A Story of Evolution
After checking on the evacuees, Rimuru went back to the city using the dirt road, but was encountered by Ellen and her group.
'You guys...how'd you get past those soldiers?' Rimuru gaped, wide-eyed at the three.
'Hehe, we used the Silence and Haste Spell you taught me so we snuck by unnoticed in our carriage!' Ellen said with pride, making Rimuru smile a little. 'Sore ni, when word got to Blumund, Guildmaster said he'll spread word as to WHY Tempest is attacked by Falmuth to the Merchant Guild and the Merchants were complaining about it, thus began to boycott Falmuth in the near future unless management changed. By tomorrow, everyone will know.'
'I see...but still, that's not the reason you came all the way here, right?' Rimuru pointed out.
'Yeah...I heard from Rigur-san.' said Ellen. 'At least I want you to hear a tale only known to very few in Sarion.'
'...a tale?'
Ellen undid the magic in her ears by cupping her ears with her hands to reveal she's actually an Elf.
'The possibility is very low but it's there...a tale about resurrection.'
That got Rimuru interested now.
'Let's talk about this in the government building.' All surviving executives, report to the office! Something big came up.
xxx
'What is this tale?' Rigurd asked Ellen. This was a tale of Resurrection that they may find a way out of their situation and save their deceased countrymen.
'It's based on historical events as its happened long ago.' said Ellen. 'It's why the possibility exists. The tale behind it is a Girl and her pet dragon.'
There are four strongest beings in the world. They are True Dragons.
The first True Dragon and a human gave birth to a child.
The Dragon transferred most of its power to its child and the rest began to solidify.
It formed the body of a child dragon, reminiscent of the first dragon's body.
And so, the child dragon was given to the girl, and they formed a close friendship together.
They thought their peaceful days would last forever.
But one day...tragedy struck.
A flourishing magical powerhouse, having heard of the girl's mythical origins tried to kidnap the girl and killed her pet dragon.
The girl went mad with grief and went mad with rage.
With the power inherited from her father, even if the object of her revenge was now dust, nothing could quell her anger.
She only regained her sanity due to a Demon Lord and the Queen of Fairies.
There was nothing left of the nation that took her friend from her.
Even though unintentional, a hundred thousand lives were lost...and the girl became a Demon Lord.
And then a miracle occurred.
Upon her ascension, the dragon rose from the dead and evolved.
The girl was happy to see her dragon back, but it no longer had the form she grew to love.
The Dragon that lost its soul upon death, it became an evil dragon with no intelligence nor reasoning.
Without second thought, it was bent on destruction.
Like before, the girl lost her only friend.
Among those who ran away, only the girl understood her friend was no longer there.
She buried the body of her friend with her bare hands.
That girl who became a Demon Lord...it was her first achievement.
'That tale ends there.'
"Destroy two countries and become a Demon Lord...the girl in the story is probably Milim given the implications." Rimuru felt sorry for Milim. "Accompanied by that, is revival. And the evolution into a Demon Lord makes the Naming meaningless at this point. 'But the dragon child came back a zombie.'
'Yes...because it's soul did not return.' said Ellen. 'Thus it lost sentience and intelligence.' and like any Zombie Rimuru thought, hello Resident Evil! Only, the dragon wasn't a carnivore, it was bent on destroying everything in sight instead she wasn't sure which was scarier. 'I think that unlike the story, this town has two barriers. A Prison Field and something else I can't identify. And that might just make the difference.'
Being genre savvy...Rimuru pieced things out and by the look on her face...they knew.
'There was a barrier before people died...maybe...this could work.' she gasped out. 'Their souls are still trapped here. They can come back...and for that to happen, I must become a Demon Lord myself.' the executives gasped at her words in astonishment. 'The current me cannot do a resurrection spell at my current level of power. Nevermind a Dragon which is an unfair comparison scale, we lost hundreds of people! And I believe...it's time for Falmuth to pay us back what they owe us, don't you think?' she asked her council coldly. 'A life for a life! And I'll use them to bring back our dead!'
'Can it really be done?' a werecheetah asked her hopefully.
'The difference is I have a barrier, the story doesn't. That means even if we can't see it, the souls are here.' Rimuru shook. "Great Sage, calculate our chances. Take over so they can hear." she instructed Great Sage as she closed her eyes and when she opened it, it was the red of Great Sage.
/Calculating Probability./ hearing that male voice even if it's a Skill, is unsettling. Because it lacked ego and tone, making it sound emotionlessly cold. /The souls of the deceased normally diffuse and disappear permanently within the environment. However, due to the presence of the barriers, the souls still remain, even as fragments. Soul Restoration is still possible given the right method./ said Great Sage. /Probability of Resurrection...3.14%./ and control was given back to Rimuru.
'3.14%...' Benimaru mused at the ridiculously small probability, shaken that it's so small at this rate, unless they marry at some point to some guy and girl, he and Shuna are the last Kijin in the world. It's scary to Benimaru. He never felt so alone.
'So small...' Rigur wasn't confident of the chances though.
'As long as there's a chance...let's take it.' Rimuru told the council. 'Our true victory is if we get everyone back. Falmuth will pay the price and I'll do the rest.' she told them. 'Shuna, Myuran, I will have you two add another barrier. Go full power with this one and make it so solid, like my barrier that not a single soul speck may escape.' she instructed the girls. 'That way, I can have select groups destroy the Crystal Pillars that set the Prison Field in place. And kill the security there.'
'Yes!'
'Once the Barrier Teams are done, I will start. I will personally destroy that massive army with my own hands. I must do it myself just like in the story.' Rimuru swore. 'It seems that taking many lives in an instant turns one into a Demon Lord...but I think there's more to it...I'll think about this. Once I figure this out by tonight, we'll attack after breakfast! Those slugs won't see us coming, so I'll decide the Pillar Destruction Team right here. Don't let a single one escape or they'll alert the camps and Mission Fail.' she warned.
First Pillar Destroyer: Benimaru and Rigur
Second Pillar Destroyer: Geld and Gobta
Third Pillar Destroyer: Gaspar and Melphy
'After breakfast, Shuna and Myuran will immediately form the barrier. Once it's secure, it's our turn.' Rimuru decided. 'The girls will be protected by the Champion Team.'
'Get some rest now, tomorrow's a big day.' said Rigurd. 'What of the civilians?'
'Souka, choose select few Dragonewts with you and gain intel on the camps tonight when they're all asleep. Just don't go near the King's camp, Razen, the High Wizard might sense you.' Rimuru instructed Gabiru's sister who nodded. 'I'm sure a few monkeys are given orders already. I want to confirm if they'll really attack in a week or be scummy and attack in advance. I'll wait for your report at home.'
'Yes!' and they all left for home or in Ellen's group's case, a hotel.
xxx
Rimuru's house...
'...I adopted children yet they can't even be home yet...' she mumbled. 'It feels kinda lonely...' she muttered as she sat on her engawa after turning on the lights with a flick of her wrist in a lazy manner. 'I absolutely...must not fail tomorrow.'
That tale gave her hope.
She must revive by all means necessary, even if she has to create skills on the spot when she becomes a Demon Lord tomorrow.
'What are the conditions now that I'm motivated?' Rimuru asked Great Sage.
/As I have stated before, you have fulfilled the initial requirements by amassing so much magicules that you obtained a Demon Lord Seed. One must gather the nutrients needed to nourish it. It is necessary to gather the souls of humans. Approximately 10000 souls./
'Well, I was planning on killing them anyway...'
/However, there is no problem with having subordinates collect souls if individuals demands it./
'If I get the entire army that exceeds 20000 since Milim's story has over a hundred grand?'
/No problem, as long as conditions are met. It will trigger the evolution once the 10000th soul is consumed. Extra souls are irrelevant./
'Guess only the first 10000 is consumed, the rest just becomes magicules in the air...huh? Ah well...' Rimuru shrugged as she conjured a manga book, History's Strongest Disciple Kenichi. 'Hope they become better people in the next life.'
xxx
Souka and her crew explored the camps, easily differentiating camps of sergeants and commanders and sneaking into their belongings for intel.
Miraculously, plans haven't changed...
Rimuru-sama, plans haven't changed a bit. said Souka. To be sure I infiltrated the tent of a notable individual Folgen.
Is that so? Return home and rest now. You will help Rigurd tomorrow in guiding our civilians home.
Hai.
xxx
Next day was the big day.
After breakfast, they met for the last time at the office, for Souka to show where the Crystal Pillars are, and the security surrounding it before moving out.
They were all by the fountain, the center of Tempest.
'Rimuru-sama.' Benimaru approached Rimuru who was overseeing the magicule amount needed.
'What is it?'
Benimaru paused before talking again.
'When the Otherworlders came and dined in a restaurant, the werecats heard them talk.' said Benimaru. 'One of them recognized the menu...and concluded that you're a Reincarnator...is that true.' Rimuru's response was a wide-eyed stare before sighing. 'The one who caused those fatal cuts was the one to make the conclusion.'
'That's...in the past now.' said Rimuru softly. 'You can guess by my age when I died.' she told him. 'It was shocking when I ended up here, but while I missed my parents and older brother, I did not miss my old life at all as an adult. It was nothing but stress and a lot of dark thoughts.' she told him somberly before smiling. 'That life here was much better. And I actually have friends.' she told him. 'Life as this town grew became my treasure.'
'I see...'
'Did you come to confirm that?' she asked him.
'I was worried.' Benimaru admitted. 'I have no memories of a past life. I was always an oni and later kijin.' he said. 'It's normal for me to slay enemies who threaten my kin and comrades, but you're a former human.' he reminded her. 'Killing them might have an effect on you. Leave scars that may never heal.'
'...I'll tell you more about Japan later when this is over. Why I won't care if I kill humans...and why it'll be easy for me to take a step and unable to turn back anymore.' Rimuru touched his shoulder. 'Don't worry about me lamenting the deaths of crooks. Crooks who would kill innocents for money. I don't consider them my kin.' she reassured him. 'Humans I acknowledged, are guys like the ones we made friends with. They who have a conscience and good-hearted. And now, I'll charge Falmuth with interest for what they stole from us...our friends.' she said, looking at the lined-up bodies by the square. 'I have no sympathy for criminals. Calling them monsters is just plain rude when we have more morals and character than they do at this point.'
'...'
'We'll begin!' Shuna and Myuran amassed all their magicules in their bodies in prayer. It took some time, before they could conjure it right above Rimuru's barrier and they maintained it.
'Move out!' and the attacking parties left.
Once past the barriers, Rimuru took flight to the skies and waited for her teams to accomplish their missions with grim determination.
Team 1: Benimaru and Rigur
They came out of the trees in silence...and when Knights saw them?
'Monsters!'
'Pot calling the Kettle black?' Rigur sassed back.
'Yeah, I think you're more monsters than us, killing for money.' said Benimaru coldly as the two lunged to attack and kill, sparing no one before Benimaru cut the barrier. 'Aaaand we're done.' he grinned cockily. Rigur picked up the swords and took a look.
'Ugggh, talk about cheap. My sword's better than this!' he harrumphed in discontent as the swords of the enemies are lacking. He possessed a 50% Magisteel sword after upgrading from his 20% and gave his sword to a beginner newcomer, and Knights of all people had less than 10%. Guess he expected too much.
'Well, the humans don't have Rimuru-sama's cheat.' Benimaru scoffed. 'She can force Magic Ores to have absurd levels of Magisteel which we export to our good friend Dwargon. These guys just have scraps. Anyways, let's go home, we're done here.'
'Hai.'
Team 2: Geld and Gobta
Gobta was doing hit-and-run tactics, causing as much chaos as possible, while exploiting the disorder, Geld was attacking the rest with martial arts...and taking a hit from an armored Orc King, his blows alone are fatal.
Then with his axe, he cut the pillar in half.
'We're done here.' said Geld.
'All this and not even a challenge. Che!' Gobta huffed, unsatisfied.
'To be fair we're pressed for time and Rimuru-sama must do much of the work to evolve by following the story.' said Geld, putting his axe back to its holster on his back. 'For now, we'll do this small job. I honestly prefer building a road or carving statues to this.' and they went home.
Team 3: Gaspar and Melphy
Nobody saw a mouseman cooperating with a beastfolk of all people as two are normally prey-predator.
Yet here they are now, working together to kill those who killed their kin.
'That's a wrap.' said Melphy. 'Anyone else Gaspar?' he asked the bigger guy who began sniffing around.
'Nope, none anymore. I just smell blood now, no bad breath.' said Gaspar, causing Melphy to sweatdrop. 'Their breath stinks. Must've had a drinking party last night.'
'Celebrating our impending death in advance when its them who died first.' Melphy sneered in contempt. 'Don't celebrate too soon!' and the pair returned home after destroying the barrier.
Mission Complete! Rimuru heard at different times from the teams.
My turn now! and Rimuru put on Shizu's mask and flew above the enemy camps after receiving the dozens of souls the teams slew. Her presence concealed, the camp was none the wiser that she was above them.
She erected an anti-magic field over the camp...before conjuring large water lenses using Spirit Magic, and then smaller droplets which she placed down below, snickering at the confused humans.
'Those innocent little drops will be my personal reaper.' she purred with a dark smirk. 'You'll become my food today for my evolution, consider yourselves honored as you'll pay the price for killing my people!' she raised her right hand and brought it down to begin her attack. 'Megiddo!'
Her magic will work, as it's based on Physics itself though she needed Spirit Magic to create the lenses. Natural Laws of the world and she created it outside her Anti-Magic Field.
Sunlight beams became lasers, like how children used a magnifying lens to direct sunlight over an ant and roast it for kicks.
The lenses are mirrors. The drops are the directing glass, though they evaporate but at least she can regenerate them.
Cost efficient, and deadly. The power she used to create this was no different from breathing. Which means, nearly nothing.
It's one-sided massacre.
Benimaru need not worry about her.
At the first simultaneous firing, not less than 1.000 soldiers get hit and die.
Below, the march become chaotic, Megiddo is instilling panic.
Of course this is not the end.
Using the most optimum calculation, by adjusting the position, the second attack commences.
Not able to resist it, more than 1.000 soldier die.
The energy source that contributed the most is the symbol of natural energy, The Sun.
The only problem is that it's only usable at daytime, but it's daytime right now.
All problems are cleared, now time for clean up and Great Sage counts my victims.
Without any sound the hit comes with the speed of light, not letting the soldiers to resist, they all pierced and burned, it's a massacre.
Soldiers with poor armor, Knights with superior metal armor.
They all killed equally without any differences.
This is despair.
Didn't Fuze once said anyone attacking them deserves no sympathy? How right he was.
/Notice: Unique Skill: Merciless has been acquired./ Great Sage reported.
'OOOK, whassat?'
/Those who lose their will to fight immediately gets their souls collected./
'Oh, that's convenient! Niiiice!' Rimuru chirped happily, clapping her hands in delight. 'That makes things easier! Now then, for the final bit of terror my friend! Let's inflict one last scare on this impertinent bastard who took our friends from us! Let's use it later but for now, the biggest insect showed up! Let's say Hello!'
xxx
Right now, what had happened in front of his eyes? King Edmalis can't understand it.
No, it's not only King Edmalis, the head of royal palace magician and the knight leader too, nobody from the upper echelon can understand what happened here.
'Ugyaaaaaa! Arm, my arm...!'
'Help, please help...'
'Uwaaaaaaaaa, from where, where the heck it's coming from?!'
The battlefield, instantly turn into Hell's Pandemonium.
Just a while ago, the morale is high, they all fully confident of victory they can afford to give a week-long ultimatum...but now it's apparently a big mistake.
The veteran knights who survived through many battle, from unknown direction light comes and penetrate their chest rewarding them an instant death.
The still young volunteer soldiers, trying to escape without understanding what had happened.
The dispatched knights from the Church had full confidence in their barrier, but those barriers are meaningless.
The weak and the strong, everyone equally trembling in terror.
No one tried to retaliate.
King Edmalis felt the terror that makes him hard to breathe, he desperately tries to endure it.
He tries to protect his dignity as a King.
Thinking desperately with his confused mind.
No matter how you look at it, this military endeavor has failed. To escape with their life from here, but it's already too late, that won't happen.
Why did it turn out like this...? No, that is not important right now.
'Folgen, what should, what should we do?'
He asked his dependable knight leader.
The honorable knight leader is the strongest in the kingdom. He is not inferior even to a rank A Adventurer, he is a hero with long military history.
A trusted retainer that the King can depend on.
And yet, there is no answer from Folgen.
'Folgen, what happen, why are you not answering? Folgen!'
In fear and confusion. He said with his voice mixed with anger, he tap the knight leader's shoulder.
Shaking violently, his sturdy body tilts, and collapse.
If you observe it closely, his temporal region is gone, the brain has leaked out.
'Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!'
King Edmalis shout in horror, he fall down and unable to stand due to fear in his carriage.
The carriage is an open type, it was used to boost everyone's morale but now it had backfired.
While discharging his own urine, he tries to escape by crawling.
Now, he doesn't care anymore about his dignity as a King.
Die, if he stays in here, he will die!
Falling into state of panic, he frantically tries to run away.
However, there's no one who notices the king appearances. Because every one of them desperately running for their own life only to fail.
The symbol of justice against monsters are the 1.000 knights of the Church Chivalric Order, however they had been killed without chance to do anything.
While they are inferior to Holy Knights, each of them is equal to a rank B adventurer in term of battle prowess.
The one who should had absolute superiority against monsters, are annihilated in a blink of an eye.
Their fall into panic, is of course justified.
At that time, the soldiers who spills tears and mucus from their nose, they all look at the sky.
King Edmalis also look at the sky.
Someone is descending from the sky, a young woman with black bat-like wings.
The person height is not that tall, wearing a beautiful mask. She has a beautiful curvaceous figure with slender arms and shapely legs in a blue and black dress of unusual style, but clearly fit for combat.
She didn't carry any weapon.
That girl is a Demon...no, it's Demon Lord.
It's a Demon Lord! His instinct screamed.
At that time, at last, the king realizes the grand mistake that he had committed.
It is not something you can fights against.
The one Blumund Kingdom had relationship with.
The Demon Lord in front of him, that outfit. It must have been woven from beautiful silk cloth.
That appearance.
The Demon Lord in front of him must be the ruler of that city.
That means, Hinata Sakaguchi from the Church, did it means that she failed!?
That calculating cruel witch, it had been said that she never failed in her task.
But, it wouldn't be strange if it because someone who surpass that witch.
This Demon, had such an aura drifting from it.
For all that, it's a fact that can only be accepted. This Demon carries the same appearance that is similar to the Demon Lord...
No, there is still a chance. At that moment, an idea flashed inside the king's mind.
"I am a King, I might be able to talk away to it and negotiate!" he thought. That is a skillful thinking, after returning to the country then he can prepare a counterattack.
If he is the opponent who gladly conducts negotiation with Blumund, there is no doubt, it must go down to its knee at him, the King of a great nation Falmuth Kingdom! Like this...
The king had lost in his foolish thoughts, and he commits another great mistake.
In this matter, he is no longer angry and desperation for his life is his biggest motivation on his thoughts now.
'Wa, wait! You must be the lord of that city! I am, Edmalis, the king of Falmuth Kingdom.' he began. 'Behave yourself!'
"That dirty ossan's flapping his mouth." Rimuru frowned.
When she looks at him, his nether region is wet with piss, his face is decorated with tears, mucus and drool.
Oh well, the one she targeted introduce himself, It's a good thing.
With this she can get the mastermind.
'Human kings are so filthy. You reek with your own piss. Your face is full of snot. If that's your brand of dignity we monsters have far more class.'
'Im, impudence! I am the king of the great nation Falmuth Kingdom!' Edmalis sputtered in anger at her unfortunately, very-true words as no sane King would show themselves in such a manner to rivals or enemies, but the nightmare from earlier has terribly shaken him. 'You are a being that by all rights had no privilege to address me!'
'Welp, you sure ain't smart...what great kingdom are you talking about?' Rimuru mocked with a sneer. 'Look behind you...what's so great...about that?' Edmalis looked behind to see nothing but a see of corpses. 'Pathetic!'
Then, in one hit, his arm was burned off and used black flames to cauterize it so he won't die.
Well, he may die in agony... but if possible, the one who should kill him is not me, but they who had the grudge should do it.
At the beginning, just looking blankly, is the ossan who stares at his missing left hand.
When his brain catch up, it seems that the pain instantly attack him.
He screams and began rolling around.
'Hm? Is there nothing more you want to say? You can continue rolling on the ground like a dog, but after ten minutes, it will end, you hear me?'
Hearing my words, he looks at me, and seems to try to speak something.
His voice is not in fear or pain. What an annoying ossan.
It can't be helped. She will leave him in pain for some more time.
'Great Sage, execute Merciless, but leave this smarmy little monkey and that bald head alive.' came her cruel order spoken in whisper, unheard because of Edmalis' howl of pain while the bald priest just looked at her in terror.
Immediately after she used the ability, those who lost their will died.
The battlefield that was filled with waves of pain and fear had become calm.
To end the pain and fear instantly, consider this as benevolence.
For the king and baldy that remains alive for now, there will be further pain and fear waiting for him...
At this time,
/Notice. The necessary nourishment for the requirement of evolution had been confirmed...the requirement had been met. From now, Harvest Festival will begin./
The Voice of the World resounds in my mind.
Without her consent, her body begins to transform and organized itself as she quickly began focusing on many wishes in her heart.