Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (LN) - Volume 21 - Chapter Pr

Prologue - Time for Decision

The monsters were shaken. They realized that Rimuru was their only hope. The report sent shivers down the spines of the leaders of Tempest.

Benimaru woke up on a bed in the infirmary of the recreation facility in the labyrinth, where Souei had carried him. Not much time had passed since the siege of the Sacred Tree. A great sense of loss made him jump out of bed. The same was true for Gabil and Geld, who were sleeping next to Benimaru. At the same time, they woke up as if in unison.

The executives gathered in the "Control Room" set up in the labyrinth. Eight members of the "Twelve Guardians of the Labyrinth" were present: Diablo, Zegion, and Kumara, who were assigned to guard the labyrinth; Benimaru, Gabil, Geld; Ranga, who lurked in Gobta's shadow and healed his wounds; and then Testarossa, who had returned urgently from the Kingdom of Ingracia.

Testarossa, with a strong sense of responsibility, threw everything into the hands of her men and rushed to the scene, stressing the gravity of the situation. Naturally, Shuna, Rigurd, and the others in charge of politics, Gobta, Apito, and others were also there. Excluding those currently in battle, all who were able to move were present.

Ramiris, who had become the master of the Control Room, gasped at the report. The labyrinth was under attack from hostile forces. However, the information was far more important than such a situation. Ramiris was filled with disbelief. Beretta and Treyni were also upset, though they did not say much. Charys, who had sent Veldora off to stay at home, was also unable to maintain his composure.

It was Souei, who had been watching the situation most closely through 'Clone,' who brought the report. Souei told them that Rimuru had disappeared.

"Is it true that Rimuru-sama disappeared?" Benimaru asked on behalf of everyone, though he did not doubt Souei's words. On the contrary, he felt the connection with Rimuru inside him had disappeared, which was why he asked Souei to deny his words.

"Yeah... I'm sure. There was no room for me to be in the escort..." Souei replied with a voice filled with regret, but no one complained. After hearing Souei's report, it seemed the result would have been the same no matter who was there. After all, Rimuru himself, whom everyone trusted, had been helplessly caught in the enemy's hands. Now was the time to think of countermeasures rather than to complain and hold Rimuru accountable for his actions.

Silence reigned in the Control Room. Then suddenly, the desk shattered with a roaring sound. "This happened while I was with you..." Souei, who usually kept his cool and never got angry in any situation, smashed the desk in a fit of rage.

Testarossa closed her eyes and agreed with Souei's words. Yes, it was normal to think so. "I couldn't do anything either..." Testarossa's mind was covered with an unshakeable sense of guilt that she had sent Rimuru, whom she respected and admired, into the battle. Therefore, she could not refute Souei's words. She could not even console him. All she could do was contemplate her own helplessness. This was not only Testarossa's view but also the common view of those present.

However, Diablo responded to this. "Don't be so conceited, Souei. All you're doing is causing one more person to die for nothing." With a cold, disdainful look, he cut Souei's comment to pieces.

"Kuh..." Diablo's words were truthful, although they were not reserved or considerate. Souei understood this and could only remain silent, unable to retort. He was ashamed of his inadequacy and had to bear the pressure of losing Rimuru. Diablo let out a sigh of relief.

"You are out of line, Diablo," Testarossa said. She let out a breath and continued, "Anyone here would have been the same in the face of Milim-sama's outburst. Diablo, isn't it the same for you?" Testarossa looked at Diablo with disbelief. She was smart enough to understand Diablo's intention. He was trying to provoke the anger of those present by playing the role of a villain. If we are to face despair, we must raise our emotions. We are creatures who are consumed by despair if we only mourn. We need the will to live. The quickest way to get it was to burn with anger. Diablo knew this. And so did Testarossa. That is why she could read Diablo's thoughts and see through them to their end. And that was something Testarossa could not tolerate.

"Diablo, you're just going to incite everyone's anger here and get yourself exiled, aren't you? And then you're going to challenge Feldway?" Testarossa asked categorically.

"No." Diablo thought disgustedly, ‘This is why I don't like this woman.’ He had known her for a long time, so he couldn't hide anything from her. Diablo seemed to be calm, but in fact, he was desperate. ‘Why didn't you take me with you, Rimuru-sama?’ He was trying so hard to control his grief that was driving him crazy. Testarossa accurately sensed Diablo's state of mind. Therefore, she mercilessly accused him with a verbal blade.

"I heard you made a fool of yourself in front of Rimuru-sama."

"What?"

"You couldn't do anything because you were stuck in time, right? How underwhelming."

Hearing this, Diablo also refuted, "Kufufufu... I heard that you, too, missed a small fry, didn't you?" Diablo's eyes did not smile. His eyes were serious, ready to kill Testarossa. The Control Room was on edge. Silence reigned, and everyone was sad and desperate. Geld and Gabil, who had been wounded in the previous battle, looked mystified and refused to open their mouths. Kumara was pale and trembled. Benimaru clenched his fists tightly to suppress the surge of anger.

Ramiris was on the verge of tears and was lying on her face. In times of trouble, Rimuru had always been able to help. Rimuru is gone now. In a sense, it was fortunate that Shion, the most short-tempered person, was not here. If not, we cannot deny the possibility that Shion's words and actions might have dragged us all to the worst possible way, that is, to be crushed by the enemy.

-But that is just a possibility.

There was still one person in this room who did not waver. Breaking the immovable silence, Zegion moved. He uncrossed his arms and arose.

 Then he said gravely, "Nonsense. What are you worried about? What does it matter that Rimuru-sama has disappeared?"

Zegion remained steadfast. As if questioning everyone's agitation, he said so. From his attitude, we could see that Zegion truly believed that Rimuru could not be destroyed. "If Rimuru-sama is our Lord, he will return even from the end of time and space. If not, there must be a reason." Zegion asserted strongly. These were the words that everyone present had hoped for. A fire of hope was lit in everyone's hearts.

Assessing the reactions of everyone, Zegion continued, "Infantile. We are not mere children abandoned by our parents. Think deeply. And feel. We still have the blessing of Rimuru-sama!" Zegion's words were natural, and his conviction was unquestioning. He was trying to blow away everyone's fears by showing his unflappable attitude.

Testarossa was also impressed by Zegion. Her mood improved, and before she knew it, she had a faint smile on her face. She was not the only one who felt so. Everyone realized that he was right. Everyone present was convinced by Zegion's words. The bond that connects souls seems to have been cut off, but this is not equal to the disappearance of Rimuru. There was still a sense of being enveloped by a warm presence that we could not perceive.

Is it just a residue, or... Be calm, says Zegion. The connection may have been broken, but Rimuru's Blessing had not disappeared. Some of us had noticed it, but we were worried that we were just being wishful thinkers. I thought that it would be better not to expect anything from the beginning than to have false hopes.

But I was wrong. It is only when we do not give up until the end that the way opens up for us. You can worry about it later. For now, let us do what we can do. That's what we all promised ourselves. Hope becomes fuel and burns hot.

"Know that we are being tested by Rimuru-sama. We are not so vulnerable that we must rely entirely on Rimuru-sama. But if we cannot do anything without Rimuru-sama, then -" Zegion said with strong conviction that those who are too weak to leave their parents' nests should be destroyed according to the natural order of things.

These are words that everyone can only sympathize with. "That's right," Benimaru agreed with a large nod of his head. Thinking back, I think I have been relying on him since the time we first met. Benimaru remembers his former failure. He was so upset just because the connection with Rimuru had been severed that he had caused extensive damage to his friends in the Farmus Incident. At that time, Benimaru made a vow. He vowed to be the kind of person who

He vowed to be the kind of person who could lead others without relying on Rimuru. And that he would never repeat such a tragedy again.

Zegion, a newcomer to the group, reminded Benimaru of this determination. It was a bitter disappointment for him, as the person who was entrusted by Rimuru to take care of the rest of the project. Now that Rimuru is no longer with them, the responsibility for all of this rests on Benimaru's shoulders. Now was the time for Benimaru to take a stand. No matter how anxious he was, he should not show it. It was the responsibility and duty of a leader.

So Benimaru smiled wryly. "Well, we have to prove to Rimuru-sama that we can handle it so that he will not worry when he comes back."

Benimaru spoke in his usual tone, to which Gobta nodded his head and cheerfully responded, "Exactly! Just because Rimuru-sama disappeared doesn't mean he is dead! He's a stubborn man, he'll come back to us even if something happens to him!"

Rigur laughed at this comment. "Gobta! You're still talking like a jerk!" Rigur said, while dropping a fist on Gobta.

"Indeed. We've always depended on Rimuru-sama. As Benimaru-sama said, we should do our work to honor Rimuru-sama," Geld added gravely. All the executives nodded their heads in agreement.

"Right! You can't just depend on us all the time!" Gobta joked, sparking everyone's annoyance and laughter.

At this point, there was no one left to look down and lament. The time for lamenting was over.

"True, I became anxious just because Rimuru-sama was not here. Rimuru-sama would laugh at me like this!" Gabil also expressed his regret.

"Souei-dono's words make me doubt that Rimuru-sama has been eliminated, but it is impossible for Rimuru-sama to be defeated. It must be some kind of a plan," Geld also expressed his opinion gravely. This also made everyone think that this possibility could not be denied.

"Yes, yes! Well, I trusted Rimuru and I wasn't worried at all!" Ramiris regained her energy and said in a good tone. The labyrinth group nodded in agreement.

"Exactly! Rimuru-sama can't lose!" said Kumara. The atmosphere was revitalized as everyone expressed their hopes for the future.

Seeing this, Benimaru also thought, I wasn't the only one who relied on Rimuru-sama. I did not mean to spoil them, but their presence made a big difference. Just by being there, we all felt at ease.

"It sounds good to rely on them, but it's the same thing as putting the responsibility on them," Benimaru said casually but seriously. Everyone could think of something like that, and their faces tightened up.

"I think I've always left everything to him. This is a good opportunity. Let us get through this difficult time with our own power!" Benimaru declared.

Rigurd nodded his head in agreement with Benimaru's declaration. "Yes, that's the spirit! Let's do our best so that we can welcome Rimuru-sama with smiles on our faces!"

Souei followed him. He thanked Zegion lightly and expressed his regret. "I'm sorry, Zegion, for not being cool about what I did."

Souei, cool as always, was quietly burning with determination. Starting with this, everyone made a declaration of their determination one after another.

Finally, Diablo started to laugh. "Kufufufu... Oh dear, I didn't need to give you any encouragement, did I?"

Zegion responded to Diablo's aloofness, "You're too much!"

"Is that so? If you don't wake up here, you're no good to Rimuru-sama, aren't you?" Diablo retorted.

"But that doesn't mean you have to waste your power in the face of the enemy," Testarossa interjected.

Diablo laughed as he was passed over. On the large screen, there was an image of the "enemy" marching through the labyrinth. As Zegion said, this is not the time to argue among ourselves. Still, this was a necessary ritual. At least, if they could not change their minds at this point, defeat would be what awaited them after the battle. Diablo had read it all. But now that worry was gone.

"You are right, Zegion. We must prove to Rimuru-sama that we can fight on our own so that he will not be disappointed. There is no time to be discouraged here. We must quickly destroy the fools who have invaded the labyrinth, and at the same time, we must go to the rescue of Carrera and the others who are now in the ice. Now that everyone's consciousness has switched, it's not impossible," Diablo said.

"Yes, that's the plan. Let's quickly settle this world and have Rimuru-sama come back to us," Testarossa said with a smile. She continued, stating her plan for the future, "If Veldora-sama has gone to Ultima, we don't need to worry anymore. Then I will go to help Carrera."

Diablo nodded. "I know you're going to ask why I'm helping you, but we have to rescue Milim-sama's men, too. I'm counting on you."

With these words, Testarossa moved. Now that she had approved the plan, there was no hesitation in her decision. After looking away from Testarossa, Benimaru turned his attention back to Diablo.

"So, Diablo, what are you going to do?"

Diablo looked at the big screen, smiled wryly, and said what he really meant. "I was going to get rid of Feldway and give this world to Rimuru-sama, but I've changed my mind. If we don't strengthen the defense of this land, we may be disobeying Rimuru-sama's order."

The tone was casual, but the content was something that could not be ignored. Zegion reacted with a start.

Benimaru asked on behalf of everyone, "What? Do you think they are a threat?"

Benimaru also looked at the image of the enemy. The information of the enemy was displayed on the screen, and the approximate existence value of the enemy was also calculated and displayed. They were Vega, Dino, Pico and Garasha, and Mai Furuki, the "Seven Angels of Death." Each of them exceeded the figure of one million easily, and some of them exceeded ten million. They were definitely a threat, but not enough to bother Diablo, Benimaru thought.

"Sure, I'm not at my best right now, but Zegion is here too. You are free to move around without any concern," Diablo did not change his mind.

"Just in case, you know. Of course, it doesn't mean I don't believe in Zegion," Diablo responded.

"Don't worry about it. I'm just doing my job," Zegion said with conviction. His words were filled with his determination to protect all the beings in the labyrinth.

"If you've made up your mind, I'm going to go now," Zegion said, always unfazed. He turned his back and walked away, followed by Apito, who bowed and left. The labyrinth had the strongest guardian, Zegion. There was nothing to fear.

Ramiris' expression softened at this reassurance. "Well, well. With Zegion-chan, we are safe." Beretta and Treyni, who had remained silent, could not help but nod their heads at these words. It was frustrating, but everyone agreed that Zegion was a capable man.

"I'm going to concentrate on my recovery," Geld said, closing his eyes. He suppressed his impetuousness to fulfill his role, saying that it was his job to rest now.

"I, too, must rest before my turn!" Gabil was also badly injured, though not as badly as Geld. He was more mana-depleted than Geld and was out of gas. His wounds were healed, but his physical recovery had not caught up with the others. Like Geld, he was right to rest now.

Gabil was also worried about the old Eurazania, which he said was iced over. He was worried about his friends Carrera and the others, but he was also concerned about the safety of Suphia, who unexpectedly became his girlfriend. If it were true, he would have run away, ignoring his injuries. But Gabil had a responsibility. He had to understand what he could do and what he had to do now, and he had to do it. Gabil swallowed his many thoughts and devoted himself to his medical treatment.

Thus, the executives of Tempest began to move. Their faces were full of power, their anxiety dispelled. They were shining with strong will. They were no longer the children who could do nothing without Rimuru, as Zegion had said. They knew their roles and were doing their best to fulfill them. They would not disgrace the name of Demon Lord Rimuru. They aimed to have the returning Rimuru recognize and praise their abilities. Now was the time for them to leave the protection of their Name Granter (Rimuru).