The Cardinal World Stirs—A Holy Crusade in the Shadows

On another side of the Cardinal World, something far more sinister was brewing in Falmuth. While the kingdom itself was a powerful and wealthy nation, this particular movement was not sanctioned by King Edmaris. Instead, a faction within the Western Holy Church was acting independently, using their faith as an excuse to justify an unprovoked attack.

This was no formal military operation—no declaration of war. Instead, a group of fanatical knights, deeply devoted to the Luminism Doctrine, had taken it upon themselves to rid the world of so-called "monstrous abominations."

According to the church's sacred texts, monsters were enemies of God, and the Jura-Tempest Federation was seen as an affront to divine order. The knights, burning with righteous zeal, set out under the banner of "holy purification," convinced that their crusade would bring them glory in the eyes of Luminous.

I watched the situation unfold through my spies, already aware of the knights' approach. Their plan was simple—strike Tempest while Rimuru was away, cause devastation, and retreat before facing real retaliation.

It was a coward's strategy.

But I had no intention of letting Tempest suffer while waiting for Rimuru's return.

I turned to Diablo, standing before me with a calm, expectant smile.

"Take the Black Legion," I commanded. "Eradicate these fools. But do so in the shadows. Make sure Rimuru's people never realize you were there. Let them believe it was their own strength that won the battle."

Diablo's golden eyes gleamed with amusement. "Ah… a secret war, where our hands remain unseen? How delightfully cruel, my Lord."

I nodded. "Make it absolute. No traces. No mercy."

Diablo bowed deeply, and without another word, he vanished into the darkness—along with the entire Black Legion.

The knights of Falmuth arrived at Tempest's borders under the cover of night, fully expecting an easy battle. Their leader, Royal Knight Commander Folgen, believed that with Rimuru absent, his generals would fall one by one.

But Tempest's generals were far stronger than they realized.

Benimaru, Shion, Geld, Souei, Hakurou, Gabiru, stood ready, leading their troops into battle.

The moment the knights crossed the border, the battle ignited.

Folgen and his men charged forward, swords raised, only to be met with an overwhelming resistance.

Benimaru's flames consumed entire squadrons.

Shion's unmatched strength crushed even the most armored knights.

Geld's unyielding defenses turned aside even the sharpest blades.

Tempest's forces were holding their ground, but the battle was not yet won. The knights were numerous, their faith driving them into a frenzied assault.

But unbeknownst to either side—they were not fighting alone.

As the battle raged, something shifted.

The air grew heavy, an unnatural stillness settling over the battlefield. The knights' movements slowed, their breath hitching in their throats as an overwhelming pressure bore down on them.

Then—they began to disappear.

One by one, knights vanished into the darkness, their comrades barely registering their absence before they, too, were swallowed by the void.

Diablo moved like a phantom, his presence barely perceptible.

A knight raised his sword—only to find his arm twisted unnaturally, bones snapping before he even understood what was happening.

Another tried to call for help, but his voice was silenced before the words could escape his lips.

Tempest's generals fought on, never realizing that the battle was already tilting in their favor—not because of their own strength alone, but because the Black Legion was working in the unseen depths of the battlefield, eliminating threats before they could strike.

Carrera erased an entire platoon with a silent explosion, the knights vanishing into dust before their comrades even noticed.

Testarossa corrupted their weapons with a mere touch, rendering their holy blades useless.

Ultima played with her victims, inflicting pain so precise and delicate that they collapsed in silent agony before anyone could hear their screams.

And Diablo—Diablo was the storm itself.

He moved through the battlefield like a shadow given form, his presence barely detectable, his touch absolute.

The knights never stood a chance.

They thought they were fighting a fair battle, but in reality, they were being hunted.

Within hours, the once-proud army of Falmuth was reduced to nothing.

Only a handful of survivors remained, trembling, their minds shattered by the terror they could neither see nor understand.

They staggered away from the battlefield, barely able to breathe.

And there, left behind in the blood-soaked earth, was a single message—burned into the ground with an unknown force:

"This is not your war. Leave, and do not return. Next time, there will be no survivors."

While unaware of the events transpiring in Tempest, Rimuru was making his way back after wrapping up his business with the kids. His mind was at ease, expecting a peaceful return.

But fate had other plans.

A presence.

It was faint, but his Magic Sense instantly picked it up.

Someone was waiting for him.

And they weren't friendly.

Stopping in his tracks, Rimuru glanced towards a dense forest clearing.

"...You can come out now."

The air was tense.

From behind a tree, a figure emerged.

A woman clad in silver armor, her violet eyes sharp as blades.

It was Hinata Sakaguchi.

Rimuru's expression shifted. "Hinata…?"

But before he could say anything else—

FWOOOM!

A radiant barrier erupted around them, sealing off the area with a blinding golden light. The pressure it emitted was immense, making Rimuru feel as if a heavy weight had settled over him.

A Holy Barrier.

It was designed to suppress monsters—even ones as strong as him.

Hinata raised her sword, Dead End Rainbow, its blade glowing with divine energy.

"Rimuru Tempest," she said coldly. "You are an enemy of humanity. I will eliminate you here."

Rimuru frowned. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Hinata's gaze did not waver. "I know the truth. You killed Shizu."

Rimuru's eyes widened.

And then—he understood.

Someone had fed her lies.

He took a deep breath. "I didn't kill Shizu. She entrusted her will to me."

But Hinata wasn't listening.

She vanished—

—And reappeared right in front of him.

SHING!

Hinata's blade descended at blinding speed, aiming straight for Rimuru's head.

He barely had time to raise his sword in defense.

CLANG!

A shockwave erupted from the impact, sending cracks through the ground.

Rimuru's hands numbed from the sheer force behind her strike.

She was fast.

Too fast.

Even with his enhanced perception, her movements were nearly impossible to follow.

Hinata wasted no time—

She unleashed a flurry of sword slashes, each one sharper than the last, infused with Holy Energy that disrupted Rimuru's magic.

CLANG! CLANG! CLANG!

Rimuru barely managed to deflect them, stepping back each time.

"Damn it—"

She wasn't just strong—she was overwhelming him.

Then—

Hinata's blade gleamed.

A powerful Skill Activation.

"Dead End Thrust!"

A devastating piercing attack, designed to kill in a single strike.

Rimuru's instincts screamed.

He twisted his body—but it was too late.

The sword pierced through his chest.

Pain exploded in his body.

Hinata's eyes remained cold. "It's over."

But—

Rimuru grinned.

His body melted.

"Nice try."

A split-second later—his real body reappeared behind her.

Hinata's eyes narrowed—

—But she didn't hesitate.

She turned—

—And swung again.

The fight continued, a blur of clashing swords, bursts of energy, and flashes of movement as the two warriors fought at their absolute limits.

The Holy Barrier suppressed Rimuru's strength.

But even so—he refused to fall.

The battle had only just begun.