Rebirth of a Dungeon Master

[Commonnerfer]

In the town of tempest sitting at Kotatsu.

"Do you have any nyines?" Nekra asks

"Go fish," Rimuru responds, keeping the game flowing.

"Shouldn't you two be working on me?" Yuki interjects, a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Nya, don't say it like that; it sounds perverted, nya," Nekra retorts, a playful grin on her face.

"Do you have any sixes?" Rimuru asks, directing their attention towards Yuki.

"Go fish," Yuki replies, keeping the game moving along.

"Nekra dear, do you have any nines?" Yuki asks, her attention shifting back to the game.

Nekra hands Yuki her nine, and the game progresses.

After several minutes...

"Okay, game over. Come here, Nekra," Yuki declares, and Nekra obediently crawls over to Yuki's side.

Yuki claims her prize and begins to pet Nekra, who responds with contented purring as she settles into Yuki's lap.

Meanwhile, Rimuru starts to experience a nosebleed, albeit a metaphorical one, as they watch the scene unfold.

Suddenly, Souei enters the room.

"Rimuru-Sama, we have four humans heading this way," Souei announces, but his attention quickly shifts to the captivating sight of the cat and fox girl.

"Who's coming?" Rimuru asks, snapping out of their daze.

"cough Right, four humans are. And Safi-hime seems to be having fun ordering around the lizard men," Souei reports.

"Alright, well, if the humans don't seem hostile, then we could meet them," Rimuru suggests, refocusing on the matter at hand.

As Souei leaves, Rimuru extends their hand, wanting to join in the petting session with Nekra as well.

"Fine," Yuki concedes, allowing Rimuru to join in, before suddenly...

"Wan!" Yuki barks as Rimuru pets her ears, eliciting a delighted response.

"This feels so gooooddd," Yuki exclaims with satisfaction.

"Hehe, I've always wanted to do this. Not as good as with elves, but animal ear girls will do," Rimuru muses.

"Can't you give yourself animal features too, nya?" Nekra asks between purrs and mewls.

"Ah... what do you recommend?" Rimuru inquires, intrigued by the idea.

"Well, since your husband is Uncle Veldora, why not dragon features?" Yuki suggests.

"Please stop calling my friend my husband." Rimuru says with a pout.

"Illusory truth effect." Nekra manages to stammer bout in between mewls.

Suddenly, there's a knock at the door.

"I am not saying the dragon features is not a good idea. I can do it later," Rimuru decides, feeling the connection to Veldora.

"Hello?" A human with white and black hair enters.

"Hi, I'm Rimuru, the leader of this town," Rimuru introduces themselves.

"Town?" Fuze questions, clearly surprised.

"Yeah?" Rimuru responds, puzzled.

"This is like a small city," Fuze deadpans, noting the scale of the settlement.

"Oh..." Rimuru acknowledges, the awkwardness palpable as Nekra continues to purr.

"So, anyway, I would like to apologize for assuming the worst. Although you may be a demon, you seem surprisingly human," Fuze says, extending his hand in a gesture of goodwill.

"Thanks, I guess," Rimuru says, accepting the gesture.

"So, uh, who are you two?" Fuze inquires, turning his attention to Nekra.

"I'm Nekra, nya. Does that old elf still work at the guild?" Nekra asks.

Meanwhile, elsewhere...

A pen is crushed to dust, and a voice rings out menacingly, "Who just called me old?"

Back in the room, Fuze responds, "Unless you want an early death, don't call her old."

"Nya, alright, I registered with her a while ago, nya," Nekra says, presenting her adventurer card.

Fuze stares at the card, taken aback by its age.

"So, anyway... I was wondering if I could come see the human nations at some time?" Rimuru asks, changing the subject.

"Nya? Why do you wanna go? Last time I went, it was a boring village, nya," Nekra remarks.

"Last time you went was nearly 250 years ago," Fuze points out, having just seen the adventurer card.

"Actually… Am I in a room with a slime girl, a long extinct werecat, and a kitsune… If the king ever finds out about this he'll want all of you for his monster girl harem." Fuze mutters to himself.

"Im not a slime girl!" Rimuru shouts reflexively.

Suddenly, Fuze finds himself embedded in the wall.

"Never mention putting me in a harem like that again nya, if you even think about taking my Yuki away I'll kill you nya! Older sister Milim would kill you if even tried to take both of us, nya," Nekra advises anger radiating off of her, the miasma she was releasing almost seemed to fog up the room. That was before shivering and turning around to see the pink-haired Dragonoid staring at her, smirking with excitement.

"Oh no," Nekra mutters, realizing the potential consequences of her actions with the battlemainac in the room.

 

[Commonnerfer]

"Well, originally I wasn't going too force you, but now you must join me," Milim declares with an evil grin.

"Nya? What is it?" Nekra asks, her concern evident.

Could she fight Milim? Yes. Could she win? Maybe. If she were to run, would Milim find her? No. But if she does run, she can't come back home.

"You are coming with me to meet the other Demon Lords," Milim states firmly.

"Fine, nya, but I might sleep, nya," Nekra concedes.

"You aren't usually supposed to sleep," Milim remarks.

"Is there a rule which says I can't, nya?" Nekra questions.

"... I could've slept this whole time... but then I wouldn't find interesting opponents," Milim realizes.

"Nekra-sama, I guess our spar won't be today after all," Hakurou says, somewhat disappointed.

"Nya, we can always reschedule, nya," Nekra reassures him as she is literally dragged out by the scruff of her neck.

"Are you not going to help her?" Rimuru asks, concerned.

"Milim is like a sister figure to her, so she should be fine with her," Yuki explains.
========================================

Nekra and Milim landed and although she landed with the grace of a cat, milim's style of flight made her want to throw up.

"Nya, Milim, I thought this was a Demon Lord meeting?" Nekra questions as she's dragged in.

"Of course it is!." Milim responds rather enthusiastically.

"Why are there only three and a half Demon Lords, nya?" Nekra asks, surveying the room.

"Three and a half?" Clayman repeats, puzzled.

"Nya, you aren't strong enough to be a full true Demon Lord, that harpy isn't one, and I think she is a spirit queen, nya. There is also a hero, nya?" Nekra points out, identifying everyone in the room.

Suddenly, Guy starts laughing. "I like her; she's strong enough to not be scared of us, and she was able to figure out what we all are nearly instantly," he says with a dangerous smile.

"I won't fight you, nya," Nekra hastily interjects.

"Are you not from my kingdom?" Carrion inquires.

"Nyo, I am nyot," Nekra responds, revealing her two tails.

"Sorry I'm late..." a silver-haired girl says, arriving and staring at Nekra.

"Luminous, I haven't seen you in forever! Fight me!" Milim shouts, launching herself at Luminous.

However, Milim's attack being so straightforward made it easily deflectable, resulting in a hole in the wall with a pink light tag shooting into the distance.

"Nya, you are a vampire! I haven't seen another vampire in 300 years, nya," Nekra exclaims.

"What are you? You don't seem like a pure-blooded vampire, yet you seem like a descendant of the royal family," Luminous asks cautiously.

"Me, nya? I'm just a dungeon mowster," Nekra deflects.

"Hey, that's like me!" Ramiris chimes in, interrupting the small interrogation.

"Nya? Wanna talk strategies in the future, nya?" Nekra suggests to Ramiris.

"That sounds like it could be fun," Ramiris agrees.

"I think it's time we started the meeting," Clayman interjects.

"I still haven't forgiven you for the encroachment on my territory, nya," Nekra says, glaring at Clayman with a fierce determination.

"Your territory? Wait, you are the one that commanded 100,000 golems!" Clayman realizes, finally recognizing her.

"Nya? So I can make a near-endless number of legions, nya," Nekra confirms.

"I'm sorry, did you say legions, as in Roman legions?" Leon questions, astonished.

"Yep, nya, for the empire," Nekra affirms.

Back in the Great Jura Forest...

"She seems fine. Though several of the people knew I was watching," Souei reports.

"It seems there were only around 4 and a half actual Demon Lords there; everyone else was just strong enough to receive a Demon Lord title," Souei explains.

"Oh, that's certainly interesting," Rimuru remarks.

"We can ask her more about it later," Yuki suggests as she looks over the city plans on the table.

"Why did you leave her?" Rimuru asks.

"She fell asleep at the table; I believe it was because she got bored," Souei says.

"Sounds like her," Yuki agrees with a chuckle.

"She's really just like a cat," Rimuru muses.

 

[Commonnerfer]

"Rimuru, there's nothing to do, nya," Nekra complains.

"How about you go spar with Hakurou? He's been wanting to fight you for a while," Rimuru suggests.

"Is this you trying to get out of training, nya? You know they would have none of that back in Sparta, nya," Nekra warns with a piercing gaze, causing Rimuru to shiver.

"Spartans were crazy, nya. They beat their own kids and encouraged them to steal, nya," Nekra explains with a mixture of contempt and respect.

"But you are Roman, right?" Rimuru asks.

"Of course, nya. As barbaric as the Spartans may have been, they were worthy adversaries. Well, the few that were not mercenaries were," Nekra affirms.

"I'm going to go spar, nya," Nekra announces, rising and leaving.

Rimuru looks at Yuki for reassurance.

"It's fine... she gets like that. She had fragmented memories of her previous life and tried to use her knowledge skill to find out who she used to be. Problem is she got all knowledge pertaining to a 1000-year-old empire, including its fall," Yuki explains, her eyes betraying her worry.

"So, she has the knowledge of... are you sure she's okay?" Rimuru inquires.

"I hope so... I really do. I love her with all of my heart, you know… It's just that after she did that, shes been a bit distant." Yuki admits, the fox girl very clearly on the edge of tears.

"I'm sure we can figure something out, although watching her life's work and its legacy dying out in perfect detail and clairty with everything that led up to it… Wasn't it Neuro that played the fiddle as Rome burned." Rimuru states, though inwardly, he feels uncertain about how to proceed.

Meanwhile...

"So, are you going to draw your blade?" Hakurou asks, readying himself.

"You know what, sure, let's have this be a test of skill rather than pure strength, nya," Nekra agrees, drawing her gladius and wrist braces.

"Well, ladies first," Hakurou jests.

"How honorable, just don't regret that, nya," Nekra retorts, disappearing from her spot, the sound of metal clashing filling the air.

"Nya? You blocked that, impressive, nya," Nekra acknowledges as Hakurou parries her strikes.

As their duel unfolds, drawing a crowd, Hakurou's defensive prowess impresses Nekra. However, her agility and skill with her blade keep the match balanced.

"That was impressive," Hakurou concedes, laughing as he lies on the ground.

"Nya, good fight," Nekra says, extending her hand to help him up.

Applause erupts from the spectators.

"That was impressive," a man with a black leopard's tail remarks.

"Thanks, nya," Nekra responds.

"So, we are Lord Leon's delegation here to negotiate a deal... and, I want her," Phobio declares, pointing at Nekra.

Suddenly, a storm of magicules erupts, sending Phobio flying several hundred meters away and burying him in the ground.

"Did he say something, dear?" Yuki asks, embracing Nekra from behind.

"Nya? I don't think so. He's just a neutered cat, nya," Nekra comments about the panther beastman.

Several onlookers sweat nervously at her remark.

 

[Commonnerfer]

In a cave somewhere in the Jura Forest...

"How dare they! That useless fox getting between me and that cute kitten!" Phobio roars in frustration, his comrades leaving him to his rage for wanting revenge on a nine-tailed fox – they're not suicidal.

"What would you say if I have a way for you to gain power?" a girl wearing a tear-stricken clown mask suggests.

"Tell me," Phobio demands, gritting his teeth despite the pain in his crotch, a wound that refuses to heal… He was desperate.

"It's simple. Although your pure hatred summoned us, we have a way to help," a burly man wearing a clown mask with exaggerated lips chimes in.

"Yep! Follow us," Tear cheerfully guides Phobio, leading him to what may as well be his death.

Meanwhile, in the hot springs of Tempest...

"I've got it! Let's have a competition of holding our breaths!" Milim suggests excitedly.

"That's not proper etiquette for a bath," Yuki rebuffs.

"Nya, do I have to go into the water?" Nekra protests, wearing nothing but a towel.

"Come on, Nekra dear, you need to clean yourself," Yuki insists, pulling Nekra into the warm bathwater.

"Nyaaa, it's nice and warm, nya," Nekra admits, instantly surrendering to the allure of the bath.

"It's the same every time," Yuki mutters as she takes out some soap and a cloth.

"I'm going to clean your ears and tail, dear," Yuki announces.

"Nyaaaa," Nekra protests, blushing furiously. "No fair, Yuki-nya!" she says before succumbing to purring contentment.

Meanwhile, Rimuru remains in his slime form, averting any potential nosebleeds. The sheer otakuness of the former human could put a closet neet in Jamaica to shame. You know who you are.
===============================
The next day...

Milim returns with the adventure party, carrying a cart full of crabs.

"Nya? Do you feel that too, nya?" Nekra asks, sensing something amiss, a sentiment echoed by Yuki.

"Older sister Milim, did one of the demon lords not take my warning seriously, nya?" Nekra questions.

"You should know what's happening, don't pretend," Milim responds, aware of Nekra's future sight.

Suddenly, a green mist appears.

"I am the dryad Trya, younger sister of Treyni," Trya announces.

"What's with the murderous aura?" Rimuru queries.

"There is an emergency, a calamity approaches," Trya warns.

"Nya? You do realize there are four walking Calamities right here, nya," Nekra interjects.

"Four?" Rimuru questions.

"Did you forget I exist, great Auntie Rimuru? How cruel," Safi says, faux crying, appearing in the middle of the group, startling the slime and dryad.

"This might not be that bad then..." Trya muses.

"Anyway, the Calamity-class monster Charybdis has revived, nya... It's probably after Yuki; however, it is Veldora's child, nya," Nekra reveals.

"What! He HAS A CHILD!" Rimuru exclaims before hastily covering his mouth, but it's too late – several people are already looking at him.

"Nyo, it was created through his Magicules, nya," Nekra clarifies, causing Rimuru to sigh invisibly, knowing the dragon is going to need to explain a lot.

"Why does Lord Veledora having a child matter Rimuru-sama?" Shion asks, surprised.

"Nya, she married Uncle Veldora. Why do you think I call her Auntie Rimuru?" Nekra explains.

"Can we talk about this later? We have a fight to prepare for," Rimuru redirects the conversation.

"Nya, me and Yuki could easily take care of it, you know. The Jura Forest is technically my territory, nya," Nekra offers.

"Can I fight?" Safi asks eagerly.

 

[Commonnerfer]

"Nya, someone called me brain dead, nya," Nekra says.

"Who?" Yuki asks.

"I don't know, but my knowledge skill told me. I think it's very rude, nya," Nekra says with a hint of annoyance.

"You are a bit absentminded sometimes," Yuki observes.

"It's coming," Rimuru interjects, drawing their attention to the sky where several flying sharks approach.

"Yay! It's time!" Safi exclaims, darting off into the forest.

"Are you sure this is fine?" Hakurou asks, voicing concern.

"Nya? You haven't seen Safi's true form yet, nya," Nekra replies confidently.

Suddenly, the ground rumbles, and a mechanical roar echoes through the air.

"Nya? That's twice the usual size, nya," Nekra remarks, gazing up at her daughter.

"It's certainly intimidating," Yuki comments, nodding in agreement.

"I knew she was a dragon, but she is massive," Rimuru observes.

"That's just the Pym particles at work," Nekra thinks to herself.

Safi opens her mouth, charging an energy shot that looks terrifying.

"Of course, nya. You should see it when she drains the magicules from the air," Nekra remarks as nearby trees begin to wilt from Safi's magical absorption.

insert laser noise here.

The flying sharks are engulfed in light and disintegrate into dust, leaving onlookers stunned.

"Nya! Go, Safi! You got it, nya!" Nekra cheers, prompting Yuki to hug her in excitement.

Suddenly, the giant mechanical monster takes off, but it's clear it's feeling fear.

Chomp

A loud squeaking noise fills the forest as Safi bites Charybdis, bringing it crashing down. Safi had planned this, using the creature as a cushion for her landing. The ground rumbles with impact.

After a moment of silence, everyone looks at Nekra, before sighing and dismissing the extraordinary event as just another day in her company. Ever since the slime showed up and the cat girl came out of her hole the world got more chaotic.

"Safi is amazing, nya," Nekra proudly declares.

"Indeed, almost as amazing as her mother," Yuki says, tightening her embrace around Nekra.

====================

Several minutes later, Safi emerges from the forest, dragging the unconscious panther beast man behind her.

"I think I broke it," Safi says nonchalantly.

"How do you mean?" Yuki inquires.

"After a few light bites, it disappeared, and this thing came out," Safi explains, tossing Phobio's unconscious form in front of her.

"That was certainly interesting," Carrion remarks as he arrives on the scene.

"Thanks for not killing my stupid subordinate," Carrion adds, grabbing Phobio and dragging him away. However, he pauses as he notices Nekra.

"A Nekoshou. This is going to get interesting," Carrion remarks before departing.

"Didn't we meet each other like 3 days ago, nya?" Nekra says, bemused.

"Oh, right. I... it just took me a while to remember what your race is," Carrion replies before leaving in his carriage.

"What does that mean?" Rimuru asks, puzzled.

Nekra simply shrugs, too lazy to explain, but she knows the answer.

 

[Commonnerfer]

Yuki stirred, her eyes fluttering open to find Nekra laying beside her on the bed the cat girl was pale. Extreemly so, as in all blood was gone from her body… Blood.

Yuki shuffles as she sits up in the bed. "Hey, Nekra. Have you been drinking enough blood?" Yuki asked, her voice tinged with concern.

"Of course, nya," Nekra replied, her response a little too swift. Trying to cover herself with the blanket.

"When was the last time you had blood?" Yuki pressed.

"Uh, well, that's a fair question, nya," Nekra admitted, her unease evident by her stilling and throwing the blanket off.

"Do you need blood?" Yuki asks

"It certinaly wouldn't hurt." Nekra states her tired eyes looking at her fox of a partner.

"Then go ahead," Yuki offered, tilting her head to expose her neck.

Nekra's eyes widened at the sight, a small droplet of drool escaping her lips. "Are you sure, nya?"

"Absolutely, go ahead," Yuki affirmed, granting her consent.

Without further hesitation, Nekra lunged, sinking her fangs into Yuki's neck to quench her thirst.

'She must have been really thirsty,' Yuki mused as darkness enveloped her.

========================================================

Yuki woke up to find Nekra pacing restlessly around the room.

"Nekra?" Yuki called out, her voice still tinged with sleep.

"Yes, Yuki dear?" Nekra responded, her tone playful yet slightly anxious.

"Is everything alright? You seem agitated," Yuki observed.

"I'm fine, really. But I must admit, it's hard to focus when I'm neglecting my needs. I didn't even realize I was starving myself," Nekra confessed, standing at attention and explaining her predicament.

Concern clouded Yuki's eyes as she sat up. "Starving? Nekra, you should have told me earlier. I don't want you going hungry because of me."

Nekra waved her hand dismissively, attempting to downplay the situation. "It's not your fault, Yuki. I should have been more attentive to my own needs. After all, I've managed to survive 300 years while starving. But my absent-mindedness is a cause for concern. The signs were there, and I did nothing to prepare!"

"You'll be fine. After all, you're practically invincible," Yuki reassured her with a smile.

"Why does that sound like a reference?" Nekra asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I have no idea. So, what's your plan?" Yuki inquired.

"I need to disappear for a bit to handle a looming threat. I need you to cover for me," Nekra explained.

"How long will you be gone?" Yuki asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"It'll take about a week, but it's necessary. If I don't deal with it, the angels will pose a real threat to us," Nekra said gravely.
=============================================
Meanwhile, Safi was accompanying the slime on a side quest to get registered at the guild.

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" Rimuru asks.

"Somewhat," Safi replies, was this a dumb prank yes. Was it funny? Kinda?

"Cool..." Rimuru says, wondering if he should consult Great Sage.

Meanwhile, Safi was leading the two of them in ciricles.

"Are you absolutely sure you know where we're going?" Rimuru asks.

"Absolutely," Safi assures.

"So, you're just messing with me," Rimuru mutters.

"Huh?" Safi says.

"We've passed that tree 23 times," Rimuru states flatly pointing at stump.

Safi flinches. "So, you found out, huh?"

"You have no idea where we're going, do you?" Rimuru asks.

The dragon girl smiles in resoponse.

"... Were you really pranking me? We have better things to do Safi." Rimuru asks.

"Momma Nekra told me never to answer that question," Safi replies.

"Uh-huh," Rimuru says.

"Well, I guess I could lead the way," Rimuru offers.

"Okay," Safi says.


"Alright, let's go," Rimuru says, lifting Safi onto his shoulders.

================

A few hours later, they emerge from the forest and see the town in the distance.

"See, it wasn't too bad, right?" Rimuru asks Safi, who nods.

"So, are you going to change to your teenage form?" Rimuru asks, setting Safi down.

"Right!" Safi says, growing to about Rimuru's height.

"Let's go then; I need to register at the guild," Rimuru says.

Safi nods as they walk. "I should probably get mine renewed," Safi adds pulling out an old card.

==================

"Hello!" Safi greets upon entering the guild and spotting a familiar elf.

"Safi?" the elf asks, confused.

"Yep, here to renew my card and register my friend," Safi says.

"You haven't aged in 50 years… you know what, not my job, sure." the elf remarks, holding out her hand.

The small dragon in her arm's moves as Safi appears to be digging in it like it is a bag of holding.

"So, that's why you always carried that dragon around." the elf mutters.

"It's just a magic item that holds stuff," Safi explains, knowing that anyone trying to steal her main body will be in for a surprise.

"It's surprisingly empty here," Rimuru notes.

"Yeah, ever since the labyrinth disappeared, people have been leaving the area. The only other place to make money is the Jura forest, but with the rumors, it's hard for new adventurers," the elf explains.

Safi nods as she receives her renewed adventure card.

"So, to rank up to A or above like Safi, you'll need to go to the Freedom Association and the guild headquarters," the elf informs Rimuru.

"Sounds good," Rimuru says.

"Our summoner hasn't been active for a while, and Fuze is in town due to the proximity to the Jura forest," the elf adds.

"So, where do I go?" Rimuru asks.

"Just follow me to the testing area. We used to have a rock to measure your power, but it was replaced by a summoner 50 years ago because we couldn't make them anymore. Jordan! Go get the summoner for today!" The elf shouts motioning for the two to follow her.

 

[Commonnerfer]

"So, where are we headed?" Safi inquired.

"Just trying to stall a bit... The summoning might just end up conjuring a lesser demon," the elf commented.

"Is it that obvious?" Safi wondered.

"With you here? Many might not recall, but I certainly do," the elf deadpanned.

"It wasn't that catastrophic," Safi defended.

The elf scoffed but then broke into laughter, momentarily dropping the act.

"What's going on?" Rimuru asked.

"Just reminiscing about collateral damage," the elf replied.

Rimuru glanced at Safi, who just shrugged. "It was just a serious punch... no casualties."

"No bodies were found," the elf corrected.

Rimuru gave Safi a pointed look. "What's your workout routine?" Rimuru shifted the topic.

"100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 squats, and a 10 km run, every single day," Safi boasted with exaggerated pride.

Rimuru burst into laughter, unable to hold it back.

"cough We're here," the elf announced, opening the door.

"You got this," Safi encouraged, and Rimuru nodded in response.

"Oh, I'm testing this young lady?" the summoner remarked.

"I'M NOT A LADY!," Rimuru shouts as a pack of shadow wolfs which had just been summoned instantly die.

"You're not?" The old elf asks

"NO!" Rimuru corrects

"Ah, I already put you as a female on the card." The elf states

"FIX IT THEN!" Rimuru shouts as he punches another summoned monster not even bothering to look at it.

"I can't do that here, itll have to be done at the Freedom Association guild headquarters." The elf states

"WHAT!" Rimuru shouts

The summoner smirked. "HA! That surprised you! Well do you think you can handle this?" he taunted, summoning a lesser demon with a goat-human hybrid form.

"Omae wa mou shindeiru," Rimuru declared, appearing behind the summoner.

'Wow, is really angry Rimuru and got a power-up somehow,' Safi thought.

"Naaa," the lesser demon attempted to speak but was cut short as it was sliced into several pieces by red lines, dropping dead instantly.

"Bakana!" the summoner exclaimed.

"What in the world just happened?" Fuze burst into the room, shocked by the audience's cheers.

"You two, come with me," Fuze ordered.

"I Refuse! She has to fix my Adventuer's card!" Rimuru returns pointing at the elf.

======================

In the guild master's office,

"What were you thinking? Not even heroes could achieve what you did!" Fuze shouted.

"Heroes are that weak?" Safi innocently asked, making Fuze's eye twitch.

"What I did? I argued with you're secretary the whole time because she messed up big time." Rimuru states

"Ah, that… I'll just have a new card printed." Fuze states

"It's that simple? She said, "Freedom Association headquarters." Rimuru states starting to calm down.

"Usuall, but im the guild master. We will just pretend that that first card was never made." Fuze states

Rimuru breathes out a sigh of relief.
Fuze nods before turning to Safi "I have a question. That metal dragon you have, is it related to the one in the dungeon that decimated several hundred knights?"

"Um, no," Safi replied, avoiding eye contact.

Fuze sighed deeply. "Why can't I retire yet?"

"Because you haven't found a successor," the elf interjected.

"This job will be the end of me... Here come with me," Fuze says getting up walking out of the room.

The four of them walk down the hall to a locked offroom which was in a far off corner of the building.

"Any chance we can keep this under wraps?" Fuze asks as he opens the door and everyone can see what appears to be a magical printing press.

"Maybe," the elf, replies.

"Leafa, we are going to be keeping this underwraps." Fuze states in a rather no nonsense tone.

"I just realized I never got your name," Safi blurted out.

"It's Leafa," the elf says introducing herself.

"So, can you two wreak havoc outside this kingdom? Preferably something big enough to divert attention from the mess you've made here," Fuze requested.

"According to my communication with momma Yuki, Nekra is on the move." Safi states with a smile.

Everyone stills at that one sentence.

"Well, how bad could that be?" Rimuru wondered aloud.

"You have no idea about the main guild association, and Nekra's past do?" Fuze questioned.

"What?" Rimuru asks

 

[Commonnerfer]

Yuki found herself buried under piles of paperwork. With both Rimuru and Nekra absent, she had unwittingly become the de facto leader. As the most powerful being left in their absence, the responsibility of managing the affairs of the soon to be city fell squarely on her shoulders.

"Ugh, who knew being in charge was this tedious," Yuki muttered to herself, scanning through another stack of requests and reports.

"Shion… How are the Orcs settling in?" Yuki asks

"They are doing well, the road which Rimuru-Sama ordered before he left is being done at record pace, and houses are being completed fast the tent city will likely be removed soon." Shion says

Yuki nods to herself before a large amount of paperwork disappears.
Yuki sighed in relief as she heard Shion's update. "That's good to hear. I was worried about how they would adapt to the new environment."

Just then, Shion handed Yuki a cup of tea, which she gladly accepted. "Thank you, Shion. This helps a lot."

Shion smiled warmly. "You're welcome, Yuki. And don't worry, we're all here to help you. Although where did hte paperwork go?"

"Ah, I sent it forward in time. It'll show back up in about a week when Rimuru is back at this desk." Yuki states with a smile.
=============================================
Nekra stood at the entrance of the bustling city, her silhouette softened by the gentle twilight. The city's grand gates towered above her, their intricate ironwork casting intricate patterns on the cobblestones below. Above, the clouds glowed with hues of pink and orange, illuminated by the sun that had yet to crest over the distant horizon.

A guard approached her, his armor gleaming in the soft light. "Gate's not open until sunrise," he informed her with a stern look.

"That's fine. I can wait; it should just be a few minutes anyway," Nekra replied calmly, her voice carrying a hint of amusement.

The guard eyed her curiously, taking in her hooded figure and the mysterious air that seemed to surround her. He nodded slowly, stepping back to allow her space while keeping a watchful eye.

As Nekra settled in to wait, the city slowly began to awaken. The sound of movement and soon the first bell rang.

Nekra's ear twitched causing the hood to move a little bit startling the guard.

"That's the bell… Give them a few moments to get the mechanism started and the gate will be open… Can I see your guild ID?" The guard asks

Nekra holds out her old card and the guard seems to freeze in terror.

"We thought you were dead?" The guard says questioningly.

"You fight Milim one time and everyone think's youve died. What is that Nya?" Nekra asks with a giggle pulling back her hood revealing herself. The only S rank in the entire guild, now stood infront of the entrance of the Freedom Association Capital.

The guard's eyes widened in disbelief as he took in Nekra's appearance, his previous stern demeanor replaced by one of shock and awe. The emblem on her guild ID, unmistakably hers, left no room for doubt.

"Apologies, Lady Nekra," the guard stammered, his voice tinged with a mixture of relief and embarrassment. "We were indeed under the impression that you had met an untimely end. Rumors spread quickly, especially when it involves a battle with The Milim Nava."

Nekra chuckled softly, her laughter echoing in the early morning air. "Well, as you can see, the rumors of my demise were greatly exaggerated."

With a deep rumble, the massive steel gate groaned and creaked as it began its slowly open it revealing a intricate and paved stone road with the sun rising exactly in line with the street. A Manhattanhenge to those in the know.

The architecture bore the hallmarks of a medieval town, with stone buildings, narrow cobblestone streets, and towering cathedrals reaching towards the sky. But interspersed among these traditional structures were modern elements that seemed oddly out of place yet oddly fitting.

Shopfronts displayed neon signs and advertisements, their massive plate windows filled with a mix of goods ranging from handcrafted jewelry and potions to the latest magical gadgets and enchanted tools. The streets were lined with vendors selling everything from fresh produce and meats to clothing and magical artifacts.

There were carts selling street food that wouldn't be out of place in a 2000's shopping center: hot dogs, pretzels, kebabs, and even some more exotic fare like fried dragon wings and magical fruit smoothies.

"Nya? It sure has changed alot." Nekra mutters walking down the street as the vendors were setting up for the day.
=======================================================
A distance away from the entrance gate two figures appeared from a shadow.


"OH DEAR MOTHER SWEET SWEET GROUND!" Safi shouts as her human form drops the miniature dragon onto the ground, said metallic being retching a blend of hydraulic fluid and oil from her metallic form.

"I am never shadow traveling again," Safi muttered, her dragon form slowly standing up as her human body collapsed turing to a greyish sand.

"It wasn't that bad," Rimuru commented casually.

"All of my sensors were registering every direction at once!" Safi exclaimed, the tiny metal dragon rolling onto its back in exasperation.

"Really?" Rimuru raised an eyebrow.

"I received 84 different error messages!" Safi shouted, looking up towards the tree above them.

 

[Commonnerfer]

Yuuki sat behind his desk, engrossed in the paperwork that seemed to multiply each day. The soft glow from the desk lamp illuminated the room.

"Those blackout curtains were a good idea," Yuuki mutters to himself as his heavy eyes close and his body slumps forward ever so slightly. Could you blame the guy? It 7:08 am he was pulling an all-nighter and a little bit of a nap couldn't be too bad… After all no one would know.

The door to his office burst open abruptly, and a frantic secretary rushed in, her face flushed and eyes wide with alarm. That loud bang immediately stirred the tired Grandmaster of the Freedom Association awake.

"Grand Master Yuuki!" she gasped, trying to catch her breath. "There's an urgent situation."

"What is it?" Yuki asks standing up both his hands on his desk.

"At the main desk, hurry." The panicked receptionist says

Yuki was already out the door the second he had gotten the location.

=================================================
Nekra stood confidently at the main desk, her presence commanding immediate attention from everyone in the vicinity. The room was buzzing with whispers and hushed conversations, as guild members exchanged surprised glances at the sight of the legendary S-rank standing before them.

The guild's main hall, usually a place of bustling activity and camaraderie, fell into a palpable silence as Nekra stood at the desk waiting for the receptionist who took her adventurer's card to come back. She ran off rather quickly so it shouldn't take her too long to get back.

As Nekra waited, a voice echoed from a stairway that led upstairs. "Oh my god, you're actually real?"

A young adventurer descended the stairs, his eyes wide with awe as he stared at Nekra. His voice had caught the attention of others in the hall, and soon all eyes were him looking between him and Nekra…

"I thought you were just a myth, a story told to inspire us," the young adventurer continued, taking a few hesitant steps closer. His excitement was palpable, and it was clear that meeting Nekra was a dream come true for him. Or was it some other emotion besides excitement?

Nekra glanced towards the staircase, her expression unreadable as she observed the young man's enthusiasm. She had grown to hate such reactions over the years, but it still amused her to see the awe and disbelief in the eyes of those who had only heard tales of her exploits.


Nekra nodded in acknowledgment, her attention returning to the main desk as she prepared to follow the receptionist. The room was still buzzing with excitement, but now there was an added sense of anticipation as everyone wondered what business the legendary S-rank had with the grandmaster.

"Well, I'm glad I can inspire others," Nekra responded with a wry smile, her eyes scanning the room. Seeing that the receptionist had made her way back, "Although, where is the guild master?"

Unbeknownst to her, the young adventurer she had just spoken to was none other than the Grandmaster himself, Yuuki. The young appearance of the guild master often led to such misunderstandings, much to his annoyance. Yet he had to be nice here, after all, he couldn't anger the one and only S rank. The humanoid monster in front of him somehow survived her clash with Milim Nava over 80 years ago.

Yuuki smiled warmly at Nekra and the receptionist this was not the best place to have this conversation however his safety was guaranteed in the bustling lobby. Standing tall, he addressed Nekra with a welcoming gesture. "Ah, Nekra, welcome to the Freedom Association. I'm Yuuki, the GrandMaster here."

Nekra's eyes widened slightly, her surprise evident but quickly replaced by a respectful nod. "Ah, Guild Master Yuuki. It's a pleasure to meet you… You must be strong to be in such positon in such a young age."

"I'm 23!" Yuuki shouts

Nekra is taken aback, "No, thats too young nya. Do you perchance mean one hundred and twenty-three? Some humans are surprisingly long-lived." Nekra states

Yuuki does his best to keep his calm, he might be one of the strongest however fighting against a being who at this point he is 80% sure is a demigod would not end well for anyone especially the city they are in.

"So, what brings you here?" Yuuki asks

"I need a map of the continent and an update to map of the easter empire nya?" Nekra states


Yuuki maintained his composed demeanor, reminding himself of the stakes as he engaged with Nekra. He leaned slightly against the nearby table, feigning casualness while internally calculating how best to handle the situation.

"Ah, maps of the continent and the Eastern Empire. Those are certainly doable requests," Yuuki replied, keeping his tone neutral and professional. "We have an extensive collection of maps and geographical data. I can have someone fetch them for you right away."

Nekra's feline features seemed to light up at the prospect, her tail flicking with anticipation. "That would be great, thank you."

Yuuki signaled to one of the nearby assistants, instructing them to retrieve the requested maps. As the assistant scurried off, Yuuki maintained his focus on Nekra. "While we're waiting for the maps, is there anything else you'd like to know or any other assistance you require?"

"Nyo that would be it, however if you have any investments in that country… You dont want them." Nekra states with a smile

"Go get her the maps." Yuuki says seriously while looking at the receptionist

Said girl lets out a panicked squeak before nodding and running off.

"Thank's nya." Nekra states

 

[Commonnerfer]

Rimuru and Safi stepped into the bustling lobby of the Freedom Association headquarters. Yuuki, on high alert, immediately sensed a presence and identified it as that of a monster. Reacting swiftly, he leaped forward, weapon drawn, aiming directly at Rimuru.

Before Yuuki could make contact, Safi swiftly interposed herself catching his fist throwing light sparks as dust from said leap filled the air in the lobby.

"Really Yuuki? Also congrats on becoming the Grandmaster." Safi says with a grin.

"Oh you have got to be kidding me!" Yuki shouts…

"Okay, you two… I don't even know who you are but we are going to my office." Yuki says not wanting to cause another panic like Nekra had.

Who exactly are you?" Yuuki asked, eyeing Rimuru and Safi with a mix of curiosity and caution.

"I am Rimuru, the slime," Rimuru replied calmly. "And i'm not a bad slime ya know."

Yuuki raised an eyebrow. That was a reference and a half… "Reincarnated as a monster? That's new to me."

"It's a complicated process," Safi chimed in. "You lose your humanity, retaining only memories. I think its only happened a total of 4-5 times in all of history as far as I am aware."

"I have decided I am not going to ask how you know that," Yuuki says to Safi

The girl who professed herself a dragon was one of only ten A+ rank adventurers

Yuuki shifted the topic back. "About Shizue's class... it's not that simple. They're essentially dying due to an overflow of magic."

"Like a magical form of cancer," he added.

"Why not create a device to drain off the excess magic?" Safi suggested.

"We tried, but it led to an increase in monster activity, Literally spawning some in the same room as them" Yuuki explained.

Rimuru pondered for a moment. "I might have a solution, but it'll take time."


Yuuki then turned his attention to Safi . "There are talks of a new demon lord. Any truth to that?"

"I have heard of a werecat princess who is also a vampire, but we all know that race has been extinct for a few millennia." Safi replied.

"Huh, that's… Could you maybe get the other A+ ranks? The one and only S rank might go rouge." Yuuki queried.

"I uh… I don't think anyone could beat Nekra." Safi answers faking extreme nervousness.

Yuuki paused, processing that statement. "So, we're screwed huh?"

"Since you're now back as an A-ranked, you'll need to join a nation—" Yuuki began but was interrupted by a sudden surge of bloodlust.

"Safi can serve under the Tempest Federation," Rimuru interjected, and Yuuki nodded, acknowledging that he didn't want to fight the girl who might actually be a dragon in disguise.

The peace was interrupted by the sound of shattering glass.

==========================================

Yuuki rushed to the window, his expression turning to one of alarm as he saw the city's protective barrier collapsing.

"I wonder what caused that," Safi mused, tilting her head curiously.

"A great mystery indeed," Rimuru added.

"I feel like a Yoda quote would be fitting here," Yuuki said with a wry smile.

=====================

Outside the capital, chaos ensued.

"Uhhh, I don't have to pay for that, right?" An elderly mage with a long grey beard stammered.

"What in the world are you, old man?" a guard shouted, surrounding him with others.

"I just wanted to enter! I didn't mean to shatter the barrier!" the mage protested.

"None shall pass," a guard in black knight armor declared firmly to the Gandalf look-alike.