A Strange Awakening
Pain.
A dull, throbbing ache pulsed through Rimuru's being, an unfamiliar sensation that sent alarm bells ringing in his mind. It wasn't excruciating, but it was persistent—like something was pressing down on him, constraining him in a way he had not experienced in a long time.
For a brief moment, his consciousness wavered between awareness and oblivion, the sensation of floating through endless darkness weighing on him. Then, with a slow, deliberate effort, his mind sharpened.
'Where… am I?'
He tried to access his surroundings, calling upon his usually omnipresent perception of magicules. But the response he received was unsettling: his awareness was diminished, as though he had been blindfolded and thrown into an unfamiliar abyss. The world around him felt muted, its magic signature completely alien compared to the lands of Tempest.
Then, the real shock came.
"ERROR. SYSTEM INSTABILITY DETECTED. GREAT SAGE UNRESPONSIVE."
Rimuru froze.
No. That wasn't possible.
Great Sage?
No response.
A flicker of unease crawled through him. Great Sage had always been there, an unwavering presence guiding him through every challenge since the day he was reincarnated as a slime. For it to suddenly fail—not just fall silent, but give an actual error—meant that something was seriously wrong.
Slowly, Rimuru forced himself to focus on the physical world. He could feel the sensation of damp earth beneath him, cool and slightly sticky. A faint breeze rustled the trees above, sending leaves fluttering down around him. Birds chirped in the distance, their calls unfamiliar yet strangely soothing.
A forest. He was in a forest.
But not 'his' forest.
He attempted to transform into his human form, expecting to shift effortlessly into his familiar appearance. Yet, as he concentrated—
Nothing happened.
His body remained in its slime state.
The realization sent a fresh wave of unease through him. His abilities were not functioning as they should. The laws governing this world's magic were clearly different, limiting his access to his own power.
Had he been transported? Summoned? Or was this something even more complicated?
Just as he was beginning to contemplate his next move, a sound reached his ears.
Footsteps.
Fast, erratic, and growing louder by the second.
Someone was running.
Then—
-- •First Encounter • --
"DIE, WITCH'S DOG!"
A blur of motion.
Rimuru barely had time to register the words before a figure emerged from the trees, charging straight toward him. A man in ragged robes, his face twisted in a grotesque grin, eyes wild and bloodshot. In his hands, a rusted dagger gleamed under the dappled sunlight, the blade streaked with something dark.
Blood.
Rimuru reacted instinctively. Predator. He'd devour the man in an instant—neutralize the threat before it could escalate.
Except—
Nothing happened.
His skill didn't activate.
For the first time in what felt like forever, Rimuru felt something he rarely experienced—helplessness.
His hesitation nearly cost him.
The cultist's dagger swung down—
"OH, SHUT UP ALREADY!"
Another figure crashed onto the scene.
A young man in a filthy tracksuit tackled the attacker with reckless desperation, sending them both tumbling to the forest floor. The impact knocked the dagger from the cultist's grip, sending it skidding across the ground.
The crazed man let out an eerie, manic laugh, struggling against his assailant. "Heh… hehehe… HIIIIIIGHHHER POWEEEERR!"
The young man, teeth gritted, grabbed a nearby rock and slammed it down on the cultist's head.
Once.
Twice.
The laughter turned to gurgling. The man twitched violently before going limp.
Panting, the young man sat back, wiping sweat from his brow, his chest rising and falling heavily.
For the first time, Rimuru got a proper look at him.
Dark, messy hair clung to his sweat-drenched forehead. His face bore fresh bruises, his tracksuit—once likely white and black—was now stained with dirt and blood. His breathing was ragged, his body trembling slightly from exertion.
He looked exhausted. Desperate.
And yet, despite all of that, the moment his gaze landed on Rimuru, his entire body tensed.
"Uh…" He swallowed. "You're not gonna try to kill me too, are you?"
Rimuru, still reeling from everything that had just transpired, let out a tired chuckle.
"I'd rather not, thanks."
The young man stared at him for a moment, then exhaled in visible relief. "Oh, thank god."
A pause. Then—
"Wait. Why the hell is there a talking slime in the middle of the woods?"
A Shared Confusion
Rimuru debated how to answer that. Normally, he'd have no problem explaining his origins—he was from another world, reincarnated as a slime, built a country, became a Demon Lord, and, well… the usual.
But in this situation? He wasn't sure where to even start.
"Long story short," Rimuru finally said, "I think I'm lost."
The young man gave a tired, humorless chuckle. "Yeah? Well, buddy, if you're lost, then congrats—you just landed in the worst possible world."
Rimuru frowned. Worst possible world? That… didn't sound good.
Before he could ask for clarification, the young man's shoulders sagged, and he let out a sigh.
"Listen, I don't know who or what you are, but if you don't mean any harm, I think we should get the hell out of here. More of those Witch Cult freaks are probably around."
Rimuru processed the words carefully.
Witch Cult?
That term struck a chord. He didn't know this world, but something about the phrase made him uneasy. It suggested religious extremism—zealots, dangerous ones at that. If this young man was fighting them, that meant he wasn't their ally.
Given that Rimuru himself had just been attacked without provocation, that was reason enough to cooperate.
"Alright," Rimuru agreed. "Lead the way."
The young man hesitated for just a second before nodding. He got to his feet, dusting himself off.
"Subaru," he introduced himself. "Natsuki Subaru."
Rimuru blinked. "That's… an oddly familiar-sounding name."
Subaru snorted. "Yeah, yeah. I get that a lot."
"Rimuru," he replied in turn. "Rimuru Tempest."
Subaru gave him an odd look. "That also sounds weirdly familiar."
"Huh. Small multiverse, I guess."
Subaru rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man. Let's just go before more crazy cultists show up."
As they moved deeper into the forest, Rimuru couldn't help but feel the weight of the unknown pressing down on him.
His powers were weaker.
His skills weren't responding properly.
And he had no idea what kind of world he had just stepped into.
But one thing was for certain—
Wherever he was, he had just landed in serious trouble.
--
An Unlikely Pair
Subaru led the way, his footsteps quick and erratic as he darted between trees, looking over his shoulder every few moments as if expecting something—or someone—to jump out at them. Rimuru followed at a slower pace, his slime form undetectable by normal means, so he didn't need to worry about being spotted. But there was an unfamiliarity to this world that was unnerving, even for someone like him who had traveled between realms before.
"So, Rimuru, huh?" Subaru's voice broke the silence, a touch of curiosity edging his tone. "You're a slime. Not something you see every day."
Rimuru gave a soft chuckle, the sound muffled as he slithered along. "I suppose I'm a bit unusual. But I promise, I'm not here to cause any trouble."
Subaru glanced back at him, eyes narrowing with skepticism. "Right. I'd usually be more inclined to believe that, but... I just fought off a crazy cultist, so forgive me if I'm a little cautious about a talking slime that shows up out of nowhere."
"I get it," Rimuru said, his voice calm, as always. "I'm not sure how I ended up here myself. I was in another world before I ended up in this one. Maybe I got pulled here by some kind of magical accident."
"Another world?" Subaru repeated. "So you're like… a summoned hero, or something?"
Rimuru tilted his slimy body in an approximation of a shrug. "I wouldn't say 'summoned,' but yes, I'm from another world. I wasn't exactly expecting to be thrown into a new one without warning."
Subaru's eyes widened in a mix of surprise and disbelief. "Wait… So you're like me, huh? Another otherworlder?"
Rimuru gave him a curious glance. "You're from another world too?"
"Yeah," Subaru said with a sharp nod. "I'm from Japan. I got summoned to this world for… uh… 'heroic duties.'" His expression turned bitter. "But let's just say things didn't exactly go as planned."
Rimuru could hear the underlying pain in Subaru's voice, the weight of experiences that had obviously scarred him. It made sense, considering the way he'd acted earlier, so recklessly and with such desperation. Rimuru didn't ask further questions, sensing it was a sensitive topic.
They walked in silence for a while, with Subaru occasionally glancing back at Rimuru, still processing the oddity of his situation. Rimuru, on the other hand, was focusing on the environment around them. He was beginning to realize that this forest wasn't like the ones in his world. The trees were taller, their trunks gnarled and twisted in unnatural ways. The air itself felt thick, charged with some kind of energy, though it wasn't one that Rimuru recognized.
"Do you know what's going on here?" Rimuru finally asked, his voice thoughtful.
Subaru looked over his shoulder at him. "What do you mean? This place? It's the forest near the town of Lugunica, but it's not a place you want to stick around for too long. The Witch's Cult has been causing trouble in the area lately. It's been chaos."
"Witch's Cult?" Rimuru's interest was piqued. That was the second time Subaru had mentioned them. "What exactly are they? Some kind of religious group?"
Subaru scowled. "That's one way of putting it. They're a dangerous bunch—insane zealots who worship the witches of this world, particularly the Witch of Envy, Satella. They're the ones causing the chaos in the kingdom, and they don't care who they hurt to get what they want."
"Satella?" Rimuru repeated, his curiosity growing.
"Yeah," Subaru said with a grimace. "She's the Witch of Envy. One of the Seven Witches who caused so much damage in this world. The cult's obsessed with her. They even go around killing people for her sake."
"I see…" Rimuru's thoughts churned. If the Witch's Cult was this dangerous, and if they were actively pursuing him—there had to be a reason. He didn't know what it was yet, but something about his appearance in this world had clearly drawn their attention.
They had to be connected somehow.
Before Rimuru could respond, Subaru held up a hand, signaling for him to stop.
"We're getting close to town," Subaru whispered, his face tense. "We have to be careful. The cult's influence is everywhere. If they spot us, we'll be dead before we know it."
Rimuru paused, his slime body undetectable unless he actively revealed himself. It was fortunate he wasn't a target of the Witch's Cult by his appearance alone—he could remain hidden in plain sight. But something about the urgency in Subaru's voice made him pause.
"I'll be careful," Rimuru reassured, lowering his body further into the ground, blending seamlessly with the forest floor.
Subaru nodded, glancing around with practiced caution. The two of them moved forward, the once-dense trees parting slightly to reveal a small clearing that led to a road. Subaru took the lead, staying low, and Rimuru followed closely behind.
As they approached the road, Rimuru's enhanced senses detected several figures walking down the path ahead. Subaru stiffened, and Rimuru's senses sharpened further. The figures weren't cultists, but they were armed. It looked like a group of guards or soldiers, perhaps from the kingdom.
"They're from the Kingdom of Lugunica," Subaru muttered, ducking into the shadows. "Don't let them see you. The last thing we need is to be mistaken for cultists."
Rimuru glanced at the group of soldiers, who were dressed in armor adorned with the insignia of the royal family. They didn't appear to be searching for anything specific, but Rimuru couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong. The atmosphere was thick with tension, and Rimuru noticed the wary expressions on their faces, as though they were expecting an attack at any moment.
Subaru motioned for Rimuru to follow him, and the two of them moved deeper into the underbrush, careful to avoid detection. Once they were a safe distance away, Subaru let out a quiet breath, his muscles tense.
"That was too close…" he muttered.
Rimuru remained silent, his thoughts running at full speed. There were too many things that didn't add up.
First, the Witch's Cult. Second, the soldiers—were they allies, or was there something more sinister at play?
And then there was Subaru, who had so clearly been struggling under the weight of his own burdens. He was more than just a traveler from another world—there was something darker beneath the surface of his optimism. The fact that he had fought so recklessly earlier, without concern for his own well-being, made Rimuru suspect there was a deeper pain driving him.
There was something about this world that felt fundamentally broken, and Rimuru had a sinking feeling that his arrival was no coincidence.
"Thanks for the help back there," Subaru said, breaking his train of thought. "I don't know what would've happened if you hadn't shown up."
Rimuru gave a small nod. "I'm just glad I could help. But it looks like we're not out of the woods yet."
Subaru looked at him, his face serious. "Yeah. I can't tell if we're heading into more trouble, or if we're just trying to survive at this point. But I'm glad you're here."
Rimuru gave him a quiet smile, though it was more out of politeness than any true confidence in the situation. "I'll do what I can to help. I'm not sure how much of a hero I am, but if there's anything I can do, I'll do it."
Subaru's eyes softened. "You're a hell of a lot more helpful than most people I've met so far. We've got a long road ahead of us."
And with that, the unlikely pair set off toward Lugunica, their fates now intertwined in this strange, dangerous world. Neither of them knew what lay ahead—but both knew that they would face it together.