Rimuru and Safi stepped into the bustling lobby of the Freedom Association headquarters. Yuuki, on high alert, immediately sensed a presence and identified it as that of a monster. Reacting swiftly, he leaped forward, weapon drawn, aiming directly at Rimuru.

 

Before Yuuki could make contact, Safi swiftly interposed herself catching his fist throwing light sparks as dust from said leap filled the air in the lobby. 

 

“Really Yuuki? Also congrats on becoming the Grandmaster.” Safi says with a grin.

 

“Oh you have got to be kidding me!” Yuki shouts…

 

“Okay, you two… I don't even know who you are but we are going to my office.” Yuki says not wanting to cause another panic like Nekra had.

 

Who exactly are you?" Yuuki asked, eyeing Rimuru and Safi with a mix of curiosity and caution.

 

"I am Rimuru, the slime," Rimuru replied calmly. "And i’m not a bad slime ya know."

 

Yuuki raised an eyebrow. That was a reference and a half…  "Reincarnated as a monster? That's new to me."

 

"It's a complicated process," Safi chimed in. "You lose your humanity, retaining only memories. I think its only happened a total of 4-5 times in all of history as far as I am aware.” 

 

“I have decided I am not going to ask how you know that,” Yuuki says to Safi

 

The girl who professed herself a dragon was one of only ten A+ rank adventurers 

 

Yuuki shifted the topic back. "About Shizue's class... it's not that simple. They're essentially dying due to an overflow of magic."

 

"Like a magical form of cancer," he added.

 

"Why not create a device to drain off the excess magic?" Safi suggested.

 

"We tried, but it led to an increase in monster activity, Literally spawning some in the same room as them" Yuuki explained.

 

Rimuru pondered for a moment. "I might have a solution, but it'll take time."

Yuuki then turned his attention to Safi . "There are talks of a new demon lord. Any truth to that?"

 

“I have heard of a werecat princess who is also a vampire, but we all know that race has been extinct for a few millennia." Safireplied.

 

"Huh, that’s… Could you maybe get the other A+ ranks? The one and only S rank might go rouge." Yuuki queried.

 

"I uh… I don’t think anyone could beat Nekra." Safi answers faking extreme nervousness. 

 

Yuuki paused, processing that statement. "So, we're screwed huh?"

 

"Since you're now back as an A-ranked, you'll need to join a nation—" Yuuki began but was interrupted by a sudden surge of bloodlust.

 

"Safi can serve under the Tempest Federation," Rimuru interjected, and Yuuki nodded, acknowledging that he didn’t want to fight the girl who might actually be a dragon in disguise.

 

The peace was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass.

 

==========================================

 

Yuuki rushed to the window, his expression turning to one of alarm as he saw the city's protective barrier collapsing.

 

"I wonder what caused that," Safi mused, tilting her head curiously.

 

"A great mystery indeed," Rimuru added.

 

"I feel like a Yoda quote would be fitting here," Yuuki said with a wry smile.

 

=====================

 

Outside the capital, chaos ensued.

 

"Uhhh, I don't have to pay for that, right?" An elderly mage with a long grey beard stammered.

 

"What in the world are you, old man?" a guard shouted, surrounding him with others.

 

"I just wanted to enter! I didn't mean to shatter the barrier!" the mage protested.

 

"None shall pass," a guard in black knight armor declared firmly to the Gandalf look-alike.