The night was full of excitement, but like everything, the banquet eventually came to an end.
Now the next day.
It was almost noon, the time scheduled for the duel of the Demon Lords.
The news of the duel between Rimuru and Milim spread quickly, and everyone was eager to witness the showdown. However, only the executives and those with considerable strength were allowed to watch the fight.
The location was set at the training field, where Hakurou tortured his disciples daily.
At the venue, the protagonists of the event looked at each other, with a slight tension in the air.
"I don't know what I was thinking when I accepted this duel, but I guess it's too late to back out now," Rimuru said as he raised a barrier around the area to protect the environment and the spectators.
Milim, on the other hand, was impatient and excited. "Don't be boring, Rimuru! It'll be fun to fight a little, noda."
Rimuru sighed in agreement, then asked about the victory conditions, to which Milim replied. "Let's keep the rules simple. You win if you can hit me five times in thirty minutes."
Rimuru was overwhelmed by the memories of the last time he faced Milim while she was out of control in her Stampede form. Landing five hits on that Milim seemed impossible... But he shook his head and pushed the memories away. This was a friendly duel, not the great Tenma war.
"It was really hard to land even one hit on you in our last fight. Why change it to five?"
"Well, something tells me you're a lot stronger than last time. So I think it's fair, noda."
"Alright, I agree... So, about the winner's reward, you want lots of honey and special desserts, right?"
"That's right!" Milim replied with a cute smile. "And what will you want if you win?"
Rimuru thought for a moment and then came to a conclusion. "If I win, I want you to owe me a favor. Is that okay?"
It wasn't the kind of deal Milim would usually accept easily, but coming from Rimuru, she didn't hesitate. "Sure, if you beat me, I'll owe you a favor."
After agreeing on the rules and rewards, it was time for the duel.
Diablo, acting as the judge, raised his hand and signaled the start of the duel. "Let the duel begin!"
Milim attacked first, rushing in with a speed that caught Rimuru off guard. Fortunately, he managed to react in time, switching to his slime form and dodging swiftly. However, Milim quickly adapted and launched another attack, leaving Rimuru no space to breathe.
The duel was already intense, and both were giving their best to win, but it was just the beginning. The exchange went on for a while, with Milim constantly pressing and Rimuru using his agility to evade her blows.
Eventually, Milim managed to land a hit, making Rimuru more alert and aware of the seriousness of the duel.
Determined to test himself, Rimuru focused on his human form and decided to face Milim using his martial arts. He advanced, looking for ways to strike Milim with only his fists.
Their speeds gradually started to match, and the exchange of blows became increasingly impressive, leaving the spectators in awe.
"To evolve so quickly, as expected of Rimuru-sama," Rimuru's executives watched the battle with fascination.
Rimuru, realizing that his blows were getting closer to hitting, smiled confidently. Milim, on the other hand, laughed joyfully with each dodge, clearly having fun.
After much effort, Rimuru finally managed to land his first hit on Milim. He silently boasted to himself, feeling a quiet pride in his progress, but he was aware of the damage he had taken so far.
"I knew you were stronger, Rimuru, but honestly, I'm really impressed," Milim said, stopping for a moment and smiling with excitement.
Out of breath and slightly embarrassed, Rimuru replied, "And you're still the same monster as always, Milim. I've hit you once, only four more to go."
With even more enthusiasm, Milim raised her aura and declared, "Since you're so confident, let's take this to the next level."
That's when she revealed her battle form, summoning her mythical-level armor and sword. "Wahahahahahaha... This is so much fun, let's keep going!"
Normally, Rimuru would think of the consequences of escalating things and would cancel the duel at this point, but his smile showed he was enjoying himself. He didn't hold back and also unleashed his powers, summoning his Draconic sword, also of mythical grade.
"Here I come, Milim," Rimuru said as he attacked first.
What was supposed to be a friendly duel was taking on more serious and somewhat dangerous proportions. The fight became a fierce dance of swords and energy.
Rimuru and Milim moved with impressive speed, their swords clashing and creating visible sparks in the daylight. Each blow felt like an explosion of power, and the spectators could barely keep up with the intensity of the fight.
"Kufufufufu... Even without being serious, Lord Rimuru can show this level of power. What a privilege to witness this moment."
Diablo somewhat forgot his role as judge, becoming absorbed in the spectacle. Benimaru and the other oni were also excited, feeling great pride in serving such a powerful master.
Veldora watched with enthusiasm, as if witnessing a legendary battle from sacred texts. He then said, "Don't have all the fun yourselves. I'll be the next one to duel!"
But unfortunately, his words fell on deaf ears.
Back to the duel, when Rimuru felt he was being outmatched in swordsmanship, he handed control over to Ciel and went into automatic mode.
Milim sensed something was different, but she couldn't adapt in time and suffered three hits in quick succession. With only a minute left in the duel, neither Rimuru nor Ciel found any more openings in Milim to seal their victory.
Milim laughed and said, "You caught me off guard with this new style, but it won't work anymore."
With no other options, Rimuru turned to Ciel and asked if there was a solution.
<
Without asking more, Rimuru said, "Then hurry, because there are only thirty seconds left."
Ciel agreed and put the plan into action. Still controlling Rimuru's body, she used maximum agility to create a considerable distance from Milim. Then, she created a spatial seal inspired by the Infinite Prison ability, trapping Milim in that space.
Next, Ciel invoked a terrible magic inside the sealed space that had never been tested before, with an impact far greater than nuclear magic. "Scorching Tempest." This was the name of the magic called forth, a true dragon's magic obtained after analyzing the cores of Veldora and Velgrind.
Milim never expected something like this. She was completely caught off guard and suffered considerable damage from this magic. Rimuru realized too late how dangerous Ciel's plan was and said, "Hey, Ciel-san, why did you do something so dangerous? If that had failed, the entire forest would've been destroyed."
<
"But what about the 25% chance you mentioned?"
<
Rimuru calmed down with this explanation, and the duel came to an end. The spatial seal dissipated, and Milim fell to her knees, her battle form dissolving, her body showing wounds and slight burns.
Rimuru regained control of his body and said with a big smile, "I won, Milim."
With that declaration, Diablo remembered his role and declared the winner. Cheers and applause followed, with everyone chanting in unison.
"Rimuru-sama! Rimuru-sama!"
Milim fully regenerated and was as good as new, the same for Rimuru. The Demon Lords were truly terrifying. With Rimuru's victory declared, Milim reacted with a childish tantrum, lying down and rolling on the ground.
"It's not fair, you cheated, Rimuru! Using a spell like that is forbidden, noda."
Rimuru didn't give in to Milim's tantrum and responded, "You didn't specify how I should hit you. I hit you five times, so I won. Don't be a sore loser."
Still, Milim continued her tantrum and said, "Then would it be fair if I used my Drago Nova? Is that what you're saying, Rimuru?"
"Hey, are you trying to destroy my city?!" Rimuru reacted furiously.
With that reaction, Milim laughed and eventually said, "If this were a real fight, I would definitely have won."
Internally, Rimuru thought, "You're really a sore loser, but I can't deny that. I wouldn't even dare fight a serious Milim."
So he replied, "Of course, Milim, you're the strongest person I know after all."
Milim laughed again and ended up congratulating Rimuru, giving him a hug while expressing how impressed she was with his quick evolution.
Thus, Rimuru's subordinates also approached and congratulated him up close, each expressing their great admiration.
Diablo, who was usually the most prone to praising Rimuru at such moments, was a bit distant, looking at the sky thoughtfully, as if something was bothering him.
Meanwhile, Rimuru invited Milim for lunch to relax after the duel.
But Milim said, "I'd love to, but it's time for me to go back. Frey must already be furious and looking for me."
Rimuru replied, "It's a shame. Thanks for the duel. I feel stronger thanks to you. See you next time, Milim."
"I hope you're even stronger next time we meet. See you, Rimuru," Milim said before taking off at her usual blinding speed.
"That girl never changes," Rimuru said with a smile as he watched Milim leave, and then he added, "Alright, everyone, no more distractions. Let's get back to the agenda. If I recall correctly, there's much to cover in today's meeting."
His true secretary, Shuna, approached and gave a summary of what needed to be addressed.
Rimuru wanted to sigh because it all seemed boring, but he ordered that all the executives be present in the meeting room in an hour since the future of Tempest depended on it.
As he planned what to do next, Rimuru was unaware of a certain event happening in the skies over his territory.
It turns out that Milim had lied. She didn't leave Tempest early because she feared Frey's scolding, but because, like Diablo, she too sensed something that made her alert.
Milim flew to where her intuition led her, stopping in front of a red-haired Demon Lord. She then said, "What are you doing here, Guy? Why were you watching my fight with Rimuru, hiding like a weirdo?"
Guy, in a casual tone, replied, "First of all, I'd appreciate it if you didn't call me names. Second, I was just wandering around when I stumbled upon something so interesting. You can't blame me for wanting to watch."
Milim gave a sharp look and said, "The truth, Guy. What are you scheming?!"
Guy knew that, as naive as Milim might seem, it was almost impossible to deceive her. So, he relented and told the truth.
"I sensed a presence that caught my attention in this place. At first, I thought it was Veldora causing trouble, but Velzard denied it, so I decided to take a look. And what a surprise to find that it was that slime."
With an even sharper gaze, Milim said fiercely, "His name is Rimuru, a Demon Lord of the Octagram, just like me and you. Show more respect, Guy."
"An old friend giving me that look, how painful. This sli—Rimuru, must be interesting if you like him so much. Now I'm even more curious."
Still with the same expression, Milim raised her aura and said, "You're my friend, but if you intend to harm Rimuru, I won't hesitate to fight you, Guy."
Guy laughed before saying, "You can relax. I only intend to talk to him. This Rimuru seems to have become very strong in a very short time. Naturally, that makes me curious."
"You say you just want to talk, but you're very unpredictable. How do I know you won't destroy everything for some petty reason?"
"Ironic coming from you," Guy wanted to say but held back. He then responded, "Well, that will depend on Rimuru. If he shows disrespect and forgets his place because of his new power, maybe I'll be disappointed. Even I don't know what I'll do in that case."
Guy added, "If it makes you feel better, I don't intend to have that conversation with him today. I'll come back at some point."
After analyzing what Guy said, Milim detected no lies. She knew Rimuru and thought he wouldn't irritate Guy but rather the other way around. She then smiled brightly, approached Guy, and said, "It's been a while, Guy. Good to see you. I hope you have fun when you visit Tempest."
"She changed her attitude so quickly. This Milim is really something," Guy thought. Then he replied, "Good to see you too, Milim."
As if the previous tension didn't exist, they started talking like old friends, until Milim remembered Frey and said her goodbyes.
Guy watched Milim leave. He then looked at Tempest and said, "Rimuru, so it was because of you that Noir decided to come to this world. Very interesting."
Shortly after, he teleported back to his domain.
__________
Author's note:
Noir: Diablo's name or title in the Underworld as a Primordial
Noda: The phrase Milim often says at the end of sentences