Enter the forest

[Report: Sense Heat Source and Poisonous Breath acquired. It is possible to mimic Black Snake now.]

... It was anti-climactic. 

I started off with Water Blade and moved out of the way to keep my distance from any long-ranged attacks but that was all it took to end the fight. 

Is Water Blade really that strong?

Hmm... Instead of attacks, it might be a good chance to test my resistances. Monster hunting it is.

Very soon, I met another monster, `Armorsaurus´.

`Transform.´

*black mist*

Now A*bok, use wrap.

Damage is minimal. The opponent cannot move.

Hmm. Now finish it off.

*thud*

'Not bad, kid. But you need to train more to become a pok—

[Report: There is no one present.]

'A-Ahem. I know that.'

[...]

Now that is out of the way, it is snack time. Itadakimasu.

As I continued my journey, I came across other monsters as well, but none was my match. `Evil Centipede´ tried to sneak attack me with Paralysis Breath but I didn't take any damage; I simply moved out of the way of `Black Spider's´ thread and caught a `Giant Bat´ with the same thread. I also acquired their skills in the process.

Body Armor, Paralysis Breath, Sticky Thread, Steel Thread, Drain and Ultrasonic Wave.

Since I only absorbed the skills of others, World Language didn't make an announcement. Another useful thing to know.

While I'm busy practicing new skills, Sage is still in the process of analyzing Infinite Prison. It will take more than a few years to release Veldora though. But thanks to parallel calculation we can analyze other factors simultaneously. So, I asked it to analyze skills & soul in general. Sage even hijacked Voice of the World so analyzing skills is not impossible. I don't know any magic after all. 

The centipede's sneak attack was not a threat since I can sense magicules but doesn't that mean others can sense me too?

So, I tried to conceal myself, but Sage noticing my intention shoved the aura into my stomach. 

'Sage, aren't you overworking yourself?'

[No. This is within the capabilities of Great Sage.]

Maybe I should lessen the burden of Sage a bit. 

'Let's program a code to act upon, Okay?'

[Understood.]

'Alerts for high energy readings, Reporting on magicule reserves upon depletion, Reporting on the usage of magic either hostile or not, Thought Communication from others... 

—————————

Finally, after 100 days of rebirth, I left the cave. It's been a while since I walked(?) in the sunlight.

'Temperature seems to be habitable for humans, but there is no intelligent lifeform present. What do you think?'

[Affirmative. Humans don't live in forests.]

Hmm. I'll find someone if I head somewhere, I think. Do I really need to go to a human settlement though? 

Since I'm a monster perhaps I should look for Intelligent monsters first. There are many races (such as orcs, lizardmen, ogres, goblins, and even dryads) living in the forest according to Veldora.

But there is an issue. Every monster that I come across, attacks me. I ate a `Blade Tiger´ gaining Voice Canon and Sharpness which is good. But every other monster either doesn't have any notable skill or the ones I already ate. Every monster is weaker than the Black Snake so I'm not gaining any strength.

According to Sage, monsters may find me as an easy target since I'm not emitting aura. I feel like a fool to be on guard. I'll just emit enough aura to scare monsters away. 

After, roaming for a long time I came across a hoard of goblins.

Finally.

They all look scrawny, short, and weak except for one (who is easily a foot bigger than the rest) carrying a club. Still weak though. The bigger one took a step forward.

"S-Strong one... do you have any business? We goblins... reside beyond this point." 

I've already practiced speech with Ultrasonic Wave.

"Yo, I am a slime named Rimuru. I am looking for other intelligent races in the forest."

Okay. A nice self-intro if I say myself.

The goblins started murmuring among themselves.

"I... am named Rigur. I will lead... way."

"Ho, even a named one is present among the goblins. Does the village chief possess a name too?" 

"No, I... given this name by Gelmud-sama, a magic-born in service of a Demon Lord."

I heard that some magic-born are more powerful than me. Someone came to a random goblin village of all things. Weird.

I spoke with them for a while to know the current situation in the forest. To summarize, the goblin community consists of several goblin villages. With the disappearance of their god (Veldora), monsters (particularly Direwolves) have started to wreak havoc. They are fighting an uphill battle and thinking of abandoning this place. When the patrol spotted my presence they thought I was vying for their demise as well.

Before long we reached the village of goblins. I was led by a frail old goblin into a hut. 

"Welcome visitor, I am the village elder. What could you possibly need in such a humble village?"

"Before that, there are other goblin villages nearby, isn't that right?"

"Y-Yes."

"Could you call upon their elders as well?"

"The patrol already sent the message to them, yes. They will be arriving soon, I presume." the elder said.

Soon, several goblins came including their servants, I suppose. Everyone around was shaking in fear so sucked the aura back into my stomach. 

"""It is an honor to meet you, powerful one."""

"Hmm. Let me tell you the reason I called you. I heard that Direwolves are threatening your villages. What are the countermeasures you have prepared for them?"

The chiefs started talking (panicking) and blabbering nonsense. Seems like they are too stupid to make a decision. Well, what could you expect from goblins? Still, the reason for such chaos is a cute little slime so I decided to help them.

"I can help you against the Direwolves, but what about other races? Do you have a way to survive in such chaotic times?"

"""....""" 

"I have a proposal. I will grant you my protection, but I need something equivalent in return. So, tell me. What can you offer?" They started talking among themselves again. Should I coerce them a bit? Maybe they—

"W-We will offer you our loyalty to Rimuru-sama", said the old goblin, and soon others followed suit.

That went better than my expectations.

The patrol from other villages found monsters melted, smashed & tied up in trees, and scared of the slime. It would be a while before this comes to Rimuru's knowledge.

—————————

As per the promise, I decided to head out to subjugate the wolves. They don't know much about the Direwolves, it seems. So, I went to search for their tracks.

I'm mimicking a Blade Tiger while carrying Rigur and his younger brother on my back, which took a lot of convincing, by the way. They are leading me to the area of their previous sightings.

After searching for a while, we spotted 5 wolves in the distance. Hmm... They seem intelligent enough. Okay. Change of plans.

'Both of you, get down.'

'...Yes.'

'Understood.'

`Transform back to slime.´

*black mist* 

"Direwolves,"

Their bodies tensed and turned towards the voice. 

"This is a message for your pack. You have antagonized the goblins; to an extent myself as well. Cease all hostilities if you wish to remain alive."

Seeing there was only a slime and a couple of goblins they started to growl and circle us, but a little aura-release scared them away.

"Alright, our job here is done. Let's go"

We started to head back, but Rigur seemed to be peeved. 

"What's wrong?"

"Forgive my rudeness, but why did you spare them."

"Because they are scouts. Wolf monsters are intelligent enough to hunt as a pack and if there are only 5 of them you wouldn't have asked for my assistance, right?"

"...Yes. We were unable to defeat a single one from our recent skirmishes."

"Now they will inform their leader about this mysterious slime and what do you think will happen then?

"The... they will flee or might try to attack with their whole pack."

Naming sure helped improve his intelligence. (compared to goblins at least)

"Since it is hard to keep a large number of bellies full their numbers will be around a hundred or so at maximum." 

"I see! Your wisdom knows no bounds." said with sparkling eyes.

"Not really."

Hmm. Maybe I should name the goblins later.

By the time we arrived, the goblins had already started building fences around their villages as per my order. Rigur started explaining what happened, but they still seemed uneasy.

Time to put on a show.

"Listen, everyone," I said, gathering their attention. "The Direwolves may be powerful compared to a goblin one-on-one, but we will use other cards at our disposal."

"..."

"I mean; we will use weapons and fences will keep them from nearing you. I will strengthen the fence with my threads. We will use intelligence to overcome this peril."

"""Wohhh!"""

————————— 

The day had passed without any problems...

"""Awoooooooohhh"""

...and as expected the entire wolf tribe was in front of the main entrance just a few metres away. I'm surprised they arrived within a day.

"So, this is your decision, leader of direwolves?"

"No mere slime can order the mighty direwolves!!" the wolf snared. 

"What mighty beings? For someone who sends his lackeys to ensure his own safety, you sure talk big."

"The nerve of a puny slime claiming to be stronger than me! I will tear you into pieces." said the wolf while charging in fast.

... He is too easy to provoke. As a 4-legged species, his movement speed is very impressive, but to me, he moves in slow motion. 

Water Blade.

*slice* *thud* 

Out of commission in a single hit.

Itadakimasu. 

[Report: Coercion and Keen Smell acquired. It is possible to mimic Direwolf now.]

The direwolves are confused and stopped in their tracks. Seeing their leader disappearing and a slime transforming into their own was shocking, to say the least.

Activating Coercion.

"Anyone else who follows your leader's steps will join him in the afterlife. I shall ask once more; Submit or perish?"

"""We will pledge our allegiance to you!""" said the whole pack while kowtowing.

'... Such flimsy bonds between the pack and the leader. Is that all it took to convince them? Perhaps this is the true meaning of Survival of the fittest.

Isn't that right, Veldora?'

'...'

It felt like Veldora replied to me.

—————————

Monsters are certainly adaptable to changes. Over a night both tribes started to let go of their enmity towards one another. (More like goblins stopped panicking whenever they see a wolf.) 

We are (I am) currently setting roles for the 800 or so monsters.

(A team to keep a watch on the surroundings, split into:

(i) Defense. (Rigur and warriors from other villages.)

(ii) Patrol. (some young goblins— including Rigur's younger brother— who rode wolves.)

A team to gather food, split into:

(i) Collecting plant-based food sources; mostly fruits and such. (non-combatent goblins.)

(ii) Hunting for Meat. (mostly wolves.)

'What a pain in the a**.'

I was gonna ask Sage to do some calculations before giving names, but it's really inconvenient to call out people without any. 

"Hey, how about I give you all names?"

Everyone must have heard me somehow, because right at the word 'names', they froze on the spot, in what I assume to be a shock reaction. They were no doubt thrown off by this turn of events.

"Na-Names!" 

"W-Would that be a-all right?"

"Yeah."

Cheers of shouting and howling surrounded the area as they started dancing happily. Well, if everyone's gonna become as strong & intelligent as Rigur it will be helpful.

"Let's start with the 5 elders; You will be Rigurd, Rogurd, Rugurd, Regurd, and Lilina."

"Next—

I started naming them, and after a while Sage reported that I've reached the magicule threshold limit.

"Okay, that's it for today," I said followed by some disappointing noises.

"Don't worry, everyone will get their turn."

Over the course of the next few days, I named all of them and surprisingly found a few things. 

Naming evolves monsters, obviously, but apparently, Rigur didn't evolve into Hobgoblin when named by Gelmud while the others did. And while inquiring about it I accidentally re-named him Riguruchi. 

"Even when Gelmud-sama named me I didn't hear the World Language..." said Riguruchi in awe.

"Perhaps he doesn't want to give too much energy in fear of weakening himself?" I asked.

"..."

... shouldn't have roasted Gelmud like that. Guess I—

After pondering for a moment, he suddenly kneeled in front of me.

"What's wrong?"

"Great Rimuru, allow me to pledge my loyalty to you even more."

"Okay~"

I thought he was mad, but he seem sincere; with none of the anger one would expect. Maybe I'm seeing this from the perspective of a human being, not a monster.

On that note...

'If I tell him I've been using their god as a living battery will he get mad or overjoyed?'

There was a party to celebrate the evolution of the goblins into Hobgoblins and Goblinas, and the wolves into Tempest wolves; the party lasted a couple of days and large amounts of food were consumed. Everyone is unreserved; it seems working together helped bridge the boundaries between each other. 

The threat of the direwolves is gone and the 2 races joined to form a community under my rule. That said...

What should I do with these guys from now on?