Great Jura Forest
Beneath the shadows of towering trees that stretched as if embracing the sky, the echoes of battle cries reverberated through the air.
Izawa Shizue, surrounded by a crimson flame's glow, stood amid a swarm of frenzied ants. Her breath was ragged, her face streaked with sweat and dirt—yet her eyes shone with unbreakable resolve.
"Fireball!"
She shouted sharply, unleashing a fiery orb that exploded amidst the insects, tearing their bodies apart in a whirlwind of flames. But the ants' numbers were overwhelming, and she couldn't fight while protecting the three people accompanying her.
Then, suddenly...
The sky trembled.
And with it, the ants froze.
Shizu jerked her head upward—just as a celestial golden light erupted in the heart of the forest, like a miniature sun descending to earth. As the light faded, an indescribable majesty revealed itself.
A man emerged from the luminous gateway, advancing with slow, confident strides, followed by five women. Each woman embodied a distinct facet of beauty: cold, fiery, serene, and even languid.
The man was tall, his spiky golden hair swaying in the aura of power that enveloped him. His piercing, wine-deep eyes seemed to pierce the very fabric of reality. His face... as if sculpted by the gods, so handsome it inspired awe rather than admiration.
Every being in the forest—ants, birds, even the wind—halted in reverence.
"That is..." Shizu whispered unconsciously, a shiver crawling down her spine.
She wasn't the only one stunned. Even Kaval, Elyun, and Gido stared in disbelief, their bodies frozen, overcome by an inexplicable urge to kneel before the figure before them.
A regal, awe-inspiring aura swept through the area, as if a king from the age of myths had returned to life.
This could only be:
Akira.
(The transfer is complete. Master has returned to his time—before evolution began.)
"I see."
At the sound of Athena's voice in his mind, Akira gave a slight nod, his gaze scanning the area. The first thing his eyes landed on was Shizu and Kaval's party behind her.
"It seems you need assistance," Akira said, his eyes shifting to the giant black ants frozen in fear. A beast's instincts surpassed a human's—they recognized the presence of three True Dragons in an instant and dared not move, let alone make noise to disturb them.
BOOM.
With a single glance from Akira, the ants' bodies shattered against the ground. He had increased gravity around them a hundredfold, crushing them into dust effortlessly.
"Are you unharmed? Does anyone require a potion?" Akira asked, examining Shizu and the others, utterly indifferent to the miraculous feat he'd just performed.
A heavy silence fell... as if time itself had paused in deference to the one who'd stepped from the light.
Shizu stared at the man before her, her heart pounding violently for reasons she couldn't fathom. A strange feeling crept into her core—a mix of dread, comfort, and inexplicable shyness.
"I... no... we're fine. Mostly," she answered in a trembling voice, glancing at her companions, who remained in near-total shock.
Elyun gulped and muttered:
"Who... who is this? Is he... an angel?"
But Gido, usually the most sarcastic, didn't utter a word. His eyes were wide, hands trembling faintly, as if his body knew better than to even think of misspeaking in this being's presence.
"Akira-sama."
The voice came from behind him—soft as a mountain breeze, yet laced with absolute reverence. The speaker was Misery, one of the five women accompanying him, her vibrant green hair and loyal, gleaming eyes bowing gently.
"The area is secure. No further threats remain. However, a powerful group approaches five kilometers away."
"No need for concern. They are acquaintances," Akira replied calmly, turning back to Shizu.
"Would you like to accompany us? We're heading to a nearby village, and I suspect you need rest." His tone was considerate—but the reason was undoubtedly Shizu. He pitied this poor woman, who had originally died just so Rimuru could obtain a human body.
Another moment of silence passed...
Before Shizu nodded slowly, her eyes still locked on that face that somehow radiated both terror and tranquility.
"Yes... we'd appreciate that."
She glanced subtly at her companions, silently seeking their agreement. They all understood: refusing such an invitation... was never an option.
"Good."
Akira responded succinctly, then raised a hand toward the sky.
WOOOOSH—
A golden ripple appeared in the air, and from it emerged a majestic flying throne—none other than Vimana.
"Let's go," Akira said, seating himself on the throne as Velgrynd and the others took their places around him.
"..."
Shizu and Kaval's party exchanged a brief, silent look before cautiously and respectfully boarding Vimana.
The moment everyone was aboard, Vimana launched skyward at Akira's will—arriving above the village Rimuru was building in the blink of an eye.
...
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