The diplomatic mission with the Lizardmen was concluded, leaving Rimuru exhausted but satisfied.
She had secured the promise of their forces joining the fight against the Orc Disaster.
However, before the united monster army could finalize its battle plans, a wholly unexpected event occurred.
A ripple in the magical energy of the forest caught Arthur's attention, far exceeding the normal flow.
He immediately shifted his focus, sensing a sudden, profound spike of heat and a life force rapidly fading.
"Rimuru, stay here and finalize the logistics with the Lizardmen,"
Arthur instructed, his voice low and serious.
"Something is happening. Something powerful, and dangerous."
Before Rimuru could question him, Arthur used his immense speed to cover the distance in a blur.
He arrived in a small, scorched clearing to find a tragic scene: a figure kneeling on the ground, enveloped in oppressive, suffocating heat.
It was Shizuka Izawa, the Masked Hero.
She was clearly dying.
The source of her power—the flame spirit Ifrit—was raging out of control within her body, consuming her life force in a devastating inferno.
She wore a mask that barely contained the suffering in her eyes, her clothes smoldering.
Arthur, despite his experience, felt a sudden, sharp uncertainty.
Shizuka's arrival was entirely out of place in the current timeline, and her condition was critical.
Arthur knelt beside her, suppressing his own Dragon's Aura to keep from overwhelming her frail state.
The heat radiating from her was intense, easily capable of melting lesser materials.
"Hold still,"
He commanded, his eyes focusing instantly, calling up his current parameters and skills to analyze the situation.
The problem was not a disease or a simple wound; it was a devastating magical curse and a spirit's uncontrolled rampage that was burning her soul from the inside out.
Her life was ending because her internal control had shattered, and the fire was consuming her very existence.
Arthur knew a standard healing spell wouldn't work.
Dragonic Heal would repair the burns, but not stop the source.
Dragonic Cure might suppress a curse, but not an elemental spirit linked to the soul.
He made a split-second decision.
Option A: The Soul Magic Extraction
Arthur could attempt to use Soul Magic to directly interface with her spirit and forcefully extract Ifrit. This would immediately save Shizuka from the flame's rampage, but the sudden, violent removal of her long-time partner and power source would leave her utterly defenseless, weakened, and potentially traumatized.
Option B: The Reality Blending Fix
Arthur could attempt a partial application of Reality Blending (Partial Released). By slightly manipulating the laws of causality and existence around Shizuka, he could stabilize the connection between her and Ifrit, restoring the seal's function. This is extremely complex and drains enormous MAG reserves, but it would buy her time and allow her to retain her power, giving her agency in her final moments.
Option C: The Canonical Resolution (Predator)
Arthur recognized the gravity of the moment and the unique opportunity it presented for Rimuru's growth and the future of the nation. He briefly considered using his own high-level powers, but interfering directly with such a critical plot point could have unforeseen consequences, and it would rob Rimuru of a defining moment.
He sent a rapid, urgent telepathic message back to Rimuru.
"Rimuru! Stop what you are doing and come to my location immediately. I have found a dying human who is consumed by a powerful elemental spirit. You are the only one who can help her."
Rimuru, sensing the extreme seriousness in Arthur's tone—a tone he rarely used—dropped her alliance talks instantly and rushed toward his coordinates with a speed she hadn't known she possessed.
She arrived a moment later, transforming into her slime form to compress her speed. She saw Arthur kneeling beside a woman encased in flickering heat.
"Arthur, what is this heat? It's overwhelming!"
Rimuru transmitted, bouncing nervously near the periphery of the scorching aura.
"Her name is Shizuka Izawa. She is a human summoned from another world, and she is dying because the spirit of fire, Ifrit, is breaking free from the seal within her,"
Arthur explained quickly, keeping his voice steady to calm Rimuru.
"Standard healing will not work. She needs to be completely cleansed of the spirit and the damage it's caused."
Shizuka, through ragged breaths, managed to speak, her voice raspy.
"Please... don't let the fire escape... it will burn everything..."
"Rimuru,"
Arthur directed, his eyes piercing.
"Use Predator. You must consume her entirely. It is the only way to save her soul, prevent the spirit's escape, and spare her from this agonizing death. Her spirit is asking you to do this."
Rimuru hesitated for only a second. Despite her cheerful nature, she understood the magnitude of what Arthur was asking—consuming a sentient being, a person from her home world.
Yet, Arthur's trust was absolute, and his seriousness was undeniable.
"Okay, Arthur,"
She confirmed, pushing past her hesitation.
"If you say it's the only way, I trust you."
Rimuru propelled herself forward, enveloping the dying hero entirely.
The intense heat was quickly nullified as Rimuru's Predator skill took hold.
The Ifrit spirit was violently wrenched from Shizuka's body and captured within Rimuru's internal systems, followed swiftly by the rest of Shizuka's physical form.
A silence fell over the clearing, only broken by the faint chirping of forest insects.
Rimuru lay still for a moment, absorbing the monumental amount of information, skills, and the powerful spirit.
"I... I got her,"
Rimuru messaged, sounding slightly shaken.
"I absorbed Ifrit, and the memories... I know her now."
Arthur placed a comforting mental presence around her.
"You did well, Rimuru. You have honored her final wish."
The act of consuming Shizuka was transformative.
Rimuru now possessed the Ifrit spirit, a deep understanding of Shizuka's past, her connection to the Demon Lord Leon Cromwell, and the crucial skill Unique Skill: Degenerate.
This event, guided by Arthur, not only strengthened Rimuru but solidified her destiny.
Rimuru, emerging from her internal processing, bounced up and down.
"Arthur, the memories! She asked me to promise to help a village of children she left behind! And I know I can do this now. I have her form, too!"
The gravity of the moment had been replaced by Rimuru's characteristic determination.
However, she quickly registered the immense power of the captured spirit and the new skills, which only reinforced her earlier statement.
"See, Arthur? Nothing bad happened! You made sure of it!"
Rimuru's voice was triumphant.
Arthur could only shake his head again, a wry smile ghosting his lips.
He was playing the role of the safety net, and Rimuru was clearly enjoying her newfound confidence in his protection.
"The Orc Disaster is still coming, Rimuru,"
Arthur stated, pulling her back to the immediate crisis.
"You now have the power of the flame, but we must return to the Lizardmen and prepare for war."
Rimuru is now immensely stronger and possesses the ability to take on Shizuka's form.
They must return to the Lizardmen to finalize the war strategy.
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