Silence ruled the cave.
Not the peaceful kind, but the heavy, ancient stillness of a place untouched by time. Magic flowed through the stone walls like a slow current, pressing gently against Tamura's awareness. He could feel it now—feel everything in a way no human body ever allowed.
He had no eyes, yet he could see.
No ears, yet Rimuru's presence was unmistakable beside him.
"This is… unreal," Rimuru's voice echoed inside his mind, calm but edged with disbelief. "So this is reincarnation."
Tamura drifted slightly, testing his movement. His body responded instantly, malleable and light, reshaping itself without effort.
"Welcome to your second life, Senpai," Tamura replied. "Or technically… third."
Rimuru paused.
"…You remember everything too?"
"All of it," Tamura answered. "From Earth. And from this world. At least, the version I read."
That drew a sharp reaction. Rimuru's presence rippled, faint agitation leaking through their mental link.
"You mean… you know what happens next?"
Tamura considered his answer. There was no reason to lie. Rimuru was already an anomaly; the truth would surface sooner or later.
"Yes," he said simply. "At least the main flow of events. You become Rimuru Tempest. You meet Veldora. You build a nation. You shake the world."
Silence followed. Longer this time.
Rimuru finally let out something like a mental sigh. "That's… a lot to take in."
"It gets worse," Tamura added dryly. "You die again first."
Rimuru did not respond to that.
Before the awkwardness could deepen, a new presence flooded the cave. Vast. Overwhelming. Playful and terrifying in equal measure.
Ah? Two souls?
The voice reverberated directly through Tamura's core. Unlike Rimuru, this was not a thought—it was a will pressing down on reality itself.
Storm Dragon Veldora.
Tamura stiffened instinctively, though fear failed to take root. He had expected this meeting. Anticipated it.
Two slimes floated in the center of the cave as a massive shadow coiled around them. Even sealed, Veldora's presence distorted space.
"Well now," Veldora continued, amused. "This is new. Two freshly born slimes, and both of you are… interesting."
Rimuru responded first, polite as always. "Uh, nice to meet you?"
Tamura, on the other hand, felt something stir within him—an interface he had not examined yet.
[Daily Sign-In available.]
[Would you like to sign in?]
Already? Tamura thought. Fine. Let's see what you give me on day one.
"Yes," he decided.
The system responded instantly.
[Sign-In Complete.]
[Reward: Unique Skill – 「Observer Beyond Fate」]
[Description: Allows the user to perceive hidden information, skill structures, growth potential, and deviations from predetermined fate.]
Information flooded in—not power, but clarity.
Tamura's awareness sharpened. Veldora was no longer just a mass of magic. He could see the structure of the seal, the flaws in it, the immense storm of authority contained within. He could see Rimuru too—the budding Unique Skills forming, the terrifying potential coiling tightly underdeveloped.
And then he noticed it.
Fate.
Thin, luminous threads binding Rimuru tightly, pulling him forward along a defined path. Strong. Relentless.
Tamura had threads as well.
But his were frayed.
Incomplete.
As if the world itself was unsure what to do with him.
"That explains a lot," Tamura murmured.
Veldora's attention snapped fully toward him.
"Oh? You there. You're not ordinary at all, are you?" the dragon laughed. "Your soul is noisy. I can hear it."
Tamura did not bow. Did not panic.
He floated calmly, meeting Veldora's gaze without eyes. "You're sealed. Bored. And pretending you're not lonely."
The cave trembled.
Rimuru mentally screamed Tamura-kun what are you doing?!
Veldora froze—then burst into thunderous laughter.
"Hah! Hahahaha! How delightful!" The dragon's voice boomed. "You dare say such things to me? I like you already."
Tamura exhaled in relief he did not need. He had gambled—and won.
Rimuru watched the exchange in disbelief. "I'm starting to think you're more dangerous than I am."
"That's a misunderstanding," Tamura replied. "I'm just honest."
Veldora, still amused, leaned closer. "Two slimes, one with monstrous potential, and one who can see what should not be seen. Very well. I'll observe you both. Especially you, lazy one."
Lazy. The word stuck.
Tamura smiled faintly. "Please don't expect much. I plan to live quietly."
Veldora laughed again, unconvinced.
Deep within the cave, destiny continued to move forward—but for the first time, it hesitated.
And Tamura, watching the threads of fate tremble, understood one thing clearly.
From this point on, the story would no longer be exactly the same.