Hi there, it's me again.
Are you wondering what was that about 13 days? You weren't? Well too bad, I'm gonna tell you anyway.
The royal selection will start in 13 days... What? Did you expect something cooler? Well too bad.
It's actually in 2 days now, but that doesn't matter.
As you can see I'm in not that good of a mood. Why? Because I let my emotions get the better of me, and I decided to act like an all knowing smartass in front of Julius and Crusch. I mean sure, it looked pretty cool, but getting the ire of Anastasia is quite bad and I don't want any trouble. I mean, did I really have to mention Echidna? I'm so fucking stupid.
And yes, I'm mad at something that happened 11 days ago, it's a bad habit of mine
So to calm down I'm improving my Magic Sense while meditating.
Huh? What is it? I didn't mention it before? Well, duh I didn't, it's because I didn't have it before, dumbass.
Well more like I did have it, but it was just a weird feeling and the range of it was so abysmal that I got like no new info from it.
Besides, my Magic Sense can't 'see' anything beside mana. It doesn't even give me a perfect image, just a blur, kinda like a thermal camera. At this point, it's not Magic Sense it's just Mana Sense, which... is actually a pretty good name. I think I'm gonna use it from now on.
On the topic of my powers, I've finally figured out how my Predator works, and it's pretty weird.
First of all, I've devided my 'eating power' into two different abilities: Predator and Beelzebub.
I wanted to name it Gluttony instead of Beelzebub, but then I remembered that there's already a gluttony over here, so it would be too confusing.
First I'll explain Beelzebub:
I choose a space(coordinates) and pour a certain amount of mana into it, the more durable the object(s) in the space and the further away the space is, the more mana it costs to eat everything in the space, and if I don't pour enough mana to eat everything in that space, I will lose 1/4 of the mana that I poured in, without anything happening. If there is a part or a full living being in the space and the being is resisting my eating then it'll cost a lot more mana, but if the being isn't resisting, then it takes even less than inanimate objects.
Predator works similarly:
I choose a spot on my body or my clothes, that spot will start eating anything that comes in contact with it. Almost all rules are the same as with Beelzebub, except it doesn't care if the object is alive or not, it only cares about durability, and even if there's not enough mana to fully eat the object, it'll apply a corrosive effect.
I can also use it on my sword, but the more I move the sword around, the harder it gets to keep the Predator working, so using it in actual combat scenarios is extremely hard and exhausting for the mind.
Of course anything that I 'eat' can be 'spat' back out. 'spitting' things out doesn't cost any mana.
The amount of space in my Stomach is about 20 Wilhelms. Why that measurement? Cus I wanna.
Well, that was a lot of word vomit.
From what I can see down there, it seems like gods have heard my prayer. This entire chapter is going to be from my perspective, so you're finally going to find out what's behind that calm and positive attitude of mine.
Enjoy!
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We were resting under the Flugel's Tree.
Well, at least we were trying to, but the battle that is going to happen soon wasn't one before which we could be completely calm.
Heh, I can't even rest properly.
A lot of people are going to take their revenge today... and some will die trying.
I... am not ready for this. The immanent deaths that are bound to come... I'm not ready for them.
I try to get myself hyped up, but all I can think about are the deaths that I won't be able to prevent.
But no matter how unprepared I am, no matter how much I just want to run away, I have to do this.
Getting used to death was my number two goal after all, and this is the best place for it.
I am... scared. All kinds of negative thoughts are clouding my mind.
What if I won't be able to save anyone? Should I have practiced more? Am I good enough? What if my intervention will just make things worse? Should I really be here? Maybe I should run away, to make sure everything will stay like in the original? Will that be the better option?...
And they go on and on and on and on.
But no matter how many of them there are, I will stay here. I will fight. And I will try to save as many people as possible, no matter how weak I am.
Crusch: "Everyone, get ready!"
Is it already time? I'm... not ready. But the White Whale won't wait for me, so I force my body to move.
After a while Subaru's phone rings.
Crusch: "All hands, on allert!"
But nothing happened.
...
Then I saw it. Something was coming out of the clouds.
It was big, way too big. It was white, way too white. And it was powerful, way too powerful. As soon as I saw it, my instincts started screaming at me that this creature was dangerous.
It was the White Whale.
Crusch: "All hands-"
Subaru: "NAIL IT!"
Rem: "Al huma!"
When Rem cast Al huma I was surprised. The spell didn't look that big and that powerful in the anime, but now that I'm seeing it in real life, I understand just how powerful it is.
As I was marvelling at the magic spell, I heard a shout.
Crusch: "Everyone, follow that pair of fools!"
Right after that, the magic crystal cannons started their assault.
Crusch: "Everyone close your eyes! We're using Night Repel!"
I was still stunned by how fast everything was proceeding, so I didn't close my eyes in time.
Thanks to my slime heritage, Night Repel's light didn't do much damage to my eyes, they still hurt tho.
When the light died down everyone around me was stunned.
I didn't realize why at first, but then it hit me.
They can't see in the dark like I do, so this is their reaction to seeing the White Whale in it's full glory for the first time.
While everyone was stunned, I saw as the White Whale turned it's attention to Subaru.
Crusch: "To turn away, you must have greatly underestimated me!"
The invisible slash was impressive as well. I could track it, but what surprised me more was the fact that Crusch wasn't holding anything in her hands.
Wasn't she holding a sword in the anime?
I started to get worried, because I realized that the anime may have had some things different from the WN and the LN versions. In which case, the information that I had about everything in arc 3 might be wrong.
But thinking about that would do nothing, so I turned my attention back to the battle.
Wilhelm already started attacking the White Whale.
Already?! Just how fast are things progressing?! I haven't even been able to properly analyze the situation!
I was technically under no ones command, which might sound bad at first considering I could screw some things up, but it also meant that I wasn't expected to do anything.
But when I saw Wilhelm like that, I couldn't sit idly, so when I saw that Ricardo's team was preparing for attack, I decided to join them.
I didn't have a mount, so I had to run by myself, but that wasn't a problem, as I had inexhaustable stamina and extremely fast legs.
Fun fact: the main thing I trained was using my light body and my strong 'muscels' to do tricky and extremely fast attacks, so speed is my second best thing. My first of course being stamina.
When I asked Ricardo if I could join them, he said:
Ricardo: "O' course! We basically don't have strategies, so ya joinin' won't be a problem!"
Apparently, all I had to do was make sure that I wasn't inhibiting anyone else's movements, and I'd be welcomed.
When we got close to the Whale they started attacking the Great Mabeast like a swarm of bees. I was constantly making sure that I wasn't inhibiting anyone with my Though Acceleration and my Mana Sense while also attacking him as well.
Damn. Even with all of my strength it's hard to cut it's skin. Even after Wilhelm trained me I'm still as useless as ever.
Crusch: "All hands, move away!"
When I heard that shout, I, with the rest of the team, immediately retreated.
Fun fact: it's practically impossible to understand what someone else is saying when I use Thought Acceleration, so most of the time I just have to guess.
Then another wound appeared on the Whale's huge body. But that was just a distraction for the real attack.
The magic squad used their attack, and my jaw literally dropped.
It looked like a sun. A FUCKING SUN! was fired at the Great Mabeast.
I'm nowhere close to being that powerful am I?
My instincts immediately reacted and I started running away without even thinking about it.
When I ran away far enough, I realized that all the mercenaries had also escaped the blast zone.
When I looked back at the White Whale, it was covered with wounds, more than half of it's body was either damaged or being burnt.
But it was still calmly flying.
To be honest, right now the White Whale was giving off the aura: This isn't even my final form!
Everyone seemed to recognize the fact that the White Whale wasn't giving it his all.
It was then that Wilhelm started running on the Great Mabeast's body, while leaving one giant continuous scar in his wake.
I was flabbergasted. That weird word was the only one that could describe the amount of awe I felt.
Sure, it looked impressive even in the anime, but only after attacking it head on did I realize the amount of skill one needed to do such a feat.
Even after getting a powerful body, powerful abilities and training for one month, I'm barely better than the average mercenary. I'm so useless right now. Compared to Wilhelm I'm nothing. What did he even see in me?
I continued to marvelₑₙᵥᵧ at the amount of skill shown to me.
The way that Ricardo worked with Wilhelm was impressive as well.
But when the eye fell, I immediately broke out of my stupor and started being cautious again. Why? Because in the anime, right after the eye fell, the White Whale started using mist.
And it happened just as it did in the anime.
The only difference was the fact that seeing the 'mouths' open up was much more grotesque than as it was in the anime.
Thank god I can't puke. Sometimes good eyesight is curse, heh.
The world was dyed in white.
I started feeling like I was damaged for no reason, but then I realized what was wrong.
My body naturally absorbs the mana around me, but right now I'm absorbing the mist, which is hurting me. I manage to stop my absorption, but only on my fourth try.
I'm even bad at controlling my body.
I could still somewhat feel people thanks to my Mana sense, but it was still incredibly hard to make them out.
Then my instincts screamed at me and I started running away from everyone, right after I did so, the mist attacked where I was.
But this didn't happen once or twice, no. The mist was continually attacking me.
This practically confirms my suspicions. I smell like the witch.
There was no other explanation for why it would target me specifically so much.
After a while of dodging, the attacks started becoming slower and slower.
Once they became slow enough and I confirmed that there was no one around me.
Cylob: "Beelzebub!"
That's right, I yelled it.
For some reason, when I yell it out, it becomes easier to control, so even if it's embarrassing, I have to do it.
Beelzebub, cleared a circle with me as the center with the radius of 6 meters.
The only reason I was able to do that is because the fog has minimal durability, if any. And even then it took me about 20 percent of my max mana. Thankfully the fog is basically mana itself so I got back about half of what I used.
The mist has no durability and it still took me so much mana. How much more powerless can I get?
The mist started closing in on me once again, but I bought myself enough time to analyze the situation around me.
I scanned the area around me using Mana Sense, but the only thing I felt was mist.
Dammit! I ran away too far! Why didn't I stick closer?! I'm so stupid!
?: "Lau-an-ystal!"
When I heard that yell, I immediately ran to the source of the sound as fast as I could.
While running through the mist, I started absorbing the mana around me again, so I had to forcefully stop my natural absorption of mana again, which I only managed to do on my fourth try AGAIN.
I can't even control my body's natural abilities properly! I'm so oddamn useless! Useless! USELESS!
When I finally got to the clearing where everyone was, I saw that everyone important was gathered there, and that the mist was clearing.
Subaru was already running off with Rem, while I chose a random squad and decided to go with them.
Maybe I'll be able to do something now at least.
After a while of nothing happening, it hit.
The mist started getting sucked in into every person.
People all around me started falling and some even started hurting themselves.
I also fell to my knees. Wait. Me too? Why? Oh, I know why. It's my thoughts.
This is useless. This is worthless. Nothing good will come out of this...
No.
...
This is not useless.
...
I am.
...
I've always been useless. Even back at home I never helped around the house, I never got good grades, I never listened to my parents. I've never done any good. Why did I think that I could change? I've always been doing nothing and this useless me is the result.
People are going crazy all around me and I'm doing nothing. Crusch, Wilhelm, Rem, Subaru, Felix, Ricardo, even Mimi. All of them are doing something, but I'm not. I'm useless.
I'm slothful. My whole life I've always done only the bare minimum, sometimes even less. I'm useless.
I'm wrathful. Even though I do nothing, I get angry at people when they do nothing. I'm useless.
I'm envious. I've always wanted to be an OP isekai protagonist and I was jealous of them. I'm useless.
...
I hate myself. I'm useless.
Why did I ever think I could do something? Why did I ever think that I could change? I'm usele-
Crusch: "All men, rise!"
...Huh? I'm useless.
Crusch: "Stop falling to the monster's control!"
I don't remember this. I'm useless?
Crusch: "You're strong! Do not let the monster get the better of you!"
This wasn't in the anime. I'm... useless?
Crusch: "Anyone who can hear me, rise! Help those around you!"
...I
Crusch: "Do not fall into despair! There are people worth fighting for! SO GET UP AND FIGHT!"
...I
...
...
...I
...
...
I AM NOT USELESS!
What the hell am I doing?! Why am I doing nothing?! Why am I on my knees as if I already gave up?!
Sure I'm slothful, I could've practiced more instead of taking breaks.
Sure I'm wrathful, I often get angry even though everyone is kind to me.
Sure I'm envious, I'm constantly jealous of everyone around me, without even thinking what they had to go through to become what they did.
Sure I'm useless, I haven't done anything writing home about in my entire life.
But it doesn't have to stay that way, does it?!
IF I'M USELESS I'LL JUST FORCE MYSELF TO NOT BE!
Crusch: "Everyone who can move, get the wounded to the Great Tree! Use whatever force you have to!"
Immediately after I heard that shout, I knew what I had to do.
I scanned the area around me, almost everyone was going crazy.
I ran up to one of them and knocked them out with a fast and controlled chop to the neck. This was a technique that I asked Wilhelm to train me in and now it was bearing it's fruit.
Once he was out cold, I picked up his body the best that I could with my small frame and ran to the Great Tree, where I dropped him off.
I ran to another crazy one and delivered another chop to the neck, but this one didn't work.
Even after that pep-talk I'm still as useless as ever... but that means I'll just have to become better!
I delivered yet another chop and this one worked.
After I carried that knight back, I saw two knights fighting.
The first one was so crazy that he started attacking everyone around him and the second one was trying to disarm the first.
Then, I linked eyes with the second knight, and we immediately understood what we had to do.
The second knight rushed the first one which prompted an attack to the neck from him, but the second one quickly stepped back to avoid the strike. While the first knight was concentrated on the person in front of him, I sneaked behind him and delivered a perfect - no - perfected chop to the neck.
I wanted to carry the now unconscious knight to the Tree, but my Mana Sense alerted me that someone near me was doing movements very similar to seppuku.
I dashed to the person as fast as I could, but I was too slow. The knight had already pierced himself, and was laying on the ground unconscious when I got close to him.
Dammit, dammit, dammit, DAMMIT! What do I do?!
It was then that I remembered something Rimuru did once. He gave his cells to Zegion and Apito to heal them.
I immediately cut my forearm and poured some of my cells into the wound, hoping it would do something.
The bleeding started stabilizing and some organs started getting reconstructed. This wasn't enough to fully heal him, hell not even close, but it bought me enough time to bring him to Felix, who could treat the knight.
After that I helped bring even more knights to the Great Tree.
Just as I was about to go to another crazy one, I got a bad feeling in my gut.
I looked at the White Whale again after a long time. It was chasing after Subaru, while Wilhelm was cutting it up.
For some reason I felt like I had to go there, like I was forgetting something and going there will make me remember it.
After a bit of contemplating I decided to follow my gut. Almost all men have already been brought to the tree, so even if I stayed I wouldn't be able to do much.
As I got closer and closer to the Whale, I felt as though the truth of whatever was bothering me was becoming closer and closer. I wasn't sure whether that was a good thing or a bad thing.
As soon as I got pretty close, the Whale started ascending. And for some reason I felt really bad.
It was then that I noticed something. A HUGE amount of mist was coming out of the whale, and it was dense, very dense. It was as if a tsunami was dropped from the sky.
Shit, this is what I forgot!
I saw as everyone started to panic and run away as fast as they could. My instincts were also screaming at me to move away.
No way everyone is getting out of this unscathed... without my intervention!
I jumped right to the mist, but right as I got close to it I started falling back down, that didn't stop me as I predicted an outcome very similar to this, I took out a boulder from my stomach, put it right beneath my feet and, while ignoring my screaming instintcs, used it as a foothold to jump right into the mist.
As soon as I entered the mist, my instincts, instead of screaming at me, started applying predator to my body and clothes, so that my existance wouldn't be erased. For some reason I felt compeled to thank them even though they weren't a living being.
As I got high enough I shouted with all my might.
Cylob: "BEELZEBUB!"
I put 90% of my remaining mana into that, so it cleared quite a lot, but I wasn't out of the danger yet. The rest of the mist was still falling down, so I had to take out another boulder, put it above me and rocket down, as fast as I could.
After I touched the ground only then did I start feeling the effects of having too little mana, but I had to push through. I ran as fast as I could, and I just barely made it out before the mist got to me.
I walked to the Great Tree and sat down. As soon as I got into a comfortable position I started processing the mist into mana. I got back about 1/3 of what I used, but that didn't mean that I was in any condition to fight, I only had about 20% of my max mana after all. I decided to rest for a bit and look at the situation of the battle.
Every single knight was despairing at the appearance of the three Whales, but that didn't mean everyone. Subaru was working with Rem and Patrasche and hurting one of the Whales. I wasn't sure why they were targetting that one specifically, but I didn't care because I knew everything would go fine at the end.
Subaru's still fighting... that means everything is going to be fine.
As soon as I saw that Subaru was still fighting I could finally fully relax. But as soon as I did, the backlash from overworking my body, my Predator, my Beelzebub and my Thought acceleration caught up to me.
My whole body felt like it was burning and freezing at the same time.
Thank Od, all of this is not concentrated on just my brain. I would probably be dead from the pain if it was like that.
As the pain kept tormenting me, I saw a way out. It would make me unresponsive for a pretty long time, but I don't think I could do anything in the state that I was in anyway.
So I forcefully almost fully emptied my mana supply and went into sleep mode.
...
..
.