Traveler from Type-Moon, Demon Lord Rimuru!

"Of course." The Princess of the Black slowly raised her head, nibbling on her fingernail as she tilted her head. "You did, after all, kill Brad, one of my most loyal knights."

"You killed the White Knight Brad?" Hearing this, Vissera jerked his head up, disbelieving. "Then the target we were tracking is..."

"It's me." Rimuru slowly extended a hand horizontally, his bat wings unfurling behind him as wisps of green fog gradually rose.

He had to prove his identity to stand with the Church.

If the Princess of the Black was here for revenge, then the enemy of his enemy was his friend; he felt the Church should understand that much.

Of course, he had no intention of fighting the Princess of the Black to the death. As always, he planned to let Vissera block her while he continued to look for an opportunity to escape—

Survival, after all, was always the top priority!

"As expected, you even inherited Brad's power..."

"It's called plundering, so... are you going to avenge him?"

"Avenge him? Perhaps?" The Princess of the Black tilted her head at a different angle, her tone growing more cheerful as she suddenly added, "If you don't agree, that is."

"I... don't agree?" Rimuru frowned slightly, failing to understand what game the Princess of the Black was playing.

But Vissera suddenly looked up, as if he had realized something, and barked an order: "Bad! Attack!"

"Boom!"

Before the words had even faded, Vissera charged forward first, only to be blocked by the Magic Blade raised by the Black Knight!

"What is the meaning of this?" Rimuru watched the Church's overreaction, suddenly realizing something, and asked in a low voice: "You wouldn't happen to be... planning to recruit me, would you?"

"Not recruit, but return." The Princess of the Black smiled softly. "The position of the White Knight belongs to you."

"..."

"His final curse signifies that he acknowledged you. He hoped you would replace him and become my knight."

Hearing this, Rimuru was stunned: "Are you joking? I killed him..."

"You destroyed his Communication Rune at the end, right?" Seeing Rimuru's suspicious, utterly disbelieving expression, the Princess of the Black suddenly took a step forward and reached out her hand toward him: "The final message he left for me wasn't about revenge or tracking information."

"It was..."

"If it were him, he would surely be able to help you achieve your supreme grand undertaking."

"That is a compliment that could be described as the absolute peak."

"Saying that, he used his final cost for nothing more than to curse you with the Blood-Sucking Impulse, not to kill you."

"Isn't all of this enough to explain everything?"

The Princess of the Black took another step forward, causing Vissera to shout anxiously: "Don't trust her! I believe you know better than I do what kind of things Dead Apostles are."

"Oh? And what kind of things are Dead Apostles?" Hearing this, the Princess of the Black curled her lips indifferently. Beneath her beautiful smile was a calm, unhurried voice: "I admit you may have some misunderstandings about us, but... the words you said to that boy made me see your different perspective on Dead Apostles—"

"You saw that child..." Rimuru stared straight at her. "You didn't do anything to him, did you?"

"Of course not, we aren't the Church..."

Once these words were out, Vissera, who was clashing with the Black Knight, was almost choked with rage.

But his offensive grew sharper, because he now understood the opponent's goal, which was... to have an unknown, powerful mage inherit the Dead Apostle position of the White Knight Brad!

They couldn't let them succeed! That was the only thought in the minds of these Executors!

"Then what about these Executors—" Rimuru looked at the expression of the Princess of the Black and the slender hand she extended toward him, quickly figuring out her intentions: "If it were just to invite me to join, there would be no need to alarm them—"

"Them?" The Princess of the Black shook her chin in distress, her hair, smooth as a waterfall, fluttering in the wind: "I originally intended to leak your trail to them so they could stage a 'hero saves the beauty' scenario..."

Her voice drifted in the wind, causing the Executors to pause in astonishment before being forced back by the Black Knight—and the Princess of the Black's voice grew even colder.

"But who knew these idiots would ignore your trail to investigate me instead—"

"Which led to my whereabouts being discovered by you..."

The Princess of the Black didn't continue, but Rimuru understood. She had tracked him long ago, but because he was injured and his strength was lacking—and since Brad was naturally adept at speed and tracking/counter-tracking—if Rimuru had truly fled regardless of the cost, she might not have been able to catch him. Thus, she had planned to use his information to lure the retreating Executors back and stage a rescue to win his favor.

Instead, she had ended up being cornered by the Executors herself, forcing her to reveal herself prematurely after he was alerted—

Knowing the cause and effect, Rimuru's expression became inexplicably strange—all this time, in his subconscious, it was always he, the player, who farmed NPCs—the original characters—for favorability. Honestly... he really hadn't expected... that an original character would come to farm his favorability...

To everyone else, however, Rimuru's expression was undoubtedly a sign of being moved.

This made Vissera even more anxious: "Mage, Dead Apostles are not to be trusted! The Blood-Sucking Impulse is not a trivial matter..."

"Believe me..." The Princess of the Black took another step forward, reached out her hand, and said softly: "I need you."

"Rimuru Tempest."

"You really did recognize me, or rather, you investigated me..."

Once this name was spoken, Rimuru gave a bitter smile, while Vissera and the others were slightly stunned before becoming furious: "Princess of the Black, you really are as despicable as the rumors say!"

At this point, how could they not realize that they had become the unwitting accomplices?

The Princess of the Black had exposed Rimuru's true identity, and... Vissera had instantly identified the source of this identity. While feeling terrified, he also understood that he could no longer compete to win Rimuru over to his side.

Even if Rimuru rejected the Princess of the Black, she would certainly not let him leave this place alive.

Rimuru Tempest.

This surname, this name—it could only belong to the heir of one of the former Twelve Lords of the Clock Tower, a family that had been wiped out. He was now known as the brightest new star in the mage world, the Blue Lecturer who wielded immense influence.

To think it was him... If this were his identity, he absolutely could not let it be known that he had any dealings with the Princess of the Black—let alone the dangerous situation of his Blood-Sucking Impulse, which would be classified as a sealed designation without a doubt.

"To be honest... I don't like it, whether it's being manipulated to build rapport or the fact that you investigated me."

Watching the nervous group, Rimuru said softly, "But I can mostly guess what you'll use to threaten me next."

Rimuru looked back at the nun, who had been standing there in complete confusion.

Then, turning back, he asked, "Was all of this part of your calculations? Princess of the Black."

"Not at all." Seeing Rimuru's overly calm eyes, the Princess of the Black couldn't help but be slightly stunned, then she shook her head gently. "You guessed wrong. I never intended to use that nun to threaten you. As I said, my original plan was for a hero to save the beauty."

"And at that point in the plan, you would have already said your goodbyes to her."

"I may be despicable, but I haven't stooped that low—" She leaned in close to Rimuru's ear and whispered, "I told you, you really have many misunderstandings about us, Rimuru."

"Why not follow me and open your eyes to see the true world?"

"I have no interest in seeing this world, nor will I dwell on your original intentions." Facing the invitation from the Princess of the Black, Rimuru shook his head calmly. He glanced at the people around him and said coldly, "Because things have reached this point, regardless of whether you use her to threaten me or not, the moment this incident gets out, she will be purged."

"But she is just an innocent person."

"Then what is your decision?" Hearing this, the Princess of the Black said softly, "I won't use her to threaten you, but I can guarantee that if you join me, I can take full responsibility. I will announce to the world that this attack was my doing, and the information here will never be leaked."

Because, aside from the nun, all of them would die!

The Princess of the Black watched Rimuru quietly, while Rimuru turned back to look at the nun, asking a question that sounded incredibly foreign to her ears:

"There is sin in failing to save an innocent person, and there is sin in implicating an innocent person."

"But what if I join the side of sin in order to protect an innocent person?"

"I ask you, nun."

"Am I... right now... a sinner?"

Chapter 035, White Knight Rimuru Tempest

Under the crimson blood moon, dark clouds gradually obscured the silver radiance and the ghostly red light.

Rimuru's voice slowly permeated the scene, accompanied by the mist. He watched the silent nun, his coldness and killing intent gradually locking onto Vissera and the others.

"Please." The Princess of the Black curled her lips, gently lifted the hem of her dress before Rimuru, and elegantly cleared the way.

Then, watching Rimuru's back, she rested her chin on her crossed hands and whispered, "White Knight... Rimuru."

These words made Rimuru's figure pause, and Vissera exclaimed in disbelief, "Are you really going to join the Dead Apostles? Rimuru Tempest, have you forgotten the honor you represent!"

"I never said I was joining them, but whether I join or refuse, that's a matter for after I've killed you, isn't it?" By this point, even Rimuru, who had been leaning toward the Church's side, was becoming annoyed with this noisy Inquisitor. Even though the man hadn't mentioned a word about humanity, the disdain in his tone toward the Dead Apostles and vampires, combined with the arrogant way he shouted about honor, made Rimuru feel a growing sense of impatience.

Negotiation, my dear, requires actual chips and benefits.

The Princess of the Black knows what I want, knows what I care about, and is willing to help me hide my secrets and protect others.

But what about you?

He looked at the group, his tone finally laced with a lazy, mocking playfulness: "You should have also forgotten that the surname Tempest itself is a hybrid of Phantasmal Species and humans, right? Forgotten? The heretical family in the eyes of your Church... when have we ever had... so-called honor?"

The Princess of the Black might not be a friend, and she might even be the culprit who schemed against him and led him to this point, but regardless, both sides could reach a consensus on how to act, and their interests could align. Unlike the Church... you want the Church to hide the news of his Blood-Sucking Impulse?

It's possible, but Vissera definitely couldn't make that call! It would inevitably require a decision from his superiors, and information leaks could occur. And even if there were no leaks—neither the Church nor the Mage's Association is a dictatorship; they would inevitably debate for their own mutual interests, initiating something similar to a Grand Council.

Cooperate with the king or the minister?

It's an easy situation to judge.

"I originally wanted to use you as a bargaining chip against the Princess of the Black, but..." A breeze blew, and the mist didn't dissipate; instead, it grew thicker. Suddenly, the sound of ocean waves echoed...

The group looked up in astonishment, only to find their surroundings completely submerged by seawater. The entire courtyard was like a lone leaf floating in the middle of the ocean... illuminated by the emerald ghostly flames of passing Ghost Ships.

"It's a pity, but my identity cannot be exposed."

Following Rimuru's sigh, a tsunami roared into existence. Within the vast expanse of water, a massive whirlpool began to coalesce alongside an endless storm. With a fierce strike, it completely swallowed the group. Vissera's uniform was soaked through, revealing a glimmer of holy light. He gritted his teeth and, with all his might, deployed something akin to a barrier, barely managing to withstand the endless barrage of the sea.

High above, the Princess of the Black sat in the void, not forgetting to protect the nun with a casual gesture. Seeing this, she suddenly understood how Brad had been defeated.

Rimuru was rumored to be a Color Rank mage extremely proficient in water-based magic, and a mage of this caliber, on the open ocean... was equivalent to a natural mage workshop!

With this, the smile in the Princess of the Black's eyes deepened. Having devoured Brad and obtained a Reality Marble so perfectly suited to his own domain, Rimuru... was definitely the mage with the most potential she had ever seen. He might even... achieve the rank of Grand!

"Damn it..." Vissera watched the relentless tsunami and had no choice but to retreat a few steps, standing with his subordinates. He abruptly drew a golden radiance, and immediately, a group of Executors began to chant in unison.

Joint chanting?

Rimuru narrowed his eyes slightly and shook his head with regret. It was true that Executors possessed strong combat capabilities, and their reinforcement magic and anti-magic trap engravings allowed them to fight their way out of mage workshops.

But... this is a Reality Marble.

The Executor style of pushing individual strength to the limit cannot fight against... an entire world.

In Rimuru's impression, the most troublesome Executor, Kotomine Kirei, could only block most magic by relying on Command Spells. How could a guy whose name he hadn't even heard of hope to fight him?!

He had been hunted down before because he was severely injured, but now, with his injuries less than a tenth of what they were, these people...

Are all just amateurs!!

Die, be buried upon the sea, and become my nourishment.

Thinking this with cold indifference, Rimuru raised his hand without hesitation, unleashing nearly half of the magnificent magic power within his body. This time, he did not overload his systems; instead, he methodically allowed one Magic Crest after another to convert his magic power, causing one magic circle after another to ignite across the surface of the sea!

He had to reserve half of his capacity to continue fighting, to deal with the Princess of the Black and the negotiations. Just as he had said, he did not intend to let the Princess of the Black have her way so easily. You have schemed against me so much, wanting me to submit or cooperate, so how should I put it...

You have to cough up something in return, right?

He understood in his heart that if the other party truly used the nun as a threat, he would have no choice but to concede. But that did not stop him from tentatively raising the stakes and... trusting, just a little, the Princess of the Black's claim that she "would not use the nun as a bargaining chip."

Azure magic circles lit up one after another across the sea. Velasas watched helplessly as the island beneath his feet was finally torn apart by the storm. As his footing gave way, he was forced to divert a portion of his magic power to form a magic spell that allowed him to walk on water—but the other Executors were not so lucky. Several unlucky ones who did not know such magic fell straight into the sea, instantly swallowed by the depths—

In a mere instant, it was as if they had been shredded by endless water blades, turning into a mist of blood that stained the dark, gloomy seawater with a blooming crimson.

The entire sea had actually been completely transformed into a meat grinder!

"Just as Brad said." Rimuru extended his arm. The fabric of his clothes, already in poor condition, was completely eroded and shattered by the magic power, leaving only surging energy and dense magic circuits radiating immense might: "When the creatures of the land lose the ground they stand upon."

"They can only struggle in vain, right?"

"Even if you can resist the great power of the world for a moment."

"But what does that matter?"

Rimuru clenched his fist abruptly. Boom! The azure magic circles were fully activated. The seawater within the Reality Marble erupted, transforming into hundred-meter-tall waves of apocalyptic proportions that crashed in from all directions, swallowing everyone like a maw capable of devouring the heavens and destroying the world.

The Executors, wiped out.

A long while later, Rimuru slowly lowered his arm. The dark clouds dispersed, and the sea returned to calm.

The light rain formed by the tsunami fell upon the head of the Princess of the Black, dampening her beautiful hair, but she did not care in the slightest. Her eyes curved like two crescent moons as she smiled and said, "Truly an impressive magic. Does this spell have a name?"

"Regrettably, not yet." Hearing this, Rimuru raised an eyebrow and turned back. "But I think I'll call it Leviathan's Greeting. How about that?"

"That is indeed a wonderful greeting." The Princess of the Black opened her blood-red eyes, nodded with a light chuckle, and couldn't help but glance toward the location of those people.

The surrounding scenery had begun to return to normal. After Rimuru canceled the Reality Marble, those people hadn't even left behind a corpse. It really was... Leviathan, swallowing them until not even a scrap remained.