3 Chapter 3

(Timeskip) 

This may come as a complete shock, but I'm kind of strong. After Velodra disappeared the forest started to become more active. All kinds of creatures were moving around trying to take advantage and expand territory and all that stuff. I'm surprised that some even tried to fight and approach me despite knowing what I am. 

It wasn't even a fight. It was more of a one-sided beatdown. I didn't even have to take out my sword or lance, Just a well-placed punch or kick, and whatever was in my way was just…gone. The only time I took out my sword and lance was when fighting against a Knight Spider. It wasn't a hard fight as I was just using it to test out my weapons and abilities. Imagine my surprise when Excalibur and Rhongomyniad, sort of just…sliced and pierced the armor easily killing it very fast. Just kidding, of course, I expected something like this. 

When it came to my "fight" with the Knight Spider, using my sword and lance felt so easy and natural to me. It felt like I was shaking off rust after not fighting for a long time, sort of like muscle memory. At first, I was feeling like an amateur and a total noob, with my abilities doing all the work for me, but the longer I fought the more natural it came to me. Every aspect of me improved rapidly and was noticeable to the naked eye. My footwork, blade work, and other related techniques were reaching near-flawless levels, at least to me, I should find someone to fight to see where I stand. 

The fight with the Knight Spider wasn't interesting, since it was merely a test subject to adapt and get used to my new abilities. I'm just trying to pass the time until I feel Rimuru get out of the cave, so I can track him and his aura. 

"Well, speak of the devil and they will appear." I finally sense the aura that is leaking from Rimuru that suddenly appears. Well, I knew it was there, but it was much more pronounced since it was all finally out of the open. 

"Time to meet the one who will be the strongest slime ever in this world." I quickly make my way to Rimuru. I want to meet him before the goblins do.

/\/\/\/\/\

Rimuru was bouncing along a dirt path after finally leaving the cave. He was mostly just happy to finally see the outside world after being in the cave for so long. He didn't know what he was going to do. He told Veldora he would get him out of his infinity prison, but that would take some hundred years and he didn't have another goal to do right now, so he was just going around looking for anything to do. 

Bouncing along the road he notices a figure clad in blue and silver armor walking towards him. They looked and felt intimidating and the lion helmet with a long mane only served to emphasize that point. 

By the way Rimuru moved around and the movement of the figure's helmet it was clear that they noticed each other. 

Rimuru stood in place, waiting for them to get close to him, not out of fear or intimidation, but a sort of surprise at finally finding a person.

[Notice. It is recommended to not fight the person in front of you.] Rimuru's Great Sage immediately warns Rimuru about the power of the person in front of him. 'I have to be careful If I go about this wrong things will go bad.' Rimuru thought to himself taking in Great Sage's warning.

Artoria was still walking towards Rimuru thinking if she should mess with him a little. 'I kinda want to mess with, but how? Oh, I know!' Artoria started walking faster towards Rimuru.

"You're an interesting slime. Are you a named monster?" Artoria clearly knew who Rimuru was, but it would be suspicious if she just came out with everything she knew. She knew Rimuru was a little too trusting and nice, so she would take advantage of this to get all the information she needed to not appear suspicious.

"Uh…My name is Rimuru Tempest and yes I am named. What's your name?" 

"A talking slime, now you don't see that every day. You are more special than usual. And to answer your question my name is Artora Pendragon."

'Pendragon!? Like King Arthur!? Is she a Queen or royalty or something? First, I met Veldora, and now I meet royalty from some kingdom? Is that sword she's carrying also called Excalibur?' Rimuru was shocked, to say the least. He called himself lucky for being able to meet what is no doubt two big shots. "Are you parrt of a royal family?"

"No, I am not part of a royal family or any sort of nobility or royalty. Actually, I'm the only Pendragon you will find. What is a slime like you doing out in a forest like this?" Artoria decided to tell the truth in a way that builds some sympathy toward her to cash in on Rimuru's kindness. 'Isn't this sort of taking advantage of him? Well, I'm not trying to do anything to actually harm him so I guess no foul? Or something like that.' 

"I just got out of a cave and you're the only living thing I've encountered. I'm just trying to find a settlement or something."

"Well I wonder why you hav't encountered anything? You aren't making it easier on yourself with the way your just announcing yourself to anything in the area."

"What are you talking about?"

"Nothing, you'll find out later what I'm talking about when the situation comes."

Rimuru and Artoria kept talking for a while until they noticed a band of goblins approach them. They had green bodies, they looked skinny and weak. The weapons and equipment they had looked rusty and broken. 

A younger-looking goblin in the front approached them. "Oh great one, what is your purpose here?" The goblin was very scared facing the person and slime in front of him, but mostly the slime since their aura was on full show. 

Rimuru looked at Artoria and then himself. "Are you guys talking about me?" 

"Yes, we are." The goblin talking then proceeded to bow down to the ground and pleaded. "Strong one, we ask for a favor of you to save our village. Our village is on the verge of destruction and you we seek your help."

"Are you sure it's me who is the strong one? What about the person next to me? Look at the armor and weapons she has, surely you must mean her right?" 

"No, your presence is more noticeable. Please we ask for you te help out our village!" The goblin seems to be getting desperate. He is practically begging at this point if he wasn't before. 

'I don't want to just leave them. If their village gets destroyed then that means they will surely die. I have the power to help them, but Great Sage told me that Artoria is stronger than me would she help? She has the kind of aura that says she would help others.' Rimuru decides that she might as well ask her since nothing bad would come out of it. "Hey Artoria, do you wanna help the goblins with me?"

Artoria who has been mostly silent this time, just observing the goblins and Rimuru finally spoke up. "Sure I don't mind, I'm not busy doing anything else at the moment.".

'She said yes! This will be so easy!' Rimuru was excited that he could get the help of someone as strong as her.

'He may not have a proper body, but by the way he's squirming around it's so easy to tell he's happy that I said yes to his request' Artoria thought to herself.

/\/\/\/\/\ 

When we finally arrived at the goblin village only then could I see the true extent of the dire straits they were in. The anime did not do it justice. The buildings looked worn down as if they would fall over at any moment. The walls could barely be considered walls. They had gaps big enough to let in a dangerous monster, at least to the goblins, it was honestly a miracle that they were still standing. The "niceest" building, relative to the others, looked a little better but that wasn't saying much.

'Geez, they're running on faith, hopes and dreams here.'

"Come inside, our village chief is waiting for both of you." The goblin led us inside the building which was very barebones on the inside. The ground only consisted of dirt which was covered with a large rug and the only piece of furniture was a small "podium".

Rimuru sat on the small podium, while I just stood next to him, but a little further ahead of him and not directly beside him. I want to show that we are at the bare minimum equals, and possibly that I am stronger. It's the little details that stand out in cases like these. 

Rimuru decided to speak up first. "So, what favor did you guys need from us?"

"I'm sure you have noticed that the monsters in the forest have become more active than usual after our gods dissaperance." The old goblin said to Rimuru

"Uh…No?"

'Rimuru come on man. You have Great Sage and Magic Sense, which you should have thought to use it to observe your surroundings better.' I admonished Rimuru, but only in my mind. It's better he makes mistakes and learns now at this point where I can easily bail him out of the consequences if necessary.

The goblin continued on after Rimuru's answer. "Ever since our god's disappearance, the monsters have been harassing us more frequently, specifically the dire wolves."

"I'm just a mere slime I'm not that strong. Artoria here is much stronger than I am. I'm sure she can easily take care of any monster in close range of your village."

"You don't have to be so modest, a slime can't possibly emit such a powerful aura as yours."

I see Rimuru stand still for a second until he starts wobbling a little after he notices the aura he's been showing this entire time. I saw his aura recede when he did it, or Great Sage did it for him. 

"You finally noticed Rimuru? Don't wanna sound mean, but it took you long enough" I told Rimuru finally speaking my first words during this whole meeting. 

"You knew the whole time? Is this what you meant by when you told me that I'll find out later?"

"Rimuru, literally any monster out there could sense or see your aura, even a rabbit would know better. As for me, I sensed you immediately. That's why I was able to find you so easily." 

"I was basically walking around the forest naked just letting my aura rampage like that!"

"You're a slime, you're already naked."

"Oh yeah, I guess."

I could see Rimuru having trouble on how to pick up after our little talk. The goblin chief was waiting for us to tell him something, so I decided to help him out a bit.

"Chief, Rimuru here was merely conducting a test. He was testing to see how well you could withstand his aura to see if you were worthy of his help." 

"Oh I see, it was test. Am I right to assume that we have passed?"

I looked at Rimuru and sort of just gave him a look telling him to take advantage of my help.

Rimuru seemed to finally get the hint. "Yes! This was merely a test of courage for you goblins! Now what do you want us to do?"

The goblin chief bowed his head in response to his question. "The dire wolves around the area have been attacking our village and we have lost many lives due to that. Even our strongest warrior my son, who was named, was slain by them. They are too strong for us. My son sacrificed his life to be able to tell us all this."

"How many people do you have?" 

"We only have 60 in fighting condition, women included, but we also have many who are injured."

"If I were to help you what would we get in return?"

'Oh, look he bundling me up with him by saying 'we'.' 

The goblin chief was struggling to think of something because to be brutally honest, they had literally nothing to offer for the help they wanted.

"We can offer our complete loyalty to both of you!" The goblin chief said with conviction and then proceed to bow once again with his head on the floor.

'Wow, two leaders. When has that ever gone well in history? There totally won't be a conflict that will eventually to a civil war between both sides. Luckily, I'm not like that. Why would I get jealous at someone who will have an endless amount of paperwork? I'ma do my own thing'

While I was watching their oath of loyalty to us, I and everyone else suddenly heard multiple wolf howls. The entire village proceeded into a mass hysteria of fear almost immediately with shouts that they were all gonna die. 

Me and Rimuru just walked out of the goblin chief's hut before Rimuru decided to shout and get everyone's attention. 

"Everyone! No need to panic! I, Rimuru Tempest, will grant your wish of protection!"

All the goblins immediately went down to the ground to once again offer their loyalty. 

"Hey, Artoria! Let's go beat up some dire wolves!"

"No." I gave a simple, short, and concise answer. No beating around the bush

"What! Why not?"

"You said 'I, Rimuru Tempest, will grant your wish of protection!'. That was only you. I still need to decide for myself if I want to do that or not."

"So are you gonna help me out then?" I noticed he sounded nervous and a bit afraid that I would say "No".

"I will help, but please understand that, for now, I will be making my own choices of what I want to do. If you want to do something extra for the village that's your own choice. We are not at the stage where you can lump me with the decisions you make."

A bit harsh maybe, but you gotta be tough sometimes to help someone else out. Rimuru stood still, he seemed to have lost that spunk when he made his declaration earlier.

"Come on Rimuru, it's not that deep. You're probably overthinking my words, so stop being so down and let's see what we can do to help these goblins out."