The day after reviving 700,000 imperial soldiers...
The Monster Nation The great hall in our home base was too cramped, so I gathered enough subordinates to fill the arena instead and decided to try the evolution ritual there.
This also served as a reward for defeating the imperial army.
It was, in a sense, a victory celebration.
In truth, the war was still ongoing so I couldn't afford to let my guard down, but this occasion was special.
It was also a morale booster.
The ten elites of the Labyrinth Group made appearances as well, and the arena seats were packed with soldiers.
Well, to maintain secrecy, I hadn't invited the adventurers who served as human volunteers.
The city surrounding the labyrinth — which we had decided to call Rabilgado — was still incorporated within the labyrinth's interior.
During wartime, a surprise attack was always a possibility, so better safe than sorry.
Rabilgado didn't have barrier stones set up for magical defenses yet. Once the war ended, I planned to install defensive formations against large-scale attack magic.
Right now, our defenses were insufficient, so there was nothing to be done about it.
Of course, it wasn't like people couldn't enter the labyrinth or trade for food or anything. Everyone except the adventurers was doing business as usual.
The volunteers had been asked to return to Rabilgado and were currently on standby at their homes.
I'd only allowed a select few, like Masayuki and Arnoud, to participate as representatives.
Anyway, it was time to hand out awards and rewards.
And while I was at it, I'd attempt the Demon Lord evolution.
My own evolution had taken two to three days. The Harvest Festival had caused a dip in activity, but now the imperial army was gone.
The airship fleet would enter Luminous's territory in about three days, but they seemed to be adjusting their speed — so they'd be over the sea for at least another two days.
If they flew at near-sonic speed, they could cut a day off, but apparently the magicule consumption was enormous, so maximum combat speed could only be maintained briefly.
Having a means of transportation that could reach the speed of sound was threatening enough in this world, so that was more than sufficient.
After all, even at normal speed, they could reach around 400 kilometers per hour — incomparable to ships or trains.
So now was the perfect timing.
This time we'd won decisively, but there was always the possibility of encountering a powerful enemy.
Even if Yuuki showed up, only
If we acted carelessly, there was a risk that our subordinates could be taken through soul rewriting and domination.
As for soul rewriting, the Wisdom King had apparently applied a protective measure.
However, it would likely only have a temporary effect.
If I could see Yuuki's abilities firsthand, I was confident I could defend against them perfectly — but since everything was still speculation, it would be dangerous to be overconfident.
The overall power boost from Demon Lord awakening was meant as insurance for when the time came.
Even if the worst happened and I awakened only to be defeated by Yuuki and have my soul rewritten, at least I'd be able to buy some time.
The plan was to contact me the moment we encountered him, then launch a pincer attack to finish him off.
According to the Wisdom King's calculations, resisting the rewriting alone shouldn't be a problem, but I wanted to take every precaution.
The first one I called up was, naturally, Benimaru.
As Grand General, he had flawlessly commanded the entire army.
There had been some chaos when the demons went berserk, but in the end it all worked out.
It was fair to say he'd performed brilliantly.
"Alright then, Benimaru! Starting today, you too may be able to awaken to the Demon Lord tier!"
"What are you talking about, Lord Rimuru?"
Prefacing it with "These are Lord Rimuru's words," she was reading from a manuscript.
Naturally, I hadn't written the manuscript — Shuna and the others had — but the details didn't matter.
Recently, I'd finished teaching them all my textile and sewing techniques, so Shuna now only dabbled in those hobbies during her free time.
That meant she spent more of her time serving as my secretary.
So lately, Shuna had been the one mainly handling my secretarial duties.
While Shuna delivered her speech, my conversation with Benimaru continued.
"Wait, you obtained a soul, right? Apparently that makes awakening to the Demon Lord tier possible."
"I never heard about this!"
"Huh? I just told you!"
Benimaru and I stared at each other.
Had I not told him? That was awkward.
No wait, I was pretty sure I'd mentioned granting him new power.
"I'm pretty sure I said I'd be granting you power?"
"No, no, no — I'd assume you meant something like a weapon or something!"
"Hmm, when you put it that way, maybe... But it shouldn't be that different, right?"
"It's obviously different!"
We stared at each other again, but this time Benimaru let out a resigned sigh, breaking the deadlock.
It seemed he'd made up his mind.
Or maybe he'd just given up — but the difference was negligible.
"I'm not the only one, am I? What's your plan for the others?"
Good question.
In my case, my Magicules and magic power had increased roughly tenfold, and every monster in my soul lineage received a Blessing.
I didn't know exactly what would happen this time, but there was no doubt that their power would increase significantly.
However, there were subordinates who were stronger than I had been before my own awakening. Would they become even more powerful than me after the same evolution?
That was a concern of mine.
In principle, I didn't think my subordinates would betray me, but I couldn't deny the possibility that they might be overwhelmed by their power and go berserk.
Veldora was nearby, of course — but having someone with power on my level go berserk would be extremely... no, absurdly... problematic.
So I intended to perform the evolution ritual one by one, carefully monitoring each one's progress.
I explained the situation, and Benimaru seemed to understand.
He also declared with full confidence that he would absolutely not lose control. Very reassuring.
With Shuna's speech concluded, it was time to grant the reward.
"For your excellent service in this battle! From this day forward, you shall bear the name 'King of Crimson Fury'!"
"Ha ha! What an incredible honor!"
I performed the ritual.
He might be friendly in private, but in front of the troops, he was the Grand General.
Benimaru was perfect at maintaining that distinction between public and private.
Crimson Fury — it meant "fierce rage."
Normally, Benimaru had learned to restrain his short temper and control his anger quietly. But his true nature was that of a raging inferno.
As one of the (Demon) Kings who served me, there could be no more fitting title.
Was this a secondary name, or more like a rank?
《Announcement. 100,000 souls have been consumed to initiate the evolution of the named individual: Benimaru. Proceed? YES/NO》 Yes.
The moment I granted it, I sent 100,000 souls to Benimaru through the corridor of souls.
But upon granting it, Benimaru's evolution did not... begin.
No change.
Huh? Did it fail?
"It seems there's one more condition..."
"This one is on me."
I too heard the Voice of the World.
Apparently, the evolution from the Ogre Tribe to the Oni-God Tribe meant that you could no longer have children.
Since you no longer had a lifespan, there was no need for children either, it seemed.
"My lingering attachment — my duty as the tribe's elder — isn't finished yet, so it looks like I can't evolve..."
"So... I have to have a child before I can evolve?"
"Ugh... that's right."
Benimaru and I stared at each other again.
It was a staring kind of day, but this time my gaze was overwhelmingly stronger.
Benimaru averted his eyes awkwardly.
Come on, get your resolve together, Benimaru.
I muttered a quiet command to myself, then...
"
I declared in a booming voice.
Benimaru's face turned crimson red and he looked down, but there was a smile etched onto his lips.
He must have been incredibly happy.
For someone who liked to play the tough guy, he was a pretty sentimental man.
I didn't hate that about him. But with how shy he was, he'd have stayed single forever if left to his own devices.
...Well, I wasn't exactly one to talk.
Shuna stood beside us with wide eyes in surprise, but she looked happy as she prepared to congratulate her brother.
Surrounded by the cheers of blessing and envy filling the arena, Benimaru and Momiji held their bonding ceremony.
Well, it was just an announcement for now — after this victory celebration and the evolution ritual concluded, Benimaru would still need to have a proper wedding.
I let the blissful-looking Benimaru and Momiji step back, instructing Shuna only to make the arrangements.
Momiji bowed to me with a radiant smile, then clung to Benimaru and withdrew.
The cheers continued for quite some time, only quieting down when I raised my hand.
If I didn't have other things to attend to, I would have loved to keep celebrating, but I wanted to prioritize the ritual for now.
It was an unexpected turn of events, but we still had plenty of time, so I decided to carry on.
Next up was
When Gobta stepped up onto the platform, I declared: "You're not getting a reward!"
"What!? That's so mean! Then why'd you even call me all the way here!?"
"Good question. You're not getting a reward, but instead, I'll grant you one privilege."
"A privilege?"
Gobta was confused by my words, his expression showing he couldn't quite grasp what was coming next.
Or maybe he just wasn't confident he knew what "privilege" meant?
I grinned at Gobta's bewildered face.
"I grant you the privilege of 'addressing me in your usual casual manner without restraint'!"
The moment those words left my mouth, the crowd erupted into jealous screams even louder than what they'd given Benimaru — directed right at Gobta.
Even Shion and Shuna were glaring at Gobta with terrifying intensity.
They must have been incredibly envious.
The thing was, I'd always told people they could speak casually to me, but apparently it was harder than it sounded.
There had been quite a few complaints from people who felt Gobta got away with it too easily.
To cut through the hassle, I decided to officially recognize it as a "privilege."
Besides, his manner of speaking was more like a dialect — it wasn't like he was being disrespectful toward me.
One look at his eyes told you everything.
Gobta had eyes that said he would willingly die for me.
As for rewards, I wouldn't be giving him money or anything like a general-class benefit. He wasn't lacking for anything.
Giving him territory wouldn't make sense either, since he wouldn't know how to govern it.
Weapon equipment wasn't necessary since he'd be merging with
Well, there were considerations of prestige and authority, but monsters didn't really need that kind of stiff formality.
I was just going to do things my way.
Gobta beamed and gave a deep ninety-degree bow: "Thaaaaaaank you!!"
He then stepped back, absolutely overjoyed.
He'd probably been trying to correct his own speech habits too. Not that it had made any difference.
It seemed like the greatest reward Gobta could have asked for, and I was happy about that as well.
Finding the right reward was truly a difficult thing.
Now then, speaking of Gobta — next was Ranga.
When I called out, Ranga quietly emerged from my shadow.
"Ranga, thank you for helping Gobta so well. I'm grateful.
Now then — from this day forward, you shall bear the name 'Star Wolf King'!"
Ranga let out a single howl, accepting the title.
I then performed the evolution ritual. Unlike Benimaru, Ranga's evolution began immediately.
Like mine, the Harvest Festival had apparently started for him as well.
I immediately placed him back into my shadow and let him sleep. Presumably, all of the magic wolves under his command were simultaneously receiving the Blessing as well.
I was very curious to see what he'd become after the evolution.
There seemed to be no concern about Ranga losing control.
He returned to my shadow without incident and fell asleep.
I called for
He had led the Third Army and put on a spectacular aerial display.
I offered my words of appreciation, and Gabiru responded earnestly: "I still have much to learn.
My command led to wounded soldiers, after all...
I'm still not good enough.
I will continue to train so that I can fully master the 'Dragon Warrior Transformation'!"
He had his resolve in order.
Come to think of it, I missed the days when he'd gotten cocky and lost to one of Ranga's subordinates.
His tendency to get carried away had calmed down considerably, and he'd become a seasoned general who could read the room.
He'd always had the potential, and through the experience of defeat and his interactions with Vester and the others, he'd also gained a measure of thoughtfulness.
He was someone I could rely on now.
"I shall grant you power.
Show me that you can wield it masterfully — awaken as the 'Heavenly Dragon King'!"
I gave him souls and prompted his awakening evolution.
Gabiru's evolution was dramatic.
His black-purple scales shifted to red-purple, and blazing Magicules coursed through his body.
However, thanks to the willpower he'd shown in bringing the 'Dragon Warrior Transformation' under control at least once, he avoided losing consciousness and going berserk.
Gabiru had withstood it brilliantly.
"Whoaohhhhh! From this day forward, I shall bear the name 'Heavenly Dragon King'!
And to prove worthy of that name, I shall master even this level of power!"
Purple lightning erupted, and Gabiru's body was scorched by his own energy.
It seemed to have been a success.
While Ranga had immediately returned to the shadow and fallen asleep, Gabiru had completed his evolution right then and there.
Gabiru's Blessing was passed on most strongly to his hundred Wyvern Corps members and to Soka's group of five.
The three thousand Dragonewts of the Blue Division were also affected, evolving into the Dragonewt race.
Soka's group of five had reached a level of strength comparable to an Arch-Demon.
The Wyvern Corps had also reached the demon-class tier. They had successfully broken through the A-rank barrier.
Since they were essentially always in a state similar to the 'Dragon Warrior Transformation,' the skill itself seemed to have disappeared.
In its place, they had acquired a skill called 'Dragon Scale Armor,' which allowed them to elevate their own scales into the quality of armor.
For Gabiru, who already possessed Legendary-grade defensive power even in his normal state, this ability would push his defenses to near-Mythical grade when activated.
Naturally, it wasn't just defense that increased — offensive power rose as well.
His race remained Dragonewt, but it was a massive power boost.
Soka and the others — the women especially — had always possessed high defensive power. In their normal state they appeared human-like, but the moment they took an attack without even thinking about it, their skin would transform to scale-like quality.
I suspected that when using 'Dragon Scale Armor,' it would become impossible to distinguish between men and women.
The red-purple scales would eventually revert to their original black-purple over time.
But they now possessed greater luster and depth, exuding an artistic quality reminiscent of obsidian.
A single scale would probably sell for a high price. Not that Gabiru would appreciate being asked for one, nor would there be any reason to.
However, since I'd told him to take a king's title, a magnificent horn had sprouted from Gabiru's forehead.
For someone of Gabiru's temperament, it looked impressively cool. And that was perfectly fine.
It was a magnificent evolution befitting the "Heavenly Dragon King" — combining both majesty and power.
Unlike my case, he hadn't needed to fall asleep for the evolution to complete.
The "Heavenly Dragon King" — a king worthy of leading my subordinates — had been born.
Next came those who had participated in the capital's ground defense.
Geld, Shion, and Diablo — three in total.
There didn't seem to be a risk of any of them losing control, but to be safe, I would awaken them one at a time.
I offered words of appreciation and granted them "power."
First was Geld.
However...
"I appreciate the offer, but I believe there is someone more qualified than me...
During the defense, the one Lord Rimuru assigned to support me — Lady
If not for her, the defense would have been far more difficult."
He declined the Demon Lord awakening through the power of souls.
This was likely partly due to the Pig-Headed Demon Lord's rampage.
Geld himself would never lose control. But for him, the unease was impossible to shake.
There was also the matter of atonement — bearing a share of the responsibility for the catastrophe he had unleashed upon the Great Forest of Jura during that earlier rampage.
His eyes shone with strong conviction as he looked at me with firm resolve.
"Understood. Then I expect you to distinguish yourself further and earn a title worthy of your deeds.
That said, your performance in the defense was undeniably excellent.
You did a remarkable job. Besides, I'll need your help with city construction going forward.
For now, take this. And from this day forward, bear the name 'Guardian Conquest King'!"
With that, I produced a Legendary-grade equipment piece that I had modified and presented it to Geld.
It reacted to Geld's Demon Aura and fused with him, becoming equipment unique to Geld.
The difference between Mythical and Legendary grade came down to the equipment's mastery level.
Geld specialized in defensive abilities, so even with Legendary-grade equipment, I predicted his defensive power would quickly rival Mythical-grade.
A particularly large shield was included as well, promising a substantial boost in defensive capability.
Geld respectfully accepted the reward and bowed to me.
"I humbly accept! I shall strive to live up to the name 'Guardian Conquest King'!"
Geld made his declaration and stepped back into line.
In the current state of affairs, we didn't have enough souls to awaken everyone. So this time, I would respect Geld's wishes.
But on the next occasion, I wanted him to put the Pig-Headed Demon Lord affair behind him and awaken with full confidence.
No one would dare bring up his past against him anymore.
There had been an unexpected refusal from Geld, but the remaining two would surely accept.
After all, they were Shion and Diablo.
You could call them the most terrifying duo of them all.
If these two went berserk simultaneously, the damage would be catastrophic.
Benimaru might have been the type to warn me about it, but I wasn't worried.
Shion had already learned to control herself, and no one was further from losing control than Diablo.
So first up was Shion.
"Shion, I appoint you as 'Battle God King.' From today onward, protect everyone without ever losing control."
As I spoke, I granted her the soul.
But... huh? No change whatsoever.
Shion stared at me blankly too.
We looked at each other for a while, but there wasn't even a hint of change.
A failure?
This was awkward — it looked like I hadn't given her anything at all.
I'd suddenly found myself in a tight spot. After all, I hadn't prepared anything else for her.
I was wondering what to do when something unexpected happened.
There was no change in Shion, but her Purple Annihilation Corps had evolved.
I had no idea what was going on, but they were Shion's direct subordinates, so maybe things like this could happen. Monsters were full of mysteries — you couldn't be surprised by everything.
So it seemed Shion could just be left as she was.
Shion herself looked displeased, but when I whispered that I'd teach her some new recipe ideas later, she nodded with satisfaction and took her place in line.
Easy to handle, that one.
As for Shion's Purple Annihilation Corps...
They'd become something like semi-spiritual lifeforms.
They were different from Demons — perhaps "demon-spirits" would be more accurate.
They had evolved into a unique race, closer to spirits than anything else.
They possessed Physical Bodies, yet were beings closer to Demons.
Their Magicule count was lower than the Wyvern Corps, and their defensive power seemed lower too... but when you factored in their immortality, it was hard to say which was stronger.
They had originally been from the Oni-Human Tribe, but now they were something entirely different.
Shion's Oni heritage seemed to manifest more strongly in them, with many being strikingly beautiful compared to other races.
If you told someone they used to be Goblins, no one would believe you.
Shion's own lack of change was unexpected, but an evolution of some kind had still occurred.
And so, the victory celebration continued...