'Where is this...? It's dark... pitch-black...'
It felt like drifting alone through an endless universe. He couldn't see anything. And yet, he could feel that someone was holding him.
For the first time since reincarnating into this world, Rimuru had awakened from a state of complete unconsciousness. A flash of loneliness struck him, but he quickly calmed down and activated magic sense to get a grasp of his surroundings.
"Rimuru, are you awake?"
Before he could even fully activate his magic sense, the person cradling him spoke first.
"...Huh?"
Rimuru lifted his gaze and looked up.
Shion, who should have been dead, was looking down at him.
The arm wrapped around him was warm. That warmth proved she was alive.
"Sh-Shion? Really... is it really you?"
Faced with the impossible sight of Shion alive before him, Rimuru reached out and touched her cheek, as if to confirm he wasn't seeing things.
Her skin. Her warmth. He could feel them clearly.
"Yes! Thanks to you, I came back safely!"
Shion answered his murmured disbelief with a bright smile.
And then his magic sense picked up even more people nearby.
When he looked around, he saw them—the villagers who had died alongside Shion before he had collapsed from crying, the people of the town, his family. Every one of them had come back to life and was now kneeling before him.
"All of us were revived safely thanks to you, Rimuru!"
So many of his people spoke as one.
At that sight, questions like how? never even came to mind.
He was simply overwhelmed with joy. He wanted to run to everyone there and embrace them all, but deciding that would take too long, he changed into human form and threw himself into Shion's arms instead.
"Shion! Everyone!"
And Rimuru, unable to hold back the tears of joy spilling from him, cried out their names again and again.
Rimuru's evolution had concluded successfully. Through that evolution, his energy—his magicules—had increased, and the monsters connected to him through the lineage of the soul had each received their own gifts.
At first, he asked Great Sage about this mystery, but Great Sage, which had always answered his questions, did not respond. It did not take him long to realize that the Great Sage skill itself was gone.
"[Notice]. Unique Skill Great Sage has evolved into Ultimate Skill Raphael."
Relieved to learn that it had not vanished but evolved into a new skill, and that Great Sage still remained within Raphael, Rimuru let out a sigh of relief. Raphael, in turn, felt a strange warmth from him.
"Rimuru! You really pulled it off. I can hardly believe it even seeing it with my own eyes!"
"Oh, Ver!"
Rimuru greeted Vertis with open delight. Standing beside him was a silver-haired beauty he had never seen before.
"But who's the person behind you?"
"Oh, she's my new subordinate. Let me introduce her. This is Testarossa. And this is my friend Rimuru."
"It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Testarossa, a subordinate of Vertis. I hope we get along well."
Seeing the noble grace and flawless manners she carried, like an aristocrat from high society, Rimuru gave her a clear, cheerful smile.
"Yeah! Nice to meet you too!"
"Hehe... how adorable."
"Kuhuhuhu... I can agree with that much. However, I would appreciate it if you did not reach out with such rude hands toward my master, Blanc."
"My, are we introducing ourselves now? Noir."
"Huh? You..."
Suddenly, a familiar demon appeared beside Testarossa and dropped to one knee before Rimuru. Since he was the demon Rimuru had summoned, he remembered him.
"Thanks for helping me. You can go now."
"...What?!"
"Hm?"
The demon looked deeply shocked by Rimuru's words. Seeing him look as if he might burst into tears at any moment made Rimuru feel oddly uncomfortable.
"Wait. Did I forget to give you compensation for the contract or something?"
"N-No! Even as a lowly servant, I beg you, please take me as your subordinate!"
"Really? Is that really all you want?"
"Of course! I simply wish to remain by your side, Rimuru!"
The demon pleaded desperately. More than anything, it was true that he had helped him, so Rimuru decided to accept the demon as one of his subordinates.
"Do you have a name?"
"No. I do not. There is a term used to refer to me, however..."
The demon glanced toward Testarossa and trailed off, choosing not to say more.
Rimuru was surprised. Judging by the sheer amount of magicules he possessed, he had assumed the demon already had a name.
'Then how strong would he become if he got one?'
"Then I'll give you a name!!"
At those words, the demon froze in place for several seconds.
"Huh? Don't tell me you don't want one?"
"As if that could be! There is no problem at all! If anything, it would be the greatest reward imaginable!"
The handsome demon's face twisted with joy as he smiled.
Rimuru thought over what to name him. A demon... and then a famous name came to mind.
"Yeah. I've decided. From now on, your name is Diablo!!"
The moment he gave the demon a name, a familiar wave of exhaustion washed over him.
It had taken half his energy. Considering how massively his reserves had increased through evolution, that was an absurd amount.
Like a butterfly emerging from a chrysalis, Diablo broke free from a black cocoon. His overall appearance had not changed much, but black hair now mixed with streaks of red and gold.
His glowing crimson eyes and smooth, refined movements made him look like an experienced butler.
"Diablo. So that is my name. My heart overflows with emotion. Rimuru, from this day onward, I shall serve you with all my heart and soul."
"My, so you received a name in the end? Noir. Or should I call you Diablo now?"
"Kuhuhu. I never imagined the day would come when I would meet you like this, Testarossa."
That day, Rimuru completed his evolution into a true demon lord, regained the family he had lost, and welcomed Diablo as a new subordinate.
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