In order to watch the battle between Rimuru and the orc army live without missing a single mont, Vertis brought over every single docunt that needed to be handled over the next three days. The sheer volu of paperwork alone was enough to fill the tables on both sides of him.
Most of it concerned military operations and the distribution of funds. There were also the duties that naturally fell upon the ruler of a city, such as additional construction and infrastructure repairs.
Until now, a parallel existence had handled these tasks, ensuring everything was processed steadily. However, since this was a rare chance to witness the power of Rimuru and his subordinates with his own eyes, I decided to handle the workload myself today.
Sure, it was a mountain of work. But this much? If I just stayed up for three days, I could finish it easily!
I lightly flexed my fingers and began sorting through the docunts at high speed. This kind of paperwork? I'd done it so much in the past that I was sick of it. Besides, now that I've beco a mber of the draconic lineage, I could easily go a month without sleep!
With that thought, I quickly dipped my quill in ink and began categorizing the docunts into those that could be approved and those that couldn't. I flew through the approvals, while the rejected requests were stamped and sent back imdiately.
Scribble, scribble, scribble.
"This matter... denied. This one should be fine to approve. A budget increase for the machine area? We're already giving them plenty."
While my hands moved busily, I used a communication magic stone in my other hand to contact the various departnts.
"Ah, repair unit? I heard there are cracks in the floor, so please get on the construction. And the cyborg unit? Ask Mother to handle the repairs and reinforcent."
Within just two days, I had completely finished sorting the majority of the paperwork and coordinated perfectly with every departnt. The only remaining important matters were the disposition of the young ogre Gaio had protected and the contingency plans should the Great War of the Demons break out.
Normally, this city was full of monsters who fought each other to the death every day just to climb the social ladder, but fundantally, all of them contributed to the city's developnt.
"Hmm... I'll leave this one to Yumi... and should I send more personnel for this matter?"
By the end of the second day, having finished all the organizing, I hurriedly cleared the table. With onion-flavored popcorn in one hand and a cold cola in the other, I settled in to watch Rimuru.
Just then, Rimuru's army, having completed their preparations, began their march toward the marshlands—the site of the decisive battle. Centered around Rimuru were the kijin: Benimaru, Hakurou, Shion, and Souei. They were accompanied by a hundred goblin riders mounted on Ranga and other sub-species of the wolf tribe.
In total, it was a small force of only 106, but considering the strength of each individual, it might actually be overkill. No matter how many C-rank and D-rank monsters you gathered, it would be impossible to bring down a majin who surpassed A-rank.
By my estimate, the kijin had evolved to possess a quantity of magicules well above A-rank. Even if the orcs had devoured ogres, they would be B-rank at best, or perhaps B if they were lucky.
More than anything, their leader was Rimuru, the mysterious sli who never ceased to surprise . No one could truly predict how this war would turn out.
At that mont, Rimuru spotted a lizardman fighting a group of orcs and ordered Souei to rescue him. Souei acted instantly, turning the orcs into re scraps of at with absurd ease.
The rescued lizardman explained that a man nad Gabiru, who had previously visited Rimuru, had started a rebellion in an attempt to drive out the orcs through his own strength.
Naturally, the kind-hearted Rimuru decided that if he was saving this lizardman, he wanted to save Gabiru as well. Rimuru conjured wings from his back and took to the sky, while the others sprinted toward the marshlands.
"Hmm... there are certainly a lot of them... but they're awfully puny."
The mont the kijin joined the fray, the tide of battle shifted completely. Under their onslaught, the orcs were being slaughtered like trash. Among them, Benimaru was the most conspicuous.
Having received a na from Rimuru, Benimaru had inherited [Fla Heat Manipulation] and [Black Fla]. By combining these with his own techniques, he had created a unique art called Hell Flare.
A massive do of fire incinerated everything it touched, leaving nothing but ash. anwhile, Ranga tore through the orc ranks with enormous whirlwinds of wind and lightning.
It was likely Death Storm, a technique combining Rimuru's black thunder and Ranga's wind manipulation.
"So that wolf is Wolpung's son..."
Perhaps due to Rimuru's influence, two horns had grown from his forehead like a unicorn, and he stood roughly three ters tall. While not small, he was only average compared to the monsters in my city.
Judging by those wide-area attacks, it was clear that he, too, was a powerhouse who had easily surpassed A-rank.
Watching from the sky, Rimuru looked slightly frightened. Looking at him, one would never guess he was the leader of majin who surpassed A-rank.
Just as I thought Rimuru's subordinates would resolve everything effortlessly, a majin wearing a beak mask crashed into the battlefield.
The majin scread loudly at Rimuru and his companions, but he didn't look strong at all. I realized imdiately that this was the insignificant majin Gaio and Minayomi had ntioned.
Although this majin seed to be the catalyst for the Orc Lord incident, I couldn't imagine such a plan originating from a mind like his. No doubt there was a much larger player behind the scenes.
While I pondered this, the beak-masked freak was being unilaterally crushed by the kijin.
The gap in energy was already vast, but the primary reason for his weakness was that he had given nas to too many subordinates, causing his own magicules to drop sharply.
The difference between one who seeks only to exploit others and one who strives for true strength is always stark.
Eventually, the majin abandoned even his pride as a high majin and begged the Orc Lord—specifically, the one nad Gerudo—for help. Gerudo, even in his muddled state of consciousness, moved to fulfill the wish of his benefactor. With a single swing of the at Crusher, he severed the majin's neck and devoured it on the spot.
Well, if you try to command soone stronger than yourself, that's the natural result.
Driven by that intense will, Gerudo evolved into a demon lord species, becoming an Orc Disaster.
As an Orc Disaster, Gerudo had beco so powerful that even the kijin could no longer handle him. He possessed strength surpassing Shion, the ability to keep fighting even after being decapitated, and a miraculous regenerative capacity that healed fatal wounds instantly.
Realizing his subordinates were overwheld, Rimuru suppressed his trembling and stepped forward to face Gerudo directly.
At first, Rimuru flinched and dodged attacks as if terrified, but then, as if a switch had been flipped, he threw off his mask. His expression was now completely blank. With a sword cloaked in black fla, he severed Gerudo's right arm and used the flas to suppress its regeneration.
It was the sa. Rimuru's current state was strikingly similar to the Rimuru I had seen in Wolpung's mories long ago.
Could his personality have shifted? I've never heard of a magic or skill that does that...
Rimuru calmly evaded Gerudo's strikes, skillfully deploying the various skills he had devoured.
Yet, I couldn't shake the feeling that while this was Rimuru, it was also not Rimuru.
Just then, Gerudo's severed arm regenerated and seized Rimuru. As he attempted to corrode and devour him, Rimuru activated the fla magic Ifrit had once used: Flare Circle.
The sight of Rimuru's body appearing to lt was rely a partial release of his human form to deceive the enemy. The plan was to bind Gerudo with sli viscosity and incinerate him. But at that mont, the Voice of the World rang out.
[Notice] Confird. Orc Disaster Gerudo has acquired [heat resistance].
With the announcent of his resistance to heat-based attacks, Gerudo's body—which should have been burned to ash—regenerated at high speed. To this, Rimuru spoke gently.
"It's okay now... you can stop."
Rimuru then transford into a sli and clung to Gerudo. For soone with a material body like Gerudo, there was no way to tear him off.
The battle had now beco a clash between two devourers—a struggle of predator and prey where only one could survive. Seeing this, I stopped watching the feed.
The victory was already decided. It belonged to Rimuru. After all, Rimuru is the Predator.
****
Having left the tactical calculations to the Great Sage, Rimuru realized that the current strategy wasn't working, but thanks to the Sage's analysis, he found the key to defeating Gerudo.
(Great Sage, thank you. I'll take it from here.)
Rimuru regained control of his body and, returning to his sli form, adhered himself to Gerudo. Gerudo struggled desperately to shake him off, but the more he fought, the more his body was eroded.
Though he used ultra-fast regeneration to repair his corroded flesh, his opponent was simultaneously regenerating the parts he had devoured.
However, as he felt Rimuru holding him—like a mother's tight, warm embrace—the strength began to drain from Gerudo's body.
Rimuru peered into Gerudo's interior—his ntal world. There, Rimuru witnessed Gerudo's past from the days before he had a na.
'What is this feeling...? It's so cozy... so warm... It's just like...'
It was exactly like being held by his mother. Though the situation was different, the warmth in Rimuru's attack felt identical to that mory.
Then, Rimuru's voice echoed through the void.
[As a friend of the Storm Dragon, Veldora Tempest, I, Rimuru Tempest, declare: Orc Disaster—no, Gerudo. I shall bear your sins. So, stop blaming yourself now, Gerudo.]
At the offer to carry his burden, Gerudo opened his eyes and whispered, "You'll... bear my sins? Even the sins of my kin... all of them?"
[Yes. So... you can sleep in peace now.]
Guided by that benevolent, goddess-like voice, Gerudo's consciousness collapsed—not upon a ravaged wasteland, but in the center of a lush, fertile land.
"It's warm... Kind one... you who will bear my sins... thank you. My hunger is finally... satiated..."
With those final words, Gerudo's consciousness vanished completely into Rimuru.
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