Failing to keep up with the flurry of slashes and strikes, Bernie left himself open\u2014and the fatal blow was aimed right for that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2014?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
I wasn\u2019t sure if he was gonna say \u201cThat\u2019s crazy\u201d or whatnot, but either way, that strike hewed straight through Bernie\u2019s torso and chopped him in half. Continuing with the same motion, he arced his sword\u2019s trajectory upward like a curving river, separating his head from the rest of his body\u2014hence why Bernie couldn\u2019t finish that last voiced reaction before his death.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Man. Talk about overwhelming\u2014Benimaru totally knocked that out of the park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cY\u2019know, if you went with that<\/em> momentum from the start, you could\u2019ve won easy, couldn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, if I tried to do that, I would have broken my weapon. That armor was no joke, I thought, so I tried to avoid putting too much strain on my sword. It was a very awkward way to fight for me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That<\/em> was \u201cawkward\u201d? Because he sure looked pretty majestic out there. I will agree that \u201cdynamic\u201d suits him better than \u201cstatic,\u201d though.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now I was absolutely sure Benimaru outclassed Hakuro by now. He was a better physical specimen to start with, but now his skill level was about the same as Harkuro\u2019s or higher. Once he gets serious about fighting, he\u2019s just incredible. I mean, not one minute after going on the counterattack, Bernie was dead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Chloe, meanwhile\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n (Ohhh, I knew we wouldn\u2019t have enough energy!!)<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Chronoa sounded pained as she tried to trigger the skill. But right after that:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Report. There is no problem.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That calm voice was accompanied by the sound of an agonizing \u201cArrrrgghh!!\u201d<\/em>\u2014or at least it felt that way in my mind. What was up <\/a>with that? I had the sneaking suspicion that might have been her, actually\u2014in fact, I was sure of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hearing it sure made me feel depressed. It was just so pathetic. I hadn\u2019t done anything bad, exactly, but I was the one causing it. Maybe it is<\/em> my fault, then? I\u2019m gonna have to treat Chloe to some pudding and apologize to get back on her good side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But anyway, that was the end of our energy problems. The next thing I knew, the world stopped\u2014and Jiwu was reduced to a pile of dust.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So yeah, that was how we beat Bernie and Jiwu, but now Raphael was taking a more forlorn tone with me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026Report. The subject Bernie and the subject Jiwu are confirmed to be alive. I had forgotten about the existence of the Resurrection Bracelets.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Huh? Ah, no biggie.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pretty rare for Raphael to make a careless error like that, though. In fact, this may very well be the first time ever.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOops. I should\u2019ve broken their bracelets while I had the chance,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey weren\u2019t wearing bracelets.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah. I had my eye out for those, but they didn\u2019t have any on.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oh. Guess Benimaru and Chloe were being a lot more careful than I was, remembering the bracelets and checking to see if they were there. Maybe I<\/em> was the careless one here. I sincerely doubted that Raphael simply overlooked them, so I guess Bernie and Jiwu got one up on us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, about that\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Masayuki, who had been quietly watching this the whole time, suddenly spoke up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo tell the truth,\u201d Jinrai said for him, \u201cwe all kinda saw you as the enemy, so we never really took those bracelets of yours seriously. Like, we weren\u2019t gonna look a gift horse in the mouth or anything, but\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>He flipped up one of his pants legs\u2014and amazingly, I saw him wearing a Resurrection Bracelet on his ankle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cUm, yeah, that\u2019s the bracelet\u2026,\u201d I said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI know. But like, whether we trusted it or not, it\u2019s still a magical item, right? So we figured it\u2019d work just as well no matter where you put it on. Bernie suggested it as kind of a little \u2018rebel\u2019 thing we could do.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Apparently Bernie had anticipated this outcome enough that he took steps to address it. Benimaru was scratching his head in frustration, and Chloe was seeming pretty pouty, too\u2014I was sure she looked disgusted under her mask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given the situation, I really didn\u2019t think Raphael could\u2019ve done anything about this. I mean, Jiwu\u2019s barrier isolated us from the rest of the world, so we couldn\u2019t talk to Ramiris. I think I could\u2019ve telepathically communicated with Veldora, but I doubt I could\u2019ve explained the situation to him with much accuracy. Besides, if you thought about how much work Raphael had to do there, it was just mind-boggling how much parallel processing it was up to. Granting Benimaru Absolute Severance, helping Chloe\/Chronoa with Yog-Sothoth, maintaining my own Absolute Defense, analyzing Bernie\u2019s and Jiwu\u2019s abilities\u2026 The list goes on and on. Given all that, who among us could\u2019ve predicted that a bunch of idiots would put Resurrection Bracelets on their ankles?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, no helping that, I guess.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIndeed. Let\u2019s just forget about it. I\u2019ve already assessed their strengths, and I\u2019m positive I would win a rematch. If someone like me challenges them, that might be a different story\u2026 But I\u2019m sure we can find a way.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was Benimaru\u2019s conclusion, so he and I both decided to drop the matter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Anyway, Bernie and Jiwu were out of the picture. Not being able to off them for good was a blunder, but Benimaru, Chloe, and I promised each other we\u2019d forget about it, so it didn\u2019t really count, right? <\/a>Masayuki and Jinrai looked pretty shocked about their friends\u2019 betrayal, but I was sure they\u2019d do their best to recover. I thought about this as I watched them trudge back to their jobs assuaging the vampires.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The war was still going on. I felt kinda bad for those two, but frankly, I didn\u2019t have time to worry about them. So I decided to let Chloe take care of them, and then Benimaru and I went back to the Control Center. Now<\/em> the labyrinth should be free of all hostile elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But just as I thought that the final ground battle was all that was left to handle, we discovered that a few people were in the room already.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh! Rimuru! You sure gave me a scare, y\u2019know! We fell out of contact!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIndeed you did. I was far from worried, of course, but I did want to complain to you about it a little. Ramiris insisted we come down here, too, so we hurried\u2014I mean, we walked on over to check up on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ramiris looked concerned. Veldora was being pompous as ever. He was currently whining about how I stole his energy out of nowhere, but it was so obvious that he was seriously worried about me. He\u2019s cute that way, isn\u2019t he?<\/p>\n\n\n\n So, Raphael, can you at least ask for a bit of permission before borrowing Veldora\u2019s power?<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026? That is behind us now, so it is not a problem.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Behind us? You haven\u2019t been using his energy on the sly for a while now, have you? If so, Veldora sure must be used to it\u2014but either way, I\u2019ve done him wrong. I\u2019ll have to get him some snacks later, and maybe a few new manga volumes, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry I worried you guys. Still, Veldora, I can contact you from pretty much anywhere, so if I get in trouble, I\u2019ll be counting on you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou can, Master?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh! \u2026Ah-hem<\/em>! That\u2019s why I told you not to worry!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>Ramiris was awestruck. Veldora, probably hiding his embarrassment, decided to act all high and mighty as he changed the subject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut enough about that. If you\u2019re fine now, can you go listen to those guys for a bit?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Following Veldora\u2019s gaze, I found Treyni, Soei, and a suspicious-looking man tied up with rope. I noticed that the first two were there before now, but what was up with that other dude? Treyni was currently chugging some fruit juice, looking utterly exhausted but otherwise unhurt, so I let her be. Instead, I glanced toward Soei, hoping he\u2019d clue me in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, once I reached the site Moss told me about, I found this man fighting Treyni. His name is Laplace, and he\u2019s a nemesis of ours.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n So it was Laplace under that rope? He looked pretty beat up, but not dead, at least.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy is he still alive?\u201d Benimaru asked coldly. He wasn\u2019t even trying to hide his murderous rage, which was rare for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI tried to kill him, but he kept insisting he had something important to talk to you about, Sir Rimuru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat has<\/em> to be a trap,\u201d Benimaru replied, taking out his sword once more. The moment he did, the limp Laplace leaped up like a caterpillar. Pretty nimble move, as silly as it looked. I couldn\u2019t help but let out a couple laughs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cW-wait a minute, man! Stop laughing and keep your people away from me!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou\u2019d better watch your tone\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now Soei was raging, too. But that was still nothing compared to Benimaru, who was moments away from cutting the guy in half. I stepped in to calm him down for the time being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCalm down, all right? We\u2019re in the middle of a truce with Yuuki, remember? If you brought him all the way here, we could at least hear him out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Soei nodded at this. Being able to keep his moral compass straight despite his rage showed just how patient he could be. Benimaru, realizing he was wrong, put his sword away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo what\u2019s your story?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDamn, you guys are super<\/em> scary. That gal over there refuses <\/a>to listen to me, and she\u2019s gotten way<\/em> stronger since last time, too. The other dude\u2019s a little more sensible, but his eyes are just so<\/em> cold, y\u2019know? And that one\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Don\u2019t start with that, Benimaru. You\u2019re revealing too much of your old self there. Clearing my throat, I tried to steer us away from this gloomy atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo anyway, Yuuki asked me to give you a message!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laplace, reading the tea leaves correctly, signaled his appreciation to me as he began explaining why he was there. He could\u2019ve just done that to begin with, I thought, but I lent him an ear anyway.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026And that\u2019s the long \u2019n\u2019 short of it. So basically, you guys better keep an eye out for Bernie and Jiwu, got it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Benimaru and I looked at each other in silence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You could\u2019ve told me a little bit earlier, dude.<\/p>\n\n\n\n According to Laplace, Yuuki has a guy named Damrada working for him. He\u2019s one of the head bosses of Cerberus, a secretive crime ring. After a tip from Gadora and a little investigation, it came out that Damrada was suspected of attempting to assassinate Gadora, although Yuuki hadn\u2019t given him any such order. I say \u201csuspected,\u201d but it was almost certain, actually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Having made that judgment, Yuuki reviewed Damrada\u2019s past actions, and in the process, he discovered a few more suspicious things. This led him to believe that Masayuki\u2019s party members, people arranged for him by Damrada, might have had some kind of ulterior motive. In a rush, he assigned Laplace\u2014who was just back from another mission\u2014to relay the message to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Laplace\u2019s story unfolded, Treyni began to look visibly paler over time. Now I knew full well why Laplace hadn\u2019t told me the news earlier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, if that\u2019s what the story is, you gotta give it to me sooner, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI tried! I told her over and over again that it\u2019s really important! <\/a>But she was all \u2018Ooh, I\u2019d never trust you\u2019 and all that! Never even gave me the time o\u2019 day!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s\u2014it\u2019s because you\u2019re so fishy, all right? And besides, I still bitterly recall the last time you escaped me, so I was determined not to make the same mistake again.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, you kinda used a little too much force, lady! I kept shouting at you about how this was work-related stuff, and I\u2019m super serious about it, but it was all \u2018Wah, wah, shut up, I don\u2019t care what you say\u2019! You didn\u2019t listen to one word from me, did you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seeing this ugly argument unfold before me answered all my questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo you\u2019ve been fighting this entire time?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah! Like, eesh<\/em>, cut me a break\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Laplace looked seriously disgruntled. By this point, \u201cthis entire time\u201d would\u2019ve been a good ten days or so. I\u2019d be a little sullen about it, too, I think.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2014 I\u2019m so deeply sorry!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Realizing how badly she\u2019d jumped to conclusions, Treyni apologized to me, her face bright red. But would any of us here blame her for it? If you asked any of us to trust Laplace a little bit more, we\u2019d think you were out of your minds. I mean, he\u2019s still<\/em> acting all fishy. I don\u2019t think you should judge a book by its cover, but he\u2019s constantly up to one suspicious caper or another. You\u2019d have serious problems if you ever trusted a villain like him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So maybe she made an honest mistake, but I\u2019d never blame this one on Treyni. Benimaru, inches away from lopping his head off a moment ago, looked incredibly uncomfortable, as did Soei. I\u2019m rather surprised he put up with Laplace long enough to bring him here, actually.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, what\u2019s done is done. Let\u2019s just stop worrying about it and let bygones be bygones, all right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was in the past now, and I didn\u2019t want to keep it on my mind. So let\u2019s just talk our way out of this. I had a battlefield to focus on, and there was no telling what would happen up there until the end. With this in mind, we turned our attention to the big screen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n <\/a>A visibly annoyed Caligulio was waiting for a report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It had been two whole days since he dispatched a hundred of his best men and women into the labyrinth, and he was no longer hiding his frustration at the fact that he hadn\u2019t heard from them. Well, not frustration, actually. He might\u2019ve looked miffed on the outside, but on the inside, his heart was filled with anxiety.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had decided to attack the labyrinth after being dazzled by visions of big money and tons of magic crystals. He still didn\u2019t regret that. If they wanted to keep their backs protected, they couldn\u2019t have simply ignored the demon lord\u2019s domain. So Caligulio rejoiced as he saw all the treasure being taken out of the labyrinth, more than even he had imagined.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Looking back, however, it all seemed like the demon lord Rimuru\u2019s trick. Caligulio realized that now, and he cursed his own cowardly ways\u2014but at the same time, he began to fear that the demon lord would defeat him, and he\u2019d have no way to block this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGod dammit! Is there any report yet?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n His staff couldn\u2019t count the number of times he had bellowed that so far. Nobody had an answer for him, but now a murmur could be heard from outside the camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019s going on? What\u2019s happening?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio\u2019s question was answered by a private who came rushing in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cReporting, sir! We have just rendezvoused with troops from the Magitank Force!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n What?<\/em> Caligulio thought. No matter how nimble and rugged those magitanks were, there was no way they wouldn\u2019t hear any sounds from them before they arrived. There were no messages about this at all, so the state of their allied forces was still an enigma. Given all that, he had a bad feeling, and it was growing by the second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And then his fears came true.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re back, sir\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The woman who entered Caligulio\u2019s field tent was a fetching young lady who looked out of place on a battlefield. She was <\/a>actually Misha the Lover, one of the three bosses of Cerberus; she was ordered by Yuuki to carry out a scheme to ensnare Caligulio, and so she was participating in this operation. She really was<\/em> chief of staff for the Empire\u2019s Armored Division, however, serving Caligulio with decent enough competence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But she was assigned to the Magitank Force for this op, a move Caligulio made for her own safety. It wasn\u2019t a deployment Misha was very happy with, given that her mission here was to monitor Caligulio\u2019s movements. Unfortunately, she was in no position to protect it, so she pretended to be grateful for the favor as she kept reporting back to Yuuki. These reports, of course, included the crushing defeat of the Magitank Force, and after that took place, she carefully left the field, making sure no monsters found her, and regrouped with the main force there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMisha! You\u2019re all right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, Sir Caligulio.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Misha gave him a bewitching smile. Even with her stained, dirty uniform, her beauty hadn\u2019t faded one bit. Seeing her was a relief, but Caligulio hadn\u2019t forgotten about his duty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo what happened to the rest? How long will all of them rendezvous with the main force?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He spoke quickly, peppering her with questions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPlease, sir, just one minute. There\u2019s no point in panicking now.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh? What do you mean\u2014?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019ve been wiped out.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHuh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Empire\u2019s proud Magitank Force, along with a hundred of its elite airships, have all been reduced to ashes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The bewitching smile was still on her face.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat can\u2019t be\u2026 What the hell are you talking about?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio smiled in disbelief. Misha remained silent\u2014and her silence forced him to believe her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThey\u2019re really all wiped out?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo the only surviving members of the Armored Force are the people here right now?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>\u201cThat would be the case, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Hearing this, Caligulio hung his head. The rest of his staff followed suit, their faces pale. Their invasion was now a complete failure. Even if they managed to conquer the labyrinth here, countless thousands of soldiers had lost their lives, and there\u2019d be no way to escape the blame for it. Emperor Ludora would never forgive Caligulio and his staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat should we do?\u201d he whispered. The staff had no answer\u2014but then Misha spoke up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe should retreat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI had a quick look around earlier. It looks like you\u2019re not having much luck in the labyrinth, either. I suppose labyrinths are meant to be explored, not invaded by vast armies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDid that Yuuki boy say that?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, sir. He said that only our elites should be unleashed into the maze.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRidiculous! I\u2019ve sent<\/em> our damn elites in\u2026!\u201d a furious Caligulio shouted back at the calm, polite Misha.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He was right. In fact, just two days prior, he sent in the best forces he could think of, alongside all the elites in the Restructured Armor Corps, proud to be the Empire\u2019s strongest force. There were over half a million people down there. They couldn\u2019t have possibly hoped for anything better. All those elites would no doubt congregate in the labyrinth, and even now, they must have been marching for the bottom. Caligulio believed that. If he didn\u2019t, his heart would\u2019ve been gripped with fear.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still Misha was relentless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut even after swallowing up the most elite members of our force, the labyrinth is alive and well. And yes, it\u2019s possible that there\u2019s still a battle going on inside\u2026but we have no way of finding out what\u2019s going on, and it\u2019ll be difficult to send yet more reinforcements, won\u2019t it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cEnough.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll you can do is wait for our allies to leave the labyrinth alive, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>\u201cI said<\/em> enough! Listen, Misha, you have nothing to worry about. The higher-ups have been given necklaces that can resurrect them. As long as you\u2019re wearing it, if you die in the labyrinth, you\u2019ll be resurrected outside of it. And the fact that nobody\u2019s come out yet proves the invasion\u2019s going just fine!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio knew full well that this was a rather optimistic view. But as the general in charge of the full force, he had no choice but to resort to it right now. However, Misha\u2019s pursuit didn\u2019t end there. Unlike the other staff, Misha had enthralled Caligulio. Even if she riled him here, she was confident she\u2019d be allowed to do whatever she wanted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut you haven\u2019t confirmed that the prototype necklaces actually work yet, have you? Sir Yuuki said that if the bracelets were generated by someone\u2019s special skill, it\u2019d be impossible to make a copy of it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That silenced Caligulio. There was no way he could tell his troops to die for the sake of this experiment. Just like Misha said, he had been sending his comrades without having a firm idea if the necklaces worked. They were just meant as an insurance policy if something went awry, and Caligulio understood that. But Misha was right, and he was wrong.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can\u2019t lead an army division through strength alone. Strength is needed, yes, but nobody too incompetent to read the current situation correctly could ever hold that position for long. But Caligulio never believed there was such a thing as a structure that over five hundred thousand elite troops couldn\u2019t conquer. This was a formidable force, one that could reduce multiple large cities to ashes. Even in the worst-case scenario, they should\u2019ve been able to destroy the labyrinth and escape, he thought.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And that wasn\u2019t all. Many people had already died, he knew. If he decided to abandon his fellow comrades inside the labyrinth, Caligulio\u2019s name would be forever enshrined as the incompetent general who oversaw a historic defeat. He started this campaign with nine hundred thousand troops, and now it was down to below two hundred thousand. There was no way he could do something as terrifying as retreat like this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>It was only at this point that Caligulio realized he had thoroughly underestimated this demon lord. He only saw the Storm Dragon as a threat; to him, the demon lord Rimuru and his forces were nothing but an opponent to be overrun and crushed. He hadn\u2019t spotted the enemy he was supposed to be fighting this whole time. It was a fatal blunder, but it was too early to give up. Hope in the form of Minitz was still there for him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cCalm down. I trust Major General Minitz more than anybody else on the force, and he\u2019s in the labyrinth now. I\u2019m sure he\u2019ll bring back some intelligence. We can wait for the results from him first\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Caligulio was unable to finish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, you should withdraw immediately, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This unsolicited advice was offered by a man who had suddenly entered the tent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho are you?!\u201d one of the staffers demanded. Caligulio looked at the intruder, wondering what the guard sentry was up to. He appeared to be fine, but the blood on his uniform was troubling. Nobody in this tent had been involved in actual battle, so it was possible he was a survivor of another unit, or a\u2014<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy name is Krishna, Imperial Guardian number seventeen and one of the force of one hundred who entered the labyrinth two days ago.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone present was astonished, Caligulio included.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cY-you\u2019re an Imperial Guardian?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhy is the emperor\u2019s personal guard here?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The staff were disturbed. But Caligulio lived up to his reputation, quickly regaining his composure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s not the question! Krishna, was it? Can you begin by telling us what\u2019s going on?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With a single shout, he calmed the situation down a notch. Krishna thanked him with a nod and hastily briefed the tent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe one thing I have to say is: That labyrinth\u2019s no joke. I\u2019m not sure this will mean anything to you, but Bazan, ranked thirty-fifth, and Reiha, ranked ninety-fourth, are dead. Major General Minitz <\/a>died before my eyes, sir, and I don\u2019t know for sure, but I think Colonel Kanzis is dead, too. There are no survivors left in the labyrinth right now; you can be assured of that!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everyone listened in stunned silence. Caligulio wanted to rant and rave about how much of a lie this was, but Krishna\u2019s eyes were dead serious. His whole body indicated he was telling the truth. Besides, he was a familiar face to Caligulio; he remembered Krishna as one of the people he sent out two days ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So he was resurrected? Did he have a Resurrection Bracelet, then? A real one, not an imitation? Then it\u2019s safe to assume it\u2019s really him.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio tried to think calmly, despite the fact that he wanted to be furious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gadora had submitted two Resurrection Bracelets to the government. One was analyzed by their technical bureau, which helped them create replicas, while the other was presented to the emperor. Being loaned one of those replicas was probably what allowed Krishna to come back to life. It confirmed that Resurrection Bracelets actually worked\u2014and also that their copies didn\u2019t work at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, every one of their men and women in the labyrinth had been wholly annihilated. Over five hundred soldiers, dead. The sheer enormity of that fact turned Caligulio pale.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Krishna wasn\u2019t done yet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAlso, the one who killed me wasn\u2019t the demon lord at all\u2014or even one of the Big Four who serve him. It was a magic-born whose name I\u2019ve never even heard of before. He was part of the Ten Dungeon Marvels, as he called it, but he was a level above anything I\u2019ve ever seen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone who was in the Marvels had fighting ability comparable to or higher than an Arch Demon. But even among all of them, the demon who called himself Zegion was on another dimension\u2014enough so that Krishna saw full well how little chance he had to win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019ll say this one more time\u2014we have to retreat. There\u2019s no shame in that. Please, you have to step up and make the decision that\u2019ll save the troops we have left!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Krishna\u2019s ardor made the officers tense up. His words were <\/a>undoubtedly true. Everybody\u2019s gut feeling was telling them there was no time to lose.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Not the demon lord? They have Arch Demon\u2013level monsters just bumping around in there? They\u2019re that<\/em> strong? How is some upstart demon lord capable of having so much power<\/em>?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio lost his patience and began ranting. His staff officers took that cue to begin shouting as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe have to retreat this instant! This isn\u2019t only our fault. The IIB was negligent as well!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cExactly. We have to help the survivors escape before the demon lord Rimuru makes another move!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Everybody was expressing their opinions now. Usually, they wasted hours arguing with each other, but on this occasion, they had unanimous agreement. Each of them instinctively knew they were in danger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Finally, Misha spoke.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI forgot to report this to you, sir, but it wasn\u2019t the dragon Veldora who drove us to destruction. It was someone else\u2019s nuclear magic that dealt the fatal blow. Twice, in fact. It was magic on a scale that could easily defeat any legion magic. The one who cast it is a threat, yes, but that\u2019s not my point. The point is\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nobody needed to hear it. Everyone understood already. Veldora, the Storm Dragon, was still waiting for them ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So Caligulio made his decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGather the troops! We\u2019re changing course. For now, we have to turn around and go back to our nation!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He called it a change of course and not a retreat mainly for his own sake. He knew it was just semantic nonsense, but if he didn\u2019t phrase it that way, the anxiety was likely to crush him. No matter how foolish it sounded, he didn\u2019t care, as long as it got them out of this place. His staff all agreed on this, and they were ready to carry out the order at once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the decision came too late. The situation was starting to evolve, soon to become a raging torrent that would sweep in and swallow them all up. The fate of the imperial army was already set in stone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n As if to cancel out Caligulio\u2019s order, a low, clear voice echoed across the tent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI cannot have that. My boss says he will not allow you to retreat.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The man put all the frenzied activity in this command tent to a halt. All eyes were on the tent entrance, where there stood a man in a foreign costume with a weapon called a katana at his waist. His white hair, speckled with gold, was pulled back and tied into a single knot, and he had a long white beard and a wrinkled face\u2014but his sharp eyes and straight, clean posture made him seem ageless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWho are you?\u201d Krishna asked, stepping forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy pardons. My name is Agera, and I have been sent by my master, Lady Carrera, as her messenger.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was Agera. Rimuru, being the peace-loving demon lord he was, had decided to send out an envoy to hopefully accept the enemy\u2019s surrender. Few expected the Empire to offer it\u2014in fact, more of them were saddened to potentially lose the opportunity to kick some imperial ass. But Agera, one of the few among them with actual common sense, insisted that this was the true way of a warrior, so Geld granted his permission for it. Momiji had no objections, either, and so he was ordered to act as military envoy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was also, however, meant to help buy time for the Tempest army to get ready. Whether the imperial forces surrendered or made a last-ditch stand, they didn\u2019t care much\u2014but running away was not allowed. Everybody who participated in this invasion must be punished\u2014that was Rimuru\u2019s decision. Agera respected it, and so he had no intention of letting Caligulio off the hook here.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the staff officers spoke up to him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cA messenger? By your \u2018boss,\u2019 do you mean Rimuru?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Agera\u2019s expression turned grim for a moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHow dare you refer to my stately leader strictly by his given name. Such arrogance! I hope you will reflect on that affront in the afterlife.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The moment he stopped speaking, the head of the staff officer who asked the question fell to the ground. No one present realized <\/a>for a moment that Agera had drawn his sword. Even Krishna, who was closest to him, couldn\u2019t react in any way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With his single sword, Agera now dominated the scene. As everyone fell silent, he began to list his demands in a clear voice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNow that it seems everyone is ready to listen to me, I will give our terms. Disarm yourselves immediately and surrender. If you do, you will be kept alive, I assure you, as our slave. If you choose to defy us, that is fine as well\u2014we will decide your fates with our valor instead. I will wait one hour. If you wish to surrender, you may do so at any time before then.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that, Agera turned away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio\u2019s brain was working hard, trying to figure out the best plan of action. Hoping for a Hail Mary, he decided to negotiate with Agera.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWait! Er, I mean, excuse me. I\u2019d like you to wait a moment.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes?\u201d Agera stopped and looked back at Caligulio.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSorry. My name is Caligulio. I am the leader of this army and chief of this operation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh. And what do you want?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Agera\u2019s mission here was to buy time, so he was in no hurry to go back. He wasn\u2019t particularly interested in hearing Caligulio out, but he decided to anyway. Seeing this reaction, the commander put all his hope in reasoning with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSir Agera, you said earlier that you\u2019d accept us as slaves if we surrendered, but could you perhaps reconsider those terms? The idea of slavery is simply too cruel to bear. I\u2019m afraid I cannot accept that condition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The sudden plea startled his staff officers. But no one voiced any objection. Everyone understood how weak their position was, and everyone knew this negotiation was their best hope for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Taking advantage of Agera\u2019s silence, Caligulio continued his one-sided conversation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou can obtain victory for yourself without having to fight us when we\u2019re at our most ferocious. Instead of making us slaves, would you be able to let us go for now? We\u2019ll pay you reparations, of course, and we promise to refrain from any further invasion. No, actually, <\/a>more than that! I would like to return to my homeland and appeal to the emperor to form an alliance with your nation! If you and the Empire join forces, it\u2019d be a trivial matter to rule the world. I\u2019m sure it\u2019d put your leader in an advantageous position over the other demon lords, and I don\u2019t think this is a bad offer from the demon lord Rimuru as well. Believe me, we will never forget a favor. What do you think? Could you perhaps allow us an audience with His Majesty the demon lord Rimuru?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio was desperate. Looking at how things were right now, the invasion of Dwargon and the labyrinth were both abject failures. Everybody involved with both operations was dead. The only survivors were the less than two hundred thousand people present here. They had blown this invasion royally, no matter how you looked at it\u2014even Caligulio had no choice but to admit that. He admitted it, and he wanted to make sure that those who were still alive could return home safely. It was the only way he could take responsibility for this now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After having his say, Caligulio waited for Agera\u2019s response. He knew this offer was a little convenient for his side, but it didn\u2019t mean they had zero chance. Their numbers might be significantly culled from before, but a little under two hundred thousand is still a very large army. They couldn\u2019t have been any smaller than the demon lord\u2019s forces, and having them all fighting for their lives in a frenzy couldn\u2019t have been what the demon lord Rimuru wanted. And unlike the labyrinth, on the ground, you couldn\u2019t come back to life if you died.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s why this proposal, which granted them a complete victory, really should<\/em> have been worthy of their consideration. At the very least, it wasn\u2019t the kind of offer Agera could respond to right now. It\u2019d definitely have to be conveyed to the demon lord Rimuru, and if he could be brought into the loop, that\u2019s when the real work would begin. Maybe he wouldn\u2019t let everyone off the hook, but at least some of their forces might have a chance to escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Including Caligulio, he hoped.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If they want to make slaves of us, they\u2019re probably not intent on taking our lives. It\u2019s rare to see such leniency from a demon lord, but maybe that\u2019ll help us this time. We could always buy back the rank-and-file soldiers later. I\u2019ll need to return home and inform His Majesty about this.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio wanted to save his own life\u2026 But more than that, he wanted to save as many soldiers as possible. That, and he wanted to bring accurate intelligence back to the emperor. Those were his true intentions, deep down.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He had grossly underestimated the enemy\u2019s war power, and it led to defeat this time, but in a sense, it was totally unavoidable. With their gigantic forces, he was positive they could have seized Dwargon, Tempest, and the Western Nations, even if they had to fight all three at once. He was absolutely sure of his victory, and this was the result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was impossible to imagine a story as ridiculous as the demon lord Rimuru having not just one but several Disaster-grade monsters serving him. Caligulio\u2019s downfall might be inevitable after this fiasco, but any further sacrifices could very well destroy the entire framework of the Empire. Better to retreat, then, and bet on their future reconstruction\u2014even if it meant abandoning his pride. Caligulio may have been greedy, but he wasn\u2019t incompetent, and that\u2019s why he offered this proposal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the demon lord Rimuru wants me alive, then so be it. I\u2019m sure somebody will bring the required intelligence back to Emperor Ludora. And once they do, this defeat will finally take on meaning\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio was prepared to sacrifice himself for this negotiation. But it was all too late.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cDo you think you are in a position to state your conditions at this point? The moment you rejected Lady Testarossa\u2019s mercy, your fates were all sealed. Your choice is to resist or obey. Take your pick.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was Agera\u2019s reply. And with nobody else able to move, he leisurely took his leave of the tent\u2014but not before adding one more thing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd don\u2019t think about running away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat\u2019ll we do?\u201d Misha asked Caligulio, who was standing there stunned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a><\/a>After a moment of silence:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026We have no choice but to fight. All our lives belong to the emperor. Perhaps we would survive longer as slaves, but we could hardly face His Majesty if we have to accept such humiliation!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was with a quiet determination that he made the decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cBut we have no magitanks and no magic cancelers. It\u2019s going to be a tough fight, don\u2019t you think?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI don\u2019t care. Survival\u2019s no longer the goal. Our mission is to bring back all this information to the emperor. All of you have to escape this, no matter how many soldiers have to be sacrificed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026?! P-please, sir, wait a minute!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWh-what do you intend to do, then?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIsn\u2019t it obvious? We\u2019ll show these monsters our pride as imperial soldiers!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The desperation finally made Caligulio abandon his selfishness. Here and now, he regained his pride as a pure, noble soldier. Seeing him change his stripes, his lieutenants and staff officers followed suit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNobody would be shameless enough to leave you alone and run, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s right. Nothing like a little last-ditch effort for some excitement, eh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe\u2019re not guaranteed to lose yet! Now\u2019s when the Armored Division will show its true colors!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n They all raised their spirits, boosting their morale as they did. Misha alone heaved a sigh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIn that case, I\u2019m going to run away. I\u2019m not admirable enough of a woman to go along with all of your death wishes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She waved her hands in the air as she did, all but relishing playing the villain. It made Caligulio smile bitterly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThank you. I know you have links to that kid Yuuki. Tell the Empire just how incompetent I was. Don\u2019t leave out a single detail.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, sir,\u201d she said, smiling back. Nobody was going to stop Misha. Everyone knew that getting out of there was never going to be easy for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet me appoint you guards\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n