Ciel: <>
Voice of the World: <<>>
******
"Well, Mr. Orc Lord, let's see what you're made of," Rimuru said with a confident smirk, his tone laced with arrogance. Hands casually stuffed into his pockets, he began a leisurely stroll toward the Orc Lord. There was no rush in his steps, no sense of urgency in his demeanor, and his eyes betrayed no hint of concern.
As he moved forward, Rimuru became acutely aware of several presences surrounding him, silently observing the unfolding battle.
The first presence was Anrietta, the head of the spy organization from Dwargon. Ever since Rimuru's visit to Dwargon, she had been stationed around Tempest, keeping a watchful eye on him. Given the fantastic impression Rimuru left on Gazel, it was no surprise that Dwargon considered him a top-priority target, hence why they had sent Anrietta, their best available spy, to personally monitor his every move. However, despite her best attempts at maintaining secrecy, Rimuru made a habit of playfully taunting her by sending over delicious food from time to time—a subtle reminder that he was fully aware of her presence, much to her frustration.
The second presence belonged to a team from the Kingdom of Blumund. Consisting of four highly skilled humans, they had hidden their presence remarkably well, a testament to Blumund's reputation as the kingdom of information. Honestly, Rimuru respected Blumund's hustle to maintain their reputation and status against these other superpowers of the West, despite being a small nation itself.
The third group consisted of a majin and a demon from Demon Lord Clayman's camp. The majin, Pirone, one of Clayman's Five Fingers, hovered in the sky, surveying the scene below. Meanwhile, the demon, Gelmud, concealed himself in the shadows, broadcasting the battle back to Clayman's castle for the eyes of Clayman and the other two Demon Lords, Carrion and Frey.
The fourth group consisted of two clowns, Tear and Footman, lurking nearby, most likely keeping an eye on the battlefield for either Laplace or Yuki. As he sensed their presence, he suddenly remembered something and telepathically instructed Testarossa, 'Testa, there are two clowns currently watching the battle. Go to them and capture the fat one.'
With his orders given, Rimuru shifted his focus to the last, and perhaps most surprising, presence he had sensed. This one had appeared only minutes ago, lingering at least five kilometers away from the battlefield. They were perched calmly on a distant cliff and their icy blue eyes fixed on the events unfolding in the forest.
Then, for a brief moment, their gazes met across the distance. Though their presence piqued his curiosity, Rimuru knew this was not the time to address them, so he returned his attention back to the Orc Lord and continued walking toward him.
The Orc Lord, upon seeing this new enemy appear on the field, let his anger be known as he unleashed an earth-shattering roar, raising his cleaver menacingly toward Rimuru, signaling his troops to attack.
In response to their leader's roar, thousands of Orcs raised their weapons and charged at Rimuru. However, before they could even take a single step, Rimuru casually removed his hand from his pocket and made a simple swiping-down motion with his fingers. The next moment, every single Orc on the battlefield, aside from the Orc Lord himself, collapsed to the ground, crushed under an overwhelming gravitational force that pushed them from above.
Those watching from the sidelines were left shocked and dumbfounded. A force of more than 200,000 Orcs had been rendered helpless with just a swipe of Rimuru's two fingers. Whether they were humans or demons, a new wave of awe and fear surged through the hearts of all the spectators. It was one thing to witness a Dragon or a Demon Lord causing widespread destruction—such chaos often felt impersonal, a consequence of raw power. But what Rimuru had just done was precise, deliberate, and terrifying in its simplicity. Although he had merely subdued the Orc army for now, it didn't take much imagination to envision what would happen if Rimuru had even two of his subordinates joined in to finish the task. To all the watchers, what Rimuru had just done was nothing short of outrageous.
Meanwhile, the Orc Lord was seething with fury at the sight of his army in such a pitiful state. With a deafening roar, he charged at Rimuru, swinging his giant cleaver with all his might. Rimuru, however, elegantly dodged the first few swings with ease. He then pulled out a small pocket knife and effortlessly deflected the Orc Lord's massive cleaver, demonstrating his overwhelming power to onlookers.
After a few minutes of toying with the enraged Orc Lord, Rimuru began to grow bored. Dodging one more attack, he coated his knife in black flames and slashed at the Orc Lord, sending him flying backward with a deep, burning wound slashed across his chest.
The Orc Lord staggered to his feet, more enraged than ever, but then he noticed something alarming—the wound on his chest wasn't healing. Desperate, he grabbed a nearby Orc and brutally tore it in half before consuming him, an act of brutality that left nearly all the onlookers in utter disgust.
However, just then, the Orc Lord's power spiked to a new level as a violent purple aura surrounded and gushed out of his body.
'Well, it's about time,' Rimuru thought with a smirk when The Voice of the World echoed in his and every person's ear who was watching the battle.
<
As soon as those words were heard, panic spread among the onlookers, especially the Ogres and humans who had been watching the battle. But then, once again, Rimuru did something outrageous that none of them thought was possible.
As the Orc Lord roared with his newfound power, releasing an even more terrifying aura, Rimuru suddenly appeared in front of him in a blur of motion and placed his hand on the Orc Lord's chest. "Sorry, Geld, but your journey ends here..." Rimuru said calmly. Those were the last words Geld heard before everything went dark.
******
When Geld opened his eyes again, he found himself in an infinite white plane. The overwhelming hunger, rage, and madness that had consumed him moments before were gone, leaving only a strange sense of calm. As he tried to make sense of his surroundings, he noticed another presence nearby. Turning towards it, he was startled to see the majin he had been fighting just moments ago standing beside him.
"You—"
"It's over, Geld. You are already dead," Rimuru calmly informed him in a gentle but firm voice.
"No! I can't die yet! My people will starve to death! I need to keep feeding them!" Geld pleaded, desperation lacing his voice. But his body and spirit felt powerless, drained of all the strength and fury that had driven him. Overwhelmed by helplessness, he fell to his knees, tears streaming down his face.
Suddenly, a warm feeling enveloped him as he felt a comforting hand placed on his back. "Don't worry, Geld. From now on, I will take care of your people," Rimuru said in a kind, reassuring voice. "Here, let me show you something."
With those words, Rimuru extended his hand, and the white plane around them began to shift and change. Geld watched as the scene before him transformed into an unfamiliar landscape of marshlands, depicting a different battle between Gled and Rimuru in an alternate reality. A tug-of-war between Rimuru's [Predator] and Geld's [Starved] skills resulted in Gled's defeat in the end.
Rimuru showed him a promise made to another Geld, one where Rimuru vowed to take care of his people and take responsibility for their sins. Geld watched in awe as Rimuru took all the surviving Orcs under his wing, offering them a place in Tempest. He saw how his people began to thrive under Rimuru's care, working together with the other races to build a new life.
The visions shifted again, showing feasts and celebrations where his people—once emaciated and desperate—now laughed and danced, their bellies full and their hearts content. He saw Orc children studying in school and playing with children of many different races, their faces alight with joy and curiosity.
But most of all, what captured Geld's attention were the smiles. The genuine, happy smiles of his people, faces that no longer bore the marks of hunger or despair. "This... are they really my people?" he asked, his voice trembling with emotion."
"Yes, they are your people, and this is the future that awaits them," Rimuru replied softly. "Geld, you have done so much for your people, but now it's time for you to rest. Leave them to me."
Geld looked up at Rimuru, a small, relieved smile breaking through his tears. "I see... in that case, please take care of them, Rimuru-san," he said, his voice filled with gratitude and trust. With that, he closed his eyes, his burden finally lifted.
"Don't worry, I will take care of everyone," Rimuru promised and remembered the compliment Geld had given him in the last timeline. "I am quite greedy, after all."
As those words reached Geld's ears, he felt a profound peace settle over him for the first time in years. Knowing that his people were in good hands, he allowed himself to truly rest. His spirit, once tormented by endless hunger and rage, finally found peace as he drifted into eternal slumber.
******
In the real world, as soon as Rimuru placed his hand on Geld's chest, golden flames suddenly erupted, engulfing the massive Orc Lord. The intense fire crackled and roared, yet there was an almost serene quality to its glow. Moments later, Geld collapsed to the ground, still burning in those ethereal golden flames.
Geld's brother, freed from the influence of [Starved], hesitantly stepped forward. His heart was heavy with helplessness and sorrow as he watched the flames consume what was once his proud and powerful sibling. But as he drew closer, something unexpected caught his eye—Geld's face, rather than twisted in pain or anger, bore a gentle, content smile. It was as if, in those final moments, Geld had found peace, a peace that had eluded him for so long. The sight filled his brother with a bittersweet mixture of relief and sadness.
A few moments later, the golden fire completed its task, reducing Geld's massive form to ashes. As the last remnants of the flames flickered out, the ashes were caught by a soft breeze and scattered into the air, carried away like whispers on the wind, marking the end of Orc Disaster, Geld.
As silence settled on the battlefield, Rimuru's loud yet authoritative voice suddenly echoed across the plain. "Orcs! You have two options: you either surrender or continue to fight," he declared in an unwavering voice. "However, if you surrender to me, I promise you that not a single Orc will ever go hungry from this day onward. The choice is yours."
The Orcs exchanged glances as the weight of Rimuru's promise sank in. A moment later, the collective decision was made as each one of them dropped to one knee, submitting where they stood. Orc Lord's brother walked toward Rimuru and knelt before him. "We Orcs, surrender to you, my lord," he proclaimed with conviction on the behalf of all of his comrades.
"Good. In that case, I accept you under my rule," Rimuru said and summoned Cien. "Cien, lead these Orcs back to Tempest and establish a temporary camp for now. Then consult with Rigurd about their housing situation—he'll know what to do." Cien absorbed the instructions carefully, nodded in acknowledgment, and began guiding the Orcs toward their new home.
"Now that this is taken care of, let's get to the important topic, shall we?" Rimuru announced, ensuring that everyone around him could hear. In the next moment, Gelmud, who had been hiding in the shadows, was violently yanked out of his concealment by an unseen force, landing face-first in the dirt in front of Rimuru.
Rimuru looked down at the demon with cold, merciless eyes and stomped his foot on the back of Gelmud's head, eliciting a pained yelp. As Gelmud writhed in agony, Rimuru noticed the crystal ball lying next to him. He picked it up, examining it with an ominous smile.
"Hello, Clayman. I hope you enjoyed the show," Rimuru said, his voice dripping with mockery as the realization dawned on those around him that Rimuru was addressing a Demon Lord. "Oh, I know it's you on the other side, watching as your entire scheme crumbles before me."
"Honestly, it wasn't a bad plan," Rimuru continued, almost as if praising Clayman's efforts. "In all likelihood, you would have succeeded today in destroying the Ogre village. But, unfortunately for you, someone like me happened to appear in this forest, and now all your plans lie in ruins."
Rimuru's tone shifted to one of chilling seriousness. "Now, here's what's going to happen," he said, his gaze narrowing at the crystal ball. "Carrion and Frey, I know you had nothing to do with this scheme, so I hold no grudge against you. But as for you, Clayman," Rimuru's eyes darkened with intent, "you tried to plot within Jura Forest, which is my territory. You've already offended me, but I'll overlook this offense, considering you didn't know of my existence. However, should you attempt anything against me, my country, or my people again, Demon Lord or not, I will end your existence."
With that final warning, Rimuru crushed the crystal ball into pieces, the fragments scattering on the ground, severing Clayman's connection.
Rimuru then grabbed Gelmud by the collar and walked toward Edelgard, who stood at a respectful distance. Stopping in front of her, he tossed the demon at her feet. "Here, take this demon and publicly execute him. That should help quell some of your people's anger," Rimuru said, his tone leaving no room for argument. "As for Clayman, leave him to me. Sooner or later, he will find himself on the wrong end of my blade."
"Of course, Lord," Edelgard responded, picking up Gelmud by the collar in a manner similar to Rimuru's own earlier action.
"Also, tomorrow I will visit your village and speak with your people," Rimuru added. Edelgard respectfully nodded as she took Gelmud back to the village with her.
"Now then, let's deal with the unexpected surprise," Rimuru murmured to himself. In an instant, he vanished from the forest, reappearing moments later on a distant cliff, standing behind a beautiful woman with striking white hair.
"Honestly, I'm quite surprised—and a little curious—about what such a majestic and beautiful lady is doing here, Frost Dragon Velzard," Rimuru said with a charming smile.
"Our surprise is quite mutual," Velzard responded, turning to face him. Her diamond-blue eyes locked onto his golden ones with a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. "I was also wondering when the fifth entity of our kind was born into this world."
To be continued...