The Dungeon not-really-boss, Veldora!

At the moment, it has been 90 days since I have reincarnated.

To be precise, 90 days, 7 hours, 34 minutes, and 52 seconds.

How can I be so sure? It's a function of the Great Sage.

According to it, for the skill to establish itself in this body 90 days are needed. And that would be 'establish' in this world's sense.

I mean, I was sure that I had possessed that skill since the beginning, but that was true only regarding my soul.

Until now, it had been accessing and usurping the Voice of the World, or so it explained.

It seems that normally a convenient skill that answers any question doesn't exist.

The Voice of the World apparently, is only audible when the world changes, a skill is acquired, or undergoes an evolution.

To answer my questions, the Great Sage skill had been appropriating that particular function.

I hadn't heard of such an existence in my world, but it seems to be pretty normal here.

In any case, things like skill acquisition and Evolution are not everyday occurrences. When the world had recognized significant growth – and in rare cases! – it will grant a skill. Evolution, on the other hand, transcends the common sense.

And so, since I had nothing else to do in this darkness, I kept asking questions.

As a result, I have confirmed that I am, in fact, a Slime. But I have the appearance of a Poring. This was apparently, due to my many wishes when I died. So the world figured what to do with me, and made me a Poring.

Lack of hunger and need to sleep had also been explained.

The slimes of this world could absorb magic essence, and thus have no need for physical nourishment. Where there is poor magic essence concentration, monsters and small animals serve as an alternative. And so in this world, unexpectedly, the slimes in the regions with poor magic essence are extremely violent and strong as a result for survival's sake. Wouldn't you expect regions with abundant magic essence be homes to strong monsters instead?

In other words, in the place with a lot of magic essence like where I am now is a place where food is unnecessary. Thus peaceful.

Then, about sleep?

/Solution. Slime bodies are a composition of identical cells. Every cell serves as brain cell, nerve ending, and muscle at the same time. Thus, as thought process is undertaken by different cell at different times, sleep is unnecessary./

Holy crap. An ability like this, is a mangaka's wet dream to make it in time for their deadlines. So where are my memories stored? Perhaps, it's like a PC HDD with RAID setup, right?

When thinking that, I got a /Roughly so./ response.

This Great Sage guy seems pretty good at holding conversation.

And so, I got to wondering what the effects of Great Sage were...

/Solution. Unique Skill: Great Sage has the following effects:

Thought Acceleration: Raise the speed of thought processing by a thousand times.

Analysis and Judgment: Ability to analyze and make judgments regarding a target.

Parallel Processing: Ability to detach thoughts and analysis of phenomenon.

Chant Annulment: When using magic, there's no need to chant.

All of Creation: Ability to comprehend all non-concealed phenomenon in this world.

These five are your abilities./

And that was that.

But, All of Creation? Could it be that I have obtained all the knowledge in the world without lifting a finger?! Or so I thought but…

In reality, depending on the information I understand and the things I know about, additional information can be inferred.

In other words, I need to see it at least once, but for the matters that I have seen–those I understand through this power.

But, Chant Annulment...so after learning a skill, I do not need to recite anything? So I was an idiot for yelling, 'Water Blade!' before like some chuunibyou?!

The answer is /YES./, making a comical anvil bash her on her head in her heart out of embarrassment.

With this in mind, there is no need to memorize magic. I just think of what I want to happen! And when I did what I want, I end up gaining skills instead.

Tried to see if that would work with Great Sage, and of course, it didn't.

And then I got an idea.

Could I link together Predator's Analysis and Great Sage's Parallel Processing?

/Solution. Linking Predator's Analysis and Great Sage's Parallel Processing is possible. Will you link the abilities? [YES]/[NO]?/

Of course, YES!

What to say? I'm still stuck in darkness. Nothing else to do (that I can do) around here. Kill monsters. Eat said monsters to gain their skills and master said skills. Eat Hipokute herbs to make Elixirs but to make sure they come back, I don't eat the roots anymore. Absorb magicules to strengthen myself. And I learned there's a ranking system made by humans here. But only based on Magicule Strength possession, not on how dangerous they are regarding intelligence and skills. Even a smart weakling can defeat a strong, but a dumb moron.

From what I've been doing so far, leveling up, I'm now an A-Class Monster. Not bad for a Poring when normally, a Poring is super weak! It's an E-Rank Monster here but easy to defeat...unless you're the violent kind of course. Even scarier? Slimes are treated by most monsters as a snack. Is she living Tokoroten now?

At this time I was completely off guard by that horrifying thought. So I really resolved to get stronger. Hunt, eat, and absorb and asking Great Sage about my progress.

A-Rank Monsters, at least in terms of EP in Magicules have at least 100.000 magicules minimum and that can go up. And she was an A-Rank upon being reincarnated here. And upon eating a lot, I rose in strength. I'm almost there to being an A+ class now. My main goal before meeting a Dungeon Boss, is to have magicules close to Demon Lord Levels. And since I don't need sleep, overtime, is my life!

And during these 90 days, I had never met another living thing, nor had any threat to my life. I'm too strong! Yay, me!

I never stopped at my hard work as I might meet something stronger than me, so I must level-grind! Fight, make skills, get skills and eat!

Then one day...she saw a bright light, like a rainbow up ahead.

Curious, she bounced her way to see and...it's a tru-blu dragon behind a rainbow barrier.

Ehhh?!

/Little one, can you hear me?/

What's this? Telepathy? Helloooo? Caaaan yoooouuu heeeeaaarrrr meeee? I can't talk so I feel dang stupid right now, trying to think loud what I wanna say...

/I heard you. So you slimes have your own term for talking like this huh? We call it Magic Sense though./

Can you teach me? I'm only 90 days old. Other than nasty beasties, nobody other than my skill talked to me till now.

/Your skill?/

Great Sage. He is kinda like the Voice of the World, answering my questions, and I learned a lot from Great Sage, so I'm no typical Slime!

/Wahahaha! What a Skill for a Slime! You're one lucky Slime!/ the dragon laughed, amused. /You gotta be the smartest slime now, when they can't even be sentient. They're thoughtless capable of only three things and then there's you! What are You? A named monster? A unique monster?/

Named? Unique? I don't understand?

/Ay. Self-awareness is something impossible for a slime. Named monsters are those that have received a name, but to have had only 90 days pass since birth...in that case, unique?/

What would you mean by unique?

/Unique monsters are those who have undergone some mutation and possess unusual powers. Rarely, such are born in areas with high magical energy density...I see, your birth was founded on magical energy drawn from myself!/

Does that mean I'm one of your many kids now?

/Wahahaha, I have no idea! When I feel pent up I release my excess power, so how should I know if monsters spawned off my excess magicules?/ Satoko face-faulted. /I didn't really care before./ the dragon commented. 'I don't know how many are born when I need to let loose and if you really ARE one of my offshoots, you're quite cute and thankfully, smart. I can sense your power. Had most slimes had a brain, they'll envy you for sure./ the dragon mused. This slime before him, is too powerful for its species! What the hell, he thought. As a joke, it might become a Demon Lord one day?

(Three years later, that joke became real)

Ehhh surely I'm cuter than a typical slime? Satoko sounded cutesy indignant.

/In a way you are. You're the only slime with facial features when most slimes are just featureless balls of blob./ the dragon snorted. /You actually have eyes and a visible mouth./ it remarked, seeing features of a Poring on Satoko's body.

Humm...you may have formed my body and gave me the ability to have more power than a slime can dream of, but what do you know about Reincarnation?

/Ahhh?/

Y'see...

Satoko told the dragon her past and how she ended up here. Even thinking clearly images of her past life hoping the dragon can see...which he did. So she spent her rebirth 'growing up' in fear of meeting a Dungeon Boss and dying too soon.

/...that's new. An otherworlder's soul reincarnating as one of my offshoots./ the dragon stroked his snout thoughtfully with his claws. /Your world is also bland looking, full of rectangle buildings and that's it. At least you traveled around to fun places./

Its up to you whether you believe me or not though.

/Keh, with Magic Sense, I'd know if anyone's lying to me or not. You've been truthful so far./ the dragon snorted. /You won't tell me your name though?/

I have no need for my old human name anymore. And since I'm your offshoot, technically your kid, you name me a name befitting this world. And can I know the name of my technical parent?

The dragon guffawed.

/Wahahaha! Very well! You're cute for one of my kids! Most of them are probably butt-ugly!/ he cackled. /Very well!/ surely he won't lose that much power naming a slime anyway. And this girl doesn't know the Naming System yet, working on getting stronger to survive and she only knows answers off questions she asked Great Sage so far. She has YET to ask that sorta question. /I am Veldora, the Storm Dragon! Think of a good name we can both share, like that family name thingy and I will give you a name. It will imprint our status as equals upon our souls. The one I grant you will bestow upon you Divine Protection. You still lack a name, so you shall become a named monster now!/

Hummm, Storm is your schtick. Since you are called the Storm Dragon, how about Tempest?

Since it sound good, I simply took Storm and changed it into Tempest.

/It's decided! What a wonderful name!/

He liked it!?

/From now on, I am Veldora Tempest. And you, Shall be called Rimuru, Rimuru Tempest shall be your name!/

And that name was etched into my soul.

From what I can see and feel, I don't feel any different.

But somewhere deep in my soul, I felt something change.

That would be something to mention to Veldora, wouldn't it?

And so, I have become friends (or would it be more appropriate to call this father-daughter relationship?) with him. I don't mind, he's a pretty chill, cool guy. Thank goodness I don't have eardrums. Anyone else not a slimie talking to him would be deaf in no time flat, lolz.

Oh, and before I go, I wanted to ask. Is there nothing you can do about that seal?

/Not with my power. If it were a unique skill like that of a hero, then it could perhaps be possible./

You do not possess any unique skills?

/I do. But from the moment the seal was placed, I could no longer use any. I barely managed retaining my telepathy.../

At the moment, the hero's unique skill Endless Prison prison seals the target in endless time and imaginary space; an unpleasant skill that does not permit interference from here.

Though it does seem strange that the only thing he can do is to communicate telepathically...It's not like the skill weakens with time, after all.

Being able to even recognize the present and converse with other creatures all seem like example of interference. What's unusual is Veldora himself here...

Of course, both us noticed this.

Alright. There's something I want to try. As I said that, I touched Veldora.

And,

/Attempting to predate unique skill Endless Prison via unique skill Predation...failure./

As expected, a hero's seal is not going to be this easy.

For but a second, interference with the hero's skill released a blinding light, but then it returned to normal.

Seems like for a brief moment, a seam opened in this endless prison. But it quickly restored itself.

And anyways, 'Since it's also a unique skill, something'll happen.' type of thing will only lead to trouble.

Isn't there anything I can do?

What to do...

/Solution. Unique skill Endless Prison has been partly analyzed. I shall present the escape method. It is impossible for flesh to escape. Physical damage wise, the chance of destroying the prison is 0%. With regards to the imaginary space escape method–the analysis proved impossible. Analysis in identical situation–imprisonment in an Endless Prison is necessary for analysis. Therefore, currently this is impossible. The chance of releasing a spiritual body is 1%./ Great Sage spoke. /Should one prepare a host for the spirit ahead of time, and move there in the process, the success rate increases to 3%. At the moment, this process is similar to reincarnation. Should the affinity with the host be poor, memories and skills will all be reset. End of the report on escape methods./

The chances are far too low.

Doesn't look more than flimsy film, this Endless Prison skill.

But for it to be impervious to physical damage...

There must be some weakness to this absolute defense.

Did hero take any damage? Any wounds or something?

/Well asked! Our blows were well watched, and I have landed a few direct hits! But, there was no effect. Death Calling Winds, Black Lighting, and even Storm of Destruction. All are skills that cannot be evaded, and yet no effect! I gave up! It was laughable!/

And all other similar babble would end in Veldora's loud laughter.

Unique skill Endless Prison was definitely used to cover her body, if all outside interference is negated, no shield is necessary.

What a useful skill!

Unique skill Certain Severance.

Unique skill Endless Prison.

If you combine these two, wouldn't you be essentially invincible?

Definitely don't want to meet her.

She should have passed away by now, so should be okay.

Without a question, she belonged in the strongest class.

In reality, Veldora was also in the strongest class but the Rimuru of the time could not have known this.

Anyways. The escape to host method, huh?

To escape, a host to transfer the soul to seems to be necessary. It is also possible to escape in a spiritual body, but the success chance is low.

Don't really see the reason to mention the percentages. If Veldora's desire to escape decreases so could the chances.

/Mu? There was an escape method! Honestly, after some 100 years my magical energy hit empty! Probably since I didn't stop the flow of magical energy.../

I see...that would be the reason why the magical energy concentration around here is so high.

/Ay. The truly strong monsters also avoid this area. Grass also hardly grows underground. Only some rare vegetation inhabits these caves!/

Ah.

I remembered about the Hipokute Grass. In this case, it's a pretty valuable medicine...

Well...since that's the case, will you attempt to escape? If you had a place to transfer to, the chances would be higher...and also, what's considered a good host?

/Unfortunately, even if I detach my spirit, to gather the magical energy into a single core is rather difficult./

By opening a seam in the seal, that's how this will succeed.

And a host, huh. That is, preparing a new core and moving there...reincarnation!

This guy!

I thought that he might be slightly slow-witted, but he perfectly understood all of it.

How wondrous...he reached the same conclusion as the Great Sage.

That's the thing. So, if there's something I can prepare, should I go look for it?

/Hmm. The thing is, I don't really need a core...oh, and keep this secret? I am a 'being perfect as one'. Especially durable. I am a spiritual life-form, and thus have no attachment to this body. I merely responded to the wishes of religions and the like when forming it./

Again with that incomprehensible stuff.

And so we spoke until I understood.

The result?

Gather the magical energy with one's mind, and then form the flesh.

At the moment, the flesh being bound is beyond question, but the mind also cannot affect the surrounding magical energy.

That's the situation.

So I asked if he could leave as a spirit.

/That is impossible. I would require an offering./

Is what he said.

If he were to leave in this way, he would scatter with the magical energy and cease to exist.

And, somewhere else, another Storm Dragon would be born.

That is one means of escape, but if there's no meaning to it if it means becoming a different person.

I'm at a loss.

Wouldn't eating Veldora with Predator be a better alternative?

Place him into the Predator's stomach, analyze at depth the Endless Prison's effects and eliminate just them, could this work?

/Solution. Target: Veldora can be absorbed with the unique skill Predator./

It's possible, huh.

If I explain it, will he consent?

If this goes on, after a hundred years of isolation, only to disappear would be his fate.

And so, I explained to Veldora the Predator ability and how I thought to use it.

This would be impossible, however, without the Great Sage ability correction.

/Kuahahahaha! Interesting! Of course I'll try it. To you, I'll entrust my everything!/

Should you be trusting me so easily?

/Of course! Rather than waiting for you to come back here, tearing Endless Prison asunder and leaving together inside of you sound so much more amusing!/

I see.

Not alone. Together.

Isn't it fine?

With Great Sage and Predator, I'll continue analysis and seek to free Veldora from his imprisonment.

And in this stomach there is no fear of scattering and disappearing.

I think we can do this.

Alright. I'll eat you now, try to break out of Endless Prison, okay? Great Sage will keep calculating and researching chances.

/Kukuku! Leave it to me! Don't wait, I'll pause it for you!/

Okay!

I made my decision.

I touch Veldora, and begin Predation.

In a second, the giant Veldora disappeared from my view.

That was too quick.

He was speaking up until a second ago.

Having disappeared so suddenly...makes me lonely.

The skill highly depends on the target's resistance to being absorbed, but as expected of Velodra–no resistance what so ever.

Must say, I'm surprised I could absorb that huge body.

It seems that at the moment, my stomach is 25% occupied...just how big of a space have I got in there?

And...

/Will you begin analysis of the unique skill Endless Prison? YES/NO?/

I beg you!

As if in a prayer, I accepted. I always keep promises after all. Now, I'm Rimuru Tempest, the cute, lovable Poring!

Now Veldora will work together with Great Sage to lockpick his way out. In the meantime, I'll keep making use of the cave and keep asking questions to learn more.

Around the same time Veldora vanished...an earthquake rippled across the world.

The calamity class monster Storm Dragon Veldora has disappeared.

The one sealed for 300 years, the living calamity.

His disappearance signifies his return somewhere in this world. And yet, twenty days after the disappearance, oblivious to Rimuru who works hard on getting stronger, the Western Saints Church declared his presence to have completely vanished.

By the time she got out, ten more days passed since eating Veldora. She has amassed a large amount of Elixir, Magicules, and Magic Ores she doctored with to sell for a high price later. According to Great Sage, Magic Ores with 3-5% magisteel within is already a steal as they're in Veldora's Cave, they'd sell well. But she wasn't satisfied with that.

Living in Japan, IS EXPENSIVE. She has no idea if this world is the same, thus doctored the Magisteel, especially...

/Yes, there is money in this world called Dwarven Coins, coined by the kingdom of Armed Nation of Dwargo./ he said. /There are three types of coins. Bronze, Silver and Gold. Each coin is worth 100 denominations of the next one. To elaborate, Bronze is equal to 10 yen, Silver is equal to 1000 yen and Gold is equal to 100.000 yen./

So yes, she'll damn make use of this cave for the future. This cave is rich with goodies...

With Mimicry, she overcame obstacles her Poring Body could not by just bouncing around or crawling around. She can even fly!

Yay!

When she has about the magicule levels of being just a few steps away from S-Class as...

/Notice: trying to reach past 1.999.999 magicules will result in Magicule Poisoning and subsequent Magical Implosion after, enough to wipe out a small country. Only specific types can reach S-Class Level. Such as Demon Lords, Human Saints, Heroes, and other high-class races. It is advisable that you stop, unless you choose to evolve into a Demon Lord./

YIKES!

Maybe...she should stop now. She's noooot gonna cross that line just yet. Nope.