{"id":3513,"date":"2025-10-06T17:45:29","date_gmt":"2025-10-06T17:45:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/?p=3513"},"modified":"2025-10-06T17:46:33","modified_gmt":"2025-10-06T17:46:33","slug":"v11c4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/?p=3513","title":{"rendered":"v11c4"},"content":{"rendered":"\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

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yeah. I mean, I could use it, so\u2026 (Although, admittedly, that was just Raphael doing its usual Analyze and Assess job on it.) Still, to completely leverage Meltslash, you needed full, intimate knowledge of how Disintegration worked. If there was a handful of people wielding that now, I guess the human race was a lot more capable than […]<\/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-3513","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\/3513","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=3513"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3513\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3515,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3513\/revisions\/3515"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3513"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3513"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/novel.mdtaal-aminii.my.id\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3513"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}