Slime Soul (Tensura x Bleach Crossover) (Patreon)

Chapter 3: A Friend in the Wasteland

I was understandably a little concerned about my chances of heading toward Las Noches, already knowing from my memories that I stood little to no chance of surviving if one of the top-tier Espada was either ordered to kill me or took an interest in me. That’s not even mentioning Aizen, because if he was there, I wasn’t sure even Great Sage could protect me from the complete control of his zanpakutō, at least not until she evolved into the Ultimate Skill: Raphael.

“Notice. Due to insufficient data, Great Sage cannot either confirm or deny its ability to protect Master from Shinigami Aizen. It is advisable to avoid confrontation for the time being.”

Her voice sounded emotionless, but I could feel the hint of frustration behind her words much easier now.

“I hear ya, Great Sage, but at the same time, going to Las Noches will almost guarantee we acquire powerful new skills, and maybe replacements for the ones we’re missing, like Degenerate. In fact,” I said with a grimace, “I already have a target in mind. Someone who shouldn’t be too powerful but could provide us with enough souls to evolve immediately. Plus, his unique existence might just net us something special.”

“Our other choice is heading to the human world and risking the attention of Urahara, Soul Society, and even Aizen, since all three monitor interdimensional activity. And the less said about the Wandenreich, the better.” I let out a small sigh, the action coming surprisingly naturally to me despite having a human body for less than an hour.

It was one of those situations where you’re screwed either way, and I didn’t much like that feeling.

‘What I desperately need right now are allies,’ I thought, frowning before blinking as a specific Arrancar came to mind.

“That could work,” I muttered, a grin tugging at my lips. “And she’s really strong too. What do you think, Great Sage?”

“Notice. While the probability of locating said being is low, the potential rewards more than justify the risk. Master also possesses a suitable skill to aid in the process.”

Her monotone carried the faintest edge of irritation again, and I couldn’t help but chuckle. Even when she tried to sound emotionless, she couldn’t quite hide her personality anymore.

“Alright, looks like we have a plan then. In the meantime, I’m going to devour everything on my way to that big-ass building,” I declared with a grin, hands on my hips as the wind ruffled my hair.

My cool moment was promptly ruined when that same wind hit... other parts of my body, parts I hadn’t even had until about an hour ago. That’s when I realized another rather important detail.

I was completely, balls-dangling, junk-shivering, butt-out naked.

“I should probably find some clothes while I’m at it,” I muttered in a deadpan tone, never so grateful to be alone.

“Notice. Master has already acquired clothes when he devoured the redheaded Shinigami. They are currently stored in Master’s stomach. Would you like to equip clothes now? Yes or No?” Great Sage asked, her voice somehow sounding even more monotone than usual.

Feeling a bead of sweat slide down my neck, I just nodded. “Yes, please.”

Moments later, I was once again clothed, though I wasn’t a fan of the style, or the fact that they probably hadn’t been washed in a few hundred years. Small mercies for Water Manipulation, at least.

I had barely taken a few steps when I felt three spiritual pressures, one of them even higher than mine currently, suddenly flare to life. Their reiatsu washed over the desert, making the air itself vibrate. They weren’t even trying to hide their presence, and more importantly, none of them felt like the Hollows or Shinigami I’d encountered so far.

Which left only one conclusion.

‘I see.’ My eyes widened as I suddenly knew exactly where in the timeline I was. ‘So Orihime’s already been kidnapped... and Ichigo and his buddies are here to rescue her.’

Slowly, a grin spread across my face as a plan began to take shape. ‘Perfect. This means my chances of finding her just went up a hundredfold.’

Without wasting another second, I took off toward the white fortress in the distance, all the while keeping my senses locked on the new arrivals.

=====

Unknown Amount of Time Later

It was a good thing those idiots were taking all the attention away from the Arrancar, Aizen, and his two goons up in Las Noches, it meant I could move through the desert without worrying too much about being discovered.

Even though I already had a rough idea, I hadn’t quite realized how far Las Noches actually was. And that was saying something, considering I’d been flying at a pretty decent speed in the same direction Ichigo and his friends were headed. From the feel of it, I was a few days ahead of them.

I hadn’t seen a single Hollow along the way, which wasn’t all that surprising. With Aizen now controlling most of them, no sane Hollow would want to hang out anywhere near Las Noches with that place crawling with powerful Arrancar.

It wasn’t long before I finally found who I was looking for. I came to a stop midair, staring down with blank eyes but the faintest hint of a smile. Below me, a green-haired child wearing a cracked mask was running and crying as three others chased her: a lanky fellow, a round one with a goofy mask, and… a massive purple eel.

‘Eternal tag, huh?’ I thought dryly, letting out a sigh as I began to descend.

The moment I landed, the four of them froze mid-motion and then, in true cartoon fashion, tripped over each other and faceplanted into the sand with a loud whump.

I watched the scene with an almost expressionless face, though my lips twitched in amusement as, seconds later, they all sprang up at once, shouting or growling in indignation.

“Hey! What’s the big idea dropping out of nowhere like that and scaring the bejesus outta us, huh!?”

“Sup.” I raised a hand casually, finally letting a small smile creep across my face, the first genuine one in my new human form. “You guys looked interesting, so I thought I’d come say hello.”

My words had an immediate effect. They went from angry to bashful in the blink of an eye, scratching their heads or making embarrassed noises, in the eel’s case, something that sounded like blubbering joy.

“Aw shucks, really, mister? You’re too kind~!” the smallest one said bashfully, closing her eyes with a shy grin. Now that I could see her properly, the green hair and pink mark beneath her hazel eyes were unmistakable.

“You’ve got good taste, mister,” said the skinny one, one eye closed and cheeks faintly red.

“What a nice person!” the round one chimed in with a verbal tic, his voice echoing oddly behind his oversized mask.

The eel… gurgled happily. Or maybe growled? Honestly, who knows what sound that was supposed to be.

“Anyway,” I said, now feeling a bit weird seeing them in person, because watching this trio of idiots on a screen was one thing, but standing in front of them in the flesh was something else. “Nice to meet ya. What are your names?”

“Nice to meet you too, nice person~! Nel is an Arrancar named Nel Tu. By the way, this is…” Nel pointed proudly to the skinny Arrancar.

“Nel’s older brother, Pesche,” the man introduced himself with a polite bow.

Nel gestured to the round one next. “And his older brother, Dondochakka!”

“Finally, the big thing behind us is our pet Bawabawa,” Nel said, turning to signal the giant eel, which made a low rumbling noise that might’ve been affection.

I just nodded slowly, unsure whether to laugh or sigh at the absurdity of their synchronized introductions and ridiculous poses.

‘Then again, I’m literally living in a world that started as a manga before becoming an anime,’ I thought wryly. ‘So who am I to judge, especially since I somehow got reincarnated as Rimuru freakin’ Tempest?’

“By the way, what’s your name?” Nel’s innocent voice pulled me from my thoughts. She had walked right up to me without an ounce of caution, looking up with wide hazel eyes as she pulled back her hood, revealing the ugly scar down her face that matched the crack in her mask.

‘Yeah… I expected as much from Nel,’ I thought, feeling an odd flicker of fondness.

Still, I wasn’t blind to the careful, cautious looks Pesche and Dondochakka were giving me from behind their friendly demeanor. They were hiding it well, but they were on guard, and I respected that. In Hueco Mundo, trust was a luxury few could afford… especially when their leader was weakened to this extent.

At the mention of my name, though, a small frown involuntarily tugged at my lips before I quickly forced it away.

“I’m sorry, Nel,” I said softly, kneeling so we were eye-level. “But I don’t have a name. I was never given one.” I tried to smile — or at least approximate one — hoping it came off as friendly instead of mildly unsettling.

“You don’t have a name!?” Nel gasped, her face morphing into a dramatic mix of shock and heartbreak that made her look even more like the over-the-top child I remembered from the show.

“I do not,” I confirmed, my voice calm as I reached out and gently patted her head, though my true focus was elsewhere. While I did my best impression of a comforting gesture, I used Biokinesis to subtly scan her body structure.

As I suspected, her Reiryoku was leaking steadily from the damaged portion of her mask, the likely cause of her regression into this childlike form.

‘Great Sage, can I heal her?’ I asked telepathically, withdrawing my hand as Nel pouted and her companions visibly relaxed.

“Answer. Due to the extent of the damage and Master’s current proficiency with the Extra Skill Biokinesis, repairs will take approximately thirty minutes. Master will also need to use part of his own biomass to replace what is missing,” Great Sage replied in her usual calm, measured tone.

‘Good… so it’s possible.’ Relief washed through me, and I couldn’t help but sag a little, though Nel must’ve misinterpreted it, because her next words made me freeze.

“If you want, Nel can give you one!” she declared, voice full of earnest determination despite her tiny frame.

For a fleeting second, I was tempted. The idea of receiving a name, something so simple, yet symbolically powerful, from her of all people... But I quickly stomped that thought down before it could take root.

‘No,’ I reminded myself firmly. ‘She’s too weak right now. Naming me could honestly kill her. At best, it could permanently weaken her even if I return her to her previous state.’

I offered her a real smile then, gentle, genuine, and her face immediately flushed pink. “Thank you for the kind offer, Nel,” I said, resting a hand on her head once more. “But I’ll have to pass. Naming something like me… comes with its own rules. And consequences.”

She blinked up at me, tilting her head slightly, still fidgeting beneath my hand. “Something like you?” she repeated curiously, studying my face, or rather, the lack of a mask on it.

After a long moment, she frowned and leaned closer. “Now that you mention it… you don’t look like any Arrancar I’ve ever seen before. And dressed in those dark clothes, you look more like a…”

Her voice trailed off. Her expression morphed from confusion to wide-eyed realization as she took a few cautious steps back, forcing an awkward smile.

“By the way, mister… w-what is your profession?” she asked nervously, her tone wavering between childlike innocence and dawning dread.

Wanting to mess with them a bit, I stood to my full height and pointed at myself with a small grin.

“Though I have no name, I’m a professional eater of souls. Otherwise known as a Slime, at your service~”

Right after saying that, I reverted back into my Slime form, raising a small portion of my body in what could generously be described as a wave.

“A–Aaaaah! You’re a bad guy!” the three of them screamed in perfect unison, dramatically pointing at me like some sort of synchronized comedy troupe.

Then Nel blinked, squinted at me for a second… and her entire demeanor flipped.

“Cute~!” she squealed, immediately abandoning her previous conclusion and sprinting toward me. Before I could even react, she scooped me up and hugged me tightly against her chest, rubbing her cheek against my slime body. “So soft! So cuddly!”

Just like that, the tension melted away. Her perception of me had shifted entirely, and seeing their leader so relaxed, her two “brothers” visibly eased up as well.

‘The rule of cute once again proves to be unbeatable, no matter the world,’ I thought smugly, imagining a mental version of myself flashing a victory sign.

It took Nel several minutes to calm down enough to finally put me back down, allowing me to retake my human form. The atmosphere was far more relaxed now — warm, even — and I was thankful for it.

I had used the time as she held me to begin quietly healing Nel’s mask, and when I looked at her again, the huge crack had noticeably shrunk.

“As you can see,” I said, unbuttoning my black shirt and revealing a perfectly sculpted and unblemished chest, “I’m neither human, Shinigami, nor Hollow. The most accurate term for what I am would probably be… Majin. Or, if you prefer, Magic-born.”

“Majin?” Nel echoed curiously. “Nel’s never heard of a Majin before. Have you guys?”

“Nope,” Pesche replied, shaking his head.

“Me neither,” Dondochakka added quickly.

“Yeah, that’s about what I expected,” I said with a small sigh. “I’d be more surprised if I found another of my kind in this place.”

I shook my head and smiled faintly. “Never mind that, though, I actually wanted to ask you something.”

“What is it? Do you want to play eternal tag with us?” Nel asked with a grin so wide it could split her mask further.

“Something to that effect, yes,” I nodded, and her face lit up with joy as she and her “brothers” cheered in unison. “But more than that… I was wondering if we could be friends.”

I hated how vulnerable my voice sounded at the end there, but having the memories of a human came with its downsides. That instinctual longing for companionship… it hit harder than I liked to admit. Especially in a place as empty and cold as Hueco Mundo.

Before I could think more on it, a small green blur slammed into my face with a happy squeal.

“Yay~ Nel made a new friend! Let’s play!” she shouted, already sprinting off into the endless sands, laughing.

I stood there for a few seconds, internally debating if I was really about to take part in a childish game of tag… just to secure a new ally.

Then I sighed. “Oh, what the hell.”

And with that, I chased after her, followed shortly by her brothers as the desert echoed with laughter.

‘Oh well,’ I mused, the corner of my mouth twitching upward. ‘At least this gives me a good excuse to stay close to Nel… and heal her properly.’