Clarifications:
-"Person Talking"-
-(Person Thinking)-
-
[Skills or Magic]
(JC: Author's Notes)
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Let's start
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-"I can't believe I've been asleep for two days already."-
Yes, I'd been asleep for two days. And there was still a full day left!
For the moment, I found myself trapped in my mind, like some kind of mental space. The good thing was that I wasn't alone.
-"I can't believe you wasted your Magical Energy just to name names."-
Ddraig opined on my current situation.
That's right, I'm together with Ddraig; the same Dragon sealed within me.
I have to say I was surprised to appear in this flame-filled void; even more so to be standing in front of a gigantic red Western Dragon, which I later discovered was Ddraig.
I have to say, Ddraig lives up to his nickname as the Red Dragon Emperor.
-"Why does naming them waste Magical Energy? They're just names!"-
-"Don't ask me, I'm just as confused as you."-
I took the opportunity to reflect on what had just happened. Why did I run out of magic after I started naming people? Did that consume magic in some way? Now that I think about it, it really started flowing once I named the leader of the Fanged Wolves, didn't it?
It was still just a theory, but it seemed clear to me that naming monsters actually required magic. That conclusion took about two days to come to. It took me so long to conclude that because of how ridiculous it sounded.
It probably explained why Rigurd was so dismayed by what I was doing, among other things.
And I'm currently dying of boredom...
-"There's nothing to do here~"-
-"Don't complain and wait, there's only one more day. I was sealed for over a thousand years."-
-"What!?"- I was surprised to learn this new information. -"You were sealed for over a thousand years!?"-
-"Huh? Did I forget to mention that?"-
-"Yeah, you forgot!"- I yelled at him angrily. -"How is it possible you've been sealed for over a thousand years!?"-
-"Ah, well,"- Ddraig began to think calmly, as if being sealed for over a hundred years was nothing. -"It was during a war between the Biblical Factions. Albion and I ended up there by mistake."-
-(Albion?)- I raised an eyebrow at this new name I didn't recognize. -"Who is Albion?"-
-"The White Dragon Emperor, as well as a Celestial Dragon, and my great and eternal rival!"-
-(There's another Celestial Dragon!?)-
-"Both he and I interrupted the war during one of our many fights, which caused the Biblical Factions to unite to stop us."- Ddraig began to laugh. -"Imagine! Those fools thought they could defeat us!"-
-"Why are you laughing? With what I know, you're sealed."- I gave him a mocking smile as I reminded him of his situation. -"Technically, you lost."-
-"It's different!"- He growled angrily. -"It was all the Biblical God's fault! That bastard played dirty and sealed us in his silly inventions, with several of our powers sealed!"-
-(Stops crying and accepts that you lost)-
-"I can hear your thoughts, did you forget!?"-
-"Sorry, sorry,"- I tried to reassure him. -"But changing the subject. Was Albion also sealed in a Sacred Gear?"-
-"Yes,"- Ddraig snorted. -"Ever since then, I've been sealed in this gauntlet, passing from host to host."-
-"Sorry, Ddraig. It must be lonely."-
-"Maybe it was before, but now I'm just bored."- Ddraig then smiled at me. -"But now that you're my host, it seems my life will be more interesting."-
I smiled at those words. -"Yes, maybe this life will be more interesting..."-
....
.....
...
....
.....
Finally, the third day passed.
-(I recovered!)-
Despite having exhausted my magic earlier, I felt stronger and richer in magic than before the accident. Magic was the power to exert force on the world, and the particles around me were the energy that powered it. That seemed to be about the degree of it.
-(Is this one of those "what doesn't kill me makes me stronger" types of things?)-
I thought about experimenting with it further, but decided against it. There didn't seem to be much need, and I didn't want to risk any negative effects.
The laboring workers, noticing I was awake, began to gather around me. They were joined by the Fanged Wolves, who were entering from their base outside. Even Night leaped at me to lick my face.
Which was fine, but...
-(Uh... The Goblins...)-
-
-(I have no idea...)-
-"Um... Hey, guys? All of you, like, got bigger?"-
Did you. The Goblins averaged just under five feet. Now they were all almost a foot taller. The guy next to me looked like he was pushing six and a half, even.
-(These... They're Goblins, right?)-
And look at the wolves. I remembered them as much browner. Their fur was completely black now, with a lustrous sheen. They'd grown bigger too, and the largest ones were nine or ten feet long now. I don't remember any of them being much longer than six feet before.
The one that really caught my attention was the wolf at their front, walking silently forward. I swear he had to be at least fifteen feet. I could feel the mystical force whipping through every pore. This one didn't look anything like the boss I defeated a few days ago. Between its appearance and its sheer strength of presence, it had to be a higher-level monster. The star-shaped birthmark on its forehead and the magnificent-looking horn also raised a few red flags.
Terrifying, but definitely amazing…
-"My master!"- Roared this mythical beast in a fluent human language. -"How nice to see you once again!"-
-(Shit... Is this Ranga? What happened in the last three days?)-
I felt doubtful as the howling animated monsters surrounded me.
....
.....
...
....
.....
-(Very well...)-
So, in the three days I was checked, all the monsters around me grew. That was strange. The only thing that could produce something like that was... Evolution, I guess.
Clearly, they evolved like me upon receiving a name.
-(Damn! I knew about this and I did it anyway!)-
Well, damn, no wonder everyone was so happy. And no wonder I used up all my magic reserves at once.
Monster evolution happens fast. I'd say they didn't "grow up," they just became completely different creatures. The goblins' dull, empty eyes now glowed with the pale light of intelligence.
And the women... Well... They look like women now.
-
-(Shut up, perverted dragon...)-
It literally made me react. These kids were like little goblins a moment ago, perhaps closer to baboons than humans, and now, well, to use their official terminology, the men were Hobgoblins and the women Goblins, though the latter sounded pretty stupid to me. They had both evolved, and according to Rigurd, they had heard the so-called Voice of the World when they did, something all evolved creatures experienced. A very rare occurrence, and one that excited Rigurd to no end, judging by how he couldn't keep quiet about it.
Although this wasn't entirely happy for me. The female Goblins had covered their entire bodies in rags before. Now, thanks to their evolution, the skimpy clothing allowed one to see certain... Things, and that made me uncomfortable. There wouldn't be any ignored now. The men certainly seemed happy about that. Even though they were only wearing loincloths...
The village desperately needed food, clothing, and shelter. Best to start with the clothing first.
Another problem I had to deal with was Ranga. He was so happy that I was once again completely aware that he wouldn't stop following me. I had nothing against wolves, but I was always more of a cat person or with cute pups like Night. It wasn't the worst, but oh well.
-"So, Ranga,"- I said. -"I'm pretty sure I only named you outside the pack, so... how did all the other Fanged Wolves evolve too?"-
That was true. My magical stores stopped working the moment I named this incredible beast.
-"My master! We, the Fanged Wolves, are one and all. My brothers and I are connected; my name is the name of our tribe!"-
-(Huh. So the whole group evolved together.)-
The "one and all" thing was something the previous chief had never fully believed in, as Ranga explained. If he had, that battle might have gone in a different direction. Ranga, meanwhile, had already gained full control of his pack, apparently allowing them all to evolve from Fanged Wolf to Storm Wolf. "More power to everyone" is how he put it.
Though Ranga is the most powerful. Thanks to the Unique Skill [Beast Tamer], Ranga gained the Extra Skills: [Water Manipulation], [Wind Manipulation], and [Lightning Manipulation].
Meanwhile, the Skill gave me the ability to take the forms of both a Hobgoblin and a Storm Wolf.
-"Good job!"-
I said, since he seemed desperately seeking praise. He swished his tail back and forth, a display that was adorable on such a massive beast. On the other hand, a happy, five-yard wolf could produce enough wind to blow me out of the village.
-"Hey, watch what you're doing with that thing!"- I warned him. The downcast look he gave in response made me laugh, and the way he then shrank his body to about three meters long gave me pause. His race could adjust their sizes, apparently. -(How useful)- I thought as I ordered him to stick to the small side from now on.
The biggest problem of all, though, was where the heck we were going to stay with all these kids. It seemed the Wolf-Hobgoblin pairs were already sharing their houses, not that they had houses, so it was really more the hobs using the wolves as blankets. The lack of clothing was killing me, but the shelter needed some attention too.
-(So what now?)-
....
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...
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.....
I saw a mountain of food piled before me. That solved one of our problems, at least.
When I used all my magic, the rest of them began the evolutionary process. It took about a day to complete, and they wanted to celebrate both that and the end of the battle with a feast. However, the old man refused to allow it until I recovered, so instead they spent the time gathering food first.
The way they began to act without waiting for orders, at least, was greatly appreciated. The process of evolution must have done wonders for their intelligence. It may have impacted their mental strength even more than their physical strength.
And food! Back in their normal Goblin days, they survived on fruits, nuts, edible plants, and any monsters and animals they could hunt. Now, with the help of their Storm Wolves, they could cover much more ground.
The pairs, to my surprise, gained the ability to use [Telepathic Communication] with each other; Goblins who could guide their wolves more confidently than the best riders. I couldn't guess how much their combat ability improved, but the previously unbeatable enemies were now merely a warm-up for them. This whole mountain of food was the result of the past two days.
But relying on hunting and gathering would leave them in danger if something happened to their environment. They would have to start thinking about farming very soon. A steady supply of food is the key to a life of abundance. I'd have to figure out what kind of produce grew well here, as well as what kind of grain crops (assuming there were different kinds on this planet). Always something new to explore, at least.
Today, however, I just wanted to turn off my brain and enjoy the party. And I did.
Late into the night, we celebrated our evolution, the end of the war, and most importantly to me, my recovery.
The next day, I gathered the entire population around me. We had a lot of issues to address, but I had something even more important to tell them.
We needed to draw up the rules of this village.
Rules, as everyone on Earth knew, were an obligation to maintain a communal society.
Deep down, I had three rules in mind, three governing principles I wanted to make sure they followed. Everything else, I figured they could figure out.
-"Everyone here? Okay! I have some rules for you! Three, to be exact. The bare minimum I want all of you to follow."-
And then I explained my standards:
1. No attacking humans, unless it's in self-defense.
2. No fighting among your friends.
3. No looking down on other species.
I could have gone with more if I kept thinking about it, but I couldn't expect many of them to follow right from the start. Instead, I stuck to the basics.
But how would they take it?
-"May I ask a question?"- Rigur shouted. -"Why aren't we allowed to attack humans, at least in self-defense?"-
Rigurd gave his son the most disgusting look I've ever seen from a Hobgoblin. Was he afraid I'd be offended?
I wish we could keep things a little more informal, but...
-"Simple: I'm a human, and therefore I know how they act most of the time. When it comes to humans, you can negotiate to reach an understanding, but sometimes they can be very savage and attack out of nowhere for the slightest reason."-
-"Ah! Very well! I understand!"-
Well, at least they understood. I couldn't read a single hint of dissent on any of their faces. I was hoping for a bit more debate on the subject, even more so with those rules. I didn't know what the relationship between humans and monsters is like in this world, but it's certainly not good, knowing how the human race reacts to those different from them. That's why I added that they can attack if it's in self-defense; I couldn't risk some of them falling victim to the worst of humanity.
-
-(Good point...)-
-"Humans also live in groups,"- I continued my explanation. -"If we're aggressive toward them, they might retaliate with force, and if they give you everything they have, I doubt they'll be able to defend themselves—at least for now. That's why I forbid attacking them directly. It would be best to be kind to them; though if they attack us, we'll have no choice but to defend ourselves."-
Honestly, if I could, I'd like to have a good relationship with humans while I'm in this world.
Ranga nodded deeply at this. It seemed to make sense to him. He must have had his own reasons for thinking that directly challenging humanity was a bad idea. The Hobgoblins, meanwhile, seemed even more convinced than before, so I didn't bother thinking too much about them.
-"Is there anything else?"-
-"What do you mean, 'Don't look down on other species'?"-
-"Well, you're all newly evolved, so don't let that go to your heads and start dominating all the weaker species. Just because you're a little sturdier doesn't mean you're a great and powerful race now. Sooner or later, your rivals will become just as strong, or even stronger, and they'll want revenge on you. That would be a problem."-
I had the ears of everyone in the audience.
It seemed to work pretty well. I was sure some of them wouldn't listen to reason, but it's best to try to nip these things in the bud, anyway.
-"That's pretty much it. Stick to those rules as much as you can, okay?"-
The first rules the village had ever had were set in stone. Everyone nodded their approval, and with that, the curtain rose on a new life for everyone.
With the local laws out of the way, it was time to start dividing up roles. The village guard, the food preparation team, the group that gathers materials for the village to make things, those who build houses and tools, and the rest…
I decided to assign police duty to the extra Storm Wolves with [Telepathic Communication]. There were seven left after all the Hobgoblins were paired off, and with Ranga practically glued to me, that made six I could send out on patrol.
Beyond that, I thought I'd leave the details of the task to Rigurd.
-"Rigurd, I hereby appoint you Goblin Lord! It will be your job to keep this village well-managed and well-governed."-
In other words, I dumped some of my problems on him.
I'm a high school boy who's never had a steady job. I once wanted power and influence to rule during my "rebel" days, but I abandoned that ambition long ago. If I clung too tightly to this village, I'd never have the chance to visit a human city, let alone find a way back to my world. Even if it meant being a little aggressive, I'd have to give it to him someday.
I expected some retaliation from Rigurd, but...
-"Y-Yes, Yukimaru-sama!! I promise you that I, Rigurd, will dedicate myself body and soul to this vital position!"-
He was crying tears of joy again.
Fair enough. Let the King reign, not rule. Or at least let him bark orders from time to time, and leave him alone otherwise. Still, if anything happened, I'd be there to fix it—though I hope it wasn't forever.
You know, I seem to remember Rigurd being this shivering, wrinkled mess of a goblin when we first met. Now he's a hobgoblin in his prime, fit, muscular, and full of energy. He might even be stronger than Rigur. How did that happen? The more I mess with this magical stuff, the crazier it seems to me.
-
-(I understand, I understand. Calm down now.)-
-"Very well,"- I said. -"It's in your hands now, Rigurd! Now, I was looking at the construction work. I'm sorry to say it, but it's terrible."-
The structures could barely be called houses. These were stronger and smarter Goblins now, but I suppose asking them to suddenly develop technical skills was asking too much.
-"You're not mistaken, Yukimaru-sama. We never had the need for very large constructions in the past..."-
-"Yes. You guys are bigger now, after all. As for clothing... You're exposing too much flesh. Could you pass along some clothes?"-
-"Ah! Yes! There are some people I know whom we've had dealings with several times. Perhaps they could supply clothing that suits our needs. In fact, with their skills, they might also know how to build houses!"-
-(Hmm...)-
If these businessmen could help with that, perhaps they'd be worth a visit.
-"I see," I replied. "It wouldn't hurt to talk to them. However, what did you pay them with? Money?"-
Although I have no idea about the currency in this world...
-"No, Yukimaru-sama. We have some money we confiscated from the adventurers, but it's still in storage. Instead, we've obtained the materials we need through bartering or short-term labor."-
-"Oh. So, who are those people?"-
-"They're known as Dwarves."-
-(Dwarves! The famous blacksmith race! I have to check them out!)-
-
-(Of course! Dwarven creations aren't a game!)-
I remember reading that powerful weapons from Norse mythology were created by the Dwarves. For example: the spear Gungnir of the god Odin and the hammer Mjolnir of the god Thor.
And while the loincloth crisis had captured most of my attention, something had to be done about their defensive capabilities. Their armor provided no more protection than rags, and they couldn't even use it because it no longer fit them. I could create them with my Skills, but I can't always do everything myself; they would have to learn to take care of themselves. It was certainly a problem, and addressing it now would kill two birds with one stone.
Just one problem. Almost nothing they'd confiscated from passing adventurers was of much use, and the money they'd stockpiled couldn't possibly amount to much. What could we possibly trade? Another problem to file away for later, maybe...
-(Oh, wait!)- I smiled, remembering something. -(I have money!)-
I'd almost forgotten I'd taken all that enormous wealth from the Hero's hidden vault. It was ridiculous amounts of various valuables, and that included coins of all kinds. Though I don't know if those are the currency of this world.
Meh, the important thing now is that I have money. One less problem to worry about. There won't be any more problems negotiating with the Dwarves.
-"I'll try to visit them. Can you make the arrangements for me, Rigurd?"-
-"Ah! Oh, of course, Yukimaru-sama! I'll have everything for your trip tomorrow afternoon!"-
He seemed enthusiastic enough for me to feel safe in his hands. He'd probably give me the remaining money as well, not that I was expecting much.
-(Currency, though, huh? It would be fun if it were paper.)-
Thinking about it, though, I had a lot of money to my name. The fact that currency existed at all in this world was a pleasant surprise, at least. I imagined it did, but I had no idea how it was distributed at all.
Once I get to a human city, I'll have to go and check out the values. But that can wait until after the Dwarves. After all, the hard work to get this city in shape, a leisurely visit would do me wonders. I'll be back with my own race soon enough; checking out one of the other races might help me learn a little more about this crazy world.
Although technically a sub-race of people, Dwarves apparently lived in large cities of their own. They also had a King, though no Goblin was allowed even a glance. Just being allowed into their cities was considered an all-time achievement for the Goblin race. I began to wonder about the state of goblin discrimination around here. After all, I'm human and the chief of a goblin village. Would I be treated fairly? There were plenty of anxieties to entertain, but I still couldn't wait to meet some of those little men.
The excitement remained fresh in my mind for the rest of the night…
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
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Author's Notes
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Please note that this story is mostly centered around Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken and another novel that you may recognize. Please also note that Rimuru is completely replaced by my own character (Yukimaru). You are warned.
Disclaimers:
The character or story mentioned from an anime, or novel, does not belong to me. Instead, it belongs to Ichiei Ishibumi (High School DxD), Fuse, Mitz Vah (Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken) and Patora Fuyuhara (Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni)
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Upcoming chapters (Spoilers):
Chapter 10- The Girl and the Titan
Chapter 11- Arriving at the Dwarf Kingdom
Chapter 12- Problems and New Skill