Check out advanced chapters on P@treon: [email protected]/CosmicKaminari
----------
"The reason I came today is precisely for this, so consolidate your armies as quickly as possible."
"After that, the New World will require your attention."
"Since you are all here, I will take the opportunity to boost your strength."
After explaining his reason for coming, Kaito casually summoned the Conqueror's Banner.
Although Sengoku and the others had been strengthened when they first arrived in the Slime World, they could be enhanced further using souls.
As Kaito put it: "We must reap the benefits of the world, and we must also improve ourselves. Both hands must be firm."
On a side note, after Sengoku and the others arrived in the Slime World, all their Devil Fruit abilities had been converted into skills. They no longer carried the weaknesses of Sea Stone or seawater.
Fifteen minutes later, everyone present had received improvements unlike anything they had experienced before.
Admirals and Fleet Admirals like Sengoku and Sakazuki all reached SS- level.
Admiral candidates reached S+, Vice Admirals S-rank, and Rear Admirals S-.
Benimaru and the others were already at SS+.
"Alright, I have boosted your strength. I still need to go and do the same for others, so I will be off!"
Everyone rose and watched him leave.
Kaito reached the door, waved his hand casually to signal them to carry on with their meeting, and walked out.
Leaving the military department, Kaito then visited several other locations one after another, boosting everyone's strength as he went.
The Royal Knights in particular received a significant lift. Every member now started at a minimum of S-rank.
Even Primordial Demons like the Primordial Yellow now possessed SS+ strength.
Diablo was enhanced all the way to SSS-, and in terms of raw combat power, he was no longer below Guy or Milim.
This level of improvement might seem staggering, but Kaito was already at the Soul Transformation cultivation stage, which meant his capacity to boost others had grown considerably as well.
It was also worth noting that while Benimaru and Sengoku sat at SS-rank, one SS could easily defeat five SS-. And SS+ was a complete and decisive crush.
As for those who had departed with Rimuru to deal with Clayman, they had already been strengthened by Kaito before leaving.
With Kaito's help, Rimuru had successfully awakened her Wisdom Core, Ciel, and her strength had broken through to SSS-.
The Jura-Tempest Federation now had three SSS-rank individuals: Rimuru, Veldora, and Diablo, who had just reached that level.
As for Kaito himself, he could no longer be measured by this ranking.
Some might wonder about Milim and Ramiris.
These two had always possessed SSS- strength, but had been unable to make use of it for different reasons.
Milim was prone to losing her sanity when using Ultimate Skills, and Ramiris was in the middle of reincarnation and gradual recovery.
So Kaito had resolved Milim's issue with losing control during Ultimate Skill use.
As for Ramiris, she could continue being the Federation's mascot and recover at her own pace. The Jura-Tempest Federation was not short on combat power.
"Phew. After half a year of hard work, I am back to square one."
Kaito looked at the Conqueror's Banner and felt the weight of it as he sensed fewer than five hundred thousand souls remaining.
"No use holding onto them anyway. Better to spend them and enjoy the results early. Sakuya, let's go."
"Yes, Master."
With that, Sakuya followed Kaito into the Dimensional Gate. The moment her figure passed through, the gate vanished without a trace.
Geminar · Night
The Geminar night was utterly still, moonlight spreading like water across the land.
"Roar!"
A deafening cry split the silence and rang across the entire night sky.
Looking toward its source, one could make out a Seikijin faintly visible in the moonlight, white catching the silver glow.
Its roar was like thunder, reverberating across the dark, leaving anyone who heard it awestruck.
The sudden sound startled all the Koros in the surrounding area awake. Their eyes glowed red as they stared at the Seikijin with fixed intensity.
"Wow! A dark and stormy night for bold deeds!"
Kaito and Izayoi Sakuya floated in the air above, looking down at Kenshi Masaki.
"Master, are we simply going to watch?"
Hearing Sakuya's question, Kaito smiled.
"For now, yes. I want to enjoy the feeling of following the story as it unfolds. By staying close to him, I can get a proper introduction to that money-loving Lashara."
The story of Tenchi Muyo! War on Geminar was not especially complicated.
In short: Kenshi Masaki, a fifteen-year-old boy, was sent to the world of Geminar against his will, due to circumstances surrounding his mother. In order to find a way back to his own world, he was tricked by the villains into attempting to assassinate Lashara Earth XXVIII, the young new ruler of the Shtrayu Empire.
However, when the moment came, he found himself unable to harm a twelve-year-old girl who had fallen ill. His inherent kindness simply would not allow it.
He was captured by Lashara's subordinates.
From there, he travelled alongside Lashara through one crisis after another.
The story ended with the defeat of the final boss and the world saved.
"There. Here it comes."
Kaito said, watching the Swan approach.
The Swan was Lashara's personal vessel, a flying ship that used Ahou energy to travel the Seas of Ena.
Inside the Swan at that moment, Lashara, Ulyte, Chiaia, and the others were in the cargo hold, observing the Seikijin stored there.
Looking at its massive, pitch-black form, Ulyte could not help but murmur.
"Indeed. Unlike a Seikishi, it carries an aura of majesty that rejects everything, even on a subtle level."
Lashara crossed her arms and cut in.
"If it even rejects its own pilot, it is nothing more than a decoration."
The Nanny, who had been accompanying them in silence and had raised Lashara since childhood, spoke up earnestly.
"Your Majesty, although it is only for the coronation ceremony, the Church made an exception in lending us the Seikijin. That is no small thing."
Lashara shook her head.
"It is just big and black and nothing but trouble."
"Mee-ow! Mee-ow! Mee-ow! Mee-ow!"
"What! The Koro alarm!"
Everyone tensed at once. Lashara had only just assumed the throne. There was no shortage of those who resented it, and someone might take a desperate gamble and strike early.
"What is happening?"
Lashara looked at the maid who rushed in and asked with a sharp expression.
"Your Majesty, we are under attack! One Seikijin!"
Hearing the maid's anxious report, Chiaia, captain of the Royal Guard, hurried to the window.
"Goodness. They really are impatient. I thought they would at least wait until after the Holy Land ceremony."
Hearing Lashara say it, Ulyte spoke with a puzzled expression.
"That is strange. They are already this close, and the Koros only just detected them. Just who is this uninvited guest?"
"Just who is this person..."
Chiaia stared in shock at the white Seikijin flying in perfect synchrony just outside the Swan.
"What is it, Chiaia?"
"A white... white Seikijin!"
"What!"
Before Chiaia could say anything more, the white Seikijin vanished from sight.
"No!"
Seeing it disappear, Chiaia's alarm surged. She turned quickly to the maid.
"Tell the helmsman to lower altitude as much as possible and hold forward speed!"
Then she turned to Ulyte.
"Ulyte, I entrust Her Majesty Lashara to you."
With that, she ran toward the storage bay where the other Seikijin were kept. Ulyte called softly after her.
"Understood, Captain of the Royal Guard."
No sooner had Ulyte finished than Lashara's voice followed.
"Chiaia! I still have questions for that Seikijin pilot. Keep it restrained when you act."
Chiaia said nothing, but gave a respectful bow before turning and leaving.