Diablo, Shion, and Carrera (who had just flown in through the doorway) were all making a huge fuss about going out there to fight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cYou three\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Even Benimaru was taken aback. Geld was laughing about it, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAll right, all right. I\u2019ll stay here, so you guys can handle the final battle for us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the end, Benimaru agreed to let Diablo and the others go to war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n
With that question settled, now we needed a workable strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cLet\u2019s take a look at our numbers. Our main force is my Red Numbers, totaling thirty thousand, along with seventeen thousand elites from Geld\u2019s Yellow Numbers and Orange Numbers. In terms of quality, they\u2019re probably all on par with the remaining imperial troops, and I\u2019m connected via Thought Communication with their commanders and captains. They\u2019ll be able to take flexible tactical action out there, so if we restrict their zone of activity, that should let us fight evenly with them or better. How many people are among your \u2018treasured troops,\u2019 then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So forty-seven thousand in all? And they averaged a B-plus in rank, which was more than sufficient. But they\u2019d be going up against an Empire force almost four times as large. No matter how much of an operational advantage we had, defeat seemed pretty likely to me\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cTen thousand. And by the way, only those who kept up with my training remain on the team, so you can treat all of them as ranking at least a B-plus.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This was Shion\u2019s elite guard\u2014or her fan club, as we usually called it. It was something of an enigma, an entity set apart from Team Reborn that was captained by Daggrull\u2019s sons. Apparently, it was bigger than I thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a>\u201cThere\u2019s really that many of them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Like, man<\/em>, it sure grew while I wasn\u2019t paying attention. I knew that Gobzo was a member, but I could only imagine what kind of other clowns were in there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThere are, Sir Rimuru! I\u2019ve been secretly training them to serve as a worthy elite guard for you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hmm\u2026 They\u2019re your<\/em> fan club, aren\u2019t they? Not mine. But whatever. The more reliable allies we had, the merrier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut even this leaves us at a dire numerical disadvantage, so I\u2019ll be expecting a lot out of all my close officers here. First, we should confuse them with a large-scale skill, then strike them when they\u2019re open. They won\u2019t just sit back and watch, of course. Assuming they advance upon us, the first question is who should tackle them first\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually, Benimaru would have been taking that role, as far as I knew. A wide-ranging attack like Hellflare would be perfect for the job, but unfortunately, Benimaru had to stay here and guard me. So who else, then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIsn\u2019t this where I come in, my lord?\u201d Carrera asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hmm. Yeah. She did<\/em> seem qualified. I glanced at Benimaru. Our eyes met, he gave me a small nod, and with that, I decided to give Carrera her wish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh-heh! I think I can\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight, Carrera, it\u2019s up to you. Use some of that flashy magic of yours to teach the imperial force a lesson they\u2019ll never forget!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAbsolutely, my lord! You can count on me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, was Diablo about to say something?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry, Diablo, what were you saying?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cN-no\u2026 Keh\u2026heh-heh\u2026 Keh-heh\u2026 It was nothing of importance. But good for you, Carrera.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOooh, I\u2019m sooo<\/em> happy!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I could almost see the sparks flying between Diablo and Carrera. Was he about to nominate himself or something? If so, then my apologies\u2014but did Diablo have that kind of large-scale magic at his fingertips? Surely he had to. I guess being around me all the time like this was driving him to show off as much as possible. Now I felt just a little bad for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>Hopping out of my chair, I transformed from slime to human form and stood before Diablo. Placing a hand on his shoulder, I tried to sound as persuasive as I could.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry about that, Diablo. You know, I was actually hoping you might volunteer to kill off the enemy commander for me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diablo\u2019s lips curled into a grin. He looked happy\u2014really<\/em> happy. Great, then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLike, there still might be unknown menaces in their army, right? It looks like the Krishna guy from before managed to resurrect himself, for example, but it oughtta be easy for you to trace him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given his stalker-ish behavior from time to time, I bet Diablo was good at that kind of thing. \u201cOf course, Sir Rimuru!\u201d he replied happily. Aha. I knew it all along.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, it is still possible that powerful fighters lurk within the Empire. If we want them to come out of the woodwork, we\u2019ll need to show off our full powers right here, on this battlefield. Carrera, Diablo, I\u2019m counting on you!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI swear I\u2019ll do my best, my lord!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 A direct edict from you, Sir Rimuru, makes my heart soar with excitement!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, super. Carrera was glad to be playing a part, and now Diablo was all motivated again. That oughtta make it easier for Geld and the rest to do their jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow, make sure you keep the other troops intimidated enough so nobody interferes with Carrera\u2019s magic. If someone does<\/em> try to mess with her, Shion, have your troops deal with them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Benimaru, taking over for me, began rattling off his orders. I was sure I could safely leave the rest to him now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs for the formation, I\u2019d like Geld up front and Shion using hit-and-run tactics, as we discussed. We\u2019ll count on the Red Numbers to provide pursuit duty, but as for who\u2019ll be in charge\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n They needed someone who could connect via Thought Communication to Benimaru and immediately execute his will as needed. Thought Communication could also be used to relay orders to every ally on the field, but any mistaken action out there could end our <\/a>life. A commander who could make little corrections as needed was absolutely vital. I think Gobwa could handle that job nimbly enough, but maybe him giving orders to Shion and Geld was asking a bit much?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI think that Gob\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOne moment!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The door to the Control Center burst open, interrupting Benimaru. There we saw Momiji, representative of the chief of the tengu. She was also Hakuro\u2019s daughter, so she was pretty close with everyone in the room. But giving her such easy access to the Control Center, after we tightened up security so much\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUm, Lady Shuna was gracious enough to let me in.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Aha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shuna had been handling lots of small details for us this whole time, bringing us meals and preparing tea, and I guess Momiji had been helping her out. Fair enough, then. Let\u2019s hear her out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs Benimaru\u2019s wife, I think it is time for me step up and take his position on the field!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat are you\u2026?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n We couldn\u2019t just have anyone<\/em> take Benimaru\u2019s place here\u2026but Momiji would be fine, wouldn\u2019t she? She had the power, for sure, and her temperament was such that she wouldn\u2019t let Shion or Geld give her cold feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, why not?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I opted to accept the offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIndeed, I would gladly welcome Lady Momiji as a worthy ally!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shion didn\u2019t seem to mind, either. She knew that Momiji was Hakuro\u2019s daughter, so she must have been treating her with a soft touch.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m for it as well. The Red Numbers are a meritocracy of worthy magic-born. Instead of Team Kurenai going it alone, I would much rather ask for help from our tengu friend.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Geld was on board, too, and nobody else seemed to be voicing any disagreement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, unless there are any concerns, you mind if I let your fianc\u00e9e take this job, Benimaru?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cN-no, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>Oh, is he against it? Yeah, maybe he doesn\u2019t want his future wife out fighting in wars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, worried for your wife?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, yes\u2026 Wait, no!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Darn. I almost got him to admit it. But he wasn\u2019t off the hook yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBenimaru!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a loud bang, the door flew open to reveal Shuna, standing up straight and admonishing her brother.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLady Momiji has been preparing your meals for the past few days, I\u2019ll have you know! All she wanted was for you to have a good meal, so she asked me to teach her how to cook. That\u2019s such a gallant thing to do, and I don\u2019t want that to go to waste!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShe\u2026 She has?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Momiji nodded. I had actually noticed this. Compared to Shuna, the meal quality wasn\u2019t quite<\/em> up to the usual standard. That\u2019s why I felt it was perfectly fine to give Momiji her wish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut kitchen work and battle command are two very different\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBenimaru!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUgh\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Benimaru can\u2019t resist his little sister, either, huh?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is your fault for being so indecisive in the first place, you know. No wonder Lady Momiji is so anxious. If you\u2019re a man, you need to make it clear who you love already!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes. He did. I was curious which one Benimaru would choose\u2014Alvis or Momiji\u2014but then again, was now really the time for that? I honestly began to sympathize with him. If I were him, I probably wouldn\u2019t want this talked about in front of everyone, either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, Lady Shuna. Victory is something I must seize with my own hands!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now it was Momiji making the emotional declarations. Yow. Now Alvis had a huge disadvantage. Momiji was clearly doing a better job laying the groundwork. Was this battle over?<\/p>\n\n\n\n But just then:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou won\u2019t get away with this.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>Alvis, of all people, showed up, slipping right out from behind Shuna.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI have just arrived now with reinforcements from Eurazania.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I didn\u2019t ask for any, and I\u2019d heard nothing about<\/em> any\u2026but in Alvis\u2019s hand was a letter from Milim. It contained a single sentence: Do your best!<\/em> Hmm. Who was it meant for? Pretty open-ended message there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But hang on. How did Alvis<\/em> get inside the labyrinth?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLady Milim provided the magic. You developed it for her, didn\u2019t you, Sir Rimuru?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ohhh, right. Milim had gotten telepathic permission from Ramiris to send military forces directly into the labyrinth, huh? That was a pretty reckless decision on Milim\u2019s part, but then, anything was possible with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So now we had a force of twenty thousand led by Alvis\u2014not just lycanthropes but also a bunch of harpies, reportedly. A few choice representatives from the Beast Master\u2019s Warrior Alliance were even along for the ride.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even Benimaru had to give this a resigned grin. As long as Milim\u2019s will was involved, there was absolutely no way we could send Alvis\u2019s troops back home. Besides, if I did, Momiji would never, ever<\/em> give Benimaru a moment of peace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll right, all right. Momiji, I\u2019m giving you my force. Take care of it for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWith pleasure!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She looked happy\u2014and with that, the battle between the two women began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI hope you don\u2019t drag me down at all.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHee-hee-hee! What kind of talk is that, hmm?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was already picturing the sparks flying between them. Was this really okay? I was a little concerned about that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n So despite all the interruptions, we had a general idea of who we were going to deploy. I should note that Alvis\u2019s reinforcements were <\/a>completely dependable fighters. We were still at a numerical disadvantage, but I think this gave us a lot more wiggle room. Geld would be in the front row, Momiji taking up the rear. The cavalry, so to speak, was on the wings\u2014Shion on the right and Alvis on the left.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This all helped me relax a little, but we still had a battle to fight. Pulling myself together, I sent the orders for each division to head out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shion and Geld, waiting for this moment all week, immediately sprang into action. Momiji followed suit, and suddenly the Control Center was busier than ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On Floor 95, currently serving as Floor 100, there was a vast open space\u2014not enough of one for military training, but if we were just housing troops, it would suffice. With that in mind, the members of Geld\u2019s Second Army Corps and Benimaru\u2019s Fourth Corps were put on standby in and around Floor 100. They\u2019d be coming down in about an hour, so I decided to go out and give them a little morale boost\u2014that, and they needed my teleportation magic to get them down here anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSir Rimuru, do you have a moment?\u201d Soei whispered into my ear as I prepared to set off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ve just received word from Moss that signs of battle were detected in the direction of Blumund. After an investigation, we found that Lady Treyni is engaged in battle with someone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Come to think of it, I hadn\u2019t seen Treyni for the past ten or so days. She mentioned going out to \u201cgreet\u201d someone, and she hadn\u2019t been back since. Was she fighting this whole time, then?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry, Soei, but can you go and help her out a bit?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Soei seemed to hesitate for a moment. Maybe he worried that this kept me too unguarded. Everyone really<\/em> worries too damn much around here. They didn\u2019t have to be so touchy all the time, you know? Benimaru was still here, and if something came up, we could always tap the Ten Dungeon Marvels. I was a lot more worried about Treyni than myself at the moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>After exchanging glances with Benimaru, Soei nodded. If Benimaru was here with me, Soei must\u2019ve been willing to accept my orders. I was glad but also a little irritated. Was he that<\/em> concerned about me? Like, I know I was killed once, according to Chloe, but I\u2019m evolved now. I\u2019m a demon lord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026But that\u2019s the equivalent of \u201cI\u2019m retiring in a week,\u201d isn\u2019t it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, there was no point being all anxious. If something popped up, I was sure Raphael would let me know anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cVery well. I will leave at once.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThanks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Soei promptly disappeared. His Instantmove skill was as brilliant as usual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If Treyni had been fighting all this time, her opponent must have been at about her level. Once Soei joined in, I was sure victory would come soon after. It did<\/em> bother me, and I\u2019d have loved to know who she was fighting, but my hands were tied at the moment. I had to finish the fight in front of me first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One hour later, a massive number of magic-born were crowded together on Floor 100\u2019s vacant space. As soon as I showed up, everyone stood still and quieted down. It was a little scary, frankly, how under control they were. Morale was high, and motivation definitely wasn\u2019t a problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUm\u2026 Right! Soldiers, this one battle is all it will take to drive the imperial army out of our federation. Our goal here is total victory, and I want every single one of you to come out alive and share the glory with us. That is all!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not to sound modest or whatever, but I really suck at speeches. It\u2019d be nice if Raphael could just write \u2019em and read \u2019em out for me, but that\u2019s the exact kind of time that it starts pretending not to hear me. I tried my best to convey my message in my own words, and surprisingly, the magic-born seemed to accept it. From what I heard later, it received praise from both the old guard and newer magic-born in their army.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cY-yeaaaahhh! Sir Rimuru\u2019s speech was amazing!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI can die now. I\u2019ve got no regrets left in life!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou idiot! Dying means you\u2019ve been killed!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>They told me this was the talk around the army later, but I wasn\u2019t aware at the time, so I just took all those silent rows of troops and teleported them to the ground floor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Well, things were pretty darn lonely down here again. Shion and Diablo were out fighting this time, so it was only Benimaru and me now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe can win, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo problems there, no. I didn\u2019t see any movements from the imperial soldiers, but there\u2019s a flurry of activity among the leadership, it looks like. That straggler Krishna must\u2019ve reported on events in the labyrinth. If I were them, and he told me he was the only survivor, I\u2019d be out of there in a hurry\u2026 Well, I wouldn\u2019t put us in this situation in the first place, but you understand what I mean.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n His classic fearless smile was on his face. I had to agree with him. Being out of contact with my people gets me nervous enough as it is, so I probably wouldn\u2019t let it happen unless we came up with some countermeasures. To be honest, I wasn\u2019t expecting this plan of ours to be nearly as successful as it turned out to be.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo matter what it is, it never pays to be greedy, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIndeed. War and looting go hand in hand, but it\u2019s forbidden in our<\/em> military, at least.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Excellent. In war, the side to lose their composure first usually loses, but once your desires get stoked a little bit, it\u2019s easy to get too heated up. We took advantage of that habit in this campaign, and it worked scarily well. It\u2019s a good lesson for us, too\u2014better not fall in the same trap they did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n We were on our way back to the Control Center, discussing this, when a possibility occurred to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, you and I are the only ones here, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, if\u2014if<\/em>\u2014there happen to be any enemies still hiding in the <\/a>labyrinth, they\u2019d never let an opportunity like this go to waste, would they? What do you think of that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, come now. There\u2019s no way anyone could time a move so precisely like that.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yeah. I was getting too suspicious. Even Raphael had signed off on the labyrinth\u2019s current safety. Being paranoid all day would accomplish nothing, so I decided to leave the thought at that. Continually dredging up the same thoughts in your mind is a great way to make yourself anxious, after all. But I just had a bad feeling for a little while\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Like, you know. It\u2019s not that I doubt Raphael. I just couldn\u2019t help but wonder if it overlooked something.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understood. All potentially suspicious subjects have been identified.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yeah, that I trust in. But what if it\u2019s someone I know really well? Like Elen\u2019s gang, for example. I trust all of them, so if they ever betrayed me, I\u2019d suffer a whole lot for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But these were still all just what-ifs. There was absolutely no reason for Elen and her friends to turn traitor; we\u2019d built up a lot of trust in each other by then. I could firmly say that they were perfectly fine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But how could we assume that the same\u2019s true for everybody else, too?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n I knew my staff officers were fine. Folks like Mj\u00f6llmile were cutting out sleep to give their all for me. There was no way I could start doubting him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apart from them, I supposed there were the people I\u2019d gotten <\/a>to know outside my own government\u2014the assorted visitors who\u2019d come to stay with us since the Founder\u2019s Festival. For example\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRimuruuu!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I saw a group of people coming from Labyrinth City. Oh, no way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The guy waving up front was Masayuki, someone I knew well, and he had two others with him\u2014a warrior and a wizard. Jinrai and Bernie, right? I think those were their names. Those two still kinda held a grudge against me, so we hadn\u2019t talked much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI sincerely doubt it, but you don\u2019t think Masayuki might start targeting me, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, no. That\u2019s really<\/em> worrying too much, I would say.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Benimaru dismissed the concern. I<\/em> sure didn\u2019t wanna start suspecting Masayuki. And by the way, hadn\u2019t Gadora mentioned that Masayuki was the spitting image of Emperor Ludora or something? \u2026Nah. It had to just be a goofy coincidence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Understood. After careful examination of the Empire\u2019s history and other assorted elements, the chances of the subject Masayuki and Emperor Ludora being the same person are zero percent.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Right. Of course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Feeling a bit relieved, I called out to the guy, \u201cHey, Masayuki. Something up?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSomething up? Kind of a lot, man! You naming me an army leader out of nowhere has given me a ton<\/em> of trouble! Even the vampires were asking me if they could temporarily join in\u2014I don\u2019t even know what to do with them. And there\u2019s just been a huge amount of activity down here, you know? Everyone in the city\u2019s starting to ask what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having so many volunteers at once, Masayuki explained, made it hard to deal with them in any organized fashion. And us sending out an army like I just did must\u2019ve made all those volunteers clamor for some action of their own. I didn\u2019t think he was exaggerating <\/a>at all\u2014the disheartened look on his face told me that much. Plus, if Masayuki was trying to trick me, Raphael would\u2019ve warned me about it long ago. So nah, no point doubting him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, most of the volunteers are still staying in the towns they live in, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The city of Rimuru, formerly on the surface, was now evacuated to the Dungeon\u2019s provisionary Floor 101. The sun and stars were as visible as always down there, so a lot of people were surprisingly oblivious to current events. The war was already underway, but some citizens must\u2019ve thought we were still in a standoff at some distant vista.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The twenty thousand members of the Volunteer Army were entrusted with maintaining security in the city during this state of emergency, but thanks to the pervading calm across Floor 101, they didn\u2019t have much to do. Masayuki himself, however, was still real<\/em> busy, it looked like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n His main problem at the moment had to do with the researchers living in Labyrinth City. They were primarily meant to be office staff, but most of the people Luminus sent were Calamity-grade threats in a fight. Overcomers<\/em> was the term for them, apparently, but they all had a lot of free time on their hands. Many had come to directly speak with Masayuki to see if they could get a little action in this war, like it was some kind of fun carnival. Bacchus, sent in from the Crusaders, and Jiwu, one of Masayuki\u2019s old party companions, were currently soothing them over, he said\u2014but they couldn\u2019t keep them under control forever, so he was begging me to do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Maybe, the paranoid part of my mind told me, they were trying to instigate Masayuki into starting some big commotion so they could come after me. It was possible, but if so, I really thought they would\u2019ve taken action earlier. That possibility didn\u2019t seem too likely, either. I really am<\/em> thinking too much. Deep breath.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat sure does sound rough\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, doesn\u2019t it? So please, lend us a hand here!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t worry. This war\u2019s gonna be over real soon, so just keep giving \u2019em the runaround until then, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>\u201cNo, no, you can\u2019t just make it sound easy like that, Rimuru\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Masayuki kept complaining, a hangdog look on his face. But nobody should underestimate my ability to ignore serious problems tossed in my lap. This sounded like a lot of trouble, and I just didn\u2019t have the time to get involved. All this paranoid doubting had tired me out, and I really wanted to get back to my Control Center. Then Shuna could pour me some tea, maybe prepare a slice of delicious cake, and all would be well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re trying to run from me, aren\u2019t you, Rimuru?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHa-ha-ha!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDon\u2019t \u2018ha-ha-ha\u2019 me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Okay, maybe this was a pointless argument\u2014but I was demonstrating a master class on giving people the runaround. Masayuki should really learn from this so he can reach my own lofty heights. That was what I was hoping for, and that was why I was currently shoving him away from me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf that\u2019s your only business, I need to get back, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re positive<\/em> the war\u2019s going to end soon?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m hoping to wrap it up today, actually.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, we haven\u2019t done anything, so it hardly even seems real at all, but now you\u2019re really fighting\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I could empathize with that. That\u2019s kind of my ideal, not letting the general public know at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPretty much, yeah. So take it easy, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a grin, I did my best to convince Masayuki to see things my way. That oughtta solve the problem. Now to duck back inside and enjoy some strawberry shortcake\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhoa, whoa, wait a sec! Masayuki\u2019s lookin\u2019 out for you, so I\u2019ve been holding back, but we haven\u2019t given up on defeating you, all right? And now you\u2019re forgetting all about that and trying to take advantage of him? What kind of a joke is this?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just when I thought the problem was solved, a new one arose. Jinrai, a man I assumed was just along for the ride with Masayuki, chose this moment to pipe up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAw, c\u2019mon, that was just a misunderstanding. Take advantage of you? There\u2019s no need to make it sound so disgraceful\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>I attempted to make excuses but wasn\u2019t doing a good job at it. I was<\/em> trying to take advantage of him, after all. But then I received some unexpected backup.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cJinrai! That\u2019s out of order. Rimuru\u2019s working so hard for everybody in town right now!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now Masayuki was trying to appease Jinrai. Thanks, man. I\u2019ll let you have some cake later! And as I flashed him a grateful smile, Jinrai immediately stopped complaining. I\u2019m sure he wasn\u2019t happy about it, but at least he was tolerant enough to bottle it up. He was a lot more mature than his face suggested.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So that was the end of it. Or so I thought. But life\u2019s never that easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, Jinrai\u2019s right, Masayuki! Heroes and demon lords are fated to clash with each other. So quit holding back forever, and let\u2019s just take this guy down as soon as we can!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bernie, usually observing from a step behind, chose this<\/em> moment to get all worked up. With a sigh, I pondered how I\u2019d calm him down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you<\/em> won\u2019t do it,\u201d Bernie continued as he began casting a spell, \u201cthen I<\/em> will!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Cut me a break<\/em>, I thought. Then things got serious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHoly Field!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n You\u2019re kidding me<\/em>, I almost caught myself yelling. That spell was extremely tough to handle, much less solo. I knew Bernie was an otherworlder and probably decent at magic, but I didn\u2019t think he held sway over that kind of advanced holy stuff. Like, was he even serious\u2014?!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Murderous intent detected. The subject Bernie is an enemy!!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Then I finally realized what was going on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I thought it was impossible; I kept trying to believe that I was worrying too much about it. But the enemy was right here, in front of me, the whole time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then someone moved even faster than I did. There was a <\/a>clear, high-pitched tiiiing<\/em>. It was caused by the collision between Benimaru\u2019s sword and Bernie\u2019s blade of light.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBernie, what are\u2026? You can fight with a sword?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jinrai was evidently surprised. It must have been the first time Bernie wielded a sword in front of Jinrai and the others, which meant he had been hiding it from his supposed friends for who knows how long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPfft! I\u2019m not stupid enough to reveal my hand that<\/em> easily!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The look on his face said it all to me. If he was gonna do this, he wanted to throw every skill he had toward the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDammit! So you tricked both me and<\/em> Masayuki?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTricked? Stop making it sound so mean. I just used you to get closer to the demon lord.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cY-you used<\/em> us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah. Masayuki was a helpful connection. Thanks to him, I\u2019ve been granted a golden opportunity. Much appreciated!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was crossing swords with Benimaru, but Bernie was chatting with Jinrai like they were chilling at the bar. I was listening in as well, so maybe I shouldn\u2019t talk, but it looked like he was hiding one hell of a lot of skill.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBenimaru, let me help you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, I\u2019ll take care of him. Keep a close eye on our surroundings, Sir Rimuru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I was about to join the fray, but Benimaru stopped me. Trusting him to his word, I stepped up my vigilance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even in the midst of this, Bernie and Jinrai kept talking.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMasayuki was just a \u2018connection\u2019 to you?! D-don\u2019t give me that crap!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCome on, like you<\/em> never thought of it that way. You know he\u2019s really not strong at all, right? He\u2019s just bluffing his way through life.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That made the blood drain from Masayuki\u2019s face. Oops. Busted! But I probably shouldn\u2019t joke, because this was a life-or-death situation for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then Jinrai surprised me all over again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>\u201cWell, so what? I don\u2019t care if he\u2019s bluffing or not\u2014Masayuki\u2019s an incredible man! He\u2019s never failed us\u2014not even once!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh, he knew? I guess he saw the guy for what he was after all\u2026 A bluffer, yeah, but definitely a lot more than that. I should probably rethink my opinion of Jinrai, although Masayuki was giving him<\/em> a hurt-puppy-dog look now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bernie, it seemed, wasn\u2019t a fan of this reaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPshhh! So you knew, and you still stuck with him? And you actually respect<\/em> this total loser? Don\u2019t make me laugh!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The irritation was glaring in his raised voice. But I was the really annoyed one here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s so bad about bluffing? I\u2019m<\/em> bluffing my way through my<\/em> life, too!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cR-Rimuru\u2026!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, aren\u2019t I? I used to be an anonymous face at the office. I wasn\u2019t living in some world full of Heroes and demon lords, but I still tried my best every day, because I had no other choice! And I wouldn\u2019t want oblivious idiots like you to laugh at me<\/em> about it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Masayuki silently nodded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cY-you\u2026\u201d Jinrai glanced at me. Even he was looking a little confused now. I kept going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI mean, isn\u2019t it obvious? If I don\u2019t keep telling myself that what I\u2019m doing is right, I\u2019d never be able to be king of this realm or whatever!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Fired up from shouting, I walked over to Masayuki\u2019s side\u2014slowly, so I didn\u2019t alarm Bernie while he was crossing swords with Benimaru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEverybody\u2019s doing their best just to keep living, you know. That\u2019s why I\u2019m doing what I can to create a world where we can all live happily together. Masayuki\u2019s done a lot to help out with that. He\u2019s done so much for me! And I\u2019m not<\/em> gonna sit here and allow you to make fun of him!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n I stood in front of Masayuki as I admonished Bernie. Hearing that, Jinrai deeply nodded. So did Masayuki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBernie, were you planning to use me like this from the beginning?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>He spoke directly to Bernie, his past panic now vanished without a trace.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I said, didn\u2019t I?\u201d Bernie replied, keeping his distance from Benimaru\u2014who, in turn, was in front of me, sizing him up. Under the effects of the Holy Field, Benimaru wasn\u2019t able to tap his full powers, so instead of trying to finish Bernie off in one fell swoop, he was taking more of a wait-and-see approach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDid Yuuki order you to?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh? \u2026Oh. Right. Heh\u2026 Well, I could explain all that to you, but what\u2019s in it for me?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was still lording it over us, but at least he was still talking. Maybe, with the Holy Field in place, he had no doubts about his superior position?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Negative. He has some sort of aim in mind\u2026 Data confirmed. There is another subject who is a member of Masayuki\u2019s party. After searching for data on this subject, her presence was not found in the labyrinth. However, there is no record of her ever leaving it. This is\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Raphael was spitting out data with frightening speed. Judging by how it wasn\u2019t bothering to organize any of it for me in advance, it must\u2019ve thought this was a pretty major emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If I recall, there was one more member of Masayuki\u2019s gang\u2014Jiwu. She was helping Bacchus smooth things over with the overcomers\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n Confirmed. A mass murder has occurred in the laboratory on Floor 100. The subject Bacchus and several overcomers have been slaughtered. Their souls have been put in protective custody as an emergency measure\u2014<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s serious news!<\/p>\n\n\n\n I wouldn\u2019t know about Bacchus, but each overcomer down there was supposed to be an over-A monster. It was really hard to believe she could kill so many of them in the tiny sliver of time since she <\/a>left Masayuki\u2019s side. Defeating an overcomer taking pains to defend himself was an extremely difficult task for anyone\u2014they all had Ultraspeed Regeneration and an artist\u2019s palette of other special skills. With Benimaru\u2019s firepower or Zegion\u2019s incredible evolution, I could see it\u2026but no way any of the other Dungeon Marvels, Kumara included, could pull that off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that wasn\u2019t the only issue. If we weren\u2019t receiving any response from Jiwu at the moment, that couldn\u2019t be ignored. I mean, Raphael was keeping tabs on every single thing going on in the labyrinth, wasn\u2019t he? If he couldn\u2019t find her inside the labyrinth, that meant Jiwu was\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Mr. Tempest!!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n That voice reached my mind a split second before the Thought Communication came along. The next moment, I used Mind Accelerate to slow down time for me. Did I respond first, or was it Raphael? Either way, it wound up saving my life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDie!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n A black flash of light closed in on my chest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Someone, probably Jiwu, had taken a shot at me from what seemed to be a perfectly concealed hiding place. I had fallen on the spot and rolled away, putting aside all dignity and royal personage, and that helped me escape that deadly blade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was all thanks to that warning\u2014one issued by Chloe, the little girl, who was wearing a mask. She was back to her old habits with that \u201cMr. Tempest\u201d stuff, but there was no time to poke fun at her about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Really, this was a pretty bad situation. I had been doing my best to keep a watchful eye on the surroundings, and Raphael was staying vigilant as well. If she had managed to get through that security net, there could\u2019ve been only one way. The assassin must\u2019ve had an ultimate skill, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I had finally gotten my eyes on the assassin just now, and it was definitely Jiwu. Her face was expressionless as always, but the atmosphere she presented was a total one-eighty from before. She was cold\u2014and sharpened. It wasn\u2019t an exaggeration to call her a whole other person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>\u201cWhat a surprise. You\u2019ve been tailing me in secret?\u201d Jiwu said to Chloe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Her assassination attempt had failed, but Jiwu wasn\u2019t upset about it. She pointed the black blade extending from the pendant in her hand at Chloe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIf you\u2019re all going to fight out in the open like this, of course<\/em> we\u2019re going to notice.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019re a talented little girl, aren\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t need you<\/em> telling me that. And I\u2019m not a little girl!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that, Chloe transformed into an adult woman. She took out Moonlight, the God-class rapier, and focused it straight at Jiwu. Now we were graced with the presence of Chloe the Hero, in all her masked glory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPshhh! We had the perfect chance served up, and you just had to ruin it. Way to blow everything, Jiwu!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bernie clicked his tongue at Jiwu.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d she calmly replied. \u201cI was trying to make sure nobody interfered with us, but I didn\u2019t realize there was this ambush going on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n These two are definitely acquainted. They must both be assassins, quite skilled ones, sent by someone who wanted me dead. Both an even match for each other, too\u2014which meant Bernie might very well have an ultimate skill of his own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He glared at Benimaru as Jiwu and Chloe raised their swords against each other. I was standing in front of Masayuki and Jinrai, protecting them as I saw what unfolded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, no helping it now. If we\u2019ve blown our cover, there\u2019s no reason to hide our full abilities, either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI agree with you on that. We need to rub these enemies out as soon as we can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Bernie and Jiwu focused their strength into the pendants that were the sources of their weapons. They reacted by shining even brighter than before. It looked familiar to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh\u2026 So you\u2019re both Imperial Guardians?\u201d I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once he was fully equipped, Bernie nodded his assent, rolling his eyes as he did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n