It’s Rimuru vs Clayman!
Episode 24 is epic from start to finish, and not just because of the fight scene, but how it gives Rimuru another milestone.
First, it’s time for our favorite slime to exact revenge on the Demon Lord behind every trouble he and his nation had experienced throughout the season: Clayman. And as expected, the fight is simply epic. Clayman didn’t stand a chance at all, even after using his ultimate skill, and seeing Rimuru subdue him with just his bare fists is a testament to how much his powers has grown. He even copied the barrier that was used by Guy during the previous episode, which is indeed awesome. But what’s even more epic is the addition of this season’s second opening song during the fight.
Truly, it is no surprise that Clayman would be defeated despite his awakening. And what’s really terrifying is that Rimuru could even destroy his soul, preventing Clayman from reviving. His terror, then, is justified, and Clayman finally breaks down as his death approaches. Once again, Rimuru’s cruel side appears here, lending a chill to the scene itself as he mercilessly absorbs the Deathman.
Nevertheless, Clayman’s death is still saddening to a certain degree. While his atrocities could never be forgiven, his character is somewhat admirable due to his undying loyalty for his friends and allies. Indeed, even until death, he calls out to Laplace and the others in the Moderate Harlequin Alliance in desperation, proving that he does trusts them with his life, and he refuses to reveal Yuuki as his benefactor. He did, however, utters Kazalim’s name in his final moments, which in itself is a big clue for Rimuru.
Clayman’s defeat finally ends Rimuru’s wrath, though there are still a few matters left. First, Kazalim being mentioned stirs the Demon Lords, particularly Leon who supposedly killed him. Of course, we already know that Kazalim is now Kagali and is working together with Yuuki, which means that the trouble is far from over.
A funny scene here involves Veldora, Milim, and Luminus, the real Vampire Demon Lord. As it turns out, Rimuru was right; the maid is indeed the real one, and Roy is simply disguising in her stead. It is hilarious to see both dragons revealing her identity to everyone, particularly because of her grudge against Veldora, who did forgot her name.
With that, the Demon Lords are fully assembled. But in a fun twist, two decided to step down after witnessing Rimuru’s battle with Clayman: Frey and Carrion. For Frey, it is simply because she is too specialized for air combat, so most Demon Lords would simply wipe the floor with her. The same could be said for Carrion who lost against Milim, though it is still a feat to actually make her use her Destroyer Mode. Interestingly enough, both of them are still Unawakened, or in the level of Demon Lord Seeds, suggesting that they could be more powerful in the future if given the right circumstances.
And so the two former Demon Lords become servants of Milim, and we are treated with an adorable scene of the Dragonoid throwing a fit for getting more servants; after all, she never does much for her domain, having a laidback and carefree attitude.
Now that the ranks of Ten Great Demon Lords are down by two members, it is time for a new name. And who else is better suited for that than Rimuru himself? Thus, the Octagram is born, and a new age for the Demon Lords begin.
As the Walpurgis concludes, Rimuru finally returns to his nation in a glorious hero’s return. But trouble brews in the Western Holy Empire as Laplace kills Roy, hinting at another conflict that our favorite slime must overcome.
Overall, episode 24 is an exciting finale to season 2. It fully wraps up many of the plot threads created since the start of the series while opening a lot more questions. Moreover, the fight scenes are epic, and the character development is really good.
Episode score: 9/10.