chapter 8

Just InCommunityForumMoreRegrets and Wishes: One More Chance by jnscrtm Anime » Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken/転生したらスライムだった件 Rated: T, English, Hurt/Comfort & Romance, [Rimuru T., Ciel], Words: 104k+, Favs: 190, Follows: 196, Published: May 20, 2022 Updated: Jun 13, 202221Chapter 8: 6 - Battle Against the Wolves

CHAPTER 6 – BATTLE AGAINST THE WOLVES

Direwolves are the rulers of the plains to the east. Each one of them is equivalent to a C Rank monster. They're enough to give endless headaches for the merchants who pass between the Eastern Empire and the kingdoms around the Great Forest of Jura. An adventurer who doesn't pay attention, may find his/her legs bitten off by one of them.

The alpha opens his eyes. It's a night of full moon; perfect indeed it is for a battle.

Tonight, they'll attack the goblin village, making it their first foothold in the Great Forest of Jura. Slowly but surely, they'll also hunt the monsters around the area, expanding their territory until they rule the woods. Soon after that, they'll turn their eyes to the south, invading it. They have the power to do it. Their claws can tear any monsters' flesh; their fangs can pierce any armours.

"Awooooooo!" The alpha howls, giving a signal to his pack.

The direwolves have readied themselves. The carnage will begin.

...

However, there's one thing that bothers the alpha's mind. The scouts which he had been sending starting from more than twenty days ago always brought perplexing news.

The scout sent twenty-two days ago reported that in the middle of their fight with a group of goblins, they felt a very strange, dense mystical aura, then got knocked out not until a few moments later. The aura even far surpassed their alpha.

The scout sent a few days ago brought even more unbelievable news. At the goblin village, there were two humanoid people. One of them in particular was letting out a very strong mystical aura. Their description regarding the aura somehow matched the previous scout's description.

The latest scout who came back just a moment ago said they saw some male goblin-looking creatures with much bigger bodies and muscles. And four of the scout members were actually picked off by them.

One of the surviving members who happened to also be a member of the first scout said that the hobgoblins' leader was the same person as the one leading the goblins whom he once encountered in his first scout duty.

The alpha shrugged it off because it was too preposterous to believe. From his experience, humans were generally very weak. They were even susceptible to magicule poisoning. It didn't make sense at all if there was a human who let out mystical aura comparable to monsters, let alone surpassed his own aura.

Goblins evolving in such a short amount of time was also nonsensical. He himself hadn't detected anything of such in the forest. Every monster they'd encountered was a comparative weakling. There was even no indication of resistance to their advance having appeared up to this point—and they were almost in the exact centre of the forest.

The scout must've been too excited about the upcoming hunt to even think straight. That was the alpha's conclusion as he kept his eyes forward.

Ahead lies a village. It is situated exactly where the scout said it was. He has followed the trail of a wounded goblin. Nothing about it appears to be a threat.

This isn't his first battle. He is cunning and never lets his guard down. But even he has to admit, there is a very strange...thing about this village.

It is...a fence, like one will see in a human village. Wooden planks form a defence that neatly covers all of the village ground. The houses that compose the settlement are still there, standing, suggesting that they got the woods from the forest, not from disassembling their own houses.

The planks are visibly well-cut and well-arranged. There is no way it could be done in one or two days. It must've been carefully planned and built ahead of time.

This level of intelligence that the goblins show only means one thing: they have indeed evolved into a higher race—hobgoblins. It is unbelievable, but it is the truth laying right in front of his own eyes.

But that doesn't matter in the alpha's mind. Hobgoblins or not, they're still so weak! If anything, they will be more delish than just goblins.

There, in front of the single opening in the barrier, standing are two young maidens(?). They look alike from hair to toes. The only things that differ are their eyes and outfits. One has gold eyes and is wearing a black outfit, while the other has gleaming-red eyes and is wearing a white outfit.

The one wearing black outfit is standing with her back leaning on a plank near her, arms crossed. "Stop at where you are, direwolves!" warns she. "If you fall back now, I promise I won't do anything to you. Go away from here at once, and I will let this go unpunished."

The alpha feels insulted by this declaration. Impertinent bastard. Do you intend to take us all on your own? What a foolish way of thinking. I should've expected it from mere stupid humans.

"Know your place, human!" he shouts. "A weakling like you has no right to order us!"

The other person beside her has her expression changing into an angry face. But she grabs her hand immediately. She looks at her in the eye, shaking head, giving her a signal not to do anything reckless.

"It is time to show them our true power!" orders the alpha to his pack. "Trample down that fence and spill the blood of those lowly creatures!"

As if they are his own right hand, a little more than dozen direwolves immediately set off to attack the fence. Their coordination is top-notch, making the pack essentially function as a single monster. [Thought Communication] skill enables their collective behaviour. It is way faster than giving verbal orders, letting the pack work in perfect tandem.

The alpha lets out a cynical smile. However, that smile immediately shatters.

The one wearing black outfit only lets out a disappointed sigh. She raises her right hand up high, signalling the hobgoblin fighters behind the fence to fully prepare themselves.

"Kill 'em."

The moment she puts her hand down, pointing towards the direwolves, a barrage of arrows is released, instantly killing all of those who dare to approach the fence.

The alpha lets out a surprised yelp. The force he has sent towards the fence has been blown straight backward. All of them fall onto the ground with an arrow stuck in each of their heads.

How could this be?! The alpha keeps his mind sharp as he observes the surrounding area.

His plans have gone awry. His pack is beginning to fall into disarray. It can't be allowed to continue. The direwolf tribe shines its brightest only when grouped together. Distrust in the alpha will lead to fatal result. He understood that, too.

Suddenly, an unpleasant atmosphere begins to surround the battlefield. It gets stronger by each second which passes, until all of his pack crouches down in fear.

"It was her, boss!" reports one of his men through [Thought Communication]. "The human whose mystical aura outclassed yours!"

Nonsense! He glares furiously at them. A mystical aura that surpasses mine? That weak human? Ridiculous!

Few, indeed, are the monsters more sly and cunning than the alpha. He has years of experience to draw upon. He can calmly, nimbly formulate a new plan. And his years of experience tells him that that human cannot possibly be stronger than he is.

He is enraged at the weakness of his pack, unable to overcome a simple fence. But he is even more afraid that his pack's frustration will soon be directed at him.

At this point, the alpha's mind can't think clearly anymore. His pride as the alpha has devoured him. All in his mind is to destroy all who dare to stand in his way, ignoring any other things.

I need to display my strength to them. I am the strongest of my pack. I am more than strong enough, even by myself!

Right here, at this very exact moment, for the first time throughout his life, the alpha commits a fatal mistake—one that will ultimately overturn his own fate, and his pack's fate as a whole.

You wretched little human—I shall crush you to pieces!

(Rimuru's Perspective)

Heheheh...everything is going exactly as how I picture it.

I've expected that they'd go attacking straight out, just like how it had been going originally. That heroic little speech about how I wouldn't do anything if they turned back, of course wouldn't be enough to scare them away. They completely ignored it.

Instead, they all started moving at once, attacking the fence from pretty much every angle they had. They're such blockheads. Even the direwolf boss dared to insult me.

I honestly didn't really care if someone insulted me. But the problem was Ciel-san. She was visibly not happy with that.

I grabbed her hand immediately to calm her down. She could've just killed the boss instantly. We wouldn't want to do anything reckless which would bring even more problems.

I firstly wasn't sure if the fence was strong enough to hold. No matter how neat this fence was, the direwolves' fangs and claws could still easily mince them. But fortunately, the direwolves couldn't even reach the fence to do anything.

I had ordered small slits built into the fence at regular intervals. Those openings were for arrows so the hobgoblins could attack from the inside and interfere with the enemy's movements.

Right when I gave the cue, the fighters who were carrying bow fired their arrows. With their aim having been perfected during the seven-day preparation period, they made the entire first wave of wolves scream their last.

My sticky-steel thread traps didn't get triggered. The fighters who were wielding stone axe didn't even get to do anything.

I stare coldly into the eyes of direwolf boss. The moment you dare to attack those under my protection, your luck ran out.

(3rd Person's Perspective)

The boss suddenly charges towards Rimuru and Ciel with a high speed.

Rimuru closes his eyes and sighes. Such a blockhead he is...

Without even an opening move, Rimuru has already appeared in front of the alpha. The alpha. surprised by this, tries to jump backward but he can't keep his balance. Catching him off guard, Rimuru immediately kicks him, sending him flying into the air.

Out of sudden, the spacetime around Rimuru gets distorted.

He disappears and instantly reappears mid-air, right above the alpha. He immediately turns his body and releases another very powerful kick to the alpha that it sends a fairly strong breeze to all directions.

The alpha hits the ground so hard, accompanied by a very loud sound of ground being crushed.

When the dust clears up, a crater has been created with the alpha lying helpless right at the bottom of it.

The alpha thought he was going to die for sure the moment he got slammed to the ground. But he doesn't. Instead, he feels an extremely intense pain spreading throughout his body. He has so many broken bones, it seems. He can't move his body even in the slightest bit.

In my years of life, he thinks, in my experience of being involved in so many battles, not even once have I ever been overpowered and humiliated this much.

Rimuru gracefully descends from the air with his jet-black draconic wings spread widely, landing on the ground just behind the crater. He originally doesn't have any wings. But he can create any types and shapes of wings as he wants using his [Universal Shapeshift] ability. Even if they are just a mimicry in their essence, those wings still exude a great sense of elegance and majesty.

The hobgoblins who're witnessing it are astonished, mouth agape. They already know that their new masters are amazing. But this sight has convinced them once and for all, that choosing them as their new masters is absolutely a correct decision.

Rimuru folds his wings, looking at the corpses of the fallen direwolves. Just when he raises his hand, a black mist comes out of his palm, instantaneously devouring the corpses, leaving no single trace.

He then looks down at the hopeless alpha. With just a simple flick of his fingers, a complex series of threads appears from the underground, tying the alpha, lifting and bringing the alpha closer to him.

"It's such a shame... You could've just run and you wouldn't have had to go through a trouble like this." With a frightening smile, he touches and rubs the alpha's neck. "Yet you still chose to fight anyway. Now that you have violated my warning...I grant you two final choices: surrender, or die!"

The moment he says the last word, the tension exerted by the air of battlefield grows exponentially. The previously very unpleasant atmosphere becomes outright terrifying. And even then, that smile doesn't disappear from Rimuru's face.

The alpha feels a great amount of terror—a feeling of fear which he never once had before, reaching every single neuron of his body. It takes over his mind and senses, even to the point that he forgets all the pain he felt earlier.

The direwolves tremble, frozen in their place. Some of them even collapse and foam at their mouths. The way he leisurely flicked his hand to summon threads from underground and manipulating it as if everything acts under his command—he is powerful beyond comprehension.

The hobgoblins and the village inhabitants in general don't seem to get affected. But it is because Rimuru has erected a strong protection barrier beforehand.

The alpha's mind begins to be filled with regrets and despair, thinking of how he could've brought his pack to a much better direction if only he'd listened to and believed on his pack. But it's too late. All has been said and done. He cannot retake his words and actions anymore.

Now Rimuru has granted him two final choices. Rimuru has formed a [Thought Communication] link, connecting him, the alpha, and every surviving member of direwolf pack, awaiting an answer.

If the alpha chooses to surrender, his pride as a leader will shatter into nothingness. If he rejects, he and his pack will be massacred at that exact moment.

But he doesn't care about pride or whatever it is anymore. He is willing to throw away everything he has if it's for his pack. He wants his pack to at least survive and keep on living, even if it must be paid with his very life. It is the only way to atone for his grave mistake.

"We deeply apologize for the trouble we have given you. We humbly ask for your forgiveness. We shall swear our eternal loyalty to you. If it is still not enough for you to forgive us, please take the head of this humble me."

"What? I have no need to take your head. If you genuinely choose to surrender, then all's good." Suddenly, the extreme tension completely disappears. "There's no need for more bloodshed, for all are forgiven. From now on, you are all my wolves."

His previously horrifying face is also totally gone without a trace, as if it was just an imagination all along.

Forgiven? The alpha contemplates what Rimuru just said. Am I really forgiven? After I insulted her? After everything that had happened?

Rimuru turns around, facing the hobgoblin fighters. "You don't have a problem with letting those wolves live with you, do you?"

"""We don't have any problems with your decision, Rimuru-sama,""" answer all of them in unison. Even the hobgoblins, whom the direwolves had always been harassing, have forgiven them.

Rimuru releases the alpha from the threads. "Ciel-san," he calls without turning his back, "heal him at once."

"As you wish, Master," replies Ciel.

Ciel jumps to the bottom of the crater. She takes out a Full Potion from her pocket. She opens its stopper then gently puts the bottle's mouth on the alpha's mouth.

After he has drunk it, his injuries are gone. Even his broken bones are perfectly healed.

The alpha is perplexed. In this world where power is everything, he never expected to be treated this way. It's just...just too nice and kind for him as the weak one who surrendered to the much stronger one.

Rimuru starts walking into the village. "Let's head to the village and don't cause a ruckus anymore."

"""Your wish is our command, my lord!""" exclaims all direwolves in unison.

"Now, all of you, hobgoblins and direwolves, head to the village. Tomorrow, I'll deliver an important announcement," he says.

⁂

(Rimuru's Perspective)

With how things turn out, the battle against the direwolves has finally reached its end. I wonder if what I did before was too far. But I finally decide not to think about that again because the result is within expectation.

After some moments, Ciel-san has gone back to my side. I hold her hand and continue walking.

The hobgoblins and goblins begin to cheer my victory over the direwolves as we're entering the village. Even though a scene like this when many people are praising me has happened quite many times, I still cannot get over the embarrassment.

I take a glance at Ciel-san's face. She's smiling. Such a bewitching face—I can't help but smile in return.

I order village inhabitants to rest and tell the eighty-three surviving wolves to go on standby around the village. As for our fighters, they choose to rest near the bonfire, since the shacks are for the elderly and children.

After this, I plan to just sleep. I know I don't really need it. But hey, what do I care? There is no one who'd admonish me for lazing around either, at least for now. Gotta take advantage of time while it is still there.

Some goblinas said that they have prepared a mattress for us inside the main shack. They also said that all inhabitants had agreed that the main shack wouldn't be used to sleep, reserved special for me and Ciel-san. They were certain of our victory, and they wanted to give us a special place to rest after we'd seized the victory—that was how they put it.

"Ciel-san," I say, "let's sleep."

"Eh? But I have to keep Master sa—"

"Shh...let's sleep. It is an order."

Ciel-san was always in standby whenever I was sleeping. She was always working very hard, so I want her to take a rest once for a while. No doubt, this'll be her first time sleeping.

She may want to decline it. But once I mark that as an order, she won't be able to. So, she ends up obeying my words. "Understood. To ensure Master's safety, I will create an extra layer of [Multidimensional Barrier] and activate all resistances to the highest level. 'Threat Response Mode' will be activated as well."

Even before sleeping, she is always as cautious as ever. Not that it is a bad thing. In fact, it is the best thing to do.

I change into my slime form, jumping towards her.

She is surprised at first, but instinctively catches me with her both hands. She holds me with one of her hands, and her other hand gently strokes my soft, slimy body.

Some of my female executives back then used to touch my slime form, bring it anywhere, or even use it as a pillow. Ciel-san has been accompanying much, much longer than them. In fact, she has been accompanying me since the very first day of my second life until End of Time and Space. So, it wouldn't be fair if Ciel-san didn't get to feel it, too. That's what I thought.

She lays herself sideways on the mattress, bringing me along with her. She puts me beside her close to her face. She slips one of her hands to the bottom of my body and put her other hand on the top of my body, slightly squeezing it and cuddling me.

I'm used to being cuddled by girls as a slime. But this particular girl feels quite different. What I get is not a simple enjoyment. When I see her happy smile just now, I feel like something burdening my heart have been lifted.

"Good night, Master," she whispers.

"Yeah. Good night, Ciel-san."

It seems Ciel-san has invoked [Sleep].

If she is happy, then I am happy too. Such is the last trail of my thought as I slowly fall into my slumber.

~TO BE CONTINUED~

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