Traveler from Type-Moon, Demon Lord Rimuru! 18

Ten minutes later, Rimuru walked out of the church holding a document copied via magic—feeling somewhat amused.

The relationship between the Mage's Association and the Holy Church was far from cordial; one could even say that before the peace treaty was signed, the two sides were at a level where they would slaughter each other on sight. Even so, Rimuru had not expected the Holy Church to treat someone from the Mage's Association with such blatant hostility.

Initially, when he changed his appearance and visited the church as an ordinary magus, he was met not only with the priest's hypocritical handshake but also with all sorts of falsified information.

They even... dispatched Executors to assassinate him!

"So, if you had been this cooperative from the start, those people before wouldn't have had to suffer like that..."

"Those people who died..."

Through the eye-slits of his mask, Rimuru cast one last cold glance at the church behind him and the familiar that had flown toward the horizon at some unknown moment, then shook his head slightly and chuckled softly.

Inside the Clock Tower, he could be the gentle professor who valued reputation, cherished his students, and served as a collection of kindness and positive energy, but outside... Rimuru didn't consider himself a good person at all—

Rimuru was well aware that he had to adapt to darkness, coldness, and ruthlessness.

To return home and achieve his goal, using any means necessary was the only path.

Of course, Rimuru had to admit that for him, killing was indeed quite difficult... if not for the fact that those few batches of Executors tracking him two days ago had forced him into a position where he had no choice but to fight back—

However, what Rimuru hadn't expected was that the Holy Church's initial pursuit and hunt were purely because a magus taking an interest in Dead Apostles was, in itself, a prohibited matter—

Just as Emiya Kiritsugu's father researching Dead Apostles would not only be treated as a heretic by the Holy Church but also be actively placed under a Sealing Designation by the Mage's Association, any magus who came into contact with Dead Apostles—whether out of hatred, curiosity, or pursuit—would face the threat of being assimilated into a Dead Apostle. And the more powerful the magus, the more dangerous they became after turning...

Referencing the Wizard Marshal Zelretch, who leaped to become the Fourth True Ancestor of the Dead Apostles, one could understand just how dangerous this was for humanity.

And for the Holy Church, a magus pursuing Dead Apostles was a heretic by definition, and eradicating heretics was the natural duty of the Burial Agency.

It wasn't that Rimuru was unaware of these common facts; he just hadn't expected it at first, or rather, even if he had thought of it, he wouldn't have cared—because the result would be the same.

Even if he were the one in the wrong, so what?

If becoming a Dead Apostle meant he could go home, then he would absolutely walk that path without hesitation—he might hide it, but he would never give up. Therefore, clashing with the Holy Church and killing their Executors was almost inevitable.

What? You say his actions outside might affect his identity at the Clock Tower?

Don't make me laugh... The dignified Blue Professor, the Fairy Tale Lord, is still at the Clock Tower babysitting kids right now!

What does a wild magus running around outside killing a few people from the Holy Church have to do with Professor Rimuru? Even if they look similar—so what?

Rimuru looked at the birds in the sky, paused his steps for a moment, and after looking around, walked into a shopping mall restroom. A burst of black mist instantly surged and swallowed him. A few seconds later, a handsome German man with a high nose bridge and a tall, upright posture appeared before the mirror—this was the appearance and identity of one of the Executors he had killed. It had to be said, the Holy Church did a pretty good job keeping the identities of their Executors secret...

At the very least, he had used this identity to evade tracking several times, and he hadn't been discovered yet, which made him wonder if the person in charge of tracking him was some senile old fool.

"Phew, I hope there's something useful in here."

Rimuru softly squeezed the document in his arms, and after having the Great Sage memorize everything, he burned it to ashes in the air. He wasn't the least bit surprised that the text in these documents might have been imbued with tracking magic—even if it hadn't been, he would still be careful, not out of fear, but simply because he didn't want to kill anyone.

"So, why are you so eager to find a Dead Apostle?"

Suddenly, a voice came from behind Rimuru, causing him to jump in shock as he looked up at the mirror. He saw that, unexpectedly, the mirror surface—which had been empty except for him—was rippling with strange, wave-like distortions. A young girl with black hair reaching her hips and a short skirt ending at her slender thighs was staring at him curiously with crimson eyes.

Gulp...

Rimuru swallowed hard, feeling dazed. He wanted to find a Dead Apostle, but honestly... he didn't want to find this one!!

The Ninth of the Twenty-seven Dead Apostle Ancestors... the one known as the Black Princess... Altrouge.

"You won't find anything looking like that."

Seeing Rimuru standing there in a daze, Altrouge frowned slightly, shook her head, and pointed at the document in his hand: "Ordinary vampires mostly act on instinct and lack consciousness; once they appear in society, they are easily wiped out... As for high-level Dead Apostles..."

She paused slightly, revealing a mischievous smile as she leaned closer to Rimuru and whispered: "What will you do after you find one? What do you want to do..."

What do I want to do... I want to dissect... you.

Rimuru swallowed again, looking at the fourteen-year-old Altrouge floating in mid-air, and didn't dare to speak—if he remembered correctly, Altrouge had no combat abilities before transforming, so the fact that she could float and conceal herself meant there was definitely a bodyguard nearby...

For example, the Black Knight or... the White Knight.

They were the Sixth and Eighth Ancestors respectively, beings that were essentially demons—

For a moment, Rimuru felt like crying. Since he dared to come to Germany, he had naturally carefully considered the gap in strength between the two sides. To be precise, he believed that with his strength as a Demon Lord, even if he couldn't defeat a True Ancestor, he could easily escape using his templates!

But...

Who just walks out the door and runs into one of the three Dead Apostle Ancestors?!!

Even if you gave him eight guts, he wouldn't dare to act out in front of three Ancestors—no, wait, two Ancestors and one King of Dead Apostles!

"Fou?... Fou?"

Just then, a white head that looked particularly silly and cute—neither cat nor dog—suddenly climbed up from behind Altrouge. After sniffing in Rimuru's direction, it tilted its head: "He has the scent of a Phantasmal Species on him, doesn't look very tasty, Fou!!!"

"Great... they're all here."

Rimuru completely gave up on resisting...

Chapter 026, The Black Princess's Provocation!

The small white beast was named Cath Palug, the legendary hound of the Black Princess, the Primate Murder.

The Ancestor ranked number one, Beast IV—of course, in the few impressions Rimuru had from his previous life, this thing also had a particularly famous name.

Fou.

However, compared to the cheerful, cute pet in Chaldea that caused no harm as long as it didn't come into contact with human society, this one, having been abandoned by Merlin after being thrown off a tower and released into the world of Phantasmal Species, learned to drink human blood after meeting Altrouge... thus being classified as a vampire, possessing terrifying anti-primate capabilities and extreme danger.

Even though the Dead Apostle Ancestors are not ranked by strength alone, the title of the First Ancestor still set off alarm bells in Rimuru's mind regarding Fou—

"Why aren't you saying anything?" Altrouge's fair and exquisite face leaned in once more. Her petite, delicate nose drew closer and closer to Rimuru until they were almost touching. Rimuru had no choice but to take a half-step back, pressing against the mirror. The other party finally ceased her advance, her pair of blood-red, lively eyes locking onto Rimuru's golden ones. A playful smirk tugged at the corners of her mouth, mixed with a faint, indiscernible amusement, as she whispered, "Aren't you looking for Dead Apostles?"

"...What I'm looking for are ghouls or living corpses."

Rimuru leaned helplessly against the wall, gritting his teeth as he squeezed out the words: "I don't want to provoke you..."

"As I thought..." Hearing this, the Black Princess tilted her head slightly and laughed: "You know me, but clearly, you aren't like Zepia, searching for Dead Apostles in order to become immortal..."

Historically, many magi have sought to extend their lifespans as much as possible in their pursuit of magic and the truth, even going so far as to willingly become vampires. Aside from the geniuses who research how to become vampire-kin themselves, the simplest and only path for most magi is to seek conversion by a True Ancestor or a high-level Dead Apostle.

In other media, this is called the Embrace.

And Zepia is the most outstanding magus to have ever signed a contract with the Black Princess Altrouge; he has even become one of the Dead Apostle Ancestors today.

"What if I said I was..." Rimuru suddenly spoke up.

"Then I could sign a contract with you right now." Altrouge spoke directly. She stepped back, sat down in mid-air, crossed her legs, and rested her hands flat. Her eyes looked calmly at Rimuru as she smiled cunningly: "As long as you request it, I can help you complete the conversion—"

"How about it?"

"Although your methods for finding Dead Apostles are very low-level, not even as good as the lowest-ranking Executor... but the realization and inexplicable familiarity in your eyes the moment you saw me suggest that you must have a certain understanding of Dead Apostles, or at least... of me."

"...Are you... are you really that impressed by me?" Rimuru gave a dry laugh, forcing himself to stay calm. He felt cold sweat beginning to soak his back, even though he knew it was clearly an illusion.

"You are very interested in Dead Apostles, and coincidentally, I am also very interested in you."

Altrouge said unhurriedly. Ever since she heard that a demonic magus searching for Dead Apostles had appeared in the vicinity, she had tried observing him several times. This time, having witnessed Rimuru transform from a fourteen or fifteen-year-old boy into the cold, arrogant German-looking man before her, her interest in him had grown significantly!

"Then what if... I refuse?"

"Then you tell me your purpose for seeking Dead Apostles." She said as if it were a matter of course. After a pause, she added: "And explain the reason you know who I am—"

"I'm not an unreasonable person, you know. If your answer satisfies me—" The Black Princess thought about it with cold arrogance, then suddenly asked: "Are there any hidden Dead Apostles nearby?"

"There are, My Lady. Sow Dantes, if I recall the name correctly." Suddenly, a soft, feminine voice came from behind the Black Princess. It was the voice of one of her guards, the Black Knight.

"Dantes... isn't he a subordinate of the White Winged Duke?" Hearing this, Altrouge's eyes lit up, and the smile on her small face grew even brighter: "Very good, he will do."

"If you satisfy me, how about I capture him and give him to you?"

"..." Hearing this, Rimuru's expression turned strange.

Capture him and give him to me... how should he put it? He could only say that it was truly... a princess-like statement, wasn't it?

Just then, a 3D virtual map of the mall suddenly appeared before Rimuru's eyes. He saw over a dozen red dots appearing from all directions, slowly circling and closing in on the mall—and the voice of the Great Sage rang out.

"What's going on?"

Rimuru was slightly stunned and asked in his mind.

"They are Executors. You have stayed in the mall for too long—"

Oh, people from the Holy Church?

Hearing this, Rimuru was pleasantly surprised! The people from the Holy Church had arrived at such a... timely moment! Rimuru had been worrying about how to make his escape!

Between a magus searching for Dead Apostles and the famous half-breed of a True Ancestor and a Dead Apostle—the Black Princess of the Dead Apostles—which one would the Holy Church rather eliminate?

That's a stupid question!!

If they discovered the Black Princess here, what Executor would still care about a measly little magus like him!!

Perhaps he might even have a chance to turn the tables on the Black Princess. If, just if, the Holy Church and the Black Princess fought to the death, he could reap the rewards as the fisherman!

To be honest... although Rimuru hadn't thought about dissecting the Black Princess, but... if there was an opportunity and a choice to dissect her, who would still care about that bunch of trashy Dead Apostles!!

Thinking of this, Rimuru instantly calmed down. With a backup plan, the feeling of tension vanished, and his thoughts became clear—he began to chuckle with a sense of impunity.

"Heh, to tell you the truth... what I want is not a Dead Apostle..."

"Hmm?"

"The thing I am truly interested in is... a True Ancestor."

After speaking, his gaze fell onto Altrouge's face, observing her expression. Sure enough, the next moment, her smile stiffened, and it cooled down with a hint of annoyance.

Rimuru's words were essentially a provocation, but what he said was indeed the truth—

Here, it is worth mentioning the definition of True Ancestors and Dead Apostles. A True Ancestor is a True Ancestor, the source of Dead Apostles. If a True Ancestor is defined as a phantasmal species—a race created by the Crimson Moon using himself as a template—then Dead Apostles are merely a collective term for all servants or weapons created by True Ancestors.

Dead Apostles can be more powerful than True Ancestors, and can even eliminate them, but they can never become True Ancestors.

The Dead Apostle Ancestors are the group that first successfully rebelled against the control of the True Ancestors and surpassed them, making them the strongest among the Dead Apostles. This seat has been passed down through constant succession, symbolizing the 27 strongest among the vampire-kin.

There are True Ancestors among them, but most are Dead Apostles.

In reality, not only were there few True Ancestors left, but after Arcueid Brunestud was manipulated by Roa, she slaughtered everyone in the Millennium Castle... This resulted in the number of True Ancestors walking the world being less than five, excluding those living in seclusion around the world and even that sister in the Millennium Castle whom she detested.

So, when Rimuru said that he was actually interested in True Ancestors and fixed his gaze upon her, she clearly felt the implication in his tone. Apparently, in that instant, the other party actually dared to set his sights on her?!

"Interesting..."

The silent atmosphere seemed to be brewing a storm. Rimuru watched the Black Princess, whose face had already turned cold, and calculated his escape route after making his move—

Beside them, the lazy Fou seemed to have sensed something and looked toward the entrance sharply, while Altrouge narrowed her eyes dangerously: "Is it because those bugs from the Church have given you courage?"

Rimuru's expression stiffened—he said calmly: "I prefer to trust in my own strength—"

"Someone's coming, Fou..."

At this moment, Fou flicked his tail lightly, snapping the Black Princess, who had been glaring fiercely at Rimuru with puffed-up cheeks, out of her trance. She blinked and looked toward the restroom door—

Someone was coming?

Rimuru glanced in astonishment at the map, noting the Executor was still some distance away, and his heart suddenly sank. If there was no source of magical energy, didn't that mean...

"It's a normal person."

Creak. The door to the men's restroom was pushed open casually. A young man who didn't look very old walked in, whistling while undoing his belt. Suddenly... his hands froze, and he stared in shock at the tall man and the exquisite, petite girl at the far end—

Because of the angle, the girl floating in mid-air looked as if she were being held by Rimuru—this caused him to freeze up like a jammed tape for a second before he immediately turned to leave, but then he reacted.

"Hey, buddy... put that girl down... pedophilia is..."

"Dispose of him, Cath."

Faced with this sudden intruder, Altrouge didn't even have the desire to turn her head, stating it coldly.

In an instant, Rimuru only felt the cute, pet-like Fou lift his head slightly. After a lazy glance at the man, an invisible mystery swept over his body. With a thud, before the young man could finish his sentence, he collapsed to the ground, clutching his abdomen and vomiting blood uncontrollably.

"Damn it..." Rimuru cursed under his breath. In an instant, azure magic circuits ignited from his heart, and the vast magical talent of a Phantasmal Species surged into the young man's body, causing the constant vomiting of blood to slow slightly as he gasped for air in a panic—

"Hmm?" The Black Princess was slightly taken aback: "You want to save him?"

Rimuru ignored her, quickly letting Great Sage scan the man's entire body.

"Human genetic chain is collapsing... difficult to repair..."

"Genetic chain collapse?" Rimuru blurted out, his output of magical energy slowing down involuntarily—even with magic, it was impossible to maintain a collapsing genetic chain indefinitely.

"It's useless." Seeing Rimuru rush over as if trying to save him, Altrouge turned around curiously and said softly: "Cath is Primate Murder; it can erase the concept and soul of primates from the very root—primates attacked by it cannot survive, even if your vast magical energy can delay the process—"

It had to be said that Rimuru's massive magical energy gave her another pleasant surprise, but unfortunately, magic sometimes could not change the outcome—to counter the attack of the Beast IV, one had to distort the target of its attack at the root, or distort one's own concept.

"Save... save me..." The young man clutched his throat in extreme agony, his other hand reaching out toward Rimuru. He seemed to realize that Rimuru was the only one who could save him, and his instinct for survival caused him to temporarily stop thinking about the mysterious events, struggling desperately just to stay alive.