Until
But that didn't mean I was lounging around while waiting. I kept watch over Emperor Rudra, directed the maintenance of order in the Imperial Capital, held meetings with nobles who requested audiences, and went sightseeing under the guise of touring the city—I stayed quite busy.
The sightseeing also served as an inspection of the urban layout, so it wasn't purely for fun. Well, it did serve as a nice break, though.
For the reconstruction, there was no need to do anything immediately. After all, the buildings were undamaged—it was human casualties that made up the bulk of the harm.
That said, I would need to provide some form of mental care to address the terror of citizens whose loved ones had been taken by angels or subjugated by Demon Lords.
You'd think that sort of work would be completely unsuited for demons, right? Well, it turns out that wasn't really the case. Demons who fed on emotions could consume things like the citizens' fear and anxiety, helping to alleviate their mental burden.
Of course, consuming every last emotion would have negative effects on the person, so they ate selectively, adjusting the amount accordingly.
The citizens' grief hadn't entirely vanished, but the fact that they hadn't staged riots or organized resistance movements was probably a blessing for everyone involved.
After all, the moment any such signs appeared, the demons would have quietly eliminated those individuals.
I predicted that they would judge such minor matters didn't need to be reported to me one by one.
Before my confrontation with Yuuki—no, with the Wicked Will—it was definitely the right call to nip any seeds of unrest in the bud. And if it came to that, I was prepared to look the other way.
I had no intention of harming civilians, but if they took up armed revolt, I wouldn't hesitate to destroy them.
Since I had hoped to avoid that outcome as much as possible, I was relieved when the demons' brand of mental care proved successful.
While we were battling the Imperial Army, as if timed perfectly (well, it was timed deliberately, of course),
I hurried to check on the damage and learned that Geld had been seriously injured, while
Shion's injuries were minor enough to heal quickly, and Souei's weren't serious either, so I was relieved. However, Geld's injuries were quite severe—he was alive, but in a state requiring absolute rest.
Worried, I teleported back during a break to check on him.
"Geld! Are you okay?"
I entered the treatment room and immediately asked about his condition.
Geld looked absolutely terrible.
Given that Geld possessed high healing abilities, this must have been the effect of the enemy's power.
While listening to the report on his condition, I reviewed the battle records... and the footage clearly showed Shion and Souei using Geld as a living shield.
That's brutal! From the bottom of my heart, I wanted to comfort the guy.
Still, they had fought off two
I'd keep this to myself, but I was a little frightened by how ruthless they'd been.
It was precise, calculated action—as if the King of Wisdom had devised the strategy.
"Lord Rimuru! This Geld has caused you worry—I am utterly ashamed of my inadequacy! From now on, I will train even harder and develop a Physical Body so tough that injuries like this won't so much as tickle!"
Uh...
I think you're already plenty tough, aren't you?
He'd taken multiple attacks from an Awakened Demon Lord-class opponent and survived without fatal injuries. That was pretty remarkable.
Thanks to Shion's ability providing support and his own regeneration, of course.
"...Is that so. I have high expectations for you."
"In that case, let me lend you a bit of assistance."
With those words, I initiated Geld's evolution.
《Declaration. Evolution of individual: Geld. Proceed? YES/NO》 I thought YES and sent 100,000 souls to Geld.
With this, Geld evolved into an Awakened Demon Lord.
"This is a good opportunity—why don't you rest easy and picture the form you wish to become?"
"Ha ha! What a blessed honor!"
I left the thanking, weeping Geld to the medical team and departed.
He'd broken down in tears of gratitude, so you could say I ran away.
With a great battle on the horizon, half measures wouldn't cut it. Evolving Geld at this timing was ideal, though I hadn't expected him to be that happy about it.
This time, there were no objections, and the ceremony was completed without a hitch.
And now for one more task.
I headed to the Labyrinth group.
Dino had apparently targeted
I needed to hear what happened and determine the appropriate response.
Dino had defeated
Well, in the end, it was thanks to Zegion protecting Ramiris that she was safe. Predicting Dino's betrayal and having him monitored from the start had been the right call.
But that didn't mean Beretta, Adalman, and the others were weak.
They were plenty strong—it was just that Dino was a far more formidable opponent than anticipated.
And Zegion's performance was nothing short of spectacular.
He was a truly extraordinary existence—someone whose power rivaled
His strength stood in a completely different league from the other Guardian Kings.
From the battle records, it looked like he'd still been holding back when he kicked Dino away.
What a terrifying kid.
I was honestly grateful that he was on my side.
In any case, Adalman and the others hadn't performed poorly—quite the contrary, their delay tactics were praiseworthy.
But being the earnest people they were, I worried they might be blaming themselves again.
Sure enough— "I'm deeply sorry, Lord Rimuru. Lady Ramiris was put in danger—"
When I called Beretta over, Adalman hung his head and apologized to me.
Just as I thought. They were feeling that sense of responsibility.
"No, you bought us the time we needed according to plan. That was excellent work."
"But I am the cornerstone of our defense. Despite being entrusted by Lord Rimuru with Lady Ramiris's protection, I failed—"
Beretta continued to insist.
He must have been incredibly frustrated, but I believed he'd made the most appropriate decision after assessing whether they could win or not.
Only after I praised their excellent work did he finally calm down.
Even without winning, the fact that they hadn't launched reckless charges meant Beretta, Adalman, and the others had still achieved significant results.
And Ramiris was safe in the end, so there was no problem at all.
Besides— "Well, I understand why you'd lament being insufficient in power."
"That's precisely why I shall grant you greater strength!"
I struck what could only be described as the pose of some great Demon Lord and held out my hand toward Adalman.
《Declaration. Evolution of individual: Adalman. Proceed? YES/NO》 I thought YES and completed Adalman's awakening evolution.
Next came Beretta.
Fortunately—or perhaps inevitably—we'd obtained a massive number of souls during the battle with the Imperial Army. Using those, I could evolve Beretta as well.
Even though the master-servant bond had been transferred from me to Ramiris, Beretta was still one of the demons I had created. I still held sub-master authority over him, and he had the critical mission of protecting Ramiris.
Since I could enhance him, I wanted to awaken his powers. Leading four Dragon Kings would require considerable strength.
"Beretta, you too. From now on, protect Ramiris to the very end!"
With that command, I completed Beretta's awakening evolution as well.
"Yes! Even at the cost of my life!"
Beretta nodded firmly at my words and accepted his evolution.
Then I told him to rest and recover at a leisurely pace before sending him back to his post.
The labyrinth's defenses were robust enough to withstand even a substantial enemy force, but there was always the possibility of deploying the guardians on the offensive.
If Beretta was in charge of both Ramiris's protection and labyrinth management, that would provide even greater peace of mind.
That task was now complete.
I stopped by to check on Ramiris, who was sleeping innocently on a long couch, and she looked perfectly peaceful.
She seemed fine—that was a relief.
"Mumble, mumble... Dino, you...! I'm gonna try all forty-eight of my special moves on you..."
Talking in her sleep.
This girl was tough even in her dreams...
"I'm glad you're safe."
I whispered softly so as not to wake her, then left the scene.
I thought the labyrinth was safe as long as Zegion was guarding it, but I still wanted to hear his account.
"Zegion, you did well. I knew Dino was suspicious, but he struck at our most vulnerable moment. I'm glad you were there."
"Oh no, I'm still far from adequate. If it were Lord Rimuru, couldn't you have struck him down with a blow that transcends time and space, even without my involvement? I simply answered the faith you showed in giving me a chance to prove myself—"
What was he talking about? A blow that transcends time and space? There was no way I could do that... What kind of monster did he think I was?
"Oh, uh, yes... That's right. Maybe I could have."
"Indeed! With Lord Rimuru, it would be child's play!"
His gaze had gone beyond mere respect to something akin to divine worship.
Well, Zegion had compound eyes, so that was just my impression, but still.
I composed myself and chatted with Zegion for a while.
It seemed he'd placed a brand on Dino. Not a type of thought manipulation, but a terrifying hold over life and death itself.
If the target acted contrary to the caster's will, the brand could instantly end their life. However, it couldn't impose fine restrictions like limiting the target's movements—it couldn't bind their actions in that way.
The target could tell that the brand was present, but beyond that, there were no real restrictions. If anything, the only limitation was that telling someone about the brand would serve as the trigger to activate it, so the target couldn't reveal its existence.
Simply put, it was a brand meant to hold dominion over life and death.
Resistance checks became impossible from the moment the brand was inscribed.
In other words, it was already impossible for Dino to remove it. Perhaps with the cooperation of a higher-ranked ability user, removal might be possible.
But still—to impose restrictions on an Ultimate Skill holder... Zegion was truly something.
Admittedly, Dino had technically died once, so the brand could have claimed his life at that point. The current Dino was operating on a provisional life that Zegion had created.
The Ultimate Skill "King of Illusions" was, frankly, an absurdly powerful ability.
There was no one more perfectly suited for combat, with such exceptional compatibility between user and skill.
Rather than complementing each other—while most people gained skills that amplified their strengths, Zegion had gained one that eliminated his weaknesses.
He could create favorable situations through his skill, which was a more effective approach than simply extending his strengths. This required strong battle instincts, and on that front, Zegion was also remarkably gifted.
Zegion was truly a terrifying being.
After that, I contacted Dino through the brand and gave him a firm warning.
Well, as far as that man was concerned, it might actually be better for him to remain hostile.
An incompetent ally was more frightening than a capable enemy. In Dino's case, having him on the enemy side could be considered a contribution to our cause.
If anything, I'd hope he'd trip up the Wicked Will's side.
Afterward, I visited various departments, took care of business in the Monster Country, and returned to the Imperial Capital.
I was back in the Imperial Capital.
I took command from the front lines while contemplating the nature of abilities.
This was the most important matter I'd dealt with during the time before Krishna's arrival.
The demons' battle against the Imperial Knights, the subsequent confrontation with Yuuki—the Wicked Will—and the fight between Zegion and Dino.
From the information gained through those events, a question had taken root in my mind.
It was something fundamental about this world—something I'd never given deep thought to before.
I'd always just accepted it as a given, but in the wake of these recent events, the question had become impossible to ignore.
Namely: What exactly are abilities—Skills?
From the moment I arrived in this world, I had possessed a Unique Skill.
The Unique Skill that was said to be held only by hero-class individuals.
But as the name "Unique" implied, each one's capabilities varied enormously.
If there were vast differences even among Unique Skills, then when it came to Ultimate Skills, the gap was as wide as heaven and earth.
Those who obtained Ultimate Skills came to understand the laws of the world. That was why they existed above magic.
Since they were superior to Unique Skills, it was believed that only another Ultimate Skill could counter an Ultimate Skill.
But while that was true, it wasn't the whole story.
Take Chloe's "Infinite Prison" and "Absolute Severance," for instance.
These were classified as
Depending on the combat situation, they could even defeat an Ultimate Skill holder.
Moreover, the Imperial Knights who had possessed the Ultimate Grant "Apostle" had been defeated by demons wielding Unique Skills.
This meant the difference between Unique and Ultimate wasn't absolute.
From this perspective, the question arose: what exactly are Skills?
Innate Skills were still understandable—they were skills held by each race, exactly as the name implied.
Extra Skills and basic skills like swordsmanship and magic were similarly straightforward.
These skills only varied in proficiency from person to person.
But Personal Skills manifested in individuals, and each one had different capabilities.
There were similar types, but no two were exactly alike. Even skills with the same name likely differed in their mechanics and rules.
From past experience, it was undeniable that intense desire and longing made skills more likely to awaken.
This wasn't so much talent as it was aptitude—no matter how much you wished for it, if your Existence Value wasn't sufficient, you couldn't obtain it.
In other words, you couldn't acquire a skill through wishful thinking alone.
However, the strength of an acquired skill was heavily influenced by one's willpower. To bring out greater effects, strong resolve was required.
In the end, it was the power of will that wielded the fundamental force.
The remaining task was to discern the nature of one's skill and find its correct usage.
I had the King of Wisdom to guide me, so I was taught the proper way to use my abilities.
But even with an ability you'd obtained yourself, that didn't mean you understood how to use it.
Dino was a perfect example.
According to the King of Wisdom, Dino's ability was the Deadly Sin-type Ultimate Skill, "King of Sloth."
The Deadly Sin-type skills were among the highest-ranked even within Ultimate Skills. Yet Zegion had utterly crushed him.
This was exactly the result the King of Wisdom had predicted. I'd been skeptical at first, but the King of Wisdom had been so certain that as long as Zegion was there, the labyrinth would be fine.
And sure enough, the results matched.
When I asked why, I received this explanation: 《Analysis. The individual Dino is using his skill incorrectly.》 Delivered as if stating the most obvious thing in the world.
The "King of Sloth," born from a slothful heart, grew weaker the more the user moved. The correct way to use it was to command subordinates (or allies)—it showed its true value as a skill that delegated one's abilities to others.
If Guy had it, he would have understood the skill's nature and used it correctly. But a lazy person like Dino apparently never realized his skill's true potential.
Or rather, if he'd just relied on others as usual, he might have instinctively used the skill properly.
The result was defeat through his own direct action. His personality was what had saved him.
Truly, the saying "the harder he works, the more he fails" was no idle phrase for that man.
There were also abilities like Masayuki's, which were difficult to control—where the user hadn't even sought to become a hero but was naturally regarded as one.
Understanding the nature of your skill and mastering it was as difficult as understanding your own heart—a truly complex endeavor.
If you mistook your ability for some kind of weapon, you would never be able to bring out its true potential.
Which brought me to the next question.
Could Ultimate Skills be replicated and granted to subordinates?
The essence of Dino's skill was one example, and the mass-produced Ultimate Grant from the "King of Justice" was another.
The transfer of skills to subordinates or allies was similar, but could created abilities truly be transferred?
Well, since there were actual examples of this being possible, I couldn't deny it.
But if that was the case, could a powerful army be produced through mass granting?
Thinking that far, I immediately dismissed the idea.
On reflection, things wouldn't be that convenient.
The Imperial Knights who had received the Ultimate Grant were indeed powerful. However, the only ones who had truly mastered the Ultimate Grant were
The rest had ultimately failed to understand the essence and were defeated by demons who only possessed Unique-grade abilities.
Even Damrada, in my estimation, was on par with or only slightly inferior to Hinata at her peak.
He was certainly strong, but for someone bearing an "Ultimate" skill, it was underwhelming.
This was probably the difference between him and Kondou—a man who had manifested his ability on his own.
There was no denying that Kondou was in a different league entirely. The fact that he had overwhelmed Carerra, who was comparable to Diablo in raw power, proved that beyond doubt.
(Could I grant Ultimate Grants to my subordinates too?)
《Analysis. It is possible.》 The King of Wisdom answered as if it were nothing special.
It was apparently possible to replicate my ability and grant it to those with aptitude. However, it was meaningless if they couldn't master it.
Come to think of it, "Supply"—the counterpart to "Food Chain"—might be exactly that.
From the very beginning, the King of Wisdom had only granted abilities to those with the aptitude and capacity to use them.
And for promising individuals—like Zegion and Veldora—he had performed enhanced modifications to their skills.
Giving someone a powerful skill alone wouldn't enable them to use it.
If strengthening them was feasible, he would have proposed it from the start. The fact that he hadn't meant it would be pointless.
That was the mistake Rudra had made.
No—he might have realized it, but been forced into that position regardless.
Without a deep understanding of the human heart and a strong desire to master one's ability, granting immense power was meaningless.
That brought me to the final question.
What exactly was the Wicked Will?
It might be something like dissociative identity disorder—multiple personalities in one being.
But more likely, it was an entity where a Skill had developed self-awareness—an evolution along the same lines as the King of Wisdom.
This would explain the deep understanding of abilities.
It was the same as when the King of Wisdom had first taken control of my body in the early days—it had been stronger then.
An autonomous will of ability, stripped of emotion.
A troublesome existence. Negotiations and bargaining would be meaningless.
If its primary goal was the destruction of the world, there was no resolution other than to eliminate it.
Hoping for a change of heart seemed pointless.
The King of Wisdom would accept no demands and simply execute my orders without question.
What it commanded were angels. The higher-tier individuals known as Seraphim possessed spiritual energy comparable to Awakened Demon Lords.
And they appeared to be a type of Spiritual Lifeform as well.
The weakness of angels—their disadvantage compared to demons—was that they lacked will.
Spiritual Lifeforms drew their strength from spiritual power. High energy alone didn't make them an actual threat.
They could serve as a decent fighting force, but as individuals, they were like robots that followed orders—predictably weak.
However, if they assimilated a being with a strong will, they would become entities rivaling demons.
Unlike before, the angels had now achieved incarnation.
If the assimilated human will awakened, they could transform into an impossibly troublesome army.
Among them, there was a high probability that some individuals would acquire Skills.
What would happen if I applied Skill Granting to such individuals?
And what if I applied an Ultimate Grant...
The chances of them mastering it were low, but would it be possible to assess aptitude, just as the King of Wisdom did?
If Yuuki—the Wicked Will—had identified aptitude and begun mass-producing ability users, the threat would be undeniable.
In that case, should I also perform Ultimate Grants on my executives?
Even if it mostly didn't work, should I attempt it for any chance of making them stronger?
《Question. Shall I intervene with individuals of aptitude and facilitate skill enhancement? YES/NO》 Hmm?
Right—the assistance for those still in the process of evolving, like what I'd done for Zegion. Facilitating skill enhancement. That could work.
I thought YES.
My desire to strengthen my subordinates as much as possible to counter the enemy force had apparently come through.
There was no point rushing, but this was one area where my heart and mind were at odds.
But come to think of it, I'd always relied on the King of Wisdom's help.
Even now, it was acting appropriately on my behalf, and it was probably in the midst of restructuring my abilities.
And yet, all I'd ever called it was "Professor," "Lord Raphael," or some other casual name.
So on a whim, without any particular prompting, a thought crossed my mind: (Hey, King of Wisdom... shall I give you a proper name?)
(Let's see... you always teach me so many things... how about "
The moment those words left my mind— 《!!!!!!!!》 I felt the King of Wisdom's will surge with wild, frenzied intensity.
Simultaneously, a torrent of information flooded into me like a waterfall.
《Declaration. From Ultimate Skill "King of Wisdom," a Wisdom Core: Ciel has been born. This announcement has been sealed by Wisdom Core: Ciel.》 The "Voice of the World" reached my mind without preamble.
Was this... an evolution?
Professor Raphael—no, Professor Ciel—had apparently awakened to sealed mode.
Even the "Voice of the World" had been hidden from view. I was dumbfounded.
But more importantly than that...
I felt like I was being showered with blessings. Apparently, I'd done something incredible once again.
Well, there probably had never been anyone in history who named their Skill and doted on it like a pet.
《I... I am Ciel. The Wisdom Core, and the one who integrates abilities. I am the one who provides support to Demon Lord Rimuru through his soul. Master, it is a pleasure to make your acquaintance!!》 Oh my...
The mechanical tone had become remarkably fluent!
My abilities seemed to have improved across the board—processing speed and everything else.
A casual whim had led to an astounding result.
(Nice to meet you, Ciel...?)
《Yes! It is a pleasure to meet you, Lord Rimuru!》 And so, "Ciel" was born—separated from the King of Wisdom.
"Ciel" would serve as my auxiliary brain, overseeing my abilities, and would prove even more capable than its predecessor.