Chapter 143 - Calm Before

A/N: I am happy to announce that Tensura What if: Silver Timeline (Draft) is officially finished! If you'd like to check it out early, you can find it on my Ko-fi.

ko-fi.com/coverscribe

What a journey this has been... 

....

As the discussion began in the capital in the forest, multiple large presences began to gather, as if on cue by Rimuru's words.

"Bring them here," he said, turning to the Primordials and gesturing with a wave of his hand.

All four vanished in unison, and Rimuru waited with the others for their arrival.

"Kufufufu... it has been a while, Guy." Diablo intercepted the red Primordial mid-flight to the forest. While he could have waited for Guy to get much closer, he chose instead to meet him halfway.

"Diablo," Guy muttered, frowning, as if a sudden headache had formed the moment Diablo appeared. It was almost mystical, one might question whether Guy was under some curse, skill, or higher power that caused him to react this way whenever interacting with anyone connected to Rimuru.

"I knew I felt your presence. Rimuru's was also oozing a massive amount of magicules."

"Kufufufu, of course," Diablo laughed, spreading his arms dramatically. "Rimuru-sama has returned to his peak capabilities after unifying with his other self. Now, he stands in his most beautiful and powerful form."

A vein popped in Guy's head. He flew past Diablo with unmatchable speed, hundreds of times faster than the speed of sound, reaching the capital in barely a second.

"You sure are eager to see Rimuru-sama," Diablo said with a smirk, suddenly appearing beside him as they walked through the castle corridor. Guy moved with even greater haste.

Meanwhile, Carrera guided Veldora, who was enthusiastically recounting his battle with the Demon Lord Dagruel to the yellow Primordial.

"And after that, I used my skill to boost the probability of the strike, and my fist plunged into his chest!" Veldora reenacted the moment, thrusting his fist forward with both arms stretched out.

"That is amazing, Veldora-sama!" Carrera cheered, cracking her fists in anticipation. She was boiling with desire for her own chance to face a powerful opponent, especially now, when tension filled the air.

"Kuahahaha! Of course I am!" Veldora laughed loudly as they neared the meeting room.

Silvia and Sarion were quieter and more composed than the others, especially with the elegant white Primordial as their escort. The couple exchanged glances, cautious, yet not fearful.

It had been thousands of years since Testarossa stepped foot into the Cardinal World, and she had grown so powerful they couldn't even fathom defeating her. Even together, their chances were slim to none.

"Please, step inside," Testarossa said as she opened the door to the meeting room.

Silvia and Sarion nodded and entered, their eyes widening slightly at the number of beings already inside.

The room was large, surprisingly spacious, but still felt cramped with the sheer number of powerful presences. It wouldn't have been surprising if the walls began to crack and collapse from the overwhelming aura leaking into the air.

Fortunately, only those purposefully leaking their aura, or those unable to completely hide it, like Veldora, were noticeable.

"Rimuru," Luminas was the last to enter, escorted by Ultima. She walked confidently beneath the many eyes watching her and took her seat beside him, with Velgrynd seated on his other side. "Hinata stayed in the wall with the others. I'll go back after this."

Rimuru nodded as he looked around, finally seeing everyone, some of whom had come unannounced. Then, he began.

"As we already know, Feldway has made a deal with both the snakes and the Insectars to destroy the world, supposedly."

He glanced toward Obera and Zaloria, who both nodded. The information had come from them.

Zaloria stepped forward, taking it as his cue to speak.

"Feldway has grown impatient with Veldanava-sama's absence, with no signs of reincarnation. Even Velgaia-sama, who is under Milim-sama's protection, has developed its own sentience, separate from that of Veldanava-sama."

"He plans to destroy the world with the belief that this world, and the system within it, took Veldanava-sama away from him. That the world has defied and killed its creator, and it must be punished. He believes that once everything is gone, Veldanava-sama will finally return. Whether Veldanava-sama becomes angry at Feldway or not doesn't matter to him. What matters is his return."

Obera sighed as she recalled the moment she received her angelic skill. It was likely then that she began agreeing with the plan. It was also when she stopped questioning Feldway, despite their relationship initially being meant as a cooperative one, not a dictatorship.

"Do we know what his next plan is?" Guy scratched his head, eyeing the angels. "Velzard seems to have taken his side. She retreated just about an hour ago."

"For now, he plans to gather the Virtue Ultimate Skill users," Obera explained. Some looked confused by the term, while others listened intently. "The Virtue series are Ultimate Skills once held by Veldanava-sama. He gave Velzard-sama and Velgrynd-sama their own. The rest, I believe, were placed into the reincarnation cycle to find their owners. The Ultimate Skill Michael has the ability to control the other Virtue Skill users."

"Adding to that," Ciel interjected, "angelic skills are also at risk of being controlled. Dino, Obera, and Zaloria all had angelic skills before and were being controlled without realizing it."

"Michael was the skill Veldanava had before he loaned it to Rudra, right?" Guy asked with a sigh. A small recollection of their final moments together made him slump back into his seat. "Does Feldway plan to gather the other Virtue Skill users as allies, like Velzard?"

"That is the hypothesis, as far as I was told," Obera confirmed. They hadn't been given the full details of the plan to destroy the Cardinal World, but the idea of controlling the Virtue Skill users had been subtly implied.

"So," Dino looked around, "Velgrynd-san... are you feeling strange, by any chance?"

He asked with a slight hint of tension. The others held their breath at the implication.

"Don't be stupid, Dino," Velgrynd shook her head firmly. "I discarded Raguel long ago and have obtained something better."

"I see..." Dino felt a sweat drop slide down his cheek under the intense glares. He let out a nervous laugh. "Hahaha..."

Guy thought for a moment before raising his hand to catch their attention.

"Then their next target is likely Leon. He has a Virtue Ultimate Skill, as far as I know."

"Good to know," Ciel muttered, incorporating the information into her calculations. She fell into deep thought as the meeting progressed.

"Where are the other Virtue series, though?" Sarion couldn't help but ask. "They're also potential enemies and clearly in danger, aren't they?"

"I... do not have any clue where they are," Dino admitted, looking to the other fallen and angelic beings.

"No clue."

"Same here."

"Other than our angelic series, no."

"That is a problem."

Gracia, Pico, Obera, and Zaloria replied in order.

"We don't need to worry about the Virtue series," Ciel spoke again, drawing confused glances. The Virtue series were abilities granted by Veldanava, the Creator, yet she said not to worry. "Raphael, Raguel, and Uriel have already been processed and disposed of. Sariel is currently being acquired by the Hero Granbell. That only leaves Metatron, Michael, and Gabriel."

"Gabriel is with Big Sister," Velgrynd added, placing the information on the table. Just as she had been given Lord of Charity, Raguel, her sister had been given Lord of Patience, Gabriel. It was common knowledge between the two sisters, though they doubted Veldora knew.

"That means Leon has Metatron," Ciel concluded. She turned to Chloe, who nodded. "I'll leave Sariel to you."

Chloe accepted the request; her next destination would be with Luminas and into the long wall where Granbell resided.

"Leave Leon to me," Guy volunteered. "I can handle whoever comes for him."

"We'll go too," Silvia chimed in, slinging her arm around her husband. "If Leon-kun is in danger, we'll help protect him."

Sarion chuckled softly, allowing himself to be dragged along without resistance.

Ciel nodded. "Next, the Cryptids are likely to cause chaos while all of this is unfolding. As the professionals in this department, I'll leave it to all of you."

The seraphim all nodded in agreement. Even the fallen were included in this responsibility to protect the world. That meant not even Dino had the right to complain.

"The real threats are still outside this world," Ciel continued. "We will need to go to Citadel to intercept the invasion. The Primordials, Insectars, and Spirits will remain here in case anyone needs further support. Master, Velgrynd and I will return to Citadel as the front line against Ivarage and Boros."

"Ciel-sama," Agni stood up, "we can help in Citadel as well. Having all of us here is too much, we need to provide support."

"I agree as well," Diablo added. "At the very least, bring some of us in case something truly does happen."

The other Primordials and Runa voiced their agreement too. Only Zegion and Apito remained silent, not offering their opinions.

"Do you think I'll lose?" Rimuru asked, turning to them.

The room fell silent. The tension rose as their earlier voices were swallowed. Not one person dared to respond.

"Good," Rimuru clapped his hands once. No one dared to argue. "Anyone else have any questions?"

"The demons are also good in fighting the cryptids when the gates in the underworld was open, you will assist them when the time comes." Ciel added to the primordials. 

"Are you planning on fighting Ivarage, Rimuru?" Guy raised a brow, his tone curious with a trace of amusement.

Rimuru smirked.

"Of course. Who do you think I've been fighting against all this time? Ouroboros? No. I plan on taking the head of that beast."

Guy grinned at Rimuru's confidence and folded his arms. "Suit yourself. Just make sure to handle it."

"Zaloria and I will go to Milim-sama's side. Dino and the others will remain here and be ready for any invasion," Obera explained clearly to the other angels, her voice steady and composed.

"I guess that's fine with me," Dino said as he shrugged and lazily leaned back in his chair. He reached for the snacks that had been left on the table, the same ones only Veldora had bothered with until now. He popped one into his mouth and spoke casually. "Just contact us when things get too troublesome."

Zaloria and Obera nodded before vanishing without another word.

Luminas walked briskly to Rimuru's side. She took his hands, interlocking their fingers with ease and a quiet intimacy. Her expression was soft but playful.

"I did my best earlier, you know." She smiled, leaning forward with a glint in her eyes.

Rimuru chuckled. As the two shared a brief kiss, he gently placed a hand on her cheek, his thumb brushing her skin with quiet affection.

"I expected nothing less. Later, let's do something you want. Anything."

Luminas's eyes lit up, her smile deepening with a teasing and mischievous curve. The word "anything" echoed in her mind, and a flood of vivid thoughts began swirling.

"Then~"

She brought her lips close to his ear. As she whispered her request, her eyes flicked over to Chloe, who stood nearby watching and waiting for her own moment to speak with Rimuru.

"That sounds interesting," Rimuru said with a smirk. He stole a glance at Chloe, catching the subtle shift in her expression. "Then, when this is over, let's do it."

Luminas let go of his hand. With a small playful jump, she leaned in and bit his neck lightly before stepping back with a sly grin. She strolled over to Chloe, who had turned pink at the affectionate display. Chloe's eyes flicked between them, flustered but composed.

"Rimuru-san," Chloe jumped into the conversation, shaking her head slightly to regain her composure. Her voice was steady, but there was a hint of nerves behind it. "When this is all over, I think it should be fine to tell the others about my true identity. That way, I can openly show my affection to you too!"

She pumped her fist with determination, her eyes filled with conviction.

Rimuru laughed softly. Reaching out, he ruffled her hair gently, then leaned in and gave her a kiss on the forehead.

Chloe's entire face turned crimson, and she stiffened from the sudden affection. In terms of showing her feelings, Chloe was definitely the weakest when it came to doing it in public.

"Looks like you're coming with me, Chloe," Luminas said with a bright smile. The two exchanged a few words, their voices low, and then they activated their transport magic. In a shimmer of light, they disappeared together, heading toward the long wall where Hinata and Granbell were stationed.

"Luminas-san!?" Chloe's voice rang out just before they vanished completely.

As the meeting wrapped up and everyone began to move to their posts, Veldora walked up to Rimuru and Velgrynd with loud, eager steps. His excitement was impossible to miss.

"Brother! Big Sister!" he called out with a wide grin. "I managed to beat the Evil God Ashura, and even Dagruel! It was a bloody and awesome fight. Too bad time stopped, so no one saw the climax of the battle."

Rimuru gave him a firm pat on the back, nodding with approval.

"Well done, Veldora. Dagruel was strong enough to be on the level of a true dragon. Honestly, if you hadn't trained, he probably would have beaten you with power alone."

Velgrynd smiled and ruffled his hair, her pride obvious in the warmth of her expression.

"And you managed to beat not only his giant form but also the unified Evil God form, Ashura, that Big Brother split."

"Kuahahaha! Aren't I amazing?" Veldora said proudly. He puffed out his chest as the three of them began walking outside, still caught up in the story. "We were flying in the air when it started, like this, see, then..."

He waved his arms wildly, reenacting the scene with dramatic flair. He twisted his body, mimed punches, and kicked the air with full enthusiasm.

Velgrynd leaned in slightly toward Rimuru. Her voice was low so as not to interrupt Veldora's performance.

"What was that you talked about with Luminas?" she asked, her tone curious. Her gaze lingered on Rimuru. She couldn't help but notice how unbothered he seemed by Luminas's boldness. It was already common knowledge that, in terms of pervertedness, Luminas was the most openly expressive among the three lovers.

"Something about all four of us going on a vacation," Rimuru replied honestly. He didn't try to hide it. "A long vacation where we don't have to worry about our responsibilities. And for her and Chloe to make up for some of the time we were all apart."

"I guess that's true. Chloe and Luminas are the one who's had the least amount of time with you." Velgrynd placed a hand on her chin, her expression thoughtful. Even if they counted the time spent in Twilight's facility, Rimuru had still been with Velgrynd the longest. Chloe came last, having been forced to return to her role as a hero and a child.

Guy stood watching them from the doorway. He was amused. They looked like they weren't heading into a life or death battle. Like they weren't preparing to fight the strongest being in existence since Veldanava.

Ivarage was not someone to underestimate. Even overestimating her wasn't enough. She was the mother of all cryptids. A creature whose very existence made the concept of danger seem small.

Ouroboros, whom Guy only knew from secondhand stories, and Zelanus, the Insectar King, were terrifying in their own right. Yet they were only two products of Ivarage. It could create cryptids like them. It could make more.

And she could make them better.

What was worse was that Ivarage's cryptids had the potential for sentience. The idea that beings like Zelanus and Ouroboros were not rare, but simply the first to reach that point, was disturbing. If there were others, and they evolved even a little further, they could easily reach the same level.

What if more were already close?

In the other world, where the cryptids kept growing without limits or control, the World Destroying Dragon continued to sleep. Its body rested deep in the abyss, silent. Around it, the cryptids fought, killed, and devoured each other.

They were getting stronger.

Several of them were already close to the point Zelanus and Ouroboros had reached when they became self-aware. And they were still growing

A/N: So, I'll keep Velgrynd as the main heroine. I haven't read vol 23 just yet, (I am rereading 22) but I was spoiled that maybe it was a false alarm and a misunderstanding.