The room froze.
"…Trouble is approaching the village!"
The Hobgoblin's voice echoed off the walls.
Short.
Urgent.
Enough to kill the relaxed atmosphere instantly.
—
Rimuru straightened.
"…What kind of trouble?"
His tone sharpened.
Gone was the awkward, slightly embarrassed leader from moments ago.
Now—
He was focused.
The Hobgoblin swallowed.
"The outer guards. Near Arashi's perimeter reported it."
A breath.
"…A very powerful presence is heading this way."
Silence.
Heavy.
Benimaru's eyes narrowed.
"…A presence?"
Souei shifted slightly.
Already alert.
Hakuro's hand moved to his sword.
"…Describe it."
The Hobgoblin shook his head.
"…They couldn't."
A pause.
"…They only said one thing."
Everyone leaned in, just slightly.
"…It's dangerous."
That word lingered.
Dangerous.
Rimuru frowned.
"…That vague, huh…"
'Not good.'
'That's really not good.'
He stood up slowly.
"…Alright. I'll go check it out myself."
"Absolutely not."
Shion's voice cut in instantly.
Firm.
Uncompromising.
Rimuru blinked.
"Huh?"
Shion stepped forward.
"This is exactly the kind of situation where you don't move personally, Rimuru-sama."
Her hand rested lightly on the hilt of her weapon.
Eyes already burning with intent.
"…Leave it to us."
Benimaru nodded.
"I agree."
He crossed his arms.
"…We'll handle it."
Souei spoke next.
Quiet.
Certain.
"I will scout ahead."
Hakuro chuckled softly.
"…Someone dares approach our territory so soon after our victory?"
A small shake of his head.
"…How bold."
Rimuru looked between them.
Then frowned.
"…Wait."
They paused.
"…Don't you think this is weird?"
They didn't answer immediately.
So Rimuru continued.
"We just defeated the Orc Disaster."
His voice tightened.
"…That wasn't a small event."
A step forward.
"…There shouldn't be something equally dangerous showing up right after."
Benimaru tilted his head slightly.
"…Perhaps."
"But unlikely."
Shion smirked.
"If anything shows up…"
Her grip tightened.
"…We'll just cut it down."
Hakuro nodded.
"Indeed."
Souei simply said—
"…Understood."
Rimuru's frown deepened.
'No, this isn't right…'
'Something feels off…'
Way too off…
He tried again.
"…At least let me—"
"Rimuru-sama."
Shuna's voice.
Soft.
Gentle.
Interrupting him.
He turned.
She was already beside him.
Holding a cup.
Steam rising lightly from it.
"…Please."
She smiled.
"…Calm yourself."
Rimuru hesitated.
"…Shuna…"
She placed the cup in his hands.
Warm.
Steady.
"…You've done more than enough already."
Her eyes were kind.
But firm.
"…Trust them."
Rimuru looked down at the tea.
Then back at her.
Then at the others.
Shion.
Already eager.
Benimaru.
Composed.
Souei.
Silent and lethal.
Hakuro.
Calm and confident.
They believed it.
That this was just another enemy.
Something manageable.
Something beneath them.
Rimuru didn't.
This feels wrong.
Really wrong.
But—
"…Alright."
He exhaled.
"…Just be careful."
Shion grinned.
"Of course."
Benimaru nodded.
"We'll handle it."
Souei disappeared without another word.
Gone.
Hakuro followed.
Calm steps.
Shion turned last.
Smiling confidently.
"Leave it to us, Rimuru-sama."
And then—
They were gone.
The room fell quiet again.
Rimuru stood there.
Holding the tea.
Not drinking it.
'…Why do I feel like this is a really bad idea?'
Outside—
Four figures moved toward the edge of the village.
Toward the presence.
Toward something that did not belong there.
At all.
---
The forest was quiet.
Too quiet.
Wind moved through the trees.
Leaves rustled.
But beneath it—
Something else lingered.
Pressure.
Shion rolled her shoulders.
"…So this is it?"
Benimaru stood at the front.
Eyes fixed ahead.
"…Yeah."
A pause.
"…He's close."
Souei appeared from the shadows beside them.
Silent as ever.
"…Confirmed."
His voice was low.
"…Single individual."
Hakuro narrowed his eyes.
"…And yet…"
His grip tightened around his blade.
"…This presence…"
They all felt it now.
Clear.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
Shion frowned.
"…This isn't normal."
Benimaru didn't answer immediately.
He was thinking.
'One presence…'
'But this level of pressure…?'
"…Stay sharp."
Souei's eyes flickered.
"…He's here."
Step.
A figure emerged from between the trees.
Walking.
Slowly.
Casually.
No rush.
No tension.
Just… walking.
And in that instant—
Everything changed.
Shion froze.
"…What the hell is—"
Her voice caught.
Benimaru's eyes widened slightly.
"…This pressure…"
Souei's body tensed.
Every instinct screaming.
Hakuro's expression hardened.
"…I see…"
The air itself felt heavier.
Breathing—
Harder.
Thinking—
Slower.
The man kept walking.
Step by step.
Unbothered.
Then—
He stopped.
Right in front of them.
Golden-tipped maroon hair.
Intertwined horns.
A presence that didn't belong in this place.
And eyes—
Looking at them like they were nothing.
"…Oh."
His voice was calm.
Almost bored.
"…It seems Rimuru has some new lackeys."
Silence.
"Where is he?"
A small tilt of his head.
"I want to see him."
None of them answered.
They couldn't.
Fear.
Raw.
Instinctive.
Hakuro moved first.
His third eye opened.
A sharp pulse of perception—
And then—
His expression shattered.
"…Impossible…"
A whisper.
Benimaru glanced at him.
"…Hakuro—?"
Hakuro's voice came out tight.
Urgent.
"…Young master."
A step forward.
"…This is no simple opponent."
Another step.
Blade lowering—
"…No."
His grip tightened.
"…If we don't kill this being immediately…"
His third eye burned.
"…We will die."
Silence.
Then—
Benimaru's gaze sharpened.
"…Understood."
Shion grinned.
Dangerous.
"…Finally."
Souei vanished.
Hakuro stepped forward.
"…All at once."
And then—
They moved.
Shion burst forward first.
Her blade swung with overwhelming force.
"Oraa!"
Benimaru followed instantly.
Flames igniting around his sword.
"Hell Flare!"
A wave of searing heat exploded outward.
Souei struck from the blind spot.
Threads and blades converging at once.
Silent.
Precise.
Hakuro—
Last.
His movement—
Perfect.
A single step.
A single draw.
Everything aligned.
Four attacks.
Perfectly timed.
Perfectly executed.
All aimed at one target.
Loki.
The explosion swallowed him whole.
Fire.
Steel.
Shadow.
Precision.
The forest shook.
Silence followed.
Smoke cleared slowly.
Shion exhaled.
"…Did we get him?"
Benimaru didn't lower his guard.
"…Wait."
Then—
A figure stood within the fading smoke.
Unmoved.
Unharmed.
"…Hm."
Loki looked down at himself.
"…Not bad."
They froze.
Hakuro's eyes widened.
'No damage…?'
Souei reappeared silently.
Tense.
Shion grit her teeth.
"…You've gotta be kidding me—"
Hakuro moved again.
Faster.
Sharper.
One step.
One strike.
A flash of steel—
And Loki's head flew.
Clean.
Perfect.
The body stood still for a moment—
Then collapsed.
Silence.
Shion let out a breath.
"…That did it."
Benimaru exhaled slowly.
"…Yeah…"
Souei's eyes scanned.
"…Confirmed."
Hakuro closed his third eye.
"…It's over."
For a moment—
They relaxed.
Then—
"…That was rude."
Their bodies locked.
A hand reached down.
Picked up the severed head.
And casually—
Placed it back on the neck.
Flesh reconnected.
Instantly.
Seamlessly.
Loki rolled his shoulders.
"…Honestly."
A small stretch.
"…Attacking someone out of nowhere like that."
He looked at them.
Smiling.
"…Bad manners."
Silence.
No one moved.
No one breathed.
Because now—
They understood.
This wasn't an enemy.
This was—
Something else entirely.
And they—
Had just attacked it.
---
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