The Labyrinth, Carrera's POV:
-"Not bad, you're learning fast." Boss Rimuru blocked my spell before launching the same back at me.
-"I'm not done yet." I evaded it, before going in close combat with a conjured sword. "This is more fun than I thought."
-"We're not here to play, Blondie. Stay focused." That damn Testa couldn't shut her mouth, while she made a rain of orbs fall from above.
I know this isn't a game, but I still have the right to be excited, yeah? It's not everyday you get the opportunity to learn a new kind of magic. On top of that, it's our Boss who's teaching us.
That's so surprising to see all the variety of soul manipulation. As Primordials, we thought no secrets could stay hidden from us after all the time we played with souls. Yet we still have many things to discover.
Using harvested souls directly is of course the easiest way, we did this kind of thing many times before. Toying with them, torturing some annoying insects before obliterating the soul… Y'know, the usual deal with us, demons. But there's two other methods in using Soul magic.
The second is tinkering with our own soul to increase some abilities. Boss Rimuru warned us to never try it unless he grants permission, as it's too dangerous. I think he's worrying too much about us, but nevermind.
The third is also quite technical, as we need a deep understanding on how a soul is constructed. But that won't be a problem for us. By creating a false soul, and modifying its attributes, we can use it as a weapon to overwrite our target's data. The degree of complexity of the construction will influence its power and ability to bypass the classical resistances.
That's the principle behind most of the spells used by our Boss. They can take multiple forms like simple orbs, or blades. With more power, they crystalize. But if the power isn't enough, strong targets will recover their true data after some time.
And what's the best thing? Guy's team won't get to learn that for a goddam long time, since our Boss doesn't trust him enough to grant this knowledge. I would so annoy them, but we obviously must keep that a secret.
"...Guys? I have a problem." Ultima said, a crystal ready to explode in her hands… And it exploded.
The shards flew everywhere at high speed. Except Diablo who hid behind a rock, as he was the furthest from the explosion, we all received damage.
Dammit, it hurts. Why did that brat try to go faster than what her skills allow? Even I know we need to master the basics before casting the strongest spells. Now my back must look like a hedgehog.
It pierced Ul's hands, and Testa is now pinned on a pillar with bruises everywhere. As for Boss Rimuru…
-"Oww, I don't think I need a mustache with my current form." He extracted two well placed shards. "Hold on, I'll help you."
-"Hmm, my Lord? What about those?" Testa pointed to another two shards that got stuck inside his eyes, once he freed her. Thankfully it isn't an inconvenience for a slime.
-"I told you to not call me 'Lord'. Nevermind." The shards started to emit light, like a rainbow. "I could create some ambiance in the next party with that. Don't you think?"
*Pfft* He and the old hag really are alike… Except about the headsmashing. Somehow I don't regret that.
-"I'm sorry." Ul became red of shame, while our Boss treated her hands.
-"Well, accidents happen. I won't scold you for it, unless you're doing it on purpose next time." He patted her head, it's so funny seeing her acting so meek.
He looked at us after removing the last shards, smiling yet trying to hide his discomfort. "But you are all progressing fast. In only a few sessions you all reached a level I needed years to achieve. That's Primordials for you."
-"You're being too modest, Sir. Deciphering lost languages and rediscovering a whole school of Magic by yourself isn't a joke. Especially since you were still human." That boot-licking Diablo couldn't keep quiet, but he's right. Not everyone could have pulled off such a feat. "But I admit I'm wondering what kind of entity could have created it in the first place. This isn't exactly trivial knowledge after all."
-"Well, I'll gladly tell you about the pieces of history I know about. But another time, I must head out for now." He looked in the distance, thoughtful. "I'll let you all return to your duties. Your lieutenants will get incarnated in a few hours, so be prepared to come fetch them."
He left on the spot, and the others did the same. I'll go with the old hag for now since I have nothing better to do. I'll support Shion, Kumara and that big nosed Hobgoblin in their tortur- I mean, training session. I must wait for all of our subordinates to incarnate before I can do my job. …Seriously, I still have difficulty in realizing I'm finally on the surface. But I'm sure I'll enjoy that new life.
The command room, Veldora's POV:
Rimuru left to test his new Skill. He told me he wanted to be sure about its limits, before trying to resurrect my big brother and his wife. That's a wise move, as even with an Ultimate Skill it's not a given to achieve a good result without preparation.
Can't believe it… Big bro will return soon. We may not have that deep of a bond, since we didn't see each other often, but I still await his revival. At least, this event may help our family to return on track. I started to play with Milim too, when we had barely met before.
I saw Velzard's eyes, when Rimuru revealed his goal. I never saw her so calm and joyful… Maybe because the only times she came to see me was for 'disciplining me'.
There's only Velgrynd who's in the dark, but I can't be careless and search for her since she's in the Empire. But I can't wait to see her face when we tell her, it will be epic.
Yet, something keeps bugging me. I must talk to her to ease my worries.
-"Ciel, you're here?" I opened the lab's door behind the command room.
-"You want to ask me about Rimuru's project, I presume." She showed me a chair without looking away from her work.
-"So…" I'm still awkward, talking with the ex-Skill who bossed me around a few times. "Do you think it will go well for Rimuru?"
-"What are you worrying about? It's Rimuru we're talking about. Of course it will ultimately work, and Veldanava will return."
-"That's not what I mean. Does Rimuru plan to resurrect someone else as a test?"
-"I'm sure of it. Why?" She finally left her work to look at me. "Do you fear Rimuru would misuse his power?"
-"No, not that. I know how righteous he can be. But…" I gulped, as I recall some of the memories I saw. "You do realize that, even with all the cautiousness of the world, his power won't stay hidden indefinitely."
-"We know, yes. Rimuru is prepared for it." She smiled. She's gradually getting better at showing her emotions. "Even so, those who already know about it are aware of the importance of keeping secrecy. So it might take a good amount of time before we have to deal with it."
-"...I would want to be as confident as you are. But not this time." I clenched my fists, surprising her. "This power is too special, too mesmerizing. Can you be sure everyone in Tempest would stay sane if they knew about it?
It's a real possibility for someone to desire this power, and to cross the red line. And I worry about Rimuru's reaction if that happens." I'm starting to shiver. "You, along with Mithra, know how he can be terrifying when someone betrays the trust he placed upon them. I don't want to see him snap if his patience reaches its limit."
-"...Yeah, you got a point. Even in our closest circle, there are a few individuals who might hope for something."
That too. Kumara and Shion were present at Walpurgis. Those two had their own trauma: Kumara and her lost mother, while Shion was abandoned when she was a toddler. I don't know how Rimuru wants to proceed, but it could be devastating in a way or another if badly managed.
*Sigh* I have to trust him, anyway. He's smart enough to foresee this kind of problem. And if it goes wrong someday, we'll deal with it together.
A hidden clearing in the forest, Rimuru's POV:
Okay, time to grasp the capabilities of that Skill. I know the basic rules, but I suspect there are a few hidden parameters for using it properly.
I need for a soul to have its data preserved into the circle of reincarnation. It doesn't only exclude those who have been deleted, but also those who are trapped by some kind of powerful seal or Skill. Also, it will fail if the magicule cost is too great for me. For someone like Veldanava, I'll need to get stronger.
For him, another layer of difficulty is added. His soul is in shambles, cursed by the Voice of The World and scattered to the deepest ends of the Creation. I'll have to manually pinpoint each piece.
Thankfully I won't need them all to revive him, the one trapped in the Lost World and a few more would be enough. The difference will be shown in his strength. At the lowest level, he wouldn't even be a contender against a True Demon Lord, but we can't have everything.
Time to try. There's a few candidates I could try to bring back. For now I'll focus on the Forest's dwellers.
…If someone gets resurrected, I'll have to make them and their potential relatives swear to keep the secret. Also, we may have to fabricate public identities and backgrounds, so it won't get too easy to backtrack. The last thing I want is for my power to become public knowledge.
***
After a few runs, I got valuable data… But no revival yet.
That's not a skill issue, but a limit I imposed on myself. I would resurrect someone only if they wished to return, mostly due to lingering regrets. I felt it could be dangerous to force a soul to return, and it would tax my magicules more than if they accepted. Also, I know the VOTW would scold me if I go too far with my Skill.
And yet, after a few dozen tries, no one took the offer. Most of them refused to go back into this brutal world. Others simply said it's life, and they already moved forward, into their new existence.
I even tried with Rigur's brother, who unfortunately died in a landslide before I went to his village. He said that he would bring back luck to his family if he were to return due to his fate, and I let him go.
Finally, after a few more tries, someone responded to my call positively. A woman Ogre, who felt responsible for abandoning her family after dying while birthing her daughter… I see Shuna is similar, both in body and mind to her mother.
So, I revived her. When she finished incarnating, I also gave her a name. No need to wait for the old hag to arrive, we devised a 'magicule corridor' so I can use some of hers in addition to mine for naming.
Since she was revived under a peach tree, I named her… Mikan. Because it would be too easy otherwise. Yeah I know, I'm vexatious sometimes.
Once she evolved, I explained to her how her family is doing now, and she felt relieved. She gave me a hug all of sudden, thanking me for all we did for the Forest. She really is Shuna's mother, but I let her do it for a while.
After that, we teleported to my office, and I called her family. A barrier is always erected here just in case, so no one could pry. The reunion can be held in peace and far from the unwelcome eyes.
With Mikan's revival, I also got one last piece of data. It appears it would be possible for me to modify one's race upon revival, depending on their affinities. But it could obviously be hazardous if the soul isn't accepting the race change. It will remain a mere oddity for now.
Soon, Shuna, Beni and Akamaru entered. Their faces became immediately distorted by confusion and apprehension when they saw Mikan. Of course they couldn't believe what their eyes showed to them, and thought it was an illusion or something.
-"M-mother?" Shuna asked with a broken voice. She never saw her, but she instinctively recognized the link between them.
-"I see my little princess has become a fine woman. And my sweet boy is now the fitting image of his father." She opened her arms, inviting them.
The three of them didn't lose any second to embrace her, and I could hear the first cries soon after. I decided to give them privacy and left them alone for a while. Mikan can explain what happened herself, and I'll tell the rest afterwards.
When I closed the door behind me, the old hag waited in the corridor. She knew what I was doing, and came to hear the results of my experiment.
-"So? Did you get a clue about those two's families?" She asked, her arms crossed. "Don't worry about being heard, they're still in the Labyrinth, training."
-"Shion's parents refused. They died as mercenaries, but the way they talked about her, it was blatant they didn't care much about their daughter. I suppose leaving her in front of the chief's doors was the best thing they could have done."
-"...Crappy parents everywhere, heh. How are we supposed to tell her?" She sighed, massaging her forehead. "And Kumara?"
-"I couldn't find her mother, but I still got a reaction from the database of the system. Meaning she's effectively dead. We must assume her spirit is held captive."
-"I'm sorry in advance for that Lucia, but her brother will have to pay in some manner. I'll make sure that sorry excuse of a Hero will have to eat some Armosaurus scales by the ass once we have dealt with the Empire." Her aura spiked a little before she calmed down. "Outside of this news, are you confident you could revive her?"
-"I'll have to review in detail the results I got today, that's too soon for a verdict. But if I want to bolster my chances to the max, it would be preferable to try reviving another person. Preferably more powerful than an Ogre, not that I'm insulting Mikan, but I need to try something harder."
I smiled, imagining how her reunion with Milim could go. "Lucia was a pretty strong individual herself, and her death was millennia ago. My lack of experience could bring some risks, I have to train in using my Skill some more. So, I'll try once more in a few weeks."
-"...If that's all you need, I have someone in mind." She grabbed my shoulder, and I'm sure I saw a hint of sadness in her eyes. "Consider it as a request from me."
Deep in the night, Ultima's POV:
Where am I? It feels like a fog is enveloping me. This is so weird, it never happened when I slept before.
No matter where I look, it's the same ethereal landscape. Honestly, this is becoming uncanny. I don't know why, but I'm trembling, as if I intruded in a place where I shouldn't be.
-"Hey, you're here too Ul?"
-"Carr? Why are you in my dream? Wait, am I dreaming in the first place?" I slapped myself, and now I'm sure this isn't a dream. "Do you know what the hell is this?"
-"Dunno. Last thing I remember before arriving here is me showing Esprit her house, and we had a small party afterwards."
-"Be careful Carrera. You're starting to resemble Mithra a little too much on certain points." Testa said while appearing behind me.
-"Good grief, the haughty queen is here too." I groaned, as even in the night I can't be free from those idiots. "Nevermind, we should find some clues about this place, and how to get out."
For once, we were on the same page. For what seemed to be hours, we walked. The scenery was mostly the same, no matter where we went. But the more we advanced, the more this unnerving sensation followed me. Even those two felt the same.
"I didn't notice it at first, but it's strange that Diablo isn't with us." Testa had a point. Why is this weirdo nowhere to be seen?
After a while, we found a weird object, looking like a veil. We didn't know if it was dangerous or not, but Carrera touched it on a whim.
Before I could yell at her stupidity, a flash submerged my mind. I saw an unknown world, but filled with species that we can find in the Cardinal World. In a city where Beastmens, Humans and what seemed to be a kind of Insectars roamed, a small group gained my attention.
Six individuals, laughing and having the time of their lives, plus a ghost with a familiar presence behind one of them… Is this some kind of joke?
-"Hey girls, did you see that? I'm not having hallucinations, right?" Carrera seems to have witnessed the same thing as me.
-"Well, that's answering why Diablo isn't with us." Testa laughed nervously. "He's the only one who didn't suffer any damage from those crystal shards. And it appears we are somehow inside our Lord- Sir Rimuru's mind, I should even say his soul."
Okay, now that's scary. I was right in saying we're intruding, but we don't know how to escape. We must continue to find an exit.
After this event, we started to see more and more objects filling the land. It's giving me the impression we're going toward the core of the soul. Maybe Sir Rimuru or Ciel will notice us once we're close enough from it.
Yet, I can't help but think that something is strange about his soul. It wasn't noticeable at first, but the more we advance, the more the layout feels unnatural. I have toyed with enough souls to remark this oddity, it isn't built in the same way.
"Hey, can you see that?" Carrera pointed to what seemed to be a foggy wall.
No matter the direction we looked, it was infinite. Another construct out of place inside this soul. I examined it for a few moments, and I felt my guts trying to escape once I understood what this is.
-"No way, this is absurd." My legs gave up. I'm not feeling good, not after what I felt on the other side.
-"Hey, what happened?" Testa helped me stand up. She couldn't hide her weariness either.
-"Do you remember what Mithra explained about their death? And what Veldora said too?" I feel my head hurting.
-"Yeah, they killed each other, or something." Carrera didn't make fun of me for once.
-"Well, it doesn't add up with what I saw. This wall isn't a mere wall. It's a clean cut of Sir Rimuru's soul in half. Such a perfect result isn't possible in a fight to the death."
I sat down, trying to keep my calm. "And earlier, I found the arrangement of his soul strange. Now I know why. He modified it, so it could function normally with only half of its capacity. A precise, handcrafted piece of work. His soul wasn't damaged in a fight, it was deliberate."
-"Hold on. You're going too fast. What did you see?" Carrera bent to be on my level.
-"On the other side of this 'wall', it must be the same. Another viable half of a soul."I gulped, before dropping the bomb. "Sir Rimuru's previous self, Alestar, is probably still alive."