Chapter 108: A New Focus – The Rise of Rimuru’s Nation
With the Demon Lords put in their place and Leon Cromwell forced to stop his summoning, things were finally settling down across the Cardinal World. The power balance had been reaffirmed, and I had played my hand flawlessly behind the scenes.
Now, my attention turned to Rimuru Tempest, the ambitious slime who was steadily building his nation.
From my throne in the Eternal City of Nights, I watched through my vast network of spies, magical surveillance, and informants.
Rimuru's Jura Tempest Federation was growing at an astonishing rate. What had once been a mere village was now turning into a full-fledged kingdom.
His territory had:
Advanced infrastructure, including well-planned roads, buildings, and marketplaces.
A thriving economy, fueled by trade with neighboring nations.
A powerful military, with elite warriors like Benimaru, Shion, Souei, and Hakuro standing as his generals.
An alliance with Dwargon, securing him both technology and trained dwarven artisans.
An expanding diplomatic presence, with emissaries being sent to other nations.
"He's moving fast," I mused, tapping my fingers on the armrest of my throne.
Velzard, lounging on a nearby couch in a luxurious silk robe, smirked. "Are you feeling threatened, love?"
I chuckled. "Not at all. His country is impressive, but it doesn't hold a candle to my Eternal City of Nights. Still… he's making waves. And when someone makes waves, others will try to control the tide."
Testarossa, sipping from a crystal goblet, leaned forward with interest. "So, what's the plan? Will we manipulate things from the shadows again?"
Ultima grinned, her sharp fangs glinting. "Or should we go have some fun?"
Carrera, stretching lazily, laughed. "Actually… why don't we go visit?"
I turned to look at them, raising an eyebrow. "Visit?"
Velzard nodded, an amused glint in her icy blue eyes. "Yes. A proper visit. A vacation, if you will. We've been working too much lately—pulling strings, crushing enemies, plotting. I think it's time we relax and let someone else entertain us."
Testarossa smiled wickedly. "Besides, I'm curious about this little slime and his growing kingdom. Wouldn't it be interesting to walk through his streets and see how he runs things?"
Ultima practically bounced in her seat. "Ohh, yes! We can play tourists! Maybe cause a little mischief, maybe not."
Carrera leaned back, arms crossed behind her head. "A change of scenery would be nice. And who knows? If someone's dumb enough to try something, we'll have some entertainment."
I smirked. "So, my deadly lovers want a vacation, and they chose Tempest?"
Velzard chuckled. "Consider it a reconnaissance mission… disguised as a pleasure trip."
I leaned back, considering it.
Rimuru was unknowingly becoming a major player in the world. His kingdom was prospering, but prosperity brought jealousy and danger. He had powerful subordinates, but was he truly prepared for the next stage of the game?
A visit could be amusing. I could see for myself what he was building, gauge his potential, and perhaps… plant some seeds for the future.
I finally stood up, causing my lovers to watch me with interest.
"Fine. Let's visit Tempest." I grinned. "But let's make it a trip they'll never forget."
Testarossa smirked. "Oh, I like the sound of that."
Ultima clapped excitedly. "Yay! Vacation time!"
Carrera cracked her knuckles. "Let's see if Rimuru can entertain us."
Velzard smirked. "Oh, I have a feeling he'll be quite surprised."
With that, our next move was set.
The Eternal City of Nights would send its most dangerous visitors to Tempest.
Would it be a simple, peaceful vacation?
Or would we unintentionally stir up chaos?
Either way…
It was going to be fun.
----___//////
The moment we stepped foot in Tempest, the entire city seemed to hold its breath.
I had cast an illusion over myself and my lovers, altering our appearances to something unrecognizable—yet elegant and imposing. Our attire shimmered with a regal air, exuding an aura of mystery and power.
Then, I let out a small surge of my aura—not destructive, but unmistakably overwhelming. I ensured it rivaled the aura of a True Dragon, a mere whisper of my actual strength.
Within moments, the air shifted.
BOOM!
A whirlwind of movement burst through the air, and suddenly, they were here.
Rimuru and his strongest warriors appeared before us in an instant, as if responding to an immediate threat.
Benimaru—his fiery red hair swayed in the wind, hand gripping the hilt of his katana, ready to strike at a moment's notice.
Souei—already vanished into the shadows, no doubt preparing a sneak attack should things turn hostile.
Hakuro—his aged but sharp eyes locked onto us, reading every possible movement.
Shion—cracking her knuckles, her battle-hungry grin showing she was more than ready to fight first and ask questions later.
And then… there was Rimuru.
Dressed in his usual dark coat, golden eyes sharp with caution, he stepped forward, scanning us intently.
The sheer force of presence we carried had not gone unnoticed by him. Even while masked by illusion, my aura had ensured we were given the treatment of honored—if dangerous—guests.
A silent stand-off lasted for a few moments.
Then, Rimuru's curiosity outweighed his caution.
He took a step forward, his voice calm but authoritative.
"Who are you?"
His question rang through the tense atmosphere.
My lovers stood beside me, exuding an air of effortless superiority.
Velzard's lips curled into an amused smirk. Testarossa's eyes gleamed with dangerous curiosity. Ultima practically buzzed with excitement. Carrera was already sizing up the battlefield, just in case.
I smiled—slowly, deliberately.
Then, with the slightest tilt of my head, I replied:
"Now, now, Rimuru Tempest… is that any way to greet honored guests?"
The air tightened as the tension peaked.
Rimuru's eyes narrowed slightly. His instincts told him we were not ordinary visitors.
And we were about to make sure that our arrival in Tempest would be an event no one would ever forget.
(Rimuru's POV)
I was in the middle of an important meeting with my generals—Benimaru, Souei, Hakuro, and Shion. We were discussing the next phase of Tempest's growth and security measures when—
It happened.
A surge of energy flooded the atmosphere, so overwhelming that it made the very air feel heavy. An aura so powerful that, for the first time in a long while, I felt something akin to fear.
My instincts screamed at me—something, no… someone, extremely powerful had just arrived at our doorstep.
I immediately pinpointed the source.
Tempest's entrance.
Without hesitation, I signaled my generals, and we moved.
Seconds later, we arrived.
And what I saw made me freeze for a brief moment.
Five individuals stood before us.
One man, regal and composed, with an air of absolute dominance around him.
Four women, each exuding an almost otherworldly grace, power, and lethal beauty.
They weren't just beautiful—they were majestic, the kind of presence that warped reality itself. The type of beings that, even without doing anything, made it clear that they were at the pinnacle of existence.
Dangerous.
That was my first thought.
I immediately activated Great Sage to analyze them.
"Analysis in Progress…"
"…"
"…"
"ERROR. Unable to analyze targets."
… What?
That had never happened before.
I quickly asked Great Sage what went wrong.
"The present beings are not within available data parameters. Their existence exceeds current analysis capabilities."
… Exceeds analysis capabilities?
I didn't like that.
I didn't like that at all.
That just confirmed my suspicion. Whoever these people were… they weren't normal.
I forced myself to stay calm.
If they were here to attack, they would have done so already. The fact that they simply stood there meant they had no immediate hostile intentions.
For now.
I immediately sent a thought-communication to my generals.
"Do not engage. Do not provoke. Let me handle this."
I could feel their unease, especially Shion—who was itching for a fight—but they all listened and remained still.
Taking a deep breath, I stepped forward.
The pressure of their aura was crushing, but I refused to falter.
Then, I spoke.
"Who are you?"
My voice carried through the air, steady and firm.
The man—clearly their leader—smirked, his eyes gleaming with an amused, knowing look. The kind of look that said, "I hold all the cards."
His answer was slow, deliberate.
"Now, now, Rimuru Tempest… is that any way to greet honored guests?"
A chill ran down my spine.
They knew who I was.
And now, I had to find out—who exactly were they?