Chapter 23: Chapter 22 - Walpurgis
Karma Uzumaki's POV
I finished telling them my "predictions".
Man, I felt guilty now. Hopefully, none of them knew...
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I come to the banquet with Rimuru.
Rimuru greeted Dagruel and dino while I stick my nose to my icha².
「By the way, are you not bringing anyone with you? 」
Rimuru asked.
They brought Dagruel's three sons–generals, and five captains with them.
Since generals and captains have participated in the banquet before, they thought it should be fine.
But his sons are here for the first time.
So, they're bound to cause problems, he said.
Dino has no one with him.
Seems like there are demon lords with no followers.
Milim seems the same, so I can easily accept.
By the way, there's a reason for restricting the number of participants.
A long time ago, there were demon lords who would bring over a hundred individuals to flaunt their power.
Some had their countries reduced to ash so came seeking to be annihilated.
So, they decided that you had to bring someone of at least low-class devil ranking.
Well, let's bring zel who's inside my ID, shall we?
I sent my thoughts to zel via the seal I gave him, and he flashed behind me with hiraishin, surprising rimuru and other demon lords as the chaos doll appeared in a blue flash.
I taught him chakra and some other moves yesterday, and I placed a marker to myself so he could teleport to me.
Right now, zel is in his chronojet dragon form.
「You called me, my liege? 」
he kneeled with a not-so childish voice.
「come and accompany me to the banquet 」
「yes, my liege」
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「Karma this is...」
Rimuru wanted to ask.
「meet my subordinate, zel, he's a chaos doll. I made him my self」
I stated proudly.
Zel bowed as I introduced him.
We chat some more until a rift opens up in space.
Seems like our guide has come.
In front of us, a gate has opened.
From within, a beautiful woman wearing a black maid outfit came out and bowed.
「I have come to guide you, Ramiris-sama 」
「If you will, please follow me」 She said while keeping the gate open.
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「Leon, Shizu-san had passed away. She entrusted me to deliver a punch, free of charge, just for you. so, let me hit you」
Rimuru told Leon flatly, while I was sweat-dropping on that.
In response to his words, Leon opened his eyes.
「I refuse...
But, if it is an invitation to a fight, it's okay for you to come and punch me.
However, I will specify the time.
If you think this is a trap, it's okay if you don't come」
While saying those words, he closed his eyes once again.
His skill of evading the point is rather godly.
「I see. I will accept it, please send an invitation」
Rimuru said.
After that talk, Clayman came in with milim.
Clayman hit milim, which surprises the other demon lords, not me though.
I can feel an amount of Killing intent from rimuru when we watch them.
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I ignore Clayman's speeches and read icha-icha with a bored look.
「Nah, just... do demon lords fancy these kinds of pointless conversations? I mean... aren't we more into... Power Rules and Talk with Our Fists type of thing? 」
Rimuru said, in provoking manner.
At this line, Luminous began to laugh.
She had looked at rimuru with anger until now...
「Clayman, it's as she said. Your speech is tiresome. State your point」
The vampire told Clayman.
Hearing these words, Clayman turned red in anger.
「Ku... don't underestimate you lowly slim-」
He didn't get to finish his words. A saucer from my tea on the table flew right inside his mouth as it shattered in pieces from the impact.
「Humu, I shall take this moment to make a debut.」
I said as clay man choked.
「KHUHAK! KUHAAAAK! KHAK! 」
The demon lords listen in silence, while the maid looks at the shattered pieces of the saucer.
「You! I WILL-」
Demon lord Haki, infused with null energy.
「You will???」 I asked tilting my head.
Clayman went silent at this as his legs shook wildly, he pays no mind to the saucer shattered pieces on his mouth anymore.
Thankfully my controls over null energy weren't really great, or else, I'll charge it too much that'll create an apocalypse.
Maa~ Then there's Dino and Draguel who looked at me in suspicion or Guy who narrowed his pupil, but soon made an amused smirk.
Milim composed herself fast though, she is playing to be controlled after all.
「Rimuru, May I borrow this…thing, for a while? 」
I asked Rimuru, who was staring at my grinning face.
「Al..right?」 he agreed.
「Should I do it my liege? 」
zel asked.
「iyaah (no)...」
I brought my free hand to make a half tiger hand sign.
A bunshin appeared in front of me as the bunshin finished the words for me.
「Just a clone will be enough」
My clone said.
My clone teleports to Clayman's back and grabs his head.
『Soul Consumption』
Thus, my bunshin executed the ability.
We watched with fascination as Clayman dispersed into particles but got materialized again and now the same Clayman is on the ground holding his whole body in pain.
By this, Guy morphed his amused face to a shock.
「Wh-what did KHUK! Y-you do to me!!!???」 he asked.
「Eh? Aren't you proud of being a Deathman?
So, I thought... why not change your race!?
Your body, your soul, your Magicules level, everything has gone down like a human's level! 」
Everyone watches me in surprise.
They bought that high level of bull??
Yes, it's a lie.
I can't actually mess with his soul.
While I do have soul manipulation from 『Harvester』, its effect was similar to 『Heartless one』.
But I did change his body's magicules level.
I placed an actual human heart and organs inside him too.
It's like the sorcerer kingdom's homunculi.
With that, he will think he's a human.
A weak being who he can sacrifice anytime he wanted to.
My clones won't be able to use Ultimate skills, but I manage to get some unique skills through 『Harvester』.
「And not only that! You are no longer a spiritual being. Meaning that if you die then...」
My bunshin paused giving him a bluff clue, before grinning maniacally. I can feel him shudder.
He started to panic.
Am I really this good at giving bullshit?
Now that I see it myself- Rather, my bunshin's self...
I can relate to Kakashi and sandaime now... I think...
「Ah! But don't worry, I can revive you back to life! Now then, torturing is about hurting someone's physical or spiritual body until they break, but just like that would be boring, isn't it? 」
My bunshin asked while he trembles on the ground.
At this, I see Ramiris is hiding behind beretta.
「N-no! Don't come near me!!! GO AWAY!!!」
He shouted.
It looks like he has forgotten about milim who's supposed to be in his control.
My bunshin infuses his finger with null energy and flick him on his forehead.
He burst into pieces and blood splatters.
He stood there emotionless.
Rimuru is staring at him surprised.
「Maa, don't worry...」
I told to no one in particular, while my bunshin snapped his fingers in the air.
Clayman comes back to life.
Dark smokes surrounded the whole area, the smokes died out revealing a Clayman who's holding his head like a mad man.
I cleaned up the floor too, don't want to give trouble to the maids.
「ARHHHGH!!GRAAAAHKGH!!! KRAHGHHH」
He screamed with some unknown words.
「Hm? I'm sure I left your skills intact, you couldn't have gone crazy.
Or perhaps it's because you experienced real death for the first time?
Well, let's try it again, shall we? 」
I (my bunshin) killed him again and again.
「Hm~ this is interesting... if you get mad from that then... what would happen if you have at least a good amount of Magicules reserve now? 」
I used soul consumption again, and change his body.
I had copied his first state before changing him to human and suck all his Magicules, so I could make him change back to his original state.
But he didn't have the 『Perfect Memory EX』 skill, so I thought he won't remember when I killed him as a human leveled Magicule devil.
Well, it doesn't matter if I could see him in agony.
The moment I brought him back to life...
DING*
『DUE TO REPEATED ACTION, SKILL 『Lust』HAVE BEEN GRANTED』
Now that was not what I expected.
I had some fun until Rimuru stand up.
「Karma.」
He called, both I and my clone widened our eyes...
He turns his head to me, the original one.
That look on his face...
Somehow... I don't like it, it's like he's sad for some reason.
My Bunshin stopped mid-way flicking the forehead of a Clayman.
The clone and I looked at Rimuru, a little bit surprised.
He suddenly turns his head to me, the original.
His looks are... worried?
And sad at the same time?
It's... complicated.
Somehow, I felt like I don't want to see that face, ever again.
「w-what is-」
I was going to ask, even though what came out was a stuttering voice.
「stop, please」
It felt like my spine jumped, I only stared at him for a minute before dispelling my clone silently.
I looked away, while Rimurus' face change to relieved.
That face... what is this feeling? It's like I don't want to let him see my bad side.
It feels... Nostalgic.
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I let rimuru and shion handle Clayman who's panting on the ground, his soul is tired.
He's probably confused why he's on the ground now, but then he stands up and acts like his usual self.
After Rimuru finished, I was silent, looking away from Rimuru.
Somehow, I felt sad when he scolded me, damn.
The situation was awkward.
Using seishingan to watch shion beat up Clayman with her sword, I don't feel like wanting to face up and watch the show.
I feel bad somehow.
Rather, why did I decide to beat that guy up again?
When I think of him insulting rimuru I was just...
WAIT...
NO.
No! Snap out of it, Karma!
YES... That's DEFINITELY NOT it...
「Are you alright, my liege??」
Zel asked and I nodded.
I face the round table and grab my teacup, I sip on it while avoiding rimuru's stare.
He... smiled???
What are you smiling at!??
But... that looks kinda- NO!
A-anyway...
Milim decided to come in and say she's not controlled after Karion comes in and so is Frey's betrayal to Clayman.
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Rimuru Tempest's POV
I smiled when karma decided to stop.
When I saw him like that, I kinda feel like he will regret his decision later on.
He might not seem like it, but I know he's a good person.
I laughed every time I saw souei's reports about him.
Sometimes my students will ask me what's going on because of my laughter.
His "chase" with souei's squad somehow turned into a daily routine.
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「Why should I beat rimuru? She's my friend y'know」 Milim stated.
Then, Without any care for our confusion...
「Hey, Frey! Did you take care of that thing for me? 」
「Yes, yes, this, right? But seriously... trying to fist pump people, grinning like an idiot...
You can't act at all. Well, I guess I should praise you for allowing those attacks 」
「That was natural. Rimuru getting angry for my sake made me really happy. And if we weakened Clayman's resolve a bit more, the truth would come out by itself! 」
While talking, Frey took something out from her bag and handed it to Milim. The dragon knuckles that I gifted her.
Happily taking the knuckles, she immediately put them on. A wide smile appeared on her face.
「I had wanted to get a bit angrier, but this is fine. I hope you've said your prayers, Clayman! 」
She said, shooting a glance at him.
So, in other words... they performed this script?
The other demon lords have by now started to catch up to the event.
As I thought.
I thought...
That's just how it is.
Just like how karma predicted
But,
「W-wait a second, Milim.
Y-you weren't being controlled by him?
Then you tortured me on a whim?
And you blew away that holy mountain on your own free will? 」
Karion asked as a vein popped on his head.
「Hmm? Don't sweat the small details! Come on, Clayman has been cornered. Let's have him spill the beans! 」
「What small details! If you handled that poorly we'd all be dead! But whatever. Not like you're listening anyways...」
For some reason, I felt some pity.
Seeing a crying Karion made me want to pet him.
Everyone is quiet, probably deep in thought.
Well, Grucius is happy, so I'm glad he's alive.
By the way...
Milim played the part of a marionette to foil Clayman's plans.
Just like how Karma predicted.
Why did she do that? I thought for a second but decided that Clayman comes first.
We can solve that problem after we deal with him. The event is spiraling towards a conclusion.
Only finishing touches left now.
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Karma Uzumaki's POV
「Then, I will ask. What's the name of the mastermind that's pulling the string? 」 Rimuru asked.
Clayman began to show hesitation...
「Say! I'll say it, please wait! 」
He starts to raise his voice in panic.
「My master, that person's name, Kazaream. Cursed lord, Kazaream.
Though he was slain by Leon there, to revive his spiritual body, there is a need to gather power.
Also, I can become a Demon Lord because of that person's greatness...」
「Yeah, a self-proclaimed one」 I stated.
He jolted at this, probably his memory before getting killed many times by me has come back.
What about the reaction of the other Demon Lords?
There was only a slight of it.
Rather, some of them are staring at me.
「Ah! I remember.
"If you become my comrade then I will turn you into a Demon Lord!"
And other self-important talks. He was noisy, so I killed him immediately...
Why would I want a comrade like that? 」
Leon muttered, Not giving a single f#ck.
「Rather than killing him, there's this beautiful quote that said,
"No, leave me f#cking alone"
you could use dattebane」
I deadpanned.
To my surprise, Rimuru and Dino stared at me with the "you're one to talk" look on their face.
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Rimuru Tempest's POV
「Well, because we already heard what want to be heard, what's left is Clayman's execution.
Are there any objections? If there are, then you are also my opponent」
I ignored the noisy Clayman and observed the response from the other Demon Lords.
「Do as you like」
The Red hair, Guy replied as the representative. There seems to be no objection.
「Stop! Oi, Stop!!!」 Noisy Clayman.
「As I promised, I will grant you a quick death. Says your prayers 」
And as I said that, I put my hand on Clayman's head.
「No! stop it! Please stop!! He-Help me! Kazaream-samaaa!!!」
No matter how much you tried to make any noise, it won't reach my conscience.
If you let such a guy live, it will become a seed of disaster again.
Besides, thanks to you, the naivety inside me had died.
Never again, will I lose my companions because of my naivety.
「Die!」
The sound of Clayman who was resisting shamefully vanished from the spot instantly.
By using Beelzebub, Even the soul would be consumed completely.
Then, it would be converted into power inside me.
Sullied soul, wicked soul, even if it was a good-natured soul.
All were equal in death, the soul disintegrated inside me and then converted into pure magical power.
Thus, I granted Clayman just like what I've promised.
A quick "Death".
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To be continued.
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