Clarifications:
-"Person Talking"-
-(Person Thinking)-
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[Skills or Magic]
(JC: Author's Notes)
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Let's start
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Just as he'd boldly proclaimed the day before, Rigurd had everything I needed that afternoon. He'd even handpicked the team members for my expedition to the Dwarf Kingdom.
-(By the way, did Rigur have to be our expedition leader too?)- I was a little worried about that, but he seemed fine with it.
Well, his father regained his youthful appearance and the enthusiasm to accompany him. Maybe I was worrying too much.
Once I collected my luggage, Ranga briskly placed me on his back. I straightened up and snuggled into his fur along with Night, who wanted to come with us. There was a lot more fluff than I'd thought, and it sure did wonders for comfort.
I supported my body with [Sticky Thread] to keep from falling. One quality of the Storm Wolves is their great speed, so no matter how much I hold on, I'll still fall.
My luggage consisted mostly of money and food, good for three days. If it takes longer than that, I'll use what I got in the cave. We could have brought some sturdier rations that would last for longer periods of time, but I wanted to travel light, if I could.
It's not like I couldn't swallow anything and carry it... But I didn't want to get soft. I didn't need food anyway.
On the monetary side, we had seven pieces of silver and twenty-four pieces of bronze. Even I could say it wasn't much; less so when you look at what I have stored in the [Stomach].
But then again, my expectations are high, so it was fine. We'd just figure out what to do once we showed up.
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For a Goblin on foot, it would apparently take about two months to walk to the Dwarven Kingdom. We would largely follow the Great Ameld River, which flowed through the forest, to its source in a mountain range that housed the settlement we were looking for. These were the Canaat Mountains, which clearly separated the Eastern Empire and the small cluster of nations here and there around the Forest of Jura. There were, broadly speaking, three trade routes that ran between the two pockets of civilization. One lay through the forest; another was a more treacherous route through the mountains; the third was by sea. The Jura route would normally be the shortest and safest, but for some reason, it was rarely taken advantage of; most travelers braved the mountains, with the travel costs and potential interference from sea monsters that a ship route presented.
In addition to these three routes, there were a handful of other ways to reach the Dwarven Kingdom, but all charged tolls. This was mandatory, supposedly to prevent people from transporting dangerous goods along the roads. It was a decent enough option for small bands, but larger caravans avoided them because of the costs and time involved. They were safe, to be sure, and we would have to consider one of them later, depending on how our finances held up.
We had no business with the Empire, so it made no sense to travel east to leave the forest. It was directly north of the Canaats. We wouldn't have to climb any peaks; at least the kingdom was located at the base of the mountains, in the upper reaches of the Great Ameld. A beautiful center of civilization, by the looks of it, built into a gigantic natural cavern.
That was the Dwarf Kingdom.
So we followed the plan, tracing the route of the Great Ameld River to the North. It certainly kept us from getting lost. Anyway, I had a map in my brain, just in case. We had a guide with us, Gobuta, who apparently made his own trip to the kingdom once, so we followed his lead, and I brought up the rear.
These wolves are fast! And they never seemed to tire at all. We'd been going for close to three hours without a single break, and we must have been averaging almost fifty miles per hour the whole way. We had a few rocky outcrops while cruising from time to time, but they certainly didn't mind. And this was all while making sure we stayed balanced on their backs! It made the trip a breeze for us.
At this rate, we might not even need a week for the entire trip. It's not like I was in a hurry. I wanted to sort out the housing and clothing situation in the village, but that wasn't a problem we could solve in a night and a day.
-"Hey!"- I shouted. -"Don't wear yourself out, now!"-
Ranga, for some reason, increased his speed a bit.
I spent the last three hours enjoying the wind and the feeling of speed as a motorcycle, but I was starting to get a little bored. Trying to converse in these conditions would normally be impossible, but not with the [Telepathic Communication] Skill I stole from Chief Fangwolf. Perhaps it would be fun to converse with the group while I set off on the journey.
In my mind, I formed the required thought network. –(Right, what to talk about...)- Then a topic occurred to me.
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The Hobgoblins listening to us all nodded earnestly in agreement. -(That sort of thing. Naming someone evolves them, but how it turns out depends on the one naming them...?)- I'd love to recruit someone to help me experiment a bit. We could name him.
-(But... Damn. A horde of real-life Demons! I knew there had to be one around here! Will the King of All Demons attack us sooner or later? Really, whose side should we be on if that happens?)- Maybe I should save that question for when he comes around, if he ever does.
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-(Are you overconfident or just plain dumb!? I won't do such a thing without thinking it through!)-
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-(And you're suicidal! Things involving a legion of Demons have to be thought through carefully!)-
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-(You know what, Ddraig? I'll just ignore you for now; no, I have a better idea! [Great Sage]! Is it possible to block Ddraig's voice so he can't hear it?)-
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-(Okay! Do it now!)-
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And that was the last thing Ddraig said before being blocked.
-(~Ah finally; peace and quiet)-
Back to the topics of this world. I already know there's at least one Hero besides, so I'm sure that King or whatever will be primarily focused on whoever it is. I'm not sure the person Veldora told me about is still alive after three centuries of seclusion, but given how easy it seems to be to transmigrate and revive around here, something tells me she's still in this vast, unknown world.
-(Better make a mental note of that Gelmud guy, at least. Now, back to the questions)-
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-(Very... Good? What's with this loyalty and devotion?)-
Certainly, in the form of the Black Snake, I might have been able to finish them all off with a single breath. But I honestly wasn't looking to kill a pack of wolves that night; I just wanted to protect the village and end that conflict. He really is thinking too highly of me.
-(Not that I mind him getting the wrong idea, but...)-
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I nodded to myself. I mean, I killed his father. There's no way he wouldn't be at least a little upset about that. If Ranga ever wanted to exact revenge, I'd gladly keep my end of the bargain.
We chatted a bit more as the path progressed. All of us were moving much, much faster than anticipated.
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I looked at the rest of the group. They all seemed as delighted as when we set out. I'm probably the least enthusiastic of all.
We ended up running, running, and running some more for half the day. Talking hard.
When the group ate dinner at the end of the second day, I decided to ask Gobuta about the Dwarf Kingdom we were heading toward.
-"Y-Yes, sir! Umm, officially known as the Armed Nation of Dwargon! Its leader is known as the Heroic King, and-"-
Something about his responding shout indicated that my conversation with him made him terribly nervous. I feared he might bite his tongue in his panic.
According to Gobuta's account, the current King was Gazel Dwargo, the third in his line from the original. A great Hero, one whose power and presence made the Elder Dwarves remember their grandfather in their younger years, but also an intelligent one who ruled his kingdom with a firm and just hand. A living Hero, in a sense.
It had been a thousand years since Guran Dwargo, the First Heroic King of the Dwarves, established this Kingdom. Since then, his descendants had carried out his will, preserving and developing the history, culture, and technical skill of his people.
In a nutshell, that was Dwargon. Considering how long its Kings apparently lived, it must be a grand place. Hearing about it, I became excited.
-"In that case,"- I asked. -"How much longer will it take, Gobuta?"-
-"If I had to guess, we should arrive by tomorrow, sir! The mountains are just beginning to peek out!"-
He was right. The peaks weren't visible until yesterday. We were moving forward at an astonishing pace.
-"I've thought of something, Gobuta. What errand brought you there in the first place? I thought you had traders visiting the village regularly."-
From what I'd heard from Rigurd, there were groups of Kobolds passing through on regular occasions. -(Why would a goblin want to take the two-month journey there then?)-
-"Y-Yes, sir! The dwarves pay high prices for magical weapons and armor, you see. They paid us in tools and such, but the merchants helped me carry them, thankfully! None of the monsters in the village could use that magical equipment anyway..."-
-(So they sold the weapons and things they found from passing adventurers? No wonder there was nothing decent left in the village.)- He must have taken everything back to the Dwarven Kingdom because the kobolds had no way of appraising it on-site. Of course, any adventurer who lost to a group of goblins must almost certainly have been a complete beginner, so inexperienced they couldn't even use a compass to avoid stumbling into monster villages. He doubted some of his equipment would have been worth much.
-"Furthermore,"- Rigur added to Gobuta's indirect response. -"All the products the Dwarves make, especially the weapons, are top-notch. Even humans recognize it as the finest brand in the land, and they gather in the kingdom to seek out the latest works, along with the sub-races and intelligent monsters. It's been a tradition for ages, and all conflict between races is forbidden there, in the name of the King."-
So we traveled there, less to sell some junk, and more so they could buy the tools they needed. The fact that they could do it on neutral territory, without the other monsters laughing at them, must have been another attraction.
-"Such an arrangement,"- Rigur continued. -"It's possible thanks to the astonishing military might of the Armored Nation. As far as what the Kobold merchants told me, the Dwarven armies haven't tasted defeat in a full millennium..."-
The Kingdom enjoyed defenses from a massive, powerful, magic-powered army and a wall of heavily armored infantry. Any would-be attacker would first find themselves blocked by the infantry, then turned to dust by a barrage of offensive magic.
The equipment backing up such a juggernaut offensive must have been very high-tech for this world. As Rigur said, it was overwhelmingly superior to any human-made weapon or armor. He doubted anyone would have the guts to mess with them at this point. It would be the smart thing for a nearby nation to try to stay on their friendly side. No wonder none of their visitors were stupid enough to fight other monsters within their territory.
Even so, dealing with any species, regardless of what they look like? Dwarves must be pretty calm fellows. Maybe I could make some connections myself. In fact, I'd better.
This was a Kingdom where people freely mingled with monsters. A land that began with the surface city and stretched down, down, down. A kingdom armed to the hilt that walked the path of peace. No place in the world boasted many blacksmiths and merchants, and yet it sounded like the furthest point in the universe from any kind of conflict. A little ironic, perhaps.
The way the Dwarven Kingdom was beginning to sound from these conversations, I couldn't wait to arrive.
Exactly three days after we began our journey, we arrived at the grasslands at the foot of the Canaats. The city was truly beautiful, chiseled into the vast mountain cavern, a natural fortress created by nature.
It was the Armored Nation of Dwargon in all its mighty glory.
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And, of course, there was a line to get in.
The entrance door was enormous, built to block free entry into the vast cave opening.
This door opened only when the army entered or left, and that, I heard, happened only once a month. Today it was firmly closed, but at the bottom of the large doors were two small entrances meant for regular traffic. The one on the right had no one in front of it, probably meant for nobility or any other noble figures who might appear. The door we were waiting for was on the left, and while some people had passes that allowed them free entry, others had to go through baggage control in a separate chamber. All of this, of course, was guarded by a security detail whose equipment certainly reminded you that this was the Armed Nation. They weren't kidding.
Once you got through security, you were pretty much free to do whatever you wanted in the city, it seemed... But the line was still long. We were destined to spend more time waiting than traveling at this pace.
-"Guess we're really here, huh?"- Said a daring traveler nearby as I scanned the line of people along the corridor. -"That's one fancy door!"-
-"Look at that soldier's armor!"- Exclaimed his companion. -"We probably couldn't afford gear like that after ten years of my salary."-
-"Yeah, I bet! Even the Eastern Empire tries to keep things peaceful with these guys, in public, at least. With that kind of equipment, I can see why."-
-"You said it. They certainly won't give you a second chance if you try anything. Retaliation would be a major headache for any nation that tries it!"-
Perhaps the Dwarves of this world weren't the kind, gentle, almost adorable beings I was imagining. They could be far more violent than that, for all I knew. Even so, as a free city and a center of trade between races and species, it maintained at least a public face of neutrality. The fact that the Heroic King never allowed combat within the city was fairly common knowledge among adventurers. I supposed that even in this world, you could afford to be neutral only if you had the muscle to back it up.
As I pondered this, I began to hear more sinister voices.
-"Hey! Hey, look, there's a monster here! We can kill it, right? We're not even in yet."-
-"Yeah, what the heck are you standing in line for? You think we're going to let you do that, you little mouse? Give me your spot before we kill you! And leave your trash there too, okay? Then we'll let you go!"-
And here comes the trouble...
I thought they must be out of their minds, but then again, it was just Gobuta, Night, and me.
A group of loincloth-clad goblins riding giant wolves would have raised at least a little bit of eyebrows, and not the good kind, so I decided to go solo with my guide. Rigur had wanted to join me, but I turned him down.
Now everyone was camped at the entrance to the forest, waiting for our return. Which left the two of us. I'm sure it looked like we had giant targets painted on our asses. Now this pair of adventurers was accosting us, complaining that for some reason they didn't like a monster in their line.
-(Is it because I'm a Goblin? What's so wrong with that? With what I know, and I know it very well; Humans aren't saints)-
-"Hey, did you hear anything, Gobuta?"-
-"Yeah, I heard..."-
-"Did you have any trouble last time you were here?"-
-"Of course you did, sir! Ooh, I got beaten silly! The Kobold merchants had to pick me up off the ground! I could have died if they didn't, huh?"-
-"... They did, huh? So we can't avoid this?"-
-"It's, uh, the fate of the weak...?"-
He had almost expected it. Maybe he could have told me beforehand. Gobuta lowered his head, realizing what was in store for him. He was finally feeling comfortable talking to me. I was a little worried that this threat would make him retreat back into his shell.
-"Hey! Do you think fools have the right to ignore us?"-
The adventurers continued barking at us. I'd like to think I had the patience of a saint on Earth, but even I could get irritated sometimes. And those who really know me will know how I get when I get irritated.
And those who knew me during my "rebellious phase" will know how I dealt with annoying and irritating people.
Even little Night growled angrily at the annoyed group.
-(Yeah... I'm going to teach these fools a lesson. But first...)-
-"Gobuta... Do you remember the rules I gave everyone before?"-
-"Y-Yes, sir! Absolutely!"-
-"Okay. In that case, could you close your eyes and cover your ears for me? No eavesdropping."-
-"Um...? Okay, but...!"-
Right. Establishing a few simple rules for my people, then violating every single one of them three days later wouldn't exactly make me a role model. But with Gobuta out of my way, I was free once again to take out the trash. Maybe these pesky guys were attacking us verbally, but nothing physical, so far; if they had, it wouldn't stop Gobuta from watching, so he'd learn when it's the right time to defend himself physically.
I also told Night not to intervene, just in case. That way I wouldn't worry about him getting hurt.
At that moment, the hostile adventurer on the right shifted his gaze, and I followed. He led another group, a trio, grinning as they watched the spectacle unfold.
One of my adversaries carried a sword; the other was dressed in light armor. Bandits, I thought. The other three consisted of two robed figures—sorcerers or monks or something—and a large, muscular fighter. If I had to guess, they were all in the same group, and these two were sent to chase us down and take our position in the line while the other three finished us off and joined the others as if nothing had happened. That sort of thing.
A neat and easy way to eliminate the weaker monsters and take their possessions. Well planned. -(Too bad they picked the wrong target)-
-"Hey, hey, back of the line!"- I said to irritate them. -"I'm feeling generous today, so I'll let all that slide if you fall in line!"-
The duo looked dumbfounded for a moment, perhaps surprised that I stood up for Gobuta. Then their faces turned red. It doesn't take much to piss them off.
-"What the hell are you talking about, you little brat?"- One of them roared in his best evil underling voice. -"You want to start something with us?!"-
-"Are you with that filthy monster? That's disgusting! I promised them they'd live if you left all your things there, but seeing this, you know what? Now that you've pissed me off, that's out of the question."-
-(Heh)- At first, in my time as a high school student, I was always bullied and teased for being smart. The only way to get rid of those kinds of people is to be just as aggressive as them, but more cunning.
Though that's how my "rebellious stage" began…
-"You little bastard, huh? You mean me?"-
-"Who the hell else am I talking to? A brat is the most irritable of all, man!"-
-"Come here! If you're so eloquent, we'll make you our slave!"-
-(A human slave? Do those even exist?)- Let's see that later.
The merchants and apparent adventurers surrounding us had begun to notice the screams.
Best to keep their eyes on me, for starters. I don't know if the concept of justifiable self-defense exists in this world... But it wouldn't hurt to have as many eyewitnesses as possible.
Too bad none of the humans seemed interested in lending a hand. Classic bystander effect.
-"You think you can call me a bastard and get away with it? And you just called me a brat too...?"-
-"Well, obviously! What else are you?"-
-"You piece of shit... You think I'm just going to let you treat me like an idiot? You're dead! Too late to beg for your life now, man!"-
The two drew their weapons.
And there they go.
Talk about a stroke of bad luck, these guys are the first humans in this world to ever speak to me. I can't believe how much friendlier the monsters were.
The people around us started walking toward safety. I guessed they wanted to avoid getting involved. The guards at the gate must have noticed too, because they were starting to hurry up.
Still staring at them, I casually walked forward.
-"Heh... A piece of shit, huh? A brat? Where did you get the idea I was a human kid?"-
I'll let them fill in the rest for themselves.
Of course I was human, and even more so a sixteen-year-old teenager. Anyone would have guessed. But I also wear an eyepatch and a mechanical arm, and yet they still call me a brat? Is that normal in this world?
-"What? Cut that shit, man!"-
-"Yeah! If you're not a human, show me what you really are! It's going to be hard to make excuses once you're dead!"-
They were practically waiting for me to transform, as I expected. I was confident I could win, but it was a bit difficult to contain my Skills. I'd be responsible for slicing each of them into two neat pieces with my [Wind Blades]. Calming them down and simply knocking them out was harder.
-"Very well,"- I said calmly, keeping pace. -"Let me show you my true form."-
Then I released the mystical aura I'd been concealing. Only a little, of course.
I looked around, seeing if the audience had noticed. Some of the few people surrounding us had. The two idiots in front of me, meanwhile, seemed oblivious.
-(All bark, no bite, I guess. Enough analyzing them. Now, what do I transform into...?)-
A black mist erupted from my body, completely covering it. When it cleared, a different creature stood there in its place. A Black Wolf, more specifically a Storm Wolf.
-(Uh, wait, why am I bigger than Ranga and the others? That, and I had two horns on my head.)-
Form: Starstorm Wolf.
...Right. I figured if a consumed type of monster evolved from me, my mimic form evolved with it. I was a level ahead of the evolved Ranga, even. After all, he only had one horn.
Less trivial, I felt a great amount of power within me. I was sure the sight would make those fools drop their swords and instantly flee.
But they didn't.
-"Ha! I don't care how impressive you look! You're still a damn, miserable brat to me!"-
-"You think that was enough to scare us? Come on, man!"-
-(Okay, these guys are dumber than I thought... I mean, don't I look threatening enough? And even if they think it's just an illusion, shouldn't a shapeshifting guy give them at least a little pause?)-
And yet, it didn't faze them at all. Perhaps they thought they still had their three friends for backup.
He also had a few more Skills on hand. Eight, according to him: [Great Sage]. [Keen Sense of Smell], [Telepathic Communication], [Coercion], [Shadow Movement], [Black Lightning], [Water Manipulation], [Wind Manipulation], and [Lightning Manipulation].
-([Black Lightning]?)- I know Ranga obtained some Skills from me, just as I obtained them from him thanks to the Unique Skill [Beast Tamer]. But Ranga didn't obtain the [Black Lightning] Skill. -(Maybe because he has yet to evolve?)- I'll find out later.
Now I have to know which Skill to use to scare these fools.
[Shadow Movement] was something Ranga and his pack were currently practicing at the time. They could hide inside their companion's shadow, then reappear on the spot whenever they were called. They were still getting the hang of the "entering a shadow" trick a bit, so it's likely coming.
[Black Lightning], meanwhile... That, I didn't even have to try. If I tried it now, my opponents would be incinerated, I was sure of it. I'd underestimated the stupidity of both of them, so things could get ugly here. Either way, [Black Lightning] was out of the question.
Also, the [Water Manipulation], [Wind Manipulation], and [Lightning Manipulation] skills also seemed excessive.
Of course, it would have been fine if [Coercion] actually worked on them. Talk about being too stupid to pay attention. The audience, meanwhile, was clearly shaking in their boots. Some had already lost their balance.
-"Jeez... Well, whatever. I've had enough of this. Come at me!"-
I gave them the go-ahead to begin.
Speaking of which, what would happen to the way I was mimicking if I were injured? I actually tried it once, deliberately keeping myself attacking in Armorsaurus form. What I discovered was that once I took enough damage, I automatically reverted to my normal form, though the damage would only be applied to the imitation, not my human body. I assumed the magical energy forming the imitation also protected my body from blows.
The restrictions I had to work with were the three minutes I had to wait before changing into another form, and the magic I had to consume for each type of imitation. But magic wasn't an issue, really, considering the amount I could work with.
In other words, I could let these guys attack me all they wanted. Even if they were much stronger than they looked, I'd just revert to normal form and gain another form to defeat them. Simple.
-"Hah! Prepare to die!"-
Responding to my call, the swordsman lunged at me with a shout.
-"Hrahh! [Windbreaker Slash]!"-
-(Is that a swordsmanship skill?)- Honestly, I was interested in that, so I watched the attack closely.
The blade of his sword began to glow green. But it didn't hurt, sad to say... My skin snapped his mighty sword in half. That was disappointing.
As I attacked, his companion threw a set of three daggers at me. I appreciated the gesture; three at once must be difficult to pull off, but none of them were strong enough to even split a Starstorm Wolf's hair.
-"What was that?"-
For a moment, an arrogant and malicious smile formed on my face when I said that, but I quickly stopped it. That would only make me revert to my "rebellious stage."
-"N-No! That skin of yours... It's too tough!"-
-"It can't be... N... N... It can't be! My sword is made of silver! It's supposed to hurt monsters more!"-
-(...Silver is a relatively weak metal in a magical world like this, isn't it?)-
-"H-Hey! Help me, guys!"-
Apparently, the swordsman didn't care about saving face any longer. I guessed that other trio was with him after all.
-"Hah! It's your end now!"-
-"Oh, man... I really didn't think we'd have to get into this, man."-
-"A transforming brat, huh? Interesting. I think I'll take him as a slave, then kill and dissect him."-
-"You haven't moved this whole battle, have you? I bet the magic fades the moment you do, huh? Am I right or what?"-
The three of them chattered as they joined their friends, making a total of five people surrounding me, and launched an attack. The swordsman summoned magical wind blades, his partner produced a short sword to strike me down. Their heavy fighter shouted -"[Great Breaking Slash]!"- as he raised a great axe and threw it. The sorcerer threw a few fireballs in my direction, and his monk friend built a magical defense for himself, waiting for me to attack him first. As a group, this one was pretty balanced. The only problem they had was that none of their attacks did anything to me.
Once the dust settled, the group raised their eyes, daring to glance at me. They were too shocked to speak. Perhaps [Coercion] would work now.
With a shuddering roar, I invoked it... But alas, I blew it. I didn't want the audience to also faint with a variety of substances in their pants.
-(Yeah, this is a mess. Now what? This will be so painful to deal with.)- The group of fools were no better off than the others. Well, they had just taken a [Coercion] hit at point-blank range. I doubt I need to go into detail about what happened to them.
My [Magic Perception] skill began to detect the Dwarven security force running in our direction.
-"It's over,"-
I whispered. Over, indeed. I looked at them, wondering how they were going to clean their underwear after this, trying to hold my new reality at bay for a few more moments.
I hope I don't get in trouble for this. -(Nah, if I explain the reason, maybe you'll understand. What's the worst that can happen?)-
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
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Author's Notes
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Please note that this story is mostly centered around Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken and another novel that you may recognize. Please also note that Rimuru is completely replaced by my own character (Yukimaru). You are warned.
Disclaimers:
The character or story mentioned from an anime, or novel, does not belong to me. Instead, it belongs to Ichiei Ishibumi (High School DxD), Fuse, Mitz Vah (Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken) and Patora Fuyuhara (Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni)
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Upcoming chapters (Spoilers):
Chapter 12- Problems and New Skill
Chapter 13- The Master Blacksmith
Chapter 14- The Heroic King