Yoji had returned, he glanced towards Rimuru for a moment. No words were spoken, no sounds were heard from the two. Just silence, the air was still cold. The wind blew against the halberd as it hummed.
They did not announce their departure. There were no speeches, no raised banners, no roaring declarations of vengeance. When Rimuru gave the order, the base moved with chilling efficiency. Engines rumbled to life beside summoned drakes fitted with armored plating. Infantry columns formed beneath layered barrier spells. Artillery units rolled forward in disciplined silence.
Rimuru sprouted their wings as they took flight into the air several meters above the lead convoy, cloak shifting in the wind, expression unreadable. Their presence alone stabilized morale more effectively than any anthem could.
From within Rimuru, Raphael spoke.
<
Rimuru didn't seem surprised by this info, their face still stern and focused. "Composition?"
<
Yang rode atop an armored transport below, one boot hooked on the railing. "They're gonna try poking us the whole way, aren't they?" The halberd still resting over her shoulder as it hummed with the wind blowing against it.
"Yes." Rimuru spoke calmly as they descended down, touching down onto the ground next to the transport Yang was on. "They want us angry."
Yang smirked. "Well, they're gonna be in a world of pain when I get my hands on them."
Rimuru's gaze lingered on the tree line ahead. "We won't give them room to breath or time to rest...."
~~~
The first attack came as before noon could even hit. A volley of explosive magic arced from concealed positions along a rocky ridge ahead. The ground erupted in controlled detonations meant to disrupt formation—but barrier units responded instantly, translucent shields flaring into place as shockwaves rolled harmlessly outward.
Before the smoke could clear, Yoji barked orders over the walkies. "Counter!"
Artillery roared. Precision-guided shells, enhanced by Lelei's trajectory corrections, slammed into the ridge with surgical force. Not annihilation—suppression, imperial soldiers broke formation almost immediately. They had expected retaliation, but they hadn't expected a coordination like this.
Yang's hair glowed brightly like fire as her eyes turned red, she swung the halberd at the imperial troops. She smirked as she felt a rush coursing through her body. "Oh man! Now I know how Ruby feels when she uses Crescent Rose! Talk about a thrill!"
"Raphael, status report." Rimuru muttered as they maneuvered and dodged an oncoming attack. "Casualties?" They elbowed the attackers in their faces, causing them to fall over in pain and a few broken noses and missing teeth.
<
Rimuru stopped, holding their arm up. Signaling everyone to stop. "Don't pursue them."
"Wait, wait...." Yang spoke. "We're just letting them run?"
Rimuru glanced at the bodies lying around, before looking back at Yang. "We're going to let the report back to their king."
"Is that a wise idea?" Yoji asked rubbing the back of his head.
Rimuru was silent once more, before speaking. "We'll be prepared at night. For now, everyone get what rest you need, because once nightfall hits."
"We'll need all the rest we need." Yang muttered under her breath. "Think fast." She grunted and tossed the halberd towards Rimuru. "Carry that for me will ya?"
Rimuru paused, they looked towards Yang as she massaged her aching shoulder and rolled her arm. Rimuru didn't say anything. They stuck their arm out as some of their slime body fell off and covered the halberd, before it vanished and the slime part returned to Rimuru.
<
Rimuru blinked at this info, but didn't argue. "Those who need to restore their magic, here's a little gift. Go ahead Raphael."
There was a pause, silence followed, then a bag of power crystals appeared out of thin air, there was enough to last the magic users days...weeks even. Then Raphael spoke.
<
Yang took a look at them, she noticed how they looked identical to dust crystals, she raised an eyebrow up as she recalled how Hazel would just stab the dust crystals into his body. "Hey, you know. These look awfully identical to the dust crystals back home. But I know they aren't."
~~~
By nightfall, forward teleportation anchors had been established. Lelei and a team of mages worked in synchronized precision, carving stable glyph arrays into the earth at calculated intervals.
"Anchor one complete." Lelei announced.
Rimuru had their arms crossed, a small nod was given. "Good, that cuts a full day and saves us time."
Tuka approached quietly, glancing toward the horizon where faint smoke trails marked earlier skirmishes. "They're watching us."
"Let them watch." Rimuru muttered. "Let them see how we prepare, I want them to be uncertain."
that same night, Rimuru stood alone. Outside, eyes sharp as everyone else was eating and joking about, they took a deep breath of that cold night air and exhaled, then spoke. "Raphael, status."
There was a slight pause and then.
<
Closing their eyes, Rimuru spoke once more. "External emotional feedback?"
<
"However?" Rimuru questioned.
<
"So, if I escalate, it reacts?" Rimuru asked feeling unsure how much longer they could hold Scarlet within their body.
<
Rimuru took a slow breath. "I see..." There was a pause. "How long do you think I can contain her?"
There was a pause, silence. The chirping of crickets and the croaking of frogs in the distance filled the air, then Raphael answered.
<
Rimuru didn't like that pause. "Though?"
<
Rimuru couldn't help but feel a smirk tug at the corner of their lips. "Then let her, we can't change who she is. If she is grateful or not, it doesn't bother me."
Yang, over heard what Rimuru was saying. She approached carefully and slowly, but Rimuru knew she was there. "So, there's no telling what will happen from now until her release?"
"Pretty much." Rimuru spoke as they turned their gaze to Yang. "Why? You worried about her?"
"No, why would I? She isn't my actual sister. She's just a clone of Ruby." Yang spoke.
"Clone or not, I can sense deep down. You care, not because of her looking like Ruby, but because of the fact that she has a daughter. And you want her to return to her." Rimuru spoke.
Yang scoffed slightly under her breath. "Don't read too much into it.."
Rimuru couldn't help but chuckle at Yang's remark.
~~~
Day 2
The Empire escalated. Illusion magic blanketed the forest ahead, terrain warping into false ravines and phantom fortifications. Spectral cavalry charged from mist, attempting to fracture formation through confusion rather than force.
"Oh that's cute." Yang spoke sarcastically as an illusion phases through her. "They think they can scare us."
Lelei stepped forward, staff glowing. "Counter-frequency disruption."
A wave of violet energy rippled outward, collapsing false landscapes like shattered glass. The real terrain reasserted itself instantly. Imperial cavalry—very real this time—found themselves exposed.
Rimuru lifted one hand, gravity shifted. The ground beneath the charging unit liquefied briefly into viscous mire before hardening again, trapping horses mid-stride without crushing them.
"Disarm and detain them." Rimuru spoke.
Yoji nodded as he led a small group towards the trapped imperial cavalry. Guns pointed at them, the sounds of clicking and cocking echoed. They were held at gun point, while Yoji and a few of the men disarmed the enemy.
Lelei was keeping notes on this, writing down each moment as a reminder. If they had gotten overpowered by the enemy or outnumbered.
By mid-afternoon, things were different. A messenger hawk came swooping down and suddenly burst into flames, before it could deliver the message. Its payload falling, Yang jumped up and caught it before it could hit the ground. "Oh good. Hate mail."
"What does it say?" Yoji asked.
Yang unrolled the charred paper, and read it out loud. "Turn back now, or the apostle bleeds." Yang shook her head. "Wow. Subtlety really died in this kingdom."
Rimuru glanced at it. "It's a threat, they're wanting a reaction out of us."
Yang smirked. "Oh they'll get one alright."
"No." Rimuru shook their head. "They're getting inevitable."
~~~
That following evening. The capital's outer spires became visible on the horizon, massive stone walls. Defensive ballista's. Mage towers radiating layered ward matrices. And above it all— Imperial banners snapping in the wind.
The army halted at a calculated distance. Not close enough to trigger immediate bombardment, but close enough to be seen. Rimuru floated upward, surveying the battlefield. "Raphael, full simulation."
Within Rimuru's mind, projections unfolded at blinding speed—siege vectors, structural weaknesses, magical lattice strain points, civilian density overlays.
<
Rimuru's lips curved into a dangerous smile. "Good." They muttered.
Yang glanced up taking notice. "And there's that look again."
"What look?" Yoji asked.
"Oh you know. The look of, you fucked up big time." Yang spoke.
Inside the capital, alarms blared loudly. Imperial soldiers were rushing in each direction, knocking over maids, plants and even stumbling over Zorzal's feet. Who was just idly standing by.
"I want all you men out there now!" Zorzal barked. "Stop them! Bring me their heads!"
One knight came running up to him, helmet off as he looked at Zorzal. "Sir, what about our prisoner?"
Zorzal smirked. "Leave her to me, we gave them the chance to stand down, but it seems I will be taking matters into my own hands."
Outside the gates, Rimuru stood at the front of the modern army. Their aura spiking slightly, as if letting the king know of their presence being there. This was a war, a mission to save Rory...and yet, Rimuru felt the uneasy chill of something darker from within, not from their own body, but from within the kingdom.