As if that wasn\u2019t enough, Gourmet\u2014Geld\u2019s other unique skill\u2014had a Stomach that was accessible by the entire armed force. If anyone got hurt, they could be healed magically through that via the support troops to the rear, and if someone was seriously messed up, they had instant access to as much healing potion as needed. A large supply was always kept in Geld\u2019s Stomach, in case of emergency\u2014not just for this war, but at all times. Rimuru kept it fully stocked for just that purpose. This potion wouldn\u2019t go bad or anything inside the Stomach, either, and so the army had permission from Rimuru to deplete the stockpile as much as needed today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
From the standpoint of logistics, a unit that could replenish its supplies on the spot without having to move an inch would put any commander\u2019s mind at ease. In a way, the monster\u2019s own bodies were building a stout barrier for them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s no way they could lose<\/em>, Geld thought. But after that\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n He looked at the sky. There, he saw the figure of an officer named Carrera who was assigned to his unit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If she\u2019s got enough power to make Sir Rimuru count on her, I\u2019m sure gonna be looking forward to this.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The final battle was almost here. Geld, nearly beside himself with excitement, continued to quietly wait for the opening bell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Carrera was idly floating in the sky, within Geld\u2019s line of sight. She had been assigned to the Second Army Corps with her two companions, but they were operating separately for now. Rimuru had given her the honor of being on the vanguard force, and the warrior Geld had graciously accepted the trio, advising them to act as they pleased. He seemed like a very nice person, and Carrera felt they\u2019d be getting along excellently before long.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Rimuru had given Carrera a secret order to protect Geld as well. She didn\u2019t know for sure, but she guessed that Testarossa and Ultima received similar orders. If anyone on the Empire side was too much for his chief officials to deal with, the demons would keep <\/a>those foes occupied and buy time for their side\u2014that was their real mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That wasn\u2019t the case now, however. Now that they were in a lead position among the forces, there was no reason for the three of them to stay together. In fact, given the wall Geld and his forces had already built up, Carrera and her friends had nothing to do, really.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For now, the first priority on Carrera\u2019s mind was figuring out how to best annihilate the enemy. So there she was, in the sky, just about to unleash a nuclear magic spell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhoaaa, wait a second! Lady Carrera, what did you just try to do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Agera, just back from his envoy errand, hurriedly came up to stop her. The hard-nosed old veteran Caligulio saw was nowhere to be seen\u2014in front of Carrera, Agera was nothing but a hapless, long-suffering servant. He had rushed back here because he had a premonition that something bad was about to happen, and it turned out he was right. The way he could detect subtle signals predicting Carrera\u2019s actions showed how developed his keen intuition had become over many years of working for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, you\u2019re back, Agera? You know, I\u2019ve been thinking about a few different things, but I honestly think I need some practice. I don\u2019t want to mess up when it\u2019s time to really<\/em> fight!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n She wanted to fire that off while nobody was around to nitpick at her about it, but being interrupted didn\u2019t seem to bother her at all. It was clear evidence that this behavior was pretty much par for the course.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPractice, you say?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight, yeah. I\u2019m just triggering a nuclear explosion in the sky, so it\u2019ll look kind of like a big firework, y\u2019know? There might be some residual heat that burns up the ground a little, but no biggie! What do you think? That won\u2019t be a problem, will it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s excellent, my lady! A perfect idea! Well done, as always!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The girl who accompanied the smug Carrera was now giving her effusive praise. This was Esprit, a demon on roughly the same social caste as Agera. She looked like a cute little girl, but one with <\/a>a terrifying personality\u2014in fact, it\u2019d be no exaggeration to say she was the worst of Carrera\u2019s underlings. But she had the power to back it up, so even Agera had trouble dealing with her. Typically, as servants, he and Esprit would be sharing in the same hardships, but Esprit indulged all Carrera\u2019s impulses so much that she wasn\u2019t much of a bulwark at all. Never once had he ever tried to admonish her; whatever Carrera did was fine with her. Esprit left all the difficult, awkward lecturing to Agera while continuing to be Carrera\u2019s top bandwagoner. This meant that Agera did all the labor among them, which made for a less than healthy working relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To him, Testarossa (a sensible girl who was pure evil) and Ultima (who was in constant pursuit of further brutality) were just as bad as Carrera. But simply being<\/em> evil wasn\u2019t the problem. Even Carrera, who always did everything turned up to eleven without worrying about the collateral damage, was a troublesome lord to serve in Agera\u2019s eyes. Spreading mayhem, then saying \u201cOops, that kinda caused a lot of damage!\u201d afterward, didn\u2019t strike him as funny at all. He just couldn\u2019t bring himself to laugh along with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, his colleague Esprit didn\u2019t mind Carrera at all, thanks to having such similar personalities. Agera envied her for that.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s not excellent at all, you! Keep your mouth shut!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The long-suffering Agera yelled at the irresponsible Esprit about it. Then he turned to Carrera and began to explain matters carefully, as if talking to a child.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Listen, Lady Carrera. I just visited the enemy camp as an envoy, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cRight, yeah.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAnd it\u2019s a rule on the battlefield that you\u2019re not supposed to make any moves until the time comes.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWhat? It\u2019s just practice!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cPractice or not, you still can\u2019t do it!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Agera\u2019s boss Carrera was like a runaway train with no brakes. Stopping her required a mammoth effort. Her power was just so overwhelming that it made her tough to control. She had been making a regular habit of agitating the demon lord Leon on a daily <\/a>basis, shooting nuclear magic off to provoke him. It didn\u2019t turn into a war thanks to Leon being coolheaded, but if it was any other demon lord, the fallout would\u2019ve been massive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But whenever Carrera had her fill, she\u2019d just go back to her home in the demon realm. She was looking for momentary kicks, so she never placed much importance on winning or losing fights. Even if she ever lost, she would\u2019ve just disappeared from the scene with a big smile on her face. She<\/em> wouldn\u2019t think she\u2019d lost, so it wouldn\u2019t damage her or make her feel any remorse. That\u2019s who she was, and before now, Agera was at a loss to figure out how to teach her some common sense.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not now, however.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Up to this point, there was no one who could give orders to Agera and his ruling-class companions, the top-ranking demons of the realm and the most powerful as well. That was doubly true for Carrera, who could make even those ruling classes do her bidding\u2014even offering your opinion to her was done at your own risk. Carrera only allowed Agera to serve her without being rubbed out of existence because she liked him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, though, Carrera herself was not serving the demon lord Rimuru. Agera believed that, in order to win Rimuru\u2019s favor, Carrera had best start to learn a little patience\u2014that, and using her head instead of acting on impulses. To achieve this, he needed his boss Carrera to learn a little common sense. If Carrera could learn and master Tempest\u2019s assorted legal rules and regulations, Agera thought, then he really hoped she could act more considerate in her day-to-day life, too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then maybe my hardships would be eased a little\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n With that modest wish in his heart, Agera made a daily effort to offer Carrera the frank advice she needed. He was always on the lookout for a good opportunity to lecture her, and while it might look like an old man berating his granddaughter, he didn\u2019t care about that. Now, he thought, was his chance. He needed to be understandable and concise\u2014tough when dealing with Carrera, who was easily bored and never listened for very long to others.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>But then, as Agera earnestly explained the customs of war to Carrera\u2026the imperial army suddenly went on the move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cHey, Agera, you gave them a lot more time than that<\/em>, didn\u2019t you?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI did, yes\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay, so while I was listening to all your boring trivia, the Empire\u2019s gotten a leg up on us?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This unnerved Agera for two reasons. Carrera didn\u2019t understand the concept of \u201cgoing easy\u201d at all, but get her mad, and her outbursts usually led to massive meltdowns. If the brunt of that anger was pointed at Agera, he\u2019d have to give up on living. But he was also mad at the Empire for ruining this lesson on the rules of warfare he was giving her. This reckless action on their part\u2014akin to a betrayal\u2014made him angry for the first time in quite a while.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLady Carrera! Leave that old man alone and let\u2019s teach a lesson to those idiots who can\u2019t even keep a promise!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Esprit flashed a look at Agera that screamed \u201cI hope you\u2019re happy now, asshole!\u201d then pointed toward the Empire to draw Carrera\u2019s attention. Geld and his army were going into formation, and headed their way were nearly twenty thousand troops marching in an orderly fashion. From the air, the soldiers who seemed to fill Carrera\u2019s entire field of vision looked like a fat hog ready for the dinner table.<\/p>\n\n\n\n She nodded, smiling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat sounds good! You won\u2019t stop me, of course\u2014right, Agera?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The terrifying tone of the question indicated that any attempt to stop her would result in murder. But Agera\u2019s reaction wasn\u2019t what she expected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes\u2026 I did tell them to wait an hour, but I did not say they couldn\u2019t attack in the meantime. I suppose I am to blame for this misunderstanding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSo what\u2019ll we do?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, if someone is that eager to die, it\u2019s the duty of any warrior to intercede on their part. No need to go easy. I think you\u2019re quite safe doing whatever you like.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>Agera was fully ready for this. He might\u2019ve been a gentle, decidedly un-demonic demon, but anyone who mocked his master or broke their promises to him would face his almighty rage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cGreat. This is so thrilling! See, that\u2019s why I love you so much.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He\u2019d never stop Carrera now. Realizing this, she let out a gleeful laugh.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOkay, let\u2019s get started. Let\u2019s teach them what happens when they try meddling with us!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes, my lady.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cComing right up!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n And so the battle broke out. And the Empire had no idea that their own actions were akin to signing their own death warrants.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll right\u2026 How about a rain of nuclear spells for starters?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOooh, I like that! It\u2019s like planting tulip bulbs in the ground, except they\u2019re mushroom clouds!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes, when you offend someone who\u2019s usually mild-mannered, they can react with shockingly severe retribution. The Empire was about to find this out the hard way.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, no, that\u2019s still too little. Lady Carrera, remember what our master told us, please. He told you he wanted something massive that\u2019d scare the Empire out of their wits.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Mmm?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWouldn\u2019t combining our full forces together be the best way to adhere to our master\u2019s wishes?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carrera\u2019s eyes opened wide. It made sense to her. Agera\u2019s words were indeed correct\u2014and now Agera himself, usually busy snipping at Carrera to keep her from running wild, was telling her not to hold back. It was a deeply moving experience for her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, Agera, you finally understand! And you\u2019re right. I think I\u2019ve been setting my own limits too much lately. Your words just woke me up! \u2026Right! Let\u2019s show them what we\u2019ve got! I have a big spell I\u2019ve never quite pulled off before, but it\u2019s time to debut it to the world!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carrera was motivated. Motivated\u2014and going all out like never before. Agera, regaining his composure, began to say \u201cUh-oh\u201d to himself, but it was too late for that now. She was already focusing <\/a>on the spell she was casting. Esprit was giving him a \u201cNow<\/em> what?\u201d look, but at this point, all he could do was wait and see what happened. If his boss went out of control and got angry at him later, well, he could think about that when the time came.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that in mind, Agera decided to sit back and enjoy this. Even he<\/em> was a demon, after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the end, the imperial army that had begun to march ahead was destroyed by an attack from above.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They had multiple legion magic\u2013driven barriers over them, further magic defenses provided by state-of-the-art equipment, a force populated by soldiers who all had high magic resistance of their own, and all manner of holy blessings applied to them. And all those measures were utterly powerless in the face of the large-scale extinction magic Carrera unleashed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This was Gravity Collapse, a type of nuclear magic. Boasting the most force among all the spells in its family, Gravity Collapse required both precise magic manipulation and an enormous amount of magicule energy. If the abyss core at its foundation was left unattended, it\u2019d balloon in size until it triggered a Nuclear Flame\u2014but in the forbidden Gravity Collapse spell, it was instead suppressed and compressed to create a super-gravitational field\u2014in laypeople\u2019s terms, an artificial black hole. This supercharged local gravitational field, created by the adverse reaction from the planet\u2019s own magnetic fields, then crushed anyone caught inside into the size of a pebble.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Needless to say, the effect on the imperial force was pretty tragic. With no advance warning, gravity suddenly began to flatten them; the troops were all pulverized, unable to bear even their own weight. Marching on open terrain proved to be their downfall; there was no way to escape the eyes of the demon. Over four-fifths of the force of nearly two hundred thousand was trapped within the magic\u2019s sphere of influence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They were all currently on the ground, unable to move, but the real essence of this spell was just beginning. A storm of magical force began to blow upon them, affecting only the precisely defined <\/a>area Carrera designated. It was an inverted storm, like nothing that anyone had ever seen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hyper-compressed space soon reached its breaking point, and in another moment, all its energy was focused on a single dot in space. Then it imploded\u2014and the planet was greeted with an extremely miniature version of a supernova. A jet-black pillar connected the surface to the heavens\u2014the earth, sand, and dust that had been swept up to the stratosphere by the huge explosion, as if Carrera just opened the manhole to hell.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was no type of magic that should ever be used while standing atop a planet. If she hadn\u2019t taken the time to define a precise range for it, the entire Forest of Jura would\u2019ve become a charred wasteland. And nobody in the imperial army ever had a chance of being resistant to it. The nuclear magic Gravity Collapse is an all-attribute attack, encompassing all magical and physical phenomena. Thus, most troops caught inside were smashed into dust before even realizing what had happened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Carrera was satisfied with this blast. What she wasn\u2019t so satisfied with was Agera, who was already back to his usual habits. He was the one who encouraged her to do it; where did he get off, trying to complain about it now?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, Agera was expecting nothing quite on this<\/em> scale. He did<\/em> think it could wind up being trouble, yes, but not even he realized that Carrera had so much power. But dwelling on it at this point was a waste of time. The long-suffering Agera\u2019s troubles had only just begun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Geld smiled. This was awesome<\/em>. Yes, he figured she\u2019d be pretty strong, but Carrera\u2019s might was simply unimaginable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSure didn\u2019t expect her to pick off that many with just one blow. Now none of us will have a chance to show our stuff.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He sounded a touch sullen about it, but Geld didn\u2019t really mean what he said. The imperial army was in a state of chaos, but there <\/a>were still over twenty thousand survivors, and they were all in a mad rush for Geld\u2019s army, trying desperately to escape the carnage. They were no longer heavily outnumbered, but now wasn\u2019t the time to let their guard down. Geld understood that well enough. After witnessing the horrors of death firsthand, all those troops were doubtlessly going to fight within an inch of their lives. The pressure they\u2019d lay on should never have been taken lightly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But Geld was unfazed. And perhaps thanks to their commander\u2019s calm demeanor, all Geld\u2019s forces, right down to the lowliest buck private, were at attention and sizing up the enemy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cShields up!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once the enemy was within spitting distance, Geld issued the solemn order. The Second Corps responded in perfectly choreographed order, and in the next moment, they became a wall that would allow nobody through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The fierce clash of army against the army came the next instant\u2014but despite that, Geld\u2019s forces didn\u2019t retreat a single step backward as they engaged with the Empire. Even after that, Geld\u2019s wall didn\u2019t break down at any point along the line as it pushed the imperials back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That was how the final battle began. Now it was Shion\u2019s turn to make a move.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cLet\u2019s charge them. I want to slaughter every last one of Sir Rimuru\u2019s foes!!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Shion\u2019s elite guard, led by Team Reborn, roared their approval. At once, a good ten thousand magic-born of all shapes and sizes began to act on their own discretion. These were Shion\u2019s most die-hard fans, trained by the woman herself, and being commanded by Team Reborn allowed them to largely do as they pleased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n They were a sizable army, and in a fight, they were good enough to turn heads. Shion\u2019s extra skill Mortal Fear united them with Team Reborn, making these ten thousand magic-born a legion of marauding knights of terror as they slammed into the Empire. Mortal Fear fanned the enemy\u2019s fears, sapping them of their will to fight. The effects were tremendous. The enemy, no longer able to <\/a>tap into their full abilities, left themselves exposed, open, and ready for Team Reborn to trample all over them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Wearing matching sets of bluish-purple armor forged by Garm, Shion\u2019s forces rampaged across the battlefield. To the imperial army, the mere sight was nightmarish\u2014but three giants among them, each exuding a ridiculous large aura of dark energy, caught most of their attention. Their own aura had assimilated with Shion\u2019s Mortal Fear, turning them into living incarnations of violence. They were, of course, the three sons of the demon lord Daggrull.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the rest of the guard wasn\u2019t about to be undone. Taking full advantage of their resistance to death, Team Reborn focused on keeping the enemy\u2019s attention. As they did, the other magic-born would dispatch the exposed foes\u2014that was the basic strategy, and it let them steadily cut their numbers without taking any damage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gobzo was among them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOoh, my head\u2019s gettin\u2019 itchy\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite his casual observation, there was a stab wound in his head from when someone stuck a sword in it. The way it closed up, bit by bit, was gruesome to see if you weren\u2019t used to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWay to keep at it, Gobzo.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYeah, if I<\/em> took that blow, it would\u2019ve killed me, huh?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Gobzo had grown a lot\u2014enough that his troops were truly impressed with him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In the meantime, three cyclones began to form on the battlefield, one of Daggrull\u2019s sons in the eye of each one. It was from those landmarks that the Empire\u2019s left wing began collapsing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Members of Shion\u2019s elite guard weren\u2019t about to miss that chance, and now the imperials were being pushed back at breakneck speed. Even the Empire\u2019s troops, desperate and running on pure adrenaline, were no match for them. The two sides were more or less evenly matched in terms of individual combat ability\u2014but one side was far better trained than the other, and in terms of skill level, the elite guard had a clear upper hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What kind of training did it take to make this happen? Somewhere along the line, Shion\u2019s troops had transformed into an amazingly well-honed, specialized combat force.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>As Shion was making a name for herself on the right wing, the imperial army was facing even more trouble on its own right side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cN-no! Why are they here\u2014? Urgh!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Beast Master\u2019s Warrior Alliance?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo, I don\u2019t wanna die\u2014 Grnnh!<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Beast Master\u2019s Warrior Alliance troops were serving as reinforcements, alongside the other magic-born who served Carillon. They all owed Rimuru a great favor, and now they were exercising their full powers to pay it back.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThat\u2019s one hell of a monster.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt is.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Zol, the elephant beastman, wholeheartedly agreed with Alvis\u2019s muttered remark. A magic spell like none they had seen or heard of before was deploying before their eyes. An ominous pillar, connecting heaven and earth, had just reduced more than a hundred thousand imperial troops to dust. Even now, its violent fury was battering the landscape, never diminishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that blow, victory was now assured. The only remaining question was whether the enemy had any true champions left hiding in their ranks. They wanted to know, and that was why they refused to let the enemy escape in this fight. Alvis, fully aware of how openhearted and generous Rimuru could usually be, was honestly shocked at how thorough they were with this policy\u2014but at the same time, she believed this was how a demon lord should<\/em> act.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWell, we rolled in with twenty thousand troops, and it looks like they\u2019re overwhelming them anyway. We can\u2019t exactly call it paying him back if it\u2019s going to be like this,\u201d said Alvis.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAh, as if we could ever repay him in any true sense.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTrue enough. Well, we shouldn\u2019t sadden Sir Rimuru, at least. Dying here is out of the question. Do everything in your power to ensure nobody\u2019s hurt.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou heard him, everyone. Take your pride serving the Beast Master and do everything you can until the bitter end!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Beast Master\u2019s Warrior Alliance answered Zol\u2019s roar with <\/a>one of their own. Not a moment later, the beastfolk began their march on the imperial army\u2019s right flank.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By this point, the trend was abundantly clear. Magic was rampaging across the rear, and they were being overrun on their left and right sides. The imperial army had little option left, apart from waiting for their foes to surround and exterminate them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Momiji eyed the situation, her eyes cold. Her head was calm, but her heart was burning fiercely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s about time now. Allow me to ignite flames of compassion to relieve our enemies from their suffering.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n With that whisper, she sent a signal to Gobwa. The moment she did, the Fourth Army Corps breathed in unison, summoning their mystic force. The order cascaded across Team Kurenai via Gobwa\u2019s Thought Communication\u2014and as if in response, the mystic force created by everyone streamed across the army, harmonized in beautiful fashion. It was Momiji\u2019s job to give all this power a conduit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAre you sure this will work?\u201d a slightly worried-looking Gobwa asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Momiji laughed the idea off. \u201cIf I\u2019m to be Sir Benimaru\u2019s wife, how could I not<\/em> be capable of this much?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There was an unshakable confidence in her attitude. Her plan, in essence, was to gather this mystic force into a single presence, then lob it straight at the enemy army. It was a simple, unadorned strategy, but if she failed to unify that force correctly, it might trigger an unintended explosion that could damage Geld\u2019s force on the front line. Gobwa\u2019s unease was natural, but in the face of Momiji\u2019s confidence, she commented on it no further. Momiji had been entrusted with this army as Benimaru\u2019s substitute, and to doubt her would be the same as doubting Benimaru.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAll right. I\u2019ll leave that to you, then. Are you ready to begin?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYes. This won\u2019t be as powerful as the vicious magic Carrera cast, but it should be enough for the remaining forces. I\u2019m going to finish this with one blow.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then Momiji\u2019s once-in-a-lifetime mystic spell made its debut.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>\u201cLet us bloom a red lotus that softly, gently envelops our enemy. Mystic Crimson Heaven!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n It was a red flower blooming in the sky. Its first objective was to rapidly burn through oxygen, draining it from the air at ground level and leaving the enemy incapacitated. The second objective was to rain down the flames of compassion, its temperature high enough to render targets unconscious before it could inflict pain. The third objective was to ferret out the strongest among their forces. If anyone could withstand this attack, they\u2019d have been classified as strong, naturally, making this mystic art a great way to weed out the time wasters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So the blooming flower fell upon the battlefield\u2014and at the end of it, nobody was left alive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh? Well, that\u2019s<\/em> a letdown.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was to be expected, perhaps. The last group to enter the labyrinth was far more powerful than any before it. They might have been the best elites the Empire had to offer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cSeems like it. Now all we have left is the enemy\u2019s command HQ.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI\u2019m sure that\u2019s been taken care of by now. Besides\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh, right. Carrera\u2019s servant was heading over there, wasn\u2019t he? And I\u2019m certain nobody at the HQ could be a match for him.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n Caligulio had received a stream of desperate reports. He really didn\u2019t need them. The catastrophe was happening right before his eyes, and the only silver lining was that, since it happened so fast, they were able to die without feeling any fear or regret. Meanwhile, the survivors of that fearsome magic had fled back to the main camp with terror in their eyes. Having experienced the soul-crushing horror firsthand, they lost all trust in the Empire, cursing their own foolishness. There was no time for fancy speeches as the staff officers shouted for retreat\u2014but at this point, survival was impossible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>How did this happen? Should I have chosen enslavement instead? No\u2014 Where did I even go wrong in the first place?<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n He tried his hardest to cease his looping thoughts but failed. Once again, he looked out at the desperate battlefield, considering whatever possible strategies he could take by now. There was nothing\u2014no saving grace that he could ever come up with at this moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And more to the point\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cNo\u2026 What\u2019s that? What is thaaat<\/em>?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio was tossed into a crucible of fear and confusion. Magic that heinous was beyond what he was capable of understanding. How could you take tens of thousands of soldiers protected by layer and layer of anti-magic resistance and kill them all like you\u2019d squash an anthill? Nearly two hundred thousand troops were utterly destroyed with just one blow, and it\u2019d only be a matter of time before the rest were wiped out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cM-maybe\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMaybe what<\/em>?!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2026 It\u2019s still a theoretical magic spell, but I know about one that interacts with the gravity of the planet. It\u2019s likely the most devastating magic in the nuclear family, but it requires an enormous amount of energy to activate, and every step requires exacting control\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Gadora told me about it once. Gravity Collapse, right?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes, Caligulio had heard about it. It was a spell that was still under research, merely a theory at this point in time. No example of it had ever been observed before, and even with otherworldly knowledge, research was at a standstill even in the theoretical phase. This tactical-level magic had the power to annihilate entire nations, not just battlefields. But as far as Caligulio knew, they had concluded that it\u2019d be impossible to ever conjure it in real life.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But here it was. Executed in perfect fashion\u2014by a single monster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now the term demon lord<\/em> struck Caligulio\u2019s brain with a palpable sense of fear. Have we meddled with someone who we never should have meddled with?<\/em> he asked himself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI admire your knowledge, sir.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The matter-of-fact tone of one of his staff officers brought him back to reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/a>\u201cBut it\u2019s theoretical<\/em>!\u201d he shouted back in frustration. \u201cWe were boasting about how we could slaughter Veldora if we made it work!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIndeed, sir. That\u2019s how powerful that magic is. It\u2019s practically limitless.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At some point, the staff officers had polarized into two separate camps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt was from\u2026from a monster? Just one of them could perform a magic that massive\u2026?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some were in a state of panic\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAstounding. Ah-ha-ha-ha! I\u2019ll write a research paper on this when I get home! Now we, too, can get our hands on that spell!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026and some were babbling at each other like madmen. One side had lost the will to fight; the other had lost their grip on reality.<\/p>\n\n\n\n At this point, the Empire\u2019s command HQ was no longer functional. Nothing in the world could be done in the midst of these horrifying circumstances. But nonetheless, Caligulio was in command. He was responsible for the lives of what soldiers he had left. Throwing in the towel was the one thing he could never do\u2026but the situation was no longer conducive to ordering a retreat. Counting the crazed troops who fled the front lines, there were less than two thousand men and women left in the main camp. They were chaotic, disorderly, and even if they somehow made it out of there, they were all doomed to be slaughtered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Power. Power was the one thing Caligulio wished for right now. If you have power, all is forgiven\u2014the iron rule the Empire always stuck to. Only through the overwhelming power they had was it possible for them to subjugate the whole world. But if you didn\u2019t have power, you were doomed to face a tragic end\u2014something that was obvious, given Caligulio\u2019s current situation. As one of the three commanders at the top of the Empire, he was proud to be one of the world\u2019s great power brokers\u2014but now he finally realized it was all an illusion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I can\u2019t believe how powerless I really was. How incompetent. How weak. I had no idea I was such a miserable peon, constantly being exploited\u2026<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n He couldn\u2019t help but lament his fate. Fortune, fame, and everything <\/a>that came with them were worthless in his current circumstances. When you got into serious<\/em> trouble, there were far, far more important things you needed at hand.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cI wish I had power\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Large tears spilled from Caligulio\u2019s eyes. Nearly a million soldiers, people who believed in the glory of the Empire and the commander who led them, were dead. The impact of this undeniable truth was devastating him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cR-reporting, sir! A huge flame was observed in the sky above the battlefield. Based on the amount of heat it generated, we believe the chances that anyone on the ground survived it are hopeless\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cIt\u2019s over,\u201d Caligulio\u2019s first officer muttered. \u201cThe Empire\u2019s been completely defeated\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n The rest of the staff fell silent. Even the ones trying to escape reality a moment ago were stunned, as if waking up from a dream. They tried to face the reality that awaited them, but their brains refused to accept it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Let\u2019s offer our surrender. Whether they\u2019ll accept it is a gamble, but there\u2019s a chance they\u2019ll find us useful. At this rate, we\u2019re all going to be killed anyway. I think it\u2019s our only chance for survival, but what do you think?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Better to be enslaved than dead. That was the thought behind this officer\u2019s proposal, although he worried it was coming far too late. Nonetheless, Caligulio decided to accept the offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201c\u2026Right. Yes, it may be pointless, but let\u2019s try to negotiate. At the very least, if we can turn the enemy\u2019s attention toward us, that\u2019ll give Misha and her comrades a better chance at escaping.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Even if this battle ended with them all dying, their defeat would still have meaning if the Empire received the information they learned. That thought alone made Caligulio reluctantly agree. It was uncharacteristically modest of him, but his heart had long since been shattered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Admittedly, thanks to this, he was able to think once more about the best course of action in this situation. If he had gained this state of mind earlier, it would have made him a master general for the <\/a>ages, no doubt. It took him fully abandoning his greed and vanity to accomplish, but at long last, Caligulio had regained his original, latent intelligence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the decision came far too late. Any hope for Caligulio and his staff had long since disappeared.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cKeh-heh-heh-heh-heh\u2026 Surrender? Ooh, we can\u2019t have that now, can we? I\u2019m afraid you\u2019ll have to deal with me for a few moments.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diablo, who had actually been in the tent for some time now, was dressed in his usual butler\u2019s uniform, a smile on his handsome face. The moment he saw the demon, Caligulio realized the sheer difference in power between them. Now that he had regained his calm judgment skills, he wasn\u2019t going to throw away his life for the sake of trivial pride. Negotiation came first now, so he had his guards lower their swords. That was undoubtedly the right thing to do. Any attempts at a fight were futile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Out the corner of his eye, Caligulio spotted Krishna, cowering and intoning \u201cI can\u2019t\u2026 I can\u2019t\u2026\u201d over and over. Just like the commander, he must have immediately recognized the overwhelming difference in strength. Internally praising himself for making the right decision, Caligulio decided to identify himself first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cMy name is Caligulio. I am the commander of this operation. May I ask your name?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOh? How polite of you. My name is Diablo, loyal servant of the demon lord Rimuru.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Diablo loved giving people his name. He couldn\u2019t look more cheerful right now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Caligulio took a moment to think. There was little chance they could beat Diablo, even if everybody in command HQ jumped him en masse. The sheer demonic energy they sensed was denser than that of the greatest of dragons, an aura of utter supremacy that outclassed even that of the demon lord Clayman, whom Caligulio was acquainted with. Plus, Diablo came here without giving away any hint of his presence. He had infiltrated their HQ without showing any sign of the supreme aura that oozed off of him now.<\/p>\n\n\n\n