Day three of the great war, in the Holy Papal State of Lubelius.
She had finally found an outlet for the raging fury that had been churning inside her...
On the first day of the great war, Shion and Adalman had been dispatched by Demon Lord Rimuru to reinforce Demon Lord Luminas.
Led by Adalman, who had once visited Luminas's stronghold to help set up a Transfer Gate alongside Geld, Shion made her way there. Despite the ongoing battle against the Angel Army, an air of calm pervaded the place.
Luminas lounged elegantly across a long sofa, draped languidly across its cushions.
Then, upon seeing Shion and the others arrive, she said with perfect composure: "To think that Rimuru would send reinforcements against something as trivial as the Angel Army — that man truly is a worrier. Yes, if we fell, the humans would be in danger too, but... isn't this a bit excessive? Even I didn't expect him to act so quickly."
She declared this without a shred of concern.
But — "No... Lord Rimuru anticipated that Demon Lord Dagruel would betray us and attack this location."
When Shion gave her reply, Luminas froze.
Even Luminas, who had been confident of maintaining the upper hand against the Angel Army, understood that facing Dagruel's forces simultaneously was an entirely different matter. If Dagruel — one of the ancient Demon Lords — were to move, the situation could no longer be viewed with any optimism.
"Summon everyone immediately! We need to discuss countermeasures!"
At Luminas's command, orders went out to the Seven Great Nobles and the rest of her senior officers. Fortunately, night had fallen and the Angels had begun to withdraw. Thanks to this, officers who had been engaged in battle were able to assemble for the meeting.
Without delay, everyone gathered in the conference hall where a light dinner had been prepared. The attendees included the Seven Great Nobles, the "Seven Star Sages," Holy Knight Arnaud as their representative, along with various adjutants, knight commanders, and the influential demonic nobility.
Once Luminas confirmed that everyone had arrived and offered her thanks, she announced the commencement of the meeting.
The meeting began.
Shion spoke first, relaying Rimuru's predictions — the movements of the various Angel factions, the situation across the theater of war, and the fact that Dagruel had taken action, along with the strategic implications.
"This is... absurd. If Demon Lord Dagruel has mobilized, this location will be caught in a pincer attack from heaven and earth. With no defense at our backs, if this place falls, the heartland falls with it!"
Arnaud cried out in shock, his voice straining. For him, who served as the cornerstone of humanity's defense, this territory represented the final defensive line.
The demons, however, showed relatively little agitation. The possibility of abandoning this land and escaping on their own was already within their range of consideration. After all, they had once abandoned nations destroyed by Veldora and arrived here, believing that the world held vast expanses of land that would welcome them.
Not everyone felt that way, though. The higher-ups wore expressions of bitter contemplation, as though chewing on something foul.
Luminas among them.
She listened with a sidelong glance as Arnaud pushed back against the representatives of the noble faction, who argued that they should protect only their own citizen-faithful and relocate to build a new nation. Meanwhile, she continued her own deliberation.
Abandoning a nation was easy. For beings like them — demons — founding a new state was no great labor.
The real problem was that there was no guarantee the Angels would not pursue them if they fled. No — they most certainly would. This was a force that had declared its intent to annihilate the world and destroy every sentient being. The notion that they would let Luminas and her people go was inconceivable.
Moreover, a fighting retreat while protecting non-combatants was, frankly speaking, so lopsided as to be laughable.
"Silence."
And so Luminas spoke a single, cold word, bringing the room to order.
"I could not care less what happens to the humans, honestly. If their numbers are simply going to grow again, then a modest decrease changes nothing — that is the plain truth. Yes... if they are going to grow, that is. But since the enemy has declared it will destroy everything, there is no guarantee that anyone — human or otherwise — will survive.
Therefore, I believe we must defend this land. And let me be absolutely clear: this is not for the sake of the humans.
You may all flee if you wish. But do you truly believe that if only we survive, we can face the Angel Army alone? Think about it. The other Demon Lords are fighting to protect the people of their own territories. Partly because that is what their contracts demand, but also because of the pride that comes with being a sovereign.
Guy, for all his ways...
Rimuru, the newcomer, was perceptive enough to see through Dagruel's betrayal and send us reinforcements. If we were to flee in the face of that, we could never again hold our heads high. We do not live simply to survive. We live with pride — that is what makes us nobles, what makes us kings.
Flight is not permitted. Prioritize victory, and devise the means to achieve it!
Victory to us!"
"VICTORY TO US!!"
The conference hall was enveloped in a quiet fervor. In an instant, the group coalesced into a unified resolve.
Upon understanding Luminas's determination, her demonic subordinates accepted it without hesitation. Luminas's charisma as a Demon Lord was no mere pretense — she had seized their hearts and minds.
And with that fervor still burning, the meeting turned to detailed planning for the defensive battle.
In the end, they resolved to allocate just barely sufficient forces against the Angel Army, and to deploy the remainder against Dagruel. The Angels were fortunate in that they lacked any truly powerful individual commanders, and that day's fighting had not been especially grueling.
To guard against complacency, however, a mobile reserve unit was also organized. Given that they were compelled to fight on two fronts simultaneously, the standing order was to send reinforcements toward whichever side was struggling.
This mobile unit bore an enormous responsibility. With limited reserves, they could not expect to call upon further reinforcements.
Each Demon Lord was already stretched to the limit defending their own domain. The fact that Demon Lord Rimuru had sent reinforcements at all was, from Luminas's perspective, something to be grateful for. Without that aid, subjected to a pincer attack from above and below, they would have had no room to even consider retreat — destruction would have been inevitable.
Through his swift grasp of the situation and timely provision of intelligence and troops, Demon Lord Rimuru had effectively saved them.
"Hmm. One debt owed, then —"
Luminas admitted it inwardly, albeit grudgingly.
And so, the forces of Luminas, based in the Holy Papal State of Lubelius, designated this land as the stage for the final battle.
Against the Angel Army, the Holy Knights led by Arnaud and the Blood-Red Knights under the noble faction would take the field.
The Seven Great Nobles and the "Seven Star Sages" — those of considerable power — would serve as the mobile reserve.
Against the traitor Dagruel, Shion and her personal guard would hold the line.
They would be joined by Adalman and her subordinate Death Knight corps. Through summoning magic that night, Adalman had begun calling forth her subordinates from the Labyrinth. While summoning an entire legion in a single night proved impossible, she pledged that given two days, she could field a great army.
Dagruel, for his part, appeared to be marching without rest, day or night, at speeds that defied common sense. However, crossing the desert to reach this location would likely take until around the third day. Under these circumstances, their own forces should have time to prepare.
Using the established Transfer Gates, Shion's personal guard was also gathering. Naturally, priority use of the gates belonged to their side, leaving Dagruel unable to take advantage of them.
Shion ordered all arriving troops to remain vigilant as they prepared for the confrontation with Dagruel.
If all went according to plan, the third day would be the day of the decisive battle.
Accordingly, the resolution from the previous night's meeting was that on the second day, the entire army should inflict as much damage as possible on the Angel Army.
Scout reports confirmed that Dagruel was advancing exactly as calculated. Unlike human armies, his legions marched without sleep or meals, maintaining a terrifying pace. But since they were moving at a constant speed, the estimated arrival time should be accurate.
Of course, the scouts bore a heavy responsibility — they needed to be prepared for the possibility of a sudden acceleration.
Luminas assigned the "Seven Star Sages" to this task. Their expertise in intrigue and strategy meant they could conduct surveillance without being detected by Dagruel. Furthermore, possessing teleportation abilities, they could escape even if discovered.
Once Dagruel arrived, the Seven Star Sages would transition to the mobile reserve.
Thus, on the second day, the entire army except the Seven Star Sages engaged the Angel legions head-on.
The operation went well. The Angels, repeating the same monotonous attacks as on the first day, appeared set to suffer devastating losses to their numbers.
But then, something unforeseen occurred.
Just before noon on the second day,
"I'll let you in on the current situation.
My beloved daughter — Demon Lord Milim — has destroyed a Demon Lord who stood against me.
That's right. The one destroyed was Demon Lord Rimuru. A newcomer, but the Demon Lord most familiar to you humans.
Two of the Demon Lords are my old friends, and they have pledged their allegiance to me.
The remaining Demon Lords who defy me number just four.
Fighting to the bitter end is one way to go about it, but if you wish to surrender, I will grant you a painless death. Rather than suffering in despair, wouldn't it be better to simply choose death?
I have decided to rain down God's Thunder upon the capitals of each of your human nations on the seventh day.
Until then, however, I declare that I will not lift a finger. Do you understand?
Those who wish to die without suffering should remain in their capitals — no need to hide or flee. I am merciful, after all, and you can be sure that my promise will be kept."
Just as when the declaration of war had first been made, Veldanava's colossal image was projected across the sky for all the world to see.
Shock rippled across the globe.
The capital of the Ingracia Kingdom, one of the world's great cities, and the Imperial Capital of the Eastern Empire — from these places, some fled in a panic, while an infinitesimal few chose to remain, accepting death.
With every person now aware of the situation, chaos erupted across the world.
Leaders everywhere were plagued by confusion.
The proclamation that God's Thunder would fall on the seventh day was, in other words, an announcement that the remaining days constituted a safe zone. There was no reason for Veldanava to lie. If she wished, she could have simply unleashed the thunder without warning. Specifying a date made it clear that she genuinely intended to show mercy.
Or rather, Veldanava's true motive was probably simply that hunting down fugitives sounded tedious. But even knowing this, it made sense to take advantage of the safety offered in the city centers. After all, gathering the populace in the capitals was the most reliable way to protect them.
However, it was a double-edged sword — one wrong move meant total annihilation, a bet with terrible odds. If the Demon Lords won, everyone would be safe and the problem resolved. But if they lost, escape would already be impossible.
Not that fleeing to remote corners of the world would do most people much good. There were only so many who could sustain a life on the run.
In either case, it was self-evident that fugitives would eventually be hunted down and killed like lice.
Nations had already mobilized their armies to deal with the roaming Angels carrying out ground annihilation campaigns in various regions, but the damage was immeasurable.
As had been discussed before the great war, the Demon Lords' participation in this conflict was well understood. Demon Lord Luminas had attended the conference, and together with Demon Lord Rimuru, she formed the western nations' military bulwark.
Therefore, the only recourse against Veldanava — the one who sought to destroy the world — was to rely on the power of the Demon Lords.
And that was precisely why this development tormented the world's leaders.
To them, Demon Lord Rimuru had been both a symbol of protection and a symbol of terror — an existence they had considered impossibly powerful. The news of his "death" was devastating.
Their leaders understood that the Demon Lords' defeat would translate directly into humanity's annihilation.
In other words, the news of Demon Lord Rimuru's defeat brought an inescapable despair.
That Rimuru would be the first to fall was beyond anything they could have imagined. Even in defeat, they had believed he would be the last one standing.
That was precisely what made the despair so much deeper.
(If only we hadn't learned of Demon Lord Rimuru's defeat — we could have remained in the capital, believing in the Demon Lords' victory...)
This was the genuine feeling of leaders across the nations.
Reactions to this event split into two extremes: those who, even knowing of Rimuru's defeat, still believed in the Demon Lords' victory — and those who, accepting the Demon Lords' defeat as a premise, gave themselves over to unbridled chaos.
If one believed the Demon Lords would win, remaining in the capital — which had been declared safe from attack — was the wisest course.
In the end, the leadership of the western nations and most of the Empire's power brokers chose to place their trust in the Demon Lords. After all, there was nowhere to run that offered a future. They would be better off staying put and praying than becoming a nuisance to the war effort.
More than anything, for those who knew Demon Lord Rimuru, many simply could not bring themselves to believe in his defeat.
The founding chairman of a certain committee was recorded as having said: "Ridiculous. As if someone like that could die so easily. If he were truly that simple to defeat, I would have destroyed him long ago."
Those who had been involved with that Demon Lord felt much the same, to varying degrees. He was cunning, cautious, bold yet never one to reveal his true hand. A Demon Lord like Rimuru could not possibly be defeated so straightforwardly.
And to fall first? Unthinkable. Many believed it was simply another stratagem, and the collective consciousness was drawn toward those who held this view.
The more closely one had been tied to Demon Lord Rimuru, the stronger this conviction became.
The king of the newly founded kingdom of Falmuth and those around him were said to have simply breathed a sigh of relief, reasoning that protecting the people had become easier — and they even went so far as to welcome refugees from neighboring villages into their capital.
"Hah!? Boss isn't gonna die. That Veldanava character isn't so tough after all — she's been had."
"My word, truly. Like my old self, she underestimated that one, and has fallen perfectly into his trap."
This, according to records, was the conversation between the young king and his middle-aged political advisor.
Deeply acquainted with Demon Lord Rimuru, they placed their absolute trust in him. They represented those who had staked everything on the Demon Lords' victory.
This trend was most prevalent among the nations surrounding the Great Forest of Jura — the Dwarf Kingdom, the Kingdom of Blumund, the Sorcerous Dynasty Sarion, and others.
The leaders of these nations reacted swiftly. Through emergency video conferences, they declared their belief in the Demon Lords' victory, and succeeded in swaying the hearts of leaders across the world.
The majority of the western nations followed their lead and chose to believe in the Demon Lords' triumph.
Even the Empire, which had only recently launched its invasion of the Great Forest of Jura, indicated its full submission to the Demon Lords. During the chaotic period following the Emperor's death, Demon Lord Rimuru's mastery of public sentiment had been absolute. The returned soldiers — whose fanatical devotion alarmed even their own families — proved remarkably persuasive.
They all gave the same testimony: "Defeat for Demon Lord Rimuru is simply impossible."
Soldiers who declared, with evident pride, that they had been overwhelmingly defeated. The sheer unnaturalness and absurdity of it paradoxically made people feel they had no choice but to believe.
Although the situation had caused enormous confusion, swift action by the world's leaders restored public order within days. This would be remembered in later ages as a miracle of the great war.
But the real problem lay with the other group.
Those who, accepting the Demon Lords' defeat as a given, gave themselves over to lawlessness — they existed in every region in significant numbers.
The fact that national armies had to divert forces to suppress them was a bitter truth.
If this too had been Veldanava's aim, then those who had fallen for the trap had been foolish indeed. People like that thought only of themselves. And so, at the worst possible moment, they made the worst possible choice.
The world had not been consumed by despair to the extent Veldanava had intended.
But chaos had been sown.
And one of its objectives had been achieved.
Shion, "Battle-God King," one of Demon Lord Rimuru's subordinates. She had been a devoted follower of Demon Lord Rimuru.
And so, the announcement of his annihilation by Veldanava filled her with a terrible, seething rage.
And that rage awakened the unstable emotions sealed deep within her heart...
Setting in motion the storm that now raged across this battlefield.