Chapter 73 - North vs East

A/N: By the time this should be posted, we are already in 200k reads! Like seriously this was only a stress reliever hobby of mine, never thought I would get this much reads lol.

Back to the story.

Rudra's booming laughter echoed across the room as he settled beside Veldanava, his demeanor shifting from hostility to camaraderie in an instant. "Hahaha, sorry about that," he chuckled, his grin widening. "I mean, after sensing such a powerful being all of a sudden as a hero, I need to step up, right?" His hand instinctively thumped against his chest with confidence.

"I can understand that part, but does a hero steal from those he kills? Sounds more like a bandit to me," Rimuru remarked, his skepticism evident as he raised an eyebrow.

Under his breath, Rudra muttered, "I can't take any more of the national budget..." Rimuru winced at the implication that the self-proclaimed hero was exploiting his kingdom's resources for his heroic lifestyle.

"Here, don't do that to your kingdom anymore," Rimuru offered, handing Rudra valuable materials like mithril and orichalcum that would fetch a high price. He made sure the quantity was small, just enough to provide a slight boost to the kingdom's capital. "Having him as a hero means?" Rimuru inquired, directing his question to Veldanava.

Veldanava nodded, understanding Rimuru's unspoken query. "Just something to spice things up," he grinned, his gaze shifting to Rudra, who looked confused by their exchange.

"Rudra, why don't you tell Rimuru what you want to accomplish with your power?" Veldanava grinned, as if showing Rimuru what made him choose Rudra to be a hero and mentor him.

Finally understanding something from their talk, Rudra stood and proclaimed with a serious expression, "I plan on uniting the world under one banner!"

"... You mean like a dictator or something?" Rimuru tilted his head, confused by such a not-so-heroic ambition.

"Not a dictator, an emperor! One who rules the world that I conquered." He shouted proudly, his ambition echoing the same words he had stated to Veldanava a year ago. "I have already been blessed by the Queen of Spirits, Ramiris. Thus becoming the first ever True Hero in history, in the cardinal world."

Turning to Rudra, Rimuru asked, "Have you met Guy yet? He's the demon who lives on the northern continent."

Rudra's eyes lit up with passion at the mention of Guy. "Is that so? Are you close with the demon, Rimuru?" he asked eagerly, already mentally preparing for a trip to the northern continent.

Rimuru struggled to contain his laughter at Rudra's enthusiastic response. "Guy is an old... friend," he managed to say through his amusement, though he felt a wave of embarrassment wash over him. Veldanava joined in the laughter, thoroughly amused by Rimuru's discomfort. "He's the Red Primordial demon, and he's been terrorizing human nations for hundreds, if not thousands, of years now. I'm sure he's got himself the treasures of all the countries he's destroyed. In fact, I believe I saw them once when I visited him."

Veldanava snickered at Rimuru's words, "Also, Rudra, I've given Guy the role of mediator. His job is to make sure someone like you will not be able to conquer the world. After all, if humanity becomes one, their only path left is self-destruction. If you want to conquer the world, you must have Guy's approval first."

Rudra's expression turned serious as he processed Veldanava's words. "I see. Then I'll have to meet him and prove my intentions," he declared with determination.

Rudra's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Lucia! Let's go to the northern continent!" he exclaimed, leaping up from his seat and rushing to the girls' table. Meanwhile, Rimuru rested his head on the table, clutching his stomach as laughter shook his body. Veldanava didn't bother hiding his amusement, laughing loudly, though luckily the soundproof barrier remained in effect, and Rudra had left it. "This should be fun to watch" he murmurs barely audible. 

Once Rimuru had regained his composure, he noticed Rudra attempting to convince his sister to join him in exploring Guy's territory. "How's his chance with Guy?" he asked, leaning on his right fist.

"Rudra is very talented. It's only been a year, and he could fight me in terms of pure swordsmanship," Veldanava boasted. They observed Lucia convincing Rudra not to do anything reckless in the background, leaving a chuckle on Veldanava's lips.

"Well, in terms of swordsmanship, Dino and I have you beat too," Rimuru added, rolling his eyes playfully. "How long has he had an ultimate skill?"

"Oh, you found out? As expected of you. He obtained one on his own. A testament to his talent and destiny in the future. Though, that's not the one he acquired on his own, I lent him that one." Veldanava's eyes focused, hardening his expression to not give away anything. Rimuru not really caring merely shruggs, if Veldanava does not want him to learn, then that's just fine by him.

Lucia finally relented, agreeing to accompany Rudra on his adventure. She turned to Velgrynd to request her assistance in case something went wrong, and Velgrynd reluctantly agreed. The trio bid their goodbyes and left.

As Luminas approached Rimuru, giving a quick bow to Veldanava, Rimuru turned to Veldanava. "You aren't going to say anything to her?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.

Veldanava's expression grew grave, a hint of despondency clouding his face. "As much as I feel for Twilight's death, he was already independent to me. I've accepted the fact that his actions finally caught up to the consequences." He pinched the bridge of his nose, indicating his awareness of Twilight's reckless experiments, especially with Guy's complaints.

Rimuru nodded, exhaling a sigh of relief. "As long as you accept it," he remarked, though he still harbored doubts about his ability to defeat the Star Dragon.

Veldanava's expression shifted to one of mischievousness as he stared at Rimuru. "I mean, you did do something before he died," he pointed out making invisible quotation marks in the air, scrutinizing Rimuru as if searching for something.

"I don't know what you mean," Rimuru scoffed, rejecting the true dragon's accusation. "I'll go for now, I can't miss Guy's annoyed expression from our gift to him. If the child is promising, I might personally train him in swordsmanship as well." With a grin, he disappeared.

Arriving in front of Guy and Velzard's castle, Rimuru was surprised to find Misery and Rain lying unconscious on the entrance floor. He quickly helped them up, sharing some of his magicules to wake them from their slumber. They thanked him, albeit sluggishly, before joining him as they walked inside.

As they entered what seemed to be the throne room, they were met with an awkward atmosphere. Contrary to their expectations of a fierce battle between the first hero and the first demon lord, everyone except the hero wore complicated expressions.

The hero lay unconscious on the floor, seemingly unharmed. Velgrynd held her head with a sigh, while the hero's sister wore an embarrassed expression. Rimuru approached the center of the room, where Velgrynd and the others stood.

"Ah, Rimuru," Guy greeted, his sword resting on his shoulder. Rimuru sensed that the demon had grown stronger than ever before. "So, this person... named me and is now knocked out," Guy explained, leaving Rimuru in a mix of shock and confusion. Why would the hero coming to slay the demon lord name him?

"What?" Rimuru exclaimed.

Velgrynd grabbed Rimuru's shoulder, her tone a mix of irritation and amusement. "The idiot wanted Guy to have a cooler name for when he defeated him," she explained. Rimuru massaged his temples, closing his eyes. This is your brother-in-law, Veldanava, he thought, feeling a pang of embarrassment.

"I'm sorry for my brother," Lucia apologized, her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, before dragging her brother's unconscious body away.

"I'll help," Rimuru offered, levitating Rudra's body. "Guy, can you spare a room for a bit?" Without waiting for Guy's approval, he walked with the hero's floating body to one of the rooms he knew in the castle. Lucia looked between the two and then hurried to follow Rimuru.

"Well, that happened," Velzard finally spoke up, breaking the silence. "He sure is something, isn't he, Guy?"

"No, I mean what just happened here?" Guy complained, frustration evident in his voice. He felt as if he had been denied a potentially thrilling battle. His expectations had been high, but now his opponent lay unconscious on the floor, leaving him with a sense of dissatisfaction. Not only that, but the naming had inadvertently strengthened Guy, leaving him with conflicting emotions.

Meanwhile, Rudra began to stir, gradually regaining consciousness. As he blinked his eyes open, he found himself in a room unfamiliar to him. Lucia stood nearby, her expression a mix of relief and admonishment. "Brother Rudra, you idiot," she scolded, her voice tinged with exasperation. "Naming the Demon Lord Guy as Guy Crimson? That was beyond foolish!"

Rimuru, who was also present in the room, chimed in with agreement. "Yeah, that was super dumb," he added, his tone carrying a hint of reproach. "By naming him, you basically made him stronger, and made yourself weaker if you don't recover the magicules."

Rudra's expression shifted from confusion to realization, as the consequences of his impulsive action began to sink in. He let out a sigh, feeling a sense of regret wash over him. "I... I didn't think it through," he admitted, feeling sheepish.

Lucia crossed her arms, her gaze stern. "Well, you should have," she scolded gently. "Now, let's hope we can find a way to rectify this situation."

Rimuru nodded in agreement. "Yes, we need to come up with a plan," he said, his mind already racing with possibilities. "But first, we should focus on ensuring Rudra's recovery."

With that, the three of them set about discussing their next course of action, determined to find a solution to the predicament they now found themselves in.

.....

...

.....

Not even two hours later, Rudra walked out of the room with his sword unsheathed and a knowing grin on his face. His sister, Lucia, trailed behind him with one hand on her face in exasperation. Rimuru, standing beside her, felt pity for the poor girl who was being dragged along by Rudra. She had tried to convince him to retreat and wait for a different day to challenge the demon lord, but her efforts had been in vain.

Rimuru and Lucia went to sit beside the true dragon sisters, Velzard and Velgrynd, who were chatting. Rimuru planned to talk with Velgrynd about Luminas after all. He barely cared about the fight anyway; he was already satisfied with Guy's earlier annoyance.

"Is it real this time?" Guy furrowed his brows, leaning on his right knuckle, which rested on the arm of the throne. "You idiot really got me hyped for the fight, then got yourself knocked out." He gritted his teeth, clearly furious at the hero for setting his expectations high and then letting him down.

Rudra scoffed, not wanting to dwell on the embarrassing topic. "You sure you want to keep that cocky tone? Once the fight starts, don't come begging to surrender." Rudra pointed his sword at Guy with a smirk.

Guy frowned, standing up and materializing his sword, which he had received from Veldanava. "Don't let me down this time, Hero." He walked down from his throne and maintained a casual posture, not even taking a stance.

Rudra sniggered as he dashed toward Guy with his sword. "Same to you!" Guy merely raised his sword to receive the attack.

Rudra's sword clashed with Guy's, sending sparks and shockwaves spreading across the room. Both men held their ground, pushing their swords to overpower each other, until Guy gave a massive push with all his force. The contact broke, and Rudra backstepped a few meters away.

Guy dashed forward and swung his blade low, aiming for Rudra's legs. Noticing the attack, Rudra took a step back while simultaneously blocking with his own sword.

He then used his raised sword to attempt a decapitation, aiming to slash off Guy's head. Guy responded by tanking the attack with his sword.

Guy, relying on his raw power, blocked the flurry of attacks with wide, sweeping parries. His movements were less refined, but his overwhelming strength made up for it. With a roar, he swung his sword in a massive overhead strike, intending to cleave Rudra in two.

Rudra deftly sidestepped, the blade missing him by inches. He countered with a lightning-fast thrust aimed at Guy's heart. Guy twisted his body, the sword grazing his ribs but not penetrating.

The two engage in a series of rapid exchanges, their swords moving almost faster than the eye can follow. slowly but surely, the two are steadily accumulating injuries and damages from their flurry of attacks. Their energies and magicules are depleting in a rapid pace. 

"That sword of yours is not bad," Guy smirked as he continued to block the barrage of attacks from the hero. "The same quality as mine." Rudra's sword glowed, setting off alarms in Guy's mind.

Rudra grinned knowingly. "Veldanava-sama gave me this sword, its name is Deva!" With a large sweep that barely missed Guy, the attack managed to break his barrier.

"Then let me show you Asura, same creator as yours." Guy's sword gave off an ominous feel as he corrected his posture, aiming to create a hole in Rudra's body. Guy's body and the sword were both leaking large amount of magicules. With a flash, he appeared in front of Rudra and attempted to pierce his body.

Surprised by Guy's sudden appearance, Rudra didn't have time to make a full dodge and chose to parry with his sword, redirecting the attack enough to receive only a wound on his side.

Guy, surprised by Rudra's ability to parry, did not expect a quick counter. Rudra, with a sudden burst of energy and a glow in his eyes, planned to slash at the red demon's arm. Guy dropped to the ground to avoid the attack and then jumped back away.

As he tried to grip his sword, Guy realized he had lost all control of his arm. He finally noticed the deep wound at his shoulder joint, a last-ditch effort by Rudra to inflict damage even though he couldn't sever the arm.

Rudra's face was haggard, with half of his side missing. The only thing keeping him up was his durability and the body of a hero and saint. Meanwhile, Guy had depleted most of his magicules during the fight, and his dominant arm wasn't functioning as he wanted it to.

"Seems like the fight is over." As if waiting for Rimuru's words, like an announcement from an umpire, both the hero and the demon lord got to their knees and collapsed.

"Brother!" Lucia, who had barely controlled herself to avoid rushing in earlier, finally leaped to her brother's side. Velgrynd and Rimuru had previously halted her actions, concerned about the danger of being caught in the crossfire of powerful attacks.

Lucia began healing her brother, and Rimuru handed her some healing potions to speed up the recovery process, though it would take some time to take effect.

"Anyway as I was saying," Velgrynd continued after watching Lucia tend to her brother, "As long as you don't forget to give me attention then I approve of Luminas. From what I know, she was in love with you before we even met." She explains with indifference. 

Misery and Rain meanwhile tend to their master, carrying him up and bringing him to his bedchamber. Velzard ordered them to do so, after the fight was over, she was currently watching her sister and Rimuru talking about adding a new lover. She did not really have any right or say on the matter and just watch from the side. 

A/N: Rudra vs Guy! Was the fight good? I don't really have confidence whenever characters fight in this story.

....

Off topic, I had a plan for Toru(Chapter 63, the one who took Gungir, skoll, and hati) to be an insane person. I am debating whether to make him hear voices or have multiple personalities(with him changing forms all the time) just wanted to ask for your opinions on this, it should be a while before this character shows up again so I wanted you guys take, so I can rewrite it. There is a reason why he is like this, he has a lot of souls inside of him, so he can either hear their wails of despairs or create personalities to cope the intense trauma.

So the choices are 

1. Hearing Voices (Him always talking to himself and always pissed of annoying voices in his head)

2. Having multiple personalities (He switch forms, and argues with the other personalities, each have their own purpose in his mind)

I would appreciate the responses.