Clayman

Clayman belongs to the race of Youmushi (a type of undead monster).

He rules the puppet nation of Jistav and was formerly one of the official Ten Great Demon Lords.

His titles include Marionette Master and Jester of Mad Delight (Crazy Pierrot), and he is a core member of the Moderate Harlequin Alliance.

In Clayman REVENGE he becomes the main character, gaining a time‑loop ability that lets him redo his life from seventy years in the past.

In the main story, he is seemingly killed completely by Rimuru Tempest at the Walpurgis “Banquet of the Demon Lords.”

However, at the moment of death he awakens the unique skill Survivor (The One Who Redoes), sending his consciousness back seventy years and allowing a second chance at life.

In life, Clayman was from the same homeland as Kagali.

That homeland was destroyed, and in order to make him never forget the humiliation, Kagali reconstructed his corpse as an undead being, giving birth to Clayman as a Youmushi.

Roughly three hundred years before the start of the main series, Clayman became a Demon Lord.

After Kagali was killed about two hundred years prior, he inherited her power base and influence.

He never trusted others and treated even his elite subordinates, known as the Five Fingers, with cold cruelty.

In contrast, he was friendly toward his original comrades in the Moderate Harlequin Alliance and was deeply devoted to Kagali, whom he regarded as a parental figure.

Strategically, Clayman excels at scheming, information warfare, and commanding armies, but he is relatively weak in direct combat.

He specializes in mental magic and uses the unique skill Puppeteer to spy through the senses of his dispatched subordinates.

Among the Ten Great Demon Lords, Clayman is said to be the wealthiest and the one who best understands how to use money.

He trades with the Eastern Empire and the Dwarf Kingdom, stockpiling cutting‑edge weapons, armor, ancient relics, and magic devices to strengthen his forces.

By flooding regions with trade profits and bribes, he conducts extensive political manipulation and subversion.

This combination of economic power and intelligence work is his core strength.

Clayman receives a Dominion Orb (Orb of Dominate) from a mysterious higher being, referred to only as “That One.”

Using it, he plans to control Milim Nava, one of the strongest Demon Lords.

Milim pretends to be under his control, tricking Clayman into believing he has successfully gained her power.

This illusion of control causes him to become arrogant and careless, abandoning the caution that previously defined his style.

To trigger his own awakening as a “True Demon Lord,” he orchestrates a massacre in Tempest by manipulating the Kingdom of Falmuth and sending the sorceress Mjurran as a covert agent.

This leads to massive casualties and earns the wrath of Rimuru Tempest.

Clayman also uses Milim (whom he believes dominated) to destroy Eurazania, the Beast Kingdom ruled by Demon Lord Karion.

He forces Karion and Frey into complicity, gaining leverage over them and then treating them high‑handedly, which eventually turns them against him.

Stung by repeated failures, Clayman becomes frantic and irrational, ignoring the warnings of his allies.

He secretly launches new invasions against Eurazania and Tempest in parallel with hosting the “Banquet of the Demon Lords” (Walpurgis).

His armies are completely defeated by a joint force of Tempest and Eurazania led by Benimaru.

At the same time, his main base is captured by Shuna and her allies.

During Walpurgis, Clayman attempts to frame Rimuru with false testimony, intending to have him executed by the other Demon Lords.

However, Rimuru’s subordinate Shion, wielding a weapon with mental-attack nullification, shrugs off Clayman’s spiritual tricks and overwhelms him.

Clayman then realizes that Milim and others have deceived him from the start and that he never controlled her at all.

Cornered, he forces a partial awakening into a pseudo–True Demon Lord form to try a last desperate comeback.

Rimuru responds with the ultimate skill Beelzebuth (Lord of Gluttony) and devours Clayman completely.

His body, astral body, and soul are all consumed, seemingly erasing him from existence.

Later developments reveal that Clayman had been under mental domination by Kondo for several decades before his death.

The sudden outbreaks of erratic and cruel behavior in that period are largely attributed to this external control.

Kondo himself was in turn being controlled by higher entities, including Michael and Feldway.

Because of this chain of manipulation, characters like Kagali regard Michael and Feldway as the true culprits behind Clayman’s downfall and death.

Clayman’s brutality in the main story is therefore partially explained as the result of layered mental interference.

His more genuine personality is closer to what is seen in Clayman REVENGE.

Clayman REVENGE begins at the exact moment Clayman is annihilated by Rimuru at Walpurgis.

His newly awakened unique skill Survivor (The One Who Redoes) activates, and his consciousness is sent back seventy years into the past.

This time leap appears to break the control that Michael had exerted through Kondo.

Freed from that influence, Clayman can objectively analyze his previous actions and is disturbed by his own past cruelty.

For instance, he realizes that he had intended, at least originally, to return Mjurran’s stolen heart once her task was completed.

Seeing the way he actually treated her in the original timeline, he wonders how he could have behaved so callously.

Taking his past failure as a hard lesson, he changes his leadership style and rethinks how he treats his subordinates.

He now consciously tries to build trust and mutual loyalty, and over time he genuinely grows attached to his followers.

As a result, Clayman evolves from a stereotypical abusive “black company” boss into something close to an ideal leader.

His subordinates begin to respect and even adore him, which ironically creates a new headache for him when their “too free” behavior gets out of hand.

By the time of volume 4, Clayman has not yet encountered Rimuru in this altered timeline.

However, the memory of being completely defeated and killed by Rimuru is a deep trauma: he trembles at the mere thought of Rimuru’s face and mutters “Slimes are scary…” while holding his head in fear.

In one extra scene at the end of volume 2, just seeing round objects is enough to trigger flashbacks of Rimuru, showing how severe his PTSD‑like reaction is.

This exaggerated fear also becomes a comedic running gag in the spin‑off.

Personality in the Main Story

In the original novel and manga, Clayman is portrayed as arrogant, sadistic, and cruel.

He casually sacrifices subordinates, seeing them as expendable pieces of a larger plan.

He distrusts everyone and treats even his elite Five Fingers with icy detachment and ruthless discipline.

Yet when interacting with fellow members of the Moderate Harlequin Alliance, such as Laplace, he shows a softer, more relaxed side.

His devotion to Kagali, who resurrected him, is almost fanatical.

This emotional dependency partially explains why he clings to his status and overcompensates with theatrical cruelty and arrogance.

Personality in Clayman REVENGE

In Clayman REVENGE, his personality is re‑framed and expanded, with a much more comedic and humanized tone.

He still has pride and ambition, but now also plenty of flaws that his subordinates lovingly mock.

Clayman often acts flashy and tries to look cool, only to be undercut by reality.

During training, for example, he is repeatedly beaten down by his maid and instructor Eva, who shows no mercy.

He is teased by subordinates and allies for his short temper, vanity, and occasional cowardice (especially where Rimuru is concerned).

These comedic traits turn him into a likable “third‑banana” type character who often serves as comic relief.

At the same time, his kindness stands out much more clearly than in the main story.

He:

Grants his subordinates proper vacations.

Returns Mjurran’s heart instead of keeping it as leverage.

Serves homemade scones and tea to guests like Alvaro.

Treats visiting Demon Lord Milim Nava to those same scones.

Explodes with genuine rage when he believes his comrades have been killed.

When he thinks his allies have been slaughtered by Chloe Aubert (here appearing as the hero Chronoa), he shouts:

“There was no need to kill my companions, even if you came to take my Demon Lord seat!”

This heartfelt anger shocks Chloe, who knows the original Clayman as a much colder figure.

Clayman also reflects deeply on the original timeline, acknowledging that his sloppy, self‑centered leadership led directly to his original demise.

Because of this, he now avoids killing whenever possible, even when dealing with those who insult or oppose him.

He spares characters such as Baron Makene and the imperial group led by Kansas, remarking that his previous self would have killed them without hesitation.

He orders his army not to engage in pointless killing, and as of the current story in the spin‑off, neither he nor his subordinates have killed anyone after the time leap.

Within the story’s world, his role shifts from a purely villainous overlord to a surprisingly empathetic and growth‑oriented leader.

In fandom terms, he goes from “nightmare boss” to “ideal boss with comedic flaws.”

Knowledge of the Time Leap

Only a handful of characters know that Clayman has time‑leaped.

Clayman first confides in Laplace, and by extension in the maid Eva, who is present at that conversation.

Laplace later tells Footman and Tear, bringing them into the secret as well.

Finally, Chloe Aubert (in her hero persona) forcibly extracts the information from him, making her another person who knows the truth.

To everyone else, Clayman simply appears as a Demon Lord who has turned over a new leaf and is rapidly growing stronger.

The deeper cause—his traumatic death at Rimuru’s hands and the Survivor skill—is hidden.

Clayman’s poor performance in the main story makes him look weak compared to other Demon Lords.

However, Laplace explicitly states that Clayman has very high potential.

Freed from mental manipulation in the spin‑off timeline, Clayman shows impressive creativity and adaptability.

He invents new techniques, refines his existing skills, and makes clever use of strategy rather than brute force.

Author Fuse has commented that Clayman still has considerable room to grow.

This implies that even the power shown in Clayman REVENGE might not be his ceiling.

Three years after the time leap, Clayman has trained enough to impress very powerful individuals.

Tear, who herself can fight on par with a Demon Lord, half‑seriously says, “You might even be able to beat me now!?” and Rain, one of the primordial demons, regards him with serious caution.

Clayman remains far from the very top tier (such as Rimuru, Guy Crimson, or Milim), but he is no longer an easy mark.

His real danger lies in preparation, tricks, and synergy with his skills.

Affiliation

Race: Youmushi (undead-type being)

Faction: Ten Great Demon Lords (former member), ruler of the puppet nation Jistav

Group: Core member of the Moderate Harlequin Alliance

Allies and Subordinates

Clayman’s closest group is the Moderate Harlequin Alliance, including Laplace, Tear, and Footman.

With them he shows his most honest, relaxed, and sometimes goofy side.

He also commands a powerful personal army and a cadre of elite subordinates known as the Five Fingers.

In the original timeline he treats them as pawns; in the time‑looped timeline he sincerely tries to value them, leading to much deeper loyalty.

Maid and trainer Eva plays a major role in his development in Clayman REVENGE, thoroughly beating him in training and forcing him to confront his limitations.

Thanks to her, he creates new arts and greatly improves his hand‑to‑hand combat.

Clayman also interacts with other major powers through trade and diplomacy.

His dealings with the Eastern Empire and the Dwarf Kingdom are motivated by both profit and military modernization.

Enemies and Rivals

In the main story, his primary nemesis is Rimuru Tempest, who ultimately kills him.

Rimuru’s overwhelming victory becomes Clayman’s defining trauma in the new timeline.

He antagonizes Karion, Frey, and Milim Nava by manipulating events around Eurazania and abusing Milim’s supposed “brainwashing.”

These relationships sour completely once his schemes fail and his deception is exposed.

Behind the scenes, the true puppet masters above Clayman are Kondo, Michael, and Feldway.

In the post‑revelation perspective, they are seen as the real villains responsible for pushing Clayman down a path of self‑destruction.

Clayman’s power set revolves around mental manipulation, remote control, and self‑enhancement rather than raw physical power.

Below are his known skills and techniques.

Unique Skill: Puppeteer (Ayatsuru Mono)

Puppeteer is Clayman’s original unique skill.

It focuses on controlling others, gathering information, and extending his will through proxies.

He can link to his subordinates and perceive the world through their eyes and ears.

This effectively grants him a distributed surveillance network.

Puppeteer also underpins several of his specialized techniques.

It can be adapted to control not only other beings but also aspects of his own body and the environment.

Unique Skill: Survivor (Yarinaosu Mono)

Survivor (The One Who Redoes) is the unique skill Clayman gains at the moment of his death at Walpurgis.

Its main effect is a powerful time‑loop: when Clayman dies, his consciousness returns to a point seventy years in the past.

The reason for the exact seventy‑year interval is unknown.

It is implied that the skill arose from his intense desire not to die and his overwhelming regret at the end.

In his current life, Clayman can see a fraction displayed at the lower left of his field of vision: 1/3.

He believes this denotes the number of remaining time leaps, though this is only his personal hypothesis.

He assumes the display started at 3/3 and has been reduced to 1/3 after using the skill twice.

However, it is equally possible that the counter actually increased from 0/3 to 1/3, or that it represents something entirely different.

So far, the states 2/3 or 3/3 have never been shown to readers, leaving the true nature of the fraction as one of the story’s biggest mysteries.

Despite Rimuru’s use of the soul‑erasing Soul Consumption (via Beelzebuth), Survivor still activates, proving it can trigger even after the astral body and soul are destroyed.

Other Skills

Super Speed Regeneration

Clayman can rapidly heal injuries at an extraordinary rate.

However, techniques that inflict continuous or sustained damage can bypass or overwhelm this regeneration.

During training with Eva, joint locks and grappling techniques proved highly effective, as they apply constant pressure rather than a single discrete wound.

Clayman himself complains this is “unfair,” but the weakness remains clear.

Thought Acceleration

His thinking speed is greatly enhanced, allowing him to analyze situations quickly and plan complex maneuvers in combat and strategy.

This synergizes well with Puppeteer, giving him a tactical edge when controlling multiple fronts and subordinates.

Manipulated Martial Dance (Marshal Dance)

Manipulated Martial Dance is a new martial art Clayman develops during three years of harsh training under Eva.

Using Puppeteer on himself, he controls his own body like a puppet.

This shifts his perspective into a “third‑person view,” similar to a third‑person video game camera.

By observing himself from outside, he gains an excellent sense of range, timing, and positioning.

When combined with Magic Sense, he can perceive attacks from all directions and respond quickly.

He can also perform movements that ignore normal human anatomical limits, making his fighting style unpredictable and inhuman.

With this art, Clayman becomes capable of putting up a respectable fight even against Eva.

Observers like Laplace note that his movements have become “drastically stronger” and far sharper than before.

Geomantic Manipulation

Geomantic Manipulation is a derived technique made possible by Puppeteer.

Clayman manipulates subterranean energy flows—akin to “dragon veins” or ley lines—to detect targets.

By weaving in magicules and pre‑marking targets in advance, he can send attacks traveling along these geomantic lines with great accuracy.

The pre‑marking ensures that even in large-scale battles, he can strike all intended targets without missing any.

This technique shines in area control and ambush scenarios.

It reflects Clayman’s preference for battlefield control over direct confrontation.

Draconic Vein Demon Thread

Draconic Vein Demon Thread is another original technique created by Clayman after observing that his original Demon Marionette‑style mental domination did not work on Milim Nava.

He changes focus from pure spiritual control to direct manipulation of the nervous system.

The technique analyzes the physical capabilities of the target’s body.

Then, using magicules as a conduit, Clayman sends electrical signals into the target’s nervous system, seizing control of their bodily movements.

Because it hijacks the physical neural network, it can control targets who possess high resistance or immunity to spiritual or mental attacks.

When combined with mental magic, its effectiveness is further amplified, allowing deep and precise control over the victim.

This fusion of spiritual and physiological domination marks a major evolution in Clayman’s manipulation style.

It’s also a good example of his creativity and willingness to rethink his methods after encountering failure.

In the main That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime anime, Clayman is voiced by Takehito Koyasu.

This casting emphasizes his theatrical, flamboyant villain persona, which later contrasts amusingly with his more comedic and sympathetic depiction in Clayman REVENGE.