(Third Person POV)
Morning sunlight spilled over the goblin village like a soft blessing, painting the crude huts in gold and chasing away the cold remnants of night. Smoke drifted lazily from cookfires, and the scent of roasted herbs mingled with damp soil. For a place that had nearly fallen to wolves only a day prior, the village buzzed with energetic hope — hope created by a slime, and sharpened into survival by a fox.
At the village entrance, nearly the entire tribe gathered in a loose semicircle. Goblins bowed deeply with reverence; others pressed hands to their chests in trembling gratitude. Children peeked from behind larger bodies, wide-eyed at the two beings who had saved their lives.
Rimuru bounced forward on a wolf's back, trying — and failing — to look natural under so many reverent stares.
"H-Hey, it's okay! We're just going out for a bit, okay? Don't cry like I'm leaving forever!"
A few goblin youngsters sniffled anyway. One particularly tiny goblin held onto Ranga's fur like she was afraid the slime might float away.
Behind Rimuru, Nova stood silent and still, a pillar of silver and shadow. For the first time in front of the village, he let his fox form blur into luminous particles. Light swirled around him, condensing and sharpening until a tall, humanlike figure stepped out of the glow.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
Silver-white hair tumbled down his back, kissed by the sun. His skin held a faint luminescent sheen, and his mismatched eyes — one deep crimson, the other glacial teal — held a sharp, unreadable focus. A sleek black coat draped over him like a second shadow, shifting with small, deliberate movements.
Rimuru nearly fell off Ranga's back. "H-HOLD ON. YOU CAN LOOK LIKE THAT?! Since when?!"
Nova's lips tilted into a mild smirk. "Since always."
"Always?! Then why did you never — You know what? No. Nope. I'm done. I can't compete with this. You're like an anime protagonist number one and I'm… a jelly mascot."
Nova arched a brow. "You're underestimating the appeal of mascots."
Rimuru sputtered. The goblins giggled.
Rimuru hopped to a stop in front of Nova, staring up at him. "Seriously though… you should've told me. I've been introducing you as 'the terrifying nine-tailed fox entity' and meanwhile you're walking around with a face like that?!"
"I find this form more… efficient when dealing with humans." Nova adjusted the collar of his coat. "Besides, wolves and goblins don't care about aesthetics. Humans do."
Rimuru squinted suspiciously. "So basically… you're saying you're too pretty to cause trouble."
"A reasonable deduction."
The goblins nearly fainted. Rimuru groaned.
The chief hobbled forward, leaning heavily on a staff. His voice cracked with emotion. "Great Rimuru… Great Nova… We owe you more than we can ever repay. Please return safely. This village… we shall maintain it in your absence."
Nova nodded. Rimuru brightened and puffed up slightly. "Don't worry! We'll bring back tools and weapons and cool stuff to help everyone!"
"And books," Nova added calmly.
"Books?" Rimuru blinked.
"Knowledge is infrastructure." Nova's gaze swept the cheering goblins. "If they want to become more than prey, they must learn to build — not just fight."
The goblins nodded earnestly, not understanding half the words but deeply inspired nonetheless.
With farewells exchanged and wolves gathered, the journey began.
---
The Forest Road — Expanding Horizons
The path was less a road and more a snake-like thread of earth weaving through the towering forest. Birds took flight at the sound of padded paws, and shafts of light broke through thick branches, illuminating swirling motes of dust and magicules. Leaves whispered overhead in rhythm with the wolves' steady gait.
Rimuru bounced lightly atop Ranga's back. "So… Dwargon. What's the plan again?"
Nova walked beside them, steps smooth and unhurried. "We acquire tools, knowledge, and supplies. Your village lacks everything from proper roofing to sharpened blades. Dwargon is the most efficient source."
"Efficient… yeah, that sounds like you." Rimuru tilted thoughtfully. "But you really think they'll take us seriously?"
"They will take you seriously." Nova didn't look back. "The world doesn't ignore a rising power."
"Power? I'm a slime."
"And slimes don't defeat wolf packs. Yet you did."
Rimuru paused.
"…You're pretty good at this pep-talk-through-insults thing."
"Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment!"
Nova said nothing, but his lips curved faintly.
They continued deeper into the woods, the wolves fanning out instinctively to flank and protect. The forest grew quieter the farther they traveled, as though watching. Nova's gaze drifted to shifting shadows, blade-ready even without drawing one.
Ciel flickered in his mind.
<
'Noted.'
Rimuru glanced over. "You're doing the serious-eye thing again. Something wrong?"
"Monsters are present," Nova said calmly. "But they're not bold enough to attack."
"Why?"
"You."
"Me?"
"And me."
"…Fair enough."
---
Midday — A World Larger Than They Knew
By the time the forest thinned into rolling plains, the air felt fresher, clearer. The sky stretched endlessly, painted with drifting white clouds. Wildflowers dotted the fields like spilled paint.
It was here that Rimuru noticed movement — a caravan of traders trundling slowly along the faint trail.
Rimuru waved enthusiastically. "Hey there! Hi! Hello!"
Nova did not wave. He simply observed.
The merchants tensed at the sight of the wolves, but Rimuru's cheerful energy eased their nerves. The lead merchant, an older man with wiry hair and a thick beard, raised a hand cautiously.
"Travelers, eh? Not often we see newcomers on this road. You bound for Dwargon?"
"That's right!" Rimuru chirped. "We're here to get materials for our… uh… village renovation project."
Nova shifted his coat slightly, drawing the merchant's uneasy gaze. His mismatched eyes seemed to dissect the man's posture, breathing, and even heartbeat.
The merchant swallowed. "If that's the case, beware. Patrols have been tight lately. Rumors say the king is cracking down on outsiders."
Nova's eyes narrowed. "On what grounds?"
"Don't know. Fights, smuggling, border conflicts… something stirred the hornet's nest."
Rimuru deflated. "Aww man… I was hoping for smooth sailing."
Nova's reply was quiet, but certain. "We adapt."
As they parted ways, Rimuru glanced sideways at him. "You looked… really serious when he mentioned the king."
"There is no such thing as a peaceful fortress that increases patrols without cause."
"…So we might be walking into trouble."
"Might?"
Rimuru groaned. "You're the worst at comforting people."
"And yet you keep asking."
They both fell silent at that, Rimuru pouting, Nova unreadable.
The journey continued until evening deepened gold into orange.
he sun drifted lower in the sky, casting long amber shadows across the plains. The wolves began slowing naturally, instincts guiding them toward a flat clearing near a small freshwater stream. Grass swayed gently in the wind, bending in silver-green waves under the glow of dusk.
Rimuru stretched—not that slimes needed stretching—and cheerfully announced,
"Okay! Camp time!"
Ranga lowered himself so Rimuru could hop off. The goblins, who had been nervously keeping distance from Nova's aura, relaxed once they stopped moving. Some immediately began unpacking bundles of dried meat and simple cooking tools, clearly eager to prove their usefulness.
Nova scanned the perimeter without speaking, his expression distant and analytical. His mismatched eyes glowed faintly in the darkening light—more predator than person.
Rimuru watched him for a moment before bouncing closer.
"You're doing the 'don't talk to me, I'm calculating 500 possible dangers' face again."
Nova didn't look away from the horizon.
"It is not paranoia. It is preparation."
"Uh-huh. And how many dangers did you find?"
Nova paused.
"…None so far."
"So you were just being dramatic!"
Nova finally glanced down at him, a single brow lifting.
"Drama implies intent. I simply exist."
"That doesn't make it less dramatic."
Rimuru turned toward the goblins and wolves setting up camp and shouted:
"Alright everyone—let's relax and get some food going!"
The wolves howled once in acknowledgment. The goblins echoed with enthusiastic, if clumsy, organization.
---
A Small Fire, Quiet Moments
Soon a warm fire crackled in the center of the camp. The stars began to reveal themselves one by one—soft pinpricks against a velvet sky. The world felt open, endless, alive.
Nova sat slightly apart from the others, cross-legged and quietly sharpening a blade of obsidian-black metal. The weapon hummed with latent magic, absorbing light rather than reflecting it.
Rimuru rolled toward him and perched on a smooth rock like a curious cat.
"So… you don't sleep, right?"
Nova didn't stop sharpening.
"Sleep is optional."
"Optional as in… you can, but don't?"
"Correct."
Rimuru tilted slightly, fascinated and mildly jealous.
"Man, that must be nice. Humans always said sleep was the best part of life… and now I can't even snore dramatically."
He paused.
"…Do fox spirits snore?"
Nova stopped sharpening.
Slowly.
Deliberately.
He turned to stare at Rimuru.
"No."
Rimuru narrowed imaginary eyes.
"That pause was suspicious."
"It was consideration."
"For what?"
"Whether smothering you with a blanket counts as violence."
Rimuru brightened.
"Awwww, that means you think I'm annoying enough to kill! Friendship milestone unlocked!"
Nova exhaled through his nose—not quite a sigh, not quite amusement.
The goblins watched the exchange from a respectful distance, whispering like children watching unpredictable gods. Ranga, however, rested beside the fire, tail wagging lazily.
---
Food, Stories, and Unlikely Camaraderie
One of the goblin cooks timidly approached carrying wooden bowls.
"Lord Rimuru… Lord Nova… dinner is ready…"
Rimuru puffed up proudly. "Nice! Good job!"
Nova accepted the bowl without comment.
The food was simple—stewed vegetables, herbs, and dried meat softened by hot broth—but to the goblins, it was a feast. They ate eagerly, savoring every bite.
Rimuru and Nova remained near the fire as the night deepened. The earlier nervous energy among the goblins slowly shifted into something warmer, safer. The wolves lay sprawled around the perimeter like silent sentinels.
After a while, one of the younger goblins—barely more than a teen—gathered enough courage to speak.
"L-Lord Nova… may I ask something?"
Nova looked up.
Silence stretched just long enough to make the goblin swallow.
"…Ask."
The goblin bowed deeply, ears trembling.
"What… what kind of place is Dwargon? Is it dangerous?"
Nova rested the sharpened blade across his lap.
"Not dangerous by default. But Dwargon is not kind."
The goblins exchanged nervous looks.
Nova continued:
"It is a fortified kingdom of craftsmen, built inside a mountain. Their laws are strict. Their standards even stricter. Skill is valued above race or birth—yet outsiders with no backing are seen with suspicion."
Rimuru blinked.
"Huh… that's actually a really good explanation."
Nova ignored him.
"To survive there, you must be respectful, cautious—and useful."
The goblins nodded earnestly, absorbing every word like scripture.
Rimuru floated closer to Nova with a playful grin.
"You really have been there before, haven't you?"
Nova paused—not long, but long enough for Rimuru to notice.
"…Yes."
Rimuru's voice softened.
"Good memories or bad?"
Nova stared into the fire, eyes reflecting orange flame and fractured history.
"…Both."
That was all he offered.
Rimuru didn't push.
For a while, the only sound was the crackle of fire and distant night insects.
---
A Shift in the Wind
Suddenly, Ranga's ears twitched. Several wolves lifted their heads.
Nova stood in a single silent movement.
Rimuru felt the atmosphere tighten like a drawn bow.
"What is it?"
Nova's gaze cut toward the treeline beyond the clearing.
"Something is watching."
The goblins froze.
Ranga inhaled sharply, then growled—low and protective.
"Master… the scent is faint but distinct. Several presences. Observing."
Nova's coat fluttered slightly though there was no wind.
"Not monsters," he murmured. "Intelligent. Skilled enough to hide… or trained."
Rimuru swallowed.
"Like… soldiers?"
Nova didn't answer.
Instead, his voice dropped to something colder—something ancient.
"Do not move. Let them observe. If they wanted an attack, it would have already happened."
The goblins clung together, trying not to shake. The wolves bristled, forming a defensive ring around the fire.
Minutes passed.
Long enough for fear to deepen.
Then—just as silently as they'd come—the unseen presences withdrew. The forest returned to normal.
Rimuru let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding.
"...Okay. That was terrifying."
Nova finally sat back down, expression unreadable.
"It seems Dwargon is not the only one on alert."
Morning arrived quietly—not with birdsong, but with a calm stillness that felt almost ceremonial.
Rimuru bounced awake first, energized and curious.
"Okay! Today's the big day. Dwargon time!"
The wolves stretched, tails flicking. The goblins straightened their packs nervously, some glancing toward the forest where the mysterious watchers had been the night before.
Nova sat at the edge of the clearing, eyes closed—not asleep, but meditating. His presence was still, vast, untouchable. He seemed carved from moonlight and silence.
Rimuru hopped closer and gently tapped his leg.
"Hey… time to get moving."
Nova's eyes opened slowly—sharp, alert immediately.
"Yes."
No drowsiness. No hesitation.
Just readiness.
The group assembled. With a howl from Ranga, they began the final push toward Dwargon.
---
The Mountain Kingdom
Hours later, the terrain shifted from open plains to stone pathways carved into the earth itself—ancient roads worn smooth by generations of trade.
In the distance, the massive fortress-city rose like a sleeping colossus.
Dwargon.
Its entrance was carved into a titanic mountain face, reinforced with steel, runic metalwork, and layers of magic so dense Rimuru could feel it.
"…Whoa," Rimuru whispered.
Even Nova paused—not in awe, but acknowledgment.
"It remains impressive."
The closer they got, the more life appeared—caravans, stone wagons, merchants hauling supplies, traveling adventurers. Races of all kinds: dwarves, beastmen, humans, lizardfolk—each bearing weapons, tools, or cargo.
When the wolves and goblins approached, conversations died. Eyes widened. A few adventurers instinctively reached for weapons.
Nova didn't glare or threaten—he simply existed.
That alone made people step back.
Rimuru spoke in a cheerful-but-urgent whisper:
"Okay guys—smiles! Friendly! Non-violent posture!"
One goblin attempted a smile.
It looked like a terrified gremlin having dental surgery.
Rimuru sighed.
"Close enough."
---
At the Gates
The steel gate towered overhead, manned by heavily armored dwarven soldiers. Two stepped forward, halberds pointed—not at Rimuru, but at Ranga and the wolves.
"Halt! State your business!"
Rimuru bounced forward with maximum confidence.
"We're here to trade and do business!"
The guard raised a brow.
"…You. A talking slime. Want to do business."
"Yes! Surprisingly competent slime!"
"…Right."
The other guard squinted past Rimuru and spotted Nova.
"…Hold on—is that—"
The first guard followed his gaze.
Silence fell.
Wolves tensed. Goblins froze.
Rimuru mentally panicked.
(Oh crap. Did they recognize Nova? Did he burn their treasury in a past life?? Don't panic don't panic don't—)
The two guards whispered rapidly.
"…That aura—"
"—never seen anything like—"
"—dangerous—"
"—do we let them in?—"
Finally, the lead guard cleared his throat.
"…Visitors with monsters must register and pass inspection. Rules are rules."
Rimuru nodded vigorously.
"Yep! We follow rules!"
Then the dwarf gestured sharply.
"Only the slime, the wolves, and… him may enter."
The goblins stiffened.
Rimuru blinked.
"Wait—they can't come?"
"No goblin entry without paperwork. Policy."
Rimuru turned to his group.
"Okay guys, it's fine—we'll handle this and come back."
The goblins nodded obediently, relieved yet disappointed.
Nova spoke, voice low but absolute.
"Stay alert. If any hostile presence returns, signal."
Ranga bowed deeply.
"It will be done, Master Nova."
The guards flinched slightly at the title.
---
Inspection… Goes Bad Fast
Inside the gate tunnel, they reached a checkpoint lined with dwarven clerks and rune-scanning crystals. One clerk motioned lazily.
"Step forward. We'll do a magic signature registry and contraband check—"
He froze.
Nova had stepped forward.
The runic crystal shattered—without touching him.
The clerk stared at the broken fragments in horror.
"…Wh— that was a royal-tier artifact—"
Nova blinked, expression unchanged.
"It was fragile."
Rimuru slid forward quickly.
"Um—he's harmless unless provoked!"
The guards did not look reassured.
A mage inspector raised his staff, voice sharp.
"That amount of energy—unregistered beings of this level require clearance from the King himself!"
Rimuru sweat-dropped mentally.
"Right right okay maybe we should—"
Then someone bumped Rimuru from behind.
A human adventurer with an obvious superiority complex scoffed.
"Tch. First goblins and wolves, now some glowing edgelord fox? What's next, a demon lord applying for citizenship?"
Rimuru froze.
Nova tilted his head slowly.
Rimuru's mental alarms screamed:
(NOPE. NOPE. THAT TONE IS HOW PEOPLE DIE.)
The man smirked.
"You look fancy, mutt. How much did your summoner pay to dye your fur?"
Rimuru quickly shoved himself between them.
"Hahaha! Funny joke! Nobody here gets murdered over insults today!"
Nova's expression didn't change—but the air did.
Cold.
Heavy.
Predatory.
The adventurer swallowed, suddenly pale.
Nova finally spoke.
"…If you touch me again…"
His voice dropped to something primal, ancient, and merciless.
"…you will not leave this mountain with a body capable of burial."
The man stumbled backward and ran—tripping twice.
The guards held their weapons tighter—but didn't point them.
Because instinctually, they knew:
Pointing them wouldn't matter.
---
Audience with the King
The lead inspector straightened, voice steady but respectful.
"…Very well. There is precedent."
He gestured toward an escort detail.
"We will take you directly to the King. ONLY there can permission be granted."
Rimuru whispered:
"…Nova?"
Nova stood motionless, but his energy eased slightly.
"Acceptable. Proceed."
The dwarves nodded and began leading them deeper into the city—past glowing forges, steam vents, and runed elevators carved from ancient stone.
As they walked, Rimuru looked up at Nova.
"…Hey."
Nova didn't look down.
"Yes?"
"You didn't… kill him."
A pause.
"…No."
Rimuru smiled.
"That means you're trying. And that counts."
Nova didn't respond.
But his tails—just barely—moved.
Not a swish.
But not stillness.
Something in-between.
Something almost… human.