Rin's eyes opened to the familiar, plain wooden ceiling of the clinic in Tempest. He was back. A quick look around confirmed his surroundings, and his gaze immediately fell on a figure sitting on a stool by his cot – Rimuru, in his human form.
"You're awake!" Rimuru said, a look of relief washing over his features. "Are you okay, Rin? I'm so sorry, I really didn't mean to hit you that hard."
Rin sat up, feigning a bit of grogginess before putting on a confident smirk. "It's fine, Rimuru-san. You just caught me off guard," he boasted, puffing out his chest slightly. "Next time, I'll be ready. In fact, next time, I'll be the one to win!"
Rimuru looked surprised by his sudden boastful declaration but simply offered a good-natured chuckle. "Alright, alright, I'll look forward to it."
As they talked, Rin's eyes drifted to Rimuru's attire. He was wearing a finely crafted silk robe, one that was intricately embroidered but had a distinctly androgynous, almost feminine cut to its design. From what Rin could observe, Rimuru seemed perfectly comfortable in it.
"That's a nice outfit, Rimuru-san," Rin commented casually. "A new style?"
"Oh, this?" Rimuru looked down at his clothes. "Shuna insisted I try it on. It's surprisingly comfortable, though…" He paused, a look of slight confusion on his face. It feels really good to wear... For some reason, I have this weird urge to collect more cute clothes like this. I need to stop that thought. I was a man in my past life!
Rin had to hide a grin. His little system manipulation was slowly but surely having an effect.
"Past life?" Rin prompted, feigning ignorance.
Rimuru seemed to decide that Rin, being another person from "Japan," could be trusted. "Yeah. The truth is, I wasn't always a slime. I was a 37-year-old salaryman in Japan before I died and got reincarnated here. That's why I technically see myself as male, even though as a slime, I don't really have a gender."
Before Rin could delve deeper into that fascinating topic, a sudden, violent tremor shook the entire clinic. It wasn't like a normal earthquake; it felt like a singular, massive impact somewhere nearby.
"What was that?!" Rimuru exclaimed, his expression instantly shifting from relaxed to serious. He shot up from his stool. "I have to go see what's happening! You stay here and rest, Rin!" With that, he vanished in a blur of motion.
Rin, however, knew exactly what that was. Milim Nava. One of the oldest and most powerful Demon Lords. Her arrival. He was tempted to go watch the ensuing fight, but he decided against it for now. He had other plans.
He slipped out of the clinic and made his way to the training grounds. There, he saw Hakurou, the elderly Kijin swordmaster, drilling a squad of Hobgoblins with relentless precision. To get truly strong, I'll need a teacher like him, Rin acknowledged, but he wasn't going to interrupt now. Instead, he skirted the training grounds and headed deep into the Great Forest of Jura.
After walking for a while, he came face-to-face with a large, tusked boar, its eyes red with aggression. It snorted, pawed the ground, and charged.
Rin stood his ground. He let the beast charge, and at the last second, he braced himself, catching its tusks in his bare hands. The impact was immense, but his Tier I strength held firm. The boar, a creature of pure muscle and rage, was stopped dead in its tracks. A sigh of relief escaped Rin's lips; his impromptu power test was a success. With a roar of his own, he heaved the massive creature into the air and slammed it into the ground, dazing it. He left the incapacitated beast where it lay and turned back towards Tempest.
By the time he returned, the town was buzzing with energy. A crowd had gathered in the central square where a makeshift stage had been erected. On it stood Rimuru, and beside him, a small, pink-haired girl who radiated an aura of immense, barely contained power. Milim.
"And so," Milim announced to the crowd, her voice cheerful but carrying an undeniable weight, "my bestie, Rimuru, and I are now sworn friends! Anyone who messes with him, messes with me!"
The crowd erupted in a massive cheer. Rin, momentarily forgetting the context, turned to a nearby Hobgoblin. "Why is everyone so excited?"
The Hobgoblin looked at him like he was crazy. "Why? Because Lord Rimuru just became friends with a Demon Lord! That's like the ultimate protection! No one will dare attack us now!"
Ah, right. That. Milim soon departed, flying off into the sky, but the celebration continued. Rimuru, however, let out a quiet sigh of relief. Rin could hear his thoughts clearly: Man, she's exhausting! I feel like I just survived a typhoon.
As the crowd began to disperse, a tall, red-haired Kijin approached Rin. It was Benimaru. "You must be Rin-dono," he said with a respectful nod. "I heard you share a hometown with Lord Rimuru. It is an honor to meet you. If you ever require assistance, please do not hesitate to ask." After the formal greeting, he took his leave.
Suddenly, a voice spoke from directly behind Rin. "You handle yourself well in the forest."
Rin jumped, spinning around to see Souei, the blue-haired Kijin assassin, standing there as if he had been there all along. "Could you please not do that?!" Rin said, his heart pounding. "Make a sound or something next time!"
Souei remained impassive. "I observed your encounter with the Forest Boar. Your strength is considerable. However, the deep forest is dangerous. Next time you feel the need to venture out, I suggest you take Shion with you. She could use the exercise." He then melted back into the shadows as silently as he had appeared.
So he was watching me. Rin realized. But he doesn't seem to see me as a threat. Good.
Having accomplished his goal for the day, Rin decided to seek out Rimuru again. He found him near the town's central building, looking over some construction plans. The day had been productive, but Rin knew his time here was, as always, on a clock. He just needed to figure out the timing of his next "accidental" departure.