Tempest's debut as a sovereign nation continued to send shockwaves across the western region of the Central Continent, but it wasn't the only place caught in the storm. The Black Quill had already spread its claws far beyond those borders, carrying its influence to every corner of the world.
******
Nasca Namrium Ulmeria United Eastern Empire
Inside one of the chambers within Rudra's Castle, the Commander of the Imperial Intelligence Bureau, Tatsuya Kondou, sat comfortably on a couch with a copy of the Black Quill resting in his hands. "So this is the majin you were worried about..." he remarked, lowering the newspaper as his gaze shifted toward his friend and fellow Imperial Guardian, Damrada, who sat across from him with a glass of liquor in hand.
"Indeed," Damrada replied with a slow nod before taking another sip of his drink.
Kondou placed the newspaper on the table between them before reaching for his own glass. "Now that I've read this, I'd say your assessment wasn't off the mark after all." He took a sip before turning his attention back to Damrada. "So, what's your evaluation of this ruler of the monster nation?" he asked, since Damrada was the only one who had witnessed the majin's abilities firsthand with his own eyes.
"Hmm..." Damrada took another slow sip before falling silent, carefully gathering his thoughts. "If I had to make an estimate, I don't think anyone below Rank 50 would stand a chance against him in a direct fight. And even then, I wouldn't like their odds in a one-on-one battle. Based on what I witnessed firsthand, I'd say anyone below Rank 20 would simply be fighting a losing battle."
"And what about us, the Double 0 Numbers?" Kondou asked, a hint of arrogance and amusement creeping into his voice. "Do you really think he stands a chance against us?" a teasing smile spread slowly across his face as he swirled the liquor in his glass, already convinced he knew exactly what Damrada's answer would be.
"You seem to be in a particularly good mood today if you're asking something so obvious," Damrada replied, rolling his eyes as he refilled his glass. "You already know the answer. Ultimate Enchantments place the Double 0 Numbers in an entirely different league." Leaning back into the couch, he continued, "Take Charybdis, for example. Any one of us could put down that Calamity-class monster without breaking a sweat, while that majin, Rimuru, needed Demon Lord Frey's assistance just to deal with the threat. That alone should tell you just how wide the gap between him and us truly is."
"Indeed, the Ultimate enchantments really do make a gap between them, and us is comfortably big," Kondou agreed with a faint smile before his expression gradually turned serious again. "That being said, Rimuru's starting point is absurdly high, and if His Majesty's speculation is correct and he was truly born from Veldora's magicules, then his potential ceiling is likely just as ridiculous as well."
"I've been worried about that as well," Damrada admitted with a solemn nod. "Though, to be honest, I'm less concerned about his raw potential than I am about his intelligence and cunning." He finished the last of his drink in a single gulp before setting the glass aside. "Somehow, he's already secured the backing of an ancient nation like Dwargon and has already taken the Fulbrosia and Raja under his command, the former being the nation ruled by a Demon Lord and the latter of which is a human nation, mind you." He let out a quiet sigh. "If this trend continues, it won't be long before his influence spreads across the entire West. And I have a feeling none of that bodes well for the Empire's ambitions."
"When you put it that way, it does sound rather unsettling, doesn't it?" Kondou replied as he casually crossed one leg over the other. "On one hand, a majin like him is bound to become a thorn in our side sooner or later, so it would be best to deal with him before he grows into an even bigger problem. But on the other hand..." a cunning smile spread across his face as a golden pistol appeared in his hand, "...wouldn't it be far more beneficial if this Rimuru kept expanding his influence on our behalf? Why waste countless resources and precious years building everything ourselves when we could simply seize the finished product by claiming the chef who prepared the feast?"
Damrada stared at Kondou for a long moment before letting out a quiet chuckle and shaking his head in disbelief. "Honestly, Kondou, there are times when I genuinely envy that ability of yours," he admitted with a sigh as his eyes drifted toward the golden pistol resting comfortably in his friend's hand. "Can you imagine how much easier my job would be if I could simply take control of anyone I wanted?" he muttered bitterly as he reached for the bottle and poured himself another glass
"I can certainly understand why someone in your line of work would want an ability like this," Kondou replied with a small, knowing smile, trying to reassure him. "Still, taking control of someone truly powerful isn't nearly as simple as it sounds. Every target has a different level of resistance, and the stronger they are, the harder it becomes. In some cases, they even have to be physically weakened before I can attempt to dominate them. It's a powerful ability, but it's far from invincible."
"And just how many people do you think are stronger than me in the West?" Damrada asked dryly, giving Kondou a flat, unimpressed stare. "Besides, it's not as if I'd be stupid enough to try using that ability on Guy Crimson or Milim Nava of all people. Those monsters are problems best left to His Majesty and Lady Marshal."
Kondou simply nodded, fully aware of just how terrifying those two Demon Lords truly were. Even so, he had no intention of admitting that aloud. For all his calm and collected demeanor, he still possessed the pride of being the Empire's strongest man beneath the Lady Marshal herself. Deep down, he believed that if he were ever forced to face either of them, he could at least hold his own long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
Just as the two were about to continue their discussion, however, a series of knocks echoed from the door. A moment later, it opened and one of the castle maids to step inside. She offered the pair a respectful bow before addressing Damrada. "Damrada-sama, I have a message for you from Commander Gradim-sama," she said. "He asked me to inform you that he wishes to speak with you regarding an urgent matter."
Hearing those words, Damrada let out a long, irritated sigh. "This again..." he muttered under his breath, rubbing his temples before looking up at her. "Go and tell Commander Gradim that I'm currently occupied discussing a matter of great importance with Lieutenant Kondou. I won't be available for the next few hours."
"As you command, Damrada-sama," the maid replied with another deep bow before quietly leaving the room.
"It seems Gradim is nothing if not persistent, huh?" Kondou remarked as soon as the door clicked shut behind the maid. "I take it you've already informed him about the mission and Nazim's fate."
"I did, and believe me, he wasn't happy to hear it," Damrada replied with a weary frown. "Trust me, if looks could kill, the glare he gave me would've finished me off on the spot."
"Well, I can certainly vouch for that. I've had the pleasure of being on the receiving end of that glare a few times myself," Kondou said with a light chuckle, recalling the countless occasions the old commander had stared daggers at him whenever they crossed paths in the castle. But then his smile faded as his expression turned serious. "That said, enough is enough. He's had more than enough time to mourn Nazim's death. It's about time he pulled himself together."
"That's easier said than done," Damrada scoffed, shaking his head as he took another sip of his drink. He then fell silent for a moment, absentmindedly tapping his fingers against the glass while a thought slowly took shape in his mind before a sly grin slowly spread across his face. "Actually... what if, instead of telling him to swallow his grief and anger, we simply gave him somewhere else to direct it?"
"Somewhere else..." Kondou repeated before realizing exactly what Damrada was suggesting. "Ah, I see. Rage, vengeance, and the loss of someone you cared about can be incredibly powerful motivators." A knowing smile spread across his face as he met Damrada's grin, as the newspaper with Tempest's picture sat on the table between them.
******
The Golden City of El Dorado
To the south of the Central Continent lay a desolate land dominated by a colossal active volcano that towered over everything around it. Born from the cataclysmic clash between Velgrynd and Veldora more than two thousand years ago, the volcano had never truly fallen silent. It continuously belched thick smoke, molten rock, and pillars of flame into the heavens, staining the sky with an eternal, depressing, cloudy sky. To anyone who gazed upon it, the entire continent appeared to be nothing more than a bleak, lifeless wasteland, utterly inhospitable to all forms of civilization.
Yet despite such unforgiving conditions, a sprawling nation flourished there. It was divided into several districts, including the Forest, Field, Lake, River, and Mountain Districts. Each district was protected by an enormous magic circle that kept volcanic ash and toxic smoke from ever reaching the city, while the powerful barriers and magically generated winds worked in perfect harmony to preserve a clean and comfortable environment within its borders.
This carefully crafted oasis of nature and tranquility was known as El Dorado, a nation founded and ruled by none other than the Platinum Devil, Leon Cromwell, the former Chosen Hero, and currently one of the Ten Great Demon Lords.
Right now, the ruler of El Dorado sat upon his elevated throne, while his blue eyes calmly looked down at the six figures standing before him. Five of them were frightened children, trembling as they struggled to suppress their fear, while the sixth was a young girl wearing a clown mask who stood silently behind them.
"Lord Leon, these are the children this batch produced," Tear said lazily, standing before him with her hands clasped behind her head.
Leon offered no reply. Instead, he swept his gaze over the children, and a flicker of disappointment crossed his face. "...Another failure..." he muttered under his breath before raising a hand toward his Black Knight. "Claude, take them away. They're of no use to me."
Claude gave a silent nod before stepping forward to escort the children out of the throne room. Having heard Leon's verdict, the terrified children didn't know whether they should feel relieved or afraid. Even so, they had no choice but to obediently lower their heads and follow the towering knight clad in jet-black full plate armor as he escorted them out of the throne room.
Once the children had been escorted away, Leon shifted his attention back to Tear. "This batch was another failure, so keep bringing me more," he said curtly, wasting no unnecessary words. "Payment for this batch will be delivered to you. You may leave now," he added, indifferently, clearly having no interest in entertaining her any longer.
"What a shame. Despite having such a handsome face, you really have no idea how to treat a cute girl like me," Tear complained dramatically, placing a hand against her chest, before dropping the act as suddenly as she'd started it. "Anyway, there was actually something I wanted to ask you. Have you heard about this Monster Nation? What do you think of them?"
"Monster Nation?" Leon repeated, raising a single eyebrow as he searched his memory, only to come up empty. The name meant nothing to him. Without taking his eyes off Tear, he turned slightly toward his White Knight. "Maetel, what is she talking about?"
"Lord Leon, as far as I can recall..." Maetel began by calmly summarizing the major events that had unfolded across the mainland over the past year, with the emergence of Tempest, the nation of monsters, at the center of it all. "Also, a few months ago, this publication began circulating throughout our nation," she continued as she stepped forward and respectfully handed Leon a copy of the Black Quill. "According to our intelligence network, it has become quite influential across the Western nations in a surprisingly short period of time."
"A newspaper..." Leon muttered as he gave the front page a brief glance. His eyes skimmed over the headlines for only a few seconds before he lost interest and handed it back to Maetel. Before turning his attention to Tear once more, he asked, "Whatever this is, what does it have to do with me?"
As far as Leon was concerned, nothing written in that newspaper had any relevance to him. After all, Leon Cromwell had only one goal in mind, which was to reunite with his childhood friend, so unless the matter involved summoned children from other nations or a summons to Walpurgis from that irritating Red Demon, he rarely paid any attention to the affairs of the outside world. In his eyes, the kingdoms could rise and fall, wars could begin and end, yet none of it mattered if it did not bring him one step closer to achieving that goal of seeing her again.
"It doesn't?" Tear asked, tilting her head. "Oh, I guess you haven't heard the rumors. People have been saying that this majin, Rimuru, is the one who killed Shizu... your former subordinate."
"What? How do you..." Leon's eyes widened ever so slightly, and the calm mask he always wore cracked for the briefest of moments. Then, just as he was about to ask how she knew about his connection to Shizu, the question died on his lips as he remembered the man pulling the strings behind the clowns. 'Of course... if it's him...' he thought, quickly dismissing the matter before his mind drifted back to Shizu, the girl he had rescued centuries ago and entrusted with the Ifrit that dwelled within her.
"Even if that's true, it has nothing to do with me," Leon replied, his expression carefully schooled as his voice returned to its usual calm, indifferent tone. "Shizu chose to leave my service centuries ago of her own free will. And the moment she walked away, her life ceased to be my responsibility. So even if she ultimately got herself killed, it doesn't concern me in the slightest."
"Oh, is that so? Well, I guess that's a shame," Tear said with a casual shrug, sounding genuinely unconcerned either way. In truth, the question hadn't even been hers to begin with. Yuuki had asked her to gauge Leon's reaction to Tempest, curious to see whether the Platinum Demon Lord could somehow be manipulated into becoming another piece on his board. Judging by Leon's response, however, Tear didn't think he would be useful at all. "Well then, if that's all, I'll be on my way. See you again with another batch of children. Bye!" she called cheerfully before skipping out of the castle.
After Tear's departure, Leon remained seated upon his throne in silence for a long moment before turning toward Maetel once more. "Gather everything we can on this Monster Nation and its ruler, Rimuru," he ordered in his usual calm tone. Then, after a moment of hesitation, he added, "Also... find out what happened to Shizu."
"I'll see to it immediately," Maetel replied with a respectful nod. Before she could say anything further, however, a deafening explosion shook the castle, followed by violent tremors that rippled through the entire structure.
"Damn it!" Leon cursed, and his face darkened. Rising from his throne in one swift motion, he let out an exasperated sigh. "It's her again!" Without another word, he strode out of the throne room with Maetel close behind, already knowing exactly who was responsible.
Meanwhile, somewhere beyond the castle walls, a certain delinquent demoness had once again decided to pay him an uninvited visit, all in yet another futile attempt to cure her endless boredom.
******
Frost Palace, Ice Continent
While the southern reaches of the Central Continent trembled beneath the force of nuclear explosions, the Ice Continent in the far north remained as tranquil as ever. Frigid winds swept endlessly across the frozen landscape, carrying with them biting snow that could chill even seasoned warriors to the bone. It was a land where life itself struggled to exist. Across the vast expanse of glaciers, mountains of ice, and endless snowfields lived only a handful of inhabitants, few enough to count on one hand. At the very heart of that frozen world stood a solitary fortress known as the Frost Palace, the residence of four of the most powerful beings in the world.
At that very moment, deep inside the palace's spacious kitchen, a cute young woman with medium-length blue hair and bright sapphire eyes was happily stuffing her face with a pastry, wearing a wide grin that stretched across her face as she hummed to herself. Dressed in a maid's uniform, she was none other than the Primordial Blue, Rain. Known as the youngest and most carefree of the Seven Primordials, currently serving as one of Guy Crimson's maids, though anyone witnessing her carefree behavior would be hard-pressed to believe she was one of the oldest and most terrifying demons in existence.
"Mmm~, so good!" Rain hummed blissfully as she licked the remaining cream and crumbs from her fingers, savoring every last bit. "Sneaking away with the last piece before Misery and Velzard-sama could find it was seriously risky, but it was totally worth it!" she giggled to herself as her sapphire eyes sparkled with satisfaction as she reached for the final bite, complete with the cherry she had deliberately saved for last.
However, just then...
"Rain, what are you doing?" a voice suddenly called out from behind her, causing Rain to panic as she hastily shoved the remaining piece of pastry into her mouth in a desperate attempt to hide the evidence. Unfortunately, in her rush, the cherry lodged itself firmly in her throat, and her face instantly turned pale as she clutched at her neck and repeatedly pounded her chest with tears welling up in the corners of her eyes. After several agonizing moments of coughing and choking, the cherry finally slipped down, allowing her to suck in a desperate breath before letting out a long, relieved sigh.
Trying her best to act as though nothing had happened, Rain quickly composed herself and turned around to find a strikingly beautiful woman with long, wavy green hair and emerald-green eyes standing behind her. She wore the same maid uniform as Rain and was staring at her with a completely deadpan expression. This was Misery, the Primordial Green, and the fourth oldest of the Seven Primordials.
"Oh, hey, Misery. Do you need something?" Rain asked with an innocent smile plastered across her face, acting as though she hadn't nearly choked on a cherry just moments earlier. She even clasped her hands behind her back, doing her best to look as innocent as possible.
"Yes, Rain. I would very much like the last piece of pastry you hid," Misery replied flatly, folding her arms across her chest as she stared at her fellow Primordial.
The moment those words left Misery's mouth, a cold sweat trickled down Rain's neck. "Whaaat?!" she exclaimed, forcing an exaggerated look of confusion onto her face while carefully avoiding eye contact. "What pastry are you talking about? I haven't seen anything like that at all..." she added, dismissively waving her hand.
"Rain..." Misery's eye twitched as the last remnants of her patience rapidly evaporated. She took a slow, deep breath before pointing a finger directly at Rain's face. "...if you're going to lie, at least wipe the crumbs off your face, you idiot!" she snapped, glaring daggers at the blue Primordial.
"Oh!" Rain's eyes widened in horror as she realized her fatal mistake. She immediately spun around and began frantically rubbing her face with the sleeves of her maid uniform before turning back around with a sheepish grin. "Hee~ hee~ hee~, I messed up," she admitted without a shred of shame, sticking out her tongue and striking an intentionally goofy pose.
"Seriously, Rain... what am I supposed to do with you?" Misery sighed, rubbing her temples in exasperation before letting out another long breath. "We'll deal with you hiding food later. Right now, there's something else I want to show you." She held out the newspaper she had been carrying. "Take a look at this and tell me what you think."
Rain took the newspaper and quickly skimmed through it before looking back up at Misery with an unusually serious expression. "Misery, this..." she began, pausing dramatically before finishing, "...the pictures in here could really use some improvement."
Silence hung between them for several long seconds before Misery snatched the newspaper out of Rain's hands and glared at her. "I'm not talking about the pictures, you dolt! I'm talking about the news that's printed in it!"
"Oh, that?" Rain tilted her head innocently. "What's wrong with it?" she asked, genuinely unable to understand why her fellow maid seemed so worked up.
"You..." Misery shut her eyes and silently counted to ten before opening them again. "Rain, you remember Guy-sama asked us to keep an eye on the nations in the West, right?" she asked and sighed in defeat as she received a non-comital nod in return. "Well, he did, and I think this Monster Nation is something he should know about. More importantly, it looks like Frey-sama has changed sides as well."
"Then just tell him," Rain replied with a careless shrug. "If you think it's important, then it probably is. You're usually right about this kind of stuff anyway."
"I was thinking the same thing," Misery said with a nod as she folded the newspaper under one arm. "In that case, I should go and tell-"
"Hey, ladies, what are you two gossiping about?" a playful voice interrupted their conversation, prompting both of them to turn toward the kitchen entrance, where they saw a teenage girl with glossy pearl-white twin tails and striking blue eyes, casually leaning against the door with an amused smirk on her face.
"Velzard-sama," Rain and Misery said in unison, immediately straightening their posture and greeting her respectfully.
"It's fine, relax," Velzard replied, dismissing the formalities with a casual wave of her hand. Pushing herself away from the doorframe, she stepped into the kitchen and glanced between the two Primordials with mild curiosity. "Now then, what were you talking about? What is it that you need to tell Guy?"
"Velzard-sama, it's about this," Misery answered as she respectfully handed the newspaper over to her.
Velzard silently flipped through the newspaper, and a moment later, she folded it shut, a peculiar look crossing her face. 'Rimuru... him again...' she thought as her mind drifted back to their previous two encounters.
The first time had been when she sought him out because of his identity as the fifth True Dragon. That encounter had overturned everything she thought she knew about the world. From the very beginning, her plans had been completely derailed. She had gone there expecting to be the one asking questions, only for Rimuru to reveal truths that even she, the eldest sister of the True Dragons and the younger sister of the world's Creator, had never known.
The second time was when she brought her unconscious sister to Tempest after Velgrynd collapsed because of the mysterious orb Rimuru had given her. Everything that happened due to that orb only served to validate the claims he had made during their first meeting. Even so, the price he demanded in exchange for helping both sisters was something Velzard found impossible to accept. He wanted her to become his subordinate. That was a proposal the eldest of the True Dragons and the Creator's own sister had no intention of agreeing to.
After returning from Tempest that day, she had no further contact with Rimuru. Even so, his offer and the words he had spoken refused to leave her thoughts as they lingered in the back of her mind, refusing to fade. And now, for the first time since then, she was hearing his name once again.
'He's certainly accomplished a lot in such a short time,' Velzard thought, letting out a quiet sigh before shifting her attention back to the two Primordial maids. "Misery, Rain, there's no need for either of you to tell Guy about any of this. I'll inform him myself later," she said calmly, despite having no intention whatsoever of mentioning Rimuru to Guy anytime soon. In fact, she found the idea of keeping Rimuru's existence a secret far more entertaining. The longer she kept him hidden, the more amusing it would be to watch the expression on Guy's face when the blue-haired man inevitably blindsided him in the future.
"Th-this..." Misery hesitated, genuinely unsure how she was supposed to respond. It was Guy himself who had ordered her to keep watch over the Western nations, and deliberately withholding information this important from her master wasn't something she was comfortable doing.
"Oh? It seems you're thinking of refusing my order," Velzard said with a sickeningly sweet smile that never reached her eyes. "How bold of you. Perhaps you've grown tired of living?" she added, tilting her head slightly, sending a shiver down both maids' spines.
"No! No! I wasn't saying anything at all, Velzard-sama!" Misery hurriedly corrected herself, bowing her head. "As you said, I'll leave the matter of informing Guy-sama entirely to you."
"Good. That's exactly what I wanted to hear," Velzard replied with an adorable little giggle that would have sounded charming to anyone who didn't know her. Unfortunately for Rain and Misery, they knew her far too well to be deceived by appearances. Beneath the facade of a cute teenage girl stood one of the strongest beings in existence, a monster capable of tearing both of them apart as effortlessly as ripping a sheet of paper.
"By the way," Velzard continued, shifting her gaze toward Rain as her icy blue eyes narrowed ever so slightly. "The next time you try to sneak sweets away for yourself, I'll freeze you to your very core and leave your frozen statue in some remote cave on this continent for the next few thousand years. Is that clear?"
"Y-Yes! It won't happen again!" Rain blurted out, her entire body going rigid as she shivered beneath the overwhelming pressure radiating from the Frost Dragon standing before her. Of course, all three women in the kitchen knew perfectly well that the promise was completely worthless. Rain had absolutely no intention of keeping it, and Velzard knew that just as well as Misery did.
"Good. Make sure you remember that," Velzard replied with a satisfied nod before calmly turning around and walking out of the kitchen, leaving the two Primordial maids alone once again.
"Ooof~, that was really terrifying!" Rain exclaimed as she slumped against the kitchen counter, her legs nearly giving out beneath her.
"That's what you get for stealing someone else's food," Misery replied, shaking her head with an exasperated sigh. Even so, her attention quickly drifted back to the matter at hand. "Still... I just hope Guy-sama won't be too pissed when he finds out I never told him about the Monster Nation or Frey-sama."
"Don't worry. As long as Velzard-sama is willing to take responsibility, you'll be fine," Rain said confidently, giving Misery a reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Besides, it's Velzard-sama. Even Guy-sama isn't going to complain if she's the one taking the blame." Inwardly, however, Rain wasn't thinking about Guy or the Monster Nation at all. Instead, she was already devising increasingly elaborate ways to hide her stolen sweets next time.
"I certainly hope you're right," Misery replied with another weary sigh.
******
Meanwhile, atop the towering mountain range that separated Jistav from the Eastern Empire, Guy Crimson, the oldest and strongest of the Seven Primordials, sat alone at the summit with his legs crossed, as he silently gazed toward the distant lands of the Eastern Empire with a copy of the Black Quill resting in his hands.
"Nation of monsters... Rimuru..." Guy muttered to himself before a wide grin slowly spread across his face. "How amusing... It seems I'll soon have another pawn to add to our game, Rudra..."
To be continued...