(Third Person POV – Nova)
The village was pitiful. A scattering of huts made of rotting wood and patched hides, roofs sagging under their own weight. Smoke curled from crude firepits, acrid and weak, more like desperation than warmth. Thin figures shuffled between the hovels, their skin pale and their eyes sunken. Goblins. Fragile, starving things that clung to life out of stubborn instinct rather than strength.
Rimuru bounced beside Nova in her slime body, trying her best to look approachable. Her core glowed faintly with excitement, though her gelatinous form jiggled with nervous energy.
To Nova's eyes, it was nothing but weakness on display. His mismatched gaze swept the clearing like a predator watching cattle. Fear. Hunger. Desperation. That was the true scent of this place, stronger than smoke or sweat.
Ciel's voice hummed in his mind, smooth and clinical.
<
'So they cling to her because she's soft,' Nova mused, tails swaying behind him like drifting silver flames. 'Pathetic. But useful.'
The goblin children were the first to react, scurrying behind their elders as though Rimuru and Nova were predators wearing strange masks. The adults weren't much better—bodies bent with malnutrition, clutching crude spears that shook in their hands. They dropped to their knees as the "chief" hobbled forward, his bones rattling with every step.
The old goblin fell prostrate before Rimuru, his forehead pressing into the dirt. His voice cracked, hoarse with both age and fear.
"Great One… please, protect us. The fang wolves come each night. They slaughter us without mercy, burning our homes, devouring our kin. We are too weak to resist. Without your aid, we will all perish."
Rimuru wobbled in place, caught between embarrassment and sympathy. "Uh… sure? I mean—I'll do my best!"
The goblins' sunken eyes lit with fragile hope. Some even began to weep, their tears carving streaks through the grime on their cheeks.
Nova tilted his head, watching. "Strength is meaningless if you cannot use it to shield the weak."
Rimuru blinked, her slime body stretching slightly as though leaning toward him. "…Was that encouragement?"
"No," Nova said flatly. His eyes glowed faintly in the torchlight. "A warning."
The goblins shivered violently. Even Rimuru shrank back a little, unsure whether to take him seriously or not.
---
(Third Person POV – Rimuru)
Okay. This was a lot.
Rimuru stared at the goblins bowing to her like she was some kind of divine savior, their desperate eyes clinging to every word she spoke. At her side, Nova loomed like an executioner, his aura pressing on the village like the weight of a guillotine.
It was surreal. Just days ago, she'd been an average salarywoman in Japan. Now she was being begged to defend a whole village from a pack of wolves. Wolves that were probably bigger, faster, and nastier than any normal animals.
"Can I even do this?" Rimuru muttered to herself. She remembered the Predator skill that had already proven useful. Maybe she could make it work again. Maybe.
And Nova… Nova was terrifying. She didn't know if he was helping or just waiting to see her fail. Probably both.
Still… she couldn't let these goblins die. Not after looking into their faces.
---
(Nightfall – The Calm Before the Storm)
The sun dipped below the horizon, casting the forest in hues of deep blue and black. The village shuddered with restless energy, goblins clutching their spears and huddling behind crude barricades of sharpened wood.
Rimuru bounced nervously from group to group, repeating encouragements she barely believed herself. "Stay calm, everyone! We can do this, just stick together, okay?"
The goblins nodded, though their hands still shook.
Nova sat atop the roof beam of the chief's hut, silver fur shimmering faintly under the rising moon. He was calm—eerily calm—as if the coming battle was no more significant than swatting insects. His tails swayed lazily, eyes scanning the treeline.
'They need the fight,' he thought, watching Rimuru's nervous attempts at leadership. 'Rimuru needs the fear.'
Ciel whispered in his mind, steady as always.
<
'Four percent is still too many,' Nova replied. 'But if I step in too much, Rimuru won't grow.'
His tails curled faintly, silver light licking the air. 'Fine. I'll let her think she carries the battle. The rest… I'll erase before they touch her.'
---
(Third Person POV – The Wolves Arrive)
The forest trembled. Low growls rolled through the night like distant thunder.
Then came the eyes. Dozens of them, glowing crimson in the dark, piercing the shadows between the trees. The goblins gasped, some choking back sobs. Spears rattled in trembling hands.
The wolves emerged as one, sleek and black-furred, muscles coiled like springs beneath their hides. Their teeth gleamed white in the moonlight as they fanned out, surrounding the village in a tightening ring.
The goblins panicked, retreating toward the center of the clearing. Their crude barricades looked laughably thin now.
Rimuru forced herself forward, wobbling to the front lines. Her gelatinous body quivered, though she tried to sound firm. "D-Don't panic! We can do this!"
Her Predator skill flared in her mind, a promise of consuming whatever stood before her. But even she felt the tremor of fear beneath her determination.
Nova remained still atop the roof beam, his eyes reflecting the wolves' crimson glow. His aura leaked just enough to make the beasts hesitate, their instincts screaming at them to back down.
But instinct bowed to hunger.
The alpha wolf, massive and scarred, leapt from the treeline with a deafening howl. His pack surged forward as one, a tide of fur and fangs crashing toward the village.
Chaos erupted. Goblins screamed. Spears splintered. Wolves lunged, tearing through defenses like paper.
Rimuru's body rippled as she activated Predator, swallowing the first wolf that lunged at her whole. She blinked in shock. "Whoa—okay, that actually worked!"
But for every wolf she stopped, two more slipped past her, tearing into the goblin line. The air filled with the sounds of snarling, screaming, and shattering wood.
The alpha wolf barreled straight toward the village center, jaws wide—
—and then silver light cut the night.
A wolf's head fell cleanly to the dirt, body crumpling without a sound.
Rimuru froze. "…Wait, what?!"
Nova hadn't moved. Or maybe he had, faster than she could comprehend. His tails curled lazily, eyes glowing faintly as though daring the wolves to try again.
The goblins didn't notice. They were too busy fighting for their lives. But Rimuru did. She realized the truth in that instant:
Nova wasn't a guardian. He was an executioner.
And he had already decided who lived and who died tonight.
(Third Person POV – Battle Erupts)
The village erupted into chaos.
The goblins screamed as wolves burst past the crude barricades, fangs sinking into frail arms and legs. Spears shattered, wood splintering beneath the raw force of muscle and teeth. Children cried, clutching at their mothers, who could do nothing but huddle and pray.
Rimuru hurled herself forward, bouncing desperately from target to target. Predator flared, her slime body swelling to engulf the nearest wolf, dissolving it into nothingness in seconds.
"Guh—! Got you! Okay, okay, next!"
Another wolf lunged. She twisted, her slimy form stretching unnaturally, catching it midair before snapping back and devouring it whole. Predator's power pulsed through her, leaving her shivering.
But there were too many.
The goblins broke formation, stumbling back as wolves darted between them. One fell with a scream, a crimson splash painting the dirt. Another lost his spear and tried to run, only to be dragged down in seconds.
"Damn it!" Rimuru cried, her gelatinous form rippling with panic.
Nova moved.
To the goblins, it was imperceptible. To the wolves, it was terror.
One moment, a wolf's jaws were inches from a goblin child. The next, its head rolled across the dirt, body collapsing in silence. Another beast pounced toward Rimuru's blind side—only to be impaled by a shimmering tail that vanished the instant it pierced flesh.
Nova stood on the roof beam, as still as a statue, yet death followed his gaze like a shadow.
(Third Person POV – Rimuru)
"W-What the hell was that?!" Rimuru's voice cracked as she spun, catching the sight of another wolf falling, its throat slit by nothing she could see.
Her slime body quivered. "Nova… was that… you?"
No answer.
Nova's tails swayed lazily, eyes half-lidded. His aura pulsed faintly, and another wolf collapsed mid-leap, its body carved open by an invisible blade.
Rimuru grit her teeth—or the slime equivalent of teeth. She hated it. She hated knowing she wasn't the one in control here.
'No! I have to do this too! If I just rely on him, I'll never…'
She launched herself at another wolf, Predator swallowing it before it touched a goblin. For a moment, hope surged.
But then the alpha came.
(Third Person POV – Alpha's Entrance)
The trees shuddered as the Fang Wolf leader emerged. He was larger than the rest, muscles rippling beneath black fur streaked with scars. His eyes burned crimson as he stalked forward, lips curling into a snarl that exposed fangs longer than daggers.
The goblins froze. Their spears lowered. Some dropped to their knees in despair.
The alpha's howl split the night, raw and commanding. The remaining wolves rallied instantly, their bloodlust reignited.
"Shit, shit, shit—he's huge!" Rimuru squeaked, bouncing back instinctively.
The alpha lunged—straight for her.
Rimuru's instincts screamed. She stretched her body aside, Predator snapping, but the alpha was faster, swerving mid-leap to avoid her attack. His claws slashed, tearing a trench through the dirt where she had been a second ago.
"Too fast!" she cried.
The alpha whirled, preparing to lunge again—
—and froze.
(Third Person POV – Nova)
Nova was no longer on the roof.
He crouched before the alpha, mismatched eyes glowing faintly, his nine tails swaying like silver scythes. His presence pressed down like a collapsing sky.
The alpha growled, low and defiant, but its legs trembled.
"Submit," Nova whispered, his voice soft but carrying like thunder.
The wolf snarled louder, fighting the instinct clawing at its core. But it was futile. Nova's aura bled into the earth, crushing resistance. The alpha collapsed to its knees, chest heaving.
Ciel's voice drifted through Nova's mind.
<
Nova's eyes slid toward Rimuru. "Name it."
(Third Person POV – Rimuru)
"Wh—me?!" Rimuru wobbled, blinking.
The alpha wolf trembled before Nova, its crimson eyes locked on her now, awaiting judgment.
Her slime body quivered. "…Uh… Ranga?"
The name resonated through the night like a strike of lightning.
Light burst from the wolf, engulfing him in searing brilliance. His body grew larger, muscles tightening, fur lengthening until it shimmered with a faint silver undertone. His eyes shifted from crimson to gold as power radiated from his form.
The goblins gasped, falling to their knees in awe.
When the glow faded, Ranga stood tall, his frame towering over the other wolves. He lowered his head toward Rimuru with reverence. "My name… is Ranga. I pledge my life to you, Master Rimuru."
The goblins erupted into cheers, their despair turning to wild, tearful celebration.
(Third Person POV – Nova)
Ciel whispered in Nova's mind.
<
Nova's lips curved faintly. 'Perfect. He'll serve her… but answer to me.'
His tails coiled lazily as he turned back toward the battlefield. The remaining wolves had already lowered themselves, trembling before the dual pressure of Rimuru's joy and Nova's domination.
"Your pack is hers," Nova murmured. His gaze cut through them like a blade. "But you belong to me."
The wolves whimpered, dropping to their bellies.
Rimuru blinked, her slime form tilting. "…Uh, is it just me, or are they more scared of you than happy about me?"
Nova didn't answer. His silence was confirmation enough.
(Aftermath)
The goblins surged forward, surrounding Rimuru with cries of gratitude. Some wept openly, clutching her slime body like a sacred relic. Children hugged her, their small hands sticky with tears.
Rimuru wobbled awkwardly, embarrassed. "I-I didn't do that much, really…"
Nova stood apart, his gaze sweeping the blood-soaked clearing. His mismatched eyes reflected torchlight, his expression empty.
Bonds. Fragile bonds of loyalty, forged in fear and hope. Worthless on their own. Yet somehow… they held meaning for Rimuru.
Ciel's tone was calm.
<
Nova's eyes narrowed slightly. 'Two paths to the same end. Interesting.'
(Closing of Piece 2)
As the goblins celebrated and Rimuru basked in newfound acceptance, Nova stepped into the shadows, his tails flicking faintly. The battle had ended exactly as he intended. Rimuru thought she had won. The goblins believed they were safe.
But only he knew the truth.
The wolves were tamed. The goblins survived. Step one was complete.
Step two would demand more.
(Third Person POV – Aftermath in the Village)
The battlefield stank of iron and wet fur. Goblins moved like shadows, dragging bodies to pyres, patching up crude barricades with shaking hands. The night air hung heavy, torn between victory and grief.
The goblins whispered prayers to Rimuru, bowing as she passed. Children clung to her slime body, unafraid of the stickiness, finding comfort in her wobbling warmth.
Rimuru tried to smile, though her thoughts churned. We did it… but… how many died before we got here?
Nova stood on the edge of the clearing, tails swaying slowly, eyes unreadable. Blood stained the dirt beneath his feet, yet not a single drop clung to his silver fur.
He spoke at last, voice cutting through the celebration like a blade.
"You cheer as though the war is over."
The goblins froze. Some flinched as though struck. Rimuru tilted, uneasy. "Nova… what do you mean?"
Nova's mismatched eyes glowed faintly. "Tomorrow brings hunger. Disease. Your walls collapse in rain. Your bones will snap if you swing a blade too long. Wolves may not return, but something else will."
The goblin chief trembled, lowering his head further.
Rimuru tried to counter with optimism. "…But they're stronger now, right? They survived—"
"Surviving is not living," Nova interrupted, his tone calm, but unyielding. "If you celebrate weakness, you invite extinction."
The goblins wilted, shame written across their weary faces. Rimuru wobbled, caught between defending them and realizing he wasn't wrong.
He's so harsh… but… is that what they need?
Nova's gaze swept the villagers like a predator taking stock of prey. "You want to live? Then grow. Stronger bodies. Better weapons. Homes that endure storms. And a leader who commands through more than fear."
A hush fell. The goblins stared at Rimuru.
Her core pulsed nervously. "M-me? But I'm just…"
Nova's tails swayed, silver flames in the moonlight. "You're the one they chose."
For once, Rimuru had no comeback.
---
(Third Person POV – Ranga's Pledge)
Ranga padded forward, his newly evolved form gleaming. His golden eyes glowed with unwavering resolve as he lowered his massive head before Rimuru.
"Master Rimuru. Master Nova. The Fang Wolves are yours to command. Our claws and fangs will tear apart any who threaten this village."
Nova's gaze lingered on him, cold and heavy. "Then protect them. Let their faith in Rimuru grow. If you fail…" His eyes narrowed. "…I will know."
Ranga shivered, but bowed lower. "Yes, Master."
Rimuru shifted awkwardly, trying to soften the tension. "I-I'm sure you'll do fine! Right, Ranga?"
The wolf perked, tail wagging faintly. "Yes, Master Rimuru!"
---
(Third Person POV – Nova Watching Rimuru)
Later, the goblins worked deep into the night. They cleaned wounds, patched huts with broken wood, and shared what little food they had left. Rimuru moved among them, lifting beams with her slime body, conjuring water to wash blood away, and cheering up frightened children.
Her laughter was light, a balm against the night's lingering terror.
Nova sat on the collapsed roof of the chief's hut, watching silently. His mismatched eyes followed Rimuru, expression unreadable.
Ciel's voice hummed.
<
Nova's lips curved faintly. She plays the fool, but her instincts are sharper than she knows. Innocence is its own weapon. Dangerous… in ways even she doesn't realize.
He closed his eyes, senses stretching into the forest. The flow of magicules shifted uneasily—predators already circling, aware that prey had bitten back.
"Let them come," Nova murmured. His tails glowed faintly beneath the moonlight. "I'll be waiting."
---
(Next Morning – Rimuru POV)
Rimuru blinked awake to find a cluster of goblin children snuggled against her slime body, using her as a pillow.
"Wha—?! H-hey, personal space!" she squeaked. The children only giggled, clearly unwilling to move.
She glanced around. The village bore scars of the night, but there was a strange energy in the air—hope, fragile but alive.
Nova was already awake, standing at the forest's edge. He hadn't slept, Rimuru realized. Or maybe… he didn't need to. His silver fur gleamed in the morning light, his posture as composed as ever.
"Morning," she called.
Nova gave her a sidelong glance. "You're awake. Good. Gather your goblins. Decide who stays and who travels. The path to Dwargon isn't safe."
Rimuru tilted nervously. "R-right. No pressure at all, huh?"
The goblin chief hobbled forward, bowing deeply. "Great Ones… please allow us to serve. Some will remain to protect the village. The rest will accompany you, to learn and grow."
Rimuru turned toward Nova. "That… works, doesn't it?"
He gave the faintest nod.
---
(Closing Scene – Departure Setup)
By midday, the goblins had divided their numbers. Those too old or injured remained behind, while the young and able prepared crude packs of supplies. The wolves padded restlessly, eager to prove their loyalty.
Rimuru looked over the small caravan, pride swelling in her core. They weren't much… but they were hers. Her people.
Nova stepped to her side, mismatched eyes scanning the horizon. His voice was calm, but carried weight. "This is only the beginning. Dwargon will test you. Their king does not bow to strangers."
Rimuru puffed herself up, trying to sound confident. "Then we'll just have to impress him, right?"
Nova said nothing. His silence was heavier than words.
The sun rose high, casting long shadows across the departing caravan. Rimuru bounced forward, her voice bright and warm.
"Alright, everyone! Next stop—Dwargon!"
Cheers erupted. Goblins smiled for the first time in weeks. Wolves padded with discipline, heads bowed.
Nova lingered one step behind Rimuru, his presence a silent storm at her back. The mountains loomed in the distance—stone giants hiding secrets, waiting for challengers.
The goblins saw hope. Rimuru saw adventure.
Nova saw only the beginning of the game.
(Ending Scene – Nova POV)
That night, as the caravan camped beneath the stars, Rimuru slept soundly among her new followers. Goblins snored. Wolves formed a protective ring.
Nova sat awake, silver fur gleaming faintly, eyes fixed on the horizon.
Ciel whispered in his mind.
<
Nova's lips curved in the faintest smirk. "Good. That means the real game has finally begun."
His tails curled like a throne around him, silver flames under the moonlight. And in the distance, Dwargon waited.