Recaps

Rimuru counted the Demon Country Federation’s forces against the Empire’s million troops and resolved to prepare carefully for war. She believed the Federation had to win to protect her home, while Mo Li remained confident he could intervene if needed.

• Rimuru estimated that the Federation’s own army numbered fewer than eighty thousand, then added its allied left-wing forces to reach roughly three hundred thousand.
• Rimuru considered the Federation’s elite fighters and allies but feared the Empire’s numbers could still cause devastating losses.
• Mo Li reflected that Rimuru was underestimating her side’s strength and continued drinking tea, confident he could step in if necessary.
• Rimuru reviewed the Empire’s Imperial Guard Knights, Velgrend, and Rudra, and judged that only the Federation’s strongest fighters could stop them.
• Rimuru resolved that the Federation must win and vowed not to spare anyone who invaded her home and disturbed her life.

At the Eastern Empire’s Imperial Conference, Baning and Kagurazaka Yuuki argued against launching a war against the Jura Great Forest, warning that the Demon Country Federation possessed overwhelming power. The gathering ended with the Empire’s commanders silenced by news of three Calamity-class beings, while Rudra and Velgrend remained behind the curtain.

• Baning knelt before Rudra and Velgrend and urged them to reconsider invading the Jura Great Forest.
• Karigulio challenged Baning, who warned that the Mecha Legion could not stand against Morax.
• Kagurazaka Yuuki supported Baning and explained that he had joined the Eastern Empire after fleeing the Holy Imperial Nation and submitting to Guy Crimson.
• Yuuki revealed that the Demon Country Federation had Morax, Veldora, and the Rock Dragon King, Azhdaha.
• Karigulio fell silent, and the conference hall grew heavy as the gathered leaders absorbed Yuuki’s warning.

Kagurazaka Yuuki warned the Empire that the Demon Country Federation had three Calamity-class beings, including the little-known Rock Dragon King Azhdaha. Tatsuya Kondo explained that every route for the Empire’s expansion led through the Federation or its allies, leaving the Empire unable to avoid it.

• Kagurazaka Yuuki revealed that the Demon Country Federation had the Storm Dragon Veldora, the Rock Dragon King, and the Strongest Demon King Morax among its forces.
• Karigulio and other Imperial officials doubted that the Rock Dragon King could rival Veldora, but Kagurazaka Yuuki insisted he had seen the Dragon King and feared his overwhelming strength.
• Gadra and the other officials accepted that confronting the Demon Country Federation would mean facing three extraordinary Calamity-class beings.
• An Imperial official suggested conquering other factions first and avoiding the Federation, but Tatsuya Kondo explained that the Empire’s routes all passed through the Federation, Gui Li Country, or the allied Dwarven Kingdom.

The Empire’s officials debated invading through the Dwarven Kingdom, but Velgrend overruled them and reaffirmed Rudra’s original plan to attack the Demon Country Federation. She revealed that she and Rudra would handle Veldora, the Rock Dragon King, and Morax so the Empire could conquer the Federation.

• Tatsuya Kondo explained that the Empire could not avoid the Demon Country Federation and that its possible routes led through Gui Li Country, the Dragon’s Capital, or the Dwarven Kingdom.
• Imperial officials and Kagurazaka Yuuki favored invading through the Dwarven Kingdom, while Tatsuya Kondo recognized that only Rudra could decide the route.
• Karigulio, Gratim, and Kagurazaka Yuuki asked Rudra for permission to lead their legions into battle.
• Velgrend emerged from behind the curtain, crushed the assembly with her pressure, and rebuked the officials for trying to choose on Rudra’s behalf.
• Velgrend declared that the original route would remain unchanged and said she and Rudra would deal with Veldora, the Rock Dragon King, and Morax while the Empire conquered the Demon Country Federation.
• Velgrend explained that she and Rudra planned to defeat Morax with four Calamities and then dominate him using Mental Domination and Tatsuya Kondo’s King of Judgment.

Velgrend ordered the Empire to attack the Demon Country Federation, trusting Rudra’s plan to defeat Morax, Veldora, and Ruotuo. Michael secretly viewed the invasion as a way to obtain Veldora’s Dragon Factor and was prepared to sacrifice the Empire and unleash his other forces if needed.

• Velgrend dismissed the Empire leaders’ concerns about Morax, Veldora, and Ruotuo and ordered them to attack the Demon Country Federation and the Jura Great Forest.
• Michael planned to use the Empire as cannon fodder to probe the Federation while seeking Veldora’s Dragon Factor for Lord Star King Dragon.
• Michael considered using Archangel Domination, Feldway’s Demon Race army, Segnus’s Insect Race army, and the World-Destroying Dragon if his plan required them.
• Karigulio offered to lead the Mecha Legion’s million troops as the vanguard, while Gratim and Kagurazaka Yuuki also requested orders.
• Kagurazaka Yuuki doubted that Velgrend and Rudra could defeat the three Calamities and decided to accelerate his own plans and prepare an escape route.

Kagurazaka Yuuki accelerated his plans after doubting the Empire could defeat Morax, Veldora, and Azhdaha. In the Demon Country Federation, Rimuru learned that three likely imperial spies had breached the Great Underground Labyrinth and explained her plan to shelter the Federation inside it using Ramiris’s power and Veldora’s and Azhdaha’s magicules.

• Kagurazaka Yuuki decided to speed up his plans and prepare an escape route because he doubted Velgrend and Rudra could handle Morax, Veldora, and Azhdaha.
• Rimuru reorganized the Federation’s three hundred thousand troops and began developing a surveillance system to track the Empire’s million-man army.
• Beretta reported that a three-person team had broken through the forty-fifth floor of the Great Underground Labyrinth, and Rimuru recognized them as likely imperial spies from another world.
• Rimuru summoned Ramiris, Veldora, Azhdaha, and the other labyrinth managers and explained that Gadra had sent students to gather intelligence.
• Rimuru explained that she and Ramiris planned to move the Demon Country Federation and Liyue City into the labyrinth’s lowest level, powered by Veldora’s and Azhdaha’s magicules.

Rimuru and Ramiris used Veldora and Azhdaha to move the Demon Country Federation underground as bait for the Empire’s spies. After weighing the Empire’s odds against the Federation and its allies, Shinji, Mark, and Shin decided to defect, earn Rimuru’s trust with intelligence, and try to save their teacher Gadra.

• Rimuru and Ramiris relocated the Demon Country Federation to the lowest level of the Great Underground Labyrinth, leaving its entrance exposed as bait for Imperial investigators.
• Shinji and Mark admired Liyue City and considered abandoning the Empire to settle in the Demon Country Federation, while Shin warned them that desertion was a serious crime.
• Shinji and Mark listed the Federation’s powerful leaders and allies, persuading Shin that the Empire’s chances of winning the coming war were slim.
• The three spies agreed to defect and offer the Empire’s internal intelligence and attack plans to Demon King Rimuru in exchange for merit and a chance to protect Gadra.
• Shinji, Mark, and Shin decided to clear the labyrinth trials first so they could prove their strength before approaching Rimuru.

Shen, Shinji, and Mark challenged the Great Underground Labyrinth to prove their strength and improve their bargaining position with Rimuru. After barely defeating the fiftieth-floor guardians, they continued toward Adaman and Alberuth on the sixtieth floor.

• Shen, Shinji, and Mark agreed to clear the labyrinth before approaching Demon King Rimuru.
• Veldora and Waka repeatedly flooded the labyrinth with magicules to outdo each other, strengthening its monsters and floor guardians before Rimuru and Ramiris intervened.
• The trio struggled through the strengthened floors and barely defeated Ox-Head and Horse-Face on the fiftieth floor.
• The three received the Special Grade Minotaur Battle Axe and resolved to continue deeper into the labyrinth.
• Shen, Shinji, and Mark headed for the sixtieth floor, where Adaman and Alberuth awaited them.

Rimuru let the three spies continue through the enhanced labyrinth so she could test the Ten Great Labyrinth Masters, especially Ze'Chion, Veldora and Azhdaha's disciple. The spies entered Adaman's gatekeeping boss room on the Sixtieth Floor, while Rimuru and the others watched from the control room.

• Ramiris urged Rimuru to capture the spies before they earned more rewards, but Rimuru explained that their progress would test the labyrinth and promote its reputation.
• Veldora and Azhdaha praised Rimuru's supposedly cunning plan and suspected she had learned her scheming from Morax.
• Rimuru recalled that Veldora and Azhdaha had trained Ze'Chion, whose strength had impressed Xiao, and decided to use the spies to assess the labyrinth's masters.
• Rimuru, Ramiris, Veldora, and Azhdaha gathered snacks and watched the spies approach the Sixtieth Floor's boss room.
• The three spies sensed danger, opened the boss room door, and stepped inside to face Adaman.

The Spy Trio entered the sixtieth-floor boss room to face Adaman and Alberuth while Veldora and Azhdaha watched, convinced the spies would lose. Azhdaha recalled Xiao’s brutal training and Morax’s counseling, leaving Xiao established as one of the Federation’s strongest fighters.

• The Spy Trio opened the sixtieth-floor boss gate and stepped inside, sensing a deadly aura.
• Ramiris watched the attempt from the control room as Veldora and Azhdaha predicted the spies would be defeated by Adaman and Alberuth.
• Azhdaha recalled that he and Veldora had trained the labyrinth’s Floor Masters, while Morax had also guided its monsters.
• Azhdaha described how Xiao repeatedly fought through the labyrinth and challenged him and Veldora, enduring near-fatal defeats to improve.
• After Morax scolded Xiao for his self-destructive training, Xiao refused to stop, so Morax required him to visit monthly for counseling.
• Azhdaha reflected that Xiao’s training had made him nearly second only to Morax in combat technique and strong enough to hunt ordinary Awakened Demon Kings.

Ruotuo reflected on Xiao’s strength and became determined to train Ze'Chion to watch over Diablo. In the Great Underground Labyrinth, Adaman and his allies eagerly prepared to fight the intruders and serve Rimuru and the Emperor.

• Ruotuo judged Xiao strong enough to hunt ordinary Awakened Demon Kings and wondered whether Diablo could defeat him.
• Ruotuo decided to warn Rimuru about Diablo and train Ze'Chion as another safeguard.
• Veldora declined to hear Ruotuo’s mysterious plan until later, while Rimuru and Ramiris turned their attention back to the battle.
• Adaman sensed intruders in the sixtieth-floor boss room and told Alberuth to use her new power to prove loyalty to Rimuru and the Emperor.
• Alberuth and the Undead Dragon eagerly awaited the coming battle, hoping to ease the burdens of their lords.

The Spy Trio entered the boss room and faced Adaman and Alberuth, but Alberuth defeated them in an instant. Rimuru watched from the labyrinth management room and was left stunned by how quickly the fight ended.

• Adaman sensed the boss room door opening and prepared for battle with Alberuth and the Undead Dragon.
• Shinji, Mark, and Shen entered the room, recognized how overwhelmingly powerful Adaman and Alberuth were, and raised their weapons.
• Adaman dismissed the trio as weak and told Alberuth to handle them.
• Alberuth swiftly struck down Shinji, Mark, and Shen, leaving them wounded on the floor.
• Rimuru watched the fight on the management-room screen and was dumbfounded by the trio's instant defeat.

Alberuth effortlessly defeated the Imperial Spy Trio, leaving Rimuru shocked by how powerful the labyrinth monsters had become. Ramiris explained that Xiao’s speedruns, Rimuru’s weapon gifts, and the labyrinth’s rich magicules and guidance had driven their rapid growth.

• Alberuth defeated Shinji, Shin, and Mark in a battle that lasted about thirty seconds.
• Rimuru wondered how Adaman and Alberuth had grown so strong in only half a year.
• Ramiris told Rimuru that Xiao’s speedruns and the weapons Rimuru distributed had pushed the labyrinth monsters to train harder.
• Ramiris explained that Veldora and Azhdaha’s magicules and guidance had further strengthened the monsters, especially those guarding the lower floors.
• Rimuru realized that the weapons she had given away as failed pieces from Mo Li were still Legendary Grade or better.

Rimuru learned that Adaman and Alberuth had become powerful enough to threaten a medium-sized nation and wondered whether they should guard deeper floors of the Great Underground Labyrinth. Ramiris revealed that the later floors held even stronger masters, leaving Rimuru stunned by the labyrinth’s strength.

• Rimuru learned that Adaman had become an Undead King with a Demon Lord Seed, while Alberuth had advanced into an Undead Paladin with Holy-Demonic Conversion.
• Adaman dedicated his victory to his god, prompting Rimuru to question whether he and Alberuth were being wasted as guardians of the sixtieth floor.
• Rimuru asked Ramiris and Veldora to move Adaman and Alberuth to later floors, but they explained that the other floor masters were just as strong or stronger.
• Ramiris listed Yapitto, Ze'Chion, Nine Demon Luo, Xiao, the Four Dragon Kings, Besta, Veldora, and Azhdaha among the later floors’ guardians.
• Rimuru realized that the Great Underground Labyrinth might be stronger than the entire Demon Country Federation.

Rimuru summoned the Great Underground Labyrinth’s later-floor bosses and was stunned by their strength, especially Ze'Chion, whom Veldora and Azhdaha revealed as their shared disciple. The group noticed Xiao was missing, but he arrived just as Veldora prepared to find him.

• Rimuru gathered the later-floor bosses and realized that Ze'Chion and the others were powerful Demon Lord Seeds near the limits of their realm.
• Ze'Chion and the other bosses knelt to greet Rimuru, who told them to stand.
• Veldora proudly revealed that Ze'Chion was his disciple, and Azhdaha corrected him by saying they had both trained Ze'Chion.
• Ze'Chion praised his two masters and said he still fell short of Senior Xiao.
• Ramiris realized Xiao had not answered the summons, and Veldora prepared to visit the Ninetieth Floor before Xiao announced his arrival.

Xiao arrived at Rimuru’s summons and impressed her with his terrifying aura, after which Rimuru settled the labyrinth’s floor-guardian assignments. Diablo then reported that Gadra wanted to meet Rimuru, leaving her considering the Empire’s famed magician as Veldora read manga nearby.

• Xiao answered Rimuru’s summons, and Rimuru sensed that his killing intent made him seem more dangerous than an ordinary Awakened Demon King.
• Veldora tried to put an arm around Xiao but backed off when he could not reach him and sensed Xiao’s cold aura.
• Rimuru discussed the labyrinth’s guardians and kept the original assignments, moving Adaman to floors near Yapitto and Ze’Chion.
• Diablo reported that Larsen had sent word that his master, the Empire’s Great Magician Gadra, wanted to meet Rimuru.
• Rimuru recalled Gadra’s reputation and his survival of a battle against Veldora, then glanced at Veldora reading manga.

Rimuru initially decided not to meet the Empire’s Great Magician, Gadra, but Adaman revealed that Gadra was his old friend and the man who had saved him from the Seven Luminaries. The chapter then explained that Gadra’s long service to the Empire was driven by his vow to avenge Adaman and destroy the Luminas Divine Religion.

• Rimuru weighed the risks of meeting Gadra and decided to refuse his visit, prioritizing stability as war with the Empire approached.
• Adaman told Rimuru that Gadra was his close friend, used Reincarnation Transmigration to extend his life, and had saved Adaman from the Seven Luminaries.
• Rimuru reconsidered meeting Gadra because Adaman’s connection might help her learn about the Empire.
• Gadra sent disciples to gather intelligence in the Demon Country Federation and traveled to learn about Rimuru, then revised his plans after finding her increasingly unfathomable.
• Gadra’s history revealed that he had served the Empire for a thousand years to build its strength and ultimately destroy the Luminas Divine Religion in revenge for what the Seven Luminaries did to Adaman.

After learning that the Seven Luminaries had been defeated, Gadra redirected his vengeance toward Luminas, but Larsen’s account of Diablo and the ancient demons serving him convinced Gadra that the Empire faced overwhelming danger. Gadra decided to defect and urgently seek an audience with Rimuru, bringing his three disciples with him.

• Gadra learned from Larsen that the Seven Luminaries and Granbell had been killed, and resolved to target Luminas instead.
• Larsen told Gadra that Diablo was his master and described him as a legendary Demon Duke.
• Larsen described Diablo’s old acquaintances, including a white-haired woman with crimson eyes, leading Gadra to recognize the Original White.
• Larsen mentioned two other women who showed little respect for Diablo, and Gadra stopped him from saying more.
• Gadra asked Larsen to arrange an audience with Diablo and Rimuru, then decided to defect from the Empire with his three disciples.

Gadra rushed to the Demon Country Federation to offer Rimuru intelligence from the Empire as a token of allegiance. Rimuru agreed to meet him, but the chapter ended with three Imperial spies unexpectedly kneeling and asking her to take them in.

• After hearing Larsen's account, Gadra decided to defect and hurried toward the Demon Country Federation with Larsen.
• Gadra planned to offer Rimuru the Empire's military intelligence and later bring his old friends over as proof of loyalty.
• After Adaman vouched for Gadra, Rimuru agreed to meet him, but Ramiris reported that three Imperial spies had requested an audience.
• Rimuru ordered Ramiris to teleport the Spy Trio into the control room, where the labyrinth guardians and others intimidated them with their powerful auras.
• Rimuru dismissed the pressure and demanded to know why the spies had come, and the three knelt and asked her to take them in.

Shinji, Mark, and Shin asked Rimuru to let them join the Demon Country Federation, explaining that they opposed the Empire’s invasion and wanted to escape being used as cannon fodder. They offered to share what they knew about the Empire in exchange for Rimuru sparing their teacher, Gadra, leaving the assembled monsters surprised by the request.

• Shinji, Mark, and Shin dropped to their knees and asked Rimuru to take them in.
• Shinji, Mark, and Shin explained that they had no loyalty to the Empire and wanted to avoid its attack on the Demon Country Federation.
• Shinji offered to tell Rimuru everything they knew about the Empire if she would spare one person during the war.
• Rimuru asked whom they wanted spared, and Shinji named their teacher, the Empire’s Great Magician, Gadra.
• Adaman and the others turned toward the three men after hearing Gadra’s name.

Rimuru sent Adaman to speak with three defecting disciples after they asked him to spare their teacher, Gadra. Adaman recognized them as Gadra’s students and learned they feared their teacher would die fighting for the Empire, while he rejected their belief that Gadra was blindly loyal.

• Shinji named Gadra as the person the three wanted Rimuru to spare, and Rimuru asked Adaman to speak with them.
• Adaman approached the three and recognized them as Imperial spies sent by Gadra to gather intelligence.
• Shinji realized Adaman was the close friend Gadra had spoken of from a thousand years earlier, and the three bowed to him as their senior.
• Mark and the others asked Adaman to persuade Gadra not to fight in the Empire’s war against the Demon Country Federation.
• Adaman was bewildered that they thought Gadra was blindly loyal and insisted he knew his old friend better than anyone.

Shinji and the other two agreed to join Rimuru’s service and help persuade their teacher Gadra to do the same. Gadra arrived at the Demon Country Federation, where he was shocked by its strength and then stunned by a familiar figure behind Rimuru.

• Adaman doubted that Gadra was blindly loyal to the Empire and prepared to meet his old friend.
• Shinji and the other two feared Gadra had come to arrest them for planning to defect, but Rimuru assured them Gadra had wanted to meet him beforehand.
• Adaman asked the trio to persuade Gadra to serve Rimuru or cut ties with him, and they resolved to go along with Adaman’s plan.
• Gadra arrived at the Demon Country Federation, admired its city, and sensed several presences capable of threatening him.
• Rimuru entered to meet Gadra, who was surprised by Rimuru’s appearance and then lost his composure when he saw a familiar figure behind Rimuru.

Gadra reunited with his old friend Adaman and explained that he had joined the Eastern Empire to avenge him, helping provoke its war against Rimuru’s nation. Rimuru realized Gadra was responsible for her exhausting workload, while Shinji, Mark, and Shin feared their teacher had ruined their chances of escaping punishment.

• Gadra recognized Adaman as his long-lost friend and embraced him after hundreds of years apart.
• Gadra thanked Rimuru for saving Adaman and vowed to repay her kindness.
• Gadra told Rimuru that he was a reincarnator who had extended his life to pursue great magic and had become close friends with Adaman.
• Gadra explained that he joined the Eastern Empire and spent hundreds of years plotting a war against the western nations to avenge Adaman.
• Rimuru realized Gadra had helped cause the war and her recent overtime, while Adaman avoided her gaze and Shinji, Mark, and Shin panicked.

Rimuru questioned why the Empire had chosen to attack the Jura Great Forest, while Gadra tried to prove he had opposed the war and no longer supported the Empire. Gadra handed over the Empire’s military secrets and revealed Kagurazaka Yuuki’s planned coup, leaving Shinji and the others with little intelligence to offer.

• Gadra explained to Rimuru that he had opposed attacking the Jura Great Forest and could not understand why the emperor and marshal had insisted on war.
• Rimuru wondered why Velgrend and Rudra had targeted the Demon Country Federation and decided to ask Ari after the meeting.
• Gadra offered Rimuru the Empire’s confidential military plans and information about its leadership.
• Gadra revealed that Kagurazaka Yuuki was preparing a coup within the Empire.
• Shinji and the other two realized Gadra had already disclosed everything they knew about the Empire, undermining their planned offer of intelligence.

Rimuru accepted Gadra into the Demon Country Federation after he surrendered extensive Imperial intelligence, then planned to use his influence and the Great Underground Labyrinth’s treasures to manipulate the Empire’s coming war. Gadra agreed to help and asked Rimuru to spare his three disciples and let them redeem themselves.

• Gadra wrote down a large amount of classified Imperial intelligence, including information about its legions and leaders.
• Gadra told Rimuru he had severed his ties to the Empire after learning Adaman was alive and asked to join her forces.
• Rimuru accepted Gadra, intending to use his Imperial standing to spread false intelligence and lure the Empire into the Great Underground Labyrinth with its treasures.
• Gadra agreed to help tempt greedy Imperial officials and Legion Commanders into the labyrinth.
• Gadra asked Rimuru to spare his three disciples and give them a chance to earn redemption through meritorious service.