A/N: Hey again. Daily reminder to please read my novel ''Can I Magic Please'' if you want to help me win the 2026 WSA. Data sheets for up to the latest chapter 6 have been posted as well. Thank you once again :)
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Steam rose peacefully into the evening sky.
The outdoor hot springs of Arashi had become one of the village's proudest achievements.
Natural stone surrounded the spring waters.
Wooden lanterns illuminated the area softly.
The atmosphere was calm.
Relaxing.
A complete contrast to the absurd chaos that usually followed Demon Lords around.
Rimuru leaned back into the hot water with a long sigh.
"This is the life…"
Gobta floated nearby lazily.
"Seriously…"
"We should build more of these."
Rigurd nodded deeply.
"The citizens have also taken great liking to the hot springs."
Benimaru sat with his arms crossed calmly while Hakuro soaked with perfect posture despite being completely submerged in water.
And beside them—
Loki casually relaxed against the edge of the spring as though he owned the place.
Which, somehow, already felt natural.
The Hobgoblins nearby still occasionally stole nervous glances toward him.
Even after the explanation.
Even after finding out he was supposedly Lord Rimuru's sworn brother.
The trauma remained.
Gobta especially still looked emotionally damaged from the previous beatdown.
Rimuru noticed it and sighed internally.
'Poor guy.'
Then Gobta looked toward Loki carefully.
"So…"
He hesitated slightly.
"…just how strong are you exactly, Loki-san?"
The entire hot spring became quieter.
Even Benimaru looked interested.
Loki opened one eye lazily.
"No idea."
Everyone blinked.
"Huh?" Rimuru asked.
Loki shrugged.
"I've never really measured it."
"That sounds unbelievably arrogant," Benimaru muttered.
Loki tilted his head.
"Is it?"
"It is," Rimuru answered immediately.
Hakuro observed Loki carefully.
"Still…"
The old kijin narrowed his eye slightly.
"The pressure you possess is unlike anything I have ever encountered."
Even now—
Relaxed in a bath—
Loki's existence itself distorted the atmosphere slightly.
It felt casual.
Natural.
Which somehow made it even scarier.
Rigurd carefully cleared his throat.
"Loki-sama…"
Loki looked over immediately.
Rigurd stiffened slightly.
"…How does one become that strong?"
Rimuru internally nodded.
'Good question.'
'Very good question.'
Loki thought for a moment.
Then answered honestly.
"I fight a lot."
Silence.
Gobta blinked.
"That's it?"
Loki nodded.
"Pretty much."
Rimuru stared at him flatly.
"That advice is useless."
Loki looked genuinely confused.
"It worked for me."
Benimaru rubbed his forehead.
Hakuro quietly sipped from the drink placed beside the spring.
Rimuru eventually sighed.
"Actually…"
"There's something I wanted to ask."
Loki looked over.
Rimuru hesitated briefly.
"Back when we fought…"
His expression became serious.
"…you said I should become a Demon Lord if I wanted to beat you."
The atmosphere shifted slightly.
Even Gobta straightened up.
Loki rested one arm against the edge of the spring.
"Well yeah."
"You'd become much stronger."
Rimuru frowned slightly.
"But becoming a Demon Lord means…"
Massacres.
Souls.
Evolution through death.
At least from what he understood.
Loki looked at him calmly.
"You're overthinking it."
"That's easy for you to say," Rimuru muttered.
Benimaru glanced between the two silently.
Truthfully—
Everyone present could tell Rimuru had changed after fighting the Orc Disaster.
He was stronger.
More confident.
But now another door had appeared before him.
The realm of Demon Lords.
And Loki stood at the top of that terrifying world as though it were normal.
Then suddenly—
Hakuro's expression changed.
Benimaru immediately noticed it too.
"…Rimuru-sama."
The slime stiffened.
A massive presence was approaching Tempest.
Fast.
Very fast.
And absurdly powerful.
Gobta instantly turned pale.
"W-What is that?!"
Rigurd nearly stood up from the spring.
Even the air itself trembled faintly.
Rimuru's senses screamed danger.
Loki, however—
Immediately recognized the aura.
"…Ah."
He sank slightly deeper into the water.
Rimuru looked at him quickly.
"You know who this is?!"
Loki nodded lazily.
"Milim."
Instant silence.
Gobta froze completely.
Hakuro's eye widened.
Benimaru stiffened.
Rimuru almost slipped in the water.
"…Milim Nava?!"
One of the oldest Demon Lords.
A catastrophe disguised as a girl.
Why was she here?!
Rimuru immediately turned toward Loki.
"Help."
"No."
"Huh?!"
Loki casually slid completely underwater until only bubbles remained.
Rimuru stared in disbelief.
"Are you serious?!"
No response.
Only bubbles.
Benimaru twitched slightly.
"…He hid."
Hakuro looked deeply disappointed.
"Astonishing."
Gobta looked horrified.
"That's our backup?!"
Rimuru pointed angrily at the submerged Loki.
"You can't just abandon us!"
A thumbs up emerged from underwater.
Then disappeared again.
Rimuru was genuinely speechless.
What kind of unreliable Demon Lord was this?!
The pressure approaching Tempest grew even closer.
Fast enough that the trees outside were already beginning to shake.
Benimaru stood immediately.
"We have no choice."
Hakuro rose calmly from the spring.
"Indeed."
Rimuru groaned internally.
This was going to be terrible.
Absolutely terrible.
Still—
He stood up as well.
"Let's go."
Benimaru nodded.
Hakuro adjusted his sword slightly.
And together—
The three headed toward the terrifying presence rapidly approaching Tempest.
Behind them, underwater—
Loki remained perfectly hidden beneath the hot spring like a child avoiding responsibility.
---
The outskirts of Tempest had become completely silent.
Not a bird chirped.
Not a monster moved.
Even the wind itself felt cautious.
Rimuru, Benimaru, and Hakuro stood atop a rocky clearing overlooking the forest path ahead.
And then—
BOOM.
The sky cracked apart.
A tiny figure descended from above like a meteor before stopping midair effortlessly.
Pink twin tails danced behind her.
Dragon eyes gleamed with endless energy.
A black outfit wrapped around a deceptively small frame.
Yet the magicules radiating from her existence alone were monstrous beyond belief.
Rimuru immediately understood.
This was not normal.
This was the same category as Loki.
No—
Possibly even worse.
His entire body instinctively screamed danger.
Milim Nava floated casually in the air before grinning brightly.
"Ooooh!"
"So you're Rimuru!"
She pointed at him excitedly.
"The famous Rimuru!"
Rimuru blinked.
"…Famous?"
Milim landed lightly on the ground.
"Yes!"
"My best friend talks about you!"
Best friend.
Rimuru immediately knew who she meant.
Loki.
Of course it was Loki.
Who else casually befriended walking natural disasters?
Milim stepped forward energetically.
"I came because I wanted to play!"
Rimuru laughed nervously.
"P-Play?"
"Yes!"
Milim clenched her fists excitedly.
"Fight me!"
Rimuru's smile immediately died.
Ah.
There it was.
Benimaru instinctively moved slightly in front of Rimuru.
Hakuro's hand rested near his sword.
The pressure Milim emitted was unbelievable.
Even standing there casually—
She felt like a living catastrophe.
Rimuru swallowed hard.
"Great Sage."
[Notice. Beginning analysis of individual: Milim Nava.]
Rimuru stared carefully at Milim while Great Sage processed information at absurd speed.
A few seconds passed.
Then—
[Analysis failed.]
Rimuru froze.
"…What?"
[Individual possesses energy levels beyond measurable parameters.]
[Further analysis impossible.]
Cold sweat ran down Rimuru's face.
Even Great Sage couldn't analyze her properly.
Milim tilted her head curiously.
"Hm?"
"What's wrong?"
Rimuru forced a smile.
"Nothing!"
Internally, however—
He was panicking.
This was bad.
Very bad.
If a fight broke out here—
Tempest might genuinely be destroyed.
Still…
Rimuru's eyes sharpened slightly.
If combat was unavoidable…
Then Loki was still back at the hot springs.
Which meant Tempest technically had backup.
Probably.
Hopefully.
Assuming that unreliable Demon Lord actually decided to help.
Milim stretched her arms excitedly.
"Come on!"
"Fight me!"
Rimuru desperately tried diplomacy first.
"How about we don't do that?"
Milim blinked.
"Why?"
"Because fighting usually causes property damage."
Milim looked genuinely confused.
"That's normal though."
Rimuru almost cried.
Before things could escalate further—
Another presence rapidly approached.
BOOM.
Shion landed nearby with her massive sword already drawn.
"Rimuru-sama!"
Her eyes immediately locked onto Milim.
Then widened.
The pressure.
Even Shion instinctively stiffened.
Milim looked toward her curiously.
"Ooooh."
"You're strong too."
Shion immediately stepped protectively beside Rimuru.
"Who are you?"
Milim puffed out her chest proudly.
"I'm Milim Nava!"
Shion blinked once.
Then slowly turned toward Rimuru.
"…The Demon Lord?"
Rimuru nodded stiffly.
Shion's expression instantly changed.
Still—
Despite the fear—
She tightened her grip on her sword.
Ready to fight.
Milim smiled brightly.
"Great!"
"Now there's more people to play with!"
Rimuru internally screamed.
No no no no no.
This was spiraling rapidly.
Then suddenly—
An idea appeared in his head.
Rimuru's eyes widened slightly.
Honey.
Tempest Honey.
Specifically—
The incredibly addictive honey produced by Apito.
Rimuru cautiously reached into his storage.
Milim tilted her head.
"Hm?"
Rimuru pulled out a small container carefully.
"I-I mean…"
"If you came all this way…"
He smiled nervously.
"…maybe you'd rather eat first?"
Milim blinked.
Then sniffed lightly.
Instantly—
Her eyes widened.
"…What is that?"
Rimuru internally celebrated.
'Hooked.'
Milim suddenly appeared directly in front of him.
"So sweet…"
"What is it?!"
Rimuru carefully offered a small portion.
Milim immediately tasted it.
And froze.
Complete silence followed.
Then—
Her entire face lit up with pure joy.
"WHAT IS THIS?!"
She practically exploded with excitement.
"This is amazing!"
"This is incredible!"
"This is the best thing I've ever tasted!"
Rimuru sighed internally in relief.
It worked.
IT WORKED.
Milim immediately grabbed Rimuru's shoulders.
"Do you have more?!"
Rimuru smiled carefully.
"Of course."
Milim gasped dramatically.
"You're amazing!"
Hakuro stared silently.
Benimaru looked deeply confused.
Shion blinked repeatedly.
The terrifying atmosphere from earlier had vanished instantly.
Now Milim just looked like an overly excited child.
Rimuru quickly took advantage of the opening.
"How about we head into Tempest first?"
Milim nodded immediately.
"Yes!"
"More honey!"
And just like that—
The potential catastrophe was peacefully redirected toward food.
Rimuru internally thanked every god in existence.
As the group headed back toward Tempest—
Far away, still submerged beneath the hot spring—
Loki opened one eye slightly.
"…Looks like he handled it."
Then he sank back underwater again completely satisfied with himself.
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