Two weeks passed as the two slimes made their way through the quite frankly, unreasonably deep cave that Veldora once called a home. During which, Mikaeru spent the majority of his time just calmly following Rimuru as he made his way through.
During that time Mikaeru had taken it upon himself to get to work on a few more preparations for life outside the cave. First of which being, "Hey, [Great Sage], is it possible to start analyzing magicules just in general. It'll come in handy later."
{Answer- It is possible to analyze magicules directly through the absorption of them into [Stomach]}
Cool. "In that case I need you to get on that. You don't have to make it your primary job though. Keep that process running in the background for now."
{Notice- Understood. Beginning analysis of magicule particle properties}
"Thanks." As an engineer, Mikaeru was not one to sit back and watch as a totally new power source sat right in front of him. He was planning to eventually set up a testing facility of some kind where he could work with them in the future. However, that came with the caveat that he would probably need to be careful. The original story wasn't shy about how unstable they could get when managed incorrectly, so he needed to get an early start for this.
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been activated.
Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been used to obtain Skill [Water Current Movement]}
Huh? Mikaeru turned to Rimuru, watching him as he made his way over a water flow going through the cave. It seemed Rimuru was starting on his early skill collecting. Mikaeru followed behind with his newly obtained skill. It was time to get started.
The next skill that came into his nonexistent hands was none other than [Water Blade] which Rimuru used to kill a giant snake monster he found waiting for him on the other side of the water flow.
From there, the first fusion finally occurred.
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been activated.
Notice- Skills [Water Propulsion], [Water Current Movement] and [Water Blade] can be fused to create Extra Skill [Water Manipulation]. Would the master want to proceed with the process?
Yes/No?}
"Go ahead. There's no downside to this."
{Notice- Skills [Water Propulsion], [Water Current Movement] and [Water Blade] have been fused to create Extra Skill [Water Manipulation]}
Mikaeru stopped to think about this. [Water Manipulation]. In the original story, Rimuru didn't end up using this skill for much beyond replicating the basic functions of the skills that were used to create it. And by that he meant, Rimuru ended up mostly just using it to use [Water Blade] over and over.
Mikaeru though questioned, "I wonder what I would be able to do with this kind of skill?"
{Answer- Extra Skill [Water Manipulation] grants the user the ability to manipulate water}
Mikaeru's mind short circuited as [Great Sage] chimed in with its philosopher level insight.
"You don't say? Well no shit, Sherlock!" That much he could tell. It was the details that he wanted answers on. For example, how precise the control over water could really be at full mastery.
He turned to look at Rimuru, who had started just moving forward without any real care as to where. He would go ahead and test the new skills as they came.
Over the course of the trip, the two slimes made sure to eat all the monsters that they came across. Taking all of their skills for themselves. The end result being the obtaining of what Mikaeru called the Rimuru starter kit. [Paralysis Breath], [Noxious Breath], [Sticky Thread], [Steel Thread], [Vampirism], [Body Armor] and last but not least [Ultrasound Wave]. Mikaeru made sure to look over the haul.
Of the skills [Vampirism] was a bit amorphous as to its use. Its uses overlapped too much with [Predator] to amount to much beyond a potential fusion later on. The breath skills suffered a similar fate as well. The thread skills eventually became [Universal Thread] which was good, but they would stay stuck as [Sticky-Steel Thread] for a few years, and [Body Armor] was a good low grade defense. Although it would become outclassed later on. That left [Ultrasound Wave]. The skill that would allow Rimuru and now himself to talk in slime form.
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been activated}
Opening up communications with Rimuru, Mikaeru told him, "Hey, did you know it's possible to talk without a mouth with [Ultrasound Waves]?"
"Eh? Are you serious? How do we do it!"
"The skill lets you emit sound waves." He explained. "If you fine tune the waves with [Great Sage]'s help, it should be possible. I already asked on my own to make sure it's actually possible."
Rimuru seemed excited. "Yes! Maybe this way we can actually talk to people!" Mikaeru watched as Rimuru tested out his suggestion. A really loud voice shot out of him talking nonsense about not being a bad slime. How popular is Dragon Quest in Japan for that reference to be so recognizable to them?
Even Hinata was able to tell where it was from.
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been deactivated}
Things calmed down for a bit as Mikaeru and Rimuru practiced their voices. During which Mikaeru made sure to advise him to lower the volume a bit.
Then finally, they found it. The door. 3 weeks, 2 days, 4 hours and 32 minutes was the final time from Mikaeru's awakening to reaching the door. Not bad given it took the original Rimuru 3 months.
The 3 idiots were originally sent in response to the disappearance of Veldora's aura and later sent back to investigate how it affected the forest. He had confirmed the existence of a major timeline alteration during the talk with Veldora so he wasn't entirely sure but assuming Tensura's self-correcting timeline still remained, he guessed it was likely they would still be sent. Or at least he hoped so as they needed Shizue, not just for the human body but for Rimuru's growth.
He would make sure to keep an eye out.
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been activated}
Rimuru asked, "So, how do we get past that?"
Mikaeru looked at the door, "Well, it's probably not a good idea to break it down. There's no way to tell what might be past it." He pretended to think, "We're slimes, so why not just squeeze through it?"
"Like an octopus?" Rimuru asked excitedly.
"Octo…yeah, Rimuru. Like an octopus." He hopped his way over to the door before flattening himself down as much as possible. After that, getting through was as simple as pushing forward.
Mikaeru looked around. The forest was intact.
On the other side of the doors was a lush green forest in all directions. The only sign of civilization being the carved clearing just outside the door.
Rimuru wasn't far behind, who squeezed through and also made sure to get the view in. He muttered, "So we were in a forest? Where do we go?"
Mikaeru looked at Rimuru. "Forwards, probably." Originally Rimuru was found by a starving crew of yet to be named goblins during what he assumed to be aimless wandering. Thinking back, the slow death of Rigurd's village was technically an accidental result of Rimuru's actions. Veldora's disappearance messed with the balance of the forest, leading to the warring that motivated the dire wolves to stage an attack on the goblin village.
He questioned whether or not a few weeks was enough to get them desperate enough to approach the massive magicule signatures Mikaeru and Rimuru were currently giving off. It was likely that Rigurd's eldest son wasn't even dead yet and most of the goblins that had originally left in search of more prosperous villages hadn't started.
He decided not to think about it. Mikaeru's worries ended up not amounting to much as only half an hour into the wandering, the sound of bush rustling was heard, followed by the appearance of a small group of goblins. Mikaeru took a look at them.
True to his predictions, they didn't look as desperate as he predicted. Although they still didn't look very good. They were noticeably injured and were wearing clearly damaged clothing. Wait a minute. Mikaeru looked at one of them.
"Oh great strong ones," the center goblin declared, "what business do you have here?"
He was the one Mikaeru had noticed. He looked like Rigur, but not the same. He was slightly taller and more muscular for what little it amounted to. This had to be him. The goblin that died for his village. Rigur's older brother…Rigur, son of…Rigurd. Odd, he was supposed to be named. He stored that in the back of his mind. Maybe Gelmud named someone else? He would investigate that.
Mikaeru looked at his counterpart. Was it acceptable to hit him for offenses he hadn't even committed yet? He would think about that.
Rimuru looked confused. Strong ones? He thought. He tried introducing himself. "Hello, my name is Rimuru Tempest. This is my brother, Mikaeru Tempest. Is there something you want from us?"
The goblins looked awestruck at that. "Named ones," they muttered among themselves.
The one soon to be named Rigur's face hardened with determination. Then, he bowed, "Oh great ones, I humbly ask of you to lend us your power to help in the protection of our village! Recently, our humble village has been faced with hardships that we cannot handle with our own meager strength! May you lend us your power to help in our time of need!"
Rimuru jumped back a big, "Whoa, whoa!"
{Notice- Unique Skill [Soul Link] has been activated}
"Mikaeru! What's going on!?" He asked.
"What do you mean? We're strong." In a calm voice, he told him, "Ask your [Great Sage]."
Rimuru stopped for a moment, "What!?" It seemed he finally got it, "So you're telling me we've basically been running around with our flies down!"
Mikaeru thought about it, "Well, I guess you can put it that way." Strong monsters running around with no suppression on their passive magicule output weren't unheard of, Veldora was one example, but he did know it wasn't common. Veldora was the only True Dragon that let it fly like that and most others also made sure to do it, even Milim. What Rimuru and Mikaeru were doing was a form of exposure, at the very least among the strong monsters.
He watched as Rimuru sucked in his magicule aura and let out a breath of relief. Mikaeru quickly went ahead and did the same. He was already planning on doing it as soon as possible for safety reasons, he just made sure not to tell Rimuru about it until after they caught the goblins' attention.
Rimuru suddenly puffed himself up, now having become aware of his own power. "Bwahahahaha! I see! So you have recognized our power!?"
The center goblin smiled, "Why yes of course! How could we have not, oh great strong one!"
Talk about a switch up. Was he copying Veldora?
"So, you wish for us to help your village?"
"Yes lord!" They bowed, "Apologies, but we are unable to grant very much at this time so we are only able to repay your help with our loyalty! Please, be merciful and accept, despite our meager offering!"
Rimuru's bravado went down. "Oh, I-I see."
"If you're gonna go regal, be prepared to keep going with it, Rimuru." Mikaeru chuckled. He turned to the group, "Your loyalty, you say." Mikaeru turned to Rimuru, "So, will you accept it?"
"What? Why do I have to make the decision?"
"I'm fine leaving them." Mikaeru explained. "I'll help if you want to though, so you can choose."
Rimuru seemed a bit caught off guard with this. "O-oh. I see." Rimuru sighed, "Well, I accept!"
He looked at the slime with a look of mild enjoyment. Of course Rimuru would accept. He was the textbook definition of a doormat MC. Dragged along by the requests of those around them. It was a mindset Mikaeru couldn't understand. Helping others for no other reason than to help and be kind, but it was a mindset that he couldn't help but respect.
He watched as the looks on the goblins went from nervousness to happiness. Yes, this was the effect the slime known as Rimuru would have on this world. So, Mikaeru thought to himself. What effect would he have on this world? He still didn't know.
The goblins told them, "Please, strong ones. Follow us. We shall take you to our village."
Rimuru nodded along as he jumped after them, leaving Mikaeru behind for a second. Noticing him staying behind, Rimuru asked, "Are you coming?"
"Yeah, yeah~." Mikaeru said. "I'll be right behind you." What would he do in this new world? He asked himself that. Would he mess up…no, not again. He set off, following behind Rimuru to the goblin village that would mark the starting point of the nation of Tempest. When they did, Mikaeru couldn't help but give them props. The village wasn't as torn down as it was when Rimuru first got to it in canon.
It wasn't exactly a castle, but Mikaeru thought that it would do. "So, what do you need help from?"
The first Rigur explained, "A pack of dire wolves appeared at our village gate a few days ago saying they would attack us if we didn't surrender. We ask for your assistance in fending off the attack."
Mikaeru looked at him. So the first attack hadn't even begun yet. "Very well." Rimuru said.
"So, will you take us to the chief so we can get started? It would be best to coordinate with your leader to make this go smoothly." Said Mikaeru.
The future Rigur said, "Yes, I shall escort you."
Mikaeru didn't respond, just kept moving. Not long after that, they found the largest village tent. Here goes. With the unnamed Rigur motioning them inside, the two slimes entered. There he was. The elderly goblin later known as Rigurd. About time.