Incoming Peril? Irrelevant!

During Milim and Dino's stay in Tempest back then, there were visitors Rimuru never knew about.

They were Lycanthropes from Beast Kingdom Eurazania led by Beastketeer Phobio of the Black Leopard.

However, they ran afoul of Dino who was napping...and got disturbed.

'Lycanthropes...what brings Karion's subordinates to Tempest?' Dino asked them, yawning and getting up.

'Who in the world are you to speak of Karion-sama's name so casually?!' Phobio demanded indignantly. Dino raised an eyebrow.

'Ohhh Karion would know of my name. Dino. I'm his senior as he wasn't even born yet when I'm already a Demon Lord for a couple millennia.' Dino deadpanned as the air became suddenly too heavy for the Beastketeer and his subordinates that they have trouble breathing. 'So, what are your intentions?'

The lycanthropes were shaken.

A demon lord is already here in Tempest! They got here first!

'Ghh...! Karion-sama sent us to recruit that Slime and his followers...' the monkey lycanthrope wheezed out.

'That would have to be out of the question I'm afraid.' said Dino wryly. 'Jura is Neutral Territory and it should remain so, both land and citizens within. Break this balance and the other Lords will be up in arms. This is my warning.'

So they had no choice but to return home in failure, but at least Karion understands.

'Dino...he was a Demon Lord and he was already there every Walpurgis.' said Karion. 'He is the sixth eldest yet as far as I recall, newcomers challenge either him or the seventh, they tend to die. I kept my post for 460 years and he has seniority. If he watches over Tempest, then even I have no choice.'

Phobio was thus frustrated. He held Karion in high esteem, the hero of Eurazania against the Worldwide War, when Angels came down from the skies when he was a child, and Karion protected Eurazania with his power.

But for him to admit someone is stronger, someone he dares not offend...was sacrilege.

But alas, in Eurazania where Meritocracy is everything, Phobio reluctantly relented and they were mostly reliant on Foss, the spy Karion sent.

Tempest was a fast-developing town with a fantasy-feel and heavily reliant on Engraving Magic for lighting, and a long list of Life Comforts in general and don't care about outside world affairs unless it WILL bother them, so for that reason they have spies on human nations as humans attack monsters simply because they're monsters. Yet no spy on monster nations as nobody sent spies on them anyway.

They failed to detect Foss simply because she's a child. She played the Orphan card to gain citizenship through dramatics. Rimuru was sympathetic and cares for kids that the town has playgrounds and parks where children can play all day.

Milim was present in the office when she was taken to the office by a goblin to Foss' horror.

But luckily Milim didn't find out.

When she asked 'who's that pink-haired girl in panties' by pretending to be dumb, she found out Rimuru was personally taking care of Milim and teaches her things she never knew on Dino's insistence. Guy in question, is snoozing all day in Rimuru's house.

Foss had no idea what that meant, but the goblins would say that they sometimes see Milim looking after the younger kids in town and back at autumn, Rimuru held a cooking class in Milim's Temple when Milim who came to check them out and tasted their food...that got Rimuru gone for weeks after.

Phobio's group got plain unlucky when he decided to nap elsewhere when they came for their mission...

...so yes, Foss is their only string in there until then.

And Milim was the last to leave as Dino left weeks before.

However, when they tried again now that Milim was gone?

Trouble struck again when Tempest was up in arms.

'What's going on?' Phobio asked an armed Hobgoblin.

'We just got word from the Dryads!' he said. 'Charybdis, a Calamity-Class Monster is headed this way for some reason, we're prepared for both battle and evacuation! Dear visitors please come back another time, assuming this town is still around!' and he ran off telling the women and elderly to gather with the children.

'...I swear, we keep getting unlucky.' Phobio twitched, raising a shaking fist as the townsfolk are getting ready to flee. 'This pisses me off!'

'Maa maa, it's just happenstance...' Albis reassured him before she frowned. 'It's not like we ask for trouble when we come under orders.' she said. 'For now, to earn some goodwill we help out to work this out in Karion-sama's favor.'

'That's all we got then.' Suphia grinned. 'Let's go find the boss here!' they ran in search of the main military force who were heading eastward with silver swords, joined by Pegasus Riders.

'Silver...they're going to use Mithril Swords when that one said that their swords are black and gold.' Phobio noted.

Tempest's swords are high-grade Magisteel enough to be Unique Class as swords here have an unusually-high amount of Magisteel. 20% magisteel swords alone are often gifted to generals in military yet Foss who's not even a general got one simply because!

When they got to a smooth path outside of town...

'They'll be here in five minutes with a pace like that.' Rimuru frowned as they can see Charybdis incoming. She was high in the sky with the rest of her warriors riding on the wolves who too, can fly. 'Those clowns are starting to get on my nerves!'

'Rimuru-sama, will it be time to deal with them?' Souei asked her.

'As much as I hate to say this, not yet, not until everyone masters what I taught you through Thought Communication.' Rimuru sighed. 'We need all cards we can get as each of those freaks are S-Class like myself. Since they possess no weapons, they're either good at martial arts or magic or both, something we strive to be better at. We must be better. We're sitting ducks without swords.'

The Kijin knew they were outclassed by the crooks responsible for their current predicament.

Rimuru places value in creativity in skill and technique over magicule power as what was the point if you can't put power to good use as a weapon? She is still training under Hakurou to be able to finally deal with the clowns, while they are her opposite: weaker in magicule yet better than her in fighting but the issue was hand-to-hand. They were swordsmen that take away their sword, they're at a loss. They must be better in hand-to-hand, to finally kill the clowns.

That issue caused their young lady no end of secret grief.

She normally wants to nip problems in the bud, but her issue keeps her from doing so, so she was diligently working hard under Hakurou at night while they master techniques she creates for them. Being Kijin who are physically very powerful BEFORE magicules came into play thus possess physical power of S-Classes at their current state...if they master it, along with the Power Conversion technique she had shown once by using it on Geld I, they can finally kill the damn clowns.

She sends them dream training of movesets from video games she felt, would suit them. But in sparring, some techniques are too deadly that in friendly spars, IS FORBIDDEN. Given how Rimuru observed their movements, she sent the boys moves of characters she played back when she was 33, Hayabusa Ryu of DOA franchise as it suits them, and for Shion and Shuna, Momiji's moveset. For the Hobgoblin Hunting Unit, she sends them all Sarah's.

For herself, she modified Alpha-152 moveset after finding flaws and making it deadlier. She's a magic-user afterall...

But mastering all these, will take time.

For now, the clowns can wait.

Charybdis first. It makes her glad that they had Mithril Swords forged... 'Dang, Veldora wasn't kidding when he said his...kids before me are butt-ugly.' she muttered with a twitch.

But what they all had in common before she reincarnated as his latest Slime-y offshoot is that all of them are born from his magicules. So they're all siblings under the same father.

Spreading her wings, she looked back at her fighters. 'I'll pave the way, make sure everyone lands on Charybdis' body! I'll attack the front, you handle the back! Shuna will prepare Holy Magic down below! On her signal we get out of her way or we'll be flash-fried!'

'Yes!' thus they stood on the backs of the enlarged wolves, and secured in place with threads, they soared up above, followed by the Pegasus Riders. And with their swords, began tearing on Charybdis chunk by chunk, while Rimuru from up above, was shooting something directly at Charybdis, making it howl in pain.

'...I think we might not even be needed.' Albis sweatdropped.

'Oh my, who are you people?!' Shuna gasped out, startled that three strangers are suddenly with her.

'We're supposed to be Ambassadors from Eurazania wishing to talk to Rimuru-sama on Karion-sama's behalf but apparently we chose a bad day to come.' said Suphia dryly. Shuna can only laugh weakly at the understatement of the year.

'Ehehehe...indeed so...we will be busy for today.' Shuna laughed feebly before sighing, then frowning and looking annoyed. '...the time will come when we make the culprits pay for this. Now is not the right time. sadly. We know who they are, we just don't know the motive. But for endangering our people twice...we will show no mercy if we catch them.' she swore. 'I need to focus on Holy Magic now.'

'Eh? But aren't we monsters godless?' Phobio pointed out. 'We can't use Holy Magic!'

'That's a misconception humans spread on purpose to keep Holy Magic solely exclusive to them when anyone can do it as long as they have unshakeable faith and trust in the one they believe in, and draw power from that faith.' Shuna explained. 'As long as we believe in what we deem as 'our god', we too who have great faith, can cast holy magic.' she gently lectured. 'And with my faith in Rimuru-sama, I'll show you how that we too, can do it! Although distance from me for a bit, it will hurt if you're too close...' thus, the Beastketeers are rendered silent by her words.

Shuna began focusing on her faith as she sat on seiza on the ground, amassing power.

When they stole military knowledge of humans, they found this magic they have no clue about.

But Rimuru easily dissected this type of magic and found it hypocritically-hilarious with good reasons and went snarky about it...and had people with strong faith learn it. For only those with the strongest faith and belief can cast it, but humans made it hypocritically-exclusive to themselves when anyone can do it. Just that, it's deadly to monsters due to it's nature of purifying magicules.

But its also because of faith and belief, that its the toughest magic to master in the world.

With Shuna's skill Analyst, she was entrusted to do research on Holy Magic and be a lot better and more creative than the humans who created it. Rimuru lamented that '-they lack creativity, but its actually a good thing for us.' and believed Shuna can do better.

Shuna worked hard to repay Rimuru's confidence and trust in her as with her faith and belief in Rimuru as well as the trust given to her, she gathered so much power she glowed with a ball of pure white light at first. It grew so massive forming into a large cocoon of light, slowly gaining well-defined features of wings. Leading to this, as she created immensely large glowing-pure-white angelic wings so massive it's easily as tall as three castles stacked on top of each other that the wings can be seen from Dwargon's Military Forts in the mountains. The wings then spread wide open.

It's here! RETREAT! Rimuru contacted the group on Charybdis' back and they quickly pulled out or get atomized. "I know I told Shuna to do research, but hot damn, she's reliable and potentially, the scariest of us all." she thought with a sweatdrop as Shuna conjured giant wings made entirely out of holy energy and used it feather by feather, shooting it like homing missiles...and the effect was frightening.

The Beastketeers were terribly shaken by the sight, and considerably weakened thanks to exposure to Holy Magic so powerful and potent cast by a small, frail-looking girl.

It dealt explosive damage on Charybdis and its Megalodons...and by the time it was over, nothing was left behind of Charybdis. Or so they thought.

'Something's falling?' Benimaru noted, so Rimuru quickly went to get it.

It was a corpse of a person with Charybdis' core attached to it.

'Someone clearly went all their way for this.' Rimuru performed surgery using Shizu's skill Degenerate she obtained, before devouring it with Gluttony. 'There. Nobody can ever use Charybdis ever again.'

'But still that's amazing Shuna...that's the fruit of your research?' Benimaru gushed at his sister, amazed.

'Rimuru-sama believed I can do it, so I could do it!' Shuna chimed happily.

'So Shuna, what do you call that technique? It's definitely a thousand times more powerful than Disintegration, the strongest humans cooked up! It shines like the sun compared to that tiny spark! I knew I could trust you with Holy Magic!' Rimuru gushed out, amazed with Shuna's creativity. Shuna beamed at the praise as the unit chosen to battle Charybdis praised Shuna for saving the day.

'I call it Holy Judgment!' Shuna chimed. 'If Disintegration works on land on just a small unit, we need something against those who can fly but I can also aim the feathers on land...Rimuru-sama told everyone creativity is everything, so I did just that!'

"Did she seriously pull a Final Fantasy on me?!" Rimuru laughed at that. She had played Final Fantasy IX and Shuna pulled that off in real life! Holy cow!

Needless to say, a Hero's Reception was cooked for Shuna back home.

xxx

'So you're Ambassadors sent by Demon Lord Karion...' Rimuru mused as the whole town was gathered at the massive square, celebrating their victory over Charybdis, flanked by the male Kijin.

'Yes.' said Albis. 'We're here to form ties with Tempest, as one monster nation to another.'

'We're still a budding country working out several kinks to be recognized, but I'm not about to turn down potential allies either.' said Rimuru. They discussed what Karion wants and needs, in return he would trade with Tempest as well be military aid when needed. Of course, its a 'scratch backs' basis that Rimuru accepted as she accommodated the Ambassadors the day after making equal terms.

As goodwill, she gifted Eurazania a cookbook.

'We should count our blessings while we still can.' Rimuru told her executives. 'We're doing a little too well. For now on the wheel called life we're on top of our game, but there will come a time when we'll be at the bottom of the wheel, so we'll have to prepare against that before we can truly relax.'

'That's four foreign alliances so far. Dwargon, Blumund, Milim-sama's country and now Eurazania.' said Benimaru. 'We can have access to fruit for liquor production as well as spices in return for our medicinal goods and our Engraving Magic formula.'

'Mm. But let's not grow too complacent and overconfident. Let's remain the way we are. If we were any other fool, they would grow cocky and arrogant for having gained good rapport with three Demon Lords. We gained good will because we are what we are, and we must not lose that.' said Rimuru. 'We, comfort-loving monsters gained our gains, because we are what we are. If we lose that, we will lose in the future.'

'We made our appeal to people who've never tasted true peace and comfort in their lives.' said Hakurou. 'That's how we won people over. We have the aura of a 'home'.'

'Yep. That's our strongest, selling point.' said Rimuru with a giggle before sighing in disappointment. 'People who put too much stock in gaining money, influence and status in never-ending thirst for power, using and betraying everyone around them even selling their own child for it, will never know peace. That is the curse of the greedy. Never knowing satisfaction, and are eternally-hungry in their own way.'

There's about two months of whole day Literacy Lessons, before the other subjects come into play...so Rimuru felt she had free time before dealing with a bigger problem. Politics and Shizu's students.

So she told her subordinates she will travel for two months for a solution to fulfill her promise, and trusted them to hold the fort for her, after she goes to their allied countries for business.

But before leaving, she must dress formally to send her delegates off.

As per Karion's proposal through his Beastketeers, both countries are sending delegates to learn about the other.

Those participating are the Hobgoblins trained in mediating, and Benimaru was appointed Leader.

These were their first few steps to being recognized as a nation, but unversed still.

Dressed in her formal gown, something out of chinese manhua, she stood on top of the stage by the square.

'Everyone, we all know how we began.' she spoke to her citizens. 'We are originally a town for our own sakes, and an alliance for security and safety. Before we know it, we gained alliances left and right that we must become an officially-recognized country of monsters. We must earn the goodwill of our neighbors through mutual cooperation and diplomacy. But we must never forget who and what we are as Tempest.'

'As our foreign delegates will soon leave, we will also entertain the other side's foreign delegates.' Rimuru continued. 'First impressions LAST, so we must be accommodating and hospitable to the incoming guests. We must show them what kind of country we are, and let them have a lasting good impression on us all. Good luck to all of us, for our own sakes!'

'YEEEEESSSS!'

'As we bid our delegates farewell, I expect everyone to deliver our best welcome to our guests! That will be all!'

xxx

'Hot damn, you got it rough...seriously, Charybdis?' Cabal shuddered as Ellen told her teammates her tale while in the local tavern. 'That's a Calamity-Class Monster!'

'Yeah, But Shuna defeated it herself after the others bought her enough time for the ritual.' said Ellen. 'She one-shot it to death!'

'So how have you been here?'

'I learned a lot of spells from Rimuru.' said Ellen happily. 'I can finally be a combat mage and be a B-Rank Adventurer like you guys for real!'

'That's good to know.' said Gido. 'We can finally relax.' he sighed in relief. 'Anyways, let's buy new toys at Kurobee's place...our weapons are starting to suck, though our armor still does its job.'

'Yeah, I'll buy a new staff too.' said Ellen. 'In Military Terms according to Rommel, I reached Magus-Class power as a Mage, but given what our job is...well, we need to be better.'

'I agree. Let's go.'

xxx

Kurobee's Weapons Shop...

Kurobee crafts weapons now that business is beginning to boom. There are many varieties for sale, and the prices depend on the materials used to make it.

20% Magisteel with C-Class Monster Parts and jewels. Costs 500 gold coins. If in Mithril, price is 800.

30% Magisteel with B-Class Monster Parts and jewels. Costs 900 gold coins. If in Mithril, price is 1200.

50% Magisteel with A-Class Monster Parts and jewels. Costs 2000 gold coins. If in Mithril, Price is 5000.

Be it Sword, Two-Handeds, Katanas, Spear, Axe, Daggers, Hammers, Rods and Staves.

'Excuse us!' the guys called out as their party came in.

'Kurobee, 50% Two-Handed for me please!' Cabal requested.

'I'd like a pair of 50% Daggers too.' said Gido.

'50% Rod for me!' Ellen piped up.

'Yes yes, you have to choose from these.' said Kurobee, taking out three books for them to look at. 'Once you got your pick, I'll get them in the storeroom, so prepare the money.'

'K~!'

Thanks to Shizu's money, they can afford that easy-peasy. It's equipment they can use for the rest of their lives so they need not buy any more after this, and will have to buy armor that color-matches their new toys.

The stocks in Kurobee's shop are based on goods from Final Fantasy that are attractive to look at for purchase while still maintaining how deadly they truly are.

Next step was Dord's Clothing Shop.

While he sells normal clothes, he also sells Light Armor. It's Garm who sells actual armor. Myrd sells Accessories.

Once they got upgrades, they can leave Tempest in confidence that they'll reach A-Class Adventurer levels soon enough.