The Eastern Empire.
It was one of the oldest nations in existence.
Its formal name was the Nasca Namrium Umeria Eastern Union Unified Empire.
Its history stretched far back — it was said that the foundations of the nation were already being operated two thousand years ago.
The small kingdom of Nasca had, over the course of many long years, absorbed the great Namrius Magician Kingdom and the Umeria Eastern Union, giving birth to the empire that existed today.
All backed by its overwhelming military might.
And for two thousand years, it had suffered not a single rebellion, maintaining a grip of iron on its power.
Under the name of the Unified Emperor,
A system of absolute governance by a supreme ruler.
That was the true nature of the Nasca Namrium Umeria Eastern Union Unified Empire — the nation generally known as the "Eastern Empire."
The Emperor was a hegemon.
Descended from a warlike bloodline that had consolidated neighboring states through sheer overwhelming force, he was a pure-blooded combat maniac.
Under the principle that "strength is everything," the Empire maintained a military structure where promotion came purely through demonstrated ability.
The reason this army had not yet invaded across the Great Forest of Jura was singular — they simply were not yet ready.
Some 350 years ago, they had attempted to subjugate the "Storm Dragon" and failed, losing an entire city in the process. Those who had provoked the whimsical dragon's wrath were consumed along with their city before they had time to regret their actions.
The devastated city had housed a population of 100,000 at the time and was a major metropolis adjoining the eastern side of the Great Forest of Jura. It had also been a fortress city, built over a century to serve as a bridgehead for the conquest of the Great Forest.
With that city as a military base, they planned to break through the forest and expand the Empire's domain even further. The Emperor had been drawing up operational plans, burning with ambition.
To extend the Empire's territory beyond the Great Forest of Jura — that had become the Empire's century-long aspiration.
The sole purpose of expanding the domain of this wealthy Empire was simple.
Because the Emperor willed it.
There was no other reason, and not a single subject harbored complaints about this.
The plan had been progressing smoothly, the Empire's battle-hardened legions accumulating their power, ready to display their might.
And then, the order for invasion was issued in the Emperor's name.
The plan began to unravel when a single unit commander came up with a foolish idea.
Why not simply subjugate the lord of the Jura Forest while they were at it? After all, it was merely a lizard — no match for them!
That愚蠢 thinking led them to ruin.
What exactly they had done was not recorded accurately, for there was no one left to preserve documents and no place left to store them. Everything had been reduced to ash along with the rest.
The Empire's century-long aspiration, the Emperor's grand ambition — all returned to ashes in that manner.
And so time flowed on.
The Empire, lest it repeat its former mistake, had strictly forbidden all invasions into the Great Forest of Jura.
Even now, when the wounds inflicted by Veldora's fury had healed and the dragon had grown even more powerful, the Emperor had never once authorized an invasion operation.
Among the martial faction, there were those who seethed with frustration, but the upper echelons had sworn absolute loyalty to the Emperor and obeyed his commands without question.
Therefore, the voices of the newer martial faction members never reached the Emperor. Moreover, learning from the previous lesson, a purge conducted through iron discipline was carried out against anyone who took unauthorized action.
The Emperor had established an even more ironclad military apparatus than before and reigned supreme.
A second invasion could not be allowed to fail.
That was the shared conviction among the military's upper echelons — and proving their loyalty to the Emperor demanded that this be accomplished at all costs.
And then, two years ago, the Imperial Intelligence Division brought shocking news.
The disappearance of the "Storm Dragon" Veldora.
The Empire was shaken. Now — now was the time to fulfill their long-held aspiration! So argued voices that rose even among the military's upper echelons.
Those rigid, stubborn leaders whom the younger generation grumbled about behind their backs were, in fact, the ones harboring the fiercest and most intense ambitions of all.
Above all else — the fact that they had been made to exercise patience for so long on account of the Emperor was something they could no longer endure.
Emperor Rudra uttered a single phrase: "Make preparations."
The Empire was swept up in fervor.
After a long period of dormancy, the time had come to display their military might once more.
The Empire existed with both a political arm and a military arm as the Emperor's twin wings. Sovereign authority over politics and supreme command over the military both resided in the Emperor.
The Empire had no nobles wielding real power.
The House of Lords existed, but its members were simply holders of prestigious family names who had become legislators without an election. Those nobles who managed territories existed only as one-generation holders or in special circumstances.
Therefore, the Emperor's power was absolute.
Though the political structure resembled a federated system, the ultimate decision-making authority belonged not to the populace but to the Emperor. And the military was personally owned by the Emperor.
Defense forces stationed in each province were technically "loaned" by the Emperor.
For a single individual to govern a nation of this scale — it was an anomalous state of affairs.
Yet the very mechanism that made it possible was also what had secured the Empire's long peace — that too was an undeniably fact.
And that Emperor had issued his command.
Events began to move rapidly. Everyone felt a surge of excitement, yet preparations advanced without haste.
And before long, the time for completion arrived.
Heading toward the Empire was a single freight wagon.
In the cargo bed, a man missing his left arm lay sprawled out, and two women sat beside him.
In the driver's seat sat a knight clad in pitch-black armor.
It was Yuuki's party.
"By the way, is it really all right? Not healing your arm?"
Even a missing limb could be healed with a high-quality Recovery
There was no reason to deliberately remain inconvenienced by a one-armed state — even Kagali herself would think the same.
"Hm? It's fine, it's fine. No problem at all!
The Empire has mecha engineers. Since we're there anyway, I figured I'd have them fit me with a stylish prosthetic arm."
"Seriously? You talk like that, and that's exactly why you lost to someone like Leon!
You said you'd win easily, didn't you?
And then you went and got thoroughly beaten and had to flee for your life."
"Ahaha. Don't get so worked up. Leon turned out to be stronger than expected — can't be helped, right?
Besides, I lost, but as long as I'm not dead, it's not a defeat! Strikes a pose.
I even got an Ultimate Skill, snatched the power of the Chaos Dragon, and on top of that, stole that red knight's teleportation magic — which is how I got away. No problems at all."
Yuuki answered Kagali's complaints with irritating nonchalance.
He showed not the slightest hint of reflection. Seeing this, Kagali gave up and stopped grumbling.
In truth, the fight with Leon had been a complete defeat for Yuuki.
His trump cards had been useless, and even the stolen abilities had been no match.
He had been lucky enough to exploit the Chaos Dragon's disappearance — the source of the magnetic field disruption — and escape using the stolen teleportation magic, but one misstep and it would have been over.
That he showed no frustration whatsoever about this was, in a certain sense, rather admirable.
"In the first place, Master Yuuki, you were holding back, weren't you?
Admittedly, Leon was stronger than what I reported.
I bear some responsibility for that miscalculation, but...
Why didn't you use your full strength?"
At Kagali's words, Chloe opened her eyes — which she had kept shut — and fixed her gaze on Yuuki.
It had been only the briefest of moments, but Chloe had caught a glimpse of the true nature of Yuuki's power.
Since it had been so fleeting, Chloe — who struggled with analysis — had been unable to grasp the magnitude or characteristics of that power, but it had undeniably been what she believed to be an Ultimate Skill.
In other words, Yuuki had already awakened to some form of Ultimate Skill from the very beginning.
This was not something that could be ignored, and Chloe recognized that clearly.
"Aha ha ha ha, can't be helped! I can't exactly go all-out in front of Chloe.
I figured we'd end up fighting someday, and even if she's no good at analysis herself, she might relay the information to a Demon Lord who is good at it.
You shouldn't show your trump cards until the last possible moment, right?"
"Ah, I see... So, that's just an excuse for losing, then?"
"Hey! Kagali, that's a bit harsh, isn't it?"
Always deflecting with silly banter, never showing his true feelings — that was Yuuki.
But those last words had been sincere, Chloe sensed.
This incomprehensible person called Kagurazaka Yuuki.
His words were coated in lies, and he rarely ever spoke from the heart.
Take the matter with the children, for instance — *"Oh? You didn't know about that?
When the children become unstable and their energy begins to collapse, the conditions happen to align perfectly for a re-summoning.
If you exploit that, you can perform a new summoning.
That way, even failed summonings won't go to waste..."* Those words. Those were definitely lies.
For Yuuki, who possessed the Unique Skill "Summoner," there was no need to exploit that kind of energy collapse.
He could summon freely without waiting for such uncertain conditions. Well, if he had to specify conditions, once a month was probably the limit...
Even so, there was absolutely no need to recycle the children.
What struck Chloe, having observed him up close, was precisely that contradiction.
He claimed to want the world's destruction, yet he carried out his guild work diligently.
He said he would use the children, yet he ensured they received a proper education.
He would commit evil without hesitation, but she doubted he would engage in anything truly unnecessary. If he judged it necessary to compete against the Demon Lords, he would take children hostage or steal the heart of Black Knight Lord
And yet, for someone who supposedly desired the world's destruction in earnest, his actions were contradictory — it seemed impossible that he truly intended to succeed.
And also...
"Hey, why didn't you take everything — including her life — from that red knight woman?
If you'd wanted to, you could have stolen even her soul energy, couldn't you?"
Chloe asked, maintaining her unwavering gaze on Yuuki.
"Huh? What are you talking about? I did take it all, though?
Well, I suppose if even a little bit had remained, I wouldn't have been able to use the ability properly.
So hey, that means I could get even stronger, right?"
With that reply, Yuuki grinned cheerfully.
Getting a straight answer from him was impossible — Chloe concluded as much. If so, she should continue observing him.
This man who showed nothing of his true self, Kagurazaka Yuuki.
If he truly wished for the world's destruction, he would become Chloe's enemy above all else. That was precisely why she needed to see through him.
Rimuru, Leon, Luminous, Hinata, and the children.
All people precious to Chloe.
If he meant to destroy the world they inhabited, Chloe would designate him enemy without mercy and kill him.
But what if his goal was something else entirely?
At that moment, a city began to appear in the distance.
The destination — the capital of the Eastern Empire, "Nasca."
The city where Chloe and her companions would be staying, the capital of the world's greatest and most powerful military state.
Chloe closed her eyes once more.
There was much to think about, and thinking was not her strong suit.
First, she would observe. Judgment would come after. Kagurazaka Yuuki — his true nature.
In the end, all Chloe could do was "see."
The Imperial military organization comprised three major legions.
The Mechanized Legion — an army of mechanized soldiers fine-tuned by mecha engineers.
A modern armed force wielding tanks and similar vehicles, it was a symbol of the Empire's technology.
The Magical Beast Legion — magical beasts captured from around the world, from within the Empire's territory and beyond.
A legion that commanded and wielded the power of these magical beasts, it was a symbol of the Empire's strength.
The Mixed Legion — a dumping ground for non-standard mechanized soldiers and individual-type magical beasts incapable of coordinated action.
Too specialized for individual combat, they were considered unsuited to organized warfare.
However, their strength was an unknown quantity, and if unified under a single banner, they would become a formidable threat.
A symbol of the Empire's heart. But that heart was still young.
The formation of these units would have been impossible without the presence of "Otherworlders."
Their foreign technologies and special abilities had been leveraged to construct these incredibly powerful legions.
It was not only magical beasts that had been gathered from across the world.
Those possessing extraordinary abilities, those holding specialized knowledge.
"Otherworlders" were treated favorably within the Empire, and their numbers far surpassed those of any other nation.
It was for this reason that their cultures and characteristics were so prominently reflected.
Naturally, many possessed Unique Skills, and research into these was well underway.
The Empire's military technology had developed to a level that allowed no comparison, when viewed from these perspectives as well.
Additionally, separate from these three legions, there existed an Imperial Guard that served as the Emperor's personal protectors.
The smallest of the legions — more of a division in scale than a true legion — yet its combat power was on par with the other three legions combined.
Therefore, it was recognized as a legion not by sheer numbers but by effective military strength. It was the Empire's ultimate military force.
The Imperial military was faithful to the principle that "strength is everything."
For this reason, it was customary for the commander of these legions to be the strongest individual within the Empire.
Within the Empire, only two Grand Marshals existed. One was His Majesty the Emperor himself — the rank of Grand Marshal equated to the position of Emperor.
And the other — a person who had earned the Emperor's absolute trust and who effectively controlled the entirety of the Imperial military. This individual led the strongest Imperial Guard, protecting the Emperor.
That protection was absolute, and this person, said to be a powerhouse rivaling Demon Lords, guaranteed the Emperor's safety.
Below them stood three Great Generals. These Great Generals served as the commanders of each respective legion.
These four individuals stood at the apex of the Empire.
Each had been lent a full set of Mythical Grade equipment — treasured armaments of the Empire, their very existence questioned by some. Ultimate weapons.
The highest level of power, equipped with the ultimate armaments. Truly unmatched — their undefeated legend had persisted across the long ages.
And then the Imperial Guard.
This force consisted of a mere 100 members. However, the fact that only the top 100 selected from each legion were eligible to join the Imperial Guard spoke volumes about their exceptional abilities.
Naturally, among them were "Otherworlders" as well.
The Empire did not discriminate based on origin or birth. Evaluation was based purely on strength.
The top 100, gathered through this process, were provided with Legendary Grade equipment. The highest level of treatment was guaranteed.
Every single one was a senior officer, and under special operations, their authority was equivalent to at least the rank of Colonel. The Empire's strongest group — that was the Imperial Guard.
So how were the top 100 determined?
Through rank-seizure battles within the legions, with rankings constantly in flux.
The only system where upward challenge was permitted. Not allowed during military operations, but under the supervision of a third party, challenges from lower ranks to higher ranks were recognized.
Once a challenger was defeated, their right to challenge again would not be restored for one full year. It was a right that could only be exercised with absolute confidence in victory.
A thoroughly Imperial system — truly embodying "strength is everything."
The replacement of a legion commander would naturally be drawn from the Imperial Guard. Therefore, all who aspired to reach the top honed their own strength and bided their time for an opportunity.
And then — For the first time in decades, a legion commander was replaced.
A youth who had risen through the ranks with an unprecedented, historically abnormal speed of just one single year.
He had reached one of the pinnacles of power.
The youth who called himself Kagurazaka Yuuki, with a prosthetic left arm, broke all records in the shortest time and assumed the position of Mixed Legion Commander.
Without a single defeat, cutting down seasoned warriors along the way.
In the blink of an eye, he built up a faction, drawing in devoted followers. Among them were some who had been with him from the start, though few had noticed.
And now.
He had forged the previously disorganized Mixed Legion into a single, unified will.
The story of Kagurazaka Yuuki's rise would coincide with the reopening of the Empire's invasion.