Chapter 3 | A Fated Encounter

"Sheesh. What a sight~" Morax whistled in astonishment as he took up the view of the Jura Tempest Federation's capital. Stalls spread down on both sides of the wide paved highways. Humans and monsters alike talked among one another, discussing and seemingly enjoying each other's company genuinely.

Aside from his own domain and in Dwargon, Morax hasn't heard of any place like this that catered its services to all races equally.

Looking around with excitement in his eyes, Morax drew attention everywhere. Not only was he looking like some runaway prince, but he was one hell of a pretty prince. People always found themselves unconsciously drawn to his magnetic presence as they stared awestruck in Morax's and Testarossa's way.

Those clothes alone probably cost more than the entire economy value of Tempest, were the curious thoughts of all the passing merchants who greedily assessed Morax and Testarossa. Both of them were none of the nobles and royalties they recognized, but they were formulating their own devious plans on how to make connections with such incomparably rich people.

Testarossa was not doing as well. She walked beside Morax, her gaze subtly fixed on him, her mind racing with thoughts she dared not voice. Being close to him was intoxicating; the subtle brush of his arm against hers sent shivers down her spine.

She had to remind herself to keep her composure, but with each passing moment, it became increasingly difficult to ignore the deep longing that stirred within her. She was like a rabbit in heat.

The pair strolled through the marketplace, oblivious to the merchants' scheming gazes, engrossed in the unusual vibe of Tempest. Morax paused at a stall displaying nicely crafted jewelry, his eyes gleaming with interest.

Testarossa watched as he picked up a delicate necklace, his fingers brushing against the gemstones with a tender curiosity. She felt a pang of envy towards the lifeless object in his hands of all things, and wished she could capture even a fraction of his attention in such a meaningful way.

She imagined those hands that gently caressed the gemstones doing the same to her unraveled body.

"You like this one?" Morax's voice broke through her thoughts, smooth and rich like velvet. He held the necklace up, the light catching the facets and casting a myriad of colors just as he was.

"It's beautiful," she managed to reply, her voice softer than she intended, coming more casual than formal. "…! I'm sorry, your grace," She bowed, her heart fluttering as he turned his gaze towards her, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

"Then it's yours," he declared, placing the necklace around her neck with a grace that made her knees weak. She could feel the warmth of his fingers lingering on her skin, and for a moment, the bustling world around them seemed to fade away.

"Thank you, Lord Morax," she whispered, her voice filled with a mix of gratitude and something deeper, something she hoped he could sense.

"Don't mind it," he replied with a wink, his playful demeanor sending her heart into overdrive. As they continued their walk, she couldn't shake the feeling that this trip to Tempest was more than just a simple outing.

It was a chance to be closer to him, to share moments that were becoming increasingly precious to her. And in that bustling market, surrounded by people and noise, she silently vowed to cherish every second by his side.

...…

...

…

"Ah, good old stormy vibe. Really screams of a sealed dragon cave, does it not?" Morax stood before an imposing door—the entrance to the sealed cave of Veldora.

"It's not as… subtle, as I would have thought," Testarossa replied, confused.

"Well, let's go check what happened to my bro."

Effortlessly performing Haze, the both of them became invisible as they strolled past numerous Tempest agents and personnel, unaware of the two who ventured deeper and deeper down into the depths of the vast cavern structure.

As they arrived at the sealed place, they found themselves in awe of the massive chamber-like room with a ceiling so, so very high that it reached over a hundred meters above.

Morax ceremoniously brushed his hand against the walls, a subtle but meaningful expression on his face. It was one of nostalgia.

"It's my first time here," he said particularly to no one. "Velzard always kept me from hanging out with Veldora, no matter what," he crouched, Testarossa following by standing behind him closely. "Now this is interesting," he mused, smiling. "Looks like my guess was right. The seal was not destroyed, it was devoured."

Testarossa behind him stiffened. "What could have done that?"

"Who knows? Apparently, the king of this place isn't around for some trip to Engrassia so we're going there next. I'll force some answers out of him if I have to."

Testarossa was surprised. He'd spent several hours back on the city strolling and roaming the entire place on the guise of enjoying himself, but he actually listened in on all the gossips that he can hear, particularly from Tempest staff themselves.

She felt embarrassed and tugged her dress. While her lord was doing what he came here to do, she was up there in the clouds deluding herself into thinking this was a date with her master, and a chance to finally get spicy with him after a thousand years.

A few more hours passed. Flying through the clouds above and reaching the outskirts of Engrassia, both Testarossa and Morax came to a stop. "You feel that, Tess?" Morax asked as he examined the ground down below.

"It's… the church."

Down below, was a seemingly innocent and solemn parting of a teacher with his (her?) students. The teacher, though, seemed just as young as the kids he had parted with, but neither Morax nor Testarossa was fooled. The way he carried himself was carefree, childish, yet undeniably experienced.

"This is him? The slime king of Tempest? Rimuru?"

"Is he not aware of his enemies?"

Morax narrowed his eyes. There's something more to this than just a simple ambush… he thought. Now looking back at it, the personnel even from the sealed cave were rushed, as if something was going on by the time they left.

It was his first time visiting the place but even Morax knew something was up. After they had left the sealed cave, they didn't go back to the capital, and now Morax was regretting it.

A powerful barrier expanded over a wide radius with the slime at the center. It reached far and wide and far above, nearly reaching the transparent golden platform that Morax built as a stalking station for both him and his secretary.

"This is… preventing spatial transport-type abilities," Testarossa said, interested. After her words, another barrier loomed over. "And now one that restricts skills and magic… these are professional monster hunters, milord. Yet far too weak. And to think they consider themselves capable of opposing Cair Paravel…" Testarossa was getting dangerously offended, but Morax ignored her and focused on the confrontation below.

He can hear and see it all. Waves of sound and light entered his mind in great speeds.

"—not the one who killed Shizue—"

"—result is all that matters—"

"—a reincarnated Japanese like you—"

"—interest in the words of a monster—"

Their confrontation seemed to be heated, one stemming from a desire for vengeance and a plead for innocence.

The woman who attacked the slime singlehandedly and was overwhelming him, was the Western Church's Chief Knight of the Imperial Guard and Captain of the Holy Knights.

"They're both otherworlders?" I muttered. Testarossa's interest was sparkling in her eyes despite the stoic expression on her face.

Their clash was rather one-sided. The slime kept trying to appeal to the holy knight, only to be bombarded with a barrage of different sword strikes. Considering the barriers restricting him, he was faring rather well.

A cut, one after another of rainbow hues emerged on Rimuru's body. It was a strike that damaged the spiritual body directly as Morax analyzed. Seven strikes and the slime's dead. Borish.

Six cuts now emerged on his body.

Sighing and getting up, the platform that held both him and Testarossa shattered with his will, and they were both left suspended in the air floating. Then, with a snap of his fingers, the two barriers shattered like thin ice shot with a shell of shotgun.

Hinata didn't get to deliver her final strike as her ears rang with the deafening sound of glass grinding against metal—which was the sound produced by the two barriers breaking.

"Tess, kill the ones that set the barriers up. I'll take care of this," he said, not taking his eyes off of the figures that looked nothing more than two specks of dust beneath him.

"As you wish," was Testarossa's only reply as she bowed.

Morax vanished.

...…

It was an unbelievable sight if you ask Hinata Sakaguchi. The two layered barriers—Holy Field and Prison Field—shattered so effortlessly like nothing. Hinata, completely disregarding Rimuru's miniscule threat, focused and honed her Magic Sense up above the clouds.

She saw two figures, and the two vanished just like that.

"Nice to meet you," an eerie voice resounded just an inch behind her. Struggling to maintain her composure at the unexpected turn of events, Hinata slashed with her rapier behind her with inhuman speed that left the speed of sound behind.

The audible sonic boom as the rapier punctured air resounded with a powerful shockwave that formed a crater, lifting up a cloud of dust and debris. Not letting her guard down, Hinata was astonished with the sight before her.

An unharmed and effortlessly calm handsome man with deep dark brown hair and glowing amber eyes dressed in expensive garments like that of a prince emerged through the cloud of dust and dirt—an eerie smile plastered to his face.

"Have we met somewhere before?" The man asked, seemingly undisturbed by the situation and disregarding Hinata's blooming strength entirely.

In one swift second, so many things happened. Hinata didn't want to take any chances and instantly summoned her holy armaments, wrapping herself in the full brunt of her elemental and holy powers as she summoned a rapier in her hands, elevating her to the status of a fully incarnated Saint.

All that happened in a second.

A little bit behind the man, Rimuru seemed to want to say something with an anxious look on his face, but there was no going back. This was a dangerous opponent that even Hinata's unique skill Usurper could not analyze.

That only ever happened once in her life, and the cause was a being far more powerful than her. And here it was, happening again in front of her. She can't afford to hold back.

Casting the incantations as fast as she could while maintaining as high an output as she could manage, Hinata can't help but feel that something was wrong.

Staring into those unbothered amber eyes, looking at the figure of the man who had nothing but absolute confidence in every fiber of his being, and back again at those terrifyingly invasive eyes… Hinata clicked her teeth and snapped.

"Melt Slash!" Her body dismantled into light as she approached the highest physical speed possible in an instant, rushing through the man at the speed of light with an unblockable and inescapable attack that reduced everything to nonexistence.

But the man was so incomprehensible, insurmountable.

It was as if the very fate of the world governing her attack was unraveled and altered, and he caught the Legend-Grade rapier that contained the Miracle-Class magic of Disintegration, in his damned sexy nervy hands.

The recoil of such an attack and momentum caught up to Hinata, and she felt her bones rupture, her eyes bleed, and her lungs punctured. Going at the speed of light and suddenly being forced into a stop came with serious repercussions, and it was a damned miracle she was alive and conscious.

As if that wasn't enough humiliation, the man twisted his wrist and the prized rapier she had treasured as a gift from her lady shattered into countless shards and splinters, disappearing into the air and vanishing until only the hilt remained.

Hinata slumped to the ground, her body growing limp as she struggled to hold her consciousness together. Her eyes flicked for the last time. There was something about those amber eyes that seemed so awfully familiar, but she couldn't wrap her head on when and where she'd seen it.

Embracing the clutches of darkness as exhaustion and pain enveloped her, Hinata Sakaguchi delved into unconsciousness.