As a tall, heavy man wearing a frowning mask marched with an army of Orcs at his side, he arrived at the designated location. His mission was to oversee the horde of Orcs and intervene if necessary as they consumed the Ogres. However, upon arrival, he was confused.
He had scouted the area before, so he knew he was in the right place. But now, there was nothing. No buildings, no signs of life, and certainly no Ogres.
Confusion etched across his face, he pulled out an orb to contact his fellow Harlequin, Clayman.
"Clayman, I don't see anything around here... It's like they vanished," Footman reported, his voice tinged with annoyance and rising anger.
"Hmm..." Clayman mused for a few moments before responding. "Check the area again. Ogres are well known for their illusion magic. If you don't find anything, head back. We don't have time to waste searching for ghosts. I'll send an investigation team later."
Sitting in his chamber, Clayman's eyes narrowed as he contemplated the strange event. Normally, he would have been more cautious about such a significant change, but after a moment, his unease dissipated, replaced by a growing irritation.
"Footman, just get out of there. I don't want you to waste your time. Report back and command the Orcs to destroy the place, just in case. If they don't find anything, they should start making their way to the Lizardman swamps."
Footman shrugged slightly before casting one last look at the empty field and then disappearing. If Clayman, the so-called smartest among them, didn't care, then why should he?
Unbeknownst to them, in the shadows, a blue-haired Kijin watched closely. He signaled his group of spies to inform Rimuru. The opportunity they had been waiting for had finally arrived.
— — —
The majority of Souei's subordinates had gained the Shadow Motion skill, allowing them to swiftly transport the battle force to the old spot of the Ogre Village in short bursts of speed, since the normal warriors would only be able to move in the shadows as long as they could hold their breath. The rest of the groups were led by Tempest Wolf Riders as they rode with speed and precision.
Riding on Ranga's back was Shuna, holding onto a slime-transformed Rimuru as they dashed through the forest. In about an hour, the distant sounds of the Orcs laying waste to the area reached their ears.
'Everyone, get ready. I will set the stage for the battle. Once I give the signal, charge in,' Rimuru commanded using thought communication. He received mental confirmations from the rest of his battle force before leaping off the moving wolf and transforming into his young Kijin form, complete with two bat-like wings on his back.
With a powerful flap of his wings, he launched himself forward, flying above the battlefield to observe the countless Orcs destroying everything in their path searching for the 'Hidden' Village.
"Huh…" he mused to himself as he looked at the Orcs going berserk under the effects of the Starved skill. "Rest in peace."
He was opposed to senseless killing for the sake of killing, but the lives of the Orcs would be used in order to complete his plan. Their lives in exchange for the safety of the rest of the Orcs.
With that, he emptied out his reserves of water, creating a gigantic wave that came crashing down on the Orcs, coating the entire battlefield in water and turning the once-hard dirt into soft, malleable mud.
The sudden tidal wave stunned the Orcs, who looked up in confusion to see a small child raising his hand once again. Rimuru's eyes glinted with determination as he used his Control Particles to make the dirt collapse on itself. The heavy Orcs began to sink, struggling to move across the treacherous, muddy battlefield.
'Now!' Rimuru's voice echoed in the minds of his allies.
From the shadows and the edges of the forest, Souei's subordinates and the Tempest Wolf Riders charged in with ferocity. Benimaru led the main force, his blade gleaming as he cut through the disoriented Orcs. Shion and Shuna were close behind, each displaying their prowess in combat.
Benimaru, with his crimson katana, moved like a whirlwind. His strikes were precise and controlled, severing tendons and killing Orcs without excessive damage.
"Remember, we need them intact. Use their bodies as footholds in order not to sink in the mud!!" he roared, his blade flashing as he decapitated an Orc with a single fluid motion. With a swift kick, he sent another Orc crashing to the ground, his blade following through to ensure a swift death.
Shion, wielding her massive sword with ease, demonstrated her immense strength. Her blows were calculated, targeting vital points and severing heads and limbs without excessive damage to the bodies. Each swing of her sword was like a controlled demolition, taking down multiple Orcs with brutal efficiency. Her battle aura was shining as she let out a joyful shout.
"For Lord Rimuru!" she shouted, her voice echoing across the battlefield as she brought down her weapon on a group of advancing Orcs, their bodies crumpling lifelessly to the ground.
Souei and his subordinates moved like shadows, appearing and disappearing with lethal grace. Their Shadow Motion skill allowed them to strike from the darkness, targeting the Orcs' vital points with deadly accuracy. Souei himself was a blur, his daggers flashing as he slit throats and pierced hearts with surgical precision.
"Strike fast, leave no survivors unmarked," he commanded, his voice calm and deadly as he dispatched an Orc with a flick of his wrist slicing him using the countless threads from his fingers.
The Tempest Wolf Riders, led by Ranga, stormed the battlefield with unparalleled speed. Ranga's jaws clamped down on the Orcs, his fangs delivering precise bites that crushed throats and severed spinal cords. The riders, armed with spears and short swords, followed suit, their attacks aimed at vital points to ensure quick and clean kills.
Shizu, her flames dancing around her, moved with grace and deadly efficiency. Drawing her blade, she unleashed torrents of fire with each strike, engulfing the Orcs in controlled bursts of flame.
"Ifrit!" she called, her voice calm and focused. Her blade cut through the Orcs, the flames ensuring that their deaths were swift, but the bodies remained mostly intact. Her mastery over fire allowed her to incinerate only what was necessary, leaving the Orcs charred but recognizable.
Shuna, her face serene amidst the chaos, wielded her magic with deadly precision. She summoned powerful spells of Illusory Thunder and Illusory Ice, striking fear into the hearts of the Orcs.
"Illusory Thunder!" she chanted, bolts of ethereal lightning crackling through the air, striking down Orcs with pinpoint accuracy. Each bolt left the bodies intact but lifeless. Their hearts stopped by the sudden shock. Though, as its name stated, it was only an illusion, yet it was strong enough to cause the bodies of the Orcs to shut down as they felt the Illusory lightning coursing through.
As Rimuru looked on at the fight, he couldn't help but let out a small sigh.
"Well, let's finish this before I start to feel bad." He muttered, dropping down to the ground and only flapping his wings as he drew close to it, charging directly towards an Orc General trying to rally his troops.
With his sword in hand, he delivered a precise slash using Sage's Sword Arts. The Orc barely had time to react before Rimuru's blade sliced through his armor, felling him with a single, decisive strike.
While the army was large, they had been crippled by the mud before they could even react, which left only the massacre that was currently being carried out..
The fall of their leader sent a ripple of panic through the Orc ranks. Taking advantage of the chaos, Rimuru's forces pressed their attack, overwhelming the disorganized Orcs with relentless precision. The battlefield was a coordinated dance of lethal efficiency, each subordinate using their unique skills to kill the enemy while following Rimuru's orders to leave the bodies mostly intact.
Within hours, the battlefield was littered with the fallen. The Orcs were defeated, and Rimuru's forces stood victorious. 13,490 Orcs had fallen in just a matter of hours, with his forces relatively unscathed. To be fair, he had tens, if not hundreds, of Rank A Kijin fighting for him, and even with their armor and the Ravenous skill, the Orcs were no match while sinking in the mud.
"Good job, everyone," Rimuru said, his voice firm as he looked at his small army. "You all did great in this battle, but don't let that boost your confidence too much. There are countless enemies stronger than this. Countless enemies of Demon Lord strength or above. This is just a warm-up."
With those words, he raised his fist to the sky, earning a rally of shouts as his warriors cheered in excitement for the battles to come.
"You can start heading back now. Make sure our city is properly protected. I will continue with my preparations for the Orc Lord."
As the crowd of warriors began to leave, only a few stayed back: Benimaru, Shuna, Shion, and Shizue. They watched as Rimuru jumped from body to body, consuming one after the other and placing them in his stomach.
[Notice. Using Degenerate to separate the soul from the body. Placing souls in storage.]
[You have obtained the following skills: Rallying Cry, Feral Roar. Synthesizing complete the skill Commanders Aura has been created. Increase the strength of your allies and weaken your enemies]
[You have obtained the skill Libido. Increases the chances of impregnation while lowering the loss of magicules upon conceiving the child]
[Warning. Due to the rate of decay, there are only 38 minutes until the souls of the Orcs begin to dissipate. Estimating progress and completion. Estimation complete. Requesting permission to take over the consumption process.]
'Yes,' Rimuru replied. With those words, countless clones split off from him, all so weak that they would break from a single slap, but all they needed to do was continue consuming and placing bodies in his stomach. All controlled by Sage, the process became exponentially faster, and after 40 minutes, Sage spoke up again.
[Notice. 11,282 souls have been salvaged. The rest have dissipated before they could be placed in storage.]
[Beginning synthesis of all of the bodies of the Orcs. Synthesis is in progress; progress should be completed in 25 minutes.]
As Rimuru's clones worked tirelessly, the core group observed in awe. Benimaru approached Rimuru, his expression a mix of admiration and curiosity.
"Lord Rimuru, what do you plan to do with all these bodies?" Benimaru asked.
Rimuru, still focused on the task at hand, glanced at Benimaru.
"I am going to feed them to the Orc Lord," he said with focused eyes. Sage had calculated the approximate magicules needed in order to evolve the Orc Lord, and with the bodies in his stomach, they should be more than enough.
Seeing their confused expressions, he continued.
"I need the Orc Lord to evolve into an Orc Disaster for my plans. I know it's risky, but if I want to set up the groundwork for our future, I need to take at least this one risk."
Shuna stepped forward, her eyes filled with determination.
"Rimuru, we trust your judgment. Whatever you plan, we will support you fully."
As they gathered, they suddenly saw a green-haired ethereal woman appear between them. She had a slight frown on her face as she looked at Rimuru.
"I am sorry, but I cannot allow you to strengthen the Orc Lord. I wanted to ask for your help after seeing your fight, but it seems like you are also an enemy of the forest," Treyni, the dryad, said with a frown. The people around Rimuru raised their swords in defense, with Shizue opening her eyes in shock as she spoke.
"A dryad?"
As the tensions began to rise, Rimuru's voice broke through.
"Stand down."
The moment they received the orders, the Kijin exchanged a few concerned looks before hesitantly lowering their weapons.
Approaching Treyni, Rimuru gave her a small bow..
"You must be Treyni, the dryad, servant of the Fairy Queen. I've been trying to reach you for some time now."
His words brought a shocked expression from the dryad, who narrowed her eyes in suspicion.
"I am Rimuru Tempest, Veldora's chosen to lead and unite the forest of Jura."
Seeing how calm Rimuru looked, Treyni lowered her guard slightly before speaking.
"Why do you want to feed the Orc Lord? If you are really chosen by Veldora, then you must know that strengthening an Orc Lord can only make things worse."
Rimuru met her gaze steadily.
"Charybdis, one of Veldora's children, is set to revive in a few months," he said, causing those around him to frown in recognition of the name. "And I need to consume an Orc Disaster to be strong enough to defeat it."
He continued, his voice calm yet resolute.
"I believe you must have seen my city. You can tell that the people who serve under me all do so with a smile. I don't plan to destroy their futures. Like it or not, they are stuck with me as their guardian. And I will do my best to ensure the monsters in Jura thrive."
Treyni's eyes softened slightly as she listened.
"I have seen your people… Your intentions might be noble, but the risk is great. How can I be sure you can control such a beast?"
Before Rimuru could answer, Shion stepped forward with a bright smile.
"It's because he is the Prophet! He has probably seen himself win the fight already. With his visions, he will not only protect us but expand until he conquers the world, unifying it all under his name."
Rimuru frowned slightly, his eyebrow twitching at Shion's exaggerated proclamation. But before he could complain, Shizue stepped forward, her voice calm and reassuring..
"Shion is right. I am a champion of humanity. I have lived as the Conqueror of Flames for hundreds of years, saving and protecting. After speaking with Rimuru and seeing his town, I am more certain than ever that he wouldn't bring harm to his people. I have seen firsthand what his Prophet powers can do, and I assure you they are real. If he says Charybdis is coming, then we must all prepare."
"Lord Rimuru is like a god among our people, chosen by Veldora to unite and protect the forest. His lineage can be seen by the Tempest Wolves that follow him. They all carry the legendary dark lightning from Veldora's time," Benimaru added, his voice filled with conviction.
Shuna didn't step forward, but she gave the dryad a charming smile.
"My dear husband, Rimuru, is our protector and our leader. Once you see him in action, you will not be able to deny that he is the savior of our forest."
Rimuru resisted the urge to smack his head. He only had knowledge from the first two seasons and a few vague spoilers here and there. The more out of hand it got, the messier things would become in the future. But it seemed he had no choice now.
"A prophet…" Treyni said with a shocked expression, nodding her head as if it all made sense now. "You must have been blessed by an elemental of time, haven't you? Do you know the location of our Queen?"
'Well, I've made my bed, might as well lie in it, Sage, what where the odds again that I awaken a time skill?' Rimuru thought as he made his expression turn serious.
[0.00004305090803793%] Sage answered immediately.
'Am I crazy or is it higher than before?' Rimuru asked mentally, but before Sage answered he spoke up.
"I have indeed seen a vision of Ramiris, the queen of spirits. I saw the Dwelling of Spirits. And if the future continues as I have foreseen, you two will soon be reunited." Technically, he hadn't lied; he just imagined watching the show as if it were a vision.
His words sparked a bright smile from the dryad, an almost fanatical look crossing her face as she knelt down to the ground.
"I don't detect any lies in your words. You must have truly seen our queen and her home in your vision. Tell me, oh great Prophet. What does the future hold?"
Letting out a few awkward coughs, Rimuru put on a commanding tone.
"I am sorry, but the more I reveal, the more the future I have seen will change."
Treyni looked disappointed but nodded in understanding.
"I see. I will trust in your vision, Prophet Rimuru. Please, take care of our forest and its inhabitants."
"I will," Rimuru assured her.
"I will inform my sisters about you. They all need to know that the day will come when we are reunited with our Queen. For the time being, we will follow your orders, Prophet Rimuru."
With those words, Treyni vanished, leaving Rimuru and his companions alone once more.
~A/N~
Let me cook with the prophet stuff lol, I have a plan. Though, hey, feedback is always welcome.
Special Thanks to my Beta Readers/Editors: @LuluViBritania (FF.N, SB, WN and QQ)/-LuluViB|99th Britannian Emperor(Discord) and @Kiyan Tribe (FF.net/AO3/QQ) | kiyan_tribe( Discord)