Rimuru looked at the giant Orc standing before her, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
"Is this the Orc Lord? Why does it seem weaker than I imagined…"
This version of Rimuru was far from the inexperienced slime of the original timeline. With Takumi's guidance, Shizue's training, and the environment of the rapidly developing Dimensional City, her strength had long surpassed the original storyline's level.
The Orc Lord had not yet devoured Klumet. That was why Rimuru felt underwhelmed.
But fate—especially Takumi's butterfly-effect-laden version—never waited.
A black speck appeared in the sky.
Then—
BOOM!!!
A figure crashed between Rimuru and the Orc Lord, creating a crater and a cloud of dust.
When the dust cleared, a demon with a bird's head rose to his feet—dressed in a gentleman's suit, holding an ornate staff.
Klumet.
He had come straight after parting ways with the clown Laplace.
Rimuru blinked. "…A demon?"
The demon's enraged voice echoed across the battlefield.
"You pests!! You ruined Klumet's perfectly laid plan!!"
The moment Rimuru heard the name, she recalled Rigurd's earlier explanation.
"Klumet… the demon who named Rigurd's eldest son?"
"Answer: Correct." Great Sage confirmed.
Klumet puffed up with fury.
"I was THIS close—THIS CLOSE—to creating a Demon Lord completely obedient to me!!"
"A new Demon Lord?" Rimuru tilted her head.
"That's right! I—"
Takumi, watching through a water mirror from his mansion, facepalmed.
"I came to watch a fight, not listen to your TED talk, you birdbrain!"
He flicked the water's surface.
Inside the battlefield—
Klumet suddenly clutched his forehead.
"WHO!? Who attacked me!? Show yourself! Fight me directly!!"
He thrashed around screaming, completely unaware…
…of the Orc Lord behind him.
SWISH!
A massive greatsword cleaved down.
PFFT!!
Klumet's head rolled across the ground—eyes wide open.
"W–why…?" the severed head whispered before consciousness faded.
Rimuru's jaw dropped.
"…He killed Klumet!?"
The Orc Lord immediately devoured the corpse.
Magicules surged like a storm.
Bodies trembled.
Power erupted.
Evolution began.
Great Sage announced:
"Confirmation: Individual 'Kurut' is evolving into a Demon Lord Seed."
Rimuru hesitated, recalling Takumi's words.
—One day earlier—
"Rimuru! If the Orc Lord is going to evolve, LET IT HAPPEN."
"Won't it be harder to kill?" Rimuru asked.
Takumi smirked.
"After it evolves, just devour it. Trust me. A surprise awaits."
"Okay! I'll trust you, Takumi!"
—Back to the present—
The evolution completed.
The Orc Lord… became something else.
Starved Krut.
The magicule tsunami rising from him warped the terrain.
But Rimuru didn't flinch.
"Alright then… let's finish this."
She reverted into her slime form.
Kurut summoned countless magicule tentacles.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Rimuru dodged like flowing water.
She launched herself forward.
"Devouring isn't your exclusive right!"
Her body expanded into a massive viscous net and wrapped around Kurut.
"Whoever devours the other first wins!"
Starved Krut screamed as he tore at Rimuru's form—
—but Rimuru regenerated faster than he could destroy.
Soon, he was completely engulfed.
Benimaru and the others watched nervously.
"Will Lord Rimuru be alright?"
"Should we help!?"
"IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO LORD RIMURU WE'RE DEAD! LORD TAKUMI WILL—"
Hakuro held them back.
"We must trust Lord Rimuru."
Benimaru hesitated.
A calm, familiar voice entered his mind.
Takumi's telepathy.
"Don't interfere. Rimuru will be fine."
Benimaru exhaled with relief.
Shion nodded decisively.
"If Lord Takumi said she's fine, then she's 100% fine!"
Across the battlefield, faith in Takumi was absolute.
Inside the Inner World of Starved Krut
A barren wasteland. Cracked earth. No sky.
Kurut stood with his back to Rimuru.
"That adult told me… if I became the Orc Lord and devoured endlessly… my people wouldn't die…"
He trembled.
"I know I was a pawn… but I had no choice. I had to bear everything myself."
Rimuru stood bathed in metaphorical sunlight.
"In terms of devouring, I'm stronger. You will lose."
Kurut's voice cracked.
"My kin starved. I ate them. I devoured everything. I even ate Klumet… I am a sinner. But I… I didn't want to lose anyone else…"
Finally—
He collapsed.
Rimuru's voice softened.
"You lost. This is a world where the weak die."
"…But your sins… your people's sins… I'll take responsibility for them."
Kurut's fading voice whispered:
"You are… truly insatiable…"
He vanished.
Rimuru murmured:
"Yes. I'm greedy… Takumi, I want to stay with you forever too."
The Sun Rises — The End of the Orc Disaster
Great Sage announced:
"Confirmation: Starved Krut has disappeared."
Rimuru returned to human form.
She watched the sunrise.
"…Rest in peace, Kurut."
The rising light spread across the battlefield.
The war was over.
And a new ruler was born.