Clarifications:
-"Person Talking"-
-(Person Thinking)-
-
[Skills or Magic]
(JC: Author's Notes)
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Let's start
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-"Ah~ What happened?"- I muttered, disoriented, after consciousness returned to me. -"How long was I asleep?"-
<
-"What!?"- I jumped up from the floor upon hearing that. -"I was asleep for 10 days!? How is that possible!?"-
-(Wait... I remember now...)- Then an idea came to mind. -(Evolution! Yes, that's it! [Great Sage] said he was going to evolve! [Great Sage], quick, explain! What was that about evolving?)-
< Evolution can be achieved personally, through overcoming challenges, an intense desire to improve, and with the help of a Skill.>>
-"So why did I evolve?! I didn't do any of that!"-
< -"What...? Just from receiving a name?"-
I remembered Veldora mentioning something about Divine Protection or something, but he never mentioned evolving.
-(Fu~ I'd better calm down...)-
-"[Great Sage], what did I evolve into specifically?"-
< -"Just what was missing. Now I'm a Sage..."- I sighed at the irony. -"But what kind of race is this?"-
< -"So now I'm a Superhuman?"- I blinked in surprise. -"That's... well, amazing..."-
It was then that I noticed something strange. -(Is it just me, or have I gotten taller?)-
I looked at my feet closely, then at my arms and legs. My eyes gradually widened at the visible muscles.
-"I have muscles! Where did they come from?! Is this part of evolution?"-
They weren't very big or inflated; more like the compact muscles that professional swimmers or martial artists would have. Still, they were very noticeable for someone like me who was skinny. Trying to look deeper, I lifted my shirt and there I could see...
-"I have a damn six-pack!"- I yelled in surprise at the six-pack muscles bulging on my abdomen. -"Evolution is incredible!"-
-(So, without my entire body changing, my face must have changed too...)- I considered that possibility. -(There's only one way to find out.)-
I quickly left the area where I met Veldora to reach an area where there was a lake. I knelt in front of the lake and looked at my reflection.
It's worth noting that I was surprised by what I saw...
In the water, it didn't show a normal teenage face. No, what it showed was a beautiful, refined face with detailed features.
Simply put...
-(I've become a handsome boy!)- I raised my head in amazement and fascination. -(How did this happen?!)-
I understood muscles and all that, but the face thing just doesn't make sense. Honestly, this world confuses me with every second I spend here.
-(Wait...)-
-"[Great Sage], is there anything else I received due to Evolution?"-
-(Obviously there's something else...)-
< -(Of course I have...)-
< -(But... What!? How did I get these Skills?)- Surely those Skills I obtained were very random and unexpected. -(And also, [Black Lightning] Skill? Isn't that Veldora's Skill? How did I get it?)"-
But all my internal complaints were interrupted by the appearance of my Sacred Gear's gauntlet.
-"[Partner, you woke up, I was worried about you]"-
-"Sorry for worrying you, Ddraig"- It was then that I noticed something different about the gauntlet. -"Hey, Ddraig, what happened to you?"-
-"[Oh, what do you mean?]"-
-"Well, the gauntlet has changed"-
The reason for my confusion was that the gauntlet had changed. It still had the same appearance as before. Only now its spikes were black and shone like steel, and the green jewels had a dark center.
-(Did Ddraig also evolve, and that's why he looks like that?)-
-"Ddraig, did you evolve?"-
-"[Evolve? I don't understand what you're saying]"-
-"Don't you feel different? Like, stronger?"-
-"[Well, now that you mention it, I do feel a little different]"-
-(Did Ddraig also evolve because he was named and become stronger than before? Is that even possible!?)-
-"[Partner, what's going on?]"-
-"Well..."-
And so I explained everything about why I fainted and about Evolution; as well as the possible theory that he has also evolved. His reaction was a bit unusual...
-"[Are you telling me that by being named by Veldora, we evolved and became stronger?]"-
-"Exactly."-
-(I seem to understand, but... Isn't he very calm about it? He doesn't seem to care)-
-"[Well, if it was someone like Veldora, I'm not surprised]"-
-(What? What do you mean, "someone like Veldora"?)-
-"Oh, what do you mean, Ddraig?"-
-"[Ah, that's right. You couldn't sense it...]"-
-"Sense it?"- I raised an eyebrow in confusion. -"I don't understand what you're talking about."-
Ddraig remained silent for a few seconds, before speaking again.
-"[Look, comrade. In our world, there are beings of great power, beings who can destroy the world on a whim.]"-
I didn't know whether to be confused or surprised to hear that. Confused by what Ddraig was getting at with this, and surprised that such powerful beings existed in my previous world.
I still don't know how I didn't realize there was an entire hidden Supernatural World...
-"[Among those beings, there are two who are the most powerful. They are known as the Dragon Gods]"-
-(More powerful Dragons?)- I couldn't help but think about that topic. -(Are all powerful beings Dragons?)-
-"[What I'm getting at with this, partner, is that all those beings... They don't compare to Veldora]"-
-"What...?"-
-(Are you telling me that Veldora, that friendly Dragon...? Is stronger than those ridiculously powerful beings capable of destroying the world!?)- I thought in surprise. -(There must be a mistake!)-
-"Ddraig, are you sure it's not a mistake?"-
-"I'm absolutely sure it's not a mistake. You couldn't feel it, but I could; that's why I stayed silent when you asked for help."-
-"I wait! That means you were listening to me!"- Then I got angry at that. -"So you ignored me!"-
-"[Of course I heard you; I'm connected to your soul. I can even hear your thoughts]"-
-(Huh!? And I just found out about this!? That's a violation of my privacy!)-
-"[Stop complaining; it's not that big a deal]"-
-"Stop listening to my thoughts!"-
-"[The point is, Veldora is an extremely powerful being. And I don't even want to know how powerful the Hero who sealed him is]"-
-(Well, that would explain why he replied that no such powerful being existed in our world)-
-"But how do you know? Did you sense his power?"-
-"[No, because he was sealed, I wasn't able to gauge his power, but I could sense the danger; you could call it a survival instinct]"-
-(So he sensed how dangerous it was?)-
-"That doesn't sound very reliable..."-
-"[Partner, I've lived long enough and I've been fighting against Powerful. I know when someone is dangerous.]"-
-(Well, that does sound reliable.)- I agreed with Ddraig's words. -(I can't go against years of experience.)-
-"So, we became brothers with a dangerous being?"-
-"[It seems so, partner...]"-
We both fell silent at this new revelation.
-(I thought Veldora was powerful... But not that powerful...)-
That new information definitely made me see Veldora differently. Maybe he's kind and friendly in his own way, but he was still a ridiculously powerful Dragon.
Even so, Veldora was still my sworn brother... No matter how powerful and terrifying he is.
-"Well, we'd better put that aside. We still have to get out of the cave and find a way to free Veldora."-
-"[True. Also, I think it's time I explained the powers and abilities you have as my user]"-
-(Just what was missing, more crazy abilities)- I couldn't help but grumble in my head. -(Maybe they aren't that bad.)-
And so I continued my journey to get out of this cave.
....
.....
...
....
.....
It's been several days since I "ate" Veldora. What about me these days?
Let's think for a moment...
I'm a Human. -(Well, now a Sage)- In a dangerous world. If I were attacked, I would try my best to defend myself.
At first, I thought I was going to die of starvation after not eating for several days, but all that worry vanished after receiving a notification.
< It was that easy...
-(It seems the [Prodigy] Skill is also OP)-
But speaking of something else. I've been thinking about how I'm going to survive outside without knowing how to defend myself. So I stopped my journey to leave the cave and have been thinking about how to fight. That's where Skills and Ddraig come in.
I already have some useful Skills for fighting, like the [Impact] Skill. Also defensive Skills, like the [Steel Armor] Skill.
I also discovered that if you combine the [Steel Armor] Skill and the [Maleable Body] Skill, you can do amazing things. Because of my increased strength, I was able to move even while wearing the [Steel Armor].
That combination allowed me to turn my true arm into various weapons, such as swords, axes, shields, and many other things made of steel.
And during those tests, something unexpected happened...
< -(The training really paid off!)-
It was still the same Skills, just easier to control.
I also started practicing my new Skills I obtained from Evolving. -(They're amazing!)- I can do various things with them.
With the [Water Manipulation] Skill, I can literally manipulate and generate water. I first started by trying to make a [Water Cannon]; I just had to imagine the attack while the Skill and my Magical Energy would take care of the rest.
And it worked!
Then I tried something more powerful, like a [Water Blade]. This one was more complex, but it worked perfectly.
The blade was able to perfectly cut through a rock. To be honest, I was surprised by its power.
And so I trained the other Skills.
With the [Wind Manipulation] Skill, I can generate and manipulate wind. With that Skill, I was able to generate [Wind Waves] and [Wind Blades].
With the [Lightning Manipulation] Skill, I can generate and manipulate lightning. With it, I was able to generate and launch small or gigantic [Lightning Bolts]; very practical for long-range attacks.
And as for the [Black Lightning] Skill...
I didn't use it for now, as something told me I shouldn't use it in enclosed spaces. That, and the description [Great Sage] gave me about the Skill didn't give me a good feeling.
According to [Great Sage], the [Black Lightning] Skill allows me to generate a powerful black lightning bolt with extremely destructive capabilities.
So for now, I'll leave that Skill unused…
I've also been studying Magic with the books I took from the Hero's room.
I thought it would be difficult to learn at first, but it was extremely easy thanks to the [Great Sage] and [Prodigy] Skills.
I've already learned several [Fire Magic], [Water Magic], [Earth Magic], [Wind Magic], [Lightning Magic], and [Ice Magic] spells. I first started with these Magics, which seem to be the most basic.
I also didn't stop at using the Cloak of Levitation to float around the cave, as well as firing with the Magic Cannon on my Prosthesis.
And as for the Skills of my Sacred Gear…
I have to say, they're amazing!
The main Skills are [Boost], [Explosion], and [Transfer].
First, there was [Boost], the main Skill. As the name suggests, it increases, or rather doubles, my power every ten seconds until I reach my physical limit. Afterward, [Explosion] releases the Boosted Gear's stored power for a short period of time. Finally, [Transfer] transfers the power to other people or objects.
The first time I used the Boost Gear, well, something curious happened...
-"[How is it possible you haven't reached your limit yet!]"-
-"I have no idea."-
Ddraig's sudden comment had to do with the fact that the [Boost]s kept ringing. Even after half an hour of this!
-"[None of my previous users could hold out that long at the beginning...]"-
-(Is it so surprising? I don't even feel any different.)-
-"[Stop it if you want. Now we'll try to unleash that stored power]"-
Doing as he said, the [Boost]s stopped ringing.
-"[Now try to expel all that accumulated power in the form of an attack]"-
I concentrated and let all the accumulated power be released and accumulate in the gauntlet.
-"[Explosion!]"-
With that, all the accumulated power was released, and a small sphere of red energy formed in the palm of the gauntlet.
-"[Now shoot!]"-
-(Let's do this!)-
I raised my arm and aimed at a nearby wall. A powerful red beam of pure power was then released, largely destroying the cave wall and several thousand meters of earth in its path, creating a long, endless tunnel.
-(Shit...)-
-"Ha, that was amazing!"-
-"[And that's nothing, buddy. There's still so much to learn]"-
-(There's more!? For some strange reason, I'm starting to like this!)-
-"Go ahead, Ddraig. I promise I'll get strong."-
-"[That's the spirit, buddy! I'm sure you'll proudly wear the title of Sekiryuutei!]"-
-"Of course, Ddraig! I won't let you down!"-
-"[Okay, now let's talk about a move called Balance Breaker]"-
And so we chatted for a long time about everything I could do with my Sacred Gear.
After several days of training, I began my journey out of the cave. Throughout the journey out, I collected all the Hipokte Grass and Magic Ore around me.
I was already eager to see the outside world and see if I could meet some World Travelers.
During that time, there was no reaction from Veldora. He seems to have disappeared, but I know very well that's not true.
We made a promise, after all. The next time we meet, I'll have a lot of fun and strange things prepared to tell him.
And so, from a spacious, familiar room, I walked along a road toward the surface.
A world still hidden, a world of possibilities, I longed to join it all...
....
.....
...
....
.....
A cataclysm shook the world that day.
It was the only way to describe the reaction when the Storm Dragon Veldora's disappearance was confirmed. It wasn't every day that a Special S-rank monster simply vanished without a trace.
Monsters, like adventurers, were classified according to a six-tier system, from A to F. Pros and cons could be added to these grades for added precision.
This system was first implemented by a man named Yuuki Kagurazaka, a rumored otherworlder and one of the few to assume the highest rank of Grandmaster in the Free Guild.
It was quickly adopted, thanks to the fact that it was much easier to understand than the previous, somewhat arbitrary, four-tier system: "Novice" → "Beginner" → "Intermediate" → "Advanced."
The Special S rank combined the S rank, which comprised enemies of the Demon Lord class, who deserved more than an A, with the "Special" label reserved for those above even that class; monsters capable of engineering calamities or natural disasters without aid.
A rank that breaks the scale, existing entirely outside the traditional six. Normally, an A-rank monster would only be terrifying enough to threaten a nation's existence; someone like Veldora was dangerous enough to plunge it into despair.
Three hundred years of penance had done nothing to affect the Dragon's status as a natural disaster-level threat. Just because it had disappeared didn't mean it couldn't be reborn somewhere, posing a new threat in short order.
But twenty days after the initial report of his disappearance, the Western Holy Church issued a report that, as far as their investigations could determine, Veldora the Storm Dragon no longer existed and showed no signs of existing in the near future.
Word spread first in the area around the Jura Forest, a wide plain dotted with a large number of minor countries. Once Veldora's fate had been widely reported, every one of them stood up, the proverbial hornet's nest spurred into action.
Every King and every Minister of every nation held emergency meetings day after day, gathering information and debating what to do next.
It was a difficult time for Baron Veryard, Minister of the small Kingdom of Blumund, but it wasn't as bad as it was for the man Veryard had summoned to his private chamber that day.
This was Fuze, a man as famous for his sharp, unforgiving eyes as he was for his small stature. He was the Guild Master for this kingdom, a position that granted him a great deal of authority even in such a small nation.
-"I believe you know why I summoned you here,"- the Baron began the moment Fuze crossed the archway. -"You've heard about the Storm Dragon by now, haven't you?"-
-"Of course, my Baron,"-
Fuze nodded and spoke in a low, raspy voice.
-"Hmph,"- Veryard spat in response. -"I suppose I should expect no less from you, my good Guild Master. Now, may I ask how the guild intends to respond?"-
-"We have no particular plans at the moment, sir."-
-"...I'm sorry, did I hear you correctly? Do you have no intention of taking action?"-
-"Yes, sir,"- Fuze replied in a voice devoid of emotion, silently asking the Baron why he was so disturbed. -"I don't think any action is necessary."-
The Baron, not a big fan of this response, decided to keep those feelings hidden. -"A relatively strange thing to say, isn't it? Not necessary? The disappearance of Veldora the Storm Dragon could portend more monster activity in the space of days, even hours! And you're not taking any action against it?"-
-"It will seem rather strange to do so, sir. Taking such measures is the task of the state. I am responsible for the Free Guild, not for providing volunteer labor when commissioned."-
This was the truth, as far as Fuze was concerned. The Free Guild was an independent, non-governmental agency. Its members enjoyed no special guarantees of safety or comfort, unlike the various workers and artisans on the government ledger, but rather the basic rights to which all citizens were entitled. Their only official debt to the kingdom came in the form of taxes.
That was the system in Blumund, as it was in almost all the nations surrounding it. To put it another way, the Free Guild was a group that operated outside the framework of any nation, and one far more unified than a single government as well.
It was a fact that some of its operations occurred without the knowledge or consent of these nations, regardless of whether the guild intended it to be seen that way or not.
-"Isn't it the state's responsibility to protect the assets of its people?"- the Guildmaster continued meekly. -"In the same way, it's the guild's responsibility to protect the lives of its members. We both have a lot on our plates, I suppose."-
Fuze wasn't sure if he had imagined the blue vein that had just appeared on Veryard's forehead or not.
He hadn't. The Baron knew his position was being investigated.
-"Enough with your pretensions, Guild Master! How many mercenaries can you provide? How many adventurers with combat experience? How large a defense force can you provide on duty? I need numbers!"-
The Guild Master rolled his eyes and sighed. -"I hope we're on the same page when I say this, sir, but I'll remind you that we're not a volunteer army. If we're talking about mobilization based on the terms of our agreement, I can provide you with the equivalent of one-tenth of our membership. If you wish to agree to anything beyond that, well, it would all depend on our compensation."-
The population of Blumund was almost exactly one million. The local Free Guild membership record totaled around seven thousand family members, not including them.
Therefore, if the kingdom decided to invoke its agreement with the guild and muster 10 percent of its members—seven hundred in total—these fighters would officially join the command of the national army.
Such an order, of course, would apply only to guild members who belonged to Blumund and not to another nation. All Free Guild members fell under the same banner, but their nations of origin were also clearly stated in the records for this reason.
Furthermore, while a nation had the right to define its own mobilization period under this agreement, it was also obligated to grant the guild a one-fifth discount on taxes collected during the entire period.
This allowed governments to quickly summon a powerful force, and the guild to ensure that its men were not beholden to the state for too long. For a group like the guild, which was obligated to pay the salaries of all deployed members in advance, it was the obvious approach to take.
Besides, even if a government were to demand every man the local Free Guild had, there would be no way to manage them. After all, only half of any guild's membership had any fighting ability.
Blumund's nobles were fully aware of this. Normally, they wouldn't view their Prime Minister's attempt to intimidate the Guildmaster on any better terms... But the times demanded otherwise. The monsters were on the move, for one thing, but even beyond that, they had more pressing motivations.
-"Very well. Enough of this. Are you trying to get the truth out of me, Fuze?"-
Fuze's eyebrows rose at the mention of his name. Veryard rarely, if ever, called him by that. He turned his eyes to the Baron for the first time.
-"The area near Veldora Prison was meant to be absolutely impenetrable,"- he said. -"Now that route may potentially be open to direct navigation, and that means we must consider the possibility of the Eastern Empire taking action."-
"Ah, certainly that!" the Baron replied. -"Whether they let Veldora be or were afraid of the seal being broken, we've detected sudden new movements in the Empire after a long period of silence. Do you understand what that means? If he can navigate that forest, this kingdom will be absorbed instantly. And we can forget about the Western Holy Church providing us with any significant support! The countries surrounding the Jura Forest don't have any significant alliances with each other. We'll all become vassals of the Empire in the blink of an eye!"-
-"No support from the Church...? I'm afraid not. In the first place, they were never too interested in wars between mere mortals. Annihilating monsters is what their doctrine demands."-
-"Indeed. If we could get them to deploy even one of their paladins, the Empire wouldn't be so quick to move... Not needing to prepare for monster attacks would buy us some time, at least."-
-"I doubt anything could move the Church to action,"- Fuze said. -"The destruction of one or two nations doesn't affect their own finances. They can't help everyone, not even their own flock."-
He took a moment to assess the Baron's face. Veryard looked exhausted, as if he had aged rapidly in recent days. It was understandable.
The two were childhood friends. And even though Veryard was merely a Baron, if the public learned of Fuze's close contact with a member of the nobility, it would create a variety of difficulties for both of them. They both had to pretend they were using each other for their own personal gain, which was why they tended to portray their relationship as sullen and resentful.
It would take more than the power of a small kingdom to overcome this thorny obstacle they now faced.
-(But maybe)-
Fuze thought. His friend was very anxious. The Empire was on the move, it was true, but that didn't mean they should expect an attack before sunset.
-"But how do we know the Empire will take action against us?"- Fuze proposed. -"I'll be happy to conduct my own personal investigations into the matter. I advise you not to expect too much, but at least I can gauge the situation in the Jura Forest and throughout the Empire."-
-"...I'd appreciate that."-
Yes. There was no guarantee that the Empire would act against them. If so, it would undoubtedly be with a large force. It was never a nation to waste time with petty skirmishes. No, it would casually send a force of a million or more and trample every nation in the area, one by one. Gathering an army like that would take time, at least three years or so. Which wasn't a generous amount, but it would create some leeway to work with.
-"I'd better start gathering intelligence, then,"- Fuze said to close the conversation. -"Time's short. I'm leaving!"-
-"Thank you..."-
The two nodded and went their separate ways. There was much to do.
TO BE CONTINUED!!!
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Author's Notes
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Please note that this story is mostly centered around Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken and another novel that you may recognize. Please also note that Rimuru is completely replaced by my own character (Yukimaru). You are warned.
Disclaimers:
The character or story mentioned from an anime, or novel, does not belong to me. Instead, it belongs to Ichiei Ishibumi (High School DxD), Fuse, Mitz Vah (Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken) and Patora Fuyuhara (Isekai wa Smartphone to Tomo ni)
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Upcoming chapters (Spoilers):
Chapter 5- The Girl and the Demon Lord
Chapter 6 - First Fight and Skill Acquisition
Chapter 7- The Cub and the Goblin Village