Difference between revisions of "Seikoku no Ryuu Kishi:Volume 13 Novel Illustrations"

From Baka-Tsuki
Jump to navigation Jump to search
(Created page with "==Novel Illustrations== These are novel illustrations that were included in volume 13. <gallery> File:SnRK V13 001.jpg|'''Cover''' File:SnRK V13 002.jpg|'''Cover''' File:SnRK...")
 
Line 33: Line 33:
 
|-
  
|-
 
|}
  
|}
−
</noinclude>
 +
</noinclude>Prologue: Escape
  +
Yuuki Kagurazaka is a genius.
  +
In the original world, Yuuki had special powers. A mental ability—that is, a psychic power of the mind,
  +
a superpower that he used throughout his life.
  +
That being said, he never had an intention of doing anything with it, because he knew that letting others
  +
find out that he had this power might get him caught up in something while demonstrating it.
  +
Day-to-day life was boring, but he still had a good time.
  +
Both his parents were good to him, and he had quite a few friends.
  +
Making money wasn't hard for him at all, and as long as he wanted it, he could get it.
  +
There was no dissatisfaction.
  +
And then one day...
  +
Yuuki was suddenly met with misfortune.
  +
He was just starting high school when his both of parents died in an accident.
  +
His parents were not at fault. While in the same car, the whole family was hit by a truck whose driver
  +
was dozing off.
  +
Only Yuuki, who was sleeping in the back seat, was spared.
  +
He felt it was too unfair.
  +
Yuuki hated that hit-and-run, but he couldn't do anything about it. Japan is a country under the rule of
  +
laws, and individual acts of revenge were not legally sanctioned.
  +
The results of the trial came out and he eventually learned some more facts.
  +
That is, transport companies still take on commissions with tough conditions even if they can't handle it
  +
with their current processing power.
  +
In the end, that burden is placed on frontline employees to continue working while still knowing that
  +
they are overworked.
  +
That driver was also a victim.
  +
Then it should be the transport company that is at fault. But that’s not the case either.
  +
If the company refuses a large client's commission, their client might not come back to place an order
  +
in the future. If old friends come to place orders, that is not so easy to refuse either.
  +
While this would naturally improve the nature of the business, it is also not easy to hire skilled drivers.
  +
So even if the company wants to hire young people to train, their current situation is that they don't have
  +
that kind of power to begin with.
  +
What is this? Yuuki lamented.
  +
  +
There are too many things in this world that do not make sense, and his own power is too small.
  +
Who do I really have to blame?
  +
To put it bluntly, the problem lies in the whole social construct itself.
  +
Yuuki would have loved to take revenge on such a society.
  +
But he couldn’t do anything. Because he was a genius, he immediately figured out what his limits were.
  +
The world is highly developed.
  +
Even with his powers, a slightly stronger personal power won't change anything. There is no chance of
  +
winning against the entire world, and even if he did, he couldn’t see a future.
  +
Yuuki had wanted to destroy this society with self-abnegation and build it up from scratch...but that
  +
would have set a lot of people up for misfortune.
  +
Yuuki couldn't do any better.
  +
If he really wants to change society as a whole, he can only take it one step at a time, slowly adding
  +
partners who think like himself. If that’s the case, then becoming a politician and improving the country
  +
to make it what he wants it to be is the only solution that Yuuki can think of.
  +
It takes patience to walk this path, but if he is serious it's possible, even though it’s a future that can
  +
take decades.
  +
Yuuki was distressed...
  +
But before a decision was made, he ended up taking a trip to another world.
  +
Was this lucky or unlucky for him?
  +
It was the Demon Lord Kazaream's spite that called Yuuki to this world.
  +
Although he had lost his physical body with only his spiritual body left, he hadn't lost the power of
  +
being a "spell king.”
  +
He had spent some time preparing himself to be resurrected.
  +
In order to do so, one must summon a physical body corresponding to one's own spiritual body.
  +
Of course he had to be sure to check carefully that the person of the summoning is not constrained. Just
  +
in case, this ritual can't go awry, use your dominant power to engrave the spell seal and then summon.
  +
The called will have their hearts crushed without knowledge. Immediately afterwards, Kazaream would
  +
take the soul power of the opponent and then take the flesh to bring himself back to life, and that was the
  +
full picture of the plan.
  +
But Kazaream missteps to summon Yuuki. The spell he cast didn't do anything for Yuuki.
  +
Because Yuuki is a genius and has seen how the world works.
  +
When he crosses over to this world, he gets the power he wants.
  +
  +
That is the power that can change the world.
  +
It was a pure energy, free to change essence, a "soul force".
  +
Its name - the unique "creator" of technology...
  +
He told Rimuru that he didn't have any special powers, and of course those were all lies.
  +
First, he uses this ability to create the Ability Blocking, which nullifies foreign attacks.
  +
In this way, Kazaream's ploy was broken.
  +
And he lost to Yuuki and fell in line.
  +
And Yuuki finds the meaning of being in this world.
  +
The world of the weak and the strong still has a long way to go before it is fully developed, and the
  +
mechanisms in place are still incomplete. That being the case, Yuuki thought that all he had to do was
  +
become the ruler of this world and guide it in the right direction.
  +
He was determined to challenge this unjust world head-on.
  +
Yuuki's code of conduct is to play the battle card to the world.
  +
To conquer the world—to that end, Yuuki sets out.
  +
***
  +
Yuuki led Laplace, Footman, and Tear out of the chaos of the Great Hall.
  +
Immediately after, a line of men attempted to escape from the sacred royal state of Ruberios.
  +
As much as it was tempting to stay there and observe the situation, they felt it was dangerous to remain
  +
on the scene.
  +
Chronoa, the "Gutsy One" who went into an out-of-control state, was not that easy to deal with and was
  +
not something Yuuki had the means to check. The opponent is completely indistinguishable from the
  +
enemy and treats everyone on the scene as if they were the enemy, a very formidable opponent.
  +
It's because of this that Granbell wanted to join forces with Yuuki, right?
  +
Although Yuuki felt very bad about it, his opponent was slightly better this time.
  +
"But this time it's really been a lot of trouble. It's a long way to go before the Demon Lord Ruminas is
  +
revealed and the den has a chance to take advantage of him, and he's just about to get his hands on
  +
Daredevil.”
  +
"Hehehe, that powerful force is already something from another dimension. It's a shame we can't get
  +
that kind of stuff, but if we go after that guy, everyone on the scene will be killed, right?”
  +
Hearing Laplace complain, Footman responded thus.
  +
  +
In fact, Footman is right, but Yuuki has doubts about this, thinking that the hero may not be able to kill
  +
everyone easily.
  +
"You don't know that, do you? In any case, demon lord Rimuru was also crazy strong. Plus there's
  +
Ruminas and Leon over there. With three demon lords present, as well as several powerful Monsters, both
  +
sides had a chance to win.”
  +
"That's right. That Granbell was a former hero, and he was very good at it. People can't guess who the
  +
final winner will be.”
  +
Laplace and Tear don't seem as optimistic as Footman. Like Yuuki, they think the Rimuru crowd is
  +
likely to win.
  +
For Yuuki, a Chronoa victory is indeed the best result.
  +
If this were possible, in addition to the thorny enemy Rimuru, the obstructive Granbell, the future
  +
threatening Ruminas, and the hated Leon of Laplace and others, the bad guys who did them good would
  +
disappear, and the shaped form would be able to rule the whole West.
  +
While the remaining Chronoa is tough, there's nothing to fear from losing your self-will. They could
  +
also find a random magical creature to bait and drive her to the far end of the desert.
  +
With empty power, such an opponent is not a threat to Yuuki.
  +
So he originally wanted to make sure and see who the last person who survived was, but...
  +
"No, running away is the right thing to do. If it happens, we probably won't be able to get away with it,
  +
and besides..."
  +
There was a bad feeling—Yuuki’s intuition told him so.
  +
In order to decide on the way forward, he should have analyzed the trend of that big mess. Despite
  +
thinking so, Yuuki trusted his instincts and chose to run away.
  +
If Chronoa lost the battle, the few demon lords who survived would surely see them as a thorn in their
  +
side. Rimuru should have also found out that Yuuki had committed a betrayal, and probably couldn't find
  +
any more excuses to stall.
  +
All the strongholds and positions previously established in the Western world will be lost as a result of
  +
this mistake.
  +
If there’s anything to blame, it's for being so stupid as to have taken the Granbell path, Yuuki thought.
  +
That's why he’s all on his own.
  +
Because of this, now that he has chosen to run away, Yuuki is no longer confused. Being able to simply
  +
do the cutting was an advantage for Yuuki, and he'd been able to get through countless difficulties with
  +
that kind of judgment.
  +
So this time too, Yuuki thought so.
  +
However...
  +
He immediately found such an idea to be too naive.
  +
  +
Things came so suddenly that Yuuki and the others were about to bolt when a man stood in front of
  +
them.
  +
Next to him was a blue-haired beauty who made people's eyes glaze over.
  +
However, this beautiful woman was wearing a very abrupt dark red maid outfit.
  +
“—!”
  +
"Who the hell are you?”
  +
Sensing the danger, Yuuki stopped in his tracks.
  +
Even when Laplace asked the other party who he was, the man didn't answer. He kept looking at Yuuki,
  +
not looking at the others at all.
  +
"Well, since you're trying to get in our way..."
  +
Footman, who was standing in front, tried to get rid of the man and the beautiful woman, but someone
  +
suddenly appeared and pinned Footman to the ground.
  +
It was a woman, dressed in a dark red maid outfit of the same style as the blue-haired beauty.
  +
Her hair was green.
  +
The real identity, of course, goes without saying. It is Mizari, who was secretly messing around in the
  +
Kingdom of Ingracia not long ago. The battle plan was suspended because of the presence of Testarossa,
  +
and then the fire rushed to this place.
  +
Since Mizari had come all the way over, it was clear from this that the blue-haired beauty's true identity
  +
was Rhein. Then it is natural that who they follow is the one that there will be no second in the world.
  +
He is the Demon Lord - Guy Crimson.
  +
He is known as the Lord of Darkness, the most powerful overlord of all.
  +
Red hair, thicker and deeper than blood, flowed, and bright red eyes glittering with gold and silver
  +
starlight looked down at Yuuki from above.
  +
"Hi. We should be meeting for the first time. You should be happy. Because I'm interested in you.”
  +
Guy's eyes were firmly locked on Yuuki.
  +
The others couldn't get into his eyes at all.
  +
Seeing this, Yuuki didn't know whether he should cry or laugh.
  +
When Footman was swung three or two times by Mizari, he could see just how much strength his
  +
opponent had.
  +
It should be said that the three in front of them had different hair colors, and two of them were wearing
  +
very special maid outfits. Kagali, that is, Kazaream, and Clayman, who had mentioned some characters,
  +
and these three corresponded to the characteristics of those people.
  +
  +
In other words, this man standing at the top of the world is what Yuuki is after.
  +
As long as his ambition is to conquer the world, one day he must face off against this enemy.
  +
"So, you are the most powerful demon lord, Guy Crimson. It's an honor to meet you. My name is Yuuki
  +
Kagurazaka. I didn't think you'd come to me on your own initiative, are you planning to join forces with
  +
me?"
  +
Not being overwhelmed by Guy’s aura, Yuuki smiled in response to the other.
  +
Of course, there's no such thing as good things under the sky. Just by looking at how they dealt with
  +
Footman, it was clear that Guy and others could not have come running to construct a friendly
  +
relationship with themselves.
  +
Yuuki understands this, but he still talks to him intimately.
  +
It's his unique negotiation skill.
  +
In order to get to the bottom of the other person and find out what he is up to, he will say some
  +
inexplicable things in order to test his reaction.
  +
"Ah-ha-ha-ha! You're a funny guy. My opponent is me, and I have the guts to do so. The offer may not
  +
be bad, but you seem to be the enemy of Leon. Besides, you're going to the East, right? Personally, I don't
  +
want to see an increase in battle strength on Rudra's side."
  +
Bargaining broke down.
  +
Anyway, Yuuki didn't think the other party would accept the offer in the first place. But rather than
  +
wallowing in regret, Yuuki was more focused on chewing over the message revealed by Guy's words.
  +
  +
Rudra was the name of the emperor of the Eastern Empire, the united empire of the East of Nazca-
  +
Namlium-Ulmeria.
  +
  +
The way it sounds, Guy and Rudra have some kind of relationship and the two are in a hostile position.
  +
—so get rid of us before we meet up in the East? Although it wasn't quite ideal to go up against the
  +
strongest demon lord, the way things had turned out, there is probably nothing else to do...
  +
It would be impossible to avoid a fight with Guy in this way.
  +
They had no chance to escape.
  +
In this case, it's useless to do anything small.
  +
Instead of doing that, do your best to challenge Guy, that would have a better chance of winning.
  +
Yuuki so judged.
  +
"Oh... never mind, it's okay. Since we're the enemy, it's actually just right for me. Before moving the
  +
stronghold to the east, I can test how much strength the strongest demon lord has.”
  +
That was Yuuki's answer, as if to provoke Guy.
  +
  +
At the same time, a wave of excitement surged in his heart, which immersed Yuuki's entire being. He
  +
had been hiding his strength, and it was at this moment that Yuuki decided to fully liberate in front of the
  +
strongest demon lord.
  +
He didn't see himself losing at all and confronted Guy about it.
  +
***
  +
Yuuki is very confident.
  +
If it's a one-on-one, he's confident of winning no matter what the opponent is.
  +
Seeing the out-of-control Chronoa, he felt this enemy was very dangerous.
  +
But that's about it at best.
  +
As long as you take it seriously, you will still have a chance to win even though you will get into a hard
  +
fight.
  +
Yet there were still several demon lords on the scene who were clearly enemies of themselves.
  +
There's Leon, and Ruminas.
  +
And then there's that nice gentleman Rimuru, who must have sensed Yuuki's true nature as well.
  +
In fact, Rimuru had seen that Yuuki was the enemy long before, which was in Yuuki's favor. If you
  +
want to play dumb and use Rimuru, you'll get hit instead.
  +
Yuuki didn't know anything about it, but he was right in thinking that Rimuru had indeed become an
  +
enemy.
  +
He didn't feel so good about himself that he thought he could take on three demon lords and Chronoa at
  +
the same time. Even if he didn't have an ominous premonition, he'd still decide to retreat from the scene.
  +
This time, however, is different.
  +
The ominous foreboding was precisely because of this man standing in front of them.
  +
Knowing this, Yuuki decided to do his best to get through this difficult situation.
  +
"Oh, you think you can beat me?"
  +
Guy laughed heartily.
  +
"Sort of. I was going to beat you sometime in the future anyway, now I'm just bringing the booking
  +
plan forward.”
  +
Seeing Yuuki like this, Rhein and Mizari exuded murderous aura. As much as it was tempting to kill
  +
each other, it wasn't even possible to speak without Master Guy's permission.
  +
Guy is absolutely dominant, and to go and worry about his personal safety is a great disrespect.
  +
Guy is very spontaneous and has no mercy unless he recognizes the other person.
  +
  +
It was hard for Rhein and Mizari to get him to approve, and if they pissed him off, they'd probably be
  +
killed by him in a heartbeat. The gap in strength between Guy and them is just so stark.
  +
Laplace couldn't move.
  +
The frog being targeted by the snake—that’s exactly what this is about.
  +
If he wants to save Footman, Rhein will act. It was four against three, but the difference in strength
  +
between the two sides was too great to be of any consolation.
  +
If the enemy had only been Rhein and Mizari, they might have been able to figure it out, but once Guy
  +
appeared, they had no chance of winning.
  +
Yuuki is going to challenge Guy and seems brave in Laplace's eyes.
  +
We can't win. The troupe doesn’t care about this guy's opponent. That Chronoa is also worlds apart
  +
from us in terms of strength, but this Guy Crimson is a monster like no other. We’re not his opponent at
  +
all. There's no way to run away...the boss can't fight...it's all about survival...
  +
Just for being able to get a glimpse of some of Guy's strength, Laplace deserves credit.
  +
What was even more powerful was that in this situation, he remained undiscouraged and full of
  +
thoughts on how to escape—this mental toughness was what made Laplace so powerful.
  +
He also knew that Yuuki was strong.
  +
However, the extent of Yuuki's strength, even these partners were kept in the dark, and it was unknown
  +
whether it was useful against Guy...
  +
Even if Yuuki can't beat his opponent, Laplace intends to save Footman and run away with Tear.
  +
Yuuki should be able to read his mind and act in accordance with the times. Laplace's trust in Yuuki
  +
allowed him to think that way.
  +
The problem is that Rhein and Mizari are also extraordinary masters.
  +
The opponent wasn't that simple enough to allow him to take advantage of the opportunity to save
  +
Footman. Laplace didn't dare to take it lightly.
  +
To find a way to save Footman—he was troubled by this, and did not expect the problem to be solved
  +
in three or two minutes.
  +
"Hey, let that guy go."
  +
This time Guy ordered to Mizari.
  +
How could Mizari possibly resist, she immediately set Footman free.
  +
—So relaxed. This way the troupe will have a chance to escape.
  +
Laplace started to think in a good direction, but things didn't seem so simple.
  +
"Don't worry. If you beat me, I'll let you go and not hurt you a bit.”
  +
  +
This statement from Guy sounds contradictory.
  +
If they could beat Guy, who needs him to let go.
  +
The string of proclamations was utterly reassuring, and Laplace felt so melancholy after hearing it. Just
  +
like that, he prayed for Yuuki to win and watched the battle on the other side.
  +
***
  +
The first person to take action was Yuuki.
  +
Knowing that neither magic nor skill would work on him, Yuuki thus developed absolute confidence
  +
and fearlessly unleashed his kicks at Guy.
  +
The kick is sharp, heavy and fluid.
  +
A kick that was originally aimed at the enemy goes over, but halfway through the kick suddenly
  +
changes track and a nice top segment kick blows away on Guy's head.
  +
However, it was Yuuki who appeared with a distorted look.
  +
"Geez, it's so hard.”
  +
While smacking his lips, Yuuki mumbled something in his mouth.
  +
His Ability Blocking is unbeatable and can penetrate all the enemy's defenses. Guy, who was
  +
supposedly hit by him head-on, stood there unimpressed.
  +
It didn't seem to hurt at all.
  +
There was no movement behind the scenes. The mere flesh of gold is harder than diamonds.
  +
This flesh is so rigid and flexible that that alone is a threat. Guy is just so powerful.
  +
“That tickles. It's not going to be a fight at all. Have some more fun for me. Otherwise, I'll kill
  +
everyone.”
  +
Smiling as he finished the sentence, Guy's right hand bubbled up into flames.
  +
This is the elemental magic "Hot Dragon Flame Fighter" —a directional, scorching flame that
  +
transforms into a dragon, bending its long body to lunge at it, and the magic will burn the target to the
  +
ground.
  +
Temperatures can reach thousands of degrees, and the human race will disappear in an instant.
  +
The fire dragon wrapped itself around Yuuki's body.
  +
"It's a waste of time! Magic doesn't work on me..."
  +
After shouting, Yuuki was about to attack Guy, who had been so lenient, when a cold shiver caused him
  +
to jump away on the spot.
  +
"Oh, your instincts are keen.”
  +
  +
At that moment Guy smiled and said this.
  +
Yuuki didn't even have the strength left to talk back to Guy, who was desperately scrambling on the
  +
ground, trying to make the flames go away.
  +
This was indeed the result of the 'ability blocking' effect, and Yuuki was thus not injured by Guy's
  +
magic. Yet in the meantime, the magical flames that were supposed to disappear immediately continued to
  +
burn. And it wasn't just magic flames, it would also burn oxygen like a normal fire. At this rate, Yuuki will
  +
have difficulty breathing and will be forced to face a fatal situation.
  +
Somatically it felt like a long time had passed, but it had in fact only happened for a few seconds. So
  +
although Yuuki wasn't injured, he would definitely be defeated if he continued to attack Guy without
  +
realizing it. He knew this well enough to put out the fire even if he was in a state of discomfort.
  +
And with Guy’s reaction, it seemed that Yuuki had thought of a possibility that made him unbelievable.
  +
He didn't want to admit it, but it was necessary to make sure. He didn't expect an answer from the other
  +
person, getting up while asking out the doubts in his mind.
  +
"Why didn't you pursue it further? You don't want to compete with me, do you?”
  +
"Ahahaha, what a stupid thing to say. You noticed that earlier, didn't you? I've discovered the secret
  +
behind that power of yours!”
  +
“.......”
  +
“I see..." Yuuki thought bitterly.
  +
His 'ability blocking' was omnipotent and could be offset by whatever power he encountered. However,
  +
when it comes to magic and skill fusion, there is no way to counteract both properties.
  +
That's the only downside, and the weakness.
  +
Besides, no matter how hard Yuuki tried to improve his body, he was still human after all. Antibodies
  +
can be used to fight the toxin, but you can't live without oxygen.
  +
Human beings—every living thing—had this weakness, and now Yuuki realized that he was at a
  +
disadvantage.
  +
Guy stood idly.
  +
"There's a guy I know who can offset magic perfectly, but I still win in a fight. This is because that guy
  +
can't counteract anything other than magic. And as far as I know, there is no way in the world to perfectly
  +
defend against the laws of physics in this world. If it is reinforced against one point, there is bound to be a
  +
breach somewhere else. But you seem to be able to counteract not only magic, but skill as well, don't you
  +
think?”
  +
Guy glanced at Yuuki and didn't attack any further, patronizingly telling his opinion. It was all carefully
  +
calculated that there would be such an unhurried attitude.
  +
Because it's easy for Guy to kill Yuuki.
  +
But that isn't fun, so Guy wants to blow Yuuki's self-confidence and make him admit his defeat in
  +
despair.
  +
  +
He had already thoroughly analyzed Yuuki's physique.
  +
The first time he launched the attack, Guy saw through Yuuki's special physique and even thought of a
  +
countermeasure.
  +
Even if Yuuki could offset the magic and skill well, as long as he was human, beating him would be
  +
easy.
  +
Humans are fragile.
  +
That frail flesh is weak everywhere, even with the method of killing human beings without bitter
  +
thought.
  +
And there's a big gap between Yuuki and Guy’s basic physical abilities.
  +
When Yuuki kicked over just now, Guy only left a small 'barrier' for defense, and as a result, the
  +
opponent's attack didn't even hurt him.
  +
As far as the amount of magicules goes, the comparison is even laughable. Guy was good enough to
  +
rival the True Dragons, and as soon as Yuuki cancelled the magic, he could immediately restart it, which
  +
wasn't hard at all.
  +
"If I just kill people, then I don't have to come here specifically. I've come for a rare visit, so you'll have
  +
to have some fun for me.”
  +
Because of this, Guy arrogantly provoked Yuuki.
  +
He was going to drive his opponent into a corner and give Yuuki his all and then beat the shit out of
  +
him.
  +
Yuuki knew exactly what Guy was thinking.
  +
But he couldn't talk back.
  +
The expression on his face was less subdued than it had been earlier. He began to carefully analyze the
  +
battle situation to figure out how to break through this difficult situation.
  +
His unparalleled brain of genius had already pointed out the desperate gap between the two sides. But
  +
Yuuki hadn't given up and was exploring every possibility.
  +
The only turnaround was to make Guy look at them small.
  +
And yes, it's understandable that the two sides have such a big power differential that they'd be looked
  +
down upon. But that guy is too arrogant.
  +
Yuuki has other killer features.
  +
That's the innate superpower, and the "greedy one" that was snatched from Mariabell.
  +
Plus the "Creator". It can create the necessary capacity to respond to the situation, and with a "creator"
  +
it will be able to get through this crisis.
  +
If you don't kill me when you can, it's your fault!
  +
  +
After readjusting his breathing, Yuuki confronted Guy again.
  +
"It's just a matter of seeing what I can do. It's too early to be proud.”
  +
It's not that you can't afford to lose, those are true words.
  +
If the other party is so angry that they lose their cool, they are more likely to make mistakes. Yuuki saw
  +
this before he made a provocation.
  +
While juggling these little tricks, Yuuki let his power scurry all over his body. Usually he suppresses
  +
this force, but at this time he concentrates on building up his strength and transforming his flesh by his
  +
own will power.
  +
From human to "immortal".
  +
Then it became "saints".
  +
Let your own flesh evolve to a higher realm than Hinata, and Yuuki will never have to breathe again.
  +
Complete and total "saints" equate to spiritual beings. Hinata was still imprisoned in the flesh, but
  +
Yuuki had come to a higher realm.
  +
So he didn't need to breathe at all.
  +
Abandon human weaknesses and greatly increase their power of existence. If one converted the current
  +
energy on his body into mana, it would be enough to rival Leon or Ruminas.
  +
Guy, however, was still unfazed.
  +
"What a bummer. Is this all you can do? With that kind of ability, it's impossible to beat me a hundred
  +
times over.”
  +
He's still so laid back.
  +
"Probably. In that case, you'll have a good time with me!"
  +
The words of Yuuki ignited the battle and they started fighting again.
  +
Immediately following...
  +
Yuuki finally knew why Guy was called the strongest overlord.
  +
***
  +
The scene was shrouded in despair.
  +
The one who lies on the ground is Yuuki.
  +
In the face of Guy's overwhelming strength, Yuuki's attack did not play the same role.
  +
Even hawking ploys won't help.
  +
  +
He took the time to gather the greatest strength to launch the attack, but was unable to hurt Guy by a
  +
single cent.
  +
"Damn it, you bastard...!"
  +
Yuuki had lost even the strength to get back on his feet. At best, he was cursing Guy. But he's still not
  +
disheartened, and that alone is worthy of praise.
  +
Laplace didn't even blink, imprinting the battle deep in his mind.
  +
Too bizarre. Boss is too weak, Guy is too strong...
  +
Yuuki is stronger than Laplace ever imagined.
  +
He uses strange powers, or superpowers, to try all sorts of tactics against Guy.
  +
Such as shooting stones, spitting fire, heavy pressure, and releasing psychic interference waves. But
  +
these were defused with ease.
  +
To Guy, using his physical abilities, which were more than 30 times higher than normal, to launch an
  +
attack at a speed of over 100 meters per second was the equivalent of a child's play.
  +
In addition to this, Yuuki's main defense, Ability Blocking, is no exception and can no longer paralyze
  +
Guy's magic.
  +
"That's not working for me anymore."
  +
As Guy said in this sentence.
  +
It looks like Guy has managed to break through the Ability Blockade by some means. This is chilling.
  +
Kazaream and Clayman had also mentioned the Ten Great Demon Lords to Yuuki and others. He had
  +
heard that Guy and Milim were particularly powerful, but he hadn't expected the gap to be so wide,
  +
presumably even they themselves hadn't noticed.
  +
How else could they endorse such whimsical ideas as conquering the world.
  +
Is this what you call a cataclysmic level...
  +
It was only now that Laplace realized that there were some enemies in the world that could never be
  +
touched.
  +
He himself hides his strength from his partner. But if the opponent is replaced with Guy, the demon
  +
lord, even with that kind of strength, there is no point.
  +
Guy's strength is just so far from theirs.
  +
Can't even find a way to get down. Even Yuuki, whose strength was indeed above Laplace, lay
  +
helplessly on the ground, like a small baby.
  +
The way things have turned out, it's harder to get back alive now than it is to get to heaven.
  +
Someone had to make a sacrifice - Laplace had this realization, and he put on his usual dangling
  +
attitude and took a step to come before Guy.
  +
  +
"You are worthy of the title Demon Lord Guy. The “moderate clown troupe" takes on all kinds of
  +
business, only to be hired by the boss because of it. The boss in the nest is Yuuki from the vegetarian side.
  +
Now that the boss has lost, there's no reason for the nest to follow him..."
  +
“—!”
  +
"Laplace, what are you talking about..."
  +
Laplace pretends that he does not feel guilty about betraying his partner. He wasn't quite sure about
  +
Guy's personality, but had heard it was very capricious and arrogant.
  +
Totally uninterested in the weak, no one else is even allowed to talk to him unless they are approved by
  +
Guy.
  +
Treat that Guy with such an attitude and Laplace will surely be killed. However, by then his attention
  +
would surely be on Laplace, and by taking advantage of this brief gap, Yuuki could possibly escape, a
  +
possibility Laplace wanted to bet on.
  +
Never betray a partner, and never betray a client—that’s the rule of the Moderate Clown Troupe.
  +
Because of this, Yuuki must be able to detect Laplace's true thoughts.
  +
Footman was too pushy and ill-thought out, but the man was very much for his fellow man.
  +
Tear was still stronger than him, but didn't put her strength to full use because she was too timid.
  +
Although these two have bad habits of getting carried away easily, they can be put at ease by handing
  +
them over to Yuuki. Laplace thought so, before deciding to sacrifice himself.
  +
"The Troupe can help you, Lord Guy. So, what do you say we give them a chance to live?”
  +
Laplace makes a bold declaration of betrayal.
  +
While Footman and Tear had a puzzled look on their faces, Guy looked like he had seen something
  +
interesting and a smile appeared on his lips.
  +
That's great, this will piss off Guy!
  +
Laplace wasn't about to kill himself either.
  +
Although the opponent was Guy with little hope, there was still a chance to save a life. He therefore did
  +
not hesitate and intended to say what he was about to say.
  +
And yet it's too late to get the words out...
  +
"Ahaha, don't you force it, Laplace. Really, I can't be trusted?”
  +
Someone snatched the words out first, and it was Yuuki who staggered to his feet.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
  +
Yuuki was mentally prepared, knowing that he might die.
  +
But at this moment, his heart was filled with indignation.
  +
Anger at his useless self.
  +
Hearing Laplace say that made him even angrier.
  +
Laplace could not possibly betray him. In other words, he said those words as an act, and he still chose
  +
to believe that Yuuki had interpreted Laplace's thoughts correctly, even though he had ended up in such a
  +
mess.
  +
In response, he was happy and at the same time felt guilty.
  +
If only I had more power...
  +
Without deliberately thinking about it, the thought came naturally to Yuuki's mind.
  +
No one would respond to his thoughts, as a matter of course.
  +
But just at this moment, a force appeared in Yuuki's mind.
  +
<You Want Power? Then join forces with me.>
  +
"Huh?" said Yuuki, confused in his mind. A bang.
  +
I thought it was a hallucination, but this voice is too real.
  +
<Just trade with me and you'll get the most power. Your wish is to conquer the world, and you can do it
  +
easily by joining forces with me. Come on, make a decision...>
  +
Hearing that voice say this way, Yuuki felt a pang of displeasure in his heart.
  +
You shut up. I am what I am. If it's borrowing from a partner it's a different matter, but borrowing from
  +
a stranger to achieve an ambition, I don't give a shit about that kind of classless thing!
  +
So, Yuuki refused categorically.
  +
Yes, personal ambition is something that has to be achieved by one's own hands to make sense, and
  +
Yuuki has his insistence.
  +
<...>
  +
The voice suddenly fell into silence and seemed confused about it.
  +
It didn't matter if the voice disappeared, Yuuki immediately focused his thoughts on something else.
  +
The situation was desperate at the moment, but there was something that made him care. To say what
  +
the point of care was, it was that Yuuki felt that Guy seemed to have another purpose.
  +
Indeed, one of the reasons was that Guy wanted to enjoy the fight. But beyond that, there must be
  +
another reason behind it.
  +
  +
Just now, Guy did say something like “I don't want the combat power on Rudra's side to increase". On
  +
the flip side, if they hadn't gone to Rudra and joined the Eastern Empire, Guy wouldn't have had to kill
  +
Yuuki and others - or so Yuuki interprets it.
  +
To say why Guy didn't kill Yuuki right now...
  +
Truly, hard knocks are not his match at all, but what comes next is brain power. But it's more likely to
  +
succeed than having Laplace do the hard work!
  +
Encouraging himself with these words, Yuuki stood up again.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
Even in this situation, Yuuki still smiled cynically when he dialed back the browser.
  +
"I didn't expect you to be so strong, outside of my calculations, but I found one thing after fighting you.
  +
That means you're not going to kill us, right?”
  +
"Oh, why do you think that?”
  +
"If you'd intended that, we'd have been killed to death. What does it mean that you attack repeatedly
  +
and let me swim on the edge of death each time?”
  +
Just like that, only to see Yuuki confidently questioning Guy.
  +
It would be reckless to do such a thing.
  +
Guy showed such a strong power, and Yuuki dared to do that to him - that's what everyone thought in
  +
their hearts.
  +
Only, Guy himself still showed an attitude of fun.
  +
"You found out. But you don't need to know the answer..."
  +
By responding in this way, Guy indicated that he wasn't going to reveal his thoughts.
  +
Yuuki shrugged, he had expected the other party to answer that way. So he didn't panic and continued
  +
with his next move.
  +
"Then I want to make a deal with you.”
  +
"You want to make a deal?”
  +
"Right. If you leave us alone, we will be of some help to you."
  +
"Will it help me a little?”
  +
"Exactly. You don't seem to want us to join the Eastern Empire, but I want you to change that slightly.”
  +
"Go ahead.”
  +
  +
"Since our aim is to conquer the world, we will one day be on a par with the Empire. I have now sliced
  +
through your great power. I certainly don't want to make an enemy of you at the moment. You'd want to
  +
destroy the Empire first, right?”
  +
You can't help but wonder what he is talking about.
  +
Footman and Tear had listened without understanding.
  +
Laplace was also at a loss for words about the situation at hand.
  +
He was ready to launch the scheme with a determination to die, but his only hope - Yuuki himself - was
  +
destroyed. At this point, we can only rely on Yuuki's negotiation. Although he was the only one who could
  +
rely on him, the cold sweat behind Laplace's back returned when he heard these words, ‘Heaven is not
  +
afraid of earth.’
  +
Too messed up. Why does Guy look like he's enjoying it?
  +
That's right.
  +
Hearing Yuuki say such words, I don't know why, Guy smiled.
  +
"Are you going to keep challenging me?”
  +
"That's for sure. My ambition is to conquer the world. It doesn't look like there's any chance of winning
  +
at the moment, but one day it's going to overtake you.”
  +
Despite the fact that it was very difficult to stand on one's own, Yuuki was unyielding in his words.
  +
If you mess with Guy, you'll be killed - Yuuki seems to be completely oblivious to this and still speaks
  +
loudly.
  +
The object is Guy, then facing it with such an attitude is the right choice.
  +
If it's an ugly plea for mercy, the other party will immediately lose interest. That would be the only way
  +
to die.
  +
Yuuki didn't know about it and made the best choice in the situation.
  +
"What good will it do me if you bring down the Empire?”
  +
That was the focus of this engagement, and Yuuki began to take it in stride.
  +
Next, he looked back at Guy head-on, nodding his head forcefully.
  +
"Of course there are benefits. I don't know why, but you don't seem to want the Empire to be annexed
  +
even to the west. Isn't that right?”
  +
“......”
  +
Guy must have had some sort of entanglement with Imperial Emperor Rudra.
  +
Here's the point, Yuuki bluffed and lobbied.
  +
  +
"I'm going to beat a lot of enemies. I did want to join the Empire, but did not want to let them do it.
  +
Rather, it is to nibble at the whale from within and use each other for our purposes.”
  +
"Oh. Turns out, the period where your intentions align with the Empire will help them, but not
  +
necessarily after that. And you're going to borrow the power of the Empire to defeat Leon, and that guy
  +
Rimuru, right?”
  +
The sharp gaze seemed to have seen through everything, and Guy just stared at Yuuki like that.
  +
Yuuki is a promise that cannot be kept.
  +
He wasn't sure about Guy's relationship with Leon, or what Guy thought of Rimuru, and couldn't even
  +
predict how his own words would make the other party react.
  +
Even so, Yuuki still deliberately expressed his ambition.
  +
"That's it. I'm going to take over the world, and it's you who's going to take down the last one - Demon
  +
lord Guy Crimson.”
  +
Breathing heavily from beginning to end, Yuuki finished what he wanted to say.
  +
The rest is up to Guy to judge.
  +
Even if we go along with Laplace's ruse, everyone will still be killed in the end. Sorry to have to get you
  +
guys to go along with my plan.
  +
Yuuki apologized to his partners in his heart.
  +
See if it's all for the win or all for the loss.
  +
Yuuki was greedy.
  +
If you want to live, let's all live together —the stakes are just too high.
  +
However, Yuuki won the bet.
  +
"You're called the Moderate Clown Troupe, right? Ahahaha, you guys really look like clowns. Messing
  +
up the situation in this game is no different than a ghost card. Sounds pretty good, and the offer is
  +
interesting. For the love of your guts, I'll let you go this time.”
  +
In the end, it's still not clear what Guy's purpose is.
  +
What is certain is that Yuuki and others survived.
  +
Faced with Guy's decision, Rhein and Mizari had no objection.With that declaration, Yuuki and the
  +
others fled the scene safely.
  +
***
  +
Waiting for the Guy and the others to leave, Yuuki and the others came to the place where they were
  +
supposed to meet up with Kagali and the others.
  +
Although it felt like it should be fine by now, everyone agreed that they should have left sooner.
  +
  +
As soon as he saw Kagali appear at the rendezvous site, Laplace opened his mouth to Yuuki.
  +
"You're so full of shit, I can't believe it. I can't believe I'm so surprised at that monster..."
  +
When Laplace had finished, Tear followed suit.
  +
"And we got away with it. People originally thought it would be over this time.”
  +
"Ho-ho-ho. I've had faith in the boss since the beginning.”
  +
“You're just not using your head, are you?" Laplace spat this out to Footman, and Yuuki watched the
  +
scene with the remaining light from the corner of his eye, looking tired as he sat down on the ground.
  +
"I had no choice. This may be the only way we can get away with it. And in the end like this, that
  +
method worked and I don't take complaints.”
  +
It is more mentally exhausting than the injuries sustained in battle. So Yuuki didn't seem to want to
  +
continue arguing, he lay down on the ground in large letters and closed his eyes.
  +
Kagali had no idea what's going on, and Laplace and Tear step in to explain what's going on.
  +
"You, you fought Guy...! I'm glad you guys came back unscathed..."
  +
Kagali exclaimed in surprise.
  +
It wouldn't take long for her tone to turn dumbfounded.
  +
Ah, it's good to be alive.
  +
Feeling the wind caressing his cheek, Yuuki thought so.
  +
That's when something suddenly occurred to him.
  +
I heard a mysterious voice in the middle of a fight. What was it?
  +
Is that another personality of mine? How can this be? This is ridiculous. No, wait? Although it doesn't
  +
feel like there are other powers hidden within me, there is only one possibility that can be thought of.
  +
Yuuki thought of the power he had recently acquired.
  +
That is the exclusive skill "Greedy One"—if it is this skill, as one's desire grows greater, it also gains
  +
more power.
  +
Against Guy, every move that Yuuki made couldn't hurt him. And of course it also contains the
  +
strongest Great Sin skill "The Greedy One".
  +
This "greedy one" is also a mystery, skills and magic are always outside the man and in the sky. Guy
  +
used magic to break through my "ability blocking" and had to see the reasoning behind it...
  +
Yuuki had full confidence in himself, so being easily attacked by Guy gave him a big blow. But he
  +
would not give up on that.
  +
Now that he had survived unscathed like this, he had to think about what to do next. It's quick to switch
  +
focus, and that's what Yuuki does best.
  +
  +
He had prided himself on gaining power over the demon lord that was the strongest person under the
  +
heavens.
  +
No, even if they are not the strongest, they can win no matter what kind of opponent they are facing if
  +
they study more and formulate countermeasures.
  +
With such a force as a backbone, and with the assistance of people like Kagali and Laplace, he
  +
managed to construct a powerful force.
  +
Everything is going well.
  +
But recently it has failed one after the other.
  +
On top of that, this encounter with Guy had completely shattered Yuuki's self-confidence.
  +
That being said, it was a fluke.
  +
Things are starting to get very interesting. The harder the game, the more fun it is...
  +
That's all, and Yuuki didn't suffer any setbacks as a result.
  +
And he thought further.
  +
In other words, Guy's ability is difficult to read even with Yuuki's "creator".
  +
The unique skill "creator" is very special and can even create skills that can be immediately interpreted
  +
even if the opponent is using a unique skill.
  +
Although the premise was that the opponent had to use those skills, Yuuki believed that no one could
  +
hide anything under this ability.
  +
But it doesn't work on Guy.
  +
This indicates that the opponent's abilities are above unique skills.
  +
Yuuki craves strength.
  +
Wanting more power, being able to overcome the power of Guy.
  +
Deep inside him, the fire of desire was burning brightly.
  +
So to speak, the "greedy one" in me has a chance to evolve as well. I became more greedy than anyone
  +
else. If it's to instill those desires in it...
  +
Thinking about this side, Yuuki was so excited that he was shaking all over.
  +
He began to think.
  +
Losing to Guy made him think about how much injustice there is in this world.
  +
He wants to fight it and win. This is exactly what Yuuki wants.
  +
Closing his eyes, he came face to face with his inner voice.
  +
  +
Go deeper within, go deeper, go to the place that lies at the end of the abyss.
  +
Yuuki pays attention to all corners.
  +
<Want to join forces with me now?>
  +
No, it's not that.
  +
<What is your purpose then?>
  +
I need to run something by you.
  +
<What's Up?>
  +
That's right. I want to receive your power.
  +
<Don't Be Joking.>
  +
I'm not kidding, I'm serious.
  +
<What a Silly Thing to Say...>
  +
I'm sorry, you're in the way.
  +
<—!>
  +
Immediately following the next second, as if to cover every corner of his heart, Yuuki outlined that
  +
wish in his mind.
  +
The desire to fulfill his true ambition to achieve that hegemony.
  +
Be untouched by anyone and use the strong will as a weapon.
  +
Yuuki is challenging himself.
  +
And after that, the "Voice of the World" sounded...
  +
—Confirmation completed. Conditions met. The unique skill "Greedy One" has evolved into the
  +
ultimate skill "Greedy King Mammon”.—
  +
At this point, Yuuki opened his eyes and showed an arrogant smile.
  +
"I will make good use of your power."
  +
Next he muttered something so small that no one heard him.
  +
This day, in this moment, in this place.
  +
The most evil of demons is born.
  +
  +
Chapter 1: The Stepping Sound of Military Boots
  +
The day the music exchange ended, we returned to our home countries.
  +
  +
Venom and others who had come to act as escorts, and Tako and others were unharmed, and everyone
  +
was safe and sound.
  +
As for the children that Diablo protected, I let them rest for a week. They weren't injured, but it was just
  +
in case.
  +
The difference between training and actual combat seemed to impress them, giving them less of the
  +
vibrancy they normally had. They may be psychologically traumatized, so I want everyone to get some
  +
rest.
  +
Ruminas is on Leon's side, and we intend to meet another day to discuss it.
  +
There was a dispute over which side to meet, and it was finally decided to meet in the capital of the
  +
Jura Tempest Federation, "Rimuru".
  +
Ruberios under the rule of Ruminas was busy rebuilding, and as for the Golden Country of Leon's
  +
territory, it seemed that something big had happened there and there was no room to entertain important
  +
people from other countries.
  +
At present, our Jura Tempest Federation has no problem in this regard and can find no reason to reject
  +
it.
  +
We already have two demon lords on our side anyway.
  +
Thinking of the winged fairy, and the lazy nobleman Dino, I promised Ruminas and Leon.
  +
Time came the next day.
  +
Neither had time to put their feet down and settle down, and the two came running in a hurry.
  +
It seemed that Leon had gone back to the country once, and had made preparations before coming here.
  +
I thought to myself that the two of them were in too much of a hurry, but Ruminas and Leon both wanted
  +
to exchange information first.
  +
I would also like to ask the two of them something about this incident. So I had no opinion and decided
  +
to go along with what they wanted.
  +
We came to the most luxurious reception room to assemble.
  +
On the scene were me, Ruminas and Leon.
  +
Since I'm going to have a meeting with the other demon lords, then I can't act too shabby.
  +
The people who came to the talks were all connected to this event.
  +
We decided to consolidate the information first and then see how far the information related to Chloe
  +
would be made public.
  +
Because of the importance of the matter, it would be better for everyone to hide it from their own men
  +
as well—a point on which a few of us have made no secret.
  +
The people who came from my country were Shion, Diablo and Veldora.
  +
  +
Seriously, I don't want to have Veldora in. I wanted him to stay in his room and play, but for some
  +
reason, he strongly insisted, ‘I can't do it without you!’
  +
Now that he's talked about it, I had to be reluctant to let it go.
  +
According to the theory, Shion should have been seriously injured, but she never expected to recover in
  +
a flash. This made me realize that "super-speed regeneration" is really a scary skill.
  +
Now she was standing side by side with Diablo behind me.
  +
Hinata sat next to Ruminas, while Louis and Gonda stood behind the two.
  +
There were also two knights standing straight up behind Leon—Alrose and Claude.
  +
Finally there is the main character, Chloe. She's gone back to being a child, but I think it's okay to treat
  +
her as an adult.
  +
Placed here was a rectangular table with six more couches for personal use.
  +
I sat side-by-side with Veldora, opposite Hinata and Ruminas. Leon sat face to face with Chloe in the
  +
main seat.
  +
With that, the temporary demon lord talks began.
  +
***
  +
The first thing to do is to ask Chloe to speak for herself. Hinata also stepped aside to help explain what
  +
was really going on at that time.
  +
In general, their words are incredible. However, I have experienced that spiritual landscape first hand,
  +
so I accept these claims at once.
  +
"That's how I got out of the Infinite Reincarnation, with the help of Hinata and Rimuru-san.”
  +
Explaining to this side and concluding with a quote from Chloe.
  +
People all put on a restless expression and observed the reactions around them.
  +
In such an atmosphere, there are those who do not know how to read a room, and Veldora takes the
  +
lead.
  +
"That is to say, the one who sealed me is..."
  +
That kind of thing doesn't matter.
  +
Even though I thought so, Hinata reacted to that statement.
  +
"That's me. Now we're both a winner and a loser. Wouldn't that be nice? To be able to taste defeat.”
  +
"What the...!"
  +
"Gee, do you have a problem with that? In that case, it's okay if I have to fight you again.”
  +
"Well, well, well, well! Now that you've said so, let me show you my true power..."
  +
  +
You don't even have to drive at this rate. Hinata was normally calm, but for some reason, as soon as she
  +
met Veldora, she became childish.
  +
Looks like I'll just have to jump in and be the mediator.
  +
"All right, that's enough.”
  +
We'll talk about this topic when it's just the two of you next time.
  +
"Hinata, educating that stupid dragon is a vital thing. If you really want to make a move, my servant
  +
will also help, you must tell my servant.”
  +
Miss Ruminas, please don't add fuel to the fire.
  +
Now that things have turned out this way, then I'll change the subject.
  +
"Anyway, it's good that it ended up being okay. One more thing that concerns me is that I seem to have
  +
been killed, right? So it was really the Imperials who did it?”
  +
For me, this issue is even more important.
  +
At present, there are suspicious movements on the Imperial side, and if they really want to make an
  +
enemy of our country, then we must remain vigilant.
  +
"Probably. Other than that, it should be the same person who killed Hinata. There seems to be some
  +
very powerful masters on the Imperial side, or they've sent several of them against you, but the glow that
  +
runs through Hinata can't even be seen by me.”
  +
It turns out that the other side can kill even Hinata, so killing me who hadn’t evolved into a demon lord
  +
is not surprising.
  +
"I've evolved into a demon lord now, but I think it's better to be careful.”
  +
Although it's a different timeline, the other side has beaten me down before and will subconsciously
  +
guard against it. Since we are going to make an enemy of the Empire, one still has to be more careful.
  +
"I think it's better this way too. The Empire is even more dangerous than Mr. Rimuru had in mind.
  +
After the killing of Mr. Rimuru, Mr. Veldora began to rebel, and it was the Empire that drove him back.”
  +
Halfway through the showdown with Veldora, Hinata is killed and Chloe goes back in time. Later
  +
memories are only fragmentary memories of Chronoa.
  +
Having said that, the out-of-control Veldora and Chronoa clashed violently, and the one who took
  +
advantage of the situation seemed to be the Empire.
  +
We've seen Chronoa's power with our own eyes, and just being able to intervene in that fight means
  +
that the other side is very good. That being said, the Empire may have a fairly large war power, so large
  +
that it's beyond our expectations.
  +
It's not just me, Ruminas and Leon seem to think so too.
  +
Everyone is igniting a sense of crisis about the Empire.
  +
  +
In the midst of this heavy atmosphere, Veldora’s next comments were simply misdirected.
  +
"I can't believe I lost it."
  +
He spoke with a smug look on his face.
  +
Hearing that, people reacted as if they were saying, ‘What is this guy talking about?’
  +
  +
It
  +
  +
It's just as well that Veldora was able to play the idiot in such a serious atmosphere...
  +
"Wait! Why are you looking at me like that? How could a gentleman like me get out of hand and run
  +
amok!?”
  +
Nope, I'll say it.
  +
I heard that you made a big mess a long time ago, so I guess you were just as capricious at that time.
  +
Well, maybe it was the resurrection and finding out I’d been killed that made him furious.
  +
Thinking about it this way makes me feel a little happy.
  +
"All right, take it easy, let's just take it as it is.”
  +
Thinking about that in my head, I got a little warm in my heart and decided to placate Veldora.
  +
"The empire is dangerous”—that part of it comes down to this.”
  +
Next we'll talk about Chronoa's memories and see how much Chloe can recall.
  +
World War broke out after Veldora was defeated by the Empire.
  +
East and West were at war, and the battlefield was becoming increasingly favorable to the Empire.
  +
It was at this time that Milim launched into action.
  +
My death became the fuse for her animosity towards the Empire. At this point Guy intervenes and the
  +
worst of the battle—Milim versus Guy—is repeated.
  +
There was also a military conflict between Dagruel and Ruminas, and as a result the war spread
  +
throughout the world.
  +
Then Chronoa lost her life fighting someone.
  +
She rushed to the main battlefield and fought on as long as there was breath left. The only thought left
  +
in her mind was to 'destroy everything', and I heard that Chronoa would kill the strong man regardless of
  +
what she saw.
  +
So not remembering who you were killed by......
  +
"There aren't many people who can defeat that Chronoa, are there?”
  +
"It must be Guy.”
  +
"Only Guy can do it, right?”
  +
Hearing my tweets, Ruminas and Leon responded immediately.
  +
I think so too. I don't know who's going to die in the matchup between Guy and Milim, but there's no
  +
second choice but Guy to kill Chronoa.
  +
Only, it's not clear why Guy wanted to kill Chronoa, or maybe not him.
  +
  +
"So, why does Chronoa like me?”
  +
After hearing what Chloe said, I still feel like I crossed paths with Chronoa.
  +
Chronoa came back to life after I died, so she doesn't know me at all.
  +
In spite of that, it felt like Chronoa liked me anyway. I'm not a slow person, so I can at least find that
  +
out.
  +
Looking back on it now, it was like that in the beginning. When I summoned her for Chloe, she kissed
  +
and hugged me as soon as I saw her. I thought it was the first time we met, didn't I? But I guess there's
  +
some reason why Chronoa would do that.
  +
"That's because..."
  +
"Because Rimuru has helped me. In the world to come, I have been in turmoil, and it is you who will
  +
save me.”
  +
When Chloe was halfway through her words, Chronoa continued on.
  +
"What the hell, I'm the one who has to explain!”
  +
"What does it matter? It's just a small thing. I'm you anyway. It's all the same, right?”
  +
To the eyes of the others it would only seem that Chloe was splitting hairs. It looks like as long as
  +
Chloe is negligent, Chronoa will step in and interject.
  +
But this kind of thing is just fine to get used to.
  +
Next, Chloe and Chronoa began to alternate narratives.
  +
Chloe - it should be said that according to Chronoa's memory, the future me did not really die. I did get
  +
knocked down by the Empire, but seemed to come back to life smoothly afterwards.
  +
That's right.
  +
I don't care, but the "Great Sage" who evolved into the King of Wisdom, Master Raphael, does
  +
everything right. It seemed to take a while, but it still had managed to keep me alive.
  +
Having said that, the world situation had changed significantly.
  +
Veldora disappears and the Jura Tempest Federation is destroyed.
  +
A great war erupted between the East and West, and a fierce tug-of-war ensued between the demon
  +
lords.
  +
Well—it’s not hard to imagine how I felt at the time.
  +
After all, I am the party.
  +
If it were me, I would definitely be desperately searching for survivors. Even if there's no way to save
  +
everyone, at least save the people I know.
  +
Then I found out about Chloe, aka Chronoa.
  +
  +
Chronoa's memory is left in bits and pieces, not remembering the most important parts. Still, she
  +
remembers roughly the process.
  +
After the encounter with Chronoa, We exchanged blows several times before I finally succeeded in
  +
bringing her to her senses.
  +
By this time, however, the world situation was set.
  +
"Just as everyone guessed, I did battle with Guy. Don't remember how things came to that, but I'm sure
  +
Rimuru wasn't around at the time. When I was about to die, I was held by Rimuru again, and when I came
  +
back, I saw Rimuru and myself as if I had seen the old Rimuru, that is, Chloe.”
  +
About Guy, I was just surprised by what I thought was unexpected.
  +
More than that, I'm curious about what happened when Chronoa died...presumably she started "time
  +
travel".
  +
But that alone wasn't enough to drive her back to the time when Chloe had stayed. It's also possible that
  +
what I did is indefinable.
  +
"By that time I had evolved into a demon lord?”
  +
"He had evolved. By the time he met me, Rimuru had become even stronger than he is now.”
  +
Uh, that kind of thing just by looking at it?
  +
I think I’m strong enough on my own at the moment, but Chronoa isn't so strong as to misjudge her
  +
opponent. In this way, the loss of my companions probably made me quite a mess.
  +
However, those have nothing to do with me now, yet there is an empire behind them. I still think in a
  +
good direction though, knowing that there is room for progress after myself.
  +
Anyway, those aside first.
  +
Since she said it was better than the current me, then the "Great Sage" must have evolved into the
  +
"King of Wisdom Raphael".
  +
That is, letting Chronoa's spirit and memory fly to the young Chloe - it would be no surprise if I were to
  +
do such an incredible thing.
  +
<<“...”>>
  +
Ohhhh, the guru can't deny that.
  +
That's a good indication that something is happening in the future.
  +
"Anyway, the end result was OK.”
  +
"It's too easy to say such things.”
  +
"Don't say that. Anyway, Chloe was as seen now, the people were safe and sound, and Veldora had been
  +
resurrected. As long as we keep a good eye on these two, we won't have to worry about them losing
  +
control. In that case, all that's left is the Empire, right?”
  +
  +
Hinata glared at me, and I responded with a cheerful smile.
  +
"That's it. If Dagruel attacks, I'll take care of it. After all, you're the one who saved Chloe, so let me
  +
thank you a little.”
  +
It seems that Ruminas and Chloe are really good together, and I saved Chloe's life with the stock going
  +
up and down. Thanks to this, it seems that in the future the two parties will be able to maintain a better
  +
relationship than before.
  +
I was originally still worried about Dagruel's ambitions. This is something that Ruminas is willing to
  +
underwrite. Without even asking me to please, Ruminas has promised to guard the Western world.
  +
In fact, the Western countries were originally under the jurisdiction of Ruminas. While some areas
  +
would clash with Guy's men, those were like games to Guy. Ruminas seemed to look away and think
  +
there was no point in caring about that.
  +
The bigger problem was Dagruel, and Ruminas seemed to be on constant alert, fearing the day when
  +
the two sides would go to war.
  +
"It sounds like we'll still be at war in the future, and if the Empire makes a move, he's likely to follow
  +
suit.”
  +
Although Ruminas said so, I still held my doubts.
  +
"However, Dagruel's sons have come to live in this country for a while. He wouldn't have resorted to
  +
force so easily, I guess.”
  +
Personally, I think there should be some sort of reasoning behind Dagruel's actions.
  +
"Huh? You say Dagruel's sons are here too? Is this true?”
  +
"It's true. They have now become minions of Shion and are working on their training.”
  +
"Yes. Although those guys aren't quite there yet, they've become more decent lately. To reward them, I
  +
treated them to a homemade meal and they cried with joy. What a bunch of cute guys.”
  +
Hearing me say that, Shion answered in a serious manner.
  +
I wonder if they were really ecstatic?
  +
They should be happy the girl of their choice cooks for them with her own hands...but only if those
  +
things are edible.
  +
No, as long as the appearance and taste can be tolerated, the cuisine of Shion can still be eaten.
  +
That should be no problem. If they hadn't complained about it themselves, it wouldn't be an issue I
  +
could intervene in. That's it.
  +
Hearing that Dagruel's sons were staying in the country, Ruminas was aghast. But these things only
  +
happened for a moment, and she immediately found her usual pace.
  +
"It seems to be true. It's a little strange to say that the Dagruel guy fell for someone's scheme too—no,
  +
those are future things. It should be said that he might have been caught in someone else's trap.”
  +
  +
Ruminas said as she thought.
  +
There will be war in the future, but for now there is peace.
  +
That said, there must be some reason behind Dagruel's ambition to expand his territory. When I met
  +
him at the Walpurgis before, he didn't feel like a big bad guy. I’ll check in with the his sons next time.
  +
If there is anything wrong with that, I can discuss it with them. It's much better to sit down and talk it
  +
out than to start a war.
  +
"We'll try to look into this, too.”
  +
"Then I'll leave it to you. I don't want to start a war for no reason either.”
  +
With regard to Dagruel, we have decided to wait for future findings. It would be troublesome if he
  +
followed the Empire into action, and just in case, I asked Ruminas to keep her guard up as well.
  +
Louis and Gonda nodded their heads, saying that they could safely leave the matter to them.
  +
"And then there's Guy...”
  +
"Let me talk over there.”
  +
It's no use going to Guy to complain about something that might happen in the future, but I'm still a
  +
little worried. It's better to explain to him what's going on, too.
  +
That point is bitter to make though...
  +
"After all, Guy is the 'mediator'. Although the current me doesn't have him in my sights, it seems I was
  +
exterminated by that guy a long time ago. Anyway, I don't remember any of those things, so it doesn't
  +
count!”
  +
That's when those words came out of the blue from Veldora.
  +
It makes people wonder where he starts spouting off and how he does it.
  +
Guy is a "mediator." What does that mean?
  +
Didn't think Guy had fought against Veldora before and Veldora had been exterminated.
  +
Those were the first things I heard.
  +
By the way, if you don't remember, you lose because you don't remember, and even if it's a child's
  +
excuse, it's still too low, but if you say it, it seems like you're pathetic, so don't say it.
  +
"Oh, in my opinion, Guy has done great things.”
  +
“‘Mediator,' right? It is true that Guy is not a partner of mankind, but he is also not an enemy of
  +
mankind. It's reasonable to speculate that the reason why Chronoa was killed in the future was because he
  +
feared that the world might end if he didn't take care of Chronoa, who 'just wanted to destroy
  +
everything’."
  +
Leon stepped in to draw the conclusion.
  +
  +
"What exactly is a ‘mediator'?"
  +
Everyone understands what he means, and I'm the only one who still can't react. I didn't hesitate to ask
  +
questions, and Ruminas explained them to me.
  +
"The so-called 'mediator' is a different mechanism from the 'hero' or the 'demon lord'. The purpose is to
  +
prevent the destruction of this world and is said to be the spokesman for the Creator, the Star Dragon,
  +
Veldanava.”
  +
"That's what it's all about. My brother 'Star King Dragon' Veldanava would set it up in such a way that
  +
he did not want the world that he had created so easily to be destroyed.”
  +
I see.
  +
It's because Veldora wanted to destroy the world that he was exterminated, right?
  +
Now I totally get it. One more thing that is confirmed in passing is that the “true dragons" will indeed
  +
be resurrected. I doubt very much that Veldora really has lost his memory, but let's not correct that.
  +
"So it is. Then it's unlikely that Guy will keep an eye on the current Chloe.”
  +
  +
"Mmm. I also have memories of when Chronoa was out of control, and she didn't hate that demon lord-
  +
san.”
  +
  +
Hinata and Chloe seemed to be okay with that, and the two laughed and talked about it. As long as
  +
there are no out-of-control doubts, it seems to be possible to avoid fighting Guy.
  +
"In that case, why don't you ask Leon to explain it to Guy?”
  +
"Good. Because this is about my future with Chloe."
  +
"This has nothing to do with Brother Leon, does it?”
  +
Leon spoke righteously, only to be rebuked mercilessly by Chloe.
  +
I thought to myself how awful this innocence was and felt a little sympathy for Leon.
  +
Leon looked very handsome and gave off a cold look, and the world seemed to treat him like the big
  +
bad.
  +
The matter with Miss Shizu seemed to be like that too, it looked like he was very bad at talking, in fact
  +
he was in some ways considered disgustingly good. Maybe because of that, he seems to be easily
  +
misunderstood.
  +
For example, it's the opposite of Masayuki, so it's easier to understand.
  +
Chloe thought of him as a kindly big brother next door.
  +
There was not the slightest hint of romantic affection for him.
  +
Leon seems to have been popular with girls from before, and the reason for that is probably here, and
  +
Chloe is therefore completely unaware of Leon's love for her.
  +
  +
Come to think of it, I think Leon is actually a man full of sadness.
  +
In my mind, I decided to be kind to him in the future.
  +
***
  +
Now that two demon lords have agreed to help, the talks have been a success.
  +
That leaves the Empire as the object to be guarded against.
  +
Let us then draw up our own response. As I am about to close the meeting...
  +
"Please, please wait! There are guests inside now, and important meetings are taking place.”
  +
"Oh, it's nice to see me invading. But I came all the way over, so let me say hello.”
  +
Just then, a loud noise came from across the hallway.
  +
It's that voice, and the arrogance that flows from talking to people...
  +
Whoever came was definitely the strongest demon lord Guy. There aren't many people who can do that
  +
without being so close to me.
  +
<<Notice. There is no hostility on the other side.>>
  +
......have you found out?
  +
Uh, now is not the time to argue about that.
  +
I hurried to get up from my seat.
  +
But before I act...
  +
Diablo, who was originally standing behind me, walked towards the door with a look of displeasure.
  +
“Hi!”
  +
“Bye.”
  +
After this brief conversation, Diablo vigorously closed the door.
  +
“......”
  +
It came so suddenly that we all froze on the spot.
  +
"Oi oi oi, no need for that, Diablo.”
  +
The doorway opened again and Guy burst into a roar.
  +
"Geez, you interrupted an important meeting. It's only been a day and I'm not ready. I would like to talk
  +
to you slowly afterwards, please wait until I invite you over.”
  +
The use of words was still polite, but Diablo's attitude towards Guy was tough.
  +
  +
Did they already know each other?
  +
I wasn't the only one who thought so, Ruminas and Leon were also amazed.
  +
"I can't believe it. I didn't expect that the Black Primordial would not budge in the face of Guy, so the
  +
Black Primordial was really something.”
  +
"Is he truly the Black Primordial? How did such a ruthless character come to serve under Rimuru?”
  +
...Hmmmmmmmm?
  +
I vaguely heard some words that didn't sound good?
  +
Diablo's a tough guy? No, he does have an arrogant attitude......
  +
Then again...what are the Primordials?
  +
Just as I was feeling a bit confused, there was a bigger commotion behind me.
  +
"Lord Rimuru, are you all right? Just now, my sister, she..."
  +
"Lord, did you sense Red?”
  +
"Is there going to be a war? I'll do my best if you tell me!”
  +
First it was Benimaru rushing over, Souei following behind him.
  +
Immediately afterwards it was Carrera who appeared, and then even Ultima broke in with her, coming
  +
in at about the same time.
  +
They caused a major uproar.
  +
The way things had turned out, it was better to take Guy in instead of driving him back.
  +
It’s just that I didn’t have an invitation at all. Why did things come to this? It seems necessary to ask
  +
Diablo afterwards.
  +
The immediate priority now is to clean up this mess.
  +
"Everybody calm down. Diablo, you also restrain yourself.”
  +
When I said that, the people who had just run over also settled down with me.
  +
Seeing that the atmosphere around me had stabilized, I continued.
  +
"It's not part of the plan, but we still have something to discuss with Guy. Since you've all come over,
  +
let's invite you directly to the meeting. Is that okay?”
  +
I'll make sure to check in with Guy first.
  +
"No problem. I also have something to talk to you about, which is just right.”
  +
Originally, he was going to ask Leon to explain it to him and it looked like he was going to change the
  +
booking plan. This time Guy agreed, so I'm going to disband the ones who came running later.
  +
  +
"That's the way it is, so no need to worry. If anything happens, I'll call you over, so you can get back to
  +
work.”
  +
Hearing me make such an announcement, everyone showed a look of relief.
  +
Although a few people in the room said something like "Hmph, that's right, it's Red" to keep the world
  +
in check. Even now, I can't see it coming," and "Tsk, I thought I had a chance to make a scene this time,"
  +
but in the end, it ended up just barely okay.
  +
***
  +
The people who had gathered were back at work.
  +
Then, in order to make tea for those who stayed in the room, Shuna also exited the room.
  +
It was at this point that Leon spoke first.
  +
"Hey, what's going on? Why is the Yellow Primordial here?”
  +
Huh?
  +
"I'd like to ask you the same. The other one seems to be the Purple Primordial. Is that a servant who's
  +
been over minded? I heard that her personality is more gloomy and cunning, so my servant is a little
  +
unsure....."
  +
Hmm...?
  +
What yellow primordial and purple primordial, what the hell are these guys talking about?
  +
—Ah, that can't be it!
  +
"Are you talking about Carrera and Ultima? These two were poached by that Diablo over there, and I
  +
didn't think they'd be better than I thought..."
  +
I stepped in to explain, but couldn't finish the sentence.
  +
“Carrera!? And another one named Ultima!? You're not going to name those people, are you?!"
  +
"I can't believe it. Not only that Diablo, but you also took in other Primordial Ancestors as
  +
subordinates, didn't you......"
  +
Leon stood up suddenly and yelled, along with a heart-stoppingly surprised Ruminas. Both looked over
  +
at me.
  +
"Isn't that right? The reason I came over here was to find out what he was really up to.”
  +
Eventually even Guy started saying inexplicable things.
  +
You ask me? Who do I ask?
  +
I didn't know how to answer, and at this time Shuna pushed the food truck to bring the black tea over.
  +
To avoid disturbing her, we kept our mouths shut.
  +
  +
The scent smelled good and everyone gradually replied calmly.
  +
I followed suit and calmed down to think about what everyone had just been talking about.
  +
The key word is "Primordial" that Ruminas speaks of.
  +
Speaking of the Primordials...
  +
<<Answer. It is one of the benchmarks used to define the demon race.>>
  +
That's it, by the way, I remember hearing similar instructions.
  +
The definition of a Primordial is the original demon.
  +
Huh, the original demon...?
  +
"Diablo, you're not one of the Original demons, are you?”
  +
When I finished asking the question, Diablo responded indifferently.
  +
"Well, that's right. I am indeed one of the first of the Seven Systems of the Demon Race to be born in
  +
this world.”
  +
......Oi oi oi, no way.
  +
The demon I summoned when I evolved into the demon lord was not expected to be such a powerful
  +
character...
  +
I always thought he was so strong, I didn't expect it to be more so than I thought.
  +
“...............didn’t you know?”
  +
"I can't believe it. I thought you were a little careless, but I didn't expect you to be that careless...”
  +
The way Leon and Ruminas looked at people hurt so much.
  +
Can't blame me for that.
  +
Since I casually summoned it and he responded, I guess it shouldn't be a big deal.
  +
<< “....”>>
  +
It was as if even Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, was speechless.
  +
And there was this reaction as if it was not for Diablo's true identity, but because I didn’t know about it.
  +
It seems that Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, seems to think that I knew the Primordial Demons
  +
as well.
  +
No, wait.
  +
In this way, it seems that Elmesia, the Celestial Emperor of Sarion, also said something about the
  +
Primordials. Turns out it's because she's also discovered Diablo's true identity that she's so vigilant!
  +
  +
If I had paid a little more attention, I would have detected Diablo's true identity sooner.
  +
This is actually that.
  +
Commonly known as preconceived notions.
  +
There is no in-depth investigation of what is known, nor is it brought up for discussion. In the opinion
  +
of Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, it just didn't feel the need to speak to me specifically about it.
  +
It's a big loophole.
  +
Even with a dictionary at hand, there's no point in not using it. Even Master Raphael, the King of
  +
Wisdom, who would advise me recently, could not possibly grasp what I knew and what I did not know.
  +
No matter how good a partner is, it's pointless if you don't let them do their job properly, and now I've
  +
come to understand it again.
  +
Leaving the surprised me aside, Diablo began to tell the story of his acquaintance with me.
  +
It sounds as if it goes back to when I met Shizu-san. There seems to be some kind of connection
  +
between Diablo and Miss Shizu, and Diablo happens to go to that place when he finds out that Miss Shizu
  +
is about to die.
  +
It turns out that Diablo had been paying attention to me since that time, which surprised me, but I had
  +
no idea what his intentions were.
  +
"It's so abhorrent that a low-ranking demon belonging to my system was summoned before me by Lord
  +
Rimuru. However! I didn't panic over it, but waited for the time to come and finally answered Lord
  +
Rimuru's call smoothly!”
  +
Speaking of this side, Diablo showed a very happy smile.
  +
  +
Geez, is it not a coincidence that Diablo would respond to my summons, but a corollary to his long-
  +
established calculations?
  +
  +
I was so surprised that even my head started to hurt.
  +
That said, there was something I had never heard before, and it turned out that Diablo was very jealous
  +
of Beretta and wanted to get rid of him without my knowledge. But Beretta's body was built by me, so
  +
Diablo couldn't hurt it.
  +
"This body was made by Lord Rimuru himself, and it would displease him if you were to strike at it.”
  +
Beretta is said to have advised him so at that time.
  +
How should I say it, should I say it's dumbfounding?
  +
That said, it's stupid and long-winded to go on like this.
  +
Somebody stop it—I think so, but Diablo's imposing presence is so overwhelming that no one seems to
  +
have a chance to interject.
  +
Seeing that this was not the way to go, I spoke.
  +
  +
"Diablo, Diablo-kun! Just talk about this side. It's almost time for us to get on with the meeting, too.
  +
Immediately after me, Guy followed suit and said.
  +
"That's enough about this, right? By the way, that Dino kid is here too, isn't he? Can you bring him here
  +
for me?”
  +
When this came out of Guy's mouth, Diablo finally stopped talking.
  +
"Then let me invite Lord Dino."
  +
Shuna hadn't been able to find the right time to exit the room, and only now did she politely curtsy and
  +
leave.
  +
She's escaped—I think I'm in the mood too.
  +
"It's the rest that follows that's important.”
  +
The look on Diablo's face was like he was saying there was going to be more to come, but everyone
  +
united and pretended not to hear.
  +
I wonder what he'll say if we keep listening. In order to keep my mind at peace, it's best to shut Diablo
  +
up.
  +
In the midst of this commotion, unknowingly, Guy's seat was also ready. The waiting room next door
  +
had a sofa for guests to sit on, and Leon's men moved it this way.
  +
"Oh, very clever."
  +
Hearing Guy’s words, the knights under Leon, Alrose and Claude, nodded softly at him. It looked like
  +
these two also knew Guy, otherwise neither of them would have made a move, because facing Guy could
  +
not be done lightly.
  +
It was supposed to be my job to prepare, but I didn't expect so much. It was a great help to have these
  +
two people around, as one mistake could make Guy angry.
  +
Even the secretary, who was supposed to be assisting me, seemed to be all talk.
  +
On the other hand, Shion looked like she didn't care about her own affairs and had no intention of
  +
leaving my side at all.
  +
"Sorry to bother you.”
  +
"No, please don't worry about it!”
  +
"We also know how much trouble His Majesty Rimuru has taken. You want others to stay out of this
  +
room so we don't have to go to the trouble of policing, right? That being the case, we'll leave the trivial
  +
matters of this magnitude to us.”
  +
Alrose and Claude are delightful.
  +
Hopefully Diablo and Shion will learn from them.
  +
  +
"Hear ye well, that ye also look unto them, and become more attentive.”
  +
"Gee, gee, gee, gee, gee.”
  +
It was Guy's fault for coming here without prior arrangement - Diablo seemed tempted to say so, but he
  +
didn't normally make such mistakes, except to say that this was a bad time.
  +
"Yes, I'll learn from that!"
  +
Shion was quite frank.
  +
The girl only had her mouth full.
  +
I prayed in my heart that she actually listened.
  +
At this point Guy took his seat arrogantly.
  +
At the same time, Shuna returned with Dino.
  +
For some reason, Ramiris is with them, some interlude occurs in between, and the meeting unfolds
  +
again.
  +
***
  +
The first topic to begin with is the Primordial Demons.
  +
"Well, Dino. May I ask why?"
  +
"Hey, what's the reason for this?”
  +
Faced with Guy's question, Dino asked back in a straightforward manner. This attitude was starting to
  +
set Guy on fire.
  +
"Don't pretend! This guy named those three demons, why didn't you stop him!?”
  +
That's right, it's important!
  +
"This guy" said as if it was me, and so did I. If I had known those three demons were so dangerous, I
  +
wouldn't have named them."
  +
Although it's too late, I'd still like to at least give some advice.
  +
"I ask you, why do you think I sent you here?”
  +
"Well, isn’t it for tourism?”
  +
"No! It's to spy on the enemy, to spy!”
  +
Seeing this interaction, I thought to myself that Guy was having a hard time too.
  +
I had guessed it might be that way. Was Dino really here to be a spy?
  +
Only, it's best not to blab about the spy in person.
  +
  +
"Hey, and you! Don't act like it's none of your business!"
  +
Oops, that's anger.
  +
It doesn't make sense to send someone over as a spy and scold me, but the reason is really on me. As
  +
much as it was tempting to complain, a subconscious retort didn't seem good.
  +
After all, the other side is Guy, and pissing him off is definitely the next best thing.
  +
"Hahahaha, Guy, don't get mad about a little thing. It's not like this kid just named people randomly, it's
  +
not like it started today!"
  +
It's rare that Veldora would speak for me.
  +
I yelled "Go!" in my heart. Cheer him on. I didn't think...
  +
"You shut up! Don't interfere when your lordship is talking!”
  +
"Mmmm, mmmm.”
  +
At being yelled at by Ruminas, Veldora shut up. This alone makes it impossible to say anything back,
  +
and it shows that he is bullying good and fearing evil.
  +
That being said, it was thanks to him covering me that the spear didn't continue to be pointed at me. I
  +
didn't let the opportunity pass and took the opportunity to spit on Guy.
  +
"All right, take it easy. Dino came here to spy on me, right? The complaints about that aside, Dino who
  +
didn't stop me is certainly at fault, but shouldn't someone who trusts him to send him should take on the
  +
responsibility of being the overseer? Guy, don't you think?”
  +
To put it bluntly, I'm trying to get everyone to sit down.
  +
How can you put all the blame on me, and let Dino and Guy share the blame?
  +
It's obvious what Dino is responsible for, so again, just drag Guy down with him.
  +
"Say it, Guy. After all, I wasn't meant to spy on people. It's surprising that you're forcing me to work."
  +
It's only times like these that he seems particularly shrewd, and Dino seems to have seen through my
  +
ploy. He deftly matched me.
  +
"You two...."
  +
Only to see Guy with a chagrined face.
  +
Now one has to be careful not to let him get even bigger and create consensus quickly.
  +
"I couldn’t stop it in time. I was so surprised to see Rimuru with the Primordial Demon that I couldn't
  +
even speak. There are three demons of the Origin. The Black Primordial is a weirdo, which I can
  +
understand, but I didn't think that even demons like the Pure White Primordial (Testarossa) would serve
  +
someone else, which is beyond anyone's imagination!"
  +
"That's true."
  +
  +
Ah, Dino began to say something about evading responsibility. Guy seemed to agree a few times to the
  +
point that it wasn't good to go on like this.
  +
"I also had a bitter feeling because Diablo said they could be useful and brought them here, so I had no
  +
doubt that he accepted. Not at all expecting such awesome characters, and they were polite and well
  +
behaved and willing to be my men. These men are under Diablo's jurisdiction and Diablo should be held
  +
accountable. If something happens, I'll help take responsibility, but I should have trusted my men, right?"
  +
I'll just go with the flow and put all the blame on Diablo.
  +
After all, Diablo is the one who started it all. It's just a little touchy-feely, so don't bother with me.
  +
You will endeavor to bear the wrath of Guy—with that thought, my gaze fell on Diablo. Immediately
  +
afterwards, hearing me say this, somehow Diablo nodded happily.
  +
"I am satisfied with the words of Lord Rimuru, who is willing to trust me. In response to your
  +
expectations, I will refine even more.”
  +
“......”
  +
Seeing Diablo's bright smile, a tired looking Guy was speechless, and then the whole man leaned back
  +
in his chair.
  +
"That is to say, the person in the wrong is Diablo?”
  +
He opened his mouth high and questioned.
  +
"It's not that it's all his fault..."
  +
"It means we're victims too."
  +
Seeing that I was stammering, Dino was also embarrassed and swallowed back what he was about to
  +
say.
  +
As for the person in question, Diablo, he is the only one with a big, proud face.
  +
"This guy's been a weirdo since the old days, and it's no use complaining to him now..."
  +
Guy gestured to Diablo as he said this.
  +
"Dino, you were too late to stop Rimuru, which, given the circumstances, is understandable.”
  +
Oi oi oi, things seem to be starting to go in a strange direction.
  +
"So, Rimuru, it’s you!”
  +
It's me!?
  +
Why is the point being made at me?
  +
"What's wrong with me?”
  +
We can't afford to get carried away at this time.
  +
  +
I'm going to put on a straight face and pretend like I've done nothing bad and face Guy like this.
  +
Having made up my mind, to avoid the other party finding out I was panicking, I handed over physical
  +
dominance to Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom.
  +
That's a relief. No matter how choppy my heart may be, on the surface it seems calm.
  +
"Don't you dare ask me what's wrong!”
  +
Afterwards, Guy blurted out at me.
  +
Because of the good I did, the balance of power of the whole world completely collapsed, and because
  +
of this, it is impossible to predict the future of the world situation. The content of the speech is serious,
  +
and the time I cede the physical domination to the king of wisdom, Master Raphael, is equivalent to
  +
nothing.
  +
It looks like Guy's calculations are more meticulous than expected.
  +
"Not only that, but because of you, Mizari's battle plan also ended in failure. You have to take
  +
responsibility for that!”
  +
With that said, that's the end of Guy's preaching.
  +
I don't know anything about those things, and he holds me accountable and listens to me in disbelief,
  +
but it's kind of a bargain if doing it will get him to accept it. After making this judgement, in any case, nod
  +
your head first and say "I see", and find a way to muddle through.
  +
***
  +
The preaching time was over, but Guy's words were not.
  +
It was said that he would periodically cause disasters that would make people think of him as the
  +
common enemy of humanity. Because of the fear of a powerful enemy, people will not fight among
  +
themselves and get into power struggles all day long, which is what he is all about.
  +
When Granbell is in control of the situation, he keeps his eyes on the wall and doesn't act too blatantly.
  +
This time, however, Granbell led the entire army to challenge Ruminas, and the balance fell apart.
  +
That's why Guy ordered to Mizari, hoping to unite the people with fear.
  +
The death of the elected members of the Senate will make the heads of the States that are members of
  +
the Senate realize the threat posed by the demon lord. Laying it out in this direction, uniting the heads of
  +
the Western nations—that’s the battle plan Mizari had in mind.
  +
"Then Mizari attacked the venue, but I don't know why 'Primordial White—Testarossa—was there.”
  +
Tsk, already used to calling her by her first name, she accidentally called her by her previous name—a
  +
small mumble escaped her lips as Guy continued to speak.
  +
"In order to avoid a conflict with Testarossa, Mizari interrupted the battle plan. There's nothing wrong
  +
with that part, the problem is later. Humans are very clever, and since there's no way to dominate them
  +
with fear, these people will just start skirmishes. Now that the system of domination created by the Rosso
  +
family has disintegrated, the power struggle will intensify, as it always has. Doing such a foolish thing at
  +
  +
a time when the Eastern empires were in a state of folly would inevitably lead to the defeat of the Western
  +
powers. It's all your fault, Rimuru. What are you going to do about it? Tell me about it.”
  +
I'm so surprised.
  +
The Western powers might be torn apart and want to prevent such a crisis before it happens - that's
  +
Guy's purpose.
  +
He seemed to have little interest in humanity, but perhaps a little attention was paid to it for the time
  +
being, lest it perish. That being said, it seems to be the role of the "mediator".
  +
Not exactly on the side of mankind, and the approach is too radical, but a different perspective might be
  +
a way of talking to us and understanding each other.
  +
So the question is—I anticipate a policy of response to Western countries.
  +
Although I didn't even know about the contact between Testarossa and Mizari, honestly it was too
  +
much to say. Personally, I would love for humans to identify with us and construct a friendly relationship
  +
with us, but...
  +
I was troubled and didn't know what to say to Guy for good, but it turned out that Diablo stepped up in
  +
my stead. He ignored Guy, who had a hint of disgust dripping from his face, and began to recount his
  +
argument.
  +
"Hmph, what else is there to say, the only goal is to achieve Lord Rimuru's ideals anyway.”
  +
Although I was disturbed to know what he would say, I had no specific response. I guess idealism
  +
doesn't work on Guy, so trying to gamble on Diablo's self-assured attitude is a failure, really?
  +
I didn't realize that Diablo was using my rhetoric, which I thought was useless.
  +
"What does that mean?”
  +
"Nothing, to put it simply. Guy, using fear to bind others—even if you do such uninteresting things,
  +
indeed, people will obey you out of fear. But in this way, the human capacity cannot be fully realized. Not
  +
only that, but the fear will fade over time. No matter how much tragedy you cause for humanity, they will
  +
eventually forget. After that, there's only hate in the heart.
  +
"Well, go on."
  +
"That hatred will eventually turn to contempt, wanting revenge on those who bullied them. And
  +
mankind just plays small and isn't smart enough to realize that they have a power differential from us that
  +
they absolutely cannot fill. As soon as they are incited by a race like the Demon Race, they'll do
  +
something stupid right away."
  +
"Indeed it is. That's why I want to purge the human world of blood to curb such behavior.”
  +
"Geez, I told you it wouldn't work. As long as humans are still that stupid, they are easy to fade away.
  +
Things like that have been happening for generations, and I don't think that's changed. But..."
  +
With that said, this side was temporarily suspended, and Diablo looked at Guy with a serious
  +
expression.
  +
  +
"Unlike the unilateral totalitarian rule of the Rosso, we can redistribute wealth, maintain a degree of
  +
equity, and reconstruct relations between nations. This will give rise to a new economic system.”
  +
“So?”
  +
"To create a new economic system, to preserve the right to choose, to mislead people into believing that
  +
they chose the future with their own hands, and to make foolish humans believe that they started it all
  +
with their own hands. Unlike memory, following such a system, one never forgets. We will then be able to
  +
dominate the human world in a semi-permanent way. Lord Rimuru will be in charge, and that's our job."
  +
Woo-hoo, Diablo is right on the money.
  +
Do people cherish it because it was started by their own hands?
  +
That said, have I ever thought of such a thing?
  +
There seems to be an impression that something similar has been said, but it shouldn't be so
  +
exaggerated......
  +
It's that it feels a little scary to say that all this is premised on success.
  +
"So it is. The weak will come to you as long as they have a grasp of the economy and provide free
  +
security, right? There is no need for bloodshed to fight this battle, and in a society like that, everything is
  +
already arranged. This is perhaps more desirable than the way the Rosso have dominated.”
  +
Guy nodded, seeming to look the other way at Diablo.
  +
"Of course it's better. More people will be happy in that world than if wealth were gathered in the hands
  +
of a few. When that happens, demand and supply will respond to each other, and new possibilities will
  +
surely open up. That's Lord Rimuru's heart's desire, Guy.”
  +
Well, that's true.
  +
I'm looking forward to an elevated level of culture in my life.
  +
There will be movies and music, comics, novels. I want to increase this kind of mass entertainment.
  +
A life of contentment and joy must be the basis for such artistic achievement. In order to discover
  +
talents that have not yet been seen, I want to make people live rich lives.
  +
Only, I don't have any plans for what comes after that.
  +
"Having tasted and enjoyed the happiness that comes with living in peace, people are afraid of losing
  +
that, aren't they?”
  +
"That's it. If we were to express it in one sentence, this concept would be called 'gratitude'. The people
  +
thanked Lord Rimuru, the peacekeeper, and became willing to help keep the world at peace. It would be
  +
more efficient for us to do that than for you to use fear to dominate human thought.”
  +
When I looked back to find that Diablo and Guy seemed to have reached an understanding, the two
  +
nodded at each other.
  +
Hearing Diablo tell of such a future, not only Ruminas and Leon, but even their men looked at me with
  +
admiration.
  +
  +
In such an atmosphere...I’m afraid to say...I didn't even think that far ahead.
  +
“However, if you want to put these ideas into practice, you must have a long-term vision and a precise
  +
calculation, right? It has to be managed, and if it goes on like that, it will be overpopulated, and one can
  +
imagine the human race becoming overwhelmed. Do you have a way to take that part into account?"
  +
Hey hey hey, it's not like you're taking care of a pet and talking like the sink is overpopulated with
  +
greenies...
  +
''Hmph, is that meant to say that Lord Rimuru can't even see into the future to this extent? Even if it's
  +
difficult for you to manage, it's an easy problem for Lord Rimuru. I'll be upfront with you, so you don't
  +
have to worry about it.”
  +
Hello?
  +
Why did the premise become like this?
  +
Uh, yeah, I seem to recall saying to Diablo that it's very demon lord like to manipulate the world from
  +
behind. But to say such things in front of Guy and other demon lords, I think, I would be hindered.
  +
It's something that worries me, but it seems like I'm overthinking it. Or I should say, they are...
  +
"Yeah? Then I'll leave it to you. While I don't think things will go so well, even if it fails, it won't hurt
  +
me. At most, let me get rid of the stupid ones myself then. Just let me see how you're going to take
  +
responsibility for this.”
  +
I didn't expect Guy to laugh.
  +
Since it's all been said and done, I can only be aware of it.
  +
They all nodded their heads and said, "I know," but how can they say "no" now?
  +
"What Diablo said earlier was a bit of an exaggeration, but largely correct. A bit over-ideal, but I'd love
  +
to see that happen in the future. Without you saying it, I want to bring world peace in my own way.”
  +
With that, I made a pact with Guy.
  +
So much so that it was too late for me to figure out what was really going on, and I became the
  +
administrator of the Western countries with the recognition of the Eight Star demon lords (Octagram).
  +
The next thing you know, it would be nice if things ended up this way, but there seem to be other
  +
problems behind it.
  +
"Rimuru, I'll give you a word of advice first. Regarding Yellow Primordial Carerra, that one sometimes
  +
has a messy side and will look moody while shooting nuclear strike magic. If you don't take care of it, the
  +
city you've built up so easily will fall to pieces.”
  +
Leon gave me advice.
  +
Immediately after, Ruminas also had something to say.
  +
"That's it. I have something to tell you, too. As mentioned earlier, the Purple Primordial as the servant
  +
knew it was insidious and vile, and synonymous with miserable inhumanity. Unlike the demon race, they
  +
  +
don't mean to kill all humans, but they are very fickle and do as they please. They seem to act like
  +
cheerful maidens before you, but you must not be careless.”
  +
Well, she says things that make people uncomfortable. Not only that, though the two of them didn't
  +
make it clear, but it seemed that Testarossa was more tricky than those two demons.
  +
It's a big one.
  +
No, that's not quite right. It should be said that I finally realized that things were already in trouble.
  +
It is now known that Testarossa and the others are the Primordial demons, and I will be in charge of
  +
these people. If anything happens, I will be held responsible...
  +
At the moment they are at least Diablo's men, but there is no way to use that as an excuse to get away
  +
with it.
  +
Elmesia is holding me accountable, so how can I say I can't do it when it's too late?
  +
I wanted to beat the shit out of myself for not knowing anything at that time, but it was my own fault
  +
that this was happening.
  +
This part of the management seems more taxing than managing human society. I felt so melancholy just
  +
thinking about this side, that I let out a quiet sigh.
  +
***
  +
Seemingly just waiting for Guy to finish his sentence, Ramiris, Dino, and Veldora stood up
  +
unannounced.
  +
"We seem to have been pestering you for a long time, so I'll leave the rest to you!”
  +
"Just say it. I also have very important work on my hands. Mr. Vesta is waiting for me, that's the thing,
  +
I'll see you some other time, Guy!”
  +
"Well, I'm going back to guarding the labyrinth, too. Ahhh, so busy, so busy, Kuahahaha!”
  +
As if by prior agreement, the three were in tacit agreement, and at a glance it was clear that they were
  +
attempting to flee.
  +
Dino, in particular, doesn't seem to want to be read and thought of any more, and yet he speaks out
  +
against his heart.
  +
"Huh? It's not funny that you have to go to work and say such a cold joke.”
  +
Guy Crimson couldn't listen anymore either, and he hit the nail on the head. However, Ramiris stepped
  +
in to respond.
  +
"No, no, no, those are real. Dino is also my assistant now, helping out on my side!”
  +
Guy was so surprised to hear that.
  +
Even if he didn't believe Dino's words, but even Ramiris endorsed them as true, Guy had to believe
  +
them.
  +
  +
"You said Dino was working? Rimuru, what magic have you done?"
  +
This surprised statement from Guy was addressed to me, but it was a question even I didn't know how
  +
to answer.
  +
"I don't know! There is a rule in my country that 'people who don't work don't eat'. It's just that there’s
  +
no magic to make him follow the rules.”
  +
If only there was magic that handy, I wouldn't have to work so hard. My heart seemed to come out
  +
through those words and Guy didn't pursue it.
  +
Then the three of them panicked and fled from this room. Watching them devour all the tea and
  +
refreshments prepared by Shuna, it was obvious that they had been waiting for this moment for a long
  +
time.
  +
I thought to myself, ‘These guys are really no slouch.’
  +
"Forget it. He's already picked on Dino, so he'll be more serious when it comes to gathering
  +
information.”
  +
At this time Guy muttered in a small voice.
  +
I'm telling you, don't say that in front of me. I really don't know how to respond to your bold statement
  +
about sending someone here to spy.
  +
It's just that, even if he said such things to Guy, he wouldn't have listened to it. Forget about that for
  +
now, thankfully I don't have to pretend to test each other, I should be thinking in the good way like this.
  +
I looked away and decided to do so, so I changed the subject.
  +
"By the way, did you come here just to ask about Testarossa and the others?”
  +
If that's all there is to do, Guy should be prepared to go home. Seeing that he didn't do that, presumably
  +
there was something else. As much as I don't want to face more questions, I get stuck without asking.
  +
"That's something to care about too, yes, but I have other things."
  +
Speaking of which, Guy leaned back in his chair.
  +
He lowered his eyes to look around the crowd before his final gaze rested on Leon.
  +
"I'm going to meet with the clowns who call themselves the Moderate Clown Troupe.”
  +
“Oh?”
  +
"Those are the guys you're dealing with, right?”
  +
“Exactly."
  +
Faced with Guy's question, Leon gave an affirmative answer.
  +
Huh, wait. He had just gently brought it up, but that topic was important!
  +
"Hey, did you see Yuuki, too?”
  +
  +
“Right."
  +
Guy nodded dryly, answering my question for me.
  +
I am now ordering Souei to search for the Freedom Association Headquarters. Something like that
  +
happened yesterday shouldn't be unexpected for Yuuki, so we think he'll run to the guild headquarters that
  +
is used as a stronghold. But he shouldn't be able to show up in a big way, so I asked the Souei to pay more
  +
attention to prevent Yuuki from disguising himself or finding someone to be his double, and even asked
  +
them to keep an eye on him.
  +
I didn't hear anything from the other side at the moment, but I didn't expect Guy and Yuuki to ever
  +
meet.
  +
"So, are you in cahoots with Yuuki?"
  +
"Huh? What a stupid thing to say. It's just that the gang is planning to run away to the East, so I'm
  +
going to teach them a little lesson.”
  +
I originally suspected Guy of colluding with Yuuki, and it doesn't look like that. That's a relief for the
  +
time being, however in that case, I don't know what Guy’s purpose is.
  +
"You didn't kill them?”
  +
This question comes from Leon.
  +
That one concerns me too, but more than that...
  +
It turns out that Yuuki is planning to give up his position in the West and flee to the East?
  +
It's a really dry decision to make, what a horrible decisiveness, and it's bold.
  +
Just being targeted by Guy is bad luck for him. Guy said it was just a lesson, which should sound like it
  +
didn't kill them, but it must have taken a lot of pain.
  +
No worse, I don't sympathize with them at all, and instead think they're making a fool of themselves.
  +
"I didn't kill them in the end. At first it was about getting these people arrested and selling you out, but
  +
things changed.”
  +
With that said, Guy started talking about what happened between him and Yuuki.
  +
Finally, we can figure out roughly what Yuuki is doing behind his back.
  +
Yuuki is the employer of the "Moderate Clown Troupe" and their boss. This, in fact, is just a
  +
confirmation of my guess—the prediction of Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, I should say.
  +
Here are the great and bad things that Yuuki has done.
  +
1. Letting the Adventurers develop into a free guild.
  +
2. Having the Rosso family, which dominates the Council, in charge of what goes on under the table.
  +
And making a deal with Demon Lord Leon.
  +
  +
3. Accepting Clayman, making him the Demon Lord and manipulating him behind his back.
  +
4. Defeating the Mother of Darkness (Echidna), who dominates the Eastern Empire's underworld, and
  +
forming a secret association called the “Big Three (Cerberus)".
  +
Ostensibly the leader of the Freedom Association, but behind the scenes it is the Chief Marshal of the
  +
Secret Association.
  +
Things about the organization that was the Mother of Darkness were still being heard for the first time
  +
today, and it sounded like it was a very large dark force. This was information given by Leon and should
  +
not be false.
  +
By the way, it seems that the Slave Chamber of Commerce that Yuuki screwed over is also a
  +
subordinate organization of the Big Three, and he may have some sort of connection to this organization
  +
as well.
  +
Yuuki is particularly adept at bringing down established organizations and taking over the nest.
  +
This seems easy to say, but in practice it is extremely difficult to put into practice. He did all of this in
  +
ten years, and the word "talented" no longer describes it. Even calling him a genius is not an
  +
overstatement.
  +
Yuuki is a genius, but overconfidence becomes a failure. No matter how good he is, the inability to see
  +
through an opponent's strength is what will deduct points.
  +
It's only right that once you see Guy, you know that he's very strong.
  +
Count him lucky this time, Guy let him off the hook, perhaps such luck would be commendable.
  +
I had mixed feelings when I heard that Yuuki had saved his small life.
  +
As a fellow countryman, I don't want his life so badly. But at the same time, I can't forgive Yuuki for
  +
what he did.
  +
Yuuki pretends to be a good man, but behind his back, he plays the Rosso and Leon led by Granbell.
  +
And used the “Moderate Clown Troupe" to drag Hinata and me into the fight...
  +
His goal was simply to fulfill a childish dream—to conquer the world in such a way that I couldn't even
  +
laugh.
  +
That said, why would Guy let Yuuki go?
  +
"Then why did you let Yuuki escape?”
  +
I was puzzled by this, so I got right to the point and asked Guy.
  +
I earned it by his willingness to answer - and asked based on that thought.
  +
"Well, it's all about the game.”
  +
As a result, Guy Crimson gave the answer without a care in the world.
  +
He had just said play the game, a word that made for a dumbfounded listen, but Guy ignored my query
  +
and went straight to the point.
  +
  +
He said that in a little while the Eastern Empire should act.
  +
The reason for letting Yuuki escape is because Yuuki negotiated with Guy, saying that he would disrupt
  +
the Eastern Empire.
  +
“That—Guy, you don't seem to want the Western nations to perish. Why is that?”
  +
Surprised, I asked the question, and as a result the other party gave a surprising answer.
  +
"It is my duty to manage to prevent the destruction of mankind. But then again, excessive prosperity
  +
can be a nuisance just fine. Let all demons rule over all mankind—that is my ultimate goal.”
  +
It looks like this is the "game" in Guy's mouth.
  +
As long as Guy's plan for domination is complete, it seems to satisfy the game's victory conditions.
  +
"No, why let Miss Mizari bring down the Council in this case?”
  +
When the Eastern Empire attacked, all the members of the Council had been killed. If that happens, it
  +
will be very bad for the Western countries.
  +
States cannot join forces against the enemy and may even be defeated before the battle.
  +
After listening to my question, Guy snorted and said, "It's okay to call Miss Mizari without adding
  +
Miss," and then added, "The reason for approving Mizari's combat plan is to unite the Western countries.”
  +
What exactly does that mean...?
  +
<<Answer. In order to facilitate the master's domination of the Western nations, he plans to use fear to
  +
control mankind.>>
  +
Well, in other words, that's what it means, doesn’t it?
  +
People go into a panic when members of the council are abused and killed by the demon lord.
  +
If I reach out at this time, people will not hesitate to accept my shelter. To achieve this, sacrificing a
  +
few is not a problem.
  +
<<Answer. That's how it should be.>>
  +
I see.
  +
The means taken were too aggressive, the self-directed acting was great, and it always felt like Guy's
  +
goals, Mizari's ideas, were a bit off, but would do it all for me.
  +
No, it's not.
  +
He also wanted to use me to run the Western States.
  +
Yet things have gone beyond Guy's expectations, and I have long since gone out on the West. I don't
  +
really have that deep of a grasp, but Testarossa has mastered the Council.
  +
  +
The purpose of Guy is not to bring about the destruction of mankind, but rather the opposite, to do the
  +
proper stewardship so that mankind does not invite his own demise through their own foolishness.
  +
Let me do this, I'm sure Guy has his hands up in approval. In terms of results, that's what Guy wants to
  +
see, too.
  +
Now I understand one thing.
  +
That is, Guy does things casually enough.
  +
Indeed, he would have preferred me to strike.
  +
"So, you're okay with me taking control of the Western countries, right?’
  +
"That's all right—I’m not going to interfere as long as the fools don't get carried away.”
  +
That puts my mind at ease.
  +
Although it seems that many of the formalities that I had envisioned were skipped, I was then left to
  +
take over the management of the Western countries.
  +
"Since you've said that, I'm sorry. By the way, could you please not continue to send people to harass
  +
the northern part of the Ingracia Kingdom?”
  +
After inquiring from all sides, I learned that Guy's men would periodically rebel in the northern lands.
  +
Originally the place was guarded by Razul (***was weirdly translated as Lancelot too, but I’ll just stick
  +
w/ Razul like the FanTL now), but he was thoroughly crushed by Shion.
  +
Because of this emergency, the Sarion Celestial Emperor Elmesia sent a regiment of magical warriors
  +
to suppress it. It's strange enough that I'm the one who says thank you, but as to whether or not I can ask
  +
them to do it again, let's just say don't think too hard.
  +
Since the Western countries are at my disposal, I will naturally be responsible for the defense of the
  +
region in the future. This inevitably results in unnecessary defense costs.
  +
Of course I don't want to increase that fee, basically talent like Razul is rare.
  +
"Please don't worry. Just give it all to Testarossa, including all the chores.”
  +
As if to clear my mind of my troubles, Diablo reported back to me with a smile on his face.
  +
It's too late to ask for Guy's opinion...
  +
"That's good. Those guys should also need a bit of a breather and a break, so do as you wish.”
  +
I didn't expect even Guy to agree with Diablo.
  +
At this time I thought to myself, ‘What those demons are thinking is beyond me as a person with
  +
normal values.'
  +
Just do as Diablo says, and leave all matters concerning those demons to Testarossa. With Guy opening
  +
his mouth, I thought using that as a reason wouldn't cause any disputes.
  +
In that case, I will dominate the West in the future, but things are not over here.
  +
  +
"Then Rimuru, can the Eastern Empire be given to you too?"
  +
Being asked that by Ruminas, it occurred to me that there was still that question.
  +
"If the Empire acts, does that mean it will become a military operation?”
  +
Insurance-wise, I asked this question, with the result that Guy rightfully nodded.
  +
"Lately the Empire has been conducting military exercises all day long. The matter has also been a
  +
matter of great debate in the Council.”
  +
The Committee was informed by the President of the United Nations that he had appeared before the
  +
Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Now that they have a handle on the situation,
  +
that means they have already formulated a response.
  +
Personally, I don't think the Empire will invade.
  +
Killing from either of the three routes would be difficult, and I think that's unlikely to come true.
  +
It would be another matter if they didn't care how much they lost, but the benefits of conquering the
  +
West were too little for the Eastern Empire.
  +
So-called wars of aggression are actually waged for profit.
  +
It is because there is no food, no resources, no place to live that other bountiful countries are locked in.
  +
If these problems were solved, they would not have to force themselves into a bloody war.
  +
But it's certainly not that simple to solve those problems. The rich country does not have to work for
  +
the poor country, so if the aggressor takes the claim for granted, there will be disputes between the
  +
countries.
  +
It is for this reason that the rich nations must develop armies in order to defend themselves.
  +
It becomes a big focus to show the invaders that they can't win easily against them.
  +
Let us all be reluctant to resort to such means as war if the benefits gained are not proportional to the
  +
blood shed.
  +
Even so, the reason for wanting to go to war is...
  +
<<Answer. Because the other side thinks they are 100% going to win.>>
  +
Can't think of any other answers, it seems.
  +
The council is already under my control, so there will be no traitors. In this way, the opponent could
  +
develop new technology or they could make up a list of tactics that make people unexpected...or they
  +
could have other killer tactics.
  +
“Hinata."
  +
"I know what you mean. Before you asked me to investigate the structure of the dwarven kingdom
  +
right. As far as the conclusion is concerned, it is possible to use it to send out a large army.”
  +
  +
Hinata immediately saw what I wanted to say and revealed the message I wanted to know.
  +
The Dwarven Kingdom maintains a neutral stance and I don't think Gazel will let it go, but the fact
  +
remains that the safest route of aggression into the West still exists.
  +
No, maybe...
  +
"I always thought it was impossible before, so I didn't bother with it, but it's possible they attacked the
  +
Dwarven Kingdom first isn't it?”
  +
"Oh, less pretending. I was asked to look into the matter because I had doubts about it," she said.
  +
Geez, is Hinata complimenting me on this?
  +
I'm actually just thinking about it now, so forget it, it's okay, let's just call it that.
  +
"Were you found? Well, since there's such a possibility, we should work out a countermeasure first."
  +
I'll be in charge of contacting Gazel to figure out what to do.
  +
Things are getting tricky now that they can't be called troublesome, but they must be faced. Now that
  +
the military power of the Council has been handed over to the Jura Tempest Federation, it is our duty to
  +
be on the front line.
  +
"Without you, most of the Empire would have been met by Granbell and Ruminas.”
  +
It was at this point that Guy spoke unconcernedly.
  +
It is not known how capable the Empire is of fighting.
  +
The Rosso will mobilize all of their forces, and Hinata will lead the Paladins, plus Ruberios’ army.
  +
Whichever side wins, Guy doesn't seem to care. Guy must have had his own intentions when he agreed
  +
to Yuuki's terms of engagement.
  +
The key to knowing what he had in mind was the word "game", but even if I had asked, he wouldn't
  +
have given me an answer, would he?
  +
"I'll help, but I won't listen to you.”
  +
Hinata had no incentive to go to the front lines of the war. So it would make sense to say so.
  +
"I honestly don't know if war will break out, but we'll find a way to prevent it first. Hinata, I hope you
  +
are ready for battle first, in case the Empire attacks in a way that is unexpected to us."
  +
"Understood. Some spies pretend to be businessmen and we will take care of them.”
  +
With a smile on her face but seemingly a bit too much trouble, Hinata just agreed. That's a relief, and it
  +
looks like I don't have to say anything more.
  +
"Rimuru, if you are defeated, then my servant will come to the fight. In order to avoid such things, you
  +
have to work hard.”
  +
Ruminas said this with a look of amusement.
  +
  +
There is a need to know how many casualties there are and to repair the crumbling great hall of god.
  +
Ruminas doesn't actually have any spare time for war, does she? Even if only Hinata stepped in to help,
  +
we should be satisfied.
  +
"The next doubt is whether we can join forces with Yuuki...”
  +
I'm a little moody about that.
  +
It's because the guy was secretly screwing around that the Farmus Kingdom was manipulated into
  +
letting Shion and the others get hurt.
  +
The man who manipulated Clayman was also Yuuki, going back in time, and the reason for the uproar
  +
caused by Geld’s predecessor when he was the Orc Disaster was also related to Yuuki.
  +
Even if someone asks me to put aside all previous grudges, I can't just say let it go, it's human nature.
  +
"Lord Rimuru, are you worried about us?”
  +
It was rare that Shion was so keen. I didn't say anything, but she said those words as if she could see
  +
my inner struggle.
  +
"Sort of. After all, that kind of thing has happened before and it's a little hard for me to trust him
  +
overnight.”
  +
It should be said, I have no way to trust him.
  +
Besides, if we do fight, there is nothing more unreliable than an untrustworthy self-army person.
  +
"I don't know what kind of action Yuuki will take after he escapes, either. But I'm not interested, you
  +
guys take care of the rest.”
  +
As a result, Guy threw everything at us and said things like that.
  +
Hearing that, I had a thought.
  +
As expected, it was impossible to count Yuuki as one of our combatants.
  +
"Kufufufufu. Then please ask Souei-san to check the movement.”
  +
"Let's do it."
  +
We'll talk about Yuuki later.
  +
Whether they can work together also depends on the future.
  +
At least there was no way I could accept him without him apologizing.
  +
We're running a country at least, and depending on Yuuki's reaction, maybe we'll make peace with him.
  +
But I may not be so big-hearted as to forgive him without paying any price.
  +
"Can Shion still accept him even if it's like this?”
  +
  +
"Of course! If he is at enmity with us, then I will strike him down completely, and if there is to be
  +
reconciliation with us, let me spare him with one blow!”
  +
Please don't send him to hell with one punch—I didn't say that, silently asking in my heart.
  +
If it does happen then, consider it an accident. Shion and I didn't mean to kill him, so let's just insist
  +
that it wasn't intentional killing.
  +
In that case, Yuuki's matter will be decided later.
  +
***
  +
There's more than that and another thing Guy has to say.
  +
That's what he wanted to talk about the most this time, something to do with the "Hero" —Chronoa.
  +
"I already know what Granbell is up to, Ruminas is desperately trying to hide something in that place
  +
and he's going to release that thing. So I kept watch in case the guy got out of hand and messed around,
  +
but this Diablo kid said to leave it to Rimuru.”
  +
It seems that Guy came to this side to confirm the follow-up status.
  +
When did this happen—it dawned on me that Diablo had disappeared for a while, halfway through his
  +
fight with the others. It was then, I'm afraid, that Diablo made a superfluous bargain with someone.
  +
I thought to myself that Diablo was real too, but as far as results go, it was handled pretty well. If even
  +
Guy had come to join the fray at that time, I wonder how things would have turned out.
  +
"That's what we were talking about, right now. Let's just go over it again and have me explain it
  +
myself.”
  +
I stepped in to preside over the plenary and begin the presentation.
  +
I think Leon and Ruminas shouldn't be talking too much, but it's better to be careful.
  +
These things about Chloe's ability to make time jumps and repeat time travel several times are so
  +
important that I decided to keep them hidden. Anyway, as long as I keep my mouth shut, the other party
  +
won't know about it, based on such considerations.
  +
"That's the way it is, after defeating the runaway Chronoa, the matter is finally settled.”
  +
I put all the blame on Chronoa, but it was also to protect Chloe. The fact that Chloe is Chronoa is going
  +
to get complicated to illustrate, so I'm going to hide this from Guy.
  +
"I see. Thank you very much. So, I have a question for you.”
  +
"Well, if you have any questions, just ask."
  +
"That one’s a "Hero" in every sense of the word. How do you explain that?”
  +
Grunt.
  +
I'm going to muddle through, but this shouldn't work on Guy.
  +
  +
"During that battle, the power that lurked within this girl awakened..."
  +
I explained it in that direction, and it made sense.
  +
"Listen to what you're saying.”
  +
That's right.
  +
While battling a human being to the point of awakening internal power is a classic plot, and there is
  +
usually a bridge like that, it's a stretch to use that as an excuse.
  +
"Actually, it's like this...”
  +
"I've been using the Specific Calling to find someone, and that person is Chloe. I don't know why she
  +
was there, but thanks to that it helped us a lot.”
  +
Replacing me, who didn't know how to answer, Leon spoke.
  +
I don't know what Leon is going to say next, but I guess I'll just have to hitch a ride while I'm at it.
  +
"That's it. Even my servant was surprised that the maiden named Chloe was suitable for a sealing
  +
device.”
  +
Before I could even go on, Ruminas came running out to take Leon's words. They're adding fuel and
  +
saying more, am I taking over now?
  +
"You mean the Sealer?”
  +
Only to see Guy say this with a foxish expression and then look towards me.
  +
I'd like to know what it is, too—but since it's come to this, there's no way to tell the truth, so I'll have to
  +
go along with it.
  +
"Right. According to Leon, she seemed to have a special physique that could seize the opponent's
  +
power no matter what kind of opponent she faced, sealing that power away. I was half convinced even
  +
after hearing about it, but after seeing the effect with my own eyes, I had to believe it too."
  +
How about this!
  +
I was hinting at handing over the baton to Leon and leaving the rest after that to him.
  +
"That's how it is. Even though even my servant's killer weapon was taken away, it's better than not
  +
being able to control it and letting her make a mess everywhere.”
  +
What a chagrin—with such a look, it was completely impossible to see what was being played, and
  +
Ruminas immediately jumped in to take over. I can't help but feel admiration.
  +
Let Leon take the final wrap-up next.
  +
“...yeah. Guy, including you, there are many strong people in this world. In response to these threats, I
  +
wanted to take Chloe under my wing beforehand, but I didn't expect her to use that power just after I met
  +
her. It's my bad luck.”
  +
Putting on a melancholy look—one even wonders if it's really an act? Leon let out a sigh.
  +
  +
If Ruminas is the best female lead, then Leon is the best male lead.
  +
But in this way, things make sense.
  +
Since Chloe seals Chronoa, she gains the power of the Hero, thus completing the above setting.
  +
"Oh, you guys aren't trying to trick me, are you?”
  +
"No, not at all.”
  +
"Your bad problem is being paranoid.”
  +
"Just say it. Never mind that little thing."
  +
Seeing that Guy was suspicious, several of us were in denial. It's because the three of us cherish Chloe.
  +
"But it's true that she gained the power of the hero, isn't it? In that case, can we just sit back and do
  +
nothing?”
  +
Guy's words made Leon react and get up from his seat, but Guy smiled a little and said, "Don't worry, I
  +
won't do anything to her," out of his mouth, thus reassuring Leon.
  +
"That's good. If you draw a sword against Chloe, then you must pass me first, and remember that.”
  +
Leon also stepped in to put the word out, then resumed his seat.
  +
The atmosphere of the scene hit right off the bat, but Guy had no intention of hurting the killer from the
  +
start.
  +
I was also wary that Guy would do something, but to my surprise, he didn't have any killing breath.
  +
This is what reassured me, but then it turned into a cold sweat situation.
  +
A blade of light flashed by.
  +
Not knowing where it came from, Guy held a longsword in his hand and saw that it was about to swing
  +
down at Chloe's neck.
  +
Guy's speed out of the sword was simply divine. My speed of perception has been pulled up to a
  +
million times, but even now it's too late to strike.
  +
Not just me, but Leon and Ruminas as well. Everyone wore a desperate look, not daring to look at the
  +
tragedy that would follow.
  +
But...
  +
Just the next moment, a crisp sound rang out.
  +
“—!”
  +
  +
Chloe, who was originally a child, suddenly turned into an adult, not knowing when she drew her
  +
sword and took Guy's attack with that sword. Also, the clothes on her body became the ones that “the
  +
hero" was wearing. It looks like Chloe can live "armed with the holy cloak" in a very natural situation.
  +
  +
“Greetings, demon lord. This is the first time I've seen you, you're really something.”
  +
"Ahahahaha, you're not so bad. There are only a handful of people, including me, who can fully utilize
  +
that power.”
  +
Guy said hello to Chloe in this way. The two looked amiable, but aside, I couldn't stay calm.
  +
What just happened? I did read it and didn't understand it. Even if the perception speed increased to a
  +
million times, it was still impossible to see the two of them in action.
  +
That's obviously not super high speed or some kind of three-legged kung fu. This is because the
  +
surrounding air is not disturbed at all, nor does it appear abnormal from the point of view of the laws of
  +
physics.
  +
Is this magic? Or something else?
  +
This is the time to bring in a reliable partner to make an appearance.
  +
Come on, explain it to me, Master Raphael, King of Wisdom!
  +
<<Answer. The situation is unknown. What the individual name "Chloe O’Bell" just did, the
  +
phenomenon "analysis and identification" failed.>>
  +
Geez, no way.
  +
Master Raphael, the rare king of wisdom, would say "the result is unknown". Sometimes they make
  +
predictions, or they make calculations, and they give me some information, as a matter of course.
  +
The absence of even this bit of information indicates that something beyond the realm of reason is
  +
really happening this time, already outside the understanding of Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom.
  +
That means we're running out of steam.
  +
Surprised, I looked around to see what everyone's reaction would be.
  +
Leon and Ruminas were also like me, with iron faces. It felt more like a desperate effort, a desire to
  +
clear up what had just happened in front of me than the anger that came with watching Guy do such a
  +
thing.
  +
Others, not to mention. It seemed as if he couldn't even see where the sword was going, completely
  +
unaware of what was going on.
  +
Hard to say it was only Diablo showing a look of surprise. Perhaps seeing those phenomena just now,
  +
he could think of nothing to say.
  +
I’ll ask him after this, now to stop Guy and Chloe first.
  +
As if to say the next move was my turn, Chloe began to attack Guy. The greeting just now was clearly
  +
very amiable, why did it turn out like this...
  +
They traded blows several times.
  +
  +
It's like a fast-forward, two swords going at each other in an offensive and defensive battle that doesn't
  +
look coherent—probably.
  +
Oops. Since I can barely see, I can only describe it as "probably".
  +
"Pause, pause...!”
  +
This time I stiffly intervened between Chloe and Guy. It was a bet to go and predict at what point the
  +
move would come next and it looked like it worked.
  +
"Hey, don't mess around. If you don't make a mistake, you'll be hacked to death by me.”
  +
"That is, Rimuru. Guy wasn't serious, just testing me. But it makes me happy that you're worried about
  +
my safety.”
  +
As soon as that was said, Chloe came over and hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
  +
This move is also like a fast forward. There's no way to dodge it, and I'm going to claim it's force
  +
majeure.
  +
As for the person in question, Chloe, she kissed me and became smaller—back to my original Chloe, I
  +
should say.
  +
And with a big red face and a big sulk in her mouth, she said, "Really! She took the liberty of hugging
  +
Sir. Rimuru and kissed him!”
  +
"Could that be Chronoa?”
  +
"Mmm. We changed hands halfway through.”
  +
The one that started out first was taken by Chloe, but after that it was all Chronoa out to face, or so
  +
Chloe said. The two of them were identical in appearance, and it seemed difficult to tell the difference.
  +
"Rimuru, it is agreeable that you should try to save Chloe, but I will not allow you to continue with
  +
her.”
  +
Seeing that Chloe had finally calmed down, Leon first said this, then picked Chloe up.
  +
"I hate it. Brother Leon is too much of a worrywart.”
  +
Chloe mouths this, still letting Leon put her in the chair, followed by Leon staring at Guy with an icy
  +
expression.
  +
"Guy, didn't you say you wouldn't do anything to Chloe?”
  +
"Sorry. It was just to try it a little. Of course, I didn't mean to kill her.”
  +
"Not even that. It doesn't matter if you want to kill or not, it's not a joke if you're using your power.”
  +
It looked like Leon was on fire, while Guy, who was the opponent, did not back down in the slightest,
  +
complaining loudly.
  +
As a result, Chloe stepped in to ease her cheeks, desperately explaining that Guy wasn't trying to hurt
  +
her, and that she wanted to try out how much Guy could do.
  +
  +
It's also because of this that Chronoa exhibits a bit of out-of-control behavior, indicating that the fault
  +
isn't entirely on Guy.
  +
I think it's probably the case that it was Chloe—I should say Chronoa—who was intent on testing
  +
Guy's strength by speculating that she might die at his hands in the future.
  +
The situation is different now, and unlike the future that Chronoa has experienced, there is an
  +
awakening of a new power that was not there before—an ability that seems to be the ultimate skill of
  +
Jugoslavos, the King of Time and Space.
  +
Whether or not that force could hurt Guy, Chronoa would be interested in that.
  +
<<“Notice. That may be so. The unique skill "Time Travel" is integrated with the ultimate skill
  +
"Jugoslavos, King of Time and Space", which allows an individual named "Chloe O’Bell" to manipulate
  +
"time" —a phenomenon that cannot be observed out of the same timeline, so "analyzing and identifying"
  +
the phenomenon is bound to fail.>>
  +
Ah, so it is...
  +
Chloe's newly awakened power—the true face of it-is the power to suspend time, or so it is.
  +
It seems that Raphael, the king of wisdom, has also been "analyzing and identifying" the structure of
  +
the unique technology "time travel", but it is said that it will take some time before a conclusion is
  +
reached. It seems that Chloe's "King of Time and Space Jugoslavos" is simply absorbing "time travel"
  +
directly.
  +
It's no wonder that it shouldn't be easy to understand unobservable information.
  +
In other words, it was Chloe herself who gained that power. This is too much, and at the same time
  +
makes me want to scream, "It's too foul to be able to take a timeout".
  +
No wonder the speed of perception accelerated to a million times is also unrecognizable. Those things
  +
happen in a world where time stands still, and those of us who are still in the flow of time naturally have
  +
no way of recognizing them.
  +
No, no, no, wait?
  +
If this hypothesis holds, then the world of inaccessible time stasis, no matter how strong, is no better
  +
than those who can stay in the stasis world...?
  +
<<Answer. This interpretation should be correct.>>
  +
Fool it, hey.
  +
I can't help but think in that direction, but about that, I have to accept it.
  +
After all, even a Chronoa that good had been killed by Guy. If time is stopped, there is nothing to be
  +
done, think about the natural consequence.
  +
On the flip side, wouldn't the current Chloe be able to go up against Guy?
  +
On the surface she just looks like a cute girl, but that means that Chloe's strength is even above mine.
  +
  +
I found out about this and secretly broke out in a cold sweat.
  +
The result was that Leon finally gave in and the two sides reached a settlement.
  +
"As much as you value it, I value Chloe. That's something I hope you keep in mind.”
  +
This was not uncommon at all on cue, and Leon sat back down after he finished.
  +
"That's what I thought. Guy, my servant admits that you are the strongest, and even then, without our
  +
help, that would be a big loss, right? If you really want to make an enemy of us, that's a different matter,
  +
but I hope you know that to do it to Chloe is to make an enemy of us.”
  +
It seems that Ruminas is also very angry in private, counting down Guy with Leon.
  +
It would be a bad idea to say publicly that you particularly value someone, but your opponent is Guy,
  +
so the effect is just the opposite.
  +
If Guy was really going to make an enemy of them, then whatever was done was for naught. Those two
  +
thought so, that's why they wanted Guy to take a shot at Chloe.
  +
"All right, all right. I don't want to bog things down either. As long as you do not come in my way, I
  +
will not strike at your treasure.”
  +
Surprisingly, I didn't think Guy would be able to ensure the safety of Chloe.
  +
As for Chloe, who is very dear to everyone, she is actually far more powerful than we are, but it is
  +
better not to say such things.
  +
***
  +
By the time we were done with the meeting, the sun was also setting.
  +
Shuna had dinner prepared for us, so we had a dinner party somewhere else.
  +
It should be said that there was no food, and everyone didn't seem to have any intention of beating
  +
around the bush.
  +
The main course of the day was pork—a magic pig-like creature, I should say—cooked in soy sauce
  +
with grilled eggplant and tofu with sprinkled vegetables. And miso soup, and freshly cooked rice, which
  +
is black— "magic black rice".
  +
It wasn't a set meal, but then we had a meeting that wasn't on the schedule and we were in no position
  +
to complain.
  +
"What's the matter? I didn't see the tempura.”
  +
Ruminas grumbled there, I didn't expect her to like tempura so much.
  +
"It's okay, Ruminas. These should be delicious too. Rimuru's penchant for good food is not to be
  +
underestimated.”
  +
Hinata became an advocate of the enigma.
  +
Should I be happy, or not?
  +
  +
Just identifying with what I've accomplished in this part feels a bit subtle and honestly not happy
  +
enough to feel complimented on it.
  +
Never mind.
  +
The dinner thus began and everyone seemed to eat to their satisfaction.
  +
"So that's what it tastes like. Your food is not bad."
  +
The words came from Guy, and the tone seemed somewhat admiring.
  +
"It tastes amazing, but to cook it to this level is a pass.”
  +
Seeing as how Leon wasn't even picky about eating all those dishes, consider him praising us for being
  +
nice.
  +
"Well, just like Hinata said. These are rare dishes again, but they're delicious."
  +
"You're really good at this. The food is really nostalgic. I didn't think it would be nice to eat these
  +
dishes again and feel alive.”
  +
Ruminas looked satisfied, and as for Hinata, her happy performance had come to very exaggerated
  +
proportions.
  +
No, come to think of it, two thousand years had elapsed before she had the opportunity to eat marinated
  +
meat with rice.
  +
"Wouldn't it be better with white rice?”
  +
"Thank you for your understanding. But this is the part I'm used to.”
  +
Yeah, that's good.
  +
Having lived for 2,000 years, I'm sure I've seen all kinds of cuisine, but it's not a big deal that the colors
  +
are different.
  +
Until then, unlike Chloe, Hinata can't even seem to taste it. Probably because she only had access to
  +
visual intelligence, so she was very thankful to have a meal alone.
  +
Thinking about Hinata's situation, one can imagine that she would naturally feel grateful.
  +
The dinner ended afterwards and was generally well received.
  +
As soon as they finished eating, the demon lords were busy making preparations to return home. Since
  +
they're all here, it's okay to stay for a while, but they don't seem to plan on staying long after they're done.
  +
"Chloe, if you hate it here, don't worry about it, and just contact me. I'll be right over to pick you up.”
  +
Seemingly not dead in the water yet, Leon spoke defiantly.
  +
Who was going to take in Chloe, after which for a time fell into a glue.
  +
"My friends are here, and I'd rather be on Mr. Rimuru's side.”
  +
  +
In the end we decided to respect Chloe's wishes, but I don't think that would have made Leon accept it.
  +
After all, Leon's obsession with Chloe was obvious enough.
  +
I have a bit of an opinion about the means that Leon has taken. But as far as protecting Chloe's feelings
  +
alone was concerned, that sentiment was true.
  +
This sentiment of Leon's did convey to Chloe as well.
  +
"Brother Leon, I'm happy to know you're worried about me. But you don't really have to worry about
  +
that. I'm not a child anymore!”
  +
After saying this, Chloe hugged Leon.
  +
For his part, Leon gave a gentle smile and touched Chloe's head.
  +
I heard that they had grown up together as close brother and sister, and it looked like Leon really
  +
valued Chloe.
  +
At this point, Chloe let go of Leon, followed by turning into an adult.
  +
"You see, by the power of Chronoa, I can become grown up. So brother doesn't have to worry about me
  +
anymore."
  +
Seemingly trying to reassure Leon, Chloe finished with a whiff of a smile.
  +
The destructive power of this smile was unusually strong.
  +
Should I say that smile was pathetic? Looking vulnerable, yet giving the impression that she has a
  +
strong heart. That smile contains that charm.
  +
"That's true. You've become a very wonderful woman. But I want to cherish you and your mood
  +
remains the same. It's okay for you to look up to me whenever you want.”
  +
Leon smiled and said this to Chloe. He's a handsome man with a lot of charm. Is that the kind of
  +
calmness you should expect from an adult? It feels very handsome.
  +
This kind of thing doesn't seem to be something I learned. Thinking about this side, I watched from the
  +
sidelines, not expecting Leon to turn his head and look at me with a cold look.
  +
The fallout between this is said to be as intense as it gets.
  +
"Chloe says she's grown up, so maybe you...”
  +
"No! I don't have a gender, how could I do something like that!?”
  +
What a misunderstanding.
  +
If it were me, he wouldn't seem to have all the composure of an adult.
  +
I also tried desperately to explain. Chloe, who found out we were talking about this, came out and
  +
counted on Leon, thinking that Leon would accept it..........it looks like all that was just cosmetic.
  +
The evidence is...
  +
  +
"I think you know better than to put Chloe in danger, don't you?”
  +
To go back, he whispered a warning in my ear.
  +
This makes it seem like he's overprotective of Chloe, but Chloe was sucked into the otherworld with
  +
him in the first place, and Leon once went out of his way to find her. It's not that I don't understand how
  +
Leon would feel worried. Then he went back to his home country docilely, for now.
  +
I made an appointment with him and said that I would take Chloe over to play next time, and thanks to
  +
Chloe, there seemed to be a chance for us to establish bonding with the Golden Township ruled by Demon
  +
Lord Leon.
  +
He felt a bit like a brother-in-law, with an annoying feeling, and it was okay for me to put up with it.
  +
"Well, it's over, after all. Chloe, you are a very important friend. If you encounter any difficulties,
  +
please feel free to come to me for help. You take care of yourself.”
  +
Immediately after Leon, Ruminas also pampered Chloe. Of course, I didn't say any of these things.
  +
Don't try to piss her off on purpose.
  +
And so it passed—leaving these words, and Ruminas and her party departed with them.
  +
Hinata also went back, leaving only Guy in the end. I looked over at him and thought to myself, ‘Isn't
  +
he going back yet?’ As a result, Diablo was seen pestering Guy over there.
  +
"In that case, I'll go on and finish what I didn't say...”
  +
"No, I've heard enough of those words.”
  +
You don't have to be so polite.
  +
"Don't send me weird invitations too...!"
  +
What the hell is Diablo doing!?
  +
"Geez, there's nothing we can do about that. I'll change the subject and tell you what you'd like to hear,
  +
like how Testarossa and their work is going, and anecdotes about Lord Rimuru...”
  +
It made me look at him with a dumbfounded look, mentally thinking ‘how much he wanted to say that,’
  +
and later found out that Guy seemed to be in the same mood.
  +
"No, no, no, you guys seem busy right now, I'll come over and play next time you get settled.”
  +
Guy hurriedly opened his mouth to refuse, and then hurriedly fled the scene.
  +
I was so impressed that I thought to myself, ‘It turns out that Guy has a panicked side too.’
  +
Seeing the unexpected side, I think he might not be so difficult to communicate. Although you can't
  +
take this person lightly, you shouldn't have to worry as much as you originally thought.
  +
The other side also accepts the fact that Chloe is a "hero" and the biggest problem is arguably solved.
  +
  +
All that was left next was Yuuki's movements and his attempt to flee to the Eastern Empire.
  +
Let's put aside whether or not Yuuki is worthy of belief.
  +
There might be a war after that—I sighed at the thought of it.
  +
One wave has not yet subsided and another has risen.
  +
I wish the day of peace had come sooner, I was beginning to feel melancholy.
  +
***
  +
Although it was only a verbal agreement, the most important thing was the assistance of the two demon
  +
lords. If there is a real war, that alone makes one feel reliable if there are trustworthy friendly countries
  +
around.
  +
They can be expected to send support, and even asked to consider accepting refugees if the worst
  +
happens.
  +
But it's best not to have a war.
  +
This depends on how the other side plays, we can only react to the situation......
  +
Complaining here isn't the way to go, so I decided to think about countermeasures first.
  +
The first thing to do is to stand firm, to the point where even a war with the Empire would be fine.
  +
Be prepared for everything—I made up my mind.
  +
Chapter 2: Results and Preparation
  +
Months passed after the meeting with Guy and the others.
  +
Time flies, and a year has passed since I became a demon lord.
  +
Attended the Walpurgis.
  +
Matched up against Hinata.
  +
Had the Founding Festival.
  +
As well as fighting against Mariabell and the Rosso.
  +
Probably because of a lot of things that happened, the year really turned around.
  +
We only found our own people and quietly held the Tempest Resurrection Festival, but the Empire still
  +
did not act. Having said that, according to the information brought by Souei and Moss, it seemed that
  +
there were supplies coming in one after another in the major capitals near the military border.
  +
Things have come to this point where even I can see it.
  +
Knowing that war will break out soon afterwards.
  +
  +
Now that a war had been established, the entry scrutiny into the Jura Tempest Federation would
  +
become even stricter.
  +
It can't be the same as before, no matter who's coming, you're welcome. The only people who are able
  +
to enter the country are adventurers or businessmen who are able to confirm their wealth, otherwise they
  +
are referred and others who have similar qualifications.
  +
Such measures were taken to police spies, but there were actually other reasons.
  +
That's what's used to differentiate.
  +
Human beings are not the only ones who visit our country; everyone's abilities vary. People with
  +
unclear backgrounds are usually barbaric and we would be overwhelmed if they were allowed to enter our
  +
country in large numbers.
  +
After all, even with an explicit ban on fighting behavior in town, there's still no stopping idiots from
  +
running amok. We do set "boundaries", but it is difficult to resist magic completely.
  +
It's different from towns that are inhabited only by humans, and different from towns with magical
  +
creatures.
  +
So we went to consult with Gazel and decided to emulate the Dwarven Kingdom.
  +
Educate people a little as they enter our country and let them learn our regulations. This is what is
  +
called an immigration review.
  +
If the other party's goal is immigration, they'll have to do more careful study first. We have other
  +
institutions set up specifically to deal with that and will take them to that place for education. Wait until
  +
they learn how to work, then they can issue a permit to enter the country.
  +
These matters were best left to the men of Shion. Even if the other side is brutal, they still have a way
  +
of letting the other side know where the division is. There are also spies from the Empire that can be
  +
found in passing, so we should continue to maintain this system in the future.
  +
We will make a distinction in advance at the time of immigration screening, and we will also ask each
  +
other about the purpose of entering the country. In addition to preventing people with no money from
  +
infiltrating our country, they can also prevent trouble in advance.
  +
The arena is surrounded by many hotels of average standard, which are used by people who have no
  +
money on them.
  +
We would take the moneyed merchants and nobles to the high class hotel area. As for the upper class
  +
accommodation in the capital "Rimuru", it's for the top people.
  +
There are also travelers who want to come to our side for retreats and are brought to this high-class area
  +
by us.
  +
Recollection is priceless—that kind of sophistry does not apply in our country. Our ethos is that the
  +
user pays and then the holiday is happy.
  +
Prices vary from person to person, with the average user spending from 30 silver coins a night. For the
  +
rich and low ranking nobles, it was more than one gold coin.
  +
  +
There's no cap on the amount of money that can be spent again, and we're going to stay in a room that
  +
costs more than ten gold coins a night—geez, why is it that I'm the one who's playing publicity...
  +
Presumably, this is the way to distinguish.
  +
In order to make it a tourist area, we hope that the more people use it, the better. For example, some
  +
businessmen who do big business with us and those who break through the ten floors of the labyrinth, we
  +
have prepared gifts for them, such as accommodation packages to stay in high-end hotels.
  +
Maze Challengers rates these rewards highly.
  +
The fact that the meal is of high quality is passed on to everyone and helps to boost morale.
  +
Just eating a meal would cost more than ten silver coins.
  +
If you go to a cheap hotel, you can stay for as little as three silver coins, and from that point of view,
  +
the price is quite high.
  +
That being said...
  +
There are times when people want to be extravagant, so some people will spend the money they get
  +
from maze hunting or doing other activities on this.
  +
It's also our organizers' duty to provide some space for these people to spend their money.
  +
If they make it to the tenth level, they must be able to team up to defeat large spiders (dark spiders) of
  +
B level difficulty—in other words, teams of adventurers of C+ or higher. If it could be beaten alone, it
  +
would be the equivalent of a grade B or higher, and there's nothing wrong with recognizing that they have
  +
a corresponding right.
  +
In small countries, these people can already be knights. In the Freedom Association, if you come to B
  +
level, you're good enough to be a knight no matter what country you go to.
  +
As long as one acknowledges the status of the other like this, it is natural for people to pay attention to
  +
their words and actions.
  +
That said, if it's a B-grade adventurer there should be quite a bit of money in it. The same is true of the
  +
Labyrinth Challenger.
  +
Eren and the others don't seem to have much money, but let's just say this group is the exception.
  +
Basically, if it's causing problems, there won't be a second chance.
  +
The premium lots were fenced off with a moat and were heavily guarded. We had explained to people
  +
that if they were kicked out they would not get another chance to come in.
  +
Everyone understands this, no one messes around and the image strategy can be very successful.
  +
The merchants were no less than businessmen, and they flocked to the weapons and artifacts produced
  +
by the Jura Tempest Federation.
  +
There are also people who make big deals and have a lot of money.
  +
Even without a voucher, the number of guests coming to spend money naturally increases.
  +
  +
The items we put in the hands of the merchants are either equipment made by the apprentices under
  +
Kurobee’s men, or fine craftsmanship made by the Dold apprentices. Those qualities are, of course, all
  +
very good and quite well received.
  +
As for items such as special equipment opened from the labyrinth treasure chest, those merchants ran
  +
off to acquire them. This has me in a bit of a mixed mood, but we have been keeping an eye out to avoid
  +
an exodus of dangerous items, so we'll wait and see for now.
  +
When these things are sold around the world, people's opinions of our country spread.
  +
Thanks to this, the average consumer has also recently started to see an increase. I can't help but feel
  +
admiration for the power of word-of-mouth.
  +
This may lead one to think, ‘What the hell is going on when you're in a war crisis?’ But that's a
  +
different thing.
  +
I also know that I am too spontaneous and do what I want.
  +
Although wary of the crisis that will one day come, I am not afraid. Not giving up on the daily routine
  +
and taking one step at a time to do what you can is best.
  +
***
  +
Just as the capital is developing smoothly, we continue to overhaul our transport network with other
  +
countries.
  +
As Benimaru stepped in to convince, Momiji and the Tengu Clan were willing to assist. The tunnels
  +
have now been opened and the road paving work is still partly complete.
  +
There was also the mechanic brought by Duke Elalude who was about to complete the handover, so it
  +
wouldn't be long before there was a direct path between the Jura Tempest Federation and the Sorcerer
  +
Dynasty Sarion.
  +
We have also begun to work on laying the track to the Kingdom of Farmenas.
  +
The goal is to complete it quickly.
  +
As far as the route to the Kingdom of Ingracia is concerned, the tracks have been opened as planned.
  +
The same goes for the Dwarf Kingdom, where even the hotel town with its parking lot is being built.
  +
Through the great forest of Jura, we came to the site of the rendezvous with the Ameld River, which
  +
was used as a resting place and a good base for construction when the street was being opened up. We laid
  +
the track along the river and this place was just right for a middle base.
  +
There were also magical creatures that lived nearby that gathered to form a small town. This of course
  +
had to be utilized a bit, so we tidied up that town and let it develop into a town for people to stay in.
  +
This hotel town will become a major metropolis with a repeater station in the future, it’s a major focus
  +
where most of the importance will be increased.
  +
And on the Eurazania side, work was done to widen the road. The paving of certain parts of the road
  +
has not been completed, but movement is not a problem.
  +
  +
Since it was really uncomfortable to ride in a high-speed carriage, the merchants were begging bitterly,
  +
‘I hope we finish sooner.'
  +
Having said that, safety and convenience have evolved considerably compared to the past and have
  +
reached a point where they are not comparable.
  +
For the sake of travelers who advance at night, we always have street lights lit at night, fully automatic
  +
magic engines set up at every distance, and the "barrier" used to expel monsters do work.
  +
Just like that, in less than a year, the overhaul of the traffic network has been largely completed.
  +
The Dwarven Kingdom and the Kingdom of Ingracia have begun to test run the Magic Train, which
  +
can be used in practice.
  +
We will obtain the information generated in the experiment and use it to consolidate the problem. In
  +
fact, all aspects of the testing have been done, and this is called a practical experiment.
  +
It maintains an average speed of fifty kilometers per hour and can carry a lot of stuff. Now the history
  +
of logistics will be rewritten.
  +
Even ingredients from distant regions can maintain freshness during delivery. In this way, people will
  +
eat more and more abundantly, and fewer people will starve because of famine.
  +
Rationalizing the logistics system is indispensable in order to enhance the country's strength. I
  +
recognize that again.
  +
Along with gathering this information, I intend to produce a detailed operating cycle. Constant testing
  +
in order to create a schedule.
  +
As for the section connecting the Dwarven Kingdom and the Jura Tempest Federation, the entire
  +
distance was about a thousand kilometers. Moving at 50 km/h would take 20 hours—less than a day to
  +
reach.
  +
The distance to the Kingdom of Ingracia is about three hundred kilometers, and it only takes six hours
  +
to get there.
  +
But these are all numbers that have been calculated with security in mind.
  +
Theoretically, the speed can be increased four times, and even the handling capacity can be calculated
  +
to exceed a thousand tons. However, it has not yet achieved any success in practical application, and if it
  +
runs at full speed, it will be difficult to cope with any accident.
  +
Let's wait and see for now.
  +
Practical application will certainly be troublesome, and also take into account the rest time. In addition,
  +
the "Magic Train" can be used continuously to its limit, and it will run at night for a while. On top of that,
  +
refurbishment work such as replacement parts has to be done at night, and technicians and train crews
  +
cannot be allowed to work around the clock.
  +
So far we have prepared twenty power vehicles.
  +
Each power car is connected to two wagons, plus three passenger cars, for a total of six cars in one
  +
train.
  +
  +
The passenger car has eighty seats, but can carry up to one hundred and fifty passengers. However,
  +
station guests have to spend hours on their feet, so I think it's better not to approve it.
  +
If the target for a drive is 200 or more passengers, the ridership is over 80 percent. Considering the cost
  +
of transporting each person, how exactly should the fare be booked—geez, why am I even thinking about
  +
that?
  +
I would have done well to leave this sort of thing to Myourmile-kun.
  +
Sooner or later, we will be able to really get through, and it will be more convenient for us to have
  +
more performance to improve the operation rate more or less.
  +
Let's aim to exceed the speed of 100 km/h and increase the number of train cars to about ten.
  +
This is not a dream, but a reality that will soon come true.
  +
That's pretty much it, and the results of the year can be said to be substantial.
  +
If these results were to be published, I think the world would be in a state of amazement and
  +
excitement.
  +
A bright future will be created, and the benefits of our efforts, of our country, will be widely known.
  +
Life will be fulfilling.
  +
There will be delicious food and a variety of entertainment cultures from around the world.
  +
The switch to slime didn't even occur to him that a fun and happy life was just around the corner.
  +
If there were no problems brought about by the Eastern Empire, there would be no need to be upset
  +
about anything and one could indulge one's interests...
  +
Then it occurred to me that I could declare war on the Empire by myself, Veldora and the volunteers,
  +
and at the same time take the Empire down.
  +
Once civilization is highly developed, an army of angels may come, but there is no telling where those
  +
opponents are. So it's difficult for us to attack on our own initiative, but the Empire is a different story.
  +
Since they're making big moves to prepare for the offense, there's no complaint that they've been beaten
  +
to the punch—I can't help but think so.
  +
On the one hand it's not in my character to wait and think offense is easier than defense no matter what.
  +
If the Empire's intention is to annex the Western countries, they can ignore us without attacking the
  +
Great Forest of Jura for a different strategy.
  +
The resurrection of Veldora has become so well known that a little investigation will reveal that being
  +
an enemy to me is the same as being an enemy to Veldora.
  +
The choice is in the hands of the Empire.
  +
The current situation is putting us under a lot of pressure.
  +
  +
So, to say whether they will invade the West directly......
  +
There’s no way to take the sea route.
  +
Considering the possibility of being attacked by a large sea beast, it was not safe to prepare many giant
  +
warships.
  +
It would be too risky to take into account when fighting on the territory of the Great Sea Beast. It's not
  +
even known if you can cross the sea safely.
  +
To fight at sea where it was difficult to gain a foothold, the conditions were too harsh for those knights.
  +
Besides, there are a lot of soldiers to transport, I wonder how many ships to prepare.
  +
Even if they were to transport tens of thousands of soldiers into the Kingdom of Farmenas, Youm and
  +
the others would not be not idle. They were indeed defended and prepared to meet the Empire.
  +
If it was impossible to build a forward position at the beginning of the attack, the Imperial side would
  +
not have sent additional manpower to reinforce it. There were large sea beasts in the rear and the
  +
Farmenas Kingdom Army ahead. In this way, the Empire's soldiers will also lose morale, and cutting in
  +
from a tactical point of view will be like winning a battle.
  +
Was it possible, then, for the Empire to ignore the Kingdom of Farmenas and attack northern Ingracia?
  +
The conclusion is that this is not easy to implement.
  +
North of Ingracia is the playground of the demons.
  +
Guy also doesn't seem to have any intention of stopping his men, who are currently in charge of
  +
defending that area from Testarossa's men.
  +
There are a lot of militants in this area who would fight regularly, and if the Empire attacked there, it is
  +
conceivable that they would just happen to be targeted by everyone.
  +
So I think it's unlikely that they'll take the sea route to launch an invasion.
  +
Now taking a look at the land route......
  +
To pass through the interior of the Dwarven Kingdom, they must first cross the Dragon's Lair, located
  +
in the Great Mountains of Canaat.
  +
The latter is too high of a risk to be taken into account.
  +
This is because wanting to march at an altitude higher than North Peak, no matter how well prepared, is
  +
an act of suicide.
  +
It's impossible to train an ordinary soldier to be an expert mountaineer, and even if there was a way,
  +
there's A-ranked monsters waiting in front of them—a swarm of evil dragons.
  +
By normal thinking logic, no fool would choose that route.
  +
So what if the route is through the interior of the Dwarven Kingdom?
  +
Since Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, had pointed out the possibility, Hinata went to investigate,
  +
and it sounded as if the great army was likely to pass.
  +
  +
Having said that, Gazel could not allow this to happen, and if it did, the Empire would have to attack
  +
the Dwarven Kingdom before it could attack the Western nations.
  +
Trying to attack the Dwarven Kingdom was too much of a stretch.
  +
The declared neutral armed power, Dwargon, has a well-developed standing army for the security of its
  +
country. The army's equipment was built with good technology, and those were no fun. They even
  +
enjoyed the reputation of "no weak soldiers in Dwargon".
  +
Basically, just observing the terrain will also reveal that the Dwarven Kingdom is constructed like a
  +
fortress. As long as you guard the entrance and exit, you will be able to resist even if a large army comes.
  +
There are three major cities—Isthmus, Wester and St. Doral.
  +
There are a total of three entrances and exits, and if the Empire really wanted to attack, they would
  +
have chosen either Isthmus or St. Doral. Wester was able to lead to the kingdom of Farmenas, and there
  +
was no need to be alarmed in this regard.
  +
There is nothing more dangerous than the Isthmus connected to the Empire's borders, but Gazel is not
  +
dimwitted. He told the troops to focus here and asked them to check on the Empire's movements.
  +
I'll be there if something goes wrong, and the Dwarven Kingdom should be safe to hand over to Gazel.
  +
That is the situation that our country is currently facing.
  +
***
  +
As a result, I think the Empire had to choose to go through the Great Forest of Jura.
  +
These days it's been a daily meeting with Benimaru to discuss, and until then I keep thinking the same
  +
thing.
  +
The Great Forest of Jura is guarded by us, and if the Empire chooses to pass through here, then their
  +
biggest bottleneck is obviously Veldora. My guess is that they will not be able to break through from the
  +
front, but will prepare troops as bait, intending to use them to trick Veldora.
  +
Taking this possibility into account, I have to think about what to defend within our borders.
  +
In the great forest of Jura, there are three routes by which military operations can be conducted.
  +
Except, one of them was right next to the Dwarven Kingdom. If the Empire ignores our warnings and
  +
invades, they will be besieged by the Dwarven army and our army. I think the Empire should also be well
  +
aware of the dangers that would be encountered if they took this route, and even lowering their guard
  +
should be fine.
  +
The Empire is likely to attack through two other routes of aggression.
  +
But is it really that simple?
  +
Scattered forces are not conducive to fighting a large army, so it is possible to send half of the force to
  +
follow Veldora, the other half being our army. If we adopt such a tactic, the forces on the Imperial side
  +
that are prepared to be used exclusively as bait may be sufficient.
  +
  +
I'm not an expert on the military to that extent. Those soldiers are dedicated to war, and I don't think
  +
they would adopt such a pure form of combat.
  +
And the Empire is in danger of underestimating us.
  +
They think they have an overwhelming army, whether it’s against an army of Veldora or a monster
  +
army, which can be ravaged at will.
  +
Or they might not attack with a straight face, but instead go the other way.
  +
The regular army can be used as bait to divide the elite troops into many small groups and fight with a
  +
sound bite. Breaking into small groups and taking the forest, then meeting up somewhere—what in that
  +
case?
  +
In this case, it would be impossible to monitor all the forest trails.
  +
Depending on the size of the opponent, casualties may occur among our personnel if reconnaissance
  +
forces are casually placed.
  +
If, as Hinata did to them, the other side dispatched strength like a small squad of Paladins...
  +
Even taking that possibility into account, I can think of several routes through which they might attack,
  +
not enough to cover all of them given the number of troops we have.
  +
It's too risky to identify a target for the empire to step up to the plate again, and I want to avoid that as
  +
much as possible. If we lose our lead, we will be in an irreversible situation.
  +
It's to avoid that, so we've been on guard, but the most important key—the movement of the Empire—
  +
we’ve never been able to see that.
  +
In the so-called war, if the opponent can be taken by surprise, the situation will be in his own favor.
  +
Make tactics that take your opponent by surprise, and by doing so alone you have the potential to win.
  +
In this way, we must consider the possibilities...
  +
This keeps spinning in place.
  +
No way.
  +
The more I think about it, the more I get tired of it.
  +
Or should we attack first?
  +
Or should that be done, as soon as the Empire steps in to declare war, we launch a special attack?
  +
It's not like the Empire is necessarily going to send out troops the way we envisioned, so there's no
  +
point in continuing to think about it.
  +
Either way it makes more sense that we take the initiative and attack without waiting for the other side
  +
to strike.
  +
That way there's nothing to worry about and we take the reins.
  +
...but I wouldn't do that just yet.
  +
  +
It's hard to think of an answer.
  +
This kind of thing depends on improvisation.
  +
Responding to a crisis.
  +
How well that word is pronounced, giving the impression of a shrewd and capable man.
  +
So much so that I made my usual conclusion and next reached towards the cream puffs prepared by
  +
Shuna.
  +
Use up your brain and you want something sweet.
  +
Eating too much would make one too bloated, but that kind of thing wouldn't happen to me.
  +
If it's really too much to eat, plan for it then.
  +
"Ah, only you eat yourself good.”
  +
I used the black tea that Shion had made for me to moisten my throat while enjoying the cream puffs,
  +
and by this time the Benimaru had finally arrived.
  +
The location is my office. Lately I've had to discuss something with Benimaru every day, and today he
  +
was a little late.
  +
There may be a war with the Empire in the future, and I asked Benimaru to prepare before doing
  +
something in that direction, so he seemed busy. Although he was a little late, he complained that he was
  +
too narrow-minded.
  +
Huh? You want me to help you? What was being said, I didn't understand at all.
  +
That's not for laymen to interfere with.
  +
That's a convenient phrase to think about...
  +
"Shion, pour a cup of black tea for Benimaru too.”
  +
"Yes, sir!"
  +
The cuisine that Shion cooked seemed to cast a shadow on Benimaru's mind, causing him to always
  +
show a guarded look. In fact, only the black tea is okay, but Benimaru still dare not be careless.
  +
"Thank you. Feeling tired makes one want to eat something sweet.”
  +
"Yeah. Now you can use sugar as much as you like and hope that these peaceful days will continue.”
  +
"That's right. But even if we have to fight each other, it doesn't matter, just beat them to death."
  +
Benimaru is as confident as ever.
  +
While solid, let's hope he doesn't forget to make an effort to avoid the war.
  +
"Go ahead!”
  +
  +
At this time, Shion served tea to Benimaru.
  +
She also poured me a second cup of tea and the aroma was very healing for me.
  +
"By the way, where's Diablo?"
  +
"Oh, he went to play arbitrator today, too.”
  +
“Again?"
  +
"Mmm. Here we go again.”
  +
That's right, Diablo kept running to be an arbitrator.
  +
Every day Ultima and Carerra cause problems.
  +
It didn't feel like the two were at loggerheads, but they just loved to fight.
  +
  +
Yesterday it was a debate over the extradition of the prisoners, and before that it was a fight over what
  +
to do with the suspects in custody.
  +
Sometimes there are fights over the menu of the meal, or over who will buy the latest version of the
  +
costume first.
  +
It's okay to just fight verbally, but once those two start fighting, there's a resistance that even the yakuza
  +
are afraid of.
  +
Only Diablo could stop them.
  +
As for Diablo's subordinate, Venom, he was not only beaten by two major forces, but he also quarreled
  +
and lost.
  +
But there was no harm done to the townspeople, and in fact they became a famous commodity, even a
  +
gambling object, which, having said that, could not be left untouched.
  +
It was based on these considerations that Diablo was sent, but perhaps it was time to think of a
  +
response to the underlying problem. This is because Diablo might have put up with an unbearable fury if
  +
he hadn't done so.
  +
Previously Diablo had also taken Ultima and Carrera into the labyrinth. Not going in for a date, not so
  +
sweet, he boasted of thoroughly lecturing the two.
  +
They wouldn't die inside the maze, so he could teach those two a lesson and beat them to death, but
  +
even then, they wouldn't reflect on it.
  +
Instead, they’re happy and hoping to fight Diablo.
  +
Ahhh, why is the demon race so belligerent...
  +
Personally, I think there's no end to dealing with these two.
  +
"I've kept you waiting.”
  +
After I chatted with Benimaru for a while...
  +
A weary Diablo returned.
  +
"You're back, after all your hard work."
  +
"No, that's not hard work, it's time spent for Lord Rimuru..."
  +
"You don't look tired at all. Let's get to the point.”
  +
"I thought so.”
  +
He can still say stupid things there, which means it should be okay.
  +
Diablo seemed to want to say something, which should have been to show off his fight record as usual
  +
anyway. I don't think those things need to be taken to heart, and Benimaru decided to start the discussion
  +
today.
  +
***
  +
  +
As mentioned earlier, more and more migrants are entering our country.
  +
In this way, the question is how to assign work to those visitors.
  +
I think it's the same in every country, employment rates are very important.
  +
In order to increase the productive capacity of the country, the focus is on getting every citizen to work
  +
seriously.
  +
The more people are employed, the more personal consumption will increase and the boom will follow.
  +
Conversely, a worsening employment boom will be followed by a worsening crime rate.
  +
This must be properly managed, and that is something that the leadership of the country should be
  +
doing, but in practice it is very difficult to achieve.
  +
Accepted immigrants vary in their individual abilities, and there is limited pure labor work that anyone
  +
can do.
  +
The country is developing and there is a rush to work everywhere, so so far there is a way to distribute
  +
work. But now that those projects are nearing completion, what to do in the future will be an issue.
  +
People with better abilities won't have a problem.
  +
It's relatively easy to accept people like skilled people who have a skill, who can feed and clothe
  +
themselves without worrying about their talent.
  +
The problem is people who have no knowledge and no way to make money.
  +
If it's a farmer, just give them farmland.
  +
If they are craftsmen, just introduce them to the workshop.
  +
If it's adventurers, they have mazes to wade through.
  +
If it's entertainers, the theater can hire them.
  +
How should people without these talents be treated?
  +
In the face of this problem, my answer is to set up an educational facility.
  +
Ask the other person what they can do during the immigration review, and then ask them to do
  +
extended learning. The place dedicated to their learning is the educational facility, which is currently used
  +
by the military under the jurisdiction of Benimaru.
  +
"The number of immigrants continues to increase, and the number of volunteers who want to join the
  +
military is also increasing. But it is still a question of whether it is useful, and if it is only for policing in
  +
the country, it should be possible.”
  +
This is the reason why we have tried to implement this practice, but as things stand, there seems to be
  +
more people.
  +
There's food on the table when you join the army, and you learn skills for free, and you even help with
  +
referrals—rumors are spreading.
  +
  +
As a result, not only the immigrants, but also many adventurers and mercenaries gathered one after
  +
another.
  +
Well, since the defense of Western countries is also our responsibility, armament enhancement is also a
  +
major issue.
  +
These are also the reasons why there are no problems at the moment. There are a few minor situations
  +
that come up one after the other, but those can be adjusted within the military.
  +
The problem is that we are more and more likely to go to war with the Empire.
  +
How to get people who have just joined the army on the battlefield and have to reconfigure the force is
  +
imminent.
  +
So I ordered Benimaru to come up with a new organization chart.
  +
Benimaru took out a piece of paper and spread it on the table.
  +
"This is the organizational chart I reimagined. This kind of staffing is a bit bold, but I think it should
  +
work."
  +
The power of command is in Benimaru's hands, including the power of appointment, and I hold the
  +
power of command.
  +
This is a bit complicated, as the right to command is supposed to include the right to command. I
  +
separated it out and handed it to Benimaru.
  +
  +
In terms of commanding the military, I, a layman, shouldn't interject—because I think so, military-
  +
related matters are given priority to Benimaru.
  +
  +
Also because of this, in the army, Benimaru's orders are still bigger than mine.
  +
Except, strategic orders are a different matter.
  +
Things like assigning people to the top military appointments or making judgments to bring the war to
  +
an end in time of war.
  +
The following general assignments can be arranged by Benimaru according to his own authority, but
  +
the establishment of a legion or the appointment of a general is left to my decision.
  +
Whether or not to approve the organization chart produced by Benimaru must be confirmed by me.
  +
“Oh... if you think that's okay, then I'm okay with that, but...”
  +
Not going to be picky, but it's tempting to say a few words sometimes.
  +
Since the power of appointment is in my hands, I am responsible if anything goes wrong.
  +
However, we've actually argued several times about the staffing this time around.
  +
There is no point in saying that we do not intend to express our views.
  +
  +
As for the personnel arrangements I insisted they adopt, it was this paragraph—“First Army Chief
  +
Gobta".
  +
"The proposal to make Gobta a general was at first exaggerated, but he seemed unexpectedly suitable.”
  +
Looking at Benimaru's reaction also shows that there are those who are for and those who are against
  +
making Gobta a grand general.
  +
Indeed, it is disturbing to appoint that fool, Gobta, as head. With Gobta's judgment of the lives and
  +
deaths of his right and left minions, no wonder Benimaru and the staff under him were so troubled.
  +
Gobta also sleeps a lot during meetings, and he doesn't have any problems—even I don't think so.
  +
However, I am well aware that Gobta has been sneaking in special training and that he has been
  +
working hard and wants to defend this country.
  +
"I told you so! This man will work hard when he should.”
  +
It's just that when you don't have to be serious you're going to completely mess it up.
  +
Having said that, Gobta's men trusted him, don't look at him like that, he was actually very good at
  +
taking care of people.
  +
I trust him a lot.
  +
"That guy is also one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and Lord Rimuru is definitely not looking away!”
  +
"Right. On top of that, just in case, I'm sending Testarossa over as an inspector to help make up for any
  +
shortfall."
  +
Both Shion and Diablo, part of the same "Four Heavenly Kings", elected Gobta.
  +
"Since you have all said so, as the head of the Four Heavenly Kings, how can you refuse?”
  +
In this way, Benimaru also revealed a bitter smile.
  +
In fact, he endorses Gobta.
  +
"Indeed, as Diablo said. If something goes wrong, we'll just have to come back up. Just let him do it.”
  +
"Should be fine. It doesn't look like much, in fact it seems to be very desirable.”
  +
With that, we decided to make Gobta a general.
  +
***
  +
The military chiefs outside of Gobta also need to be sure, I've been looking at the organization chart.
  +
There are three legions under Benimaru.
  +
The First Legion is currently the talk of the town.
  +
With Gobta as head of the army, Hakurou was made military adviser.
  +
  +
The soldiers under the banner are as follows.
  +
*Hundred wolf and ghost (ogre?) soldiers.
  +
Each one has grown to the A- level, with strength equivalent to a hundred men.
  +
*12,000 in the Green Corps.
  +
The 4,000 men who had joined at the beginning of the Kusaka (???) period became superior soldiers,
  +
and underneath were the 8,000 subordinate soldiers who were later employed. They seem to act in groups
  +
of three.
  +
The troop strength has increased dramatically this year, but most of it has been magical creatures from
  +
the Great Forest of Jura. So it's not too much of a problem to apply.
  +
Although subordinate soldiers only have C to D ranks, superior soldiers are trained to the equivalent of
  +
B ranks. Should be able to play a considerable amount of combat.
  +
Then there is the Second Corps.
  +
With Geld as Chief of Staff.
  +
With regard to this Second Corps, it is currently serving as a working force and is active around the
  +
world. We expected to call them back as soon as we entered wartime, and they would become the main
  +
army of the Jura Tempest Federation.
  +
The soldiers at the bottom are as follows.
  +
Two thousand in the Yellow Legion.
  +
The Order of Orc Generals had been Geld's men from the beginning.
  +
The personal ability is equivalent to a B+, which is very powerful and can be integrated with Geld to
  +
form an impregnable defensive line.
  +
At the same time, these men serve as squad leaders and are responsible for leading the new troops.
  +
*The Orange Legion is 35,000 strong.
  +
The newly arrived Orcs volunteered to join the army. It was the equivalent of a powerful C-ranked
  +
force, but there were only fifteen thousand veterans who could step up to the plate. The remaining 20,000
  +
are expected to put them in rear support jobs, or as engineers.
  +
Finally, the Third Corps.
  +
Having let them actually fight in the field, this regiment can be described as our killer weapon, a
  +
guerrilla force that can fly in the air.
  +
The head of the army was the man who founded the legion—Gabil.
  +
The soldiers at the bottom are as follows.
  +
"Hundreds of Flying Dragons".
  +
  +
Needless to say and know, they were the strongest force in the Jura Tempest Federation.
  +
Everyone's fighting ability is equivalent to A-, and in addition to having the ability to fly, they also
  +
have superior command abilities.
  +
I've heard that some individuals even make it to the A level. Their best move is "Dragon
  +
Warriorization".
  +
*Three thousand in the Blue Legion.
  +
Some of the volunteers were from the Lizardman Warrior Corps, and they all came because they
  +
admired Gabil. The main members of this force are them, with capabilities equivalent to C+.
  +
However, the essence of the Blue Legion is not here. This regiment is characterized by its ability to
  +
fight on flying dragons. This unit has air control and has the highest strike power in the war.
  +
That said, there were only about three hundred flying dragons currently cultivated, not enough for
  +
everyone. Their main task was to cultivate the flying dragons and provide support, and they might not get
  +
a chance to make a big splash until afterwards.
  +
Even so, they cannot be underestimated. The Flying Dragon is a subspecies of the lower-order dragon
  +
race, equivalent to a B+ monster. Gabil succeeded in capturing them and bred them smoothly, but the goal
  +
going forward is for the numbers to increase. If all the members had flying dragons available, then the
  +
Blue Legion would have played to their true worth.
  +
Above are the three legions directly under Benimaru.
  +
"The Second Corps to Geld, and the Third to Gabil? It should be fine."
  +
"Well, I've done a lot of evaluation, but I think it's the most appropriate distribution.”
  +
With little explanation, Geld would make a solid general.
  +
There's nothing wrong with Gabil's side either.
  +
He does get carried away, but is very good at combat. He was so good at mock battles that even
  +
Benimaru saw him as a competitor.
  +
Although he doesn't seem to be very good at thinking about tactics, he’s accurate when it comes to
  +
tactical situations. Also very good at taking care of subordinates and knowing when to step back behind
  +
the scenes.
  +
Impeccable and a good fit for a military chief.
  +
"These will remain as they are.”
  +
At this point, Benimaru took out another piece of paper.
  +
Three forces are recorded above.
  +
There are three hundred members of Benimaru's pro-army group, the Kurenai.
  +
Led by the A-ranked Gobya, the members of this elite force were all very powerful, all above A-. Also
  +
currently serving as principal staff officer.
  +
  +
Seeing their battle training, I think that these high ranked monsters of Gobya should be able to gain the
  +
upper hand when they compete against Kalmud (???).
  +
The rest of the team is no exception, and some of them are even A-ranked if you take their skills into
  +
account. Some people would not lose even if they went one-on-one with the Paladins, and the combined
  +
battle power of this force was difficult to estimate.
  +
The benchmark for judging the strength of a magical creatures is mostly determined by the amount of
  +
magical power.
  +
There is no concept of hierarchy for naturally powerful magical creatures. However, in addition to the
  +
inherent physical properties of our magical creatures, they also carry out military training. This would
  +
seem to accumulate strength better suited for actual combat.
  +
Even at a level higher than the usual standard of judgment, it is not excessive to give such a rating.
  +
That said, just look at this exception of Hakurou and you'll see that I was obviously right.
  +
The members of this unit are all tough characters who can survive Hakurou's special training in hell.
  +
All are fairly well trained.
  +
There was also the Blue Shadow Group, an intelligence force led by Souei—over a hundred of them.
  +
This force is a mystery, completely obeying the orders of Souei, and significantly fewer people know of
  +
their existence.
  +
But—as far as I know, there are experts inside.
  +
For example, Souka and the four captains under her were all Grade A.
  +
There are many more masters there too. Glenda is one of them, with several Special A's.
  +
In fact, Testarossa poached some talents through judicial dealings, and those were received by Souei.
  +
There was Gerard, the chief of the mercenary regiment, the Apostles of Green, and Aine, the elven
  +
emissary who was previously under him. These two are also awesome characters who have surpassed the
  +
A rank and are now becoming highly skilled spies who are making a big splash.
  +
I used to joke that this secret service specializes in taking in problem children, but now it gives the
  +
impression of that.
  +
Souei says one can't expect them to perform in battle, but I'm not buying that one. Because they seem
  +
to be very good at assassination.
  +
It's that there are so many A-plus masters on their side that I really want to say "what the hell are you
  +
talking about” to him.
  +
What exactly was Souei's goal?
  +
Everyone is rumoring that this force feels a little scary, but in a way, it can't be helped.
  +
And then look at the "Yomigaeri" with Shion—there are a hundred of them.
  +
The characteristic of this unit is that they don’t die easily.
  +
  +
Using their fearsome regenerative abilities, all members of the team have become strong, equivalent to
  +
B+, after a brutal special training session. They were all C's originally, sort of growing the most.
  +
They are also very active when fighting with the Paladins, so it's possible that there are people in them
  +
who have broken through the limits to A rank.
  +
If I had to say which force would be reversed, I'd say it's the "Yomigaeri" of Shion.
  +
This unit is the equivalent of my pro-war unit in the organizational chart proposed by Benimaru.
  +
Personally, I don't really want to do this, but people are considering putting into practice the ability to
  +
fight with their hit resistance—when the bait buys time.
  +
If there's anything I can do, I'll use the Yomigaeri as bait to facilitate my escape.
  +
Shion once proudly explained this to me.
  +
Let me state up front that they don't take orders from me even though they are called the Pro-Guards.
  +
The value of this force's existence is to protect me, and I have heard that it is strictly forbidden for them to
  +
act on my orders without permission.
  +
So even if I scream no, they'll go out of their way to sacrifice themselves for me.
  +
This is too much.
  +
But even though I asked them to help with the chores, they still agreed in a flash
  +
It was better not to tell these things to Shion.
  +
There's still a distinction to be made between making superficial appearances and being true to one's
  +
heart.
  +
By the way.
  +
In fact, Shion had another secret army that wasn't even documented in the organization chart.
  +
It's a secret, but everyone knows it, so it should be considered a well-known secret.
  +
That's the unit that claims to be directly under the Shion.
  +
They later became the pro-villains of Shion, but in fact were simply a fan club.
  +
The number of people is not known.
  +
I don't think any more than a thousand.
  +
Because this force is not a regular army, it is not under our jurisdiction.
  +
Is it okay that the number of people and their abilities are unknown?
  +
Just don't make a scene.
  +
These people were secretly cultivated by Shion, so their strength was also unknown.
  +
  +
I heard that Dagruel's sons had made an effort to serve as captains, and even the adventurers who had
  +
original combat experience seemed to have run to participate.
  +
Maybe it will really come in handy in the future, but I'm more upset than I am expecting.
  +
Not to the point of not being on the stage, but there was no way this unit could be sent to the front, no
  +
wonder Benimaru didn't put them on the organization sheet.
  +
I returned the piece of paper to the Benimaru.
  +
"Nothing seems to be wrong. The combat power seems to have increased, but there is no need to make
  +
changes regarding the use of these troops. Don't interrupt me or you, either.”
  +
"That's true. I'm proud of the fact that the Kurenai is a unit I've cultivated with my own hands. Souei
  +
and Shion probably thought so, so these troops weren't written into the organization chart.”
  +
Hearing Benimaru say so, Shion nodded vigorously along with it.
  +
I had no problem with it personally, so I approved it and told them "just do it".
  +
For troops who cultivate themselves, whoever it is will want to use it for themselves.
  +
Seriously, actually Gabil's "flying dragon congregation" doesn't have to be written on the organization
  +
chart either. On this point, all because of the adoption of the Gabil opinion.
  +
By the way, although the Wolf Rider Force was not cultivated by Gobta, they were fellow soldiers and
  +
war buddies, and everyone was Gobta's partner and all recognized his strength. So even if we were to
  +
change commanders, we would be concerned about the mood of these people.
  +
At this point, Benimaru took out a third sheet of paper.
  +
"It's important to start here. These aren't the legions that belong directly to me, so here they are.”
  +
Finally getting into that part?
  +
The form previously produced only recorded increases and decreases in existing troops and personnel.
  +
The only one more notable is the fact that the First Army Corps is headed by Gobta. This one was
  +
proposed by me, so it didn't wow the crowd.
  +
So come and see what's in this one.
  +
With nervousness, I began to look at the piece of paper.
  +
***
  +
A few diagrams are documented on the left and right, respectively.
  +
On the right is written all the military numbers listed so far.
  +
The First Corps - under Gobta, about 12,000 men.
  +
The Second Corps - under Geld, about 37,000 men.
  +
  +
The Third Corps - under Gabil, about 3,000 men.
  +
That adds up to about 52,000 people.
  +
These were the standing army of the Jura Tempest Federation and it felt so intimidating.
  +
Even so, we still have room for troops. The country's population has already surpassed one million and
  +
is increasing at a breakneck pace. Thinking calmly, our national strength is increasing dramatically.
  +
It is because of such a powerful nation that it is possible to raise such a large army. Add to that the fact
  +
that there was a second regiment as engineers to maintain such a force.
  +
If these guys are unproductive, I think things should get pretty grim. Be thankful for Geld.
  +
Excluding Geld and others, the remaining strength was about fifteen thousand.
  +
These men alone are not enough to fight the Eastern Empire.
  +
The question of what to do about it has always bothered me and Benimaru.
  +
"As soon as the war starts, I'll call Geld and them back. This is done as intended. Still, it's not enough.
  +
The Western nations seem to have their own armies, but getting them to mobilize those armies is also a
  +
big problem.”
  +
"Yeah. It would be a big loss to not have to use the military power of the Senate, but to do so could
  +
cause a dramatic backlash.”
  +
"There is also the inability to contain problems within the Western countries if they arise. And then
  +
things are going to get tricky.”
  +
"There is no problem within our borders, but it will be very difficult to do things in the future if people
  +
in the West have doubts about our ability to govern.”
  +
"Indeed it is.”
  +
So and so, those things we've discussed several times.
  +
In response, Benimaru wrote the answer on the left side of this organization chart, right?
  +
Come see what's on the left.
  +
Western armies - 150,000.
  +
The Monster’s Army - 30,000.
  +
Volunteer Corps - 20,000.
  +
That's all it says above.
  +
"The numbers are huge. What kind of army are these on the left?”
  +
"It's basically a legion under our command. It was mentioned earlier that there is also an army under
  +
the Council, that is, an army on the Western side. These national armies, unlike those of individual
  +
  +
countries, are directly employed in this way by the army of the Senate, or so it should be said, mostly
  +
financed by our country.”
  +
Indeed, since the Senate is willing to hand over military power to us, we have the power of command
  +
over the army that is vested in the Senate. I understand that, but...
  +
"There's that many?”
  +
The military, which is vested in the Council, exists only formally. Those were originally brought in by
  +
parliamentarians from their home countries, mainly knights and soldiers.
  +
The number was also only about a thousand, and the main business was to guard the meeting place of
  +
the Ingracian capital.
  +
In principle, the Western countries have their own armies, and the security of each country is guarded
  +
by them. There is almost no need for the Council to send out an army, so there is no need to raise a really
  +
large army.
  +
It is because of the current situation that they simply cede military power to us...
  +
That being said, I would want military power, not to respond to any situation.
  +
The only reason is that it is necessary to lay the tracks for the Magic Train to open in various countries.
  +
It would be too much trouble to wait for approval one by one if the working forces of the Jura Tempest
  +
Federation were to be sent there.
  +
If something does happen, then our country will send its troops. With this in mind, we will first allow
  +
the soldiers who were previously part of the Senate to return home temporarily.
  +
In addition to this, a force was established to maintain law and order under the condition that it would
  +
be "financed by us".
  +
And I thought it would be more reassuring to plant humans and subhumans than magical things, so I
  +
ordered the people below to look for people locally.
  +
"Those armies were first disbanded, and then the new ones became more numerous. According to the
  +
report from Testarossa, one is not afraid of running out of food if one joins the army, a rumor that spreads
  +
all over the place, with the result that many people come as soon as they are recruited."
  +
"But the purpose of that army is to keep the peace, right? It takes 150,000 people.”
  +
Since countries still have police powers, we are going beyond the call of duty to catch the perpetrators.
  +
Even if the purpose is to keep the peace, the activities are mainly about disaster prevention, and honestly
  +
my purpose is to get them to help work the troops, otherwise it's to go to the rear to support.
  +
Don't say it's 150,000, not even 10,000.
  +
"On this matter, according to Testarossa, it seems as if the States wished to do so.”
  +
Benimaru began to elaborate on me.
  +
Testarossa has made a name for herself in the Council and has been bold enough to push for tectonic
  +
reform.
  +
  +
It's something I also know, and the results have triggered widespread reverberations, big enough to
  +
exceed my expectations.
  +
In any case, in this reform we are only playing the role of a consultative object. Domination is in the
  +
hands of States, with our country providing the technology.
  +
It's like ODA - official (government) development assistance.
  +
The Council bets on official funds, which our country treats as a national cause, sending its workforce
  +
and lending a helping hand to countries in trouble. Go local and hire local people for technical instruction
  +
while responding to their requests.
  +
This way our side can create jobs and earn fees, and those who are helped by us can get assistance,
  +
creating a win-win situation.
  +
But there is no such thing as a free lunch.
  +
There is of course another side to this support system and we will demand something in return from
  +
each other.
  +
To put up a dam, for example, and see how much we pay for construction, would require us to take
  +
back an equal amount of water rights.
  +
When the railroad opens and the train rides are taxed, then we can always reap the benefits through the
  +
levy. The same goes for the opening of the street, we will maintain the management, but the other party
  +
must withdraw the tariff or give us various benefits.
  +
It's like a trick that only a demon lord would do.
  +
Pretending to act cordial actually does something very vicious.
  +
It's just that it will definitely be more convenient for the other party later, so there's no loss in trading
  +
with us. We expect to get those unseen benefits in the future, which will be paid for by them, just so.
  +
Of course, I guess those big congresses want to do something on their own.
  +
Even if there's no way to do it at the moment, there's still a chance to sneak a lesson after seeing the
  +
real thing. Steal our techniques and use them yourself—I think that's generally the case.
  +
I didn't think...
  +
"That's how it is. I've heard that the big countries are asking for an early opening of the train,
  +
"So we don't have enough manpower for our work force alone, and we need to mobilize those hired for
  +
rear support?”
  +
"Right. Even that's not enough, we're going to go to the scene and get someone to help..."
  +
The reason for this is right here, is that why the military is so outnumbered...
  +
I made Testarossa a diplomatic marshal, with full authority over me.
  +
She doesn't have to report to me about small things, and can just sign off on them—that's what I've
  +
already told her, so it seems that even Benimaru has only recently learned about these things.
  +
  +
She turned out to be hiring a bunch of people, didn't she?
  +
"But that's what the big powers are up to, right? As long as we train technicians, it will be easier to use
  +
in the future."
  +
It's more efficient than stealing technology. That kind of thinking is really brutal, but I don't begrudge
  +
this approach either. As a leader, one would certainly come up with this response.
  +
The technicians we have trained will be the backbone of every country in the future. While it is a pity
  +
that some rights and interests cannot be acquired, it is actually a great pleasure to be able to trigger
  +
healthy competition through technological development.
  +
"It doesn't look that way. How could these big countries let those technicians go?”
  +
That's right.
  +
"Hey, I hear you're saying that all the support soldiers Testarossa has sent over here are going to be
  +
integrated directly into the Western Army?”
  +
"That's right.”
  +
Facing the surprised me, Benimaru responded with a wicked smile.
  +
It would be a shame to bury these technicians in the ground. In that case, it's best to do disaster relief
  +
training or bodyguard work and urban defense training as well—it looks like Benimaru knows how to be
  +
meticulous.
  +
"Testarossa says it's done and wants them fired, but it's a waste.”
  +
"That's true.”
  +
"I thought I could prepare them for work, so I arbitrarily named them the Western Armies and formed
  +
them into this army.”
  +
So that's it, I see.
  +
However, in just one year, those people shouldn't be proficient enough to go anywhere. That said, if
  +
they also continue to train in the future, they should be expected to turn into a professional force
  +
responsible for disaster prevention, and to do so in a big way.
  +
It can also be used to deal with accidents, and as Benimaru said, it should be used in a variety of
  +
scenes.
  +
"I see. That's a good judgment, Benimaru.”
  +
"I don't think it's all that great."
  +
Saying that, Benimaru looked shy.
  +
That said, the West is equipped with an army, right?
  +
A hundred and fifty thousand is a rather large number, but to send these people to Western countries at
  +
the same time, even that many people would not be enough.
  +
  +
If they are able to secure entitlements, they are equivalent to being able to earn what they need to live
  +
on their own.
  +
I didn't think things would turn out this way at first, and it made me happy to hear the happy news.
  +
Come see the next one.
  +
"I already know what the Western Army is, and what is the Monster Army?”
  +
The number of people is as high as 30,000. Is it the magical creatures from the Jura Forest that come as
  +
soldiers?
  +
"In that legion, it's mostly majins who used to work under Clayman. Geld wants these captives to work,
  +
but he picks people who are good at fighting and rents them out. Instead, some of the Inhumans have their
  +
own projects on hand and just happen to have nothing to do, so they go and fill in the gaps for these
  +
majins.
  +
According to Benimaru's words, it seemed that careful arrangements had been made so as not to affect
  +
the works of Geld.
  +
In that case, it's okay.
  +
Instead of getting some laymen over, it would be better to get some people with combat experience to
  +
consolidate the army, which would be stronger. But...
  +
"Those guys don't seem to fit in very well?”
  +
When it comes to Clayman's minions, most of them are B's. But there are a few of them who are above
  +
A level.
  +
It's a very strong group, but weak from a Legion perspective. How could this group of monsters, who
  +
obeyed orders only out of fear, possibly win over a trained professional soldier.
  +
It should not be too late to gather the gang for military training.
  +
"At the moment, thanks to Geld's presence, no one is coming out to mess around. However, even if
  +
such fools do appear, I will still shut them up.”
  +
That's right.
  +
If it was Benimaru, it would be easy to bring them to their knees with brute force.
  +
"But they've only gotten used to the work, and now they're forced to go to war...”
  +
Seeing the difficult look on my face, Benimaru said no problem.
  +
"That thing was initiated by them. Seems they want to show themselves to Lord Rimuru so you know
  +
they can come in handy too.”
  +
“What?"
  +
What Benimaru said was a good surprise.
  +
  +
Those monsters who do what they do are even offering to join the army.
  +
"There's good food and like-minded partners. Add to that the need for their supervisor, and a job well
  +
done. They argued vigorously, saying that in order to guard these, they themselves sprang into power.”
  +
“Really......”
  +
The happy miscalculation refers to this, and it was very helpful for us to have them come forward.
  +
This is because the troops that are conscripted are simply useless when it comes to actual combat. On
  +
the one hand, it's necessary to do it for the sake of family and country, but if you measure the profit/loss
  +
ratio, sometimes unconditional subjugation is the smart thing to do.
  +
It is unbearable to become a slave of another country, but if you are just taxed heavily and you submit
  +
to the other country in such a situation, you can actually be in the mood to disobey.
  +
To put it in a harsh way is to be patient for now and wait for the opportunity to take revenge.
  +
As long as the aggressor does not act in an excessively cruel manner, being good enough to suffer some
  +
damage is also an option.
  +
But in this case, one cannot ignore how the people living in that country feel.
  +
Owning your own future requires taking responsibility and making choices. Being the dominant one
  +
just has to respond to their mood.
  +
I therefore believe that the conscription system is the worst possible means and that they should not be
  +
forced to be patriotic towards our country.
  +
This country of the Jura Tempest Federation is under my patronage.
  +
If someone comes out of nowhere and makes an arrogant claim, I'm not going to take it.
  +
I do not intend to give up our rights lightly, so that there will be a confrontation of views in any case. If
  +
the other side is unwilling to compromise, war is bound to occur, and if there is a backlash as a result, it is
  +
actually a nuisance.
  +
If people don't want to defend their homes on their own, they’ll want to escape to somewhere else as
  +
soon as possible, that's what I've always thought.
  +
Make no mistake about knowing who you should be protecting.
  +
I do not intend to take care of them to the extent that those who join us afterwards will only assert their
  +
rights.
  +
If I hadn't had the people I was supposed to protect, even I would have fled long ago. Then go
  +
somewhere and find like-minded partners and start a new country together. For me, it's no use obsessing
  +
over the land.
  +
But...
  +
Our home is the Jura Tempest Federation, and if you all love this land, I want to do my best to respond
  +
to your hearts.
  +
  +
No matter what foreign enemies you face, do your best to defeat them.
  +
Even if the opponent is demon lord Guy.
  +
I have been made aware that I must defeat my opponent no matter what means are used.
  +
That being said, Guy is really tough to deal with and I hope things don't turn out that way.
  +
"I do feel their enthusiasm, and I'm sure they really think so. In addition to this, some people from all
  +
over the great forest of Jura have expressed their willingness to assist us when they hear of the war to be
  +
fought. Gather them together into one legion, and it is the army of monsters.”
  +
Even so, there was still the matter of excluding the weak... Speaking of which, Benimaru smiled
  +
bitterly.
  +
Well, that sounds really good.
  +
This gives everyone the incentive to work hard and I feel happy.
  +
About the last Volunteer Corps.
  +
I heard that it was a legion of humans, residents from the Jura Tempest Federation, or gathered by
  +
neighboring countries.
  +
In any case, if we are defeated, the countries around the Great Forest of Jura will also be destroyed.
  +
Since it would be better to offer assistance from the beginning, people who are willing to offer full
  +
assistance will gather here.
  +
Most of the team is made up of adventurers or mercenaries. We have taken in some immigrants and I
  +
have heard that a number of people have volunteered.
  +
The idiots who desperately explore the underground labyrinth—each time becoming prey to one of our
  +
“stand-ins"--also have a large contingent gathered.
  +
The total is 20,000, which is not that much to look forward to, but we count them as a contribution to
  +
the country's fighting strength.
  +
"That's about how it feels on the left. To say there is any difference between the right and the left, it is
  +
the level of loyalty to the Jura Tempest Federation—or, should I say, to Lord Rimuru.”
  +
"To me?”
  +
"That being said, the legions on the right, these men bet their lives not for Lord Rimuru, but for this
  +
country. But these people on the left have their own intentions as to why they have gathered. Some people
  +
may have a noble interest in volunteering, but we didn't have time to interview them all, so we organized
  +
them in such a way.”
  +
"So that's it......”
  +
Behind me, Shion and Diablo nodded vigorously.
  +
I seem to have overheard some dangerous conversations, such as wanting to treat these people on the
  +
left as outcasts, or having them go through a trial to select only the elite, but that must have been my
  +
mishearing...
  +
  +
"Then the next question is who should be appointed as chief of each army.”
  +
So now we finally get to the point.
  +
***
  +
Let's start with an assessment of the Western equipped army.
  +
This is the largest legion, and they belong to the Senate, whose members are still scattered around the
  +
world.
  +
"If we just look at the number, they will become 200,000, but as for the 150,000 men who are equipped
  +
in the West, I intend to leave them unused and leave them on the spot.”
  +
"That's right. They nominally belong to the legions of the Council, and it is not convenient for us to use
  +
them without permission, so we cannot deliberately call them over here either."
  +
If they were gathered somewhere, I could magically move them over in one breath.
  +
To move a hundred and fifty thousand people in one breath would be very labor-intensive to manage
  +
alone. The chain of command is not yet finalized, and I don't think there is any way to conduct a decent
  +
military operation. In order to avoid the spies sent by the Empire to make trouble in various countries, it is
  +
best to be on the alert.
  +
"I thought so. It's okay to use them with my power, but I want to maintain the status quo on the Western
  +
side of the military. At the moment there is no army chief on their side, but I intend to put Testarossa, who
  +
is a diplomatic marshal, in charge as well.”
  +
"That's not a bad option...but once the war starts, maybe it's time to get Testarossa back home too. It's
  +
worrying not to know if we'll be able to get in touch with those legionnaires.”
  +
Those troops are scattered all over the West. How do we get in touch with them?
  +
You can use "magic communication", communication crystals for contact, or "magic wire" to create a
  +
contact network. With such a variety of means of communication, countries and major metropolitan areas
  +
have successfully established communication networks.
  +
But as things stand now, some of the end towns or villages are not so well equipped. It should be said
  +
that setting those things up is also the task of the working force.
  +
There are majins in every unit, and I think it should be possible to use 'magic communication', but...
  +
"No problem. If it's Moss, there's a way to manage it even with hundreds of troops.”
  +
"That's right, I've heard about it from Souei too. Moss works with Souei on intelligence gathering, and
  +
I'm told he also uses his work gaps to handle liaison work between troops.”
  +
Really!
  +
This Moss guy is really good to use.
  +
"In that case, why don't we just make Moss head of the army?”
  +
  +
“No, should I say that Moss is pathetic...”
  +
"Indeed, judging by Testarossa’s nature, it would have been a terrible fate for Moss. It's none of my
  +
business, but I kind of feel for Moss."
  +
“...okay. Since that's the case, let's make Testarossa the army chief for now.”
  +
Not only Benimaru, but even Diablo was sympathizing with Moss. Then I'll have to read between the
  +
lines, and say it's better not to let Moss be the army chief.
  +
As for the Western armed forces, let them concentrate on their own business this time, which is
  +
policing.
  +
If something goes wrong, it's not certain, but sending out Western armies is a last resort.
  +
The chief of the army was then held part-time by Testarossa. But I will state up front that this is a
  +
temporary arrangement and the baton will be handed over when the right person is found.
  +
This is where the arrangement for the Western armies comes in.
  +
Next up was the Mixed Monster Army.
  +
Why don't we leave it to Benimaru to arrange this?
  +
"I personally recommend Mr. Rigur.”
  +
Rigur is right.
  +
Indeed, Rigur has experience in leading a police force and is beyond A-grade, truly impeccable.
  +
However, the fact that Rigur was in charge of aiding Rigurd makes it doubtful that he was available to
  +
serve as chief of the army.
  +
If I can, I'd like to see a showdown with just the standing army. However, it was still unclear how many
  +
troops the Imperial side would prepare.
  +
We have sent men to scout, but there is no way to even get information from inside the Empire.
  +
Having said that, we have had intermittent information about military exercises, and on the basis of this
  +
information, it is assumed that they may also mobilize at least over 300,000 troops. Maybe more than a
  +
million troops will be sent out.
  +
In that case, we didn't have to postpone the use of this monster army's remaining strength.
  +
I was not displeased with Rigur’s command, but felt uneasy. It's dangerous to think about it anyhow
  +
when you have to use troops that are scattered all over the place when you suddenly start fighting.
  +
"Well, I'd like to give Benimaru the responsibility for this legion. In the future, this army of wizards
  +
will be called the Red Army. From among the Kurenai, a thousand leaders will be chosen to run the army.
  +
This one will serve as the Fourth Corps, Benimaru, and you will be the leader of the Corps and directly
  +
command them.”
  +
Red because it's dangerous—just kidding.
  +
It's been a long time since I've been able to tell a joke like this in a flash.
  +
  +
“...”
  +
Hmm.
  +
I don't want the scene to chill out, so let's stop.
  +
The expression on his face was still serious, but he was thinking about such idiotic things. Everyone
  +
didn't find out about it and the meeting went off without a hitch.
  +
"I know. In that case, leave it to me."
  +
It seems that Benimaru also expected that I might say something like that. So he didn't panic and
  +
agreed without a second word.
  +
Benimaru has a unique skill called "Generalissimo" on him. If the legion's lack of training could easily
  +
be compensated for by using a large group of soldiers, Benimaru was the most suitable person.
  +
Just like that, in addition to commanding the entire army, Benimaru also had to command his
  +
immediate unit, the Red Legion.
  +
That leaves the Volunteer Corps in the end.
  +
"What are you going to do with the volunteers?"
  +
"That's the problem."
  +
Faced with my question, Benimaru responded with a difficult tone.
  +
That being said, almost all of this volunteer army is human. If a monster were to be the leader of such a
  +
legion, it might cause unnecessary resentment—that seemed to be what Benimaru was worried about.
  +
"That's a real problem. If rumors emerge that mankind will never be able to emerge from the heavens in
  +
the kingdom of monsters, that alone will bring down our image.”
  +
"The only people who worry about that kind of foolishness are three-legged cats and dogs. These
  +
people won't accomplish much anyway, so I don't care!”
  +
"No, Shion. That's true, but some people don't know us, and they'll think it's true when they hear it.”
  +
"Just say it. Humans are hard to serve."
  +
Shion seems unable to agree, but image strategies are important.
  +
It would be funny if we were called racist for something like that, so I think there is a need for a serious
  +
review on that.
  +
"But I thought we couldn't find the right person.”
  +
At this point Diablo jumped in to interject.
  +
Right now, the situation was just as he said it would be, so Benimaru was also troubled about it.
  +
"Yeah. Basically they're a volunteer army, and I didn't even think there would be this extra army.”
  +
  +
"That said, there's no need to do it for nothing."
  +
That's it.
  +
I'm thankful that those who volunteered to join us had that heart and didn't want to let their efforts go to
  +
waste.
  +
But to put their abilities to good use, one must find a competent commander.
  +
If you want to find someone to unite them, you won't be able to find anyone other than Benimaru.
  +
So what do we do now?
  +
"What about Gerard, who works in the shadow?"
  +
"No way. We got him by secretly trading with the Kingdom of Ingracia, and the guy doesn't seem to
  +
like public appearances either."
  +
I don't know what kind of deal he and Testarossa made with each other, this one I didn't ask, but I don't
  +
think it's good to have Gerard publicly active. He may also be labeled as a human traitor, and it seems
  +
difficult to convince the crowd without saying that the man is dead.
  +
I'm naturally under no obligation to protect him, but there's no need to force him to behave outside.
  +
"It would be deserved if it were just his strength, but it's really not feasible under realistic
  +
conditions...”
  +
It looked like even Benimaru was just talking about it, not really pushing him. In a flash, he dismissed
  +
the idea and named the next candidate. The crux, however, is to lead humanity. He named names one after
  +
another, but none of them caught anyone's eye.
  +
"Shall we ask the Paladins for help?”
  +
At this time, Shion suddenly proposed so.
  +
Benimaru and I first looked at each other, and then began to stare at Shion.
  +
"Yes, I guess not.”
  +
"No, this kind of thing...”
  +
"In that case, should we call Mr. Masayuki?”
  +
It can't be done—I was just about to say that when Shion interrupted and she said a name.
  +
Masayuki.
  +
When I heard that name, I was struck by thunder.
  +
"That's it!”
  +
"You're great, Shion!"
  +
  +
I yelled at the same time as Benimaru.
  +
It was at this moment that the military chief of the Legion of the Righteous and Brave decided that it
  +
was Masayuki.
  +
  +
***
  +
We didn't make this personnel decision with my consent, but it was a fantastic decision that everyone
  +
agreed with.
  +
Only Masayuki himself disagreed.
  +
"Why me......”
  +
When I told Masayuki about it, he was very distressed.
  +
But it's something that can't be helped.
  +
Sad as it is, this is war. It has nothing to do with my will.
  +
Although it was completely unexpected, I couldn't care less about Masayuki's feelings.
  +
Because if we give it to Masayuki, even if we do nothing, there seems to be a happy ending.
  +
At times like these, he's a very reliable companion.
  +
"I'm already very good at controlling my own unique skill, ‘Chosen One'. And it won't be like the old
  +
days of being complimented on whatever you do. But I can't even use it this time, so don't expect too
  +
much.”
  +
As such, I am fortunate to be doing the dying struggle and attempting to escape, but I know that none
  +
of that is true. Because, fortunately, he is still as popular as ever and still has a huge impact today.
  +
"You want to show Kenya and the others how handsome you are, don't you?”
  +
"Wuh, this..."
  +
If he is willing to take the job and instill strange knowledge in the little children and respect them, I
  +
will turn a blind eye to it.
  +
"No problem, you can do it!”
  +
“But......”
  +
"What else. Didn't I help you when you faced off against Gozu?”
  +
It was fortunate that they had broken through to the fiftieth level. At that time, in order to weaken Floor
  +
Guardian Gozu, I had to secretly use fake magic bodies to help.
  +
"Thanks to you for this..."
  +
"In that case, you know what to do, don't you?”
  +
“Yes..."
  +
I threatened and cajoled, tried to pacify him, and finally the bargain stood.
  +
  +
"I got it. Mr. Rimuru has taken good care of me, and I would like to take this time to repay your great
  +
kindness...”
  +
Although he was reluctant to do so, Masayuki was willing to serve as the military chief.
  +
The volunteers were okay with that. Don't say it's an opinion, they even say "Great! "We're going to
  +
win this one! The culture of winning before the battle begins to spread.
  +
No matter how heavy Masayuki's expression was, the matter was now settled.
  +
"So it's come to this...”
  +
He just said that he was already very capable of controlling the unique skill "Chosen One", what
  +
exactly is it...
  +
Sure enough, just like I thought, Masayuki's claim that he's already good at using that skill is simply a
  +
lie.
  +
Or does it have nothing to do with skill at all, because Masayuki's super fortune is at work?
  +
That would have surprised me even more.
  +
As for Leon, he just happens to be the opposite of Masayuki, no matter what he does, he will be
  +
interpreted in a bad direction. I heard that he used to be like this when he was still a hero, so maybe it's
  +
not that simple to change everyone's innate temperament.
  +
"Geez, come on. It's not good for me to decide, but you have to be a spiritual symbol to inspire
  +
people!"
  +
All in all, I console Masayuki with these words.
  +
In this way, in the name of "the hero", the 20,000 men of the Volunteer Corps will follow the command
  +
of Masayuki.
  +
***
  +
The organizational chart was amended so that the right wing became 52,000 and the left wing wrote
  +
50,000.
  +
The top commander is Benimaru.
  +
At the bottom, the heads of the various regiments are lined up.
  +
This large army totaled more than 100,000, but I still wasn't sure it could stand up to the Imperial
  +
Army. But we don't need to panic. Because all the preparations are being done.
  +
There are reserves—150,000 troops in the West.
  +
Countries also seem to be preparing reinforcements, with members from the Order of Knights they
  +
have. And to organize the Western coalition as the last and ultimate line of defense.
  +
I'm afraid the total number is no less than 200,000, if anything, it should be relied upon.
  +
With mercenaries, there is also support from various countries.
  +
  +
It all adds up to about the same number, should we say that it's more or less...
  +
It seems that Testarossa has threatened everyone at the Council and because of that, everyone is willing
  +
to assist. In any case, if we are defeated in the war, they will suffer next, so they have to help.
  +
But to mobilize this army, that too will have to wait until we are likely to lose this war.
  +
To say which part benefits us, it is that we have the advantage.
  +
Then there's the fact that we have Veldora on our side, plus the ability to expect assistance from the two
  +
demon lords, Ruminas and Leon.
  +
Even Milim has promised to help us out. Carrion's Beast Kingdom Warrior Regiment was ready to send
  +
troops at any time.
  +
There is also the killer weapon that belongs to me personally, the Black Legion under Diablo at the
  +
ready.
  +
Since I've handed over the entire command of the army to Benimaru, it's honestly possible to think that
  +
I don't have an army that I can use directly—which at first glance may seem true, but it's not.
  +
Only this black legion, they obeyed Diablo, and his subordinates, the three demon girls.
  +
This legion is not under the command of Benimaru and operates completely independently.
  +
That's all we have at the moment in terms of war power.
  +
As for how Yuuki will act, this element is not accounted for.
  +
"There's going to be a war.”
  +
Staying in my room, I muttered something in a small voice.
  +
Is it really the purpose of the Empire to annex the Western powers?
  +
Guy once mentioned the word "game".
  +
He seemed to have some sort of entanglement with the Imperial side, and it always seemed like there
  +
was some sort of dangerous attempt on the Imperial side as well.
  +
But, even if that's the case...
  +
"Whoever comes, if they intend to strike at our paradise, then I will beat the hell out of them.”
  +
That's the truth of my heart.
  +
I don't want to make the same mistake again.
  +
Because I am a demon lord. How to prioritize cannot be misjudged.
  +
***
  +
At the same time.
  +
  +
The place came to the Eastern Empire.
  +
Rimuru and the others were preparing for war, just like them—no, the empire took longer, so long that
  +
the two were simply incomparable.
  +
They prepare carefully and literally.
  +
Ready to make a big push.
  +
In a little while, the Empire will awaken from its long sleep.
  +
There's only a few moments left before they launch a fierce attack...
  +
Intermission: The Inside Story of the Eastern Empire
  +
The Eastern Empire.
  +
It was one of the oldest countries.
  +
Its official name was the United Eastern Empire of Nazca-Namlium-Ulmeria.
  +
There is a long history, and it is said that a state was in operation two thousand years ago, and that
  +
became the foundation of the present empire.
  +
It took a long time for what was originally a small Nasca Kingdom to absorb and annex what was
  +
originally a large country, the Magic Kingdom of Namlius, and the Eastern Union of Ulmeria, to give
  +
birth to the empire it is today.
  +
Set against a backdrop of overwhelming military power.
  +
In these two thousand years...
  +
In the name of the unified Emperor Rudra Naam Ulu Nasca.
  +
The empire did not allow the countries they annexed to rebel and held extremely powerful power.
  +
To be the absolute ruler, to rule these countries completely.
  +
This is the United Eastern Empire of Nazca-Namlium-Ulmeria, commonly known as the "Eastern
  +
Empire" —the above is the actual state of this country.
  +
It is said that the emperor promotes hegemonism.
  +
The current emperor, who also bears the name "Rudra", is a descendant of a tyrant with a pure
  +
bloodline.
  +
Regardless of the actual situation, the emperor's preference for absolute power—as it should be.
  +
Thus the core philosophy of military units is that "strength is everything", in a special form, where one
  +
can stand out if one has strength.
  +
Rumors were circulating among the subjects of the Empire.
  +
  +
There is only one reason to say that the Empire did not invade across the Great Forest of Jura.
  +
That is—it's not ready.
  +
About three hundred and fifty years ago, they tried to get the "Storm Dragon" Veldora to do their
  +
bidding and failed, and one of the metropolises was wiped out. If the fickle dragon is accidentally
  +
offended, there is no room for regret, and the same fate is met directly with this city.
  +
The victim city was the largest at the time, with a population of 100,000, and was a fortress city
  +
immediately east of the Great Forest of Jura.
  +
In order to attack the Great Forest of Jura, it took them a hundred years to build this front city.
  +
Using this city as a military stronghold, the empire would be able to expand further by breaking
  +
through that forest. Driven by this ambition, the military units of the time began to draw up operational
  +
plans.
  +
To get through this Great Forest of Jura.
  +
That was the Empire's sad wish for a hundred years.
  +
They were already a bountiful nation and wanted to expand their territory for one purpose only.
  +
That's how the Emperor wanted it.
  +
For no other reason than that, all the subjects have no complaints.
  +
The drawing is well underway, and the imperial-trained army is building up its strength and preparing
  +
to make a splash.
  +
Immediately afterwards, they issued orders in the name of the Emperor to prepare for an invasion
  +
campaign.
  +
But a certain troop leader came up with a foolish idea that made all the battle plans fall apart.
  +
‘Since it is all going out, let us let the lord of the great forest of Jura do as he commands. It's just a
  +
giant lizard, anyway, not big enough to be our enemy’ —because of this overly stupid idea, it lead them to
  +
destruction.
  +
As for what they once did, it didn't actually pass down to posterity. This is because the people
  +
responsible for keeping the documents, the places where they were kept, all went down in flames
  +
together.
  +
The empire's sad wish, the emperor's ambition, just went up in smoke.
  +
And then time flew by and came to the present.
  +
The Empire had been quietly nurturing its strength.
  +
For the injuries suffered by Veldora have healed.
  +
However, the emperor never approved the launching of the invasion campaign.
  +
  +
Forbidding any act of aggression against the Great Forest of Jura, after three hundred and fifty years,
  +
they had once again built up a force that had been waiting for the right moment for them to play well.
  +
So, next came the political system of the empire.
  +
Within the Empire, the political and military branches were the Emperor's right and left hands. Both
  +
parts, political dominance and military command, were in the hands of the emperor himself.
  +
That's a lot of power.
  +
In the political branch, the Imperial nobility organized the House of Peers and enjoyed great power. But
  +
that is only what is seen on the surface and does not in fact give those nobles any decision making power.
  +
The only thing that is good for you is your reputation and your rights, and you are at best a bureaucrat at
  +
the will of the Emperor.
  +
These nobles were hereditary and did not need a vote to become members of parliament. Even if they
  +
have lofty ambitions in their hearts, they can't gain enough power to realize their dreams.
  +
All the territory of the empire went to the emperor. Just lend these to the nobles and let them manage
  +
those lands.
  +
Those who support these nobles are official men of high learning.
  +
It was also these officials who were responsible for setting up all kinds of projects, and they were
  +
backed by the Emperor.
  +
These officials therefore swore allegiance to the Emperor.
  +
The same goes for the military.
  +
Military command—this supreme power of decision is not vested in the State, but in the Emperor. All
  +
the military power of the Empire belonged to the Emperor.
  +
Some of the local metropolises that were annexed by the Empire and are now part of it are in the same
  +
situation. All the territories were to be surrendered, as if they were leased from the Emperor. The
  +
defensive forces guarding there were no exception, armies lent to them by the Emperor's grace.
  +
Such a policy has worked, shutting down any potential rebellion everywhere.
  +
What makes this possible is the difference in national strength.
  +
The Empire accepted the surrender of other nations, but that was tantamount to agreeing to surrender
  +
all rights. If they feel unconvinced and want to disobey, they will be cleansed in blood.
  +
This is to prevent people from thinking that way again and to eradicate it completely.
  +
In this way, the Empire was able to maintain order.
  +
Overwhelming force creates fear and gives the submissive a security of life—a means of grace and
  +
power. It is only through thorough management in this regard that the Empire will always be able to
  +
maintain peace and quiet.
  +
  +
A state of this magnitude ruled by only one man would not be possible under normal circumstances.
  +
Not only that, but in these two thousand years of long history, the dominance of the emperor has never
  +
wavered.
  +
Even with the change of generations, the emperor's power still hasn't faded.
  +
It's weird from either perspective.
  +
If this was all the work of the emperor, then the emperor should not be human either.
  +
Next, look at the military power of the Empire.
  +
That said, the military organization of the Empire can be roughly divided into three main legions.
  +
Mecha Corps (Armored Corps)—The main force of the Mecha Corps is the Mecha Technicians, which
  +
have been adjusted.
  +
The possession of military weapons, such as chariots, is a modernized armed force and a technological
  +
symbol of the Empire.
  +
Legion of Warcraft (Magic Beast Corps)—The Empire has captured all kinds of warcraft from all over
  +
the world, within their territories, and from other places.
  +
This legion would dominate those magical beasts and use their power, a symbol of the Empire's power.
  +
Hybrid legions (Mixed Corps)—consisting of out-of-spec mechs, or berserk beasts that don't fit in, sort
  +
of garbage camps.
  +
This legion is too focused on individuality for group action.
  +
But their power is unknown, and together they have the potential to pose a huge threat.
  +
This is the spiritual symbol of the Empire. However, that "heart" is currently immature.
  +
Unlike the Western powers, which focus on sword and magic, the Empire believes that it is up to them
  +
to usher in a new era with magic and science.
  +
Behind the development of the Empire's military power is a close relationship with the Otherworldly
  +
Visitors.
  +
There is another world of knowledge that this world doesn't have, and someone has taken to that.
  +
The man was a great wizard from a long time ago who lived in the palace—his name was Gedora.
  +
Contrary to his pale appearance, this man is full of energy. Eager to soak up all the knowledge, not just
  +
limited to magic, he also enjoys hearing things from people coming over from the other world.
  +
So he knew that in the other world there were also many countries, not unlike the world on this side,
  +
where the inhabitants spoke different languages, but overcame the barriers of dissident thought and were
  +
able to coexist.
  +
Also know that there is no magic in that world, civilization is highly developed, and the type is
  +
different from this world.
  +
  +
Gedora lived for a long time. Once his life is coming to an end, he repeats the reincarnation through a
  +
mystical ritual of his own creation, the mystical mystery of reincarnation.
  +
It is because Gedora has the ability to observe "otherworldly visitors" over the years.
  +
Gedora's knowledge is vast, and he also speaks a variety of otherworldly languages. In addition to that,
  +
if an "otherworldly visitor" came to this world, he would definitely send someone to bring the other
  +
person under his own protection.
  +
It wasn't just magical beasts that were collected from all over the world.
  +
Gedora also argued against the utility of "otherworldly visitors" to the emperor, who, with the
  +
emperor's approval, could do as they pleased.
  +
Some people have special abilities, others are knowledgeable.
  +
The "otherworldly visitors" who come to the Empire are treated with favorable treatment and are
  +
overwhelmingly numerous compared to other countries. Thus inundating the Empire with their culture
  +
and identity.
  +
Of course, the Empire has also recruited many people with exclusive skills, and they are doing ongoing
  +
research. From this point of view, the military technology of the Empire has advanced to a point where it
  +
is beyond the reach of many countries.
  +
Within the Empire, they have abolished the profession of knight.
  +
The concept of fighting by riding horses has long since faded and established a tactic based on
  +
modernized weaponry. Soldiers who mechanize their own flesh are called "mechs" and are the spiritual
  +
symbols in the Empire when they fight.
  +
The Empire's main mech armor corps showcases this in full.
  +
On top of that, the Warcraft Legion also lives on with knowledge from another world.
  +
DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid - is a biological polymer that governs the genetic information of an
  +
organism. All of this knowledge comes from "otherworldly visitors" and allows the Empire to analyze the
  +
power of magical beasts. Further research is no exception...
  +
As for the Hybrid Legion, there are many powerful "otherworldly visitors" in it. Everyone's unique
  +
skills had been awakened, and that fighting power should not be underestimated.
  +
Just like that, in addition to technology from another world, there are special abilities. By drawing on
  +
these elements, the empire can create legions that are as powerful as they are powerful.
  +
Because Gedora's enthusiasm was what made the Imperial Army stronger, and even that wasn't too
  +
much to say.
  +
Unlike the three main legions cultivated by Gedora, there was another group responsible for protecting
  +
the Emperor.
  +
This group was at most the size of a squadron, with only a hundred members, and was called the
  +
Imperial Emperor's Order of the Near Guard.
  +
The "knight" has been abolished, but they are calling it that.
  +
  +
That leaves only one form, as old as it is—the ignorant would probably think so.
  +
Yet this is not in fact the case.
  +
This is because the Near Guard Knights in the Imperial Emperor's Order of the Near Guard are all
  +
selected from the top of the various legions.
  +
There is no shortage of "otherworldly visitors" among them.
  +
This is the best proof that the Empire does not treat one person differently just because they are who
  +
they are, faithful to the Empire's idea that "power means everything".
  +
These people did not benefit from the pedigree and power of the ancient empire and fought for that
  +
throne purely by strength. This Imperial Emperor's Order of Near Guard Knights were all endowed with
  +
legendary level equipment to prove that they were the strongest candidates.
  +
The most powerful masters are equipped with the best weapons and defenses, complementing each
  +
other to create an unbeatable effect. Together, these people's fighting abilities even surpassed the various
  +
legions.
  +
They are also guaranteed top-notch treatment.
  +
Each is a superior general with at least the rank of major when it comes to special missions.
  +
They were the vision of the Imperial soldiers, the Empire's most powerful fighting force—that was the
  +
Imperial Emperor's Order of the Near Guard.
  +
As mentioned above, there are four fighting groups within the Empire.
  +
As the commander of such a legion, one must show strength to bring others to their knees. It must be
  +
recognized by all as the strongest in the Empire.
  +
So, how do you prove it?
  +
That part is decided by a battle of the rank and file within the Legion.
  +
In the presence of an objective third person, this system allows the inferior to challenge the superior,
  +
that is, it allows the inferior to commit an offense, so that the ranking is constantly changing.
  +
Of course, there are several conditions that must be met in order for a ranking battle to take place.
  +
It cannot be held in military operations and is invalid without witnesses. Not only that, but if you are
  +
defeated in a challenge, you have to wait a year for the right to challenge next time. The same is true of
  +
killing an opponent who is facing off against himself.
  +
Since those in power have the right to kill the challenger, the exercise of the right to challenge requires
  +
careful thought.
  +
It takes an overwhelming amount of power to get an opponent to submit.
  +
This is the system of "power for all", which is really very imperial.
  +
  +
Even so, those who wanted to become a kamikaze still went on and on, presumably because the idea of
  +
the empire had already taken root in everyone's hearts.
  +
The high ranking within the empire is clearly determined in this way, but Gedora is not in it. His stance
  +
was peculiar and seemed foreign to the Empire.
  +
Not counting Gedora, the members of the Imperial Emperor's Order of Near Guards were selected from
  +
among the others, and the heads of the various legions were chosen.
  +
If there is a need for a replacement, they will also choose from the top 100.
  +
For those who want to move up the ladder, they give the opportunity equally. Therefore, those who are
  +
truly powerful will not be buried, everyone is honing their strengths and waiting to excel.
  +
In this way, the Empire elects one "marshal" and three "generals" at the top.
  +
Adding, by the way, that the person at the top is automatically chosen to be a marshal. Instead, they
  +
would name the right person to be the "Grand Admiral" only after the Emperor, Marshal, and Gedora had
  +
agreed.
  +
The reason is simple, and that is that being strong alone does not make a good soldier.
  +
All in all, those who remained in the various legions were weaker than the near-guard knights, and the
  +
'Grand Admirals' who became army chiefs were certainly the most powerful masters in the various
  +
legions. It is in this way that the chiefs of the various legions are determined.
  +
These four men represent the most powerful people in the Empire to the outside world.
  +
The marshal and the three brigadier generals will all receive equipment commensurate with their status.
  +
Since the Imperial Emperor's Near Guard Knights would obtain legendary level equipment, the
  +
equipment bestowed on these four people would be better than them.
  +
Those outfits were all secret treasures of the Empire.
  +
In ancient times, it was the most powerful weapon used to suppress other countries—a mythical
  +
weapon.
  +
This mythical equipment even makes people wonder if it really exists, and having several mythical
  +
equipment is just the thing to show the prestige of the empire.
  +
The average human with only flesh and blood has no chance to touch these extreme equipment. Those
  +
who want to use those gear must be eligible. It's getting recognition for those gear that can be of real
  +
value.
  +
Top-notch strength paired with extreme weaponry.
  +
It's the reason why the empire is standing.
  +
And then...
  +
Such empires appear mutinous.
  +
Decades apart, the army chiefs change.
  +
  +
That man also made arrogant achievements, the mixed legion was originally a scattered mess, that man
  +
made them a powerful centripetal force.
  +
Less than a year after joining the army, progress has been unprecedented and unprecedented.
  +
Defeating warriors who have been through a hundred battles and have not lost at all.
  +
A teenager had climbed to one of the tops.
  +
His name is Yuuki Kagurazaka.
  +
Things take a more drastic turn because of Yuuki's rise to power.
  +
Chapter 3: Visitors from the Empire
  +
In a luxurious room, three people stood with a nervous face.
  +
They stood upright and awaited the arrival of the owner of this room.
  +
The owner of the room is Yuuki, the man who came to the Empire and became a military commander in
  +
an instant.
  +
In the eyes of these few people, that sort of thing is no surprise.
  +
This is because Yuuki is dominant over the few of them.
  +
He is also the General Manager of the secret association "The Big Three (Cerburus)”.
  +
"Hey, I've kept you waiting! You can actually sit and wait."
  +
With a side of his mouth, Yuuki entered the room.
  +
At the rear followed Kagali, who looked like a secretary.
  +
  +
"No, no, no, Yuuki-sama. We are your faithful ministers, so don't worry about us.”
  +
One of the men responded in place of everyone else.
  +
He is one of the chiefs of the secret association of the "Cerburus", Damrada of "Wealth". It looks
  +
suspicious and makes one wonder.
  +
The other two, one of whom is Misha, who represents “Woman”. It looks both like a teenage girl and a
  +
mature woman. It's the beauty that exudes eerie charm.
  +
The last man was a man who symbolized "Power" and was named Vega. Possessing a flesh as even and
  +
strong as a carnivorous beast, the sense of oppression emanating from it seemed as if it would shoot
  +
anyone he saw to death.
  +
These three figures are several of the chiefs of the "Big Three".
  +
The three men first bowed to Yuuki and then took their seats.
  +
"Congratulations on your assumption of command."
  +
"Lord Yuuki even escaped from the demon lord's men, that's for sure.”
  +
"Well, if it were up to me, running the legion would be a piece of cake.”
  +
Both Damrada and Misha showed up to congratulate, and in the end it was only Vega who looked
  +
disgruntled.
  +
But Yuuki didn't mind.
  +
Indeed, you should be able to climb the top 100 if it's you. But after that, there was no way out. It's
  +
impossible to be a military chief because you can't be expected to show command.
  +
He only smiled bitterly in his heart.
  +
"But then again, it was thanks to Damrada that I was introduced to Master Gedora.”
  +
Yuuki said these words in an attempt to change the subject, and Damrada responded with a smile.
  +
"What do you mean by that? We have come this far thanks to the fact that we had anticipated such
  +
things and made arrangements in advance. I just introduced the 'visitor' prepared by Yuuki-sama to Master
  +
Gedora, and did not do something so praiseworthy.”
  +
"Hahahaha, Damrada's as stubborn as ever. In fact, you could have just acted happy."
  +
"That won't do. Letting people hold onto excess expectations is also a nuisance for me.”
  +
"Haha, what a joke."
  +
Yuuki and Damrada looked at each other and the two smiled. The reason why we can have a common
  +
heart is because we have confidence in each other's strength.
  +
After the two men laughed together for a while, Yuuki cut to the chase.
  +
"Then, Kagali, please explain the movement of the Demon Lord Rimuru.”
  +
  +
"Yes, Yuuki-sama. The demon lord Rimuru is now..."
  +
Following Yuuki's orders, Kagali began to report.
  +
Her sources of information came from Freedom Association members who stayed in the West. Most of
  +
the people who used to be Yuuki's henchmen had fled, using this as a baffle, and they left a few spies
  +
behind.
  +
Kagali explained succinctly and forcefully in a clear, lucid voice.
  +
She said that the Western nations were completely dominated by Rimuru.
  +
It is also said that the other side organizes legions of such size that they are fearsome and used to guard
  +
against imperial aggression.
  +
On top of that, there are sometimes incredible phenomena to be seen in the capital "Rimuru" —and so
  +
on.
  +
"So, there's a town along the Ameld River for people to stay, and he's going to use it as a military
  +
stronghold, isn't he? That's right, if you want to extend the defense line to your home country, you'll have
  +
to do it.”
  +
"Yes. Nearly 20,000 soldiers were already stationed at that location. It seems that even the transporting
  +
of supplies is facilitated by things like the Magic Train, and I've heard that there is enough food to fight a
  +
lasting war.”
  +
"That's great. In that case, it shouldn't be that easy for the Imperial side to win.”
  +
"Yeah. That country imported enough food from the Kingdom of Farmenas to feed a population of over
  +
millions. The power of the country is no longer comparable to what it was a year ago, and maybe they
  +
alone can fight the Empire. Not only that, but even the Western States Council was in the hands of the
  +
demon lord Rimuru. If he brings together all the war power of the West, it must be very considerable.”
  +
"That's hard to say. Mr. Rimuru intends to make himself utterly cruel, but by his very nature it is easy to
  +
be soft. If he intends to fight with numbers, it will only increase the number of casualties, so he probably
  +
intends to drive out the Empire with the elite forces at home, right?”
  +
"How is this possible...”
  +
"At least he's the one who became the demon lord, so he shouldn't have done such a stupid thing...”
  +
Although both Kagali and Damrada denied it, Yuuki's thoughts remained unchanged.
  +
That man is really naive and inexplicably powerful and might manage to do something about it...
  +
Though he thought so, Yuuki didn't put those words out, and he asked Kagali to continue.
  +
"I'm sorry. I’ll continue to report.”
  +
After an apology, Kagali then resumed her report.
  +
"More than 50,000 soldiers are waiting in the capital 'Rimuru', and reinforcements are arriving from the
  +
old Eurazania side. The estimated total strength should be over 100,000.”
  +
  +
"That sounds great, but the Empire still has the advantage.”
  +
"Yes, after all, there's a huge difference in numbers. The army on the Imperial side numbered over a
  +
million, and even the soldiers at the far end had had bizarre makeovers. Even the miscellaneous soldiers
  +
were at least C-rated in strength, plus they had a lot of strange armor. Seriously, demon lord Rimuru and
  +
the others are no match for the Empire at all.”
  +
Kagali really thought so.
  +
Having an army of 100,000 is indeed powerful.
  +
These soldiers are highly trained and their morale is high.
  +
The scale of this is, by definition, very commendable.
  +
However, it was dwarfed by the entire Imperial Army.
  +
In the past, when she was still a demon lord, Kagali created a very confident work, the defensive
  +
structure of the Monster City stronghold, but she was defeated by a large number of Imperial troops. The
  +
disparity between the two is such that it makes no sense to have an army of only 100,000 people at most.
  +
However, Yuuki has a different view.
  +
"Your comments will be used as a reference, go ahead and report."
  +
"Then I'll take it up with the country's technical skills..."
  +
Kagali reported on faintly.
  +
She mentioned that very rare new products were suddenly on sale within the Jura Tempest Federation.
  +
There are props that make life more convenient, and there are high performance premium gear.
  +
The uses are varied, but everything is practical.
  +
Of course, many people want to sign exclusive contracts with the developers of these goods. Yet, no
  +
matter how hard those merchants try to find the source of the manufactured goods, it all still seems like a
  +
fog.
  +
The "Magic Train" mentioned earlier is one of them, and that country, like the Empire, seems to be
  +
experiencing a new wave of technological innovation. Only unfortunately, they seem to have completely
  +
prevented classified information from being leaked. There's no way to find the source by the strength of
  +
the guild members alone.
  +
I”'m afraid it's being developed somewhere in the country. This can be determined, but it is not known
  +
where the location is.”
  +
Kagali was also chagrined, but the other party was the Demon Lord Rimuru, so it was always
  +
impossible for her to step up. Other than that, it would have been ruined if it had been suspected, so they
  +
couldn't force it on their hands either.
  +
At this time, something suddenly occurred to Kagali.
  +
  +
"Come to think of it, maybe they're developing new weapons, too. With that possibility in mind,
  +
perhaps we need to keep our vigilance higher and not just target the number of soldiers we see in front of
  +
us.”
  +
Hearing that, Yuuki smiled.
  +
"You did notice. That's it. It was surprising to know that the Empire had been developing chariots, but
  +
Mr. Rimuru had also managed to develop the Magic Train. Scientific weapons are not the preserve of the
  +
Empire, and one cannot go expecting them to have an advantage on that.”
  +
The Empire is not the only one with technology from another world. Rimuru also has the memory of
  +
still being an "Otherworldly Visitor" in the past and wonders what kind of weapon he will develop.
  +
If they were facing an ordinary country, the other side must have been terrified in the face of such an
  +
unknown war power. Even if the other side has an "otherworldly visitor", in such a case, the other side
  +
will be desperate because of the relevant knowledge. The difference in fighting power between the two
  +
sides is clear and they will find themselves with no chance of winning.
  +
Yet the opponent also possesses a high level of skill and can develop the exact same thing.
  +
They were immediately able to formulate countermeasures that would crush the so-called advantage.
  +
Instead, it should be said that if someone is overconfident in such a dominant force, the rapidly changing
  +
situation may overwhelm them and leave them behind.
  +
Yuuki has seen this already, so it's not unlikely that they will win at Rimuru.
  +
At this point Vega interjected.
  +
"Boring! Just beat the crap out of them. If you're worried, wipe them out! That way everything is
  +
settled.”
  +
Whether it's weapons or armies, get rid of them all if they get in the way—Vega confidently declares.
  +
It was a headache for Yuuki to hear the other person say something like that without understanding the
  +
context.
  +
This guy has a lot of power, but a bad head—or should I say no head at all...
  +
If he had been a little smarter, he himself could have handed over more useful positions to him, Yuuki
  +
sighed in his heart.
  +
"Then I'll leave it to you. Don't misjudge the situation.”
  +
With that vague phrase, Yuuki told Vega to shut up.
  +
However, Vega’s words were not without merit.
  +
Yuuki was lost in thought and thought, ‘After all...’
  +
In this world, quality is more important than quantity.
  +
No matter how large a military force was gathered, it was no match for the demon lord Guy. As you can
  +
see from such examples, the power of individual warfare should never be taken lightly.
  +
  +
In order to achieve strategic goals, it is crucial to see how strong the opponent is—such intelligence
  +
warfare. To achieve this, it would be quicker to send someone of some strength to try in the past.
  +
Not only that, it is one of the means that should be used, as is rarely the case, to give up when the fight
  +
is not won.
  +
If several combatants are allowed to attack at the same time, it is possible for them to achieve strategic
  +
objectives, no matter how strong the individual strength of the opponent.
  +
In other words, there is no point in looking at integrated warfare capabilities alone, and it is more
  +
important to have a strategic approach to what forces are at hand and how they can be used effectively.
  +
From this point of view, the Jura Tempest Federation is a very tricky enemy.
  +
It wasn't just Demon Lord Rimuru that posed a threat.
  +
In that country, there were several monsters that were exceptionally powerful.
  +
For example, the four heavenly kings heard from the people's mouths—Benimaru, Diablo, Shion, and
  +
Gobta.
  +
The mere presence of these men was like mobilizing four tactical units, and simply defeating them
  +
would become a high task.
  +
It's not just a matter of technical prowess. There's a lot of tricky talent in that place, and I don't think
  +
it's going to work no matter how many people are gathered to deal with them. So thinking of it another
  +
way, surrendering to the demon lord is the right thing to do.
  +
As far as Yuuki knew, he knew a few people who were better than Gobta. That is, at the very least,
  +
there are others who are comparable to the Four Heavenly Kings.
  +
"There is nothing more difficult than those monsters, who are comparable to saints or demon lords.”
  +
Damrada's opinion seemed to echo Yuuki's, words mumbling out of his mouth.
  +
"That's right, there aren't just the four heavenly kings in that country, there's also monsters like Geld or
  +
Gabil. Why there are so many Demon Lord level people gathered there makes it a little hard to
  +
understand.”
  +
Yuuki felt that the more he thought about it, the more wrong he was.
  +
Those people were strong enough to rival Clayman, and there were quite a few of those under the
  +
demon lord that was Rimuru. People who know these things can't even help but complain, saying "what a
  +
joke".
  +
"Fortunately, we're not at odds with the Demon Lord Rimuru."
  +
The other three nodded silently, except for Vega, who heard Yuuki say the words softly.
  +
At the moment Yuuki and the others were surrendering to him because of the pact they had made with
  +
demon lord Guy. In other words, to fight against Yuuki is to fight against demon lord Guy.
  +
Since Yuuki and the others weren't going to make a move on Rimuru, it could be said that the two sides
  +
were in a truce for now. Count Yuuki lucky, he intends to make the most of this situation.
  +
  +
Even if one day they would have to deal with each other, that would have to wait until they made up for
  +
the losses they suffered in the West. In this way, Yuuki switches moods and brings the topic back on track.
  +
"So is your report over?"
  +
He turned to face Kagali and asked.
  +
Faced with this question, Kagali seemed to remember something, adding.
  +
"The people down there don't seem to have detailed military intelligence, and the ones that are more
  +
accurate are the ones just now. Only, there is one thing that intrigues people.”
  +
"What is it?”
  +
"In the capital, Rimuru, there are activities called disaster prevention training, and later, evacuation
  +
training.”
  +
The training done so far has been very specific, such as escaping into a solid building, or being trained
  +
to put out a fire in a building that is on fire. This time, however, the evacuation training was a bit
  +
confusing—a quick escape through four doors into the town.
  +
"You mean run into town?"
  +
"Right. The investigators were puzzled, so they split up.”
  +
"Inside and out?"
  +
"That's it. As a result, they saw an incredible phenomena, like they were dreaming..."
  +
"Seeing the unthinkable?”
  +
"That's right, Misha. Making something incredible happen, a full ten minutes passed after the broadcast
  +
ended and the vast town suddenly disappeared. And then there's only one door left over there.”
  +
The investigator who had remained outside reported to her that, in addition to the door, there were
  +
several more vigilantes left there to bring those who had not escaped before they could make their way to
  +
the cave.
  +
After making sure that none of them remained on the scene, the investigator made up his mind to go in
  +
the door. It was later discovered that there seemed to be a maze built with stones inside.
  +
Panicked investigators were able to escape to the outside, which means people should be able to come
  +
and go freely.
  +
"Maybe that's the underground maze...”
  +
"Do you have a plan, Yuuki-sama?”
  +
"Right. As you know, Kagali, that town has a tourist facility called the Underground Maze, right?”
  +
"Yes, there are magical creatures lingering inside, and adventurers challenging inside, right?"
  +
"I think that's it. I heard that there is a city underneath that underground labyrinth...
  +
  +
"There's a city in the underground maze?”
  +
A disbelieving Damrada asked each other back, but both Yuuki and Kagali responded in earnest. It's
  +
hard for the uninformed to explain, they can only say that it's all true.
  +
"Exactly. It would be unthinkable to go on with the usual ideals, but it is possible that Mr. Rimuru
  +
could do it. After all, that labyrinth has a total of one hundred floors underground, and I've heard that
  +
there's still Veldora guarding there.”
  +
“...is all this true?"
  +
"Of course. These words were spoken by Veldora himself.”
  +
After hearing Yuuki's words, Damrada was speechless.
  +
With a sympathetic look at such a Damrada, Kagali opened her mouth next.
  +
"No, it makes sense to think in that direction. There should be an important facility in that city, a base
  +
for technology development, right?”
  +
"Oh, so it is. It's a possibility, no, it makes sense to think that way.”
  +
Yuuki felt more than surprised when he thought about it.
  +
Although the idea was only speculation, he felt that he was not far off. If it was possible for Rimuru to
  +
make these things come true, he was so sure.
  +
"But what will become of the war?”
  +
"Well, even I don't know about that. I didn't think I would be able to play a decent hitting style against
  +
such an opponent, but didn't expect him to play urban defense that way. The Imperial Army would be
  +
surprised by that too.”
  +
Yuuki had always believed unilaterally that it was impossible for Rimuru to fight a duel in the country.
  +
Because he won't let the townspeople get hurt.
  +
However, if the town defends perfectly...
  +
It looks like the tactics envisioned for possible use must be revisited.
  +
"Does that mean that fighting people in a hotel town is just a way to see what happens, but the real
  +
focus is on the capital? If the Imperial Army ignores that door and passes directly in front of it, then the
  +
other party may snipe from behind.”
  +
"So that's how it is, with the Western allies, we can still contain the enemy."
  +
"First, send the vanguard forces to test the Imperial Army's combat capabilities and analyze them.
  +
Afterwards, while the Western allies fight the Imperial Army in a war of attrition, they can slowly figure
  +
out how to cope.”
  +
"That's a terrible thought. It's worthy of the Demon Lord."
  +
  +
After understanding Yuuki's thoughts, Kagali, Damrada, and Misha all had a surprised look on their
  +
faces.
  +
They knew that Demon Lord Rimuru was not something that could be handled by sending ordinary
  +
combatants, but they hadn't expected to be so powerful as to go this far.
  +
The mere thought of being hostile to each other in the future makes one's head go up in smoke. Because
  +
of this, Yuuki and the rest of them were looking forward to what the Imperial Army's showdown with the
  +
Demon Lord Rimuru would end up as.
  +
***
  +
"Then, Yuuki-sama. How do you plan to act in the future?”
  +
Finding the right time, Misha raised questions.
  +
Misha they also knew that Yuuki had lost to demon lord Guy. They followed Yuuki knowing that, but
  +
they couldn't see what Yuuki really thought.
  +
It would have been nice if Rimuru had let the Empire suffer, but they didn't want an accidental burial.
  +
The gang can't help but think so.
  +
Yuuki didn't take the deal with Guy seriously enough to work for the Empire. However, he became a
  +
military commander, which made people suspicious, fearing that he would become a cocoon and tie
  +
himself up.
  +
For the "Big Three", it is indeed attractive for the top military subordinates to side with them, but on
  +
the other hand, there is a risk of being implicated by the military.
  +
To eat each other up, or to be devoured?
  +
Get it wrong and by then they are waiting to perish.
  +
Misha would ask that because she was worried about it, and of course, Yuuki knew it well.
  +
"Don't worry. If Mr. Rimuru is approaching us, it will be just right for us. To achieve our ideals,
  +
empires get in the way, don't they? Not just because demon lord wants us to do that, but to bring down the
  +
Empire one day anyway. As I become the army chief, I will be able to control the point in time that allows
  +
the Empire to be destroyed. Just think of it this way.”
  +
Now that Yuuki had become one of the three generals of the Empire, it could be said that the inside
  +
information of the Imperial Army was all within reach. As long as one knows the military strategy of the
  +
Empire, one knows how to adjust the footwork to match. It will be possible to predict the timing of
  +
military operations, the size of the army, and even to know precisely when the imperial defense network
  +
will weaken.
  +
If the Western countries resist fiercely, the empire will have to devote a corresponding amount of war
  +
effort. In this way, no matter how tight the defense is, there will always be a breach, Yuuki thought so.
  +
"We'll kill him before he knows it!”
  +
With a hard slap on the table, Yuuki so declared.
  +
As for the others in their seats, they were all excited by the meaning of the words.
  +
  +
"A coup d’état?"
  +
"Ah, it's unbearable. That's how you look Yuuki-sama.”
  +
"Hey hey, that sounds like fun. Even if it's an empire or a demon lord, so what, watch me beat the shit
  +
out of them!”
  +
It always felt like Vega was overexcited, but Yuuki didn't take it to heart.
  +
He listened and began to cut to the chase.
  +
"Anyway, that's the end of it. The pact made with Guy was also to disrupt the empire and must be kept.
  +
I'll also disturb the West in passing, but on that point, the other side has no reason to complain.”
  +
Speaking of which, Yuuki smiled smugly.
  +
Guy did not deliberately ask that he not be allowed to take on the West. In other words, whatever Yuuki
  +
wants to do is his freedom.
  +
"You want the Empire to compete with the West and get rid of the head of the Empire...?"
  +
"The idea is as vicious as ever.”
  +
"You can't say that. An idea like that could come to anyone's mind."
  +
Even if one could think of it, no one would want to put it into practice. No, maybe someone really
  +
wants to put it into practice, but no one is that capable of making it happen. Yuuki is a special case.
  +
"I also put out all sorts of messages to Master Gedora. The old grandfather was fond of new things and
  +
had flexible ideas, but didn't know why he hated the Western powers so much. His hatred is so strong that
  +
it's not too much to say that it's the product of that hatred that he has developed all kinds of weapons for
  +
the Empire.”
  +
"Indeed, it's a very famous thing, even I know about it.”
  +
"Right? He would have seen the Demon Lord Rimuru as a threat, thinking that the other side would
  +
thwart the ambitions of the Empire. He must have struck, to see how dangerous the other party was.”
  +
“...So, how will things go?"
  +
"Master Gedora has great influence over the Imperial Army, but in reality has no authority whatsoever.
  +
This is because, that old grandfather is only interested in revenge. So that said, if we are cleverly induced,
  +
we should be able to get Master Gedora to take on the demon lord Rimuru.”
  +
At the same time, he also wanted the other party to make sure to spy on the intelligence of the
  +
underground maze. Yuuki is playing this game as he sees fit.
  +
"In that case, apart from finding trouble with Demon Lord Rimuru, it will also make the Imperial Army
  +
weaker, won't it?”
  +
"That's it!”
  +
At this time Yuuki nodded satisfactorily towards Damrada.
  +
  +
Yuuki wasn't about to take on Rimuru himself, and he was happy to welcome others to go over and
  +
challenge him without permission. It is because of this that many despicable schemes have been devised.
  +
Yuuki further revealed his thoughts.
  +
"It seems to me that there are three people in the Empire who need to be put on guard. One of those
  +
people is Master Gedora.”
  +
Gedora is the Great Wizard, and the Wizard of Eternal Life. Everyone was afraid of him, thinking that
  +
he was a strange man who knew the inner workings of the Empire, and that the last great invasion-the
  +
Empire had fought the "Storm Dragon" Veldora, when he had also survived as a heroic figure.
  +
"So, who are the other two?"
  +
Kagali stood behind Yuuki and asked with interest, at which point Yuuki gave a somewhat chagrined
  +
expression.
  +
"The fact that I don't have their true identity yet makes it tricky for sure.”
  +
Even using the intelligence network that Yuuki had, there was still no way to find out the true identity
  +
of those people. Just by hearing that, one should know how difficult the other party is.
  +
"Could it be that the Imperial Emperor's Knights of the Near Guard are among the top ranked?"
  +
Misha seemed to have some idea too, she said so.
  +
Faced with this question, Yuuki nodded ambiguously.
  +
Rumors circulate within the Legion that the knight who is the "Double 0 number" is more powerful
  +
than the army chief.
  +
Yuuki had felt it firsthand and knew it wasn't hearsay. Despite climbing to the rank of army chief,
  +
Yuuki's ranking is "ten digits".
  +
Even if it's a rowdy battle, there's no point in not knowing who your opponent is. In order to become a
  +
"single digit" one must apply with the Emperor, race in front of him and win.
  +
Only those who are actually very much expected to acquire this right know about it.
  +
"It's just my guess, but I should be able to beat 'single digits'. But I didn't want to release the killer in
  +
front of the enemy, so I didn't apply with the Emperor.”
  +
That said, Yuuki was chosen as the army chief, but that was because he was lucky enough to have
  +
Master Gedora backing him up.
  +
"However, if we haven't really fought each other, I don't know if the boss is better than those people. In
  +
that case, doesn't the tricky part become—how shall I put it? That would make it more than just nine
  +
people, wouldn't it?”
  +
At this point, Vega hits the nail on the head.
  +
Apart from being a bit surprised by this, Yuuki agrees.
  +
  +
"Well, that's true. Maybe there's a tricky guy among these nine people. Still, there's no way to go on
  +
guard. You haven't seen your opponent, have you? I was talking about the people who are in the open.”
  +
"What do you mean?"
  +
That question came from Damrada.
  +
"I'm talking about Tatsuya Kondo, the head of Imperial Intelligence."
  +
"So it is. Indeed, that man is too much to touch.”
  +
"It's strange to know his name and what he looks like, but not to know the truth.”
  +
From Tatsuya Kondo, who is also known by this name as the "Otherworldly Visitor", he is unable to
  +
gather further personal information.
  +
There are even rumors that Kondo Tatsuya is a "weirdo who feeds on information".
  +
His rank was that of lieutenant, but even the chiefs of the various regiments had no right to order him.
  +
This means that there is also an Imperial Intelligence Service in existence, of a higher status than the
  +
military organization.
  +
"I mean, this is weird, right? Personally, I think that guy is one of the 'single digits' as well."
  +
“...so it is.”
  +
"I hear you say that, it's possible."
  +
Damrada felt quite the same way as Kagali.
  +
Misha also looked puzzled, but she didn't seem to mind.
  +
"And who is the other one left?"
  +
It was only Vega who showed a lack of interest, asking this as if he was urging Yuuki to finish his
  +
sentence.
  +
"Hahahaha, you're a real hothead. The first thing about Tatsuya Kondo is to go and meet him for a
  +
while. I will look for opportunities to request an interview. Next, about the remaining one, I'm not really
  +
sure.”
  +
"What did you say? What does that mean?”
  +
"You calm down, Vega.”
  +
"Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm sorry."
  +
Emotionally overwrought, Vega accidentally mouths off, Yuuki warns slightly. His tone was even mild,
  +
but Vega, who had been reminded of it, was nervous to the point of cold sweat.
  +
At this very moment, the difference between his "status" and Yuuki's was already real.
  +
"The one left is the man with the Emperor. Even if one stayed behind the curtain used by the Emperor's
  +
imperial court, one could still feel him, exuding a very powerful sense of presence.”
  +
  +
“...?”
  +
No one but Yuuki had even noticed the existence of such a person. Just looking at that alone shows how
  +
dangerous that figure is.
  +
“—There is such a person? This kind of thing has never even been heard of..."
  +
At this point, Dhamrad seemed to speak everyone's mind.
  +
"You're right. Although he exuded a very strong sense of presence, people didn't realize there was such
  +
a person. That means he's very good.”
  +
The words of Yuuki sent everyone into silence.
  +
"Is there really this guy? My side didn't get any rumors about that guy either.”
  +
"On the other hand, if Yuuki-sama hadn't brought this up, I don't think anyone would have believed it."
  +
“......”
  +
For the minions who were still a bit skeptical, Yuuki smiled.
  +
"It's okay, don't worry too much. If a coup d'état is contemplated within the Reich, you need only
  +
remember that these three will create obstacles. First to rule out Master Gedora, Damrada, will you help
  +
me investigate Kondo Tatsuya?”
  +
"Yes, sir."
  +
"Misha, you continue with the task at hand."
  +
"I understand. I will continue to focus on enlisting the Mecha Legion's army chief."
  +
"So what do I do?”
  +
"I'll have to ask you to join the Legion of Warcraft. With your strength, join the Imperial Emperor's
  +
Knights of the Near Guard right away. But you mustn't kill the army chief!”
  +
"Got it. I'll try."
  +
Not having to continue to take orders seemed to amuse Vega, who gave a plagiaristic grin.
  +
Is it really okay? Yuuki was worried, but this time he decided to trust Vega.
  +
If the army chief was actually killed, the Empire's military action would be delayed. It was disturbing,
  +
but he decided to look away and see what happens then.
  +
After the “Big Three” retires, only Yuuki and Kagali are left on the scene.
  +
"By the way, Yuuki-sama, will they really dance according to our arrangement?"
  +
"Well, I don't know. Even I thought I was being cautious in my actions, but still stepped on Guy's tiger's
  +
tail. So I'm not qualified to say anyone else, but I still hope things work out.”
  +
  +
Damrada went to investigate Kondo Tatsuya.
  +
Misha attempts to cage the Mecha's army chief.
  +
He ordered Vega to rise to prominence in the Warcraft Legion.
  +
They are all going on a dangerous mission to work for Yuuki. As a commander-in-chief, one can only
  +
go and trust that the ministry will get things done.
  +
"But we've finally come this far. There will be war in a short time.”
  +
"Yeah, right. The next thing is to wait and see which side will win."
  +
"That's so easy to say. Even if the coup d'état succeeds, more important things are yet to come."
  +
"Indeed. Just for that, I'm also going to get Laplace and the others to do something about it. It must be
  +
foolproof."
  +
After saying that, the two of them smiled at each other.
  +
Their goal was not to make the Empire triumphant.
  +
The more this war sinks into the quagmire, the lower the Empire's national power will be. That's what
  +
they're after, and the success of the subsequent coup is at the heart of Yuuki and Kagali's plan.
  +
"To make the emperor a puppet and build a new empire. In addition..."
  +
"Let us reconcile with the Western nations by peaceful means.”
  +
“And..."
  +
"The assassination of the Emperor!"
  +
If it was difficult to defeat the demon lord that was Rimuru, so it was not necessary to force it.
  +
Because of the defeat to Guy, he gave up on conquering the world in the short to medium term. To
  +
conquer the world by brute force without acquiring enough power to be proud of the world's masters was
  +
a foolishness of the highest order, and he had come to realize that.
  +
Instead of that, it would be better to focus on increasing the aces you have available at hand for now.
  +
Just let this scourge of war widen and much blood be shed...
  +
"Then I'll be able to awaken as the true demon lord.”
  +
"I'm looking forward to it, Kagali. Until then, I'll also use the new power I've acquired since then.”
  +
Now Yuuki's ultimate skill has awakened. As a result, he has actually felt his life span increase
  +
significantly.
  +
Not only that, but he also learned another fact, there were even more powerful people in existence in
  +
this world, and overlords like demon lord Guy were dominating this world.
  +
Trying to skip these people and conquer the world is just nonsense.
  +
  +
He was going to fool Guy's ears and reserve his strength now.
  +
The agitation of the empire has prolonged the war and drained both East and West. Let the boredom
  +
spread, and while everyone is fed up with war, let the Emperor's assassination happen again—and the
  +
world will be plunged into a more miserable state of chaos.
  +
They could take advantage of the chaos to awaken the more powerful forces in their bodies—that’s the
  +
full picture of the plan Yuuki and Kagali came up with.
  +
"Anyway, be careful."
  +
"Right. Be cautious."
  +
After saying that, the two looked at each other and smiled again.
  +
Although these two were smart, they didn't take the underground maze too seriously.
  +
It was a formidable organ, one that could hide even important facilities and towns—the most they
  +
could do was think of it and get Master Gedora interested in finding trouble on the Rimuru.
  +
Depending on the situation, it might be necessary to go there in person, and the most that can be done
  +
to find out what to do is to investigate beforehand - these two people only think so lightly.
  +
As a result, the Underground Maze Raiders team would bring back unexpected reports, although Yuuki
  +
didn't expect that.
  +
***
  +
After receiving the information brought by Yuuki, Master Gedora fell into contemplation with a hard
  +
look on his face.
  +
Hmmm—I thought this was a good opportunity to get the Empire out again to crush the god Ruminas...
  +
Due to the resurrection of "Storm Dragon" Veldora, he had to drastically reassess the plan.
  +
It was also forced.
  +
During the last great march, the "storm dragon" made the plan fall apart.
  +
To this day.
  +
In order to plan well, some say it's better to wait for the "storm dragon" to disappear.
  +
There are also those who say that the new weapon they have successfully developed is powerful
  +
enough to bring the "Storm Dragon" to its knees.
  +
In order to avoid confronting the Storm Dragon, there were also those who advocated bypassing the
  +
Great Forest of Jura.
  +
People's opinions split into these three factions, thus giving the Empire a head start, and as a result
  +
giving the Storm Dragon a chance to be resurrected.
  +
  +
The militant faction, which believes that it should "bring the Storm Dragon to its knees," is outraged,
  +
but the other two factions are mainstream, so their opinions are ignored.
  +
After all, if the new weapon they mentioned didn't work, the plan would fall apart again.
  +
To Gedora, the "storm dragon" didn't matter at all. His goal of survival is to expel the Ruminas Sect
  +
from the West and take revenge on the "Seven Celestial Sages" who killed his friend.
  +
He got some news from the West, with a headline that read "Heroes Fall Out", and it was about the bad
  +
things that the "Seven Celestial Sages" had done. He also learned that the news reported the demise of the
  +
"Seven Celestial Sages".
  +
Yet Gedora did not take this information alone.
  +
At the very least, he determined that Sage Master Gran must be alive and sneaking around somewhere.
  +
Over the months, intelligence from the West has been complex and difficult to corroborate through
  +
investigation. So it was never clear whether it was true or false, but it was heard that the Rosso had also
  +
been destroyed.
  +
All in all, it's not clear what's true or false. I'm afraid that the Sage Master Gran was killed by that
  +
"hero". Despite his advanced age, he is certainly an opponent not to be underestimated.
  +
That's what Gedora thought.
  +
In addition to this, while the domination of the Senate appears to be rock-solid on the surface, behind
  +
the scenes there is a lot of action.
  +
In these messages, there was no news received about the weakening of the Holy Church in the West. In
  +
Gedora's opinion, he thought this was enough to prove that Gran the Sage Master was still alive.
  +
It would have been nice to ignore the Storm Dragon and attack the West sooner...
  +
Gedora thought in his mind, but he was well aware of how difficult it would be.
  +
The Storm Dragon and the demon lord are teaming up? That kind of monster had already jumped out
  +
of the so-called magic laws, and it was too stupid to send out an army to deal with it. I had also helped
  +
structure the theory about the new weapon, and with that kind of thing, it should be able to stop him from
  +
moving for a while. Whether or not he can be exterminated, however, is another matter. Not to mention to
  +
dominate him...
  +
Gedora was one of the survivors of the last great long march and had already experienced firsthand the
  +
menace that Veldora posed.
  +
In his experience, he thought the main warring faction was too brave and unscrupulous.
  +
Talking about spiritual domination over spiritual beings—those fools have no idea how hard it is!
  +
It is not impossible to exercise spiritual domination over spiritual beings. He had used the Demon Race
  +
as a test subject and made some achievements.
  +
Gedora knew this well. He was the one who came up with that theory, too, and it would be odd if he
  +
didn't know.
  +
  +
He had already sought out various results, and based on them, he concluded that they could never make
  +
a move against the "Storm Dragon" Veldora.
  +
He had given this report to the Emperor, but sadly it was not endorsed.
  +
"Some people want to try, so let them try.”
  +
In the end Gedora's comments were silently ignored.
  +
Let's put that aside.
  +
This time there was another problem, and it had something to do with the Demon Lord Rimuru.
  +
He built his kingdom at a frightening rate, and this demon lord ruled the great forest of Jura. If this
  +
demon lord joined forces with the Storm Dragon, attacking the Jura Great Forest would simply be a
  +
foolish act.
  +
It would be a different matter if all the Imperial armies were mobilized, so that in order to lay out the
  +
entire army for the most efficient use, the enemy must be introduced into the terrain in our favor.
  +
As usual, that's an impossible thing to do.
  +
What about fighting on the other side's territory?
  +
"To fight in the underground maze? And they may have developed weapons from another world...
  +
right? This must be investigated. It would have been nice to take down Veldora and Rimuru with our army
  +
losing so many. If that is not possible, it will be impossible to fight the Western countries after that.”
  +
As if to encourage himself, Gedora spoke to himself.
  +
By this time Gedora had gotten it all wrong.
  +
He thought that the target of vigilance should not be the Jura Tempest Federation, but the Ruminas Sect
  +
that dominated the Western nations.
  +
Being able to spot this mistake or not, that will be the key to determining the success or failure of
  +
Gedora.
  +
***
  +
At the behest of Yuuki, three people stood out.
  +
The condition was that Master Gedora also knew, and must be affiliated with, the Hybrid Legion —
  +
three were thus chosen.
  +
It was to be a day for them to meet, so Yuuki invited Gedora to his room.
  +
First up is Shinji Tanimura.
  +
He was originally a college student in Japan and spent his days in the research room. After coming to
  +
this world, he also loved to wear white, which now became his unique mark.
  +
Mark Lauren.
  +
  +
Left with coffee-colored hair and a lot of muscle on his body. He was about twenty-five years old, the
  +
oldest of the three. Wear a tank top with jeans for a healthy body in the winter too.
  +
Zhen Liu Xing.
  +
The man was young and had few words. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, but the words spoke
  +
for themselves. The black hair was braided into a sisal braid and hung behind his back, and he wore a
  +
loose-fitting Chinese-style outfit. I heard that he had a lot of concealed weapons hidden under his clothes.
  +
Both Mark and Zhen would obediently listen to Shinji. Also because of this, unknowingly Shinji
  +
became their leader.
  +
The three men stood upright in front of Yuuki and Gedora.
  +
  +
"Master, long time no see!”
  +
The dark-haired youth, Shinji, greeted Gedora on behalf of everyone.
  +
"Long time no see, Shinji, and Mark and Zhen, how are you doing?”
  +
"Yes, we're doing fine. It's good to see Grandpa you're tough too.”
  +
“...Teacher, I'm not having a good time.”
  +
Hearing Mark and Zhen respond in this way, Gedora smiled happily back.
  +
"You're still the same. It seems to be working hard on the Legion side as well, so I'm relieved.”
  +
Shinji and the others are "otherworldly visitors" who were taken in by Yuuki. Yuuki has brought in
  +
"otherworldly visitors" from all over the world, and all of them are sent to the Empire, whether they are
  +
particularly good at fighting, or not.
  +
The Imperial side is responsible for receiving them from the secret association of the "Big Three", and
  +
then they will be given to the Imperial Grand Wizard, Master Gedora.
  +
His purpose was to ask for knowledge from another world, but personally, if he had a talent for fighting
  +
and also had that will, Gedora would exercise them.
  +
These people come to a place where special talents rich in personality are gathered after being
  +
exercised—the Hybrid Legion.
  +
But the Empire wasn't that good of a mixer, and wouldn't hold high ranking positions in the Legion just
  +
because they were from another world. One must be able to live one's strength properly in order to be
  +
worthy of the title of a good warrior.
  +
The so-called power is the unique skill that is revealed in each of them.
  +
Shinji and the others were able to use their unique skills so that they could establish a solid position
  +
within the legion.
  +
  +
"Yeah, in the mixed army I lead, the three of them also belong to the first line of masters. I think it's a
  +
good fit to take on this investigative assignment.”
  +
"Since Yuuki-san has said so, I have no problem with it either. Sit down, you guys.”
  +
The three men were terrified because the strict wizard asked them to take their seats, and only then did
  +
they take their seats.
  +
Looking at the three of them like that, Gedora smiled slightly.
  +
They've all become lone soldiers, and it's fun to see themselves still looking like nervous apprentices.
  +
  +
"So, Mr. Yuuki, you're going to lend these three to me about the investigation you mentioned before,
  +
right?”
  +
Playing around with other people's performance all the time wasn't the way to go, Gedora pulled open
  +
to ask.
  +
"Right. I'd love to go and investigate on my own, but it's really not convenient to go to that country.
  +
Only by sending Shinji and the rest over to them, I wasn't so relieved, so I wondered if I could ask Master
  +
to supervise them.”
  +
"Mmm. I've already read the report, and it's very interesting. If what is written above is true, it must be
  +
investigated before the Great March.”
  +
Gedora looked at Yuuki with a tentative look, waiting for him to react. Yuuki seemed to have expected
  +
this from the other party, and he nodded.
  +
"Those are all true. I also explained to the three of them that this mission was a bit special and I wanted
  +
to ask them to investigate a certain maze.’
  +
"Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute, please! You called us here to get through the maze? Are we that
  +
untrustworthy? Even if Gedora-sensei stepped up to the plate to please, a massive military invasion is
  +
about to take place, I don't think it's something that has to be done on the eve of an invasion!”
  +
Of the three, Mark was the most subdued, and he began to question Yuuki.
  +
It is common for such behavior to occur. If it's not acceptable, just ask, Yuuki himself has given them
  +
permission to do so.
  +
"Mark, don't get excited. It's a very important thing.”
  +
“But!"
  +
"Take it easy, Mark. Mr. Yuuki must have something in mind, right? We can hear what he has to say.”
  +
While placating Mark, Shinji turned his head to face Yuuki.
  +
"Then please explain.”
  +
"Of course not. I think after listening to this, you guys should stop complaining.”
  +
After saying that, Yuuki began to explain the mission in detail.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
Gedora knew those contents beforehand, and he listened to Yuuki as he made sure there was no
  +
discrepancy between the two.
  +
The three of them were surprised.
  +
The warriors who follow Yuuki's orders—those with unique skills that make them particularly good at
  +
fighting—blend into the various legions and live in hiding. The aim is to rise together when the time
  +
comes so that the legions can be mastered.
  +
  +
People hadn't heard of the specific plan, but they all agreed that the day was near.
  +
So did Shinji and the rest of them, now that the Hybrid Legion was in Yuuki's hands, they thought it
  +
was only a matter of time before he ordered it.
  +
To conquer the world...
  +
When they heard this dream from Yuuki, it was like a child's dream, and at first everyone thought it was
  +
impossible.
  +
But as people hone their strength and become more and more aware of the world situation, these people
  +
begin to feel that they have a chance to realize that dream.
  +
Shinji and the others started to become obsessed with Yuuki and kept waiting for the right moment to
  +
come.
  +
It was at this time that the other party suddenly gave the order for them to go through the maze.
  +
No wonder the three of them were so confused.
  +
Having said that, while listening to Yuuki's explanation, their thoughts changed along with it.
  +
Some preparation and investigation has been done regarding this war, only the interior of the maze has
  +
not been investigated. Therefore, there was a good chance that there was some kind of secret hidden in
  +
that maze.
  +
Hearing that the enemy could hide an entire town in a maze became a problem that was hard to ignore.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
"I see...so the Imperial Army can't ignore this underground labyrinth if they want to make a move?”
  +
"And there's a town in there? It's still unbelievable to not see this kind of thing with your own eyes.”
  +
“...that’s why we have to go there.”
  +
Shinji and the others will have to accept that now.
  +
"Explained as above. But then you get the idea, right? If the Empire were to invade the Great Forest of
  +
Jura, the period of warfare would be extended to some extent, and we expect a military mutiny to be
  +
launched at that time. When the time comes, hopefully it will distract the Imperials as much as possible.
  +
With Demon Lord Rimuru's army alone, and ''Storm Dragon'' Veldora, that wasn't enough for the Empire
  +
to send out all of its troops. I need stronger motivation, to be able to get them to always mobilize.”
  +
I'm not sure if that maze can create such a motive, if it can't, just make one up at random, Yuuki said so.
  +
When they bought time in that way, Yuuki and the others were going to suppress the Imperial Capital
  +
with one breath.
  +
Shinji was surprised by this.
  +
  +
A coup d'état had long been thought of in the future, but this was the first time he had heard such a
  +
specific account. And before that, Gedora was here. Not being careful enough with words could cause
  +
their plans to leak out, so Shinji and the others didn't expect Yuuki to be here to talk about that.
  +
"Wait a minute, Yuuki-san!"
  +
Shinji tried to stop Yuuki, but Yuuki replied with a smile.
  +
"I know, don't worry. Master Gedora knows my plan.”
  +
“Huh?"
  +
"Heh heh, that's for sure. This old man had feelings for His Majesty, but what would happen to the
  +
Empire has nothing to do with me. This Old Master's goal is to destroy the Ruminism religion. The true
  +
face of the god Ruminas was actually Demon Lord Ruminas, a blind spot that hadn't been discovered
  +
before. What will become of those believers, I am not interested in knowing. But those guys killed my
  +
friends, and it's hard not to bury them with their own hands. I heard that demon lord Rimuru and demon
  +
lord Ruminas were very close, and the first thing that I wanted to solve was demon lord Rimuru. That's
  +
why I will also participate in the Maze Raiding Operation.”
  +
Gedora flashed a frantic smile and said that what happened after that didn't matter to him at all.
  +
Of course Gedora had also heard rumors of the demon lord Rimuru.
  +
A year ago, the Kingdom of Farmus fell as a result of angering the "Storm Dragon".
  +
It is said that after the Storm Dragon's power was exhausted, it was the demon lord Rimuru who took
  +
him in.
  +
The truth is not known whether they were actually taken in or simply assisted. However, from that time
  +
on, the Storm Dragon showed no signs of rebellion, nor did it detect the huge demonic aura. Gedora
  +
thinks those rumors have a certain amount of credibility.
  +
On top of that, there was movement among the demon lords.
  +
Several demon lords have been removed from the Top Ten and are now said to be "Eight Star Demon
  +
Lords (Octagram)".
  +
Although the story had spread to human society, it was definitely the Demon Lord Rimuru who was
  +
behind it.
  +
Clayman, who was originally one of the Ten Demon Lords, disappeared, and newcomer Rimuru was
  +
listed among that group. The fact that this happened means that Rimuru is stronger than Clayman.
  +
Clayman the Demon Lord was cunning and could not be underestimated, but demon lord Rimuru was
  +
more threatening than he was.
  +
Not only that, but the demon lord Rimuru has also established borders with human nations and has
  +
become increasingly influential in the Council.
  +
He didn’t know what the Western powers thought, but Gedora thought it was dangerous to offend the
  +
demon lord Rimuru.
  +
Plus there was something that bothered Gedora.
  +
  +
That is, over 20,000 troops were said to have participated in the military operations of the Farmus
  +
Kingdom, but only three of them survived in the end. One of them was killed, and in the end all that
  +
remained was the former king and Razen, who had previously been an apprentice of Gedora.
  +
It seems necessary to confront Razen about this.
  +
Gedora took note of this first.
  +
In addition to that, there are many enigmas on the Demon Lord Rimuru.
  +
He didn't dare be careless.
  +
It was said that the great army of the Kingdom of Farmus was buried in the hands of the "Storm
  +
Dragon", but there was no way to prove that event was true. That alone makes one feel weird.
  +
Generally speaking, if there are 30% casualties in a battle, then the operation is a failure. This is the
  +
time to surrender, but I don't see where a relevant record has been left stating that the army of the
  +
Kingdom of Farmus has ever made such a move.
  +
Surrendering to the "storm dragon" is useless—and there are certainly those who argue that.
  +
But on this point, Gedora denies it. After all, Gedora had picked up a life and survived the last great
  +
march, so he was very familiar with the character of Veldora.
  +
A simple description is that he does things very casually. Won't go after those who run away, though
  +
there will be heavy casualties, but only those who are caught up in the attack in the first place.
  +
According to this logic, under normal circumstances, a 20,000 large army could not be wiped out.
  +
So, was there something going on with the demon lord Rimuru... According to the rumors about
  +
Rimuru's people, Gedora thought it was impossible.
  +
If we surrender with him, we should not be killed. But in the end everyone was killed.
  +
It would seem that this should be interpreted to mean that when the army of the kingdom of Farmus
  +
surrendered to Veldora, he killed them all at once.
  +
Seriously, Gedora felt horrible just thinking about it.
  +
It is because of this that they avoid going head-to-head with each other and also prepare relevant
  +
counter-strategies.
  +
There are oddities in the demon lord Rimuru, but there is still a chance to solve them by investigating
  +
from now on and thinking about countermeasures.
  +
Thinking about this side, Gedora switched his thoughts.
  +
He didn't hate Demon Lord Rimuru, but he was on the same side as Demon Lord Ruminas, and that
  +
would be the same as an enemy of Gedora.
  +
Since it was the enemy that had to be defeated, having said that, Gedora was not about to act rashly
  +
either.
  +
  +
He spent a long time arranging plans to get the Empire to send out troops to attack the Western nations.
  +
Now that that plan was about to come to fruition, he couldn't be foolish enough to sulk.
  +
So Gedora acted cautiously and then cautiously.
  +
Yuuki and Gedora had the same interests at stake, and after talking the two decided to work together.
  +
They would share the information they held in their hands with each other, and the relationship between
  +
the two could be described as that of a war buddy.
  +
Secrets were revealed in three or two times, and Shinji and the others were all pale.
  +
When they suddenly hear someone say something like that, of course they want to say "please pause.”
  +
Shinji wasn't stupid either, he didn't think the other side would trust them that much. Though I think so,
  +
I think I should not treat them as discarded sons.
  +
The other side was testing them—so Shinji thought.
  +
Mark and Zhen seemed to think so.
  +
"I know! We will do our best to investigate.”
  +
"Anyway, we won't hold Grandpa back...stay tuned!”
  +
“...I'll cheer."
  +
This is certainly an important mission. If they take this opportunity to do something—no, they have to
  +
do something good this time so they can live—Shinji and the others realize this.
  +
"Then I'll test you all. You do know how many demon lords there are in the world, right?”
  +
"Yes, there are eight, right?’
  +
“...Huh? Aren't the ten demons lords? No, it should be increased to eleven, right?”
  +
“...Mark, they just had a big shuffle last year..."
  +
This caused Gedora to sigh and a roar to come out of his mouth.
  +
"Shinji, hurry up and give this idiot the right message. If you join the army and can't even gather
  +
information, you'll know he'll be the first to die!”
  +
As soon as his mood calmed down slightly he began to explain.
  +
"There are eight demon lords in all, and they call themselves 'Eight Star Demon Lords (Octagram)'.
  +
The implication should be that one thinks one can compare oneself to the stars, but some of them do have
  +
that ability. The reason why this is mentioned is because the opponent this time is 'Newbie' Rimuru. You
  +
can't take him lightly, but don't explore that issue this time. There is another reason. Among these demons,
  +
there is a person known as the Labyrinth Fairy. All right, what do you guys think after listening?"
  +
That comment made the three of them take a backward breath from Shinji.
  +
Even Yuuki put on a surprised expression and kept staring at Gedora.
  +
  +
"You said labyrinth fairy...is that the point?”
  +
At this time, Shinji was afraid to express his opinion.
  +
Gedora nodded solemnly, pulling out a piece of literature for the three men to look at.
  +
There is a labyrinth named "Elven Goddom", said to be in the western Republic of Ulgrasia. The world
  +
says that the great maze is covered under the ground, or in the air, but it is not.
  +
That's true in one respect, but it's not entirely true in another.
  +
It was written in that document that not only spirits lived in the "Spirit Realm", but also that the queen
  +
who changed from an spirit to a monster also lived there.
  +
"This queen is the Labyrinth Fairy, Ramiris, one of the demon lords from ancient times.”
  +
These words of Gedora weighed heavily on the three men.
  +
He further revealed the truth.
  +
"The door to that maze used to be in the Ulgrasia Nature Park, but now it's gone. That's what the old
  +
man himself investigated, and it's certainly true. As for the period of disappearance, from what I've heard,
  +
it's presumed to be the same period as when Rimuru became the demon lord. Then the country went
  +
public with their underground labyrinth...”
  +
When Gedora finished, Yuuki added next.
  +
"That's a long way off. I've wondered before how Rimuru made a maze like that, and I think it must
  +
have been created by Demon Lord Ramiris. In other words, Demon Lord Ramiris and Demon Lord
  +
Ramiris have joined forces.”
  +
Yuuki seemed to have decided that this was the case and had a wide smile on his face.
  +
Shinji they didn't come out in denial either. Not only that, but they felt that the difficulty of the
  +
investigation was bound to increase and they began to become very melancholy.
  +
"I look forward to your performance.”
  +
"Remember to be on guard at all times.”
  +
After that, Yuuki repeatedly told them how scary and cunning the demon lord Rimuru was, and Shinji
  +
and the others left the scene after listening.
  +
***
  +
The day after Yuuki called him there, his secretary, Kagali, came to lead Shinji and the others and sent
  +
them to the outskirts of the Jura Tempest Federation.
  +
After sending Shinji and the others out, ten days passed, and Gedora was on his own to other
  +
destinations.
  +
Seeing Yuuki threaten Shinji with them, he planned to leave the investigation task to these people at
  +
first.
  +
  +
I'm afraid Yuuki didn't really mean to treat those three as outcasts. To get Shinji and them to get serious,
  +
just threaten a little.
  +
Then again, Yuuki-san isn't forthcoming enough. It's because he's overly competent himself that he
  +
wants others to reach this realm.
  +
Gedora had seen through that a long time ago.
  +
But it could be applied to him as well.
  +
Gedora also didn't intend to watch his apprentices die, and he intended to lend a helping hand if they
  +
were in trouble. But Gedora wouldn't put these thoughts out there; he would only silently pressure others,
  +
so that others would find him scary.
  +
Unaware of this himself, Gedora went to the old site of the Kingdom of Farmus.
  +
He remembered that he had taken in an apprentice a long time ago, intending to go and gather
  +
information related to the Demon Lord Rimuru.
  +
Immediately afterwards, Gedora flew towards the old Farmus capital "Maris" and headed straight for
  +
the palace.
  +
Razen was working in his office, at which point he jumped up from his chair.
  +
Originally thinking that the great teacher, Gedora, was dead, he felt the other's breath.
  +
"I didn't think...he was still alive...”
  +
While muttering something to himself, he thought to himself that this would be bad.
  +
Not sure what Gedora's intentions were, but he had come here to find himself, I guess.
  +
What is certain is that it is not to reminisce with him.
  +
And there was also the problem that none of the soldiers in Farmenas knew the man Gedora. If this
  +
goes on, they will be stopped and questioned at the gates, and those who displease Gedora may be hurt.
  +
In case one accidentally turns them and Gedora into enemies...
  +
This is not good. If it turns out that way, there's no way for me to hold Lord Gedora back.
  +
Razen was quick to judge as above and to act.
  +
He calls out to his later new apprentices through "magical communications".
  +
"Can you hear me?”
  +
"Geez, don't call me out of the blue.”
  +
"You must have found something.”
  +
"There. Although Gregory didn't seem to notice it, there was an unusual aura just now. He'll be at the
  +
gates in a little while, right?”
  +
  +
"Since you know so well, it's a good thing. You go to the gate, too.”
  +
“...you have been gracious to me. Got it.”
  +
The "magic communication" was interrupted this way.
  +
His new apprentices were two in total.
  +
They were Sare and Gregory.
  +
These two men were both originally 'Three Martial Immortals' - the Hall of the Emperor of the Sacred
  +
Emperor's Kingdom of Ruberios, and had previously stayed in the Imperial Near Guard Division, which
  +
was directly under the Emperor.
  +
When Razen knew them while he was touring the country in order to inspect them, they made a major
  +
mistake and dared not return to the Hall of the Emperor, so Razen took them directly as apprentices.
  +
Not to give them favors, but to be able to experience how they feel.
  +
Especially Sare, who seems to have lost badly in front of journalists from various countries. Hearing
  +
that his opponent was Diablo, Razen could no longer stay out of it.
  +
Sare had an arrogant attitude, but he still recognized Razen as his master.
  +
Gregory does show fear of something from time to time, but is slowly finding his old swagger.
  +
Looking at the strength alone, these two were impeccable, so Razen decided to exercise these two and
  +
one day get them to work under the tabletop of the Kingdom of Farmenas. That also includes crisis
  +
management like this one.
  +
There's me, Sare and Gregory. Add Mr. Grucius after that, and we should be able to confront Lord
  +
Gedora.
  +
The average soldier cannot be useful in the face of a single individual with overwhelming power. The
  +
current weakness of the Kingdom of Farmenas is the lack of heroic level talent.
  +
In the old days when the Kingdom of Farmus was still in existence, his fellow Knight Commander
  +
Folgen and the warriors of his rank were now figures of the past. Talent must be found that can replace
  +
them—this is the subject of the Kingdom of Farmenas.
  +
Again, Razen recognized this, chagrined that he was too late to deal with the problem.
  +
When he rushed to the city gate, Sare and the others were already there.
  +
And are being confronted by Gedora.
  +
"I say, I don't know what it is that brings you to this city, but we are under care here. You understand
  +
that you can't let unidentified people go, don't you?”
  +
"That's right, Grandpa. We're not going to sue people, so you'll just go back today. If you want to meet
  +
with someone, you can apply to the counter and get a response in about two or three days.”
  +
  +
Sure and the others wanted a peaceful resolution, blocking the front of the road to keep Gedora from
  +
passing. But in Razen's eyes it reduced his life expectancy.
  +
"Stop it! Let the lord pass.”
  +
"Hey, aren't we supposed to stop him?”
  +
"In that case, why did you call us here?”
  +
Both men seemed unhappy with the order, but Razen didn't have time for that sort of thing.
  +
"Long time no see, Lord Gedora. I didn't know you were still alive, so I didn't bother to greet you.”
  +
Razen knelt down on one knee before Gedora and said so from his mouth.
  +
  +
He wanted to avoid making an enemy of Gedora. If anything, he would have been ready to become
  +
aware and stop Gedora even if he released all his power, but it seemed as if he was overly vigilant.
  +
"Long time no see, Razen. You don't look the same anymore, but it looks like you're really him.”
  +
"Yes, I'm not like Master, I have to change my body to live...”
  +
"It's not a reproach, so don't be so afraid. The reason I'm here today is to ask you something. It's okay if
  +
you don't have to be so vigilant about the monster hiding over there. If I were to come against you, I
  +
would not have come alone.”
  +
The words of Gedora always eased the tension.
  +
In spite of this, Razen and the rest were not careless, they were going to prepare the meeting place so
  +
they could talk to Gedora, so the group broke up on the spot.
  +
***
  +
The next day, they met in a room somewhere in the castle.
  +
Among those who participated were Youm, Grucius and Razen. Sare stayed indoors with Gregory to
  +
protect Youm.
  +
Myuran also wanted to participate, but was rejected. She had just given birth and had to be completely
  +
still, so Youm desperately tried to stop her.
  +
The child is a girl named Mim. The child, who looks a lot like Myuran and is very likeable, is now in
  +
the care of Edka, who dotes on her.
  +
"By the way, Master, what is it you want to ask?”
  +
"Well, before we get to the point, let me correct a few points. Kid, your name's Sare, right? You're not
  +
bad, but magic's your undoing, isn't it? That kind of stuff doesn't just get learned to apply, and it's
  +
important to manage your magic properly. That monster over there, your name's Grucius, right? As for
  +
you..."
  +
Gedora began to point out each person's shortcomings one by one.
  +
He wants Grucius to develop the eye to see through his opponent's strength.
  +
"Transforming in front of the enemy is like giving the opponent a chance to make a first strike.”
  +
Gedora even goes so far as to harshly point out the shortcomings.
  +
On Youm's side, he first said, "You look stronger than average..." and then said that relying on
  +
equipment is not a good idea and that you have to concentrate on how to defend yourself.
  +
He was even more ruthless in the face of Gregory and told him to continue to improve—with these
  +
words alone.
  +
Finally he looked to Razen and said to him this.
  +
"Razen, it looks like you've improved a lot. Your magic is possessive...?"
  +
  +
"Yes, based on my master's theory of the mystical meaning of 'reincarnation', I have arranged the great
  +
secret art of 'possession and reincarnation’."
  +
"Mmm. This is another interesting attempt. Unlike the Old Master's magic, it doesn't temporarily
  +
weaken and rejuvenate into a small baby.”
  +
"Thank you..."
  +
"But it's pointless if you can't play it all out. It's rare to take away someone's flesh, you're not
  +
performing, are you?”
  +
“Yes!"
  +
Faced with Gedora's correction, Razen was sweating profusely and in fear. He himself knew these
  +
things and had to admit that all the accusations hit the nail on the head.
  +
This adult is still terrible. I can't believe that we can see through our strengths at once...
  +
Razen was speechless and could only be silent in response.
  +
However, Sare and Gregory listened very badly.
  +
"What the hell, look at me just sitting there thinking I'm not even listening. What did you see in me to
  +
say something like that?”
  +
"Yeah. Mr. Razen was kind to me, but there was no reason to fear even his master. Since you're so
  +
confident, let's ask for your advice and show you what you can do!"
  +
Eventually they began to pester Gedora.
  +
Shut up--Razen was tempted to shout the words, but seeing the look in Master Gedora's eyes, he didn't
  +
get them out.
  +
For Gedora, this was all to be expected. It was only then that Razen realized he wanted to show Sare
  +
and Gregory what he could do.
  +
In this way, things will still end well. Just do what the Master wants you to do.
  +
Razen so calculated.
  +
Immediately after, as if to warm up a little before the talks, Gedora began to square off against Sare and
  +
Gregory.
  +
They battled it out on the practice field and the result was a landslide victory for Gedora.
  +
"How is this...how is this possible...?”
  +
"This old grandpa is amazing... I didn't expect to deal with us both at the same time, he's not tired at
  +
all. I totally lost to him....."
  +
Gedora was so strong that it completely shattered their pride of being the "Three Martial Immortals".
  +
To boast of one's strength here, to make the bargain go smoothly—that was Gedora's purpose, and both
  +
Sare and Gregory's reactions were expected. Only, the next development was unexpected.
  +
  +
"Still, not as good as that monster.”
  +
"Is that all? The dog I'm fighting with should be about as strong as my grandfather.”
  +
“Hmm?"
  +
Clearly losing to Gedora, Sare and Gregory instantly accepted this fact. On top of that, Myuran had
  +
seen the strength of Gedora, and the two of them were not too surprised.
  +
Can you compare this monster to me? Not only that, but there are monsters that are stronger than
  +
Razen...?
  +
The unexpected reaction confused Gedora, and it wasn't like Sare they were losing by saying those
  +
words. Thinking so, those should all be true.
  +
Gedora was going to question this...
  +
"Lord Gedora, that matter may also be saved for later. I'll start by answering the questions Lord Gedora
  +
has to ask on this trip.”
  +
At this point, Razen jumped in and said this, and what had happened so far came to an end for the time
  +
being
  +
***
  +
The venue went back to the reception room and they started talking again.
  +
"It's true that you're the master of Razen, a majin. Not an opponent I can beat.”
  +
At this time Youm spoke in a relaxed tone.
  +
Grucius echoed this sentiment.
  +
"The majin Razen is well known, but rumors of his master are few and far between. That's what
  +
Myuran said, she said that the master was a great man and also structured a new system for magic theory,
  +
looking at the battle just now finally understood.”
  +
He said this excitedly.
  +
It's no wonder, after all, Gedora's magic is powerful.
  +
You can interfere with your opponent's magic and prevent them from unleashing magic, and you can
  +
unleash more than two kinds of magic at the same time for unparalleled effect and power.
  +
It's simply a clear manifestation of that, he just played a beautiful game in front of everyone.
  +
That said, Sare and Gregory's strength is far beyond the serious Grucius. The two of them had been
  +
toyed with by Gedora, so there was no doubt about Gedora's strength.
  +
In perfect contrast to Youm and Grucius, the two men who lost to Gedora were depressed. But the man
  +
was still at peace on the scene, focused on his escort duties.
  +
"So, what is your business here?”
  +
  +
This question comes from Razen.
  +
"The reason for the old man's demonstration of strength is to avoid unnecessary resistance from you.
  +
Razen should have understood that the old man's anger was directed at Ruminism and was not interested
  +
in other things. That's why I can't bear to see this country suffering from imperial aggression and
  +
unnecessary casualties.”
  +
Gedora said this terrible thing as if it were nothing.
  +
“The Empire..."
  +
"No way. Don't call me when I'm king, okay..."
  +
"Really. I don't want Myuran and my daughter to be in danger.”
  +
"That's not your daughter. That baby is my baby!”
  +
"What a noise...! Although not related by blood, that child is my daughter. I have decided to live as a
  +
father in the future.”
  +
"Don't make up your own mind...!"
  +
Youm and Grucius start to get into an ugly fight.
  +
Razen coughed a few times, telling the two fools to shut up.
  +
"So, I see why Lord Gedora is here. In return for saving us from the scourge of war, do you wish the
  +
kingdom of Farmenas to fall and submit to the Empire?"
  +
"Exactly. You do realize how powerful the Empire is, don't you? And there's still the old man there, so
  +
if Farmenas, led by you, joins our camp, even Dwargon can be easily taken. That country is not good at
  +
dealing with attacks on troops and food. Just stop dealing with people, and they'll be wailing in no time.”
  +
Of course, to do that one must first dispose of the Jura Tempest Federation. Razen points out this node.
  +
"That's not possible, Lord Gedora. Nowadays, the railroad between the Dwarven Kingdom and the Jura
  +
Tempest Federation has been laid, allowing for high-speed transportation. Even if our country is cut off
  +
from food supplies, they can still resupply through other countries.”
  +
"That's why you betrayed me. There isn't much food self-sufficiency within the Jura Tempest
  +
Federation. If your country is cut off..."
  +
"Lord Gedora.”
  +
Knowing it was rude, Razen interrupted Gedora's words anyway. For he found that the information in
  +
Gedora's hands was too old to keep up with the times.
  +
The situation in the world today is changing rapidly and is very different from the past. As things stand
  +
now, a betrayal of the West could lead to exclusion from the economic sphere. Representing a country in
  +
danger of perishing.
  +
Even if one accepts the shade of the empire and is assured of the abundance it will give, it will not be
  +
as prosperous as it is now.
  +
  +
It was the Kingdom of Farmenas that was so deeply influenced by the West—no, so deeply influenced
  +
by the Jura Tempest Federation.
  +
Razen addresses this point.
  +
“...so it is. In fact, I already know, but I just want to hear the truth from you. But isn't the demon lord
  +
Rimuru afraid of the armies in the sky? Of course, if the power is enough to defeat even angels, even if it
  +
were so, the things that were built so easily would suffer great disasters. The Empire had originally
  +
considered importing trains as well, giving up for this reason..."
  +
Gedora said this when he heard that the other side was going to connect the metropolis by rail.
  +
"His Majesty Rimuru has no fear of harm.”
  +
"Yeah. The young master hates to have injuries, but doesn't care about other losses.”
  +
"Maybe he'll be happier with a new job.”
  +
Razen, Gruicius, and Youm feel free to say what they think.
  +
In particular, the words of Youm are particularly important.
  +
That said, creatures like humans feel happy to be entrusted with something because they want the skills
  +
they've learned to come in handy. If you don't have a job, you'll lose your motivation.
  +
Maybe someone else will run off to commit a crime, too. To avoid this, preparing for a new job is the
  +
responsibility of the leader—the employer.
  +
"Once the consolidation of the countries is complete, all that remains is maintenance and repair. What
  +
to do when the time comes, Young Master Rimuru has been troubled. That one wants to do it, this one
  +
wants to do it, but the technical side can't keep up. When I went to have a drink with him, he kept
  +
complaining about it.”
  +
If angels were to come and attack at a time like this, there must be many special needs in order to
  +
rebuild after the disaster. In that case, the young master may be angry on the surface, but he may be happy
  +
in private.
  +
Then even Grucius started to take it out on Youm’s nostrils.
  +
Although Sare and Gregory posed with expressions that they couldn't stand, they didn't seem to be in
  +
denial.
  +
"But even if he were a demon lord, the West is the domain of mankind, and the Rosso clan wouldn't
  +
just sit back and watch, would they?”
  +
Razen's words were consistent with the information that Gedora had gathered, but still some parts were
  +
missing. Taking this opportunity, Gedora intended to squeeze as much information out of Razen as he
  +
could.
  +
Without waiting for the armies from the sky, the Rosso clan would make moves to defend their rights.
  +
And this incident has to do with the economic dimension, and they should not take military action, which
  +
would hinder in other ways, Gedora asked Razen about this.
  +
  +
Of course, his intention was actually to probe the current situation of the Rosso clan.
  +
Razen correctly interprets his intentions to give the answer that Gedora wants.
  +
"The Rosso clan is finished. The kingdom was not destroyed and the survivors were gathered there, but
  +
now there was no way to influence the Council. The reason why the surrounding countries still deal with
  +
them to this day is because His Majesty Rimuru allows them to do so. King Delan also surrendered to His
  +
Majesty Rimuru.”
  +
Razen shed light on the matter. By the way, tell the truth about how the national army of the Kingdom
  +
of Farmus was defeated in battle.
  +
This time Gedora was finally shocked by a situation she didn't know about.
  +
“...Are you saying that Demon Lord Rimuru relied on him alone to kill all the armies of the Farmus
  +
Kingdom? And to exterminate the Rosso clan...no, wait! If these are not just hearsay, what happened to
  +
Sage Gran—-Granbell?
  +
Granbell the "Hero" was recognized by Gedora as the strongest man in his heart. It was because he
  +
thought that this man was the leader of the “Seven Celestial Sages" that he was cautious about the Great
  +
Long March plan on the West.
  +
Yet Razen says that the Rosso is destroyed.
  +
"Then the rumor of the demise of the Seven Celestial Sages..."
  +
"Master, this is also true. The Seven Celestial Sages were hostile to His Majesty Rimuru, and they set
  +
up the Paladin, Hinata, to make her fight with us, but their schemes were uncovered and they perished.”
  +
Hearing that, this time Gedora was truly speechless.
  +
Razen has explicitly said that all the "Seven Celestial Sages" perished.
  +
Even that sage master Gran was buried by Cardinal Nicholas himself. When Gedora learned this, he
  +
couldn't help but lament the lack of accuracy of his intelligence network.
  +
Now that Granbell is dead, it is logical that the Rosso destruction should take place. Had this
  +
information been available earlier, the Great Long March program could also have been substantially
  +
reassessed.
  +
In the meantime...
  +
Thinking of Yuuki's mouthy face, Gedora muttered hatefully. Probably trying to tell Gedora about it
  +
might make him feel less like taking revenge, but in Gedora's opinion, it made him feel bad.
  +
"You mean Yuuki Kagurazaka? We were also used by that man, so we understand Lord Gedora's
  +
feelings very well.”
  +
Being so comforted by his apprentice, unspeakable feelings surfaced in Gedora's mind, feeling a bit
  +
chagrined and a bit ashamed.
  +
According to the sound of Razen's words, it seemed that the demon lord Rimuru had also been
  +
victimized by Yuuki. But the other side added that even so, they would observe the situation first for the
  +
time being and not be completely hostile to each other.
  +
  +
That Yuuki guy, looks like he's hiding something again. Apart from those... He knew that Gedora’s goal
  +
was to destroy the Ruminas Sect, and he revealed information related to the Western Holy Churches, but it
  +
was always ambiguous. Is it inconvenient to tell the old man...?
  +
When Gedora found out that he was being used, he began to worry about what to do next in front of
  +
Razen's men and others.
  +
***
  +
"It's big down here. After hearing these things, one must rethink how to correspond with the demon
  +
lord Rimuru.”
  +
The dangers of the monster Rimuru were unexpected by Gedora.
  +
What exactly is the right thing to do in the face of such a threat?
  +
Because his good friend was duped into being killed, Gedora continued to take revenge on the
  +
Ruminism.
  +
However, the Seven Celestial Sages, the ones he most wanted to get revenge against, are all dead.
  +
In this way, he would not be so keen to destroy the West.
  +
It was because the Empire aligned with Gedora's stakes that he stepped in to help, and less of that
  +
motivation would have given Gedora no reason to back the Empire.
  +
—No, the reason is still there. The culprit of all this, the god, the demon lord Ruminas, is still alive.
  +
Thinking that his best friend died because he believed in her, he couldn't let the demon lord who was
  +
beckoning in the name of god live. Thinking about this side, Gedora made up his mind again and decided
  +
to continue with the battle plan.
  +
No, it should be said that he was planning to do just that.
  +
"Lord Gedora, you may find me nosy, but you'd better stop thinking about it.”
  +
“Oh?"
  +
Razen had been watching for Gedora's reaction, and at this point he threw a cold shower on Gedora's
  +
determination.
  +
"I am still your faithful disciple, and proud of it. But I have an even stronger loyalty to a certain lord. If
  +
you intend to fight against his country, I must treat you as an enemy.”
  +
"Could it be the demon lord Rimuru?”
  +
"No. It was one of his men, Lord Diablo—he is my master now.”
  +
The words surprised Gedora a little.
  +
Razen was his proud disciple. The fact that not only someone was able to get such a Razen to serve
  +
him, but that he was also willing to be a demon lord's subordinate, was unbelievable.
  +
  +
"I may not be in that position to interject, but since I have this opportunity, I'll just say it in passing.
  +
That fellow Diablo—that lord is the demon who defeated me.”
  +
Obviously no one asked him, Sare took the liberty of adding.
  +
Is that the demon who is said to be more powerful than Razen? Although unbelievable, it's hard to
  +
assert that it's a lie when even Razen can take it in.
  +
Still, Gedora didn't think he was going to lose, and he took down the name Diablo first.
  +
"Lord Gedora, this message is also revealed to you. Lord Diablo is an original demon.”
  +
"Think also. It should be an ancient species, or maybe a rare prehistoric demon, that can take you
  +
down.”
  +
Plus that demon still had a name, so even if the strength surpassed the demon lord, it wasn't surprising.
  +
"No, it's not just that. That lord is much more powerful..."
  +
"I've heard he's the 'Demon Lord’."
  +
"What the...!"
  +
How could this be—Gedora couldn't help but want to scream.
  +
Demons have so-called evolutionary limits.
  +
It was an absolutely unbreakable rule, and the one who could break this law was the only one known to
  +
Gedora.
  +
That demon surpassed the high-ranking demon generals and became a demon archduke.
  +
The most powerful and evil of all, the Lord of Darkness, Guy Crimson.
  +
"Lord Gedora, then, my lord Diablo, there is no need to argue how long he will live. If it's you, you
  +
should understand the meaning of that phrase, right?”
  +
These words of Razen seemed so distant to Gedora's ears.
  +
This is unbelievable and he’s unwilling to believe.
  +
With that in mind, words mumbled out of Gedora's mouth.
  +
"Is it the Primordial?”
  +
“Yes."
  +
So asserted Razen, the voice came cruelly into his ears.
  +
So it is, thought Gedora, while soothing a confused heart and trying to discern the truth of these words.
  +
If so, it is understandable that Razen would submit to the other.
  +
  +
In addition, once the primordials have acquired flesh, it is not surprising that a new "demon archduke"
  +
is born. It should be said that if what Razen says is true, then the Empire's plans for the Great Long March
  +
will have to be substantially reassessed.
  +
Look at the White Primordial that has embittered the Empire, the tricky level speaks for itself.
  +
—No, wait. If the Primordials acquired flesh, why didn't anything terrible happen?
  +
Gedora began to regain his composure, but he pushed back on his thoughts that that sort of thing didn't
  +
matter.
  +
Hold on a second. Whether Diablo was the Primordial or not, that doesn't matter at all now. At least
  +
one can know that he really made Razen subservient, at least as a "demon archduke”...
  +
Immediately afterwards, he heard Youm and the rest of them casually chatting about something that
  +
made Gedora stiffen.
  +
"So, Mr. Diablo, he's working as Master Rimuru's butler, right? Earlier, to commemorate the start of the
  +
train, there was a commemorative event, and I ran over to congratulate him, and at that time slightly
  +
overheard something, and he said he didn't want to be a handyman himself, so he went and searched out
  +
people he knew and made them his ministry.”
  +
"Whoa, whoa, that demon you're talking about, I had an involuntary glimpse of. The young master
  +
assigned her as a diplomatic marshal, which is why I met her at the Council. A great beauty with white
  +
hair paired with deep red eyes and is very pretty.”
  +
At this point Gedora leaned back in her chair with his body in disarray.
  +
This, this isn't true, is it? Aren't those features just like the White Primordial...?
  +
Those things suddenly began to feel so real that it sounded like a nightmare to Gedora.
  +
He looked to Razen, only to see the other side nod with a satisfied face.
  +
"This is all true, isn't it?”
  +
"I will not lie to my master.”
  +
It dawned on Gedora.
  +
Knowing that Razen and the rest were telling the truth was really for Gedora's sake in trying to
  +
convince him not to start a war.
  +
"Is it really that dangerous?"
  +
To this, the response given by those present was a silent nod.
  +
And when Gedora looked at it...
  +
Ah, Shinji and the others might have left for their mission!
  +
Thinking about this side, his face completely lost its color.
  +
***
  +
  +
In the capital of the Jura Tempest Federation, "Rimuru", there was a huge crowd of people.
  +
The metropolis was so well deserved that even people like Shinji from another world looked at it and
  +
thought it was a highly developed city, not at all like a backwater countryside.
  +
The Empire is a different story, but even the surrounding city has the stench of animals, and this place
  +
has none of that uncomfortable feeling. This incident surprised them.
  +
"I heard they left a door open and this place is all empty. I think it's a mistake.”
  +
"I don't think so. Perhaps the other party is free to manipulate freely, or the spy is seeing visions.”
  +
“...in that case, we can't be careless.”
  +
Shinji the three of them you look at me and I look at you and tense your nerves again.
  +
Someone used the elemental magic 'stronghold move' to send Shinji over to them, this person had
  +
visited the Jura Tempest Federation before and she was Kagali.
  +
Kagali went right back, but there was no need to worry about what to do on the way back. They would
  +
rendezvous with Gedora and go back by his magic.
  +
Their orders were not to push too hard until then, just investigate whenever possible. Shinji and the rest
  +
are not fools either, and they will obediently do what they are told without ordering them to do such
  +
things.
  +
"Ms. Kagali is really beautiful.”
  +
"If I say that to Shinji, I'll get dumped by my girlfriend.”
  +
"Girlfriend? Nothing like that. If I had a girlfriend, my life would have been more colorful...”
  +
“Huh?"
  +
“...It's no use, Shinji is slow.”
  +
Seeing Shinji sighing there, Mark and Zhen shrugged.
  +
They chatted freely while being screened for entry at the entrance to the town.
  +
Since Yuuki had the Freedom Association ID cards prepared for them, it was easier than expected for
  +
them to enter the country with just a simple explanation.
  +
They then went to check in at the inn and sightsee around the town in the name of gathering
  +
information.
  +
Three people are so surprised.
  +
They are "otherworldly visitors" who have the power to be treated favorably in this world. But they're
  +
not like the demon lord Rimuru, who does what he wants, and then again, he can't do it.
  +
  +
Yuuki put a lot of effort into improving his diet and living environment, and the empire introduced that
  +
system, but it was overtaken by this country many times over. Shinji knew those things so well that it was
  +
no longer a surprise to describe it, it even made him dumbfounded.
  +
There's takoyaki and okonomiyaki, and yakisoba. There are even a variety of desserts, like cornflakes
  +
or cakes.
  +
The store also has a variety of extremely expensive items that make you want to ask where the
  +
ingredients came from.
  +
There are small stalls, cafes, and everything from small restaurants to fine dining.
  +
The items inside give a sense of their passion for eating and drinking, recreating the flavor of another
  +
world. The inhabitants of this world must have been confused at first, but now they seem to be getting
  +
used to the variety of cuisine.
  +
As for Shinji, he was so happy that he shed tears when he saw the curry rice in the cafeteria.
  +
The toilets here are also perfect, and the hotel is very comfortable to stay in.
  +
Coupled with bathhouses that can be used for a fee, it takes root for mass entertainment.
  +
"Why don't I just come live in this country? Gentlemen, let's not go back to the Empire, shall we?”
  +
“Hey!"
  +
"No, I'm sorry...I was joking, it was all a joke. Don't be angry, Shinji.”
  +
"I'm not angry, I'm thinking I can seriously consider—"
  +
“...I want to live here too.”
  +
The three of them looked at each other with a sigh coming from their mouths.
  +
Shinji and the others had always thought that in this world, the Empire was the most civilized.
  +
However, it's only now that you know this country that you realize you were wrong about what you
  +
thought before.
  +
The town is thriving and the food is great.
  +
In addition to being a comfortable place to live, it seems to have become an entertainment and cultural
  +
center of gravity, with new ways to play emerging one after another.
  +
Those rides were all familiar in the original world, these guys had always survived in harsh
  +
environments, and for them those things were all nostalgic.
  +
There was no shortage of culture and entertainment in the Empire either, but those were for the
  +
aristocracy to enjoy. It's not as free as this town, and if civilians want to use it, the price is too high.
  +
By comparison, this town...
  +
"No, no, no, that's still not good.”
  +
  +
"That's right. Mr. Yuuki might have an opinion, and Gedora-sensei is horrible. Besides, the war is about
  +
to start...”
  +
“...a deserter will be shot.”
  +
Right.
  +
There will be war before long.
  +
This metropolis is a clear target, inevitably facing a war.
  +
The three of them knew very well how much military power the Empire had, and to say how much this
  +
country stood a chance of winning against the Empire, just thinking about it made them think they were
  +
out of luck.
  +
That's why Shinji forced them to abandon that lingering attachment.
  +
Then begin to stay true to the task and set about challenging the maze.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
"I heard that the hero was lucky to have broken through the 50th level, but it's easier than I thought.”
  +
"Haha, that's for sure. According to Yuuki-san, the strength of this man is really no big deal.”
  +
“...but his skills are not to be underestimated.”
  +
"That's why it takes more than six months of careful planning."
  +
At the moment of advancing to the fortieth floor, Shinji was snorting at them.
  +
They were still on guard against the underground maze at first, but now they felt comfortable and less
  +
nervous.
  +
Because they didn't want to take any chances, they had to gather information beforehand, but Shinji
  +
and the others always felt that this maze was full of game elements.
  +
Zhen seems to have lived a life that has nothing to do with video games, but both Shinji and Mark
  +
enjoy playing video games. Shinji, in particular, loved role-playing games and would indulge in a series
  +
of adventure games whenever he could while doing research in college.
  +
Compared to his knowledge of the game, one can't help but think that this underground maze is pretty
  +
ridiculous.
  +
There was indeed a deliberate attempt to malign the challenger.
  +
That said, those with the knowledge are familiar with these...
  +
Zhen Liu Xing was best at sensing traps. Plus there was Shinji to give him advice so he could actually
  +
see through those traps.
  +
  +
As long as one could find a way to deal with these traps, it was no big deal even if the magical creature
  +
was powerful.
  +
"In this maze, the challengers may not have enough knowledge to get up.”
  +
"Should be. I also used to laugh at the fact that this maze is a competitive play area, and it really is that.
  +
Stuff like that, as long as you know how the author is going to screw people, it's accidentally pretty
  +
broken.”
  +
“...and you can’t die.”
  +
While gathering information, they heard about the "Resurrection Ring".
  +
There's also a free one handed out to them at the counter. As long as you wear this, even if you die in
  +
the labyrinth, you seem to be able to come back to life at the entrance.
  +
Hearing that, Shinji and the others were in a subtle mood.
  +
How should I put it, in this serious world, it's only here that it seems like another world full of jokes
  +
that make them feel unspeakable.
  +
The problem at the moment is that it's not clear how deep the maze is.
  +
Even if one wanted to attack in one breath, the food that could be brought to the table was limited.
  +
Shinji and the others were still wondering how much to prepare when they heard unexpected
  +
instructions on the counter side.
  +
"Well, there's no need to worry about such things. As soon as the stairs are found, there will be an
  +
entrance and exit to the hotel. Although you have to pay, you can stay there overnight, so don't worry too
  +
much about the food. Lord Rimuru once said, ‘A snack can only be 300 round at most.’ Not sure what that
  +
means, but it should be important. By the way, there will also be a merchant waiting inside the hotel, so
  +
we can buy things that are in the way.”
  +
That's very thoughtful.
  +
Shinji was tempted to yell, “How about information about acquisitions which are more important than
  +
snacks!” But he didn't want to be accused of being disrespectful for shouting out strange sentences, so he
  +
chose to hold back on the spot.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
Time comes to now.
  +
It had been a week since they have started raiding the Maze.
  +
The three of them rested at the inn in the maze, looking out over the loot on one side.
  +
"Well, I've been making a lot of money these last few days. Although the hotels here are said to have
  +
only minimal facilities, they are very comfortable to stay in. The cost of accommodation is cheap in
  +
comparison, and you can make a lot of money selling unnecessary equipment, right?”
  +
  +
The moody Mark asks the question.
  +
Seemingly somewhat interested, Zhen also raised his face.
  +
Like in response to these two, Shinji took the gold coins out of the bag.
  +
The golden glow had the three staring intently.
  +
They get all kinds of props from magical creatures or treasure chests, and these aren't just money for
  +
selling props.
  +
There were also bonuses—dozens of gold coins, and even star gold coins. Such remuneration is simply
  +
unprecedented.
  +
"Sort of. We made a lot of money. Then I heard something about how not even the group that attacked
  +
to the front of the line broke through the fiftieth floor. It's said that only Masayuki's group broke through,
  +
and we are the second group.”
  +
Even Masayuki’s group was currently stuck at the sixty level. It was conceivable that people should be
  +
blocked from going by the floor guardians on the fortieth floor.
  +
Thanks to this, Shinji has made them the MVP of the month.
  +
"Oh yes, it's the Tempest snake, isn't it? Very strong indeed, but not our opponent."
  +
The Tempest Snake is A- rank, and even the more powerful adventurers who encounter this magical
  +
creature will be in a bitter battle.
  +
It would make ranged attacks, spitting out dangerous spray that was particularly vicious in a cramped
  +
room. Because there was nowhere to run but to face, but the snake's flesh was so tough that it would be
  +
finished as soon as it was wound up in a circle.
  +
It should be a magic creature that cannot be taken lightly, but for Shinji and others, it was actually not
  +
that hard to defeat this opponent.
  +
What is interesting is not how strong the magical creature is, but the treasures that can be obtained after
  +
the defeat.
  +
"This weapon has holes in it, I don't know what they are. Things like this can sell for amazingly high
  +
prices...”
  +
It's because the price is so high that they're afraid to take it and sell it.
  +
With regard to this kind of weapon with holes in it, coming near the fortieth floor will slowly begin to
  +
appear. They hadn't seen that sort of thing in the Empire, so the Shinji crew wasn't sure of its value.
  +
"What the hell is this hole? Even if I can't find out the results with my identification magic, it might be
  +
better to stay until Master comes.”
  +
"No such weapon has ever appeared before on the fortieth floor."
  +
“...hmm. Only the demon lord's room will appear, otherwise the powerful magical creatures near the
  +
fifty floors will fall.”
  +
  +
"Well, that's right. But in fact it seems to be circulating in the town, though rarely. I've heard that
  +
treasure chests below the 30th floor will open such things with a very low chance.”
  +
"Well, the quality is really good. But even if you use this as an excuse, it shouldn't be so expensive,
  +
right?”
  +
“...is there a secret?”
  +
"Should be. Even if you ask the merchants, they just smile and don't tell us.”
  +
"Hey hey hey, that's too suspicious. We might as well keep it until Grandpa comes over. Forget about
  +
that for now, look at this, look at this!”
  +
With a side of his mouth, Mark took out the minotaur's battleaxe and showed it off to everyone.
  +
It radiates a beautiful silvery white glow.
  +
That kind of thing is made of magic steel, and it's the supreme dream escape.
  +
Also a special-grade weapon, the floor guardian of the fiftieth floor was guarding a treasure chest,
  +
which was opened from the treasure chest.
  +
"It's a special-grade weapon. Even within the Empire, it's hard to get something like this!”
  +
Mark looked so smitten that he rubbed his cheek against the tomahawk.
  +
Seriously though, that weapon is pretty awesome.
  +
If one joins the Imperial Emperor's Knights of the Near Guard within the Empire, one is given
  +
legendary level equipment. But for the generals and soldiers underneath, the equipment given to them was
  +
high quality and sturdy, but there was not even magic from above.
  +
As for special-grade equipment, that kind of stuff was hard to get even a superior general to get his
  +
hands on. No wonder Mark was so excited.
  +
"That's right. To hear Yuuki-san say, it seems that all of the Empire's equipment is mass-produced. We
  +
don't get to see it very often, but I've heard that even the legendary gear is the same style.”
  +
“...Is this possible?”
  +
Zhen wants to ask Shinji if it's possible to mass produce legendary equipment.
  +
Theoretically—it’s not possible to do that.
  +
"Shinji, that's what you're saying, isn't it? Just because it's all the same shape doesn't mean it's a product
  +
of quantity?”
  +
Mark seemed to have a problem with that too, laughing at Shinji's remark. If such a thing could ever
  +
come true, then the value of the special-grade equipment he got would also slip.
  +
"Of course, not in the usual way. Even Master Gedora said that it would be difficult to mass produce
  +
'Magic Steel'. However, it still seems possible to do so if one can maintain a special environment.”
  +
“...special environment?
  +
  +
"Right. It is said that if you place your equipment in a place with a high concentration of this type of
  +
mana for a long time—often hundreds to thousands of years—you will be able to meet the conditions for
  +
equipment evolution. After that, as long as the equipment recognizes good owners, they will begin to
  +
evolve individually.
  +
"I don't think there's any such thing.”
  +
“...hmm. I don't think so either."
  +
"Right? But both Yuuki-san and Gedora-sensei said something like that.”
  +
"Well, let's say it's possible, then, so what?”
  +
"It's nothing. It means that this minotaur's battleaxe is probably mass-produced too.”
  +
"How can that be?”
  +
"You don't think that's possible either, do you? But this tomahawk also has holes in it. We've never seen
  +
a naturally occurring one look like this, have we?”
  +
"Haven't seen it. What the hell is that?”
  +
“...but this weapon is beautiful. Although the shape is weird.”
  +
Shinji wasn't trying to be whiny.
  +
Nor was he envious of Mark to see him so happy. After all, a large weapon like the tomahawk was
  +
difficult for him and Zhen to master.
  +
Shinji just...
  +
"I just think the ease with which this country can provide that kind of weaponry means that they're
  +
more powerful than we thought...”
  +
His words sent Mark and Shinji into silence.
  +
In fact, the two of them were in the same mood.
  +
Mark had been worried about whether the counter staff would take the Minotaur's battleaxe after
  +
getting it.
  +
The props obtained in the maze are all the challenger's property—the other side has already mentioned
  +
this rule to them. However, he still had the idea that such powerful weapons would normally be collected
  +
in the treasury.
  +
From the standpoint of a few of them, if things turn out that way, so be it, we can only go against the
  +
grain.
  +
That said, several of them are spies, provided they don't make a big deal out of it.
  +
However, the results were unexpected.
  +
  +
People clapped their hands and congratulated them, and the staff present offered their blessings. Not
  +
only that, but even a bonus.
  +
So the three couldn't help but feel that it was proof that the Jura Tempest Federation was beyond the
  +
pale.
  +
"Same thing with weapons, this country is weird.”
  +
"What a surprise. If you're serious about how to approach this place, you'll not only have money to
  +
take, but you'll also feel like you're having fun. It should be said that there seems to be no loss to us. It
  +
should be hard for the weaker ones to earn a living here, but if they're as good as we are...”
  +
"No way, Mark. Think, what would happen if you run away?:
  +
“...the death penalty.”
  +
"Yeah, that'll happen. But no matter how you think about it, the way of life here seems to be happier.”
  +
Shinji and Zhen share Mark's views.
  +
Yet the reality is harsh.
  +
Mark's words were charming, but they can't keep dreaming here.
  +
"If there's a war, this country will suffer, too.”
  +
“—should be. If this country wins, I will happily betray the Empire and join them. But no country is
  +
willing to accept such a person if they run away and betray their country.”
  +
“...losing our place will be very disturbing, there's no way around it.”
  +
The three of them let out a sigh and decided to throw away their naive thoughts.
  +
Shinji and the others changed their moods and began to think about their plans for tomorrow.
  +
"From tomorrow, we will enter the fiftieth floor, and I have heard that next this place is called the
  +
Paradise of the Dead. Mark's Minotaur Battleaxe is made of Holy Attribute magic steel, and its effect on
  +
the Immortal or Necromantic lineage is worth waiting for.”
  +
"This is it. It's also incredible at this point, it really seems like a game. The key to the next level is
  +
guarded by the demon lord.”
  +
“...and it's getting stronger."
  +
Seeing the two of them appear this reaction, Shinji actually noticed it too.
  +
Shinji's best game is role-playing, and without anyone else saying it, he'd thought of that a long time
  +
ago. It just felt too weird, so he deliberately didn't think about it.
  +
He found many things.
  +
Like the floor guardians located on ten multiples of floors are suddenly stronger.
  +
  +
It starts with a large spider (Dark Spider) with difficulty equal to B, and then a large centipede (Evil
  +
Centipede) with difficulty equal to B+.
  +
After that, on the thirtieth floor, a B+ ranked Big Ghost Maniac King (Ogre King) showed up with
  +
several of his men. Since these magical creatures work together, it is difficult to deal with them simply by
  +
strong brute force.
  +
On the fortieth floor there is the A- tempest snake mentioned earlier, and on the fiftieth floor there is
  +
the human-speaking monster from a tribe of bull-demons, named Gozu.
  +
At this level is a monster that doesn’t even appear once in a hundred years.
  +
It's equivalent to a disaster level—according to Yuuki's rank, it’s a rank A magical creature.
  +
The equivalent of a monster underneath a demon lord is a very dangerous opponent.
  +
However, if the three of them went on together, it would take a little effort, but they could still beat
  +
him. If that's what it means, even if one person goes out to fight alone, they should be able to win.
  +
But one thing must not be forgotten. It doesn't die in the maze, so it can be hard-tried during combat.
  +
"That's true. Since the fiftieth level is that kind of ranked magical creature guarding it, it might get
  +
stronger in the next breath.”
  +
“...it may be a fight to the death then.”
  +
Mark agreed with Shinji, and Zhen nodded with an expression full of awareness.
  +
Progress was good on this side, but a harsh battle would follow—so thought all three.
  +
"Just like before, the next tactic is still dominated by the mark. We also get weapons with special
  +
effects, let's see how far we can fight.”
  +
“...and right.”
  +
"I don't think there's a lot of powerful magical creatures around. I think the next sixty levels should be
  +
the bottom, and if that's not the case, it's pretty scary.
  +
"No, no, no, I don't think so.”
  +
Although Shinji came out and denied it, he actually heard annoying rumors.
  +
He wasn't going to tell Mark about it to them. Because he knew that if he said it, the morale of the two
  +
would definitely drop.
  +
After all, that rumor was that the underground maze had gone down to a hundred levels below ground.
  +
That's ridiculous.
  +
This is the conclusion of Shinji.
  +
The floor monsters to face next made him uneasy, but it was useless to care about those.
  +
  +
They won't die anyway, and Shinji and his crew think they'll be able to win in the end, only they may
  +
have to fight for a long time next.
  +
"It can't be as bad as it looks, so let's just try and see, and remember to be vigilant.”
  +
Hearing Shinji say that, Mark and Zhen nodded.
  +
The destination is at the bottom.
  +
Supposedly there was a research facility there and they were going to make sure it wasn't true.
  +
Later, Shinji reconfirmed their policy, and that was the day they went to sleep.
  +
Three days passed after that.
  +
Breaking through the poisonous swamp and erosion zone, Shinji and the others finally found the stairs
  +
located on the 59th floor.
  +
Walk down this staircase and you'll reach the 60th floor below. Finally, I was able to get to the front of
  +
the room of the floor guardian.
  +
It only took them seven days to hit the fiftieth floor directly, and it took them three whole days to go
  +
from fifty to sixty. Although the area is smaller, the difficulty is much higher.
  +
"Are you ready for this?"
  +
"All right.”
  +
“...hmm.”
  +
Yesterday they were fully rested and fully prepared.
  +
It's a lot of energy.
  +
"It seems that like the fiftieth floor, there are so-called floor guardians ahead. It must be a monster with
  +
intelligence.”
  +
"I know. Should be tougher to deal with than yesterday's Necromancer Long.
  +
“...let's give it our all from the start."
  +
Faced with the next hurdle, it's okay to just deal with it calmly. Thinking so, the three nodded silently at
  +
each other.
  +
Immediately following...
  +
They reached cautiously toward the door and pushed it open with one breath.
  +
***
  +
Time goes back a little...
  +
Staying in my room, I considered constructing a surveillance network.
  +
  +
Currently, Souei and the spies released by Moss are on standby at the Jura Forest focus area. Not only
  +
that, but we also have personnel deployed along the coast from the Kingdom of Farmenas to the northern
  +
part of Ingracia and even on the mountain tops.
  +
That being said, the intelligence gathering still gives me a hint of unease.
  +
My biggest fear is the time delay.
  +
The intelligence officers released were in groups of two, taking into account the fact that both could
  +
have been killed at the same time. In that case, the information coming out of that location would be
  +
interrupted.
  +
As heartbreaking as it is for people to be injured, information that comes too slowly could be
  +
implicated in an existential crisis for the country. In order to avoid such a thing, I want Souei to speak to
  +
those people with heavy words.
  +
Once a surveillance officer is found, he or she may engage in a fight with the other party even if not
  +
killed. This delayed the speed of information transfer, so I've been fumbling around, looking for ways to
  +
operate more safely and smoothly.
  +
So I wondered if I could use magic to spy.
  +
There are some spells that can see far and exist in the spell system, but they are more difficult to use
  +
than one might think. At best, the amount of information that can be transmitted is not that much more
  +
than confirmation of the other party's posture.
  +
And only a single location can be monitored, and if you want to see a different place, you have to
  +
rewire the magic.
  +
It takes some time on the switch, and it doesn't make sense if the opponent has already passed through
  +
that location, so this magic doesn't have enough flexibility.
  +
In addition, if your opponent releases a magic barrier, the magic will be bounced off and disappear. It
  +
simply can't be used to spy on the more powerful, and the conclusion is that it won't come in handy in the
  +
real world.
  +
But then an idea came to me.
  +
That is "physical magic" —the "Megiddo".
  +
The so-called “Megiddo" magic causes water droplets to gather into the shape of a lens, which is used
  +
to gather sunlight. As long as we follow this theory, I think we should be able to create surveillance magic
  +
as well.
  +
For example, let those beads of water float around and reflect the scene. If I can copy out those scenery,
  +
I think I can confirm what's going on in the distance as well.
  +
If that doesn't work, then I'll let a lens that floats about 10,000 meters into the air shine those images,
  +
and then I'll let the images expand so that they project onto the screen.
  +
It's an integrated system with telescopes, photos and intelligence rewrites. Combining these together, it
  +
is possible to create satellites for surveillance by magic—it should be easier to understand in this
  +
direction.
  +
  +
It seems like a lot of trouble to construct these principles one by one with magic, but the King of
  +
Wisdom gave the answer, saying that it can be achieved with "physical magic", "spirit magic", and "space
  +
domination".
  +
Next, just send the detailed requirements to the King of Wisdom.
  +
Just doing that alone will create the magic I want.
  +
When this surveillance system is completed, gathering intelligence will become easier.
  +
It became safe, and it did. The amount of information we can get our hands on will also become so
  +
large that we can easily keep track of the enemy's movements, no matter how they act.
  +
One might think that there's something to be done with that when you're so busy, but it's a very
  +
important thing.
  +
He who controls information controls the world—even to such an extent that it is important, and so on,
  +
to control war.
  +
When the Russo-Japanese War was fought in the past, it was in the Sea of Japan, where the Japanese
  +
Navy, under the command of Heihachiro Togo, Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Fleet, wiped out the
  +
Russian Baltic Fleet.
  +
It is said that the most important subject in this naval battle is whether or not to encounter the enemy
  +
fleet.
  +
Predict where you will be able to catch your opponent and where you will be able to meet them. Had
  +
the guesses been wrong, there would have been no such battle in history. In terms of results, Japan would
  +
have lost the war too, right?
  +
In other words, that's exactly where we are.
  +
If the fighters were spread out, our troops would be at a disadvantage in numbers and likely to lose the
  +
battle. The ability to see through the Empire's movements and concentrate the fighters in the most suitable
  +
locations is what will make the difference to victory.
  +
Conversely, if the Empire has left their armies scattered, we can draw up a more detailed battle plan to
  +
break them up individually. In order to make the playing field favorable like this, and most importantly
  +
for us to actually win, this magic must be done.
  +
Although I'm being cool by saying this, in fact, the completion of the magic has come to the trial stage.
  +
  +
The reason why the King of Wisdom has been asking for it is because I want it to be more user-
  +
friendly, and it is my fine point in this regard.
  +
  +
Huh? I didn’t do it myself?
  +
Don't say stupid things like that.
  +
The King of Wisdom is my skill, which is to say it equates to me having to work on it myself.
  +
Thinking about it makes me think that I might be overworked lately. To combat the fatigue, I wanted to
  +
catch my breath a little.
  +
  +
After a long absence, I began to enjoy the black tea that Shion had made for me.
  +
During this period of relaxation, I intend to use the surveillance magic that has been done...
  +
"Lord Rimuru, I have an urgent report for you!”
  +
It was at this time that Beretta contacted me urgently through the "Communication Network".
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
His report was astonishing.
  +
A second group of Raiders who had broken through to the fiftieth level in the underground maze had
  +
appeared.
  +
To add, by the way, without further ado, the first people were Masayuki and his crew. There is currently
  +
an imminent war with other countries, so they are temporarily on hiatus, and their record break is 59th
  +
floor.
  +
Thanks to a few of them, the maze was in full swing.
  +
Every day, many challengers come and use it to bring us wealth.
  +
And of course it's good for the challengers.
  +
Over the course of the year, they have also become quite skilled. The teams that started attacking the
  +
30th floor one after another, created strategies to take advantage of the immortality phenomenon by using
  +
combat methods such as coming back from the dead or making their teammates be honorably sacrificed
  +
as living sacrifices.
  +
However, after breaking through the thirtieth level, those who encountered those traps for the first time
  +
would not only die, but the monsters would also begin to fight in collective action. If you use some evil
  +
and devilish ways, it will be very difficult to correspond.
  +
Still, there's no shortage of strong people among these challengers.
  +
Those who attack with proper play tend to be slower on their feet, but they are more skilled and more
  +
full of equipment. At the same time, the strength will increase. It's scary to get used to such things, and
  +
even when encountering vicious traps, some people will start to dodge them by instinct.
  +
That's roughly the case, the nearest frontline Raider Team is closing in on the 40th Floor Guardians—
  +
yet for now they're all stuck here.
  +
Because the floor guardian on the fortieth floor was the A- rank Tempest Snake.
  +
It was also one of the first black snakes I started encountering and was good at launching very effective
  +
spray attacks against whole groups of people. A lot of people were sprayed by this guy until their
  +
equipment broke and ended up coming to our stores with tears in their eyes.
  +
This time of year we'll be sweet enough to lend out equipment produced by the Jura Tempest
  +
Federation.
  +
  +
It's another good deal to break it and claim it against them anyway.
  +
Oops—thank you, Mr. Snake!
  +
Take away their previously earned savings from the challengers for us completely. I was going to say
  +
that this guardian is just that reliable, just that great, and can bring us wealth... It's a shame to be beaten
  +
down.
  +
And I heard that even the floor guardians of the fiftieth floor were taken out.
  +
It was fortunate that they had played some small tricks when they broke the barrier, which meant that
  +
the people who came this time were very strong. They took even the prize money, but it was just enough
  +
to offset it as a promotional expense.
  +
The maze was abuzz with talk of a new hero being born, and the event seemed to be even bigger than
  +
before.
  +
Regarding this fiftieth floor, I asked the wise monster to take care of the defense.
  +
Ordered the Gozu of the Bull Beast Clan and the Mezu of the Horse Beast Clan to take turns guarding.
  +
Those two weren't weak, and being breached surprised me well.
  +
After all, the two of them would compete against each other whenever they had the time, and would
  +
start playing around with ideas to make the fight more complicated. They are no longer fools who only
  +
rely on brute force and can tell when they have a mind in the way they fight.
  +
Now those two are less prone to strife, like good friends.
  +
As for the fifty floors that have these two people taking turns guarding, it occurred to me that when
  +
people break through this floor, I have pretty awesome prizes ready.
  +
Only the first time will the equipment be opened from the treasure chest with a 100 percent chance.
  +
That's the special-grade equipment—the Bull Head and Horse Face Series.
  +
The name is taken from Minotaur, guardian of the labyrinth. The gear is strong, strong as a mess.
  +
If a weapon is fired, it's a minotaur's battle axe or a horse-headed minotaur's battle gun.
  +
There are no shields, all that's left are defenses for all parts of the body.
  +
Originally I thought it should be a while before anyone hits this level, so I only seem to have about ten
  +
sets ready. But in terms of quality it's all first class. The high disciples from Kurobee gathered their skills
  +
to create these fantastic creations.
  +
It's a problem to be getting that kind of stuff, however what's more important is the fighting ability of
  +
these Raiders.
  +
That said, because of naming Gozu and Mezu, they got stronger. Being able to take these two down, the
  +
country is keen to cut their corners.
  +
If they are not willing to let us cut corners, they may become our enemies. That would be troublesome,
  +
so we anticipate watching these dangerous people.
  +
  +
For the above reasons, if the Gozu had been knocked down, someone would have contacted me
  +
urgently.
  +
That's why Beretta came to contact me just now.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
"So, how's it going?”
  +
"In your words. There are three breakers in total. Everyone has a unique skill.”
  +
Maybe it was someone I knew—I had speculated that, but it was overturned at once.
  +
Not only did it take three men to defeat Gozu, but they had unique skills. Not only that, they weren't the
  +
ones who had been active before, they were newcomers who had just recently joined.
  +
If it was a normal visit that’d be fine, but war was imminent, so it was likely that spies had been lured
  +
here by a decoy.
  +
It is necessary to gather detailed information about them.
  +
Because of this, I suspended the scheduled practice plan for monitoring the magic and headed for the
  +
command room located in the maze.
  +
***
  +
Going inside, I found that Ramiris and Veldora were already there.
  +
Dino and Vesta seem to have the day off.
  +
Dino is fine, Vesta seems to be working a lot lately, I hope he gets some rest.
  +
Ramiris and Veldora were in good spirits.
  +
These two probably don't know what fatigue is.
  +
It's called childish energy.
  +
Just do what you're interested in and you won't feel exhausted at all during this time.
  +
"Oh, there you are, Commander! No change in the situation has occurred yet!”
  +
I don't understand where the change didn't occur.
  +
Probably just say something decent.
  +
I looked to the image reflected on the big picture.
  +
Three young people are indeed reflected there.
  +
  +
It looked like they were breaking through those floors with a swagger of momentum. Not only that, but
  +
they fight in an extremely specific way.
  +
One person with a decidedly abnormal throwing power is catching the "air" throw.
  +
Something like an air-compressed bullet or something, right? It was absolutely impossible to do it with
  +
human power.
  +
It was a stout and tall man with coffee-colored hair. His five features were deep and he wore a tank top
  +
with jeans.
  +
That's right, tank tops with jeans. Just looking at that makes him seem like an "otherworldly visitor".
  +
Looking at the other two...
  +
One of the men covered his thin frame with a black cloak, the other wore lock armor, and the youth had
  +
a white coat over his body.
  +
White. That's right, a white lab coat.
  +
Often seen in research rooms or hospitals, it is the white coat that is everywhere. But it's not that
  +
common in this world.
  +
The white clad youth's five features looked like an asian man.
  +
He looks Japanese no matter how I look at him.
  +
That black cloak didn't matter, the man in the vest and the white youth should both be 'otherworldly
  +
visitors'.
  +
Those aside first.
  +
In the big picture, the battle goes on.
  +
This time the opponent was a powerful character—six other Necromancers joined the battle and
  +
attacked the three of them.
  +
So fast that the average person couldn't react, the Necromancer wolves approached their prey with a
  +
flourish.
  +
The Necromancer probably thought that pulling too far away would only result in a one-sided attack.
  +
Here, after the 50th floor of the underground, even the miscellaneous demons that appear have high IQs.
  +
By the way, just one Necromancer has a B+ ranking, and gathering six will be very tricky. And they are
  +
also necromantic, characterized by the fact that physical damage must be inflicted through holy attribute
  +
weapons or magic weapons.
  +
Their flesh is constructed of magical elements and will immediately regenerate even if they are beaten
  +
to a pulp. It's a very difficult thing to defeat without a countermeasure.
  +
One accident and they will bite you to death in one breath...
  +
"Don't underestimate me. I'm just a dog! Watch this...!"
  +
  +
Someone let out a shout, it was the brunette who had been catching air and throwing it earlier. This
  +
time picking up the dreaded battleaxe on his back and jerking it back vigorously there.
  +
This wave alone made the three Necromancer Wolves turn into balls of light and disappear.
  +
Ahhh, that thing! I was going to say that the dangerous-looking tomahawk looked familiar, and it
  +
turned out to be a minotaur's tomahawk.
  +
Since it was a special-grade weapon, of course it would carry magic. That is, it was a magical weapon
  +
that could inflict damage to the Necromancers with ease. The magic power possessed by that weapon
  +
alone could do damage to magical creatures.
  +
And the Minotaur's battle axe is, as a matter of course, also very good in terms of materials. The
  +
impression was that it was something that had been specially ordered, made from magic silver mixed into
  +
the magic steel. This is a holy attribute, and this weapon is specifically used to inflict large damage to the
  +
Immortal or Necromantic lineage.
  +
"That's right, if it's a minotaur's tomahawk, it only takes one slash to kill a necromancer wolf.
  +
"Mmm. That weapon seems to have been dropped by Gozu. Just picking up the weapon and being able
  +
to use it so purely, it looks like that person has a talent for fighting.
  +
I mumbled something there, and Veldora agreed with me.
  +
As I watched them fight, I listened to what had happened.
  +
At this very moment in the day, I wish I had potato chips to go with it.
  +
It looked like most of those fights before were also the same one where the coffee-haired man took the
  +
enemy down.
  +
After actually seeing it with my own eyes, I finally understood.
  +
The coffee-haired guy was really strong.
  +
So, what about the various traps?
  +
On that point, it was all the black cloak that quickly found out and told his companion the location.
  +
Beginning at the fifty-first level, some ingenious traps, or sinister traps that will kill those who
  +
encounter them for the first time, are officially employed.
  +
A look will reveal that the black cloak has all the traps correctly pointed out.
  +
That should be his unique skill. It can be said that such a member is indispensable in order to approach
  +
the maze.
  +
The last man in white has only made one appearance so far. I heard it was against Gozu.
  +
Veldora's commentary on them was baffling, so I asked the King of Wisdom to pull up the records of
  +
the Labyrinth's past. Next thing you know, it turns out he's actually done some pretty incredible things.
  +
He took a syringe out of his arms and administered the blow to both partners.
  +
  +
Immediately afterwards, Gozu's movements suddenly became sluggish.
  +
What kind of status change is conferred?
  +
<<Answer. It is poison. Based on the results of the analysis, we know that the attack on the individual
  +
named "Gozu" came from a neurotoxin. That room was filled with toxic gas that seemed to be able to
  +
hinder movement if someone was not resistant enough. No impact at this time.>>
  +
Ah, so it's poison gas.
  +
And it's free to match the opponent's modulation on the spot.
  +
Gozu's movements turned sluggish, just in time to become the mark of the brunette man.
  +
However, it was the man in white who sent him to the Western Heaven. He took a knife that glowed
  +
silver out of his arms and properly sliced through the veins in Gozu's neck.
  +
This man in white was the leader of the three of them.
  +
It's not that he barely gets a chance to play, it's that he's responsible for calling the shots.
  +
And it's not bad. The coffee-haired man, who appears to be the front man, can also move freely.
  +
They have a good balance and can be described as a good team.
  +
Just at this time, a knock on the door of the room rang out.
  +
The door opened silently, and Shuna entered the house.
  +
She brought a piece of paper with the three people who had been the subject of conversation just now,
  +
with the information the three of them had used to log in.
  +
"This is the information that the three men logged in when they entered the country.”
  +
Next, Shuna gave a bow and handed me the piece of paper.
  +
Sincerely: twenty-three years old, wizard.
  +
Mark: Twenty-six years old, fighter.
  +
Zhen: Seventeen years old, a hunter.
  +
A brief note on paper with their names and occupations.
  +
From a small country next to the Empire.
  +
When the merchants heard the rumor of the underground labyrinth, they came to try their hand at it—
  +
the purpose of entering our country is stated above.
  +
No, no, no, it's a lie any way you look at it.
  +
Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, also presents the results of the analysis of those three men. Just
  +
like Beretta had said, it looked like those three people each had unique skills.
  +
  +
These three would form a team and still come at the same time and teach people how to believe.
  +
A couple of points about the careers they propose also concern me a bit.
  +
In order to be a mage, you must be able to do more than two systems of magic, which is a more
  +
advanced profession. As for that ‘Sincerely’, he seems to have learned "Spirit Magic" and "Elemental
  +
Magic", and can be said to have great qualities.
  +
The same goes for the fighter, who must excel in both his use of weapons and his fighting skills. Under
  +
these conditions, at least one of each is required for basic fighting techniques and the weapons that will be
  +
used.
  +
If with a sword it is swordsmanship, with a bow and arrow it is shooting, among which there is
  +
throwing such things as throwing a short sword or throwing stones. To choose from a wide variety of
  +
weapons that suit you. It also requires flexibility, which is the ultimate in weapon use skills.
  +
That Mark seemed to be good at throwing abilities and using a spear in addition to fighting abilities,
  +
which felt very versatile.
  +
As for the last hunter, that can be called the top of the magic hunter.
  +
In the shooting technique, special emphasis is placed on the bow and archery and learning to the
  +
extreme, as well as using the "invisibility method", which is the most difficult in the technique. And one
  +
must also learn the skill of "crisis awareness"; one cannot become a hunter by talent alone.
  +
It is the most revered profession for those who are attached to the repression department.
  +
In a world where it's essential to be able to spot traps or magical creatures when exploring, there are
  +
very few people with that kind of skill. The situation is such that the only people who can become hunters
  +
seem to be members of the hunting nation, a difficult profession.
  +
All three have very rare careers, and they come in teams. Either way, it feels like they’re saying "please
  +
doubt me".
  +
"These three really look like the spies who took the bait.”
  +
"Yes. But would a spy reveal his identity as generously as this?”
  +
After my muttered words, someone picked up, a Diablo with a thin sense of presence.
  +
When I was doing the magic development, he was the subject of my consultation and was looking
  +
forward to the experiment of the new surveillance magic, but the experiment was interrupted because of
  +
this summoning, and he seemed very unhappy. His eyes seemed to be filled with hatred for the three
  +
people in the picture, but it turned out that judgment was still normal?
  +
"Ah, I wonder about that too. I used to think they might have to make a move, but the town is pretty
  +
stable.”
  +
This team is indeed suspicious, but the information documented above is really too candid.
  +
Did they really write those things honestly—to give rise to such doubts, even as to the ingenious battle
  +
plan to make us suspect a dark spirit?
  +
"Rimuru, you're overthinking it, aren't you? Don't you always say honesty is most important too?”
  +
  +
"Say what? More than that, how to entertain the challengers is the most important thing right now!"
  +
No way, I envy you both, neither of you have to use your brains.
  +
They shouldn't be bothered, I'm starting to envy Veldora and Ramiris.
  +
Never mind.
  +
Whatever the truth is, it's definitely important to pay more attention to these people.
  +
The dark-haired young man in white was named Sincerely.
  +
I think Sincerely is a pseudonym. Either way I look at it, I think his name should be Shinji (***I think
  +
that Shinji has a meaning or a sound similar to ‘sincere’ in japanese which is why the pseudonym refers
  +
to what Rimuru thinks is his real name).
  +
The brown-haired guy is Mark.
  +
He didn't just throw air bombs, but also things like the corpse of a magical creature, a dropped rock, or
  +
anything that could be caught, as if he could throw anything.
  +
He also grabbed a live magical creature and threw it out to smash two skeleton warriors into pieces at
  +
the same time, causing me to almost spit out my tea as I watched.
  +
He looks like he should really be a fighter. Deftly manipulating the minotaur's battle axe, he knocked
  +
those dead spirits down one after another.
  +
The man in the black cloak was Zhen.
  +
This guy definitely has an eye for seeing through traps.
  +
At first, I thought it was "crisis awareness", but seeing that he could avoid all dangerous places
  +
beforehand, I thought it was probably due to his unique skills.
  +
Originally the vicious trap after the fifty layers was more threatening than the powerful demon.
  +
The Immortal System's magical creatures don't need to breathe, and to avoid unnatural situations, we
  +
adjust the composition of the air. The room without oxygen was so violent that even if you accidentally
  +
stepped in it, you would die immediately.
  +
Others prepare poisoned water, acid swamps, corrosive gas rooms, etc.
  +
Not only the flesh, but even the equipment is damaged, and very annoying various traps await the
  +
challenger.
  +
Those insidious traps are exactly the character of the producer, and the design concept of the Fiftieth
  +
Levels is to use these dangerous traps to hinder everyone.
  +
Yet the trap was so thoroughly seen that it's pointless.
  +
On top of that, their sense of direction seems to stand out, not being fooled by the spinning floor,
  +
simply taking the shortest distance forward.
  +
  +
The labyrinth obviously makes no sense at all.
  +
If they suffered some injuries, the white-clothed youth, Sincerely, would heal them. If he can also break
  +
down toxins, can't seem to expect those traps to have much effect.
  +
Although there are only three of them, they are particularly well suited to Raid the Maze.
  +
Just like that, three days passed.
  +
The three of us, me, Veldora, and Ramiris, had fun watching Sincerely and the others raid the
  +
Labyrinth.
  +
No, they're not meant to be used as a reference model to replace their own maze!
  +
That's the one—just admiring the beauty of a master fighter.
  +
Diablo was reading a book in one corner of the room, and Shuna was teaching Shion how to make
  +
snacks.
  +
On top of that, Shuna poured fresh tea for the three of us.
  +
Today's drink is black tea, but the apple aroma inside is soothing.
  +
"By the way, Rimuru, what do you mean those people took the bait?”
  +
Well, what are you talking about—it dawned on me that I was talking about a conversation from three
  +
days ago.
  +
The sluggishness is not on par with a dinosaur, but he's still Veldora.
  +
"It's okay if you don't have to care about that.”
  +
"That's a little out of line, isn't it? You can tell me.”
  +
Usually I don't give a damn about such things, but today I'm particularly obsessed. Well, it's okay if you
  +
ask me.
  +
"So I said, actually...”
  +
So much so that I decided to explain it to Veldora.
  +
Uppercut means literally.
  +
We have additional asylum training. The reason is that we've been able to do something as exaggerated
  +
as isolating an entire town directly into an underground maze.
  +
The inherent ability of "labyrinth creation" in Ramiris is really impressive. I knew she could replace
  +
floors, but didn't think even the above-ground metropolis could be replaced as a floor.
  +
Although the isolation was carried out, it was fixed for twenty-four hours. But there is no need to worry
  +
about water or air. It should be said that the sun can still be seen and does not seem to be too much of a
  +
burden on the minds of the residents.
  +
  +
Of course that requires a very strong force, and this is the time to look for him—we have Veldora-kun
  +
here.
  +
Because of this, our approach to warfare was primarily to segregate towns in time of war.
  +
—and practiced it several times, which is the bait we sow on spies.
  +
Only one door was left in the ground, and that was the junction to the maze that looked as suspicious as
  +
it said it was. In discussing with Benimaru they came to the conclusion that the other side would
  +
definitely come and investigate.
  +
"So it is. Thanks to Master, my power has also increased! It seems like a big help, which is great.”
  +
"Huh-huh, so. Thanks to me? I see.”
  +
Veldora looked at me with a look that was very much intending to be complimented.
  +
This guy is a pain in the ass, I thought to myself, but thanks to Veldora it was the truth.
  +
“Geez—that was a big help, Veldora-kun~”
  +
"Kuahahaha! I guess so, that's it! So, can I have this cake?"
  +
That won't work...!
  +
This cake is one that I'm going to keep and enjoy.
  +
“In that case, please have my share.”
  +
Oh, Diablo, thank you!
  +
“Sorry."
  +
"If anything, it's no big deal if it’s for Lord Rimuru."
  +
He’s so reliable.
  +
Then I will respectfully submit to Diablo's kindness.
  +
Enjoying the cake on one side, my eyes looked to the big picture.
  +
Immediately afterwards, the group challenged the floor guardians that were about to challenge the 60th
  +
floor.
  +
"Since we know they're spies, shouldn't we take them in?”
  +
"No, I want to test their strength and see how far they can go forward. It's a big loss to pay a bonus, but
  +
they fired up the atmosphere so that should be fine.”
  +
The big deal is to still arrest them and get those things back anyway.
  +
Now let them think we're going to booze and come and use these people completely.
  +
“That’s Rimuru for you."
  +
  +
"So dirty! Your ideas are genius!"
  +
Obviously complimented by Veldora and Ramiris, why am I not happy?
  +
Shuna looked at the few of us with dumbfounded eyes.
  +
"That's a failure. Didn't expect to fire the Minotaur's battleaxe the first time. That one is a holy
  +
attribute, and the damage to the Immortal or Necromantic lineage is greatly increased.”
  +
"I can't believe we're having a first-return limited-edition giveaway. We seem a little overwhelmed..."
  +
The guardian of the sixty levels is Adalman.
  +
Just like in the old days when he was King of the Dead, he went to meet the challengers, so I let him
  +
take the title of "Immortal King", but...
  +
One has to lead the army to play to Adalman's strengths. If he was the only one, actually weaker than
  +
Gozu or Mezu, there was always the feeling that there might be a regrettable result this time too.
  +
And Adalman is a dead spirit and is very vulnerable to holy attributes or light attributes.
  +
As long as Mark had the Minotaur's battleaxe in his hands, the odds of Adalman's victory were slim.
  +
I did make some suggestions with Adalman, but this floor boss is actually a trap.
  +
There wasn't a lot of expectation for the strength of the floor guardian, so I think it's okay to give the
  +
challenger weapons that can attack weak points.
  +
I'm sorry Adalman.
  +
Unfortunately, there's no way to stop those three on his own.
  +
Well, it's probably my fault, just please forgive me.
  +
For the above reasons, I was more looking forward to the 70th level of the Guardians.
  +
***
  +
The "Immortal King" Adalman spotted an invasion of his jurisdiction and his fleshless lips lifted
  +
upwards.
  +
Teeth rubbed slightly, making a tiny sound. It was hard to tell, but Adalman smirked to himself.
  +
"You seem to be in a good mood, Lord Adalman.”
  +
Someone opened their mouth to Adalman, the man who had been his beloved comrade long ago.
  +
This man was originally a Templar and his name was Albert.
  +
Even when Adalman was set up to die, he always followed Adalman.
  +
  +
After becoming a member of Rimuru's ministry and taking the last seat, Albert became a lower-ranking
  +
magical creature called a skeleton swordsman. To even be able to exist in the world was good luck, so he
  +
becomes something very weak.
  +
Certainly even less likely to speak.
  +
Today, however, Albert speaks fluently.
  +
Why is this?
  +
The reason is actually very simple.
  +
Because the current Albert is no longer some skeletal swordsman, nor is he a Necromancer who
  +
evolved several stages backwards.
  +
Rather, he’s a more powerful character—the Paladin of the Dead.
  +
Since he is a dead spirit, he will not possess flesh. Yet he stood there with the same posture he had in
  +
his life. Only there were blue ghostly flames flying around, and his skin was a miserable white color, so it
  +
was obvious that he was not a living person.
  +
Adalman had no attachment to the flesh of his life, and preferred the present posture, with only bones
  +
left. But Albert seemed to think differently, and since he had been given a much larger amount of magic
  +
power than the Necromancer, he was now free to rely on the magic vein structure flesh.
  +
Albert still had a fondness for the way he was when he was alive, and that look made him proud.
  +
He becomes a young man with a fresh face—strange to say that the dead are fresh.
  +
Guided by seemingly dangerous equipment, a glance at Albert could tell he was no panhandler.
  +
"Well, I'm certainly in a good mood. Albert, it looks like a guest is coming.”
  +
Hearing that, Albert nodded happily too.
  +
"So you're here at last?”
  +
These two befriended each other so well that they knew everything about each other, and with a little
  +
conversation they were heart to heart.
  +
"Mmm. This moment has finally come. Lord Rimuru, the demon lord, has given us peace of mind,
  +
which will now help that lord. Since he has given us such a powerful power, you must know that we must
  +
not lose our temper like before.”
  +
"Of course. I, Albert, understand perfectly.”
  +
"Well, it looks like I was nosy. It's probably because he was so excited that he started nagging about it."
  +
Immediately after, the two of them looked at each other and flashed smiles at each other.
  +
In addition to them there is another one.
  +
“Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!"
  +
  +
A ferocious and violent roar roared through the interior of the city of death.
  +
"Well, I see you're looking forward to it, too. All right then. Use your power well today. We have to
  +
prove our faithfulness to god!”
  +
It's both serene and thick.
  +
The enthusiasm of those three men enveloped the room.
  +
Adalman's faith died for a time, and demon lord Rimuru became the god of his renewed faith.
  +
Months passed after a bitter defeat.
  +
He hoped to be able to contribute to Rimuru, and in just a few short months, Adalman had taken back
  +
the power of the King of the Dead, which was nothing compared to the heyday.
  +
Adalman's faith has become so strong.
  +
In Rimuru's perspective though, he only felt that faith was too much to bear.
  +
Not only that, but he was also thinking in his mind, ‘Sorry, you guys shouldn't have a chance to win,’
  +
and was already looking forward to the next floor guardians. Adalman and the others were completely
  +
unaware of this matter, and everyone was in full force.
  +
This time it has to be—no, it can't be the next time.
  +
Failure is not allowed, he must keep winning.
  +
Adalman and his partner were full of energy, thinking that the foolish intruders should come over soon
  +
and start discussing countermeasures cautiously.
  +
***
  +
A fierce battle opened and ended in the blink of an eye.
  +
It was a real battle—I’d like to make that comment, but it was too much of an understatement to say.
  +
I had even prepared poker cards in order to defuse the boredom, but those were completely useless.
  +
The result was a landslide victory for Adalman.
  +
The win was glorious—glorious to the point of being speechless.
  +
It wasn't that the challengers were weak, and they weren't sick or injured.
  +
Those people seemed to be in good physical condition and full of energy. But at these levels, Adalman
  +
and the others are even better.
  +
This time the challenger was very strong.
  +
Their skills are also analytically complete and I think they should be better than Adalman.
  +
Those three people were all above level A, and each of them had unique skills.
  +
  +
The unique skill of Sincerely is called "Healer", and it is a very rare skill. Through that skill, you can
  +
manipulate the construction of tiny viruses. If the other person is a creature, it seems to be able to still
  +
destroy from within the body. It also seems to be able to manipulate the air components and spread tiny
  +
attack viruses.
  +
Honestly, that's too good to be true. If the opponent is a living creature, there's probably no way to beat
  +
it, right?
  +
Without a microscope, there was no way to distinguish those extremely small attacking bodies, and if
  +
there was no way to see those things, it should be impossible to win over Sincerely right now.
  +
And of course he can administer therapy. That's superior to medical nanobots, a skill that's also
  +
excellent in terms of its versatility.
  +
Then there's Mark, whose power is the exclusive skill "Thrower".
  +
As long as it's something that can be held in the hand, it seems that anything can be lost. Seeing as he
  +
can hold magical objects in disgrace, being able to lift things seems to apply to this skill as well.
  +
If combined with magic that manipulates gravity, it could be more tricky than your average mass
  +
weapon. Rather than being used against a single individual, it may be more effectively used, especially
  +
against the military.
  +
Finally, there are the skills of Zhen, which contain many convenient skills.
  +
His unique skill, "Observer", contains "Intuition Avoidance", "Crisis Sense", "Trap Sense", "Magic
  +
Object Sense", "Breath Sense", and seems to be able to see even the smallest of sincere attacks. Combined
  +
with his individual fighting abilities, he was especially good at running away. Not only is he fast, but he’s
  +
also a natural enemy of the maze as it won't be countered by traps.
  +
That's about it.
  +
Those skills that look good let me be the reference.
  +
Everyone is excellent, and those three have a tacit understanding, no wonder they’re so strong.
  +
I think it's understandable to think that these three would be able to beat Adalman.
  +
However....
  +
In the intervening months, that Adalman guy seems to have grown substantially.
  +
Without self-willed magical creatures, it is impossible to increase the fighting ability substantially from
  +
the initial value. It's a different story if one lives for decades, but nothing will change in just a few years.
  +
But Adalman and Albert...
  +
"I say, what's going on? Why have they become so strong with Adalman?”
  +
And what is that dragon?
  +
This time, the floor guardian has an evil dragon he's never seen before in addition to Adalman and
  +
Albert. Standing nearly ten meters tall, his body exuded a terrible darkness.
  +
  +
From which side do you bring such things...?
  +
What was going on when I went abroad to inspect the town that was out of town?
  +
"Hey hey hey, you're scared! Actually, we've been keeping it a secret. Didn't you equip them, Rimuru?
  +
They seem to be having fun, so they exercise hard! And there's also the fact that the concentration of
  +
mana in the maze is high, right? Because of the absorption of these magical elements, both Adalman and
  +
Albert regained their original power!"
  +
The spoof worked! That's probably how I felt when Ramiris spoke to me.
  +
Indeed, a closer look will reveal that Adalman has evolved from a Necromancer to a Necromancer
  +
King. I didn't notice because he was all bony and had luxurious clothes, in fact his magic had become
  +
very big.
  +
  +
There was another person, Albert who seemed to have evolved beyond the Necromancer into a higher-
  +
order magical being like the Necromancer Paladin.
  +
  +
"That Necromancer King and Necromancer Paladin, both of them have the equivalent amount of mana
  +
to a high ranked demon general...”
  +
"Kuahahaha! It's a small cast, but they've worked hard to get the glory for us!”
  +
To say that they evolved speaks volumes, but the level of reinforcement has been overwhelming.
  +
"Then I ask you, what is this dragon like?”
  +
"Hey, don't you know about it Rimuru? That's Adalman's pet!”
  +
Pet....?
  +
Well—so to speak... Adalman seems to have said he wanted a pet, but I didn't expect such an evil
  +
looking dragon.
  +
This dragon is a Necromantic Dragon that stands at the pinnacle of the Necromancy. Because of the
  +
fact that Shuna and the rest seemed to be familiar with this opponent, people assumed that I was also in
  +
the know.
  +
I was actually negligent in this matter as well. I can't help but feel that reporting, liaising and
  +
negotiating is really important.
  +
So, let's take a look at the most important part, which is the combat content.
  +
There's not much more to say about that.
  +
Adalman didn't move half a point from his throne. On the left hand side, there was a Necromantic
  +
Dragon sitting.
  +
Albert alone came forward to fight, but he took everyone down directly.
  +
As for the minotaur's tomahawk in Mark's hand, it was simply too late to be of real value. Blocked by a
  +
spite spirit sword that was also a special-grade weapon, Mark was simply beheaded.
  +
  +
Zhen looked so surprised that he couldn't speak, and in that instant there was a break. Albert didn't let
  +
go of this great opportunity, and with such speed that one would think he had disappeared, he launched an
  +
attack on Zhen in response. This alone will end Zhen's career.
  +
“What!?”
  +
Sincerely was surprised, but he hurriedly released the divine magic 'Spirit Holy Cannon' towards
  +
Albert. That's the kind of magic that Paladins are good at, and there aren't many people who would use it
  +
in general. It's not even on the application form at the time of logging in, so this should be a sincere stunt.
  +
This spell is great for a quick attack that hits Albert directly.
  +
It looked like he could get away with it. Was it too much for Albert—he thought so, so he didn't have to
  +
worry. Because there was no need to hold back, Albert didn't act.
  +
"That's a lie!"
  +
Aiming with astonished sincerity, Albert swung down his sword.
  +
It's over when you get to this side.
  +
Albert is also an immortal, so the holy attribute should be a weakness, right?
  +
If anyone thinks that way, the sentiment is the same as mine.
  +
Definitely true.
  +
The reason why Albert is fine lies with Adalman.
  +
That's Adalman's killer technique—the add-on "Holy Reversal".
  +
<<Answer. The "Holy Reversal" is a mystical mystery created by the individual name "Adalman". The
  +
effect of this skill can replace the "Holy" and "Magic" attributes.>>
  +
Thanks to this skill of Adalman's, Albert converted from a magical attribute to a holy attribute.
  +
That wouldn't affect the equipment, but Albert would still be dead and wouldn't be absorbing essence. It
  +
seems that even property changes don't seem to be a problem.
  +
If the creature is one of your own, don't worry about developing resistance.
  +
Holy dead, what a joke this is—think of it, because of Adalman's "holy reversal" and the event thus
  +
becomes a reality.
  +
Adalman they are necromancers, able to resist attacks of various attributes. As far as physical attacks
  +
go, most of them don't hurt.
  +
They have overcome the weakness of holy attributes. In this state, the average challenger can be said to
  +
be at a loss for words.
  +
With no use of the magic I teach, Adalman and the rest have won.
  +
The situation was such that the three of them were defeated in just two or three strokes, turning into
  +
many small balls of light and retiring.
  +
  +
***
  +
"Did you see it? O, my god Rimuru? We win for you!”
  +
Looking at the high pitched Adalman, I had a thought.
  +
It seems like Adalman and the others are going overboard as the 60th level of defensive play.
  +
Under the impression that I did say to Adalman that against a group opponent just use the group back.
  +
In response, they did abide by my admonition that no opponent facing an offense sent more men than
  +
they did.
  +
But that's fraudulent.
  +
What's that?
  +
<<Answer. Special Class A—Three catastrophe classes appearing at the same time, all of which can
  +
wipe out a small kingdom.>>
  +
The way it looks, they should have something else to hide.
  +
I'm going to wait until it's over before I question Ramiris, and I'll comfort the Adalman group for now.
  +
"Well done, Adalman! It's not convenient to be so far away, so you can come to this command room."
  +
"Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! Thank you very much, I'll be at your side in a minute!”
  +
He's as polite as ever.
  +
Forget it, it's only like Adalman.
  +
"Albert can talk now, too, can't he? Bring him along.”
  +
"Yes, sir. What about the Necromancer...?"
  +
"Let the dragon take care of the house anyway.”
  +
“Yes!"
  +
The Dead Spirit Dragon looked as if it was sad, but I refused with an iron heart this time.
  +
Up to ten meters, that's too big.
  +
If it was the dedicated hall of the Veldora, located on the 100th floor of the ground floor, it would be a
  +
different story; this commander's chamber is not that big. Sad as it is, please give it up.
  +
I ordered Shion to prepare black tea for Adalman and Albert, and the next moment she asked me with a
  +
serious expression.
  +
"They're all bones. Is there a way to drink them?”
  +
“.......”
  +
  +
Yeah, that's right.
  +
Albert seems to be in the flesh? But Adalman is still a skeleton, right?
  +
Having said that, can they at least enjoy the scent?
  +
"It's the heart that's important at a time like this.”
  +
"So that's it, I see!”
  +
The two of us talked while we waited for Adalman and the others to come over.
  +
"Long time no see, Lord Rimuru!”
  +
"I am grateful to see you in your presence.”
  +
Adalman and Albert knelt before us.
  +
Instead of looking through the big picture, the two are viewed up close. Their power soared that it even
  +
made one wonder if it was the same person as before.
  +
"Well, good on you guys. Your name is Albert, right? You're very good. And Adalman, as a Guardian,
  +
you've done very well. Keep up the good work in the future too!”
  +
"Well, I'll have to ask you guys to do the same.”
  +
Before I could talk to them, Veldora and Ramiris stepped in to motivate them. If you don't speak first at
  +
a time like this, you get more and more worried about what to say.
  +
Well, let's not get too hard on the words.
  +
“Geez, that's really it. It's been a long time since I've seen you guys, and you've grown so much, it's
  +
amazing to me.”
  +
That's not growth anymore, it's evolution.
  +
Those three challengers were so good, I thought I'd have a hard time dealing with them on my own—
  +
that sentence was swallowed hard. Even if I really feel that way, it's better not to say it—it happens
  +
sometimes.
  +
“Yes...!"
  +
Adalman and the rest were touched by a million things.
  +
To force away some of the guilt, I asked them to sit in a chair.
  +
"It smells really, really good. If someone else had bought us a drink, I would have thought they were
  +
being sarcastic..."
  +
Ah, so that's it?
  +
Is it too much for someone who can't drink?
  +
  +
"But this is an invitation from Lord Rimuru, and the scent alone heals the mind, feeling all the fatigue
  +
in the body gone.”
  +
That's fine, except that the person who made these teas was Shion.
  +
"Yummy. It's like manna with a sweet, sweet aroma. I am grateful to you for this brief moment of
  +
immense happiness.”
  +
You two are overdoing it...
  +
Albert seems to be using the magical vein to structure his flesh.
  +
Probably only possible in a maze, temporary flesh.
  +
"Adalman, aren't you going to create a body of flesh like Albert?”
  +
“Huh?”
  +
"Nothing special, just wanted to say this way, you can even enjoy black tea, right?”
  +
"Say, say, maybe so, but I personally seem to value the atmosphere more..."
  +
So it turns out, I don't quite get it, but Adalman has his preferences I guess. Since that leaves no room
  +
for me to interject.
  +
"If that's the case, I won't force you.”
  +
So I decided to change the subject.
  +
"By the way, the additional skill 'Holy Demon Reversal' is a good focus. Just developing something
  +
like this shows you're working hard.
  +
"Thank you! On that sort of thing, Mr. Beretta also assisted. Besides...”
  +
I changed the subject and went to ask about the "holy reversal”, only to hear a surprising insider's story.
  +
Didn't realize it had anything to do with Ruminas.
  +
"Lord Ruminas said to me, 'Consider this a repentance,' and the Beneficent gave me a mystical ritual,
  +
the reversal of day and night. Mr. Beretta used a unique technique called 'Heavenly Evil Ghost' to modify
  +
it, and as a result, I learned it successfully.
  +
It is said to be so.
  +
When Ruminas said she wanted to "make amends", she meant to turn a blind eye to the fact that the
  +
Seven Celestial Sages were out of control.
  +
Why did Granbell exclude the capable Adalman? My reasoning on this point is as follows.
  +
With the exception of Granbell, the other Seven Celestial Sages were desperately trying to find a way
  +
to exclude the Adalman bar in order to avoid having their status threatened. But Granbell felt that
  +
Adalman had to overcome that level of trap to be of use to himself.
  +
Adalman and the others fought the dragon and lost both. Maybe Granbell didn't see it coming.
  +
  +
An enemy of even this magnitude can't be defeated, can't be a guardian of the human race—I always
  +
felt things should be like this.
  +
It was the sight of that lone figure, the way Granbell looked before he died, that gave me the idea.
  +
But it's a bit uncomfortable to talk about that kind of thing.
  +
Hopefully someday Adalman will find out for himself. With a prayer in my heart, I changed the subject
  +
again.
  +
"That's great. I'll go and say thanks to Ruminas afterwards too, Adalman!”
  +
“Yes!"
  +
"If it's you, you should be able to defeat the floor guardian currently in charge of the 70th floor, right?”
  +
"What do you mean by that?”
  +
Faced with a confused Adalman, I decided to elaborate.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
Currently the sixty-one to seventy levels are all magic puppet zones.
  +
These soldiers have no blood or tears, and do not know what fatigue is. As far as the special geographic
  +
guardians go, a few of them are even equipped with the guns we tried out.
  +
As for the types of traps, most are vicious, with organs such as mines. Not to the point of death though,
  +
we mainly wanted to set it up for the repartee spellcasters to use as a practice field.
  +
Other than that, the things that we use as floor guardians are new machines that transform the Holy
  +
Spirit Guardian Giant.
  +
Kaijin helped, too, and finally Vesta got these things done.
  +
The high defenses built with Magic Steel are still there, and they've managed to make them smaller and
  +
lighter. Track performance has increased dramatically and the driver's seat protection is flawless.
  +
Such things have no self-will and are constructed to allow the driver to ride. The ability to operate from
  +
a distance using the NIKIKI is also excellent.
  +
It should currently be being controlled from a distance by Beretta.
  +
If it's operated from a distance, it doesn't matter if you come across a tiny attacking virus. The bodies of
  +
those things were made of steel, and even the battle axe of a minotaur would not work. Not only that,
  +
there were several layers of armor on his body, and he was also blessed with the 'magic obstruction' from
  +
Charybdis Scales.
  +
It is the completely invincible Guardian of Steel.
  +
This is the holy guardian statue, the Floor Guardian Colossus
  +
  +
Sincerely and the rest could not break through the 70th level. I've been pretty sure of that before.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
But this time, when I saw Adalman and the others fighting, my thoughts changed.
  +
"Veldora, who do you think is stronger between Adalman and the Floor Guardian Colossus?”
  +
"Mmm. It must be Adalman."
  +
"Right? That's it, Adalman. I'm going to make you go up to the seventy level.”
  +
Sure enough.
  +
Since Veldora thinks so, I should be right about that too.
  +
<<Answer. The individual named "Adalman" is more powerful than the floor guardian colossus...>>
  +
Ahem.
  +
It's all about the atmosphere, not the numbers.
  +
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...! In response to Lord Rimuru's expectations, the younger
  +
Adalman will work even harder at whatever comes his way.”
  +
“Brilliant Albert, you will give your full support to my master, Adalman.”
  +
Kneeling before me, Adalman and Albert so proclaimed.
  +
After just a short while, their strength has shifted dramatically.
  +
The holy guardian statues weren't weak either, but honestly, they lacked the aura of a floor guardian.
  +
On top of that, being broken again would be overwhelming. If you don't actually put the "soul" in when
  +
you use it, you can't be affected by the power of Ramiris. There's no way to do random experiments and
  +
see if it comes back to life when it's broken.
  +
If these things had self-will, the situation would be different.
  +
Or is it better to let someone actually control it?
  +
No, why not just get possessed, that way you might not have to deal with it as a prop...
  +
It's just a shame we don't have that kind of booking plan. So there's nothing wrong with letting
  +
Adalman upgrade them.
  +
"Yes! Then from today onwards, exchange the fifty to sixty floors with the sixty-one to seventy floors
  +
for me.
  +
"Got it, I got it!”
  +
That's it, floor shifting within the maze.
  +
  +
***
  +
I praised Adalman and the rest, and decided to swap floors.
  +
With that done, I was about to order Adalman and them out of the room.
  +
And yet at this very moment...
  +
"I think we've come to the end of our conversation. I have something I want to report to you."
  +
Diablo, who had been so quiet just now, spoke up.
  +
"What is it?"
  +
"It is so, my servant Razen has made a magical communication with me, saying that he wishes to make
  +
an urgent report to Rimuru. It was as if his former master had come this way, and the man seemed to wish
  +
to pay an audience with Lord Rimuru. I heard his name was Gedora.
  +
Um...what?
  +
<<Answer. In several Magic Guide books, the author's name is written about this character.>>
  +
Sounds like a very famous person.
  +
Razen was also known as an excellent Grand Mage, but his Master was even more famous.
  +
I'm kind of interested, and meeting him is fine.
  +
"Isn't that a trap? It's really suspicious that we're about to have a showdown with the Empire to meet at
  +
this time.”
  +
"Yes! With a suspicious person like that, there's no need for Lord Rimuru to meet him deliberately!
  +
Shion is on full alert, and the suspicion is greater than mine.
  +
It's not that I don't understand what she means. After all, these are sensitive times, and since she's a
  +
member of my pro-war team, protecting me from unnecessary danger is part of the mission.
  +
My vigilance is a bit weak, and it's best to listen to the minions at times like this.
  +
"Indeed. It is Razen, and his opinion is used without taking it all in stride. I don't think I need to go to
  +
him for questioning.”
  +
Diablo took that for granted, but he was just afraid of trouble, right?
  +
Since both secretaries were against it, the matter was off—halfway through the conversation, I noticed
  +
that Adalman seemed to be very impetuous.
  +
So, I actually understand how Adalman is feeling right now.
  +
During a meeting with a superior officer, I was about to leave after the conversation, when a visitor or a
  +
call came. Because I didn't want to disturb my boss, I just stayed put and wasted that time, feeling sad.
  +
  +
I want to go back, but I can’t—that's often what happens when you leave society.
  +
Hey, is it just me?
  +
Anyway, those things don't matter.
  +
"Adalman, I'm sorry we got off topic. It's okay for you guys to go first.”
  +
"Ah, no! Don't worry about us, but compared to that...”
  +
“Hmm?"
  +
"Actually that one, this one...”
  +
“Hmm?”
  +
"I was just talking about this guy Gedora..."
  +
"It's been said.”
  +
"I wonder if he's my friend.”
  +
“What?"
  +
I couldn't help but stare at Adalman, and as a result he became flustered and displayed bizarre
  +
demeanor.
  +
No, I don’t take you for a traitor. The level of panic on the other side makes one want to say that.
  +
I wanted Diablo to wait a bit before replying and decided to listen to Adalman in detail first.
  +
It sounds like a thousand years ago, Gedora and Adalman were good friends. Since the other party
  +
should have already died, it was not surprising that Gedora was a great magician, even if he used the
  +
mysterious spells he created to extend his life.
  +
It seems that the person who saved Adalman by using the mystical Upanishad "reincarnation" was
  +
Gedora.
  +
The name Razen also struck Adalman, and he wondered if the man was one of Gedora's long-ago
  +
apprentices—one of the senior ones.
  +
As Adalman spoke more and more, I began to think that it was Gedora himself who was right.
  +
“Diablo."
  +
"Yes, sir. I'll grind out the dates and set up the meet-and-greet talks.”
  +
As expected of the more competent secretary. Just calling him by his first name tells me what I'm
  +
thinking.
  +
The other, dumber secretary seemed okay with it, so I decided to see Gedora for a bit.
  +
***
  +
  +
After the defeat at the sixtieth level, the three of them, Shinji’s group, experienced the so-called death
  +
back to the original point for the first time.
  +
When they went back, many people told them they had worked hard, or encouraged them loudly, others
  +
cursed and made jokes, and others comforted them, saying that it could not be helped, and people said all
  +
kinds of things to them.
  +
The battle scenes inside the labyrinth are broadcast exclusively by the Jura Tempest Federation, and
  +
Shinji’s group has gained high popularity for their challenge.
  +
Of course, if the screening can be decided by signing the contract, the person concerned is free to
  +
choose or refuse. But for two reasons, Shinji and the others decided to sign the contract.
  +
The first reason is that a portion of the screening revenue will go into their pockets.
  +
The second reason was that after the rush to fame, he thought that his personal safety would be secured.
  +
It is within the enemy's sphere of influence and famous people are less likely to be assassinated. In
  +
addition, it will only be shown when you are fighting against a floor guardian, so you don't have to pay
  +
attention to it even on the way. The amount of money that was able to get seemed substantial, and in
  +
Shinji's opinion there was no reason to refuse.
  +
Faced with Shinji's decision, the other two were okay with it. That's why they signed the contract, and
  +
as a result there is now such a reaction from the crowds around them.
  +
"What a pity. We can work on it more and challenge it again another day.”
  +
"No, no, no, no, no. That's not gonna cut it. What the hell is that monster? The speed of his sword is
  +
simply extraordinary, and the skeleton man sitting on the throne is a legendary magical creature, right?”
  +
"I guess it's the King of the Dead. Even the great monster, the one who is in charge of the plagues of
  +
death, is not even in sight.”
  +
"So, the dragon is alive? It looks like it's more than just decorations, if even that dragon joins the fray,
  +
humans really don't stand a chance of winning, do they?”
  +
And so on and so forth, there are many questions.
  +
Shinji they laughed at those words and managed to avoid such a scene.
  +
"Anyway, let's look forward to Masayuki.”
  +
"Now you'll have the same record as Masayuki-sama. If you want to win over them, you can find a
  +
strategy to defeat that floor guardian while Masayuki-sama is busy preparing for the war.”
  +
"That makes sense. I've placed a bet that you guys will win. I'll leave it to you next time!”
  +
Turning their backs to these voices, Shinji’ group returned to the hotel where they were staying.
  +
As soon as they entered the inn, the three men collapsed on their beds.
  +
"Hey, what's next?”
  +
"Don't do it. Give me a break first.”
  +
  +
Mark looked for Shinji to speak, but Shinji was exhausted. They challenge the level demons with full
  +
energy, but the difficulty is so high that it makes you think that 59 levels were cute before.
  +
Coming to the 60th floor, even the stray monsters that appeared were well trained. The magical
  +
creature, known as the Necromancer, had a self-willed mind, and also carried the soldiers underneath to
  +
launch a surprise attack.
  +
Shinji and his party manage to beat them down and come to the main floor guardian’s room with
  +
dismal results.
  +
Zhen pointed this out to him, and Shinji got up from the bed.
  +
He sat on the bed, a sigh escaping his mouth.
  +
Mark and Zhen also climbed up and the three sat face to face again.
  +
"What's the report? That enemy can't be beaten. I didn't expect the depths of the maze to be so
  +
difficult.”
  +
"Yeah, it went pretty well up to the 59th floor. But what about the 60 layers? The Elder Necromancer
  +
would lead the Necromancer and prowl in small groups. The average soldier will only get killed if he
  +
encounters something like that!”
  +
"Should be.”
  +
“...those magic creatures are not simple. Arriving at that level suddenly became guarded. Not only the
  +
knight who defeated us, but also the Skeleton Man and the Necromantic Dragon who sat on the throne,
  +
making one wonder if the three of them were the hidden demon lord.”
  +
The three of them began to speak out loud.
  +
Probably too excited to care at all how the other person reacted.
  +
"Before yesterday, I was able to get away with it, but today, my remaining strength is gone.”
  +
"And the skeleton man. It's the guy sitting on the throne, it's the King of the Dead. If someone could
  +
use advanced identification magic, they should be able to see right through him. But I can't compare it to
  +
what I saw on the screen!”
  +
"Exactly. If we do run into this kind of guy afterwards, our side won't be able to handle it.”
  +
“...seriously, I don't want to challenge a second time.”
  +
Hearing Zhen say so, the other two shared his opinion.
  +
“That Necromancer didn't even join the fight. It seems to be only responsible for exuding the majesty
  +
of kings, not moving half a point from the throne.”
  +
"The minotaur that looks like a normal floor guardian is also equivalent to level A in strength. Using his
  +
strength as a benchmark, sixty layers is too much fortification, right?”
  +
“...this part is really exaggerated. I think the fifty tiers were trying to get the challenger to fall off the
  +
wagon before.”
  +
  +
"But now we'll know for sure. With such a powerful demonic creature guarding it, there must be a
  +
ghost in that maze.”
  +
Shinji so asserted.
  +
"Possibly. After all, the knight who called himself Albert was strong as a mess.”
  +
"The equipment is different from the others. When Mark was in combat, I took the opportunity to try to
  +
qualify him, and to my surprise, he wore all of the quality top-notch stuff.”
  +
"No wonder. It was thought that with my minotaur's tomahawk I could hack him up along with his
  +
weapon.”
  +
"That's to say that the weapon you found just happens to be used to fight the guardian monster,
  +
something that only happens in video games...”
  +
"That's true. A few of us seem to have gotten ahead of ourselves.”
  +
“...hmm."
  +
Later, the three of them looked at each other, and a deep sigh escaped their mouths.
  +
Talking over here, the three finally calmed down a bit.
  +
They made their own tea and took a break to catch their breath.
  +
"Do you want to take on the challenge again tomorrow?”
  +
"Are you serious?”
  +
"...we are no match for them. No matter how many times you fight, you’ll lose.”
  +
"I guess so.”
  +
"Those people were talking about the hero... I think it was Masayuki that Yuuki-san mentioned, right?
  +
I heard that it's just a lucky teenager, I don't think he's ever gone to challenge the sixty levels.”
  +
"No, I don't think so. I've heard that he's done well before and hasn't even died once.”
  +
"What about the others?”
  +
"I heard that the people in the top ranking are challenging for the 50th floor. But they don't seem to
  +
have a playing contract, and the highest record of having been shown is the 50th floor that Masayuki
  +
challenged. There are a couple of other groups challenging forty levels, and that's about it.”
  +
Even if a screening contract is signed, it's not as if it's tracked on every floor. The camera will only
  +
capture the Floor Boss Room on every tenth floor. In addition to that, I heard that sometimes the
  +
interview team would walk with the challenger for reasons like events.
  +
It's because of Shinji that they challenged the sixty layers in this situation that they burst into red in a
  +
flash. They were breaking records one after another, and that's why they became the ones who signed the
  +
bet.
  +
  +
"I think someone told Masayuki the secret behind it. It says that there are still hidden level monsters on
  +
the 60th floor."
  +
"In that case, it's understandable that we would lose. So there are two strong magical objects in total,
  +
and the other one is a dragon. The balance of that maze is too poor.
  +
There should be towns after that.
  +
The three of them just talked and took those words to comfort themselves. Not only that, but discussion
  +
of future intentions began.
  +
"Now that we're all so conspicuous, there's no way we can continue to be spies.”
  +
"There's no problem. It's been explained before, so we'll be safer.”
  +
“...we only have the maze to investigate anyway.”
  +
"Shall we wait for Lord Gedora? Just the few of us, no matter how many challenges, won't help, right?”
  +
Or is it going to be a practice? Mark asked half-jokingly at this point.
  +
Hearing that, Shinji responded with a bitter smile.
  +
"There must be something going on. The guardian of such a thing is extremely powerful, should we
  +
report this to Yuuki-san?”
  +
"Tell him how great the maze is, by the way. It's supposed to expand by some kind of magic, it's big
  +
and deep there, not like it's built by hand.”
  +
“...the battle strength is also exceptionally strong compared to the other floors—that’s something I
  +
can't forget to say.”
  +
Since Mark had said that to Zhen, Shinji nodded his head without saying a word.
  +
"I know. So when we're done, do you want to do some sightseeing?”
  +
The order of precedence was decided, and they were to move quickly.
  +
The three regrouped and came out into the night streets.
  +
***
  +
Shinji and his entourage came tentatively to the outskirts and began reporting in order.
  +
Briefly compiling the report and transmitting it to Yuuki, after about ten minutes of that, Yuuki
  +
contacted them using the 'magic communication'.
  +
"Hey, you guys seem like you're in good spirits. That's great.”
  +
"Up until yesterday, I was in good spirits, but today I'm in bad shape.”
  +
"Ahaha, it looks like I've suffered a lot. What about your plans for the future? What are you going to
  +
do?
  +
  +
"See your master. It's impossible for us to break through the sixty levels alone, even if we wanted to
  +
sneak in, there's no way to do so inside the maze.”
  +
"I think so, I know. Then I'd like to ask one thing.”
  +
“Please?"
  +
"Just say what you feel. How strong is that 60-story barrier?”
  +
Ask Shinji how strong they are, and only they will be able to hear the meaning of this paragraph.
  +
It means to compare it to the Imperial Emperor's Order of the Near Guard, and the opponent's rank is
  +
roughly equivalent.
  +
Yuuki's question had Shinji pondering.
  +
Shinji wasn't interested in the battle for rank within the legion. He wasn't so intent on making a name
  +
for himself that he didn't even participate in this rowdy battle.
  +
Because Yuuki picked him up, was kind to him, and took good care of him, Shinji wanted to return the
  +
favor before he did anything under him. Shinji did not want to help the criminal organization, so he chose
  +
to join the army. Later, Yuuki became the army chief, and Shinji, who was originally in the Mecha Corps,
  +
was transferred to the Mixed Corps.
  +
Among the 'otherworldly visitors', several of them were in line with Shinji's thoughts. Not wanting to
  +
show their power, those who live their lives casually in order to avoid taking on too much responsibility.
  +
The strengths of these people were opaque, and it was still unknown if the Near Guard was really the
  +
strongest group, but nominally this group was definitely the strongest group within the Empire.
  +
In some ways it will certainly be used as a benchmark for ranking strength.
  +
"Let's see, I can at least squeeze into the top 50. Those at the bottom of the ranking shouldn't be able to
  +
defeat the floor guardians.”
  +
"Are these comments only for the knight named Albert?"
  +
"Yes. Ah, I don't know if I can use this as a reference, I used to be a doctor in the army and had to take
  +
part in the High Rank Demon General crusade mission. There was a slight glimpse at that time, and the
  +
amount of mana was about the same as the King of the Necromancers seen today.”
  +
"Are you talking about the Lakeshore Dyed in Scarlet Incident?”
  +
"Yeah, right. That's the one."
  +
"Got it. Very informative. Then you can enjoy yourselves before you meet Master Gedora.”
  +
After saying that, Yuuki ended the 'magic communication'.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
  +
Regarding the Lakeshore Dyed in Scarlet Incident, it was one of the ominous events that took place in
  +
Imperial territory.
  +
The imperial vassal state, which is adjacent to a beautiful lake, intends to betray the empire by saying
  +
that they want independence. The country was not fighting as well as the empire, and their king resorted
  +
to certain means, and that became the fuse of tragedy.
  +
He used forbidden occult spells to summon demons.
  +
The king ordered the court magician corps to summon the strongest demons that could obey their
  +
orders, and those court magicians complied.
  +
As a result, the demon summoned up the High Rank Demon General and destroyed that small country.
  +
With a population of less than 10,000, this small country has no chance of winning against the Empire.
  +
Even so the king decided to be independent and there was a corresponding reason behind it.
  +
There was an only daughter under the king, and the nobles of the empire wanted this princess as his
  +
beloved servant.
  +
The empire was so powerful that the emperor used not to bother with the movements of the smaller
  +
countries. All the territory was vested in the emperor and given to the nobility to administer.
  +
It was up to the nobility to decide how to govern these dependencies.
  +
There was a frontier count in charge of the area outside the capital who used the emperor's power for
  +
his own good, something that was common within the Empire.
  +
And the demon wanted the princess of that kingdom.
  +
The king flatly refused, however the head court magician went mad at the sight of the demon and
  +
agreed to the demon's request.
  +
As a result, the demon showed an evil smile and possessed the princess.
  +
The king was furious. But his anger was immediately replaced by fear.
  +
Because of the acquisition of flesh, demons began to rage.
  +
As a result, the small nation perished, and the matter was passed back to the Empire proper, where they
  +
decided to send men to suppress the demon.
  +
If they had moved any slower, it would have spawned a second Guy Crimson.
  +
The blood of the inhabitants of the small country stained that beautiful lake and turned its waters red.
  +
It was the creepiest thing in the Empire's recent centuries of history, arguably the most tragic in history.
  +
Someone stepped in to solve the Lakeshore Dyed in Scarlet Incident, a Mecha Legion that had
  +
branches throughout the Empire.
  +
On the surface.
  +
  +
Yet this is not in fact the case. Shinji, who had joined the army, watched from a distance as the high-
  +
ranking demon generals that his own troops couldn't help, were defeated by a few soldiers stepping in.
  +
  +
This whole thing is also very suspicious.
  +
It was true that the aristocrats were playing favorites, but that demon had not even spared the nationals
  +
of his own country, and Shinji thought that the truth should be at odds with those rumors.
  +
After all, the speed at which the empire had begun its operations had been too fast.
  +
When it happened, the news came back to the Empire, and then they decided to send soldiers to crush
  +
it, and also to prepare the crusading force.
  +
If it took that much time, the demons would have been done with physical possession.
  +
Yet things didn't turn out that way.
  +
Just the fact that the Empire hadn't allowed the demon to succeed in gaining flesh was proof enough
  +
that the Empire had known from the beginning—Shinji thought so.
  +
He wasn't going to speak his mind to anyone else.
  +
Seeing how powerful the people who fought the demons at the time were, he realized that some things
  +
in the world were still better without knowing it.
  +
Those people are probably the first few masters of the Order of the Near Guard...
  +
If one were to go up against those people, no matter how hard Shinji tried, he couldn't win.
  +
The two sides are simply people of different worlds.
  +
That's why Shinji lost interest in the battle of the rows.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
Letting out a breath, Shinji finally let out a sigh of relief, at which point Mark spoke to Zhen to find
  +
him.
  +
"Is it over?”
  +
"...hard work.”
  +
"Yes, that's what reporting to someone is all about. Master will come over later, so let's go relax until
  +
then.”
  +
"Yeah. So Shinji was a survivor of the Lakeshore Dyed in Scarlet Incident, huh?”
  +
"...and I'm glad I got my life back.”
  +
"Yeah, I faked my own death to get away with it, but I was able to come up with that.”
  +
  +
"No, no, no, it would be awesome just to survive. Isn't there almost no chance of survival for that
  +
thing?”
  +
"Just say it. It made people not want to do it a second time—and then again, I was in the army as a
  +
doctor, but it didn't help much.”
  +
“...Huh?”
  +
"No, because the person who was attacked died on the spot, there was no chance to heal them or
  +
recover. So I had to get away with it as soon as possible.”
  +
"That sounds really tragic. Is a high-ranking demon general really that scary?”
  +
"The demon I saw is no longer something that two words can describe as scary. Honestly, I felt like I
  +
had an eye to eye with the other person, but the other person seemed to let me off the hook. Just thinking
  +
about those crimson eyes makes me want to pee my pants.”
  +
Seeing the two men with a surprised look on their faces, Shinji smiled and said the words.
  +
"But you said that we are on the same level as such a dangerous high-ranking demon general, so how
  +
can we possibly defeat that skeleton man?”
  +
"...are they really of the same class?”
  +
"At best, it's the same amount of mana. The longer you live, the stronger you are, the so-called demons.
  +
About the one I saw, it's just my guess, but she should have lived a long time.”
  +
Otherwise, the Empire's superiors would not have taken that response. Just as he was about to get that
  +
out, Shinji swallowed the words back again.
  +
"It's useless to care about such things anyway. My country seems to be developing machines that can
  +
investigate the strength of its opponents, but I don't think there is much point. The one called Albert was
  +
actually the same, if you look at the amount of monster element, he was too strong for people to imagine.
  +
But just think about when you were in school classes in the past, whether a fight was strong or not wasn't
  +
just about physical strength, right?”
  +
"Yeah, I know what you're trying to say.”
  +
“...hmm."
  +
"That's what it's all about. That means that among the monsters, there are those whose strength is
  +
unfathomable. You guys just have to remember that.”
  +
Shinji said that these things had nothing to do with himself and others, and the other two listened and
  +
decided to stop thinking about it."
  +
***
  +
The three men changed their moods and rushed in before the Freedom Association's office was even
  +
closed, selling the 'magic crystal stone' and unused equipment to the resource department.
  +
"It's amazing, it's a deep 'magic crystal' with a world of difference in quality.”
  +
  +
"Another weapon with holes in it? And it's made of pure 'magic silver', so it's not available in other
  +
countries.”
  +
Blah, blah, blah, those guild members were happy.
  +
If the target of trafficking is strictly selected, there should be more benefits to be gained. But Shinji and
  +
their purpose was to infiltrate the investigation, not wanting too many people to know them.
  +
And it's a good price to sell to the Freedom Association.
  +
Despite the bottlenecks in the investigative mission, a lot of income was generated. These days alone
  +
have made them a lot of money.
  +
Those who join the army receive an annual salary.
  +
The money will be paid in advance and if there is a promotion, the excess will be made up next year.
  +
It doesn't matter if you don't have any money on you, just join the army and you'll get your reserve that
  +
day. The military would first count the number of days left in the year and then pay that money to those
  +
people as part of their pay.
  +
Basically the military has nothing to lose. Even if a soldier dies in battle, the money paid in the first
  +
place can be used as part of the condolence money.
  +
The general soldier, Private, receives only his salary.
  +
The amount is ten gold coins—the equivalent of a million won a year.
  +
The military would take care of their food, clothing and shelter, a large amount for those without
  +
money.
  +
There is also a step increase or various allowances, and sometimes a hazardous duty allowance.
  +
Mark and Zhen's rank is Lieutenant, and Shinji is a Major with a military medical qualification.
  +
Although there is no power of command, they are treated with courtesy in every way.
  +
Within the Empire, "otherworldly visitors" are treated well. There were at least some second lieutenants
  +
available, and compared to those people, Shinji enjoyed more favorable treatment.
  +
As for Shinji and the others, their income is also a lot more than the average soldier.
  +
There were thirty-six gold coins for the addition of the rank of lieutenant.
  +
The addition to the rank of Major was forty-four gold coins.
  +
Just one step up will add four gold coins.
  +
Mark and Zhen can get about 50 gold coins a year. Shinji, on the other hand, is a little over seventy.
  +
The military pays more than the average salary for the average person, but doesn't go so far as to give
  +
people a lavish life. If they go to a more remote place, they will become rich, but prices are high in
  +
Imperial City. That being said, the conditions of existence in this world are harsh enough to allow them to
  +
break away from the military and stand on their own.
  +
  +
The mere fact of being able to live a peaceful life is attractive.
  +
But this time they learned one thing.
  +
The three of them can live together in the labyrinth city without having to wait for the army.
  +
The proceeds from this sale alone were more than three hundred gold coins, and the money earned
  +
from this mission in a short time was more than the annual salaries of the three of them combined.
  +
Plus they could still get their own special-grade equipment, if the Imperial side hadn't sent it to them,
  +
they wouldn't have had a chance to get it in their lifetime. It is not too much to say that such a result is a
  +
bumper harvest.
  +
All three of them noticed it, but kept their mouths shut. Then they continued in silence, taking silent
  +
steps.
  +
The three of them dined at a restaurant that is considered to be a high class restaurant in the Capital
  +
City "Rimuru".
  +
“I haven't enjoyed it this much in a long time.”
  +
“...how about this? Selling the equipment without permission.”
  +
The more timid Zhen Liu Xing said with trepidation.
  +
However, Shinji and Mark were unfazed.
  +
"It's okay. It's not like they're all sold, there are still some samples left.”
  +
"Besides, we can't take them all back anyway. Just leave the ones of better quality and the higher-ups
  +
won't complain.”
  +
The loot obtained in the course of military operations all belonged to the military unless they were
  +
given permission from above to seize it. And this time, even if all the equipment was taken, they couldn't
  +
have any complaints.
  +
But their mission this time is to investigate the maze, hiding their identities and pretending to be
  +
adventurers. It's more natural to act accordingly, and it's okay to treat this income as a small benefit.
  +
And Yuuki shouldn't have asked them to hand over the loot either. Other than what was necessary,
  +
everything else would surely give way to the Shinji line.
  +
"But if all the money we get is taken away, we'll seriously consider moving then, won't we?”
  +
Hearing Shinji say this, the other two people also felt the same way.
  +
One gold coin is equivalent to 100,000 won.
  +
Coming to the Empire is of equal value.
  +
The gold coins circulating in the market are from the Dwarven Kingdom, and the Empire defines those
  +
coins as official gold. Since it's the same thing, bringing it back will work.
  +
"I think it really works.”
  +
  +
"...hmm. Not long ago, I thought it was a joke, but I think I'd be happier trying.”
  +
While Shinji only half meant what he said, Mark and Zhen's intentions were higher than expected.
  +
The Empire is really at the forefront of culture and technology and is great urban.
  +
The food was good and the stay was comfortable.
  +
As long as they have money, they can still have a good life, even compared to the old world.
  +
However, they were attached to the army. The risk of death does lurk behind it.
  +
As far as that goes, that underground maze can be described as perfect.
  +
Because they don't have to worry about dying.
  +
I was half-trustful at first, but after the actual experience, there was no room for doubt.
  +
Since they don't have to worry about losing their lives, wouldn't it be better if they could just make
  +
their money there and have a good time every day? There is no reason why they should think so.
  +
There is no point in having money for nothing but entertainment. But there are many playgrounds in
  +
the Capital City, Rimuru.
  +
There is a place called the Colosseum that is open to the general public on days when there is no
  +
activity. This time of year residents seem to be able to go over there and have fun. Various sports with a
  +
playful nature, such as football or baseball, are popular, and those who are maze-challengers seem to be
  +
having fun with them.
  +
There are also spas or opera houses.
  +
According to the survey, there are plays being performed there, and they are full of activity every day.
  +
As for the deliciousness of the food, it's not on par with the Empire—no, it should be above the Empire.
  +
There are a wide variety of desserts and a wide variety of sakes, all of which are often eaten in Japan
  +
and are nostalgic. Even the dishes that are not available in this world have been successfully recreated,
  +
which appeals to the Shinji-like people from Earth.
  +
Seriously, the only person they owe favors to is Yuuki, and it doesn't look like Yuuki wants to be hostile
  +
to demon lord Rimuru. That being the case, even if Shiinji moved a few of them to live in this country,
  +
they shouldn't be seen as traitors.
  +
"Although running away from the battlefield is punishable by death for treason, it's not a time for war,
  +
is it?”
  +
"Yeah, Shinji. I was also wondering if it should still be possible to petition for retirement and leave the
  +
army in this way, right?”
  +
“...It's up to Yuuki-san to decide.”
  +
Once the war started, they would turn into a fringe, and thankfully it was still the usual. Explained
  +
differently, they could also leave the military in the form of a discharge, perhaps with that possibility.
  +
  +
"The problem is...war is coming.”
  +
At this point Mark muttered something.
  +
The reason they can't make a decision. The question now mentioned is why.
  +
What is certain is that war is about to begin and the place will be shrouded in war.
  +
If that weren't the case, they would have decided to move in a long time ago.
  +
"Which side do you think will win?”
  +
“...so to speak, what should we do if we are ordered to attack this city?”
  +
Three people you look at me and I look at you.
  +
Just now I thought the meal was delicious, but now it's suddenly tasteless. Once again, they thought to
  +
themselves, please give me a break.
  +
The three had only been in town for a short time, but they loved the town and didn't want it to
  +
disappear.
  +
There's another point.
  +
Judging from the strength of the floor guardians inside that maze, they vaguely imagined that the
  +
strength of the leaders in this country should be very great.
  +
"Thinking about it logically, the guardians responsible for guarding important facilities are certainly
  +
strong, right? However, assuming that the members of this country's army are weaker than the Guardians
  +
—that would be wishful thinking on our part.”
  +
"I thought so. At the very least, demon lord Rimuru's strength should be above the average person. I
  +
heard that the evil dragon called Veldora had once wiped out a city, and that didn't seem like a joke. Even
  +
that Necromancer King is no exception, I think he has the potential to annihilate the city.”
  +
Mark's words struck a chord with Shinji.
  +
The fact that this country's magical creatures seem to have the potential to trigger a similar disaster.
  +
"That's just my guess, but they seem to be able to manipulate even high-ranking magicians and nuclear
  +
strike magic, which should be on par with so-called nuclear weapons by Earth's standards.”
  +
"That's how it should be. Our common sense would be to think, "We'll win if we have more people,"
  +
but there's no point in sending a bunch of people to fight the demon lord at that level.”
  +
"A warrior of our rank would not have won without sending dozens of men.”
  +
The three men looked at each other face to face and were troubled there.
  +
Just the next moment, Gedora contacted the three of them with a 'thought communication'.
  +
***
  +
  +
An old man bowed before me.
  +
In the back were the three challengers who had seen it through the big screen yesterday, and they all
  +
bowed to me like the old man.
  +
The old man's name is Gedora.
  +
It was through Diablo and Razen that he asked to see me.
  +
The dress code didn't look flashy, but he wore what looked like a very high level of mantle on him. The
  +
eyes were sharp, not at all like old people.
  +
Sincerely, just as I expected, his real name was Shinji.
  +
His real name was heard to be Shinji Tanimura.
  +
The other two people seem to have originally used their real names.
  +
All three seemed to be under the Great Wizard Gedora. They were all said to be working under Yuuki,
  +
this time assisting in the investigation, temporarily loaned to Gedora.
  +
Those things are what they're telling me now.
  +
Gedora posed like this right after he finished speaking, and Shinji and the others followed his example,
  +
but it was impossible to talk properly at all.
  +
"Ah, actually...I had already guessed that might be the case. By the way, there's no way to have an easy
  +
conversation in this state, is there? Let's go somewhere else, shall we?”
  +
When I finished, Shion nodded.
  +
"Put your face up.”
  +
Somehow, she swore high and mighty.
  +
That's why I find it complicated to visit people.
  +
It felt like it was bound to be in the wrong order at some point, and honestly I wasn't very keen to do
  +
that.
  +
"Obey, obey...!"
  +
Seeing Gedora promise with great exaggeration, I couldn't help but think ‘the next talks might be
  +
troublesome too.’
  +
The location changes to a cheaper reception room.
  +
Because this side is more peaceful.
  +
The more expensive reception rooms are also made of superior materials, making me afraid to mess up
  +
the place. If one accidentally spills the tea, that alone could leave a stain on the premium carpet...
  +
What kind of people live in those kind of places. For me, a small citizen, the more approachable
  +
furniture makes me more comfortable.
  +
  +
Shinji and the others seemed to think so too, blushing better than just now.
  +
"Black tea or coffee, which do you prefer?”
  +
I asked bluntly, and Shinji reacted to that statement.
  +
"Then, then, I'll have coffee.”
  +
“Shi-Shinji...!"
  +
Gedora, whose face had changed drastically, cried out, but I placated him and told him to take it easy.
  +
"What about Mr. Gedora?”
  +
"Old, old man? Then, then—just like Shinji.”
  +
Huh? Could it be that there's no coffee in the Empire?”
  +
It seems to be there under impression, maybe not so popular.
  +
I looked over to Mark and Zhen, who also nodded sullenly.
  +
Looks like they want some of the same.
  +
"Shuna, four cups of American coffee!”
  +
"You mean Americano?”
  +
"Ah, you want something strong? Should I mix the coffee then? Or is it the proud Tempest of this
  +
country?”
  +
"No, no, no, it's not that, it's because..."
  +
“Hmm."
  +
"Wouldn't His Majesty Rimuru be a visitor from the otherworld?”
  +
"Is that right?”
  +
Huh, you didn’t know?
  +
It's a basic skill to gather this kind of information, isn't it?
  +
Thinking about this side, I looked around at the expressions of the four of them and only Gedora had a
  +
'bad' look on her face. It looked like he had known it all along, but had forgotten to tell the other three.
  +
Forget it, that kind of thing doesn't matter.
  +
"Then let's talk in depth.”
  +
The coffee prepared by Shuna was given to everyone, and the table had milk and sugar on it. I decided
  +
to listen to what Gedora had to say first, without bothering to look at those people, such as Shinji, whose
  +
faces were moved.
  +
  +
Shinji whispered after taking a sip of his coffee, "This is so good!” But being stared at by Gedora, it
  +
was nice of me to pretend not to see.
  +
"I am actually a reincarnationist."
  +
That's when Master Gedora suddenly uttered words that surprised people.
  +
The other three were also so surprised that they turned their heads to look at Master Gedora.
  +
Since a long time ago, Master Gedora has wanted to be the Great Monster Mentor who rose to the top,
  +
and I've heard him go back and forth to be born several times.
  +
Each reincarnation would go around looking at the secret collections of the various royal palaces,
  +
accumulating a huge amount of knowledge.
  +
One of those times he went into hiding for magic research, and it was at that time that he met his later
  +
good friend Adalman.
  +
"As I said earlier, I hate the Holy Church in the West. I hate them because they killed my friend
  +
Adalman. So for hundreds of years I have been working on a plan and decided to incite the Empire.”
  +
Speaking of which, Gedora began to reveal himself.
  +
Knowing that Adalman had been set up, he vowed revenge. He then went to the Empire alone, slowly
  +
gaining people's trust in him.
  +
He still seems to have experience fighting with Veldora, and the past seems to be more climactic than
  +
one might think.
  +
"Seriously, doing the reincarnation ceremony beforehand is the right thing to do. Because I want to see
  +
with my own eyes the limits of the 'monsters' that come naturally..."
  +
In this world, only four “true dragons" were born, and they stood at the pinnacle of magic, the strongest
  +
race in this world.
  +
Because of the experience of having actually fought, Gedora did not think the Imperial Army would be
  +
able to defeat Veldora.
  +
And he uttered these words right in front of Veldora's own eyes, and isn't Veldora peeping at me with a
  +
happy expression on his face?
  +
Please don't do this, really.
  +
I think you're great too, but I don't think that compliment is necessary.
  +
"No, it should be said that tactics have a chance to win, but those fools want to dominate Lord Veldora.
  +
Frankly, I have repeatedly persuaded them that it's impossible, that it's useless to do that, that they should
  +
give up.”
  +
Gedora was only interested in the West—it should be said that he wanted revenge on the Ruminism
  +
religion, and so didn't want to divide his forces over something boring. That is why he tried so desperately
  +
to emphasize the reality of the situation and to convince those people, but the army chiefs thought too
  +
highly of himself and reportedly did not listen to him at all.
  +
  +
However...
  +
Gedora's nature doesn't seem to be a bad one, as those words suggest, and yet he seems to have been
  +
the one who drove the growth of imperial hegemonism.
  +
I asked him to omit the irrelevant part, and I inquired in detail about the recent developments.
  +
"In other words, the reason why the Empire started the war was mainly because of your connections?”
  +
"Well, one could say that's partly true..."
  +
No way, although he said it vaguely, but either way think the reason is out of this old grandfather.
  +
Presumably noticing my deteriorating mood, Gedora hurriedly began to explain.
  +
"It's not like that! The empire was originally hegemonic, and had it not been locked in one direction,
  +
the whole world would have been affected by war. That's why I let them lock on to the West. It just so
  +
happens that it's the same as my purpose, so I'll just go with the flow—something like that.”
  +
What just now?
  +
Then we were simply swept by the tail of the typhoon!
  +
"I also opposed their invasion of the great forest of Jura before. I didn't want to end up like the last
  +
time, so I proposed to stir up the Dwarf Kingdom, but I didn't realize that many people were too stupid
  +
and wanted to solve everything by force..."
  +
Gedora lamented so, but I didn't have time for that.
  +
"Wait a minute! Is the Empire really planning to strike at the Dwarven Kingdom?"
  +
I always thought that it should not be so, but now I have to take into account the combat operations
  +
through the Dwarven Kingdom as well?
  +
"You've noticed? What Gedora said was not something so specific as asking them to send out troops. I
  +
personally want to make an alliance with King Gazel to turn a blind eye to our military actions. After all,
  +
the only thing the old man hates is the Western Holy Church...”
  +
Gedora already knew that Adalman was safe and sound, and had long ago made an appointment to see
  +
him when the meeting with me was over.
  +
It is also because of this that Gedora found himself working in vain and has now changed his position
  +
against the war.
  +
His relationship with the emperor also seems to be good, but not in a position to be able to petition for
  +
the withdrawal of military plans. He would therefore advocate against war at the conference.
  +
That being said, his handling was a little too easy, but with Gedora's help I might have said less if I had
  +
been able to avoid war.
  +
Anyway, try to get information out of him.
  +
  +
Benimaru and the others also stayed in the other room, eavesdropping on our conversations while
  +
conducting combat sessions. It was my job to get Gedora to willingly give it all away.
  +
"I don't suppose King Gazel promised?"
  +
"Yeah, of course not. So the Imperial side was going to resort to assassination, but Gedora was against
  +
it. I think that if I'm going to do it, I'm going to attack it righteously!"
  +
Now is not the time to say such things with a proud face.
  +
Old Grandpa Gedora was more like a martial artist than I thought.
  +
Feeling dumbfounded, I questioned further.
  +
I asked what's going on inside the Imperial Army and what their higher-ups are thinking.
  +
There was even a surprising amount of information asked about Yuuki's attempted coup.
  +
I asked for all the information that Gedora knew.
  +
Finally he began to blurt out his heartfelt words off the cuff.
  +
"Don't look at me like this, I don't owe the Empire anything. The legions nurtured by me were
  +
disbanded and all the minions were taken away. It's because Shinji and the others are my disciples that
  +
they're here. Adalman is all right—it’s a bit of a stretch to say, but he's doing well, so I don't have any
  +
more attachment to the Imperial side.”
  +
He says he is downright selfish and has nothing to do with so-called loyalty.
  +
This old man really isn't a cover.
  +
A glimmer of respect for him sprouted in my heart, and that was the secret.
  +
"That's the way it is. If I can be a part of His Majesty's plans, I'll work for you, even if I'm with you,
  +
and I'll die for you!”
  +
Daring to assert that you have no loyalty and having that courage to say that you want to be my servant.
  +
I don't hate this guy.
  +
However, Benimaru and the others were in the next room, taking in the conversation here. I have a
  +
feeling that Gedora's attitude is going to set him on fire and it might take a lot of work to placate him
  +
later.
  +
Immediately after that...
  +
We took old Grandpa Gedora as a guest and decided to hire him for the time being.
  +
Since he himself said he wanted to be my subordinate, I'll let him do his job.
  +
I don't expect his allegiance to me, but should be able to expect it.
  +
Anyway, after he meets up with Adalman, I give him permission to "teleport" to the 70th floor.
  +
  +
His knowledge should come in handy, and maybe even make him an assistant to Ramiris. But before
  +
that it was expected to first get him back to the Empire and ask him to do one thing.
  +
As for Shinji and the rest, the three of them will move directly into this country. They seemed to want
  +
to relax and rest before they could figure out what to do in the future.
  +
After some persuasion from Gedora, they themselves offered to join, so I had no reason to refuse.
  +
If they betray us, I’ll drive them out of this country. They didn't seem to want this to death, and even
  +
swore allegiance to me.
  +
Only Shinji and the others seemed to respect Yuuki and didn't want to behave in a way that was hostile
  +
to Yuuki. There's really nothing wrong with that.
  +
"We have a complicated relationship with Yuuki's gang. It probably feels like a truce right now.
  +
Honestly he's done a lot of things that piss people off and I would love to get revenge on him, but I just
  +
can't seem to hate the guy.”
  +
Even if Yuuki was that virtuous, he was still Miss Shizu's disciple.
  +
Thinking about how happy Ms. Shizu was about Yuuki before, I couldn't help but want to forgive him.
  +
I thought it was too naive myself, but we are, after all, from the same country.
  +
This kind of thing is absolutely unprecedented, but those things were reserved for the time being.
  +
Having said that, it would be another matter if someone asked me if I believed him.
  +
Go ahead and trust that kind of guy, no matter how many lives are not enough in this world.
  +
"You too, better not trust Yuuki too much.”
  +
When I say that, somehow Gedora keeps nodding his head.
  +
It seems that he has a feeling about it too.
  +
Yuuki and Gedora not only knew each other, they seemed to have a partnership. It seems that being
  +
able to be a bridge between us and Yuuki, perhaps making Gedora our partner is the right thing to do.
  +
Gedora's reluctance to over-trust Yuuki alone suggests to me that he is trustworthy.
  +
After that, I asked Gedora to meet with Adalman.
  +
They both missed each other.
  +
Because Adalman had promised to take Gedora in, he is currently being sent to him first.
  +
But before we do that...
  +
After asking for all the information, I ordered Gedora to go back to the Empire first and act according
  +
to my plan.
  +
It starts with anti-war activities.
  +
  +
"Is this possible?”
  +
"Leave it to this old man. I'm used to getting my hands behind my back.’
  +
Well, I guess so.
  +
That said, it's impossible to make a national policy stop at the whim of one person, as a matter of
  +
general logic.
  +
Not to say I don't believe in Gedora, but I think it's better to think of a filing.
  +
"If I can get the war to stop, that's what I'd like to see the most. But by the sound of those words, I don't
  +
think it should be easy. The empire espouses hegemonism, right? In that case, there's no stopping them
  +
once they're out in force."
  +
“But......”
  +
"So if anything, I hope you introduce them to this maze.”
  +
"What do you mean?”
  +
No matter how many casualties there were in the maze, there was no problem.
  +
That's why I said that to Gedora.
  +
"So that's why I'm planning to weaken the Empire's war power in that place, so that they lose their
  +
fighting spirit.”
  +
"That's it. Also, Yuuki should take the opportunity to act as well, once there's a commotion on the
  +
Empire's mainland, there's no way for the Empire to continue pushing for war, right?”
  +
I'm not sure things will go so smoothly, but coming to the maze without death or injury is a fact.
  +
I explained this to Gedora, giving him several pieces of equipment from the labyrinth, and three
  +
"resurrection bracelets". Wanted to use this as bait to sell Maze to the Empire.
  +
It's also tricky to get attacked from behind from a military perspective.
  +
I don't think they should leave the labyrinth behind and just head west, but if they can make each other
  +
feel like they can still gain treasure by entering the labyrinth...
  +
"So it is. Your ideas are really great. This old man already knows which commander is greedy, and His
  +
Majesty Rimuru's ploy will surely succeed.”
  +
Gedora took this task with confidence.
  +
If things go well, the war will have ended.
  +
If not, introduce the Imperials into the maze.
  +
Again, it's all up to Gedora's work.
  +
These four outlaws were received by my country at my whim.
  +
  +
And just like that, with unexpected company, the commotion ended.
  +
Chapter 4: The Empire is Out
  +
There is a strange man in the Empire.
  +
His name is Kondo Tatsuya, an 'Otherworldly Visitor', a man who was well aware of the dark side of
  +
the Empire.
  +
Because he is representing that very dark side of the Empire.
  +
Adorned with neat short black hair. The smooth bows drape around his eyes, giving a softer, more
  +
serious look.
  +
At first glance he appears to be an upstanding youth.
  +
He looks young, under twenty-five.
  +
Yet he is cold by nature.
  +
His face is expressionless, and his eyes are shining, so sharp that he stares at his opponent, giving
  +
people the illusion of seeing through everything. There was not the slightest glimmer of gentleness in his
  +
eyes, giving the impression of old cunning.
  +
It's no wonder.
  +
Tatsuya Kondo, Lieutenant Kondo, was not as young as he looked.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
In this imperial capital, 'otherworldly visitors' are not so uncommon. That was the approach taken by
  +
the Imperial Capital to bring these people to the Imperial Capital from all over the world in the name of
  +
protecting the "otherworldly visitors".
  +
He is also one of those who have been saved by this approach.
  +
There is so-called magic in this world. That's why he was able to get his life back.
  +
Seventy years ago...
  +
He gambled his life for the sake of his homeland to make a special attack on the enemy's sea strike
  +
fleet.
  +
As to whether such a fight was right or wrong, he will not comment. Thinking back on the situation, he
  +
thought that it was the only way to go at that time.
  +
Thinking of the minions who had lost their lives, he wanted to find some meaning for those actions. So
  +
he also remembered not to forget them.
  +
To live with those comrades, because he didn't want to forget the legacy of his men, he was still a
  +
"lieutenant", maintaining the rank of the time.
  +
  +
In order to carry out the sting operation, Tatsuya was going to die, but somehow, amidst the light and
  +
searing heat from the explosion, he came to another world. Brushing up against death, he survived.
  +
The man who saved him was the Emperor himself.
  +
He got lucky.
  +
The place where Tatsuya appeared was a courtyard where only the Emperor and a few of his attendants
  +
had access. The emperor happened to be resting in that place.
  +
"Interesting. That's the way fate would have it.”
  +
Upon hearing the sound, Tatsuya suddenly lost consciousness.
  +
When he opened his eyes again, there was no longer half a wound on his body.
  +
He was also lucky to get his life back.
  +
And in return for this kindness, he vowed to give his life for the Emperor, which he had once given up.
  +
Crossing the world and nearly losing his life awakened his power, and Tatsuya offered it all to the
  +
Emperor. To this day, he still lives only for the Emperor.
  +
Never onstage activity.
  +
He doesn't age, he stays the way he is.
  +
Becoming part of the dark side of the Empire, to the Intelligence Headquarters, which lurks in the
  +
shadows of the Empire.
  +
He's a weirdo who feeds on intelligence.
  +
Lurking in the shadows of the Empire.
  +
Being both human and walking with the devil.
  +
This man had various “aliases”, he is Lieutenant Kondo.
  +
He’s the Imperial Army’s Director of Intelligence.
  +
Even the chiefs of the various legions could not ignore him, and the people were afraid of him, not
  +
knowing what he really was.
  +
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
In order to raid the underground labyrinth, Gedora sent Shinji over to them, and Imperial Intelligence
  +
also had the information.
  +
Lt. Kondo was a man of few words.
  +
"Well, that's hard work.”
  +
That was all he said, and nothing more was said after that.
  +
Those who came to report were used to it, and left the scene after a bow.
  +
Lieutenant Kondo the man would not tell anyone else his opinion.
  +
The report also contains detailed information about Yuuki's men.
  +
The number of "otherworldly visitors" collected from all over the world has exceeded a thousand.
  +
Among these people, those whose unique skills had not awakened probably accounted for a little over
  +
10%. All of these people are living peaceful lives in the Imperial Capital.
  +
After the awakening, people with unique skills suitable for fighting are about 10% or 20% faster. Over
  +
a hundred "otherworldly visitors" are assigned to the various legions according to their personalities.
  +
Others are placed in workplaces where they can excel, doing a variety of jobs in various places.
  +
The problem these days is the "otherworldly visitors" who are capable of fighting.
  +
Yuuki—Yuuki Kagurazaka, the man who founded the Freedom Association in the Western countries. A
  +
year ago he was also the Grand Master of the Freedom Association, trying to use his powers to protect
  +
those "otherworldly visitors".
  +
That's what Yuuki himself said, but the results of the Imperial investigation showed that those were all
  +
lies.
  +
He had also infiltrated the Rosso clan and used their power.
  +
He also carries out "otherworldly visitor" summons that are forbidden on the Western side, and
  +
according to the survey, they summoned quite a few people.
  +
Otherwise there wouldn't be so many people who are particularly good at fighting.
  +
On top of that, if it's an "otherworldly visitor" who's been summoned over, a "spell" can be used to
  +
force them to swear allegiance. Wanting to be prepared not to betray one's own ministry, summoning is
  +
most appropriate.
  +
And these "otherworldly visitors" are scattered throughout the legions.
  +
Lt. Kondo had a sense of crisis about this and thought that something bad would happen if we
  +
continued to let it go. He'd thought right—this man possessed intimidating insight.
  +
  +
In fact, Lt. Kondo's misgivings were not wrong.
  +
The results are clearly written in this report. After Yuuki moved to live in the Empire, we can conclude
  +
from his words and actions that he was likely to stage a coup d'état by force.
  +
In addition to that, those who were sent in against Yuuki have also been found.
  +
Because of Yuuki's good record in the past, he escaped to this side of the Empire to be accepted. Yet he
  +
forgets this favor and seems to be trying to expand his power without permission. Some became his men
  +
and were sent to various legions.
  +
And a few of them joined the glorious Order of the Near Guard.
  +
In the case of other legions it is a different matter, the Imperial Order of the Emperor's Close Guard
  +
must protect His Majesty and will not tolerate betrayers.
  +
In Lt. Kondo's opinion, the matter could not be ignored.
  +
It's dangerous. Yuuki Kagurazaka—it looks like we have to get rid of you.
  +
Lt. Kondo was determined.
  +
Yet now is not the time to act.
  +
He received word that Master Gedora, the Grand Wizard of the Imperial Heavy Town, was linked to
  +
Yuuki. Evidence is also available, but it's not clear how deep their relationship runs.
  +
Needless to say, Master Gedora was also a very important figure to the Empire. It shouldn't be so easy
  +
to betray, but Lieutenant Kondo also knew that he was coming to the Empire's aid only because his
  +
purpose was in line with the Empire's philosophy.
  +
In this way it was also possible to pit him against the Imperial interests for some reason.
  +
If that's the case, the old man is also in danger. That being the case...
  +
Yuuki and Gedora.
  +
Yuuki looks like a teenager, but he is very sophisticated in his behavior. Like Lt. Kondo, he was
  +
dangerous and could not be judged on appearances alone.
  +
Gedora is an old man on the outside, but his essence is a monster that has survived for over a thousand
  +
years. If one is going to be hostile to him, one cannot challenge such an opponent without being
  +
thoroughly enlightened.
  +
That's why information is collected.
  +
Although some evidence has been found, the intelligence is still insufficient.
  +
It is too early to act blatantly.
  +
He's going to carefully investigate Yuuki's "otherworldly visitors". Find out afterwards if anyone is
  +
dominated by the "spell".
  +
However, if Yuuki or Gedora are found to be behaving unnaturally...
  +
  +
"Don't expect to be tried in public.”
  +
Lurking in the shadows of the Empire - Lieutenant Kondo would never spare a traitor.
  +
"Dance for the Empire. Your life is in my hands.”
  +
In the shadows of the Imperial capital.
  +
A cold glow rose in his eyes, and Lieutenant Kondo murmured quietly.
  +
***
  +
It was the office attached to a plush desk, with a one-eyed man in a high-class chair.
  +
With his left eye covered with a blindfold, he was a very thin man who looked to be about forty years
  +
old.
  +
His name is Calgurio.
  +
He has the greatest power within the Empire and is the military leader of the Mecha Legion.
  +
There were several "magic crystals" on the table in front of him.
  +
This is the source of magical energy, high purity, high quality "magic crystal". Because Yuuki brings
  +
certain techniques, it is possible to refine these "magic crystals" into magic stones.
  +
In other words, "magic crystals" are taken from the core of magic creatures and refined to produce
  +
magic stones that can be used to generate magical energy.
  +
There are also natural magical stones that fall from magical creatuers, but only individuals with a large
  +
amount of magical elements and a grade of A or higher can harvest them. These natural magical stones
  +
are of a high quality, unmatched by other magical stones, and generally do not generate energy, but are
  +
used as decorative objects or magical mediums.
  +
If it cannot be taken on a regular basis, it has no value as a source of energy.
  +
Calgurio reached out and grabbed the 'magic crystal' on the table. The more closely he looked, the more
  +
he knew the quality of something like that was great.
  +
Reluctant to let go of the touch that remained in his hand, Calgurio placed the Magic Crystal Stone
  +
back on the table. Instead, he picked up the report book that had been sent with the stone.
  +
This is a report from the Institute.
  +
If it is a "magic crystal" of this purity, it will be able to produce a hundred of the magic stones made by
  +
the Empire. It can also be converted directly into energy with high purity. If you want to take this level of
  +
"magic crystal", you must at least defeat a magic creature of B level or higher.
  +
It is so written.
  +
"That Gedora guy! I can't believe you're keeping something so profitable from me..."
  +
Calgurio was outraged by this.
  +
  +
He had bribed those Institute personnel to inform himself of anything. The result is this report.
  +
This "magic crystal" is something that Gedora brought recently. He didn't let on where it was harvested,
  +
but since there were several it meant he might have found a place that could give birth to a large group of
  +
magical things. After all, these stones are all of first-rate quality, and the test results indicate that almost
  +
all contain the same amount of energy.
  +
Different kinds of magical things can't take on the same quality. There will always be deviations, which
  +
must be refined before the magic stone can be worked on.
  +
Yet here the "magic crystal" is of almost the same quality. This means that there is a large group of
  +
magical creatures of the same race.
  +
He didn't think it would be possible to breed these magical creatures, but with regular attacks and then
  +
executing them at intervals, it should improve the Empire's energy problems.
  +
Yet it seems that things are more complicated.
  +
Calgurio's face twisted with desire.
  +
If the goal is to stabilize the energy supply, it is necessary to ensure the location of the production of
  +
this "magic crystal”—the report concludes.
  +
Not only do they have an eye on the habitat of these magical creatures, they also lock down locations.
  +
That place was within the domain of the demon lord Rimuru, the legendary underground maze.
  +
"Recently, Gedora and Yuuki were so close that they didn't even come to see me. It's inexcusable to do
  +
something so profitable in private!"
  +
That's what sets Calgurio on fire.
  +
And things follow.
  +
The high-ranking nobleman who was walking very close to Calgurio told him an interesting thing.
  +
A large group of them ran over, with obnoxious smiles on their faces, and came over to report to
  +
Calgurio. Upon hearing this, it becomes clear that Gedora ran off to investigate the maze and lost three
  +
more apprentices.
  +
If that were the only thing, it would only be sympathetic and not funny at all, yet what Gedora brought
  +
back was a problem.
  +
Because Gedora not only brought back the "magic crystal stone", but even the treasure.
  +
It was a sword that adorned Calgurio's room.
  +
Not only is it made of pure "magic steel" of high quality, but the technology is also of a very high
  +
standard. Not far from the most powerful artisanal forge in the Dwarven Kingdom. It's a great sword. No,
  +
this side is better in terms of the material.
  +
There's a distinct difference from what circulates within the Empire.
  +
  +
As for the excellent sword, it was one that Calgurio had bought with a high-ranking nobleman. There
  +
were three in total, one of which was taken to the technical department of its own army for testing.
  +
The high-ranking nobleman said proudly, "This is something precious, perhaps with incredible effects."
  +
His words were exaggerated, lobbying Calgurio to buy.
  +
Even though it was dedicated to that nobleman by Gedora.
  +
Calgurio asked him if Gedora had any demands, but the other said in a loud voice, "How can I tell you
  +
that? That's for sure, right?”
  +
It turned out that a sword asked for a hundred gold coins and sold for a total value of three hundred
  +
gold coins, but Calgurio did want to know something.
  +
Because he bought three at a time, the other party finally gave him a clue...
  +
Calgurio was of lower aristocratic origin and became a military chief by strength.
  +
The empire is entirely a powerhouse society, and therefore has a higher status than the nobleman with
  +
an empty exalted status.
  +
Originally, there was no way he would have had the opportunity to speak to these high ranking nobles.
  +
However, facing the current Calgurio, these same men had to give him three points of courtesy.
  +
They clearly looked down on me in private, but now that doesn’t matter. More important now than that
  +
is the clever use of these people.
  +
High-ranking nobles do everything for their own benefit. Informing things based on good intentions—
  +
there is no such thing as good intentions under heaven.
  +
Would have told Calgurio what Gedora had said, also all carefully calculated.
  +
In other words, they put Yuuki on the scale with Calgurio to measure.
  +
"Those greedy aristocrats! But more important now is Gedora. Even the aristocrats are lobbying them
  +
to use the hybrid legions to attack the maze! Since I'm going to Raiders, I should recommend my army...I
  +
took the Mecha Legion from that guy, I didn't think he'd still hold a grudge over it now..."
  +
Because of Gedora's assistance, the Mecha Legion managed to become the Modern Legion. The force
  +
inside swelled from tens to hundreds of times, and Gedora had no command over it.
  +
Calgurio thought the reason lay there, and Gedora was therefore jealous of him.
  +
"No harm done. Good luck getting information from the nobility. This way we can get ahead of those
  +
guys and let my army hold the benefits.”
  +
Of course, pulling in high-ranking nobles requires some money.
  +
Even if Calgurio gets the benefit, part of it has to go.
  +
Even so, Calgurio still thinks it's a good deal.
  +
The only thing you can get from inside the maze isn't just "magic crystals". The quality of this sword is
  +
also great, currently equivalent to the Rare class. But in another hundred years, it might turn out to be a
  +
  +
special class. If the body is built with so much "magic steel", it might evolve even faster. That alone would
  +
be worth it for me to master that maze!
  +
It was precisely because that was what Calgurio thought that he decided to go and pull in the high
  +
ranking nobles.
  +
Calgurio is making plans for the future, but one doubt just can't wave it out of his mind.
  +
—then again, what is this hole?
  +
The high aristocrats say "it has an incredible effect," but those are all from Gedora's side, I guess.
  +
In Calgurio's opinion, he did not find a similar effect.
  +
However....
  +
One thing that made him suspicious when he read it was the holes in the sword.
  +
Is there a meaning behind this?
  +
Calgurio had no way to tell.
  +
That's why those were given to the technical department, but the analysis is not yet available.
  +
It's okay, the Empire is not like the West, and nowadays the era doesn't fight with swords anymore...
  +
So no matter how much value this sword contained, it wouldn't make sense in a modern army.
  +
Only a highly skilled warrior can live with this sword.
  +
Yeah, just like Calgurio with his right hand.
  +
Thinking on the one hand, Calgurio looked forward to seeing the results of the analysis come out.
  +
Immediately following, a few days later.
  +
Calgurio received an amazing report.
  +
"Let me explain.”
  +
The director of the technical unit explained it in person.
  +
After a scientific analysis of this sword, they found many things.
  +
The orifice was not decorative.
  +
It was a device that could absorb energy, a medium that could unleash magic with high efficiency.
  +
That is to say, it's not just a sword, but a magic unleashing device.
  +
"He's called the Demon Lord Rimuru, right? I can't underestimate him for coming up with such an
  +
interesting idea."
  +
  +
"Right. It's a weapon that makes you think it's a sword—that is, a weapon that fights at close range, and
  +
then uses magic to make an unintended attack. As long as the source of the energy supply that matches
  +
this hole is found, the caster—in this case the owner, I guess—can cast the magic without any burden.”
  +
That's right.
  +
The greatest feature of this weapon is the ability to manipulate magic as well as unleash it, breaking
  +
existing common sense.
  +
"But did you really get this in the maze?"
  +
"About that I can prove it's true. I had men sent over, and it doesn't sound like Gedora was lying.”
  +
Calgurio also sent his own men to the magic capital "Rimuru" to gather information related to the
  +
maze. Internal investigations hit a bottleneck near the fortieth floor, but those people had interesting
  +
rumors from the merchant side and the rest of the population.
  +
They said they could get weapons with holes in them from the maze. Although the transaction amount
  +
is high, it's cheaper to buy than Trinity level.
  +
"So, what is the other party's purpose in doing such a thing...”
  +
"Huh! Just think about it for a moment. At least we have to experiment before we can use this as a new
  +
weapon!”
  +
The director of the technology department has a good head but doesn't think about the tactical side of
  +
things. After listening to Calgurio's explanations, I finally found out what the point of doing so was.
  +
"Oh, so it is. Adventurers abound, to give those things to them and let them investigate the effect? It
  +
does sound reasonable. When the magic stone was placed into this hole, the sword's rank was raised by
  +
one stage. Would turn into a high powered magic sword, but seemed to have other uses. It takes a lot of
  +
time to master these various experiments.”
  +
"Exactly. Just send those things to the adventurers at random and ask them to try them individually.
  +
Once the data is all out, come back and wait for that data to be recycled.”
  +
In a way, Calgurio correctly interprets the intent of Rimuru. And judging from experience that such an
  +
experiment would take time, he was well aware of that.
  +
At this stage, these are just experimental weapons. Yet procrastination is dangerous.
  +
Humans are interesting creatures, some of whom can see things by intuition. Most of these people are
  +
particularly prone to having that excellent instinct, especially when they are in danger.
  +
"This is a great idea—human experimentation in a maze where no one dies.”
  +
"I think I need a bracelet like this to get inside, but the results of the analysis are still a mystery. If the
  +
rumors were true, conducting military training wouldn't have to be so hard.”
  +
The director of the technical department pulled out a small box, which was tightly sealed, and he held it
  +
out to Calgurio.
  +
In this chest is one of the treasures that Gedora brought back—the "Resurrection Bracelet".
  +
  +
"Those things certainly sound suspicious. However, if our army mastered this labyrinth...”
  +
That way they can discern the truth of the rumors, and if things are true, that would be a great
  +
achievement.
  +
"Oh, so Lord Calgurio is so ambitious that he wants to fight the demon lord?”
  +
"That's for sure. It's a bad idea to go after each other for nothing, but the Great Forest of Jura is on our
  +
invasion route. Plus that maze is in a location that can't be ignored, someone has to step up to the plate.”
  +
"Oh, how dare you.”
  +
After that, Calgurio and the director of the technical department looked at each other and smiled.
  +
"A stable supply of magical crystals and an efficient place to experiment. If things go well, we can still
  +
capture the enemy's new weaponry.”
  +
"Then we must get ahead of the other legions and let Lord Calgurio's mech legions go over and
  +
suppress them first.”
  +
"You don't have to say that. You just have to wait there and expect results.”
  +
The director of the technical department wore a pleasant smile, and a light smile appeared on Calgurio's
  +
face.
  +
"But the master is getting old and his mind is beginning to be unclear."
  +
"Exactly. I was blinded by the "magic crystal" and didn't see that the maze was more important, and
  +
misjudged the performance of the sword.”
  +
"It's only by relying on magic that you can do this harm. It's unheard of for a weapon to make a change
  +
in rank like this.”
  +
Calgurio thinks the director of the technical department is right.
  +
Gedora was a great man, yet it was no longer the time to rely on magic. A new wave is blowing up, and
  +
that is science, so that things go hand in hand with magic, opening a new era.
  +
It's because of this that the Mecha Corps should let me lead. The old man would have had a little more
  +
respect if he'd rested on his laurels. Since he's now teaming up with that so-and-so Yuuki, there's no need
  +
to be polite with him.
  +
Thinking about this side, a battle plan popped into Calgurio's mind.
  +
It would be foolish to go up against several demon lords at the same time, but just dealing with demon
  +
lord Rimuru would be fine.
  +
And the "Storm Dragon" has long been an object of crusade, and that's what the Empire has always
  +
wanted. Calgurio intends to use the newly developed weapon to put the Storm Dragon in place.
  +
If successful, even a small sacrifice would be profitable. Master Gedora, however, was adamantly
  +
opposed.
  +
So this became the key reason why Calgurio and Gedora were pitted against each other.
  +
  +
Ha! As long as the evil dragon is able to be captured, the Slime demon lord is no match for us at all.
  +
This time make sure to show everyone that we are the strongest legion in the Empire!
  +
The time had come, and Calgurio was excited about it.
  +
Gedora was against him to thwart his opponent's sharpness and consolidate his position in the Empire.
  +
So Calgurio must build up a reputation for making the Mecha Legion crush the Evil Dragon no matter
  +
what.
  +
For this reason...
  +
"Let's go in at the next imperial meeting and advocate a march.”
  +
"Oooohhhh, finally..."
  +
"Hmm," nodded Calgurio.
  +
No need to wait for the Demon Lord to be ready. He's going to use that as an excuse to silence those
  +
who object.
  +
Gedora, I definitely can't let you get ahead of yourself. And then there's Yuuki, the brat. So you're just
  +
going to get carried away by joining forces with Gedora? I'm going to show you how much of a pound
  +
you have.
  +
Calgurio was laughing at his stupid peers.
  +
There was clearly an opportunity to get important information, and the idiot just missed it by not
  +
finding out about it.
  +
Just a half-baked fool, anyway, Calgurio was convinced.
  +
While laughing at his peers, Calgurio continued to think.
  +
What should I do to get the most out of myself?
  +
He pondered the matter deeply, while sorting out what was to be played to the Emperor.
  +
The Empire began to stir as a result of Calgurio's actions.
  +
***
  +
The imperial meeting was about to begin.
  +
This time the situation was very different from the usual, not only the soldiers and generals who
  +
participated, but even the civilian officials present were nervous.
  +
Presumably sensing this atmosphere, people who had nothing to do with it didn't want to be anywhere
  +
near the big convention hall.
  +
This meeting was different than usual.
  +
That's something people feel.
  +
  +
Someone announced the arrival of the Emperor, and everyone bowed their heads in unison.
  +
On the other side of the curtain, someone seemed to appear.
  +
That would be the Emperor of the Unification Empire, Rudra Naam Ulu Nazca.
  +
  +
At the pinnacle of the united eastern empire of the most powerful military power, Nazca-Namlium-
  +
Ulmeria.
  +
  +
No one knew what was going through the Emperor's mind, and the voice appeared on the other side of
  +
the curtain.
  +
Except for a few close servants, no one has ever seen the true face of the emperor, a supreme being,
  +
who just stays there and lets others not dare to make a scene.
  +
The emperor is the only one who cannot be questioned.
  +
Only a fraction of those dare to speak out against the emperor.
  +
There were nearly two hundred people in the meeting room.
  +
First there were the "three generals”—they were the chiefs of the various legions, and their deputies.
  +
The elite members of the Imperial Emperor's Near Guard Knights were lined up.
  +
There are also ministers who deal with the administrative affairs of the State, and the Grand Council of
  +
Peers, which is the center of the State. The best and brightest from all walks of life are gathered here with
  +
their heads bowed.
  +
All that remained in the solemn hall was the sound of clothes scraping.
  +
Then the voice disappeared.
  +
At this moment, the Prime Minister winked at the official of the ceremony.
  +
"Your Majesty the Emperor...is here...!"
  +
Upon hearing this, all the people in the room unanimously said a salute.
  +
Breaking the silence, it was like a roar of rage, a hundred voices.
  +
This imperial meeting began with the question of whether the Great March that will go down in history
  +
is right or wrong.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
The imperial meeting took place in a serious atmosphere.
  +
On this occasion, the issue of the Great March was raised, with one group advocating prudence and the
  +
other advocating troops, in which the militants were again divided into two factions.
  +
  +
The first thing to ask is what is the name of the war?
  +
This is a stupid question.
  +
Plundering because the emperor wanted it so badly—it’s just that.
  +
Does that work?
  +
At this point, there is again a substantial difference of opinion.
  +
Some advocate that one should be cautious, others advocate attacking from the front and ravaging the
  +
enemy.
  +
The civil officials felt that they should persuade the other side to surrender, exerting pressure and
  +
coercion, starting with diplomatic negotiations.
  +
If the emperor wished to go to war, then they would have no room for opinion.
  +
But at present the emperor did not give a holy decree, and everyone had their own opinion during the
  +
meeting.
  +
It is only a matter of time before war starts.
  +
The question is what method to use.
  +
The demon lords in charge everywhere were also in the way, but as long as they didn't infringe on their
  +
territory, they wouldn't do anything about it.
  +
The only obstacle is the "storm dragon" Veldora.
  +
Later on, all the talk was directed towards the Great Forest of Jura.
  +
One of them came out to petition and said he was against the war.
  +
"I am afraid, Your Majesty. I'm against sending troops.”
  +
He is the Great Wizard of the Empire, Master Gedora.
  +
Gedora did not fear the emperor at all, and he entered boldly.
  +
"What a cowardly thing to say! Is that again to be mentioned, Sir Gedora?”
  +
Some have ridiculed Gedora, one is of the "three generals”—Calgurio, the head of the Mecha Legion.
  +
Every time.
  +
These two men represent the Deliberative and the Militant, respectively.
  +
"If it's just to hit the West, that's fine. But there was the evil dragon Veldora in the great forest of Jura.
  +
The resurrection of the evil dragon was just confirmed two years ago. Of course you have to be careful!”
  +
Some share his view.
  +
There were also those who laughed at Gedora's weakness.
  +
  +
The calamity brought about by Veldora was projected to have passed over three hundred years ago, and
  +
that fear had long since passed with the wind. Now that more people are starting, things are not looking
  +
good on Gedora's side.
  +
Calgurio has seen through this and wants to agitate further by words.
  +
"Master, your attitude of prudence is something we should learn from. But as I've said many times, the
  +
countermeasures used against Veldora are foolproof. With the new weapon we've developed, we have a
  +
chance to bring that evil dragon to its knees!"
  +
"Ridiculous! Don't talk in your dreams, Sir Calgurio. Since it cannot be denied that this operation has
  +
the potential to fail, it is certainly prudent to proceed. And now there's a new demon lord ruling that
  +
forest! Although it was impossible for a demon lord to join forces with each other, it was not good to
  +
deliberately work against them. And that evil dragon had been resurrected and seemed to have joined
  +
forces with the newly installed Demon Lord Rimuru. Usually, people tell the devil that the water from the
  +
well does not violate the river!”
  +
As long as the "Valley of Death Creek", which is connected to the old Clayman territory, is passed,
  +
there is that possibility to get the army to move. However, they didn't choose to do so because the Empire
  +
didn't want to offend the area under Demon Lord Milim's jurisdiction.
  +
The march through the fertile earth will be faster than through the forest. Yet the benefits gained were
  +
not great enough to offend the demon lord, Milim.
  +
Likewise, just by going through the Great Forest of Jura, they could lay their hands on the West.
  +
However, now that Veldora the Storm Dragon has been resurrected, he has also joined forces with the
  +
demon lord Rimuru.
  +
With no intention of adding enemies—the above is Gedora’s claim. Upon hearing this, several civil
  +
officials nodded their heads in agreement. However, Calgurio snorted and questioned Gedora.
  +
"Is it not true, then, that His Excellency Gedora wants us to give up a long-held ambition of the
  +
Empire?”
  +
It would have been difficult to send a large army to the west without going through the great forest of
  +
Jura. It is for this reason that Calgurio's question was supported by the military.
  +
"His Excellency Calgurio has a point, Master. In the face of the great Imperial Army, a single Demon
  +
Lord is not even a threat!”
  +
"How dare you speak insultingly in front of His Majesty! Could it be that His Excellency Gedora wants
  +
to defy the Emperor's will—!”
  +
"No! Come to think of it, instead of making an enemy of the demon lord, it would be better to enlist the
  +
help of the Dwarf King. That way we don't get hurt and it's relatively easy to master the West!”
  +
Gedora yelled loudly, refuting those objections.
  +
Yet there are those who scoff at Gedora’s claims.
  +
"It's you that's funny, Sir Gedora. The Dwarf King is a man of great virtue and respect, known as the
  +
Sword Saint. The previous generation was also a hero, and the kings of this generation have extraordinary
  +
strength. His companions are all famous heroes, and this side is a stronger opponent than slaughtering the
  +
  +
newcomer demon lord. Even I wanted to put my hands together and beg for mercy, but that wasn't the
  +
point this time. It is better to fight with heroes than to crush the demon lord, so that the world will look at
  +
us more positively!”
  +
Someone who uttered the phrase was one of the "three great generals".
  +
The Beast King Gladim, the leader of the Beast (Warcraft) Legion.
  +
Just standing up exudes a sense of oppression, enough to overwhelm the entire field.
  +
It's very kingly.
  +
Even the Beast King, Gladim, could get them to give in by strength. It is the premier martial arts
  +
faction in the Empire, with a highly combat-oriented army chief.
  +
The class is the Grand Admiral.
  +
They say he is the second most powerful man in the Empire.
  +
Although Gladim was not in the "single digits", he was in the "tens", but because he was strong enough,
  +
he became a military commander very early. He used to think of himself as the strongest without having
  +
to compete with others for ranking. Therefore, he has always had a bad taste in the "marshal" who is
  +
allegedly stronger than himself.
  +
It was said that this man possessed the bloodline of an orc race, but it was not certain if that was true or
  +
not. It's the type of person who acts on instinct, which Gedora is not good at dealing with.
  +
"It was His Excellency, Lord Gladim, and the comparison is not correct. I'm just asking you to get King
  +
Gazel!”
  +
"Stupid. If the dwarven kingdoms are to be annexed together, I can understand what you are saying. If
  +
you dare to obstruct the empire's unification of the world, all you have to do is beat the hell out of those
  +
guys. But! What are you playing at here? It's because you keep saying that, even with all the troops in the
  +
field, we still can't get started, can we...!"
  +
“Don’t say something stupid! The Dwarf Kingdom is a natural stronghold, and they're trying to take it
  +
down..."
  +
"Shut up...! To say such useless things in front of His Majesty is the reason why you were dismissed
  +
from your post and could not continue to be a military commander...!"
  +
The Beast King Gladim roared out the words.
  +
He is telling the truth.
  +
About thirty years ago, Gedora led a magical legion that was one of the three major legions of the
  +
Empire. Today, however, those who are able are assigned to technical departments, while others are
  +
transferred to various units.
  +
The reason for this is that the use of magic can only depend on talent.
  +
You can't manipulate magic without it in the first place. It's not something you can learn with effort, so
  +
there are very few people who can use it.
  +
  +
While also useful in combat, the Empire later developed weapons that could replace magic.
  +
That's the Magic Gun, a small magic guide weapon.
  +
Using the magic stone as a source of energy, unleash the magic array carved into the body of the gun.
  +
In this way, this weapon allows anyone to use magic. The weakness is that only one kind of magic can be
  +
put out, but practicality is naturally out of the question.
  +
As for fighting close range battles, they have the "Imperial Style Magic Sword". The same is true in
  +
principle, with the added magic of a strengthened weapon, which is a small magic-guided weapon.
  +
It's because of these things that the tech department found out what the hole-filled weapons from the
  +
labyrinth could do.
  +
Everyone is thinking the same thing—in a nutshell.
  +
Now that people without talent can use magic, the Magic Legion no longer serves any purpose.
  +
As if announcing the end of the magical age, it was a sad thing for Gedora.
  +
On top of that, there was another person who laughed at such a Gedora.
  +
"Ha ha ha, Master. You're getting old. Your knowledge of magic is a treasure to the Empire. There is
  +
also assistance for the development of a new type of magical guide weapon for our mecha legion...but
  +
like Lord Gladim said, what was said earlier was inappropriate. Have you become a coward?”
  +
Calgurio sneered contemptuously at him.
  +
The sound of snickering came from both the Noble House and the military units.
  +
"Do you really understand? That evil dragon in charge of the storm is the strongest race in this world!”
  +
"Master, you don't understand. The Imperial Army is not the same as before. Many people from the
  +
other world brought knowledge to us—we studied these 'sciences' and began to have a very different
  +
system of technology from this world, and the military power of our Imperial Army has increased dozens
  +
of times compared to the previous generation. Wizards like you, who can't keep up with the times, can't
  +
keep up with the current way of fighting anymore. I am indebted to the emperor, so please live in peace.”
  +
"You, what are you...!?”
  +
Gedora was outraged by this, but it was really all an act.
  +
After all, Gedora had surrendered to the demon lord Rimuru. He tried his best to talk in the direction of
  +
not going to war, but after that he just left it alone.
  +
These guys are really pathetic. Science is great knowledge, yes, but even the Sorcerer Dynasty of
  +
Sarion has a secret knowledge that belongs to them—“Magical Science". His Majesty Rimuru was also
  +
originally an "Otherworldly Visitor", and the Empire relied on these military forces to secure their
  +
superior status, but there's no telling how much of an effect that would have...
  +
Now that Gedora had gotten to know the Jura Tempest Federation and Rimuru, he began to wonder if
  +
the Empire would win.
  +
  +
He didn't want to see any misfortune happen to his peers, and felt that His Majesty the Emperor had
  +
been kind to him. That's why he’ll try his best to bait everyone in the hope of avoiding war, but if they
  +
fail, they’ll have to wait and see.
  +
It is expected that Yuuki will stage a coup, and if it happens, he intends to go and ensure the personal
  +
safety of the Emperor.
  +
Yuuki would have wanted to assassinate the emperor, right? Since his purpose is to conquer the world,
  +
nothing gets in the way more than a great leader.
  +
If it had been before, Gedora would have intended to leave it alone. But now that the reason for starting
  +
the war was gone, Yuuki's approach would throw the whole world into chaos, and Gedora would not
  +
allow him to do so.
  +
But I don't know what happens after that, so there's probably no point in going on about it. Then the
  +
next step is to follow His Majesty Rimuru's orders to "keep the Imperial Army's attention on the
  +
underground maze."
  +
Gedora made up his mind darkly.
  +
Then began to pay attention to Yuuki who was still silent now.
  +
***
  +
Seeing Gedora fall into silence, Calgurio thought he had won.
  +
Gedora's magical legions were dismantled and the military structure reconfigured. After that, Gedora
  +
could only titularly serve as technical advisor to the Mecha Legion.
  +
But he is known to have the power to be a hero, and perhaps still has more influence than Calgurio.
  +
Recommending Yuuki the brat for army chief, that too is Gedora alone. It's infuriating.
  +
It's something that makes Calgurio feel bad.
  +
The great wizard Gedora—the hero so called—was now old too. But his feats were still glorious, and it
  +
was inevitable to pay him a little tribute, and Calgurio thought so, but...
  +
Heck, he's an old-time character anyway. This has turned out to be an old scourge...
  +
As the times have evolved, the Empire has become more and more combatant. The poor old man could
  +
no longer keep up—that’s Gedora now.
  +
The Empire ushers in a new era.
  +
The three major legions of the new generation were so powerful that they simply could not be
  +
compared to before.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
Calgurio's Legion of Mechs...
  +
  +
Combining the science and technology of another world and their magic technology to become the
  +
largest legion of the Empire.
  +
The total number of troops that can be mobilized is over two million. However, this includes the
  +
number of troops on standby throughout the Reich, so that if a military operation were to be launched
  +
immediately, it would in fact be possible to mobilize only a million people at most.
  +
Even then it was a massive legion, unimaginable a hundred years ago, so to speak, beyond reason.
  +
And then there's Gladim's Legion of Warcraft (Beasts)...
  +
Using DNA analysis, a technology from another world, they have been able to breed captured beasts.
  +
The cultivated magical beasts will be re-educated and strengthened to become the center of this legion.
  +
It's like the impossible cultivation of a magic beast according to common sense so far. Not only did
  +
they achieve this, but they even tamed those demonic beasts. In this way, the tough magical beast can
  +
become a riding beast.
  +
The men who rode these magical beasts were heroes within the Empire.
  +
Heroic bloodlines that have been active since time immemorial—they use them for analysis, so that
  +
those people have this power.
  +
They come down in life to be strong.
  +
Let the powers that remain in their bloodline awaken, and the members of the Warcraft Legion are all
  +
heroes.
  +
To be as talented as they are, it is said that there is only one out of 100,000 people, and this legion is
  +
small, only 30,000. However, the demonic beasts they rode were all above A- rank, and the strength of the
  +
human-demonic oneness was immeasurable.
  +
Only 30,000 people could be called the Legion, the strongest elite force that the Empire prided itself
  +
on.
  +
And then there's the "hybrid army" led by Yuuki...
  +
Although this force is heavily staffed, their potential capabilities are very high.
  +
Without understanding group cooperation, these disordered molecules are collected, and there is a nest
  +
of these redundant members—the world generally thinks so, but in fact that assessment is wrong. The
  +
reason why it is impossible to coordinate with other people is because each of them has excellent abilities.
  +
The individual talents are outstanding, so powerful that they are difficult to control—many of them are
  +
"otherworldly visitors" and the potential abilities are unknown.
  +
Also, as a result of various experiments, some individuals have begun to possess irreproducible foul
  +
elements—magical beasts with A-rank power that are difficult to master but have extraordinary fighting
  +
abilities.
  +
As well as weapons whose performance has been abandoned without knowing why things have turned
  +
out the way they did—many of the products of the new experiment have been gathered in this unit.
  +
  +
Before, they were simply governed by people, but then Yuuki, the leader, appeared before them. The
  +
result is a hybrid legion of trump-like forces, so powerful that it is difficult to calculate them numerically.
  +
The total number of the army is 200,000.
  +
Half of them are intelligence generals or general service soldiers, and the actual number of soldiers
  +
available is 100,000.
  +
There is also a force of carefully selected members at the head.
  +
Those people were believers in Yuuki, the soul of the Hybrid Legion.
  +
...........
  +
........
  +
The above are the three fledgling legions of the Empire.
  +
It was a massive force of war.
  +
As soon as the emperor gives the order, the army of one hundred and thirteen thousand can now be sent
  +
out and a military operation will be launched.
  +
At present, the Imperial Intelligence Bureau has studied the total war power of the Western countries,
  +
which translates into less than a million troops. Considering the number of people they might mobilize, it
  +
would be a blessing to gather up to 400,000.
  +
And they did not think that the countries would join forces smoothly, concluding that there was
  +
probably no way to use it militarily intelligently.
  +
Against a crowd of 400,000, the Empire had over a million elites.
  +
This large army was up against an enemy that was simply no match for them.
  +
At the heart of this overwhelming Imperial army was the mech legion led by Calgurio.
  +
This time, Calgurio intends to send specially selected fighters to the field to fight.
  +
He expects to mobilize millions, with the following members.
  +
The main force is the "Mecha Modification Corps...”
  +
Draw on technology from another world to magically transform those soldiers. The minimum personal
  +
combat ability is also a C+. Some of them even came to A rank.
  +
With seven hundred thousand men in the regiment, it was the main force that kept the others from
  +
seeing the light of day.
  +
The Magic Chariot Division...
  +
They have a practical new weapon, the Magic Guiding Chariot, with a total of two thousand units.
  +
The Magic Chariot is going to be manned by five people, but can play a very powerful performance,
  +
breaking common sense so far.
  +
  +
The main cannon is called the "Magic Guide Cannon" and can reach a speed of 2,000 meters per
  +
second at first strike. The ability to load fifty rounds of ammunition, and shoot five rounds in one minute,
  +
is so powerful that it's as destructive as tactical magic—the Super Advanced Explosive Flame style.
  +
By the way, the shell itself is a "block of iron" even though it is fired using magic principles. A quality
  +
weapon that can easily penetrate the boundaries of magic or defense against bows, etc., is intimidating.
  +
Originally, this kind of power could only be harnessed by magic instructors and belonged to a few
  +
elites, but now even ordinary soldiers could use it. Add to that the difficulty of defending, and there is a
  +
great deal of meaning behind this.
  +
Including the maintenance team, the number of soldiers inside was 200,000, so just by increasing the
  +
number of chariots, the combat power would increase.
  +
And a classified weapon, the Air Combat Corps.
  +
There are four hundred blimps inside.
  +
It could be said to be a treasure of the Empire, a crystallization of knowledge from another world.
  +
Each blimp can carry up to four hundred people.
  +
Fifty staff members operate, while others are responsible for waging defensive magic or controlling
  +
artillery fire. There are many magic-enhanced cannons inside, which are excellent for attack and defense.
  +
Also a very useful means of transportation.
  +
It's not too much to say that there is "no concept of air power" in this era. The complete absence of the
  +
alert air allows for the transport of large numbers of troops while the enemy is inattentive.
  +
If you want to surround the enemy back and forth, you can do it simply by using the airship.
  +
This is an invention that subverts established tactical theory.
  +
The regiment had a total of 100,000 soldiers, and most of the former members of the "Magic Legion"
  +
were affiliated with this regiment.
  +
Because of the preparation of such a large force, Calgurio felt that he could do nothing.
  +
For example, although it depends on the size of the country, the average strength of a knight in this
  +
world is at best a C. The use of weapons or protective gear, watered down, and rigorous training is not
  +
guaranteed to barely reach B level.
  +
Conversely look at the mecha legion, which can magically transform members as long as they have the
  +
will to do so. To demonstrate a high degree of compatibility in a health diagnosis would semi-forcing
  +
them to undergo revision surgery.
  +
The result succeeded in turning the entire legion's fighting prowess from the valley.
  +
On this point, the people stationed everywhere were no exception, and Calgurio believed that the
  +
Empire was rock-solid.
  +
As for this big long march, he expected to send out all the magical chariots and hovercrafts.
  +
  +
Even if other countries unite, these soldiers still far surpass them in quality.
  +
Plus there are a lot of new weapons that are being made public for the first time.
  +
If you want to show the power of the Empire, you must send an army of mechs, Calgurio, to be so sure.
  +
We have such a powerful army, whether it's Veldora or Demon Lord, there's nothing to fear! My legions
  +
alone can be the world's greatest!
  +
Heart full of such confidence, Calgurio watched again to see how Gedora reacted.
  +
That's why he noticed one thing. That was when Gedora turned his gaze to look at Yuuki. The next
  +
moment, as if waiting for this opportunity, Yuuki spoke up.
  +
"Grandfather Gedora was too cautious, and I agree with that. In my opinion, we are overly vigilant
  +
about the Storm Dragon. Just like the Calgurio army chief said, if it's the current Imperial Army, it
  +
shouldn't be a problem to deal with them, right?”
  +
At this imperial meeting, Yuuki spoke for the first time.
  +
He didn't expect him to agree with himself, which made Calgurio wary.
  +
This guy is going to take this opportunity to attack the maze, right? It's naive to think I didn't notice
  +
that! How can one take on the important task of a military chief without intelligence?
  +
In spite of his heart, Calgurio flashed a friendly smile at Yuuki.
  +
To make an exception there is still the figure of Gladim, but he was only chosen to be the military chief
  +
because he was powerful beyond reason. It's too early for a Yuuki in the district to become a military
  +
commander, and on weekdays, Calgurio sees Yuuki as a thorn in his side.
  +
Hiding this side of his heart, Calgurio began to speak.
  +
"You're worthy of the title of Lord Yuuki. As a young up-and-comer, you’re really something else.”
  +
"No, you're flattering me. I'd say that if we were to start a war, we'd have to investigate first, right? To
  +
pass through the Great Forest of Jura, one must pass through the area governed by the demon lord
  +
Rimuru. But an interesting thing happened here, I heard that the demon lord was able to make their city
  +
escape into the maze.”
  +
"Oh, you mean the maze?"
  +
"Right. Properly speaking it should be an underground maze. I don't know what kind of principle is
  +
behind it, but I've heard that the entire metropolis has disappeared, leaving only a gate in the ground.”
  +
While Calgurio, who pretended to be unaware, asked this question, Yuuki replied to him with a "just
  +
what I want" look on his face.
  +
Huh, boring. Is he trying to say he's going to go over and investigate, intending to take away the
  +
benefits that can be gained in the underground maze?...that's why I said you were too tender)
  +
Thinking about this side, Calgurio snickered.
  +
  +
"Well, is this information accurate?”
  +
"If it's true, we can't ignore the underground maze. When our military comes through, they may attack
  +
from behind."
  +
"Indeed. If the West wasn't so stupid, they would have built a line of defense to strengthen their
  +
defenses. If supplies are cut off by the demon lord's army, our army will be in desperate straits.”
  +
"In that case, it's dangerous to go through the Great Forest of Jura."
  +
Hearing Yuuki say so, everyone began to take their own positions. That seemed to be what Yuuki
  +
wanted, and the expression on his face lit up with it.
  +
"The credibility of this information is beyond question. After all, it was Grandpa Gedora himself who
  +
came to investigate it for us!”
  +
Finding the right time, Yuuki said this. And then, after a victory lap, he continued.
  +
"Master Gedora has confirmed with his own eyes that he finds the Demon Lord Rimuru threatening,
  +
and has brought back a certain rumor. That is, it was said that the underground labyrinth had a total of one
  +
hundred layers, and the guardian was 'Storm Dragon' Veldora. This rumor is not based on a definitive
  +
basis, but the investigation was interrupted by the presence of the victims on the 60th floor underground. I
  +
heard that even Masayuki “the chosen hero" hasn't broken through on this floor, so I think the difficulty
  +
is equivalent to A+. Whichever route to attack the West from, I think there is a need for investigation.”
  +
Abandoning the dangling attitude from before, Yuuki spoke in a serious tone.
  +
"There are victims...”
  +
"It's a shame. I can relate to the feelings of Lord Yuuki.”
  +
"It's okay to just go and investigate, so let the Hybrid Legion handle it.”
  +
The aristocrats began to speak their minds. Calgurio looked on and began to get annoyed.
  +
Geez, it's just some dumbasses who get paid for it! Yuuki, this kid, what a smartass. This guy shouldn't
  +
be a military chief, he should be a politician.
  +
Seeing Yuuki show such a sincere attitude, even the people who hadn't been bought off began to take
  +
his side. Annoyed by this, Calgurio decided to speak out.
  +
"Wait a minute!”
  +
He said aloud, and the man stood up after him.
  +
Then a bow to the Emperor on the other side of the curtain.
  +
"Your Majesty! It seems that Master Gedora and Lord Yuuki are very much afraid of Veldora, but not
  +
me. Of course, the Western countries are not worth mentioning at all! May His Majesty be at peace, and it
  +
is my wish that you order me, Calgurio, to 'conquer them'! In that case, I, Calgurio, will risk my life and
  +
limb to go to war!”
  +
Calgurio so upstaged the Emperor that his words shook the room.
  +
  +
How dare you speak frankly to the emperor and ask him to comply with his wishes.
  +
“What!? How dare you say such treacherous things..."
  +
"Sir Calgurio, it is inexcusable to do such a thing!
  +
"Calgurio, are you going to sneak away? Your Majesty, we Demon Beast Legion are the same, ready to
  +
go to war at any time. Please order us to march as well!”
  +
It was at this time that even Gladim volunteered.
  +
Yuuki hurried to pick up the conversation.
  +
"In that case, please make sure you send the hybrid army to investigate!”
  +
Even Yuuki stepped forward, and the "Three Generals" unanimously bowed their heads and asked for
  +
orders.
  +
The only person who can calm the scene now is the Emperor.
  +
No.
  +
There's another one.
  +
The figure stood up from behind the curtain with a voluptuous smile.
  +
That is the Supreme Leader of the Imperial Army, the "Marshal".
  +
"You fools, take it easy. You're in front of Lord Rudra.”
  +
He dared to call the emperor by his first name, the average person would never be able to make such a
  +
rude move. The only one who could do such a thing with no change of face was the one who was the
  +
"Marshal".
  +
***
  +
The so-called "marshal" is equivalent to the strongest man in the Empire.
  +
Only a handful of close attendants knew his true face.
  +
Even his name was not disclosed to the public, and it was said that he always stayed with the Emperor
  +
to protect his safety.
  +
Because the man said that, the scene fell silent at once.
  +
All of them bowed and bowed, and a sound came from the air.
  +
"What's with Veldora. The last great march was hindered by him, but can the empire be shaken by it?”
  +
“No!"
  +
"That's for sure. For this empire is guarded by the great Emperor."
  +
“Yes...!”
  +
  +
Already more than just shocked by it, no one can disobey, such an atmosphere dominates the scene.
  +
It was at this point that the "marshal" opened his mouth to ask.
  +
"Your name is Yuuki, right? Although you're less than a year into the Empire, the accumulated merit is
  +
worthy of praise. But it was tepid, too tepid. Why the Empire has not acted until now since the
  +
resurrection of Veldora—do you know what the reason is?”
  +
"Because it's not ready...”
  +
Yuuki thought about how long it had been since he asked this, but he still gave an answer that didn't
  +
offend anyone.
  +
However, the 'marshal' laughed out contemptuously.
  +
"Not so. It's because the fools are imprisoned by the fears of the past and keep finding reasons to
  +
escape. Isn't that right, Gedora, isn't that right?”
  +
"Yes, yes...!"
  +
Everyone knows deep down, that things are just as he said.
  +
Even Gedora was no exception—he couldn't answer "no". Without debating whether or not he would
  +
be able to defeat the Storm Dragon, his stated opinion had always been to avoid the war, so there was no
  +
room for half a rebuttal.
  +
—But what's going on? Why is "she" so anxious?
  +
Gedora was one of the few people who knew the true face of the "marshal". That's why he sensed that
  +
the always transcendent "marshal" seemed a bit restless.
  +
Yet there was no way he could ask for understanding at this time.
  +
Without knowing the reason, Gedora felt only a vague sense of unease.
  +
The "marshal" continued.
  +
"Trying to negotiate with the Dwarf King Gazel—that’s not going to work, is it? You should understand
  +
that. Why are you so stubborn? Or are you actually more stupid than I thought? It's not like it's getting in
  +
the way of the empire's hegemony, is it?”
  +
The cold voice sent a chill down Gedora's back.
  +
Did she see through it? Surprisingly...
  +
Gedora found it hard to believe.
  +
He was considered an original figure in the Empire, and even a subject of the Emperor's consultation.
  +
Even such a Gedora could not help but shy away from the "marshal".
  +
So to speak...I don't even know her “name”...
  +
Gedora is trusted, and he is indeed important.
  +
  +
Yet this may just be Gedora's wishful thinking. Thinking about this side, Gedora was stunned.
  +
Apart from that, the empire—the emperor, he should say, who he really was—it was the first time that
  +
he had doubts about the matter.
  +
Never mind such a Gedora, the "marshal" is pointing the finger at Calgurio.
  +
"So, Calgurio, you should have a chance, right?”
  +
“Yes...! Of course, Your Excellency, Marshal!"
  +
"Yeah? Then tell me the battle plan you came up with.”
  +
"This, this...”
  +
Calgurio was originally imposing, but his dominance in the face of the "Marshal" was overpowered.
  +
Wanting to rely on the majority of the army to take down his opponent, he was forced to find that his
  +
thinking was too childish.
  +
As for fighting the Storm Dragon, Calgurio also has a case in mind.
  +
Because he had been orchestrating this for a long time.
  +
Calgurio wasn't afraid of Veldora.
  +
It was just a dragon anyway—he’d always thought so.
  +
There are some dragons that inhabit the Great Canaat Mountains, and those are indeed powerful
  +
magical creatures.
  +
Regardless of the lower-ranked dragons that inhabit the foothills, if they grow to middle-ranked
  +
dragons, the strength of these individuals is above grade A.
  +
If it was a high-ranking dragon clan with attributes, it was a very dangerous opponent, enough to
  +
overthrow a small country.
  +
However, if you switch to the Empire, all they have to do is to send a large force of about five hundred
  +
men from the Mecha Reformation Corps and they will be able to suppress it. Several of their military
  +
drills have been to crush dragons, and as long as they don't get anything wrong, there shouldn't be too
  +
much damage.
  +
This is proof that the empire is powerful. Their national strength was enough to raise tens of thousands
  +
of soldiers, even if their opponent was a group of dragons, they would be able to overcome.
  +
Veldora was also a kind of dragon—a perception of Calgurio, only a dragon, so what was there to fear?
  +
He even generated such a state of mind.
  +
How strong the magic is, that is determined by the amount of magic element. No matter how powerful
  +
the individual, such a rule applies.
  +
Dragons are strong because they contain a huge amount of mana that seems to be proportional to their
  +
mass.
  +
  +
There is a high level of defense and a jet attack that can annihilate a large area. All of this is possible
  +
because the dragon has an overwhelming amount of magic.
  +
That being the case, there's no need to go head to head.
  +
Calgurio and the others have their own magic plan.
  +
They are already working on a classified new technology called "magic vector disrupted radiation".
  +
If you want to make your opponent weaker by magic, it probably won't work against a dragon. Some
  +
individuals can even be disabled by "magical obstruction".
  +
Yet this new technology is unaffected.
  +
Whenever you expose yourself to "magicule disrupting radiation", you will have an effect on magicules
  +
as a substance. It wasn't manipulating the mage, it was putting the magicules into chaos. In other words, it
  +
has the effect of making a substance such as magicules lose control.
  +
If the opponent is a wizard, they are hindered from chanting so that the magic cannot be waged.
  +
If the opponent is a magical creature, the magical elements used to structure the body will be scrambled
  +
and there will be difficulty in movement. Simply put, it gets weaker. If it goes well it can make the
  +
opponent lose power.
  +
It's particularly effective against high-magicule aggregates like Veldora's, and is the reason Calgurio is
  +
so confident.
  +
He has another ace in the hole, which is the Magic Chariot.
  +
The Magic Guiding Cannon is so powerful that it can kill you even when you're facing a large monster.
  +
They experimented with the captured dragons and found that even an A-grade creature could be killed
  +
with a single blow from the "Magic Cannon".
  +
Then there's the killer blimp.
  +
The airship is a classified weapon and can be described as a result of magical technology.
  +
The top speed is even above the speed of sound. A creature made of flesh and blood could not escape at
  +
such a speed.
  +
The battle plan that Calgurio came up with in order to fight Veldora was as follows.
  +
Let the faster-moving soldier lure Veldora out, then seal his movements with the magicule disruption
  +
radiation set in the forest.
  +
The blimp also released a massive mana-disturbing radiation for irradiation, completely weakening
  +
Veldora.
  +
In the end, a fatal blow was delivered, using 2,000 Magic Guided Chariots to fire the Magic Cannon
  +
simultaneously. In that case, even the ancient evil dragons must have been destroyed.
  +
Even if he survives. No matter how strong a “true dragon" is, it can't be unharmed.
  +
  +
The so-called battle is that the more information you have, the better the chances of winning. They
  +
killed uncountable dragons and had accumulated enough intelligence.
  +
Calgurio believes they will win, holding absolute confidence.
  +
However, Calgurio, who spoke to the "marshal," was reserved.
  +
"Just, just configure the chariot and lure the evil dragon over there...”
  +
Since Calgurio had always believed that he could win with a large military force, he expected the
  +
detailed combat segment to be decided on the spot.
  +
No matter how treacherous the road ahead, any chariot could make its way through the forest.
  +
It is said that there are also streets connected from the Dwarf Kingdom side. If it went this way, I heard
  +
the road was still wide enough for the chariots to pass easily.
  +
He thought that the layout of the chariot was a trivial matter, but he could not talk nonsense in front of
  +
the "marshal".
  +
I'm too focused on augmenting the war effort and neglecting the most important field investigation.
  +
This is my misstep, isn't it...
  +
The sanity to make such a judgement remains in Calgurio.
  +
"Incompetent. I think you're going in the wrong direction. What was the point of wiping out Veldora?”
  +
“Eh?"
  +
Not knowing why the other party was asking, Calgurio couldn't help but ask back.
  +
Faced with such a Calgurio, the 'Marshal' glared coldly.
  +
"Since Veldora has been sealed before, why do you think the Empire hasn't moved?”
  +
"This, this is because it's not ready..."
  +
"It's not that, dumbass. It's to wait for the resurrection of Veldora, to go head-to-head in full form. So
  +
that everyone can know how great His Majesty the Emperor is. To achieve this, what's the use of
  +
destroying Veldora? He must be defeated and dominated if the Empire is to win!”
  +
There was silence in the meeting, and the words overwhelmed the room.
  +
Everyone's heart seems to be clenched tightly, unable to tell if it's because of fear or awe, dominated by
  +
feelings like that.
  +
Gedora felt equally warred.
  +
No way, do you mean it when you say that? It's clear that all the instructions were made before that
  +
mental domination is useless. But...
  +
But the phrase "marshal" is so inexplicably convincing that it always feels like it might be possible.
  +
Sensing this, unspeakable fear rose up in Gedora's heart.
  +
  +
So much so that it's actually mind-boggling to think about. Who the hell is the "marshal"? I've seen her
  +
before, but I've never been suspicious until now without knowing the other person's name. This, this is...
  +
It was a fact that Gedora was forced to confront, however.
  +
That meant that the "marshal" might be a master of spiritual domination beyond the likes of the
  +
Imperial Grand Wizard Gedora.
  +
Rather than saying it's possible, it's almost so certain.
  +
At this point Gedora opened her eyes and fixed them on the other side of the curtain.
  +
The curtain is woven with expensive flat silk, reflecting soft silhouettes. To Gedora, it was like a
  +
monster beyond human imagination.
  +
If it was a humanoid gesture that the Dragon Race had taken on—Gedora began to get the illusion and
  +
shrugged it off.
  +
***
  +
Everyone in the meeting swallowed nervously, stiffening their bodies.
  +
"Then I'd like to submit a plan of action."
  +
At this time, a teenager spoke up.
  +
He's Yuuki.
  +
The mere fact that he dared to speak in such a situation is commendable for his audacity.
  +
"You tell me about it.”
  +
A gentle, cold voice gave permission for Yuuki to speak.
  +
Hiding his true thoughts inside, Yuuki made a salute.
  +
"I don't think it's time for the legions to be in each other's crosshairs, so I've decided to speak from the
  +
heart without any hesitation.”
  +
After laying out the first sentence with that, Yuuki began to elaborate on the battle plan with a serious
  +
expression.
  +
The first thing is for the Mechs to attack the Great Forest of Jura head-on. The army of the demon lord
  +
Rimuru is gathering near the junction of the Great Forest of Jura and the Great River of Ameld. It appears
  +
that the hotel town there is being used as a base for a state of siege.
  +
That said, the Imperial Army's route of march would pass between the Great Mountains of Canaat and
  +
the Great Forest of Jura. There are no roads to the east of the Jura Forest, and it would take too long to
  +
cross that way.
  +
They could come to the front entrance of the Dwarven Kingdom, down the great south river of Ameld,
  +
and they would reach the inn town. Then the two armies will meet, but this side will have a problem.
  +
  +
"Wait, Mr. Yuuki. Not going through the forest would have irritated Dwargon! It was said that King
  +
Gazel and demon lord Rimuru were on good terms and the two nations had formed an alliance. Wouldn't
  +
we have been pinned down right away if such a move had been made!”
  +
Calgurio came forward to testify, and his opinion was well taken.
  +
Not through the streets along the great river of Ameld, but through the forest. The fundamental reason
  +
for thinking this way was to avoid hostility with the Dwarven Kingdom.
  +
Once the battle begins, the Dwarven Army will also send support. In order to cope with this situation,
  +
they must not allow someone to cut off the army's supply lines.
  +
Caught between the forest and the river, the entire army would be unable to move. They will lose their
  +
numerical superiority if they are pinned back and forth. Even if there are blimps, there's no way to
  +
resupply if you can't maintain the formation.
  +
For Calgurio, Yuuki's idea can't be heard.
  +
However Yuuki seemed to have expected that, and he smiled.
  +
"You may rest assured of that, Sir Calgurio. Our goal is not an inn town, but a dwarven kingdom. Since
  +
King Gazel won't negotiate with us, such a country is not a friendly one, is it? There's no need to keep
  +
them.
  +
“What...!”
  +
Yuuki's speech surprised Calgurio to the point of being speechless.
  +
The scene of the meeting was in an uproar.
  +
"Do you intend to attack the armed power of Dwargon? No, we should be able to win, but I don't know
  +
how many casualties there will be!"
  +
"There's no room to continue attacking the West."
  +
"After all, that country is like a natural fortress."
  +
In this way, the participants in the meeting began to exchange views with each other. Hearing those
  +
words, the smile on Yuuki's face deepened.
  +
"Right. That country is a fortress. Because it's particularly easy to defend, it's so far been said to be
  +
easy to defend and hard to attack. But we have chariots on our side. It was because Dwargon had
  +
particularly strengthened their magical defenses that their defensive capabilities were solid. As long as we
  +
can break through this defense network, it will be easy to take that kind of country, right?”
  +
"Well, well...”
  +
Hearing Yuuki point this out, Calgurio thinks it makes sense too.
  +
Suppose they were to attack the Dwarf Kingdom.
  +
Then their target is either East or West. If the enemy was to be taken lightly, they would not attack
  +
Isthmus, which was next door to the empire, and should attack St. Doran, the frontal entrance to the Great
  +
Forest of Jura, where they could escape.
  +
  +
Pretend they're going to attack the hotel town on the demon lord Rimuru, and then directly surround St.
  +
Doran with chariot troops...
  +
This would not only stop the Dwarf Kingdom from sending additional reinforcements, but also take
  +
down the inn town at the same time.
  +
"So it is, it's an interesting plan of action, maybe.”
  +
"Right? If the Dwarven Kingdom is in crisis, the Demon Lord Rimuru must also act. All we have to do
  +
is prepare a battlefield where we hold the reins and wait to greet each other..."
  +
"Then the combat situation will be favorable to our army."
  +
That works—Calgurio nodded.
  +
"I'm afraid that only the advance party remains in the hotel town. Having said that, fighting in the Great
  +
Forest of Jura benefits the opponent and will cost us a big loss no matter what. But if we take down the
  +
Dwarven Kingdom in one fell swoop, that natural fortress will protect us this time instead.”
  +
Yuuki's words are partly deceptive. If they actually attacked with the Magic Guided Cannon, it would
  +
destroy St. Doran as soon as they started shooting at the same time. Even if the opponent escapes into a
  +
maze-like underground cavern, the city near the entrance will be greatly damaged.
  +
In the future, the Empire will absorb the city and rebuild it, but it won't be available in this battle.
  +
Calgurio noticed this, but he decided to go along with Yuuki's words this time.
  +
"I don't think things will go so well, but there are certain points worth looking at. At least it's better than
  +
chasing rats around in a pesky forest, setting traps and waiting for rabbits to be killed in one fell swoop.
  +
After beating the hell out of them, we'll attack the capital of the Jura Tempest Federation."
  +
"Don't worry, I have a plan to follow. As you know, we in the Hybrid Legion are better at individual
  +
combat than group combat. So, traits like ours are best suited for investigating mazes. As mentioned
  +
earlier, it was heard that the underground one hundredth floor was guarded by Veldora. To find out if it's
  +
true or not, it's necessary to investigate, right?”
  +
So that's what you're going to do—Calgurio snickered inwardly.
  +
He didn't think Yuuki would part with the benefits he was able to get, so he had long thought the other
  +
party would say that.
  +
"Then don't. If you ignore the hotel town and go to the capital of the Jura Tempest Federation, you risk
  +
being attacked from both sides. That being the case, I should let my legion advance to the west and open a
  +
path to the underground labyrinth of something. After all, it's still hard to believe that a city disappears
  +
without seeing it with your own eyes. It must be assumed that Demon Lord's main army is waiting right
  +
there, it makes more sense tactically.”
  +
When Calgurio so retorted, though only for a moment, Yuuki showed a chagrined expression.
  +
Calgurio didn't miss it.
  +
huh huh, you're still too young. Thought everything was going to work out the way it was supposed to,
  +
this smug brat!
  +
  +
Thinking about this side, he reveled in the pleasure.
  +
Immediately following...
  +
"This military conference is finally getting more decent. Just as well, Calgurio seems to have a lot of
  +
confidence, Demon Lord Rimuru is in your hands.”
  +
Because of the "Marshal's" words, they decided to let the Mecha Legion carry out the Jura Grand
  +
Forest Invasion Battle.
  +
The words of the "Marshal" were not finished.
  +
"The light is too weak just like that. Since it's going to be an attack on Dwargon, it's best to put
  +
pressure on Easter as well. This task was left to the Hybrid Legion. You will be the chief of the army, and
  +
you will be responsible for protecting the capital.
  +
“...yes.
  +
Yuuki originally wanted to retort, but he put his mind to it. Because from the tone of the 'marshal', it
  +
sounded like there was no room for a turnaround in this matter.
  +
Instead, someone had something to say, and that was the remaining army chief, Gladim.
  +
"Please, please wait! Does it sound like we're supposed to stay in the Warcraft Legion? My Legion
  +
promises to do something about it. I beg you..."
  +
Gladim, with an anxious face, shouted towards the opposite side of the curtain. If the other side ordered
  +
them to stay here, the numerically disadvantaged Warcraft Legion would have no room to play. With all
  +
the key vacancies taken away, Gladim will lose the chance to build up the war effort.
  +
He definitely didn't want that, which is why Gladim was so desperate.
  +
"Don't panic, fool. I have indeed prepared the stage for you as well."
  +
“What!? So, then, what am I responsible for doing?”
  +
"You will lead the legions of beasts and attack northward with your whole army.”
  +
Gladim asked in passing, and was astonished by the mindlessness of the answer given by the
  +
"Marshal".
  +
Both the demon lord Rimuru and King Gazel will concentrate on defending their country. They could
  +
take the opportunity to invade at the same time and kill the West before they are caught off guard.
  +
Then they quickly set up their marching positions before the Western Convocations could respond.
  +
"Want us to attack north? Is it to go over the Great Canaat Mountains?”
  +
Seeing the meaning behind the "marshal's" words, Gladim was shaken by them.
  +
He understands the reasoning. It wasn't just a frontal attack from two directions, but a frontal battle
  +
from three directions simultaneously, with the Empire having the corresponding combat power.
  +
  +
However, strategy aside, it would be difficult to implement this operational plan from a tactical
  +
perspective. The idea of sending 10,000 troops to attack the Great Mountains of Canaat makes one
  +
wonder if the other side is crazy.
  +
Gladim hesitated to point that out, and at such a him, the "marshal" smiled out.
  +
"That's it, Gladim. You're going to take the sea route to attack the kingdom of Ingracia. As for the
  +
rejuvenating kingdom of Farmenas, it will be exterminated no matter what time it takes to bring down
  +
Dwargon.”
  +
"What, what? By sea? No, but our country has no naval warships for mass transportation at all...”
  +
"We do. Isn't that right, Calgurio?”
  +
Called by name, Calgurio now knew he couldn't afford to be fooled. The rudeness of calling them by
  +
their first names is even more so now. Under the circumstances, he didn't even have the strength to
  +
complain.
  +
That's how oppressive the "marshal" felt to him.
  +
"The marshal is right. Our military has developed the latest weapon, the "Airship". The Air Combat
  +
Flying Corps is using this latest type of weapon, they should be able to transport the Beast Legion.”
  +
The words of Calgurio brought the atmosphere in the venue to a boil.
  +
I did not realize that there were other ways to attack the Western countries without going through the
  +
great forest of Jura.
  +
No wonder they were so excited.
  +
"But if we're going to fight the Storm Dragon, it's a necessary killer weapon, and we'll only help deliver
  +
it, okay?"
  +
These words of Calgurio were addressed to Gladim.
  +
He would keep a hundred blimps at his disposal for maximum arming. Even with the other 300 left, the
  +
maximum number of troops that could be transported would be at least 100,000. As for the number of
  +
people the blimps can transport, one can carry four hundred people. Even minus the personnel who had to
  +
come to pilot the ship, a ship could still carry three hundred and fifty people.
  +
The Legion of Beasts—there were thirty thousand heroes inside, and thirty thousand demonic beasts
  +
they rode. Adding up to 60,000 in total, there were support troops in the rear, plus supplies to add to the
  +
mix in order for them to be at full strength. If one were to transport these things, three hundred blimps
  +
should be enough.
  +
Although one couldn't expect the combat power of the hovercraft itself, it was relatively easy to
  +
transport the Warcraft Legion.
  +
Calgurio immediately showed Gladim the absolute no-good bottom.
  +
Gladim knew this too, and he was in deep thought as he whispered.
  +
  +
It's a great honor for a warrior to fight against the demon lord Rimuru or the "Storm Dragon" Veldora.
  +
It's certainly a shame to miss out on this glory, but the battle plan proposed by the "Marshal" is also
  +
charming.
  +
That electrifying battle plan breaks down established concepts.
  +
The Western countries had been so careless that they must not have been able to deal with Gladim’s
  +
Warcraft Legion.
  +
They amount to winning, and such a combat plan makes perfect sense.
  +
To top it off, there seems to be a group of heroes on the western side called the Paladins. Not only are
  +
they good at individual combat, they are also said to be the strongest at fighting group warfare.
  +
It was said that the Imperial Kaiser's direct division was also very powerful, and the Holy Imperial
  +
Kingdom of Ruberios had a Hinata Sakaguchi.
  +
She was the chief knight of the Imperial Close Guard Division under the direct authority of the
  +
Emperor, and was also the head of the Paladin Order, and was truly the strongest knight in name. Fame
  +
even spread to the Empire's side, but it was recently heard that she had fought a draw with the Demon
  +
Lord Rimuru.
  +
That being the case, the best dressed knight of that kind was no match for Gladim at all.
  +
He would expel the heroes led by Hinata and ravage the sacred city.
  +
The beastly blood that was flowing in Gladim's body began to heat up.
  +
"Well, then! If I can get us to the battlefield, I'll follow this battle plan!”
  +
The Beast Lord Gladim roared his agreement, and the atmosphere in the large conference room grew
  +
more heated.
  +
"We'll win, we'll win!"
  +
"Victory is ours, victory belongs to the Empire!"
  +
"Long live the Emperor...!'
  +
The situation is such that some people have even begun to indulge in the imagination of victory.
  +
Echoing such enthusiasm, Calgurio packed his ticket to Gladim.
  +
"If you take the sea route, then you can avoid fighting dragons. You may as well leave it to me,
  +
Calgurio.
  +
In fact, this was originally one of the schemes that Calgurio came up with.
  +
Considering the distance that the dragons can fly, taking the sea route can be far away from the
  +
Dragon's Nest. In addition, you don't have to worry about the big sea beasts, which are so tricky, you will
  +
be able to travel to the West by relatively safe means.
  +
It was just that it would not be possible to join forces with the Chariot Force at all, so Calgurio thought
  +
it was too early to present this option.
  +
  +
Because of this, he also did thorough prior research.
  +
The new weapons had been put to use in an unexpected way this time, but Calgurio thought it would be
  +
good.
  +
Interesting. The Legion of Warcraft was transported by blimps, after which it was thoroughly supported
  +
and resupplied. It may be possible to create such an illusion and to plunder the profits to their heart's
  +
content. On top of that...if a large army emerges in the north, the Western coalition will be caught off
  +
guard by us as well. That way they become a rabble. There is simply no room to send reinforcements to
  +
support the demon lord Rimuru, and there will definitely be chaos by then.
  +
The countries of the Western countries were currently only on the alert for the Great Forest of Jura, and
  +
it would certainly be confusing to encounter an unexpected situation. In this way, Calgurio's plans for
  +
their battle would run smoothly.
  +
That's what Calgurio thought.
  +
He had to concentrate on the underground maze and the "storm dragon". That way he would be able to
  +
produce more fruitful combat results, as Calgurio calculates.
  +
"Is there a problem?”
  +
"No. Then I will discuss an outcome with Lord Gladim and come up with a plan of battle that is
  +
possible.”
  +
"Good. As long as it gets us there without a hitch, we'll make a big splash then!”
  +
"In that case, then I'll make an effort to demonstrate against the Dwarven Kingdom.”
  +
"Once the battle begins at St. Doran’s, there will be no movement on Esther's side. But..."
  +
"It's hard to guarantee that red-eyed dwarves won't come and attack our army—is that right? I know.”
  +
Even in the face of the "marshal", Yuuki's attitude is still the same as usual.
  +
Everyone present, including the other army chiefs, looked at such a Yuuki with a different look.
  +
It's time to say he's too retarded or has a bad head. Everyone's eyes looked like they were saying that,
  +
but Yuuki didn't care at all.
  +
"Good. Then go and prepare yourselves at once!"
  +
“Yes...!"
  +
The higher-ups have ordered it.
  +
  +
Emperor Rudra did not even say a word, and the empire was simultaneously engaged in a three-
  +
pronged war of aggression.
  +
  +
On this day an edict of war was issued in the name of the Emperor.
  +
Blood was feverish up and down the country of the Empire.
  +
  +
Having lurked for a long time, the Empire will once again show their majestic majesty.
  +
***
  +
It was a relief to Yuuki that the meeting was over.
  +
In previous meetings, the "marshal" had never intervened, yet this time he actively intervened. Because
  +
of this, Yuuki's plan also more or less needed to be changed in some places...
  +
Never mind, there's nothing wrong with that. As expected, my army seemed to be able to be placed next
  +
to the Empire. The Mecha Legion forces were the biggest and most in the way, but most of them were
  +
going to execute the Jura Grand Forest invasion. I didn't expect to see even the Warlord Legion I sent
  +
Vega to infiltrate in to strike, but the Hybrid Legion alone should be able to pull off a coup.
  +
Following the original plan, the mainstay of this coup was placed on Vega, who intended to lay all the
  +
blame on him in case of failure.
  +
Of course Yuuki's troops would also be secretly supporting them. It should be said that Vega is in
  +
charge of the fake action, and the main action is actually Yuuki's.
  +
Now to be forced to dispel that thought, but he thought it was generally okay.
  +
Because as much as he thought, the dumbass Calgurio seemed to be going to act.
  +
It would be better to say that Calgurio was a military general than to say that the man was a soldier.
  +
Fighting was indeed strong, but the man was not willing to take risks, too obsessed with strategy and
  +
winning 100 percent. And he was greedy enough to not count the loss at this time if there was a reason
  +
worthy of his presence.
  +
Simply put, just create the motivation to give it to him.
  +
The Jura Tempest Federation is rich, and has new technology worth taking.
  +
Just tell Calgurio that the underground maze hides these things...
  +
Of course talking to him directly would make the other person suspicious, so it was better to make the
  +
other person think that Yuuki was trying to get those things.
  +
Using the information and items that Gedora had brought back, Yuuki smoothly got Calgurio up and
  +
dancing.
  +
But, then again...
  +
"Look at that look on your face. What's wrong?”
  +
Yuuki questioned the man sitting across from him, Gedora.
  +
"Mmm. About the ‘marshal’..."
  +
“Marshal?"
  +
"Right. She was so anxious, I thought there should be some reason behind it.”
  +
"Anxious? Does it look like it?"
  +
  +
Gedora's face was frozen for that little reason. It seemed to Yuuki that he didn't need to care so much
  +
about these things, but Gedora seemed to be hung up on something.
  +
"But then, at today's meeting, I was thinking that the man was also a terrible monster. Seriously, I don't
  +
know if I would have won if I hadn't actually fought her—it’s pretty awesome.”
  +
Even without having to fight each other, Yuuki could see how much strength most people had.
  +
Nowadays, with his awakening of extreme skills, he can even see through the hidden strengths of his
  +
opponents.
  +
Even such a Yuuki couldn't tell how much the other party was capable of, and it must be possible to
  +
know how dangerous that person was without much explanation.
  +
"Whenever His Majesty Rudra is about to change generations, he will name the 'Marshal'. This time
  +
was no exception, and both the previous and previous generations were included, always guarding His
  +
Majesty the Emperor's safety. It is because of the power of the king at the pinnacle of the empire that he is
  +
called 'marshal'. But even so. To the best of my knowledge, no record has been kept of the 'marshal's'
  +
comments on the military. But this time it's why..."
  +
"Marshal" is a tough guy, which is a big miscalculation in Yuuki's opinion.
  +
But those are to be expected.
  +
This is because that most powerful demon lord, Guy Crimson, seems to have a particular problem with
  +
the Empire. Even if it wasn't Yuuki would rightfully think there was a ghost behind it.
  +
Why would Guy Crimson leave the Empire alone when he’s clearly so strong?
  +
The arrogant demon lord did not act for some reason.
  +
Was it because someone on this side of the Empire had made him so wary that Yuuki was so suspicious.
  +
If that person is the "marshal", then he can accept that possibility without saying a word.
  +
Anyway, when this war expands and the world goes into chaos, there should be a huge shift by then. In
  +
this way, we may see what's been hidden behind all this time!
  +
Yuuki began to think about the aftermath, forcing himself to suppress a surge of pleasure and snicker
  +
there.
  +
Seeing Yuuki like this, Gedora sighed, but he really couldn't keep worrying. Gedora regained his
  +
composure and began to discuss future plans with Yuuki.
  +
"By the way, Yuuki, I'll follow the plan. Nowadays, it is not necessary to take revenge on the West and
  +
hope to avoid war if you can.”
  +
"This kind of capricious request doesn't work, does it? So far, they have clearly been inciting others to
  +
war.”
  +
"Yes, there's no denying that.
  +
Gedora is also a very egoistic man who doesn't care what anyone says about him. As long as both
  +
himself and his beloved partner are safe and sound, nothing else matters at all.
  +
  +
He is the great wizard, but not a god.
  +
He didn't get cocky and feel like he could do nothing, making a clear distinction between what he could
  +
and couldn't do.
  +
It was because Gedora was such a man, and this was the last time he would serve the Empire, that he
  +
desperately advocated avoiding war.
  +
Everyone says that Demon Lord is the enemy of humanity.
  +
There is absolutely no resistance to the demon lord, and it would be wise to essentially abstain from
  +
each other from the beginning to the end.
  +
Not wanting to be hostile to the Demon Lord, Gedora also had contact with the now long-dead Demon
  +
Lord Clayman. It was through him that even Yuuki knew him.
  +
It is all about defeating the West and defeating Ruminism.
  +
The reason for allowing the demon lord to dominate the rich territories was so that the demon lord
  +
would not covet the territories of other nations—so that they would not develop such ambitions—and
  +
there was nothing wrong with Gedora's approach.
  +
While all of this eventually became meaningless, it was also because of this that Gedora, in turn,
  +
wanted to stop the Empire from continuing on the wrong path.
  +
Plus Gedora had already seen the demon lord Rimuru first hand.
  +
He was a very gentle man, and Gedora thought it wise to live with him with an ordinary heart. And the
  +
friend who was there, Adalman, looked like he was living a very happy life, even though he looked
  +
nothing like he did when he was alive.
  +
What surprised him even more was the fighting strength of that country.
  +
As a matter of fact, Adalman's strength should be on a par with Gedora's, and even his mission was
  +
only to guard the 60th floor of the underground maze. He seems to have been assigned to the seventy
  +
levels, and even so, there are still people outside of him and people outside of him.
  +
Of course, the real subordinates are everyone else.
  +
It's stupid to be an enemy of such a country.
  +
Gedora was so convinced.
  +
That's why he had an idea.
  +
It was thought that the empire would be defeated in this war.
  +
I don't know what Shinji thought of them, but for Demon Lord Rimuru, Gedora always felt that this
  +
person was deep and unpredictable. Partly because of this, too, he was particularly opposed to going to
  +
war.
  +
Although the result was regrettable, he fulfilled his pact with the demon lord Rimuru.
  +
  +
Successfully getting the Imperial's attention to the underground labyrinth, again he just had to figure
  +
out how to handle himself.
  +
"Those who do not listen to me, what will happen if they do not do what this one says. This old man
  +
will apply for a final audience with His Majesty, after which he will travel to the Monster Realm.”
  +
"This declaration of betrayal speaks volumes.”
  +
"This is not betrayal. I just live my life as I wish. Yuuki, I won't break up with you because of this. If
  +
you are in trouble, please come to me."
  +
Gedora is a man who, though I am a man of my own accord, is still very kind to those close to him. He
  +
seemed to like Yuuki so much that he said that to him.
  +
"Ahahaha, please teach me more then!”
  +
With a bitter smile on his face, Yuuki nodded.
  +
"But I became a newcomer when I arrived in that country. The trust of the other party must be
  +
accumulated in the future. Even if you want to use the old man, it's useless, you have to remember that."
  +
"This is outrageous! Even if you think so, you can't say such things!”
  +
"Cut the crap. A neurotic guy like you who doesn't speak so clearly can't convey it to you at all. By the
  +
way, speaking of nerve-rackers, I was too late to say hello to the clowns. Now you're sending them off
  +
somewhere to do something weird?”
  +
"Sort of. If I tell it to you now, you'll probably tell it to Mr. Rimuru, so I'll leave it at that.”
  +
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! That's right. Then I won't ask, you go and tell them, if you get into trouble
  +
come to me.”
  +
"Thanks, I'll have them do that.”
  +
After answering that, Yuuki smiled along with it.
  +
He was also very fond of Gedora. This loyalty to one's self, this way of being, looks a little flashy.
  +
The two smiled at each other for a moment, then shook each other's hands.
  +
"Then I'll be going. Yuuki, you want a big coup or whatever But—!”
  +
"I got it. You just can't kill the Emperor, right?”
  +
"Mmm. Since you know, that's fine. Farewell then!”
  +
With that, Yuuki said goodbye to Gedora.
  +
***
  +
Gedora's request to see the Emperor has been accepted.
  +
Should the emperor be admonished?—wondered Gedora nervously.
  +
  +
Even if he went up, he wasn't sure His Majesty was listening. Even so, the other party is at least the
  +
object of his loyalty so far and has a share of love, so he wants to do his loyalty while he can for the last
  +
time.
  +
"His Majesty is already waiting for you.”
  +
The man in charge of leading the way said so to Gedora, and he followed the close attendant who
  +
covered his face down the passage.
  +
The corridor connected to the upper part of the building was rubbed until it glowed and a light red
  +
cherry blossom could be seen.
  +
That's Manen Sakura.
  +
These petals never wither and are used as symbols of imperial prosperity.
  +
"Still as beautiful as ever. But the Japanese from the other world don't seem to like it very much."
  +
“So?"
  +
"Mmm. He said there should be 'the beauty of desolation', that is 'the beauty of destruction'. It's because
  +
the cherry blossoms fade that they look beautiful and dreamy. That's one way to look at it. Isn't that right,
  +
Kondo-sama?”
  +
“.......”
  +
Under the cherry blossom tree, a well-featured man appeared.
  +
"I should have been invisible.”
  +
"Yeah. I didn't find a single trace of it either. Only, it's supposed to be a hunch, right? There was a sense
  +
of vagueness, as if anticipating the danger ahead.”
  +
In response, Gedora pulled out the staff he loved to use.
  +
Unknowingly, the near-servant had disappeared.
  +
"I can't let you see His Majesty."
  +
“Why?"
  +
"I'm not going to tell you why, and even if you did, there's no point.”
  +
Lieutenant Kondo replied with a side, still holding the blackened iron in his hand.
  +
Southern-style large automatic pistol—the first automatic pistol in Japan.
  +
"Are you going to kill me?”
  +
Even as Gedora questioned with a sharp gaze, Lieutenant Kondo was indifferent.
  +
“Kondo...you...!"
  +
  +
Gedora was about to raise his voice further and shout, when just then his chest hurt and the man fell
  +
backwards.
  +
He wasn't careless, and Gedora was familiar with guns, had been paying attention to the movement of
  +
Lieutenant Kondo's fingers, and hadn't heard the shots.
  +
Beyond that, the point is...
  +
The pain in his chest was coming from behind, it wasn't from a gunshot, it was from being stabbed by a
  +
short knife, and as consciousness blurred, Gedora made the judgment as above.
  +
That means it wasn't Lt. Kondo who did it, but someone else...
  +
"Why did you do it?”
  +
"Because this man is dangerous. If we let the traitor go, it will be a hindrance to His Majesty's future
  +
rule.”
  +
The man's voice struck Gedora as a former acquaintance. But what makes people unbelievable, and
  +
even suspect, is that they have hallucinations before they die.
  +
"However, this man is also a friend of His Majesty..."
  +
Gedora's consciousness drifted away, and Lt. Kondo's voice grew smaller and smaller.
  +
This time Gedora is really going to die.
  +
Is it poison? It's been done flawlessly. It's all about punishing me for betraying His Majesty Rudra...
  +
but...
  +
It does kill you to go on like this.
  +
Petals of cherry blossoms that would never wither fluttered, and in the midst of that beauty, Gedora
  +
made his final bet.
  +
He unleashes pre-placed magic...
  +
Gedora's realization interrupted this side.
  +
Chapter 5: Before the War
  +
After sending Gedora to the Empire, interrogation time followed.
  +
It's Shinji and the others...no, it's Ramiris.
  +
There were a few things in there that were concerning.
  +
She's going to bully me, and there must be something else she's keeping from me.
  +
"Huh, how come...I'm not hiding anything...?”
  +
Behaving distinctly suspiciously, Ramiris had a flushed look on her face.
  +
It's obvious at first glance that something is being held back.
  +
  +
No cake from now on—just after the threat was made, Ramiris answered with a speed as fast as a
  +
machine gun.
  +
"You, you said you had something to ask. What is it, Captain?”
  +
And call me captain...never mind.
  +
Go spit and lose, so I started questioning.
  +
"That being said, Adalman has become stronger than I know, so let's leave that aside. What about the
  +
others? Didn't think that Albert alone could repel Shinji and the rest, and hadn't heard that there was still a
  +
Necromantic Dragon. Something strange isn't happening on the other floors too, is it?”
  +
Speaking of which, Albert is no longer just a slightly stronger demon.
  +
He has become a Paladin of the Dead, and in addition to his physical abilities, he also possesses
  +
excellent skills and is able to make the most of them. In the past when he was still a Death Spirit Knight,
  +
he was evenly matched against Hakurou when he fought, and now Albert had no idea how strong he was.
  +
"Albert, he's been mentoring that young man Arnaud, hasn't he? And then this time, to try his hand at it,
  +
he challenged the bottom floor again..."
  +
“Pause!!!”
  +
I hurried to get Ramiris to stop explaining for a moment.
  +
Albert instructed Arnaud, which I didn't understand.
  +
Arnaud is the captain of the Order of the Paladins and is quite a handful. Yet still he is not in the
  +
position of a guide, but rather is being guided?
  +
I didn't understand a word of what Ramiris was saying.
  +
"That is to say, after Arnaud and the others were scolded by Hinata, they got up and challenged the
  +
underground maze once again. This time, it was because the Floor Guardian Colossus was still under
  +
development, so they broke through the seventy levels.”
  +
"Hmmmmm, then what?"
  +
"And then those guys lost again!"
  +
"Kuahahaha! That was fun!”
  +
Ramiris explained happily.
  +
Veldora nodded along, watching him laugh as if he found it amusing.
  +
It should be really fun then, I guess.
  +
<<Answer. There are record-keeping battles.>>
  +
Really?
  +
  +
Master Raphael, King of Wisdom you are awesome!
  +
Come back later to enjoy the record, and for now, focus on Ramiris’ instructions.
  +
"So where did they hit Arnaud?”
  +
“Most came to the Dragon Pass on the ninety-sixth to ninety-ninth floor. There are additional terrain
  +
effects there that should be harsh on flesh-and-blood humans.”
  +
"When I think about it, it seems to me that..."
  +
"They lost the next level to the next floor guardian in one fell swoop. The look of running away while
  +
crying can only be described as a joy.”
  +
Hey, hey, hey, that's too evil, right?
  +
Hey, the next floor guardian?
  +
"Weird? Is the eighty level barrier demon lord that strong?"
  +
"Huh, why do you say that?”
  +
"It's nothing. I'm just saying that Arnaud is at least one of the Ten Saints, and his strength should be
  +
comparable to that of the old demon lord like Clayman, right?”
  +
I realized one thing when I asked the question myself.
  +
Come to think of it, even Adalman and Albert seem to be able to defeat the pre-Awakening Clayman.
  +
With that undetermined Necromancer, even facing the awakened Clayman, he should be able to defeat it.
  +
"This, this......”
  +
Under the impression that I seem to have assigned Zegion to be the floor guardian of the 80th floor.
  +
Could it be that he feathered himself from his chrysalis state and evolved into a full body?
  +
I hear that Veldora has been working him out, but that also seems a bit puzzling to me.
  +
Because Zegion is an insect-like creature.
  +
What he teaches about something as dubious as the "Veldora Style Killing Arts" is how to live it. I left
  +
it alone because it was a pleasure to watch Veldora, but I probably should have thought about it more
  +
seriously.
  +
I used my cells to allow the wounds on Zegion to heal, and the shell was repaired with "magic steel".
  +
Perhaps because of this, he was able to move quickly and seemingly summon dependents.
  +
Miss Treyni had already endorsed him, so I was okay with that.
  +
But this arrangement is like having a worm-like beast that can move at high speed after a slow-moving
  +
puppet, and playing with people in this way.
  +
"Hey, how's Zegion now?"
  +
  +
I was about to further question the seemingly suspicious response of Ramiris, but Veldora jumped in
  +
first.
  +
"My apprentice Zegion has been completely converted. Now a warrior of the world, inheriting the
  +
skills I taught you!
  +
“.......”
  +
"Not only that! Arnaud, and a few of them are simply not enough to see without my apprentice Zegion.
  +
Someone who slaughtered them to death was the seventy-ninth layer of Domain Guardians!”
  +
I've got the situation.
  +
Arnaud and the others lost to the Seventy-Nine Tiered Realm Guardians, the Queen Bee Apito.
  +
Not only is she capable of super-fast action, but she also possesses the ultimate toxins.
  +
Arnaud and his fellow Paladins had especially honed their swordsmanship, and even with this kind of
  +
skill, there seemed to be no way to run into her.
  +
Later Arnaud they were stabbed all over the head by Apito's dependents and heard that a line of people
  +
were running away in tears...
  +
How ridiculous is that—I want to scream.
  +
"Say it clearly. Say it clearly! I've been busy with work these days!”
  +
"Because because! I'm not the only one, even Master says it's cultivation, to exercise that bug!”
  +
"Stupid, stupid! You betrayed me!"
  +
"Because it's not fair that only Master is acting like he's not doing anything!”
  +
“Coo-woo-woo......”
  +
I guess Veldora had a hand in that.
  +
Running into something so interesting, everyone will want to join in.
  +
But I had a feeling of being betrayed.
  +
They hid it from me, only they were playing by themselves......
  +
No, handing it to these two was the wrong decision.
  +
It's something to reflect on, but one thing concerns me.
  +
"I say, I’m curious from a moment ago, what do you mean by training Zegion?”
  +
He's a bug, isn't he?
  +
Could it be that Zegion's complete metamorphosis is capable of turning into a humanoid?
  +
Turns out I was correct in my speculation.
  +
  +
"So, you finally noticed? I've already figured out you're going in the wrong direction, but it's funny that
  +
way, so I'm not telling!”
  +
Well, it's not surprising how arrogant Veldora can be...
  +
Looks like I was completely screwed this time.
  +
I began flipping through the records of the underground maze, asking Master Raphael, the King of
  +
Wisdom, to show the images. The next thing you know, Zegion has turned into a slender humanoid form.
  +
That's it.
  +
Shion once defeated the worm-like beast, Razul, at Ruberios.
  +
Zegion had the look of the strong to messy Razul, exuding the air of a strongman.
  +
Because he evolved into a humanoid form, he was heard to have learned combat skills as well. This is
  +
the gift of anomalous evolution.
  +
The same is true of Apito on this point.
  +
She had a beautiful figure, like a woman, and one thing only occurred to me as I watched. One should
  +
be alert if Hinata is guiding her.
  +
I thought they were just doing mock battles over and over again, looks like they were really taking
  +
instruction. She did learn combat skills, and Apito's movements were pure.
  +
It seems that there is also combat training with Zegion to learn high strength combat skills.
  +
The proof is that Arnaud and the rest were flopped.
  +
  +
"Then Arnaud seemed to have re-examined himself...”
  +
They let the mood return and began to walk through the underground maze from the beginning.
  +
But lost to a knight at the 60th level.
  +
It was Albert, the Paladin of the Dead, who was the strongest Knights of the Templars hundreds of
  +
years ago, and who was the confidant of the "Immortal King" Adalman.
  +
"Then they were completely repaired by Albert, that's what happened.”
  +
Albert beat the hell out of Arnaud and the rest of them on his own, and later asked, “You seem to have
  +
changed your name to Paladin lately, and even your quality has deteriorated?”
  +
After hearing that, Arnaud was angry and took out the Watcher's Skill to fight, but even the Must Kill
  +
Five Color Spirit Sword couldn't hurt Albert.
  +
Albert manipulated the swordsmanship of his life with physical abilities only found in magical things,
  +
and it was said that even Arnaud was no match for him.
  +
Immortal bodies do not tire and can recover even from attacks that cause physical damage. Seriously
  +
it's foul, there's no way to beat an opponent if you can't take advantage of his weak attributes to attack.
  +
And with the Holy Demon Reversal of Adalman, the level of invincibility increases a bit more.
  +
There's nothing they can do about it—I think so.
  +
Because of the absorption of the magical elements inside the labyrinth, Adalman and the others evolved
  +
into higher-order magical creatures. Arnaud and the others came over just in time for the challenge,
  +
thinking that this man was very unpicky about timing.
  +
But you can actually think the other way around.
  +
It would be lucky to be here to learn from scratch with the strongest knights of hundreds of years ago.
  +
Time comes now.
  +
The members of the Order of the Paladins under Arnaud all came to be mentored by Albert, and they
  +
alternated in groups, cultivating on one side.
  +
***
  +
That's about it. The 60th floor turned into a danger zone...
  +
"What about the other floors?”
  +
When I hear this side, I know it in my heart too.
  +
Adalman and Zegion are not the only ones who must have evolved abnormally.
  +
The result was just what I expected.
  +
From the Underground Maze, was born the masters known as the Ten Lords of the Labyrinth
  +
(Labyrinth Ten).
  +
  +
Maybe their fighting ability is comparable to the main subordinates, too.
  +
Adalman needs no further explanation, his subordinate Albert being one of them.
  +
As for Apito, who completes the abnormal evolution, she also seems to have turned into a Labyrinth
  +
Ten and is titled "Bug Queen".
  +
As for Zegion, he even became the most powerful of the ten.
  +
There was also the Nine-Tailed Beast Kumara, who could become an adult by absorbing the demon
  +
beasts that her tails turned into, and that was her true form.
  +
"Then allow me to speak next!”
  +
With that said, Ramiris informed the Labyrinth of the current distribution of forces within the Labyrinth
  +
and an update.
  +
Start from the ground up, in that order.
  +
Following Milim's instructions, Ramiris carefully cultivated four dragons with only attributes, and
  +
these guys beautifully evolved into Dragon Kings.
  +
It's all because of the daily absorption of a large pile of magical elements from Veldora.
  +
There were four in total: the Flame Dragon King, the Ice and Snow Dragon King, the Gale Dragon
  +
King, and the Earth Shattering Dragon King.
  +
I really don't want to know this, but it's reality.
  +
This isn't over.
  +
The floor guardian of the ninetieth floor was the Nine-Tailed Kumara of the Nine Beasts.
  +
The guardian of the eightieth floor is the "Bug Emperor" Zegion.
  +
Apito, the "Bug Queen" of the Seventy-ninth Level, the Guardian of the Realm.
  +
The floor guardian of the 70th floor - Adalman, the "Immortal King".
  +
The vanguard of the 70th level - Albert "Paladin of the Dead".
  +
Plus the fiftieth floor guardians Gozu and Mezu.
  +
Actually, Gozu and Mezu are not part of the Labyrinth Ten. As for the last of the Labyrinth Ten, it was
  +
Beretta who was responsible for being the administrator.
  +
"Personally, I don't want to get involved in this kind of trouble—ahem, this honor should be given to
  +
someone else...”
  +
While talking, Beretta looked over to Treyni and the Flame Giant—wrong, it should be Charys.
  +
"Alas, I have to take care of Lord Ramiris, and there's this big job to do.”
  +
"So do I. I'm Lord Veldora's only confidant. It's a lot of work just to take care of the master.
  +
  +
With a beautiful smile, Miss Treyni said so.
  +
Charys seems to have been played by Veldora, but he himself seems content. It doesn't look like there is
  +
any intention of taking on any other work.
  +
I sighed inwardly, thinking that the two men's thinking patterns resembled a certain housekeeper.
  +
"You seem to be having a hard time, Beretta."
  +
"You can understand, Lord Rimuru!”
  +
I kept nodding my head.
  +
In addition to re-affirming how deep my bond with Beretta runs, I confirmed a few things in passing.
  +
First of all, who should be in charge of the Labyrinth Ten?
  +
The Underground Maze balances interests and substantive interests and is a facility that several of us
  +
operate together. In fact most of it had to rely on the power of Ramiris, but what was certain was that it
  +
couldn't be messed with without Veldora's mana.
  +
In this way, the question arises, which is who the Labyrinth Ten should obey.
  +
As far as the chain of command was concerned, it should have been attributed to Ramiris, but...
  +
"On that note, we have interviewed each of them, in the form they wish!”
  +
Speaking of which, Ramiris began to explain.
  +
Beretta followed Ramiris, unchanged.
  +
Each of the dragon kings were under Ramiris and did seem to enter into contracts.
  +
The Dragon Kings are self-aware and has their own consent to this.
  +
Then there are the other members.
  +
Not only did Kumara become good friends with the children, but life in this land was satisfying to her,
  +
and her gratitude to me seemed to break through the skies. She also boasted about replacing Ranga as my
  +
pet.
  +
Zegion and Apito liked me very much and expressed their desire to honor me as their lord.
  +
Not to mention Adalman. He seemed to have gotten something wrong and even worshipped me as a
  +
"god".
  +
Albert, too, was indoctrinated by such an Adalman and looked as if he was going to offer his loyalty to
  +
me through Adalman.
  +
That's about it, these five men became my minions.
  +
Both Gozu and Mezu seem to stay in the labyrinth to work, I think it would actually be possible to turn
  +
them into Ramiris's minions, but...
  +
  +
They themselves politely declined to become a part of Ramiris' men, wishing to take orders from me.
  +
Also true. They used to be a race of believers in power and might judge Ramiris by her appearance.
  +
"Not so! Didn't you name them Rimuru? It seems to make them happier than paying them, so they say
  +
it's the only thing they can't compromise on.”
  +
Well, so it turns out.
  +
It felt good to hear them say that.
  +
Next time I encounter them, I’ll be kind to these two as well.
  +
In this way, while observing the three previous intruders in action, I found the situation inside the
  +
underground maze to be surprising.
  +
This is what I mean by astonished to the point of dumbfoundedness, and it's certainly a good thing that
  +
the guardians have become stronger. Yet they've evolved beyond belief, which is a bit disturbing.
  +
The faint-hearted have this bad habit, I guess.
  +
Those aside, with the Labyrinth Ten, even if the Empire fought over, they could still rest assured.
  +
Only in the face of general challengers, I ordered them to release mana appropriately. Otherwise, it
  +
would be impossible for the average person to breach the maze.
  +
It always felt sad that everyone had to challenge a maze that had several Demon Lord level opponents.
  +
There were only a hundred layers to guard to the end anyway, but that was all that needed to be handed
  +
over there to Veldora.
  +
The other floors—hopefully everyone will attack at least as far as near the 80th floor.
  +
Since we've been building it so hard, I hope you can see what a maze can do—presumably based on
  +
this mood.
  +
But those will have to wait for the day when peace is restored.
  +
***
  +
After confirming the current situation inside the maze, I looked around at the various guardians.
  +
I wanted to be sure and see for myself how far they had evolved—grown.
  +
The results exceeded expectations.
  +
With such a huge amount of battle power, even if the Empire attacked, I felt that I wouldn't lose as long
  +
as I was inside the maze.
  +
The next few days passed.
  +
The surveillance magic is finally complete, so I'm going to experiment.
  +
  +
It is located at the "Strategic Military Control Combat Command Post", commonly known as the
  +
"Control Room".
  +
It felt cool to read it smoothly and imposingly—that’s probably how it felt, after consulting with
  +
Veldora and deciding on the name...but after calming down and reflecting a little, it felt too long.
  +
Honestly, I think we're talking to the wrong person.
  +
Benimaru and the others only knew it as the control room, and there were very few people who knew
  +
what the original name was.
  +
Veldora's private room was located on the hundredth floor of the labyrinth, and the control room was
  +
located next to his room, with access from the usual combat conference room.
  +
If the metropolis on the ground was isolated in the labyrinth, we would be using this control room alive
  +
as a base camp.
  +
The preparations for the war were flawless.
  +
If it was a day job, that would actually make me personally happier.
  +
Surveillance magic brings good results.
  +
We set up several large screens that are also useful at martial arts conventions, and let those screens
  +
shine out in different places separately.
  +
There were various areas within the Great Forest of Jura, as well as trade routes to the Dwarven Realm
  +
that became available to begin monitoring in various key areas.
  +
Even the seaway connecting the Kingdom of Farmenas, the top of the Great Mountain of Canaat, was
  +
smoothly reflected.
  +
The principle is simple.
  +
That said, the physical magic I developed, "Megiddo", is also useful for allowing spirits to manipulate
  +
lens-shaped water droplets.
  +
Huge mirrors unfolded high in the air to find the expanded image of the destination. We let these
  +
images reflect and then transmitted the informative images.
  +
Referring to what Moss did, I sent my "doppelgänger" slimes to various places as a medium to unleash
  +
magic. Therefore, it will be connected to the "space domination" launched by me, so that data can be
  +
transmitted directly without the slightest error.
  +
Those clones are all very small and not self-conscious, and as long as I'm not focusing on that side,
  +
they don't drain energy. It wouldn't be easy to ship them near the location you wanted to see, but Souei
  +
and Moss said they would try to help.
  +
It's an excellent system with very low energy costs.
  +
A name for the system was also given to the physical magic—“Argos (God’s Eye)“.
  +
The high resolution image is shown on the screen with the "King of Wisdom" processing.
  +
  +
You can stay in the warm control room to confirm the status of the scene. Everyone was so happy when
  +
I finished this wonderful spell.
  +
Diablo, in particular, was particularly excited, so let's just pretend he didn't see it.
  +
Next, as this surveillance system is completed, there is actually one more benefit.
  +
You can stay in this control room and unleash the "Megiddo" at the location shown on the screen.
  +
I was surprised when I actually finished the experiment. Aiming at the feet of Gobta, who had been
  +
training in the plaza, and hit a shot to try it, not expecting it to work.
  +
Gobta startled the entire crowd into a jump, and his face was unforgettable.
  +
"You idiot! It's your fault!”
  +
Instead, I preached to him, when in fact Gobta was not wrong.
  +
On top of that, the performance of "Megiddo" had gone up.
  +
This was originally magic that Great Sage had made the best adjustments to produce, but it didn't seem
  +
acceptable enough to Master Raphael, the current King of Wisdom...
  +
We made further precision modifications, resulting in a system that allows several satellite lenses to
  +
float in mid-air at any time.
  +
Because of the connection with “Argos”, the “Megiddo” can be unleashed at night. The power was
  +
more or less low, but I managed to get the light to reflect between the satellites, causing the light to gather
  +
into a beam.
  +
Seriously, my efforts seem to be misplaced.
  +
What actually created the satellites were big spirits, and I was just supplying the mana. The complex
  +
arithmetic is handed over to Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, and is very simple to operate.
  +
Of course there is no energy dissipation during the day, and the power is greater.
  +
The amount of light and heat that can be operated has increased and can be used like a hot-wire cannon.
  +
If the opponent is a human army, maybe I can get them all killed without even moving a step.
  +
All the previous magical transformations couldn't help but make one feel this way.
  +
***
  +
After confirming the success of the experiment, I returned to the office.
  +
At this time, Shuna happened to come over and told me that there was a visitor.
  +
Don't look at our country, it's actually a lot of guests.
  +
Anyway, it's not too much to say that most of my work is in entertaining guests.
  +
  +
All that's left is to develop the magic, or to conceive of interesting merchandise and then distribute it to
  +
the right people to do it. After that comes the management of the labyrinth operation, or being the subject
  +
of Myormile's consultation...all sorts of things.
  +
Play is also part of the job.
  +
That's probably the case, but hosting guests is paramount. I'll do it all seriously.
  +
Led by Shuna, I went to the reception room, only to see Shinji and the others waiting with nervous
  +
faces.
  +
They fled to this country and I've been able to ask all the things I've been able to ask these last few
  +
days.
  +
Of course it wasn't torture, they had a choice, and the three of them were being questioned in a peaceful
  +
manner in separate rooms.
  +
I have told them that they can do whatever they want with their free time and they should have time to
  +
figure out how to conduct themselves.
  +
The reason they are coming over today is to tell me what they have decided.
  +
"So you've decided on what you want to do?”
  +
Shinji and the others were confused and didn't know whether they should take office in our country or
  +
become free-spirited adventurers.
  +
If they continue to be adventurers, these people can go and challenge the maze and live a privileged
  +
life.
  +
The downside is that now they know how strong the lineup is in the maze and can't see the future.
  +
I have the Floor Guardian Colossus Statue set up on the 60th floor, but it should be a struggle to really
  +
cure them to deal with something like this.
  +
Plus even if they broke through this layer, there was still an Adalman line waiting for them on the
  +
seventieth floor. No matter how you think about it, it's a dead end. If you ask them if they're going to
  +
spend their whole life there, they're going to feel very annoyed.
  +
Because it's been seen, they'll feel very unfulfilled doing the job. Even if you can make money, life will
  +
become monotonous and boring.
  +
But Adalman and the rest have gotten stronger than I expected, so I don't have much left to laugh at
  +
people now.
  +
Thinking logically in general, one doesn't expect to grow so much—evolution, I should say—so that's
  +
something that can't be helped.
  +
Forget about that. Forget it.
  +
What will happen to the other challengers, and I'll leave that out of my mind.
  +
So what happens when you come to work in our country?
  +
  +
At best, the appointment is only a temporary assignment, but a secure life is guaranteed. Only we're
  +
about to go to war with the Empire, and Shinji and them seem to be worried about whether they'll be
  +
forced into battle.
  +
Personally, I don't want to force them, but I also can't assert that they won't suffer the ripple effects. I'd
  +
better not mind my own business and talk nonsense and wait and see how Shinji and the others judge.
  +
"Report. I, the three of us rather, as a result of our discussions, came to the conclusion that we wanted
  +
to be able to work in His Majesty's country of Rimuru. After all, Master Gedora is also going to serve this
  +
country, and we would love for this country to hire us. I wonder if that's convenient?”
  +
Shinji said this with a nervous face.
  +
The other two also nodded with serious expressions, looking like they didn't object.
  +
"Got it. In that case, you are welcome to join.”
  +
"Yes, thank you!"
  +
"I'll try my best!"
  +
“...I'll work my ass off."
  +
Just like that, Shinji and the rest became part of this country.
  +
Then things are moving in that direction, come and see what work to get them to do.
  +
"I'm going to let Grandpa Gedora manage the 60th floor. Ask him to study the Floor Guardian Colossus
  +
Statue and expect to have him possess it in the future.”
  +
The old grandfather had a keen curiosity and seemed to have a keen interest in the matter. As soon as I
  +
showed him the Floor Guardian Colossus Statue, he yelled with excitement.
  +
It's just sent to Adalman's side first for now, but it should be nice to have him as a floor guardian on the
  +
60th floor in the future.
  +
"So you guys don't want to go to this war, right?”
  +
"Ah, yes. There are people we know over there, if that's okay..."
  +
The way Shinji replied, it didn't look like he wanted to do that very much.
  +
That being the case, instead of coming over to be my men, it would be better to have them go to the
  +
labyrinth as researchers.
  +
Thinking about this side, I decided to introduce Shinji and them to Ramiris.
  +
***
  +
I bounced forward through the maze and came to the Institute of Ramiris.
  +
"Ramiris, should we try to get Shinji and the others to work on your side?”
  +
"Ah, Rimuru! They're the ones from before, right?”
  +
  +
"Yeah, that's them.”
  +
Ramiris had been looking for assistants, but could not find any decent talent.
  +
A researcher from another country could not have been casually sent by Ramiris. Having said that, a
  +
  +
magical creature with not enough intelligence was not strong enough, and could not understand the pie-in-
  +
the-sky ideas of Ramiris.
  +
  +
It's a good thing there's Dino, but he's not reliable enough alone.
  +
Shinji and the rest happened to show up at this time, and were arguably just the right talent for the job.
  +
"Yoo-hoo! I'm Ramiris. You guys want to be new assistants and come work with me?”
  +
“This......”
  +
Shinji didn't know how to answer, and looked as if he hadn't realized what kind of person Ramiris was.
  +
"Fantastic! Hey, Shinji! There are real fairies here!”
  +
Mark was there yelling in surprise. Was it his first time seeing one? I don't know how long he's been in
  +
this world, but if seeing the fairies surprised him like this, then that guy was more innocent than I thought.
  +
"I've been looking for an assistant. How about for a paycheck? We're short-staffed, and we've earned it
  +
by finding decent educated visitors to the Otherworld—that’s what Rimuru said before!”
  +
Ah, I can't believe that Ramiris is so talkative.
  +
Although that's true.
  +
The "otherworldly visitor" is highly skilled and flexible in its ideas. They'll be on the field soon, and I
  +
hope Shinji accepts them if he can.
  +
“...I agree. It's more peaceful to do research."
  +
Zhen was direct. Presumably, Zhen was just like that, and Shinji seemed to have made up his mind.
  +
"Thank you very much, then!”
  +
Hearing such a response from the other, Ramiris flew around happily.
  +
And then held up a flat chest while looking like she was the best...
  +
"Hmph! You guys seem to be that good. Good, you're all qualified. But you must obey my orders when
  +
you work!”
  +
She gave an ultimatum to Shinji and the others.
  +
Turning your face is like flipping a book, even I was surprised to read it. That floppy look just now was
  +
like a hallucination.
  +
To say that this is very much in the style of Ramiris, is very true.
  +
  +
Regardless of Shinji's shocked face, Ramiris straightened out the working conditions in a flash.
  +
The monthly salary is three gold coins.
  +
That translates to thirty-six a year, plus dividends.
  +
That said, both me and Ramiris are in the mood to give money, and it's best not to expect too much
  +
from the dividends.
  +
Instead, the burden of food and clothing would seem to be placed on the shoulders of the woman. She
  +
was probably trying to use our canteen, but that part was fine.
  +
That's how it was. Shinji's relocation was settled in one fell swoop.
  +
***
  +
A few more days passed after that.
  +
It seems that the three of them are also used to the workplace and now work as both right and left hands
  +
of Ramiris.
  +
That part is fine, I'm more worried about Gedora.
  +
As soon as he returned to the Empire, he cut off contact with us.
  +
The old grandfather was very shrewd, I think he's fine, but...
  +
I'm starting to worry now and hope he contacts us.
  +
While thinking about it, I went to the control room today to discuss it with Benimaru.
  +
On the screen for surveillance, the image I got with the "Argos" was reflected there.
  +
The images came from various locations, but today was no different.
  +
I would also like to gather intelligence within the Empire's territory, but it would be satisfying to have
  +
images of the military borders for now.
  +
A large number of soldiers were gathered there, around the perimeter of the security base. It's the only
  +
area that's always in a hurry.
  +
"There doesn't seem to be any movement today either."
  +
"Yeah. That said. This magic is really convenient. This is the magic Lord Rimuru has been working on
  +
lately, right?”
  +
There were only a few of us today, so Benimaru's tone was less preachy.
  +
I personally prefer it this way, it feels more relaxed. It was only unfortunate that in front of the others,
  +
Benimaru would revert back to a polite attitude.
  +
But there were exceptions, and that was when Souei or Diablo were present.
  +
  +
It felt a lot like a group of loser friends, and I loved it so much that sometimes the four of us would go
  +
to Ingracia Kingdom for a drink together.
  +
"Yes! What makes this magic so great is that it all starts with the softness of thinking. The energy cost
  +
to spend is low and the effect is great. In order to unleash this magic, the complexity of the calculations is
  +
as beautiful as a work of art, and it does not drag on at all. So...”
  +
“Pause...! That's it. You'll never stop bragging about it, just wait until I'm gone and tell someone else,
  +
okay?”
  +
A slight oversight turns into this.
  +
It bothers me that Diablo will start bragging about it.
  +
This magic is indeed powerful, but only with Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, can it be practiced.
  +
It's a little embarrassing that it's not entirely out of my league.
  +
"Shut it, Diablo. If you don't act a little more restrained, you will cause trouble for Lord Rimuru.”
  +
"That's not possible. What the hell are you talking about, Benimaru? Nothing of the sort, right Lord
  +
Rimuru?”
  +
"No, Benimaru is right. You're always talking too much about the long way and the short way.”
  +
Diablo must be warned indeed this time.
  +
  +
He put on a greatly distressed expression, became well depressed and must have been acting anyway.
  +
It's no big deal.
  +
I had heard that Diablo was a very dangerous demon, and I was worried about what to do. But after
  +
thinking it over and over, it turns out that this guy was always a weirdo.
  +
Even that Guy kept getting caught up in him, and coping was seriously downright foolish.
  +
As I found out about this, I'm not going to be able to cut corners anymore.
  +
"Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,
  +
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,
  +
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah,
  +
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.......”
  +
"I told you to stop it!”
  +
I told you so, didn't I?
  +
This guy is not reflecting at all.
  +
Slightly in a sterner tone he said exactly.
  +
A sudden report interrupted our relaxing time.
  +
"Rimuru, someone teleported directly into the maze! Based on this reaction, I think it's our newest
  +
grandfather!”
  +
"Got it. I'll be on the 70th floor in a minute.”
  +
I stood up, and this action alone seemed to make Benimaru and Diablo sense that something was up.
  +
They were so good that, in addition to being impressed, I briefly informed them of the main points.
  +
"Gedora seems to be back, but it sounds like something must have happened. I'm going to make sure.”
  +
"Got it. Then I will continue to be on guard here.”
  +
"In that case, let me be Lord Rimuru's escort."
  +
“Please."
  +
It's times like these that Diablo feels particularly reliable.
  +
If only this was his usual attitude...no, better not think about it.
  +
Diablo is excellent, but the difference is too great. With regret, I headed for the living room that had
  +
been allocated to Gedora.
  +
Turns out Gedora was really there.
  +
There was no need to worry about whether he was safe or not, he was alive and well.
  +
  +
"Oops, I thought I was going to die.”
  +
It didn't look anything like the dying Gedora said so.
  +
The only people gathered there, except for us, were the Adalman group.
  +
After a while, Ramiris and Veldora also rushed over, knowing that Gedora was okay and went back.
  +
"What happened to the result?”
  +
"Back to your word, here's the thing. This old man advocated anti-war at the Imperial Council,
  +
following Lord Rimuru's orders. In the end, however, there was a tendency to go to war. But this is all to
  +
be expected, so considering it a final act of loyalty, I intended to go directly to His Majesty Rudra to make
  +
a petition.”
  +
Then Gedora applied for a meeting with the Emperor, and the application was accepted.
  +
The day of the appointment came and it was today.
  +
Gedora said that in the emperor's chambers he was assassinated by someone. Those things happened
  +
just minutes ago, less than ten minutes apart.
  +
Ask him if he's all right. It's not a good way to see the occasion.
  +
"Yes, I have the Resurrection Bracelet for you."
  +
"Yes, Lord Ramiris is quite powerful, and it was thanks to something like that that I was able to save
  +
my life. I thought that something like this might happen, so I set the return magic first.”
  +
Seeing that he was safe and sound, I figured that might be the case.
  +
His brain was moving really fast. As long as you return to the labyrinth, no matter how badly injured
  +
you are, even if you are about to die, you can still be safe with the "Resurrection Bracelet".
  +
After witnessing real-life cases like this, I re-affirmed that the power of Ramiris was practical.
  +
Having said that, to be able to set up magic beforehand, Gedora really has a way with that. He seems to
  +
have taught this move to Razen, so I'll practice it next time.
  +
I have "thought acceleration" on me, and perhaps even more powerful magic can be created through
  +
alignment combinations.
  +
"Then who attacked you?”
  +
Even if one were to find someone in our country who could defeat Gedora, there shouldn't be that
  +
many. Gedora was always on guard, and seemed to be thoroughly defended through magic, so even if he
  +
was sneakily attacked, he shouldn't lose to his opponent...
  +
"In this regard, the other party is able to keep me out of sight, even if it is too late to confirm the other
  +
party's true identity. But the thought of who the other party might be just makes it a little hard to
  +
believe...”
  +
Speaking of which, Gedora turned his back to me and showed me the torn cloak.
  +
  +
The injuries to the body have healed, but the equipment has not recovered. The cloak left marks that
  +
looked very much like it had been corroded, and at a glance you could tell it wasn't just a physical attack.
  +
"A stab in the heart from the back, huh?”
  +
''The defensive spells built with magic have also been broken. It looks like there are people there who
  +
use very interesting moves.”
  +
Diablo also had a look of admiration on his face, the opponent seemed to have come from no small
  +
place.
  +
There should also be people on the Imperial side who are strong enough to kill me. Maybe it was the
  +
same guy who assassinated Gedora, and it's best to assume there are other masters around.
  +
Gedora didn't seem quite sure who the enemy was. He wanted to investigate a little, so the matter was
  +
left to Gedora.
  +
It didn't sound like Gedora was lying, it looked like he was really confused. It seems too early to trust
  +
Gedora, so I decided to observe the situation first this time.
  +
"Anyway, it's really good that you're okay. Now that it has been reaffirmed that the Empire is an
  +
opponent that cannot be taken lightly, we will be more careful in the future.”
  +
"The words of Lord Rimuru are sufficient. Even if we investigate further, we won't be able to get any
  +
information that will be refreshing.”
  +
It seems Diablo thought so too.
  +
Gedora nearly died trying to get that information, now it's time to be satisfied with having that.
  +
Thinking about this side, I comforted Gedora while listening to him explain the situation.
  +
***
  +
According to Old Grandfather Gedora, the Empire was preparing for war.
  +
Once an empire wants to go to war with another country, none of them will declare war first.
  +
Because they think the emperor is unique and does not recognize other nations.
  +
That being said, it was at best an outwardly created image. In fact, they also have bonded with the
  +
Dwarven Kingdom and have not interfered with them ruling their own country.
  +
When it comes to invading other countries, the Empire is ready for anything. So they will not declare
  +
war, but rather persuade other nations to surrender.
  +
That too is limited to one time.
  +
If they obeyed, then so be it; if they did not, there would be war and then the Empire would attack
  +
without mercy.
  +
How self-righteous and arrogant is this country?
  +
You can't make friends in the international community in such a difficult country!
  +
  +
I began to worry about it, but the Empire was never part of the international community.
  +
Thus, international law, as laid down by the Western consultative councils, has not been ratified, and
  +
once war is waged it is not a matter of right and wrong.
  +
What agreements to make in case of defeat, what to do with prisoners, what acts to forbid in case of
  +
war—that sort of thing, the empire did not make any agreements at all in that regard, so the Western
  +
countries were very afraid of them.
  +
No wonder it's scary. This is really scary.
  +
Maybe even killing people would be justified, and losing to the Empire in a war would be the same as
  +
losing everything.
  +
I don't think there's even a chance to talk about compensation.
  +
For everything belongs to the Empire, and the defeated nations have no right to speak of.
  +
If you want to negotiate with the Empire, you should at least fight them to a draw.
  +
That being the case, there's no need for us to drain the water.
  +
It must be won and lost in one fell swoop and the root of the scourge must be cut off.
  +
Now that the empire's movements have been determined, it's time to think about what to do when the
  +
war begins.
  +
The first step is to set up an operational integration headquarters in the control room. While that just
  +
sets the mood, this kind of thing is important.
  +
Benimaru and Souei would stay here from time to time.
  +
When Souei is able to send the clones around the world to conduct reconnaissance operations, it's not
  +
just my Argos that he can rely on. He will work with Moss and can gather very accurate intelligence.
  +
That way we're a few steps ahead of our opponents.
  +
Honestly, in this world of warfare, wait for the two armies to meet before they really start fighting.
  +
They would put out scouts and use long-range magic to monitor the enemy's movements, but it was
  +
generally assumed that this was something that would be done soon after an encounter with an opponent.
  +
We all have the idea of intelligence warfare, but I don't think any other country will be able to find an
  +
army that has so thoroughly intensified its surveillance of enemy forces.
  +
Hinata and Gedora have also told me about this, and it shouldn't be my own imagination, but the fact
  +
that it's true.
  +
“These...these images are from the air...?"
  +
"Kufufufufu. It was generated through the magic of Lord Rimuru. All it took was a little bit of magical
  +
essence, and the magical reaction had gone to the outside of the atmosphere. The number of people who
  +
can sense these reactions must be very small. It probably takes a super intuitive ability just to sense it."
  +
  +
"Yes, indeed. I'm also confident in my magical senses, but this magic is so natural that it's hard to
  +
imagine someone manipulating it behind the scenes..."
  +
  +
"Exactly! Even high-ranking magicians who were good at using magic would be fine, if only three-
  +
legged cats probably couldn't detect it. It's really impressive. You think so, don't you?”
  +
  +
"That's what I thought! It's really quite a bit of magic!”
  +
Somehow, Diablo put on a smug look and began to show off to Gedora. Gedora agreed with him, with
  +
a look of excitement.
  +
“Shion."
  +
"Yes, sir!”
  +
This was really in the way, so I ordered Shion to take them to another room to isolate them.
  +
When the scene regains its tranquility, we cut to the chase.
  +
Returning the surveillance image from high in the air was a foul move.
  +
Think about it, people.
  +
It wasn't long ago that it bothered them which route they would attack from and things are now like a
  +
joke.
  +
This was because not only the suspicious routes, but even the vicinity of the border with the Empire
  +
could be watched, and once they were out and about, they would be able to see clearly.
  +
We can see all the situations on the board, but the opponent seems to be playing blind chess.
  +
They can only see their pieces. As long as we're not too young, we can't lose even if our opponent is a
  +
good chess player.
  +
There was no need to send high commanders to check their male soldiers, we had an absolute
  +
advantage.
  +
Besides, there are no rules to fight.
  +
The people who win say everything is right.
  +
The other side's unilateral aggression, that's beyond horrifying. Apart from the fact that there is no
  +
convention to fall back on, anything can happen in war.
  +
But I made a rule anyway.
  +
"Do not shoot at the general public!”
  +
The rule is this.
  +
Of course, it is strictly forbidden for us to take the lead. And once I declare the war over, no attacks can
  +
be launched after that.
  +
I'm sure no one will go against my will to disobey this order.
  +
  +
Today, in this control room, our subordinates are gathered together.
  +
The commander was Benimaru, with Hakurou as an advisor.
  +
Souei is the head of the intelligence service.
  +
Plus Rigurd, and the three heads of power who supported him on the side—Rugurd, Regurd, and
  +
Rogurd.
  +
On this side of the female lineup, there are Shuna and Lilina.
  +
As well as Rigur, Kaijin and Kurobee, who silently supported everyone behind them.
  +
Vesta and Myourmile serve as consultants.
  +
On the side of the chiefs of the various armies were Gobta and Gabil, plus Geld, who I had asked to
  +
interrupt his work.
  +
I also called in the three female demons—Testarossa, Carrera, and Ultima.
  +
Diablo looked like he was reflecting, so I allowed him to participate. He got along well with Shion,
  +
standing in his usual fixed position.
  +
To find a reference, I also had Gedora and the Shinji trio take their seats together.
  +
Someone came late, and he is the one who is now the spiritual pillar of the people.
  +
"Wait a minute. How did I become a pillar of the people's hearts? Please don't talk nonsense, for
  +
goodness’ sake!”
  +
Oops, accidentally speaking your mind?
  +
Masayuki snapped at me.
  +
Watching Masayuki and I interact like this, somehow Gedora didn't even look away.
  +
Maybe there was something that mattered to him, it was possible to ask him when the meeting was
  +
over.
  +
The last remaining members were two more.
  +
That's Veldora and Ramiris who came to help.
  +
Beretta, Miss Treyni, and Charys were also all waiting in the corner of the room.
  +
These are the full members of the above.
  +
I nudged Ranga, who was sitting next to me, and looked around at everyone sitting in the chair.
  +
"I thought it would not be necessary to say much about the meeting that brought you here today to
  +
discuss how to fight the Empire. Benimaru and I had already thought about the approximate combat plan,
  +
but we also wanted to hear from everyone. Please take the floor.”
  +
  +
“Yes!"
  +
That's the thing, the meeting is about to begin.
  +
***
  +
We began to look at the images, which reflected the gathering of the Imperial army.
  +
Something made of steel rumbled and moved against the track.
  +
That's a chariot.
  +
We observed from above that the number of war vehicles was two thousand.
  +
"Wait, no! Why are there chariots there?"
  +
As soon as I saw those things, the thought immediately came to me.
  +
I hastened to ask Shinji about it, and found out that there are modern weapons in the Empire that use
  +
the knowledge of the "otherworldly visitors" to develop modern weapons using science and technology.
  +
Using an internal combustion engine, which is an alternative to petroleum, mana is equipped with an
  +
internal combustion engine that replenishes energy by circulating the atmosphere. It's a well thought out
  +
system with both heat dissipation and magicule supply.
  +
This chariot is capable of a wide range of applications, if only to compare performance, slightly
  +
surpassing the highest performance chariot in the native world.
  +
According to Gedora, the Imperial side analyzed the magic center-controlled power furnace excavated
  +
from the ancient ruins and then modernized it. It seems that the magic stones will also be replenished and
  +
used as fuel.
  +
If only for general use, they would harvest from nature, and I've heard that magic stones are used in
  +
battle.
  +
Not only is it possible to travel at more than 100 km/h, but it seems to be fine even when it encounters
  +
treacherous roads.
  +
I've heard that it's also possible to float slightly off the ground and float in mid-air, although this will
  +
consume energy.
  +
Seriously, I found out we were a step late.
  +
If only we had developed it too, that chagrins me. There was no thought of developing chariots in a
  +
world full of knights.
  +
We've built the train, but it's one step away from being a chariot.
  +
But we don't even have a car here, so we build chariots. In addition, it is important to think a little bit
  +
about this.
  +
It's convenient, but it's dangerous.
  +
  +
Everyone will want one by then, but asking me if I could have one for everyone, I don't think I can.
  +
There is also the problem of energy depletion, and no matter what one thinks, there will be car owners
  +
and carless people.
  +
I think the goal is to build cities that don't need cars.
  +
When all this construction is tidied up, I’m thinking of developing cars that rich people will be
  +
interested in.
  +
Making access to these cars their goal—that’s probably how it will feel. Let everyone have a dream,
  +
and for the sake of status, it's not too bad to buy something fancy.
  +
But all this will have to wait until after the war is over.
  +
Because it's not just the chariots that are surprising.
  +
And boats flying through the air.
  +
Really—it took a lot of work just to swallow that scream.
  +
With something like that, it's a lot easier to transport. If used in war, the problem of supplies can be
  +
solved as well.
  +
Also, I found myself being too self-righteous.
  +
There was always optimism that we were the only ones who could take over the airspace.
  +
We'd like to develop something like that too—it’s been thought of before, but in reality it's not possible.
  +
To build a ship that can fly through the air, that's not something that can be done overnight.
  +
I think it should take a while, but developing something isn't that simple. All of the merchandise was
  +
wrongly thought out and finally corrected to the point where it could actually be used.
  +
This time I should compliment the developers on the Empire side in good conscience.
  +
So you can't blame me for wanting to grab a developer unharmed.
  +
If I were to think more flexibly, more freely, and then ask people to develop those things, then we
  +
would now—no, don't think.
  +
It's useless to be chagrined here, so let's make that a topic for the future.
  +
When this war is over, I want to try to develop all sorts of things in a more liberal way.
  +
***
  +
The current state of the empire is just as it’s seen.
  +
I've known this kind of thing in the world before, but some people are seeing it for the first time.
  +
Those people could hardly hide their surprise, staring at the images with dazzled eyes.
  +
"The total number of invaders is estimated to be in the millions! Anyway, as we've seen, the military
  +
weapons on the Imperial side are also intimidating, but we still retain superiority. Everyone rest assured.”
  +
  +
The most important element in warfare is how much mastery you have of the enemy's fighting power. It
  +
is at this point that we have equated the enemy's unreserved presence.
  +
According to the calculations of Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, the total number of the enemy's
  +
army was in the millions. The turnout was a real mess, but I still don't think we'll lose.
  +
Because that's how we're doing right now.
  +
"I've heard from Gedora's side that there seem to be three major legions within the Empire. One of the
  +
legions is called the Mecha Legion, and they have the chariot unit that just appeared in the picture.
  +
They're called the Magic Chariot Division, and they're the main force of the enemy.”
  +
Speaking of which, I began to explain the inside story of the Chariot Force.
  +
Gedora gave more information than that. He had gone to a war meeting on the Imperial side and told us
  +
everything he heard.
  +
The story of Gedora's escape must have been passed back, and it's possible they could change the battle
  +
plan, but I don't think the outline will change.
  +
After all, there was still Yuuki on the Imperial side, and it seemed like his goal was to stage a coup.
  +
In order to disrupt the other legionnaires, the guy would surely assert that Gedora was dead, using no
  +
need to keep an eye on him.
  +
And Gedora also said that Calgurio, the Mecha Legion's army chief, had fallen for the bait I had sown.
  +
The underground labyrinth is full of resources and treasures, trying to get ahead of the competition.
  +
That being the case, he shouldn't want to see a drastic change in the battle plan and is likely to accept
  +
Yuuki's proposal. It is dangerous to operate according to one's own speculations, but it is easier to
  +
speculate on the enemy's purpose of action by watching how Calgurio arranges his army.
  +
I have just finished my statement, and Gobta has taken the lead.
  +
"May I ask, will my regiment stay in the hotel town and fight those chariots?"
  +
That's a great entry point. It should be said that he himself has been assigned to the post of chief of the
  +
army, so it is a matter of life and death, and it must be asked.
  +
Gobta always slept during meetings and I now thought that he had grown. You have to be responsible
  +
to grow up...
  +
"What's the point of asking such a question as a matter of course? You are to lead the First Corps in
  +
slaughtering this chariot corps.”
  +
I was still deep in emotion when Benimaru said just that.
  +
Gobta was greatly shaken, and the whole people were shaken.
  +
"Why haven't I heard...”
  +
He was there alone to shred his thoughts.
  +
  +
Well, I know exactly how you feel.
  +
"You don't think we're going to have to hold down a hotel town, do you?"
  +
Gobta asked the question with a deadpan face and I smiled at him.
  +
"How can...! Based on the performance of the chariots I just heard, you should be able to win if you
  +
use the right method, but I don't know how much damage will be done. Basically it's more difficult to
  +
defend than offense, and the Green Legion has no real-world combat experience and will probably just
  +
become a dartboard for chariots. So we can't fight at all by just holding on.”
  +
To reassure him, I explained it thus.
  +
I asked Hakurou to back up Gobta, and he seemed to see what I was thinking from the start, nodding
  +
his head frequently as he listened to me.
  +
"What's to be done?”
  +
"It's the chief's job to think about things like this, but it's hard to do at first. Benimaru, you explain.”
  +
This time I ordered in high spirits.
  +
In fact, I'm like Gobta in that I don't know anything about the military side of things. The details were
  +
left to Benimaru.
  +
The good thing about me is that I'm forgiving of myself.
  +
If Gobta is working hard and growing, I can make it easier.
  +
So I'd love to see Gobta make more of an effort, while listening to the Benimaru instructions with him.
  +
"Listen up, Gobta. The hotel town is an important stronghold, but there's nothing to worry about losing
  +
it. If it's broken and rebuilt, it's a good idea to take it away and take it back. The only problem is that it
  +
hurts the residents. But in this regard, Rimuru-sama has already thought of a countermeasure. An order
  +
has been issued for the residents to evacuate to the capital ‘Rimuru'."
  +
Hmmm.
  +
Knowing that the Empire would be in action, I began to have them evacuated. The evacuation will take
  +
some time, but it should be done before the Imperials arrive.
  +
"Ah, so there really are fewer people.”
  +
"I guess so. Your job is to keep those remaining residents safe and sheltered as well. Come back here
  +
afterwards.”
  +
When Benimaru finished, he pointed to a certain location, which came from the large map spread out
  +
on the table.
  +
The official name is the armed power, Dwargon. It's their central city.
  +
“Huh?"
  +
  +
"Look at this image. It looked like the Imperial Army would let their forces spread out, launching
  +
invasions from several routes. Some troops have entered the Great Forest of Jura, but the chariot units
  +
have not moved. One can tell by the direction of this troop's march that they intend to move along the
  +
foothills of Canaat’s great mountain. The trees are less dense there and the army is less affected when
  +
marching.”
  +
"Hmm, that's right..."
  +
"You don't get it, do you? Never mind. All you have to do is defend the Dwarven Kingdom.”
  +
While speaking, Benimaru picked up the pawn representing the Gobta Legion and placed it in front of
  +
the Dwarven Kingdom. Next, take out the Dwarven Legion's pawn and place it with the Gobta Legion's
  +
pawn.
  +
"You will fight with them.”
  +
“Oooohhhhh......!"
  +
It looked like Gobta had finally figured it out, looking both surprised and excited.
  +
This battle plan was based on information given by Gedora.
  +
I've made a deal with Gazel.
  +
The Empire's target was the Dwarven Kingdom, and according to the alliance pact, I revealed this
  +
matter to Gazel. At the same time, it said it would send reinforcements as agreed.
  +
And of course, Gazel found the Empire's actions to be haunted. The opponent repeatedly asked for
  +
permission to march, and Gazel seems to have refused to the point of annoyance.
  +
And he seemed to have seen that the impatient empire that would soon be waiting would act.
  +
My offer is also cause for celebration for Gazel and is good for both of us.
  +
I decided to give up the hotel town and would rebuild if it was destroyed. However, as long as we don't
  +
use it as a battlefield, the Empire shouldn't be destroying that place recklessly.
  +
We'll get the hotel town back soon, even if we give up.
  +
"The reason why the Empire chose to pass through in a conspicuous place was to let us know that they
  +
would march in from this side. A big action move like this would have caught anyone's eye.”
  +
"That is to say—is this a demonstration?”
  +
Gobta this guy, he actually knows these tough words.
  +
You're learning, you little brat...I'm a little impressed.
  +
"That's right. This route is located right on the border between Dwargon and the Jura Tempest
  +
Federation. Both countries will indeed notice that it is most appropriate to test the other's movements in
  +
this way. If the other side casually comes over to pick a fight, they can use that as an excuse to go to war
  +
immediately. Of course, we have strictly forbidden our personnel to strike, so they will be warned first.
  +
Do you understand me?”
  +
  +
“Yes."
  +
"If we hadn't made our move, the Imperial Army would have crossed the great river of Ameld and
  +
come to a place that overlooks the front entrance to the Dwarven Kingdom. There is a large plain without
  +
trees, perfect for laying out an army.”
  +
"So that's it...”
  +
"It is impossible for King Gazel to remain silent in such a state. They will send troops to confront them
  +
and deal with each other. On that point, as do we, the Empire will be an enemy to our two nations, the
  +
Jura Tempest Federation and Dwargon.”
  +
Benimaru moves the pawns on the map and illustrates them in a way that seems shallow and easy to
  +
understand.
  +
"According to Mr. Gedora, it seems that the Empire is on guard to avoid being encircled by the Dwarf
  +
Kingdom and the Jura Tempest Federation, but if this location is suppressed by them, there is no way to
  +
do it. The opponent has been waiting for a long time, so it makes no tactical sense to sneak up on that
  +
place.”
  +
The so-called sneak attack, this tactic is to pick when the opponent is careless.
  +
Now that the other side has figured out our strategy, there's no point in doing so, and that's where it
  +
works against us.
  +
"So we're going to meet it from the start. Then attack from the front and completely crush their army!"
  +
Speaking of this side, Benimaru let Gobta's chess piece go against the one representing the Empire.
  +
"Oh, oh, oh...!"
  +
Gobta looked on in admiration.
  +
The other subordinates didn't seem to have a problem with it either, but I wonder what they think about
  +
the war power gap?
  +
"Third Army Commander Gabil!”
  +
“Yes!"
  +
"Your job is to keep a vigil over the people who took refuge in the past. Watch from the air to see if
  +
anyone is running too slow or in distress, and lend a helping hand when you can.”
  +
"Yes, sir!”
  +
"Also, after successfully leading everyone to shelter, you go directly to help Gobta. If the timing is
  +
captured well, we should be able to meet him before the Imperials arrive.”
  +
"My legions move the fastest in the Jura Tempest Federation. We will definitely catch up!”
  +
Gabil responded confidently to Benimaru.
  +
But it really shouldn't be easy to do.
  +
  +
While those residents are relocating, I plan to put the full speed train to use. However, even out of the
  +
train, it still takes a while for tens of thousands of broken people to move.
  +
Conversely, the Imperial Army was moving at an abnormally fast pace.
  +
Even taking into account the effects of the legion's magic, the calculations were astounding, speculating
  +
that they could advance eighty kilometers a day.
  +
The Reichs are still near the national border. It was about 1,500 kilometers from the intended site of the
  +
war. At this rate, it would take about twenty days for the Imperial Army to arrive at the site of the
  +
scheduled war.
  +
The reason for this marching speed is that every soldier has undergone reconstructive surgery. I've
  +
heard that even if you don't eat or drink for a week, you'll still be able to move, and your maximum
  +
combat speed will definitely be faster.
  +
It is said that without supplies, the chariots can move at an average speed of ten kilometers per hour.
  +
Even at night they could absorb magical elements that could be paired with the chariot's energy
  +
replenishment intervals to rest.
  +
It is indeed a bad idea to wear yourself out before the war has even begun.
  +
Gedora's instructions cut to the chase, and I had these in mind when I did my calculations with
  +
Benimaru.
  +
“—that's just the way it is, the Imperial Army may be arriving here faster than one might think.
  +
Everyone, be careful!”
  +
Benimaru concludes with this sentence, and then proceeds to the next stage of the narration.
  +
"The main army of the Reichs would have been here, as Gobta just said, it was a demonstration. It's
  +
also known as a fake move. Their main army will actually aim their operations directly here!”
  +
Benimaru said as he pulled out another Imperial chess piece of the same color. Several pieces of this
  +
color were then placed in various parts of the great forest of Jura.
  +
Pretend the chariots are their main force, the real main force is actually configured somewhere else is
  +
it?
  +
We were able to see the enemy's movements clearly, and honestly, I just thought, “Yes...”
  +
"In case things go beyond our expectations, there's Geld guarding this place! Geld, you need to get all
  +
your minions back from all places as soon as possible.”
  +
"I know. I've already communicated it using the "Thought Communication". It won't be long before
  +
everyone comes to my side to rally.”
  +
Benimaru and Geld seemed to have a tacit understanding and didn't need to say much to reach a
  +
consensus. Not bad for a Geld, really reliable enough.
  +
After that, Benimaru's gaze returned to the map.
  +
  +
"The main force here should continue to operate on a hidden trail. It was a pity that with Lord Rimuru's
  +
spying magic, 'Argos' couldn't even see what was going on inside the forest. This is the time to switch to
  +
Souei.”
  +
As soon as Benimaru's words were finished, Souei nodded and stood up.
  +
"The forest is dense with grass and trees, so it's difficult to watch from high above. Even trying to get
  +
my men to lurk in there, the area is too large and there is a risk of being discovered. So I went to ask
  +
Moss. This guy put out many 'clones' of extremely small size that could receive information. They
  +
couldn't be expected to exert their fighting abilities in such a situation, but ''Divergent'' seemed to have no
  +
problem even if they were knocked down. The eastern part of the Great Forest of Jura is currently under
  +
Moss' surveillance. He already has the relevant information and knows that the Imperial Army is divided
  +
into several squads and is marching in the area, so it is our intention to break them up individually.”
  +
Souei revealed a cold smile when he finished.
  +
It felt a little scary, and thankfully he was on our side.
  +
It is possible to break through individually, but it will be a problem if the main force runs out
  +
afterwards. So the battle plan that Benimaru came up with was to wait for the other side to gather to a
  +
certain point.
  +
"Since the purpose of the Imperial Army is the underground labyrinth, let's bring them in and clean up
  +
again. If there were any other troops left on the ground, the Second Corps led by Geld and my main force
  +
would slaughter them from above.”
  +
The battle plan is simple and straightforward.
  +
But what is most puzzling is the battle power gap.
  +
No one has been picking on that since just now. I wonder what people think about this?
  +
Shouldn't it be my turn to ask at a time like this—I was confused for a moment, when the control room
  +
was surrounded by a shout.
  +
"I see! It’s a relief to have Gabil-kun come over as well. We're going to win this one!”
  +
"It's so good to hear you say that! I'll make a big splash when I get there, and I won't lose to Mr.
  +
Gobta!”
  +
"Originally, I was worried that I wouldn't get a chance to play this time, so I'm sure it's Shogun
  +
Benimaru-san. Leave me the greatest honor of guarding my country. I'll definitely put this power to good
  +
use!”
  +
It was because Benimaru had just assigned those three army chiefs to do those things that they had that
  +
reaction.
  +
Not only that, but every civil servant was also excitedly exchanging words. There wasn't a hint of
  +
sadness, even the three female demons were chatting happily.
  +
I also think it will be us who win in this war.
  +
The inner feeling is easy, but that doesn't mean it's all unnerving.
  +
  +
Yet everyone doesn't seem worried at all, it's amazing. Even Gobta, who at first seemed to be in a state
  +
of delusion, was now full of energy.
  +
I felt uneasy despite having Hakurou as an advisor to follow him.
  +
"After listening to Benimaru's explanation, is there anything you don't understand?”
  +
I tried to ask, but no one came forward to question it.
  +
Instead, Benimaru jumped out to speak for everyone.
  +
"Rest assured, Lord Rimuru. We are not worried about losing the war. But that doesn't mean we think
  +
we won't lose, but because we will fight to the best of our ability. We have enough to overcome, and a
  +
magnificent battlefield. If we lose the war in this way, we ourselves are too incompetent to follow the law
  +
of the weak and the strong.”
  +
He smiled brightly when he finished.
  +
The other monsters reacted in the same way, even Shuna, who was a female, and others.
  +
They weren't afraid to lose to each other, afraid to run away from the matchup. even more...
  +
I always felt like I could relate to their mood.
  +
In that case, I'm going to do my best.
  +
"Testarossa, Ultima, Carrera!”
  +
“Yes!"
  +
The three female demons stood up without coincidence at their names being called and bowed to me.
  +
It was here that I gave the order to the three of them.
  +
"You will follow the generals of the various legions and support them in their operations!"
  +
"Understood, Lord Rimuru. The council side will be handed over to Cien. Until this war is over, I will
  +
also join the war.”
  +
"Finally, it's my turn! I'll take care of it, Lord Rimuru!”
  +
"My Lord, please look forward to it. I will show you all my strength!”
  +
The three demons raised their faces and spoke happily.
  +
I nodded and introduced the three of them to the generals.
  +
"Testarossa, you go with Gobta."
  +
"Yes, I'd love to.”
  +
Seeing Testarossa respond in such a way, Gobta looked dubious.
  +
  +
"No problem? It's hard for a woman who hasn't fought in a war like this to come to the First Legion,
  +
right?”
  +
He uttered words that were frightening.
  +
Several of them are very vicious "primordials", and I didn't understand this until recently, so I don't
  +
seem to be in a position to say anything about anyone else, but seeing the hobgobs who don't know what
  +
to fear makes me feel so scared.
  +
You...will be slaughtered—-though I thought so, I didn't say so.
  +
Because it seems more fun that way.
  +
"Gee, I'm counting on you."
  +
Testarossa finished and smiled, but the person who didn't dare to look straight into those eyes should
  +
not be just me.
  +
Even if the other party is Testarossa, an apology should still be given, goblin-kun. So much so, I am
  +
looking forward to seeing the day that Gobta discovers the true identity of Testarossa.
  +
By contrast, Gabil has grown.
  +
"I still have a lot to live up to. Please tell me more!”
  +
He gave a low bow to Ultima.
  +
According to Diablo and the various people involved, the most brutal of the three demonesses seems to
  +
be this Ultima. The easiest to get out of control is heard to be Carrera, but the scariest is Ultima.
  +
Although she will obey my orders, she will also drill holes to get revenge on the other side. There is a
  +
good chance that Ultima will do something like this.
  +
Gabil's correspondence is correct.
  +
Ultima seemed to like Gabil a lot, and she returned the greeting with an adorable mimicry and a
  +
mouthful of, "Mmm! I'm going to ask you to teach me a lot!”
  +
Gabil often admonished himself in his day-to-day life not to get carried away. This worked, and it looks
  +
like he was saved. Makes me feel like I have to pay more attention to the usual, which is important.
  +
There was no problem on Geld's side. He was shaking hands with Carrera.
  +
Both have a similar temperament and a martial arts flair, and I think they would be a one-two punch.
  +
That said, the combination I arranged was really good.
  +
If Gobta and Gabil’s counterparts switched with each other, Gobta would be in danger, right?
  +
That's great, I thought to myself, followed by some words to inspire the three groups.
  +
Only a few people know the true faces of these three women.
  +
  +
When Guy came over earlier, some of the people who had been at the meeting at the time had been
  +
gagged by me. It doesn't help to make people feel afraid, and I want those three female demons to
  +
discipline themselves.
  +
The order that they must never reveal their true identity and must obey the orders of the army
  +
commander, but they seemed to meet and do something without changing their colors, scared me. If I
  +
didn't know who these three girls really were, I would have been happier...
  +
No, I’ll trust them.
  +
If it hadn't been for my order, those three would have watched peacefully from the sidelines.
  +
All in all, that sets up three groups. With the three of them following, they can help out in case of any
  +
unexpected situation.
  +
The thought of this put me at ease.
  +
***
  +
"So that's all there is to it, is there anything else to discuss?"
  +
Then it depends on how the Imperial side will act, we just have to improvise.
  +
The matter of working with King Gazel is also important and must be discussed in detail. But these are
  +
the things that the Operational Integration Headquarters should be doing. Those army chiefs all had their
  +
own assignments, and if there was nothing going on, they should be allowed to disband first.
  +
I personally thought so, but at this point someone quickly raised their hand.
  +
It is Masayuki.
  +
“That...may I interrupt?”
  +
"What's up, Masayuki?"
  +
"Actually, I have a question...”
  +
“Hmm?”
  +
"Leaving aside the question of why I was made chief of the army, there seems to be no indication as to
  +
when you will give my regiment, the Volunteer Corps, to take up and what part of it you will be
  +
responsible for...?"
  +
Well, turns out to be asking this.
  +
There should have been a lot of things that left him wondering.
  +
Seeing that he was only a high school student at his current age and was suddenly asked to be a military
  +
chief, of course he was confused.
  +
If it was Japan a long time ago, this might be normal, but after Japan entered the era of peace, this kind
  +
of thing can be a bit confusing for the young people who live there.
  +
But I'm having a hard time of it too.
  +
  +
Once you're back, you become a demon lord, and you have no boss to rely on.
  +
Thinking about it this way, I think that Masayuki is really lucky.
  +
"Don't you think so?"
  +
"That's it, I hope you explain!"
  +
Ah, yes.
  +
Even though I said a bunch of things in my head, unfortunately it still didn't seem to get through to the
  +
other person.
  +
It's a lot like making excuses when you say it, but there's no way around it.
  +
"All right. I'm sorry to suddenly put a heavy burden on you.”
  +
"Huh, no..."
  +
"But to stabilize the town's population, I think it's better for you to do it than for me.”
  +
If there were only magic creatures in town, even if war was about to start, that would be fine.
  +
Because they will only have high morale and no one will come out and disturb the peace.
  +
But those immigrants are a different story. Fear and anxiety can put them out of order, and it's possible
  +
that someone will come out and do something bad.
  +
"So at this time, I hope to use your power to ease everyone's anxiety.”
  +
"So that's it...it sounds like my ability should be able to do something."
  +
Hearing me explain it like that, Masayuki seemed to be able to accept it.
  +
"Waahahaha, you're so modest! I'm sure you don't want to be tied down to a particular country, as little
  +
me and the people underneath know! But this time, for the sake of the powerless people, I hope to borrow
  +
your power!”
  +
At this time, Myourmile looked at Masayuki with bright eyes and spoke those words. He still has a
  +
misunderstanding of Masayuki's strength, but I don't think it's necessary to correct it.
  +
That being said, it's surprising that even Hinata misunderstood Masayuki.
  +
Good thing. You're scary! Although I think so, I think it's best to keep waiting for the legend of
  +
Masayuki at a time like this.
  +
“...yeah.”
  +
Masayuki replied with a reluctant face. Seeing him make that face, it was obvious he was already
  +
annoyed by the whole thing.
  +
That's a bit pathetic, but hopefully he'll make an effort this time.
  +
  +
"Then I'll leave it to my volunteer corps to keep the peace.”
  +
"Please. I think you already know that, thanks to the help of Ramiris, it should be possible to keep the
  +
damage to the town to a minimum. Once the war starts, the metropolis on the ground will also be isolated
  +
into the maze.”
  +
This information has been communicated to the subordinates and all concerned.
  +
We didn't deliberately outlaw it, and while we were doing evacuation training, some people were too
  +
late to escape, and some rumors probably got out from their side. On the one hand, it is thought that in
  +
this way, we can more or less relieve everyone's anxiety.
  +
"Yeah! It's true that my strength is very powerful, but I was able to reach that level thanks to Master!”
  +
"Mmm. I divided the overly powerful magical element on my body to give to Ramiris in order to
  +
complete this great spell. To put it bluntly, it's friendship that wins.”
  +
It was thanks to Ramiris that she was able to isolate all the construction on the ground in the maze, but
  +
that too would have taken a little help from Veldora. This is the time when I should be frank in my thanks.
  +
"Thank you both, you've been a great help.”
  +
"Hey, is that so? Yeah, that's right! Can you say a few more words?”
  +
"Kuahahahaha! You can compliment us a little more!”
  +
"All right, all right. Thanks for the help!”
  +
A slight exaggeration and it becomes this.
  +
But this time they really helped a lot.
  +
Although it was isolated in the maze, everyone could see the sky and some residents didn't even notice
  +
that anything was wrong.
  +
That way they wouldn't be ravaged by the Imperial Army either, which is really impressive from that
  +
point of view.
  +
"But Rimuru, you must remember one thing.”
  +
“Hmm?"
  +
"Now let's just say that if something does happen—if Master is knocked down and the 100th floor is
  +
breached, the town will run out into the maze. It's called the opposite effect.
  +
"So that's the part that does worry me, too. But the premise for that to happen is that Veldora was
  +
defeated, right? If things do turn out that way, there shouldn't be time to care about what happens to the
  +
town.”
  +
If this kind of thing does happen, then we'll all be fighting as hard as we can too. There's simply no left
  +
over for what's going on in the town.
  +
"I can't lose anyway.”
  +
  +
"Yeah. And there's also the Labyrinth Ten, I personally don't think there's any need to worry about
  +
that!”
  +
Indeed, as Ramiris said, there would be basically no chance of Veldora making an appearance at all.
  +
However, if anything...
  +
"If something really happens, we're still lucky.”
  +
“What!? First, wait a minute! It's just that policing is okay, so what can I do if things do turn out that
  +
way?”
  +
Masayuki yelled that he didn't even have military command experience, and the rest of us thought that
  +
made sense. Even Myormile, who thought of Masayuki as a hero, kept nodding his head with an
  +
expression of ‘that's right.’
  +
"Don't worry, Masayuki. I don't think you can command an army. I’m currently talking to Hinata and
  +
want to ask her to send someone from the Paladin Order to be your Auxiliary Officer. I think she would
  +
have agreed, intending to find someone to be your second-in-command and help you out.”
  +
"So that's it, then I'm relieved.”
  +
"One more thing! I will let the children be your guards, so that your personal safety—wrongly said, you
  +
will protect them.”
  +
"Whoa, whoa, whoa! If you can let the Hero guard them, those children will be safe!”
  +
"When, of course.”
  +
Sweating like rain, Masayuki agreed.
  +
Masayuki also knew how much strength the children had and knew that the one being protected would
  +
be himself.
  +
Besides, Chloe was there. If something really happened, she would protect Masayuki and the others.
  +
With that, the necessary topics were discussed.
  +
Everything has been thought out, but no one knows what will happen until the last minute.
  +
Besides that...
  +
Still something about it is unsettling.
  +
In Chloe's memory, I would die.
  +
There are currently masters in the Empire who can kill me—that is an undeniable fact.
  +
If that guy showed up, even the Labyrinth Ten couldn't resist. No, the other way around...
  +
<<Answer. In order to get to the bottom of the enemy, our side will set up the Labyrinth Ten.>>
  +
I think so.
  +
  +
It seems that Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, put my personal safety first from start to finish in
  +
his arrangements.
  +
This made me happy and at the same time I made an awakening.
  +
No matter what happens, I will guard those partners.
  +
I don't want to hurt anyone for a stupid act like war.
  +
It is with this determination that we close this day's meeting.
  +
***
  +
Things seem to be going well for Masayuki to convince the residents.
  +
Eventually things seem to evolve into ‘he convinced the demon lord that he had made an appointment
  +
to protect the town.'
  +
"You're a hero!”
  +
"So reliable!”
  +
Both the adventurers and the immigrants praised Masayuki, and some saw him with a complicated
  +
expression at the time.
  +
But even that look...
  +
"You're so adorable.”
  +
"It seems that the Hero still isn't satisfied with such a big concession from the Demon Lord.”
  +
"Exactly. It exudes solemnity and is very attractive.”
  +
"This town is guarded by the hero. And there's also the Demon Lord Rimuru, so even if the Empire
  +
fights over, there's nothing to be afraid of!”
  +
"Yes! Leave it all to them, that's a relief to us!”
  +
In the end, people's explanations turned out to be this way, and as a result, people spoke more highly of
  +
Masayuki.
  +
No one else found Masayuki very distressed.
  +
In this way, the town's residents still live a peaceful life. And then the day finally came. The Imperial
  +
Army showed up.
  +
The days of peace are marked with a hiatus.
  +
It was like a midsummer night's dream that ended abruptly.
  +
Immediately thereafter, the war began...
  +
Epilogue: Emperor’s Overlord
  +
"You're awake, Rudra."
  +
  +
To a man in a fancy garb in a wheelchair, a beautiful woman with blue hair asked him.
  +
This beauty was the one who held the reigns in the large conference room. She is the “Marshal".
  +
"Right. How did the meeting go?”
  +
"It has been decided that the Great March will commence.
  +
"Hard work. Gedora was against it, right?”
  +
"Yes, the old man is realistic. There was no way that the weapon of the Otherworldly Visitor could be
  +
used against the True Dragon Race—it was a matter of course, he couldn't have missed it.”
  +
"That's true. But even so, there is still a big long march. To let everyone know that I am the king of this
  +
world.”
  +
It was a pact with Guy—Emperor Rudra whispered. The next moment his thoughts turned, a peaceful
  +
smile appeared on his face.
  +
"That's right, Velgrynd. How do you see it going this time?”
  +
Velgrynd—there are only four "dragon races" in this world, and that is the name of one of them.
  +
The red dragon's palm, which symbolizes the flame, "burns".
  +
It is an individual even older than the "storm dragon" Veldora, the eternal and indestructible dragon. Its
  +
name is the "Scorch Dragon" Velgrynd.
  +
There's only one person in the world who can bear that name...
  +
Hearing Rudra ask this, the beautiful woman gave an answer.
  +
"We will win. Definitely. I'll force the dwarves out of their lair, crush the arrogance of the rookie
  +
demon lord, bring my lazy, stupid brother to his senses, and make Guy admit that the ruler of this world is
  +
Rudra—you!”
  +
There was absolutely no semblance of unnaturalness about being called by that name, the other person.
  +
That's right.
  +
She is Velgrynd.
  +
One of the strongest “true dragon species”—the "Scorch Dragon" Velgrynd.
  +
  +
Faced with this great Velgrynd, Emperor Rudra continued to speak in an intmate tone.
  +
"Yeah? That's great. So do you think your brother will be out in force?”
  +
Hearing that, Velgrynd answered directly without even thinking about it.
  +
“He will, Rudra. He'll show up. Because that kid loves to get together. However, it seems that although
  +
his seal had been lifted, he has not been restored to his original state. The violent magic storm that hadn't
  +
detected the madness raging, the demonic aura that has been sensed in all corners of the earth, has now
  +
completely disappeared. Perhaps his resurrection is not complete?”
  +
“...In that case, perhaps my army can defeat him.”
  +
"That's a lot of fun, too. Just bribing my stupid little brother was too much, and this demon lord even
  +
screwed over my lovely brother to make him suffer a bit.”
  +
Talking over to this side, the two looked at each other and smiled.
  +
For Rudra and Velgrynd, the success of the combat plan was simply not important.
  +
He plays a game with Guy, betting on the dominance of the world.
  +
There are no complicated rules for this game. Just use the "pawns" to suppress the opponent's position
  +
and you've won.
  +
The board is the whole world.
  +
Monsters and humans are their pawns.
  +
At first the pawns in Guy's hands were magical creatures and demons, and Rudra was the human who
  +
held part of it. Yet the long years of constant shifting alternated and now both sides were in disarray.
  +
Even taking away the enemy's pawns is not a problem from a rules standpoint.
  +
In addition to that...
  +
For Guy and Rudra, the strongest pawn is their respective partners, the True Dragons.
  +
Only the pieces mentioned above can be used—that’s the only rule that must be followed in this game.
  +
On the flip side, as long as Guy and Rudra don't go head-to-head, they can do whatever they want.
  +
But if the world ends, of course the game will end. This goes against their will and needs to be properly
  +
held so that it doesn't happen.
  +
It's just that there's an element of uncertainty about this game.
  +
It is the last of the True Dragons, Veldora, and the Primordial Demons.
  +
These uncertainties are not part of the game. It's all up to players Guy and Rudra to make them their
  +
own, or to make them the enemy.
  +
One of Guy's pawns—his helper, Demon Lord Leon’s domain has been threatened by the Yellow
  +
Primordial.
  +
  +
There is still Purple Primordial in the West, and a rash move could lead to great disasters.
  +
And on the eastern side, there is the White Primordial.
  +
Those demons have immense power and will never die. It is not impossible to exterminate them from
  +
the source, but you need to be prepared for everything.
  +
Rather than sacrifice so much, it's best to deal with them and make them their own. In order for his
  +
game with Guy to progress in his favor, it was the best thing to do, or so Rudra and Velgrynd thought.
  +
If Velgrynd stepped up to the plate, she could bury even the White Primordial. But in this way, the
  +
damage to the local area will be beyond imagination.
  +
The conclusion is that it is not feasible in reality.
  +
And they also misjudged one thing, which is that the Western powers began to emerge with their own
  +
set of ways of playing.
  +
In that land of the West, the local god Ruminas was born and unwittingly grew into a monotheistic
  +
religion. Its system of domination is quite solid and unites the peoples of the West.
  +
They had already discovered that Ruminas' true identity was the Demon Lord, but it had become a
  +
deeply entrenched religion and it was too late to do anything about it.
  +
When Rudra completely dominated the East, the West also formed a circle of power and united. Here's
  +
why Guy and Rudra's game is in a state of glue.
  +
"Because Chronoa and Granbell were very active, it became more difficult to attack the West, which
  +
was a major drawback. If those people hadn't shown up, you would have won by now.”
  +
"It's too early to make a decision. There will be those who will hinder the oligarch's domination of the
  +
world, presumably as a test for the oligarch given by Veldanava. Because that man used to love pranks.”
  +
"Yeah, it does. Brother really...”
  +
That said, this side, Rudra and Velgrynd were like reminiscing about the past with smiles on their faces.
  +
"But the time has come. All the pieces have appeared, and soon I will win.”
  +
"This time, we're going to take Guy and my sister, Velzado, into the army.”
  +
"Oh, Guy's been waiting for an opportunity. If you fight with Veldora, he'll take advantage of it.”
  +
"That's right, it's annoying. If it hadn't been for that, I'd have taken care of that child Veldora myself by
  +
then..."
  +
This is talking about the failure of the last great march.
  +
Once Velgrynd stepped in, not even Veldora counted as a threat. But doing so will likely bring Guy to
  +
the fisherman's bag.
  +
If you want to move your strongest pawn, “True Dragon", you must be prepared.
  +
  +
And now is the best time to do it.
  +
Rudra sent spies all over the world, and they brought back all kinds of reports.
  +
"It was long, but the wait was worth it. The biggest obstacle to the West is gone.”
  +
The true face of the god, Ruminas, was actually the Demon Lord Ruminas. Now that the true face is
  +
known, it's conceivable how much the opponent's fighting power is.
  +
And the demon lord who had previously represented Ruminas was also destroyed, along with the loss
  +
of the "Seven Celestial Sages".
  +
Not only that...
  +
"The threat from the Western nations is much less.”
  +
"Indeed. Those who stand in the way of my dominion over the world need not have my hand; they have
  +
taken it upon themselves to perish.”
  +
It was an apocalypse, and in saying that Rudra should rule the world—Rudra and Velgrynd were
  +
convinced of that.
  +
"By the way, Rudra, how are you doing?”
  +
"No problem at all. The power of the oligarchs—the army of angels (Armageddon)—is available at all
  +
times.”
  +
The Army of Angels is the ultimate power that Rudra has. The starting conditions are harsh, and after
  +
one use, the next one can only be used after long intervals.
  +
There is only one reason why the Empire has not acted so far.
  +
For they had been waiting until the day when Rudra would be able to use the "angel army" again.
  +
As a result, Granbell, who they took as their biggest obstacle, also disappeared. In a way, Rudra would
  +
certainly believe they were on the verge of winning this time.
  +
As for Guy, he didn't have complete control over those Demon Lords.
  +
It's hard to say that they'll work with each other, each Demon Lord does what he or she loves. Each of
  +
them had a large sphere of influence, but in Rudra's view they were not even a threat.
  +
"The situation is too good for us this time.”
  +
"But there's not enough time, is there? I really want to force my stupid brother to our side. This will
  +
also be used against Guy. If I could find a way to get rid of my sister Velzado as well, Rhein and Mizari
  +
would be nothing. That's why I need to talk to you. Is your power of domination okay?"
  +
"Don't worry. As long as we keep Veldora's consciousness focused on the battlefield, I will be able to
  +
take advantage of the opportunity to unleash 'kingly domination' and completely manipulate that guy.”
  +
Hearing these words, a soft smile spread across Velgrynd's beautiful and cold face.
  +
"Gee, then we're gonna win this one.”
  +
  +
"That's for sure. Everything is going according to my arrangement.”
  +
"That's good. I'm more worried about you..."
  +
"Then don't say it. It is also a natural philosophy. The human flesh is really inconvenient..."
  +
“Rudra......”
  +
"After inheriting self-will and reincarnating memory several times, the 'soul' will be consumed. If, like
  +
Gedora, there was a period of rest, that would be fine, but it was an impermissible luxury for the widow.
  +
If I do that, my 'power' will be sealed again.”
  +
That way, Rudra would have to start all over again if he wanted to free his power. If he did this every
  +
time he was reincarnated, then he would have no chance of defeating Guy.
  +
This time Rudra had been waiting, waiting until his powers were fully developed. Thus his power was
  +
completely liberated and could be said to be in a state of perfection.
  +
But...
  +
To maintain this state, Rudra was very reluctant.
  +
This life's Rudra is not even a side consort, not even a crown princess. Although the imperial consort
  +
was merely an ornament, this situation was not normal.
  +
This means that they did not even give birth to the vessel that was expected to be used by Rudra—the
  +
prince.
  +
To give birth to a prince does not mean that his powers will separate. Rudra's reincarnation is special in
  +
that the prince born will inherit all power and knowledge.
  +
It's a complete hereditary system—it’s no longer an heir, and it can be said that the prince is an emperor
  +
in the truest sense of the word.
  +
But in this life he has not done so.
  +
The reason is related to the period during which the "Angel Army" was used.
  +
If the royal son is allowed to inherit power, skills will be limited until he grows to manhood. The
  +
reason for this was that an overpowering force would have a countervailing force, and he was unable to
  +
suppress this force, a trait that even Rudra could not reverse.
  +
And today, the best conditions of this life come together. It would be a waste of more than ten years to
  +
let these good conditions go and reincarnate as a prince.
  +
Rudra didn't want that.
  +
There was something else that also bothered Velgrynd.
  +
Because of accumulating power to the limit, Rudra's mental fatigue seemed to be approaching a critical
  +
mass.
  +
  +
The intervals between going to sleep were getting shorter and shorter and he often felt tired. This state
  +
accelerates the depletion of Rudra's "soul".
  +
Those symptoms would be more alleviated if the power was ceded to the prince and the "angel army"
  +
was allowed to start later. Yet Rudra just didn't want to do it.
  +
To this day.
  +
He was going to share the spoils with Guy this time.
  +
Such a Rudra made Velgrynd look uncomfortable.
  +
"How much time do you have left, Rudra...?"
  +
"You don't have to worry about that. At least I can promise you that I won't fall down until I conquer
  +
the world."
  +
"Yeah, yeah. If it had been you, you would have said so...”
  +
"Don't give me such a sad look, Velgrynd. This time I want to win and put an end to it all. You don't
  +
have to worry about it, just see how I rule the world.”
  +
Once that was said, Rudra smiled proudly.
  +
That's what it's like to be a dominant person.
  +
He will rule over all, and I will be the only one in heaven and earth. This is the heroic Emperor Rudra.
  +
Seeing such a Rudra, Velgrynd also made up her mind.
  +
"That's right—after all this time, let me have a rain of mercy. Let the people die in peace, and kill all
  +
who stand in the way of your world domination!”
  +
Velgrynd finished and gently hugged Rudra.
  +
And then the two of them continued to talk...
  +
Time came to the next day.
  +
The unprecedented army left the Empire and marched towards the Jura Tempest Federation.

Revision as of 00:34, 5 March 2021

Novel Illustrations

These are novel illustrations that were included in volume 13.

  • Cover

  • Cover

  • Page 3

  • Page 4

  • Page 5

  • Page 6

  • Page 19

  • Page 25

  • Page 53

  • Page 62

  • Page 100

  • Page 119

  • Page 163

  • Page 175

  • Page 215

  • Page 252

  • Page 256

  • Page 257



Return to Main Page Forward to Prologue

Prologue: Escape Yuuki Kagurazaka is a genius. In the original world, Yuuki had special powers. A mental ability—that is, a psychic power of the mind, a superpower that he used throughout his life. That being said, he never had an intention of doing anything with it, because he knew that letting others find out that he had this power might get him caught up in something while demonstrating it. Day-to-day life was boring, but he still had a good time. Both his parents were good to him, and he had quite a few friends. Making money wasn't hard for him at all, and as long as he wanted it, he could get it. There was no dissatisfaction. And then one day... Yuuki was suddenly met with misfortune. He was just starting high school when his both of parents died in an accident. His parents were not at fault. While in the same car, the whole family was hit by a truck whose driver was dozing off. Only Yuuki, who was sleeping in the back seat, was spared. He felt it was too unfair. Yuuki hated that hit-and-run, but he couldn't do anything about it. Japan is a country under the rule of laws, and individual acts of revenge were not legally sanctioned. The results of the trial came out and he eventually learned some more facts. That is, transport companies still take on commissions with tough conditions even if they can't handle it with their current processing power. In the end, that burden is placed on frontline employees to continue working while still knowing that they are overworked. That driver was also a victim. Then it should be the transport company that is at fault. But that’s not the case either. If the company refuses a large client's commission, their client might not come back to place an order in the future. If old friends come to place orders, that is not so easy to refuse either. While this would naturally improve the nature of the business, it is also not easy to hire skilled drivers. So even if the company wants to hire young people to train, their current situation is that they don't have that kind of power to begin with. What is this? Yuuki lamented.

There are too many things in this world that do not make sense, and his own power is too small. Who do I really have to blame? To put it bluntly, the problem lies in the whole social construct itself. Yuuki would have loved to take revenge on such a society. But he couldn’t do anything. Because he was a genius, he immediately figured out what his limits were. The world is highly developed. Even with his powers, a slightly stronger personal power won't change anything. There is no chance of winning against the entire world, and even if he did, he couldn’t see a future. Yuuki had wanted to destroy this society with self-abnegation and build it up from scratch...but that would have set a lot of people up for misfortune. Yuuki couldn't do any better. If he really wants to change society as a whole, he can only take it one step at a time, slowly adding partners who think like himself. If that’s the case, then becoming a politician and improving the country to make it what he wants it to be is the only solution that Yuuki can think of. It takes patience to walk this path, but if he is serious it's possible, even though it’s a future that can take decades. Yuuki was distressed... But before a decision was made, he ended up taking a trip to another world. Was this lucky or unlucky for him? It was the Demon Lord Kazaream's spite that called Yuuki to this world. Although he had lost his physical body with only his spiritual body left, he hadn't lost the power of being a "spell king.” He had spent some time preparing himself to be resurrected. In order to do so, one must summon a physical body corresponding to one's own spiritual body. Of course he had to be sure to check carefully that the person of the summoning is not constrained. Just in case, this ritual can't go awry, use your dominant power to engrave the spell seal and then summon. The called will have their hearts crushed without knowledge. Immediately afterwards, Kazaream would take the soul power of the opponent and then take the flesh to bring himself back to life, and that was the full picture of the plan. But Kazaream missteps to summon Yuuki. The spell he cast didn't do anything for Yuuki. Because Yuuki is a genius and has seen how the world works. When he crosses over to this world, he gets the power he wants.

That is the power that can change the world. It was a pure energy, free to change essence, a "soul force". Its name - the unique "creator" of technology... He told Rimuru that he didn't have any special powers, and of course those were all lies. First, he uses this ability to create the Ability Blocking, which nullifies foreign attacks. In this way, Kazaream's ploy was broken. And he lost to Yuuki and fell in line. And Yuuki finds the meaning of being in this world. The world of the weak and the strong still has a long way to go before it is fully developed, and the mechanisms in place are still incomplete. That being the case, Yuuki thought that all he had to do was become the ruler of this world and guide it in the right direction. He was determined to challenge this unjust world head-on. Yuuki's code of conduct is to play the battle card to the world. To conquer the world—to that end, Yuuki sets out.

Yuuki led Laplace, Footman, and Tear out of the chaos of the Great Hall. Immediately after, a line of men attempted to escape from the sacred royal state of Ruberios. As much as it was tempting to stay there and observe the situation, they felt it was dangerous to remain on the scene. Chronoa, the "Gutsy One" who went into an out-of-control state, was not that easy to deal with and was not something Yuuki had the means to check. The opponent is completely indistinguishable from the enemy and treats everyone on the scene as if they were the enemy, a very formidable opponent. It's because of this that Granbell wanted to join forces with Yuuki, right? Although Yuuki felt very bad about it, his opponent was slightly better this time. "But this time it's really been a lot of trouble. It's a long way to go before the Demon Lord Ruminas is revealed and the den has a chance to take advantage of him, and he's just about to get his hands on Daredevil.” "Hehehe, that powerful force is already something from another dimension. It's a shame we can't get that kind of stuff, but if we go after that guy, everyone on the scene will be killed, right?” Hearing Laplace complain, Footman responded thus.

In fact, Footman is right, but Yuuki has doubts about this, thinking that the hero may not be able to kill everyone easily. "You don't know that, do you? In any case, demon lord Rimuru was also crazy strong. Plus there's Ruminas and Leon over there. With three demon lords present, as well as several powerful Monsters, both sides had a chance to win.” "That's right. That Granbell was a former hero, and he was very good at it. People can't guess who the final winner will be.” Laplace and Tear don't seem as optimistic as Footman. Like Yuuki, they think the Rimuru crowd is likely to win. For Yuuki, a Chronoa victory is indeed the best result. If this were possible, in addition to the thorny enemy Rimuru, the obstructive Granbell, the future threatening Ruminas, and the hated Leon of Laplace and others, the bad guys who did them good would disappear, and the shaped form would be able to rule the whole West. While the remaining Chronoa is tough, there's nothing to fear from losing your self-will. They could also find a random magical creature to bait and drive her to the far end of the desert. With empty power, such an opponent is not a threat to Yuuki. So he originally wanted to make sure and see who the last person who survived was, but... "No, running away is the right thing to do. If it happens, we probably won't be able to get away with it, and besides..." There was a bad feeling—Yuuki’s intuition told him so. In order to decide on the way forward, he should have analyzed the trend of that big mess. Despite thinking so, Yuuki trusted his instincts and chose to run away. If Chronoa lost the battle, the few demon lords who survived would surely see them as a thorn in their side. Rimuru should have also found out that Yuuki had committed a betrayal, and probably couldn't find any more excuses to stall. All the strongholds and positions previously established in the Western world will be lost as a result of this mistake. If there’s anything to blame, it's for being so stupid as to have taken the Granbell path, Yuuki thought. That's why he’s all on his own. Because of this, now that he has chosen to run away, Yuuki is no longer confused. Being able to simply do the cutting was an advantage for Yuuki, and he'd been able to get through countless difficulties with that kind of judgment. So this time too, Yuuki thought so. However... He immediately found such an idea to be too naive.

Things came so suddenly that Yuuki and the others were about to bolt when a man stood in front of them. Next to him was a blue-haired beauty who made people's eyes glaze over. However, this beautiful woman was wearing a very abrupt dark red maid outfit. “—!” "Who the hell are you?” Sensing the danger, Yuuki stopped in his tracks. Even when Laplace asked the other party who he was, the man didn't answer. He kept looking at Yuuki, not looking at the others at all. "Well, since you're trying to get in our way..." Footman, who was standing in front, tried to get rid of the man and the beautiful woman, but someone suddenly appeared and pinned Footman to the ground. It was a woman, dressed in a dark red maid outfit of the same style as the blue-haired beauty. Her hair was green. The real identity, of course, goes without saying. It is Mizari, who was secretly messing around in the Kingdom of Ingracia not long ago. The battle plan was suspended because of the presence of Testarossa, and then the fire rushed to this place. Since Mizari had come all the way over, it was clear from this that the blue-haired beauty's true identity was Rhein. Then it is natural that who they follow is the one that there will be no second in the world. He is the Demon Lord - Guy Crimson. He is known as the Lord of Darkness, the most powerful overlord of all. Red hair, thicker and deeper than blood, flowed, and bright red eyes glittering with gold and silver starlight looked down at Yuuki from above. "Hi. We should be meeting for the first time. You should be happy. Because I'm interested in you.” Guy's eyes were firmly locked on Yuuki. The others couldn't get into his eyes at all. Seeing this, Yuuki didn't know whether he should cry or laugh. When Footman was swung three or two times by Mizari, he could see just how much strength his opponent had. It should be said that the three in front of them had different hair colors, and two of them were wearing very special maid outfits. Kagali, that is, Kazaream, and Clayman, who had mentioned some characters, and these three corresponded to the characteristics of those people.

In other words, this man standing at the top of the world is what Yuuki is after. As long as his ambition is to conquer the world, one day he must face off against this enemy. "So, you are the most powerful demon lord, Guy Crimson. It's an honor to meet you. My name is Yuuki Kagurazaka. I didn't think you'd come to me on your own initiative, are you planning to join forces with me?" Not being overwhelmed by Guy’s aura, Yuuki smiled in response to the other. Of course, there's no such thing as good things under the sky. Just by looking at how they dealt with Footman, it was clear that Guy and others could not have come running to construct a friendly relationship with themselves. Yuuki understands this, but he still talks to him intimately. It's his unique negotiation skill. In order to get to the bottom of the other person and find out what he is up to, he will say some inexplicable things in order to test his reaction. "Ah-ha-ha-ha! You're a funny guy. My opponent is me, and I have the guts to do so. The offer may not be bad, but you seem to be the enemy of Leon. Besides, you're going to the East, right? Personally, I don't want to see an increase in battle strength on Rudra's side." Bargaining broke down. Anyway, Yuuki didn't think the other party would accept the offer in the first place. But rather than wallowing in regret, Yuuki was more focused on chewing over the message revealed by Guy's words.

Rudra was the name of the emperor of the Eastern Empire, the united empire of the East of Nazca- Namlium-Ulmeria.

The way it sounds, Guy and Rudra have some kind of relationship and the two are in a hostile position. —so get rid of us before we meet up in the East? Although it wasn't quite ideal to go up against the strongest demon lord, the way things had turned out, there is probably nothing else to do... It would be impossible to avoid a fight with Guy in this way. They had no chance to escape. In this case, it's useless to do anything small. Instead of doing that, do your best to challenge Guy, that would have a better chance of winning. Yuuki so judged. "Oh... never mind, it's okay. Since we're the enemy, it's actually just right for me. Before moving the stronghold to the east, I can test how much strength the strongest demon lord has.” That was Yuuki's answer, as if to provoke Guy.

At the same time, a wave of excitement surged in his heart, which immersed Yuuki's entire being. He had been hiding his strength, and it was at this moment that Yuuki decided to fully liberate in front of the strongest demon lord. He didn't see himself losing at all and confronted Guy about it.

Yuuki is very confident. If it's a one-on-one, he's confident of winning no matter what the opponent is. Seeing the out-of-control Chronoa, he felt this enemy was very dangerous. But that's about it at best. As long as you take it seriously, you will still have a chance to win even though you will get into a hard fight. Yet there were still several demon lords on the scene who were clearly enemies of themselves. There's Leon, and Ruminas. And then there's that nice gentleman Rimuru, who must have sensed Yuuki's true nature as well. In fact, Rimuru had seen that Yuuki was the enemy long before, which was in Yuuki's favor. If you want to play dumb and use Rimuru, you'll get hit instead. Yuuki didn't know anything about it, but he was right in thinking that Rimuru had indeed become an enemy. He didn't feel so good about himself that he thought he could take on three demon lords and Chronoa at the same time. Even if he didn't have an ominous premonition, he'd still decide to retreat from the scene. This time, however, is different. The ominous foreboding was precisely because of this man standing in front of them. Knowing this, Yuuki decided to do his best to get through this difficult situation. "Oh, you think you can beat me?" Guy laughed heartily. "Sort of. I was going to beat you sometime in the future anyway, now I'm just bringing the booking plan forward.” Seeing Yuuki like this, Rhein and Mizari exuded murderous aura. As much as it was tempting to kill each other, it wasn't even possible to speak without Master Guy's permission. Guy is absolutely dominant, and to go and worry about his personal safety is a great disrespect. Guy is very spontaneous and has no mercy unless he recognizes the other person.

It was hard for Rhein and Mizari to get him to approve, and if they pissed him off, they'd probably be killed by him in a heartbeat. The gap in strength between Guy and them is just so stark. Laplace couldn't move. The frog being targeted by the snake—that’s exactly what this is about. If he wants to save Footman, Rhein will act. It was four against three, but the difference in strength between the two sides was too great to be of any consolation. If the enemy had only been Rhein and Mizari, they might have been able to figure it out, but once Guy appeared, they had no chance of winning. Yuuki is going to challenge Guy and seems brave in Laplace's eyes. We can't win. The troupe doesn’t care about this guy's opponent. That Chronoa is also worlds apart from us in terms of strength, but this Guy Crimson is a monster like no other. We’re not his opponent at all. There's no way to run away...the boss can't fight...it's all about survival... Just for being able to get a glimpse of some of Guy's strength, Laplace deserves credit. What was even more powerful was that in this situation, he remained undiscouraged and full of thoughts on how to escape—this mental toughness was what made Laplace so powerful. He also knew that Yuuki was strong. However, the extent of Yuuki's strength, even these partners were kept in the dark, and it was unknown whether it was useful against Guy... Even if Yuuki can't beat his opponent, Laplace intends to save Footman and run away with Tear. Yuuki should be able to read his mind and act in accordance with the times. Laplace's trust in Yuuki allowed him to think that way. The problem is that Rhein and Mizari are also extraordinary masters. The opponent wasn't that simple enough to allow him to take advantage of the opportunity to save Footman. Laplace didn't dare to take it lightly. To find a way to save Footman—he was troubled by this, and did not expect the problem to be solved in three or two minutes. "Hey, let that guy go." This time Guy ordered to Mizari. How could Mizari possibly resist, she immediately set Footman free. —So relaxed. This way the troupe will have a chance to escape. Laplace started to think in a good direction, but things didn't seem so simple. "Don't worry. If you beat me, I'll let you go and not hurt you a bit.”

This statement from Guy sounds contradictory. If they could beat Guy, who needs him to let go. The string of proclamations was utterly reassuring, and Laplace felt so melancholy after hearing it. Just like that, he prayed for Yuuki to win and watched the battle on the other side.

The first person to take action was Yuuki. Knowing that neither magic nor skill would work on him, Yuuki thus developed absolute confidence and fearlessly unleashed his kicks at Guy. The kick is sharp, heavy and fluid. A kick that was originally aimed at the enemy goes over, but halfway through the kick suddenly changes track and a nice top segment kick blows away on Guy's head. However, it was Yuuki who appeared with a distorted look. "Geez, it's so hard.” While smacking his lips, Yuuki mumbled something in his mouth. His Ability Blocking is unbeatable and can penetrate all the enemy's defenses. Guy, who was supposedly hit by him head-on, stood there unimpressed. It didn't seem to hurt at all. There was no movement behind the scenes. The mere flesh of gold is harder than diamonds. This flesh is so rigid and flexible that that alone is a threat. Guy is just so powerful. “That tickles. It's not going to be a fight at all. Have some more fun for me. Otherwise, I'll kill everyone.” Smiling as he finished the sentence, Guy's right hand bubbled up into flames. This is the elemental magic "Hot Dragon Flame Fighter" —a directional, scorching flame that transforms into a dragon, bending its long body to lunge at it, and the magic will burn the target to the ground. Temperatures can reach thousands of degrees, and the human race will disappear in an instant. The fire dragon wrapped itself around Yuuki's body. "It's a waste of time! Magic doesn't work on me..." After shouting, Yuuki was about to attack Guy, who had been so lenient, when a cold shiver caused him to jump away on the spot. "Oh, your instincts are keen.”

At that moment Guy smiled and said this. Yuuki didn't even have the strength left to talk back to Guy, who was desperately scrambling on the ground, trying to make the flames go away. This was indeed the result of the 'ability blocking' effect, and Yuuki was thus not injured by Guy's magic. Yet in the meantime, the magical flames that were supposed to disappear immediately continued to burn. And it wasn't just magic flames, it would also burn oxygen like a normal fire. At this rate, Yuuki will have difficulty breathing and will be forced to face a fatal situation. Somatically it felt like a long time had passed, but it had in fact only happened for a few seconds. So although Yuuki wasn't injured, he would definitely be defeated if he continued to attack Guy without realizing it. He knew this well enough to put out the fire even if he was in a state of discomfort. And with Guy’s reaction, it seemed that Yuuki had thought of a possibility that made him unbelievable. He didn't want to admit it, but it was necessary to make sure. He didn't expect an answer from the other person, getting up while asking out the doubts in his mind. "Why didn't you pursue it further? You don't want to compete with me, do you?” "Ahahaha, what a stupid thing to say. You noticed that earlier, didn't you? I've discovered the secret behind that power of yours!” “.......” “I see..." Yuuki thought bitterly. His 'ability blocking' was omnipotent and could be offset by whatever power he encountered. However, when it comes to magic and skill fusion, there is no way to counteract both properties. That's the only downside, and the weakness. Besides, no matter how hard Yuuki tried to improve his body, he was still human after all. Antibodies can be used to fight the toxin, but you can't live without oxygen. Human beings—every living thing—had this weakness, and now Yuuki realized that he was at a disadvantage. Guy stood idly. "There's a guy I know who can offset magic perfectly, but I still win in a fight. This is because that guy can't counteract anything other than magic. And as far as I know, there is no way in the world to perfectly defend against the laws of physics in this world. If it is reinforced against one point, there is bound to be a breach somewhere else. But you seem to be able to counteract not only magic, but skill as well, don't you think?” Guy glanced at Yuuki and didn't attack any further, patronizingly telling his opinion. It was all carefully calculated that there would be such an unhurried attitude. Because it's easy for Guy to kill Yuuki. But that isn't fun, so Guy wants to blow Yuuki's self-confidence and make him admit his defeat in despair.

He had already thoroughly analyzed Yuuki's physique. The first time he launched the attack, Guy saw through Yuuki's special physique and even thought of a countermeasure. Even if Yuuki could offset the magic and skill well, as long as he was human, beating him would be easy. Humans are fragile. That frail flesh is weak everywhere, even with the method of killing human beings without bitter thought. And there's a big gap between Yuuki and Guy’s basic physical abilities. When Yuuki kicked over just now, Guy only left a small 'barrier' for defense, and as a result, the opponent's attack didn't even hurt him. As far as the amount of magicules goes, the comparison is even laughable. Guy was good enough to rival the True Dragons, and as soon as Yuuki cancelled the magic, he could immediately restart it, which wasn't hard at all. "If I just kill people, then I don't have to come here specifically. I've come for a rare visit, so you'll have to have some fun for me.” Because of this, Guy arrogantly provoked Yuuki. He was going to drive his opponent into a corner and give Yuuki his all and then beat the shit out of him. Yuuki knew exactly what Guy was thinking. But he couldn't talk back. The expression on his face was less subdued than it had been earlier. He began to carefully analyze the battle situation to figure out how to break through this difficult situation. His unparalleled brain of genius had already pointed out the desperate gap between the two sides. But Yuuki hadn't given up and was exploring every possibility. The only turnaround was to make Guy look at them small. And yes, it's understandable that the two sides have such a big power differential that they'd be looked down upon. But that guy is too arrogant. Yuuki has other killer features. That's the innate superpower, and the "greedy one" that was snatched from Mariabell. Plus the "Creator". It can create the necessary capacity to respond to the situation, and with a "creator" it will be able to get through this crisis. If you don't kill me when you can, it's your fault!

After readjusting his breathing, Yuuki confronted Guy again. "It's just a matter of seeing what I can do. It's too early to be proud.” It's not that you can't afford to lose, those are true words. If the other party is so angry that they lose their cool, they are more likely to make mistakes. Yuuki saw this before he made a provocation. While juggling these little tricks, Yuuki let his power scurry all over his body. Usually he suppresses this force, but at this time he concentrates on building up his strength and transforming his flesh by his own will power. From human to "immortal". Then it became "saints". Let your own flesh evolve to a higher realm than Hinata, and Yuuki will never have to breathe again. Complete and total "saints" equate to spiritual beings. Hinata was still imprisoned in the flesh, but Yuuki had come to a higher realm. So he didn't need to breathe at all. Abandon human weaknesses and greatly increase their power of existence. If one converted the current energy on his body into mana, it would be enough to rival Leon or Ruminas. Guy, however, was still unfazed. "What a bummer. Is this all you can do? With that kind of ability, it's impossible to beat me a hundred times over.” He's still so laid back. "Probably. In that case, you'll have a good time with me!" The words of Yuuki ignited the battle and they started fighting again. Immediately following... Yuuki finally knew why Guy was called the strongest overlord.

The scene was shrouded in despair. The one who lies on the ground is Yuuki. In the face of Guy's overwhelming strength, Yuuki's attack did not play the same role. Even hawking ploys won't help.

He took the time to gather the greatest strength to launch the attack, but was unable to hurt Guy by a single cent. "Damn it, you bastard...!" Yuuki had lost even the strength to get back on his feet. At best, he was cursing Guy. But he's still not disheartened, and that alone is worthy of praise. Laplace didn't even blink, imprinting the battle deep in his mind. Too bizarre. Boss is too weak, Guy is too strong... Yuuki is stronger than Laplace ever imagined. He uses strange powers, or superpowers, to try all sorts of tactics against Guy. Such as shooting stones, spitting fire, heavy pressure, and releasing psychic interference waves. But these were defused with ease. To Guy, using his physical abilities, which were more than 30 times higher than normal, to launch an attack at a speed of over 100 meters per second was the equivalent of a child's play. In addition to this, Yuuki's main defense, Ability Blocking, is no exception and can no longer paralyze Guy's magic. "That's not working for me anymore." As Guy said in this sentence. It looks like Guy has managed to break through the Ability Blockade by some means. This is chilling. Kazaream and Clayman had also mentioned the Ten Great Demon Lords to Yuuki and others. He had heard that Guy and Milim were particularly powerful, but he hadn't expected the gap to be so wide, presumably even they themselves hadn't noticed. How else could they endorse such whimsical ideas as conquering the world. Is this what you call a cataclysmic level... It was only now that Laplace realized that there were some enemies in the world that could never be touched. He himself hides his strength from his partner. But if the opponent is replaced with Guy, the demon lord, even with that kind of strength, there is no point. Guy's strength is just so far from theirs. Can't even find a way to get down. Even Yuuki, whose strength was indeed above Laplace, lay helplessly on the ground, like a small baby. The way things have turned out, it's harder to get back alive now than it is to get to heaven. Someone had to make a sacrifice - Laplace had this realization, and he put on his usual dangling attitude and took a step to come before Guy.

"You are worthy of the title Demon Lord Guy. The “moderate clown troupe" takes on all kinds of business, only to be hired by the boss because of it. The boss in the nest is Yuuki from the vegetarian side. Now that the boss has lost, there's no reason for the nest to follow him..." “—!” "Laplace, what are you talking about..." Laplace pretends that he does not feel guilty about betraying his partner. He wasn't quite sure about Guy's personality, but had heard it was very capricious and arrogant. Totally uninterested in the weak, no one else is even allowed to talk to him unless they are approved by Guy. Treat that Guy with such an attitude and Laplace will surely be killed. However, by then his attention would surely be on Laplace, and by taking advantage of this brief gap, Yuuki could possibly escape, a possibility Laplace wanted to bet on. Never betray a partner, and never betray a client—that’s the rule of the Moderate Clown Troupe. Because of this, Yuuki must be able to detect Laplace's true thoughts. Footman was too pushy and ill-thought out, but the man was very much for his fellow man. Tear was still stronger than him, but didn't put her strength to full use because she was too timid. Although these two have bad habits of getting carried away easily, they can be put at ease by handing them over to Yuuki. Laplace thought so, before deciding to sacrifice himself. "The Troupe can help you, Lord Guy. So, what do you say we give them a chance to live?” Laplace makes a bold declaration of betrayal. While Footman and Tear had a puzzled look on their faces, Guy looked like he had seen something interesting and a smile appeared on his lips. That's great, this will piss off Guy! Laplace wasn't about to kill himself either. Although the opponent was Guy with little hope, there was still a chance to save a life. He therefore did not hesitate and intended to say what he was about to say. And yet it's too late to get the words out... "Ahaha, don't you force it, Laplace. Really, I can't be trusted?” Someone snatched the words out first, and it was Yuuki who staggered to his feet. ........... ........

Yuuki was mentally prepared, knowing that he might die. But at this moment, his heart was filled with indignation. Anger at his useless self. Hearing Laplace say that made him even angrier. Laplace could not possibly betray him. In other words, he said those words as an act, and he still chose to believe that Yuuki had interpreted Laplace's thoughts correctly, even though he had ended up in such a mess. In response, he was happy and at the same time felt guilty. If only I had more power... Without deliberately thinking about it, the thought came naturally to Yuuki's mind. No one would respond to his thoughts, as a matter of course. But just at this moment, a force appeared in Yuuki's mind. <You Want Power? Then join forces with me.> "Huh?" said Yuuki, confused in his mind. A bang. I thought it was a hallucination, but this voice is too real. <Just trade with me and you'll get the most power. Your wish is to conquer the world, and you can do it easily by joining forces with me. Come on, make a decision...> Hearing that voice say this way, Yuuki felt a pang of displeasure in his heart. You shut up. I am what I am. If it's borrowing from a partner it's a different matter, but borrowing from a stranger to achieve an ambition, I don't give a shit about that kind of classless thing! So, Yuuki refused categorically. Yes, personal ambition is something that has to be achieved by one's own hands to make sense, and Yuuki has his insistence. <...> The voice suddenly fell into silence and seemed confused about it. It didn't matter if the voice disappeared, Yuuki immediately focused his thoughts on something else. The situation was desperate at the moment, but there was something that made him care. To say what the point of care was, it was that Yuuki felt that Guy seemed to have another purpose. Indeed, one of the reasons was that Guy wanted to enjoy the fight. But beyond that, there must be another reason behind it.

Just now, Guy did say something like “I don't want the combat power on Rudra's side to increase". On the flip side, if they hadn't gone to Rudra and joined the Eastern Empire, Guy wouldn't have had to kill Yuuki and others - or so Yuuki interprets it. To say why Guy didn't kill Yuuki right now... Truly, hard knocks are not his match at all, but what comes next is brain power. But it's more likely to succeed than having Laplace do the hard work! Encouraging himself with these words, Yuuki stood up again. ........... ........ Even in this situation, Yuuki still smiled cynically when he dialed back the browser. "I didn't expect you to be so strong, outside of my calculations, but I found one thing after fighting you. That means you're not going to kill us, right?” "Oh, why do you think that?” "If you'd intended that, we'd have been killed to death. What does it mean that you attack repeatedly and let me swim on the edge of death each time?” Just like that, only to see Yuuki confidently questioning Guy. It would be reckless to do such a thing. Guy showed such a strong power, and Yuuki dared to do that to him - that's what everyone thought in their hearts. Only, Guy himself still showed an attitude of fun. "You found out. But you don't need to know the answer..." By responding in this way, Guy indicated that he wasn't going to reveal his thoughts. Yuuki shrugged, he had expected the other party to answer that way. So he didn't panic and continued with his next move. "Then I want to make a deal with you.” "You want to make a deal?” "Right. If you leave us alone, we will be of some help to you." "Will it help me a little?” "Exactly. You don't seem to want us to join the Eastern Empire, but I want you to change that slightly.” "Go ahead.”

"Since our aim is to conquer the world, we will one day be on a par with the Empire. I have now sliced through your great power. I certainly don't want to make an enemy of you at the moment. You'd want to destroy the Empire first, right?” You can't help but wonder what he is talking about. Footman and Tear had listened without understanding. Laplace was also at a loss for words about the situation at hand. He was ready to launch the scheme with a determination to die, but his only hope - Yuuki himself - was destroyed. At this point, we can only rely on Yuuki's negotiation. Although he was the only one who could rely on him, the cold sweat behind Laplace's back returned when he heard these words, ‘Heaven is not afraid of earth.’ Too messed up. Why does Guy look like he's enjoying it? That's right. Hearing Yuuki say such words, I don't know why, Guy smiled. "Are you going to keep challenging me?” "That's for sure. My ambition is to conquer the world. It doesn't look like there's any chance of winning at the moment, but one day it's going to overtake you.” Despite the fact that it was very difficult to stand on one's own, Yuuki was unyielding in his words. If you mess with Guy, you'll be killed - Yuuki seems to be completely oblivious to this and still speaks loudly. The object is Guy, then facing it with such an attitude is the right choice. If it's an ugly plea for mercy, the other party will immediately lose interest. That would be the only way to die. Yuuki didn't know about it and made the best choice in the situation. "What good will it do me if you bring down the Empire?” That was the focus of this engagement, and Yuuki began to take it in stride. Next, he looked back at Guy head-on, nodding his head forcefully. "Of course there are benefits. I don't know why, but you don't seem to want the Empire to be annexed even to the west. Isn't that right?” “......” Guy must have had some sort of entanglement with Imperial Emperor Rudra. Here's the point, Yuuki bluffed and lobbied.

"I'm going to beat a lot of enemies. I did want to join the Empire, but did not want to let them do it. Rather, it is to nibble at the whale from within and use each other for our purposes.” "Oh. Turns out, the period where your intentions align with the Empire will help them, but not necessarily after that. And you're going to borrow the power of the Empire to defeat Leon, and that guy Rimuru, right?” The sharp gaze seemed to have seen through everything, and Guy just stared at Yuuki like that. Yuuki is a promise that cannot be kept. He wasn't sure about Guy's relationship with Leon, or what Guy thought of Rimuru, and couldn't even predict how his own words would make the other party react. Even so, Yuuki still deliberately expressed his ambition. "That's it. I'm going to take over the world, and it's you who's going to take down the last one - Demon lord Guy Crimson.” Breathing heavily from beginning to end, Yuuki finished what he wanted to say. The rest is up to Guy to judge. Even if we go along with Laplace's ruse, everyone will still be killed in the end. Sorry to have to get you guys to go along with my plan. Yuuki apologized to his partners in his heart. See if it's all for the win or all for the loss. Yuuki was greedy. If you want to live, let's all live together —the stakes are just too high. However, Yuuki won the bet. "You're called the Moderate Clown Troupe, right? Ahahaha, you guys really look like clowns. Messing up the situation in this game is no different than a ghost card. Sounds pretty good, and the offer is interesting. For the love of your guts, I'll let you go this time.” In the end, it's still not clear what Guy's purpose is. What is certain is that Yuuki and others survived. Faced with Guy's decision, Rhein and Mizari had no objection.With that declaration, Yuuki and the others fled the scene safely.

Waiting for the Guy and the others to leave, Yuuki and the others came to the place where they were supposed to meet up with Kagali and the others. Although it felt like it should be fine by now, everyone agreed that they should have left sooner.

As soon as he saw Kagali appear at the rendezvous site, Laplace opened his mouth to Yuuki. "You're so full of shit, I can't believe it. I can't believe I'm so surprised at that monster..." When Laplace had finished, Tear followed suit. "And we got away with it. People originally thought it would be over this time.” "Ho-ho-ho. I've had faith in the boss since the beginning.” “You're just not using your head, are you?" Laplace spat this out to Footman, and Yuuki watched the scene with the remaining light from the corner of his eye, looking tired as he sat down on the ground. "I had no choice. This may be the only way we can get away with it. And in the end like this, that method worked and I don't take complaints.” It is more mentally exhausting than the injuries sustained in battle. So Yuuki didn't seem to want to continue arguing, he lay down on the ground in large letters and closed his eyes. Kagali had no idea what's going on, and Laplace and Tear step in to explain what's going on. "You, you fought Guy...! I'm glad you guys came back unscathed..." Kagali exclaimed in surprise. It wouldn't take long for her tone to turn dumbfounded. Ah, it's good to be alive. Feeling the wind caressing his cheek, Yuuki thought so. That's when something suddenly occurred to him. I heard a mysterious voice in the middle of a fight. What was it? Is that another personality of mine? How can this be? This is ridiculous. No, wait? Although it doesn't feel like there are other powers hidden within me, there is only one possibility that can be thought of. Yuuki thought of the power he had recently acquired. That is the exclusive skill "Greedy One"—if it is this skill, as one's desire grows greater, it also gains more power. Against Guy, every move that Yuuki made couldn't hurt him. And of course it also contains the strongest Great Sin skill "The Greedy One". This "greedy one" is also a mystery, skills and magic are always outside the man and in the sky. Guy used magic to break through my "ability blocking" and had to see the reasoning behind it... Yuuki had full confidence in himself, so being easily attacked by Guy gave him a big blow. But he would not give up on that. Now that he had survived unscathed like this, he had to think about what to do next. It's quick to switch focus, and that's what Yuuki does best.

He had prided himself on gaining power over the demon lord that was the strongest person under the heavens. No, even if they are not the strongest, they can win no matter what kind of opponent they are facing if they study more and formulate countermeasures. With such a force as a backbone, and with the assistance of people like Kagali and Laplace, he managed to construct a powerful force. Everything is going well. But recently it has failed one after the other. On top of that, this encounter with Guy had completely shattered Yuuki's self-confidence. That being said, it was a fluke. Things are starting to get very interesting. The harder the game, the more fun it is... That's all, and Yuuki didn't suffer any setbacks as a result. And he thought further. In other words, Guy's ability is difficult to read even with Yuuki's "creator". The unique skill "creator" is very special and can even create skills that can be immediately interpreted even if the opponent is using a unique skill. Although the premise was that the opponent had to use those skills, Yuuki believed that no one could hide anything under this ability. But it doesn't work on Guy. This indicates that the opponent's abilities are above unique skills. Yuuki craves strength. Wanting more power, being able to overcome the power of Guy. Deep inside him, the fire of desire was burning brightly. So to speak, the "greedy one" in me has a chance to evolve as well. I became more greedy than anyone else. If it's to instill those desires in it... Thinking about this side, Yuuki was so excited that he was shaking all over. He began to think. Losing to Guy made him think about how much injustice there is in this world. He wants to fight it and win. This is exactly what Yuuki wants. Closing his eyes, he came face to face with his inner voice.

Go deeper within, go deeper, go to the place that lies at the end of the abyss. Yuuki pays attention to all corners. <Want to join forces with me now?> No, it's not that. <What is your purpose then?> I need to run something by you. <What's Up?> That's right. I want to receive your power. <Don't Be Joking.> I'm not kidding, I'm serious. <What a Silly Thing to Say...> I'm sorry, you're in the way. <—!> Immediately following the next second, as if to cover every corner of his heart, Yuuki outlined that wish in his mind. The desire to fulfill his true ambition to achieve that hegemony. Be untouched by anyone and use the strong will as a weapon. Yuuki is challenging himself. And after that, the "Voice of the World" sounded... —Confirmation completed. Conditions met. The unique skill "Greedy One" has evolved into the ultimate skill "Greedy King Mammon”.— At this point, Yuuki opened his eyes and showed an arrogant smile. "I will make good use of your power." Next he muttered something so small that no one heard him. This day, in this moment, in this place. The most evil of demons is born.

Chapter 1: The Stepping Sound of Military Boots The day the music exchange ended, we returned to our home countries.

Venom and others who had come to act as escorts, and Tako and others were unharmed, and everyone was safe and sound. As for the children that Diablo protected, I let them rest for a week. They weren't injured, but it was just in case. The difference between training and actual combat seemed to impress them, giving them less of the vibrancy they normally had. They may be psychologically traumatized, so I want everyone to get some rest. Ruminas is on Leon's side, and we intend to meet another day to discuss it. There was a dispute over which side to meet, and it was finally decided to meet in the capital of the Jura Tempest Federation, "Rimuru". Ruberios under the rule of Ruminas was busy rebuilding, and as for the Golden Country of Leon's territory, it seemed that something big had happened there and there was no room to entertain important people from other countries. At present, our Jura Tempest Federation has no problem in this regard and can find no reason to reject it. We already have two demon lords on our side anyway. Thinking of the winged fairy, and the lazy nobleman Dino, I promised Ruminas and Leon. Time came the next day. Neither had time to put their feet down and settle down, and the two came running in a hurry. It seemed that Leon had gone back to the country once, and had made preparations before coming here. I thought to myself that the two of them were in too much of a hurry, but Ruminas and Leon both wanted to exchange information first. I would also like to ask the two of them something about this incident. So I had no opinion and decided to go along with what they wanted. We came to the most luxurious reception room to assemble. On the scene were me, Ruminas and Leon. Since I'm going to have a meeting with the other demon lords, then I can't act too shabby. The people who came to the talks were all connected to this event. We decided to consolidate the information first and then see how far the information related to Chloe would be made public. Because of the importance of the matter, it would be better for everyone to hide it from their own men as well—a point on which a few of us have made no secret. The people who came from my country were Shion, Diablo and Veldora.

Seriously, I don't want to have Veldora in. I wanted him to stay in his room and play, but for some reason, he strongly insisted, ‘I can't do it without you!’ Now that he's talked about it, I had to be reluctant to let it go. According to the theory, Shion should have been seriously injured, but she never expected to recover in a flash. This made me realize that "super-speed regeneration" is really a scary skill. Now she was standing side by side with Diablo behind me. Hinata sat next to Ruminas, while Louis and Gonda stood behind the two. There were also two knights standing straight up behind Leon—Alrose and Claude. Finally there is the main character, Chloe. She's gone back to being a child, but I think it's okay to treat her as an adult. Placed here was a rectangular table with six more couches for personal use. I sat side-by-side with Veldora, opposite Hinata and Ruminas. Leon sat face to face with Chloe in the main seat. With that, the temporary demon lord talks began.

The first thing to do is to ask Chloe to speak for herself. Hinata also stepped aside to help explain what was really going on at that time. In general, their words are incredible. However, I have experienced that spiritual landscape first hand, so I accept these claims at once. "That's how I got out of the Infinite Reincarnation, with the help of Hinata and Rimuru-san.” Explaining to this side and concluding with a quote from Chloe. People all put on a restless expression and observed the reactions around them. In such an atmosphere, there are those who do not know how to read a room, and Veldora takes the lead. "That is to say, the one who sealed me is..." That kind of thing doesn't matter. Even though I thought so, Hinata reacted to that statement. "That's me. Now we're both a winner and a loser. Wouldn't that be nice? To be able to taste defeat.” "What the...!" "Gee, do you have a problem with that? In that case, it's okay if I have to fight you again.” "Well, well, well, well! Now that you've said so, let me show you my true power..."

You don't even have to drive at this rate. Hinata was normally calm, but for some reason, as soon as she met Veldora, she became childish. Looks like I'll just have to jump in and be the mediator. "All right, that's enough.” We'll talk about this topic when it's just the two of you next time. "Hinata, educating that stupid dragon is a vital thing. If you really want to make a move, my servant will also help, you must tell my servant.” Miss Ruminas, please don't add fuel to the fire. Now that things have turned out this way, then I'll change the subject. "Anyway, it's good that it ended up being okay. One more thing that concerns me is that I seem to have been killed, right? So it was really the Imperials who did it?” For me, this issue is even more important. At present, there are suspicious movements on the Imperial side, and if they really want to make an enemy of our country, then we must remain vigilant. "Probably. Other than that, it should be the same person who killed Hinata. There seems to be some very powerful masters on the Imperial side, or they've sent several of them against you, but the glow that runs through Hinata can't even be seen by me.” It turns out that the other side can kill even Hinata, so killing me who hadn’t evolved into a demon lord is not surprising. "I've evolved into a demon lord now, but I think it's better to be careful.” Although it's a different timeline, the other side has beaten me down before and will subconsciously guard against it. Since we are going to make an enemy of the Empire, one still has to be more careful. "I think it's better this way too. The Empire is even more dangerous than Mr. Rimuru had in mind. After the killing of Mr. Rimuru, Mr. Veldora began to rebel, and it was the Empire that drove him back.” Halfway through the showdown with Veldora, Hinata is killed and Chloe goes back in time. Later memories are only fragmentary memories of Chronoa. Having said that, the out-of-control Veldora and Chronoa clashed violently, and the one who took advantage of the situation seemed to be the Empire. We've seen Chronoa's power with our own eyes, and just being able to intervene in that fight means that the other side is very good. That being said, the Empire may have a fairly large war power, so large that it's beyond our expectations. It's not just me, Ruminas and Leon seem to think so too. Everyone is igniting a sense of crisis about the Empire.

In the midst of this heavy atmosphere, Veldora’s next comments were simply misdirected. "I can't believe I lost it." He spoke with a smug look on his face. Hearing that, people reacted as if they were saying, ‘What is this guy talking about?’

It

It's just as well that Veldora was able to play the idiot in such a serious atmosphere... "Wait! Why are you looking at me like that? How could a gentleman like me get out of hand and run amok!?” Nope, I'll say it. I heard that you made a big mess a long time ago, so I guess you were just as capricious at that time. Well, maybe it was the resurrection and finding out I’d been killed that made him furious. Thinking about it this way makes me feel a little happy. "All right, take it easy, let's just take it as it is.” Thinking about that in my head, I got a little warm in my heart and decided to placate Veldora. "The empire is dangerous”—that part of it comes down to this.” Next we'll talk about Chronoa's memories and see how much Chloe can recall. World War broke out after Veldora was defeated by the Empire. East and West were at war, and the battlefield was becoming increasingly favorable to the Empire. It was at this time that Milim launched into action. My death became the fuse for her animosity towards the Empire. At this point Guy intervenes and the worst of the battle—Milim versus Guy—is repeated. There was also a military conflict between Dagruel and Ruminas, and as a result the war spread throughout the world. Then Chronoa lost her life fighting someone. She rushed to the main battlefield and fought on as long as there was breath left. The only thought left in her mind was to 'destroy everything', and I heard that Chronoa would kill the strong man regardless of what she saw. So not remembering who you were killed by...... "There aren't many people who can defeat that Chronoa, are there?” "It must be Guy.” "Only Guy can do it, right?” Hearing my tweets, Ruminas and Leon responded immediately. I think so too. I don't know who's going to die in the matchup between Guy and Milim, but there's no second choice but Guy to kill Chronoa. Only, it's not clear why Guy wanted to kill Chronoa, or maybe not him.

"So, why does Chronoa like me?” After hearing what Chloe said, I still feel like I crossed paths with Chronoa. Chronoa came back to life after I died, so she doesn't know me at all. In spite of that, it felt like Chronoa liked me anyway. I'm not a slow person, so I can at least find that out. Looking back on it now, it was like that in the beginning. When I summoned her for Chloe, she kissed and hugged me as soon as I saw her. I thought it was the first time we met, didn't I? But I guess there's some reason why Chronoa would do that. "That's because..." "Because Rimuru has helped me. In the world to come, I have been in turmoil, and it is you who will save me.” When Chloe was halfway through her words, Chronoa continued on. "What the hell, I'm the one who has to explain!” "What does it matter? It's just a small thing. I'm you anyway. It's all the same, right?” To the eyes of the others it would only seem that Chloe was splitting hairs. It looks like as long as Chloe is negligent, Chronoa will step in and interject. But this kind of thing is just fine to get used to. Next, Chloe and Chronoa began to alternate narratives. Chloe - it should be said that according to Chronoa's memory, the future me did not really die. I did get knocked down by the Empire, but seemed to come back to life smoothly afterwards. That's right. I don't care, but the "Great Sage" who evolved into the King of Wisdom, Master Raphael, does everything right. It seemed to take a while, but it still had managed to keep me alive. Having said that, the world situation had changed significantly. Veldora disappears and the Jura Tempest Federation is destroyed. A great war erupted between the East and West, and a fierce tug-of-war ensued between the demon lords. Well—it’s not hard to imagine how I felt at the time. After all, I am the party. If it were me, I would definitely be desperately searching for survivors. Even if there's no way to save everyone, at least save the people I know. Then I found out about Chloe, aka Chronoa.

Chronoa's memory is left in bits and pieces, not remembering the most important parts. Still, she remembers roughly the process. After the encounter with Chronoa, We exchanged blows several times before I finally succeeded in bringing her to her senses. By this time, however, the world situation was set. "Just as everyone guessed, I did battle with Guy. Don't remember how things came to that, but I'm sure Rimuru wasn't around at the time. When I was about to die, I was held by Rimuru again, and when I came back, I saw Rimuru and myself as if I had seen the old Rimuru, that is, Chloe.” About Guy, I was just surprised by what I thought was unexpected. More than that, I'm curious about what happened when Chronoa died...presumably she started "time travel". But that alone wasn't enough to drive her back to the time when Chloe had stayed. It's also possible that what I did is indefinable. "By that time I had evolved into a demon lord?” "He had evolved. By the time he met me, Rimuru had become even stronger than he is now.” Uh, that kind of thing just by looking at it? I think I’m strong enough on my own at the moment, but Chronoa isn't so strong as to misjudge her opponent. In this way, the loss of my companions probably made me quite a mess. However, those have nothing to do with me now, yet there is an empire behind them. I still think in a good direction though, knowing that there is room for progress after myself. Anyway, those aside first. Since she said it was better than the current me, then the "Great Sage" must have evolved into the "King of Wisdom Raphael". That is, letting Chronoa's spirit and memory fly to the young Chloe - it would be no surprise if I were to do such an incredible thing. <<“...”>> Ohhhh, the guru can't deny that. That's a good indication that something is happening in the future. "Anyway, the end result was OK.” "It's too easy to say such things.” "Don't say that. Anyway, Chloe was as seen now, the people were safe and sound, and Veldora had been resurrected. As long as we keep a good eye on these two, we won't have to worry about them losing control. In that case, all that's left is the Empire, right?”

Hinata glared at me, and I responded with a cheerful smile. "That's it. If Dagruel attacks, I'll take care of it. After all, you're the one who saved Chloe, so let me thank you a little.” It seems that Ruminas and Chloe are really good together, and I saved Chloe's life with the stock going up and down. Thanks to this, it seems that in the future the two parties will be able to maintain a better relationship than before. I was originally still worried about Dagruel's ambitions. This is something that Ruminas is willing to underwrite. Without even asking me to please, Ruminas has promised to guard the Western world. In fact, the Western countries were originally under the jurisdiction of Ruminas. While some areas would clash with Guy's men, those were like games to Guy. Ruminas seemed to look away and think there was no point in caring about that. The bigger problem was Dagruel, and Ruminas seemed to be on constant alert, fearing the day when the two sides would go to war. "It sounds like we'll still be at war in the future, and if the Empire makes a move, he's likely to follow suit.” Although Ruminas said so, I still held my doubts. "However, Dagruel's sons have come to live in this country for a while. He wouldn't have resorted to force so easily, I guess.” Personally, I think there should be some sort of reasoning behind Dagruel's actions. "Huh? You say Dagruel's sons are here too? Is this true?” "It's true. They have now become minions of Shion and are working on their training.” "Yes. Although those guys aren't quite there yet, they've become more decent lately. To reward them, I treated them to a homemade meal and they cried with joy. What a bunch of cute guys.” Hearing me say that, Shion answered in a serious manner. I wonder if they were really ecstatic? They should be happy the girl of their choice cooks for them with her own hands...but only if those things are edible. No, as long as the appearance and taste can be tolerated, the cuisine of Shion can still be eaten. That should be no problem. If they hadn't complained about it themselves, it wouldn't be an issue I could intervene in. That's it. Hearing that Dagruel's sons were staying in the country, Ruminas was aghast. But these things only happened for a moment, and she immediately found her usual pace. "It seems to be true. It's a little strange to say that the Dagruel guy fell for someone's scheme too—no, those are future things. It should be said that he might have been caught in someone else's trap.”

Ruminas said as she thought. There will be war in the future, but for now there is peace. That said, there must be some reason behind Dagruel's ambition to expand his territory. When I met him at the Walpurgis before, he didn't feel like a big bad guy. I’ll check in with the his sons next time. If there is anything wrong with that, I can discuss it with them. It's much better to sit down and talk it out than to start a war. "We'll try to look into this, too.” "Then I'll leave it to you. I don't want to start a war for no reason either.” With regard to Dagruel, we have decided to wait for future findings. It would be troublesome if he followed the Empire into action, and just in case, I asked Ruminas to keep her guard up as well. Louis and Gonda nodded their heads, saying that they could safely leave the matter to them. "And then there's Guy...” "Let me talk over there.” It's no use going to Guy to complain about something that might happen in the future, but I'm still a little worried. It's better to explain to him what's going on, too. That point is bitter to make though... "After all, Guy is the 'mediator'. Although the current me doesn't have him in my sights, it seems I was exterminated by that guy a long time ago. Anyway, I don't remember any of those things, so it doesn't count!” That's when those words came out of the blue from Veldora. It makes people wonder where he starts spouting off and how he does it. Guy is a "mediator." What does that mean? Didn't think Guy had fought against Veldora before and Veldora had been exterminated. Those were the first things I heard. By the way, if you don't remember, you lose because you don't remember, and even if it's a child's excuse, it's still too low, but if you say it, it seems like you're pathetic, so don't say it. "Oh, in my opinion, Guy has done great things.” “‘Mediator,' right? It is true that Guy is not a partner of mankind, but he is also not an enemy of mankind. It's reasonable to speculate that the reason why Chronoa was killed in the future was because he feared that the world might end if he didn't take care of Chronoa, who 'just wanted to destroy everything’." Leon stepped in to draw the conclusion.

"What exactly is a ‘mediator'?" Everyone understands what he means, and I'm the only one who still can't react. I didn't hesitate to ask questions, and Ruminas explained them to me. "The so-called 'mediator' is a different mechanism from the 'hero' or the 'demon lord'. The purpose is to prevent the destruction of this world and is said to be the spokesman for the Creator, the Star Dragon, Veldanava.” "That's what it's all about. My brother 'Star King Dragon' Veldanava would set it up in such a way that he did not want the world that he had created so easily to be destroyed.” I see. It's because Veldora wanted to destroy the world that he was exterminated, right? Now I totally get it. One more thing that is confirmed in passing is that the “true dragons" will indeed be resurrected. I doubt very much that Veldora really has lost his memory, but let's not correct that. "So it is. Then it's unlikely that Guy will keep an eye on the current Chloe.”

"Mmm. I also have memories of when Chronoa was out of control, and she didn't hate that demon lord- san.”

Hinata and Chloe seemed to be okay with that, and the two laughed and talked about it. As long as there are no out-of-control doubts, it seems to be possible to avoid fighting Guy. "In that case, why don't you ask Leon to explain it to Guy?” "Good. Because this is about my future with Chloe." "This has nothing to do with Brother Leon, does it?” Leon spoke righteously, only to be rebuked mercilessly by Chloe. I thought to myself how awful this innocence was and felt a little sympathy for Leon. Leon looked very handsome and gave off a cold look, and the world seemed to treat him like the big bad. The matter with Miss Shizu seemed to be like that too, it looked like he was very bad at talking, in fact he was in some ways considered disgustingly good. Maybe because of that, he seems to be easily misunderstood. For example, it's the opposite of Masayuki, so it's easier to understand. Chloe thought of him as a kindly big brother next door. There was not the slightest hint of romantic affection for him. Leon seems to have been popular with girls from before, and the reason for that is probably here, and Chloe is therefore completely unaware of Leon's love for her.

Come to think of it, I think Leon is actually a man full of sadness. In my mind, I decided to be kind to him in the future.

Now that two demon lords have agreed to help, the talks have been a success. That leaves the Empire as the object to be guarded against. Let us then draw up our own response. As I am about to close the meeting... "Please, please wait! There are guests inside now, and important meetings are taking place.” "Oh, it's nice to see me invading. But I came all the way over, so let me say hello.” Just then, a loud noise came from across the hallway. It's that voice, and the arrogance that flows from talking to people... Whoever came was definitely the strongest demon lord Guy. There aren't many people who can do that without being so close to me. <<Notice. There is no hostility on the other side.>> ......have you found out? Uh, now is not the time to argue about that. I hurried to get up from my seat. But before I act... Diablo, who was originally standing behind me, walked towards the door with a look of displeasure. “Hi!” “Bye.” After this brief conversation, Diablo vigorously closed the door. “......” It came so suddenly that we all froze on the spot. "Oi oi oi, no need for that, Diablo.” The doorway opened again and Guy burst into a roar. "Geez, you interrupted an important meeting. It's only been a day and I'm not ready. I would like to talk to you slowly afterwards, please wait until I invite you over.” The use of words was still polite, but Diablo's attitude towards Guy was tough.

Did they already know each other? I wasn't the only one who thought so, Ruminas and Leon were also amazed. "I can't believe it. I didn't expect that the Black Primordial would not budge in the face of Guy, so the Black Primordial was really something.” "Is he truly the Black Primordial? How did such a ruthless character come to serve under Rimuru?” ...Hmmmmmmmm? I vaguely heard some words that didn't sound good? Diablo's a tough guy? No, he does have an arrogant attitude...... Then again...what are the Primordials? Just as I was feeling a bit confused, there was a bigger commotion behind me. "Lord Rimuru, are you all right? Just now, my sister, she..." "Lord, did you sense Red?” "Is there going to be a war? I'll do my best if you tell me!” First it was Benimaru rushing over, Souei following behind him. Immediately afterwards it was Carrera who appeared, and then even Ultima broke in with her, coming in at about the same time. They caused a major uproar. The way things had turned out, it was better to take Guy in instead of driving him back. It’s just that I didn’t have an invitation at all. Why did things come to this? It seems necessary to ask Diablo afterwards. The immediate priority now is to clean up this mess. "Everybody calm down. Diablo, you also restrain yourself.” When I said that, the people who had just run over also settled down with me. Seeing that the atmosphere around me had stabilized, I continued. "It's not part of the plan, but we still have something to discuss with Guy. Since you've all come over, let's invite you directly to the meeting. Is that okay?” I'll make sure to check in with Guy first. "No problem. I also have something to talk to you about, which is just right.” Originally, he was going to ask Leon to explain it to him and it looked like he was going to change the booking plan. This time Guy agreed, so I'm going to disband the ones who came running later.

"That's the way it is, so no need to worry. If anything happens, I'll call you over, so you can get back to work.” Hearing me make such an announcement, everyone showed a look of relief. Although a few people in the room said something like "Hmph, that's right, it's Red" to keep the world in check. Even now, I can't see it coming," and "Tsk, I thought I had a chance to make a scene this time," but in the end, it ended up just barely okay.

The people who had gathered were back at work. Then, in order to make tea for those who stayed in the room, Shuna also exited the room. It was at this point that Leon spoke first. "Hey, what's going on? Why is the Yellow Primordial here?” Huh? "I'd like to ask you the same. The other one seems to be the Purple Primordial. Is that a servant who's been over minded? I heard that her personality is more gloomy and cunning, so my servant is a little unsure....." Hmm...? What yellow primordial and purple primordial, what the hell are these guys talking about? —Ah, that can't be it! "Are you talking about Carrera and Ultima? These two were poached by that Diablo over there, and I didn't think they'd be better than I thought..." I stepped in to explain, but couldn't finish the sentence. “Carrera!? And another one named Ultima!? You're not going to name those people, are you?!" "I can't believe it. Not only that Diablo, but you also took in other Primordial Ancestors as subordinates, didn't you......" Leon stood up suddenly and yelled, along with a heart-stoppingly surprised Ruminas. Both looked over at me. "Isn't that right? The reason I came over here was to find out what he was really up to.” Eventually even Guy started saying inexplicable things. You ask me? Who do I ask? I didn't know how to answer, and at this time Shuna pushed the food truck to bring the black tea over. To avoid disturbing her, we kept our mouths shut.

The scent smelled good and everyone gradually replied calmly. I followed suit and calmed down to think about what everyone had just been talking about. The key word is "Primordial" that Ruminas speaks of. Speaking of the Primordials... <<Answer. It is one of the benchmarks used to define the demon race.>> That's it, by the way, I remember hearing similar instructions. The definition of a Primordial is the original demon. Huh, the original demon...? "Diablo, you're not one of the Original demons, are you?” When I finished asking the question, Diablo responded indifferently. "Well, that's right. I am indeed one of the first of the Seven Systems of the Demon Race to be born in this world.” ......Oi oi oi, no way. The demon I summoned when I evolved into the demon lord was not expected to be such a powerful character... I always thought he was so strong, I didn't expect it to be more so than I thought. “...............didn’t you know?” "I can't believe it. I thought you were a little careless, but I didn't expect you to be that careless...” The way Leon and Ruminas looked at people hurt so much. Can't blame me for that. Since I casually summoned it and he responded, I guess it shouldn't be a big deal. << “....”>> It was as if even Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, was speechless. And there was this reaction as if it was not for Diablo's true identity, but because I didn’t know about it. It seems that Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, seems to think that I knew the Primordial Demons as well. No, wait. In this way, it seems that Elmesia, the Celestial Emperor of Sarion, also said something about the Primordials. Turns out it's because she's also discovered Diablo's true identity that she's so vigilant!

If I had paid a little more attention, I would have detected Diablo's true identity sooner. This is actually that. Commonly known as preconceived notions. There is no in-depth investigation of what is known, nor is it brought up for discussion. In the opinion of Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, it just didn't feel the need to speak to me specifically about it. It's a big loophole. Even with a dictionary at hand, there's no point in not using it. Even Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, who would advise me recently, could not possibly grasp what I knew and what I did not know. No matter how good a partner is, it's pointless if you don't let them do their job properly, and now I've come to understand it again. Leaving the surprised me aside, Diablo began to tell the story of his acquaintance with me. It sounds as if it goes back to when I met Shizu-san. There seems to be some kind of connection between Diablo and Miss Shizu, and Diablo happens to go to that place when he finds out that Miss Shizu is about to die. It turns out that Diablo had been paying attention to me since that time, which surprised me, but I had no idea what his intentions were. "It's so abhorrent that a low-ranking demon belonging to my system was summoned before me by Lord Rimuru. However! I didn't panic over it, but waited for the time to come and finally answered Lord Rimuru's call smoothly!” Speaking of this side, Diablo showed a very happy smile.

Geez, is it not a coincidence that Diablo would respond to my summons, but a corollary to his long- established calculations?

I was so surprised that even my head started to hurt. That said, there was something I had never heard before, and it turned out that Diablo was very jealous of Beretta and wanted to get rid of him without my knowledge. But Beretta's body was built by me, so Diablo couldn't hurt it. "This body was made by Lord Rimuru himself, and it would displease him if you were to strike at it.” Beretta is said to have advised him so at that time. How should I say it, should I say it's dumbfounding? That said, it's stupid and long-winded to go on like this. Somebody stop it—I think so, but Diablo's imposing presence is so overwhelming that no one seems to have a chance to interject. Seeing that this was not the way to go, I spoke.

"Diablo, Diablo-kun! Just talk about this side. It's almost time for us to get on with the meeting, too. Immediately after me, Guy followed suit and said. "That's enough about this, right? By the way, that Dino kid is here too, isn't he? Can you bring him here for me?” When this came out of Guy's mouth, Diablo finally stopped talking. "Then let me invite Lord Dino." Shuna hadn't been able to find the right time to exit the room, and only now did she politely curtsy and leave. She's escaped—I think I'm in the mood too. "It's the rest that follows that's important.” The look on Diablo's face was like he was saying there was going to be more to come, but everyone united and pretended not to hear. I wonder what he'll say if we keep listening. In order to keep my mind at peace, it's best to shut Diablo up. In the midst of this commotion, unknowingly, Guy's seat was also ready. The waiting room next door had a sofa for guests to sit on, and Leon's men moved it this way. "Oh, very clever." Hearing Guy’s words, the knights under Leon, Alrose and Claude, nodded softly at him. It looked like these two also knew Guy, otherwise neither of them would have made a move, because facing Guy could not be done lightly. It was supposed to be my job to prepare, but I didn't expect so much. It was a great help to have these two people around, as one mistake could make Guy angry. Even the secretary, who was supposed to be assisting me, seemed to be all talk. On the other hand, Shion looked like she didn't care about her own affairs and had no intention of leaving my side at all. "Sorry to bother you.” "No, please don't worry about it!” "We also know how much trouble His Majesty Rimuru has taken. You want others to stay out of this room so we don't have to go to the trouble of policing, right? That being the case, we'll leave the trivial matters of this magnitude to us.” Alrose and Claude are delightful. Hopefully Diablo and Shion will learn from them.

"Hear ye well, that ye also look unto them, and become more attentive.” "Gee, gee, gee, gee, gee.” It was Guy's fault for coming here without prior arrangement - Diablo seemed tempted to say so, but he didn't normally make such mistakes, except to say that this was a bad time. "Yes, I'll learn from that!" Shion was quite frank. The girl only had her mouth full. I prayed in my heart that she actually listened. At this point Guy took his seat arrogantly. At the same time, Shuna returned with Dino. For some reason, Ramiris is with them, some interlude occurs in between, and the meeting unfolds again.

The first topic to begin with is the Primordial Demons. "Well, Dino. May I ask why?" "Hey, what's the reason for this?” Faced with Guy's question, Dino asked back in a straightforward manner. This attitude was starting to set Guy on fire. "Don't pretend! This guy named those three demons, why didn't you stop him!?” That's right, it's important! "This guy" said as if it was me, and so did I. If I had known those three demons were so dangerous, I wouldn't have named them." Although it's too late, I'd still like to at least give some advice. "I ask you, why do you think I sent you here?” "Well, isn’t it for tourism?” "No! It's to spy on the enemy, to spy!” Seeing this interaction, I thought to myself that Guy was having a hard time too. I had guessed it might be that way. Was Dino really here to be a spy? Only, it's best not to blab about the spy in person.

"Hey, and you! Don't act like it's none of your business!" Oops, that's anger. It doesn't make sense to send someone over as a spy and scold me, but the reason is really on me. As much as it was tempting to complain, a subconscious retort didn't seem good. After all, the other side is Guy, and pissing him off is definitely the next best thing. "Hahahaha, Guy, don't get mad about a little thing. It's not like this kid just named people randomly, it's not like it started today!" It's rare that Veldora would speak for me. I yelled "Go!" in my heart. Cheer him on. I didn't think... "You shut up! Don't interfere when your lordship is talking!” "Mmmm, mmmm.” At being yelled at by Ruminas, Veldora shut up. This alone makes it impossible to say anything back, and it shows that he is bullying good and fearing evil. That being said, it was thanks to him covering me that the spear didn't continue to be pointed at me. I didn't let the opportunity pass and took the opportunity to spit on Guy. "All right, take it easy. Dino came here to spy on me, right? The complaints about that aside, Dino who didn't stop me is certainly at fault, but shouldn't someone who trusts him to send him should take on the responsibility of being the overseer? Guy, don't you think?” To put it bluntly, I'm trying to get everyone to sit down. How can you put all the blame on me, and let Dino and Guy share the blame? It's obvious what Dino is responsible for, so again, just drag Guy down with him. "Say it, Guy. After all, I wasn't meant to spy on people. It's surprising that you're forcing me to work." It's only times like these that he seems particularly shrewd, and Dino seems to have seen through my ploy. He deftly matched me. "You two...." Only to see Guy with a chagrined face. Now one has to be careful not to let him get even bigger and create consensus quickly. "I couldn’t stop it in time. I was so surprised to see Rimuru with the Primordial Demon that I couldn't even speak. There are three demons of the Origin. The Black Primordial is a weirdo, which I can understand, but I didn't think that even demons like the Pure White Primordial (Testarossa) would serve someone else, which is beyond anyone's imagination!" "That's true."

Ah, Dino began to say something about evading responsibility. Guy seemed to agree a few times to the point that it wasn't good to go on like this. "I also had a bitter feeling because Diablo said they could be useful and brought them here, so I had no doubt that he accepted. Not at all expecting such awesome characters, and they were polite and well behaved and willing to be my men. These men are under Diablo's jurisdiction and Diablo should be held accountable. If something happens, I'll help take responsibility, but I should have trusted my men, right?" I'll just go with the flow and put all the blame on Diablo. After all, Diablo is the one who started it all. It's just a little touchy-feely, so don't bother with me. You will endeavor to bear the wrath of Guy—with that thought, my gaze fell on Diablo. Immediately afterwards, hearing me say this, somehow Diablo nodded happily. "I am satisfied with the words of Lord Rimuru, who is willing to trust me. In response to your expectations, I will refine even more.” “......” Seeing Diablo's bright smile, a tired looking Guy was speechless, and then the whole man leaned back in his chair. "That is to say, the person in the wrong is Diablo?” He opened his mouth high and questioned. "It's not that it's all his fault..." "It means we're victims too." Seeing that I was stammering, Dino was also embarrassed and swallowed back what he was about to say. As for the person in question, Diablo, he is the only one with a big, proud face. "This guy's been a weirdo since the old days, and it's no use complaining to him now..." Guy gestured to Diablo as he said this. "Dino, you were too late to stop Rimuru, which, given the circumstances, is understandable.” Oi oi oi, things seem to be starting to go in a strange direction. "So, Rimuru, it’s you!” It's me!? Why is the point being made at me? "What's wrong with me?” We can't afford to get carried away at this time.

I'm going to put on a straight face and pretend like I've done nothing bad and face Guy like this. Having made up my mind, to avoid the other party finding out I was panicking, I handed over physical dominance to Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom. That's a relief. No matter how choppy my heart may be, on the surface it seems calm. "Don't you dare ask me what's wrong!” Afterwards, Guy blurted out at me. Because of the good I did, the balance of power of the whole world completely collapsed, and because of this, it is impossible to predict the future of the world situation. The content of the speech is serious, and the time I cede the physical domination to the king of wisdom, Master Raphael, is equivalent to nothing. It looks like Guy's calculations are more meticulous than expected. "Not only that, but because of you, Mizari's battle plan also ended in failure. You have to take responsibility for that!” With that said, that's the end of Guy's preaching. I don't know anything about those things, and he holds me accountable and listens to me in disbelief, but it's kind of a bargain if doing it will get him to accept it. After making this judgement, in any case, nod your head first and say "I see", and find a way to muddle through.

The preaching time was over, but Guy's words were not. It was said that he would periodically cause disasters that would make people think of him as the common enemy of humanity. Because of the fear of a powerful enemy, people will not fight among themselves and get into power struggles all day long, which is what he is all about. When Granbell is in control of the situation, he keeps his eyes on the wall and doesn't act too blatantly. This time, however, Granbell led the entire army to challenge Ruminas, and the balance fell apart. That's why Guy ordered to Mizari, hoping to unite the people with fear. The death of the elected members of the Senate will make the heads of the States that are members of the Senate realize the threat posed by the demon lord. Laying it out in this direction, uniting the heads of the Western nations—that’s the battle plan Mizari had in mind. "Then Mizari attacked the venue, but I don't know why 'Primordial White—Testarossa—was there.” Tsk, already used to calling her by her first name, she accidentally called her by her previous name—a small mumble escaped her lips as Guy continued to speak. "In order to avoid a conflict with Testarossa, Mizari interrupted the battle plan. There's nothing wrong with that part, the problem is later. Humans are very clever, and since there's no way to dominate them with fear, these people will just start skirmishes. Now that the system of domination created by the Rosso family has disintegrated, the power struggle will intensify, as it always has. Doing such a foolish thing at

a time when the Eastern empires were in a state of folly would inevitably lead to the defeat of the Western powers. It's all your fault, Rimuru. What are you going to do about it? Tell me about it.” I'm so surprised. The Western powers might be torn apart and want to prevent such a crisis before it happens - that's Guy's purpose. He seemed to have little interest in humanity, but perhaps a little attention was paid to it for the time being, lest it perish. That being said, it seems to be the role of the "mediator". Not exactly on the side of mankind, and the approach is too radical, but a different perspective might be a way of talking to us and understanding each other. So the question is—I anticipate a policy of response to Western countries. Although I didn't even know about the contact between Testarossa and Mizari, honestly it was too much to say. Personally, I would love for humans to identify with us and construct a friendly relationship with us, but... I was troubled and didn't know what to say to Guy for good, but it turned out that Diablo stepped up in my stead. He ignored Guy, who had a hint of disgust dripping from his face, and began to recount his argument. "Hmph, what else is there to say, the only goal is to achieve Lord Rimuru's ideals anyway.” Although I was disturbed to know what he would say, I had no specific response. I guess idealism doesn't work on Guy, so trying to gamble on Diablo's self-assured attitude is a failure, really? I didn't realize that Diablo was using my rhetoric, which I thought was useless. "What does that mean?” "Nothing, to put it simply. Guy, using fear to bind others—even if you do such uninteresting things, indeed, people will obey you out of fear. But in this way, the human capacity cannot be fully realized. Not only that, but the fear will fade over time. No matter how much tragedy you cause for humanity, they will eventually forget. After that, there's only hate in the heart. "Well, go on." "That hatred will eventually turn to contempt, wanting revenge on those who bullied them. And mankind just plays small and isn't smart enough to realize that they have a power differential from us that they absolutely cannot fill. As soon as they are incited by a race like the Demon Race, they'll do something stupid right away." "Indeed it is. That's why I want to purge the human world of blood to curb such behavior.” "Geez, I told you it wouldn't work. As long as humans are still that stupid, they are easy to fade away. Things like that have been happening for generations, and I don't think that's changed. But..." With that said, this side was temporarily suspended, and Diablo looked at Guy with a serious expression.

"Unlike the unilateral totalitarian rule of the Rosso, we can redistribute wealth, maintain a degree of equity, and reconstruct relations between nations. This will give rise to a new economic system.” “So?” "To create a new economic system, to preserve the right to choose, to mislead people into believing that they chose the future with their own hands, and to make foolish humans believe that they started it all with their own hands. Unlike memory, following such a system, one never forgets. We will then be able to dominate the human world in a semi-permanent way. Lord Rimuru will be in charge, and that's our job." Woo-hoo, Diablo is right on the money. Do people cherish it because it was started by their own hands? That said, have I ever thought of such a thing? There seems to be an impression that something similar has been said, but it shouldn't be so exaggerated...... It's that it feels a little scary to say that all this is premised on success. "So it is. The weak will come to you as long as they have a grasp of the economy and provide free security, right? There is no need for bloodshed to fight this battle, and in a society like that, everything is already arranged. This is perhaps more desirable than the way the Rosso have dominated.” Guy nodded, seeming to look the other way at Diablo. "Of course it's better. More people will be happy in that world than if wealth were gathered in the hands of a few. When that happens, demand and supply will respond to each other, and new possibilities will surely open up. That's Lord Rimuru's heart's desire, Guy.” Well, that's true. I'm looking forward to an elevated level of culture in my life. There will be movies and music, comics, novels. I want to increase this kind of mass entertainment. A life of contentment and joy must be the basis for such artistic achievement. In order to discover talents that have not yet been seen, I want to make people live rich lives. Only, I don't have any plans for what comes after that. "Having tasted and enjoyed the happiness that comes with living in peace, people are afraid of losing that, aren't they?” "That's it. If we were to express it in one sentence, this concept would be called 'gratitude'. The people thanked Lord Rimuru, the peacekeeper, and became willing to help keep the world at peace. It would be more efficient for us to do that than for you to use fear to dominate human thought.” When I looked back to find that Diablo and Guy seemed to have reached an understanding, the two nodded at each other. Hearing Diablo tell of such a future, not only Ruminas and Leon, but even their men looked at me with admiration.

In such an atmosphere...I’m afraid to say...I didn't even think that far ahead. “However, if you want to put these ideas into practice, you must have a long-term vision and a precise calculation, right? It has to be managed, and if it goes on like that, it will be overpopulated, and one can imagine the human race becoming overwhelmed. Do you have a way to take that part into account?" Hey hey hey, it's not like you're taking care of a pet and talking like the sink is overpopulated with greenies... Hmph, is that meant to say that Lord Rimuru can't even see into the future to this extent? Even if it's difficult for you to manage, it's an easy problem for Lord Rimuru. I'll be upfront with you, so you don't have to worry about it.” Hello? Why did the premise become like this? Uh, yeah, I seem to recall saying to Diablo that it's very demon lord like to manipulate the world from behind. But to say such things in front of Guy and other demon lords, I think, I would be hindered. It's something that worries me, but it seems like I'm overthinking it. Or I should say, they are... "Yeah? Then I'll leave it to you. While I don't think things will go so well, even if it fails, it won't hurt me. At most, let me get rid of the stupid ones myself then. Just let me see how you're going to take responsibility for this.” I didn't expect Guy to laugh. Since it's all been said and done, I can only be aware of it. They all nodded their heads and said, "I know," but how can they say "no" now? "What Diablo said earlier was a bit of an exaggeration, but largely correct. A bit over-ideal, but I'd love to see that happen in the future. Without you saying it, I want to bring world peace in my own way.” With that, I made a pact with Guy. So much so that it was too late for me to figure out what was really going on, and I became the administrator of the Western countries with the recognition of the Eight Star demon lords (Octagram). The next thing you know, it would be nice if things ended up this way, but there seem to be other problems behind it. "Rimuru, I'll give you a word of advice first. Regarding Yellow Primordial Carerra, that one sometimes has a messy side and will look moody while shooting nuclear strike magic. If you don't take care of it, the city you've built up so easily will fall to pieces.” Leon gave me advice. Immediately after, Ruminas also had something to say. "That's it. I have something to tell you, too. As mentioned earlier, the Purple Primordial as the servant knew it was insidious and vile, and synonymous with miserable inhumanity. Unlike the demon race, they

don't mean to kill all humans, but they are very fickle and do as they please. They seem to act like cheerful maidens before you, but you must not be careless.” Well, she says things that make people uncomfortable. Not only that, though the two of them didn't make it clear, but it seemed that Testarossa was more tricky than those two demons. It's a big one. No, that's not quite right. It should be said that I finally realized that things were already in trouble. It is now known that Testarossa and the others are the Primordial demons, and I will be in charge of these people. If anything happens, I will be held responsible... At the moment they are at least Diablo's men, but there is no way to use that as an excuse to get away with it. Elmesia is holding me accountable, so how can I say I can't do it when it's too late? I wanted to beat the shit out of myself for not knowing anything at that time, but it was my own fault that this was happening. This part of the management seems more taxing than managing human society. I felt so melancholy just thinking about this side, that I let out a quiet sigh.

Seemingly just waiting for Guy to finish his sentence, Ramiris, Dino, and Veldora stood up unannounced. "We seem to have been pestering you for a long time, so I'll leave the rest to you!” "Just say it. I also have very important work on my hands. Mr. Vesta is waiting for me, that's the thing, I'll see you some other time, Guy!” "Well, I'm going back to guarding the labyrinth, too. Ahhh, so busy, so busy, Kuahahaha!” As if by prior agreement, the three were in tacit agreement, and at a glance it was clear that they were attempting to flee. Dino, in particular, doesn't seem to want to be read and thought of any more, and yet he speaks out against his heart. "Huh? It's not funny that you have to go to work and say such a cold joke.” Guy Crimson couldn't listen anymore either, and he hit the nail on the head. However, Ramiris stepped in to respond. "No, no, no, those are real. Dino is also my assistant now, helping out on my side!” Guy was so surprised to hear that. Even if he didn't believe Dino's words, but even Ramiris endorsed them as true, Guy had to believe them.

"You said Dino was working? Rimuru, what magic have you done?" This surprised statement from Guy was addressed to me, but it was a question even I didn't know how to answer. "I don't know! There is a rule in my country that 'people who don't work don't eat'. It's just that there’s no magic to make him follow the rules.” If only there was magic that handy, I wouldn't have to work so hard. My heart seemed to come out through those words and Guy didn't pursue it. Then the three of them panicked and fled from this room. Watching them devour all the tea and refreshments prepared by Shuna, it was obvious that they had been waiting for this moment for a long time. I thought to myself, ‘These guys are really no slouch.’ "Forget it. He's already picked on Dino, so he'll be more serious when it comes to gathering information.” At this time Guy muttered in a small voice. I'm telling you, don't say that in front of me. I really don't know how to respond to your bold statement about sending someone here to spy. It's just that, even if he said such things to Guy, he wouldn't have listened to it. Forget about that for now, thankfully I don't have to pretend to test each other, I should be thinking in the good way like this. I looked away and decided to do so, so I changed the subject. "By the way, did you come here just to ask about Testarossa and the others?” If that's all there is to do, Guy should be prepared to go home. Seeing that he didn't do that, presumably there was something else. As much as I don't want to face more questions, I get stuck without asking. "That's something to care about too, yes, but I have other things." Speaking of which, Guy leaned back in his chair. He lowered his eyes to look around the crowd before his final gaze rested on Leon. "I'm going to meet with the clowns who call themselves the Moderate Clown Troupe.” “Oh?” "Those are the guys you're dealing with, right?” “Exactly." Faced with Guy's question, Leon gave an affirmative answer. Huh, wait. He had just gently brought it up, but that topic was important! "Hey, did you see Yuuki, too?”

“Right." Guy nodded dryly, answering my question for me. I am now ordering Souei to search for the Freedom Association Headquarters. Something like that happened yesterday shouldn't be unexpected for Yuuki, so we think he'll run to the guild headquarters that is used as a stronghold. But he shouldn't be able to show up in a big way, so I asked the Souei to pay more attention to prevent Yuuki from disguising himself or finding someone to be his double, and even asked them to keep an eye on him. I didn't hear anything from the other side at the moment, but I didn't expect Guy and Yuuki to ever meet. "So, are you in cahoots with Yuuki?" "Huh? What a stupid thing to say. It's just that the gang is planning to run away to the East, so I'm going to teach them a little lesson.” I originally suspected Guy of colluding with Yuuki, and it doesn't look like that. That's a relief for the time being, however in that case, I don't know what Guy’s purpose is. "You didn't kill them?” This question comes from Leon. That one concerns me too, but more than that... It turns out that Yuuki is planning to give up his position in the West and flee to the East? It's a really dry decision to make, what a horrible decisiveness, and it's bold. Just being targeted by Guy is bad luck for him. Guy said it was just a lesson, which should sound like it didn't kill them, but it must have taken a lot of pain. No worse, I don't sympathize with them at all, and instead think they're making a fool of themselves. "I didn't kill them in the end. At first it was about getting these people arrested and selling you out, but things changed.” With that said, Guy started talking about what happened between him and Yuuki. Finally, we can figure out roughly what Yuuki is doing behind his back. Yuuki is the employer of the "Moderate Clown Troupe" and their boss. This, in fact, is just a confirmation of my guess—the prediction of Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, I should say. Here are the great and bad things that Yuuki has done. 1. Letting the Adventurers develop into a free guild. 2. Having the Rosso family, which dominates the Council, in charge of what goes on under the table. And making a deal with Demon Lord Leon.

3. Accepting Clayman, making him the Demon Lord and manipulating him behind his back. 4. Defeating the Mother of Darkness (Echidna), who dominates the Eastern Empire's underworld, and forming a secret association called the “Big Three (Cerberus)". Ostensibly the leader of the Freedom Association, but behind the scenes it is the Chief Marshal of the Secret Association. Things about the organization that was the Mother of Darkness were still being heard for the first time today, and it sounded like it was a very large dark force. This was information given by Leon and should not be false. By the way, it seems that the Slave Chamber of Commerce that Yuuki screwed over is also a subordinate organization of the Big Three, and he may have some sort of connection to this organization as well. Yuuki is particularly adept at bringing down established organizations and taking over the nest. This seems easy to say, but in practice it is extremely difficult to put into practice. He did all of this in ten years, and the word "talented" no longer describes it. Even calling him a genius is not an overstatement. Yuuki is a genius, but overconfidence becomes a failure. No matter how good he is, the inability to see through an opponent's strength is what will deduct points. It's only right that once you see Guy, you know that he's very strong. Count him lucky this time, Guy let him off the hook, perhaps such luck would be commendable. I had mixed feelings when I heard that Yuuki had saved his small life. As a fellow countryman, I don't want his life so badly. But at the same time, I can't forgive Yuuki for what he did. Yuuki pretends to be a good man, but behind his back, he plays the Rosso and Leon led by Granbell. And used the “Moderate Clown Troupe" to drag Hinata and me into the fight... His goal was simply to fulfill a childish dream—to conquer the world in such a way that I couldn't even laugh. That said, why would Guy let Yuuki go? "Then why did you let Yuuki escape?” I was puzzled by this, so I got right to the point and asked Guy. I earned it by his willingness to answer - and asked based on that thought. "Well, it's all about the game.” As a result, Guy Crimson gave the answer without a care in the world. He had just said play the game, a word that made for a dumbfounded listen, but Guy ignored my query and went straight to the point.

He said that in a little while the Eastern Empire should act. The reason for letting Yuuki escape is because Yuuki negotiated with Guy, saying that he would disrupt the Eastern Empire. “That—Guy, you don't seem to want the Western nations to perish. Why is that?” Surprised, I asked the question, and as a result the other party gave a surprising answer. "It is my duty to manage to prevent the destruction of mankind. But then again, excessive prosperity can be a nuisance just fine. Let all demons rule over all mankind—that is my ultimate goal.” It looks like this is the "game" in Guy's mouth. As long as Guy's plan for domination is complete, it seems to satisfy the game's victory conditions. "No, why let Miss Mizari bring down the Council in this case?” When the Eastern Empire attacked, all the members of the Council had been killed. If that happens, it will be very bad for the Western countries. States cannot join forces against the enemy and may even be defeated before the battle. After listening to my question, Guy snorted and said, "It's okay to call Miss Mizari without adding Miss," and then added, "The reason for approving Mizari's combat plan is to unite the Western countries.” What exactly does that mean...? <<Answer. In order to facilitate the master's domination of the Western nations, he plans to use fear to control mankind.>> Well, in other words, that's what it means, doesn’t it? People go into a panic when members of the council are abused and killed by the demon lord. If I reach out at this time, people will not hesitate to accept my shelter. To achieve this, sacrificing a few is not a problem. <<Answer. That's how it should be.>> I see. The means taken were too aggressive, the self-directed acting was great, and it always felt like Guy's goals, Mizari's ideas, were a bit off, but would do it all for me. No, it's not. He also wanted to use me to run the Western States. Yet things have gone beyond Guy's expectations, and I have long since gone out on the West. I don't really have that deep of a grasp, but Testarossa has mastered the Council.

The purpose of Guy is not to bring about the destruction of mankind, but rather the opposite, to do the proper stewardship so that mankind does not invite his own demise through their own foolishness. Let me do this, I'm sure Guy has his hands up in approval. In terms of results, that's what Guy wants to see, too. Now I understand one thing. That is, Guy does things casually enough. Indeed, he would have preferred me to strike. "So, you're okay with me taking control of the Western countries, right?’ "That's all right—I’m not going to interfere as long as the fools don't get carried away.” That puts my mind at ease. Although it seems that many of the formalities that I had envisioned were skipped, I was then left to take over the management of the Western countries. "Since you've said that, I'm sorry. By the way, could you please not continue to send people to harass the northern part of the Ingracia Kingdom?” After inquiring from all sides, I learned that Guy's men would periodically rebel in the northern lands. Originally the place was guarded by Razul (***was weirdly translated as Lancelot too, but I’ll just stick w/ Razul like the FanTL now), but he was thoroughly crushed by Shion. Because of this emergency, the Sarion Celestial Emperor Elmesia sent a regiment of magical warriors to suppress it. It's strange enough that I'm the one who says thank you, but as to whether or not I can ask them to do it again, let's just say don't think too hard. Since the Western countries are at my disposal, I will naturally be responsible for the defense of the region in the future. This inevitably results in unnecessary defense costs. Of course I don't want to increase that fee, basically talent like Razul is rare. "Please don't worry. Just give it all to Testarossa, including all the chores.” As if to clear my mind of my troubles, Diablo reported back to me with a smile on his face. It's too late to ask for Guy's opinion... "That's good. Those guys should also need a bit of a breather and a break, so do as you wish.” I didn't expect even Guy to agree with Diablo. At this time I thought to myself, ‘What those demons are thinking is beyond me as a person with normal values.' Just do as Diablo says, and leave all matters concerning those demons to Testarossa. With Guy opening his mouth, I thought using that as a reason wouldn't cause any disputes. In that case, I will dominate the West in the future, but things are not over here.

"Then Rimuru, can the Eastern Empire be given to you too?" Being asked that by Ruminas, it occurred to me that there was still that question. "If the Empire acts, does that mean it will become a military operation?” Insurance-wise, I asked this question, with the result that Guy rightfully nodded. "Lately the Empire has been conducting military exercises all day long. The matter has also been a matter of great debate in the Council.” The Committee was informed by the President of the United Nations that he had appeared before the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination. Now that they have a handle on the situation, that means they have already formulated a response. Personally, I don't think the Empire will invade. Killing from either of the three routes would be difficult, and I think that's unlikely to come true. It would be another matter if they didn't care how much they lost, but the benefits of conquering the West were too little for the Eastern Empire. So-called wars of aggression are actually waged for profit. It is because there is no food, no resources, no place to live that other bountiful countries are locked in. If these problems were solved, they would not have to force themselves into a bloody war. But it's certainly not that simple to solve those problems. The rich country does not have to work for the poor country, so if the aggressor takes the claim for granted, there will be disputes between the countries. It is for this reason that the rich nations must develop armies in order to defend themselves. It becomes a big focus to show the invaders that they can't win easily against them. Let us all be reluctant to resort to such means as war if the benefits gained are not proportional to the blood shed. Even so, the reason for wanting to go to war is... <<Answer. Because the other side thinks they are 100% going to win.>> Can't think of any other answers, it seems. The council is already under my control, so there will be no traitors. In this way, the opponent could develop new technology or they could make up a list of tactics that make people unexpected...or they could have other killer tactics. “Hinata." "I know what you mean. Before you asked me to investigate the structure of the dwarven kingdom right. As far as the conclusion is concerned, it is possible to use it to send out a large army.”

Hinata immediately saw what I wanted to say and revealed the message I wanted to know. The Dwarven Kingdom maintains a neutral stance and I don't think Gazel will let it go, but the fact remains that the safest route of aggression into the West still exists. No, maybe... "I always thought it was impossible before, so I didn't bother with it, but it's possible they attacked the Dwarven Kingdom first isn't it?” "Oh, less pretending. I was asked to look into the matter because I had doubts about it," she said. Geez, is Hinata complimenting me on this? I'm actually just thinking about it now, so forget it, it's okay, let's just call it that. "Were you found? Well, since there's such a possibility, we should work out a countermeasure first." I'll be in charge of contacting Gazel to figure out what to do. Things are getting tricky now that they can't be called troublesome, but they must be faced. Now that the military power of the Council has been handed over to the Jura Tempest Federation, it is our duty to be on the front line. "Without you, most of the Empire would have been met by Granbell and Ruminas.” It was at this point that Guy spoke unconcernedly. It is not known how capable the Empire is of fighting. The Rosso will mobilize all of their forces, and Hinata will lead the Paladins, plus Ruberios’ army. Whichever side wins, Guy doesn't seem to care. Guy must have had his own intentions when he agreed to Yuuki's terms of engagement. The key to knowing what he had in mind was the word "game", but even if I had asked, he wouldn't have given me an answer, would he? "I'll help, but I won't listen to you.” Hinata had no incentive to go to the front lines of the war. So it would make sense to say so. "I honestly don't know if war will break out, but we'll find a way to prevent it first. Hinata, I hope you are ready for battle first, in case the Empire attacks in a way that is unexpected to us." "Understood. Some spies pretend to be businessmen and we will take care of them.” With a smile on her face but seemingly a bit too much trouble, Hinata just agreed. That's a relief, and it looks like I don't have to say anything more. "Rimuru, if you are defeated, then my servant will come to the fight. In order to avoid such things, you have to work hard.” Ruminas said this with a look of amusement.

There is a need to know how many casualties there are and to repair the crumbling great hall of god. Ruminas doesn't actually have any spare time for war, does she? Even if only Hinata stepped in to help, we should be satisfied. "The next doubt is whether we can join forces with Yuuki...” I'm a little moody about that. It's because the guy was secretly screwing around that the Farmus Kingdom was manipulated into letting Shion and the others get hurt. The man who manipulated Clayman was also Yuuki, going back in time, and the reason for the uproar caused by Geld’s predecessor when he was the Orc Disaster was also related to Yuuki. Even if someone asks me to put aside all previous grudges, I can't just say let it go, it's human nature. "Lord Rimuru, are you worried about us?” It was rare that Shion was so keen. I didn't say anything, but she said those words as if she could see my inner struggle. "Sort of. After all, that kind of thing has happened before and it's a little hard for me to trust him overnight.” It should be said, I have no way to trust him. Besides, if we do fight, there is nothing more unreliable than an untrustworthy self-army person. "I don't know what kind of action Yuuki will take after he escapes, either. But I'm not interested, you guys take care of the rest.” As a result, Guy threw everything at us and said things like that. Hearing that, I had a thought. As expected, it was impossible to count Yuuki as one of our combatants. "Kufufufufu. Then please ask Souei-san to check the movement.” "Let's do it." We'll talk about Yuuki later. Whether they can work together also depends on the future. At least there was no way I could accept him without him apologizing. We're running a country at least, and depending on Yuuki's reaction, maybe we'll make peace with him. But I may not be so big-hearted as to forgive him without paying any price. "Can Shion still accept him even if it's like this?”

"Of course! If he is at enmity with us, then I will strike him down completely, and if there is to be reconciliation with us, let me spare him with one blow!” Please don't send him to hell with one punch—I didn't say that, silently asking in my heart. If it does happen then, consider it an accident. Shion and I didn't mean to kill him, so let's just insist that it wasn't intentional killing. In that case, Yuuki's matter will be decided later.

There's more than that and another thing Guy has to say. That's what he wanted to talk about the most this time, something to do with the "Hero" —Chronoa. "I already know what Granbell is up to, Ruminas is desperately trying to hide something in that place and he's going to release that thing. So I kept watch in case the guy got out of hand and messed around, but this Diablo kid said to leave it to Rimuru.” It seems that Guy came to this side to confirm the follow-up status. When did this happen—it dawned on me that Diablo had disappeared for a while, halfway through his fight with the others. It was then, I'm afraid, that Diablo made a superfluous bargain with someone. I thought to myself that Diablo was real too, but as far as results go, it was handled pretty well. If even Guy had come to join the fray at that time, I wonder how things would have turned out. "That's what we were talking about, right now. Let's just go over it again and have me explain it myself.” I stepped in to preside over the plenary and begin the presentation. I think Leon and Ruminas shouldn't be talking too much, but it's better to be careful. These things about Chloe's ability to make time jumps and repeat time travel several times are so important that I decided to keep them hidden. Anyway, as long as I keep my mouth shut, the other party won't know about it, based on such considerations. "That's the way it is, after defeating the runaway Chronoa, the matter is finally settled.” I put all the blame on Chronoa, but it was also to protect Chloe. The fact that Chloe is Chronoa is going to get complicated to illustrate, so I'm going to hide this from Guy. "I see. Thank you very much. So, I have a question for you.” "Well, if you have any questions, just ask." "That one’s a "Hero" in every sense of the word. How do you explain that?” Grunt. I'm going to muddle through, but this shouldn't work on Guy.

"During that battle, the power that lurked within this girl awakened..." I explained it in that direction, and it made sense. "Listen to what you're saying.” That's right. While battling a human being to the point of awakening internal power is a classic plot, and there is usually a bridge like that, it's a stretch to use that as an excuse. "Actually, it's like this...” "I've been using the Specific Calling to find someone, and that person is Chloe. I don't know why she was there, but thanks to that it helped us a lot.” Replacing me, who didn't know how to answer, Leon spoke. I don't know what Leon is going to say next, but I guess I'll just have to hitch a ride while I'm at it. "That's it. Even my servant was surprised that the maiden named Chloe was suitable for a sealing device.” Before I could even go on, Ruminas came running out to take Leon's words. They're adding fuel and saying more, am I taking over now? "You mean the Sealer?” Only to see Guy say this with a foxish expression and then look towards me. I'd like to know what it is, too—but since it's come to this, there's no way to tell the truth, so I'll have to go along with it. "Right. According to Leon, she seemed to have a special physique that could seize the opponent's power no matter what kind of opponent she faced, sealing that power away. I was half convinced even after hearing about it, but after seeing the effect with my own eyes, I had to believe it too." How about this! I was hinting at handing over the baton to Leon and leaving the rest after that to him. "That's how it is. Even though even my servant's killer weapon was taken away, it's better than not being able to control it and letting her make a mess everywhere.” What a chagrin—with such a look, it was completely impossible to see what was being played, and Ruminas immediately jumped in to take over. I can't help but feel admiration. Let Leon take the final wrap-up next. “...yeah. Guy, including you, there are many strong people in this world. In response to these threats, I wanted to take Chloe under my wing beforehand, but I didn't expect her to use that power just after I met her. It's my bad luck.” Putting on a melancholy look—one even wonders if it's really an act? Leon let out a sigh.

If Ruminas is the best female lead, then Leon is the best male lead. But in this way, things make sense. Since Chloe seals Chronoa, she gains the power of the Hero, thus completing the above setting. "Oh, you guys aren't trying to trick me, are you?” "No, not at all.” "Your bad problem is being paranoid.” "Just say it. Never mind that little thing." Seeing that Guy was suspicious, several of us were in denial. It's because the three of us cherish Chloe. "But it's true that she gained the power of the hero, isn't it? In that case, can we just sit back and do nothing?” Guy's words made Leon react and get up from his seat, but Guy smiled a little and said, "Don't worry, I won't do anything to her," out of his mouth, thus reassuring Leon. "That's good. If you draw a sword against Chloe, then you must pass me first, and remember that.” Leon also stepped in to put the word out, then resumed his seat. The atmosphere of the scene hit right off the bat, but Guy had no intention of hurting the killer from the start. I was also wary that Guy would do something, but to my surprise, he didn't have any killing breath. This is what reassured me, but then it turned into a cold sweat situation. A blade of light flashed by. Not knowing where it came from, Guy held a longsword in his hand and saw that it was about to swing down at Chloe's neck. Guy's speed out of the sword was simply divine. My speed of perception has been pulled up to a million times, but even now it's too late to strike. Not just me, but Leon and Ruminas as well. Everyone wore a desperate look, not daring to look at the tragedy that would follow. But... Just the next moment, a crisp sound rang out. “—!”

Chloe, who was originally a child, suddenly turned into an adult, not knowing when she drew her sword and took Guy's attack with that sword. Also, the clothes on her body became the ones that “the hero" was wearing. It looks like Chloe can live "armed with the holy cloak" in a very natural situation.

“Greetings, demon lord. This is the first time I've seen you, you're really something.” "Ahahahaha, you're not so bad. There are only a handful of people, including me, who can fully utilize that power.” Guy said hello to Chloe in this way. The two looked amiable, but aside, I couldn't stay calm. What just happened? I did read it and didn't understand it. Even if the perception speed increased to a million times, it was still impossible to see the two of them in action. That's obviously not super high speed or some kind of three-legged kung fu. This is because the surrounding air is not disturbed at all, nor does it appear abnormal from the point of view of the laws of physics. Is this magic? Or something else? This is the time to bring in a reliable partner to make an appearance. Come on, explain it to me, Master Raphael, King of Wisdom! <<Answer. The situation is unknown. What the individual name "Chloe O’Bell" just did, the phenomenon "analysis and identification" failed.>> Geez, no way. Master Raphael, the rare king of wisdom, would say "the result is unknown". Sometimes they make predictions, or they make calculations, and they give me some information, as a matter of course. The absence of even this bit of information indicates that something beyond the realm of reason is really happening this time, already outside the understanding of Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom. That means we're running out of steam. Surprised, I looked around to see what everyone's reaction would be. Leon and Ruminas were also like me, with iron faces. It felt more like a desperate effort, a desire to clear up what had just happened in front of me than the anger that came with watching Guy do such a thing. Others, not to mention. It seemed as if he couldn't even see where the sword was going, completely unaware of what was going on. Hard to say it was only Diablo showing a look of surprise. Perhaps seeing those phenomena just now, he could think of nothing to say. I’ll ask him after this, now to stop Guy and Chloe first. As if to say the next move was my turn, Chloe began to attack Guy. The greeting just now was clearly very amiable, why did it turn out like this... They traded blows several times.

It's like a fast-forward, two swords going at each other in an offensive and defensive battle that doesn't look coherent—probably. Oops. Since I can barely see, I can only describe it as "probably". "Pause, pause...!” This time I stiffly intervened between Chloe and Guy. It was a bet to go and predict at what point the move would come next and it looked like it worked. "Hey, don't mess around. If you don't make a mistake, you'll be hacked to death by me.” "That is, Rimuru. Guy wasn't serious, just testing me. But it makes me happy that you're worried about my safety.” As soon as that was said, Chloe came over and hugged me and gave me a kiss on the cheek. This move is also like a fast forward. There's no way to dodge it, and I'm going to claim it's force majeure. As for the person in question, Chloe, she kissed me and became smaller—back to my original Chloe, I should say. And with a big red face and a big sulk in her mouth, she said, "Really! She took the liberty of hugging Sir. Rimuru and kissed him!” "Could that be Chronoa?” "Mmm. We changed hands halfway through.” The one that started out first was taken by Chloe, but after that it was all Chronoa out to face, or so Chloe said. The two of them were identical in appearance, and it seemed difficult to tell the difference. "Rimuru, it is agreeable that you should try to save Chloe, but I will not allow you to continue with her.” Seeing that Chloe had finally calmed down, Leon first said this, then picked Chloe up. "I hate it. Brother Leon is too much of a worrywart.” Chloe mouths this, still letting Leon put her in the chair, followed by Leon staring at Guy with an icy expression. "Guy, didn't you say you wouldn't do anything to Chloe?” "Sorry. It was just to try it a little. Of course, I didn't mean to kill her.” "Not even that. It doesn't matter if you want to kill or not, it's not a joke if you're using your power.” It looked like Leon was on fire, while Guy, who was the opponent, did not back down in the slightest, complaining loudly. As a result, Chloe stepped in to ease her cheeks, desperately explaining that Guy wasn't trying to hurt her, and that she wanted to try out how much Guy could do.

It's also because of this that Chronoa exhibits a bit of out-of-control behavior, indicating that the fault isn't entirely on Guy. I think it's probably the case that it was Chloe—I should say Chronoa—who was intent on testing Guy's strength by speculating that she might die at his hands in the future. The situation is different now, and unlike the future that Chronoa has experienced, there is an awakening of a new power that was not there before—an ability that seems to be the ultimate skill of Jugoslavos, the King of Time and Space. Whether or not that force could hurt Guy, Chronoa would be interested in that. <<“Notice. That may be so. The unique skill "Time Travel" is integrated with the ultimate skill "Jugoslavos, King of Time and Space", which allows an individual named "Chloe O’Bell" to manipulate "time" —a phenomenon that cannot be observed out of the same timeline, so "analyzing and identifying" the phenomenon is bound to fail.>> Ah, so it is... Chloe's newly awakened power—the true face of it-is the power to suspend time, or so it is. It seems that Raphael, the king of wisdom, has also been "analyzing and identifying" the structure of the unique technology "time travel", but it is said that it will take some time before a conclusion is reached. It seems that Chloe's "King of Time and Space Jugoslavos" is simply absorbing "time travel" directly. It's no wonder that it shouldn't be easy to understand unobservable information. In other words, it was Chloe herself who gained that power. This is too much, and at the same time makes me want to scream, "It's too foul to be able to take a timeout". No wonder the speed of perception accelerated to a million times is also unrecognizable. Those things happen in a world where time stands still, and those of us who are still in the flow of time naturally have no way of recognizing them. No, no, no, wait? If this hypothesis holds, then the world of inaccessible time stasis, no matter how strong, is no better than those who can stay in the stasis world...? <<Answer. This interpretation should be correct.>> Fool it, hey. I can't help but think in that direction, but about that, I have to accept it. After all, even a Chronoa that good had been killed by Guy. If time is stopped, there is nothing to be done, think about the natural consequence. On the flip side, wouldn't the current Chloe be able to go up against Guy? On the surface she just looks like a cute girl, but that means that Chloe's strength is even above mine.

I found out about this and secretly broke out in a cold sweat. The result was that Leon finally gave in and the two sides reached a settlement. "As much as you value it, I value Chloe. That's something I hope you keep in mind.” This was not uncommon at all on cue, and Leon sat back down after he finished. "That's what I thought. Guy, my servant admits that you are the strongest, and even then, without our help, that would be a big loss, right? If you really want to make an enemy of us, that's a different matter, but I hope you know that to do it to Chloe is to make an enemy of us.” It seems that Ruminas is also very angry in private, counting down Guy with Leon. It would be a bad idea to say publicly that you particularly value someone, but your opponent is Guy, so the effect is just the opposite. If Guy was really going to make an enemy of them, then whatever was done was for naught. Those two thought so, that's why they wanted Guy to take a shot at Chloe. "All right, all right. I don't want to bog things down either. As long as you do not come in my way, I will not strike at your treasure.” Surprisingly, I didn't think Guy would be able to ensure the safety of Chloe. As for Chloe, who is very dear to everyone, she is actually far more powerful than we are, but it is better not to say such things.

By the time we were done with the meeting, the sun was also setting. Shuna had dinner prepared for us, so we had a dinner party somewhere else. It should be said that there was no food, and everyone didn't seem to have any intention of beating around the bush. The main course of the day was pork—a magic pig-like creature, I should say—cooked in soy sauce with grilled eggplant and tofu with sprinkled vegetables. And miso soup, and freshly cooked rice, which is black— "magic black rice". It wasn't a set meal, but then we had a meeting that wasn't on the schedule and we were in no position to complain. "What's the matter? I didn't see the tempura.” Ruminas grumbled there, I didn't expect her to like tempura so much. "It's okay, Ruminas. These should be delicious too. Rimuru's penchant for good food is not to be underestimated.” Hinata became an advocate of the enigma. Should I be happy, or not?

Just identifying with what I've accomplished in this part feels a bit subtle and honestly not happy enough to feel complimented on it. Never mind. The dinner thus began and everyone seemed to eat to their satisfaction. "So that's what it tastes like. Your food is not bad." The words came from Guy, and the tone seemed somewhat admiring. "It tastes amazing, but to cook it to this level is a pass.” Seeing as how Leon wasn't even picky about eating all those dishes, consider him praising us for being nice. "Well, just like Hinata said. These are rare dishes again, but they're delicious." "You're really good at this. The food is really nostalgic. I didn't think it would be nice to eat these dishes again and feel alive.” Ruminas looked satisfied, and as for Hinata, her happy performance had come to very exaggerated proportions. No, come to think of it, two thousand years had elapsed before she had the opportunity to eat marinated meat with rice. "Wouldn't it be better with white rice?” "Thank you for your understanding. But this is the part I'm used to.” Yeah, that's good. Having lived for 2,000 years, I'm sure I've seen all kinds of cuisine, but it's not a big deal that the colors are different. Until then, unlike Chloe, Hinata can't even seem to taste it. Probably because she only had access to visual intelligence, so she was very thankful to have a meal alone. Thinking about Hinata's situation, one can imagine that she would naturally feel grateful. The dinner ended afterwards and was generally well received. As soon as they finished eating, the demon lords were busy making preparations to return home. Since they're all here, it's okay to stay for a while, but they don't seem to plan on staying long after they're done. "Chloe, if you hate it here, don't worry about it, and just contact me. I'll be right over to pick you up.” Seemingly not dead in the water yet, Leon spoke defiantly. Who was going to take in Chloe, after which for a time fell into a glue. "My friends are here, and I'd rather be on Mr. Rimuru's side.”

In the end we decided to respect Chloe's wishes, but I don't think that would have made Leon accept it. After all, Leon's obsession with Chloe was obvious enough. I have a bit of an opinion about the means that Leon has taken. But as far as protecting Chloe's feelings alone was concerned, that sentiment was true. This sentiment of Leon's did convey to Chloe as well. "Brother Leon, I'm happy to know you're worried about me. But you don't really have to worry about that. I'm not a child anymore!” After saying this, Chloe hugged Leon. For his part, Leon gave a gentle smile and touched Chloe's head. I heard that they had grown up together as close brother and sister, and it looked like Leon really valued Chloe. At this point, Chloe let go of Leon, followed by turning into an adult. "You see, by the power of Chronoa, I can become grown up. So brother doesn't have to worry about me anymore." Seemingly trying to reassure Leon, Chloe finished with a whiff of a smile. The destructive power of this smile was unusually strong. Should I say that smile was pathetic? Looking vulnerable, yet giving the impression that she has a strong heart. That smile contains that charm. "That's true. You've become a very wonderful woman. But I want to cherish you and your mood remains the same. It's okay for you to look up to me whenever you want.” Leon smiled and said this to Chloe. He's a handsome man with a lot of charm. Is that the kind of calmness you should expect from an adult? It feels very handsome. This kind of thing doesn't seem to be something I learned. Thinking about this side, I watched from the sidelines, not expecting Leon to turn his head and look at me with a cold look. The fallout between this is said to be as intense as it gets. "Chloe says she's grown up, so maybe you...” "No! I don't have a gender, how could I do something like that!?” What a misunderstanding. If it were me, he wouldn't seem to have all the composure of an adult. I also tried desperately to explain. Chloe, who found out we were talking about this, came out and counted on Leon, thinking that Leon would accept it..........it looks like all that was just cosmetic. The evidence is...

"I think you know better than to put Chloe in danger, don't you?” To go back, he whispered a warning in my ear. This makes it seem like he's overprotective of Chloe, but Chloe was sucked into the otherworld with him in the first place, and Leon once went out of his way to find her. It's not that I don't understand how Leon would feel worried. Then he went back to his home country docilely, for now. I made an appointment with him and said that I would take Chloe over to play next time, and thanks to Chloe, there seemed to be a chance for us to establish bonding with the Golden Township ruled by Demon Lord Leon. He felt a bit like a brother-in-law, with an annoying feeling, and it was okay for me to put up with it. "Well, it's over, after all. Chloe, you are a very important friend. If you encounter any difficulties, please feel free to come to me for help. You take care of yourself.” Immediately after Leon, Ruminas also pampered Chloe. Of course, I didn't say any of these things. Don't try to piss her off on purpose. And so it passed—leaving these words, and Ruminas and her party departed with them. Hinata also went back, leaving only Guy in the end. I looked over at him and thought to myself, ‘Isn't he going back yet?’ As a result, Diablo was seen pestering Guy over there. "In that case, I'll go on and finish what I didn't say...” "No, I've heard enough of those words.” You don't have to be so polite. "Don't send me weird invitations too...!" What the hell is Diablo doing!? "Geez, there's nothing we can do about that. I'll change the subject and tell you what you'd like to hear, like how Testarossa and their work is going, and anecdotes about Lord Rimuru...” It made me look at him with a dumbfounded look, mentally thinking ‘how much he wanted to say that,’ and later found out that Guy seemed to be in the same mood. "No, no, no, you guys seem busy right now, I'll come over and play next time you get settled.” Guy hurriedly opened his mouth to refuse, and then hurriedly fled the scene. I was so impressed that I thought to myself, ‘It turns out that Guy has a panicked side too.’ Seeing the unexpected side, I think he might not be so difficult to communicate. Although you can't take this person lightly, you shouldn't have to worry as much as you originally thought. The other side also accepts the fact that Chloe is a "hero" and the biggest problem is arguably solved.

All that was left next was Yuuki's movements and his attempt to flee to the Eastern Empire. Let's put aside whether or not Yuuki is worthy of belief. There might be a war after that—I sighed at the thought of it. One wave has not yet subsided and another has risen. I wish the day of peace had come sooner, I was beginning to feel melancholy.

Although it was only a verbal agreement, the most important thing was the assistance of the two demon lords. If there is a real war, that alone makes one feel reliable if there are trustworthy friendly countries around. They can be expected to send support, and even asked to consider accepting refugees if the worst happens. But it's best not to have a war. This depends on how the other side plays, we can only react to the situation...... Complaining here isn't the way to go, so I decided to think about countermeasures first. The first thing to do is to stand firm, to the point where even a war with the Empire would be fine. Be prepared for everything—I made up my mind. Chapter 2: Results and Preparation Months passed after the meeting with Guy and the others. Time flies, and a year has passed since I became a demon lord. Attended the Walpurgis. Matched up against Hinata. Had the Founding Festival. As well as fighting against Mariabell and the Rosso. Probably because of a lot of things that happened, the year really turned around. We only found our own people and quietly held the Tempest Resurrection Festival, but the Empire still did not act. Having said that, according to the information brought by Souei and Moss, it seemed that there were supplies coming in one after another in the major capitals near the military border. Things have come to this point where even I can see it. Knowing that war will break out soon afterwards.

Now that a war had been established, the entry scrutiny into the Jura Tempest Federation would become even stricter. It can't be the same as before, no matter who's coming, you're welcome. The only people who are able to enter the country are adventurers or businessmen who are able to confirm their wealth, otherwise they are referred and others who have similar qualifications. Such measures were taken to police spies, but there were actually other reasons. That's what's used to differentiate. Human beings are not the only ones who visit our country; everyone's abilities vary. People with unclear backgrounds are usually barbaric and we would be overwhelmed if they were allowed to enter our country in large numbers. After all, even with an explicit ban on fighting behavior in town, there's still no stopping idiots from running amok. We do set "boundaries", but it is difficult to resist magic completely. It's different from towns that are inhabited only by humans, and different from towns with magical creatures. So we went to consult with Gazel and decided to emulate the Dwarven Kingdom. Educate people a little as they enter our country and let them learn our regulations. This is what is called an immigration review. If the other party's goal is immigration, they'll have to do more careful study first. We have other institutions set up specifically to deal with that and will take them to that place for education. Wait until they learn how to work, then they can issue a permit to enter the country. These matters were best left to the men of Shion. Even if the other side is brutal, they still have a way of letting the other side know where the division is. There are also spies from the Empire that can be found in passing, so we should continue to maintain this system in the future. We will make a distinction in advance at the time of immigration screening, and we will also ask each other about the purpose of entering the country. In addition to preventing people with no money from infiltrating our country, they can also prevent trouble in advance. The arena is surrounded by many hotels of average standard, which are used by people who have no money on them. We would take the moneyed merchants and nobles to the high class hotel area. As for the upper class accommodation in the capital "Rimuru", it's for the top people. There are also travelers who want to come to our side for retreats and are brought to this high-class area by us. Recollection is priceless—that kind of sophistry does not apply in our country. Our ethos is that the user pays and then the holiday is happy. Prices vary from person to person, with the average user spending from 30 silver coins a night. For the rich and low ranking nobles, it was more than one gold coin.

There's no cap on the amount of money that can be spent again, and we're going to stay in a room that costs more than ten gold coins a night—geez, why is it that I'm the one who's playing publicity... Presumably, this is the way to distinguish. In order to make it a tourist area, we hope that the more people use it, the better. For example, some businessmen who do big business with us and those who break through the ten floors of the labyrinth, we have prepared gifts for them, such as accommodation packages to stay in high-end hotels. Maze Challengers rates these rewards highly. The fact that the meal is of high quality is passed on to everyone and helps to boost morale. Just eating a meal would cost more than ten silver coins. If you go to a cheap hotel, you can stay for as little as three silver coins, and from that point of view, the price is quite high. That being said... There are times when people want to be extravagant, so some people will spend the money they get from maze hunting or doing other activities on this. It's also our organizers' duty to provide some space for these people to spend their money. If they make it to the tenth level, they must be able to team up to defeat large spiders (dark spiders) of B level difficulty—in other words, teams of adventurers of C+ or higher. If it could be beaten alone, it would be the equivalent of a grade B or higher, and there's nothing wrong with recognizing that they have a corresponding right. In small countries, these people can already be knights. In the Freedom Association, if you come to B level, you're good enough to be a knight no matter what country you go to. As long as one acknowledges the status of the other like this, it is natural for people to pay attention to their words and actions. That said, if it's a B-grade adventurer there should be quite a bit of money in it. The same is true of the Labyrinth Challenger. Eren and the others don't seem to have much money, but let's just say this group is the exception. Basically, if it's causing problems, there won't be a second chance. The premium lots were fenced off with a moat and were heavily guarded. We had explained to people that if they were kicked out they would not get another chance to come in. Everyone understands this, no one messes around and the image strategy can be very successful. The merchants were no less than businessmen, and they flocked to the weapons and artifacts produced by the Jura Tempest Federation. There are also people who make big deals and have a lot of money. Even without a voucher, the number of guests coming to spend money naturally increases.

The items we put in the hands of the merchants are either equipment made by the apprentices under Kurobee’s men, or fine craftsmanship made by the Dold apprentices. Those qualities are, of course, all very good and quite well received. As for items such as special equipment opened from the labyrinth treasure chest, those merchants ran off to acquire them. This has me in a bit of a mixed mood, but we have been keeping an eye out to avoid an exodus of dangerous items, so we'll wait and see for now. When these things are sold around the world, people's opinions of our country spread. Thanks to this, the average consumer has also recently started to see an increase. I can't help but feel admiration for the power of word-of-mouth. This may lead one to think, ‘What the hell is going on when you're in a war crisis?’ But that's a different thing. I also know that I am too spontaneous and do what I want. Although wary of the crisis that will one day come, I am not afraid. Not giving up on the daily routine and taking one step at a time to do what you can is best.

Just as the capital is developing smoothly, we continue to overhaul our transport network with other countries. As Benimaru stepped in to convince, Momiji and the Tengu Clan were willing to assist. The tunnels have now been opened and the road paving work is still partly complete. There was also the mechanic brought by Duke Elalude who was about to complete the handover, so it wouldn't be long before there was a direct path between the Jura Tempest Federation and the Sorcerer Dynasty Sarion. We have also begun to work on laying the track to the Kingdom of Farmenas. The goal is to complete it quickly. As far as the route to the Kingdom of Ingracia is concerned, the tracks have been opened as planned. The same goes for the Dwarf Kingdom, where even the hotel town with its parking lot is being built. Through the great forest of Jura, we came to the site of the rendezvous with the Ameld River, which was used as a resting place and a good base for construction when the street was being opened up. We laid the track along the river and this place was just right for a middle base. There were also magical creatures that lived nearby that gathered to form a small town. This of course had to be utilized a bit, so we tidied up that town and let it develop into a town for people to stay in. This hotel town will become a major metropolis with a repeater station in the future, it’s a major focus where most of the importance will be increased. And on the Eurazania side, work was done to widen the road. The paving of certain parts of the road has not been completed, but movement is not a problem.

Since it was really uncomfortable to ride in a high-speed carriage, the merchants were begging bitterly, ‘I hope we finish sooner.' Having said that, safety and convenience have evolved considerably compared to the past and have reached a point where they are not comparable. For the sake of travelers who advance at night, we always have street lights lit at night, fully automatic magic engines set up at every distance, and the "barrier" used to expel monsters do work. Just like that, in less than a year, the overhaul of the traffic network has been largely completed. The Dwarven Kingdom and the Kingdom of Ingracia have begun to test run the Magic Train, which can be used in practice. We will obtain the information generated in the experiment and use it to consolidate the problem. In fact, all aspects of the testing have been done, and this is called a practical experiment. It maintains an average speed of fifty kilometers per hour and can carry a lot of stuff. Now the history of logistics will be rewritten. Even ingredients from distant regions can maintain freshness during delivery. In this way, people will eat more and more abundantly, and fewer people will starve because of famine. Rationalizing the logistics system is indispensable in order to enhance the country's strength. I recognize that again. Along with gathering this information, I intend to produce a detailed operating cycle. Constant testing in order to create a schedule. As for the section connecting the Dwarven Kingdom and the Jura Tempest Federation, the entire distance was about a thousand kilometers. Moving at 50 km/h would take 20 hours—less than a day to reach. The distance to the Kingdom of Ingracia is about three hundred kilometers, and it only takes six hours to get there. But these are all numbers that have been calculated with security in mind. Theoretically, the speed can be increased four times, and even the handling capacity can be calculated to exceed a thousand tons. However, it has not yet achieved any success in practical application, and if it runs at full speed, it will be difficult to cope with any accident. Let's wait and see for now. Practical application will certainly be troublesome, and also take into account the rest time. In addition, the "Magic Train" can be used continuously to its limit, and it will run at night for a while. On top of that, refurbishment work such as replacement parts has to be done at night, and technicians and train crews cannot be allowed to work around the clock. So far we have prepared twenty power vehicles. Each power car is connected to two wagons, plus three passenger cars, for a total of six cars in one train.

The passenger car has eighty seats, but can carry up to one hundred and fifty passengers. However, station guests have to spend hours on their feet, so I think it's better not to approve it. If the target for a drive is 200 or more passengers, the ridership is over 80 percent. Considering the cost of transporting each person, how exactly should the fare be booked—geez, why am I even thinking about that? I would have done well to leave this sort of thing to Myourmile-kun. Sooner or later, we will be able to really get through, and it will be more convenient for us to have more performance to improve the operation rate more or less. Let's aim to exceed the speed of 100 km/h and increase the number of train cars to about ten. This is not a dream, but a reality that will soon come true. That's pretty much it, and the results of the year can be said to be substantial. If these results were to be published, I think the world would be in a state of amazement and excitement. A bright future will be created, and the benefits of our efforts, of our country, will be widely known. Life will be fulfilling. There will be delicious food and a variety of entertainment cultures from around the world. The switch to slime didn't even occur to him that a fun and happy life was just around the corner. If there were no problems brought about by the Eastern Empire, there would be no need to be upset about anything and one could indulge one's interests... Then it occurred to me that I could declare war on the Empire by myself, Veldora and the volunteers, and at the same time take the Empire down. Once civilization is highly developed, an army of angels may come, but there is no telling where those opponents are. So it's difficult for us to attack on our own initiative, but the Empire is a different story. Since they're making big moves to prepare for the offense, there's no complaint that they've been beaten to the punch—I can't help but think so. On the one hand it's not in my character to wait and think offense is easier than defense no matter what. If the Empire's intention is to annex the Western countries, they can ignore us without attacking the Great Forest of Jura for a different strategy. The resurrection of Veldora has become so well known that a little investigation will reveal that being an enemy to me is the same as being an enemy to Veldora. The choice is in the hands of the Empire. The current situation is putting us under a lot of pressure.

So, to say whether they will invade the West directly...... There’s no way to take the sea route. Considering the possibility of being attacked by a large sea beast, it was not safe to prepare many giant warships. It would be too risky to take into account when fighting on the territory of the Great Sea Beast. It's not even known if you can cross the sea safely. To fight at sea where it was difficult to gain a foothold, the conditions were too harsh for those knights. Besides, there are a lot of soldiers to transport, I wonder how many ships to prepare. Even if they were to transport tens of thousands of soldiers into the Kingdom of Farmenas, Youm and the others would not be not idle. They were indeed defended and prepared to meet the Empire. If it was impossible to build a forward position at the beginning of the attack, the Imperial side would not have sent additional manpower to reinforce it. There were large sea beasts in the rear and the Farmenas Kingdom Army ahead. In this way, the Empire's soldiers will also lose morale, and cutting in from a tactical point of view will be like winning a battle. Was it possible, then, for the Empire to ignore the Kingdom of Farmenas and attack northern Ingracia? The conclusion is that this is not easy to implement. North of Ingracia is the playground of the demons. Guy also doesn't seem to have any intention of stopping his men, who are currently in charge of defending that area from Testarossa's men. There are a lot of militants in this area who would fight regularly, and if the Empire attacked there, it is conceivable that they would just happen to be targeted by everyone. So I think it's unlikely that they'll take the sea route to launch an invasion. Now taking a look at the land route...... To pass through the interior of the Dwarven Kingdom, they must first cross the Dragon's Lair, located in the Great Mountains of Canaat. The latter is too high of a risk to be taken into account. This is because wanting to march at an altitude higher than North Peak, no matter how well prepared, is an act of suicide. It's impossible to train an ordinary soldier to be an expert mountaineer, and even if there was a way, there's A-ranked monsters waiting in front of them—a swarm of evil dragons. By normal thinking logic, no fool would choose that route. So what if the route is through the interior of the Dwarven Kingdom? Since Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, had pointed out the possibility, Hinata went to investigate, and it sounded as if the great army was likely to pass.

Having said that, Gazel could not allow this to happen, and if it did, the Empire would have to attack the Dwarven Kingdom before it could attack the Western nations. Trying to attack the Dwarven Kingdom was too much of a stretch. The declared neutral armed power, Dwargon, has a well-developed standing army for the security of its country. The army's equipment was built with good technology, and those were no fun. They even enjoyed the reputation of "no weak soldiers in Dwargon". Basically, just observing the terrain will also reveal that the Dwarven Kingdom is constructed like a fortress. As long as you guard the entrance and exit, you will be able to resist even if a large army comes. There are three major cities—Isthmus, Wester and St. Doral. There are a total of three entrances and exits, and if the Empire really wanted to attack, they would have chosen either Isthmus or St. Doral. Wester was able to lead to the kingdom of Farmenas, and there was no need to be alarmed in this regard. There is nothing more dangerous than the Isthmus connected to the Empire's borders, but Gazel is not dimwitted. He told the troops to focus here and asked them to check on the Empire's movements. I'll be there if something goes wrong, and the Dwarven Kingdom should be safe to hand over to Gazel. That is the situation that our country is currently facing.

As a result, I think the Empire had to choose to go through the Great Forest of Jura. These days it's been a daily meeting with Benimaru to discuss, and until then I keep thinking the same thing. The Great Forest of Jura is guarded by us, and if the Empire chooses to pass through here, then their biggest bottleneck is obviously Veldora. My guess is that they will not be able to break through from the front, but will prepare troops as bait, intending to use them to trick Veldora. Taking this possibility into account, I have to think about what to defend within our borders. In the great forest of Jura, there are three routes by which military operations can be conducted. Except, one of them was right next to the Dwarven Kingdom. If the Empire ignores our warnings and invades, they will be besieged by the Dwarven army and our army. I think the Empire should also be well aware of the dangers that would be encountered if they took this route, and even lowering their guard should be fine. The Empire is likely to attack through two other routes of aggression. But is it really that simple? Scattered forces are not conducive to fighting a large army, so it is possible to send half of the force to follow Veldora, the other half being our army. If we adopt such a tactic, the forces on the Imperial side that are prepared to be used exclusively as bait may be sufficient.

I'm not an expert on the military to that extent. Those soldiers are dedicated to war, and I don't think they would adopt such a pure form of combat. And the Empire is in danger of underestimating us. They think they have an overwhelming army, whether it’s against an army of Veldora or a monster army, which can be ravaged at will. Or they might not attack with a straight face, but instead go the other way. The regular army can be used as bait to divide the elite troops into many small groups and fight with a sound bite. Breaking into small groups and taking the forest, then meeting up somewhere—what in that case? In this case, it would be impossible to monitor all the forest trails. Depending on the size of the opponent, casualties may occur among our personnel if reconnaissance forces are casually placed. If, as Hinata did to them, the other side dispatched strength like a small squad of Paladins... Even taking that possibility into account, I can think of several routes through which they might attack, not enough to cover all of them given the number of troops we have. It's too risky to identify a target for the empire to step up to the plate again, and I want to avoid that as much as possible. If we lose our lead, we will be in an irreversible situation. It's to avoid that, so we've been on guard, but the most important key—the movement of the Empire— we’ve never been able to see that. In the so-called war, if the opponent can be taken by surprise, the situation will be in his own favor. Make tactics that take your opponent by surprise, and by doing so alone you have the potential to win. In this way, we must consider the possibilities... This keeps spinning in place. No way. The more I think about it, the more I get tired of it. Or should we attack first? Or should that be done, as soon as the Empire steps in to declare war, we launch a special attack? It's not like the Empire is necessarily going to send out troops the way we envisioned, so there's no point in continuing to think about it. Either way it makes more sense that we take the initiative and attack without waiting for the other side to strike. That way there's nothing to worry about and we take the reins. ...but I wouldn't do that just yet.

It's hard to think of an answer. This kind of thing depends on improvisation. Responding to a crisis. How well that word is pronounced, giving the impression of a shrewd and capable man. So much so that I made my usual conclusion and next reached towards the cream puffs prepared by Shuna. Use up your brain and you want something sweet. Eating too much would make one too bloated, but that kind of thing wouldn't happen to me. If it's really too much to eat, plan for it then. "Ah, only you eat yourself good.” I used the black tea that Shion had made for me to moisten my throat while enjoying the cream puffs, and by this time the Benimaru had finally arrived. The location is my office. Lately I've had to discuss something with Benimaru every day, and today he was a little late. There may be a war with the Empire in the future, and I asked Benimaru to prepare before doing something in that direction, so he seemed busy. Although he was a little late, he complained that he was too narrow-minded. Huh? You want me to help you? What was being said, I didn't understand at all. That's not for laymen to interfere with. That's a convenient phrase to think about... "Shion, pour a cup of black tea for Benimaru too.” "Yes, sir!" The cuisine that Shion cooked seemed to cast a shadow on Benimaru's mind, causing him to always show a guarded look. In fact, only the black tea is okay, but Benimaru still dare not be careless. "Thank you. Feeling tired makes one want to eat something sweet.” "Yeah. Now you can use sugar as much as you like and hope that these peaceful days will continue.” "That's right. But even if we have to fight each other, it doesn't matter, just beat them to death." Benimaru is as confident as ever. While solid, let's hope he doesn't forget to make an effort to avoid the war. "Go ahead!”

At this time, Shion served tea to Benimaru. She also poured me a second cup of tea and the aroma was very healing for me. "By the way, where's Diablo?" "Oh, he went to play arbitrator today, too.” “Again?" "Mmm. Here we go again.” That's right, Diablo kept running to be an arbitrator. Every day Ultima and Carerra cause problems. It didn't feel like the two were at loggerheads, but they just loved to fight.

Yesterday it was a debate over the extradition of the prisoners, and before that it was a fight over what to do with the suspects in custody. Sometimes there are fights over the menu of the meal, or over who will buy the latest version of the costume first. It's okay to just fight verbally, but once those two start fighting, there's a resistance that even the yakuza are afraid of. Only Diablo could stop them. As for Diablo's subordinate, Venom, he was not only beaten by two major forces, but he also quarreled and lost. But there was no harm done to the townspeople, and in fact they became a famous commodity, even a gambling object, which, having said that, could not be left untouched. It was based on these considerations that Diablo was sent, but perhaps it was time to think of a response to the underlying problem. This is because Diablo might have put up with an unbearable fury if he hadn't done so. Previously Diablo had also taken Ultima and Carrera into the labyrinth. Not going in for a date, not so sweet, he boasted of thoroughly lecturing the two. They wouldn't die inside the maze, so he could teach those two a lesson and beat them to death, but even then, they wouldn't reflect on it. Instead, they’re happy and hoping to fight Diablo. Ahhh, why is the demon race so belligerent... Personally, I think there's no end to dealing with these two. "I've kept you waiting.” After I chatted with Benimaru for a while... A weary Diablo returned. "You're back, after all your hard work." "No, that's not hard work, it's time spent for Lord Rimuru..." "You don't look tired at all. Let's get to the point.” "I thought so.” He can still say stupid things there, which means it should be okay. Diablo seemed to want to say something, which should have been to show off his fight record as usual anyway. I don't think those things need to be taken to heart, and Benimaru decided to start the discussion today.

As mentioned earlier, more and more migrants are entering our country. In this way, the question is how to assign work to those visitors. I think it's the same in every country, employment rates are very important. In order to increase the productive capacity of the country, the focus is on getting every citizen to work seriously. The more people are employed, the more personal consumption will increase and the boom will follow. Conversely, a worsening employment boom will be followed by a worsening crime rate. This must be properly managed, and that is something that the leadership of the country should be doing, but in practice it is very difficult to achieve. Accepted immigrants vary in their individual abilities, and there is limited pure labor work that anyone can do. The country is developing and there is a rush to work everywhere, so so far there is a way to distribute work. But now that those projects are nearing completion, what to do in the future will be an issue. People with better abilities won't have a problem. It's relatively easy to accept people like skilled people who have a skill, who can feed and clothe themselves without worrying about their talent. The problem is people who have no knowledge and no way to make money. If it's a farmer, just give them farmland. If they are craftsmen, just introduce them to the workshop. If it's adventurers, they have mazes to wade through. If it's entertainers, the theater can hire them. How should people without these talents be treated? In the face of this problem, my answer is to set up an educational facility. Ask the other person what they can do during the immigration review, and then ask them to do extended learning. The place dedicated to their learning is the educational facility, which is currently used by the military under the jurisdiction of Benimaru. "The number of immigrants continues to increase, and the number of volunteers who want to join the military is also increasing. But it is still a question of whether it is useful, and if it is only for policing in the country, it should be possible.” This is the reason why we have tried to implement this practice, but as things stand, there seems to be more people. There's food on the table when you join the army, and you learn skills for free, and you even help with referrals—rumors are spreading.

As a result, not only the immigrants, but also many adventurers and mercenaries gathered one after another. Well, since the defense of Western countries is also our responsibility, armament enhancement is also a major issue. These are also the reasons why there are no problems at the moment. There are a few minor situations that come up one after the other, but those can be adjusted within the military. The problem is that we are more and more likely to go to war with the Empire. How to get people who have just joined the army on the battlefield and have to reconfigure the force is imminent. So I ordered Benimaru to come up with a new organization chart. Benimaru took out a piece of paper and spread it on the table. "This is the organizational chart I reimagined. This kind of staffing is a bit bold, but I think it should work." The power of command is in Benimaru's hands, including the power of appointment, and I hold the power of command. This is a bit complicated, as the right to command is supposed to include the right to command. I separated it out and handed it to Benimaru.

In terms of commanding the military, I, a layman, shouldn't interject—because I think so, military- related matters are given priority to Benimaru.

Also because of this, in the army, Benimaru's orders are still bigger than mine. Except, strategic orders are a different matter. Things like assigning people to the top military appointments or making judgments to bring the war to an end in time of war. The following general assignments can be arranged by Benimaru according to his own authority, but the establishment of a legion or the appointment of a general is left to my decision. Whether or not to approve the organization chart produced by Benimaru must be confirmed by me. “Oh... if you think that's okay, then I'm okay with that, but...” Not going to be picky, but it's tempting to say a few words sometimes. Since the power of appointment is in my hands, I am responsible if anything goes wrong. However, we've actually argued several times about the staffing this time around. There is no point in saying that we do not intend to express our views.

As for the personnel arrangements I insisted they adopt, it was this paragraph—“First Army Chief Gobta". "The proposal to make Gobta a general was at first exaggerated, but he seemed unexpectedly suitable.” Looking at Benimaru's reaction also shows that there are those who are for and those who are against making Gobta a grand general. Indeed, it is disturbing to appoint that fool, Gobta, as head. With Gobta's judgment of the lives and deaths of his right and left minions, no wonder Benimaru and the staff under him were so troubled. Gobta also sleeps a lot during meetings, and he doesn't have any problems—even I don't think so. However, I am well aware that Gobta has been sneaking in special training and that he has been working hard and wants to defend this country. "I told you so! This man will work hard when he should.” It's just that when you don't have to be serious you're going to completely mess it up. Having said that, Gobta's men trusted him, don't look at him like that, he was actually very good at taking care of people. I trust him a lot. "That guy is also one of the Four Heavenly Kings, and Lord Rimuru is definitely not looking away!” "Right. On top of that, just in case, I'm sending Testarossa over as an inspector to help make up for any shortfall." Both Shion and Diablo, part of the same "Four Heavenly Kings", elected Gobta. "Since you have all said so, as the head of the Four Heavenly Kings, how can you refuse?” In this way, Benimaru also revealed a bitter smile. In fact, he endorses Gobta. "Indeed, as Diablo said. If something goes wrong, we'll just have to come back up. Just let him do it.” "Should be fine. It doesn't look like much, in fact it seems to be very desirable.” With that, we decided to make Gobta a general.

The military chiefs outside of Gobta also need to be sure, I've been looking at the organization chart. There are three legions under Benimaru. The First Legion is currently the talk of the town. With Gobta as head of the army, Hakurou was made military adviser.

The soldiers under the banner are as follows.

  • Hundred wolf and ghost (ogre?) soldiers.

Each one has grown to the A- level, with strength equivalent to a hundred men.

  • 12,000 in the Green Corps.

The 4,000 men who had joined at the beginning of the Kusaka (???) period became superior soldiers, and underneath were the 8,000 subordinate soldiers who were later employed. They seem to act in groups of three. The troop strength has increased dramatically this year, but most of it has been magical creatures from the Great Forest of Jura. So it's not too much of a problem to apply. Although subordinate soldiers only have C to D ranks, superior soldiers are trained to the equivalent of B ranks. Should be able to play a considerable amount of combat. Then there is the Second Corps. With Geld as Chief of Staff. With regard to this Second Corps, it is currently serving as a working force and is active around the world. We expected to call them back as soon as we entered wartime, and they would become the main army of the Jura Tempest Federation. The soldiers at the bottom are as follows. Two thousand in the Yellow Legion. The Order of Orc Generals had been Geld's men from the beginning. The personal ability is equivalent to a B+, which is very powerful and can be integrated with Geld to form an impregnable defensive line. At the same time, these men serve as squad leaders and are responsible for leading the new troops.

  • The Orange Legion is 35,000 strong.

The newly arrived Orcs volunteered to join the army. It was the equivalent of a powerful C-ranked force, but there were only fifteen thousand veterans who could step up to the plate. The remaining 20,000 are expected to put them in rear support jobs, or as engineers. Finally, the Third Corps. Having let them actually fight in the field, this regiment can be described as our killer weapon, a guerrilla force that can fly in the air. The head of the army was the man who founded the legion—Gabil. The soldiers at the bottom are as follows. "Hundreds of Flying Dragons".

Needless to say and know, they were the strongest force in the Jura Tempest Federation. Everyone's fighting ability is equivalent to A-, and in addition to having the ability to fly, they also have superior command abilities. I've heard that some individuals even make it to the A level. Their best move is "Dragon Warriorization".

  • Three thousand in the Blue Legion.

Some of the volunteers were from the Lizardman Warrior Corps, and they all came because they admired Gabil. The main members of this force are them, with capabilities equivalent to C+. However, the essence of the Blue Legion is not here. This regiment is characterized by its ability to fight on flying dragons. This unit has air control and has the highest strike power in the war. That said, there were only about three hundred flying dragons currently cultivated, not enough for everyone. Their main task was to cultivate the flying dragons and provide support, and they might not get a chance to make a big splash until afterwards. Even so, they cannot be underestimated. The Flying Dragon is a subspecies of the lower-order dragon race, equivalent to a B+ monster. Gabil succeeded in capturing them and bred them smoothly, but the goal going forward is for the numbers to increase. If all the members had flying dragons available, then the Blue Legion would have played to their true worth. Above are the three legions directly under Benimaru. "The Second Corps to Geld, and the Third to Gabil? It should be fine." "Well, I've done a lot of evaluation, but I think it's the most appropriate distribution.” With little explanation, Geld would make a solid general. There's nothing wrong with Gabil's side either. He does get carried away, but is very good at combat. He was so good at mock battles that even Benimaru saw him as a competitor. Although he doesn't seem to be very good at thinking about tactics, he’s accurate when it comes to tactical situations. Also very good at taking care of subordinates and knowing when to step back behind the scenes. Impeccable and a good fit for a military chief. "These will remain as they are.” At this point, Benimaru took out another piece of paper. Three forces are recorded above. There are three hundred members of Benimaru's pro-army group, the Kurenai. Led by the A-ranked Gobya, the members of this elite force were all very powerful, all above A-. Also currently serving as principal staff officer.

Seeing their battle training, I think that these high ranked monsters of Gobya should be able to gain the upper hand when they compete against Kalmud (???). The rest of the team is no exception, and some of them are even A-ranked if you take their skills into account. Some people would not lose even if they went one-on-one with the Paladins, and the combined battle power of this force was difficult to estimate. The benchmark for judging the strength of a magical creatures is mostly determined by the amount of magical power. There is no concept of hierarchy for naturally powerful magical creatures. However, in addition to the inherent physical properties of our magical creatures, they also carry out military training. This would seem to accumulate strength better suited for actual combat. Even at a level higher than the usual standard of judgment, it is not excessive to give such a rating. That said, just look at this exception of Hakurou and you'll see that I was obviously right. The members of this unit are all tough characters who can survive Hakurou's special training in hell. All are fairly well trained. There was also the Blue Shadow Group, an intelligence force led by Souei—over a hundred of them. This force is a mystery, completely obeying the orders of Souei, and significantly fewer people know of their existence. But—as far as I know, there are experts inside. For example, Souka and the four captains under her were all Grade A. There are many more masters there too. Glenda is one of them, with several Special A's. In fact, Testarossa poached some talents through judicial dealings, and those were received by Souei. There was Gerard, the chief of the mercenary regiment, the Apostles of Green, and Aine, the elven emissary who was previously under him. These two are also awesome characters who have surpassed the A rank and are now becoming highly skilled spies who are making a big splash. I used to joke that this secret service specializes in taking in problem children, but now it gives the impression of that. Souei says one can't expect them to perform in battle, but I'm not buying that one. Because they seem to be very good at assassination. It's that there are so many A-plus masters on their side that I really want to say "what the hell are you talking about” to him. What exactly was Souei's goal? Everyone is rumoring that this force feels a little scary, but in a way, it can't be helped. And then look at the "Yomigaeri" with Shion—there are a hundred of them. The characteristic of this unit is that they don’t die easily.

Using their fearsome regenerative abilities, all members of the team have become strong, equivalent to B+, after a brutal special training session. They were all C's originally, sort of growing the most. They are also very active when fighting with the Paladins, so it's possible that there are people in them who have broken through the limits to A rank. If I had to say which force would be reversed, I'd say it's the "Yomigaeri" of Shion. This unit is the equivalent of my pro-war unit in the organizational chart proposed by Benimaru. Personally, I don't really want to do this, but people are considering putting into practice the ability to fight with their hit resistance—when the bait buys time. If there's anything I can do, I'll use the Yomigaeri as bait to facilitate my escape. Shion once proudly explained this to me. Let me state up front that they don't take orders from me even though they are called the Pro-Guards. The value of this force's existence is to protect me, and I have heard that it is strictly forbidden for them to act on my orders without permission. So even if I scream no, they'll go out of their way to sacrifice themselves for me. This is too much. But even though I asked them to help with the chores, they still agreed in a flash It was better not to tell these things to Shion. There's still a distinction to be made between making superficial appearances and being true to one's heart. By the way. In fact, Shion had another secret army that wasn't even documented in the organization chart. It's a secret, but everyone knows it, so it should be considered a well-known secret. That's the unit that claims to be directly under the Shion. They later became the pro-villains of Shion, but in fact were simply a fan club. The number of people is not known. I don't think any more than a thousand. Because this force is not a regular army, it is not under our jurisdiction. Is it okay that the number of people and their abilities are unknown? Just don't make a scene. These people were secretly cultivated by Shion, so their strength was also unknown.

I heard that Dagruel's sons had made an effort to serve as captains, and even the adventurers who had original combat experience seemed to have run to participate. Maybe it will really come in handy in the future, but I'm more upset than I am expecting. Not to the point of not being on the stage, but there was no way this unit could be sent to the front, no wonder Benimaru didn't put them on the organization sheet. I returned the piece of paper to the Benimaru. "Nothing seems to be wrong. The combat power seems to have increased, but there is no need to make changes regarding the use of these troops. Don't interrupt me or you, either.” "That's true. I'm proud of the fact that the Kurenai is a unit I've cultivated with my own hands. Souei and Shion probably thought so, so these troops weren't written into the organization chart.” Hearing Benimaru say so, Shion nodded vigorously along with it. I had no problem with it personally, so I approved it and told them "just do it". For troops who cultivate themselves, whoever it is will want to use it for themselves. Seriously, actually Gabil's "flying dragon congregation" doesn't have to be written on the organization chart either. On this point, all because of the adoption of the Gabil opinion. By the way, although the Wolf Rider Force was not cultivated by Gobta, they were fellow soldiers and war buddies, and everyone was Gobta's partner and all recognized his strength. So even if we were to change commanders, we would be concerned about the mood of these people. At this point, Benimaru took out a third sheet of paper. "It's important to start here. These aren't the legions that belong directly to me, so here they are.” Finally getting into that part? The form previously produced only recorded increases and decreases in existing troops and personnel. The only one more notable is the fact that the First Army Corps is headed by Gobta. This one was proposed by me, so it didn't wow the crowd. So come and see what's in this one. With nervousness, I began to look at the piece of paper.

A few diagrams are documented on the left and right, respectively. On the right is written all the military numbers listed so far. The First Corps - under Gobta, about 12,000 men. The Second Corps - under Geld, about 37,000 men.

The Third Corps - under Gabil, about 3,000 men. That adds up to about 52,000 people. These were the standing army of the Jura Tempest Federation and it felt so intimidating. Even so, we still have room for troops. The country's population has already surpassed one million and is increasing at a breakneck pace. Thinking calmly, our national strength is increasing dramatically. It is because of such a powerful nation that it is possible to raise such a large army. Add to that the fact that there was a second regiment as engineers to maintain such a force. If these guys are unproductive, I think things should get pretty grim. Be thankful for Geld. Excluding Geld and others, the remaining strength was about fifteen thousand. These men alone are not enough to fight the Eastern Empire. The question of what to do about it has always bothered me and Benimaru. "As soon as the war starts, I'll call Geld and them back. This is done as intended. Still, it's not enough. The Western nations seem to have their own armies, but getting them to mobilize those armies is also a big problem.” "Yeah. It would be a big loss to not have to use the military power of the Senate, but to do so could cause a dramatic backlash.” "There is also the inability to contain problems within the Western countries if they arise. And then things are going to get tricky.” "There is no problem within our borders, but it will be very difficult to do things in the future if people in the West have doubts about our ability to govern.” "Indeed it is.” So and so, those things we've discussed several times. In response, Benimaru wrote the answer on the left side of this organization chart, right? Come see what's on the left. Western armies - 150,000. The Monster’s Army - 30,000. Volunteer Corps - 20,000. That's all it says above. "The numbers are huge. What kind of army are these on the left?” "It's basically a legion under our command. It was mentioned earlier that there is also an army under the Council, that is, an army on the Western side. These national armies, unlike those of individual

countries, are directly employed in this way by the army of the Senate, or so it should be said, mostly financed by our country.” Indeed, since the Senate is willing to hand over military power to us, we have the power of command over the army that is vested in the Senate. I understand that, but... "There's that many?” The military, which is vested in the Council, exists only formally. Those were originally brought in by parliamentarians from their home countries, mainly knights and soldiers. The number was also only about a thousand, and the main business was to guard the meeting place of the Ingracian capital. In principle, the Western countries have their own armies, and the security of each country is guarded by them. There is almost no need for the Council to send out an army, so there is no need to raise a really large army. It is because of the current situation that they simply cede military power to us... That being said, I would want military power, not to respond to any situation. The only reason is that it is necessary to lay the tracks for the Magic Train to open in various countries. It would be too much trouble to wait for approval one by one if the working forces of the Jura Tempest Federation were to be sent there. If something does happen, then our country will send its troops. With this in mind, we will first allow the soldiers who were previously part of the Senate to return home temporarily. In addition to this, a force was established to maintain law and order under the condition that it would be "financed by us". And I thought it would be more reassuring to plant humans and subhumans than magical things, so I ordered the people below to look for people locally. "Those armies were first disbanded, and then the new ones became more numerous. According to the report from Testarossa, one is not afraid of running out of food if one joins the army, a rumor that spreads all over the place, with the result that many people come as soon as they are recruited." "But the purpose of that army is to keep the peace, right? It takes 150,000 people.” Since countries still have police powers, we are going beyond the call of duty to catch the perpetrators. Even if the purpose is to keep the peace, the activities are mainly about disaster prevention, and honestly my purpose is to get them to help work the troops, otherwise it's to go to the rear to support. Don't say it's 150,000, not even 10,000. "On this matter, according to Testarossa, it seems as if the States wished to do so.” Benimaru began to elaborate on me. Testarossa has made a name for herself in the Council and has been bold enough to push for tectonic reform.

It's something I also know, and the results have triggered widespread reverberations, big enough to exceed my expectations. In any case, in this reform we are only playing the role of a consultative object. Domination is in the hands of States, with our country providing the technology. It's like ODA - official (government) development assistance. The Council bets on official funds, which our country treats as a national cause, sending its workforce and lending a helping hand to countries in trouble. Go local and hire local people for technical instruction while responding to their requests. This way our side can create jobs and earn fees, and those who are helped by us can get assistance, creating a win-win situation. But there is no such thing as a free lunch. There is of course another side to this support system and we will demand something in return from each other. To put up a dam, for example, and see how much we pay for construction, would require us to take back an equal amount of water rights. When the railroad opens and the train rides are taxed, then we can always reap the benefits through the levy. The same goes for the opening of the street, we will maintain the management, but the other party must withdraw the tariff or give us various benefits. It's like a trick that only a demon lord would do. Pretending to act cordial actually does something very vicious. It's just that it will definitely be more convenient for the other party later, so there's no loss in trading with us. We expect to get those unseen benefits in the future, which will be paid for by them, just so. Of course, I guess those big congresses want to do something on their own. Even if there's no way to do it at the moment, there's still a chance to sneak a lesson after seeing the real thing. Steal our techniques and use them yourself—I think that's generally the case. I didn't think... "That's how it is. I've heard that the big countries are asking for an early opening of the train, "So we don't have enough manpower for our work force alone, and we need to mobilize those hired for rear support?” "Right. Even that's not enough, we're going to go to the scene and get someone to help..." The reason for this is right here, is that why the military is so outnumbered... I made Testarossa a diplomatic marshal, with full authority over me. She doesn't have to report to me about small things, and can just sign off on them—that's what I've already told her, so it seems that even Benimaru has only recently learned about these things.

She turned out to be hiring a bunch of people, didn't she? "But that's what the big powers are up to, right? As long as we train technicians, it will be easier to use in the future." It's more efficient than stealing technology. That kind of thinking is really brutal, but I don't begrudge this approach either. As a leader, one would certainly come up with this response. The technicians we have trained will be the backbone of every country in the future. While it is a pity that some rights and interests cannot be acquired, it is actually a great pleasure to be able to trigger healthy competition through technological development. "It doesn't look that way. How could these big countries let those technicians go?” That's right. "Hey, I hear you're saying that all the support soldiers Testarossa has sent over here are going to be integrated directly into the Western Army?” "That's right.” Facing the surprised me, Benimaru responded with a wicked smile. It would be a shame to bury these technicians in the ground. In that case, it's best to do disaster relief training or bodyguard work and urban defense training as well—it looks like Benimaru knows how to be meticulous. "Testarossa says it's done and wants them fired, but it's a waste.” "That's true.” "I thought I could prepare them for work, so I arbitrarily named them the Western Armies and formed them into this army.” So that's it, I see. However, in just one year, those people shouldn't be proficient enough to go anywhere. That said, if they also continue to train in the future, they should be expected to turn into a professional force responsible for disaster prevention, and to do so in a big way. It can also be used to deal with accidents, and as Benimaru said, it should be used in a variety of scenes. "I see. That's a good judgment, Benimaru.” "I don't think it's all that great." Saying that, Benimaru looked shy. That said, the West is equipped with an army, right? A hundred and fifty thousand is a rather large number, but to send these people to Western countries at the same time, even that many people would not be enough.

If they are able to secure entitlements, they are equivalent to being able to earn what they need to live on their own. I didn't think things would turn out this way at first, and it made me happy to hear the happy news. Come see the next one. "I already know what the Western Army is, and what is the Monster Army?” The number of people is as high as 30,000. Is it the magical creatures from the Jura Forest that come as soldiers? "In that legion, it's mostly majins who used to work under Clayman. Geld wants these captives to work, but he picks people who are good at fighting and rents them out. Instead, some of the Inhumans have their own projects on hand and just happen to have nothing to do, so they go and fill in the gaps for these majins. According to Benimaru's words, it seemed that careful arrangements had been made so as not to affect the works of Geld. In that case, it's okay. Instead of getting some laymen over, it would be better to get some people with combat experience to consolidate the army, which would be stronger. But... "Those guys don't seem to fit in very well?” When it comes to Clayman's minions, most of them are B's. But there are a few of them who are above A level. It's a very strong group, but weak from a Legion perspective. How could this group of monsters, who obeyed orders only out of fear, possibly win over a trained professional soldier. It should not be too late to gather the gang for military training. "At the moment, thanks to Geld's presence, no one is coming out to mess around. However, even if such fools do appear, I will still shut them up.” That's right. If it was Benimaru, it would be easy to bring them to their knees with brute force. "But they've only gotten used to the work, and now they're forced to go to war...” Seeing the difficult look on my face, Benimaru said no problem. "That thing was initiated by them. Seems they want to show themselves to Lord Rimuru so you know they can come in handy too.” “What?" What Benimaru said was a good surprise.

Those monsters who do what they do are even offering to join the army. "There's good food and like-minded partners. Add to that the need for their supervisor, and a job well done. They argued vigorously, saying that in order to guard these, they themselves sprang into power.” “Really......” The happy miscalculation refers to this, and it was very helpful for us to have them come forward. This is because the troops that are conscripted are simply useless when it comes to actual combat. On the one hand, it's necessary to do it for the sake of family and country, but if you measure the profit/loss ratio, sometimes unconditional subjugation is the smart thing to do. It is unbearable to become a slave of another country, but if you are just taxed heavily and you submit to the other country in such a situation, you can actually be in the mood to disobey. To put it in a harsh way is to be patient for now and wait for the opportunity to take revenge. As long as the aggressor does not act in an excessively cruel manner, being good enough to suffer some damage is also an option. But in this case, one cannot ignore how the people living in that country feel. Owning your own future requires taking responsibility and making choices. Being the dominant one just has to respond to their mood. I therefore believe that the conscription system is the worst possible means and that they should not be forced to be patriotic towards our country. This country of the Jura Tempest Federation is under my patronage. If someone comes out of nowhere and makes an arrogant claim, I'm not going to take it. I do not intend to give up our rights lightly, so that there will be a confrontation of views in any case. If the other side is unwilling to compromise, war is bound to occur, and if there is a backlash as a result, it is actually a nuisance. If people don't want to defend their homes on their own, they’ll want to escape to somewhere else as soon as possible, that's what I've always thought. Make no mistake about knowing who you should be protecting. I do not intend to take care of them to the extent that those who join us afterwards will only assert their rights. If I hadn't had the people I was supposed to protect, even I would have fled long ago. Then go somewhere and find like-minded partners and start a new country together. For me, it's no use obsessing over the land. But... Our home is the Jura Tempest Federation, and if you all love this land, I want to do my best to respond to your hearts.

No matter what foreign enemies you face, do your best to defeat them. Even if the opponent is demon lord Guy. I have been made aware that I must defeat my opponent no matter what means are used. That being said, Guy is really tough to deal with and I hope things don't turn out that way. "I do feel their enthusiasm, and I'm sure they really think so. In addition to this, some people from all over the great forest of Jura have expressed their willingness to assist us when they hear of the war to be fought. Gather them together into one legion, and it is the army of monsters.” Even so, there was still the matter of excluding the weak... Speaking of which, Benimaru smiled bitterly. Well, that sounds really good. This gives everyone the incentive to work hard and I feel happy. About the last Volunteer Corps. I heard that it was a legion of humans, residents from the Jura Tempest Federation, or gathered by neighboring countries. In any case, if we are defeated, the countries around the Great Forest of Jura will also be destroyed. Since it would be better to offer assistance from the beginning, people who are willing to offer full assistance will gather here. Most of the team is made up of adventurers or mercenaries. We have taken in some immigrants and I have heard that a number of people have volunteered. The idiots who desperately explore the underground labyrinth—each time becoming prey to one of our “stand-ins"--also have a large contingent gathered. The total is 20,000, which is not that much to look forward to, but we count them as a contribution to the country's fighting strength. "That's about how it feels on the left. To say there is any difference between the right and the left, it is the level of loyalty to the Jura Tempest Federation—or, should I say, to Lord Rimuru.” "To me?” "That being said, the legions on the right, these men bet their lives not for Lord Rimuru, but for this country. But these people on the left have their own intentions as to why they have gathered. Some people may have a noble interest in volunteering, but we didn't have time to interview them all, so we organized them in such a way.” "So that's it......” Behind me, Shion and Diablo nodded vigorously. I seem to have overheard some dangerous conversations, such as wanting to treat these people on the left as outcasts, or having them go through a trial to select only the elite, but that must have been my mishearing...

"Then the next question is who should be appointed as chief of each army.” So now we finally get to the point.

Let's start with an assessment of the Western equipped army. This is the largest legion, and they belong to the Senate, whose members are still scattered around the world. "If we just look at the number, they will become 200,000, but as for the 150,000 men who are equipped in the West, I intend to leave them unused and leave them on the spot.” "That's right. They nominally belong to the legions of the Council, and it is not convenient for us to use them without permission, so we cannot deliberately call them over here either." If they were gathered somewhere, I could magically move them over in one breath. To move a hundred and fifty thousand people in one breath would be very labor-intensive to manage alone. The chain of command is not yet finalized, and I don't think there is any way to conduct a decent military operation. In order to avoid the spies sent by the Empire to make trouble in various countries, it is best to be on the alert. "I thought so. It's okay to use them with my power, but I want to maintain the status quo on the Western side of the military. At the moment there is no army chief on their side, but I intend to put Testarossa, who is a diplomatic marshal, in charge as well.” "That's not a bad option...but once the war starts, maybe it's time to get Testarossa back home too. It's worrying not to know if we'll be able to get in touch with those legionnaires.” Those troops are scattered all over the West. How do we get in touch with them? You can use "magic communication", communication crystals for contact, or "magic wire" to create a contact network. With such a variety of means of communication, countries and major metropolitan areas have successfully established communication networks. But as things stand now, some of the end towns or villages are not so well equipped. It should be said that setting those things up is also the task of the working force. There are majins in every unit, and I think it should be possible to use 'magic communication', but... "No problem. If it's Moss, there's a way to manage it even with hundreds of troops.” "That's right, I've heard about it from Souei too. Moss works with Souei on intelligence gathering, and I'm told he also uses his work gaps to handle liaison work between troops.” Really! This Moss guy is really good to use. "In that case, why don't we just make Moss head of the army?”

“No, should I say that Moss is pathetic...” "Indeed, judging by Testarossa’s nature, it would have been a terrible fate for Moss. It's none of my business, but I kind of feel for Moss." “...okay. Since that's the case, let's make Testarossa the army chief for now.” Not only Benimaru, but even Diablo was sympathizing with Moss. Then I'll have to read between the lines, and say it's better not to let Moss be the army chief. As for the Western armed forces, let them concentrate on their own business this time, which is policing. If something goes wrong, it's not certain, but sending out Western armies is a last resort. The chief of the army was then held part-time by Testarossa. But I will state up front that this is a temporary arrangement and the baton will be handed over when the right person is found. This is where the arrangement for the Western armies comes in. Next up was the Mixed Monster Army. Why don't we leave it to Benimaru to arrange this? "I personally recommend Mr. Rigur.” Rigur is right. Indeed, Rigur has experience in leading a police force and is beyond A-grade, truly impeccable. However, the fact that Rigur was in charge of aiding Rigurd makes it doubtful that he was available to serve as chief of the army. If I can, I'd like to see a showdown with just the standing army. However, it was still unclear how many troops the Imperial side would prepare. We have sent men to scout, but there is no way to even get information from inside the Empire. Having said that, we have had intermittent information about military exercises, and on the basis of this information, it is assumed that they may also mobilize at least over 300,000 troops. Maybe more than a million troops will be sent out. In that case, we didn't have to postpone the use of this monster army's remaining strength. I was not displeased with Rigur’s command, but felt uneasy. It's dangerous to think about it anyhow when you have to use troops that are scattered all over the place when you suddenly start fighting. "Well, I'd like to give Benimaru the responsibility for this legion. In the future, this army of wizards will be called the Red Army. From among the Kurenai, a thousand leaders will be chosen to run the army. This one will serve as the Fourth Corps, Benimaru, and you will be the leader of the Corps and directly command them.” Red because it's dangerous—just kidding. It's been a long time since I've been able to tell a joke like this in a flash.

“...” Hmm. I don't want the scene to chill out, so let's stop. The expression on his face was still serious, but he was thinking about such idiotic things. Everyone didn't find out about it and the meeting went off without a hitch. "I know. In that case, leave it to me." It seems that Benimaru also expected that I might say something like that. So he didn't panic and agreed without a second word. Benimaru has a unique skill called "Generalissimo" on him. If the legion's lack of training could easily be compensated for by using a large group of soldiers, Benimaru was the most suitable person. Just like that, in addition to commanding the entire army, Benimaru also had to command his immediate unit, the Red Legion. That leaves the Volunteer Corps in the end. "What are you going to do with the volunteers?" "That's the problem." Faced with my question, Benimaru responded with a difficult tone. That being said, almost all of this volunteer army is human. If a monster were to be the leader of such a legion, it might cause unnecessary resentment—that seemed to be what Benimaru was worried about. "That's a real problem. If rumors emerge that mankind will never be able to emerge from the heavens in the kingdom of monsters, that alone will bring down our image.” "The only people who worry about that kind of foolishness are three-legged cats and dogs. These people won't accomplish much anyway, so I don't care!” "No, Shion. That's true, but some people don't know us, and they'll think it's true when they hear it.” "Just say it. Humans are hard to serve." Shion seems unable to agree, but image strategies are important. It would be funny if we were called racist for something like that, so I think there is a need for a serious review on that. "But I thought we couldn't find the right person.” At this point Diablo jumped in to interject. Right now, the situation was just as he said it would be, so Benimaru was also troubled about it. "Yeah. Basically they're a volunteer army, and I didn't even think there would be this extra army.”

"That said, there's no need to do it for nothing." That's it. I'm thankful that those who volunteered to join us had that heart and didn't want to let their efforts go to waste. But to put their abilities to good use, one must find a competent commander. If you want to find someone to unite them, you won't be able to find anyone other than Benimaru. So what do we do now? "What about Gerard, who works in the shadow?" "No way. We got him by secretly trading with the Kingdom of Ingracia, and the guy doesn't seem to like public appearances either." I don't know what kind of deal he and Testarossa made with each other, this one I didn't ask, but I don't think it's good to have Gerard publicly active. He may also be labeled as a human traitor, and it seems difficult to convince the crowd without saying that the man is dead. I'm naturally under no obligation to protect him, but there's no need to force him to behave outside. "It would be deserved if it were just his strength, but it's really not feasible under realistic conditions...” It looked like even Benimaru was just talking about it, not really pushing him. In a flash, he dismissed the idea and named the next candidate. The crux, however, is to lead humanity. He named names one after another, but none of them caught anyone's eye. "Shall we ask the Paladins for help?” At this time, Shion suddenly proposed so. Benimaru and I first looked at each other, and then began to stare at Shion. "Yes, I guess not.” "No, this kind of thing...” "In that case, should we call Mr. Masayuki?” It can't be done—I was just about to say that when Shion interrupted and she said a name. Masayuki. When I heard that name, I was struck by thunder. "That's it!” "You're great, Shion!"

I yelled at the same time as Benimaru. It was at this moment that the military chief of the Legion of the Righteous and Brave decided that it was Masayuki.

We didn't make this personnel decision with my consent, but it was a fantastic decision that everyone agreed with. Only Masayuki himself disagreed. "Why me......” When I told Masayuki about it, he was very distressed. But it's something that can't be helped. Sad as it is, this is war. It has nothing to do with my will. Although it was completely unexpected, I couldn't care less about Masayuki's feelings. Because if we give it to Masayuki, even if we do nothing, there seems to be a happy ending. At times like these, he's a very reliable companion. "I'm already very good at controlling my own unique skill, ‘Chosen One'. And it won't be like the old days of being complimented on whatever you do. But I can't even use it this time, so don't expect too much.” As such, I am fortunate to be doing the dying struggle and attempting to escape, but I know that none of that is true. Because, fortunately, he is still as popular as ever and still has a huge impact today. "You want to show Kenya and the others how handsome you are, don't you?” "Wuh, this..." If he is willing to take the job and instill strange knowledge in the little children and respect them, I will turn a blind eye to it. "No problem, you can do it!” “But......” "What else. Didn't I help you when you faced off against Gozu?” It was fortunate that they had broken through to the fiftieth level. At that time, in order to weaken Floor Guardian Gozu, I had to secretly use fake magic bodies to help. "Thanks to you for this..." "In that case, you know what to do, don't you?” “Yes..." I threatened and cajoled, tried to pacify him, and finally the bargain stood.

"I got it. Mr. Rimuru has taken good care of me, and I would like to take this time to repay your great kindness...” Although he was reluctant to do so, Masayuki was willing to serve as the military chief. The volunteers were okay with that. Don't say it's an opinion, they even say "Great! "We're going to win this one! The culture of winning before the battle begins to spread. No matter how heavy Masayuki's expression was, the matter was now settled. "So it's come to this...” He just said that he was already very capable of controlling the unique skill "Chosen One", what exactly is it... Sure enough, just like I thought, Masayuki's claim that he's already good at using that skill is simply a lie. Or does it have nothing to do with skill at all, because Masayuki's super fortune is at work? That would have surprised me even more. As for Leon, he just happens to be the opposite of Masayuki, no matter what he does, he will be interpreted in a bad direction. I heard that he used to be like this when he was still a hero, so maybe it's not that simple to change everyone's innate temperament. "Geez, come on. It's not good for me to decide, but you have to be a spiritual symbol to inspire people!" All in all, I console Masayuki with these words. In this way, in the name of "the hero", the 20,000 men of the Volunteer Corps will follow the command of Masayuki.

The organizational chart was amended so that the right wing became 52,000 and the left wing wrote 50,000. The top commander is Benimaru. At the bottom, the heads of the various regiments are lined up. This large army totaled more than 100,000, but I still wasn't sure it could stand up to the Imperial Army. But we don't need to panic. Because all the preparations are being done. There are reserves—150,000 troops in the West. Countries also seem to be preparing reinforcements, with members from the Order of Knights they have. And to organize the Western coalition as the last and ultimate line of defense. I'm afraid the total number is no less than 200,000, if anything, it should be relied upon. With mercenaries, there is also support from various countries.

It all adds up to about the same number, should we say that it's more or less... It seems that Testarossa has threatened everyone at the Council and because of that, everyone is willing to assist. In any case, if we are defeated in the war, they will suffer next, so they have to help. But to mobilize this army, that too will have to wait until we are likely to lose this war. To say which part benefits us, it is that we have the advantage. Then there's the fact that we have Veldora on our side, plus the ability to expect assistance from the two demon lords, Ruminas and Leon. Even Milim has promised to help us out. Carrion's Beast Kingdom Warrior Regiment was ready to send troops at any time. There is also the killer weapon that belongs to me personally, the Black Legion under Diablo at the ready. Since I've handed over the entire command of the army to Benimaru, it's honestly possible to think that I don't have an army that I can use directly—which at first glance may seem true, but it's not. Only this black legion, they obeyed Diablo, and his subordinates, the three demon girls. This legion is not under the command of Benimaru and operates completely independently. That's all we have at the moment in terms of war power. As for how Yuuki will act, this element is not accounted for. "There's going to be a war.” Staying in my room, I muttered something in a small voice. Is it really the purpose of the Empire to annex the Western powers? Guy once mentioned the word "game". He seemed to have some sort of entanglement with the Imperial side, and it always seemed like there was some sort of dangerous attempt on the Imperial side as well. But, even if that's the case... "Whoever comes, if they intend to strike at our paradise, then I will beat the hell out of them.” That's the truth of my heart. I don't want to make the same mistake again. Because I am a demon lord. How to prioritize cannot be misjudged.

At the same time.

The place came to the Eastern Empire. Rimuru and the others were preparing for war, just like them—no, the empire took longer, so long that the two were simply incomparable. They prepare carefully and literally. Ready to make a big push. In a little while, the Empire will awaken from its long sleep. There's only a few moments left before they launch a fierce attack... Intermission: The Inside Story of the Eastern Empire The Eastern Empire. It was one of the oldest countries. Its official name was the United Eastern Empire of Nazca-Namlium-Ulmeria. There is a long history, and it is said that a state was in operation two thousand years ago, and that became the foundation of the present empire. It took a long time for what was originally a small Nasca Kingdom to absorb and annex what was originally a large country, the Magic Kingdom of Namlius, and the Eastern Union of Ulmeria, to give birth to the empire it is today. Set against a backdrop of overwhelming military power. In these two thousand years... In the name of the unified Emperor Rudra Naam Ulu Nasca. The empire did not allow the countries they annexed to rebel and held extremely powerful power. To be the absolute ruler, to rule these countries completely. This is the United Eastern Empire of Nazca-Namlium-Ulmeria, commonly known as the "Eastern Empire" —the above is the actual state of this country. It is said that the emperor promotes hegemonism. The current emperor, who also bears the name "Rudra", is a descendant of a tyrant with a pure bloodline. Regardless of the actual situation, the emperor's preference for absolute power—as it should be. Thus the core philosophy of military units is that "strength is everything", in a special form, where one can stand out if one has strength. Rumors were circulating among the subjects of the Empire.

There is only one reason to say that the Empire did not invade across the Great Forest of Jura. That is—it's not ready. About three hundred and fifty years ago, they tried to get the "Storm Dragon" Veldora to do their bidding and failed, and one of the metropolises was wiped out. If the fickle dragon is accidentally offended, there is no room for regret, and the same fate is met directly with this city. The victim city was the largest at the time, with a population of 100,000, and was a fortress city immediately east of the Great Forest of Jura. In order to attack the Great Forest of Jura, it took them a hundred years to build this front city. Using this city as a military stronghold, the empire would be able to expand further by breaking through that forest. Driven by this ambition, the military units of the time began to draw up operational plans. To get through this Great Forest of Jura. That was the Empire's sad wish for a hundred years. They were already a bountiful nation and wanted to expand their territory for one purpose only. That's how the Emperor wanted it. For no other reason than that, all the subjects have no complaints. The drawing is well underway, and the imperial-trained army is building up its strength and preparing to make a splash. Immediately afterwards, they issued orders in the name of the Emperor to prepare for an invasion campaign. But a certain troop leader came up with a foolish idea that made all the battle plans fall apart. ‘Since it is all going out, let us let the lord of the great forest of Jura do as he commands. It's just a giant lizard, anyway, not big enough to be our enemy’ —because of this overly stupid idea, it lead them to destruction. As for what they once did, it didn't actually pass down to posterity. This is because the people responsible for keeping the documents, the places where they were kept, all went down in flames together. The empire's sad wish, the emperor's ambition, just went up in smoke. And then time flew by and came to the present. The Empire had been quietly nurturing its strength. For the injuries suffered by Veldora have healed. However, the emperor never approved the launching of the invasion campaign.

Forbidding any act of aggression against the Great Forest of Jura, after three hundred and fifty years, they had once again built up a force that had been waiting for the right moment for them to play well. So, next came the political system of the empire. Within the Empire, the political and military branches were the Emperor's right and left hands. Both parts, political dominance and military command, were in the hands of the emperor himself. That's a lot of power. In the political branch, the Imperial nobility organized the House of Peers and enjoyed great power. But that is only what is seen on the surface and does not in fact give those nobles any decision making power. The only thing that is good for you is your reputation and your rights, and you are at best a bureaucrat at the will of the Emperor. These nobles were hereditary and did not need a vote to become members of parliament. Even if they have lofty ambitions in their hearts, they can't gain enough power to realize their dreams. All the territory of the empire went to the emperor. Just lend these to the nobles and let them manage those lands. Those who support these nobles are official men of high learning. It was also these officials who were responsible for setting up all kinds of projects, and they were backed by the Emperor. These officials therefore swore allegiance to the Emperor. The same goes for the military. Military command—this supreme power of decision is not vested in the State, but in the Emperor. All the military power of the Empire belonged to the Emperor. Some of the local metropolises that were annexed by the Empire and are now part of it are in the same situation. All the territories were to be surrendered, as if they were leased from the Emperor. The defensive forces guarding there were no exception, armies lent to them by the Emperor's grace. Such a policy has worked, shutting down any potential rebellion everywhere. What makes this possible is the difference in national strength. The Empire accepted the surrender of other nations, but that was tantamount to agreeing to surrender all rights. If they feel unconvinced and want to disobey, they will be cleansed in blood. This is to prevent people from thinking that way again and to eradicate it completely. In this way, the Empire was able to maintain order. Overwhelming force creates fear and gives the submissive a security of life—a means of grace and power. It is only through thorough management in this regard that the Empire will always be able to maintain peace and quiet.

A state of this magnitude ruled by only one man would not be possible under normal circumstances. Not only that, but in these two thousand years of long history, the dominance of the emperor has never wavered. Even with the change of generations, the emperor's power still hasn't faded. It's weird from either perspective. If this was all the work of the emperor, then the emperor should not be human either. Next, look at the military power of the Empire. That said, the military organization of the Empire can be roughly divided into three main legions. Mecha Corps (Armored Corps)—The main force of the Mecha Corps is the Mecha Technicians, which have been adjusted. The possession of military weapons, such as chariots, is a modernized armed force and a technological symbol of the Empire. Legion of Warcraft (Magic Beast Corps)—The Empire has captured all kinds of warcraft from all over the world, within their territories, and from other places. This legion would dominate those magical beasts and use their power, a symbol of the Empire's power. Hybrid legions (Mixed Corps)—consisting of out-of-spec mechs, or berserk beasts that don't fit in, sort of garbage camps. This legion is too focused on individuality for group action. But their power is unknown, and together they have the potential to pose a huge threat. This is the spiritual symbol of the Empire. However, that "heart" is currently immature. Unlike the Western powers, which focus on sword and magic, the Empire believes that it is up to them to usher in a new era with magic and science. Behind the development of the Empire's military power is a close relationship with the Otherworldly Visitors. There is another world of knowledge that this world doesn't have, and someone has taken to that. The man was a great wizard from a long time ago who lived in the palace—his name was Gedora. Contrary to his pale appearance, this man is full of energy. Eager to soak up all the knowledge, not just limited to magic, he also enjoys hearing things from people coming over from the other world. So he knew that in the other world there were also many countries, not unlike the world on this side, where the inhabitants spoke different languages, but overcame the barriers of dissident thought and were able to coexist. Also know that there is no magic in that world, civilization is highly developed, and the type is different from this world.

Gedora lived for a long time. Once his life is coming to an end, he repeats the reincarnation through a mystical ritual of his own creation, the mystical mystery of reincarnation. It is because Gedora has the ability to observe "otherworldly visitors" over the years. Gedora's knowledge is vast, and he also speaks a variety of otherworldly languages. In addition to that, if an "otherworldly visitor" came to this world, he would definitely send someone to bring the other person under his own protection. It wasn't just magical beasts that were collected from all over the world. Gedora also argued against the utility of "otherworldly visitors" to the emperor, who, with the emperor's approval, could do as they pleased. Some people have special abilities, others are knowledgeable. The "otherworldly visitors" who come to the Empire are treated with favorable treatment and are overwhelmingly numerous compared to other countries. Thus inundating the Empire with their culture and identity. Of course, the Empire has also recruited many people with exclusive skills, and they are doing ongoing research. From this point of view, the military technology of the Empire has advanced to a point where it is beyond the reach of many countries. Within the Empire, they have abolished the profession of knight. The concept of fighting by riding horses has long since faded and established a tactic based on modernized weaponry. Soldiers who mechanize their own flesh are called "mechs" and are the spiritual symbols in the Empire when they fight. The Empire's main mech armor corps showcases this in full. On top of that, the Warcraft Legion also lives on with knowledge from another world. DNA - Deoxyribonucleic acid - is a biological polymer that governs the genetic information of an organism. All of this knowledge comes from "otherworldly visitors" and allows the Empire to analyze the power of magical beasts. Further research is no exception... As for the Hybrid Legion, there are many powerful "otherworldly visitors" in it. Everyone's unique skills had been awakened, and that fighting power should not be underestimated. Just like that, in addition to technology from another world, there are special abilities. By drawing on these elements, the empire can create legions that are as powerful as they are powerful. Because Gedora's enthusiasm was what made the Imperial Army stronger, and even that wasn't too much to say. Unlike the three main legions cultivated by Gedora, there was another group responsible for protecting the Emperor. This group was at most the size of a squadron, with only a hundred members, and was called the Imperial Emperor's Order of the Near Guard. The "knight" has been abolished, but they are calling it that.

That leaves only one form, as old as it is—the ignorant would probably think so. Yet this is not in fact the case. This is because the Near Guard Knights in the Imperial Emperor's Order of the Near Guard are all selected from the top of the various legions. There is no shortage of "otherworldly visitors" among them. This is the best proof that the Empire does not treat one person differently just because they are who they are, faithful to the Empire's idea that "power means everything". These people did not benefit from the pedigree and power of the ancient empire and fought for that throne purely by strength. This Imperial Emperor's Order of Near Guard Knights were all endowed with legendary level equipment to prove that they were the strongest candidates. The most powerful masters are equipped with the best weapons and defenses, complementing each other to create an unbeatable effect. Together, these people's fighting abilities even surpassed the various legions. They are also guaranteed top-notch treatment. Each is a superior general with at least the rank of major when it comes to special missions. They were the vision of the Imperial soldiers, the Empire's most powerful fighting force—that was the Imperial Emperor's Order of the Near Guard. As mentioned above, there are four fighting groups within the Empire. As the commander of such a legion, one must show strength to bring others to their knees. It must be recognized by all as the strongest in the Empire. So, how do you prove it? That part is decided by a battle of the rank and file within the Legion. In the presence of an objective third person, this system allows the inferior to challenge the superior, that is, it allows the inferior to commit an offense, so that the ranking is constantly changing. Of course, there are several conditions that must be met in order for a ranking battle to take place. It cannot be held in military operations and is invalid without witnesses. Not only that, but if you are defeated in a challenge, you have to wait a year for the right to challenge next time. The same is true of killing an opponent who is facing off against himself. Since those in power have the right to kill the challenger, the exercise of the right to challenge requires careful thought. It takes an overwhelming amount of power to get an opponent to submit. This is the system of "power for all", which is really very imperial.

Even so, those who wanted to become a kamikaze still went on and on, presumably because the idea of the empire had already taken root in everyone's hearts. The high ranking within the empire is clearly determined in this way, but Gedora is not in it. His stance was peculiar and seemed foreign to the Empire. Not counting Gedora, the members of the Imperial Emperor's Order of Near Guards were selected from among the others, and the heads of the various legions were chosen. If there is a need for a replacement, they will also choose from the top 100. For those who want to move up the ladder, they give the opportunity equally. Therefore, those who are truly powerful will not be buried, everyone is honing their strengths and waiting to excel. In this way, the Empire elects one "marshal" and three "generals" at the top. Adding, by the way, that the person at the top is automatically chosen to be a marshal. Instead, they would name the right person to be the "Grand Admiral" only after the Emperor, Marshal, and Gedora had agreed. The reason is simple, and that is that being strong alone does not make a good soldier. All in all, those who remained in the various legions were weaker than the near-guard knights, and the 'Grand Admirals' who became army chiefs were certainly the most powerful masters in the various legions. It is in this way that the chiefs of the various legions are determined. These four men represent the most powerful people in the Empire to the outside world. The marshal and the three brigadier generals will all receive equipment commensurate with their status. Since the Imperial Emperor's Near Guard Knights would obtain legendary level equipment, the equipment bestowed on these four people would be better than them. Those outfits were all secret treasures of the Empire. In ancient times, it was the most powerful weapon used to suppress other countries—a mythical weapon. This mythical equipment even makes people wonder if it really exists, and having several mythical equipment is just the thing to show the prestige of the empire. The average human with only flesh and blood has no chance to touch these extreme equipment. Those who want to use those gear must be eligible. It's getting recognition for those gear that can be of real value. Top-notch strength paired with extreme weaponry. It's the reason why the empire is standing. And then... Such empires appear mutinous. Decades apart, the army chiefs change.

That man also made arrogant achievements, the mixed legion was originally a scattered mess, that man made them a powerful centripetal force. Less than a year after joining the army, progress has been unprecedented and unprecedented. Defeating warriors who have been through a hundred battles and have not lost at all. A teenager had climbed to one of the tops. His name is Yuuki Kagurazaka. Things take a more drastic turn because of Yuuki's rise to power. Chapter 3: Visitors from the Empire In a luxurious room, three people stood with a nervous face. They stood upright and awaited the arrival of the owner of this room. The owner of the room is Yuuki, the man who came to the Empire and became a military commander in an instant. In the eyes of these few people, that sort of thing is no surprise. This is because Yuuki is dominant over the few of them. He is also the General Manager of the secret association "The Big Three (Cerburus)”. "Hey, I've kept you waiting! You can actually sit and wait." With a side of his mouth, Yuuki entered the room. At the rear followed Kagali, who looked like a secretary.

"No, no, no, Yuuki-sama. We are your faithful ministers, so don't worry about us.” One of the men responded in place of everyone else. He is one of the chiefs of the secret association of the "Cerburus", Damrada of "Wealth". It looks suspicious and makes one wonder. The other two, one of whom is Misha, who represents “Woman”. It looks both like a teenage girl and a mature woman. It's the beauty that exudes eerie charm. The last man was a man who symbolized "Power" and was named Vega. Possessing a flesh as even and strong as a carnivorous beast, the sense of oppression emanating from it seemed as if it would shoot anyone he saw to death. These three figures are several of the chiefs of the "Big Three". The three men first bowed to Yuuki and then took their seats. "Congratulations on your assumption of command." "Lord Yuuki even escaped from the demon lord's men, that's for sure.” "Well, if it were up to me, running the legion would be a piece of cake.” Both Damrada and Misha showed up to congratulate, and in the end it was only Vega who looked disgruntled. But Yuuki didn't mind. Indeed, you should be able to climb the top 100 if it's you. But after that, there was no way out. It's impossible to be a military chief because you can't be expected to show command. He only smiled bitterly in his heart. "But then again, it was thanks to Damrada that I was introduced to Master Gedora.” Yuuki said these words in an attempt to change the subject, and Damrada responded with a smile. "What do you mean by that? We have come this far thanks to the fact that we had anticipated such things and made arrangements in advance. I just introduced the 'visitor' prepared by Yuuki-sama to Master Gedora, and did not do something so praiseworthy.” "Hahahaha, Damrada's as stubborn as ever. In fact, you could have just acted happy." "That won't do. Letting people hold onto excess expectations is also a nuisance for me.” "Haha, what a joke." Yuuki and Damrada looked at each other and the two smiled. The reason why we can have a common heart is because we have confidence in each other's strength. After the two men laughed together for a while, Yuuki cut to the chase. "Then, Kagali, please explain the movement of the Demon Lord Rimuru.”

"Yes, Yuuki-sama. The demon lord Rimuru is now..." Following Yuuki's orders, Kagali began to report. Her sources of information came from Freedom Association members who stayed in the West. Most of the people who used to be Yuuki's henchmen had fled, using this as a baffle, and they left a few spies behind. Kagali explained succinctly and forcefully in a clear, lucid voice. She said that the Western nations were completely dominated by Rimuru. It is also said that the other side organizes legions of such size that they are fearsome and used to guard against imperial aggression. On top of that, there are sometimes incredible phenomena to be seen in the capital "Rimuru" —and so on. "So, there's a town along the Ameld River for people to stay, and he's going to use it as a military stronghold, isn't he? That's right, if you want to extend the defense line to your home country, you'll have to do it.” "Yes. Nearly 20,000 soldiers were already stationed at that location. It seems that even the transporting of supplies is facilitated by things like the Magic Train, and I've heard that there is enough food to fight a lasting war.” "That's great. In that case, it shouldn't be that easy for the Imperial side to win.” "Yeah. That country imported enough food from the Kingdom of Farmenas to feed a population of over millions. The power of the country is no longer comparable to what it was a year ago, and maybe they alone can fight the Empire. Not only that, but even the Western States Council was in the hands of the demon lord Rimuru. If he brings together all the war power of the West, it must be very considerable.” "That's hard to say. Mr. Rimuru intends to make himself utterly cruel, but by his very nature it is easy to be soft. If he intends to fight with numbers, it will only increase the number of casualties, so he probably intends to drive out the Empire with the elite forces at home, right?” "How is this possible...” "At least he's the one who became the demon lord, so he shouldn't have done such a stupid thing...” Although both Kagali and Damrada denied it, Yuuki's thoughts remained unchanged. That man is really naive and inexplicably powerful and might manage to do something about it... Though he thought so, Yuuki didn't put those words out, and he asked Kagali to continue. "I'm sorry. I’ll continue to report.” After an apology, Kagali then resumed her report. "More than 50,000 soldiers are waiting in the capital 'Rimuru', and reinforcements are arriving from the old Eurazania side. The estimated total strength should be over 100,000.”

"That sounds great, but the Empire still has the advantage.” "Yes, after all, there's a huge difference in numbers. The army on the Imperial side numbered over a million, and even the soldiers at the far end had had bizarre makeovers. Even the miscellaneous soldiers were at least C-rated in strength, plus they had a lot of strange armor. Seriously, demon lord Rimuru and the others are no match for the Empire at all.” Kagali really thought so. Having an army of 100,000 is indeed powerful. These soldiers are highly trained and their morale is high. The scale of this is, by definition, very commendable. However, it was dwarfed by the entire Imperial Army. In the past, when she was still a demon lord, Kagali created a very confident work, the defensive structure of the Monster City stronghold, but she was defeated by a large number of Imperial troops. The disparity between the two is such that it makes no sense to have an army of only 100,000 people at most. However, Yuuki has a different view. "Your comments will be used as a reference, go ahead and report." "Then I'll take it up with the country's technical skills..." Kagali reported on faintly. She mentioned that very rare new products were suddenly on sale within the Jura Tempest Federation. There are props that make life more convenient, and there are high performance premium gear. The uses are varied, but everything is practical. Of course, many people want to sign exclusive contracts with the developers of these goods. Yet, no matter how hard those merchants try to find the source of the manufactured goods, it all still seems like a fog. The "Magic Train" mentioned earlier is one of them, and that country, like the Empire, seems to be experiencing a new wave of technological innovation. Only unfortunately, they seem to have completely prevented classified information from being leaked. There's no way to find the source by the strength of the guild members alone. I”'m afraid it's being developed somewhere in the country. This can be determined, but it is not known where the location is.” Kagali was also chagrined, but the other party was the Demon Lord Rimuru, so it was always impossible for her to step up. Other than that, it would have been ruined if it had been suspected, so they couldn't force it on their hands either. At this time, something suddenly occurred to Kagali.

"Come to think of it, maybe they're developing new weapons, too. With that possibility in mind, perhaps we need to keep our vigilance higher and not just target the number of soldiers we see in front of us.” Hearing that, Yuuki smiled. "You did notice. That's it. It was surprising to know that the Empire had been developing chariots, but Mr. Rimuru had also managed to develop the Magic Train. Scientific weapons are not the preserve of the Empire, and one cannot go expecting them to have an advantage on that.” The Empire is not the only one with technology from another world. Rimuru also has the memory of still being an "Otherworldly Visitor" in the past and wonders what kind of weapon he will develop. If they were facing an ordinary country, the other side must have been terrified in the face of such an unknown war power. Even if the other side has an "otherworldly visitor", in such a case, the other side will be desperate because of the relevant knowledge. The difference in fighting power between the two sides is clear and they will find themselves with no chance of winning. Yet the opponent also possesses a high level of skill and can develop the exact same thing. They were immediately able to formulate countermeasures that would crush the so-called advantage. Instead, it should be said that if someone is overconfident in such a dominant force, the rapidly changing situation may overwhelm them and leave them behind. Yuuki has seen this already, so it's not unlikely that they will win at Rimuru. At this point Vega interjected. "Boring! Just beat the crap out of them. If you're worried, wipe them out! That way everything is settled.” Whether it's weapons or armies, get rid of them all if they get in the way—Vega confidently declares. It was a headache for Yuuki to hear the other person say something like that without understanding the context. This guy has a lot of power, but a bad head—or should I say no head at all... If he had been a little smarter, he himself could have handed over more useful positions to him, Yuuki sighed in his heart. "Then I'll leave it to you. Don't misjudge the situation.” With that vague phrase, Yuuki told Vega to shut up. However, Vega’s words were not without merit. Yuuki was lost in thought and thought, ‘After all...’ In this world, quality is more important than quantity. No matter how large a military force was gathered, it was no match for the demon lord Guy. As you can see from such examples, the power of individual warfare should never be taken lightly.

In order to achieve strategic goals, it is crucial to see how strong the opponent is—such intelligence warfare. To achieve this, it would be quicker to send someone of some strength to try in the past. Not only that, it is one of the means that should be used, as is rarely the case, to give up when the fight is not won. If several combatants are allowed to attack at the same time, it is possible for them to achieve strategic objectives, no matter how strong the individual strength of the opponent. In other words, there is no point in looking at integrated warfare capabilities alone, and it is more important to have a strategic approach to what forces are at hand and how they can be used effectively. From this point of view, the Jura Tempest Federation is a very tricky enemy. It wasn't just Demon Lord Rimuru that posed a threat. In that country, there were several monsters that were exceptionally powerful. For example, the four heavenly kings heard from the people's mouths—Benimaru, Diablo, Shion, and Gobta. The mere presence of these men was like mobilizing four tactical units, and simply defeating them would become a high task. It's not just a matter of technical prowess. There's a lot of tricky talent in that place, and I don't think it's going to work no matter how many people are gathered to deal with them. So thinking of it another way, surrendering to the demon lord is the right thing to do. As far as Yuuki knew, he knew a few people who were better than Gobta. That is, at the very least, there are others who are comparable to the Four Heavenly Kings. "There is nothing more difficult than those monsters, who are comparable to saints or demon lords.” Damrada's opinion seemed to echo Yuuki's, words mumbling out of his mouth. "That's right, there aren't just the four heavenly kings in that country, there's also monsters like Geld or Gabil. Why there are so many Demon Lord level people gathered there makes it a little hard to understand.” Yuuki felt that the more he thought about it, the more wrong he was. Those people were strong enough to rival Clayman, and there were quite a few of those under the demon lord that was Rimuru. People who know these things can't even help but complain, saying "what a joke". "Fortunately, we're not at odds with the Demon Lord Rimuru." The other three nodded silently, except for Vega, who heard Yuuki say the words softly. At the moment Yuuki and the others were surrendering to him because of the pact they had made with demon lord Guy. In other words, to fight against Yuuki is to fight against demon lord Guy. Since Yuuki and the others weren't going to make a move on Rimuru, it could be said that the two sides were in a truce for now. Count Yuuki lucky, he intends to make the most of this situation.

Even if one day they would have to deal with each other, that would have to wait until they made up for the losses they suffered in the West. In this way, Yuuki switches moods and brings the topic back on track. "So is your report over?" He turned to face Kagali and asked. Faced with this question, Kagali seemed to remember something, adding. "The people down there don't seem to have detailed military intelligence, and the ones that are more accurate are the ones just now. Only, there is one thing that intrigues people.” "What is it?” "In the capital, Rimuru, there are activities called disaster prevention training, and later, evacuation training.” The training done so far has been very specific, such as escaping into a solid building, or being trained to put out a fire in a building that is on fire. This time, however, the evacuation training was a bit confusing—a quick escape through four doors into the town. "You mean run into town?" "Right. The investigators were puzzled, so they split up.” "Inside and out?" "That's it. As a result, they saw an incredible phenomena, like they were dreaming..." "Seeing the unthinkable?” "That's right, Misha. Making something incredible happen, a full ten minutes passed after the broadcast ended and the vast town suddenly disappeared. And then there's only one door left over there.” The investigator who had remained outside reported to her that, in addition to the door, there were several more vigilantes left there to bring those who had not escaped before they could make their way to the cave. After making sure that none of them remained on the scene, the investigator made up his mind to go in the door. It was later discovered that there seemed to be a maze built with stones inside. Panicked investigators were able to escape to the outside, which means people should be able to come and go freely. "Maybe that's the underground maze...” "Do you have a plan, Yuuki-sama?” "Right. As you know, Kagali, that town has a tourist facility called the Underground Maze, right?” "Yes, there are magical creatures lingering inside, and adventurers challenging inside, right?" "I think that's it. I heard that there is a city underneath that underground labyrinth...

"There's a city in the underground maze?” A disbelieving Damrada asked each other back, but both Yuuki and Kagali responded in earnest. It's hard for the uninformed to explain, they can only say that it's all true. "Exactly. It would be unthinkable to go on with the usual ideals, but it is possible that Mr. Rimuru could do it. After all, that labyrinth has a total of one hundred floors underground, and I've heard that there's still Veldora guarding there.” “...is all this true?" "Of course. These words were spoken by Veldora himself.” After hearing Yuuki's words, Damrada was speechless. With a sympathetic look at such a Damrada, Kagali opened her mouth next. "No, it makes sense to think in that direction. There should be an important facility in that city, a base for technology development, right?” "Oh, so it is. It's a possibility, no, it makes sense to think that way.” Yuuki felt more than surprised when he thought about it. Although the idea was only speculation, he felt that he was not far off. If it was possible for Rimuru to make these things come true, he was so sure. "But what will become of the war?” "Well, even I don't know about that. I didn't think I would be able to play a decent hitting style against such an opponent, but didn't expect him to play urban defense that way. The Imperial Army would be surprised by that too.” Yuuki had always believed unilaterally that it was impossible for Rimuru to fight a duel in the country. Because he won't let the townspeople get hurt. However, if the town defends perfectly... It looks like the tactics envisioned for possible use must be revisited. "Does that mean that fighting people in a hotel town is just a way to see what happens, but the real focus is on the capital? If the Imperial Army ignores that door and passes directly in front of it, then the other party may snipe from behind.” "So that's how it is, with the Western allies, we can still contain the enemy." "First, send the vanguard forces to test the Imperial Army's combat capabilities and analyze them. Afterwards, while the Western allies fight the Imperial Army in a war of attrition, they can slowly figure out how to cope.” "That's a terrible thought. It's worthy of the Demon Lord."

After understanding Yuuki's thoughts, Kagali, Damrada, and Misha all had a surprised look on their faces. They knew that Demon Lord Rimuru was not something that could be handled by sending ordinary combatants, but they hadn't expected to be so powerful as to go this far. The mere thought of being hostile to each other in the future makes one's head go up in smoke. Because of this, Yuuki and the rest of them were looking forward to what the Imperial Army's showdown with the Demon Lord Rimuru would end up as.

"Then, Yuuki-sama. How do you plan to act in the future?” Finding the right time, Misha raised questions. Misha they also knew that Yuuki had lost to demon lord Guy. They followed Yuuki knowing that, but they couldn't see what Yuuki really thought. It would have been nice if Rimuru had let the Empire suffer, but they didn't want an accidental burial. The gang can't help but think so. Yuuki didn't take the deal with Guy seriously enough to work for the Empire. However, he became a military commander, which made people suspicious, fearing that he would become a cocoon and tie himself up. For the "Big Three", it is indeed attractive for the top military subordinates to side with them, but on the other hand, there is a risk of being implicated by the military. To eat each other up, or to be devoured? Get it wrong and by then they are waiting to perish. Misha would ask that because she was worried about it, and of course, Yuuki knew it well. "Don't worry. If Mr. Rimuru is approaching us, it will be just right for us. To achieve our ideals, empires get in the way, don't they? Not just because demon lord wants us to do that, but to bring down the Empire one day anyway. As I become the army chief, I will be able to control the point in time that allows the Empire to be destroyed. Just think of it this way.” Now that Yuuki had become one of the three generals of the Empire, it could be said that the inside information of the Imperial Army was all within reach. As long as one knows the military strategy of the Empire, one knows how to adjust the footwork to match. It will be possible to predict the timing of military operations, the size of the army, and even to know precisely when the imperial defense network will weaken. If the Western countries resist fiercely, the empire will have to devote a corresponding amount of war effort. In this way, no matter how tight the defense is, there will always be a breach, Yuuki thought so. "We'll kill him before he knows it!” With a hard slap on the table, Yuuki so declared. As for the others in their seats, they were all excited by the meaning of the words.

"A coup d’état?" "Ah, it's unbearable. That's how you look Yuuki-sama.” "Hey hey, that sounds like fun. Even if it's an empire or a demon lord, so what, watch me beat the shit out of them!” It always felt like Vega was overexcited, but Yuuki didn't take it to heart. He listened and began to cut to the chase. "Anyway, that's the end of it. The pact made with Guy was also to disrupt the empire and must be kept. I'll also disturb the West in passing, but on that point, the other side has no reason to complain.” Speaking of which, Yuuki smiled smugly. Guy did not deliberately ask that he not be allowed to take on the West. In other words, whatever Yuuki wants to do is his freedom. "You want the Empire to compete with the West and get rid of the head of the Empire...?" "The idea is as vicious as ever.” "You can't say that. An idea like that could come to anyone's mind." Even if one could think of it, no one would want to put it into practice. No, maybe someone really wants to put it into practice, but no one is that capable of making it happen. Yuuki is a special case. "I also put out all sorts of messages to Master Gedora. The old grandfather was fond of new things and had flexible ideas, but didn't know why he hated the Western powers so much. His hatred is so strong that it's not too much to say that it's the product of that hatred that he has developed all kinds of weapons for the Empire.” "Indeed, it's a very famous thing, even I know about it.” "Right? He would have seen the Demon Lord Rimuru as a threat, thinking that the other side would thwart the ambitions of the Empire. He must have struck, to see how dangerous the other party was.” “...So, how will things go?" "Master Gedora has great influence over the Imperial Army, but in reality has no authority whatsoever. This is because, that old grandfather is only interested in revenge. So that said, if we are cleverly induced, we should be able to get Master Gedora to take on the demon lord Rimuru.” At the same time, he also wanted the other party to make sure to spy on the intelligence of the underground maze. Yuuki is playing this game as he sees fit. "In that case, apart from finding trouble with Demon Lord Rimuru, it will also make the Imperial Army weaker, won't it?” "That's it!” At this time Yuuki nodded satisfactorily towards Damrada.

Yuuki wasn't about to take on Rimuru himself, and he was happy to welcome others to go over and challenge him without permission. It is because of this that many despicable schemes have been devised. Yuuki further revealed his thoughts. "It seems to me that there are three people in the Empire who need to be put on guard. One of those people is Master Gedora.” Gedora is the Great Wizard, and the Wizard of Eternal Life. Everyone was afraid of him, thinking that he was a strange man who knew the inner workings of the Empire, and that the last great invasion-the Empire had fought the "Storm Dragon" Veldora, when he had also survived as a heroic figure. "So, who are the other two?" Kagali stood behind Yuuki and asked with interest, at which point Yuuki gave a somewhat chagrined expression. "The fact that I don't have their true identity yet makes it tricky for sure.” Even using the intelligence network that Yuuki had, there was still no way to find out the true identity of those people. Just by hearing that, one should know how difficult the other party is. "Could it be that the Imperial Emperor's Knights of the Near Guard are among the top ranked?" Misha seemed to have some idea too, she said so. Faced with this question, Yuuki nodded ambiguously. Rumors circulate within the Legion that the knight who is the "Double 0 number" is more powerful than the army chief. Yuuki had felt it firsthand and knew it wasn't hearsay. Despite climbing to the rank of army chief, Yuuki's ranking is "ten digits". Even if it's a rowdy battle, there's no point in not knowing who your opponent is. In order to become a "single digit" one must apply with the Emperor, race in front of him and win. Only those who are actually very much expected to acquire this right know about it. "It's just my guess, but I should be able to beat 'single digits'. But I didn't want to release the killer in front of the enemy, so I didn't apply with the Emperor.” That said, Yuuki was chosen as the army chief, but that was because he was lucky enough to have Master Gedora backing him up. "However, if we haven't really fought each other, I don't know if the boss is better than those people. In that case, doesn't the tricky part become—how shall I put it? That would make it more than just nine people, wouldn't it?” At this point, Vega hits the nail on the head. Apart from being a bit surprised by this, Yuuki agrees.

"Well, that's true. Maybe there's a tricky guy among these nine people. Still, there's no way to go on guard. You haven't seen your opponent, have you? I was talking about the people who are in the open.” "What do you mean?" That question came from Damrada. "I'm talking about Tatsuya Kondo, the head of Imperial Intelligence." "So it is. Indeed, that man is too much to touch.” "It's strange to know his name and what he looks like, but not to know the truth.” From Tatsuya Kondo, who is also known by this name as the "Otherworldly Visitor", he is unable to gather further personal information. There are even rumors that Kondo Tatsuya is a "weirdo who feeds on information". His rank was that of lieutenant, but even the chiefs of the various regiments had no right to order him. This means that there is also an Imperial Intelligence Service in existence, of a higher status than the military organization. "I mean, this is weird, right? Personally, I think that guy is one of the 'single digits' as well." “...so it is.” "I hear you say that, it's possible." Damrada felt quite the same way as Kagali. Misha also looked puzzled, but she didn't seem to mind. "And who is the other one left?" It was only Vega who showed a lack of interest, asking this as if he was urging Yuuki to finish his sentence. "Hahahaha, you're a real hothead. The first thing about Tatsuya Kondo is to go and meet him for a while. I will look for opportunities to request an interview. Next, about the remaining one, I'm not really sure.” "What did you say? What does that mean?” "You calm down, Vega.” "Whoa, whoa, whoa. I'm sorry." Emotionally overwrought, Vega accidentally mouths off, Yuuki warns slightly. His tone was even mild, but Vega, who had been reminded of it, was nervous to the point of cold sweat. At this very moment, the difference between his "status" and Yuuki's was already real. "The one left is the man with the Emperor. Even if one stayed behind the curtain used by the Emperor's imperial court, one could still feel him, exuding a very powerful sense of presence.”

“...?” No one but Yuuki had even noticed the existence of such a person. Just looking at that alone shows how dangerous that figure is. “—There is such a person? This kind of thing has never even been heard of..." At this point, Dhamrad seemed to speak everyone's mind. "You're right. Although he exuded a very strong sense of presence, people didn't realize there was such a person. That means he's very good.” The words of Yuuki sent everyone into silence. "Is there really this guy? My side didn't get any rumors about that guy either.” "On the other hand, if Yuuki-sama hadn't brought this up, I don't think anyone would have believed it." “......” For the minions who were still a bit skeptical, Yuuki smiled. "It's okay, don't worry too much. If a coup d'état is contemplated within the Reich, you need only remember that these three will create obstacles. First to rule out Master Gedora, Damrada, will you help me investigate Kondo Tatsuya?” "Yes, sir." "Misha, you continue with the task at hand." "I understand. I will continue to focus on enlisting the Mecha Legion's army chief." "So what do I do?” "I'll have to ask you to join the Legion of Warcraft. With your strength, join the Imperial Emperor's Knights of the Near Guard right away. But you mustn't kill the army chief!” "Got it. I'll try." Not having to continue to take orders seemed to amuse Vega, who gave a plagiaristic grin. Is it really okay? Yuuki was worried, but this time he decided to trust Vega. If the army chief was actually killed, the Empire's military action would be delayed. It was disturbing, but he decided to look away and see what happens then. After the “Big Three” retires, only Yuuki and Kagali are left on the scene. "By the way, Yuuki-sama, will they really dance according to our arrangement?" "Well, I don't know. Even I thought I was being cautious in my actions, but still stepped on Guy's tiger's tail. So I'm not qualified to say anyone else, but I still hope things work out.”

Damrada went to investigate Kondo Tatsuya. Misha attempts to cage the Mecha's army chief. He ordered Vega to rise to prominence in the Warcraft Legion. They are all going on a dangerous mission to work for Yuuki. As a commander-in-chief, one can only go and trust that the ministry will get things done. "But we've finally come this far. There will be war in a short time.” "Yeah, right. The next thing is to wait and see which side will win." "That's so easy to say. Even if the coup d'état succeeds, more important things are yet to come." "Indeed. Just for that, I'm also going to get Laplace and the others to do something about it. It must be foolproof." After saying that, the two of them smiled at each other. Their goal was not to make the Empire triumphant. The more this war sinks into the quagmire, the lower the Empire's national power will be. That's what they're after, and the success of the subsequent coup is at the heart of Yuuki and Kagali's plan. "To make the emperor a puppet and build a new empire. In addition..." "Let us reconcile with the Western nations by peaceful means.” “And..." "The assassination of the Emperor!" If it was difficult to defeat the demon lord that was Rimuru, so it was not necessary to force it. Because of the defeat to Guy, he gave up on conquering the world in the short to medium term. To conquer the world by brute force without acquiring enough power to be proud of the world's masters was a foolishness of the highest order, and he had come to realize that. Instead of that, it would be better to focus on increasing the aces you have available at hand for now. Just let this scourge of war widen and much blood be shed... "Then I'll be able to awaken as the true demon lord.” "I'm looking forward to it, Kagali. Until then, I'll also use the new power I've acquired since then.” Now Yuuki's ultimate skill has awakened. As a result, he has actually felt his life span increase significantly. Not only that, but he also learned another fact, there were even more powerful people in existence in this world, and overlords like demon lord Guy were dominating this world. Trying to skip these people and conquer the world is just nonsense.

He was going to fool Guy's ears and reserve his strength now. The agitation of the empire has prolonged the war and drained both East and West. Let the boredom spread, and while everyone is fed up with war, let the Emperor's assassination happen again—and the world will be plunged into a more miserable state of chaos. They could take advantage of the chaos to awaken the more powerful forces in their bodies—that’s the full picture of the plan Yuuki and Kagali came up with. "Anyway, be careful." "Right. Be cautious." After saying that, the two looked at each other and smiled again. Although these two were smart, they didn't take the underground maze too seriously. It was a formidable organ, one that could hide even important facilities and towns—the most they could do was think of it and get Master Gedora interested in finding trouble on the Rimuru. Depending on the situation, it might be necessary to go there in person, and the most that can be done to find out what to do is to investigate beforehand - these two people only think so lightly. As a result, the Underground Maze Raiders team would bring back unexpected reports, although Yuuki didn't expect that.

After receiving the information brought by Yuuki, Master Gedora fell into contemplation with a hard look on his face. Hmmm—I thought this was a good opportunity to get the Empire out again to crush the god Ruminas... Due to the resurrection of "Storm Dragon" Veldora, he had to drastically reassess the plan. It was also forced. During the last great march, the "storm dragon" made the plan fall apart. To this day. In order to plan well, some say it's better to wait for the "storm dragon" to disappear. There are also those who say that the new weapon they have successfully developed is powerful enough to bring the "Storm Dragon" to its knees. In order to avoid confronting the Storm Dragon, there were also those who advocated bypassing the Great Forest of Jura. People's opinions split into these three factions, thus giving the Empire a head start, and as a result giving the Storm Dragon a chance to be resurrected.

The militant faction, which believes that it should "bring the Storm Dragon to its knees," is outraged, but the other two factions are mainstream, so their opinions are ignored. After all, if the new weapon they mentioned didn't work, the plan would fall apart again. To Gedora, the "storm dragon" didn't matter at all. His goal of survival is to expel the Ruminas Sect from the West and take revenge on the "Seven Celestial Sages" who killed his friend. He got some news from the West, with a headline that read "Heroes Fall Out", and it was about the bad things that the "Seven Celestial Sages" had done. He also learned that the news reported the demise of the "Seven Celestial Sages". Yet Gedora did not take this information alone. At the very least, he determined that Sage Master Gran must be alive and sneaking around somewhere. Over the months, intelligence from the West has been complex and difficult to corroborate through investigation. So it was never clear whether it was true or false, but it was heard that the Rosso had also been destroyed. All in all, it's not clear what's true or false. I'm afraid that the Sage Master Gran was killed by that "hero". Despite his advanced age, he is certainly an opponent not to be underestimated. That's what Gedora thought. In addition to this, while the domination of the Senate appears to be rock-solid on the surface, behind the scenes there is a lot of action. In these messages, there was no news received about the weakening of the Holy Church in the West. In Gedora's opinion, he thought this was enough to prove that Gran the Sage Master was still alive. It would have been nice to ignore the Storm Dragon and attack the West sooner... Gedora thought in his mind, but he was well aware of how difficult it would be. The Storm Dragon and the demon lord are teaming up? That kind of monster had already jumped out of the so-called magic laws, and it was too stupid to send out an army to deal with it. I had also helped structure the theory about the new weapon, and with that kind of thing, it should be able to stop him from moving for a while. Whether or not he can be exterminated, however, is another matter. Not to mention to dominate him... Gedora was one of the survivors of the last great long march and had already experienced firsthand the menace that Veldora posed. In his experience, he thought the main warring faction was too brave and unscrupulous. Talking about spiritual domination over spiritual beings—those fools have no idea how hard it is! It is not impossible to exercise spiritual domination over spiritual beings. He had used the Demon Race as a test subject and made some achievements. Gedora knew this well. He was the one who came up with that theory, too, and it would be odd if he didn't know.

He had already sought out various results, and based on them, he concluded that they could never make a move against the "Storm Dragon" Veldora. He had given this report to the Emperor, but sadly it was not endorsed. "Some people want to try, so let them try.” In the end Gedora's comments were silently ignored. Let's put that aside. This time there was another problem, and it had something to do with the Demon Lord Rimuru. He built his kingdom at a frightening rate, and this demon lord ruled the great forest of Jura. If this demon lord joined forces with the Storm Dragon, attacking the Jura Great Forest would simply be a foolish act. It would be a different matter if all the Imperial armies were mobilized, so that in order to lay out the entire army for the most efficient use, the enemy must be introduced into the terrain in our favor. As usual, that's an impossible thing to do. What about fighting on the other side's territory? "To fight in the underground maze? And they may have developed weapons from another world... right? This must be investigated. It would have been nice to take down Veldora and Rimuru with our army losing so many. If that is not possible, it will be impossible to fight the Western countries after that.” As if to encourage himself, Gedora spoke to himself. By this time Gedora had gotten it all wrong. He thought that the target of vigilance should not be the Jura Tempest Federation, but the Ruminas Sect that dominated the Western nations. Being able to spot this mistake or not, that will be the key to determining the success or failure of Gedora.

At the behest of Yuuki, three people stood out. The condition was that Master Gedora also knew, and must be affiliated with, the Hybrid Legion — three were thus chosen. It was to be a day for them to meet, so Yuuki invited Gedora to his room. First up is Shinji Tanimura. He was originally a college student in Japan and spent his days in the research room. After coming to this world, he also loved to wear white, which now became his unique mark. Mark Lauren.

Left with coffee-colored hair and a lot of muscle on his body. He was about twenty-five years old, the oldest of the three. Wear a tank top with jeans for a healthy body in the winter too. Zhen Liu Xing. The man was young and had few words. It was hard to tell what he was thinking, but the words spoke for themselves. The black hair was braided into a sisal braid and hung behind his back, and he wore a loose-fitting Chinese-style outfit. I heard that he had a lot of concealed weapons hidden under his clothes. Both Mark and Zhen would obediently listen to Shinji. Also because of this, unknowingly Shinji became their leader. The three men stood upright in front of Yuuki and Gedora.

"Master, long time no see!” The dark-haired youth, Shinji, greeted Gedora on behalf of everyone. "Long time no see, Shinji, and Mark and Zhen, how are you doing?” "Yes, we're doing fine. It's good to see Grandpa you're tough too.” “...Teacher, I'm not having a good time.” Hearing Mark and Zhen respond in this way, Gedora smiled happily back. "You're still the same. It seems to be working hard on the Legion side as well, so I'm relieved.” Shinji and the others are "otherworldly visitors" who were taken in by Yuuki. Yuuki has brought in "otherworldly visitors" from all over the world, and all of them are sent to the Empire, whether they are particularly good at fighting, or not. The Imperial side is responsible for receiving them from the secret association of the "Big Three", and then they will be given to the Imperial Grand Wizard, Master Gedora. His purpose was to ask for knowledge from another world, but personally, if he had a talent for fighting and also had that will, Gedora would exercise them. These people come to a place where special talents rich in personality are gathered after being exercised—the Hybrid Legion. But the Empire wasn't that good of a mixer, and wouldn't hold high ranking positions in the Legion just because they were from another world. One must be able to live one's strength properly in order to be worthy of the title of a good warrior. The so-called power is the unique skill that is revealed in each of them. Shinji and the others were able to use their unique skills so that they could establish a solid position within the legion.

"Yeah, in the mixed army I lead, the three of them also belong to the first line of masters. I think it's a good fit to take on this investigative assignment.” "Since Yuuki-san has said so, I have no problem with it either. Sit down, you guys.” The three men were terrified because the strict wizard asked them to take their seats, and only then did they take their seats. Looking at the three of them like that, Gedora smiled slightly. They've all become lone soldiers, and it's fun to see themselves still looking like nervous apprentices.

"So, Mr. Yuuki, you're going to lend these three to me about the investigation you mentioned before, right?” Playing around with other people's performance all the time wasn't the way to go, Gedora pulled open to ask. "Right. I'd love to go and investigate on my own, but it's really not convenient to go to that country. Only by sending Shinji and the rest over to them, I wasn't so relieved, so I wondered if I could ask Master to supervise them.” "Mmm. I've already read the report, and it's very interesting. If what is written above is true, it must be investigated before the Great March.” Gedora looked at Yuuki with a tentative look, waiting for him to react. Yuuki seemed to have expected this from the other party, and he nodded. "Those are all true. I also explained to the three of them that this mission was a bit special and I wanted to ask them to investigate a certain maze.’ "Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute, please! You called us here to get through the maze? Are we that untrustworthy? Even if Gedora-sensei stepped up to the plate to please, a massive military invasion is about to take place, I don't think it's something that has to be done on the eve of an invasion!” Of the three, Mark was the most subdued, and he began to question Yuuki. It is common for such behavior to occur. If it's not acceptable, just ask, Yuuki himself has given them permission to do so. "Mark, don't get excited. It's a very important thing.” “But!" "Take it easy, Mark. Mr. Yuuki must have something in mind, right? We can hear what he has to say.” While placating Mark, Shinji turned his head to face Yuuki. "Then please explain.” "Of course not. I think after listening to this, you guys should stop complaining.” After saying that, Yuuki began to explain the mission in detail. ........... ........ Gedora knew those contents beforehand, and he listened to Yuuki as he made sure there was no discrepancy between the two. The three of them were surprised. The warriors who follow Yuuki's orders—those with unique skills that make them particularly good at fighting—blend into the various legions and live in hiding. The aim is to rise together when the time comes so that the legions can be mastered.

People hadn't heard of the specific plan, but they all agreed that the day was near. So did Shinji and the rest of them, now that the Hybrid Legion was in Yuuki's hands, they thought it was only a matter of time before he ordered it. To conquer the world... When they heard this dream from Yuuki, it was like a child's dream, and at first everyone thought it was impossible. But as people hone their strength and become more and more aware of the world situation, these people begin to feel that they have a chance to realize that dream. Shinji and the others started to become obsessed with Yuuki and kept waiting for the right moment to come. It was at this time that the other party suddenly gave the order for them to go through the maze. No wonder the three of them were so confused. Having said that, while listening to Yuuki's explanation, their thoughts changed along with it. Some preparation and investigation has been done regarding this war, only the interior of the maze has not been investigated. Therefore, there was a good chance that there was some kind of secret hidden in that maze. Hearing that the enemy could hide an entire town in a maze became a problem that was hard to ignore. ........... ........ "I see...so the Imperial Army can't ignore this underground labyrinth if they want to make a move?” "And there's a town in there? It's still unbelievable to not see this kind of thing with your own eyes.” “...that’s why we have to go there.” Shinji and the others will have to accept that now. "Explained as above. But then you get the idea, right? If the Empire were to invade the Great Forest of Jura, the period of warfare would be extended to some extent, and we expect a military mutiny to be launched at that time. When the time comes, hopefully it will distract the Imperials as much as possible. With Demon Lord Rimuru's army alone, and Storm Dragon Veldora, that wasn't enough for the Empire to send out all of its troops. I need stronger motivation, to be able to get them to always mobilize.” I'm not sure if that maze can create such a motive, if it can't, just make one up at random, Yuuki said so. When they bought time in that way, Yuuki and the others were going to suppress the Imperial Capital with one breath. Shinji was surprised by this.

A coup d'état had long been thought of in the future, but this was the first time he had heard such a specific account. And before that, Gedora was here. Not being careful enough with words could cause their plans to leak out, so Shinji and the others didn't expect Yuuki to be here to talk about that. "Wait a minute, Yuuki-san!" Shinji tried to stop Yuuki, but Yuuki replied with a smile. "I know, don't worry. Master Gedora knows my plan.” “Huh?" "Heh heh, that's for sure. This old man had feelings for His Majesty, but what would happen to the Empire has nothing to do with me. This Old Master's goal is to destroy the Ruminism religion. The true face of the god Ruminas was actually Demon Lord Ruminas, a blind spot that hadn't been discovered before. What will become of those believers, I am not interested in knowing. But those guys killed my friends, and it's hard not to bury them with their own hands. I heard that demon lord Rimuru and demon lord Ruminas were very close, and the first thing that I wanted to solve was demon lord Rimuru. That's why I will also participate in the Maze Raiding Operation.” Gedora flashed a frantic smile and said that what happened after that didn't matter to him at all. Of course Gedora had also heard rumors of the demon lord Rimuru. A year ago, the Kingdom of Farmus fell as a result of angering the "Storm Dragon". It is said that after the Storm Dragon's power was exhausted, it was the demon lord Rimuru who took him in. The truth is not known whether they were actually taken in or simply assisted. However, from that time on, the Storm Dragon showed no signs of rebellion, nor did it detect the huge demonic aura. Gedora thinks those rumors have a certain amount of credibility. On top of that, there was movement among the demon lords. Several demon lords have been removed from the Top Ten and are now said to be "Eight Star Demon Lords (Octagram)". Although the story had spread to human society, it was definitely the Demon Lord Rimuru who was behind it. Clayman, who was originally one of the Ten Demon Lords, disappeared, and newcomer Rimuru was listed among that group. The fact that this happened means that Rimuru is stronger than Clayman. Clayman the Demon Lord was cunning and could not be underestimated, but demon lord Rimuru was more threatening than he was. Not only that, but the demon lord Rimuru has also established borders with human nations and has become increasingly influential in the Council. He didn’t know what the Western powers thought, but Gedora thought it was dangerous to offend the demon lord Rimuru. Plus there was something that bothered Gedora.

That is, over 20,000 troops were said to have participated in the military operations of the Farmus Kingdom, but only three of them survived in the end. One of them was killed, and in the end all that remained was the former king and Razen, who had previously been an apprentice of Gedora. It seems necessary to confront Razen about this. Gedora took note of this first. In addition to that, there are many enigmas on the Demon Lord Rimuru. He didn't dare be careless. It was said that the great army of the Kingdom of Farmus was buried in the hands of the "Storm Dragon", but there was no way to prove that event was true. That alone makes one feel weird. Generally speaking, if there are 30% casualties in a battle, then the operation is a failure. This is the time to surrender, but I don't see where a relevant record has been left stating that the army of the Kingdom of Farmus has ever made such a move. Surrendering to the "storm dragon" is useless—and there are certainly those who argue that. But on this point, Gedora denies it. After all, Gedora had picked up a life and survived the last great march, so he was very familiar with the character of Veldora. A simple description is that he does things very casually. Won't go after those who run away, though there will be heavy casualties, but only those who are caught up in the attack in the first place. According to this logic, under normal circumstances, a 20,000 large army could not be wiped out. So, was there something going on with the demon lord Rimuru... According to the rumors about Rimuru's people, Gedora thought it was impossible. If we surrender with him, we should not be killed. But in the end everyone was killed. It would seem that this should be interpreted to mean that when the army of the kingdom of Farmus surrendered to Veldora, he killed them all at once. Seriously, Gedora felt horrible just thinking about it. It is because of this that they avoid going head-to-head with each other and also prepare relevant counter-strategies. There are oddities in the demon lord Rimuru, but there is still a chance to solve them by investigating from now on and thinking about countermeasures. Thinking about this side, Gedora switched his thoughts. He didn't hate Demon Lord Rimuru, but he was on the same side as Demon Lord Ruminas, and that would be the same as an enemy of Gedora. Since it was the enemy that had to be defeated, having said that, Gedora was not about to act rashly either.

He spent a long time arranging plans to get the Empire to send out troops to attack the Western nations. Now that that plan was about to come to fruition, he couldn't be foolish enough to sulk. So Gedora acted cautiously and then cautiously. Yuuki and Gedora had the same interests at stake, and after talking the two decided to work together. They would share the information they held in their hands with each other, and the relationship between the two could be described as that of a war buddy. Secrets were revealed in three or two times, and Shinji and the others were all pale. When they suddenly hear someone say something like that, of course they want to say "please pause.” Shinji wasn't stupid either, he didn't think the other side would trust them that much. Though I think so, I think I should not treat them as discarded sons. The other side was testing them—so Shinji thought. Mark and Zhen seemed to think so. "I know! We will do our best to investigate.” "Anyway, we won't hold Grandpa back...stay tuned!” “...I'll cheer." This is certainly an important mission. If they take this opportunity to do something—no, they have to do something good this time so they can live—Shinji and the others realize this. "Then I'll test you all. You do know how many demon lords there are in the world, right?” "Yes, there are eight, right?’ “...Huh? Aren't the ten demons lords? No, it should be increased to eleven, right?” “...Mark, they just had a big shuffle last year..." This caused Gedora to sigh and a roar to come out of his mouth. "Shinji, hurry up and give this idiot the right message. If you join the army and can't even gather information, you'll know he'll be the first to die!” As soon as his mood calmed down slightly he began to explain. "There are eight demon lords in all, and they call themselves 'Eight Star Demon Lords (Octagram)'. The implication should be that one thinks one can compare oneself to the stars, but some of them do have that ability. The reason why this is mentioned is because the opponent this time is 'Newbie' Rimuru. You can't take him lightly, but don't explore that issue this time. There is another reason. Among these demons, there is a person known as the Labyrinth Fairy. All right, what do you guys think after listening?" That comment made the three of them take a backward breath from Shinji. Even Yuuki put on a surprised expression and kept staring at Gedora.

"You said labyrinth fairy...is that the point?” At this time, Shinji was afraid to express his opinion. Gedora nodded solemnly, pulling out a piece of literature for the three men to look at. There is a labyrinth named "Elven Goddom", said to be in the western Republic of Ulgrasia. The world says that the great maze is covered under the ground, or in the air, but it is not. That's true in one respect, but it's not entirely true in another. It was written in that document that not only spirits lived in the "Spirit Realm", but also that the queen who changed from an spirit to a monster also lived there. "This queen is the Labyrinth Fairy, Ramiris, one of the demon lords from ancient times.” These words of Gedora weighed heavily on the three men. He further revealed the truth. "The door to that maze used to be in the Ulgrasia Nature Park, but now it's gone. That's what the old man himself investigated, and it's certainly true. As for the period of disappearance, from what I've heard, it's presumed to be the same period as when Rimuru became the demon lord. Then the country went public with their underground labyrinth...” When Gedora finished, Yuuki added next. "That's a long way off. I've wondered before how Rimuru made a maze like that, and I think it must have been created by Demon Lord Ramiris. In other words, Demon Lord Ramiris and Demon Lord Ramiris have joined forces.” Yuuki seemed to have decided that this was the case and had a wide smile on his face. Shinji they didn't come out in denial either. Not only that, but they felt that the difficulty of the investigation was bound to increase and they began to become very melancholy. "I look forward to your performance.” "Remember to be on guard at all times.” After that, Yuuki repeatedly told them how scary and cunning the demon lord Rimuru was, and Shinji and the others left the scene after listening.

The day after Yuuki called him there, his secretary, Kagali, came to lead Shinji and the others and sent them to the outskirts of the Jura Tempest Federation. After sending Shinji and the others out, ten days passed, and Gedora was on his own to other destinations. Seeing Yuuki threaten Shinji with them, he planned to leave the investigation task to these people at first.

I'm afraid Yuuki didn't really mean to treat those three as outcasts. To get Shinji and them to get serious, just threaten a little. Then again, Yuuki-san isn't forthcoming enough. It's because he's overly competent himself that he wants others to reach this realm. Gedora had seen through that a long time ago. But it could be applied to him as well. Gedora also didn't intend to watch his apprentices die, and he intended to lend a helping hand if they were in trouble. But Gedora wouldn't put these thoughts out there; he would only silently pressure others, so that others would find him scary. Unaware of this himself, Gedora went to the old site of the Kingdom of Farmus. He remembered that he had taken in an apprentice a long time ago, intending to go and gather information related to the Demon Lord Rimuru. Immediately afterwards, Gedora flew towards the old Farmus capital "Maris" and headed straight for the palace. Razen was working in his office, at which point he jumped up from his chair. Originally thinking that the great teacher, Gedora, was dead, he felt the other's breath. "I didn't think...he was still alive...” While muttering something to himself, he thought to himself that this would be bad. Not sure what Gedora's intentions were, but he had come here to find himself, I guess. What is certain is that it is not to reminisce with him. And there was also the problem that none of the soldiers in Farmenas knew the man Gedora. If this goes on, they will be stopped and questioned at the gates, and those who displease Gedora may be hurt. In case one accidentally turns them and Gedora into enemies... This is not good. If it turns out that way, there's no way for me to hold Lord Gedora back. Razen was quick to judge as above and to act. He calls out to his later new apprentices through "magical communications". "Can you hear me?” "Geez, don't call me out of the blue.” "You must have found something.” "There. Although Gregory didn't seem to notice it, there was an unusual aura just now. He'll be at the gates in a little while, right?”

"Since you know so well, it's a good thing. You go to the gate, too.” “...you have been gracious to me. Got it.” The "magic communication" was interrupted this way. His new apprentices were two in total. They were Sare and Gregory. These two men were both originally 'Three Martial Immortals' - the Hall of the Emperor of the Sacred Emperor's Kingdom of Ruberios, and had previously stayed in the Imperial Near Guard Division, which was directly under the Emperor. When Razen knew them while he was touring the country in order to inspect them, they made a major mistake and dared not return to the Hall of the Emperor, so Razen took them directly as apprentices. Not to give them favors, but to be able to experience how they feel. Especially Sare, who seems to have lost badly in front of journalists from various countries. Hearing that his opponent was Diablo, Razen could no longer stay out of it. Sare had an arrogant attitude, but he still recognized Razen as his master. Gregory does show fear of something from time to time, but is slowly finding his old swagger. Looking at the strength alone, these two were impeccable, so Razen decided to exercise these two and one day get them to work under the tabletop of the Kingdom of Farmenas. That also includes crisis management like this one. There's me, Sare and Gregory. Add Mr. Grucius after that, and we should be able to confront Lord Gedora. The average soldier cannot be useful in the face of a single individual with overwhelming power. The current weakness of the Kingdom of Farmenas is the lack of heroic level talent. In the old days when the Kingdom of Farmus was still in existence, his fellow Knight Commander Folgen and the warriors of his rank were now figures of the past. Talent must be found that can replace them—this is the subject of the Kingdom of Farmenas. Again, Razen recognized this, chagrined that he was too late to deal with the problem. When he rushed to the city gate, Sare and the others were already there. And are being confronted by Gedora. "I say, I don't know what it is that brings you to this city, but we are under care here. You understand that you can't let unidentified people go, don't you?” "That's right, Grandpa. We're not going to sue people, so you'll just go back today. If you want to meet with someone, you can apply to the counter and get a response in about two or three days.”

Sure and the others wanted a peaceful resolution, blocking the front of the road to keep Gedora from passing. But in Razen's eyes it reduced his life expectancy. "Stop it! Let the lord pass.” "Hey, aren't we supposed to stop him?” "In that case, why did you call us here?” Both men seemed unhappy with the order, but Razen didn't have time for that sort of thing. "Long time no see, Lord Gedora. I didn't know you were still alive, so I didn't bother to greet you.” Razen knelt down on one knee before Gedora and said so from his mouth.

He wanted to avoid making an enemy of Gedora. If anything, he would have been ready to become aware and stop Gedora even if he released all his power, but it seemed as if he was overly vigilant. "Long time no see, Razen. You don't look the same anymore, but it looks like you're really him.” "Yes, I'm not like Master, I have to change my body to live...” "It's not a reproach, so don't be so afraid. The reason I'm here today is to ask you something. It's okay if you don't have to be so vigilant about the monster hiding over there. If I were to come against you, I would not have come alone.” The words of Gedora always eased the tension. In spite of this, Razen and the rest were not careless, they were going to prepare the meeting place so they could talk to Gedora, so the group broke up on the spot.

The next day, they met in a room somewhere in the castle. Among those who participated were Youm, Grucius and Razen. Sare stayed indoors with Gregory to protect Youm. Myuran also wanted to participate, but was rejected. She had just given birth and had to be completely still, so Youm desperately tried to stop her. The child is a girl named Mim. The child, who looks a lot like Myuran and is very likeable, is now in the care of Edka, who dotes on her. "By the way, Master, what is it you want to ask?” "Well, before we get to the point, let me correct a few points. Kid, your name's Sare, right? You're not bad, but magic's your undoing, isn't it? That kind of stuff doesn't just get learned to apply, and it's important to manage your magic properly. That monster over there, your name's Grucius, right? As for you..." Gedora began to point out each person's shortcomings one by one. He wants Grucius to develop the eye to see through his opponent's strength. "Transforming in front of the enemy is like giving the opponent a chance to make a first strike.” Gedora even goes so far as to harshly point out the shortcomings. On Youm's side, he first said, "You look stronger than average..." and then said that relying on equipment is not a good idea and that you have to concentrate on how to defend yourself. He was even more ruthless in the face of Gregory and told him to continue to improve—with these words alone. Finally he looked to Razen and said to him this. "Razen, it looks like you've improved a lot. Your magic is possessive...?"

"Yes, based on my master's theory of the mystical meaning of 'reincarnation', I have arranged the great secret art of 'possession and reincarnation’." "Mmm. This is another interesting attempt. Unlike the Old Master's magic, it doesn't temporarily weaken and rejuvenate into a small baby.” "Thank you..." "But it's pointless if you can't play it all out. It's rare to take away someone's flesh, you're not performing, are you?” “Yes!" Faced with Gedora's correction, Razen was sweating profusely and in fear. He himself knew these things and had to admit that all the accusations hit the nail on the head. This adult is still terrible. I can't believe that we can see through our strengths at once... Razen was speechless and could only be silent in response. However, Sare and Gregory listened very badly. "What the hell, look at me just sitting there thinking I'm not even listening. What did you see in me to say something like that?” "Yeah. Mr. Razen was kind to me, but there was no reason to fear even his master. Since you're so confident, let's ask for your advice and show you what you can do!" Eventually they began to pester Gedora. Shut up--Razen was tempted to shout the words, but seeing the look in Master Gedora's eyes, he didn't get them out. For Gedora, this was all to be expected. It was only then that Razen realized he wanted to show Sare and Gregory what he could do. In this way, things will still end well. Just do what the Master wants you to do. Razen so calculated. Immediately after, as if to warm up a little before the talks, Gedora began to square off against Sare and Gregory. They battled it out on the practice field and the result was a landslide victory for Gedora. "How is this...how is this possible...?” "This old grandpa is amazing... I didn't expect to deal with us both at the same time, he's not tired at all. I totally lost to him....." Gedora was so strong that it completely shattered their pride of being the "Three Martial Immortals". To boast of one's strength here, to make the bargain go smoothly—that was Gedora's purpose, and both Sare and Gregory's reactions were expected. Only, the next development was unexpected.

"Still, not as good as that monster.” "Is that all? The dog I'm fighting with should be about as strong as my grandfather.” “Hmm?" Clearly losing to Gedora, Sare and Gregory instantly accepted this fact. On top of that, Myuran had seen the strength of Gedora, and the two of them were not too surprised. Can you compare this monster to me? Not only that, but there are monsters that are stronger than Razen...? The unexpected reaction confused Gedora, and it wasn't like Sare they were losing by saying those words. Thinking so, those should all be true. Gedora was going to question this... "Lord Gedora, that matter may also be saved for later. I'll start by answering the questions Lord Gedora has to ask on this trip.” At this point, Razen jumped in and said this, and what had happened so far came to an end for the time being

The venue went back to the reception room and they started talking again. "It's true that you're the master of Razen, a majin. Not an opponent I can beat.” At this time Youm spoke in a relaxed tone. Grucius echoed this sentiment. "The majin Razen is well known, but rumors of his master are few and far between. That's what Myuran said, she said that the master was a great man and also structured a new system for magic theory, looking at the battle just now finally understood.” He said this excitedly. It's no wonder, after all, Gedora's magic is powerful. You can interfere with your opponent's magic and prevent them from unleashing magic, and you can unleash more than two kinds of magic at the same time for unparalleled effect and power. It's simply a clear manifestation of that, he just played a beautiful game in front of everyone. That said, Sare and Gregory's strength is far beyond the serious Grucius. The two of them had been toyed with by Gedora, so there was no doubt about Gedora's strength. In perfect contrast to Youm and Grucius, the two men who lost to Gedora were depressed. But the man was still at peace on the scene, focused on his escort duties. "So, what is your business here?”

This question comes from Razen. "The reason for the old man's demonstration of strength is to avoid unnecessary resistance from you. Razen should have understood that the old man's anger was directed at Ruminism and was not interested in other things. That's why I can't bear to see this country suffering from imperial aggression and unnecessary casualties.” Gedora said this terrible thing as if it were nothing. “The Empire..." "No way. Don't call me when I'm king, okay..." "Really. I don't want Myuran and my daughter to be in danger.” "That's not your daughter. That baby is my baby!” "What a noise...! Although not related by blood, that child is my daughter. I have decided to live as a father in the future.” "Don't make up your own mind...!" Youm and Grucius start to get into an ugly fight. Razen coughed a few times, telling the two fools to shut up. "So, I see why Lord Gedora is here. In return for saving us from the scourge of war, do you wish the kingdom of Farmenas to fall and submit to the Empire?" "Exactly. You do realize how powerful the Empire is, don't you? And there's still the old man there, so if Farmenas, led by you, joins our camp, even Dwargon can be easily taken. That country is not good at dealing with attacks on troops and food. Just stop dealing with people, and they'll be wailing in no time.” Of course, to do that one must first dispose of the Jura Tempest Federation. Razen points out this node. "That's not possible, Lord Gedora. Nowadays, the railroad between the Dwarven Kingdom and the Jura Tempest Federation has been laid, allowing for high-speed transportation. Even if our country is cut off from food supplies, they can still resupply through other countries.” "That's why you betrayed me. There isn't much food self-sufficiency within the Jura Tempest Federation. If your country is cut off..." "Lord Gedora.” Knowing it was rude, Razen interrupted Gedora's words anyway. For he found that the information in Gedora's hands was too old to keep up with the times. The situation in the world today is changing rapidly and is very different from the past. As things stand now, a betrayal of the West could lead to exclusion from the economic sphere. Representing a country in danger of perishing. Even if one accepts the shade of the empire and is assured of the abundance it will give, it will not be as prosperous as it is now.

It was the Kingdom of Farmenas that was so deeply influenced by the West—no, so deeply influenced by the Jura Tempest Federation. Razen addresses this point. “...so it is. In fact, I already know, but I just want to hear the truth from you. But isn't the demon lord Rimuru afraid of the armies in the sky? Of course, if the power is enough to defeat even angels, even if it were so, the things that were built so easily would suffer great disasters. The Empire had originally considered importing trains as well, giving up for this reason..." Gedora said this when he heard that the other side was going to connect the metropolis by rail. "His Majesty Rimuru has no fear of harm.” "Yeah. The young master hates to have injuries, but doesn't care about other losses.” "Maybe he'll be happier with a new job.” Razen, Gruicius, and Youm feel free to say what they think. In particular, the words of Youm are particularly important. That said, creatures like humans feel happy to be entrusted with something because they want the skills they've learned to come in handy. If you don't have a job, you'll lose your motivation. Maybe someone else will run off to commit a crime, too. To avoid this, preparing for a new job is the responsibility of the leader—the employer. "Once the consolidation of the countries is complete, all that remains is maintenance and repair. What to do when the time comes, Young Master Rimuru has been troubled. That one wants to do it, this one wants to do it, but the technical side can't keep up. When I went to have a drink with him, he kept complaining about it.” If angels were to come and attack at a time like this, there must be many special needs in order to rebuild after the disaster. In that case, the young master may be angry on the surface, but he may be happy in private. Then even Grucius started to take it out on Youm’s nostrils. Although Sare and Gregory posed with expressions that they couldn't stand, they didn't seem to be in denial. "But even if he were a demon lord, the West is the domain of mankind, and the Rosso clan wouldn't just sit back and watch, would they?” Razen's words were consistent with the information that Gedora had gathered, but still some parts were missing. Taking this opportunity, Gedora intended to squeeze as much information out of Razen as he could. Without waiting for the armies from the sky, the Rosso clan would make moves to defend their rights. And this incident has to do with the economic dimension, and they should not take military action, which would hinder in other ways, Gedora asked Razen about this.

Of course, his intention was actually to probe the current situation of the Rosso clan. Razen correctly interprets his intentions to give the answer that Gedora wants. "The Rosso clan is finished. The kingdom was not destroyed and the survivors were gathered there, but now there was no way to influence the Council. The reason why the surrounding countries still deal with them to this day is because His Majesty Rimuru allows them to do so. King Delan also surrendered to His Majesty Rimuru.” Razen shed light on the matter. By the way, tell the truth about how the national army of the Kingdom of Farmus was defeated in battle. This time Gedora was finally shocked by a situation she didn't know about. “...Are you saying that Demon Lord Rimuru relied on him alone to kill all the armies of the Farmus Kingdom? And to exterminate the Rosso clan...no, wait! If these are not just hearsay, what happened to Sage Gran—-Granbell? Granbell the "Hero" was recognized by Gedora as the strongest man in his heart. It was because he thought that this man was the leader of the “Seven Celestial Sages" that he was cautious about the Great Long March plan on the West. Yet Razen says that the Rosso is destroyed. "Then the rumor of the demise of the Seven Celestial Sages..." "Master, this is also true. The Seven Celestial Sages were hostile to His Majesty Rimuru, and they set up the Paladin, Hinata, to make her fight with us, but their schemes were uncovered and they perished.” Hearing that, this time Gedora was truly speechless. Razen has explicitly said that all the "Seven Celestial Sages" perished. Even that sage master Gran was buried by Cardinal Nicholas himself. When Gedora learned this, he couldn't help but lament the lack of accuracy of his intelligence network. Now that Granbell is dead, it is logical that the Rosso destruction should take place. Had this information been available earlier, the Great Long March program could also have been substantially reassessed. In the meantime... Thinking of Yuuki's mouthy face, Gedora muttered hatefully. Probably trying to tell Gedora about it might make him feel less like taking revenge, but in Gedora's opinion, it made him feel bad. "You mean Yuuki Kagurazaka? We were also used by that man, so we understand Lord Gedora's feelings very well.” Being so comforted by his apprentice, unspeakable feelings surfaced in Gedora's mind, feeling a bit chagrined and a bit ashamed. According to the sound of Razen's words, it seemed that the demon lord Rimuru had also been victimized by Yuuki. But the other side added that even so, they would observe the situation first for the time being and not be completely hostile to each other.

That Yuuki guy, looks like he's hiding something again. Apart from those... He knew that Gedora’s goal was to destroy the Ruminas Sect, and he revealed information related to the Western Holy Churches, but it was always ambiguous. Is it inconvenient to tell the old man...? When Gedora found out that he was being used, he began to worry about what to do next in front of Razen's men and others.

"It's big down here. After hearing these things, one must rethink how to correspond with the demon lord Rimuru.” The dangers of the monster Rimuru were unexpected by Gedora. What exactly is the right thing to do in the face of such a threat? Because his good friend was duped into being killed, Gedora continued to take revenge on the Ruminism. However, the Seven Celestial Sages, the ones he most wanted to get revenge against, are all dead. In this way, he would not be so keen to destroy the West. It was because the Empire aligned with Gedora's stakes that he stepped in to help, and less of that motivation would have given Gedora no reason to back the Empire. —No, the reason is still there. The culprit of all this, the god, the demon lord Ruminas, is still alive. Thinking that his best friend died because he believed in her, he couldn't let the demon lord who was beckoning in the name of god live. Thinking about this side, Gedora made up his mind again and decided to continue with the battle plan. No, it should be said that he was planning to do just that. "Lord Gedora, you may find me nosy, but you'd better stop thinking about it.” “Oh?" Razen had been watching for Gedora's reaction, and at this point he threw a cold shower on Gedora's determination. "I am still your faithful disciple, and proud of it. But I have an even stronger loyalty to a certain lord. If you intend to fight against his country, I must treat you as an enemy.” "Could it be the demon lord Rimuru?” "No. It was one of his men, Lord Diablo—he is my master now.” The words surprised Gedora a little. Razen was his proud disciple. The fact that not only someone was able to get such a Razen to serve him, but that he was also willing to be a demon lord's subordinate, was unbelievable.

"I may not be in that position to interject, but since I have this opportunity, I'll just say it in passing. That fellow Diablo—that lord is the demon who defeated me.” Obviously no one asked him, Sare took the liberty of adding. Is that the demon who is said to be more powerful than Razen? Although unbelievable, it's hard to assert that it's a lie when even Razen can take it in. Still, Gedora didn't think he was going to lose, and he took down the name Diablo first. "Lord Gedora, this message is also revealed to you. Lord Diablo is an original demon.” "Think also. It should be an ancient species, or maybe a rare prehistoric demon, that can take you down.” Plus that demon still had a name, so even if the strength surpassed the demon lord, it wasn't surprising. "No, it's not just that. That lord is much more powerful..." "I've heard he's the 'Demon Lord’." "What the...!" How could this be—Gedora couldn't help but want to scream. Demons have so-called evolutionary limits. It was an absolutely unbreakable rule, and the one who could break this law was the only one known to Gedora. That demon surpassed the high-ranking demon generals and became a demon archduke. The most powerful and evil of all, the Lord of Darkness, Guy Crimson. "Lord Gedora, then, my lord Diablo, there is no need to argue how long he will live. If it's you, you should understand the meaning of that phrase, right?” These words of Razen seemed so distant to Gedora's ears. This is unbelievable and he’s unwilling to believe. With that in mind, words mumbled out of Gedora's mouth. "Is it the Primordial?” “Yes." So asserted Razen, the voice came cruelly into his ears. So it is, thought Gedora, while soothing a confused heart and trying to discern the truth of these words. If so, it is understandable that Razen would submit to the other.

In addition, once the primordials have acquired flesh, it is not surprising that a new "demon archduke" is born. It should be said that if what Razen says is true, then the Empire's plans for the Great Long March will have to be substantially reassessed. Look at the White Primordial that has embittered the Empire, the tricky level speaks for itself. —No, wait. If the Primordials acquired flesh, why didn't anything terrible happen? Gedora began to regain his composure, but he pushed back on his thoughts that that sort of thing didn't matter. Hold on a second. Whether Diablo was the Primordial or not, that doesn't matter at all now. At least one can know that he really made Razen subservient, at least as a "demon archduke”... Immediately afterwards, he heard Youm and the rest of them casually chatting about something that made Gedora stiffen. "So, Mr. Diablo, he's working as Master Rimuru's butler, right? Earlier, to commemorate the start of the train, there was a commemorative event, and I ran over to congratulate him, and at that time slightly overheard something, and he said he didn't want to be a handyman himself, so he went and searched out people he knew and made them his ministry.” "Whoa, whoa, that demon you're talking about, I had an involuntary glimpse of. The young master assigned her as a diplomatic marshal, which is why I met her at the Council. A great beauty with white hair paired with deep red eyes and is very pretty.” At this point Gedora leaned back in her chair with his body in disarray. This, this isn't true, is it? Aren't those features just like the White Primordial...? Those things suddenly began to feel so real that it sounded like a nightmare to Gedora. He looked to Razen, only to see the other side nod with a satisfied face. "This is all true, isn't it?” "I will not lie to my master.” It dawned on Gedora. Knowing that Razen and the rest were telling the truth was really for Gedora's sake in trying to convince him not to start a war. "Is it really that dangerous?" To this, the response given by those present was a silent nod. And when Gedora looked at it... Ah, Shinji and the others might have left for their mission! Thinking about this side, his face completely lost its color.

In the capital of the Jura Tempest Federation, "Rimuru", there was a huge crowd of people. The metropolis was so well deserved that even people like Shinji from another world looked at it and thought it was a highly developed city, not at all like a backwater countryside. The Empire is a different story, but even the surrounding city has the stench of animals, and this place has none of that uncomfortable feeling. This incident surprised them. "I heard they left a door open and this place is all empty. I think it's a mistake.” "I don't think so. Perhaps the other party is free to manipulate freely, or the spy is seeing visions.” “...in that case, we can't be careless.” Shinji the three of them you look at me and I look at you and tense your nerves again. Someone used the elemental magic 'stronghold move' to send Shinji over to them, this person had visited the Jura Tempest Federation before and she was Kagali. Kagali went right back, but there was no need to worry about what to do on the way back. They would rendezvous with Gedora and go back by his magic. Their orders were not to push too hard until then, just investigate whenever possible. Shinji and the rest are not fools either, and they will obediently do what they are told without ordering them to do such things. "Ms. Kagali is really beautiful.” "If I say that to Shinji, I'll get dumped by my girlfriend.” "Girlfriend? Nothing like that. If I had a girlfriend, my life would have been more colorful...” “Huh?" “...It's no use, Shinji is slow.” Seeing Shinji sighing there, Mark and Zhen shrugged. They chatted freely while being screened for entry at the entrance to the town. Since Yuuki had the Freedom Association ID cards prepared for them, it was easier than expected for them to enter the country with just a simple explanation. They then went to check in at the inn and sightsee around the town in the name of gathering information. Three people are so surprised. They are "otherworldly visitors" who have the power to be treated favorably in this world. But they're not like the demon lord Rimuru, who does what he wants, and then again, he can't do it.

Yuuki put a lot of effort into improving his diet and living environment, and the empire introduced that system, but it was overtaken by this country many times over. Shinji knew those things so well that it was no longer a surprise to describe it, it even made him dumbfounded. There's takoyaki and okonomiyaki, and yakisoba. There are even a variety of desserts, like cornflakes or cakes. The store also has a variety of extremely expensive items that make you want to ask where the ingredients came from. There are small stalls, cafes, and everything from small restaurants to fine dining. The items inside give a sense of their passion for eating and drinking, recreating the flavor of another world. The inhabitants of this world must have been confused at first, but now they seem to be getting used to the variety of cuisine. As for Shinji, he was so happy that he shed tears when he saw the curry rice in the cafeteria. The toilets here are also perfect, and the hotel is very comfortable to stay in. Coupled with bathhouses that can be used for a fee, it takes root for mass entertainment. "Why don't I just come live in this country? Gentlemen, let's not go back to the Empire, shall we?” “Hey!" "No, I'm sorry...I was joking, it was all a joke. Don't be angry, Shinji.” "I'm not angry, I'm thinking I can seriously consider—" “...I want to live here too.” The three of them looked at each other with a sigh coming from their mouths. Shinji and the others had always thought that in this world, the Empire was the most civilized. However, it's only now that you know this country that you realize you were wrong about what you thought before. The town is thriving and the food is great. In addition to being a comfortable place to live, it seems to have become an entertainment and cultural center of gravity, with new ways to play emerging one after another. Those rides were all familiar in the original world, these guys had always survived in harsh environments, and for them those things were all nostalgic. There was no shortage of culture and entertainment in the Empire either, but those were for the aristocracy to enjoy. It's not as free as this town, and if civilians want to use it, the price is too high. By comparison, this town... "No, no, no, that's still not good.”

"That's right. Mr. Yuuki might have an opinion, and Gedora-sensei is horrible. Besides, the war is about to start...” “...a deserter will be shot.” Right. There will be war before long. This metropolis is a clear target, inevitably facing a war. The three of them knew very well how much military power the Empire had, and to say how much this country stood a chance of winning against the Empire, just thinking about it made them think they were out of luck. That's why Shinji forced them to abandon that lingering attachment. Then begin to stay true to the task and set about challenging the maze. ........... ........ "I heard that the hero was lucky to have broken through the 50th level, but it's easier than I thought.” "Haha, that's for sure. According to Yuuki-san, the strength of this man is really no big deal.” “...but his skills are not to be underestimated.” "That's why it takes more than six months of careful planning." At the moment of advancing to the fortieth floor, Shinji was snorting at them. They were still on guard against the underground maze at first, but now they felt comfortable and less nervous. Because they didn't want to take any chances, they had to gather information beforehand, but Shinji and the others always felt that this maze was full of game elements. Zhen seems to have lived a life that has nothing to do with video games, but both Shinji and Mark enjoy playing video games. Shinji, in particular, loved role-playing games and would indulge in a series of adventure games whenever he could while doing research in college. Compared to his knowledge of the game, one can't help but think that this underground maze is pretty ridiculous. There was indeed a deliberate attempt to malign the challenger. That said, those with the knowledge are familiar with these... Zhen Liu Xing was best at sensing traps. Plus there was Shinji to give him advice so he could actually see through those traps.

As long as one could find a way to deal with these traps, it was no big deal even if the magical creature was powerful. "In this maze, the challengers may not have enough knowledge to get up.” "Should be. I also used to laugh at the fact that this maze is a competitive play area, and it really is that. Stuff like that, as long as you know how the author is going to screw people, it's accidentally pretty broken.” “...and you can’t die.” While gathering information, they heard about the "Resurrection Ring". There's also a free one handed out to them at the counter. As long as you wear this, even if you die in the labyrinth, you seem to be able to come back to life at the entrance. Hearing that, Shinji and the others were in a subtle mood. How should I put it, in this serious world, it's only here that it seems like another world full of jokes that make them feel unspeakable. The problem at the moment is that it's not clear how deep the maze is. Even if one wanted to attack in one breath, the food that could be brought to the table was limited. Shinji and the others were still wondering how much to prepare when they heard unexpected instructions on the counter side. "Well, there's no need to worry about such things. As soon as the stairs are found, there will be an entrance and exit to the hotel. Although you have to pay, you can stay there overnight, so don't worry too much about the food. Lord Rimuru once said, ‘A snack can only be 300 round at most.’ Not sure what that means, but it should be important. By the way, there will also be a merchant waiting inside the hotel, so we can buy things that are in the way.” That's very thoughtful. Shinji was tempted to yell, “How about information about acquisitions which are more important than snacks!” But he didn't want to be accused of being disrespectful for shouting out strange sentences, so he chose to hold back on the spot. ........... ........ Time comes to now. It had been a week since they have started raiding the Maze. The three of them rested at the inn in the maze, looking out over the loot on one side. "Well, I've been making a lot of money these last few days. Although the hotels here are said to have only minimal facilities, they are very comfortable to stay in. The cost of accommodation is cheap in comparison, and you can make a lot of money selling unnecessary equipment, right?”

The moody Mark asks the question. Seemingly somewhat interested, Zhen also raised his face. Like in response to these two, Shinji took the gold coins out of the bag. The golden glow had the three staring intently. They get all kinds of props from magical creatures or treasure chests, and these aren't just money for selling props. There were also bonuses—dozens of gold coins, and even star gold coins. Such remuneration is simply unprecedented. "Sort of. We made a lot of money. Then I heard something about how not even the group that attacked to the front of the line broke through the fiftieth floor. It's said that only Masayuki's group broke through, and we are the second group.” Even Masayuki’s group was currently stuck at the sixty level. It was conceivable that people should be blocked from going by the floor guardians on the fortieth floor. Thanks to this, Shinji has made them the MVP of the month. "Oh yes, it's the Tempest snake, isn't it? Very strong indeed, but not our opponent." The Tempest Snake is A- rank, and even the more powerful adventurers who encounter this magical creature will be in a bitter battle. It would make ranged attacks, spitting out dangerous spray that was particularly vicious in a cramped room. Because there was nowhere to run but to face, but the snake's flesh was so tough that it would be finished as soon as it was wound up in a circle. It should be a magic creature that cannot be taken lightly, but for Shinji and others, it was actually not that hard to defeat this opponent. What is interesting is not how strong the magical creature is, but the treasures that can be obtained after the defeat. "This weapon has holes in it, I don't know what they are. Things like this can sell for amazingly high prices...” It's because the price is so high that they're afraid to take it and sell it. With regard to this kind of weapon with holes in it, coming near the fortieth floor will slowly begin to appear. They hadn't seen that sort of thing in the Empire, so the Shinji crew wasn't sure of its value. "What the hell is this hole? Even if I can't find out the results with my identification magic, it might be better to stay until Master comes.” "No such weapon has ever appeared before on the fortieth floor." “...hmm. Only the demon lord's room will appear, otherwise the powerful magical creatures near the fifty floors will fall.”

"Well, that's right. But in fact it seems to be circulating in the town, though rarely. I've heard that treasure chests below the 30th floor will open such things with a very low chance.” "Well, the quality is really good. But even if you use this as an excuse, it shouldn't be so expensive, right?” “...is there a secret?” "Should be. Even if you ask the merchants, they just smile and don't tell us.” "Hey hey hey, that's too suspicious. We might as well keep it until Grandpa comes over. Forget about that for now, look at this, look at this!” With a side of his mouth, Mark took out the minotaur's battleaxe and showed it off to everyone. It radiates a beautiful silvery white glow. That kind of thing is made of magic steel, and it's the supreme dream escape. Also a special-grade weapon, the floor guardian of the fiftieth floor was guarding a treasure chest, which was opened from the treasure chest. "It's a special-grade weapon. Even within the Empire, it's hard to get something like this!” Mark looked so smitten that he rubbed his cheek against the tomahawk. Seriously though, that weapon is pretty awesome. If one joins the Imperial Emperor's Knights of the Near Guard within the Empire, one is given legendary level equipment. But for the generals and soldiers underneath, the equipment given to them was high quality and sturdy, but there was not even magic from above. As for special-grade equipment, that kind of stuff was hard to get even a superior general to get his hands on. No wonder Mark was so excited. "That's right. To hear Yuuki-san say, it seems that all of the Empire's equipment is mass-produced. We don't get to see it very often, but I've heard that even the legendary gear is the same style.” “...Is this possible?” Zhen wants to ask Shinji if it's possible to mass produce legendary equipment. Theoretically—it’s not possible to do that. "Shinji, that's what you're saying, isn't it? Just because it's all the same shape doesn't mean it's a product of quantity?” Mark seemed to have a problem with that too, laughing at Shinji's remark. If such a thing could ever come true, then the value of the special-grade equipment he got would also slip. "Of course, not in the usual way. Even Master Gedora said that it would be difficult to mass produce 'Magic Steel'. However, it still seems possible to do so if one can maintain a special environment.” “...special environment?

"Right. It is said that if you place your equipment in a place with a high concentration of this type of mana for a long time—often hundreds to thousands of years—you will be able to meet the conditions for equipment evolution. After that, as long as the equipment recognizes good owners, they will begin to evolve individually. "I don't think there's any such thing.” “...hmm. I don't think so either." "Right? But both Yuuki-san and Gedora-sensei said something like that.” "Well, let's say it's possible, then, so what?” "It's nothing. It means that this minotaur's battleaxe is probably mass-produced too.” "How can that be?” "You don't think that's possible either, do you? But this tomahawk also has holes in it. We've never seen a naturally occurring one look like this, have we?” "Haven't seen it. What the hell is that?” “...but this weapon is beautiful. Although the shape is weird.” Shinji wasn't trying to be whiny. Nor was he envious of Mark to see him so happy. After all, a large weapon like the tomahawk was difficult for him and Zhen to master. Shinji just... "I just think the ease with which this country can provide that kind of weaponry means that they're more powerful than we thought...” His words sent Mark and Shinji into silence. In fact, the two of them were in the same mood. Mark had been worried about whether the counter staff would take the Minotaur's battleaxe after getting it. The props obtained in the maze are all the challenger's property—the other side has already mentioned this rule to them. However, he still had the idea that such powerful weapons would normally be collected in the treasury. From the standpoint of a few of them, if things turn out that way, so be it, we can only go against the grain. That said, several of them are spies, provided they don't make a big deal out of it. However, the results were unexpected.

People clapped their hands and congratulated them, and the staff present offered their blessings. Not only that, but even a bonus. So the three couldn't help but feel that it was proof that the Jura Tempest Federation was beyond the pale. "Same thing with weapons, this country is weird.” "What a surprise. If you're serious about how to approach this place, you'll not only have money to take, but you'll also feel like you're having fun. It should be said that there seems to be no loss to us. It should be hard for the weaker ones to earn a living here, but if they're as good as we are...” "No way, Mark. Think, what would happen if you run away?: “...the death penalty.” "Yeah, that'll happen. But no matter how you think about it, the way of life here seems to be happier.” Shinji and Zhen share Mark's views. Yet the reality is harsh. Mark's words were charming, but they can't keep dreaming here. "If there's a war, this country will suffer, too.” “—should be. If this country wins, I will happily betray the Empire and join them. But no country is willing to accept such a person if they run away and betray their country.” “...losing our place will be very disturbing, there's no way around it.” The three of them let out a sigh and decided to throw away their naive thoughts. Shinji and the others changed their moods and began to think about their plans for tomorrow. "From tomorrow, we will enter the fiftieth floor, and I have heard that next this place is called the Paradise of the Dead. Mark's Minotaur Battleaxe is made of Holy Attribute magic steel, and its effect on the Immortal or Necromantic lineage is worth waiting for.” "This is it. It's also incredible at this point, it really seems like a game. The key to the next level is guarded by the demon lord.” “...and it's getting stronger." Seeing the two of them appear this reaction, Shinji actually noticed it too. Shinji's best game is role-playing, and without anyone else saying it, he'd thought of that a long time ago. It just felt too weird, so he deliberately didn't think about it. He found many things. Like the floor guardians located on ten multiples of floors are suddenly stronger.

It starts with a large spider (Dark Spider) with difficulty equal to B, and then a large centipede (Evil Centipede) with difficulty equal to B+. After that, on the thirtieth floor, a B+ ranked Big Ghost Maniac King (Ogre King) showed up with several of his men. Since these magical creatures work together, it is difficult to deal with them simply by strong brute force. On the fortieth floor there is the A- tempest snake mentioned earlier, and on the fiftieth floor there is the human-speaking monster from a tribe of bull-demons, named Gozu. At this level is a monster that doesn’t even appear once in a hundred years. It's equivalent to a disaster level—according to Yuuki's rank, it’s a rank A magical creature. The equivalent of a monster underneath a demon lord is a very dangerous opponent. However, if the three of them went on together, it would take a little effort, but they could still beat him. If that's what it means, even if one person goes out to fight alone, they should be able to win. But one thing must not be forgotten. It doesn't die in the maze, so it can be hard-tried during combat. "That's true. Since the fiftieth level is that kind of ranked magical creature guarding it, it might get stronger in the next breath.” “...it may be a fight to the death then.” Mark agreed with Shinji, and Zhen nodded with an expression full of awareness. Progress was good on this side, but a harsh battle would follow—so thought all three. "Just like before, the next tactic is still dominated by the mark. We also get weapons with special effects, let's see how far we can fight.” “...and right.” "I don't think there's a lot of powerful magical creatures around. I think the next sixty levels should be the bottom, and if that's not the case, it's pretty scary. "No, no, no, I don't think so.” Although Shinji came out and denied it, he actually heard annoying rumors. He wasn't going to tell Mark about it to them. Because he knew that if he said it, the morale of the two would definitely drop. After all, that rumor was that the underground maze had gone down to a hundred levels below ground. That's ridiculous. This is the conclusion of Shinji. The floor monsters to face next made him uneasy, but it was useless to care about those.

They won't die anyway, and Shinji and his crew think they'll be able to win in the end, only they may have to fight for a long time next. "It can't be as bad as it looks, so let's just try and see, and remember to be vigilant.” Hearing Shinji say that, Mark and Zhen nodded. The destination is at the bottom. Supposedly there was a research facility there and they were going to make sure it wasn't true. Later, Shinji reconfirmed their policy, and that was the day they went to sleep. Three days passed after that. Breaking through the poisonous swamp and erosion zone, Shinji and the others finally found the stairs located on the 59th floor. Walk down this staircase and you'll reach the 60th floor below. Finally, I was able to get to the front of the room of the floor guardian. It only took them seven days to hit the fiftieth floor directly, and it took them three whole days to go from fifty to sixty. Although the area is smaller, the difficulty is much higher. "Are you ready for this?" "All right.” “...hmm.” Yesterday they were fully rested and fully prepared. It's a lot of energy. "It seems that like the fiftieth floor, there are so-called floor guardians ahead. It must be a monster with intelligence.” "I know. Should be tougher to deal with than yesterday's Necromancer Long. “...let's give it our all from the start." Faced with the next hurdle, it's okay to just deal with it calmly. Thinking so, the three nodded silently at each other. Immediately following... They reached cautiously toward the door and pushed it open with one breath.

Time goes back a little... Staying in my room, I considered constructing a surveillance network.

Currently, Souei and the spies released by Moss are on standby at the Jura Forest focus area. Not only that, but we also have personnel deployed along the coast from the Kingdom of Farmenas to the northern part of Ingracia and even on the mountain tops. That being said, the intelligence gathering still gives me a hint of unease. My biggest fear is the time delay. The intelligence officers released were in groups of two, taking into account the fact that both could have been killed at the same time. In that case, the information coming out of that location would be interrupted. As heartbreaking as it is for people to be injured, information that comes too slowly could be implicated in an existential crisis for the country. In order to avoid such a thing, I want Souei to speak to those people with heavy words. Once a surveillance officer is found, he or she may engage in a fight with the other party even if not killed. This delayed the speed of information transfer, so I've been fumbling around, looking for ways to operate more safely and smoothly. So I wondered if I could use magic to spy. There are some spells that can see far and exist in the spell system, but they are more difficult to use than one might think. At best, the amount of information that can be transmitted is not that much more than confirmation of the other party's posture. And only a single location can be monitored, and if you want to see a different place, you have to rewire the magic. It takes some time on the switch, and it doesn't make sense if the opponent has already passed through that location, so this magic doesn't have enough flexibility. In addition, if your opponent releases a magic barrier, the magic will be bounced off and disappear. It simply can't be used to spy on the more powerful, and the conclusion is that it won't come in handy in the real world. But then an idea came to me. That is "physical magic" —the "Megiddo". The so-called “Megiddo" magic causes water droplets to gather into the shape of a lens, which is used to gather sunlight. As long as we follow this theory, I think we should be able to create surveillance magic as well. For example, let those beads of water float around and reflect the scene. If I can copy out those scenery, I think I can confirm what's going on in the distance as well. If that doesn't work, then I'll let a lens that floats about 10,000 meters into the air shine those images, and then I'll let the images expand so that they project onto the screen. It's an integrated system with telescopes, photos and intelligence rewrites. Combining these together, it is possible to create satellites for surveillance by magic—it should be easier to understand in this direction.

It seems like a lot of trouble to construct these principles one by one with magic, but the King of Wisdom gave the answer, saying that it can be achieved with "physical magic", "spirit magic", and "space domination". Next, just send the detailed requirements to the King of Wisdom. Just doing that alone will create the magic I want. When this surveillance system is completed, gathering intelligence will become easier. It became safe, and it did. The amount of information we can get our hands on will also become so large that we can easily keep track of the enemy's movements, no matter how they act. One might think that there's something to be done with that when you're so busy, but it's a very important thing. He who controls information controls the world—even to such an extent that it is important, and so on, to control war. When the Russo-Japanese War was fought in the past, it was in the Sea of Japan, where the Japanese Navy, under the command of Heihachiro Togo, Commander-in-Chief of the Joint Fleet, wiped out the Russian Baltic Fleet. It is said that the most important subject in this naval battle is whether or not to encounter the enemy fleet. Predict where you will be able to catch your opponent and where you will be able to meet them. Had the guesses been wrong, there would have been no such battle in history. In terms of results, Japan would have lost the war too, right? In other words, that's exactly where we are. If the fighters were spread out, our troops would be at a disadvantage in numbers and likely to lose the battle. The ability to see through the Empire's movements and concentrate the fighters in the most suitable locations is what will make the difference to victory. Conversely, if the Empire has left their armies scattered, we can draw up a more detailed battle plan to break them up individually. In order to make the playing field favorable like this, and most importantly for us to actually win, this magic must be done. Although I'm being cool by saying this, in fact, the completion of the magic has come to the trial stage.

The reason why the King of Wisdom has been asking for it is because I want it to be more user- friendly, and it is my fine point in this regard.

Huh? I didn’t do it myself? Don't say stupid things like that. The King of Wisdom is my skill, which is to say it equates to me having to work on it myself. Thinking about it makes me think that I might be overworked lately. To combat the fatigue, I wanted to catch my breath a little.

After a long absence, I began to enjoy the black tea that Shion had made for me. During this period of relaxation, I intend to use the surveillance magic that has been done... "Lord Rimuru, I have an urgent report for you!” It was at this time that Beretta contacted me urgently through the "Communication Network". ........... ........ His report was astonishing. A second group of Raiders who had broken through to the fiftieth level in the underground maze had appeared. To add, by the way, without further ado, the first people were Masayuki and his crew. There is currently an imminent war with other countries, so they are temporarily on hiatus, and their record break is 59th floor. Thanks to a few of them, the maze was in full swing. Every day, many challengers come and use it to bring us wealth. And of course it's good for the challengers. Over the course of the year, they have also become quite skilled. The teams that started attacking the 30th floor one after another, created strategies to take advantage of the immortality phenomenon by using combat methods such as coming back from the dead or making their teammates be honorably sacrificed as living sacrifices. However, after breaking through the thirtieth level, those who encountered those traps for the first time would not only die, but the monsters would also begin to fight in collective action. If you use some evil and devilish ways, it will be very difficult to correspond. Still, there's no shortage of strong people among these challengers. Those who attack with proper play tend to be slower on their feet, but they are more skilled and more full of equipment. At the same time, the strength will increase. It's scary to get used to such things, and even when encountering vicious traps, some people will start to dodge them by instinct. That's roughly the case, the nearest frontline Raider Team is closing in on the 40th Floor Guardians— yet for now they're all stuck here. Because the floor guardian on the fortieth floor was the A- rank Tempest Snake. It was also one of the first black snakes I started encountering and was good at launching very effective spray attacks against whole groups of people. A lot of people were sprayed by this guy until their equipment broke and ended up coming to our stores with tears in their eyes. This time of year we'll be sweet enough to lend out equipment produced by the Jura Tempest Federation.

It's another good deal to break it and claim it against them anyway. Oops—thank you, Mr. Snake! Take away their previously earned savings from the challengers for us completely. I was going to say that this guardian is just that reliable, just that great, and can bring us wealth... It's a shame to be beaten down. And I heard that even the floor guardians of the fiftieth floor were taken out. It was fortunate that they had played some small tricks when they broke the barrier, which meant that the people who came this time were very strong. They took even the prize money, but it was just enough to offset it as a promotional expense. The maze was abuzz with talk of a new hero being born, and the event seemed to be even bigger than before. Regarding this fiftieth floor, I asked the wise monster to take care of the defense. Ordered the Gozu of the Bull Beast Clan and the Mezu of the Horse Beast Clan to take turns guarding. Those two weren't weak, and being breached surprised me well. After all, the two of them would compete against each other whenever they had the time, and would start playing around with ideas to make the fight more complicated. They are no longer fools who only rely on brute force and can tell when they have a mind in the way they fight. Now those two are less prone to strife, like good friends. As for the fifty floors that have these two people taking turns guarding, it occurred to me that when people break through this floor, I have pretty awesome prizes ready. Only the first time will the equipment be opened from the treasure chest with a 100 percent chance. That's the special-grade equipment—the Bull Head and Horse Face Series. The name is taken from Minotaur, guardian of the labyrinth. The gear is strong, strong as a mess. If a weapon is fired, it's a minotaur's battle axe or a horse-headed minotaur's battle gun. There are no shields, all that's left are defenses for all parts of the body. Originally I thought it should be a while before anyone hits this level, so I only seem to have about ten sets ready. But in terms of quality it's all first class. The high disciples from Kurobee gathered their skills to create these fantastic creations. It's a problem to be getting that kind of stuff, however what's more important is the fighting ability of these Raiders. That said, because of naming Gozu and Mezu, they got stronger. Being able to take these two down, the country is keen to cut their corners. If they are not willing to let us cut corners, they may become our enemies. That would be troublesome, so we anticipate watching these dangerous people.

For the above reasons, if the Gozu had been knocked down, someone would have contacted me urgently. That's why Beretta came to contact me just now. ........... ........ "So, how's it going?” "In your words. There are three breakers in total. Everyone has a unique skill.” Maybe it was someone I knew—I had speculated that, but it was overturned at once. Not only did it take three men to defeat Gozu, but they had unique skills. Not only that, they weren't the ones who had been active before, they were newcomers who had just recently joined. If it was a normal visit that’d be fine, but war was imminent, so it was likely that spies had been lured here by a decoy. It is necessary to gather detailed information about them. Because of this, I suspended the scheduled practice plan for monitoring the magic and headed for the command room located in the maze.

Going inside, I found that Ramiris and Veldora were already there. Dino and Vesta seem to have the day off. Dino is fine, Vesta seems to be working a lot lately, I hope he gets some rest. Ramiris and Veldora were in good spirits. These two probably don't know what fatigue is. It's called childish energy. Just do what you're interested in and you won't feel exhausted at all during this time. "Oh, there you are, Commander! No change in the situation has occurred yet!” I don't understand where the change didn't occur. Probably just say something decent. I looked to the image reflected on the big picture. Three young people are indeed reflected there.

It looked like they were breaking through those floors with a swagger of momentum. Not only that, but they fight in an extremely specific way. One person with a decidedly abnormal throwing power is catching the "air" throw. Something like an air-compressed bullet or something, right? It was absolutely impossible to do it with human power. It was a stout and tall man with coffee-colored hair. His five features were deep and he wore a tank top with jeans. That's right, tank tops with jeans. Just looking at that makes him seem like an "otherworldly visitor". Looking at the other two... One of the men covered his thin frame with a black cloak, the other wore lock armor, and the youth had a white coat over his body. White. That's right, a white lab coat. Often seen in research rooms or hospitals, it is the white coat that is everywhere. But it's not that common in this world. The white clad youth's five features looked like an asian man. He looks Japanese no matter how I look at him. That black cloak didn't matter, the man in the vest and the white youth should both be 'otherworldly visitors'. Those aside first. In the big picture, the battle goes on. This time the opponent was a powerful character—six other Necromancers joined the battle and attacked the three of them. So fast that the average person couldn't react, the Necromancer wolves approached their prey with a flourish. The Necromancer probably thought that pulling too far away would only result in a one-sided attack. Here, after the 50th floor of the underground, even the miscellaneous demons that appear have high IQs. By the way, just one Necromancer has a B+ ranking, and gathering six will be very tricky. And they are also necromantic, characterized by the fact that physical damage must be inflicted through holy attribute weapons or magic weapons. Their flesh is constructed of magical elements and will immediately regenerate even if they are beaten to a pulp. It's a very difficult thing to defeat without a countermeasure. One accident and they will bite you to death in one breath... "Don't underestimate me. I'm just a dog! Watch this...!"

Someone let out a shout, it was the brunette who had been catching air and throwing it earlier. This time picking up the dreaded battleaxe on his back and jerking it back vigorously there. This wave alone made the three Necromancer Wolves turn into balls of light and disappear. Ahhh, that thing! I was going to say that the dangerous-looking tomahawk looked familiar, and it turned out to be a minotaur's tomahawk. Since it was a special-grade weapon, of course it would carry magic. That is, it was a magical weapon that could inflict damage to the Necromancers with ease. The magic power possessed by that weapon alone could do damage to magical creatures. And the Minotaur's battle axe is, as a matter of course, also very good in terms of materials. The impression was that it was something that had been specially ordered, made from magic silver mixed into the magic steel. This is a holy attribute, and this weapon is specifically used to inflict large damage to the Immortal or Necromantic lineage. "That's right, if it's a minotaur's tomahawk, it only takes one slash to kill a necromancer wolf. "Mmm. That weapon seems to have been dropped by Gozu. Just picking up the weapon and being able to use it so purely, it looks like that person has a talent for fighting. I mumbled something there, and Veldora agreed with me. As I watched them fight, I listened to what had happened. At this very moment in the day, I wish I had potato chips to go with it. It looked like most of those fights before were also the same one where the coffee-haired man took the enemy down. After actually seeing it with my own eyes, I finally understood. The coffee-haired guy was really strong. So, what about the various traps? On that point, it was all the black cloak that quickly found out and told his companion the location. Beginning at the fifty-first level, some ingenious traps, or sinister traps that will kill those who encounter them for the first time, are officially employed. A look will reveal that the black cloak has all the traps correctly pointed out. That should be his unique skill. It can be said that such a member is indispensable in order to approach the maze. The last man in white has only made one appearance so far. I heard it was against Gozu. Veldora's commentary on them was baffling, so I asked the King of Wisdom to pull up the records of the Labyrinth's past. Next thing you know, it turns out he's actually done some pretty incredible things. He took a syringe out of his arms and administered the blow to both partners.

Immediately afterwards, Gozu's movements suddenly became sluggish. What kind of status change is conferred? <<Answer. It is poison. Based on the results of the analysis, we know that the attack on the individual named "Gozu" came from a neurotoxin. That room was filled with toxic gas that seemed to be able to hinder movement if someone was not resistant enough. No impact at this time.>> Ah, so it's poison gas. And it's free to match the opponent's modulation on the spot. Gozu's movements turned sluggish, just in time to become the mark of the brunette man. However, it was the man in white who sent him to the Western Heaven. He took a knife that glowed silver out of his arms and properly sliced through the veins in Gozu's neck. This man in white was the leader of the three of them. It's not that he barely gets a chance to play, it's that he's responsible for calling the shots. And it's not bad. The coffee-haired man, who appears to be the front man, can also move freely. They have a good balance and can be described as a good team. Just at this time, a knock on the door of the room rang out. The door opened silently, and Shuna entered the house. She brought a piece of paper with the three people who had been the subject of conversation just now, with the information the three of them had used to log in. "This is the information that the three men logged in when they entered the country.” Next, Shuna gave a bow and handed me the piece of paper. Sincerely: twenty-three years old, wizard. Mark: Twenty-six years old, fighter. Zhen: Seventeen years old, a hunter. A brief note on paper with their names and occupations. From a small country next to the Empire. When the merchants heard the rumor of the underground labyrinth, they came to try their hand at it— the purpose of entering our country is stated above. No, no, no, it's a lie any way you look at it. Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, also presents the results of the analysis of those three men. Just like Beretta had said, it looked like those three people each had unique skills.

These three would form a team and still come at the same time and teach people how to believe. A couple of points about the careers they propose also concern me a bit. In order to be a mage, you must be able to do more than two systems of magic, which is a more advanced profession. As for that ‘Sincerely’, he seems to have learned "Spirit Magic" and "Elemental Magic", and can be said to have great qualities. The same goes for the fighter, who must excel in both his use of weapons and his fighting skills. Under these conditions, at least one of each is required for basic fighting techniques and the weapons that will be used. If with a sword it is swordsmanship, with a bow and arrow it is shooting, among which there is throwing such things as throwing a short sword or throwing stones. To choose from a wide variety of weapons that suit you. It also requires flexibility, which is the ultimate in weapon use skills. That Mark seemed to be good at throwing abilities and using a spear in addition to fighting abilities, which felt very versatile. As for the last hunter, that can be called the top of the magic hunter. In the shooting technique, special emphasis is placed on the bow and archery and learning to the extreme, as well as using the "invisibility method", which is the most difficult in the technique. And one must also learn the skill of "crisis awareness"; one cannot become a hunter by talent alone. It is the most revered profession for those who are attached to the repression department. In a world where it's essential to be able to spot traps or magical creatures when exploring, there are very few people with that kind of skill. The situation is such that the only people who can become hunters seem to be members of the hunting nation, a difficult profession. All three have very rare careers, and they come in teams. Either way, it feels like they’re saying "please doubt me". "These three really look like the spies who took the bait.” "Yes. But would a spy reveal his identity as generously as this?” After my muttered words, someone picked up, a Diablo with a thin sense of presence. When I was doing the magic development, he was the subject of my consultation and was looking forward to the experiment of the new surveillance magic, but the experiment was interrupted because of this summoning, and he seemed very unhappy. His eyes seemed to be filled with hatred for the three people in the picture, but it turned out that judgment was still normal? "Ah, I wonder about that too. I used to think they might have to make a move, but the town is pretty stable.” This team is indeed suspicious, but the information documented above is really too candid. Did they really write those things honestly—to give rise to such doubts, even as to the ingenious battle plan to make us suspect a dark spirit? "Rimuru, you're overthinking it, aren't you? Don't you always say honesty is most important too?”

"Say what? More than that, how to entertain the challengers is the most important thing right now!" No way, I envy you both, neither of you have to use your brains. They shouldn't be bothered, I'm starting to envy Veldora and Ramiris. Never mind. Whatever the truth is, it's definitely important to pay more attention to these people. The dark-haired young man in white was named Sincerely. I think Sincerely is a pseudonym. Either way I look at it, I think his name should be Shinji (***I think that Shinji has a meaning or a sound similar to ‘sincere’ in japanese which is why the pseudonym refers to what Rimuru thinks is his real name). The brown-haired guy is Mark. He didn't just throw air bombs, but also things like the corpse of a magical creature, a dropped rock, or anything that could be caught, as if he could throw anything. He also grabbed a live magical creature and threw it out to smash two skeleton warriors into pieces at the same time, causing me to almost spit out my tea as I watched. He looks like he should really be a fighter. Deftly manipulating the minotaur's battle axe, he knocked those dead spirits down one after another. The man in the black cloak was Zhen. This guy definitely has an eye for seeing through traps. At first, I thought it was "crisis awareness", but seeing that he could avoid all dangerous places beforehand, I thought it was probably due to his unique skills. Originally the vicious trap after the fifty layers was more threatening than the powerful demon. The Immortal System's magical creatures don't need to breathe, and to avoid unnatural situations, we adjust the composition of the air. The room without oxygen was so violent that even if you accidentally stepped in it, you would die immediately. Others prepare poisoned water, acid swamps, corrosive gas rooms, etc. Not only the flesh, but even the equipment is damaged, and very annoying various traps await the challenger. Those insidious traps are exactly the character of the producer, and the design concept of the Fiftieth Levels is to use these dangerous traps to hinder everyone. Yet the trap was so thoroughly seen that it's pointless. On top of that, their sense of direction seems to stand out, not being fooled by the spinning floor, simply taking the shortest distance forward.

The labyrinth obviously makes no sense at all. If they suffered some injuries, the white-clothed youth, Sincerely, would heal them. If he can also break down toxins, can't seem to expect those traps to have much effect. Although there are only three of them, they are particularly well suited to Raid the Maze. Just like that, three days passed. The three of us, me, Veldora, and Ramiris, had fun watching Sincerely and the others raid the Labyrinth. No, they're not meant to be used as a reference model to replace their own maze! That's the one—just admiring the beauty of a master fighter. Diablo was reading a book in one corner of the room, and Shuna was teaching Shion how to make snacks. On top of that, Shuna poured fresh tea for the three of us. Today's drink is black tea, but the apple aroma inside is soothing. "By the way, Rimuru, what do you mean those people took the bait?” Well, what are you talking about—it dawned on me that I was talking about a conversation from three days ago. The sluggishness is not on par with a dinosaur, but he's still Veldora. "It's okay if you don't have to care about that.” "That's a little out of line, isn't it? You can tell me.” Usually I don't give a damn about such things, but today I'm particularly obsessed. Well, it's okay if you ask me. "So I said, actually...” So much so that I decided to explain it to Veldora. Uppercut means literally. We have additional asylum training. The reason is that we've been able to do something as exaggerated as isolating an entire town directly into an underground maze. The inherent ability of "labyrinth creation" in Ramiris is really impressive. I knew she could replace floors, but didn't think even the above-ground metropolis could be replaced as a floor. Although the isolation was carried out, it was fixed for twenty-four hours. But there is no need to worry about water or air. It should be said that the sun can still be seen and does not seem to be too much of a burden on the minds of the residents.

Of course that requires a very strong force, and this is the time to look for him—we have Veldora-kun here. Because of this, our approach to warfare was primarily to segregate towns in time of war. —and practiced it several times, which is the bait we sow on spies. Only one door was left in the ground, and that was the junction to the maze that looked as suspicious as it said it was. In discussing with Benimaru they came to the conclusion that the other side would definitely come and investigate. "So it is. Thanks to Master, my power has also increased! It seems like a big help, which is great.” "Huh-huh, so. Thanks to me? I see.” Veldora looked at me with a look that was very much intending to be complimented. This guy is a pain in the ass, I thought to myself, but thanks to Veldora it was the truth. “Geez—that was a big help, Veldora-kun~” "Kuahahaha! I guess so, that's it! So, can I have this cake?" That won't work...! This cake is one that I'm going to keep and enjoy. “In that case, please have my share.” Oh, Diablo, thank you! “Sorry." "If anything, it's no big deal if it’s for Lord Rimuru." He’s so reliable. Then I will respectfully submit to Diablo's kindness. Enjoying the cake on one side, my eyes looked to the big picture. Immediately afterwards, the group challenged the floor guardians that were about to challenge the 60th floor. "Since we know they're spies, shouldn't we take them in?” "No, I want to test their strength and see how far they can go forward. It's a big loss to pay a bonus, but they fired up the atmosphere so that should be fine.” The big deal is to still arrest them and get those things back anyway. Now let them think we're going to booze and come and use these people completely. “That’s Rimuru for you."

"So dirty! Your ideas are genius!" Obviously complimented by Veldora and Ramiris, why am I not happy? Shuna looked at the few of us with dumbfounded eyes. "That's a failure. Didn't expect to fire the Minotaur's battleaxe the first time. That one is a holy attribute, and the damage to the Immortal or Necromantic lineage is greatly increased.” "I can't believe we're having a first-return limited-edition giveaway. We seem a little overwhelmed..." The guardian of the sixty levels is Adalman. Just like in the old days when he was King of the Dead, he went to meet the challengers, so I let him take the title of "Immortal King", but... One has to lead the army to play to Adalman's strengths. If he was the only one, actually weaker than Gozu or Mezu, there was always the feeling that there might be a regrettable result this time too. And Adalman is a dead spirit and is very vulnerable to holy attributes or light attributes. As long as Mark had the Minotaur's battleaxe in his hands, the odds of Adalman's victory were slim. I did make some suggestions with Adalman, but this floor boss is actually a trap. There wasn't a lot of expectation for the strength of the floor guardian, so I think it's okay to give the challenger weapons that can attack weak points. I'm sorry Adalman. Unfortunately, there's no way to stop those three on his own. Well, it's probably my fault, just please forgive me. For the above reasons, I was more looking forward to the 70th level of the Guardians.

The "Immortal King" Adalman spotted an invasion of his jurisdiction and his fleshless lips lifted upwards. Teeth rubbed slightly, making a tiny sound. It was hard to tell, but Adalman smirked to himself. "You seem to be in a good mood, Lord Adalman.” Someone opened their mouth to Adalman, the man who had been his beloved comrade long ago. This man was originally a Templar and his name was Albert. Even when Adalman was set up to die, he always followed Adalman.

After becoming a member of Rimuru's ministry and taking the last seat, Albert became a lower-ranking magical creature called a skeleton swordsman. To even be able to exist in the world was good luck, so he becomes something very weak. Certainly even less likely to speak. Today, however, Albert speaks fluently. Why is this? The reason is actually very simple. Because the current Albert is no longer some skeletal swordsman, nor is he a Necromancer who evolved several stages backwards. Rather, he’s a more powerful character—the Paladin of the Dead. Since he is a dead spirit, he will not possess flesh. Yet he stood there with the same posture he had in his life. Only there were blue ghostly flames flying around, and his skin was a miserable white color, so it was obvious that he was not a living person. Adalman had no attachment to the flesh of his life, and preferred the present posture, with only bones left. But Albert seemed to think differently, and since he had been given a much larger amount of magic power than the Necromancer, he was now free to rely on the magic vein structure flesh. Albert still had a fondness for the way he was when he was alive, and that look made him proud. He becomes a young man with a fresh face—strange to say that the dead are fresh. Guided by seemingly dangerous equipment, a glance at Albert could tell he was no panhandler. "Well, I'm certainly in a good mood. Albert, it looks like a guest is coming.” Hearing that, Albert nodded happily too. "So you're here at last?” These two befriended each other so well that they knew everything about each other, and with a little conversation they were heart to heart. "Mmm. This moment has finally come. Lord Rimuru, the demon lord, has given us peace of mind, which will now help that lord. Since he has given us such a powerful power, you must know that we must not lose our temper like before.” "Of course. I, Albert, understand perfectly.” "Well, it looks like I was nosy. It's probably because he was so excited that he started nagging about it." Immediately after, the two of them looked at each other and flashed smiles at each other. In addition to them there is another one. “Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!"

A ferocious and violent roar roared through the interior of the city of death. "Well, I see you're looking forward to it, too. All right then. Use your power well today. We have to prove our faithfulness to god!” It's both serene and thick. The enthusiasm of those three men enveloped the room. Adalman's faith died for a time, and demon lord Rimuru became the god of his renewed faith. Months passed after a bitter defeat. He hoped to be able to contribute to Rimuru, and in just a few short months, Adalman had taken back the power of the King of the Dead, which was nothing compared to the heyday. Adalman's faith has become so strong. In Rimuru's perspective though, he only felt that faith was too much to bear. Not only that, but he was also thinking in his mind, ‘Sorry, you guys shouldn't have a chance to win,’ and was already looking forward to the next floor guardians. Adalman and the others were completely unaware of this matter, and everyone was in full force. This time it has to be—no, it can't be the next time. Failure is not allowed, he must keep winning. Adalman and his partner were full of energy, thinking that the foolish intruders should come over soon and start discussing countermeasures cautiously.

A fierce battle opened and ended in the blink of an eye. It was a real battle—I’d like to make that comment, but it was too much of an understatement to say. I had even prepared poker cards in order to defuse the boredom, but those were completely useless. The result was a landslide victory for Adalman. The win was glorious—glorious to the point of being speechless. It wasn't that the challengers were weak, and they weren't sick or injured. Those people seemed to be in good physical condition and full of energy. But at these levels, Adalman and the others are even better. This time the challenger was very strong. Their skills are also analytically complete and I think they should be better than Adalman. Those three people were all above level A, and each of them had unique skills.

The unique skill of Sincerely is called "Healer", and it is a very rare skill. Through that skill, you can manipulate the construction of tiny viruses. If the other person is a creature, it seems to be able to still destroy from within the body. It also seems to be able to manipulate the air components and spread tiny attack viruses. Honestly, that's too good to be true. If the opponent is a living creature, there's probably no way to beat it, right? Without a microscope, there was no way to distinguish those extremely small attacking bodies, and if there was no way to see those things, it should be impossible to win over Sincerely right now. And of course he can administer therapy. That's superior to medical nanobots, a skill that's also excellent in terms of its versatility. Then there's Mark, whose power is the exclusive skill "Thrower". As long as it's something that can be held in the hand, it seems that anything can be lost. Seeing as he can hold magical objects in disgrace, being able to lift things seems to apply to this skill as well. If combined with magic that manipulates gravity, it could be more tricky than your average mass weapon. Rather than being used against a single individual, it may be more effectively used, especially against the military. Finally, there are the skills of Zhen, which contain many convenient skills. His unique skill, "Observer", contains "Intuition Avoidance", "Crisis Sense", "Trap Sense", "Magic Object Sense", "Breath Sense", and seems to be able to see even the smallest of sincere attacks. Combined with his individual fighting abilities, he was especially good at running away. Not only is he fast, but he’s also a natural enemy of the maze as it won't be countered by traps. That's about it. Those skills that look good let me be the reference. Everyone is excellent, and those three have a tacit understanding, no wonder they’re so strong. I think it's understandable to think that these three would be able to beat Adalman. However.... In the intervening months, that Adalman guy seems to have grown substantially. Without self-willed magical creatures, it is impossible to increase the fighting ability substantially from the initial value. It's a different story if one lives for decades, but nothing will change in just a few years. But Adalman and Albert... "I say, what's going on? Why have they become so strong with Adalman?” And what is that dragon? This time, the floor guardian has an evil dragon he's never seen before in addition to Adalman and Albert. Standing nearly ten meters tall, his body exuded a terrible darkness.

From which side do you bring such things...? What was going on when I went abroad to inspect the town that was out of town? "Hey hey hey, you're scared! Actually, we've been keeping it a secret. Didn't you equip them, Rimuru? They seem to be having fun, so they exercise hard! And there's also the fact that the concentration of mana in the maze is high, right? Because of the absorption of these magical elements, both Adalman and Albert regained their original power!" The spoof worked! That's probably how I felt when Ramiris spoke to me. Indeed, a closer look will reveal that Adalman has evolved from a Necromancer to a Necromancer King. I didn't notice because he was all bony and had luxurious clothes, in fact his magic had become very big.

There was another person, Albert who seemed to have evolved beyond the Necromancer into a higher- order magical being like the Necromancer Paladin.

"That Necromancer King and Necromancer Paladin, both of them have the equivalent amount of mana to a high ranked demon general...” "Kuahahaha! It's a small cast, but they've worked hard to get the glory for us!” To say that they evolved speaks volumes, but the level of reinforcement has been overwhelming. "Then I ask you, what is this dragon like?” "Hey, don't you know about it Rimuru? That's Adalman's pet!” Pet....? Well—so to speak... Adalman seems to have said he wanted a pet, but I didn't expect such an evil looking dragon. This dragon is a Necromantic Dragon that stands at the pinnacle of the Necromancy. Because of the fact that Shuna and the rest seemed to be familiar with this opponent, people assumed that I was also in the know. I was actually negligent in this matter as well. I can't help but feel that reporting, liaising and negotiating is really important. So, let's take a look at the most important part, which is the combat content. There's not much more to say about that. Adalman didn't move half a point from his throne. On the left hand side, there was a Necromantic Dragon sitting. Albert alone came forward to fight, but he took everyone down directly. As for the minotaur's tomahawk in Mark's hand, it was simply too late to be of real value. Blocked by a spite spirit sword that was also a special-grade weapon, Mark was simply beheaded.

Zhen looked so surprised that he couldn't speak, and in that instant there was a break. Albert didn't let go of this great opportunity, and with such speed that one would think he had disappeared, he launched an attack on Zhen in response. This alone will end Zhen's career. “What!?” Sincerely was surprised, but he hurriedly released the divine magic 'Spirit Holy Cannon' towards Albert. That's the kind of magic that Paladins are good at, and there aren't many people who would use it in general. It's not even on the application form at the time of logging in, so this should be a sincere stunt. This spell is great for a quick attack that hits Albert directly. It looked like he could get away with it. Was it too much for Albert—he thought so, so he didn't have to worry. Because there was no need to hold back, Albert didn't act. "That's a lie!" Aiming with astonished sincerity, Albert swung down his sword. It's over when you get to this side. Albert is also an immortal, so the holy attribute should be a weakness, right? If anyone thinks that way, the sentiment is the same as mine. Definitely true. The reason why Albert is fine lies with Adalman. That's Adalman's killer technique—the add-on "Holy Reversal". <<Answer. The "Holy Reversal" is a mystical mystery created by the individual name "Adalman". The effect of this skill can replace the "Holy" and "Magic" attributes.>> Thanks to this skill of Adalman's, Albert converted from a magical attribute to a holy attribute. That wouldn't affect the equipment, but Albert would still be dead and wouldn't be absorbing essence. It seems that even property changes don't seem to be a problem. If the creature is one of your own, don't worry about developing resistance. Holy dead, what a joke this is—think of it, because of Adalman's "holy reversal" and the event thus becomes a reality. Adalman they are necromancers, able to resist attacks of various attributes. As far as physical attacks go, most of them don't hurt. They have overcome the weakness of holy attributes. In this state, the average challenger can be said to be at a loss for words. With no use of the magic I teach, Adalman and the rest have won. The situation was such that the three of them were defeated in just two or three strokes, turning into many small balls of light and retiring.

"Did you see it? O, my god Rimuru? We win for you!” Looking at the high pitched Adalman, I had a thought. It seems like Adalman and the others are going overboard as the 60th level of defensive play. Under the impression that I did say to Adalman that against a group opponent just use the group back. In response, they did abide by my admonition that no opponent facing an offense sent more men than they did. But that's fraudulent. What's that? <<Answer. Special Class A—Three catastrophe classes appearing at the same time, all of which can wipe out a small kingdom.>> The way it looks, they should have something else to hide. I'm going to wait until it's over before I question Ramiris, and I'll comfort the Adalman group for now. "Well done, Adalman! It's not convenient to be so far away, so you can come to this command room." "Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh! Thank you very much, I'll be at your side in a minute!” He's as polite as ever. Forget it, it's only like Adalman. "Albert can talk now, too, can't he? Bring him along.” "Yes, sir. What about the Necromancer...?" "Let the dragon take care of the house anyway.” “Yes!" The Dead Spirit Dragon looked as if it was sad, but I refused with an iron heart this time. Up to ten meters, that's too big. If it was the dedicated hall of the Veldora, located on the 100th floor of the ground floor, it would be a different story; this commander's chamber is not that big. Sad as it is, please give it up. I ordered Shion to prepare black tea for Adalman and Albert, and the next moment she asked me with a serious expression. "They're all bones. Is there a way to drink them?” “.......”

Yeah, that's right. Albert seems to be in the flesh? But Adalman is still a skeleton, right? Having said that, can they at least enjoy the scent? "It's the heart that's important at a time like this.” "So that's it, I see!” The two of us talked while we waited for Adalman and the others to come over. "Long time no see, Lord Rimuru!” "I am grateful to see you in your presence.” Adalman and Albert knelt before us. Instead of looking through the big picture, the two are viewed up close. Their power soared that it even made one wonder if it was the same person as before. "Well, good on you guys. Your name is Albert, right? You're very good. And Adalman, as a Guardian, you've done very well. Keep up the good work in the future too!” "Well, I'll have to ask you guys to do the same.” Before I could talk to them, Veldora and Ramiris stepped in to motivate them. If you don't speak first at a time like this, you get more and more worried about what to say. Well, let's not get too hard on the words. “Geez, that's really it. It's been a long time since I've seen you guys, and you've grown so much, it's amazing to me.” That's not growth anymore, it's evolution. Those three challengers were so good, I thought I'd have a hard time dealing with them on my own— that sentence was swallowed hard. Even if I really feel that way, it's better not to say it—it happens sometimes. “Yes...!" Adalman and the rest were touched by a million things. To force away some of the guilt, I asked them to sit in a chair. "It smells really, really good. If someone else had bought us a drink, I would have thought they were being sarcastic..." Ah, so that's it? Is it too much for someone who can't drink?

"But this is an invitation from Lord Rimuru, and the scent alone heals the mind, feeling all the fatigue in the body gone.” That's fine, except that the person who made these teas was Shion. "Yummy. It's like manna with a sweet, sweet aroma. I am grateful to you for this brief moment of immense happiness.” You two are overdoing it... Albert seems to be using the magical vein to structure his flesh. Probably only possible in a maze, temporary flesh. "Adalman, aren't you going to create a body of flesh like Albert?” “Huh?” "Nothing special, just wanted to say this way, you can even enjoy black tea, right?” "Say, say, maybe so, but I personally seem to value the atmosphere more..." So it turns out, I don't quite get it, but Adalman has his preferences I guess. Since that leaves no room for me to interject. "If that's the case, I won't force you.” So I decided to change the subject. "By the way, the additional skill 'Holy Demon Reversal' is a good focus. Just developing something like this shows you're working hard. "Thank you! On that sort of thing, Mr. Beretta also assisted. Besides...” I changed the subject and went to ask about the "holy reversal”, only to hear a surprising insider's story. Didn't realize it had anything to do with Ruminas. "Lord Ruminas said to me, 'Consider this a repentance,' and the Beneficent gave me a mystical ritual, the reversal of day and night. Mr. Beretta used a unique technique called 'Heavenly Evil Ghost' to modify it, and as a result, I learned it successfully. It is said to be so. When Ruminas said she wanted to "make amends", she meant to turn a blind eye to the fact that the Seven Celestial Sages were out of control. Why did Granbell exclude the capable Adalman? My reasoning on this point is as follows. With the exception of Granbell, the other Seven Celestial Sages were desperately trying to find a way to exclude the Adalman bar in order to avoid having their status threatened. But Granbell felt that Adalman had to overcome that level of trap to be of use to himself. Adalman and the others fought the dragon and lost both. Maybe Granbell didn't see it coming.

An enemy of even this magnitude can't be defeated, can't be a guardian of the human race—I always felt things should be like this. It was the sight of that lone figure, the way Granbell looked before he died, that gave me the idea. But it's a bit uncomfortable to talk about that kind of thing. Hopefully someday Adalman will find out for himself. With a prayer in my heart, I changed the subject again. "That's great. I'll go and say thanks to Ruminas afterwards too, Adalman!” “Yes!" "If it's you, you should be able to defeat the floor guardian currently in charge of the 70th floor, right?” "What do you mean by that?” Faced with a confused Adalman, I decided to elaborate. ........... ........ Currently the sixty-one to seventy levels are all magic puppet zones. These soldiers have no blood or tears, and do not know what fatigue is. As far as the special geographic guardians go, a few of them are even equipped with the guns we tried out. As for the types of traps, most are vicious, with organs such as mines. Not to the point of death though, we mainly wanted to set it up for the repartee spellcasters to use as a practice field. Other than that, the things that we use as floor guardians are new machines that transform the Holy Spirit Guardian Giant. Kaijin helped, too, and finally Vesta got these things done. The high defenses built with Magic Steel are still there, and they've managed to make them smaller and lighter. Track performance has increased dramatically and the driver's seat protection is flawless. Such things have no self-will and are constructed to allow the driver to ride. The ability to operate from a distance using the NIKIKI is also excellent. It should currently be being controlled from a distance by Beretta. If it's operated from a distance, it doesn't matter if you come across a tiny attacking virus. The bodies of those things were made of steel, and even the battle axe of a minotaur would not work. Not only that, there were several layers of armor on his body, and he was also blessed with the 'magic obstruction' from Charybdis Scales. It is the completely invincible Guardian of Steel. This is the holy guardian statue, the Floor Guardian Colossus

Sincerely and the rest could not break through the 70th level. I've been pretty sure of that before. ........... ........ But this time, when I saw Adalman and the others fighting, my thoughts changed. "Veldora, who do you think is stronger between Adalman and the Floor Guardian Colossus?” "Mmm. It must be Adalman." "Right? That's it, Adalman. I'm going to make you go up to the seventy level.” Sure enough. Since Veldora thinks so, I should be right about that too. <<Answer. The individual named "Adalman" is more powerful than the floor guardian colossus...>> Ahem. It's all about the atmosphere, not the numbers. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa...! In response to Lord Rimuru's expectations, the younger Adalman will work even harder at whatever comes his way.” “Brilliant Albert, you will give your full support to my master, Adalman.” Kneeling before me, Adalman and Albert so proclaimed. After just a short while, their strength has shifted dramatically. The holy guardian statues weren't weak either, but honestly, they lacked the aura of a floor guardian. On top of that, being broken again would be overwhelming. If you don't actually put the "soul" in when you use it, you can't be affected by the power of Ramiris. There's no way to do random experiments and see if it comes back to life when it's broken. If these things had self-will, the situation would be different. Or is it better to let someone actually control it? No, why not just get possessed, that way you might not have to deal with it as a prop... It's just a shame we don't have that kind of booking plan. So there's nothing wrong with letting Adalman upgrade them. "Yes! Then from today onwards, exchange the fifty to sixty floors with the sixty-one to seventy floors for me. "Got it, I got it!” That's it, floor shifting within the maze.

I praised Adalman and the rest, and decided to swap floors. With that done, I was about to order Adalman and them out of the room. And yet at this very moment... "I think we've come to the end of our conversation. I have something I want to report to you." Diablo, who had been so quiet just now, spoke up. "What is it?" "It is so, my servant Razen has made a magical communication with me, saying that he wishes to make an urgent report to Rimuru. It was as if his former master had come this way, and the man seemed to wish to pay an audience with Lord Rimuru. I heard his name was Gedora. Um...what? <<Answer. In several Magic Guide books, the author's name is written about this character.>> Sounds like a very famous person. Razen was also known as an excellent Grand Mage, but his Master was even more famous. I'm kind of interested, and meeting him is fine. "Isn't that a trap? It's really suspicious that we're about to have a showdown with the Empire to meet at this time.” "Yes! With a suspicious person like that, there's no need for Lord Rimuru to meet him deliberately! Shion is on full alert, and the suspicion is greater than mine. It's not that I don't understand what she means. After all, these are sensitive times, and since she's a member of my pro-war team, protecting me from unnecessary danger is part of the mission. My vigilance is a bit weak, and it's best to listen to the minions at times like this. "Indeed. It is Razen, and his opinion is used without taking it all in stride. I don't think I need to go to him for questioning.” Diablo took that for granted, but he was just afraid of trouble, right? Since both secretaries were against it, the matter was off—halfway through the conversation, I noticed that Adalman seemed to be very impetuous. So, I actually understand how Adalman is feeling right now. During a meeting with a superior officer, I was about to leave after the conversation, when a visitor or a call came. Because I didn't want to disturb my boss, I just stayed put and wasted that time, feeling sad.

I want to go back, but I can’t—that's often what happens when you leave society. Hey, is it just me? Anyway, those things don't matter. "Adalman, I'm sorry we got off topic. It's okay for you guys to go first.” "Ah, no! Don't worry about us, but compared to that...” “Hmm?" "Actually that one, this one...” “Hmm?” "I was just talking about this guy Gedora..." "It's been said.” "I wonder if he's my friend.” “What?" I couldn't help but stare at Adalman, and as a result he became flustered and displayed bizarre demeanor. No, I don’t take you for a traitor. The level of panic on the other side makes one want to say that. I wanted Diablo to wait a bit before replying and decided to listen to Adalman in detail first. It sounds like a thousand years ago, Gedora and Adalman were good friends. Since the other party should have already died, it was not surprising that Gedora was a great magician, even if he used the mysterious spells he created to extend his life. It seems that the person who saved Adalman by using the mystical Upanishad "reincarnation" was Gedora. The name Razen also struck Adalman, and he wondered if the man was one of Gedora's long-ago apprentices—one of the senior ones. As Adalman spoke more and more, I began to think that it was Gedora himself who was right. “Diablo." "Yes, sir. I'll grind out the dates and set up the meet-and-greet talks.” As expected of the more competent secretary. Just calling him by his first name tells me what I'm thinking. The other, dumber secretary seemed okay with it, so I decided to see Gedora for a bit.

After the defeat at the sixtieth level, the three of them, Shinji’s group, experienced the so-called death back to the original point for the first time. When they went back, many people told them they had worked hard, or encouraged them loudly, others cursed and made jokes, and others comforted them, saying that it could not be helped, and people said all kinds of things to them. The battle scenes inside the labyrinth are broadcast exclusively by the Jura Tempest Federation, and Shinji’s group has gained high popularity for their challenge. Of course, if the screening can be decided by signing the contract, the person concerned is free to choose or refuse. But for two reasons, Shinji and the others decided to sign the contract. The first reason is that a portion of the screening revenue will go into their pockets. The second reason was that after the rush to fame, he thought that his personal safety would be secured. It is within the enemy's sphere of influence and famous people are less likely to be assassinated. In addition, it will only be shown when you are fighting against a floor guardian, so you don't have to pay attention to it even on the way. The amount of money that was able to get seemed substantial, and in Shinji's opinion there was no reason to refuse. Faced with Shinji's decision, the other two were okay with it. That's why they signed the contract, and as a result there is now such a reaction from the crowds around them. "What a pity. We can work on it more and challenge it again another day.” "No, no, no, no, no. That's not gonna cut it. What the hell is that monster? The speed of his sword is simply extraordinary, and the skeleton man sitting on the throne is a legendary magical creature, right?” "I guess it's the King of the Dead. Even the great monster, the one who is in charge of the plagues of death, is not even in sight.” "So, the dragon is alive? It looks like it's more than just decorations, if even that dragon joins the fray, humans really don't stand a chance of winning, do they?” And so on and so forth, there are many questions. Shinji they laughed at those words and managed to avoid such a scene. "Anyway, let's look forward to Masayuki.” "Now you'll have the same record as Masayuki-sama. If you want to win over them, you can find a strategy to defeat that floor guardian while Masayuki-sama is busy preparing for the war.” "That makes sense. I've placed a bet that you guys will win. I'll leave it to you next time!” Turning their backs to these voices, Shinji’ group returned to the hotel where they were staying. As soon as they entered the inn, the three men collapsed on their beds. "Hey, what's next?” "Don't do it. Give me a break first.”

Mark looked for Shinji to speak, but Shinji was exhausted. They challenge the level demons with full energy, but the difficulty is so high that it makes you think that 59 levels were cute before. Coming to the 60th floor, even the stray monsters that appeared were well trained. The magical creature, known as the Necromancer, had a self-willed mind, and also carried the soldiers underneath to launch a surprise attack. Shinji and his party manage to beat them down and come to the main floor guardian’s room with dismal results. Zhen pointed this out to him, and Shinji got up from the bed. He sat on the bed, a sigh escaping his mouth. Mark and Zhen also climbed up and the three sat face to face again. "What's the report? That enemy can't be beaten. I didn't expect the depths of the maze to be so difficult.” "Yeah, it went pretty well up to the 59th floor. But what about the 60 layers? The Elder Necromancer would lead the Necromancer and prowl in small groups. The average soldier will only get killed if he encounters something like that!” "Should be.” “...those magic creatures are not simple. Arriving at that level suddenly became guarded. Not only the knight who defeated us, but also the Skeleton Man and the Necromantic Dragon who sat on the throne, making one wonder if the three of them were the hidden demon lord.” The three of them began to speak out loud. Probably too excited to care at all how the other person reacted. "Before yesterday, I was able to get away with it, but today, my remaining strength is gone.” "And the skeleton man. It's the guy sitting on the throne, it's the King of the Dead. If someone could use advanced identification magic, they should be able to see right through him. But I can't compare it to what I saw on the screen!” "Exactly. If we do run into this kind of guy afterwards, our side won't be able to handle it.” “...seriously, I don't want to challenge a second time.” Hearing Zhen say so, the other two shared his opinion. “That Necromancer didn't even join the fight. It seems to be only responsible for exuding the majesty of kings, not moving half a point from the throne.” "The minotaur that looks like a normal floor guardian is also equivalent to level A in strength. Using his strength as a benchmark, sixty layers is too much fortification, right?” “...this part is really exaggerated. I think the fifty tiers were trying to get the challenger to fall off the wagon before.”

"But now we'll know for sure. With such a powerful demonic creature guarding it, there must be a ghost in that maze.” Shinji so asserted. "Possibly. After all, the knight who called himself Albert was strong as a mess.” "The equipment is different from the others. When Mark was in combat, I took the opportunity to try to qualify him, and to my surprise, he wore all of the quality top-notch stuff.” "No wonder. It was thought that with my minotaur's tomahawk I could hack him up along with his weapon.” "That's to say that the weapon you found just happens to be used to fight the guardian monster, something that only happens in video games...” "That's true. A few of us seem to have gotten ahead of ourselves.” “...hmm." Later, the three of them looked at each other, and a deep sigh escaped their mouths. Talking over here, the three finally calmed down a bit. They made their own tea and took a break to catch their breath. "Do you want to take on the challenge again tomorrow?” "Are you serious?” "...we are no match for them. No matter how many times you fight, you’ll lose.” "I guess so.” "Those people were talking about the hero... I think it was Masayuki that Yuuki-san mentioned, right? I heard that it's just a lucky teenager, I don't think he's ever gone to challenge the sixty levels.” "No, I don't think so. I've heard that he's done well before and hasn't even died once.” "What about the others?” "I heard that the people in the top ranking are challenging for the 50th floor. But they don't seem to have a playing contract, and the highest record of having been shown is the 50th floor that Masayuki challenged. There are a couple of other groups challenging forty levels, and that's about it.” Even if a screening contract is signed, it's not as if it's tracked on every floor. The camera will only capture the Floor Boss Room on every tenth floor. In addition to that, I heard that sometimes the interview team would walk with the challenger for reasons like events. It's because of Shinji that they challenged the sixty layers in this situation that they burst into red in a flash. They were breaking records one after another, and that's why they became the ones who signed the bet.

"I think someone told Masayuki the secret behind it. It says that there are still hidden level monsters on the 60th floor." "In that case, it's understandable that we would lose. So there are two strong magical objects in total, and the other one is a dragon. The balance of that maze is too poor. There should be towns after that. The three of them just talked and took those words to comfort themselves. Not only that, but discussion of future intentions began. "Now that we're all so conspicuous, there's no way we can continue to be spies.” "There's no problem. It's been explained before, so we'll be safer.” “...we only have the maze to investigate anyway.” "Shall we wait for Lord Gedora? Just the few of us, no matter how many challenges, won't help, right?” Or is it going to be a practice? Mark asked half-jokingly at this point. Hearing that, Shinji responded with a bitter smile. "There must be something going on. The guardian of such a thing is extremely powerful, should we report this to Yuuki-san?” "Tell him how great the maze is, by the way. It's supposed to expand by some kind of magic, it's big and deep there, not like it's built by hand.” “...the battle strength is also exceptionally strong compared to the other floors—that’s something I can't forget to say.” Since Mark had said that to Zhen, Shinji nodded his head without saying a word. "I know. So when we're done, do you want to do some sightseeing?” The order of precedence was decided, and they were to move quickly. The three regrouped and came out into the night streets.

Shinji and his entourage came tentatively to the outskirts and began reporting in order. Briefly compiling the report and transmitting it to Yuuki, after about ten minutes of that, Yuuki contacted them using the 'magic communication'. "Hey, you guys seem like you're in good spirits. That's great.” "Up until yesterday, I was in good spirits, but today I'm in bad shape.” "Ahaha, it looks like I've suffered a lot. What about your plans for the future? What are you going to do?

"See your master. It's impossible for us to break through the sixty levels alone, even if we wanted to sneak in, there's no way to do so inside the maze.” "I think so, I know. Then I'd like to ask one thing.” “Please?" "Just say what you feel. How strong is that 60-story barrier?” Ask Shinji how strong they are, and only they will be able to hear the meaning of this paragraph. It means to compare it to the Imperial Emperor's Order of the Near Guard, and the opponent's rank is roughly equivalent. Yuuki's question had Shinji pondering. Shinji wasn't interested in the battle for rank within the legion. He wasn't so intent on making a name for himself that he didn't even participate in this rowdy battle. Because Yuuki picked him up, was kind to him, and took good care of him, Shinji wanted to return the favor before he did anything under him. Shinji did not want to help the criminal organization, so he chose to join the army. Later, Yuuki became the army chief, and Shinji, who was originally in the Mecha Corps, was transferred to the Mixed Corps. Among the 'otherworldly visitors', several of them were in line with Shinji's thoughts. Not wanting to show their power, those who live their lives casually in order to avoid taking on too much responsibility. The strengths of these people were opaque, and it was still unknown if the Near Guard was really the strongest group, but nominally this group was definitely the strongest group within the Empire. In some ways it will certainly be used as a benchmark for ranking strength. "Let's see, I can at least squeeze into the top 50. Those at the bottom of the ranking shouldn't be able to defeat the floor guardians.” "Are these comments only for the knight named Albert?" "Yes. Ah, I don't know if I can use this as a reference, I used to be a doctor in the army and had to take part in the High Rank Demon General crusade mission. There was a slight glimpse at that time, and the amount of mana was about the same as the King of the Necromancers seen today.” "Are you talking about the Lakeshore Dyed in Scarlet Incident?” "Yeah, right. That's the one." "Got it. Very informative. Then you can enjoy yourselves before you meet Master Gedora.” After saying that, Yuuki ended the 'magic communication'. ........... ........

Regarding the Lakeshore Dyed in Scarlet Incident, it was one of the ominous events that took place in Imperial territory. The imperial vassal state, which is adjacent to a beautiful lake, intends to betray the empire by saying that they want independence. The country was not fighting as well as the empire, and their king resorted to certain means, and that became the fuse of tragedy. He used forbidden occult spells to summon demons. The king ordered the court magician corps to summon the strongest demons that could obey their orders, and those court magicians complied. As a result, the demon summoned up the High Rank Demon General and destroyed that small country. With a population of less than 10,000, this small country has no chance of winning against the Empire. Even so the king decided to be independent and there was a corresponding reason behind it. There was an only daughter under the king, and the nobles of the empire wanted this princess as his beloved servant. The empire was so powerful that the emperor used not to bother with the movements of the smaller countries. All the territory was vested in the emperor and given to the nobility to administer. It was up to the nobility to decide how to govern these dependencies. There was a frontier count in charge of the area outside the capital who used the emperor's power for his own good, something that was common within the Empire. And the demon wanted the princess of that kingdom. The king flatly refused, however the head court magician went mad at the sight of the demon and agreed to the demon's request. As a result, the demon showed an evil smile and possessed the princess. The king was furious. But his anger was immediately replaced by fear. Because of the acquisition of flesh, demons began to rage. As a result, the small nation perished, and the matter was passed back to the Empire proper, where they decided to send men to suppress the demon. If they had moved any slower, it would have spawned a second Guy Crimson. The blood of the inhabitants of the small country stained that beautiful lake and turned its waters red. It was the creepiest thing in the Empire's recent centuries of history, arguably the most tragic in history. Someone stepped in to solve the Lakeshore Dyed in Scarlet Incident, a Mecha Legion that had branches throughout the Empire. On the surface.

Yet this is not in fact the case. Shinji, who had joined the army, watched from a distance as the high- ranking demon generals that his own troops couldn't help, were defeated by a few soldiers stepping in.

This whole thing is also very suspicious. It was true that the aristocrats were playing favorites, but that demon had not even spared the nationals of his own country, and Shinji thought that the truth should be at odds with those rumors. After all, the speed at which the empire had begun its operations had been too fast. When it happened, the news came back to the Empire, and then they decided to send soldiers to crush it, and also to prepare the crusading force. If it took that much time, the demons would have been done with physical possession. Yet things didn't turn out that way. Just the fact that the Empire hadn't allowed the demon to succeed in gaining flesh was proof enough that the Empire had known from the beginning—Shinji thought so. He wasn't going to speak his mind to anyone else. Seeing how powerful the people who fought the demons at the time were, he realized that some things in the world were still better without knowing it. Those people are probably the first few masters of the Order of the Near Guard... If one were to go up against those people, no matter how hard Shinji tried, he couldn't win. The two sides are simply people of different worlds. That's why Shinji lost interest in the battle of the rows. ........... ........ Letting out a breath, Shinji finally let out a sigh of relief, at which point Mark spoke to Zhen to find him. "Is it over?” "...hard work.” "Yes, that's what reporting to someone is all about. Master will come over later, so let's go relax until then.” "Yeah. So Shinji was a survivor of the Lakeshore Dyed in Scarlet Incident, huh?” "...and I'm glad I got my life back.” "Yeah, I faked my own death to get away with it, but I was able to come up with that.”

"No, no, no, it would be awesome just to survive. Isn't there almost no chance of survival for that thing?” "Just say it. It made people not want to do it a second time—and then again, I was in the army as a doctor, but it didn't help much.” “...Huh?” "No, because the person who was attacked died on the spot, there was no chance to heal them or recover. So I had to get away with it as soon as possible.” "That sounds really tragic. Is a high-ranking demon general really that scary?” "The demon I saw is no longer something that two words can describe as scary. Honestly, I felt like I had an eye to eye with the other person, but the other person seemed to let me off the hook. Just thinking about those crimson eyes makes me want to pee my pants.” Seeing the two men with a surprised look on their faces, Shinji smiled and said the words. "But you said that we are on the same level as such a dangerous high-ranking demon general, so how can we possibly defeat that skeleton man?” "...are they really of the same class?” "At best, it's the same amount of mana. The longer you live, the stronger you are, the so-called demons. About the one I saw, it's just my guess, but she should have lived a long time.” Otherwise, the Empire's superiors would not have taken that response. Just as he was about to get that out, Shinji swallowed the words back again. "It's useless to care about such things anyway. My country seems to be developing machines that can investigate the strength of its opponents, but I don't think there is much point. The one called Albert was actually the same, if you look at the amount of monster element, he was too strong for people to imagine. But just think about when you were in school classes in the past, whether a fight was strong or not wasn't just about physical strength, right?” "Yeah, I know what you're trying to say.” “...hmm." "That's what it's all about. That means that among the monsters, there are those whose strength is unfathomable. You guys just have to remember that.” Shinji said that these things had nothing to do with himself and others, and the other two listened and decided to stop thinking about it."

The three men changed their moods and rushed in before the Freedom Association's office was even closed, selling the 'magic crystal stone' and unused equipment to the resource department. "It's amazing, it's a deep 'magic crystal' with a world of difference in quality.”

"Another weapon with holes in it? And it's made of pure 'magic silver', so it's not available in other countries.” Blah, blah, blah, those guild members were happy. If the target of trafficking is strictly selected, there should be more benefits to be gained. But Shinji and their purpose was to infiltrate the investigation, not wanting too many people to know them. And it's a good price to sell to the Freedom Association. Despite the bottlenecks in the investigative mission, a lot of income was generated. These days alone have made them a lot of money. Those who join the army receive an annual salary. The money will be paid in advance and if there is a promotion, the excess will be made up next year. It doesn't matter if you don't have any money on you, just join the army and you'll get your reserve that day. The military would first count the number of days left in the year and then pay that money to those people as part of their pay. Basically the military has nothing to lose. Even if a soldier dies in battle, the money paid in the first place can be used as part of the condolence money. The general soldier, Private, receives only his salary. The amount is ten gold coins—the equivalent of a million won a year. The military would take care of their food, clothing and shelter, a large amount for those without money. There is also a step increase or various allowances, and sometimes a hazardous duty allowance. Mark and Zhen's rank is Lieutenant, and Shinji is a Major with a military medical qualification. Although there is no power of command, they are treated with courtesy in every way. Within the Empire, "otherworldly visitors" are treated well. There were at least some second lieutenants available, and compared to those people, Shinji enjoyed more favorable treatment. As for Shinji and the others, their income is also a lot more than the average soldier. There were thirty-six gold coins for the addition of the rank of lieutenant. The addition to the rank of Major was forty-four gold coins. Just one step up will add four gold coins. Mark and Zhen can get about 50 gold coins a year. Shinji, on the other hand, is a little over seventy. The military pays more than the average salary for the average person, but doesn't go so far as to give people a lavish life. If they go to a more remote place, they will become rich, but prices are high in Imperial City. That being said, the conditions of existence in this world are harsh enough to allow them to break away from the military and stand on their own.

The mere fact of being able to live a peaceful life is attractive. But this time they learned one thing. The three of them can live together in the labyrinth city without having to wait for the army. The proceeds from this sale alone were more than three hundred gold coins, and the money earned from this mission in a short time was more than the annual salaries of the three of them combined. Plus they could still get their own special-grade equipment, if the Imperial side hadn't sent it to them, they wouldn't have had a chance to get it in their lifetime. It is not too much to say that such a result is a bumper harvest. All three of them noticed it, but kept their mouths shut. Then they continued in silence, taking silent steps. The three of them dined at a restaurant that is considered to be a high class restaurant in the Capital City "Rimuru". “I haven't enjoyed it this much in a long time.” “...how about this? Selling the equipment without permission.” The more timid Zhen Liu Xing said with trepidation. However, Shinji and Mark were unfazed. "It's okay. It's not like they're all sold, there are still some samples left.” "Besides, we can't take them all back anyway. Just leave the ones of better quality and the higher-ups won't complain.” The loot obtained in the course of military operations all belonged to the military unless they were given permission from above to seize it. And this time, even if all the equipment was taken, they couldn't have any complaints. But their mission this time is to investigate the maze, hiding their identities and pretending to be adventurers. It's more natural to act accordingly, and it's okay to treat this income as a small benefit. And Yuuki shouldn't have asked them to hand over the loot either. Other than what was necessary, everything else would surely give way to the Shinji line. "But if all the money we get is taken away, we'll seriously consider moving then, won't we?” Hearing Shinji say this, the other two people also felt the same way. One gold coin is equivalent to 100,000 won. Coming to the Empire is of equal value. The gold coins circulating in the market are from the Dwarven Kingdom, and the Empire defines those coins as official gold. Since it's the same thing, bringing it back will work. "I think it really works.”

"...hmm. Not long ago, I thought it was a joke, but I think I'd be happier trying.” While Shinji only half meant what he said, Mark and Zhen's intentions were higher than expected. The Empire is really at the forefront of culture and technology and is great urban. The food was good and the stay was comfortable. As long as they have money, they can still have a good life, even compared to the old world. However, they were attached to the army. The risk of death does lurk behind it. As far as that goes, that underground maze can be described as perfect. Because they don't have to worry about dying. I was half-trustful at first, but after the actual experience, there was no room for doubt. Since they don't have to worry about losing their lives, wouldn't it be better if they could just make their money there and have a good time every day? There is no reason why they should think so. There is no point in having money for nothing but entertainment. But there are many playgrounds in the Capital City, Rimuru. There is a place called the Colosseum that is open to the general public on days when there is no activity. This time of year residents seem to be able to go over there and have fun. Various sports with a playful nature, such as football or baseball, are popular, and those who are maze-challengers seem to be having fun with them. There are also spas or opera houses. According to the survey, there are plays being performed there, and they are full of activity every day. As for the deliciousness of the food, it's not on par with the Empire—no, it should be above the Empire. There are a wide variety of desserts and a wide variety of sakes, all of which are often eaten in Japan and are nostalgic. Even the dishes that are not available in this world have been successfully recreated, which appeals to the Shinji-like people from Earth. Seriously, the only person they owe favors to is Yuuki, and it doesn't look like Yuuki wants to be hostile to demon lord Rimuru. That being the case, even if Shiinji moved a few of them to live in this country, they shouldn't be seen as traitors. "Although running away from the battlefield is punishable by death for treason, it's not a time for war, is it?” "Yeah, Shinji. I was also wondering if it should still be possible to petition for retirement and leave the army in this way, right?” “...It's up to Yuuki-san to decide.” Once the war started, they would turn into a fringe, and thankfully it was still the usual. Explained differently, they could also leave the military in the form of a discharge, perhaps with that possibility.

"The problem is...war is coming.” At this point Mark muttered something. The reason they can't make a decision. The question now mentioned is why. What is certain is that war is about to begin and the place will be shrouded in war. If that weren't the case, they would have decided to move in a long time ago. "Which side do you think will win?” “...so to speak, what should we do if we are ordered to attack this city?” Three people you look at me and I look at you. Just now I thought the meal was delicious, but now it's suddenly tasteless. Once again, they thought to themselves, please give me a break. The three had only been in town for a short time, but they loved the town and didn't want it to disappear. There's another point. Judging from the strength of the floor guardians inside that maze, they vaguely imagined that the strength of the leaders in this country should be very great. "Thinking about it logically, the guardians responsible for guarding important facilities are certainly strong, right? However, assuming that the members of this country's army are weaker than the Guardians —that would be wishful thinking on our part.” "I thought so. At the very least, demon lord Rimuru's strength should be above the average person. I heard that the evil dragon called Veldora had once wiped out a city, and that didn't seem like a joke. Even that Necromancer King is no exception, I think he has the potential to annihilate the city.” Mark's words struck a chord with Shinji. The fact that this country's magical creatures seem to have the potential to trigger a similar disaster. "That's just my guess, but they seem to be able to manipulate even high-ranking magicians and nuclear strike magic, which should be on par with so-called nuclear weapons by Earth's standards.” "That's how it should be. Our common sense would be to think, "We'll win if we have more people," but there's no point in sending a bunch of people to fight the demon lord at that level.” "A warrior of our rank would not have won without sending dozens of men.” The three men looked at each other face to face and were troubled there. Just the next moment, Gedora contacted the three of them with a 'thought communication'.

An old man bowed before me. In the back were the three challengers who had seen it through the big screen yesterday, and they all bowed to me like the old man. The old man's name is Gedora. It was through Diablo and Razen that he asked to see me. The dress code didn't look flashy, but he wore what looked like a very high level of mantle on him. The eyes were sharp, not at all like old people. Sincerely, just as I expected, his real name was Shinji. His real name was heard to be Shinji Tanimura. The other two people seem to have originally used their real names. All three seemed to be under the Great Wizard Gedora. They were all said to be working under Yuuki, this time assisting in the investigation, temporarily loaned to Gedora. Those things are what they're telling me now. Gedora posed like this right after he finished speaking, and Shinji and the others followed his example, but it was impossible to talk properly at all. "Ah, actually...I had already guessed that might be the case. By the way, there's no way to have an easy conversation in this state, is there? Let's go somewhere else, shall we?” When I finished, Shion nodded. "Put your face up.” Somehow, she swore high and mighty. That's why I find it complicated to visit people. It felt like it was bound to be in the wrong order at some point, and honestly I wasn't very keen to do that. "Obey, obey...!" Seeing Gedora promise with great exaggeration, I couldn't help but think ‘the next talks might be troublesome too.’ The location changes to a cheaper reception room. Because this side is more peaceful. The more expensive reception rooms are also made of superior materials, making me afraid to mess up the place. If one accidentally spills the tea, that alone could leave a stain on the premium carpet... What kind of people live in those kind of places. For me, a small citizen, the more approachable furniture makes me more comfortable.

Shinji and the others seemed to think so too, blushing better than just now. "Black tea or coffee, which do you prefer?” I asked bluntly, and Shinji reacted to that statement. "Then, then, I'll have coffee.” “Shi-Shinji...!" Gedora, whose face had changed drastically, cried out, but I placated him and told him to take it easy. "What about Mr. Gedora?” "Old, old man? Then, then—just like Shinji.” Huh? Could it be that there's no coffee in the Empire?” It seems to be there under impression, maybe not so popular. I looked over to Mark and Zhen, who also nodded sullenly. Looks like they want some of the same. "Shuna, four cups of American coffee!” "You mean Americano?” "Ah, you want something strong? Should I mix the coffee then? Or is it the proud Tempest of this country?” "No, no, no, it's not that, it's because..." “Hmm." "Wouldn't His Majesty Rimuru be a visitor from the otherworld?” "Is that right?” Huh, you didn’t know? It's a basic skill to gather this kind of information, isn't it? Thinking about this side, I looked around at the expressions of the four of them and only Gedora had a 'bad' look on her face. It looked like he had known it all along, but had forgotten to tell the other three. Forget it, that kind of thing doesn't matter. "Then let's talk in depth.” The coffee prepared by Shuna was given to everyone, and the table had milk and sugar on it. I decided to listen to what Gedora had to say first, without bothering to look at those people, such as Shinji, whose faces were moved.

Shinji whispered after taking a sip of his coffee, "This is so good!” But being stared at by Gedora, it was nice of me to pretend not to see. "I am actually a reincarnationist." That's when Master Gedora suddenly uttered words that surprised people. The other three were also so surprised that they turned their heads to look at Master Gedora. Since a long time ago, Master Gedora has wanted to be the Great Monster Mentor who rose to the top, and I've heard him go back and forth to be born several times. Each reincarnation would go around looking at the secret collections of the various royal palaces, accumulating a huge amount of knowledge. One of those times he went into hiding for magic research, and it was at that time that he met his later good friend Adalman. "As I said earlier, I hate the Holy Church in the West. I hate them because they killed my friend Adalman. So for hundreds of years I have been working on a plan and decided to incite the Empire.” Speaking of which, Gedora began to reveal himself. Knowing that Adalman had been set up, he vowed revenge. He then went to the Empire alone, slowly gaining people's trust in him. He still seems to have experience fighting with Veldora, and the past seems to be more climactic than one might think. "Seriously, doing the reincarnation ceremony beforehand is the right thing to do. Because I want to see with my own eyes the limits of the 'monsters' that come naturally..." In this world, only four “true dragons" were born, and they stood at the pinnacle of magic, the strongest race in this world. Because of the experience of having actually fought, Gedora did not think the Imperial Army would be able to defeat Veldora. And he uttered these words right in front of Veldora's own eyes, and isn't Veldora peeping at me with a happy expression on his face? Please don't do this, really. I think you're great too, but I don't think that compliment is necessary. "No, it should be said that tactics have a chance to win, but those fools want to dominate Lord Veldora. Frankly, I have repeatedly persuaded them that it's impossible, that it's useless to do that, that they should give up.” Gedora was only interested in the West—it should be said that he wanted revenge on the Ruminism religion, and so didn't want to divide his forces over something boring. That is why he tried so desperately to emphasize the reality of the situation and to convince those people, but the army chiefs thought too highly of himself and reportedly did not listen to him at all.

However... Gedora's nature doesn't seem to be a bad one, as those words suggest, and yet he seems to have been the one who drove the growth of imperial hegemonism. I asked him to omit the irrelevant part, and I inquired in detail about the recent developments. "In other words, the reason why the Empire started the war was mainly because of your connections?” "Well, one could say that's partly true..." No way, although he said it vaguely, but either way think the reason is out of this old grandfather. Presumably noticing my deteriorating mood, Gedora hurriedly began to explain. "It's not like that! The empire was originally hegemonic, and had it not been locked in one direction, the whole world would have been affected by war. That's why I let them lock on to the West. It just so happens that it's the same as my purpose, so I'll just go with the flow—something like that.” What just now? Then we were simply swept by the tail of the typhoon! "I also opposed their invasion of the great forest of Jura before. I didn't want to end up like the last time, so I proposed to stir up the Dwarf Kingdom, but I didn't realize that many people were too stupid and wanted to solve everything by force..." Gedora lamented so, but I didn't have time for that. "Wait a minute! Is the Empire really planning to strike at the Dwarven Kingdom?" I always thought that it should not be so, but now I have to take into account the combat operations through the Dwarven Kingdom as well? "You've noticed? What Gedora said was not something so specific as asking them to send out troops. I personally want to make an alliance with King Gazel to turn a blind eye to our military actions. After all, the only thing the old man hates is the Western Holy Church...” Gedora already knew that Adalman was safe and sound, and had long ago made an appointment to see him when the meeting with me was over. It is also because of this that Gedora found himself working in vain and has now changed his position against the war. His relationship with the emperor also seems to be good, but not in a position to be able to petition for the withdrawal of military plans. He would therefore advocate against war at the conference. That being said, his handling was a little too easy, but with Gedora's help I might have said less if I had been able to avoid war. Anyway, try to get information out of him.

Benimaru and the others also stayed in the other room, eavesdropping on our conversations while conducting combat sessions. It was my job to get Gedora to willingly give it all away. "I don't suppose King Gazel promised?" "Yeah, of course not. So the Imperial side was going to resort to assassination, but Gedora was against it. I think that if I'm going to do it, I'm going to attack it righteously!" Now is not the time to say such things with a proud face. Old Grandpa Gedora was more like a martial artist than I thought. Feeling dumbfounded, I questioned further. I asked what's going on inside the Imperial Army and what their higher-ups are thinking. There was even a surprising amount of information asked about Yuuki's attempted coup. I asked for all the information that Gedora knew. Finally he began to blurt out his heartfelt words off the cuff. "Don't look at me like this, I don't owe the Empire anything. The legions nurtured by me were disbanded and all the minions were taken away. It's because Shinji and the others are my disciples that they're here. Adalman is all right—it’s a bit of a stretch to say, but he's doing well, so I don't have any more attachment to the Imperial side.” He says he is downright selfish and has nothing to do with so-called loyalty. This old man really isn't a cover. A glimmer of respect for him sprouted in my heart, and that was the secret. "That's the way it is. If I can be a part of His Majesty's plans, I'll work for you, even if I'm with you, and I'll die for you!” Daring to assert that you have no loyalty and having that courage to say that you want to be my servant. I don't hate this guy. However, Benimaru and the others were in the next room, taking in the conversation here. I have a feeling that Gedora's attitude is going to set him on fire and it might take a lot of work to placate him later. Immediately after that... We took old Grandpa Gedora as a guest and decided to hire him for the time being. Since he himself said he wanted to be my subordinate, I'll let him do his job. I don't expect his allegiance to me, but should be able to expect it. Anyway, after he meets up with Adalman, I give him permission to "teleport" to the 70th floor.

His knowledge should come in handy, and maybe even make him an assistant to Ramiris. But before that it was expected to first get him back to the Empire and ask him to do one thing. As for Shinji and the rest, the three of them will move directly into this country. They seemed to want to relax and rest before they could figure out what to do in the future. After some persuasion from Gedora, they themselves offered to join, so I had no reason to refuse. If they betray us, I’ll drive them out of this country. They didn't seem to want this to death, and even swore allegiance to me. Only Shinji and the others seemed to respect Yuuki and didn't want to behave in a way that was hostile to Yuuki. There's really nothing wrong with that. "We have a complicated relationship with Yuuki's gang. It probably feels like a truce right now. Honestly he's done a lot of things that piss people off and I would love to get revenge on him, but I just can't seem to hate the guy.” Even if Yuuki was that virtuous, he was still Miss Shizu's disciple. Thinking about how happy Ms. Shizu was about Yuuki before, I couldn't help but want to forgive him. I thought it was too naive myself, but we are, after all, from the same country. This kind of thing is absolutely unprecedented, but those things were reserved for the time being. Having said that, it would be another matter if someone asked me if I believed him. Go ahead and trust that kind of guy, no matter how many lives are not enough in this world. "You too, better not trust Yuuki too much.” When I say that, somehow Gedora keeps nodding his head. It seems that he has a feeling about it too. Yuuki and Gedora not only knew each other, they seemed to have a partnership. It seems that being able to be a bridge between us and Yuuki, perhaps making Gedora our partner is the right thing to do. Gedora's reluctance to over-trust Yuuki alone suggests to me that he is trustworthy. After that, I asked Gedora to meet with Adalman. They both missed each other. Because Adalman had promised to take Gedora in, he is currently being sent to him first. But before we do that... After asking for all the information, I ordered Gedora to go back to the Empire first and act according to my plan. It starts with anti-war activities.

"Is this possible?” "Leave it to this old man. I'm used to getting my hands behind my back.’ Well, I guess so. That said, it's impossible to make a national policy stop at the whim of one person, as a matter of general logic. Not to say I don't believe in Gedora, but I think it's better to think of a filing. "If I can get the war to stop, that's what I'd like to see the most. But by the sound of those words, I don't think it should be easy. The empire espouses hegemonism, right? In that case, there's no stopping them once they're out in force." “But......” "So if anything, I hope you introduce them to this maze.” "What do you mean?” No matter how many casualties there were in the maze, there was no problem. That's why I said that to Gedora. "So that's why I'm planning to weaken the Empire's war power in that place, so that they lose their fighting spirit.” "That's it. Also, Yuuki should take the opportunity to act as well, once there's a commotion on the Empire's mainland, there's no way for the Empire to continue pushing for war, right?” I'm not sure things will go so smoothly, but coming to the maze without death or injury is a fact. I explained this to Gedora, giving him several pieces of equipment from the labyrinth, and three "resurrection bracelets". Wanted to use this as bait to sell Maze to the Empire. It's also tricky to get attacked from behind from a military perspective. I don't think they should leave the labyrinth behind and just head west, but if they can make each other feel like they can still gain treasure by entering the labyrinth... "So it is. Your ideas are really great. This old man already knows which commander is greedy, and His Majesty Rimuru's ploy will surely succeed.” Gedora took this task with confidence. If things go well, the war will have ended. If not, introduce the Imperials into the maze. Again, it's all up to Gedora's work. These four outlaws were received by my country at my whim.

And just like that, with unexpected company, the commotion ended. Chapter 4: The Empire is Out There is a strange man in the Empire. His name is Kondo Tatsuya, an 'Otherworldly Visitor', a man who was well aware of the dark side of the Empire. Because he is representing that very dark side of the Empire. Adorned with neat short black hair. The smooth bows drape around his eyes, giving a softer, more serious look. At first glance he appears to be an upstanding youth. He looks young, under twenty-five. Yet he is cold by nature. His face is expressionless, and his eyes are shining, so sharp that he stares at his opponent, giving people the illusion of seeing through everything. There was not the slightest glimmer of gentleness in his eyes, giving the impression of old cunning. It's no wonder. Tatsuya Kondo, Lieutenant Kondo, was not as young as he looked. ........... ........ In this imperial capital, 'otherworldly visitors' are not so uncommon. That was the approach taken by the Imperial Capital to bring these people to the Imperial Capital from all over the world in the name of protecting the "otherworldly visitors". He is also one of those who have been saved by this approach. There is so-called magic in this world. That's why he was able to get his life back. Seventy years ago... He gambled his life for the sake of his homeland to make a special attack on the enemy's sea strike fleet. As to whether such a fight was right or wrong, he will not comment. Thinking back on the situation, he thought that it was the only way to go at that time. Thinking of the minions who had lost their lives, he wanted to find some meaning for those actions. So he also remembered not to forget them. To live with those comrades, because he didn't want to forget the legacy of his men, he was still a "lieutenant", maintaining the rank of the time.

In order to carry out the sting operation, Tatsuya was going to die, but somehow, amidst the light and searing heat from the explosion, he came to another world. Brushing up against death, he survived. The man who saved him was the Emperor himself. He got lucky. The place where Tatsuya appeared was a courtyard where only the Emperor and a few of his attendants had access. The emperor happened to be resting in that place. "Interesting. That's the way fate would have it.” Upon hearing the sound, Tatsuya suddenly lost consciousness. When he opened his eyes again, there was no longer half a wound on his body. He was also lucky to get his life back. And in return for this kindness, he vowed to give his life for the Emperor, which he had once given up. Crossing the world and nearly losing his life awakened his power, and Tatsuya offered it all to the Emperor. To this day, he still lives only for the Emperor. Never onstage activity. He doesn't age, he stays the way he is. Becoming part of the dark side of the Empire, to the Intelligence Headquarters, which lurks in the shadows of the Empire. He's a weirdo who feeds on intelligence. Lurking in the shadows of the Empire. Being both human and walking with the devil. This man had various “aliases”, he is Lieutenant Kondo. He’s the Imperial Army’s Director of Intelligence. Even the chiefs of the various legions could not ignore him, and the people were afraid of him, not knowing what he really was.

........... ........ In order to raid the underground labyrinth, Gedora sent Shinji over to them, and Imperial Intelligence also had the information. Lt. Kondo was a man of few words. "Well, that's hard work.” That was all he said, and nothing more was said after that. Those who came to report were used to it, and left the scene after a bow. Lieutenant Kondo the man would not tell anyone else his opinion. The report also contains detailed information about Yuuki's men. The number of "otherworldly visitors" collected from all over the world has exceeded a thousand. Among these people, those whose unique skills had not awakened probably accounted for a little over 10%. All of these people are living peaceful lives in the Imperial Capital. After the awakening, people with unique skills suitable for fighting are about 10% or 20% faster. Over a hundred "otherworldly visitors" are assigned to the various legions according to their personalities. Others are placed in workplaces where they can excel, doing a variety of jobs in various places. The problem these days is the "otherworldly visitors" who are capable of fighting. Yuuki—Yuuki Kagurazaka, the man who founded the Freedom Association in the Western countries. A year ago he was also the Grand Master of the Freedom Association, trying to use his powers to protect those "otherworldly visitors". That's what Yuuki himself said, but the results of the Imperial investigation showed that those were all lies. He had also infiltrated the Rosso clan and used their power. He also carries out "otherworldly visitor" summons that are forbidden on the Western side, and according to the survey, they summoned quite a few people. Otherwise there wouldn't be so many people who are particularly good at fighting. On top of that, if it's an "otherworldly visitor" who's been summoned over, a "spell" can be used to force them to swear allegiance. Wanting to be prepared not to betray one's own ministry, summoning is most appropriate. And these "otherworldly visitors" are scattered throughout the legions. Lt. Kondo had a sense of crisis about this and thought that something bad would happen if we continued to let it go. He'd thought right—this man possessed intimidating insight.

In fact, Lt. Kondo's misgivings were not wrong. The results are clearly written in this report. After Yuuki moved to live in the Empire, we can conclude from his words and actions that he was likely to stage a coup d'état by force. In addition to that, those who were sent in against Yuuki have also been found. Because of Yuuki's good record in the past, he escaped to this side of the Empire to be accepted. Yet he forgets this favor and seems to be trying to expand his power without permission. Some became his men and were sent to various legions. And a few of them joined the glorious Order of the Near Guard. In the case of other legions it is a different matter, the Imperial Order of the Emperor's Close Guard must protect His Majesty and will not tolerate betrayers. In Lt. Kondo's opinion, the matter could not be ignored. It's dangerous. Yuuki Kagurazaka—it looks like we have to get rid of you. Lt. Kondo was determined. Yet now is not the time to act. He received word that Master Gedora, the Grand Wizard of the Imperial Heavy Town, was linked to Yuuki. Evidence is also available, but it's not clear how deep their relationship runs. Needless to say, Master Gedora was also a very important figure to the Empire. It shouldn't be so easy to betray, but Lieutenant Kondo also knew that he was coming to the Empire's aid only because his purpose was in line with the Empire's philosophy. In this way it was also possible to pit him against the Imperial interests for some reason. If that's the case, the old man is also in danger. That being the case... Yuuki and Gedora. Yuuki looks like a teenager, but he is very sophisticated in his behavior. Like Lt. Kondo, he was dangerous and could not be judged on appearances alone. Gedora is an old man on the outside, but his essence is a monster that has survived for over a thousand years. If one is going to be hostile to him, one cannot challenge such an opponent without being thoroughly enlightened. That's why information is collected. Although some evidence has been found, the intelligence is still insufficient. It is too early to act blatantly. He's going to carefully investigate Yuuki's "otherworldly visitors". Find out afterwards if anyone is dominated by the "spell". However, if Yuuki or Gedora are found to be behaving unnaturally...

"Don't expect to be tried in public.” Lurking in the shadows of the Empire - Lieutenant Kondo would never spare a traitor. "Dance for the Empire. Your life is in my hands.” In the shadows of the Imperial capital. A cold glow rose in his eyes, and Lieutenant Kondo murmured quietly.

It was the office attached to a plush desk, with a one-eyed man in a high-class chair. With his left eye covered with a blindfold, he was a very thin man who looked to be about forty years old. His name is Calgurio. He has the greatest power within the Empire and is the military leader of the Mecha Legion. There were several "magic crystals" on the table in front of him. This is the source of magical energy, high purity, high quality "magic crystal". Because Yuuki brings certain techniques, it is possible to refine these "magic crystals" into magic stones. In other words, "magic crystals" are taken from the core of magic creatures and refined to produce magic stones that can be used to generate magical energy. There are also natural magical stones that fall from magical creatuers, but only individuals with a large amount of magical elements and a grade of A or higher can harvest them. These natural magical stones are of a high quality, unmatched by other magical stones, and generally do not generate energy, but are used as decorative objects or magical mediums. If it cannot be taken on a regular basis, it has no value as a source of energy. Calgurio reached out and grabbed the 'magic crystal' on the table. The more closely he looked, the more he knew the quality of something like that was great. Reluctant to let go of the touch that remained in his hand, Calgurio placed the Magic Crystal Stone back on the table. Instead, he picked up the report book that had been sent with the stone. This is a report from the Institute. If it is a "magic crystal" of this purity, it will be able to produce a hundred of the magic stones made by the Empire. It can also be converted directly into energy with high purity. If you want to take this level of "magic crystal", you must at least defeat a magic creature of B level or higher. It is so written. "That Gedora guy! I can't believe you're keeping something so profitable from me..." Calgurio was outraged by this.

He had bribed those Institute personnel to inform himself of anything. The result is this report. This "magic crystal" is something that Gedora brought recently. He didn't let on where it was harvested, but since there were several it meant he might have found a place that could give birth to a large group of magical things. After all, these stones are all of first-rate quality, and the test results indicate that almost all contain the same amount of energy. Different kinds of magical things can't take on the same quality. There will always be deviations, which must be refined before the magic stone can be worked on. Yet here the "magic crystal" is of almost the same quality. This means that there is a large group of magical creatures of the same race. He didn't think it would be possible to breed these magical creatures, but with regular attacks and then executing them at intervals, it should improve the Empire's energy problems. Yet it seems that things are more complicated. Calgurio's face twisted with desire. If the goal is to stabilize the energy supply, it is necessary to ensure the location of the production of this "magic crystal”—the report concludes. Not only do they have an eye on the habitat of these magical creatures, they also lock down locations. That place was within the domain of the demon lord Rimuru, the legendary underground maze. "Recently, Gedora and Yuuki were so close that they didn't even come to see me. It's inexcusable to do something so profitable in private!" That's what sets Calgurio on fire. And things follow. The high-ranking nobleman who was walking very close to Calgurio told him an interesting thing. A large group of them ran over, with obnoxious smiles on their faces, and came over to report to Calgurio. Upon hearing this, it becomes clear that Gedora ran off to investigate the maze and lost three more apprentices. If that were the only thing, it would only be sympathetic and not funny at all, yet what Gedora brought back was a problem. Because Gedora not only brought back the "magic crystal stone", but even the treasure. It was a sword that adorned Calgurio's room. Not only is it made of pure "magic steel" of high quality, but the technology is also of a very high standard. Not far from the most powerful artisanal forge in the Dwarven Kingdom. It's a great sword. No, this side is better in terms of the material. There's a distinct difference from what circulates within the Empire.

As for the excellent sword, it was one that Calgurio had bought with a high-ranking nobleman. There were three in total, one of which was taken to the technical department of its own army for testing. The high-ranking nobleman said proudly, "This is something precious, perhaps with incredible effects." His words were exaggerated, lobbying Calgurio to buy. Even though it was dedicated to that nobleman by Gedora. Calgurio asked him if Gedora had any demands, but the other said in a loud voice, "How can I tell you that? That's for sure, right?” It turned out that a sword asked for a hundred gold coins and sold for a total value of three hundred gold coins, but Calgurio did want to know something. Because he bought three at a time, the other party finally gave him a clue... Calgurio was of lower aristocratic origin and became a military chief by strength. The empire is entirely a powerhouse society, and therefore has a higher status than the nobleman with an empty exalted status. Originally, there was no way he would have had the opportunity to speak to these high ranking nobles. However, facing the current Calgurio, these same men had to give him three points of courtesy. They clearly looked down on me in private, but now that doesn’t matter. More important now than that is the clever use of these people. High-ranking nobles do everything for their own benefit. Informing things based on good intentions— there is no such thing as good intentions under heaven. Would have told Calgurio what Gedora had said, also all carefully calculated. In other words, they put Yuuki on the scale with Calgurio to measure. "Those greedy aristocrats! But more important now is Gedora. Even the aristocrats are lobbying them to use the hybrid legions to attack the maze! Since I'm going to Raiders, I should recommend my army...I took the Mecha Legion from that guy, I didn't think he'd still hold a grudge over it now..." Because of Gedora's assistance, the Mecha Legion managed to become the Modern Legion. The force inside swelled from tens to hundreds of times, and Gedora had no command over it. Calgurio thought the reason lay there, and Gedora was therefore jealous of him. "No harm done. Good luck getting information from the nobility. This way we can get ahead of those guys and let my army hold the benefits.” Of course, pulling in high-ranking nobles requires some money. Even if Calgurio gets the benefit, part of it has to go. Even so, Calgurio still thinks it's a good deal. The only thing you can get from inside the maze isn't just "magic crystals". The quality of this sword is also great, currently equivalent to the Rare class. But in another hundred years, it might turn out to be a

special class. If the body is built with so much "magic steel", it might evolve even faster. That alone would be worth it for me to master that maze! It was precisely because that was what Calgurio thought that he decided to go and pull in the high ranking nobles. Calgurio is making plans for the future, but one doubt just can't wave it out of his mind. —then again, what is this hole? The high aristocrats say "it has an incredible effect," but those are all from Gedora's side, I guess. In Calgurio's opinion, he did not find a similar effect. However.... One thing that made him suspicious when he read it was the holes in the sword. Is there a meaning behind this? Calgurio had no way to tell. That's why those were given to the technical department, but the analysis is not yet available. It's okay, the Empire is not like the West, and nowadays the era doesn't fight with swords anymore... So no matter how much value this sword contained, it wouldn't make sense in a modern army. Only a highly skilled warrior can live with this sword. Yeah, just like Calgurio with his right hand. Thinking on the one hand, Calgurio looked forward to seeing the results of the analysis come out. Immediately following, a few days later. Calgurio received an amazing report. "Let me explain.” The director of the technical unit explained it in person. After a scientific analysis of this sword, they found many things. The orifice was not decorative. It was a device that could absorb energy, a medium that could unleash magic with high efficiency. That is to say, it's not just a sword, but a magic unleashing device. "He's called the Demon Lord Rimuru, right? I can't underestimate him for coming up with such an interesting idea."

"Right. It's a weapon that makes you think it's a sword—that is, a weapon that fights at close range, and then uses magic to make an unintended attack. As long as the source of the energy supply that matches this hole is found, the caster—in this case the owner, I guess—can cast the magic without any burden.” That's right. The greatest feature of this weapon is the ability to manipulate magic as well as unleash it, breaking existing common sense. "But did you really get this in the maze?" "About that I can prove it's true. I had men sent over, and it doesn't sound like Gedora was lying.” Calgurio also sent his own men to the magic capital "Rimuru" to gather information related to the maze. Internal investigations hit a bottleneck near the fortieth floor, but those people had interesting rumors from the merchant side and the rest of the population. They said they could get weapons with holes in them from the maze. Although the transaction amount is high, it's cheaper to buy than Trinity level. "So, what is the other party's purpose in doing such a thing...” "Huh! Just think about it for a moment. At least we have to experiment before we can use this as a new weapon!” The director of the technology department has a good head but doesn't think about the tactical side of things. After listening to Calgurio's explanations, I finally found out what the point of doing so was. "Oh, so it is. Adventurers abound, to give those things to them and let them investigate the effect? It does sound reasonable. When the magic stone was placed into this hole, the sword's rank was raised by one stage. Would turn into a high powered magic sword, but seemed to have other uses. It takes a lot of time to master these various experiments.” "Exactly. Just send those things to the adventurers at random and ask them to try them individually. Once the data is all out, come back and wait for that data to be recycled.” In a way, Calgurio correctly interprets the intent of Rimuru. And judging from experience that such an experiment would take time, he was well aware of that. At this stage, these are just experimental weapons. Yet procrastination is dangerous. Humans are interesting creatures, some of whom can see things by intuition. Most of these people are particularly prone to having that excellent instinct, especially when they are in danger. "This is a great idea—human experimentation in a maze where no one dies.” "I think I need a bracelet like this to get inside, but the results of the analysis are still a mystery. If the rumors were true, conducting military training wouldn't have to be so hard.” The director of the technical department pulled out a small box, which was tightly sealed, and he held it out to Calgurio. In this chest is one of the treasures that Gedora brought back—the "Resurrection Bracelet".

"Those things certainly sound suspicious. However, if our army mastered this labyrinth...” That way they can discern the truth of the rumors, and if things are true, that would be a great achievement. "Oh, so Lord Calgurio is so ambitious that he wants to fight the demon lord?” "That's for sure. It's a bad idea to go after each other for nothing, but the Great Forest of Jura is on our invasion route. Plus that maze is in a location that can't be ignored, someone has to step up to the plate.” "Oh, how dare you.” After that, Calgurio and the director of the technical department looked at each other and smiled. "A stable supply of magical crystals and an efficient place to experiment. If things go well, we can still capture the enemy's new weaponry.” "Then we must get ahead of the other legions and let Lord Calgurio's mech legions go over and suppress them first.” "You don't have to say that. You just have to wait there and expect results.” The director of the technical department wore a pleasant smile, and a light smile appeared on Calgurio's face. "But the master is getting old and his mind is beginning to be unclear." "Exactly. I was blinded by the "magic crystal" and didn't see that the maze was more important, and misjudged the performance of the sword.” "It's only by relying on magic that you can do this harm. It's unheard of for a weapon to make a change in rank like this.” Calgurio thinks the director of the technical department is right. Gedora was a great man, yet it was no longer the time to rely on magic. A new wave is blowing up, and that is science, so that things go hand in hand with magic, opening a new era. It's because of this that the Mecha Corps should let me lead. The old man would have had a little more respect if he'd rested on his laurels. Since he's now teaming up with that so-and-so Yuuki, there's no need to be polite with him. Thinking about this side, a battle plan popped into Calgurio's mind. It would be foolish to go up against several demon lords at the same time, but just dealing with demon lord Rimuru would be fine. And the "Storm Dragon" has long been an object of crusade, and that's what the Empire has always wanted. Calgurio intends to use the newly developed weapon to put the Storm Dragon in place. If successful, even a small sacrifice would be profitable. Master Gedora, however, was adamantly opposed. So this became the key reason why Calgurio and Gedora were pitted against each other.

Ha! As long as the evil dragon is able to be captured, the Slime demon lord is no match for us at all. This time make sure to show everyone that we are the strongest legion in the Empire! The time had come, and Calgurio was excited about it. Gedora was against him to thwart his opponent's sharpness and consolidate his position in the Empire. So Calgurio must build up a reputation for making the Mecha Legion crush the Evil Dragon no matter what. For this reason... "Let's go in at the next imperial meeting and advocate a march.” "Oooohhhh, finally..." "Hmm," nodded Calgurio. No need to wait for the Demon Lord to be ready. He's going to use that as an excuse to silence those who object. Gedora, I definitely can't let you get ahead of yourself. And then there's Yuuki, the brat. So you're just going to get carried away by joining forces with Gedora? I'm going to show you how much of a pound you have. Calgurio was laughing at his stupid peers. There was clearly an opportunity to get important information, and the idiot just missed it by not finding out about it. Just a half-baked fool, anyway, Calgurio was convinced. While laughing at his peers, Calgurio continued to think. What should I do to get the most out of myself? He pondered the matter deeply, while sorting out what was to be played to the Emperor. The Empire began to stir as a result of Calgurio's actions.

The imperial meeting was about to begin. This time the situation was very different from the usual, not only the soldiers and generals who participated, but even the civilian officials present were nervous. Presumably sensing this atmosphere, people who had nothing to do with it didn't want to be anywhere near the big convention hall. This meeting was different than usual. That's something people feel.

Someone announced the arrival of the Emperor, and everyone bowed their heads in unison. On the other side of the curtain, someone seemed to appear. That would be the Emperor of the Unification Empire, Rudra Naam Ulu Nazca.

At the pinnacle of the united eastern empire of the most powerful military power, Nazca-Namlium- Ulmeria.

No one knew what was going through the Emperor's mind, and the voice appeared on the other side of the curtain. Except for a few close servants, no one has ever seen the true face of the emperor, a supreme being, who just stays there and lets others not dare to make a scene. The emperor is the only one who cannot be questioned. Only a fraction of those dare to speak out against the emperor. There were nearly two hundred people in the meeting room. First there were the "three generals”—they were the chiefs of the various legions, and their deputies. The elite members of the Imperial Emperor's Near Guard Knights were lined up. There are also ministers who deal with the administrative affairs of the State, and the Grand Council of Peers, which is the center of the State. The best and brightest from all walks of life are gathered here with their heads bowed. All that remained in the solemn hall was the sound of clothes scraping. Then the voice disappeared. At this moment, the Prime Minister winked at the official of the ceremony. "Your Majesty the Emperor...is here...!" Upon hearing this, all the people in the room unanimously said a salute. Breaking the silence, it was like a roar of rage, a hundred voices. This imperial meeting began with the question of whether the Great March that will go down in history is right or wrong. ........... ........ The imperial meeting took place in a serious atmosphere. On this occasion, the issue of the Great March was raised, with one group advocating prudence and the other advocating troops, in which the militants were again divided into two factions.

The first thing to ask is what is the name of the war? This is a stupid question. Plundering because the emperor wanted it so badly—it’s just that. Does that work? At this point, there is again a substantial difference of opinion. Some advocate that one should be cautious, others advocate attacking from the front and ravaging the enemy. The civil officials felt that they should persuade the other side to surrender, exerting pressure and coercion, starting with diplomatic negotiations. If the emperor wished to go to war, then they would have no room for opinion. But at present the emperor did not give a holy decree, and everyone had their own opinion during the meeting. It is only a matter of time before war starts. The question is what method to use. The demon lords in charge everywhere were also in the way, but as long as they didn't infringe on their territory, they wouldn't do anything about it. The only obstacle is the "storm dragon" Veldora. Later on, all the talk was directed towards the Great Forest of Jura. One of them came out to petition and said he was against the war. "I am afraid, Your Majesty. I'm against sending troops.” He is the Great Wizard of the Empire, Master Gedora. Gedora did not fear the emperor at all, and he entered boldly. "What a cowardly thing to say! Is that again to be mentioned, Sir Gedora?” Some have ridiculed Gedora, one is of the "three generals”—Calgurio, the head of the Mecha Legion. Every time. These two men represent the Deliberative and the Militant, respectively. "If it's just to hit the West, that's fine. But there was the evil dragon Veldora in the great forest of Jura. The resurrection of the evil dragon was just confirmed two years ago. Of course you have to be careful!” Some share his view. There were also those who laughed at Gedora's weakness.

The calamity brought about by Veldora was projected to have passed over three hundred years ago, and that fear had long since passed with the wind. Now that more people are starting, things are not looking good on Gedora's side. Calgurio has seen through this and wants to agitate further by words. "Master, your attitude of prudence is something we should learn from. But as I've said many times, the countermeasures used against Veldora are foolproof. With the new weapon we've developed, we have a chance to bring that evil dragon to its knees!" "Ridiculous! Don't talk in your dreams, Sir Calgurio. Since it cannot be denied that this operation has the potential to fail, it is certainly prudent to proceed. And now there's a new demon lord ruling that forest! Although it was impossible for a demon lord to join forces with each other, it was not good to deliberately work against them. And that evil dragon had been resurrected and seemed to have joined forces with the newly installed Demon Lord Rimuru. Usually, people tell the devil that the water from the well does not violate the river!” As long as the "Valley of Death Creek", which is connected to the old Clayman territory, is passed, there is that possibility to get the army to move. However, they didn't choose to do so because the Empire didn't want to offend the area under Demon Lord Milim's jurisdiction. The march through the fertile earth will be faster than through the forest. Yet the benefits gained were not great enough to offend the demon lord, Milim. Likewise, just by going through the Great Forest of Jura, they could lay their hands on the West. However, now that Veldora the Storm Dragon has been resurrected, he has also joined forces with the demon lord Rimuru. With no intention of adding enemies—the above is Gedora’s claim. Upon hearing this, several civil officials nodded their heads in agreement. However, Calgurio snorted and questioned Gedora. "Is it not true, then, that His Excellency Gedora wants us to give up a long-held ambition of the Empire?” It would have been difficult to send a large army to the west without going through the great forest of Jura. It is for this reason that Calgurio's question was supported by the military. "His Excellency Calgurio has a point, Master. In the face of the great Imperial Army, a single Demon Lord is not even a threat!” "How dare you speak insultingly in front of His Majesty! Could it be that His Excellency Gedora wants to defy the Emperor's will—!” "No! Come to think of it, instead of making an enemy of the demon lord, it would be better to enlist the help of the Dwarf King. That way we don't get hurt and it's relatively easy to master the West!” Gedora yelled loudly, refuting those objections. Yet there are those who scoff at Gedora’s claims. "It's you that's funny, Sir Gedora. The Dwarf King is a man of great virtue and respect, known as the Sword Saint. The previous generation was also a hero, and the kings of this generation have extraordinary strength. His companions are all famous heroes, and this side is a stronger opponent than slaughtering the

newcomer demon lord. Even I wanted to put my hands together and beg for mercy, but that wasn't the point this time. It is better to fight with heroes than to crush the demon lord, so that the world will look at us more positively!” Someone who uttered the phrase was one of the "three great generals". The Beast King Gladim, the leader of the Beast (Warcraft) Legion. Just standing up exudes a sense of oppression, enough to overwhelm the entire field. It's very kingly. Even the Beast King, Gladim, could get them to give in by strength. It is the premier martial arts faction in the Empire, with a highly combat-oriented army chief. The class is the Grand Admiral. They say he is the second most powerful man in the Empire. Although Gladim was not in the "single digits", he was in the "tens", but because he was strong enough, he became a military commander very early. He used to think of himself as the strongest without having to compete with others for ranking. Therefore, he has always had a bad taste in the "marshal" who is allegedly stronger than himself. It was said that this man possessed the bloodline of an orc race, but it was not certain if that was true or not. It's the type of person who acts on instinct, which Gedora is not good at dealing with. "It was His Excellency, Lord Gladim, and the comparison is not correct. I'm just asking you to get King Gazel!” "Stupid. If the dwarven kingdoms are to be annexed together, I can understand what you are saying. If you dare to obstruct the empire's unification of the world, all you have to do is beat the hell out of those guys. But! What are you playing at here? It's because you keep saying that, even with all the troops in the field, we still can't get started, can we...!" “Don’t say something stupid! The Dwarf Kingdom is a natural stronghold, and they're trying to take it down..." "Shut up...! To say such useless things in front of His Majesty is the reason why you were dismissed from your post and could not continue to be a military commander...!" The Beast King Gladim roared out the words. He is telling the truth. About thirty years ago, Gedora led a magical legion that was one of the three major legions of the Empire. Today, however, those who are able are assigned to technical departments, while others are transferred to various units. The reason for this is that the use of magic can only depend on talent. You can't manipulate magic without it in the first place. It's not something you can learn with effort, so there are very few people who can use it.

While also useful in combat, the Empire later developed weapons that could replace magic. That's the Magic Gun, a small magic guide weapon. Using the magic stone as a source of energy, unleash the magic array carved into the body of the gun. In this way, this weapon allows anyone to use magic. The weakness is that only one kind of magic can be put out, but practicality is naturally out of the question. As for fighting close range battles, they have the "Imperial Style Magic Sword". The same is true in principle, with the added magic of a strengthened weapon, which is a small magic-guided weapon. It's because of these things that the tech department found out what the hole-filled weapons from the labyrinth could do. Everyone is thinking the same thing—in a nutshell. Now that people without talent can use magic, the Magic Legion no longer serves any purpose. As if announcing the end of the magical age, it was a sad thing for Gedora. On top of that, there was another person who laughed at such a Gedora. "Ha ha ha, Master. You're getting old. Your knowledge of magic is a treasure to the Empire. There is also assistance for the development of a new type of magical guide weapon for our mecha legion...but like Lord Gladim said, what was said earlier was inappropriate. Have you become a coward?” Calgurio sneered contemptuously at him. The sound of snickering came from both the Noble House and the military units. "Do you really understand? That evil dragon in charge of the storm is the strongest race in this world!” "Master, you don't understand. The Imperial Army is not the same as before. Many people from the other world brought knowledge to us—we studied these 'sciences' and began to have a very different system of technology from this world, and the military power of our Imperial Army has increased dozens of times compared to the previous generation. Wizards like you, who can't keep up with the times, can't keep up with the current way of fighting anymore. I am indebted to the emperor, so please live in peace.” "You, what are you...!?” Gedora was outraged by this, but it was really all an act. After all, Gedora had surrendered to the demon lord Rimuru. He tried his best to talk in the direction of not going to war, but after that he just left it alone. These guys are really pathetic. Science is great knowledge, yes, but even the Sorcerer Dynasty of Sarion has a secret knowledge that belongs to them—“Magical Science". His Majesty Rimuru was also originally an "Otherworldly Visitor", and the Empire relied on these military forces to secure their superior status, but there's no telling how much of an effect that would have... Now that Gedora had gotten to know the Jura Tempest Federation and Rimuru, he began to wonder if the Empire would win.

He didn't want to see any misfortune happen to his peers, and felt that His Majesty the Emperor had been kind to him. That's why he’ll try his best to bait everyone in the hope of avoiding war, but if they fail, they’ll have to wait and see. It is expected that Yuuki will stage a coup, and if it happens, he intends to go and ensure the personal safety of the Emperor. Yuuki would have wanted to assassinate the emperor, right? Since his purpose is to conquer the world, nothing gets in the way more than a great leader. If it had been before, Gedora would have intended to leave it alone. But now that the reason for starting the war was gone, Yuuki's approach would throw the whole world into chaos, and Gedora would not allow him to do so. But I don't know what happens after that, so there's probably no point in going on about it. Then the next step is to follow His Majesty Rimuru's orders to "keep the Imperial Army's attention on the underground maze." Gedora made up his mind darkly. Then began to pay attention to Yuuki who was still silent now.

Seeing Gedora fall into silence, Calgurio thought he had won. Gedora's magical legions were dismantled and the military structure reconfigured. After that, Gedora could only titularly serve as technical advisor to the Mecha Legion. But he is known to have the power to be a hero, and perhaps still has more influence than Calgurio. Recommending Yuuki the brat for army chief, that too is Gedora alone. It's infuriating. It's something that makes Calgurio feel bad. The great wizard Gedora—the hero so called—was now old too. But his feats were still glorious, and it was inevitable to pay him a little tribute, and Calgurio thought so, but... Heck, he's an old-time character anyway. This has turned out to be an old scourge... As the times have evolved, the Empire has become more and more combatant. The poor old man could no longer keep up—that’s Gedora now. The Empire ushers in a new era. The three major legions of the new generation were so powerful that they simply could not be compared to before. ........... ........ Calgurio's Legion of Mechs...

Combining the science and technology of another world and their magic technology to become the largest legion of the Empire. The total number of troops that can be mobilized is over two million. However, this includes the number of troops on standby throughout the Reich, so that if a military operation were to be launched immediately, it would in fact be possible to mobilize only a million people at most. Even then it was a massive legion, unimaginable a hundred years ago, so to speak, beyond reason. And then there's Gladim's Legion of Warcraft (Beasts)... Using DNA analysis, a technology from another world, they have been able to breed captured beasts. The cultivated magical beasts will be re-educated and strengthened to become the center of this legion. It's like the impossible cultivation of a magic beast according to common sense so far. Not only did they achieve this, but they even tamed those demonic beasts. In this way, the tough magical beast can become a riding beast. The men who rode these magical beasts were heroes within the Empire. Heroic bloodlines that have been active since time immemorial—they use them for analysis, so that those people have this power. They come down in life to be strong. Let the powers that remain in their bloodline awaken, and the members of the Warcraft Legion are all heroes. To be as talented as they are, it is said that there is only one out of 100,000 people, and this legion is small, only 30,000. However, the demonic beasts they rode were all above A- rank, and the strength of the human-demonic oneness was immeasurable. Only 30,000 people could be called the Legion, the strongest elite force that the Empire prided itself on. And then there's the "hybrid army" led by Yuuki... Although this force is heavily staffed, their potential capabilities are very high. Without understanding group cooperation, these disordered molecules are collected, and there is a nest of these redundant members—the world generally thinks so, but in fact that assessment is wrong. The reason why it is impossible to coordinate with other people is because each of them has excellent abilities. The individual talents are outstanding, so powerful that they are difficult to control—many of them are "otherworldly visitors" and the potential abilities are unknown. Also, as a result of various experiments, some individuals have begun to possess irreproducible foul elements—magical beasts with A-rank power that are difficult to master but have extraordinary fighting abilities. As well as weapons whose performance has been abandoned without knowing why things have turned out the way they did—many of the products of the new experiment have been gathered in this unit.

Before, they were simply governed by people, but then Yuuki, the leader, appeared before them. The result is a hybrid legion of trump-like forces, so powerful that it is difficult to calculate them numerically. The total number of the army is 200,000. Half of them are intelligence generals or general service soldiers, and the actual number of soldiers available is 100,000. There is also a force of carefully selected members at the head. Those people were believers in Yuuki, the soul of the Hybrid Legion. ........... ........ The above are the three fledgling legions of the Empire. It was a massive force of war. As soon as the emperor gives the order, the army of one hundred and thirteen thousand can now be sent out and a military operation will be launched. At present, the Imperial Intelligence Bureau has studied the total war power of the Western countries, which translates into less than a million troops. Considering the number of people they might mobilize, it would be a blessing to gather up to 400,000. And they did not think that the countries would join forces smoothly, concluding that there was probably no way to use it militarily intelligently. Against a crowd of 400,000, the Empire had over a million elites. This large army was up against an enemy that was simply no match for them. At the heart of this overwhelming Imperial army was the mech legion led by Calgurio. This time, Calgurio intends to send specially selected fighters to the field to fight. He expects to mobilize millions, with the following members. The main force is the "Mecha Modification Corps...” Draw on technology from another world to magically transform those soldiers. The minimum personal combat ability is also a C+. Some of them even came to A rank. With seven hundred thousand men in the regiment, it was the main force that kept the others from seeing the light of day. The Magic Chariot Division... They have a practical new weapon, the Magic Guiding Chariot, with a total of two thousand units. The Magic Chariot is going to be manned by five people, but can play a very powerful performance, breaking common sense so far.

The main cannon is called the "Magic Guide Cannon" and can reach a speed of 2,000 meters per second at first strike. The ability to load fifty rounds of ammunition, and shoot five rounds in one minute, is so powerful that it's as destructive as tactical magic—the Super Advanced Explosive Flame style. By the way, the shell itself is a "block of iron" even though it is fired using magic principles. A quality weapon that can easily penetrate the boundaries of magic or defense against bows, etc., is intimidating. Originally, this kind of power could only be harnessed by magic instructors and belonged to a few elites, but now even ordinary soldiers could use it. Add to that the difficulty of defending, and there is a great deal of meaning behind this. Including the maintenance team, the number of soldiers inside was 200,000, so just by increasing the number of chariots, the combat power would increase. And a classified weapon, the Air Combat Corps. There are four hundred blimps inside. It could be said to be a treasure of the Empire, a crystallization of knowledge from another world. Each blimp can carry up to four hundred people. Fifty staff members operate, while others are responsible for waging defensive magic or controlling artillery fire. There are many magic-enhanced cannons inside, which are excellent for attack and defense. Also a very useful means of transportation. It's not too much to say that there is "no concept of air power" in this era. The complete absence of the alert air allows for the transport of large numbers of troops while the enemy is inattentive. If you want to surround the enemy back and forth, you can do it simply by using the airship. This is an invention that subverts established tactical theory. The regiment had a total of 100,000 soldiers, and most of the former members of the "Magic Legion" were affiliated with this regiment. Because of the preparation of such a large force, Calgurio felt that he could do nothing. For example, although it depends on the size of the country, the average strength of a knight in this world is at best a C. The use of weapons or protective gear, watered down, and rigorous training is not guaranteed to barely reach B level. Conversely look at the mecha legion, which can magically transform members as long as they have the will to do so. To demonstrate a high degree of compatibility in a health diagnosis would semi-forcing them to undergo revision surgery. The result succeeded in turning the entire legion's fighting prowess from the valley. On this point, the people stationed everywhere were no exception, and Calgurio believed that the Empire was rock-solid. As for this big long march, he expected to send out all the magical chariots and hovercrafts.

Even if other countries unite, these soldiers still far surpass them in quality. Plus there are a lot of new weapons that are being made public for the first time. If you want to show the power of the Empire, you must send an army of mechs, Calgurio, to be so sure. We have such a powerful army, whether it's Veldora or Demon Lord, there's nothing to fear! My legions alone can be the world's greatest! Heart full of such confidence, Calgurio watched again to see how Gedora reacted. That's why he noticed one thing. That was when Gedora turned his gaze to look at Yuuki. The next moment, as if waiting for this opportunity, Yuuki spoke up. "Grandfather Gedora was too cautious, and I agree with that. In my opinion, we are overly vigilant about the Storm Dragon. Just like the Calgurio army chief said, if it's the current Imperial Army, it shouldn't be a problem to deal with them, right?” At this imperial meeting, Yuuki spoke for the first time. He didn't expect him to agree with himself, which made Calgurio wary. This guy is going to take this opportunity to attack the maze, right? It's naive to think I didn't notice that! How can one take on the important task of a military chief without intelligence? In spite of his heart, Calgurio flashed a friendly smile at Yuuki. To make an exception there is still the figure of Gladim, but he was only chosen to be the military chief because he was powerful beyond reason. It's too early for a Yuuki in the district to become a military commander, and on weekdays, Calgurio sees Yuuki as a thorn in his side. Hiding this side of his heart, Calgurio began to speak. "You're worthy of the title of Lord Yuuki. As a young up-and-comer, you’re really something else.” "No, you're flattering me. I'd say that if we were to start a war, we'd have to investigate first, right? To pass through the Great Forest of Jura, one must pass through the area governed by the demon lord Rimuru. But an interesting thing happened here, I heard that the demon lord was able to make their city escape into the maze.” "Oh, you mean the maze?" "Right. Properly speaking it should be an underground maze. I don't know what kind of principle is behind it, but I've heard that the entire metropolis has disappeared, leaving only a gate in the ground.” While Calgurio, who pretended to be unaware, asked this question, Yuuki replied to him with a "just what I want" look on his face. Huh, boring. Is he trying to say he's going to go over and investigate, intending to take away the benefits that can be gained in the underground maze?...that's why I said you were too tender) Thinking about this side, Calgurio snickered.

"Well, is this information accurate?” "If it's true, we can't ignore the underground maze. When our military comes through, they may attack from behind." "Indeed. If the West wasn't so stupid, they would have built a line of defense to strengthen their defenses. If supplies are cut off by the demon lord's army, our army will be in desperate straits.” "In that case, it's dangerous to go through the Great Forest of Jura." Hearing Yuuki say so, everyone began to take their own positions. That seemed to be what Yuuki wanted, and the expression on his face lit up with it. "The credibility of this information is beyond question. After all, it was Grandpa Gedora himself who came to investigate it for us!” Finding the right time, Yuuki said this. And then, after a victory lap, he continued. "Master Gedora has confirmed with his own eyes that he finds the Demon Lord Rimuru threatening, and has brought back a certain rumor. That is, it was said that the underground labyrinth had a total of one hundred layers, and the guardian was 'Storm Dragon' Veldora. This rumor is not based on a definitive basis, but the investigation was interrupted by the presence of the victims on the 60th floor underground. I heard that even Masayuki “the chosen hero" hasn't broken through on this floor, so I think the difficulty is equivalent to A+. Whichever route to attack the West from, I think there is a need for investigation.” Abandoning the dangling attitude from before, Yuuki spoke in a serious tone. "There are victims...” "It's a shame. I can relate to the feelings of Lord Yuuki.” "It's okay to just go and investigate, so let the Hybrid Legion handle it.” The aristocrats began to speak their minds. Calgurio looked on and began to get annoyed. Geez, it's just some dumbasses who get paid for it! Yuuki, this kid, what a smartass. This guy shouldn't be a military chief, he should be a politician. Seeing Yuuki show such a sincere attitude, even the people who hadn't been bought off began to take his side. Annoyed by this, Calgurio decided to speak out. "Wait a minute!” He said aloud, and the man stood up after him. Then a bow to the Emperor on the other side of the curtain. "Your Majesty! It seems that Master Gedora and Lord Yuuki are very much afraid of Veldora, but not me. Of course, the Western countries are not worth mentioning at all! May His Majesty be at peace, and it is my wish that you order me, Calgurio, to 'conquer them'! In that case, I, Calgurio, will risk my life and limb to go to war!” Calgurio so upstaged the Emperor that his words shook the room.

How dare you speak frankly to the emperor and ask him to comply with his wishes. “What!? How dare you say such treacherous things..." "Sir Calgurio, it is inexcusable to do such a thing! "Calgurio, are you going to sneak away? Your Majesty, we Demon Beast Legion are the same, ready to go to war at any time. Please order us to march as well!” It was at this time that even Gladim volunteered. Yuuki hurried to pick up the conversation. "In that case, please make sure you send the hybrid army to investigate!” Even Yuuki stepped forward, and the "Three Generals" unanimously bowed their heads and asked for orders. The only person who can calm the scene now is the Emperor. No. There's another one. The figure stood up from behind the curtain with a voluptuous smile. That is the Supreme Leader of the Imperial Army, the "Marshal". "You fools, take it easy. You're in front of Lord Rudra.” He dared to call the emperor by his first name, the average person would never be able to make such a rude move. The only one who could do such a thing with no change of face was the one who was the "Marshal".

The so-called "marshal" is equivalent to the strongest man in the Empire. Only a handful of close attendants knew his true face. Even his name was not disclosed to the public, and it was said that he always stayed with the Emperor to protect his safety. Because the man said that, the scene fell silent at once. All of them bowed and bowed, and a sound came from the air. "What's with Veldora. The last great march was hindered by him, but can the empire be shaken by it?” “No!" "That's for sure. For this empire is guarded by the great Emperor." “Yes...!”

Already more than just shocked by it, no one can disobey, such an atmosphere dominates the scene. It was at this point that the "marshal" opened his mouth to ask. "Your name is Yuuki, right? Although you're less than a year into the Empire, the accumulated merit is worthy of praise. But it was tepid, too tepid. Why the Empire has not acted until now since the resurrection of Veldora—do you know what the reason is?” "Because it's not ready...” Yuuki thought about how long it had been since he asked this, but he still gave an answer that didn't offend anyone. However, the 'marshal' laughed out contemptuously. "Not so. It's because the fools are imprisoned by the fears of the past and keep finding reasons to escape. Isn't that right, Gedora, isn't that right?” "Yes, yes...!" Everyone knows deep down, that things are just as he said. Even Gedora was no exception—he couldn't answer "no". Without debating whether or not he would be able to defeat the Storm Dragon, his stated opinion had always been to avoid the war, so there was no room for half a rebuttal. —But what's going on? Why is "she" so anxious? Gedora was one of the few people who knew the true face of the "marshal". That's why he sensed that the always transcendent "marshal" seemed a bit restless. Yet there was no way he could ask for understanding at this time. Without knowing the reason, Gedora felt only a vague sense of unease. The "marshal" continued. "Trying to negotiate with the Dwarf King Gazel—that’s not going to work, is it? You should understand that. Why are you so stubborn? Or are you actually more stupid than I thought? It's not like it's getting in the way of the empire's hegemony, is it?” The cold voice sent a chill down Gedora's back. Did she see through it? Surprisingly... Gedora found it hard to believe. He was considered an original figure in the Empire, and even a subject of the Emperor's consultation. Even such a Gedora could not help but shy away from the "marshal". So to speak...I don't even know her “name”... Gedora is trusted, and he is indeed important.

Yet this may just be Gedora's wishful thinking. Thinking about this side, Gedora was stunned. Apart from that, the empire—the emperor, he should say, who he really was—it was the first time that he had doubts about the matter. Never mind such a Gedora, the "marshal" is pointing the finger at Calgurio. "So, Calgurio, you should have a chance, right?” “Yes...! Of course, Your Excellency, Marshal!" "Yeah? Then tell me the battle plan you came up with.” "This, this...” Calgurio was originally imposing, but his dominance in the face of the "Marshal" was overpowered. Wanting to rely on the majority of the army to take down his opponent, he was forced to find that his thinking was too childish. As for fighting the Storm Dragon, Calgurio also has a case in mind. Because he had been orchestrating this for a long time. Calgurio wasn't afraid of Veldora. It was just a dragon anyway—he’d always thought so. There are some dragons that inhabit the Great Canaat Mountains, and those are indeed powerful magical creatures. Regardless of the lower-ranked dragons that inhabit the foothills, if they grow to middle-ranked dragons, the strength of these individuals is above grade A. If it was a high-ranking dragon clan with attributes, it was a very dangerous opponent, enough to overthrow a small country. However, if you switch to the Empire, all they have to do is to send a large force of about five hundred men from the Mecha Reformation Corps and they will be able to suppress it. Several of their military drills have been to crush dragons, and as long as they don't get anything wrong, there shouldn't be too much damage. This is proof that the empire is powerful. Their national strength was enough to raise tens of thousands of soldiers, even if their opponent was a group of dragons, they would be able to overcome. Veldora was also a kind of dragon—a perception of Calgurio, only a dragon, so what was there to fear? He even generated such a state of mind. How strong the magic is, that is determined by the amount of magic element. No matter how powerful the individual, such a rule applies. Dragons are strong because they contain a huge amount of mana that seems to be proportional to their mass.

There is a high level of defense and a jet attack that can annihilate a large area. All of this is possible because the dragon has an overwhelming amount of magic. That being the case, there's no need to go head to head. Calgurio and the others have their own magic plan. They are already working on a classified new technology called "magic vector disrupted radiation". If you want to make your opponent weaker by magic, it probably won't work against a dragon. Some individuals can even be disabled by "magical obstruction". Yet this new technology is unaffected. Whenever you expose yourself to "magicule disrupting radiation", you will have an effect on magicules as a substance. It wasn't manipulating the mage, it was putting the magicules into chaos. In other words, it has the effect of making a substance such as magicules lose control. If the opponent is a wizard, they are hindered from chanting so that the magic cannot be waged. If the opponent is a magical creature, the magical elements used to structure the body will be scrambled and there will be difficulty in movement. Simply put, it gets weaker. If it goes well it can make the opponent lose power. It's particularly effective against high-magicule aggregates like Veldora's, and is the reason Calgurio is so confident. He has another ace in the hole, which is the Magic Chariot. The Magic Guiding Cannon is so powerful that it can kill you even when you're facing a large monster. They experimented with the captured dragons and found that even an A-grade creature could be killed with a single blow from the "Magic Cannon". Then there's the killer blimp. The airship is a classified weapon and can be described as a result of magical technology. The top speed is even above the speed of sound. A creature made of flesh and blood could not escape at such a speed. The battle plan that Calgurio came up with in order to fight Veldora was as follows. Let the faster-moving soldier lure Veldora out, then seal his movements with the magicule disruption radiation set in the forest. The blimp also released a massive mana-disturbing radiation for irradiation, completely weakening Veldora. In the end, a fatal blow was delivered, using 2,000 Magic Guided Chariots to fire the Magic Cannon simultaneously. In that case, even the ancient evil dragons must have been destroyed. Even if he survives. No matter how strong a “true dragon" is, it can't be unharmed.

The so-called battle is that the more information you have, the better the chances of winning. They killed uncountable dragons and had accumulated enough intelligence. Calgurio believes they will win, holding absolute confidence. However, Calgurio, who spoke to the "marshal," was reserved. "Just, just configure the chariot and lure the evil dragon over there...” Since Calgurio had always believed that he could win with a large military force, he expected the detailed combat segment to be decided on the spot. No matter how treacherous the road ahead, any chariot could make its way through the forest. It is said that there are also streets connected from the Dwarf Kingdom side. If it went this way, I heard the road was still wide enough for the chariots to pass easily. He thought that the layout of the chariot was a trivial matter, but he could not talk nonsense in front of the "marshal". I'm too focused on augmenting the war effort and neglecting the most important field investigation. This is my misstep, isn't it... The sanity to make such a judgement remains in Calgurio. "Incompetent. I think you're going in the wrong direction. What was the point of wiping out Veldora?” “Eh?" Not knowing why the other party was asking, Calgurio couldn't help but ask back. Faced with such a Calgurio, the 'Marshal' glared coldly. "Since Veldora has been sealed before, why do you think the Empire hasn't moved?” "This, this is because it's not ready..." "It's not that, dumbass. It's to wait for the resurrection of Veldora, to go head-to-head in full form. So that everyone can know how great His Majesty the Emperor is. To achieve this, what's the use of destroying Veldora? He must be defeated and dominated if the Empire is to win!” There was silence in the meeting, and the words overwhelmed the room. Everyone's heart seems to be clenched tightly, unable to tell if it's because of fear or awe, dominated by feelings like that. Gedora felt equally warred. No way, do you mean it when you say that? It's clear that all the instructions were made before that mental domination is useless. But... But the phrase "marshal" is so inexplicably convincing that it always feels like it might be possible. Sensing this, unspeakable fear rose up in Gedora's heart.

So much so that it's actually mind-boggling to think about. Who the hell is the "marshal"? I've seen her before, but I've never been suspicious until now without knowing the other person's name. This, this is... It was a fact that Gedora was forced to confront, however. That meant that the "marshal" might be a master of spiritual domination beyond the likes of the Imperial Grand Wizard Gedora. Rather than saying it's possible, it's almost so certain. At this point Gedora opened her eyes and fixed them on the other side of the curtain. The curtain is woven with expensive flat silk, reflecting soft silhouettes. To Gedora, it was like a monster beyond human imagination. If it was a humanoid gesture that the Dragon Race had taken on—Gedora began to get the illusion and shrugged it off.

Everyone in the meeting swallowed nervously, stiffening their bodies. "Then I'd like to submit a plan of action." At this time, a teenager spoke up. He's Yuuki. The mere fact that he dared to speak in such a situation is commendable for his audacity. "You tell me about it.” A gentle, cold voice gave permission for Yuuki to speak. Hiding his true thoughts inside, Yuuki made a salute. "I don't think it's time for the legions to be in each other's crosshairs, so I've decided to speak from the heart without any hesitation.” After laying out the first sentence with that, Yuuki began to elaborate on the battle plan with a serious expression. The first thing is for the Mechs to attack the Great Forest of Jura head-on. The army of the demon lord Rimuru is gathering near the junction of the Great Forest of Jura and the Great River of Ameld. It appears that the hotel town there is being used as a base for a state of siege. That said, the Imperial Army's route of march would pass between the Great Mountains of Canaat and the Great Forest of Jura. There are no roads to the east of the Jura Forest, and it would take too long to cross that way. They could come to the front entrance of the Dwarven Kingdom, down the great south river of Ameld, and they would reach the inn town. Then the two armies will meet, but this side will have a problem.

"Wait, Mr. Yuuki. Not going through the forest would have irritated Dwargon! It was said that King Gazel and demon lord Rimuru were on good terms and the two nations had formed an alliance. Wouldn't we have been pinned down right away if such a move had been made!” Calgurio came forward to testify, and his opinion was well taken. Not through the streets along the great river of Ameld, but through the forest. The fundamental reason for thinking this way was to avoid hostility with the Dwarven Kingdom. Once the battle begins, the Dwarven Army will also send support. In order to cope with this situation, they must not allow someone to cut off the army's supply lines. Caught between the forest and the river, the entire army would be unable to move. They will lose their numerical superiority if they are pinned back and forth. Even if there are blimps, there's no way to resupply if you can't maintain the formation. For Calgurio, Yuuki's idea can't be heard. However Yuuki seemed to have expected that, and he smiled. "You may rest assured of that, Sir Calgurio. Our goal is not an inn town, but a dwarven kingdom. Since King Gazel won't negotiate with us, such a country is not a friendly one, is it? There's no need to keep them. “What...!” Yuuki's speech surprised Calgurio to the point of being speechless. The scene of the meeting was in an uproar. "Do you intend to attack the armed power of Dwargon? No, we should be able to win, but I don't know how many casualties there will be!" "There's no room to continue attacking the West." "After all, that country is like a natural fortress." In this way, the participants in the meeting began to exchange views with each other. Hearing those words, the smile on Yuuki's face deepened. "Right. That country is a fortress. Because it's particularly easy to defend, it's so far been said to be easy to defend and hard to attack. But we have chariots on our side. It was because Dwargon had particularly strengthened their magical defenses that their defensive capabilities were solid. As long as we can break through this defense network, it will be easy to take that kind of country, right?” "Well, well...” Hearing Yuuki point this out, Calgurio thinks it makes sense too. Suppose they were to attack the Dwarf Kingdom. Then their target is either East or West. If the enemy was to be taken lightly, they would not attack Isthmus, which was next door to the empire, and should attack St. Doran, the frontal entrance to the Great Forest of Jura, where they could escape.

Pretend they're going to attack the hotel town on the demon lord Rimuru, and then directly surround St. Doran with chariot troops... This would not only stop the Dwarf Kingdom from sending additional reinforcements, but also take down the inn town at the same time. "So it is, it's an interesting plan of action, maybe.” "Right? If the Dwarven Kingdom is in crisis, the Demon Lord Rimuru must also act. All we have to do is prepare a battlefield where we hold the reins and wait to greet each other..." "Then the combat situation will be favorable to our army." That works—Calgurio nodded. "I'm afraid that only the advance party remains in the hotel town. Having said that, fighting in the Great Forest of Jura benefits the opponent and will cost us a big loss no matter what. But if we take down the Dwarven Kingdom in one fell swoop, that natural fortress will protect us this time instead.” Yuuki's words are partly deceptive. If they actually attacked with the Magic Guided Cannon, it would destroy St. Doran as soon as they started shooting at the same time. Even if the opponent escapes into a maze-like underground cavern, the city near the entrance will be greatly damaged. In the future, the Empire will absorb the city and rebuild it, but it won't be available in this battle. Calgurio noticed this, but he decided to go along with Yuuki's words this time. "I don't think things will go so well, but there are certain points worth looking at. At least it's better than chasing rats around in a pesky forest, setting traps and waiting for rabbits to be killed in one fell swoop. After beating the hell out of them, we'll attack the capital of the Jura Tempest Federation." "Don't worry, I have a plan to follow. As you know, we in the Hybrid Legion are better at individual combat than group combat. So, traits like ours are best suited for investigating mazes. As mentioned earlier, it was heard that the underground one hundredth floor was guarded by Veldora. To find out if it's true or not, it's necessary to investigate, right?” So that's what you're going to do—Calgurio snickered inwardly. He didn't think Yuuki would part with the benefits he was able to get, so he had long thought the other party would say that. "Then don't. If you ignore the hotel town and go to the capital of the Jura Tempest Federation, you risk being attacked from both sides. That being the case, I should let my legion advance to the west and open a path to the underground labyrinth of something. After all, it's still hard to believe that a city disappears without seeing it with your own eyes. It must be assumed that Demon Lord's main army is waiting right there, it makes more sense tactically.” When Calgurio so retorted, though only for a moment, Yuuki showed a chagrined expression. Calgurio didn't miss it. huh huh, you're still too young. Thought everything was going to work out the way it was supposed to, this smug brat!

Thinking about this side, he reveled in the pleasure. Immediately following... "This military conference is finally getting more decent. Just as well, Calgurio seems to have a lot of confidence, Demon Lord Rimuru is in your hands.” Because of the "Marshal's" words, they decided to let the Mecha Legion carry out the Jura Grand Forest Invasion Battle. The words of the "Marshal" were not finished. "The light is too weak just like that. Since it's going to be an attack on Dwargon, it's best to put pressure on Easter as well. This task was left to the Hybrid Legion. You will be the chief of the army, and you will be responsible for protecting the capital. “...yes. Yuuki originally wanted to retort, but he put his mind to it. Because from the tone of the 'marshal', it sounded like there was no room for a turnaround in this matter. Instead, someone had something to say, and that was the remaining army chief, Gladim. "Please, please wait! Does it sound like we're supposed to stay in the Warcraft Legion? My Legion promises to do something about it. I beg you..." Gladim, with an anxious face, shouted towards the opposite side of the curtain. If the other side ordered them to stay here, the numerically disadvantaged Warcraft Legion would have no room to play. With all the key vacancies taken away, Gladim will lose the chance to build up the war effort. He definitely didn't want that, which is why Gladim was so desperate. "Don't panic, fool. I have indeed prepared the stage for you as well." “What!? So, then, what am I responsible for doing?” "You will lead the legions of beasts and attack northward with your whole army.” Gladim asked in passing, and was astonished by the mindlessness of the answer given by the "Marshal". Both the demon lord Rimuru and King Gazel will concentrate on defending their country. They could take the opportunity to invade at the same time and kill the West before they are caught off guard. Then they quickly set up their marching positions before the Western Convocations could respond. "Want us to attack north? Is it to go over the Great Canaat Mountains?” Seeing the meaning behind the "marshal's" words, Gladim was shaken by them. He understands the reasoning. It wasn't just a frontal attack from two directions, but a frontal battle from three directions simultaneously, with the Empire having the corresponding combat power.

However, strategy aside, it would be difficult to implement this operational plan from a tactical perspective. The idea of sending 10,000 troops to attack the Great Mountains of Canaat makes one wonder if the other side is crazy. Gladim hesitated to point that out, and at such a him, the "marshal" smiled out. "That's it, Gladim. You're going to take the sea route to attack the kingdom of Ingracia. As for the rejuvenating kingdom of Farmenas, it will be exterminated no matter what time it takes to bring down Dwargon.” "What, what? By sea? No, but our country has no naval warships for mass transportation at all...” "We do. Isn't that right, Calgurio?” Called by name, Calgurio now knew he couldn't afford to be fooled. The rudeness of calling them by their first names is even more so now. Under the circumstances, he didn't even have the strength to complain. That's how oppressive the "marshal" felt to him. "The marshal is right. Our military has developed the latest weapon, the "Airship". The Air Combat Flying Corps is using this latest type of weapon, they should be able to transport the Beast Legion.” The words of Calgurio brought the atmosphere in the venue to a boil. I did not realize that there were other ways to attack the Western countries without going through the great forest of Jura. No wonder they were so excited. "But if we're going to fight the Storm Dragon, it's a necessary killer weapon, and we'll only help deliver it, okay?" These words of Calgurio were addressed to Gladim. He would keep a hundred blimps at his disposal for maximum arming. Even with the other 300 left, the maximum number of troops that could be transported would be at least 100,000. As for the number of people the blimps can transport, one can carry four hundred people. Even minus the personnel who had to come to pilot the ship, a ship could still carry three hundred and fifty people. The Legion of Beasts—there were thirty thousand heroes inside, and thirty thousand demonic beasts they rode. Adding up to 60,000 in total, there were support troops in the rear, plus supplies to add to the mix in order for them to be at full strength. If one were to transport these things, three hundred blimps should be enough. Although one couldn't expect the combat power of the hovercraft itself, it was relatively easy to transport the Warcraft Legion. Calgurio immediately showed Gladim the absolute no-good bottom. Gladim knew this too, and he was in deep thought as he whispered.

It's a great honor for a warrior to fight against the demon lord Rimuru or the "Storm Dragon" Veldora. It's certainly a shame to miss out on this glory, but the battle plan proposed by the "Marshal" is also charming. That electrifying battle plan breaks down established concepts. The Western countries had been so careless that they must not have been able to deal with Gladim’s Warcraft Legion. They amount to winning, and such a combat plan makes perfect sense. To top it off, there seems to be a group of heroes on the western side called the Paladins. Not only are they good at individual combat, they are also said to be the strongest at fighting group warfare. It was said that the Imperial Kaiser's direct division was also very powerful, and the Holy Imperial Kingdom of Ruberios had a Hinata Sakaguchi. She was the chief knight of the Imperial Close Guard Division under the direct authority of the Emperor, and was also the head of the Paladin Order, and was truly the strongest knight in name. Fame even spread to the Empire's side, but it was recently heard that she had fought a draw with the Demon Lord Rimuru. That being the case, the best dressed knight of that kind was no match for Gladim at all. He would expel the heroes led by Hinata and ravage the sacred city. The beastly blood that was flowing in Gladim's body began to heat up. "Well, then! If I can get us to the battlefield, I'll follow this battle plan!” The Beast Lord Gladim roared his agreement, and the atmosphere in the large conference room grew more heated. "We'll win, we'll win!" "Victory is ours, victory belongs to the Empire!" "Long live the Emperor...!' The situation is such that some people have even begun to indulge in the imagination of victory. Echoing such enthusiasm, Calgurio packed his ticket to Gladim. "If you take the sea route, then you can avoid fighting dragons. You may as well leave it to me, Calgurio. In fact, this was originally one of the schemes that Calgurio came up with. Considering the distance that the dragons can fly, taking the sea route can be far away from the Dragon's Nest. In addition, you don't have to worry about the big sea beasts, which are so tricky, you will be able to travel to the West by relatively safe means. It was just that it would not be possible to join forces with the Chariot Force at all, so Calgurio thought it was too early to present this option.

Because of this, he also did thorough prior research. The new weapons had been put to use in an unexpected way this time, but Calgurio thought it would be good. Interesting. The Legion of Warcraft was transported by blimps, after which it was thoroughly supported and resupplied. It may be possible to create such an illusion and to plunder the profits to their heart's content. On top of that...if a large army emerges in the north, the Western coalition will be caught off guard by us as well. That way they become a rabble. There is simply no room to send reinforcements to support the demon lord Rimuru, and there will definitely be chaos by then. The countries of the Western countries were currently only on the alert for the Great Forest of Jura, and it would certainly be confusing to encounter an unexpected situation. In this way, Calgurio's plans for their battle would run smoothly. That's what Calgurio thought. He had to concentrate on the underground maze and the "storm dragon". That way he would be able to produce more fruitful combat results, as Calgurio calculates. "Is there a problem?” "No. Then I will discuss an outcome with Lord Gladim and come up with a plan of battle that is possible.” "Good. As long as it gets us there without a hitch, we'll make a big splash then!” "In that case, then I'll make an effort to demonstrate against the Dwarven Kingdom.” "Once the battle begins at St. Doran’s, there will be no movement on Esther's side. But..." "It's hard to guarantee that red-eyed dwarves won't come and attack our army—is that right? I know.” Even in the face of the "marshal", Yuuki's attitude is still the same as usual. Everyone present, including the other army chiefs, looked at such a Yuuki with a different look. It's time to say he's too retarded or has a bad head. Everyone's eyes looked like they were saying that, but Yuuki didn't care at all. "Good. Then go and prepare yourselves at once!" “Yes...!" The higher-ups have ordered it.

Emperor Rudra did not even say a word, and the empire was simultaneously engaged in a three- pronged war of aggression.

On this day an edict of war was issued in the name of the Emperor. Blood was feverish up and down the country of the Empire.

Having lurked for a long time, the Empire will once again show their majestic majesty.

It was a relief to Yuuki that the meeting was over. In previous meetings, the "marshal" had never intervened, yet this time he actively intervened. Because of this, Yuuki's plan also more or less needed to be changed in some places... Never mind, there's nothing wrong with that. As expected, my army seemed to be able to be placed next to the Empire. The Mecha Legion forces were the biggest and most in the way, but most of them were going to execute the Jura Grand Forest invasion. I didn't expect to see even the Warlord Legion I sent Vega to infiltrate in to strike, but the Hybrid Legion alone should be able to pull off a coup. Following the original plan, the mainstay of this coup was placed on Vega, who intended to lay all the blame on him in case of failure. Of course Yuuki's troops would also be secretly supporting them. It should be said that Vega is in charge of the fake action, and the main action is actually Yuuki's. Now to be forced to dispel that thought, but he thought it was generally okay. Because as much as he thought, the dumbass Calgurio seemed to be going to act. It would be better to say that Calgurio was a military general than to say that the man was a soldier. Fighting was indeed strong, but the man was not willing to take risks, too obsessed with strategy and winning 100 percent. And he was greedy enough to not count the loss at this time if there was a reason worthy of his presence. Simply put, just create the motivation to give it to him. The Jura Tempest Federation is rich, and has new technology worth taking. Just tell Calgurio that the underground maze hides these things... Of course talking to him directly would make the other person suspicious, so it was better to make the other person think that Yuuki was trying to get those things. Using the information and items that Gedora had brought back, Yuuki smoothly got Calgurio up and dancing. But, then again... "Look at that look on your face. What's wrong?” Yuuki questioned the man sitting across from him, Gedora. "Mmm. About the ‘marshal’..." “Marshal?" "Right. She was so anxious, I thought there should be some reason behind it.” "Anxious? Does it look like it?"

Gedora's face was frozen for that little reason. It seemed to Yuuki that he didn't need to care so much about these things, but Gedora seemed to be hung up on something. "But then, at today's meeting, I was thinking that the man was also a terrible monster. Seriously, I don't know if I would have won if I hadn't actually fought her—it’s pretty awesome.” Even without having to fight each other, Yuuki could see how much strength most people had. Nowadays, with his awakening of extreme skills, he can even see through the hidden strengths of his opponents. Even such a Yuuki couldn't tell how much the other party was capable of, and it must be possible to know how dangerous that person was without much explanation. "Whenever His Majesty Rudra is about to change generations, he will name the 'Marshal'. This time was no exception, and both the previous and previous generations were included, always guarding His Majesty the Emperor's safety. It is because of the power of the king at the pinnacle of the empire that he is called 'marshal'. But even so. To the best of my knowledge, no record has been kept of the 'marshal's' comments on the military. But this time it's why..." "Marshal" is a tough guy, which is a big miscalculation in Yuuki's opinion. But those are to be expected. This is because that most powerful demon lord, Guy Crimson, seems to have a particular problem with the Empire. Even if it wasn't Yuuki would rightfully think there was a ghost behind it. Why would Guy Crimson leave the Empire alone when he’s clearly so strong? The arrogant demon lord did not act for some reason. Was it because someone on this side of the Empire had made him so wary that Yuuki was so suspicious. If that person is the "marshal", then he can accept that possibility without saying a word. Anyway, when this war expands and the world goes into chaos, there should be a huge shift by then. In this way, we may see what's been hidden behind all this time! Yuuki began to think about the aftermath, forcing himself to suppress a surge of pleasure and snicker there. Seeing Yuuki like this, Gedora sighed, but he really couldn't keep worrying. Gedora regained his composure and began to discuss future plans with Yuuki. "By the way, Yuuki, I'll follow the plan. Nowadays, it is not necessary to take revenge on the West and hope to avoid war if you can.” "This kind of capricious request doesn't work, does it? So far, they have clearly been inciting others to war.” "Yes, there's no denying that. Gedora is also a very egoistic man who doesn't care what anyone says about him. As long as both himself and his beloved partner are safe and sound, nothing else matters at all.

He is the great wizard, but not a god. He didn't get cocky and feel like he could do nothing, making a clear distinction between what he could and couldn't do. It was because Gedora was such a man, and this was the last time he would serve the Empire, that he desperately advocated avoiding war. Everyone says that Demon Lord is the enemy of humanity. There is absolutely no resistance to the demon lord, and it would be wise to essentially abstain from each other from the beginning to the end. Not wanting to be hostile to the Demon Lord, Gedora also had contact with the now long-dead Demon Lord Clayman. It was through him that even Yuuki knew him. It is all about defeating the West and defeating Ruminism. The reason for allowing the demon lord to dominate the rich territories was so that the demon lord would not covet the territories of other nations—so that they would not develop such ambitions—and there was nothing wrong with Gedora's approach. While all of this eventually became meaningless, it was also because of this that Gedora, in turn, wanted to stop the Empire from continuing on the wrong path. Plus Gedora had already seen the demon lord Rimuru first hand. He was a very gentle man, and Gedora thought it wise to live with him with an ordinary heart. And the friend who was there, Adalman, looked like he was living a very happy life, even though he looked nothing like he did when he was alive. What surprised him even more was the fighting strength of that country. As a matter of fact, Adalman's strength should be on a par with Gedora's, and even his mission was only to guard the 60th floor of the underground maze. He seems to have been assigned to the seventy levels, and even so, there are still people outside of him and people outside of him. Of course, the real subordinates are everyone else. It's stupid to be an enemy of such a country. Gedora was so convinced. That's why he had an idea. It was thought that the empire would be defeated in this war. I don't know what Shinji thought of them, but for Demon Lord Rimuru, Gedora always felt that this person was deep and unpredictable. Partly because of this, too, he was particularly opposed to going to war. Although the result was regrettable, he fulfilled his pact with the demon lord Rimuru.

Successfully getting the Imperial's attention to the underground labyrinth, again he just had to figure out how to handle himself. "Those who do not listen to me, what will happen if they do not do what this one says. This old man will apply for a final audience with His Majesty, after which he will travel to the Monster Realm.” "This declaration of betrayal speaks volumes.” "This is not betrayal. I just live my life as I wish. Yuuki, I won't break up with you because of this. If you are in trouble, please come to me." Gedora is a man who, though I am a man of my own accord, is still very kind to those close to him. He seemed to like Yuuki so much that he said that to him. "Ahahaha, please teach me more then!” With a bitter smile on his face, Yuuki nodded. "But I became a newcomer when I arrived in that country. The trust of the other party must be accumulated in the future. Even if you want to use the old man, it's useless, you have to remember that." "This is outrageous! Even if you think so, you can't say such things!” "Cut the crap. A neurotic guy like you who doesn't speak so clearly can't convey it to you at all. By the way, speaking of nerve-rackers, I was too late to say hello to the clowns. Now you're sending them off somewhere to do something weird?” "Sort of. If I tell it to you now, you'll probably tell it to Mr. Rimuru, so I'll leave it at that.” "Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! That's right. Then I won't ask, you go and tell them, if you get into trouble come to me.” "Thanks, I'll have them do that.” After answering that, Yuuki smiled along with it. He was also very fond of Gedora. This loyalty to one's self, this way of being, looks a little flashy. The two smiled at each other for a moment, then shook each other's hands. "Then I'll be going. Yuuki, you want a big coup or whatever But—!” "I got it. You just can't kill the Emperor, right?” "Mmm. Since you know, that's fine. Farewell then!” With that, Yuuki said goodbye to Gedora.

Gedora's request to see the Emperor has been accepted. Should the emperor be admonished?—wondered Gedora nervously.

Even if he went up, he wasn't sure His Majesty was listening. Even so, the other party is at least the object of his loyalty so far and has a share of love, so he wants to do his loyalty while he can for the last time. "His Majesty is already waiting for you.” The man in charge of leading the way said so to Gedora, and he followed the close attendant who covered his face down the passage. The corridor connected to the upper part of the building was rubbed until it glowed and a light red cherry blossom could be seen. That's Manen Sakura. These petals never wither and are used as symbols of imperial prosperity. "Still as beautiful as ever. But the Japanese from the other world don't seem to like it very much." “So?" "Mmm. He said there should be 'the beauty of desolation', that is 'the beauty of destruction'. It's because the cherry blossoms fade that they look beautiful and dreamy. That's one way to look at it. Isn't that right, Kondo-sama?” “.......” Under the cherry blossom tree, a well-featured man appeared. "I should have been invisible.” "Yeah. I didn't find a single trace of it either. Only, it's supposed to be a hunch, right? There was a sense of vagueness, as if anticipating the danger ahead.” In response, Gedora pulled out the staff he loved to use. Unknowingly, the near-servant had disappeared. "I can't let you see His Majesty." “Why?" "I'm not going to tell you why, and even if you did, there's no point.” Lieutenant Kondo replied with a side, still holding the blackened iron in his hand. Southern-style large automatic pistol—the first automatic pistol in Japan. "Are you going to kill me?” Even as Gedora questioned with a sharp gaze, Lieutenant Kondo was indifferent. “Kondo...you...!"

Gedora was about to raise his voice further and shout, when just then his chest hurt and the man fell backwards. He wasn't careless, and Gedora was familiar with guns, had been paying attention to the movement of Lieutenant Kondo's fingers, and hadn't heard the shots. Beyond that, the point is... The pain in his chest was coming from behind, it wasn't from a gunshot, it was from being stabbed by a short knife, and as consciousness blurred, Gedora made the judgment as above. That means it wasn't Lt. Kondo who did it, but someone else... "Why did you do it?” "Because this man is dangerous. If we let the traitor go, it will be a hindrance to His Majesty's future rule.” The man's voice struck Gedora as a former acquaintance. But what makes people unbelievable, and even suspect, is that they have hallucinations before they die. "However, this man is also a friend of His Majesty..." Gedora's consciousness drifted away, and Lt. Kondo's voice grew smaller and smaller. This time Gedora is really going to die. Is it poison? It's been done flawlessly. It's all about punishing me for betraying His Majesty Rudra... but... It does kill you to go on like this. Petals of cherry blossoms that would never wither fluttered, and in the midst of that beauty, Gedora made his final bet. He unleashes pre-placed magic... Gedora's realization interrupted this side. Chapter 5: Before the War After sending Gedora to the Empire, interrogation time followed. It's Shinji and the others...no, it's Ramiris. There were a few things in there that were concerning. She's going to bully me, and there must be something else she's keeping from me. "Huh, how come...I'm not hiding anything...?” Behaving distinctly suspiciously, Ramiris had a flushed look on her face. It's obvious at first glance that something is being held back.

No cake from now on—just after the threat was made, Ramiris answered with a speed as fast as a machine gun. "You, you said you had something to ask. What is it, Captain?” And call me captain...never mind. Go spit and lose, so I started questioning. "That being said, Adalman has become stronger than I know, so let's leave that aside. What about the others? Didn't think that Albert alone could repel Shinji and the rest, and hadn't heard that there was still a Necromantic Dragon. Something strange isn't happening on the other floors too, is it?” Speaking of which, Albert is no longer just a slightly stronger demon. He has become a Paladin of the Dead, and in addition to his physical abilities, he also possesses excellent skills and is able to make the most of them. In the past when he was still a Death Spirit Knight, he was evenly matched against Hakurou when he fought, and now Albert had no idea how strong he was. "Albert, he's been mentoring that young man Arnaud, hasn't he? And then this time, to try his hand at it, he challenged the bottom floor again..." “Pause!!!” I hurried to get Ramiris to stop explaining for a moment. Albert instructed Arnaud, which I didn't understand. Arnaud is the captain of the Order of the Paladins and is quite a handful. Yet still he is not in the position of a guide, but rather is being guided? I didn't understand a word of what Ramiris was saying. "That is to say, after Arnaud and the others were scolded by Hinata, they got up and challenged the underground maze once again. This time, it was because the Floor Guardian Colossus was still under development, so they broke through the seventy levels.” "Hmmmmm, then what?" "And then those guys lost again!" "Kuahahaha! That was fun!” Ramiris explained happily. Veldora nodded along, watching him laugh as if he found it amusing. It should be really fun then, I guess. <<Answer. There are record-keeping battles.>> Really?

Master Raphael, King of Wisdom you are awesome! Come back later to enjoy the record, and for now, focus on Ramiris’ instructions. "So where did they hit Arnaud?” “Most came to the Dragon Pass on the ninety-sixth to ninety-ninth floor. There are additional terrain effects there that should be harsh on flesh-and-blood humans.” "When I think about it, it seems to me that..." "They lost the next level to the next floor guardian in one fell swoop. The look of running away while crying can only be described as a joy.” Hey, hey, hey, that's too evil, right? Hey, the next floor guardian? "Weird? Is the eighty level barrier demon lord that strong?" "Huh, why do you say that?” "It's nothing. I'm just saying that Arnaud is at least one of the Ten Saints, and his strength should be comparable to that of the old demon lord like Clayman, right?” I realized one thing when I asked the question myself. Come to think of it, even Adalman and Albert seem to be able to defeat the pre-Awakening Clayman. With that undetermined Necromancer, even facing the awakened Clayman, he should be able to defeat it. "This, this......” Under the impression that I seem to have assigned Zegion to be the floor guardian of the 80th floor. Could it be that he feathered himself from his chrysalis state and evolved into a full body? I hear that Veldora has been working him out, but that also seems a bit puzzling to me. Because Zegion is an insect-like creature. What he teaches about something as dubious as the "Veldora Style Killing Arts" is how to live it. I left it alone because it was a pleasure to watch Veldora, but I probably should have thought about it more seriously. I used my cells to allow the wounds on Zegion to heal, and the shell was repaired with "magic steel". Perhaps because of this, he was able to move quickly and seemingly summon dependents. Miss Treyni had already endorsed him, so I was okay with that. But this arrangement is like having a worm-like beast that can move at high speed after a slow-moving puppet, and playing with people in this way. "Hey, how's Zegion now?"

I was about to further question the seemingly suspicious response of Ramiris, but Veldora jumped in first. "My apprentice Zegion has been completely converted. Now a warrior of the world, inheriting the skills I taught you! “.......” "Not only that! Arnaud, and a few of them are simply not enough to see without my apprentice Zegion. Someone who slaughtered them to death was the seventy-ninth layer of Domain Guardians!” I've got the situation. Arnaud and the others lost to the Seventy-Nine Tiered Realm Guardians, the Queen Bee Apito. Not only is she capable of super-fast action, but she also possesses the ultimate toxins. Arnaud and his fellow Paladins had especially honed their swordsmanship, and even with this kind of skill, there seemed to be no way to run into her. Later Arnaud they were stabbed all over the head by Apito's dependents and heard that a line of people were running away in tears... How ridiculous is that—I want to scream. "Say it clearly. Say it clearly! I've been busy with work these days!” "Because because! I'm not the only one, even Master says it's cultivation, to exercise that bug!” "Stupid, stupid! You betrayed me!" "Because it's not fair that only Master is acting like he's not doing anything!” “Coo-woo-woo......” I guess Veldora had a hand in that. Running into something so interesting, everyone will want to join in. But I had a feeling of being betrayed. They hid it from me, only they were playing by themselves...... No, handing it to these two was the wrong decision. It's something to reflect on, but one thing concerns me. "I say, I’m curious from a moment ago, what do you mean by training Zegion?” He's a bug, isn't he? Could it be that Zegion's complete metamorphosis is capable of turning into a humanoid? Turns out I was correct in my speculation.

"So, you finally noticed? I've already figured out you're going in the wrong direction, but it's funny that way, so I'm not telling!” Well, it's not surprising how arrogant Veldora can be... Looks like I was completely screwed this time. I began flipping through the records of the underground maze, asking Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, to show the images. The next thing you know, Zegion has turned into a slender humanoid form. That's it. Shion once defeated the worm-like beast, Razul, at Ruberios. Zegion had the look of the strong to messy Razul, exuding the air of a strongman. Because he evolved into a humanoid form, he was heard to have learned combat skills as well. This is the gift of anomalous evolution. The same is true of Apito on this point. She had a beautiful figure, like a woman, and one thing only occurred to me as I watched. One should be alert if Hinata is guiding her. I thought they were just doing mock battles over and over again, looks like they were really taking instruction. She did learn combat skills, and Apito's movements were pure. It seems that there is also combat training with Zegion to learn high strength combat skills. The proof is that Arnaud and the rest were flopped.

"Then Arnaud seemed to have re-examined himself...” They let the mood return and began to walk through the underground maze from the beginning. But lost to a knight at the 60th level. It was Albert, the Paladin of the Dead, who was the strongest Knights of the Templars hundreds of years ago, and who was the confidant of the "Immortal King" Adalman. "Then they were completely repaired by Albert, that's what happened.” Albert beat the hell out of Arnaud and the rest of them on his own, and later asked, “You seem to have changed your name to Paladin lately, and even your quality has deteriorated?” After hearing that, Arnaud was angry and took out the Watcher's Skill to fight, but even the Must Kill Five Color Spirit Sword couldn't hurt Albert. Albert manipulated the swordsmanship of his life with physical abilities only found in magical things, and it was said that even Arnaud was no match for him. Immortal bodies do not tire and can recover even from attacks that cause physical damage. Seriously it's foul, there's no way to beat an opponent if you can't take advantage of his weak attributes to attack. And with the Holy Demon Reversal of Adalman, the level of invincibility increases a bit more. There's nothing they can do about it—I think so. Because of the absorption of the magical elements inside the labyrinth, Adalman and the others evolved into higher-order magical creatures. Arnaud and the others came over just in time for the challenge, thinking that this man was very unpicky about timing. But you can actually think the other way around. It would be lucky to be here to learn from scratch with the strongest knights of hundreds of years ago. Time comes now. The members of the Order of the Paladins under Arnaud all came to be mentored by Albert, and they alternated in groups, cultivating on one side.

That's about it. The 60th floor turned into a danger zone... "What about the other floors?” When I hear this side, I know it in my heart too. Adalman and Zegion are not the only ones who must have evolved abnormally. The result was just what I expected. From the Underground Maze, was born the masters known as the Ten Lords of the Labyrinth (Labyrinth Ten).

Maybe their fighting ability is comparable to the main subordinates, too. Adalman needs no further explanation, his subordinate Albert being one of them. As for Apito, who completes the abnormal evolution, she also seems to have turned into a Labyrinth Ten and is titled "Bug Queen". As for Zegion, he even became the most powerful of the ten. There was also the Nine-Tailed Beast Kumara, who could become an adult by absorbing the demon beasts that her tails turned into, and that was her true form. "Then allow me to speak next!” With that said, Ramiris informed the Labyrinth of the current distribution of forces within the Labyrinth and an update. Start from the ground up, in that order. Following Milim's instructions, Ramiris carefully cultivated four dragons with only attributes, and these guys beautifully evolved into Dragon Kings. It's all because of the daily absorption of a large pile of magical elements from Veldora. There were four in total: the Flame Dragon King, the Ice and Snow Dragon King, the Gale Dragon King, and the Earth Shattering Dragon King. I really don't want to know this, but it's reality. This isn't over. The floor guardian of the ninetieth floor was the Nine-Tailed Kumara of the Nine Beasts. The guardian of the eightieth floor is the "Bug Emperor" Zegion. Apito, the "Bug Queen" of the Seventy-ninth Level, the Guardian of the Realm. The floor guardian of the 70th floor - Adalman, the "Immortal King". The vanguard of the 70th level - Albert "Paladin of the Dead". Plus the fiftieth floor guardians Gozu and Mezu. Actually, Gozu and Mezu are not part of the Labyrinth Ten. As for the last of the Labyrinth Ten, it was Beretta who was responsible for being the administrator. "Personally, I don't want to get involved in this kind of trouble—ahem, this honor should be given to someone else...” While talking, Beretta looked over to Treyni and the Flame Giant—wrong, it should be Charys. "Alas, I have to take care of Lord Ramiris, and there's this big job to do.” "So do I. I'm Lord Veldora's only confidant. It's a lot of work just to take care of the master.

With a beautiful smile, Miss Treyni said so. Charys seems to have been played by Veldora, but he himself seems content. It doesn't look like there is any intention of taking on any other work. I sighed inwardly, thinking that the two men's thinking patterns resembled a certain housekeeper. "You seem to be having a hard time, Beretta." "You can understand, Lord Rimuru!” I kept nodding my head. In addition to re-affirming how deep my bond with Beretta runs, I confirmed a few things in passing. First of all, who should be in charge of the Labyrinth Ten? The Underground Maze balances interests and substantive interests and is a facility that several of us operate together. In fact most of it had to rely on the power of Ramiris, but what was certain was that it couldn't be messed with without Veldora's mana. In this way, the question arises, which is who the Labyrinth Ten should obey. As far as the chain of command was concerned, it should have been attributed to Ramiris, but... "On that note, we have interviewed each of them, in the form they wish!” Speaking of which, Ramiris began to explain. Beretta followed Ramiris, unchanged. Each of the dragon kings were under Ramiris and did seem to enter into contracts. The Dragon Kings are self-aware and has their own consent to this. Then there are the other members. Not only did Kumara become good friends with the children, but life in this land was satisfying to her, and her gratitude to me seemed to break through the skies. She also boasted about replacing Ranga as my pet. Zegion and Apito liked me very much and expressed their desire to honor me as their lord. Not to mention Adalman. He seemed to have gotten something wrong and even worshipped me as a "god". Albert, too, was indoctrinated by such an Adalman and looked as if he was going to offer his loyalty to me through Adalman. That's about it, these five men became my minions. Both Gozu and Mezu seem to stay in the labyrinth to work, I think it would actually be possible to turn them into Ramiris's minions, but...

They themselves politely declined to become a part of Ramiris' men, wishing to take orders from me. Also true. They used to be a race of believers in power and might judge Ramiris by her appearance. "Not so! Didn't you name them Rimuru? It seems to make them happier than paying them, so they say it's the only thing they can't compromise on.” Well, so it turns out. It felt good to hear them say that. Next time I encounter them, I’ll be kind to these two as well. In this way, while observing the three previous intruders in action, I found the situation inside the underground maze to be surprising. This is what I mean by astonished to the point of dumbfoundedness, and it's certainly a good thing that the guardians have become stronger. Yet they've evolved beyond belief, which is a bit disturbing. The faint-hearted have this bad habit, I guess. Those aside, with the Labyrinth Ten, even if the Empire fought over, they could still rest assured. Only in the face of general challengers, I ordered them to release mana appropriately. Otherwise, it would be impossible for the average person to breach the maze. It always felt sad that everyone had to challenge a maze that had several Demon Lord level opponents. There were only a hundred layers to guard to the end anyway, but that was all that needed to be handed over there to Veldora. The other floors—hopefully everyone will attack at least as far as near the 80th floor. Since we've been building it so hard, I hope you can see what a maze can do—presumably based on this mood. But those will have to wait for the day when peace is restored.

After confirming the current situation inside the maze, I looked around at the various guardians. I wanted to be sure and see for myself how far they had evolved—grown. The results exceeded expectations. With such a huge amount of battle power, even if the Empire attacked, I felt that I wouldn't lose as long as I was inside the maze. The next few days passed. The surveillance magic is finally complete, so I'm going to experiment.

It is located at the "Strategic Military Control Combat Command Post", commonly known as the "Control Room". It felt cool to read it smoothly and imposingly—that’s probably how it felt, after consulting with Veldora and deciding on the name...but after calming down and reflecting a little, it felt too long. Honestly, I think we're talking to the wrong person. Benimaru and the others only knew it as the control room, and there were very few people who knew what the original name was. Veldora's private room was located on the hundredth floor of the labyrinth, and the control room was located next to his room, with access from the usual combat conference room. If the metropolis on the ground was isolated in the labyrinth, we would be using this control room alive as a base camp. The preparations for the war were flawless. If it was a day job, that would actually make me personally happier. Surveillance magic brings good results. We set up several large screens that are also useful at martial arts conventions, and let those screens shine out in different places separately. There were various areas within the Great Forest of Jura, as well as trade routes to the Dwarven Realm that became available to begin monitoring in various key areas. Even the seaway connecting the Kingdom of Farmenas, the top of the Great Mountain of Canaat, was smoothly reflected. The principle is simple. That said, the physical magic I developed, "Megiddo", is also useful for allowing spirits to manipulate lens-shaped water droplets. Huge mirrors unfolded high in the air to find the expanded image of the destination. We let these images reflect and then transmitted the informative images. Referring to what Moss did, I sent my "doppelgänger" slimes to various places as a medium to unleash magic. Therefore, it will be connected to the "space domination" launched by me, so that data can be transmitted directly without the slightest error. Those clones are all very small and not self-conscious, and as long as I'm not focusing on that side, they don't drain energy. It wouldn't be easy to ship them near the location you wanted to see, but Souei and Moss said they would try to help. It's an excellent system with very low energy costs. A name for the system was also given to the physical magic—“Argos (God’s Eye)“. The high resolution image is shown on the screen with the "King of Wisdom" processing.

You can stay in the warm control room to confirm the status of the scene. Everyone was so happy when I finished this wonderful spell. Diablo, in particular, was particularly excited, so let's just pretend he didn't see it. Next, as this surveillance system is completed, there is actually one more benefit. You can stay in this control room and unleash the "Megiddo" at the location shown on the screen. I was surprised when I actually finished the experiment. Aiming at the feet of Gobta, who had been training in the plaza, and hit a shot to try it, not expecting it to work. Gobta startled the entire crowd into a jump, and his face was unforgettable. "You idiot! It's your fault!” Instead, I preached to him, when in fact Gobta was not wrong. On top of that, the performance of "Megiddo" had gone up. This was originally magic that Great Sage had made the best adjustments to produce, but it didn't seem acceptable enough to Master Raphael, the current King of Wisdom... We made further precision modifications, resulting in a system that allows several satellite lenses to float in mid-air at any time. Because of the connection with “Argos”, the “Megiddo” can be unleashed at night. The power was more or less low, but I managed to get the light to reflect between the satellites, causing the light to gather into a beam. Seriously, my efforts seem to be misplaced. What actually created the satellites were big spirits, and I was just supplying the mana. The complex arithmetic is handed over to Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, and is very simple to operate. Of course there is no energy dissipation during the day, and the power is greater. The amount of light and heat that can be operated has increased and can be used like a hot-wire cannon. If the opponent is a human army, maybe I can get them all killed without even moving a step. All the previous magical transformations couldn't help but make one feel this way.

After confirming the success of the experiment, I returned to the office. At this time, Shuna happened to come over and told me that there was a visitor. Don't look at our country, it's actually a lot of guests. Anyway, it's not too much to say that most of my work is in entertaining guests.

All that's left is to develop the magic, or to conceive of interesting merchandise and then distribute it to the right people to do it. After that comes the management of the labyrinth operation, or being the subject of Myormile's consultation...all sorts of things. Play is also part of the job. That's probably the case, but hosting guests is paramount. I'll do it all seriously. Led by Shuna, I went to the reception room, only to see Shinji and the others waiting with nervous faces. They fled to this country and I've been able to ask all the things I've been able to ask these last few days. Of course it wasn't torture, they had a choice, and the three of them were being questioned in a peaceful manner in separate rooms. I have told them that they can do whatever they want with their free time and they should have time to figure out how to conduct themselves. The reason they are coming over today is to tell me what they have decided. "So you've decided on what you want to do?” Shinji and the others were confused and didn't know whether they should take office in our country or become free-spirited adventurers. If they continue to be adventurers, these people can go and challenge the maze and live a privileged life. The downside is that now they know how strong the lineup is in the maze and can't see the future. I have the Floor Guardian Colossus Statue set up on the 60th floor, but it should be a struggle to really cure them to deal with something like this. Plus even if they broke through this layer, there was still an Adalman line waiting for them on the seventieth floor. No matter how you think about it, it's a dead end. If you ask them if they're going to spend their whole life there, they're going to feel very annoyed. Because it's been seen, they'll feel very unfulfilled doing the job. Even if you can make money, life will become monotonous and boring. But Adalman and the rest have gotten stronger than I expected, so I don't have much left to laugh at people now. Thinking logically in general, one doesn't expect to grow so much—evolution, I should say—so that's something that can't be helped. Forget about that. Forget it. What will happen to the other challengers, and I'll leave that out of my mind. So what happens when you come to work in our country?

At best, the appointment is only a temporary assignment, but a secure life is guaranteed. Only we're about to go to war with the Empire, and Shinji and them seem to be worried about whether they'll be forced into battle. Personally, I don't want to force them, but I also can't assert that they won't suffer the ripple effects. I'd better not mind my own business and talk nonsense and wait and see how Shinji and the others judge. "Report. I, the three of us rather, as a result of our discussions, came to the conclusion that we wanted to be able to work in His Majesty's country of Rimuru. After all, Master Gedora is also going to serve this country, and we would love for this country to hire us. I wonder if that's convenient?” Shinji said this with a nervous face. The other two also nodded with serious expressions, looking like they didn't object. "Got it. In that case, you are welcome to join.” "Yes, thank you!" "I'll try my best!" “...I'll work my ass off." Just like that, Shinji and the rest became part of this country. Then things are moving in that direction, come and see what work to get them to do. "I'm going to let Grandpa Gedora manage the 60th floor. Ask him to study the Floor Guardian Colossus Statue and expect to have him possess it in the future.” The old grandfather had a keen curiosity and seemed to have a keen interest in the matter. As soon as I showed him the Floor Guardian Colossus Statue, he yelled with excitement. It's just sent to Adalman's side first for now, but it should be nice to have him as a floor guardian on the 60th floor in the future. "So you guys don't want to go to this war, right?” "Ah, yes. There are people we know over there, if that's okay..." The way Shinji replied, it didn't look like he wanted to do that very much. That being the case, instead of coming over to be my men, it would be better to have them go to the labyrinth as researchers. Thinking about this side, I decided to introduce Shinji and them to Ramiris.

I bounced forward through the maze and came to the Institute of Ramiris. "Ramiris, should we try to get Shinji and the others to work on your side?” "Ah, Rimuru! They're the ones from before, right?”

"Yeah, that's them.” Ramiris had been looking for assistants, but could not find any decent talent. A researcher from another country could not have been casually sent by Ramiris. Having said that, a

magical creature with not enough intelligence was not strong enough, and could not understand the pie-in- the-sky ideas of Ramiris.

It's a good thing there's Dino, but he's not reliable enough alone. Shinji and the rest happened to show up at this time, and were arguably just the right talent for the job. "Yoo-hoo! I'm Ramiris. You guys want to be new assistants and come work with me?” “This......” Shinji didn't know how to answer, and looked as if he hadn't realized what kind of person Ramiris was. "Fantastic! Hey, Shinji! There are real fairies here!” Mark was there yelling in surprise. Was it his first time seeing one? I don't know how long he's been in this world, but if seeing the fairies surprised him like this, then that guy was more innocent than I thought. "I've been looking for an assistant. How about for a paycheck? We're short-staffed, and we've earned it by finding decent educated visitors to the Otherworld—that’s what Rimuru said before!” Ah, I can't believe that Ramiris is so talkative. Although that's true. The "otherworldly visitor" is highly skilled and flexible in its ideas. They'll be on the field soon, and I hope Shinji accepts them if he can. “...I agree. It's more peaceful to do research." Zhen was direct. Presumably, Zhen was just like that, and Shinji seemed to have made up his mind. "Thank you very much, then!” Hearing such a response from the other, Ramiris flew around happily. And then held up a flat chest while looking like she was the best... "Hmph! You guys seem to be that good. Good, you're all qualified. But you must obey my orders when you work!” She gave an ultimatum to Shinji and the others. Turning your face is like flipping a book, even I was surprised to read it. That floppy look just now was like a hallucination. To say that this is very much in the style of Ramiris, is very true.

Regardless of Shinji's shocked face, Ramiris straightened out the working conditions in a flash. The monthly salary is three gold coins. That translates to thirty-six a year, plus dividends. That said, both me and Ramiris are in the mood to give money, and it's best not to expect too much from the dividends. Instead, the burden of food and clothing would seem to be placed on the shoulders of the woman. She was probably trying to use our canteen, but that part was fine. That's how it was. Shinji's relocation was settled in one fell swoop.

A few more days passed after that. It seems that the three of them are also used to the workplace and now work as both right and left hands of Ramiris. That part is fine, I'm more worried about Gedora. As soon as he returned to the Empire, he cut off contact with us. The old grandfather was very shrewd, I think he's fine, but... I'm starting to worry now and hope he contacts us. While thinking about it, I went to the control room today to discuss it with Benimaru. On the screen for surveillance, the image I got with the "Argos" was reflected there. The images came from various locations, but today was no different. I would also like to gather intelligence within the Empire's territory, but it would be satisfying to have images of the military borders for now. A large number of soldiers were gathered there, around the perimeter of the security base. It's the only area that's always in a hurry. "There doesn't seem to be any movement today either." "Yeah. That said. This magic is really convenient. This is the magic Lord Rimuru has been working on lately, right?” There were only a few of us today, so Benimaru's tone was less preachy. I personally prefer it this way, it feels more relaxed. It was only unfortunate that in front of the others, Benimaru would revert back to a polite attitude. But there were exceptions, and that was when Souei or Diablo were present.

It felt a lot like a group of loser friends, and I loved it so much that sometimes the four of us would go to Ingracia Kingdom for a drink together. "Yes! What makes this magic so great is that it all starts with the softness of thinking. The energy cost to spend is low and the effect is great. In order to unleash this magic, the complexity of the calculations is as beautiful as a work of art, and it does not drag on at all. So...” “Pause...! That's it. You'll never stop bragging about it, just wait until I'm gone and tell someone else, okay?” A slight oversight turns into this. It bothers me that Diablo will start bragging about it. This magic is indeed powerful, but only with Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, can it be practiced. It's a little embarrassing that it's not entirely out of my league. "Shut it, Diablo. If you don't act a little more restrained, you will cause trouble for Lord Rimuru.” "That's not possible. What the hell are you talking about, Benimaru? Nothing of the sort, right Lord Rimuru?” "No, Benimaru is right. You're always talking too much about the long way and the short way.” Diablo must be warned indeed this time.

He put on a greatly distressed expression, became well depressed and must have been acting anyway. It's no big deal. I had heard that Diablo was a very dangerous demon, and I was worried about what to do. But after thinking it over and over, it turns out that this guy was always a weirdo. Even that Guy kept getting caught up in him, and coping was seriously downright foolish. As I found out about this, I'm not going to be able to cut corners anymore. "Blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah.......” "I told you to stop it!” I told you so, didn't I? This guy is not reflecting at all. Slightly in a sterner tone he said exactly. A sudden report interrupted our relaxing time. "Rimuru, someone teleported directly into the maze! Based on this reaction, I think it's our newest grandfather!” "Got it. I'll be on the 70th floor in a minute.” I stood up, and this action alone seemed to make Benimaru and Diablo sense that something was up. They were so good that, in addition to being impressed, I briefly informed them of the main points. "Gedora seems to be back, but it sounds like something must have happened. I'm going to make sure.” "Got it. Then I will continue to be on guard here.” "In that case, let me be Lord Rimuru's escort." “Please." It's times like these that Diablo feels particularly reliable. If only this was his usual attitude...no, better not think about it. Diablo is excellent, but the difference is too great. With regret, I headed for the living room that had been allocated to Gedora. Turns out Gedora was really there. There was no need to worry about whether he was safe or not, he was alive and well.

"Oops, I thought I was going to die.” It didn't look anything like the dying Gedora said so. The only people gathered there, except for us, were the Adalman group. After a while, Ramiris and Veldora also rushed over, knowing that Gedora was okay and went back. "What happened to the result?” "Back to your word, here's the thing. This old man advocated anti-war at the Imperial Council, following Lord Rimuru's orders. In the end, however, there was a tendency to go to war. But this is all to be expected, so considering it a final act of loyalty, I intended to go directly to His Majesty Rudra to make a petition.” Then Gedora applied for a meeting with the Emperor, and the application was accepted. The day of the appointment came and it was today. Gedora said that in the emperor's chambers he was assassinated by someone. Those things happened just minutes ago, less than ten minutes apart. Ask him if he's all right. It's not a good way to see the occasion. "Yes, I have the Resurrection Bracelet for you." "Yes, Lord Ramiris is quite powerful, and it was thanks to something like that that I was able to save my life. I thought that something like this might happen, so I set the return magic first.” Seeing that he was safe and sound, I figured that might be the case. His brain was moving really fast. As long as you return to the labyrinth, no matter how badly injured you are, even if you are about to die, you can still be safe with the "Resurrection Bracelet". After witnessing real-life cases like this, I re-affirmed that the power of Ramiris was practical. Having said that, to be able to set up magic beforehand, Gedora really has a way with that. He seems to have taught this move to Razen, so I'll practice it next time. I have "thought acceleration" on me, and perhaps even more powerful magic can be created through alignment combinations. "Then who attacked you?” Even if one were to find someone in our country who could defeat Gedora, there shouldn't be that many. Gedora was always on guard, and seemed to be thoroughly defended through magic, so even if he was sneakily attacked, he shouldn't lose to his opponent... "In this regard, the other party is able to keep me out of sight, even if it is too late to confirm the other party's true identity. But the thought of who the other party might be just makes it a little hard to believe...” Speaking of which, Gedora turned his back to me and showed me the torn cloak.

The injuries to the body have healed, but the equipment has not recovered. The cloak left marks that looked very much like it had been corroded, and at a glance you could tell it wasn't just a physical attack. "A stab in the heart from the back, huh?” The defensive spells built with magic have also been broken. It looks like there are people there who use very interesting moves.” Diablo also had a look of admiration on his face, the opponent seemed to have come from no small place. There should also be people on the Imperial side who are strong enough to kill me. Maybe it was the same guy who assassinated Gedora, and it's best to assume there are other masters around. Gedora didn't seem quite sure who the enemy was. He wanted to investigate a little, so the matter was left to Gedora. It didn't sound like Gedora was lying, it looked like he was really confused. It seems too early to trust Gedora, so I decided to observe the situation first this time. "Anyway, it's really good that you're okay. Now that it has been reaffirmed that the Empire is an opponent that cannot be taken lightly, we will be more careful in the future.” "The words of Lord Rimuru are sufficient. Even if we investigate further, we won't be able to get any information that will be refreshing.” It seems Diablo thought so too. Gedora nearly died trying to get that information, now it's time to be satisfied with having that. Thinking about this side, I comforted Gedora while listening to him explain the situation.

According to Old Grandfather Gedora, the Empire was preparing for war. Once an empire wants to go to war with another country, none of them will declare war first. Because they think the emperor is unique and does not recognize other nations. That being said, it was at best an outwardly created image. In fact, they also have bonded with the Dwarven Kingdom and have not interfered with them ruling their own country. When it comes to invading other countries, the Empire is ready for anything. So they will not declare war, but rather persuade other nations to surrender. That too is limited to one time. If they obeyed, then so be it; if they did not, there would be war and then the Empire would attack without mercy. How self-righteous and arrogant is this country? You can't make friends in the international community in such a difficult country!

I began to worry about it, but the Empire was never part of the international community. Thus, international law, as laid down by the Western consultative councils, has not been ratified, and once war is waged it is not a matter of right and wrong. What agreements to make in case of defeat, what to do with prisoners, what acts to forbid in case of war—that sort of thing, the empire did not make any agreements at all in that regard, so the Western countries were very afraid of them. No wonder it's scary. This is really scary. Maybe even killing people would be justified, and losing to the Empire in a war would be the same as losing everything. I don't think there's even a chance to talk about compensation. For everything belongs to the Empire, and the defeated nations have no right to speak of. If you want to negotiate with the Empire, you should at least fight them to a draw. That being the case, there's no need for us to drain the water. It must be won and lost in one fell swoop and the root of the scourge must be cut off. Now that the empire's movements have been determined, it's time to think about what to do when the war begins. The first step is to set up an operational integration headquarters in the control room. While that just sets the mood, this kind of thing is important. Benimaru and Souei would stay here from time to time. When Souei is able to send the clones around the world to conduct reconnaissance operations, it's not just my Argos that he can rely on. He will work with Moss and can gather very accurate intelligence. That way we're a few steps ahead of our opponents. Honestly, in this world of warfare, wait for the two armies to meet before they really start fighting. They would put out scouts and use long-range magic to monitor the enemy's movements, but it was generally assumed that this was something that would be done soon after an encounter with an opponent. We all have the idea of intelligence warfare, but I don't think any other country will be able to find an army that has so thoroughly intensified its surveillance of enemy forces. Hinata and Gedora have also told me about this, and it shouldn't be my own imagination, but the fact that it's true. “These...these images are from the air...?" "Kufufufufu. It was generated through the magic of Lord Rimuru. All it took was a little bit of magical essence, and the magical reaction had gone to the outside of the atmosphere. The number of people who can sense these reactions must be very small. It probably takes a super intuitive ability just to sense it."

"Yes, indeed. I'm also confident in my magical senses, but this magic is so natural that it's hard to imagine someone manipulating it behind the scenes..."

"Exactly! Even high-ranking magicians who were good at using magic would be fine, if only three- legged cats probably couldn't detect it. It's really impressive. You think so, don't you?”

"That's what I thought! It's really quite a bit of magic!” Somehow, Diablo put on a smug look and began to show off to Gedora. Gedora agreed with him, with a look of excitement. “Shion." "Yes, sir!” This was really in the way, so I ordered Shion to take them to another room to isolate them. When the scene regains its tranquility, we cut to the chase. Returning the surveillance image from high in the air was a foul move. Think about it, people. It wasn't long ago that it bothered them which route they would attack from and things are now like a joke. This was because not only the suspicious routes, but even the vicinity of the border with the Empire could be watched, and once they were out and about, they would be able to see clearly. We can see all the situations on the board, but the opponent seems to be playing blind chess. They can only see their pieces. As long as we're not too young, we can't lose even if our opponent is a good chess player. There was no need to send high commanders to check their male soldiers, we had an absolute advantage. Besides, there are no rules to fight. The people who win say everything is right. The other side's unilateral aggression, that's beyond horrifying. Apart from the fact that there is no convention to fall back on, anything can happen in war. But I made a rule anyway. "Do not shoot at the general public!” The rule is this. Of course, it is strictly forbidden for us to take the lead. And once I declare the war over, no attacks can be launched after that. I'm sure no one will go against my will to disobey this order.

Today, in this control room, our subordinates are gathered together. The commander was Benimaru, with Hakurou as an advisor. Souei is the head of the intelligence service. Plus Rigurd, and the three heads of power who supported him on the side—Rugurd, Regurd, and Rogurd. On this side of the female lineup, there are Shuna and Lilina. As well as Rigur, Kaijin and Kurobee, who silently supported everyone behind them. Vesta and Myourmile serve as consultants. On the side of the chiefs of the various armies were Gobta and Gabil, plus Geld, who I had asked to interrupt his work. I also called in the three female demons—Testarossa, Carrera, and Ultima. Diablo looked like he was reflecting, so I allowed him to participate. He got along well with Shion, standing in his usual fixed position. To find a reference, I also had Gedora and the Shinji trio take their seats together. Someone came late, and he is the one who is now the spiritual pillar of the people. "Wait a minute. How did I become a pillar of the people's hearts? Please don't talk nonsense, for goodness’ sake!” Oops, accidentally speaking your mind? Masayuki snapped at me. Watching Masayuki and I interact like this, somehow Gedora didn't even look away. Maybe there was something that mattered to him, it was possible to ask him when the meeting was over. The last remaining members were two more. That's Veldora and Ramiris who came to help. Beretta, Miss Treyni, and Charys were also all waiting in the corner of the room. These are the full members of the above. I nudged Ranga, who was sitting next to me, and looked around at everyone sitting in the chair. "I thought it would not be necessary to say much about the meeting that brought you here today to discuss how to fight the Empire. Benimaru and I had already thought about the approximate combat plan, but we also wanted to hear from everyone. Please take the floor.”

“Yes!" That's the thing, the meeting is about to begin.

We began to look at the images, which reflected the gathering of the Imperial army. Something made of steel rumbled and moved against the track. That's a chariot. We observed from above that the number of war vehicles was two thousand. "Wait, no! Why are there chariots there?" As soon as I saw those things, the thought immediately came to me. I hastened to ask Shinji about it, and found out that there are modern weapons in the Empire that use the knowledge of the "otherworldly visitors" to develop modern weapons using science and technology. Using an internal combustion engine, which is an alternative to petroleum, mana is equipped with an internal combustion engine that replenishes energy by circulating the atmosphere. It's a well thought out system with both heat dissipation and magicule supply. This chariot is capable of a wide range of applications, if only to compare performance, slightly surpassing the highest performance chariot in the native world. According to Gedora, the Imperial side analyzed the magic center-controlled power furnace excavated from the ancient ruins and then modernized it. It seems that the magic stones will also be replenished and used as fuel. If only for general use, they would harvest from nature, and I've heard that magic stones are used in battle. Not only is it possible to travel at more than 100 km/h, but it seems to be fine even when it encounters treacherous roads. I've heard that it's also possible to float slightly off the ground and float in mid-air, although this will consume energy. Seriously, I found out we were a step late. If only we had developed it too, that chagrins me. There was no thought of developing chariots in a world full of knights. We've built the train, but it's one step away from being a chariot. But we don't even have a car here, so we build chariots. In addition, it is important to think a little bit about this. It's convenient, but it's dangerous.

Everyone will want one by then, but asking me if I could have one for everyone, I don't think I can. There is also the problem of energy depletion, and no matter what one thinks, there will be car owners and carless people. I think the goal is to build cities that don't need cars. When all this construction is tidied up, I’m thinking of developing cars that rich people will be interested in. Making access to these cars their goal—that’s probably how it will feel. Let everyone have a dream, and for the sake of status, it's not too bad to buy something fancy. But all this will have to wait until after the war is over. Because it's not just the chariots that are surprising. And boats flying through the air. Really—it took a lot of work just to swallow that scream. With something like that, it's a lot easier to transport. If used in war, the problem of supplies can be solved as well. Also, I found myself being too self-righteous. There was always optimism that we were the only ones who could take over the airspace. We'd like to develop something like that too—it’s been thought of before, but in reality it's not possible. To build a ship that can fly through the air, that's not something that can be done overnight. I think it should take a while, but developing something isn't that simple. All of the merchandise was wrongly thought out and finally corrected to the point where it could actually be used. This time I should compliment the developers on the Empire side in good conscience. So you can't blame me for wanting to grab a developer unharmed. If I were to think more flexibly, more freely, and then ask people to develop those things, then we would now—no, don't think. It's useless to be chagrined here, so let's make that a topic for the future. When this war is over, I want to try to develop all sorts of things in a more liberal way.

The current state of the empire is just as it’s seen. I've known this kind of thing in the world before, but some people are seeing it for the first time. Those people could hardly hide their surprise, staring at the images with dazzled eyes. "The total number of invaders is estimated to be in the millions! Anyway, as we've seen, the military weapons on the Imperial side are also intimidating, but we still retain superiority. Everyone rest assured.”

The most important element in warfare is how much mastery you have of the enemy's fighting power. It is at this point that we have equated the enemy's unreserved presence. According to the calculations of Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, the total number of the enemy's army was in the millions. The turnout was a real mess, but I still don't think we'll lose. Because that's how we're doing right now. "I've heard from Gedora's side that there seem to be three major legions within the Empire. One of the legions is called the Mecha Legion, and they have the chariot unit that just appeared in the picture. They're called the Magic Chariot Division, and they're the main force of the enemy.” Speaking of which, I began to explain the inside story of the Chariot Force. Gedora gave more information than that. He had gone to a war meeting on the Imperial side and told us everything he heard. The story of Gedora's escape must have been passed back, and it's possible they could change the battle plan, but I don't think the outline will change. After all, there was still Yuuki on the Imperial side, and it seemed like his goal was to stage a coup. In order to disrupt the other legionnaires, the guy would surely assert that Gedora was dead, using no need to keep an eye on him. And Gedora also said that Calgurio, the Mecha Legion's army chief, had fallen for the bait I had sown. The underground labyrinth is full of resources and treasures, trying to get ahead of the competition. That being the case, he shouldn't want to see a drastic change in the battle plan and is likely to accept Yuuki's proposal. It is dangerous to operate according to one's own speculations, but it is easier to speculate on the enemy's purpose of action by watching how Calgurio arranges his army. I have just finished my statement, and Gobta has taken the lead. "May I ask, will my regiment stay in the hotel town and fight those chariots?" That's a great entry point. It should be said that he himself has been assigned to the post of chief of the army, so it is a matter of life and death, and it must be asked. Gobta always slept during meetings and I now thought that he had grown. You have to be responsible to grow up... "What's the point of asking such a question as a matter of course? You are to lead the First Corps in slaughtering this chariot corps.” I was still deep in emotion when Benimaru said just that. Gobta was greatly shaken, and the whole people were shaken. "Why haven't I heard...” He was there alone to shred his thoughts.

Well, I know exactly how you feel. "You don't think we're going to have to hold down a hotel town, do you?" Gobta asked the question with a deadpan face and I smiled at him. "How can...! Based on the performance of the chariots I just heard, you should be able to win if you use the right method, but I don't know how much damage will be done. Basically it's more difficult to defend than offense, and the Green Legion has no real-world combat experience and will probably just become a dartboard for chariots. So we can't fight at all by just holding on.” To reassure him, I explained it thus. I asked Hakurou to back up Gobta, and he seemed to see what I was thinking from the start, nodding his head frequently as he listened to me. "What's to be done?” "It's the chief's job to think about things like this, but it's hard to do at first. Benimaru, you explain.” This time I ordered in high spirits. In fact, I'm like Gobta in that I don't know anything about the military side of things. The details were left to Benimaru. The good thing about me is that I'm forgiving of myself. If Gobta is working hard and growing, I can make it easier. So I'd love to see Gobta make more of an effort, while listening to the Benimaru instructions with him. "Listen up, Gobta. The hotel town is an important stronghold, but there's nothing to worry about losing it. If it's broken and rebuilt, it's a good idea to take it away and take it back. The only problem is that it hurts the residents. But in this regard, Rimuru-sama has already thought of a countermeasure. An order has been issued for the residents to evacuate to the capital ‘Rimuru'." Hmmm. Knowing that the Empire would be in action, I began to have them evacuated. The evacuation will take some time, but it should be done before the Imperials arrive. "Ah, so there really are fewer people.” "I guess so. Your job is to keep those remaining residents safe and sheltered as well. Come back here afterwards.” When Benimaru finished, he pointed to a certain location, which came from the large map spread out on the table. The official name is the armed power, Dwargon. It's their central city. “Huh?"

"Look at this image. It looked like the Imperial Army would let their forces spread out, launching invasions from several routes. Some troops have entered the Great Forest of Jura, but the chariot units have not moved. One can tell by the direction of this troop's march that they intend to move along the foothills of Canaat’s great mountain. The trees are less dense there and the army is less affected when marching.” "Hmm, that's right..." "You don't get it, do you? Never mind. All you have to do is defend the Dwarven Kingdom.” While speaking, Benimaru picked up the pawn representing the Gobta Legion and placed it in front of the Dwarven Kingdom. Next, take out the Dwarven Legion's pawn and place it with the Gobta Legion's pawn. "You will fight with them.” “Oooohhhhh......!" It looked like Gobta had finally figured it out, looking both surprised and excited. This battle plan was based on information given by Gedora. I've made a deal with Gazel. The Empire's target was the Dwarven Kingdom, and according to the alliance pact, I revealed this matter to Gazel. At the same time, it said it would send reinforcements as agreed. And of course, Gazel found the Empire's actions to be haunted. The opponent repeatedly asked for permission to march, and Gazel seems to have refused to the point of annoyance. And he seemed to have seen that the impatient empire that would soon be waiting would act. My offer is also cause for celebration for Gazel and is good for both of us. I decided to give up the hotel town and would rebuild if it was destroyed. However, as long as we don't use it as a battlefield, the Empire shouldn't be destroying that place recklessly. We'll get the hotel town back soon, even if we give up. "The reason why the Empire chose to pass through in a conspicuous place was to let us know that they would march in from this side. A big action move like this would have caught anyone's eye.” "That is to say—is this a demonstration?” Gobta this guy, he actually knows these tough words. You're learning, you little brat...I'm a little impressed. "That's right. This route is located right on the border between Dwargon and the Jura Tempest Federation. Both countries will indeed notice that it is most appropriate to test the other's movements in this way. If the other side casually comes over to pick a fight, they can use that as an excuse to go to war immediately. Of course, we have strictly forbidden our personnel to strike, so they will be warned first. Do you understand me?”

“Yes." "If we hadn't made our move, the Imperial Army would have crossed the great river of Ameld and come to a place that overlooks the front entrance to the Dwarven Kingdom. There is a large plain without trees, perfect for laying out an army.” "So that's it...” "It is impossible for King Gazel to remain silent in such a state. They will send troops to confront them and deal with each other. On that point, as do we, the Empire will be an enemy to our two nations, the Jura Tempest Federation and Dwargon.” Benimaru moves the pawns on the map and illustrates them in a way that seems shallow and easy to understand. "According to Mr. Gedora, it seems that the Empire is on guard to avoid being encircled by the Dwarf Kingdom and the Jura Tempest Federation, but if this location is suppressed by them, there is no way to do it. The opponent has been waiting for a long time, so it makes no tactical sense to sneak up on that place.” The so-called sneak attack, this tactic is to pick when the opponent is careless. Now that the other side has figured out our strategy, there's no point in doing so, and that's where it works against us. "So we're going to meet it from the start. Then attack from the front and completely crush their army!" Speaking of this side, Benimaru let Gobta's chess piece go against the one representing the Empire. "Oh, oh, oh...!" Gobta looked on in admiration. The other subordinates didn't seem to have a problem with it either, but I wonder what they think about the war power gap? "Third Army Commander Gabil!” “Yes!" "Your job is to keep a vigil over the people who took refuge in the past. Watch from the air to see if anyone is running too slow or in distress, and lend a helping hand when you can.” "Yes, sir!” "Also, after successfully leading everyone to shelter, you go directly to help Gobta. If the timing is captured well, we should be able to meet him before the Imperials arrive.” "My legions move the fastest in the Jura Tempest Federation. We will definitely catch up!” Gabil responded confidently to Benimaru. But it really shouldn't be easy to do.

While those residents are relocating, I plan to put the full speed train to use. However, even out of the train, it still takes a while for tens of thousands of broken people to move. Conversely, the Imperial Army was moving at an abnormally fast pace. Even taking into account the effects of the legion's magic, the calculations were astounding, speculating that they could advance eighty kilometers a day. The Reichs are still near the national border. It was about 1,500 kilometers from the intended site of the war. At this rate, it would take about twenty days for the Imperial Army to arrive at the site of the scheduled war. The reason for this marching speed is that every soldier has undergone reconstructive surgery. I've heard that even if you don't eat or drink for a week, you'll still be able to move, and your maximum combat speed will definitely be faster. It is said that without supplies, the chariots can move at an average speed of ten kilometers per hour. Even at night they could absorb magical elements that could be paired with the chariot's energy replenishment intervals to rest. It is indeed a bad idea to wear yourself out before the war has even begun. Gedora's instructions cut to the chase, and I had these in mind when I did my calculations with Benimaru. “—that's just the way it is, the Imperial Army may be arriving here faster than one might think. Everyone, be careful!” Benimaru concludes with this sentence, and then proceeds to the next stage of the narration. "The main army of the Reichs would have been here, as Gobta just said, it was a demonstration. It's also known as a fake move. Their main army will actually aim their operations directly here!” Benimaru said as he pulled out another Imperial chess piece of the same color. Several pieces of this color were then placed in various parts of the great forest of Jura. Pretend the chariots are their main force, the real main force is actually configured somewhere else is it? We were able to see the enemy's movements clearly, and honestly, I just thought, “Yes...” "In case things go beyond our expectations, there's Geld guarding this place! Geld, you need to get all your minions back from all places as soon as possible.” "I know. I've already communicated it using the "Thought Communication". It won't be long before everyone comes to my side to rally.” Benimaru and Geld seemed to have a tacit understanding and didn't need to say much to reach a consensus. Not bad for a Geld, really reliable enough. After that, Benimaru's gaze returned to the map.

"The main force here should continue to operate on a hidden trail. It was a pity that with Lord Rimuru's spying magic, 'Argos' couldn't even see what was going on inside the forest. This is the time to switch to Souei.” As soon as Benimaru's words were finished, Souei nodded and stood up. "The forest is dense with grass and trees, so it's difficult to watch from high above. Even trying to get my men to lurk in there, the area is too large and there is a risk of being discovered. So I went to ask Moss. This guy put out many 'clones' of extremely small size that could receive information. They couldn't be expected to exert their fighting abilities in such a situation, but Divergent seemed to have no problem even if they were knocked down. The eastern part of the Great Forest of Jura is currently under Moss' surveillance. He already has the relevant information and knows that the Imperial Army is divided into several squads and is marching in the area, so it is our intention to break them up individually.” Souei revealed a cold smile when he finished. It felt a little scary, and thankfully he was on our side. It is possible to break through individually, but it will be a problem if the main force runs out afterwards. So the battle plan that Benimaru came up with was to wait for the other side to gather to a certain point. "Since the purpose of the Imperial Army is the underground labyrinth, let's bring them in and clean up again. If there were any other troops left on the ground, the Second Corps led by Geld and my main force would slaughter them from above.” The battle plan is simple and straightforward. But what is most puzzling is the battle power gap. No one has been picking on that since just now. I wonder what people think about this? Shouldn't it be my turn to ask at a time like this—I was confused for a moment, when the control room was surrounded by a shout. "I see! It’s a relief to have Gabil-kun come over as well. We're going to win this one!” "It's so good to hear you say that! I'll make a big splash when I get there, and I won't lose to Mr. Gobta!” "Originally, I was worried that I wouldn't get a chance to play this time, so I'm sure it's Shogun Benimaru-san. Leave me the greatest honor of guarding my country. I'll definitely put this power to good use!” It was because Benimaru had just assigned those three army chiefs to do those things that they had that reaction. Not only that, but every civil servant was also excitedly exchanging words. There wasn't a hint of sadness, even the three female demons were chatting happily. I also think it will be us who win in this war. The inner feeling is easy, but that doesn't mean it's all unnerving.

Yet everyone doesn't seem worried at all, it's amazing. Even Gobta, who at first seemed to be in a state of delusion, was now full of energy. I felt uneasy despite having Hakurou as an advisor to follow him. "After listening to Benimaru's explanation, is there anything you don't understand?” I tried to ask, but no one came forward to question it. Instead, Benimaru jumped out to speak for everyone. "Rest assured, Lord Rimuru. We are not worried about losing the war. But that doesn't mean we think we won't lose, but because we will fight to the best of our ability. We have enough to overcome, and a magnificent battlefield. If we lose the war in this way, we ourselves are too incompetent to follow the law of the weak and the strong.” He smiled brightly when he finished. The other monsters reacted in the same way, even Shuna, who was a female, and others. They weren't afraid to lose to each other, afraid to run away from the matchup. even more... I always felt like I could relate to their mood. In that case, I'm going to do my best. "Testarossa, Ultima, Carrera!” “Yes!" The three female demons stood up without coincidence at their names being called and bowed to me. It was here that I gave the order to the three of them. "You will follow the generals of the various legions and support them in their operations!" "Understood, Lord Rimuru. The council side will be handed over to Cien. Until this war is over, I will also join the war.” "Finally, it's my turn! I'll take care of it, Lord Rimuru!” "My Lord, please look forward to it. I will show you all my strength!” The three demons raised their faces and spoke happily. I nodded and introduced the three of them to the generals. "Testarossa, you go with Gobta." "Yes, I'd love to.” Seeing Testarossa respond in such a way, Gobta looked dubious.

"No problem? It's hard for a woman who hasn't fought in a war like this to come to the First Legion, right?” He uttered words that were frightening. Several of them are very vicious "primordials", and I didn't understand this until recently, so I don't seem to be in a position to say anything about anyone else, but seeing the hobgobs who don't know what to fear makes me feel so scared. You...will be slaughtered—-though I thought so, I didn't say so. Because it seems more fun that way. "Gee, I'm counting on you." Testarossa finished and smiled, but the person who didn't dare to look straight into those eyes should not be just me. Even if the other party is Testarossa, an apology should still be given, goblin-kun. So much so, I am looking forward to seeing the day that Gobta discovers the true identity of Testarossa. By contrast, Gabil has grown. "I still have a lot to live up to. Please tell me more!” He gave a low bow to Ultima. According to Diablo and the various people involved, the most brutal of the three demonesses seems to be this Ultima. The easiest to get out of control is heard to be Carrera, but the scariest is Ultima. Although she will obey my orders, she will also drill holes to get revenge on the other side. There is a good chance that Ultima will do something like this. Gabil's correspondence is correct. Ultima seemed to like Gabil a lot, and she returned the greeting with an adorable mimicry and a mouthful of, "Mmm! I'm going to ask you to teach me a lot!” Gabil often admonished himself in his day-to-day life not to get carried away. This worked, and it looks like he was saved. Makes me feel like I have to pay more attention to the usual, which is important. There was no problem on Geld's side. He was shaking hands with Carrera. Both have a similar temperament and a martial arts flair, and I think they would be a one-two punch. That said, the combination I arranged was really good. If Gobta and Gabil’s counterparts switched with each other, Gobta would be in danger, right? That's great, I thought to myself, followed by some words to inspire the three groups. Only a few people know the true faces of these three women.

When Guy came over earlier, some of the people who had been at the meeting at the time had been gagged by me. It doesn't help to make people feel afraid, and I want those three female demons to discipline themselves. The order that they must never reveal their true identity and must obey the orders of the army commander, but they seemed to meet and do something without changing their colors, scared me. If I didn't know who these three girls really were, I would have been happier... No, I’ll trust them. If it hadn't been for my order, those three would have watched peacefully from the sidelines. All in all, that sets up three groups. With the three of them following, they can help out in case of any unexpected situation. The thought of this put me at ease.

"So that's all there is to it, is there anything else to discuss?" Then it depends on how the Imperial side will act, we just have to improvise. The matter of working with King Gazel is also important and must be discussed in detail. But these are the things that the Operational Integration Headquarters should be doing. Those army chiefs all had their own assignments, and if there was nothing going on, they should be allowed to disband first. I personally thought so, but at this point someone quickly raised their hand. It is Masayuki. “That...may I interrupt?” "What's up, Masayuki?" "Actually, I have a question...” “Hmm?” "Leaving aside the question of why I was made chief of the army, there seems to be no indication as to when you will give my regiment, the Volunteer Corps, to take up and what part of it you will be responsible for...?" Well, turns out to be asking this. There should have been a lot of things that left him wondering. Seeing that he was only a high school student at his current age and was suddenly asked to be a military chief, of course he was confused. If it was Japan a long time ago, this might be normal, but after Japan entered the era of peace, this kind of thing can be a bit confusing for the young people who live there. But I'm having a hard time of it too.

Once you're back, you become a demon lord, and you have no boss to rely on. Thinking about it this way, I think that Masayuki is really lucky. "Don't you think so?" "That's it, I hope you explain!" Ah, yes. Even though I said a bunch of things in my head, unfortunately it still didn't seem to get through to the other person. It's a lot like making excuses when you say it, but there's no way around it. "All right. I'm sorry to suddenly put a heavy burden on you.” "Huh, no..." "But to stabilize the town's population, I think it's better for you to do it than for me.” If there were only magic creatures in town, even if war was about to start, that would be fine. Because they will only have high morale and no one will come out and disturb the peace. But those immigrants are a different story. Fear and anxiety can put them out of order, and it's possible that someone will come out and do something bad. "So at this time, I hope to use your power to ease everyone's anxiety.” "So that's it...it sounds like my ability should be able to do something." Hearing me explain it like that, Masayuki seemed to be able to accept it. "Waahahaha, you're so modest! I'm sure you don't want to be tied down to a particular country, as little me and the people underneath know! But this time, for the sake of the powerless people, I hope to borrow your power!” At this time, Myourmile looked at Masayuki with bright eyes and spoke those words. He still has a misunderstanding of Masayuki's strength, but I don't think it's necessary to correct it. That being said, it's surprising that even Hinata misunderstood Masayuki. Good thing. You're scary! Although I think so, I think it's best to keep waiting for the legend of Masayuki at a time like this. “...yeah.” Masayuki replied with a reluctant face. Seeing him make that face, it was obvious he was already annoyed by the whole thing. That's a bit pathetic, but hopefully he'll make an effort this time.

"Then I'll leave it to my volunteer corps to keep the peace.” "Please. I think you already know that, thanks to the help of Ramiris, it should be possible to keep the damage to the town to a minimum. Once the war starts, the metropolis on the ground will also be isolated into the maze.” This information has been communicated to the subordinates and all concerned. We didn't deliberately outlaw it, and while we were doing evacuation training, some people were too late to escape, and some rumors probably got out from their side. On the one hand, it is thought that in this way, we can more or less relieve everyone's anxiety. "Yeah! It's true that my strength is very powerful, but I was able to reach that level thanks to Master!” "Mmm. I divided the overly powerful magical element on my body to give to Ramiris in order to complete this great spell. To put it bluntly, it's friendship that wins.” It was thanks to Ramiris that she was able to isolate all the construction on the ground in the maze, but that too would have taken a little help from Veldora. This is the time when I should be frank in my thanks. "Thank you both, you've been a great help.” "Hey, is that so? Yeah, that's right! Can you say a few more words?” "Kuahahahaha! You can compliment us a little more!” "All right, all right. Thanks for the help!” A slight exaggeration and it becomes this. But this time they really helped a lot. Although it was isolated in the maze, everyone could see the sky and some residents didn't even notice that anything was wrong. That way they wouldn't be ravaged by the Imperial Army either, which is really impressive from that point of view. "But Rimuru, you must remember one thing.” “Hmm?" "Now let's just say that if something does happen—if Master is knocked down and the 100th floor is breached, the town will run out into the maze. It's called the opposite effect. "So that's the part that does worry me, too. But the premise for that to happen is that Veldora was defeated, right? If things do turn out that way, there shouldn't be time to care about what happens to the town.” If this kind of thing does happen, then we'll all be fighting as hard as we can too. There's simply no left over for what's going on in the town. "I can't lose anyway.”

"Yeah. And there's also the Labyrinth Ten, I personally don't think there's any need to worry about that!” Indeed, as Ramiris said, there would be basically no chance of Veldora making an appearance at all. However, if anything... "If something really happens, we're still lucky.” “What!? First, wait a minute! It's just that policing is okay, so what can I do if things do turn out that way?” Masayuki yelled that he didn't even have military command experience, and the rest of us thought that made sense. Even Myormile, who thought of Masayuki as a hero, kept nodding his head with an expression of ‘that's right.’ "Don't worry, Masayuki. I don't think you can command an army. I’m currently talking to Hinata and want to ask her to send someone from the Paladin Order to be your Auxiliary Officer. I think she would have agreed, intending to find someone to be your second-in-command and help you out.” "So that's it, then I'm relieved.” "One more thing! I will let the children be your guards, so that your personal safety—wrongly said, you will protect them.” "Whoa, whoa, whoa! If you can let the Hero guard them, those children will be safe!” "When, of course.” Sweating like rain, Masayuki agreed. Masayuki also knew how much strength the children had and knew that the one being protected would be himself. Besides, Chloe was there. If something really happened, she would protect Masayuki and the others. With that, the necessary topics were discussed. Everything has been thought out, but no one knows what will happen until the last minute. Besides that... Still something about it is unsettling. In Chloe's memory, I would die. There are currently masters in the Empire who can kill me—that is an undeniable fact. If that guy showed up, even the Labyrinth Ten couldn't resist. No, the other way around... <<Answer. In order to get to the bottom of the enemy, our side will set up the Labyrinth Ten.>> I think so.

It seems that Master Raphael, the King of Wisdom, put my personal safety first from start to finish in his arrangements. This made me happy and at the same time I made an awakening. No matter what happens, I will guard those partners. I don't want to hurt anyone for a stupid act like war. It is with this determination that we close this day's meeting.

Things seem to be going well for Masayuki to convince the residents. Eventually things seem to evolve into ‘he convinced the demon lord that he had made an appointment to protect the town.' "You're a hero!” "So reliable!” Both the adventurers and the immigrants praised Masayuki, and some saw him with a complicated expression at the time. But even that look... "You're so adorable.” "It seems that the Hero still isn't satisfied with such a big concession from the Demon Lord.” "Exactly. It exudes solemnity and is very attractive.” "This town is guarded by the hero. And there's also the Demon Lord Rimuru, so even if the Empire fights over, there's nothing to be afraid of!” "Yes! Leave it all to them, that's a relief to us!” In the end, people's explanations turned out to be this way, and as a result, people spoke more highly of Masayuki. No one else found Masayuki very distressed. In this way, the town's residents still live a peaceful life. And then the day finally came. The Imperial Army showed up. The days of peace are marked with a hiatus. It was like a midsummer night's dream that ended abruptly. Immediately thereafter, the war began... Epilogue: Emperor’s Overlord "You're awake, Rudra."

To a man in a fancy garb in a wheelchair, a beautiful woman with blue hair asked him. This beauty was the one who held the reigns in the large conference room. She is the “Marshal". "Right. How did the meeting go?” "It has been decided that the Great March will commence. "Hard work. Gedora was against it, right?” "Yes, the old man is realistic. There was no way that the weapon of the Otherworldly Visitor could be used against the True Dragon Race—it was a matter of course, he couldn't have missed it.” "That's true. But even so, there is still a big long march. To let everyone know that I am the king of this world.” It was a pact with Guy—Emperor Rudra whispered. The next moment his thoughts turned, a peaceful smile appeared on his face. "That's right, Velgrynd. How do you see it going this time?” Velgrynd—there are only four "dragon races" in this world, and that is the name of one of them. The red dragon's palm, which symbolizes the flame, "burns". It is an individual even older than the "storm dragon" Veldora, the eternal and indestructible dragon. Its name is the "Scorch Dragon" Velgrynd. There's only one person in the world who can bear that name... Hearing Rudra ask this, the beautiful woman gave an answer. "We will win. Definitely. I'll force the dwarves out of their lair, crush the arrogance of the rookie demon lord, bring my lazy, stupid brother to his senses, and make Guy admit that the ruler of this world is Rudra—you!” There was absolutely no semblance of unnaturalness about being called by that name, the other person. That's right. She is Velgrynd. One of the strongest “true dragon species”—the "Scorch Dragon" Velgrynd.

Faced with this great Velgrynd, Emperor Rudra continued to speak in an intmate tone. "Yeah? That's great. So do you think your brother will be out in force?” Hearing that, Velgrynd answered directly without even thinking about it. “He will, Rudra. He'll show up. Because that kid loves to get together. However, it seems that although his seal had been lifted, he has not been restored to his original state. The violent magic storm that hadn't detected the madness raging, the demonic aura that has been sensed in all corners of the earth, has now completely disappeared. Perhaps his resurrection is not complete?” “...In that case, perhaps my army can defeat him.” "That's a lot of fun, too. Just bribing my stupid little brother was too much, and this demon lord even screwed over my lovely brother to make him suffer a bit.” Talking over to this side, the two looked at each other and smiled. For Rudra and Velgrynd, the success of the combat plan was simply not important. He plays a game with Guy, betting on the dominance of the world. There are no complicated rules for this game. Just use the "pawns" to suppress the opponent's position and you've won. The board is the whole world. Monsters and humans are their pawns. At first the pawns in Guy's hands were magical creatures and demons, and Rudra was the human who held part of it. Yet the long years of constant shifting alternated and now both sides were in disarray. Even taking away the enemy's pawns is not a problem from a rules standpoint. In addition to that... For Guy and Rudra, the strongest pawn is their respective partners, the True Dragons. Only the pieces mentioned above can be used—that’s the only rule that must be followed in this game. On the flip side, as long as Guy and Rudra don't go head-to-head, they can do whatever they want. But if the world ends, of course the game will end. This goes against their will and needs to be properly held so that it doesn't happen. It's just that there's an element of uncertainty about this game. It is the last of the True Dragons, Veldora, and the Primordial Demons. These uncertainties are not part of the game. It's all up to players Guy and Rudra to make them their own, or to make them the enemy. One of Guy's pawns—his helper, Demon Lord Leon’s domain has been threatened by the Yellow Primordial.

There is still Purple Primordial in the West, and a rash move could lead to great disasters. And on the eastern side, there is the White Primordial. Those demons have immense power and will never die. It is not impossible to exterminate them from the source, but you need to be prepared for everything. Rather than sacrifice so much, it's best to deal with them and make them their own. In order for his game with Guy to progress in his favor, it was the best thing to do, or so Rudra and Velgrynd thought. If Velgrynd stepped up to the plate, she could bury even the White Primordial. But in this way, the damage to the local area will be beyond imagination. The conclusion is that it is not feasible in reality. And they also misjudged one thing, which is that the Western powers began to emerge with their own set of ways of playing. In that land of the West, the local god Ruminas was born and unwittingly grew into a monotheistic religion. Its system of domination is quite solid and unites the peoples of the West. They had already discovered that Ruminas' true identity was the Demon Lord, but it had become a deeply entrenched religion and it was too late to do anything about it. When Rudra completely dominated the East, the West also formed a circle of power and united. Here's why Guy and Rudra's game is in a state of glue. "Because Chronoa and Granbell were very active, it became more difficult to attack the West, which was a major drawback. If those people hadn't shown up, you would have won by now.” "It's too early to make a decision. There will be those who will hinder the oligarch's domination of the world, presumably as a test for the oligarch given by Veldanava. Because that man used to love pranks.” "Yeah, it does. Brother really...” That said, this side, Rudra and Velgrynd were like reminiscing about the past with smiles on their faces. "But the time has come. All the pieces have appeared, and soon I will win.” "This time, we're going to take Guy and my sister, Velzado, into the army.” "Oh, Guy's been waiting for an opportunity. If you fight with Veldora, he'll take advantage of it.” "That's right, it's annoying. If it hadn't been for that, I'd have taken care of that child Veldora myself by then..." This is talking about the failure of the last great march. Once Velgrynd stepped in, not even Veldora counted as a threat. But doing so will likely bring Guy to the fisherman's bag. If you want to move your strongest pawn, “True Dragon", you must be prepared.

And now is the best time to do it. Rudra sent spies all over the world, and they brought back all kinds of reports. "It was long, but the wait was worth it. The biggest obstacle to the West is gone.” The true face of the god, Ruminas, was actually the Demon Lord Ruminas. Now that the true face is known, it's conceivable how much the opponent's fighting power is. And the demon lord who had previously represented Ruminas was also destroyed, along with the loss of the "Seven Celestial Sages". Not only that... "The threat from the Western nations is much less.” "Indeed. Those who stand in the way of my dominion over the world need not have my hand; they have taken it upon themselves to perish.” It was an apocalypse, and in saying that Rudra should rule the world—Rudra and Velgrynd were convinced of that. "By the way, Rudra, how are you doing?” "No problem at all. The power of the oligarchs—the army of angels (Armageddon)—is available at all times.” The Army of Angels is the ultimate power that Rudra has. The starting conditions are harsh, and after one use, the next one can only be used after long intervals. There is only one reason why the Empire has not acted so far. For they had been waiting until the day when Rudra would be able to use the "angel army" again. As a result, Granbell, who they took as their biggest obstacle, also disappeared. In a way, Rudra would certainly believe they were on the verge of winning this time. As for Guy, he didn't have complete control over those Demon Lords. It's hard to say that they'll work with each other, each Demon Lord does what he or she loves. Each of them had a large sphere of influence, but in Rudra's view they were not even a threat. "The situation is too good for us this time.” "But there's not enough time, is there? I really want to force my stupid brother to our side. This will also be used against Guy. If I could find a way to get rid of my sister Velzado as well, Rhein and Mizari would be nothing. That's why I need to talk to you. Is your power of domination okay?" "Don't worry. As long as we keep Veldora's consciousness focused on the battlefield, I will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to unleash 'kingly domination' and completely manipulate that guy.” Hearing these words, a soft smile spread across Velgrynd's beautiful and cold face. "Gee, then we're gonna win this one.”

"That's for sure. Everything is going according to my arrangement.” "That's good. I'm more worried about you..." "Then don't say it. It is also a natural philosophy. The human flesh is really inconvenient..." “Rudra......” "After inheriting self-will and reincarnating memory several times, the 'soul' will be consumed. If, like Gedora, there was a period of rest, that would be fine, but it was an impermissible luxury for the widow. If I do that, my 'power' will be sealed again.” That way, Rudra would have to start all over again if he wanted to free his power. If he did this every time he was reincarnated, then he would have no chance of defeating Guy. This time Rudra had been waiting, waiting until his powers were fully developed. Thus his power was completely liberated and could be said to be in a state of perfection. But... To maintain this state, Rudra was very reluctant. This life's Rudra is not even a side consort, not even a crown princess. Although the imperial consort was merely an ornament, this situation was not normal. This means that they did not even give birth to the vessel that was expected to be used by Rudra—the prince. To give birth to a prince does not mean that his powers will separate. Rudra's reincarnation is special in that the prince born will inherit all power and knowledge. It's a complete hereditary system—it’s no longer an heir, and it can be said that the prince is an emperor in the truest sense of the word. But in this life he has not done so. The reason is related to the period during which the "Angel Army" was used. If the royal son is allowed to inherit power, skills will be limited until he grows to manhood. The reason for this was that an overpowering force would have a countervailing force, and he was unable to suppress this force, a trait that even Rudra could not reverse. And today, the best conditions of this life come together. It would be a waste of more than ten years to let these good conditions go and reincarnate as a prince. Rudra didn't want that. There was something else that also bothered Velgrynd. Because of accumulating power to the limit, Rudra's mental fatigue seemed to be approaching a critical mass.

The intervals between going to sleep were getting shorter and shorter and he often felt tired. This state accelerates the depletion of Rudra's "soul". Those symptoms would be more alleviated if the power was ceded to the prince and the "angel army" was allowed to start later. Yet Rudra just didn't want to do it. To this day. He was going to share the spoils with Guy this time. Such a Rudra made Velgrynd look uncomfortable. "How much time do you have left, Rudra...?" "You don't have to worry about that. At least I can promise you that I won't fall down until I conquer the world." "Yeah, yeah. If it had been you, you would have said so...” "Don't give me such a sad look, Velgrynd. This time I want to win and put an end to it all. You don't have to worry about it, just see how I rule the world.” Once that was said, Rudra smiled proudly. That's what it's like to be a dominant person. He will rule over all, and I will be the only one in heaven and earth. This is the heroic Emperor Rudra. Seeing such a Rudra, Velgrynd also made up her mind. "That's right—after all this time, let me have a rain of mercy. Let the people die in peace, and kill all who stand in the way of your world domination!” Velgrynd finished and gently hugged Rudra. And then the two of them continued to talk... Time came to the next day. The unprecedented army left the Empire and marched towards the Jura Tempest Federation.

Retrieved from "https://www.baka-tsuki.org/project/index.php?title=Seikoku_no_Ryuu_Kishi:Volume_13_Novel_Illustrations&oldid=567277"