At Albis's shout, the battlefield froze.
Shion and Suphia halted at the same time. So did Souei and Cruxis.
But the difference between them was obvious.
Souei stood calmly, breathing steady, posture relaxed.
Cruxis, on the other hand, was visibly exhausted. His shoulders sagged slightly, and his breathing hadn't fully recovered yet. It was clear the exchange had pushed him to his limits.
"How is your technique so refined?" Cruxis asked, unable to hide his astonishment.
"Hahaha," Souei laughed lightly. "That's because I trained under Lord Emiya. That man is practically a Sword God."
"A Sword God...?"
Cruxis turned his gaze toward Shirou Emiya, who stood quietly to the side.
His eyes were filled with awe.
Cruxis couldn't perceive Shirou Emiya's true strength directly. But through Souei's blade, he could feel it. A vast, oppressive will, like an endless horizon pressed into steel.
So this was the person Lord Carrion valued so highly.
Cruxis felt a chill in his chest.
On the other side, Albis had already returned to her original form. She approached Rimuru and Shirou Emiya together.
"So," Albis said, folding her arms, "are you satisfied? Are we qualified?"
Rimuru, currently in human form, smiled calmly.
"Of course," he replied.
"Our people had a great time," Albis continued, glancing back. "Right, Suphia? You don't have anything else to say, do you?"
Suphia laughed heartily.
"Nothing left to say. I'm satisfied too. You're qualified to stand as equals with us."
She turned sharply toward her subordinates.
"You all hear that?" she barked. "If anyone dares to badmouth them again just because they're human, this old woman won't let it slide."
Cruxis stepped forward as well.
"The humans here aren't weak," he said frankly. "This one in front of me is even stronger than I am."
"Only a little," Souei replied.
He stepped forward and extended his right hand.
Cruxis paused for half a second, then smiled bitterly and took it.
Their hands clasped.
The tension dissolved.
Watching the scene, Rimuru and Shirou Emiya both felt satisfied.
From their behavior, it was obvious that the Beast Kingdom was a very straightforward nation. Strength spoke louder than words here. Everything was direct.
Perhaps that was why they called humans cunning.
After all, even human children could be more devious than them.
"Since that's settled," Shirou Emiya thought quietly, glancing at the heavily damaged surroundings, "it's time for the next step."
He had already prepared a way to demonstrate his strength.
Shirou Emiya had never liked hiding his power to gain advantage. If something needed to be shown, he showed it openly.
Just as he was about to move, he noticed something off.
Shion.
In her hand, the magicule orb-originally only the size of a fist-had expanded dozens of times over. The density alone was terrifying.
This level of power was enough to obliterate everything nearby.
"Whoa... hold on," Shirou Emiya thought. "This isn't Rimuru's idea of showing off, is it?"
He hadn't expected Rimuru to have the same plan as him.
"Hey, Shion," Shirou Emiya called out teasingly, "you're not planning to wipe us all out, are you?"
Shion stiffened.
She turned around slowly, her expression pale, eyes watery.
"Lord Emiya... save me."
Shirou Emiya froze.
Since when did Shion learn to act like this?
The thought surfaced, then vanished immediately.
No. She wasn't acting.
Which meant-
She really couldn't control it?
Shirou Emiya felt completely bewildered.
How could someone in this world unleash a move they couldn't control themselves?
At the same time, Rimuru, Suphia, and Albis-who had been laughing moments ago-noticed the disturbance.
They turned.
And immediately understood the danger.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Rimuru shouted. "Shion, what are you doing?!"
"I-I can't control it!"
"Can't you disperse it?!"
"I don't have the strength left to disperse it anymore!"
Her legs trembled slightly.
Rimuru understood instantly.
Nearby, Suphia spoke nervously as well.
"Hey, Shion! Calm down! Slowly lift your hand and raise it!"
Meanwhile, Albis had already moved.
Staff in hand, she retreated rapidly with the surrounding crowd, hiding far away.
Shirou Emiya clicked his tongue internally.
This one's really good at escaping.
Seeing that, Suphia also wanted to retreat. But the lightning around her body reacted strangely with Shion's magicules. The moment she tried to pull back, the magicules clamped down, blocking her path.
Her face stiffened.
She carefully tried to soothe Shion, knowing full well that her life depended on it.
Rimuru sighed.
"It can't be helped."
He stepped forward.
"Shion," he said firmly, "release the attack. Aim it at me."
"But-!"
"No buts. That's an order."
"...Yes!"
Shion clenched her teeth and released the attack.
The massive magicule orb shot forward.
Rimuru simply raised his palm.
The orb vanished.
Absorbed entirely into his body.
Silence followed.
The envoys of the Beast Kingdom stood there, utterly dumbfounded.
They had been warned that the other side was strong.
They hadn't imagined this.
"Alright," Rimuru said calmly, as if nothing had happened. "Since we've reached a consensus, let's head back."
"We'll treat you well."
"Yes," Shirou Emiya added casually, stepping forward. "Our hospitality is quite something."
Before the Beast Kingdom envoys could respond, he clapped his hands once.
The sound echoed.
The next moment, the world shifted.
The cracked earth smoothed over. Broken trees reassembled. Scorched ground rewound itself, returning to how it had been before the battle.
The surroundings reverted to their original state.
"...This is..."
Suphia stared, eyes wide.
"Time reversal?" Albis whispered.
Panicked, the two rushed to a nearby tree trunk. They touched it, pressed their palms against the bark, desperately trying to determine whether this was real.
The sensation was undeniable.
It was real.
Behind them, members of the Monster Federation erupted into cheers.
They had witnessed this miracle before.
And they celebrated it again.
After all, in any world, time and space were the most elusive powers. Perhaps even the most terrifying.
Suphia and Albis exchanged glances, communicating silently, horror etched into their expressions.
At the same time, the same thought surfaced in both their minds.
Lord Carrion... this human may be far more terrifying than you imagine.
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