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 Shitara 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

IV: Misuzu

It had been a normal day.

Everything had been going smoothly as routine.

No one within the Ogre Tribe could have ever expected something else to happen.

Until a large bull-like creature appeared just east of their village boundary, radiating massive amounts of magicules. Yet just a few minutes after its appearance, its terrifying aura had disappeared causing some speculations to erupt. One had cried out that its magicules was comparative to that of an A+ rank monster, and that they must be cautious. Swiftly, the others reacted and those who were in charge of the security were immediately sent out to inspect it from a safe distance.

The village had undergone a state of emergency. Warring clan they may be, only those who who were a part of the royal guard remained to fight if needed while the rest, including the children, went to stay in their well-guarded safehouse. The head lady and her two children would have also left for the safehouse if not for their insistence to stay. Further chaos would have ensued if not for the Sword Ogre's timely arrival. He appeared in a flash in front of the gathered crowd. Despite his old-looking appearance, he was no doubt very powerful.

"A false alarm," he had said before the rest of the security team could be sent out. "The creature is no threat." He further added to try and dissuade their fears.

Many cried out in relief but there were still those who were skeptical. What could have caused such a high rank monster to appear all of a sudden? And just right of their village?

Sword Ogre raised his hand and the murmurs and questions halted. He cleared his throat and began to explain. "Please wait for a moment. It will all be explained by the creature himself." As he was saying this, he looked towards the head lady of the village who had been holding onto her children's hands. The two did not have the telepathy skill but they could still read each other's thoughts just as skillfully.

No threat. Please trust me.

She could practically discern from his gaze. It didn't take long for her to accept it, he was a part of the royal guard, and had been an inhabitant of this tribe far longer than she. He was a man of valor and a respected swordsman, and besides all that...she trusted him.

A nod from her was what prompted him to continue his explanation. "The creature is a summoning, his name is Misuzu."

"A Named creature?!" One warrior had gasped out loudly but was quickly shushed to quiet down by the others. The master swordsman was not yet finished.

"Named as he is but because he is a summoning, he cannot hurt others without his master's orders so we are safe for the time being."

"Sword Ogre, please elaborate more on this matter." Okusama immediately spoke up to question him. She took the initiative to voice out this question to prevent more dissonance from erupting within the villagers. With her taking the lead in questioning, those within the crowd would have no need to speak up thus lessening the possibility of chaos.

"The summoning was a result of a Unique Skill." He stated, purposefully avoiding the main issue of the topic. "It was the result of an accidental activation of the said skill. The summoner did not mean to summon a high rank creature when they did so."

Okusama was a bit confused by his approach to answer her command. H...He was skirting around it? Why did he not speak of who was behind the summoning? Was it because it was someone they knew of? A frown momentarily appeared on her face but quickly disappeared as it came. She could not show too much emotions in front of the villagers, problems may arise if she showed them.

The Sword Ogre was purposefully trying to downplay the incident for that person...

It meant that it was someone whom I know personally...and is currently missing from the vi - Her eyes widened upon realization and she quickly turned to look at the Sword Ogre for confirmation. He gave a small nod as if he had read her thoughts.

(It could not be her husband. He, and some of the men and women whom were a part of his personal guard, were still out for an important meeting far away from the village. It could not be those who had been sent out for hunting and foraging either because they had already returned hours ago. All the children were accounted for except for...)

Little blacksmith...

They could no longer skirt around the question puzzling everyone's minds. Murmurs of agitation and curiosity were beginning to brew within the supposedly silenced crowd. It was time to ask the question.

(Okusama was glad that only their warriors were left in the village as of now, it would have been a horror trying to control the rest of the villagers if they had remained.)

"Who was the summoner?" She finally pressed on.

We can still mitigate their reaction — !

The master swordsman hesitated for a moment and was about to answer when —

— when the ringing of bells sounded, resonating through the forest surrounding the east of the village and interrupting that tense moment of revelation. Leaves rustled and then, just behind the Glass Leaf Tree, a giant bull-like creature appeared. Purple fog emanated from it, adding to its fearsome aura. The warriors readied themselves and pointed their weapons at the sight of it but hesitated when the Sword Ogre raised his arm to stop them.

"I am here to explain my presence just as you have suggested, Sword Ogre-dono." It said, its wide nearly soulless-looking eyes wandering to and fro at the crowd formed below the small hill. "But while I may have agreed to your request, I would appreciate it if there are no weapons pointed towards my master and I." His voice then deepened on his next words. "Otherwise, I may take it as a threat instead."

"I apologize for the misconception, Misuzu-dono." He bowed and then glared at the guards behind him. They immediately relented and lowered their weapons.

Once the possible threat had abated, Misuzu floated down the hill, lessening the fog around him. He was huge, all of them thought. The bull-like creature looked a bit similar to the bulldeer monster that roamed the woods but the former was obviously sentient and very powerful compared to the latter. There were a bit who silently questioned to why it wore similar clothing to their own though but that was quickly put aside since it was not the right time for that.

"My name is Misuzu," it stated and then lowered and opened its left limb which resembled a human-like hand, revealing a familiar ogre child with grey skin and silver hair. "And this is my master."

"Little blacksmith-niichan!" The princess of the ogre tribe exclaimed in surprise before the others could properly react.

TBC