Chapter 48: The Board Meeting of Monsters
"The market has just opened," I say, my new voice echoing through the polished halls of the executive wing. "And I'm the majority shareholder of this forest's future."
Walking on two legs is a strange sensation. The spirit-vessel Rimuru provided is top-tier hardware—responsive, lightweight, and capable of housing the immense magicule pressure now radiating from my core. I adjust the cuffs of my obsidian-silk suit, the fabric shimmering under the magical glow of the chandeliers. To the world, I look like a cold, porcelain-skinned heir to a fortune. Internally, I'm still a sarcasm-fueled slime trying to figure out if I can get a decent espresso in this world.
I enter the council chamber. The air here is so thick with magicules it would probably liquefy a normal human. Rimuru sits at the head of the table, his golden eyes scanning the room with a weight that commands absolute silence. To his left, the Primordial Black, Diablo, stands like a shadow carved from the void, a polite yet terrifying smile plastered on his face.
"Take a seat, Shinji," Rimuru says, his voice carrying the calm authority of a True Demon Lord. "We have a problem."
I take my place at his right hand. The Kijin are already seated—Benimaru, Shion, Hakuro, Shuna, and Souei. Their evolutions have been total. They don't just look stronger; their very existence feels optimized.
"A problem?" I ask, leaning back in my chair. "I assume you're referring to the message from Clayman, or perhaps the fact that we've just liquidated an entire kingdom's military and now have a massive diplomatic deficit to settle."
"Both," Rimuru nods. He taps the table, and a magical projection appears—the recording of Clayman's broadcast.
The clownish Demon Lord is ranting about 'order' and 'justice,' accusing Rimuru of being a rampaging monster that needs to be 'corrected' by the Council of Demon Lords at Walpurgis.
"Clayman is attempting a hostile takeover of our reputation," I say, my internal [Market Transparency] sensory feed analyzing the micro-expressions of the projection. "He's trying to short-sell us to the other Demon Lords. If he convinces them we're a threat to the world-logic, they'll move to liquidate us before we can become a permanent fixture in the market."
"Kufufu," Diablo chuckles, his eyes glowing red. "A truly pathetic maneuver. If Master wishes, I could pay this 'Clayman' a visit and audit his soul personally. I suspect his 'assets' are far less impressive than he claims."
Azathoth, give me a scan on the new guy. I want to know exactly what we're dealing with.
Notice. Analysis of individual 'Diablo' is restricted. Existence Value is immeasurable with current parameters. However, the 'Lord of Wisdom, Raphael' has categorized him as a [Primordial]. His combat ROI is estimated at 'Systemic Destruction'.
Great. We hired a nuke as a butler. I'll have to make sure he doesn't 'accidentally' delete the furniture.
"We're not sending you yet, Diablo," Rimuru says, then turns to me. "Shinji, what's the ROI on attending Walpurgis?"
"High risk, high reward," I state flatly. "If we go, we're walking into a den of entities that make the Falmuth army look like a lemonade stand. But if we don't go, we're conceding the narrative. We need to go there, prove Clayman is insolvent, and secure our position as a sovereign superpower."
"I agree," Benimaru says, his voice like crackling embers. "We've evolved. We're ready to defend our Lord's name."
"Then it's settled," Rimuru stands up. "Benimaru, you'll lead the forces here to handle the Orc army Clayman is sending. Shion and I will head to Walpurgis."
He looks at me. "Shinji, I want you with me. Your [Dragon Spirit Haki] and that new [Ambition] aura of yours... I want the other Demon Lords to see that Tempest isn't just one person. We're a conglomerate."
"I'll need to prepare my wardrobe," I say, standing up as well. I can feel the [Dragon Spirit Haki] leaking from my humanoid shell—a cold, terrifying pressure that makes even the Kijin stiffen. "And I want to test my new offensive suite. [God's Wrath] and [Hell Flare] are powerful, but I want to ensure my [Total Liquidation Logic] is properly calibrated before we meet the 'Board of Directors'."
"We'll do a final audit of our skills tonight," Rimuru says. "Tomorrow, we move."
Current Magicule Reserves: Infinite (Jura-Storm Network). Location: Executive Wing, Tempest. Status: Humanoid form active. Walpurgis strategy: Finalized. Soul Capacity: 38%.
Azathoth, set a reminder. We need to evaluate the compatibility of 'Black Flame' with my [Obsidian Aegis]. If I can coat my defense in anti-regeneration fire, our 'quality of life' is going to be very hard for anyone to threaten.
Chapter End.