(A/n: sorry for late upload had other things to do)
(Third Person POV with Nova's internal monologue and Ciel dialogue woven in)
The cave was quiet now. The kind of quiet that feels heavy, like the air itself was waiting for something.
Nova walked behind Rimuru as the little slime hopped forward, her movements bouncy and… annoyingly cheerful.
He didn't mind silence. In fact, he preferred it. But the way Rimuru hummed like a child with a new toy grated on something deep inside him.
Ciel, how long until the Goblin Village incident?
<
'Too long.'
He flicked his tail lazily. Magic rippled through the cave like a tidal wave of silent power. The remaining monsters scurried deeper into the shadows, too terrified to even breathe.
'Six hours of babysitting a slime. Great. Just great.'
(Rimuru's POV briefly)
This fox was weird. Seriously weird.
He hadn't said a word since they left Veldora's barrier. Just walked behind her like some kind of bodyguard—but his presence… holy crap, his presence.
It felt like standing next to a nuke that could decide to go off anytime.
"Uh… hey, Nova, right?" Rimuru asked hesitantly.
"Yes."
"…Soo… what's your deal? Why're you helping me?"
Nova's mismatched eyes glanced at her, expression as blank as a frozen lake.
"Because I can."
Rimuru twitched.
"That… doesn't explain anything!"
Nova tilted his head, tails swaying slowly.
"You're entertaining."
"…I'm WHAT?!"
Nova didn't answer. He just kept walking, silent as a shadow.
'What the hell is wrong with this guy…?' Rimuru thought.
(Nova's POV again)
Ciel, monitor Rimuru's growth. I need her strong—but not too strong. We let her follow canon for now.
<
'Do it. And keep an eye on Ifrit too. I might… repurpose him.'
<
Nova's gaze flicked toward the slime again. Her aura was weak, but growing. Slowly.
'She's still clueless. Good.'
[SYSTEM ALERT: Unidentified Threat Detected Ahead]
Nova stopped. His ears twitched slightly as he caught faint vibrations in the air.
Ciel.
<
'Classic canon event. Should I… interfere?'
<
Nova smirked internally.
'Fine. I'll play along. But let's add a twist.'
The night fell quickly as they emerged from the cave into the open plains. The moon bathed the land in pale silver light, glinting off Nova's fur like liquid starlight.
Rimuru looked around nervously.
"Uh… Nova? Why does it feel like we're being watched?"
Nova said nothing. He just stood there, eyes half-lidded, tails slowly curling around him like serpents.
A low growl echoed through the darkness. Then another. And another.
Glowing eyes lit up the treeline as the pack emerged—fang wolves, snarling and frothing with hunger.
The leader, larger than the rest, stepped forward with a howl that shook the ground.
Rimuru froze.
"Uh… Nova? What do we do?!"
Nova finally spoke, his voice calm.
"You fight."
"WHAT?!"
He looked at her, tone flat.
"You wanted strength. Earn it."
Rimuru trembled.
"But there's like… fifty of them!"
"Sixty-four," Nova corrected.
"HOW IS THAT BETTER?!"
Nova didn't answer. Instead, he turned his gaze to the wolves. His mismatched eyes glowed faintly, and for a fraction of a second… the world itself seemed to hold its breath.
The wolves froze mid-step, their instincts screaming at them to flee. Even their leader faltered, hackles rising in primal terror.
But Nova blinked once—and the suffocating pressure vanished.
He looked back at Rimuru.
"Your move."
Rimuru gulped, then remembered something. Predator skill. Yeah. That could work.
She charged forward, and the fight unfolded much like canon—except for one difference.
Any wolf that tried to flank Rimuru?
Didn't get the chance.
Because every time one moved, a flash of silver light sliced through the air—too fast for Rimuru to notice. One moment the wolf was there; the next, its head was rolling silently across the grass.
Nova never moved from his spot. He just stood there, tails swaying lazily, as blood misted the moonlight like crimson dust.
When it was over, Rimuru was panting, surrounded by corpses—and one trembling wolf leader.
"I… I did it…" she whispered.
Nova's gaze was cold.
"No. You survived. Barely."
Rimuru flinched.
"Uh… thanks?"
Nova walked past her, ignoring the gratitude entirely. His focus was on the alpha wolf.
It cowered before him, tail tucked, body shaking violently.
Nova crouched slightly, eyes glowing faintly.
"Submit," he said softly.
The wolf whimpered—and obeyed. Instantly.
Nova straightened and turned to Rimuru.
"Name it."
"Huh?"
"Name it," Nova repeated, voice flat.
"Uh… okay… Ranga?"
The wolf's body pulsed with light, magicules swirling violently as evolution began. Rimuru blinked in awe.
"Holy crap…"
Nova turned away, tails flicking.
'Canon intact. For now.'
Rimuru plopped down on the grass, slime body heaving like she just ran a marathon.
"Man… that was way scarier than I thought."
Nova didn't respond. He stood a few paces away, silver fur faintly shimmering in the moonlight, eyes fixed on the trembling wolf leader undergoing its transformation.
Rimuru tilted her head at him.
"Hey, Nova… you didn't even lift a paw, did you?"
Nova turned slightly, his blank gaze meeting hers.
"You didn't notice?"
Rimuru blinked.
"Notice what?"
"Exactly."
"…Huh?"
Nova didn't elaborate. Instead, he walked toward the evolving wolf and crouched down, his tails curling like ribbons of shadow. The alpha whimpered, lowering its head completely to the ground.
Nova's voice was soft, almost like a whisper carried by the wind.
"You live because I allow it. Remember that."
The wolf didn't understand the words, but it understood the meaning. Submission. Absolute.
Nova straightened, stepping aside so Rimuru could admire the glowing magicules swirling around her new subordinate.
"Whoa… so naming actually works like this?" Rimuru muttered, watching the spectacle in awe.
Nova said nothing. He was listening to something else—Ciel's calm voice threading through his mind.
<
'Good. I'll need him later.'
Nova flicked his gaze toward Rimuru, who was now bouncing happily.
"Guess I should name the rest of them too, huh?" she said cheerfully.
Nova's tails swayed lazily.
"Do what you want."
And so she did.
One by one, the surviving wolves were named, their bodies glowing faintly as magicules surged into them. Nova watched silently, calculating.
Ciel.
<
'Perfect.'
Nova's lips curled into the faintest shadow of a smile.
This was his chance.
When Rimuru finally collapsed, snoring softly in her slime body, Nova stepped closer. His steps were silent, his presence barely a whisper in the night.
The newly named Ranga stirred nervously but didn't dare move. Nova crouched beside him, one hand resting lightly on the wolf's massive head.
"You will serve her," Nova murmured. "Protect her with everything you have. But when I call—"
His mismatched eyes glowed, and for a moment, reality itself seemed to ripple like water.
"—you come."
Ranga trembled as something unseen etched itself into his very soul—a contract beyond mortal understanding. Not a curse. Not a blessing. Something older. Deeper.
Nova pulled back, tails flicking lazily.
"Good dog."
Hours passed. The battlefield was silent now, the corpses of lesser wolves already dissolving into motes of fading magic.
Nova lay under a tree, watching the stars. He didn't sleep. He didn't need to.
Ciel.
<
'Begin simulations for the Orc Disaster arc. I want every possible outcome before it starts.'
<
'Yes. And for Leon.'
Nova's fingers drummed idly against the grass.
'He's going to notice me eventually. They all will.'
The thought didn't concern him. In fact… it amused him.
He glanced at Rimuru's sleeping form, then back at the moon hanging like a blade in the sky.
"Keep dreaming, little slime," he whispered. "The game hasn't even started yet."
His tails curled around him like a throne of silver fire as the wind carried the distant howls of unseen predators.
But none dared approach.
Not when the fox was watching.
To be continued…
(A/n: give me your opinions should i really add harem or not also yes i have been improving my writing style)