515

Chapter 515: The Power of Enlightenment

Epic of Caterpillar

[Day 244]

[Kireina] gained +225 Skill Points and Subclass Skill Points due to the prayers of your believers!] (Added!)

[Kireina] gained 3.222.443.720.110 EXP due to the prayers of your believers!] (and gathered EXP from her split bodies hunting in the dungeon and her Aura Clones exploring the Dream Attribute Dungeon inside her Inner Realm)

[LEVEL 096/250] [EXP 4.943.615.957.136/17.860.000.000.000]

Today there was the report of many citizens of my Empire, which were brought to me by my Slime Clones and the Rin Sisters.

Everyone had strange dreams, but all of them were 'enlightening' in one way or another. And they all revolved around a giant mass of aberrant flesh giving them ideas, their own body as nourishment and other things…

Even all of my wives and my children had them this time, so it was a global thing.

Many of those that did not have my blessing yet acquired it. And those that already had it acquired other skills, that reflexed them 'following' my path.

I wanted to check it twice again, and though my wife's I found out about it.

In their status, there was a new skill named 'Self-Enhancement: Enlightenment'.

"Masta, I don't know why, but I feel strong just by looking at you, guu!" said Rimuru with an innocent smile, as I checked her status. Aside from this skill, her stats seemed to have increased exponentially, and also, she was near reaching max level. She had evolved just a few months ago and was already near her next evolution, the same was for most of my family.

"Is there something even more fascinating than looking at Kireina-sama's scarlet irises? I feel a bit dazzled~ Ohoho~ And my body, it exudes with new strength as well" said Acelina while sipping tea and laughing devilishly.

"I don't know but I feel like I have a limitless amount of Mana now, it just keeps regenerating at such a fast pace… just by being with Kireina-sama, or perhaps just by thinking on her?" wondered Ismene as she flapped her pink butterfly wings around.

"It always felt nice to be with my wife, but now… it does feel even nicer, as if my entire body becomes swifter and healthier just by being near her… no, just by thinking on her! T-This… It is a bit troubling…" said Adelle, as if she was slowly becoming fascinated with me, but her tsundere-like personality was battling against that thought.

It seemed like most of my entire family felt incredibly strong just by being with me, or thinking about me.

It was as if I was always with them through the 'Enlightenment' and my blessing… in a way, I kind of was.

To give a blessing means to give a piece of one's strength and soul.

Just by saying 'I bless you' a god won't suddenly make a mortal stronger… it is because the blessing comes with the god's powers that it is effective, it comes with one's soul.

After eating Apollo's soul my blessing became even more potent, and after changing Classes yesterday, it seems to have become something even greater.

I had recently acquired the 'Chaotic Path Enlightenment' Skill, but its effects were not as strong until I gained more Enlightenment skills which automatically merged into it, now being named 'Chaotic Inhumane Industrial Path'… it sounds incredibly eerie, I know, but it seems to not bring any kind of negative effect in those that follow this 'Path'.

"I feel like new ideas are constantly blossoming in my head, I need to go to the workshop, NOW!" said Charlotte, drinking tea while leaving the room in a hurry…

"Well, I've gotten many ideas as well on how to blacksmith and craft new equipment… but not as crazy as Charlotte," said Lilith while chuckling.

"I did as well… Perhaps I will soon be able to make Legendary Rank Items?" wondered Brontes.

"Oh, I could help you in anything forgery related, I was the best at it!" said Blaze. The body clone I had given her to inhabit had completely transformed now, without leaving any traces of my appearance on it. Blaze's appearance seemed to resemble a beautiful and slim Red Oni, with pale red skin, scarlet and orange irises, hair made out of the fire, and wings made out of blazing flames. She had a slim complexion and resembled a woman in her early twenties.

I wonder if this is her real appearance or just a product of her Soul into this body.

"I thought you hated doing that, Blaze," said Zehe.

"It is not that I hate it, I hated it because it was my stupid father forcing me to be the furnace's fire, but if it's for my friends and Kireina, I don't mind! I would gladly help you all out. After all, I have never felt the warmness of a family until now, it is the least I could do to repay all of you… Although at first, I felt weak after leaving my father's imprisonment, I have felt stronger each day," said Blaze with an innocent smile.

It seems that the skill representing her in my status gave her greater strength and vitality as it leveled up. Perhaps at level 10, she would be able to finally exert all of her original powers.

"I see, then I would gladly take your offer, Blaze-chan," said Brontes with a mild smile, readying her hammer to go create some equipment.

"Mama, I wanna go too!" said Vudia following Brontes and Blaze, who went to the workshop.

"Alright, come here," said Brontes, as she let Vudia sit down in her wide shoulders.

"Ah, don't forget about me, I am a blacksmith as well, you know?" said Lilith as she followed little Vudia's trail of golden dust released from her butterfly wings.

"It seems that today everyone woke up quite filled with energy, isn't it? I have felt particularly stronger too. Although I have long surpassed Aleksandra, I wonder if she had become stronger as well. Perhaps she could be a good rival Vampire to fight with and improve my skills… though it would be hard not to almost kill her every time" said Alice while drinking a cup of my blood.

"Don't worry, you can do whatever you want with Aleksandra, I don't mind" I said, as the Vampires equipped in my body began to shudder over the thought of Alice against Aleksandra.

By the way, the Vampires, Chimeras, and other of my servants equipped inside of my body are usually exploring my Inner Realm: Soul World's Dream Attribute Dungeon with my Aura Clones. Caterpillar and his siblings have been leveling up inside this place, alongside Mao, Wall, Vajrara, Caedmon, Cassandra, Jerold, Kenan, and many others.

However, because they were technical 'inside of my body', they always hear what I said out loud.

Of course, they use another of my body clones stationed inside the Vampire's tower and other facilities to go outside if they desire. Just recently I've decided to 'open portals' to this new dungeon so people could explore it, as I had already finished it, being the final Boss the Dream Dragon, eating it did not give me any skill whatsoever, my Dream Attribute power seems too high to receive any bonus from it.

"Oh really? Then I shall rip and tear her flesh until I am satisfied! Ufufufu!" laughed Alice with malicious intent in her scarlet eyes.

"L-Lady Alice, please calm down… It would be quite problematic if you and Aleksandra-san were to begin fighting every day in the Vampire's Tower, many people would be disturbed of their sleep or their office work… Think about it a bit more carefully," said a pale gray woman with gray-blue hair and scarlet eyes with exceptional beauty and a resemblance to Acelina, although her skin was gray, she resembled a young woman in her mid-twenties. If she were alive, she would be radiating with bright light. Her breasts were so large that they barely fit inside of her shirt.

She was Jonette, who had recently begun to wear butler clothes. She is one of Ismene's aunts and Acelina's sister, who became a Lesser Dhampir Zombie and recently a Dhampir Zombie through the bite of Alice in the Athetosea War.

She had begun to act as a close servant of Alice, which I approved of beforehand as she came to ask me this once.

She had recently taken a liking in the arts of a butler, improving upon herself as she progresses. There are not any butlers in my Castle, and only the Arachne Maids, so having a butler was an interesting way to make things more varied.

I remember that Alice liked to play a lot with her… sexual stuff included.

Although after gaining her sanity, she became shy about this and had not participated in any orgy with my wives.

Although she is not my wife, she was sometimes invited by Alice, and I often did not mind.

It would be better to never remind her of this or she would become too shy again.

"Oh, you're right… I don't really want to disturb the peace of my new Vampire siblings… well, I could move her to the dungeon, that should be fine, right?" asked Alice.

"I-I would prefer if you didn't fight to begin with. But if Lady Alice cannot control her impulses, I suppose it would be the best course of action to fight inside the dungeon… I would recommend Morpheus Dungeon as it is vastly spacious" said Jonette.

"Leave her be, Jonette, she won't understand no matter how much you explain to her. It is better to make her let of her instincts" I said.

"Ufufufu~ Kireina-sama understands me after all~! Let us go look for Aleksandra, Jonette! Follow my lead~!" said Alice as she left the room while Jonette followed her from behind.

"W-Wait for me, Lady Alice!" said Jonette.

"And there they go… Jonette was never this serviceable before, I remember that she liked others to serve her instead… she had changed a lot since we came in here" said Acelina.

"Well, it is not like we didn't change either… and Aunt Jonette died once and was revived by the grace of Lady Alice, so, understandably, she had changed a lot… It is a bit amusing in my opinion" said Ismene while eating a pie.

"So what are you going to do today, masta?" asked Rimuru.

"I will probably… sleep, for now, I am doing a lot of things already through my Slime Clones and Divided bodies… although I could open the rewards from Moonfang and Sunclaw now that I think about it!" I said.

"Oh right, I've opened mine and I got a few nice potions and an accessory," said Kaguya, showing her new earrings that were on her squirrel ears, which had small red jewels.

"They look very good in you, Kaguya," I said.

"Eeeh…? R-Really? Hehe, I am glad that Kireina-sama thinks so" said Kaguya while flushing.

"What about me? Don't these new accessories look good on my body? I even got this new crown, I really look like an Empress now, don't I? Fufufu~" asked Nixephine.

"Indeed, they are exceptionally beautiful, it makes your glossy chocolate skin even more beautiful. Your curves always go well with gold accessories. And that crown will most likely help you cast more magic easier, isn't it?"

"Ufufufu, you're always good at complementing a lady, Kireina-sama~" chuckled Nixephine with an enamored look in her eyes.

"I-If she is getting compliments, what about me?" asked Nefertiti, she was wearing a new dress she acquired through the rewards, which was completely black and had many designs resembling Egyptian art, showing stars, the moon, and the desert.

"I think they fit perfectly with your silky black hair, Nefertiti. The dress is also tight enough to showcase your wide hips and also showcases your belly, which had grown a bit since you became pregnant, it is beautiful to see your belly slowly growing as our beloved child develops" I said.

"T-That was too much praise! B-But thanks" said, Nefertiti.

"Kireina, what about this new dress? I usually wear silver and purple accessories above my body, but this is the first time I am trying something newer, Mady's dressing style ended up sticking with me" said Nesiphae as she showed her Belly Dancer-like dress, which covered her body mildly with a thin and semi-transparent cloth while showcasing her belly, shoulders, back and the sides of her chest.

"You look as stunning as ever, Nesiphae. The dress does indeed gives you a fresh look in your appearance, it seems as if I had been captured by the powerful and mischievous beautiful empress of a desert dominated by giant Lamia, a dream that I would like to roleplay one day" I said.

"Fufufu~ Oh, really~?" laughed Nesiphae.

Many of my wives acquired new items through the rewards given by the war, so everyone was showcasing new equipment. Everyone wanted to receive the praises of their beloved ones, and I made sure to not make any of them feel lesser than the rest… though it took me a lot of time to praise and inspect each one of my wife's beauty, I managed.

It is good and important to always make them feel loved, as I deeply care about them.

Resting on my throne, I decided to forget the worries of the world and to just open some loot and see what I get.