Chapter 39 - Chapter 35: The executives' tournament

Mithra's POV:We're already the day of the tournament, huh? I almost forgot, being depressed for two days. I'm sure I've worried many, as I didn't leave my home once I returned from Ameld River.It sucks, being forbidden to say anything about our predicament. I managed to bear this burden for so long because I thought I wouldn't be alone once Rimuru arrived. But now, I know I am. Even Ciel doesn't seem to have a clue.Haaaa... Well, it hurts, but it's not hopeless. We have some time remaining, and even if I can't tell anyone, I can still direct their training and prepare what's needed for when time comes.For now, I should stop thinking about it, life continues. I heard Rimuru and Kumara finally admitted their feelings for each other. How about time. Now I'll have some new teasing material for that blob... I'm proud of him. I knew he had some rizz, it runs in the blood. Still, I wonder how it will go with Alestar, now I know he's alive in his own body.We have three hours before the tournament begins, so I'll do my job while he's dealing with his preparations. I missed it, but Shizu and her class arrived yesterday. I should welcome them, even if I'm late.-"Boss! Are you feeling better?" Shion ran at full speed when she saw me, forcing passerby to avoid her before getting trampled. "Please, don't scare us like that. You didn't answer when I was at your door."-"Heh. Sorry, Shion. I was getting stressed over something personal. But it's good now." I patted her head as an apology, it's also calming me. "I wish you good luck for this afternoon. Make me proud."-"I will. I don't care who my opponents would be, I'll give it my all. Just sit tight and watch, I will show them why I'm your right-hand." She raised a fist, hoping with confidence.Shion left, humming and swinging her sword, still unsheathed thankfully. Seeing her acting so bubbly raised my mood. I arrived at the school, it was the morning break, meaning I won't disturb any class.-"Lady Mithra? Are you looking for Shizu?" I stumbled upon Chloe, who's keeping her child acting. "She's still in the classroom. Do you mind if I tag along?"-"Drop the 'lady'. It's weird coming from you." I cringed hearing the Hero who almost kicked my butt being so polite. "But sure. You can come."Arriving in the classroom, I greeted Shizu with a pat. That girl jolted from surprise, it seems she forgot this sensation, as she was away for some time. Chloe chuckled and switched to her adult form, adding her own patting and embarrassing Shizu further.I inquired about their relocation, to see if it was all good. Since the kids didn't complain, but were ecstatic instead, there were no worries. We had small talk over a few things afterwards.-"I saw Rimuru and Kumara yesterday, they're lovely together. But I wonder how Lady Lulu will react." Shizu let out a nervous laugh, anticipating another bickering session between these two.-"I'm happy for them, even if it's weird for me. In some timelines, Kumara was with the Class S before going into the Labyrinth, learning how to trust others again... And someone beat me again." Chloe mumbled the last part, pouting a little. I see what's going on.-"You have a crush on Rimuru?"-"Yelp!" She jumped before looking away. As I expected, she had feelings for the one she knew, and she tried to save countless times. "W-Well, I had, yeah. But I'm aware he's not the same Rimuru as usual. And with all my failed tentatives, I learned to get on with it. I'm satisfied with surviving until the end now."-"Ehhh. The unyielding Chronoa can act like a normal girl when she wants." Shizu poked her side, smirking about the teasing she could do.We tormented the Hero in disguise for a few minutes before I left. I'll see them later, as they were invited to watch the tournament. Lulu would be here with Hinata, Yuuki would visit Tempest for the first time, and we invited Gazel. It will be the first time we see each other after our drunken night, I wonder how he'll react.***I arrived at the VIP seats, they looked comfy and certified by Winged Slug™. Ramiris did a good job in preparing the Arena Floor for this event, the bleachers are cramped. Everyone wants to see the executives' prowess.This tournament has several purposes. First, it's to let them blow some steam before the Founding Festival. As there are a few battle maniacs in their ranks, it's best to provide an outlet for them.Second, it's to see how they progressed, so we can adjust their training. As the Empire is our next opponent, we'll make sure they'll be ready for it. And for me, I'll see what kind of torture sessions I'll prepare for the Devil Girls next.Yeah, I don't count Diablo in my training, since I never saw him. He's too busy bathing in Rimuru's 'divine presence' to care about it. This guy, seriously. One day, he'll get surpassed because he's relying too much on his natural genius. He doesn't seem to be aware, but sheer talent cannot get you to the highest realm alone. If he doesn't learn how to train, he'll stagnate soon.The others arrived by waves. Shizu and the kids were first, followed by Yuuki, Hinata and Lulu. That vampire looked away, still sulking about what I said in Ruberios. She smiled at Chloe instead, while the other kids were talking with their seniors.Ramiris came next, pouting because Beretta refused to participate, monitoring some experiment instead. Milim stormed as usual, followed by Frey, Middray and Carrion.-"It's good to be here again. Frey's lessons are killing me. Can you help me with it?" She used the puppy eyes tactic against me.-"Sorry Milim. That's your duty to learn how to govern, now you have normal subordinates. But don't worry, I'm sure we could negotiate with Frey, so you can take a break once in a while." I gave her popcorn. The treat succeeded at making her forget her frustration.-"I'm glad to see you're not spoiling Milim too much." Frey bowed a little. "If you're willing to help me teach her the ropes, I don't mind having her spending more time in Tempest. As long as she doesn't slack off, obviously."She glanced at Dino, who's sleeping without a care, as usual. It became so natural to see him napping that I freaked out when he was helping Ramiris with her work once.Pico and Gracia arrived, almost invisible under the load of food and sweets they brought. They offered some to the kids, who weren't nervous about being in the same place as so many strong people. Well, it helps that we are mostly good natured.Next was Gazel. When he saw me, he flustered but managed to hide it right away. From his face, I understand he'll want to speak in privacy afterwards.When Veldora entered, piggybacking Scylla, he froze a little when he recognized Chloe's aura. He stayed quiet, and sat behind me. Only Rimuru is missing. Why is he late? It will start soon.-"Hi, everyone. I apologize for my tardiness, we have an unexpected guest." He said nervously, I understood why when I saw who followed him... Well, everyone understood.-"Hello. Don't mind me, I'm here to visit where my brother lives." Velzard greeted us politely. The aura she exuded was way less menacing than in Walpurgis. She remembered the scolding I gave her last time.-"H-Hi, big sister." Veldora was still trembling, and Scylla threatened to hide under her chair. He gave the kid a hug to soothe her. "We can talk after the event if you want."Velzard nodded, and took a place next to him, for his utmost despair. He knew she would not act as usual anymore, but his trauma is still strong. Scylla, feeling her aunt was less scary than before, managed to stay calm. Rimuru let himself fall like a brick in his seat, sighing from relief.It's funny how he's being wary of Velzard, due to Veldanava instilling the fear of his psycho sister with his stories. Well, I can see why everyone tenses when she's near, but for me, Rimuru is way scarier when he's unleashing his wrath. And I can't be afraid of a mere True Dragon, when I know what awaits us.Well, nevermind that. It's time for the show.Rimuru's POV:I must say, I'm impatient to see how it will go. Not only for Kumara, of course I want to see how she'll manage, but there's a few surprising names today.The roster is composed of 20 individuals. I thought there would be more, but a few refused to take part for different reasons. Mostly the demons, the official reason being 'not wanting to pollute the tournament by being too many of them'. It's kinda true, especially for the Black lineage that wasn't interested, but there are a few underlying arguments.For Veyron and Zonda, they didn't want to risk facing Ultima. Totally valid. Esprit wanted to chill on the side and cheering for Carrera, and Agera decided to keep an eye on his colleague. For Moss and Cien, they preferred to let the spotlight only for Testa, and Blanche.Yep, Blanche wanted to put her skills to test in real conditions. Since there's no risk of dying in this arena, everyone can go all-out if they want, and Testa won't be too worried about her. As Blanche was participating, Shuna decided to enter the tournament.It surprised everyone. Shuna can be competitive on a few matters, but she is far from Beni and Shion's level of thirst for battle. Once she recovered, she met Blanche, and they quickly became friends and rivals of sorts. They're almost the same age, quite similar in personality, and have a similar love for learning magic. Then, she decided to follow her new friend for today's event.Gobta isn't a surprise, as we (forcefully) invited him. He protested at first, seeing who registered, but he showed his determination after a little 'bait' from me. I'll allow him to visit the elves again if he does his best... And I'll make him test a new recipe which I'm not sure of the taste if he slacks off.Adalman participates alone, as Wenti and Albert thought he would be enough to represent their team. Hakurou wanted to show Momiji what he could do. Also he hoped to face Gobta to see how his most turbulent student would fare under the pressure.Of course, Beni, Shion, Souei, Diablo and Zegion are in the roster. No way in hell they would let go of this opportunity. Ranga, Lycaon, Apito, Geld, Souka and Gabiru are the remaining ones.As they are only 20, it means some contenders will have to fight one more battle than others. Of course, I'm aware of the strength's disparity between the favorites and the rest. That's why I decided it will be a double elimination tournament, like for a fighting game's competition.It won't nullify bad matchups of course, but it will give everyone a better chance to show what they can truly do. And it will refine the rankings, compared to a classic tournament.The first match was between Diablo and Blanche. Such bad luck, the girl had to face the favorite right on the go. At least, Diablo wasn't a brute, and let her test her skills for a while before subduing her without harm. She didn't fight back, as she knew it would do nothing.I could hear him praise her magic though. I agree, she's a 16 years old genius: she can use all the classic elements, and even her basic spells felt deadly. Also, she already had a good grasp on her Unique Skill's power, [Magistra]. She received it while being revived. It reduces the cost of her magic, and messes with the opponent's analysis by falsifying her magic's signature and the construct of her spells. With more experience, she would be a terrific mage to deal with.Next was Geld vs Kumara. Geld stood his ground honorably, but couldn't do anything against her agility and beasts. He couldn't go on the offense, pinned down by a barrage of all kinds of attacks, and got pushed out of bounds.The third battle was one of the most interesting matchups. It picked Gazel and Agera's interest, as Hakurou was fighting Gobta. Our national genius slacker did better than anticipated, resisting Hakurou's onslaught for a few minutes. He immediately fused with his wolf to keep up with his master's speed, but was only evading without trying to counterattack.-"You have a talent for running away, Gobta. Am I that scary?" Hakurou said in an amused tone, toying with his student.-"Cut me some slack, old man. You can't expect me to pull a miracle by luck." Gobta yelled after a slash passed through his hair.After he said the forbidden word, I could hear everyone thinking 'Yup, he's dead'. The old hag was sighing, as that big nosed idiot forgot his lesson. Of course, Hakurou saw red and prepared a deadly charge. Gobta realized his mistake too late, and I thought it would be the end for him.*Clang*Their swords clashed. Gobta got disarmed after blocking Hakurou's thrust with an upward slash. But what happened next would become history.*Clang*-"...Did I see it right?" Gazel asked, dumbfounded. He rubbed his eyes due to the absurdity of Gobta's move.-"Y-Yeah, it's not a dream. I knew that green perv had potential, but it surpasses my expectations." I rose from my seat, leaning on the balcony.Gobta managed the impossible. He disarmed the Savant... with his nose.If I'm not mistaken, he instinctively pulled a 'Thunder of Heaven and Earth', using his prominent nose for the downward slash, coating it with his will.It stunned Hakurou, who forgot his anger and looked at his blade, planted into the ground beside him. Gobta didn't realize what he did and took a step backward, expecting to get bodied. But Hakurou laughed.-"I'm proud of you. You have taken a great step forward in your apprenticeship, even if your skills aren't standard. I concede this time, don't make me regret it." He picked his sword, and left the arena, giving the victory to Gobta.The poor Hobgoblin knew it wasn't good news for him, as he felt a shiver running down his spine. Behind him in the public, Agera took an interest in him. He was grinning, now he decided to help his descendant in training such a peculiar student. Esprit saw it, and sent a silent condolence to Gobta, who will have to endure harsher torture sessions.Next was Zegion vs Benimaru, and it ended rapidly, as Zegion didn't waste a second to go all-out on the Oni. They only had a mock battle once, right after the Insectar evolved, and he wasn't used to his body yet. Now, Benimaru got overwhelmed by Zegion's sudden and explosive progress. His flames and sword weren't enough against such a strong exoskeleton, and Zegion's water magic.It was even faster for Apito vs Gabiru. The poor guy wanted an aerial fight, and got yeeted out of the arena by Apito's absurd speed. May he have more luck for his second battle.The series of one-sided battles continued with Souei against Ultima. Our ninja hoped to incapacitate her with his threads, but got entangled instead, as she hijacked them. It's a trick she learned the hard way the first time she got humiliated by Mithra in hell. Souei would need to think of a counter next time.For the seventh battle, Shion demolished Adalman. None of his spells worked, as she cleaved through them with her Skill. We heard the sound of his skull being crushed.Now it was Carrera against Shuna. The result was obvious, but our demonic delinquent didn't use more power than necessary. It would have been cringe if she nuked her opponent, but she showed respect instead. She countered Shuna's spells with simple magic, and used her unsheathed sword to counter Shuna's jujutsu. It was something seeing Shuna fight for once.Next was Diablo's second round, against Ranga. The lovable mass of fluff unleashed a huge storm, trying to catch Diablo in it. But this guy wasn't Guy's rival for nothing, he evaded all strikes and knocked out Ranga when he charged at him.As for Lycaon, he faced Kumara. He would have been a threat for many fighters, but Kumara won't be fooled by his assassination skills. On top of her instincts, I taught her some tricks with Soul Magic, so she detected him with ease. He got knocked out by a violent charge.In the eleventh battle, Gobta was being Gobta again. But this time, I won't say anything since he's being tormented by Testa. Death spells were raining, and she made her whip dance, forcing Gobta to jump like a kangaroo. He decided to strategically get the hell out of here when he saw her charging a stronger spell.Souka faced Zegion for the last round before the elimination round. Nothing to say here, she couldn't make a dent in his armor and got one shot.The first to fall was Gabiru as he got overpowered by Benimaru. Even if he could defend himself quite well with his spear, Beni's sheer power was too strong for him.Next match was Souei vs Hakurou. It seemed to be balanced at first, but Hakurou's experience allowed him to gain the upper hand on Souei's tricks. That 'youngster' shows that your actual level of danger isn't related to your magicule count.Geld vs Adalman was another even fight, but facing a single opponent, Geld could attack with ease. He showed why he's first in the front line, as he withstood the magic of an ex-Cardinal of the Church. Would have been different if that skeleton had the time to cast Disintegration though. It's not the same when you're against a ruthless melee fighter, alone.The last fight before going to the top 16 was Shuna vs Blanche, and it proved to be a spectacle. A showdown of pure magic casters, going back and forth, and competing Skills.They started with basic spells to gauge each other's style. Shuna's [Analyst] couldn't properly counter Blanche. She resorted to creating complex spells with [Manufacturer], hoping to surprise the young demoness.Those weren't of great help still, as Blanche proved why she's a genius, blessed by Testa. She ran a quick analysis to understand the construct of Shuna's magic. Her vast theoretical knowledge gained from a Primordial being an extraordinary asset. She profited from her Skill and greater magicule pool to cast a powerful barrier, rendering Shuna's move ineffective.As a last resort, Shuna charged a fake holy beam to take advantage of Blanche's new weakness, knowing she wouldn't have the time for a greater spell. Unfazed, Blanche casted a beam of darkness, overpowering the light beam. Blanche won, as Shuna depleted her magicules .Shuna wavered from exhaustion, so Blanche helped her walk out of the arena. They were laughing, having enjoyed this fight, and deepening their friendship. In the public, I saw Akamaru crying, proud of his daughter. Mikan gave him a handkerchief, and waved at Shuna.I saw Beni give a pat to his sister before entering. This time he's facing Ranga, a more interesting match for both of them. They were of similar raw strength, tornadoes and lightning clashing against flames, claws against sword.In the end, Beni broke the stalemate by creating pillars of fire, using a tornado to spread the flames. Ranga had an instinctive reaction when his fur started to burn, as he got almost caught in it. He rolled in desperation to extinguish it, but got out of bounds while doing it.Ranga was dejected for having lost so fast, but forgot his disappointment as it was his father's turn. Lycaon fought against Hakurou, and it was short, yet brutal. Hakurou could see through Lycaon's invisibility with ease, and slashed at a weak point.The wolf, instead of evading, decided to trade blows and let himself get caught to deal a vicious attack. His dominant arm wounded, and his blade still stuck in a feral Lycaon, Hakurou had no choice but to yield.Gobta recollected himself against Geld and fought valiantly, compared to what happened earlier. He had to use his brain if he wanted to achieve victory. Gobta tried to harass him at first, but Geld's resistance was too high to be chipped away by normal attacks. Even fused with his wolf, it wouldn't deal enough damage.He took a gamble by using his Case Cannon after baiting Geld for an attack. He dispelled the fusion when the cleaver striked, and targeted the head. Unfortunately for Gobta, Geld had a reflex, sidestepped and managed to bash him into the ground with his shield, knocking out the green bean. Still, it was a good idea, as Geld fell on his knees afterwards, struggling to breathe as half of his jaw was missing.Gobta lost, but he did his job in giving his all, and fared better than I hoped. Once it's finished, I'll tell him he deserved his reward... As long as I don't hear about him harassing the girls because he let his ego inflate.The last elimination match before the midpoint break opposed Blanche and Souka. It was another bad matchup for Souei's lieutenant, as she lacks means to approach a ranged fighter when she's in plain sight. Blanche was aware of [Shadow Motion], so she trapped her own shadow, forcing Souka to charge from the air. The rest was pretty obvious, she got blasted by a barrage of explosions. Her Magic Resistance would never be enough against such firepower.After 20 battles, we'll be entering the top 12. Today was unfortunate for Gabiru, Souei, Shuna and Adalman, it shows how ferocious the competition is. Hakurou, Souka, Gobta and Ranga are in the top 16. It's time to take a little break to replenish our snack reserves, and let the participants rest a little.Third POV:-"You made it quite far, I'm proud of you." Testa hugged Blanche. She beamed, and would without a doubt yell 'I raised that girl' to the whole Tempest if she couldn't keep her cool.-"I had the best teacher I could ever dream of. And I didn't think I could have so much fun, I'm enjoying my life to the fullest." She rubbed cheeks with Testa, dropping her former princess habits and acting more like a normal girl of her age.-"I'm glad you do. I should also thank Shuna for being your friend." Testa broke the hug for a moment, her mood darkened a little. "Yet, I was afraid for a moment when I saw you'd have to face Diablo of all people."-"Heh, you're worrying too much, big sis. Do you think Sir Rimuru would let it pass if he crossed the line?"-"...You're right, he wouldn't. That's my girl, you're so keen." She patted Blanche, and started humming. Right now, no outsider would believe it if we said Testa was a feared Primordial.***-"Hohoho. It's as far as I can go this time. I may have overestimated my capabilities." Hakurou said in a relaxed tone, rubbing Momiji's ears.-"Don't say that, dear. You're as sharp as in your youth." Kaede hugged him from behind seductively. "I saw how easy you went on your student, until he insulted you."-"Well, he did impress me this time. He could be one of the best I ever trained, it's such a shame Gobta makes so much effort in slacking off." He brushed his beard, wondering how he should update his training.-"If you don't mind, allow me to take the relay. I saw his potential, and I feel like taking another troublesome student." Agera smirked, a devilish light in his eyes. "Now Lady Carrera progressed enough to develop her own style, I'm free to help Gobta reach new heights. With that, you'll get more time to dedicate to your daughter."-"Really? Thanks, great-grampa, I owe you one." Momiji chirped, before pouting about what Gobta said. "This idiot, he'll deserve a good lesson. Calling you 'old man' so casually."-"Heh. Don't worry kid. I'll make him remember it, with pain, that is." Agera tapped her shoulder, appreciating his time with his family, even if he didn't remember his previous life.When Rimuru and Mithra connected the dots, they surprised Hakurou's family and the whole old Ogre Village. They introduced Agera as the reincarnation of Byakuka Araki. The demon was awkward at first, but relaxed and accepted it, as he felt a connection with them.On top of that, Hakurou accepted Rimuru's offer to transfer a part of his own life force to his beloved Kaede. The Savant didn't mind, as his lifespan increased drastically with his double evolution. Now, Kaede would get the same remaining time as him, allowing the family to live happily together for another few centuries.On his side, Gobta felt an ominous aura directed at him, not knowing yet his days of leisure were counted.***-"Well, I tried. It was fun at least." Shuna said before eating a cake provided by Mikan.-"Being against Carrera was bad luck, but you've shown what you're made of. I'm so proud of my baby sis." Beni laughed with Akamaru while Shuna was sulking about the 'baby' part. He turned to Shion, and raised a fist. "I'm not finished yet either. Let's see who can go the farthest, okay?"-"Of course, but I warn you, I'm gonna win." Shion bumped fists with her adoptive brother, before grinning. "I have a head start, since I'm still in the winner's tree."-"Oh, you want to play like that? Don't cry when you'll get dominated in your next match." Beni glared at her, a defiant light blazing in his eyes.-"Hehe. It reminds me of our youth. He's so passionate, like his father." Mikan snuggled in Akamaru's neck, silently thanking Rimuru for the new chance she got. The Chief laughed and kissed her forehead, before enjoying the sight of his kids bickering.***-"Haaa... I should have expected that result. Why did I think I could stand among those powerhouses?" Souka dropped her head, reliving her performance.-"It's true you lack training, but so am I. Don't get depressed over it, you tried and that's the most important." Souei emerged from the shadows and gave her a snack to boost her morale. "As long as we're aware of our shortcomings as agents of the shadows, then it's a win for us."-"T-Thanks." Souka blushed and accepted the treat. She started to get hungry, so she took a bite and moaned due to the deep flavor of grilled meat and spices. While eating, she turned around, noticing someone's missing. "Where is Gabiru?"***Rimuru's POV:Now it's time to resume the event. We have seen only half of the battles, and it will become more and more exciting. The opening round was between Diablo and Apito. She knew her speed was her only advantage against him, but her attempts to disorient him with hit and run tactics had no effect. Diablo predicted her trajectory and sniped her before finishing in close quarters.For the next battle, I was trampling, leaning on the balcony. I didn't care what the old hag could say to tease me, I was impatient to see how Kumara would manage against Ultima. On the paper, Ul had the advantage of experience and skills, but my girlfriend has her trump card.She kept secret the fact she's able to use Soul Magic, and her new Skill [Mystical]. It's really potent, as it possesses 'Magic Manipulation', giving her and her beasts a tremendous boost in abilities. And its other Sub-Skill, 'Life Manipulation', is also dangerous. It allows her to better understand the principles behind the body and soul. If she uses the element of surprise, she has a chance to turn the tide once.It started. Kumara released three beasts, who are preparing a combined spell while she's harassing Ultima. On her side, the demoness doesn't seem to give it her all... Ah, okay, I get it. She doesn't want to hurt Kumara too badly, so she's resorting to weaker poisons and magic than usual, searching to incapacitate rather than demolish.I know it's because Kumara is my girlfriend now, but she won't like being treated differently because of this. Geld is good natured, so he instinctively holds back toward his allies. As for Lycaon, he knew she wanted him to treat her normally. Well, Ultima will learn it afterwards, for now Kumara will use this to her advantage. If your opponent gives you an opportunity, why not use it?The beasts released the spell, a three-step construct that works like a rail gun. I see she got inspired by Gobta's equipment. Ultima disengaged for melee and countered the ray with a 'Nuclear Cannon'. She prepared a web to catch Kumara, but she detected it and evaded.As there is some distance between them, Ultima decided to make rain her paralysis poison, wanting to end the fight gently. ...It feels weird saying that, when Ul is renowned to be a sadist. Nevermind, Kumara decided to end it now by rushing into melee, evading the downpour thanks to her agility.She surprised our purple bean by activating 'Soul Ablaze' and her 'Soul Claws' at the last moment. As she accelerated so fast due to the buff, Kumara didn't give her opponent enough time to properly defend. Ultima blocked by coating her fists, but the impact ejected her out of the ring. She fell on her butt, astounded.-"What? She can do that too?" Mithra left her seat and came next to me, to inquire if I knew about it. She snickered when she saw me smiling like an idiot. "You really go along, you two."-"Bahahaha, she grew up so fast. She may be stronger than me already, I'm so proud." When I turned to see Gazel, he was teary from laughing too hard. Good to see you're proud, but stop talking like you're her dad, dimwit.-"Tsk. I can't let her catch up to me." Lulu was grumbling, breaking her maid acting. Most of the VIP's glanced at her and sweatdropped.-"Heh. That's my girlfriend alright." I waved at her, she responded by blowing a kiss. Argh, my heart.-'It's funny to see you acting like a lovestruck dumbass. Kumi really is a mighty girl, having managed to subdue you when you were single for centuries.' Ciel teased me while eating chips, comfy on her sofa with a plaid.-'You know, I never thought it would happen with my reincarnation. I started to think I was immune to that. Pretty annoying when your old ma' had a developed bed life on her side.'-'And you still have someone living in your soul, so it's not changing you so much.'-'It's totally different. Unlike the dumbass of origins, you're a cute, smart girl that helped me not turn crazy for almost two centuries. I owe you so much for that.'-'W-Wait-Why are you? W-W... Idiot...' She muttered, hiding by rolling under the plaid. She's so cute when she gets flustered from teasing.Back in reality, Kumara stood over Ultima who was still stunned about her defeat. She grinned, ready to troll her again.-"Ohhh, it must have hurt, feeling the cold, hard floor while landing. If only you had a thicker butt to serve as a cushion.'-"...It wasn't enough for you? Wanna die?" Ultima fumed, but stayed still as she was unsure on what to do.-"That bitch- sorry Sir Rimuru. But she won't stop mocking us I see." Pico gritted her teeth. I swear I saw her hiding a middle finger when I turned to her.-"Ah, I prefer that. Don't go easy on me next time because I'm Rim's girlfriend, it's not good for anyone. I don't want a pass, got it?" Kumara explained after switching to a serious tone. She raised her voice to be heard clearly by the audience and the other fighters.Ultima calmed down quite fast, and accepted Kumara's help to get up. Still a little pissed at her mockery, she gave Kumara a light jab on her side, before congratulating her. Now my girl revealed her true potential, the others would react accordingly. We returned to our seats before the following battles.The 23th match opposed Testa and Shion. Unlike before, Shion couldn't cleave through spells without a care, as Testa prepared ways to counter [Cook]'s effects. Her attacks were designed to explode upon destruction, releasing another spell hidden within.Shion's Skill may be dangerous for a Unique, but it doesn't mean it's unbeatable. You can always use loopholes, or outsmart her, this is easy for someone like Testa. And that's what happened, Shion got caught the first time and suffered from a weakening curse. As her Skill also relied on will, it got weaker over time, forcing Shion to play cautiously.Testa had another advantage as she knows Mithra's fighting style quite well, and Shion's was based on it. She just had to deal cheap damage with her whip, a weapon that Shion doesn't know how to counter yet. Exhausted, Shion gave up.Next was a matchup that piqued my and Mithra's interest: Zegion vs Carrera. As Zegion progressed insanely fast, he would be the perfect opponent to push Carrera to her limits. I can tell they have equal chances to win. Zegion is weaker magicule wise and lacks experience with his new form. Yet, his natural abilities and upper hand against Demons makes him a perfect rival for her.They went all-out on the go. Carrera tested Zegion's durability with a few Nuclear spells before engaging in close combat. She knew it would be useless to try maintaining distance with him and shooting spells. It will be hard to pierce his defense, it's sturdy enough to be of good Legendary Grade, and he won't give her a single moment to try casually.Carrera was able to stand her ground, responding to each of Zegion's punches. Her swordplay was based on the Hazy Style at first, but evolved into something more chaotic, due to Mithra's influence. It's also reflected by her choice of blade, being akin to a classic straight sword, rather than a katana.They were stuck in a stalemate for a few minutes, analyzing each other's strong points and weaknesses. Then, Zegion pushed forward, increasing the pressure now he tested Carrera's power. The level of her Mystic-Arts may be high, but it's lacking a little to surpass Zegion's exoskeleton. In all modesty, I must say I did a good job in repairing it when we saved him and Apito.Carrera defended honorably, but was losing ground. Then she did something that caused many shocked reactions from some individuals: she yielded. Pico and Gracia were stunned, they didn't expect that girl of all people to admit when she lost.Time for a new round of eliminations, starting with Geld vs Apito. Nothing out of the ordinary there, Apito successfully landed her hit-and-run tactic against a confused Geld who couldn't keep up. His armor couldn't resist her assaults and he collapsed after a critical hit.Ultima defeated Blanche afterwards. The difference in power was too high for the young girl, and she suffered from a severe lack of melee skills. Ultima pinned her down, winning a place in the top 8.Then, it was time for another close level matchup between Shion and Benimaru. The now adoptive siblings were enjoying facing each other. They began with a clash of pure sword skills, they were pretty close. Beni had more experience with a style he learned since he was a kid, but Shion got her own talent, and the guidance of the old hag.After a few back and forth, they included their magic. Beni unleashed his signature 'Hell Flare', while Shion traded with a spell she learned with her boss. A gigantic 'Dark Orb', that caught Beni off guard, as he expected Shion to at least slash his attack instead of letting herself get hit.Well, the trade was favorable to Shion, as she learned how to properly defend from fire by Mithra. It's a given, as fire was her base magic too. As for Beni, the Dark element was stranger to him, and I won't blame him. Even the Demons barely use it in its normal state, preferring Nuclear Magic instead, or Nihility Magic for the strongest of them.He received more damage in that exchange, and when Shion used 'Optimal Action', he couldn't defend against it. His 'Predictive Calculation' couldn't compete with the sheer absurdity of her Skill. Each time she launched a new orb, she knew when to release it and how to position herself to cut Beni's escape route. Then, she came close enough to crush him under her greatsword.Shion won, but they laughed as they had enjoyed it to the end. They bumped fists before giving place to the last pair: Carrera and Lycaon. I don't have much to say about it, Carr disposed of him without any problems.Now, we've entered the top 8. It started with a quick match between Ultima and Apito. Quick because Ultima pierced Apito's abdomen easily. Apito isn't as durable as her brother unfortunately, and the demoness is more skilled than I thought in hand-to-hand combat.Carrera subdued Shion pretty fast too. Nuclear Magic is too potent for Shion to cut through it, she got too heated by her previous victory. I heard Mithra sighing about her airhead right-hand, while suppressing a laugh.We're going back to the winner's tree, for the first semi-finals. Diablo heard Kumara's wish to be treated normally, and he overpowered her without difficulties. She couldn't gain an upper hand with 'Magic Manipulation', as Diablo got it too. His natural talents and polished skills did the rest.Testa didn't last as long as Carrera against Zegion, yet she had a good tactic. She tried to pollute his armor with specks of Abyss Cores, which began to form a complex pattern on it. She hoped to make it explode upon completion, and it could have worked. But Zegion quickly adapted to her rhythm, his relentless onslaught caught her before she could execute her plan. She fainted after he punched her guts so hard I felt her pain.-"Mmh? Hey you two. Why are you grinning so mad? it's creepy." Ramiris asked both me and Mithra while hiding behind Veldora.-"Ah, sorry. It's just that it feels so good to see someone else getting beaten to a pulp by an Insectar for a change. Now, someone can understand the pain we went through." The old hag winced and drank a bottle in one go.-"Oh yeah. The Insectar hero trained both of you for a long time. That's a fun guy that would give me a good fight." Veldora bursted in a loud laugh, giving us a surprise vigorous pat in the back and almost yeeting us out of our seats. The Angel trio looked at us weirdly. Looks like they heard of him before.-"Is he that strong? I would like to meet him." Milim rushed to my side and started to shake me with excitement. "Do you think he could be a good sparring partner for me?"-"Hold on, Milim. We can't reach the other world yet, so forget about it for now." I managed to calm her before she made a Slimilkshake of me. "But yeah, you would have a good time... While I'd need to go all-out to win."After a few minutes break, we switched back to the eliminations. As much as I wanted to cheer for Kumara, I had to be realistic: she couldn't win against Carrera. It was a beautiful fight nonetheless.She used every trick she had, forcing Carrera to fight seriously. Once, she even managed to put the blondie in a difficult position with a technique she created on the spot. She released all her beasts, making them charge to the max their respective magics. She gathered them all into her after recalling her friends.The result was a devastating beam of conflicting elements, still rough on the execution and unstable, but well thought. Unfortunately, Carrera dissipated it in a violent explosion with her Nuclear Magic, thanks to a greater power output. Once the light dimmed down, Kumara raised her hands to surrender, as Carrera's blade was under her throat.Kumara lost but I was proud. Even if there's some work left to reach the level of the Primordials for good, she proved she could do it. Before Kumara left the arena, Carrera passed an arm around her shoulders and scratched her head. I heard her say 'it was fun, thanks.'The other round saw the clash between Ultima and Testa. It was brutal, as we could expect of two Primordials who were often bickering in Hell. To keep it short, Testa demonstrated why she was superior in skills. Ultima couldn't make up for the difference yet.Now it was another heated battle opposing the two remaining demonesses. Unlike in Hell, the result would be hard to predict today. Testa polished her skills more, but Carrera closed the gap and harnessed more firepower.As they know each other's styles, Testa surprised us by switching her whip for a polearm. Even while fighting she kept a graceful demeanor and parried Carrera's sword with precise moves. They launched small Nuclear spells in quick succession, trying to create an opening.When she saw it would stay like it for a long time, Carrera took a gamble by taking a hit and catching Testa's wrist, locking her in place. She overcharged a spell, engulfing both of them in a wicked blast.Carrera suffered some damage even if she raised a barrier to absorb most of it, while Testa got overwhelmed. Her body fumed, she fell headfirst, unable to move. For the first time in history, Carrera defeated Testa in a fair fight.Only 3 concurrents left. Diablo and Zegion were both pushed to their limits. Well, Diablo was making it harder for no reasons, as he refuses to target the parts repaired with my slime. What an idiot, I tell you.Ultimately, he still won due to his experience, after finding a gap in Zegion's defense. His claws sank into a joint in the beetle's torso, how the hell did he target such a small area in the heat of battle?Zegion met Carrera for their rematch, and at first it was a remake of the first round. Carrera stayed on the defensive again, only parrying his punches. Until she charged with all her might, avoiding by a hair's width his jab and positioning herself under his arm.She noticed Zegion had a bad habit of throwing a jab after missing a low kick. She waited for this opportunity to finally break his defense with the strongest 'Bunker Break' she could pull off. This spell, designed to release a 'Nuclear Flame' after piercing any kind of barrier, destroyed him from inside. It also severely injured Carrera with the explosion. It's a good thing Ramiris can resurrect people in her Labyrinth, or it would have been awkward.After one last break, the finalists entered on the stage. Diablo wasn't in a bad shape, compared to Carrera who's getting exhausted after pulling several suicide moves in a row. And she continued, opening the match with a finisher move.Knowing she would lose otherwise, Carrera used the last of her strength to try summoning a 'Gravity Collapse'. Mithra used [Uriel] to isolate the arena in case the spell works, but Diablo was fast enough to replicate. He trapped the blondie in his 'Temptation World', and she couldn't break out, too diminished.It's over. The audience cheered for the participants who returned to the arena while I went to congratulate them for their performances. I see three of them are missing. Souka and Souei left to train again, as for Gabiru, he's probably dejected after his unlucky streak. I'll search for him after to console him, after all everyone can have a bad day.Final ranking for the first executives' tournament:1st: Diablo2nd: Carrera3rd: Zegion4th: Testarossa6th: Kumara and Ultima8th: Shion and Apito12th: Benimaru, Blanche, Lycaon and Geld16th: Gobta, Hakurou, Ranga and Souka20th: Shuna, Souei, Adalman and GabiruThird POV:-"So, your honest thoughts?" Kumara asked with a hint of nervousness, her tails flailing everywhere.-"You were so cool and beautiful. I'm proud of you, you surpassed yourself." Rimuru smiled tenderly before giving her a kiss.Kumara pulled him in a hug and they stayed linked for a good minute, not paying attention to the gazes around them. Mithra took a photo with a prototype created by Kaijin, Ciel did the same inside Rimuru. She won't get out for now as Velzard is here. Gazel and Shizu raised a toast in silence, while Lulu sported a deadpan expression.Pico and Gracia left to stroll in the streets, and Dino was forgotten in his seat. The kids were playing with Scylla and Ramiris under Charys' monitoring, except Chloe who took the opportunity to switch to her adult form. We put Hinata and Yuuki in the confidence beforehand, yet it surprised them to witness Chloe take her true form for the first time.Milim grinned at first, thinking she found a new sparring partner, but held back to not create a mess. Middray took a quick glance, before returning to his 'meditation', consisting in savoring the fine treats he stockpiled. He became crazy about food since he first tasted Tempest's cooking, for everyone's pleasure.Velzard raised an eyebrow, as she heard about the mysterious Chronoa, and Veldora stiffened.-"You're the one who sealed my brother? Interesting." Velzard scrutinized her for a moment, then turned toward Veldora. "It seems you won't need another session in a jail anymore, now you've grown to be a proper man. But why are you looking so afraid?"-"W-Well, I did lose that time. I thought you would scold me for having disgraced our race." He muttered, sweating more and more because of his nervousness.-"I assume you won't lose so badly again, so I can let you off the hook. But I won't lie, even for you that was underwhelming." She sighed and released a faint chilling aura. "That's what you get from acting like an idiot in the midst of a battle."-"Pfft. He was a specific kind of idiot, at that time." Mithra rubbed her hands and let out a mad grin. Veldora understood what she was going to say but couldn't stop her in time. "The 'lovestruck' kind, too busy having a crush on Chronoa to fight back. Not really his fault on that one."Veldora froze, his soul leaving his body in an attempt to escape the promised mockery session he will face. Velzard hid her mouth behind her hand, Gazel and Shizu spat their drinks. Milim looked confused, while Frey and Carrion wisely decided to not say anything. Yuuki and Hinata looked alternatively between the dragon and the hero. As for Lulu, she slowly released her murderous intent.Chloe's face was neutral, in contrast to what happens inside her mind.-'W-Wait a minute. The heck did she say? Impossible, I never heard about that... But it would explain why I always found it so easy to trap Veldora. No wait. It must be about Hinata. Each time she's with me, she's the one who controls my body to fight him. Yeah, must be it.'-'...Chloe, this time Hinata wasn't in the past.' Her split personality Chronoa intervened, she was as stunned as Chloe. 'It would have worked for the past few times, but here it is about you.'-'Eh?' Chloe.exe stopped working.-"My. You were more mature than I thought." Velzard laughed a little, being more and more surprised by her brother.-"You fucking lizard. You better stay away from her." Lulu was showing her fangs, and stepped in front of Chloe to block Veldora's line of sight. "I won't let you tarnish a single millimeter of her body."-"Why are you so concerned about it? Chloe can defend herself..." Kumara stopped as she thought about something. She let out a judgmental look, mixed with amusement, and continued. "I see. You want the herussy for yourself."-"Eeeehhh?! Luminous, I told you to keep it for you and forget about it." Chloe panicked and started to punch her vampire friend.Upon realization, Shizu coughed so hard she began to choke, needing Yuuki's help. Hinata broke into a nervous laughter, overwhelmed by the absurdity of this evening. Frey went to cover Milim's ears, before remembering she can still listen if she wants to. Veldora left in silence now they forgot about him.***-"I'm sorry for not having done better. I'm so ashamed of my blunder." Testa sat on a sofa, apart from the liveliness of the gorgeous buffet provided for the participants.-"Don't be. You were awesome and so graceful." Blanche offered her a cocktail and sat next to her. "I know you are powerful, but it is different to witness it in reality."-"Thanks. As long as I made you proud, it's enough for me." Testa gently stroked Blanche's hair, forgetting about her dejection thanks to her friend's smile.-"Say, I want to learn how to wield a weapon. It's best if I don't find myself helpless in case my magic can't suffice. Will you teach me?" Blanche was amazed by Testa's mastery, and wished to become closer to her even in that field.-"That's a good mindset, girl. It can only be beneficial for you." Carrera interjected while eating a skewer of chicken. She sat in front of them, gulping down all the meat. "If your 'big sis' is too scared to hurt you, I can teach you instead. Don't worry, despite my reputation I know how to restrain now."-"What a joke. Restrain? When you tried to destroy everything with your strongest spell?" Testa huffed.-"Everything is good against that weirdo, don't you agree?"-"...Fair. What is he doing anyways?"-"Forget him. He's already enshrining the trophy he got for Sir Rimuru." Ultima rejoined them, sweatdropping as she looked at Diablo on the opposite side of the room. "The more I see him, the more I fear for my sanity."-"Hehe. Your brother seems kinda strange, but I'm sure he isn't a bad guy." Blanche said in an innocent manner while eating chips.-"Please, never say that again I beg you." Testa held Blanche's shoulders, her face distorted by a mixture of fear and disgust. "I can tolerate it if it's these two problem kids, but him, never in my life I would accept it."-"Yeah, don't do it again. It's giving me the creeps...Wait." Carrera dropped her current skewer, gobsmacked by Testa's words. "You... Can tolerate us? For real?"-"Is it the real world? Testa accepts to call us 'sisters'?" Ultima leaned on a table to not fall. "What kind of sorcery is this?"-"Huh? Wait, what did I- No I... That's not-'' Testa stuttered, paralyzed by the embarrassment of her lapsus. "Noooo, what have I done?"Once they processed it, Carr and Ul didn't lose any second to tease her. Carr poked her cheek, while Ul went for a piggyback, to make sure Testa would sink the deepest possible in her shame. Blanche smiled as usual, happy to see her friend letting herself go, and unaware of the mighty power she possessed on her. The innocent ex-princess and the two 'problem kids' would soon become great friends too.*** -"You wanted to talk about that night? Take your time." Mithra asked Gazel without pressuring him, aware of his discomfort.-"...I must apologize. For having left like a thief." He bowed quickly before looking away. "I was confused on what to do, as it happened too fast. But now, I have an answer to give.Hm-hm... How should I say it? I don't mind letting myself get swept up in an adventure with you." He forced himself to look at her in the eyes, blushing a little. "We both are aware of our respective circumstances, so there's no problem anymore. Still, it would be good if we keep it a little slower and classical at first. I'm not used to this."-"Heh. I'm glad to hear it, and I don't mind slowing the pace either." Mithra passed an arm around his waist, before whispering in his ear. "Elmesia was persuasive I see."-"Ack. You know about it?" He stepped backward by instinct. "Tell me she didn't ask you about that night."-"Not yet, but don't worry. My price is high if she wants to make me speak." Mithra pressed her index on her mouth.-"Heh, you really like gold. Then I should buy your silence beforehand."-"I'm kidding. For my sex-friends, it costs nothing."-"...It feels so weird to be called like that. Bah, nevermind. I can go along with your mischief." He relaxed and passed his arm around Mithra's waist too. They returned to the banquet, before the others empty the food.***Gabiru didn't return to the party, even after Rimuru came to console him. Instead, he wandered in a park, and took a dive in a pond. Letting himself float and gazing at the stars, he ruminates about his underwhelming performance of the day.'What a loser I am. And I thought I could prove everyone wrong about my potential... Even Gobta surpassed me without sweating. How?'Gabiru left the park, and strolled outside of the city, not wanting to hole himself in his house. He passed near an improvised training ground they used when the main one was unavailable. Passing a finger on a mark left by his spear on a rock, he began to harbor dark thoughts.'I know I can do better. I MUST do better, for the sake of my sister. I would pay any price to gain more power.'