Kizuna

(Natsume Yuujinchou x Tensei Shitara Slime datta ken)

Author's Note: This fanfiction was inspired by harunekoya's "Worthy of A Name" and "The Human Mask" featuring a human-turned-god Natsume, as well as reading Tensei Shittara Slime datta ken manga chapters. Please be warned that this fic will involve slash sometime later in the story so don't read this if you don't like slash stories. But, it will be mostly gen...probably...with hints of romance (or its the other way around?). This is a crack fic after all so no real deep planning was made in this story.

Hope you enjoy!

Warnings: OOCness (it is inevitable), may have failure in writing the game-like parts in this story, future slash pairing

III: Book of Friends

It was said that the Glass Leaf Tree that resided at the east borders of the village was a remnant of the magicules of the dragon corpse that had been killed by a Japanese Otherwolder named Araki Byakuya. Its leftover magicules had mutated one of the nearby trees into what it was now; a tree with leaves as clear as glass.

Not many ogres visited this tree due to a number of reasons but the training fields that was located just below its hill was often used for weapon training. Takashi walked calmly towards the tree's spot and did a short bow of acknowledgement to the martial instructor who often roamed the fields on his way there. The martial instructor was strongest swordsman of the royal guard and another direct subordinate to the village head, he was known as the Sword Ogre to all.

Another factor that contributed to the great respect that had been given to the older ogre was that he was a direct descendant to the same human otherworlder that had slayed the dragon that would have run rampant at the village 400 years ago.

Takashi knew that was a portion of evidence that he could trust the tribe members of his true identity but he couldn't bring himself to say anything about it. He was a human soul that had overtaken the body of the baby of an ogre couple. He couldn't help but be afraid of the probability of those same stares he had garnered back when he had been a child in his before-life. Fear of the unknown was what held him back from being more open with the villagers. Politeness was his shield.

He eventually arrived at the base of the tree and settled down on the grassy floor with his back against its trunk. A strong gust of wind blew past him, his long braid momentarily flying with the wind before it fell and rested on his shoulder once the gust had died down. He let out a huff and calmed down as he closed his eyes.

The world was seemingly dark at first but he began to see some fluctuations of dark and light waves. His comprehension of this extra skill was nearing completion. It was something he had been working on upon hearing it from the Sword Ogre. He was no genius so despite it being supposedly simple, he needed a few days to actually be able to see the said fluctuations.

In the end...

《Confirmation complete. Extra Skill [Magic Sense] was successfully acquired.》 A robotic voice declared in his mind.

"Oh, I finally got it." He mumbled to himself. He opened his eyes and stared at the sky. What a peculiar being...this [Voice of the World]... He thought, his interest piquing a bit. This being is what sent me into this world and could not be conversed with, only listened to when it was to voice announcements.

He blinked rapidly, his eyelashes fluttering like butterfly wings.

Come to think of it, there was another thing I had wanted to try.

He stood up from his place and decided to venture past the Glass Leaf Tree and deeper into the woods.

(Unbeknownst to him, the Sword Ogre was watching him closely from afar.)

ooo

Once he was a good distance away from the village, he took a broken stick and began drawing a certain circle onto the ground. He stepped onto the middlemost characters, used water magic to make something similar to a mirror, and then laid it onto the ground. He supposed it was a good thing he was already wearing a white nagajuban underneath his kimono so all he had to do was to strip off the outer layers.

The Book of Friends was missing since it didn't exist in this world and his blood was not of Natsume Reiko's, but maybe...just maybe...it would work. Perhaps that dream had not been just a dream, but that of a memory.

He bit his finger, drawing blood, and then dropped some of it onto the magicked mirror.

Drip Drop

"One who protects me," He began as he clapped his hands together, "come forth to me."

He willed his magicules onto the circle, trying to draw forth that same feeling he had called upon that night. There was a sense that it would work but he wasn't sure. He was in another world, how could they even reach him from over there?

"Your name is..." He paused, taking a deep breath, "Misuzu."

He imagined the yujinchou in front of him, the pages of the book fluttering until it reached the said yokai's name.

(Nyanko-sensei couldn't be called, his name had not been within the Book of Friends after all.)

First, there was a small whirlwind. It shook the trees surrounding them.

Takashi could feel a certain feeling budding within his chest.

Second, a flash of light shone from the ground up.

Was this hope?

And then there was the sound of bells ringing. It was a familiar sound and one that could not be mistaken.

The light disappeared to reveal a familiar bull yokai. Misuzu was overwhelmingly large but not to the extent of being something scary.

The silver-haired ogre found himself walking forward before he could think about doing so. He reached out and touched the snout of the large yokai with a genuine smile on his face.

"It actually worked..." He mumbled in genuine surprise.

His legs collapsed underneath him with the only reason he was not fully on the floor was due to him holding onto the yokai.

"It has been a while, my lord."

(He wanted to laugh in amusement, where was Misuzu's usual "Natsume-dono"?)

"It has been, hasn't it, Misuzu?" He could feel his strength gradually leaving him, his consciousness weakening.

(I'm no longer alone.)

A single tear rolled down his cheeks as he fully lost himself to the void.

If I die, wouldn't it be sad if I couldn't contact my friends anymore?

《Confirmation Complete. Acquiring Unique Skill [Book of Friends]...Success.》

TBC