"As you can see."
Rin said, "I've stopped time in this world."
"You can even do something like this?!"
"Gods really are incredible."
Once again, Seitenshi was shocked by Rin's overwhelming power.
He had wiped out the Gastrea, judged humanity, brought down a cleansing rain, and now he had even stopped time.
"In this world, there aren't many things I can't do."
Violet had already fully analyzed this world's laws. In a world without magical energy, stopping time was effortless.
"There are things you can't do?"
"Of course."
Rin smiled. "Just like I can't turn this world into a perfect utopia."
"Utopia..."
Seitenshi naturally understood the concept. "Is it because utopia defies common sense?"
"No."
Rin replied, "It's because I don't want to."
"If it was just about appearances, I could hypnotize everyone and alter their perceptions."
His words made Seitenshi feel an indescribable fear.
"But I won't do that. Because it's meaningless."
"That's what you mean by 'can't do'?"
It wasn't that Rin couldn't achieve it. He simply rejected the method needed to get there.
"My taking you away doesn't mean you'll never return."
"I know you want to protect your people and restore order."
"But the question is... do you actually have the power to do that?"
Rin said, "You know your own situation best."
"To put it nicely, you're the leader of Japan. But to put it bluntly, you're just a mascot pushed out onto the stage."
Even if Seitenshi had talent and political sense, how many would truly listen to her?
Could her policies actually be implemented?
"After the Day of Judgment, the world will fall into chaos."
Without a powerful voice and real force to back it up, more innocent people were bound to die.
Rin didn't have much love for this world. And based on Violet's projections, even if people died in the aftermath, it was their own doing.
But no matter how precise the calculations, there were always flaws.
"What are you saying?"
"Become my Angel, Seitenshi."
Rin spoke plainly. "At my side, you'll gain knowledge and power that can truly change the world."
"You don't need to worry about this place during that time."
"Everything here will remain in time-stopped suspension until you return."
To recruit a girl with the potential of a Saint, Rin had already shown enough sincerity.
If she still refused, even he would be angry.
Of course, he wouldn't truly punish her. At most, he'd spank her once and throw her back to this world, never to care about its fate again.
Pure souls were rare, but not irreplaceable.
As long as Rin continued to travel the multiverse, he would eventually encounter a second, a third...
"So, what's your answer?"
"..."
Seitenshi drew in a deep breath.
"Please let me become your Angel! I want to save my world!"
Very good. She didn't disappoint him.
She had made the correct choice.
"Let's go."
Rin extended his hand to her. "I'll take you to see a wider world."
"As for this place..."
"Consider it my welcome gift to you."
Afterward, Rin arranged for Seitenshi to stay aboard the Void Ark, along with the Cursed Children.
Upon this return, the first thing Rin had to face was the awakening ritual of a True Demon Lord.
So the matter of the Cursed Children would be addressed afterward.
"Violet, has the soul purification been completed?"
"It's done."
Collecting the souls had been quick. But afterward, Justeaze had to use Violet's supercomputer capabilities to filter and extract pure soul energy.
The collected souls were divided into three components based on their source.
First, the soul core and a small amount of energy, to ensure they could reincarnate as normal people and begin anew.
Second, the bulk of the soul energy.
Justeaze would purify this portion, obtaining both purified soul energy and negative energy.
The purified part would be used for Rin's awakening ritual.
As for the negative energy, Rin wouldn't waste it.
He would feed it to the Ultimate Skill [Lord of the End], which had evolved from [All the World's Evil].
This power would be absorbed into [Lord of the End], further strengthening it.
"All preparations are complete. We can return at any time."
Violet could initiate the awakening ritual whenever Rin was ready.
"Hmm."
Rin nodded. "Notify all monsters to board the Void Ark immediately."
As the ruler, once Rin began his evolution, everyone would enter a state of deep sleep, just like in the anime.
This wasn't mere rest. It was a channel through which they could receive power from Rin's awakening.
It was a Demon Lord's blessing from him.
Advancement, evolution, and even acquiring new skills.
Even death was reversible. Under the effects of that blessing, they could be reborn in a stronger form.
But all of that required them to sleep.
Which meant Rin had to ensure their safety.
"The Void Ark has been connected to the Cardinal World. The monsters are boarding in an orderly fashion, under the command of Snow Empress and Artoria."
"Also, during the ritual, magicules can be replenished from the Cardinal World as needed."
Rin was confident in Violet's arrangements.
However, there was still one issue.
His own protection.
During the evolution, the other monsters could remain safe inside the Void Ark.
But Rin had to remain outside, in the Cardinal World.
He needed strong guardians.
"I remember Rimuru summoned demons during his evolution, didn't he?"
As it happened, the corpses of the Gastrea Rin had eliminated were still preserved.
Indeed, those beings erased by light had not been reduced to ash.
Rin had intentionally kept them.
He had no interest in preserving human corpses, but the Gastrea had some research value.
At the very least, highly purified bloodline crystals could be extracted from them, to help strengthen his Cursed Children.
(To be continued.)