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Chapter 19: Rescue in the Shadows

Somewhere in the Midgar Kingdom

“Ugh, I hate being this short again.” I whined as I casually flew through the air without a care in the world toward a forest shrouded in purple mist.

I was heading to the forgotten city of Alexandria, the place that would eventually become Shadow Garden’s base of operations after Shadow defeated the dragon that guarded it.

Of course, that was no longer going to happen since I intended to claim the land for myself during my stay here.

As one might guess with a name like Shadow Garden, the world I had chosen to travel to next was from a light novel I had read in the past: The Eminence in Shadow. A story about secret organizations, conspiracies, hidden evil groups, and most importantly, a world full of elves and kemonomimi girls.

In other words, a true paradise for me.

As for why I was complaining?

That had to do with the mission I had taken before arriving in this world. A mission called The Other Shadow Garden, which essentially required me to create my own secret organization. It offered extra Company Credits if I started over as a child.

Luckily, since I was an ageless being as a True Dragon, turning myself into a ten-year-old was a trivial matter, and it didn’t restrict my abilities in the slightest. I could always age myself back up later whenever I wanted.

“Hey Ciel, how goes the process of analyzing the magic in this world?” I asked aloud.

Ever since we had arrived about an hour ago, Ciel had immediately begun analyzing everything she could about this world’s magic and history.

“Hmph, I finished within minutes of arriving. I was merely waiting for Master to bring up the subject,” Ciel answered with her usual haughty tone.

Chuckling, I clapped a few times. “That’s my Ciel~”

“It was nothing. This world’s magic is actually quite simple. If Master wished, he could have understood it in no time as well, he’s just lazy sometimes.”

I smirked. “But that’s why I have you, right?”

Her embarrassed grumble in the back of my head made me chuckle even more.

By then, the edge of the forest was approaching, and I dropped down gently onto the ground.

“Well, let’s give it a try,” I muttered, closing my eyes and focusing on the world around me.

I was already adept at sensing foreign energies, and with the help of my perks, it only took moments to grasp the flow of mana in the air, and moments more to learn how to use it.

Opening my eyes, I looked at my hands as multi-colored mana waves pulsed outward before quickly drawing them back into my body.

“You’re right. That was easy,” I admitted with a grin, clenching my fists as I felt my new mana pool growing exponentially by absorbing the mana in the air. ‘At this rate, it should only take a couple of days before I surpass Cid in mana capacity.’

Ciel’s smug satisfaction practically radiated through our bond, making me laugh softly.

“Well then,” I said, walking into the misty forest. “Let’s go subjugate that dragon. There are a few girls I need to rescue in the coming days.”

‘Sorry, Cid, but I have no plans to let you rescue Rose and much less Yukime. Those cute ears and tails are mine to pet.’

=====

30 Minutes Later

I stood over the defeated form of the Mist Dragon, smiling in satisfaction. The fight had been a useful test, giving me hands-on practice with this world’s mana in combat.

It hadn’t taken long after entering the forest for the dragon to confront me, demanding I leave or be killed. Naturally, I laughed in its face, and the enraged beast attacked. Now, here we were.

“Had enough, little lizard?” I asked with a smirk, approaching its battered body.

The dragon cracked one eye open, staring at me warily, its wounds refusing to heal as they normally would. “I’m defeated… staying conscious is all I can do now. K-Kill me, great one. Long have I waited for someone capable of such.”

“True, I could end you easily,” I acknowledged with a nod given all the op abilities I had at my disposal. “But I have a better proposition.”

Its head tilted slightly in confusion.

“Become my subordinate,” I declared, letting a fraction of my aura seep out. The dragon’s eyes widened at the sheer pressure.

“W-What are you? This power… it’s beyond anything in this world,” it rasped.

I smirked ignoring his words. “Do so, and I’ll promise you this: when my stay in this world ends, I’ll take you with me. To a place far greater than you could imagine. I’ll free you from this world’s curse, and give your life meaning once more.”

The dragon was silent for a long moment before it rumbled, “And what would you require of me?”

“Simple.” My Shroud materialized behind me in dark, rippling waves. “Protect what I wish to protect. In return, I’ll give you a home, shelter, my protection and fulfill what I’ve promised.”

It studied me for several seconds, then lowered its head. “Very well. From this day forth, I vow to follow you.”

“Excellent.” With a thought, I commanded my Shroud to envelop the dragon, binding it immediately. “As my subordinate, I will grant you a name and share some of my power.”

The dragon’s eyes widened again looking astonished at being fully healed again and the increase in his power, but it nodded a moment later. “I accept.”

“Then from this moment onward, your name shall be… Dreamweaver.”

Magicules surged from me, flooding into the dragon. Light engulfed its form for an instant then settled seconds later. When it stood again, the air thrummed with its newfound strength.

With Dreamweaver now being bound to me, that meant that he automatically received the ability to harness Chakra and more importantly, the ability to hear the Voice of the World thanks to AP (Added Potential). And in the world of Reincarnated as a Slime, names had power and depending on the person naming you, they would receive gifts from the world and might possibly even evolve into a higher being.

“Such power…” Dreamweaver muttered, staring at its transformed body. Quickly, it bowed deeply. “Akari-sama, words cannot express my gratitude. I shall not bring shame to the name you have granted me.”

I gave a firm nod, pride swelling. “Good. My full name is Akari Tempest, a True Dragon. I’ll be relying on you, Dreamweaver.”

“A humanoid dragon? I’ve never heard of such a thing but I suppose it matters little. I shall not fail you, My Lord.”

“Your first order of business,” I continued, raising a finger. “Guard this forest and the ruins of Alexandria. Soon, I’ll rebuild them as my base in this world and will be inviting some companions to live there. Keep out any trespassers until then.”

“It shall be done.”

“Good. Now, train with your new strength. The gift I’ve given you will take time to settle, but once it does… I expect great things.”

Dreamweaver dipped its head once more. “I will begin immediately.”

Satisfied, I gave him a sharp salute before shooting back into the skies, azure dragon wings unfurling behind me.

‘Plenty of time before I have to rescue anyone. At this point Cid’s just an eight-year-old brat. That means all the fun and all the elves are mine first.’

Ciel’s exasperated sigh echoed in my head. “So Master’s grand plan is ruins, dragons, and elves. How… original.”

“Exactly!” I shot back cheerfully, grinning as the ruins of Alexandria came into view. “Who needs originality when there are ears and tails waiting to be petted?”

=====

A Day Later — Evening

“So, that’s him, huh?” I whispered as I crouched atop a rooftop, overlooking the building below where I spotted a man and woman speaking through a window.

I had timed my arrival perfectly, just before Cid would eventually rescue Rose and Yukime during his days as the so-called Stylish Bandit Slayer. A name worthy of the hardcore chuuni.

But tonight wasn’t about them. There was still one more girl who needed rescuing from the Cult of Diablos.

That the girl in question would one day become one of the brightest minds in artifact research just like her mother, was simply a bonus.

“Master, I recommend moving in now if you don’t want the child to end up traumatized,” came Ciel’s soft, steady voice.

“Showtime, huh?” I muttered as I saw Lutheran Barnett, former 12th Seat of the Knights of Rounds, stab Lukreia through the shoulder.

In the blink of an eye, I teleported into the room, intercepting his second strike with Kotetsu.

“Wha—?! Who are you?!” Lutheran barked in shock, leaping back and raising his blade as he took a defensive stance.

Ignoring him, I glanced at the wounded woman behind me. She had fallen on her back, clutching her shoulder, her eyes wide with shock and the faintest flicker of hope.

“If you can move, please step back for a moment. I’ll heal you after I deal with this scum,” I said calmly, my gaze never leaving the man in front of me.

“I-I can move. T-thank you for saving me.” Lukreia grimaced but managed to rise, retreating backward with slow steps.

“Don’t ignore me, child!” Lutheran roared, enraged at my dismissal. His deranged grin twisted as he glanced at the woman. “Don’t think this weak brat can save you, Lukreia! Once I kill him, you and your daughter will follow!”

I’d heard enough.

I blurred forward, blade descending in a flash. His sword shattered under Kotetsu’s edge, and his left arm was severed before he even realized what happened.

“You talk too much, old man,” I whispered.

“Aaagh—!”

Before he could scream, my Shroud surged forward, enveloping him and muffling his cries. With him restrained, I turned to Lukreia, who was holding her shoulder with one hand while the other desperately comforted the small pink-haired girl clinging to her waist.

“I-Is he dead?” Lukreia asked hesitantly, her eyes darting to the unmoving figure trapped behind me.

“No,” I shook my head as I approached. “He’s alive, for now. I need him to answer a few questions about his organization. How are you holding up?”

“Secret… organization? I-I don’t understand…” Lukreia muttered weakly, clutching her shoulder tighter. “As for my injury, I’ll live… if I don’t bleed out first.”

“Is Mommy going to be okay?”

Sherry’s small voice broke through, full of worry. The child pulled away from her mother’s embrace just enough to look up at me with tear-streaked eyes.

“Yeah. No worries. Your mom’s going to be fine,” I reassured gently. “I’ll heal her myself.”

To help soothe her further, I rested my hand on her head, ruffling her hair with Sticky Fingers’ subtle touch. Her tension melted instantly.

“Thank you so much, Mister~!” Sherry beamed, flashing me an innocent smile.

Her mother gave me a grateful look as well.

“Right, Lukreia, was it?”

“That’s correct. My name is Lukreia, and this is my daughter Sherry. May we know the name of our savior?”

I lifted my hand from Sherry’s head, earning an adorable whine of protest from her. After a moment of thought, I decided to simply use my real name. There was no harm here, my interactions with the common populace would be minimal during my stay in this world.

“My name is Akari Tempest. Leader of Haru, an organization built in opposition to the Cult of Diablos, who have lurked in the shadows of history for far too long. The man who tried to kill you was a former Knight of Rounds, one of the twelve strongest members of their order.”

“Haru… Cult of Diablos…” Lukreia being a rather smart woman quickly caught on and turned pale while unconsciously bringing Sherry deeper into her arms.

“I’ll explain more later. For now, please let me heal you, you’re losing too much blood. The tendrils restraining the scum behind me can also heal. Think of it like an Artifact.”

I stepped forward, but she flinched at the movement.

“What will you do with us after?” she whispered cautiously.

“Relax.” I offered a soft smile and after a moment’s hesitation, placed my hand gently atop her head, patting her just as I had her daughter.

“Hah?” Lukreia blinked in confusion, clearly unaccustomed to being treated that way, especially by someone who appeared to be her daughter’s age.

“I promise you, I mean no harm. Let me heal you first, and then we’ll talk about what comes next.”

To my surprise, a faint blush dusted her cheeks, but she nodded. “That sounds good… Sherry, dear, could you step aside while Akari-kun makes me better?”

“Mmn, okay Mommy.” Sherry obediently released her mother, though she immediately latched onto me instead in a small hug.

Blinking, I looked down at the girl, then back at Lukreia, who giggled softly despite her pain.

“Alright, Lukreia, relax. This will only take a minute.”

A tendril of my Shroud wrapped around her, enveloping her completely.

“But if you cover Mommy all the way, she won’t be able to breathe!” Sherry cried in alarm.

“Don’t worry, Sherry. The Shroud is magic, your mom can breathe just fine. In fact, she can hear us right now. Right, Lukreia?”

“Akari-kun is right, dear. I can hear you… and I’m already feeling better. This is truly a wonderous Artefact~” came Lukreia’s muffled but steady voice.

Sherry relaxed against me, reassured.

“Hey, Akari-kun?” she asked softly.

“Hmm?”

“Are you… a Hero of Justice?”

I nearly winced. Images of a certain red-haired wannabe hero flashed through my mind.

“Uhh, I don’t think so. Why do you ask?”

“But you arrived just in time and saved me and Mommy from the bad guy!” Sherry pouted, unwilling to accept my answer. “You even have cool hair and a cool costume. What else could you be but a Hero?”

“….” I glanced around desperately for something, anything to change the subject.

“Giiii.” She only leaned closer, staring at me with an adorably intense expression.

“Hahaha, Sherry, that’s enough. Don’t tease our savior too much,” Lukreia chuckled, stepping free of my Shroud, fully healed.

“Mommy!” Sherry bolted into her arms, forgetting her teasing instantly.

‘Saved by the bell… literally,’ I thought with relief, noticing the capture notification blinking at the corner of my vision.

Half an hour later, I explained the situation to Lukreia: the Cult surely had their eyes on her already. Her options were to go into hiding, or to join me and continue her research under my protection, ensuring both her and her daughter’s safety.

When she mentioned seeking protection from the Midgar royal family, I reluctantly told her the truth, the Cult was already deeply embedded in the kingdom. They’d be found instantly. Bound by the Shroud, she could unconsciously tell I wasn’t lying. After my promise to safeguard Sherry, she agreed to join me.

We quickly packed, ensuring all of Lukreia’s research material was secured while Sherry struggled with her clothes. I discreetly absorbed Lutheran into my Imaginary Space when they weren’t looking for Ciel to interrogate him.

“Is this everything?” I asked as I deposited another load of books into my inventory.

“That should be all,” Lukreia confirmed, smiling despite the exhaustion on her face. “Your power really is incredible. Just imagine the possibilities…” Her scientific curiosity was practically glowing.

“While not as good as my own, you should also have this power now,” I revealed, smiling at her stunned look.

“Mooom, Akari-kun! I’m done!” Sherry burst in, dragging a bag half her size.

“Here, let me.” I stepped forward and stored the bag in my inventory.

“Woooah~ That was amazing! Can you teach me that?!”

“Haha, of course,” I said with a nod, earning a cheer from her. “If that’s everything, we should leave. The sooner we’re gone, the safer you’ll be.”

“Right,” Lukreia agreed firmly. “Come along, Sherry.”

“Kay~!”

With Sherry in her arms, I placed a hand on Lukreia’s shoulder and teleported us to the heart of Alexandria.

“Whoa~ Where are we, Mommy?” Sherry gasped, eyes sparkling.

“Welcome to the ancient city of Alexandria,” I announced with a flourish.

It was hard not be impressed myself to be honest. All round us there was already dozens of buildings that had been built in the past day by Parallel versions of myself. Since it was currently late at night, street lamps illuminated the buildings giving the place a surreal enchanted feeling.

“Alexandria? But wasn’t this city lost to the poison mist?” Lukreia’s shock revealed her sharp mind once more.

“Don’t worry about that,” I waved off. “For now, get some rest. Tomorrow, we’ll talk more.”

I handed her their bag.

“Yaaawn~ You’re right. It has been a long night. Come on, Sherry, let’s sleep.”

She turned back just once, smiling softly at me. “Thank you again, Akari-kun.”

As they left, I looked down at my hand, forming a robed figure of slime with my newly acquired knowledge of Slime Bodysuits. The mission reward I received for saving them.

‘Two down, and even a little bonus for my trouble.’

My grin widened.

‘I should probably go and recruit Alpha next. From what I remember, she really took pride in being recruited first. Problem is she might not be possessed yet since that doesn’t happen until two more years. In the meantime, I should probably focus on Yukime. No way I’m letting her turn into a prostitute. Those ears and tails are only mine to pet.’

I laughed softly to myself.

“Coming to this world turned out to be a fantastic idea~”