Rimuru's POV
We have finally obtained the location of the labyrinth of the Spirit Queen. After discussing with Yuuki, I decided to take the 5 on a vacation to Ulgrassia.
A day before departure.....
I am heading towards quite a famous restaurant in Ingrassia. The reason being that Valora had called me here. When I entered I asked where Valora was and then guided to her.
"It has been a while, Rimuru-sama. "
"Yes. Nearly 3 months. Right?"
"Hai."
"So why did you call me here?"
"Actually. It is regarding Hinata."
" I asked you to keep an eye on her. What happened? "
"Actually, recently she was just visited by a merchant from the east. After their meeting, Hinata actively started collecting information on anyone who looked like you."
" Like me? Hmm.... Valora. Keep an eye out on this merchant and if possible, find out who he is working for."
"Understood. "
After that we had small talks over dinner and went on our way.
The next day...
I teleported all my students to Ulgrassia, right in front of the maze. I had already scouted the area once, so I decided to teleport right in front of it. The five were in awe and looked around. After they calmed down, we finally entered the labyrinth. It was one straight line. We all kept walking and walking and as we were walking I suddenly felt a deviation in space. I looked towards the deviation and analyzed it. I sensed a presence there. Just as I sensed it I heard a creepy sound.
"Kukukuku. Intruders. For what reason have you come here?"
"I want to meet the Spirit Queen. "
"Is that so? Then you must defeat my Elemental Collosus. Only then can you meet her."
Just as she said that, a mecha golem appeared in front of me. It looked like one of the old model of 'Battle Suits' used in my previous life.
"Ranga, protect them. I will deal with it."
"Understood."
I moved towards the collosus and started analyzing it. It has a centre core which powers the entire thing. It uses wind magic to move and earth magic to move its joints. It moved towards me and punches me. I quickly dodged, and asked," Is it okay if I destroy this?" I don't want to antagonize her as I need whoever's this person to meet Ramiris, the spirit Queen.
I moved towards the golem and quickly jab right at its centre and pierce through its core. As the core was destroyed, it stopped moving.
"So are you satisfied now?"
"What? How? How? My masterpiece."
" Hey will you help us now or not? First why don't you come out?"
I created a black flame in my hands and looked towards where a space distortion was.
"Hai. I am here. Ramiris at your sevice."
"Good."
But something caught my attention. Ramiris? Isn't she the spirit Queen? Maybe I am just hearing thing.
Many lesser spirits started coming and the children started playing with it.
"What was your name again?"
"Ramiris"
"Ramiris, the spirit Queen? "
"Yep that's me."
I look at her flabbergasted. I then catch her with my fingers.
"Take me to the spirit Queen. Treyni told me that Ramiris was a full grown adult and not a pixie. Also she said that she was full of DIGNITY. Where the hell is there any dignity in you? Don't mess with me."
After I vented at her for atleast 5 minutes straight she started crying as if she was deeply wounded. After that she explained how she had taken in Milim's rampaging energy 2000 years ago causing her to reincarnate every 1000 years. After that I told her about the children. She decided to help the children. In return, I would provide her a new golem. She then took us to the deepest part of the labyrinth. She told us to go and pray near the spirit stone. To set an example, I went first. As expected, it was Val who responded.
"I am glad to see you again, my lord."
"Me too."
"What are you doing at my house? Get out."
Val then proceeds to enter my body. Then he peaks out and says,"By the way my name is now Val."
"You named him?"
"Don't sweat the small stuff."
After that one by one, the five went on to pray. I also went along with them.
Gale summoned a lot of inferior eart spirits, which I fused with 《Degenerate》to make a greater Earth spirit. After that I mad it inhabit Gale.
Alice with next. She summoned inferior space spirits. I fused them to the same as Gale.
Next was Kenya. Surprisingly enough a light spirit reacted to him and inhabited him. I could hear Ramiris mumbling, "Whose house do they think they are invading. They never help when I ask."
Next up was Ryota. He summoned both, water and wind inferior spirits. I fused them together and made it fuse with her. Everything was going well.
Last one was Chloe. She was scared so I princess carried her. On the way she said," I love you, Sensei."
"Me too, Chloe." I said kissing her on the cheek. After that she started praying. Suddenly I felt as if the atmosphere had come crashing down. I looked at the spirit stone. There was a humanoid figure there. I quickly started analyzing it. It went towards Chloe and I came between them to stop her. Instead of reacting she kept moving towards me. I activated my barrier but my barrier reacted to nothing. She came towards me and kissed me on the lips, stopped for a moment and proceeded to move into Chloe. I couldn't understand what happened. My first kiss in this world? Taken? By a spirit I dont even know. What is happening? I quickly analyze Chloe and see that her energy has stabilized. That's a good thing.
"Alright. Good job everyone. Now everyone of you is safe. It's alright to cry now."
As soon as I say that, they all came and hugged me and started crying. I started patting them. I could not analyze the spirit properly but I am pretty sure it had something to do with Shizue's mask. They both had the same feeling of time being warped around them. She looked a lot like Chloe, now that I think about it. Could she be Chloe from the future? Or maybe someone else. She could also be from the past. Suddenly Ramiris came up to me and whispered, "Are you sure it's safe? That spirit hadn't been born yet, you know."
So she can be considerate of others.
"Yes it's fine."
So I atleast know that the spirit is from the future. I might have to talk to her later. I complete my promise to her by summoning a demon and making it inhabit a demon steel doll. After that I name it Beretta and leave. But before leaving I ask Ramiris," Hey if I could absorb Milim's energy in you, would you mind?"
"You can do that?"
"Yes, sort of."
"Then please do." She said. She was surprisingly polite. She did say that she was slowly regaining her memories. I hope she will regain that 'Dignity ' Treyni was talking about. I give her one of my mini-clone which eats like I instructed. My clone continued to slowly devour Milim's energy. After doing so, I leave along with my students.
Once we reach our school back, I invite Chloe to my room after sending others to my room. I then sat on the chair in my room facing towtowards the bed.
"Chloe, can I talk to your spirit?"
"Talk?"
"Ya. Like this." As soon as I say that I released Val. After that i reabsorb him.
"I am not sure if i can do that."
"I see."
That spirit kissed me. Could it be that she had feelings towards me? Let's test this.
"Did you receive any memories or anything from the spirit?"
"No. Nothing of the sort."
"I see. Wanna stay the night here in my room with me?"
"Ehh? Ehhhhh!!!!!!", she screamed with a visible blush on her face. I see.
"Just kidding. You should go back to your room and sleep. It was a long day after all."
"Sensei, you meanie.",saying so she ran towards her room.
I have 3 cases of what could be happening.
Firstly the spirit is Chloe from the future and Chloe has received her memories making her have feelings towards me which she will develop in the future.
Secondly, it could be someone completely else who has taken over Chloe's body. But seeing that there was not much difference in her behavior, this is the least probable.
Thirdly and lastly, it could be that the spirit fused with Chloe. This is a bit complicated but possible.
I will have to look into this. For the next month, I teach them and then decide to leave back for Tempest.
I was riding Ranga, when I suddenly felt a clone of Souei appear in front of me.
"Rimuru-sama...... Danger........ be aware....."
It then scattered and disappeared. I suddenly felt that a barrier had been erected. It weakened me a bit but I am sure I still wouldn't lose to Hinata. The problem would be Luminous, who was spying from afar.
"To what do I owe the pleasure of meeting you, leader of the Ten Great Saint and God Luminous's Right Hand, Hinata?"
"How do you know so much? Anyway. It doesn't matter. I will kill you today to avenge Shizue-sensei."
Avenge?
As soon as she said so, she dashed at me and attacked at me her rapier. I parried it with my sword. It was made of my magicules but had gotten quite strong after my evolution. I will have to ask Kurobee to create a weapon for me with that piece of dragonite I have. As I parried her attacks, one of the attacks was aimed at my left arm. I did not bother to protect it and rather used the sword in my right arm to slash and cut off her left hand. She managed to Prevent her hand from being cut off but there was a large gash there and it was bleeding. Meanwhile I got to know that the attack from Hinata was aimed at my soul. 《Wisdom》estimated that I could only take 5 more hits. If continued to attack her. I let her get 3 more hits on me. In return I managed to cut off her left hand completely and managed to sneak in one of my mini-clone. 《Wisdom》then recalculated that I could still survive 3 more hits. I wanted to quickly defeat her and move towards Tempest, but if I kill her then Luminous might come to attack me. That would be troublesome. So I take 2 more attacks and then cast my illusion magic and then my illusion takes the last hit, but manages to jab at her stomach.
"I have avenged you, Shizue-sensei."
After saying so she cast healing magic on herself. After healing herself, she walked off. After some time the the barrier was removed. I looked towards Luminous and she was looking straight at me with a grin on her face. I undid my illusion magic, grinned at her to let her know that I had seen her and then teleport to Tempest.
When I reached, I saw that there was blood everywhere. I quickly broke through the barrier and saw Shion and Shuna carrying and healing the injured. I cast a large scale recovery spell. I then get a report from Akamaru as he was responsible for defense. It seems that Falmuth had attacked us. 500 of their elites had attacked and Akamaru had managed to repel them with only 26 casualties from his forces. I would call that quite a good victory. I have been to quite a battlefields and knew that a battle couldn't be won without sacrifices. But what he said next infuriated me. It appears that 3 otherworlders had invaded Tempest and killed nearly 100 civilians. The fact that civilians were killed infuriated me. It was standard in war to attack enemy forces but civilians were never aimed at. Looked like I completely forgot that this world does not have such unwritten rules. I will kill all of those bastards. I will wipe out their entire army and then kill atleast a hundred thousand civilians to set an example. Just you wait. I quickly check and it seems my barrier had stopped the souls of the deceased. I collected them to safeguard them. I quickly called for a meeting. Benimaru informed me that he had caught a majin who was Clayman's underling and had a hand in this war. It also appears that Youm and Grucius were protecting her. I ordered Benimaru to put her into house arrest and come to the meeting.
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That's it. I can't wait to write the next one. There is going to be blood. Also the primordial white will play a role in the next chapter. At least what I have thought till now. If I change my mind then, what can I say. Any how enjoy. Like and follow me.