CHAPTER 10:
LET SLIP THE DOGS OF WAR!
"Sorry, run that by me once more?" Harry asked incredulously. "You want to have Great Sage basically take over my body?"
Rimuru scratched his head sheepishly. It was the next day after the conference. "Well, when you put it like that, it does sound kind of bad, but can you hear me out? I know you have a bad track record with that sort of thing, what with the Imperius, not to mention that locking curse Razen placed on you, and that crap with that Ginny girl and the Diary. Honestly, I'm not suggesting this lightly, and I want to get to the Orc Lord myself. But while Hakurou's suggestion had merit by itself, I wanted to ensure your safety, and I began asking Great Sage a few questions. So, I'll let Great Sage discuss it with you."
The by-now familiar voice of Great Sage echoed within his head. ANALYSIS: Your anxiety is understandable, Harry Potter. Ceding control of your body to another is never something to be undertaken lightly. However, this method may help you in controlling the Obscurus transformation. As Rimuru has brought up, this is not something that should be suggested lightly. Please allow for an elucidation of the method.
Harry sighed. "Okay, hit me."
ANALOGY: On Earth, there are vehicles known as aeroplanes. While many of these vehicles have autopilots, the human pilots have to input the destination and altitude and other particulars for the majority of the flight. In other words, while I will be directing your actions, you will be giving the directives. And unless they lead to unnecessary endangerment, I will endeavour to obey. Technically, you remain in broad control of your actions.
"And will you be able to control the Obscurus?" Harry asked, deciding to shelve that part of the argument. Great Sage's analogy was at least a little reassuring. "I can barely control it, and even then, that's only when I undergo a partial transformation, not the whole thing."
ANSWER: Part of the reason for your lack of control over the Obscurus form is to do with your emotional state and psychological issues. I lack emotions. In addition, I believe I have the processing power, to use another technological analogy, to control your Obscurus form, even through the limited bandwidth of your link with me. If the Orc Lord or his underlings prove too powerful, I will endeavour to remove you from the vicinity.
"Which is where I come in," Rimuru said. "I'm definitely the trump card of our forces. But I'll be following you, just to be sure, and if you're in trouble, and Great Sage can't get you out of there, I'll step in. You ain't going to die on my watch, Harry. Great Sage actually suggested this as a possible means to allow you to gain control over it in earnest. You're already partway there after your Naming. Your control has improved, more than you believe. Think of this as a hybrid of autopilot and training wheels."
"…I'm still not happy with this."
"…Harry, do you trust me?" Rimuru asked. It was in a low and serious tone. "I know we've only known each other for, what, a few weeks or thereabouts? But…do you trust me?"
Harry had to admit, it was a good point. Did he trust Rimuru? The fact was, he actually came to trust Rimuru quite quickly. It helped that Rimuru was the first friendly face he had met in quite some time, and had gone out of his way to be supportive towards Harry.
Then again, it was less a matter of trust, and more that Harry had nowhere to go. After dealing with the betrayal by Magical Britain, to say nothing of his time with Falmuth, it was probably because Harry was sick and tired of being imprisoned, let alone being on the run. Rimuru had come along at the right time, and yet, while Harry didn't trust him at first, he trusted him fairly quickly.
So, in the end, the answer was yes. Or at least he trusted him for now. Not unthinkingly, not blindly, not with so many betrayals still fresh in his mind. Hell, he even thought Moody to be a friend and mentor, only for him to turn out to be a Death Eater in disguise.
But Rimuru had done all he could to reach out to him, to help him. And if this helped stop the Orc army sooner, as well as nip any plans Gelmud and his backers had in the bud, he'd do it. So, as long as Rimuru didn't screw him over, Harry would agree…
Soon, the order came to move out. Souei had reported to Rimuru that the Lizardman chieftain had agreed to an alliance. However, not long afterwards, Gabiru carried out his coup.
On mobilising, Shuna gave them new battle outfits. For Harry, unlike the Japanese-style outfits for most of the other Kijin, aside from Shion wearing what looked like a business suit, she had something unexpected. Something very unexpected.
"Lord Rimuru suggested something like this," Shuna said as Harry examined himself in the mirror. "He showed me the mental image of something he saw back on Earth called Doctor Who. Specifically the latest version of the Doctor. I needed to tailor it to suit your form a bit, but how do you feel?"
Harry nodded to himself. Rimuru had shown him a picture of David Tennant as the Tenth Doctor, whose debut he had missed, having been summoned to Falmuth by the time he appeared in Christmas 2005. He was, understandably, freaked out a little by how much Tennant resembled Barty Crouch Junior, but he had to admit the Tenth Doctor had style. The suit and trenchcoat worked well. "It looks great. Thanks, Shuna!"
Shuna clapped her hands together in delight, before hugging Harry. He froze briefly in her embrace, before returning it. "You're welcome. Admittedly, I'm more used to working with our clothing styles rather than what we'd call a Western style, but I'm glad it worked out well, and that you like it. And Harry? Please be careful out there. Lord Rimuru told me of the plan, and I have every faith in him, and in you…but I can't help but worry."
"Bluntly, so am I. I mean, I'm a relatively normal human fighting amongst monsters like Kijin and the Tempest Wolves, to say nothing of Rimuru."
"And yet, you're going out there anyway. Rimuru wants me to stay behind, in case things go bad, and I'll need to protect this place. But I have faith that I won't be needed." After a moment, she suddenly kissed him on the cheek. As he stared at her, her cheeks went bright red, probably as much as his own were. "…For luck!" she squeaked, before she hurried off.
Harry rubbed at his cheek where she kissed him, before a faint, sad smile touched his lips. Hopefully, I won't need luck, he thought to himself. But thanks, Shuna…
Of course, things weren't so simple. In transit, they came across a female Lizardman, the sister of Gabiru and the daughter of the chieftain, accosted by some orcs. The others made short work of the Orcs (though Shion clearly hadn't learned her lesson, killing the last Orc that they wanted for interrogation), and the woman had begged them for help. Clearly, she didn't share her brother's narcissism, or at least it had been blunted by her desperation.
This time, at least, Shion held her tongue, and Rimuru agreed, with Souei intending to go on ahead to help the chieftain, taking the Lizardman woman with him. Once they started moving to the battlefield in earnest, Rimuru reiterated that Benimaru was, in the end, the battlefield commander. Rimuru would give certain orders when needed, but otherwise, the strategy and tactics for the main part were coming from Benimaru. Harry would move around the outskirts of the battlefield, with Rimuru not far behind, to seek out the Orc Lord. This was because Benimaru confessed that a combo he had thought up with Dark Flare would cause a lot of damage, and he intended to use it to thin out the army. Ranga also intended something similar.
They reached the marshes, in time for Gobta to save Gabiru. Not that Harry thought the idiot deserved it. But now was not the time. As the others went to take the fight to the Orcs, Rimuru placed a hand on Harry's shoulder. "You ready?"
"No. But…I'm probably as ready as I ever will be. Great Sage…hit it."
Acknowledged. Control ceded. Mental link established at optimal bandwidth. Obscurus transformation engaged.
The transformation was far less unpleasant than before. Harry wondered whether this was due to Great Sage trying to avoid causing that. If so, he'd thank them afterwards.
It was also an odd sensation to feel, not being in control of his body. Not the same as the Imperius, there wasn't the same euphoria or the insistent commands sliding into his brain. No, his body was simply out of his control, and he was a passenger in it. It said a lot about the way he was prepared for this beforehand that he felt less concern about this, though he still felt a considerable amount. It certainly felt better than him being a berserker while in his Obscurus form.
His dissolved body swooped into the sky, and they began circling around the battlefield. If Harry had eyes anymore, or at least conventional eyes, they would have widened when he saw Benimaru's Dark Flare explode, like mini-nukes, consuming hundreds if not thousands of Orcs. Ranga's howls called down massive tornadoes, and Hakurou and Shion began decimating the Orc army with their own weapons.
…Note to self, don't piss them off, Harry thought.
Acknowledged, Great Sage said. Harry wasn't sure, but he had the feeling that Great Sage had made a joke at his expense.
Okay, so…Great Sage, have you found the Orc Lord yet?
ANSWER: Not as of yet, but the Orc Lord's location is being pinpointed. What do you wish to do when we find him?
Hmm…I think first I'll try those clones from Ifrit, only on fire. If that doesn't work…oh. I think I've got an idea. Great Sage, from what the others told me, the Lizardmen are not aquatic. They can move through the water and hold their breath for long periods, but they can't actually breathe water, right?
ANSWER: Yes. You are asking because, if the Orcs have consumed any Lizardmen already, they may have inherited attributes. To my knowledge, the Orcs won't gain an ability to breathe water.
Well, just to be sure…water expands when it freezes, oddly enough, but it expands even more when it evaporates. We have abilities that can do that, right?
ANSWER: Yes. Given your apparent intentions, if nothing else, it will injure the Orc Lord.
If Harry could have smirked, he would have. Great.
ANALYSIS: The Orc Lord has been located.
Harry flew over to the location, or at least the Great Sage flew him over. A huge, ugly, pig-headed (literally) beast. Harry didn't bother with any preamble. He sent the Ifrit-style fire clones, but it seemed to do little.
ANALYSIS: The Orc Lord appears to have Temperature Fluctuation Resistance, much like Rimuru. However, your backup strategy still has considerable merit.
Right. Form a water bubble around his head. Drown this monster. If he tries holding his breath, hit him in the stomach as hard as you can, force him to breathe.
Acknowledged. The water bubble formed around the Orc Lord's head. Almost immediately, the Orc Lord held his breath, but Harry's body reformed briefly enough to punch him in the guts. The magic power reinforcing his strength caused the Orc Lord to breathe in the water. Bubbles blasted out of his mouth. The Orc Lord collapsed, writhing.
Okay, Great Sage…freeze the bubble.
Acknowledged. The bubble froze, with the ice now frozen within his lungs and mouth. Temperature Resistance or not, it would be impossible to breathe with a solid block of ice within his lungs, especially as the ice expanded from the water, causing lung injury.
But Harry wasn't done yet. Now, flash-evaporate the ice, Great Sage.
Acknowledged, Great Sage replied, and a blast of fire hit the ice protruding from the Orc Lord's mouth. A massive steam explosion erupted from the Orc Lord's head, along with a lot of blood and viscera. When it cleared, the Orc Lord was revealed, twitching and spasming. Most of the left side of his head was gone, his mouth a gory ruin, from which more blood sprouted as the Orc Lord coughed up what was left of his lungs.
What the hell? Harry yelped. Is he still alive?!
ANALYSIS: The Orc Lord appears to have a Unique Skill relating to regeneration. We have done significant damage to him, though, and the regeneration is all that is keeping him alive, Great Sage replied. Then, suddenly, Great Sage said, ALERT: Unknown magical signature approaching.
Soon afterwards, a diminutive figure landed near the Orc Lord. It looked like a small man wearing a coat, a top hat…and a beaked mask, like a plague mask from medieval times. "Who dares interfere with the plans of the Great Gelmud?!" he screeched.
So, this was Gelmud? Hey, Great Sage, how powerful is he?
ANALYSIS: Majin Gelmud is considered an A-Rank threat. However, physically, he is somewhat weak, relying it seems on magic.
"Worthless wastes of space!" Gelmud snapped, turning to the Orc Lord and his hangers-on. "Why haven't you eaten those damned lizards and other fodder already?! You should be a Demon Lord already!"
Hey, Great Sage, you can allow me to speak, right?
ANSWER: Yes. I can revert your transformation, and prepare to bring it about again. However, doing this too many times in quick succession will prove taxing, and potentially dangerous. Rimuru will come over, just in case.
Harry landed, reverting. Rimuru landed nearby. "You bastard," Harry said, getting Gelmud's attention. "You caused so many deaths, just for that?"
"I wouldn't expect a mere human to understand greatness!" Gelmud retorted. "It's insulting that you were able to do such damage to him!"
Harry simply threw out a hand, and used a Summoning Charm to yank Gelmud towards him, before restraining him with Steel Thread. "You're a monster," Harry said. "And I don't mean like the people here. You're a monster inside and out, a cruel bastard who caused the deaths of hundreds if not thousands, and for what? Who are you working for?"
"You'll never get me to talk!" Gelmud snapped.
"Oh, that's fine. I've got something I've been meaning to try out," Rimuru said, stepping forward, before holding out a hand. "Legilimens."
Gelmud convulsed, making a gagging noise beneath his mask. Harry looked to Rimuru when he finished, Gelmud dropping from the Steel Thread. "What was that?"
"Legilimency. TL;DR version? Mind-reading via magic. Remember the Horcrux I nommed off you? It had quite a few spells, spells I wasn't willing to use for the most part. This was one of the few good ones, at least towards the deserving. I couldn't get every detail, but I got the gist. This living, breathing Napoleon Complex is working with the Moderate Jester Troupe…and the Demon Lord Clayman. So, now we know who the real enemies are. Though other Demon Lords were spectating. I'll fill you in later." Rimuru turned back to Gelmud, only to start. Harry looked over in time to see the Orc Lord grabbing Gelmud's supine body and eating it.
"Oh, that's not good. That's not good!" Rimuru said, even as a massive aura erupted from the Orc Lord, and it began transforming. "Harry, retreat, now!" As Harry began to protest, Rimuru yelled, "NOW, HARRY! I MAY BE THE ONLY THING HERE CAPABLE OF BEATING HIM NOW! GET GOING!"
Harry relented, allowing Great Sage to whisk him away in his Obscurus form. From there, he watched as Rimuru attacked the Orc Lord…no, the Orc Disaster Geld, as the beast announced himself as. For a moment, when the Orc Disaster grasped Rimuru and prepared to eat him with his Unique Skill, he was worried. Even when Rimuru changed back into his Slime form and began to engulf the Orc Disaster, Harry was worried for a moment. As strong as Rimuru was, and overpowered as his Predator Unique Skill was, he was worried.
But Rimuru, after a long struggle, prevailed. And the Orcs had fallen into disarray. The battle, and perhaps the war, was over…
CHAPTER 10 ANNOTATIONS:
So, here it is, the battle against the Orc Lord, and some more Harry/Shuna fluff.
Review-answering time! Thanks to the reviewers who thought I did the right thing in calling Shion out. She's by no means a bad character, but some elements of her character frustrate me no end.
BlaszczeM: See the above. Harry managed to loosen the jar lid, so to speak, but Rimuru managed it. Keep this in mind, though: Harry is actually on the way to becoming a Demon Lord. When Milim arrives on the scene, we'll have the first true hints of that.
LoamyCoffee: Keep in mind, Shion's relationship with Rimuru won't change that much. She will learn not to speak on his behalf, but otherwise, she's still pretty much the same loyal secretary/bodyguard/lethal cook she is in canon. Her main problem is with Harry, and even then, it's not like they're true enemies, just not on good terms.
No numbered annotations this time.