A/N: Well, looks like it's that time again! The latest chapter in the saga of Slater! The mystery thickens!
Time: 12:00 A.M.
Location: Rimuru's Residence
So it's finally time for the big talk. I knew that we were gonna get to this point eventually. I just didn't think at the time that my day-long tour of Tempest would serve as some kind of therapy session to prepare me for this point.
For the next few minutes, I continued to follow Rimuru before we finally made it to his house. It was a log cabin; a really big log cabin. It was like something you'd expect to see in a mountain retreat. It was nice to know that even with Rimuru's power and position, he still has the decency to be humble in spite of himself. While we were walking up the stairs, I caught a glimpse of one of those wolves that I saw around town sleeping off to the side. Jesus, he's huge! He's as big as a tiger! He also has a horn on his head that reminds me of a unicorn. Where have I seen this guy before? Hmmmmmmmmm….. OH YEAH! That particular wolf is Rimuru's pet and often mount, isn't he? A part of me was scared to go near him, but another part of me wanted to go over there and pet him. Heck, given how acute a canine's senses are, he probably knows I'm there. Mmm. Decisions, decisions. Oh well, we had more important matters at hand right now anyway.
After making our way inside, Rimuru motioned for me to take a seat on the sofa, before reverting back to his oh-so familiar slime form. "Just stay seated over here Slater," he began. "I'm going to make us some tea. It'll only take a few minutes, so you can take the time to get yourself comfortable." He rolled his way into the kitchen not long after.
During the next few minutes, I was thinking to myself about the impending conversation, mainly how the conversation was going to go and what exactly I wanted to say. One of those thoughts suddenly crossed my mind: Should I tell Rimuru the real reason why I know him? I'm not exactly sure if he bought my initial claim that I made about him back in the hospital. Rimuru may be come off as a goofball sometimes, but he's definitely smarter than he looks. My main issue, however, is how well he'll take everything I know about him; not just as a person, but as a character. Again, he'll either laugh it off or shut down completely, but is Rimuru really so weak-willed and mentally fragile that he'd let the latter happen to him? I don't think so. After all, he's fought against countless enemies and came out on top, founded an entire nation of monsters, and earned the respect of several people of higher authority, like kings and demon lords. He might be shocked at first, but he'll most likely take it with a grain of salt.
Rimuru soon hopped back into the living room with some tea on a tray, setting it down on the coffee table before hopping up on the chair opposite of me. He handed me a cup, which I graciously accepted. I blew on it before taking a sip and setting the cup back down. Was this chamomile? I think it also has honey in it too.
"So Slater," Rimuru began. "As you already know, I'm aware that you're an Otherworlder, much like myself. However, I understand that your situation, namely how you got to this world, must be more complicated than it appears. Is that correct?" I made to respond almost immediately.
"Yeah, you've hit the nail on the head Rimuru." I half-joked, before putting on a serious face. "I didn't exactly come here of my own free will." Rimuru "hmm'd" at my statement before making to speak again.
"I see." Rimuru continued. "Could you tell me what you remember prior to your arrival? In as much detail as you can, if possible. I know that this request may sound harsh and make things difficult for you, given your state of mind yesterday, but unless I get the full picture, I won't be able to help you as I'm able to. Do you understand?" I nodded in response.
Well, at least he's going about this with my well-being in mind. I'm thankful for that. He makes a good point though. Sure, I've been racking my brain this whole time over the how's and why's of my situation, even during the tour today, and sure, the whole thing has been unnerving me to no end, but unless I speak up and explain as much as I can, I'm not going to get anywhere. Rimuru's willing to put his trust in me; it only makes sense that I do the same in return, especially after all he's done for me so far. After mulling over his statement for a few seconds, I began to utter a response.
"Yes Rimuru, I understand." I stated. I took a deep breath, mentally reconciling myself. It's okay. I can do this.
"As you said before, my arrival to this world is….. complicated to say the least." I began. "Two days ago, I was nothing more than a regular joe living in New Jersey, working a part time job to support myself. It's not exactly the best job in the world, but back home, the job market is, how you say….. not in the best state right now."
"What do you mean?" Rimuru asked.
"Well, back home, we were in the middle of a pandemic. It was just plain awful. The world's economy went into a recession, many businesses closed down, and thousands of people died." I took a deep breath. "It was difficult for me and my family, but I digress."
"Anyway," I continued. "I got home from work two days ago, and things were going as normal. I honestly wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary; just a nice weekend of relaxation after a rough week. But, after I went to sleep, things… took a turn for the strange."
"How so?" Rimuru asked.
"Well, here's the thing, not long after I fell asleep, I found myself in some strange void-like dimension; awoken by the sound of two people talking, except that they didn't look like any people that I ever saw before. In fact, they didn't even look human." I continued. "I saw a man that looked human, but I had a suspicion that that wasn't his true form. As for the other one, well….. how can I describe it?" I paused for a few seconds, thinking of as best a description that I could give. "It looked like a living mass of space, like its body was made of 'outer space,' if that makes sense. And it spoke some kind of alien language that I couldn't understand, but that fake man was able to understand it perfectly. Basically, it was like a cosmic horror straight out of H.P Lovecraft." I paused again, feeling a bit on edge. I reached over to my teacup and took another sip, before setting the cup back down.
I looked directly at Rimuru, who looked visibly unnerved by my description. I guess I couldn't blame him. OP powerhouse that he is, even he knows that he's not the most powerful being in this world. The demon lords in this setting are powerful enough to rend the world asunder a thousand times over, especially if they were to join forces. Imagine having to go against a Lovecraftian entity who can manipulate the very facets of reality without even trying. It's like an ant going up against a nuclear explosion, and Rimuru might as well be that ant. After about a minute, Rimuru managed to recompose himself; ready to speak once again.
"I…. see." Rimuru stuttered, but shook his head (or was it his body?), and prepared to continue. "That's certainly…. not what you'd usually expect." He paused for a few more seconds. "Please, continue."
"Right." I replied. "Anyway, I tried to get the attention of those two, but they wouldn't budge. Also, I was under some kind of glass dome, like a lab rat or something. Not long after, the dome disappeared and I was suddenly pulled into the air by that cosmic… whatever it was, I've been calling it the cosmic bastard. It recited something in that language and before I knew it, I was enveloped in a bright light, where I passed out shortly after." I paused, took another sip of tea, and continued. "Next thing I know, I wake up in this world, completely confused about what was happening to me. I walked through the forest and found my way here to Tempest…. and you pretty much know the rest." I finished. Rimuru formed some fingers and put them against his chin(?) in contemplation, trying to take in the full story as best as he could. Finally, he made to speak again.
"Your story certainly sounds unbelievable. In fact, if this were any other situation, I would've been obligated to dismiss it as some kind of fairy tale." He began. "However, with your being an Otherworlder, it doesn't sound as farfetched as it should seem."
"A lot to take in all at once? I know the feeling." I replied. "I had a hard time believing that all of this was real. In fact, a small part of me is still convinced that this is all some crazy dream and that I'll wake up soon. Unfortunately for me, reality's being a bit of a bitch to me right now." I half-joked.
"But there's a couple things about your story that doesn't make sense." Rimuru stated. "First off, you said that you arrived in this world two days ago, but when we met yesterday, you knew who I was and claimed to know me very well. That should be impossible. I don't recall Rigurdo or anybody for that matter telling me ahead of time about your familiarity with me." Hoo boy! So it's finally gotten to this point, hasn't it? "Secondly, your explanation about this 'pandemic' you mentioned? Before I came to this world, there wasn't a worldwide pandemic going on back home at the time I left. It hasn't even been a full year since I arrived in this world, and yet you claim there's a pandemic going on, which I'm going to assume started recently. That doesn't add up." Rimuru paused to take a sip of his tea, before continuing. "What was the year back in your world, Slater?"
"It's 2021," I answered. "But why is that so important?" Rimuru seemed to pause for a few seconds, before quickly coming up with an answer.
"2021? That's impossible! It hasn't been that long since I reincarnated, and it certainly hasn't been that long for you to know who I am. Very suspicious." Rimuru responded.
Sheesh! Since when did you become Sherlock Holmes? And don't tell me that Great Sage is the reason. That reminds me. Just where in the timeline of Slime did I end up anyway? From what I've seen so far, Tempest is becoming a full-fledged nation by this point; being on speaking and trading terms with some of the kingdoms. So I must be somewhere in the middle of the first season right? I don't know how long it's gonna take to get to the second season, but at least I'm having some idea of where I was as well as when. Also, what did Rimuru mean when he said there wasn't a pandemic going on back home? Does he not believe that little factoid? I know what I saw back home; it was very real, and it was none too pretty. So that begs the question. Are our timelines of the 'modern' world out of sync with each other's? As far as I know, Slime's story began in the mid-2010's, so maybe for Rimuru it was around that time when he died and reincarnated into this world. But does that mean this world, or rather this setting, is in the 2010's? I'm pretty sure this fantasy world has its own calendar system, but that doesn't make this any less confusing.
"So tell me Slater, how did you really learn about me?" It was then that I was given some serious pause. Come on man! Think about how to respond! Come on! THINK!
"It's….. complicated." I awkwardly responded. "I don't think you'll believe me. I know you're having a hard time believing how I got to this world, but with this….. I don't know. I think it'll be so ridiculous that it might as well be me trying to make a joke."
"Try me." Rimuru frankly stated. "I've been living in this world for a while now and I've seen my fair share of strange things; everything from the monsters, to the magic. And on top of that, your story. I think I can take it."
Be careful what you wish for Rimuru. Sigh. Looks like there's just no way around this. I pretty much shot myself in the foot by telling him that I landed in this world two days ago; obviously not enough time to learn, let alone know, an important person such as him. I don't see any reason to fudge the truth because he would almost instantly figure out that I was lying, even without Great Sage's help. Rimuru is many things, but stupid he is not.
"Ok," I began. "I hope you're ready for this, Rimuru." Rimuru simply nodded. I took a deep breath and mentally prepared myself for the response. Don't blame me for what's about to be said here! "You're… a fictional character in my world." Rimuru flashed me a puzzled look as he heard those words, but I tried to stay as calm and firm as possible. I opened my mouth to continue.
"Before you came to this world, you were just an ordinary salaryman and otaku living in Japan named Satoru Mikami," Rimuru's eyes snapped open, looking as big as dinner plates. "You worked at a boring office job, and your day was set to be the same boring, repetitive routine, until a crazy person with a knife came in out of nowhere and fatally stabbed you. On the brink of death, you made your kouhai destroy your hard drive so no one would discover whatever porn you had on it." Rimuru's mouth was agape with shock. He tried to find words to say, but I held a finger up to shush him.
"Shortly after your death, you reincarnated into this world as a slime," I continued. "You met up with the Storm Dragon Veldora Tempest, who gave you the name Rimuru. As for your powers, one of your main ones is Great Sage; which is basically a supercomputer AI. Using your power as a slime, you absorbed Veldora in order to jailbreak the seal that was keeping him in that cave. Not long after leaving the cave, you met up with goblins, wolves, dragonewts, and so many other races and decided to form the monster nation of Tempest; making connections with some of the surrounding kingdoms, important people, and even demon lords." Rimuru didn't say anything. He just continued to stare at me with wide eyes. I simply prepared to continue my long-winded explanation.
"Oh, and as for your human form, you got it from another Otherworlder named Shizu. As part of her final wish, you absorbed her body, gaining her form in the process." I stopped for a moment, before resuming. "And should I mention how Shion, Shuna, and just about everyone want to dress you up in cute outfits against your will like you were their doll?" That little mention was what caused Rimuru to flinch. I think he might've turned a touch red too. Anyway, I was about ready to finish.
"And that's about the gist of it. Well, Rimuru? Was that explanation good enough for you?" I finished.
There was nothing but silence for the next few minutes. I simply stared at Rimuru, who was still in shock. His eyes were still bugging out, his body was shaking, and his mouth was practically on the fucking floor by this point. I couldn't blame him. After all, I pretty much told him his life story in fine detail. Finally, something seemed to click within Rimuru. His mouth was moving as if to say words. It was faint, but I heard something trying to come out of his mouth. I can only imagine what he has to say about all this.
"E-" Rimuru began.
"Eh…"
"EH…."
"EHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!" Rimuru shouted suddenly in response. I had to plug my ears for that one. Jesus Christ that was loud! I wouldn't be surprised if that woke up half the neighborhood, but I guess that was a more appropriate response than any. Rimuru seemed to calm down a bit, but he was still a little shaky. Again, I can't blame him. Rimuru tried to form words again, but he was obviously struggling.
"H-How…. How do you… I mean that's-" Rimuru stuttered a response, but couldn't bring himself to finish.
"Impossible? " I answered for him. Rimuru simply nodded. "Yeah, it should be impossible. And yet you heard it here."
"But….." Rimuru stammered, before recomposing himself. "How do you know all of this? Nobody except me and Great Sage should know that information; especially as far as my previous life in Tokyo is concerned!" Fair point. "Unless," he continued. "You have a Skill of your own similar to Great Sage, and you used it to look into my background?"
"Well, I guess that's a fair assessment," I replied. "But you're wrong. I have no such power to speak of, and I definitely didn't have any powers prior to my arrival here in this world. Your Great Sage would've figured that out by now. You did say that you used it to analyze me, correct?" Rimuru quietly nodded, before making to say something else.
"Then how do you-" Rimuru began, but I cut him off.
"Like I said before, back in my world, you're a fictional character that's a part of a story. And I just happened to watch that story in the form of anime. You, this world, your situation, everything; is nothing more than fiction. That's how I know so much about you Rimuru. There's no reason other than that." I replied. With that, Rimuru seemed to calm down more, though he still felt a little on edge. He reached for his now cold tea, took a sip, took a deep breath, and made to speak again.
"I… don't know what else to say, let alone think, about all this. On the one hand, your explanation that I'm nothing more than fiction to you is so absurd that it should be impossible. But on the other hand, everything you just said wasn't a lie. I have Great Sage to back me up on this. She would've detected whether or not you were lying in an instant." Rimuru said, trying to bring himself to calm down more. "I just… wow. You weren't kidding when you said that I'd have a hard time believing you."
"Yeah," I said as I let out a nervous chuckle. "My situation and my knowing you must be so out of left field that it might as well be some kind of weird fan fiction plot." I straightened up my face and looked Rimuru in the eyes. "So do you believe me?" I asked. Rimuru seemed to mull it over for a moment before he made his response.
"Yes, I believe you Slater." he said at last. "I haven't quite accepted the…... realization about what I am to you. But I do believe everything else you said. This 'cosmic bastard' you talked about sounds like a real asshole!" He chuckled nervously for a few seconds before recomposing himself. "It makes me mad that someone like that could just toy with another person's life like that, without even giving any consideration towards the victim." I frowned at that statement. "I know how hard this must be for you, and a story like this would fall on deaf ears no matter how many people you tried to tell it to. But, you don't have to worry Slater, I believe you." I couldn't help but smile at Rimuru's sincerity.
"Thank you Rimuru," I said in gratitude. "For everything I mean; from your hospitality to your willingness to hear me out. You don't know just how stressed out I've been until now, so having someone to talk to about it really helped. Thank you."
"You're quite welcome!" Rimuru replied. "I'll be more than happy to help you in anyway I can."
"But how will you go about doing that?" I asked. "This isn't exactly a typical situation here you know. Some cosmic bastard from god knows where practically abducted me against my will, and getting home isn't gonna be a walk in the park. Meanwhile, you died and reincarnated in this world, and as far as I know, there's no way for you to return. And if that's how it is with you and the rest of the Otherworlders that may be in this world, I might as well be as good as stuck here forever." I finished with a downtrodden sigh.
That's usually how it is in most isekai; the people who reincarnate in or are summoned to another world have zero chance of going back to their original world. Of course, there ARE some exceptions to the rule, but right now, I couldn't think of any examples off the top of my head. You know, that brings up a pretty good question: Why doesn't the main character in an isekai go back to their world? Or better yet, how come the main character can't go back to their world?
There are many reasons as to why, I think. First, sometimes the main character was a pathetic loser in their old world who failed at life one way or another, and they just want that wish fulfillment to be the kind of person they could only dream of; a badass hero with cool powers who fights against the demon king or some other form of evil and gets a harem that fawns over them like they were an idol of worship. On some level, that's understandable; life can suck the big one and sometimes we just want to get away from it all. But with that line of logic, you have to wonder: Do the main characters get homesick? Do they miss the loved ones that they left behind? Do the loved ones in question miss them in return? How would they react if the protagonist came back, but they had all their awesome powers and/or are transformed into a mish-mash fantasy creature hybrid or mutant? How will life go for them then? I don't know, but all I can say on the latter is that if they make it back to their world, powers and all, there's a high probability that they might face rejection from the people they knew, or worse, be strapped down to a table and dissected. If my world were to somehow mass-produce a species of magic users or monsters, then Armageddon would ensue, but I digress.
It all boils down to this. About 99% of the time, the main characters either just shrug the issue off and become blinded by their hero fantasies to notice, let alone think about it, or they just don't care. The other 1%? Personally, I'd say they do miss their friends and families to an extent, but they try not to let others notice or let it drag them down, but the feelings are still there. They could be fine one minute, but break down and cry the next. It could go either way to be honest, but the issue behind why they don't go back home just bugs me most of the time.
As for the how, there could be a few factors; namely because there's just no feasible way to go back to their old world. Maybe there aren't any portals, magic spells, gods with the power to transport people between worlds, or any conditions that need to be fulfilled in order to go back home. Once you're in this new world, that's it! You're now stuck here for the rest of your life, especially if it's revealed that the gods themselves actually HAVE the power to send you back home, but are just being dicks about it by feigning ignorance and/or trying to manipulate the protagonist. Not everyone can be Dorothy Gale and click their heels to go home, just like that. That's how most isekai stories work. If that were an option, then there wouldn't be much of a story to tell; as fucked up as that logic is when you really stop to think about it. Isekai stories might as well be cruel, cosmic jokes being pulled on your typical average joe by a higher power for the sake of entertainment, shock value, and a fuck ton of other things!
Bottom line: I'm most likely royally screwed!
Rimuru "hmm'd" at my statement, mulling it over for a good minute or so before motioning to respond.
"You may have a point," Rimuru began. "To tell you the truth, I've never even thought about the possibility of being able to go back to my world. I don't even know if it's possible at all, but then again, I doubt that the people in Tokyo would so readily accept a slime. My old life has come to an end after all, so better to be here in this world than to be captured and experimented on, I guess." He said in a manner that came off as half-joking, half self-deprecation. I couldn't help but feel sympathy toward him. Rimuru cleared his throat and continued. "I'll have to ask Great Sage about whether or not it's possible. But, given her wealth of knowledge, I'm sure that she can find a solution to your problem." I perked up slightly after hearing those words. It's not much, but just a little bit of hope helps, though I couldn't shake the feeling that maybe this was too good to be true.
"However," I began. "I take it there will be some complications in doing so?" Hey, I might as well be realistic here.
"That is also true." Rimuru replied. "For as powerful as Great Sage is, even she has her limits. She's in the process of releasing Veldora from his seal, and she's not even close to figuring it out yet. Also, as I already told you yesterday, there were complications while she was analyzing you. It's obvious that you're a special case Slater, even for an Otherworlder. It'll take a while for her to come up with a solution to your problem. I don't know how long it'll take, but I have no doubt in my mind that she'll come through. She always does."
Hmm. I thought so. Obviously this would be more complicated than it appears, but at least there's some probability that Great Sage will be able to find a way to get me back home. My main issue, however, is how long it might take. It could take months. Hell, it might even take years! Damn it, I just want to go home right now!
I don't know how I'd put up with the culture shock in this world, as well as the homesickness. There's a lot more to this world than Tempest, after all, and that includes its dangers. If I'm not careful, I could get myself eaten by giant monsters or killed by bandits or something. Or worse, meet up with one of the demon lor-Wait a minute…. OH!
AW SHIT!
It was as if a switch just went off in my head.
How could I forget?! There's a demon lord who frequents Tempest on a regular basis. She and Rimuru are friends with each other, but she's one of the most powerful beings in this world, never mind being amongst the most powerful demon lords in the setting. Come to think of it, I haven't seen her anywhere during the tour today, so she's either not in Tempest or she's been conveniently off in some other area and I missed her by that much. If there's one thing I absolutely don't want to do, it's to make an enemy out of her. I think just a light punch from her would be enough to splatter me all over the wall.
But what was her name again? I can't remember. Hopefully it'll come back to me soon enough.
"Slater?" Rimuru asked, breaking into my thoughts. "Are you okay?"
"Y-Yeah, I'm okay. No worries." I awkwardly replied.
I think it's time for a change in topic. There's something that I've been thinking about for a while now; something that I can do to pay back Rimuru for treating me so warmly. I took a moment to remember what it was I wanted to say, took a deep breath, and began.
"So Rimuru," I began, earning a 'hmm?' from Rimuru in response. "I've been thinking about this for a while now, and….." I paused for a moment before continuing. "And I'd like to get a job here in Tempest for the time being." Rimuru seemed perplexed at what I had to say, but he came up with a response a few seconds later.
"You don't have to do that Slater," he began. "You're more than welcome to stay here as long as you want. No strings attached. You are our guest afte-"
"But that's the thing though." I cut Rimuru off suddenly. "I don't like the idea of just leisurely going about my time here, especially if it's going to take a while to figure out a way for me to get home." My tone took a turn for the serious. "I'm grateful for everything you've done for me up until this point. I want to pay you back anyway that I can, and I won't take no for an answer. Please Rimuru! Will you allow me to do this?" Rimuru was just lost in thought for the next few minutes, seeming to take my request into consideration.
I'm not the kind of guy to take advantage of the kindness of others. If someone goes out of their way to help me, no matter how minor it may be, I always make sure to return the favor, even if they insist that I don't have to. Hospitality can be a fickle thing to deal with at times, I know, but damn it, I need to prove myself that I'm worthy of that hospitality! Besides, if I just sit around and do nothing the whole time, I'm going to quickly get bored. Sure, a little downtime is nice, but too much of it, and I just start going crazy!
"Very well," Rimuru said at last. "I'll make some arrangements to find you some work around here. But there's one catch." I "hmm'd?" in response. I wonder what this is about.
"You're going to have to learn Japanese." Rimuru continued. "I already know you're an American, and judging by the conversation you had with Rigurdo, you're obviously not fluent in Japanese. And of course, it wouldn't be very practical to use my Skill on every single citizen in Tempest just to accommodate one person. Tempest is a big place, as you already know." Well, I suppose Rimuru has a point. He only used his Skill on a small group of people, specifically the key people who were relevant to the tour, in order to make things easier for me. While it would be nice if the citizens learned new languages to broaden their horizons and such, it wouldn't be fair if they were forced to learn my language just so they can talk to me, and only me. I'm in their land, I should learn their language, even if fantasy monsters speaking Japanese as their primary language still doesn't make a lick of sense to me.
"Yeah, true. It's the least I can do." I replied. "I'm sure that with that Skill of yours, learning Japanese will be a cinch."
"Ummmmmmmmmmmm…. yeah, about that." Rimuru said with hesitation, twiddling thumbs that he just formed. "You see Slater…. How can I say this? I can't use my Skill on you."
What?
Silence filled the air for a moment. We just sat there frozen in place. I think my mind just blanked.
Just. What?
"What do you mean you can't use your Skill on me? What's the problem?" I asked in confusion, slightly irritated.
"That's just it Slater," Rimuru replied. "I'm not sure if you've noticed, but I can only use my Skill on people who have magical potential. When I had Great Sage analyze you, she couldn't read any potential within you, so my Skill won't work on you I'm afraid."
Okay…. What. The. Actual. Fuck?
"Seriously?" I could feel my tension flaring up a notch. "You're Rimuru Tempest! You have access to spells, transformations, power copying, an all-knowing AI, and a fuck ton of other things! You can practically pull any power you want out of your ass whenever you want! And yet you can't have me learn a language instantly? That is such bullshit!" I finished. Rimuru seemed taken aback by my not-so-flattering depiction of him. Almost instantly, I saw an anger vein pop out of his head(?).
"Is that how you really think my powers work?!" Rimuru asked in indignation.
"Actually, yes!" I replied. "Everything I've seen you do in the anime is the kind of shit most badass fantasy heroes do! You're a freakin' slime, and yet you have all the powers at your disposal to defeat the toughest of enemies, the ability to run an entire nation, and the charisma to get literally EVERYBODY to throw themselves at your feet! I'm surprised that you haven't become God by this point! Just….. just….. this is such bullshit!" I slammed my fist into my leg as I finished.
"Okay, let's back it up a bit here." Rimuru began. "I don't know what it is you saw in that anime, whether it was actually me or a different version of me, but I'll have you know that for all my power and abilities, even I have my limits! There are many other beings and demon lords that are much more powerful than I am! I know you're upset about not being able to go home right away, but if you were honestly expecting much more from me than you already were, think again!"
Silence once again filled the room. Hearing that from Rimuru just now left me stunned.
Jeez, now I feel like a total ass. In retrospect, maybe I shouldn't have sounded so irritated, but still though. Being told straight to my face that someone as OP as Rimuru can't use his magic on someone like me is just….. I don't know? One part frustrating, and another part disappointing? Yeah, let's go with that.
I guess I should've expected there to not be any shortcuts, even if I'm in a fantasy world. That's all on me. But I can't help but wonder; why is it that I don't have any magical potential? Is it something you have to be born with, or can you earn it? Because I would so love to have magic spells at my beckon call whenever I needed them! I always imagined myself as some kind of wizard or warlock, mainly an evil one, but still. Ah well. It was a nice thought while it lasted.
Anyway, my mind's been on too big a tangent, so it's time to get back on track. I made an ass of myself by coming off as rude to Rimuru, even after he promised to help me. It makes me feel ungrateful, and I hate that feeling so damn much! So I took a deep breath and calmed down, before starting to speak again.
"I'm sorry." I began. "I shouldn't have said all those things just now, I just-" Before I could get another word out, Rimuru cut me off.
"It's okay Slater." Rimuru replied. "I know this situation is frustrating for you, and maybe you got a tad excited at the possibility of seeing my Skill work on you, but unfortunately, sometimes we can't all get our way." I said nothing, looking at Rimuru in silence.
"But just because I can't use my Skill on you doesn't mean I wasn't gonna leave you high and dry." Rimuru continued. "I came up with a backup plan for just such an occasion."
Rimuru's body then stretched and squashed slightly, then stretched again as I saw something pop out of his slimy form and onto the table. I leaned in to get a closer look. They looked rectangular, almost like- Wait a minute. Are those…. books? And not just any books.
"Are these… manga?" I asked. Rimuru "mmm-hmm'd" in response.
"That's right! They're manga. I've selected a few of my favorites to help you. While I help you learn to speak and write in Japanese, you can use these as your study guides so you can absorb the language better." Rimuru replied with a touch of enthusiasm.
He's really going all out for this isn't he? I actually recognized some of the manga; one of them was Fist of the North Star and another was Dragon Ball. I picked up one of the manga and flipped through the pages. I couldn't believe it. It was real. A manga, a Japanese comic book, is actually here in this world. Just how did he manage that? I pondered for but a moment, before the metaphorical light bulb appeared over my head.
That's right! This was Great Sage's doing, wasn't it? She has the ability to flawlessly replicate stuff that's been seen and scanned into physical form, right? All Great Sage needs to do is scan it once and poof! Insta-object at your convenience, almost like a 3D printer. Sheesh! How does that work? Does Rimuru have a photographic memory of all the manga he's ever read, and Great Sage just scans it for the materials? Or does Great Sage's information network span across realites and she just gathered the bits and pieces that she needed from, I don't know, the internet or something, to replicate said manga? Who knows? All I know is that this language lesson will take a while. Japanese is a hard language to learn, even if I've always wanted to learn to speak it fluently.
"Alright," I said at last. "Sounds like a plan. I take it we start first thing in the morning?"
"Correct!" Rimuru replied. "It'll be difficult at first, but I'm positive that you'll get the hang of it."
"So, is there anything else we need to discuss Rimuru?" I asked.
"Not at the moment, there's not." Rimuru replied. "I think I've kept you here long enough. It's been a long day and I'm sure you're exhausted. Come with me! I'll show you to the inn." He plopped right onto the floor, turning back into his human form. I cracked a yawn at almost that exact moment.
"Alright," I replied as I stood up and gave myself a good stretch. "I could use a good night's sleep right about now. Lead the way."
"Okie dokie!" Rimuru replied.
And just like that, our long discussion came to an end. Rimuru and I went outside, where he proceeded to lead me to the inn. I can only imagine what will happen to me in the days to come. From getting a job, to learning Japanese, to trying to figure out how to get home; I've got a lot on plate and not a big enough fork to take it all in at once. Well, like Rimuru told me yesterday: We'll take it one step at a time. It'll take a while for him to come up with a solution to my problem, but I think I can rely on Rimuru's help to do so. Though of course, I'll do my best to contribute and pay him back for everything. Gotta remember that. And of course, I gotta remember to keep my calm so I….. don't do 'that' again.
But that's enough of a hassle for one day. Right now, it's time to catch some Z's.
-x-
Location: Tempest, Rimuru's Residence
Time: 1:00 A.M.
Rimuru sat there with a puzzled look on his face.
It's been about an hour since he took the Otherworlder that he named Slater over to the inn to crash for the night. He's spent all this time thinking over everything he said with the young man, and there were a lot of factors to take into consideration.
Reviewing his story, he was certainly a unique case. In fact, his story borders on the absurd. Getting yourself abducted from your own world with no warning by a cosmic horror and being dumped into this world? It sounds like the plot to an isekai anime, to be honest.
But Rimuru knew better than to find Slater's situation weird. After all, he too was an Otherworlder, so he understood what the young man was currently going through. Besides, he had Great Sage listening in on the conversation, and she didn't find a single instance where he was lying. Slater's story checked out completely. Or at least, it should've. There was one part of his story that had Rimuru at a loss for words; something that he couldn't make heads or tails of.
Rimuru….. was a fictional character in Slater's world?
How was that possible? Just how did it make any sense? Did Slater really come from Rimuru's original world, or did he come from a world that was similar to his original world? He had to take a deep breath and put together the pieces as best as he can.
Rimuru Tempest: founder and leader of the Jura Tempest Federation; the one who defeated the Orc Disaster; the one who formed alliances with the Armed Nation of Dwargon, the Kingdom of Blumund, and becoming demon lord Milim Nava's self-proclaimed best friend; the one who chose to carry on the will and form of the Otherworlder known as Shizu; the one formerly known as Satoru Mikami; was nothing more than a fictional character?
His struggles; his triumphs; everything that has happened until this point, and everything that has yet to come; were his thoughts and actions being guided by an invisible force; the likes of which he couldn't even begin to comprehend? And for what purpose? To serve as entertainment and nothing more? Was his very existence nothing more than the driving force for some story?
Every time Rimuru tried to make sense of it, the more strange and confusing it became, not to mention the headaches that came with it.
He just couldn't believe everything Slater told him. His knowledge was so in-depth that it was like he knew Rimuru his entire life; like he was standing there besides him like an invisible presence.
It was so much to take in all at once. Rimuru just didn't know what to feel about what Slater said, nor how to express it outside of shock and surprise. A larger part of him didn't want to believe the whole 'fictional character' aspect. Not only did it not make sense, but it was practically impossible. It should've been impossible, yet Great Sage's analysis of the conversation proved otherwise. Slater didn't lie, nor does he have any special power that would allow him to read Rimuru's mind and memories or bypass Great Sage in any way. His information was 100% correct.
All this time, Rimuru pondered and continued to ponder still; going deeper down the rabbit hole. Finally, he decided to take action.
"Great Sage," Rimuru began at last. "Can you go over Slater's analysis from the other day? From when he first fell unconscious?"
"Understood. Initiating command sequence." Great Sage complied in a robotic tone.
[Accessing information archives. Gathering relevant data. Please wait a moment.]
[…]
[Data acquired.]
[File #35016-71.]
[Subject: Slater. Classification: Otherworlder. Race: Unknown.]
"The subject designated by the tentative name, Slater, is not native to this world. He claims to be human, but initial analysis determines him to be vaguely humanoid or human-esque in nature. World of origin: unknown. Means of arrival to this world: unknown. Magicule capacity: 0% Magic potential: 0%. Skill potential: 0% Art potential: 0%. All sentient lifeforms in this world have the potential capability to manipulate magicules and create magic spells; from the most mundane to the most powerful of magic. Monsters can use their inborn magicule capacity to utilize magic. Humans either have no or very little amounts of magicules within their bodies, requiring the usage of Arts for combat adaptability, although humans can manipulate magicules if they acquire the usage of holy magic; increasing their potential in order to evolve into Sages and possibly Saints. However, humans are also susceptible to magicule poisoning; thereby mutating into majin or increasing the possibility of death due to high concentrations of magicules. The subject shows no signs of poisoning or mutation, nor is he able to interact with magicules on a physical, mental, or spiritual level; conscious or unconscious. A type of magic that is unknown to this world is associated with the subject; projecting an unusual aura that defies common sensibilities and logic. Full analysis is currently incomplete. Subject shows no signs of consciously being able to manipulate this unknown magic, nor is he aware of the aura being projected from it. The subject designated as Slater has therefore been classified as an anomaly; a lifeform that shouldn't be able to exist in this world; let alone on this plane of reality." Great Sage finished.
Rimuru slumped his shoulders and sighed at Great Sage's report. When he heard it for the first time, he was completely stunned. He has never seen, let alone heard of, an Otherworlder of this caliber before. Just what was Slater really? It was a mystery for the ages.
*Knock knock knock*
The sudden knocking on Rimuru's door shook him free from his internal diatribe. He went to answer the door. He wasn't expecting any visitors, especially not at this hour. He opened it, and on the other side was a beautiful woman with light green hair; wearing an ornate dress and surrounded by vines. For Rimuru, it was nice to see a familiar face; it was that of Treyni, the head dryad of Jura Forest.
"Oh, Treyni-san." Rimuru stated. "What brings you here so late?"
"Greetings, Rimuru-sama," Treyni began. "I apologize for bothering you at this hour of the night, but I have something to discuss with you that's of the utmost importance." Her eyes shot open at that exact moment.
She looked pretty serious. Just what could this be all about?
"Sure. Come on in." Rimuru replied. "Sit right here on the couch so we can talk." He hopped back inside, with Treyni following suit. The both of them sat down across from each other, readying themselves for the impending discussion. Treyni opened her mouth to speak.
"Rimuru-sama," Treyni began. "I'm sure you're already aware, but there's been a disturbance in the forest that took place two days ago. Have you sensed any unusual changes in the magicule density around here?"
"Yes," Rimuru responded. "I sensed a sudden surge of magical energy coming from the deeper parts of the forest. Some of the others here felt it too, mainly the higher ranked monsters like Shion. Thankfully there wasn't a panic and the ones who felt it quickly settled down once the surge disappeared, but I wasn't going to take any chances. I sent Souei and his team to investigate where it originated from, but according to his report, they weren't able to find who or what made that magic. Do you know something that I don't, Treyni-san?" Treyni straightened herself, letting her hands rest in her lap, prepared to speak.
"That's exactly why I'm here Rimuru-sama," Treyni began, opening her eyes once more. "That surge of magic-" She paused for a moment to collect herself, before continuing. "-was like nothing I've ever sensed before. It didn't resemble any kind of magic that I've seen in this world. It's….. It's….."
"An anomaly?" Rimuru interrupted, finishing her sentence.
"That's just it though!" Treyni replied in a worried tone. "This magic is so unknown that it has all the dryads on edge! Even the wild monsters wandering the forest felt it and fled the surrounding area in a hurry! They still won't go near that area!"
"Just how far out did the magic spread Treyni-san? Could it have spread throughout the entire forest?" Rimuru asked, furrowing his brow. Treyni seemed to think for a moment about how to respond. She opened her mouth to speak again.
"According to some of the dryads who were closest to the area, as soon as the magic appeared, it released an energy ripple that spread throughout most of the forest, and it was felt by the rest of the dryads the further the ripple expanded. And that's not even the strangest part." Treyni stated.
"What do you mean?" Rimuru asked.
"The magical surge only lasted for an instant before disappearing completely; almost as if there wasn't a surge in the first place." Treyni answered, biting down on her thumb in anxiety. Rimuru broke into a cold sweat upon hearing those words. Not only was this unknown kind of magic felt by most of the denizens of Tempest and Jura Forest, but it quickly vanished as soon as it came? As if Rimuru needed more fuel for the fire to this clusterfuck engine of madness! If Rimuru could get drunk just to forget it all without Great Sage auto-purging the alcohol from his systems, he would've done it in a heartbeat.
"And that brings me to another topic." Treyni continued. "It's about that 'visitor' of yours that showed up at your doorstep recently."
"Visitor? You mean Slater? What about him?" Rimuru asked in confusion.
"One of the dryads who was closest to the area of the surge told me that she saw a strange young man wandering away from the origin point in question, so I sent some of our own to spy on him from the shadows. Thankfully, he didn't notice that he was being watched, and from a distance, he seemed harmless, but I have reason to believe that he and the surge are connected somehow. Seeing him arrive in Tempest only made me more worried about the possible problems that he would bring to you." Treyni stated.
"Now hold on!" Rimuru suddenly shouted. "I've been around Slater all this time, and he hasn't showed any signs of malice nor evil intent from the moment I've met him! He's harmless! And even if he did try to do something bad, I could've taken him out before he even noticed! We wouldn't even be having this discussion if that were the case!"
"So you've been helping him all this time?" Treyni asked, looking straight into Rimuru's eyes with a glare. "That isn't a wise decision, Rimuru-sama."
"Just let me explain, Treyni-san," Rimuru replied. "I sat him down a while ago and he gave his story about where he comes from and how he got here. He's not from this world; he's an Otherworlder."
"An….. Otherworlder? Him?" Treyni replied as her eyes went wide. "That's….. impossible. There's no way!" Her tone went up a notch. "In all my life, I've never seen an Otherworlder that defies common sense like this! It's unthinkable!" She paused, taking a deep breath and calming down for a moment, before continuing again. "Just what were the two of you talking about before I arrived, Rimuru-sama?" She asked.
"Give me a minute, I'll use my Skill to show you what happened during our conversation in detail." Rimuru replied, before outstretching his arm toward Treyni, enveloping her in a bright light.
As the light dimmed, Treyni just continued to sit there on the couch without moving a muscle; her eyes just staring blankly into space for what seemed to be years from her perspective. Finally, after a few minutes, she came out of her stupor, making the motion to speak.
"Rimuru-sama," Treyni began at last. "I think it would be in your best interest to get rid of him as soon as possible. There's no telling just what danger he might pose if he goes unchecked; not just for you and Tempest, but for this entire world." She finished in a calm, but chilling manner.
"Treyni-san," Rimuru began. "I know that you're concerned about me and people of Tempest. I know that you're also concerned for everyone in your charge, as well as the entire world-" He flashed Treyni a stern look. "-but I chose to believe in Slater. I want to believe in him, and I want to help him in any way I can. You saw what our conversation entailed, and Great Sage didn't even detect a hint of lying in his story." Rimuru's expression softened a bit. "Slater didn't come to this world of his own volition; he just wants to go home, plain and simple. Even if you don't trust him, I do. Will you trust me to take care of him, Treyni-san? If anything goes wrong, I'll take responsibility." He finished at last. Treyni's expression softened a little, but she tried her best to remain stern. Finally, she responded.
"Alright," Treyni replied, as she got up to leave. "I'll leave this matter to you, Rimuru-sama, but I want you to keep me updated on this 'Slater' character. At the moment, there's not much information to go on. There are too many unknown factors surrounding him that make him suspicious." As Treyni walked out the door, she turned her head back toward Rimuru. "I trust your word, and I know how you like to put your trust in others. I just hope that your trust in that young man will not be in vain."
"I understand, Treyni-san. I'll be careful." Rimuru replied.
"Good night, Rimuru-sama." Treyni said before vanishing into the night.
Rimuru just stood there on the porch for a while, contemplating everything he and Treyni just discussed. Slater, a possible threat that he would have to take out himself? He shuddered to think of the possibility, but giving Treyni credit where credit was due, she did make a few good points. There just isn't enough data and analysis to go on at this moment, so Slater's existence, reason for being in this world, and the unknown magic were still a mystery; enough to arouse suspicion. Hopefully, Rimuru won't have to follow through on his proclamation of 'taking responsibility' if all goes wrong. With a sigh, he walked right back inside to turn in for the night.
This was going to be a tough nut to crack indeed.
-x-
Location: Jura Forest, 10 miles due east of Tempest
Time: 1:45 A.M.
A mysterious man stood atop a cliff, holding a pair of binoculars, staring at the residence of that slime creature. He was dressed in a finely-tailored suit, a fedora hat, and round sunglasses with a red tint.
He put down his binoculars and reached into his trench coat pocket, pulling something out.
It was a cellphone.
Almost immediately, he dialed in a phone number and held the phone up to his ear. After a moment, someone picked up on the other end. The man began to speak.
"It's me, master," the man began. "I'm calling to report on our little….. 'subject' that you have chosen."
A cacophony of garbled words and static came out through the speaker; incomprehensible to most, but the man understood it perfectly.
"Yes, that's correct. He is adapting to his new surroundings rather well. He might even show some promise." the man replied.
More garbled words and static came out from the other end. The man raised an eyebrow at what was just said.
"Are you certain, master?" The man asked with a slight hint of confusion.
The garbled mish-mash of noises continued to come out from the other end. The man just sighed.
"Alright, I understand." The man replied. "I shall begin the preparations for the next stage of the subject's…. story."
With that, the call ended. The man put his phone back into his pocket. A wry grin formed on his face.
"This story might turn out to be interesting indeed! Hopefully you won't disappoint, my little Slate!" he said, slowly letting out a sinister laugh.
The sound of laughter emanating from the mysterious man echoed throughout the night; an echo that would sent chills down the spines of all who heard it.