Chapter 37 - Insectar Invasion

A/N: just placing this minor announcement, I'm adding the word "Draft" to the title of the story. More details about why is in the comment section.

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It has been a hundred years since the recruitment of the demons. Rimuru is seen sipping tea as he signs the papers in his desk. Noir is standing behind him as he pours Rimuru a drink and sort the files in the room.

"It's so peaceful" Rimuru said as he place the cup down, and grabbed a file.

"Rimuru-sama we need your help!" Siren rushed into the room as Rimuru reads the daily reports.

"Calm down, what is this about." Rimuru walked out of the room and Siren followed.

Did I jinx it? Rimuru thought.

"We have encountered a category 3 threat from Universe Mdudu, the Holy Angels made contact and have requested backup." Siren explained as she leads the way to the gate. "Currently Lait-sama, Jahil-sama, Enki, and their subordinates have departed. I've been ordered to request your presence as well."

"Where is Velgrynd?" Rimuru asked not hearing her name from the roster of people that went in to help.

"Velgrynd-sama is currently visiting the Cardinal world. I could not get in contact easily."

"Tsk, perfect timing."

"What about the casualties?"

"Currently we have thousands of casualties on the Cherufes, and hunreds on Sprites. The Enkis and Holy Angels have suffered as well, but have kept it in minimal." Siren answered as she calls her sirens. "The damages done to Mdudu Universe is large, most of the planets of sector E to T's star systems have been destroyed. Majority of the fighting is in sector X, Y, A, and C."

Rimuru and Siren passed through the gate and fighting can be seen everywhere.

Sector X, as Rimuru's group continues to find new worlds and universe. They have started to name them and sort them properly.

Each universe were given names and inside these universes, they further get categorize into sectors. Each sector is a Star cluster or a group of Star System.

They go from A to an estimate of reaching ZZZ. Most of the double and triple letters are still uncharted/unmarked areas as they still lack worlds from those parts.

In the world that they arrived in.

The world has already collapse and debris are all that remain of the planet.

Lait's group is currently facing a swarm of insects that are in the numbers of the hundreds of thousand. The Insects rank being around B to A rank.

A fight of Holy Angels, enkis, Cherufes, Aqua Sprites vs Insects are happening all over the area. Not just on where they stand, but the surrounding planets have also been destroyed and beings are fighting there as well.

In the past hundred years, Rimuru has been able to increase the numbers of the Cherufes and the Sprites. They learned that the world where the Sprites came from passively produce an average of 80 Water Sprites annually making their total number above 12,000 as of now. 

As for the Cherufes, thanks to their evolution. They no longer kill the mother at birth, although the mothers are still weakened for life and the Cherufes potency decreased as well. The children are obviously Fiery Men similar to how the Sprites that are born are Water Sprites and not Aqua Sprites. This however is not a problem as Rimuru regularly contracts them to evolve them all. The Cherufes are now more than 200,000 in total not including the casualties for the past century.   

Due to their large numbers, they are the main vanguard(meat shields) for any type of large scale fights. With the Aqua Sprites behind them as support(second meat shields). Even right now, more than 20,000 have already died on the Cherufes alone protecting the others and sacrificing themselves. 

This formation was suggested by Noir and approved by Rimuru, practically speaking, they are easier to increase in numbers or more like, they are the only subordinates that can be increase in numbers. The others like enkis, sirens, holy angels, and demons can't reproduce. If the spiritual beings die, it takes at least 500 years for them to be revive at a minimum. if the Cherufes or Sprites die, it takes less than a year to have 20 more of their kind.

One of the previously larger worlds, three people are fighting as they fly around destroying everything that was left of the poor world.

Enki, Jahil, and Gamaliel are struggling as they fight of one of the stronger enemies. From what they could assess, the enemy is atleast S-Rank in strength. Meanwhile all of them are only in S-minus.

Unlike the Insects that the enkis and holy angels are fighting, what they face is an Insectar. An evolve, stronger version, of the Insects.

"Siren help those three." Rimuru ordered as he looked at their battle. "Have your sirens help the others as well."

"Understood Rimuru-sama." Siren bowed and with her subordinates flew to battle.

"Rimuru-sama, should I assist as well?" Diablo who came with them asked in his side. "Kufufufu this Insects remind me of my failures." Noir brought his demons with him just incase.

"Normally I would say yes, however in terms of strength you don't have much for that one. I see Apollyon and Mitzrael struggling with their enemy, assist them however you can."

"Kufufufu Understood Rimuru-sama."
Noir flew towards a different direction and went to where the two Thrones were fighting as he brings his demons with him killing all the Insects along the way.

Rimuru flew through the battlefield occasionally helping and annihilating a swarm of insects.

"Found you." Rimuru said as he saw Lait and an enemy fighting at sector C.

The enemy has a substantial exoskeleton covering his entire body, acting as a suit of armor. His entire, down to the tiniest hair, exoskeleton is constructed of alienum and is silver in color. His back is covered in two pairs of crimson wings, and his forehead has two antennas and long, blade-covered hair. Three sets of arms protrude from his torso: the top pair can transform into bladed weapons, the middle pair can be used for melee combat, and the bottom pair can cast magic.

"hahh.. Hah.. Ha.." Lait breath heavily as she held her sword and shield.

Meanwhile her opponent barely has any notable damage on his body.

Lait is a mental type, and her opponent is obviously on the physical type. Insects also have a passive resistance to magic.

It was an inevitable bad match up from the start. Lait surviving this long is already showing how powerful she is.

As the Insectar uses his fist to strike her, something block the attack and pushed the Insectar away.

"Glad I could make it." Rimuru said as he took out his mythical grade sword Rakshasa.

"Rimu.. ru... sama..?" Lait said dizzily.

"Take a rest for now." Rimuru said as he looked at her exhausted appearance.

"I can still fight." Lait said as she tried to move beside him.

"I know, that's why help the others once you've rested enough." Rimuru patted her head and turned to look at the enemy and started attacking him, leaving the exhausted Lait in place.

Rimuru forcefully attacks the Insectar as hard as he can, while the other simply parries or dodges the attack. Not realizing Rimuru's goal was to isolate them both.

Soon they've reach sector J, right in the middle of the sectors that have been destroyed. In this part, no one could interfere and be affected by their fight.

"You sure are strong, even I don't know if I could beat you." Rimuru grinned as he held his sword tightly. rushing in for a slash but was block by the arms transformed into swords.

The middle arms started punching Rimuru as he was caught of guard. Pushing him hundreds of meters away. 

"Hmm, a strong body." The Insectar stated as he looks at his fist, which has some bruises.

"Heh, you think so? You're the one that is strong to have that body without any assist from someone else." Rimuru rushed back. The Insectar rushed to him as well.

Their fight lasted for a long time, since they were fighting in empty space they could not tell visually how long it has been. Though for them, their sense of time has been altered as they continue to use thought acceleration.

Making it seem like their fight has lasted for more than several decades to maybe even centuries for their perception.

Rimuru threw a slash towards the Insectar's face which was blocked by the the two arms turned weapons, while the middle pair both punched his stomach.

Rimuru was pushed too far he landed in one of the nearby Worlds. The ground cracked and made a ten meter deep hole with Rimuru in the middle. 

Unbeknownst to both, they've left the empty/destroyed sectors.

"Who! what was that?!" "Something just came down!" "It's dangerous stay back!" several voices like that could be heard. 

Rimuru could sense that the Insectar was planning to shoot a large magic attack that could pierce a hole through the entire planet.

As soon as the attack fired, "Counter Gate" Rimuru placed it right in front of the attack, it then redirected and fired towards where it came from double its previous output.

The Insectar rushed towards the attack.

"Hey is he serious?" Even Rimuru couldn't believe the recklessness of diving towards that attack. The Insectar then dodges in the last minute sacrifing his left arms and rushed even faster coming directly to Rimuru.

The speed he was going is no joke, as it could potentially be more dangerous than the attack he fired to the planet.

The Insectar raised his fists and punched at Rimuru using his momentum and speed, the damage was high. Rimuru barely blocked with his sword, the ground below him cracked and so did the surrounding area. 

"ah AAHHH!!!" "HELP!!!" "NOO!!" Screams could be heard as the residents of the world panicked as their world is collapsing. 

Both Rimuru and the Insectar was pushed deeper into the planet as the ground couldn't keep up with their strength. Until eventually they passed through the entire planet from one side to the other. 

They then continued their fight, not even looking back at the result of their fight. The once normal planet was now a hollow planet filled with large cracks and missing pieces. 

They were to focus on their fight and not perceiving their surroundings that they never noticed, their fights have started at Sector J and is now in the uncharted area of the Double letters. 

The Universe Mdudu only has charted sectors of up to Sector AX, meaning from the supposed Sector AY and so on are uncharted areas. If they charted the location the two are fighting, they would be in the middle of Sector XN and XO.

The Sectors that they have passed through were all damage and the unfortunate worlds that directly interacted with the two have been destroyed without a trace. 

The more fortunate ones did not get into contact with the two and continues to remain the same, to those who felt their auras flair though, were unfortunate to take in the excess magicules and slowly die off. Some do mutate to try to survive, they however, were in the minority.

"To think that you could survive this long." Rimuru commented as he slash towards the Insectar. "I guess 'insects' are hard to kill." Rimuru grinned trying to irritate his opponent.

"Heh, wonder how does that make you, the person that can't even kill that 'insect'." The Insectar fired back, as he dodges the sword and threw a fist.

The two have continued to mock each other to create an opening to use. In truth however, they have develop some respect to the other to have lasted this long. 

"This has been going for too long now." The Insectar announced. "Die, Engulf Virus." Black like mist started coming out of the Insectar's body. The insectar has Organic manipulation which allows him to manipulate/reproduce his very cells.

The mist is reproduction of his dark cells that he can manipulate manually, the goal is to have the opponent ingest the cells into their body and be devoured from the inside. 

"Devour them all, Gluttony." Rimuru staying cautious stepped back and activated gluttony to isolate the mist. analyzing the mist allowed him to understand their purpose.

"Trying to eat me now huh?" Rimuru smiled mockingly showing that the Insectar's move didn't work.

The Insectar was nowhere to be seen, he appeared right behind Rimuru and filled his arms with his magicules capable of even leaving a fatal injury to Rimuru if hit correctly. 

Rimuru getting cocky for defending against his enemy's attack was caught of guard, getting a direct fatal hit would kill him. preparing for the impacts that never came.

"All right that's enough out of you two." Veldanava appeared right in front of the Insectar and holding the fist as if it didn't have the power to kill Rimuru.

"Vel-danava?" Rimuru was stunned as he saw him, why was he here? how did I not sense him? many question was popping out of Rimuru's mind. "Why are you here?"

"Velgrynd was worried that no one was home for days, she asked me to look for you." Veldanava shruggs as he look to the side, Rimuru followed with his eyes and saw Velgrynd flying towards them. 

"Rimuru!" Velgrynd collided with Rimuru as she hugged him tightly. "That was dangerous you idiot! Letting your guard down like that." 

"Hahaha.. I guess, I was mentally exhausted and wanted to joke around for a second." while Rimuru likes to fight, he does not like prolong battle that don't have meaning. 

His fight with the Insectar may have been fun for the first few days, but after that he was just not enjoying it and is mentally annoyed instead. 

"I guess you all came at the perfect time to save me, thanks." Rimuru said as he responded to Velgrynd's hug.

"Tha-that's right! we came at a perfect time, coincidentally just the perfect time." Veldanava emphasize the perfect time and coincidentally. 

Rimuru has his doubts but was too exhausted to argue. 

Veldanava sighed with relief and looked towards the Insectar. "Who are you?"

"Why should I say it to you?" The Insectar spouted at Veldanava.

Veldanava looked at the Insectar and placed his other hand to his chin to think. 

"You feel just like Ivarage.. a descendant maybe?" Veldanava assess, the Insectar jolted for a split second before composing himself. "Interesting~ you have sentience! Rimuru look! just like I said, Ivarage in the future can be a sentient being. it can already produce sentient descendent."

"Sentient and too powerful... no wonder, it's that thing's descendant." Rimuru sighed understanding where the Insectar's strength originated from.

 The rest slowly came together to where Rimuru and the others are. From Lait and her Holy Angels, Enki and his enkis, Sirens and her sirens, and the surviving insects with two Insectars.

"I have a proposition for you." Veldanava said to the Insectar he was still holding in his arm. The Insectar simply looks at him.

"I'll spare your life, if you submit."

"..." the Insectar fell silent, normally he would say to anyone that say that, to go fuck themselves. However, Veldanava is an incredibly strong being that can kill him the instant he says no. 

He does not see anything wrong with working for someone that is stronger than himself. after contemplating for minutes, thinking about the pros and cons.

"I'll submit to you." The Insectar said, Veldanava nodded with a smile. "Good" 

Veldanava clap to get everyone's attention. "The fight is over everyone, let us all go back to our daily lives." Veldanava said as he disappears with the Insectar and his subordinates. Leaving behind Rimuru's group.

"I guess we should go as well." Rimuru said patting Velgrynd's back signaling her to let go. She ignores him and continues to cling to him. Rimuru has a conflicted expression, he doesn't want to force her to let go.

He tried looking for help from the others. Enki and Siren simply smile at him saying that 'That's impossible', Noir is in a similar manner. Lait stares for a bit and shruggs her shoulder, signaling for Rimuru to give up. 

Rimuru sighed and they all returned to Citadel and returned to their daily work, after getting the status report of the damages and casualties that is. 

A/N: The Insectars still don't have any name.

Rimuru vs Zelanus(Insectar version not Divine Insect)

Enki, Siren, Jahil, Gamaliel(all are S-minus) vs Peliod(S-rank)

Previously Apollyon and Mitzrael(Special A) vs Zess(S-minus)

Lait(weakened), Noir(archdemon) vs Zess

I do not know how strong Zelanus would be as an Insectar but he should be stronger than an average Insectar right? Peliod would be stronger than Zess as well. I just made up their strength since their final form is all that we have info from. 

I found out that Zelanus actually made Peliod AFTER meeting Veldanava however I change it. Just to clarify and to not confuse anyone. 

Worlds confirmed Destroyed: 9,172
Star system destroyed: 187
Sectors destroyed: 49

Clarification only up to sector AX have been dub as sectors, I only place the name sector XN and XO to tell how far they are to the others. They still aren't called XN and XO because they are uncharted area. 

HQ is now named Citadel, Rimuru's paper work is actually the naming and sectoring of different universes. They need his approval to official dub the area as charted. They also report the daily occurrences of the worlds, and casualties that happen on a regular basis. 

Jahil's research is also in those paper works, with request for resources like magisteel and samples from different tech and species of other worlds. His job is basically studying everything that Rimuru said he should study.

Rimuru is heartless to his subordinates that he does not know directly. Think of how Zaloria and Diablo sees their subordinates.