Style Table of Contents:
Italics: Thoughts or similar.
No Italics: Speaking outside of thoughts or similar.
I am planning to do away with the talking portion of the Table of Contents. Hopefully, I'll be able to explain who is talking enough. Also, sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, it's over nine thousand words long at least! A fairly decent length chapter I'd say, well anyhow enjoy...!
Chapter 4: The Path Forwards and The Turn Null based Entities
"How long have we been exploring Ciel?" Rimuru mentally asks, while soaring at insane speeds.
[According to my calculations, it has only been a week.]
"Only a week!? Dang it! It feels like forever, Ugh!"
"Rimuru! When are we going to find something? I am so-so very bored!" Milim inquires, whining loudly while scanning frantically in sheer desperation to find something.
"That is Sir Rimuru to you!" Shion Retorted, glaring angrily at her.
"Oh crap! I um, do I have to refer to you as that?" The pink-haired girl asks, nervously stopping her dramatic way of scanning.
"No, you do not have to! Shion! Be nice!" Rimuru answers with hints of annoyance in his voice, then continues to say: "And furthermore! You need to be kinder anyhow! You've been quite mean to her for the past week straight!"
"B-But! She should know her place!"
A feeling of sheer annoyance spreads throughout Rimuru and he precedes to severely scold Shion: "Ugh! Will you stop it! I have already explained it to you three days ago that Ciel already did that! Besides! I would find it extremely weird if she were to do that! We are now friends again! Simple as that! No exceptions! I would much rather have Milim call me Rimuru than Sir Rimuru or whatever! Just as I'll call her Milim for as long as she sees fit!"
The Dragonoid nods seriously and voices her support: "Yeah that is fine Rimuru, I prefer it that way anyhow…"
"Besides this reminds me of when you got mad for me at the first Walpurgis…" Milim thought grinning to herself; she was truly-truly happy, a tear even escapes from one of her eyes and she wipes it away quickly and covertly. The pink-haired girl even had a fist clenched behind her back briefly…
"See? Enough said!" The long dark silvery-blue haired adult stated, with arms crossed while looking at Shion with a stern expression on his face.
"I—okay Sir Rimuru! Your words are law to me at least!" She declares with a wide happy smile.
"Sheesh, is Shion still feeling angry about Milim trying to kill me or something? I'd thought that my speech from a week ago about working together would help dissolve that resentment she has, I guess not… Hey wait a minute! Could it be that she is still being pouty about the whole me and Milim hugging scene? No way! Shion wouldn't be that childish, would she? Well one way to find out!" With that inwardly said, he Thought Communicates to her:
"Hey…"
"Sir Rimuru? Do you need something?"
"Are you still being pouty about me and Milim hugging?"
"…"
"So, that's a yes? If so, no praises or hugs for you! Unless you make things right!"
Shion felt like her whole existence shattering for a moment. She even felt like those words did more damage than anything else she has ever experienced. A certain other secretary could relate when Rimuru told him to go home that one time basically…
"S-sir Rim—" She tried to protest, but he shuts off the Thought Communication, not wanting to deal with it. The purple-haired ogress sighs in defeat and keeps to herself.
[Master, I have something to report…]
"Yes? What is it about Ciel?"
[The Ultimate Skills: Veldora Lord of Storms and Velgrynd Lord of Scorch have been successfully restored by utilizing your memories of them and thanks to the Restore Storm Dragon and Scorch Dragon skills that are within Azathoth, and their Dragon Factor or soul, while Velzard the Ice Empress has been reconstructed into an Ultimate Skill of similarities due to using the memories from the other two that contain data of who she was or enough of that is, as well as her very own Dragon Factor…
The Ice Dragons soul was necessary to help recreate her into an Ultimate Skill. It took the full duration of your slumber for this all to work. I will also re-establish Veldora and Velgrynd's soul corridor upon recreation. Velzard doesn't have this setup already; if you want me to I could, although permission is helpful it isn't necessary either.]
Upon hearing that explanation Rimuru has a shocked expression on his face and mentally exclaims: "Whoa! What!? So, what you're saying is. If I want them to be here physically it can happen now? Wait, I don't remember fully, I thought they couldn't come back?"
"Also, I don't really want to force anything with Velzard."
[Understood, also allow me to elaborate further, the Cycle of Rebirth of the True Dragons were disrupted and not nullified, but they are also unique since it relates to you, while the Primordials can still technically come back; it is unclear if they'll be affected negatively or not due to the nature of how they died, by your Turn Null infused magicules. So, do you want me to bring the True Dragons back?]
"Well hold on, I know Veldora should not be too much of an issue, just give him some manga and that is that. The other two… Oh boy! I know for sure Velgrynd would hound me nonstop about finding a way to bring Masayuki back. Then there is Velzard who would hound me about Guy maybe or something! For now, let's just bring Veldora back."
Rimuru then unexpectedly starts to chuckle mischievously: "He-he-he! I can always threaten him with their return if he steps out of line, it'll be perfect! So, my answer is yes!"
[Understood! Using Summon Storm Dragon to reconstitute Veldora and use the skill Replication Body to generate a clone of yourself for his use!]
With that said he stops and upon seeing that the other two do as well. "Why did you stop, Rimuru?" Milim asks, with a confused facial expression and scratches the back of her head briefly. "Yeah, Sir Rimuru, why did you stop?" Shion further inquired, with a similar look on her face.
"I am going to bring Veldora back." The long dark silvery-blue haired adult calmly answers while looking at them.
"Wait! Whaaaaat!?" Milim blurts out filled with astonishment. While Shion just smiles nodding in sheer awe to Rimurus greatness. The long dark silvery-blue haired adult simply smiles at their reactions and turns around aiming one of his palm's downwards, and a stream of black mist comes out swirling around in front of him, then a mirror perfect clone of his adult form appears.
Which gets a set of clothes wrapped into by using the Create Material Skill, it looks just like his God-Grade black robe from when he first transformed into a True Dragon. Ciel has significantly enhanced the robe that Rimuru has on-which becomes a part of him. So, it'll repair itself if it gets damaged and has a lot more durability and is no longer just a mere collection of magicules fused together. A small yellowish orb: Veldoras very own soul appears from the palm of Rimuru and soars straight into the cloned body merging with it. The Storm Dragon transforms the body double into his human form with his usual apparel on and the soul corridor gets setup again.
"Kwaaah-ha-ha-ha! It's I, the great and powerful Veldora the Storm Dragon, I have been reborn!" The True Dragon roared arrogantly with his hands to his hips while looking up, then Veldora feels a few taps to one of his shoulders from behind and hears someone clearing their throat. Upon that happening Veldora gets startled and sharply turns around and exclaims: "Gahhh!? Wha—?!"
Before the Storm Dragon could say more, he sees a long dark silvery-blue haired adult staring angrily at him which makes Veldora shriek in terror. The proud and mighty Storm Dragon has a specific weakness and that is a scary adult woman. It was all because of his sister's twisted way of "disciplining him" that made Veldora fear women like them, even though Velgrynd was the slightly nicer one out of the two…
"Whaaaa!? R-Rimuru? Is-is that you?! You look so terrifying and more mature…! Although you still seem to be lacking in certain aspects regarding your chest…" Upon hearing that Rimuru furiously roundhouse kicks him, sending the dragon flying far away. He just uses a normal physical kick, so it doesn't really hurt Veldora. The Storm Dragon quickly comes back to an intensely glaring adult female. "Gahhh! What was that for?" He complained loudly, rubbing his head.
"How about you take in your surroundings idiot!" Rimuru retorted, violently shaking a fist momentarily at Veldora.
"What do—" The oblivious dragon stops talking now just realizing that there is nothing but darkness and some stars that somehow made it around as well as Milim and Shion. "Whaaaa!? What happened? All I remember was that we were just celebrating your victory or something at the arena. Ugh! My memories feel out of place I think?"
"Well, yes that did happen about a thousand years ago…" Veldora was speechless about hearing that and Rimuru then proceeds to go over the details of what happened…
"Oh, dang all that information is quite a bit to absorb! But…!" Veldora trials off complaining a bit at first—then just suddenly laughs haughtily with his arms crossed: "Kwaaah-ha-ha-ha! Yet it is nothing for me! The intelligently powerful Storm Dragon to process all of it! Kwaaah-ha-ha-ha!"
Rimuru feels exasperated upon hearing that and his facial expression embodies that very word; he then infuses a fist with negative energy and decks Veldora in the face, just barely remembering to hold back most of the power from it. It hurt Veldora quite a bit, and the proud Storm Dragon yelped loudly: "Ow! That really-really hurt Rimuru!"
"Well maybe you will stop being so irritating then! Or I could ask a certain someone to… Discipline you…" The long dark silvery-blue haired adult trails off saying those last two words with a smile and looking directly at Veldora, although his eyes were not at all smiling. Rimuru then hears a voice filled with exhilaration echo throughout his mind:
[It would fill me with the utmost joy to… "Re-educate" this dragon into knowing his place…]
"Yeah, boy do I know that Ciel, since you already "Disciplined" Milim..."
Milim upon hearing what Rimuru said out loud, gulps loudly, knowing exactly who he was referring to. Veldora just freezes in place; since the Storm Dragon knows exactly who Rimuru is referring to as well. In fact, he of anyone should know since the True Dragon was inside of his stomach during Rimurus journey.
A journey that all started when the slime appeared in a cave. That is where a certain hero seals Veldora in. The slime later on proceeds to make friends with him and absorbs the Storm Dragon. Rimuru then absorbs him again during that intense Empire event—when Veldora was being hostile towards his friend all because Ludora (also known as Rudra) controlled him.
Veldora filled with panic starts to plead pathetically: "W-wait-wait! I was a bit hasty with my words Rimuru! N-no need to involve C-Ciel in this matter!" He then hears and sees Rimuru start to suddenly laugh mischievously aloud. "What is up with that l-laughter?" Veldora asks nervously, while shaking in place.
In response to that Rimuru just smiles teasingly and jokingly says: "Oh nothing...! I was just thinking that you might be needing some family time with your sisters. I am certain they will want to "talk" with you, how about it?" He suddenly just sighs to himself and mentally says: "Although they'll most likely just end up chewing me out first…"
The almighty True Dragon wanted to run or in this case soar for dear life. Adult form Rimuru already terrifies The Storm Dragon but having two sisters trying to "talk" with their little brother was a really-really horrifying idea—they would be more than likely to just annihilate him from existence as a way to "talk." Well, that is how he felt at this moment that is. Although the Scorch Dragon was a bit more merciful, Veldora still needed to be careful what he said around that one though…
Veldora tries to plead with his tormenter once again: "N-No need for them to be b-bothered Rimuru, I don't think they'd much like it being around nothing all the time, r-right?" Rimuru just smiles widely upon hearing him beg. He was having way too much fun tormenting Veldora and boy did it feel great.
Rimuru then dramatically places a hand to his chest and teasingly replies: "I mean… I'd feel absolutely awful if I deprived my good friend Veldora of his sisters. How could I do something like that? I am not a bad slime you know...!" With those words spoken, he couldn't help but to giggle immensely, even Milim and Shion join in and start to laugh hysterically. Thus, creating a humorous atmosphere at the expense of the Storm Dragon's dignity…
"Gahhhh! Not you two as well! S-Stop it! I am the proud and mighty Storm Dragon! Not mere stress relief!" Veldora proclaimed as proud and dramatic as can be, but that only made everyone else laugh even harder. After a good few laughs they calm down. Veldora just lets out a sigh of defeat, then Milim out of nowhere looks straight up in a serious matter. Rimuru notices and asks with a bewildered expression on his face: "What is it?"
"I could have sworn that I have seen something, or someone fly past a star, but I am uncertain of what exactly it was!" The Dragonoid answers rubbing her chin and looking flustered. "Well… Hmm! Only one way to find out! Let's go forth and investigate!" With that eagerly said by Rimuru they all soar upwards towards the one star that Milim was worrying about…
As they were doing so Rimuru had a sudden frightening thought: "I don't believe I have given my blade a name yet… Like an official name, like I did with Ciel… Although I don't know when I'll get around doing so. I know that I thought of it once already—oh man though! I can't even imagine how absurdly strong it'll get if I do!"
[Master, I have yet another report to relay to you.]
"Yes?"
[I have been thoroughly testing Stardust and Turn Null, and I have created an interesting new spell for you to use if we encounter hostiles again!] His manas stated filled with upmost joy.
"Oh!? What amazing new spell is it Ciel?!" He asks filled with excitement.
Rimuru hears a gleeful laugh reverberate throughout his mind. [I am calling this magic spell one of the first offensively aligned hybridization of Turn Null and Stardust! Named… Nullifying-Star Wave!]
"That sounds quite formidable! But what does it do though?"
The Manas was more than happy to explain and does so filled with elation: [Of course, Master! When you use it, it'll look like a tiny brilliantly compressed star! This spell harnesses the immense positive and negative energies to create a beautiful obsidian-pink cosmic emanating wave within the targets body. Thoroughly breaking them down from within! It should be a complete erasure of their existence even!]
"Holy crap, Ciel! Since I now have infinite generating magicules I am assuming this attack can be potentially crazy?"
[Yes! Since I no longer need to worry about depleting your resources, I should be able to create crazy things! I am so-so excited! For example, the spell I just mentioned would have more than easily wiped you out of your magicule supply, but now that isn't a problem no more!]
"Nice! Alright well keep up the splendid work partner!"
[As you command my lord!]
Everyone is now near the star that Milim was talking about, and she just randomly starts prodding it dramatically out of sheer boredom. Even Shion pokes it with Gourikimaru, just for the fun of it. Veldora with nothing to do simply just stares at the star. "So, in what direction did the thing you see go in exactly?" Rimuru asks, tapping one of the Dragonoid's shoulders, which makes the bored girl stop and turn around to look at the long dark silvery-blue haired adult.
"I um, I think in the direction behind you."
"Alright then let's go that way then." Spoke Rimuru, as he and Veldora head off in that direction. Milim was about to as well but feels someone put a hand on her shoulder from behind. "What do you want?" The pink-haired girl asks loudly with an annoyed look on her face, not all too thrilled about Shion stopping her.
"I umm… I just wanted to say… Umm s-sorry for being so mean to you and stuff I-I guess." The purple-haired ogress apologized awkwardly while momentarily scratching the back of her head.
Milim just lets out a vexed sigh upon hearing that and turns around looking Shion straight in the eyes with arms crossed and says in a serious way: "I don't understand why you're even saying sorry Shion, you're more than justified for feeling the way you do. I can't blame you even! I was being hostile towards Rimuru, and we fought because of it! A fight that shouldn't even have happened in the first place! So, you being mean and unreasonable to me is acceptable, with that said let's just keep going on a path forwards; just like how he would want it okay?"
The pink-haired Dragonoid extends a friendly hand towards the purple-haired ogress, and Shion accepts it with sheer determination in her eyes. "Okay Milim, that sounds like a plan then!" They both then shake firmly and give each other a quick smile followed by a firm head nod and fly off to catch up with Rimuru and Veldora.
"As long as Milim doesn't know the real-real reason why I apologized, it should be all good right…?" Shion pondered worrying about not getting praises or hugs from Rimuru, now that to her was about the worse thing possible! After a few moments they catch up with them.
"So, what were you two up to?" Rimuru asks out of sheer curiosity. Milim and Shion just glance at each other and it was the purple-haired ogress who spoke up: "We were just talking about moving forwards and stuff."
"Yeah! What she said!" Milim added with sheer enthusiasm in her voice.
"Oh? Shion truly managed to say sorry for being mean to you?" Rimuru questioned, with a shocked look on his face.
"Yes!" Milim responded with a firm nod of the head.
"Well, that is good to hear then! Excellent job Shion!" He said happily, giving her a thumbs up as well.
"Thank you, Sir Rimuru! It was awfully hard to do!" She declares proudly with a wide beaming smile.
"Well, I am just glad that Shion at least made the effort…" With that thought, he suddenly feels someone tug on his robe, it was Veldora. The True Dragon asks Rimuru a question although a bit fearfully and with hints of boredom: "H-Hey, do you have any of that holy scripture?"
"Huh? Oh! You mean manga, right?"
"Yes."
"Sure, I'll give you one." The being with golden eyes creates a Hurt and Comfort and Horror genre-based manga and hands it to Veldora. "Sweet! The sheer boredom was getting to me!" The eagerly waiting True Dragon starts reading immediately as he was soaring. As this was happening, they all of a sudden crash into something which sends them soaring backwards aways.
"What just happened?" Milim asks shaking her head a bit from the sudden collision. "Yeah that is a good question." Rimuru added rubbing his chin thinking, while Veldora didn't even seem bothered by it as he was deep into the manga that he just began to read. They all return to where they were at once.
[Hmm! An invisible object or wall is here! I should be able to analyze this further even!] Ciel stated enthusiastically. Veldora still unaware of the situation bumps into the wall or barrier, upon seeing that Rimuru grinds his teeth and shouts: "Idiot! How about you pay attention to your surroundings!"
Despite those words loudly uttered, the Storm Dragon still wasn't responding and was now just floating in place. The long dark silvery-blue haired adult just crosses his arms inwardly seething: "What the heck!? Sheesh! Talk about being so engrossed reading something that you are so ignorant of your surroundings! How can he be this clueless! Ugh…! You know what? I'll just have to spoil the ending to that manga…!"
"Fine then! I am going to spoil the ending to that manga right now! So, when C—"
Veldora lets out a small yelp interrupting Rimuru and with sheer panic cries out: "W-Wait! Don't say no more R-Rimuru! I'll pay attention!" He hurriedly puts the holy scripture away for the time being.
"Good!" After Rimuru says that he asks Ciel to begin analyzing the mysterious thing in their way…
[Report: It appears to me that an invisibility spell of sorts is cloaking the wall or object. I am now removing it… Success!]
An eerie sphere-like object starts to reveal itself, and within a few minutes the circular structure fully de-cloaks. It's utterly ginormous-easily half the size of a planet, it has a gorgeously ominous dark cosmic color to it, and seems like a completely solid object, looking like some gigantic glass orb.
"""WOW!"""
They all exclaimed, having a mind-blowing expression on their faces. "This is so freaking huge!" The being with golden eyes shouted, filled with exhilaration. "Rimuru! Rimuru! Do you think it is explorable!?" Milim loudly asks, soaring up and down wildly with sheer anticipation.
Even Shion is clasping her hands together and fidgeting barely able to hold in her own eagerness. Veldora was even looking forward to the idea of exploring although not as much as everyone else.
"Alright-alright I'll see if we can get into this orb building thing." Rimuru says which helps Milim and Shion to calm down and he continues to say: "Oh right! Let's prepare ourselves for battle just in case."
The girls upon hearing that both apply their own respective barriers and draw their weapons out, he does the same and Ciel infuses his barrier by utilizing Stardust making it into a hybrid barrier called Null-Star Barrier; it has a cosmic deep pink and black color to it that looks melded together seamlessly. It was all thanks to Rimurus devoted manas continual testing; this new defensive spell is a lot more durable than just the Turn Null Barrier. Veldora just simply infuses his fists with his own True Dragon aura, and Rimuru applies a Null-Star Barrier to him.
"Oh, hey Ciel can you also make Veldora a lot stronger? I don't want to be worrying about him since he is the weakest here…"
[As you wish! I'll infuse him with some Turn Null, and work with him on utilizing it, that should make him far stronger! Although he should be able to manage it by himself in no time! I'll make certain that my teachings get through to him…]
"Holy crap! Are you sure that'll be okay for him to have?" Rimuru inwardly asks, with a stunned look on his face.
[It'll be no problem! I have already managed to fully control Turn Null and can lend it to him safely.]
"Okay, I'll just take your word for it." With that mentally said by Rimuru, Ciel hastily gets to work and enter's Veldoras mind. "What the!? C-Ciel what are you doing in my mind? I behaved didn't I?" The Storm Dragon mentally asks feeling fearful.
[Sir Rimuru wishes for you to be stronger so that is what I am going to do! Don't fail your lessons or I'll be terribly upset!]
"Y-yes I'll take you very seriously!"
[Good…!]
With that said, Ciel manages to speedily train Veldora in the span of a few seconds in real-time, but inside of Veldora it was more like weeks of intense and brutal learning; with his newfound information he then infuses his fists with Turn Null which blends effortlessly with his own True Dragon aura infused fists, making it into a fusion of sorts. Let's just say that Ciel wanted to get it over with, since it was busy helping Rimuru out, and still testing Stardust and Turn Null fusing. So, with that all set the manas goes back into its gods mind at its full capacity.
"It looks like you managed to train Veldora pretty quickly… Well anyhow, is there a way into this orb building thing?"
[…I am working on it… Success! I have managed to open one of the dimensional portals that was a part of the sphere itself!] A tiny section of the orb in front of them starts to whirl at first, then it grows exponentially until it is half the circular buildings size; then it remains that way spinning in place.
[I would like to utilize Azathoth to collect a sample of the sphere for more information. May I do so Master?]
"Of course, Partner!"
[Thank you!]
With that said he points a finger at the sphere and a small beam of dark cosmic energy shoots out, latching onto the circular surface next to the portal and hastily shears a tiny piece off and pulls it back into Rimuru. The sphere then regenerates the missing piece instantly.
[Success! I am now analyzing the information… The composition of the sphere appears to derive from your very own magicules, the negative energy infused magicules that exploded out from you to be more precise.]
"Oh? Like when I first started out as a slime with Veldoras leaked magicules that the ores absorbed, becoming magic ones?"
[That is correct to a degree. Although the Turn Null based magicules themselves are the solid material, while the ores that absorbed magicules became the Magistone Ore.]
"Ah okay, I see." With that thought said, Rimuru speaks aloud with excitement and hints of caution in his voice: "Alright! Let's go and finally explore! Although be careful everyone! Who knows what lies within…"
They slowly start to enter the portal with the wielder of the Drago Blade taking the lead, then the wielder of Asura, then the wielder of Gourikimaru and lastly Veldora, the doorway into the sphere all the sudden closes by reversing how it opened and does so instantly.
They all suddenly fall surrounded by absolute darkness, then Rimuru and his party land on something hard producing a loud thud. They all stand up and see solid negative magicule based torches magically light themselves up, with a deep dark cosmic fire emitting from them and are at fixed intervals down along both sides of a gigantic hallway. Which is comprised of the same material as the sphere itself and makes all of them seem small in comparison.
The long dark silvery-blue haired adult is the first one to make a comment and does so with sheer awe: "Oh wow! This place is huge! I mean it would make sense, since the sphere is ginormous as well." With that said, they finally start to move with caution and group up together. The hallway suddenly starts generating eerie cosmic sounds, giving off a creepy horror-like atmosphere…
"R-Rimuru! This place is creeping me out!" The Dragonoid complained loudly feeling a slight chill throughout her back, she even moves to his side a bit closer. Upon hearing those words, Shion mocks the pink-haired girl: "Pfft! Come on now Milim! Some mere sounds shouldn't scare someone like you…!"
She then notices what Milim is up to and has a jealous look on her face. "Hey! Wait a minute! You're just trying to get some attention from Sir Rimuru aren't you!?" The Dragonoid girl sheathes Asura and is now wrapping her arms around one of Rimurus and displays a teasing smile while sticking her tongue out at Shion. "Hey! You're doing that on purpose! You're not scared at all are you?! Hmph! I want to grab his other arm to!" The purple-haired ogress hurriedly sheathes her weapon and hugs his free arm.
"What the heck is this all about?! Ugh! These girls are so-so unbelievable!" Rimuru inwardly sighed feeling annoyed.
"Hey! You two can let go anytime!" Exclaimed the adult with two girls clinging to his arms. Veldora is just silently laughing at the scene. "But-But Rimuru! It is scary in here though!" Milim whined, squeezing his arm even tighter. "Sir Rimuru! She is lying! She just wants attention!" Shion protested, while squeezing his other arm. He stops in his tracks feeling a growing sense of frustration, Veldora stops as well and is still chuckling.
"Then what are you doing then?! You just want attention from him to!" Retorted Milim, now glaring at Shion, she glares back. "Enough! Let go of my arms now!" He sternly utters glancing at them back and forth, they are now giving him sad puppy dog eyes. In return Rimuru looks at them angrily and after a while they finally give up and let go. They start to pout with their arms crossed turning their bodies in opposite directions from each other. "Crying out loud… Do you two want a hug or something?" He didn't really want to ask that question, but they were acting quite a bit emotional so, he figured they might be wanting one.
""YES!""
They both declared loudly in unison, and rush him from both sides embracing Rimuru, while being careful not to impale him with their protruding horns on their foreheads.
"Holy crap! Why are they being so bloody sentimental?! It must be the Void or whatever or something! I-I might as well just except my fate and hug back…" He manages to sheath his weapon and with that done a heartwarming group hugging scene transpires, and they stay like this for a good five minutes. Rimuru was the first one to let go and the other two with immense reluctance do as well.
"Alright with that done with let's re-equip our weapons and keep exploring." With that mentioned everyone has their respective weapons drawn back out and Veldora is a tad bit more serious again dismissing his silent laughing, he still has his fists infused with the hybrid Turn Null and True Dragon Haki. They unexpectedly start to see dark twisted mirroring of themselves from the floor, ceiling, and walls, that seem to appear and disappear at random it was very fear inspiring for sure…
"Man, oh man! This place is getting increasingly terror inducing!" The long dark silvery-blue haired adult exclaims noticing the reflections that looked evil.
"Yeah, I agree with you there Rimuru." Added Veldora looking a bit uneasy himself. Both Milim and Shion just simply nod in agreement.
"I don't even see any windows or doors or anything it is just all solid looking." Noted Milim.
"Do you notice anything Ciel?"
[Negative! The surrounding area so far is devoid of life or auras of any kind, besides yours and everyone else's!]
"Hmm, okay just keep your guard up."
[Of course!]
"Yeah I noticed it to Milim." Rimuru said agreeing with her observation. After awhile they come across a T-intersection like area and stop to look both ways, seeing yet more passageways on either side of them. "Well just great, now which way do we go?" Inquired the leader of the group (which is Rimuru).
"Oh, I know! How about we just go right?!" Milim suggested, while dramatically pointing in that direction with a positive smile on her face. "Alright then let's go that way then!" Rimuru declared, with a confident nod. So, the party ventures forth as soon as they do yet more similar looking torches from earlier magically illuminate their way; placed to the sides of the hallway at fixed intervals. They suddenly hear a dimensional warping sound and turn around to see that the section of the hallway they were just at a few moments ago disappear completely, leaving only the part that they are in intact.
Shion seems to not care about what just happened while Veldora blurts out: "Gahhh…!? What is going on!?" While the pink-haired girl suddenly tugs on Rimurus robe looking at something on a wall. "Huh? What is it Milim?" He asks with a perplexing look on his face, noticing the Dragonoid's behavior. Rimuru then walks up to the wall and sees large mad scribblings etched onto it, looking like some sort of ancient extraterrestrial language.
"Hey Ciel? Can you translate this weird language?"
[…On it…! Done!]
"Oh, can you also make it so everyone here and anyone else like Velzard or Velgrynd can understand this language?"
[As you command!]
"Alright everyone I am going to say what is written here let us see here…"
"WE… AWAIT… HIS RETURN… THE TRANSCENDING DEITY THAT ECLIPSES OUR COMPREHENSION!"
"What the!? Is that describing me or something else!?" Rimuru asks aloud feeling uncomfortable. Milim's sheer curiosity kicks in and she starts running all around scanning the walls frantically. The Dragonoid then points to a wall behind Rimuru with similar writing on it, they all go towards it and the leader of the group translates the large mad words:
"HIS… BEYOND… WRATHFUL DIVINE AURA… HAS RIPPLED THROUGHOUT THE VERY VOID ITSELF!"
"Okay now I am starting to freak out, that is me isn't it? I remember now that when I first woke up, I got mad soon after. All because of the whole Feldway thing and sent my aura out in absolute rage."
"This is getting beyond ridiculous!" Shion furiously declares; suddenly infusing Gourikimaru with her sheer willpower and slashes towards the wall in a tantrum, but then a ghastly thing happens as soon as the tip of the weapon gets near the wall. A gigantic negative energy based humanoid demonic hand emerges; instantaneously catching the weapon fully enveloping the blade part of it within its massive hand and obliterates the willpower coating it.
Small cracks start to permeate the blade as well, and Shion has both hands tightly on the hilt of her blade and uses all of her might to rip Gourikimaru out of its grip. The demonic hand gets a nasty laceration on it and retreats into the wall; its monstrous presence no longer felt. Shion rubs her weapon in a motherly way and whispers to it with a sad tone in her voice: "Oh dear, you seem to have been hurt, how careless of me."
Everyone else has shocked expressions on their faces as they heighted their guard even further. Rimuru approaches Shion and asks with a worried tone in his voice: "Are you alright?" The purple-haired ogress simply just nods briefly looking at him, then she glances at Gourikimaru with a sad expression.
"Ah your weapon has been damaged, here I can fix it up for you."
"You can do that right Ciel?"
[Yes! It'll be no problem. Although for me to do the necessary restoration; I would have to absorb the weapon, regardless, this should not take too long.]
Shion's mood brightens exponentially upon hearing that from Rimuru, and she offers Gourikimaru to him. He simply touches it, and Ciel using Azathoth absorbs the damaged weapon; after a brief time in his stomach the blade rematerializes before the eagerly waiting ogress all restored. Shion happily grabs and caresses it. Then suddenly the atmosphere surrounding the ogress gets immensely intense and an enraged look on her face appears and Shion points her very blade towards the wall.
"HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU! WHATEVER YOU ARE! YOU HURT MY BELOVED GOURIKIMARU!"
With those words explosively roared a murderous ungodly cosmic rainbow-based Haki erupts from her; it whirls viciously around its user, then finally forms a solid outline covering the entire weapon, and covers the wielders body forming an incalculably powerful barrier on top of her other one; while still whirling furiously around her emitting unfathomable amounts of spiritual pressure. "I know you told me to keep my power within reason Sir Rimuru, but I can't just simply forgive anything that harms my weapon!"
"H-Hey! C-calm down S-Shion!" The being with golden eyes asks anxiously, while backing away from her, so does everyone else. It happened, Shion unleashes her power that she has kept suppressed, even when she was angry at Milim and attacked her that one time—it wasn't deadly serious, although this time it was. The very hallway starts to slowly disintegrate bit-by-bit, Shion was also making sure that her power didn't hurt her friends.
"HOW DARE YOU DISTURB THIS SACRED PLACE!"
A sinisterly dark and powerful voice bellowed. Then a gigantically monstrous creature slowly emerges from a wall, it was the same one that Shion cut; it has a nasty looking scar on its demonic hand, although looks like it managed to heal the wound but not completely. It easily overshadows over them-it could even tower over the tallest of buildings. The monstrosity releases a spine-chilling cry and using its three distinct looking eyes fixates them upon Shion. Then looks around seeing the very hallway the purple-haired ogresses Haki was deteriorating.
It gently places its hand onto the wall and sends a negative energy-based pulse into it, which makes the entire hallway vibrate intensely for a moment. The once disappearing hallway is now miraculously back to normal and fully capable of repelling Shion's Haki effortlessly, the creature is also completely unfazed by her aura. Milim, Veldora and Rimuru back off quite a bit aways from it, while keeping a watchful eye on the monster. While Shion is standing her ground looking up at the creature wrathfully; the creature has its gaze fixed on her as well giving off an enraged vibe. They are within mere feet of one another not making a move.
[!?]
[…]
"Ciel? Are you okay?"
[M-Master! This entity… Looks like it is comprised of three different races!]
"WHAT!? How? W-what are they?"
[I am not entirely certain as to how it happened, but a Primordial Angel, a Primordial Demon and your own Turn Null, a new race purely made from nothingness! Of negative energy makes up the entity!] Rimuru was utterly speechless upon hearing that and has a horrified expression on his face.
It was just as Ciel calculated; the creature is an entity that is seamlessly comprised of three separate races: half of its body is of an angel, having one enormous feathery angelic wing on its back, and has an almond shaped angelic white eye with a pitch-black pupil surrounded by a white sclera. It also has a gigantic negative energy based humanoid angelic arm and hand.
The other half of its body is of a demon: including a demonic bat-like wing of equal enormity, and an almond shaped demonic golden eye with a pitch-black pupil surrounded by a black sclera.
Pure absolute darkness coats and makes up the entire entities physical body; a darkness that is Turn Null. The creature houses a third eye which is located on the forehead and is spherical in shape, while looking pure void black with no pupil. Its two legs and arms make it have a humanoid-like appearance as well, it also has no head hair.
[While all of this was happening, I've detected a Time Acceleration effect! I have been actively suspending its ability as soon as we got into the sphere, but it took all this time to finally neutralize it! Also, its effects were utterly beyond absurd!]
"What do you mean by that?"
[This sphere Master… It's within its own reality and has its own set of Space and Time… While it only has been about a millennium for us outside this place. According to my calculations it would be about two billion years in here…]
"Holy freaking crap! What?! I-I can't even fathom that Ciel…!" Rimuru felt totally flabbergasted, and in addition he mentally exclaims: "This is pure craziness!"
[Also, I would like to inform Master, by interfering with time here I was able to regain the necessary missing information about it, I lost most of the time data due to the Turn Null instability that happened within you. I have now reintegrated it with Spatial Domination thus, recreating Space-Time Domination—by utilizing Shub-Niggurath.]
"Sweet! Nice job again partner!"
[He-he-he! Thank you for your praises!]
As Ciel and Rimuru were talking, the outraged secretary is about ready to attack the abomination, but then six portals manifest before them, making the ogress hesitant; she immediately calms down although her Haki is still whirling around herself, and everyone including her quickly gathers behind Rimuru. The portals then disappear leaving behind six more triple raced entities all looking like the one creature, except five of them look slenderer and more female-like.
They also have their own unique one eye color as if it were their own hair color: one white, one green, one yellow, one blue, one violet, and the last one is red. Their angel and third spherical eye are the same as the first creatures. All six of them have a negative energy-based aura covering their bodies-all seven of them are the Turn Null based entities.
"""WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS?!"""
All six of them roared with immensely powerful dark voices. The seventh one teleports itself to the others and cloaks its body with negative energy. They are all shoulder to shoulder with their bodies turned towards Rimuru, and Rimurus party in return are facing the creatures.
[…I believe these beings are Diablo, Testarossa, Carrera, Ultima, Mizari, Raine, and Guy Crimson!]
"I see, I think you were right then huh partner…? They are alive in a way, although they are definitely different."
[Should I activate Space-Time Domination? To try and dominate the surrounding space to stop teleportation?]
"Sure."
[Understood!]
As soon as Ciel attempted this though, everyone hears a dimensional shattering glass-like sound…
[Warning! Space-Time Domination failed! I can try to override the space here even more forcibly, but it'll take time!]
"Sure, but when you do let me know."
[As you command my lord!]
The long dark silvery-blue haired adult takes a deep breath in and out and his atmosphere changes to be more powerful and commanding. Then he mentally resolves himself while clenching his fists and declares inwardly: "You know what? If people or things want me to be like a god? Then so be it! I won't let anyone, or anything hurt or threaten my friends!" Rimuru then powerfully and slowly walks up to the entities, while turning on Thought Acceleration.
[Master! Please be careful!] Ciel voices its concern with great emphasis.
"Sir Rimuru please be careful!" Shion said voicing her worries verbally.
""Rimuru what are you doing!?"" Milim and Veldora both asked feeling anxious.
They all notice the sudden change in his behavior. He ignores their words as the creatures each raise both of their humongous arms in a hostile like manner toward the approaching enemy. The great and powerful Rimuru Tempest stops in front of the abominations just as they were about to slam down with their arms he powerfully and commandingly roars:
"THIS IS AN ABSOLUTE ORDER! DO NOT MESS WITH ME OR MY FRIENDS!"
Rimuru even sends out an ungodly dominating pulse of his own golden-blue Haki. It was so extremely ridiculously strong that it staggers the creatures back a good ways damaging them significantly: the auras attack erases the horror-like abominations wings and arms from existence, and they had black and white fused blood pouring from the area where their limbs were once, causing them to let out an anguished roar. They also suddenly freeze in place out of fear and due to the overwhelming spiritual pressure that the godly Rimuru exerted.
Also, the hallway seamlessly absorbs the pool of blood on the floor that the being with golden eyes caused by the Haki pulse attack. He even takes a swordsman like stance clenching his sword tightly with both hands and eyeing all of them in a god like way while having his immense golden-blue Haki whirl around him and coats his sword with Turn Nulls energy. Rimuru then ushers an edict in a ruthlessly dominating loud voice:
"I AM ALSO SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING THAT ABSOLUTELY UNSIGHTLY FORM! GO BACK TO HOW YOU WERE ONCE RIGHT NOW!"
It worked and far beyond his expectations, it was like that one time during the Empire fiasco where he ordered the Primordials (Testarossa, Carrera and Ultima) to not sleep during their evolution to Devil Lord, although this was a lot more absurd.
They all have black mist wrapped around themselves briefly and transform back into their Primordial demon forms and selves along with their apparel and are all healed miraculously. Six of them knelt deeply, and cried out with great shame:
"""We are so, so sorry for not recognizing you Sir Rimuru!"""
The one that wasn't kneeling was the one and only prideful Guy Crimson, the Demon Lord that is also a Mediator (also known as an Arbitrator) was now staring with a rageful look towards Rimuru with his arms crossed. "So, Rimuru… Let me get this straight? Not only are you a power balance destroying slime! You're also a subordinate stealing slime! A job destroying slime! What else? Oh! A beyond catastrophic world ending slime! Then! You have the audacity to try and dominate me!? Man have you climbed a high horse or what?! So, tell me? How am I doing so far Rimuru…?!"
The Mediator then walks up to him in an arrogant way until the Demon Lord was within a few feet and looks straight into his eyes. Rimuru was in complete control of his Haki, for now he wasn't having it hurt Guy or anyone else, especially his friends.
The being with golden eyes stares menacingly at Guy with an intensity like no other. Then he shifts a cold gaze to the two kneeling demonesses that should belong to him. "I have no interest in stealing your demons! Raine! Mizari! Why are you both kneeling before me!?"
They both have fearful expressions on their faces and look at both Guy then Rimuru a few times, then fixing their eyes back upon the overwhelming god.
""W-We wish to serve you instead, S-Sir Rimuru!""
They both proclaimed with immense nervousness in their voices. Guy turns towards them looking daggers at them and angrily yells at them: "What the hell did you two just say!?"
"S-Sir Guy! We feel like there is a greater calling to serve a g-god like him!"
"Y-yeah! What Mizari said! I-I, really-really want to serve him!" They both said filled with anxiety and look up pleading with their eyes, aimed at their original master…
[…Sir Rimuru! I have a concerning issue to report! I can't seem to override the space dominance here! Who or whatever has control here does so with overwhelmingly absolute authority! I am truly-truly sorry…] Ciel reported with sheer sadness in its voice, The resolute manas didn't want to disappoint its god…
"Don't worry about it, partner, thank you for trying. I appreciate it, just keep on guard okay?" Those words filled Ciel with overwhelming amounts of emotions. It felt like crying with sheer elation.
[Thank you! I'll try my best to keep up with your expectations! My lord!]
As Rimuru and Ciel were having that conversation he was watching Guy chew out his two still kneeling subordinates. What happens next surprises the long dark silvery-blue haired adult, the demonesses were scolding him back all the sudden: "We can make our own decisions can't we!?" Yelled Mizari with sheer resolve in her voice while glaring at Guy.
"Yeah! We still want to serve Sir Rimuru!" Added Raine yelling as well with sheer determination in her voice and was also glaring at Guy. In response the Mediator just sighs with sheer annoyance, but caves in seeing that they are saying all those words with their own free will filled with absolute resolve.
"Fine then! You two do whatever! If you do this though, I will never accept you two back!" Guy Crimson absolutely meant it, he hated the idea of someone serving two masters. He even sternly told Beretta at the first Walpurgis about it in his own unique way…
"Hear me all of you! If you want to serve me, then just serve me already!" Sternly commanded the Primordial demon's god. Rimuru was starting to get sick of it. If they wanted to be obedient to him so be it.
""As you wish, Sir Rimuru!"" Raine and Mizeri both cry out in unison; they were beyond happy to hear those divine words.
Upon hearing that godly edict, Diablo was fidgeting intensely filled with excitement. "Keh-heh-heh-heh! This is simply delightful beyond my comprehension, Sir Rimuru, please order me around as you see fit." While the other Primordials filled with happiness shout:
"""By your will, Sir Rimuru!"""
Guy just walks to a wall and leans against it with arms crossed and looks on with a disgusted expression on his face and is seething inwardly: "What bloody madness is this!? Since when was Rimuru like this!? I still freshly remember that I could pressure him with ease, now this upstart Demon Lord is completely different and even looks different!?"
Guy Crimson and the other Primordials all have their memories from when they were still at the festival before the Turn Null Armageddon and still have their memories of being in this sphere. It was like Rimurus very own will, his very own absolute desire to have them all be who they were once again has prevailed…
Rimuru orders the subservient Primordial Demons to group up with him as he turns to look straight ahead, they and everyone else besides Guy were all behind him now and he suddenly sees a human womanly figure standing in the middle of the hallway. Who Rimuru saw made him freeze in place, dispel his aura, barrier, and Thought Acceleration, and even drop the Drago Blade which returns to its normal non-infused state.
The transcending being that everyone else saw stunned them and put them on guard even more, Milim imbues her weapon with Stardust. Veldora still had has fists infused and Shion still has herself and Gourikimaru cloaked in the cosmic rainbow Haki and their barriers were still working.
Even Guy Crimson felt shocked despite him and the other Primordials being here for as long as they were, they didn't see this being in this place, they all now faced this womanly figure including the Mediator. The six loyal demons to Rimuru all materialize and equip themselves with their respective weapons: Diablo with his claw gauntlets, Ultima with her dual-knifes, Testarossa with her freezing white flame whip, Carrera with the Judgement Gun, and a blade, Mizeri and Raine are ready to support everyone else with magic. While Guy was just observing things…
The unknown existence who resides in this sphere is a terrifying beauty beyond imagining; its radiating waist-length moon black hair is utterly breathtaking, the magnificent being harbors two humanoid based eyes as marvelous and glistening as sapphires; while two extra eyes house themselves upon the mysterious being's forehead, spaced evenly just above the human-based eyes…
Those eyes, they convey the very concept of Space and Time itself: eyes with a gaze that could shatter your very soul, eyes that could fill your very existence with sheer terror, eyes that could seemingly even dominate you... One eye spherical in nature feels like it is harboring the very cosmos itself, the other spherical eye is a pure angelic white color with a pitch-black pupil covered by a bluish-black void sclera.
This being has True Hero equipment and clothes on and the rapier Moon Mistress sheathed. The very atmosphere that it was emanating is absolutely horrifying. Then out of nowhere it transforms into a child-like appearance with pink clothes and a black cloak wrapped behind itself, while still having the two extraterrestrial looking eyes…
"Teacher it is me…! Chloe Aubert! I miss you so-so much! I love you so-so much!" She exclaims in an overly sweet childlike voice and wasn't moving; Chloe simply just opens her arms wide and has a bright smile and continues to say: "So why don't you come over here and give your favorite student a nice and wonderful hug!" Her words seemed to completely and utterly dominate Rimurus mind, as he slowly starts to walk towards her.
[Master no! I-I can't discern if this is the real Chloe or not! Don't fall for it!] Ciel pleaded with all its might, but it wasn't working. Chloe's gaze was enthralling Rimuru, and he couldn't resist it.
"Sir Rimuru snap out of it!" Begged Shion putting her weapon away and desperately running up to him and grabbing one of his arms.
"Rimuru no!" Cried Milim doing the same with his other arm.
"Hey Rimuru! Snap out of it!" Veldora runs behind him wrapping his arms around his neck trying to slow him down.
Even the six Primordials were displaying worried expressions on their faces, and they all ran in front of him standing in his way. Which doesn't stop him though. Despite everyone doing their best they only manage to slow him down a bit.
Guy was still watching this situation carefully. "Fine… I don't like what Rimuru did or said, but I can't help but to respect this upstart Demon Lords attitude a tiny bit, besides this is the perfect excuse to vent my anger out at him."
Guy then yells out with absolute seriousness in his voice: "Move out of my way!" The Mediator cloaks one of his fists with his Demon Lord aura and sprints towards the target with his fist pulled back. It was Milims side that he was aiming for, and she moves out of the way and so does everyone else. With that done, Guy punches Rimuru in the cheek with all his might; sending him crashing into a glass-like wall making that side of the hallway display significant cracks. Rimuru falls onto the floor and is leaning up against the wall in an unconscious state. As soon as this happens the hallway just repairs itself instantly.
"WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY RIMURU!?"
Screamed the female child like being, switching immediately to her adult form. Chloes face was red with immense rage, her two spherical eyes suddenly start to glow intensely; reflecting her sheer fury and the True Hero has her palm displayed outwards aiming at them, and with immense wrath in her voice roars:
"GET OUT OF MY HOME! LEAVE MY RIMURU ALONE! ALL OF YOU BEGONE! IF YOU DARE TO COME BACK, I'LL KILL ALL OF YOU!"
"ABSOLUTE SPACETIME BANISHMENT!"
With those words thunderously proclaimed the very space around everyone besides Rimuru distorts, forcing their whole existences to outside of the sphere…
It was like she has already awoken to a deep dark cosmic power within her very existence. Rimuru may be unconscious, but Ciel wasn't… The unconscious being has yet to awaken to his own deep dark void powers… What will happen to Rimuru? What will happen in general…?
Well, that was interesting to write. I hope the readers enjoyed this chapter. It was a really ambitious one to! Well for me that is, hopefully this was worth the wait though. Once again thank you everyone for reading this.