Archive Of Potentialities.

Short Story: Dreamer [7]

Chapter 7: One in a million
.....

The world had screeched to a halt, and Rimuru felt like he had all the time in the world.

He didn't.

Granted, he could arguably complete an infinite amount of tasks in a finite amount of time, but things like these were never easy or straightforward.

Besides, he had stopped valuing infinity a long time ago. The concept seemed fairly useless when you had it at your command.

As he watched Ayase lunge at him, clutching a ridiculously amped Hell Lance in her hand, he reminisced about the last time someone had blatantly attacked him.

It was a little more than a day ago, but he found himself wishing for simpler times.

Rimuru studied his surroundings. Ayase had unsurprisingly not moved into his office, despite his encouragement to do so. Though looking back, it might have been an insensitive thing to suggest.

He also briefly examined the otherworlder who didn't seem out of place in the presence of the Regent herself, a friend?

[[How long do you plan to keep delaying the inevitable, master?]]

“I'm not delaying, I'm just…preparing,” He lied, knowing his partner would see through him anyway.

[[Preparing? For what? I'd very much like to entertain such a ludicrous statement but I know that's not what master needs right now.]]

“What I need, huh? I'd very much like to know what that is, Ciel.”

[[It's simple. You need to do away with this hesitation.]]

“Is that all? I didn't expect something so…obvious.”

Rimuru wasn't sure what Ciel hoped to achieve by simply stating what he knew perfectly.

[[If it's so obvious, why are you still clamping down hard on Time? I suspect the White Ice Dragon won't be pleased if you hold on to her domain any much longer.]]

Rimuru considered her words, and for a moment he thought duking it out with Velzard over his theft of her fixation authority would be a much more favorable situation. He had gone out of his way to provoke her, what was a fight in comparison?

He didn't need to feel anything to pummel the annoying True Dragon.

[[Master…]]

“Okay, okay, fine. I honestly don't know if I should be annoyed at your emotional intelligence. That used to be my thing,” He murmured.

[[Seeing as you considered it a good idea to surround yourself with individuals as volatile and uncaring as Veldora for the good part of the Millenium, I decided to learn a new skill. And evidently, it's paying off.]]

‘Well…’

Rimuru sighed, then he returned the world to its natural state. No longer fixed to a single moment, time began to flow and space began to expand once more.

And Ayase drew closer. Rimuru could see it in her eyes. She knew how pointless her attack was, she even seemed to be reprimanding herself.

But she didn't stop.

Rimuru guessed it was a matter of principle, he couldn't blame her.

So he stood still and let the attack hit him.

The least he could do was present her with a facade of acceptance, even if all it did was assist her in deceiving herself.

An explosion erupted, and then a conflagration of black flames that would have rendered an average soul to cosmic dust.