Guess who is updating a whole 24 hours later? This gal! Tis a miracle I tell ya.
A thread of silk shot out of her small body and wrapped itself around a tree branch. Right as Rimuru tightened the string to pull herself up, the string sliced through the branch. She huffed. This was so annoying. For weeks she has been testing out her new skills, trying to get used to them. Each one was strong but she had to practice the finer details. The 'Sticky Silk' was from a nasty spider she found whilst still in the cave. She hated spiders, but it came with a useful skill. It was something incredibly versatile if she could be more precise with it. She just had to control the strength and reign it back a bit. If only it was as easy as she thought it would be. It's harder than killing the damn thing.
Rimuru shot out another thread wrapping around a higher, thicker branch. Ever so careful she tightened slightly and pulled herself up. Laughed in excitement and began swinging back and forth. Finally, progress - she heard a snap and shrieked as she went sailing. Her small body popped out bat wings to try and catch herself midair. That worked. Whew. She contemplated doing it again. That was pretty fun.
She flew a short distance weaving between trees, before landing on a soft bed of flowers. It was so relaxing. During the day very few creatures made an appearance and it was much funnier to goof off in the forest than in the cave. But during the night there was quite a bit more activity. She paused as something moved across the clearing. Well of course something would appear as soon as she thought about it.
What looked like it should have been a racoon clearly wasn't. it had several eyeballs and an extra set of legs. It was about a tad bit bigger than her. All eyes moved in different directions as it snooped around a bush with berries. Truthfully it looks almost cute. Adorable even. But she was curious. A thread shot from her and wrapped around the creature's throat. She tightened it slightly. The creature screeched. It tried to thrash and struggle. She carefully pulled tighter. The creature stopped struggling a moment later. She was successful! She managed not to sever its head. So she was definitely getting better.
Rimuru used mimic and turned into a snake. A smaller version of the ones she killed in the cave. She slithered across the clearing and picked up the dead creature with her mouth and swallowed it whole. She felt fuzzy at the feeling of it sliding down her throat to her stomach. A tongue flickered out of the snake mouth in happiness. A skill appeared. The 'Dexterity' was obvious, albeit not too useful as she didn't have hands. Maybe if she took the raccoons form, she could use its little hands? That was a thought, but it probably wouldn't be too good for anything but foraging.
Rimuru decided to stay in the snake form and explore. Since she couldn't sleep she was always either exploring or practicing. She didn't like staying still for too long. She didn't want to be bored.
Rimuru slithered up a tree and settled on a branch. She switched to her slime form and settled into the branch. She loved watching the sky when the sunset began. She's made a habit of finding a spot to settle and watch the sunrise and sunset. Sometimes she would change into the different creatures and watch it. It was fascinating seeing the array of colors in different eyes. Her body was of a monster but her mind used to be human. It was overwhelming at times.
The next after the sun had finally dipped below the horizon, she clambered down and began wandering again. It wasn't until after the sun had risen the next day, that she came across a path like route. It looked well traveled. She thoughtlessly followed it and it seemed like only a moment later she soon came up with something interesting. A group of goblins blocked the path, holding up swords and shields. She came to a complete stop. That was a lot of goblins. They looked ready to fight. Could she eat all of them? There were about 30 or so. She wondered why they looked ready to fight? Or...were they trembling?
"Great one, please may we ask your business ahead?" The goblin in front spoke, holding a shield and sword at ready. He was the only one with red cloth tied around his head. She eyed his hands trembling around the sword. The swords and shields themselves were rusted and barely usable. Their clothes tattered and dirty as well. Maybe she should just introduce herself. "MY NAME IS RIMURU, NICE TO-" She stopped talking as the goblins seemed to have been pushed back and were now cowering in the dirt. Oh shit, had she done that?
"Please lower your voice great one! We understand how powerful you are!" The leader was crawling to his feet. They all looked even worse for wear. She actually felt bad about that one. "I apologize! I have yet to speak to many and am still getting used to my voice!" Some of the goblins sighed in relief. The leader of the group took another step forward and lowered his shield. "Please do not apologize! We were only worried due to such a strong aura coming towards our village! As soon as we sensed you we came immediately to investigate."
"I didn't feel anything with magic sense…" She mumbled to herself. Suddenly Great Sage informed her that there were no other creatures around with magic essence higher than hers. Well that's good but still. She switched her magic sense to view herself and would be gaping if she could. Well shit no wonder. She desperately tried reeling in her aura and tried tucking it inside herself. Phew was embarrassing! Had she been like this the whole time? It's a wonder if those creatures she killed were ignorant to the aura she had? Maybe they couldn't detect it.
"That was an incredible overwhelming aura! I'm thankful we could withstand it." She rolled closer and the goblin offered to escort her to their village. She agreed happily. Maybe she could learn some more whilst there? She only knew so much about this world after all. Rinuru chattered with the goblins the entire way. She was pleasantly surprised with how much she enjoyed their presence. The last thing she had spoken to was Veldora, and that was a while back. Plus she hadn't actually gotten to talk, just speak with her mind.
After arriving at the village they escorted her to a small little hut. after a little while the leader had came back into the hut, helping a much much older goblin. He looked as if he was using all his strength to stand, leaning on a stick. He hobbled in beside the other and lightly bowed his head. "I apologize that we don't have much to offer. I am the village elder. My son here has told me of your hidden strength." No wonder he seemed much more confident than the others. He was the elder's son. Also they had probably invited her to their village for a reason. Especially if the elder was greeting her himself. "It's no problem. But I feel as though you might have a request for me?"
Suddenly the two sank to their knees and their heads touched the dirt. She mentally sighed preparing for the story. Hopefully she could even do anything. "This small village of ours is struggling. Ever since the guardian of the forest, Storm Dragon Veldora, vanished a month or so ago, demons that were normally kept at bay are slowly returning. Among them is a pack of dire wolves. We are short on numbers and strength. My first son passed a week ago gathering Intel on the wolves. We beg of you to aid us!"
Rimuru stayed silent for a moment. They stared at her quietly as she pondered the request. "I have a question before I respond with an answer. What can be given in return? What do you have to offer, if anything?" She felt cruel saying it but she was curious. If they had anything she could make use of. Be it knowledge or items. They dont look like they had much but one never knew. She would help then no matter what, but it was still something she felt the need to ask. "We offer you our loyalty!"
The father and son duo both held strong gazes. Well that was better than expected. She resolved that if she didn't die somehow or fail, then she would make use of that reward. Suddenly a loud howl pierced through the air. Outside the small hut goblins began panicking. Even the village elder and his son looked panicked. She moved outside the hit and tried to get everyone's attention. "Worry not! For I, Rimuru Tempest will help you against the dire wolves!" Within a second nearly all the goblins fell to their knees in relief. "We swear our servitude to you Lord Rimuru! Please protect us!"
"First I need you to create a barrier of some sort. Afterwards take me to the wounded." She quickly explained how to build a quick line of defense. It would be a fence of wood, and it would be quickly made, but it would be something. Afterwards the Elder escorted her to a bigger hut with the wounded. She was surprised. There were two rows of goblins that looked severely I'll from their wounds. The wounds looked badly bandaged. They must not have great medicinal knowledge then. She went near the closest one and thought about it. She could absolutely devour him right then. It would be a wonderful thing, and she may not gain any skills, but wouldn't it be nice? She could devour each if the wounded and maybe consuming so many at once could be treated as a meal? Maybe she would be satisfied?
Within a second her thoughts snapped back into focus. Originally having planned on eating them and then healing and spitting them out, that wouldn't be the best idea with how close she was to actually eating them. Instead she shot some healing liquid on him. She moved to each one, shooting the liquid at them. Each one healed near immediately. They thanked her profusely. Then the elder brought her to the fence line they had quickly built. It was better than nothing but still liked moderately unstable. "This was what we made with your instructions lord Rimuru."
"It looks great but needs some extra support." She shot out stick thread securing all points along the fence. Whilst also threading some steel thread as a line of defences in front of the barrier a ways. Within seconds of doing so, the large pack of wolves appeared at the top of the hill howling. The goblins lined up behind the wall with their shoddy weapons at ready. Rimuru went through a small opening in the defence. "We are here to kill the rest of you goblins! This territory will be ours!"
The wolves growled and barked behind their pack leader. "I will only say this once. Leave now and I will spare you." Her voice carried to the wolves across the area. The leader if the pack growled. "You are but a slime! You are no match for a dire wolf! This is indeed a laughable last resort from the weak goblins. We will slaughter you all!" Suddenly some of the wolves surged forward. "Father wait!" A wolf a little ways behind called out to the pack leader. Sudden howls filled the area as the first line of wolves where sliced ti bits, after charging headfirst into her steel thread. Some had only wounded themselves, but several had lost limbs or chunks of flesh. Few hung from the steel, as it was halfway cut through their body. Hanging limp.
Rimuru eyed the blood dripping from the forms and licked her lips mentally. "Are these from you, Lord Rimuru? I thought you had only secured the defense!" The elder spoke from a little ways behind her. "Yes I added these at the same time." More wolves got closer dodging the bloody threads, only to find themselves cut to ribbons as well. Eventually the leader let out a long howl. "Ridiculous! I refuse to let us be plagued with!" He charged forward past the wolves who stayed back. He dodged his dead brethren and the threads dripping with blood.
"The blood of my comrades will guide me!" He duck and weaved. Growing closer and closer. "Please father I beg of you! Wait!" The wolf got close enough and jumped for the kill, only to find himself suspended by even more threads. "NO!" He thrashed and tried snapping at the wires. Rimuru shot out a water blade. The field of the wolves that were left and goblins were all frozen. The pack leaders head dropped to the ground as blood soaked into the ground below. How easily that was done. Now if only the others would retreat.
"You have two options! Submit or die!" No one moved a muscle. Rimuru sighed and hoped over to the leader's body and quickly devoured it along with the discarded head. She was happy at the sudden new skills that popped up. She used mimic and turned into the same wolf she killed. This time her voice held a deep growl. "SUBMIT OR DIE. IT IS YOUR CHOICE." Maybe she should have given them the option to flee. She didn't want to scare her newly loyal goblins after all. Suddenly all the remaining wolves bowed their heads and in unison spoke. "We submit!" Well damn what was she supposed to do now.
Rimuru helped shuffle a mix of goblins and wolves to the center of town. She sat in front of the large group, with the village elder and who she believed was the dire wolves son she had killed. Rimuru surprisingly only felt slightly uncomfortable in front of so many eyes. Her main issue was awkwardness as what the hell was she supposed to say or do now? If everything worked out, the wolves should be a wonderful help though. Their numbers had dwindled a bit do to her threads though. Speaking of how many were killed? She should definitely use devour on the fallen. But this would take her attention first.
Rinuru slightly enhanced her voice to reach each individual in the crowd. "Today, all goblins and due wolves will be allies!" There was a roaring, cheering, and howling from the group. This should work out splendidly. They had better reactions than she had hoped. She spent the next several minutes going over a few rules she wished to implement. Better safe than sorry. After everyone seemed to understand, she turned to the village elder. "Elder, may I ask your name? I apologize for not asking before, but things were a bit busy."
The frail old goblin shook his head. "I do not have a name. Names are incredibly rare for monsters. We are still able to communicate though." Oh now that absolutely would not work. There were way too many for her to be able to communicate with anyone clearly. "Then I shall name you all!" There was a period of shocked silence. Had she said something wrong? Suddenly everyone began cheering and hollering. "Truly!? You would name all of us!?" Damn was it that big of a deal? Why couldn't they just name themselves? This would be frustrating trying to think of all the names for everyone though.
It wasn't long before they had all formed a long line in front of Rimuru. After naming Rigurd and his son, she just started spouting nonsense names. Eventually she finished and the wolves came next. The son of the leader she killed stood seated in front of her. How strange that he harbored no I'll will that she could detect. "Before I name you, are you not angry that I killed your father? Will you not get revenge and try to kill me?" The large wolf bowed its head. That's when Eimuru noticed a dark star shaped pattern on the head. How cute.
"We monsters value strength above all else normally. At first I was angry but that means nothing. He was weak. You are strong." She nodded her small slime body. She understood. This wasn't humans she was working with after all. But beasts. Monsters. Though akin to human in some mannerism, definitely different. Then again she wasn't human anymore either so why does she keep thinking herself as such? She sighed. As for a name though. "I understand. Then your name shall be Ranga."
Within a few moments she felt a numbness spread over her being and her body seemed to melt slightly. What was going on? Her magic sense deactivated. Her vision and hearing quickly faded. Her body wouldn't move at all. Rimuru panicked internally. Did she just die again somehow? No she felt her surroundings but couldn't move, see, or hear. She tried using mimic to shift but nothing happened. Suddenly Great Sage informs her of what was happening. Apparently she had used too many magicules naming everyone. Wished someone had told her this would happen.
Well fuck. She was stuck like this for three days. She hated being put back into an even worse position as when she had arrived. At least she could still move around then. Now she was just stuck in darkness again and unable to move. She recalled her first few months of absolute sheer boredom. The feeling of dissolving all those plants and stones for any sensation at all. The recent events were a great change though. The new social interactions after so long were welcome. She recalled the fallen bodies of wolves and lamented at the loss of using devour. They would most likely be disposed of by the time she awoke. Definitely should have eaten them before she had that small meeting.
It was hard. To keep herself busy mentally during those three day. Slimes couldn't sleep. So albeit her body was 'asleep' to recover, mentally she was wide awake. Her mind would wander. She thought about lotions, ideas for new skills, and tried making plans for the village when she awoke. Her mind would delve into her need to devour something. There was an itch. She imagined devouring the goblins. Or punishing the rest of the wolves and eating them. She thought of where they may have disposed of the bodies of wolves and maybe she could devour their corpses. Anything to feel.
Yet she would stop and realize those thoughts and feel herself back in. She didn't know why she had such strong urges, maybe it was because she was a slime? Maybe because she was a monster now? Or maybe it was something else? She wished she knew. But hey it was only 3 days of this, then she had plenty of things to distract her when she awoke. 3 days. She could do this.
Getting worse? Getting better? let me know :)
I also had a whole scene where she had to hold herself back from devouring all the goblins after she devoured all the wolves corpses, but decided it was a bit much too soon lol