The Labyrinth Expands.

Stepping into the Labyrinth, Rimuru made his way toward Ramiris' so-called "office," a space she had designed for herself after getting inspiration from Veldora's over-the-top bedroom. Despite her claims, the room functioned more like storage for all the random trinkets and objects she collected rather than a true workspace. Still, she took great pride in it, calling it her domain.

As he entered, he saw Veldora with his legs over a massive desk. He was casually scribbling something down on a journal that, for some reason, had drawn ears on its cover. Ramiris was sitting on his shoulder, nodding along as he wrote. However, as Rimuru entered, she focused on him.

"Yo!" Ramiris greeted enthusiastically, fluttering off Veldora's shoulder and landing on top of Rimuru's head. She pointed dramatically at the oversized desk dominating the room. "Check it out! We've got a workstation now! Treyni installed it this morning!"

Just as she finished speaking, Beretta walked in, holding two massive trays filled with snacks.

"Ah, there she is!" Ramiris shouted. "Now we have everything we need for a good labyrinth-building session."

"Lord Rimuru, Lady Ramiris, Lord Veldora," Beretta greeted with a respectful nod, carefully placing each tray on the cluttered desk and serving them cups of tea. Once the task was complete, Beretta stood to the side.

"Alright! Let's get started!" Ramiris shouted, her excitement palpable as she nudged Rimuru toward the oversized desk.

With a wave of his hand, Rimuru activated Uriel, forming a barrier around him, Ramiris, and Beretta. As they all settled in, Veldora, still in his human form, released a massive surge of magicules. The raw energy flooded the room, quickly consumed by the Labyrinth's own innate mechanisms, absorbing and storing the power for future use. It was a sight they had become accustomed to, Veldora's seemingly endless supply of magicules feeding the very heart of the Labyrinth itself.

[Would you like to begin the Labyrinth workshop mode?] Raphael asked once everyone was ready.

'Aye.' Rimuru answered, and with his nod of approval, an illusion of the Labyrinth appeared in the center of the table.

It was a detailed projection, a living map created through Raphael's connection to the Labyrinth, displaying its current form. Though each of them could analyze the Labyrinth in their own way, thanks to Ramiris connecting them to her skill, this illusion allowed them all to work with the same information at the same time.

Over the past few weeks since Veldora had been released, Ramiris had been spending countless hours expanding the Labyrinth. Veldora would sit, read manga, novels, and journal while Ramiris focused on expanding the Labyrinth. Though Ramiris powered through all of the hard work thanks to the countless stream of snacks that came her way.

Together, they had expanded the Labyrinth into something more alive than ever. Originally, the Labyrinth was exactly that: a Labyrinth with countless halls designed to make whoever enters lose track of their path. It was a defense mechanism for Ramiris, who had lost her strength and been left as a small Fairy.

But now, the Labyrinth had transformed into something resembling a tree. After the Treants had been brought together to form Yggdrassyl, Ramiris decided she loved the look and pivoted the look of her Labyrinth.

The Labyrinth, now modeled after Yggdrasil, resembled a massive, living tree. Its form could be altered and adapted as needed, but the current design took inspiration from the World Tree. At the heart of it all was Yggdrasil itself, a tree nested within a labyrinth shaped like a tree.

At the base, the ground floor was the entry point. It was the floor managed by the Dryads, and it served as a welcome area for those entering the Labyrinth. It was the door to the entirety of the Labyrinth. It also served as the central node of the entire Labyrinth, as all of the doors Ramiris had opened led here.

Due to their agreement, Ramiris opened a door in Sarion and Dwargon. And, due to being vassal nations of Tempest. Ramiris had also opened a door in Jistav and Fulbrosia. Holding off on opening one in Falmuth for the time being.

Within Tempest, there were even more hidden doors scattered throughout the kingdom for regular citizens. There was a door for warriors near the training area, one in the underground tunnels built by Antoinette, and plans for a future entrance at the school once it was completed.

Normally, this many access points would pose a security risk, but with Ramiris in full control of who entered and exited, it was nearly impossible for anyone to breach the Labyrinth without her permission. However, Raphael herself was taking on the majority of the sorting and authorization process.

In the end, Veldora was the final line of defense. He spent most of his time inside of the Labyrinth, and his constant release of magicules helped to strengthen it even more.

"I've been moving stuff around over the past few days," Ramiris said, nestling comfortably in Rimuru's hair as she pointed toward the base of the tree.

At her words, Raphael immediately responded, shifting the illusion to reveal the vast roots of the Labyrinth. The roots now housed the relocated major departments, all arranged in an orderly circle, creating a more cohesive and efficient layout.

"It looked messy with the rooms scattered all over the place," Ramiris continued, her voice brimming with satisfaction. "So I reorganized them into a big circle at the bottom. You can have the labs and training rooms there. It's much neater this way."

As she spoke, the illusion shifted again, this time focusing on the Laboratory for joint research with Sarion and Dwargon. The lab was bustling with activity as countless Dwarves and Elves worked together, moving back and forth, carrying research equipment. Tempest's own researchers could be seen setting up their stations while the stronger Monsters helped carry the heavier materials and equipment.

The next floor displayed in the illusion was Tempest's personal research floor. This one was far busier, with Tempest's experts collaborating closely. Emiya and his brother were in the midst of setting up their labs while Masamune, Muramasa, and his team assembled forges for any metalwork they required. They were part of Kurobe's original blacksmith department, and they had taken on the role of forging for the research lab as well as training their own students.

Mjurran was also there, in her true Majin form, her third eye glowing faintly as she constructed her own research station. Alongside Sumisu, she was expanding on magic experimentation and delving into the deeper mysteries of runes. Their combined efforts had already yielded promising results, with the potential to revolutionize Tempest's magical capabilities.

Originally, the plan had been to separate each lab into its own floor, but the reality was that all of these researchers collaborated so frequently that it made more sense to have them share the same space. Mjurran's team could be called in for any magical expertise, while Kurobe's crew could provide any needed materials or equipment. It created a seamless flow of knowledge and resources between them.

"Neat. Right?" Ramiris asked, her voice clearly searching for some praise.

"Yeah, Ramiris, you are awesome." Rimuru played along, hearing her giggle with happiness as she played with his hair.

Next to the research labs was the floor Hakuro had specifically requested for the training and conditioning of Tempest's army. A floor tailored for intense, ground-based combat training.

"Wanna head down there? It'd be easier to explain in person," Rimuru suggested, and after receiving a round of enthusiastic nods, he snapped his fingers. In an instant, they all appeared in the middle of the massive training floor.

The space was still relatively bare, with a central building in the midst of construction. However, unlike last time, the floor was now filled with a few hundred soldiers, each spread out across the wide area, engaged in various forms of training. At the center of it all stood Hakuro, overseeing the soldiers with his usual calm intensity, directing them, and making sure each group maintained its focus.

"Are the plans ready?" Rimuru asked.

Hakuro smiled with satisfaction, offering a respectful nod. 

"Indeed, Lord Rimuru. We're in the final stages of testing to ensure the groups are spaced far enough apart to avoid interfering with one another. A few last-minute adjustments were made, but everything is now ready." He handed Rimuru a set of detailed plans, pride evident in his expression.

Rimuru scanned the blueprints, impressed by the meticulous layout. Every training area had been designed with precision and spaced perfectly to allow various drills to take place simultaneously without disruption. The training floor had been divided into several specialized zones, each one catering to a different aspect of combat and conditioning.

On one side, large sections were dedicated to strength training, equipped with colossal weights and resistance equipment meant to push Tempest's warriors to their limits. The environment could be adjusted at will, using the Labyrinth's magic to increase or decrease gravity, providing unique conditioning that would improve their endurance and physical strength.

Further along, there were multiple sparring arenas, all made to simulate real battlefield conditions. These ranged from open fields for larger-scale group combat to more confined spaces mimicking indoor or dungeon-style skirmishes. Some areas were enchanted to alter the terrain, creating anything from swampy marshes to mountainous regions, allowing the soldiers to practice fighting in different environments.

Beyond that, Hakuro had ensured that there were specialized dojos, each dedicated to honing specific martial arts, swordsmanship, or weapon techniques. The dojos were fully equipped with training dummies and weapon racks.

Finally, a section was dedicated to mental conditioning, using Kijin illusions to simulate high-pressure combat scenarios where soldiers had to maintain their focus amidst overwhelming odds. Here, magic users and non-magic users alike could sharpen their minds, reflexes, and strategic thinking under stress.

"Great job, Hakuro." Rimuru praised, with Veldora taking a peek from behind him and quickly writing down a few notes for him to add to his Sect. 

"What do you think, Ramiris? Think we can manage?" Rimuru asked in a playful tone. 

"Tsk tsk." Ramiris responded with a chuckle. "This is child's play for me. I just hope Shion's project gives me more of a challenge."

Rimuru smiled as he heard her, giving her a few moments to look at the plan before she tugged at his hair.

"Alright, I'm ready."

Using Gravity Magic, Rimuru lifted the plans into the air, suspending them for Ramiris to reference at any point. With their preparations in place, both Rimuru and Ramiris raised their arms in unison. Ramiris closed her eyes, focusing deeply on her connection to the Labyrinth, while Rimuru synced his magic and thoughts with hers through Thought Communication.

[Construction starting…]

With one synched breath, the two of them controlled the Labyrinth. Using the Magicules Veldora had released to mold it. The two of them acted as one. Raphael's calculated precision guiding Ramiris' natural, raw control over the Labyrinth.

The ground beneath their feet began to tremble as they exhaled in perfect synch. A deep rumbling echoed through the floor as the very landscape of the training area began to shift. The soldiers, who had been practicing moments before, paused in stunned silence, their eyes widening as countless walls erupted from the ground.

Though they weren't going to create the buildings themselves, they still formed the foundations the buildings would need in the future.

Moving their arms, the stone floor began to tremble once again, and in an instant, the floor began to change into dirt and sand where needed. From the dirt, grass sprouted, and it was quickly followed by massive trees.

In theory, creating life from nothing wasn't possible using the Small World skill alone. To work around that limitation, Rimuru had placed an enormous storage of dirt and seeds on one of the floors of the Labyrinth. These could be quickly summoned whenever needed. Using Uriel's Law Manipulation and Asmodeus' Life Domination, he could force the vegetation to grow, creating a thriving environment in a matter of minutes.

Ultimate skills were truly powerful.

It didn't take long. Within just a few moments, the entire floor had been transformed into a living, breathing ecosystem. 

Ramiris, visibly tired from the effort, allowed herself to flop down onto Rimuru's head, stretching out with a yawn.

"See? Easy peasy. What did I tell ya?" She mumbled, using a lock of Rimuru's hair as a makeshift blanket.

Rimuru chuckled since he could sense she had used a portion of her magicules, which was why she was tired. She still wasn't used to the speed at which Raphael worked, so in order to keep up, she pushed herself.

Activating Asmodeus' invigorate, Rimuru felt Ramiris cuddle deeper into his hair, her body relaxing as she absorbed the fresh influx of magicules. She was taking a brief rest before preparing for the next round of Labyrinth manipulation.

As Rimuru turned to face Hakuro, he was greeted by the sight of nearly all the warriors present kneeling or bowing low, their heads respectfully lowered toward him and Ramiris.

"Don't mind them, Lord Rimuru." Hakuro said with a chuckle, stepping forward. "They're simply showing their devotion. It's not often they get to witness you and Lady Ramiris in action. You might not realize it, but to them, it's beyond anything they could imagine."

Nodding, Rimuru returned the sets of plans to Hakuro.

"It's fine. Just tell them to keep working hard." Rimuru said, earning a smile and a nod from Hakuro.

"Of course, Lord Rimuru." Hakuro nodded, his smile deepening as he accepted the plans. 

With a final nod of approval to the warriors, Rimuru teleported himself, Ramiris, and Veldora to the next floor. As they appeared, they were greeted by the sight of Claire, sitting casually with a slight frown, watching Benimaru and Luchia sparring fiercely in the distance.

"Ah, there you are." Claire said, clearly annoyed. "Could you get them to stop? Every time I try to work, Luchia drags Benimaru over for a fight."

"How long have they been doing that?" Rimuru asked, looking at Benimaru's focused expression and a slight smile as he continued to dodge Luchia's attacks.

"Ever since Walpurgis…" She said with some annoyance before shaking her head. "I've got everything ready, though. My mother made sure to give her feedback, but feel free to add your own ideas. I know it's not… as good as I had hoped."

Taking the plans from Claire, Rimuru couldn't help but smile. The plans weren't as detailed as Hakuro's, but it was clear that Claire had put a lot of effort into them. With a quick command, Rimuru consumed the plans with Beelzebuth, letting Raphael analyze and refine them. After a few moments, he retrieved the now-polished plans.

"Honestly, with what you need here, we could just integrate it into Hakuro's floor. No need for an entirely separate one." Rimuru began, taking a look at the revised plans.

The original idea had been to split the floors into ground combat and air combat, and Hakuro's meticulous work on his own floor made it seem like the logical choice. Yet, as Rimuru spoke, he caught the subtle shift in Claire's expression, a flash of disappointment mixed with frustration.

"Well... maybe not." Rimuru quickly added, pretending to have remembered something. Claire perked up immediately, her wings fluttering slightly with renewed hope.

"Does that mean I still get my floor?" She asked with some excitement

"Yeah, you'll have your own floor. But make sure you keep working on it. Get advice from the Dragonewts or even the Beastmen in Eurazania. Right now, it's a bit too specialized for Harpies and Hippogriffs. If you can expand it, we can make it work. Remember, there are a lot of other flying races in Tempest." Rimuru advised with a smile.

Claire nodded eagerly, standing up with renewed determination. She picked up a small rock and casually tossed it toward Benimaru and Luchia, interrupting their sparring session.

Luchia looked mildly annoyed at first but quickly straightened up when she noticed Rimuru's presence. Benimaru followed suit, standing at attention.

"I apologize for not realizing all of you were here sooner," Benimaru said, offering a respectful bow before approaching Rimuru with Luchia by his side. "I've been practicing a new technique, and I haven't quite gotten the hang of it."

Rimuru looked at Benimaru and Luchia for a few seconds before bursting into a chuckle.

"Alright, it's fine this time." Rimuru said with a smile. "But make sure you aren't slacking on your responsibilities. The same goes for you, Luchia. You were supposed to be working with Claire on the floor."

Both of them exchanged slightly embarrassed glances, with Benimaru being the first to respond.

"It won't happen again, Lord Rimuru." He promised with determination.

"Yes… it won't happen again." Luchia echoed, looking slightly disappointed.

"I'm not saying you have to stop training with each other." Rimuru added with a knowing smile. "If anything, I'd encourage it. Just make sure you don't get too distracted with your... training."

Both Benimaru and Luchia gave slight nods, with Luchia's face slightly flushed. However, Benimaru himself looked slightly clueless.

Since the floor wasn't ready yet, Rimuru gave them a final nod before teleporting to the next floor. 

Turning to Veldora, Rimuru chuckled once again.

"Shuna is probably going to have a blast when she hears about it." He joked, wiping a fake tear from his eye. "They grow so fast, don't they?"

— — —

Special Thanks to my Beta Readers/Editors: The one, the only, the amazing @Basilisk, and @Kiyan Tribe (FF.net/AO3/QQ/WN) | kiyan_tribe( Discord)

Go Check out Basilisk's great story "I'm a Daemon, so what?" 

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~Author's Note~

Yo! Hopefully, ya'll are enjoying the chaps with worldbuilding! I've really been wanting to do it for a long time and really enjoyed writing this one. I wanna do a bit more stuff on Tempest and the other nations while slowly incorporating the setup for the next arc. Feedback is always welcomed!