A late bloomer.
Leon was certainly convinced that he would surpass Altain before long.
However, his opponent was Salmora.
Before Leon could catch up to Altain, the creature began to act.
Due to interference from an unknown frequency, every channel on the television began broadcasting a single screen.
On it was a man.
“Greetings, people of Earth.”
He greeted them with elegant manners.
A middle-aged gentleman who had previously introduced himself as Emile Ricard was now dominating the screen.
“One who was once known as the Plague Legion Commander, Salmora, and at another time, as the savior of humanity, Emile Ricard.”
Surprisingly, the creature revealed its identity.
Although it was only a partial revelation, he was speaking of the traces of himself that he had never shared with anyone until now.
“And now, I am Nepas, the leader who guides the surviving Demon Clan.”
He changed his name?
No.
‘His original identity.’
In the past, when he was a Slime, his name had been Nepas.
By revealing that name, he was declaring that he would no longer live by any other name but would instead live according to his true identity.
“Yes. I admit that I deceived you all. However, there is no need to feel so offended. Everything I have done has likely been of great help to you.”
It was true.
The fact that he had deceived them was a reality, but it was also undeniable that he had been helpful.
Thanks to the humanization potion he developed, people who had been turned into members of the Demon Clan were able to regain their original forms.
The number of people who returned to being human because of him reached tens of thousands.
Regardless of his intent, focusing only on that achievement, his actions could certainly be called helpful.
“But the truth always comes to light eventually. I cannot deceive you forever. That is why I have gathered the courage to reveal my identity like this.”
Salmora’s unexpected confession began.
“In truth, I was once a Slime who could be knocked down by a single strike from even a weak Awakener…”
He revealed the facts to the world that only I had known until now—that he was born a Slime and had gained his current power through all sorts of efforts.
Of course, not all of it was true.
To be precise, he concealed parts of the truth.
He left out the fact that he was a time traveler and the experiments he had conducted so far.
However, by concealing just a few truths, he transformed himself into a weakling who had struggled desperately to survive and a Slime that had achieved great success.
Of course, even if there was something moving about that story, there would be no one who would take his side.
In the end, humans are exclusionary.
When they already view other humans as competitors, how would they view another species?
Especially a Demon Clan that had once attacked humans?
It was only natural that they would be rejected.
There was no way Salmora—no, Nepas—didn’t know that.
“Of course, I didn’t reveal these circumstances to evoke sympathy or pity. I did it to explain the reasons why I had no choice but to act as I did.”
Now came the main point.
“What I—what we—desire is only one thing: independence. And the recognition of the Demon Clan’s right to live on Earth and their territory. Simply put, I would like you to recognize the Demon Clan as a race and the place where we live as a nation.”
What he wanted was the independence of the Demon Clan.
Not just independence, but the right to live on Earth as a single species.
But there was no way that would be easy.
The Demon Clan viewed humans as prey.
Humans had suffered significant damage and made great sacrifices at the hands of the Demon Clan.
In such a situation, to ask for their independence to be recognized?
No one would be willing to grant that.
“Of course, considering the damage the people of Earth have suffered until now, it would be impossible. That is why I have prepared a compensation plan.”
Naturally, Nepas was not a being who would overlook such a point.
“Do you see this?”
The camera focused on a table instead of Nepas.
On it was a pill.
It wasn’t an ordinary pill, but a fairly large one, about the size of an adult’s thumb.
“This is a food for the Demon Clan that I developed myself. It provides a sense of fullness and contains all the nutrients necessary for daily life, so there will be no need to go as far as eating humans out of necessity in the future.”
As if to prove it, he brought out one Ogre, a creature with the strongest appetite.
“Uwaaa!”
This massive member of the Demon Clan boasted an incredible appetite.
Its intelligence was so low that it was simple enough to eat its own kind and other monsters.
Such a creature…
-Gulp!
It swallowed a single pill and in the next moment…
“Burp!”
The creature, which had been acting out to express its hunger just a moment ago, became docile.
Whether it is a human, a beast, or a monster, they all become quiet when they are full.
What did it mean that an Ogre, which feels hunger constantly to maintain its physical metabolism even while eating, became docile at once?
It meant that those pills could solve the hunger of other monsters and the Demon Clan.
In truth, humans were not particularly good prey for the Demon Clan.
They were the most accessible way to satisfy hunger, but they also offered intense resistance.
But if that food shortage could be solved?
If it were possible without any friction or killing, the most fundamental reason for the Demon Clan and humans to confront each other would vanish.
“Food to solve the hunger of the Demon Clan is prepared. It would be safe to assume that the members of the Demon Clan who follow me will not harm humans in the future. Of course, someone here will ask: what about the ones who do not follow me? I have prepared for that as well.”
It was a method Nepas had frequently used in the past.
A vision shared from someone else’s perspective appeared in everyone’s minds.
It was the Demon Clan.
These were the ones who refused to follow Nepas—the ones who still wanted to pursue their demonic instincts while confronting humans.
“My leadership was insufficient, leading to such unfortunate events and exceptions, but there is no need to worry. To not follow my will means they have no use existing in this world.”
“Boom!”
Attacks began against the places where the Demon Clan members were hiding.
Along with intense explosions, acrid smoke enveloped those areas.
The result was revealed in the next moment.
They were all dead.
The remnants of the Demon Clan that humanity had struggled to deal with until now lay collapsed and unmoving.
Death.
All of those many demons existing across the world had met their end.
“Rest assured. This smoke only has an immediate death effect on the Demon Clan. Furthermore, it will quickly disperse into the atmosphere and have no effect on the human body.”
He truly was the Plague Legion Commander.
By developing a weapon that could instantly kill the Demon Clan and monsters, he had wiped out all the remaining demonic remnants across the world in a single stroke.
“With this, I have finished punishing the foolish ones who did not follow my control. And one more thing!”
Even though the remnants were dead, there was still something left to resolve.
“Even if the demons hostile to humans are dead, it cannot serve as compensation for those who have suffered until now. So, I would like to make a proposal.”
As he spoke, Nepas took something out of his pocket.
It was…
“An Awakening Potion.”
I, in particular, could never forget it.
It was because of that thing that the discord with my wife began (though it would have happened anyway), and because of it, the dimensional transfer and everything else occurred.
But that was…
“There may be those who misunderstand, but please be at ease. This is completely different from the previous Demon Transformation Potion; it is a potion that truly forces an Awakening.”
In the past, what was called an Awakening Potion was actually a Demon Transformation Potion distributed under a false name.
Naturally, people had no choice but to doubt it this time as well.
“Yes, I know very well. How can we trust that? Aren’t you dreaming of ruling the Demon Clan again while saying such things?”
He was essentially speaking for the people.
How could anyone believe it wasn’t a Demon Transformation Potion?
What if it was, and he intended to turn them into demons to rule them once more?
“That is why I have prepared this.”
First it was an Ogre, and next was a human.
However…
His eyes were glazed over.
He had a dazed expression, as if he were dreaming.
“I have placed him under temporary hypnosis to gain his cooperation for this matter. Of course, it is a method harmless to the human body, and the hypnosis will wear off soon, so there is no need to worry. Now then.”
Opening the mouth of the hypnotized man he forced him to swallow the potion.
“Gulp!”
“Naturally, for those of you who are suspicious, I will show you this person’s status in real-time.”
Nepas possessed various abilities.
Among them was an insight that allowed him to accurately examine an opponent’s status.
And he shared that vision.
The world seen through his eyes… everything was quantified.
One could see exactly what abilities were gained through the potion and what changes occurred in the body without exception.
And the man who swallowed the potion…
Surprisingly, he obtained a powerful Trait called Light Speed.
“Have you confirmed it? You can awaken a Trait without turning into a demon and without putting any strain on the human body at all. It can be called an Awakening Potion in the truest sense.”
Anyone who saw that shared vision would be convinced.
That it was an Awakening Potion in the truest sense, the completed version.
Surprisingly, the creature had reached a domain where he could even touch the blessing of Awakening granted by the unknown entity.
“We will distribute this Awakening Potion in turn to the countries and forces that recognize us as a species and a nation. I believe that should serve as appropriate compensation for the damage the Demon Clan has caused until now.”
An Awakening Potion.
A potion with an incredible effect that allowed one to awaken the amazing Trait of Light Speed in an instant.
If that was the compensation, many would be willing to recognize the Demon Clan despite the past damages.
“And one more thing.”
At Nepas’s gesture someone appeared in the camera frame.
“Step”
A handsome man with blond hair.
A person who looked remarkably like Leon appeared.
“This is Altain. I believe you are all well aware of him through the messages from the Tower.”
Altain’s appearance.
Just by looking, one could tell that he was a powerful individual.
And…
‘His personality and emotions have been removed.’
Just as I had been in the past, his personality and emotions were separated—no, removed.
“Altain will become the King of the Demon Clan and rule over them. And he will conquer the unknowns of the Tower, a place no one has yet conquered, and share that information with you.”
It was practically a foregone conclusion that Altain, who was passing through the Anomalies with ease, would conquer the 100th floor.
“I implore you to look toward the future together, rather than just focusing on the ill will of the past.”
With those final words, the frequency Nepas had forcibly invaded disappeared.
Although he was gone, his influence and impact were greater than expected.
The world fell into intense conflict following his declaration.
Those who argued for accepting the Demon Clan.
Those who argued for remaining hostile toward them.
The fuse of conflict, much like a new Cold War era, had been lit.