It was nighttime, with many stars naturally scattered across the sky. After all, this world was much less developed than planet Earth, and pollution would be noticeably lower due to this. On this starlit night, in the main church in the capital of the Holy Empire of Ruberios, Lune, stood a boy of around 16 years old. He knelt in front of a statue illuminated by the starlight, praying.
After a few minutes, he stood up, revealing his appearance. His eyes were sharp and black, his slightly messy hair was also black. He was tall, with a stature fitting his age. He wore a long coat of the Templar Knights, which was open, revealing armor covering his upper torso. He had black gloves on his hands and boots of the same color on his feet. An earring in the shape of a cross adorned his left ear. Hanging from his waist was a katana with a white scabbard adorned with golden stripes. The weapon exuded an overwhelming aura, representing immense power.
The same applied to the boy himself, who emanated a notable strength just from his appearance. In the quiet room, he spoke while gazing at the statue and removed the earring, holding it against his chest.
"... Luminou-sama... Please, allow me to see my friends again..."
As he said that, his expression turned sad, but it quickly returned to normal after receiving a call.
"... I'm going."
And so, he left the room, his expression shifting back to a serious demeanor.
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As I was returning to the forest, everything was calm until that explosion occurred.
BANG*
"!!!"
"...Milim?"
Apparently, she had encountered Phobio, but I didn't expect the explosion to be as massive as it was, nor for it to be so loud...
I need to hurry. There's a possibility that it wasn't Charybdis that changed, but rather its host.
And so, I used a teleportation spell that the Reader had taken from my memories and quickly went there.
And I was right, not about Phobio changing, but about what had happened.
And another thing, I really can't help but notice how much Rimuru's appearance has changed. His hair is much more purple now than before. While most of it is still blue, a good amount of his hair strands are now purple. And it's not just that; he's much taller than in the original story, more like a teenager than a child.
This is strange. I need to ask him if he feels significantly different from before he absorbed the Orc Disaster...
Anyway, even after this incident and the meeting Rimuru had with Phobio, nothing seemed significantly different from the original story. Not even Karion seemed stronger, nor had his personality changed. Maybe the theory that the external force is related to me could be true.
Well, as I said I would, I asked Rimuru how he felt after absorbing the Orc Disaster.
"Hey, Rimuru-sama, I have a question for you," I said as I approached him and Milim.
"Hm? What's the matter, Mika? You don't usually come to talk to me, hahaha," he replied to me. He was right; during this period, I didn't have much contact with the main characters because I was too concerned about what would happen in the future.
"Well... Are you feeling somewhat... 'different' after consuming the Orc Disaster?"
In response to my question, Rimuru hesitated for a moment, as if he were thinking about it.
"I didn't quite understand the question... But I think I have been feeling a bit different after absorbing it," Rimuru told me while holding his chin.
"So, for example?"
"Wait, wait, before that, could you explain why you're asking me this?"
"Oh, I forgot to come up with a reason to hide the lie..."
<
"... Well, the Orc Disaster was quite powerful, so I was afraid you wouldn't be able to handle all the magical energy."
As I finished speaking, I could tell that Milim was looking at me strangely. She must have sensed it was a lie.
<
"Hmm, I guess that could be true... I suppose this 'External Force' could be useful from time to time, right?"
My statement was quite innocent, but now that innocence would persist.
Well, returning to Rimuru's case, he did feel something different when he devoured the Orc Disaster. Although he wasn't able to explain exactly what he felt, he did tell me: "I felt my 'blood' boiling, I guess? Like I was on fire from the inside, even though I have resistance to that sort of thing?" He said that, followed by a confused chuckle.
I left after asking what I wanted to.
According to the Reader, the feeling Rimuru had might be a result of the Pyromaniac skill. That would make sense, I guess, but my instincts tell me there's something more to it.
However, as always, I'll put that aside for now. I have to worry about Charybdis now. After all, I can't say for sure if he'll be stronger, considering that neither Phobio nor the Charybdis Core were empowered.
But for now, I should just wait. It will take some time for Phobio to become a vessel for the Son of Veldora.
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Youm's group had arrived in Tempest, but I personally don't consider them to be of great importance to the story at the moment. Overall, they are the same as in the original story.
Rimuru had asked Hakurou and me to train them. I'm not exactly sure why he chose me, but this was a few weeks ago, and all I can say is that it was a pleasurable experience to see how they developed, even though I already knew how everything would end.
Continuing with the story, a Dryad will soon arrive to alert Rimuru about the arrival of the Son of Veldora. This is a tense moment for me; I'm quite anxious about what will happen. If the "External Force" decides to interfere again, this could become a problem.
According to the story, Charybdis is a creature that rivals Demon Lords in power, and the only thing preventing it from being one is its lack of rationality. But due to the "External Force," I have to consider everything; it could be that he's simply stronger, or he might have awakened a unique ability that enabled the development of rationality.
After all, if Orc Disaster could develop one, why couldn't Charybdis?
Now, if both possibilities come together, I believe I'll have to rely entirely on Milim. Even if he hadn't powered up yet, he barely took any damage from Rimuru and his army before, she'll be our only option.
And as expected, the Dryad had alerted Rimuru. I found this out because they came to the city to discuss plans regarding this matter.
Well, according to the Dryad's report, nothing seems to have changed at the moment. Treyni-san is still managing to hold that beast. Maybe I'm just overly worried? Regardless of the answer, it won't hurt to stay cautious... '!!!!'
'Reader...'
<
'Four?' Apparently, there were more than just Charybdis, but "immense"... Maybe that means they are much stronger than my...
'Reader, isolate the energy that is most similar to Veldora's, and tell me how strong it is compared to mine.'
<
<
'...' Right, it doesn't seem like much has changed so far, but what exactly is the energy of an Awakened Demon Lord? I have no idea. 'And what about the other 3?'
<
"!!!"
'Twenty times?!' That's a lot. They must be Demon Lords. But what would they be doing here right now? Or maybe someone else?
Milim seems to have noticed them too, but why isn't she showing any reaction? She remains as serene as ever... Could she have only sensed Charybdis, like what happened to me when she first arrived in Tempest?
'Tch, this is annoying...'
For now, I'll accompany them to the front lines. Regardless of whether Charybdis is stronger or not, Milim will manage him. The only problem will be those other three individuals.
Just as in the original story, they will engage in battle on the highway built by the Orcs. Now that I think about it, the Magic Seal shouldn't be an issue thanks to Shiro's ability. I forgot to mention it, but she can nullify some of the target's abilities, as well as weaken them as mentioned earlier.
"!!!"
Suddenly, everyone's guard was raised to the max. Now they were in the presence of a being comparable to a Demon Lord. Its appearance was now covered in a purple energy, similar to what the Orc Disaster had, but unlike that, Charybdis's was a fearsome aura that enveloped its massive body. Its sole eye was completely dark, with a purple iris, the same color as its energy. Its wings now resembled those of a true dragon, though it still lacked arms and legs.
Its strength was evident, as was the power of its accompanying Megalodons. Even though their appearance was still quite similar to before, they too were now covered in that purple energy.
'So... This is the new Charybdis?'
<
'Hmm... He really—'
Suddenly, I felt the other 3 energies moving. They moved in a way that seemed like they were calling me... How strange. Should I check? I'm still unsure; if they are truly much stronger than me, I stand no chance.
And apparently, Milim also noticed their movements. She seemed to have started reacting to them now. She was heading toward Rimuru, likely to alert him about the situation. Apparently, she did just that, as Rimuru came my way, looking at me with a concerned expression.
"Mika," Rimuru said as he approached me, with Milim by his side, giving me a strange look that I can't quite decipher. I wonder what that look means?
"Perhaps you've already noticed, but you chose to keep it to yourself. There are 3 individuals in the forest, and they are very powerful. Milim told me they were looking for you."
"What?" I asked, looking at Milim. Her expression had changed again; it was more serious now. The situation must be perilous for me.
<
'Hmm... This is getting more problematic.'
"Right... Do you want me to go talk to them?" I asked Rimuru. He must be quite worried about this, as he and his army were already dealing with a massive problem, Charybdis. If only he knew that Charybdis only wanted Milim, not the city...
"Yes... Due to the situation, I can't leave the others. I have to be here in case something happens. So, good luck."
'... His personality... Let it go; I suppose it's just my imagination.'
"Don't worry, Rimuru-sama. I'll try to handle this."
Well, it seems now I have no choice but to approach those individuals. Even though it might lead to my death.
As I entered the forest, leaving the road behind, I could feel them halt their movement. They must have sensed my approach.
This moment is quite tense; I'm quite nervous right now. Should I prepare for combat right away? Even if I do, I won't stand a chance against them, and it might be best to remain neutral, so I don't show aggression toward them.
As I got closer, I could feel their presence growing stronger and stronger.
When I reached their location, there they were: three individuals of immense power. I stood before them, and one of them was larger than Benimaru. It had the form of a lizard, a Lizardman? No, it had no eyes, and its mouth was covered by skin, like a monster from a horror story.
The second figure had a feminine appearance, about the size of Shuna. She had a very human appearance, except for her completely black eyes. Her hair was also black, and she wore a suit.
The last figure, about the same size as the "Lizardman," was a knight in medieval armor, completely black. A sword was sheathed at his waist.
They were staring at me.