「 ✦ Rimuru Tempest ✦ 」
I studied the stunned teenagers before me for a while.
They're about the same age as that Hajime dude I left behind in the labyrinth, aren't they?
Some of them were on their knees, trying to catch their breath. Others sat in complete silence, eyes wide, faces pale. A few had thrown up from the shock, and one was still sobbing into their hands. I didn't blame them. That monster was a nightmare—and they clearly weren't ready for it.
The aftermath of the fight left more than just broken trees and scorched earth.
It left fear.
And most of it… was aimed at me.
They were terrified.
Of the creature that nearly wiped them out? Sure. But also—maybe more so—of me.
I mean, I did appear out of nowhere, casually dismantled something they couldn't even scratch, and looked no older than the rest of them doing it. Add the whole silver-blue hair, golden eyes, mysterious energy thing with the whole black getup, and yeah… I probably came off more demon than savior.
Not that I cared.
Still, the silence was getting awkward.
I shifted my weight, tapping my sword gently on the ground before dismissing it back into my body in a small bundle of dark light. I could feel their collective tension spike when I moved.
"Are you all gonna just keep staring like I'm gonna eat you or something?" I asked lightly, half-teasing.
Several flinched. One girl even whimpered.
Yikes.
Then, finally, someone stood up.
A girl—quiet, composed, with long black hair tied back neatly and a serious gaze that didn't waver. I recognized her to be the one I directly saved earlier. She was trembling just a little, but she didn't let it stop her. She bowed low, hands straight at her sides.
"…Thank you," she said softly, her voice clear despite the strain. "You saved all of us. We would've… all died if you hadn't stepped in."
I tilted my head slightly, studying her. Not a trace of arrogance. Just honest gratitude and the kind of calm you only get when you've stared down death before and learned to respect it.
"You're welcome," I said, offering a small smile. "Glad I got here in time."
Her eyes lingered on me for a moment, as if searching for something. Then she gave a small nod.
"Shizuku Yaegashi," she introduced herself. "I'm one of the summoned heroes. A swordswoman."
"Oh," I blinked, "that group."
That'd make them Hajime's classmates. I hadn't put it together until now, but the pieces made sense. The uniforms. The familiar faces… very reminiscent of Japanese. The oddly formal speech patterns. And this girl, Shizuku—yeah, she felt like someone Hajime would've been friends with… before.
But before I could say anything more—
"I had it under control."
The statement rang out awkwardly, arrogantly.
A man in sickeningly heavy armor and a misplaced name tag on his chest reading Kouki Amanogawa stepped forward, wiping blood from his mouth and brushing the dirt from his clothes as if none of this had happened. His body was still trembling—though whether from pain or pride, I couldn't say.
"That monster… it caught me off-guard, sure, but I would've dealt with it eventually."
Ah, that type.
Shizuku turned, eyes narrowing slightly.
"Kouki…"
"I appreciate the help," he continued, ignoring her, "but that thing wasn't invincible. It just needed the right approach, and—"
"You were the right approach?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.
He faltered for just a moment but kept going. "Well, not just me. All of us. We're heroes, summoned by God to protect this world from the Demon Lord and his armies. We've been chosen. It's our duty."
I stared.
He took a step forward, eyes lighting with some weird, overcooked passion.
"You seem powerful—more powerful than any of us. You could help us win this war. If you join us, we could finally bring peace to this world. No more needless death. It's the just thing to do."
…Oh, boy.
"You saved us," he added, voice gaining momentum like a snowball rolling downhill. "That means you care. If you care, then it's your responsibility to do what's right. You don't have to work under me, of course—though I'll take command in battles—but together, we could liberate humanity from the demon threat. It's your moral obligation to help us."
…
I stared at him for a long, long moment.
And then I laughed.
Not a chuckle. A real, genuine laugh. It echoed through the destroyed clearing like a breeze breaking the tension, though I could see how it made everyone even more nervous.
Shizuku blinked. "Uh…"
"Sorry," I said between breaths. "That was just… wow. That's one of the funniest things I've heard in a while."
Kouki bristled. "What's so funny?"
"You," I said simply. "You and your whole grand speech about 'justice' and 'responsibility.' You really think the world works like that?"
"It does."
"It doesn't," I said calmly, smile fading a little. "And if you really believe the gods of this world summoned you out of kindness or to 'save' anyone… then you're more naïve than you look."
He stared at me, stunned. Maybe even offended.
I didn't elaborate. I didn't need to.
Because I'd seen what this world was like under the surface. The manipulations. The divine whims. The way those so-called gods treated mortal lives like pawns on a board—not to be protected, but played with. Broken. Abandoned.
I left the Labyrinth by the time I sensed Hajime and Yue had already defeated the Hydra, so those two probably already learnt the lesson through the magic circle just as I had. These kids, however, were still clinging to the illusion.
Shizuku looked at me again—more carefully this time.
"You know more than you're letting on," she said softly.
I shrugged. "Maybe."
Kouki scowled. "You're mocking us."
"No. I'm telling the truth," I said, glancing back at the now-silent clearing. "And trust me—whatever you think your 'justice' is, it's not going to survive long out here."
I turned away then. My job here was done. The monster was dead. The kids were alive. And Hajime's classmates? Well, they had a lot more to learn. But a girl's voice stopped me one last time. She stood beside Shizuku, eyes carrying a hint of hope and expectation.
"…Wait."
I glanced back.
"Do you know… Hajime?"
The wind stilled.
My golden eyes met hers, and I gave her a small, knowing smile.
"Yeah," I said. "I left him climbing back up from hell."
Then, I walked away, intentionally leaving a cliffhanger.
But then…
The wind had only just begun to settle when I turned to leave, but of course—because the world loves drama—nothing ever ends that cleanly. The sky split open with a crack like thunder. A shriek tore through the clouds.
And there it was, the second monster.
This one wasn't like the hulking Xeno-thing from earlier. No, this bastard was sleek—built for speed. Aerial raptor-type, wings stretched wide like a glider of death, obsidian feathers cutting through the air as it descended in a straight dive.
It broke the sound barrier with a boom, its talons gleaming as they angled straight for my back.
Behind me, the students screamed.
Some scrambled. Others could only watch, frozen.
Even Shizuku's hand went to her blade with practiced urgency—though she knew she wouldn't make it in time.
And I could only sigh.
"…For fuck's sake."
I didn't turn around.
I didn't even blink.
Instead, I just whispered with my hand outstretched: "Gluttony."
The moment the monster entered my range, space twisted. The air folded inward with a low pulse—woom—and the raptor vanished. No struggle. No flash. No impact. Just gone.
One second it was there. The next, it had ceased to exist.
The clearing was deathly silent once again.
I turned my head slightly to glance at the students. "That one wasn't worth the calories."
No one responded.
Mouths hung open. Eyes wide. A few were trembling even more than before. I couldn't tell if it was fear or awe anymore.
…Probably both.
What's so scary about me anyways? I'm just a lovable, harmless slime.
Shizuku was the first to find her voice again.
"…W-Wait!" she called, stepping toward me. "Where are you going now?"
I paused.
Good question, actually.
I hadn't planned much beyond "don't get stranded in the middle of nowhere after falling through a sketchy portal at the bottom of a death labyrinth." I wasn't even sure where I was right now.
"Back to the capital," she added quickly. "That's where we're headed. The royal city of Heiligh. It's where the other heroes are, and where the church and the nobles coordinate their defense against the demons."
I turned back fully to face her, tilting my head slightly.
"…Mind if I tag along?"
Her eyes blinked, a bit surprised.
"We were going to ask you that," she said.
I shrugged. "Cool."
Honestly? It was perfect. I needed information, a crash course on this world's politics, social structure, and geography. And a group of otherworlders—especially ones being paraded around like the chosen ones—sounded like the fastest shortcut to get it.
But I didn't say all that.
I just smiled, keeping things casual.
"Lead the way, then."
Shizuku gave a small smile back—relieved, maybe—and nodded.
And just like that, the silence finally cracked.
The rest of the students began to stir. A few glanced at each other. Some still avoided my gaze like I was a wild animal walking amongst them, but at least they were moving again.
Kouki, to his credit—or maybe detriment—remained silent, though his jaw was tight.
Maybe he was still trying to figure out what just happened. Maybe he didn't like the fact that someone stronger than him had appeared without warning—and refused to bend to his ideals.
But I didn't care about his pride.
This was survival. Adapt or die. Learn or be forgotten. I learned that the hard way. And if they were smart, they'd learn quickly.
And so, the journey began.
A mismatched group of summoned heroes, still licking their wounds and clinging to broken ideals.
And me, a slime in human skin. A monster wrapped in a smile.
...…
...
…
The sun had started its slow descent, casting golden streaks across the grasslands as we took a short break by a shallow creek. The kids—still recovering mentally from the earlier chaos—sat in small clusters, eating quietly, patching wounds, or pretending not to steal glances at me.
I was leaning against a tree, my arms behind my head, enjoying the breeze. After everything, it was nice to just enjoy the nature things.
That's when I felt something soft press against my leg.
"Hm?"
I looked down.
A white cat.
Snowy fur, pristine and fluffy, with mismatched eyes—one amber, one green. It looked up at me, tilted its head, then pressed its face against my knee and purred. Loudly.
I blinked.
"…Where the hell did you come from?"
The cat meowed in response and—without hesitation—hopped into my lap like it had done this a hundred times before.
I paused for a moment, then reached out and ran my hand through its fur.
Soft. Impossibly soft. It leaned into the strokes instantly.
"Huh. You're kind of adorable."
The others watched from a distance, some whispering, others pretending not to be surprised that even animals liked me.
I pulled out some leftover venison I had preserved from the deer I'd taken down earlier for lunch. The cat's nose twitched and it perked up immediately, eyes wide.
"You want this?"
A short meow answered me.
I held a strip out, and it gently took it from my fingers, chewing contentedly.
I smirked. "Got a name?"
It didn't answer, of course. Just purred louder, curling up tighter in my lap.
"…Fine. I'll name you then."
I looked at the soft fur, the gentle nature, the odd color of its eyes. It had a strange charm—calm, but with a quiet, eerie awareness. Kind of reminded me of someone reliable. Loyal.
A memory surfaced of a massive wolf bounding to my side on command.
"Ranga, huh…"
I glanced back down at the cat.
"You're kinda like him, but smaller. Softer. Hmm…"
"Daisy," I said after a beat. "Yeah. You look like a Daisy."
(A/N: In honor of John Wick's dog)
The cat meowed again. I took that as approval.
"Alright, Daisy it is."
When we got up to leave, I thought it would wander off.
But instead, it followed me.
Step for step. Tail up. Walking like it had always belonged beside me.
Shizuku raised an eyebrow. "Is that cat… yours now?"
I nodded. "Apparently."
"…Right."
Kouki looked vaguely offended by how easily the thing had attached to me.
I didn't care.
"C'mon, Daisy," I said casually as we resumed our march across the plains. "Let's see what this world has to offer."
The cat padded along at my side.
And just like that, I had a new companion.
Small. Soft. Loyal.
And maybe just a little bit magical.
Who knows?
<
I wouldn't be too sure.
This world was weird like that.
··—–—⚜—–—···
「 ✦ Shizuku Yaegashi ✦ 」
It all happened so fast.
One second I was bracing for death—the kind that doesn't feel distant, or vague, or theoretical, but rather the kind that's right there in front of you. Tangible and real and with cold breath on your face, claws already mid-swing. And the next?
Black steel.
Not Kouki's sword. Not anything I recognized.
It intercepted the blow meant for me, and for a second, all I could do was stare at it. At the blur that moved faster than I could follow. At the figure standing between me and that nightmare.
And on god, he couldn't have been older than fourteen.
Silvery-blue hair shimmered under the broken clouds above, strands catching the light like glass threads. He looked… beautiful, but not in any soft or gentle way. No, this kind of beauty was alien. Divine, almost. Like someone had shaped him from moonlight and mercury and given him the eyes of a god.
Golden and cold and piercing—all of that and more.
And when he opened his mouth, all he said was:
"You've got to be kidding me."
And then he moved.
That monster, the thing that had slaughtered our knight escort in minutes, the thing Kouki had fought with every last ounce of his strength just to wound, was cut down like it was nothing. Not even a threat. Not even a challenge. Just another obstacle in this stranger's way.
I couldn't breathe. My legs felt like they'd forgotten how to stand.
This wasn't like when we watched Hajime fight back in the labyrinth. That was raw. Brutal. Like a man clawing his way out of hell with his fingernails. And when the dust settled, and the monster lay in two clean pieces behind him, he turned to us with a bored, almost tired expression.
We were too stunned to speak.
I'd never felt so small.
...…
...
…
Later, after the chaos had dulled, I found myself watching him from a distance. He didn't speak unless spoken to. Didn't make any grand proclamations. Didn't ask who we were, or why we were here. He just stood there, watching us with half-expectant eyes as if to check if we were the initiatives.
But no, the others kept their distance. Even Kouki. Especially Kouki.
Kouki had barely made it through that fight alive. If the stranger hadn't appeared when he did… well, we'd all be dead. Even Kouki knew that. But instead of saying thank you, instead of admitting fault, he'd tried to play it off.
"It was under control," he'd muttered first.
I hadn't even had time to process that before he started rambling—going on about justice and destiny and how we needed people like the stranger in our fight against the demons. How it was his "moral obligation" to join us. To fight for the human race.
The stranger had just laughed.
That was the first time he'd shown emotion. Real, genuine amusement.
I don't know what Kouki expected, but that wasn't it.
I almost felt sorry for him.
Almost.
That laugh… it wasn't cruel. But it wasn't kind either. It was the kind of laugh you give when someone says something so stupid you can't help yourself. And Kouki knew it.
After that, he didn't say much.
Neither did the stranger. He just turned and started walking away.
And that should've been it.
But of course, this world never lets things end quietly.
Another monster descended from the sky like a reaper made of wind and steel. I barely had time to register the sound barrier breaking before it was almost on top of him.
He didn't move.
Didn't flinch.
Just muttered, "For fuck's sake."
Then came the pressure. That pressure. A presence like a collapsing star, like gravity had suddenly remembered it could crush. His aura burst for a fraction of a second, and then—
The monster vanished.
Gone.
No remains. No scorch marks. No impact.
Just… nothing.
He'd devoured it.
That's when I realized I'd stopped breathing again.
I don't know what possessed me after that, but something inside me refused to let him leave. Maybe it was instinct. Maybe it was gratitude. Maybe it was just that this world made no sense anymore and I needed something—someone—who did.
I stepped forward, my voice small but steady.
"W-Wait."
He turned slightly, one golden eye looking at me over his shoulder.
"Where are you going now?"
He looked at me for a long time.
"Back to the capital," I added. "That's where we're headed. The royal city of Heiligh. It's where the other heroes are, and where the church and the nobles coordinate their defense against the demons."
Then he smiled.
"Mind if I tag along?"
I swallowed. "We were going to ask you that."
A pause.
He tilted his head slightly, like he was weighing things. Then nodded.
"Cool."
Just like that. Not because we convinced him. Not because of Kouki's self-righteous speech. Not even because he owed us. Just because he wanted to. He was curious, and I could tell.
He didn't know much about this world, about its people, its customs. He probably figured a city was a good place to start. And maybe, deep down, I was glad for that.
...…
...
…
Later, during our journey, we stopped by a creek again.
He sat a little ways from the group, resting under a tree. It was strange how peaceful he looked, considering what we'd seen him do.
That's when it happened.
A small white cat wandered out of the bushes.
It wasn't afraid. It didn't hesitate. It just walked right up to him and curled up at his side.
He blinked, then chuckled and reached out to pet it.
The way it leaned into his hand was almost comical. I swear it purred louder than a behemoth's growl.
He shared some of his food with it. Bits of venison from a deer he'd killed earlier. The cat ate eagerly, tail swishing.
We all watched, silent.
A monster in human skin, capable of terrifying power… petting a cat.
It was kind of funny.
Kind of disarming.
Kind of… sweet.
When we got up to leave, the cat followed him. Trotting along like it had found its place.
"Is that cat yours now?" I asked before I could stop myself.
He looked down at it.
Then at me.
Then back at it.
"Apparently," he said with a shrug.
"What's its name?" I found myself asking again.
He paused.
"…Daisy."
The cat meowed in approval.
He smiled, just a little.
And just like that, the strongest creature I'd ever seen casually adopted a fluffy white cat on our way to the capital.
Because of course he did.
And somehow, that felt like the most normal thing that had happened all day.