Prologue : Pure Malice

The [Phantom Beast Tribe] (幻獣族) [Cryptids] (クリプテッド) are a diverse

group of creatures, each possessing unique traits.

Most of them lack any sense of cooperation, existing solely to rampage as they
please. However, some among them form groups that share similar
characteristics, exhibiting high intelligence and protecting one another.
Through teamwork, they can even challenge beings of a higher class.

This was proof that even the instinct-driven, battle-hardened [Phantom Beast
Tribe], who fought without fear of death, harboured a form of intelligence.

Thus, it was only natural that from the [Phantom Beast Tribe] emerged the
[Insect Demon Tribe] (蟲魔族), known as the [Insectors] (インセクター).

And now—

"Kyahahaha hahahaha~♪"

The [World-Devouring Dragon] (滅界竜) Ivarage let out the cry of evolution.

It was the birth of something new.

A seven-colored cocoon enveloped Ivarage, reconstructing its body within. For

spirit-based life forms, their appearance and size were freely mutable, but the
will-less existence that was Ivarage had been an amorphous entity. As energy
accumulated, it had swelled grotesquely, taking on a form so ominous and
malevolent that it exuded a chilling aura of dread.

Yet, with its evolution, Ivarage underwent a profound transformation.

Its size shrank to that of a human child, its vast energy now condensed,
radiating an aura so overwhelming that it felt almost otherworldly.

The remnants of the seven-colored cocoon wrapped around its newly formed
gyokutai (玉体)—a term signifying a body of divine or noble presence. Beneath
the gaps in the cocoon, glimpses of pure white, radiant skin could be seen. Its
hair, as white as snow, was as light and fluffy as dandelion fluff, absorbing the
light around it. Its cherry-colored lips, though charming, were twisted into a
malevolent grin.

And within its golden eyes gleamed the light of intelligence.

By gaining the emotion of hatred, Ivarage’s consciousness blossomed. As a
manifestation of pure malice with a will of its own, it sought to declare its
existence to the world.

But first—

Ivarage remembered.

Its newfound emotions rapidly cultivated its intellect, allowing it to

understand—

It had been abandoned.

Loneliness.

Resentment.

Unforgivable.

There was once a time when it had been part of a perfect whole—the All-One (
全なる一).

It had known contentment.

As a being devoid of intellect, senses, or emotions, Ivarage had never

experienced anxiety, dissatisfaction, or even boredom.

And yet—

Half of it had been severed.

The omnipotence it once possessed was gone, leaving it exposed to an uncertain

reality.

Even then, Ivarage, lacking intelligence, had felt no dissatisfaction. But—

the fleeting sense of loss—the aching loneliness—was something it could not

erase, no matter what it did.

But now, things were different.

Ivarage had acquired a sense of self.

It had gained intelligence, understood its circumstances, and with emotions now
in its grasp, it swore vengeance.

If something was lost, it simply needed to be reclaimed.

If it devoured everything, even the one who had abandoned it would surely
return.

To accomplish this, Ivarage set its sights on destroying all that Veldanava had
created.

The first emotion it had acquired was hatred—an accursed sentiment that led it
to despise all living beings. Without hesitation, without the slightest doubt,
Ivarage resolved to bring about the end of the world.

And before the newly awakened Evil God, a door stood.

A gateway to another world—

The Tenseikyuu (天星宮).

Beyond it lay a vast, unknown realm.

A multitude of worlds, all created by Veldanava. If it crushed them one by one

and consumed them, surely, one day, it would feel whole again.

Ivarage entertained this thought, savouring the moment, and—

"Kyaha♪"

Ivarage let out a pleased laugh, and others responded.

They were kings—rulers of their respective hordes.

A beast sprinting through the void.

A bird soaring across dimensions.

A fish swimming between the stars.

They were the three servants (従僕, Shimo-be) who revered the Dreaming
Chaos Dragon, Ivarage, as their mother.

By mere potential alone, these rulers of the [Phantom Beast Tribe] rivalled even
Zelanus, the former King of the Insect Demons. But with Ivarage’s evolution,
they had received divine Favor. The already formidable creatures had now
gained self-awareness, making them all the more uncontrollable.

And the effects rippled throughout their entire derivative race, beyond
comprehension.
"Kyaha♪ My adorable little servants. This is what it means to be cute~♪"

Ivarage, overjoyed by its first-ever experience of emotion, became even more

elated. Spurred on by the excitement, it wished to share this happiness with its
servants.

"Hmm, let’s see... Yes! I shall give you all names. Mama will bestow upon you
wonderful, wonderful names."

A name—

It was the first gift Ivarage had ever received.

Though it had never been conscious of it before, now that it had gained self-
awareness, it understood just how precious that gift was. The joy of receiving it
for the first time overwhelmed Ivarage, and it revelled in its pure, childlike
delight.

However, Ivarage is far too ignorant—an embodiment of malice itself. Thus,

even the act of naming takes on a meaning different from the norm.

「えっとねぇ、君はカケアシ」
“Um… You’re Kakeashi.”

Turning his gaze toward the beast sprinting through the void, Ivarage spoke.

The beast, now named Kakeashi, was imbued with an intense emotion. The curse
Ivarage harboured had been inherited the moment the name was bestowed.

Ivarage proceeded to name the other two in the same manner.

The bird soaring through dimensions was given the name Habataki, along with a
lingering grudge (怨嗟の念).
The fish swimming between the stars inherited his hatred (憎悪の念) and was
named Swiim.

The names sounded innocent enough, yet the malice was undeniably transmitted.

These three shimo-be (従僕)—servants who would have already done anything
for their mother—became even more devoted due to this naming. They would
now act without hesitation, even if it meant their own destruction, as long as it
fulfilled their mother’s wishes.

Thus, the evolution of the three servants was complete.

Their forms were monstrous—so grotesque they exuded sheer malice.

Kakeashi had the body of a massive lion with the head of a dragon, its entire
frame clad in dragon scales. Its tail, split into eight, slithered like a venomous
serpent, writhing of its own will.

Eyes sprouted all over its body, leaving no blind spots. From small protrusions, a
viscous, decomposition-inducing enzyme oozed out, forming a mist. Even a Demon
Lord-class entity would not escape death merely by coming into contact with
Kakeashi’s yōki (妖気—aura).

Habataki was a two-headed, androgynous bird—an elegant demonic avian with

the physique of an eagle and the tail of a peacock.

Its entire body was covered in feathers made of hihiirokane (ヒヒイロカネ—an

ultimate metal), shining with a golden radiance. It appeared less like a living
creature and more like an inorganic, mechanical construct. A closer inspection
revealed even its feathers were metallic.

Swiim was the most bizarre of the three—yet possessed a strange beauty.

Its shape resembled a squid with a sharply tapered body. It had no head;
instead, countless tentacles sprouted from a rounded torso at its centre.

A closer look at these tentacles revealed intricate joints that allowed them to
move freely. Covering Swiim’s entire form was Arionium (アリオニウム—an
anomalous living metal), and tiny parasitic creatures, grotesque in their own
right, swarmed across its surface.

Though these three bore no physical resemblance, they all shared one trait—
otherness.

They defied the very laws of biology, existing as aberrations beyond

comprehension.

And the same was true for their kin.

The Cryptids (幻獣族—Genjūzoku) under their command, the higher-ranked they

were, inherited even stronger traits from their masters. Unlike those naturally
formed from magical essence, these creatures bore even more dreadful,
terrifying power.
This evolution, tied to the act of naming, further amplified their malice.
Countless illusory beasts, steeped in darkness, had undergone wicked,
unfathomable transformations.

Among the oldest and most powerful of them, their sheer might now surpass
even the Disaster-class (災禍級—ディザスター). Numbering in the hundreds,
with offshoots reaching into the tens of thousands, they formed an
overwhelming force.

Centred around Ivarage, the World-Devouring Dragon (滅界竜—めっかいりゅう),

this massive horde of Cryptids was no less than the army of an Evil God—one
heralding the end of days.

「楽しいネ、とっても楽しいネ。さあ、遊びに行こう♪」
“This is fun. So much fun. Now, let’s go play♪”

Ivarage’s voice carried a singsong tone as she gave the command.

She smiled—yet her eyes remained cold and lifeless.

Fixing her glare on Tenseikyuu (天星宮—the Celestial Star Palace), she began to
move—silently, without hesitation.

Within her eyes burned a hatred for those who had abandoned her.

With a vow to reclaim all that was lost, Ivarage descended upon Tenseikyuu.

Ordinarily, the Great Gate (大門), which linked to the Axis World (基軸世界),
would have remained sealed, impenetrable without the Key.

And yet now, for some reason, the gate stood open.

Dagruel—the guardian of the gate—was absent.

Anyone could pass through freely.

As if that weren’t enough—

A cataclysmic shock, powerful enough to reach Tenseikyuu, erupted from the

depths beyond the Great Gate, shattering the Tentsūkaku (天通閣—the
Celestial Tower).

It was the aftermath of Drago Nova (竜星爆炎覇—Dragon Star Explosion

Conqueror), unleashed by Milim.
The Tentsūkaku’s interior had been reduced to utter ruin. The once-grand
structure had been torn open, leaving vast, gaping voids where walls and floors
once stood.

Now, nothing hindered the advance of the Cryptid army.

「きゃは♪ 楽しみ!!」
“Kyaha♪ I can’t wait!!”

No one stood in Ivarage’s way.

With hell’s legion at her command, the innocent-looking Evil God strode forward.

And the moment she stepped into the world—

「──見ィつけタ♪」
“Found you♪”

Ivarage had discovered the scattered Fragments (欠片—Kakera) across the

Axis World.

These were traces of those once connected to Veldanava, the Star-King Dragon
(星王竜).

A twisted grin spread across her lips.

Her malice surged, driven by hatred for those whom Veldanava had once loved.

She vowed to annihilate the world.

As if in response, the army of the Evil God roared to life, surging forth to lay
waste to the surface.

Engulfing all—until once more, all returned to One.

Chapter 1 : The Lord of Vice

Time Rewinds to Before the Battle in the Labyrinth Began

As soon as the leaders of the [Demon Country], Tempest, gathered for their
meeting and decided on a course of action, Testarossa swiftly made her move.

The moment she stepped out of the Control Room, she sent a Thought
Communication to Cien, whom she had left behind in the Kingdom of Ingracia.
After briefly relaying the key points of the meeting, she issued an order—Cien
was to consult with Hinata and decide the rest.

Just as she was about to contact Moss next, she was met by Sōka, who wore a
stern expression.

"Oh?"

"I will escort you."

"Shouldn't you be assisting Lord Sōei?"

"No. My subordinates have already been dispatched to their respective

locations."

Sōka nodded lightly as she spoke.

That was indeed the truth.

• In the Holy Empire of Lubellious, Hokuso was stationed.

• In Sayaka, the Holy Void of Damargania, Saika was deployed.

• In the Sorcerous Dynasty of Sarion, Nansō had been sent.

Each of them had been dispersed across their respective battlefields, acting as
the eyes and ears of Sōei’s Avatars, ensuring swift intelligence gathering.

And now, in the land they were heading toward, Tōka was assigned to the
mission—however, all contact with her had been lost.

Judging by the situation, it was likely that she had been sealed within the
frozen world Velzard had created.

If Tōka had truly been turned into an ice sculpture, it was only natural for Sōka
to insist on joining the rescue mission.

"…I see how it is."

Even without a full explanation, Testarossa quickly grasped the circumstances.

Allowing Sōka to lead the way, the two of them proceeded toward the isolated
chamber designated for teleportation.

To prevent enemy infiltration, direct Transfer from within the labyrinth to the
outside world was strictly forbidden. For those capable of Spatial Transfer,
this rule was certainly an inconvenience, but as part of the safety-first policy,
everyone adhered to it.

As they walked, Testarossa pondered.

To be frank, even with Sōka’s level of skill, she would only be a hindrance against
Velzard. Knowing this, Testarossa nevertheless accepted Sōka’s presence.

A battle required more than sheer combat strength—analysis and

communication were just as vital. If Sōka could relay information back to the
Control Room, it would allow Testarossa to focus solely on the mission. Not that
she would be helpless without it, but it was a useful asset nonetheless.

Moreover, she understood Sōka’s desire to save her subordinate, who had been
caught in the chaos.

Since Testarossa’s own objective was to rescue Carrera and the others,
rejecting Sōka’s assistance outright would only lower the operation’s chances of
success.

That said, bringing her along as she was would be a death sentence.

The reason was simple—Guy and Velzard had returned.

If Sōka were to be exposed to the full force of Velzard’s overwhelming aura,

she would perish instantly—long before she could even be turned into an ice
statue.

(I have no idea what Velzard-sama is planning, but… is she truly fighting Guy in
earnest? Even so, I doubt Sōka would be able to withstand her—)

The battlefield in former Eurazania had been encased in an icy world—an enigma
in itself.

If Velzard had intended to be truly merciless, she would not have simply frozen
all living things; she could have reduced them to mere dust of ice with ease. Had
that been the case, aside from exceptions like demons capable of resurrection,
there would have been no survivors at all.

Conversely, the very fact that they had been turned into ice statues meant that
a possibility of survival remained.

(That’s right. Velzard-sama is ruthless, but she does not act without purpose.
It’s more reasonable to assume she never intended to kill them outright… If
that’s the case—)

What exactly was Velzard’s true goal?

Testarossa was certain—Feldway was unlikely to be controlling her.

Even manipulating a Primordial such as herself would be a difficult feat. To fully

dominate a True Dragon, the supreme existence among spiritual lifeforms, in
peak condition? Impossible.

While there was precedent for such control, the idea that Velzard’s actions
were of her own volition made far more sense.

The most plausible explanation was that she had agreed to stall Guy at Feldway’s
request.

Testarossa was aware of the history between Guy and Velzard, so it was only
natural to assume their interests had aligned, leading to this temporary
arrangement.

But she suspected there was more to it than that.

(Would Rimuru-sama be able to see the perfect answer? No… I mustn’t keep
relying on him like this. I will do what I can, in my own way.)

If she could uncover Velzard’s true intentions, that would be ideal. But even for
Testarossa, seeing through the mind of a True Dragon was no easy feat.

Either way, minimizing unnecessary casualties was the priority. That meant
taking every precaution before executing the mission.

『Moss, come here. 』

『Understood. 』

After summoning her trusted subordinate, Testarossa came to a halt and turned
to Sōka. Fixing her with a direct gaze, she decided to test her resolve.
"You truly intend to come along, don’t you?"

"Yes. My mission is to investigate the situation on-site. If possible, I also intend

to rescue any survivors—"

"Hold on. That would be impossible."

"…Huh?"

"You don’t seem to understand, so I’ll explain. Velzard-sama’s ice doesn’t merely
freeze—it stops all activity. Even life itself."

"—!?"

"Then… then it’s already too late…?"

"No, that’s not the case."

"…Eh?"

"Calm down."

Testarossa stopped Sōka, urging her to regain her composure.

Then, in a measured tone, she explained the situation in terms Sōka could grasp.

"They are only stopped. That means they can be resumed."

"What…?"

"In other words, this was not an attack. Rather—"

Yes. That ice was less of a weapon and more of a protective barrier encasing the
battlefield.

Long ago, Testarossa had witnessed Velzard battling Guy.

Observing the fight from the Demon Realm, she had been awed by the
spectacle.

Velzard’s Air Prison Wall, which condensed the very atmosphere, had
effortlessly blocked Guy’s attacks—only to shatter in an instant under his
relentless magical onslaught.

That back-and-forth continued in a dazzling display of unparalleled mastery.

Even at the time, Testarossa had been unable to discern any weaknesses in their
techniques.
But now, she had at least come to understand the nature of those abilities.

Velzard’s ice did not merely freeze—it suspended all things.

It was likely an extension of the defensive properties of Air Prison Wall,

prolonging its effect through absolute stasis.

A standard Air Prison Wall could only trap an opponent for a short time—it was
unsuitable for long-term sealing. However, when combined with ice, it could
suppress a target for an indefinite period.

It was, in effect, a frozen prison that could rob even awareness itself—so much
so that even Carrera had failed to escape.

And so, Testarossa reached a conclusion—

Velzard’s ice was not simply an attack. It was something more.

And within that realization lay the key to their survival.

However, for Testarossa, this situation was quite convenient.

After all, she was [the Primordial White] [Blanc]—the merciless, cold, and
cruelly beautiful White Queen to all who opposed her.

Testarossa’s consciousness melted into the whiteness, instantly grasping all

available information.

Information gathering was Moss’s specialty, but there was no way his master,
Testarossa, would be inferior in that regard. Normally, she left the grunt work
to Moss, but if she wished, her own abilities were more than sufficient.

(Velgrind-sama’s power has mitigated the impact on the land, keeping the
battlefield intact. Meanwhile, Velzard-sama’s authority has frozen the surface
of the earth… but even so...)

If Guy and Velzard-sama had clashed in earnest, the sheer aftershocks of their
power would have wreaked unimaginable havoc on the earth. The only reason the
planet’s axis hadn’t shifted was because Velgrind-sama was protecting it.

Even for someone like Velgrind-sama, intervening in this battle was no simple
matter. The only ones who could bring it to an end were the combatants
themselves.

What concerned her now was Velzard-sama’s objective.

Not only Carrera and the others, but all of Milim-sama’s subordinates had been
turned into ice statues. If Velzard-sama had intended to kill them, she wouldn’t
have gone through such troublesome efforts.

Even if she was doing it to protect the planet, her actions didn’t align with
Feldway’s intentions. That alone made it hard to believe that Velzard-sama was
merely being controlled by him.

(Unfounded speculation and assumptions lead to fatal mistakes. I’ll have to

assess the situation more carefully.)

Testarossa was cautious.

Though she was on the verge of grasping the truth, she did not let herself jump
to conclusions.

Unlike ordinary beings, she never acted without absolute certainty. That was
simply who Testarossa was.

To confirm the situation, she surveyed the entire battlefield from a detached
perspective, analysing it from above. Naturally, her primary focus was on the
clash between Guy and Velzard-sama.

On a battlefield where normal people couldn’t even dream of approaching,

Testarossa observed a fight beyond the perception of even hero-class beings—
with all the ease of a casual spectator on a sightseeing tour.

Velzard-sama, radiating a bluish-white brilliance, neutralized Guy’s attacks. The

protective curtain of [Beautiful Thin Ice] [Diamond Dust] that surrounded her
shimmered with intricate patterns resembling dragon scales each time it
absorbed an impact.

This was Velzard-sama’s ironclad defence—[Snow Crystal Shield].

(Can even Guy break through that defence? No… It doesn’t seem like he’s
serious yet.)

Considerable time had passed since the battle began, yet neither combatant had
fully committed. That alone spoke to their mastery as transcendental beings.

Of course, Testarossa was no stranger to such tactics herself, so she wasn’t

particularly surprised.
If no decisive opening could be found, then acting rashly would only spell defeat.
In accordance with the well-established principle that the one who exhausts
their opponent’s energy first emerges victorious, both combatants steadily
whittled away at each other.

Given that, Guy was at a disadvantage.

Velzard-sama remained focused on defence, patiently waiting for an opening.

Guy, on the other hand, seemed to be testing her defence’s, repeating
ineffective attacks against her [Snow Crystal Shield].

(It looks that way, but this is Guy we’re talking about. He must have something
planned. For example, perhaps…)

If he was merely stalling for time, that would be a sound strategy.

Guy had to consider the battle with Ivarage that lay ahead—he wouldn’t want to
exhaust himself here against Velzard-sama. If she was committing to a
defensive stance, then it made sense for him to adopt a strategy that minimized
his own energy consumption by keeping his attacks measured.

(But that alone isn’t enough. Where is he leading this? What’s his ultimate
aim…?)

With that thought, Testarossa continued her observation.

As she grew accustomed to the battle’s rhythm, her attention was drawn to
something else—Velzard-sama’s beauty.

Though she burned with a fury as wild as a raging sea, her [golden] eyes
remained locked onto Guy, never wavering.

The kindness they once held was now gone. All that remained was a piercing, ice-
cold gaze, focused solely on him.

(…I still can’t read her. In that case, it would be best to hear her true
intentions directly.)

Testarossa had completed her assessment of the situation.

She had already pinpointed the exact location of Carrera and the others who
had been turned into ice. As she began moving towards them—both to protect
Soka and prepare for battle—Moss addressed her.
"Are you planning to assist Guy-sama?"

Testarossa cast a cold glance at Moss.

"…?! M-my apologies!!"

Moss flinched, immediately realizing his blunder. Yet, unlike usual, Testarossa
didn’t reprimand him.

"The real battle hasn’t begun yet. This isn’t my time to act."

"R-right!"

"Besides, if Guy-sama gets serious, my involvement would only be a hindrance."

Testarossa may have been a transcendental being, but Guy-sama and Velzard-
sama possessed godlike power on an entirely different level. The thought of
interfering in their clash had never even crossed her mind.

She made her true objective clear.

The most important priority was rescuing Carrera and the others.

Second, she needed to stop Velzard-sama’s rampage.

And finally, she had to ensure that reinforcements could be deployed as soon as
the labyrinth invaders were dealt with and the situation in their homeland
stabilized.

However, some of these objectives were already impossible to accomplish.

The rescue operation, for one.

She had to protect everyone who had been frozen, including Milim-sama’s
subordinates. However, she had already reached a conclusion—it wouldn’t be an
issue.

She had suspected as much from the start, but confirming it in person had
cemented the truth: Velzard-sama had no intent to kill them.

Moreover, she had determined that interfering with Velzard-sama’s authority

was nearly impossible. The only logical conclusion was to postpone Carrera’s
rescue for now.

With the primary objective out of reach, Testarossa shifted her focus to what
had truly interested her all along.
If she could stop Velzard-sama, then all the problems in this land would be
resolved.

That was why she had tried to decipher Velzard-sama’s intentions. Yet, even
with all her analytical prowess, she had been unable to reach a firm conclusion.

Which left her with only one option—direct action.

However, it wasn’t the direct physical intervention that Moss feared.

"Beautiful, pure white. This land has been dyed in my color. Don't you think
that’s rather convenient?"

"Ah…!"

At that moment, Moss fully grasped what Testarossa intended.

And his face turned pale.

(This is about to become a catastrophe…)

Testarossa's unknown power—〝[White Pure World] [Nihilistic World]〟.

One could call it the power to manifest the abyss of Hell in this world.

It was an authority that allowed Testarossa to construct a world of her own,

capable of eradicating all forms of life.

Naturally, this power was not omnipotent; it was an unwieldy authority that
required various conditions to be met.

When the area within which 〝[White Pure World] [Nihilistic World]〟 was
constructed was filled with life energy—a positive force—it would interfere
with the manifested negative energy, 『Void』, causing a phenomenon where
they cancelled each other out and were annihilated. Because of this, if the
authority was expanded over a wide area, it would result in a massacre of all
living beings.

However, fortunately, the total amount of 『Void』 that could be summoned was
proportional to Testarossa's abilities. As a result, the scope of 〝[White Pure
World] [Nihilistic World]〟 was naturally limited.

However, that was only true as long as Testarossa maintained control over the
Void and did not let it overflow indefinitely and spiral out of control.
It was precisely because she possessed the potential to destroy the world that
Testarossa was feared.

That said, making effective use of Pure White World—or Nihilistic World—in
battle against formidable opponents was no easy task. As mentioned earlier, the
Void automatically nullifies the living. Unless life was culled to some extent
beforehand, its effective range would be severely restricted.

If she intended to deploy it against a powerful foe, she would need to ensure
that no unnecessary elements were caught in its grasp. Since this power made
no distinction between friend and foe, there were hardly any situations where it
could be used effectively.

Despite being overwhelmingly powerful, its practical applications were limited.

Even Testarossa, known for her intelligence and strategic mind, had yet to fully
master this ability.

However, now—Testarossa had obtained the Ultimate Skill: [King of the

Netherworld] (Belial).

With it, she had gained complete control over this perilous power.

The synergy between them was beyond imagination, granting Testarossa an

absolute advantage so overwhelming that it would make her enemies seem pitiful
in comparison.

Among the forces of White, there was only one who truly understood the terror
of this power—Moss, the Vice King.

In hell, life could not exist. Even souls would be annihilated, reduced to pure
energy. It was a true void.

Only the highest-ranking spiritual lifeforms could endure such a hell.

And even then, the Abyss of Hell was a realm where even those superior beings
could not survive.

Testarossa’s Pure White World—or Nihilistic World—was capable of summoning

that abyss into the present world.

Incidentally, the Dark Magic: [Void Vanishment Prison] (Nihilistic Vanish), a

technique that Ultima specialized in, was based on the workings of this abyss.
The fact that Testarossa could not only expand this ability across a vast area
but could engulf an entire region demonstrated just how terrifyingly dangerous
it was.

If, by any chance, Testarossa were to lose control, the Void would overflow
endlessly, consuming everything in its path. The world itself would be swallowed
by the ever-expanding abyss and ultimately collapse.

Moss knew this.

With nothing but a mere thought from Testarossa, death would descend upon
all, leaving no room for resistance. The expansion speed of her Pure White
World was faster than the speed of light.

He had to escape immediately.

Before Testarossa unleashed her power.

If he were caught in it, even Moss would be killed instantly.

Protecting Soka was no longer the issue—he had to abandon even his own life.

And worse still, there was a strong possibility that even resurrection would be
impossible.

He had never tested it before—and he never wanted to—but the truth

remained unknown.

Still, as far as Moss was concerned, it didn’t really matter.

If he had to remain ignorant until the very end of his eternal existence, that
was fine with him.

With that thought, he attempted to take swift action—but then, something

made him stop.

Perhaps he was mistaken.

Testarossa’s Pure White World was terrifying, but it was not invincible. Not
only was it difficult to set the necessary conditions, but even if she successfully
activated it, it wasn’t powerful enough to defeat an overwhelmingly superior foe.

Against opponents of the same level—like Carrera or Ultima—the battle would

proceed as expected, with a clear outcome.
However, against a Dragon Species, erasing such an enormous mass of energy
would prove exceedingly difficult.

And on top of that—Guy was here.

Among the seven Primordials, the strongest of them all—Guy—was undoubtedly

more powerful than Testarossa.

(If it were just Guy-sama, maybe I could take him down… but…)

With both Guy and Velzard present, there was no telling how far the effects of
Pure White World could reach.

Testarossa wasn’t the type to gamble. She was intelligent and cautious, always
assessing the flow of battle and seeking the most optimal solution.

Then why—why was she choosing to unleash her power now, here?

(Are Guy-sama and Velzard-sama really the only ones here? No… is that really
true?)

At that moment, Moss finally realized that his initial assumption might have
been wrong.

Like Testarossa, he had also been gathering information.

Using his clones, he had scoured the area. He had shared that information with
Testarossa, and there had been nothing unusual.

Or at least—that was what he had thought.

But perhaps… he had missed something.

Because of its very nature, Pure White World would never overlook anything
hiding within its range. No matter how perfect a concealment ability was—the
Void would not miss it.

What if… Testarossa had noticed something?

(Is there someone else here…?!)

Moss was stunned.

Unbelievable—but if Testarossa, the supreme being whom he both feared and

revered, had arrived at that conclusion…
Then that alone was proof that it was true.

The outcome was already within the palm of Testarossa’s hand.

「I’ll increase my guard」

「Do that」

Testarossa gave the order to Moss, her voice cool and commanding.

“I hate incompetent subordinates,” she remarked casually.

That, in itself, was a sign of her acknowledgment—a show of her own kind of
kindness.

After all, if he were truly incompetent, he would not even have the chance to
stand before her.

Before she could even speak to him, his very existence would have been erased.

Moss understood this all too well, as Viceroy.

And he had maintained his position by making the right decision over ninety
percent of the time.

This time, too—he had survived.

Hearing the satisfaction in Testarossa’s voice, Moss let out a silent sigh of
relief.

And then—the world was dyed an even purer white.

「You certainly don’t hesitate to make bold moves, do you, Testarossa? 」

A smooth, confident voice cut through the air.

A beautiful woman with flowing blue hair stood beside Testarossa, smiling.

It was Velgrind.

She had appeared before Testarossa using a separate body she had left in this
land.
「It’s nothing remarkable. I simply found it hard to believe that all this
commotion was truly Velzard-sama’s will. So, I thought it prudent to
confirm it, just in case.」

「Using a power that could destroy the world… just for that? That’s quite
impressive.」

The two stunning women stood side by side, conversing with serene smiles.

To an uninformed observer, it would have been a breathtaking sight.

But to Moss, who was still within the reach of Pure White World and Nihilistic
World, it was nothing short of a nightmare.

(Give me a break! I’m still a Grand Duke of Hell, you know?! I’m supposed to be
second only to the Primordials, so why am I always treated like this?!)

Oh, how he wished he could voice that complaint aloud.

Of course, the moment he did, his fate would be sealed.

Still—at the very least—he could be forgiven for grumbling in his mind.

With that thought, Moss swallowed his misery and endured the suffering in
silence.

"U-Umm, thank you for protecting me."

Soka, who had been inside Moss-sama’s barrier with him, said apologetically.

Since arriving in this land, she seemed unable to keep up with the rapidly
changing situation.
Moss-sama thought that this couldn’t be helped.

This was because the land, filled with Velzard-sama’s mana, had been enveloped
in a whiteout caused by a fierce blizzard containing dense magicules.

Any normal person would die instantly. Even an A-Rank adventurer would be in
danger of dying within a few hours.
Besides, in this blizzard, on top of having zero visibility, even sound was
covered. Not only that, but even Magic Sense, which detects magicules, was
useless, making it impossible for Soka to even grasp the situation.

Barely, the presence of Testarossa-sama, who was near Moss-sama, and

Velgrind-sama, who had appeared, was probably enough for even Soka to realize.
"Don’t worry about it. If you survive here, you’ll achieve your goal."
"I’m bitterly aware that I’m useless."
"Don’t worry. I’m the same way."

Moss-sama and Soka have different levels of strength.

The "class" of their existence was as far apart as an adult and a baby.
And yet, just like Soka, Moss-sama was in a situation where he couldn’t do
anything. This wasn’t about feeling humiliated or anything—it was simply a
situation that reaffirmed the vast difference in ability between him and his
master.

"Listen. Right now, the meaning of our existence is in Lady Testarossa’s hands.
In this white world, just her will alone could end our lives. We’d be swallowed by
the void, with no chance of reincarnation."
"Umm...?"
"That’s the true nature of the White Pure World, the Nihilistic World, but it’s
only the first stage. We’ll be able to live until Lady Testarossa releases the
Void."

The first stage is to wait for the attack, and the second stage is when the
attack begins. However, it’s difficult to suppress the raging power, so no one
knows how long the current state will last. Even as Moss-sama, his life was in the
hands of Testarossa-sama.

So, Soka understood that there was nothing she could do, and there was no
point in giving her detailed explanations, so Moss-sama’s explanation was only
brief.

Soka’s existence was meaningful just by being here. Moss-sama should be the
one to bear any unnecessary burden.

Soka was bewildered.

The question she wanted to ask was why Moss-sama was using such a dangerous
technique. However, Moss-sama had only explained the technique to her.
Understanding it would only make her feel more afraid, so Soka thought the
explanation wasn’t necessary.

There was one thing she was glad to know: Moss-sama, just like herself, couldn’t
do anything.
And she understood a lot.
She realized how truly important her presence here was.

They didn’t hesitate because they were good at gathering information, like
Testarossa-sama and Moss-sama. In this white world, where even their vision
was blurred, it would take a long time for reinforcements to arrive.

If they weren’t careful, there was even a chance they’d get stranded and never
make it. Even the top brass couldn’t be guaranteed to reach this far.

But things would be different if Soka were here. With her as a guide, it would
be possible to transfer directly.

As Moss-sama had said, Soka could achieve her goal just by being alive. That
was why she understood that there was no need to look down on herself.

All that was left was to wait here quietly.

In a corner of the white world, Moss-sama and Soka huddled together like
shells. Paying them no mind, Testarossa-sama and Velgrind-sama’s conversation
continued.

"So, did a third party intervene?"

"That's what you wanted to know, so you went out of your way to show
yourself."
"That's right. Honestly, there isn’t much I can do here. Milim, who went to
Damargania with the Holy Void, unleashed Drago Nova inside Tenshukaku. I
reinforced it with the Star Protection Barrier, so it didn’t cause any serious
damage, but that doesn’t mean the crisis has passed. I’d like to leave some
energy behind."

Velgrind-sama briefly explained the situation in Damargania: The Great Gate of

Tenshukaku, connecting heaven and earth, would soon open, and the Ivarage’s
great advance would begin.

That wasn’t all.

Threats were happening all over the world.

"Milim went to Sarion. She’s probably after the Sacred Tree, but there’s
nothing we can do to stop her. We’ll have to leave it to the locals."
"I wonder if Feldway went to Sarion, too?"
"Yes, that’s right."
"I see. It seems the situation is dire."

"Exactly."

“I’m in trouble~” Velgrind smiled beautifully.

Currently, at Luminus’s behest, heroes are gathering from all over the world to
the borderlands of Lubellious. Masayuki the Hero is standing there as a
representative, and as far as Velgrind is concerned, she wants to prioritize that.

As a matter of fact, dispatching an army from afar wouldn’t make it in time, so

Velgrind’s assistance was essential.

"That's why I have to help you with that, so I want you to take care of our
activities here."

"Even if we ignore the impact on the earth, there is no doubt that someone is
behind Velzard-sama. We don't know the details since it's not for its original
purpose, but it is true that we have sensed his presence."

The more serious the battle between Guy and the others became, the more
serious it would be on this planet. Even if it's fine for now, we mustn't forget to
deal with it. Not to mention, if there are new forces out there who could
influence the war situation, even Testarossa would have a hard time thinking
about it.

But just then, I received a "Think Communication" from an unexpected person.

"Call my blockheads over. If they’re going to intercept the Ivarage in

Damargania, there’s no point in letting them protect Leon’s place."

Surprisingly, Guy, who was engaged with Velzard, had barged into their
conversation.

Testarossa was impressed that she’d been able to let her thoughts fly in this
dense magicule blizzard.

"Oh? So, Guy was listening, too."

"Eavesdropping? You’ve got plenty of leeway," Testarossa chimed in.

Guy gracefully ignored this and continued.

“There’s someone behind Velzard, isn’t there? I, too, felt something was
unnatural. That’s why I’ve been focused on keeping an eye on him, but I need to
settle this before the Ivarage arrives.”

“I wonder what you’re trying to say?”

“I’m telling you to work, too, Testarossa!”

Testarossa smiled wryly at being asked if she’d developed a habit of slacking

off, mainly because she resembled him.

It’s a compliment to say she’s like her beloved Rimuru, but I’m not happy about
his habit of skipping. Besides, Rimuru isn’t slacking off or anything—he’s just
busy with a lot of things.

The fact that he was trying to refuse a request from Guy or put it off for later
definitely wasn't to harass him.

Well, there was no doubt that he was taking care of the request from Guy, but
Testarossa was fully supporting Rimuru, so she ignored Guy’s words without any
particular concern.

"Well then, I'll have Raine and Misery take over the maintenance of the
protective barrier. Moss, you should help them with that."

"Understood."

The only answers were “Yes” or “Yeah,” so Moss had no choice but to answer
right away.

Even her request, Velgrind, didn’t seem to think Moss was lacking in strength.

"Well then, I'll leave this to you."

Leaving those words behind, she quickly disperses her “different body.”

A few seconds later, a separate space connected with the dregs of Velgrind’s
power, and a transfer gate appeared, with Rainee and Misery arriving.

And so, the state of the war in the white world entered a new phase.

As soon as Rainee arrived, she began grumbling.

"I-It's cold. Even I, the primordial, feel like I'm freezing."

Her unreadable statement was truly dignified.

However, Testarossa was here.

"Shut up. Everyone is working diligently, so you shouldn't be complaining all the
time."

It might not have been a problem if it were just Misery, who was always spoiling
me, but this time she got mad at me.

"Oh well. It's been a while since I've gotten serious."

Having said that in dissatisfaction, Rainee constructed magic to reinforce

Moss’s barrier.

"Could it be that Moss is stronger than me?"

"Ahaha, you're joking..."

It would be a pain if she got involved, so Moss parried Rainee’s words.

However, that wasn’t enough to convince Raine.

"Even this barrier can withstand most attacks, right?"

Moss’s barrier was built to protect only Soka and Moss himself. Its strength
was at a considerable level, perfectly countering the aftershocks of the attacks
generated by Guy and Velzard.

"Well, survival comes first."

"With my subordinates, this level is impossible."

"Same here. I can't compare to Cien and the others."

Misery agreed with Raine’s statement.

Moss didn’t feel bad about being complimented, but he wasn’t going to get
carried away here. He knew that Raine was particularly good at complimenting
others only to later assign them more work.

So, to take the initiative, Moss decided to assign tasks.

"My barrier has been connected to the protective barrier that Lord Velgrind
was constructing here. I will take over the initiative from Lady Raine, so please
adjust it, Lady Misery."
Making a request to the two primordials, who were far above his rank, was as
foolish as suicide. However, this was an emergency, and it followed Testarossa’s
directive.

Moss thought this much should be forgiven, and his judgment was correct.

"You really are excellent as Testarossa's adjutant. This doesn’t seem like the
time to argue, so I’m fine with that."

Misery responded smoothly.

In an instant, Moss’s burden lightened as Misery began to intervene, just as she

had declared.

The feeling of desperately holding onto raging reins vanished, and Moss let out a
sigh of relief. But the situation wasn’t yet one where he could let his guard
down.

"I can’t accept that Misery took the initiative, but fine."

After taking control of Moss’s barrier, Raine forcefully seized the initiative.

Even for Moss, who specialized in precise magic control, it was a divine feat.

"Amazing~"

Moss marvelled.

As Raine had said, there was a possibility that Moss could be stronger than
Raine in a fight. He had never tried it, so he couldn’t say for sure, but if he
came up with a plan and fought with everything he had, Moss thought he’d win.

After all, with Moss’s ultimate technique, the "Void Eater Infinite Prison," he
could definitely destroy enemies with fewer magicules than his own. It would be
meaningless if they escaped, so Moss had to wait for the perfect moment to use
it, but it was his surefire way to win.

Since Raine and Misery’s magicule levels weren’t much different from Moss’s, it
wasn’t unreasonable to think that Moss could win, depending on how the fight
played out.

However, that was a misunderstanding.

"Even if I used the 'Void Eater Infinite Prison' on Lady Raine, it probably
wouldn’t work. I didn’t think the gap between us was this big..."
Moss's reverence for the Seven Pillars deepened. He reflected on his arrogance
and made an effort not to let it show from this point forward.

As for Raine, she was in a state of panic inside.

"What’s going on? Why does Moss have more magicules than me?"

In fact, Moss’s magicule count was just a little higher.

She had jokingly asked, "Aren’t you stronger than me?" but part of her was
serious.

Raine had once suffered humiliation from Testarossa.

She conveniently erased the memory of that humiliation, but the bitter feelings
still lingered deep inside.

And now, the fact that she was on the verge of losing to Testarossa’s
subordinate was enough to crush Raine’s pride.

She didn’t just go all out; Raine became super serious and forcibly took control
of the protective barrier from Moss.

It wasn’t just childish—it was a war for Raine.

Moss must have thought she’d taken the initiative, but the same was true for
Raine. She showed her true strength even though Moss wasn’t aware that they
were at war.

This maintained Raine's dignity, and as a result, the situation improved.

Watching Raine from the corner of her eye, Misery marvelled.

Moss’s abilities were impressive, but seeing Raine’s mastery of magic

manipulation after such a long time left her speechless with admiration.

That’s Raine for you. If she always gave it her all, Guy-sama would surely grant
her a much more important role.

Or so I thought—but I didn’t realize my own mistake.

Not to mention, from Raine’s perspective, it was probably none of my business.

After all, being given an important role just means more work.
Raine is a demon who lives for her hobbies—she absolutely despises work forced
upon her by others.

Work is something you seek out yourself. As long as she can earn enough to get
by, that’s good enough for her—though it means she’s wasting an abundance of
talent.

That said, Raine doesn’t even need to eat to survive, and if she ever runs into
trouble, she just relies on Misery and her familia. So, in the end, it was never
really a problem. Frankly, she lived in an environment where she didn’t even need
to work.

In other words, Misery was also part of the problem. You could even say it was
Misery’s fault that Raine never got serious.

The fact that she didn’t realize this was one of Misery’s fatal flaws… but since
she happily doted on Raine, it seemed like this was a problem that would never
be solved.

That aside, it was true that Misery had been influenced by Raine. This time, too,
that influence worked in her Favor—Misery’s mana adjustments were more
precise and focused than ever.

She meticulously reinforced the weaknesses in the protective barrier to make it

easier for Raine to move. As a result, the damage caused by Velgrind’s
departure was barely noticeable.

Testarossa smiled as she observed the situation.

Soka’s defences were now perfect—there was nothing left to worry about.

All that remained was—

“Now then, I wonder who’s hiding?”

With that murmur, Testarossa lifted her gaze to the sky, where an intense
battle was raging.

With Velzard as his opponent, Guy-sama was in the middle of a prolonged aerial
battle.

But there was no fatigue.

Because neither of them was serious.

...

A white world.

All living beings in this land, including the plants and trees, had been turned into
ice statues from the very beginning. This meant that they could be revived if
Velzard’s power was dispelled.

From that perspective, Velzard’s objective seemed different from Feldway’s.

That said, Guy-sama’s words didn’t reach Velzard.

He tried to convince her not to do anything foolish, but she had no intention of
listening.

With a bewitching smile, Velzard continued her relentless attacks on Guy-sama.

Though it seemed like mere child’s play, the sheer amount of magic infused in
her strikes made them dangerous if he let his guard down.

As a result, while Guy-sama didn’t need to go all out, he also couldn’t afford to
ignore Velzard’s every move.

Both of them were probing each other, trying to gauge their true strength,
gradually increasing the power of their techniques.

Occasionally, there were attacks aimed at a fatal blow, but the two of them
knew each other far too well. They saw through these strikes in an instant,
nullifying them before they could land.

Their exchange was so fluid, so natural, that even a third party with exceptional
skill wouldn’t be able to tell those lethal attacks apart from the rest.

That was how far beyond the norm Guy-sama and Velzard’s abilities were.

Neither of them was even slightly worn down.

Velzard was the strongest of the “Dragon Species” at present, second only to
Veldanava. Since she could generate magicules endlessly within her body, the
very concept of a war of attrition was meaningless to her.

Strictly speaking, a specific condition was required for this state of

invincibility.

That condition was the completion of a frozen world—an “Eternal World” sealed
in white, created through a magic blizzard. Within this icy domain, Velzard’s
magicules circulated freely. Since her recovery speed exceeded her rate of
consumption, she effectively possessed limitless magical energy.

If it were Velgrind, unleashing a continuous barrage of high-powered ultimate

techniques would eventually wear her down. But against Velzard, that strategy
was meaningless.

Guy-sama understood this all too well.

Even among the beings known as “Dragonkind,” who were practically the
embodiment of irrationality, Velzard was in a league of her own.

In order to stand against her, it was essential to minimize one's own exhaustion
as much as possible. However, for Guy, this was a trivial matter.

Without relying on his own magic power, Guy utilized the magicules drifting
through the air, just like a magic-deprived human would. Drawing magicules from
the surroundings took time and made spellcasting inefficient, but in terms of
conserving energy, it allowed him to preserve his own strength.

Moreover, when it came to Guy, the precision and power of his magic left
nothing to be desired.

The only problem was that almost all magic was ineffective against Velzard.

(Well, that’s the real issue here.)

If it didn’t work, then it was meaningless.

Even so, it was still preferable to wasting his own magic power on attacks that
might not land.

He had to keep attacking, probing for an opening in Velzard’s defences—without

that, there would be no path to victory. He had to save his magic power for the
final, decisive blow.

And so, Guy continued his battle of nerves—a drawn-out war of attrition that
could drive anyone to despair. Yet, despite it all, he showed not even a hint of
exhaustion. That, too, was a testament to his dominance.

Guy narrowed his eyes in exasperation as he watched Velzard.

Why wasn’t she going all out?

His plan had been to bait out her ultimate technique and counter it in turn. Yet,
Velzard remained stubbornly patient, consistently holding back and observing.

(Tch, I knew this wouldn’t play out like our first fight, but I didn’t expect her to
have grown this patient...)

Velzard had always been wilful and capricious.

She had lived her life unburdened by restraint.

During her first battle with Guy, she had grown frustrated at his refusal to play
along with her whims, lost her cool, and made a critical mistake in her
impatience. Understanding that part of her nature, Guy had set similar traps
this time as well.

However, Velzard left no openings.

The ice and snow infused with her magic utterly destroyed every single trap he
had laid.

(Heh... I’ve grown far stronger than I was back then, too...)

He had expected an easier victory. Yet, faced with her growth, Guy had no
choice but to acknowledge her progress.

And then...

With each passing moment, the situation was turning into something
disadvantageous for Guy.

Velzard’s mana was enormous, and the magicules that gushed out had turned into
blizzards and were raging. The frozen earth of demons, a land where life could
not survive, was being completed in this place.

Heaven and earth filled with Velzard’s magical energy, baring their fangs at Guy
as she wished.

If that was all there was to it, he could handle it, but as he continued to
observe, Guy felt something was off.

Velzard’s behaviour patterns were clearly unnatural.

Velzard was skilled at brute-forcing with her own strength, as she was an
absolute powerhouse and didn’t need to rely on any petty tricks.
However, right now, she was using her tactics with great care.

Rather than being surprised that she could fight like this, it seemed more
natural to suspect that someone’s intentions were at play...

Guy didn’t believe she was being controlled by someone, but he decided to face
Velzard under the assumption that there was a third party involved.

And apparently, that choice was correct.

Thanks to his careful attention on the battlefield, Guy learned that Testarossa
and the others had arrived in this land. He also understood their objectives and
was aware of the current state of the world.

(What happened to Rimuru? No, more importantly, is Ivarage coming? I’ve got
no choice but to deal with him.)

Guy felt bitter, thinking it had come to this after all.

Even Velzard alone was a problem, but now the worst situation had arrived.

However, there was also good news.

Thanks to Testarossa, the existence of a third party had been confirmed.

Moreover, the opponent was someone Guy could leave to Testarossa.

There were few people with the strength Guy would acknowledge, but he had no
doubts that Testarossa was more than capable. Guy considered this and
prepared his plan for a swift resolution of the situation.

"Call my blockheads over. If they’re going to intercept Ivarage in Damargania,

there’s no point in letting them protect Leon’s place."

Guy intervened in Testarossa and Velgrind conversation to relay his instructions.

There was much to be done, and there was no reason to leave capable
subordinates idle.

Thus, the situation began to unfold.

...

...

...
...

Guy was relieved that the magical power in this land had stabilized.

(That's Testarossa for you.)

Raine and Misery were pretty good, too. I was satisfied for the first time in a
while.

Velzard was in the midst of joy.

It was hard to tell from her expression, but she was enjoying the battle with
Guy from the bottom of her heart.

...
...
...
...
...
A long time ago, I fought Guy.

The reason was that she just couldn’t stand the existence her brother
Veldanava, the “Star King Dragon,” acknowledged.

“Even if my brother admits it, I won’t!”

With that momentum, she challenged Guy, and then drew.

But to Velzard, that was equivalent to defeat.

In contrast to Velzard, who boasted the second largest amount of magicules

after Veldanava at the time, Guy’s had less than a tenth of his energy.

And that wasn't all.

There was the presence or absence of power, which was supposed to be a

decisive difference in strength.

Velzard had the invincible power granted to her by Veldanava—the Ultimate

Ability, the Ultimate Skill, and the King of Patience, Gabriel—but she couldn’t
defeat Guy, who only had Unique Skills.

This fact hurt Velzard’s pride.

It was an overwhelmingly advantageous condition, but they’d drawn it, so it

couldn’t be helped.
After that incident, Velzard decided to observe Guy.

She wanted to see how high Guy, who had gained the ultimate power through his
own will alone, could reach.

To Velzard, Guy had become “special,” but to Guy, that wasn’t the case for
Velzard.

Guy was calm and composed, a tyrant who reigned over all things.

But he was equal, fair, and treated everyone the same way.

He would test it out and form a friendship with those who had overcome it.

That was Guy's policy.

She didn’t mind the turbulent changes, and her normal life passed peacefully.

Life with Guy like that was a little unsatisfying for Velzard.

Because she’d done her best to make Guy look at her with her own charm, but
Guy’s attitude hadn’t changed.

(What a terrible guy…)

I couldn’t hate Guy for thinking that.

On the contrary, I’m getting even more attached to him...

In a joking manner, I sometimes voiced my true feelings.

However, it didn't work on Guy.

Arrogant Guy.
Impossible, Guy.
A gentle squeak.
Cruel Guy.
Terrifying, squeak.
And as a friend that my brother acknowledged, Guy.
I loved spending time with him, who had so many different faces.
At the same time, I was angry at Guy for not noticing my true self.
(You're a terrible person. If you're smart enough to see through everything,
why won't you notice my true feelings?)
Even though I thought about it that way, the thought of being rejected
terrified me...
That's right. As I lived with Guy, Velzard understood the emotion known as
fear.
Then, one day, a group of people who called themselves heroes came to destroy
the peace of Velzard.
Guy accepted the challenge from the “Hero” as usual and stood up.
That person—Rudra—was strong.
Surprisingly, the match was evenly matched.
A smile appeared on Guy's lips.
Velzard bit her lip as she watched Guy enjoy himself.
What swirled in her mind was intense flames.
Anger?
No, that's not it.
It was jealousy.
Guy would never show that face to Velzard.
(I can't believe he's having so much fun fighting...)
When he’d fought Velzard, Guy had been careful not to hurt her, like an adult
dealing with a child. Otherwise, it wouldn’t have been a draw.
Velzard was hiding her true feelings, too, but the same was surely true for Guy.
If Guy had truly intended to kill Velzard, without a doubt, the "current" Velzard
wouldn’t have existed.

And yet, he was giving it his all against Rudra.

The moment I realized that...
Velzard became aware of the “jealousy” that had sprouted in her heart.
Ever since her older brother, Veldanava, had acknowledged Guy, Velzard had
been troubled,
unable to understand the emotion that had sprouted in her heart.
But that was when I finally understood.
Guy Crimson...
The demon lord Veldanava had acknowledged.
Strong, kind, arrogant—a being that would never let Velzard have her way.
Velzard had longed for such a Guy.
And when she saw that Rudra had made Guy take him seriously, she regretted
it, saying,
“That should have been my role.”
Ever since that day when jealousy had blossomed, Velzard had continued to live
with
depressing feelings.
And I’ve been worrying about it for a long time.
She had maintained her composure on the surface, but deep down, the flames of
jealousy continued to burn.
As a result, the Great Goddess of Calamity was born.
(Guy is kind to me. But he won’t allow me to stand next to him.)
-Is that because I'm weak?
(No, I am strong. I am the strongest dragon!)
-No, I’m weak. After all, Guy won’t accept me.
(No! Even I have the right to stand next to him!!)
-Is that so?
(That's obvious.)
-Then why is Guy always playing with Rudra?
(Well...)
-That’s because I’m weak.
(I’m... weak?)
-If I were stronger, Guy would look at me.

(Are you going to look at me?)

-Yes, that's right.
(Yeah, if only I were stronger...)
"As long as I have the power."
(I can stand next to Guy...)
“That is my wish.”
(That's all I want.)
-After watching the battle between Guy and Rudra, Velzard wished for power.
That was the moment when the Goddess of Calamity was born.
Velzard’s endurance reversed. Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, King of
Patience, and
Gabriel were reincarnated into Leviathan due to her jealousy.
However, it hadn’t disappeared.
Velzard’s mental fortitude was strong, and she was able to conceal her newfound
power
without Guy realizing it.
With two opposing Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, King of Patience, Gabriel,
and
Leviathan, Velzard continued to be by Guy’s side.
And she kept waiting for an opportunity.
Even Feldway’s call was laughable from Velzard’s perspective.
There was no way it would work against Velzard, who had been cancelling out
contradictory powers like Michael’s power—the ultimate power, the ultimate
time limited skill, the absolute control over the holder, the [Archangel Chief’s
Dominion] [Regilia Dominion], and
so on.
And yet, the reason she had followed Feldway was because the proposal from
him was
charming.
If I joined Feldway, I could fight the now-serious Guy.
He was supposed to take Velzard’s partner seriously, not playfully.
There was another reason, but...
“Ahahaha, that’s interesting. I’m sure that’ll happen.”
And my collaborator gave me his seal of approval.
A cooperator.
Those who worked to fulfil Velzard’s wish.
This is another story from ancient times, but it all began when I helped him on a
whim as he was on the brink of disappearing.

The fact that not only [Material Body], but even [Spiritual Body] had been
destroyed, leaving only [Astral Body] behind, was unexpectedly useful as
Velzard’s advisor.
He shamelessly said he wanted to study the “dragon species.”
Instead of allowing that to happen, Velzard treated him as her own limb, and
that was how they’d established a long-standing coexistence.
But at last, the existence of her cooperator seemed to have been discovered.
.........
Velzard smiled.
“Ufufufu. You’re good, Testarossa. I found you so quickly.”
“Man, this isn’t funny. I wanted to hide in the shadows more and do whatever I
wanted.”
“The pseudo-dragon body is complete, isn’t it? Didn’t you say the performance
test was perfect?”
“Well, that’s true. Look, I’m weak.”
“What do you mean, ‘me’? You used to act all high and mighty.”
“Ahahaha, if that’s what nearly destroyed you, you’re not going to take care of
me, are you? This time, I reflected on my efforts to live more carefully and
humbly.”
Laughing at that, he said, “Well then, I’ll be going,” and his collaborator
separated from Velzard.
And so, he appeared before her in order to deal with Testarossa.
With that, the war situation reached a major turning point.
Guy and Velzard.
Testarossa and Velzard's collaborators.
We each faced each other head-on.

Testarossa saw the person and immediately figured out who it was.
What a smooth young man.
On closer inspection, he looked like a woman.
He was wearing a blue turtleneck and a bright red suit.
His shoes were white and rimmed with gold.
It was flashy, but it had a sense of taste, and it actually had a fitting
appearance.
And what was distinctive was the bewitching glow of red and blue [Gold, Silver,
and Dark] [Heterochromia].
His features somehow resembled Luminus’s. She stood there with an appearance
that seemed to be the polar opposite of gender and eye colour, something one
could never forget at a glance, but Testarossa had never actually met that
person.
As such, his appearance doesn't serve as any kind of judgment.
I just know.
That person’s true nature, that innocent madness.
Based on his features that reminded her of Luminus, Testarossa’s guess
probably wasn’t wrong.
(I guess it's like poking a snake out of a bush? That's what Sir Rimuru said in
his past life, but that's exactly what it feels like.)
With that, Testarossa grew fed up.
It had been fine until she’d seen through someone’s existence and lured them
out, but his opponent was more troublesome than I’d imagined.
“Oh my, how nostalgic. This is the first time we've met, but I've heard the
rumours.”
“Ahahaha! It's an honour for me to have the White Queen remember me.”
“I remember. It's rare to see someone as wild as you. Besides, we acknowledged
your achievements in giving birth to humanity. Right, Twilight King?”
The person grinned as Testarossa called him the Twilight King.
“Call me Twilight. That's the name I got from my Veldanava-sama.”
“Yes, please do. As long as you call me Testarossa.”
With smiles still on their faces, they exchanged blades of words and unleashed
their bloodlust on each other.
Testarossa remembered.
The Twilight King--Twilight Valentine--is the Sacred Ancestor of the Vampire
race and the ancestor of humanity.
With Veldanava’s confidant, he’s given birth to many races in order to achieve
his wish.

The same held true for the vampires, led by Luminus, as well as the True
Humanity, which was now considered to be an extinct race.
Other than that, the birth of the many races thought to have been derived
from spirits was also thanks to Twilight’s involvement.
The one who created the indispensable existence of humans, the Demons, was
also Twilight.
That’s why Testarossa acknowledges Twilight, just as she said.
However, Twilight was also famous for his misdeeds, as opposed to his
achievements.
The many experiments that ignored morality made those who knew what they
were doing frown. The weaker the heart, the crazier they went. At best, the
more fearsome the nightmares would be.
He was craftier than the devil, and he had no human heart. He had left behind
achievements that were detestable by everyone.
In fact, when Raine learned of Twilight’s revival, she said things like, “Whoa, so
he’s alive after all... He’s tougher than a cockroach...” and Misery scolded her,
saying, ‘You’re bad at speaking.’
In fact, Testarossa, for once, felt like agreeing with Raine.
“Testarossa, huh? That's a nice name. I didn’t think anyone else would be stupid
enough to name a Primordial like you.”
That statement made Testarossa quietly snap.
She couldn’t forgive the insults alone against her, but Twilight had crossed a
line.
Testarossa’s heart had been set upon the moment her beloved Rimuru was
mocked.
“I really do hate you.”
Testarossa coldly announced her intent to kill, thick with bloodlust.
Since he was going to laugh it off, Twilight’s courage was extraordinary, too.
“Fufu, don't say it like that. I like you guys. After all, you guys are the best
research subjects!”
Velzard was cooperative, but Guy couldn’t let his guard down.
He’d tried to investigate various things when he saw an opening, but since it
seemed like he’d notice Twilight’s existence in one shot if he was careless, he’s
been unable to do anything for a long time until now.
Still, it’s been a while since I’ve gained a body that’s free, so Twilight thought,
“Maybe it’d be nice to play a little here.”
Testarossa was a perfect match as the first real opponent for the “pseudo-
dragon body.”

Testarossa couldn't have been more perfect as a combat opponent for the first
time in his life.
That was also the reason why he’d fanned the flames a little to get Testarossa
serious.
However, that was a little too much, but Twilight hadn’t noticed.
“If you were killed by your beloved daughter Luminus, you should have died like
that. This time, I'll completely bury you so you can't revive.”
That was Testarossa’s declaration, but she was really trying to judge Twilight.
"I'm furious, but I don't let my guard down."
I separated my heart from my emotions and calmly continued my analysis of the
situation.
(The Sacred Ancestor was a highly undead life-form, wasn't it? But it shouldn't
have been able to handle a “different body” like Velgrind-sama...)
According to what Testarossa had heard, Luminus’s carefully prepared “spirit
collapse” and “disintegration” had landed a direct hit, and Twilight had vanished
without leaving a trace.
Of course. A direct hit wouldn't be enough to prevent even Testarossa, the
Primordial, from disappearing.
There's no theory that he ran away right before the incident. Raine must have
witnessed it too, so there's proof.
It was a direct hit and annihilated. In that case, it would be a resurrection from
nothingness, but I wasn't sure if such a thing was even possible.
The other possibility Testarossa considered was the “different body” that
Velgrind was good at. This would explain Twilight’s escape, but it wasn’t,
Testarossa thought.
That’s why Twilight’s been hiding up until now, because she can’t explain it.
If Twilight had been able to wield his “different body,” he would have been
more openly active. There was no way he would leave Luminus alone for betraying
him, and the world would have become a much more chaotic place.
In the first place, there were only a handful of people who could wield “another
body.” It was the highest level of power at the highest difficulty level, one that
even Veldora and Rimuru couldn’t use perfectly.
Raine’s “variety” and “mist” were similar in power, but they needed to exist
within the visible range of all “dividing bodies.” It was impossible to activate
them on the other side of the planet, so they weren’t as convenient as
“different bodies.”
As far as Testarossa knew, only Velgrind and Soei could wield “another body.”
In truth, even when dealing with Soei, a hidden condition was required. By
entrusting Benimaru's former master with his core, he was merely manipulating
the two bodies from a god's perspective.
If it was handled at visual range, Soei alone would be no problem, but if it was
to move “another body” at a distance, it was also necessary to borrow
Benimaru’s power.
That said, it would be abnormal to say such a thing was possible, so in Soei’s
case, it didn’t matter if it was an exception.
What's important is how difficult it is to split consciousness.
If they used a method of using others like Soei, even Rimuru and Veldora’s
relationship would be able to handle “another body.” But there was no point in
going that far—because Rimuru and Veldora were each other’s safety devices,
so even if one of them was destroyed, as long as the other survived, they could
be revived.
Incidentally, if Vega had been able to use his own power, he would have been
capable of something like “another body.” It was fortunate that that hadn’t
happened, but that wasn’t something Testarossa knew.
As such, Velgrind was the only one who could truly wield a “different body.”
(Even if she can use Parallel Beings, it doesn't matter. I'll kill him thoroughly to
make it clear whether he can or can't use them.)
It's best to experience everything with your own eyes.
That’s what Testarossa decided, and she swore to kill Twilight.
Raine looked at Twilight, and her face twitched.
“Whoa, he really is alive... He's tougher than a cockroach...”
That’s how I ended up blurting out my true feelings without thinking, and Misery
scolded me, saying, “You don’t speak well.”
But she hated him that much, so there was no helping it.
“Did the G's not work?”
“Yeah, that's right. I really hate bugs.”
“That’s it!” Moss wanted to retort as he listened to the conversation, but he
didn’t have the guts to interrupt the original conversation.
Actually, it felt like a joke that no one would believe a Primordial would freak
out from a bug.
Soka, who had been as docile as a Jizo, spoke to Moss.
“Um, maybe Testarossa-san isn't good with bugs, either?”

"Huh?"
"No, I was just curious, but if that's the case, I thought it might be a weak
point..."

When she asked that, Moss’s eyes became dots.

(A weakness? You think something so rude to the Primordials? Huh? Is she
serious?)

Moss shuddered at Soka, thinking that she had an incredibly terrifying idea,
unlike her appearance.

I don't know if she's bad with bugs or not, but he doesn't want to know. Trying
to find out the Origin's, or Testarossa's weak point, is taboo in and of itself. At
least, that's how it was for Moss.

Raine and Misery were whispering to each other, as if they had overheard Moss
and the others’ conversation.
"I wonder if that dragonewt girl isn't afraid of Testarossa?"
"Are you trying to throw a g-force at me? That's a terrifying idea."
"Stop it, Raine. Just listening to you gives me goosebumps."
"Me too. I shuddered when I said it myself."
It was a fairly loud volume, as if she had no intention of hiding it.
This was the moment when the two Primordials discovered their unexpected
weaknesses, but Moss wasn't happy in the least.

It was because he instinctively sensed that the flow of this conversation was
dangerous.

"Hey, could you stop saying dangerous things like that? I don't want you to get
me involved."

Just the fact that he was there, even though he hadn't said anything, could be
considered the same crime as “Moss thinks the same thing.” The moment he
didn't stop saying that, there was no doubt that he would be forced to take
joint responsibility.

"Umm, was there anything dangerous about it?"

"Like I said, bugs, bugs! It has nothing to do with you whether Testarossa-sama
likes bugs or not, does it?"
"That is not the case. My original mission is to be covert, so I am obligated to
report the information I have obtained to Master Soei. It would be a problem if
it was uncertain, so it is necessary to confirm it~"
"Like I said!"

Moss wanted to tell her to keep her voice down and not get herself involved.
However, it doesn't work on Soka.

"This is surprisingly important. It’s a well-known story that Rimuru-sama hates

cockroaches too, and he’s been thoroughly putting his efforts into
exterminating pests, including the section where Rimuru-sama’s hermitage is
located and the guest house. However, just a little while ago, a single one
appeared in the courthouse, causing quite a stir."

And so, she began to explain everything Moss hadn’t known, and he didn’t want
to know.

According to Soka, Carrera had snapped when she was there. Apparently, there
had been an outrageously huge incident where the staff members rushed to
stop them, trying to fire off nuclear magic inside the building.

Rimuru didn't dodge this either. He just said, "Yeah, yeah, I know how you feel!"
and covered for Carrera, so it's tough. It's said that the subjugation team was
organized by those who were resistant to insects, and the trend was to make
sure they weren't seen by Carrera.

"By the way, Ultima-san said that spiders and stuff are cute without a care in
the world. I don't care if it's a cockroach or a caterpillar."

With that, Soka added some information that didn’t matter.

Moss couldn't help but react when he heard this.

"Hey, now's not the time to be talking about stupid stuff like that, is it? Lady
Carrera isn't just a cockroach. She's showing murderous intent all over the
place!"

Not touching Ultima was Moss's way of predicting danger.

Even if she's fine with spiders, there’s a possibility that she’s not okay with
cockroaches. It's better for Moss and the others to remain unaware of
anything that might be a weakness of the Primordials, who are regarded as gods.

However, this was a hasty assumption.

"Moss-kun, don't strangers tell you that you can't read the mood?"
"Yeah, that was dangerous. You'd think Carrera was a dangerous girl who picked
fights with anyone, so there's a way to phrase it."

"No, that's not it. Actually, you're right, but what I'm trying to say is that
Dragonewt over there..."
"It's Soka."
"Soka-san over there was talking about something very important. Moss-kun, you
need to understand that."

Moss was surprised in many ways.

There were so many things to address that he didn't know where to start.
First, Raine.
"Why are you giving yourself a 'kun'!?," Moss wanted to shout aloud.
Next, Soka.
"How can you interrupt Raine? And calmly introduce yourself—it's insane."
From Moss's point of view, it was an unbelievable act, but seeing Raine accept it
so calmly was surprising.
"What's going on?" he thought to himself.
Even Misery, whom he thought would have the most common sense, was
supporting Raine. Though the point of the argument was completely different,
Misery’s logic was sound.
Indeed, if Carrera heard Moss's comment, his life would be in danger. Moss had
to reflect on how he'd let himself get carried away and say something he
shouldn’t have.

That said, Moss knew he had to speak up where it mattered. He cautiously

replied.
"Listen, Lady Raine. Um, I don’t need a 'kun', so I was wondering if you could call
me by my first name instead..."

Moss pointed out the most important part.

"Why would the Blue Monarch show friendly, friendly attitudes toward the
White Queen's adjutant?"
If they were hostile, it would be fine to tease each other, but Moss couldn't
help but feel apologetic, saying, "We're not that close, are we?"

Ignoring Moss, Raine chuckled.

"What are you saying? You have the potential to defeat me, don’t you, Moss-
kun? In that case, I think it’s only natural that you show respect."

It was a shady statement.

Misery sighed heavily, proving it was shady.

"Raine, stop teasing Moss. More importantly, isn’t Soka’s story more important?"
"That’s true. Moss seems serious, but he reacts funny, so I couldn't help
myself."
"I agree with that, though."
"That’s right. I thought it would be harder to get close to you, so I was a little
surprised."

Moss was left behind in the girls’ conversation.

He was at a point where he didn’t care anymore.

"So, my story is important. Which point is it?"

With that, Soka brought up the main topic.

Misery responded.
"You're looking into things Carrera and Ultima don’t like, aren't you? Perhaps
you have information on Testarossa as well?"
"Umm...?"
As Soka pondered how to dodge the question, even Raine followed up with
another attack.
"I'm curious about that, too. Incidentally, I also hate g-forces. They don’t
appear in the frozen soil, so I'm grateful to Velzard-sama for that!"

"Yeah, they'll show up in Ingracia. Even though I’ve had Ivy thoroughly
exterminate them, they still come back out of nowhere..."

"Maybe he's more immortal than the undead?" Misery couldn’t let go of that
topic either.
Moss, who had already resigned himself, could only listen as if he was saying to
himself, "This isn’t the time to be talking about that so casually..."

“This is top secret, so...”

"Go ahead and say it."
“There’s no choice but to talk here, right?”
Moss thought to himself, "Yeah, probably not." Even if he were in Soka’s
position, he'd probably end up babbling too.
Then again, if it were truly top secret, she wouldn’t have dropped hints like
that.
Soka, being a professional spy, understood that too. So, she must have thought
this was something she could share.

“We are always investigating the weaknesses of the higher-ups under Soei-
sama’s orders. From the likes and dislikes of food, like Benimaru-sama’s aversion
to carrots, to interpersonal issues, like Diablo-sama's dislike of Testarossa-san.
It’s trivial information, really, but it could be useful if something goes wrong.”
“Mmm.”
“And?”
“Well, when it comes to Testarossa-san, I couldn't find any openings...”
“I was in trouble,” Soka said.

Moss realized that Soka hadn’t really said anything of great importance. That
kind of information was expected from someone in her position.
But Raine didn’t seem satisfied with that.
“Well then, let’s have Moss throw the g-forces at us!”
Moss immediately jumped up, shouting, “Stop!!”
Too stunned to respond, his thoughts were racing—“A child's prank!!”
This wasn’t a joke.
If Moss were to do something like that, he’d definitely provoke Testarossa’s
wrath.
No matter whether she disliked bugs or not, such malicious behaviour would
definitely be grounds for execution.
“What kind of terrifying suggestion is that!?”
“Give me a break, Lady Raine!!” Moss was twitching in fear as he looked at her.
“I’ll never do it, okay?”
He refused flatly.

“Aw, too bad!”

“It can’t be helped. Moss lacks courage.”
Moss thought, "This is what the Primordials are like," but he knew better than
to say it out loud. That would just make things worse.
But...
"It’s such a shame. I might have been able to find Testarossa-san’s weakness..."
That comment from Soka made Moss think, “This girl is seriously too scary.”

He swallowed his words without retorting, his endurance allowing him to stay
silent.
Years of enduring things like this had made Moss who he was today.

By the way, this conversation wasn’t private at all.

Testarossa had heard everything.
Later, she would comment, “Back then, I thought I might turn everyone into
dust in the Nihilistic World after pretending to be wrong. But I didn’t want to
show any weakness in front of Twilight, so I held back. Lucky for them.”
When Moss and the others heard this, they were terrified, but that’s another
story.

Raine had enjoyed teasing Moss, but at the same time, she kept her eyes fixed
on Twilight, who was facing Testarossa. Executing “parallel thinking” with bare
hands was a feat that came naturally to a Primordial.
In Raine's view, the pinnacle of historical troublemakers were Diablo and
Twilight. Until Rimuru appeared, these two had been unmovable nuisances.
There was room for debate as to which of them was superior, but one thing was
certain in Raine's heart: while Diablo was the "favourable" problem child,
Twilight was the "disgusting" one.
It’s the difference between a lovable fool and an abominable one.
Diablo was a self-respecting, self-deprecating nuisance who operated on his own
personal theories and rules. He followed his beliefs but didn't force them on
others. To Raine’s surprise, he even had a surprisingly sensible side.
On the other hand, Twilight ignored others' needs entirely. While both he and
Diablo shared the trait of operating on their own [Self-Theories] and [Milele],
Twilight's insistence on imposing them made him hard to like.
Even Raine had a self-centred side. She would never admit it, but she thought
through things in a dangerously self-serving way.
Given this, it was only natural that she would be incompatible with both Diablo
and Twilight.
"I'll keep my distance from the people I hate," Raine thought. "As long as I
stick to that, conflict can be avoided. The real problem is when someone tries to
impose their own justice on me."
Twilight was the prime example of this.
He had spread all kinds of trouble across the world. He caused so many large-
scale problems in various places that even if she tried to close her eyes to them,
they were impossible to ignore.
Life disasters, undead cities, the two moons, the forest of corrosion, seas of
fresh blood, and countless other wicked experiments had triggered numerous
calamities.

Records had been lost in the current human nation, but according to the
unofficial acknowledgment of the Demon Lords, Twilight was dangerous enough
to be considered an honorary Catastrophe-class figure, a person who could
never fulfil his role.
Even Raine couldn’t remember how many times she had been called in to clean up
after him.
No.
Raine was the type to never forget a grudge, so she kept detailed notes on
them. That was why she had raised a toast when Twilight was destroyed by
Luminus and felt both gratitude and respect for her.
With Twilight revived, Raine couldn’t help but focus on the situation.
"Good grief, that bastard is even more troublesome than G. But with the
terrifying Testarossa, Twilight should be able to deal with her, right...?"
It was hard for Raine to make a judgment.
Testarossa was fundamentally strong in defence. She shouldn’t lose.
But what about on the offensive side...?
Raine was worried that she wouldn’t be able to land a hit on Twilight, who had
conducted countless experiments and seemed to have approached immortality.
Moreover, Twilight now was even more unsettling than before, and Raine couldn’t
see the full extent of his power.
Raine had a feeling she wouldn’t be able to win in a fight, secretly breaking out
in a cold sweat.
"Thanks to Lord Rimuru, I was able to evolve, but even so, it’s impossible for me.
I wonder if I can at least stall for time... Maybe if I try my best? But, but,
fawning over that bastard? No way! I don’t even want to pretend!"
How would he fight?
Raine concluded that the only thing she could do was act to make Twilight lower
his guard and buy time. But even before trying, she gave up, saying, “I absolutely
don’t want to do it!”
However,
If it was Testarossa, things would be different.
Even compared to the time Raine fought, Testarossa had become a completely
different existence.
She was also cunning, and among the Primordials, she was the most calculating.
There was no way she would stand in front of an enemy without a plan, so she
could at least expect something.
"I’m sure Testarossa knows her own weaknesses. I heard she fought well against
Velgrind-sama, so if I cheer her on with all my might, she should be able to do
something about it!!"
Raine's support meant nothing to Testarossa. But Raine had a high opinion of
herself and mistakenly thought that Testarossa would appreciate it.
With that, she prepared to watch the battle unfold with great interest.

Now, as for Testarossa...

She was irritated by the offhand chatter but never forgot what needed to be
done.
The equation for victory had already been completed in Testarossa’s mind.
"What's wrong? You're not coming?"
With that, Twilight taunted from above.
Without responding, Testarossa’s smile quietly deepened.
"...What’s so funny? I don’t think you're in a position to be so relaxed."
Twilight, perhaps suspicious of Testarossa’s attitude, asked.
Testarossa responded with a sneer.
"How laughable. Do you still think you have the advantage?"
Upon hearing her reply, Twilight's expression turned dubious.
This was an abnormally strong attitude, one that Twilight hadn't expected.
"Good grief. This is why I hate people who don’t know their place. Sure, I was
reduced to dust by my beloved daughter Luminus’s strike. But that wasn’t a
defeat. It was simply an unavoidable experiment."
In order to test the capabilities of his pseudo-dragon form, I had managed to
get Testarossa to take it seriously. However, I hadn’t expected her to make
such a misunderstanding, and Twilight found it rather disheartening.
"I guess it can’t be helped. You all have this habit of looking down on others
because you Demons believe you’re the strongest. But if you don't train your
eyes to see through true strength, you’re going to end up in pain, you know?"
That was Twilight’s heartfelt warning.
Of course, it was a statement made because he was eager to inflict harm on
Testarossa here.
However, Testarossa remained unfazed.
She smiled fearlessly, as if she couldn’t care less about Twilight.
"This isn’t fun," Twilight thought, clearly growing upset.
"That attitude isn’t acceptable. I was thinking of playing with you for a bit, but
I’ll stop."
With those words, Twilight released the fighting spirit he had been suppressing.
It was unmistakably the aura of a dragon.

Giryutai is the culmination of Twilight's research.

When Twilight studied immortality extensively, the conclusion led to the
“dragon species.”
Though death would reset his personality, over time, even his soul would
perfectly regenerate, making his an indestructible being.
However, Twilight wasn’t satisfied with just that.
If this process could perfectly inherit the core of his being, he could truly call
it the ultimate life-form—that was his thinking.
Even if memories are inherited, if the personality that uses them is different,
it can’t be recognized as the same person. On the other hand, even if it resides
in a different body, if the heart and soul are the same... Would that be
dismissed as a completely different person?
The core of the soul, the most important elements—memories and the kokoro
(heart)—Twilight’s research focused entirely on this.
Using himself as a test subject, replicating memories was a relatively simple
success. By synchronizing them with numerous duplicates he had prepared
beforehand, Twilight ensured that his memories wouldn’t be lost even if he died.
It goes without saying that this process was modelled after Velzard’s
“different body.”
Next, the most difficult part was the re-creation of the most important thing:
the personality—the kokoro (heart).
It was something formless.
Something that changes with time.
The kokoro was a hollow thing.
Unless you were someone like Velzard, who could freeze even her own heart, it
was impossible to maintain an unchanged state forever.
But Twilight found a way out, and that’s where his madness truly shone.
"Lord Velzard, I have a request. Could you use your power to freeze my core?"
That was his request, to have Velzard protect his core. With that, he had his
replicated memories placed in his real body and continued to do as he pleased.
The synchronization of memories was perfect, and it was undoubtedly the real
Twilight. Even Luminus couldn’t tell them apart due to these circumstances.
And now...
Twilight had created the ultimate body using Velzard’s magicules, creating a
powerful vessel. It was imbued with a regenerated “soul,” and the memory
synchronization was flawless.
But that wasn’t all.
Since it had been created from Velzard’s body, it had combat abilities rivalling
those of a “dragon species.”
No matter how much of an “original” demon he was, Twilight could confidently
say he wasn’t an enemy.
Furthermore, in the unlikely event of an emergency, Twilight’s kokoro was
protected by Velzard. By creating a new pseudo-dragon body, she could revive
without any losses.
(Well, there’s no such thing as an emergency. This power is on par with
Velzard’s, and no matter if the opponent is the White Queen Testarossa, he
can’t lose.)
With that, Twilight was filled with confidence.
The amount of magicules is incomparable to Velzard’s, but the magical output is
equal. In addition to that, Twilight possesses his own power, leaving not a single
element that could lead to defeat. That’s how Twilight truly felt.
Twilight’s power—his Unique Skill “Greed”—had once been what defined him, but
that’s no longer the case.
Through studying the Unique Skills he had acquired, Twilight fully understood
their nature. From there, he unleashed a replica of his ego, merging it as the
seed of greed.
The now-liberated Unique Skill Greed was drawn to the greediest of individuals.
Through countless hosts, it eventually reached Mariabelle. Ultimately, it was
passed down to Yuuki.
Twilight observed this process.
The pseudo-personality that resided in the Unique Skill Greed always
synchronized information. By analysing this, Twilight’s research made a huge
leap forward.
When it resided in Yuuki, Twilight even had the chance to experience the
strength of Demon Lord Guy firsthand.
Guy was far too dangerous an opponent, so Twilight cut off synchronization to
let Yuuki deal with it in automatic mode. If Yuuki had died, that would have been
the end of it, but Yuuki survived with an unusual stroke of luck.
Thanks to that, Twilight was able to restart memory synchronization. And,
valuable information was obtained.
It was the process where Yuuki used Greed as a sacrifice to acquire the
Ultimate Skill “Mammon, the King of Greed.” It was a stroke of luck that this
process became clear.
The pseudo-Twilight personality residing in Yuuki was manipulated by Michael.
At that point, synchronization was cancelled, so the current state was unknown.
Twilight had heard that Yuuki died, so it was likely that the personality had
already disappeared, but that minor detail didn’t matter. After all, Twilight
himself had reached the ultimate level.
The Ultimate Ability, Ultimate Skill, "Amon, the King of Greed”—that was the
power Twilight had acquired.
Neither good nor evil, but someone who genuinely desires everything.
An existence that fulfils intellectual curiosity, just as it was destined to be.
Unable to resist the desire to know, he wanted to witness the result of it all.
No matter how much the world descended into chaos, what mattered to Twilight
was the result.
What’s important is obtaining results.
Then, to build upon those results and use them next.
Twilight had devoted everything to that end.
Since there was no malice, Twilight had become the embodiment of pure vice.
This is the Divine Progenitor—Twilight Valentine.
The ultimate egoist.
Twilight would do anything for his own sake, without regard for whether it’s
good or bad.
And inevitably, there came a question he couldn’t ignore.
What lies beyond the ultimate?
If even the Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, and Amon were offered as
sacrifices, what would be gained from it?
It was likely that the true essence of Twilight lay in actually attempting to
resolve this question.
And then, it was obtained.
A terrifying result that should never have existed.
—Ultimate Ability, Ultimate Skill, “Anra Manyu, the King of Vice”—
This was the ultimate.

This is the ultimate.

It was a fearsome power that surpassed even the powers of the Deadly Sins,
complementing the abilities created by Veldanava.
Its primary powers spanned across a vast range: “Thought Acceleration,
Universal Sensory Perception, Analytical Appraisal, Creation of All Things,
Ability Replication, Ability Synchronization, Space-Time Manipulation,
Multidimensional Barriers, [Eternal Regression], and Eigo Kaiki.”
It specializes in creation and research, but is also unmatched in combat.
Twilight’s research成果, the “giryutai” that could be called the culmination of
his efforts, was also completed through this "Vulgar King" Anra Manyu.
As long as Velzard existed, Twilight was an indestructible and invincible being.

Twilight released the dragon aura and intimidated Testarossa.

The existence value of the "Giryutai" is nearly ten times more overwhelming
than Testarossa's. Twilight may not be able to quantify it, but there was no
doubt that the gap between them was insurmountable.
It was precisely because he understood this that Twilight remained composed.

(She is an existence older than me, but in the end, she is merely a resident of
the spiritual world who doesn’t even possess a body. Even if she has taken on
flesh, the material world gives me the advantage. Let alone the fact that, in
terms of physical capabilities, I am overwhelmingly superior~)

Twilight sneered at Testarossa, who seemed to have misunderstood her

position, as if to say, "There’s no way I can lose."

And so, the battle between Testarossa and Twilight began.

A few hours passed.

Both of them remained alive and well, facing each other in midair.

What’s going on with Feldway’s scheme?

Milim had arrived in Sarion, but was she still running amok?

How many forces had Luminus’s “Apocalyptic Declaration” gathered?

Would humanity really be able to fight back against the horde of Cryptids led
by the "World-Devouring Dragon" Ivarage?

And what would become of the fools who had infiltrated the labyrinth?

Forgetting all those concerns, Testarossa focused entirely on her battle with
Twilight.

The formula for victory was already complete, but solving it was no simple task.
It was only because she was Testarossa that she could push the situation
forward so steadily.

Careful not to let Twilight notice, Testarossa proceeded with utmost caution.

Twilight, on the other hand, felt something was off.

“Ahahaha! What’s wrong? There’s no way magic like that could work on me!”

He effortlessly erased Testarossa’s continuous, time-delayed nuclear strikes.

With his overwhelming computational power, he had overwritten Testarossa’s
magic.
Normally, such an ability would be considered astonishing. And yet, Twilight was
the one growing increasingly irritated.

(This doesn’t make sense. Of course, Testarossa’s attacks shouldn’t work on me,
but why is she still standing? That she’s held out against me for hours—it’s
simply unreasonable…)

That was the problem.

Testarossa’s attacks had all been nullified with ease. And naturally, Twilight had
retaliated in kind—yet Testarossa was still alive.

Though stained with blood, she still carried herself with dignity as she floated
in the air.

Moreover, from the very first move, she had never lost her will to fight.

“──White Flare──”

Twilight was swallowed by white flames.

(Tch, the moment I let my guard down?! So, she was aiming for this from the
start, huh…?)

For the past few hours, every time Twilight’s attention wavered as she
pondered Testarossa’s actions, Testarossa would unleash powerful, precisely
aimed magic.

The damage wasn’t significant, but it couldn’t be ignored. Twilight had no choice
but to refocus on Testarossa.

That, in itself, was subtly irritating.

He could recover almost instantly, so ignoring the attacks wouldn’t have been an
issue. However, this was Testarossa—Twilight knew he couldn’t afford to be
careless. And yet, the repetitive nature of the battle had allowed complacency
to creep in.

Irritation, conceit, and the carelessness that came with them.

In that moment, a devastating blow landed on him.

The magic struck Twilight’s pain receptors directly.

It was enough to make him momentarily envision death itself.

That was only natural.
“White Flare” was the ultimate antipersonnel magic created by Testarossa using
her Ultimate Skill, [Belial].
Twilight's pseudo-dragon body was instantly incinerated... but there was no
problem.
It completely regenerated as if nothing had happened.
"Man, you never learn, do you? I told you that no matter what you do, it won’t
work on me."
Twilight sneered in exasperation, looking down on Testarossa.
It was an act to hide the irritation in his heart.
No matter what attack it was, he wouldn't die, but there was still an unsettling
feeling—he couldn’t shake the worry that he had missed something important.
That sense of discomfort and unease was the alarm bells ringing in Twilight's
instincts.
However, Twilight ignored it.
It was because he had heard that the White Flare he’d just been hit with was
Testarossa’s strongest skill.
An attack enhanced by the power of the Ultimate Skill was heavy. And when it
was the strongest skill, it was on a completely different level from regular
spells.
Even Twilight’s prized pseudo-dragon body had been pierced through layers of
protective barriers and burned to ash in an instant. That was proof of
Testarossa’s danger.
But that was all.
Since even the strongest attack was meaningless, there was no chance of
Testarossa winning. Twilight smiled with composure because he understood this.
Testarossa's strongest technique ended in a dud, but her reaction was
unexpected.
No, that’s for Twilight, I should add.
Testarossa had already anticipated this outcome from the start.
The entire sequence, including the fact that Twilight would get cocky and mock
her, had gone exactly as Testarossa had planned.
Testarossa was truly cunning and calm. Even the White Flare was just one card
in her hand.
By using a variety of techniques to keep Twilight's focus on her, she had
ensured that Twilight wouldn’t notice the bigger trap.
Twilight was certainly strong.
There was no doubt that she surpassed Testarossa in sheer combat ability
alone.
However, the match was evenly matched—no, in fact, the board was in
Testarossa’s hands.
That was the difference in combat experience between them.
It was rare for Testarossa to take matters into her own hands, but she used
her intellect to give orders to her subordinates. This combat sense, derived
from her experience, was Testarossa’s strength.
"You really are a fool."
Testarossa’s smile deepened.
Her gaze was not that of someone who had despaired after their trump card
was broken. It was the gaze of someone who looked down on Twilight.
Only at this point did the arrogant Twilight realize the source of his
discomfort.
"~? I see... I thought something was strange, but you didn’t take much damage
from my attack, did you? Were you deliberately taking the hit?"
Unlike Twilight, who instantly recovered, Testarossa’s wounds continued to
increase. There were no fatal ones, but her military uniform had been torn,
revealing several discoloured scars on her skin.
Burns, cuts, and bruises—these were unmistakably the result of Twilight’s
attacks.
But that’s exactly why—if she had taken that much damage, it was unnatural
that she was still active.
No matter how much damage she reduced, Twilight's attacks weren’t weak. His
techniques, derived from his body modelled after the strongest dragon species,
could easily slaughter even a Demon Lord species with a single blow.
And yet, Testarossa remained unharmed, which meant she had only made it look
like a direct hit.
(Or maybe she really hasn’t taken much damage... No, that can't be it. There’s
no point in leaving marks if that were the case. Interesting! What is she after?)
Because he was invincible, Twilight wasn’t afraid.
His overconfidence in his invulnerability made it enjoyable for him to probe
Testarossa’s intentions.
This, however, was Twilight’s bad habit—and his weakness.
[Ultimate Ability] [Ultimatum Skill] [Vulgar King] [Anra Manyu] is the worst and
most evil power in the world. It is the will to kill God itself, and it can also be
said to be a power exclusive to the anti-Veldanava.

"Surpassing parents"—in other words, "god-killing."

Twilight also bore the burden of that fate.

The reason he made Luminus kill him was so he could observe the process of
achieving that feat. He intended to kill Veldanava in perfect condition, taking
into account every possible case.

Since Veldanava wouldn't be resurrected, that ambition remained unfulfilled,

but because of that, [Ultimate Ability] [Ultimatum Skill] [Vulgar King] [Anra
Manyu] had grown more refined and vicious.

It was a high-ranking power in the Deadly Sins category, but it didn’t have the
right to control lower-ranked powers like the [Angel Chief's Dominion] or the
[Ultimate Dominions]. The demon type was naturally a free power, so it had
nothing to do with being subject to it. That was why it didn’t even have the kind
of coercive dominion power that [Royal Authority] or [regardless] did.

You could say there was no need for that in the first place.

[Ultimate Ability] [Ultimatum Skill] [Vulgar King] [Anra Manyu] had the special
power to reduce anything and everything to nothing.

All life forms end up with death.

No matter how many people there are, inviting them to a place they can't escape
no matter what is called 'Eternal Regression' by [Anra Manyu], who specializes
in trampling on the free will of others.

"Continue to perish in my world, Eternal Twilight."

Malice assaulted Testarossa.

The embodiment of vice, feeding on even the voices of resentment played by

the dead in hell—this is the true nature of [Vulgar King] [Anra Manyu].

It is craftier and more indecent than the [Demon Tribe] that feeds on human
emotions. It is a power worth spitting on.

However, the effect was immense.

That kind of “eternal return” that the [vulgar king] (Anra Manyu) is so proud of
has the terrifying effect of capturing all beings within the area of effect in a
pseudo-hell and showing them nightmares for all eternity until the world
disappears.

Those who are imprisoned are not allowed to escape and must meet the end of
the world. And that voice of anguish and resentment is making the [Villainous
King] grow more and more.

If he was targeted by this, there would be no way to escape, and even if he was
an "original demon" accustomed to hell, he would have to repeat the nightmare
of being destroyed and regenerated over and over.

And then, my soul would be exhausted, and eventually, reduced to nothingness...

In the end, Twilight, who was looking forward to seeing which would end sooner,
shouted with joy.

"Ahahaha! My malice will destroy even God! I'm sure you're older than me, but
you'll never be able to—"

The darkness of the end, the embodiment of despair, threatened to swallow up

the white world.

However, nothing happened.

Testarossa floated elegantly where she had come from.

"~~~!?"

Twilight was genuinely shocked.

That nostalgic feeling is the same as what I felt when the unexpected results
of the experiment came out. But unlike that time, I wasn't excited. It's just
that I can't accept reality.

"It seems strange, doesn't it? It's foolish that you really didn't notice."

"Wh-Why? Why are you safe?!"

Twilight didn’t even care that he’d been mocked for being foolish; he wanted to
know why.

Testarossa had to be dead. There was no way something as ridiculous as being

completely unharmed could happen.
However, this was Twilight’s problem, and Testarossa had no obligation to
accommodate him. She simply carried out the role assigned to her indifferently.

Testarossa’s cherry-blossom-coloured lips formed an evil arc.

And then, she announced despair.
“You want to know what destruction really feels like, don’t you? How lucky. I’ll
tell you. I just finished preparing.”

As soon as she finished speaking, Testarossa’s derisive smile deepened.

And then—
They carried out the plan as originally intended.

“—‘Pure White World,’ Nihilistic World.”

The world was dyed white.
Originally, it had been whitened out by Velzard’s ice and snow, but it was now
covered in a “white darkness” thick enough to blot it out entirely.

“Are you kidding me? I can’t even tell what’s going on outside anymore!”
“No, I’ve been here for a long time already...”
“I’m surprised. It’s not that Moss’s ‘barrier’ is impressive, but rather that
there’s an invisible membrane on its surface.”

“…As expected of Testarossa, she’s a match for me.”

I could hear the voices of those watching from the sidelines.
Each of their emotions was different, but one thing was common: everyone was
in shock.
Well, except for Soka.

Velzard’s ice and snow had disturbed the magicules, so even “Magic Sense” was
useless. The complete white-out state had left my senses numb long ago.
The only reason I hadn’t gone mad was that I could still see within Moss’s
barrier.
Now, it seemed that even more “white” had covered everything, but I couldn’t
tell any difference. Something terrible must have happened, but I was already
detached, as if it were none of my business.

Meanwhile, Twilight didn’t have the luxury of being so calm.

He was speeding up his thinking to its maximum capacity, tens of millions of
times, trying to grasp the situation.
(What happened?! My Eternal Twilight was perfect, so why is Testarossa still
unharmed? No, more importantly—what is this ‘white darkness’?)

The “white” was eating away at Twilight’s body.

It was faster than his body’s regeneration.
(No, calm down. Even if my body turns to dust, I’ll just create another Giryutai.
What matters now is figuring out what Testarossa did.)

Determined to prioritize figuring out Testarossa’s actions over his own body’s
fate, Twilight tried to resume his analysis.
At that moment, Testarossa’s “thought” reached his delayed consciousness.
“How does it feel to experience true destruction?”
“Interesting. I understand a little about what you did. You left the Void you
used to investigate my existence in place, didn’t you?”

“Yes, that’s exactly right.”

“You’re impressive. To be able to maintain it so naturally while fighting me.”

Twilight genuinely praised her.

The Void was the ultimate energy of destruction. It was a waste of common
sense to let it merge naturally with the ice and snow, maintaining it in a harmless
state. It should have been used for attack, especially since it would be more
effective to do so immediately, hiding it until the last moment.

That was why Twilight had missed it, but there was no sense of danger.
Indeed, the Void had struck him directly, so his current body, including his soul,
would disappear. However, since Twilight would regenerate completely, it was
meaningless.
This was the essence of perfect immortality. His invincibility.

But this is where things went wrong.

Testarossa murmured with exasperation,
“It seems you really don’t understand.”
“—?”
“My Void wasn’t summoned from hell.”
“Huh?”

Twilight looked at Testarossa with a gaze full of confusion, wondering what in

the world she was talking about.
There stood the absolute monarch, laughing in ecstasy.
“This power is proof that he is alive and well. When I opened the door deep in
my chest, I felt a definite breath.”
“What have you been doing this whole time?”
“I wanted to feel it more, but it looks like it’s about time to say goodbye.”

Testarossa is cautious.
She wouldn’t do anything that exceeded her own limits, like Zegion did.
She knew that even if she tried, she wouldn’t succeed in the first place.
But even the prescribed amount was more than enough to be a threat.

Testarossa's Ultimate Skill, “King of the Dead” (Belial), was one of the powers
closest to death. Among them, the afterlife was the power to handle hell’s
flames— the Voids.
This was why the Void Disintegration she borrowed from Rimuru could be safely
used in the prescribed amount. By combining it with her own "Pure White World"
and Nihilistic World, she was able to control an extremely dangerous world as
her own.

The Void devours “information particles.”

To be precise, it erases the information written on these particles.
All possible commands are meaningless if they cannot be conveyed.
Even if the information is synchronized instantly across time and space, if the
“information particles” themselves are interfered with…

“Impossible… My, my heart isn’t reacting…?”

“Isn’t that obvious? I’ve gone out with you many times, but I’m getting tired of
playing with you. So, I’ll have to end this now.”

With those words, Testarossa’s "thought" disappeared.

Twilight’s thought process became solitary once again.
(Huh? This ‘white darkness’ is all ‘Void’? Impossible!? I can’t let that happen!!)
Even the already difficult-to-control Voids—let alone filling an entire space with
them, even if isolated—was something Twilight had never known anyone to
achieve.

If I had to compare it, it would be like facing a thousand grandmasters of

Shogi, from all over the world, at once and controlling the game in a superior
position. They wouldn’t lose focus for a single moment, and one mistake would
cost everything. Still, achieving that is an impossible feat in stories.

From the past to the present—even Veldanava should not have been able to do
such a thing.

(What the hell is going on?)

Twilight’s consciousness was swallowed up by the white darkness.
I should have been satisfied with the answers I got from Testarossa, but new
questions emerged, leaving my mind unfulfilled…

Those inside Moss's barrier found it difficult to figure out what was going on
outside. Even so, although they didn't know the details of the battle, they
somehow felt that Testarossa would win.

Part of it was that they couldn’t imagine Testarossa losing, and part of it was
because they felt a deep, fundamental fear from the “white darkness” that
filled the outside world.
Moss, in particular, stood out in this regard.

“Crap!? Testarossa-sama, you're really angry..."

Before the barrier fully closed, Moss had briefly “sensed” that Testarossa's
entire body was covered in wounds. She seemed to have recovered properly, but
that didn’t mean everything was fine.

The issue was that the proud White Queen’s body was injured.
This meant that Twilight’s attack had reached Testarossa’s body.

If Testarossa were only dealing with magic, this wouldn't have happened. By
launching one-sided attacks from a distance, she would avoid letting her
opponent get close.

However, it didn’t seem like that was the case at the moment.

Could Twilight's skilful fighting style have been enough to make Testarossa
abandon her pride?
Even so, it was an unbelievable event for Moss.

If the opponent had been a “dragon species” like Velgrind, Moss might have
been able to bear it.
But the opponent was the Sacred Ancestor, a being feared as one of the ancient
gods. Yet, from Testarossa's perspective as one of the Seven Primordials, he
wasn’t someone to be respected.

“Well, I'll admit she's strong, but Testarossa-sama isn’t really good at hand-to-
hand combat...”
“I’m not good at it either, you know?”
“Well, I'm not good at it.”

Rain and Misery responded to Moss's murmur.

Soka remained silent, but her emotions were more complicated.

(I’m good at hand-to-hand combat, but... I’m weaker than those who say they’re
bad at it...)
It was a blunt truth, but sadly, it was the reality.

Leaving Soka's sorrow behind, the conversation continued.

“But it's strange...”

“What do you mean?”
Moss thought for a moment before trying to explain what was wrong.

“Testarossa-sama is good at defence. It's only natural, but she's not kind
enough to fight in her opponent’s field of expertise. That’s why the current
situation seems unnatural to me.”

In fact, Testarossa had engaged in hand-to-hand combat. She also used magic,
but she had dealt with Twilight’s attacks to stay where she was.
That certainly seemed unlike Testarossa, who specializes in long-range combat
to avoid any damage.

Hearing this, Rain and Misery nodded.

“I see. Well, you're right. I'll do whatever it takes to win. I won’t hesitate to
take it into my field of expertise.”
“That’s right. Even so, Testarossa didn’t do that. Which means...”

There was a reason for that.

“Umm, I have a question...”

Here, Soka timidly spoke up.
“What is it?”
Moss urged her on, hiding his true feelings that it was a nuisance. He didn't
expect much from Soka’s opinion since there was nothing she could do in this
situation. But when he heard it, his eyes widened.

“What was Testarossa-san's ability again? Umm, was it the Pure White World,
the Nihilistic World? Huh? I wonder what happened to it?”
“Hm?”

“Come to think of it...” Moss remembered.

Testarossa had deployed the Pure White World, the Nihilistic World, and used
it to locate Twilight, who had been hiding here.

That was the first stage, and they were now on standby.

If they moved to attack from here, the entire area within Testarossa's
designated range would be exposed to the violent force of the Void.

It didn't matter if friend or foe—energy would be cancelled out and vanish.

Since Moss and Soka couldn’t escape, their survival meant that Testarossa
hadn’t released the Void yet.

Actually, in the first place...

“Even Testarossa-sama wouldn’t be able to maintain the Void for a long time.
That’s probably why she disarmed it so long ago.”

That was Moss’s thought... No, his wish.

The reason Testarossa hadn’t brought the fight into her area of magic
expertise was probably because she had invested her power into something else,
right?

No, no, that couldn’t be true—Moss denied his own thoughts.

Fighting for a long time with the extremely dangerous Void deployed was pure
madness.

If, by any chance—even if it was a one-in-a-million, or even a one-in-a-billion

chance—Testarossa had lost consciousness during the battle, the Void that was
out of control would be released.

Twilight had been striking her, and the risk of her losing consciousness was
high. Controlling the Void alone was draining, so from Moss’s point of view,
maintaining it constantly was impossible.
(Of course, she wouldn’t take such a risk... she’s fine, right, Testarossa-sama?)

Swallowing his unease, Moss prayed.

However, since he was praying to Testarossa, there was no way that wish would
be heard.

“But Moss-kun, no matter how you look at it, it's the Void, right?”

“That’s right. No matter how you look at it, it’s showing aggression and eating
away at Twilight.”

The heartless voices of Rain and Misery delivered the statement.

Moss had already realized it without needing to be pointed out.

“You’re kidding…”

(Does that mean there was a risk that the world could be destroyed, even with a
slim chance—no, even a billion-to-one chance!?)

Moss looked like he was about to collapse in shock.

“Wow, Testarossa-san, you really are amazing! I thought we’d all die if we
attacked during that second stage.”

Soka, who didn’t understand anything, made a slightly off-kilter comment.

“Hmmm, soudane.”

Rain smiled bitterly, as if trying to avoid the topic.

“Well, it’s more like we’d die. But, maybe it’s better not to know. Do you still
want to hear it?”

Misery trailed off and looked at Soka enviously.

Just that look was enough for Soka to guess.

“No, there’s no need. I wanted to track the information as a covert person, but
I’ll throw it away for now!”

Soka’s strength was that she could choose peace of mind over responsibility
here.

But that was the right choice.

If someone had explained that the world was on the verge of collapse, Soka
wouldn’t have been able to handle it.

Even Rain and Misery, who had made that decision, surprisingly had a gentle side
to them.

While the others pondered, Twilight’s existence faded away.

Rain was elated at the sight.

“Alright! Twilight, you bastard, look at this!”

She shouted from the bottom of her heart, trying to release her long-held
resentment.

Misery agreed.

“Yeah, he was a huge problem child, so I feel more relieved than anything.”

Soka, who overheard that, was convinced that Twilight must have been a
dangerous person.

With the crisis now past, everyone’s tension began to dissolve.

“Well, well. I’ve drawn with Testarossa, so it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say

I actually defeated Twilight. I feel truly exhilarated, as if I’ve fulfilled one of
my long-cherished wishes!”

And so on. Even though Raine hadn’t done anything, she still managed to
interpret the situation in a way that was quite convenient for her.

However, the problem still hadn’t been resolved.

Velzard, our original objective, was still alive and well, and this land remained
shrouded in the "White, Closed-Off World."

As if to remind them of this once again, the fierce battle between Guy and
Velzard began to intensify in earnest.

White and red auras intersect in midair.

The amount of heat that should have swallowed up even the star system was
filled with that small mass. A collision alone would cause great destruction, but
since the ground was protected, the ice and snow were only blowing madly.
Guy’s attacks had no effect on Velzard.
Because he wasn't serious.
Guy knew everything.
Testarossa’s victory, and the blockheads’ nonsense.
And even the change in Velzard, his enemy.

He’d sensed a third party on the way, so he’d always been on guard. It was
difficult to probe while dealing with Velzard, but Testarossa had uncovered his
true identity. Moreover, she’d just defeated him with the utmost care.

With this, he could finally focus on Velzard.

(Still, Twilight, huh? That means I don’t think he died from that thing. I bet
he's still inside Velzard.)
Guy guessed as much.
And that Testarossa had probably noticed, too.
Testarossa is a fearsome person that even Guy acknowledges.
She showed me her fiendish, unparalleled power, worthy of the name of the
White Queen.

According to conventional common sense, Voids cannot be controlled. Once

released, all beings trapped within the area of effect of the White Pure World
should be consumed.
However, Testarossa had manipulated it perfectly, obliterating only Twilight.
Even from Guy's point of view, this was a surprising phenomenon.
And only Guy had noticed.
That what Testarossa had done had been a much more difficult, outrageous
technique.

Testarossa had taken her time creating a cage out of "nothingness." She sealed
Twilight inside it, severing his connection to the outside of the cage.
She must have observed the movements of the informants the moment she
burned them to a crisp with the White Flare, checked the main body inside
Velzard, and grasped it.
Guy had done the same, which was why he correctly understood the meaning of
Testarossa’s actions.
(What a terrifying move. If I’d let my guard down, I might have lost too.)
Or so I thought, thinking about the impossible.
Guy would never let his guard down, so it was just a fantasy.
In any case, there was no doubt that he needed to reevaluate the threat level
of Testarossa, but that was something he could think about later.
Right now, stopping Velzard came first.

"Guy, you understand, don't you?"

"Isn't that obvious?"
"Then that's fine. I'll rest, so can I leave the rest to you?"
"Yeah. You'll leave the Voids covering Velzard as they are, won't you?"
"Fufufu, it can't be helped. I'll let you borrow it."

With those words, Testarossa descended to the ground.

She was proud, so she would never admit it, but she was already exhausted and
didn't even have the magical energy left to float in the air. Guy could see that,
but it wasn't so uncouth as to point that out.

On the contrary, he’s even asking for something reckless.

Testarossa had cast Voids to cover the surface of her body, certain that
Twilight’s main body was inside Velzard. This had erased the information from
the “informant” and prevented Twilight from regenerating.
Guy had asked her to leave it behind. In other words, he wanted her to continue
to maintain the Void forever.
Testarossa lightly accepted the offer, calling it a “debt,” but it was a back-and-
forth precisely because they had a certain trust in each other.

With that, there was no longer any fear of Twilight getting in the way.
Guy grinned and faced Velzard.

They had been fighting for several dozen hours, but neither of them had been
serious.

But this is where the real battle begins.

We’ve done more than enough small-fry, so next time, we’re going to land a blow

that could be fatal.

(Well, this won’t kill me.)

With that thought in mind, Guy swung his hand.

Unsurprisingly, Velzard parried it with a composed expression.

“Tch, even my [Demon Claw of Calamity] can be nullified.”

Guy's attack, Calamity Magical Mirage Claw, was a special attack against the

worst-case scenario: Infected-type Destruction Particles infiltrated through

the contact area, polluting the enemy’s insides. It had greater mental effects

than the physical body, and even a graze could cause mental contamination.

It was the first technique he'd used to kill someone without taking a direct hit.

And yet, it didn’t work on Velzard.

Everything that touched Velzard would be fixed in place in an instant.

Because she's exerting influence on the level of an informational child, it

doesn't matter if it's physical or mental. It freezes everything.

As such, Velzard smiled playfully.

“Of course. Why don’t we cross blades more and more?”

Hearing that made Guy feel a little fed up.

(How long is she going to hold a grudge?)

You haven’t changed since we first met, Guy thought.

And at the same time, he realized the possibility.

Velzard wondered if he was freezing even his emotions.

If that were the case, it would be troublesome.

Because the harder it is, the more vulnerable it is to unexpected impacts.

Now that it was clear that Twilight resided in Velzard’s psyche, Guy recognized

that the situation was unpredictable.

Velzard had originally approached Guy with the goal of testing him.

Jealous of her older brother—Veldanava—who had acknowledged Guy.

And as the years passed, little by little, just a little, she began to find it
enjoyable.

In a way, it was only natural.

The one managing the empty Tenseikyu was not Feldway, but Velzard.
Always alone.

Accepting her current state as nothing more than duty, without the slightest
doubt.

That was why living with Guy felt so new—

At this rate, she might forget her original purpose… No, there was never any
need to worry about it in the first place.

During her regular visits to Tenseikyu, Velzard would reflect on her core. To
ensure she never forgot her true purpose, she wielded her newly awakened King
of Jealousy (Leviathan) and King of Patience (Gabriel) to freeze her very
heart.

And so, Velzard sealed away her emotions, discarding all hesitation.

And now—

Velzard was in a state of ecstasy.

Her heart overflowed with euphoria at the situation she had long desired.

Yes, this was what Velzard had always wished for.

To finally defeat Guy when he was completely serious. And prove, once and for
all, that she was the strongest.

If she could do that, surely Guy would acknowledge her—so she believed.

Why do I have to defeat Guy?

A faint voice of doubt whispered in her heart, but she silenced it.

To prevent such questions from surfacing, she closed her heart even tighter.

On the surface, she wore a smile, but deep inside, a raging blizzard howled
endlessly.

《Now is the time to fulfil our long-cherished wish. 》

The voice whispering to Velzard belonged to Twilight, her ally.

By fully integrating his core into her very being, he had transcended into
something akin to pure Authority itself.
Recently, a torrent of new revelations and discoveries had surfaced. Twilight
had let out an ecstatic cry as he analysed all the new information, and as a
result, he had undergone a rapid evolution.

Now, he had even surpassed the spiritual existence known as a Divinity Core
(Manas).

The Giryutai was one manifestation of this power—an unparalleled force—but it

could only reach its true potential when used in tandem with Velzard.

《The best plan was to wait for a stalemate with Guy and then use the trump
card—Giryutai. 》

“It can’t be helped. Guy never lets his guard down.”

For dozens of hours, he had been waiting for an opening, but not once did he
find one. Guy had remained vigilant from start to finish.

On the contrary, he seemed completely convinced that Velzard was hiding

something.

That was why Velzard had already assumed that strategy would fail.

Having Testarossa interfere was unexpected, but the situation remained

unchanged.

《Yeah, no kidding. Still, the White Queen (Testarossa) sure is something.

She’s managed to control the extremely dangerous ‘Void’ at will.》

“That’s right. And since she’s still covering the surface of my body, I can’t use
Giryutai, either.”

Indeed, Velzard was wrapped in a radiant white darkness.

It's not that she couldn't shake this off, but doing so in front of Guy would be
dangerous.

The Void had the property of absorbing energy, so if Velzard released her
magic, she could probably erase it.

However, she knew that wouldn’t be the end of it. If Testarossa simply
summoned more Void, it would all amount to nothing but a wasted effort.

It was truly an annoying and troublesome tactic.

《All emission-based attacks are useless, huh? If it only weakened them, that’d
be one thing, but since she can see the moment I fire, dodging them is too easy.
》

That was Twilight for you—his analytical abilities were second to none.

Though the pseudo-personality he had deployed was utterly defeated by

Testarossa, as an advisor, he was invaluable.

Testarossa’s objective was to seal Twilight away, which meant Velzard had lost
one of her trump cards against Guy.

At this point, she had no choice but to abandon the original plan and face him
head-on.

“As far as I’m concerned, this is a good situation.”

For once, Twilight had no retort.

If their goal was absolute victory, then it would be a different story—but

Velzard’s objective was something else entirely.

《──Defeat Guy and do whatever you want. 》

Yes, that’s exactly what I’ll do—Velzard’s smile deepened into something fierce
and resolute.

In the next moment, Velzard unleashed her desire.

Even before now, she had barely been holding back—but until this moment, she
had at least maintained a final restraint. Now, she abandoned all reason in order
to claim Guy as her own.

“Guy! You are everything to me!! I’ve been watching you all this time. Only you.
And yet, why won’t you look at me? Look at me. Look only at me—!!”

It was a cry from the depths of Velzard’s heart.

Selfish and wilful—yet, more than anything, it was a pure wish.

Guy had been maintaining his distance from Velzard, hovering in midair—but
sensing danger, he immediately shot backward.

Just in the nick of time.

The spot where he had been was now engulfed in a raging storm of ice and snow.
With the force of purple lightning, Velzard’s onslaught had begun.

Now that she had abandoned all strategy, Velzard was a true menace.

Even among the strongest of the Dragonkin, Velzard was in a class of her own.

As a being second only to the Star King Dragon, Veldanava, she possessed
unfathomable power.

The sheer amount of magic she unleashed turned into a violent wave, attempting
to blow away Testarossa’s Void.

This wasn’t something Velzard had done intentionally—it was simply the side
effect of her heightened battle fervour. And yet, the results were undeniable.

“Kuh, this is no joke… You’re really making me pay for this, Guy!”

Testarossa, who had been trying to retreat back into Moss’s barrier, spat her
frustration.

Even so, she refused to give up, skilfully manipulating Void to channel and
redirect Velzard’s raging magic.

Her mastery was nothing short of artistry—so much so that even Raine, who
constantly competed with her, had long since admitted defeat, muttering a quick
"No way."

Even Guy himself had to acknowledge her skill.

“I owe you one, Testarossa!”

If Twilight were to enter the fray now, things would get even more
complicated—and Guy’s chances of victory would slip even further away.

He was genuinely grateful that Testarossa had arrived.

And even for Testarossa, she no longer had the capacity to fight another
opponent.

She had managed to overwhelm Twilight in their first exchange, but if they
fought a second time, he would have surely adapted and countered her.

More than that, an enemy who revived no matter how many times they were
defeated was best ignored—one of the key lessons she had learned during her
training in Ramiris’s labyrinth.
Right now, there was no stopping Velzard.

Anyone who tried would be swept away in an instant.

Not even Testarossa could do it.

This wasn’t something that could be resolved with mere strategy, nor was it a
situation where words could reach her.

They were out of options.

At this point, there were only a handful of beings in existence who could stand
against Velzard.

No—perhaps not even that.

(Even Veldora-sama and Velgrind-sama might not be able to stop her…)

The only ones who could possibly face her now were those of equal standing
among the Dragonkin—or Guy.

(If Rimuru-sama were here, he could probably handle this… But the fact
that I’m even thinking that means I’m being pathetic.)

Testarossa scolded herself. But truly, no one could blame her for feeling that
way.

Rimuru wasn’t here. They had to figure this out on their own.

“…We have no choice but to leave it to Guy.”

And so, all remaining hope was entrusted to Guy, the only one who could possibly
stop Velzard.

At last, Testarossa reached the barrier.

Inside Moss’s barrier, the conditions had already been adjusted in anticipation
of her arrival, making it far more comfortable.

That was because Moss, ever the opportunist, had taken this chance to score
some points by adjusting the temperature.

The air was as warm as a gentle spring day, allowing even Soka, who had been on
the verge of freezing, to take a relieved breath.

Not stopping there, Moss had even used Material Creation to craft a chair.
There was no way they could sit on the frozen ground, and Moss and the others
had been standing the entire time. But there was no way they could allow
Testarossa to do the same.

To wait for orders before acting was second-rate. A true first-rate servant
would anticipate their master’s needs in advance and prepare everything
accordingly, ensuring their master’s comfort without prompting.

Moss followed that principle to the letter in his service to Testarossa.

“Moss-kun, why didn’t you just have it like this from the start?”

Raine, already seated comfortably in her chair, complained. The way she
emphasized “you” carried a strong hint of sarcasm.

Raine had been suffering in the cold all this time, holding herself back out of
sheer self-restraint. She had enough common sense to know that complaining
wouldn’t change anything, so she had endured it without a fuss.

However—

Seeing that Moss had now prepared chairs for Misery, Raine, and even Soka,
it was obvious that he had the resources to do so all along.

From Raine’s perspective, her reaction was simple: "If you could do it, then do
it from the start!"

She wanted to demand why Testarossa alone was being given special treatment.

“I wonder what she’s talking about. What’s wrong with Raine?”

Elegantly seated in the chair prepared for her, Testarossa asked in

exasperation.

It was Misery who answered.

“I’m sorry, Testarossa. Raine’s been working hard, so she’s probably just a little
stressed.”

“Misery, aren’t you spoiling her too much?”

“That’s not true.”

“If someone is already trying their hardest, telling them to ‘try harder’ will only
backfire and corner them. But if they aren’t giving their all, riling them up a
little is just the right push, you know?”

“—? What exactly are you trying to say?”

Testarossa was genuinely baffled by Misery’s statement.

“Raine is working hard, isn’t she?”

“Huh? Are you seriously saying that?”

“Of course, I am.”

“…You do realize Guy is completely fed up with you, right?”

“Well, yes, but that’s because I’m not strong enough.”

That’s not it at all.

Testarossa thought so immediately, but she hesitated to say it out loud.

For just a moment, she felt a slight sympathy for Misery.

With the conversation at a standstill, silence settled over the barrier.

Outside, the battle between Guy and Velzard was escalating, and with nothing
to distract them, the tension in the air only grew.

At the same time, carelessly choosing a topic could be just as dangerous.

Meanwhile, Moss had faded into the background like air itself.

He sat quietly beside Soka, as if using her as a shield, keeping his head down
and focusing on his own work as if none of this had anything to do with him.

Hearing his name brought up in a conversation between Primordial Demons was

beyond stressful. The best thing he could do was tune everything out and pray
no further attention was drawn to him.

But his prayers went unheard.

“Look at Moss. He’s turned out quite capable, all thanks to me.”

Give me a break…

Moss groaned internally.

(If I ever fail, she’d erase my very existence in an instant!)

This wasn’t some light-hearted teasing—far from it.

The reality was that only those who had survived the crushing weight of her
impossible standards were still standing.

For her to boast about it as if it were her own accomplishment—if only he

could say that aloud, he might feel a little better.

But Moss simply kept his mouth shut, like a clam, and nodded as if to say:

“Yes, Lady Testarossa, you are absolutely right.”

“Well, I suppose you’re right. Looking at Moss, I can acknowledge that you’re
competent when it comes to training others… But you know, Raine could be
capable too, if she actually put in the effort. Sure, she cried, but didn’t she
draw against you in a fight?”

“…When exactly are you talking about?”

Testarossa narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

This time, the one who responded wasn’t Misery—but Raine herself, the very
topic of conversation.

“Let’s not dwell on the past. More importantly, we should be focusing on how to
ensure Lord Guy’s victory, right?”

Her true intention was painfully obvious—she just wanted to redirect the
conversation away from herself.

Soka, quietly observing from the side, muttered under her breath:

“…Blatantly changing the subject like that—it’s almost impressive how shameless
that is.”

Her comment was directed at Moss.

(Could you please keep quiet? At the very least, stop dragging me into this!!)

Moss stared off into the distance, feeling like he wanted to cry.

Meanwhile, Raine was trembling.

(Why do I feel like my position just became incredibly precarious…?)

It was entirely her own fault.

However, Raine was the type to always shift the blame onto others, so she never
once considered that she might be at fault.

Realizing that her usual tricks wouldn’t work this time, she immediately went
for her next move—

Another topic change.

Feigning confidence, Raine boldly declared:

“It can’t be helped; it’s for the sake of victory. Why don’t I go and help Lord
Guy?!”

She spoke as if challenging them—"What do you think?"

Hearing this, Testarossa scoffed.

And then—

“If you want to die, I won’t stop you. You’ll be wiped out in an instant, and all
you’ll accomplish is giving us a good laugh.”

With a cold smirk, she turned Raine’s own words against her, taunting her just
as Raine had done earlier.

Soka, understanding she had no place in this conversation, chose to stay silent—
but she wholeheartedly agreed with Testarossa.

The same went for Moss.

Not just because his master had spoken, but because the situation itself
made Raine’s statement laughable.

Even though Raine was one of the strongest beings, against the very pinnacle
of power, she stood no chance.

Everyone understood that Testarossa was right.

Even Misery couldn’t defend Raine this time.

“Well, that’s true. If you go, you’ll only get in Guy-sama’s way. Let’s just focus on
what we can do, alright?”
She spoke soothingly, while at the same time smoothly shifting the
conversation—

“Speaking of which, I sent my subordinates to Lubellious as well.”

Raine, caught off guard, nearly teared up.

But, ever quick to adapt, she swiftly changed her attitude.

(Now that I think about it, it’s freezing outside, isn’t it?)

Her ability to bounce back quickly was one of Rain’s few admirable traits.

“Rain’s subordinates, too, were sent to Lubellious with Velgrind-sama’s

assistance. Things are tough for us here, but they need to do their part as well.”

“That’s right. Even if we manage to bring Velzard-sama back to her senses, if

the world is destroyed in the meantime, all our efforts would be pointless. In
that regard, we can only place our hopes in Luminus-sama, who’s on-site.”

And so, the conversation shifted once more.

“So, have you found Carrera and the others yet?”

Testarossa directed the question at Moss.

Though phrased as a question, there was only one acceptable answer.

Moss knew that.

Without hesitation, he nodded.

“Ah, yes.”

“Good. They’re under this snow, aren’t they?”

“That is correct.”

Moss declared without hesitation.

They had carefully traced the signs while moving, and now they had reached the
exact spot above Carrera and the others' ice statues.

Velzard’s ice and snow had piled up several meters thick, completely obscuring
the statues from view. However, there was no doubt—Carrera and the others
were right below where the barrier had been set up.
The reactions of Milim’s subordinates were also clustered together a short
distance away. Though there were no signs of life, Moss wasn’t worried.

(Since they were frozen in an instant by Lord Velzard’s power, that means
reviving them should actually be easy.)

If their souls had been destroyed, resurrection would have been impossible. But
in this case, there was no risk of that.

Moss wasn’t concerned about their survival.

Neither was Testarossa.

The only combatants who could contribute in this battle—

Were Carrera and Obera.

Even the strongest Ultra-Class Awakeners like Carrion, Frey, and Middray—

And the Esprits or the Three Beastketeers, though powerful in their own
right—

Were completely useless against Guy and Velzard.

It was safer to leave their rescue for later.

That said, Testarossa still wanted to revive Carrera to take her place since she
was exhausted.

And if she could also revive Obera, that would be even better.

The battle in this white world was still far from over—

Which meant they needed to secure every possible resource.

“Hurry up and dig them out.”

“As you wish.”

Moss wanted nothing more than to groan, “That’s impossible!”—

But there was only one acceptable answer.

Even though moving them was out of the question, he sighed internally and
obediently began executing the optimal plan, just as Testarossa commanded.

Guy was deep in thought after hearing Velzard’s shout, but something suddenly
clicked.
“Velzard… You bastard… I see now. I didn’t notice before… You’ve been
harbouring jealousy toward me this whole time, haven’t you?”

Velzard reacted slightly to Guy’s murmuring.

She laughed.

But that didn’t mean her rampage was over.

“Guy… You know, I’ve always—”

And then—

The world was dyed in white.

It wasn’t the same as Testarossa’s "Pure White World" (Nihilistic World).

This white was an absolute, crystalline stillness—a pure, isolated force of

total suspension—

It was "Eternal World" (Frozen World).

By the will of the ruler, all laws of reality were forcibly brought to a halt.

As time moved at an agonizingly slow pace, Guy found himself in a state of slight
bewilderment—and also deep understanding.

(I get it now. No wonder it took so long for her jealousy to surface.)

At that moment, Guy finally understood the true nature of Velzard’s hidden
authority.

However—he still didn’t fully grasp its extent.

A contradictory power.

Controlling something like that would require unshakable mental fortitude.

And only Velzard was capable of doing so.

The fact that she had kept it hidden from him until now—meant that she had
seen through his abilities as well.

(Well, now what?)

Guy pondered again.

Unlike the fairly laid-back atmosphere inside the barrier, the Guy standing
here—directly involved—was dead serious.

Sorting through the situation, everything came down to one question:

How do I stop Velzard’s rampage?

The threat of Ivarage’s invasion was another major issue, but Guy had no time
to worry about that now.

They say, "If you chase two rabbits, you’ll catch neither."

But Guy understood his own abilities well, so he only acted with a clear and
decisive plan.

If Velzard were being manipulated, that would have been easy to deal with.

But that wasn’t the case.

She was challenging him of her own free will.

Which meant—

Guy had no choice but to fight her until she was satisfied.

(Tch. What a pain in the ass... But I guess I have no choice, huh?)

Defeat Velzard.

Only after that could he think about what came next.

That said—

This was an incredibly difficult battle.

Even now, a ridiculously powerful Absolute Freeze Wave grazed Guy’s cheek.

Had it hit him directly, it would have pierced through countless layers of
defence and even his "Multiple Barriers", leaving him with a fatal wound.

As proof of its absurd power, he could sense an entire mountain range

collapsing in the distance.

A direct hit to the rock formations had shattered their molecular bonds,
causing them to crumble under their own weight.

It was utterly unreasonable destruction.

(This is exactly why the dragon species are such a damn handful.)

They never thought about collateral damage—they simply unleashed their

power at will.

And beings like that were, by nature, combat-oriented nightmares.

Guy himself had been the same in the past.

But now, he had a promise to uphold with Veldanava.

He still lived as he pleased, but at the very least—

He had started considering the world around him.

And that was exactly why he could feel just how bad this situation was.

Guy looked at Velzard.

Her snow-white hair and golden eyes were breathtakingly beautiful.

But her beauty was matched only by her danger.

Facing Velzard—who possessed an inexhaustible, overwhelming amount of magic

power—

Guy resolved himself.

He had no room to hold anything back.

(Damn… you’re really pushing me this far, huh?)

The last time Guy had been this cornered was during his battles against Velzard
in El Dorado and Rudra.

But even so—

That didn’t mean he was going to lose.

It was simply rare for him to actually have to get serious.

After all—

His ultimate ability, "Prideful King Lucifer," was the strongest authority
precisely because it belonged to him.

The power of Ultimate Skill: Prideful King Lucifer had many facets—

But its true essence lay in:

"Perfectly replicating any ability, it has witnessed once before."

This was one of the reasons Guy had eagerly waited for the other Demon
Lords to awaken their own Ultimate Skills.

To reach the pinnacle of power, all he had to do was observe as many Ultimate
Skills as possible—

And make them his own.

And so, from the ancient past to the present day, Guy had absorbed the
abilities of countless powerful beings.

As a result—

He had developed the means to deal with any situation.

This applied to combat as well.

Even the Pseudo-Dragon Form that Twilight had demonstrated—

Even "Pure White World", which Testarossa had desperately tried to keep
hidden—

Guy could now perfectly imitate them with "Prideful King Lucifer."

And this was what made Guy the most terrifying opponent of all.

Since he could steal his enemies’ powers, he would never be outmatched in

terms of abilities.

Even against Velzard, this shouldn’t be an exception—

But this time, things were different.

From Guy’s perspective, the best way to ensure victory was to analyse
Velzard’s abilities and make them his own.

If he did that—

He could completely nullify her powers and guarantee his win.

But for that to happen—

He needed Velzard to use her abilities so he could witness and analyse them.

(Tch. She’s not gonna use it in front of me unless she absolutely has to…)
Velzard had already figured out that Guy could copy the abilities of others.

Which meant—

She wouldn’t reveal her trump card so easily.

That was why Velzard was only using "The King of Patience (Gabriel)" for now.

As far as Guy was concerned, he had already fully grasped Velzard’s "King of
Patience" from the very start.

Because of that—

He had been able to deal with the fight so far with minimal effort, detecting
every dangerous attack in advance and avoiding them perfectly.

However—

Simply knowing an ability wasn’t enough.

Velzard’s raw power was dangerous, regardless of her authority.

If he showed even the slightest opening, her overwhelming amount of

magicules would allow her to brute force her way through—

And in that single moment, he could suffer a crippling fatal blow.

The moment Velzard revealed her true power to him would be the decisive
instant.

If Guy’s "Analyse" ability could process it in time, he would win.

If not—

That single moment would decide everything.

Understanding this fact only frustrated Guy further.

A battle should be something he always won.

A situation where he couldn’t see the outcome ahead of time was simply
unacceptable.

And worse—

A battle that relied on gambling…

Guy felt as if his pride had been trampled on.

But even so—

Guy believed in his own strength.

(Well, not like I’d ever lose anyway.)

No matter how cornered he was—

Guy’s heart would never break.

Brimming with absolute confidence, he let out a small, knowing laugh.

A tense, almost stinging moment passed—

And then, Guy broke free from Velzard’s Absolute Stop.

If he hadn’t understood that power beforehand, his defeat would have been
decided the moment he stopped moving.

It was a reckless, brute-force ability—

A power that forcibly halts all kinetic energy by affecting everything in

existence.

But precisely because it was so reckless—

He was able to overcome it with sheer willpower.

It was an outrageous feat—one that only Guy could pull off.

And yet—

It hadn’t drained him in the slightest.

Which meant—

That brief window of time had been valuable.

Because in that time—

Guy had been watching Velzard.

And from that observation—

He had reached a conclusion.

Velzard was definitely acting of her own free will—

But there was also a strong possibility that someone had manipulated her into
this mindset.

And that someone—

Was Twilight.

Velzard believed she was acting on her own decisions—

But from what Guy could see—

She had been subtly guided into this situation.

(That bastard… He’s watching our fight so he can use it to refine his own
theories, isn’t he?)

Velzard wasn’t stupid.

But she was single-minded.

For someone as crafty as Twilight, manipulating her would have been as easy
as twisting a baby’s arm.

And the worst part was—

This wasn’t some mind-control ability.

Velzard’s heart had been moved.

Which meant—

Words wouldn’t reach her.

That made things much more troublesome.

It meant that, for the first time, Guy had to place a bet with little chance of
success.

And that was why he had hesitated until now.

But—

It was time to make a decision.

He couldn’t afford to let Velzard continue rampaging.

And more than anything—

He had a bad feeling about this.

Twilight was, without a doubt—

The worst kind of anarchist.

A villain who devised countless schemes—

And whether they succeeded or failed, his only goal was to spread malice into
the world.

Once upon a time, Twilight had been someone who was—

Oddly difficult to hate.

But one day—

That changed.

He became someone who repeated inhumane experiments as if he were an

entirely different person.

(Dagruel complained about it too, didn’t he?)

(But in the end, he never told me what actually happened… Not that it matters
to me.)

Even if something had happened to an old acquaintance—

The moment they laid their hands on something important to him—

They became an enemy.

Guy’s anger grew quietly, but steadily.

And that anger became fuel—

Igniting his very core into a burning rage.

(What a joke. Indestructible?)

(A power that relies on others just to function is completely unworthy.)

If Twilight wanted to achieve his own desires, that was his problem.

But using his own partner—

Was something Guy would never tolerate.

Whether Velzard was actually deceived or not—

It didn’t matter.

Because Guy had already made up his mind.

He wouldn’t forgive this.

Flames roared to life in Guy’s hand.

He unleashed his Elemental Magic—[Heat Dragon Flame Conqueror (Napalm

Burst)].

A scorching dragon of pure fire coiled through the air, writhing and twisting as
it encircled Velzard.

It was a spell that burned through anything the moment it made contact—

But Guy had never expected it to work on Velzard.

From the very beginning—

This had been meant to restrain her.

However—

It was completely pointless.

Velzard breathed out—

And in that instant, her "Beautiful Thin Ice (Diamond Dust)" shattered the
flames.

A massive burst of fire flared in the air—

Before being completely extinguished.

It was Ice Breath—

An Absolute Freeze Wave normally unleashed in dragon form.

But Velzard—

Could use it just as easily in her human form.

(Tch. Should’ve figured.)

Guy clicked his tongue inwardly.

And at the same time—

He was genuinely impressed.

(Damn. She really is strong.)

He grinned in excitement.

Velzard was a monster among monsters.

Her power hadn’t waned in the slightest since the day they met—

No—

Even as Guy himself had grown stronger, she had kept up with him perfectly.

She was his equal.

A true rival.

A worthy partner.

And that was exactly why—

Guy was completely satisfied.

Of course—

The fact that he had to stop her now was the problem.

But even that—

Only made him more eager.

Emotion—willpower—was what determined true strength.

That was a fundamental truth.

The reason Twilight lost to Testarossa—

Was because he had abandoned his emotions.

To discard one's emotions—

Was to fall behind.

And those without willpower—

Could never grow.

Velzard was different.

If she had been fully controlled by another, she would never have reached this
level of strength.

It was precisely because she had steeped herself entirely in "Jealousy"—

That she had become so overwhelmingly powerful.

(So, she’s using Twilight, even as he tries to use her?)

(Hah. Well, either way—Twilight needs to die.)

Whether Velzard returned to her senses or not—

Guy had already decided.

Twilight was dead.

(Hah… Looks like I was overthinking things.)

(If I just simplify the problem—)

(The answer becomes obvious.)

Guy discarded all unnecessary thoughts.

And focused only on the battle in front of him.

If Velzard was being selfish—

Then Guy was the embodiment of arrogance.

He never took others' circumstances into account.

If he didn’t like something—

He destroyed it.

That was who he was.

And remembering that—

Made everything so much simpler.

All he had to do was—

Unleash the fury he had built up.

And fight with everything he had.

At this moment—
Guy finally got serious.

He stopped holding back.

There was no more reserving strength for the "World-Devouring Dragon"

Ivarage.

Now—

He would face Velzard with everything he had.

“Ah, so you’ve finally gotten serious.” Velzard rejoiced.

With this, she could finally enjoy fighting in a world where she was alone with

Guy. Just thinking about it made Velzard smile naturally.

(Still, Guy really is strong.)

The battle had begun, and the date had already changed. Neither of them had

been at full strength, but the battle had taken place in a realm where no

ordinary demon lord could enter.

Guy didn't show any openings.

As if he could see through their plan, he moved as if he were setting an

example.

Moreover, Guy was gathering magical energy from the atmosphere and using it

for his spells, just as a human would. In other words, he was fighting using

Velzard’s [magical energy], so it was as if he wasn’t even tiring out.

Besides, Guy had gathered magicules from the atmosphere and used magic just

like humans did. In other words, he was fighting using Velzard’s [Magic]

[Energy], so he hadn’t worn himself down at all.

Normally, this would be an inefficient method of casting magic, but things would

be different if Guy did it. He could instantly convert magicules into magic

without even creating a slight time lag.

Guy is strong.

He was the strongest of the Primordials, and even if Velzard were to go all out

to defeat him, she wouldn’t know if she could win.

Velzard, who had been by Guy’s side all this time, knew why Guy was the

strongest.

Guy's genius observation allowed him to understand the true nature of a skill

just by catching a glimpse of it.

As such, all of Velzard’s tricks were as good as exposed. If all she had were

Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, and Gabriel, the King of Patience, her

chances of victory would have been close to zero.

That was why Velzard had warmed up her secret weapon for this day.

The hand called Twilight had been sealed by Testarossa’s intervention.

I only left my trump card, Leviathan, behind, but it looks like Guy found out

about this too.

“I really can’t let my guard down, can I?” Velzard grew irritated, but was just as

happy.

That's why I’m proud of being the only one who acknowledged him.

But I can't just be happy.

In terms of [Magic] [Energy], Velzard is twice as strong as Guy, but there's only

one trick left. It's because we only have one chance to win.

Right now, I’m using [Frozen World] to circulate magicules, so it’s not wearing

me down at all. But now that Guy’s serious, I should’ve assumed he’d lost that

advantage.

But I couldn’t let my impatience get the better of me. If I revealed my cards

too early, my chances of victory would vanish.

Just like before, I had to drive Guy into a corner with “The King of Patience”

and then use “Leviathan” for my special attack.

(This is why I should have prepared more trump cards before I had to deal with

Guy.)

Twilight’s pseudo-dragon form didn’t even serve as a diversion. Luck doesn’t

seem to be on Velzard’s side, but that’s just fate.

Guy had gotten serious, so my goal was as good as accomplished.

Velzard flew toward Guy with all her might—

And so, Guy and Velzard—the ones at the top of the world—finally got serious.

Chapter 2 : Time of Despair

In Sarion, the Sorcerer’s Dynasty.

After watching Benimaru and the others leave, Kagali and Tear disappeared,

saying they would track down Jahil.

Maybe staying there was the right choice, but it also felt awkward for Kagali to

face Elmesia and the others.

Laplace, whom Kagali had resurrected as a Deathman, was Sylvia’s husband and,

to Elmesia, her father.

Laplace had been wiped out by Jahil while protecting Kagali, and he wasn’t in this

world anymore. Kagali also had mixed feelings about it.

Her grudge against Jahil was immeasurable.

Rather than staying behind and working with Elmesia, it was more like Kagali to

think about a plan for revenge. That’s what she decided to do.

Understanding that, Elmesia and the others saw her off without saying a word.
As for those who remained—

They were so exhausted that they collapsed and took a rest.

The battle to protect the Sacred Tree had been an all-out war.

With Elmesia, the Heavenly Emperor, leading them, everyone had used all the

power they had.

The only one who could still claim to have some leeway was Zalario, the enemy

general.

“Let’s eat first.”

With those words from Elmesia, those who had only been observing the battle

hurriedly began to move. As if it was finally their turn, combat rations were

being distributed to the soldiers.

Warm soup was prepared at various parts of the battlefield as well.

She must have prepared it beforehand because it was done with remarkable

efficiency.

“I hope it suits your tastes,” Elmesia said, serving Zalario and the others.

“…Sorry.”

Zalario obediently accepted it.

Zalario and the others, who had been fighting in the other world for so long,

had long forgotten the concept of food. Their stomachs and such had long lost

their shape and function.

For them, energy replenishment was more than enough through sleep and

hydration.

“Thinking back on it, I lived a bland life,” Zalario thought.

“I’ve only just realized how glad I am to be receiving food now,” said Nice, one

of Zalario’s adjutants.
The food situation in Zalario’s army varied widely. Many of the higher-ranking

soldiers were impressed, but the lower-ranking soldiers had only just gained

free will. Things would begin to change slowly from now on.

“So, what are you going to do now?”

After finishing the warm soup, Zalario asked Leon.

“Do you want me to be your partner?”

Leon replied coolly.

He was elegantly enjoying his post-meal tea, creating a relaxed atmosphere,

making it clear that he had no intention of fighting Zalario.

“Let’s not. I want to avoid further wear and tear in preparation for the next

situation,” Zalario answered seriously.

Though Guy found him uninteresting, Leon had a high opinion of him.

With the Sacred Tree protected, their immediate safety seemed guaranteed.

However, Milim was still out of control, and Feldway was still alive. If he didn’t

rest now, it seemed he wouldn’t be able to act when the time came.

“You’re right,” Leon nodded, trying to enjoy the momentary peace.

But the tragic news arrived quickly.

The “apocalyptic declaration” that Luminus had performed was projected near

the Sacred Tree as well.

The important figures gathered on the branches of the Sacred Tree, above the

vast Sacred Leaves. As guests, Leon, Zalario, and Zalario's adjutants, Daryl and

Nice, participated as well. A simple desk was set up since they didn’t have much

time to return to the royal palace, and military chairs were prepared for

everyone. None of the higher-ups complained, and the emergency strategy

meeting began.
Elmesia tilted her head and asked, "Now then, what should we do?" Sylvia, who

wore the same expression, agreed with, "It's a pain, isn't it?"

The Nightmare, "Ivarage," which could destroy the world, must be stopped from

interfering with the fundamental world as the responsibility of all humanity.

However, the tragic news of Rimuru's disappearance and the report that Milim

had once again headed toward the Sacred Tree during her rampage came at the

same time. It was a big problem.

Elmesia and the others had to make a difficult choice: either abandon the

Sacred Tree and regroup with the Lubellious forces, or stay and defend it with

their small forces. They weren’t strong enough, and if Milim destroyed the

Sacred Tree, it could bring about the world's destruction. This was a problem

they couldn't ignore.

Even though they couldn’t contact Benimaru and the others, the communication

with Tempest had been disrupted. They knew something was happening.

However, Elmesia and the others didn’t have the luxury to worry about

Tempest; they had to deal with Milim, the looming threat.

Milim was a force so destructive that an army would be ineffective against her.

Even the forces that couldn’t do much against Jahil would be helpless against

Milim. Erald was guiding the evacuation, but it was impossible for everyone to

escape in time. With limited resources and time, some chose to share their fate

with the Sacred Tree.

The heavy atmosphere was broken when Leon spoke. "We have no choice but to

do it. I’ll face Milim. Elmesia, you should fulfil your duty as the Heavenly

Emperor."

Elmesia objected. "Please don't underestimate me. If it’s my duty, I’ll protect

the Sacred Tree."

But Leon persisted, "But... Leon-kun, it's not just Milim. Feldway is coming too.

Isn’t it better to have more forces?"

Zalario interjected, "I have a grudge against Feldway. I’ll take him on." Silvia

agreed, "I’m here too. I’ll leave the rest to my strong mother while Elle-chan

leads the people."

Elmesia cut in firmly, "I am an emperor with my people. There’s no way I could

leave them." As the Heavenly Emperor, Elmesia's authority was unquestionable,

even by her mother, Silvia.

Elmesia had always prioritized her people’s well-being, even at the cost of her

own interests. And she had no intention of sacrificing that pride, especially in

her final moments. Leon and Zalario were just as determined, knowing that even

in the face of promised defeat, they would stand their ground. Sylvia too,

realized that it was his ego, not his daughter’s happiness, that influenced him,

and there was no need for further debate.

"Okay. Veldora's headed this way too. Let’s do our best to survive," Elmesia

concluded.

Time would only be meaningful if reinforcements arrived. They would not simply

wait for death but act with purpose to create hope.

"I’ll leave the rest to you," Elmesia said, finalizing the decision. The dignitaries

from the Thirteen Royal Houses of Sarion, though with sour expressions,

nodded gravely. They had been protected too many times, but they understood

that if they left now, they would only die in vain. It was humiliating, but they

would do what they could.

Thus, four warriors were chosen to face Milim and the others.
The troops under Zalario’s command decided to help the people of Sarion

evacuate.

Since the chain of command is different, it's hard to cooperate right off the

bat. Therefore, our main duties are to be cautious and supportive.

Daryl and Nice had commanded them well, and they seemed to be quite useful.

Relieved to see that, Zalario sharpened his spirit in preparation for the coming

Feldway.

There was nothing resembling a strategy.

If I had to say, my life is precious.

Against Milim, a single blow would be an instant-death course, so it was decided

that the three specialized in speed would toy with her, preventing her from

giving her a chance to attack.

It would be the end if they fired a [Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror] at the

Sacred Tree, so I decided this strategy would be most effective.

But if that's the case, then the only one who can take on Feldway is Zalario.

The Zalario trembled, thinking that this was a serious responsibility.

Leon called out to him, perhaps out of concern for Zalario.

"Are you getting worked up?"

"Heh. You're strong when you get serious, Feldway. I'll get fired up."

The Feldway had even taken out its main body, making it complete. It was a

backwater formation that said there was a possibility that it would die if it was

defeated, but its strength was unknown.

Even Zalario didn't get many chances to see Feldway's true form. He hadn't

seen it since he sealed it long ago.

I was confident that I was superior when it came to strength, but I couldn't

ignore the overwhelming presence of the dragon. It had energy that rivalled or

surpassed that of a “dragon.” If I thought about it lightly, I might be destroyed

by a single touch of armor sleeve.

Zalario understood that, and he admonished himself that he would die if he let

his guard down.

"More importantly, are you guys, okay?"

Zalario changed the subject.

Leon and the others fell silent.

Even Leon’s and Zalario’s ultimate techniques hadn’t worked on Milim. And they’d

been easily blocked by the invisible barrier that was nothing more than a

byproduct of the [Dragon Star Explosion], Drago Nova.

Anyone would understand that the difference in ability between them was as

great as heaven and earth.

"Our goal isn't to win, after all. We don't need to defeat them, so all we have to

do is draw their attention."

Leon answered as if to say it was nothing.

It was actually a very well-dressed attitude, but it was very Leon-like.

Elmesia and Sylvia nodded, as if to say he was right.

"That's right. I'd say it'd be impossible if you told me to defeat you, but it's

not like I can't do it if I just have to."

"Yeah, that's right. We're confident in our speed. Leon-kun is my disciple, so

he's pretty good at running away, isn't he?"

Leon had a bitter look on his face at this, too.

"I've been thinking about this for a while now, but could you stop calling me

‘Leonkun’? Also, I don't want you to call me ‘running away’. Shouldn't you be more

positive?"

Her expression told me that she’d said something that had been unsatisfactory

for a long time.

"You're so optimistic..."

"It makes me sad to hear you say something like Operation Cobae."

Leon, who’d been listening, let out a heavy sigh as well.

"That's enough. I was an idiot for expecting anything from you."

"Me too."

"You're at the age where you want to look cool."

"......"

Leon finally fell silent.

Zalario patted Leon on the shoulder like that and gave him a sympathetic look,

saying, "You’ve got it rough too, huh?"

There was that ridiculous back-and-forth, but it was by no means a waste.

It was a plan to relax as much as possible in order to overcome the oncoming

despair.

There was no mistaking the effect, as the four of us were in top condition.

And then, the target's approach was confirmed.

"It's here."

Zalario said bluntly.

"I checked over here too."

"That's amazing... They're already here in just a few hours."

Elmesia’s murmur was a sentiment shared by everyone present.

The distance from the Holy Void to here to the Sacred Tree exceeded twenty

thousand kilometres in a straight line. It was Milim, capable of abnormal flight

speed several dozen times faster than the speed of sound, that was why she

was able to return in such a short time.

"It's probably not at full power. If you're serious, you should be faster. Are you

guys really, okay?"

Zalario sounded worried.

"Even if it's not okay, we have no choice but to do it."

"Well, that's how it is."

"I won't lose to you at maximum speed in an instant!"

It was Elmesia, Leon, and Sylvia’s statements in order.

I'm plenty fired up.

All that's left is the spirit of becoming who you are.

The battle had already begun the moment I saw Milim.

As planned, Leon, Elmesia, and Sylvia spread out around Milim. The three of

them, having a student-master relationship with Sylvia as their teacher, moved

in unison with a common style.

Oddly enough, even their abilities were similar. Leon's Ultimate Skill, "King of

Light: Surya," Elmesia's Ultimate Skill, "King of Wind: Vayu," and Sylvia's

Ultimate Skill, "King of Thunder: Indra," all contained powers focused on speed

enhancement.

Unlike Zalario, they didn’t have wings, but all three could fight in the air without

issue. By stabilizing space with their powers, they could freely soar through the

sky. Using this, they thought they could toy with Milim.

Additionally, their coordination was flawless, even though they were a makeshift

team. The trio took turns stepping forward to keep Milim in check.

"I'll go first."

Leon, taking the most dangerous role, stepped forward with confidence, as if it

were natural for him to do so.

Without waiting for a reply, Leon initiated his attack.

"──The Meltbreaker."

This was one of Leon's ultimate techniques. It was similar in principle to

Hinata's "Crumble Magic Spirit Slash," with the only difference being that Leon

used his power to control spirit particles.

The safety and stability of Leon's technique surpassed Hinata's, allowing him to

maintain high-powered slashes for extended periods. If used at full power, it

would become the "Hundred Breaker," but Leon held back, thinking it would be

futile to use it right away and decided to test the waters first.

Was this decision right or wrong?

"Tch, you don’t even feel like defending!?"

Leon muttered in frustration.

His ultimate weapon, the "Holy Flame Thin Sword," wrapped in the light of

"Disintegration," was capable of slaying even a demon lord. Yet, Milim ignored it

entirely and continued flying toward the Sacred Tree.

The sword definitely made contact, but for a brief moment, Leon was struck

with the worry that Milim might have been seriously hurt. But it seemed that

was a needless concern. Leon quickly realized that he had underestimated

Milim’s "Crazy Stampede."

On her back were a pair of jet-black wings. The crimson horn growing from her

forehead shone brighter, now glowing in rainbow hues. Her skin, covered in

dragon scales that shifted in colour, shimmered with an eerie brilliance.

Milim’s battle form was now far more menacing, and it wasn't just her

appearance that had changed; her abilities had become on an entirely different

level.

Leon’s sword only managed to scratch Milim’s dragon scales. Even the spirit

particles that could cut through anything weren’t able to shatter Milim’s Star

Particles.

And the dragon scales? They regenerated. If they couldn't recover, new scales

would grow, meaning the actual damage was zero.

Leon tried to convince himself that he hadn't intended to defeat her, so it was

no problem. But anyone could tell he was just making excuses.

Sylvia followed Leon’s lead but faced a similar outcome. As her master, she was

embarrassed, but there was no one who could blame her.

"It really is impossible, isn't it?"

Sylvia grumbled.

"...Heh, you knew this from the start, didn't you?"

Leon replied with a determined face, but it felt hollow.

Even with their ultimate techniques, they couldn't even stop Milim. It was

understandable that their willpower was starting to wane.

Elmesia, noticing the despair in her teammates, called out to encourage them.

"Okay, okay. I’ll use the wind’s blessing to increase your speed. Don't give up!

Keep provoking her!"

At her words, Leon and Sylvia shook off their doubts and refocused.

Whether it was pried or sheer determination, if they lost their willpower here,

it would be over. Like Elmesia said, if one attempt failed, they could just keep

trying.

"I'll go again."

"Let's keep going!"

Leon and Sylvia attacked in quick succession while Elmesia supported them. The

flow of attacks against Milim continued, wave after wave.

Then, Milim finally made a move. Leon and Sylvia's faces lit up with joy at the

sign of a reaction, but the next moment, they were sent flying by a sweeping

gust of wind.

Right after that, a mass of magical energy shot toward the spot where they had

been, passing through it and causing a massive explosion in the distance.

The explosion was Milim’s doing.

She had casually fired a magic bullet as though she found their attacks

irritating.

Elmesia noticed it first and acted quickly to blow Leon and Sylvia away before

the blast reached them.

"If you let your guard down, you really will die..." Elmesia warned in a pale voice.

Leon and Sylvia simply nodded in silence, understanding the gravity of the

situation.

Zalario was facing Feldway. The two of them stood still in midair, facing each

other.

It was Feldway who spoke first.

"Why did you betray me?"

Hearing this, even the mild-mannered Zalario was indignant. It all started when

Feldway tried to control Zalario. Ignoring that and forcing his selfish desires

upon him was something Zalario simply couldn’t tolerate. He retorted sharply, as

if to vent his dissatisfaction.

"Isn’t that my line? Why did you control me?"

Zalario wanted to hear Feldway’s reasoning, but what he got in response was a

logic he couldn’t understand.

"Control? That wasn’t my intention. I simply strengthened our bond with my

power. That way, I could communicate my orders more smoothly, right?"

Feldway’s way of thinking was difficult for Zalario to grasp.

"...What are you saying?"

Confused, Zalario asked in return.

However, Feldway didn’t seem to understand why Zalario was angry. He

continued to speak his mind.

"You were my friends. If that’s the case, what’s wrong with unifying our wills?"

To Feldway, unifying wills meant fully obeying him. There was no need for

individual will or dissent. That was a statement that didn’t even acknowledge

Zalario and the others. Zalario shuddered.

(Doesn’t this guy even understand the concept of respecting others?)

That was the conclusion Zalario came to. It became clear that understanding

each other was impossible with a conversation like this. Feldway was lonely—too

lonely—and that loneliness had broken him. Zalario realized this and regretted

not noticing the change in his friend sooner. Yet, he still thought it wasn’t too

late. As long as Feldway was willing to continue the conversation, Zalario should

try to convince him.

The sheer power Feldway exhibited, even bringing out his true form, lightly

overwhelmed Zalario. Standing close to him, Zalario could feel Feldway’s

overwhelming presence and reaffirmed it.

(This is more than I expected. It’s as if the real Lord Veldanava has been

resurrected...)
Everything about Feldway—the appearance, the presence—was strikingly similar

to Veldanava, the "Star King Dragon" from Zalario’s memories.

To be honest, Zalario didn’t feel like he could win. In terms of buying time, it

seemed safer and more reliable to continue trying to persuade him rather than

fight. Racking his brain, Zalario finally spoke gravely.

"Lord Veldanava doesn’t want the world to collapse, does he?"

Feldway, with pity in his eyes, looked at Zalario.

"You’re wrong. I realized something."

"What is it?"

"All life-forms born into this world weren’t allowed to evolve. In fact, they were

destined to aim for it..."

Zalario struggled with Feldway’s point. There was a huge difference between

being allowed to evolve and being fated to evolve. It meant it wasn’t freedom

but a duty. However, the only one who knew Veldanava’s true intentions was

Veldanava himself. No matter how Feldway interpreted it, it was merely his

truth, not necessarily the truth. People tend to believe what they want to

believe, and if you ignore the most important parts, you can never reach the

truth.

(And to think even Feldway, the one who should understand this, is making the

same mistake as the foolish ones...)

Zalario understood. The Word of God must be conveyed faithfully, without

alteration. Interpretation was up to the individual, but if those in power

misinterpreted it, the consequences would be disastrous for the many who

followed them.
Zalario felt faint thinking about how difficult it would be to lead humanity in

this way, especially with Feldway, the right-hand of the God—Veldanava—making

such mistakes.

But Zalario reminded himself that Lord Veldanava wasn’t omniscient. He had

acknowledged the possibility of making mistakes, and so too would his creations.

(That’s the reality... Even we, his creations, make mistakes. It’s inevitable.)

Zalario considered this as he listened to Feldway’s next words.

"If the goal of evolution is conflict, then it must be God’s will. To reach even

greater heights, Dagruel, Twilight, and even Zelanus, who was born in another

world, were given the fate of surpassing their parents."

Zalario braced himself, uncertain of what Feldway would say next. He focused,

unwilling to let any words slip past him without analysis.

(Obera was better at this kind of thing, but...)

Zalario had no choice but to step up. His reliable coworker was now a frozen

statue, and without reinforcements, it was his responsibility to handle the

situation.

With a deep breath, Zalario braced himself for whatever Feldway would say

next.

"Beyond parents, in other words, a god-killer. By struggling to surpass Lord

Veldanava, they must have gained a definite connection. I don't even have

that..."

Feldway spoke with sad eyes.

Zalario spent his time nervously, unable to understand how the conversation

connected.
It would have been fine if it had bought him time, but going along with his

former friend, who was talking nonsense, was filled with more mental anguish

than he'd imagined.

However, patience was one of Zalario's strong points.

Here, he grit his teeth—this was the moment to endure.

"I can only do one thing... yes! I will fulfil the wish that Lord Veldanava

desired!!"

"...!?"

"The destination for those who seek evolution—the destruction of the world, I

will achieve it with my own hands. That is the only mission left for me."

Feldway declared this with a very refreshing expression.

"No, no, no—" Zalario was at a loss for how to react.

"Isn't that a misunderstanding on your part? What will you do if Lord Veldanava

didn't desire the world's destruction?"

That was a sound argument.

It wasn't like a direct command had been given, so I wanted to tell him to stop

acting on his own judgment.

However, Feldway’s response left Zalario speechless.

"I don’t mind, then. If your foolish subordinates are trying to take the wrong

path, shouldn’t you fulfil your responsibility as their master and stop them?"

"Wha~"

"I’m angry. Angry at the foolish human race that killed God, and at all those who

forgave them."

Feldway paused dramatically before continuing, unleashing his anger all at once.
"More than that, I’m angry at Lord Veldanava, who will never return to life."

In other words, Feldway’s anger was directed at Veldanava.

He must have felt abandoned and forgotten by the Otherworld for a long time.

However, from Zalario’s point of view, it was a ridiculous argument.

With a face almost identical to Veldanava’s, he felt a strange urge to tell her

not to act so spoiled.

Among the "Seven Primordial Angels," Feldway had been the one most favoured

by Veldanava.

He had been trusted and valued the most.

That’s why he was given the important task of monitoring the "Extermination

Dragon" Ivarage.

More than anything, Feldway's body itself was proof of that.

Veldanava, with his long jet-black hair shining like the stars, had created a body

for Feldway, one with long silver hair that symbolized shining light.

Such special treatment had been given to him, and it was hard to believe he

would still voice his dissatisfaction.

This is what Zalario thought.

"Don't be spoiled."

"What?"

"Don’t forget your mission and line up your own logic!!"

Zalario howled.

As a warrior, Feldway's weakness filled him with disgust.

There was part of Feldway's reasoning that made sense. That was true. But it

was something he shouldn't be saying.

At the very least, he should have consulted with Zalario and the others, who

were in the same position.

And if he thought he had been abandoned by Veldanava, how had he treated

Zalario and the others?

Feldway was far too selfish.

I couldn't sympathize with him when he used others for his own purposes.

"Draw your sword. I’ll reforge your willpower."

With that declaration, Zalario drew his sword and prepared himself.

Zalario’s sword, capable of cutting even the insect-demons with exoskeletons of

living alloy, was of Mythical-class quality.

Though not a match for Feldway’s overall power, Zalario was confident that his

skill surpassed his.

He had intended to strike a harsh blow to wake him up.

Feldway, seeing Zalario’s resolve, looked at him with cold eyes.

"Are you sure? You don’t have to buy time."

No matter how unhinged Zalario seemed, Feldway’s intellect was still intact. He

had seen through his plan from the start and had only been playing along with

the farce.

"...I don't mind."

Zalario realized that trying to convince Feldway was pointless from the

beginning.

After all, Feldway could see through even the time he was buying until Veldora

arrived...

"Then prepare yourself."

Feldway drew his sword as well.

Looking at the Ark in his hand, Zalario felt a little sad.

He swallowed the words, "We’re not friends anymore, are we?" and launched a

sword attack at Feldway.

By the time the full-scale battle between Zalario and Feldway began, the

members of the anti-Milim faction had already been driven to extremes.

She didn’t let her guard down for a moment, and her response continued like a

tightrope walk.

In any case, I kept taunting Milim over and over again, making sure she wasn’t in

a position to shoot the [Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror], Drago Nova.

The basic pattern was for the two of them to set it up, but there was also a

pattern for Elmesia to intervene on the fly.

If they were hit, it would be over immediately, so all three of them ignored

their defences.

She simply put all her strength into speed and toyed with Milim.

All three of them were known as the strongest members of the top of this

world. And yet, while this passive tactic was saddening, it couldn’t be helped,

given how dangerous Milim was.

The three of them had been fighting desperately, hoping that they could buy as

much time as possible.

However, she suddenly reached her limit.

Elmesia, who’d been putting a lot of emphasis on support, had been targeted by

Milim.

Despite her out-of-control state, Milim’s combat instincts were superior. She’d
seen that Elmesia was the key to the trio’s coordination, so she’d ignored Leon

and Sylvia and started relentlessly pursuing her.

Now that it had come to this, it was as if there was nothing left to do. They’d

taken safety measures by dispersing Milim’s attention, but if they didn’t react,

there was no helping it. The only option left was for the target herself to keep

running away.

Bad things keep happening.

The plan had been based on the assumption that in terms of instantaneous

maximum speed alone, it would be higher than Milim’s, but in just a short amount

of time, Milim had increased her reaction speed. It was bottomless, and Leon

and the others’ superiority had been steadily lost.

What’s more, out of the three specialized in speed, Elmesia was the slowest.

Since she’d been targeted like that, it was only a matter of time before she was

caught.

“Kuh, it’s like you’re ignoring a lightning strike. You’re unharmed even after a

direct hit, so there’s no stopping you...”

Time flowed on, unable to do anything as Leon and Sylvia’s impatience only grew.

Even Elmesia, who’d been targeted, had steeled herself.

“This is impossible... I don’t think I’ll be able to shake it off no matter how hard

I try.”

Even if I tried to toy with Milim in irregular orbit, I’d be able to use Magic

Sense to catch all of her movements.

“Oh man... You’re amazing, but you're only moving on instinct. I'm surprised you

were able to take on Milim when she's like this, Rimcchi...”

It was a little late for that, but Elmesia understood how amazing Rimuru was.
In the blink of an eye, Rimuru was accompanied by the monsters of the forest,

carrying out civilization and enlightenment.

No matter what era you look at it from, there aren't many people lined up.

They're monsters, though.

The speed at which they’d developed was terrifying, and from Elmesia’s point of

view, it was dangerous.

The first time I saw a Primordial working under him, I doubted his sanity. Not

to mention, when he went from one person to four, I almost screamed, “That’s

weird!!”

“Primary”—what if Diablo went berserk?—in response to Elmesia’s question,

Rimuru calmly replied, “I’ll stop him before he loses control.”

At the time, I hadn't taken him seriously. I was just impressed by his guts...

“So that was how you really felt, huh?” Elmesia agreed, though it was a little

late for that.

Rimuru’s ideals boiled Elmesia’s withered heart.

(Ahh, that was fun~)

Together with Rimuru, Garde, and the humans known as Mjöllmile, she’d schemed

to create a secret society as well.

They’d built a new ruling system in the western countries, which had been ruled

by the Rosso clan.

As much as possible, I tried to make the system so that no one would fall out,

not just a pipe dream.

He was soft-hearted, surprisingly loose, but he also had a cunning side... A

friend overflowing with humanity. That was the slime called Rimuru.

Elmesia was someone Rimuru respected, someone who could overcome any

obstacle. Not that I would ever tell him myself.

Rimuru’s existence was what you’d call a wild card in a card game—an absolute

trump card that gave you a sense of security just by possessing it.

(I wonder what Rimcchi's doing right now...)

She was more concerned about Rimuru’s whereabouts than Luminus’s

“Apocalyptic Proclamation” or Milim’s rampage.

Now that the reassurance that things would work out as long as Rimuru was here

was gone, Elmesia’s responsibility was grave.

That’s what I was trying to do, but this is what it looks like.

At this rate, I’ll never be able to face Rimuru in the afterlife~ Elmesia thought.

(Well, I feel like I'm living aloofly somewhere.)

Elmesia couldn’t imagine Rimuru in such dire straits—because he was the one

who’d always done something about it, even in a situation where there was

nothing he could do from the sidelines.

I’d thought Elmesia would want to learn from his example, but...

So this is a revolving lantern, Elmesia thought.

Milim was thinning out.

They’d probably catch up to us soon.

That meant the game of tag around the sacred tree was almost over.

Along with Elmesia’s life...

“Elle-chan~?!”

“Kuh, don’t give up!”

I could hear Sylvia and Leon shouting their thoughts.

Elmesia understood that if she gave up, she would die.

But it's impossible. That's the correct explanation.

With a desperate look on his face, Leon was coming toward them, as if telling

them to push themselves past their limits.

However, they couldn’t catch up to Milim.

In an ultra-high-speed aerial battle, it takes time to regroup between passing

each other and facing each other again.

It would be one thing if they’d been chasing each other in the same trajectory,

but overtaking Milim, whose speed continued to increase, and protecting Elmesia

would be impossible, no matter how much superior skill Leon had.

Then again, even if we made it in time, they’d probably just kill us both.

The demon lord Milim was a genuine transcendental being.

The daughter of the Creator God, the Dragon Princess.

She was the master of many legends.

The real thing was amazing enough to make them fade away.

When she was next to Rimuru, she’d just looked like a normal girl...

Right now, it was nothing more than a Catastrophe.

The approaching super-high-density energy body would pulverize Elmesia just by

colliding with her. Even Elmesia, who was powerful enough to sit in the strongest

corner of this world, could only wait for her final moments.

(“So, Leon-kun, you don’t have to blame yourself so much, okay?”)

Despite his cool appearance, Demon Lord Leon was actually quite sentimental,

with a passionate soul. He had always been misunderstood, and by now, he had

fully embraced the role of a villain. But to Elmesia, he was still her beloved

junior disciple.

Elmesia wished she could do something for him, at least in the end. But there

was no time left.

Closing her eyes, she resigned herself to fate.

However—
"Kyuuu!!"

—she thought she heard a cry.

There was no way it could have reached her before Milim, who was approaching

at several dozen times the speed of sound. It had to be an illusion.

Or so she had thought.

But the impact that should have come… never did.

Realizing something was off, Elmesia opened her eyes slightly—and what she saw

left her stunned.

“──!?”

A [Mini Dragon], just under a meter in length, had flown in front of her, its back

turned protectively toward her.

Milim, upon seeing the [Mini Dragon] and hearing its cry, hesitated for just a

moment. And in that fleeting instant—Elmesia was saved.

And then—

Floating in the air, holding the [Mini Dragon] in her arms, was a young girl.

Her hair was an unusual colour, black interwoven with streaks of silver—a rare

and mysterious beauty.

In the distance, Leon had started shouting about something, but Elmesia hardly

paid attention.

Her gaze was fixed on the girl, captivated.

That girl was one of the children under Rimuru’s care. And her true identity

was—

“You can’t, Gaia. It’s dangerous here, so stay put.”

With those words, the girl gently entrusted the [Mini Dragon] to Elmesia.

Then, she turned to face Milim, as if declaring that she would be her opponent.

At first glance, it seemed reckless. It had been reckless in the past.

But Elmesia felt relief.

Because now, hope had been reignited.

After all, that girl was the one who bore the fate of this world.

“I’ll be your opponent.”

The moment she declared that—the girl was no longer there.

In her place stood a stunning figure, her long black-and-silver hair flowing like a

cascade of moonlight.

In her hands was the [Moon Mistress], the sacred sword of lunar radiance.

Adorning her body was the armor of the [Divine Spirit Armament].

There was no need to state the obvious—she was Chloe, the “Hero” in her battle

form.

Chloe produced a barrier to parry Milim’s charge.

Thanks to this, Elmesia was able to escape from danger.

And right after that, the decisive battle between Milim and Chloe began.

Leon and Sylvia approached Elmesia, who was catching her breath.

「I'm glad you're safe. 」

「Yes, really...」

「It's all thanks to Chloe, the transcendentally beautiful girl. You should be

grateful.」

「Why are you the one bragging, Leon-kun? 」

「Seriously! And calling her 'transcendent'... Leon-kun, you act weird sometimes.

「Shut up. 」

Leon, having regained his serious expression, put a stop to the noisy mother-

daughter pair. If he didn’t say something back, they would just keep teasing

him, so the best course of action was to cut things off quickly.

That aside, it was an undeniable fact that Chloe’s arrival had saved everyone.

「Kyui!!」

A squeal came from Gaia, the mini-dragon nestled in Elmesia’s arms.

Why was Gaia here?

Currently, the Control Room within Tempest’s labyrinth was the safest place in

the world.

Because of that, the adjacent waiting room had become a refuge for expectant

mothers like Momiji and Alvis, as well as for children.

Chloe had also been there when she woke up. The others were told that she

wasn’t feeling well, but she had evacuated with Kenya, Alice, and the others.

They had been passing the time playing board games to distract themselves

from their anxiety while she focused on recovering her stamina so she could

fight when the time came.

But then came the report—Vega’s “Evil Dragon Beast” was closing in, heading for

the lowest level.

Hakuro, who had been acting as both guardian and protector, had deployed to

intercept it.
Immediately after that, something strange happened to Gaia.

Chloe was the only one who noticed.

Instinctively, she sensed that something had happened to Milim, who was

connected to Gaia—meaning that Rimuru, who was trying to do something about

Milim, must have also been caught up in something serious.

There was no way Chloe could just sit still.

Sensing that Gaia was about to perform a “space-time jump” due to the bond of

her soul with Milim, she had secretly come along without anyone noticing.

In the nick of time, Chloe the Hero had arrived.

Leon and the others accepted the situation without question.

「The Masked Hero, hailed as the strongest in history, really is something else...

Elmesia sighed in admiration.

Her masked appearance was dignified and cool, but her real face was beautiful

and adorable. Just thinking about it made Elmesia giddy with excitement.

Leon nodded deeply, voicing his agreement.

「Exactly.」

「She's even a little stronger than me. It's only natural that she's considered

the strongest in history.」

He went so far as to embellish the statement to suit himself, lavishing Chloe

with praise.

The one who put a stop to that was Elmesia’s mother, Sylvia.
「Hold on just a moment. The strongest is Rudra, the Hero of Beginnings. His

disciple, Granbell, the Hero of Dawn, is also a strong contender, but in terms of

raw strength, he still falls short.」

With scholarly enthusiasm, she launched into an analysis of heroes.

Sylvia was a devoted Hero enthusiast—unsurprising, considering that she was

married to Sarion, the Wandering Hero. From her perspective, the claim that

Chloe was the strongest simply wasn’t convincing.

「Why? No matter how you look at her, she’s the strongest!」

Elmesia passionately argued, eyes filled with admiration as she watched Chloe

fight before her.

Chloe’s actual age was far younger than Elmesia’s—far younger than anyone

might expect. She had only just turned twelve, whereas Elmesia was over two

thousand years old.

However, the sheer depth of Chloe’s accumulated experiences transcended

mere numbers and was directly reflected in her strength.

For Elmesia, it was only natural to call her "that person" and revere her.

Throughout history, her presence had been felt in the shadows. As far as

Elmesia knew, the Masked Hero Chronoa had saved the world from crisis

countless times.

However—

Sylvia had her own perspective.

For her, the legend of Rudra, the Hero of Beginnings, was not just a story—it

was history she had lived through.

As far as Sylvia knew, the only one who had ever fought the strongest Demon

Lord, Guy Crimson, to a draw was Rudra.

And that was why she passionately championed Rudra.

In a way, she and Elmesia were truly mother and daughter.

But then—Leon’s words tipped the scales.

「Heh, I’ll admit this so-called Rudra was an impressive figure. If he fought Guy

to a draw, then his strength is undeniable. However—Chloe is a perfect beauty,

possessing both elegance and cuteness. In that regard, the matter of

superiority and inferiority is quite clear!!」

Leon declared his absurd reasoning with a straight face.

Elmesia smiled and nodded in agreement, while Sylvia, realizing she had lost

ground, clicked her tongue in frustration.

「Oh, come on! You, the ‘Blond Hero’ who’s completely out of the running, should

just sit quietly over there!」

She lashed out at Leon, venting her irritation.

Leon was a former "Hero" too, but he wasn't treated well.

For Sylvia, a "Hero" enthusiast, Leon ranked at the very bottom in her eyes.

Unlike Elmesia and the others, who were excited and relieved, Chloe's

expression remained tense.

After all, in the past, Chloe had suffered countless defeats at the hands of

Demon Lord Milim.

Even as the strongest "Hero," Chronoa, she had faced Milim.

And yet, she couldn't win.

When Rimuru died, Milim went into a berserk rampage, 『Stampede』, and

slaughtered the strongest warriors with overwhelming power. Chloe was one of

them. She still remembered that scene, that situation.

There was no way she could remain calm.

But… there was hope.

Because the Chloe of now had all three elements—"Courage," "Hope," and

"Justice"—fully awakened, making her far stronger than the Chronoa of her

memories.

Moreover, upon awakening from her slumber, Chloe had achieved deeper

synchronization with the [Manas] "Chronoa." Naturally accepting this presence,

Chronoa's sense of self gradually faded away.

—No, that wasn't the full truth.

As Chloe grew stronger, the role of [Manas] "Chronoa" came to an end. At that

moment, "Chronoa" returned to the past and merged with the young Chloe.

『Don’t worry. I’ll pretend to be lost in madness and make sure you reach this

future.』

That was Chronoa’s resolve.

Parting ways with Rimuru was lonely, but Chronoa smiled.

After all—

They would surely meet again.

Chloe didn’t know any of this, but she was no longer a child.
She was the strongest "Hero"—the one Chronoa believed in, the one who would

be alright.

In the future Chloe remembered, Chronoa could barely manage to wield her

[Ultimate Skill] 『King of Time and Space (Yog-Sothoth)』. Even so, she had

been strong enough to reign at the pinnacle of the world.

But now, Chloe had awakened to the [Ultimate Skill] 『God of Time and Space

(Yog-Sotohoth)』.

This was on an entirely different level.

Even without [Manas] "Chronoa," Chloe could now wield her authority naturally.

In response to Gaia's wish, she had instantly performed a "Space-Time Leap" to

reach Milim. And in that moment, Chloe understood what she had to do.

(So, this is Sensei's… this is Rimuru-san’s wish…)

She couldn’t allow Milim to commit any more sins.

This moment—this was the reason Chloe had gained her power.

"I will protect your fate."

"GAAAAHHH!!"

Milim roared in response to Chloe’s declaration.

The very air trembled.

Thus, carrying the hopes of humanity on her back, the "Hero" joined the battle.

Against Milim, Chloe chose a prolonged battle.

Considering that Milim had an inexhaustible supply of energy, this would

normally be an unwise choice.

But Chloe didn’t hesitate.

After all, she knew from her many battles against Milim that this was the best

course of action.

Milim's Dragon Fist came flying toward her. Chloe met it head-on with her 『

Moonlight Divine Sword (Moon Mistress)』.

Her [Moonlight Rapier (Moonlight)], which had evolved to [Mythical-class]

[Gods], easily withstood the fist pressure of Milim Nava—the strongest Demon

Lord—without breaking.

But that was only possible because of Chloe’s exceptional skill. She expertly

dispersed the force of the blow, manoeuvring so as to avoid a direct hit from

Milim.

Matching Milim’s movements precisely, Chloe deflected the Dragon Fist with a

well-timed counter. She immediately went in for a follow-up attack—

"Gah…!!"

—Only to cough up blood as her strength drained from her body.

Milim’s tail had pierced through Chloe’s abdomen.

Milim’s movements were completely unpredictable. She should have been toying

with Chloe.

No—
She was supposed to be toying with her.

Chloe, who should have suffered a fatal wound, suddenly stood tall once again.

As if nothing had happened, her beautiful face remained unscathed. She calmly

raised her sword toward Milim.

There was no wound on her abdomen. Her clothes weren’t torn. Her "Divine

Spirit Armament" was still intact.

It was as if Milim’s attack had been nothing but a dream or an illusion.

Milim launched another furious assault.

But this time, Chloe, her face devoid of emotion, evaded it with perfect

precision.

A Dragon Fist and tail passed just inches in front of her.

She had lost the opportunity to counter, but this scene had already played out

once before.

Only now, her movements were flawless—

As if she knew for certain that this was the correct course of action.

And that was only natural.

Because Chloe did know the right choice.

The truth was, in that first exchange, Chloe had nearly died.

However, the moment she realized her mistake, she activated her authority—

[Ultimate Skill] 『God of Time and Space (Yog-Sotohoth)』—and rewound the

event, making it so that it had never happened.

She experienced the event once—then rewound time and tried again.

That was the true essence of Chloe’s power.

By using 『Yog-Sotohoth』, she could send only her "consciousness" back into

the past at will. By synchronizing with her past self, she retained the memories

of her future experiences.

In other words—

Chloe could always choose the optimal action.

In battle, this was an absolute advantage.

Against an opponent like Milim, where even the slightest mistake could be fatal,

Chloe was able to fight evenly—alone.

And that was thanks to 『God of Time and Space (Yog-Sotohoth)』, which

allowed her to see the future.

The greatest strength of this authority was that it consumed zero energy.

Although she expended energy in the future, the Chloe of this moment

consumed nothing at all.

Choosing a long, drawn-out battle was the perfect way to maximize this

advantage.

Chloe knew.

Defeating Milim was impossible.

In that case, she had to suppress her—incapacitate her.

And Chloe understood better than anyone that she was the only one suited for

that role.

"How incredible…"

Elmesia murmured.

There were no mistakes in Chloe’s battle.

It was as if she had foreseen everything, guiding the battle seamlessly into the

most optimal form, without stagnation.

Her movements were as elegant as a dance, a battle devoid of waste.

What’s more, even the impact on the surroundings was minimal.

Just how much concentration would it take to achieve such a feat…?

Even now, Chloe had complete control over Milim. To an observer, it would have

seemed as if Milim had charged straight into the spot Chloe had dodged, only to

be hit by a stray magic bullet from Feldway.

But the reality was different.

With absolute confidence, Chloe was selecting the most optimal course of

action, exactly as she had intended.

And the only thing that remained was a perfect, ultimate result.

To everyone watching—everyone but Chloe—it was an utterly unreal sight.

However—

Even with the overwhelming power to recall memories of the future, Chloe had

no room for complacency.

Against Milim, she could never afford to let her guard down.

In fact, Chloe had already suffered several fatal blunders. Milim moved purely

on instinct, yet her combat sense far surpassed even skill or experience.

(She’s really strong. Honestly, dealing with Guy would be easier…)

That was Chloe’s honest impression.

With Guy, she could engage in a battle of technique.

A high-level psychological war, where they read each other’s intentions, would

still be viable.

For Chloe, who knew the future, that type of opponent was much easier to

handle.

But Milim was different.

What’s more, even a one-hit kill was impossible.

Unlike Rimuru, Chloe could be utterly ruthless if she deemed it necessary.

Naturally, eliminating Milim was an option she had considered—and she had even

attempted it.

But it had led to the worst possible outcome.

None of Chloe’s ultimate techniques had worked on Milim.

Even the most powerful mental spells, Invitation to the Abyss and Hypnos, had

no effect.

Her strongest physical technique, Absolute Severance (Absolute End), was

blocked by a barrier and failed to reach Milim. Even when she attempted to seal

her away using Infinite Prison, Milim had simply broken free as if it were

nothing…
Even Reverse Fate, which guided Chloe toward her desired future, had failed to

restore Milim’s sanity. It was clear—unless she removed the cause of Milim’s

rampage, there would be no perfect solution.

With no other options left, Chloe resorted to her most devastating time-based

technique, Fatal Lost, which crushed its target by accelerating their time to its

ultimate limit.

And that had been the worst mistake of all.

The technique was meant to be inescapable for any living being.

But Milim was different.

Instead of destroying her, it only made her accumulate even more power—until,

in the end, she obliterated the entire world.

Chloe had been utterly dumbfounded.

Milim had unleashed Drago Nova repeatedly, as if playing around, and in the

blink of an eye, the very foundation of the world had collapsed.

Chloe had witnessed it all the way to the bitter end before returning to the

past… And she had carved into her heart that this nightmare must never be

repeated.

Yet despite her caution, the situation only worsened.

She had carefully tested various approaches, but there were moments when she

had to act boldly, even at the cost of taking damage.

To an observer, it might have seemed as if she had miscalculated, but that was

not the case.

Milim’s attack patterns sometimes led directly into Drago Nova.

If left unchecked, the World Tree would be shattered—or worse, the land

below would suffer catastrophic devastation.

To prevent that, Chloe had no choice but to push herself beyond her limits, even

at the cost of personal sacrifice.

(This is brutal…)

Even as she analysed the battle with composure, she knew she was at a

disadvantage.

Despite always making the best possible choices, she had taken far more

damage.

Meanwhile, Milim remained unscathed—her true depth still unknowable.

Chloe was, without a doubt, among the strongest beings in existence.

She could fight on even terms with Hero Rudra or Demon Lord Guy.

Her ultimate techniques were unparalleled.

However—

Against Demon Lord Milim, she had drawn the worst possible opponent.

How much longer could she stall for time…?

Being able to see the future only made the suffering feel endless.

Even so, Chloe refused to give up.

Because soon—

"I have arr—"

"No time for that! Take the front!"

"Eh?"
"Don’t ‘Eh?’ me! Hurry!!"

At supersonic speed, Veldora arrived—only to be immediately pulled into Chloe’s

command, without so much as a chance to announce himself.

There was no time for him to strike a dramatic pose.

But that was fine.

At last, Chloe finally had some breathing room.

…Veldora, however, was not so lucky.

That, too, was fate.

Veldora’s Perspective

Veldora was being treated unreasonably.

(Wait, wait, wait! This is wrong!! When I make my grand entrance, aren’t the

ones in trouble supposed to shower me with gratitude?! And yet… why?!)

Standing in front of Milim, enduring her relentless onslaught, Veldora was

deeply perplexed.

Instead of being praised, he was being mercilessly worked to the bone.

Zelario was struggling against Feldway, but even his hardships couldn’t compare

to Veldora’s misfortune.

"Leon-oniichan, you’ve rested enough, haven’t you? Hurry up and support

that guy!"

"What?"

"Just do it already!"
"…Fine."

Perhaps it was the fate of all elder brothers to be at the mercy of their

younger sisters’ whims.

Even if they weren’t related by blood…

To Leon, Chloe was an exceptionally beautiful girl and a beloved little sister.

And when she gave an order, the only acceptable response was “YES.”

Feeling as though this was his reward, Leon moved to support Zelario.

While his thought process was quite unusual, he wisely kept it to himself,

maintaining his cool demeanour.

Determined to show off in front of Chloe, Leon fought with renewed vigour.

Inspired by this, Elmesia also joined the fight against Feldway.

"I’ll stay out of direct combat so I don’t get in the way!"

After calling out, she resumed her support role.

Elmesia’s Ultimate Skill – Vayu specialized in atmospheric manipulation.

For a swordsman, footing was crucial, so she stabilized the space around Leon,

allowing him to utilize the recoil of his attacks more effectively.

This was a tremendous help to Leon.

Zelario and Feldway had wings, so they were adept at aerial swordplay.

But for Leon, ground combat was his forte.

Unlike his previous strategy of merely keeping Milim in check, counterattacking

effectively required stable footing.

With Elmesia’s assistance, not only Leon but also Zelario fought with increased

momentum.

After all, for a swordsman, proper footing made all the difference.

On top of that, it wasn’t as though Sylvia had been slacking off.

Earlier, she had been wracked with regret over being unable to do anything

during the crisis involving her own daughter, Elmesia. Determined to handle

things differently if a similar situation arose, she had steeled herself,

sharpening her senses in preparation.

Leon, Elmesia, and Sylvia all shared a common trait—their abilities were

specialized in speed enhancement. However, each of them had distinct

characteristics.

Elmesia excelled in endurance, boasting the fastest speed over long distances.

In contrast, Sylvia’s strength lay in short-distance speed. Her ultimate ability,

[Indra], the Ultimate Skill: King of Thunderbolts, granted her unparalleled

acceleration in close-range combat.

Naturally, this also meant that Sylvia could reach her top speed faster than

anyone else. In an instant, she could accelerate to a staggering 100 kilometres

per second—a speed that far surpassed even Milim, leaving her with no equal.

That said, such speed required preparation.

If she had been able to move freely at will, Sylvia would have been hailed as the

strongest without question. However, that wasn’t the case.

Much like how a bolt of lightning first ionizes the air to create a conductive

path before striking, Sylvia’s movement required a similar process. She couldn’t
instantly and freely alter her trajectory at will, which was the fundamental

weakness of her ability—Electrifying Speed.

Even so, there was no denying its usefulness.

By utilizing that speed, she believed she would be able to react in time and

intervene whenever an ally found themselves in a dire situation.

With that conviction, Sylvia had defined her role in the battle.

Thanks to this three-plus-one arrangement, the psychological and physical

burden on Zalario had been reduced, and a path to victory in the battle against

Feldway had begun to emerge.

But the same couldn’t be said for Veldora.

Without any explanation, he was suddenly thrown into the thick of battle.

And if he made even the slightest mistake, Chloe would lash out with relentless

reprimands.

Unlike Leon, Veldora had no interest in being scolded. In fact, having been

subjected to terrifying experiences at the hands of his two older sisters, he

had unknowingly developed a deep-seated trauma—one that associated

beautiful women with sheer terror.

As a result, Veldora found himself utterly unable to defy Chloe, completely at

her mercy.

"There! Don’t go brute-forcing your way against Milim!! You need to deflect her

attacks!"

"U-Understood!"
Even attempting to meet Milim’s fist head-on and turn it into a contest of

strength would earn him a severe scolding.

It was a miserable experience—but as frustrating as it was, there was no

denying that Chloe’s instructions were precise and on point.

She wasn’t simply being harsh for no reason. The urgency of the situation left

her no choice but to be strict, and every one of her orders carried clear

tactical intent.

Having rewound time multiple times to analyse Milim’s power, Chloe had reached

a critical conclusion.

Milim’s strength was limitless. The more one fought against her, the more her

power would rise.

And that conclusion was absolutely correct.

Milim’s Ultimate Skill: [King of Wrath] Satanael was a deceptively simple yet

overwhelmingly powerful ability. It allowed her to generate and amplify

magicules in direct response to her own rage.

Its upper limit? Non-existent.

If left unchecked in a berserk state, it could potentially result in infinite

magicule multiplication.

Having realized this almost perfectly, Chloe was now employing a strategy to

prevent Milim from fully utilizing her power.

The more Milim activated [King of Wrath] Satanael, the greater the force

required to defend against her attacks. Thus, the top priority in this battle

was ensuring that Milim did not grow any stronger.

“Sorry, I don’t have time to explain. Just follow my instructions for now.”
“Hmm... So, you have a reason, do you? Very well. In that case, I shall

obey you!!”

Understanding the risks, Chloe initiated Thought Communication with Veldora.

As someone who had always fought alone as the strongest, she was not

accustomed to coordinated combat. She also wanted to avoid revealing too

much of her tactics, as there was always a risk of their plans being intercepted.

Veldora accepted this without hesitation.

Or rather, the idea of disobeying Chloe never even crossed his mind.

At this point, he had already lost any chance to complain. With no choice but to

follow Chloe’s lead, he soon found himself worked to the bone like a draft

horse.

Meanwhile, Feldway...

Feldway was by no means a master swordsman.

In terms of overall strength, he surpassed Zalario, but when it came to pure

combat ability, there was still a chance that Zalario could win.

However, that was assuming Feldway wasn’t using his main body.

Now, with his true form fully unleashed, Feldway had become an overwhelming

force.

In sheer energy and power, he now outclassed Zalario several times over in

every aspect.

There was no way Zalario could win in a straightforward fight.

The only area where Zalario held the advantage was swordsmanship. If he

couldn’t exploit that, he had no chance of victory.

Thus, from the very start, Zalario unleashed his full power against Feldway.

If there were no openings, he would create one. With that resolve, he launched

a relentless assault—

—And then, he sensed something off.

(Was he always this strong...!?)

Zalario’s sword had been effortlessly parried.

He was a seasoned warrior.

Never one to overestimate his own strength, he was a pragmatist who

approached every battle with precision and discipline.

His sword skill was also exceptional.

Rather than relying on unnecessary techniques, his swordsmanship was

straightforward and brutally efficient—a "Strong Blade" style meant to cut

down any foe with a single, decisive strike.

His blade, while not on the same level as Feldway’s [Arc of the Void], was still a

legendary weapon of the highest calibre.

Yet, when he swung it at Feldway, his attack was smoothly deflected.

Had Feldway met the blow head-on, Zalario would have understood.

But instead, his sword was fluidly redirected, as though it had been brushed

aside with ease.

This unexpected reaction set off alarms in Zalario’s mind.

Feldway was faster and stronger than him. That was to be expected. But even

with superior strength, simply deflecting Zalario’s "Strong Blade" was no easy

feat.

To do so required a **high level of skill—**far beyond what Zalario had ever

known Feldway to possess.

As far as he was aware, Feldway had never once trained in swordsmanship.

He had never fought on the front lines. He had always commanded from the

rear.

Zalario could acknowledge his raw power, but Feldway was never a warrior.

Had that changed?

Perhaps the doubt was written on his face, because Feldway merely smirked.

"Heh... You find this strange?"

"Of course. You’ve never had an interest in martial arts."

"Indeed. The strong are simply born strong. Unlike the weak, who have natural

enemies, we have no need to train."

"Then how—"

"How am I able to parry your blade, you ask?"

—And with that, Feldway’s smile deepened.

Those with weak hearts, those who lacked confidence in their own strength,

would have easily fallen for Feldway’s words.

But Zelario was different.

He saw through the deception and scoffed.

Feldway, having been called out, simply grinned.

With no intention of hiding it, he continued speaking with Zelario.

"Fufufu, you seem to understand me well. However, I doubt you’ve seen through

all my tricks, have you?"

"My tricks?"

"That’s right."

Feldway shifted to the offensive.

His movements were no longer as monotonous as before—they now carried the

finesse of a seasoned swordsman, someone truly well-versed in the way of the

blade.

And to Zelario, that form was unmistakably familiar.

(This is… similar. Could it be Leon’s movements?)

It was no mere misconception. There was no way Zelario could mistake the

techniques of a formidable rival he had fought just a short while ago.

As confusion flickered across Zelario’s face, Feldway spoke.

"I have never neglected my research. I am constantly observing, always

analysing what is most optimal. The same applies to those under the rule of

myself and Lady Michael."

"……?"

"The emotions, thoughts, experiences, and everything else of those controlled

by the Ultimate Skill Justice King Michael were all shared with me. That means

the techniques they mastered are also within my grasp."

Though Feldway explained it matter-of-factly, Zelario could not easily accept it.

"──What?"
Even in the midst of battle, he was struck speechless.

And who could blame him?

All the knowledge he had painstakingly acquired, all the experiences gained

through battle against powerful foes, all the techniques he had honed to

perfection—had been stolen from him without his knowledge.

"Don't be ridiculous…! Our techniques aren't something that can be taken so

easily!!"

Zelario cast aside all pretence of formality and shouted in fury.

Frustration turned to wrath, and with every ounce of strength in his body, he

unleashed an unparalleled, devastating strike.

Yet, the outcome was merciless.

With a stance eerily identical to Zelario’s, and infused with equal power,

Feldway met the attack head-on.

With precise control, Feldway mirrored Zelario’s technique—not just to prove

his words, but to demonstrate his superiority, going so far as to hold back

enough to avoid killing him outright.

"…You've got to be kidding me."

The only one wounded was Zelario.

Though both forces clashed with equal might, Feldway had power to spare. As a

result, only Zelario was sent flying by the recoil.

"…How dare you… mock warriors to this extent?!"

Zelario roared.

To a genius, the struggles of ordinary men are incomprehensible.

To one who can memorize an entire textbook at a glance, those who must

painstakingly read and reread it must seem like mere slackers.

They place no value in effort, only in results.

If only Feldway had recognized the difference between himself and others—if

he had shown even the slightest willingness to understand—perhaps a different

kind of relationship could have been formed.

But Feldway lacked even a shred of empathy.

He believed himself infallible, considering it his duty to guide the ignorant.

Never did he doubt himself, nor did he care for the words of others.

It was a dangerous way of thinking, yet up until now, it had worked in his favour.

And so, he could not comprehend.

He could not understand why Zelario was so enraged.

Thus, he posed a question—one so cruel in its callousness that it was almost

inhuman.

"I don’t understand. Why are you angry? Isn’t skill something that is meant to

be observed and stolen?"

After all, even the techniques passed down from master to disciple are learned

through observation and experience.

The conditions may vary—whether permission was granted or not—but the

process remains the same.

Even if one were the founder of a style, tracing the origins of their "martial"

lineage would ultimately lead to a limited number of sources.

Few in history have ever created something entirely from nothing. Now, in this

era, such an achievement was nearly impossible.

Thus, it was only natural to refine techniques through imitation.

If one disregarded the concepts of good and evil, Feldway’s logic was not

incorrect.

Even Zelario had to admit as much.

But…

Something was fundamentally wrong.

The techniques passed down should be inherited along with the feelings of their

predecessors.

Zelario was himself a founder.

He had passed down his techniques to his subordinates, honing them together as

they fought against the Insectar.

There was a sense of pride in that.

Leon was the same.

There had been a difference in their raw strength, but Leon’s skill with the

sword had been enough to impress even Zelario.

That was why he acknowledged Leon as a rival.

That was why they could understand each other, blade to blade.

There had been a meaning—a feeling—behind their techniques.

They had something they carried on their backs.

But Feldway disregarded all of that, seeing only pure efficiency.

He and Zelario were like oil and water—completely irreconcilable.

Realizing this once more, Zelario bit his lip.

Yet even as fury burned within him, he remained level-headed, analysing the

situation.

If Feldway had been watching and memorizing all of their techniques, then

there was no chance of victory.

Right now, Feldway was holding back, as if merely flaunting the difference in

their abilities.

If he had been serious, Zelario would have been eliminated the moment the

fight began.

To Feldway, Zelario was not a threat—so insignificant that he did not even feel

the need to dirty his own hands.

Understanding that, Zelario found it almost laughable to even feel insulted.

At that moment, Leon and the others arrived as reinforcements.

Zelario hesitated.

Should he tell them the truth?

It wouldn’t matter what they tried—nothing would work.

No matter how they struggled, they would not be able to defeat Feldway.

Outmanoeuvring him was impossible, and even stalling for time only worked

because Feldway simply didn’t care.

If the result would be the same no matter what, perhaps it was better to simply

step back and observe.

(—No. That’s not right. Can I even trust his words in the first place…?)
There was little doubt that Feldway was telling the truth.

But at the same time, Zelario couldn’t shake the feeling that he wasn’t telling

everything.

A crucial piece was missing.

And his intuition was correct.

Feldway could not afford for Milim to awaken.

One of his objectives was to absorb the Dragon Factor from Veldora—but the

situation did not permit it.

If Feldway engaged Veldora directly, he would lose the ability to maintain full

control over Milim.

Right now, Veldora possessed enough strength to make even Feldway wary.

Seeing this, Feldway could not afford to act carelessly.

(Our long-awaited prey has arrived, and now we have no choice but to leave it

alone...)

And so, Feldway decided to leave Veldora behind. He could win if he fought with

all his might, but he determined that things had to be prioritized.

However, that didn’t improve the situation.

If Chloe had joined the fight, and Veldora as well, there was a risk that his

control would be broken at some point. Hence, he had to continuously strengthen

his rule, leaving no time to deal with Zalario and the others.

That’s why he’d dared to face them with such a composed attitude, hoping to

make Zalario and the others despair.

And yet, Zalario remained unfazed.

(Tch, what an annoyance. I liked his stupidly honest personality, but now that

he's my enemy, it’s troublesome.)

My colleague, who had been fighting tenaciously against the Insect Demons and

the Sector, was a reliable ally. But right now, his tenacity to not give up on

victory was interfering with Feldway’s plan.

At the same time as he thought that Zalario was magnificent, Feldway pondered

that this was no time to let his guard down.

Though they were on a lower level, Leon and Elmesia weren’t opponents to be

underestimated, either. A direct hit or two from them would only cause a slight

amount of damage, but it would be a problem if their concentration was

disrupted.

At least until Milim destroyed the Sacred Tree...

(If I had been able to destroy the Sacred Tree with my power, I wouldn't have

had to resort to such troublesome measures...)

The Sacred Tree was an important base of operations for this pivotal world. Its

defences were flawless, impossible to destroy with half-baked strength.

Even the immensely powerful Feldway couldn’t completely destroy the Sacred

Tree.

Even if Sarion, the land of the elves, dies, the only one who can destroy the

sacred tree itself is Milim’s Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror, Drago Nova.

And if he couldn’t destroy the Sacred Tree, he wouldn’t be able to destroy the

Tenshukaku in Damargania, either. That was what Feldway realized when he saw

Tenshukaku enduring Milim’s Dragon Star Explosion, Drago Nova.

Then again, as long as they defeated the Sacred Tree, there was no problem if

they couldn’t destroy Tenshukaku. The world would naturally collapse, and

Ivarage, which would descend soon, would destroy everything.

For that reason, he couldn’t afford to fail to control Milim here.

And so, Feldway secretly put his heart and soul into it, thinking that this was

the moment of truth.

Thus, the second offensive and defensive battle over the Sacred Tree grew

overheated.

Chloe and Veldora’s duo were trying to stop Milim.

An impromptu team with Zalario at the top, trying to eliminate Feldway.

The outcome of that battle was still hard to predict.

In the old Eurazania, the battle between Guy and Velzard was growing more

intense.

At the Sacred Tree’s knees, the heroes were fighting to stop Feldway’s

ambitions for the fate of the world.

At the same time…

In the frontier of Lubellious, the Holy Cloistered Kingdom bordering the dying

desert, heroes gathered.

With the help of Velgrind, they had gathered from all over the world one after

another.

About five hundred heroes had assembled.

From the armed nation of Dwargon, there were five hundred Pegasus Knights,

led by the hero King Gazel.

From the eastern empire, there were a hundred new Imperial Guardsmen. They

had Calgurio as their marshal and the Minitus as their adjutant to support him.

And the Lubellious forces and giants, who had clashed just yesterday, now

reconciled and joined forces to fight together.

From Lubellious, there were three hundred Holy Knights and Crusaders led by

Hinata.

Saare and Gregory, former members of the Sanbusen, had temporarily returned

and were also under Hinata’s command, along with thirty members of Rook

Genias, the Imperial Guard under the direct command of the Cloistered

Emperor.

There were just under four hundred Bloody Knights, led by the Cloistered

Emperor Rui.

As far as the giants were concerned, Dagura took over in place of the sleeping

Dagruel. Basara, the leader of the Five Great Warlords, served as Dagura's

assistant, accompanied by over a thousand elite warriors from the Binding Chain

Giant God Brigade.

Other than that, a small group of elites, including a hundred Musketeers from

the Three Wise Drunken Riga, were running as fast as they could.

There were just under three thousand of them in total.

This was the full extent of the anti-Demon Realm Dragon Ivarage Alliance at

this point.

It hadn’t even been a full day since Luminus’s “Apocalyptic Declaration.”

It seems long, but it's actually a very short time.

Having such a large force gathered at such a speed was a feat worthy of past

common sense.

However, the real battle hadn’t even started yet.

The fate of humanity would be decided by the battle to come.

Five hundred heroes from all over the world had gathered in one place as a

single group.

Everyone was powerful enough to be an A-Rank over, but there was nothing to

be proud of here. It would be one thing if they were more prominent individuals,

but in a disorganized state, they were determined not to count as a force to be

reckoned with.

Then, the question arose: who would lead them?

Everyone probably thought that the role should be left to Masayuki, but it was

actually a bad idea. Masayuki was good at boosting good fortune, but doing

whatever he wanted with a group that couldn’t even coordinate wouldn’t have

much effect.

The guilds of each country were well-known, so they didn’t have much

experience working for others. In the same way, they weren’t suited to leading

others.

Someone was needed to unite these heroes.

Anxiety oozed from everyone’s faces, and they looked nervous.

In the midst of all that, there was someone speaking casually in an easy-going

tone.
It was Youm, who had been celebrated as a hero and had ascended to the

throne as the king of a major power. This time, he had summoned his former

comrades to join the war as the King of Farmenas.

“Look at that. It’s pretty impressive. Well, they call me a hero too, but

compared to a real hero like King Gazel, it's a pretty big downgrade. I’m not

sure if I’ll be of any use...”

Shrugging, he spoke to the wolf beastfolk lycanthrope standing next to him,

Grucious.

Then Grucious laughed off Youm’s unease.

“Hah! Don’t make me laugh. Whether it's real or not, just standing here is

heroic. If the world is going to end if we lose, there’s no point in freaking out

and hiding. Whether it’s a pointless death or a dog’s death, we’ve got no choice

but to face it.”

“Exactly,” Youm nodded.

From the start, they weren’t conceited enough to think they would be a

powerful force. They just wanted to help, even if only a little.

His still-young daughter Mime was watching the house.

Retired King Edmaris, now named Marius, had become his advisor. His son Edgar

was also reliable, so he believed the succession problem would be handled.

If they could survive, that would be the best.

Even if not, if they won this battle, they could leave the rest to those who were

left behind.

That was why Youm was standing there, accompanied by his wife, Queen Myu,

and his best friend, the knight commander, Grucious.

“Normally, I’d boast that I’ll at least buy some time to escape. But since there’s

nowhere to run, I can’t dress up. I have no choice but to step forward.”

Razen grumbled in an elderly tone despite his young appearance.

“Hahaha, you’re not wrong!” Youm responded with a big laugh.

“Tch, it was my turn to be happy with Muuran after you...”

“Don’t worry. I didn’t promise anything like that.”

Here, the two idiots glared at each other over Queen Myu.

Her demeanour was the same as always, and it helped ease the tension of those

watching the exchange.

The heroes thought.

This man could be trusted, they thought.

They were convinced that Youm, who also had a friendship with the demon lord

Rimuru, could entrust their lives to him.

"Hey, Youm-san. I'm not a member of the state, so please don't be so formal

with me, even if you're the king."

"I don't mind. I used to be a small-time thug too."

"Hahaha, you get what I'm saying!"

"Heheh, I guess so."

"I'll do the same."

"Yeah!"

"And while you're at it, we'll be counting on you to be our general!"

"Leave it to me. Huh?"

Those who were enchanted by Youm's personality called out to him one after

another, forcing him to play the role of general.

The reason I can't refuse here is because I'm Youm.

"Y-Yeah. Are you okay with me? Are you sure?"

"I'll leave it to you."

"You're the only one who can do it!"

"It was mostly solo activities, so use it for guerrilla warfare or something."

Todoroki had no complaints about appointing Youm as general.

Youm's friends burst out laughing at this.

"You're like a general."

"Looks like I'll have to write more heroic tales again."

"I won't hold a grudge against anyone if I fail. We'll all be together then

anyway."

Pushing on Youm’s back like that, it was decided that this group would be led by

him as the supreme commander.

"You're as stupid as ever to take on such a difficult role without really thinking

about it..."

Muuran looked exasperated, too.

But at the same time, she saw the man she loved live in a turbulent state, and

her pale cheeks gently flushed red.

On the other hand, Luminus, the one who’d started it this time, didn’t have the

luxury of heartwarming.

They were huddling their foreheads together with Velgrind and Hinata for a

detailed meeting.

"We'll aim for where they're trying to leave Tenshukaku. That's the least

damage we can do."

"That's right. We've only gathered a little under three thousand people, but it's

the best force we can hope for. It looks like we'll have a little more, but let's

think about deploying them soon."

Velgrind nodded at Luminus’s words.

Then, while pointing at the blueprints spread out on the table, s6he began

explaining the structure of Tenshukaku.

"The 'Tenshukaku' is a circular tower that revolves around the spiral staircase

in the centre. There are living quarters on the outer wall as well, but you can

ignore them. The problem lies beyond the door."

The diagram is a three-sided diagram.

From above, it looks like a perfect circle, and from the front, it's almost the

same width, stretching up to the heavens. It's the same from the left and right,

with no strange design.

The entrance and exit are located on the part bordering the ground.

It was a series of arched openings, designed to allow anyone to come and go

freely.

The tower’s diameter was about five hundred meters.

As you can tell from the size of each opening that the Giant can easily enter and

exit, it's fairly huge.

"---It's probably impossible to concentrate our forces on a single point."

The Tenshukaku can't be destroyed. In other words, it's extremely difficult to

seal off the entrance.

There was the option of blocking it from the outside with earth magic and the

like, but there was no point if it was destroyed.

In the first place, there were more than three hundred openings. It was a

decision that sealing all of them off and guiding the enemy according to plan

would be difficult even in terms of time.

"If there's a door inside, why don't we seal it?"

Hinata asked, but Velgrind denied this, too.

"I may have misunderstood you because it's a door, but the image you're
imagining is wrong."

As I said that, I used [Thought Communication] to relay the image of the

internal information to Hinata.

The spiral staircase inside Tenshukaku was wide to the side, and the door in the

middle was also huge.

The axis was over three hundred meters wide, so the width of the stairs was

also large. The steps were also too large for humans.

"I see... This is already a huge gate, so to speak. Even if we wait inside, there's

nothing we can do if we're pushed all at once..."

As a general rule, attacking from top to bottom was more powerful. Waiting for

them on stairs with poor footing was disadvantageous for the defending side.

Hinata agreed and withdrew her opinion.

"We will deploy our forces on all sides of the Tenshukaku, bringing the strong to

the fore to meet the enemy's main force. This is our only option."

Luminus declared as much.

It was a circular tower, and if going in and out of it was possible from anywhere

in the entire circumference, they would have to deploy an army to surround it.

And they wanted to split their forces evenly so that they could deal with it

equally from anywhere.

"It's tough, but we'll have to do it."

"Yes, that is correct."

"We'll have the rear group take out the enemies that escaped from the

encirclement and the ones that escaped. Is that good enough?"

Hinata, Luminus, and Velgrind all agreed.

"Well then, shall we call the heads of state together and decide on roles?"

We've decided on a course of action, but there’s a mountain of problems.

If an army of Phantom Beasts appeared from the opening as if they were welling

up, there was a possibility that they would be overpowered by quantity. In order

to prevent that, they had to make proper use of their forces.

That said, everyone gathered here has their own wills.

No matter how much of a crisis the world was in, it was questionable whether

they would obediently obey.

(Well, it looks like it'll be my role to convince her.)

Hinata made up her mind.

We didn't have much time, so this wasn't the time to be fighting amongst

ourselves.

The fate of the world would be decided by this meeting.

A simple tent was set up, and the heads of state gathered.

Just when I thought the famous adventurers would want to participate, they

saw the distinguished faces of kings and celebrities from all over the world and

gave up, thinking it was too much for them.

That's why carefully selected people are seated around the round table.

If you're going to introduce famous individuals, sitting in the upper seat was

Luminus, the host. She took responsibility for carrying out the End-of-World

Proclamation on a global scale and volunteered to take the lead.

To Luminus’s right sat Hinata, and to her left sat Rui. Behind her stood Günter,

dressed as a butler.

Also, Cardinal Nicolaus stood behind Hinata.

Even though he’d been unconcerned during the decisive battle with Dagruel,

when Hinata took part in the war, it seemed things would be different. His
expression was full of enthusiasm, and he was fully prepared to be useful for

her sake.

In addition, Leonard Jester, the second-in-command of the Crusaders, stood in

line with Nicolaus. Four captains were waiting behind him.

After training in the labyrinth, their skills had greatly increased. They were

expected to be a formidable force this time as well.

On the opposite side of Hinata was Shion.

Her exhaustion from the last battle hadn't completely worn off, but she looked

good. She smiled fearlessly, her expression filled with determination as if

nothing could stand in her way.

Sitting next to Shion was Dagura, who had taken Dagruel’s place. Behind him

stood Basara, intimidating everyone gathered here.

It might have been out of consideration for Dagruel, but it seemed out of place

in this setting.

As for the royal aristocratic group, Gazel, Youm, and Masayuki were present.

Gazel was accompanied by a martial artist.

It was Agera, the reincarnation of Hakuro Byakya Araki, Hakuro’s grandfather.

Even here, Agera stood boldly, aloofly, and naturally, as flexible as a willow,

guarding Gazel’s back.

Youm was attending with Queen Myu, as a couple.

Youm is a hero, but he's not good at talking about complicated matters.

In this case, it was Queen Myu, the powerful figure, who rightly took the lead.

Behind Youm stood Razen and Grucious.

Incidentally, Saare and Gregory were also at the edge of the conference tent,

adjusting the angle to avoid eye contact with Hinata.

Since they were still on the run, they seemed to feel incredibly awkward. Hinata

noticed this, but she didn’t bother to call out to them, knowing it would only

make them uneasy. So, she pretended not to notice.

Both of them understood that this was the best course of action for everyone.

Just like Saare and the others, there were others who felt awkward.

It was Masayuki.

The former high school student who wanted to escape this place more than

anyone else.

However, Masayuki was in the position of representing the nations and leading

the sympathizers from all over the world.

Given the role of being a symbol of hope, there was no way he could run away.

Masayuki was more aware of this fact than anyone else. That was why he was in

a state of nothingness, gazing off into the distance.

Next to Masayuki was a peerless beauty.

It was Velgrind.

Having gathered heroes from all over the world through the "Space-time

Connection," she had been a central figure in the great battle. Now, she was

prepared to protect Masayuki by dispelling all "Other Bodies."

Behind Masayuki was Venom, now in his best friend role.

Naturally, Calgurio and the Minitus were also present, standing as still as

statues, fulfilling their duties.

Away from the round table, Ultima was relaxing on a one-person sofa.

Tea was prepared on the round table, and Zonda was serving it.

Veyron, still recovering from her fatigue, was calmly waiting.

Ultima’s two confidants had also worked tirelessly in the previous battle, holding

off Dino and others and fighting the giants who were immune to magic, leaving

them little time to rest. However, they couldn’t express their exhaustion in

front of Ultima.

Middle management, it seemed, was a very tough position.

In contrast, Adalmann and Gadra were carefree.

Adalmann and Gadra, rejuvenated in appearance, sat at the far end of the round

table. Behind them were Albert and Venti, happily chatting.

Despite the world’s fate hanging in the balance, they remained at their own

pace. However, no one complained, perhaps because watching them relaxed the

tension.

This was because everyone thought it was fine.

The same applied to those seated at the lower end of the round table.

The group, far from being noble, resembled a band of ruffians.

This was to be expected. These people controlled the underworld of human

society.

Sitting as the representative was none other than Glenda Atlee herself, who led

a group of elites dispatched by the Three Wise Drunks.

Given the world’s crisis, they had no choice but to move. They had selected only

the strongest from among their subordinates, the Musketeers, and recent

recruits.
The number of strong members was about fifty, and two of them were here.

Standing behind Glenda were Girard, the former leader of the Green Apostles,

and Yang, who led the Black Claw Brigade, a group of A-rank mercenaries.

The strong among the Three Wise Drunks had undergone baptism in Tempest,

the land of monsters. Though still adjusting, those brought here this time had

passed rigorous tests.

Although there were fewer than a hundred of them, after undergoing intense

training in the labyrinth, they had been equipped with special gear suited to

their abilities, making them formidable fighters.

This group was called the "Suiren Group," derived from the "Suiren Badge,"

which symbolized their loyalty to the Three Wise Drunks, meaning "those who

serve drunks."

Their missions varied, but this time, they had been urgently summoned and came

from all around the world.

Yang, the leader, was so promising that even Girard and Glenda recognized his

potential.

Girard’s right-hand, Ein, the former leader of Green Rebellion, was outside,

commanding a ritual summoning to call high-ranking spirits such as the Flame

Giant, Earth Knight, Water Saint Undine, and Wind Maiden Sylphid.

Although they seemed like ruffians, they were deserving of their place here.

By the way, unlike Saare and the others, Glenda was bold.

Though she had once betrayed Hinata, she seemed to have already moved past

the incident. The difference in their composure was evident, but whether one

should emulate it or not was a subject of debate...

Just as the meeting was about to begin, Velgrind looked up, her presence

commanding the attention of everyone in the room before she slowly opened her

mouth.

“About my sister, Velzard the White Ice Dragon, and Demon Lord Guy…”

It was a casual way of starting the conversation, but that alone was enough to

silence the entire room. While less significant compared to the fate of the

world, it was still a major incident under normal circumstances. It wasn’t

something that could be ignored either. After all, if Guy had been defeated,

Velzard—such a terrifying threat—could have struck from behind. Humanity, in

its current state, had no remaining strength to deal with such a threat.

Everyone tensed, awaiting Velgrind’s next words.

“A third party has been confirmed to intervene.”

“!!?”

It was the report I had least wanted to hear after anticipating the worst-case

scenario. Of course, the worst would have been Guy’s defeat, but even this news

left everyone uneasy.

Luminus, representing everyone, asked, “Just to be clear, are you helping Guy?”

Though I knew it wasn’t the case, I asked in the hope of a faint possibility.

“Unfortunately, that’s not it,” Velgrind replied, much to everyone’s dismay.

Everyone murmured. There had been no hope for a better turn of events, and

the room was filled with a sense of inevitability. However, Velgrind’s next words

brought a sense of relief.

“Don’t worry. Testarossa has moved to investigate the situation.”

Upon hearing that, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. If it had been an enemy,

it would have been terrifying, but if Testarossa was an ally, she was a reliable

force. She was the White Queen, after all.

Ultima and the others smiled at the mention of their arrival.

“Oh? I thought it was my turn, but it’s fine to leave it to you♪” Ultima remarked,

already moving past the topic.

Her swift change of pace was impressive, and in this context, it was the right

decision. There was no point in lingering on worries that might hinder their

efforts in the coming Great War.

Luminus seemed to agree with Ultima, echoing, “Yeah, you’re right. There’s no

point in thinking about it right now, so let’s move on to the main topic.”

With that, Velgrind stood up, ready to continue.

“Before I start explaining, there are some people I should introduce. Some of

you may already know them, but…” As she spoke, Velgrind used "Space-Time

Connection" to summon the commanders of the Magic Knights under Demon Lord

Leon's command.

“We serve Demon Lord Leon. We are the guardians of the Golden Land of El

Dorado. We heard about the state of the world from Lord Velgrind and came to

assist.”

Arlos, the leader of the group, greeted everyone. The commanders of the

various knight orders nodded in agreement.

Though the scars left by Feldway’s target hadn’t healed, the threat to the

world outweighed all else. If they focused only on their own country’s survival,

destruction would be inevitable. Realizing this, Arlos and the other commanders

decided to fight in this war.

Though worried about the safety of El Dorado, Arlos knew that the people were

strong and could handle the situation.

They had endured even Carrera’s nuclear magic without flinching, able to turn it

into a form of entertainment, which was a testament to their resilience.

This time, too, the people of El Dorado remained optimistic, reassuring the

commanders as they hesitated, saying, “It’ll work out somehow!”

And so, the greatest forces under Leon’s command had gathered here.

Claude, the Black Knight of the Knights of Favonius, Metel, the White Knight,

Oxyan, the Blue Knight, Fran, the Red Knight, and Kizona, the Yellow Knight—six

commanders in total, all present and ready.

Velgrind had also summoned others.

“Nice to meet you, everyone. I am Misora. I know most of you don’t know me, but

I am the leader of the Demons. I never thought I’d be forming an alliance with

humanity, but given the circumstances, we wish to lend our strength. It’s only

temporary, but we hope you can set aside any lingering doubts.”

The one who spoke with a smile was Misora, the leader of Raine’s subordinates,

who had been helping with the defence and restoration of El Dorado.

The girls who had been working hard to protect El Dorado had now come to

assist in this critical time.

The reason for their involvement was clear. Their king had been taken by Guy’s

orders, and it was no longer the time for them to relax.

Misora’s colleagues, Skjor and Ulrich, shared the same thoughts.

“If we were the only ones taking it easy, we’d end up making enemies. Lady

Misery wouldn’t care, but unfortunately, Lady Raine...” they reflected, but it was

not respectful to dwell on such thoughts.

Misora had no intention of slacking. She loved her monarch, Raine, deeply and

gave her all in everything she did.

But seeing Raine’s sad eyes when she was taken away to the dangerous area,

Misora knew she couldn’t just stay in a safe place while her leader was in peril.

That was why she volunteered to fight alongside Velgrind in this war.

Meanwhile, Khan, representing Misery’s subordinates, stood and addressed the

group.

“Tch. It’s unexpected for us to be active out here. Normally, there would be no

such thing as a joint battle, but...” Khan glanced around the venue, his words

tinged with irony.

The people in the tent were all the world’s strongest, and even though Khan’s

group had a reputation for strength, they were among the weaker in this

context.

Bragging was out of the question. Khan had never intended to repay any Favors,

but now he wondered if there would be an opportunity for them to prove

themselves.

With that, Khan concluded, “I won’t be able to operate behind the scenes, but

for now, let’s show them that we are capable!”

Misery’s subordinates were diligent and competent, without significant

differences in talent, but they were highly capable overall, and Khan intended to

show that.
Aside from Georg, who was a member of the Red Familia, his characteristics

were that he was highly cooperative.

Incidentally, Ulrich, a member of the Red Familia assigned under Raine, had

somehow ended up in a difficult position. She used to be the haughty type who

considered herself the best, but strangely enough, there was something about

her.

It would be strange if they crossed paths with Vermillion, but since her master,

Raine, didn’t seem to be having any trouble, she was probably influenced by her

colleagues.

After all, Raine’s subordinates, with Misora at the top, were all extremely

capable.

No. Despite the fact that there should have been many lazy individuals, they

somehow grew to be capable.

Even Ulrich, who was supposed to be a good-for-nothing, now had a calm

expression, blending into the background without asserting himself. That was a

sign of growth, and Kahn couldn’t quite understand how such a transformation

occurred with his education.

Kahn's master, Misery, often interpreted this as "That’s one of Raine's great

points,” in a way that didn’t quite make sense... but if you think too deeply about

it, it’s probably best not to.

In any case, with the right education, everyone could turn into capable people.

Thinking that he couldn’t afford to lose, Khan concluded his greeting.

“This time is special. We'll support the unreliable outsiders just enough that

they won't have to worry.”

With that, she took a seat in the chair that had been prepared for her.

Khan's declaration seemed to have no objections from his colleagues Alban and

Georg. They stood side by side behind him and quietly followed the flow.

Incidentally, while it would usually be a big deal if the Demon Tribe made a
declaration of participation, no one from the human side seemed to be making a

fuss.

With the Demon Lord as the initiator and the ‘dragon species’ appearing as if it

were the most natural thing in the world, it didn't cause much of a stir.

Testarossa had become well-known in the Council of the West, so no one was

surprised to see Misora and the others.

Everyone nodded, and the meeting proceeded smoothly without incident.

The actors were all here.

Finally, Velgrind began explaining the situation.

“I’ve received an apology from the Ingracia royal family. The scars from the

previous attack haven’t healed, so they wish to minimize the dispatch of troops.”

As she spoke, Velgrind turned her gaze toward a corner of the tent.

There sat the representatives of Ingracia, who had come as messengers.

It was a minimal force, but they had some strong individuals. Still, compared to

the others gathered here, they were weak and had little influence.

Nodding at Velgrind’s words, they prepared to watch the situation unfold.

“Therefore, think of it as no more reinforcements,” Velgrind declared, urging

everyone to be prepared.

It might happen, but it wasn’t something to expect. At the very least, from

Velgrind’s perspective, it would be a very small amount.

Luminus nodded and urged, “And?”

Velgrind began to disclose the information she was sharing with Testarossa.

“In the old Eurazania, my sister Velzard and Guy are currently in combat. As I

mentioned before, there was third-party intervention, but Testarossa stopped

them, and the situation has returned to square one. A few are working hard to

prevent any impact on this planet, but...”

The situation was not looking favourable.

If Guy and Velzard got serious, the consequences would be immeasurable.

Ideally, it would be resolved before it escalates, but that was unlikely.

In the worst case, Velzard could become free if Guy were to lose.

“If Velzard attacks from behind, humanity will be doomed. Pray that doesn’t

happen,” Velgrind stated.

She had only spoken the truth, but it complicated the emotions of those who

heard it. There was no way to argue, so they had no choice but to accept it.

All they could do was pray that didn’t happen and focus on dealing with the

problems before them.

“Now then, regarding the current threat, the Ivarage, we would like to discuss

how to handle it,” Cien said, who had been waiting at his side without taking a

seat.

He stepped forward to take on the role of moderator and stood before

Velgrind.

“We must complete the operation before the Cryptids’ forces arrive. Currently,

the entire perimeter of Tenshukaku is a war zone, but even if we split our

forces, it will be difficult to cover the entire area. I ask for your opinion on

this,” Cien asked Velgrind.

Among those present, Velgrind was the wisest, so it was only natural for her to

be expected to take on the role of commander-in-chief.

Velgrind had no objections to this.

Having been a marshal in the Empire for a long time, she spoke her strategy

without hesitation.

“It would be foolish to deploy troops all around us. First, set up the battlefield

so that it’s advantageous, and guide the enemy into it.”

“And by that, you mean?”

“There’s a barrier, right? You can set up my Hachimon stratum, but that alone

won’t be enough to trap all of the troops. So”

Velgrind turned her gaze to the Holy Knights.

They nodded, and Hinata took up the next words.

“I see. Holy Purification Barrier, right? Are we certain that the bodies of the

Aggressors from the other world are made of magicules?”

“Yes, half of them are made of magicules. There are likely unknown substances

that don’t exist in this core world, but Holy Field will work just fine.”

“I see,” everyone agreed.

In fact, the Hachimon Katagami was useful for halting enemies, but it was not

suited for defence, as it placed the guardians at a disadvantage. It was ideal for

situations where the enemy’s main forces needed to be contained in a dominant

position, but it wasn't meant for defensive spells.

Moreover, since the enemy’s total numbers were unknown, setting up a large

formation to encompass everything was problematic.

If the Ivarage appeared, Velgrind would be the only one able to face it. Even

with Hinata and Luminus, no one else could handle it—this was Velgrind’s

thought.

Since she had to focus on Ivarage, she needed to conserve as much power as

possible. She intended to leave dealing with the familia’s subordinates to

Luminus and the others.

In that sense, the Holy Purification Barrier was the optimal solution.

Once surrounded by a barrier, the enemy’s movements could be easily guided.

However, there was a problem.

“The Holy Field can’t be established unless it’s connected by air. Since

Tenshukaku is a structure from the Age of Gods that reaches the heavens, I’m

not sure it will fulfil the conditions for the spell,” said Cardinal Nicolaus, who

had been standing behind Hinata.

Hinata had noticed this as well.

To activate the Holy Field, at least three casters must be spaced evenly to form
a polyhedron, which must be connected to a point in the sky. It was considered

most effective when arranged in a pyramid-like structure.

The issue this time was that the tower obstructed the formation of the

necessary connection points in the sky. While there were solutions, it wasn’t

simple...

“Even if it’s impossible to surround them with a face, there’s still a way to do

it...” Hinata murmured.

"Yes, that's right," Luminus nodded.

The Tenshukaku is connected to the surface by a series of doors, but once you

reach a certain level, there are no windows.

In other words, there was no need to worry about flying cryptids overflowing

from the top of the tower, and if we prepared a relay point for the barrier in

the top window, forming an irregular Holy Cleansing Barrier, Holy Field, wasn’t

impossible.

However, the danger of those stationed at the top was too high.

"We will deploy our forces on all sides of the Tenshukaku and await the enemy.

That is the safest and most certain course of action."

They had to lure the enemy into a formation where even a small number of them

could surely meet them.

If the tower was surrounded by an equilateral triangle, the overflowing

monsters would be concentrated in three directions. If that were the case, the

density of each place would increase too much, and some peak could be dropped.

On the other hand, if you set up a square formation, the enemy would also be

dispersed in all directions. The density of each location would decrease, and the

number of enemies bordering the barrier would decrease. Even in the unlikely
event that a base of operations was dropped somewhere, there was the

advantage of being able to move the base irregularly and transform the barrier

to maintain the effect somehow.

It was only an emergency measure, and the burden was great, so it was an

impossible tactic for long periods of time, but there was a huge difference

between the possibility and the lack of a chance to recover.

For that reason, setting up Holy Cleansing Barriers and Holy Fields would be

ideal for setting up bases in four places on the ground, with squares.

In that case, what would happen to the higher-ups?

The need for at least three people was no different from activating them on

the ground. However, if they were to set up a square formation on the surface,

the higher-ups would need four to respond to that.

That was the downside.

The Holy Cleansing Barrier [Holy Field] is formed in this way. The lower part is

square, but the upper part is circular. The holy force must run along the wall of

the tower to form a circle at four points connecting it to the ground.

In other words, we’ll need a force to protect four places.

Not only did they have very few air forces, but they had to divide their forces,

and they also had to fight while protecting the caster. It would be a difficult

mission, but failure was not an option.

"It's hard, but we'll have to do it."

Hinata came to that conclusion.

"It's hard to defend, so if we don't do it, it'll be a disgrace to our reputation.

Now's the time to show off the true value of the Holy Knights and Crusaders."
Leonard nodded firmly at Hinata’s words.

In response to this, the other captains in charge of sky, earth, water, and wind

also put their spirit into it.

"The four of us will be in charge of the sky. Thanks to our training, we're able

to use the Holy Spirit Armor, and we can fly, so we'll be perfect, right?"

Arnaud Baumann declared that.

The people in the hall were impressed by his willingness to volunteer for a

dangerous place.

The other captains hadn’t lost, either.

"Exactly. Compared to that training, this mission might be easier."

Bacchus agreed with a laugh.

Following this were Rits and Fritz.

"That's right. That was hell, wasn't it?"

"Yeah, it was a nightmare. Even though we could come back to life, we were the

only ones without pain reduction, you know? Was that supposed to be

harassment? But thanks to that, we all got the 'Pain Nullification' skill..."

Fritz’s complaint was no longer a complaint.

Masayuki and the others are frozen in place, unsure whether to laugh or

comfort her.

"Do you have a problem with that?"

"...I don't."

Fritz gave a small answer to Hinata’s cold question.

This exchange had become like a promise. Fritz had intentionally made fun of it

to ease the heavy atmosphere in the room.

Hinata understood that, too, and she’d decided to focus on being the villain.

Everyone felt a little better now that a little laugh had occurred. Now that it's

easier to voice our opinions, Hinata touches on the core issue.

"Well then, as for the other three..."

Currently, five people are engaged in the operation, including Leonard. In order

to activate the Holy Cleansing Barrier and Holy Field, we need three more high-

level casters of holy magic.

"Nicolaus, you can do it, right?"

"Understood."

Cardinal Nicolaus Spertus—Hinata's confidant, and a fan of the zealous Hinata.

He held the highest rank as a cardinal, but the object of his faith was Hinata.

Nicolaus thought himself to be Hinata’s loyal dog, so since he’d been ordered to,

answering whether he liked it or not wasn’t an option.

Incidentally, despite Nicolaus’s abilities, he had naturally reached the rank of

adeptus, as it was clear from the fact that he could activate [Spirit

Disintegration] on his own. And since he was more powerful than his second-in-

command, Leonard, he was capable of fulfilling his mission well enough.

The fact that he wasn’t inferior to the captain of the Crusaders of the Holy

Knights had been kept secret, but Hinata had seen through it. That was how

she’d chosen him for the big selection this time.

With that, there were only two left.

Hinata’s gaze pierced Saare and Gregory, who were desperately trying to avert

their eyes.

"How long are you going to keep quiet about this?"

Hearing that bluntly, Saare finally resigned himself to his fate. As he raised

both hands in surrender, he reluctantly raised his head and opened his mouth.

"Okay. I'll take charge of one corner. The other is Gregory, and you're in

charge."

"Wait a minute."

"Yeah?"

"I'm not good with barriers."

"..."

Everyone fell silent.

Gregory of the Great Rock—the man who was the guardian of humanity.

He used to be one of the heroes who served as one of Luke Genia's Three

Immortals of the Cloistered Emperor's personal guard.

He was on the same level as the captains of the Holy Knights and Crusaders, and

in terms of combat ability, he was more powerful than average. They took it for

granted that he could handle the Holy Purification Barrier and Holy Field spells.

And yet, she couldn't possibly be coming out.

"...Huh? You're kidding, right?"

Saare asked honestly.

"Seriously."

Gregory blushed as he answered.

Everyone guessed that she really couldn't use this.

Any Holy Knight or Holy Knight belonging to the Crusaders would be an A-Rank

overpowered fighter. Anyone could do it just by assisting them, and there were

those who could handle a normal Holy Purification Barrier or Holy Field without

a problem.

But this time, it was a different story.

If there are people with significantly inferior abilities, maintaining the barrier

won’t be possible, and activating it to match the weak will weaken the barrier’s

strength, meaning it’s meaningless. This is because the objective is to guide the

Cryptids, and the operation will collapse the moment the barrier is broken.

Which means we need to match the caster’s strength, but...

Luminus was the inventor of the spell, so she could handle it without a problem.

But she couldn't take on such a role in this situation, so it went without saying

that she rejected it.

Hinata was also an option. However, just like Luminus, not being able to fully

utilize her combat abilities would be a waste of potential. Naturally, this idea

was rejected.

The demons were completely incompatible with this role, making them out of the

question.

Under Leon’s command, the [White Knight] Metel, who excelled in recovery

magic, and the [Blue Knight] Oxian, who specialized in support magic, could

probably handle it with some training. However, they were not reliable enough to

serve as the main casters. Moreover, there was concern over whether there

would be enough time for them to train adequately.

Shion, who was overseeing the discussion, cast a glance at Luminus, urging her to

reach a conclusion.

Resigned to the potential loss, Hinata had no choice but to take on a key role.

Luminus came to the same conclusion and was about to speak to relay her

decision.

At that moment, Queen Myu—Muuran—raised her hand.

"I'll take on one of the positions. I'm good at barriers and such, so I think I can

handle it."

Normally, no one would be willing to gamble the success or failure of the

operation on a simple "I think," but this time was different.

Since she was the one volunteering, it was only natural that she should take full

responsibility for the role.

Besides, Muuran had already proven her capabilities, having worked alongside

Shuna to maintain a large-scale barrier in the past. She had also conducted

independent research on the [Holy Purification Barrier]—the [Holy Field]—

drawing from her reflections on the Farmus invasion.

To develop effective countermeasures, she needed to experience the real thing.

To address this, she had enlisted the help of the dispatched [Holy Knights],

requesting them to allow her to witness and study the effects firsthand.

She had not anticipated this exact situation, but if she failed to put her

knowledge to use now, it would render Rimuru’s decision to let her live

meaningless. With that in mind, Muuran made her decision.

"In that case, I shall assist Queen Myu. I will study the technique as well, so

that I can take over, if necessary," Metel offered.

Following her lead, Oxian also voiced his opinion.

"Then I’ll do the same. I’ll cast as many support spells as I can at the start and

then assist the two of you."

Oxian, too, intended to serve as a backup in case of an emergency.

Not everyone would come out of this unscathed. Since the battlefield was

unpredictable, they needed to prepare for every possibility.

These proposals were accepted, finalizing the team responsible for deploying

the critical [Holy Purification Barrier].

Arnaud Baumann of the [Sky] would take command of the eastern sector.

Fritz of the [Wind] would handle the west.

Ritiz of the [Water] was assigned to the south.

Bacchus of the [Earth] was left with the north.

Nicolaus would be Arnaud’s counterpart. Their abilities were evenly matched,

making it a well-balanced pairing.

Bacchus was assigned Leonard as his partner. While Leonard was the stronger

of the two, their long-standing camaraderie allowed for smooth cooperation,

ensuring Bacchus could perform at his best.

Muuran, as a fellow woman, was paired with Ritiz.

Saare was assigned to Fritz, though at first glance, they did not seem

compatible. Their sharp tongues often led to immediate arguments.

However, in reality, Saare had taken a liking to Fritz's straightforward nature.

He also appreciated his audacity in teasing Hinata, making their combination

unexpectedly effective.

Thus, the key personnel for all four directions were decided.

The next issue was troop deployment.

"I’ll take charge of the south," Youm declared.

He had no intention of leaving the protection of his beloved wife to another

man.

No one objected, and thus Youm’s forces were assigned to guard the southern

sector.

Leon’s subordinates were also deployed there.

"If Metel and Oxian are involved with the barrier, it makes sense for us to

protect the south as well. What do you think?" Arlos proposed.

Luminus nodded approvingly, and the decision was made without further debate.

The next to speak was Gregory, a close friend of Saare.

"I’m obviously going to protect Saare."

"Yeah. I’m counting on you, Gregory."

No one raised any objections.

Razen looked toward his disciples with concern, but as he was tasked with

guarding Youm, he could not move from his position.

However, there was no issue.

Though they were not present in the tent, the members of the [Holy Emperor’s

Elite Guard]—the [Rook Genius]—held deep admiration for Saare and his group.

It had already been decided that they would follow his command.

Saare and Gregory clasped hands firmly.

It was a touching display of friendship.

Then, another hand was raised—Glenda.

"I’m coming with you guys too."

If she joined, all the former members of the [Three Martial Sages] would be

gathered. However, Saare and Gregory were not particularly thrilled by this

development.

"Are you kidding me, you? The only reason we were forced into a life on the run

in the first place was because you betrayed us!"

"That’s right! I was stunned when I heard about it later—you’re not someone we

can trust!"

Saare and Gregory were genuinely enraged, and those who knew the situation

well could understand why.

Yet, Glenda merely scoffed.

"You two are such small-minded men. I betrayed you because it was clear we

were going to lose. If you don’t like it, make sure we win this time."

Glenda’s reasoning was beyond outrageous.

Everyone present shared the same thought.

Most of all, the two men she had betrayed were furious.
"Cut the crap already! Back then, I was giving it my all, and I was sure I’d win!

Our opponent was just far more of a monster than we ever imagined!!"

When Saare later learned Diablo’s true identity, he had been utterly terrified,

realizing how lucky he was to have survived. By that point, winning or losing had

become irrelevant.

Gregory felt the same way.

Had he been the one facing Diablo, he would have suffered a fate even worse

than Saare’s. Fighting Ranga had already been tough enough, but encountering a

primordial demon—the very embodiment of terror—was something he never

wanted to experience in his lifetime.

Learning that Saare had lost was no surprise to him. Instead, he had been

relieved that they both made it out alive, grateful for their fortune.

Because of that, Glenda’s betrayal was something they could never forgive.

Yet, Glenda remained as nonchalant as ever.

"I won’t betray you this time. There’s nowhere to run anyway, so I promise I’ll

do my best."

With a complete lack of remorse, she spoke confidently.

Saare and Gregory had no response to that.

As infuriating as it was, Glenda’s logic was sound.

Since the option of fleeing was off the table, there was no reason to doubt her

intentions.

"Tch, whatever. I can’t trust you, but I can rely on your strength."

"Yeah. I’m not entrusting my back to you, but since Saare will be occupied

maintaining the barrier, we’ll make sure you at least pull your weight."
And so, despite their grievances, Glenda was accepted into their ranks.

And so, we decided on a course of action.

Once that was settled, everything else moved quickly.

Thanks to Velgrind’s Space-Time Connection, they swiftly arrived at the

designated location and were fully prepared to intercept.

As for the supreme commander, it was reaffirmed that this role belonged to

Luminus.

She was the one who initiated this operation, and since no one else was more

suited for the position, it was a natural decision.

Luminus would be floating in the air, overseeing the battlefield. She wasn’t

directly taking command, but she would be reinforcing the Holy Purification

Barrier and Holy Field, both key elements of the battle. This made her role

highly significant.

Next was Velgrind. She decided to deploy Separate Bodies in all four directions

in preparation for the emergence of the Destruction Dragon Ivarage.

Because of this, she wasn’t assigned to any specific force and was instead

granted full discretion over her actions. She would likely stick to Masayuki, but

since no one could stop her anyway, it was left to her judgment to act as she

saw fit.

With those two aside, the remaining members were assigned to the four

quadrants for defence. However, before finalizing the deployment, a proposal

was made regarding the necessity of reserve forces.

"This is just a hypothetical, but in the event that even one of the four positions

collapses, wouldn't it be best to have a force ready for immediate response?"

It was King Gazel who raised this point.

The 500-strong Pegasus Knights under his command were an exceptional aerial

combat force. There were also likely to be flying Cryptids among the enemy

ranks, making it their duty to eliminate such threats.

No one objected to his suggestion, and it was smoothly approved.

With that settled, the remaining members formed the main fighting force.

During the course of the meeting, reinforcements had arrived, slightly

bolstering their numbers, and they were subsequently deployed across the

battlefield.

Eastern Front – Total Force: Just over 600

Three hundred Holy Knights (Crusaders) and one hundred newly formed

Imperial Guardians were stationed to protect Arnaud and Nicolaus.

Hinata and Masayuki stood at the top of both groups, but the ultimate

responsibility fell to Hinata.

Calgurio raised no objections and was content to serve as a staff officer,

assisting from the sidelines.

Cien had been instructed by Testarossa to protect Hinata.

Two hundred Black Numbers under Testarossa’s command had also gathered and

were placed under Cien’s leadership. Their preparations were flawless.

Venom, of his own will, took it upon himself to guard Masayuki.

Minitus was positioned as the de facto commander, leading the front lines, while

Hinata and Calgurio stood ready to respond in case of any unexpected threats.
Velgrind, in her smallest possible Separate Body form, was stationed beside

Masayuki—but as planned, they operated under the assumption that she wasn’t

there.

Western Front – Total Force: About 1,280

The largest force was deployed here to protect Fritz and Saare.

Like the eastern front, this location had favourable terrain for large-scale

warfare. However, this land was also a beloved home for the Giants.

Determined to protect their homeland with their own hands, the Binding Chains

Giant God Brigade volunteered for the defence.

As a result, their elite warriors alone numbered over a thousand. But they were

not the only ones bolstering the defence.

Under the command of Dagura, Shion and one hundred members of her

Yomigaeri joined the front lines.

"You guys, get fired up! Death is terrifying, but a meaningless life is even more

terrifying!! Live, survive, and prove that your lives have value!!"

Shion’s passionate cry was met with an equally fervent response from her

warriors.

It felt like her message was slightly off in direction, but in this situation, her

presence was undeniably reassuring.

Unlike her troops, who were united in their fighting spirit, there were some

whose mood remained tense.

Namely, Glenda and Gregory.

Joining the battle under their command were thirty Royal Guard Knights under

the direct control of the Holy Emperor, one hundred Musketeers directly led by

Glenda, and fifty elite warriors from Riega, known as the Drunken Lotus.

However, a major issue was that the former Three Martial Sages, now serving

as commanders, were constantly at odds with each other.

It was baffling that they were engaging in petty squabbles at a time when

humanity itself was at risk. But since no one was stepping in to stop them, their

meaningless arguments continued.

Saare, for one, simply accepted the situation with a shrug.

He had already been betrayed once before, so he had no intention of trusting

Glenda. However, her strength was undeniable, and he didn't believe she was

foolish enough to betray them again in a situation like this.

Thus, Saare let things be.

"Preparations complete. I've summoned four high-ranking spirits. Use them to

reinforce the base’s defences."

It was Ein, the Elemental, who made this announcement.

She had conducted a ritual summoning, draining her subordinates’ magic power

to call forth high-ranking spirits of Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind.

Among them, she had even successfully merged with Undine, the Saint of

Water, achieving Synchronization.

"I guess I match best with ‘Earth’ then."

Gregory, saying this, casually merged with Warnome, the Earth Knight.

His master, Razen, had been adept at spirit summoning, so Gregory was already

familiar with handling spirits.

Ein was a bit surprised but ultimately acknowledged that he was indeed a

former Three Martial Sage.

Girard, meanwhile, merged with Ifrit, the Flame Giant.

This had been planned from the start. He had undergone countless battles in

Ramiris’s labyrinth, training alongside Ein and pushing himself to the brink, all to

master this technique.

It was all part of his effort to better embody the role of the Three Wise

Drunks leader that Rimuru had assigned to him.

Now, that hard-earned skill was proving invaluable.

Life was unpredictable—Girard chuckled bitterly at the irony.

"Hmph. In that case, I'll be the Wind Maiden, Sylphid."

With that, the last remaining spirit was entrusted to Glenda.

She had trained alongside Girard and the others, and her affinity for wind

spirits was exceptionally high, given her expertise in long-range combat.

Thus, the spirits were assigned to their ideal wielders, and preparations were

complete.

Southern Front – Total Force: Nearly 800

Heroes from various nations gathered to defend Ritiz and Muuran.

Among them were the captains of the Magic Knights.

Metel and Oxian assisted Muuran. They bore the crucial responsibility of

learning barrier techniques mid-battle and responding instantly if the need

arose.
Leon’s subordinates had taken it upon themselves to serve as the last line of

defence for their comrades.

Of course, the heroes who admired Youm were also full of determination and

enthusiasm.

Though they were not a structured military force, they were each warrior of

legendary calibre. Hastily organized as they were, a rough command structure

had been put in place, ensuring they were not lacking in combat strength.

Misora the Cold-Blooded.

She was Raine’s most capable confidant.

Without her, Raine would have long since been dismissed from Guy-sama’s

service as his maid.

Incidentally, Raine was the only person in the world who could make Misora show

emotion… but that was hardly relevant at the moment.

Thus, the demon summoning ritual was quietly performed—

“““We have come before you, Master!!”””

A total of sixty [Archdemons]—each bearing a true name—abandoned all their

prior missions and arrived at once.

Normally, this would be a force powerful enough to shake the world.

But right now, they were reliable comrades.

As for the northern front—our total numbers amounted to around five hundred.

Due to the rugged, mountainous terrain, our numbers were the smallest among

the fronts. However, this also meant we could concentrate our forces more

effectively.
Just under four hundred [Blood Crimson Knights]—the [Bloody Knights]—were

deployed to protect Bacchus and Leonard. They would serve as the defensive

core, while the mobile units prepared to intercept the enemy.

Leonard muttered to himself as he surveyed their formation.

“…I understand it in my head, and I thought I had already come to terms with

it. But to be protected by beings we were taught to see as enemies of

humanity—by none other than high-ranking [Vampires]… Honestly, I still find it

hard to believe.”

Those were his true feelings, slipping out despite himself.

Bacchus nodded heavily in agreement.

“Well, I feel the same. Even if I went back and told my past self, he would never

believe it.”

After all, their very ruler—Pope Louis, whom they had once served—was none

other than the master of these [Vampires].

At this point, belief was irrelevant.

Yet, even knowing this in their minds, their instincts still recoiled at the notion.

Of course, that would not affect their mission.

Leonard and the others had long since come to understand that not all monsters

were evil.

They had trained in [Tempest], shared meals and drinks with its residents, and

even forged close friendships.

Thus, their lingering unease was merely a reflection of their own outdated

preconceptions—a fact they found somewhat shameful.

“Heh. That’s what it means to be human,” Gyunter remarked, having overheard

their conversation. “We think we remain unchanged, yet our thoughts shift so

easily. Sometimes for the better, sometimes for the worse.”

Gyunter spoke as one who had seen the rise and fall of many.

Even the so-called “Old Sages of the Seven Days” had once been heroes worthy

of their name, protectors of humanity itself.

But in time, they had grown corrupt and had to be eliminated.

Gyunter, who had witnessed their era of glory, did not wish for Leonard and his

men to lose the brilliance of their own souls.

The seven great nobles, known as the “Transcendent,” shared similar

sentiments. Each prepared to protect Bacchus and Leonard in their own way.

While some focused-on defence, others were eager for battle—such as

Adalmann and Gadra.

Both had undergone unexpected transformations, now possessing strikingly

handsome appearances.

To those who had only known them as a skeleton and an old man, their new forms

were almost unrecognizable.

Yet, despite their changed looks, there was no mistaking their presence among

the intimidating group gathered around them—

A hundred of Diablo’s direct subordinates, the elite [Black Numbers].

Despite being a newcomer, Gadora had somehow ended up leading this group of

eccentric yet supremely powerful individuals.

But his presence was undeniable. Even among such a strange gathering, he and

Adalmann stood out.

＊

Thus, preparations were complete.

The warriors awaited the moment of battle.

And then, the time came.

However—

It came not as the battle they had prepared for, but as a sudden, overwhelming

despair, mocking their readiness.

“Kyaha♪ Let’s play, let’s play♪”

It was a sound that heralded the end.

The warriors’ minds were filled with pure terror.

Those who heard that “voice” instantly understood the vast, insurmountable gap

between them and the being before them—so much so that their will to fight

was snuffed out in an instant.

The eastern front was the first to face this nightmare.

The warriors there had deployed the [Holy Purification Barrier]—the [Holy

Field]—preparing for the enemy’s arrival.

And then, without warning, a child appeared before them.

A small child, utterly out of place on the battlefield.

Her face was featureless, almost doll-like, her gender discernible only by the

impression of femininity.

But—

There was no time to wonder why she was here.

Only three among them managed to react in time.

The first was Hinata.

“Scatter and get down!!”

With sheer force of will, she shouted the command, praying there would be no

delay in their response.

The moment she laid eyes on Ivarage, the [Annihilation Dragon], she had already

foreseen their grim fate—

Through her ever-active [Ultimate Skill]—[Fortuna, King of Fate]—she had

“glimpsed” the despair ahead.

It was a vision of destruction.

Most of their forces reduced to dust.

The few survivors left collapsed upon the ground, caught in the twilight between

life and death.

It was an overwhelming, inescapable doom.

She did not know how much her warning could lessen the devastation, but she

had to try. Even if it saved only a handful of lives.

There was no one here incompetent enough to ignore her command.

All six hundred warriors moved instantly—

—But they were already too late.

“Kyaha♪”

The [Annihilation Dragon] Ivarage unleashed a merciless flash of destruction.

Moving at speeds nearing the speed of light, an unfathomable, logic-defying

beam of devastation filled the battlefield.

The second to react was Velgrind.

Without a moment’s delay, the “alternate body” she had stationed beside

Masayuki merged into her main form, unleashing her full power to deploy a

[Defensive Barrier].

It had been sheer misfortune that Ivarage had chosen to appear on this front.

If not for Velgrind’s presence here, everything would have ended in that

moment.

Hinata’s warning had reached them just in time, allowing Velgrind to deploy the

barrier.

However—

That alone was not enough.

Reality was never so kind.

Even with all her power, Velgrind could not fully withstand Ivarage’s onslaught.

The sheer aftershock alone claimed most of their lives.

Human bodies could not stand against the power of a god.

The battle line collapsed.

In an instant, the eastern front was reduced to a hellscape.

But then—the third one moved.

“Awaken—[Sanctuary Resurrection]—”

Luminus, watching from above, unleashed her most powerful holy magic—one

made possible by linking the minds of all her devout followers.

A grand, sanctuary-enhanced [Resurrection].

The dead were restored to life.

Of course, if his body had been completely destroyed, revival on the spot would

have been impossible. However, thanks to Velgrind’s presence, even though the

damage was immense, they managed to avoid a truly fatal crisis.

Nicolaus, who had been maintaining the barrier on the ground, was instantly

killed, causing both the Holy Purification Barrier and the Holy Field to collapse

momentarily. However, Hinata quickly reestablished them. Taking advantage of

this moment, Nicolaus revived, and as if the agony of death had never happened,

he smoothly resumed maintaining the barrier in Hinata’s place.

It was a display of Nicolaus’s resolve—not wanting to show any disgraceful sight

before the woman he revered.

But no one had time to dwell on such a sentimental tale.

Though this revival happened in an instant, the losses on the human side were

devastating beyond measure.

Luminus had ensured that no lives were lost, bringing the death toll to zero.

However, that didn’t mean they could continue fighting as before.

Nicolaus was an exception—most people had yet to recover from the sheer

terror they had just experienced.

Even the Holy Knights, the Crusaders, and the reborn Imperial Guard—the

Imperial Guardians—were seasoned warriors. No, precisely because they were

veterans, they couldn’t help but feel overwhelming dread in the face of such an

existence.

Many among them had already experienced death and resurrection, whether

through training in the labyrinth or being revived by Demon Lord Rimuru. The

shock had been great, but not enough to completely break their spirits.
However, standing before the absolute presence of the “Destruction Realm

Dragon” Ivarage, their hearts had been utterly shattered.

If one loses the will to fight, even battles that could be won are lost.

Even though they understood this, no one could move in the face of such

despair.

And that was understandable.

After all, even Velgrind—who could be called their greatest source of strength

and emotional support in this battlefield—had suffered severe injuries from

that last attack.

In truth, Velgrind was on the verge of collapse, barely standing with Masayuki

supporting her. If she hadn’t been fighting at full power, it might have been

different—but she had already merged all of her alternate bodies into one.

That alone proved just how devastating the previous attack had been. Had

Velgrind not staked everything on blocking it, this entire region would have been

obliterated.

It was a miracle she had endured it at all. But there would be no second chance.

“Fufufu… You’re an unbelievable monster. I have no choice but to admit I

underestimated you.”

That Velgrind could still jest in self-mockery was a testament to her strength

of will.

But to any observer, her words were nothing more than hollow bravado.

Even Masayuki, who was holding her up, had half-resigned himself to the

inevitable.

“This… might be it for us…”

And he wasn’t alone. Everyone felt the same.

What terrified the warriors more than anything was Ivarage’s appearance.

She was still just a child.

A young girl, at that.

Which meant—she could still grow even stronger.

Even now, they could do nothing against her. If she were to grow even more

powerful… The very thought consumed them with despair.

Everyone had the same thought.

Is there any meaning in continuing this battle?

Even if they knew it was futile, should they keep fighting?

Yet, the battle continued.

From the skies to the ground in the east, a new clash had begun—between the

cryptids who had escaped the Holy Purification Barrier and the Pegasus Knights

led by King Gazel.

Those who could still move took action, but the forces they should have been

conserving were being expended right from the start.

From the very moment war broke out, they had been fighting under

overwhelming disadvantage.

Even so, humanity had not yet lost.

Even in the depths of despair, they had not abandoned hope.

Luminus, as a god, issued her command.

“Do not give up! Even if you die, I shall bring you back—so cast aside your fear

and face the enemy head-on!!”

Hinata followed suit.

“She’s right! I would rather fight with pride as a warrior to the very end than

give up and die a pathetic death. You all feel the same way, don’t you?”

Her words struck a chord in the hearts of the warriors.

The fighting spirit that had been fading—on the verge of being extinguished—

was reignited.

Emboldened, Caligurio raised his voice.

“Hear me!! Our goddess placed herself in harm’s way to protect us! Even though

not even all of us combined could stand on equal footing with her!!”

Among the Eastern Empire’s forces, there was no one whose heart did not

resonate with these words.

Everyone understood.

They had been shielded by the mercy of their goddess—Velgrind.

And now, they had felt that mercy with their own bodies.

If they failed to rise now, they would be nothing more than spineless cowards,

unworthy of standing on this battlefield.

It no longer mattered that their enemy was the embodiment of despair itself.

Even if they were to be utterly annihilated, they would not retreat.

Seeing the shift in the humans, Cien, Testarossa’s right-hand man, let out a

ringing laugh.

“Fufu… Fufufufu… That’s the spirit! After all, if Testarossa-sama were to see

you all in such a disgraceful state—”

That was all he needed to say.

Before Cien could even finish, two hundred members of the Black Legion stood

up.

Standing at full attention.

Then—

With glinting eyes filled with murderous intent, they turned toward the

cryptids.

And, without hesitation, they launched into battle once more.

Thus, the human side regained its momentum.

Even if defeat was inevitable, they resolved to struggle to the very end.

And so—

A long, long despair began anew.

Chapter 3 : The Apex’s Showdown

In the control room, the top brass from the land of monsters had gathered.

More than a full day had passed since Luminus’s declaration.

“I’ve received word from Soei. It’s good that we’ve destroyed the threat known

as Zelanus and driven off the calamity known as Vega, but it doesn’t seem to be

a situation where we can relax just yet. I know you're all exhausted, but please

stay alert.”

It was Benimaru, the commander-in-chief, who began speaking.

Soei had gone off to battle to be ready to respond to the war situation. There

weren’t even any clones left here; he was only connected to Benimaru through
Thought Communication.

That was how urgent the situation was.

The assembled leaders nodded with determined expressions.

It was fine to protect the homeland, but it would be meaningless if the world

were destroyed.

Not everyone could claim to be in perfect condition, but they were fired up

enough.

However, there were some who couldn’t do anything with spirit alone.

Zegion and others were at the top of the list, and were absent because they

had fallen into an evolutionary sleep.

Speaking of absentees, Diablo wasn’t here either. He had said he had some

minor business to attend to and had gone off somewhere.

Benimaru was concerned, but he had a rough idea of where Diablo had gone.

He smiled wryly and decided to let him do as he pleased.

“So, Benimaru, what should we do now?”

Ramiris asked on behalf of everyone gathered.

“All of our forces that had returned from former Eurazania will be sent to

Damargania.”

The air in the control room became tense.

“I’ll be in charge.”

Before anyone could ask the question, Benimaru made his declaration.

More than half of the Crimson Flames had been left behind in the old Eurazania,

still transformed into ice statues. And yet, Benimaru had no intention of

carrying out a rescue operation.

Upon hearing this decision, even leaders like Gabil and Geld could only realize

that Benimaru’s determination was extraordinary.

Gabil, who had just become lovers with Sophia, was worried about her. However,

this wasn’t the time to bring that up. After seeing the big picture, Benimaru had

made his decision, and it was his duty as a warrior to follow it.

Geld was in a similar state of mind.

The Yellow, Orange, and Orange Numbers under Geld’s command hadn’t all

returned yet. Even now, those who had shouldered the damage Geld had

inflicted by the Ultimate Gift and Beelzebub were eagerly awaiting rescue.

Whether it was Gabil or Geld, both would have wanted to rush to the old

Eurazania if allowed.

However, that was not allowed.

It wasn’t that Benimaru was heartless. In fact, it was the opposite. He was more

compassionate than anyone else.

Since this was the decision Benimaru had made, no one objected.

If there was a question...

“How do we get there?”

Alvis, her body weight, asked the tactical core of the matter.

Even the fastest Hiryuu would take over a day to reach Damargania. Not to

mention without sleep.

The other legions would take even longer.

If they didn’t set out immediately, there was a strong possibility they wouldn’t

make it in time for the critical war situation.

If Rimuru had been there, he would have used a large-scale transport spell to

solve the problem. However, right now, they had to solve it on their own, and the

concept of logistics, which they hadn’t had to think about much until now,

weighed heavily on them.

Alvis had been worried about this and had interjected, fully knowing it would

make things more complicated.

However, Benimaru remained unfazed.

The problem had already been solved by his sister, Shuna.

“No problem. Shuna will ‘transfer’ us.”

“Yes. I’ve analysed Sir Rimuru’s spell, so I’ll carry you all safely to your

destination.”

Benimaru declared it, and Shuna nodded with a smile.

It shouldn’t be a problem. There was a huge gulf in the amount of magicules

between Rimuru and Shuna.

Even though the spell had been simplified, the burden of transferring a large

number of people at once was expected to be considerable.

But no one pointed that out.

Everyone had understood Shuna’s resolve. As long as she was confident, there

was no problem.

Rimuru’s teaching was that he wouldn’t say what he couldn’t do. There was no

way Shuna would break this promise, so success was nearly guaranteed.

What happened after that could be dealt with when the time came.

“Ramiris-sama, I’ll leave the defence of the labyrinth to you.”

Shuna’s request was a declaration that she would no longer be of use.

Ramiris wasn’t foolish enough not to notice this.

“Of course! Leave it to me, the strongest demon lord, Ramiris-sama, with a

boom!!”

Ramiris responded with her usual smile, reassuring Shuna.

Benimaru gave a big nod.

“Apito, I’m counting on you to defend the labyrinth.”

“Understood.”

“However,”

“?”

“As soon as Zegion wakes up, leave the labyrinth and move out.”

“But...”

Inside the labyrinth, everything Rimuru had left behind was there. Benimaru’s

most important people, like Alvis and Momiji, were also inside.

But even so, Benimaru didn’t waver.

“The defence of the labyrinth will be entrusted to Beretta, Treyny-sama, and

the others. I have no intention of dying either, but depending on the situation, I

don’t know what will happen. If you can contact me, that’s good. Otherwise,

Apito, you can judge the situation yourself.”

Normally, it would be unbelievable to leave the defence of the labyrinth to

others. However, that was proof that the current situation was dire.

Sensing Benimaru’s state of mind, Apito gravely nodded.

The confident Benimaru had essentially declared that he couldn’t even predict

his own survival. Since Apito had been left as insurance, it was her duty to

respond to that trust.

“That’s right. Right now, it’s time to protect the fate of the world.”

“Exactly.”

“I swear I’ll win!”

And then, we all laughed together.

That resolve was shared by everyone.

"Kumara, you're on the move too."

"Understood."

Kumara responded with a fearless smile.

It wasn’t the first time they’d fought outside the labyrinth, so they weren’t

fazed by it.

Nodding in response, Benimaru announced the final decision.

"The Crimson Flame Clan, but until the goblins return, Hakuro, you're in charge!"

"Leave it to me."

"The Wolf Demon Soldier Corps and Goblin Rider will be handled by Gobta.

Ranga and Kumara will support him. Run around the battlefield and show us your

might!"

"Roger that!"

"Understood!!"

"It's fun."

"It’s a Hiryuu, but each of us acknowledges a free-for-all fight."

"--?"

Hearing Benimaru’s statement, Gabil made a face that said, “Huh?” He thought

he was the one in charge.

As if to answer this question, Benimaru continued.

"Gabil, Geld, I want to give you two another mission."

When it came to another mission in this important situation, it was clear it was

incredibly significant.

Gabil and Geld held their breath as they waited for Benimaru to speak.

"I don’t know if that’s what you were planning to do without me ordering you to,

but..."

After broaching the subject, Benimaru relayed his plan.

It was a very dangerous subject, but on the other hand, Gabil and Geld's

expressions brightened. As Benimaru had said, it was exactly the order they
had been hoping for.

"I understand! I entrust my Hiryuu to Yashichi, Sukerou, and Kakushin!"

"Yeah, leave it to me!"

"Indeed."

"Good luck, Gabil-sama!!"

As if responding to Gabil’s eagerness, his three confidants accepted the

contract in their usual manner. It felt as if success was already assured.

And Geld, too.

"Regardless of where I die, I will fulfil that role!"

He declared with enthusiasm.

"I haven’t fully recovered yet, but I don’t care about that."

Thus, each member of the counterattack was given their own role.

More than a hundred members of the Crimson Flame Clan, a hundred from the

Hiryuu Clan, and a hundred goblins from the Wolf Demon Soldier Corps—more

than three hundred in total—were deployed under Benimaru’s leadership.

Zegion, who had fallen asleep, and Apito, who was acting as a liaison, stayed

behind, while the other members of the Twelve Guardian Kings of Holy

Demonkind were all dispatched.

The fact that the defensive forces inside the labyrinth had dropped so low was

unprecedented.

Everyone secretly wished deep in their hearts that such a thing would never

happen again.

Jahil was pondering.

"How should I move forward?"

It hurt that Zalario had betrayed him.

There was also Zelanus, the Insect Demon Lord, but Jahil didn’t think he could

handle that being.

In the first place, Jahil doubted how much he could trust Feldway.

"Even if I follow Feldway, this won’t be my world. There’s no pleasure in that,

and besides..."

He remembered Benimaru.

What an abominable enemy.

Despite being overwhelmingly low-ranked, he had played with Jahil, the Magical

Emperor.

It was an unforgivable act. A lowly demon defying Jahil was a crime that could

never be allowed.

However, Benimaru was troublesome.

If it had been just one-on-one, Jahil was confident he would have won, but the

failure was giving Benimaru the strength to act as a pawn.

Defeating them one by one would have been the right course of action.

But with the power of [Wide-Range Blood Magic Heat Wave], Jahil didn’t think

he could kill Benimaru, so it seemed inevitable that they would face each other

again.

If that was the case, it would be best to settle it before it became a hassle.

"Hmm. I, too, have enemies to defeat. At the top of that list is..."

Demon Lord Luminus.

Shawe was a detestable enemy who destroyed the Divine Ancestor whom Jahil

held dear.

Not just Benimaru, but also Demon Lord Luminus.

There were many enemies, and few allies to rely on.

The legions given by Feldway had scattered, and now only about seven hundred

remained.

This was far too few to be considered a proper force.

Still, Jahil couldn’t just sit idle. He decided to gather information.

He sent his subordinates to various places to investigate the current situation.

The five places were: the former Eurazania, Lubelious, Damargania, the

Labyrinth, and Sarion.

Though he thought Sarion didn’t need to be investigated since he had attacked

it himself, he still had someone check it. Even if it turned out unnecessary, he

could make the decision after receiving the report.

Time passed, and reports came flooding in... but for Jahil, they were things he

couldn’t ignore.

The former Eurazania had been closed off by ice.

They presumed that the battle between Guy and Velzard was ongoing.

The problem lay in the other four places.

In Lubelious, Dagruel, the God of Destruction, had been defeated.

"Forget Fen, Dagruel the God of Destruction was defeated?! I didn’t think

Veldora had become that powerful..."

Even from Jahil’s point of view, a higher-ranking being had been easily taken

down. That fact surprised him more than Zalario’s betrayal.

"It’s going to be difficult to recover from this. Now then, what are you going to

do, Feldway?"

At this point, the concept of the "Three Stars Commander" had become nothing

but a hollow shell.

The various legions had collapsed, and the damage was too great to conquer the

Axis world.

But if they won, it wouldn’t matter.

Jahil was also concerned about the battles in other regions, including the

movements of those who had entered the labyrinth.

It appeared they had lost contact and were now missing.

What was even more surprising was the appearance of Zelanus.

With such a powerful being involved, the collapse of the labyrinth seemed

inevitable. However, there had been no developments since.

This was a serious situation.

But Jahil's judgment was different.

(It can't be. It's one thing if it's Vega, but there's no way Zelanus would lose.

Even if that so-called Benimaru had returned, it would be impossible to beat

him.)

I was so fixated on my own common sense that I ended up thinking that way.

The reason they hadn’t heard from each other was probably because they were

continuing their attack and defence inside the labyrinth. Even if they were

being toyed with by tricks, they figured it would ultimately result in Zelanus’s

victory.

In that case, the area cantered around the labyrinth ruins would become

Zelanus’s territory.

This is an undesirable development for Jahil.

In the first place, the reason Jahil is cooperating with Feldway is to fulfil his

own ambitions.

He would avenge the Sacred Ancestor and rule this Axis world. That was Jahil's

wish.

Knowing that Zelanus also wanted territory, he gave up on obtaining the entire

world.

However, he had no intention of handing over all of the important bases.

What Jahil wanted was the Great Forest of Jura, the Fertile Forest, or the

prosperous Western Nations. To put it greedily, he wanted to take control of

the entire Central Continent, including Jura’s Great Forest, Jahil thought.
If Zelanus was going to take the Great Forest of Jura, he would have to

abandon his ambitions. That was something he wanted to prevent, but he

couldn’t come up with any brilliant ideas, so he had no choice.

However, even if they had given up on the Great Forest of Jura, they had no

intention of giving up on even the riches of the West. They assumed that

coexistence would be possible, since their values for territory were different

from Zelanus’s.

Seal it in the Great Forest of Jura as a surviving zone for the [Insect Demons]

[In Sector], and Jahil can profit civilized.

But there's also the problem.

Feldway would take control of the eastern empire, but Dagruel’s goal, like

Jahil’s, was to point toward the western countries.

I was racking my brain trying to figure out how to find a way to drop it, but I

had a gut feeling about this.

We're going to cede to the West.

Specifically, we're going to hand over the northwest part of the continent, such

as Lubelious, Ingracia, and Farmenas, to Dagruel. And we'll be taking control of

the southwest part of our continent, including the lower half, Sarion, and Jahil.

All we had to do was divide the world into quarters, cooperate with each other,

and develop. Then we built up our power... and eventually, once Jahil was at the

top, everything would be perfect.

Even the old Eurazania would swallow it at the same time depending on the

situation. There was no point if they couldn't dispel Velzard's power, so this

place was a challenge for the future.

In any case, what’s important is your own interests. That’s what Jahil had

thought, and he’d made her investigate the situation in other regions as well.

It wasn’t his true intention that the territory Jahil was supposed to take would

be ravaged, so it was a stroke of good fortune that the site of the final battle

was in the Lubelious area.

Dagruel’s defeat was unexpected, but since he wouldn’t have to split the area

under his control, you could say it was a good result depending on how you looked

at it.

As he pondered what to do next, Jahil received a report on the remaining areas.

It was said that after Milim unleashed the [Dragon Star Explosion] [Drago

Nova] at the Tentsukaku in Damargania, she went straight back to Sarion.

“What are you doing, Feldway?!”

Jahil was enraged.

The current “crazed Stampede” Milim was the very Destroyer of Destruction,

hiding the danger of destroying the world if she let him do as she pleased. At

this rate, he might even lose the wealth that Jahil had to gain.

Damargania was at its peak of chaos, and in Lubelious, they were hastily

gathering their forces.

Luminus herself had exposed her true identity, blabbered about the dangers of

the world, and even made speeches to the whole world, summoning heroes from

all over the world.

Jahil had laughed at her exaggerated behaviour, but now that he knew of the

rapidly changing situation, it was no longer someone else’s problem.

I’m curious about Milim’s movements, but I can’t ignore Luminus’s “Apocalypse”

declaration, either. If she’s a threat that needs to be dealt with by moving even

Velgrind...

“Ivarage!?”

The king of the other world—a being that destroys a world that can be called

the True God of Destruction. If such an Ivarage were to materialize, it made

sense that Luminus and the others would not exaggerate their response.

Even in Sarion, the battle continues to stop Milim.

Jahil had tried to burn the Sacred Tree to the ground, but he’d decided it was

regenerative. If Milim’s [Dragon Star Explosion], Drago Nova, had been directed

at it, Sarion’s destruction would have been inevitable.

(It looks like they’re holding out against Milim, but it’s no longer something you

can call a battle. It’s better that they’ve not been overrun, but that’s only a

matter of time.)

As Jahil bitterly thought this, a new report came in: a mysterious being had

appeared and begun to fight on equal footing with Milim.

I was curious as to what it was, but the report went on even further.

“What?! Veldora appeared?!”

It was said that Veldora, who had defeated Dagruel, had come all the way to

Sarion.

“I do not understand. I thought you would return to the labyrinth and respond

to Zelanus...”
Now that Lubelious’s situation has settled down, it’s only natural that he’d

return to his base. Not to mention that his base is currently in the middle of

being attacked.

As far as Jahil was concerned, he naturally assumed he’d call Veldora back to

deal with Zelanus.

Ideally, Veldora and Zelanus would collapse together. Even if things didn’t go

that well, if Jahil could finish off the remaining one...

It was overly greedy to expect that much, but in any case, information about

the labyrinth was still unknown.

I was more interested in the battle between Sarion, Veldora, and the others

than that.

No, more importantly...

Battles are breaking out all over the world.

Zelanus should be running amok in the labyrinth.

It was presumed that in the old Eurazania, Guy and Velzard were clashing.

In Damargania, the threat of the Ivarage was nearing its appearance.

And in Sarion, the out-of-control Milim was raging fiercely.

Now then, Jahil pondered.

What should we prioritize in this chaotic situation?

Jahil agonized, and then made his decision.

“Milim is controlled by Feldway, so it shouldn't be a problem to leave her alone.

I should avenge her for many years here.”

Jahil’s eyes turned to Damargania.

He’d thought to take advantage of the chaos to get rid of Luminus, who was

likely there.

Jahil laughed wickedly and sat up heavily.

(Then again, that's a request from Rimuru, too...)

Luminus sneered at herself.

It was an excessively fleeting possibility.

It was possible that Rimuru’s subordinates would come to reinforce them.

It seems Zelanus, the [Insect Demon Lord], has appeared in the labyrinth, so

there shouldn't be any energy left. For some reason, Luminus can't help but get

her hopes up even if she thinks so.

It was the same for the others, and the reason they could still fight without

giving up was because of that hope.

Besides, if there's any hope...

(It's hard to imagine that tenacious, stubborn Rimuru has been left to his own

devices. He’s apparently been expelled somewhere, but I can’t shake the feeling

that he’ll come back aloof.)

She'd been told that he had disappeared, but that was how Luminus truly felt.

The Rimuru statue Chloe had told him about was beautified, but the Rimuru that

Luminus herself observed was generally similar.

He was confident, competitive, soft-hearted, and kind, giving off a presence

that made one want to rely on him.

Even Hinata, who had been as tense as a sharp knife, looked her age when

interacting with Rimuru, so it was impressive. Even now, she probably still

believed he was safe.

(If I admit defeat now, I don't know what he'll say to me later. I hate him

making fun of me, so I have to keep my guard up until the end.)

With that thought in mind, Luminus braced herself so as not to show even a
moment’s opening.

It seemed like the war wasn't bad.

If we reduce the number of [Phantom Beasts] and [Crept] before the Ivarage

truly makes its move, maybe we can do something about it?

She was leaning toward the upper hand so much that it seemed that way.

The battles in other areas were similar, and it looked like they were able to

protect the kind of fights where there would be as few casualties as possible.

[Phantom Beast Tribe] [Crept] is strong as an individual, but they're a race

unfamiliar with group warfare. Some of them are in cahoots with their own kind,

so we can't let our guard down, but it's good news that we're not in a situation

where we can barely handle it.

If only we could do something about the Ivarage...

Just as everyone was starting to think that...

The situation changed completely.

Ivarage, who was sitting on the shoulder of a large demon beast with his legs

wobbling, smirked.

“I’ve made more friends with you♪”

Everyone was bewildered by the sudden statement.

But the next moment, they understood what she meant.

It was unclear what kind of ritual had been performed beyond the door, but the

nature of the cryptids that appeared had changed.

Specifically, they had taken human form.

Most of them were warped to the point where they didn’t even have eyes, nose,

or mouth, but some of them had inhuman beauty. The higher-ranked ones

seemed to have a tendency to be more combat-capable.

“Tch, what a pain. Did you learn from watching us fight?”

It was Hinata who complained.

Up until now, it had been a battle against beasts, but now that they had taken
human form, the cryptids had begun to use hardened skin as a weapon and even

something like a sword technique.

Even the strength of the outer skin, which had been uniform up to that point,

had been transformed into something stronger and weaker. It looked like it had

gotten weaker with more weaknesses, but there was also a view that it had

increased its attack power and increased its danger level.

What's more, she seems to be learning tactics in the present tense. She

doesn't have the absurdity to suddenly increase her skill level, but it looks like

she'll be at a disadvantage more and more over time.

“There’s no end to it. What should we do, Calgurio?”

“I don’t want to hear it. We’ll have to finish him off with a single blow so that he

doesn’t show his hand as much as possible.”

Even though I knew that, it was hard to put it into practice.

It would be one thing for someone as powerful as Calgurio or the Minutes, but it

wasn’t a feat anyone could imitate.

Furthermore, the existence of higher-ranking units was greater than that of

previous ones. Not only were they more durable, but some of them even began

to possess Ultraspeed Regeneration.

At this point, it would be difficult to defeat them before they learned.

“This is bad. Ivarage, I'll be watching you the whole time.”

As Hinata had pointed out, Ivarage had been observing this battle for a long

time, which meant that she was learning how to fight by watching and hearing

more and more.

The ominous premonition he’d felt at first was half-reality. Everyone sensed it,

and they had to fight against the anxiety surging from the depths of their

hearts.
The harshest situation was in the east, but the other defensive lines were

having a tough time with it.

First, to the west.

Slowly, a beast came out of the door.

It had the air of a champion.

A beast sprinting through the void—Kakeashi.

Contrary to her cute name, she had an extremely vicious appearance.

It was close to the shape of a wolf, but far larger. It had a lion's body and a

dragon's head, reaching ten meters in length. It was over five meters tall, too.

The dragon scales covering its entire body stand on end like pitch-black needles.

And it's sharp enough to be called a spear. Its tail splits into eight halves,

wriggling like a poisonous snake.

There were six shining crimson eyes, all glaring at their surroundings.

Because of its huge frame, it seemed to have a lot of blind spots, but that was a

mistake. It was because there were glaring eyeballs all over its body.

It wasn’t fixed in place—it was growing and burying. It seemed to be able to

appear at will, and could be created on dragon scales as well.

Sharp claws glinted dully on its four tough legs. In addition, countless small

protrusions grew between the dragon scales, giving it a truly suspicious

atmosphere.

And those fangs...

It was fearless and repulsive, like a symbol of predatory fear in the hearts of

all who saw it.

Kakeashi glanced at the warriors waiting for her, but she soon lost interest.

More importantly, her attention was focused on the world she was experiencing

for the first time.

She snorted, sensing the wind.

Satisfied, she howled.

The wind trembled.

It became a shockwave, blowing away those lacking in power.

"What a guy..."

Gregory, who hates dogs, shudders as if he's been traumatized. Even so, he

takes a stance toward Kakeashi with pride as a former 'Sanbusen' in his heart.

The ones who held Gregory back and stepped forward were Shion, Dagra, and

the others.

"That's hilarious! We're as easy as a single beast, aren't we?"

Shion stopped mid-sentence and stared at Kakeashi, for she had sprawled

elegantly, ignoring the presence of Shion and the others.

However, it didn't seem like she had no intention of fighting.

A pack of beasts, presumably members of Kakeashi’s kin, had come out one

after another.

They're of the same lineage, with similar appearances. The only difference is

that they have a smaller frame and four eyes.

We wouldn’t know how different our combat abilities were until we fought them.

"Everyone, get ready!!"

Shion shouted.

That voice served as a signal, and Kakeashi's familia members moved as well.

That's how the war began.

Kakeashi’s familia was foreign.

They were a group of cryptids that didn’t really flock together.

Moreover, even from an individual’s perspective, their combat abilities were

extremely high.

By the standards set by the Free Guild, it was equivalent to an A-rank at the

very least. Moreover, it had an unbelievably dangerous level, with a large number

of individuals above S-rank mixed in.

Even the heroes of humanity gathered here were A-Rank or higher in their
individual abilities. They would never be inferior, but the reality was that if

asked whether they could win one-on-one, it would be difficult.

What’s more, this horde is good at group combat.

It was too dangerous an enemy for the human side, which was close to a

mishmash.

"You two, get together as close as you can! Don’t leave anyone alone!!"

Glenda issued a manifesto.

"That's a very precise instruction. The Kakashi familia members who appear one

after another increase their numbers by more than a few hundred. Going up

against them alone is nothing short of suicidal."

"The battlefront is maintained only if there are conditions advantageous to the

human side, called the Holy Purification Barrier, Holy Field."

"You damn dogs!!" Gregory was showing a lion's fierce fighting spirit, blowing

away Kakashi's familia. The enemy wasn't a dog, but it would be uncouth to

comment on that.

Xion’s Decapitation Demon Blade crushed several familias at once. They were

showing incredible combat prowess, but even so, the enemy's numbers were

vast.

It was as if no one felt they had diminished at all. The enemy kept appearing one

after another.

They were still outnumbered, but there was no telling when that might change.

The warriors' hearts were becoming exhausted, as they played this endless

game.

Perhaps understanding this, Kakashi did not move. With a cold, intellectual gaze,

it surveyed the battlefield, waiting for the right moment.

And finally, the time came. Kakashi rose and howled.

It was the second roar of the day, but this time, there was a difference.

Kakashi, though a beast, was highly intelligent compared to humans. Cunning,

cautious, and capable of avoiding battles it couldn't win, it had now decided to

attack. This meant it was certain of its victory.

The scarecrow's roar made the air tremble. Unlike the initial threat, this time

it issued a serious attack order.

This caused the familia’s movements to change. No longer afraid of casualties,

they began to attack bravely.

"Man, this is harsh~ This unpleasant feeling..." Glenda, who had shot and killed

one of them after reloading with her divine skill, started to grumble. But

something caught her attention, and she furrowed her brow.

Immediately after that...

"Everyone, stop breathing and get into a defensive position!! If you're not

careful, you'll die!!" Glenda’s loud voice boomed.

The warning travelled through Thought Communication, reaching the allies,

undeterred by Kakashi’s roar. This was a close call.

Kakashi had used his roar as a cover, secretly launching another attack.

There were small protrusions growing from between the dragon scales that

covered its massive body, and viscous degrading enzymes were spewing from

their tips. These mixed with Kakashi’s aura and spread through the air.

Harmless to Kakashi’s familia, but to other lifeforms, it was a lethal poison mist.

Had it not been for Glenda’s warning, many would have perished. Among those

under Xion's command, some were coughing up blood in agony. It seemed they'd
inhaled it out of curiosity, resulting in burned lungs, internal organ decay,

crushed eyes, and rotting nasal membranes. This caused a hellish suffering

lasting about three hours.

The unlucky part was that even recovery potions couldn't counter the effects.

While they wouldn't die, they had to endure repeated cycles of destruction and

regeneration until the poison mist’s effects wore off.

Seeing this devastation, everyone appreciated Glenda’s Danger Detection Skill.

"Tch, this is why I hate dogs!" Gregory spat, but in a sense, it was a sore loser’s

lament. Still, his ability to complain like that helped the warriors listening regain

some mental composure.

In addition, Xion moved.

"[True Heaven and Earth Killing and Falling]!!" Xion’s sword, the God Gorikimaru,

slashed through the air.

With that single move, Kakashi’s poison mist was neutralized.

The Ultimate Skill "Tyrannical King" (Susanoo) showed its power once again, and

Xion’s honour was affirmed by this great victory.

"Whether it’s an enemy or an ingredient, cooking is my specialty! I don’t feel like

I’ll lose this match!!" This declaration greatly encouraged the warriors.

As long as Xion was there, they knew they wouldn't lose, and that gave them

even more motivation.

However, the battle was still in its early stages. Kakashi’s second roar signalled

the intensification of the battle in the western region.

What appeared in the south was an extremely strange being.

It was a fish-swim that swims between the stars.

When that thing appeared, Ultima spoke up.

"Aww, too bad. He looks like he's in trouble. To be honest, it might be impossible

to defeat him without killing anyone."

That's a fair assessment.

Accepting this, Veyron immediately orders.

"Everyone, get back. Kosei and the others, let's go!"

The heroes gathered from all over the country looked at Veyron with eyes that

said, who is this old man? But before they could raise their voices of

dissatisfaction, Youm gave the order.

"Hey, you guys! Get behind me already!!"

This is where Youm's communication skills came into play.

Thanks to gaining their trust, the heroes who had a habit or two obeyed.

Some complained, but that was out of respect. Before Swim could show her

whole body, the only warriors inside the Holy Purification Barrier were Ultima

and the other demons.

"Good call. If you'd been a little later, you guys would've died♪"

She spoke in a light tone, but it was no laughing matter.

However, the correctness of her words was to be proven immediately after

that.

"What's with that creepy monster...?"

"Fish...?"

There are some flying fish-type monsters, like megalodons.

Even Swim, who had just appeared, had been mistakenly categorized into that

lineage.

Swim had the image of a raven swimming in the sky, but aside from the tentacle

portion, its torso alone was about ten meters long. The tentacles were three to
five meters tall, so it would probably be classified as a fairly large monster.

However, that alone was not accurate information.

Compared to super-large monsters like Carybidis, they were small, but they

weren’t so easy to gauge by the size of their bodies.

That's what will be proven now.

The storm shakes.

The tentacle portion, the small aggregation of aberrations that had been

parasitizing the Swim, all detached at once and danced through space.

Its speed reached the speed of sound in five seconds. Its maximum speed was

unknown due to its short distance, but no one wanted to know that.

Because they understood that if they were caught in it, they'd die instantly.

As it spun and went straight ahead, it looked like a rain of spears.

In fact, the aberration was covered in [Life Fiber] [Arionium] all over, and not

only was it not small, it was actually the opposite.

It had transformed into an extremely dangerous being that could pierce

anything and everything.

"Seriously...?"

"If I had been in there, I would have died without being able to do anything..."

The sight of that little aberration dancing wildly was fantastical but terrifying.

With perfect coordination, it ravaged the interior of the Holy Purification

Barrier in all directions.

Then again, the reason they were so captivated by her beauty that they could

afford to admire her was because there had been no casualties.

Ultima pointed it out, and Veyron and Youm roared in response. With this, the

first massacre wouldn’t have occurred.

And the two-hundred-and-thousand-odd demons who remained on the

battlefield had given their all on that pride.

"That's annoying!"
Ultima screamed in irritation, instantly burying the riffraff aberration.

That was a divine feat, but Ultima's only target was the big boss, Swim.

Swim swims through the sky. It swims freely.

Speed is also free. In other words, you can move at maximum speed from your

initial velocity.

The maximum speed of a Swim like that was sublight speed.

Light speed is about eighty-eight thousand times the speed of sound. The speed

of the Swim is not as fast as light speed, but it is possible to fly at a speed

similar to that.

Though it was greatly decelerated in the atmosphere, it could still travel at over

a hundred thousand times the speed of sound, so it was impossible for a normal

person to even see it.

However, if it was Ultima, it was a different story.

The moment you grasp its existence, you can deal with it without regard to the

laws of physics.

It was a stroke of good fortune that Ultima had been present in the battle in

the southern lands.

Ultima counters Swim’s speed beyond human comprehension with technique and

magic.

The outcome will unfold in a realm no one can predict.

Furthermore, the battlefield itself had undergone a transition――

The grotesques appear one after another after the first Swim. The Cryptids

created by the Ivarage are so diverse that they have no sense of unity.

Some of them are humanoid cryptids like [Insect Demons] and [In Sector].

Even the heroes, who had managed to escape their first move, were forced to

deal with such new things.

The north side had turned into hell.

The place was overrun by a bird, Habataki, which flew through dimensions,

wreaking havoc.

The Blood Crimson Knights, Bloody Knights, and Black Numbers were all

helplessly defeated by just one Habataki.

Blood splattered, and limbs were flung into the air.

"What the heck is this!?"

"What just happened...?"

Ultima was not present. Because of that, he couldn’t recognize the enemy’s

danger until faced with it.

"This is bad," Adalmann murmured.

I finally realized the situation, but it wasn’t because Adalmann was slow. The

massacre had begun without any signal, and not even a minute had passed before

we reached this point. We had no time to observe, and we needed to come up

with a countermeasure now.

In response to Adalmann, Gadora voiced his thoughts.

"Hmm, it’s a 'transfer.' And judging from the radiance of its entire body, those

wings must be made of the ultimate metal."

Wrapped in golden feathers, the two-headed eagle—that’s the impression I got

when I saw it.

It was about three meters long from head to tail. It was large for a bird, but

small among grotesque cryptids.

However, its ferocity and combat ability were considered the strongest among

the Phantom Beast Tribe.

Swim is the fastest and excels at long-distance travel. On the other hand,

Habataki is slower than Swim and doesn’t pick up speed when moving over long

distances.

Even so, Habataki was stronger than Swim.

This very reason was what Gadora pointed out as the "transfer."

"Hmm, hmm. Accelerating while transferring and then cutting down the enemy

without losing momentum. It seems similar to Lord Glenda’s power, though..."

“There’s no fluctuation in space. It’s refined close to teleportation, so it will be

difficult to pinpoint its appearance with Magic Sense…”

With Glenda’s Unique Skill “Sniper,” space would distort as soon as a connection

was made, making it possible to predict where it would appear.

However, in Habataki’s case, it could freely set its appearance location. Space

would warp and it would appear at the same time, a similar but distinct power.

If evasion after sensing wasn’t enough to make it in time, then this power was,

as Gadora said, infinitely close to "instant teleportation."

"This isn’t the time to waste explaining," said the Cloistered Emperor Rui in

anger.

Seeing her subordinates' gruesome state, she was furious.

The Blood Crimson Knights, however, were almost immortal, so not a single one

had died.

They used "Self-Regeneration" to repair lost body parts. They couldn’t return

to the frontlines immediately, but they could revive over time.

As expected of the Black Legion and Black Numbers, they were maintaining

their lines. Although shaken at first, by using a "Multilayer Barrier," they made

it easier to predict Habataki’s appearances.

Adalmann and Gadora exchanged glances after Rui’s remark.

The enemy wasn’t just Habataki. A variety of grotesque monsters were pouring

out from the door. If left unchecked, it could quickly become irreparable.

"It certainly doesn’t seem like this is the time to be dumbfounded," said Gadora.

"You're right. Well then, I’ll head out as well."

They nodded to each other and shifted to combat mode.

"Everyone, don’t worry. My god is alive and well. I’ll show you proof of that as a

miracle right now!! Holy magic: [Radiant High Heal] & [Radiated Area

Regeneration]~!!"

Now that Adalmann had gained a physical body, he had fully regained his senses

from his former life’s work. He could switch between antipersonnel and anti-

demon recovery magic, which was truly impressive, helping the warriors who

were regenerating. Resurrected warriors immediately tackled enemies that

matched their strength.

Albert and Venti readied themselves to protect Adalmann, and at this point,

Gadora moved.

"I’d like to annihilate the enemy with large-scale magic, but it seems capturing

that thing will be difficult. Well, that aside, there’s a way."

Leaving those words behind, Gadora charged into the battlefield, which had

turned into a chaotic mêlée.

Reincarnated as a [Metal Demon], Gadora was a great close-range combat-type

mage. Though not yet a master of martial arts, Gadora made up for it with

magic, showing considerable combat ability. Against cryptids that didn’t know

martial arts, this was more than enough, and Gadora began to wreak havoc on

the battlefield.

Meanwhile, Günter, who had been listening, sighed and thought about himself.

"You outwitted me from the first move, but I can’t afford to lose like this."

"You’re right. There are other enemies appearing, so you shouldn’t be sitting

back and watching," replied Rui.

The two of them weren’t that close, but they could cooperate when necessary.

"Lady Luminus is watching, so let’s go all out."

"That's right. I, Günter Strauss, will show you the power of Günsrös so that you

won’t be ashamed of the name of the Sacred Ancestor’s high-calibre disciple!!"

At this point, Luminus, who had been watching the situation, gave a command.

“You’re not cowards, so hurry up and counterattack.”

It had only been a minute since the war began, and in the north, they had

already plunged into an all-out battle without holding back.

Fierce battles were being fought in all directions, cantered around Tentsukaku.

While Luminus kept her eyes on the entire battlefield, the tensest area was in

the east, where Ivarage was.

Super-class Awakeners like Hinata and Calgurio were fighting multiple humanoid

cryptids.

Powerful individuals like Cien and the Minutes had easily taken down single

opponents.
Others fought in groups of three, doing their best to minimize casualties.

Luminus’s holy magic was supporting these warriors.

Luminus wondered if she should have deployed more healers to each side but

reconsidered, thinking that the current setup was the best she could manage.

Thanks to Ramiris’ labyrinth, there were more holy magic users, which turned

out to be a fortunate outcome given the current situation.

Still, there were problems. Even with enough healers, they needed forces to

protect them, so it wasn’t as simple as just dividing them evenly.

Because of this, Luminus had to oversee the entire battlefield, which naturally

put a heavy burden on her. While keeping an eye on Ivarage, she managed key

areas of recovery.

Unexpectedly, disaster struck. The remnants of the Angelic Army, led by Jahil,

attacked like a nightmare.

"Gulp, gulp, gulp! I came out myself, Luminus!!"

As the evil demon laughed in the sky, Luminus clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Tch. To think you’d get in the way at a time like this. You’re as clueless as ever,

aren’t you?"

Luminus truly despised Jahil. His appearance at this time was nothing but

trouble.

In fact, Jahil’s target was Luminus, ignoring the other smaller enemies and

charging straight for her.

“The heavens are on my side. Well, that's only natural. After all, I, the Great

Emperor of Magic, Jahil, will become the ruler of this world!!”

Arrogantly declaring that, Jahil smiled vulgarly.

Indignant at this, Luminus retorted, “How laughable! How could someone as

vulgar as you become a champion?!”

"Don't make me laugh," she scoffed.

They were like oil and water.

Luminus and Jahil, two powerful figures, faced each other in silence.

As far as Luminus was concerned, she really wanted to get rid of Jahil.

Unfortunately, Jahil's strength was the real deal. Not to mention that he was

holding the Divine Ancestor’s Blood Spear, Origin Blood, which greatly amplified

his power.

(Fighting head-on would be foolish. If I could have at least set up a trap and

come up with a countermeasure, I would have been able to get rid of him, but...)

Even if he fought here, he could fight in a way that wouldn’t defeat him. That

would be difficult, too, but Luminus thought it was possible for him.

However, destroying Jahil was impossible. There was a fatal difference in the

amount of magicules.

Luminus’s specialty was backhanded tactics.

By using the faith of the warriors on the battlefield, their brains as computing

devices, as a medium to “parallel operations,” they’d be able to continuously cast

large-scale spells that would become God’s domain.

That was the true nature of Sanctuary, the ultimate technique of the gods.

Using this would make it possible to use holy magic beyond the limits of an

individual, but it was impossible in its current state—because prior preparation

was necessary to make use of someone else’s processing area.

To put it simply, only the spells I’d set up were usable.

In this case, there were only two options: “regeneration” that was constantly

active, and “resurgence” that would activate in an emergency. It was the optimal

solution if you considered it as support magic, but defeating Jahil required

“spiritual collapse” and "disintegration."

(I don't have the leeway to change the spell now. However, with my own mana

activated, it would be impossible to destroy this thing.)

First of all, the range is too small to hit.

[Spirit Collapse] and [Disintegration] would be faster than light if activated, but

before that, we needed to capture the target and surround it. This was the

difficult part, and it was said that powerful opponents would be able to handle

it.

After crushing the enemy and preventing them from moving, she unleashed her

[Spirit Disintegration] as the finishing blow. This was her ideal, but Luminus

knew she wasn’t strong enough.

In response to Luminus like that, even Jahil hadn’t let his guard down.

(You damned bastard! You might have a plan hidden somewhere, so it would be

foolish to attack carelessly.)

I don't know if I should call it that or not.

As their creator was the same, they had similar thoughts.

Of course, as a Jahil, I think I can do something even if I rely on brute force.

However, I was worried that in that case, I might be able to escape.

Jahil considered the Divine Ancestor, a god, and had been destroyed by

Luminus, who was right in front of him. If he didn’t get rid of her when he could

win, it might be his turn to be defeated next.

(Judging by the state of this battlefield, there's no sign of a trap like the one

that buried the Sacred Ancestor...)

Jahil laughs wickedly, thinking that if there were no traps, he would have won.

Then, cautiously, carefully, he creates the Ultimate Enchant, the Ultimate

Flame King, and the Inferno of Agni.

Luminus sensed danger.

(It's an incredible power, but what should I do~?)

Luminus was confident that she wouldn’t lose to an opponent who could push

through with simple power alone. But of course, there was a limit to that.

Against an opponent like Veldora, she was aware that no matter what plan she

devised and used her underhanded technique, she would never be able to defeat

it—because his recovery speed was faster than the damage she could inflict.

That's why it feels like I've been harassing her from start to finish, trying to

figure out where to drop it.

But I couldn’t get through to an opponent like Jahil.

Compared to Veldora, Jahil was nothing special, but...if they were going to fight

like this, it seemed like an uninteresting development for Luminus.

“Die!!”

Jahil’s great fireball fired, concealing the heat that burned through Luminus.

Instead of taking this head-on, she put up a compressed barrier around her

hands to parry the energy, and what she lacked was to activate Divine

Oscillation to prevent Luminus from dying instantly.

Luminus was standing on the ground, pushed by the great fireball. The ground

around her was boiling like magma, a testament to just how dangerously hot the

fireball had been.

However, Luminus had a cool look on her face.

“Don’t underestimate me!”

She turned to Jahil and spoke boldly.

I’ve already recovered the energy I’d lost through Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate

Skills, and Asmodeus, the Lord of Lust. If I’m just going to keep fighting for a

long time, I’ll do whatever it takes.

However, there was no conclusive way to defeat Jahil, and if she made one

wrong move, she was cornered. Maintaining a strong attitude so that he wouldn't

notice, she waited for Jahil to wear down and make a mistake.

Luminus was superior in terms of skill and level. She was praying that things

would improve while she still had this advantage.

At this point, Luminus's luck as a god would shine through, as unexpected help

appeared.

A beautifully dressed woman in a suit and two small girls, Kagali and Tear,

emerged.

“You must be the Demon Lord Luminus. That person is an enemy to us as well,

and we would like to fight together here. What do you think?” Kagali said,

offering her proposal with a sharp expression.

Luminus wasn’t going to turn this down.

Using anything you can use is both Luminus’s creed and her way of life.
“Very well. Do your best to be useful to me!!”

With that haughty declaration, they decided to join forces with Kagali and the

others.

Kagali and Tear had been tracking Jahil the entire time, making sure he didn’t

notice them.

Jahil possessed overwhelming power—

But his awareness of his surroundings was lacking.

Was it carelessness born from strength?

Or was it simply arrogance?

If he had been a true warrior, he would have noticed Kagali and Tear tailing

him.

But—

There was no sign that he had.

“I knew it. He only just woke up—he hasn’t even had time to hone his abilities.

Just as I thought.”

“Yeah, yeah. That means we at least have a way to fight him… But even so, we

can’t win on our own.”

While tracking Jahil, Kagali and Tear had been analysing his movements,

searching for weaknesses.

And they had reached a conclusion—

He wasn’t invincible.

However—

They also understood that they couldn’t defeat him alone.

They needed something else.

And as they searched for that missing piece—

They had arrived at the site of a fierce battle—Damargania.

Jahil’s target was Demon Lord Luminus.

The girl many had assumed to be the servant of Demon Lord Roy Valentine—

Was, in reality, an ancient being who had lived even longer than Kagali.

Kagali had learned this truth after witnessing the worldwide projections of the

battle.

Luminus’s combat prowess far exceeded Kagali’s—

And yet—

Even she stood no chance against Jahil.

That was Kagali’s assessment.

Even if she and Tear joined the fight—

They had no chance of winning.

However—

Jahil wasn’t the only enemy.

If they let Luminus die here—

Humanity itself would fall to the Cryptids.

(How laughable…)

Kagali sneered at herself.

She had wanted revenge for her fallen comrades—

But that was already impossible.

If she had waited until the last possible moment to strike—

She might have gotten her chance.

But instead—

She had chosen to fight for humanity’s survival.

(So, I’m still clinging to life after all…)

The realization surprised her.

And as if she had seen straight through Kagali’s thoughts—

Luminus spoke.

“You two have quite the thankless role, don’t you?”

“Oh? Are you trying to comfort me? Or have you already given up?”

“Silence. Even if you die, I will bring you back to life—so fight like your life

depends on it.”

Don’t give up.

That was what she meant.

“Of course.”

Kagali nodded firmly.

Even if they couldn’t defeat Jahil now—

Reinforcements would surely arrive.

If Benimaru was here—

Their chances of victory would skyrocket.

And countless other powerful warriors served under Demon Lord Rimuru.

Judging by their senses, those reinforcements hadn’t arrived yet—

But if they bought enough time, they would come.

And when that moment came—

They would strike back and destroy Jahil.

Hope gave them strength.

For Kagali—

For Tear, who believed in her—

And even for Luminus, who now had a reason to keep fighting.

However—

Things don’t always go as planned.

And in the next instant—

A scorching beam tore through Tear—

Splitting her in half as she shielded Kagali.

“Wha—!?”

Kagali gasped in horror.

And then—

She realized that her own chest had been burned straight through.

Her consciousness began to fade.

“I won’t let you!!”

[Resurrection!]
A divine light engulfed both Tear and Kagali—

And in the next moment—

They were revived.

However—

"Hmph!!"

Jahil had already moved.

He had found an opening—

And in that instant—

His massive arm struck Luminus, sending her flying.

A follow-up barrage engulfed her in flames.

They had underestimated Jahil.

If the gap in strength had been overwhelming, things might have been

different.

But their advantage wasn’t enough to overturn his sheer raw power.

And beyond that—

Even while using "Magic Sense" to perceive the entire battlefield, Luminus had

failed to sense the danger.

She wasn’t dead.

This wasn’t enough to kill Luminus.

However—

It was undeniably a crippling blow.

Though heavily injured, she automatically activated her magic—

Healing herself as she stood back up.

And with a smirk, she brushed it off.

As if to say—

"This is nothing."

However—

Jahil wasn’t fooled by such an act.

“GYAHAHAHA! I knew it!!”

“You can’t use that technique—the one that defeated the Sacred Ancestor—

right now, can you!?”

Jahil didn’t fully understand Luminus’s powers.

But judging from the circumstances of the Sacred Ancestor’s defeat—

He had correctly deduced that it was due to a powerful ability—

[Disintegration].

A technique she would only unleash at the decisive moment—

In order to turn the tables.

And that was why—

He had attacked her while holding back.

If he had gone all out, he wouldn’t have been able to defend properly.

So, he had deliberately created an opening.

And yet—

Luminus hadn’t reacted.

(No—it's not that she didn’t react—)

(She COULDN’T.)

At that moment—

Jahil was absolutely certain of his victory.

Tear and Kagali, revived by Luminus, were painfully aware of how naïve their

judgment had been.

“Oh my, this is rough.”

“Kagali-sama, what should we do? Should we run?”

Right now, Jahil’s attention was entirely on Luminus.

If it was just the two of them, they could have used this chance to retreat.

However—

Kagali rejected the idea outright.

“No, Tear. Even if we run now, we’ll still be losers.”

Even if they survived, they would be miserable—

Until the day the world was destroyed.

Rather than live like that, Kagali wanted to shine in her final moments.

She had made up her mind.

She would die here.

“Laplace… Yuuki-sama… They died protecting me.”

“That’s why I should live—survive until the very end.”

“But if I do that and remain miserable, then what’s the point?”

“They wouldn’t want that.”

“I refuse to let their deaths be meaningless.”

Kagali couldn’t accept it.

So, she chose to fight.

Without running away.

She raised her [Scepter of Ruin].

She unleashed her Ultimate Gift, [Agastia: The Book of Prophecy], pushing it

to its absolute limits—

Using Predictive Calculation to foresee Jahil’s next move.

Tear did the same.

She wielded her [Tear Scythe], activating her Ultimate Gift, [Orpheus: The

Performer of Joy], releasing her full power.

"Even if I burn out in this instant—"

"I’ll drag you down with me!!"

“The grudge I bear for Footman, Laplace, and Boss…”

“I’ll never forgive you for taking them from me!!”

Kagali and Tear charged in perfect sync.

Jahil, who had been about to finish off Luminus, couldn’t ignore them.

A direct hit wouldn’t kill him—

But it wouldn’t leave him unscathed, either.

And he knew from their last fight that leaving them unchecked would only

cause trouble.
"Tch. Filthy little dolls…! Getting ahead of yourselves!!"

Jahil abandoned Luminus and decided to deal with Kagali and Tear first.

He launched a massive fireball, aiming to incinerate them completely.

But—

They didn’t panic.

Jahil’s reaction speed was even faster than they had predicted—

But even that possibility had been accounted for.

This was an all-or-nothing attack.

A final gamble—

Even if they died, they would at least land one solid hit.

The fireball closed in.

Before it could consume them—

They threw everything into one final strike.

But—

In that exact moment—

A black whirlwind swept through the battlefield—

Snatching up Kagali and Tear—

And blowing past Jahil.

The fireball soared harmlessly into the empty sky—

Leaving behind only the scent of scorched air.

And as the two women hit the ground—

A figure stood before them.

A woman—

Dressed in a maid’s uniform.

She had dark skin.

Her gray hair was tied into braids.

And behind her faceless mask—

Two amethyst eyes glowed.

"Who the hell are you!?"

"No-Face. The Heartless Clown."

"Tch… Annoying little pest!"

Jahil hurled another fireball—

But the masked woman—

Eva—

Dodged effortlessly.

Her movements were light—

Graceful.

But even the aftershock of the fireball burned her flesh.

“What are you doing, Eva!? Run!!”

Kagali shouted.

But the masked woman stood firm.

"Kagali-sama, you must retreat."

"As long as you are safe, my life has meaning."

“Don’t be ridic—”

“I failed to protect Lord Clayman.”

“But even I… have my pride!!”

"Please… retreat."

Eva wouldn’t back down.

She was a Dark Elf, a woman who had served Kagali since her days as a

princess.

A shadow member of the Moderate Clown Troupe, tasked with managing the

ancient city of Amrita in the Puppet Nation of Jistav.

After Kazalim and Clayman’s deaths, she had all but disappeared—

Living as a mere elder of the Dark Elves.

She had reunited with Kagali when welcoming Rimuru’s party, and had been

assigned a new mission—

To observe Demon Lord Rimuru—

And to cooperate with him just enough to avoid suspicion.

But now—

With the world on the brink of destruction—

She couldn’t stay silent any longer.

She had abandoned everything—

To protect Kagali and Tear.

Not even Kagali’s orders would make her run.

Eva was not a Deathman.

If she died, she wouldn’t come back.

But that didn’t matter.

As long as she could buy them time—

She would gladly give her life.

Her entire existence—

Had led to this very moment.

Eva’s energy level was barely 200,000.

For an ordinary demon lord’s subordinate, that was impressive.

But against Jahil—

She was nothing.

Yet still—

She stood her ground.

She had no tricks.

No hidden powers.

Just her mastery of combat—

And inhuman speed.

It was suicide.

"Stop… stop it already!!"

Kagali’s desperate scream echoed across the battlefield.

Eva’s clothes began to burn.

Her mask melted away—

Revealing her true face.

She was smiling.

And in stark contrast—

Jahil grinned with cruelty.

He had already figured out how to deal with her.

Instead of aiming for her directly—

He would simply burn everything.

Even in his rage, Jahil was no fool.

If he remained calm, he could easily end this.

And after listening to Kagali and Tear’s pathetic little drama—

He was disgusted.

Annoyed.

He would erase them all.

"You pests…"

"I’ll show you the pain of the FLAME PRISON!!"

"BURN. REPENT. AND DIE IN AGONY!!"

Jahil sneered.

Everything was going exactly as he planned.

Kagali and Tear had stepped in front of Eva—

Trying to protect her.

(Fools. The weak always huddle together…)

(But to protect someone weaker and die in the process—)

(How utterly pathetic.)

It was deja vu.

Just like Yuuki and Laplace—

Throwing their lives away to save a comrade.

And now—

The very woman they had protected—

Was about to die the same way.

It was hilarious.

And as Jahil laughed—

He prepared to end them all.

Luminus’s plan failed.

Because—

Jahil had infused his Divine Progenitor’s Blood Spear, Origin Blood, into his

most powerful fireball.

Small fry like Eva were one thing—

But Kagali and Tear were different.

As Super-Class Awakeners—

Their resistance was exceptionally high.

Jahil knew this.

So, he aimed to erase them completely.

To burn them to nothing.

To leave not even a trace of bone.

That way—

Even Luminus’s Resurrection would fail.

Even if she succeeded—

It would take far too long.

Jahil thought through all of this in the blink of an eye.

And now—

His unstoppable fireball was complete.

The moment it was unleashed—

It expanded—

Ready to engulf them in a scorching hell.

But—

It vanished.

With a small, pitiful ‘pop.’

“—Huh?”

Jahil froze.

For the first time in ages—

His mind failed to keep up with reality.

The fireball should have flashed out—

Burned through everything.

And yet—

There was nothing.

Only lingering steam.

Drifting.

Faint.

“I-Impossible…”

Through the steam—

Figures moved.

Kagali.

Tear.

Eva.

Completely unharmed.

Anger flared in Jahil’s chest.

He refused to believe it was luck.

A fluke like that wouldn’t happen twice.

He shoved aside his confusion.

And prepared his next attack.

But then—

A voice cut through the battlefield.

Cheerful.
Lighthearted.

Out of place.

“Sorry for the wait, everyone!”

Jahil’s breath caught.

He knew that voice.

Because—

He had killed its owner.

“You—!? How are you still alive!?”

“Boss!? You’re safe!?”

“Yuuki-sama! Fufufu, I should’ve known you’d be this stubborn.”

Tear and Kagali’s voices—

A mix of shock and joy.

Because standing there—

Was Yuuki Kagurazaka.

The man who should have died.

Holding a mysterious woman in his arms.

Standing boldly in the battlefield.

And beside him—

One more figure.

“Y’all just gonna ignore me, huh…?”

Laplace muttered.
But his voice was completely drowned out—

By the shouts of joy.

Mai Kojou—Mai Furuki—was unable to grasp her situation.

Honestly, it was a wonder she was still alive.

She had intended to perish alongside Vega, leaping into some unknown

interdimensional void. That much had gone according to plan. However, she had

then been caught in an unbelievably massive space-time storm. The moment she

lost consciousness, she had resigned herself to death—yet, for some reason,

she had woken up.

The raging currents of energy had transcended time, space, and dimensions—so

vast in scale that someone like Mai couldn't even begin to measure it.

It was nothing short of a miracle that she had survived being engulfed by such

an immense supernatural phenomenon.

That said, miracles only went so far.

With no idea where she was, Mai had no means of taking action.

There was no ground beneath her feet—no atmosphere to breathe. No sense of

direction, no up or down, no left or right. Nothing to see.

—No, that wasn’t quite right.

Vivid, rainbow-colored beams of light traced geometric patterns in the void.

They weren’t deliberately drawn symbols—more like snowflakes, forming

naturally. A sight both mesmerizing and terrifying—like a final vision before

death.

Would she simply drift here forever, unable to do anything?

Would her life end the moment her energy ran out?

That was what she had assumed.

But she had been mistaken.

"Hey, you're awake?"

A voice—spoken so casually—reached her.

No, not a voice. A thought.

This place, the space between dimensions, lacked air—lacked everything. There

were magicules here, but inconsistently so, and even if one tried to speak, there

would be no sound.

Yet, that "voice" was familiar.

"Huh? Wait... Yuuki-kun!?"

Someone who shouldn’t be here.

The one who had found Mai when she had first stumbled into another world, lost

and helpless—the benefactor who had taken care of her.

Cunning, unfathomable, and more reliable than anyone.

Though he appeared young, Mai had always suspected he was much older than

her. Otherwise, nothing about him would make sense.

He had been summoned to an alternate world known as the Axis World, where

he had established himself within the Empire in just over a decade. He had

burned with ambition for world conquest—

—Until the day Mai had heard of his death at the hands of the Great Emperor

of Magic, Jahil.
She had despaired. She had believed that if anyone could find a way back to

their original world, it would have been Yuuki.

So, if she was hearing his voice now—

"Ah—ahaha. This must be an auditory hallucination, right? I guess this is the

kind of thing people hear before they die."

"No, I'm right here."

"Haha! No need for such a realistic explanation. It’s just a dream anyway. Still, I

didn’t expect this. I always thought you were reliable, Yuuki-kun, but I never

imagined you were important enough for me to remember at the moment of my

death."

Mai didn't believe it.

This had to be a dying hallucination.

She hadn’t been particularly fond of him—had she? Was this some kind of

romantic longing? Well, if it was just a hallucination, she might as well indulge in

such girlish fantasies.

However, the illusion refused to fade. Instead, the conversation between Yuuki

and someone else seeped into her consciousness.

"Hmm. This space has no light or anything... Maybe she just can’t perceive us

yet?"

"Yeah, took us a while to get used to it too. No way this little miss is gonna

manage right away."

"Well, it’s not like we’re in a hurry."

"Not like time even flows here, does it?"

"Good question..."
"So even Boss doesn’t know, huh..."

What was she supposed to do?

What if—just maybe—this wasn’t a dream or hallucination?

What if this was real?

She couldn't shake the feeling that it was.

And, just as they had said, Mai’s eyes began to make out faint silhouettes.

Even in this void, one could grasp their surroundings at close range by utilizing

Thought Transmission through magicules or detecting magical essence via Magic

Sense.

Yuuki had ensured that magicules wouldn’t disperse from this space with his

authority—but that was irrelevant to Mai.

The real issue was that, the moment she adapted, she was able to perceive

Yuuki and the others.

"Wait... is it really you, Yuuki-kun?"

"I'm here too!"

"Huh? Laplace-san?"

"That’s me!"

At last, Mai was certain.

Ah, this is real.

And then, as realization struck, so did the memory of the ridiculous things she

had said aloud—

—A surge of embarrassment overwhelmed her.

"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhh—!!"

She screamed—though no sound escaped—letting her mortification echo in her

heart.

We wait for Mai to calm down, then regroup.

“So, Yuuki-sama, what’s the situation right now?”

“It’s a little late for that, so you don’t have to add ‘sama’ to it.”

“...All right.”

Mai gave up on trying to hide it. She switched gears and looked around, trying to

process the situation.

What I understood was that Mai and the others were still floating between

dimensions.

It was thanks to Yuuki’s mysterious barrier that Magic Sense had activated

even in the other world.

It’s called darkness just a step ahead, but outside the barrier really was an

unknown world.

I can see a shining rainbow in the distance, but I can't see what's there at all.

A rainbow-colored sphere bulged out very close by, bursting and vanishing.

I had no idea what had happened, but I guessed it was an outrageous situation.

Mai gave up on trying to understand what was happening outside and returned

her gaze to the barrier.

“I don’t seem to be able to recognize it clearly yet. It’s Laplace, but it looks like

he only has an upper body...”

Mai declared herself a little anxiously, and Laplace laughed it off.

"Don't worry, that's the right answer. He lost his lower body when Jahil blew

him away."

This isn’t funny, Mai thought, but she was relieved to know that her perception

wasn’t strange.

"Ahaha, isn’t it interesting? Well, it’s Laplace, so there’s no problem!"

"No, no, there’s a problem! If we revive him like this, his lower body will be

completely exposed, won’t it?"

"Why don’t you just make some clothes out of magicules?"

"When you put it like that, you’re so blunt, aren’t you? He’s always the one to

butt in, so I wanna play dumb sometimes!"

"No, no, you’re mostly playing dumb too, y’know?"

Mai was greatly exasperated that it would be difficult for the commentator to

be absent.

However, thanks to their comedy routine, Mai's oppressive mood also recovered.

I can't see any hope in the future, but I feel like I'll be able to do something

about it, so it's strange.

"So~"

Then, with a serious look on his face, Yuuki asked Mai a question.

Mai was forced to explain in detail what had happened since then, since she had

plenty of time.

“I see. So, the demon lord Milim went berserk, Feldway manipulated it, and

Rimuru-san was forced to jump and went missing.”

“What’s this? Things are getting really serious.”

“And on top of that, you’ve got Ivarage waiting for you, right? I’m sure the

world’s hopelessly chaotic.”

“It’s someone else’s problem.”

“Well, yeah. I mean, we’re in this situation, y’know? Even if we want to do

something, we can’t do anything, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”

“You know, like how everyone works together to do something about that...”

Laplace charged at the easy-going Yuuki, but his words turned into a tailspin

dragonfly.

“So even you can’t do anything after all, Yuuki-kun?”

“Well, yeah, I’ve been trying a lot of things.”

As a matter of fact, Yuuki had also tried everything he could. Thanks to that,

even though he had been teleported to such an incomprehensible place, he

successfully put up a "barrier" and managed to protect himself with remarkable

skill.

"It's nothing more than a stopgap measure. At this rate, it'll eventually

disappear..."

『This place, you know... time doesn’t even seem to flow here.』

"Huh?"

『Huh?』

That was the answer to Laplace’s earlier question.

Even Yuuki wasn't confident in his explanation, but there was no other way to

rationalize it.
『Hmm... I’ve been observing for a while, and I noticed earlier—a rainbow-

colored sphere expanded and then disappeared, right? I think that was probably

a world, a universe.』

『A universe?』

『A single world... you mean...?』

『Inside that sphere, time flows. It seems like the aftermath of that creates a

time flow in the surrounding area too, but... we can’t perceive it.』

Strictly speaking, time was flowing. However, since there was no way to observe

it, Yuuki could only make an educated guess—either "time isn’t flowing" or "it's

flowing at an extremely slow rate"—based on the fact that he wasn’t feeling any

fatigue or hunger.

Yuuki couldn't interfere with or even observe the "Informational Particles." So,

his conclusion was purely theoretical, yet his genius had allowed him to arrive at

the correct answer.

Not that it mattered, since they had no means of returning...

『Then, does that mean one of those rainbow-colored spheres is the world we

came from?』

『I don’t think so. I believe those are derivative worlds. Each light sphere

appears and disappears at different intervals.』

Judging by the energy they could observe, it seemed highly unlikely that any of

the visible spheres were connected to the world Yuuki and the others had come

from.

Mai agreed with Yuuki's assessment.

『That’s true. If it were somewhere within sight, I’d be able to return with my

ability...』

Even with Mai's computational prowess, she had already deduced that the

coordinates of their current location were vastly different from those of their

original world.

Mai’s [Ultimate Skill] 『[Star King] (Terra Master)』 allowed her to perform

"space-time jumps," but it required three things:

1. The coordinates of her current location

2. The coordinates of her destination

3. The energy necessary to make the jump

If she were on a planet, the energy required wouldn’t be too significant, making

it a highly practical ability.

Because of that, Mai always memorized the coordinates of places she had been

before. However, realizing that she had no way of determining her current

coordinates, she had already given up on returning home.

After explaining the situation, Laplace let out a heavy sigh and hung his head.

『So, it’s checkmate, huh?』

He had been hoping that Mai’s ability might be able to get them home, so his

disappointment was palpable.

It was an understandable reaction, but Yuuki's response was different.

『Wait a second... Has your ability evolved, Mai?』

『Huh? Well, yeah. That princess, Shuna, worked on my ability for me—』

Mai explained the circumstances.

In order to free themselves from Feldway’s "Domination," they had tampered

with their own abilities. As a result, Mai's power had become even easier to

control.

She had nothing but admiration for Shuna, who had effortlessly performed

something that Mai herself couldn't even comprehend.

『Man, that’s just crazy. Not just that slime, but even his companions are

freaks.』

『Agreed. Can you not talk about messing with other people’s abilities like it’s a

normal thing?』

Even Yuuki, upon hearing Mai’s explanation, could only shake his head in

exasperation.

But at the same time, a certain hypothesis formed in his mind.

『By the way, Mai—how do you think you ended up jumping all the way here?』

『Eh...?』

Mai had no answer.

After all, she had just found herself here without knowing how it happened. She

hadn't consciously activated her ability, so of course, she couldn't explain it.

『You think it was just a coincidence?』

『Umm... well...』

Now that he mentioned it, it did seem unnatural.

The odds of running into someone she knew in this dimensional void at the very

edge of existence were practically zero.

『What happened when you were drifting with Vega?』

Prodded by the question, Mai recalled—

She had been caught in a powerful space-time storm and was separated from

Vega, flung away on her own.

『...A powerful space-time storm, huh?』

Hearing that, Yuuki understood.

But instead of voicing his realization, he urged Mai to continue.

『Yeah. It was so massive that I couldn’t even grasp the full scope of it... It was

far too big to be considered a simple supernatural phenomenon.』

『And yet, you survived?』

『I know, right? It’s weird. I don’t know if I’d call it luck, but... it definitely

wasn’t misfortune.』

Mai replied, though not with much confidence.

Yuuki didn't respond, deep in thought.

『Oi, oi, what’s going on? If you figured something out, don’t keep it to yourself!
』

『H-Hey! Don’t interrupt him!』

『Still siding with the boss as always, huh, Mai-chan?』

『I-It's not like that!』

Yuuki had only been thinking for a few seconds—at least, by his perception.

But in a place like this, where the very concept of time was warped, there was

no way to know for sure.

Regardless, he finally posed the crucial question to confirm his theory.

『So, Mai—what were you thinking about at the very last moment?』

Was it the place she wanted to return to?

Or was it the person she wanted to see?

Whatever it was, there was no doubt in Yuuki's mind that it had influenced

Mai's ability.

Mai hesitated before answering.

『Th-That’s...』

She remembered.

The last thing on her mind had been Yuuki.

『Just... a little... I was thinking about how you encouraged me, Yuuki-kun...』

Mai mumbled, barely audible.

She wanted to insist that "it wasn’t like that!" but the more she said, the worse

it would sound.

『No, really! It’s not like I have any feelings like that, okay?!』

With that desperate rebuttal, she clamped her mouth shut.

But Yuuki had already heard enough.

Of course, he wasn't thinking about it in a romantic sense. He had simply

deduced the true nature of Mai's power.

『Yeah, yeah, I get it. More importantly, I figured out how your ability has

changed.』

『Huh? Oh, well, that’s fine, I guess—Wait, what?!』

Yuuki's disinterested response made Mai feel oddly dejected.

Even worse, Laplace was looking at her with pity in his eyes.

Like she was some tragic case.

Mai wanted to scream that they were wrong.

Of course, she relied on Yuuki, but it wasn’t like that! Yet, having her feelings

completely brushed aside like this still stung her pride as a woman.

But before she could protest further, Yuuki dropped a bombshell.

『Probably... If you use your ability, you’ll be able to go wherever you want.』

『Wait... does that mean...?』

『That’s right. You can go home!』

Yuuki truly was a genius.

After all, just by listening to Mai’s explanation, he had completely grasped the

essence of 『[Star King] (Terra Master)』.

That power----the ability to transcend time and space and reach the place you

desire-- --was correctly inferred. This was truly amazing.

However, even if that was clear, the energy problem hadn't been resolved.

Yuuki thought.

He considered a plan—using [Greedy King] [Mammon]’s [Skill Steal] to take Mai’s

power and try wielding it himself.

However, he didn’t believe that alone would be enough to get him home.

While Yuuki did possess more energy in comparison, the difference wasn’t so

vast that it would guarantee success. Reaching the coordinates necessary for

his return was a gamble he couldn’t expect much from.

More than that, he needed to think of another way.

(Yeah… What if I steal [Star Realm King] [Terra Master] from Mai first, then

use [Life-Stealing Palm] [Steal Life] to focus the energy?)

He could gather Laplace’s and Mai’s energy, concentrate it within himself, and

use that power to make a single, decisive leap. It seemed like a plausible

approach—until Yuuki immediately reconsidered and dismissed the idea.

That method would place the entire burden on him. To return, an intense will

would be required, and Yuuki was keenly aware that his own alone wouldn’t be

enough.

Besides—

(Something’s been bothering me from the start… The fact that the three of us

ended up here together. A space-time storm? Encountering something as rare as

the birth of a universe, surviving it unscathed, and then conveniently getting

thrown into a place where I know people? No way that’s just coincidence.)

No, it was inevitable.

Someone—or rather, the only person who came to mind—must have had a hand in

this.

If that was the case, then the fact that all three of them were gathered here

must hold meaning.

(Right… The one who wants to go home the most is probably Laplace. If we use

that desire as our coordinate target, then synchronize and concentrate our

energy—mine, Laplace’s, and Mai’s—toward that goal…)

Yuuki had a desire to rule, to reshape the world into something better. But it

didn’t necessarily have to be the Fundamental World.

The same went for Mai. The world she wished to return to was her original one.
For those reasons, using Laplace’s desire to set their target coordinates was

the optimal choice.

Next came the energy issue—this was going to be the real challenge.

Yuuki had devised a method to transfer both his and Laplace’s energy to Mai,

but executing it would be extremely difficult. If he were simply manipulating

the stolen energy himself, that would be one thing—but he had to synchronize it

with Mai’s power and maintain a smooth transfer without forcing it.

Moreover, Laplace wasn’t in peak condition. If he miscalculated the balance even

slightly, everything would end then and there. It required extreme precision,

leaving no room for even the slightest error.

Mai’s ability was delicate. The introduction of external energy could have

unpredictable effects, and if synchronization failed, reaching their destination

would become impossible.

(It’s our best shot, so we have no choice but to go for it… but damn, this is like

walking a tightrope…)

He had to maintain constant control over his abilities while ensuring that both

his and Laplace’s power were in perfect harmony with Mai’s—a feat much easier

said than done. Yuuki hesitated to commit to the plan because, in this case,

failure was simply not an option.

In a place like this—an interstice between dimensions—any lost energy would

never be recovered. There was only one chance.

Even for someone as confident as Yuuki, it was only natural to approach this

with caution.

Just then—
《How pathetic, how pathetic.》

A voice—one he recognized—rang out in Yuuki’s mind.

(Huh?)

Irritation flared within him.

That voice—it was unmistakably the same as that of the girl he could only call

his archenemy.

(The hell do you want?)

Even though he thought it was ridiculous, Yuuki responded to the voice. A small

part of him still hoped it was just an auditory hallucination, but—

《I am Maria. Maria.》

(… … … …)

Yuuki momentarily abandoned all thought. When his mind rebooted, he almost

shouted, don’t mess with me.

Maria=Mariabelle was a name he would never forget. She had tormented him for

far too long, interfering with his plans to seize complete control over the

Western Nations. Even now, after crushing her with his own hands, the grudge

remained fresh in his memory.

And yet, for some reason, Mariabelle was now speaking directly into his mind.

That was something Yuuki could not ignore.

In truth—this entity calling itself "Maria"…

When Masayuki unleashed the true power of the Ultimate Skill, Hero King

(Shinnar Eiyuu), Mariabelle was also summoned alongside Granbell.

However, because they manifested by using Yuuki's very soul as a guidepost,

they ended up in a completely incomprehensible place.

Had things been left as they were, they would have simply faded away. But

Mariabelle's strong sense of self refused to accept such an end. If she didn’t

exact revenge on Yuuki, the one who had killed her, then the name Mariabelle

of Greed would be tarnished—such was her conviction.

That, however, was her mistake.

Had she simply departed quietly after leaving behind a few complaints or curses,

things would have been fine. Instead, she came up with the idea of imprinting

her consciousness onto Yuuki’s Authority…

A perfect example of how being too clever for one’s own good can be a

problem.

Since Einherjar (Shiseru Eiyuu) is fundamentally an Information Lifeform

(Digital Nature)—a being composed entirely of data—Mariabelle assumed that

she could inscribe her own self-information into an Authority.

And when she actually tried it, it worked far better than she had anticipated.

Yuuki’s Ultimate Skill, King of Greed (Mammon) was originally the evolved form

of Mariabelle’s Unique Skill, Greed (Gurīdo). Perhaps because of that, it was

highly compatible with Mariabelle. It was as if she had returned to a long-lost

home, settling into place without resistance.

What’s more, at that time, the previous will that had dwelled within Yuuki’s King

of Greed had already been annihilated, leaving behind a mysterious void. As a

result, Mariabelle slipped right into it.

So far, so good.
But then, something unexpected happened to Mariabelle.

(—This is strange… No, this isn’t right. The Skill isn’t eroding me… I’m the one

trying to take over the Authority!?)

Yes.

By the time she realized it, it was already too late.

Mariabelle was the very embodiment of greed—it wouldn’t have been wrong to

call her a King of Greed herself. Her compatibility with King of Greed

(Mammon) was so perfect that she ended up fusing with it, completely

integrating into the Authority.

To put it simply, she had merged with King of Greed.

Even for Mariabelle, this was an unforeseen miscalculation. She had only

intended to lightly harass Yuuki—but now, she found herself trapped, unable to

escape with her own power.

Thus, even after Mariabelle the Dead Hero disappeared following Masayuki’s

deactivation of his Authority, a new being remained—one that had

unintentionally become Yuuki’s Manas, a divine intelligence core.

From Mariabelle’s perspective, this might have been unexpected.

From Yuuki’s perspective, however—

It was a nightmare.

(—Oi, oi, what the hell is this ‘Maria’ supposed to be? She’s Mariabelle herself,

dammit!)

Yuuki groaned in frustration.

In response, the voice casually brushed him off.

《I don’t know. I don’t know. I am Maria. I am not Mariabelle.》

In truth, even Maria herself didn’t fully understand whether she was Mariabelle

or not.

The moment she completely fused with the Authority and became a Manas; her

sense of self and memories had been separated. She still possessed Mariabelle’s

memories, but they now felt more like referenceable data rather than a

personal past.

That said—

Her personality remained entirely the same.

Which is exactly why Yuuki wanted to complain—her personality, her voice, her

way of speaking—everything was just like Mariabelle!

And worst of all…

She was now an embodiment of Authority itself—ignoring her wasn’t even an

option.

Yuuki sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

But at the same time, he was someone who believed in using whatever was

available to him. He quickly shifted his mindset.

(Hmph. So, what exactly are you offering to help with?)

《I will handle the Authority’s computation and control. You just need to focus

on synchronization.》

Yuuki’s eyes narrowed.

(I see… So, you’re saying that you’ll efficiently extract energy from Laplace

while converting my desires into pure energy? If that’s actually possible, then…

you might be more useful than I thought.)

By setting Laplace’s will as the guiding beacon, she could continuously supply Mai

with the optimal energy. If it was only this much, Yuuki could probably manage

on his own.

(…And? Can I really trust you?)

《What a foolish question. A foolish question indeed.》

《I, for one, want to continue tormenting you. Forever.》

《So obviously, I can’t let you die in a place like this.》

Yuuki grimaced.

What a thoroughly unpleasant answer.

But, at the same time, it was so typically Mariabelle that he almost laughed.

That incarnation of greed—there’s no way she would destroy her newly acquired

toy so easily.

Besides—

If he couldn’t trust her, then he’d simply die here.

(…Fine. I’ll leave our fate in your hands.)

《Leave it to me.》

And thus, a pact was formed.

Two beings of insatiable greed—

The worst possible duo was born.

Yuuki lifted his head and declared.

"Alright, the three of us will work together and make it back home!"

With a bright smile, Yuuki exuded absolute confidence.

Seeing this, Laplace and Mai also felt the same resolve—

《It’s not three. It’s four.》

(Shut up. You’re just my partner... or maybe an extra.)

Yuuki lightly brushed off Maria, who had started saying something troublesome.

It seemed he had already mastered how to handle this pesky cohabitant.

And with that, their course of action was decided.

From the far reaches of an unknown realm, lost in the crevice between

dimensions, the wanderers leapt into the void, dreaming of their return.

And now.

Yuuki stood before Jahil.

Laplace, along with Mai, had also fully recovered after receiving healing support

from Luminus.

This time, he had made sure not to end up with his lower body exposed—so it

seemed he had taken proper precautions.

As Yuuki smirked fearlessly, Jahil ground his teeth in frustration.

"You little insect."

He spat out the words, but immediately after, Jahil let out a wicked laugh.

"I am surprised you’re still alive, but in the end, you are nothing more than a

small fry. I suppose you nullified my power somehow, but there will be no next

time."
Jahil had already uncovered Yuuki’s secret. He had confirmed that a sheer,

overwhelming force could not simply be erased.

That was why he remained so composed.

Yet, Yuuki did not waver.

"You know, just because something worked once doesn’t mean it’ll work again.

That kind of assumption is what leads to downfall."

These words came from his own experience.

That was precisely why they carried weight—but Jahil only scoffed at them.

"Gehahahaha! Don’t spout nonsense, small fry! Do not think to place me, the

Great Magic Emperor, in the same category as insignificant wretches like you!"

Laughing loudly, Jahil casually hurled a massive sphere of energy toward Yuuki.

It was the very embodiment of his battle aura, its sheer pressure causing the

air to groan.

Jahil was no longer in a weakened state.

He had now fully grasped his own power, wielding the pure force of destruction

as he pleased.

Without even needing to charge up, he unleashed sheer violence—Yuuki should

have been facing certain doom.

—Or so it should have been.

Yet the outcome was shocking.

"That’s pointless."

Yuuki spoke in an easygoing tone as he casually deflected Jahil’s attack with his

left hand.
"—What?"

Jahil was stunned, unable to comprehend what had just happened.

"…Boss, what exactly did ya just do?"

Even Laplace, despite being on Yuuki’s side, couldn’t help but ask.

Hearing this, Yuuki flashed a mischievous grin.

"Simple. Unreinforced raw power is basically asking to be stolen by me."

He explained, grinning all the while.

His demeanour was utterly composed, completely looking down on Jahil.

But in reality, it had been a very close gamble.

(Phew, looks like that worked.)

《Of course it worked. I’m here, after all.》

(And that’s exactly why I’m worried…)

Yuuki thought to himself but made sure to bury that thought deep so Maria

wouldn’t catch on.

Yuuki’s Ultimate Skill 『King of Greed (Mammon)』 was specialized in stealing,

as he had explained before.

However, it naturally had its limits.

Having suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Velgrind, Yuuki had learned

that lesson the hard way.

That was why, this time, he played it smart.

"I failed against Velgrind, but—"

"I’m right here, you know? And I don’t appreciate you addressing me so

casually."

Yuuki stiffened.

(Damn, I was trying to rile up Jahil, but I got an unexpected interference...)

He had been in the middle of scanning the battlefield to assess who was

present. Since he hadn’t noticed Velgrind, he had absentmindedly blurted out

her name.

He never expected her to actually be here, which led to this unexpected

misstep.

(Seriously, she’s way too good at hiding her presence. Dragons should act more

like dragons and radiate some damn energy.)

Suppressing the complaints he couldn’t voice aloud, Yuuki corrected himself.

"I failed against Velgrind-sama, but someone like you was a piece of cake!"

"Good. It’s nice to see you can admit things properly. I’ll let that little slip of

the tongue slide."

"Much obliged."

At this point, Yuuki was more wary of Velgrind than Jahil.

Seeing this, Masayuki thought to himself—

(Ah… Even Yuuki-san has a hard time dealing with Velgrind-sama…)

His respect for Yuuki had already been high, but now he felt even more

camaraderie toward him.

In contrast, Jahil looked furious.

"You stole my power?"

"That’s right. But this time, I didn’t get greedy. I shared the excess power I

couldn’t control with everyone else."

Yuuki answered calmly.

Rather than absorbing all of Jahil’s energy with 『Steal Life』, he only took in

as much as he could manage, while distributing the rest.

This way, he avoided repeating his failure against Velgrind.

This, too, was an unexpected but successful application of his 『Dimensional

Leap』 technique.

With Maria now acting as his Manas (Divine Intellect Core), he was able to

control even vast amounts of energy.

Just as Yuuki had said, the benefits extended to those around him as well.

By distributing the energy, he had taken, Laplace and the others had also fully

recovered.

Even Mai, Kagali, Tear, and Eva—everyone had regained their full strength.

With Luminus’s recovery magic in the mix, they were now in perfect condition.

"Damn, I don’t feel like we can lose now."

"Right?"

"Boss really is incredible!"

"Well, of course~♪"

Yuuki exchanged playful banter with Laplace and Tear.

To Kagali, this was the Yuuki she knew—the reliable Boss who never lost to

anyone.

And so, she couldn’t help but ask—

"So then, Yuuki-sama… Are you really planning to fight Jahil yourself?"

At this, Yuuki smirked fearlessly.

"Fight? Nah. I’m just gonna crush him really quick and be done with it."

Half bluff, half serious.

Yuuki had already devised a way to defeat Jahil.

"Are you serious?"

"Pretty much. I know I’m stealing your revenge target, but I hope you can

forgive me for that?"

Yuuki turned to Kagali and gave her a playful wink.

To anyone else, it might have seemed like a joke.

But Kagali knew better.

Yuuki was the type who always followed through on his words.

That was why—

She entrusted it to him.

And so, the battle between the Great Emperor of Magic, Jahil, and the demon

Yuuki began.

"Can I leave it to the boss?"

"Laplace, what's important is friendship, hard work, and victory, y ‘know? It's

hard to understand why you're trying to abandon friendship."

"Ahaha, that's not true. Even if I step in, I'd just be in the way, so as long as

the most important thing—victory—remains, it's all good!"

"Well, yeah. Effort isn’t something you show to others, and I agree that results

are what matter."

Laughing together, Yuuki gestured to Laplace with just his eyes.

Laplace, accustomed to this, understood his intent and moved precisely.

Positioning himself to protect Kagali, Tear, Eva, and even Mai, he kept a close

watch on Yuuki and Jahil.

Then again, this action had another purpose.

(Well, if a stray attack comes our way, we’ll be dead in an instant, but I don’t

think the boss would mess up like that. Once Jahil is defeated, we retreat

immediately—that's the plan.)

That’s right. Yuuki had already considered withdrawing after defeating Jahil.

He was endlessly cunning and shrewd.

And so, the battle began, but everyone's expectations were divided.

Calgurio and Minitus, who were well aware of Yuuki’s craftiness, had an odd

sense of trust that even if he lost, he wouldn’t go down without causing trouble.

Luminous, however, believed Jahil had the advantage.

(That boy is quite skilled, but Jahil is on another level. If he were fighting

alongside his comrades, that would be one thing, but challenging him alone is

suicide.)

Even if Luminous was there to revive him, she judged Yuuki’s chances of victory

to be slim.

On the other hand, Velgrind disagreed.

(Hmm, he’s gotten quite strong. It’s incomparable to when he fought me.)
There was no major change in his visible strength—his energy hadn’t drastically

increased, nor had he obtained a [Mythical]-class [Gods] ability. Yet, Velgrind

felt like he was a completely different person.

Even with more than ten times the difference in existence value, a battle could

still be even. Someone as skilled as Testarossa had been able to stand against

Velgrind with sheer technique alone.

From her experience, Velgrind was deeply curious about what Yuuki was hiding.

Hinata was also present.

To her, Yuuki was a deeply connected opponent.

He was a fellow countryman, a fellow disciple under the same master—Shizue

Izawa—and also a swindler who had betrayed and used her.

Yet, she couldn’t bring herself to resent him. Hinata believed it was her own

fault for failing to see Yuuki’s true nature.

That’s why she had felt some sadness when she heard of his death and was now

relieved to see him alive.

However, another emotion remained.

"You still haven't paid me back for deceiving me, so I won't allow you to lose

here."

Unable to forget her lingering anger, Hinata felt the need to at least voice her

complaints, though part of it was also meant as encouragement.

Ignoring the murmurs from the onlookers, Yuuki calmly stepped toward Jahil.

Following the momentum, he unleashed a light kick.

Naturally, Jahil was unfazed. He effortlessly caught the kick with his left hand

and swung his right fist at Yuuki.

His fist was wreathed in superheated flames, containing enough heat to

incinerate anything on contact—yet Yuuki calmly crossed his arms and blocked

the attack.

"Mm, you bastard..."

"Fufufu, just as I thought. That body belongs to Footman, and while you've

gained enormous energy, it doesn’t seem like your physical abilities have

improved much."

Through this brief exchange, Yuuki’s hypothesis was confirmed. He had

uncovered a weakness in Jahil, and his eyes now gleamed with the predatory

sharpness of a hunter locking onto its prey.

Jahil, in turn, realized that Yuuki was no ordinary enemy—his abilities were

being completely nullified.

He had expected to overpower Yuuki with sheer force, but that was proving

difficult.

(Grrr, this guy...)

His [Ultimate Enchantment] [Flame King Agni] was being countered by Yuuki’s

[Ability Killer] and [Anti-Skill]. Even if he tried overwhelming him with raw

magic, it would just be absorbed by [Steal Life].

(Back then, I should have ensured his complete destruction—)

But it was too late for regrets now.

To Jahil, Yuuki was an extremely troublesome opponent—practically his natural

enemy.

And so, the hunt began in earnest—

The overwhelming difference in the amount of magicules and energy was

rendered meaningless at this point.

In that case, they would have to use [Technique], [Arts], and other methods to

counter [Ability Killing Seal] and [Anti-Skill], but Jahil’s specialty was magic.

Even with the combination of [Ultimate Infusion], [Ultimatum Enchant], and

[Flame King]—which could optimize and maximize the power of magic—it was

still classified as a skill and would be sealed by [Ability Killing Seal] and [Anti-

Skill].

That said, even if he tried attacking with pure energy, it would just be absorbed

by [Steal Life Palm].

At this point, the only option left for Jahil was to rely on physical attacks using

the Divine Progenitor's Blood Spear, [Origin Blood].

"Don't underestimate me, you trash bug!!"

Jahil nimbly spun his spear, stopping with its tip aimed directly at Yuuki.

Surprisingly, his spearmanship was quite refined.

"Huh, if you've gotten used to Footman, then you must have put in a lot of

effort."

"Silence!! Effort is a word far removed from a successor to God!!"

Jahil shouted and charged at Yuuki.

Despite his massive frame, he moved with incredible speed. In an instant, he had

closed the distance for a spear strike.

However, Yuuki had already predicted this.

"Well, I figured you'd try that."

Since Yuuki had used his own power to seal most of Jahil’s means of attack, the

options left to Jahil were limited. Naturally, Yuuki had anticipated this and set a

trap.

Just as Jahil reached him, his foot got caught in a pitfall that Yuuki had

prepared with his psychic abilities, causing him to stumble.

A simple trick, but highly effective.

As Jahil lost his balance, Yuuki’s kick landed squarely on his face. Since the kick

was enhanced by [Steal Life Palm], it not only dealt damage but also drained

Jahil’s stamina.

Jahil rolled away to put some distance between them, but Yuuki wasn’t about to

let that slide. He closed the gap immediately, launching a seamless barrage of

punches and kicks.

"Whoa... I didn’t think we’d be able to overwhelm a monster like this even if we

turned the world upside down…"

"It’s hard to believe, but this is Yuuki-sama. From my perspective, though, you

and Yuuki-sama seem almost evenly matched…"

"Well, well. As long as the boss is strong, that’s what matters!"

Laplace recoiled at the display.

Kagali, recalling her first encounter with Yuuki, began questioning the true

nature of strength.

Tear, on the other hand, praised him sincerely.

Each of them had their own reactions as they watched the battle unfold.

The only one who felt out of place was Mai, who kept her guard up, prepared to

withdraw at a moment’s notice if necessary.

(Yuuki-kun really is amazing. My own position is getting more uncertain… Maybe

following him is the right choice?)

Mai had no intention of serving under Feldway. Now that she had regained her

freedom, she wanted to live by her own will.

Her ultimate goal was to return to her original world, and she believed Yuuki

might be able to make that possible.

However, what troubled her was Yuuki’s faction being at odds with Demon Lord

Rimuru.

It was said that they had formed an alliance now, but she still worried about any

lingering grudges.

(No matter how I look at it, opposing them is a bad idea. If I can resolve that

issue, all my worries will disappear…

From Mai’s perspective, Rimuru’s subordinates were simply too powerful. She

had experienced it firsthand when she had joined Dino’s group in attempting to

conquer the labyrinth.

She trusted Yuuki, but that was a separate issue entirely.

(If it ever comes to a fight against Rimuru, I’ll put my life on the line to stop it.)

With that in mind, Mai solidified her resolve.

Meanwhile, others were also paying attention to the battle between Yuuki and

Jahil.

Luminus, hovering in the sky while monitoring the entire battlefield, was

naturally observing their fight as well.

(What a surprise. I had noticed Yuuki scheming behind the scenes in the

Western Nations, but I never expected him to grow this powerful.)

That was Luminus’s honest impression.

She still harbored resentment toward Yuuki for nearly taking Chronoa from her.

However, upon seeing him fight against Jahil, she immediately applied recovery

magic under the logic that "the enemy of my enemy is my ally."

And that was the right call.

Yuuki had completely overpowered Jahil—the very opponent who had been

troubling Luminus.

If Luminus herself had fought Yuuki, she was confident she could win. However,

against Jahil, she felt the battle would have been far more difficult.

It all came down to compatibility.

Luminus had multiple countermeasures against Yuuki. That was why she could

defeat him.

However, Jahil had no effective way of attacking Yuuki.

Despite his overwhelming power, he couldn't win. Yuuki was like his natural

predator.

(If Yuuki takes down Jahil, that would be quite convenient for me.)

Luminus was a pragmatist. As far as she was concerned, losing an enemy was

always a good thing.

Incidentally, Velgrind simply muttered, "I knew it," and continued keeping her

full attention on Ivarage. She wasn’t surprised—it was exactly as she had

expected.

Hinata, on the other hand, continued cutting down enemies while thinking, (Yuuki

is as dangerous as ever. If I had to fight him, how would I handle it…?)

And then, at last, the moment of decision arrived.

"Alright, I'm getting bored playing with you. Let’s end this."

Yuuki grinned.

Jahil, on the other hand, was in full panic.

"W-Wait! I am the Grand Emperor of Magic, Jahil!! I am the rightful heir to the

world—destined to become the next god!!"

Jahil was desperate.

Dying here, at the hands of someone he had considered a mere insect, was

unacceptable.

After all, he was supposed to be the rightful successor to the [Star King

Dragon] Veldanava.

When he saw the Divine Progenitor Twilight, who bore the curse of the

[Godslayer], Jahil had believed:

There was no need to trouble the progenitor.

If he accomplished it himself, everything would be resolved. By slaying gods and

seizing their power, Jahil would become the next Creator God.

He had reincarnated countless times to reach this goal.

In a way, it was an incredible achievement—but it had also plunged the world

into chaos.

War had spread across the land, and even the small nation he once ruled had

been reduced to ruins.

No legacy remained—everything was buried in history.

Then, he set his sights on his next target: the Dragon Princess Milim…
Still, it was an undeniable fact that Jahil had accomplished the feat of "God

slaying." That was precisely why he couldn't accept that it would all end here.

However—

Such matters were of no concern to Yuuki.

"So? I couldn't care less about the next generation."

Yuuki spoke with blatant arrogance, as if to say, I'm the superior one here.

"You bastard...!"

"Whoops, trying to run is pointless, you know? I've got Mai on my side."

Jahil was well aware of how convenient Mai's ability was. Her teleportation

wasn't limited to fixed coordinates—she could also "jump" to people. No matter

where the target was, she could reach them instantly.

Just as Yuuki said, escape was futile.

"Alright! I'll make you my very first underling. What do you say? How about we

join forces?!"

Jahil desperately tried to win Yuuki over with honeyed words, all while

frantically searching for a way to escape. But no matter how hard he racked his

brain, he couldn't find a way out...

The roles had reversed.

The hunter and the hunted. The distinction became clear, and the victor was

about to be decided.

"No can do. After all, you treated my comrades horribly, didn't you?"

"W-Well..."

"No excuses. It wouldn't change my answer anyway."

Yuuki's smile disappeared.

《Ufufu, that's fine. Just like that! Since I’ve given you my power, you’d better

make good use of it!!》

Even without Maria's urging, Yuuki had already mastered his newfound

authority.

The power that had made Mariabelle of Greed the strongest—

"Now then, die."

"I... I’m not done yet—!"

Yuuki activated his authority—『Craving for Death (Lost Entropy)!!』

Jahil’s desperate yearning to live was forcibly reversed.

In that instant, his very soul perished.

"Even in death, you'll keep regretting it, you know?"

Those were the final words Yuuki offered to the dying Jahil.

The embodiment of evil that had spread misfortune throughout the world was

utterly annihilated by the Incarnate of Greed—one whose insatiable desire

surpassed even his own. Never again would he return.

Tears fell from Kagali’s eyes as she watched Jahil die.

“It’s over...”

Overcome with emotion, Kagali recalled her past hardships.

“Princess, I'm so glad~”

Kneeling before Kagali and sharing in her joy was Eva, who called herself the

[Heartless Jester] [No-Face].

She was a natural-born maid who had served Kagali since the days when she was

still a princess. A Dark Elf woman who had sworn loyalty to her and survived

through history by her side.

Though Eva didn’t know the full details, from Kagali’s reaction, she could tell

that Jahil must have been her sworn enemy. She had no way of knowing that he

was actually the ancient evil that had taken over Kagali’s father, the king. But

just seeing Kagali safe and rejoicing was enough to make her feel that risking

her life had been worth it.

As Kagali and the others basked in the moment, Yuuki approached them.

“So, what do you think? Did you fulfill your role as boss?”

Kagali and Tia responded.

“This is the best, Boss! I swear my loyalty to you from now on.”

“Yeah, yeah! You were seriously cool! I got to avenge Footman too, so I’m

satisfied!!”

Laplace nodded along arrogantly.

“Yep. Though, if I’d helped, it would’ve been over way quicker.”

Of course, that was completely untrue. In fact, he probably would have just

gotten in the way. But Yuuki only laughed.

“Ahaha, I’ll count on you next time!”

“Leave it to me!”

And so, their heartfelt reunion continued—until someone interrupted.

“It seems it’s over.”

Descending from the sky, where she had been observing the battle, was

Luminus, landing before Yuuki.

Yuuki smiled wryly.

“Oh, come on. I’m exhausted right now, so can you save the complaints for

later?”

“There’s no need to be so wary. While I do hold a grudge against you for the

past, now isn’t the time for that.”

“I am grateful to my master,” Luminus declared grandly.

And indeed, since they had dealt with the troublesome [Jahil], she was genuinely

thankful.

“In that case, do you need something?”

“Yes. What do you intend to do now?”

Luminus hoped they would join the battlefront, but she understood that it

wouldn’t be easy.

Not everyone on this battlefield was as easy-going as she was. It was only

natural for people to struggle with trusting someone who had once betrayed

them.

Yuuki was well aware of this. And to begin with, he had no intention of getting

chummy with them.

“Well, we’re pretty busy ourselves. So don’t interfere, alright?”

“Hmph. Do as you please.”

Luminus had expected that answer, so she didn’t try to stop him. She had given

him the opportunity for reconciliation, and now that he had refused, she lost

interest in Yuuki’s group.

But at that moment, Yuuki added something unexpected.

“Oh, right. We’re leaving, but Mai’s staying here.”

“Hm?”

“See that bird over there? Looks like it’s freely using ‘Spatial Teleportation,’

and you guys are having trouble dealing with it, right? With Mai here, you should

be able to take it down a lot easier.”

Yuuki was referring to the battle against Habataki.

Though it was impossible to see from their current position, Yuuki had already

grasped the entire battlefield’s situation.

Quite the man, Luminus thought.

“You there, woman. Then hurry up and join the battle.”

Luminus issued the command to Mai with the air of a ruler accustomed to

commanding others.

On the other hand, Mai, suddenly pulled into the conversation, was left thinking,

“Wait, what!? No one told me about this!”

She had resolved to follow Yuuki, but now it felt like he had just pulled the rug

out from under her.

“Um... I...”

Confused about what to do, Mai hesitated. She glanced at Yuuki for help, only to

receive a bright smile in return.

“That’s how it is, so do your best over here!”

Yuuki casually patted her shoulder.

『If you run into trouble, I’ll be there for you. And don’t worry—I haven’t

forgotten our promise!』

He sent those words directly to Mai through [Thought Communication], ensuring

no one else would hear.

By the time Mai tried to reply, Yuuki and the others had already disappeared.

“Huh? No way... Don’t tell me... teleportation...?”

As far as Mai knew, none of Yuuki’s group had the ability to teleport. In fact,

she was certain she was the only one who could do it.

There were spells like the elemental magic [Warp Portal] and [Spatial

Teleportation], but those required preparations or at least some kind of

indication beforehand. Vanishing into thin air without a trace, like Yuuki just

had, should have been impossible.

What the heck is going on...? Mai was stunned.

(Don’t tell me... he learned it by watching me use it when we returned

together...?)

That seemed like the most plausible explanation, but she didn’t want to admit it.

She knew Yuuki was a genius, but this was beyond what she could have imagined.

“No way... Yuuki-kun has to be lying about his age.”

There was no way they were the same age.

Her boss was both suspiciously cunning and yet undeniably dependable.

If such a person had chosen to leave her behind, then there had to be a reason

for it.

(He probably noticed that I was struggling with something...)

Mai sighed and quickly refocused her thoughts.

Either way, the world was on the brink of destruction. She might not have

grasped the full situation yet, but she could feel it in her bones.

With her strong sense of responsibility, there was no way she could just sit

back and do nothing.

So, making up her mind, she leapt into battle—just as Yuuki had directed.

The second battle over the Sacred Tree was still barely holding its balance.

To prevent Milim’s rampage from escalating, Chloe and Veldora engaged in a

battle of nerves. Despite being an impromptu duo, they functioned well under

Chloe’s leadership.

Meanwhile, the makeshift team led by Zalario, who was up against Feldway,

managed to maintain their fighting spirit without losing heart, even as they

grappled with a sense of helplessness.

Thus, the world was still protected—but even that was approaching its limit.

"Listen, lightning-type magic aimed at Milim—"

"Ah, you must mean my incredibly cool [Thunderstorm Roaring

Thunderstorm]☆Human Transformation Version ver. II?"

Veldora, eager to boast, was abruptly cut off by Chloe.

It wasn’t that she was annoyed by trivial details—like how "version" and "ver."

were redundant.
"I don't care what you call it, but just don’t use it, okay?"

With that warning, Veldora realized—

Chloe had seen the future again.

"So, it happened… again, didn’t it?"

"That’s right. If you use that, Milim will start cloaking herself in lightning. Just

getting close to her will become a challenge, leaving us without any options."

Minimizing the use of their ultimate abilities and handling things physically with

just the right amount of force for Milim—though that meant going nearly all

out—was the best course of action.

If he carelessly used an emission-type technique, not only would the loss of

power be severe, but it could also lead to Milim's further strengthening. Chloe

could jump back into the past and redo things each time she failed, but that was

no more than a precarious tightrope act.

That being said, it was precisely because she could do that that they were able

to hold on...

「Hmm, to think that merely displaying our abilities recklessly would lead to

Milim's power increasing. My niece... her rate of growth is truly terrifying...」

Though Veldora grumbled about it—saying that his magic wasn't something that

could be so easily imitated—he still obediently complied.

And then, Chloe gave another order.

「There's no time to be impressed! Take the next magic bullet head-on!!」

Calling Milim’s power boost "growth" showed that Veldora was somewhat off in

his thinking. Off, yes—but oddly enough, that was precisely what made him

reliable.
Even now, he was taking Milim’s magic bullets head-on, just as Chloe instructed.

「Gwah?! Gnnnn... y-you’re so harsh! If it weren’t me, anyone else would be

crying by now!」

Despite all his fussing, he desperately withstood the attack and managed to

erase the vicious magic bullet.

Incidentally, Veldora had tears in his eyes.

Anyone who looked could see he was, in fact, crying.

However, no one would dare laugh at him.

Because if it had been anyone other than Veldora, they would have been

annihilated before even having the chance to cry.

Had he dodged, the magic bullet would have directly struck the branch city of

the Sacred Tree, causing immense devastation.

Although the residents had already evacuated, not all of them had made it to

safety. Some had fled outside the Sacred Tree, but others had taken refuge in

shelters within the city.

To the people, the Sacred Tree was the very embodiment of an unshakable

sanctuary. The idea of it collapsing was simply beyond their imagination—an

assumption that, in a way, was only natural.

Chloe foresaw that disastrous future and managed to prevent it.

Veldora following her lead was commendable as well, but unless they could bring

Milim back to her senses, there would inevitably come a limit to their endurance.

「This is a problem...」

Though Chloe was growing weary of the deadlock, she was by no means giving up.
If something like this was enough to break her resolve, then she would never

have been able to embark on her unimaginably arduous journey through time.

Her courage was on an entirely different level.

「Well, I’ll just keep giving it everything I’ve got until the very end!」

「Yeah, exactly! That’s the spirit!」

The fact that she nodded along with Veldora’s carefree enthusiasm was proof

of her unwavering determination.

Without any concrete proof, without a shred of doubt—

They truly believed, from the bottom of their hearts, that things would turn

out well in the end.

And they weren’t the only ones who refused to give up.

Gaia—[小竜][ガイア]—the very one who had guided Chloe here, had been calling

out to his master, Milim, all this time.

Finally, his efforts were about to bear fruit.

Milim's movements were beginning to slow at times.

「This is our chance!」

「Kukukuku, all thanks to me!!」

「I doubt that, but I’ll give you credit for your effort.」

The two of them, surprisingly in sync, along with Milim’s pet, Gaia—thanks to

their efforts, the world was still standing.

Meanwhile, Feldway was furious.

Though he maintained a composed exterior, deep down, he was seething.

Just when he had Milim under control and was about to destroy the Sacred

Tree, these meddlesome interferences kept getting in the way.

(How utterly infuriating. To be hindered time and again... That wretched

"Hero"…)

Feldway harbored a deep hatred for Chloe, who always managed to appear at

the worst possible moment.

Because every time she did, he was forced to confront the reality of his own

miscalculation—he should have eliminated her much sooner.

Now, with both the "Hero" and Veldora working together, they had stabilized

their response against Milim.

Against Milim, even in her berserk state.

(This makes no sense. The more she fights, the stronger Milim should become.

So why… why are they still holding her back?)

Something was undeniably off.

Milim’s power should have been absolute—an overwhelming force that none could

withstand.

When she lost control in the past, it had taken both Guy and Ramiris everything

they had to stop her.

As a result, Ramiris, once the “Administrator” of the stars, lost most of her

power and was left only with limited abilities.

Even so, the only reason they had managed to contain the situation at all was

because Ramiris was exceptionally powerful.

She had continuously used her abilities to isolate Milim from the real world,

reducing the effects of her power. Meanwhile, Guy worked tirelessly to reach
her, and after much hardship, they had finally succeeded in restoring Milim’s

sanity.

That was a miracle made possible only because two of the strongest individuals

had been present.

Even Feldway himself had paled when he first heard the report that there was

no possible countermeasure against Milim’s rampage.

Yet now—he simply could not accept the current situation.

Guy wasn’t here.

Neither was Ramiris.

And Ramiris, having yet to recover her former power, was in no condition to be

of any real use—though he wouldn’t go so far as to call her completely useless.

Even so, she didn’t possess the strength necessary to contend with Milim.

(Why? Why isn’t Milim’s power increasing? Why—)

And then, Feldway realized it.

The reason why Chloe and Veldora, despite facing Milim, were always making the

best possible moves.

(—They’re countering her perfectly. But pulling that off on the first attempt…

Even I couldn’t manage that. If so—)

Feldway analysed the situation and reached a single conclusion.

(It’s her. She can manipulate time. In that case, she’s rewinding time from the

future—no, she’s leaping back into the past!!)

Feldway had nearly deciphered Chloe’s ability with remarkable accuracy.

Rather than rewinding time, it was more like she was “recalling memories of the

future.”

Seeing how the "Hero" was instructing Veldora, he had little doubt that his

theory was correct.

There was a way to counter this.

If he stopped time itself, she wouldn’t be able to send her consciousness back

into the past.

The reason Feldway had refrained from doing so was that there were individuals

capable of resisting it.

It would be a wasted effort that might even create an opening instead.

More than anything, Feldway despised unnecessary exertion.

He had already analysed the enemy’s capabilities—there was no need to rush

things.

But now, things were different.

(As long as Milim hasn’t eliminated these nuisances, it’ll be troublesome... Fine,

I’ll activate "Frozen World.")

With that decision made, Feldway prepared to act.

However—just then, yet another obstacle appeared.

"Hey, Leon. Looks like you're having a tough time, so we'll help you out."

With that casual remark, Yuuki and the others joined the battle.

Now, against Feldway alone, stood eight of the most powerful figures at the top

of this world. Anyone unaware of the situation might think this formation was

nearly unbeatable, but…

"Listen. Feldway has mastered all of our abilities. And just so you know, any

technique he's seen once will never work on him again."

Zalario kindly gave this warning.

Yuuki and Kagali had both been under Michael's control. Therefore, they had to

assume that all of their abilities were already known.

Tia and Laplace probably hadn't had their powers exposed, but that didn’t mean

they could afford to be careless. In the face of the otherworldly powerhouse

that was Feldway, any reckless move could be fatal—or so Zalario thought.

But even after hearing this, Yuuki’s response was surprisingly nonchalant.

It was the kind of revelation that would normally drive someone to despair, but

Yuuki was no ordinary man.

"Yeah, that’s a pretty common thing, huh?"

Without a hint of fear, he casually remarked that it was a common trope in

manga.

"Well, he probably thought he had me under control, but that was just a decoy.

I haven’t shown all my cards, and I’ve even gained new abilities since then. No

way I'm going down that easily, you know?"

Yuuki, brimming with confidence, even went so far as to provoke Feldway.

Zalario was stunned.

He had no concept of manga, but if this kind of thing was "common," did that

mean Yuuki had a countermeasure? For a brief moment, he felt a flicker of

hope—only to immediately shake the thought away. There was no way things

would be that convenient.

"Then let me ask—how do you plan to counter him?"

"It’s simple. Kill him on the first strike before he can copy you."

That was, of course, assuming that Feldway didn’t already know their abilities.

If that were easy to pull off, they wouldn’t be struggling.

Zalario let out a deep sigh.

"Or, find a technique he can't imitate."

That was an idea anyone could come up with. In fact, Zalario had already tried it

himself and learned the hard way that it wouldn’t work.

"Don’t bother. That only helps the enemy."

"Oh, is it because if I try something new, he’ll just get even stronger?"

"Yeah, that’s about right."

It was a harsh truth, but Zalario didn’t want Yuuki doing anything reckless.

That being said, his worries were entirely unnecessary—or rather, completely

off the mark.

After all, the reason Yuuki had come here was because Laplace had asked him

to.

Now that Laplace had regained his memories and remembered that he was

Sarion, there was no way he would abandon his wife and daughter. Even though

Yuuki had been living purely for his own sake, disregarding the crisis of the

world, Laplace had pleaded with him, saying that he at least wanted to go and

help them.

Yuuki was self-centred, but he valued his comrades. Moved by Laplace’s

sincerity, he agreed to help.

Kagali and Tia felt the same way and had come along without a second thought.
Eva as well—their hearts were all united.

That was why they had come—not to defeat Feldway, but to aid Elmesia and

Sylvia.

They had achieved their goal of holding out until Veldora arrived, but it wasn’t

over yet. With Milim still not back to her senses, someone needed to keep

Feldway in check.

Depending on how things went, Yuuki was ready to fight at full power—but since

this was merely a battle to buy time, he had no intention of going all out.

So, he decided to stir things up, then escape. That was his conclusion—an

entirely irresponsible one, but he had no intention of revealing his full hand,

with or without Zalario’s warning.

Zalario, being the serious type, would probably find this unbelievable, but that

was just the kind of person Yuuki was.

Laplace was the same.

Toying with his opponents was his specialty.

He never fought pointless battles, nor did he demand recognition. As long as he

could achieve his goal, he had no problem playing the fool.

And so, he intended to slip through this situation in his usual fashion.

Laplace attempted to fly up and align himself with Yuuki—but failed.

A woman had descended at incredible speed and caught him.

"Hey, why didn’t you even say hello to me?"

With a terrifyingly radiant smile, Sylvia tightened her grip around Laplace’s

neck.
She had left the battlefield in Yuuki’s place, only to immediately pounce on

Laplace.

The moment Sylvia realized Laplace’s true identity had been when Jahil’s pure

magic bullet exploded, just before it became a massive fireball.

In that flash of light, she had seen Laplace’s face and recognized him as her

beloved husband, long thought dead.

They had reunited—only for Laplace and the others to disappear before they

could even exchange words.

She didn’t even have time for a conversation. This time, she thought she had

truly lost him forever.

But there was no time to grieve.

Sylvia had swallowed her personal feelings and thrown herself into battle,

dedicating everything she had to the fight.

And then—

Laplace had reappeared, as carefree as ever.

At this point, Sylvia’s patience had run out.

"W-Who might you be?"

Laplace, in his infinite foolishness, chose to play dumb.

She had called his name back then, but he hadn’t acknowledged it. Maybe he

could still pass it off as a coincidence? Maybe he could pretend he didn’t know

her?

Of course, this only made Sylvia even angrier.

"Oh? So that's how you're gonna play it? You're really gonna say that?"
Her smile was unwavering, but her eyes darkened.

"Fine. In that case, I’ll break our promise too and cheat on you."

"W-Wait!? Hold on, hold on!!"

Sylvia’s grip on Laplace’s neck tightened further.

Sensing imminent danger, Laplace thrashed about. He wouldn’t die from

suffocation alone, but his body instinctively reacted to the sheer murderous

intent radiating from Sylvia.

"You don’t get to call for a time-out until you remember me!"

Tears welled up in Sylvia’s eyes.

Seeing that, Laplace wavered.

He had regained his memories of the past. If he hadn’t, he might have been able

to brush it off—but there was no way he could remain indifferent to the tears

of the woman he loved.

Realizing he couldn’t fool her, Laplace resigned himself to his fate.

"We need to talk! Now’s not the time for this—let’s sit down and have a long talk

later, Sylvia!!"

Hearing her beloved husband, whom she had thought dead, call her name—Sylvia

was overcome with joy.

"Sarion… If you were alive, then why—"

Overwhelmed by emotion, Sylvia’s tears spilled over.

And then, as if following the natural course of events, she clenched her fist—

"W-Wait!? Not the fist!! At least—!!"

Laplace’s eyes widened as he tried to flee, but it was already too late.
"If you were alive, why didn’t you send even a single message!?"

Her enraged shout echoed through the battlefield.

With that shout, filled with all her anger, her golden right fist became a

corkscrew blow and smashed into Laplace’s left cheek.

Laplace, you've made a lifelong blunder. You've done it so many times.

This takes me back. I can't even save Laplace when he's so carefree.

Anyway, I got fired up.

Laplace removed his mask and smiled at Sylvia.

"Well, we'll talk later! It'd be impossible if you told me to beat him, but I'm

good at buying time. Well, leave it to us and rest for a while!"

After putting off the problem like that, Laplace stepped forward as well.

And this time, just as I was about to fly into the sky...

"You're in the way."

As soon as she called out to me, she suddenly grabbed my shoulder and pushed

me back toward Sylvia.

"Wh-What!?"

The man suddenly appeared.

Even as he conversed with Sylvia, Laplace had never let his guard down—and yet,

he hadn’t noticed the man’s presence at all.

I turn around and accept it.

"G-Geh?! Isn't that Diablo?!"

The man was truly Diablo.

He’d told Benimaru and the others he had some minor business to attend to, and

he’d come here on his own.

Laplace thought, this guys seriously dangerous.

It wasn’t like he knew Laplace that well, but he remembered having a few

conversations with him.

I fear I don't know what will happen if I reply wrong. I'm remembered as an

extremely dangerous being who carves his name at the top of the list of things

he doesn't want to get involved with.

Laplace wasn’t the only one who didn’t like Diablo. Most of them must have felt

the same way.

"Wh-Why did you come here?"

Sylvia asked in Laplace’s place, and Diablo answered with a fearless smile.

"Kufufufu, I have some minor business to attend to. Shall I be your opponent?"

As Diablo announced this, his gaze fell on Feldway.

Seeing Diablo like that, Laplace and Sylvia immediately decided it was best not

to get involved with him.

Diablo was the kind of man who would frighten even his allies.

Diablo spread his wings and flew in front of Feldway.

"Tch, I didn't expect you to come here. Are you trying to get in my way?"

Feldway had thought about stopping time, but he’d realized Diablo had

"transferred" to him and stopped. He’d then been on high alert, waiting to see

what was going on.

The reason he was letting Sylvia and the others do as they pleased was because

he was focused on Diablo’s movements.

In terms of [Magic] [Energy], he was overwhelmingly superior, and now that he

was the main body, even [Skill] [Level] was superior. Feldway was confident in

that, but Diablo was a troublesome opponent.

If I was going to fight, I definitely wanted to settle things here.

The two males glared at each other in the heavens with their backs to the

sacred tree.

Sensing that Feldway’s interest had shifted away from him, Zalario called out to

him without thinking.

"Diablo, are you trying to stop Feldway? Then, with us..."

Zalario had intended to suggest that they fight together, but he couldn't bring

himself to suggest it. This was because Diablo had clearly refused before that.

"Stop Feldway? No. I intend to make this fool understand clearly here."

"----What are you talking about?"

"Your place."

Diablo smiled faintly as he answered.

His arrogant attitude was not that of someone who felt Feldway was a threat at

all.

"...Hey, hey, you've got less magicules than me. What kind of train of thought do

you have to think to beat Feldway?"

Zalario was exasperated.

There was no doubt Diablo was strong. Zalario acknowledged that, since he was

having a hard time himself.

Diablo’s accumulated [Skill] and [Level] surpassed even Zalario’s, so he also

understood that he couldn’t talk about his strength with just the size of his

[Magic Energy].

Even so.

It would be impossible to beat Feldway with a level of skill on par with Zalario’s.

"I admit you're strong, but..."

Just as he was about to say that, Zalario felt something was off.

Diablo was strong. He wasn’t the kind of fool to misjudge his own strength.

Not to mention, he had come to the conclusion that if he had said it after

seeing that Zalario and the others were having a hard time, he might have some

kind of chance of victory.

That was something Leon and Elmesia, who seemed to be listening, agreed.

“They must have a plan. If they fail, we’ll just have to leave again.”

“He’s dangerous, so let’s let him do what he wants!”

In other words, let’s leave it to Diablo for just a moment and take a break.

Even Yuuki had no objections.

(This guy isn't dangerous...)

With that, my “Dangerous Prediction” was even more active than when I’d seen

Feldway.

This wasn’t Diablo’s first time meeting him, and he’d even had a conversation

with him if he wanted to. He hadn’t expected it to be this dangerous at the

time, but Diablo didn’t even seem to have any intention of hiding his true nature

right now.

What was the difference between then and now?

(Okay. So, this guy was wearing a cat...)

Or so Yuuki instinctively understood.

Rimuru had been there at the time, and now he wasn’t. Diablo had truly become

an extremely dangerous being, like a reckless car with its brakes off.

Since Yuuki understood that, getting between them here wasn’t an option.

I gladly handed over the role to her, telling her to go ahead.

From the serious Zalario’s point of view, it’s hard to accept that he won’t

cooperate with everyone in a tight spot...but his opponent is Diablo, who’s

completely uncooperative.

“That’s true.”

It was inevitable that Zalario would nod in agreement.

Thus, Diablo and Feldway ended up in a one-on-one showdown.

Feldway, furious, thought that if he let Diablo control the pace, he would lose.

He didn’t interrupt their conversation, instead analysing Diablo calmly.

(Don’t tell me he really intends to defeat me by himself?)

The reason he was wondering this was because he hadn’t detected any trap-like

presences.

Diablo seemed to truly believe he could beat Feldway. In that case, what

bothered Feldway was whether Diablo was hiding some kind of secret trick.

──No, it’s impossible. There’s no way he can beat me right now.

In order to reincarnate Veldanava, Feldway had most of that power within him.

The only one capable of defeating someone like him would be Milim, at the

pinnacle of her continued evolution.

Of course, Feldway planned to make a move before that could happen, so he had

no worries. He resolved to set an example for Diablo, intending to make him pay

for irritating him.

"Good grief. It seems that you can't measure the top of a god's head with your

level of skill."

"Kufufufu. Now then, what do you think?"

"Go downstairs. I'll show you how serious I am."

Feldway tried to figure out what Diablo was after, but instead of pondering, he

decided to act. He planned to sever his bond with Diablo once and for all.

"Very well. I will at least let you choose a place to die."

Diablo nodded arrogantly, as if there was no doubt that he would be the one to

win.

Descending to the ground, Feldway readied his "Arc."

Diablo also brought out his "Claw Scissors."

"Let me tell you first. Feldway, the cause of your defeat is that you

underestimated the enemy."

"----What?"

"The fact that you haven't been able to kill a single person who's weaker than

you is proof of that."

Diablo said this unamused, continuing with mocking words.

"Didn't you waste your time thinking you could kill him at any time? Or did your

pride not allow you to take him seriously against someone of a lower rank?"

......

Diablo’s words hit Feldway hard.

Because it was spot on.

That’s why Feldway retorted without thinking.

"If that's the case, then you're the same, aren't you? You preferred to go easy

on the weak."

Diablo rarely went all out, either.

As Feldway had said, it was true that Diablo often fought as if he looked down

on his opponent.

But even when this was pointed out, Diablo was unfazed.

"What about it? In my case, it's a hobby."

Diablo and Feldway had fundamentally different motivations. Diablo loved to

draw out his opponent’s full potential and then crush it.

It wasn’t that he was going easy on his opponent. He was simply adjusting his

strength to match theirs, enjoying a pure comparison of skill and level.

Therefore, there was no reason for Feldway to complain.

Since his hobby was flawed, it was understandable if the person on the receiving

end pointed it out.

In other words, a Zalario.

"Hey. What did you just say?"

Zalario asked seriously, and Diablo answered honestly.

"Therefore, I love to surpass my opponent's techniques. It's not meaningless

because it serves both as a hobby and a practical benefit."

No, that's not what I wanted to hear... Zalario thought.

He knew that if he asked Diablo in a roundabout way, he might not get through

to him, so he asked the question directly to avoid losing his temper.

"I'm asking if you were holding back when you were fighting me!!"

This question was also intriguing to Feldway.

The amount of magical energy Diablo could generate was less than a third of

Zalario’s and didn’t even reach one-twentieth of Feldway’s.

And yet, he had been able to fight on equal footing with Zalario.

(What if he went easy on me back then? Maybe I should start considering him a

threat...)

Feldway thought.

Diablo answered.

"Kufufufu, you're joking, going easy on me. Naturally, I was serious."

"I hope so..."

Zalario wanted to say that in that case, defeating Feldway would be impossible.

Sadly, he realized that he was no match for Feldway. Even if Diablo joined him

at the same level, they wouldn’t stand a chance against Feldway.

Yet Diablo was determined to fight alone—a foolish act that could only be

considered suicidal at this point.

"Now then, it would be boring to have a long conversation, so let's get this over

with."
"That's my line."

Diablo’s declaration was lightly responded to by Feldway, who then swung down

the Arc he had been holding at the ready.

It was a truly casual blow.

But it contained a tremendous amount of power, far beyond what anyone

present could have imagined.

If someone had been observing this planet from space, it would have looked like

an extremely thin beam of light had been emitted from the planet. The power

of the strike far exceeded what could normally be produced by a sword.

After receiving it, Diablo’s left hand’s "Claw Scissors" shattered into pieces,

and his left arm was blown all the way to its base.

It was strange that the damage didn’t go beyond that...

"──!!"

Everyone was speechless.

That attack made them realize that Feldway hadn’t even shown a shred of his

true strength.

"What was it? You wanted to get this over with, right? I agree."

Feldway said with a fierce smile.

"I was planning to meet your request and end it with that attack. I didn’t think

you’d react like that."

"Kufu, kufufufu. I was also surprised to see you break the Scissors."

"Heh. In the end, it’s just a Mythical God, isn’t it? There are only seven Genesis-

classes in this world, and they’re nothing compared to my Arc."

Feldway replied with a cool expression. That was all it took for Diablo to show

his understanding as well.

"I see. So, you’ve been recognized as your master, and you’re using it well."

Convinced, I repair the damage I’ve taken. Leaving it alone, Feldway nodded.

"Exactly. I couldn’t withstand the power of a sword with my temporary body,

but I can handle it without a problem now."

Diablo agreed, "I see."

"Good grief. I thought your sword was on the same level as Guy’s Wald and

Milim-sama’s Tenma Asura..."

"You're right. It’s just camouflaged, but if you use your true power, you’ll be a

Genesis class."

The weapon created by Veldanava, the Star King Dragon, is a Genesis-class

weapon that exists only seven times in the world. It was originally intended to

be bestowed upon the Primordial's Seven Angels, but Feldway was the only one

who was able to handle it.

That was why Veldanava had given it to those who had potential and friends,

disguised as a Mythical-class God, before handing it over to them.

"Gui, Rudra, Ramiris, Twilight, Milim, and Lucia-sama. These are the people with

Genesis. They intend to slowly retrieve them in my hands later."

Feldway remembered that there was no one other than him who could use it.

And that was under the condition that the body was in perfect condition.

Because it was so powerful that it ate away at the body of its owner.

Veldanava, who had lost his power, had been unable to wield his sword Asura and

had given it to Guy for safekeeping.

Incidentally, if the current owner, Milim, had taken possession of Asura while

still "crazed" and "stampeding," she would have undoubtedly displayed her true

power as a Genesis class. Her destructive power was unimaginable, and it was

highly likely that Chloe and Veldora wouldn't have been able to handle it on their

own. The fact that she hadn’t made it was a stroke of good fortune.

As Feldway spoke calmly, he didn’t even seem to doubt his victory.

As a matter of fact, Yuuki’s party didn’t seem to have any words, and Zalario,

Elmesia, and the others were in half-resigned mode, saying, “I guess I can’t

anymore.”

The only one, Chloe, didn’t give up, glaring at Yuuki as she called out to him, “If

you’re just staring into space, then help me out!!” But...

That was something Chloe could only do because she had a reputation for not

giving up, and from the other people’s point of view, she was in a state of

unparalleled despair.

But there was one more person.

There were those who didn’t feel any particular despair.

It was Diablo, the one involved in the declaration of defeating Feldway.

"Kufufufuhfufu, interesting! It was a truly interesting story."

And then, with a composed attitude, he burst out laughing.

There wasn’t even a sense of danger there, let alone despair.

It was such an unexpected reaction that even Feldway was bewildered.

"Very well. The difference in our weapons' capabilities seems like the perfect

handicap."

"What did you say?"

"It’s been a while since I’ve been able to get serious."

It’s been a while since I’ve said something like that, but it’s Diablo who

sometimes fights in earnest. However, this time, I was serious in the truest

sense.

He’d removed all of the various conditions, and just as he’d said, Diablo had

unleashed his full power.

"Phew, it wouldn’t be a problem if I failed in the labyrinth, so I wasn’t nervous

enough. But this situation is really nice! I feel like I’ll experience the greatest,

most stinging thrill I’ve ever experienced!"

Diablo laughed as he said that.

It was a gruesome smile that terrified anyone who saw it.

"Thrilling? Foolish~"

Perhaps he had no intention of playing along with Diablo’s nonsense, as Feldway

set it up.

The god-speed attack was imbued with the power to cleave even the stars in

half. It was such an unbelievable slash that, after cutting Diablo in half, even if

it was a speck of dust, he’d still be able to change his mind.

And yet...

Fissures ran through the earth, and dust danced in the air. The atmosphere

burned, and a life-threatening smell stimulated my nose.

However, the result that everyone had expected was completely off.

Feldway tried to push his sword in. Against that was Diablo, taking it head-on.

The radiant, flickering Nebula Arc and the rainbow-colored Claw Scissors

crossed paths.
"Kufufufu. I was a little frustrated because I gave Zelanus to Zegion. I think

you would be the perfect test subject."

"----What?"

Having left the old Eurazania, Zelanus’s incursion into the labyrinth was within

the realm of expectations. After all, there were surviving members of the

Insector within the labyrinth.

Now that his own subordinates had been wiped out, Zelanus the Mushi Demon

Lord would have moved to add his kin to his ranks. That was what Feldway had

thought as he ordered Vega, Dino, and the others to clear the labyrinth.

Vega and the others alone weren’t enough to make him feel safe, but Zelanus,

who was strong enough to even be acknowledged by Feldway, thought he’d be

able to traverse even Ramiris’s impregnable labyrinth.

All right, even if that was impossible, there was no problem. The labyrinth alone

seemed like it would take some time to clear, so it was more than enough to stall

the enemy forces.

The labyrinth had the remaining forces under Rimuru’s command. Diablo hadn’t

expected them to come this way, but in terms of stalling the others, Zelanus

had assumed they’d be a good decoy.

The point is, it’s only a matter of time.

Of the three remaining strongholds in this world, only Ramiris’s labyrinth is

independent. If we destroy the remaining two, the Tentsukaku and the Sacred

Tree, Ramiris’s labyrinth will be incapacitated with ease. We don’t need to

conquer it, we just need to isolate it.

That’s why, when Zelanus left for the labyrinth, Feldway’s plan was as good as a

success—but Diablo’s statement just now had a hint of disquiet.

"You gave up Zelanus? You’re arrogant, Diablo. He’s not as strong as I am, but

he’s also strong. He should be the ruler of this world, surpassing even the

‘dragon race’. You’ll be no match for him."

Even as he said that, Feldway realized that something was wrong with Diablo the

moment he accepted Genesis class.

Diablo’s smile deepened, as if he’d seen through Feldway’s anxiety.

"Arrogance? That’s Guy’s exclusive right."

As Diablo parried it with such light banter, he began his counterattack as if it

was his turn now.

His speed wasn’t inferior to Feldway’s.

For the Primordial, who is also the highest-ranking being, rewriting the laws of

physics with magic is a skill.

"If you ignore the matter that fills the atmosphere and move, you can even

surpass the sound barrier without creating a shockwave."

Though the principle was different from teleportation, it was truly a divine

feat. And Diablo was well versed in such skills.

On the other hand, Feldway had all the skills he’d accumulated so far. By using

them, he wouldn’t fall behind Diablo’s movements.

Both males, with unyielding spirit, began to use their techniques in turn.

Flowing and dancing, Diablo parried Feldway’s swordsmanship. His previous

attack had made it clear that it was inefficient to block it head-on.

He’d taken quite a bit of damage just because he hadn’t shown it on his face.

No. It’s more than that.

It was like I’d somehow succeeded in catching it, gathering all the energy in my

body. Combined with the damage I’ve suffered from losing my left arm at the

start, it had cost me over ninety percent of my energy.

And yet, since he remained calm on the surface, Diablo’s ability to deceive

others was impressive as well.

The reason he couldn’t see through that wasn’t because Feldway was

incompetent—it was because Diablo’s skill was superior.

"Diablo had used his Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, and King of

Temptations, Azazel, to pull off the deception. He’d applied the Seduction

World, which activated absolute power in the materialization of the virtual

world, to his own body to rewrite the information."

It was a power that wouldn’t work on Feldway even if used directly, but by using

it outside its intended purpose, he was able to splendidly make it useful in

battle. This kind of manoeuvring was yet another sign of Diablo’s superiority.

Moreover, there was another reason.

"Diablo had secretly taken in the power of the Void Disintegration to

compensate for his lost energy."

That would be too dangerous an act, and someone like Benimaru would never

attempt it. Anyone who knew their limits would recognize the huge risk of

failure.

However, Diablo was different.

It wasn’t a labyrinth that could be redone even if they failed, but he’d used the

overwhelmingly strong Feldway as a test subject to carry out his terrifying plan.

"Wonderful. I can feel your connection to Sir Rimuru so strongly!"

Diablo said that with an ecstatic look on his face. In a way, he was pure—putting

all her effort into what he loved, with no fear or regret. He was not afraid of

failure, and instead, he was interested in the process. Whatever the outcome,

he could accept it.

That’s why he would succeed.

Diablo circulated Void Disintegration through his own body, just as Zegion had.

But copying him directly would have been a sure failure, so Diablo used his

Ultimate Abilities, Ultimate Skills, and Azazel once again.

He’d convinced himself that his body could withstand Void Disintegration.

This was a plan that would not have crossed the mind of a normal person.

But Diablo was confident in his success.

He had originally planned to test it on Zelanus, the Insect Demon Lord, but gave

that role to Zegion. Thanks to that, he was able to observe Zegion’s process of

incorporating the Void Disintegration.

That’s why Diablo understood that his theory wasn’t wrong.

In Zegion’s case, success was only possible because of Rimuru’s omnipotent cells.

Diablo didn’t have any such advantages, but the "body" Rimuru had given him

could be optimized for Void Disintegration. By doing so, he could make effective

use of energy without pushing himself too hard.

---- This was still just a theoretical plan.

The Void Disintegration is an uncontrollable "event" under normal circumstances.

It was like Testarossa forcing herself to use the “Void” she had spent so much

time controlling as pure energy.

The chaos before the collapse of the abyss of hell, or before hell was created,

was the essence of Void Disintegration.

Using such dangerously unstable energy, staying safe would be more abnormal

than the alternative.

Diablo was no exception.

Before his body could be optimized, it was being consumed by nothingness.

Diablo accepted this with a composed face, pseudo-regenerating through

Ultimate Abilities and Azazel. By convincing himself that it was real, he managed

to maintain his state and continue the battle.

It wasn’t just absurd—it was a destructive act that made one question their

sanity.

However, Diablo never let anyone see that.

For him, there was no problem, and he was enjoying the battle.

That was Diablo's brilliance.

In stark contrast, there was Feldway.

Feldway believed that in a full-power state, with the best body and strongest

weapon given by Veldanava, no opponent could defeat him. And yet, here he was,

struggling against Diablo.

Feldway didn’t want to admit it, but from an outsider’s perspective, it was a fair

fight.

"—Don't be ridiculous. How can someone like you compete with me!?"

"Kufufufu. Is it strange? It wasn’t your real body before, so I let you go,

but today, I’ll be your opponent until the end. Didn't I tell you? I’ve

prepared a way to kill you."

Hearing this, Feldway’s heart wavered.

From Feldway’s perspective, Diablo was just an annoying obstacle.

It was bothersome, but not worth the effort of dealing with. He was more

focused on destroying the Sacred Tree. Once that was done, the world would be

easily destroyed by Ivarage, the "Demon Realm Dragon," who would have already

passed through the "Tentsukaku."

If that happened, Diablo would be destroyed along with them.

Feldway, who despised wasting time, saw no value in dealing with Diablo right

now.

But...

He couldn’t accept the reality that, despite having the greatest body and

weapon from Veldanava, he was struggling against Diablo. He didn’t want to

admit it.

That’s why he said:

"You disgusting devil, then I will show you no mercy!! Before I destroy the

world, I will bury you with my own hands!!"

This was the pride Feldway had left—believing that if he truly got serious, he

would never lose to anyone.

Finally, Feldway had recognized Diablo as a true enemy.

That’s what made his approach so troublesome.

In any case, both sides got serious, and the battle was re-established.

Now that Feldway had gotten serious, he poured all of his skills into cornering

Diablo. Diablo, as if he had been waiting for this, parried the attacks with ease.

Surprisingly, both in strength and technique, they were evenly matched.

"Kufufufu. Be proud, Feldway. This is the first time you've shown your hand this

well," Diablo said.

"Kuh, I didn’t think you'd be hiding this much power..." Feldway responded.

"It's because you're inexperienced that you can't make full use of that power,"

Diablo replied, looking down on him as he pointed out the imbalance between

Feldway’s body and technique.

"Don’t be ridiculous! There's no point in trying to shake me up," Feldway

retorted, but Diablo’s amusement contrasted with the displeasure on Feldway’s

face.

Feldway believed there was an overwhelming difference in strength between

them, like that of an adult and a child. Yet, instead of defeating Diablo, he

found himself stuck in an evenly matched fight. This situation was humiliating

for Feldway.

The skill level that Feldway had accumulated was the culmination of all

swordsmanship and martial arts. If he used it without holding back, he should

have been able to defeat someone like Diablo instantly. However, it wasn't

working.

Diablo’s reading was sharp, surpassing Feldway’s, and the reason for this was

obvious. Feldway didn’t realize that Diablo’s fighting sense had reached a divine

level.

Diablo had always fought to the fullest extent of his opponent's power and

aimed to surpass it. Unlike Guy, who acted transcendent and aloof, Diablo

enjoyed the battle, including the tactical exchange of techniques. That was

what made him strong.

Power, technique, and heart—that was Diablo's true essence.

In an instant, Diablo's toe grazed Feldway's cheek, a few drops of bright red

blood staining his beautiful face.

"You bastard!! How dare you hurt my body, which was bestowed upon me by Lord

Veldanava!!" Feldway shouted in indignation.

But Diablo was unfazed.

"Kufufufu. I suppose that means my body, granted to me by Sir Rimuru, is

superior to yours," Diablo said, making remarks that further angered Feldway.

As expected, Feldway snapped and lost his composure, just as Diablo had

planned. At this point, the flow of the battle was firmly in Diablo’s hands.

However, Diablo wasn’t without his own concerns. He had anticipated a long

battle, but he was uncertain how long his body could withstand the Void

Collapse. His worship of Rimuru was so intense that he believed "no matter how

much you abuse it, it’ll be fine," which was problematic. It was like walking a

tightrope, uncertain of where it would break.

Diablo was also using his authority to provoke Feldway, activating his "Seduction

World" from multiple angles, setting up an environment in his favor.

First, maintaining his body was crucial. If that broke down, Diablo’s defeat

would be sealed.

Next, he used his power to counteract Feldway’s authority. By using his own

"Seduction World," Diablo prevented Feldway's abilities from functioning, which

was an excellent move.

Most powers and skills affect the substance known as magicules, and by

disturbing these, one can interfere with the activation of magic. But the higher-

ranking Ultimate Skills, such as Feldway's, had the power to interfere with
"reishi," the substance that makes up magicules, and even the smallest particles

of information. This was God-like power.

By using his own "Seduction World," Diablo disturbed the "informants" and

sealed Feldway’s abilities, leaving him with little recourse.

Although Feldway had invested resources into Milim’s control, it was like all his

Ultimate Skills had been sealed. It was truly an abnormal situation.

This was a result of Diablo’s rare combat sense.

Not only had Diablo sealed Feldway’s strengths, but he also used his own magic

and military power to hold his ground against Feldway.

Feldway, not being a fool, didn’t just fall for Diablo’s provocations. He quickly

regained his composure and analysed the situation calmly.

And then, he realized just how dangerous Diablo's actions were.

He discerned that Diablo’s body harbored the energy of the "Void," and began

to doubt Diablo’s sanity. This power could truly destroy the world.

"You, you're abnormal!!" Feldway shouted.

"Kufufufu. I'll take that as the best compliment I can get," Diablo responded

with a smile.

Feldway’s words, spoken in frustration, only served to please Diablo.

This was precisely why Diablo was so insufferable, Feldway thought.

Feldway’s ultimate goal was to destroy the world, so even if Diablo failed to

control the Void, it would be welcomed. However,…

"I don't think he'll fail..." Feldway admitted to himself, despite his reluctance.
Feldway realized that he had underestimated Diablo too much. He regretted not

dealing with him earlier, before Diablo met Rimuru.

But still… Feldway had a trump card left.

"Sheesh, they need to hurry up too..." Feldway muttered, finally deciding to

launch the final all-out offensive in the operation.

Zalario, who had gone around to watch the match, was dumbfounded. Just as

Feldway had noticed, Zalario understood what Diablo was doing. No, perhaps it’s

better to say that he understood it.

(What are you thinking, Diablo?!)

He screamed in his heart. If possible, he felt like jumping into the battle right

now and stopping Diablo, even if it meant punching him. However, doing that

would only benefit Feldway, and more than anything, it was frustrating that

there was nothing else they could do.

They could only leave it as it was, relying on Diablo.

In that situation, Zalario felt helpless.

Zalario wasn’t the only one to react like this. Following Zalario, Sylvia also

realized. Almost at the same time, Elmesia understood as well.

"You're kidding..." "Rimucchi, if you don't come back soon, the world might

disappear, you know?" "Really..."

Diablo was the only one who could stop him. This was common knowledge to

Elmesia and a source of emotional support.

Her mother, Sylvia, had also heard about it from Elmesia and generally agreed

with her perception. The outrageous act of having the Primordial, the object of
humanity’s fear, at his side was something only Demon Lord Rimuru could pull

off.

And then, the Demon Lord Rimuru was gone.

There hadn't been a disturbance among Rimuru's subordinates, like Elmesia had

been worried about, but that was because the situation was far from that. In

fact, Diablo was acting as if he'd overestimated his own power, behaving in a

way that made one question his sanity.

Elmesia hadn't expected Diablo to have any common sense, but...

The Void, capable of destroying the world, had been imbued into his body and

was being used as energy. If it were a peaceful time, this reckless act would

have been stopped with all their might.

"He sure is calm when it comes to dangerous things."

"El-chan. You should tell the Demon Lord Rimuru."

"I'd love to, but look, Rimucchi's not here..."

Sylvia, too, knew that Rimuru had been erased by Feldway’s hand. But she

couldn’t help but think he’d probably come back.

Elmesia, too, seemed to believe that Rimuru would be safe, just as she did.

So, the two of them had made up their minds: Diablo’s foolishness would

definitely be reported.

"What, what? Is he doing something dangerous?"

With that, Laplace tried to join the conversation.

To Laplace, Sylvia and Elmesia were a wife and daughter who had long since been

separated. It was only recently that he remembered that, and the memories
were still vivid. Well, since his daughter, who hadn’t even been born, had grown

up to look just like her mother, it made him feel a little gloomy...

(I'm so happy that you've grown up to be a beautiful woman!)

That was how Laplace truly felt.

That said, the time he’d spent apart from them was long. From Laplace’s point of

view, he had just remembered, but for the mother and daughter, it felt like a

distant memory.

"Sylvia's interrogations were just overlooked because the time was right. It's a

good idea to start with a light conversation and close the distance between us!"

Thinking that, Laplace, a man who could read the mood, nodded.

But the topic was bad.

"If you haven't realized how dangerous it is, then it's better if you don't know."

Sylvia replied coldly.

Elmesia’s reaction was even harsher.

"Yeah... Actually, when I heard about your dad from Mama, he was so cool that I

admired him..."

She glared at Laplace appraisingly, then let out a heavy sigh of disappointment.

Hearing this, Laplace panicked.

"W-Wait a minute! Dad's really cool, isn't he?"

"A clown wearing a weird mask isn't cool or bad at all..."

Elmesia answered indifferently.

It was a very reasonable opinion.

Elmesia was a fan of the Masked Hero in the first place.

Sylvia had also told her about the Wandering Hero, so Elmesia knew it was her

father, but it was hard to identify him as the clown in front of her.

So, Elmesia threw out the core question.

"Actually, I don't want to be told that you're my father all of a sudden. I

wonder if it's real?"

Judging by her mother’s reaction, she assumed it was the real thing. But Elmesia

didn’t want to admit it.

He had gone missing before she was born, so this was their first meeting.

She wasn’t a young girl, so it felt a bit late to get excited.

"It's the real deal! There's no doubt about it. So, Elle-chaaaaan!"

"I won't allow you to call me Elle-chan."

Elmesia showed him her serious face here.

Her dignity as the Heavenly Emperor didn’t matter, but her inability to be

honest with herself was complicated. It seemed she still needed time before

she could open up to Laplace.

The man who could read the mood—Laplace—gulped and nodded.

"O-Okay. Dorter."

"......"

"I-I can't?"

"Phew, just call me Elmesia normally."

The moment he was exasperated, Elmesia lost.

First, one step.

This was the first step towards becoming father and daughter.

In any case, it was Laplace who’d been allowed to call her by her first name.

Here, Kagali interjected, trying to change the flow.

"I'm sure Laplace's father-daughter theatre is important, but could you explain

to us what's going on?"

"You're right. I don't intend to get in your way, but if Diablo is doing something

dangerous, I want to assume the worst-case scenario."

Following Kagali’s lead, Leon asked for an explanation.

Diablo was fighting on equal footing with Feldway, but apparently there was a

dangerous secret to that contraption. Kagali and Leon had heard Elmesia and

Sylvia’s conversation and decided that was the case.

They didn't know what they could do, but they wanted information to be shared.

Incidentally, Yuuki had joined the Milim Conqueror’s Battle at Chloe’s behest.

She’d learned “Teleportation” at some point, and it was to be expected that

she’d been quite active.

That's why Kagali thought she couldn't lose.

Leon felt the same. His memories of being used by Yuuki were still fresh, and it

would be a lie to say he had no grudge against them. But it wasn’t as if he

couldn’t sympathize with their way of life.

Leon was prepared to do anything evil if it meant finding the girl named Chloe.

Yuuki had probably only affirmed all sorts of evil deeds in order to realize his

ideals, too.
(In that case, I don't have the right to blame him.)

Resentment was a grudge, and Leon felt he should acknowledge it. Whether they

could get along or not was another matter entirely.

One day, they might be able to open up to each other. To prevent that

possibility from being crushed, they had to do something about the threat in

front of them.

"Tell me. Is there anything we can do?"

It was Zalario who declared this.

"I don't have one."

It was a blunt statement, but this applied to Zalario himself as well.

"That's right. Right now, the best course of action is to restore your power."

Sylvia nodded.

"Actually, if Diablo’s Void went berserk, the world would probably end, and all I

can do is pray Rimcchi comes back before that happens..."

That was Elmesia’s grumbling remark.

(Rimucchi, just like I was worried about, the Primordial Black's gone berserk, so

make sure you stop him, just as you declared yourself~)

That was the only hope Elmesia had.

Hearing Elmesia's statement left Laplace, Kagali, and Leon speechless at the

same time.

「「「The world will end...」」

It was easy to say, but there was no exaggeration in it. It was precisely because

they understood that nothing came out of it.

「「Wow, this is tough.」

Only Tia seemed to be at ease.

It wasn’t that she didn’t understand how difficult it was, but the feeling of

happiness everyone felt together outweighed her concern.

It was a shame for Clayman and Footman, but they were willing to do their best

with the remaining comrades.

(And then, when I go to the afterlife, I'll brag about it!)

Thinking like this, she was a positive Tia.

The atmosphere was conveyed to everyone. Even if there was nothing they could

do right now, there was no need to lament.

All they could do was believe in Diablo’s victory and pray for the world’s safety.

But if it doesn’t work out...

「Well, when that time comes, I'll complain to Rimcchi!」

That's how it was.

They’d settled on that conclusion: If the world was going to be destroyed,

Rimuru would be at fault.

The moment both Guy and Velzard got serious, the danger level on the

battlefield skyrocketed several levels.

「Moss? This protective barrier should be fine, right?」

Testarossa’s cold gaze pierced Moss.

「I wonder?」
Testarossa asked again.

Moss couldn’t say, “I want to ask that question,” even if his mouth split open.

Moss wanted to shout, “Of course, it’s impossible!” in a loud voice, but if he did

that, he’d be treated worse than dying at Testarossa’s hands before the world

was destroyed.

He didn’t want that, so he psyching himself up and strengthened the protective

barrier.

「全力を尽くしてます！」 「I'm doing my best!」

It wasn’t an answer, but he tried to placate Testarossa by replying that way.

Can I count on Moss like that? The backup flies. That's right! We're always

throwing everything we've got. If anything happens to break this barrier, I'll

call you Onee-sama!!」

It was Rain’s statement.

As a matter of fact, they’d taken control of the barrier from Moss, so if

anything, Rain’s responsibility was more important.

That was exactly why she intervened, but hearing her reply, which was quite off

the mark, left Testarossa exasperated as well.

「Does that benefit me?」

Testarossa pondered with a straight face... She let out a heavy sigh and

switched gears of thought.

「Well, whatever. Prepare for impact.」

Testarossa spoke smoothly.

「え？」 「Huh?」
Moss was about to ask again. And Rain.

Misery picked up on it and quickly got into position. She didn’t even need to look

at it. As she was told without understanding what she meant, Soka also took an

anti-shock stance like a turtle cub.

This is the difference between a woman who can do it and others.

A moment later, a violent tremor ran through the protective barrier.

The voice came late.

「Whiteout Absorb!」

It was the ultimate attack that Velzard had unleashed with all her might.

Velzard had an inherent power she was particularly skilled in.

That power was—“Stasis.”

It allowed her to freeze the state of motion of matter.

This did not reduce the kinetic energy to zero, but rather, it made the matter

immobile in that state. It could even prevent energy from leaking out. It was a

very versatile and convenient ability.

In addition to this, she was granted another ability by her brother—an Ultimate

Skill, “The King of Patience” [Gabriel], which boasted absolute defensive power.

Its essence was “Fixation.”

It could solidify all kinds of materials, creating a single mass from them.

These two powers—“Fixation” and “Stasis”—worked very well together.

For instance, condensing the moisture in the air to create walls of ice was no

challenge for her. She didn’t even have to limit herself to just condensing water

molecules.

While she could influence all molecules, unifying them into a single type
enhanced their strength. Furthermore, the results would be more aesthetically

pleasing, making it a habit for Velzard to add an extra touch to her creations.

When two abilities work this well together, they produce tremendous

synergistic effects.

If she could even stop the flow of energy, it would be enough to nullify any

attack. And since it couldn’t be broken unless it surpassed Velzard’s

overwhelming magicules, it was practically impossible to overcome.

In terms of defence alone, it was no exaggeration to say that Velzard was

invincible.

But what about her offensive abilities?

These two powers were well-suited for fighting in ways that suppressed her

opponents’ abilities, such as freezing their movements. It was like debuffing the

enemy while having perfect defence, which was already extremely useful.

But Velzard had another ability.

Her Ultimate Skill, “The King of Jealousy” [Leviathan], was a power specialized

in weakening the opponent’s abilities.

It allowed the user to lower an opponent’s power in line with the wielder’s

strength.

The ability to degrade an enemy's power was a perfect match for Velzard’s own

abilities.

Combining these abilities resulted in incredible effects, with Velzard’s magicules

vastly surpassing those of others.

This was why she was so strong.

By fortifying herself with a solid defence and simultaneously weakening her

opponents, Velzard created an unassailable situation—a surefire strategy for

victory.
There were almost no enemies who would force her to go that far.

This tactic had been developed with a potential battle against Guy in mind.

That was why she had a trump card.

It was—

The ultimate attack that combined her own power, “Stasis Lost,” the Ultimate

Skill “Gabriel” with “All Things Solidify,” and the “Ultimate Skill” [Leviathan],

with “Fate Absorption,” culminating in the devastating [White Out Absorb].

A white shockwave collided with Moss’s protective barrier, but it was merely a

ripple of the aftermath.

However, its power was immense.

“Onee-sama, I’m sorry~~~!”

“It’s a pain!!”

The power was enough to shatter the barrier in an instant.

Inevitably, Rain, who had been speaking so confidently, now referred to

Testarossa as “Onee-sama,” fulfilling her earlier words.

It could be said she had “recovered the flag.”

From Testarossa’s perspective, this was the height of irritation. She swore to

herself she would deal with Raine later, but she immediately responded to the

situation.

The girls were fortunate because of the intruders.

“I am here!!”

The one who appeared was the “Dragolord Lord”

Before even fully grasping the situation, Gabil instinctively understood what was

happening.

It was time.
Gabil’s Ultimate Gift, [Moodmaker], had a special ability that could be activated

once a day. Despite numerous restrictions, it could erase any tragedy as if it

had never happened. This ability was called “Fate Alteration.”

Gabil spun his [Vortex Spear] and shouted loudly.

“The world, let me change my fate to the way I want it to be!”

At this moment, Gabil had prevented the tragedy that would have occurred if

the protective barrier had been broken.

But Gabil wasn’t the only one who intervened.

“Fushuuu!! Are you all okay?”

The one asking was the “Barrier Lord” [Geld].

Benimaru had ordered a “Spatial Transfer,” and Geld was sent to strengthen the

barrier, responding just in time to prevent disaster.

Thanks to this intervention from Gabil’s “Fate Change” and Geld’s [Barrier],

Moss was able to successfully re-deploy the protective barrier.

This combination of lucky interventions allowed them to survive.

“Man, that was close.”

Rain summarized everything as if it was her own achievement.

Everyone ignored this.

Rain, feeling dejected, fake-cried, but that too was ignored.

Meanwhile, Gabil spotted Soka and called out to her.

“Oh, Soka! Are you all, right?”

“Brother!! Why are you here?”

“Well, it’s because I was worried about my beloved sister, of course...”

At this, Gabil grew restless.

“Ah, I understand. You’re here for SOPHIA-san, right?”

Hitting the nail on the head, Gabil’s heart skipped a beat.

“I’m fine. I’m still frozen, but that’s exactly why I think it’ll be fine.”

Soka’s words seemed contradictory, but they were the truth.

Velzard’s ice also served as the strongest shield to protect the victims.

Gabil, relieved by this, didn’t realize yet just how superior his “Fate Alteration”

power was, which he had used earlier.

Though it can only be used under numerous restrictions and conditions, its scope

of influence was far broader than he thought. That fact hadn’t been known yet,

but in time, everyone would understand.

The miracle wasn’t over yet...

Guy instinctively recognized that Velzard was about to use her trump card.

Facing each other, they engaged in an evenly matched battle, and their probing

of each other's weaknesses had come to an end. There was no longer any reason

to hold back, so it was just a matter of time before the decisive moment

arrived.

“──〝[Cold Extreme Disappearance Condensation][Whiteout Absorb]〟──!!”

Velzard's beautiful voice echoed just after the impact struck Guy's body.

Guy grimaced at the pain he hadn't felt in a while.

But that was all.

In Guy’s hand was a slender longsword, cutting through the cold air blade woven

by the [Cold Extreme Disappearance Condensation] and [Whiteout Absorb].

“You can be proud that you made me draw my sword.”

That was what Guy told Velzard.

The name of that sword was [World]—a Genesis-class sword, one of only seven

in existence in the world. Unlike the [Tenma Asura] he had given to Milim, the

blade he held was well-maintained.

Its rainbow-like shine was beautiful, with a mysterious blade pattern adorning
it.

The pulsating magic sword fit perfectly in Guy’s hand. Despite it being a long

time since he last held it, it felt like part of his body.

That was only natural. Just like the [Mythical-class][Gods], the Genesis-class

swords granted power to their owners. The power depended on the owner’s

strength, but the sword's existence value was equivalent to tens of millions.

Unsurprisingly, Guy was able to use [World] to its fullest potential.

At first, he couldn't handle it, but now he wielded it as freely as a limb.

In other words, at the moment he took hold of it, Guy’s value was equal to

Velzard’s.

If they lost their superiority in power, Velzard had no chance of winning.

Guy was all-powerful and the strongest.

The reason? Guy possessed the Ultimate Skill [Pride King][Lucifer].

Though Velzard’s [Cold Extreme Disappearance Condensation][Whiteout

Absorb] left Guy's body covered in wounds and the freezing effect had sealed

his [Divine Speed Regeneration], it was no problem.

Once he used the power to recreate Rimuru's [King of Gluttony][Belzebuth], the

damage and freezing effects were undone as he "devoured" the wounds. His

healing ability instantly restored him.

As for Velzard's own abilities—[King of Patience][Gabriel] and [King of

Envy][Leviathan]—Guy had already analysed them.

Velzard's inherent ability, "Stop," was troublesome, but Guy could easily

overcome it.
Feeling the pleasant unity with [World], Guy grinned at Velzard.

“That was your trump card, wasn’t it? What do you want to do now? Should

we continue?”

Guy was already confident in his victory.

He had stayed with Velzard for so long because he didn't know what hidden

power she had. Once that mystery was unravelled, it would be easy for Guy to

deal with.

The moment Velzard failed to land a decisive blow with her hidden power,

victory was decided. Velzard understood this well, but she refused to accept it.

“Not yet, I haven’t lost yet!!”

“You’re satisfied now, aren’t you? How long are you going to keep pretending to

be manipulated?”

“…Shut up.”

“Ahahaha. Don’t sulk.”

“You think you can solve everything on your own, don’t you?”

“Yeah. I’m strong.”

“How arrogant.”

“That’s who I am.”

“I know.”

Velzard's heart remained frozen.

But when speaking to Guy, she could still feel a faint warmth.

Just as she felt herself being swept away...

However, that wasn’t allowed.

“So, jealousy really did take root. Did you think you could fool me, Velzard?”

It was the curse engraved on Velzard's heart.

Feldway, who ruled Velzard through [Ultimate Dominion], had doubts about its

effectiveness, knowing that Velzard’s feelings were genuine.

He had planned to use the assumption that Velzard would switch sides,

preparing the "control circuit" to monitor her at any time.

In case of an emergency, he had set it up so that he could activate [Royal

Authority] when needed.

But even so, this effect was merely a temporary influence, and Feldway couldn’t

dominate Velzard completely while spending all his energy controlling Milim.

Yet, unknown to him, Twilight had already made her presence known in Velzard's

heart.

Feldway had secretly made a deal with Twilight, and now, as Twilight fully

awakened, she took over Velzard’s body. Her form changed into something

masculine, unmistakably Twilight.

“Hey, Guy. I made a mistake earlier, but this time, I think I’ll win.”

“You bastard...”

Guy felt rage like never before welling up from deep within him.

“This is unforgivable. How dare you touch what's mine! Using my cute Velzard...

You’ve got guts, Twilight.”

“If you want to die that badly, I’ll kill you.”

With intense anger, Guy's hair stood on end, glowing red.

“Ooh, scary, scary.”

Twilight smiled, provoking Guy.

Feldway’s curse on Velzard's heart was still in place, and Twilight acknowledged

the order to deal with Guy. However, just as Twilight responded mentally, a
single bullet, known as [Judgment], was fired, shattering the illusion of the Void

that had enveloped them.

"Hey, Carrera? Don’t you think you’re overdoing it?"

"No matter how powerful my Divine Destruction Bullet is, I don’t think I can

take down a dragon species in a single strike. So, it’s fine!"

"Well, I suppose you’re right. But even so, I didn’t think you’d put such a huge

hole in Lord Velzard’s heart..."

Gabil’s miracle hadn’t just protected those within the protective barrier. Its

main goal was the release of those who had turned into ice statues.

For Gabil, his beloved (newly made) lover was the primary target, but the first

to be rescued by the miraculous effect was Carrera, who had been closest to

him.

Thanks to that—or maybe because of it—Carrera, who had snapped and revived,

went berserk while muttering, “I sense a bad presence.”

She unleashed her ultimate technique, which she could only use once a day,

without hesitation.

Everyone was surprised, but Testarossa was different. Like Carrera, she sensed

an unpleasant presence from Velzard, so she immediately understood Carrera’s

actions. She manipulated the Void to match Carrera’s movements, opening up the

trajectory towards Velzard.

With this coordinated play, the Divine Destruction Bullet struck Velzard

directly. It pierced through the curse Feldway had set up and destroyed it, thus

scattering Feldway's remnants.

At the same time, Twilight, who had become the core of the Theocracy and

resided within Velzard, wasn’t spared from the influence either. Normally, the

core would coexist with the soul, so its location could never be pinpointed.

Attacking just the core would be impossible for anyone.

However, in Velzard’s case, things were different. She and Twilight were only

allies, and Velzard was nothing more than the host.

Because of that, Twilight had secured a solid existence as the Divinity Core. It

was only possible for her to inhabit the pseudo-dragon body because it was

completely isolated.

Though this wasn't necessarily a weak point, a direct hit from the Divine

Destruction Bullet caused Twilight to be thrown into confusion.

(That’s impossible!? The odds of something like this happening…)

Twilight lamented, but this was reality.

And just like that, Twilight’s consciousness was swallowed by darkness.

With Velzard’s protection shot through to the core, Twilight’s existence

completely vanished from this place.

However, the reason things had gone so smoothly could very well be due to

Gabil’s influence on "fate alteration." Testarossa, who understood this, quietly

reevaluated Gabil.

By the way, if you asked whether everything went well, that wasn't the case.

Twilight had just taken control of Velzard’s body but had no choice but to

relinquish control. As a result, Velzard returned to her original form, but the

effects of the Divine Destruction Bullet were immense.

She lost her reason and went berserk.

"Hey, you bastard! Think before you act!!"

Guy, who had just received a full blast, shouted angrily at Carrera.

Though Velzard in her berserk state wasn’t as much of a threat as Milim, she

was still extremely dangerous.

Moreover, the ice statues were gradually being undone, and the [Absolute

Defence Blessing] [Velzard’s Protection] was beginning to fade.

Guy was doing everything he could to avoid that.

"I feel bad, but I’m not reflecting on it. After all, I’m the one who got frozen by

Lord Velzard in the first place, right? It’s only natural that I’d punch her back

as a form of gratitude!"

That was Carrera’s counterargument.

It was both a logical and illogical response, very much like Carrera.

"That one punch is way too big! Think about the consequences before you act!!"

Guy’s words were sound.

Carrera became flustered. Since she had used her ultimate move right off the

bat, she couldn’t argue back.

"Tch, whatever. This isn’t the time to argue with you."

Guy clicked his tongue and grappled with Velzard.

"There’s nothing we can do about it," Testarossa said, matching Guy’s move.

Looking at Velzard unconscious, it was clear that something had happened to

Twilight. Guy assumed that Carrera’s Divine Destruction Bullet was responsible,

so he switched to nullifying the magic bullets Velzard had launched with the

Void.
Meanwhile, he began sealing off the ice and snow with the Void as well.

It wouldn’t be a problem if it were just them, but for the evacuee’s, maintaining

visibility was crucial.

"You guys, this isn’t the time to slack off, is it?"

Testarossa pointed this out in a cold voice.

"Well, it can’t be helped. I’ll take responsibility and help out the hopeless Guy!"

"Heh, I suppose I have no choice but to show my abilities."

Carrera was fully motivated from the start.

Raine reluctantly agreed.

This caused Guy to be exasperated.

"Of course! Stop complaining and get over here already!"

He shouted at them, allowing them to join the battle.

On the ground, Testarossa, focused on using the Void for offensive defence,

was clearing away the ice and snow while asking Misery a question.

"Are you not joining the fight?"

"Yeah, I was thinking of staying on the defensive side."

"Well, that would be safer, right?"

Even Geld couldn’t create a large barrier, and Moss’s protective barrier

remained the primary one. With Rain’s departure, Misery’s burden increased.

However, with Geld’s reinforcements, the strength of the barrier had actually

increased despite Rain's absence. That was a relief, but the issue was that

Velzard’s freeze was being lifted.

The revived sprites joined the Barrier Enhancement, appearing exasperated.

"I wish you’d at least explained the situation."

Despite her complaints, Misery was doing what needed to be done.

Others revived one after another, quickly understanding the situation, and

either retreated from the battlefield or started guiding evacuations.

In the pure-white world, visibility was only now starting to open up. In many

cases, they relied on senses other than sight, such as smell and hearing. For

those who didn't know what was happening, it was a hellish situation.

The sound of battle echoed through the heavens and earth, and shockwaves and

vibrations were felt, causing many to turn pale in fear.

Most people would have preferred to stay asleep if they were going to die.

While reassuring them, the higher-ups were guiding the others. It was

fortunate that there was little confusion since the group gathered was made up

of veteran warriors.

Of course, some watched the battle without evacuating.

"This is getting serious..." Gobua muttered as he watched Guy and the others.

"Yeah. I can only vaguely sense what’s going on, but if you told me the world was

ending, I’d probably believe it," Phobio nodded, standing next to Gobua.

Some were more optimistic, like Carion.

"There’s no need to be scared. Guy will handle it," he said, trying to comfort

Frey.

His remark was refreshingly indifferent, as if it were someone else’s problem,

but he had already given up and admitted there was nothing he could do.
"You idiot. It’s true we can’t help build the barrier, but we can help regroup the

army. Hurry up and use Thought Communication to gather the warriors and

reassure them."

Frey answered while pinching his outstretched hand on Carion’s shoulder.

Carion smiled wryly and struck a surrender pose.

"Alright, Guy! I’m leaving the rest to you!"

"I’ll be back again, so I’ll leave it to you until then."

Carion and Frey said that and left to gather the revived warriors.

Guy smiled wryly. "Man, it's just like Carion to use me with his chin. Well, I’ll do

it even without being told."

Guy held a favorable view of Carion.

He wanted to live up to his expectations if he could, but the situation wasn’t so

simple.

Velzard's tyranny was so intense that it showed no sign of stopping.

Guy was confident he wouldn’t lose, and he was sure he’d win if it were just a

match, but killing Velzard would be difficult.

It could be done with time, but the damage that would occur in the meantime

would be extraordinary. Moreover, Guy valued Velzard, so killing her was never

an option.

"So, what are you going to do?"

"Guy-sama, what should I do?"

Carrera and Raine lined up with Guy and asked him that question.

"You're right..."
Guy pondered.

It was a more difficult question than anything he had ever faced before.

Feldway was impatient.

The Curse Order he had set on Velzard had suddenly been destroyed.

In contrast, Diablo was grinning.

"Oh? Is something the matter?"

He asked with a smile, still not loosening his grip on Feldway.

"Shut up."

"Why?"

This is what it means when the conversation doesn't align.

It was only natural, since Diablo only wanted to provoke Feldway.

There was no reason for Feldway to obey him when he told him to shut up, so he

had no room to complain.

"You bastard..."

"Heh, looks like we've reached the bottom. It looks like all your plans will fail,

and the curtain will close on our victory."

Diablo muttered something like that.

In truth, he didn’t have much leeway.

Diablo’s body was already in tatters, and whether he could defeat Feldway was

uncertain. On top of that, he couldn’t ignore the existence of Ivarage.

Even if things didn’t go as Feldway planned, declaring their victory was

unreasonable.

Still, having the psychological upper hand would help in battle. Diablo, staying

true to the basics, was laying the groundwork to defeat Feldway.

This was also a technique.

"Phew, what a shame. It seems you’ve really angered me."

Feldway's demeanour changed.

(Rather than continuing to rule Milim like this…)

Feldway made his decision.

Milim was invincible. If they continued the operation, they would eventually

annihilate the enemy and destroy the Sacred Tree.

His reason told him that was the right answer.

However, it wasn’t enough to get him serious against Diablo.

Victory was already assured at this point. Still, Feldway, with his pride, wanted

to show his full strength to silence his impertinent opponent.

Carrying this out would surely ensure the success of their plan.

However, Feldway had to take the risk. His power would be greatly diminished,

even temporarily, putting him in a dangerous state.

Still, he believed defeat was impossible, and as a proud Feldway, he wanted a

perfect victory.

But Diablo changed his mind.

Feldway, deciding to prioritize the success of the operation over his pride,

would abandon Milim’s control and defeat Diablo with all his strength.
"Milim, destroy the Sacred Tree!!"

Feldway, with all his might, gave Milim a forced order.

As a result, the control’s influence was lost.

But there was no problem.

Even if Feldway’s rule was lifted, the last order he gave would still be carried

out. Additionally, Milim's [Crazy Stampede] remained in effect, so Feldway

decided to eliminate the nuisances first and then take control again.

There was no stopping now.

Milim would destroy the Sacred Tree. If that happened, the world would be

over.

Feldway felt his defences plummet and braced himself.

But…

Diablo only grinned.

(What? This is your chance to defeat me, so why aren't you moving?)

Feldway realized that Diablo wasn’t even looking at him.

What was beyond that…

Yuuki was being worked to the bone.

"Hey, hey, this is power harassment!"

"Shut up. These coordinates next!"

"—Yes, yes."

Complaints were not being listened to.

Chloe’s demands were one-sided, and there was no space for Yuuki to speak up.

Veldora, happily watching, nodded along.

Yuuki was irritated, feeling that she was underestimating him.

Yuuki, being a genius, had already figured out why Chloe was using such a drawn-

out tactic. That’s why he understood that he couldn’t pose a threat to Milim and

quietly felt dejected.

"How pathetic, how pathetic."

It was almost indescribable how annoying Maria was.

Yuuki was annoyed, thinking, shut up.

It’s not important, but it’s annoying to repeat it twice.

Moreover, her malice toward Yuuki was better than nothing.

Mariabelle's personality, which used to be her archenemy, had been copied, so

they weren’t compatible at all. And yet, her performance alone was the best, so

Yuuki blamed her as if she’d taken the head of a demon when she made a

mistake.

Even if she hadn’t made a mistake, she’d sometimes make fun of him like she was

now.

(Yeah, I'll have to turn off the audio somehow.)

Or so Yuuki secretly swore to herself.

But still... Yuuki thought.

(This is an outrageous harassment, but it’s definitely his doing.)

And he remembered Rimuru, who wasn’t here right now.

Yuuki thought it was thanks to Rimuru that she was able to come back here.

It's because the odds of me meeting up with Mai in that place are so close to

zero that just thinking about it makes me faint.

That was proof that Rimuru was involved—in other words, proof that he was
alive—and Yuuki was convinced of that.

In that case, now was the time to do my best.

"Good grief. Rimuru-san is the only one who can do something about Milim, the

fiendish demon lord..."

"If you understand, then move!"

"Yes, yes."

"Okay, I'll do my best too!"

"Don't do anything unnecessary, Veldora!!"

"Y-Yes. Of course..."

Chloe took charge, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

She gave precise instructions, keeping Milim away from the Sacred Tree.

Not only Yuuki, but even Veldora seemed unable to defy her.

"So, what should I do next?"

"In order to draw Milim's attention, I'll use my superpowers, which I'm proud

of, to attack."

"Huh? Have I ever told you that I can use psychic powers?"

From Yuuki’s point of view, this was like meeting the “Masked Hero” for the

first time.

He knew that her true identity was Chloe Oberl, a student of the Free

Academy, but she was already a different person.

I don't think she knows part of Yuuki's secret, but...

"I'll explain later! Let's hurry!!"

"Okay."

In the face of Chloe’s spirit, Yuuki had also lost completely.

I gave up on asking her for an explanation of the situation and had no choice but

to obediently follow her instructions.

And so, after a while――

"Ahhh!!"
Chloe murmured softly.

Without thinking, Yuuki turned to look at Chloe.

Because there seemed to be a note of joy in her voice.

However, Chloe’s expression remained cold.

The moment Yuuki thought it might have been a misunderstanding, the situation

suddenly changed.

“Milim, destroy the Sacred Tree!!”

That’s how Feldway's wave of thoughts roared throughout the area.

Accepting this, Milim stared at the Sacred Tree.

"This is bad!"

Yuuki moved in a panic.

I launched an attack on Milim, but she was completely unfazed. She didn’t seem

to be taking as much damage as a mosquito bite, and she didn’t even care about

Yuuki.

"Dammit, I can't do it!"

"Then I will! [Dragon Claw Destruction] [Dragon Claw]!!"

And this time, Veldora set it up.

But Milim paid it no mind. She stared straight at the Sacred Tree and readied

herself to unleash her ultimate technique, Drago Nova.

In proportion to the Dragon Star Explosion, which was about to unfold on an

unprecedented scale, a thin film spread out to protect Milim, glowing a pale blue.

Veldora struck, but it deflected it.

When unleashing a Dragon Star Explosion, a Barrier expands to protect the

caster.

This is the true form of the bluish-white film, but it is a cocoon of star

particles, and it is impossible to pierce this unless you are well versed in its

properties.

"Mmm, what a strong barrier. To think that even my Dragon Claw Destruction
skill wouldn't budge..."

Veldora had to admit how dangerous Milim was, too, saying he was surprised

that this wasn’t meant for defence. He’d been fairly confident in that, so it was

a shock that she’d blocked it so easily.

But he couldn’t give up now.

"It can't be helped. I'll have to use all my power to manipulate the probability

and change the trajectory of the Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror, Drago

Nova..."

The odds of that succeeding were close to nothing, but Veldora had seen

through that it was possible to interfere with the star particles with [Fatair

Paradox] and [Fabulous Mysterious Waves of Abundance].

In the worst-case scenario, even if it means taking serious damage, I should be

able to aim to cancel it out.

"Yuuki, help Us!"

"...I guess I have no choice. So, what should I do?"

"That's right. I'll calculate the coordinates for you."

And just as he’d given that much instructions, Veldora suddenly realized

something.

Chloe, who had been in charge until just a moment ago, had strangely quieted

down.

Did she give up? I thought, but she seemed different.

Before they knew it, they’d taken up positions in front of the sacred tree and

were glaring at Milim.

(Do you have a plan? In that case, I should join you.)

If nothing happened, we'd be in a position to take a direct hit from Drago Nova.

That would honestly be suicide, but since he and Yuuki were there too, Veldora

decided he could at least survive.

"Before that, let's meet up with Chloe."

"Roger that."

Together with Veldora, Yuuki teleported behind Chloe.

And so, looking directly at Milim――

Star particles glittered between Milim’s hands, and the power of unworldly

destruction swirled around her.

It was like a nebula.

An extraordinary amount of energy had been compressed to an ultra-high

density, and it hid so much danger that it could easily annihilate even a star

system.

Milim had no reason to hold back now, and she had nothing to do with holding

back. At this point, she had already reached over a hundred times the power

she’d unleashed on Zelanus.

Veldora murmured, understanding that.

"Indeed! Even We can't cancel that out!!"

He gave up quickly, but everyone thought that was the case.

It's because it's easy to predict that anyone who can see and understand it will

be able to spread destruction at a level observed for the first time in the world

on the axis.

It wasn’t surprising that the force that had destroyed the sacred tree could

shatter even the stars.

Feldway roared with laughter.

"Hahahaha!! Wonderful. Wonderful, Milim!! Now, release it and fulfill my

ambitions!!"

In response to her order, Milim fired off a [Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror],

Drago Nova.

Everyone was prepared for the world to end.

The main stream of bluish-white, shining light wrapped in electrical discharge

burned the air at almost the speed of light as it closed in on the sacred tree.
Up ahead, Chloe, Veldora, and Yuuki floated.

Looking up at the three of them, the warriors who had tried to protect this

land.

No one is despairing.

They say that the heavens save those who are saved, but everyone except for a

few is satisfied that they've made it through to the end. They experience a

small amount of time before the final moment arrives. And they witness a

miracle.

In that moment, the space shook.

Someone appears.

His gleaming, moon-white hair fluttered, captivating everyone's attention.

Time, which felt like it had stopped, began to flow, but everyone's senses

seemed numb.

There was no destruction.

The sacred tree was safe, and the world hadn’t been destroyed.

But...

“It hurts!? Wait, it really hurts like hell!?”

A relaxed voice rang out.

The Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror, powerful enough to destroy the world,

had vanished without a trace.

Chloe moved as if she knew that would happen.

“Rimuru-san!!”

Without hesitation, she rushed to embrace the most reliable person, me.

Man, this is bad.

As soon as I returned, Milim was right in front of me, in a berserk state.

That was exactly what I was aiming for, but the worst part was that it

happened right after Drago Nova was fired.

Ciel-san had boasted that she could use Time Leap to return at any time, so it

was a mistake to trust her and leave it to her.

As a result, an accident happened along the way.

I tried to cover it up by saying it was just my imagination, but I wasn’t fooled.

That’s why I ended up returning at such a bad time.

“No, the timing was perfect.”

Lie!!

If it was perfect, you should’ve returned before Milim unleashed her Dragon

Star Explosion Conqueror!

If I had, I wouldn't have had to go through this much pain either.

Actually, wouldn’t it have been better to just use brute force to cancel it out

instead of segregating it in imaginary space?

Didn't she brag about how much energy she had saved up?

In that case, wouldn’t it have been easy enough to cancel them out?

“No. I was able to handle it without causing any damage, so it was the perfect

way to deal with it.”

I wonder if it's true?

It feels like I got a terrible hangover because I swallowed it.

I don’t feel well, and I have a headache...

...Wait, hold on.

Perfect timing... Could it be that you ate the Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror

on purpose?

“….”

Hey, hey?

“It’s already over, so I think we should switch gears.”

...Phew.

I swallowed my anger.

Looks like I've gotten used to being swayed.

Seeing Ciel-san acting the same as always actually makes me feel relieved.

Anyway, we’ve made it back safely, so let’s leave it at that.

“Rimuru-san!!”

And the one who called out to me as she hugged me was an attractive beautiful

girl.

She was so beautiful that I couldn’t help but feel my heart skip a beat. Or

rather, Chloe.

“Y-Yeah. You're Chloe, right? Weren’t you evacuating into the labyrinth?”

“Yeah. That’s right, but Gaia was about to rush to Master’s place, so I helped

him come with me.”

I see. Did she sense that Milim was going berserk?

It seemed like Gaia and Milim had a bond of their own, so it was entirely

possible they’d jumped out of concern.

Thanks to that, everyone seems to be safe, so it might be a big win.

Gaia was still calling out to Milim, “Kyui, kyui!!”

As for Milim...

“It seems to have weakened its dominance in response to Gaia's call.”

Looks like the influence of dominion is rapidly disappearing after we finished

shooting the Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror, huh? At this rate, I could expect

her to regain her sense of self soon.

I unconsciously patted Chloe’s head as I thought about how it actually felt good.

She suddenly came to her senses and hurriedly apologized.

“Ah, sorry, sorry. I couldn’t help but pat your head like a child.”

“No, I’m fine. Praise me more.”

Oh, Chloe, if you say so...

“No. That would be sexual harassment.”

Oh, so it’s no good after all.

When he said that, I realized that Leon was looking up at us and glaring at us,
too, so now wasn’t the time to be taking it easy.

I gently patted Chloe on the shoulder and had her let go.

At that moment, Veldora cut in, firmly crossing his shoulders with me as he

spoke.

“Kwahahaha! Well done making it back safely, Rimuru. I am not worried about

you, but I have been working hard as Chloe’s arms and legs in your stead. Give

me a reward later!”

“Yeah, thanks. So, where’s Dagruel?”

“Of course, my victory is complete!”

“Wonderful. I knew you would live up to my expectations!”

“Isn’t that, right? Even so!!”

Kuahahaha, Veldora is overjoyed.

He seems to be looking forward to the reward, so I'll prepare a magic weapon

for him [Temporary Demon Body].

It’s a pseudo-MMORPG that I’ve been playing in Ramiris’s dungeon using

[PseudoDemon] [Avatar], but there’s been an increase in players lately, and it’s

plainly becoming more popular.

We're in the middle of a war right now, and no matter how you look at it, this

isn't the time to be playing around, but it's precisely because I feel like

something fun is waiting for me in the future that I can do my best.

“Once it’s all over, I’ll prepare a wonderful item for you!”

“Indeed! Rimuru, you really do understand what I'm saying. I expect great

things from you!”

Veldora nodded in satisfaction.

It seemed like a lot had happened, so I decided to take my time listening to him

talk later and thank him.

And so, they rejoiced at Rimuru’s reunion with Veldora, but Yuuki was there, too.

“I resent you, Rimuru-san…”

“What’s this all of a sudden? I didn’t do anything.”

“You did! Why would you push someone with such a bad personality onto me?!”

I had no idea what he was talking about, but Yuuki complained.

Milim was about to make her move, so I didn’t have time to listen to Yuuki, but...

I was worried about Yuuki being furious.

Well, they were technically allies, but they were the ones who were trying to

use me. I didn’t think they needed to be that friendly with me, but he was

Shizu-san’s disciple, even if only temporarily. It would be bad for me to leave

him alone, so maybe I could at least hear him out.

Just as I was thinking that, Yuuki began to speak, paying no heed to my

circumstances.

He’d single-handedly used his Thought Communication to tell me that

Mariabelle’s sense of self had taken up residence inside him.

Apparently, she would talk to Yuuki without considering the time and place and

make fun of him.

When I heard the story, I definitely thought, “I don’t want that.”

But that’s all.

“Please do something!”

“I can’t.”

Why do I have to do that?

In the first place, if Yuuki was going to have a hard time, she was more than

welcome for me.

"Besides, that's a [Mana Core], isn't it? It's an extremely rare power, so you

should just get along with it."

It's the same with Ciel-sama, but the [Mana Core] is useful. The smartest

approach is to cooperate.

Before that, if you've gained that much sense of self, don't think it's
impossible to separate them.

"Exactly! The [Mana Core] and its host cannot be separated."

I’m sure you're right.

"I fused with Chronoa, though."

And then Chloe-sama cut in.

Just as I was remembering that there was a pattern like that, Ciel-sama

declared with a big nod,

"Don’t worry. I’ll always be with you, Master."

Uh, uh.

Staying as a duo rather than fused together made me happy as well.

It's a pain sometimes, but that's one thing I've decided on.

In other words, Yuuki’s complaint was rejected.

"Give up."

"N-No way..."

Seeing Yuuki lament didn’t hurt my heart.

If anything, I thought it was a mess.

Now then, I'd like to celebrate my return more, but I should finish what I need

to do first.

I decided to capture Milim before she made her move, so she wouldn’t go any

wilder.

I grappled with Milim, and the moment I thought I was relieved, she hit me hard

on the head.

Even though a certain level of attack had Pain Sense nullification, it hurt so

much that it made me want to cry.

Damn Milim, just because she’s gone berserk doesn’t mean she’ll do whatever

she wants...
Now, what should we do from here?

It wouldn’t be fun to have my head pounded like this. Honestly, it hurts.

Maybe I should take slime form here and get tangled up in it.

I was hesitant because it looked like I was out, but my patience was at its limit.

Just when I thought it was about time to act, someone turned to me and

complained.

"Don't be ridiculous! What are you so excited about? Do you think you've

already won?!"

“Who’s there?” Wait, it’s Feldway.

I don’t care if I feel like I’ve already won. Milim’s still out of control, though.

It was just that every time Gaia called out to her, she could see a reaction, and

she was reacting to Veldora, too. I figured she’d regain consciousness if I held

her down like this.

If that happens, let's begin the counterattack.

It's too early to think I won, but I didn’t think I’d lost in the first place.

If you're going to do it, you have to aim for the best, and you'll definitely win.

The question of where to set the conditions for victory is up to you.

"…You're easing the victory conditions too much."

Well, yeah.

It's to leave behind a track record of winning, so that's part of it.

Well, I don't think that's necessary this time!

"Our victory was decided from the start!"

I'm good at fanning the flames.

When he heard my reply, Feldway looked frustrated. It was exactly how Zalario

felt.

Diablo was the one who sympathized with me

"Kufufufu, that's Sir Rimuru for you!!"

Without wavering in the slightest, he played my drummer like he always did.

Now that I take a closer look, it's shredded.

"Diablo, you're not okay, right?"

For some reason, he seemed reckless, and his body was starting to collapse. He

was as calm as ever, so I’d overlooked it, but Diablo had taken so much damage

that it was no surprise he’d disappear at any moment.

"It seems he was able to use the Void, but his body must not have been able to

withstand that power. It’s impossible to use magicules to regenerate, so it’s only

a matter of time before Diablo’s body completely collapses."

Hey, hey, you're in a tough spot.

"Kufufufu, there is no problem at all. It is a shame that the body Rimuru-sama

gave me will be lost, but I will surely revive someday and serve you again."

At that rate, Diablo didn’t seem the least bit bothered.

I'm amazed, but also impressed.

He had sacrificed herself to take on Feldway. I should have done something

about this.

"…Phew, there's one way."

Oh, what's that?

"Master's omnipotent cells, just like the ones I gave to Zegion."

Ah, I see...

So she’s giving Diablo my cells... Hmm.

It didn’t bother me when we were in Zegion, but I’d hesitate if we were up

against Diablo.

I feel like he's going to thank me more than necessary for holding me up so

excessively.

But when I saw him collapse right in front of me, I felt reproached to watch him

go without doing anything.

It can't be helped.

"Diablo, use this."

With that, I tossed a portion of my body, disguised as a recovery potion, over to

Diablo.

I made sure to use [Teleport] to make sure Feldway didn't steal it from me.

Once I memorized it, this was a pretty convenient technique.

That’s how it ended up in Diablo’s hands, without any particularly snatched

mistakes.

"Oh, Sir Rimuru! I thank you. This is my heirloom."

"What is heirloom?"

Do demons even have the concept of a house in the first place?

Diablo was capable, but sometimes he had strange ideas, which scared me. I’d

gone out for a bad side this time too, but he’d followed my orders and downed

the recovery potion, the fake, so I decided to leave it at that.

"Kufu, kufufufu. I see, that's wonderful! With this, there's nothing for anyone

to fear anymore."

The collapse of his body stopped as well, and Diablo’s body seemed to have

completely healed.

He's boasting like he has nothing to fear, but he should be afraid of Soei.

After all, we were in the middle of searching Diablo’s room. It’s wartime, and it’s

been postponed because this isn’t the time, but I’m sure he’ll be terrified and

wary if the investigation resumes.

Well, I’ll be watching when that happens, but I’m not someone else’s problem,

either.

There’s also my secret agreement with Raine, so I’ll have to use Diablo as a

reference to come up with a countermeasure.

"…Well, I have money."

"Setting up an impregnable secret base outside of the labyrinth is probably a

good idea for a man's romance."

That’s why I want Diablo to do his best as a diversion, too. Even if it's against

Feldway in the future. Diablo would be the one to rely on until Milim was

returned to normal.

Feldway is a formidable foe. Diablo probably understood that well enough.

They're probably bluffing against Feldway, trying to buy time.

"I don't think so..."

"Huh? Really?"

After all the damage you’ve done, it’s not something you can gain the upper hand

over just because your wounds have healed, right?

"No, that wound is Diablo's own."

"Oh, it's a self-destruct."

Hmm, so even he makes mistakes like that. I feel a bit close to him.

I decided to cheer Diablo up with a light cheer.

"Impressive, Diablo. You're the only one I can count on, so do your best!"

Diablo rejoiced when I said that.

He really is exaggerating. I can even see streaks of tears out of the corner of

her eyes, so he must have been really happy. But, well, he seemed to be getting

more and more motivated. At this rate, it seemed like it would be okay to leave

Feldway to him.

"I'll leave that to you!"

"Leave it to me."

As soon as I heard Diablo’s reply, I focused my attention on Milim. I figured I’d

hurry up and get rid of the Stampede status and free Milim.
As I continued to call out to Milim, I decided to investigate the current

situation. Only I, Veldora, and Gaia could show Milim a reaction. I felt like her

reaction to Gaia was the biggest, but she still showed no signs of regaining her

sense of self. It was just that she felt more hopeful about doing it than not.

At this rate, there was a chance it would end with maintaining the status quo.

There was no point in that, so I thought of a more effective method. What’s

important is Milim’s work on her consciousness. Our voices are reaching her, so

she’s trying to find a solution in the direction of dispelling Milim's anger by

conveying something stimulating.

I cast my Surveillance Magic spell, Argos, to reflect the current state of the

old Eurazania.

"Ah, Frey and the others are back to normal..."

What appears on the screen is an unexpected sight. I don't know what happened

or what happened, but the people who turned into ice statues have revived. Frey

stood out because she was flying, but it looked like my friends were safe, too.

Oh, Testarossa's here! Soka, Gabil, and Raine were there, too. I’m glad to see

that Carrera and the others are back in action, but it doesn’t look like Velzard

disarmed them herself, so what kind of trick did she use? Even I wouldn't have

been able to disarm it.

"No! It should have worked out somehow!"

When the word 'should' come up, I don't think I can count on you. Ciel-san's

competitive nature hasn't changed, but now's not the time to argue.

"Good work. What’s the situation over there?" I called out to Testarossa.

"~!! Sir Rimuru, you made it back safely, didn’t you?!"

The moment I casually called out to her with “Think Communication,” she

responded with surprising delight.

"Oh, yeah. It’s not that big of a deal..."

No, she was worried about me. I thought it hadn't been that long since I'd been

forced to jump, but that wasn't the issue here. It seemed I had made everyone

worry that we might never see each other again. It was a stroke of luck that I

was able to come back, and apologize later~ Wait, it's not my fault, is it...? This

is all Feldway’s fault, so he should take responsibility once he frees Milim.

"That aside," I said. Testarossa was something else, and she’d neatly swallowed

her emotions and told me the situation. According to that, a lot had happened

during the Velzard War, too. "Curse you, Feldway! You’re doing whatever you

want here and there," I said, growing angry at Feldway.

"But, well, it’s a good thing there haven’t been any casualties. Keep up the good

work, and make sure you guys don’t get caught up in the battle and get hurt!"

“Understood!”

Testarossa gladly accepted, which put me at ease.

Now then. Well then, let's solve each problem one by one.

"Hey, Milim! Can you hear me? All of your friends are safe! Stop thrashing

around and get your senses back!!"

Feeling like the police were calling out to the culprit, I spoke gently to Milim.

"Kyui! Kyuikyui!!"

Gaia was matching my pace. At this rate, I continue to call out to her as if I'm

trying to fold her up.

"Frey-san will cry if she sees you like that! Are you sure? I can send that video

over there!"

"......"

"Karion's here. I'm sure he'll laugh at you for being pathetic!"

"......"

"Guy's here too. Don't complain to me if he makes fun of you."

"...Wait. They won’t find out unless we send them an image, so isn’t it okay to

complain to Rimuru?"

"Hmm? No, no, it's worse to do something like that. Besides, everyone already

knows you're going on a rampage in the first place. Wait, what?!"

The next thing I knew, Milim had returned to her senses. Before I knew it, her

form was no longer ominous. It's so natural that I'm dumbfounded.

Maybe it was because I’d used the Surveillance Magic spell Argos to reflect the

state of the battle on the other side, but did the word “everyone’s safe” reach

Milim? It's possible that Kaeya's calls up until now have been affecting her.

But still... Crimson horns sprouted from her forehead as if to split her beautiful

[Sakura Gold] and [Platinum Pink] hair, but there was a glint of reason in her

eyes. Dragon wings spread across her back, and her entire body was covered in

jet-black Armor without a scratch.

In other words, despite how much she’d gone on a rampage, there hadn’t been

much damage. Chloe was surprised as well, with eyes that said, you’re kidding. It

wasn’t just Chloe—Leon, Elle-tan, and the others all looked up at Milim with

unbelievable eyes.
Whatever the case, it would have been difficult to defeat Milim, so it was all

well and good for her to come back to her senses.

However,...

"Don't play dumb, okay? It's your rampage, but it won't be like it never

happened."

"Grrr, how long are you going to keep doing these little things..."

"It's not small."

Honestly.

It’s all well and good that she’s back to her senses, but I’ll definitely stop her

from trying to cover up her own failure.

I swore firmly in my heart that I would never let the person who caused me

trouble apologize.

"Well, well, Rimuru. There was no major damage due to our efforts, so why don't

you forgive her with a smile?"

And then Veldora said something carefree.

Chloe had nothing to do with this, but Elle-tan stepped in and tried to calm me

down.

She fluttered in front of us and tried to ease the tension.

"Milim-chan didn’t mean any harm. She was just being manipulated. Isn’t it a

little unfair to pursue responsibility for this?"

Elle-tan, who is usually strict, was ignoring this issue. If the Heavenly Emperor

is fine with it, then I don’t have any complaints...

“Indeed, that’s exactly what I’m saying! As expected, you understand

perfectly!!” Milim was praising Elle-tan in high spirits, but I don’t think she’s

that naive, you know?

"Well, that’s true, but you’re the one who caused the most trouble, aren't you?"

"Of course, we need to discuss that! We'll have Rimcchi help with the

reconstruction later!"

Huh?

Why me?

"No, no, we should have Milim take responsibility for that, right?"

"What are you saying? You’re the guardian of the demon lord Milim, so you’re

not wrong about asking Rimcchi for help!"

Elmesia winked at me as she said that.

I see. So that's how it's going to be.

True, it’d be impossible for Milim to help with reconstruction work, so yeah, I’ll

help, but...

I reluctantly accepted that proposal, realizing I couldn’t refuse.

"Okay, okay, I get it. I’ll help with the reconstruction," I said, sighing in

resignation.

“Thank you, Rimcchi!” Milim cheered, her expression brightening as she clasped

her hands together.

“You’ll have to help too, Milim,” I added, trying to keep things fair.

"Eh? Why me?" Milim’s eyes widened in confusion.

“Because you’re the one who caused all this chaos in the first place,” I pointed

out, glancing at her.

Milim puffed her cheeks out in annoyance. "That’s mean, Rimcchi! I was just a

little... influenced!" she said, her tone a bit defensive.

"Well, that’s true, but you’ve been running wild without much regard for the

consequences." I couldn’t help but laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

Elle-tan, seeing things were going a little off-track, smiled softly. "We all know

Milim didn’t mean to cause harm. Let’s just make sure we fix things and move on,

okay?"

"Fine, I’ll do my best," Milim mumbled, her eyes shifting around as if trying to

figure out the best way to make up for her actions.

"That’s the spirit!" Elle-tan said encouragingly, giving Milim a thumbs up.

As the tension began to ease, we all nodded, knowing there was still work to be

done.

"So, what now?" Guy, who had been quietly observing, asked, clearly eager to

move forward.

“We should discuss how to manage the reconstruction, but first, we need to

make sure Milim’s little outburst doesn’t happen again,” I replied, looking at

Milim with a raised eyebrow.

“I’ll be careful! I promise!” Milim said, crossing her fingers in front of her

chest. Despite her earlier complaints, she seemed genuinely determined.

"Good. Let’s get started then."

Milim stared blankly back at Feldway.

Or rather, looking at Milim reminded me of something.

"Ah, I see. So, you look the same as Milim's father."

"That's right! Her hair colour is different, so it's definitely not her."
"Then there's no problem! I don't have any memory of it in the first place, so I

don't mind!"

If Milim isn’t worried about it, then there’s no need for me to be considerate.

The enemy must be defeated. That’s all.

In other words, we’ll decide the course of events from now on.

Ignoring Sylvia-san and Elle-tan’s mother-daughter expressions of uncertainty,

I told Milim my course of action.

"Once we defeat Feldway, I’ll go help Guy. You go to Tentsukaku and help

everyone."

“Mmm, I’m going to rescue Frey and the others...”

"As you can see, Frey-san and the others have already been released, so I can

handle the rest on my own. More importantly, if I don’t earn points here, there’s

no doubt that everyone will get mad at me later."

Milim nodded at my persuasion.

“I-I understand. Velzard is strong, but, well, Guy and Rimuru should be fine.”

She seemed to have thought it was dangerous, if only vaguely.

She was probably worried about us, but Guy was there too, so I think it’ll be

fine.

“You’re right. We can leave my sister to Rimuru. In other words, we shall

accompany Milim!”

You ran away.

I had originally intended to leave Veldora in charge of helping Sion and the

others, so there was no problem, but I decided to warn him just in case.
“I don’t mind, but it looks like Velgrind-san’s at Tentsukaku. She’s on edge, so be

careful not to upset her too much.”

She was on edge, or rather, wary of someone.

Velgrind’s gaze was fixed on a small child.

A child...?

She's sitting on the shoulder of a large monster, her legs jiggling.

It was so out of place that it was eerie.

"I think it's the Ivarage."

I see. That makes sense.

Had the stage of stopping them from appearing been long past? At this point, it

looked like we had no choice but to defeat them or turn them away.

"I-I would never do something like that to anger my sister... mumble"

You're getting weaker and weaker. Are you okay?

Well, that’s Veldora’s problem.

"The Ivarage seems stronger than I expected, so don't let your guard down."

"Yes, leave it to me!"

"They are not my enemies!!"

Well, these two should be fine.

In other words, let's get rid of Feldway already.

With that in mind, I tried to back Diablo up, but...

Huh?

"Mm, this is one-sided..."

"Indeed. Diablo wins."

Isn't that right?

While we were deciding on a course of action, the battle was coming to an end.
I thought for a moment that “Feldway won’t get in my way,” but that was only

natural.

After all, it was because Diablo had cornered Feldway with overwhelming power.

The time to settle things was about to come in front of us in surprise.

For Feldway, Rimuru’s return was unexpected.

Seeing him safe gave me a bad feeling.

At this rate, it felt like something terrible was going to happen, but Diablo got

in the way and I couldn’t do anything.

While they were doing that, Rimuru had thrown something at Diablo.

I sensed that thing was dangerous.

That’s why I tried to get in the way, but that was impossible.

After all, Rimuru had made it look like he was tossing it over, then “transferred”

it over.

(―[Teleport]?!)

It was precisely because he could use it himself that he understood how

troublesome it was.

The power to ignore time and space and move freely. Using it was beneficial in

every way.

It was a skill of great use not only in mass migration of Legions, but also in

combat.

Even Feldway understood that well enough.

And yet, he’d barely used it in his battle with Diablo.

There was only one reason for that.

Because Feldway himself didn’t have enough experience.

Feldway is a fearsome genius who can even make other people's levels his own.

However, his personality is cautious, and he doesn't use techniques he's not

used to in actual combat.

As the one who stands at the top, he always uses only the surest way to win.
Even when dealing with unknown enemies, he never resorts to dangerous tactics

and uses certain tactics. That's how Feldway fights, and it's the secret to his

constant victory.

But, but...

To put it another way, it means I’m lacking in application.

Feldway didn't research techniques on his own. That was the role of his

subordinates, and no matter how useful a skill was, he wouldn't incorporate it

into battle unless a well-established application was discovered.

That’s why Rimuru’s use of [Teleport] made him feel a sense of danger. Anxiety

crossed his mind that if he left him alone, he’d grow to the point where he

couldn’t do anything about it.

That was why Feldway was so impatient.

(Heh, Diablo is already breathing like an insect. The demon lord Rimuru, too, was

hit directly by Milim’s [Dragon Star Explosion Conqueror], Drago Nova. He’s

pretending to be calm, but on the inside, he’s probably in tatters. In that case,

now’s the time.)

Taking advantage of the fact that Milim’s rule had been lifted, he’d do

everything in his power to get rid of Diablo. He’d thought of setting him up in

Rimuru and destroying him before he could become any more of a threat.

But Feldway’s plan was too naive.

The collapse had begun, and Diablo, who was supposed to be annihilated soon,

had been completely restored by the recovery potion Rimuru had given him.

Diablo met Feldway’s assault with a fearless smile. The moment their swords and

claws crossed, Feldway realized his calculations had been thrown off.

(...?! Is he getting stronger?)

Diablo was able to block even a blow with more force than any he’d put into it

before. He’d crashed head-on, paying no heed to the difference in weaponry’s

capabilities.
Diablo’s fighting style had changed. Up until now, he’d been parrying the shock,

but instead of relying on such delicate techniques, he went into a contest of

strength.

It was a bad move against an opponent with an overwhelming difference in

power. It was supposed to be suicide, turning to dust in an instant.

However, this didn’t turn out the way Feldway had envisioned it. Diablo, in fact,

was dealing with it with composure.

"Kufufufu, what are you so surprised about?"

"You bastard, that power..."

"As you may have guessed, I am utilizing the energy of the Void. Is there a

problem?"

"What are you―"

Just as I was about to say something stupid, I remembered that we were in the

middle of a fight to the death.

No matter what it takes, as long as we win, it will be justice.

Besides, Diablo showed no signs of pushing himself.

Unlike before, his body seemed to accept the Void.

Feldway shuddered at the impossibility.

In the first place, “emptiness” is the power of destruction that could destroy

the world.

It was the same with Testarossa, but it wasn't something that could be

controlled so easily.

First of all, it was difficult to even call them to the surface.

It's possible to manifest it with magic and the like, but there's a limit to that.

Even if you can manifest the Void, that negative energy will also be neutralized,

so at the end of the day, harmony will be maintained as if nothing had happened.

A rampage of emptiness so great it could destroy the world was impossible

unless a door connected to the abyss of hell was opened.

Paradoxically speaking...

That meant Testarossa and Diablo had opened such a portal.

From Feldway’s perspective, who was trying to destroy the world, it would be

ideal if he failed to control it as it was. If that happened, he could achieve his

goal without destroying the Sacred Tree.

And yet, Diablo had circulated such “emptiness” within his own body.

This wasn’t even a matter of suicide, but since he had complete control over it,

it was hard to believe.

It would have been one thing if it had been his own body given to him by

Veldanava, but Diablo’s body was nothing more than a collection of unknown raw

materials. And yet, there was no way he could withstand an unprecedented

power.

However, reality was heartless.

Diablo had used the fearsome Voids perfectly.

The reason for that was the omnipotent cells Rimuru had given him.

These cells were imbued with the power of “Unlimited Regeneration,” and their

regenerative speed surpassed even the rate of collapse caused by “Void.”

(Kufufufu, that's Sir Rimuru for you! He truly gave you a wonderful body to

command the Voids!!)

This was Diablo’s grand misunderstanding.

Rimuru was simply trying to heal Diablo’s wounds.

It would be one thing if it were Ciel, but Rimuru wasn’t thinking of making Diablo

do something so reckless.

But there was a reason for Diablo’s misunderstanding.

There was a successful example of Zegion, so there was no way Diablo wouldn’t

do something reckless.

Still believing in Rimuru, Diablo put his full strength into putting the Void into

his body. As a result, he’d found the limit his body could withstand and
succeeded in making it his own.

Now that it had come to this, the established rules of battle between

transcendentals would no longer apply.

(Tch, Diablo... To not be swallowed up by the fearless power of the Void... No,

what is this?!)

Feldway, too, realized how dangerous Diablo was.

Normally, regenerating the body drains energy as well. It's the same with

Velgrind's “other body” as well, but no matter how invincible and invincing it is,

it always requires a price.

Even the inexhaustible energy of the "dragon species" cannot avoid wear and

tear during battle. That's why higher-ranked individuals, like Velgrind, learn how

to fight while conserving energy and recovering as they go.

In the end, the key to victory is draining the opponent’s energy.

Thus, battles between transcendent often end in a stalemate, but this concept

was shattered.

Diablo had summoned the Void, using it as an energy source. The element that

made this possible was the "Unlimited Regeneration" of Omnipotent Cells, and

even the energy required for this was being supplied by the Void.

What this meant was...

(Does Diablo never run out of energy?)

This was the conclusion Feldway had reached.

If this were true, then comparing the total amount of energy no longer

mattered.

What mattered now was the output.

Victory could only be claimed by repeatedly unleashing high-powered attacks

capable of overwhelming the opponent, wiping them out completely.

And by this logic, Diablo’s [Skills] and [Level] were not inferior to Feldway’s; in

fact, even in this battle, Diablo was evolving by learning. Naturally, his

techniques were powerful and precise, and he could freely manipulate the

difficult-to-handle Void as if it were an extension of his limbs.

Feldway’s "Void Arc" slashed through Diablo’s shoulder—but it was instantly

regenerated.

The power of a Genesis-class technique was nullified in an instant.

(Kuh!? This guy... is using this 'power' while still recovering!?)

Diablo had been reckless earlier, but that was a thing of the past.

Now, he believed that Rimuru had given him a new body, allowing him to discover

the perfect balance of energy.

This was the result of Diablo’s outstanding combat sense.

Feldway was about to face the truth he didn’t want to admit.

In terms of existence value, Feldway was overwhelmingly superior.

However, in terms of combat ability, Diablo was far superior.

And that gap wasn't closing, making defeat inevitable at this rate.

"Dammit, Vega, what the hell are you doing?! You're as tough as Ramiris’

labyrinth, and you're bothering me~"

Feldway had lost his composure and grumbled.

Diablo laughed at this.

"Kufufufu, Vega, huh? If it were him, I would have disposed of him long ago. He

might still be alive, but wouldn’t he be better off dead?"

"What did you say!?"

Vega was greedier than anyone else when it came to gaining power, and he was

willing to do anything to survive—traits Feldway had found reliable.

But hearing that Vega had been defeated so easily was hard to believe.

However, the fact that Diablo was here was proof of the story's truth. Feldway

understood this and had no choice but to accept it.

Of the Three Stars Marshals, Zalario had betrayed them, and Fen had been

defeated.

"All that’s left is Jahil."

"Oh, I took care of that one."

"You bastard!"

The idea of summoning Jahil to find a way out was dismissed by Yuuki, who

suddenly appeared.

Feldway tried to take out Yuuki, still irritated, but his attacks were effortlessly

dodged.

"It’s pointless. Well, I can't beat you myself, but if I’m just running away, I’ll be

fine."

"Teleport, huh?"

"Correct! A lot of things happened, and I learned from Mai."

Yuuki bantered with Feldway, keeping him distracted.

As if to repay his debt, Yuuki mercilessly taunted Feldway.

"Kufufufu. That skill is quite troublesome, but if you show me that much, I think

I can at least come up with a countermeasure."

Diablo laughed, but Yuuki didn’t seem amused.

"Tch, Rimuru-san, you've got some dangerous pets under your command, too. I

don’t want to get in your way, so I’ll leave the rest to you."

Yuuki then retreated.

As Yuuki had said before, he didn’t believe he could beat Feldway. He only

wanted to get back at the mastermind who’d tried to control him.

Yuuki was satisfied with that small victory, and as long as Diablo took care of

the rest, he was content.

After all, Diablo was too abnormal.

(Honestly, I don’t think I’ll be able to beat this guy. Even my subordinates are

like this, so it’s impossible to beat Rimuru...)

Yuuki reluctantly admitted it.

And inside his mind...

《It’s impossible. If you lay a hand on him, you’ll be doomed.》

Maria was making a fuss.

I don’t need you to tell me that, Yuuki thought, feeling exasperated.

And then, Diablo’s onslaught began.

Feldway’s "Void Arc" was deflected by Diablo’s Claw Scissors. There was a clear

difference in rank, yet Diablo didn’t even acknowledge it. That was terrifying.

"Oh man, so this is what he's really up to."

Zalario, who boasted an existence value of over 20 million, could no longer feel

confident about defeating Diablo. The gap was so vast that even his frustration

had been left behind.

Leon nodded gravely, likely feeling the same way.

Feldway, who had been overwhelming them until now, was now being pushed back

with no chance of winning. It was impossible not to be stunned by the reversal.

And finally, the time to settle things arrived.

"—End of World Requiem."

With Diablo’s full-powered attack, Feldway fell to the ground.

Diablo had won without waiting for my turn.

It was a wonderful, but unbelievable feat.

"Man, good work. That’s amazing. I didn’t think I’d win."

I thanked Diablo, feeling like I’d lost one less job.

Feldway was strong, and I wasn’t sure I could win. If I had to deal with him, I

was planning to involve Milim for a sure victory.

I hadn’t imagined Diablo being this strong.

Well, his current state seemed even worse than his worn-out appearance

earlier...

"Thank you for your praise. I am extremely pleased!"

Diablo responded joyfully, but it was strange to see him standing there.

This wasn’t a physical issue, but a mental one.

His energy was drained, and his face had no vitality. He looked like a dead man

or, to be more subdued, someone on the verge of death.

"Are you okay?"

"Kufu, kufufufu. Of course. I am ashamed to show myself in front of you, Sir

Rimuru."

He apologized, but Diablo hadn’t done anything wrong.

On the contrary, it was a huge victory.

Out of consideration, I tried to tell Diablo to rest and leave the rest to me.

However, at that moment, Feldway, who seemed to have been reduced to dust

and completely destroyed, started regenerating.

"Tch, what a stubborn bastard. I thought I had completely finished him off, but

he wasn’t destroyed yet..."

Diablo muttered in annoyance, sharpening his eyes.

It seemed like Feldway was still determined to fight, even though it didn’t look

like he could move.

I told Diablo to wait for a moment, as Feldway had been muttering something

under his breath for a while.

"—Don’t be ridiculous... Don’t screw with me... I’ll definitely stop the world... if I

do that. So why... why did I lose to the likes of Diablo...? No, I haven’t lost yet.

It’s not over yet. That’s right, we’ll meet again... without fail. Make him regret

throwing me away... Why? Why did he disappear~?"

It sounded like a curse, but it was a bit hard to understand.

The atmosphere was a little dangerous, so I decided to observe from a distance.

The moment I thought that, my eyes met with Feldway's, who looked up.

Her eyes were so empty they gave me the chills.

And yet— for some reason, I felt like there was a sadness filled with despair.
What should I do? I wondered.

It was only natural that they should be defeated, but if they did that, the lump

would remain...

I know I'll definitely regret it, but I'm hesitant to do it.

If you understand your regrets, then you should stop them.

It's my fault for dressing up like that.

Feldway looked up at the heavens, and then, in the next moment, disappeared in

front of us.

That untraceable power—He used [Teleportation] to jump somewhere.

“Hey, Rimuru-san?! She ran away!”

“Well, wait. Don’t make it sound like I’m at fault.”

“But no matter how you look at it, Rimcchi’s the cause, right?”

“Hey, hey, come on! I’m just being thoughtful!”

Things have gotten really bad.

It had been completely my fault that Feldway had run away.

No, no, wait a minute.

Sure, I stopped Diablo, but you wouldn’t think he’d be able to get away, would

you?

Feldway seemed so proud that “running away” didn’t seem like an option...

There was also the conceit of being able to find her even if she ran away.

And yet, it was “Teleportation.”

Unlike 'spatial transfer,' this one doesn't create any distortions in space when

leaping. It only creates discomfort when coming to a different place, but it's

realistically impossible to find out.

Well, I guess it'd be possible if I could perceive the entire Axis world, but~

《It's possible.》

-Impossible consultation? Huh?

Seriously?
Isn't it untraceable?

“It’s impossible to track them, but by observing magicules all over the world, we

can pinpoint where they appear. In this case, they haven’t appeared on the

ground, so they must have fled somewhere else in the other world.”

O-Oh-ho...

In other words, as soon as you come to this world, you'll be able to find it, won’t

you?

《Exactly.》

In that case, well?

We managed to escape, but I don't think there's any problem.

“Calm down, guys. It's not that big of a problem that Feldway ran away. On the

other hand, we can focus our forces on other challenges, so let's think positively

about this!”

I emphasized that and tried to change the subject.

Casually, I lured her into giving a low estimation of the importance of the

problem so that my responsibilities would be reckless as well.

“Exactly! With Sir Rimuru’s deep recklessness, it doesn’t matter what Feldway

does. In the first place, I didn’t have any energy left, so even if I couldn’t stop

him, I couldn’t do anything.”

It was the perfect flow.

Diablo’s support of me had made it more convincing.

“I was afraid that if I pushed myself any further, I wouldn't be able to serve

Sir Rimuru. I would love him as deeply as I could to prevent that from

happening.”

He's a little persistent.

There were quite a few misunderstandings involved, so it was about time to end

that conversation.

“Well, well, that's how it is. For now, let's save the matter of Feldway for later.
Let's split up and prioritize solving the problem for now.”

Everyone nodded at my words.

And then, the situation moved all at once.

I decided to head to the old Eurazania as planned.

Milim and Veldora would be heading to Damargania to prepare for an anti-

Ivarage battle.

Chloe had insisted on being with me, but I had rejected it. Because the power to

“see” the future was useful in anti-Ivarage warfare.

As someone who doesn't want to cause as many casualties as possible, I think

it's fine to have insurance.

So, about the others...

Leon, Zalario, and Sylvia-san. They were mentally and physically drained, but

they insisted on accompanying Milim and the others.

Elle-tan, or Elmesia-san, is still summoning the [Magical Order] that can move.

Naturally, it was Yuuki’s role to transport those forces.

“So it was me after all.”

“Isn't it obvious?”

“Good grief. I don't have the desire to be a hero to protect the world, though.”

“You don't have to be a hero. Sometimes progress is important, but this time,

results are everything.”

If I can't protect the world, it'll all end.

I tried my best, but it didn't work out, so there's no point this time.

I reminded Yuuki.

Even Yuuki understood that he had no choice but to do it, and he would have

cooperated even if I hadn’t told him. Even so, he probably just wanted to be

indebted to me for begging.

He's been using me, deceiving me, and messing with me all the time.

I'm willing to let my grudge slide, but I can't fool my heart.

“I’m sure you understand, but let’s continue to have a good relationship, okay?”

I turned to Yuuki and said that with a smile.

It felt like he was implicitly telling me that I wouldn't forgive him for this.

Yuuki smiled wryly.

“I know. We'll talk about that later!”

He's as resilient as ever.

I smiled wryly as well, and we decided to have another leisurely discussion later.

As we conversed like that, Kagali watched us with concern.

She was someone who knew everything about the history between Yuuki and me,

so she probably thought that their fates would be decided depending on how I

acted.

Well, I have my reasons, but I've also been told about Yuuki and the others'

circumstances. If you accept the condition of monitoring them so that they

don't do anything bad, you can live however you want.

In other words, Kagali’s worries were unfounded.

It’s a needless worry, but from their perspective, there must be a mountain of

other problems that bother them.

The best place to do that would be to go home.

We can't return to the Kingdom of Inglacia, and we've lost our place in the

Empire.

Clayman's territory, formerly our own, is now under my control in Milim's

domain.

At this stage, Yuuki and the others had nowhere to return to.

Especially Kagali. She just got her revenge on Jahil, so it wouldn't be surprising

if she had burnout syndrome. It'd be one thing if she could save the world and

have a happy ending, but it might be hard to get motivated without a reward...
Still, what bothered me was the mysterious woman's existence.

I feel like I've seen her somewhere before.

“I am the elder of the Dark Elves, the Black You Earl, who was in Clayman’s

castle.”

Yeah, that's right!

I remember now. It felt a little gloomy, but right now, she's on guard to protect

Kagali.

I see. If I was originally a comrade, then that would mean I was an enemy after

defeating Clayman~ But at the time, Claymann was also under mental control and

treated the [Black You Earl] [Dark Elves] as slaves... Thinking back on it, the

elder’s state of mind must have been complicated.

“Oh, it's been a while. You're here too, EVA?”

“It’s been a while, Maou Milim-sama.”

“How have you been?”

“It’s hard to say I’m doing well, but...”

Huh?

“Milim, did you know the elder?”

"Indeed! EVA is good at cooking, so she's done a lot for me!"

"Ah, yeah. I guess so."

Before Middray's presence, the forgotten Dragon City only served raw

vegetables. Milim seems to rely on the other Demon Lords when it comes to

delicious food.

One of them was EVA, also known as the elder.

"I see. In that case, I might as well..."

"Milim, I have a proposal."

"Hm, what is it?"

"It's the territory of the puppet country, Gistave. Why don't we give it back to

Kagali-sama and the others?"

"Mmmph?"

"~~!!"

That's right. What I just came up with was that I probably needed bait to make

Yuuki and the others feel better. That optimal solution was the puppet country,

the one that was having trouble handling it.

That place was far from the new capital of Milim and the others’ country. They

were planning to rebuild the ancient ruins as a tourist attraction, but that was

going to be in the future.

I was in charge of managing everything up until that point, but to be honest, I

had a lot of things to do too. Leaving the puppet country, Gistave, to Yuuki and

the others seemed like a brilliant idea to me, killing two birds with one stone.

It would be a reward for Yuuki and the others, and I wouldn’t have to worry

about handling difficult territory either.

There weren’t many exchanges between the people right now, so it didn’t have

much of an economic impact. It should be possible to transfer it without that

much chaos, so if Milim agreed, this plan would be decided.

"Yes, that's a good idea! It seems I've caused you a bit of trouble as well. Let's

proceed in that direction with the intention of apologizing!"

"Milim’s causing more trouble than just a little, and I’m the one who caused it, so

I thought you’d agree."

"A-A little!"
"That was a huge nuisance!!"

"Grrrrrrr..."

There was a bit of a barren argument, but Milim agreed.

"Are you sure, Rimuru-sama?"

"Is it really okay if I look forward to it?"

Yuuki was calm, and Kagali asked me timidly.

"It's not my property, so I can't promise anything. Milim agreed, so, well, I

think it'll work out somehow."

I nodded.

Currently, the only ones remaining in the Puppet Country, Gistave, are those who

follow EVA the Elder. In other words, they were probably former comrades of

the Demon Lord Kazarim in the truest sense of the word, so it should be a

difficult path to get them to ally with us. Even Carion and Frey would acquiesce

to the policy of handing them over at least if they did.

That’s only true if the world is protected.

"That's Rimuru-sama for you! In that case, I think I'll try a little harder too."

Yuuki smiled cheerfully.

I wouldn’t be fooled by Yuuki’s shady smile anymore.

"Listen, don't forget to protect our cooperation from now on, and to prioritize

listening to my request! I'll keep an eye on you!!"

"Of course!"

I can't trust half of it, but I've taken my word for it.
It seemed like I’d be spending a lot of time with Yuuki, so I decided to keep

warning him from time to time.

While we were doing that, the preparations for the Magical Order and Meigass

were complete.

Now that we're on our way, Kagali speaks to me with a brooding expression.

"Rimuru-sama, may I ask you something?"

"Hm? I wonder what it is?"

"It is said that you will return our safe haven to us, but that is based on the

assumption that we will win the battle to come. Are you certain you can win,

Rimuru-sama?"

Hmm...

Milim will hand over the Puppet Nation, Gistave, not me. But that's fine. If you

ask me if I'm sure I can win, the answer is that I don't have anything like that.

But...

"There's no point in thinking about losing. I'll basically assume the worst-case

scenario, but we're already in that state. So, we have no choice but to win with

all our might, right?"

That’s why I don’t think about what I’ll do if I lose. I only think about the things

I can do to win.

Fighting should be done with as much effort as possible to avoid it. That's why

you mustn't provoke or corner your opponent.

But if a war were to break out...

When that time comes, I have no choice but to prepare myself.

"In other words, if you're going to do it, you have to be prepared to win."

And so, I answered Kagali’s question with a smile.

Yuuki nodded at this, patting Kagali on the shoulder as he opened his mouth.

"Well, isn’t that just like you, Rimuru? We’re pretty much the same, aren’t we?

The point is, we just have to win and win back."

It sounded like something Yuuki would say, but life wasn't a gamble.

Then again, it'd be a problem if I tried to challenge him lightly with those

feelings, since it seemed like he'd do a better job.

"Yeah, that's right. Prez, you're overthinking things. We're already game over,

so you should be wrapped up in something long from now on!"

That long thing isn't me, is it?

Well, it's fine.

"You're right. Well, you don't have to worry. Rimcchi will do something about it

anyway, so we'll do what we can in our own way. Don't get worked up, okay?!"

What is the Heavenly Emperor saying?

"Don't throw responsibility at me!"

"Now, now."

"Don't say 'so-so'!"

"Well then, let's go!"

"Roger that!"

"Okay then, I'll do my best here!"

"Wahahaha! We'll make up for our loss in the battle against the Ivarage!"
"Rimuru-sama, you don't need to worry because I'm here! Well then, I'll be

going!!"

"Okay, Rimuru-sama. I'll go on ahead and wait over there!"

And so on and so forth, all of them saying whatever they wanted.

Then Yuuki's 'Teleportation' activated, and I was the only one left in the room...

"Kufufufu. Now then, Sir Rimuru, let us depart for the former Eurazania."

"Ueh!?"

I was startled.

I couldn’t help but let out a strange voice.

As if that was only natural, Diablo was holding back for some reason.

It was so natural that I hadn’t noticed, but I was surprised at myself for that.

"Why are you still here?"

"As Sir Rimuru's butler, I am in a position to serve you at all times."

"......"

Loyalty is too heavy.

Well, whatever.

Diablo was in tatters now, so they couldn’t expect much from him as a force to

be reckoned with. Even if he headed for Damargania in such a state, it might

have only served to disrupt the peace.

Putting him under my watch would put her at ease.

...That's what I decided.

And so, I switched gears.

"Let's go!"

"As you wish."

Diablo bowed his head at my words.

First Milim, then Velzard.

Why are all dragonewts so troublesome...?

"Swallowing my grumbling, I ‘Teleport’ with Diablo to the old Eurazania."

Epilogue : Evil God Awakening

Ivarage was fun.

It was really, really fun.

When I descended to the Axis world, a large number of people greeted me as if

welcoming the Ivarage.

I tried firing a shot as a greeting, but it seemed to be too strong. The

strongest one had taken more damage than I had expected.

He seemed to have protected the petty existence of the riffraff, but his

actions were incomprehensible to Ivarage.

That's why I observed.

And then, I understood.

That the weak fight with ingenuity, in their own way.

Those floating in the sky don't need arms or legs. That's what I thought of

Ivarage, but the battle unfolding before my eyes was interesting.

The way the heroes fought individually and gave their all was a sight to behold.

However, Ivarage had guessed that if he pushed in with the sheer quantity of

things, he could easily win, so he made small adjustments to his forces so that

the battle would drag on.

While we’re doing that, a change occurs on the battlefield.

Reinforcements led by Benimaru had arrived.

Group battles are like art.

Swordsmanship and fighting skills became clearer.

There were a thousand different kinds of magic and skills flying around.

The result is obvious.

This time, on the other hand, the Evil God’s Army had begun to be pushed back.

“Kyaha♪”

Ivarage rejoiced.

Interesting.

Very, very interesting.

And just as the battle reached its climax, a single wish was born in the Ivarage.

I wanted to try it myself.

Ivarage thought, “I see♪”

How had Veldanava gained human form when he’d abandoned himself? He’d

finally come to understand why.

In that case, I'll become an adult too.

Let's get a figure that can fight, not a young child.

Accepting this wish, the Halloween Carnival, which had been underway deep

inside Ivarage's heart and deep within it, finally transitioned to the final stage.

This influence extends to the three servants.

“Hey, you guys. Do you want a human form? I’ll give you a new ‘power’ so you can

enjoy fighting more and more, Agel♪”

At that time, the battlefield was calm.

It was as if something terrible was about to happen.

That wasn't a mistake.

“Kyahahaha hahaha~♪”

An evil laugh echoes through the Axis world.

The Ivarage, transformed as if it had been reborn, descended to the ground on

its first leg.

It's like she's...