"Starting with Transmigration," Al explained, raising a finger, "it's when your soul goes to another world and takes over someone else's body."
Both the slime and the dragon nodded. Al then lifted his middle finger alongside the first.
"Second is Reincarnation. That's when a person's soul and consciousness are given a new body. That's what happened to you—a fresh beginning."
He pointed at the slime, then tapped his own chest.
"And lastly, Summoning. That's when your entire body is transferred, like what happened with me. But… running with that thought—how exactly did you get reincarnated?"
After finishing his explanation, Al sat down on the cavern floor, looking directly at the slime.
The little creature fidgeted nervously for a moment before calming down."I'm not really sure. I used to be human… but I got stabbed and died. The next thing I knew, I'd turned into this."
Veldora's booming voice rumbled through the chamber. "You two are very unusual."
Both Al and the slime tilted their heads, equally confused. Even Al—who knew the story of this world from the anime—didn't see what was unusual about it.
"Why is that?" the slime asked.
"Most souls cannot endure the travel between worlds," Veldora replied. His eyes shifted toward Al. "Otherworlders, like this human here, often gain unique powers upon arrival. But from what I've heard, they usually appear as small, fragile humans."
The slime seemed to mull over those words before speaking again."I think… I'd like to find other Otherworlders."
Veldora huffed, pressing his huge body into the wall of the barrier like a sulking child."What? Are you leaving already?"
Al raised a brow. He's pouting.
"So, uh, Veldora," Al said, curiosity sparking in his eyes, "earlier you mentioned being stuck here, right?"
At once, Veldora's mood shifted, his aura brightening. "I'm glad you asked that!"
The Storm Dragon lifted his head proudly, as though recalling a tale of old."It was three hundred years ago… when I may have accidentally destroyed a kingdom."
Al's thoughts whirled. My Arceus… hearing this kind of legendary tale firsthand is incredible. Now I get the chance to live in these stories myself—or even create my own. To make them proud. But still… how do you 'accidentally' burn down an entire kingdom?
His expression grew faintly melancholic as he listened closely.
Minutes later, while the dragon and slime continued talking, Veldora casually dropped another detail."The hero called herself a 'Summon.'"
The slime blinked, then turned toward Al, clearly puzzled.
"Well," Al said, scratching his chin, "I think Veldora knows more about how it actually works. I just know the differences between Transmigration, Reincarnation, and Summoning—but not the details of the process."
Veldora puffed out his chest, smoke curling from his nostrils."Summoning requires thirty or more mages working together. The ritual can last for several days."
The slime bounced in excitement. "So they really are mages! This world sounds more and more like a game."
"It's not as fun as it sounds," Al said, his tone dropping. "Some summoned heroes only last a few years before their bodies give out. If you're weak, you get discarded. If you're strong, you're chained down and used as a weapon. They even curse you so you can't resist."
He tugged lightly at the collar around his neck."The only good thing was this. Back then, it suppressed most of my skills. Because of it, the kingdom couldn't fully bind me with their curse, so instead of being their puppet… they sold me as a slave. Just a few days ago, I finally escaped."
Al laughed dryly at the end, but when he looked up, he froze. Veldora's massive eyes glistened, and even the slime looked watery.
"And, Veldora-san," the slime said softly, "you've been sealed here all this time, haven't you?"
"That's right," Veldora grumbled, voice echoing with boredom. "I've been unbearably lonely."
Al let out a sigh. "Yeah… I get that. When I first woke up here, there wasn't a single familiar face in sight. It felt empty."
The slime bobbed in agreement. "I lived thirty-seven years without a girlfriend. I can't imagine three hundred."
Al chuckled and gently scooped the slime up, setting him on his head like a crown."Why don't we be friends?"
The slime perked up immediately, nodding as he raised a tiny thumbs-up.
Veldora blinked, stunned. "What!? A mere slime and a human propose friendship with me, the mighty Storm Dragon Veldora!?"
The slime wobbled nervously on Al's head, but Al just closed his eyes and smiled, enjoying the strange comfort.Cold and soft… it's a different kind of stress relief. Better than coffee.
"...F-Fools. No one said I didn't want to," Veldora muttered, turning away. His draconic face was faintly flushed.
Al grinned. "Then, it's settled—we're friends." He swayed slightly, almost dancing with relief.
"Y-Yes, well… if you insist," Veldora said, puffing his chest. "I suppose I'm willing to consider it."
"Good enough."
Al stretched out his hand, the slime doing the same with a little appendage. Veldora slowly extended one massive claw, shaking them both.
In that moment, Al's thoughts drifted back to the family he'd left behind—the smiles that had pushed him forward when life was at its hardest. Now, in this strange new world, he realized he could keep going, even when everything around him was on another level.