Chapter 56 - Successors

"Well, that's the end of that." Rimuru stood up from his sitting position.

Turning back to the two True Dragons enjoying themselves with Rimuru's snacks.

"Hm? Mh.. Hm.." Velgrynd tried to speak as she ate another piece of cake. "I mean, good I'm proud of those two."

"...." Rimuru looked at the two suspiciously. "Did you two even watch?" 

They have been far enough that they would not be a bother for the right, but still near enough to watch with their universal sense. 

"That's rude," Velzard closed her book, "I was properly watching them fight." 

Rimuru sighed at the two, giving up on scolding them. "You two are really related to Veldanava..."

"Oh my," Velzard has a thin smile as she tilt her head. "That doesn't sound like a compliment for some reason." 

"It's obviously not one Sister Velzard," Velgrynd whispered to her loud enough for Rimuru to hear, pissing him off more. 

Rimuru silently turned and flew close to Agni and Runa, giving up on talking with the true dragons. 

"Were you two satisfied?" Rimuru turned to the humanoid forms of Water and Fire. 

They were both standing beside their respective challenger who were both unconscious at the moment. Unfortunately, their appearance were simply a human shape mold made from their elements. The shape of the head and body were there, but the details of the face and other small features are not present.

"Yes, I for one am delighted to give my powers to this one," Water sat down and placed its 'hand' on Runa's head in a stroking manner. 

"Haha! While in terms of power, I was indeed strong." Fire boasted at first, "But on real fighting experience I was the weaker one." Fire looked down on its arms, flaming limbs that could barely maintain the shape of a human. 

"Will you believe me when I say this is my first time making a humanoid form?" Fire looked directly at Rimuru, Water as well directed its gaze at Rimuru. 

Rimuru alternately looked at the two great spirits, their bodies barely able to maintain their shape. The lack of detailed features and among other things could give Rimuru the obvious answer. 

"I believe you," 

"Fufu," Water giggled to itself. "Looks like waiting for our deaths has its disadvantages. We should have listened to those two." 

"Hah! No way," Fire crossed its arms in an X. "Those two wanting to keep surviving when our purpose is already finish is just an insult to our creator!" Fire turned away from Water. 

Rimuru's interest were piqued, "Those two?"

The two great spirits looked at Rimuru, "Ah, the great spirits of earth and wind." Water answered. 

"Oh, them." Rimuru recalled Terra that Diablo recruited for Arcana. He wonders if it was good to bring her up to the two before him. They don't seem to hold her and the great wind spirit in high regard.

"Wanting to remain alive and planning to incarnate themselves! Truly their shamelessness knows no bound." Fire continues to complain about the two.

But then Rimuru noticed something, that is only four of the great spirits. 

"What about the other great spirits?" Rimuru asked the two. "Where is darkness, light, and if possible even time?" He counted on his fingers.

Water and Fire looked at each other, then back at Rimuru.

"They.. how should I put it.. are intangible is the word?" Fire looked at Water for confirmation who nodded its head in agreement with the term used. 

"They don't have any physical manifestation, not even a spiritual body exist of them." Water pointed out to Rimuru. "In fact, even we don't know if they have ever even gain sentience like us. We knew they existed everywhere but cannot communicate even with us, they are more like the power that we spread on the multiverse. Spread out and used for the purpose of maintaining reality, except they did not have a body."

"Though, their essence is mostly felt on both heaven and the underworld where you were born. Hence the child of darkness title for all demons, and child of light for all angels." 

As their talk continues the two that where laid down began to wake up.

Noticing them, they stopped their conversation and looked at the two who started to stand up. Processing the events from before they pass out from exhaustion.

"Good work you two," Rimuru nodded in satisfaction. "That was some amazing techniques that you've shown, you even made use of my 'gifts' into your strategies." 

The gift Rimuru implies can both mean the weapons as well as the orb that holds immense magicules for more power. 

Agni and Runa bowed their head to Rimuru, "We are honored to hear your praise."

"It brings us joy to have our hard work notice by Rimuru-sama!"

Rimuru smiled, "That's right, now officially speaking you are both back to work for me." He gestures with his hands. 

The two were both overjoyed by Rimuru's declaration, if they weren't being formal they would have celebrated by shouting and other things. 

"Good work you two," Velgrynd landed beside the two praising them. 

"That was some splendid attacks, especially that last move of yours Runa." Velzard placed her hand into Runa's shoulder. 

Rimuru simply looked at them with a blank expression. They only arrived when the two woke up, did they finally finished all the food?

""Thank you for all of the things you have taught us""

The two bowed in unison to the two true dragons. Extremely grateful to the training they had to become even stronger than before. 

The two nodded with satisfaction. 

"Shall we start the process of succession?" Fire asked once everyone has settled down. 

Rimuru frowned a bit, "Are you sure? wouldn't you die quickly after the process?"

"It is better to do it as soon as possible, every second we live is a fraction of our power disappearing." Water reassures Rimuru. "Besides, we are very satisfied with ending everything right now."

Rimuru looked at Runa and Agni, both nodded their heads. 

"Alright then," Rimuru scratched his head in acceptance. "What should they do?" 

"Agni," Fire walked towards him, standing directly in front of him. "You will come with me in into my core, there." He pointed at his true body, the sun that was a bit far from where they are.

"And you will be going to my core," Water explained to Runa. 

"Well, we wouldn't want to interrupt the process.." Rimuru dragged the two true dragons of the moon and watched from a considerable distance. 

Agni flew away from the moon and directly dived into the core of the sun. 

Meanwhile, Runa pierced the ground to go deep into the moon towards the core. 

Once both have reached the core, they both asked what was the next step.

And in unison, the great spirits stated. 

"Break it." 

The two froze for a bit before steeling themselves, and with great force that they could muster, destroyed the cores.

The spherical shape of the sun disappeared right after the core was destroyed, it soon started to spread its heat and plasma in all direction. 

"Agni... absorb..it all..." Fire with the remaining life within it explained. 

"AH!!" Agni forcefully made a flaming barrier restraining the overflowing flames that escapes the core. He manipulated the flames to go inside his body, making it accept him as its new owner and vessel. 

<<Confirmed. Unique Skill: Blazing One... succesful.>> 

After that announcement, the task of absorption has become much easier than before. "I still need more ground." Agni materialized his axe and with its ability absorbs the flames as well and let it course through his body. 

His body was burning, in every literal sense of the word. His skin and flesh were both gone long ago, his bones barely holding out. Forcing his regenerative abilities to its maximum capalitity to hold out. 

"Not yet! I've did everything to get here! I won't fail now!!!" 

The flames that have been wanting to burst out of the barrier started to swirl towards the center where he was. 

While this is happening, a similar event is going on in Runa's case. Though it is a different manner from Agni's. 

Agni's situation indirectly damages him as the flames wanted to escape. On the other hand, Runa had to face direct attacks from the water auras that leaked out the core. 

The sharp tendrils that continues to try piercing her entire body with holes keep going non-stop. 

"Tsk, this is getting annoying!" Runa shouted as she outsretched her hand. "Obey me!" 

A third of the tendrils stopped in their tracks before joining Runa's side. The two sides clashed and battle it out inside the now hollowed out moon. Water has long since disappeared, the power seems to reject her. 

"I've tried my hardest!" Runa fired a shot from her arrow. "I've been relieved of my duty by Rimuru-sama, embarrassed in front of him with defeat, and now! Now that I finally have a chance to redeem myself, you won't cooperate?!" 

A tendril managed to pierced Runa's left hand that held the bow, following it the other tendrils decimated her whole arm. 

"I've been keeping it calm! If you want me to release my pent up frustration then here you go!" 

Runa with her right hand holding the arrow, poured her magicules into it. The temperature of the arrow got lower and lower. In fact, it dropped so low, even her arm was showing signs of frostbite. 

The surrounding area also started to freeze and crumble under the amount of cold in the air.

<<Confirmed. Unique Skill: Subzero... successful.>> 

"Freeze up and come to me!" Runa shouted as she threw the arrow to the center of the tendrils, hitting the core once again and freezing everything up. 

"Good, now be obedient and acknowledge me." Runa had a scary smile that didn't have her usual calm tone. With the additional effect of her heavily wounded body, she looked like an insane murderer.

The frozen tendrils turned to steam and slowly entered her body. 

Rimuru watched from afar, "I guess the frustration got to them, I wouldn't really blame them." He shrugs as he continues to watch. 

"To be fair, I bet you would react the same way." Velgrynd pointed out as she hears Rimuru's comment.

Rimuru could only shrug at the accusation.

It took more than an hour for the entire ritual to finish.

As the spreading flames grew smaller and smaller, Agni's figure could eventually be seen.

He was in a cross-legged meditating position, with his axe on his lap.

Eyes closed and the flames swirling towards his chest.

Then, the flames have all been absorbed by Agni.

His eyes opening up, a glimpse of the spiritual flames that he absorbed showed it's glint in his iris.

He went forward to Rimuru.

In a similar situation, the moon where Runa has been absorbing the powers of The Great Spirit of Water finally finishes as well.

The moon crumbles and the debris float into the vast space. Nothing keeping it together anymore as all of the energy has been taken.

Runa showed herself, and floated towards Rimuru's group.

"R-Rimuru-sama.." Agni could barely stay awake, "Apologies but... It seems I may.. need to sleep.. for an evolution.." Then he was knocked out, floating in space in front of Rimuru.

Behind him, Velzard was holding on Runa who was also sleeping.

Rimuru opened a gate to Citadel, he grabbed Agni and turned to the other two.

"Let's go."

The trio passed through the gate and set the two to their respective rooms to rest.

"So this is Citadel.." Velzard looked around as they walked through the apartments where the Enkis and Sirens live.

"Ah, this is your first time here." Velgrynd realized as she saw how her sister's eyes take in everything.

"I didn't really have any plan on letting anyone just come here after all." Rimuru spoke as he walked in front of the two. Normally they would have just transported into the office, but to let Velzard enjoy the moment, they are walking.

Though this startled some of the subordinates that were around the area and bowed/kneeled whenever they arrive.

"That's a lot of people, how can you manage this many Rimuru?" Velzard was astonished by Rimuru's number of subordinates. She could feel at least more than a million in Citadel.

"A strict hierarchy? Agni or Runa's subordinates have captains and ranks below to make sure that they all operate." Rimuru explained what he recalled how those two's many workers operate. "There are a few hundred thousand Enkis and Sirens, and millions of Cherufe and Aqua Sprites. One Enki leads a group of 50 of the lower ranks."

"Millions!?" Velzard was surprise by the incredibly large number, she couldn't even fathom the amount of subordinates that Rimuru had.

"How do they all live here?"

Rimuru didn't answer, planning on ignoring the question.

(They don't. We have other places than this one.) Velgrynd used thought communication and with a gesture to keep what she said a secret.

(Got it.) Velzard nodded her head.

"How about you two wander around or go to our home." Rimuru turn and looked at the two True Dragons. "I'll have to return to work after all."

"Can't we just come with you?"

"It's paperwork.. Unless you find those fun, I don't recommend it." Rimuru looked at Velzard with a bitter smile on his face.

She looked to Velgrynd who shook her head.

"Then we'll tour the place!" Velzard albeit a bit reluctant chose to wander.

As Rimuru left the two, Velgrynd guided her sister to the entire Citadel.

"We already went to the quarters of the subordinates, next would be let's see..." Velgrynd place her right hand to her chin.

"What are the places that we can go anyway?" Velzard asked.

Velgrynd looked at her, "Well I doubt I can show you all without Rimuru getting angry..."

Though Rimuru getting mad at me doesn't sound too bad.. Maybe I would be punish..

"We can go to the facilities, hall of gates, the sacred library, and our home."

"Then let's go to them all, in that order."

Velgrynd guided Velzard to the facilities. Five facilities are in sight, two of which are for Jahil. And the rest are for Rimuru's personal hobby.

"Jahil huh," Velzard did not really have any opinion on him. She barely knows him other than the words that others speak of him.

How he was an arrogant high human and that his country is the one that summoned Guy to the material world.

As they enter the facility, they saw several gnomes moving around carrying different vials and tools.

Once they saw Velgrynd they gave respectful bow before continuing their work.

Deeper in the facility, Jahil was observing a type of Serpent in a cage. The Serpent is more then 6 meters long and could easily swallow whole humans.

"Hm?" Jahil noticed Velgrynd and Velzard. "Velgrynd-sama? And Velzard-sama? Is boss looking for me?"

Jahil placed his pad of paper down on the table.

"No, it's nothing like that." Velgrynd denied with gesture for Jahil to continue his work.

"So this is what you do.." Velzard commented as she look at the serpent in the cage and the other stuff in the room.

Jahil looked at Velgrynd confuse, she smiled. "I'm just giving her a tour."

Jahil frowned, "Is it alright? Won't boss be mad?"

"It's fine, I'm not showing her everything." Velgrynd brush Jahil's concern.

"Please make sure that the 'not everything' part is properly categorize." Jahil sighed return to his work.

After a couple of minutes of looking around the two left.

"Jahil-sama here are the reports for what you asked for." A gnome gave Jahil a folder.

"Well isn't this something.."

Velgrynd and Velzard walked in on Lilith building something. 

"Yo! Need something?" She smiled as she continues to weld the machine that she was working on. 

"Just wondering around," Velgrynd explained looking around the area. Then she turned to Velzard who was about to grab something on one of the things on the table. "Don't touch that!"

"Huh?" Velzard's head froze in place, only a inches away from the object in question. "Is something wrong?" She tilted her head, as she retracted her hand. 

"You should not touch anything in any of the facilities!" Velgrynd was worried, "I forgot to tell you.." She sighed to herself, she should have warned her sister about what she needed to be careful of. 

"What does that do anyway?" Velzard looked at the object she was going to pick up. 

"Hm?" Lilith turned to look at the object, "Ah! This is a prototype reactor I made." She held it and gave it to Velzard, showing that it was fine to touch. 

"Reactor?" Nor familiar with the term, Velzard repeated. 

"Something like a power source," Lilith explained. "I've been visiting some worlds that had this things called movies, they are full of amazing ideas!" 

Lilith then began to explain the concept of movies and editing skills to turn something impossible for the worlds reality to something they can visualize like an illusions. 

"For someoe that has no magicule.. they sure do have a lot of ideas about it." Velgrynd commeneted as she watches a movie with Lilith's recommendation. 

"I believe it is because they don't have it that allows them to have the freedom to be creative with what they want it to be." Velzard beside her was also watching on the big screen that was inside Velgrynd's and Rimuru's house. 

After being given some of the movies by Lilith, they went directly to the house to watch. 

"Those are some large vehicles..." Velzard commented as she watched a spaceship fighting in space. "They can even leave their planet as a human."

"Well it is fiction, I doubt everything is properly explained in how they could have done it." 

After watching some more movies, Rimuru and Lait return to the house and all four of them ate and chatted before saying goodbye to Velzard. 

Sitting quietly in his office, Rimuru was on break.

Rimuru was currently looking over his abilites, due to his Gluttony skill he was able to connect with his subordinates abilities. From what he can see, Runa and Agni have potential to awaken a Ultimate skill in the future. 

"What the heck is this tempter skill of Diablo..." Rimuru sighed looking over his subordinates skills and abilities that he can access. 

"Well it seems useful.. let's add it to Depravity... Wait."

Rimuru thought for a minute, with the use of Gluttony's receive and provide he can gain access to his subordinates skills.

"If I add Diablo's Tempter and Testarossa's Reaper with my Depravity... Wouldn't I be able to make a much more useful skill?" Rimuru spent the rest of the month combining and removing some of the subskill.

And then finally,

"Let's add Depravity's corrosion and toxin to Gluttony. Then corruption with Tempter's charm and solicitation, with Reaper's life manipulation...and done!"

<<Confirmed. Ultimate skill: Lord of Devotion: Bhakti.... Successful.>>

"Yes!" Rimuru fist pump in the air as he acquired a new skill.

The skill is base on Rimuru's ability to garner followers via charm and corruption that combine into charm manipulation.

Testarossa life manipulation with a few modification changed into law manipulation after making a duplicate of receive and provide and adding it in.

This Ultimate Skill allows the users followers to use their magic.

"Ohh.. This magic... Let's call it Holy Magic for now." Rimuru grinned as he use the new ability via law manipulation. 

Converting spirit/Magicule particles into holy energy to be able to use holy magic.

Not only that, this allows the followers to borrow/obtain strength and Magicules from their person of worship.

And vice versa, Rimuru can collect and use his followers offered up magicules as he wishes.

He could take the offered magicule and pass it on to another via this skill.

"That's why we can use this for that cult you made." Rimuru explained the skill to the four primordials. 

"Ultima, you can have a copy of my depravity skill. You are the most compatible with this skill after all. I have something much better for myself." 

"Eh really Rimuru-sama?"

With that, not even a few hours after the explanation. Magicules from all over the multiverse course through his body. Then he would relocate them towards his subordinates to strengthen them and give extra magicules. 

A/N: Finally done with Great Spirit arc! 

Don't overthink how Rimuru can gain access to unique skill level of his subordinates. 

(Advance) Happy New Year everyone! 

Can't believe its been more than a year of me creating this story. Time sure flies by fast. Here's to another year until I finally finish this story!