Season 3: Chapter 80: Barbaroll! THE DEMON!

Hm.

Sitting within Slimey's hands like most days on my throne, I observed the red stained blade that sat in front of me.

The Muramasa. An S grade weapon crafted by my hand. Well… when I had hands.

My first crafted weapon.

Ah…

A memory.

Somehow, I was there, back in the forge, working over an anvil as a bronze-skinned half-giant stood over me.

Heat and soot stained my skin, smoke filled the air as the malevolence of a volcano churned behind me.

“So this is a katana. For a short-life, you're not too shabby Hiro.” Zorkwen said, the bearded man laughing as he slammed a burly hand on my shoulder.

“Ugh. Just call me Sawano, you know I hate it when you all shorten my name like that.” I replied, stepping off to the side.

“Why? Lyndis calls you it all the time?”

“That's different! She's…” I trailed off, frowning as the sudden image of the green-haired woman entered my mind. “Uggghhhh! Shut up! Shutupshutupshutup! I'm trying to work here! Be quiet or I'll toss you into the lava!"

“Ah, right right. I'm just teasing you. I'll behave.” Zorkwen said, taking a seat on a tiny stool too big for him.

“Good, Let's just hope this does as well.” I said, holding the still heated blade aloft. It was a bit rough, but the crafting wasn't done. “Longevivfy, Tighten, Imbue. Selection Blood.”

I could feel it, my system registering my command and activating the corresponding skills.

Within the hot workshop, mana began to swirl, the weapon held aloft being enchanted by my system.

Runes lit up, the system imprinting the weapon with skills.

[Enchantment Completed!]

[Legendary Weapon crafted, Would you like to confer a name?]

“Muramasa.” I spoke, the chunk of long metal radiating with power until finally settling down.

“That's it?” Zorkwen asked, the half-giant stroking his beard and raising a bushy brow. “It's just a curved iron bar? I thought it would be a slashing weapon.”

“It is. Or, will be. Sharpening the blade takes a delicate hand, months of grinding before the end result is ready.” I turned to the schematic, brow raised. I... Wasn't the most versed in craftsmanship but I knew what I wanted and I trusted Zorkwen's expertise.

“Ah… so that's why you dropped by.”

“Yeah. Plus, I'd rather people didn't know I can just enchant weapons. You mind polishing and sharpening the blade for me? I promise to repay you.” I asked, turning to the smith. “I’d do it myself, but I've got a meeting with the elf delegation out of Honeywood. I've never seen an elf, so really hoping we can enlist their aid on the battles ahead.”

“Eh. Sure, don't worry your little head about it.” Zorkwen said, rising to his feet. “Just do one thing for me.”

“Sure.”

“When this is done. Visit my mum would ya? She'd love this katana thing you're working on.”

“Yeah. No problem.” I replied, smiling before I blinked and the memory was over.

Great… another promise I had failed to uphold. Thanks nostalgia. Really coming around to hit me in the… squeaker?

I wonder… I probably should have asked Lhikan about the giants of Volksted before I sent him off to prepare for my arrival.

A question for another time I guess.

For now, I had to address the three dozen humans kneeling before me for the last twelve hours and commence Operation Hydra.

“Greetings. Meatsuits.” Slimey said, her voice regal as she addressed the crowd. “Congratulations on passing the first test. Every one of you are here because you possess the will and mental clarity to survive.”

A few of the humans glanced over to each other. Some were angry, others confused, but ultimately none moved.

Stolen novel; please report.

“Because of your surrender, you will be allowed to leave today with your lives.”

Of course, the humans gathered here weren't exactly the best of the best. They were cowards, those without a cause, those who would shy from a fight rather than fight to the death.

They had no cause they believed in, no purpose other than survival and coin that spurred their actions.

But they had their use.

They just didn't know what that use would be.

“Knight Captain Gobeldo will escort you to the surface. You will be given supplies, weapons, and armaments so that you may return to your loved ones. This… is the generosity the Lord offers to you.”

The humans took on looks of surprise, not expecting the words to come out of Slimey's mouth.

“You may go now, but know that you live because the Lord allows you to. You draw breath, because the Lord allows you too, you are permitted to walk across these lands because the Lord Barbaroll… allows you to.” Slimey said before my timer ticked down, my minion synchronization available again.

At the mention of Barbaroll, a collective hush fell over the crowd of humans, a stillness that struck fear into their hearts.

Ah. It seemed they at least remembered their greatest enemy.

Good.

Minion synchronization.

Connecting with Slimey, a doppelganger hidden out of sight in another chamber began to transform, shift, the ooze adopting the imposing figure from my memories.

Opening my three eyes, I was near seven feet tall, sporting horns and armor as I held the Dragon Slayer in my hands thanks to telekinesis.

“Barbaroll sucks.” I let out, testing my voice that came out gruff and loud, just as annoying as I remembered it.

Perfect.

Standing in front of a basin of water illuminated by torches, I made sure to add some touches to my guise.

Wrinkle lines, cracked horns, weathered skin. All signs of aging.

I stepped out into the throne room, the collective of goblins stamping their feet to herald my arrival.

With solidification, my steps were heavy, the armor I wore covered by slime to match the armor from my memories as it clinked.

I walked through the crowd, growling, a wide smile on my face as every human I passed tensed up with fear.

Shock and surprise was left in my wake as Slimey stood from the throne and bowed with Ayaka and my other servants doing the same.

Not a word was said, not a movement made as I ascended the hundreds steps of my throne with only the sounds of my phantom boots touching the steps.

Unrelated, NEXT TIME WE MAKE A THRONE, WE'RE DEFINITELY NOT MAKING IT SO FREAKING TALL!

Ehem. Anyway.

“Humans.” I let out, taking a seat upon my throne and casting my vision out upon the quivering humans. “It has been an age since last I dealt with you lot. But I see you're all just as pathetic and worthless as I remember. You need no introduction to who I am. After all, I'm sure you already know.”

I picked up the Muramasa, the crimson blade held up in my hand.

“When you return to the lands you call home. You will spread tales of my revival. Tales, that my daughter's treachery was not successful in keeping me down.” I said, pointing an armored gauntlet outwards. “Only a Hiroyuki may cut me down. Only a Hiroyuki may bind me away. Thanks to your kind’s foolish barbarism in hunting the descendants of the greatest among you, the seals that bound me have come undone.”

Lies. Every word. But the humans below me didn't know that

I barked a laugh, a few of the survivors jostling at the unexpected sound.

“This, is the price I demand for your lives. Do this, and you shall be spared my coming wrath.” I lifted a hand, Gobeldo taking a step forward, my army of goblins handing out rations, filters, and armaments to the stunned humans.

“Now go. Leave this place.”

The humans hesitated for a moment, but took the items, marching out of my throne room under the gaze of Gobledo, unaware that with them, they carried bits of blue slime.

Everyone of them were now an unwitting extension of Slimey, new agents to be my eyes and ears in a now foreign world.

With minion synchronization, I could be anywhere, any place, at anytime so long as the skill was available. I could also see and hear anything the slimes heard so long as I focused.

Testing the connection over the last few hours, my connection with the mini Slimey's were akin to invisible strings l, a web of sight and sound that was disorientating at first but I quickly found I could isolate the sensations.

Smiling, I watched as the last of the humans left.

Operation Hydra now in effect.

Slimey stood above me, her hand touching my body and my form merging with hers.

“Oh! Oh! Lord Hiro!” Slimey let out, turning pink. “I can feel you inside me!”

Yup nope! Turning that off right now.

I re-entered my duck body, Slimey shivering in place as she held me in her arms close to her chest.

Great.

Ayaka scurried up towards me, the drider munching on a human hand.

“L-lord Hiro?”

What?

“C-can I go eat mold?” Ayaka let out, the tiny drider giving me googly eyes which would have been cute if not for the pinky finger she held up with her mouth.

Sigh. Go ahead. I don't need you right now.

“Yay!” Ayaka let out, the once dominant monster hopping up and down before descending my throne with her armored knight in tow.

Sigh. This is my life. At the very least, I have a bit of room to breathe to focus on my quests and Slimey's new skills she'd obtained from dissolving so many humans.

“My Lord.”

At the voice, I turned my attention, focusing on Simp of all things that was kneeling before my throne.

The bulky goblin reminded me of tank from left for dead, if of course the tank was about four feet tall. Actually, come to think of it, was he always that short?

What? I sent, the former mutineer brandishing something square on a cloth.

“My Lord! A gift from the half-human!” Simp let out, raising the bar of soap with rocks on a leather wrapping higher.

Ok…? It's just soap. Why do I-!!!!!?

SOAP!!! SOAP!?!?!

SOAP!