「 ✦ Meld Loggins ✦ 」
The royal chamber felt colder now that I stood at attention before the assembled council. Massive stone pillars rose around us, while afternoon light filtered through stained glass windows that depicted the kingdom's storied history.
King Eliheid sat on his throne, his weathered face giving nothing away. To his right was Pope Ishtar Langbard in flowing ceremonial robes. The three generals formed a half-circle before them: Grey Leywin, Corbet Denor, and Alucard Frost.
Along the periphery stood other dignitaries and nobles, including the royal heirs. The Hero Party stood off to one side—Kouki Amanogawa front and center with his perfectly coiffed hair and polished armor, flanked by Shizuku Yaegashi, Kaori Shirasaki, and Ryutarou Sakagami. Their teacher, Aiko Hatayama, stood slightly behind them.
I cleared my throat. "Your Majesty, Your Holiness, Generals. I come to report on the Queenpin situation."
King Eliheid nodded once. "Proceed, Lord Commander."
"Three days ago, my knights and I breached the Queenpin headquarters in the abandoned Dusky Quarter catacombs after half a year of planning." I kept my voice steady, entirely professional. "Our mission was to eliminate the organization once and for all. However, upon arrival, we found..."
I paused, the images still fresh. "...we found the entire operation had been neutralized. Every major member of the Queenpin criminal syndicate was dead. Brutally so."
Murmurs resounded through the chamber. General Corbet leaned forward.
"Neutralized by whom, Commander?" he demanded.
"According to a dying Queenpin himself, the person responsible was Rimuru Tempest."
The name dropped like a stone into still water. I watched as recognition flickered across several faces, particularly among the Hero Party.
"The adventurer?" General Alucard scoffed. "The one who registered barely a month ago?"
"The same," I confirmed. "Currently Gold-rank, achieved in a week of registration."
"Impossible," Corbet spat. "No one climbs ranks that quickly."
Pope Ishtar stepped forward, his staff tapping ominously against the marble floor. "This Tempest person... describe what you found, Commander. Every detail."
I inhaled deeply. "Total massacre. Over eighty superhuman bodies torn apart. Queenpin himself was bisected in half but somehow still alive long enough to speak with me."
"And what did this... Queenpin... tell you?" King Eliheid asked, his voice deceptively soft.
"That Tempest entered their stronghold alone, bypassed all security measures without apparent effort, and butchered everyone. According to Queenpin's final testimony, Tempest displayed immense physical strength without apparent assistance from any magic."
General Grey, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke. "And Tempest's motive?"
"Apparently, Queenpin's men attempted to abduct him, mistaking him for a woman due to his appearance."
This earned a few uncomfortable chuckles that quickly died under my hard stare.
"A misunderstanding led to this slaughter?" Pope Ishtar questioned.
"With respect, Your Holiness," I replied, "attempted kidnapping is hardly a misunderstanding."
"Still doesn't justify massacring nearly a hundred, Lord Commander," General Corbet growled.
Kouki Amanogawa stepped forward without permission, earning a glare from the king. "As I thought, this Rimuru person clearly has no respect for authority or proper justice. If he's capable of such violence, he's no better than the criminals he killed."
"That's rich coming from you, Kouki," Shizuku cut in, annoyed. "When we met Rimuru in the southern forests near the gorge last month, he saved three villages from rogue monsters on the way to the capital while we were still arguing about strategy."
"That was different," Kouki insisted, color rising to his cheeks.
"How?" Shizuku challenged. "Because you weren't the one getting the glory?"
"Enough," the king commanded. "The Hero Party's observations are noted, but irrelevant to these proceedings."
General Grey cleared his throat. "Commander Loggins, your assessment of this Tempest individual. Threat level?"
I measured my words carefully. "Extremely high. Way more than enough for Special-Grade Deviant level. Based on witness accounts and scene evidence, Tempest possesses capabilities that exceed the potential of our most powerful assets."
I glanced at the heroes as I said that to reaffirm my point.
"Then he must be eliminated immediately," Pope Ishtar declared, bringing his staff down with a crack. "Such unchecked power cannot be allowed to exist outside the church's authority."
"I second that," General Corbet added. "We should assemble a strike force. The sooner this menace is removed, the better."
"Strike force?" I repeated, unable to keep the disbelief from my voice. "Did you hear nothing I just said? This individual eliminated an entire criminal organization that has eluded our best efforts for over a decade. He did it alone, without apparent effort."
"Are you suggesting we do nothing, Commander?" General Alucard asked, voice dripping with condescension.
"I'm suggesting we exercise caution," I replied. "Approach diplomatically. Rimuru Tempest hasn't shown any hostility toward the throne. In fact, his actions, however extreme, removed a significant threat."
"His methods are the issue," the Pope insisted. "Such power wielded without divine sanction is heresy."
"With respect, Your Holiness," I said, feeling my patience thinning, "heresy is a matter of faith, not state security. Our concern should be whether Tempest represents a threat to the kingdom."
"And you don't believe he does?" King Eliheid asked quietly.
"I believe provoking him unnecessarily would be the quickest way to make him one," I replied, narrowing my eyes.
General Grey nodded thoughtfully. "The Commander makes a valid point. Perhaps observation is wiser than confrontation at this juncture."
"Observation…" General Corbet nearly shouted. "While this monster roams free among our citizens? Have you gone soft, Grey?"
"I've gone pragmatic," Grey replied evenly. "We know too little. Acting rashly against a superior force is tactical suicide."
The Pope's eyes narrowed. "The church cannot condone such moral relativism. If this Tempest can slaughter without consequence, what message does that send?"
"The same message your Inquisitors send when they purge heretics?" I retorted before I could stop myself.
A deadly silence fell. The Pope's face darkened like a thundercloud.
"You forget yourself, Commander," he said, voice low and dangerous.
"No, Your Holiness. I remember my duty—to protect this kingdom and its people. Rushing into conflict with a being we don't understand serves neither."
General Corbet slammed his fist on the table. "Enough debate! We vote on action now. I say we eliminate this threat immediately."
"I concur," said Alucard. "Better to strike first than wait for disaster."
"I oppose," General Grey stated calmly. "We need more information."
All eyes turned to the king, whose expression remained inscrutable.
"Your Majesty," I said, stepping forward. "Before you decide, consider this: even Queenpin himself described Rimuru Tempest as prodigiously devastating power-wise. Whether hyperbole or not, we're dealing with a force beyond our norm. At minimum, I request time to gather intelligence, perhaps make peaceful contact."
"Peaceful contact?" Pope Ishtar scoffed. "With a mass murderer?"
"With someone who killed targets we ourselves had marked for execution," I corrected.
"The difference," the Pope countered, "is that we operate with divine and royal authority. Your Tempest is a vigilante who appointed himself judge, jury, and executioner."
"Much like the Hero Party does on most of their missions," Shizuku observed dryly from the sidelines.
Kouki bristled. "We act under royal mandate! Our power serves justice!"
"And you believe you're the only ones entitled to power?" Shizuku challenged.
"This Rimuru person is dangerous and unpredictable," Kouki insisted, his handsome face flushed with indignation. "I've sensed his aura—it-it's creepy and unnatural."
"Unnatural or…" I repeated. "Simply stronger than yours?"
The room fell silent again. Kouki's jaw clenched visibly, perhaps caught off-guard by my rebuttal of him.
King Eliheid raised a hand. "I've heard enough. Commander Loggins, your concern is noted. However, the kingdom cannot allow unregulated power to operate within our borders. You will assemble a diplomatic envoy, accompanied by sufficient military presence to convey our seriousness. You will meet with this Rimuru Tempest and extend an invitation to appear before this council."
"And if he refuses?" I asked.
The king's eyes hardened. "Then the envoy becomes an arrest party."
"Your Majesty," I said, feeling ice in my veins, "with all due respect, that would be suicide for my men."
"Are you refusing a direct order, Commander?" General Corbet asked, a gleam of satisfaction in his eyes.
"I'm advising against a course of action that will result in needless casualties," I answered. "We don't even know where Tempest is currently located."
"The Adventurer's Guild will have his whereabouts," General Alucard said dismissively.
"And what if he's left the kingdom entirely?" I pressed. "What if confronting him merely draws his attention to targets he'd otherwise ignore?"
"You're awfully full of what-ifs, and you sound afraid, Commander," Pope Ishtar said with contempt.
"I am afraid," I admitted bluntly. "I've seen the aftermath of what this being can do. I'd be a fool not to be afraid. And you'd be fools not to heed my warning."
General Grey stepped closer. "Perhaps a compromise. We task the Guild with monitoring Tempest's activities. If he undertakes another such action, then we reassess."
"Unacceptable," the Pope declared. "The church demands action."
"The church," I said, finally losing my composure, "does not command the King's Army. And neither does it have the authority to send my knights to their deaths for the sake of your pride."
The Pope's face contorted with fury. "How dare—"
"I dare because I've held dying men in my arms while you pontificate from these safe halls!" I shouted, my voice echoing through the chamber. "I dare because I've seen what happens when we charge into situations we don't understand!"
"Commander," the king warned, but I was beyond stopping.
"You bastards all sit here, making decisions based on fear and ego, while my knights and I will be the ones bleeding on the ground headless when your political maneuvering fails!" I looked each council member in the eye. "Rimuru Tempest eliminated a criminal syndicate that killed and kidnapped thousands. Yes, his methods were brutally extreme. Yes, his power is concerning. But until he shows any indication of turning that power against the kingdom or the throne or the fucking church, provoking him is nothing short of suicidal!"
"That's enough!" the king thundered.
"No, it isn't," I replied, pulling off my ceremonial gauntlets and dropping them to the floor with a metallic clang. "I've given decades to this kingdom. I've bled for it. Killed for it. But I will not sacrifice good soldiers on the altar of your political bullshit."
I turned to leave, aware of the shocked silence behind me.
"If you walk out that door, Loggins," General Corbet called, "you'll be facing charges of insubordination!"
I paused at the threshold, not bothering to turn around.
"Then charge me. But first, find someone else to lead your suicide mission."
As I pushed through the heavy doors, I heard Shizuku's voice rise clearly. "Finally, someone in this kingdom with actual sense."
The doors closed behind me with a resonant boom, leaving the council to their deliberations. Gods help this kingdom if they chose to ignore my warning.
··—–—⚜—–—···
「 ✦ Miledi Reisen ✦ 」
The darkness of my labyrinth has been my only companion for centuries. Well, that and the countless fools who've stumbled in seeking glory or treasures, only to find their eternal resting place instead. Hah! Such is the fate of those who dare challenge the Great Miledi Reisen's masterpiece!
My consciousness floats through the vast underground cavern, the heart of my creation. Perfect cubic platforms hover in perpetual suspension, courtesy to my mastery of Gravity Magic. It's beautiful in its deadliness—the mana-dispersing effect making this place a perfect killing field. No magic works properly here except mine. That's the beauty of being the architect of chaos!
Yet today, something is... different.
An intruder has breached my inner sanctum with insulting ease. No—not just an intruder. A monster wearing the skin of a human. He tore through my labyrinth like it's nothing more than a casual stroll. Every trap I've laid, every puzzle I've crafted with centuries of careful planning—all of them laid bare and dismantled with offensive ease.
I watched now through the eyes of my masterpiece—my colossal golem that dwarfs mountains, the final guardian of my legacy. The strange blue-haired creature stood on one of the floating platforms, seemingly admiring the vast darkness around him. His form is deceivingly small compared to my golem, yet there was something deeply unsettling about him.
"I wonder," he said suddenly to the empty air, "what the Mockingjay symbolizes as a flower?"
What nonsense is this? I responded with nothing but a mechanical grunt through my golem. Who asks about flower symbolism while standing before certain death? Is he mocking me?
He continued as if we're having a pleasant conversation over tea.
"It's supposed to be a sign of rebellion, but I believe it's more about perseverance and resilience." Then his eyes—those eerily calm golden eyes—turn directly to my golem.
"That fits you, no? Considering you stayed down here underground for all those centuries, testing would-be conquerors and burying them should they prove themselves unworthy. That's if many people even get to find this place. This whole place is as awful as you, Liberator."
Liberator? How did he know that title? Few remember the Age of Gods and those who fought to free humanity. Yet he spoke of it with such disturbing familiarity, as if we were somehow old acquaintances.
What an absolutely abnormal existence! He came crashing through my domain like an avalanche—unstoppable, unconcerned, and utterly unbothered by the deadliness that has claimed thousands before him. My labyrinth is designed to be virtually intolerable, yet he bypassed every obstacle as if they were little inconveniences.
I recalled our battle just moments ago. When he first encountered my golem, I was confident. Overconfident, perhaps. After all, no magic worked in the heart of my labyrinth—my domain negates all but my own. But this creature... this Rimuru Tempest...
He didn't need magic. Or rather, whatever power he wielded transcended the limitations of my mana-dispersing field.
I brought down my golem's massive fist upon him, crushing the very platform he stood on. The impact would have pulverized a lesser being, scattering their remains across the void. Yet when the dust settled, he remained—not a scratch, not even a hint of discomfort. His clothing wasn't even ruffled!
"Is that all?" he had asked, with that same innocent smile that makes my non-existent blood boil. "I read that the great Miledi Reisen was fearsome. Don't disappoint me now."
I had roared in indignation (well, my golem did), swinging again and again. Each blow powerful enough to level mountains. I sent him flying into stone platforms, shattered cubic formations with his body, crushed him between my palms like a bug.
Nothing. Not a single effect.
He would simply rise, dust himself off, and look at me with those unnerving eyes.
"My turn," he had said finally, after I had exhausted a particularly complex attack sequence.
What happened next still sent tremors through my consciousness. He drew back his fist—such a simple, primitive gesture—and then launched forward. The moment his knuckles connected with my golem's chest...
Black flames erupted from the point of impact—not ordinary fire, but something creepier. They spread across my golem's stone body, consuming, devouring the very magic that animated it. Alongside the flames came lightning—midnight black and crackling in ways that bordered on maddening. It forked through the air like angry veins.
The combination tore through my golem's defenses as if they were paper. Systems failing, magic circuits disrupting, the carefully constructed balance of my creation coming undone in seconds. Even the gravity magic that had sustained this chamber for centuries flickered momentarily, causing several platforms to falter in their suspension.
I had poured centuries of knowledge into this golem, reinforced it with ancient magic from the Age of Gods, used Azantium as its foundation, calibrated it to withstand forces that could probably reshape a continent. Yet one punch—ONE PUNCH—had nearly destroyed it.
Now he hovered before my damaged golem, gliding effortlessly through the air. Black draconic-like wings extended from his back. They didn't flap like bird wings would; they simply existed as manifestations of his inhuman nature and were occasionally twitching.
"Hey, hey, hey. You're still moving? That's pretty impressive for a pile of rocks."
I chirped through my golem, maintaining my deliberately annoying façade. No need to let him know how deeply unsettled I am.
"Most visitors don't even make it past my welcoming committee of adorable little golem babies! You must be suuuuper strong, Mr. Blue Hair! Or maybe you cheated somehow? Hmm? Did you cheat?"
He chuckled. "I don't need to cheat. Your labyrinth is impressive, but it's designed to counter magic users. That unfortunately doesn't work on me, sweetie."
"Ooooh, mysterious and strong! What an exciting combination!" I cackle, while internally cataloging every detail about him. "So who exactly are you, handsome stranger? Where did you crawl out from? I heard some teeny tiny something about someone conquering Oscar's place recently—was that you? Poor Oscar must be sooooo upset in the afterlife!"
Rimuru smiles innocently, tilting his head slightly. "Good question. I don't even know for sure myself."
What kind of answer is that? Even as my golem's systems continued to deteriorate, critical failures cascading through its structure, I found myself genuinely curious about this being.
"This is quite an impressive golem you've built," he continued, skillfully changing the subject. "Everything's remarkable. You know, so far, no one has been able to resist one of my punches. You're the first not to crumble immediately—that's why I had to use the dark plasmas to bring your giant down. Consider it a compliment."
My golem's eyes flickered, the mana sustaining them fading rapidly. I make a show of it, letting its massive body slump forward with the last of its strength, stone grinding against stone as joints lock up.
"Awww, looks like my time is up!" I announce with theatrical sadness. "Too bad! I was hoping we could be besties! Maybe in another life, Mr. Blue Hair! Remember Miledi Reisen with fondness, okay? The most beautiful, talented, amazing mage who ever lived! Byeeeeee~!"
The golem's eyes dimmed to darkness, its massive form now nothing but an inert mountain of enchanted stone.
"Goodbye, Liberator," Rimuru replied softly. Then, with that same disarming smile, "I'll see you in a minute."