Rimuru grinned, his golden eyes filled with amusement. "Alright, kid. Before I do anything, let's see how strong you are. You'll be fighting one of my subordinates."
The MC tensed. "I understand. Who will be my opponent?"
Rimuru smirked and snapped his fingers.
"Gobta."
A familiar hobgoblin-turned-True-Demon-Lord stepped forward, rubbing his nose.
"Yo, Boss! You need me?" Gobta grinned lazily, then turned to the MC. "Oh? I gotta fight this guy? He doesn't look bad!"
The MC blinked. "Wait… Gobta? That Gobta? The one who everyone jokes about?"
Benimaru smirked and whispered, "You have no idea."
Gobta stretched his arms and yawned. "Don't worry, I'll hold back. Just a little warm-up, yeah?"
The MC took a deep breath and activated Gluttony and Wise One, feeling his body enhance. "I won't go down easily!"
Rimuru raised his hand, signaling the start. "Alright, fight!"
The Battle Begins
The MC charged first, activating his abilities and unleashing a flurry of high-speed strikes.
Gobta dodged with minimal effort, weaving through the attacks with casual movements. "Oh, nice speed! But…"
He suddenly vanished.
The MC barely had time to react before—
BAM!
Gobta appeared behind him and landed a clean hit to his gut, sending him flying back.
The MC flipped midair, regaining balance and immediately countered with a mana-infused slash.
Gobta blocked it with a single dagger and grinned. "Hey, not bad! You're actually making me try a little."
For a moment, the MC held the upper hand, using Gluttony to absorb magicules and his sword skills to pressure Gobta.
But then—
Gobta sighed. "Welp. Time to show you who's the boss."
His aura exploded, sending a shockwave through the entire room.
The MC's instincts screamed. I can't keep up—!
WHOOSH!
Before he could even process what was happening, Gobta vanished and reappeared right in front of him.
BAM!
A single enhanced punch sent the MC crashing into the ground.
Dust settled, and the MC coughed, struggling to move.
Gobta stood over him with a grin. "Yeah… I win."
A Surprise from Rimuru
Rimuru clapped his hands. "Alright, that was a fun match! You actually held out longer than most newbies do against Gobta."
Gobta scratched his head. "Yeah, Boss, this guy's got potential. He just needs more experience."
The MC, still lying on the ground, groaned. "Ugh… that was… ridiculous…"
Rimuru laughed and gestured. "C'mon, get up. You earned something way more interesting than just a win."
As the MC got back on his feet, Rimuru's expression turned serious.
"Before I give you an answer about your evolution… I have a question."
The MC straightened up. "Yes, my lord?"
Rimuru leaned forward, his golden eyes glowing slightly. "Your unique skill… whatever it was before it got sealed… I can't analyze it at all."
The MC froze.
Rimuru smirked. "That's rare. Like, really rare. Even Guy, Milim, or Velzard's abilities can be somewhat analyzed by me. But yours? Nothing. It's a complete void."
He tapped his fingers on the armrest of his throne. "The only thing I can compare it to… is my own skill, Azathoth, God of Void."
The entire room went silent.
Even Benimaru looked stunned.
The MC swallowed nervously. My skill… is on the same level as the strongest ability in existence?!
Rimuru tilted his head. "So, tell me, kid… Do you want to become a True Demon Lord?"