sealed off Shion’s Skill evolution. It seemed pretty unbelievable for a Skill cultivating enthusiast to do such a thing. Although I don’t think Shion would ever have any harmful intentions towards me, acquiring such a scary Skill was definitely something to think about. I did not want to get myself into trouble, so I decided to support Ciel’s action.
After the status check, I enjoyed chatting with Shion for a while. I listened to her boastful talk and applauded appropriately. Shion had been very active in the battle against the Imperial Army. Occasionally, I wanted to listen to her stories and praise her like this. In retrospect, I was often either angry or speechless by Shion’s behavior. I understood that Shion was working hard, and her efforts were gradually showing results, but even so, all of the miserable situation from her messing up tended to make it inevitable for me to criticize her. That’s why I think it was a good idea to enjoy a peaceful conversation like this after such a long time. I feel like an old father to Shion, but then—
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you, but I ran into a depressed Masayuki in the cafeteria—”
—Huh?!
“—He seemed to be troubled about something, so I told him to consult with Rimuru-sama about it!”
Why does she look so smug?! Once again, without permission… What’s more, Masayuki’s problem was definitely something I did not want to get involved with…
She was always so presumptuous, and it always rippled back to me. It’s exactly that kind of reckless behavior that’s gonna get me in trouble! I didn’t want to get involved with this…
After all, the sudden appearance of Velgrynd who was supposed to disappear was surprising. But after calming down and thinking about it, there was undoubtedly only one reason why Velgrynd was here. Velgrynd had leapt through the dimensions in pursuit of Rudra. And there was only one person she would go after, right? Not to mention, Masayuki and Rudra looked exactly alike. With all those circumstances put together, even I could have predicted it. But…
Even knowing that, I can’t betray Shion’s trust in me.
“I’ll have to decide on a date for all of us to meet.”
I told her as such, though it was mainly just to postpone the problem. However, Shion replied without hesitation.
“Oh, that’s perfect then! I already set up a meeting first thing early tomorrow morning!”
Perfect, my ass!! What’s the point of having a meeting, let alone an interview, without any prior discussion? It’s a crazy situation that started only as a personal consultation with Masayuki. This is the kind of problems that arise when you use Shion as an intermediary. I mean, who is even going to participate in this meeting? I was getting a headache from the sudden problem that came out of nowhere. I was still in the middle of the personal interviews, and now this suddenly happened. There were still the demons I had yet to interview, and if I didn’t finish the interviews today, I might not be able to come back to them until a few days later. In that happens, I’m worried that they’ll go berserk…
“If that’s the case, tell Rigurd and Benimaru to prepare properly!”
“Understood. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go!”
As soon as Shion said that, she left the room in a happy mood. Only I was left bruised as I hurriedly called Diablo and the others over while holding my head.
The remaining people to be interviewed were Diablo, Testarossa, Carrera, Ultima, and their four subordinates. I thought it would be impossible to meet with all of them, so I would just dangerously go through with it here.
“Kufufufufu, is it finally my turn? How long I have waited for this moment!”
He was kicked out only yesterday afternoon, but he’s being so dramatic.
“Don’t be silly, Diablo! The decision has not been settled yet, so it shouldn’t be a problem for me to have a meeting with Rimuru-sama first!”
A battered Carrera snapped at Diablo. Ultima agreed with her.
“That right! I haven’t given up yet, either. I don’t think you should run away from this.”
She was also covered in scars, and looking at her injuries, it was a wonder that she was still standing. I mean, their clothes were part of them, so the fact that they still weren’t fixed suggested that they were badly injured. And yet, they were still fighting like they were just fine. Demons really are tough.
“Stop that. It is disrespectful to fight in front of Rimuru-sama.”
Testarossa intervened, and things finally quieted down. By the way, Testarossa is very graceful. She had prepared a cup of tea for me, not caring about the three of us who were quarreling. Her clothes were in perfect order, as if showing the difference in sophistication.
“So, Rimuru-sama. Regarding the matter of firing Diablo and choosing one of us to be your second secretary, unfortunately, we have not come to a decision yet. What shall we do?”
I didn’t think there was even such a thing. Perhaps, leaving the demons for the end was a mistake. Even if Shion hadn’t given me unnecessary work, I still had to report to King Gazel. I should have taken care of these troublesome problems first. That’s what I thought, but it was too late now. I didn’t have much time left, so I would have to use force.
“Actually, we don’t have enough time for a leisurely meeting. Not to mention calling in your subordinates—”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s much too good for them.”
“Yeah. If you need any information on my men, I’ll report it!”
“That’s right. I wouldn’t want something to cut into my time with Rimuru-sama… No one under my command would be so foolish.”
All four of them replied at the same time, with big smiles on their faces.
“O-Oh.”
I had no choice but to reply.
Ciel also said that there was no need to call in all the demons. The reason was that Diablo and the others had said that they all answered with, ‘Please do whatever you want.’
Ciel already knew this, but to me it seemed like they were just ignoring all the others’ wishes. I forced myself to accept that it was for the purpose of managing my subordinates. With that thought in mind, I managed to convince myself. The first of the four to be interviewed was, of course, Diablo. He had kicked out the remaining three from the room and was happily sitting across from me.
Name:
Diablo [EP: 6,666,666]
Race:
Divine Demon. Seven Primordials: Devil Lord
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Magic Lord
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Temptation King Azazel’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
‘You’re…just so weird’—was what I thought. The fact that his numbers were so organized was like admitting that he did something. But since Ciel didn’t say anything, I was too lazy to further pursue it. After all, I still think Diablo is the strongest of all my subordinates. His existence value is overwhelming, and his resistances are perfect.
Diablo’s ‘Temptation King Azazel’ includes the abilities ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Punitive Control,’ ‘Charm Control,’ and ‘World of Temptation.’ It was a Skill that could do almost the same things as me.
He seemed to have wanted to boast about it for a long time now, so he explained it to me in detail with great enthusiasm and care. Ciel also seemed satisfied with Diablo’s perfect comprehension. I can’t actually utilize my Skills without Ciel’s help, so Diablo is actually stronger than me. His magicule count is high, his level is high, and the quality of his Skill is also high. An all-around excellent demon, versatile in all aspects.
Why he was my subordinate remained a mystery to me. Despite his battle-obsessed tendencies and being a bit too clingy with me, this guy’s unfathomable strength was always very reliable. Now that he’s evolved, I was curious to see how a mock battle with Zegion would turn out. I’m sure it would be an interesting fight.
Also, Benimaru. Benimaru was usually pretty reserved when fighting, as if holding himself back. But once he got serious, he would burn everything up before the fight even began. In the labyrinth, one could fight fully without having to worry about survival, except Benimaru would probably not agree to it, because it would expose his hand. In terms of attribute conflicts, water was stronger than fire, so Zegion had an advantage over Benimaru…but the answer could only be known after an actual battle.
Well, there’s really no need to decide on superiority or inferiority though. If Benimaru, Diablo, and Zegion were the top three fighters of my entourage, then there would be no disputes about it.
That was it for Diablo. Also, it seemed that in addition to Venom, Gadra had officially become his disciple.
“Disciple?”
“Yes. Now that he is my servant, you will not have to worry about his betrayal.”
I thought that he would be fine anyway, but now I was definitely relieved. Gadra was bound as a guardian of the labyrinth, so he couldn’t be forced to do chores in a big way, but Diablo didn’t seem to mind. He seemed to think of his disciples in a different way than his usual subordinates.
“That’s good, but why did you decide to take him?”
“Yes, this man’s faith in Rimuru-sama is still lacking, but his quest for magic is real. He did have some merit for a human being, so I thought I would teach him personally and intervene in his mystic art ‘Reincarnation.”’
“So…?”
“Shamefully, he almost died in the last battle. It was an act of disobedience to Rimuru-sama’s order, so I reincarnated him as a demon to prevent that from happening… For some strange reason, he became some unheard-of race known as a ‘metal demon.”’
Diablo stopped talking at this point and looked at me as if asking for clarification. I have no idea. What did I do?
«Oh, I interfered.»
What do you mean, ‘Oh’—?! This is why I thought we needed to have a private meeting as well, but it looks like you’ve really done a lot. I really wish I had thought more about it. This ‘metal demon’ race sounded kind of like a repeat of Beretta…
«Please be rest assured about that. It is a completely different concept.»
That’s fine, I guess. It really isn’t a problem to me, but it’s just that I find it troublesome.
“I guess I interfered a little?”
I had no choice but to answer that way, so I told him honestly. Instead, Diablo was so excited that we ended up talking for a while.
To sum up, Diablo also liked Gadra. That’s why he had promised to include Gadra in his lineage in case something happened to him. It was well known that Gadra was a magic fanatic. He was the master of Majin Razen and was even willing to become a demon to satisfy his intellectual curiosity. Since he was such a man, as long as he didn’t cause me any trouble, I would let him do as he pleased. I didn’t dislike the old man either, so I judged that there was no problem. However, it would be uncomfortable if he turned out to be like Adalmann, so I would have to declare a prohibition on overly faithful hearts. Just because he was Diablo’s disciple did not mean he could have identical beliefs. I would firmly reject it.
“From now on, he is your responsibility, so take good care of him.”
From my perspective, Gadra-sensei was very much an elder, and while I don’t speak in a tone that is quite appropriate for elders, Diablo was much older. The notion of age had to crumble, because Diablo was so old that the concept of the word “old” would collapse. In this way, Diablo now had two disciples.
As soon as Diablo bowed and left the room, Testarossa entered in his place. She took a seat across from me with a graceful demeanor.
Hmm.
I wasn’t planning on it, but I suppose I could ask her to be my secretary… Oops, no. Doing that would mean appointing Diablo as a diplomatic marshal, and then he’d definitely go out of control. I did want to add unnecessary problems, so I’d just keep things the way they were. Besides, I had a favor to ask of Testarossa. Just as I was wondering what to say, she presented me with a document. It contained information on Testarossa’s subordinates.
Name:
Moss [EP: 1,079,397]
Race:
Demon Peer: Archduke Class
Blessing:
Blanc’s Lineage
Title:
The Empress’ Confidant
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Collector’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Name:
Cien [EP: 286, 596]
Race:
Demon Peer: Viscount Class
Blessing:
Blanc’s Lineage
Title:
The Empress’ Secretary
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Recorder’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification
If you add this to the information that only I could read, this was what it looked like. Neither Moss nor Cien were directly involved in the previous battles. Therefore, they had not fallen into crisis nor into Ciel’s clutches.
By the way, what about Testarossa…?
Name:
Testarossa [EP: 3,333,124]
Race:
Divine Demon. Seven Primordials: Devil Lord
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Killer Lord
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Death King Belial’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Compared to the beginning of the war, her existence value had increased incomparably. Even compared to when she fought Velgrynd on the airship, it seemed to have increased more than threefold.
“The amount of magicule seems to have increased a lot, right?”
“Yes. It’s a shame, because it would have been a more interesting demonstration if it had been done in time for the battle with Velgrynd-sama.”
Hmm… Fighting is not how you have fun, is it? Well, it’s probably useless to say that.
Once again, I was reminded that in combat, it was not the quantity but the quality that mattered. In this case, combat experience had played a bigger role than the amount of magicules. The reason why Testarossa was able to fight so well against Velgrynd was because they were evenly matched in terms of combat ability. If the battle had gone on for a long time, she would have been defeated, but since she was only stalling for time, she was able to manage. The fact that Testarossa’s magicules had increased means that her fighting ability had also greatly increased. It was all very encouraging, but it also meant that I was now responsible for keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn’t go out of control. For now, I would leave it to Diablo, but I was also thinking a little more attention should be paid in that aspect.
Still, ‘Death King Belial’? As befits Testarossa, it was a Skill with a dangerous scent. As for the powers it contains, it included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Life Domination’ and ‘World After Death.’
This was also a ‘world system’ Skill. It was also a ‘World After Death,’ which I would rather not ever experience. I’m scared, so I’ll leave the management to Ciel.
“You mentioned a private meeting, so there should be something to say that cannot be discussed publicly, correct? What exactly is the content?”
After Testarossa provided the information on her subordinates, Moss and Cien, she then asked the question very clearly. She was quite perceptive, which was very helpful. I changed my mind and decided to confide in her about one of my problems. It was about the meeting with Masayuki and the others that was supposed to take place tomorrow morning.
“I might be reading too much into it, but I wanted to talk to you about it. I’m supposed to meet with Masayuki and the others, so I’m wondering about what to do.”
“I see, so it’s about the treatment of the Empire.”
I was surprised how quickly she understood everything.
“That’s right. Masayuki seems to be troubled, but it’s difficult to respond to such a sudden request…”
Shion probably didn’t think about it that much, but if Masayuki was the reincarnation of Emperor Rudra, it would not be so easy to become an Emperor. In the first place, we didn’t know where the current Emperor Rudra—though now transformed into Michael—had disappeared to. Even if Masayuki declares himself emperor—that is to say, I don’t think Masayuki is willing to do so…
It would also be strange if my country suddenly supported him. What’s more, Michael’s power, the ‘Castle Guard,’ was unbreakable as long as there were people who believed in Rudra. In other words, we had to think about how to deal with the Imperial subjects at the same time. I really wished I had more time to think about this.
Explaining it to King Gazel would also be complicated, and that honestly felt even more difficult to deal with. As I’ve said many times, I didn’t want to get involved, but I couldn’t say that.
“If that’s the case, then let me join the meeting. The East, where the Empire is located, used to be my domain, so I’m sure I’ll be able to serve as a diplomatic officer.”
Ooooh, how reliable!
I couldn’t just leave this to Ciel. I might be able to verbalize Ciel’s solutions, but how to actually instruct the subordinates would still have to be left to the locals. In the first place, even if an opinion was absolutely correct, we would have no choice but to reject the proposal if the Imperial side did not accept it. It might have worked if the Empire had been made a vassal state, but otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to interject too much about how other countries operate. In this respect, Testarossa would be able to respond flexibly. Testarossa had a proven track record with the Western Nations, and once the policy was set, I felt comfortable leaving it to her.
“In that case, I’ll be counting on you tomorrow morning.”
“I understand, leave it to me!”
Testarossa’s bewitching smile was so encouraging that it made me feel a little better.
That was all I had to say, so I stood up to see Testarossa off—
“Rimuru-sama, there is one thing I would like to report to you as well.”
“Hmm?”
“As you may remember, Rimuru-sama received a petition for life from Calgurio, one of the Empire’s generals…”
Testarossa’s words reminded me of that too. It would be a bit of a hassle, but it was not impossible.
“All right. Then now…”
I’m glad Testarossa remembered. This kind of attention to detail was one of the reasons why I found Testarossa so reliable. In order to complete my work before dinner, I accompanied Testarossa to the research facility.
There were only two more to go. After dinner, I called Ultima over.
“I’m tired of waiting.”
Ultima said cutely as she sat down gently. I’m sure it would have been so cute to have a sister like her, and it made me smile. I made us some tea and served her some of the best baked goods.
“Whoa, whoa! Rimuru-sama did all of this?”
“Fufufu, I can make tea too. Well, not black tea, but I can make coffee.”
It was just drip coffee, though. It wasn’t even as good as Shion’s, which was an unwelcome reality. Although it was limited to beverages, tea and coffee, Shion’s craft had really progressed in that aspect. I thought it would be wrong to keep complaining about other people’s cooking, so I tried it myself… It was surprisingly harder than expected. Before I died, I always ate take-out and never cooked for myself. I was busy with work, and considering the time and effort required to clean up, it was more cost-effective…
The kitchen in that apartment was still as new as ever, and although I had wanted to do it in my spare time, only the cooking books had changed. I couldn’t say it was all in vain, though, because those memories were useful now. Anyway, since it was just a matter of adding hot water to the ground beans, even I could make coffee.
“No way! Just this cup of tea, makes me so happy!”
Seeing her so happy made me happy too.
“Don’t be shy. The coffee will take a little longer, but it’ll boil while we’re talking.”
I wanted a cup too, so I set the filter on the coffee server and poured the boiling water. This set of tools was made by Kaijin. There were mass-produced models based on this, so the coffee shop was also thriving. The aroma of coffee beans wafted through the air. In this way, I showed off my prowess to Ultima. It was sure to raise my reputation. It’s always important to earn points in such situations.
«In my opinion, that’s pretty cheap.»
Don’t be silly! This is an advanced strategy, not a petty one at all. Besides, what’s the point of showing off your strength when you’re up against battle-crazy ‘primordials’? The best thing to do is compete in different areas.
«Haa… You’ve already shown enough of your majesty, so your worries are superfluous.»
It’s fine. Besides, I never intended to show off my majesty. I didn’t care about that, so let’s just get down to business.
“Then, let’s hear your report.”
“Yes, then this first.”
What was handed to me was a report on her subordinates.
Name:
Veyron [EP: 882 869]
Race:
Demon Peer: Duke Class
Blessing:
Violet’s Lineage
Title:
Poison Princess’ Butler
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Artist’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Name:
Zonda [EP: 301,316]
Race:
Demon Peer: Viscount Class
Blessing:
Violet’s Lineage
Title:
Poison Princess’ Chef
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Chef’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Veyron’s strength caught my attention, but it was Zonda’s ‘Chef’ that made me nervous for a moment. One would think that it was in the same system as Shion’s bullshit Skill, but it wasn’t. Instead, his powers were focused on status assessment and support. It could heal any injury by ‘cooking’ it. I was relieved to find that it was not a terrifying skill that would affect the law of cause and effect.
Next up was the real deal, Ultima.
Name:
Ultima [EP: 2,668,816]
Race:
Divine Demon. Seven Primordials: Devil Lord
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Pain Lord
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Poison King Samael’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Ultima, like Testarossa, had grown significantly. It seems that the amount of magicules continued to increase after the end of evolution. Since she had already surpassed the million-class mark, it was both a threat and reliable that she would grow stronger. And let’s not forget about Ultima’s Skill.
Ultimate Skill ‘Poison King Samael’ included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘Weakness Identification,’ ‘Lethal Poison Creation,’ and ‘World of Annihilation.’
Yup.
It was a Skill that specialized in killing. What was worse was the ‘Lethal Poison Creation.’ By combining this with ‘Weakness Identification,’ she could create the perfect poison to kill her enemies. However, what bothered me even more was ‘World of Annihilation.’ This was a heinous world system power that could unconditionally kill all non-mental life forms that did not possess an Ultimate Skill. It’s like a super-enhanced version of my ‘Merciless.’ Since it wouldn’t work against a super strong opponent, it was better to have this sealed away.
“Ultima, I’m sorry, but…”
I started, pouring myself a cup of coffee to calm myself down.
“What is it?”
“It’s about your ‘World of Annihilation’…”
“Yes.”
Ultima happily accepted the cup I offered her. Now was the best time to say it.
“From now on, it is prohibited for future use.”
“Okay! I was thinking that I didn’t need this power either. Rimuru-sama knows how I feel!”
“Huh?! Oh, uh, well of course, right?”
I laughed my way through the deception and patted myself on the back for good measure. I didn’t know why, but it seems that Ultima did not intend to use ‘World of Annihilation’ either. No, thinking about it more, it was not too surprising. As a battle maniac, she probably didn’t like the idea of such an unconditional victory. Well, as long as Ultima agreed, then it was fine. I was relieved and enjoyed the rest of the conversation.
The last interview was with Carrera.
“Hello, Milord! If it wasn’t for your help, I doubt I could have defeated Kondou. That man was so strong that it was hard to believe he was human.”
Carrera laughed as she finished her report. I had heard this from Ciel, but to hear it from her own mouth made it even clearer. Carrera really seemed to have won by a hair’s breadth and was sincerely praising Kondou. Indeed, Kondou seems to have been quite strong. Benimaru had defeated Granit, the third ranked soldier, but even he was wary of Kondou. Or rather, he was confident that he could defeat anyone but Kondou. It was not an exaggeration to say that Carrera secured a huge success by defeating a man who was so highly regarded.
‘It’s because you gave me the power,’ Carrera insisted.
“To have gained flesh, broken through my own limits, evolved, and been given even more… I want to repay this kindness. I hope you understand that my loyalty is forever yours.”
The normally unruly and arrogant Carrera was quite honest when she faced me. Well, in terms of ‘rank,’ a primordial who had lived since ancient times was far superior to some newborn demon lord. Regardless of loyalty, the answer remained the same.
“In that case, I look forward to working with you. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to hold trials.”
Monsters still had the tendency to follow the strong. Anyone could arrest them, but only the strong could judge them. In the future, I was planning to establish a kind of Supreme Court Judicial System, and leaving all but the most heinous criminals to the hands of the people. But that was for when the nation was more stable. Because Tempest was still a developing country, Carrera’s strength was a great help.
“Oh, it’s my pleasure! In addition to myself, my whole family will act as Rimuru-sama wishes!”
Carrera replied, smiling happily. And about the status of Carrera and her subordinates? First off, I looked down at the documents that were handed to me. Carrera’s subordinates were Agera and Esprit.
Name:
Agera [EP: 733,575].
Race:
Demon Peer: Marquis Rank
Blessing:
Jaune’s Lineage
Title:
The Tyrant’s Master
Magic:
‹True Battlewill›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Blade Transformation’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Name:
Esprit [EP: 552,137]
Race:
Demon Peer: Count Rank
Blessing:
Jaune’s Lineage
Title:
The Tyrant’s Friend
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Discerner’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
They were really strong. I mean, they were all old demon lord class, weren’t they? Agera was comparable to a pseudo-awakened Clayman, and hypothetically, if I had fought him way back then, he might have won…
I think it’s wrong to have so many subordinates of the old demon lord class. Rather than that, I was more concerned about being a ‘friend.’ It was Carrera’s evaluation after all, so I guess that’s just how they were. Certainly, Esprit has a bit of a girly-girl vibe to her, and if one didn’t know the inside story, they could assume that the two were a well-connected pair of sisters. Rather than a master-slave relationship, they seemed more like schoolmates. Honestly, I thought Carrera’s lineage was quite unusual. What was truly shocking, though, was what came next.
Carrera was really terrifying.
Name:
Carrera [EP: 7,013,351 (+ Golden Gun 3.37 million)]
Race:
Divine Demon. Seven Primordials: Devil Lord
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Menace Lord
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Annihilation King Abaddon’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
The amount of magicule actually surpassed Diablo’s, and both of my eyes couldn’t help but turn into two dots. Her growth seems to have stopped, but it was the highest of all my subordinates. However, the most dangerous thing of all was the ‘Annihilation King Abaddon.’
Its powers included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘Limit Break,’ and ‘Dimensional Rupture.’ And although it has no world system power, it specialized in attack power. In particular, ‘Dimensional Rupture’ was a power that could penetrate a ‘Distortion Field’ and space to destroy enemies.
If Carrera’s Skill was coupled with destruction spells, along with what was given to her as well, there would be few who could endure it. It might even be able to destroy the levels of Ramiris’ labyrinth, so one could understand how powerful it was at a glance. To be honest, I wouldn’t want to deal with it either.
“You’ve gotten stronger…”
I couldn’t help but spill out my true feelings.
“Yeah, it was thanks to milord. And also Kondou, who entrusted me with this. Even if it is only in response to that man’s wish, I will crush Emperor Rudra.”
Hearing her say so, I remembered. Kondou was also manipulated by Michael.
“About that, the real Rudra is gone… I mean, all sorts of things have happened, but what you were fighting was actually an entity that had taken over Rudra by the will of a Skill.”
I explained to Carrera that Rudra’s true identity was Michael, who had become a Manas. Upon hearing this, Carrera nodded, not seeming surprised.
“I see. So that’s why that Feldway guy was calling Rudra as Michael. Now I understand, milord.”
That’s how it was. Now don’t go picking any fights with Masayuki by mistake. With that warning, the interview with Carrera ended.
Just as I was about to leave the room, Carrera turned to me and said,
“Oh, yes, I forgot. There was one thing I had to tell Milord.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
I asked as I took a sip of my coffee.
“Actually, I’ve been debating whether or not to tell you…”
It must be important if Carrera was troubled by it. Then, I went back to my seat and calmed down—
“—Agera seems to be Hakurou-san’s grandfather.”
Pffft?!
I almost spat out my coffee. I just barely avoided it at the last second, but it was such an important matter—you can’t just tell me that so casually when you’re leaving!
“You—that!”
“Hahaha, this is important, isn’t it? I can’t handle it, so I’ll leave the decision to Milord.”
With a laugh, Carrera left the room. She completely threw the ball to me. That laugh must have been a sigh of relief, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. In short, this was a problem that could not be ignored. Although Diablo and the three demon girls said that I didn’t need to meet with their subordinates, I decided to meet with Agera later.
I couldn’t think straight at the moment, so I would meet with Agera at another time. The personal interviews had now concluded successfully. I didn’t want to work anymore today because I had a meeting with Masayuki and his friends tomorrow, although I didn’t need sleep either way. I returned to my more relaxed slime state and hid under the covers. For some reason, I felt very comfortable in this darkness.
«Okay, then I will report.»
Excuse me, I’m done with work…?
«This is about Master’s Skills, so it’s not work.»
That was fine for Ciel because it was their hobby, but for me, this was no different from work.
But even if I said that, Ciel wouldn’t listen to me, would they? Sooner or later, I would have to do this anyway, so I gave up resisting. Actually, I was kind of looking forward to it. I’m sure there would be some crazy results, and I was well prepared. The integration went very smoothly without me having to go into sleep mode. It took about a day and a half to complete the integration, but I was having private interviews, so there was no problem. Well, that’s how it was.
Since I had been asked for permission to use Skill Alteration in the middle of a real battle, there was no reason to stop the activity. I would have been furious if that had happened. The report began silently in my mind, and the information immediately showed up. Well then, let’s see what it’s like, shall we?
Name:
Rimuru Tempest [EP: 8,681,123 (+ Draconic Sword 2.28 million)]
Race:
Supreme Chaos Spirit: Ultimate Slime
Grace:
Grace of Friendship
Title:
Chaos Creator
Magic:
‹True Dragon Magic› ‹Greater Spirit Summoning› ‹Greater Demon Summoning› ‹Other›
Skill:
Manas ‘Ciel’
Intrinsic Skill ‘Universal Perception, Dragon Spirit Haki, Universal Shapeshift’
Ultimate Skill ‘Void God Azathoth, Harvest King Shub-Niggurath’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
The result looked like this. I didn’t realize it before, but my existence value was amazing. If I include the increase in number with my sword, it would reach 10 million. Now the straight sword I was very familiar with was at the mythical level. Its shape had been altered by my race’s characteristics, and I had decided to call it the “Draconic Sword” for convenience.
It also had two holes in it. The sword seemed to be evolving smoothly to my satisfaction. If I gave it an official name, would it evolve? There’s no way. No, no, no. I might give it a try, but I didn’t want to give it a random name. If I came up with a nice name, I would change it.
Even if existence value and total amount of magicules was outstanding, it did not mean that I could let my guard down. Benimaru, Diablo, and Zegion, not to mention Testarossa and the other demon girls, all had very high combat abilities. Testarossa, for example, had fought very well against Velgrynd, who had almost ten times the amount of magicules.
As you can see from this example, the most important thing was not the size of the existence value, but how skillfully one could use their power. That overall power was the combined strength of one’s magicule quantity, skill level (combat ability), and Skills.
Everyone had used their powers to the fullest during the battle against the Imperial Army. Looking at the battles ahead, I knew that I could not be left behind. Anyway, at this stage, I was still in the lead, ahead of Carrera. Reassured by the current status, I turned my attention to the other things.
The blessing (protection) I got from Veldora had disappeared, and now I was my own protector. I went from being under protection to becoming the one providing the protection. I really had grown.
—But now was not the time to be escaping reality. I knew I was not at the level of feeling comfortable, but why did I only have two Skills now?
As if to answer my question, Ciel happily began its explanation.
«First of all, I no longer needed ‘Wisdom KingRaphael’ and ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth,’ so I integrated—»
‘Hey, wait, wait, wait!!!’
‘What did you just say?!’
‘What did you just say in such a refreshing tone of voice???’
‘It said that it used the Wisdom KingRaphael, which was basically like its mother, for the integration…because it didn’t need it?!’
«Is there a problem?»
Apparently, I had not heard wrong. No, I knew there was no way I could have misheard …but I didn’t think it would actually do it. But if the ‘Wisdom KingRaphael’ was gone, wouldn’t Ciel be able to exist as well?
«No. I’m already independent, so there’s nothing to worry about!»
Ciel calmly answers my question. Even ‘Wisdom KingRaphael,’ which can be considered as its own mother… I was surprised that Ciel could consume it so easily, but according to them, the Skill was already an empty shell, so there was no problem. What mattered more was the contents. Ciel seemed to have done the work without any emotion or sentimentality. Eliminate all useless abilities, and do everything thoroughly. However, although there was no problem, was it really necessary to consume ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth’ as well?
«Of course!»
Maybe I should’ve confirmed before approving anything… In the face of my weak questioning, Ciel replied to my questions, as if understanding me, and forcefully went ahead with the explanation. As it turned out, my Skills had changed so much that they had not retained their original forms. This was no longer the level of modification. No, my Skills really were integrated and modified, but there was still something unacceptable about it. So then, let’s talk about the key Skills.
The first, ‘Void God Azathoth,’ was created by merging ‘Wisdom KingRaphael’ and ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth.’ Not only that, but it seems that the ‘Storm King Veldora’ and the newly acquired ‘Scorch KingVelgrynd’ were also sacrificed. However, I had inherited those powers, so there was nothing wrong with it. In other words, the Ultimate Skill ‘Void God Azathoth’ contained the abilities ‘Soul Consumption,’ ‘Nihility Collapse,’ ‘Imaginary Space, ‘True Dragon Release [Scorch and Storm],’ ‘True Dragon Core Transformation [Scorch and Storm],’ ‘Spacetime Domination’ and ‘Multidimensional Barrier.’
Even the original ‘True Dragon Summoning’ had disappeared, it seems that there were still no problems with unleashing or releasing it. In the first place, Veldora and the others actually came to me of their own free will, so it was the same without this power. The ‘True Dragon Core Transformation’ was more interesting, and as its name implied, it was literally the power to transform the dragons into a nucleus core that could fit into the hole openings in my sword. Once again, the True Dragon, a vast body of energy, would be condensed into the blade’s core. It was frightening to imagine how much power that would generate. It appears that the dragon’s approval is necessary, but…it’s too scary to imagine the timing of its use.
Even without ever using it, it looks like this one is going to have to be sealed away. Well, at least Velgrynd would presumably decline it. But Veldora might want to try it just for fun. I was a little worried about that, so I decided to keep it a secret. Rather than that…
What is truly dangerous is the original power of ‘Void God Azathoth’ which had been perfectly optimized after integration.
Soul Consumption
A super-enhanced version of ‘Predation’ and ‘Gluttony’ that could even devour the target’s soul along with it.
Nihility Collapse
The ultimate destructive energy that fills the chaotic world. Full control over it was possible for the first time thanks to the Manas.
Imaginary Space
A chaotic world. The super-evolved version of ‘Stomach’ and ‘Isolation’ was a prison that locked away whatever should be isolated.
Spacetime Domination
Instantaneous movement is possible by simply being aware of time and space. Affects even time.
Multidimensional Barrier
A constantly active, ‘Multilayer Barrier,’ which provides absolute protection by a ‘Dimension Fault.’
That was Ciel’s explanation. It was pretty terrifying. The fact that it would even try to implement such a modification in the middle of a battle was terrifying. However, there was one thing that I did not trust: the absolute protection of ‘Dimension Fault.’ It claimed to be stronger and safer than even the ‘Distortion Field,’ but I knew that there were no absolutes in this world. I would not fall for that.
Besides…the moment Ranga acquired ‘Stellar Wind King Hastur,’ I had long since known that my Skills would become very powerful. So, rather than being surprised, I was more horrified that with ‘Void God Azathoth’ alone, all other powers were practically unnecessary. My second Ultimate Skill, naturally, was the ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’
After the Skill Alteration, my powers had now become these two abilities. It’s obvious that I had become more powerful than before the integration, but it occurred to me that there were some abilities that had disappeared. For example, ‘Thought Acceleration,’ was gone, but seemed to still be working fine. What did this mean?
«These abilities—‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Predict Future Attack,’ ‘Analyze and Assess,’ ‘Parallelism,’ ‘Integration,’ ‘Separation,’ ‘Chant Cancellation,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Food Chain,’ ‘Thought Domination,’ ‘Law Domination,’ and ‘Attribute Transformation’—all of these have been integrated into me, so it is now possible to respond more quickly.»
I suppose I should praise it as excellent. Perhaps it might even be overkill, but for the sake of the battles that would follow, a change in mindset was indeed necessary. The weaker I was, the more I would have to sacrifice. In order to settle the matter and enjoy a life of peace, there was no need to hold back or be polite.
Now that I had confirmed my own strength, I decided to compare myself with Veldora.
Name:
Veldora Tempest [EP: 88,126,579]
Race:
Supreme Chaos Spirit: True Dragon
Grace:
Blessing of Fertility, Storm Protection
Title:
Storm Dragon
Magic:
‹True Dragon Magic›
Skill:
Intrinsic Skill ‘Universal Perception, Dragon Spirit Haki, Universal Shapeshift’
Ultimate Skill ‘Chaos King Nyarlathotep’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
This was the current status of Veldora. It goes without saying that his resistances were perfect, but what was most noteworthy was the extent of his existence value. That said, when I did look at the value, I was laughing rather than getting surprised. That guy, he had messed up when he was determining the value.
………
……
…
It had happened just recently, after dinner. I had just finished a meeting with Ultima, so I tried to leave immediately. However, I was interrupted by Veldora.
“Kuaaaahahaha! Rimuru, I understand that you are having personal interviews with Benimaru and the others. I, too, have a lot of free time at the moment—”
“Ah? I’m busy. I’m sorry, but I’ll play with you after I’m finished.”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait!!! I’m not talking about that—I’m talking about your personal interview with me!”
Huh?
There was no need to meet with Veldora. After all, it’s not like Veldora was my subordinate, and if I really wanted to, I could just ask Ciel about it.
“No, we talk to each other all the time, so there’s no need to have an interview, right?”
“What?! Don’t say such lonely things!”
“That’s right! You should understand how lonely Master and I are!”
Even Ramiris joined in. But seriously, even if they say that, we do see each other all the time. Of course, I wanted to play with the Avatar Core too, but my work was more important. In the first place, we were currently in a war. It’s just that the whereabouts of Feldway and his colleagues were still unknown, so I was able to rest a little. At the very least, until we were ready to intercept them, there was no time to play around.
“Don’t be selfish. Once things are properly settled—”
“No, I told you it’s not that! I’ve grown stronger and I want to show off to you. I know you’re busy, but what’s the harm in keeping me company for a little while?!”
“That’s right, that’s right! You’re the only one who can accurately measure the existence values, so I want you to come with us for a bit!”
“Hmm?”
“That is to say, I have been concealing my existence value from when Ramiris measured it. I’m trying to prove it to you.”
Hmmmmm.
“That’s absolutely impossible! It’s true that we can’t measure the numbers in too much detail, but it’s impossible to fake it!”
I see. In other words, I was being involved in a very stupid argument. When thing get to this point, these guys won’t listen to anyone. Instead of trying to convince them, it would be easier to just go along with them.
“All right, all right. Then let’s go to the Control Room.”
With that, we began to measure Veldora’s existence value. The measurement devices were linked to the monitors throughout the labyrinth, and the control panel in the Control Room managed them. Ciel was able to synchronize with the labyrinth itself, so it could take measurements no matter the location, although that was a secret. That’s why we went to the Control Room. I didn’t have much time, so we started right away.
“Master’s existence value is 88,000,000! It’s amazing, but Master insists that it’s higher. I want Rimuru to scold him for being so vain!”
Indeed, it was value beyond imagination. Far from being average, even a Million-class ‘Saint’ would be unable to win. So, were those numbers accurate?
«Yes. Veldora’s existence value is definitely 88,126,579.»
They were almost identical. Too high of a value would cause the machine to lose accuracy, but it was still sufficient to measure labyrinth challengers and intruders. That said, if Veldora was really able to fake the numbers, it meant that the system was flawed. This would be a problem that could not be ignored, so it was necessary to check. I was a little impressed that this trip didn’t end up being a total waste of time. Now, it all depended on whether or not Veldora was actually able to fake the numbers.
“My measurement is 88.12 million, so it’s almost the same. So, are the values going to continue rising from here? Or will they be under-measured?”
Either way, I needed to know the approach think about countermeasures. I urged Veldora to demonstrate. With a proud look on his face, Veldora smugly began taking off his coat. No way, could it be that…? My body, which would not have been sweating, felt like a cold sweat had fallen. Veldora began to laugh loudly.
“Kuahahaha! Take a good look. This is my true power—!!!”
With a thud, his coat fell to floor, and with another thud, the wristbands on Veldora’s arms and legs rolled off, shaking the ground. H-Hey… Taking off your heavy clothes…doesn’t mean the numbers will go up… Maybe he was feeling warm? What is measured here is mainly energy levels which has nothing to do with direct combat power. But Veldora…
“Kuahahaha! How about that?! Try measuring now! I don’t care if it breaks—!!”
Hmmmmm, this is embarrassing! Now that I understood what he was trying to do, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the pitiful Veldora.
«I’ve measured it, and there is not the slightest change in values.»
There’s no change!!
“Ve-Veldora, you know…”
“Master, after all that, it’s still the same 88,000,000?”
Ah, Ramiris went straight to the point so harshly!
“Don’t be stupid! Rimuru, what’s the truth? My numbers have doubled, haven’t they?”
I looked at Veldora with pity.
“If it was youki, you could hide it, but existence values are completely different…”
Then I carefully explained to Veldora that these values were not a measurement of combat power like in manga, but rather a measurement of energy. Needless to say, Veldora turned bright red once he realized his mistake.
………
……
…
Well, it still makes me laugh even now, but there was no doubt that his magicule count was tremendous. Even if I examine it seriously, there is no way to harm him except with attacks at the ultimate level. Moreover, the Skill that Veldora acquired was also extremely troublesome.
His Skill evolved into ‘Chaos King Nyarlathotep’ by Ciel’s modification, which included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Analyze and Assess,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Probability Manipulation,’ ‘Parallel Existence,’ ‘Investigation of Truth,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation’ and ‘Multidimensional Barrier.’
The practical convenience had been greatly improved after the Ciel’s integration. Even Veldora had acquired ‘Parallel Existence.’ I understand from the battle with Velgrynd that this was troublesome, but in the case of Veldora, he also has ‘Probability Manipulation,’ which makes him seem truly immortal.
In the first place, as long as I didn’t die, he was indestructible. Because the core of Veldora remained within me, his memories and feelings were backed up. If he could produce a ‘Split Body’ in addition to this, it might be impossible to destroy him. I laughed about the existence value mistake, but he really was reliable to have on our side.
Well, Veldora’s existence value was more than ten times that of mine, and even if I fought him, I probably couldn’t win…though I did have a few doubts. Not only did I defeat Velgrynd, I even ‘Predated’ her. The value of Velgrynd’s existence at that time was 26.87 million. At that time, I predated a little over 50 percent of them, and about 30 percent of it was in recovery. That 30 percent seemed to be trying to come back to the side that I predated. As expected of Ciel, they did not miss a thing.
So, back to the main point…I felt that my existence value seemed a bit low for the amount of energy I had consumed. Well, I still think that I’m strong enough as it is, and I also still think it’s one’s fighting sense that is important, but I was still a little concerned.
«—As for that, it’s only natural. The predated energy was once taken in, but it was turned into the Master’s flesh and blood before using ‘True Dragon Release’»
Well, what does that mean?
«In other words, Master’s maximum existence value is correct when the values of Veldora’s and Velgrynd’s existence values are added together.»
—What?!
I couldn’t help but be dumbfounded. In other words, it was only when I released ‘True Dragon Release’ that I would be able to display my maximum power.
Hmm?
But you know, since the output is the same, it might be the same even if the energy increases. Even Velgrynd might have shifted to increasing the number because the upper limit had been reached. Of course, there was no limit to an increase in power, but it was meaningless if it didn’t hit the target. Once you reach the level of shattering stars, it becomes more difficult to control the power. I was deeply convinced that there was no point in focusing on maximum power. For reference here. I ‘predated’ Velgrynd, whose existence value at that time was estimated to be 49,829,987. It should have been almost perfect because of Ciel’s calculations, but now, her existence value had increased more.
Name:
Velgrynd [EP: 74,350,087]
Race:
Supreme Chaos Spirit: True Dragon
Grace:
Scorch Affection
Title:
Scorch Dragon
Magic:
‹True Dragon Magic›
Skill:
Intrinsic Skill ‘Universal Perception, Dragon Spirit Haki, Universal Shapeshift’
Ultimate Skill ‘Divine Flame King Cthugha’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
This was Velgrynd’s current status. After returning from a 20 percent reduction in status, there had been a significant increase. Rather than growth, should I say evolution…
The power was still the same as it had been after Ciel had changed it, but I’m sure Velgrynd must have mastered it. The contents of the ‘Divine Flame King Cthugha’ included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Thermal Excitation,’ ‘Parallel Existence,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Dimension Leap,’ and ‘Multidimensional Barrier.’ Also…
For me, it had only been a few days since we split up, but it was still unknown just what kind of experience Velgrynd had gained. I would be meeting her tomorrow, so I was wondering about how I should talk to her. I was afraid of what might happen if I offended her, so I decided to be careful to avoid a secondary conflict. In this way, the status confirmation by Ciel via personal interviews, was successfully completed.
Well, I was in trouble too. That’s what I thought as I finished listening to the report from Ramiris and the others. It was a bigger incident than I had expected.
“So, is Chloe going to be okay?”
“There are no problems. She reverted to her child form and is conscious. She’s just resting in the infirmary for now, just in case.”
I was relieved to hear that from Shuna. I had been told from the start that there were no casualties, but even so, I couldn’t rest until I saw for myself. She was probably already asleep right now, so I would go visit her tomorrow. That being said…
This time, the enemy was a real pain in the ass. A strategy to use the intruder as a diversion and separate Ramiris from her guards. Then use the opportunity for Dino to betray us. Dino’s strength was far greater than Beretta’s. Even Beretta and Apito joining forces were unable to stop Dino, and he had almost got his hands on Ramiris. In the end, Ramiris was saved thanks to Zegion’s timely arrival, but if even one step had gone wrong, it would have been a disaster.
I shuddered to think about what would have happened if Zegion had not woken up in time. I was really glad that he made it in time and couldn’t help grabbing my chest in relief. Still, Velgrynd-san’s return had come as a bit of a surprise. She was currently discussing her future plans with Masayuki and the Imperial commanders. We would have to meet and talk later, but I suppose they would all want to collect their thoughts. That being said, if Velgrynd-san had protected those people, then it must have been because of Masayuki. I feel that many things have become clearer to me, but have also added more questions. Then again, I’ll just think about those questions later. I looked around at the people who had just given their report to me.
“Ramiris, I’m so glad you’re okay!”
“It was nothing. But then again, that Dino really didn’t seem to want to do anything to me, but it would have been awful if I had actually left the labyrinth. Why? If I really got serious, then I could have knocked him down with all forty-eight of my special moves!”
Ramiris was the same as always. Although she was very angry, the moment she felt safe, she would put on a show of bravery. It was kind of cute. She was still sleeping happily when I had returned, but was still talking in her sleep, saying stuff like ‘Mmmmnn…Dino, I’ll show you all of my forty-eight special moves…’ Not only did she think she was strong in her dreams, but she also thought she was strong when not in front of me.
“Dino should be grateful that Ramiris-sama did not resort to her forty-eight special moves!!”
Treyni-san, who was taking care of Ramiris, was quick to flatter her.
“Well, of course!”
Ramiris nodded happily. It because she’s always like this that Ramiris gets carried away.
Do it in moderation, I thought to myself.
“I am so sorry, Rimuru-sama. It was poor supervision on my part. I never thought that Dino-kun would betray us…”
It was a drooping Vesta who said so. It seems that he wanted to come here to apologize to me as soon as possible. Vesta, who has a strong sense of responsibility, seemed to be quite depressed about this incident. So I smiled at Vesta to put him at ease.
“No, no, don’t worry about it. Dino’s been weird from the very beginning, hasn’t he?”
When I said that, Ramiris, Treyni and even Beretta nodded.
“He’s a demon lord, after all. I was suspicious of him from the start.”
“I didn’t expect him to do something this bold, but I had been keeping a close eye on him to make sure I could deal with him in time when he caused any problems.”
“By and large, he also showed an unbelievably serious attitude with his work, which surprised me.”
It was a slew of pitiful comments that even made me think that we should have given him a little more credit. But there was no way around it. In the first place, Dino had come here because Guy told him to. Even Dino himself made no pretense of hiding the fact that he was a spy. We had every right to be wary. But I think…
“Don’t be so depressed, Vesta-san. I don’t think that Dino really wanted to betray us from the bottom of his heart.”
That’s what I really thought. While Dino’s betrayal was to be expected, there had been the presence of his own agenda that implied that he wanted to be watched from the start. Perhaps Dino thought that this would happen someday. I couldn’t help but think so.
“He sure is clumsy, isn’t he? If that’s the case, he could’ve at least talked to someone about it…”
“Well, now that we became friends, I’d like to believe that. Besides, Dino might have had his own reasons.”
When I said that, Vesta seemed to agree.
“Indeed. I want to believe in him. I was once on the wrong track as well, but thanks to King Gazel and Rimuru-sama, I am back on the right path. It is encouraging to even know that someone is there for you.”
Vesta’s expression relaxed a little, as if his doubts had been cleared away.
That’s fine, I thought. I wanted to trust Dino too. I couldn’t say it out loud until I was sure, but there was another thing that came to mind.
It was the possibility that Dino possessed an Angelic Ultimate Skill. This coincidental convenience of having a Unique Skill evolve into an Ultimate Skill during combat doesn’t just randomly happen. If there was such a possibility, then that would mean he had the means to make it possible.
«Indeed. It is not common to evolve in the midst of battle.»
The one who agreed with me was Ciel. My confidant and friend, and the one I relied on the most. While in high spirits in the heat of battle with Velgrynd, I had named the Wisdom KingRaphael-san. As a result, the Manas (theosophy nucleus), an intelligent being called Ciel, was born. It was not a mere thinking being. As was the case with Chronoa, it also acted as an algorithmic device separate from its master. It could be thought of as another core that exists within my soul. There was no doubt that it has an ego, and its reactions were more human-like than before.
«Is that so?»
As soon as Ciel said that, I suddenly felt my persuasive power drop. Ciel had been doing a lot of things on their own, so what was it saying now?
Besides, even if Ciel had the time to say that now, wouldn’t we have been in trouble if it hadn’t evolved and remained as the Wisdom KingRaphael?
Now that I think about it, from the moment I had confronted Rudra (or was it Michael?), I was in trouble. But that was probably because he was under the influence of the Ultimate Dominion.
«…»
You still have the habit of shutting up when it’s inconvenient. In other words, if it hadn’t evolved into Ciel, then there’s a good chance I would have been defeated. It was only now that I realized how close the line between victory and defeat was, and I couldn’t help but be horrified.
«It’s a hypothetical situation, so it’s meaningless to wonder about what could have happened.»
Hey, hey, you hate to lose even more than I do, don’t you?
I forcibly concluded, stopping my thoughts. But well, I guess we’re definitely the exception. Returning to Dino, I think it was reasonable to assume that he was hiding some kind of power.
«Perhaps it was just intended to be a disguise. However, the unnaturalness of the manifestation can make us confident that he possesses other powers as well.»
‘Mm-hmm.’
If Ciel says so, then it must be certain. In other words, since Dino also possessed an Angelic Ultimate Skill, he was probably manipulated by Michael’s ‘Ultimate Dominion.’ Since Dino and I weren’t connected by a Soul Corridor, there was no way to disarm it immediately, but it was still possible if I ever confronted him. Of course, there was still the possibility that Dino had betrayed us by his own will, so we could not be careless, but I had decided not to indiscriminately regard him as an enemy.
That should have been the end of it, but there was another person who was depressed.
“I am so sorry, Rimuru-sama. I put Ramiris-sama in danger…”
Beretta knelt down before me and hung his head in apology.
“Wait a minute, Beretta-chan! You’ve done a great job!”
I agreed with Ramiris. Beretta did an excellent job against the far superior Dino. Rather than faulting him for negligence, I wanted to praise him for buying us all that time. Given Beretta’s character, I was worried that he might feel responsible for his defeat, and it turned out to be true. Like with Vesta, too much seriousness was not a good thing.
“No, you succeeded in buying time as you were trained to do, and that’s great work!”
“However, Ramiris-sama has entrusted me with the position of Dungeon Master, which is a key position in the defense. And Rimuru-sama has entrusted me to protect Ramiris-sama. And yet, here I am, in such a state of distress…”
Beretta was not convinced by my words, and continued to get more upset the more he spoke. Perhaps he was very frustrated, but Beretta’s actions were all appropriate. With Dino as an opponent, Beretta did his part well with the correct understanding of whether or not he could win. If he had misjudged the situation with a lapse in judgment and made a reckless assault, Ramiris would have been taken by now. I didn’t even want to imagine the damage that would have been done.
“So I tell you, Beretta, you should be more proud of yourself.”
Beretta finally calmed down when I praised him for his excellent work. As it turned out, the enemy’s strategy had been thwarted. In other words, Beretta and the others had achieved sufficient results.
“If that’s the case…”
He had calmed down, but he was still not all the way convinced.
“You’re still troubled? Then let’s talk to you about it later in my room.”
“Haha, thank you!”
Since Ramiris was safe, there was no problem. Beretta, on the other hand, was still too concerned. All in all, Beretta and I decided to talk about it later, and that was the end of the matter.
After the reports from Ramiris and Vesta, I heard from Geld and Adalmann next.
“Geld, you did an excellent job protecting the town! Thank you.”
“I cannot say it in words, but I love this town. I will not let the fruits of our labor be so easily destroyed. My friends and I feel the same way. I will continue to work hard and try not to let Rimuru-sama down!”
“I’m counting on you, but don’t push yourself.”
Geld still seems to be working too hard. If he worked any harder, it would look as if the rest of us were slacking off. Geld’s subordinates probably wouldn’t rest either, and a moderate amount of rest and relaxation from their superiors was also necessary. I nudged Geld not to do anything too rash, and then received his report. Apparently, the enemy seemed to be close to Dino. They were two women, Pico and Gracia.
As for the identity of the enemy, Ramiris confirmed that they were subordinates of Veldanava known as the Seven Primordial Angels. They were originally seraphim, the highest and most powerful of angels, who worked for the stability of this world. Dino was apparently one of them, but the enemies that appeared on the fiftieth and seventieth floors were presumed to be other forces.
“These ‘Originals’ were supposed to be in charge of controlling the otherworld by monitoring the powerful monsters that were sealed in the otherworld. However, from what Dino told me, three of them remained on earth.”
Those three people were probably Pico, Gracia, and Dino. They transformed from seraph to ‘Fallen’ and lived on earth. It seems that their purpose was surveillance, but it was not known whether they were ordered to do so by someone else or if it was by their own will. In any case, since all that was obtained were fragments of intelligence, one could only speculate on their intentions.
“The opponent’s strength was considerable. If I hadn’t evolved, it would have been impossible for me to resist them.”
That was what Geld said, so it must have been pretty bad. I heard that Pico’s opponent was Kumara, and that it was also a heated battle. And yet, the fact that the opponent was still able to interfere with the labyrinth during the battle was enough to speculate that the opponent hadn’t made the full extent of their abilities.
“I see. That’s troubling.”
“Yes.”
I would have preferred not to be hostile to them, but it’s too late now. I would bet on the possibility that Dino was being manipulated and think of a countermeasure. Next, there were the other forces at work.
“And what of Zalario?”
Adalmann began to report.
“He was a formidable opponent. Charys-dono and Treyni-dono were fighting him before I got there, but they were no match for him.”
This one was worse. I had checked the archives of the battles in the labyrinth, and it seems that the Fallen were a different race from the Phantoms. He had called himself one of the ‘Three Phantom Commanders’ and said he was a subordinate of the Phantom King. In other words, that pompous Phantom King Feldway used to be the leader of the Seven Primordial Angels.
The three Primordial Angels who went to the other world with him are now under Feldway’s command and call themselves the Three Phantom Commanders. During their journey to the Otherworld, Veldanava disappeared, and they became unable to return. They must have transformed at some point and become ‘phantoms.’ I understood completely.
They were different from Dino, and it must be because of their past friendship that they had formed a mutually supportive relationship. Those were just my subjective inferences combined with my wishful thinking.
«I agree with you.»
Oh, that’s reassuring. With Ciel’s agreement, I was almost certain.
“In any case, the Phantom King and his gang are the enemies. From now on, everyone should be on the lookout for them!”
I gave everyone all the information I knew. It was mainly about Michael and Phantom King Feldway. Especially important was Michael’s power, so I made sure not to hide that either.
“Th-Then—! Maybe Dino is being controlled?! That’s why Rimuru said he wanted to trust him, right?”
They noticed. I wasn’t planning on pointing that out until I was sure.
“I hope I’m not just overthinking things, but it’s possible that he is being manipulated. So, Ramiris, if that’s the case, let’s forgive him.”
“Well, yeah. I hope so!”
Ramiris said so and laughed happily. She seemed to be feeling better than before, so I took that as a good sign. All that remained was to hope that Dino was really being manipulated.
During the exchange of information, the atmosphere of the banquet was gradually heightened. Rigurd wailed with joy for everyone’s safety. Rigur got the budget from Myourmiles and arranged for the party to be endlessly entertaining. Myourmiles also joined the celebration and showed us his secret tricks. The subordinates were very competent, and I was happy for them. After the main debriefing, it was time to loosen up a bit and we were all having a great time.
“I don’t know who the Three Phantom Commanders are or whatever, but I’m going to kick their asses!”
As reliable as always, Benimaru. Actually, he seemed to be very different from before he went into battle, so I wonder what happened?
“Gwahahaha! With me here, you will surely be victorious in the next battle!”
Gabil also boasted that he was well qualified to do so. He seemed to have been very successful in the battle, and like Benimaru, his strength had somehow increased.
“Whaaa! Gabil-sama, how handsome!”
“That’s right.”
“You’re getting more and more manly. I will follow you for the rest of my life.”
Gabil’s men were also very excited.
“Brother, you must not get carried away. You almost died this time! It’s because you’re always being praised like that, that you’ve become so obnoxious!”
Souka was angry, but let’s just forgive him for today. That being said, it was Gabil’s fault for worrying her, so I decided not to interfere. This was definitely not an escape. That must be made clear. The more important issue was the old man standing next to me.
“Kuahahahaha! Charys, it seems you were beaten to a pulp. You need more training!”
“It’s quite a shame.”
“Kuahahaha! No excuses! Be a man and be brave enough to admit to your failures!”
He’s already admitted it. I mean, didn’t Veldora lose to Velgrynd too? You can’t exactly laugh at others either, can you?
“Didn’t you lose too?”
“Eh?! What are you talking about, Rimuru?! I didn’t lose. I was just in bad shape!”
He’s even making excuses! You’ve been lecturing Charys this whole time, but you’re no good at all either.
“Master, there was nothing you could do because your opponent was too vile. And there was even interference from cowardly outsiders, right? That doesn’t count!”
“Yes, exactly! Very well said, Ramiris! That’s right, I did not lose!”
You haven’t forgotten that Velgrynd-san is still nearby, have you? It was such a poor excuse that I thought about pointing that out to him. If Veldora hadn’t lost in the first place, I wouldn’t have had to worry so much, and yet this guy still…
“Charys-kun. Even if you get sick of Veldora, try not to give up on him.”
“Hahaha, please be at ease. My lord is now only Veldora-sama. I will do my best to be more respected in the future.”
Seriously. He’s way too good to be Veldora’s subordinate. His seriousness reminded me of Geld. It was great that Charys became Veldora’s servant—I couldn’t help but think that. And with that, the banquet continued. Sake was also being served.
I was the only one who thought that I was being too careful, but it seemed that it was nothing for the executives to neutralize the alcohol. There would be no point to drinking in that case, but so be it. I was able to enjoy the drunkenness, and the conversation was very animated. I felt the same way about that, so didn’t want to bother with the details.
“Come now, Rimuru-sama, I’ll pour you a drink!”
“Wait, Diablo, it’s my turn this time!”
Behind me, Diablo and Shion seemed to be in the middle of a tumultuous argument, and it was completely incomprehensible whether the relationship between these two was good or bad. Don’t compete with each other in such strange ways…
“Okay, don’t fight over such trivial things. You guys should drink too.”
“Kufufufu, then I shall make myself at home.”
“I won’t be fooled! If you drink, you’ll fall asleep, so I’ll take care of Rimuru-sama first today!”
So Diablo is a wine drinker? I’m not quite sure about the taste differences of wine, but red wine does seem to suit Diablo. And Shion…
This one’s drinking habit is pretty bad compared to just falling asleep. When she drinks, she gets delirious and troubles other people, so Shuna keeps a very strict watch on her. The fact that she doesn’t remember after it all ends makes her drinking problem even worse. That’s why I recommended grape juice to her, but if she was planning to control herself, I would keep quiet. Upon closer inspection, I could see that these two have also gotten stronger. Looking back on it, all the executives seem to have grown in some way. It’s not just that they’ve awakened, but there was something more than that…
«Please stop doubting me.»
Oh, I’m sorry. Yes, you’re right. Even for the mighty Ciel, it’s difficult to help someone else’s evolution, isn’t it?
«I only helped a little.»
So you still helped! I needed to ask about this in detail, but we were in the middle of a celebration. I could do it now, but I could also do it tomorrow, so let’s just enjoy this moment as much as possible. That’s what I thought, so I threw all my problems to myself tomorrow, and enjoyed the celebration with my whole heart.
The next day, I gave all the executives a vacation. Although, I still felt bad for Rigurd and some others who had to manage the affairs of the government. I had asked them to confirm the status of the city and explain the situation to the residents. Even though the city had been brought back to the surface from the labyrinth, it was still necessary to make sure that there were no problems with the plumbing.
As soon as we confirmed the safety of the city, we would give the evacuees permission to go home. Because of the massive battle, I would have liked the administrative staff to take a rest, but the life of the masses was also important. Thinking about it this way, I couldn’t help but think that politicians really were slaves of the people. There are many problems even in normal times, and in the event of an emergency, you can’t even think about rest days or anything. Now that Testarossa and the others were helping me with the administration, it had become a little easier, but I still had to work hard to recruit more people.
And me?
I’m just an amateur, so my job was to read documents and give permission for things. If I thought something was a bit unreasonable, then I’d reject it or send it back to the department for reconsideration. Of course, this was only possible because Ciel gave me detailed explanations. If it had been just me, the whole process would have fallen apart long ago. Anyway, even though it was only one day after the party, I still had to do my best to check the documents. With Rigurd and the others still busy running around, it was more of a relief than relaxation.
But before that. Before I set off to work, I decided to go visit Chloe first. As soon as I entered the infirmary, my eyes met with Chloe’s.
“Rimuru-sens—san!”
“Fufu, you don’t have to force yourself to act all grown up. From my point of view, Chloe is still Chloe.”
“Honestly! Despite my appearance, I am already an adult. In fact, I’m even older than Rimuru-san.”
Even if you say that…
Sure enough, appearances are still important. It was just like with me. People who didn’t know me often only thought of me as some beautiful young girl when they met me, to the point that I had a complex about it. In any case, it’s important to keep in mind that a careless remark can sometimes lead to stepping on a land mine. To Chloe, whose cheeks were red, I said from the bottom of my heart that it was good that she was okay. As a result, she hid her face behind a pillow.
“Honestly! That’s just foul, Rimuru-san!”
Huh? How should that sentence be interpreted…
«I don’t know. It is too difficult a question.»
Well, if even Ciel can’t understand it, then it can’t be helped. So, for the time being, I just said ‘Okay’ and continued pacifying her.
After waiting for Chloe to calm down, I asked her about what happened. What happened in the battle, and how it ended.
“I have no problems myself, but I’ve become unable to communicate with Chronoa anymore. It seems that the Ultimate Skill ‘Hope King Sariel’ is about to go out of control, so she’s trying to suppress it.”
As I thought, she was influenced by Michael’s domination. After fighting with him, it now felt like he was messing with those I cared about. I had already identified him as an enemy, but it seemed I didn’t need to show any mercy.
“What exactly is the situation?”
“Hmm, I can’t really say. I am now completely unable to use the ‘Spacetime King Yog-Sothoth,’ and am unable to talk to Chronoa, so I really have no idea of what’s going on.”
Apparently, the situation was more serious than I thought. Although I hadn’t planned on relying on Chloe’s strength from the very beginning, somewhere still, I had been naive enough to assume that she could just protect herself. I was disgusted with my own perception, but now that it had come to this, Chloe’s safety took precedence over everything else.
«Now that I have the authority to interfere with the ‘information particle (intelligence hub),’ I am able to influence Chronoa, who is the ‘Manas.’ If I can break into Chloe’s spiritual world and perform a ‘Skill Alteration,’ we should be able to remove Michael’s influence.»
As it turns out, Ciel is able to interfere.
“Chloe, if I interfere with your Skills, I think I can improve the situation…”
“Rimuru-san, that won’t do. At that time, Chronoa said in the end, ‘If we continue to rely on that person anymore, we will never be able to stand on our own. We have to get out of this situation by our own strength, in order to walk alongside him.’ I agree with her, so I can’t accept Rimuru-sensei’s help.”
Chloe looked at me straight in the eyes when she told me this. Although her face was young and crisp, the expression on her face reminded me of her beauty when she was an adult. It was enough to make me nervous. No, I am not a lolicon. It’s just that Chloe’s transcendence—Oh, it’s useless. It seems like the same idea as a certain blonde demon lord. That was a losing battle, so I hastily switched my thoughts.
“Okay. But if you need anything, just let me know. I’m always here to help.”
With that said, I patted Chloe on the head. Chloe smiled happily and nodded with a small ‘yeah.’
Upon returning from my visit to Chloe, Vesta requested to see me due to an urgent matter.
“What can I do for you?”
“Thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule. I have just been contacted by King Gazel.”
“Oh!”
Pushing up his glasses, Vesta said.
“Yes. As you might expect, he wants you to explain.”
I knew it. It had been such a big war, but I left the cleanup behind and had come back. For that, indeed, I was going to be scolded. It probably wouldn’t have been a problem if it was only within our territory, but after all, the Dwarven Kingdom had been involved…
“I see. Was he angry?”
“He seemed quite unhappy.”
Vesta was wiping the sweat off his face. It was no wonder. We had been drinking together just last night. Thinking about it for a moment, you can say that Vesta is also to blame. I guess he didn’t pay much attention to the situation, and it was honestly hard to blame him for that, but he seemed to be reflecting on himself for not advising me. Still, it was me who did the most wrong.
“Please reply that I will explain it at a later date.”
“After all, you’ll have to think of an excuse.”
As expected of Vesta. His quick wits made him very reliable. In any case, we needed to sort out our situation before we could explain anything. The first thing I needed to do was to arrange a date for the briefing. Therefore, I would leave it up to Vesta to deal with King Gazel. We decided to discuss the matter again after we had compiled our opinions.
Then, lunch break. I threw all those hard questions out of my mind. After enjoying today’s menu of my favorite fried chicken and yakisoba red bean noodles, I suddenly remembered. Ciel seemed to have been doing something behind the scenes. Last night, Ciel said that they had given the executives ‘a little help’ and I thought it was necessary to get a clear picture of what they had done, and how much they had helped. After all, it was highly likely that what Ciel called ‘a little help’ was not little at all.
«Hmm, I am very surprised to be suspected like this…»
The next thing I know, Ciel begins to make a statement. As I had suspected, it turned out to be a grand affair. First of all, the biggest thing was the unauthorized modification of my Skills. That modification led to the Ultimate Skill ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’
Yes, I did receive a report.
It was reported to me after the fact, but after Velgrynd’s ‘Skill Alteration’ was finished, I was told that the remnants of ‘Covenant King Uriel’ had been integrated into Velgrynd’s ‘Charity King Raguel,’ and that its essence was inherited by ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’
At that time, I was so focused on Velgrynd that I didn’t listen to the explanation. Looking over the documents, I listened to the detailed explanation about the Ultimate Skill ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’ This power was like the crystallization of the bond between me and my subordinates.
—Skill Creation: to create new Skills from the information obtained through ‘Food Chain’ and ‘Analysis.’
—Skill Duplication: to create a copy of an acquired ability.
—Skill Gifting: the ability to duplicate a Skill and bestow it upon the right person. It is also possible to take it back.
—Skill Storage: acquired Skills are converted into information (data) and reproduced instantly.
Well, that’s how it was. The capacity of a ‘soul’ was limited, so the number of Skills that one could learn was also limited. That was why there were some Skills that were attached to the body instead of the soul, even if those kinds of Skills seemed weaker in terms of willpower. In my case, I had four Ultimate Skills, so my capacity must have been getting overwhelmed.
«No, it’s five, not four.»
Oh yeah, that’s right. I had taken in Velgrynd and analyzed her the same way as Veldora. As a result, I had acquired a new power, the Ultimate Skill ‘Scorch KingVelgrynd.’ When you think about it that way, it certainly wasn’t a matter of overcapacity. The reason why Ciel gave Velgrynd the ‘Covenant King Uriel’ was probably because I was reaching my limit.
«Exactly! I had no choice but to optimize the abilities!!»
Suspicious to the point of being shocking. I think Ciel has even had this tendency of collecting skills since the days of the Unique Skill ‘Great Sage’—is it a hobby? The capacity is full, but it’s too good to throw away, so that’s why evolution is being strongly promoted, right?
«…Anyway, I’ll continue with the explanation.»
That’s digressing! Not only has Ciel become more human, but the number of instances where it feels useless has increased. No, it’s okay, it’ll be fine…
I just prayed and decided to trust Ciel. According to Ciel, it had dismantled the large number of Skills that had been unnecessarily eating up space, turned them into information, and then reorganized them neatly. The ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath’ was created to control that information. With this power, it was possible to influence the monsters connected to me by the Soul Corridor, or more specifically, to grant them power. It’s easily understandable just how much this ability can do.
Thus, Ciel used this ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath’ to help Benimaru and the others. As for the degree of help received, it seemed that there were two kinds of situations where one either received slight assistance, or a lot of assistance. There was a strong possibility that they would have been defeated had they been left alone, so it felt it wrong to complain. Or rather…
‘Thank you, I express my gratitude.’
«No, I was just doing what my master Rimuru-sama wanted me to do.»
I know I’ve said a lot, but Ciel has always been very helpful. I thanked Ciel for its continued support.
After listening to Ciel’s explanation, I got a general idea of what had changed in everyone. With Michael and the Phantom King as our enemies, it was necessary to get stronger. However, that did not mean that we should grant the strongest power to just everyone. Excessive power can lead to its own destruction. I trusted Ciel on that point. While it was still so fond of remodeling skills, I didn’t think it was going to do anything too unreasonable. It didn’t think it would give Skills to those who wouldn’t be able to use them, but it seemed necessary to confirm it. As I was thinking about this, Ciel asked me as if it suddenly remembered something.
«By the way, Master’s ‘Skill Alteration’ has been put on hold. Would you like to execute it?»
I’d forgotten all about it. Ciel seemed to be getting restless. It’s like it had been searching for something and had finally come up with an even more awesome modification. As I recall, it had said that by merging the Ultimate Skill ‘Storm King Veldora’ and ‘Covenant King Uriel,’ it could create the Ultimate Skill ‘Stellar Wind King Hastur.’—or something like that. But afterwards, I gave away ‘Covenant King Uriel’ to Velgrynd, so it should have been modified in a different way now.
Because it was Ciel, it was unlikely to be weaker than before. In the first place, although I had not heard or received any report, it probably had already analyzed ‘Charity King Raguel,’ right?
«Of course.»
Just as I thought. In that case, it was equivalent to having six Ultimate Skills. In addition to this, I had also been offered power from the ‘Food Chain’ through the evolved executives, which meant that Ciel needed the ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’ A larger number of Skills does not mean that they can all be mastered, so it made sense to integrate them. I was thinking that ‘Scorch KingVelgrynd’ and ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth’ could be combined to create something. I was also a little concerned about what had happened to the ‘Wisdom KingRaphael’ after Ciel was born.
If Ciel wanted to optimize the pile of Skills saved up, then I had no reason to stop it. We’re not in a battle right now, so I don’t see a problem. Okay, in that case I’ll leave it to you then…Ah wai—!
«Got it! It will be implemented immediately!»
I was about to say ‘wait,’ but it was already too late. In retrospect, I was a man who repeatedly made mistakes. Always ignoring the consequences and regretting it…
Why was it so easy to give permission…?
I shouldn’t have left it to go without knowing what kind of terrifying modifications it would make.
However, Ciel, who was already well-prepared, initiated the ‘Skill Alteration’ as quickly as possible, probably anticipating that I would try to stop it. The end result was Ciel humming and feigning deafness with the ‘«There’s no way to stop it already.» Strategy.’
Having given permission without paying attention, and then giving panicked attempts to stop things afterwards—that was definitely all within the scope of what Ciel had envisioned. It agreed at an alarming speed and immediately buried itself in the transformation. In that frozen state, I just kept waiting, and with great momentum…
Ciel was so absorbed in its work that it didn’t even reply. Ahhhh! I felt a sense of resignation, thinking that I would be surprised at the stuttering results once again. In any case, without Ciel, I was unable to make any progress in organizing my paperwork. I changed my mind and decided to work on something else.
While Ciel was busy with its work, I decided to have private meetings with the executives. After telling Shion and Diablo about it, they were kicked out of the room, so for the time being, it was just me in the room. Shion also needed to confirm that her men were safe and left without complaining about anything. Diablo was more trouble. He was very persistent, saying that I needed an escort, but in the end, I finally told him, ‘Depending on the results of these meetings, I’m considering removing you from your position as secretary. Testarossa is strong, beautiful, and suitable for the job, isn’t she? After all, I think one needs to be strong to be both a secretary and an escort!’ Such a half-hearted threat had him leaving in a panic.
Fufufu. Although I had no intention of doing so, he was such an easy man to deal with. He was probably desperately trying to start a battle against the evolved Testarossa by now. It is unlikely that Diablo would be defeated, but it would still be a good match. Losing is good medicine, so it’s good to feel threatened once in a while. With that, I began using the time to start the interviews. I called in Shuna and asked her to arrange the schedule. From dusk onward, people who were available were called to my room one after another.
The first was Beretta.
I had promised to talk to him earlier, so he was the first to be called. For these kinds of interviews, the first and the last slots tended to be the most stressful, but in this country, being the first person seems to be considered to be the most honorable. I wasn’t quite sure why, but it seemed to be the case as Beretta appeared to be very happy about it.
“Now, as for your troubles, you shouldn’t have to feel worried about your defeat this time. After all, you stopped the enemy’s objective, so rather than a defeat, it should be considered a victory.”
Without anyone having been killed, this could only be described as a big victory. I said this with certainty, but Beretta still looked unhappy.
“I understand what you mean, but a loss is still a loss. For us dependents of Black, defeat is unbearable.”
That is to say, even if one agrees that it is a victory on their side, is it still considered a defeat for Beretta himself? Charys, and Beretta too, are both too serious. If it were me, I would be touting the results as a great victory. Even if it’s a small thing, as long as I’m satisfied, even an indirect victory is welcome. By the way, the ‘dependents of Black’ refer to a lineage of demons. I only recently found out that Beretta was a Black dependent demon with Diablo, the Primordial Black (Noir), as the head. Indeed, their weirdness was very similar in some ways. The fact that they both hated to lose, for example, made sense to me.
So I could understand Beretta’s frustration…However, having said that, there was nothing I could do about it. I had my subordinates awakened as a reward for winning the war, but that was only possible because they had the Demon Lord Seed and were connected to me through a Soul Corridor. Did Beretta meet those requirements…?
«It’s fine.»
Well, wow, that scared me! Ciel was absorbed in its own work, but it seemed to have been listening in on our conversation as well. If that was the case, it could also help me with my paperwork—
«Just for this, there is enough souls to awaken one person. What do you want to do?»
…You’ve digressed from the story again, haven’t you? Weren’t things a little better before evolving?
«Negative. No such fact has been confirmed.»
No, no, no—don’t just pretend to downgrade and cheat. But, well, if that’s the case. It seems that during the battle with the Imperial Army, more ‘souls’ were also acquired. If those were used, Beretta’s wishes could be fulfilled. Beretta has clearly been working very hard, but I haven’t rewarded him. I was a little hesitant to reward Beretta because he is now a subordinate of Ramiris, but Beretta is also an important companion to me. After all, there was also the important mission of protecting Ramiris. I would continue to rely on him, so as a token of my gratitude, I chose to relieve Beretta of his troubles. Or course, there was a limit to what I could do, but from this point on, it would be up to him to make the effort.
“I understand why you lament your lack of ability. That’s why I will grant you more power!”
I got up from my chair, posed like a great demon lord, and held out my hand to Beretta.
“Don’t forget, I can only help you. Everything is up to you from here one out.”
With that, I used the 100,000 souls on Beretta and performed the evolutionary ritual. Since I was the one who ‘named’ Beretta, his path to self-evolution was closed. This ritual may have been a way to take responsibility for that.
“N-No way!!”
“Beretta, you will evolve in this way, too. Please continue to protect Ramiris!”
Beretta was surprised, but his evolution was completed without any problems. Very much keeping his part as a member of Diablo’s family, Beretta did not fall into an evolutionary slumber. Incidentally, the status of his evolution was…
Name:
Beretta [EP: 1,978,743]
Race:
Greater Chaos Spirit: Chaos Metalloid
Blessing:
Blessing of the Labyrinth
Title:
Guardian of Ramiris
Magic:
‹Dark Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Divine Machine King Deus Ex Machina’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
That was—
Beretta’s body had been transformed into the ultimate metal (Hihiirokane). This was equivalent to Mythical-grade level, so it made sense that Beretta’s existence value was greatly increased. By the way, ‘EP’ was the existence value. It stood for ‘Existence Point,’ not energy point. It was in English, but that was not worth worrying about. This was the result of the original material, adamantite, absorbing the huge amount of magicules leaked from Beretta. As for the most important Skill, it seems that he sacrificed the Unique Skill ‘Double-Crosser’ and gained the Ultimate Skill ‘Divine Machine King (Deus Ex Machina).’ This included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Mineral Domination,’ ‘Geological Manipulation,’ ‘Inverted Fusion,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’
«I worked hard!»
Oh, thank you for your hard work. Or rather, you’re always attentive to things that interest you, aren’t you? My skills are important, but I guess you won’t forget your own interests. It looks like you’ve messed with his Skills as well…
So true to Ciel’s style, I couldn’t help but think so. Ah, never mind that for a moment… Rather, Beretta is really amazing. By combining his new powers of ‘mineral domination’ and ‘earth attribute manipulation,’ he can now create and manipulate minerals at will. He would need materials, but there is a vault of magical steel in the labyrinth. Since the labyrinth is in contact with the earth, it is also possible to procure a certain amount of minerals. He seems to have acquired this power by evolving his own body into hihiirokane. The ability to manipulate the elements, perhaps? Any shape of metal could be freely deformed. He could do whatever he wanted without regard to hardness, so any armor that was not reinforced by magic or aura would be nothing in front of Beretta. What was even scarier than that was the fact that Beretta’s own body could be freely transformed at will. It goes without saying that that most weapons would not work on Beretta, and he could even turn into something like those stubborn fluid metal guys you see in the movies.
Approaching quietly like a Slime, entangling his opponent, and suffocating them…it was terrifying just thinking about it. Normally, Beretta looked like a top-quality humanoid doll with spherical joints, but his essence is not the same as his appearance, so one must be careful. Thus, Beretta evolved into what could be called a subspecies of spiritual lifeforms—a fearsome metallic lifeform. Although I had built the doll on a whim, it’s really something that it has evolved to this point. While making observations and wallowing in such sentiments, Beretta knelt down before me.
“I will never forget what Rimuru-sama has done for me. Even if it costs me my life, I will keep your order and see them through!!”
He swore to do so. Although I wanted to tell him not to push himself too hard, that could not be the case if Ramiris was ever in danger. I am sure that Beretta would live up to my expectations, even if there were to be tougher battles ahead. I was also relieved to have Beretta guarding Ramiris.
“I’m counting on you.”
I said this to Beretta with a nod. Beretta’s troubles were thus resolved. A job well done. I told Beretta to get some rest and let him go back to his post.
While I waited for the next interviewer to arrive, I began thinking about Skills. Based on the information I had gained from the recent evolution festival and the battles with the powerful people of the Empire, a question had arisen in my mind. Skills are based on the roots of the laws of this world, the power rooted in the ‘soul.’ It could be granted by the ‘Voice of the World’ after repeated practice or great achievements. It was a strange phenomenon that I hadn’t really thought about much until now. That’s how I had always went about it…but in the course of events that had taken place, it had become a question that I could not ignore. In other words…
What is the essence of a Skill? That was the question. When I came first came to this world, I possessed Unique Skill. Or rather, I had been hearing ‘Voice of the World’ while I was dying in the other world. From that fact, it can be inferred that a Skill is not unique to this world alone. If that was the case, then that would make the question even more difficult to answer, and to be honest, I couldn’t help but wonder if there were people who could use Skills in my original world. Originally, a Unique Skill was thought to be something only heroes could acquire. As the word ‘unique’ implied, the performance of these skills varied from one person to another, and they were very powerful. It gave form to one’s desires, and gave them the power to do what they wished for. In my case, I had acquired ‘Predator’ and ‘Great Sage,’ but I didn’t wish for ‘Great Sage,’ which was a funny story.
«Impolite. I am here because I was wanted by Rimuru-sama!»
Yes…?
Just because I’m a virgin—No, I’ll stop thinking about it. If that’s what Ciel said, then it must be that such a desire existed deep in my psyche. That was somewhat of a dangerous topic to dig deeper into, so let’s just leave it at that. Okay, back to the topic at hand. This means that although Skills are rooted in the soul, there are cases where they are not. Skills acquired at the limit of physical training may be engraved on the body, not the soul. This is especially true for Skills acquired from monsters, often acquired simply by eating them. Such Skills are called Race Intrinsic Skills. Each race of the same kind had its own Intrinsic Skill, which could be passed on to future generations.
Skills acquired through training often only reached the level of extra skills. After that, it was still relatively useful to weave original techniques by increasing proficiency or fusing with sword skills. Actually, magic was also a kind of Skill. This is proven by the fact that I was able to learn it by eating. As you can see, there are many kinds of Skills, but the most important are the Unique Skills.
A Unique Skill is a unique ability created by the individual. Naturally, each of them has different performance. Although there will be similarities on the larger classifications, Unique Skills that are identical will not normally exist. In some cases, they are reproduced over time, but that is a special exception. That is the case with the Unique Skill ‘Starved’ of an orc lord. It is an Intrinsic Skill that is inherited by the awakened race, and it is inherited only by blood relatives. Since this ‘Starved’ Skill is engraved in the body, it seems to be a Skill that could not originally be handled by people of other races. In my case, I immediately merged it with ‘Predator,’ so I just never paid attention to it until now.
I think that Shizu-san’s ‘Deviant’ was derived from her soul. Then it was entrusted to me. That is why even I can use it now, and if it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t have been able to acquire it. Somehow, I think that the Skills engraved in the soul are more powerful. Incidentally, the Ultimate Enchantment ‘Alternative’ skills given by Rudra were, of course, engraved in the body. If one is not a ‘Saint,’ then they will not have enough energy to use it, presumably because they did not receive the power themselves, and therefore would not use it efficiently. That’s why it was so powerful, but could be combated against even at the unique level.
Diablo had defeated Jiwu and Bernie, the ultimate skill holders, but originally, this should have been impossible. Unique Skills cannot be used against Ultimate Skills. Only Ultimate Skills can be used against Ultimate Skills. There were exceptions like Chloe’s ‘Infinite Prison’ and ‘Absolute Severance,’ and Masayuki’s ‘Chosen One,’ but it was impossible to defeat an ultimate skill holder at the Unique Skill level. Even with Unique Skills, there was a big difference in strength, but when it came to Ultimate Skills, the difference was as great as heaven and earth.
Those who acquired an Ultimate Skill understood the reasoning of the world. Therefore, one could become a higher being through magic, which was derived from the laws of the world. Only ultimate spells, such as ‘Disintegration’ or primordial spells, the most powerful spells in the sacred system, could resist this. So, it is also possible that Diablo defeated them with ultimate magic, but it didn’t seem that way. In his case, he might be able to anything just by forcing it. That’s a situation that shows there are no such thing as absolutes in this world. Anyway, depending on the situation, even if one doesn’t have an Ultimate Skill, it is possible to outperform an Ultimate Skill holder. However, there is no doubt that the best way to fight against an Ultimate Skill is to acquire one yourself. To sum up, here are my thoughts.
—Skills can be engraved in the ‘soul’ as well as in the flesh (body). Based on my experience so far, it seems that Unique Skills can be obtained by a strong desire or craving. It’s not so much of a talent as it is an aptitude. No matter how much you wish for it, you cannot obtain it unless your existence value is high enough. It is not something that can be obtained just by wishing for it, but can only be obtained by clearing various trials and conditions. The power one acquires is stronger than the power given to you by others. Furthermore, it seems that the powers that come from the soul are more powerful than ones that come from the body.
—Next, there are no identical Skills. Even if a Skill has the same name, its performance and laws are probably different. It is a desire translated into form, so there will be many differences depending on the owner’s state of mind.
—Next, the difference between Unique Skills and Ultimate Skills are not absolute. The strength of an acquired Skill is easily affected by the owner’s ego. A strong will is needed to make it more effective. A Skill is the power to influence the laws of the world simply by wishing for it. In order to exercise such a fundamental power, it is impossible to do so with a half-hearted willpower. When you look at it in this way, it’s clear that the most important thing is willpower. This is followed by a thorough understanding of the nature of the Skill and exploring how to use it properly.
I originally had Wisdom KingRaphael-san telling me how to use them correctly, but that was not usually the case. Even if it was a Skill created by your own desire, there may be cases where one would be unable to utilize it due to a mistake in usage.
«Fufufu, in a recent example, Dino made an interesting mistake.»
Huh? I couldn’t help but ask out like that, so Ciel felt amused and began to talk about it.
………
……
…
Dino’s Skills, as stated before, evolved during the battle. ‘Sloth,’ the most power of the deadly sin Unique Skills, became the Ultimate Skill ‘Sloth King Belphegor.’ It was originally said to be a skill that could exert terrifying power. And yet, it had been completely defeated by Zegion. Of course, one of the reasons was that Zegion was overwhelmingly strong, but the more fundamental problem was that Dino had not been able to fully utilize ‘Sloth King Belphegor.’ He probably didn’t understand it properly because he was using this skill as a disguise…
The Ultimate Skill ‘Sloth King Belphegor,’ which was created by Dino’s lazy nature, had the characteristic that the more he moved, the weaker he became. Therefore, the original use of this skill was to ‘support subordinates and companions.’ The ability to lend the power that Dino had accumulated to his friends. If he had used it in that way, then only then would the ‘Sloth King Belphegor’ have shown its true value.
………
……
…
Although it had happened while we were away, the battle records (archives) of the labyrinth were full of images. It was Ciel’s hobby to analyze them, so it told me about them in this way. Guy would not have made such a mistake. He would understand the nature of the Skill and use it correctly. However, a lazy person like Dino seemed to have been misled by the surface of the Skill and never realized its essence. Or rather, it was the enemy’s mistake to make Dino work in the first place. If Dino had slacked off as usual and let his friends Pico and Gracia do the work, Geld and Kumara might have been in trouble. In that light, I felt that we were lucky. It was only because I assigned work to Dino and awakened him to the joy of work that we got this lucky. The evaluation that the more you work, the more you fail is the worst, so if I could make up with Dino, I would teach him a good lesson if that time ever came.
Anyway, as you can see, it is not easy to correctly understand one’s Skills. In some cases, such as Masayuki’s, the Skill is triggered by itself, even if you don’t want it to. Such Skills are difficult to control, and even more difficult to use thoroughly. Knowing the nature of a Skill and using it fully is the same as knowing your own mind. It is very difficult to understand, and I think it may be necessary to spend a lifetime dealing with it. In other words, if one mistakenly believes that Skills are just a useful weapon of convenience, they will never be able to bring out its true potential.
«That’s right. Please take better care of me, and face me properly.»
Hmmm…
Somehow, I felt misinterpreted, but I stopped thinking about it.
Just as I was finishing my thoughts, there was a knock on the door of my room. It was Benimaru who came in, escorted by Shuna.
“You wanted to see me? I heard this was a private meeting. What did you want to ask me?”
As soon as he sat down on the sofa facing me, Benimaru asked me. He seemed to think that this an important private meeting, but unfortunately, it wasn’t.
“I’m sorry, this was just on a whim.”
“On a whim?”
“Yeah. This war has greatly increased everyone’s strengths, hasn’t it? We can also measure their presences in the labyrinth, so I thought I should get a good idea of everyone’s strength.”
“I see, that’s really important!”
Benimaru’s expression brightened as he heard my explanation. Apparently, he had been preparing himself to be questioned about his newlywed life.
“Well, I am curious about that, but wouldn’t it be power harassment and sexual harassment to ask about it?”
“Is that so? That guy Souei actually said, ‘Hmph, if you were able to evolve smoothly, then you only did what you had to do. You’re so late in life that I thought I would have to help you…”’
Just as Benimaru said that…
“Brother?”
Shuna, who was bringing in cake, interrupted him with a smile. The crushing force was so intense it sent chills down the spine.
“What are you talking so rudely about in front of Rimuru-sama?”
“S-Sorry… I’m sorry…”
Even the hard-core Benimaru was no match for Shuna.
“Rimuru-sama as well. You should have scolded him instead of just going along with my brother’s foolish talk.”
“Yes, that’s right. I’ll be careful.”
This is the kind of thing that one can’t go against. I understood that deeply, and waited for Shuna to get in a good mood.
I was so nervous that I could not taste the cake. The moment Shuna left the room to take away the tray, Benimaru and I let out a big sigh.
“Phew, that was a failure, wasn’t it?”
“Yeah. Next time you talk like that, you should think about the time and place.”
“Understood. I originally wanted to say that I didn’t want to talk about it, so I don’t know how it turned out this way…”
Well, that’s right. I’m sure it happens, but to me, it just sounds like you’re showing off. Well, let’s talk about that later. For now, I decided to check Benimaru’s status as planned.
Name:
Benimaru [EP: 4,397,788 (+ Red Lotus 1.14 million)]
Race:
Divine Oni. Greater Chaos Spirit: Flame Spirit Oni
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Flare Lord
Magic:
‹Flame Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Heat King Amaterasu’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
It was like this. I mean—that’s so strong! After sacrificing the Unique Skill ‘Generalissimo,’ he acquired the Ultimate Skill ‘Heat King Amaterasu.’ Its powers included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Will Control,’ ‘Light and Heat Domination,’ ‘Spatial Domination,’ ‘Multilayer Barrier’ and so on.
According to Ciel’s statement, his skills even reflected a portion of Velgrynd’s powers. However, Benimaru had practically obtained the Ultimate Skill by his own power alone. Ciel told me that it had only helped him a little. But still…
Benimaru’s own Existence Value is over 4 million, and it increases by over 1 million when he possesses Red Lotus—Isn’t that more than Luminas?
By the way, there is no way to cheat the existence value—probably. To be more precise, the existence value of a person in the labyrinth can be measured with a great deal of accuracy. If one wanted to cheat, they would have to have a mythical-grade weapon hidden, or a ‘Split Body’ in another place like Velgrynd. For example, at the level of ‘Clone,’ the value of the ‘Split Body’ would be so small that it could easily be detected as an impostor. Outside the labyrinth, one could cheat all they wanted, but entering the labyrinth was like soaking one’s head in a full hot spring. They could not escape Ramiris’s ‘appraisal.’ Ramiris is very talented in this aspect, but she also has her regrettable aspects. In short, she does not understand what she can or cannot do. The reason why I am able to make measurements like this is because someone once said, ‘It would be nice if we could make accurate measurements’ in a chat.
I think it was Shinji who said it, but Ramiris’ reply was ‘It’s possible!’ At that time, I heard that there was a delicate atmosphere in the room. Everyone must have been thinking, ‘I wish she had told us earlier.’ If that was the case, then we could have measured the existence values of not only Luminas, but also Guy and Velzard-san…
Also, if we had measured Dino’s presence, then we would have realized that he was much stronger than his appearance suggested.
…Well, even if I had noticed, it wouldn’t have mattered if I wasn’t sure that he would betray us. We could have been more vigilant, but in this case, there was nothing we could do. Anyway, although it was a reference value, the existence value was useful as an indicator of strength.
With that, I was convinced that Benimaru would be able to keep up with the ‘Three Phantom Commanders’ and Dino. Even amongst Million-class, he belonged in the upper-ranks and could be counted on as my right-hand man. There was just one thing I couldn’t stop thinking about.
“I thought that monsters were supposed to get weaker after having children?”
“That’s true. Generally speaking, they lose a large amount of magicules.”
“Then how did you get so strong?”
“Ahahaha, that’s a mystery!”
Ah, what a refreshing smile. But trying to fake a smile isn’t going to cut it.
“What the hell is going on here?”
“I don’t know either! Souei was also pestering me about it, asking how I did it.”
Oh, so I wasn’t the only one who was curious. Well, it would be good news for the monsters if this question is answered. Many of the hobgoblins are married, but I haven’t heard of any problems about them suffering from weakening… But the higher up in the hierarchy the monsters affected were, the greater the impact would be, so this was something that I hoped would be resolved someday.
“Let me know if you find out anything.”
“Got it. Then, I’ll switch with Souei now.”
Leaving that one question unanswered, the interview with Benimaru ended.
Benimaru was replaced by Souei, who entered the room. As soon as we sat down facing one another, I complained to Souei.
“You shouldn’t make too much fun of Benimaru, you know.”
“Heh, that guy’s always been a late bloomer in strange places. I just thought that if I didn’t give him a good talking-to, he’d probably stay in the dark forever.”
Woah, that’s a good point. After all, Benimaru had said that there was no way to evolve without a successor, and it was understandable that Souei would be worried.
“Well, let’s leave it at that. Now, about your evolutionary status…”
Souei was influenced by Benimaru’s evolution.
Name:
Souei [EP: 1,281,162].
Race:
Divine Oni. Fair Chaos Spirit: Dark Spirit Oni
Blessing:
Flare Lord’s Shadow
Title:
Dark Shinobi
Magic:
‹Dark Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Moon King Tsukuyomi’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification
Hmmm, very strong. And his resistances are amazing. In order to defeat Souei, you can only use the Holy-Demon Attribute, Holy Sword Techniques, or some kind of Ultimate type of attack.
As for Souei’s Skill, it is the Ultimate Gift ‘Moon King Tsukuyomi’ given by Ciel. Its powers are diverse, and include ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Eye of the Moon,’ ‘Insta-kill,’ ‘Ultraspeed,’ ‘Mental Manipulation,’ ‘Parallel Existence,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’
“Hold on! You can even use ‘Parallel Existence’ now?”
I was so surprised that I couldn’t help but ask, to which Souei replied flatly.
“Yes. It’s not possible to use more than one at the same time, like Velgrynd-sama, but I am proud to say that just one is useful enough.”
That, indeed, is something to be proud of. One alone is enough. With this, even Souei is infinitely close to being indestructible… However, perhaps the most noteworthy is the ‘Eye of the Moon.’ It was an ability that allowed one to manipulate shadows at will, so they could do various things without your opponent even knowing you’re there. It was characterized by its wide range, to the point that a whole town could be put under its influence. In addition to being specialized in gathering information, this ability could also be used for assassination.
«Souei’s Skill is my masterpiece. In order to recreate the ninja from Master’s memory, I tried to cram in as much as Souei wanted.»
I had thought it was a lot of stuff, but I guess that was the reason why.
«The great thing about ‘Eye of the Moon’ is that it can also be used by a ‘Clone.’ If Souei dispatches ‘Clones’ to various places and uses ‘Eye of the Moon’ to share information, information from all over the world can be available through ‘Telepathy Net!’»
I can see why you are very proud of your work. The more I heard about it, the more I realized how powerful it was. In other words, this was like a superior version of my surveillance spell ‘Argus.’ He could now monitor situations around the world and visualize them with sound. He had become a versatile and dependable man. In the future, I would continue to entrust Souei with all of our country’s intelligence activities.
“All right. I’m giving you the new title of ‘Darkness,’ so please continue to lead the Dark Shadows in the service of our nation.”
“Haha! All actions are for the sake of Rimuru-sama!”
Not for me, but for our country—forget it.
“Well then, I’m counting on you.”
I said so, and then thanked Souei. After that, I spoke with Souei for about an hour, asking him if he had any complaints, or about how Souka and the others were doing.
He told me that the existence value of the five members had grown to nearly 200,000 while Souka herself had an existence value of 261,898, which was quite high. She was at the level of a former demon lord’s lieutenant and could even fight with the upper ranks. This battle seemed to have greatly enhanced her abilities. Combat was the best training, as I had heard Souei say. However, one thing to be aware of was that just because you can do it does not mean that others can do it as well. Everyone has their own personality, and their own unique strengths and weaknesses. Souei was indeed very capable, but I hoped that he would not force the same number of expectations on his subordinates. Doing that could cause even the best of people to lose their motivation.
“Isn’t it only natural to do everything in our power for Rimuru-sama?”
Well, that’s not natural.
“Don’t you see? If you only think like that, then no one will be able to follow you. It is your role as a supervisor to take better care of your subordinates so that they can effectively enjoy their work for a long time, right?”
After all, people will only follow you if you give them something worth doing. Of course, it’s still work, so just being fun isn’t enough. Even so, I still think that a sense of accomplishment is important. If the workload is always unreasonable, then you won’t be able to feel the joy of a sense of accomplishment. In addition, if you are given a large amount of work right after pushing yourself to complete your last load…
If it were me, I’m pretty sure I would be upset. You might say something like, ‘you do it,’ but in Souei’s case, he was always able to get it done. If that happened, one would have no choice but to blame themselves, and as a result, they might become mentally or even physically ill. That’s what I was worried about.
“I see. So you’re saying that I must use my tools with more care, right?”
“Stop calling your companions as tools. It’s truly important to keep glory in one’s work, but it should not be forced on you. If you, as a superior, can show recognition in your subordinates’ work, then they will feel very happy.”
“…I see. Indeed, I myself regard Rimuru-sama’s praise as the greatest joy.”
Umm, should I say that he’s too serious or too heavy?
“Anyway, why don’t you also take this opportunity to have a gathering with your subordinates?”
“I understand. It is my responsibility as their superior to understand their feelings, so I will make sure to take care of them more thoroughly in the future.”
“Remember to do things in moderation.”
Anyway, for the time being, I told him what I was thinking. After that…
I received a letter of thanks from Souka and the others. The letter was stained with tears of joy, and I felt satisfied that I had done a good thing.
The next interviewee was Gabil, who came in after dinner.
“Gwahahahaha! Because of Lord Rimuru’s summons, I, Gabil, have come to visit!”
Today—or rather tonight, Gabil was still full of energy. I told him to be quiet because it was nighttime, and offered him a seat. I asked Shuna to serve tea and then we got down to business.
“You did a great job this time. Because of your efforts, everyone was able to make it back alive. You did well to endure to the end and I’d like to thank you personally.”
I was grateful to Gabil, not from the standpoint of a nation, but as a personal expression. If Gabil had been unable to hold out, there would have been many casualties.
“R-Rimuru-sama! I am overwhelmed by your words!!”
Gabil burst into tears. I was so impressed. I didn’t want to disturb his emotional state, so I waited for Gabil to calm down.
“It is all thanks to Rimuru-sama that I was able to win and even survive. That voice—I was convinced after hearing Gadra-dono’s whisper—that was Rimuru-sama’s voice, wasn’t it?”
Oh, so he heard Ciel’s voice.
“Hmm? Well, sort of.”
It was troublesome to explain, and since Ciel’s existence was my trump card, it was better not to publicize it, so I decided to just go along with Gabil’s misunderstanding.
“I knew it! I understand that it would have been an unwinnable battle if I hadn’t gained that power. I have always been warned not to get carried away, so I will not claim credit to myself.”
Gabil replied, but there was a calmness in his expression that made me realize that he meant it.
“You’ve grown up.”
“Haha! Just to hear you say that, I am very grateful…”
In the same way as before, Gabil started crying once again. A handkerchief was not enough anymore, so I handed him a towel. Gabil’s condition was just as bad, but his growth had been amazing.
Name:
Gabil [EP: 1,263,824]
Race:
True Dragonewt. Fair Chaos Spirit: Water Spirit Dragon
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Draco Lord
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Psychology King Mood Maker’
Intrinsic Skill: ‘Magic Perception, Ultra Instinct, Dragon Skin, Flame Breath, Thunder Breath’
Resistance:
Pain Nullification, Abnormal Condition Resistance, Natural Effects Resistance, Physical Attack Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Before I knew it, he had become as strong as Souei. Gabil’s Ultimate Gift, ‘Psychology King Mood Maker,’ was also masterpiece of Ciel. It was not self-acquired, but that did not mean it should be disparaged. It was precisely because Gabil had the aptitude that he was able to acquire this power.
The five main abilities were ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Change Destiny,’ ‘Unexpected Effects,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier,’ but if he could fully control his overflowing power, he would also be able to learn ‘Demon Lord Haki.’
The most dangerous power was ‘Change Destiny,’ which was limited to once a day, but had the potential to turn the tide of battle against an opponent who was stronger than himself. This…what would have happened if someone other than Gabil had learned it? If someone like Diablo had acquired ‘Change Destiny,’ they would have become the strongest without question. When I thought about it this way, I felt that Gabil was a pretty great guy. What particularly surprised me was the way he fought. After wiping away his tears, Gabil told me about the part of the battle he was proud of…
“Well, the enemy’s spear was coming at me, so I laughed and hit it with my spear!”
Th-This is…
Gabil’s weapon was the Vortex Spear, a unique-grade magical weapon. It was said to be the secret treasure of lizardmen, but it was still only unique grade. Nonetheless, I thought it was some kind of a joke when I heard that the Vortex Spear had defeated the mythical-grade Seiryu (Blue Dragon) Spear.
“Looks like the difference in performance does not determine the winner. Gwahahahaha!”
Gabil was laughing, but I thought it was obvious. If the opposing weapon was a Legendary-grade, then I could have forced myself to accept it, but that was no longer possible if it was a Mythical-grade. The only possibility was…
«Gabil unknowingly used his Skill and added it to his Vortex Spear. Presumably, the spear only survived without being shattered because it was protected by the ultimate level of power.»
Well, that seems to be the case. Gabil was pretty awesome in that regard as well. He’s actually a hard worker, though he doesn’t stand out because of his usual behavior. He was a jack-of-all-trades, who could do research, fight, and everything in between. We could expect a lot from him in the future.
“Regarding that Vortex Spear, could you leave it with me for a while? I’d like to ask Kurobee to revive it.”
“What?!”
“That is, we’ll let the weapon’s experience be inherited and create a new one. I will provide hihiirokane for the material, so it might even be possible for it to evolve into a mythical-grade.”
Hihiirokane was still scarce, but it would not be a waste on Gabil. As a reward for this battle, I really wanted to strengthen Gabil’s weapon so that he would be able to survive any tough battles ahead. If Gabil did not want to give up his ancestral weapon, then I would think of a different way to do it.
“By all means, please do it!!”
Gabil left the spear with me, once again in tears.
Now that he could have a superior weapon, Gabil would become even stronger. If he was recognized as a mythical-grade master, his existence value would also increase. Since Gabil himself could become a semi-spiritual life form, his resistances would also increase. Gabil’s subordinates, the Tenshoshu (Heavenly Flying Crowd), now had an average existence value of over 200,000. I hoped that they would continue to support Gabil in the future. Gabil had cried from beginning to end, but the interview still ended successfully.
Late at night. In a private room of a special, members-only restaurant. Refusing the presence of the beautiful elf ladies, I faced Geld.
“How are you doing?”
“I’m in good shape. I have grown accustomed to this power, so I won’t be breaking any more cups.”
Geld laughed and drank his wine with dexterity. When held in his large hands, a normal-sized glass looked like a sake cup.
“Well, the reason I called you here today wasn’t for anything other than you. I thought we’d drink to your comfort.”
“I’m grateful. I feel unparalleled happiness just to hear Rimuru-sama say such things.”
Geld was normally a calm guy, but from the look in his eyes and the excitement in his voice, I could tell he meant it. I nodded back, and clinked our glasses in a toast. Then, after listening to Geld’s complaints for a while, I got down to another subject.
“Actually, I’m going to say something that might be rude to you, if you don’t mind.”
“Of course. Whatever it is, I won’t think Rimuru-sama is being rude to me.”
No, no, I can also be insensitive, so if it bothers you, please point it out. I sometimes say things in a joking way without thinking badly about it, so I want you to tell me out loud. I was a good talker, even in elementary school when I was talking to girls—No let’s stop there. There is no black history, and I’ve grown up since then. Even now, I was aware of my lack of delicacy, but I still made an effort every day to refrain from saying things that people might not like. Whether my efforts had been successful or not, I didn’t know. Now that I had Geld’s permission, I decided to go ahead and say it.
“Then I’ll tell you, but you can say no if you don’t want to, okay?”
After saying that, I made a suggestion to Geld. The suggestion was, of course, whether or not to accept Ciel’s ‘Skill Alteration.’ Since Ciel’s existence had to be kept a secret, I asked him, ‘Can I mess with your skills?’ Then Geld answered ‘yes’ without hesitation.
“I think it is because I am this way that I made Rimuru-sama worry. If you can make me stronger, I would be happy. Thank you.”
With that, Geld drained with glass of wine in one gulp. It wasn’t a mood of compulsion, but a determined declaration from Geld because it was natural for him to accept the offer. I nodded to Geld as I poured him another drink.
Name:
Geld [EP: 2,378,749]
Race:
Divine Boar. Greater Chaos Spirit: Earth Spirit Boar
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Barrier Lord
Magic:
‹Restoration Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Gourmet King Beelzebub’
Resistance:
Pain Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Resistance, Physical Attack Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
As soon as Geld accepted my proposal, Ciel, who had been waiting for it, immediately did something. Geld received the Ultimate Gift ‘Gourmet King Beelzebub,’ which included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Magic Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Ultraspeed Regeneration,’ ‘Predation,’ ‘Stomach,’ ‘Isolation,’ ‘Demand,’ ‘Supply,’ ‘Corrosion,’ ‘Iron Wall,’ ‘Grant Protection,’ ‘Substitute,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ ‘Multilayer Barrier,’ ‘Keen Smell,’ and ‘Full Body Armor.’ The skill was like a slightly degraded version of my ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth,’ with a lot of things incorporated into it.
By empowering his subordinates with ‘Grant Protection,’ an entire defensive force could be formed. Geld himself was also able to use ‘Iron Wall’ and ‘Substitute’ to take the damage of his comrades. ‘Corrosion’ was both an offensive and defensive skill that did not focus only on guarding, but was also useful for attack. It was great for Geld, who specialized in defense, to make the most of this ability. It was also worth noting that it was not just the skill that deserved to be praised. Rather, Geld himself was also outstanding.
Geld’s armor had become mythical-grade, and was as good as Geld’s own flesh and blood. It was similar to the garments of demons, and could be manifested at will by Geld. The same was true of his meat crusher weapon, as even if it were destroyed, a new one would be created immediately. After being repaired by Kurobee, the weapon was said to have a memory of remaining in that state. To be honest, I thought it seemed like a cheat. In any case, Geld’s existence value had been increased by taking in the armor, and his foundation was quite sufficient. In addition to this, the acquisition of ‘Gourmet King Beelzebub’ made Geld’s power overwhelm even Souei’s and Gabil’s.
The current Geld should be able to stall for time even against the Three Phantom Commanders. It would be difficult to defeat the defensive Geld without an extremely powerful blow.
“You’re becoming more and more reliable.”
“I am glad to hear that. I swear that I will continue to work with all my might to protect everyone!”
I smiled at Geld and said that I would continue to rely on him.
I went back to my room (my little haven). I was thinking about tomorrow’s meetings. The meeting had only started today from dusk, so there were only five people to meet. Because everyone was busy as well, I couldn’t just spend days on this. In addition to the remaining nine of the Twelve Guardian Lords, there were also a few others I needed to meet with. At least with Apito, there was a need to be interviewed at the request of Ciel. It seemed to want to mess with her Skills. That seemed a little too faithful to its own desires, but I couldn’t deny that doing so would serve everyone well. I had no reason to stop it, so I intended to keep doing my best tomorrow.
I asked Shuna to make a schedule with that intent. I also told her that Diablo and Shion would be postponed until later, so we should be able to finish everything quickly tomorrow. I was worried about Masayuki and his group, but I heard that they were also having a long meeting. I had received a brief report, but I wasn’t not sure whether I should get involved or not. So, until Masayuki and the others from the Empire finished their discussion, I was going to stay out of it. Well, Velgrynd’s presence had also become a reason for my restlessness. The current 70th floor levels had become an atmosphere that no one could approach. Veldora, for example, had long since panicked and rushed off to his room, and I was feeling slightly uneasy. It hasn’t been that long since I last separated from Velgrynd, but I was wondering what kind of experiences she had accumulated…
All in all, I would just have to wait and see what she did.
In the meantime, I would do what I have to do. As I was pondering like this, I suddenly noticed a presence. Ranga was staring at me from my shadow, his head and the tip of his nose poking out.
“Whoa, what a surprise! It’s Ranga, you woke up safely!”
I was so happy that I took human form and rubbed Ranga’s head and ears. The next moment, Ranga looked both happy and sad at the same time, and his ears flopped down.
“What’s the matter? Are you feeling sick?”
I was worried about whether he had failed to evolve, or if he was in some kind of trouble, but apparently that was not the case.
“Master, I missed the Great War because I overslept…”
He was so depressed and out of sorts.
“What? That’s it?!”
“I do not know how to apologize, but I heard that Gobta and the others lost their chance to play an active role because of me!”
That’s true, but it couldn’t be helped. Compared to that, it was better if Ranga evolved safely and played a bigger role in the future.
“Even Gobta and the others were so active in their chores and secret stunts at the banquet, and no one complained about you Ranga, so don’t worry about it.”
“Master, I am thrilled to hear you say that.”
Ranga ‘cooed’ and climbed up to the floor, rubbing against me sweetly. So I cuddled his fur, enjoying his fluffiness for the first time in a long time.
And now, back to the main topic. It was a good opportunity to check Ranga’s status.
Name:
Ranga [EP: 4,340,084]
Race:
Divine Wolf. Greater Chaos Spirit: Wind Spirit Wolf
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Star Lord
Magic:
‹Wind Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Stellar Wind King Hastur’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Oh, Ranga’s race also had a divine nature. I had been wondering about it for a while, but that seemed to be stronger than even the native gods worshiped in many remote areas—was that okay? With the exception of Souei who would be treated as a subordinate deity of Benimaru, it seemed that a race would become ‘divine’ once the existence value exceeded 2 million. I wasn’t sure, but that’s what I thought.
«We still need to collect more examples, but I am pretty sure that’s the case.»
Hmmm. An existence value exceeding 1 million is probably a ‘Saint,’ and a value exceeding 2 million may be a ‘Shinjin.’ That was not the same as the conceptual all-powerful ‘god,’ but it was a reliable symbol of strength. Ranga had an existence value of more than four million. That is comparable to Benimaru without his sword.
“Very impressive, Ranga!”
“Hahaha, this is all thanks to my Master!!”
According to Ranga, this was all thanks to living in my shadow, bathed in my demon energy. Perhaps it was because he had been lurking in my shadow and absorbing magicules for so long that his evolution has been going smoothly. What’s more, he even suddenly got a great power. It was the Ultimate Skill ‘Stellar Wind King Hastur,’ but…it seems that Ranga, and not Veldora, had acquired it. This was definitely…
«Correct. It was me providing a little help.»
I knew it. It wasn’t an ultimate gift, so Ranga probably got it on his own, but there was no way that Ciel didn’t have a hand in it. But well, since it was a power that suited Ranga, I had no complaints.
This power included the following seven abilities: ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Weather Domination,’ ‘Sound and Wind Domination,’ ‘Spatial Domination’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’ It was so powerful that it could even be considered exceptional.
I could understand the greatness of this supernatural power, which was capable of controlling even the weather. It was truly a skill worthy of Ranga. I was starting to worry about whether Gobta would be able to handle Ranga.
It was now time to work. Although I had played with Ranga all night without sleeping, I was in perfect shape. The first to arrive was Kumara. Her first words spoken to me after the greeting was.
“I heard Ranga-sama boast that Rimuru-sama could modify our Skills? I’d love for you to give me new powers, too!”
Kumara, dressed as a little girl, adorably made her request. Ranga acquired his abilities on his own, but he seemed have exaggerated the help he received. Actually, I think he should have praised himself, but for some reason, Ranga emphasized and bragged about receiving help from me. To be precise, it wasn’t me, but Ciel, but that was a secret, so I nodded ambiguously.
‘Now then, what should I do?’
«Let’s do it.»
I knew you would say that. I was worried about leaving the rest to Ciel, who had no intention at all of feeling sorry for itself… But I guess we should take all the countermeasures we possibly can since we have enemies.
“All right. Well, it’s mostly up to you, but I’ll see what I can do.”
Even for Ciel, what cannot be done cannot be helped. If Kumara did not have the right aptitude, she would not be able to receive a ‘gift.’ After obtaining her approval, I left it all to Ciel.
Name:
Kumara [EP: 1,899,944]
Race:
Nine Tails. Greater Chaos Spirit: Earth Spirit Beast
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Chimera Lord
Magic:
‹Earth Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Beast King Bahamut’
Intrinsic Skill ‘Beast Domination, Beast Unification’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
It took a while, but it seemed to have worked. Kumara acquired the Ultimate Gift ‘Beast King Bahamut,’ which included the following six powers: ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Gravity Domination,’ ‘Spatial Domination,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’
She could even interfere with planets, seemingly able to manipulate the gravity of a wide area. As for Kumara herself, her race had also changed. From the Nine Heads to the Nine Tails. It may seem that a change from ‘heads’ to ‘tails’ was a weakness, but that was not the case. She used to have eight magic beasts, but now she had only one head. In other words, Kumara could achieve complete control over all of them by her own consciousness. As it was before, the will of the magic beasts resided in eight of Kumara’s nine tails. Therefore, it was possible to leave them to their free will as subordinates. In that case, eight magic beasts with an existence value of about 200,000 would be separated from Kumara. Even so, the existence value of Kumara would remain over a million. This was not a miscalculation, but rather a fact.
The existence value of her subordinates would a multiple value of the separated value, which meant that they had been strengthened tremendously. Although she was not a divine race, she possessed existence value of nearly two million without relying on armor, so it was likely that she would soon evolve. Like Geld, she also had an earth attribute. Since she was an earth spirit beast, a semi-spiritual life form, she was very compatible with gravity manipulation.
The current Kumara, with all of her magic beasts integrated, could be ranked highly amongst the Twelve Guardian Lords in terms of specs alone. Unfortunately, she was still inexperienced. If they fought, she would still lose to Souei, and the only ones she had a chance to win against currently would be Adalmann and Gabil. That said, there were some scary things in store for Kumara, as she had a lot of potential. She was still a young girl, and her future growth was something to look forward to.
Apito and Zegion were the next to arrive. Leaving Zegion in the hallway first, only Apito entered the room. It would have been fine if they were both here at the same time, but in the name of a private interview, I decided to respect Zegion’s wishes. As soon as we sat down facing each other on the chairs, Apito gently handed me a package.
“Rimuru-sama, this is the honey that was just collected.”
“Oh, thank you!”
I was so happy, my cheeks relaxed. This honey can be used as a panacea and is amazingly delicious. It was a well-known story amongst my subordinates that I had used this to tame Milim with a single blow. That’s why it was a very popular product. Laughing, I put the package away in my pocket. I am not a man who would give in to bribes, but I decided to be nice to Apito. Apito’s current status was as follows.
Name:
Apito [EP: 775,537]
Race:
Star Wasp. Fair Chaos Spirit: Wind Spirit Wasp
Blessing:
Zegion’s Blessing
Title:
Insect Queen
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Queen Worship’
Resistance:
Pain Nullification, Physical Attack Resistance, Natural Effects Resistance, Abnormal Condition Resistance, Mental Attack Resistance
It would be impossible for an ordinary adventurer to defeat her. Apito’s strength had already surpassed that of the former demon lords. Although she was not as strong as the Special S ranks defined by our country, she seemed to be stronger than the pseudo-awakened Clayman. Moreover, according to Apito, her ‘Queen Worship’ Skill had created nine insectar majins. They were still chrysalises, but it seems that they would be quite powerful majins once they were born.
“In that case, we should celebrate.”
“I’m so happy! I beseech you to give them a name.”
A name, that’s right.
“Yeah…”
I tried to avoid answering directly and wanted to change the subject.
“Naming is dangerous, so…”
«No problem. I have mastered the art of total control, so there will be no danger.»
Mastered it…
That’s right, it’s the same as what you did with Charys back then. I guess I have no choice. I was hoping to avoid having to come up with nine names, but…
“Reichi, Reni, Resan, Reyon, Rego, Reroku, Renana, Rehachi, Rekyuu—how is that?”
Don’t ask me why, I’m just doing it. Although it was just a combination of number variations, I still hope she’ll be okay with it. I don’t even know if the majins will be male or female, so I’ll just assign them something appropriate like that once they’re born.
“Oh my! I can feel Rimuru-sama’s loving kindness, and my children are so happy to feel it as well!”
“Oh, you can sense that too?”
“Of course. The hearts of my children are unbreakably connected to mine.”
The children created by her Skill can be given orders through ‘Magus Control,’ and the speed of transmission in instantaneous. Also, unlike with ‘Telepathy Net’ where the exchange is mutual, the order of priority is made clear. This made sense to me, but let’s leave that alone for now. Ciel has been annoying me since a while ago.
«I don’t understand. I am just asking for permission to use ‘Skill Alteration’»
That’s what it said. Ciel seems to be eager to play with Apito’s Skills. In fact, Ciel could actually force Apito to do it even I didn’t give it permission because I had superior authority over the people I was connected to via the Soul Corridor. But this was currently a time of peace, and there was no longer an emergency. It didn’t want to do anything without my permission. What’s more, Apito was of Zegion’s lineage, so from my point of view, she was a secondary family member. Since the connection between us was a little weaker, it would be easier to do it if I asked for permission. Thinking it was too late, I asked Apito.
“By the way, if you don’t mind, I’d like to help you with the direction of your power. What do you think?”
“What do you mean?”
“Mmm. Your Skill seems to have two evolutionary possibilities. You can either be the commander-type who is served by her subordinates as the ruler of insect demons like you are now, or you could become the hero-type who leads her subordinates in battle herself. The difference is simple—The commander-type retains the ability to create insect demons, but the hero-type loses that ability. Instead, the hero-type’s physical abilities will be strengthened, and their skills will be enhanced to be more suitable for combat.”
I directly conveyed what Ciel had said. At the same time, I realized that Ciel didn’t go through with this because of the two possibilities. The choice was up to Apito. Otherwise, the true power of Skill would not be realized.
“Of course, you can also choose not to change anything.”
After hearing what I had to say, Apito asked me back without pausing.
“If I choose the hero-type, does that mean I will be unable to have children?”
What did she mean?
«Although the Unique Skill ‘Queen Worship’ will lose its power of ‘Birth of a Dependent (Insect Demon Birth),’ the ability to reproduce without relying on the Skill will remain, so doing so will not affect the natural conception of a successor.»
“It’s just that you will be unable create dependents through your skill. It won’t affect the natural birth of children.”
“I see. In that case, there is no problem at all. My children already have the Skill ‘Birth of a Dependent,’ so they will be able to produce an army exactly as I want them to as the Queen.”
Really? So Apito had already handed over a part of her power to her dependents. So then, Apito’s answer was…
“I would like to take the lead myself!”
Apito declared as such, just as I thought she would. As soon as that happened, Ciel immediately sprang into action, as if it had been waiting all day for it.
«Apito’s ‘Skill Alteration’ has been successfully completed. Unique Skill ‘Queen Worship’ has evolved into the Ultimate Gift ‘Queen Possession (Proserpina)’»
It really only took a moment. Perhaps it was because it had already been analyzed earlier, but not even a second had passed.
“It’s done. You can check on it later to practice using it.”
Ultimate Gift ‘Queen Possession (Proserpina)’ is a skill that seems to have been selected and enhanced from the original ‘Queen Worship.’ It included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Magic Perception,’ ‘Ultra Intuition,’ ‘Insect Domination,’ ‘Military Command,’ ‘Ultraspeed,’ ‘Lethal Attack,’ ‘Spatial Manipulation,’ and ‘Multilayer Barrier.’
It was just an enhancement of her original power, so it wouldn’t be out of place for Apito to use. I’m sure she would practice it without me telling her, but that’s what I advised her to do.
“I am thankful for the unparalleled good fortune. With supreme joy, allow me to pledge my allegiance to Rimuru-sama once again.”
With that, Apito knelt to the floor. I nodded grandly and finished my interview with Apito.
Zegion came in next, replacing Apito. Instead of sitting on the couch, Zegion politely sat on a wooden chair. It was obvious that he was already the strongest in the labyrinth, but he was still so thoughtful. He seemed to be trying to avoid damaging the leather of the couch with his exoskeleton, and I thought it was very meticulous.
That aside, Zegion’s performance had been magnificent. Zegion was already a high-spec existence, and even before his awakening, he had been on a par with Diablo. Compared to the other Twelve Guardian Lords, there was a clear gap in strength, and now he seemed to have become even stronger. Looking at his battle records (archives), it seemed that he had kicked Dino’s ass while still hiding his strength. What a terrifying child. Honestly, it a good thing that this guy is on our side.
“Zegion, you’ve done very well this time. If you hadn’t woken up in time, I don’t know what would have happened.”
“You’re flattering me. Even the timing of my awakening was all according to Rimuru-sama’s calculations, wasn’t it?”
No, of course not!
“No. I knew Dino was suspicious, but I didn’t expect him to make a move at the most inopportune time.”
“Ohoho, so that’s why. It was in anticipation of that situation that I woke up.”
I told you, I didn’t know that would happen!!
Speaking of which, I didn’t even know that Velgrynd existed—no, that’s not true, I did know, but I just didn’t think she’d come straight over here. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have run off with my executives to negotiate with the emperor face-to-face. I was completely lacking in strategy this whole war, and we were lucky to have survived. And yet, Zegion seemed to want to give me credit for everything, no matter how I explained it. I gave up early.
“Anyway, I’m grateful you were there.”
“No, I’m really not much. Even if I wasn’t there, Rimuru-sama could have killed Dino with a blow that transcended time and space, right? I was merely responding to the opportunity you gave me to play an active role.”
What the hell are you talking about? A blow that transcends time and space?? I can’t do that… What kind of monster am I in this guy’s mind?!
“Uh, yeah. Right… Maybe I could…”
“Ha! It would be easy for Rimuru-sama.”
Zegion enthusiastically affirmed my powerless agreement. This was beyond the level of deep respect, and I felt like he was looking at me with a gaze that seemed to give reverence to a god. Although, Zegion has compound eyes, so it was all just my imagination…
I regained my composure and continued my interview with Zegion. I heard from Zegion himself about his thoughts on the battle with Dino. I had thought that Dino successfully managed to escape, but that was apparently not the case. Rather, Zegion said that he had carved a curse in Dino, in anticipation of his escape. It was a terrible thing that controlled the bearer’s life and death. To even be able to do something like that…just how far had Zegion evolved?
Name:
Zegion [EP: 4,988,856]
Race:
Divine Insect. Greater Chaos Spirit: Water Spirit Insect
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Mist Lord
Magic:
‹Water Spirit Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Illusion King Mephisto’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
‘Fueh?!’
I almost made a strange noise. The values that Ciel reported far exceeded my expectations. Zegion also seemed to be a divine race, but that was to be expected. His existence value was just under five million, the second highest after Benimaru. His attribute is water, but according to Ciel, he also has spatial attributes. As a semi-spiritual life form, he has excellent resistances. Not only does he not have weaknesses, but his skill level is also perfect. He was undoubtedly powerful.
Zegion seems to be able to condense the water molecules in the atmosphere to construct a temporary body. The magic steel that I gave him had already evolved into hihiirokane via adamantite. It is only because hihiirokane possesses such fantastic properties that such a thing was possible.
Zegion’s obsession with his exoskeleton was probably because it was the form I had originally created. Otherwise, he could have taken it off long ago and become a complete spiritual life-form. I was happy to see that he was taking such good care of it. Besides, Zegion, who specialized in close combat, was strong enough as he was. After all, a complete spiritual life form is meaningless without a physical body. Rather, shouldn’t it be said that his current form was the most perfect form?
«That’s right! And now Zegion is the masterpiece that Master and I have created together! Although I left the teaching to Veldora, many of the key points of knowledge were given by me to guide him, so there is no need to worry.»
Well, basically I don’t understand what that means, right? Ciel’s boastful talk continues bursting out, paying no heed to my confusion. Since Zegion dominates the water element, he is incomparably strong whenever water is present. So, because the world’s atmosphere is also laden with water, Zegion can use any place on this planet as a battlefield to his advantage. In addition, the majority of living things have bodies mostly made of water. With him being able to control that water, one can understand how dangerous Zegion is. The human body, for example, is about sixty-five percent water, so being hostile to Zegion would be suicidal. However, this is only the start of how dangerous Zegion is.
Zegion’s Ultimate Skill ‘Illusion King Mephisto’ includes ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Water and Lightning Domination,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Mental Control,’ and ‘World of Illusion.’ There were several dangerous abilities in it, but none of these were the one that had carved the curse into Dino.
The name of that technique was ‘Dream’s End.’ In other words, the engraved curse was a technique created by Zegion. This move could even break through Yuuki’s ‘Anti-Skill.’ To fight against it, one would have to have a very strong will, but it would still be very difficult to surpass Zegion. After all, the ‘Dream’s End’ was a combination of three powers—‘Water and Lightning Domination,’ ‘Mental Control,’ and ‘World of Illusion.’ With ‘World of Illusion,’ Zegion was able to create situations that were beneficial to him, and he could become practically invincible in such environments. Such Skills are called ‘World System’ skills and are very rare. Even I don’t have one, so it’s no wonder they’re so strong.
«Would you like me to prepare one?»
‘…’
I didn’t know how to answer that question, so I’d just pretend I didn’t hear it. Anyway, we were talking about the ‘Dream’s End.’ This technique was capable of instantly reaping the life of the target if they behaved in a way that was not in accordance with the caster’s will. However, because there were no restrictions on the target’s actions, the target could still move fairly freely. In this case, as long as Dino did not disobey Zegion’s will, he was allowed to act freely.
“So, how do you activate the curse?”
“Yes. It’s not something I do on my end, but it is triggered automatically the moment Dino takes a certain action.”
Zegion’s curse was an automatic type that required no management. Once it is activated, Zegion, the caster, will be made aware, but otherwise, he will not be conscious of it. And the key to its activation lied in Dino’s actions—that is to say, aiming ‘killing intent’ on my companions. The moment he decided to kill someone, the curse would destroy Dino’s core. It was impossible to escape from this curse even if you were a spiritual life form.
However, since the key to the curse was limited to Dino’s conscious actions, it would not be activated if he aimed for someone he did not know was one of our companions. There was no way for him to know the faces of all the people in our town, so I could not say that it was completely safe. However, since indiscriminate attacks on the town were judged to be murderous, this curse was sufficient to keep Dino at bay. How could Dino, who possessed an Ultimate Skill, be imposed to such a terrifying restriction?
“Excellent work, Zegion. Any reduction to a threat is welcome.”
“Thank you for your kind words. Although I am still inexperienced, the joy of Rimuru-sama’s praise sends a surge of enthusiasm to my heart.”
Why so serious??
Charys, Geld, and Souei were also this way. Beretta too, I think. Thinking about it this way, there were many serious guys in our group, but Geld and Zegion were particularly so. The growth of all these talents was really a threat considering they were not easily satisfied by their efforts. I hope that they would continue to do their best with pride in this manner, and not become complacent.
Anyway, I now understood that the Ultimate Skill ‘Illusion King Mephisto’ was a tremendous Skill. It should be impossible for Dino to be released from the curse, but there was no such thing as absolutes in this world, and perhaps it was possible to undo it easily with some unknown power. But even if that happened, Zegion’s reputation would not be diminished. In that situation, one could only honestly praise the opponent.
Honestly, Zegion was an excellent all-rounder in all aspects. This time, he had taken advantage of Dino’s death and used it as an opportunity to perform a move. It was this keen sense of judgment that made Zegion a fearsome opponent. It was not enough to have good Skills. Being able to utilize them properly is the real threat. In this respect, there was no one more specialized in combat than Zegion, and no one more suited to his Skills than Zegion. The two complemented each other.
While many tended to play to their strengths to gain abilities, Zegion eliminated his weaknesses to gain abilities, and was skilled and flexible with his Skills. Brilliant. There was nothing more to say!
With the ‘World of Illusion,’ he could create a situation that was advantageous to him, and the range of tactics would expand more than just by developing your specialty. He was probably one of the best among my subordinates in terms of combat sense and skill level. I was convinced that even fighting races like the ‘primordials’ could not defeat Zegion. Zegion, what a terrifying guy.
It’s no wonder Ciel calls him the greatest masterpiece. The strength he had shown up until now was only the tip of the iceberg. Even if I say this, I still think it’s quite unfair that I can check the status and Skills of my subordinates like this. Come to think of it, Zegion’s title ‘Mist Lord’ was given to him to imply mystery, but it also had the meaning of something hazy like fog. What an apt description. It was also a good match in terms of his attributes. Uh, then could it be…Zegion didn’t misunderstand my words and set his evolutionary path in that direction, did he? No, no way…
Ciel would’ve pointed it out. You’d point it out, right?
«…Of course!»
No way! The reaction was a bit delayed, and the pause in the beginning made me feel very concerned.
While hiding my suspicions that Ciel had become clumsy, I continued to wait for the next interviewer. It was Adalmann who came into the room.
“Rimuru-sama, I, Adalmann, am truly happy for the opportunity to attend this meeting today, and my gratitude is greater than words can bear!”
This is something beyond serious, isn’t it? I casually nodded and let him sit down on the couch. I would waste a lot of time to let this go on. That was the mood I was in, so I forced Adalmann to sit down.
“So, how are you feeling since you woke up?”
“Wonderful! I feel full of energy, as if every inch of my body has been filled with holy energy.”
That’s what Adalmann said, but he really did seem to be glowing. I couldn’t believe it, but when I checked his status—
Name:
Adalmann [EP: 877,333]
Race:
Dead Spirit. Fair Chaos Spirit: Light Spirit Skeleton
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Gehenna Lord
Magic:
‹Necromancy› ‹Holy Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Necronomicon’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
I knew it. Even though he was a Dead Spirit, he had a light attribute. From the looks of it, Adalmann was probably the most demon lord-like in appearance. I found it very ironic that he had the light attribute. However, in Adalmann’s case, he was also able to change his attribute with the Extra Skill ‘Holy-Demonic Reversal,’ so there wasn’t much to say. I thought it should’ve been the other way around, but I shouldn’t linger on that. Because there were other things to worry about.
For example, his existence value had reached the level of an awakened demon lord, and there were just so many things I had to say about him that it gave me a headache. The biggest issue was the Ultimate Gift ‘Necronomicon.’
‘What the hell is this…?’
«I gave it to him.»
I didn’t need to ask. I couldn’t think of anything else, but it seems that it really was the result of Ciel’s meddling.
“The most wonderful of all is this power given to you, Rimuru-sama. The ‘Necronomicon’ is the crystallization of wisdom and has become the source of my power.”
Adalmann recounted happily.
Adalmann’s ‘Necronomicon’ include ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Chant Cancellation,’ ‘Analyze and Assess,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Mental Crush,’ ‘Holy-Demonic Reversal,’ and ‘Domination of the Dead.’
In addition to his original powers, he could now use necromancy and holy magic without chanting. Adalmann’s army had become even more formidable as his control and protection over the dead was strengthened. He explained these things to me with great joy. If he was happy, then that’s fine. I decided to refrain from saying anything rude.
«Incidentally, this ‘Necronomicon’ is in the same system as the Ultimate Gift ‘Grimoire’ that was given to Gadra. I removed the knowledge unsuitable to Adalmann from ‘Grimoire’ and then added the necessary powers.»
Ciel seemed to want praise. I had also just learned that it gave Gadra powers as well. It was awesome, no doubt, but I couldn’t help but think there was no way for me to honestly understand it. Shifting topics, I realized that Adalmann and Gadra were good researchers. They were great friends who enjoyed doing research on magic together. From my point of view, those two were magic maniacs, and since they were harmless, I let them do what they wanted. It was a good thing to be passionate about something you loved, because you might be able to discover the truth. The ‘Necronomicon’ and ‘Grimoire’ could complement each other. They seemed to be appropriate Skills for these two people, so I decided that this was indeed the right answer.
The interview with Adalmann was over, but I also interviewed Albert and Wenti. The two of them said they did not dare to expect an interview with me and were overwhelmed with fear. They said that if they did not earn more achievements, then they were not qualified to see me. It was overly reverent to the point of being incomprehensible. What on earth do they all take me for…?
Anyway, it was important to grasp the situations of all my subordinates. Albert was a servant of Adalmann. And Wenti was a servant pet of Adalmann. Presumably, both of them would be destroyed if Adalmann were to die. But on the flip side, as long as Adalmann was safe, they were immortal beings. Thus, it could be said that they also received an Ultimate Gift through Adalmann.
«I worked hard.»
That’s because it’s a hobby, right? No doubt, Ciel has a good character. I listened to the report, convinced of that.
Name:
Albert [EP: 682,639 (+Spirit Sword 600,000)]
Race:
Dead Spirit. Fair Chaos Spirit: Flame Spirit Man
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Gehenna Paladin
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Immortal’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Name:
Wenti [EP: 984,142]
Race:
Gehenna Dragon
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Hell Dragon King
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Necromancy›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Eternal’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Due to the effects of evolution, their existence values had become quite high. In addition, both of them had a lot of nullifications and near-perfect resistances. Adalmann’s resistances were the same, so it must have been due to the fact that he had once died. As for their powers, their Skills had different names, but the contents were the same. They all included the three powers ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Complete Regeneration,’ and ‘Slavery Immortality.’ There was room for others, but that was still under consideration.
By letting Ciel do as it pleases, there might be some problems, but never any mistakes. Because their ‘souls’ were entrusted to Adalmann, their bodies appeared to be imperishable. If Adalmann died, they would die with him, just as I expected. Since Adalmann was also immortal, they were practically invincible. I couldn’t help but think that their team was a cheat.
Incidentally, Albert also had a lot of room for growth. After all, the potential value of his mythical-grade weapon was one million, and as long as Albert’s existence value continued to rise, his performance potential could still be enhanced. I believed that Albert, who was also an excellent swordsman, would be able to do so in the near future. With that anticipation, I watched as Adalmann and the others walked out of the room.
After lunch, the interviews continued Shion had been well prepared for this long ago.
“Rimuru-sama, I’m sorry to have kept you waiting! It’s finally my turn!”
I wasn’t waiting for her, but I decided it was better not to say that. So I simply nodded my head and faced Shion.
Name:
Shion [EP: 4,229,140 (+ Hercules Deluxe 1.08 million)]
Race:
Divine Fighter. Greater Chaos Spirit: Battle Spirit Oni
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
War Lord
Technique:
‹Divine Battlewill›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Cook’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Shion proudly explained her power. At the same time, Ciel explained everything to me, but it was mostly wrong. Shion’s strength did not depend on Skills. Shion’s weapons were mythical-grade, so even if she did not have an Ultimate Skill, she could still harm Ultimate Skill holders.
Her body itself was a threat, plus her ‘Infinite Regeneration’ was a nightmare. Even if one were to aim for an endurance match, Shion’s existence value was also outstanding, rivaling that of Benimaru’s. In other words, she had a huge amount of magicules, and waiting for her to run out of mana was a bad idea. Her resistances were also perfect, so the only way to defeat her was to fight head-on. If that was really the only way to win, I felt pity for the enemy.
“You’ve gotten stronger, haven’t you?”
“Hehe, it’s embarrassing, but I’m so grateful for the compliment!”
She didn’t seem to be embarrassed at all. But her getting stronger was true, so I wasn’t complaining. That said, I was surprised that there was only a Unique Skill, because everyone else so far had possessed Ultimate Skills. Ciel, could it be that Shion rejected you?
«No. Shion possesses massive potential, so she was carefully assessed. The Unique Skill ‘Cook’ is also very powerful, so I think it is enough to do nothing.»
Hmm, she’s certainly strong, but…
I had recently become better at reading Ciel’s emotions. It was mostly intuitive, but still pretty accurate. If I’m to believe it, then this feeling indicated that Ciel was hesitating to adjust Shion’s Skills.
«…That’s correct.»
This is a rare occurrence. When I asked why, Ciel answered reluctantly. What a surprise. The amazing fact was that if Shion’s Skill was strengthened, there was a possibility that she would gain powers sufficient enough to kill me. Apparently, Ciel judged that to be undesirable and sealed off Shion’s Skill evolution. It seemed pretty unbelievable for a Skill cultivating enthusiast to do such a thing. Although I don’t think Shion would ever have any harmful intentions towards me, acquiring such a scary Skill was definitely something to think about. I did not want to get myself into trouble, so I decided to support Ciel’s action.
After the status check, I enjoyed chatting with Shion for a while. I listened to her boastful talk and applauded appropriately. Shion had been very active in the battle against the Imperial Army. Occasionally, I wanted to listen to her stories and praise her like this. In retrospect, I was often either angry or speechless by Shion’s behavior. I understood that Shion was working hard, and her efforts were gradually showing results, but even so, all of the miserable situation from her messing up tended to make it inevitable for me to criticize her. That’s why I think it was a good idea to enjoy a peaceful conversation like this after such a long time. I feel like an old father to Shion, but then—
“Oh yeah, I almost forgot to tell you, but I ran into a depressed Masayuki in the cafeteria—”
—Huh?!
“—He seemed to be troubled about something, so I told him to consult with Rimuru-sama about it!”
Why does she look so smug?! Once again, without permission… What’s more, Masayuki’s problem was definitely something I did not want to get involved with…
She was always so presumptuous, and it always rippled back to me. It’s exactly that kind of reckless behavior that’s gonna get me in trouble! I didn’t want to get involved with this…
After all, the sudden appearance of Velgrynd who was supposed to disappear was surprising. But after calming down and thinking about it, there was undoubtedly only one reason why Velgrynd was here. Velgrynd had leapt through the dimensions in pursuit of Rudra. And there was only one person she would go after, right? Not to mention, Masayuki and Rudra looked exactly alike. With all those circumstances put together, even I could have predicted it. But…
Even knowing that, I can’t betray Shion’s trust in me.
“I’ll have to decide on a date for all of us to meet.”
I told her as such, though it was mainly just to postpone the problem. However, Shion replied without hesitation.
“Oh, that’s perfect then! I already set up a meeting first thing early tomorrow morning!”
Perfect, my ass!! What’s the point of having a meeting, let alone an interview, without any prior discussion? It’s a crazy situation that started only as a personal consultation with Masayuki. This is the kind of problems that arise when you use Shion as an intermediary. I mean, who is even going to participate in this meeting? I was getting a headache from the sudden problem that came out of nowhere. I was still in the middle of the personal interviews, and now this suddenly happened. There were still the demons I had yet to interview, and if I didn’t finish the interviews today, I might not be able to come back to them until a few days later. In that happens, I’m worried that they’ll go berserk…
“If that’s the case, tell Rigurd and Benimaru to prepare properly!”
“Understood. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must go!”
As soon as Shion said that, she left the room in a happy mood. Only I was left bruised as I hurriedly called Diablo and the others over while holding my head.
The remaining people to be interviewed were Diablo, Testarossa, Carrera, Ultima, and their four subordinates. I thought it would be impossible to meet with all of them, so I would just dangerously go through with it here.
“Kufufufufu, is it finally my turn? How long I have waited for this moment!”
He was kicked out only yesterday afternoon, but he’s being so dramatic.
“Don’t be silly, Diablo! The decision has not been settled yet, so it shouldn’t be a problem for me to have a meeting with Rimuru-sama first!”
A battered Carrera snapped at Diablo. Ultima agreed with her.
“That right! I haven’t given up yet, either. I don’t think you should run away from this.”
She was also covered in scars, and looking at her injuries, it was a wonder that she was still standing. I mean, their clothes were part of them, so the fact that they still weren’t fixed suggested that they were badly injured. And yet, they were still fighting like they were just fine. Demons really are tough.
“Stop that. It is disrespectful to fight in front of Rimuru-sama.”
Testarossa intervened, and things finally quieted down. By the way, Testarossa is very graceful. She had prepared a cup of tea for me, not caring about the three of us who were quarreling. Her clothes were in perfect order, as if showing the difference in sophistication.
“So, Rimuru-sama. Regarding the matter of firing Diablo and choosing one of us to be your second secretary, unfortunately, we have not come to a decision yet. What shall we do?”
I didn’t think there was even such a thing. Perhaps, leaving the demons for the end was a mistake. Even if Shion hadn’t given me unnecessary work, I still had to report to King Gazel. I should have taken care of these troublesome problems first. That’s what I thought, but it was too late now. I didn’t have much time left, so I would have to use force.
“Actually, we don’t have enough time for a leisurely meeting. Not to mention calling in your subordinates—”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I don’t think it’s necessary. It’s much too good for them.”
“Yeah. If you need any information on my men, I’ll report it!”
“That’s right. I wouldn’t want something to cut into my time with Rimuru-sama… No one under my command would be so foolish.”
All four of them replied at the same time, with big smiles on their faces.
“O-Oh.”
I had no choice but to reply.
Ciel also said that there was no need to call in all the demons. The reason was that Diablo and the others had said that they all answered with, ‘Please do whatever you want.’
Ciel already knew this, but to me it seemed like they were just ignoring all the others’ wishes. I forced myself to accept that it was for the purpose of managing my subordinates. With that thought in mind, I managed to convince myself. The first of the four to be interviewed was, of course, Diablo. He had kicked out the remaining three from the room and was happily sitting across from me.
Name:
Diablo [EP: 6,666,666]
Race:
Divine Demon. Seven Primordials: Devil Lord
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Magic Lord
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Temptation King Azazel’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
‘You’re…just so weird’—was what I thought. The fact that his numbers were so organized was like admitting that he did something. But since Ciel didn’t say anything, I was too lazy to further pursue it. After all, I still think Diablo is the strongest of all my subordinates. His existence value is overwhelming, and his resistances are perfect.
Diablo’s ‘Temptation King Azazel’ includes the abilities ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Punitive Control,’ ‘Charm Control,’ and ‘World of Temptation.’ It was a Skill that could do almost the same things as me.
He seemed to have wanted to boast about it for a long time now, so he explained it to me in detail with great enthusiasm and care. Ciel also seemed satisfied with Diablo’s perfect comprehension. I can’t actually utilize my Skills without Ciel’s help, so Diablo is actually stronger than me. His magicule count is high, his level is high, and the quality of his Skill is also high. An all-around excellent demon, versatile in all aspects.
Why he was my subordinate remained a mystery to me. Despite his battle-obsessed tendencies and being a bit too clingy with me, this guy’s unfathomable strength was always very reliable. Now that he’s evolved, I was curious to see how a mock battle with Zegion would turn out. I’m sure it would be an interesting fight.
Also, Benimaru. Benimaru was usually pretty reserved when fighting, as if holding himself back. But once he got serious, he would burn everything up before the fight even began. In the labyrinth, one could fight fully without having to worry about survival, except Benimaru would probably not agree to it, because it would expose his hand. In terms of attribute conflicts, water was stronger than fire, so Zegion had an advantage over Benimaru…but the answer could only be known after an actual battle.
Well, there’s really no need to decide on superiority or inferiority though. If Benimaru, Diablo, and Zegion were the top three fighters of my entourage, then there would be no disputes about it.
That was it for Diablo. Also, it seemed that in addition to Venom, Gadra had officially become his disciple.
“Disciple?”
“Yes. Now that he is my servant, you will not have to worry about his betrayal.”
I thought that he would be fine anyway, but now I was definitely relieved. Gadra was bound as a guardian of the labyrinth, so he couldn’t be forced to do chores in a big way, but Diablo didn’t seem to mind. He seemed to think of his disciples in a different way than his usual subordinates.
“That’s good, but why did you decide to take him?”
“Yes, this man’s faith in Rimuru-sama is still lacking, but his quest for magic is real. He did have some merit for a human being, so I thought I would teach him personally and intervene in his mystic art ‘Reincarnation.”’
“So…?”
“Shamefully, he almost died in the last battle. It was an act of disobedience to Rimuru-sama’s order, so I reincarnated him as a demon to prevent that from happening… For some strange reason, he became some unheard-of race known as a ‘metal demon.”’
Diablo stopped talking at this point and looked at me as if asking for clarification. I have no idea. What did I do?
«Oh, I interfered.»
What do you mean, ‘Oh’—?! This is why I thought we needed to have a private meeting as well, but it looks like you’ve really done a lot. I really wish I had thought more about it. This ‘metal demon’ race sounded kind of like a repeat of Beretta…
«Please be rest assured about that. It is a completely different concept.»
That’s fine, I guess. It really isn’t a problem to me, but it’s just that I find it troublesome.
“I guess I interfered a little?”
I had no choice but to answer that way, so I told him honestly. Instead, Diablo was so excited that we ended up talking for a while.
To sum up, Diablo also liked Gadra. That’s why he had promised to include Gadra in his lineage in case something happened to him. It was well known that Gadra was a magic fanatic. He was the master of Majin Razen and was even willing to become a demon to satisfy his intellectual curiosity. Since he was such a man, as long as he didn’t cause me any trouble, I would let him do as he pleased. I didn’t dislike the old man either, so I judged that there was no problem. However, it would be uncomfortable if he turned out to be like Adalmann, so I would have to declare a prohibition on overly faithful hearts. Just because he was Diablo’s disciple did not mean he could have identical beliefs. I would firmly reject it.
“From now on, he is your responsibility, so take good care of him.”
From my perspective, Gadra-sensei was very much an elder, and while I don’t speak in a tone that is quite appropriate for elders, Diablo was much older. The notion of age had to crumble, because Diablo was so old that the concept of the word “old” would collapse. In this way, Diablo now had two disciples.
As soon as Diablo bowed and left the room, Testarossa entered in his place. She took a seat across from me with a graceful demeanor.
Hmm.
I wasn’t planning on it, but I suppose I could ask her to be my secretary… Oops, no. Doing that would mean appointing Diablo as a diplomatic marshal, and then he’d definitely go out of control. I did want to add unnecessary problems, so I’d just keep things the way they were. Besides, I had a favor to ask of Testarossa. Just as I was wondering what to say, she presented me with a document. It contained information on Testarossa’s subordinates.
Name:
Moss [EP: 1,079,397]
Race:
Demon Peer: Archduke Class
Blessing:
Blanc’s Lineage
Title:
The Empress’ Confidant
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Collector’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Name:
Cien [EP: 286, 596]
Race:
Demon Peer: Viscount Class
Blessing:
Blanc’s Lineage
Title:
The Empress’ Secretary
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Recorder’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification
If you add this to the information that only I could read, this was what it looked like. Neither Moss nor Cien were directly involved in the previous battles. Therefore, they had not fallen into crisis nor into Ciel’s clutches.
By the way, what about Testarossa…?
Name:
Testarossa [EP: 3,333,124]
Race:
Divine Demon. Seven Primordials: Devil Lord
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Killer Lord
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Death King Belial’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Compared to the beginning of the war, her existence value had increased incomparably. Even compared to when she fought Velgrynd on the airship, it seemed to have increased more than threefold.
“The amount of magicule seems to have increased a lot, right?”
“Yes. It’s a shame, because it would have been a more interesting demonstration if it had been done in time for the battle with Velgrynd-sama.”
Hmm… Fighting is not how you have fun, is it? Well, it’s probably useless to say that.
Once again, I was reminded that in combat, it was not the quantity but the quality that mattered. In this case, combat experience had played a bigger role than the amount of magicules. The reason why Testarossa was able to fight so well against Velgrynd was because they were evenly matched in terms of combat ability. If the battle had gone on for a long time, she would have been defeated, but since she was only stalling for time, she was able to manage. The fact that Testarossa’s magicules had increased means that her fighting ability had also greatly increased. It was all very encouraging, but it also meant that I was now responsible for keeping an eye on her to make sure she didn’t go out of control. For now, I would leave it to Diablo, but I was also thinking a little more attention should be paid in that aspect.
Still, ‘Death King Belial’? As befits Testarossa, it was a Skill with a dangerous scent. As for the powers it contains, it included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Life Domination’ and ‘World After Death.’
This was also a ‘world system’ Skill. It was also a ‘World After Death,’ which I would rather not ever experience. I’m scared, so I’ll leave the management to Ciel.
“You mentioned a private meeting, so there should be something to say that cannot be discussed publicly, correct? What exactly is the content?”
After Testarossa provided the information on her subordinates, Moss and Cien, she then asked the question very clearly. She was quite perceptive, which was very helpful. I changed my mind and decided to confide in her about one of my problems. It was about the meeting with Masayuki and the others that was supposed to take place tomorrow morning.
“I might be reading too much into it, but I wanted to talk to you about it. I’m supposed to meet with Masayuki and the others, so I’m wondering about what to do.”
“I see, so it’s about the treatment of the Empire.”
I was surprised how quickly she understood everything.
“That’s right. Masayuki seems to be troubled, but it’s difficult to respond to such a sudden request…”
Shion probably didn’t think about it that much, but if Masayuki was the reincarnation of Emperor Rudra, it would not be so easy to become an Emperor. In the first place, we didn’t know where the current Emperor Rudra—though now transformed into Michael—had disappeared to. Even if Masayuki declares himself emperor—that is to say, I don’t think Masayuki is willing to do so…
It would also be strange if my country suddenly supported him. What’s more, Michael’s power, the ‘Castle Guard,’ was unbreakable as long as there were people who believed in Rudra. In other words, we had to think about how to deal with the Imperial subjects at the same time. I really wished I had more time to think about this.
Explaining it to King Gazel would also be complicated, and that honestly felt even more difficult to deal with. As I’ve said many times, I didn’t want to get involved, but I couldn’t say that.
“If that’s the case, then let me join the meeting. The East, where the Empire is located, used to be my domain, so I’m sure I’ll be able to serve as a diplomatic officer.”
Ooooh, how reliable!
I couldn’t just leave this to Ciel. I might be able to verbalize Ciel’s solutions, but how to actually instruct the subordinates would still have to be left to the locals. In the first place, even if an opinion was absolutely correct, we would have no choice but to reject the proposal if the Imperial side did not accept it. It might have worked if the Empire had been made a vassal state, but otherwise, we wouldn’t be able to interject too much about how other countries operate. In this respect, Testarossa would be able to respond flexibly. Testarossa had a proven track record with the Western Nations, and once the policy was set, I felt comfortable leaving it to her.
“In that case, I’ll be counting on you tomorrow morning.”
“I understand, leave it to me!”
Testarossa’s bewitching smile was so encouraging that it made me feel a little better.
That was all I had to say, so I stood up to see Testarossa off—
“Rimuru-sama, there is one thing I would like to report to you as well.”
“Hmm?”
“As you may remember, Rimuru-sama received a petition for life from Calgurio, one of the Empire’s generals…”
Testarossa’s words reminded me of that too. It would be a bit of a hassle, but it was not impossible.
“All right. Then now…”
I’m glad Testarossa remembered. This kind of attention to detail was one of the reasons why I found Testarossa so reliable. In order to complete my work before dinner, I accompanied Testarossa to the research facility.
There were only two more to go. After dinner, I called Ultima over.
“I’m tired of waiting.”
Ultima said cutely as she sat down gently. I’m sure it would have been so cute to have a sister like her, and it made me smile. I made us some tea and served her some of the best baked goods.
“Whoa, whoa! Rimuru-sama did all of this?”
“Fufufu, I can make tea too. Well, not black tea, but I can make coffee.”
It was just drip coffee, though. It wasn’t even as good as Shion’s, which was an unwelcome reality. Although it was limited to beverages, tea and coffee, Shion’s craft had really progressed in that aspect. I thought it would be wrong to keep complaining about other people’s cooking, so I tried it myself… It was surprisingly harder than expected. Before I died, I always ate take-out and never cooked for myself. I was busy with work, and considering the time and effort required to clean up, it was more cost-effective…
The kitchen in that apartment was still as new as ever, and although I had wanted to do it in my spare time, only the cooking books had changed. I couldn’t say it was all in vain, though, because those memories were useful now. Anyway, since it was just a matter of adding hot water to the ground beans, even I could make coffee.
“No way! Just this cup of tea, makes me so happy!”
Seeing her so happy made me happy too.
“Don’t be shy. The coffee will take a little longer, but it’ll boil while we’re talking.”
I wanted a cup too, so I set the filter on the coffee server and poured the boiling water. This set of tools was made by Kaijin. There were mass-produced models based on this, so the coffee shop was also thriving. The aroma of coffee beans wafted through the air. In this way, I showed off my prowess to Ultima. It was sure to raise my reputation. It’s always important to earn points in such situations.
«In my opinion, that’s pretty cheap.»
Don’t be silly! This is an advanced strategy, not a petty one at all. Besides, what’s the point of showing off your strength when you’re up against battle-crazy ‘primordials’? The best thing to do is compete in different areas.
«Haa… You’ve already shown enough of your majesty, so your worries are superfluous.»
It’s fine. Besides, I never intended to show off my majesty. I didn’t care about that, so let’s just get down to business.
“Then, let’s hear your report.”
“Yes, then this first.”
What was handed to me was a report on her subordinates.
Name:
Veyron [EP: 882 869]
Race:
Demon Peer: Duke Class
Blessing:
Violet’s Lineage
Title:
Poison Princess’ Butler
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Artist’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Name:
Zonda [EP: 301,316]
Race:
Demon Peer: Viscount Class
Blessing:
Violet’s Lineage
Title:
Poison Princess’ Chef
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Chef’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Veyron’s strength caught my attention, but it was Zonda’s ‘Chef’ that made me nervous for a moment. One would think that it was in the same system as Shion’s bullshit Skill, but it wasn’t. Instead, his powers were focused on status assessment and support. It could heal any injury by ‘cooking’ it. I was relieved to find that it was not a terrifying skill that would affect the law of cause and effect.
Next up was the real deal, Ultima.
Name:
Ultima [EP: 2,668,816]
Race:
Divine Demon. Seven Primordials: Devil Lord
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Pain Lord
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Poison King Samael’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Ultima, like Testarossa, had grown significantly. It seems that the amount of magicules continued to increase after the end of evolution. Since she had already surpassed the million-class mark, it was both a threat and reliable that she would grow stronger. And let’s not forget about Ultima’s Skill.
Ultimate Skill ‘Poison King Samael’ included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘Weakness Identification,’ ‘Lethal Poison Creation,’ and ‘World of Annihilation.’
Yup.
It was a Skill that specialized in killing. What was worse was the ‘Lethal Poison Creation.’ By combining this with ‘Weakness Identification,’ she could create the perfect poison to kill her enemies. However, what bothered me even more was ‘World of Annihilation.’ This was a heinous world system power that could unconditionally kill all non-mental life forms that did not possess an Ultimate Skill. It’s like a super-enhanced version of my ‘Merciless.’ Since it wouldn’t work against a super strong opponent, it was better to have this sealed away.
“Ultima, I’m sorry, but…”
I started, pouring myself a cup of coffee to calm myself down.
“What is it?”
“It’s about your ‘World of Annihilation’…”
“Yes.”
Ultima happily accepted the cup I offered her. Now was the best time to say it.
“From now on, it is prohibited for future use.”
“Okay! I was thinking that I didn’t need this power either. Rimuru-sama knows how I feel!”
“Huh?! Oh, uh, well of course, right?”
I laughed my way through the deception and patted myself on the back for good measure. I didn’t know why, but it seems that Ultima did not intend to use ‘World of Annihilation’ either. No, thinking about it more, it was not too surprising. As a battle maniac, she probably didn’t like the idea of such an unconditional victory. Well, as long as Ultima agreed, then it was fine. I was relieved and enjoyed the rest of the conversation.
The last interview was with Carrera.
“Hello, Milord! If it wasn’t for your help, I doubt I could have defeated Kondou. That man was so strong that it was hard to believe he was human.”
Carrera laughed as she finished her report. I had heard this from Ciel, but to hear it from her own mouth made it even clearer. Carrera really seemed to have won by a hair’s breadth and was sincerely praising Kondou. Indeed, Kondou seems to have been quite strong. Benimaru had defeated Granit, the third ranked soldier, but even he was wary of Kondou. Or rather, he was confident that he could defeat anyone but Kondou. It was not an exaggeration to say that Carrera secured a huge success by defeating a man who was so highly regarded.
‘It’s because you gave me the power,’ Carrera insisted.
“To have gained flesh, broken through my own limits, evolved, and been given even more… I want to repay this kindness. I hope you understand that my loyalty is forever yours.”
The normally unruly and arrogant Carrera was quite honest when she faced me. Well, in terms of ‘rank,’ a primordial who had lived since ancient times was far superior to some newborn demon lord. Regardless of loyalty, the answer remained the same.
“In that case, I look forward to working with you. Without you, we wouldn’t be able to hold trials.”
Monsters still had the tendency to follow the strong. Anyone could arrest them, but only the strong could judge them. In the future, I was planning to establish a kind of Supreme Court Judicial System, and leaving all but the most heinous criminals to the hands of the people. But that was for when the nation was more stable. Because Tempest was still a developing country, Carrera’s strength was a great help.
“Oh, it’s my pleasure! In addition to myself, my whole family will act as Rimuru-sama wishes!”
Carrera replied, smiling happily. And about the status of Carrera and her subordinates? First off, I looked down at the documents that were handed to me. Carrera’s subordinates were Agera and Esprit.
Name:
Agera [EP: 733,575].
Race:
Demon Peer: Marquis Rank
Blessing:
Jaune’s Lineage
Title:
The Tyrant’s Master
Magic:
‹True Battlewill›
Skill:
Ultimate Gift ‘Blade Transformation’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
Name:
Esprit [EP: 552,137]
Race:
Demon Peer: Count Rank
Blessing:
Jaune’s Lineage
Title:
The Tyrant’s Friend
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Unique Skill ‘Discerner’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
They were really strong. I mean, they were all old demon lord class, weren’t they? Agera was comparable to a pseudo-awakened Clayman, and hypothetically, if I had fought him way back then, he might have won…
I think it’s wrong to have so many subordinates of the old demon lord class. Rather than that, I was more concerned about being a ‘friend.’ It was Carrera’s evaluation after all, so I guess that’s just how they were. Certainly, Esprit has a bit of a girly-girl vibe to her, and if one didn’t know the inside story, they could assume that the two were a well-connected pair of sisters. Rather than a master-slave relationship, they seemed more like schoolmates. Honestly, I thought Carrera’s lineage was quite unusual. What was truly shocking, though, was what came next.
Carrera was really terrifying.
Name:
Carrera [EP: 7,013,351 (+ Golden Gun 3.37 million)]
Race:
Divine Demon. Seven Primordials: Devil Lord
Blessing:
Rimuru’s Blessing
Title:
Menace Lord
Magic:
‹Dark Magic› ‹Elemental Magic›
Skill:
Ultimate Skill ‘Annihilation King Abaddon’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
The amount of magicule actually surpassed Diablo’s, and both of my eyes couldn’t help but turn into two dots. Her growth seems to have stopped, but it was the highest of all my subordinates. However, the most dangerous thing of all was the ‘Annihilation King Abaddon.’
Its powers included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Universal Perception,’ ‘Demon Lord Haki,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Multidimensional Barrier,’ ‘Limit Break,’ and ‘Dimensional Rupture.’ And although it has no world system power, it specialized in attack power. In particular, ‘Dimensional Rupture’ was a power that could penetrate a ‘Distortion Field’ and space to destroy enemies.
If Carrera’s Skill was coupled with destruction spells, along with what was given to her as well, there would be few who could endure it. It might even be able to destroy the levels of Ramiris’ labyrinth, so one could understand how powerful it was at a glance. To be honest, I wouldn’t want to deal with it either.
“You’ve gotten stronger…”
I couldn’t help but spill out my true feelings.
“Yeah, it was thanks to milord. And also Kondou, who entrusted me with this. Even if it is only in response to that man’s wish, I will crush Emperor Rudra.”
Hearing her say so, I remembered. Kondou was also manipulated by Michael.
“About that, the real Rudra is gone… I mean, all sorts of things have happened, but what you were fighting was actually an entity that had taken over Rudra by the will of a Skill.”
I explained to Carrera that Rudra’s true identity was Michael, who had become a Manas. Upon hearing this, Carrera nodded, not seeming surprised.
“I see. So that’s why that Feldway guy was calling Rudra as Michael. Now I understand, milord.”
That’s how it was. Now don’t go picking any fights with Masayuki by mistake. With that warning, the interview with Carrera ended.
Just as I was about to leave the room, Carrera turned to me and said,
“Oh, yes, I forgot. There was one thing I had to tell Milord.”
“Hmm? What is it?”
I asked as I took a sip of my coffee.
“Actually, I’ve been debating whether or not to tell you…”
It must be important if Carrera was troubled by it. Then, I went back to my seat and calmed down—
“—Agera seems to be Hakurou-san’s grandfather.”
Pffft?!
I almost spat out my coffee. I just barely avoided it at the last second, but it was such an important matter—you can’t just tell me that so casually when you’re leaving!
“You—that!”
“Hahaha, this is important, isn’t it? I can’t handle it, so I’ll leave the decision to Milord.”
With a laugh, Carrera left the room. She completely threw the ball to me. That laugh must have been a sigh of relief, as if a burden had been lifted from her shoulders. In short, this was a problem that could not be ignored. Although Diablo and the three demon girls said that I didn’t need to meet with their subordinates, I decided to meet with Agera later.
I couldn’t think straight at the moment, so I would meet with Agera at another time. The personal interviews had now concluded successfully. I didn’t want to work anymore today because I had a meeting with Masayuki and his friends tomorrow, although I didn’t need sleep either way. I returned to my more relaxed slime state and hid under the covers. For some reason, I felt very comfortable in this darkness.
«Okay, then I will report.»
Excuse me, I’m done with work…?
«This is about Master’s Skills, so it’s not work.»
That was fine for Ciel because it was their hobby, but for me, this was no different from work.
But even if I said that, Ciel wouldn’t listen to me, would they? Sooner or later, I would have to do this anyway, so I gave up resisting. Actually, I was kind of looking forward to it. I’m sure there would be some crazy results, and I was well prepared. The integration went very smoothly without me having to go into sleep mode. It took about a day and a half to complete the integration, but I was having private interviews, so there was no problem. Well, that’s how it was.
Since I had been asked for permission to use Skill Alteration in the middle of a real battle, there was no reason to stop the activity. I would have been furious if that had happened. The report began silently in my mind, and the information immediately showed up. Well then, let’s see what it’s like, shall we?
Name:
Rimuru Tempest [EP: 8,681,123 (+ Draconic Sword 2.28 million)]
Race:
Supreme Chaos Spirit: Ultimate Slime
Grace:
Grace of Friendship
Title:
Chaos Creator
Magic:
‹True Dragon Magic› ‹Greater Spirit Summoning› ‹Greater Demon Summoning› ‹Other›
Skill:
Manas ‘Ciel’
Intrinsic Skill ‘Universal Perception, Dragon Spirit Haki, Universal Shapeshift’
Ultimate Skill ‘Void God Azathoth, Harvest King Shub-Niggurath’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
The result looked like this. I didn’t realize it before, but my existence value was amazing. If I include the increase in number with my sword, it would reach 10 million. Now the straight sword I was very familiar with was at the mythical level. Its shape had been altered by my race’s characteristics, and I had decided to call it the “Draconic Sword” for convenience.
It also had two holes in it. The sword seemed to be evolving smoothly to my satisfaction. If I gave it an official name, would it evolve? There’s no way. No, no, no. I might give it a try, but I didn’t want to give it a random name. If I came up with a nice name, I would change it.
Even if existence value and total amount of magicules was outstanding, it did not mean that I could let my guard down. Benimaru, Diablo, and Zegion, not to mention Testarossa and the other demon girls, all had very high combat abilities. Testarossa, for example, had fought very well against Velgrynd, who had almost ten times the amount of magicules.
As you can see from this example, the most important thing was not the size of the existence value, but how skillfully one could use their power. That overall power was the combined strength of one’s magicule quantity, skill level (combat ability), and Skills.
Everyone had used their powers to the fullest during the battle against the Imperial Army. Looking at the battles ahead, I knew that I could not be left behind. Anyway, at this stage, I was still in the lead, ahead of Carrera. Reassured by the current status, I turned my attention to the other things.
The blessing (protection) I got from Veldora had disappeared, and now I was my own protector. I went from being under protection to becoming the one providing the protection. I really had grown.
—But now was not the time to be escaping reality. I knew I was not at the level of feeling comfortable, but why did I only have two Skills now?
As if to answer my question, Ciel happily began its explanation.
«First of all, I no longer needed ‘Wisdom KingRaphael’ and ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth,’ so I integrated—»
‘Hey, wait, wait, wait!!!’
‘What did you just say?!’
‘What did you just say in such a refreshing tone of voice???’
‘It said that it used the Wisdom KingRaphael, which was basically like its mother, for the integration…because it didn’t need it?!’
«Is there a problem?»
Apparently, I had not heard wrong. No, I knew there was no way I could have misheard …but I didn’t think it would actually do it. But if the ‘Wisdom KingRaphael’ was gone, wouldn’t Ciel be able to exist as well?
«No. I’m already independent, so there’s nothing to worry about!»
Ciel calmly answers my question. Even ‘Wisdom KingRaphael,’ which can be considered as its own mother… I was surprised that Ciel could consume it so easily, but according to them, the Skill was already an empty shell, so there was no problem. What mattered more was the contents. Ciel seemed to have done the work without any emotion or sentimentality. Eliminate all useless abilities, and do everything thoroughly. However, although there was no problem, was it really necessary to consume ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth’ as well?
«Of course!»
Maybe I should’ve confirmed before approving anything… In the face of my weak questioning, Ciel replied to my questions, as if understanding me, and forcefully went ahead with the explanation. As it turned out, my Skills had changed so much that they had not retained their original forms. This was no longer the level of modification. No, my Skills really were integrated and modified, but there was still something unacceptable about it. So then, let’s talk about the key Skills.
The first, ‘Void God Azathoth,’ was created by merging ‘Wisdom KingRaphael’ and ‘Gluttonous KingBeelzebuth.’ Not only that, but it seems that the ‘Storm King Veldora’ and the newly acquired ‘Scorch KingVelgrynd’ were also sacrificed. However, I had inherited those powers, so there was nothing wrong with it. In other words, the Ultimate Skill ‘Void God Azathoth’ contained the abilities ‘Soul Consumption,’ ‘Nihility Collapse,’ ‘Imaginary Space, ‘True Dragon Release [Scorch and Storm],’ ‘True Dragon Core Transformation [Scorch and Storm],’ ‘Spacetime Domination’ and ‘Multidimensional Barrier.’
Even the original ‘True Dragon Summoning’ had disappeared, it seems that there were still no problems with unleashing or releasing it. In the first place, Veldora and the others actually came to me of their own free will, so it was the same without this power. The ‘True Dragon Core Transformation’ was more interesting, and as its name implied, it was literally the power to transform the dragons into a nucleus core that could fit into the hole openings in my sword. Once again, the True Dragon, a vast body of energy, would be condensed into the blade’s core. It was frightening to imagine how much power that would generate. It appears that the dragon’s approval is necessary, but…it’s too scary to imagine the timing of its use.
Even without ever using it, it looks like this one is going to have to be sealed away. Well, at least Velgrynd would presumably decline it. But Veldora might want to try it just for fun. I was a little worried about that, so I decided to keep it a secret. Rather than that…
What is truly dangerous is the original power of ‘Void God Azathoth’ which had been perfectly optimized after integration.
Soul Consumption
A super-enhanced version of ‘Predation’ and ‘Gluttony’ that could even devour the target’s soul along with it.
Nihility Collapse
The ultimate destructive energy that fills the chaotic world. Full control over it was possible for the first time thanks to the Manas.
Imaginary Space
A chaotic world. The super-evolved version of ‘Stomach’ and ‘Isolation’ was a prison that locked away whatever should be isolated.
Spacetime Domination
Instantaneous movement is possible by simply being aware of time and space. Affects even time.
Multidimensional Barrier
A constantly active, ‘Multilayer Barrier,’ which provides absolute protection by a ‘Dimension Fault.’
That was Ciel’s explanation. It was pretty terrifying. The fact that it would even try to implement such a modification in the middle of a battle was terrifying. However, there was one thing that I did not trust: the absolute protection of ‘Dimension Fault.’ It claimed to be stronger and safer than even the ‘Distortion Field,’ but I knew that there were no absolutes in this world. I would not fall for that.
Besides…the moment Ranga acquired ‘Stellar Wind King Hastur,’ I had long since known that my Skills would become very powerful. So, rather than being surprised, I was more horrified that with ‘Void God Azathoth’ alone, all other powers were practically unnecessary. My second Ultimate Skill, naturally, was the ‘Harvest King Shub-Niggurath.’
After the Skill Alteration, my powers had now become these two abilities. It’s obvious that I had become more powerful than before the integration, but it occurred to me that there were some abilities that had disappeared. For example, ‘Thought Acceleration,’ was gone, but seemed to still be working fine. What did this mean?
«These abilities—‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Predict Future Attack,’ ‘Analyze and Assess,’ ‘Parallelism,’ ‘Integration,’ ‘Separation,’ ‘Chant Cancellation,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Food Chain,’ ‘Thought Domination,’ ‘Law Domination,’ and ‘Attribute Transformation’—all of these have been integrated into me, so it is now possible to respond more quickly.»
I suppose I should praise it as excellent. Perhaps it might even be overkill, but for the sake of the battles that would follow, a change in mindset was indeed necessary. The weaker I was, the more I would have to sacrifice. In order to settle the matter and enjoy a life of peace, there was no need to hold back or be polite.
Now that I had confirmed my own strength, I decided to compare myself with Veldora.
Name:
Veldora Tempest [EP: 88,126,579]
Race:
Supreme Chaos Spirit: True Dragon
Grace:
Blessing of Fertility, Storm Protection
Title:
Storm Dragon
Magic:
‹True Dragon Magic›
Skill:
Intrinsic Skill ‘Universal Perception, Dragon Spirit Haki, Universal Shapeshift’
Ultimate Skill ‘Chaos King Nyarlathotep’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
This was the current status of Veldora. It goes without saying that his resistances were perfect, but what was most noteworthy was the extent of his existence value. That said, when I did look at the value, I was laughing rather than getting surprised. That guy, he had messed up when he was determining the value.
………
……
…
It had happened just recently, after dinner. I had just finished a meeting with Ultima, so I tried to leave immediately. However, I was interrupted by Veldora.
“Kuaaaahahaha! Rimuru, I understand that you are having personal interviews with Benimaru and the others. I, too, have a lot of free time at the moment—”
“Ah? I’m busy. I’m sorry, but I’ll play with you after I’m finished.”
“Wait, wait, wait, wait!!! I’m not talking about that—I’m talking about your personal interview with me!”
Huh?
There was no need to meet with Veldora. After all, it’s not like Veldora was my subordinate, and if I really wanted to, I could just ask Ciel about it.
“No, we talk to each other all the time, so there’s no need to have an interview, right?”
“What?! Don’t say such lonely things!”
“That’s right! You should understand how lonely Master and I are!”
Even Ramiris joined in. But seriously, even if they say that, we do see each other all the time. Of course, I wanted to play with the Avatar Core too, but my work was more important. In the first place, we were currently in a war. It’s just that the whereabouts of Feldway and his colleagues were still unknown, so I was able to rest a little. At the very least, until we were ready to intercept them, there was no time to play around.
“Don’t be selfish. Once things are properly settled—”
“No, I told you it’s not that! I’ve grown stronger and I want to show off to you. I know you’re busy, but what’s the harm in keeping me company for a little while?!”
“That’s right, that’s right! You’re the only one who can accurately measure the existence values, so I want you to come with us for a bit!”
“Hmm?”
“That is to say, I have been concealing my existence value from when Ramiris measured it. I’m trying to prove it to you.”
Hmmmmm.
“That’s absolutely impossible! It’s true that we can’t measure the numbers in too much detail, but it’s impossible to fake it!”
I see. In other words, I was being involved in a very stupid argument. When thing get to this point, these guys won’t listen to anyone. Instead of trying to convince them, it would be easier to just go along with them.
“All right, all right. Then let’s go to the Control Room.”
With that, we began to measure Veldora’s existence value. The measurement devices were linked to the monitors throughout the labyrinth, and the control panel in the Control Room managed them. Ciel was able to synchronize with the labyrinth itself, so it could take measurements no matter the location, although that was a secret. That’s why we went to the Control Room. I didn’t have much time, so we started right away.
“Master’s existence value is 88,000,000! It’s amazing, but Master insists that it’s higher. I want Rimuru to scold him for being so vain!”
Indeed, it was value beyond imagination. Far from being average, even a Million-class ‘Saint’ would be unable to win. So, were those numbers accurate?
«Yes. Veldora’s existence value is definitely 88,126,579.»
They were almost identical. Too high of a value would cause the machine to lose accuracy, but it was still sufficient to measure labyrinth challengers and intruders. That said, if Veldora was really able to fake the numbers, it meant that the system was flawed. This would be a problem that could not be ignored, so it was necessary to check. I was a little impressed that this trip didn’t end up being a total waste of time. Now, it all depended on whether or not Veldora was actually able to fake the numbers.
“My measurement is 88.12 million, so it’s almost the same. So, are the values going to continue rising from here? Or will they be under-measured?”
Either way, I needed to know the approach think about countermeasures. I urged Veldora to demonstrate. With a proud look on his face, Veldora smugly began taking off his coat. No way, could it be that…? My body, which would not have been sweating, felt like a cold sweat had fallen. Veldora began to laugh loudly.
“Kuahahaha! Take a good look. This is my true power—!!!”
With a thud, his coat fell to floor, and with another thud, the wristbands on Veldora’s arms and legs rolled off, shaking the ground. H-Hey… Taking off your heavy clothes…doesn’t mean the numbers will go up… Maybe he was feeling warm? What is measured here is mainly energy levels which has nothing to do with direct combat power. But Veldora…
“Kuahahaha! How about that?! Try measuring now! I don’t care if it breaks—!!”
Hmmmmm, this is embarrassing! Now that I understood what he was trying to do, I couldn’t help but feel sorry for the pitiful Veldora.
«I’ve measured it, and there is not the slightest change in values.»
There’s no change!!
“Ve-Veldora, you know…”
“Master, after all that, it’s still the same 88,000,000?”
Ah, Ramiris went straight to the point so harshly!
“Don’t be stupid! Rimuru, what’s the truth? My numbers have doubled, haven’t they?”
I looked at Veldora with pity.
“If it was youki, you could hide it, but existence values are completely different…”
Then I carefully explained to Veldora that these values were not a measurement of combat power like in manga, but rather a measurement of energy. Needless to say, Veldora turned bright red once he realized his mistake.
………
……
…
Well, it still makes me laugh even now, but there was no doubt that his magicule count was tremendous. Even if I examine it seriously, there is no way to harm him except with attacks at the ultimate level. Moreover, the Skill that Veldora acquired was also extremely troublesome.
His Skill evolved into ‘Chaos King Nyarlathotep’ by Ciel’s modification, which included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Analyze and Assess,’ ‘All of Creation,’ ‘Probability Manipulation,’ ‘Parallel Existence,’ ‘Investigation of Truth,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation’ and ‘Multidimensional Barrier.’
The practical convenience had been greatly improved after the Ciel’s integration. Even Veldora had acquired ‘Parallel Existence.’ I understand from the battle with Velgrynd that this was troublesome, but in the case of Veldora, he also has ‘Probability Manipulation,’ which makes him seem truly immortal.
In the first place, as long as I didn’t die, he was indestructible. Because the core of Veldora remained within me, his memories and feelings were backed up. If he could produce a ‘Split Body’ in addition to this, it might be impossible to destroy him. I laughed about the existence value mistake, but he really was reliable to have on our side.
Well, Veldora’s existence value was more than ten times that of mine, and even if I fought him, I probably couldn’t win…though I did have a few doubts. Not only did I defeat Velgrynd, I even ‘Predated’ her. The value of Velgrynd’s existence at that time was 26.87 million. At that time, I predated a little over 50 percent of them, and about 30 percent of it was in recovery. That 30 percent seemed to be trying to come back to the side that I predated. As expected of Ciel, they did not miss a thing.
So, back to the main point…I felt that my existence value seemed a bit low for the amount of energy I had consumed. Well, I still think that I’m strong enough as it is, and I also still think it’s one’s fighting sense that is important, but I was still a little concerned.
«—As for that, it’s only natural. The predated energy was once taken in, but it was turned into the Master’s flesh and blood before using ‘True Dragon Release’»
Well, what does that mean?
«In other words, Master’s maximum existence value is correct when the values of Veldora’s and Velgrynd’s existence values are added together.»
—What?!
I couldn’t help but be dumbfounded. In other words, it was only when I released ‘True Dragon Release’ that I would be able to display my maximum power.
Hmm?
But you know, since the output is the same, it might be the same even if the energy increases. Even Velgrynd might have shifted to increasing the number because the upper limit had been reached. Of course, there was no limit to an increase in power, but it was meaningless if it didn’t hit the target. Once you reach the level of shattering stars, it becomes more difficult to control the power. I was deeply convinced that there was no point in focusing on maximum power. For reference here. I ‘predated’ Velgrynd, whose existence value at that time was estimated to be 49,829,987. It should have been almost perfect because of Ciel’s calculations, but now, her existence value had increased more.
Name:
Velgrynd [EP: 74,350,087]
Race:
Supreme Chaos Spirit: True Dragon
Grace:
Scorch Affection
Title:
Scorch Dragon
Magic:
‹True Dragon Magic›
Skill:
Intrinsic Skill ‘Universal Perception, Dragon Spirit Haki, Universal Shapeshift’
Ultimate Skill ‘Divine Flame King Cthugha’
Resistance:
Physical Attack Nullification, Natural Effects Nullification, Abnormal Condition Nullification, Mental Attack Nullification, Holy-Demonic Attack Resistance
This was Velgrynd’s current status. After returning from a 20 percent reduction in status, there had been a significant increase. Rather than growth, should I say evolution…
The power was still the same as it had been after Ciel had changed it, but I’m sure Velgrynd must have mastered it. The contents of the ‘Divine Flame King Cthugha’ included ‘Thought Acceleration,’ ‘Thermal Excitation,’ ‘Parallel Existence,’ ‘Spacetime Manipulation,’ ‘Dimension Leap,’ and ‘Multidimensional Barrier.’ Also…
For me, it had only been a few days since we split up, but it was still unknown just what kind of experience Velgrynd had gained. I would be meeting her tomorrow, so I was wondering about how I should talk to her. I was afraid of what might happen if I offended her, so I decided to be careful to avoid a secondary conflict. In this way, the status confirmation by Ciel via personal interviews, was successfully completed.
