Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (LN) - Volume 15 - Chapter 5.2

Carrera picked up the fallen left arm, lightly putting it against her stump. That alone was all it took to reattach it like nothing had happened.

“A little unfair.”

“Oh, don’t be that way. Sir Rimuru gave me this precious body. I can’t afford to leave even a scratch on it.”

The conversation was light at the moment, but both sides were looking for an opening. Kondo had his reasons for letting Carrera heal her arm. Now that he had given up his sidearm, he’d be fighting exclusively with his sword—the default form for the Oboro school. On the other hand, it meant he had no other secret trick left to pull out. He was deadly serious about this, putting everything he had on the line, and now that he held his sword in both hands, he was confident that no enemy could defeat him.

Kondo’s unique skill Decipherer allowed him to fully grasp Carrera’s movements—every twitch of her muscles, the flow of magic force throughout her body, even the telltale signs that a spell was about to be invoked. This was linked to the ultimate skill Sandalphon, and its performance went far beyond the realm of a unique skill. That was why he didn’t miss the fact that Carrera’s power was growing at an alarming rate.

It was a true torrent of force, all but symbolizing the demon’s sheer tyranny. And yet there was no stagnation at all to the flow; it all moved as one, as if unified by some great will. This mighty deluge would normally have resulted in a powerful explosion, but Carrera had it fully under control. What a monster, Kondo thought. Not even a trace of the grievous arm wound he landed a moment ago remained—even her clothes were repaired, in what seemed to be a cruel joke. All this raging energy was concentrated on the demonic blade Agera had transformed into. Being united in mind and body with Carrera completed the cycle.

Kondo could barely abide by this, but now he noticed a sign that troubled him even more. Astoundingly, in the very center of Carrera’s magic, a fearsome crystal of power was about to be born. Kondo had an idea of what it was. He himself had one, so he knew—it was something seen when a living mind was materialized.

She… Ahhh, I knew it. She’s trying to obtain an ultimate skill!

The moment he realized it, Kondo went on the move. He needed to eliminate this enemy at once, no matter how powerful she was. That was why he put on his ceremonial uniform, a symbol of his dedication. There was no room for defeat—he must win, by fair means or foul, and only through victory would right and wrong be decided.

Kondo continued to inspect Carrera as he finished his preparations. His sword was all he had left; pushing all his power into it, he slashed at the demon.

“Good, good! That unwavering eye of yours… It sends me into ecstasy!”

Kondo continued to swing, not lending an ear to Carrera’s squeals of joy. His swings were parried by her demon blade, but the power of Kondo’s military sword was nonetheless massive—without Agera’s will housed within, it might have broken her weapon right there.

“You…?!”

It was a honed, heavy slash, one that made Carrera grunt out loud.

The secret to this military sword’s force lay in the will placed inside of it. Kondo’s ultimate skill Sandalphon worked on more than just bullets. His will—his soul—was in this sword, and only then was the true essence of his power revealed. That was Kondo’s true secret move…and when he had to fight for keeps, that’s how he did it.

So Kondo’s onslaught began, immediately putting Carrera on the defensive. He was determined to end this bout before Carrera could awaken to her ultimate power, using every trick in the book to push her into the corner. Even when she manipulated her sheer violence to fire off an attack of ponderous force, Kondo deflected it all without so much as blinking. Kondo clearly had the advantage in fighting technique; the only reason why this match kept going was because of Carrera’s huge magicule count, not to mention the skills of Agera on top of that. Without both, Carrera would have been annihilated long ago.

Even now, a slash imbued with the power of an Eraser Bullet cut through Carrera’s left side. She had taken many of these slashes to her limbs already, but since they had a Necrosis effect applied to them, they were wreaking havoc on her magic vessels. Even her link with Agera was now being affected.

“You…”

Carrera bared her teeth as she stared at Kondo. It was a bad idea. However strong he was, she thought she could handle him if she put her mind to it—but Kondo wouldn’t be that easy on her. Even with Agera’s aid, he was superhuman, more than enough so to outclass Carrera.

This human… This damned human! Awakened to Saint or not, how can a mere human corner me like this…?

Despite her disappointment in herself, Carrera put her right hand on her left side, which was cut open and leaking magic force. She tried to heal it, but her magic vessels were too out of control for it to work well. Normally, a wound of this level could be repaired without conscious effort—but even when she actively tried to heal, it was still like this. No matter how bold and careless Carrera could be, she was fully aware that this was an awful state of affairs.

As Kondo knew, the strength of one’s will can also affect how superior their power is. Kondo was a man who had attained an ultimate power entirely on his own. Compared to Carrera, who had an unlimited lifespan and lived her days however she wanted, the nobility of his character was without question.

With the pain that was torturing her even now, Carrera understood the difference. A skill is meaningless if it is just given to you; only when you wish to acquire it can you make the most of its essence. Carrera was superior to Agera in all respects—species, physical prowess, vitality, everything. Thanks to Agera’s aid, she was equal with her opponent…but she couldn’t win. In fact, they were on the verge of defeat.

If this keeps up, will we lose? Will I be destroyed…killed? Me, one of the overlords of the all-powerful demons…?!

It was absolutely unacceptable. Carrera’s pride would never allow it, and more than anything else, it’d be against the orders of Rimuru, her beloved demon lord. If it ever happened, she feared, it’d be such a blunder that he might kill her a million times and still not feel sated. She might have been fearless in all other ways, but not being able to follow Rimuru’s orders terrified her.

“I could never allow it!”

As soon as she shouted that, Carrera’s bloodshot eyes ogled Kondo. Forcefully regenerating her body to heal the wound, she readied herself. Deeper and stronger than ever, she made a wish—a wish to beat the man before her.

Until now, she had only been fighting with her all-dominant demon force. But it wasn’t enough. Those who dwelt in the ranks of the ultimate were untouchable to her—as true for Diablo as it was for Kondo. She knew now that anyone who awakened an ultimate power was impossible for her to defeat—and if they were, she was no match at all for Guy Crimson, who stood at the very pinnacle of the world. Simply boosting her power wasn’t enough. No matter how hard she struggled, she’d only be cannon fodder for the more powerful.

Now that she was fully cornered, it finally dawned on Carrera. If she wanted to fight the truly powerful, she needed to understand herself more deeply—and what she needed the most for that was a strong will. And that was the moment when Carrera, a spiritual life-form, sought the power of will, the very essence of it all.

In that case, let me help you a little.

She thought she heard a voice—and the next moment, Carrera felt something that had been nagging her in the back of her mind take shape. She turned her attention to it—this manifestation of her wish, her determination. Until now, it was just pure power raging inside of her, something she controlled and tapped into as necessary. Now, however, it was time to recognize that power as her own…and release it.

But any ultimate power needs a name.

…My power… Let me give you a name. You will become my skill, and further release your force in order to fulfill the role Sir Rimuru gave me. Your name…is the ultimate skill Abaddon, Lord of Destruction!

Abaddon. The destroyer, the one who destroys—and the king of the abyss. For the Menace Lord, no power could have been more appropriate. Now she finally had it. The absolute, undeniable power to destroy everything.

The ultimate skill Abaddon, Lord of Destruction.

It was the embodiment of all Carrera’s desires. A fearsome power that, once released, would bring certain destruction to its opponents. It took encountering a truly powerful enemy for Carrera to desire power for the first time—and now, that encounter was about to come to an end.

This isn’t funny, Kondo thought.

Just when he was about to finish her off, Carrera had awakened to her ultimate power right before his eyes. He wished he could tell her to stop with that nonsense, but it was too late now.

He had tried to deliver a fatal blow to her on several occasions, but no matter how many times Carrera fell, she kept getting back up. He used a Removal Bullet to slash through her barriers, then a Necrosis Bullet to disrupt the magical flow within her. Then, once she had accumulated enough damage, the power of the Eraser Bullet ability took center stage.

This should have been settled long ago. And yet, despite all his earnestness, Kondo was unable to defeat Carrera—and now her power was awakened. It was, as he was keenly aware, a terrible mistake.

Well, wonderful. If only I had any Judgment Bullets left…

Perhaps it was Kondo’s nascent timidity that made the thought come to his mind. A Judgment Bullet was a true joker card, something he could only produce once per day, the strongest blow he could muster. But he had used one not that long ago to bring Veldora to his knees. Begging for something he didn’t have in a life-or-death battle was the height of foolishness, something very unlike Kondo. Here she was, this formidable foe before her who had just gained an unknown power. The mere thought put him in a somber mood.

But he could still rally himself. Now that he had his ceremonial uniform on, it was his duty to fight through the battle, never wavering in his resolve. But as he took up that duty, he spoke to Carrera, revealing his personal feelings for the first time.

“You are all so unfair.”

She laughed at mankind as feeble, and rightly so. In terms of species, the difference in “status” was like a chasm, impossible to fill. Even Kondo felt justified in complaining about it a bit.

Carrera gave this a satisfied nod. “Yes, of course it is. We are the strongest species, after all. But I think you’re being rather unfair, too, aren’t you?”

It was the greatest compliment Carrera could give, in her own way. She had already recognized him as her equal, and thus, with the utmost respect, she was ready to challenge him full bore.

Pointing her sword at him, she assumed a fighting stance, making sure her guard was up. Abaddon, Lord of Destruction, activated itself in both of her hands, a massive force circulating through them. The space between her and Kondo was filled with black and white light as a huge amount of magicules transformed into energy, the shock waves alone threatening to blow them away. Carrera could control it all through conscious focus alone.

“Allow me to show you everything.”

“…I’d appreciate it if you didn’t.”

“Hee-hee! Don’t be such a stick in the mud. I have recognized you as my equal, and I will show you the best magic I’ve got!”

Kondo had a bad feeling about this.

“…”

But Carrera was a demon who cared very little about the feelings of other people. That gave the demon lord Leon a hard time as well, although Carrera was just playing around at the time. It was a nasty thing to think, but from Kondo’s point of view, Leon had it easy. He didn’t have to deal with Carrera when she was truly serious, but Kondo did.

Among the four Devil Lords (including Diablo), Carrera now boasted the largest magicule count. She hadn’t been able to fully control it before, but with Abaddon, that shortcoming was a thing of the past. The current Carrera, in fact, could manipulate magic to an extent that rivaled Velgrynd.

“Let me grant you perdition. Vanish before me! Abyss Annihilation!!”

This was an ultimate magic, surpassing even Gravity Collapse—the greatest and most powerful attack magic—and Carrera’s ideals in action. It worked by adding matter from the lowest of hellish abysses into a collapsed gravitational force field, generating an unfathomable torrent of extreme energy. It was, needless to say, extremely difficult to even point this energy at something, much less control it.

It wasn’t even meant to be invoked while standing on a planetary surface, but Carrera didn’t hesitate to whip it out. One mistake controlling it could wipe out an entire planet, in fact. She had never successfully pulled it off during her practice sessions in the underworld, and this was the first time she ever tried it in the material world. It had never worked before, but she still didn’t hesitate.

If the other demonesses were here, they would’ve stopped her at any cost—but Carrera wasn’t about to be held down now. Agera was there, but telling Carrera to quit now would have been far too much to ask. If anything, the most frightened person in the arena was Agera, not Kondo, because he knew exactly how dangerous this magic was.

Kondo, meanwhile, detected the danger once Carrera began to invoke the skill, deploying Sandalphon before she made her final declaration. That quick assessment was Kondo’s forte, but this time, he had messed with the wrong opponent. Abyss Annihilation was an extremely large spell, one that could only work using Carrera’s absurd magic force, and its range was just as gigantic. If this weren’t another dimension, there was no telling how much damage it would cause. Kondo wondered if it could even destroy this entire dimension. If so—and if it was aimed at him, like it was now—anything in the line of fire would be obliterated.

That was Kondo’s conclusion. And if this dimension was destroyed, it could even harm Emperor Ludora. His defenses were sound enough, yes, but this was an unprecedented attack.

And that wasn’t all. Now Kondo became aware of an even more troubling fact. Looking at Carrera’s posture, even this vicious magic was just a decoy. Should he somehow survive this, he would likely then be struck by her real ace in the hole—a downward slash from her demon blade. If so, there was no way to counter it. The only way to survive was to brave every sacrifice and out-slash the enemy.

So Kondo made up his mind. Sheathing his beloved sword, he waited for the moment to come. Then, as soon as Carrera activated her magic, he made his move.

Risking it all, he drew his sword.

“Multilayered…Blossom Flash…”

And then, right there, he reproduced the technique that Hakuro had shown him. The power imbued into it was that of a Judgment Bullet, one he was only allowed to use once per day—but he had to exceed the limit here, or else only destruction awaited. So he gambled on his own potential, firmly believing he could do it.

The power of the soul shone brightly in the arena. Did it belong to Kondo, or to Carrera? That would remain forever unknown, but one thing was clear—both sides were giving everything they had.

Kondo’s blade slashed through the torrent of frantic energy generated by Abyss Annihilation. It made Carrera’s eyes widen, but there was a smile on her lips. Intense pain racked his body. Even this God-class ceremonial robe, the best protection he could hope for, was unable to resist the power of destruction.

But he didn’t let this intimidate him. His faith unwavering, he aimed at Carrera’s head and unleashed the “eight blossom” slashes that gave Hakuro’s move its name.

Carrera went above him.

“Nice try. Now let me show you my greatest technique, for I have made Agera’s experience my own!”

It was both spoken and not spoken. In a single moment of time, Carrera had communicated her will to Kondo, in the form of a hundred sword flashes, all transcending his speed. This was the move Crestwater Hundred Flower Bloom, and its unbearable violence promptly shattered Kondo’s sword—and immediately after, Carrera’s final blow made a diagonal slash across his body.

………

……

…

Kondo could feel the strength draining from his entire body. He had exceeded his limits long ago, and knowing this, he closed his eyes and fell on his back. The end of his life was near.

How incomplete…

He laughed at himself as he thought this. In the end, he could do nothing—neither protect his nation nor keep his promise to Ludora.

Be my friend, Tatsuya.

Ah, I… I couldn’t even keep my promise to you.

Kondo’s heart was filled with regret, the thought of the unfulfilled promise making him feel ready to burst.

“Tatsuya, may I ask you a favor?”

“Yes. Anything. I will do whatever I can to help as a friend.”

Right. I wanted to return the favor. I wanted to thank Ludora for calling me a friend—for giving me a reason to live in this world. But even so, that wish was such a cruel one…

“Long ago, I asked Damrada for a favor. I told him that should I ever lose sight of my ideals, I wanted him, my friend, to stop me. But I have now lived far too long, and Damrada is too kind a person to take my life with his own hands. I truly regret asking him for such a terrible favor.”

“So…”

“Tatsuya… I know you will be able to reason through it calmly. You will be able to kill me, won’t you? So please—you must interfere with Damrada’s efforts, and stop me with your own hands.”

He didn’t want to. He wanted Ludora to live as much as anyone. He was an intelligent man, reasonable and always keeping his eyes on the prize. He was like an idol to Kondo, a lord he could always strive to emulate but never equal. He was the one who stopped Kondo before he could turn the blade upon himself, despondent after failing to protect his home country. Emperor Ludora, the great hero.

But he still nodded, for he knew of Ludora’s suffering. His body—his shining soul—had long since reached its limit. He had reincarnated himself many, many times in his quest to control his special skill Michael, Lord of Justice. Thanks to Decipherer, his own unique skill, Kondo felt he understood that better than anyone else—even more than Velgrynd, in all likelihood. Velgrynd had grown blinded by her love for Ludora, so much so that if she knew the favors he asked Damrada and Kondo for, she’d likely be furious.

In a sense, it was only natural that Ludora would ask this favor of Kondo. He had nodded at his emperor, and so he had to keep the promise. That’s what making a promise meant, after all. But that time was far away. Ludora was still alive and well, in full control of his faculties.

…Or was that really the case? Looking back, there were a few irregularities he could’ve picked up on—the cold eyes he’d reveal at times, the occasionally heartless decisions he’d hand down. That was the only Ludora Kondo knew, but he could understand how it must have tormented Damrada. If Ludora was alive, he thought, why should Damrada be so distressed about it? Looking back, it was a pretty silly thought to have.

When did it begin?

When did Damrada begin to make serious moves toward this effort?

Did I overlook something important, perhaps?

He had interfered with Damrada as ordered, but perhaps that was a serious mistake. When they first met, Ludora was absolutely a shining presence—but Kondo had missed his transformation.

As soon as Kondo realized this, he felt the gloom in his heart clear out, as if the shackles had finally been undone.

Yes… I suppose I was long ago under Michael’s influence as well…

How pathetic, he thought. And it was. Right when Damrada was about to murder Ludora, he should have acted first instead of interfering. Perhaps he would have been able to stop Ludora then.

What a mistake…

There was no taking that back now.

Kondo didn’t know why he had been freed from Michael’s control—but at this point, he could no longer move a finger. All that remained was to wait for his body to rot away.

My liege, I am useless. I couldn’t bear your suffering alongside you…nor could I do anything to alleviate it. And even that promise to free you…

His role was to stop Ludora, but there was no carrying that out now. His life would surely end in regret…

………

……

…

“Hey, why’re you sleeping down there? Let’s keep going!”

He heard a voice speaking to him, rousing him from his sleep. Opening his eyes a little, he saw his enemy, the one who fought him to the death, pouting and looking straight at him. She was a demon with shining blond hair and a dazzling smile—truly beautiful.

…Don’t be ridiculous. I am already near death. There is no way I could fight.

“Huh? But we haven’t settled this yet. You can’t do that!”

Heh…heh-heh… Settle this? Yes…indeed. In the end… You are so unfair…

He doubted it was coming across, but Kondo still smiled faintly at Carrera’s words. Carrera herself would already be out of energy, just a few steps away from losing her physical body—and the thought made him smile.

He tried to lift his body up and failed. It was so shameful.

So I can’t do anything after all…

And meanwhile, the demon before him was so free, so pure…

I truly do envy you.

It was an honest, sincere thought. It drove Kondo to say things he didn’t even understand the meaning of.

“I… I have a favor. Use my—my gun, to kill His Majesty…”

He was about to entrust his one and only role to his mortal enemy.

What am I doing? What a stupid thing to ask the demon I was just fighting against…

The wishes of the defeated were doomed to always be laughed at. He truly thought so, but for some reason, he still said it.

So Carrera picked up the Nambu semiautomatic on the ground.

“You mean this? It’s broken.”

Ah, yes, it probably is, Kondo thought as his consciousness faded. Perhaps asking for this wish was a little naïve of him. No demon would be that kind to him. That’s the harsh reality of it, and Kondo knew it well.

He was fading fast. He had become a Saint, but he was still a human being. If his soul was broken, revival would be impossible. Carrera’s blow had inflicted a fatal wound on him, and he could tell he was disintegrating from the far edges inward. By now, reversal was impossible.

“Pfft! So you’re going to give up just because you broke your toy here? After all the suffering you put me through, that’s pretty weak. It was such a nice battle, too! What a disappointment.”

Carrera, his former enemy, was giving him encouragement. He didn’t expect that. So, with his last ounce of energy, he smiled bitterly.

“Heh…heh-heh… Yes. Hilarious. My own worthlessness is but a joke…”

With that, he tried to let go of his consciousness. But:

“Wait. Don’t go on me yet. Maybe I’m willing to kill this emperor for you, huh?”

…?

“Ugh! You’re so slow on the uptake! What do I get out of it? Everybody knows that if you want a demon to work for you, you need an agreement!”

Carrera, by her nature, was not at all the type of demon you could negotiate with. But, for some reason, she felt like doing Kondo a favor. That didn’t mean she’d do it for free, though.

Kondo couldn’t help but smile at the flustered Carrera. It was growing more amusing by the moment. This devil, his enemy, acting all shy and confused. It was soothing.

You will get everything I have…even my soul. So please…

The words were no longer audible. Kondo opened his eyes with the last of his strength and gave Carrera an iron-willed look. Believing in a demon was beyond laughable—but, her beauty burned into his mind, he made a wish. Perhaps it was his own selfish delusions telling him that she’d get the message. But even so, he placed his final hopes on it, if only to save himself from eternal disappointment.

But the voiceless request reached Carrera.

“Your wish has been heard. By my name as Carrera the Menace Lord, our contract is complete! Your wish shall be granted.”

Kondo smiled at these solemn words. Moving his powerless hand toward Carrera by sheer force of will, his fingertips touched the gun that she had assured him was broken. The moment his finger touched it, the Nambu semiautomatic glowed a golden shade. His power had transformed it, and it was reborn as a God-class weapon—and through it, Kondo’s soul passed over to Carrera.

But it did not include his heart core. Carrera expected this. The heart core of someone who had attained enlightenment and absolved himself of all sin could never be reborn, even if bound down. It was released from the wheel of reincarnation for good, with no restrictions placed upon it, and then it would travel to the promised land. Liberation.

It made Carrera a little sad.

“Pfft. This isn’t funny. It’s been a long time since I had an opponent with some actual backbone…”

And as she muttered that:

In that case, let’s merge the ultimate skill Abaddon, Lord of Destruction, with Sandalphon, Lord of Judgment.

She felt like she heard a voice. Hurriedly, Carrera turned her attention back to the gun in her hand.

Its golden glow seemed to brighten further, as if to tell her she’d no longer be alone. It was something to remember Kondo by…and now, it was Carrera’s new partner.

“Oh… So you’re with me now.”

When she spoke, the light from the gun seemed to blink for a moment—and as it did, she began to feel the power flowing into her.