Chapter 1: The Capital of Diep
The monsters were shaken. They realized that Rimuru was their only hope. The report sentshivers down the spines of the leaders of Tempest.Benimaru woke up on a bed in the infirmary of the recreation facility in the labyrinth, whereSouei had carried him. Not much time had passed since the siege of the Sacred Tree. A greatsense of loss made him jump out of bed. The same was true for Gabil and Geld, who weresleeping next to Benimaru. At the same time, they woke up as if in unison.The executives gathered in the "Control Room" set up in the labyrinth. Eight members of the"Twelve Guardians of the Labyrinth" were present: Diablo, Zegion, and Kumara, who wereassigned to guard the labyrinth; Benimaru, Gabil, Geld; Ranga, who lurked in Gobta's shadowand healed his wounds; and then Testarossa, who had returned urgently from the Kingdom ofIngracia.Testarossa, with a strong sense of responsibility, threw everything into the hands of her men andrushed to the scene, stressing the gravity of the situation. Naturally, Shuna, Rigurd, and theothers in charge of politics, Gobta, Apito, and others were also there. Excluding those currentlyin battle, all who were able to move were present.Ramiris, who had become the master of the Control Room, gasped at the report. The labyrinthwas under attack from hostile forces. However, the information was far more important thansuch a situation. Ramiris was filled with disbelief. Beretta and Treyni were also upset, thoughthey did not say much. Charys, who had sent Veldora off to stay at home, was also unable tomaintain his composure.It was Souei, who had been watching the situation most closely through 'Clone,' who broughtthe report. Souei told them that Rimuru had disappeared."Is it true that Rimuru-sama disappeared?" Benimaru asked on behalf of everyone, though hedid not doubt Souei's words. On the contrary, he felt the connection with Rimuru inside him haddisappeared, which was why he asked Souei to deny his words."Yeah... I'm sure. There was no room for me to be in the escort..." Souei replied with a voicefilled with regret, but no one complained. After hearing Souei's report, it seemed the result wouldhave been the same no matter who was there. After all, Rimuru himself, whom everyone trusted, had been helplessly caught in the enemy's hands. Now was the time to think ofcountermeasures rather than to complain and hold Rimuru accountable for his actions.Silence reigned in the Control Room. Then suddenly, the desk shattered with a roaring sound."This happened while I was with you..." Souei, who usually kept his cool and never got angry inany situation, smashed the desk in a fit of rage.Testarossa closed her eyes and agreed with Souei's words. Yes, it was normal to think so. "Icouldn't do anything either..." Testarossa's mind was covered with an unshakeable sense of guiltthat she had sent Rimuru, whom she respected and admired, into the battle. Therefore, shecould not refute Souei's words. She could not even console him. All she could do wascontemplate her own helplessness. This was not only Testarossa's view but also the commonview of those present.However, Diablo responded to this. "Don't be so conceited, Souei. All you're doing is causingone more person to die for nothing." With a cold, disdainful look, he cut Souei's comment topieces."Kuh..." Diablo's words were truthful, although they were not reserved or considerate. Soueiunderstood this and could only remain silent, unable to retort. He was ashamed of hisinadequacy and had to bear the pressure of losing Rimuru. Diablo let out a sigh of relief."You are out of line, Diablo," Testarossa said. She let out a breath and continued, "Anyone herewould have been the same in the face of Milim-sama's outburst. Diablo, isn't it the same foryou?" Testarossa looked at Diablo with disbelief. She was smart enough to understand Diablo'sintention. He was trying to provoke the anger of those present by playing the role of a villain. Ifwe are to face despair, we must raise our emotions. We are creatures who are consumed bydespair if we only mourn. We need the will to live. The quickest way to get it was to burn withanger. Diablo knew this. And so did Testarossa. That is why she could read Diablo's thoughtsand see through them to their end. And that was something Testarossa could not tolerate."Diablo, you're just going to incite everyone's anger here and get yourself exiled, aren't you?And then you're going to challenge Feldway?" Testarossa asked categorically."No." Diablo thought disgustedly, ‘This is why I don't like this woman.’ He had known her for along time, so he couldn't hide anything from her. Diablo seemed to be calm, but in fact, he wasdesperate. ‘Why didn't you take me with you, Rimuru-sama?’ He was trying so hard to control his grief that was driving him crazy. Testarossa accurately sensed Diablo's state of mind.Therefore, she mercilessly accused him with a verbal blade."I heard you made a fool of yourself in front of Rimuru-sama.""What?""You couldn't do anything because you were stuck in time, right? How underwhelming."Hearing this, Diablo also refuted, "Kufufufu... I heard that you, too, missed a small fry, didn'tyou?" Diablo's eyes did not smile. His eyes were serious, ready to kill Testarossa. The ControlRoom was on edge. Silence reigned, and everyone was sad and desperate. Geld and Gabil,who had been wounded in the previous battle, looked mystified and refused to open theirmouths. Kumara was pale and trembled. Benimaru clenched his fists tightly to suppress thesurge of anger.Ramiris was on the verge of tears and was lying on her face. In times of trouble, Rimuru hadalways been able to help. Rimuru is gone now. In a sense, it was fortunate that Shion, the mostshort-tempered person, was not here. If not, we cannot deny the possibility that Shion's wordsand actions might have dragged us all to the worst possible way, that is, to be crushed by theenemy.-But that is just a possibility.There was still one person in this room who did not waver. Breaking the immovable silence,Zegion moved. He uncrossed his arms and arose.Then he said gravely, "Nonsense. What are you worried about? What does it matter thatRimuru-sama has disappeared?"Zegion remained steadfast. As if questioning everyone's agitation, he said so. From his attitude,we could see that Zegion truly believed that Rimuru could not be destroyed. "If Rimuru-sama isour Lord, he will return even from the end of time and space. If not, there must be a reason."Zegion asserted strongly. These were the words that everyone present had hoped for. A fire ofhope was lit in everyone's hearts.Assessing the reactions of everyone, Zegion continued, "Infantile. We are not mere childrenabandoned by our parents. Think deeply. And feel. We still have the blessing of Rimuru-sama!" Zegion's words were natural, and his conviction was unquestioning. He was trying to blow awayeveryone's fears by showing his unflappable attitude.Testarossa was also impressed by Zegion. Her mood improved, and before she knew it, shehad a faint smile on her face. She was not the only one who felt so. Everyone realized that hewas right. Everyone present was convinced by Zegion's words. The bond that connects soulsseems to have been cut off, but this is not equal to the disappearance of Rimuru. There was stilla sense of being enveloped by a warm presence that we could not perceive.Is it just a residue, or... Be calm, says Zegion. The connection may have been broken, butRimuru's Blessing had not disappeared. Some of us had noticed it, but we were worried that wewere just being wishful thinkers. I thought that it would be better not to expect anything from thebeginning than to have false hopes.But I was wrong. It is only when we do not give up until the end that the way opens up for us.You can worry about it later. For now, let us do what we can do. That's what we all promisedourselves. Hope becomes fuel and burns hot."Know that we are being tested by Rimuru-sama. We are not so vulnerable that we must relyentirely on Rimuru-sama. But if we cannot do anything without Rimuru-sama, then -" Zegionsaid with strong conviction that those who are too weak to leave their parents' nests should bedestroyed according to the natural order of things.These are words that everyone can only sympathize with. "That's right," Benimaru agreed with alarge nod of his head. Thinking back, I think I have been relying on him since the time we firstmet. Benimaru remembers his former failure. He was so upset just because the connection withRimuru had been severed that he had caused extensive damage to his friends in the FarmusIncident. At that time, Benimaru made a vow. He vowed to be the kind of person whoHe vowed to be the kind of person who could lead others without relying on Rimuru. And that hewould never repeat such a tragedy again.Zegion, a newcomer to the group, reminded Benimaru of this determination. It was a bitterdisappointment for him, as the person who was entrusted by Rimuru to take care of the rest ofthe project. Now that Rimuru is no longer with them, the responsibility for all of this rests on Benimaru's shoulders. Now was the time for Benimaru to take a stand. No matter how anxioushe was, he should not show it. It was the responsibility and duty of a leader.So Benimaru smiled wryly. "Well, we have to prove to Rimuru-sama that we can handle it so thathe will not worry when he comes back."Benimaru spoke in his usual tone, to which Gobta nodded his head and cheerfully responded,"Exactly! Just because Rimuru-sama disappeared doesn't mean he is dead! He's a stubbornman, he'll come back to us even if something happens to him!"Rigur laughed at this comment. "Gobta! You're still talking like a jerk!" Rigur said, while droppinga fist on Gobta."Indeed. We've always depended on Rimuru-sama. As Benimaru-sama said, we should do ourwork to honor Rimuru-sama," Geld added gravely. All the executives nodded their heads inagreement."Right! You can't just depend on us all the time!" Gobta joked, sparking everyone's annoyanceand laughter.At this point, there was no one left to look down and lament. The time for lamenting was over."True, I became anxious just because Rimuru-sama was not here. Rimuru-sama would laugh atme like this!" Gabil also expressed his regret."Souei-dono's words make me doubt that Rimuru-sama has been eliminated, but it is impossiblefor Rimuru-sama to be defeated. It must be some kind of a plan," Geld also expressed hisopinion gravely. This also made everyone think that this possibility could not be denied."Yes, yes! Well, I trusted Rimuru and I wasn't worried at all!" Ramiris regained her energy andsaid in a good tone. The labyrinth group nodded in agreement."Exactly! Rimuru-sama can't lose!" said Kumara. The atmosphere was revitalized as everyoneexpressed their hopes for the future.Seeing this, Benimaru also thought, I wasn't the only one who relied on Rimuru-sama. I did notmean to spoil them, but their presence made a big difference. Just by being there, we all felt atease."It sounds good to rely on them, but it's the same thing as putting the responsibility on them,"Benimaru said casually but seriously. Everyone could think of something like that, and theirfaces tightened up."I think I've always left everything to him. This is a good opportunity. Let us get through thisdifficult time with our own power!" Benimaru declared.Rigurd nodded his head in agreement with Benimaru's declaration. "Yes, that's the spirit! Let'sdo our best so that we can welcome Rimuru-sama with smiles on our faces!"Souei followed him. He thanked Zegion lightly and expressed his regret. "I'm sorry, Zegion, fornot being cool about what I did."Souei, cool as always, was quietly burning with determination. Starting with this, everyone madea declaration of their determination one after another.Finally, Diablo started to laugh. "Kufufufu... Oh dear, I didn't need to give you anyencouragement, did I?"Zegion responded to Diablo's aloofness, "You're too much!""Is that so? If you don't wake up here, you're no good to Rimuru-sama, aren't you?" Diabloretorted."But that doesn't mean you have to waste your power in the face of the enemy," Testarossainterjected.Diablo laughed as he was passed over. On the large screen, there was an image of the "enemy"marching through the labyrinth. As Zegion said, this is not the time to argue among ourselves.Still, this was a necessary ritual. At least, if they could not change their minds at this point,defeat would be what awaited them after the battle. Diablo had read it all. But now that worrywas gone."You are right, Zegion. We must prove to Rimuru-sama that we can fight on our own so that hewill not be disappointed. There is no time to be discouraged here. We must quickly destroy thefools who have invaded the labyrinth, and at the same time, we must go to the rescue ofCarrera and the others who are now in the ice. Now that everyone's consciousness hasswitched, it's not impossible," Diablo said."Yes, that's the plan. Let's quickly settle this world and have Rimuru-sama come back to us,"Testarossa said with a smile. She continued, stating her plan for the future, "If Veldora-sama hasgone to Ultima, we don't need to worry anymore. Then I will go to help Carrera."Diablo nodded. "I know you're going to ask why I'm helping you, but we have to rescueMilim-sama's men, too. I'm counting on you."With these words, Testarossa moved. Now that she had approved the plan, there was nohesitation in her decision. After looking away from Testarossa, Benimaru turned his attentionback to Diablo."So, Diablo, what are you going to do?"Diablo looked at the big screen, smiled wryly, and said what he really meant. "I was going to getrid of Feldway and give this world to Rimuru-sama, but I've changed my mind. If we don'tstrengthen the defense of this land, we may be disobeying Rimuru-sama's order."The tone was casual, but the content was something that could not be ignored. Zegion reactedwith a start.Benimaru asked on behalf of everyone, "What? Do you think they are a threat?"Benimaru also looked at the image of the enemy. The information of the enemy was displayedon the screen, and the approximate existence value of the enemy was also calculated anddisplayed. They were Vega, Dino, Pico and Garasha, and Mai Furuki, the "Seven Angels ofDeath." Each of them exceeded the figure of one million easily, and some of them exceeded tenmillion. They were definitely a threat, but not enough to bother Diablo, Benimaru thought."Sure, I'm not at my best right now, but Zegion is here too. You are free to move around withoutany concern," Diablo did not change his mind."Just in case, you know. Of course, it doesn't mean I don't believe in Zegion," Diablo responded."Don't worry about it. I'm just doing my job," Zegion said with conviction. His words were filledwith his determination to protect all the beings in the labyrinth. If you've made up your mind, I'm going to go now," Zegion said, always unfazed. He turned hisback and walked away, followed by Apito, who bowed and left. The labyrinth had the strongestguardian, Zegion. There was nothing to fear.Ramiris' expression softened at this reassurance. "Well, well. With Zegion-chan, we are safe."Beretta and Treyni, who had remained silent, could not help but nod their heads at these words.It was frustrating, but everyone agreed that Zegion was a capable man."I'm going to concentrate on my recovery," Geld said, closing his eyes. He suppressed hisimpetuousness to fulfill his role, saying that it was his job to rest now."I, too, must rest before my turn!" Gabil was also badly injured, though not as badly as Geld. Hewas more mana-depleted than Geld and was out of gas. His wounds were healed, but hisphysical recovery had not caught up with the others. Like Geld, he was right to rest now.Gabil was also worried about the old Eurazania, which he said was iced over. He was worriedabout his friends Carrera and the others, but he was also concerned about the safety of Suphia,who unexpectedly became his girlfriend. If it were true, he would have run away, ignoring hisinjuries. But Gabil had a responsibility. He had to understand what he could do and what he hadto do now, and he had to do it. Gabil swallowed his many thoughts and devoted himself to hismedical treatment.Thus, the executives of Tempest began to move. Their faces were full of power, their anxietydispelled. They were shining with strong will. They were no longer the children who could donothing without Rimuru, as Zegion had said. They knew their roles and were doing their best tofulfill them. They would not disgrace the name of Demon Lord Rimuru. They aimed to have thereturning Rimuru recognize and praise their abilities. Now was the time for them to leave theprotection of their Name Granter (Rimuru).
You came, Luminas thought.Veldora stood calm and unruffled before Dagruel. Naturally, unlike Luminas, who was powerlesswhen time stood still, Veldora could move through the Suspended World as if it were secondnature.Looking at Veldora, Luminas felt a pang of absurdity. The despair of the past seemed trivial now.The tension that had built up in anticipation of death dissipated, replaced by an inexplicablesense of relief. Yet, it was a feeling Luminas didn’t want to acknowledge.That's ridiculous. How could I be relieved just because Veldora is here? Luminas pushedthese thoughts aside and focused on the present situation."Kwah-ha-ha-ha!" Veldora’s laugh echoed. Even in this critical moment, he was as carefree asever, a sight that brought Luminas unexpected comfort. In the standstill of time, no one couldhear Veldora's voice except Dagruel, who had activated the Suspended World. Yet, Veldora’sspirited demeanor remained unchanged.What are you fooling around for?! The hateful tone belonged to an old enemy.Oh, right. She's here too, isn't she? Luminas remembered Ultima's presence.In the Suspended World, the nature of Veldora’s transcendence of time and space involvedUltima. That makes sense.For Luminas, who had only just recognized the Suspended World, the events unfolding beforeher were incomprehensible. Yet, if it was real, as Ultima claimed, there was no time to bedumbfounded. Luminas, conscious but unable to move, heard Ultima’s unrelenting voice in herconfused state."So, how do you feel? Are you aware of the situation?" Ultima asked."Well, yes. I'm not fully aware, but I understand we're out of immediate danger," Luminasreplied without hesitation.Ultima smiled. "Hmm, it's your first time experiencing the Suspended World, yet you canrecognize voices and have a conversation. You're pretty good at this, aren't you? Aworthy opponent, indeed."Although Ultima hadn't experienced the Suspended World many times, she didn't need to revealthat. She sought to assert her superiority, then aim to reconcile the situation."If you can talk, you can see them, right?" Ultima continued."Of course I can. That damned evil dragon is glaring at Dagruel," Luminas responded, asher Ultra Intuition began to grasp the situation, albeit dimly. Only Veldora and Dagruel movedfreely. Though Ultima spoke confidently, she wasn’t yet accustomed to moving."Hmm. So it's possible to interfere with the 'information particles'?" Luminas pondered.No light, no sound transmission. The Suspended World’s recognition required interference witha special matter, smaller than spirits or photons, connected to the world’s core. Luminasunderstood this substance as what Ultima called "information particles.""If we can move these 'information particles' freely, we can move even in stopped time,right?" Luminas asked."Exactly. I think I've already got a feel for it," Ultima said, regaining feeling in her limbs. Onceshe did, navigating the Suspended World would be as natural as breathing.I won't be outdone, Luminas resolved. She sharpened her senses, grasping her inner self andthe surrounding matter, selectively moving the unbounded "information particles."Luminas' fingertips twitched."That's good," Ultima remarked. "It's a race."Time stood still, but there was no time to lose. The outcome of Veldora and Dagruel’s battle wasuncertain. They had to be ready to move before it was decided. Luminas and Ultima honed theirsenses, competing with each other in readiness.While the others began to resist time, the conversation between Veldora and Dagruel continued."Veldora, huh? How did you manage to appear at the perfect moment?"It was incomprehensible to Dagruel that 'Spatial Transportation' was performed in the middle ofthe "Suspended World." It was an insane act to come from a distant place with pinpointaccuracy, even if it was within the visible range."Well, you know what I mean. Heroes always make a good appearance," Veldora answered in aknowing manner to Dagruel's question. It was not the answer he was hoping for, but Dagruelwas satisfied because it was Veldora's way.To Dagruel, Veldora made a ridiculous proposal."So, Dagruel. I'd like to talk to you about something.""What is it?""If time stands still, won't people know how good-looking I am?"Dagruel thought to himself, What the hell is he talking about?Once time is stopped, there is not much effort to maintain it. However, it is a hassle in its ownway, so there is no need to deal with it. This aspect also shows Dagruel's good relationship withVeldora.Veldora said, "If you can move anyway, there is no reason to keep stopping time. That's why Iwant you to start over.""Hmm?""I want to make my appearance again just in time for time to start moving. I'll catch your fist rightin front of Luminas' eyes."""..."That's how I need to impress Luminas.""May I ask why?""What, it's simple. I've done many things in my time. Luminas has a bit of a grudge against me.I'm here to make a good impression on her and ingratiate myself to make it all go away."Even Dagruel was disgusted by this story that did not benefit him in the slightest. Therefore, heretorted as if he were soothing a child."Hmmm. I'm going to cancel 'Time Stop' myself, but there's no reason for me to go along withyour farce."He had a good point. Yes, Dagruel had no reason to go along with Veldora. He was agood-natured guy even if he was just listening to him. In fact, if you are dealing with someonewho can move in the "Suspended World," there is no point in stopping time. It would have beenpointless, as it would have wasted time and energy.But that is the case when there is only one opponent. The moment Dagruel releases thetime-stopping state, he has to deal not only with Veldora but also with Luminas. Shion will berevived by Luminas, even though she is down now. This would be more troublesome than now,so it was worthwhile to keep the "Suspended World."However, Dagruel was concerned that not only Ultima but also Luminas might recognize the"information particle" and that the current advantage might be lost if this situation continued.Dagruel was concerned that the current advantage would be lost. If so, it would be like lettingthe enemy gain experience. If that is the case, I would like to cancel the "Suspended World" assoon as possible, but Veldora keeps on complaining."Well, aren’t you a breath of fresh air? Since I have bowed down to you so much, why don't youlend me a favor?” he insisted, as if it were a matter of course, with his selfish logic.Dagruel let out a big sigh of exhaustion. And then there was Luminas, who could understandDagruel's feelings very well.(You rotten lizard, I'll shimmy you later!) Luminas turned red and became furious. If she couldhave moved now, she would have kicked him. Veldora's attitude was so infuriating that shemight be able to move in anger. Perhaps he thought that Luminas would not hear him becauseof the "Suspended World," but he was so careless that his true feelings were leaking out.I'll hurt you later, Luminas promised herself.Veldora was free. Dagruel was disgusted. Luminas was angry. Ultima quietly understood the"information particle." In the midst of these conflicting thoughts and more chaotic situations, thestrange phenomenon continued.It was Shion who caused it. Her eyes remained closed. Wounds all over her body remainedopen, blood continued to flow... Yes, it's unnatural. In the "Suspended World," no matter howbadly you are injured, blood never flows out. It is only natural since even the heart has stopped.And yet, Shion's blood was flowing.Shion moved with a swaying motion. Her bloodshot eyes widened, and she stood up like aghost."What?"Before Dagruel's astonishment, Shion took a deep breath."Shion...you understand 'Suspended World'?" Dagruel muttered involuntarily."Mmm, Shion, now that's me..."Veldora, who sensed that he was about to be deprived of her turn, talked to Shion awkwardly.However, Shion spoke up in response."Ve, Veldora-sama...that man is my prize. Will you give him to me?" Shion asked Veldora,holding a large sword as a walking stick and breathing on her shoulder."Uh-huh." Veldora nodded his head in a muffled manner. The atmosphere was such that it wasimpossible to say no.Veldora, who had a bad idea, and Shion, who had a different attitude and spirit. Veldora's onlychoice was to be dressed up and watch Shion's request."Hmmm, okay! I'll lend you a little help. Fight to your heart's content!" Veldora responded whilesupporting Shion who was about to fall down. Then, he poured energy into Shion to help herrecover.(I said I'd lend it to her, but I couldn't give it to her. I said I'd lend you some, but you tookit from me without reservation...)Veldora, deprived of magicule by Shion, almost wobbled, but he endured desperately."Oh, thank you very much...""Don't worry about it." He smiled brightly and cried in his heart. Veldora sent Shion off.Dagruel stood tall like a towering wall. Standing in front of him, Shion readied her daggers withdelight."I've kept you waiting, haven't I? So, I will entertain you a little more this time.""Hmm. Well, I'll take you at your word." The two nodded at each other comfortably, and then faced each other again."I must live up to your expectations!"In the frozen world, the real battle between Dagruel and Shion was about to begin.Shion reflected on the situation. Inside Shion's mind, tempers flared. She was angry thatDagruel had taken advantage of her and that she was no match for him. Anger at the fact thather own men and those of the SS were being defeated. A sense of helplessness in the face ofan unreasonable reality. Feelings of inadequacy and frustration, and envy for the strong. Sheswallowed all these feelings and suppressed them with her calm judgment.Anger was the driving force. She did not run wild as she used to do. She thought about whatshe could do and what she could not do. Shion did not hesitate. She did not hate heropponents, but observed them with her soul. Shion already knew that good or evil—initself—has no meaning. In the midst of battle, unnecessary information is useless. Can weconquer it or not? That was all that mattered.Shion put aside her swirling emotions and accepted things as they were. Following Rimuru'swords, Shion put them into practice. No matter how absurd and difficult the idealism may be,she did so honestly and simply. As a result, Shion had come to intuit the essence of things withher soul.Shion's intuition was demonstrated in the battle against Dagruel. Shion felt Dagruel's bottomlessand overwhelming awesomeness even before the battle. Hidden in his gentle appearance,hidden before, was a raging soul, a fierceness that she had never noticed before. Or perhapsthat is the ultimate perfection that Shion is striving for. Dagruel embodies this, and it makesShion shudder.If one thinks about it calmly, the difference in power between Dagruel and Shion is obvious. Itwas obvious that they could not even compete on the same level. But still. Shion did not havethe word 'retreat' in her vocabulary.Rimuru's plan was perfect. There must be a reason why Shion was placed here, because it hadto be so. Therefore, there was no reason for Shion to retreat unless she was ordered to do so.This was Shion's thinking. She genuinely believed in Rimuru. In a sense, it was anabandonment of thought. However, for Shion, Rimuru's order was supreme and everything.(Rimuru-sama would not let us die in vain without doing something. This situation musthave a meaning... then I will do my best to obey until new orders are given.)A person without hesitation is strong. Shion did not fear even death, but maintained the frontline with undaunted determination. It was this kind of Shion that moved the heart of Luminas.The noble Blood-sucking Princess hated to be defiled. That's why Luminas had plannedeverything and set up a trap with a perfect lineup.Since the trap was broken, there was no possibility of victory left. Even Shion could understandthis, so how could the wise Luminas not understand it?The right thing to do was to join Rimuru's forces guarding the labyrinth of Ramiris whilepreserving as much strength as possible. Shion, who had so much thought of this, did notresent Luminas' choice. On the contrary, 'A wise Luminas would quickly get out of thisbattle zone. At least, she would stop Luminas from leaving this battlefield.(Luminas-sama's help was unexpected. If it had been only me, I would have beendefeated a long time ago. But it was a choice like 'fufufu,' if I may say so.)Demon Lord Luminas was not what Shion had expected. But that made Shion happy. It wasreassuring to know that you have friends you can trust. Shion was glad to have touched theheart of Luminas in the end, even if she would have to die here, or even more so.Dagruel was strong. Shion realized this when she actually crossed swords with him. Dagruelwas still hiding his power, Shion was sure of it. If he really wanted to, she would be easilyswallowed up by his power. Defeat is certain. But if even that was what Rimuru wanted, Shion'srole was obvious. She must find out the true nature of Dagruel, and then lead it to the next step.With this determination, Shion's challenges, which could be called reckless, were repeated.Shion wielded her sword as if it were a model of what Dagruel should be. Shion wielded hersword as if it were a model for Dagruel, the man he should aspire to be.Then, after repeating "death and rebirth" by the power of Luminas...Time stands still. On the edge of Shion's perception, the world has lost its color.Not yet! It's not over yet! Shion tries to roar with spirit, but her body does not respond. Shestays still, unable to get up. In fact, she could not even open her mouth. She could not moveeven for a second. Only her consciousness continued to be puzzled. But Shion does not giveup. The colors fading from the world are burned into her mind. That moment must be the causeof this mysterious phenomenon.(Then, all we have to do is to reproduce it!)It was an absurd theory. Unless we are guided by a great destiny like a Hero, it is impossible forus to control time with our unique level of power. But, but... Shion neither knew nor cared aboutsuch truths. If there is a possibility, the only thing left to do is to do it.Shion activates the Unique Skill 'Cook' and remakes her body. As a result, her body, which hadbeen optimized over and over again, accepted Shion's request this time. The only thing thatmatters is the result. Shion had transcended logic and made the "Suspended World" her own.But it was only a process. The goal was far, far away, and Shion was still a challenger.A sword flashed in the air. It is a metaphor, for in a world without light, swords would not sparkle.But with a sharpness that can only be described as such, Shion's sword strike struck Dagruel. Inthe "Suspended World" where all physical binding power has been lost, Dagruel was in controlof his body with his own will. He hardened his own body harder than a vajra stone and caughtShion's blow with both arms.As a result, Dagruel fell to the ground on both knees. Dagruel was unable to catch the force ofShion's sword as it came down from the top and was engulfed by the force of the blow
In the Suspended World, there is no vibration of air. All connections are severed, preventing thetransmission of energy and the exertion of will. Under these conditions, the body feels as if it'sscraping through a dense medium, making it impossible to gain propulsive force by kicking theground. The force of such an action would only gouge the earth, causing the foot to slip, muchlike Dagruel’s.In this world, the laws of physics don’t apply, and magical laws are almost entirely ineffective.The battle under these conditions is unlike any other. Dagruel, with a surge of power, repelledShion’s sword. This time, Shion was firmly planted on the ground with both feet.After several rounds of sword and fist exchanges, both fighters began to adapt. Dagruel reliedon his instincts, and Shion learned from the ongoing fight. The battle grew more intense, not justin appearance but in the attack and defense of authority.Dagruel, being an ultimate life form close to a True Dragon, does not possess an Ultimate Skill.Just swinging his fist generates destructive force that defies physics, causing localizeddestruction when released. However, in the Suspended World, these powers are meaningless,greatly limiting Dagruel's abilities. At this point, fate began to favor Shion.Shion swung her sword with a clear mind and quick reflexes. Despite this, she couldn't reachDagruel, who deflected all of Shion's strikes with his bare hands.“Wow, so many blows and yet no damage,” Dagruel remarked genuinely. His body, hardenedwith the power of ‘destruction of all things,’ made the compliment sincere.“Of course! My beloved sword was given to me by Rimuru-sama. I love it so much that it is nowlike a part of my body!” Shion replied. She polished the sword daily, infusing it with her demonicenergy. It had become an extension of her, reaching the mythical-grade of "Hercules Deluxe,"which is why it remained unbroken in the Suspended World, allowing Shion to survive Dagruel'sdestructive power.Dagruel was a phenomenon, possessing powers equivalent to Ultimate Skills, such asHardening Transformation, Destruction of All Things, Magic Nullification, Attribute Neutralization,and Quake Wave. He was known as the “Continent’s Wrath.” Normally, Shion stood no chanceagainst him. Dagruel transcended both physics and magic, making close combat a suicidalmove. However, Shion adapted, using her Unique Skill ‘Cook’ to produce the results shedesired, constantly optimizing herself.Shion emulated Dagruel, trying to incorporate his powers. “I don’t believe it. You think you’re asgood as me with that kind of power?” Dagruel was amazed. Shion’s Unique Skill ‘Cook’ allowedher to hold her own, even with a significant energy disparity.Despite the fierce battle, Shion’s imitation couldn't match the real thing. But her luck hadn’t runout yet. Veldora was present, ready to intervene.“Hm, it’s about time for my...” Veldora began, but a hand touched him, causing a suddenweakness. “Gaaaaww!” Veldora’s panicked gaze fell on Luminas, who was recovering fromwounds.Luminas, absorbing Veldora’s vitality, spat, “Hmph! I’ll be punished for being late!” Her bloodcolor improved as she regained strength and her clothes regenerated. “You just stand there andwatch.”With Veldora out of the way, Luminas joined Shion in the fight against Dagruel. Ultima was alsoready. “I can’t lose to Shion-san. Don’t forget about me!” Known for her rapid growth, Ultima hadmastered the "information particle," fighting more freely than in the real world.Dagruel, seeing the new arrivals, lamented, “Oh dear, we’ve lost our advantage!” TheSuspended World was now a hindrance against Shion, so Dagruel canceled it.As time resumed, the battlefield’s noise hit their ears. Ultima, ready to challenge Dagruel,returned to her opponent, Fenn. Veldora placed a hand on Shion’s shoulder. “Shion, you foughtwell. But the only reason you could fight Dagruel was because you were in the SuspendedWorld. Now that time has moved on, the world is governed by the laws of physics again.Dagruel’s restrictions are lifted, and his supernatural powers are unleashed.” Shion thanked Veldora but didn’t fully grasp the warning. Her instincts, however, recognized thedanger. Paralyzed by fear, Shion kicked the ground, launching herself like a cannonball towardsDagruel, swinging “Hercules Deluxe.” Dagruel caught the blade with his bare hands, theirpowers clashing in a fierce battle.Luminas and Veldora watched over the clash. Luminas, sternly asked, “What are you doing?”Veldora remained silent, disheartened by Shion’s disregard for his advice. He decided to staysilent, feeling he had missed the right moment to act.Shion, despite her regenerative abilities and Luminas’ healing magic, faced overwhelming odds.Dagruel’s destructive power couldn’t deliver a decisive blow, leading to a seemingly endlessbattle. Dagruel, with a bitter expression, praised Shion. “My goodness, you’ve really got me firedup, Shion!” He unleashed his immense power, causing a violent tidal wave on land, dissolvingmolecular bonds and laying waste to everything.In this moment of despair, Shion couldn’t stand, tossed around by the violent forces. Luminashad no time to help, and Veldora, characteristically, did not move without Shion’s call for help.Shion’s body and mind reached their limit, but then, something deep within her broke loose.“Rimuru-sama?” Shion was stunned. The pain was overwhelming, but she felt a suddenloss—Rimuru was gone from this world, bringing true despair. Her mind filled with emptiness,swallowed by despair. For Shion, Rimuru was everything. Without him, all meaning faded.“Woooooooooooooooooooooooooo!” Shion howled, rage covering her despair, activating hersurvival instincts. She felt a response to her fury, as if a voice was calling back to her.56-66
"What?"At that moment, Dagruel noticed something strange. He was distracted by the pain in his brain,but there was something else wrong. Incredibly—yes, unbelievably, but unrealistically—Dagruelwas on his knees on the ground. He could not get up."What happened?"Dagruel read his memory again. Shion did not defend. She had done her best to counterattack,perhaps realizing that she would not be able to defend herself completely. She slashed"Hercules Deluxe" from below to counter Dagruel's attack from above. Normally, the bladewould never have reached Dagruel because it would have been repelled by the violence of themaelstrom buster. The difference in power was that great, but at the moment of intersection,Shion's blade disappeared as if in a haze. It was as if the blade had defied the laws of physicsand struck Dagruel directly."No way... Guaranteed Outcome? Did Shion perform 'causality manipulation' on me?"Dagruel's understanding was correct. Shion had already had the experience of reachingDagruel with her blade on several occasions. Although she had not been able to inflict muchdamage, she had certainly been able to "hit" him. So for Shion, it was a simple matter toreproduce the phenomenon.The power of the Ultimate Skill 'Susanoo' is 'Thought Acceleration, Universal Perception,Demon Lord Haki, Guaranteed Outcome, Infinite Regeneration, Behavioral Alteration,Emptiness Offsetting, Illusion Destruction, Spacetime Manipulation, MultidimensionalBarrier'—all outstandingly diverse and useful. Among them, 'Infinite Outcome' and 'IllusionDestruction' are the most dangerous ones, and if combined, they could kill even Rimuru, as Cielwarned. Since Shion made full use of these powers, it is natural that Shion's true Chaotic Fategave Dagruel a severe blow.However, Shion herself would not be safe. Shion was also directly hit by Dagruel's Chaotic Fate,and her 'Ultraspeed Regeneration' or even 'Infinite Regeneration' should have killed herinstantly. But that is only if Shion was alone."Rebirth!"Luminas's beautiful voice echoed through the battlefield. The voice of Luminas echoed on thebattlefield to save Shion by the hand of God before the violence of Dagruel shattered her soul.Shion, who was destined to die, was rescued from the brink of death by Demon Lord Luminas'Ultimate Skill 'Lustful King Asmodeus'.Shion stood proudly against Dagruel, who knelt on the ground. The victory was clear for all tosee."Uh-huh. Thank you for saving my life, Luminas-sama.""You dummy... what were you going to do if I couldn't save you?"In that case, Shion would have died. Shion's strategy had worked, as she had hoped thatLuminas would surely be able to save her."Of course, I believed that Luminas-sama would do something about it!"Hearing this, Luminas let out a big sigh of exasperation. She shook her head and smiled."Don't call me 'sama'. You can call me Luminas.""—!""Are you dissatisfied?""No, Luminas, from this day on you are my friend!"Very straightforwardly, Shion smiled and showed her goodwill."Hmph! You can think whatever you like!"Luminas responded with a bright red cheek, as if embarrassed. Then, she turned away fromShion with a tsuntsun.Veldora, who was watching the battle, also saw Luminas talking with Shion. He guessed thatthis was a tsundere, but he had enough sense not to say anything about it. For now, he wasmore concerned about joining in the conversation and getting out of the "botch.""Quahhhhhh! That was really brilliant. That was really brilliant, Shion!"Veldora laughed with amusement. Veldora was convinced that they had mingled naturally. Buthe was naive."The evil lizard is still here?"Luminas gave him a cold stare. The warm look she had given Shion was replaced by a gaze socold that even the flames seemed to freeze.Veldora's heart core was almost broken by Luminas' cold attitude. He felt like running away, buthe held back and pretended to be unconcerned."Of course, of course. I was watching over you because I was worried about you!""Really?" Veldora emphasized. "Shion, you have exceeded my expectations! Well done! I amimpressed!"While praising Shion in this way, Veldora tried to somehow warm up the cool air."Enough is enough," Luminas thought. Actually, she was not that angry. In fact, she was gratefulfor the help. However, she hesitated to express her gratitude. She felt that Veldora might takeadvantage of it, and moreover, Luminas was not able to be honest with Veldora.For this reason, Luminas decided to end the discussion at this point."Well, it would be too early to let up."Even though they defeated the enemy general Dagruel, the war was still going on. They werenot ready to relax yet. And just like that, Luminas' fears came true. The defeat of Dagruelaffected morale, and the atmosphere on the battlefield became harsh on the Titans. The fall ofthe generals buoyed the Titans. That was fatal on the battlefield.Glassord was also upset, and his sword became dull. As a result, Albert was beginning tooverwhelm him. Fenn also clucked his tongue and tried to rush to the rescue, but Ultima did notallow him to do so. She is not the kind of person who would overlook the enemy's weakness, soshe attacked him at the right moment. Adalmann was no different. In return, he and Ultimaworked in close cooperation and hunted down Fenn.Victory seemed imminent, but then, a loud laugh broke out on the battlefield. The owner of thatspine-chillingly powerful laugh was Dagruel, whom Shion had just defeated."Ha-ha-ha-ha! No way, huh? I never thought I would be made to kneel on the ground. Iunderestimated you, Shion. I apologize."Saying this, Dagruel stood up nonchalantly. Shion felt that the response was real. She hadsucceeded in reducing Dagruel's Energy significantly, although she had not inflicted any seriouswounds. Yet, Dagruel did not seem to respond."No need to apologize. I am ashamed that I thought I had beaten him.""Ha-ha-ha! Don't be modest. No one has ever been able to make me bleed since Veldanava.You should be proud, Shion!"True to his words, blood still trickled down from Dagruel's brain to his forehead. And, due toShion's vicious power, it showed no sign of recovery. Nevertheless, Dagruel's haki was gainingmomentum. An eerie feeling was hanging over the battlefield centering on Dagruel.Sensing this, Shion and Luminas braced themselves. But here, there was one who rejoiced. Itwas Veldora, of all people."Ku ku ku...you are Dagruel, after all. That's the man who used to be my rival!"With these words, Veldora walked up to Dagruel."Shion, you may rest there."And then, Veldora and Dagruel faced each other."After all, I am your opponent, am I not?""Yes, I am. If you were going to come out, we should have done this on our own."Dagruel's goal is Luminas, but if Veldora interferes with that goal, the priorities change. Theimportance of the two was very different. For Dagruel, for lack of a better term, "this is no time tobe dealing with wood chips.""You should return to your true self so that you will not regret it. Let's do our best to settle ourdifferences!"Veldora said in a loud voice. Dagruel nodded in agreement."Very well! Let's see who's better, the dragon or the giant!"75-86Both of them glared at each other happily."Today is the day I'll make you understand that I'm superior!""I won't hold back, Veldora, you too!"Both shouted at the same time. They transformed into their true forms simultaneously. Veldorachanged into Dragon Mode, and Dagruel summoned his brothers."Glassord, Fenn, come. Now is the time to show our power!"The brothers answered his call. Glassord bowed to Albert and joined Dagruel. Fenn kickedAdalmann, who was clinging to him, and punched Ultima, who had taken him by surprise."Damn, they're a bunch of weaklings. I'll deal with them later," he said, returning to Dagruel. Andso, the three brothers were reunited."Open the door, Ashura!"By Dagruel's order, the ancient seal was broken. The three brothers—Dagruel, Glassord, andFenn—were enveloped in a dazzling light. It was the return of the mythical god of destruction. Athree-faced, six-armed titanic god with unimaginable energy was revealed.Thus, Dagruel's preparations were complete."Kwah-ha-ha-ha! Dagruel, is that your true nature?""Yes, it is. Be prepared, Veldora, for I am not so kind now!"The heavens cried, and the earth trembled. A mythical battle was about to begin between thosewho possessed supernatural powers that could destroy the world.Shion and her team realized at first sight that the Giant God was a formidable being. Theoverwhelming haki released from Dagruel, which had merged with his brothers, was truly worthyof being called a god. The atmosphere vibrated, and thunder roared. It was as if the heavenswere frightened by the might of Dagruel. Shion and the others were so overwhelmed by thestrange atmosphere that they could not speak.Luminas barely managed to speak her mind. "What a monster... I can't handle it."This was the impression that all the people who had seen him must have had. There was nopoint in being patient. If they were going to die a dog's death, it was better to run away with achance of survival. However, because Veldora was facing such a giant god, the expressions onthe faces of Shion and Luminas were more relaxed. No, it was a sign of resignation. They knewthat their fate would be over once Veldora was defeated. In other words, it was as if they had lefteverything to Veldora. It was easy now, and they were less fearful. Shion and Luminas decidedto watch the game as if they were spectators.Veldora shouted to Shion and the others. "Shion, when the battle begins, defend yourselveswith all your might. With your power, you will be able to unite everyone's strength to youradvantage."Veldora's voice became a 'Telepathy Net' that reached the entire battlefield. "Adalmann, Albert,and the scattered blood-sucking demons (vampires) will all cooperate with Shion. If one of usfails to do our part, we will all be caught in the middle of this and be obliterated! Quahhhhhh!"Dagruel did not stop there either. Like Veldora, he prioritized the safety of his men. "Basara, doyou understand the situation? Secure the safety of your men as soon as possible."Basara was now engaged in a heated battle against Louis and Gunther. The mood was reallygood, but the king's order was the only way to comply with it. "I'll wait a little longer to settle thematter. But if Dagruel-sama defeats Veldora, the aftermath will be a disaster for you."As soon as Basara said these words, he called together the Five Warrior Generals under hiscommand and started to rebuild his forces. Louis and Gunther had no objection."They were very strong, weren't they?""Well, it's the famous 'Four-armed'. He's not ready yet.""I guess he hasn't. I wasn't serious either, but let's see who has more tricks up their sleeve..."Louis did not see the point in winning or losing on the field. He was saving his strength to be ofuse to Luminas when the generals would finally decide who would win. However, this was nolonger necessary. They did not expect that Veldora, their old enemy, would fight on their behalf,but now there was no room for them to intervene. It was annoying that Veldora was giving themsuch high-handed instructions, but since Luminas was in favor of this situation, Louis andGunther had no objection to it. Veldora took charge of the situation as if it were a matter ofcourse, and gave orders as if they were decisions.The last person he called out to was the fainting sons of Dagruel."Dagura, Liura, Debura, don't sleep! Dagura, Liura, Debura!"The three brothers jumped up after being hit by a loud 'thought.' Veldora confirmed this andcontinued. "Watch what is about to happen. We are about to defeat your father!"Veldora finished gravely. The three brothers were speechless at the unusual and heroicappearance of Veldora. However, they seemed to understand that something extraordinary wasabout to happen, and they nodded their heads in a panic. Not only the three brothers, buteveryone was pressured by the serious atmosphere of Veldora.What was about to happen was a battle of mythical proportions. They must be witnesses to thebattle and pass it on to the next generation. The atmosphere of Veldora was unusually serious,which impressed not only Shion and the others but also Luminas. Well, only Luminas was a bitskeptical...As a matter of fact, she was right on the mark."Kuku, now I look pretty good! Everyone is amazed at my brave figure! This is it! This is whatI've been waiting for!" Veldora was thinking of something that would ruin the atmosphere. It is fortunate for everyonethat no one noticed Veldora's true intentions.The myth was reenacted. Dagruel, the incarnation of tyranny, and Veldora, the incarnation ofwindstorm. The common element in their powers was "thunder." Dagruel could manipulate thedifference in electric potential between the atmosphere and the earth at will, thanks to his ownsupernatural ability. Therefore, he was able to use lightning, the most powerful means of attack in the natural world, and the same was true for Veldora. Veldora could generate lightningnaturally by circulating his own energy.Inevitably, both Veldora and Dagruel were highly resistant to lightning. Therefore, it would bemeaningless to just hit each other with lightning blasts. Yet, Veldora and Dagruel convertedeach other's fighting aura into lightning and hit each other. The lightning, which was so powerfulthat it could obliterate an army of 10,000 men in an instant, dissipated in the air, unable to eventouch each other's skin. This was the result of the 'Barrier' they were wearing, which caused thedifferent energies to interfere with each other and create a vast column of lightning over a vastarea of the battlefield.Within a few minutes, the battlefield became a screaming inferno. Both sides had set updefensive positions in advance, so there were no casualties. However, they were so exhaustedthat it was difficult for them to maintain their defensive positions.They thought to each other, "This is not good. We would not be able to witness the myth, but wewould all perish as collateral damage."As soon as Luminas realized this, she shouted. "Evil dragon! This is why I don't like people whodon't know how to take it easy!"It's no use complaining, but Luminas was very harsh because of the trouble she had sufferedfrom Veldora many times. It was just a way of venting her frustration, but someone elseresponded to her."I understand. If our generals get really violent, it's not good for the people below us."It was Basara. They were worried about the strength of the 'Defense Barrier' they had built bythemselves, so they approached the Luminas group thinking of using them as a shield. As the'Barrier' of the two camps made contact with each other, Luminas' complaint was heard.Basara just muttered a few words in agreement. He did not think that Luminas could hear him,and he had no other intention. However, Luminas was a hell-ear. She noticed Basara's replyand glanced at him."Hmmm. If we continue like this, both camps' 'Barriers' will falter. If that happens, only a few willsurvive..."The Titans would be wiped out, even if their own camp was not. Luminas did not want toexterminate the Titans. She and Dagruel were on bad terms, but that was because of a grudge.She thought that it would be bad for her sleep to take all of them with her in their quarrel. Shewanted to save the lives she could, if possible. There was only one chance that all of them couldsurvive.There was a moment of hesitation. Luminas decided to speak to Basara."Basara, I have a proposal for you, since I believe you are brave enough to defeat Louis andGunther."It was a thought that echoed through the minds of the entire army. This meant that thenegotiations were taking place in a situation where even the ends of both camps were listening.Basara steeled himself against answering carelessly."I'm listening, Blood-sucking demon queen.""You must cooperate with me.""What?""We must all form a defensive formation. We'll need to gather all of our strength and have Shionreinforce it."This was the answer that Luminas came up with. On this battlefield, it is difficult for people whohave been enemies to suddenly cooperate with each other. However, if they did not do it, theywould all die. Basara understood this."This is a proposal, but in effect, it is our salvation..."If only Luminas with Shion could survive, they might be able to survive. Certainly, it would beeasier if Basara and the others cooperated. Even considering that, it was not enough reason tohelp their arch-enemy."I mean, it would be better to take advantage of this situation and get rid of us. And yet, thisqueen is so kind."
"We're no match for her," Basara thought. "I'll be glad to take you up on your offer. You fellowshave nothing to complain about?"The Titans responded! They responded. Thus, Luminas' proposal was unanimously accepted.Thus, everyone survived.Dagruel manipulated waves at will. Shaking the earth could cause earthquakes, and shaking theatmosphere could generate electrical discharges. It was also easy to create a vacuum wave byintentionally manipulating air currents. However, this did not work with Veldora. It was natural.Veldora, after all, was an incarnation of a windstorm. Dagruel was well aware of this, and therewas nothing to panic about now. They had been quarreling with each other for many years, andthey knew each other's nature very well. Nevertheless, the story is different now.With his own full power—now that he had become a part of the Trinity—Dagruel thought hewould have the upper hand against Veldora."Come to think of it, this is the first time I've tested this power on you.""Hmm. I must tell you, I'm not the same as I used to be.""Give me that. I've prepared an excuse for you if I lose!"It was the first time that Dagruel had released his true power since his defeat at the hands ofVeldanava. Even if Fenn had not been sealed, he would not have needed his power. Dagruelhimself was that strong. But now that he had become an Ashura, even his former self seemedsmall. Dagruel realized that his blood was boiling and he was excited.Now was the time to face off against his long-time opponent. He was convinced that Veldora,once his equal, was no match for the Trinity. Magic would not work. Now that he had three facesand six arms, he had no blind spot. Even before that, his body, which had reached the highesthardness, even surpassing that of a vajra stone by his 'hardening ability,' could repel any attack.For example, even if a Glassord with a mythical-grade body attacked the current Trinity(Ashura), it would not be able to inflict even a single wound on him. That is how invincibleDagruel is now.So, he said arrogantly, "Let me have some fun, Veldora!"
To which Veldora replied with a laugh, "Kwah-ha-ha-ha!”“Stop laughing! Bark when you win."Even in front of Dagruel, Veldora was the same as usual. No fear, no pride, no overconfidencein his own strength. He was simply and genuinely ready for battle. It was the way of a warrior.Veldora understood this. If he lost, Luminas and Shion would not survive either. Veldora wouldnot allow it. Now that he had a burden to bear, Veldora was serious despite his playfulness.The battle that began in this way resembled a great battle of monsters. Veldora shot amonstrous ray of light—Thunderstorm—from his mouth. He charged magicule particlescompressed inside his body and shot them out as a cannonball. Accelerated to sub-light speed,it was as powerful as a charged particle cannon. Naturally, it was impossible to avoid it, and justas it was about to hit Dagruel with a discharge after passing by, it was grabbed by one ofDagruel's outstretched arms and vanished."You are so boring, Veldora. These kinds of tricks won't work on me."Dagruel's words were not intended as an insult but as his true intention.87-92Veldora's superb attack was no threat to Dagruel, who had become the Trinity (Ashura). ButVeldora was no slouch either. He didn’t care about Dagruel's words and moved on to the nextmove as planned.In other words, using Thunderstorm as a decoy, Veldora created his own 'Split Body' with hisUltimate Skill 'Chaos King Nyarlathotep'. Though he couldn’t deploy as many 'Split Bodies' atthe same time as his sister Velgrynd, he could deploy them many times. These 'Split Bodies'had the same combat ability as his, making them extremely dangerous and vicious.The dragon claws of Veldora's 'Split Body' closed in on Dagruel."This is the real deal! Take a bite, Dragon Claw!"The name of the move was just as it sounded, but its power was guaranteed. Veldora's dragonclaws were released at ultra-high speed, and although they were small compared to thedragon's huge body, they had the ability to tear apart any matter in the world. The claws ofVeldora's six fingers on his left hand slashed at Dagruel with a bewitching purple glow. Dagruel's'hardening ability' and Veldora's 'splitting ability' collided, and the world seemed to creak underthe strain.Impact—and arms upon arms disappearing. One of Dagruel's arms that blocked Veldora's clawvanished, and Veldora's left fist, which had done the damage, disappeared as well.It was a blow. In Veldora's case, however, it was only one arm of a 'Split Body'. It wasn’t muchdamage. However, Dagruel wasn’t defeated either. One of his lost arms was regenerated in aninstant."Damn! I've just damaged your unreasonably strong body, but it regenerates after all...""Spit it out, Veldora! I'm truly surprised that you'd wound me now..."They complained about each other's unreasonableness. Veldora was annoyed that hissupposedly deadly blow had little effect. Dagruel, on the other hand, was feeling abhorrentbecause his invincible body, of which he had been so proud, had been so easily damaged. As ifthey had been longtime rivals, they were in perfect sync. They were in the mood for a small test.As if the real work was just beginning, their attacks became more and more severe."This is no time to enjoy the battle," Veldora finally thought.The unexploded 'Split Body' had been recovered quickly. So, there was not much energy drain.He still had energy. If he fought at this pace, the recovery rate of the magicule was faster thanthat of the 'Split Body'. But it was the same for Dagruel. Half-hearted attacks would bemeaningless to each other. He understood that and felt it firsthand—however, it was notpossible to make a big move out of the blue.Since they couldn’t expect their opponents to let their guard down, they needed to create anopening somehow. Just like "kuzushi" in judo, it was important to secure your own advantagefirst. It was a fool's errand to put forth one's best effort in the preliminaries. "Storm Dragon" and"God of Destruction"—they were evenly matched, and the one who was too hasty would bedefeated.But, however...Veldora ignored all such theories and launched an attack on Dagruel."Kwah-ha-ha-ha! Let's go, Wingblade!"Veldora created several 'clones'. Unlike the 'Split Body', they couldn’t synchronize theirconsciousness and act freely. However, they had been ordered to act in advance so that theywere as powerful as the real 'Clone'. The 'Clones' swarmed around Dagruel in ultra-high-speedflight. Their wings vibrated, turning into high-frequency blades. The vibrations of the two pairs ofwings, one large and one small, created a "blade world of death" that cut through molecularbonds. But Dagruel wasn’t panicked."Damn, he still can't read!" he said, but took appropriate actions on the spot. In other words, asword to the blade. Instead of Dagruel, Glassord's face, which had been on the side, turned tothe front. Then, he held up the greatsword with both hands and gave a flash of his spirit."Nope!"Dagruel (Glassord) swatted away Veldora's 'clones' like flies. Even the continuous attack of the"Blade of Death" by multiple 'Clones' was just annoying child's play to Dagruel. The top speed ofthe sword, now more than ten meters long, easily surpassed the speed of sound, as befits agiant god. With the level of Glassord, who was a master of the sword, an invisible gap "absoluteoffensive and defensive sword area" was already formed. As soon as they entered the "absoluteoffensive and defensive sword zone," Veldora's 'Clones' were destroyed. Without any success,all of the Veldoras were intercepted.Dagruel didn’t slow down his attack. Fenn's face turned to the front."Bind the chains!"In Fenn's hand was the Gleipnir, which binds even the gods. With it, he tried to capture Veldora."Gee wha!"
Fenn released a chain, which bound Veldora in Dragon Mode. Several 'clones' disappeared,leaving only the bound Veldora."Too bad, Veldora, you tried to deceive me, but to no avail. It is easy for my 'true eye' to seethrough your true nature."Dagruel's 'true eye' had found the one with the largest amount of energy among several 'clones'without any difficulty. No matter how many imposters (dummies) Veldora produced, they weremeaningless in front of the 'true eye'. Veldora, bound with chains, vanished in a black mist.Immediately after that, a cheerful voice, not unlike those on the battlefield, echoed out."Alas! It was my imposter!"Veldora shouted in a mocking manner, trying to rouse Dagruel. Dagruel was annoyed andsurprised at the same time. He was annoyed and surprised because he had been so easilyfooled by the 'true eye'."Really? You have deceived my eyes, haven't you? Isn’t that peculiar? What kind of trick did youdo?""Hmmm. This, Dagruel, is the difference between you and me!" Veldora said with a smug lookon his face that sounded like a sound effect. Veldora was beginning to get a bit carried away,though there was not such a big difference."Even if you unleash your true power, you can't beat me. There is a reason why I can't win!"Veldora blurted out some mysterious statement at random. Although there was no solid basisfor this statement, Dagruel was deceived. Dagruel was feared as the incarnation of tyranny, buthe was an honest man at heart. This was evident in the fact that Dagruel had the strongestpersonality of all the members of the Octagram."The reason why you can't win, you say?""You're right. I'm growing up too. I don't want you to think I'm the same as before!"Dagruel should have been thrilled that Veldora was letting his guard down. However, he didn’tdo so, and that is why Veldora is Veldora. Veldora dodged Dagruel's question. However, Veldorareally believed that he could beat Dagruel. Because he had grown up and gained new authority.
He couldn’t explain more than that. Therefore, it was not certain, but for Dagruel, who didn’tknow it, it was like a smoke screen.Incidentally, the way Veldora misrepresented the 'true eye'... Normally, it was impossible todeceive the 'true eye. The trick that made it possible was in the power of Veldora's Ultimate Skill'Chaos King Nyarlathotep'—'Probability Manipulation' of Veldora's Ultimate Skill 'Chaos KingNyarlathotep'.93-100Veldora changed the probability of his existence and switched the body and the 'Clone' in aninstant. It was a kind of fraud. However, with 'Parallel Existence,' 'Probability Manipulation,' andeven 'Spacetime Manipulation,' he could surely fool any 'Analyze and Assess' by any authority.It was one of Veldora's hidden gems, useful in every situation.Veldora, as he boasted himself, had acquired a different kind of strength than in the past. Notonly by the visible measure of magicule quantity, but also by daily effort. It seemed that he wasalways playing, but he was also training. For this reason, he instinctively knew how to use hispowers, even if he did not understand the detailed principles of his powers. Veldora thought thatthis was not a problem, even though he could not explain it in words. Therefore, he could notexplain it even if he wanted to. On the other hand, if he had understood it, he would haveexplained it proudly. It was fortunate for Veldora that he did not do so.Even Dagruel did not expect an answer. He did not mind and continued."I don't know what you are boasting of, but it seems to be true that you are growing up.Certainly, you are not the same as you used to be."In the past, Veldora was just a forceful fighter. Now, however, he fought with his head. He wasusing his authority to gain an advantage in the battle against Dagruel. Dagruel praised him,saying that he should admit this. However, this did not mean that he admitted defeat.While conversing, Dagruel created a favorable situation for himself. This was also one of theskills of combat. Even a man as strong as Dagruel did not disregard the art of small tricks.
Rather, he believed that it was important to gain even a slight advantage through such smalltricks.Dagruel had a singular goal from the beginning. Instead of building up small moves like Veldora,Dagruel was trying to win the game at once with a big move."Your power is real. Then I will finish you with my strongest move!"Dagruel silently grasped the space and expanded the range of the interference wave. Afterchecking the interior of the space with his "true eye" and confirming that Veldora's "Clone" wasnot hiding in the space, he cut off the dimensions and formed an isolated space.In the isolated space, only Veldora and Dagruel existed."What?"Veldora noticed something unusual. But it was already too late."I've got you, Veldora! Now is the time to break the karma! Destroy, Quasar Break!"Dagruel's Quasar Break filled the cut-off space without any space between the two. A tremorshook the space. Starting from Dagruel, an invisible super space-time vibration wave wasgenerated. As they filled the interior of the space, irreversible destructive interference waveswere generated. The space, which had been compressed by the containment of expansion, wasscreaming. This was the destructive absorption ray that Dagruel had created by consuming 60%of his own Energy. Dagruel transformed himself into a pseudo-black hole, destroying andengulfing all the matter inside the space at will. The friction created by the creaking of the spacecaused a dazzling light to flood out from beyond the separated dimensions. It was a fantasticand terrifying sight. If subjected to the interference of this overwhelmingly high density of energy,any life form would not be able to survive. It would only be decomposed and become food forDagruel."Ha-ha-ha-ha! You are so proud of yourself, Veldora! Even if I can't see the main body, I can justeliminate all of its multiple alter egos at the same time!"Dagruel laughed. This technique, which combined offense and defense, was an excellenttechnique for recovering energy at the same time. However, most of the energy absorbed wasused to maintain his own existence, which was depleted by this technique. Otherwise, Dagruel himself would be blown away. Quasar Break generated unimaginably huge Energy throughrepeated expansion and compression. It was a dangerous technique that could be adouble-edged sword for Dagruel if it was not controlled properly. Of course, it was a means ofattack for insta-kill, which could not be used continuously, and victory was guaranteed as soonas it was used.Veldora's plan was brilliant, but it would be powerless in the face of absolute violence. Dagruelwas confident that he had defeated Veldora and was ready to see the result. The damagecaused by the Quasar Break had destroyed the isolated dimensional space. Dagruel absorbedthe damage and returned to his original dimension. We could see that the space was distortedonly by the remnants of the powerful Energy flow. This would harmonize with the passage oftime, assimilate with its surroundings, and return to its original state, but it was indescribable asa mark of extreme destruction. Just by looking at this, we could understand how dangerous thistechnique was.There was no one in the world who could withstand such an attack. Veldora must havecollapsed into existence together with him, and it was thought that they were caught up in thedimensional collapse and disappeared together.If it was a "True Dragon," it might be resurrected sooner or later. However, there was no nearfuture in which Veldora would be resurrected, and the winner here was Dagruel.As it should be, however, a cheerful voice echoed in the battlefield."That was a close one, wasn't it?"Dagruel's eyes widened in shock. He doubted his own ears, thinking he must be hearing things."But, you idiot! You ate it and you're still alive?"Dagruel exclaimed in surprise. The Quasar Break had not been used against Veldanava either.It was a trump card that Dagruel was now able to use only because he had grown up, since hecould not control it before. It was the most powerful technique he had ever used with theintention of completely annihilating Veldora. It was natural that Dagruel was upset– a direct hitwould surely annihilate him. There was no escape because of the limited space. It wasimpossible to imagine that Veldora would be safe in such a situation.However, Veldora had somehow survived."What the hell did you do?""This is nothing to me!"This was the end of his patience. On closer inspection, Veldora was not all right. His two pairs ofwings, one large and one small, were battered and bruised, and a black mist was rising from hisbody. The magicule had begun to leak out because it did not have enough energy to sustain itsexistence. This was a fatal symptom for a spiritual life form, which is often the case with demonsand other such creatures. In fact, Veldora was almost dead.By making full use of 'Probability Manipulation' of the Ultimate Skill 'Chaos King Nyarlathotep,'he was able to reduce the probability of his existence to the utmost limit. By making use of theUltimate Skill 'Probability Manipulation' of 'Chaos King Nyarlathotep,' he could barely escapefrom the interference waves of Destructive Energy. By allowing it to pass through his own body,he was able to avoid the Energy wave of destruction. However, he was not unharmed. All of the'clones' were obliterated, and the body was also damaged by the interference wave.How terrible was the Quasar Break that Veldora, the "True Dragon," could be driven into such acorner? At least, the old Veldora would have been destroyed for sure."Then, let's take another hit, shall we?""What?"Even though Veldora knew that this was a threat, he was still a little scared.Thus, Dagruel was defeated. Veldora was wounded. Both players could not make a move toorashly, since a bad move would result in a loss. The two players started to glare at each other,trying to think of their next move.Veldora thought."This is not good. Since I couldn't avoid the attack completely, I am sure to get hit next time. Butthere would be no next time," he thought. Veldora was wounded, but so was Dagruel. Although