Chapter 35: The Capital Reorganization
Sleep Mode: Activated. Reconstruction Phase initiated.
The world of light, swirling spirits, and Rimuru's exuberant cheering fades into a pressurized void. For a conglomerate heir, sleep isn't rest—it's a maintenance window. My consciousness doesn't drift; it descends into the core of the server.
Notice. External Catalyst confirmed: High-density spiritual energy from the Star Staircase. Internal Condition confirmed: Soul Capacity Saturation. Commencing reconstruction of the physical vessel to support expanded throughput.
Azathoth, if this reorganization doesn't come with an increased budget and a better refractive index for my membrane, I'm filing a formal grievance. Clean up the data. My internal architecture feels like it's been archived in a dumpster.
Confirmed. Unique authority [Universal Synthesis] is now accessible. Commencing optimization of acquired information fragments. Merging [Beast-Skin Hardening], [Density Laws], and [Enhanced Physical Constitution] into unified law: [Multi-Layer Barrier]. Reclaiming Soul Capacity...
Darkness follows. It's the darkness of a vault being reorganized. I feel the fragments I took from the Orcs, the Kijin, and the Beast-Kingdom being compressed. The redundant code is stripped away until only the high-value logic remains. My body—that obsidian-sheened orb—is being pulled apart and reassembled at a molecular level. It's a painful, cold process, like having your entire internal structure replaced with a more efficient alloy.
Optimization complete. Soul Capacity stabilized. Unlocking secondary magicule reactor... Success. Magicule capacity has reached a new threshold.
"Hey! Wake up! You've been a black rock for a while now!"
A high-pitched, energetic voice pierces the void. I "open" my senses, but the input is different. The magicule-based perception is sharper, more high-definition. I can feel the flow of spirits in the room as if they were physical currents.
I am still a slime. I am still a dark, obsidian orb. But the sheen is deeper now, reflecting the spirit-lights with a mirror-like clarity. I look less like a monster and more like a sentient gemstone—a black pearl of industrial-grade perfection.
"I was in the middle of a systemic audit, Ramiris," I pulse. My voice is no longer just a vibration; it's a resonant, commanding frequency that feels as solid as stone. "I'd appreciate it if you didn't interrupt the reconstruction phase. It's inefficient."
"Whoa," Rimuru says, hovering over me. "You feel... different, Shinji. You're like, super dense. You look like you're made of polished glass."
"I've optimized my internal assets, Rimuru," I pulse, floating effortlessly off the floor. I don't feel the "weight" in my soul anymore. The clutter has been synthesized into a single, cohesive barrier law. "The reorganization was a necessary expenditure. Now, about the children."
I look at the five students. They are staring at me with wide eyes. Chloe, in particular, seems to be looking at the space around me with a strange, quiet intensity, her newly stabilized soul humming in a way that feels unique. I note it as a high-value anomaly, but I don't touch it.
"The spirits are settled," I pulse, turning my gaze back to the Star Staircase. "The liabilities have been successfully stabilized. Our agreement with Shizu regarding their safety is closed."
"We did it," Rimuru says, his blue body glowing with relief. "They're going to be okay now."
"They're going to be more than okay," I reply, my internal persona already looking toward the next milestone. "They're high-tier magicule users with Spirit support. But we have a city to run, and the news of a high-tier Slime and a Demon Lord Seed appearing in the forest is going to make the regional climate very volatile."
Notice. Magicule Reserves: Restored. Location: Spirit Labyrinth Floor. Status: Evolution complete. Soul Capacity: Optimized. [Universal Synthesis] active.
Azathoth, pull up the coordinates for the return trip. We've finished our business in this kingdom. It's time to head back to the forest and see if the construction crews have finished the executive wing yet. I refuse to spend another night in a tent.
Chapter End.