{"id":3498,"date":"2025-10-05T11:45:53","date_gmt":"2025-10-05T11:45:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/?p=3498"},"modified":"2025-10-05T11:45:53","modified_gmt":"2025-10-05T11:45:53","slug":"chapter-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/?p=3498","title":{"rendered":"CHAPTER 4"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

UPHEAVAL IN THE WEST<\/a><\/h1>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>The demon lord Leon was in an audience with someone he had trouble dealing with\u2014a woman with long silvery hair and uniquely long ears. She was sunk deep into an ornate chair, like a dazzling portrait come to life. It was Elmesia El-Ru Thalion, emperor of the land of Thalion, and the two of them were seated facing each other in a gazebo overlooking an elegant garden.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A bit of steam wafted out from the kettle on the table, the lady attendant serving them making sure to replace the water before it cooled. A sweet-smelling aroma filled the air, creating a relaxed atmosphere. The two of them watched each other for a moment, but it was Elmesia who spoke first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTaciturn as always, Leon? You have come to see me for the first time in ages, and you\u2019re that<\/em> bored already?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her tone of voice was kind\u2014as it should be. Elmesia and Leon knew each other, not just as the leaders of two important trading partners but as close personal acquaintances. One could tell this from the simple fact she granted Leon this kind of audience. They had known each other since before Leon was a demon lord\u2014back in his Hero days, when his exploits took him to Thalion. They had been friends ever since.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m afraid now is not the time for idle laughter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can\u2019t say I\u2019ve ever<\/em> seen you laugh a great deal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cWell, that doesn\u2019t matter very much, does it? Time is of the essence right now, so let\u2019s get down to business\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAhhh, yes, yes. I have some pastries from Mr. Yoshida\u2019s boutique. Would you care for a bite or two?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elmesia\u2019s interruption stirred the attendant into action. She pushed a cart up to the table, cutting a couple slices of cake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t have much of a sweet tooth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh? It\u2019s good, you know. Ah, but these cookies are made with tea leaves baked in, so they aren\u2019t quite so sweet. Matcha cookies, I believe they\u2019re called.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026I\u2019ll have that, then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From past experience, Leon knew there was no talking over her. It was the same way with the demon lord Ramiris\u2014everyone he had trouble with shared the common trait of never really listening to him in conversation. He calmed himself, already resigned to not having his way here, as he reached for a cookie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cToo sweet\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, you can\u2019t even take that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. It\u2019s not bad.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm. You never were<\/em> very honest with your feelings, were you? Ah well. So what brought you here today, if I may ask? Are you about to ask whether I\u2019ve seen the children in the demon lord Rimuru\u2019s nation?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon sighed. I can never relax around her. She\u2019s already picked up on matters?<\/em> In that case, he felt, at least this would save him some time. He mentally switched gears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right. I believe Rimuru has it out for me. One of my previous underlings made contact with him, filling his mind with all sorts of ideas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, Shizue Izawa, right? The Conqueror of Flames, was it? She\u2019s a household name in this empire as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy do you<\/em> know her? Our relationship was supposed to be a well-kept secret\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, how about we continue with the conversation? Time was of the essence for you, wasn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon was growing irritated. He wanted to raise his voice, shouting <\/a>\u201cWho do you think is wasting my<\/em> valuable time right now?!\u201d but he suppressed the urge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes\u2026 Well, I was thinking about extending an invitation to Rimuru sooner or later. I had wanted to clear up our misunderstandings, and I find him too dangerous as an enemy anyway.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letting himself be toyed with by someone was not an experience Leon relished very much. Even dealing with Guy, he could maintain his own pace well enough, but Elmesia was simply too much for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh? Don\u2019t you think you could beat Rimuru?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elmesia seemed to take an interest. But Leon wasn\u2019t going to accept the challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhether I can beat him isn\u2019t the issue. There\u2019s no point in antagonizing him. I gain nothing from it and stand to lose a great deal, don\u2019t I?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon\u2019s eyes said it all. You made the same conclusion, didn\u2019t you?<\/em> And Elmesia agreed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndeed, indeed. And if you build a friendship, you could gain a lot from it. A change of heart in Rimuru could have some very disquieting results, but any leap forward comes with risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That made sense to Leon, who all but assumed Elmesia shared his thoughts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly. Personally, I\u2019d welcome any demon lord who\u2019s open to reason. I think Rimuru was smart to join hands with the demon\u2014er, ex\u2013demon lords Carillon and Frey. The only problem with that is\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs the way you\u2019ve<\/em> been acting?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He wanted to deny it but was in no position to. The whole reason Leon and Rimuru weren\u2019t on good terms came down to Leon\u2019s mishandling of Shizu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut very well. I will make some overtures along those lines for you shortly. If Tempest and El Dorado start taking potshots at each other, it would be highly annoying for us as well. But ah yes, the children. I did<\/em> see them, actually. They seemed to enjoy the festival very much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cThey did? So\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow, now, not so fast. Ah, this cake is so<\/em> lovely!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon was normally the epitome of calmness, but he was reaching the end of his rope. This<\/em>, he bitterly thought, was exactly why I didn\u2019t want to come here<\/em>. But now was no time for complaints.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAmong those children, was there a little girl by the name of Chloe?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asking so directly like this came with risks. There was no guarantee Elmesia wouldn\u2019t try to deceive him, and Leon always endeavored to keep Chloe herself away from danger. But he accepted Elmesia as a friend, and in these urgent times, he didn\u2019t want to withhold secrets from her. It was with all that in mind that Leon decided to come out with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, so you finally see fit to believe me? Very well, demon lord Leon. If you trust in me, I won\u2019t hesitate to cooperate with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elmesia was signaling a change in atmosphere. She turned toward Leon. Now they were both ready to compare notes. The demon lord Rimuru was in custody of five children\u2014Kenya Misaki, Ryota Sekiguchi, Gail Gibson, Alice Rondo, and\u2026Chloe Aubert. The name of the girl Leon had spent his whole life searching for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Did you know that from the start?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou know, you are far too silent for your own good. You don\u2019t care if people misunderstand you, you never reveal your true feelings to anyone, and you try to handle everything by yourself. That is precisely why the champion Shizue Izawa never trusted you. Isn\u2019t it, ex<\/em>-Hero?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Leon had ever spoken honestly with Shizu, maybe their relationship could have turned out differently. Elmesia was teasing him about that. She knew Leon was a nice person, deep down\u2014and that was why she couldn\u2019t put up with him being reviled and feared as a demon lord now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmph,\u201d he replied. \u201cEnough with your silly suspicions. I\u2026 I\u2019ve sacrificed a great many things. I\u2019m willing to do anything to rescue her. No matter how bad a reputation it gives me, I\u2019ll gladly accept it all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the truth. As a former Hero and protector of humankind, <\/a>he realized one day that strictly doing good wouldn\u2019t be enough to reach his goals. Ever since then, he never recoiled from getting his hands dirty as he dauntlessly pursued his desires. It was too late to pretend otherwise. He wouldn\u2019t attempt to justify his actions. That was the rule, and the faith, that he lived by.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, you always were<\/em> rather inflexible. Do you want Chloe to hate your guts as well?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSilence. So Rimuru is taking good care of these children, is he? Then he must be trying to lure me into some scheme of his.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have so far failed to eliminate the Rozzos, or Cerberus, or even the demon lord Luminus. And it\u2019s troubling you, isn\u2019t it, Leon?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou really know everything, don\u2019t you?\u201d he whispered, the strength drained from his body. It was a reminder of how extensive Elmesia\u2019s intelligence network was and how right he was to enlist her assistance. At the same time, it also struck him with fear. He was afraid of her\u2014not militarily, but politically\u2014and that certainly didn\u2019t make it any easier to deal with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight, well, enough picking on you for now, Leon. Based on our investigation, Tempest and Lubelius are in the clear. The demon lord Luminus truly intends to stick to her treaty with the demon lord Rimuru. That much, you know, is obvious enough from the actions of Hinata, their paladin captain. As for Cerberus, it\u2019s a bit harder to judge them. Much about them remains a mystery, and their bosses do a poor job of working with each other\u2014perhaps on purpose, it seems. So there\u2019s only so much we can learn about their internals from the outside. Let me move on to the Rozzos for now. They<\/em> are bad news. They\u2019re doing away with all their protections in the north in order to attack Lubelius, according to my sources. Every agent in the Selt Foreign Information Bureau is being deployed, apparently, and it\u2019s currently quite a mess over there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The northern nations to the East were lightly guarded, and battle was about to erupt in Lubelius. The news presented a serious problem to Leon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThen Guy must be making a move.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this was it. To be exact, the demon lord Guy wouldn\u2019t lift <\/a>a finger\u2014but the demons under him were bound to kick up some dirt. If Guy himself decided to join in, nobody could stop the world from being destroyed then. Even Elmesia understood that, but that didn\u2019t make the situation any less dangerous for humankind. Certain demons in Guy\u2019s stable\u2014Vert and Bleu\u2014made certain of that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, that\u2019s what I\u2019m afraid of. It\u2019d present a serious problem for us all. Unless someone stops his underlings, that might spell the end of the Western Nations\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Elmesia glanced at Leon, who appeared genuinely concerned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cD-don\u2019t look at me like that! I\u2019m just\u2014!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re starting to sound like your old self again, Leon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cN-no, I\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo need to torture yourself. You don\u2019t need to put on airs around me. It is<\/em> cute, but now is no time to play with you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even in an emergency like this, Elmesia never changed. It honestly impressed Leon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell,\u201d he replied, \u201cI\u2019m sorry, but I\u2019m going to work toward my own goals. I\u2019d like to make some overtures with Guy, but he\u2019s such a contrarian. Negotiating poorly with him would have the opposite effect.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, I\u2019m quite aware of that. We need to show we\u2019re making an honest effort, or that demon lord might lose all interest in the human race. If the Crusaders aren\u2019t able to move right now, our only choice might be to deploy the Magus to the northern regions. I\u2019ll organize a dragon transport to take you partway there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Are you sure?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told you, there\u2019s no need for panic. But time is of the essence, isn\u2019t it? You\u2019d better get going soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Events were proceeding faster than Leon thought. Not even he could teleport someplace he hadn\u2019t been before\u2014and Lubelius was protected by a barrier anyway. If he was headed there now, air travel was the fastest way. He appreciated Elmesia\u2019s offer a great deal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThank you, then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wish you\u2019d be that thankful more often. Oh, and I\u2019m sure this goes without saying, but Cerberus absolutely wants to ensnare you. It\u2019s a blatant trap; do you understand me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cI know,\u201d came the terse reply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m sure you do,\u201d she said with a slightly sad smile. Leon had always been that way\u2014never showing any external sign of weakness, never giving up on his mission, no matter the danger. He never lost heart that way; a boy living like a true Hero. Even as demon lord, that still held true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he\u2019s still as clumsy as always. He hasn\u2019t changed a bit from back then\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It made Elmesia happy and sad in equal measures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A little while later, as he boarded the dragon ship, Leon suddenly turned back toward Elmesia, as if remembering something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo repay you for your advice, I should probably tell you that Jaune has disappeared. You<\/em> should be careful, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She reared back in genuine surprise. It made Leon chuckle a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIntelligence is practically your hobby, and you didn\u2019t know that? Glad I could help, then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then he turned back around and left, the thrill of victory echoing in his heart.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After he was gone:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re kidding me. Three<\/em> of the Primal Demons, while I have half of the Magus deployed? What kind of sick joke is this\u2026? But I suppose it would require that much to make Leon take action, wouldn\u2019t it? I misread him again\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, Elmesia was left behind, hand on her forehead, muttering about all these people selfishly ruining her plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

We had a clear sky from daybreak, a pleasant breeze heralding the start of a wonderful day. That, at least, was my expectation\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cR-reporting in! A group has penetrated the cathedral grounds! There\u2019s talk of battle on the site!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026but the paladin apprentice who came storming in told me just how wrong I was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCalm down. What\u2019s their size and how much damage is there?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Hinata, enjoying breakfast with me, kept a cool head. Again, whenever I see her like that, I feel so glad I\u2019m not her enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTheir numbers are unknown, my lord, but we\u2019ve confirmed close to a hundred hostiles. Their strength is at least B-plus in rank, and they\u2019re demonstrating a knowledge of our nation\u2019s internal layout.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nearly a hundred B-plus fighters made for a pretty formidable force. And if they knew the city\u2019s layout, I\u2019d have to assume they were with Granville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026As of now, our apprentice knights have suffered extensive casualties. We have several members of the Master Rooks downed in action as well. Fortunately, no civilians have been harmed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The messenger was giving us the news straight, and it wasn\u2019t rosy. I\u2019d normally be losing my temper right about now, but I was a guest here, so I resisted the urge to butt in and just sat there quietly. Maybe that sounds cruel of me, but this just isn\u2019t my turf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI see. Then I will assume our enemy is Gren, leader of the Seven Days Clergy, and the Rozzo family under him. They\u2019re no doubt packing more force than they\u2019re letting on right now. Send out the deployment order for all garrisoned Crusaders!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It sounded like the enemy had taken even more casualties than our side, but Hinata wasn\u2019t going to let up. I knew she wouldn\u2019t. But something still worried me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBy the way, this isn\u2019t the same cathedral that we left our instruments in yesterday, is it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If so, that was trouble. Baton and the rest of the orchestra installed their kit there for an acoustics check. I doubted there were that many cathedrals in this nation, so I had a very bad feeling about this. And whenever I had a feeling like that\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s the only cathedral in the country.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Yes, it usually turned out to be right. In fact, it had yet to be wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Already dreading what was to come, I turned toward Diablo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He just smiled back and said \u201cNot a problem.\u201d Apparently, he opened up a Thought Communication with Venom the moment the messenger arrived\u2014capable as always, I see. And Venom\u2019s response <\/a>was just as commendable. Baton and the orchestra were already in the cathedral for the day, but he made sure they were kept under careful guard, not letting anyone suspicious come near them. They were still making final instrument adjustments, even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey\u2019re still at it with an army advancing on them? Man, oh man.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 Of course they are. If Venom couldn\u2019t handle this much of a crisis, I would never have brought him in to assist.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I could learn from that confidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, we can\u2019t sit around, either. Let\u2019s go.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Trying to hide my feelings of inadequacy, I used Dominate Space to open a portal to the cathedral. I had begun to master this a little more; even within Lubelius, protected by its holy barrier, I had no problem launching it. I suppose that barrier didn\u2019t interfere with internal teleportation or the like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Phew. I can\u2019t even give you snide comments about that anymore. I\u2019ll join you through there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata looked a tad fatigued. I was about to ask why she wasn\u2019t looking so hot this morning but stopped myself, not wanting it to be misconstrued. See? I can learn from my mistakes. I don\u2019t want anyone calling me inconsiderate again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were also joined by a man named Nicolaus. I thought he was a servant since he brought us breakfast, but it turns out he was a cardinal and chief counsel for the Western Holy Church. He had a fancy theologian\u2019s robe on beneath his apron, so I guess he wasn\u2019t lying, but why was someone that high up tending to Hinata\u2019s meals? The plot thickens, I suppose\u2026but that didn\u2019t matter right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our kids were in the cathedral as well. They were all up bright and early, so I sent them over a little while ago. Diablo said they were under full protection, but you never knew what could happen in this world. Taking a deep breath, I quickly transported myself over to the cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Once I was inside, I could hear the sounds of intense battle beyond the walls. Baton and the rest were there, looking understandably frightened, but then I heard Shion\u2019s booming voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cDo not lose your composure! Have you forgotten what Sir Rimuru said? He himself told you to concentrate on your music, for you are guaranteed to be safe. So why have you stopped practicing?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Um\u2026 That\u2019s kind of an insane thing to say, isn\u2019t it? We\u2019re in the middle of a battlefield,<\/em> Shion. Ordering noncombatants not to be frightened right now was really a big ask<\/em>, I thought\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy apologies, Lady Shion. I think we were all just a little caught in the moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Huh? Did Shion\u2019s scolding actually restore the focus to Baton\u2019s eyes? And now here he was, turning back toward the performers and lifting his arms up high. They must\u2019ve noticed me by this point, because I could feel their eyes on me. I don\u2019t know if that was the cause, but now everyone seemed more relaxed, their tension draining. They were even smiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s continue our rehearsal!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nobody voiced any dissent. Baton, seemingly taking the orchestra\u2019s agreement as a given, began conducting\u2014and beautiful music filled the room, not a single note out of place. It almost seemed powerful enough to drown out the war going on outside. Listening on, I couldn\u2019t help but be proud of everyone I brought along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Having this battle gain a sudden musical accompaniment made it almost seem like a stage show\u2014but of course, this was no production.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In another moment, I found the kids and ordered them to stay where they were. \u201cBut I wanna\u2014\u201d began Kumara before I shut her down. Right now, she was by herself\u2014only one tail\u2014and just like the other children, she was too young for actual battle yet. Calling Shion over, I ordered her to protect them with Diablo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you going to do, Sir Rimuru?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMe? I\u2019m gonna squish these roaches. Whoever\u2019s facing off against Hinata\u2019s forces is the cause of this, and it\u2019s time to kick \u2019em outta here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Normally, it\u2019d be ill-advised for a guest like me to step into the fray. But watching Baton\u2019s orchestra give their all like this, I wanted to do whatever I could to make tomorrow\u2019s concert a success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Very well,\u201d Diablo said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cHmm? What\u2019s the matter, Vice<\/em> Secretary? It\u2019s rare for you to actually accept an order from Sir Rimuru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shion gave Diablo a surprised look. Yeah, I was kind of floored by that, too. I all but assumed Diablo would volunteer to join me, but if I wanted to keep this scene from growing any bigger, this was probably best.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll right. The chamber is yours!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBest of luck to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shion seemed to have her concerns, but given what she just told Diablo, she was in no position to protest now. That suited me just fine, so I flung myself outside and into battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Enemies and allies were scattered across the cathedral entrance. The main door was battered down, not a trace of it left, and over a hundred people were currently engaged in battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Among the standouts, certainly, was the figure Hinata was up against. He was an old man, but his back was straight as a fence post, his moves nimble and artistic. He was dressed in a fancy-looking suit, and his sharpened eyes indicated he was no one to be trifled with. He wasn\u2019t a monster but likely not human, either\u2014and looking at the aura around him, I could tell he was packing a formidable amount of force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho\u2019s that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGranville Rozzo. Leader of the Five Elders and head of the Rozzo family.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHim\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That made sense to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaria,\u201d the man said, \u201cfind Lady Luminus and bring her here. If she resists, kill her if you must.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At his summons, a woman stepped in front of me. Her features reminded me of Maribel, but she was a young adult in age. I wouldn\u2019t be surprised if they were blood relatives, but I couldn\u2019t say if she was Maribel\u2019s mother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Understood. Failed to confirm blood relation with genetic evidence.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whoa, you can tell just by visuals? Cool, I guess.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So if it was no coincidence that Maria looked like Maribel, that made me wonder what her strength was like. She sure didn\u2019t look<\/em> like she\u2019d hold her own against Luminus. Was Granville seriously ordering her to seize that woman\u2014a demon lord?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery well. I will begin immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The woman called Maria walked off, never looking my way. It was all so mechanical\u2014all I could say was that it wasn\u2019t like any regular human being. I couldn\u2019t gauge her strength, but I guessed Luminus would before too much longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Me, I needed to get Granville out of here. If we could talk this over, then great. If not, I was prepared to end this quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNice to meet you, Granville. I\u2019m the demon lord Rimuru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Any decent conversation needed to begin with a greeting. I had a hunch our relationship wasn\u2019t going to be too friendly, but we might as well start on the right foot, at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2019re Rimuru? How dare you take my Maribel from me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhoa, whoa, she started it\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeahhhh, I guess he\u2019s got it in for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Maribel\u2019s death was an accident. It seemed unreasonable to blame me for it. I know telling him \u201cI didn\u2019t mean to kill her\u201d would be a dumb excuse\u2026but really, if Maribel didn\u2019t start gunning for me, none of that would\u2019ve happened. Not that I expected Granville to accept it. Yuuki said he\u2019d try reasoning with him, but now that I no longer trusted Yuuki, I could kind of imagine what he had said about me. I doubted this was something we could iron out with words any longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Report. Regardless of what was said, you would likely have been in conflict with him.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah, I was sure. Something told me it would be just as hard to coexist with Granville as it was with Maribel. In which case, I\u2019d just have to overpower him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201c\u2026But I guess it\u2019s pointless to say that, isn\u2019t it? Then let\u2019s prove to each other who\u2019s in the right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh\u2026 Say what you will. You think a demon lord upstart like you could defeat me? I\u2019ll fight you later, so just stay there and watch as your allies are picked off, one by one.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A demon lord upstart like me? Given that he used to be Luminus\u2019s servant, this guy sure seemed to like his chances. I mean, yeah, the power of a monster depended a great deal on how old they were\u2026but any demon lord, no matter how young, should\u2019ve at least given him pause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guess this guy\u2019s more confident than I thought. But now someone else was here to challenge him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is no need for Lady Hinata or Sir Rimuru to step up. Gren of the Seven Days Clergy, your fight begins with us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Nicolaus who shouted this. Isn\u2019t he way too up there in the hierarchy for this stuff? Then I remembered\u2014Cardinal Nicolaus was the guy who set a trap and cast Disintegration on Granville. Gutsy move, definitely. He was currently accompanied by three Crusader captains\u2014the subleader Renard, along with Arnaud and Litus. Fritz and Bacchus would\u2019ve been training at the labyrinth right now, so they weren\u2019t here. If this<\/em> was gonna happen\u2026 But again, that\u2019s not for me to judge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBehold, Lady Hinata! Watch us in action!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At Nicolaus\u2019s orders, Renard propelled himself forward. Not just him, actually\u2014Arnaud and Litus as well, all rushing Granville at the same time. These three captains were attempting to buy enough time for Nicolaus to cast Disintegration again, I figured. A pretty grandiose strategy, but that must be how wary Nicolaus was of his foe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renard used his magnificent sword moves to keep his foe at bay. Arnaud\u2019s keen perception let him match every move of Renard\u2019s, as Litus provided handy backup for them both. Normally, an attack from this trio would end the battle right then\u2014but it was well within Granville\u2019s capabilities. Like a picture from a textbook, he engaged all three of them at once, wholly ignoring Nicolaus\u2019s spellcasting. That creeped me out a bit, as did the serene look on his <\/a>face, not a single bead of sweat on his forehead. He, I felt, was simply on a different tier from them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nicolaus had only one verse left in the spell. Its effects would summon a layered magical circle, with Granville standing in the middle of its light-infused dungeon. Once the Disintegration was complete, there was no way to block its dazzling rays, as it dismantled the soul of its target at the speed of light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That\u2019s what should have happened. But now, all common sense was thrown out the window.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMm\u2026 A fine spell, there. No better way to read the flow of your magic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville\u2019s voice sounded frightfully cold as he spoke, like a teacher commanding his student from high above. Hinata, hearing it, muttered a soft \u201cNo\u2026\u201d as the blood drained from her face. She must\u2019ve noticed something, but there was no time to inform Nicolaus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTime to die! Disintegration!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rays of light were cast, heading straight for Granville\u2014and suddenly, they switched paths and were sucked straight into the sword in his hand. It happened in an instant. Even with my perception accelerated a million times over, it was difficult to pinpoint. But I recognized exactly what happened\u2014because I had witnessed it before. It was Overblade: Meltslash, the most powerful of sword skills, just like what I saw from Hinata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Spread out!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Renard and the others instantly heeded Hinata\u2019s order. They worked fast, true to their military precision, but not fast enough. Once Granville threw out his Meltslash, it immediately generated a fan-shaped shock wave\u2014and in that single moment, Hinata pushed forward, came in front of Nicolaus, and stopped Granville\u2019s sword.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The frontal force of the Meltslash sent Hinata flying. She bashed against Nicolaus\u2014which kept her safe, but I\u2019m sure Nicolaus was out of the battle. If she wasn\u2019t wielding the Legend-class Moonlight right now, they\u2019d both be a pile of ash. That\u2014and even the secondary shock wave blew Renard and the other captains away. They were all on the ground, knocked out by that single blast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cA-are you all right?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Nobody answered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I could detect a twinge of panic in Hinata\u2019s face as she glared at Granville. Even someone as cold as her didn\u2019t expect this level of force\u2014and now it was Granville doing the talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMmm, I couldn\u2019t kill a single one of you? I must be getting rusty. You have that demon lord over there to thank.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh? What do you\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata took a glance at me, growing calmer. Now she seemed to understand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh. You saved them? Thanks, Rimuru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019re welcome.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I gave Hinata a light nod. Yes, Renard and the others were merely knocked out because I lent them a hand. The moment I realized this was trouble, I launched Absolute Defense\u2014otherwise, they\u2019d have vanished without a trace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wall that skill built was perfect, I thought, but I guess I expected too much from it. Absolute Defense\u2014part of the ultimate skill Uriel, Lord of Vows\u2014could block any sort of attack. There were some exceptions, such as Yuuki\u2019s Anti-Skill, so I couldn\u2019t rely too<\/em> much on it, but it was always a helpful arrow in my quiver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, although it was perfect for self-defense, trying to deploy it on someone else (multiple targets, even) blunted its effects. Even if a little force got through, I could always count on Infinite Regeneration to wipe up any problems\u2014that\u2019s why it so perfectly defended me. But not the paladin captains. The little bit of the shock wave that penetrated the Absolute Defense pushed them to the brink of death. They really escaped disaster by a hair\u2019s breadth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI had no idea someone besides me learned Meltslash. Color me just a little bit surprised.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMmm\u2026 An arrogant thought, Hinata. With all the years that have passed, some<\/em> have reached your level, you know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yeah. I mean, I<\/em> could use it, so\u2026 (Although, admittedly, that was just Raphael doing its usual Analyze and Assess job on it.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, to completely leverage Meltslash, you needed full, intimate knowledge of how Disintegration worked. If there was a handful of <\/a>people wielding that now, I guess the human race was a lot more capable than I thought. It did<\/em> make sense, though\u2014a human Hero once sealed Veldora away, so at least some<\/em> of them had to be that strong. Even being a demon lord, I really couldn\u2019t rest on my laurels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But look at me. My mind was wandering, and I really couldn\u2019t afford that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo what is this<\/em> I see? High officers in the paladins, almost killed by something of this<\/em> level? How worthlessly pathetic. You couldn\u2019t even begin to compare with the sword masters of the past, to say nothing of myself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville seemed to believe his own claims. He honestly didn\u2019t think Hinata would pose a challenge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a funny thing to say. Care to test that out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata flashed a cold smile. She was just as serious, it seemed, and I had no room to interfere\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then a sudden thundering explosion by the cathedral told me how incorrect I was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, Razul? I ordered him to destroy the cathedral, and it seems he\u2019s doing a thorough job.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat did you\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The kids and the orchestra were still in there. Shion and Diablo were charged with protecting them, but if all-out war was erupting, they were bound to be caught in it. I was hoping to make short work of Granville, but at this point, maybe it was best to eliminate this uninvited guest first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind, I attempted to teleport myself to the cathedral. But Granville stopped me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDemon lord Rimuru, I will let this group entertain you. Enjoy! You may<\/em> even find some of your own kind among them!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Several people stepped up at his order. Immediately, I understood what he meant. The group consisted of many races and many ages, no real theme to them, but they each had something in common\u2014more magicules than any regular person would possess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOtherworlders? Ah. Yeah, maybe there\u2019s one or two Japanese people in here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Now was not the time to act all casual about this. I had ten or so otherworlders attacking me at once. Like Glenda from the past, they seemed to be under the effects of a locking curse, robbed of their freedom of movement\u2014and unlocking that curse wouldn\u2019t stop them, by the looks of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh. You intend to fight? You realize they\u2019re only doing this because I\u2019ve enthralled them, do you not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How treacherous of him. I\u2019m sure he said that to make me hesitate\u2026and I hate to admit it, but it worked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI heard how soft and weak-minded you were. Can you kill innocent human beings? Can you tell yourself this is war and step up to defend yourself? Not that I mind either way, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville only saw the summoned otherworlders as weapons, nothing more. To him, they only had value as throwaway pawns. And he was right\u2014killing them shouldn\u2019t<\/em> make any difference to me. He really was<\/em> a menace. Clearly, he had done his research. If Diablo or Shion were taking these guys on, they\u2019d show absolutely no mercy, I\u2019m sure. But did that make it okay, or not<\/em> okay, for me\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, dammit! What a pain in the ass!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had no time to agonize over this. The children were in danger if I didn\u2019t do something fast, and now the damage was just gonna get worse. At this point, there was just one option to take. As annoying as it was, I\u2019d have to unlock the curses of every one of these guys and knock them out nonlethally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, I was now an active participant in this battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

My fellow humans were closing in on me. For all I knew, maybe they were from some other planet (or dimension) besides Earth\u2014but now my mind was wandering again. Guess I was back in my element.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Otherworlders were blessed with extraordinary physical skills, as well as a variety of special skills that were impossible to predict. That made them dangerous, of course, but they weren\u2019t a threat to <\/a>me. Not even Glenda could hurt me, whether I put up a defense or not. That\u2019s how all-powerful the combo of Absolute Defense and Infinite Regeneration was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

These foes were still a handful, but not much more than that. With enough time, I could safely neutralize all of them. I wasn\u2019t about to go easy on them, but that was my honest assessment. Besides, I had Raphael, which meant that going easy wasn\u2019t an option to start with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I used part of my vast computational skills to begin surveying the situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, I looked at Hinata, fighting right next to me. Granville, who had mercifully shut up for me, was gracefully clashing swords with her, both of them equipped with nothing but their rapiers. They held them in their right hands, their left kept behind their backs for magic-casting purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTch!<\/em> So when you posed as Gren, you were hiding your full powers? I recall that you specialize in bare-handed close-range combat, but you\u2019re rather handy with a sword as well.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh! I have experience with all weapons. I just never needed to use it before now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, no? Then let me strip you of your mistaken confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata was leaving nothing on the table. That much was clear from how she used Moonlight, her sword. What I wondered about was Granville\u2019s blade. If he could use it to keep Hinata\u2019s at bay, it couldn\u2019t have been any normal weapon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understood. Unable to determine weapon class due to interference. It is believed to be classed at Legend or higher.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hmm. A surprising appraisal. Raphael hadn\u2019t made any mistakes as of late, but here you go. Perhaps I underestimated Granville quite a bit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I doubted it, but was Hinata in, you know, big trouble here? I mean, I didn\u2019t think she\u2019d lose or anything\u2026but I couldn\u2019t dismiss <\/a>the possibility, and that unnerved me. Not even Raphael had a bead on his skill level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So Hinata and Granville\u2019s duel piqued my interest, but I had even bigger fish to fry\u2014namely, the intense battle I was sensing from the direction of the cathedral. I honed the accuracy of my Magic Sense, turning my eyes toward the fray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There, I saw a man in a suit of dark armor. Amazingly, he was fighting against Shion and Diablo at once\u2014and not giving an inch of ground. I suppose he wouldn\u2019t. His magicule level was higher than both of them combined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDamn, you\u2019re kidding me. You were hiding someone with power beyond a demon lord\u2019s?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course. When facing the demon lords or other monsters who threaten humankind, you can never have too many aces up your sleeve.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville must\u2019ve picked up on my muttering if he replied to it. He was in the middle of fighting Hinata and still had the time to answer me. Wow. But hey, if he was open to chatting, we\u2019d get some more info from him\u2014and if it distracted him along the way, that was two birds with one stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe has to outclass Roy, right? That demon lord stand-in? Maybe stronger than you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I worked a bit of a taunt into my question.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHis name is Razul. My friend for the past millennium.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Glad he was nice enough to reply. Hinata was still silent; I suppose she understood my aims and chose not to interfere. So I continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour friend, huh? But Razul doesn\u2019t seem human to me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat of it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wasn\u2019t sure how to respond to that. I just wanted to find out what he really was. Now I knew he wasn\u2019t human, at least, and that was a step forward, but\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, nothing\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I felt talked down to a bit, which was annoying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHe comes from a long-lived race, you see. My partner during my glory years. Given how he\u2019s got far more power than a paladin captain, I\u2019m sure your underlings must feel overwhelmed right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Granville was right. Shion and Diablo were having a hard time of it. I thought having Diablo around kept us safe, but maybe that was too optimistic?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Hang on. Actually, here<\/em> was something weird. It was like Diablo\u2019s having trouble focusing or something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Report. Unusual rifts in space detected. It is a sign of someone using Spatial Transport to appear.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The warning from Raphael came all too suddenly. It almost never gave me alerts like that unless things were really serious, so I had to treat it as an emergency. No need to go easy any longer. Diablo must\u2019ve been picking up on this anomaly, and it was keeping him from concentrating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Ranga, you there?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Yes, my master!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ah, good! He was usually curled up in my shadow these days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Back up Shion, but keep yourself concealed!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Right away!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At once, he used Shadow Motion to dive into Shion\u2019s shadow. When I saw he was ready, I gave out my next order.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Diablo, is something bothering you?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(My pardons, Sir Rimuru. I know my difficulties in this battle are unforgivable, but the fact is that this adversary is more powerful than I anticipated. He is a highly evolved example of the uncommon insectoid race, and to demons, they are a kind of natural enemy.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo described insectoids as cross-dimensional magic beasts with elemental powers. They appeared now and then in this world, but it was extremely uncommon for them to evolve into humanoid creatures. I figured Diablo could still win against him, but he wasn\u2019t. Something far worse was troubling him\u2014and now that this something was incoming, I wanted Diablo to address it first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shion, you heard him. If Diablo\u2019s making excuses, it must be something really serious.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment I said that, I could practically feel Diablo\u2019s discomfort from over here. He\u2019d never resort to excuses like this usually, so <\/a>I immediately knew he was hiding something. And if I wanted him to retain full freedom in this battle, I needed Shion\u2019s and Ranga\u2019s help.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Shion, I just planted Ranga in your shadow. Both of you work together to defeat Razul, that insectoid.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(No need to order us!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(I will live up to your expectations, Master!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Looks like Shion picked up on Diablo\u2019s difficulties as well. I\u2019m sure she would\u2019ve taken measures even without an order. But if she did, it would\u2019ve been Shion alone against the mighty Razul, which would only be more dangerous. Not that I didn\u2019t trust her, but I wanted our plans to remain as safe as possible. Maybe setting two allies against him was a cowardly move, but in an actual battle like this, guaranteed victory was always your final goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Diablo, go take care of whatever\u2019s bothering you. Also, try to trust and rely on your allies more.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(\u2026!! Keh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 Very well. I suppose I thought a little too much of myself today. Allow me to take care of this problem at once!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not just a \u201clittle<\/em>,\u201d I\u2019d say. But at least he sounded a bit more like himself again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Right, everyone\u2026 Begin!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(((Yes, my lord!)))<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I wasn\u2019t used to giving out orders like these, but all three gladly accepted them. Now I just had to hope for the best, as I brought my full focus back to neutralizing the otherworlders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 Sir Rimuru sees everything, I suppose. I would be a fool to think otherwise.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOf course he does, Vice Secretary. Just go and deal with your problem already!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to remind me. As I think you\u2019ve noticed, Razul is more powerful than you. Are you sure you\u2019ll be fine, Secretary?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHee-hee-hee! I never thought you\u2019d worry for me, Vice <\/a>Secretary\u2026or Diablo, I should say. You\u2019re strong, I\u2019ll admit. Stronger than me, even. So go defeat that foe so Sir Rimuru has nothing to worry about! That\u2019s your job, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026!! Keh\u2026heh-heh-heh. You called me by name\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust go! Leave this fight to me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI believe in you, Lady Shion. Not because Sir Rimuru ordered me to\u2014the feeling is genuine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust Shion<\/em> is fine. It\u2019s weird, you showing me proper respect. There\u2019s no heart in it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 Best of luck to you, Shion.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou too, Diablo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that short conversation, conducted without any eye contact, Shion and Diablo finally accepted each other. They both had overinflated senses of pride, perhaps, but deep down, both of them knew the extent of each other\u2019s power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo walked off, not looking back as he gave orders to his staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVenom, protect those children like your life depends on it. Or sacrifice your life for it\u2014either way, just do<\/em> it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rimuru had given no orders for Diablo\u2019s own forces. He thus saw no need to consider their feelings. All that really mattered here, he coldly reasoned, were the children and the orchestra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, um, all right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wish he could\u2019ve considered us a bit more<\/em>, Venom thought\u2014but he wasn\u2019t foolish enough to say it. If he did, Diablo would\u2019ve ended his life before any foe could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, looks like Lady Shion and Sir Ranga are handling the major threat. With all of us, protecting this area should be doable enough. It beats fighting Sir Diablo, at least\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That summed up Venom\u2019s feelings on the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMay victory be yours, Sir Diablo!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSilence. I have no interest in you worrying over me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo wasted no time coldly brushing off Venom\u2019s encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s the Diablo I know\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Venom\u2019s memories of being forcibly pressed into service by him flashed through his mind. He banished them as quickly as he could. <\/a>If Diablo ever saw him looking disgruntled, there was no telling how he\u2019d react.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he mentally refocused on his mission, Diablo left the scene to his friends and strode off the battlefield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He teleported to his destination, reappearing in a spot removed from the cathedral, and outside of Lubelius itself\u2014a corner of a vast, vegetation-free plain. Awaiting him was a beautiful blue-haired woman in a dark-red maid outfit. Several paladins were on the ground at her feet\u2014even these guardians of humanity, each one boasting the power of a thousand, were helpless against her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow nice to see you again, Noir. I was growing impatient with your lateness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndeed, I could feel your murderous rage from miles away, but I had some business I couldn\u2019t extract myself from. But I\u2019d really prefer if you called me Diablo, Bleu\u2026or I suppose you<\/em> had a name, too, didn\u2019t you, Raine?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raine, the blue-haired beauty, gave this response a satisfied smile. \u201cThat\u2019s right. The name Raine was granted to me by Rouge, the Original Red, the great Sir Guy himself, strongest of the Primal Demons. It\u2019s not at all like being named by some mutt of a demon lord like you<\/em> were.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh? Are you looking to die? Or maybe you want to be detached from this world entirely. Keh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 I\u2019ll be happy to oblige.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo\u2019s smile remained, but his gold eyes were no longer friendly. The red pupils within them narrowed as he eyed his prey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet us battle, Diablo! Ah, I cannot wait for this. Ever since I detected you fighting Blanc over to the east, I\u2019ve always wanted a chance at you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRidiculous. If you think this will be any fight at all, you are sorely mistaken.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, why don\u2019t we begin and find out?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that signal, Raine made good her question and went on the move, dropping a chop with her hand that moved beyond the speed of sound. A casual wave of Diablo\u2019s arm deflected it. It <\/a>delighted Raine. The wish she kindled for many long years was finally happening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes\u2026 Yes, this is it. I can\u2019t have this end that quickly. We are both Primal, and yet you enjoy all of this freedom. No building your own factions, no undertaking someone else\u2019s mission\u2026 All demons want nothing more than a physical body, and you laughed that off\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was fair to say that Raine was jealous of Diablo. For someone like her, who followed the rules by the book, his behavior was inexcusable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He fought Sir Guy to a draw, as loath as I am to admit it\u2026and here he is now, blithely wandering around, no desire for more strength. As a demon, he needs to gain a body the right way! He needs to strive for what lies beyond his evolution!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

All of Raine\u2019s power was being thrown Diablo\u2019s way. After stewing over these emotions for years, she was now acting on them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo\u2014Noir, the Original Black\u2014was a unique demon. Long, long ago, he and Rouge fought to be crowned the strongest of their kind. The match, while ending in a tie, wound up sealing both of their respective fates. Rouge manifested in the physical world, gaining untold powers, but Noir refused to change, turning down his chance at evolution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The cases of Blanc, Jaune, and Violet could be understood\u2014those three colors were all meddling with one another, preventing any evolution, creating a sort of balanced rivalry that remained to this day. But Noir, despite having no such restriction, simply remained his natural self and enjoyed life, as if he thought the other six shades were all fools. That is how things had been for tens of thousands of years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And it was exactly why Raine could never forgive Diablo. He was so selfish, going wherever his whims took him, living in perfect freedom\u2014and Guy, the strongest of all, recognized him as an equal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh-ha-ha-ha-ha! You\u2019re right. All this dodging can hardly count as a battle. You always were good at evading<\/em> things, if nothing else.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 I told you: Don\u2019t get the wrong idea. I <\/a>simply have no need to tap my full force against the likes of you. Also, I should note that I have zero intention of avoiding you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaking apologies already? I\u2019m sure you\u2019re still too new in your body to tap its full potential, but don\u2019t expect me to accept your pathetic excuses.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raine fired a bolt of magic from her fist. Exposed to the laws of nature, it transformed into a Nuclear Cannon blast\u2014one Raine called for with no casting time. But Diablo, naturally, had expected this, not demonstrating a moment of concern as he cast dispulsion magic to make the nuclear blast vanish. This is what battle between high-level demons is about: breaking through one another\u2019s layers of magical barriers and counterattack spells to land a lethal blow on your enemy. Neither side had any need for time-consuming spellcasting as they threw supercharged blasts of magic at each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And as more and more time passed\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2014I can\u2019t believe it! You were drawing this while you were fighting?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right, Raine. To me, fighting you was merely busywork. One can hardly call it an engaging game if you can already see the ending.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raine was in shock. The outcome was already set in stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Surrounding Raine was a layered circle, alive and glowing with magical runes. It had appeared in the air just now at Diablo\u2019s signal, and now that she was in it, Raine could no longer move. Whenever she tried to, even a little, Diablo could summon any magic she wanted against her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was called:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA\u2026 A multilayered Disintegration\u2026? The antithesis to all demons, a magic dangerous enough to crush us all\u2026 Why do you\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo looked coldly down upon her, a slight sense of pity in his otherwise-frozen mind, as if he couldn\u2019t understand why she wouldn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRidiculous. As long as my faith in my master is deep enough, I can even hold sway over spiritual particles. Common sense, don\u2019t you see?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cAre you insane?! How could that ever be common sense\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut let me extend you the courtesy of ending this. You have insulted my wondrous master Sir Rimuru, and soon you will burn with regret.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Seven rays of light were released. Even one of these deadly arrows held the power of absolute destruction, and now they came crashing down upon Raine\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

From the bottom of her heart, Luminus was irritated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right here, in the midst of the concert she invited the demon lord Rimuru to stage, she had allowed Granville to arrange an all-out rebellion. Such a dreadful error was unheard of in the history of her nation. She was taken by an urge to run to the cathedral and massacre everyone inside herself, but her sense of reason (and her instincts) restrained her. She realized that, as public of an attack as this was, it was undoubtedly a diversion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Louis and Gunther, stationed by Luminus\u2019s side, stayed silent, not willing to set her off. They said nothing\u2014like Luminus, they were greatly disturbed but not stupid enough to prioritize the wrong thing here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Granville\u2019s blitz was a diversion, what purpose was there to it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m sure he knows about my cherished ark. That means there\u2019s a nonzero chance he\u2019s thinking about releasing the girl inside\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ark was the greatest of Luminus\u2019s secret treasures. But she had an even bigger reason to keep it absolutely safe\u2014and she knew Granville was aware of that reason. This is why it was hard to imagine him gunning for the ark\u2014but still, she trusted her instincts. And she was correct to do so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here she was, inside her innermost chamber\u2014a burial room, one nobody was supposed to know about. It was currently playing host to an uninvited guest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell now, guess our little home invasion got spotted, eh? Or were you just beefin\u2019 up the security around here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cHoh-hoh-hoh! A pity. But here\u2019s a bit of prey we can have some fun with. Think it\u2019s all right for us to raise a little hell?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFine by me, but you better be careful. That li\u2019l beauty over there\u2019s a menace, through and through. You\u2019re the demon lord Luminus, ain\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two home invaders\u2014Laplace and Footman\u2014stepped in, acting less than polite to their host. Luminus watched them as she elegantly relaxed on a couch in front of the ark she absolutely had to protect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To her, this pair didn\u2019t even remotely seem like a challenge. But something about the atmosphere kept her on close guard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus took care to conceal her rage as she spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026I will ignore your attitudes for the moment. State your names.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laplace was the first to react. He was a bit surprised that someone expected their break-in, but Granville had mentioned the possibility. To address it, he had provided them with a guide, someone to help them traverse the multiple defense lines blocking access to the chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt is an honor to meet you. I am Laplace, the Wonder Jester and vice president of the Moderate Jesters\u2014a kind of handyman outfit, know what I mean? And this here\u2019s Footman.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He deliberately took a less-than-serious approach to the greeting as he motioned toward Footman.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHoh-hoh-hoh! I am Footman, the Angry Jester. Glad to meet you\u2026although I don\u2019t think we\u2019ll be staying long.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Footman, to his credit, was standing strong against this demon lord. His mind worked on simple terms\u2014if there\u2019s an enemy, he\u2019d crush it. Now he was just waiting for Laplace\u2019s signal to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2014and we\u2019ve got one more person here. C\u2019mon in!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Another figure emerged through the door, a blond-haired beauty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShe\u2019s not too talkative, mind you. I think her name was\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. I remember her\u2026 Yes, yes. Maria Rozzo? The woman Granville loved?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah! Maria! That\u2019s the name! Wow, Lady Luminus, you two knew each other?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus winced. \u201cI\u2019m not your friend, you know. We are done greeting each other, and thus there\u2019s nothing left to discuss. Going forward, we will discuss matters not with words but with fists.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her patience was reaching its limit. She had detected this person hiding and decided to put up with it, but with Maria now introduced, she could endure this no longer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEesh, no need to be so hasty. And yeah, we all know one another now, but I got a message from Granville, too.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight, so listen to this: \u2018I await you up above. Let us settle this, demon lord Luminus. Come soon, or else those you hold dear will die.<\/em>\u2019 So there ya go! And I think that monster oughtta be in combat with the paladin captain, Hinata, by now, so who knows how that\u2019s<\/em> gonna turn out\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laplace was interrupted by a strike from the lunging Louis. Luminus had lowered her hand\u2014her signal to commence the attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s you, isn\u2019t it? The man who killed my brother?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTchh\u2026 Can\u2019t you at least let me finish?! Ah well. I\u2019ll spot you an answer to that one: Yes! I killed yer body double, Roy, sure enough!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm. I have no interest in petty revenge, but since you\u2019re here, perhaps I can prove to you that I am far<\/em> more talented than he was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that, Louis began stalking his prey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo I\u2019m fightin\u2019 you<\/em>, then? Better not bore me, man!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHohhh-hoh-hoh-hoh! I\u2019d ask the same of you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Gunther and Footman eyed each other\u2014and in the next moment, they flew out of the burial chamber. They had their own battle to fight, and collateral damage wasn\u2019t remotely a concern to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLouis and Gunther can be so<\/em> annoying. They\u2019re normally so calm and composed, but when the time comes to battle, they simply cannot hold back their thirst for blood. But I suppose the same can be said of me. Granville, just you wait. Even with your stout ally, you\u2019ll find it impossible to stop me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus, too, had her eyes sharpened upon Maria, the fleeting, silent figure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cA corpse? It couldn\u2019t be,\u201d she continued, almost whispering to herself. \u201cI see Granville still hasn\u2019t given up. Maria is dead. Even with Resurrection, the miracle of my god, nothing can be done for a soul already lost. And now look\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The figure before her wasn\u2019t Maria at all. It was something in the shape of her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut very well. Allow me to perform your last rites!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her aura blazing around her, Luminus stood up\u2014and with that, she and Maria began fighting at a level beyond what a normal person could even observe. Would the winner be Luminus or this thing taking the shape of Maria?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And then\u2026the ark was left behind in the chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everyone had left the room, not wanting to damage it. And as if waiting for that exact moment, a lone boy appeared in the darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHa-ha-ha! I didn\u2019t think it\u2019d go this<\/em> much to plan. Granville was absolutely right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Yuuki laughing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Never accepting Granville\u2019s information at face value, he had remained in the shadows as he followed the intruders in. He had successfully shrouded his presence to all, even deceiving Luminus. He usually kept himself at least a little<\/em> bit detectable, so he\u2019d be ready if things ever went south. A lot of people could detect his presence that way, and once those adversaries presumed they had the upper hand, that made it easy to put them off their guard. Yuuki was always pursuing that strategy. His accumulated experiences were paying off in vital situations, including this very one\u2014and now they let him obtain what he wanted with practically no work at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo this is the ark?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He reached out, touching that beautiful coffin of ice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhoa. So that\u2019s what makes it a holy coffin? Matter made out of pure spiritual particles\u2026 I didn\u2019t know you could do that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now he was glad he came. He wasn\u2019t sure anyone besides him could even lay a hand on this thing. Even a magic-burning coffin couldn\u2019t affect Anti-Skill, and that made it perfectly possible for Yuuki to make off with this ark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Then, without another moment of hesitation, he smashed it open. The hidden treasure Luminus worked so hard to protect shattered all too easily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Slumbering inside it was a beautiful young woman\u2014the Hero everyone was after, no doubt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOoh, there\u2019s a seal on this girl\u2019s body as well? Not that it\u2019ll work on me\u2026but I can deactivate it later, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yuuki chuckled. They certainly tried to be careful. A barrier more powerful than the ark itself covered the girl\u2019s skin from head to toe. He could take his time removing it once he was back to safety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he made this decision, Yuuki\u2019s eyes turned toward the girl\u2019s face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho is<\/em> this girl anyway? She seems vaguely familiar\u2026but nah. It can\u2019t be that<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She looked to be around sixteen, and while her long dark-silver hair hid her privates, she didn\u2019t have a stitch of clothing on her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm\u2026 I guess this is technically assault or something like that, but not much I can do there\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that whisper, Yuuki hefted the girl\u2019s body up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, I\u2019ve got my Hero. Now to flee the scene.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With one more sly grin, Yuuki quickly left the chamber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Why is there a Hero sleeping in an ark anyway? Is she really the ultimate weapon Granville called her? And what does Granville even want?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yuuki was a skeptical young man by nature, but given his rash opinion of his almost excessive talents, he often figured things would work out in the end. That was what his pride did for him, and thus, despite his doubts, he signed on for Granville\u2019s operation\u2026but at this point in time, he had no idea what kind of situation his actions were about to cause.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The otherworlders lurched upon me like zombies. Carefully, I neutralized them one by one, making sure not to kill any. With my <\/a>powers, not even a hundred of these at once would give me a challenge\u2026but undoing the locking curses on them all was a pain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, I couldn\u2019t help but wonder about these otherworlders. I focused my mind upon them for a bit, and yes, they definitely packed a lot of magicules. They had real physical skill, too; some of them could even manage an A rank. But for some reason, they didn\u2019t seem particularly strong to me. I thought that was just the difference in talent at first, but something told me that wasn\u2019t the whole story. I was sure Granville\u2019s robbing their freedom was one other reason, but was there something else?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understood. In this battle, no adversary has used any unique skill so far.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Aha! That was it! And it made sense to me. None of these guys were using any kind of special attack, and that made neutralizing them pretty straightforward work. But would a group of otherworlders this big really have no<\/em> uniques at all? Or were they going easy on me? Either way, it was kind of creepy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, no matter what Granville was planning, I\u2019d just beat him, and we\u2019d be done with it. That was the plan I had in mind as I turned my attention toward the last one of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She still looked like a young girl to me, maybe a bit past ten\u2014her power would\u2019ve just barely stabilized by that age. Like the others, she was intensely powerful, but that was it. With a now-practiced hand, I undid the lock on her\u2014no problems there. She was conscious again and looking thoroughly confused, but there was no time to explain matters. Putting her to sleep for the time being, I laid her down where I had placed the others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There were a few kids like her in the group, which made things seriously difficult for me. Granville didn\u2019t seem to care much about how he looked in the midst of this, but regardless, I managed to take care of them all. I\u2019m assuming he was just looking to buy some time; if I wanted to, it would\u2019ve been quicker and easier to just kill \u2019em all. Along those lines, I guess it\u2019s mission accomplished for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Still, the otherworlders attacking me were now neutralized. I don\u2019t know what he wanted to do with the time he earned, but once I ended this battle, it wouldn\u2019t matter anyway. I glanced across the battlefield to see how things were going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The children were safe, which was a relief. Meanwhile, despite it all, Baton and his orchestra were still starting to practice their music. They had nerves of steel, I guess\u2014or something<\/em> of steel. I suppose focusing on something is a good way to calm your anxieties, though, so maybe it wasn\u2019t that crazy after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata, meanwhile, was fighting on an even keel with Granville. I had to hand it to her. It was literally a supersonic contest, an advanced back-and-forth where no one could afford a single mistake. If I stepped in without a plan, I could destroy the balance and inadvertently turn the tide of the battle. Better save that for later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shion and Ranga were being pushed back by Razul, but it didn\u2019t look like they were that<\/em> badly outclassed. Shion was taking Razul\u2019s attacks, but as she did, she was swiftly healing herself each time. Ultraspeed Regeneration really was<\/em> like cheating\u2014it was easily enough to make up a difference like this one. Ranga, meanwhile, was concentrating on offense, diving into Shion\u2019s shadow and sniping away when he found a blind spot, throwing in magic like Death-Calling Wind and Dark Lightning. I was impressed with his nimble performance\u2014the only problem was that none of it worked on Razul.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I mean, Razul\u2019s just insane. I recalled that if he\u2019s an insectoid, that put him in the same family as Apito and Zegion. Their segmented eyes meant they had no blind spots, making it easy for him to dodge Ranga\u2019s surprise attacks\u2014and besides, most regular attacks didn\u2019t faze him at all. What I thought was black armor was actually an exoskeleton harder than steel. He could simply lift up his left arm and stop Shion\u2019s large sword in its tracks. Unless you aimed for his joints, you likely had no chance of damaging him. Even worse, judging by the way Ranga\u2019s magic bounced off him, his surface must\u2019ve had a Magic Interference\u2013style effect applied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>No wonder he gave Diablo trouble. Magic was Diablo\u2019s main thing, so I could see why he wasn\u2019t the greatest matchup for Razul, although I think he\u2019d still manage a win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Given his edge against both physical and magic attacks, Razul was a serious threat. And someone this amazing was just meekly serving Granville, with no ambitions of his own\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Well, as much of a challenge as he posed to Shion and Ranga, I figured I could handle him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I was about to head over there\u2026and then I steeled myself as I turned toward the cathedral. I wasn\u2019t alone\u2014Hinata, Shion, and the others did the same, looking nervous. I think we were all justified. After all, the demon lord Leon\u2014a guy who should never have been here\u2014was standing in front of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He wore a white robe, a nice-looking, knightly suit of golden armor underneath. Handsome as always, to be sure, but he looked very peeved at the moment. And he wasn\u2019t alone\u2014several knights were stationed behind him, and by the looks of it, they were handpicked from his top officials. What\u2019s he doing here? Is he friend or foe? I found it hard to picture him as an ally, but I really hoped he wouldn\u2019t decide to fight us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, you\u2019re here, demon lord Leon? And, Hinata, you must be finding this terribly boring if you\u2019re turning away from our battle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville sounded more like the bored one. He seemed totally unfazed, standing composed and not trying to sneak an attack on Hinata right now\u2014although, of course, if he tried something so underhanded, he could\u2019ve been walking right into her trap anyway. With this high-level a battle, you\u2019d never be crowned the victor unless you overpowered your foe with a frontal attack. Either way, though, Granville clearly knew Leon was coming\u2014his casual tone proved it. They had to be in cahoots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAren\u2019t you being a little too<\/em> friendly with me? Who are you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh yes, we haven\u2019t met in person before. You\u2019ve been very good to the children I\u2019ve collected. I\u2019m sorry to make you take time out to come here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Wait, they\u2019re not<\/em> in cahoots? Because it sounded like this was Leon and Granville\u2019s first meeting. It could be an act, but\u2026 Oh, and speaking of which, a lot of the otherworlders I just fought against looked no older than middle schoolers. Was that<\/em> what Granville was talking about\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat do you mean by that? I have no business with you. I came here to\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm? I\u2019m the one who summoned the children with the spells you taught me, you realize. Are you going to claim ignorance? Aren\u2019t you using unstable otherworlder children to bring yourself more elementalists? Warriors as powerful as Shizue Izawa herself?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was like someone punched me in the head. Hinata lowered her own sword, eyes darting between Granville and Leon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Report. Danger. The subject Granville Rozzo is using wordplay in an attempt to pit you against the demon lord Leon.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had a hunch. Clearly Granville\u2019s plan, however misguided, was to antagonize Leon as much as possible. It\u2019d be a terrible idea to lend much credence to anything he said. And yet:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow many failures do you think we had to endure to call over all the people you wanted? That\u2019s what those<\/em> people are. The castoffs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And yet, I just couldn\u2019t ignore that. Shizu was summoned by Leon, then cast aside by him. And she wasn\u2019t alone\u2014Leon had reportedly summoned many other children. That was an unforgivable crime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs that true?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery true, indeed, demon lord Rimuru! As merchants, it\u2019s our job to provide whatever merchandise our customers demand!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville\u2019s manner of speech irritated me. I wasn\u2019t even asking<\/em> him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The providers need to have ethics, too. Throwing all the blame on the consumer went against my creed. But even ahead of that, there was something else I wanted to confirm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cSo\u2026you summoned other people, too? Not just Shizu?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven when you knew that children subjected to unstable summonings have drastically shortened life spans?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat was\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon was about to say something, only to be interrupted by a roaring, echoing laugh. Granville was the source of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh\u2026 Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Don\u2019t make me laugh, Leon. Aren\u2019t you<\/em> the one who explicitly asked me to provide \u2018otherworlder children no older than ten years\u2019<\/em>? Instead of attempting to subjugate the stable summons, you found it easier to make the unstable ones feel they owed you their lives, didn\u2019t you? And you used them as weapons!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Through the taunts, Granville\u2019s goals were clear. He knew I could be a softhearted pushover, and he was attempting to milk that as much as he could, fanning my do-gooder attitude and trying to make me despise Leon. The thing was\u2026his words were convincing. If Leon\u2019s aim was to implant elemental spirits into children, then Granville was right\u2014they needed to be \u201cunstable<\/em>.\u201d And maybe that was why I detected exactly those sorts of elementals within Leon\u2019s underlings here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Is that<\/em> true?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. But there\u2019s a reason for\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShut up! You\u2019re<\/em> the cause of all this!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that shout, I started running toward Leon. I just had to go and give him a wallop, or I wouldn\u2019t be able to contain myself. I knew full well I was playing into Granville\u2019s hands, but I just couldn\u2019t contain my rage for Leon any longer. I can hear his reasons later. First things first\u2014I had to vent my anger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So with everything I had, I struck at Leon. He didn\u2019t move. All he did was raise a hand to keep his troops at bay, staring directly at me. Was he that confident, or\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leaving my accelerating thoughts in the dust, my fist drew closer and closer to him. He didn\u2019t move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Target shows no signs of countering you. It will be a direct strike.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>There was no trap in the end. My punch thundered against Leon\u2019s right cheek.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Happy now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My full power was in that, but apparently it didn\u2019t damage Leon much. I must have cut his lip, because he felt obliged to take out a handkerchief to wipe up some blood, but his composure was fully retained. Pfft.<\/em> I know I wasn\u2019t using any skill there, but maybe I underestimated him a little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, that punch taught me one thing. This guy, the demon lord Leon, was more good-natured than I thought. He had no obligation to take that punch, but he shed all his defenses and took it anyway\u2014and that proved it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He came across as cold and unfeeling, but maybe he wasn\u2019t such a bad guy, actually. Shizu didn\u2019t hate him, after all. She tried to, but as she put it, she just couldn\u2019t\u2014and it was her final desire in life to figure out what Leon\u2019s motivations were. Of course, I didn\u2019t need Raphael\u2019s warning. I was calm from the beginning. I made a promise with Shizu\u2014a promise that I\u2019d take the feelings she left behind and shove them in Leon\u2019s face. And I was fully ready to take advantage of today for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon had to have some reason for what he did. I could decide later whether to forgive him. As entangled as things were today, making a foe out of Leon as well would be suicidal. Getting emotional like this wasn\u2019t the shrewdest plan. He was no ally of mine, but he was no enemy, either\u2014and now that I knew that, I had to speak up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot yet, no. That was my way of expressing Shizu\u2019s feelings, but I still need to show you mine. Let\u2019s talk about things in depth<\/em> right now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So will he pick up on my intention here? I noticed an eyebrow twitch up. That\u2019s a relief. He\u2019s not such a fool after all. So\u2026great. Let\u2019s talk it out, then\u2014our plans for how to deal with Granville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that in mind, I readied my sword in Leon\u2019s direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

He was a dead ringer for Shizu in her youth. There was no pigmentation; his skin was smooth, his hair shining like each individual <\/a>strand had its own glow. He couldn\u2019t be described as looking Asian now, but he still retained Shizu\u2019s core features, making them all the more beautiful. Now his golden eyes were trained upon Leon, his pink lips speaking to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNot yet, no. That was my way of expressing Shizu\u2019s feelings, but I still need to show you mine. Let\u2019s<\/em> talk about things in depth right now!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such were the words of Rimuru, and Leon immediately understood.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I see\u2026 He wants to take advantage of this situation. We barely know each other, and he\u2019s decided to trust me without a moment\u2019s doubt? He\u2019s more stout-hearted than I expected.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, Leon thought, he liked that. Rimuru seemed to be driven by emotion right now, but apparently that was all part of his calculations\u2014his way of determining, in this chaotic battlefield, exactly who was friend and who was foe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I always knew I couldn\u2019t let my guard down around him\u2026but at times like these, I\u2019m glad he\u2019s around.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He took his own blade up from his hip, holding it forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As he took the dragon airship here, Leon was briefed about an emergency magical call from Cerberus. It seemed one of his agents had fallen out of contact, and there was a chance someone had blown their cover. Exactly who found this agent out, they didn\u2019t know\u2014maybe it was the demon lord Rimuru, maybe one of the Five Elders. Maybe even the Crusaders, for all he knew. With the agent captured, and no further information available, nearly everyone was a suspect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, Leon wasn\u2019t gullible enough to fully trust Cerberus. There was a plausible chance they were hatching an elaborate scheme to deceive him. But one thing was certain: Being here right now, in this holy space, was akin to walking into a trap. And yet Leon couldn\u2019t stay away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if this is a trap, if I find Chloe here\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No matter how much danger it entailed, Leon would never care. And now, crossing swords with Rimuru, Leon was finally serene again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>He looked around, surveying the area. The scene was shockingly chaotic. It was difficult to determine who was on which side. The elite magic knights guarding him had been dragged into the fray while he wasn\u2019t paying attention. They had been lured into opening hostilities with some of the local defense forces.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Keep yourselves defended! Do not kill the enemy!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Yes, sir!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now seemed like an opportune time to give Arlos the Silver Knight some orders. He did so via an anonymous magical call, but there was every chance someone would eavesdrop on it. That\u2019s why he kept the order to something that wouldn\u2019t cause problems later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Regardless, Leon was the intruder here. To the demon lord Luminus, he was an uninvited guest, and it wouldn\u2019t surprise him if she decided to retaliate. If she did, he wanted to retain as much of an advantage as possible while keeping the dead to a minimum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But where is Luminus\u2026?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon and Rimuru were fighting near the cathedral entrance while the paladin captain, Hinata, and Granville were a short distance away. Farther afield, Shion and Ranga\u2014both present at the last Walpurgis\u2014were in pitched combat against the insectoid Razul. Luminus, the master of these sacred lands, would never allow open warfare here\u2026and yet, she was missing. And if someone like Luminus were pinned down elsewhere, that was seriously bad news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Leon, this entire situation was nothing short of nonsensical\u2014but as he looked over matters, he could see where the trap was. Someone\u2014he didn\u2019t know who\u2014was trying to goad him into fighting the demon lord Rimuru. What this someone didn\u2019t expect, and what Leon was lucky enough to see, is that Rimuru wasn\u2019t so easily hoodwinked. Now Rimuru was attempting to take advantage of that to gain control of things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I see\u2026 So he\u2019s the one behind all this? Very well. Might as well try trusting you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a rarity for someone as wary as him, but for once in his life, Leon decided to meekly trust in Rimuru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Leon wasn\u2019t the only one thoroughly confused. Hinata was having similar trouble dealing with this rapidly changing battlefield. But even worse than that, her opponent Granville was starting to seem eerily different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFinding it odd that you can\u2019t steal my skills?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had guessed right. It made Hinata nervous, despite herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmph. Why the surprise? Did you think I never picked up on your secret? A little observation, and it was easy enough to surmise. Why do you think I had the other six fighting in front of me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh\u2026 I see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata\u2019s unique skill Usurper gave her a decisive advantage against the most powerful of foes\u2026and yet it assessed Granville as \u201cinapplicable.\u201d Previously, Granville definitely was above her, and whenever they trained, she constantly used Usurper until it succeeded, seizing\u2014or more accurately at the time, copying\u2014his skills.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou have some way of taking skills and arts from opponents, do you not? But I imagine that only works once on the same foe\u2026and you\u2019ve already taken from me, haven\u2019t you? So it won\u2019t work twice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat couldn\u2019t be\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata found herself reacting to Granville\u2019s statement\u2014and then she realized her mistake.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh\u2026 So I was right? Hinata, you are a calculating woman, one of the greatest talents among all my apprentices. You are careful and cunning. Out of all the paladins of the past, nobody has ever reached your level. You should take pride in that, but you are still young. You\u2019re far too unfamiliar with opponents of your own<\/em> level.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnough!!\u201d the clearly provoked Hinata shouted back. But she understood Granville was egging her on. Thanks to her reflexive reaction, she had inadvertently admitted that her skill was stealing other people\u2019s powers. Granville had his hunches about it before, no <\/a>doubt, but couldn\u2019t be sure about it. Now, with his social engineering skills, he knew it for a fact.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who\u2019s the cunning one here?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite being wholly devoted to battle at the moment, Granville kept talking to Hinata. The carefree ease he exuded made her resent him even more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEven if I only took you once, that\u2019s all I need. I wouldn\u2019t look down on me that<\/em> much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She made no secret of her hostility. After all, she had one more trick up her sleeve\u2014Force Takeover. Now she was doing more than just copying someone else\u2019s skill. She was forcibly wresting it away from them, for good. It would let her strip away one of Granville\u2019s cards, and it all but guaranteed her victory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Hinata, the preliminaries were over. She began a relentless attack, each sword strike a potentially lethal blow. At the same time, she continually activated Usurper, attempting to sap Granville\u2019s power. But:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No\u2026 My skill has to work against him! But\u2026?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The results: inapplicable. Proof that Granville\u2019s actual power was below Hinata\u2019s. Right now, she had grown far more powerful than before. It wouldn\u2019t be strange for her to surpass Granville, so these results were understandable. The only problem was that even when she seized a skill with Force Takeover\u2014her final lifeline\u2014Granville would just use that skill again the next instant. It happened over and over, no matter how many times she tried it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was now impossible to hide her panic. She was definitely capable of taking Granville\u2019s skills and arts\u2014but to Hinata, they were useless. She had already taken them once, and thus she gained nothing from them. If she could at least take away some of Granville\u2019s skills, there\u2019d be a point to it, but\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why? Did Granville anticipate this and set up some kind of backup system?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It wasn\u2019t out of the question. No regular person could do it, but she could picture an ex-hero like Granville pulling something like that off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cWhat\u2019s wrong, Hinata? You look unwell.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville, a sneering grin on her face, seemed to read Hinata\u2019s mind. It irritated her to no end.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm\u2026 It seems you don\u2019t understand what I\u2019m doing. The most important thing in battle is to carefully observe your opponent. Did you expect me to not take any sort of measures against you? If so, you sorely underestimated me, Hinata.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGeh!<\/em> Enough from you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can see from your fighting style that you retain an advantage against foes stronger than you. Meanwhile, there are few examples of you seizing skills from weaker opponents. I say few and not zero, however, so you must have some<\/em> kind of method for that. But the effort must exhaust you, does it not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t have to answer me. Looking at you, I\u2019m now convinced my suppositions are correct.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being so completely seen through was a shock to Hinata. Somewhere in her mind, she was looking down upon Granville as a relic from the past\u2014and now she wanted to punch herself over it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNgh\u2026 No, I doubt there\u2019s any point in continuing this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was no reason to keep up her attempts at Force Takeover. With that decision made, Hinata retreated a distance away from Granville. Gathering her breath, she looked for a suitable opportunity. Her heart rate was setting a new record, the sweat from her brow pouring down. Then, with a thump<\/em>, she could sense a small throbbing inside her, deep within her chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026What was that? I\u2019ve tired myself out more than I thought. But not because I miscalculated this. Maybe I\u2019m being attacked\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impartially observing herself, she realized that her exhaustion was stacking up more quickly than usual. Even all the Force Takeover attempts wouldn\u2019t have gassed her this much\u2014but as Granville pointed out, her fatigue could no longer be ignored.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou seem confused. You are powerful, Hinata, very powerful. That must be why you have so little experience with underhanded combat techniques such as this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat was that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cIt\u2019s simple. My actions are designed to make you overwork yourself. Little by little, I made you wear yourself down, believing that your attacks would succeed if you just pushed a little more, a little more. Listen to me. If you confront someone on the same level as you, whichever side tires the other out first wins. The more fatigued you are, the slower your decisions, and the wider you leave yourself open\u2026just as you are personally experiencing right now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She wanted to deny Granville\u2019s claims, but she couldn\u2019t.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata had used her unique skill Measurer to calmly analyze the battle situation\u2026or so she thought. But Granville went one step beyond. She thought she was overly on her guard. Yes, she underestimated him a little, but she didn\u2019t let her guard down at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So does it mean this man\u2019s stronger than me? That\u2026 That must be the case. It\u2019s the difference in level here, brought on by experience.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

She was now convinced\u2014convinced and ready to admit to it. Even with Usurper, she couldn\u2019t take Granville\u2019s expertise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNow I understand. I see I\u2019ll have to get serious if I want to defeat you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat\u2019s right. Give me all you\u2019ve got. Otherwise, trying to outclass me will be a dream beyond a dream for you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata banished the ambient noise from her mind, focusing squarely on Granville. The sound disappeared. They were the only people present in the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHere I come, Granville!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hope you learn from this, Hinata!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, Hinata and Granville\u2019s battle grew even more heated as time went on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The multilayered Disintegration unleashed by Diablo smashed into Raine\u2019s defense barrier, destroying pieces of it in succession\u2026and then, the final ray pierced through her chest. Everything had gone the way he had calculated it, including the fact that Raine was still breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cHeh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 How weak. You were even less competition for me than Testarossa before her evolution.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cT-Testarossa?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNever mind. It has nothing to do with you. But explain to me why you came here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWho would ever\u2014?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo was barking orders from high above, but Raine saw no reason to oblige him. Her predictable refusal irked him a little.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He had clearly beaten Raine, but that didn\u2019t mean it was smooth sailing from now on. The perfectly formed insectoid he was having Shion and Ranga deal with really was<\/em> the nemesis of all the demons. He was an unusual creature, one who lived in the space between the material and spiritual world. As a half-spiritual life-form, whenever he slipped into the physical realm, he\u2019d naturally assume a palpable form and become a burdensome invader. A group of them was extremely dangerous, requiring quick detection and extermination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even worse, an insectoid attaining humanoid form was quite rare. Most examples settled into some more primitive form, finding themselves not quite suited for life in the material realm. But Razul, this insectoid here, was in his final and complete state\u2014and Diablo could see why even Shion and Ranga would find him a handful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, Lady Shion works under Sir Rimuru. She has the potential to do well near anything to overcome her foes\u2019 strength. And with Sir Ranga around, there\u2019s no need to assume they\u2019d lose. Still, though\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo could win. It would suit Rimuru more, he knew, if he eliminated all the question marks from the battle. Right now, going back and taking care of Razul would be the right thing to do\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026But then another thought crossed his mind. What, he reasoned, if Rimuru deliberately left Razul to Shion and Ranga? Diablo was<\/em> flustered earlier, true. He detected Raine\u2019s arrival and didn\u2019t want her (or her cohorts) joining the fray, and the distraction had kept him from focusing on the battle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thought it best at the time to drive her away as soon as possible, but\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But was<\/em> it, really?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Perhaps Sir Rimuru wanted Lady Shion and Sir Ranga to experience battle against someone stronger than them? In that case, it wouldn\u2019t be right to intrude\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That seemed plausible to Diablo. Truly, these were the thoughts of someone crazed for battle, a nonsensical conclusion that no regular person could ever imagine. But to Diablo, who placed Rimuru above all else, doing anything that went against Rimuru\u2019s intentions was a gross error. He wasn\u2019t some simple creature who assumed that fighting, and winning, was all that mattered. He could see that if Rimuru wanted to give them such a powerful foe, he truly wanted them to win\u2014and learn from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A difficult decision. This will require careful consideration on my part.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now Diablo\u2019s thoughts were starting to spiral in a pretty wrong direction. In front of Raine, the highest level of fighting force in the world, Diablo was thoroughly confused.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rimuru, of course, was thinking of nothing so idiotic. What he cared about was putting an end to this fracas, while keeping the children and orchestra safe. He had no obligation at all to see this as some kind of training situation for Shion and Ranga.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So Diablo was wrong. But with that wrong idea in mind, he now had a new path to take.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI was going to kill you, but I decided against it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you talking about\u2026? Threats won\u2019t work on me\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo need for that, thank you. I don\u2019t need your act any longer, so come on out,\u201d he told the demon with a large hole in her chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Raine didn\u2019t seem to understand this. In short time, however, her expression turned to panic. It wasn\u2019t the pale face from before as she faced defeat, but something rather more complex\u2014a mixture of frustration and hatred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNoir\u2026 You only just evolved into a Demon Peer after all this time, and look at you\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust as set in your ways as always, I see. The true essence of strength does not lie in magicule counts. What\u2019s important is your level. I was taught to believe that differences in magicule energy do not make a decisive difference in battle ability.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRidiculous,\u201d replied Raine, her voice raspy as her body began <\/a>to fade away. By the time she was fully gone, nothing but dust in the wind, a ray of light shot out from beyond the heavens, only to disappear and reveal two people\u2014blue and red. Raine was the blue one, and she was kneeling before Guy Crimson, the strongest of demons, who had just entered the scene.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Noir! It\u2019s been a while.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMm\u2026 Rouge\u2014or Guy Crimson now, I believe? So you were here, too, then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo was wary of Guy from the start, even as Guy seemed to view him with nostalgia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you noticed Raine\u2019s Ubiquital Mist from the start? So why did you execute such a large-scale skill on her?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo scowled, dreading this question. He had intended to feign ignorance of this skill, allowing her to divide up and regenerate her body with a second copy. His original plan was to make Guy and Raine (in her original body) believe that here was a man who wouldn\u2019t give them great trouble. If Diablo destroyed Raine\u2019s Ubiquital Mist body, got all cocky, and left the scene, Guy would no doubt lose hope in him, as well as lose interest in this whole battle. He\u2019d leave on the spot, and thus Diablo could buy more time while hiding his full powers from him. Then he could go support Shion and the rest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That plan was now mothballed, thanks to Diablo\u2019s own desires. Even he could admit to it\u2014now was no time to stage an act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDisintegration wouldn\u2019t be enough to defeat Primal Demons like us, would it? This parlor trick doesn\u2019t even qualify as a secret trump card.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow, is that<\/em> what you have to say? If I took a direct hit of that, not even I<\/em> would survive unscathed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndeed. The same is true for me\u2026if<\/em> it were a direct hit.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh\u2026 Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo\u2019s answer made Guy burst into self-satisfied laughter. Diablo did the same, still hoping to look unfazed. At this point, Raine was all but invisible to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cSo why didn\u2019t you evolve until this point in time? You had no interest in dragging others down, unlike the other three.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMm\u2026 You could say they\u2019re dragging one another down, yes, but really, it\u2019s just a game they enjoy. You\u2019re right, though, that I have no part in it. As for myself, Guy, let me ask you\u2014is there anyone in this world stronger than us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The question was similar to what Testarossa asked. It was a view shared across all the Primal Demons, Guy included. Bringing up common ground like this made it easier to stoke kinship with each other.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, there sure isn\u2019t. Maybe the True Dragon, if I had to bring up a name, but that\u2019s more of a phenomenon of nature, y\u2019know?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even the True Dragon wasn\u2019t a threat before Guy. If Veldanava, the Star-King Dragon, was ever revived, that\u2019d be another story, but as of right now, Guy was telling the truth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo nodded. \u201cPrecisely. So if I evolved while knowing that, any battle afterward would seem so boring. So one-sided, wouldn\u2019t you agree?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He grinned at Guy. His battle-obsessed brain was working hard as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm\u2026 I see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guy, for his part, seemed convinced. Maybe he would deny it, but the two of them were actually fairly alike\u2014two kindred spirits, when it came to this topic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo did the slime give you a change of heart?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSir Rimuru. I\u2019ll ask you to not refer to him as slime, please.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026All right. So is that Rimuru guy the reason you evolved?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo\u2019s adjusting the pace of this conversation to suit his tastes irked Guy, but complaining wouldn\u2019t help advance things. He hated playing by the beat of a different drummer, but this time, he chose to make an exception.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cVery good,\u201d muttered Diablo. \u201cThe growth of Sir Rimuru, you see, is a constant surprise to me. I wouldn\u2019t be afraid to call it evolution in action. His looks are charming; his soul brimming with refinement. And what\u2019s more\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs this going to go on for a while?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201c\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo met Guy\u2019s stare, as if to say What did you expect?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI don\u2019t need to hear about Rimuru. Let\u2019s talk about you<\/em>, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This annoyed Diablo a bit\u2014but perhaps remembering the urgency of the situation around them, he acquiesced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTch\u2026<\/em> Well, all right. Let us return to the topic at hand. Sir Rimuru\u2019s compatriots, as well, are changing rapidly from day to day\u2026and I think seeing that has influenced me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Hmm. That much?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This chat seemed to be tiring Guy out, but he still had the wherewithal to scrutinize what Diablo just said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndeed. I fear that if I do not make an effort of my own, even I might be left in the dust. And in that sort of environment, there is no longer any reason to set limits to my growth.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A fascinated Guy nodded. Now things were going at his pace again. He unleashed an evil grin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt does<\/em> sound like Rimuru\u2019s got the nations to the West under his control now, yeah. But I\u2019m sorry to say, my own people are wreckin\u2019 the place right now, I think.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Guy, this was just some playful harassment of the human race. That was his intention, at least\u2014but to Rimuru, so driven to play nice with humanity, it must\u2019ve been a serious crisis. That\u2019s what made Guy mention it. He could see that none of this surly behavior would work on Diablo, but if he could get under Rimuru\u2019s skin, he knew that\u2019d have its effect on Diablo as well. Thus, if his minions happened to be messing around in the Western Nations at the moment, he thought he could take advantage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sight of Diablo\u2014someone who fought evenly with Guy in the past\u2014calling someone his master put Guy off a bit. So he wanted to mess with him, stir him up. With Razul gone from his usual post up north, the Western Nations were vulnerable. Much of it, like Guy warned, was no doubt looking like hell on earth by now. Diablo wouldn\u2019t be able to do anything about it, and as Guy saw it, not even Rimuru could take action.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But Diablo just gave him his trademark snicker instead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cKeh-heh-heh\u2026 You thought Sir Rimuru didn\u2019t see it coming? It has all been taken care of. His wisdom, you see, is deeper than the ocean, his perception giving him insight into all things\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guy thought that would agitate Diablo at least a little. It didn\u2019t. In fact, he chose this moment in time to revert back to praising Rimuru. He must be sick in the head<\/em>, he thought, facing no choice but to accept it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Ah. Yes, very interesting. You think he\u2019s surpassing even my<\/em> expectations?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, of course. For Sir Rimuru, that is a given.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo continued to verbally taunt Guy about Rimuru for a while, despite Rimuru not actually being there. If he was, he would no doubt shout, What the hell are you<\/em> doing?!<\/em> Only Raine was listening, biting her lip\u2014but Guy and Diablo were wholly ignoring her as they continued.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Meanwhile, the Western Nations were facing a danger unprecedented in their history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Cidre Frontier Defense Force, always busily handling the demon threat, suddenly found its main offense gone. No longer able to push back the demons who visited their territory regularly, they sent out an emergency request for reinforcements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRidiculous! The demon forces are advancing southward?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat could Margrave Cidre possibly be doing?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t think about that right now. Every nation needs to deploy its troops and build a layered set of defense bases! Otherwise, we\u2019ll have a marauding army of demons right here, in the capital of Englesia!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the representatives at this emergency Council session were in an uproar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being composed of councillors from all its member nations, the Council of the West held a great deal of political power\u2014but when it came to sudden crises, there was always going to be time wasted. That was the biggest disadvantage of a majority-vote system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>The defense of the northern regions was left entirely in the hands of Margrave Cidre of Englesia. It was a large, powerful kingdom, and still a good half of its military strength was stationed up north, forming a bulwark against Guy Crimson. They were joined by several members of the Crusaders, as well as a team of A-ranked adventurers from the Free Guild, which functioned as a subsidiary of the Council. That was how important a defensive line this was. Losing it could be a matter of life and death for humanity, and thus the panic around the Council chamber was understandable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Currently, they were just barely hanging on to the base defined as their last line of defense, and even that was thanks to the paladins and adventurers stationed there. Considering the situation, they needed to deploy troops there immediately, but time would not allow it. This wasn\u2019t a monolithic dictatorship; it was a federation of independent nations, and each representative needed permission from their home state.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only thing the Council could do right away was call for emergency backup from the Free Guild. They could also ask the Council\u2019s host nation of Englesia to deploy its regular forces, but the request was likely to fall on deaf ears, since it\u2019d leave the capital more exposed. Besides, Englesia was already shouldering the burden of defending the north; nobody would fault it for asking other nations for support in an emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Like the lesser-known Council members were currently shouting, it was time to create a federated, multination force. The problem, however, was that all these disparate armies would be led by the brand-new member nation of Tempest, the land of monsters. The Council had unanimously voted for it, so there was no room to complain about it now\u2014but leaving precious military resources in the hands of monsters presented a thorny dilemma to many councillors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOrder, all of you, please!\u201d shouted the chairman. The noise gradually died down as all eyes turned toward him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight now, we can\u2019t afford to waste a single minute. Instead of debating among ourselves, we must immediately contact our home <\/a>nations and have them send forces our way. The demon lord Rimuru\u2019s representative, Lady Testarossa, is in attendance today, and I understand she is well versed in military affairs. If Sir Rimuru appointed her, I am sure leaving our forces in her hands will not be an issue.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chairman\u2019s words were greeted with some sporadic disagreement, but no one stood up and spoke on the record against it. With no better ideas forthcoming, lodging complaints now would only make things worse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now all eyes were on Testarossa. If the Council was raising an army, she\u2019d be its de facto commander\u2014it was only expected that everyone was appraising her abilities now. She was a young woman, a rarity among the councillors, and a beauty the likes of which one rarely lays eyes upon. Many councillors had the impression that Tempest featured a lot of pretty faces, but no one was foolish enough to say as much here. Everyone\u2019s focus was on whether this woman Testarossa truly had any power.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It may have been an exaggeration to say, but on this debate rode not only the future of each councillor, but the future of humankind itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cL-Lady Testarossa,\u201d began one councillor, finally drumming up the courage to speak. \u201cUm, I fully recognize that asking this might be considered rude, but are you capable of commanding a military force?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testarossa gave him a gleaming smile. \u201cDo not despair, councillors. My master, Sir Rimuru, has ordered me to defend all the nations that belong to the Council of the West. In fact, my own personnel have already been deployed across the land. And also\u2026 Moss?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. According to the latest information, reliable reinforcements have now arrived in the north.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWh-what?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIs that true?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The councillors didn\u2019t even have the time to realize that Moss was likely one of Testarossa\u2019s assistants. What he had to say sent the hall into another furor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cS-so what reinforcements are these, Lady Testarossa?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMoss?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, my lord. A dragon airship from the Sorcerous Dynasty of Thalion is currently on its way to the area. I am sure that high elf\u2019s forces are more than capable of dispatching the low-level demons threatening the region.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou heard him, Chairman. And, Moss, she is more than just a high elf. She is a sworn friend of Lord Rimuru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh\u2026! My\u2014my apologies\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t make that mistake again, all right? From now on, you will refer to her as Lady Elmesia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cY-yes, my lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moss withered under the gaze of Testarossa\u2019s crimson eyes. He turned pale, realizing he could no longer behave like the demon-world prince he once was. Angering Testarossa would lead to his ruin\u2014and even worse, disrespecting someone Rimuru recognized as a friend was an error he couldn\u2019t forgive himself for. Testarossa, likely realizing that, let him off with just a warning this time. If Moss didn\u2019t correct his insolent ways, she\u2019d no doubt punish him for it the next instant. That applied even to him, a great demon who had served Testarossa for ages. She was a woman possessed of kindness and ruthlessness in equal measure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Council she sat in was a scene of chaos. The words she and Moss exchanged provided an overview of the situation, but there was still no evidence to back them up. Opinion was clearly split on whether to trust them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will speak for my nation when I say that I trust Lady Testarossa.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIndeed, our nation\u2019s of the same opinion. I want Lady Testarossa to command our forces!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt would be the height of irresponsibility! If something should happen, it will be far too late then!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly! If this talk of reinforcements turns out to be a ruse, the demons will trample all over human civilization!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Unity was now in short supply across the Council as the debate continued to heat up. Testarossa calmly watched matters unfold, <\/a>listening instead of offering her own opinion. After a little time had passed, though, she suddenly spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, it was you? I thought you might be here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The sudden statement invited confusion among the councillors, many failing to understand what she was talking about. Only one among them\u2014the person her eyes were presently aimed at\u2014broke out in a cold sweat, the color draining from his face. It was Prince Johann Rostia of the Kingdom of Rostia.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWh-what are you saying about me?\u201d he asked, trying his best to hide his apprehension. But Testarossa simply arched her lips upward. It made him lose his patience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2014I knew<\/em> monsters weren\u2019t to be trusted! Only we<\/em> can step up to defend humankind. Guards! Guards, come out now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was now dramatically shouting, sweat running down his face in a portrait of despair. Meanwhile, Testarossa\u2019s smile only broadened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following Johann\u2019s orders, soldiers began to pour into the Council hall. Some of Johann\u2019s personal guards were among them, their presence putting him more at ease. Testarossa elegantly played with her hair as the other councillors sat there, bewildered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johann\u2019s behavior was beyond illogical. Even if Testarossa did<\/em> have some malevolent intent, any unlawful violence would never be allowed in a hall of laws like the Council. No matter how important a figure Johann was in here, such arbitrary behavior would never be smiled upon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYour name was Johann Rostia, right? Prince of Rostia? A very high figure, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWh-what of it? Flattery will get you nowhere\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSir Johann, who were you talking to in a magical call just now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWha\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd why did you send out an order to have this nation\u2019s defensive barrier destroyed?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cH-how did you\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWould you mind explaining?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testarossa was relaxed, as if chatting over tea, as she painted <\/a>Johann into a corner. The other councillors looked on in awe. Now was no time for confusion. They all immediately ordered their staff to check on the state of Englesia\u2019s barrier. But before they had an answer, the entire land around them began to rumble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2014it\u2019s true\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDestroy the barrier? If you do that, there\u2019s no defense against the monsters. We\u2019ll lose countless citizens!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat could possibly be the meaning of this, Sir Johann?! Answer me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When confronted with someone in a panic, most people are hardwired to either fall into a similar panic or take a step back and calm down. Johann was the latter. Realizing that his plans were complete, he let a relaxed smile creep upon his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSir Girard, the barrier is gone now. It\u2019s time to call them out\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The councillors, seeing the figure Johann was addressing, were startled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2014 It\u2019s the head of the Sons of the Veldt, that mercenary gang\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Girard!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026The Veldt\u2019s connected with Sir Johann, too? Not just Gaban?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut what\u2019s Sir Johann going to do with them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ignoring these cries, Girard walked up to Johann, standing beside him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes,\u201d he said, \u201cour contract is now ratified. Thank you for your cooperation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, not at all. The last hope of our mutual master Granville Rozzo happens to match your mission as well. No need to hold back now. If you\u2019re going to raze this land, be as showy as you can about it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now Johann\u2019s laughter rang loud across the hall, the light of reason no longer visible in his eyes. His face was transformed into something fiendish as he revealed his true colors to all. At long last, the councillors realized Johann had betrayed them\u2014but the kingdom\u2019s defense barrier was already destroyed. And as they gradually understood this, despair began to reign.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave at it, Ayn.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cYou got it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The woman Girard called Ayn began to cast a spell\u2014a summon spell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ayn was an elementalist and the leader of Green Fury, the team that made it far into the Dungeon not long ago. But this was no spirit she was summoning this time. It was, in fact, the very deity the Sons of the Veldt worshipped as their spiritual leader.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A large, oval-shaped transport gate appeared, a living personification of power stepping through it. It was a beautiful girl with green hair and a crimson-red maid outfit\u2014but everyone witnessing it could sense how dangerous she was. After all, despite her attractive looks, the aura she unleashed plunged the entire hall into hopelessness. The magical inquisitors who ran in, sensing the danger, were frozen in place; their instincts told them that any movement could very well kill them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was Mizeri the Demon Peer, stepping out from the darkness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite the overwhelming despair, Johann looked supremely pleased with himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He recalled the last time Granville called for him, after Gaban\u2019s fall reduced the Five Elders to four\u2014Granville Rozzo of the Rozzo family, Margrave Cidre of Englesia, King Doran of the Kingdom of Doran, and himself. They had all come together at Granville\u2019s bidding, and he had a fearsome final order for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaribel is dead\u2014and with that, the Rozzos will likely meet their doom soon. Perhaps, depending on how one looks at it, we could reconcile with the monsters after all. If they show no interest in human territories like Lady Luminus, it may even be possible to coexist. But the demon lord Rimuru is seeking nothing less than complete rule over humankind. He must be stopped at all costs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut, Sir Granville, any attempts along those lines are doomed if we have no realistic way of resisting him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI understand what Maribel was concerned about, but if we\u2019ve lost our Chaos Dragon, there\u2019s nothing we can do. We have Razul under our control, but we can hardly move him around\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doran was being realistic, with Cidre offering his support and <\/a>Johann in agreement. Johann knew well the threat Maribel posed, as young as she was, and the demon lord Rimuru\u2019s victory over her filled him with fear. For now<\/em>, he thought, our best plan is to pretend to do Rimuru\u2019s bidding as we build up our power<\/em>. But Granville, perhaps sensing this internal weakness within Johann, fired back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHave you fools all<\/em> lost your nerve? No matter how much chaos is in the world, no matter how much we sacrifice, we humans must retain the right to rule over ourselves. Am I wrong?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His sheer vigor took Johann and the others aback. Granville rarely wore his emotions on his sleeve, which made his deep-seated anger and rage all the more clear to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am tired. If this keeps up, the human world will perish and the demon lord Rimuru will rule over us all. If that is the fate we\u2019re doomed to face, then why not stage one more final resistance? You may do whatever you choose, but I\u2019m going to take one last risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once he was done, he gave his three companions some time to consider their choices. Either they could follow Granville\u2019s orders and resist their fates, or they could align themselves with Rimuru. Only Doran among them decided to separate from the group\u2014choosing to resist as he normally did, on his own turf, to keep the Rozzo name alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMy territory is located far from the scene of conflict. As a survivor from the Rozzo family, I will observe and care for your true and correct history.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville nodded at Doran. \u201cVery well. This will likely be the final time, so I say this to you as my final request. It may be too late, but I wish there to be no ill will.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Doran listened to Granville\u2019s resigned words, tears in his eyes\u2026and then he departed, alone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johann, too, realized this would likely be their final meeting. But he had no regrets. Considering the suffering Granville must have gone through as the Rozzo family patriarch, joining him on the path to almost certain death seemed a perfectly reasonable proposition. Cidre, who also stayed, was of the same opinion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So the three of them worked out their final operation. Granville <\/a>would use the Guild Grand Master Yuuki to stage one last challenge against Luminus. Cidre would abandon his northern defenses and allow the demons up there to march for the Western Nations. Johann would destroy Englesia\u2019s defensive mechanisms and kill the core members of the Council. Tempest\u2019s representative would likely be among them, and with her murder, they\u2019d even be able to stage a confrontation between the demon lords Guy and Rimuru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once they pulled all of that off, human society would be in shambles. Doran, left behind, could opt to rebuild by himself, or maybe another nation would lead the way. Perhaps humankind would find some charismatic savior to guide them. Granville had some other motivations in mind as well, it seemed, but that didn\u2019t matter to Johann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026But you\u2019re truly sure about this? I am asking you both, in essence, to die for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you saying? As a member of the Rozzo family, my heart is always with you, my master!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs is mine. I cannot join your frail body on its final journey, but at least allow me to fulfill my duty to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johann and Cidre didn\u2019t hesitate to answer Granville. It was quite the opposite of what Johann thought a moment ago, but he had a good reason for that. Everyone in the Rozzos took the absolute rule of Granville as a given. They depended on him; it was all but impossible to imagine prosperity without his patronage. So if Granville was now venturing forth to his final battlefield, even the previously indecisive Johann was ready for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m sure it\u2019s just as difficult for King Doran to bear. He must feel helpless, like a child abandoned by his parents.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

By comparison, Johann counted himself as a happy man. Until the final moment, he\u2019d be able to take pride as a member of the Rozzo family.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So as ordered by Granville, Johann made contact with the Sons of the Veldt, a demon-affiliated group he and Gaban were familiar with, and won their promise to join in the effort. Their mission: to summon Vert herself and plunge the world into chaos. And for the <\/a>Sons of the Veldt, like any paramilitary group dreaming of a world at war they could profit from, it was the greatest\u2014and most self-centered\u2014thing they could ever wish for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And now, here in the Council, Johann\u2019s job was done. The Sons of the Veldt\u2019s dreams were coming true before his eyes. Their god\u2014the Demon Peer Mizeri\u2014had heeded the summoning. And with Mizeri, a threat more fearsome than any demon lord, laying waste to Englesia would be a simple task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Heh-heh-heh\u2026 The rumors called this nation\u2019s magical inquisitors the most powerful presence in the kingdom, and this demon\u2019s frozen them stiff. It\u2019s all over for Englesia. My homeland of Rostia will be caught up in it, no doubt, but I can apologize to my countrymen in the afterlife\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Satisfied with himself, Johann looked around the council hall. Then he witnessed something he couldn\u2019t believe. One figure there was breezily smiling before Mizeri, the personification of all fear. The boy next to her was similarly unfazed\u2014a little bored, even.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wh-what are they doing?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then he remembered who they were: Testarossa, councillor from Tempest, and her assistant Moss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, you\u2019ve certainly come up with an interesting scheme. Sir Johann. Were you trying to destroy this country and plunge the world into chaos?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd what if I was?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johann didn\u2019t like anything about Testarossa\u2019s reaction. She acted totally unaffected in front of Mizeri, this calamity ranking above all demon lords, and it bothered him. But he quickly reconsidered matters. Testarossa is on the stronger side of monster-dom, no doubt, but her confidence would be her downfall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There\u2019s such a thing as being too strong for your own good, I suppose. It makes you fail to see the abilities of your adversaries. It dooms you.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And this strong woman would soon be wailing over the reality she faced. Simply imagining Testarossa pleading for her life gave Johann a sadistic rush.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow comical can you get? All of this, despite the fact that my presence here makes your scheme an immediate failure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cHeh-heh-heh\u2026 Such nonsense,\u201d Johann said with a self-assured smile. The more Testarossa shone with confidence, the greater her despair would be in a moment. Glorious expectations filled his mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cL-Lady Testarossa!\u201d shouted the chairman, interrupting them. \u201cNow\u2019s not the time for such casual talk. You must flee at once and send a report to Lord Rimuru!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChairman? What did you want me to tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accurate information about the demons was scarce within the Western Nations. Compared with the experts in the Eastern Empire, this made the West seem eminently ill-prepared for them. The chairman was no exception, and not even having Mizeri on hand would tell him much about her or her race. However, the simple fact that she served the demon lord Guy Crimson, the greatest evil anyone here knew, made her a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ignorance is bliss, as they say, and here it was definitely working in their favor. If the chairman and other councillors knew more about demons, having Mizeri here would cause them to abandon all hope. The chairman didn\u2019t realize how lucky he was to avoid that as he kept shouting at Testarossa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTell him that one of the demon lord Guy\u2019s chief agents has invaded our capital! He\u2019ll surely not abandon us then!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even the chairman knew this was wishful thinking at best. No matter how much the demon lord Rimuru sought to live hand in hand with humans, it was impossible to imagine him going out of his way to make an enemy of Guy. Anyone who spent a moment to work out what he stood to gain or lose could see that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, the chairman thought, there was always a chance. He couldn\u2019t fully give up yet. He had seen the demon lord Rimuru for himself, and he trusted in his words. A demon lord so emotional in nature\u2014so human<\/em> in many ways\u2014might just throw all his potential stakes out the window and come riding to the rescue. He knew it was a stupid hope to have, but he couldn\u2019t help but kindle the thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was the only reason why the chairman could keep his sense of reason in front of this terror. And now Testarossa was smiling at him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cYou realize that I am here, yes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chairman wasn\u2019t sure what she meant. He would find out quickly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But he wasn\u2019t the only one confused by this. Johann was as well, and Testarossa\u2019s cavalier attitude was sorely testing his patience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou think I will let you? Sir Girard, it is time to give everyone here a dose of reality.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girard, despite Johann\u2019s order, was among the many here unsure what to make of this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why\u2026? Why is Lady Mizeri not making a move?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ayn, Girard\u2019s right-hand girl, had lost consciousness upon summoning Mizeri. The effort no doubt took years off her life span, but she deserved enormous praise for being alive at all. However, without a supernatural power along the lines of Mizeri\u2019s, she might never wake up again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girard, even as he took pride in Ayn\u2019s masterwork, was already seeking an opportunity to retreat. With all of her powers beyond imagination, it\u2019d be easy for her to kill everyone present. In fact, she could burn the entire capital of Englesia down with her purgatorial flames. Before that happened, he planned to scoop Ayn up and get the hell out of here. The people of this city would serve as the Sons of the Veldt\u2019s offering to Mizeri, and then Girard and his friends would be added to the ranks of those his deity recognized as peers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was the plan, at least. But things were going completely off the rails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From the moment she appeared here, Mizeri hadn\u2019t done a single thing except stare at Testarossa. Now, at long last, she spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUnbelievable, Blanc. Why have you<\/em> received a physical body?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA pity you saw fit to call me that<\/em>. I\u2019ve been granted the wondrous name of Testarossa now. You don\u2019t like being called Vert, either, do you, Mizeri?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cA\u2026 A name? You? It can\u2019t be\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, but it is. And I hate to spoil your grand welcome, but I\u2019m afraid I wouldn\u2019t lose to you right now. If you still want to fight, <\/a>though, I\u2019d certainly be interested. In fact, I\u2019d be happy to put you to sleep for a thousand years or so.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She snickered, an elegant laugh meant entirely to taunt Mizeri. She had a body now and a name as well\u2014and even better, she was a Demon Peer just like Mizeri. They were the same.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first glance, they\u2019d seem to be a pretty even matchup. However, under normal circumstances, Testarossa would have the disadvantage, given how new she was in her body. However, that assumed Testarossa wasn\u2019t as belligerent as she was. Here you had Mizeri, who mostly performed office-style duties under Guy, against Testarossa, a fellow Primal Demon who had spent far more time fighting for influence with other demons. You didn\u2019t need to crunch the numbers to see the difference in battle experience\u2014and what\u2019s more, Testarossa\u2019s associate Moss was with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I may have more magical energy than she does, but I cannot afford to take on two Demon Peers at once\u2014especially if one is Blanc or Noir, the more dangerous ones of them all. Sir Guy merely ordered me to stir up a small commotion in the capital, not risk my life attempting to defeat a fellow Primal Demon. If anything, it is more my duty to return alive and inform Sir Guy of this.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mizeri coldly gauged matters. She instantly recognized the difference in strength between them, and just as instantly, she made the best choice possible for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t need to provoke me\u2026Testarossa. My goals today do not involve you. I have destroyed the capital\u2019s barrier, and that, I feel, is enough to fulfill my mission.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, are you running away?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI am. My life belongs to Sir Guy. It is not something I have the right to throw away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh. I see. I will look forward to the next opportunity, then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs will I, to be sure. I hope you get accustomed to your new body quickly, because when you lose, you shouldn\u2019t expect your excuses to work on me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testarossa\u2019s smile broadened. Mizeri greeted it with a completely emotionless stare. The two watched each other for a while\u2026 Then, out of nowhere, Mizeri vanished.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201c\u2026What?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girard was the first to react. With Mizeri gone, everyone who remained didn\u2019t have the scantest idea what just happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Girard, it looked for all the world like this god\u2014this superhuman presence that Girard\u2019s gang viewed as omnipotent\u2014had just been talked into submission by a councillor with good looks and nothing else.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To Mizeri, the Sons of the Veldt were nothing but disposable tools, something she set up on a whim to watch over and collect intelligence from human society. She could replace them at any time, so the fate of Girard and the rest were of no concern. They had been completely forsaken, but that reality wasn\u2019t one Girard was willing to accept.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cN-no! Dammit! Thanks to you, our god has gone back!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Enraged, Girard began swinging at Testarossa. He was above A in rank, and that wasn\u2019t just for show\u2014his speed with a sword made it impossible for most people to track his moves. But to Testarossa, he may as well have been frozen in place. Besides, she didn\u2019t even need to a lift a finger. Moss was still there, and Moss had no reason to let this insolent violence go unanswered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a piercing ting<\/em>, Girard\u2019s sword was cut in half\u2014and in another instant, Moss had Girard restrained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t kill him. And don\u2019t kill the lofty Sir Johann over there, either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBut, Lady Testarossa, these two insulted you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next moment, Moss was deafened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo I have to say it again<\/em>, Moss?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cN-not at all, my lord! It was selfish of me to second-guess you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He fell to a knee, immediately regretting his gaffe. Testarossa\u2019s good mood as of late had made him forget, but she could be an extremely egotistical woman. The same was true of Ultima and Carrera. \u201cBirds of a feather flock together\u201d described them well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf you understand that, I will forgive you once more. What a generous person I am, aren\u2019t I, Moss? Don\u2019t you agree?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbsolutely!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Moss was as obedient as he was smart. Despite the occasional mistake, he had been serving Testarossa through all her selfish whims for over ten thousand years, a feat that no one else could ever duplicate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, Johann, Girard, and Ayn were all in custody, bound down along with the soldiers who served them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2014it wasn\u2019t meant to be this way\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Girard, thoroughly defeated by Moss, had a cooler head now. Gradually, the conversation between Mizeri and Testarossa ensconced itself in his mind, helping him comprehend it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Our god recognized her as an equal\u2026? Blanc\u2026 By Blanc, did she mean the Original White?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He was aware of the Primal Demons, hence why he noticed Testarossa\u2019s true identity. The moment he did, his ego all but imploded. Now he understood just who their enemy was\u2026and that his soul would never enjoy another day of peace in his life. As strong as he thought himself to be, it was valueless against the Primal Demons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh-ha\u2026ha\u2026 Ah<\/em>-ha-ha-ha-ha-ha-haaaaa!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insane laughter echoed out of Girard. In a strange way, this was actually a happy ending for him\u2014they were all handed over to the magical inquisitors and weren\u2019t even cognizant enough to realize it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johann, meanwhile, looked like he had aged a couple decades, sitting on the floor and staring into space as he mumbled.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2014I failed\u2026? Sir Granville\u2019s hope, his final request\u2026 I couldn\u2019t do it\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, you couldn\u2019t do much of anything,\u201d Testarossa scoffed, her words bearing lethal poison as she whispered them into his ear. Her sweet breath tickled his eardrums, numbing his very mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDammit\u2026 Damm<\/em>it! If\u2014if only you<\/em> weren\u2019t here, everything would have worked out perfectly!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, would it have? Well, sorry about that. I suppose I got in the way, but you\u2019ll just have to chalk that up to fate, won\u2019t you? Now, I think some people are waiting behind me, so I\u2019ll just step out of the way\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Without another word, Testarossa ran a snowy-white finger <\/a>across Johann\u2019s jawline, then left the scene for the magical inquisitors to take over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cN-no. Stay away! Don\u2019t come near me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Silently, the inquisitors seized him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHalt! No! No, let me go! Wh-who do you think I am? Do\u2014do you bastards have any idea what you\u2019re doing?! My homeland won\u2019t take this sitting down! You\u2019re setting off an international incident!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Johann screamed his head off. Nobody reacted; nobody lifted a hand to help. Of course they didn\u2019t. With these many witnesses on hand, Johann was all but assured to face justice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo crying, now. No carrying on. You must atone for your crimes. You\u2019ll have friends joining you, won\u2019t you? I\u2019m sure it\u2019ll be loads of fun.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDamn all of you! You accursed demon! I hope you burn in hell!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHee-hee\u2026 Hee-hee-hee. Yes. I like that. Ah, why is the howling of the truly lost such sweet music to my ears? But you\u2019re cursing the wrong person. Any crimes committed in the Council, you realize, are judged in a court of law. And if those crimes include treason, plotting against the state, or other insurrectionist behavior, that falls under the jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Englesia. Too bad, isn\u2019t it? I\u2019m afraid I have no legal right to personally punish you. I could have done it anyway and called it self-defense, I suppose, but you\u2019re a little too weak for me to claim that<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testarossa let out a blissful laugh as she faced the frantic Johann.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everything she said was in compliance with international law. With the law as her shield, she had cornered Johann with an incontrovertible argument.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, Johann was now in custody. And much like old Count Gaban, he would likely be dealt with in secret so that he\u2019d never see the light of day again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When you looked purely at the externals of all this, Testarossa had just banished a demon bent on destroying the kingdom. She had saved the councillors, the Council itself, and all of Englesia, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To say the least, it solidified her position within the Council. <\/a>Nobody could compare with her in brains and brawn. The chairman wanted her in far more important posts now. Her reputation would be known far and wide shortly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now Testarossa\u2019s rule over the West was complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDo you think he read all of this?\u201d she said to Moss. \u201cAh, we\u2019re all dancing on Sir Rimuru\u2019s palm, aren\u2019t we? What a truly, truly wonderful ruler!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, there\u2019s no telling how deep his talents run.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI firmly agree. But today\u2019s events might drive Guy Crimson to get more serious. And if he does\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ll have to firm up our powers. No matter the storm facing us, we must show the public that no one shall block the path of our master!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m glad you understand. May you remain just as diligent going forward. I expect great things from you. And tell Cien for me, won\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAbsolutely, my master!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Testarossa gave him a satisfied smile and an elegant nod.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over in the north, Cien\u2014one of Testarossa\u2019s demon servants\u2014was holding his own until Elmesia\u2019s Magus forces could arrive. Thanks to Guy not being all that<\/em> serious about this invasion, the demons saw their position weaken in due time\u2014and in the blink of an eye, they had retreated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus marked the end of the disturbance in the West. But in a way, the true upheaval was only about to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, I just received word from Mizeri, but why the heck does Blanc have a name now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh, you mean Testarossa? Well, it proves that she, too, understands the glory and wonder of Sir Rimuru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo was all too eager to explain things to the nonplussed Guy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd it sounds like they\u2019re making mincemeat of my minions out there\u2026 Guess this little prank blew up in my face, didn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cNaturally. It is all according to Sir Rimuru\u2019s plan. And Guy\u2026 You, too, are being taken advantage of.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo, completely unbeknownst to Rimuru, was keeping up with his taunting. If Rimuru was here, he\u2019d probably be holding Diablo\u2019s arms back and screaming \u201cHave you gone insane, you fool?!\u201d in his face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo did that bum Rimuru name Testarossa?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, he did.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd her getting a physical body and evolving to a Demon Peer\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll the blessings of Sir Rimuru, yes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Oh.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo\u2019s smile widened as Guy\u2019s headache intensified. Raine, stationed behind him, turned white at the enormity of the news.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ugh, are you serious? We\u2019ve somehow maintained this delicate balance of battle skill for the past millennium and a half-ish, and now it\u2019s all crashing down\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guy had to resist the urge to laugh. A three-way deadlock between Primal Demons; the East in a standoff with the West; Luminus in a staring contest against Daggrull\u2014somehow, everything had balanced itself just right. That was now gone in the course of a single day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly, he was struck with a dark foreboding. He turned to Diablo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, so if Testarossa\u2019s now above the other two, what\u2019re they<\/em> up to right now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUltima and Carrera, you mean? Sir Rimuru put them to work as well, of course, and let me assure you, they couldn\u2019t be happier\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWait! Hold it right there!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guy stopped the smiling Diablo before he went into full gear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat? I am getting to the good part.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being interrupted just when he was about to banter away offended Diablo. Guy, as always, wanted nothing but the facts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s gonna be another long story, isn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt would have<\/em> to be, wouldn\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was up for debate, but Guy had no intention of doing so.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cWell, I\u2019ll listen to the whole thing later, so\u2026um, this Ultima and Carrera you mention\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh yes\u2014Ultima is Violet, the Original Purple, and Carrera is Jaune, the Original Yellow. You really must<\/em> call them by their names, because they have a rather short fuse if you don\u2019t. In fact, they\u2019ve all but forgotten their old monikers as of late.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey have\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guy was at a loss for words. Come on\u2026 What the hell could that bastard Rimuru be thinking? Noir, I can understand\u2014he\u2019s always been a strange one. But if Violet and Jaune are jumping on his bandwagon, it\u2019s not so funny anymore. And Blanc, too? The proudest out of all the Primals, and now she\u2019s also serving someone else\u2026?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He mulled this over as Diablo kept casually chatting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI invited them, mind you. Having more work to do is certainly a welcome thing, but if I<\/em> cannot support Sir Rimuru directly, there\u2019s no point to it. Don\u2019t you think so?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now Guy eyed him with great suspicion, wondering if he heard him correctly. He may have wielded absolute power in this world, but now Diablo was verbally toying with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis way, you see, I can give the trivial duties to\u2014er, that is, I was looking for companions to work alongside me, and their schedules were free, so I invited them. Having these stupid power struggles for all time is simply ridiculous, so I told them to grow up a little and help out Sir Rimuru!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guy internally cursed the proud Diablo. This is all your doing?! If anyone needs to grow up here, it\u2019s you!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026So Rimuru brought them on after you invited them? And gave them names? And<\/em> bodies?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cExactly. Thinking about how rudely they treated Sir Rimuru at first fills me with murderous rage, even today. However, they\u2019re proving to be quite helpful. If Sir Rimuru is not bothered by it, then I am open to generously forgiving them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo was strange enough, but Guy knew full well that Rimuru was beyond abnormal. Naming Primal Demons was something <\/a>your average demon lord should never be capable of doing. It was lethally dangerous, opening you to the risk of either dying or simply being poofed<\/em> out of existence. Besides, even if a Primal Demon\u2019s power was recognized and praised, that demon would never bow down and serve anyone. If they were named, they\u2019d repay the favor by consuming the namer\u2019s soul\u2014that\u2019s all. This wasn\u2019t just a matter of being crazy or overly confident in oneself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think I better talk things over directly with him<\/em>, Guy concluded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRight. I\u2019m gonna go pay a visit to Rimuru soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOh? I will pass on that. It will only invite more trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

God dammit\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guy was already balling his hands into fists. But losing his temper would put him out of the game. Diablo was a unique case\u2014if he ripped him apart right now, he\u2019d just resurrect himself. Guy was fully aware of that, so he never took the bait.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNah, think about it. I want to hear more about your story, y\u2019know, and we can\u2019t really relax and chat over matters amid all this<\/em> stuff, can we? And Deeno\u2019s been telling me about how prosperous Rimuru\u2019s lands have become. I\u2019m getting kinda curious.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He put a hand on Diablo\u2019s shoulder, acting buddy-buddy as he spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSigh\u2026<\/em> Well, all right. In that case, you are welcome to visit. I\u2019m sure Sir Rimuru would be delighted.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Diablo, for his part, never minded when people complimented Tempest. Feeling a bit better, he accepted Guy\u2019s request.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If Rimuru were here, he\u2019d probably be screaming even louder now. Good lord<\/em>, he thought when Diablo briefed him on it later, he\u2019s learning all the bad lessons from Shion and none of the good ones\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, unbeknownst to Rimuru yet, Diablo and Guy\u2019s conversation came to a close.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn any case, if all of you are on hand, I\u2019m outta here.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019m sure Sir Rimuru will handle things here\u2026no matter what<\/em> happens.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWill he? Well, tell him I said hello.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI will. In that case, I look forward to seeing you again soon.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that, Guy was gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*   *   *<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Diablo sighed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt seems I somehow made it through that<\/em>, I suppose. If Guy decided to interfere with things, I couldn\u2019t say what would happen then. Even I<\/em> have trouble dealing with him, after all. Keh-heh-heh\u2026 I need to get stronger\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only his echoing laughter could be heard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Deep inside the cathedral, a fierce battle was taking place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The chop unleashed by Louis had enough slashing force to cut through any obstacle, the accompanying shock wave continuing to pursue Laplace even after he retreated far away. Laplace still had no trouble dodging it, however, breezily smiling as he did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, huh. You\u2019re Roy\u2019s brother, then? You twins or something? I\u2019d quit while I was ahead if I were you. Ya can\u2019t beat me, y\u2019know.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Despite darting around, pretending to look for an escape, Laplace was still as talkative as ever. Louis, meanwhile, remained unaffected. Being evaded didn\u2019t concern him, as he continued swinging both arms at Laplace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They had made their way outside the burial chamber, a kind of natural progression as Laplace continued dodging Louis\u2019s strikes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, as you say, Roy was like my twin brother. We were equally as powerful, and we looked similar, too. If there\u2019s any difference, it\u2019s that he had a violent streak, and I was far less emotional. But I will inform you that I am superior to him in one way\u2014my eyes<\/em> are much keener.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah? So what?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can take my time observing my opponent\u2019s skills, movements, and targets. It\u2019s been clear to me for quite some time that you\u2019re trying to strike me where I\u2019m unguarded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Huh. Better\u2019n your brother, then, eh? But good eyes ain\u2019t gonna be enough to beat me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cWe\u2019ll see about that. Also, my name is Louis. I\u2019m more than just someone\u2019s brother. Roy and I were never on the best terms, in fact.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHmm. Can\u2019t say I care much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laplace seemed carefree, in his element, as he traded blows with Louis\u2014or really, dodged the one-sided rain of blows coming his way. His eyes showed in the most eloquent terms that he, not Louis, was doing the observing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou must be tired by now, no?\u201d Louis shouted. \u201cTime for you to go to sleep.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He stepped up the intensity of his attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m tellin\u2019 ya, you\u2019re wastin\u2019 your time.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAm I? Let me go stronger, then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although the tone of his voice hadn\u2019t changed, Laplace suddenly began to feel uncertain. Whenever he had a foreboding like this, it usually wound up true. With a leap some would describe as exaggerated, he instantly jumped back from the fray. His intuition was correct\u2014Louis\u2019s attack fanned out, pulverizing the space he stood on a moment ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026?! What the hell\u2019s all that power\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It had clearly skyrocketed in that last swipe. If Laplace was still hopping around, making fun of Louis, he wouldn\u2019t have been able to defend in time. The damage would\u2019ve been terrific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPhew\u2026<\/em> Now I\u2019m getting used to this. If you evaded that, you\u2019re certainly not one to be trifled with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou wanted to put me off guard so you could do me in with one shot?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMmm\u2026 I won\u2019t say that didn\u2019t come to mind, but I think I can win without resorting to such underhanded measures.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laplace had taken Roy down. Roy, at that time, had certainly underestimated him, but even discounting that, Laplace was a far better fighter. And Laplace took the fight seriously\u2014Roy might\u2019ve been a stand-in for the demon lord Luminus, but he was an even match for the demon lord Kazalim, a sort of father figure to Laplace and his cohorts. He\u2019d never go into a fight against someone like Roy unprepared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cWhat you saw just now was an application of Bloodray. It hides its magical presence in order to reduce my opponent\u2019s wariness of me. Of course, it won\u2019t work again now that I\u2019ve shown it to you, will it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was sort of like revealing his hand, but he explained the skill to Laplace anyway. Hearing that gave him an even deeper sense of foreboding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This ain\u2019t good. Is he buying time for himself? What\u2019s this guy after?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laplace\u2019s intuition was already sounding the alarm. If this keeps up, he decided, one of these tricks was bound to snare him\u2014so without hesitation, he tapped one of his innermost secrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026That\u2019s why you must die here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that declaration from Louis, the area around Laplace exploded. The shock wave focused itself around the center, offering Laplace no avenue for escape. The waves of blood particles were already locked onto him. The fight was over\u2014anyone would conclude as much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flames burned high in the air as a human figure inside them collapsed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s too bad. Roy and I used to be one and the same. We were separated by the power of Lady Luminus. And with Roy dead, I\u2019ve regained my original powers.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once, there existed a Bloody Lord too violent, too vicious for anyone to handle. Luminus managed to defeat him, adding him to her forces\u2014but he was still so vicious that he caused constant trouble for the rest of Luminus\u2019s ranks. Thus, she split him into two separate men\u2014naming one the Holy Emperor and her right-hand man, and the other her stand-in as demon lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In other words, Louis was complete once more, regaining the powers he previously enjoyed. From the start, no matter how much more powerful Laplace was, he was convinced he could win. And that was why\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhoa. That was really<\/em> cuttin\u2019 it close.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laplace dragged himself up, a sight that gave Louis pause\u2014a moment\u2019s hesitation that Laplace wasn\u2019t about to ignore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLet\u2019s go, Footman. If this keeps up, you\u2019re gonna die!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cHoh-hoh-hoh! I hate to say it, but it looks like you\u2019re right.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Footman had already been battered from head to toe by Gunther. He was the most powerful of the Three Servants under Luminus, and while he lost out to the fully restored Louis, Footman still had no chance. Laplace had kept careful tabs on their battle even as he fought his own, and his conclusion was dead-on accurate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if I gave this all I had, I couldn\u2019t take down the whole lot of \u2019em, and they\u2019ll probably kill Footman first. Best to run while the runnin\u2019s good. I\u2019d say our diversion worked well enough\u2014no need to expose ourselves to danger over it!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

So Laplace, shouting out loud to distract Louis, sprang into action. It worked. In another moment, Laplace and Footman were away from this deadly battleground.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All that remained in the burial chamber were Luminus and Maria Rozzo. Luminus, perhaps hesitating to attack Maria, had yet to really throw herself into battle. The fact that Maria could keep up with her high-speed fighting was proof enough that she was no fake. It was definitely Maria\u2014the kind, affectionate Maria she knew.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville must\u2019ve been preserving her corpse. So this is a death golem using her body\u2026or maybe not? This unconscious shell is a servant generated by Raise Dead necromancy. So he\u2019s stooped low enough to tap into forbidden magic\u2026?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Anyone who\u2019s lost a loved one has fostered hope of seeing them alive one more time. But it\u2019s a lost cause. Even Luminus could see why Granville would resort to necromancy\u2014but it was all theoretical, something to imagine and not act upon. To someone as far removed from death as Luminus was, she had no way of understanding the true nature of sadness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maria was a Saint for the Hero Gren, acting as his servant and confidant. He comforted her as well, trying to relieve the heavy burden of her position. They enjoyed an intimate relationship, one that their then-foe Luminus envied.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What would it take for Granville to make her a zombie servant? And if she\u2019s this<\/em> strong, that couldn\u2019t have been the only forbidden <\/a>magic he cast. Maria was using a litany of special skills to hold her own against Luminus, including what seemed to be several uniques. Luminus wasn\u2019t sure how to handle this, and that made her worry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She is astounding but still weak. I doubt that fool Gren thought she had a chance against me. So why, then\u2026?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suddenly, intense anxiety attacked her. Something told her she was overlooking something extremely important\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLady Luminus, the invaders gave us the slip. Louis is currently pursuing them, and I was about to join him\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just then, Gunther came back in to report. The moment his voice trailed off, Luminus saw what was wrong. Something was missing from the chamber. Something vitally important. Now even Luminus\u2019s heterochromatic eyes could see it as they followed Gunther\u2019s gaze.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The coffin of spirit-infused ice, the relic they took such great pains to store here, had disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus fell to confusion, unable to speak or accept this reality. It was something that should never have happened. It threw her, exposing her to Maria\u2019s full attack.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLady Luminus!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She could hear Gunther\u2019s concerned shouting, but she couldn\u2019t listen. The pain racking her body was the stimulus she needed to keep a cool head. She appreciated it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The rational part of her brain began to consider her options anew. Calming her desires to scream against it all, she faced up to her reality. No matter how much her emotions refused to accept this, her cold analytical skills gave her the facts. The coffin of ice had been stolen, and that was that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In another few moments, Luminus harnessed the anger bubbling up within her to stab right through Maria\u2019s chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou would go this<\/em> far, Granville? You\u2026 You have incurred my full wrath, Gren!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a scream of fury, she unleashed her hidden magic force. In an instant, this unprecedented level of mad tyranny destroyed the <\/a>burial chamber. A swirl of chaotic magical force pooled around her. She had created a dimension of death, one nobody would even dare approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGuntherrrrrrr!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, my lady!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cFind them. Find the invaders!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs you wish!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was no need to say more. Realizing Luminus\u2019s intentions, Gunther quickly sprang into action. As truly angry as she was, not even Gunther could be completely safe here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If we fail, Lubelius itself could fall\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He ran away at full speed, compelled to act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus, left alone, struggled to control her rage. If she made a move right now, her analytical side told her, it would only make things worse. It was natural for her to keep her thoughts separate from her emotions. But even with that, this came as a massive shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This cannot stand. We must keep it safe until the time comes, or else it may spell doom for the entire world. And if even I cannot handle the fallout\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The ark was given to her by a trusted friend. Mishandling it could unleash disaster, so she had kept it sealed and under strict guard. Carefully, she analyzed her situation. Only she could undo the seal on that ark. It was a tremendously powerful barrier, one whose holy force could even burn the body of Luminus, the one who installed it. But now it had been carried off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Who could have done it? Anyone capable of taking it away must be at least as powerful as me\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Someone classified as a demon lord or better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All the chaos Granville sowed in the cathedral must have been just a diversion. Who would he leave this true<\/em> mission to? If Granville was willing to offer himself as bait, he must\u2019ve been sure this person could steal the ark\u2014a bet that certainly paid off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026No. It\u2019s too soon to call this lost. Weakness is a sin. Right now\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Right now, what did Granville want with the coffin? First, she needed to find out. She knew she hadn\u2019t told him anything about <\/a>the ark\u2014it was supposed to be the most closely guarded of secrets. Not even Gunther and Louis knew any details about the girl sealed inside. And here was Granville, using every card at his disposal\u2014he must\u2019ve been absolutely resolved in this mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was almost eerie to Luminus. His drive to succeed today was malicious. He wanted to get this done<\/em>, no matter what the fallout was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll right. First, let\u2019s find out what your true motives are.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that whisper, she turned her eyes toward the cathedral.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

I had gotten my intentions across to Leon. He crossed swords with me, and to the outside observer, it must have looked like a serious sword fight. And it was<\/em>! If I stopped for even a moment, he\u2019d cut me down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wait. Did he really<\/em> understand what I wanted from him?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As far as I could tell, Leon must\u2019ve understood that Granville was behind all this. Now all we\u2019d have to do is this bit of sword sparring for a while, until the time was right, and then we\u2019d be fine. That\u2019s what I thought anyway, but Leon was really giving me no time to rest. He was crazy<\/em> fast. Hinata\u2019s pace with a sword was amazing enough, but Leon sure wasn\u2019t any slouch. Like her, he was a traditionalist with the sword, showing off a beautiful stance. Since my education from Hakuro, I had begun to teach myself a thing or two\u2014I fight with more than just a sword, so I can\u2019t really help it. With Raphael watching over me, I\u2019m pretty sure I\u2019m not doing anything that\u2019d hurt myself, at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But enough about that. We were talking about how sharp his attacks were. I thought he was really out to kill me, but his face had almost no expression on it. It was hard to tell whether he really meant to harm me. I began to grow a little worried about trusting him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understood. There is no problem. Using Predict Future Attack to synchronize our plans.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>That was a relief, then. I would just keep leaving this to Raphael\u2019s auto-battle mode.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But that wasn\u2019t my only concern. For a while now, I\u2019d been detecting rumblings underground. I thought the bedrock might be moving; such was the enormity of the shaking. It\u2019s probably the work of Luminus<\/em>, I thought, a figure who still wasn\u2019t present. We\u2019ve had problems up here; she had problems down there\u2026 This sure wasn\u2019t your run-of-the-mill scandal, no. I was definitely an involved party at this point, and if it was anybody but me, it\u2019d probably become a huge diplomatic fight\u2014not that Luminus would care, but regardless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Shion and Ranga were still struggling against the insectoid Razul. Hinata seemed to be keeping it even with Granville, but I had the impression that Granville hadn\u2019t tapped his full skills yet. If that fight dragged on, I had a feeling Hinata would be at a disadvantage soon. So no, things weren\u2019t really going swimmingly for us. I wasn\u2019t even sure what I should try to wrap up first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But as I analyzed the battle, I suddenly detected a huge burst of magical power from down below. That<\/em> was Luminus, for sure. The cathedral\u2019s flooring flew into the air, opening a circular hole six or so feet in diameter. The blast of heat that shot up from it broke straight through the ceiling, ascending to the heavens. Its power was ridiculous, but I\u2019m sure it was kid stuff to Luminus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt seems you\u2019re serious about antagonizing me, Granville.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus appeared from the hole, carrying a beautiful woman in her arms\u2014and the moment she did, she clearly indicated that she wanted Granville dead. Now things are gonna move<\/em>, I thought. Leon must\u2019ve thought so, too, because his eyes were on Luminus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh\u2026 Well done, Lady Luminus. Not even my servant could halt you, could she? She was a masterpiece of mine, you know. I infused her with the power of only my best handpicked otherworlders.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou fool. Pool together all the fake imitations you want; an unconscious doll could never beat the real thing. You<\/em>, of all people, should know that!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cOh, I do, of course.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville, faced with an enraged Luminus, remained serene. The speed of Hinata\u2019s sword grew sharper against him, but Granville easily parried every strike, as composed as ever. She could steal her opponents\u2019 skills, but apparently that didn\u2019t work on him. Arts, unlike skills, couldn\u2019t be used immediately after taking them. It\u2019s the difference between reading about baseball and winning the World Series; only through continued training could you hone those arts. Granville\u2019s strength was the result of years of that kinda training\u2014and now he was humming along, as stable as the unmoving earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cStrong, isn\u2019t he?\u201d Leon whispered to me. \u201cThey don\u2019t call him a former Hero for nothing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo. He\u2019s a bit better than I thought.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn that case,\u201d Luminus said, ignoring us, \u201cwhat were you doing with this<\/em>?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She laid the woman in her arms down. It looked like she was sleeping, but she wasn\u2019t. She was most definitely dead, a corpse that had been used for servitude. With no soul inside, pumping her with energy was a pointless endeavor. I knew that well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Why do you continue to denigrate Maria, even after her death?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I guess Luminus knew this woman. Maria, huh? Her face resembled Maribel\u2019s a little. Did that mean she was\u2026?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBecause I needed her. Everything was for the sake of this exact moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before the quizzical Luminus, Granville removed the glove on his left hand. The magical patterns on it were glowing, and now Maria\u2019s corpse was glowing with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are you\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Luminus who said it, but everybody there was thinking the same thing. Leon stopped engaging with me, watching over the proceedings. There was no point keeping the act going. I almost forgot why we started in the first place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, before our eyes, something unbelievable happened. Maria\u2019s body turned into a ball of light, flowing straight into Granville\u2019s glowing hand. As it did, his body began pulsating with <\/a>power\u2014visually, not just in terms of magicule energy. This process was revitalizing his body\u2019s cells. His white hair turned a shining blond, his withered skin regaining its youthful luster. There, in front of us all, was Granville Rozzo from his younger days, the Hero of years past, his eyes dead sharp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2026 You took all the Love Energy I gave you and injected it into Maria!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville nodded at Luminus. Love Energy, if I recall correctly, is a type of energy meant to retain one\u2019s youth. So he mixed that with some other powers to rejuvenate himself, and the result is the Granville we\u2019re looking at now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLady Luminus\u2026 Or how about I just call you Luminus? I still need to settle things with you\u2014I realized some time ago that I can\u2019t die until I do. Now that Maribel is dead, my ambitions have been crushed\u2014but still, above all else, this<\/em> is what I desire!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDon\u2019t toy with me!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus and Hinata both responded simultaneously.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The young Granville turned toward Hinata. \u201cAh yes. Hinata, I still need to provide you with my guidance. You are the most talented of all the apprentices I dealt with. You always strove to improve, never afraid to make an effort and polish yourself. I will gladly praise your excellence any day. But\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With that, Granville casually swung his blade. The effects were beyond belief.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMeltslash\u2026?! No! You can control spiritual particles with no casting delay?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata dodged it, which amazed me. But Granville\u2019s ability to handle Overblade skills with such nonchalance was jaw-dropping, completely beyond anyone\u2019s imagination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHinata, I always wondered why you never became a Hero. It takes more than talent and hard work. Unless you have the love of the elemental spirits, you will never qualify to be one. But you had<\/em> that love, and yet\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, sorry. Whether they loved me or not, sometimes things are just beyond your reach, I suppose.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cIf you awakened your Hero side, it would have helped my ambitions immensely. So here\u2019s a word of advice. You hold darkness within your heart, don\u2019t you? Did you kill someone close to you in the past? Your parents, your brother, a friend?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cShut up!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata had retreated to avoid his Meltslash, but now she shot back into position, lunging at Granville. Something about what he said must\u2019ve touched a raw nerve. Anger filled her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The high-pitched ring of sword against sword filled the air. Granville remained steadfast\u2026as Hinata was helplessly blown away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNgh\u2026!!\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was just too much of a difference. Seeing Hinata treated like a child made me doubt my eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou never accepted the elemental of light. You have to overcome this. The darkness is just an illusion your heart creates for itself. You must forgive your past self and take pride in the present\u2014the way you live. Then you will accept the light\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI told you, shut up<\/em>!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville\u2019s cold eyes sized up the enraged Hinata.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s a pity, Hinata. If I had more time, I could have guided you. But if you can\u2019t understand me, then it\u2019s best for you to face the truth. How will you ever save the world if you can\u2019t even protect what you hold dear?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My instincts told me this was bad. With this conversation, everyone\u2019s eyes were now focused on Hinata. What if Granville wanted that? And what he wanted\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Report. According to Predict Future Attack, his goal is\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

His sword swung down in a slash. It was Disintegration, and there was no way to stop it. It was more of a stabbing move than a slash\u2014call it Meltstrike if you want. It came down at close to light speed, and no doubt it\u2019d gouge its way into its target. So I ran as fast as I could toward them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to my calculations, not even me at full speed would reach them in time. But if I could use Belzebuth to consume <\/a>it\u2014and the air around it\u2026 Even if I couldn\u2019t capture these spiritual particles moving at light speed, I knew they were targeted toward Chloe, so I could get ahead of them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChloe!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time I finished shouting, everything was over.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hinata was the first to move. Without a moment\u2019s hesitation, she stepped between Chloe and Granville\u2019s line of fire. Sacrificing her own body, she took the Meltstrike blow to her chest. It stabbed right through her, and she collapsed to the ground coughing up blood\u2014but all it did was lower the speed of that beam of light a little, as it extended toward Chloe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The next person to move after Hinata, surprisingly enough, was Venom. Just like Hinata, he tried to sacrifice himself to protect Chloe\u2014he must\u2019ve been awfully faithful to Diablo\u2019s orders, because he had kept himself focused on protecting the kids over everything else. That\u2019s why he was in time for that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGah! \u2026Oh man, owww<\/em>!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was a large hole in his stomach, but he seemed pretty chill about it. That\u2019s a demon for you. As long as your soul\u2019s safe, any damage to your body was apparently just window dressing. If Granville was aiming for him, it might be a different story, but for now, he could tend to himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then, thanks to the minuscule amount of time Hinata and Venom brought for me, I made it over. Consuming the air in front of Chloe, I all but instantly teleported in time. Now I just needed to activate Uriel\u2019s Absolute Defense to protect Chloe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHuh? Mr. Tempest? Miss Hinata\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No offense meant to Venom, of course, but Chloe was focused solely on Hinata. That was understandable. I was worried for her, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus ran up to Hinata, gauging her wound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiss Hinata! Miss Hinata, don\u2019t die!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChloe! Hey!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Before I could stop her, Chloe started running. The other kids were taking her cue, so I hurriedly used Paralyzing Breath to knock <\/a>them out. Giving Venom some healing potion, I tasked him with protecting them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCh\u2026 Chloe?! Is that really Chloe\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon was acting incredibly suspicious, but that\u2019d have to wait. Chasing after Chloe, I ran up to Hinata, keeping a careful eye on Granville as I sized her up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Whoa, look out.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, Luminus\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSilence! The spirit particles are eating into her fast! Too fast!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her physical wounds were now healed, but Hinata was growing weaker by the moment. The Meltstrike particles were destroying her spiritual body, and in time, they\u2019d start whittling down her astral body as well. And at that point, not even Hinata could\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Just then, Hinata barely opened her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cG-good! Good, Hinata. You gotta stay awake for me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cN-no, Lady Luminus, I\u2026 Hurk!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Oh man. HInata was in serious trouble. But not even Luminus, much more versed in holy magic than I was, could rescue Hinata from the brink of death. That\u2019s how fearsome Granville\u2019s strike was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cCh-Chloe, I\u2019m glad you\u2019re safe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even with blood flowing from her mouth, Hinata tried her hardest to sit up. Her will was like steel. I\u2019m sure she couldn\u2019t see any longer, but her lips were still taking the form of a smile. She turned toward Chloe and raised a shaky right hand, the one holding her Moonlight sword and bearing the Holy Spirit Armor bracelet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Chloe, I want you to have this. I\u2026 I couldn\u2019t be much of an\u2026instructor to you, but I know\u2026you can surpass me\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her voice was hoarse, but it was clearly coming through to the sobbing Chloe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMiss Hinata\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chloe\u2019s hand gingerly touched Hinata\u2019s\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2014and the next moment, Hinata\u2019s body began to glow, the light seemingly flowing into Chloe through her fingers. Was I seeing this right? Because not even Luminus was reacting at all. It was like time was stopping\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cN-no!\u201d Chloe screamed. \u201cThis can\u2019t be happening! It\u2019s too early<\/em>! Why?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cUh, Chloe?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The moment I tried calling for Chloe\u2026she vanished, almost like she was never there at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026I snapped back to attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What was that<\/em>?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cChloe? Where\u2019s Chloe? Rimuru\u2026 What did you do to Chloe?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2014I have no idea what just happened\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon had me by the shoulders now, demanding an explanation, but I was clueless. Seriously, where did<\/em> Chloe go? Did she really just disappear?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But at least Leon seemed to believe me. He looked around the area, panicked, and even I couldn\u2019t hide my confusion. I had absolutely no clue what was going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026Unknown. This is an abnormal situation. Failed to grasp the full extent of what happened to the subject Chloe Aubert.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And surprisingly enough, Raphael\u2014whom I could usually rely on for well-nigh everything\u2014didn\u2019t have any idea, either. But right now, I had no time to just stand there and ponder this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

The disappearance of young Chloe was not a concern to Luminus. Her own friend was more important to her right now. Her Resurrection spell had deployed itself, but it feebly dissipated into the air, much to her shock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhy?! Barely any time has passed since her death! Why\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026But Luminus could \u201csee\u201d it. Even with Hinata\u2019s body back in perfect condition, her insides\u2014her soul, the most important thing of all\u2014was lost.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHinata, forgive me. I was here for you, and still you had to endure this\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>A single tear fell from her eye. It was greeted by a boorish voice interrupting her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI wish you wouldn\u2019t wail like that. This, too, is exactly as I aimed for. My final plan is going quite smoothly, Luminus!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only Granville was smiling at this sequence of events. It greatly irritated Luminus. Now she wasn\u2019t even allowed time to mourn Hinata\u2019s death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou will pay for this. You will<\/em>. I will tear you apart!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The scream was as loud as it was furious. Her face was reddened with intense rage\u2014the rage she felt by having Hinata, her favorite, taken before her eyes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her mind was filled with despair at how powerless she was, incapable of doing anything. It stirred her demon-lord heart in ways that couldn\u2019t even compare with when Veldora laid waste to her kingdom long ago. The emotions stimulated her mind, like ripples on the surface of a cup filled to the brim with water\u2014and the trembling force on her previously suppressed emotions caused a change inside her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The World Language echoed, like a bell calling Luminus to the loftiest of heights, like none that even her almost limitless abilities had taken her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Confirmed. Conditions met. The unique skill Lust has evolved into the ultimate skill Asmodeus, Ruler of Lust.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

At that moment, the massive power within Luminus evolved into even more intense, vicious heights\u2014into the realms of the ruler of the skies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asmodeus, the evolved skill she just gained, held sway over life and death itself. The powerlessness she felt at Hinata\u2019s death was exactly what awakened Luminus to it. But she did not react. Now, her instincts told her, even this ability would be meaningless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter any longer! It\u2019s too late\u2026 I was useless right when it counted, and it doesn\u2019t matter<\/em> to me anymore\u2026!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

All but ignoring the World Language, Luminus continued to seethe with rage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you wanted to settle matters?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, Luminus. You\u2019ve evolved, haven\u2019t you? I hadn\u2019t anticipated that, but it\u2019s a fine thing to see.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her blue-and-red heterochromatic eyes blazed as they stared straight at Granville, full of hated. Suddenly, the disappeared girl flashed into her mind\u2014but she banished any sentiment from it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis wasn\u2019t what I<\/em> heard would happen\u2026but that no longer matters. Prepare to face the afterlife, Granville!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And so open battle began between Luminus and Granville\u2014the culmination of a rivalry that had lasted over a thousand years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

All I could do was watch as Luminus treated Hinata\u2019s mortal wounds. The Resurrection spell was administered perfectly\u2026but had no effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I couldn\u2019t believe it. As long as the soul was intact, Resurrection should also work, restoring the spiritual and\/or astral bodies as needed. So what went wrong?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Understood. The soul of the subject Hinata Sakaguchi appears to have vanished. It is impossible to restore lost data particles by any method.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Her soul\u2019s\u2026gone?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No, I knew it. That was the second time Hinata fell, so I could tell the difference all too well, and I was sure Luminus did, too. But a soul would normally never fade out of existence this quickly. I supposed we were holding out hope that we had just lost sight of her soul by some mistake, but that was a fruitless dream.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn\u2019t think Luminus would be this<\/em> thrown by it, though. She and Hinata must\u2019ve been closer than I knew. And this was my<\/em> business, too. I started to think about why this was happening, which made it hard to collect my thoughts. Now wasn\u2019t the time for regrets.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThis wasn\u2019t what I<\/em> heard would happen\u2026but that no longer matters. Prepare to face the afterlife, Granville!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Luminus\u2019s scream, I realized just how out of it I was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Spacing out in battle\u2026 What was wrong with me? That\u2019s just asking to be killed. I had to save my sadness for later and do everything I could here. Luminus\u2019s words seemed odd to me, but I could think about what she meant later. I had calm down. Things hadn\u2019t been settled yet. If I lost my temper and got defeated, then Hinata\u2019s death\u2014and the efforts of everyone else\u2014would have been wasted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was a pretty forced effort, but I successfully managed to move on. If Luminus\u2019s scream had come any later, things probably would\u2019ve gotten even worse\u2014because the next instant, the whole cathedral was engulfed in a massive explosion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The light and shock wave from the blast burst out from the entrance to the middle of the site. Its speed was intense but still yawn inducing compared with the speed of light. Keeping my mind cool, I stepped up to protect the children and musicians. I turned an eye toward Shion and the others out of concern, but Diablo\u2014who had returned at some point\u2014had put up a protective barrier for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 Sorry I\u2019m late.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m just glad you made it!\u201d I said, thanking Diablo. However, the real surprise was Shion. Ranga had noticed both the explosion and Diablo, but Shion still seemed to be entirely focused on the enemy in front of her. Her expression was terrifying, her face flush, as if intoxicated by the blood around her. It was oddly kind of alluring albeit definitely improper for a battlefield\u2026but ah well. Despite being on the defense before, it looked like she was holding her own, which was good. I think I\u2019ll leave Razul to Shion and Ranga for now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I examined the cause of the explosion. The first thing that struck me was a gigantic aura\u2014an evil presence, one that felt like your spine was freezing solid. This was more than just a bad feeling. It was an intense pressure, like the sky was falling down on you\u2014although didn\u2019t it feel a bit like the high-level elemental spirit that fused with Chloe? It resembled that but seemed a little different as well. The <\/a>sheer size of this presence reminded me of what I felt with Chloe back then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Report. The object is a material body. Unusual amount of existential energy detected. Its maximum level is equivalent to that of the subject Veldora.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great. We\u2019ve got a monster here! At least Raphael could measure it this time, although that didn\u2019t calm my nerves much. If this was operating on sheer instinct like the Chaos Dragon, I could deal with that\u2026but if it was sentient, I was screwed. Especially if it actually had battle experience\u2014just imagining that scared me. I\u2019d lose without a fight then. We\u2019re talking energy several times my own\u2026and either way, I had a feeling I\u2019d have to deal with it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would this be enough to be considered dire straits by this point?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Then the smoke cleared, revealing an incredibly beautiful woman, naked as the day she was born. She stood there, eyes closed, her lustrous dark hair fluttering as she shone in a silvery light. It was like something out of a fantasy, and I was immediately smitten.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

But now wasn\u2019t the time to stop and stare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you the one who took my ark?! And you\u2019ve even undone my spiritual seal and awoken Chronoa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus was now shouting at a much more familiar figure who just entered the scene. It was Yuuki. So he\u2019s in on this, too? Part of me still wanted to believe in him, but I guess Raphael was right after all\u2014and given the choice, I was always going to trust Raphael first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I thus felt no surprise at all as I turned my icy gaze to Yuuki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re involved in this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOof, guess you know, huh? But that works, too, so\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He spoke entirely off the cuff, not being shy at all. I was dealing with the real<\/em> Yuuki right now, no doubt, but he\u2019s a lot more shameless than I thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Behind him were two unfamiliar people wearing masks\u2014an asymmetrical one leering at me and the other one looking angry. I <\/a>assumed those were Laplace and Footman from the Moderate Jesters, and although I had a hunch about it before, I guess they really were<\/em> linked with Yuuki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re Luminus? My name\u2019s Yuuki Kagurazaka. It\u2019s an honor to meet you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSilence! How did you undo the seal?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell, about that\u2014I\u2019ve got this really unique thing called Anti-Skill that lets me cancel any type of magic or special skill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026I see. Rather daring of you to reveal that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Luminus shot Yuuki a look full of loathing, although her senses were still firmly attuned on Granville. They were in a dead heat, and neither of them could afford any false moves. Granville himself was also eyeing the dark-haired girl, even as he dealt with Luminus\u2019s attacks and fired back with his own. Duels between two experts like this went far beyond the realm of mere \u201cskill.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYeah, well, Rimuru already knows, so there\u2019s no point hiding it. But I want to ask you something, too\u2014well, not you<\/em>, but Granville over there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh\u2026 I can guess what it is, but go ahead.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yuuki sounded casual, but his eyes were surveying the area around him, never resting. As long as Leon and I had freedom of movement, he knew he couldn\u2019t escape too easily\u2026assuming he planned to, that is, but I\u2019m sure he did. I really had no idea why he was even showing up at this point; something told me he didn\u2019t anticipate this turn of events. With as many question marks as there were, moving around would be dangerous. I\u2019d have to figure out from Yuuki and Granville\u2019s conversation just what kind of situation we had fallen into.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo about the Hero I heard was sealed inside that ark\u2026 I mean, \u2018controlling\u2019 her turned out to be super-easy. The seal just came right off! What\u2019s the deal with that, Granville?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hero? That girl\u2019s a Hero?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was making even less sense now. Why would a demon lord keep a Hero sealed away? And given how much Luminus seemed to care for her, this wasn\u2019t any kind of normal sealing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou are right! Because this is both a Hero\u2026and not<\/em> a Hero. <\/a>Right now, that child is a personification of evil, by the name of Chronoa\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It was Luminus who answered Yuuki, her voice filled with intense rage and a surprising fretfulness. Calling this girl Chronoa a \u201cpersonification of evil<\/em>\u201d sounded pretty foreboding to me\u2014she must\u2019ve been something really dangerous.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHeh-heh-heh\u2026 You did very well, Yuuki. Not even I could dismantle the elemental seal on that ark. That\u2019s why I took advantage of you. Now that she\u2019s released, nobody could ever defeat her. Attention, demon lords! Attention, servants of evil! All of you will die here today!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Granville erupted into laughter as he shouted. Awfully kind of him. Revealing everything without prompting like this sure helps me a lot\u2026not that it makes this situation any better.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWow. Guess I lost this game of wits, huh? You sure got me good\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yuuki sounded surly about it. Sooner or later, though, this stalemate had to end. And now, with a relaxed motion, the dark-haired Chronoa started moving. With a light shake of her head, her eyes opened\u2014and that was the signal for the free-for-all to begin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

I could ask Luminus what she knew later. For now, I had to survive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDiablo, handle this area for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Yes, my lord!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It looked like he wanted to say something for a moment, but he meekly agreed, perhaps sensing the atmosphere. He probably wanted to fight, I think, but now wasn\u2019t the time for a back-and-forth conversation. I wasn\u2019t going to change my mind, and I\u2019m sure he knew that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So that just left one question: What would I do now? Luminus and Granville were at a stalemate. Shion and Ranga were fighting hard against Razul. Yuuki\u2019s group was trying to escape, and while I didn\u2019t plan to let them, they were much less dangerous than Chronoa. I couldn\u2019t just leave them be, though, which posed a difficult <\/a>issue. They might stab me in the back\u2014and forget<\/em> about us fighting together here. Leon, meanwhile, had been acting like he was in his own little world for the past while\u2014I honestly couldn\u2019t put much trust in him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thus, I had few allies and lots of enemies. It was a disastrous situation, way too difficult to handle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chronoa\u2019s eyes were open. She looked naked to me before, but now I realized she had a single bracelet around one wrist. It was glowing, emitting black particles that wrapped around her body\u2014a system something like Hinata\u2019s Holy Spirit Armor. Her<\/em> armor, however, was pure black and much sturdier than what Hinata wore.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next, Chronoa summoned a single sword, a beautiful rapier not unlike Hinata\u2019s Moonlight, albeit with a jet-black blade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Report. Although its shape is identical, its latent statistics are incomparably higher.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

That sword and armor were both apparently way better than Legend class. Her sword was as strong as mine, or maybe stronger, which meant it was God class. I guess I could no longer be optimistic. It\u2019s wasn\u2019t just a matter of knowledge\u2014she may have even had me beaten in skill, and I had a feeling her weapon could penetrate all my defenses. This was seriously becoming a do-or-die situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Report. The hostile subject Chronoa is\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I<\/em> know, okay?!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

I didn\u2019t need Raphael\u2019s analysis to understand how scary this girl was.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following my instincts, I deployed Absolute Defense and commenced evasive maneuvers. Immediately after I began, a dark beam of light smashed through where I was just standing. It continued in a straight line, demolishing all obstacles it hit along the way. It was only stopped after breaking through a cathedral wall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was beyond crazy. If I was one step slower, I would\u2019ve taken <\/a>that head-on. Would I have withstood it? It all would\u2019ve come down to luck.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Negative. Even with Absolute Defense from the ultimate skill Uriel, spiritual particles can still make their way through. It is only through predicting their movements and making the particles interfere with one another that they can be canceled out. The hostile enemy\u2019s attack variation is greater than originally pictured, and prediction is therefore difficult. To sum up\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2026You can\u2019t defend it, right?<\/em> Okay, then. \u201cAbsolute\u201d Defense, my ass. But now was no time for whining. I\u2019d have to thank my own quick-wittedness for dodging that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And Chronoa was aiming her attacks at more than just me. Her next strike headed straight for Yuuki. He couldn\u2019t quite dodge it, suffering a slight cut on his cheek. It wouldn\u2019t be nice to cheer for that, but hopefully nobody minded if I let out a bemused giggle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Still, Chronoa\u2019s attacks were astounding. Even Yuuki\u2019s Anti-Skill was helpless against attacks purely physical in nature. I suppose I had Cancel Melee Attack, but Yuuki enjoyed nothing that convenient. He had powered up his whole body, but he was still merely human. I had thought of Anti-Skill as a major threat, but maybe there were a lot of holes to it after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I had the time to ponder this while other people were fighting. Better come up with some kind of strategy before I\u2019m aimed at again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Suggestion. Deploy Summon Storm Dragon, part of the ultimate skill Veldora, Lord of the Storm?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yes<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

No<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hey, that<\/em> sounds nice!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I hated to use one of my most secret moves in front of such a big crowd, but it\u2019d be even worse if I kept it hidden and fell into a hole I couldn\u2019t get out of. If I lost someone like Hinata, it\u2019d be too late <\/a>after that. Luminus\u2019s relationship with Veldora gave me some concern, but now was no time to hesitate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So I leaped at Raphael\u2019s suggestion. I had been practicing in secret, so it felt natural now. Opening a soul corridor to Veldora, I called for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Mm? Rimuru? Well! I hope you are happy with yourself, going on a nice field trip without me.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Great. He was dolefully pouting at me. And this wasn\u2019t<\/em> a field trip. I wish he wouldn\u2019t lodge these accusations at me, but I didn\u2019t have the time to argue. At times like these, you had to speak your mind.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Veldora, please<\/em>, I need your help. Lend me your powers!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a soul corridor, you could communicate your emotions more directly than with Thought Communication. Normally, you wouldn\u2019t use a corridor for conversation, since any lies could immediately be spotted out, but if you really<\/em> wanted to bare your soul, this was the best way. Thanks to that, I could tell Veldora seemed surprised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Oh-ho? You need my power? Well then, you will find few companions as trustworthy as I. I can certainly understand why you rely on me so!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Crap, did I egg him on too much? No, I\u2019d be okay. Veldora was bound to step up for me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(I\u2019m short on time. Can I call for you?)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Pfft.<\/em> A silly question. If you ask me so nicely, I could only respond in kind! Please go ahead. I will exercise the full extent of my force!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veldora turned out to be just as trustworthy as I hoped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consent acquired. Launching Summon Storm Dragon.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

And in just a scant few moments, a gale-force wind blew over the cathedral\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

Leon was struck dumb.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Was I too late\u2026?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>The girl called Chloe was without a doubt the childhood friend he had been searching for, an effort he spent hundreds of years on. He had even dirtied his hands with certain forbidden methods in the attempt\u2026and now she was here. She was here\u2026but that little girl was gone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, Leon thought that Rimuru had done something\u2014but he quickly dispelled the thought. As he saw it, the only conclusion to make was that something truly unexpected and mysterious had happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

No\u2026 I can\u2019t give up on this yet. Just now, I met her. There\u2019s going to be another chance, I\u2019m sure of it!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

He decided to cling to that thought, persuading himself it was so. It helped him regain control, but by that time, things had suddenly begun to unfold quickly. A new enemy appeared, demonstrating unstoppable force. Her identity was unknown, but he could tell she had Rimuru playing defense. And Leon was no impartial observer; there was no guarantee he wouldn\u2019t be targeted next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Next Yuuki was attacked, dodging the strike with everything he had. Seeing that promptly made Leon realize that he was standing in a battlefield\u2014but that realization came a little too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

People knocked out of battle were already strewn near the cathedral wall. Leon had no way of knowing, but Rimuru had deposited them there so they wouldn\u2019t get caught in combat. They were still alive but completely unconscious, so Leon wasn\u2019t particularly wary of them. In normal times, he\u2019d never make an error like that, but the shock of seeing this girl he pursued for so long suddenly disappear had made him lose his composure. Put it all together, and he had let his guard down\u2014and that\u2019s why, for that one moment, he reacted too slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A small blast of magic shot out from near the cathedral wall. It didn\u2019t look very lethal as it made its way toward Chronoa, who was currently preparing another attack on Yuuki. It certainly wouldn\u2019t damage her, but the blast did exactly what its creator intended.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Chronoa turned around, her eyes settling on Leon.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTch\u2026<\/em> Trying to push her on me?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>Despite his reluctance, Leon had to cast off all the niggling concerns in his mind. If he took his eyes off Chronoa, he\u2019d be dead the next instant. Unless he seriously fought this out, even a demon lord like him would have a disadvantage\u2014and even with a full effort, there may be no way for him to win this. That was how strong a threat Chronoa had become\u2014and with the way things were, Leon could no longer distract himself with other issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

One side of the battle was cheering at this. It was Yuuki\u2019s group.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNice job, Teare!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat a great idea. I didn\u2019t think she\u2019d help out like that, but now I\u2019m glad I took out that insurance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This move on Teare\u2019s part was originally meant to antagonize Rimuru against Leon, but the opportunity never arose, so Teare kept playing possum. Her perseverance was rewarded at the perfect time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHoh-hoh-hoh! Now we can get out of here once Teare makes it back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Being targeted by Chronoa made Yuuki sweat bullets, but now he was his usual composed self, kicking back as he observed the fight between her and Leon. Thus, he could easily see Teare clambering her way from the cathedral wall. He headed off to rescue her before Laplace finished up their preparations to retreat\u2014and by the time he was back with her, Laplace\u2019s spell was complete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll set, Boss. Let\u2019s blow this joint.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI hear you,\u201d Yuuki replied with a nod. \u201cI think Rimuru\u2019s up to something, so it\u2019ll be dangerous to stay put. We better get out of here fast.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

He raised his hand up high, knocking out the magical barrier that covered the whole of Lubelius.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHoh-hoh-hoh! Nice one, Boss.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhenever I see it in action, your skill seems like such a cheat\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHey, if it lets us scram in a hurry, I\u2019m all for it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As Laplace implied, escaping the center of this city with magical means would normally be impossible. Thanks to Yuuki\u2019s power, though, they could modify anything and everything to their liking. <\/a>It was<\/em> a cheat, as Teare put it, but if it got them out of here alive, nobody was going to complain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI dunno who\u2019s going to survive this, but whoever it is, I\u2019m sure we\u2019re gonna be enemies next time we meet. Anyway\u2014good luck, guys!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With those final words, Yuuki and his team left the battlefield.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n

I could see Yuuki and his cohorts escape. I resented that. Making good on their retreat, with all these threats left for me to deal with\u2014but when I thought about it, this actually worked well. Someone like them, who could be either friend or foe\u2014well, definitely foe right now\u2014but teaming up with someone like that, I had no idea when they\u2019d decide to betray me. It might\u2019ve even become two on one against me, so having just one enemy to deal with now definitely boosted my chances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Western Holy Church held a great deal of influence among the Western Nations. If I made a public statement, and it received Luminus\u2019s agreement, Yuuki would pretty much lose all standing in the West. Besides, the Free Guild was backed by the Council, and the boss of the Council was currently in active warfare against Luminus. If we won today, Yuuki was no longer a threat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Convincing myself that his escape wasn\u2019t worth feeling down about, I sized up the enemy in front of me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRimuru, is that not\u2026the Hero who sealed me away?\u201d Veldora asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSeems to be.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, I see. She is not masked, but the area around her lips is identical. I see my eyes do not deceive me. Beautiful, is she not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Veldora\u2019s speech accelerated as he bragged about her. Now really wasn\u2019t the time for this. I wondered if a True Dragon even knew how to assess human beauty. It certainly lent more credence to the theory that Veldora lost after falling for her good looks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI agree with you, but right now she\u2019s our enemy. Luminus sealed her away, I guess, but she\u2019s out of anyone\u2019s control right now. I think <\/a>she was meant to be insurance against you, so do something about this!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHow rude of you. Why are you ordering someone as irreproachable as me to \u2018do something<\/em>?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who do you think you\u2019re talking about here, man\u2026? I almost had to applaud his audacity. But I didn\u2019t have the time to put up with his nonsense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cEnough jokes. Just take her on and buy me some time!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKwaaaah-ha-ha-ha! Absolutely! We have a score to settle, besides. I was just thinking about how I wanted a rematch. It is all right if I defeat her, I assume?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wow! My hero!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although, whenever anyone says that in a show or video game, they\u2019re basically doomed to lose afterward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, of course! Have at it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cLeave it all to me. I was defeated last time because I was in my dragon form. Now is a good chance to show you how I\u2019ve grown.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m glad he\u2019s so confident, but hasn\u2019t he actually gotten weaker<\/em> since then? I don\u2019t really see the logic behind being stronger as a human instead of a dragon\u2026but I didn\u2019t want to rain on his parade when he was so enthusiastic, so I sent him off with a smile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Not like losing would kill him\u2014that much I could be assured of.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you all right, Leon?\u201d I asked, turning toward him. Chronoa was still looking right at us, so I kept an eye on her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes, somehow. Don\u2019t leave yourself open. She\u2019s stronger than you can imagine.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I decided to heal Leon a little. His sword was already cut in half, and he was thoroughly battered and bruised. I was impressed he held out this long. Thanks to his efforts, I had enough time to successfully summon Veldora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI realized that the moment I saw her. You saw how wary Luminus was. I\u2019m not expecting this to be an easy win.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That was why I broke out Veldora, one of my last resorts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAnd so you called for Veldora? I won\u2019t ask how you did that, <\/a>but having you as an ally is certainly reassuring. But even a True Dragon will have his work cut out for him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

That I knew as well. Chronoa, after all, was the very person who sealed him away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you hurt?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cNo, I\u2019m fine. I used an excessive amount of magic force to keep my sword intact, but this is nothing fatal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, he couldn\u2019t save his sword in the end. And as unconcerned as he looked, I was detecting a lot of fake stoicism. I didn\u2019t have the excess capacity to protect Leon, so maybe this was the right thing to do after all? Good thing I kept my summoning to Veldora only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There was actually one other person among us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you all right, Sir Leon? It is good to see you again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was Charys. My summoning hadn\u2019t gone perfectly after all, because Veldora insisted on bringing Charys along with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAre you\u2026Ifrit?\u201d Leon asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYes. I have now received the name Charys and am in the service of Sir Veldora.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh. Well, glad to see you in good health.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2026was unable to read your true intentions. Thus, I failed to reach an understanding with Shizue Izawa. Receiving Sir Veldora\u2019s guidance has helped me realize just how foolish I was.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201c\u2026Has it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Leon nodded, although I wasn\u2019t wholly sure he was paying attention. He seemed to be brushing Charys off, but I didn\u2019t want to call him out on it. They both had similarly serious personalities, to be sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRimuru,\u201d Leon said, \u201cplease buy me some time. I have a trump card of my own to reveal.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I considered the chance he\u2019d try to run, but even with what little time we had spent together, he didn\u2019t strike me as that kind of guy. Let\u2019s trust in him, then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll right. I\u2019ll go support Veldora. Charys, defend this area until Leon\u2019s ready.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/a>\u201cYes, my lord!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThanks. I appreciate it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We were all set to go. Leon promptly got to work on\u2026something, with Charys protecting him\u2014the old master-and-servant team reunited. Me, I went back to the battlefield. It was time to kick off the final fight.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

UPHEAVAL IN THE WEST The demon lord Leon was in an audience with someone he had trouble dealing with\u2014a woman with long silvery hair and uniquely long ears. She was sunk deep into an ornate chair, like a dazzling portrait come to life. It was Elmesia El-Ru Thalion, emperor of the land of Thalion, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[10],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3498","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-rimuru"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3498","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3498"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3498\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3499,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3498\/revisions\/3499"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3498"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3498"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3498"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}