Wait, I reincarnated as a WHAT?!
Chapter 6
-Percy-
"There it is, the Armed Nation of Dwargon." Gobta declared as their group moved past the tree line, Percy towering over the others in his Hobgoblin form. A discovery that they'd made after he absorbed the Goblin Traitor was that his Mimicry didn't just give him the form of what he'd look like sa that race. With a bit of time to 'assimilate' the new body it would evolve in response to the power he currently held. He wasn't sure if there would be further evolutions, or how long they would take after the first one, but for now his Goblin form had turned into a Hobgoblin a head taller than Rigurd was.
"Good work Gobta." Percy nodded to the Hobgoblin who most resembled his original form, "Alright, you and I are going to go down by ourselves first." As he spoke, he turned back into his small dark blue slime drop form.
"Um…but why?" Rigur asked, head tilted in confusion, "Wouldn't it make sense for all of us to go down together in case someone tries something with you two looking like that?"
"Us looking like this is why I want us to go down by ourselves first." Percy shook his head, "I want to see for myself if these guards are going to actually keep their word about this being a welcoming city and if anyone would be willing to try anything. Give it a bit then have half of you come join us while the rest stay out here with the Wolves until we know whether they'd be allowed inside the city as well."
"Got it sir." Rigur nodded.
"Um, sir…" Gobta spoke up nervously "The city is a Neutral ground where fighting is prohibited but outside the City Walls that rule technically isn't enforced since it's not Dwargon's territory. Once you're through the gate you're fine but last time I got beaten up by some Humans while I was in line and didn't even manage to get into the city." Gobta crossed his arms with a huff "They took all the stuff I brought to trade too."
"Then we'll have to give a little lesson to scum like that." Percy's tone was cold, having grown fond of his green companions even more over the last few days. Not to mention he'd always hated bullies, "Come on, let's get going." Percy started down the hill toward the city.
"I still can't believe we got here so fast Sir." Gobta was in high spirits as they walked to join the line heading into Dwargon, "It always used to take me at least two months to walk from the village to Dwargon. I never even dreamed we could get here in three days!"
"Like I said, the Hobgoblins and the Tempest Wolves work together and make each other stronger." Percy declared, letting his tone convey the smile that his slime body couldn't. They reached the long line full of various humanoid races, all of the significantly bigger than Gobta was, let alone Percy in his current form.
They'd barely been in line a minute before what Percy had expected occurred "Well, look what we have here!?" a sneering voice that reminded him of Bobofit, Sloan, and every other bully in his old life ramped up to eleven.
"Looks like a couple of scrawny monsters." a second voice declared as Percy turned to see a group of human 'Adventurers' smirking and sneering. The one who'd just talked was stocky with a simple face scar while the other closest to him had a massive 'X' gauged out of his head and a bolt put through it for some gods damned reason.
"There ain't no rules about fighting outside the city so you're fair game!" the one with the bolt declared eagerly as they brought up a dagger.
"S-sir, these are the same guys who beat me up last time!" Gobta was trembling as he took a step back from the leering humans, probably still not used to his stronger Hobgoblin form yet.
"Don't worry Gobta, I won't let them hurt you." Percy assured his friend.
"HEY!" the blond growled, grabbing his sword "You dumb monsters better stop ignoring us!"
"Wait, you know, a talking slime is a pretty rare sight." The one with the bolt through their head grinned "We could make a fortune selling it!" as the bastard spoke, his buddies all eagerly nodded, drawing their own weapons while the civilians in the long line began to back away fearfully from the conflict about to happen.
"Gobta…" Percy's voice was cold as stygian ice "do you remember my one rule?"
"Um…do no harm but take no shit sir?" Gobta looked confused at him asking that.
"And what are they trying to do?" Percy's liquid body began to bubble.
"Um…harm?" Gobta backed away as, in a burst of shadow and magic, Percy towered over the would-be adventurers in a massive two horned wolf form, his fur black as tar.
"So, they're about to learn their lesson." Percy's voice came out as a growl "If there's no law or rule that stops them from attacking us or acting as slavers outside the city gates, then there's no rule that will save their lives." He'd been killing monsters in his world since he was eleven, sentient creatures to the last. Slavers like this were just monsters that wouldn't turn to gold dust in his eyes.
"Hah! Well, it's your funeral!" the blond declared as he drew his sword.
"Yeah, let's get him guys!" the one with the screw shouted to the other three adventurers. Percy braced himself as the five launched their attacks.
"Die!" the blond swordsman charged in first.
"Slash attack!" the one with the screw swung his daggers as an 'X' of crimson energy flew from them toward Percy.
"Heavy Hitting Cut!" the one in full plate armor slammed their axe on the ground as stone rise up, energy shooting Percy's way.
"I cast Fireball!" the wizard in the black robe pointed his staff aloft.
"Magic Wall, go!" the last one, this one in a white robe, put up a green energy barrier around the four who hadn't charged him. The attacks impacted but he barely felt the weak abilities, a flick of his wrist sending the swordsman back into his friends.
"I-impossible!" the now terrified slavers paled, "They didn't even singe him!"
"My turn." Percy roared, leaping forward even as the slavers tried to run. He didn't give them the chance to escape, his claws shattering their barrier like cheap glass as tendrils of dark blue slime came out of his back. He tore through the pathetically weak bastards, his claws dripping crimson the five fell to the ground in pieces swiftly. His slime tendrils reached down, absorbing the five and their gear. Looking back, he saw the crowd of civilians had scattered as soon as the fight had started, guards running their way from the city walls.
"I really hope they're willing to listen." Percy grimaced as he realized that being the only one on the scene when they arrive and his claws dripping red wouldn't look the best. Best case scenario is that they listen to him and the civilians who ran to the gates about what the Slavers had openly declared. Worse case? He broke himself and Gobta out and they found somewhere else to trade, or just sent in the other Hobgoblins who hadn't been seen.
-Kaidou-
Sighing tiredly, Kaidou ran a tired hand down his face as he approached the cells. After the incident outside the gates, even more Hobgoblins had come out of the woods, looking ready to fight them before the massive horned wolf had turned into a Slime and told the Hobgoblins to stand down. He'd sounded more annoyed at them showing up to try and fight to protect him than anything, although that could have just been due to the risk of escalation.
The Slime had stated their name was Perseus but to call him Percy…once Kaidou got over the surprise of an entire group of named monsters at any rate. Percy had been nothing but cooperative, so Kaidou had made sure his boys were polite as the group got taken to a cell to wait while they talked to the witnesses for their reports.
"Ah, you're back." Percy's voice came from the barrel that they'd put him in, the best they could do since slimes couldn't exactly be cuffed conventionally. Although how the hell he could see Kaidou from inside was something he didn't have a clue about.
"Yeah, we talked to all the witnesses." Kaidou nodded as he reached in to pry up the lid from the barrel "Everyone' story matched up with yours. It sounds like those humans figured a goblin and a slime would be easy prey and felt safe in attacking you." He'd made sure to report the incident to the King in case the human's home countries tried to protest. His Majesty had been quite amused at the statement Percy had made of 'if there's no law keeping you from attacking me, then I can do the same back to you'.
"So, we're free to go?" Percy climbed out of the barrel, taking a humanoid slime shape.
"Y-yeah." Kaidou shook himself, out of the shock at this baffling slime monster, "Just try not to get into any more fights if you can-" his request, and the unlocking of the cell, was cut off by another of the guards coming in running.
"Captain!" hearing the voice of one of his officers, Kaishii, Kaidou turned to see the panicked guardsman "There was an Armorsaurus attack in the mines!"
"What are you waiting for, call the suppression force!" Kaidou snapped, whirling on the panting man.
"They're already on their way sir, but Garm and his brothers were down in the mines digging for magic ore. They're badly injured, and we don't have enough potions!" Kaidou snarled, slamming his fist against the wall. The war effort had required heavy costs and donations, including most of Dwargon's supply of healing potions.
"We can't just do nothing!" Kaidou snarled, Garm and his brothers were like family to him "Go! Search the city if you have to, I want more potions found now!"
"Oi, captain!" hearing the voice of the Slime, Percy, Kaidou glanced back over his shoulder to see the once empty barrel now filled with bright glittering potion.
"What the-?!" Kaidou gaped.
"If you need healing potion then take this." Percy tapped the side of the barrel, securing the lid back on to keep any from spilling out "It can be drunk or applied directly through the skin."
"Where did you even-" Kaidou started to ask before shaking himself, "Never mind, you can tell me later." Grunting, the captain hefted the barrel over his shoulder.
"Captain?!" Kaishii gaped "Are you really about to trust that slime's potion?!"
"Yes, we have to." Kaidou gave the officer a glare "I'm not about to risk my men dying when we have a real chance to save them." Glancing over at Percy he nodded "Wait here, I'll be back once my men are safe." Turning, he ran to the Mines. If this worked, then the king would want to know as well.