30

Chapter Text

Grow strong and help people. That's what Tanya said.

That's my goal now. But is it really mine? I've been thinking about that a lot, lately.

It probably sounds stupid. I like helping people, right? So, I should just do it. That's what Rimuru said. I wanted to help people back then. Before.

But I've changed so much since then. Did I ever really want to help, or was I just being selfish?

I like helping people.

Would… would I like saving them?

In the belief system of my previous world, there was the concept of "salvation". God given flesh for the sake of humanity. It was a selfless act, death in exchange for saving everyone equally. Self-inflicted penance in the name of goodwill.

Ever since I learned the truth about Him, I've wondered more and more.

Is it even possible to save everyone like that? Is it worth trying?

Was that Your punishment?

Or was it ours?

-=-=-=-

A certain quality hung in the air. Mystical energy, a trickle along the subconscious sense. It did not bode well to be in this place. The world held its breath, tension singing along the molecules and magicules like a vibrating string of a tuned guitar.

Like such a string, the atmosphere was thick enough to cut.

"I won't ask you again."

Mary had yet to draw her blade, her left hand still resting on her sheath. But the tip of her thumb pressed down tight against Mamoru's cobalt tsuba, ready to spring it in the span of a microsecond. The edge to her voice was sharpened all the same, as was her blade.

"Why are you here, Drake of Scylla?"

-=-=-=-

Earlier

Outside the Dwelling of Spirits

Ulgrasia Republic

"Okay, stay together everyone!" Rimuru directed them all seamlessly up the steps. "I know it's pretty, but we can get a good look in after we're done!"

It was very pretty. Before them rose a massive tree, its great green canopy spreading over half the small, rocky clearing around them. Underneath their feet, a stone brick pathway led up stone steps to a large stone door.

There was a lot of stone, considering this was a forest and all.

These stone double doors were ornate and surrounded by stone brickwork than was in turn surrounded by the base of that very large tree. A small platform stood under those stairs, and this is where Rimuru, Mary, and the students walked up to.

"If anyone strays away, I'll make you all hold hands!"

"Yes, Sensei!" The children chorused.

Even if one of them did stray away, it was likely Rimuru could protect them anyway. That being said, leaving such a thing as the safety of these children up to chance was far from an acceptable idea in either his or Mary's minds.

Further to this end, Mary walked behind the group. Rimuru would lead, she would follow, and the little ducklings in the middle wouldn't fall down a drain pipe somewhere.

"Remember, this may seem exciting, but it might be dangerous too. Be careful and be smart, everyone!"

"Yes, Sensei!" The little ducklings called back.

As they made their way up the steps, Mary glanced back.

The warp circle sat just at the bottom of the staircase. The pathway earlier mentioned led in a straight line elsewhere, to a gap in the clearing's tree line.

There's not much to worry about here. The warp circle itself is reinforced on multiple planes of existence thanks to its magical nature, and the area itself is rather remote and out of the way.

That being said…

Mary's eyes glowed, her gaze darting from the warp pad, to tree, to rock, so on and so forth.

The warp pad itself was rather interesting under this form of observation. Using Ability Severance without activating its main effect allowed her to view the relative flow of multiple types of energy. With this minor Extension of her Unique Skill – tentatively dubbed by Mary herself as "Ability Sight" for the time being – the swirl and inversion of special magic within the warp circle was evident.

It had an interesting… taste? How do you describe a feeling beyond that five senses? There was a distinct pattern, we'll say, to the energy that Mary made a mental note of. It might help her down the line.

It might even let her actually use the warp circle without Rimuru smoothing out the process. This one acted as a set trip between here and Ingrassia, but the circle Rimuru had set up just outside Ingrassia's borders? 

A straight shot to outside of Tempest, hidden so no one else could find it. 

That's one reason she hadn't visited Tempest yet. Not because she couldn't find it, but because she couldn't use it alone.

The fact that Rimuru had no trouble whatsoever warping whenever he felt like annoyed her to no end. Then again, he'd always been weird, even by monster standards.

His energy was all kinds of wishy-washy fucked up nonsense. Must be a slime thing.

Maybe if she got really angry, she'd be able to warp by herself? There were very few times she'd managed to fully link her magical flow with her actual actions. The fight against Nin Gen came to mind, along with a particularly rough spar with Milim.

In the end, she was still forced to imbue magic into her katana to get any sort of consistent flow. To her shame.

That's another reason she hadn't visited Tempest. The point of this was to improve, was it not? How could she show her face back home – Oh. It really is home now, isn't it? – with nothing to show for her journey?

What was the reason for-

!!!

Mary's ears twitched, just as they reached the doors.

"One last rule-"

"Hey, Rimuru." Mary interrupted, doing her best not to look at the tree line. "Why don't you all go on ahead, and I'll catch up?"

"Huh?" Rimuru looked at her like she'd grown a second head. "Uh, gotta take care of business?"

"What's wrong?" He send the thought her way at the same time.

You didn't hear that? Mary wanted to think back, but didn't.

"Thought I heard something, that's all."

"Heard what?" Rimuru did his best not to frown in front of the students, who were looking back and forth between them. "I can't sense anything nearby."

"Nothing serious." Mary shrugged.

"Maybe I was just hearing things, but I'm suspicious. I'll check it out and catch up."

"I can wait, you know." Rimuru thought, then said, "Is that so?"

"No. You need to take care of your students. Go on ahead."

"Our students."

"They're really just yours. Again, I heard something is all, probably an animal or whatever. But if it is something dangerous, I don't want the kids to be nearby."

"Still, maybe we should just wait for you." Rimuru pointed out. "If it's really bad, I can take care of it. We can afford a little delay."

"No, thanks." Mary said. "We really can't. We're pushing our time to the limit already, aren't we? I can tell you for a fact that the energy inside those kids isn't getting any less volatile. How long was the estimate for their survival again? Time is not our friend, and we're here already, so go save their lives already Rimuru Tempest. That's the reason we're here, isn't it?"

"…You're not wrong… about any of that."

"Sensei?" Alice tugged at Rimuru's sleeve, breaking his concentration. He looked down at her, and at the other students, and sighed.

Rimuru sighed, throwing up his hands. "Alright, fine! Do your business," He pointed at her, "but make sure to catch up quickly. You should be there too, you know."

"I won't take long." Mary waved a hand. "Besides, it's better this way. Doing that sort of thing inside a place where spirits dwell? That's definitely sacrilegious. Or something."

-=-

Mary watched the ornate doors close, letting out a slow breath in the meanwhile. Then, she turned, making her way back down the stairs, footfall light until her walk ended, back in the center of the warp.

Rather than activating it however, she spoke to forest at large.

"I know someone's there. Come out. Or I'll make you."

No response. The forest remained silent.

Mary waited.

The chirping of birds. The brush of the wind. A light fog dusting the tips of the green canopy.

Then, footsteps. It was not the snapping of branches, underbrush, nor the crunching of grass. Only someone like her would feel it. She could hear it, rhythmic, one after another, in the way that blood flowed through the ears when the muscles along the side of one's head were flexed.

There was a rough, unnatural poise to it. Even at distance.

Then-

Underbrush, brushed aside. Shifting grass. This, the ordinary senses could register. Sound, then sight, as a tall, oddly familiar man stepped from the trees.

He was well-sized, and broad. Around Souei's height, perhaps, though bulkier. His dark, sleeveless tunic told more of the same tale. Compared to the Kijin, however, he was more muscled, and paler.

Mary observed the man, as he stepped just beyond the tree line, and stopped.

His hair was black with streaks of grey. Layered, as well, with an over layer of a shorter, semi-spiked style coming down past his ears, and an under layer that trailed down past his shoulders, done in a warrior's braid. He had a beard of the same color, and the features of an older man that should appear younger, yet had been aged by circumstance.

It was the eyes, Mary determined. They were the window to the soul, and Ability Sight made this only easier. A bottomless, blackened well that threatened to draw the world into its gaping maw. An odd sense of déjà vu flared up, then. She'd almost… felt this before.

"Hey. You…" He cleared his throat, voice deep, but wavering from obvious disuse. He had an air of unkemptness to him that spoke to antisocial tendencies. Mary felt an odd kinship over that. "Mind stepping to the side, for a second?"

"Maybe." Mary's hand shifted, moving to rest atop her sheathe, her thumb lightly brushing Mamoru's tsuba. "Mind telling me why?"

"Maybe." The man echoed. He took a step forward.

"Stop moving."

He stopped, then sighed. "Forgive me if it seems like I'm rushing, but I don't have the time for this. If you could just let me through, I'll be on my way."

"You want to use this warp circle." A statement, rather than a question. A simple deduction: why else would he have been waiting? "Not a chance. Who are you? Why are you here, right now?"

And on today, of all days. Tanya had mentioned once that she didn't care for coincidences; Mary concurred. Something else was going on here.

"I was merely visiting some old friends, is all. I'm a bit on the… spiritual side, if you will." He shrugged, casually enough that he seemed to be truthful. That, or he was a practiced liar. "And, well, I'd recently lost a contract, and a friend of mine suggested I find a new one. Now, I find that a convenient route home has presented itself and thought to make use of it. I am short on time, like I mentioned. Please understand, I mean no harm, and the circle will remain after I leave, with no one the wiser. Does that satisfy your curiosity?"

Mary relaxed, slightly. "It does."

"Then, if I may…?"

"Not. Now, your name."

"Excuse me?"

"Tell me your name. We'll see after that."

"Isn't it rude to ask for someone's name without offering your own first?"

"Maybe." Mary tilted her body slightly, shifting her right hip to face him more. "Who knows? We're not the same, and I asked first anyway."

The man's eye twitched, unnoticeable to almost anyone else.

"Very well, in the interest of time I'll concede. My name is Drake." Drake smiled. His gaze flitted down, to her waist and presumably her sheathed blade. "And you would be?"

"Mary Sue."

A spark. Recognition. They recognized one another. The two had never met, yet they'd heard of the one standing across from them. Yet, neither intended to give up the game just yet.

Drake nodded.

"Mary Sue, huh?" He cleared his throat, then gestured with a hand. "Well then, uh, Miss Sue. If you wouldn't mind moving aside, now?"

Mary smiled.

"No."

"As in, no you wouldn't mind, or…?"

"Drake." A familiar name and a familiar, if slightly different energy. "First Head of Scylla. Am I wrong?"

The game has officially been given up. Drake dropped the 'innocent older gentleman' act.

"Mary Sue. I thought I recognized that name as well." His hand twitched up, then settled. Indecisive. Mary glanced at his waist, then his shoulder.

A spear, hung across his back. Yet, he didn't grab it. Now that he'd dropped the act, his body language bled his true thoughts into the open.

He really didn't want to fight, that much was clear.

Too bad.

"Short brown hair with braids, green eyes… and a green sheathed katana." Drake's hand did reach up now, and he scratched at his beard, glaring at her. "That's what I'd heard, at least. Somehow, though, I think you know more about me than I do you."

"No one told you? What happened while your tail was between your legs?" Mary glanced once more at the spear on his back. An odd aura hung around it, like fuzzballs on the brain. She didn't like it. "Heard more than enough about you from Tanya, though."

Most of the handle was hidden, though the short amount that stuck out appeared like rings stacked atop one another, with golden metal of some kind followed by a dark brown wood of some sort and repeated so on and so forth. Just cresting his shoulders, the blade of the spear glinted along a stray sunbeam.

A leaf blade of the same golden hue as the rest points dangerously at the sky, trailing down into its wings. Below that, a hanging, ragged piece of rectangular black cloth floated on the breeze. Despite its golden appearance, it was anything but gaudy. That weapon had power inscribed into its creation.

Drake stilled at her words. "Tanya…"

Oh, wait, didn't he know her as 'Tasha'?

"That… Tanya told you, did she?" His stance shifted. Lower, just a bit. He was coiling up, preparing to fight. "That monster, she told you more than enough about me, did she?"

Never mind, he already knows.

"Ran away so fast you couldn't even look back, huh?" Her thumb pressed painfully against her tsuba's metal edge. "An entire city, all your people meant so little to you. Is that right?"

"Don't talk like you know me, girl."

"Sad, but I know more about you than you think."

She'd been the same as him, once upon a time. Different circumstances, different time periods, different people certainly. But this sight, of this man – or rather, this being that appeared like a man – coiling up, burning with a deadly fire from within.

That was painfully familiar.

Drake scoffed.

"I don't have time for this. Step aside, Mary Sue. Not even your relation to that woman is enough to fold me. I have places to be, business to handle."

"Why are you really here?" Mary did not move. "Give me a reason. Then I can cut you down like them."

"Cut me down like- don't speak of them! Don't you dare, not after your Tanya slaughtered them all-" Drake's hand shot up to his shoulder, grasping his spear just below the tattered cloth. Then, he let go, his hand flexing, "No, no, no. I really don't have time for this." He swung his arm out, as if trying to shove her aside from distance with his mind, "Step aside already! Move, damn it!"

"I said no!"

A pulse. Mary's aura flared, them calmed. She took a deep breath, holding it for a moment and viciously wrangling the flood of her magic pool back into an orderly fashion. Then, she paused, realizing that it had already done so.

That's right… it's powerful emotion, huh? Anger, or…?

Across from her, Drake grit his teeth. The reality of the situation seemed to be hitting ,right about now.

Tear had set him up, hadn't she? She'd wanted him to run into someone, here.

Would she do that to him? Maybe. Maybe not.

Or rather… had it been that boy's idea?

"Kagurazaka…" He hissed under his breath.

Kagurazaka? Mary frowned. Had she heard him correctly? That name...

It was silent, after that. Neither desired to act, not really. Or at least, not first.

Mary needed to protect the circle. Her duty now seemed to be keep-away, alongside attempting to cut down one of the three remaining Heads of Scylla.

Had she grown strong enough to do so? Going by Ability Sight, his power did not eclipse her own. He was stronger than Eve and Nin Gen by a near comical margin, but then, so too now was Mary. Then again, hadn't she stagnated recently? Who's to say which power was greater here?

There is more to a fight then pure power, however. Technique, battle sense, instincts, reflex, matchup experience. The only spear-wielder she'd fought against was Gabiru, and technically it wasn't even a spear and it hadn't been anything more than a spar.

This was life-or-death.

How good was he with that spear? Did it have any special abilities? What was his special ability? His energy felt familiar for a reason; did he share traits or powers with his "son"? How many abilities did he have, and how many could she maintain the severance of at once?

Right. Right, Ability Severance. Regardless of the matchup, regardless of a power difference, she had that Unique power for herself. Even if she'd been facing a much greater opponent, this Skill allowed her to punch well above her weight class.

Mary breathed in, held it, then breathed out. Her eyes took on a glow.

Considering the other side, Drake needed to get past her, and quickly. Time was against him, for some reason that Mary did not know. Still, it was to her advantage. A rushed offensive would only hurt Drake's chances. He probably knew this too.

No, he had to be aware.

She was aware of it, so too must he.

All of this went by in the span of a couple heartbeats.

Very little of it was consciously thought of; far more of it was merely battle experience and instinctual understanding of the situation bleeding into her very flesh and bone. Mary Sue did not have the tactical battle acumen that Tanya did.

However, she did have one thing going for her.

The innate understanding of a natural prodigy. She picked up on things quickly, subconsciously, and put them together however she could. This wasn't always correct, or optimal. But it was powerful.

Especially in battle. How else could she have survived so many years of war, fighting the same battles against the Ace of Aces known as the Devil of the Rhine? Adaptation and a natural acclimation to a power far beyond her, even under divine shackles.

In other words… this was all natural, baby. The above-human physical power and senses upon arriving in this world certainly helped.

A pause. Waiting, waiting, a single moment crawling into infinity.

Blood pounded in her ears.

A certain quality hung in the air. Mystical energy, a trickle along the subconscious sense. It did not bode well to be in this place. The world held its breath, tension singing along the molecules and magicules like a vibrating string of a tuned guitar.

Like a taut string, the atmosphere was thick enough to cut.

"I want a real answer. And I won't ask you again." Mary could barely hear her own voice, the edge to it sharp as her blade.

She had yet to draw it free, her left hand still resting on her sheathe. But the tip of her thumb pressed down tight against Mamoru's cobalt tsuba, ready to spring it in the span of a microsecond. Her right hand drifted over, grasping its handle tight.

"Why are you here, Drake of Scylla?"

"Ask all you like. I told you already, Mary Sue." Drake pulled his spear free, hoisting that golden relic of demise over his shoulder and into fell hands. He shifted low, grip sliding along the spear's golden shaft until he was nearly sideways, his left shoulder facing her, one hand near either end.

"If that's it." Mary flicked her blade free, a whirlwind of neon magisteel blurring and settling in her grasp. She brandished it one-handed, holding it defensively with its tip pointed down, nearly grazing the stone beneath her boots. Her other hand resting still on her sheathe, a swirling flame resting inside it. "Then, I'll stop you."

"Stop me?" Drake scoffed. Beneath his feet, his shadow expanded backwards. "Didn't you hear? There's no stopping what's coming, girl. I was leaving."

Crack.

They both felt it.

Something cracked in the world, as though the glass pane along this plane of existence cracked overtop of them, another presence pressing atop it. Mary could feel it, both on some instinctual level and through Magic Sense and Ability Sight all together.

Yet, before she could consider this further, Drake moved.

To describe it mere movement, however, would no doubt be a disservice. It far surpassed human limits, a blur of motion such that even her enhanced senses struggled to track…

Initially, that is.

A green blur slashed the space before her asunder, a blast of wind pushing violently at her immediate surroundings.

CLANG!!!

Neon met gold, modern and mystical hues clashing in a single instant.

Drake had thrown his spear, with all his might, an unseen death for all who looked for it. Mary, however, had merely reacted. She raised her sword, catching the golden marvel of weapon-smithing just beneath its head and deflecting it into the air above.

He'd caught her off guard with his first move, jumping immediately to a level far beyond the average being or even the average supernatural being. But once she'd recognized his motion and raised her own awareness to match it, following along no longer merited concern.

Because of this…

Mary's left hand shot from her sheathe, and up, to Mamoru which remained above her head. She flipped its blade flat to the ground, bracing her palm alongside it.

CRASH!!!

Another blast of disrupted air. Drake was above her in a literal instant; he'd swung his spear down, only for her to catch it along her blade.

She'd matched him, and thus she could see him. He had disappeared nearly immediately after he'd thrown his spear. That was concerning. However, since she could sense him, and could follow along without issue now, it was evident he hadn't moved at a speed beyond sight. Further, there was a connection between himself and his spear visible under Ability Sight.

When he had disappeared, and the energy had tugged, teleportation became the obvious option to defend against in the split second between attack and attack.

"What?" Disbelief from the man himself.

Mary pushed up, disengaging their lock. Then, as he fell, rearing for a protective strike on his way down, she reached up with her free hand, grasping his ankle and slamming him to the ground. Just outside the warp circle, the stone brick pavement cracked, and Drake bounced, his ankle still in Mary's grasp.

She was forced to let go before she could finish the job, however.

Clearly dazed but not entirely fazed, Drake had managed to keep a grasp on his spear, slipping to a one-handed grip for range and slashing down his body at her.

Mary yanked her hand back, barely managing to keep her fingers. Not hesitating even still, that same hand shot back to her sheathe. Meanwhile, Mamoru twitched in her hand, the magic within the blade almost shifting, somehow.

Drake landed on his back, rolling backwards onto his feet. His eyes widened as his gaze turned forward, and he leapt back further, a wash of fireballs following in his wake and dogging his backstep until he'd been back up a good distance down the stone path.

Mary ceased her attack. Gobta's technique worked well, but rarely past the initial surprise. It would do no good in ending this fight. So, she let go, sliding into a two-handed stance this time.

Modified Style.

Razor-sharp trails of liquid swirled along Mamoru's blade, reflecting the sparse sunlight beaming through gaps in the forest canopy.

She watched as Drake settled on his feet, himself quickly shifting and preparing to move once more. Her eyes glowed a faint neon, keeping track of his abilities, waiting for a shift that would signify an attack.

Physical enhancement through magic, some kind of healing, an unidentified Skill…

All of them were incredibly ingrained into Drake's being. That meant shutting them down was that much more difficult. Not impossible, just difficult. And only one or two at the same time.

Her best bet would be to target his enhancement right as he closed in. Then, cut off his healing as she hit him. If that Skill made an appearance, that'd be the second negation. She'd smother it, even if it went beyond her limit.

Rimuru could heal her, worst case. She could heal herself, too.

This time.

This time, she would kill him.

Something nagged her, though. A faint trickle along the back of her mind. Warning. Danger. The weight of the world, if that made any sense.

…no. Not this world. Not this plane, rather.

"This is as good a test as any. I can tell the little ones would be worthless here, anyway." Drake extended his hand. "And I won't risk my new card here."

DANGER

"Huh?" Mary's eyes darted across the clearing, then lasered back in on Drake. Something's wrong, here, in this place.

So focused on the man before her, it was only now she noticed.

The forest had gone utterly silent. The shadows elongated, swarmed, melded as one. It was all connected. Was he doing this? How? She couldn't see- there has to be a-

Where is it, where…

 Something had cracked in the world, and now it tore open.

"Now, get out of my way." Drake's aura flared, and he chanted, "My shade forms your body, my Will gives you direction. Get rid of her, Jörmungandr-!"

It had to be hidden-!

There! Mary focused Ability Severance on Drake's shadow, just under his feet. Like a snapped rubber band, it flew back into one shape, no longer extending back into the forest as it had been.

It had slipped her until now, somehow. As if, when she looked at the connection, her eyes simply looked over it. Even so, with as laser focused she had been, that such a obvious tell would slip from her was shameful. Hakurou, hell, Tanya would be ashamed.

No, Tanya would have killed him with the first exchange.

That didn't matter now, though. Now, she'd severed it.

Immediately after doing so, she winced, neon cracks opening along the skin of her cheeks. Drake flinched back as well, the backlash of his ability no doubt slamming him with its shattering.

Despite this, he grinned, collapsing to one knee with his spear supporting him.

"Too late."

An unnatural buzz hummed just inside the perceivable spectrum. Like tinnitus, a faint whine, the sound of electrical currents in wires. A pressing weight, like the atmosphere doubling atop of her.

Mary readied her sword.

The world made no noise. The very air hung precariously, like dew on the edge of a leaf. The forest remained hushed, silenced and dark.

Her heartbeat rattled her chest. Her breathing was all too loud.

Mary looked from place to place. Watching. Waiting.

Breathe in… breathe out.

Breathe in… breathe out.

Breathe in…

.

.

.

There is something terribly wrong in this place.

BWOOOOOOOOOMMMM

Mary spun, to her right. The tree line exploded in a shower of wooden shrapnel. Leaves and limbs flew, pieces of forest collapsing in a manner that would have a logger jealous.

She needn't worry about any of that, however.

A massive serpent bore down on her, tearing through her position.

Its appearance bordered on indescribable. A vague shape and style of movement belied its truth, but even so the very comprehension of the beast defied conventional understanding.

Her eyes almost slid off the thing, as if its very nature was damaging to perceive.

With a start, in the span of microsecond or less, Mary realized that she'd deactivated Ability Severance instinctually.

Lucky for her. The backlash of trying to negate the existence such a – could it even be called a – creature… it might have killed her outright.

Turns out, seeing the beast was all she could do. It descended on her far too quickly to react, a train with her tied to the tracks. It felt like her boots were stuck to the earth. An unearthly pressure held a vice grip on her consciousness.

She'd seen it, had been facing the direction it was coming from. And she couldn't do anything about it.

She couldn't react at all.

In between the span of a single blink, the space between an eyelid closing and opening, Mary and the beast were gone. Snapping her up in an instant, the massive serpent tore through the clearing, carrying them both away.

Drake stood, albeit shakily, his spear's point digging into the stone as he pressed on it for support. His left arm hung straight down, limp at his side, blood dripping from the tips of his fingers. All of the fingernails on that hand were gone, and all of the flesh along that arm had darkened and bruised, splotches of damage tissue streaking along tanned skin like patchwork nebulae.

Even so clearly in pain, he hurried forward.

The beast, if it could even be called that, was dangerous at best. There's a reason he could not afford to rely on it when it mattered most. As if he could battle a Demon Lord Seed with one arm. As if he could chance that thing – given the name of the great World Serpent and Harbinger of the End Jörmungandr – properly avoiding collateral damage and targeting the correct foe.

That thing – and the irony was not lost on Drake, given his own existence a not quite a man – did not technically exist on the same plane as them. The fabric of its soul had surpassed into somewhere else, though its physical form still lay in this world in some sense of the word and could be perceived in the vaguest sense of that word.

Drake would admit that he had made a mistake molding it, creating it. Grief took the best pieces of us, darkening the world. Taken literally, however… but there little he could do about it now, other than keep its leash tight and keep the beast dematerialized except in the safest of places.

Even this lesser manifestation of its undefinable weight had taxed him, costing at minimum all the fingernails on his left hand as a mere pittance of a starting fee. Naturally, this had not at all been assisted by his foe's meddling with that power of hers.

Only in haste requiring times, when it was his best option, would he delve to such measures. Like now. Such was the reason he'd come to this place at all. To relieve his reliance on such an unreliable creation.

The damn thing would disappear as soon as he warped back to Ingrassia, anyhow.

He'd barely fed it enough power before the connection had been snapped, and as earlier stated, the sacrifice had been a pittance. It'd be around for only a minute, at most. Hopefully, that adventurer friend of Tanya's would perish before then, consumed by something half a step beyond conventional understanding.

Logically, however… Drake had a feeling he would see her again.

Actually, no, that wasn't logic at all. That's gut feeling. However, logic told him that gut feelings were often right, so trusting his gut feeling was actually logical.

Anyway. They'd meet again. Probably.

Not that he was worried.

About her? Please. The power of hers is a neat party trick. Useful. He acknowledged this. The sharp throbbing headache he was feeling thanks to her smothering of his Unique Skill told him that story well enough.

Probably allowed her to punch above her weight class, even with such an amateurish display. But unless she learned how to wield it properly, well…

She couldn't hold a candle to the one who really mattered.

His fight was with the woman who had defeated a Demon Lord Seed without one herself and had then gained one after the fact.

Real power. Someone who understood that. The small fry should just stand aside.

Pebbles had no right to speak to those walking over them.

Drake made it to the center of the warp circle.

"Blood as the catalyst. By my will." He flicked his left hand. Drops of blood splattered, then burned away, the circle coming alight and filling the clearing with a vibrant blue glow. "Activate."

That's one way to do it.

In a flash, he was gone.

-=-

A green sea of forested destruction. An artificial clearing in the wood, though incredibly small.

"What was it…?" The sound of flipping pages. "Vitality, energy, mind, conscious… ah."

Mary coughed, reaching up with her left hand to touch her throat, then her cheeks and forehead.

"There. This should work." Her fingertips came away dry on the first touch, and wet on the second and third. Fingertips bloodied, she traced, leaving red trails hanging in the air.

"Uruz. Laguz. Þ- th-" The sound flickered on her tongue, and she coughed again, clearing her throat. A sharp stab lanced through her skull. Some sort of burn the existed behind her eyes and head, just beyond the senses. Encroaching madness, best described. The fading threat of it, at least.

Mary winced, glancing down at the open notebook in her other hand.

"Þórr, strike the wound."

Her free hand reached around the lingering runes, crushing them in her grasp.

"Heal."

A faint green glow shone between the gaps in her fingers, illuminating her face. Then, a trickle. Then, a rush, flowing from palm to spread all the way across her body. Across her collective parts, she could feel various minor nicks and bruises sealing and reducing.

The faint ringing in her ears disappeared, as did the headache that somehow felt as though it existed far deeper than just physical.

This was a Frankenstein's amalgamated healing process, to say the least, combining Shuna's magic with runes and a rune spell. Normally, she wouldn't bother with more than Shuna's spell, but something about these wounds, shallow and random as they were, felt deeper, in a way she couldn't describe.

Ability Sight told her practically nothing. Mary guessed at some type of mental effect and went from there. For some reason, the idea that it could have been worse came to mind.

Perhaps Being X's mental corruption had been worth something, in the end.

Still, the need to be thorough had ingrained in her from half-remembered army life and Tanya and Hakurou's teachings. So, there'd be a mixed bag of healing magic, this time.

To be honest, there was a nonzero chance the runes she'd tacked on didn't do much of anything, and that the actual healing is just the result of Shuna's spell plus that… "placeholder effect" thing Tanya mentioned once or twice.

That's not really the point here, but it's worth noting. Or maybe thinking about it at all diminished the effect.

No no, bad thought.

She'd been trying to be better about her mental state. Being a Debbie Downer annoys other people, sure, but the worst effect by far is on one's own self. Negativity breeds negativity.

So, yes, the runes meant something, in some way. Even if not immediately obvious.

Besides, she'd seen what runes could do back in Xerxes, right? They clearly held power. What mattered was whether or not she herself could bring that power into the world. That required effort, which she had in spades, and knowledge, which she had very little of.

To rectify this, Mary had sought what she needed.

Tanya had lent her a book on runes from King Gazel's library months ago, back when they'd both still been in Tempest. Once she'd left and had become established as Rimuru's teaching assistant, Mary had searched for similar such books in the Freedom Academy's extensive library.

Much of it was unfamiliar, but true to Tanya's word this world did have Ancient Legadonian – Old Norse, she'd called it? – script as one of its main runic alphabets. Odd how that works.

Mary herself was only vaguely familiar with them, remembering only the barest amount from her time before X. Further, much of the meaning and style differed.

However… they were still Legadonian. They were still hers. She'd lost far too much to allow this to slip away as well.

The result of this motivation was the journal in her hand. Half filled with scratchy hiragana, katakana, and kanji and half filled with whatever she could find in those books, it sat at all times in a reinforced inner pocket inside Mary's coat.

She snapped it shut and slid it back into this pocket, after a short moment to catch her breath.

Have you ever been swallowed by a giant serpent before?

It was not fun. Unless you were into that sort of thing, in which case, you likely would have enjoyed it quite a bit.

Mary was not, however, into that sort of thing, and had not at all enjoyed spending the past minute or so shoving her katana into the roof of it's shifting, semi-solid throat to keep from sliding further down into its black hole of a stomach.

A small consolation here is that, since that serpent thing – It had a name, right? Hadn't Drake called it something? – clearly did not follow to rules of ordinary animals, the inside was completely dry. Just, sort of wispy and gelatin-y.

Mary pushed herself to her feet, grimacing at the slight rips along her coat sleeves. The dried blood on her forehead and cheeks didn't make matters any less annoying, either.

Yeah, not getting slimed for her troubles was a small consolation, all things considered. After all, that massive, otherworldly serpent had fucking eaten-

…Huh?

Otherworldly serpent?

Other world… World Serpent? Mary paused for a beat. Wait, that's right. He said "Jörmungandr", didn't he?

Jörmungandr, the great ouroboros that wrapped the Earth round to bite its own tail. The World Serpent, whom with the releasing of its own tail signified the end times, Ragnarök.

Then again, there were multiple myths where Jörmungandr let go of its tail throw hands with Thor, so the actual "stop biting its own tail" thing carried different weight depending on your interpretation.

Even so…

Coincidence. Has to be coincidence, but… that's a bad omen if I've ever seen one.

It boded well to show cautious here, just in case. Mary no longer viewed herself as religious, but religion, superstition, and spirituality were different, sometimes intersecting spheres.

I have to tell Tanya about this. Rimuru too, but later.

The only problem with that part, is…

"Ugh. Dammit." Mary looked around, spotting Mamoru lying on flattened grass a few steps away. She made her way over, then held her hand above it, sparks dancing the gaps between her fingers. The neon katana shot up, its hilt slapping against her palm.

She sighed, "Dammit... but, Tanya needs to hear about this. I guess I'll send a message through Rimuru, because she definitely needs to know."

Even still, she'd let Drake get away. Not on purpose, but he had gotten away, nonetheless.

This is so embarrassing...

-=-=-=-

A Little While Later

In the Dwelling of Spirits

Ulgrasia Republic

"…and may you all find wonderful spirits!"

Rimuru couldn't help it. He smiled.

Ramiris may be an annoying little asshole, but she agreed to help. And that's the important thing here.

Queen of Spirits turned Demon Lord out of poverty. It sounded like a bad joke. But hey, Rimuru wouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. Really, creating a new golem for the impoverished fairy would likely be the easiest thing he'd had to do so far on this quest.

Hell, taking down the first golem had been harder, and that had taken a simple application of Black Flame. Like taking candy from a baby.

Ramiris is the baby in this situation. She kind of acted like one, too. It's an apt description, the more Rimuru thought about it. Tantrums, lying, emotional manipulation…

Right, point has been made.

Rimuru let himself feel relief, in the here and now.

These children will not die. That is the goal that was set months ago, and now, here they were. Against the odds, on the precipice of salvation. Something was missing, however.

Someone.

And, speak of the devil. Footsteps.

Rimuru turned, his expression lighting up.

"Mary!"

"Rimuru, hey."

"Did you have trouble with the Labyrinth?"

"Labyrinth?" Mary slowed from her jog, stopping a few steps away. She looked a bit rough for wear, her jacket cut in a few places and a bit of dried blood along her forehead. "It's a straight path. What did I miss?"

"That's true, but… no, sorry, what did I miss?" Rimuru had to do a bit of a double take, parroting back her words with emphasis as her appearance fully registered.

He glanced at the children, who were currently occupied talking with the little fairy friends that had been fluttering around Ramiris, then looked back to Mary, lowering his voice.

"Did something happen?" He gestured to his own forehead.

Mary's hand twitched, like she wanted to mirror the motion.

"Ah, right. About what we talked about. There was a… giant serpent a little way past the tree line."

"Did it win?"

"I won." Mary narrowed her eyes. "Easily."

"And the blood?"

"Right, that. You see, the scales were really tough. So, I let it eat me so I could stab it from the inside."

"Hold on. What." Rimuru held up a hand, barely keeping his now panicked voice lowered. "You let it eat you?"

Mary nodded and said nothing. Rimuru waited. And when no further explanation followed, he sighed.

"…And you got injured, how exactly?"

"Oh, that. One of its fangs clipped me as I went in." Mary reached up, brushing away some of the dried blood to reveal entirely unblemished skin. "I didn't even notice until after, honestly. Not a big deal."

"Not a big-" Rimuru stepped forward, grabbing her by the shoulders. He hissed, shaking her, "Mary, this is serious! Was it venomous? Do you need antivenom?!"

"It's fine!" Her raised voice drew the attention of the others. Glancing over Rimuru's shoulder, she waved casually. Then, she lowered her voice, "Don't make a scene. I told you, I'm fine. More importantly, the kids-"

"So, it wasn't venomous?"

"You're still- ugh, fine. It might have been venomous."

"Mary!!!" Rimuru whisper shouted.

"It's fine!!!" Mary whisper shouted back. "I'm probably immune to poison stuff anyway! Stop making a big deal out of it!"

"I can't not make big deal out of you getting poisoned! Tanya would kill me! Shuna would kill me!" Rimuru paused. "…What do you mean you're immune to venom? Or, well, poison?"

"Probably immune."

"That's not the point!" Rimuru wanted to throttle her so bad. Then, he had a sharp, startling realization of how Tanya must feel dealing with both himself and Mary. He discarded it immediately. "Explain already!"

Mary looked away.

"Mary!"

Now, Mary absolutely was not going to tell Rimuru about the time she and Gobta ate some random mushrooms they found in the forest after one of Hakurou's longer training sessions. Nor would she elaborate on the fact that while Gobta got incredibly sick and puked up his guts, Mary had been entirely unaffected.

Because she just knew the story would get back to the others somehow.

It was Gobta's idea, anyway. Not that this fact would save her from a lecture.

"I just am! Drop it!"

"It's about Scylla, so wait until later! Read the mood!"

Mary brushed aside his concerns and his arms, reaching up to grasp his shoulders after. "Now explain to me. The kids, from what I heard on the jog up it sounded like we're golden. Are we golden, Rimuru?"

"Fucking- fine. Fine, Mary." Rimuru absolutely did not want to drop it, but by now the students, Ramiris, and those little fairy friends had floated over. No time for further admonishment. 

A shame, really. Usually, he was the one getting admonished. He kind of understood why, now. It's really fun.

And also stressful, so actually no, not that fun.

Rimuru took a deep breath – despite not needing to breathe – and exhaled.

"Yes, we're golden."

Mary let her hands drop from his shoulders, a sigh of relief falling from her lips.

"Good. That's good."

"Yo, Teach!" Kenya – not Kentaro, as she'd eventually learned – ran up to Mary, holding up his hand for a high five. Mary high-fived him, and he smiled bright and wide.

"You shoulda seen it! Sensei took out a-"

Ryouta, Gale, and Alice were with him as well, surrounding Mary and filling her in on the past 10 or so minutes.

Rimuru took a few steps back, watching the scene. Someone was missing-

"Sensei, is something wrong?" A soft voice on his right.

Ah, there she is. Chloe, what a little sweetheart.

Rimuru pat her head.

"Nothing's wrong at all, Chloe."

Nothing could possibly wrong. Not anymore. There is an odd relief to knowing your gambit has paid off. When the end is in sight, isn't a weight lifted from the shoulders?

You've made it! Congratulations. Did you have fun?

Was it all worth it?

Right now, in this moment, Rimuru looks down to Chloe, and over to the other four. He sees the smiles on his students faces.

And he thinks…

Yes, it is.

~END: TALE OF TWO NATIONS ARC~

-=-=-=-=-=-

Known Skills List

Tanya:

Common Skill: Thought Communication

Extra Skill: Flames of Babylon

Extra Skill: Magic Sense

Extra Skill: Magic Aura

Extra Skill: Voice of the World Communication

Unique Skill: Tetra Breaker

Mary:

Common Skill: Thought Communication

Extra Skill: Magic Sense

Extra Skill: Magic Aura

Extra/Intrinsic Skill: Physical Enhancement

Unique Skill: Ability Severance