5 Ch.4:The Slime Demon Lord

Two weeks had passed since the fact that Hajime was the Weakest of them all became known.

Hajime trained as much as possible and the rest of the time he spent reading about the world to get more information than the church provides.

Sigh[ Hajime sighed after reading the book. He stood up and picked up his status card.

Name:Nagumo Hajime

Age: 17

Class: Synergist

Blessings: Crest of The Storm

Level: 2

Strength: 12

Vitality:12

Stamina: 12

Agility: 12

Magic power

Magic resistance:12

("This was the result of two weeks' hard work. Ridiculous! Let's compare with Kouki.")

Name:Amanogawa Kouki.

Age:17

Class:Hero

Level:10

Strength:200

Vitality:200

Stamina:200

Agility:200

Magic power:200

Magic resistance:200

His growth rate is frightening. Rimuru doesn't like to show his status board, so no one knows how much he's grown. Hajime overheard Kouki saying something like "no one sees him training, he must be arrogant because of his initial statuses, but it's obvious that we'll surpass him!" He seems to be a little jealous of Rimuru's strength.

By the way, Rimuru does train, Hajime just doesn't know where. The early risers are Hajime and Rimuru, the two always see each other when they leave the room, but Hajime doesn't know where Rimuru trains.

("He never looks tired it's almost as if he doesn't need sleep.")

Hajime has found that his affinity for magic is very low, so to cast a spell more mana is spent and also larger or more complex magic circles need to be made. In addition it is necessary to make bigger corners. Basically Hajime is terrible at magic.

After reading some more about this this world Hajime wondered if he should run away and take a trip. He had no attachment to this war, but he gave up on the idea because he realized that with his current strength he would die at the first magical beast or bandit he found.

Hajome thought about asking his brother to go along, but he has some friends among the students and Hajime didn't think Rimuru would want to get away from them. Besides, he didn't want to depend on Rimuru for everything.

"Actually what I want most is to see Demi-humans. Imagine a girl with rabbit ears."

Hajime muttered. But the church said that demi-humans were a god-forsaken race so it was hard to see a demi-human here in the Kingdom.

The reason the church said that was because demi-humans couldn't use magic and since the church had faith that magic was something created by God everyone in the Haihiri Kingdom hated demi-humans.

The Baharuth Empire which was a Human country to the East used demi-humans as slaves but the influence of the church in the Kingdom was so great that people didn't like to use them even as slaves because they hated having them around.

Hajime was currently reading about the Great Dungeons. Few of them have been discovered but there are reports that there are 10 in total.

But let's talk about the morning training with Captain Meld.

Today was the first training with magic beasts they gave the students weakened Magic Beasts to kill on the battlefield. For the others it was an easy task. For Hajime? Obviously I was horrible.

Hajime thought and continued reading.

●●●

At the moment Rimuru was going to go train. Not mine of course, Rimuru had full control over his magic. He is training the magic of this world, actually not really training. He does magic experiments and Ciel analyzes. Ciel says things like "mix these two magic corners" or "make this magic circle" and Rimuru does the tests.

But Ciel-san says that unraveling the laws and magic of this universe is very complicated. He even said that he might be receiving interference from a high-level being of this universe but Rimuru denied the idea, because there is no one in this universe who knows about his power.

Rimuru trains in an abandoned training ground, as no one there sees him experimenting with high level magic, but strangely today Rimuru's ability 'magical perception' detected someone in the training ground.

In the stands Rimuru saw a beautiful girl with a ponytail, she was half shrinking crying in a low voice. Rimuru recognized her as Yaegashi Shizuku.

It was obvious that she was not okay, so Rimuru stepped forward and asked what had happened.

"Huh!? Ri...Rimuru-kun!? Don't worry I...I'm fine, but how did you find me here ?

"How can I not worry about you? You're crying in hiding!" Rimuru wanted to refute but thought it was better not to force the issue and decided to answer her.

"Ahhhhhh I train here, that's why I'm here and you why are you here crying? You can talk to me you know? We have been friends since childhood and friends are good for this moment too..."

Shizuku seemed reluctant to speak, but was convinced by Rimuru's words and said

"Yeah..it's just that I can't stop thinking about the feeling.

"Sensation?"

"Of taking a life."

"Ah."

Rimuru understood what she was talking about. Today's morning training was Fighting magic beasts and it was fight to kill so Shizuku seemed to be feeling bad about it.

"I see... Yaegashi-san are you feeling guilty for taking a life or is it something else?"

"No, it's just that..."

Tears began to flow from her eyes. She looked really bad about something.

"I don't know if I'm going to be ready for war. I don't want to go out killing people I don't know. I've always wanted to do good, but now I'm going to get ready to kill people in other people's wars and I don't know what I should do..."

"Hmm..."

You know I think at such times it is good to learn from other people's experiences.

"Yaegashi-san...

"I already said that you can call me Shizuku when we are not around others..."

"Ah yes."

Actually the two were very close, but in the first year of middle school when people heard them calling each other by their first names, getting along, and how popular and good-looking the two were, people at school would bombard them with questions like "What's your relationship with Onee-sama!" or "Are you two boyfriend and girlfriend?" or "Is it true that you've kissed?"

Many of these questions came from the soul sisters, Shizuku's fan club. So because of these occurrences they decided not to call each other so casually in public.

"Shizuku-chan can I tell you a story?"

"Uh? I guess so..."

Shizuku was confused by his words, but let Rimuru speak

"Once upon a time there was a very clever Slime."

Shizuku looked at rimuru a little curious.

"This Slime became friends with a powerful dragon and got his blessing. The dragon's blessing added to his own power caused him to create a new city for monsters that eventually became a country. This country became prosperous and very rich, but then... A neighboring nation with a greedy king took the opportunity when the Slime ruler was out of the country to attack his nation.

Shizuku was still listening without interrupting but she was a little confused by the story. Rimuru had a serious look on his face as he told the story so Shizuku did not interrupt him.

"The invaders killed several inhabitants before he returned, including some of Slime's friends.The Slime suffered from the loss, but did not explode with anger, that was because he learned that 20,000 more enemy soldiers were marching into his kingdom.... So he decided to use them..."

To Shizuku the story was getting stranger and stranger.

"Yes for an ancient ritual that had only a 3% chance of working. But for the ritual he needed 20,000...Souls.

So he put all his faith in that 3% chance. The Slime used his power to slaughter his enemies and harvested their souls. He used the souls in the ritual and it worked from that day on and he became known as a 'Demon Lord' but no matter what people thought of him because of his actions. He didn't care because his friends and his country were fine.

"Is that the ending ?"

Shizuku asked still not understanding the point of the story.

"No, there is a lot more to it, but the part I want to tell you is this. The point of the story is that Slime chose what was important to himself."

"What do you mean? I still don't understand what you're getting at.

"See, he didn't care whether it was right or wrong, he didn't prioritize the many over the few. He simply decided to prioritize those who were important to him, those he was sworn to protect."

"I don't know if I would do that if I were there another [Cough] if I were in his shoes, but I think if you choose what is important to you. You can figure out what you want to do from here on out and if you want my help just ask."

If you want to escape the Kingdom I can help you, if you want to protect your colleagues and fight in the war I will help you, if you hesitate to kill someone I will do my best to support you.

Rimuru spoke confidently to show his support to Shizuku. Shizuku stared at him with a thoughtful expression and then spoke

"You mean.... you would destroy an army of 20,000 just to save me?"

She spoke this in a wry tone, but she also seemed a bit shy, so maybe she wanted to know Rimuru's real answer. To this Shizuku Rimuru decided to answer sincerely.

"Well... Sure. Shizuku-chan is a very important friend to me."

Shizuku blushed at his direct answer. That's because Rimuru said she was important to him. Rimuru was also a little embarrassed to say so. Shizuku moved a little closer to Rimuru in her seat, she looked up at the sky as if she was thinking about something and said

"All right, I think I've decided. I'm going to go to war, not to kill demons or anything but to protect my friends."

She stood up o as she spoke she clenched her fist with determination.

"Ooh!" [Clap Clap]

Rimuru clapped her hands as she was in awe of Rimuru's determination.

"Yosh I don't think I'll train today, I think I'm hungry, I'll eat something. I'll be going then Shizuku-chan until later."

"Es...wait Rimuru-kun!"

"Ah, what?"

Rimuru was about to leave, but Shizuku stopped him.

"It's just thatee...if you want you can go back to calling me Shizuku-chan in public. Besides..."

"She was red while talking that, Eh? Why is she red? Well it must be nothing." Rimuru thought. Shizuku moved a little closer to Rimuru and hugged him.

"Thank you very much."

Shizuku thanked him for the conversation, as it helped her clear her thoughts. Rimuru turned red at her thanks, he also turned that way from the fact that Shizuku hugged him very tightly so Rimuru could feel her breasts touching him.

("Isn't this reaction a bit over the top? She can't be interested in me, can she? Hm... Well even if that's the case I'm engaged I can't have anything with her... Damn! This teenage body is exploding with desire! To think that such a cute girl could be interested in me, No! No! I'm engaged!

(Ciel-san show me pictures of my beloved fast!")

[No pictures.]

("What do you mean there are no pictures!? What about all the ones you took on our dates?")

[They have been deleted.]

("Bastard!!!")

"Ehhh...t-that's good, I'm going then Shizuku-chan"

"Ri...Rimuru-kun... don't you want to go to practice together with me today?"

She asked still half red from hugging him. Rimuru accepted and the two headed to the training ground.

●●●

Hajime was walking to the training field. By the time he arrived, there were some students there who were already training and some chatting.

Hajime picked up his western sword that was given to him for his free training and just then he felt a blow on his back. He hurried to take a step forward and looked back. He frowned when he saw Hyama's gang behind him. They always caused trouble for Hajime during training.

"Yo Nagumo what are you doing it makes no sense you use a sword you are useless after all.

"Hey Hyama you take it too hard even if it's true weheheheh."

"If I were you I would be ashamed to train heheh."

They fell into laughter again.

"Hey Nagumo since I'm a nice guy I'll train with you."

"Yeah, we'll help you train Nagumo too."

Hajime tried to deny it but they wouldn't let him get away with it. Then they started beating Hajime with magic attacks. Hajime could only curse his own weakness. Just as Hyama was about to attack Hajime with the hilt of his sword he stopped, No he was stopped. By the boy in front of him. Blue hair a blue coat a white mask with black is red details and a straight sword on his back. yes it was Rimuru.

"Hi. What do you guys think you're doing?"

When he said this he removed the mask and released 'Demon-lord Haki' which made all students break out in a cold sweat. Rimuru told Hajime that he wouldn't interfere anymore, but he felt that the gang went too far this time, with Hajime's injuries he might have even died.

Rimuru was about to attack when he heard a voice that made the gang more scared than when Rimuru activated Demon-lord Haki.

"Heyyy, what are you guys doing!?"

It was the voice of Kaori who was standing next to Ryutaro and Kouki. Shizuku was already at the training camp as she arrived next to Rimuru.

"No. Please don't misunderstand. We were just helping Nagumo in his training....

"Nagumo-kun!"

Kaori ignored Hyama's explanation and ran to Hajime who was crouching and coughing non-stop.

"Special training?"

Rimuru asked.

"Yes it's just that..."

Hyama and the others left in a hurry. Under the light of Kaori's healing magic Hajime's injuries healed completely.

"Thank you Shirasaki-san, I'm fine now."

"Does this happen often? If that's the case I..."

Kaori stared at the direction Hyama and the others ran off.

"No it's not always like this! It's okay I'm fine!"

"But..."

Hajime reassured her with a smile and she finally gave in.

"Nagumo-kun , if you have any problems, feel free to tell me. If not, you can talk to Kaori."

Shizuku forced a smile as she looked agonizedly at Kaori. Hajime thanked her but to throw cold water on the situation he had the Hero talent.

"But Nagumo should train more. Sorry won't help you get stronger. I heard that you stay in the library all the time. If you trained seriously and got stronger, Hyama's gang won't bully you again."

"How should I respond to that?" Hajime thought.

Kouki was a person who believed that there was no evil in people's hearts. In his line of thinking there was no evil in humanity. Hajime was already exhausted and didn't have the energy to explain the situation, so he just sighed.

[Sigh]

Shizuku who understood the situation apologized softly.

"Sorry he has no bad intentions."

"Ah, it's okay, Don't worry."

After this incident Captain Meld arrived and called everyone.

"Okay people approach."

The students approached and he declared.

"Tomorrow we will go to the big Orcus dungeon to train".