—Walpurgis: The Gathering of Kings, Broken by One Man—
The sun had barely begun its descent when the skies above Tempest suddenly shifted. Dark clouds began to swirl slowly above the capital. The winds grew heavy with an unnatural stillness, as if the world itself knew that something ancient was about to unfold.
Inside Rimuru's castle, the atmosphere was tense yet silent.
Rimuru, freshly dressed in his midnight-black Demon Lord attire, stood before a mirror. A cape of dark blue trimmed in gold trailed behind him. His golden eyes flickered with quiet determination.
"Shion, Diablo, ready?" he asked.
Shion, dressed in a battle-stylized formal dress, nodded with a grin, hand resting on her sword.
"Always, Rimuru-sama."
Diablo, in a sleek black suit, gave a respectful bow, his expression unreadable but ever-confident.
"Ranga is hidden in your shadow, as instructed," Raphael confirmed in Rimuru's mind.
Then—
A cold ripple pulsed through the air. The very fabric of space twisted.
A jagged demonic portal ripped open the skies in front of the castle. Purple lightning crackled around its edges. From within, stepped a woman whose very presence made the earth tremble slightly.
Tall, pale, with blue hair, crimson eyes sharp as daggers, and dressed in a crisp black-and-white maid outfit: Rain, Guy Crimson's personal maid and the Executioner of Sin.
She gazed around the area, unfazed.
"This is Tempest, then?" she murmured to herself.
She turned and locked eyes with Ramiris, who zipped toward her, wings fluttering excitedly.
"Rain! You're here to take me to Walpurgis, right?"
Rain nodded.
"Correct. Lord Guy sent me." Then she looked over to Rimuru. "You as well… Rimuru Tempest."
Her tone wasn't mocking—rather, calm and oddly respectful.
Rimuru blinked. "You know my name?"
Rain nodded once. "Of course. Lord Guy pays close attention to rising storms… And you are no longer just a ripple."
Then her eyes fell on Diablo.
For the first time, Rain's expression shifted. A subtle twitch of the brow. Her crimson eyes widened ever so slightly.
"…Noir."
Diablo tilted his head slightly, smiling. "It has been a long time, Rain."
"So… you serve the slime now," she said, almost impressed.
"I serve my lord," Diablo corrected. "Rimuru-sama."
Rain said nothing more. But the energy in the air thickened slightly as two Primordial demons acknowledged one another without battle… yet.
She lifted her hand.
"Let us go."
The demonic gate behind her pulsed. A deep, ominous hum escaped it. It wasn't made by Raphael. This was Rain's personal door—a pathway only the oldest demons could walk. The swirling abyss behind it seemed endless.
Rimuru took a step forward.
"Let's do this."
Together, Rimuru, Shion, Diablo, and Ramiris stepped into the portal.
They emerged into a realm that feels like it is outside reality.
Walpurgis.
A circular chamber forged from shadow and black stone, suspended in a void of swirling chaos. The sky was blood-red, streaked with violet lightning. Giant chains of molten rock drifted in the air around the hall, linking to nothing. The very space groaned as if it rejected existence.
In the center was a massive round table, carved from obsidian laced with demonic runes. Thirteen thrones sat around it—each one unique and tailored to the Demon Lord it belonged to.
And sitting at the head of the table…
Guy Crimson.
He wore an elegant blood-red suit, fingers laced under his chin. His eyes—the color of fresh blood—locked instantly on Rimuru. Cold. Analytical. Dangerous.
Rain bowed to Guy and moved to stand behind him.
Ramiris zoomed forward. "Guuuyyy! I missed you!"
Guy sighed, brushing her off with a lazy motion. "Still loud as ever, brat."
Rain calmly gestured for Rimuru to sit. Diablo and Shion stood respectfully behind him.
Guy kept watching Rimuru, saying nothing… but assessing everything.
Soon, others arrived.
Luminous Valentine, pretending to be a maid, entered with grace. She stood behind Louis, who pretended to be the Demon Lord. Rimuru narrowed his eyes—he saw through it, but said nothing.
Then came Leon Cromwell, radiant and princely, radiating power like a sun.
Draguel, tall and imposing, his very footsteps making the floor shudder slightly.
Dino, looking half-asleep, floated in lazily. "Hey guys… what a pain…"
Frey, elegant and poised, walked in with silent pride.
And with her…
A masked man with a lion's face strode in—Carrion—silent, regal, mysterious.
Then… the tension thickened.
Clayman.
He strutted in arrogantly, smile wide and sinister. But ahead of him walked Milim, her eyes hollow, her usual bubbly self gone.
Then Clayman struck her on the head.
"Move, you slow brat."
"You disgusting worm," Shion muttered under her breath.
Rimuru clenched his fists. "Milim… what is this? Are you really… being controlled?"
But he said nothing—yet.
Everyone sat. Then Misery, Guy's other maid, floated forward.
"The Walpurgis… shall now begin."
Clayman stood, dramatic and theatrical.
"I called this meeting… because of this slime."
Eyes turned to Rimuru.
"This… thing destroyed Falmuth's army, consumed souls, and dares to call itself a Demon Lor—"
RUMBLE.
The floor trembled.
The walls cracked.
The entire room went silent.
No magic. No aura. No energy spike.
Just pressure.
Suddenly—like reality being peeled open—
BOOOOM!
The wall behind Guy Crimson exploded inward—not shattered, ripped.
Smoke and ash billowed.
And from the smoke…
He walked in.
Yujiro Hanma.
Hands in his pockets. Wearing his usual black outfit. His muscles rippled with pure, raw power. His eyes burned with dominance. His lips curled into a cocky grin.
No magic. No skill. No aura.
Just HIM.
Clayman froze. "W-Who the hell—?!"
Guy Crimson's eyes widened just slightly. "He really came…"
Leon straightened in his seat.
Draguel's jaw tensed.
Dino, now fully awake, muttered: "Oh crap…"
Rain stepped in front of Guy protectively.
Milim's eyes briefly twitched with emotion.
Only Rimuru, Ramiris, and Clayman didn't know what was going on.
Rimuru blinked. "Who the heck is that?"
Clayman screamed. "WHY IS NO ONE DOING ANYTHING?! KILL HIM—!!"
Guy spoke at last. Quiet. Cold.
"Do you want to die, Clayman?"
Clayman stopped breathing.
Yujiro scanned the table.
"So this is Walpurgis? Not bad."
His gaze landed on Rimuru. He smirked.
"You're the slime Milim won't shut up about. You're shorter than I imagined."
Rimuru stood slowly, eyes sharp. "And you are?"
Yujiro cracked his neck.
"Yujiro Hanma. The Strongest Creature Alive."
Those words echoed in the chamber, heavier than any spell.
Rimuru blinked.
"He's real…?"
He had heard rumors—whispers from adventurers, overheard conversations in the halls of Tempest, and of course, from Milim herself. She once casually mentioned her uncle had "slapped around all the Demon Lords for fun."
Rimuru had laughed back then.
But now? No one was laughing.
The room—full of apex predators—was frozen. Even Guy Crimson, the feared Monarch of Chaos, didn't move. It was as if the very idea of challenging Yujiro was insane.
Rimuru's voice trembled internally.
"Raphael… analyze him. Please."
There was a delay.
Then,
"…No results found. Subject has no detectable magicules, skill structures, or spiritual wavelength. Analysis is… impossible."
"What?" Rimuru's heart skipped.
"Advising complete non-engagement. The probability of death upon confrontation: 100%."
Rimuru felt it—fear. Real fear. His heart pounded. Sweat formed on his back despite his calm face.
But he swallowed hard, stepped forward with shaky confidence, and said:
"Nice to meet you, I'm Rimuru Tempest… and I'm a friend of your niece, Milim."
Yujiro slowly turned his head, his crimson eyes scanning Rimuru from top to bottom. His smirk widened.
"We'll see, kid."
His voice was like gravel dragging against steel—low, terrifying, cocky.
Behind Rimuru, Shion's eyes widened. Memories hit her like a thunderbolt.
"It's him… The man who once stayed in our village and trained us… That terrifying presence I felt when I was younger… I remember him. That smirk. That walk."
She clenched her fists, wanting to speak—but she didn't dare interrupt.
Diablo, on the other hand, shifted his stance slightly forward. His eyes glowed faintly.
Rain caught the movement. Her crimson eyes narrowed. A Primordial warning.
But Rimuru raised a hand behind him subtly.
"Stand down."
Diablo exhaled slowly. "As you wish… Rimuru-sama."
Clayman, still standing from his earlier outburst, stared at Yujiro like he had seen death itself. At first confused, then… terrified.
"Wait… Milim said something once… That her uncle who beat all the demons lords and true dragons… That he doesn't need magic… That the whole forest belongs to him…"
It hit him like ice water.
"T-That's him?! He's her UNCLE?! No—no no no—"
His skin turned pale. All his arrogance evaporated.
He sat back down slowly, hoping to disappear.
But Yujiro's eyes locked onto him.
"So… You're Clayman. The little bug who thinks he can control my niece...."