(Third Person POV – Nova)
The village was pathetic. Crude huts, weak goblins, a "chief" whose bones rattled with every step. Rimuru bounced beside him like this was some kind of fun field trip.
Nova's mismatched eyes swept the clearing. Fear. Hunger. Desperation. That was the true smell of this place.
Ciel's voice hummed in his mind.
<
'So they cling to her because she's soft,' Nova mused. 'Pathetic. But useful.'
The goblin chief knelt. "Great One, please, protect us from the fang wolves. They slaughter us without mercy…"
Rimuru wobbled in her slime body, almost embarrassed. "Uh… sure? I'll do my best!"
Nova tilted his head, tails swaying lazily. "Strength is meaningless if you cannot use it to shield the weak."
Rimuru blinked. "…Was that encouragement?"
"No. A warning."
The goblins shivered.
(Third Person POV – Rimuru)
Okay… this was a lot. The goblins treated her like a god, Nova's aura was like standing next to an executioner, and now they wanted her to fight a whole wolf pack.
She remembered her Predator skill. Maybe that would help. And with Nova around, surely things wouldn't go too badly… right?
(Night falls – Battle scene)
The forest trembled with low growls. Dozens of glowing eyes opened in the dark, surrounding the goblin village. The goblins panicked, clutching crude spears.
Rimuru bounced forward nervously. "Stay calm, everyone! We can do this!"
Nova sat atop a roof beam, calm as a statue, watching. His aura leaked just enough to make the wolves hesitate—but not flee.
'They need the fight,' he thought. 'Rimuru needs the fear.'
The alpha wolf leapt from the trees, howling. His pack surged forward.
Chaos erupted. Goblins screamed, spears broke, wolves lunged. Rimuru threw herself into the fray, Predator skill consuming one wolf whole.
"Whoa—okay, that actually worked!" she muttered.
But for every wolf she stopped, two more slipped past. Until— shhk!—a flash of silver cut through the night. A wolf's head rolled, body falling silently.
Rimuru blinked. "…Wait, what?!"
Nova hadn't moved. Or maybe he had, faster than she could comprehend. His tails curled lazily, eyes glowing faintly.
The battle raged. Wolves lunged → flashes of silver light ended them mid-leap. Rimuru kept fighting, thinking she was holding the line, but the truth was clear: Nova had already decided who lived and who died.
At last, only the alpha remained, trembling, his howl faltering.
(Nova POV)
Pathetic. The so-called leader of beasts, shaking before him.
Nova crouched, his voice calm. "Submit."
The wolf collapsed instantly. Loyalty burned into its core.
He glanced at Rimuru. "Name it."
"Uh… Ranga?"
Light exploded around the wolf as its body reshaped, evolving. Rimuru's awe was genuine, innocent.
Ciel whispered:
<
'Good,' Nova thought. 'He'll serve her… but answer to me.'
(Aftermath)
The goblins cheered Rimuru, surrounding her with tears and gratitude. She wobbled happily, embarrassed by the attention.
Nova stood apart, watching with blank eyes. Bonds. Weak, fragile bonds. Yet somehow… they worked.
Ciel's tone was calm.
<
'Two paths to the same end,' Nova mused. 'Interesting.'
He finally spoke, voice cutting through the cheers. "Victory means nothing if you starve tomorrow. Weapons. Tools. Homes. You need more than names."
Rimuru turned, blinking. "You mean… we should go somewhere?"
Nova's gaze flicked to the horizon. "There is a kingdom. Dwarves. They forge what you lack."
Rimuru's core pulsed with excitement. "Alright! Then that's our next destination!"
The goblins bowed deeply. The wolves lowered their heads. Rimuru bounced happily like this was all just a game.
But Nova did not join in. His gaze swept the blood-stained clearing, tails slowly swaying. The stench of iron hung thick in the night air, and even though victory had been achieved, survival was still fragile.
"Do you think this is enough?" Nova asked quietly, his voice carrying across the hushed village.
The goblins froze, unsure if he was speaking to them or himself. Rimuru tilted her slime body, puzzled. "Uh… what do you mean?"
Nova's mismatched eyes glowed faintly in the moonlight. "You celebrate as if the war is over. But tomorrow brings hunger. Disease. Weak walls that crumble with a kick. Wolves may not return, but something else will."
The goblin chief swallowed hard, lowering his head further.
Rimuru wobbled, uneasy. "…So, what should we do then?"
"Grow," Nova said simply. His voice wasn't harsh, but it carried the weight of command. "Stronger bodies. Better weapons. Homes that do not collapse under rain. And a leader who understands more than fear."
The goblins looked at one another nervously. Rimuru blinked, unsure if Nova was chastising her or guiding her.
'He's not wrong,' Rimuru thought. 'But… he really doesn't sugarcoat things, huh?'
Nova continued, his tails curling like silver flames. "The wolves are tamed. The goblins survived. That is step one. Step two requires tools and knowledge. Neither exists here."
Rimuru perked up. "Ah, wait… you mentioned dwarves earlier, right? A kingdom?"
Nova inclined his head. "Dwargon. A fortress carved into stone, hidden in mountains. They forge blades strong enough to cleave a dragon's scale. Armor that turns aside magic. Tools that could raise this village from filth to a settlement."
The goblins murmured at the thought, wide-eyed.
Rimuru puffed herself up a little, suddenly full of determination. "Then we'll go! If it means helping everyone, we'll go to this Dwargon place and get what we need!"
"Not we," Nova corrected, voice calm but firm. "You. I will accompany, but the choice and responsibility must remain yours. These creatures follow you, not me."
Rimuru tilted her body again, a little sheepish. "I mean… they follow you too, though. You're way scarier."
A faint pause. Nova's lips curved in the barest ghost of a smirk. "Fear binds quickly. But it also breaks quickly. Only bonds forged through trust endure."
The goblins whispered quietly among themselves, some nodding in agreement.
Ranga padded forward, his new form radiating strength. "Master Rimuru… Master Nova… the fang wolves are yours to command. Our claws and fangs will tear apart any who dare harm this village."
Nova's gaze lingered on him. "Then protect them. Let their faith in Rimuru grow. If you fail… I will know."
Ranga bowed deeply, trembling slightly under the weight of Nova's mismatched eyes.
(Third Person POV – Later that night)
The village worked through the darkness, tending to wounds, cleaning the battlefield, and offering crude prayers to their new leaders. Rimuru bounced from group to group, helping where she could—using her slime body to lift heavy wood beams, conjuring water to wash wounds, and reassuring the frightened children.
Nova remained apart, perched silently atop the half-collapsed roof of the chief's hut. His gaze followed Rimuru's movements, unreadable as always.
Ciel's voice drifted in his mind.
<
'She plays the fool, but her instincts are sharp,' Nova thought. 'Innocence is its own weapon. Dangerous in ways even she doesn't realize.'
He closed his eyes, letting his senses sweep outward. The night forest was restless. Magicules shifted like tides, carrying whispers of monsters watching from afar.
"Already, word spreads," he murmured. "Predators notice when prey suddenly bites back."
His tails twitched once, glowing faintly in the moonlight. "Let them come. I'll be waiting."
(Next Morning – Rimuru POV)
Sunlight poured weakly over the village, revealing makeshift repairs from the night before. Rimuru blinked awake, finding goblin children clustered near her like she was a protective charm.
"Wha—?! H-hey, personal space!" she flustered. The kids just giggled, clearly unconcerned.
Nova was already awake, standing near the edge of the forest, tails swaying slowly. He hadn't slept at all, Rimuru realized. Or maybe… he didn't need to.
"Morning," Rimuru called.
Nova gave her a sidelong glance. "You're awake. Good. Gather your goblins. Choose who will stay, who will travel. The path to Dwargon isn't safe."
Rimuru bobbed nervously. "Right, right. No pressure, huh?"
The goblin chief hobbled forward, bowing deeply. "Great Ones… please allow us to serve. Some will remain to protect the village. The rest will accompany you, to learn and grow stronger."
Rimuru tilted toward Nova. "Sounds good?"
Nova gave the faintest nod.
The goblins worked quickly, forming groups, preparing crude packs with what little food they had. Ranga assembled his wolves, tails wagging with both eagerness and nervous energy.
Rimuru looked over the small caravan with a swell of pride. They weren't much… but they were hers. Her people.
Nova stepped to her side, mismatched eyes scanning the horizon. "This is only the beginning. Dwargon will test you. Their king does not bow to strangers."
Rimuru tried to sound confident, though her slime-body wobbled. "Then we'll just have to impress him, right?"
Nova said nothing. His silence was heavier than words.
The sun rose higher, casting long shadows as goblins and wolves prepared to march. Rimuru bounced forward, her voice bright.
"Alright, everyone! Next stop—Dwargon!"
Cheers erupted. The goblins followed with hope. The wolves padded with discipline.
Nova lingered one step behind, his presence a silent storm at Rimuru's back. The path was set. And in the distance, the mountains loomed—stone giants hiding a kingdom of secrets.
The game continued.
To be continued…