Title: - ⸢ The Journey of Drago ⸥

Series: - ⸢ Tensei Shitara Slime datta ken ⸥

Rating: - ⸢M⸥

Genera: - ⸢Isekai⸥

Writer: - ⸢IsekaiStoriesDM ⸥

Word Count: - ⸢1,403⸥

The morning sun rose, I was at my campsite atop of the mountain that Dwargon was settled inside. Sitting crossed-legged atop of a large stone slowly breathing in the energies of heaven and earth, I thought about how I was just finishing my last month as an apprentice and would be leaving soon. I had taken to going camping in the mountains, on the days the old grumpy bastard let me have off. I assumed this was so he could train the girl more. With this time, I had begun learning sword and hammer moves allowing my body to flex and bend; learn the limits of my physical form. I occasionally kill a wild monster with no conscience (in that it just wants my flesh) but I end up using it as a sandbag. This has continued for nearly a year now. I also took this time to create three things as going away gifts (as the needed material found its way into my hands.)

In between hunting, training, and meditation I sat at my campfire putting together the objects; etching runes and infuse magic into the material. Soon, on the last day of my camping trip, they were finished. As I looked down at them, I saw a glow. There were two ore sacks made of Sabertooth bear hide enchantment. With time and space magic, there were four-hundred square feet of space in each bag more than enough room for the old man and the girl to bring back ore from the shaft and carry their tools. The last was a metallic cube which I named, 'the ore box.' It had over a million square feet of space inside of it. I had been steadily upgrading this project over the last four years; in order to store ore inside of it for the day I left. At that point there was enough ore within it, and with the old dwarf's work speed (and the girl as his aid) it wouldn't be needed to collect any ore in the tunnels for several years or at least not a large amount.

I made these as my own skills in device crafting and blacksmithing improved. Soon, I found my sack couldn't carry all the ore that I found on a normal day. I also didn't like reporting all the ore I gathered, as I hated giving any more than I had to, to those who ran the mine. So, after I filled my normal bags, I would always put the rest into the cube. When I first made the cube, many people would of ask why an apprentice would craft a mass storage item just for spare ore (and go as far as even use rare materials to forge it.) But I did it as I knew it would also provide a solution for a long-term problem (as many mines tended to come up dry or placed on restriction do to an infestation of monsters.) This would, of course, limit the supply of ore. But my projects, allowed for product to be easily moveable for both the old master and whomever he allowed to inherit the smith, in the future.

I planned to fill it even more in the coming days before I would leave Dwargon. I admired the work I put into each piece, then stowed them away into my own ⸢Item Box⸥ before breaking down the campsite. I made my way back to the entrance. It didn't take me that long to get down as I used ⸢dimensional step⸥ to parkour down the side of the mountain. As I ran down the side and only used it to prevent my death otherwise, I used hand holds, ledges and cracks in my descent to the ground. I found myself fighting against the G's I was pulling, as I free fell. I still manage to get every hold without missing one, catching the places I needed to and swung to another set or to put me in a position where I could cling and catch my breath. After a good solid half hour, I found myself on the ground a few injuries and muscles screaming, with my clothing drenched in sweat and a little blood.

I sat against the stone wall and pulled out a canteen from my ⸢Item Box⸥. I chugged down the icy cold water as I rested and then I took out several skewers of meat and ate them as I felt my body heal up. It took me another half hour and two more water canteens before I got up and I was ready to make it towards the entrance.

I had healed plenty, and had more than enough rest, so I began to jog. I did not feel a need to use any of the skills, and training was to train. I also need to build my stamina while in motion. After twenty minutes I was at the line. I saw it was short for this time of day and after another ten minutes I was back inside and on my way to the old man's shop.

As I got there, I heard shouts followed by three men coming tumbling out the door followed by a large smithing hammer that was so heavy it sank into the hard packed earth. I had to laugh as I had seen this plenty and as I got closer, I heard the familiar shout of my junior (the female apprentice) and the drunken laughs of the old man.

I got to hammer, hefted it up and looked inside. The two dwarfs froze. This caused me smirk more. "Oh my, it seems your destined to kill your future husband especially tossing this type of hammer."

I could see Ruth blush. "Who said I want to marry that crabby grandpa," she muttered under her breath. "A man who wouldn't let me work as a blacksmith if he got his way."

I raised an eyebrow to the old man behind her and caused him to laugh. "Boy you know she wants you for that role."

"As her husband?"

"I mean look how she act every time you go to the elf bathhouse."

I knew, I wasn't a fool to the girl's feelings, but I hadn't ever reciprocated the feelings. Hell, I went to the bathhouse more to ensure she didn't approach me. I had no idea the girls at the bathhouse had told her nothing happened. So, to break the awkwardness the old man caused I said, "You need to stop drinking. She's too good to ever want me and I just got back so I'm going to my room to take a nap before I go to the mines." I walked into the shop and placed the hammer onto the bench close by, all while trying to avoid eye contact.

Of course, the old codger wouldn't let it rest. "You stink! Didn't you bath out there? Go to the bathhouse."

At these words I froze and as I turned towards the old dwarf. My eyes became slits, especially as I saw the girl had grown so red I thought she'd have steam shooting out of her ears. "Old bastard I smell better than the bed of roses scent you give off and I don't plan to visit the bathhouse twice in a day. I'll do it after mining." I then turned away and muttered under my breath. "Crazy old son of a bitch, you want those female wolves to devour me. It's bad enough going there once every day without being targeted, and you want me to jump in multiple times."

The old man gave an evil old grin. "But they do love rubbing and tugging on you."

I stopped and acted like I took a strike to the back of the head. I turn back and said, "four." I then left.

I had a feeling, that as I was gone the old man would keep thinking about the number, trying to think what I meant. I imagined his face froze and then he ran back to his own room and saw four of the six boxes of brandy he bought where gone.

I could practically hear the old man's eye start to twitch as he bellowed, "You stinky little brat! Give me back my booze or your dead!"

After the exclamation there was silence except for the sound of two people laughing from two locations.