At that moment,
"Oh, isolation is complete."
She said it abruptly, as if it were the most trivial thing in the world.
Hearing those words, the people around her sprang into action.
At the same time,
Everything was proceeding according to plan.
Those who received the transmission showed no agitation—they accepted it as a matter of course.
And then— One person, upon hearing that transmission, began to move.
Quietly, and with absolute certainty.
The plan had entered its final phase.
−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
The assimilation rate had now surpassed ninety percent.
There was no joy in it—only the unwavering will that carrying out the mission assigned to him was the supreme priority.
If enemies within the labyrinth were to gain immortality, then he need only seize the labyrinth itself.
That was Velda's stratagem, and for that purpose, the Ultimate Ability known as the "King of Evil Dragons" existed.
It had originally been conceived as an ability designed specifically for combating labyrinaths—one capable of exerting absolute superiority within a confined space.
Moreover, unlike the half-finished, incomplete versions that had been bestowed upon
Before the "King of Evil Dragons"—which had evolved into something closer to the original "Star Eater"—even Ramiris's labyrinth could offer no resistance whatsoever, and was left entirely at Zero's mercy.
*(Hmm, less resistance than I expected. Not that it's surprising, I suppose. No one would have even imagined an assault on the labyrinth itself. Seize the enemy's stronghold, catch those who have grown complacent in their absolute superiority completely off guard, and wipe them out. Then lure Demon Lord Rimuru in and annihilate the resistance forces in one stroke. As expected of Lord Velda—a flawless plan.)* Following Velda's strategy, he was smoothly infiltrating the labyrinth that served as the enemy's base.
Once he had fully claimed the labyrinth, he would be able to seize all authority within it for himself.
"Trivial," he murmured, the word slipping from his lips unbidden.
He hadn't expected a reply—but one came nonetheless.
"How arrogant. Know this—you will never be able to take this labyrinth."
A cold voice echoed through the empty space.
No, not entirely empty.
Something caught Zero's attention—something that, by all rights, should not have existed.
It was a butterfly.
A beautiful butterfly of light, fluttering gracefully through the air.
Then, as its outlines blurred, it coalesced into the silhouette of a figure.
A warrior clad in an exoskeleton of pitch-black Living
Both arms, both legs, and his forehead gleamed with the distinctive radiance unique to Ultimate Metal.
"—Who are you? Everything above the sixtieth floor is under my dominion. I detected no intrusion."
"Simple. I was here from the very beginning—that's all."
"I see. That was a blind spot on my part. If you'd remained hidden until the very end, you might have survived. But in the end, it merely amounts to a difference of early or late. Become my nourishment, and die."
Zero concluded that this hidden creature had realized it was trapped and had been forced out into the open.
He failed to notice that the other's words suggested he was fully aware of Zero's intentions…
Without another word, Zero spawned several Evil Dragon Beasts and ordered them to eliminate the intruder.
The erosion of the labyrinth was progressing smoothly, and the assimilation rate exceeded ninety percent. By draining the labyrinth's energy without limit, he could produce Evil Dragon Beasts in endless numbers.
The newly spawned beasts all lunged at their prey at once—and were annihilated in a single flash of light.
"Oh? To dispatch my Evil Dragon Beasts so effortlessly… You're not just some coward hiding out of fear, then."
"I am Zero—the one sent to destroy this nation, and commander of the Heavens' Legion. I shall acknowledge you as a worthy adversary. State your name!"
The fact that the enemy had launched no attacks during the time Zero had dominated the sixtieth floor had only reinforced his contempt.
*If you were going to interfere, you should have done so earlier,* he'd reasoned.
But the figure standing before him possessed combat capabilities that far exceeded Zero's expectations.
After all, that figure was— "My name is
The strongest guardian of Ramiris's labyrinth.
Zegion stood against Zero in obedience to his orders.
The labyrinth—the place they were sworn to protect. Zegion would not tolerate any being that defiled it.
Thus, what followed was inevitable.
The battle between Zegion and Zero had begun.
◇◇◇ The reason Zegion had not attacked from the outset was straightforward.
He had been told it was Rimuru's command.
Otherwise, he would never have stood by and watched the intrusion go this far.
Indeed—unusual as it was—Zegion was angry.
"Zegion? I don't recognize the name. One of Demon Lord Rimuru's executive officers, I take it?"
"
"There are others—
Convinced of his overwhelming superiority, Zero spoke with casual disdain.
But it didn't take him long to realize his miscalculation.
"Ridiculous. If an enemy stands before you, judge their strength by what you see. However—you are correct on one point: you will not enjoy this fight."
Sensing the meaning behind Zegion's reply, Zero made a face of displeasure.
It wasn't born of genuine emotional turbulence—it was a bluff designed to make his opponent think of him as a volatile personality.
Zero slowly rose to his feet and took a fighting stance.
"Were you waiting for me to be ready? I imagine your confidence lies in the absolute immortality granted within this labyrinth. But can you truly call that guaranteed? It's because you believe you can resurrect even after defeat that you dare challenge me without caring about the gap in our abilities. Let me inform you—that assumption is wrong! The reason being—"
That was as far as he got.
Zero's aim had been to shatter Zegion's composure by revealing that the labyrinth's immortality had been stripped away—but he never managed to deliver that message.
Because Zegion's patience had reached its limit.
*Death to those who defile the labyrinth.* That was the sacred mandate Rimuru had bestowed upon Zegion—the very meaning of his existence.
Though he had received Benimaru's explanation and had understood and agreed to the strategy of allowing a portion of the labyrinth to be seized, he had not been able to remain calm about standing by.
For Zegion, defiling the labyrinth was tantamount to striking at his most sacred nerve.
Now that Ramiris's preparations were complete and the isolation of that portion of the labyrinth had been finalized, there was no longer any need to hold back.
Zegion unleashed the full force of his rage and silenced Zero's words.
Receiving the devastating impact, Zero staggered.
He had managed to raise his shield in the nick of time, so there was no damage—but he had been unable to neutralize the sheer force.
It was Zegion's kick.
Without Zero ever noticing the closing of distance, a leg raised high overhead had revealed the true nature of the assault.
Zegion slowly lowered his foot, keeping Zero squarely in his field of vision— "Tough. I'll try a bit harder next time?"
As soon as the words left his mouth, Zegion's figure vanished.
His movement was so blindingly fast that it bypassed Zero's Spatial Awareness and Magic Detection entirely.
Refined through actual combat within the labyrinth, his fighting style was evolving daily.
Having incorporated all manner of abilities—especially spacetime manipulation—Zegion had developed a unique martial art of his own.
Reading Zegion's movements on the first encounter was a near-impossible feat.
Zero barely managed to escape danger by activating his own Ultimate Ability, the "King of Weapons."
Even attacks that were impossible to perceive were meaningless before the "Supreme Shield," which boasted the ultimate defensive power.
The Supreme Shield obeyed Zero's will and automatically blocked all incoming attacks.
Protected by that absolute defense, Zero reflected on his underestimation of Zegion.
*(To think there was someone this powerful… Demon Lord Rimuru—truly not to be underestimated.)* He became certain that his master Velda's predictions were, without error, correct.
A Demon Lord who commanded subordinates of this caliber could not possibly be the first to fall—that was the logic.
As he mulled over these thoughts, he simultaneously analyzed Zegion's abilities.
Judging from the overwhelming mobility, Zegion was likely close to being a spiritual life-form.
His movements were not those of someone bound to a physical body.
But even so, that didn't mean he lacked offensive capability.
*(His close combat is superb. But that's all there is to it!)* He couldn't breach Zero's defenses, and he was simply attacking blindly—so Zero assessed.
Having labeled Zegion in this way, Zero lost interest.
"That was somewhat entertaining. In respect for the enjoyment I derived, I'll show you my true power! Take this—Total Annihilation!"
Released with Zero's absolute confidence, the wave of annihilation.
It reduced all wavelengths—the very frequency of energy itself—to zero.
By colliding reverse phases, it caused mutual cancellation.
This applied to life itself, including spiritual life-forms such as angels and demons.
In fact, the higher the energy being, the more potent the effect.
Of course, to achieve cancellation, one needed to possess an Existence Value equal to or greater than the target's energy.
Zero possessed an Existence Value that surpassed even Awakened Demon Lords.
Even among the Four Calamity Heavenly Generals, he exceeded all but
Total Annihilation was Zero's ultimate attack—the supreme strike that converted every last ounce of his energy into a wave of zero.
Before such a fatal blow, even Zegion— "Futile. That was converting your own energy into a wave, I presume? Instantly adjusting it to become the reverse phase of your target is impressive—but it's still automatic adjustment. Your ability operates on the same principle as your automatic defense. That level of attack won't work on me."
Zero had filled the space with the wave of annihilation, expecting to confirm the kill— But standing before him, completely unscathed, Zegion filled Zero's mind with doubt for the very first time.
"Impossible—you unraveled the principle in an instant!? And what's more, you nullified Total Annihilation, which reduces all waves—even the very pulse of life—to zero—?"
"Laughable. To cancel a wave, one need only produce another wave. All you need do is envelop it. Rather than fighting the current, merging with it—that is the truth of this universe. Illusory and ethereal—for me, reading your wave is trivial. What's more, to Lord Rimuru or Lord Veldora, you are nothing but dust."
Zero's shock was met with Zegion's unshakable composure.
The moment Zero activated his ability and converted himself into a wave of annihilation, Zegion had already deployed his "Fantasy World" through the "King of Fantasy."
A world determined entirely by Zegion's own imagination—even the flow of time bent to his will.
With this ability at his disposal, dissecting and countering Zero's wave of annihilation was child's play for Zegion.
"Grrh! But even if you block my attack, your own attacks don't affect me either! The outcome won't change!"
Zero abandoned the idea of attacking Zegion and chose to prioritize the erosion of the labyrinth instead.
If he seized the labyrinth's authority, he reasoned, he could use that power to imprison Zegion within the labyrinth's "Infinite Corridor."
But then— "The little farce below should be wrapping up about now. I suppose it's time I ended things as well."
Zegion had no interest in Zero's calculations. He acted according to his own emotions.
In other words, driven purely by fury, he drove his fist straight at Zero.
"That kind of attack won't—"
Zero's words were cut short mid-sentence.
By the sheer force of Zegion's imagination, the Supreme Shield—the very cornerstone of Zero's absolute defense—shattered.
"What!? Impossible—there's no way!!"
Before Zero's eyes unfolded a scene that shattered everything he considered常识.
The Supreme Shields conjured to withstand Zegion's onslaught were being destroyed one after another.
The distinctive radiance of Ultimate Metal lingered in trails of afterglow as Zegion's attacks closed in from every direction.
Sensing mortal danger, Zero deployed the "King of Weapons" at full power.
"Useless. Your ability no doubt boasts absolute strength in the physical world. But in the spiritual realm, it is woefully insufficient. That is why you receive this result."
Zegion's right hand began to glow.
And with the Dimensional Severance Wave that he unleashed, every last Supreme Shield protecting Zero's body was sliced cleanly apart.
*(But I managed to survive the attack somehow…)* As he caught his breath with that thought, a crescent kick—materializing from the haze like a phantom—pierced through Zero.
"Goh—!!"
The strike carried a wave embedded within it by Zegion.
He had returned the very same wave of annihilation that Zero had launched at him moments ago.
Zero reacted instantly, limiting the damage to the annihilation of only a fraction of his energy. His response was commendable.
But at this point, even Zero could clearly perceive it.
The despairingly vast gap in power that lay between himself and Zegion.
It was not a matter of Existence Value—it stemmed from an entirely different tier of existence.
Zegion's left fist began to emit a dull, ominous glow.
◇◇◇ Zero predicted his defeat in an instant and took the optimal course of action.
In other words, he fled.
*(That monster is beyond my current strength! I need to seize this labyrinth, devour those on the lower floors, and gain their power—)* Zero quickly assimilated his main body into the labyrinth and headed for the lower levels.
Immediately after, contact with the clone he had left behind was severed.
Zegion had sliced it to ribbons, utterly annihilating it.
Without fully understanding the name of this emotion—the first he had ever experienced—Zero accelerated his erosion of the labyrinth.
As if being chased, he was gripped by a compulsive, obsessive need.
As a result, the assimilation with the labyrinth completed exactly as he desired, and he seized its authority.
Then, within the labyrinth that could now be called part of his own body, he detected a massive energy reaction.
Overjoyed, Zero pressed onward toward that bait to further enhance himself.
◇◇◇ Zegion withdrew his left fist and directed his gaze downward.
Confirming that Zero had fled exactly as predicted, he murmured, "Mission complete."
He had driven Zero exactly as Ramiris and Benimaru had requested—and then let him escape.
*(Everything proceeds according to Lord Rimuru's will—)* Rimuru's profound machinations were far beyond Zegion's comprehension.
For Zegion, there was no need to ask why such measures were necessary.
All that remained was to stand guard against the unlikely event of failure.
Toward the massive breach torn open in the direction of the lower floors by his own strike, Zegion began to walk quietly.
−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−− In the control room, everyone was speechless.
It had been less than three minutes since Zegion had moved out.
And yet, the report of mission completion had already come through.
The large screen, occupied with isolating the labyrinth, couldn't display the battle footage.
So they could only imagine what kind of fight had taken place—but there was no doubt it had been overwhelmingly one-sided.
"So he really didn't like the plan to let the labyrinth be eroded…"
"Yeah… Zegion genuinely lost his temper. But he did well to follow the strategy and allow the escape."
"Well, Zegion is the calm type—unlike you. Though I doubt he would've listened if you hadn't invoked Rimuru's name…"
"Yeah… He probably wouldn't have tolerated it even under my orders, so I think it was the right call."
"Right? Still, I didn't expect him to get that angry…"
"Well, that's true—"
Benimaru and Ramiris nodded at each other in agreement.
Those in the control room nodded along with them.
"But why did Lord Rimuru give such an order?"
The one who answered was— "I think you'll understand if you just watch!"
Ramiris.
In this moment, in this place, only Ramiris understood the reasoning behind such an elaborate command.
Even Benimaru had only a vague sense of the truth, without truly grasping its essence.
Or perhaps Zegion was the only one who truly knew.
The assembled members of the control room could only nod at Ramiris's words.
Before long, the operation within the labyrinth would come to its conclusion.
There was no need to rush—the results would become clear soon enough.
Prepared for that moment, the group resumed their work.