The next several days were wholesome, really.
The training with Milim was kinda hard.
Normally, I would be inclined to deny any such thing, but with the new abilities I've gained, it would wind up being an honest waste of power.
The Charybdis-specific skills Magic Interference and Gravity Flight, for one.
That, and Magic Resistance, the ultimate ace in the hole against any magic thrown at me.
I was having the Great Sage analyze all these to the hilt, so I was sure it'd be connecting them to other skills before too long.
That was one other reason why I asked Fubuki to keep Phobio alive.
I mean, I did want to wrest Charybdis away from him, but it'd also be nice, I figured, if I
earned a few new skills as a side effect.
Not to mention the huge pool of magic I gained from devouring the Charybdis whole, I'm now as fit as ever.
That sure was a treat. My magic reserves were expanded, and I felt as if I had been on steroids since day one.
It was a tremendous boost in power.
It turns out that the amount of energy gained was too much for me, so some were isolated in my stomach, ready to be used when my magic stores further expanded.
With all the trouble he put me through, I felt I deserved to reward myself a little.
Milim was wearing a Dragon Knuckle around her fist—the weapon present I had promised her long ago.
Put this on, and it restricted your punching power by around 90 percent.
The magisteel at its core applied the Reduce Speed and Power Drain inscription magics to the wearer.
She'd been wearing it every moment since—including during meals, which I had to warn her about, much to her whining chagrin.
I was glad she liked it, but she had to learn the right time and place.
This Dragon Knuckle did a whole lot to save us all. We'd been engaging in mock battles every morning with Milim since that day; it had become a regular
part of the routine.
Her power was just ridiculous, her agility practically cheating, her stamina inexhaustible. Thank heavens she was on our side.
I stayed busy otherwise, too. Training with Milim occupied my mornings; after lunch, I did my rounds in each section of the town.
It was an orderly, scheduled
life, and I stuck to it for many weeks.
Fubuki helped boost my spirits by preparing some real tasty food.
Having a nice, nutritious meal after a tough training round was always pleasant, too, you know?
Fried chicken, steak, hamburger, croquettes. Fried shrimp, too—or at least, an animal that looked kind of like shrimp.
Funny enough, Fubuki called it ebiira, as well, which was frighteningly close to ebi, the Japanese for shrimp.
Rimuru: 「Funny coincidence.」
Fubuki: 「It's not a coincidence, I think.」
But seriously now, good looks, good cooking, good intuitio—how is that not the perfect waifu!?!
He (She???) must've been a girl before reincarnation.
But, but…
This is unfair. His gender misconception could break out war at any moment.
Why must he always deny it? If he were truly a male but claimed to be a female, even I wouldn't mind doing the deed.
「Note: What did he saaaaaaaay???😱😵💫😵」
If only he were a she…
*Sigh,* Is this some sort of mental attack? 'Cause I've been bringing up freaky thoughts lately.
Well, enough about that.
All this variety to the menu was lifting Milim to ever-higher heights of ecstasy.
Milim: 「Wah-ha-ha-ha-ha! How can cooking the same meat produce such amazing food?!」
Fubuki: 「It all boils down to the many ingredients, really.」
That was her reaction to her very first steak. Every day brought her new joy.
I'm glad Milim's such a fan. She's repaying me with her training, so I'll want her to stay in high spirits if I can.
So the days passed by, all of us growing even stronger than before.
Hakuro's skill set was already complete, so he didn't grow as quickly, but everyone else?
You could hardly recognize them.
If Treyni decided to pop in right now, Benimaru or Soei could give her a serious run for her money.
I was growing, too.
Milim: 「You've certainly improved, Rimuru! If you declared yourself a demon lord now, I sure wouldn't complain!」
Rimuru: 「Smooth one, Milim. Real smooth…」
If Milim was putting it that way, I must've been improving by leaps and bounds.
I kept telling her I wasn't interested in the role, though.
Plus, she whipped the four of us again today.
Trying to join the Demon Lord Club right now would result in nothing but trouble for me.
Rimuru: 「By the way, why did you become a demon lord, Milim?」 I asked to change the subject.
Fubuki: 「.....」
Milim: 「Ooooooooooh… Hmm. I'm not sure? Something really bad happened, and it got me so angry that I became one?」
Rimuru: 「Why are you asking me…?」
Milim: 「Well…I don't remember. It was a super-long time ago, so I forgot!」
Fubuki: 「*Sigh* It's kinda like a personal matter. I hope you don't mind.」
Ahh, I see.
Despite her cheerful reply, I wondered if maybe something bad had happened after all.
It'd be rude to prod her any further about it.
Rimuru: 「All right. If you forgot, you don't have to try to remember it or anything.」
I ended the conversation there.
Fubuki looks to know something about it, but he doesn't seem to wanna let up on it.
It must be as he said—a personal matter.
Rimruu: 「Hey, so… Do you have any, um, family, or people you're looking after? You've been here this whole time, but are you sure you don't need to get in contact with anyone?」
Milim: 「Mm. I have people who take care of me, but I'm not worried about them.
Fubuki's also there, but it's confusing. Uncle? Brother? Friend? I don't know! But the details don't matter!
Since he's right here, I'm not worried about those things. He's the closest person to me; that's all that matters, I guess.
I'm the strongest one out there, so it'd be too intimidating for people if I showed them some care, even, you know? That's why you two are my only friends.」
The sudden declaration made me pause a little. Maybe BFF, the way she defined it, meant a lot more to her emotionally than I had thought.
I'd better take that seriously and try to live up to it.
But these two… Their bond goes deeper than I thought, huh?
Rimuru: 「Yeah. Well, let's hope we keep it that way for a while, Milim.」
I gave her a pat on the head. She just looked so childish, I couldn't help but feel like she was some family relative.
She gave me a happy smile.
Milim: 「You bet!」
◇◇◇
Several days later…
Milim declared her departure.
She said she needed to handle some annoying demon lords or something along the line.
It didn't seem right, feeling all sad about someone like Milim, but losing her so suddenly like this did make one feel lonely.
Fubuki also looked especially sad, but no one gave a flip.
Thinking about it, she had really
become a big part of this town.
The way she could take over your mind like that… She was one mysterious demon lord.
For now, though, let's focus on what the ogre mages want to be stronger.
And let's see if we can't shock Milim when she's back.
So, before long, I resumed my training under Hakuro, and my mind refocused on my mission.
Ever since I became a slime, which by definition never slept, the only chance for dreams was during emergencies like exhausting my magical force.
It didn't feel right to me at all, so I forced myself to engage in periods of inactivity on a
daily basis—working hard to laze around, in a way.
If it sounds like a contradiction, it isn't.
Giving oneself time to relax is never a bad thing, and there's no pain in working hard for some goal you have.
And all that effort paid off. For short periods of time, at least, I could let go of my consciousness and achieve a state of sheer serenity.
The experiment worked, in other words. I forgot what the dream was about, but that wasn't important.
That's kind of what dreams are anyway.
Rimuru: 「Ahh, now I can live my days in sheer laziness…」
Shuna: 「What sort of nonsense have you been going on about, Sir Rimuru?」
She was angry. Shuna's smile never faltered when she was angry. That's what made it so terrifying.
How does Fubuki keep things smooth sailing with her? Magic?
It sure looks like magic to me.
If that's what it's gonna take to do the deed, I'd be more than willing to become a student of Fubuki.
That'd be better than having an angry beast out for your ass.
◇◇◇
Several months had passed after Milim's departure. Several calm, chill, and very peaceful months.
I was busy as always, but still, extremely chill.
One day, though, a messenger appeared from Carrion, the Beast Master and one of the land's demon lords.
I hadn't forged an official agreement with him on paper, but it appeared Carrion was a man true to his word.
As the messenger put it: "Let us send envoys to our respective nations, so they may see for themselves whether forging trade relations would be beneficial to both sides."
I immediately agreed.
This brings us to today, the historical day of departure, for our envoy mission to the Beast Kingdom of Eurazania.
Benimaru, a gifted warrior and my right-hand man, would lead the envoys.
For his assistant, I appointed Rigur, son of Rigurd.
Their mission: to travel to other nations and report what they observed so I could figure out how to run my own country.
They were accompanied by a small group of other hobgoblins, all candidates for future leadership roles in my government.
They would be representatives for the Jura-Tempest Federation, Tempest, for short.
We were also fully prepared to receive the Beast Master's own team.
They'd come here, look around our nation, and (hopefully) come back with some complimentary things to say.
Awakening my conscious, I assumed human form. There was a ceremony
scheduled, so I changed to some suitable formal wear.
Fubuki, too, was here with me, putting on formal clothing.
He had complained a lot about it, but Shuna was having none of it.
"You'd look more handsome this way"—was enough to get him.
Apparently, calling him handsome somewhat boosted his ego sky high.
I guess he's rarely been called handsome. But really, there's no way one would see maggots and call them cute.
Putting all that aside, we were at the city's main square, standing in front of the crowd in our finest attire.
It triggered a small, excited uproar among the monsters, in all their many species.
I didn't make a habit of addressing them in human form.
The cheers and shouting seemed like they'd go on forever, but a single "Silence!"—from Shion shushed them all in an instant.
Nice one, Shion.
She was so good at handling these kinds of rowdy scenes.
With the monsters calmed down, I decided to give my team a few
encouraging words.
Rimuru: 「Ladies and gentlemen, I hope you will do your best for me!」
"""""""...…"""""""
Shuna: 「…Is that it?」
Fubuki: 「I thought I had it rough…」
Perhaps it was too short?
With that, I decided to run down the list of things I wanted my envoys to watch out for.
The Beast Master Carrion was a demon lord and certainly one of
the more warlike ones. I couldn't be certain the rule of law even existed in his domain.
Rimuru: 「Right, listen up. You're about to travel to a nation of magic-born who never
believed in anything besides 'Might makes right.'
Underestimate them at your own peril. If you let up, they'll make you do whatever they say. You might lose to them in a fight, but I want you to make damn sure you don't lose to them in heart!
Remember: Your companions and I are behind you all the way. Keep that in mind as you tell them about what we're seeking. If you think a fight is brewing, run away and come back. One mission here is to see if we can remain
on good terms with these guys going forward.
I don't need a relationship where we have to hold our noses and merely tolerate them. I want you to see matters with your own eyes and make sure we can maintain a kind, friendly rapport. I'm
counting on you!」
The moment I wrapped it up, the square was filled with wild cheering. It was like being in some pop idol's concert.
Shuna: 「Sir Fubuki, do you have anything to say to the audience?」
Fubuki: 「It's not a question when you put it like that, you know? Spare me some sympathy.」
He grumbled, but Shuna only chuckled lightly.
Fubuki: 「Might as well take this opportunity, I suppose, to give them another important warning.」
I gave way to him, and he made his way to the platform, although begrudgingly.
Fubuki: 「Alright, please settle down.」
As soon as he spoke, the wild, cheering audience dissolved.
Fubuki: 「Good. Rimuru here has said it all, but I'd like to touch on the other parts. As we experienced with Phobio, some magic-borns let all that power get to their head.
Some may act irrational and haughty, I agree, but that doesn't call for an immediate aggressive reaction. In such instances, reasoning is advised. And if the particular magic-born isn't one to be reasoned with, it's best to avoid them if possible.
When push comes to shove, and a fight breaks out, teamwork would be the next best option. They are strong, but that doesn't mean they get to push us around. Even the mightiest of warriors make mistakes. I'd like you to capitalize on that.
It is a solid rule in this nation that the strong aren't allowed to bully the weak, so no one, even the outsiders, is allowed to do so. I stand by that and are ready to deal with anyone willing to do or say otherwise.
Let's see, what else…? Well, I don't mind a mistake or two, but please don't start a fight yourselves, all right? Yeah, I'm looking at you, Benimaru. Think you're up to that?」
Benimaru: 「Heh! You are in good hands with us. I have learned quite a few lessons myself. After the days we spent with Lady Milim, any fool could understand that impudence leads to disaster!」
Fubuki: 「Good.」
The comparisons to Milim set off alarm bells, too. Using her as a standard for building your own confidence didn't give me any sense of security at all.
At least it beat Shion, though.
With a few words of encouragement from us both, Benimaru and his team were gone.
I had Ranga accompany them, you know, safety protocols and stuff.
◇◇◇
Benimaru's team was gone, but I still had a pile of things to do. I had plans to visit human lands sooner or later, but with one job coming right after the other,
there was no time for that.
I had to make arrangements for the Eurazanian envoy.
One thing I definitely didn't want them seeing and talking about was our hipokute grow-setup and poison-manufacturing farm.
Everything else was safe enough for public viewing, so I decided to prioritize keeping the Sealed Cave just that—sealed off.
I worried that sealing it off might affect the cave's oxygen content, but there were so many ventilation holes lining the cave walls that it didn't seem like an
issue.
So it was settled—no more Sealed Cave entrance for now.
There was one more big event left. In fact, if anything, this was my favorite one of all—my official visit to the Armed Nation of Dwargon, the Dwarven
Kingdom.
My schedule was already set in stone, thanks to a couple of messenger exchanges.
It would be one of the most auspicious events our nation's enjoyed so far.
A chance to prove to both Dwargon and the world at large that we, Tempest, were an officially recognized, independent country.
This was the perfect opportunity to earn ourselves a ton more trust, and I couldn't let it pass.
There is no way I could let up until this visit was successful.
Visiting human realms could wait until I was sure our government was on the right track.
Yohm and his companions paid a visit to town. As I hoped, our little intrigue had established Yohm as a top-of-the-heap champion around the kingdom of Falmouth.
That put him in demand over there, so he was back for a chance to let his hair down for a change.
Rimuru: 「Listen, we're gonna have a party of envoys representing the demon lord
Carrion soon. Can you guys promise me you won't pick any fights with them?」
Yohm: 「Aw, c'mon, pal, who d'you think you're talking to? Do you think I'm the sort of fool who'll get in a brawl with a demon lord's underlings?」
Yohm slumped. He was right. But there was never accounting for some of the idiots running around out there. It could boggle the imagination.
Yohm: 「But why are demon lord folk coming here in the first place?」
Rimuru: 「Ah, yes, I'd better explain. Come to my reception room once you're out of
the bath.」
Yohm: 「Sure thing!」
I suggested a time, and Shion marked it down with a skillful hand.
She hadn't exactly been my first choice for the position, but she was shaping up to be a
half-decent secretary, after all.
◇◇◇
Several days later, right on time, the envoys from the Beast Kingdom of Eurazania arrived.
I greeted them in my slime form with Shuna and Shion behind me, along with Rigurd and the other hob-gob bureaucrats.
Then there was Soei, keeping tabs on things undercover.
If something happened, I was sure
he'd hop right out.
Yohm's group was there was well, and by their standards, they were acting downright somber.
Rimuru: 「Were's Fubuki?」
Shuna: 「Oh! He'll leave it all in your capable hands, he said.」
Rimuru: 「.....」
That's it.
Rimuru: 「Treyni.」
Answering the call, a mythical breeze befell us. It was truly enchanting.
They coalesced and became a whole, forming this beautiful woman before me.
She was beautiful as always, what with that translucent, mystical air she had.
It let her capture the heart of anyone she saw. If I weren't a slime, I'd easily fall for her, too.
…Oops. Staring at her too long would only make Shuna and Shion all snippy.
I'm a slime, totally eyeless and all, and they still seemed to know where I was looking.
It was a terrifying ability. A threat to all adventurous men seeking true divinity.
Was it some stupid supernatural power or just their womanly intuition?
"You'd be more attractive without any of those"—alas, that wouldn't be enough to have them do away with those wretched abilities.
Anyway, better not set off any needless conflict.
Treyni: 「Yes, Sir Rimuru?」
Rimuru: 「Can you do me a favor? Fubuki, he's becoming a menace. I hope you can pester him to death. That'll bring him to my side. Can you do as much?」
Treyni: 「But of course. In fact, I had been looking for the opportunity to do so for a while. Truly, I am grateful.」
Wow, I guess we all have our moments of being jackasses.
Must be a pain to handle. But as long as it keeps him working, I honestly don't give a flipping damn.
The envoys made their way through our ranks in a luxuriant line of gilded wagons.
They were pulled by a streak of Thunder Tigers, large magical beasts crackling with lightning that ran across their frame—a potent symbol of military force, one easily visible from long distances.
In terms of armor, these tiger wagons of sorts—if you took all the fancy gold and such off them—would probably work as tanks.
Rimuru: 「Yep, this is sure a demon lord envoy.」
Shion: 「Ah, it is nothing impressive. Fancy extravagance would do nothing in the face of a battle. These beasts are nothing but a bluff.」
Um, Shion? It's not always about muscles and knives, okay?
You gotta think outside the box sometimes. I swear—you're as quick-witted as a stone.
"A pleasure to meet you, lord of the Great Forest of Jura. I am Alvis, the Golden Snakehorn and one of the Three Lycanthropeers serving the demon lord
Carrion."
I knew it. It's a real big shot. I wasn't expecting a top-level officer, but there you go.
"Hmph! I see no need to offer any formal greeting to this crowd, Alvis. After all these days of journeying, wondering what sort of monster might rule over Jura, I come here to find a puny slime to greet us? This is an outrage!"
"Enough, Sufia. Such behavior brings nothing but disgrace to the face of Lord Carrion—"
"Enough from you, Alvis! How dare you order me around! And look! They associate not only with dwarves but with humans—those stunted, conniving, cowardly humans. They are a disgrace to all the monster races!"
Yohm, for his part, stayed silent for me, afraid of triggering a breakdown in relations before they even began.
Fubuki: 「I get it already. Please just leave me alone! Go to Rimuru, I'm sure he has something important to discuss with you.」
An annoyed Fubuki came from behind us. I hadn't seen him in a while due to his usual habit of slacking off.
Now, his face was distorted between a frown and a scowl.
He was pissed.
I was overjoyed.
Treyni, for her part, kept on showering him with praises.
Is this how she always does the deed? Praises? Does he hate being glazed?
Well, it'll be understandable if that was the case.
Fubuki: 「Damn you, Rimuru. You could've sent Shuna or even Shion! What in heaven made you think sending Treyni was a good idea?」
Rimuru: 「Oh? You're here? Didn't expect to see you.」
Fubuki: 「Lies! You knew what you were doing!」
Rimuru: 「I mean, what did you even expect?」
Fubuki: 「...…」
Yeah, I thought so, too. I mean, you didn't really think I'd waste a perfect girl like Shuna on you, did you?
As we bickered, Shion seemed to have begun a conversation with the envoys.
I don't know how it happened, but things developed way too quickly.
Shion: 「My lord, please let me lay divine judgment upon this fool!」
It wasn't even a request! How brazen.
Sufia howled, her ferocious feline nature coming to the fore. "I—Sufia, the Snowy Tigerclaw—am ready and willing to test out these would-be minions of the high-and-mighty slime lord!"
Then she and Shion clashed, driven purely by their war instincts.
In an instant, the place turned into a battlefield.
Yohm, meanwhile…
"…Oh dear. There is just no dealing with you, Sufia. In that case—Gruecith! Provide an opponent for the human."
To the side of Shion and Sufia's duel, the Golden Snakehorn, Alvis, gently slipped an order to one of her magic-born.
"Me? Take on a human?" sneered the gallant-looking young creature who stepped forward. "I know I am a low-ranked member of the Beast Master's Warrior Alliance, but… Well, so be it. Let me be your playmate, human!"
Rimuru: 「Will Shion be all right? She's fighting on her opponent's terms, not drawing her sword…」
"She will be quite fine, Sir Rimuru. It may not seem so at the moment, but the only person stronger than her is my older brother."
In Shuna's eyes, at least, Shion was number two among the ogre mages.
I was impressed that she was able to grasp how they were fighting. Her own 『Analysis』 unique skill was nothing to sniff at, either.
She must've seen how powerful Sufia was, but she seemed wholly unperturbed by that. A sign of trust, maybe?
Yohm's battle, meanwhile, was a showcase of advanced techniques being thrown against one another.
He really had grown stronger.
Several months have made him almost a different person, as he went on monster-slaying journeys between here and the towns and villages of Falmouth, his home
kingdom.
It had built his name as a champion, and it had also earned him a bounty of experience.
No doubt, he had been leveling up a ton. I'd have no problem giving him a solid A rank.
Rimuru: 「Yohm's not too shabby. He's fighting on an even keel with that magic-born…」
Shuna: 「Indeed, it is a remarkable effort.」
It was starting to look like Yohm had advanced even further than I thought.
It was like that with Gobta, too—Hakuro's instruction put speed above everything else.
"Ha-ha-ha! I was not expecting to have this much fun."
Yohm: 「Hmph! Ridicule me at your peril, lycanthrope!
Let me show you the skyrending, earth-crushing power of a human!」
"Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha! Go right ahead! Make this even more exciting!"
The two bouts grew more and more intense.
The attacks Shion and Sufia exchanged were white-hot with intensity, as if they were each measuring how far the other would go.
Sufia: 「Ha-ha-ha-ha! For a monster, you sure pack a punch!」
Shion: 「Spare me the flattery. By the time I'm done with you, you'll grovel before our lords!」
Sufia: 「Is that so? Then make this count!」
Shion was ready for this. Her sword still sheathed, and she stopped the lightning-infused claws with her bare hands.
The moment she did, bolts of electricity coursed across her body like a lightning rod.
Her thick skin fully absorbed them, preventing any cuts or burns, and the current surged into the earth without seriously damaging her.
Seeing this, Sufia hardened her gaze in reluctant admiration. Her foe had just used Diamond Path, one of the ogre mages' Battlewill skills.
It let her control her mind and solidify her body, almost to the consistency of metal.
Her fighting force protected her skin, dissipating any enemy attack.
Shion: 「Prepare yourself! It's my turn now—」
Sufia: 「Bring it on! My blood is on fire!」
Hakuro had been teaching us barehanded martial arts—but nothing like this.
It looked like she was about to launch a massive bolt of magic from her hands, focusing all her authoritative might on the effort.
Was this really a revision of the legendary Kamehameha?
Leave yourself that open in combat, and it'd just be the same as throwing your trump card in the sea with a grin.
But Sufia merely stood there, arms open, as if it were a
perfectly normal thing to do.
I could never figure out what these battle-crazed maniacs would do next.
The aura that had wended its way around her hands formed a ball of
fearsome, destructive energy, one that she was just about to launch before getting interrupted.
"Enough!"
A golden staff was suddenly thrust before Shion. Alvis had stepped in.
Her tail was pointed straight toward Sufia as well; she apparently had an energy bolt of her own to unleash.
Alvis was, indeed, half human and half snake, her upper body an attractive woman, the lower half transformed into a large, ebony-colored reptile.
Hearing Alvis's shout, Gruecith immediately ceased all hostilities.
Yohm joined him, giving me a confused glance. I raised a hand and nodded at him.
Rimuru: 「Is that enough for you? Should I take it to mean we've passed?」
"Yes. You have certainly demonstrated your skills to us. Haven't they, Sufia? Are you willing to recognize them for who they are now?"
Sufia: 「I am.」
Gruecith: 「Rare are the humans who can fight with me on such an advanced level. Pay these people the respect they deserve!」
He let out a loud, hearty laugh, then extended a hand to Yohm. His opponent accepted it with a wry grin—and at that moment, everything was resolved.
Ah, it's all good now.
I'd get mad if any other idiot saw it funny to awaken another problem.
Shion: 「Uhh, Sir Rimuru?」
For the love of—
Fubuki: 「Huh…? Huh?! You didn't even know how to dispell it?! Why create such a threat in the first place?!」
Shion: 「I'm sorryyyy!!」
There were tears in her eyes. She wasn't lying—something everyone else could tell, too, judging by how they were suddenly keeping their distance.
The most panicked of all about it, of course, was the ball's target.
Sufia: 「Wh-whoa, calm down. Slowly… Slowly point it upward.」
Alvis had already put her staff away and wasted no time sprinting—or more accurately, slithering—outta there.
Sufia had tried to edge back herself, but the high-voltage electricity zapping to and fro between her and Shion made it
impossible.
Sufia: 「Come on! Put your heart into it!」
The lightning infused in Sufia's body was reacting with Shion's own aura, creating a sort of energy field that both had trouble escaping.
Fubuki: 「Oh? They're both building up electric potential? I didn't think it was possible to build electrical power with raw aura. Does that mean there are also charged particles in aura?
I see… This is some good discovery!」
Rimuru: 「Stop gawking and start acting! Do something!」
I screamed at the top of my lungs.
We were all whipping up solutions, and this really slow dude was all in for physics at a time like this.
I wanted to smack intelligence out of him, but…
Fubuki: 「Really? Isn't it kinda your thing to aura farm? I'm not really into th—」
Rimuru: 「Fubuki!!」
Fubuki: 「Uhh, fine! I could also use a bit of aura going for me, I guess.」
He walked over to them in a sluggish pace, keeping his hands in his pocket,—(which I could've sworn his pants had no such things before)—letting literal aura ooze out of him.
Wait a minute, that's actually really cool!
The breeze effect, the shadow, the endlessly crackling lightning, before I knew it, I found myself wishing to be the one doing the deed.
Damn it! He's got the drip! It should've been meee!!
«...»
Shion: 「S-Sir Fubuki! Are you sure you can handle it?」
The question was asked, and the answer was about to be given.
It was his moment to shine, to reveal his glory to the world.
He grasped this moment with all the necessary requirements met, leaving only one thing to do.
He smiled, and… and—!
Fubuki: 「Handle it? To hell with that! I'm not about to finish something that I most definitely didn't start. I was just here to cheer you on. So, go Shion, go!! You've got the shit in you!!!」
..... Eh?
Yohm: 「...」
Shion: 「....」
Sufia: 「....」
«...»
What… did I just hear and see? Did he just say what I think he said…?
Impossible… This tactless fool… He ruined it all…
Fubuki: 「... What? Am I not cheering the right way?」
He was genuinely perplexed. This slow dude…
Rimuru: 「.... I figured you'd understand and take care of it all.」
Fubuki: 「Oh...」
He turned away from me in shame.
Yeah, just face that way! It suits you!
Yohm: 「I think I just got enlightened…」
We were all enlightened, my dude… You're not alone.
Fubuki: 「A-Alright then. Give it to me, Shion.」
Shion: 「Y-Yes, it's heavy. Please take care…」
She warbled, confused. But she was already at the end of her rope.
The vast ball of magic unfurled itself, and Fubuki, leaving just a short a bit of his aura around the incoming energy ball, erased it with no observable problem.
He had his aura all over the place before, so wrapping the ball in it was no problem, but to eliminate such a deadly magic with nothing but aura?
""""Wha—???""""
We were all enlightened once again.
This utterly shocked the lycanthropes as much as it relieved Shion, who fell to the ground exhausted.
Cheers erupted around us as peace finally returned to the battlefield.
◇◇◇
As I guided Carrion's officers around, I decided to ask a question that had been weighing on my mind for a bit.
Rimuru: 「Say, what were you intending to do if we didn't take you up on your little challenge?」
"Mm? That would have been trouble for us, yes…but if you were the sorts of cowards who couldn't even fight us, we'd have no reason to recognize you as
friends. We would have called everything off, I imagine, and I am sure Lord Carrion would have completely understood.
Talk about an open book.There are no ulterior motives with these guys at all.
I was starting to think we'd get along pretty darn well in our exchanges. It certainly cheered me up to think that.
—————————————————————————————————
「Note: The end of another chapter it is! I don't really know if this fanfic is really going in an acceptable direction, but hey, as long as it's going somewhere, that's a pass.
All is well with me, and I hope the same can be said about you. I have nothingajor to say or do.
Oh, right, I ain't gonna be leaving for school for a whole week, so I figured—but not too sure—that another releasing spree was on the way.
As mentioned earlier, I have nothing big to talk about, so I'm just gonna skip the whole trash talk.
If you truly enjoyed today's chapter, please hit that vote button for the story.
Thank you for reading this chapter, and goodbye.」
Word Count: 「5635」.