Chapter 275
Signs of Defeat
One of the signs of defeat is knowledge… and the mind.
...
If you know your opponent, you know how to defeat him. If you know his mentality, you know everything about him. And if you—
...
No. A thousand times no.
All of that is nothing but absolute nonsense, falsehood from its very roots.
True defeat is seeing with your own eyes the person who will overpower you… and kill you. Defeat is facing an existence you cannot defeat no matter how hard you try, no matter what you do. Defeat is having your will crushed beneath the weight of its aura alone, without it even touching you.
So is this truly defeat?
...
Who knows?
Every human, in every world, has their own definition of defeat. But in the end, there is one thing certain that no one can disagree with:
If you die… you have been defeated.
This is a truth known by young and old, animal and human, demon and angel, and every existence without exception.
Death… is pure defeat.
Veldora Tempest.
The strongest and greatest dragon. An existence that had lived through countless ages and witnessed entire eras rise and fall.
And now… he stood before something he could not defeat.
In Tempest's mind, no matter how hard he tried, no matter what he did, no matter how he attacked—whether it was a fiery attack, a cutting strike, or complete destruction—
Every attack… every strike… everything.
This being avoided them all.
In Tempest's mind, one hundred and fifty-eight possible battles had been formed. One hundred and fifty of them… ended with his death in a single blow. As for the remaining eight, he survived only because the being before him blocked the attack… and then stopped. It did not retaliate.
Even within his own mind, Tempest was astonished by that.
"Who are you, really?"
The slime standing beside Tempest spoke in a tone tinged with arrogance as he crawled forward with obvious pride.
Arthur lowered his gaze and looked down to see the blue slime before him.
"You… I can sense the energy of a different planet from you. You're a transmigrator too, aren't you?"
"Yes, I'm a transmigrator. So what? My friend told me that this world has some transmigrators who became heroes."
'If Myung Sang heard you say that, boy…'
Arthur mocked inwardly as he silently watched the slime before him.
"Are you telling me that transmigrators are welcomed in this world?"
"You could say that, yes… but. In this world, humans are summoned here.
As for you… and Rimuru…
No one summoned you. You emerged from nothing."
Tempest said it calmly and cautiously, the terror he had felt from Arthur still lingering deep within him.
'So humans are summoned from other worlds by powerful individuals who form contracts with them. Whether for good or evil.
But no one other than me and this slime appeared without a summoner.
I have Cain… but what does this boy have?'
Arthur thought for a moment, then calmly looked at Rimuru.
"Cain… can you sense a System inside him?"
|Yes… and no. I sense something resembling a System, but it isn't a System. It is something stranger than that. Something possessing greater power… roughly comparable to your current power. Your full sealed power.|
Arthur smiled with faint excitement.
Since transferring to Sung's world, he had not encountered a single person capable of killing him, with the exception of the Great Ancients. Even they… ultimately failed.
But now… there was an existence that possessed something protecting it.
"So… what now?"
Rimuru asked as he looked at Arthur and Tempest.
"I'm here to fulfill a promise I made a long time ago… centuries ago, man."
"Can I know what it is?"
"Yes. I promised someone that I would take him somewhere suitable for him. And here I am.
What about the two of you?"
"I… am sealed here."
Arthur looked at Tempest and noticed a faint trace of sadness on his face, but behind it… there was a deep sense of relief.
The dark, murderous aura that had surrounded Arthur earlier had disappeared, and his speech was now calm, gentle, and free of pressure.
'Just as I expected… he really is sealed.'
Arthur sighed calmly and stared at the seal engraved around Tempest's body and soul.
He could not break it.
Not because of weakness… but because he did not understand its nature.
The seal had been placed using a technique completely foreign to him. Even with his full power, he would not be able to break it directly. Instead, he would have to summon the one who had placed the seal, kill him, and destroy the seal… and perhaps the universe along with it.
But that… would not happen. The Power of Heaven pursued Arthur wherever he went.
And while he was lost in his thoughts, he heard Rimuru speak about a technique he possessed.
"Predator. A technique capable of devouring Tempest… and breaking the seal. But it will need some time."
Tempest did not object.
Instead, he welcomed the idea wholeheartedly.
For true defeat… is to lose hope.
And he had not done so yet.
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