"That was real dangerous back there, y'know!? Things could've ended so bad!" A stressed and exasperated Liliana commented while unable to stay still. "That was Thomas Andre! You think you would've won!?"
Rimuru turned back, while still chomping his apple. "I'd win." Says him with absolute confidence, with a smirk almost tinged with slight insanity.
"O-oh." Liliana couldn't refute anymore, finding further arguments needless. "A-anyways, when is your departure?" She asked, changing the topic.
The people around them, however, could not stop shivering. Of course, save for Hajime, Yue, and Tio, the students could not bear the sheer pressure Rimuru Tempest and Thomas Andre were exerting with their astronomically huge levels of magic. As such, even now, they are still quivering in their boots.
"Who do you think would've won?"
"Lord Rimuru, without a doubt."
"Yeah? I think so too."
These were the "whispers" of the students. Although, not so much as a whisper for Rimuru. The "Lord" referred to him slightly ticked him, but he brushed it off anyways.
Upon the countless appeals of Liliana and her people, Rimuru and Thomas stopped their fight before it even began. Yeah, the people would've been so pitiful if the two battled then and there. Their newly built houses would crumble with a flick of a finger from either of these two.
Anyhow, the denizens of Tortus seem to think Rimuru would lose against Thomas, while the students and Tio think Rimuru would beat Thomas Andre's ass so bad he'd be crippled for the rest of his life. Although none of these really know what would've really happened if things escalated.
.........
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...
"I still have to repair the capital's barrier before I go." (Hajime)
"Hah? That ain't like you, though." (Rimuru)
Although he got a gist of the reason why, Rimuru reasoned this was way too soft.
"Heh. You've really softened up, haven't you?" (Rimuru)
"Oh shut up." (Hajime)
"No biggies. By the way, we're going back to the forest aren't we?" (Rimuru)
"Yeah, after we drop the princess off in the Empire." (Hajime)
"Is that so? Then we'd see the rabbit again, will we not? Got a plan in case she... uh... haven't changed?" (Rimuru)
"Oh, right, I almost forgot about her. Anyways, we should be fine. She likely~ would've realized shortly after we left." (Hajime)
Rimuru and Hajime were strolling the palace as they talked. The occasional maids passing by were giving the two a look—particularly the blue-haired one.
"Those guys really do attract attention everywhere, though its more judgmental than admiration on Hajime's part. I mean, just look at his outfit." A student said.
"Agreed" Came the collective reply of several more students, including Shizuku and Kaori. They were walking not far behind the two. As for Yue and Tio, they were having tea time with Liliana discussing things with Aiko.
"But isn't Rimuru just so perfect. I mean, he's got the looks and the power. I even got a feeling Shizuku's already got a thing for him, y'know what I mean?" Suzu blurted out while whistling on the last part.
"H-hey! What are you talking about?!" Came the reply of an embarrassed and flushed Shizuku.
"Oh? So it's not true?" Even Kaori was joining in.
"W-well." It was too late. It's already given away. Shizuku realized that. The 'W-well' response was all they waited for.
The students expressed their excitement and support, teasing Shizuku along the way as they headed to their respective rooms. Although one particular hero was not happy.
"But isn't it understandable. I mean, so many other students had fallen head over heels for him. He's saved us multiple times in a very cool way, and he even gave a special sword to Shizuku and Shizuku alone. If that does not charm someone, then they must be rocks."
The students continued their chat along the way, while Rimuru and Hajime headed off to where Yue and Tio were.
※
"Sir, are you really okay?" Thomas Andre was asked such a question from his secretary.
"What kind of question is that?" Thomas replied, seemingly pissed.
"It's just that... you've been quiet and pale since the incident from before."
That's right. Thomas Andre was pale and was sweating profusely ever since his contact with Rimuru. He could not describe the feeling. At least, his pride refused to acknowledged it.
There is no way I would've lost. My overwhelming power is what makes me, well, me. A puny man like that, I can instantly pummel to the ground.
Deep inside, Thomas Andre was uncertain about his claims. The claims he proudly announced that he would've beaten Rimuru Tempest in a fight. It was unbecoming of the Great Goliath to be uncertain of a fight.
That is because he once cornered and nearly killed one of the three Supreme Generals of the Demon Army, Dreed, a feat that was not achieved by any human in history. The hierarchy of the Supreme Generals in terms of strength are as follow:
Freid as the weakest.
Dreed as the second.
And a being called Zero was the strongest.
"You're delusional. I am Thomas Andre. Enough with the chit-chat. Let us go finish our business."
Following the failed attack at the Kingdom, the demons were reported to be attacking the Empire. Thomas Andre and his team's mission is to intercept them before they arrive.
"Let's go hunt some beasts."
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"What the hell is this mess?"
Thomas blurted out, in a shock of the sight before them. The rest of his team were also speechless. It was a sight too gruesome for one to believe.
Sitting atop a massive pile of corpses comprised of both monsters and humans was a single being. A muscular figure easily above three meters. He looked human, but his vibes screamed inhuman. For one, his unusual eyes, and the glowing nerves, as well as the incomprehensibly oppressive pressure surrounding this being.
Thomas' team couldn't move. They were hopeless to their demise. Only Thomas can move.
"Laura," he called out to his stiffened secretary. "Get Toji first and seek help from that Rimuru guy. This is real bad. We'll need all the help we can get."
It was already very unusual for Thomas Andre of all people to seek help, but given the situation and its direness, it was the most optimal choice. "I-I will."
"Go!" Thomas screamed, and Laura dashed back to escape.
"You're just going to let her be?" Asked Thomas to the mysterious being in front of him. "Who are you anyways? No... what are you?"
"It doesn't matter how many of you there are, you are all as insignificant as ants." The "being" spoke, his voice deep and powerful, each spoken word emitting a dangerously evil pressure. Yet it was still at a level Thomas could easily withstand.
"Yeah? Though, I hate to admit it, but there's this guy called Rimuru who you might find troublesome."
"!!!"
Okay, that is very suspicious. Thomas thought. The mentioning of Rimuru's name made the being very surprised, almost to the point of disbelief.
This thing also gave Thomas a very weird feeling. It is not human, yet also not demon. Neither is it demi-human nor monster. If so, what is it?
"Rimuru... Tempest?"
"Yeah, that. You know him?" Thomas said, preparing himself for a fight, yet still trying to gather as much information as he can.
"The answer is beyond you. Prepare yourself."
"That's what I'm doing."
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...
The team were about to depart from the Kingdom. Yue, Tio, Rimuru, Hajime, and the princess prepared to leave, with the kingdom's officials and the students seeing them off. They were going to ride Hajime's aircraft, so the journey will be fast.
"Be careful," was Kaori, Shizuku, and Aiko's heartfelt goodbye to them. There's no telling what might suddenly happen in this world, afterall.
You might suddenly get blasted by a meteor in the middle of a celebration, or get attacked by an army of demons in the middle of the night, or get warned of an upcoming disaster in the middle of a farewell. Like—
"Sir Rimuru!!"
Speak of the devil.
"Aren't you Laura? The secretary of that musclehead?" (Rimuru)
"The goliath seeks your help!"
"What?!" Liliana was in shock the most. She knew Thomas' character. And this was something she knew he would never do, even if it meant death for him.
"There is an immensely powerful monster in the east that suddenly appeared. Thomas is currently battling it but there's no telling what's happened! Please come with me immediately!"
"..." Rimuru was looking at her with a confused look. He and her boss just a few hours ago were about to kill each other, and here they were.
"...Oh." It was then that he felt something. A fluctuation of energy.
Not far from the location he went to before when Hajime was battling Freid, he felt the same familiar and unusual energy that slaughtered those corpses. (Chapter 16)
"I get it," he told Laura. "I'm going, this is urgent. How about you guys?" He immediately expressed his volunteering, but he still questioned his party if they were tagging along.
"In the first place, you're acting strange. This matter seems very serious so I guess we have no choice but to come with you, too." (Hajime)
"I see. I'm acting strange, huh... Well, let's go." (Rimuru)
"Wait, how—" (Laura)
Rimuru clasped his hands, and all parties concerned were swallowed by a black vortex akin to a black hole as they disappeared instantly.
They instantly find themselves in a barren wasteland, devoid of life and emanating evil. On a large crater lies the lifeless body of Thomas Andre, all battered up and bloody. On the air is the clashing forces of Toji Zenin and the mysterious being.
One look was all it took for one to realize how hopelessly powerful this being was, to be capable of killing Thomas Andre and severely outmatching Toji Zenin.
Thomas Andre and Toji Zenin.
The strongest humans of today.
Either of them could easily beat both Hajime and Yue in an all-out battle at their current level.
Yet, even ones as powerful as them were reduced to naught but a bloody mess.
"Hey, phantom!" (Rimuru)
"...! So it was true..." (Phantom)
The phantom then disregarded Toji entirely and kicked him below ground, causing a massive shockwave.
He seems to still be alive. Rimuru thought.
"I am the Supreme General Zero, a vanguard of the phantom race. I greet thee, Demon Lord Rimuru." (Zero)
"I'll take this one. You guys can take on the lackeys." Rimuru told his companions, in which he received no complaints.
Behind the so-called Zero were several hundred thousand of demons and monsters, which was the force originally sent to attack the empire.
Hajime and Yue knew they were hopeless against this Zero guy.
Hell, they were almost frozen in place when they made eye contact with the being. This was at a level far beyond Hearst.
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It was a punch of an unexpected power backing it. I calmly parried it with my right hand, but a secondary, a third, a fourth... dozens of strikes came rushing in simultaneously.
I gave up on countering it and transferred myself behind him, throwing a super-powered punch to his head. However, it was dodged easily.
An upward kick came flying right at my face, hitting my chin and sending me flying to the stratosphere in a split second, accompanied by a ravenous shockwave.
"........."
I stopped my momentum and suspended myself mid-air.
I caressed my chin and took a moment to gaze down below, before turning my view to the rising sun beyond the beautiful horizon.
A breaking dawn to bell a battle of almighties.
Perfect.
I spread my arms, taking in the crisp freshness of the air, the rich atmosphere that was a taste to the spirit.
In a moment, I disappeared.
In an instant, a punch hit the phantom's chest, sending him crashing to a nearby mountain, collapsing it to smithereens. But there was no way he was done with just that.
Not long after, a large crimson pillar of light rose up all the way to the sky, making it as if we were in a red world with all the radiance. It was an overwhelmingly large gathering of energy, and this phantom was floating at the center of it all.
I smirked. It was going to be a good fight. I have no idea how a phantom managed to power up this much, but I was going to enjoy it. A stimulating battle after decades.
I readied myself. "Let's start with a little taste... shall we?"
"We thought you were dead. How convenient to have come across you here, Demon Lord Rimuru. This way, I can put an end to you once and for all! It would serve as revenge for all the pain you've given to Michael-sama, too! You can regret how much you've been a thorn on our side as I execute you."
And he kept spouting such lines.
"That's flattering. But... you are who?"
"...I'm ZERO! I grandly introduced myself earlier! I was among the phantom forces that have been fighting you for so long! The strongest of the demons!"
"Oh..." I gasped, sounding impressed, acting like I remember. And yet, no matter how much my sticky blue cells tried, the name Zero still doesn't ring a bell.
Before, he tried to get in contact to the denizens of the Other World, probably to communicate with Feldway, but I shut it all down with Space-Time Domination.
"All that talk but you're scared? Trying to get help from your daddies? Come on, are you chickening out?!"
He didn't respond, but his expression tightened in humiliation and anger.
"I will mess you up!"
"Try me."
Cornu, Obera, and Zalario aside, I have an astronomically low chance against Feldway. I could give his three generals a run for their money and absolutely cripple them simultaneously, albeit not emerging unscathed, but Feldway's too strong. It would be bad if he found out I was alive. I could get easily blasted away to the ends of existence.
Therefore, I will kill Zero here, send his remains to the Other World with a different kind of energy frequency lingering so that they wouldn't find out it was me. If they didn't hear from Zero for prolonged periods of time, they'd become suspicious and send even more phantoms to Tortus.
With this, they'd simply think Zero didn't have enough time to completely assimilate himself with his new body and therefore got taken out by the people of Tortus.
Since I would devour his ego, he would not remember anything recent on his life upon resurrection.
Killing Zero wouldn't even bother Feldway, but might arouse Zalario's suspicion. I wouldn't want to cross with him if I can, due to his connection to Feldway, so I'd spare Zero of eternal end this time.
Now, overflowing with vigor, he rushed at me. His speed exceeded dozens of thousands of kilometers per second, reaching dangerously high levels and he stroke with such force that could decimate the stars.
In response, I lifted my hand and put all of Uriel's strength to it. Space-Time Domination to alter the fabrics of reality his punch occupied, and Law Manipulation to counter the tyrannous energies of it.
Our fists collided. As a result— BOOM
A thunderous sound resounded and a crack in spatial dimensions appeared, creating a gap that sucked in all matter in the surroundings like a vacuum in order to restore equilibrium.
The shockwaves dispersed all the world's clouds. Earthquakes and disasters engulfed the entire world and the very planet's structure was at risk. The earth's magnetic fields went rampart, the electromagnetic spectrums warped, creating distorted optical visions throughout the continent.
The very air shrieked as the earth trembled, the skies burned and the stars were shaken. I isolated most of the destruction in Imaginary Space, so the planet still remains intact. And yet, the single collision of blows murdered tens of millions of souls.
We began a cat and mouse chase in the sky, occasionally colliding blows every few thousandth of a second. The sheer power and speed created an enormous geometric structure of light that covered and dominated the sky of over half the continent.
Gold and Red. Clashes of Supremes. Colors of Divines. Wills of Devils.
Zero's eyes glowed crimson blackish, the same color palette of Hajime's mana. With nerve-like features bulging on his neck and face, cracks appeared on his face and he let out a truly mighty heat vision.
It was light, no, it possessed negative mass. Was it dark matter? Dark energy or whatever? Those forces are responsible for a universe's perpetual expansion faster than light, so it might be based on the same theory.
Or maybe they function the same as my Hollow Purple...
Nevertheless, my accelerated perception can still "sense" it despite it having surpassed the speed of light. Temporal paradoxes occurred and things were now operating at a realm inaccessible by comprehension.
Going beyond the speed of light violates the laws of causality and can distort time in various ways. However! Beings freed from destiny and standard restrictions, in other words, Ultimate Skill users, can disobey physics as they wish.
I smirked, and let out my own heat vision. Well, not technically heat vision.
In order to oppose this extreme violence in front of me, I tapped into my authority.
"Abyss Annihilation."
A phenomenon akin to a gamma ray burst, compressed to an infinitesimal line, against a massive ray of dark energy. The rays of purple and red collided; our wills conflicted.
The aftermath was a massive outward explosion. However, before it can hit earth, it reverted back into itself and collapsed into a gravitational singularity.
Infinite density—it devoured the excess matter and energy around it, distorting light in its wake.
"GRR—" Zero groaned in surprise and frustration.
"Hahaaaa~!"
I couldn't help but let out a chuckle, and an unholy smile. Zero also began laughing gleefully. Then, our fight continued for hours, which seemed like it's been stretched to years for us... and a rogue black hole roaming freely about.
It was the coming of Ragnarok, the end of the world.
(Need help for future chapter ideas! I have a vague concept about the ending but even I feel its really bad so if you guys have suggestions regarding the plot of each chapter to come, like for the next chapter, and the chapter after that, I'd gladly take on your idea and put it into words. Sorry for the late update anyways hahaha. This one was also really rushed. Let me know if its bad honestly, and I'd edit the whole thing.)