Levi sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Yeah, nope. Ignoring this."
He swiped at the glowing menu in front of him like it was an annoying pop-up ad. The screen flickered, then vanished with a boop.
"Figures. Aqua would totally put in a fake UI just to screw with me…"
He trudged forward, trying his best to ignore the faint plop, plop, plop behind him. When he finally glanced back, his stomach dropped.
The slimes. Dozens of them. Bouncing along, following him like lost puppies.
Levi blinked. "…Am I being… stalked by jelly?"
But the creatures didn't pounce or attack. Instead, they bounced at a steady pace, keeping a respectful distance, as if waiting.
Unnerved, Levi pressed on until the trees thinned out. Ahead, a lake sparkled under the sunlight, so clear it looked like polished glass. He approached the shore and bent down to scoop a handful of water—only to freeze.
The reflection staring back wasn't the one he expected.
His once brown hair had turned shock-white, shining faintly like silver threads. His eyes—normally dark—now glowed faintly, an unnatural pale blue.
Levi stumbled back, splashing water on his boots. "Wh—WHAT?!"
He grabbed a fistful of his own hair, pulling at it desperately. "Since when did I turn into discount Sephiroth?! Aqua! What the hell did you do to me?!"
Behind him, the slimes gave a happy plop in unison, almost as if they were applauding.
Levi pointed at them, panicking. "Oh don't you start! Don't 'plop' at me like this is normal!"
The water rippled again, but this time, it wasn't just his reflection. For a split second, he swore he saw something glowing faintly beneath the surface…
Levi sat down on the damp grass, staring at his pale reflection in the lake like it had personally betrayed him.
"I wonder…" he muttered, tugging at a strand of his snowy hair. "If this has something to do with the Dragon's Blood. Neuvillette's got white hair, doesn't he?"
He leaned back with a sigh. "Great. So either I've been blessed with divine dragon lineage… or Aqua accidentally turned me into an anime protagonist cliché. And knowing her, it's the second one."
The slimes all bounced closer, forming a wobbly circle around him. Their little gelatinous bodies quivered in rhythm, like they were nodding along to his thoughts.
Levi blinked at them. "…Wait. You guys… understand me?"
One slime hopped into his lap with a wet squish.
"GAH—!" Levi flinched, almost toppling backwards. But instead of attacking, the slime settled cozily against him, humming faintly with a watery glow.
Levi poked it with one finger. "…Don't tell me Aqua's blessing gave me water affinity. That's—" he stopped, narrowing his eyes. "…that's actually kind of useful. Which means it's DEFINITELY an accident."
He groaned, rubbing his face. "Perfect. Now I've got a head full of dragon juice, hair like a Final Fantasy reject, and a slime fan club."
The lake rippled again—stronger this time. Something massive stirred beneath the surface.
Levi froze. "…And of course. Can't even monologue in peace."
The slimes scattered in every direction, leaving only the one in his lap, which quivered nervously but refused to budge.
From the depths, a shadow rose.
Two glowing eyes blinked open in the water.
Levi's blue eyes began to glow faintly, a ripple of power stirring inside him. The Dragon Blood of Neuvillette surged, and for a moment his fangs flashed in the reflection of the lake.
"Fuck off!" he barked.
The glowing eyes in the water stopped. They blinked. Then—shockingly—they started to tremble.
A wobbly whimper echoed through the lake, followed by… crying?
Before Levi could process, something rose from the water. Not a dragon. Not a beast. Instead, a woman made entirely of water emerged, her hair flowing like liquid streams, her body translucent and shimmering. Big anime tears poured down her cheeks, splashing into the lake like waterfalls.
"I-I'm so sorry, O Almighty Dragon!" the watery girl sobbed, bowing so hard her head nearly fell off. "I didn't mean to offend! Please forgive this lowly nymph!"
Levi stared, dumbfounded. His inner monologue was all he had left.
"…Is that a fucking nymph?"
The slime in his lap bounced once, as if agreeing.
The nymph hiccupped, sniffling so loudly the entire lake bubbled with every breath. "Y-You're even scarier than the legends said! One glare, and my water nearly evaporated!"
Levi ran a hand down his face. "Fantastic. I just unlocked a racial ability that makes women cry on sight. Truly living the dream."
The nymph wailed even louder at that, splashing so much the shoreline flooded around him.
Levi looked down at his soaked boots. "…Yep. 100% a Konosuba world."
The nymph sniffled, looking up with watery eyes so big they could drown a man. "O-All Mighty Dragon… may this humble water nymph… know your sacred name?"
Levi froze.
…Right. His name wasn't short for anything. Just Levi. And saying it outright to someone who clearly worshiped him like a divine being? Yeah, that sounded like a fast track to accidentally starting a cult.
He tapped his chin. What could make it sound… weightier? Fancier? More… dragon-y?
Then it hit him. The Bible. A beast of the sea. And the first few letters matched perfectly.
Levi straightened his posture, letting his glowing eyes glimmer just enough for dramatic effect.
"My name is Leviathan," he declared. Then, with a shrug, added: "But you can call me Levi for short."
The nymph's jaw dropped so fast she almost lost her whole face shape. For a moment, her watery body froze like a puddle hit with ice magic. Then she wailed—so loud the entire lake sent up geysers.
"L-Leviathan?! T-The Leviathan?! Great Devourer of Seas! Firstborn of the Abyss! Lord of All Tides! You're him?!"
Levi blinked. "…Yeah, no, I didn't sign up for subtitles."
The slime bounced twice at his feet, as if saying this is your problem now.
The nymph threw herself into a bow so deep her face splashed into the ground, her watery hair spreading like a puddle around her. "Please forgive this foolish nymph for ever daring to doubt your magnificence!"
Levi pinched the bridge of his nose. "Fantastic. I've been here ten minutes, and I already have a crying fangirl calling me 'Great Devourer of Seas.'"
He sighed, staring up at the sky.
"…Aqua is laughing her ass off somewhere, I just know it."
Levi raised a hand, trying to calm the nymph before she started causing a second Flood.
"No, no, I'm not the original Leviathan," he said quickly. "I'm… uh… one of his grandchildren."
The nymph gasped so hard her watery body actually rippled apart and snapped back together like jelly. "A-A direct descendant?! A Scion of the Abyss itself?!"
Levi gave her his best poker face. "…Sure. Let's go with that."
Her eyes began to shimmer—literally, like diamonds forming in the water. "Then that makes you… Prince Leviathan!"
"…Please don't call me that."
The nymph ignored him entirely, hands clasped like she was praying. "To think I, a mere puddle-born nymph, would be graced by the bloodline of the First Abyssal Dragon…! This must be fate! No, destiny!"
Levi groaned. Great. First ten minutes in a new world and I've accidentally roleplayed my way into becoming Dragon Royalty.
The slime bounced at his feet again, clearly judging him.
Levi muttered under his breath. "I swear if Aqua is watching this, she's dying of laughter right now."
The nymph dropped to her knees so fast the ground splashed with water. Her whole body rippled like she was about to dissolve into a puddle.
"O Grandchild of Leviathan! O Noble Scion of the Abyss! Allow me—nay, command me—to swear eternal loyalty!"
Levi held up his hands. "Nope. No need. Totally unnecessary. Don't—"
Too late. She pressed both palms to the ground and shouted dramatically:
"I, Nereis, humble water nymph, do hereby pledge my undying faith, body, and soul to Prince Leviathan!"
The lake behind her literally erupted in waves, clapping like applause.
Levi slapped a hand down his face. "This is my life now, isn't it?"
The slime at his foot let out a wet squish.
Levi pointed at it. "See? Even that thing knows this is a bad idea!"
But the nymph just beamed up at him with watery anime sparkles in her eyes.
Levi sighed as he spoke. "Well, Nereis, I appreciate that, but can you tell me where near by town is".
Nereis Shaked hee head in joy, as she spoke. "Yes, near by the Town know as Axel the gathering place of Adventure, do you wish to take over the town?".
Levi stared at her blankly. "Take over…? No! I just want to go there, not conquer it."
Nereis tilted her head, water dripping like little question marks. "So… you wish to rule it benevolently?"
"…No."
Her watery eyes sparkled harder. "Ah! I understand—you wish to rule it from the shadows! A true dragon strategy!"
Levi dragged his hand down his face. "Lady, I just want an inn, a meal, and maybe not to be harassed by crying water-people for five minutes."
The slime at his feet squished in agreement.
Nereis placed both hands on her chest like she was about to burst into a Disney ballad. "Then I shall guide you, O Prince Leviathan! To Axel we go! And once the town sees your majesty—"
"Please stop saying things that make me sound like I'm invading."
But it was too late. She raised her hands dramatically, and the entire lake started rippling and parting like the Red Sea, forming a path forward.
Levi blinked. "…That's… way too much."
The slime squished.
Levi sighed. "Fine. Lead on, water lady. But for the record—if the people of Axel panic, I'm blaming you."
Nereis saluted with both watery hands, sparkles in her hair. "Yes, my prince!"
Levi muttered to himself as he followed the ridiculous glowing water-path. "First Aqua with her fake game menus, now this. At this rate I'll have a cult before dinner."
Levi followed the path, Nereis trailing behind him like an overly eager puppy. The lake shimmered in the distance, fish occasionally leaping out as though giving him a standing ovation. A few of them even froze mid-air, sparkling drops clinging to their fins, before diving back with plop sounds of pure reverence.
Levi stopped, staring blankly.
"…I swear, Neuvillette must've gone through this too," he muttered under his breath. "That's probably why I never saw him swim in the game—too busy being worshiped by aquatic life."
He glanced down at himself. Hoodie. Jeans. Sneakers. Modern clothes that screamed "guy who just wanted to stay home and game" instead of "mythic abyssal prince."
"I need new clothes…" he sighed.
Nereis froze mid-step. Her watery-blue eyes exploded with sparkles, and she clasped her hands together.
"You want a new outfit, my prince!?"
Levi immediately spun around, hands waving frantically.
"No, wait, stop—don't do anything dramatic, I didn't mean—"
But it was already too late.
With a twirl of her arms, the water pillars from the lake surged into the air like serpents. Droplets spun around Levi in a cyclone of shimmering blue, pulling moisture straight from the atmosphere. The very air glittered, heavy with liquid magic. The fish from earlier even leapt into the formation, their bodies spinning like stitching needles.
[Insert image here]
Levi yelped, covering his face. "Oh come on—am I getting dressed by fish now?!"
The water wrapped around him in sheets of radiant light, molding, sewing, and weaving itself into fine cloth. He felt his hoodie and jeans peel away in a clean ripple, vanishing into Nereis's waiting hands like laundry being folded by an overenthusiastic maid.
When the glow faded, Levi slowly opened his eyes.
A tuxedo. Black and white, accented with deep sapphire trim, with a blue rose resting perfectly against his chest. The fabric shimmered faintly as though alive, water energy pulsing beneath its threads. His reflection in a puddle showed an elegant, princely figure that absolutely did not match the modern, socially awkward gamer inside.
[Here is the image for tbr outfit for people Wondering how it looks]
"…oh great," he muttered. "Now I look like I'm headed to an underwater opera instead of a starter village."
Nereis dropped to one knee with sparkling eyes.
"You are radiant, my prince! The waters themselves bow to your majesty!"
Levi groaned, running a hand through his hair.
"Thanks, Nereis… it does look amazing, but you do realize I'm going to Axel, right? The adventurer town? Everyone there wears leather, chainmail, or at best, cheap cloaks. Meanwhile, I'm about to walk in looking like I own the place."
Nereis tilted her head innocently. "Well… don't you?"
Before Levi could answer, a splash came from the lake. A small slime hopped out, squelched on the ground, and looked at him.
Levi pointed at it like it was his lawyer. "See? Even that thing thinks I'm overdressed!"
The slime squished in agreement.
Levi sighed, tugging at the lapel of his new suit.
"…Fine. But if someone asks me to perform at a wedding, you're explaining this."
The fish leapt again, sparkling like a cheering crowd.
Levi finally stepped onto the dry earth of Axel, his shoes squishing slightly from the long trek across the watery path. His faithful slime companion bounced along behind him, leaving faint splatters on the cobblestone.
He turned back just in time to see Nereis close the path she had made. The lake, which only moments ago had been split clean in half like some dramatic biblical miracle, now collapsed back together in a roaring splash.
Levi just stood there, hands on hips. "…Yeah, that's subtle. Totally not suspicious at all. Imagine being some poor fisherman—one second you're casting a line, the next, Moses 2.0 just walks by with his pet slime."
He sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I really hope Axel's citizens just chalk that up to 'Adventurer nonsense.' Otherwise… this is going to get me burned at the stake faster than Aqua trying to explain taxation."
Nereis lingered near the water's edge, her smile bright and expectant. She looked like a dog waiting for its master to call, which only made Levi's chest tighten with guilt.
Right… what do I do with her? He mulled over the situation. I can't just bring her into the city. Imagine the paperwork—'Hello, Guild Receptionist, I'd like to register this giant water spirit as my partner. Oh, she's also capable of parting lakes like it's her side hobby.' Yeah, no thanks.
Taking a breath, Levi stepped closer and spoke firmly.
"Nereis, you'll stay here. This whole lake connects to the waterways under Axel. When I call you, I want you to appear in the nearest body of water. Until then, stay close, stay hidden."
Her eyes sparkled like sapphires, clearly delighted just to have received orders from him. She bowed her head gracefully.
"As you wish, my prince."
Levi froze, his slime tilting its body like it was confused too.
"…Wait. Prince? I never said I was—"
But before he could argue, she giggled softly, water rippling around her form as she sank gracefully back into the depths.
Levi stood there, shoulders slumping.
"…Great. First Aqua thinks she's a goddess, and now this one thinks I'm royalty. At this rate, Megumin's going to start calling me Demon King next."
His slime burbled in what sounded suspiciously like agreement.
Levi groaned, turned toward Axel's gates, and muttered:
"Alright, step one: Become an Adventure. Step two: don't accidentally start a cult."