Rimuru POV
After saying goodbye to Iudex and the others I took chase after that bastard Granbell.
He seemed to have escaped into the forest and retreated towards Siltrosso, a country to the north-west of Tempest.
I followed his tracks and a while later I ended up right at the start of the Siltrosso domain, right over the border with the recently integrated kingdom of Falmuth, the tracks then stopped, I wandered for a while before I felt an eerie presence.
Someone.. no, some people were near, all around me, they emerged slowly.
"Now that you're alone and in Siltrosso territory, disgusting monster, we are free to dispatch you." Granbell emerged head on and stood in front of Rimuru.
He took out his sword, Truth, a mythic-class weapon.
I was soon surrounded by people, all generally powerful, but nowhere near me.
A little girl around the age of 10 who had a very peculiar Unique Skill - "Greed", a skill that can cave your desires to her will depending on how strong your desires are.
Too bad for her, I'm far too strong for a simple mind manipulation skill, so I decided to just watch.
'Raphael, hide everything about me to the best of your extent.'
{Yes, on it.}
"Well, we seem to have caught the bird right in the birdtrap, and to think you were supposed to be the clever ruler of monsters." The little girl, whom I assumed to be related to Granbell, spoke confidently, unbecoming of a 10 year old looking girl.
"What are you trying to do exactly? Threaten me? It's far too late for that.
You're already dead." I said that as they laughed, all of them.
"Let's see how you fair against a Hero, monster!" Granbell lunged at me with a Melt Slash, and I felt it coming this close to hitting me, but I put up as much barriers as I could and dodged, it struck my barrier and absolutely decimated it, I didn't use any skill.
'Raphael, can you analyze those weird particles he's using? Tell me if we can manipulate them.'
{Yes, beginning analysis..
Using the integrated "Slime Wisdom" with Ultimate Skill "Wisdom King, Raphael", it seems that it is possible to manipulate the spiritrons and rearrange them using Ultimate Skill "Gluttonous God Beelzebuth" if used with proper timing, thus deflecting the particles.}
Granbell used another one immediately, but using my newly acquired knowledge I activated Beelzebuth and deflected the spiritrons.
"What?! How?" Granbell was confused, he couldn't afford to use it many times.
"As I thought, you aren't really as strong as you put yourself to be." I taunted him knowing full well I am lying.
"Look at this, a monster getting a big head?" Granbell continued attacking me with his Mythic-grade weapon.
"You're truly annoying, just die!" I slashed his eye with my sword, as he went to counter with a spiritron charged attack, not on the level of Melt Strike, I used Beelzebuth.
He was getting exhausted fast.
I took the advantage and attacked him with a barrage of slashes against his body, using a combination of multiple skills I had, manipulations, elemental magic and the like.
Granbell laid on the ground coughing blood.
"Who's next?"
Granbell looked at me with hatred in his eyes.
"Monster.. I will.. ki-" I stepped on his head and pressed against it.
The 10 year old girl was silent by now.
"No one? Well, I'll be taking the two of you now."
I crushed Granbell's head and knocked him out, using Beelzebuth on him I consumed him in his entirety, all that was left was his sword which I picked up.
{Successfully obtained Unique Skill - "Unyielding" - A skill that empowers user based on the souls of his fallen allies.
Merge skill with Unique Skill - "Camaraderie"?}
'Yes.'
{Failed..
Reattempting.
Failed.
Cannot evolve skills into Ultimate Skills "Hope Lord Sariel" due to intense stress placed on master's body, as such a defense mechanism against accidental merging has been placed.}
'Hm.. alright.'
"As for you."
I approached Mariabell.
"G-Get away from me, monster!
Greed!"
"Useless."
I lifted her up by the head, their soldiers didn't even dare to approach.
I slowly crushed the head until it was not recognizable anymore.
I consumed her body.
{Success, You have gained the Unique Skill "Greed".}
'More sins... and virtues.. my body can only take so much can it?
I'll need to figure out a way.'
"You have to the count of 5 to scram before I crush your heads like her."
The soldiers ran away immediately.
I felt tension in my body, maybe I am reaching my limit?
I decided to return to Tempest.
I was shocked and horrified...
"What the hell!?!!!?"
I saw Veldora.. cleaning the streets and putting stuff back together.
I approached him and he wouldn't even look in my direction.
"Veldora, snap out of it man!" I shook him and he began to cry
"Rimuru! I've been bullied! I'm being forced to do work when I was attacked!"
"Who did this to you?"
"A guy called Iudex by recommendation of my sister! He said to hurry up so we can go train!
I'm being humiliated.. me, the mighty storm dragon.. a lowly street worker.." Veldora then realized I had already walked off
"Hey! Where are you going?"
"Keep up the good work, you missed a spot aswell." If Iudex did it, he must have done it for good reason, so I'll leave it to him.