Chapter 51: The Hostile Audit
"Anyone attempting to interfere with this transaction will be liquidated immediately," I say, my voice cutting through the pressurized atmosphere of the Walpurgis hall like a razor through silk.
The battlefield is set. Rimuru has locked onto Clayman, his golden aura flaring with the cold intent of a True Demon Lord. Shion has already engaged the "Three Beastketeers" turned puppets. But the true variable—the one that keeps my [Market Transparency] feed blinking red—is the pink-haired Calamity standing directly in front of me.
Milim Nava.
She hasn't moved since our initial clash. Her fist is still centimeters from my spirit-vessel's face, meeting the invisible, high-density pressure of my [Multilayer Barrier].
Notice. Milim Nava is increasing magicule output to 0.05%. Kinetic force is rising. [Obsidian Aegis] is under heavy structural load. Warning: Direct confrontation with an 'Unchained' Milim Nava will result in 100% asset loss.
I know the math, Azathoth. I'm not here to win a war of attrition; I'm here to stall the market until Rimuru closes the deal with Clayman. Besides, look at her eyes. Those aren't the eyes of someone under a 'Dominion' skill. Clayman's 'Puppet Master' logic is amateur hour—he's trying to run a high-tier OS on a floppy disk.
"You're quite stiff, little merchant," Milim says, her voice a low, dangerous whisper that only I can hear. She doesn't pull back. Instead, she leans in, the dragon-mask hiding her expression but not her intent.
"Precision is often mistaken for stiffness, Lady Milim," I respond, my sea-grey eyes locked onto hers. I activate [Mana Jamming], sending a subtle, rhythmic interference into the magicule flow between us. It's a handshake, a signal in the noise. "Currently, I am auditing the validity of your 'Control' status. My findings suggest a fraudulent representation."
Across the hall, the sound of a physical collapse echoes. Rimuru has begun the "Final Notice" for Clayman. [Beelzebub] is active, and the clownish Demon Lord is realizing that his life's work is being consumed by a hunger greater than his own.
"Milim! What are you doing?!" Clayman screams, pinned to the floor by Rimuru's foot. "Kill the silver-haired trash! That's an order!"
Milim's fist suddenly twitches. For a split second, the [Dragon Spirit Haki] within my shell resonates with her own primordial energy. It's like two massive suns acknowledging each other in the dark.
"Orders... are so boring," Milim says.
Suddenly, she doesn't strike. She propels. Using the barrier of my [Obsidian Aegis] as a springboard, she flips backward with a laugh that shatters the tension in the room. She lands perfectly next to Guy Crimson's throne, snacking on a piece of fruit she snatched from a passing tray mid-air.
"I'm done!" she chirps, pulling the mask off. "Clayman is a loser! His tea was terrible, and his plan was even worse! I was never under his control!"
The silence that follows is absolute. Even Guy Crimson looks mildly amused. Clayman's face goes from pale to a ghostly white. His entire "Hostile Takeover" was built on a lie that the asset herself was perpetuating for her own entertainment.
"Strategic failure," I state, retracting the [Hell Flare] from my hand. I smooth my suit jacket, my external persona returning to its composed, intimidating baseline. "Lord Clayman, you've defaulted on your pride, your allies, and your logic. In the world of business, we call this a total bankruptcy."
Rimuru looks at me, then at the trembling Clayman. "Shinji, you want to handle the liquidation, or should I?"
"The principal debt is yours, Rimuru," I say, stepping back. "But I'll take the spiritual residue. [Soul Eater] is currently hungry for a conversion."
[Heartless One]
As Rimuru prepares the final blow, I activate the aura. A cold, crushing dread fills the hall—not a physical pressure, but a spiritual weight that targets the very "Will to Live." Clayman, broken and begging, stands no chance. His soul isn't just lost; it is being formally repossessed.
"No! Please! I'll tell you who sent me! I'll—"
[God's Wrath (Megiddo)]
A single, pencil-thin laser of light, concentrated through a floating droplet I manifested in the ceiling, pierces Clayman's forehead. It's not a flashy execution. It's a clean, industrial disposal.
Notice. Target: Clayman has been liquidated. Soul processed via [Soul Eater]. Energy converted to magicule reserves. Notice: [Universal Synthesis] is now analyzing the 'Puppet Master' law fragments for library storage.
Well, that's one bad debt off the books, I think, watching the remains of the Demon Lord dissipate into ash. Now, I believe we have a seat at the table to claim. And I'm going to make sure the refreshments are significantly better than what the late Lord Clayman provided.
Current Magicule Reserves: Infinite (Linked). Location: Walpurgis Hall. Status: Target liquidated. True Demon Lord status: Recognized. Soul Capacity: 38%.
Chapter End.