A few days had passed since Rigurd's report.
The goblin village was growing at a staggering pace. Patrol routes were established, makeshift warehouses stood ready, and even the Direwolves were beginning to integrate with the goblins.
It was stable. And that was exactly why Rimuru was restless.
"It's not like I'm bored," he murmured, sliding slowly down the village's central path. "But that human…"
The thought kept returning. Eryon Arclight. South of the forest. Too stable.
[Observation: Recurring interest detected.]
"It's scientific curiosity," Rimuru shot back. "Totally valid."
[Report: Justification noted.]
Rimuru sighed. "Fine, enough. I'm going to take a look personally."
The Jura Forest felt different when Rimuru moved through it alone. It wasn't just calmer—it reacted to him. Monsters instinctively gave him a wide berth, and the mana flowed with less turbulence. Rimuru was no longer just a powerful slime; he was a fixed point in the ecosystem.
As he reached the southern periphery, he felt it immediately.
"This is the place..."
The mana here didn't resist him. It didn't churn. It simply existed, held in a state of perfect suspension.
"This is weird, even for me."
The clearing appeared exactly as Rigurd had described. The simple shelter stood firm, and Eryon was sitting nearby, eyes closed as if listening to a frequency Rimuru couldn't perceive.
Rimuru didn't hide. He bounced forward. "Yo."
Eryon opened his eyes instantly. Blue. Calm. Direct. "So, you finally came."
Rimuru blinked. "…You were expecting me?"
"Not today," Eryon said, standing up. "But I knew you'd eventually show up."
Silence followed. Rimuru closed the distance by a few meters. "Rimuru Tempest."
"I know."
"Right… this is getting weird fast."
Eryon studied the slime for a few seconds, looking past the blue gelatinous form. "You don't hide," he noted. "Not from the mana, and not from yourself."
"Kind of hard to hide when you're a bright blue slime."
A ghost of a smile touched Eryon's face. "Fair."
[Initiating Analysis of Individual: Eryon Arclight.]
Rimuru felt the Great Sage kick into high gear.
[Error.]
"Huh?"
[Insufficient data. Spiritual structure does not correspond to known human, heroic, or monster patterns. Analysis impossible.]
Rimuru froze. Sage? Even you? He felt a rare prickle of unease. "This has never happened before..."
Eryon tilted his head slightly. "So, your 'Voice' couldn't do it either."
Rimuru turned to him slowly. "…You noticed that?"
"Since you entered the clearing," Eryon replied naturally. "There is something in you that speaks to the world. And something that answers back."
Rimuru went silent, then let out a short laugh. "Alright. Enough games." He stepped closer. "You're not just some human who got strong here, are you?"
Eryon met his gaze. "No."
The wind whispered through the trees.
"I died once," Eryon said. "In another world."
Time seemed to skip a beat.
"…Ah." Rimuru stood perfectly still. "So that's it."
"You too," Eryon continued, not as a question, but a statement. "I can feel it. Your soul wasn't born here."
Rimuru let out an incredulous breath. "Man… I found an isekai buddy in the middle of Jura."
"'Isekai,'" Eryon repeated. "So your world had that concept as well."
"It did. A lot of it."
The silence that followed was different from the tension with Rigurd. This was recognition.
"I was a regular guy in Japan," Rimuru said. "Average salary, normal life, stupid death."
"I came from a similar place," Eryon replied. "Died too young. Woke up here… with something wrong inside me."
Rimuru felt the weight in his voice. "Something wrong?"
"My connection to mana isn't from this world," Eryon explained. "Nor from the other."
[Warning: Phenomenon outside of known records.]
"Great Sage is officially confused," Rimuru commented. "That's a first."
Eryon looked at the village to the north, then back at Rimuru. "You built something. A system. A future."
"Trying not to die in the process," Rimuru quipped. "And you… you hid."
"I needed to understand this world before I touched it."
Rimuru grew pensive. "Funny… I did the opposite."
They stood there for a while. A slime. A human. Two souls from elsewhere.
"So," Rimuru said at last. "Enemies?"
"No."
"Allies?"
Eryon thought for a moment. "Not yet."
Rimuru smiled—or the slime equivalent. "Fair enough."
"But now," Eryon added, "at least we aren't alone in this world."
The silence of the clearing was no longer uncomfortable.
"So…" Rimuru began. "Want to see my village?"
Eryon blinked. "Just like that?"
"If you were a threat, you would've been one by now," Rimuru said simply. "And after this talk, hiding you doesn't make much sense."
Eryon considered it. The mana around the clearing rippled, mirroring his thoughts. "Fine. But only as a visitor."
"Visitor is progress," Rimuru laughed. "Come on, it's to the north."
The village came into view shortly after. Eryon paused. It wasn't grand or wealthy, but it was alive. Goblins walked without fear, wolves patrolled beside them, and children ran between the houses. There was no tension—only purpose.
"This is rare," Eryon murmured.
"I know," Rimuru replied. "That's why I'm protecting it."
As they entered, the effect was immediate. Curious eyes followed them, but none were hostile. Rigurd approached quickly, his eyes widening at the sight of the human.
"Lord Rimuru… this is…?"
"Eryon," Rimuru said. "He comes in peace."
Rigurd bowed respectfully. "Welcome to our village."
Eryon returned the gesture, genuinely surprised. "Thank you."
As they walked, Eryon observed the cooperation between species. "You don't rule through fear."
"Fear is too much work," Rimuru replied. "I prefer cooperation."
Eryon smiled thinly. "You really did come from a strange world."
"Strange enough to try something different."
Later, sitting near the main building, Rimuru turned serious. "If you're going to stick around, you need to understand something. This world doesn't like anomalies."
"I've noticed."
"I'm going to start dealing with human and non-human kingdoms soon," Rimuru continued. "Starting with the Dwarves."
"Dwarves?"
"The Kingdom of Dwargon," Rimuru explained. "Technology, weapons, artisans. And a King who doesn't underestimate monsters."
Eryon's interest sharpened. "A structured kingdom outside of common human logic."
"Exactly." Rimuru bounced slightly. "I was going there anyway. I'm inviting you again—as a temporary ally. Or just as another curious reinncarnated soul."
Eryon looked at the village, then at Rimuru. "I'll go."
"Great." Rimuru pointed west. "Next stop: Dwargon."
[Report: New destination defined.]
The forest watched as two paths aligned. Not as master and servant, but as equals. And far beyond the mountains, a Dwarven kingdom prepared to receive two beings that didn't exist in any of their records.