fuse_9781632365064.

indd 246 7/6/17 8:17 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 245 7/6/17 8:17 AM
 HOW
SHALL WE
PROCEED,
LORD
RIMURU
?

WHAT
HMM… |
ABOUT
SUPPOSE
THE
| WILL GO
REST
MYSELF.
OF YOU
?

AH. OF
COURSE.

THAT
SHOULD
BE
OBVIOUS,
MY LORD.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 244 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 SHALL
WE,
THEN
?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 243 7/6/17 8:17 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 242 7/6/17 8:17 AM
 6

fuse_9781632365064.indd 241 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 WOW,
WAS THAT
THAT SLIME
SUP-
SURE
POSED
TO BE
SEEMED
ME? BOSSY.

WAS AND
THAT
CRAZY THEN |
SUP-
| MEAN, DREAM TURNED
POSED …
| DON'T INTO A
TO BE
REALLY HOT GIRL
SOME
HAVE ANY (OR BOY?)
SUB-
SERIOUS AFTER-
CON-
PROBLEMS WARD…
SCIOUS
WITH MY
DESIRE
CURRENT
?
SITUATION…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 240 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 ALLOW
ME TO
INTRO-
DUCE SORRY,
|'M MIHO
MY
SAWATARI. | TAKE

,
FIANCEE.
THAT
BACK.

|
GOT
PLENTY
OF
PROB-
LEMS.

| |
YOU'RE
KNOW REALLY
DAMN
WHAT YOU'VE
RIGHT APPRE-
IS THIS? GOT
| DO, CIATE
TAUNTING BETTER
TAMURA. YOU
THINGS
ME FOR TAKING
TO DO
MY LACK THE TIME,
THAN
OF A LOVE SENPAI.
OFFER
LIFE? WEDDING
ADVICE
…

IT'S
OUR
DID THIS
FIRST HELLO.
| TIME
ASSHOLE
MY
FEEL TALKING, JUST BRING
NAME'S
A BIT ISN'T SATORU
HER TO
NER- IT? .MIKAMI… BRAG ABOUT
VOUS CLAIMING
… THE OFFICE
BEAUTY?!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 239 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 THAT'S
TAMURA,
MY JUNIOR IT'S
CO- ON ME
WORKER.
A REAL TODAY,
HMM?
HOT-SHOT. SENPAI!
HOW
COME?

AS
IT'S
THANKS
ALMOST
IMPOS- FOR
SIBLE LETTING
TO HATE US DRAG
THE GUY. YOU OUT
LIKE
THIS.

WHAT'S FINE, FINE.

OUTTA THAT?! |'LL CON-
THE
WAY!
GRATULATE
THE LUCKY
KID…

A
KNIFE
?! ?!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 238 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 TCH!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 237 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 HUH
WHY …?
DOES
MY
BACK
FEEL
HOT
?
DID |…
GET
STABBED
?

SIGN: Thank-You Sale

DON'T LET OH,

SAWATARI- MAN.
SAN SEE TAMURA
YOU LIKE …
THAT, OR
SHE'LL
BE SO
DISILLU-
SIONED.

WHOA,
PEOPLE DIE |'M
FROM BLOOD STARTING
LOSS, RIGHT? TO FEEL
THAT CAN'T COLD FOR
CONFIRMED. BE GOOD… SOME
GENERATING REASON.
BODY THAT
DOES NOT
REQUIRE
BLOOD.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 236 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 HUH?
IT WAS WHO
SUCH A
SAID
ROBOTIC
THAT?
VOICE,
THOUGH.
"DOESN'T TAMURA
REQUIRE …?
WHAT
ARE YOU, BLOOD"?!
AN AUTO- WHAT’S
GENERATED THAT
COMPUTER MEAN
WAIT… VOICE…? ?
MY
PC!

TAMU-
IF |
HAPPEN
RAAA
TO DIE !!
BECAUSE
OF THIS
…

HA HA…
|
SHOULD
HAVE
FIGURED
YOU'D
SAY
THAT.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 235 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 SENPAI…
|'LL BE
…WAS HONEST.
SO |
THE ONLY
COULD
REASON |
BRAG
BROUGHT
ABOUT
OUR
OUT
RELATION- SAWATARI
…
SHIP TO
YOU…

SEN-
PAI.

SENPAI! SEN-
WHAT AN DON'T PAI
ORDINARY, GO INTO ?!
TOTALLY THE
BORING LIGHT
LIFE. !!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 234 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 IN GRADUATED
OTHER
COLLEGE,
WORDS
… STARTED
WORKING
AT A
MAJOR
|'M A CONSTRUC-
TION
VIRGIN. AND NOW
|'M A 37- COMPANY,
YEAR-OLD
BACHELOR.

FORGIVE
ME, MY
NEGLECTED
MANHOOD.

IN THE
NEXT LIFE,
| PROMISE
|'LL USE YOU
TO GREAT
EFFECT.
GONNA
MY
DEVOUR
MUCH
THE LADIES!
OLDER
BROTHER
IS
SO
TAKING
| LIVE
CARE
A FREE,
OF OUR
UNENCUM-
ELDERLY
BERED LIFE,
PARENTS,
CONFIRMED. FOLLOWING
MY WHIMS.
ACQUISITION
OF UNIQUE
SKILL:
"PREDATOR"…
SUCCESSFUL.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 233 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 THERE'S A
IF |'D LEGEND THAT
LASTED IF YOU'RE A
CONFIRMED. TO 40, 30-YEAR-OLD
EXTRA SKILL: | MIGHT VIRGIN, YOU
HAVE CAN CHANGE
"SAGE" BECOME CLASSES TO
ACQUIRED. A SAGE. A WIZARD.

IN FACT,
| GUESS
IF |'D
HELD OUT
CONFIRMED. LONGER,
UPGRADING | MIGHT
HAVE EVEN
EXTRA SKILL: BECOME
"SAGE." A "GREAT
SAGE"!

SUCCESSFUL.
WOW, EXTRA SKILL:
THAT
SOUNDS
"SAGE"
NEAT— UPGRADED TO
HEY, WAIT UNIQUE SKILL:
A SEC!!
"GREAT SAGE."

fuse_9781632365064.indd 232 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 WHAT IS
THAT VOICE
TALKING
ABOUT?!
WHAT DO
YOU MEAN,
UNIQUE
AND SKILL:
THAT'S "GREAT
NOT A SAGE"?!
"UNIQUE"
SKILL!
IT'S NOT
EVEN
FUNNY!

MAN,
TALK
ABOUT
RUDE
…

JEEZ…

SO
DOES
THIS
MEAN
|'M
DYING
?

WEIRD, IT
DOESN'T
FEEL THAT
.LONELY…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 231 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 …IT'S
SO
DARK.

WHERE
AM |?

WHAT
| HAP-
SO… REMEMBER PENED
DID | PULL
JUMPING OUT TO ME
AM | THROUGH
? TO PROTECT ?
SAFE
TAMURA
AND
FROM THAT
SOUND
CRAZY GUY
IN A
WITH THE
HOSPITAL
KNIFE, AND
BED
GETTING
NOW?
STABBED
INSTEAD.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 230 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 | CAN'T
SEE OR
COULD HEAR
BE ANY-
AFTER THING…
ANYWAY, LIGHTS
BETTER OUT?
FIND
THE CALL
BUTTON…

HUH?
COULD WHY WON'T
IT BE MY LIMBS
THAT…HE RESPOND
SEVERED ?!
MY SPINAL
CORD AND
PARALYZED
ME?

NO,
NO, NO…
ANYTHING
BUT THAT!

THAT'S CRAZY.
OH MY ARMS
AND LEGS
?! COULDN'T
HAVE BEEN
AMPUTATED!
| ONLY GOT
STABBED IN
THE BACK…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 229 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 WAIT…
| CAN
MOVE
?!

SO | HAVE
NO VISION, | FEEL
HEARING, SOME-
OR SENSE
| DON'T
SMELL THING
OF SMELL,
ANYTHING, UNDER
BUT | DO
THOUGH. MY…
HAVE A
STOMACH?
SENSE OF
FEELS
TOUCH.
LIKE
GRASS.
WHAT
ABOUT
TASTE
?

|'LL
TRY
EATING
OKAY, |
THIS.
MELTED
AND WAIT,
ABSORBED WHERE'S
THE GRASS. MY
SO DOES MOUTH
IT DIS-
THIS MEAN SOLVED
?!
… !

fuse_9781632365064.indd 228 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 HANG
ON A
SECOND
…
… |'M
NOT
STAY CALM. HUMAN
BE COOL.
CONFIRM ANY-
THE MORE
BOUNDARIES
OF YOUR ?!
BODY.

AH.
UH-HUH.

YES,
| SEE.

OHHHH
?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 227 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 OKAY!
YEP, THAT
SEEMS
RIGHT!

NOT!
| WILL
NOT
ACCEPT
THIS!
IT'S
WRONG
!

BUT THEN,
THE THE WAY |
JIGGLY, DISSOLVED AWW,
GELATI- AND AB- CRAP
NOUS THE SORBED …
ROUNDED, THAT
TEXTURE
CURVING PLANT…
…
BODY…

|
GUESS
|
| DID HATE TO
…HAVE DIE FROM ADMIT IT,
GETTING BUT IT
BEEN STABBED
… SEEMS
REBORN THAT |,
AS A SATORU
SLIME. MIKAMI
…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 226 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 AS A
MATTER SEVERAL
OF FACT, DAYS HAVE
|'M PASSED
STARTING SINCE |
TO ENJOY ACCEPTED
THIS SOFT, THAT |'M
JIGGLY A SLIME.
BODY.

AND |
FROM DON'T
WHAT FEEL
| CAN IF | HIT HEAT
TELL, A ROCK, OR
| DON'T | RECOVER COLD.
NEED BY RE-
FOOD OR FORMING
SLEEP. MY BODY.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 225 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 THE
BUT | ONLY
SPEAK-
REALLY THING
ING OF HAVE .IS…
WHICH NO WAY
…
AROUND
SO |'M
THAT.
| KILL LONELY.
TIME BY
EATING
GRASS.

WHERE …| DON'T
IS ALL ACTUALLY
THIS RECALL
GRASS TAKING
GOING A CRAP
? AT ANY
POINT.

| GOT
A RE-
SPONSE
!!

CURRENTLY
USING
LESS
THAN 1% ANSWER:
OF FULL IT IS STORED
CAPACITY. IN THE
STOMACH
OF THE
USER OF THE
UNIQUE SKILL:
"PREDATOR."

fuse_9781632365064.indd 224 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 ANSWER:
IT IS THE WH-WH- |
EFFECT WHO IS RECOGNIZE
YOUR THAT!
OF THE THAT?!
IT'S THAT
POWERS UNIQUE WEIRD,
HAVE SKILL: COMPUTER-
STABILIZED, "GREAT IZED
MAKING IT SAGE." VOICE…
POSSIBLE
FOR ME TO
RESPOND
PROMPTLY.

UNIQUE
OH YEAH,
SKILL,
| DO
REMEMBER
"GREAT
SOMETHING SAGE"
ABOUT ?
ACQUIRING
SOME SKILL
OR ANOTHER
WHEN |
DIED…

ANSWER:
A SKILL IS BUT
AN ABILITY WHAT’S
THAT, ON RARE A
OCCASIONS, "SKILL"
CAN BE ANYWAY
ACQUIRED IN ?
RECOGNITION
OF SOME FORM
OF PERSONAL
GROWTH.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 223 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 OKAY,
|'M NOT
SO "GREAT
SURE |
SAGE" AND
"PREDATOR"
ENTIRELY
ARE MY …BUT UNDER-
SKILLS, APPAR- STAND…
HUH…? ENTLY,
BY THIS THAT'S
POINT IN HOW
THIS NEW
TIME, |’D
WORLD
BECOME
WORKS.
PRETTY
EXCITED.

YAY, IT MAY
A JUST BE
THROUGH
SKILL
THIS WEIRD
!
"SKILL" OR
WHATEVER,
AS A BUT AT
RESULT LEAST |'D
… FOUND
AND SO SOMEONE
| GOT A TO TALK TO.
LITTLE
CARRIED
AWAY.

|
FELL
…INTO A BODY …
OF WATER
(PROBABLY
A SUB-
TERRANEAN
LAKE).

fuse_9781632365064.indd 222 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 OH,
GREAT
SAGE,
TELL AW
ME… CRAP,
HOW |'M
MUCH GONNA
ANSWER: DOES DIE!
A SUFFO- | JUST
SLIME'S CATION GOT
BODY HURT REBORN,
DOES NOT ?! AND |'M
REQUIRE ALREADY
OXYGEN. GONNA
DIE!

ONCE |
ACTUALLY,
REGAINED MY YEAH…
COMPOSURE, | DON'T
MY BRAIN CELLS FEEL ANY
(OR RATHER MY PAIN.
SLIME BODY)
CAME UP WITH
A STUNNING
PLAN!

| CAN
CONSUME
WATER,
THEN EXPEL
IT TO CRE-
ATE WATER-
JET PROPUL-
SION!!
| CAN DO
THIS!!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 221 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 SKILL:
"WATER-
PRESSURE
PROPULSION"
ACQUIRED.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 220 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 CAN WOW.
|
YOU ALMOST
HEAR CRIED
ME, .THERE…
LiTTLE
ONE
?! ?

WAIT, NOW
SOMEONE
ELSE IS
TALKING
TO ME?

IT'S A
DIFFERENT
VOICE
FROM
THE GREAT
.SAGE…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 219 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 OH
CRAP,
NOW |'M
|
FEELING
GUESS A BIT
THIS NERVOUS.
COUNTS
AS THE
FIRST
CONVERSA-
TION IN
MY NEW
GOTTA (ECTO-
PUT PLASMIC)
ON A LIFE.
FRIENDLY
FACE…

| CAN'T WAIT,
HOW DO |
EVEN INTERACT
SPEAK! AT ALL?!

|'M
GOD, TRYING
TO, HELLO?
THIS IS
FRUS- ASS- ANSWER
TRATING HOLE ME.
! !!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 218 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 "ASS-
HOLE"
…?

AHHH… I
SUPPOSE
YOU HAVE
A DEATH
IT WiSH.
CAN
HEAR
ME
?!

AHH.
WELL, |
| CAN'T JUST DIDN'T
ME? ACTUALLY
S-
REALIZE THAT SORRY
MY SEE, SO…
| COULD !
NAME UM, WHO
THINK THINGS
ARE YOU
iS… ?
AND HAVE
ANYONE OTHER
THAN MY
SKILL-VOICE
HEAR IT…

THiS
iS A
CONVER-
SATiON
OF THE
MiND.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 217 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 WELL, I
SUPPOSE
HUH iN iT
THAT DOESN'T
?! MATTER
CASE, YET iF YOU
I SHALL CANNOT
HELP EVEN
BUT ONLY YOU TO SEE ME.
iF YOU DO SEE.
NOT PANiC
WHEN YOU
SEE ME.

ANSWER: THERE
THIS WORLD iS A
IS COVERED iT WiLL SKiLL
IN MAGICULES. ALLOW YOU TO CALLED
YOUR SLIME DETECT MAGi- "MAGiC
BODY MAGI- CULES iN YOUR SENSE."
CULES SURROUNDiNGS.
FUNCTIONS BY ?
ABSORBING
THESE
MAGICULES.

YOU
CAN GAiN
UHH… THE SKiLL
| DUNNO, THEN YOU BY SENSiNG
THIS IS WiLL BE THE MOVE-
STARTING ABLE TO MENT OF
TO GET
"SEE" AND MAGiCULES
COMPLI-
"HEAR" THE OUTSiDE
CATED…
OUTSiDE OF YOUR
WORLD. BODY.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 216 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 ARE
THEY THE
"MAGICULES"
THE VOICE HMM… BUT |
MENTIONED
EXTRA ?
| SENSE GUESS
SOME- | CAN
SKILL: THING TRY IT.
"MAGIC FLOWING
AROUND
SENSE" ME.
ACQUIRED.

IN ORDER TO REALLY?
MANAGE THE JUST
GREAT AMOUNT LIKE
OF INFORMATION THAT?
GAINED BY
THIS, IT IS
RECOMMENDED
TO SYNC THE
RESULTS WITH
"GREAT SAGE."

WELL,
OBVIOUSLY.
WILL YOU
ACTIVATE
"MAGIC
YES! SENSE"?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 215 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 !

OH…
WHO-
AAA!

|
YES!
CAN
THANK SEE
YOU iT !
SO— SEEMS | CAN
THAT YOU SEEEE
THEN I WERE !
SHALL SUCCESS-
iNTRO- FUL.
DUCE
MYSELF
NOW.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 214 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 I AM
VELDORA,
THE
STORM
DRAGON
!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 213 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 ONE
OF JUST
FOUR
KWA- DRAGONS
iN THiS
AAA WORLD!

HA HA
HA HA
!!.

IT'S A
FRICKIN'
DRAGON
!!

…HRM?
I TOLD
YOU
NOT TO
PANiC.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 212 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 SO YOU
HAVE BEEN
REiNCAR- ALL
NATED RIGHT,
HERE FROM THIS
ANOTHER …BUT DRAGON
WORLD? IT'S SURE
SURPRIS- LOOKS
INGLY SCARY
TALKA- AND
TIVE ALL…
THAT'S AND
RIGHT. HELP-
|'VE BEEN
THROUGH
FUL.
A TERRIBLE
ORDEAL!

…BUT WE DO
HAVE THE THAT
NEVER HAVE iS AN
OCCASiONAL
I HEARD OF EXTRA-
REBiRTH OR ORDiNARiLY
A PERSON
TRAVELER RARE WAY OF
FROM
FROM BEiNG BORN
ANOTHER
ELSEWHERE… HERE.
REALM BEiNG
REiNCARNATED
iNTO THiS
WORLD.

iNDEED. SO
THERE
FROM WHAT ARE
I HEAR, OTHERS
OH, NO
THOSE WHO WHO
KIDDING?
HAVE
CROSS BUT
COME
iNTO THiS HERE? MORE
WORLD GAiN IMPOR-
TANTLY
POWERS …
ACCORDiNG TO
THEiR DESiRES.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 211 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 OKAY,
SO
HEY, THAT'S
MAYBE PROBABLY
THERE'S REFERRING
GUESS ANOTHER TO MY
| COULD JAPANESE "GREAT
TRY TO PERSON SAGE"
SEEK HERE. AND
THEM
"PREDATOR"
OUT.
THINGS.

I SEE…
JEEZ, YOU SO YOU
DON'T HAVE WiLL BE
TO ACT SO
LONELY! LEAViNG
ME.

I HAVE BEEN I AM.

TRAPPED iN ERM…
THiS CAVE ARE YOU
EVER SiNCE A STUCK
HERO SEALED HERE,
ME iN HERE, VELDORA
?
SO 300 YEARS
THERE AGO.
ARE
HEROES,
.TOO…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 210 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 THE HERO WAS
SHE USED HER
VERY MiGHTY,
UNiQUE SKiLLS,
THOUGH HER
"ABSOLUTE
APPEARANCE
SEVERANCE"
WAS THAT OF
AND "UNLiMiTED
A WiNSOME
iMPRiSONMENT,"
HUMAN GiRL.
TO LOCK ME
iN HERE.

MAYBE
WHA YOU LOST
HOW BECAUSE
…?! YOU WERE
DARE YOU TAKEN
SUGGEST WITH HER
LOOKS
THAT! …?

…WiTH
PORCELAiN
| SKiN, AND
YEAH, THINK BLACK AND
AND
SHE WAS
HE THIS SiLVER
YET, HE
HAiR TiED A BiT
LOOKS DRAGON
AT THE PETiTE, SEEMS
INTIMI- HAS A ..BACK… AND QUiTE
…DAiNTY VERY
DATING, THING SLENDER
LiPS OF
… HAPPY
BUT |'M FOR DEEP
TO TALK
NOT THAT HUMANS. CRiMSON
… ABOUT
SCARED
HIS
ANY-
DEFEAT
MORE. …

WOW,
YOU
REALLY
GOT A
GOOD
LOOK
AT HER
…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 209 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 OKAY!
SO…YA
Y-YOU? WANNA BE
FRIENDS
A SLiME?! WITH ME
DARE ?
TO BE
"FRiENDS"
WiTH THE
HEY, IF
YOU
GREAT
DON'T STORM
WANT TO, DRAGON
THAT'S
.COOL… VELDORA
?!

WHAT
—?!

DON'T BE
W- A FOOL!
I WELL
SUPPOSE, …
I HAVE
iF YOU GiVEN
iNSiST
…
YOU NO
ANSWER
YET,
POSiTiVE
…I
MiGHT
OR
CON- NEGATiVE
SiDER
… !!
OH
YEAH?
SO
WHAT'S
IT
… GONNA
BE?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 208 7/6/17 8:17 AM

 AND IF | DO
YOU SAY
NO, |'M
INSIST!
NEVER SO THAT
COMING
BACK! SETTLES
IT!

W-
WAiT
!

Y-YOU
LEAVE
ME NO
CHOiCE
!

I
ALLOW
YOU TO
BE MY
FRiEND.

GREAT!
PUT 'ER
THERE,
PAL!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 207 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 HMM
? NOW THE
WHAT? QUESTION
YOU IS, WHAT TO
THINK |'M DO ABOUT
GOING TO THIS SEAL
ABANDON ?
A FRIEND
HERE?

GREAT
SAGE,
WHAT
SHOULD
ANSWER: | DO TO
REMOVE
YOU VELDORA'S
CANNOT. SEAL?

…
AS FAR AS "UNLIMITED
POSSIBLE AHH… IMPRISON-
EFFECTIVE SHOULD
ACTIONS HAVE
MENT" IS
.GO… GUESSED
IMPOSSIBLE
THE HERO TO DESTROY
WOULD THROUGH
HAVE THE PHYSICAL
BEST DAMAGE.
POWERS.
UH-
HUH?
AHH, |
SEE…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 206 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 HEY…
DON'T JUST
TALK TO
YOUR SKiLL
THE WHOLE
DON'T GET TiME.
JEALOUS, YOU'RE
OLD MAN. iGNORiNG
ME!

IT SAID
THAT IF WE
AH. HOWEVER, ANALYZE THE
"UNLIMITED
MY SKiLLS, IMPRISONMENT"
LiKE MY BODY, FROM BOTH
THE INSIDE
ARE SEALED AND OUTSIDE,
AND iMPRiS- WE MIGHT
ONED. BE ABLE TO
UNDO IT.

BUT
DON'T YOU
THAT ALL | NEED
WiSH TO WiLL FROM YOU IS
LEAVE THiS TAKE INFORMATION.
TiME. MY "GREAT
PLACE AND
SAGE" SKILL
REUNiTE WILL DO THE
WiTH YOUR ANALYSIS.
FELLOWS
FROM
HOME?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 205 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 EXACTLY.
SO
HOW HERE'S
ABOUT YOU THE
SQUEEZE PLAN.
INTO MY
STOMACH,
VELDORA
?

VERY
KAH-
iNTER- HA-
ESTiNG! HA-
DO iT! HA-
AND I HA-
SHALL
ENTRUST HA-
MYSELF HA-
TO YOU HA.
! !!.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 204 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 REALLY?
YOU'RE
GONNA
TRUST ME,
TRYiNG JUST LIKE
THAT?
…WiLL TO BREAK
BRiNG OUT OF
ME MUCH THiS
MORE UNLiMiTED
ENJOY- iMPRiSON- OF
MENT MENT COURSE
THAN TOGETHER !
WAiTiNG …
ALONE
FOR YOUR
RETURN!

OKAY,
FIRST
OH, BUT |'M GOING
BEFORE TO USE
THAT… "PREDATOR"
TO EAT
YOU…

AND YOU
MUST ALSO
iT WiLL THiNK OF A
iMPRiNT NAME THAT I SHALL
OUR WE SHALL
GiVE YOU
STATUS as SHARE. A NAME,
equals
MY
UPON
OUR
FRiEND.
SOULS.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 203 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 A
SHARED
.NAME…
| GUESS
HMM… THAT
IS STORM
THAT WOULD
DRAGON… BE SOME-
TOO HURRI-
CHEESY OH, THING
CANE…
LIKE A
? WHAT SQUALL…
LAST
ABOUT NAME
"TEMPEST" ?
?

iT iS
GLORiOUS!
THERE
HAS
NEVER
BEEN A
BETTER
FROM NAME!
THiS DAY
FORWARD,
MY NAME WOW,
HE
SHALL BE REALLY
VELDORA LIKES
THAT!
TEMPEST
!
AND
YOU
SHALL
HAVE
…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 202 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 …THE
NAME
"RiMURU"
!

YOU MAY
NOW CALL
YOURSELF
RiMURU
TEMPEST
!!

PROCEED,
MY FRiEND.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 201 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 ALL RIGHT,
VELDORA,
YOU READY TO
ESCAPE YOUR
UNLIMITED
IMPRISONMENT
?

WE I AM
SHALL READY!
BECOME DON'T
ONE, KEEP ME
RiMURU. WAiTiNG.

UNIQUE SKILL…

…"PREDATOR"!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 200 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 SHALL |
ANALYZE
THE UNIQUE
SKILL:
"UNLIMITED
IMPRISON-
MENT"?

YES, OF
TAKE IT
COURSE
AWAY,
!
GREAT
SAGE!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 199 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 On this
day…

…a
great
tremor
ran
through
the
world.

It was
confirmed
that Storm
Dragon
Veldora,
a natural
disaster in
the form of
a monster,
had vanished.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 198 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 The
simple,
…was humble
NEVER
totally slime
KNOW WHEN
unaware who
| MIGHT GET
ATTACKED BY of its caused
MONSTERS ramifi- this
ON THE
cations event…
JOURNEY.
…

HE
WAS A
TALKATIVE VELDORA
…BUT
GUY, HASN'T
AT LEAST
SO IT'S SAID
| KNOW
KINDA ANYTHING
HE HASN'T
LONELY AT ALL.
VANISHED
FOR .NOW…
GOOD.

WELL,
TIME
TO GET
GOING.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 197 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 NEXT
TIME WE
MEET…

|
THINK
THE
EXIT'S
THIS
WAY…

…|'LL HAVE
TO COME
UP WITH
A GOOD
STORY
THAT'LL
MAKE HIM
LAUGH.

WHAT
WAS IT
ABOUT
AGAIN | SWEAR THAT
OH, ?
| HEARD NAME
WHAT- IT IN A "RIMURU,"
EVER. DREAM, THOUGH
…
BACK IN
MY OLD
LIFE…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 196 7/6/17 8:16 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 195 7/6/17 8:16 AM
 OOH,
|
FOUND
A
DOWN METAL
THE ORE.
HATCH!

OKAY…

THIS
DOOR'S
BLOCK-
ING MY
| PATH.
COULD
HOW
USE SHOULD
…OR "WATER | OPEN
"PREDATOR" BLADE" IT?
TO TO CUT
DEVOUR IT…
IT.

WHOA.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 194 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 PHEW,
FINALLY
GOT IT
OPEN.
DAMN
KEYHOLE
WHAT WAS
DO YOU RUSTED
EXPECT? THROUGH.
HASN'T
HAD ANY
MAINTE-
NANCE
FOR 300
YEARS.

DON'T
THE
BE SUCH A GUILD-
WORRYWART. MASTER
| BET THAT SURE IS
SCARY WORKING
"DRAGON" US HARD,
TURNS OUT EXPECTING
TO BE NOTHING
US TO
HUMANS… BUT A BIG
LIZARD.
INVES-
PROBABLY
ADVENTUR- TIGATE
ERS. THIS OLD,
SEALED
CAVE.

SHOULD
IF | MAKE
WORST CONTACT?
COMES WELL, |
TO PROBABLY CAN'T
WORST
… HOLD A MENTAL
CONVERSATION
WITH THEM LIKE
…|
| DID WITH
COULD
VELDORA…
GET
WASTED.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 193 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 CONCEALING
ARTS?
YOU TWO
IS THAT SHOULD IT
ANOTHER STICK SUCKS,
SKILL? THAT CLOSER BUT |
WAY TO ME. SHOULD
| CAN PROBABLY
USE MY STEER
CONCEAL- CLEAR.
ING ARTS
ON US.

|
CAN'T
SHOW
MYSELF
TO
PEOPLE
UNTIL |
CAN AT
LEAST
TALK
WITH
THEM.

?!

…| SHOULD
PROBABLY
WOW,
TRY TO ALL THE
MAKE WHAT A
PEEPING DREAM
FRIENDS
A GUY OF A
WITH THEM
LATER. COULD SKILL!
WANT!
DIS-
GUSTING
FREAKS.

55

fuse_9781632365064.indd 192 7/6/17 8:16 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 191 7/6/17 8:16 AM
fuse_9781632365064.indd 190 7/6/17 8:16 AM
 A
dozen-
or-so
days
earlier
…

THE
IT REASON
REGARDS | CALLED
THE DISAP- FOR YOU
PEARANCE IS SIMPLE,
OF VELDORA
GUILD-
THE STORM
MASTER.
DRAGON.

TELL
ME HOW
WE CAN
THE GUILD
ANTICIPATE
PLANS TO
MONSTERS
ADDRESS
GROWING
THIS.
MORE
ACTIVE AND
AGGRESSIVE
IN THE NEAR
FUTURE.

BY
DOING
NOTH- Minister of Blumund
ING. Baron Veryard

fuse_9781632365064.indd 189 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 IT'S THE
KINGDOM'S
JOB TO
PLAN FOR
THIS, NOT
OURS.

WE'RE
NOT
VOLUN-
TEERS.
WE DON'T
WORK
FOR FREE, Guildmaster
BARON. Fuze

LEAVE
US.

| THINK
| NEED YOU'VE
INFOR- DON'T LOST
MATION, TEASE WEIGHT,
FUZE. ME. AND VERYARD.
GAINED
MORE
GRAY
HAIRS.

59

fuse_9781632365064.indd 188 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 COR- IT'S QUITE
RECT. POSSIBLE
THAT MORE
NOW IS AT STAKE
THAT THE HERE THAN
PROPER JUST IN-
CHECK CREASED
AGAINST MONSTER
THEIR POWER ACTIVITY.
IS GONE,
NOTHING
PREVENTS
THE EASTERN
EMPIRE FROM
INVADING
US.

THE SMALLER
INDEPENDENT …THE
NATIONS ALONG EASTERN
THE FOREST OF EMPIRE
JURA WON'T ?
STAND A CHANCE.
THEY'LL BE SWEPT
UP IN A BLINK.

FINE…
YOUR AS A FAVOR
DON'T TO AN OLD
HELP IS
MENTION IT. APPRE- FRIEND, |'LL
|'M CURI- CIATED UNDERTAKE
OUS ABOUT …
AN
VELDORA'S
INVESTIGA-
DISAPPEAR-
ANCE, TOO.
TION.

FOR
MY
OWN
SAKE
…

60

fuse_9781632365064.indd 187 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 HE
SOME- WOULDN'T
THING JUST
MUST'VE VANISH
HAPPENED WITHOUT
IN THE REASON.
SEALED
CAVE.

YIKES!

ACK!

OH,
MAN!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 186 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 ARE YOU
IS IT KIDDING
THE REALLY ME?
MORE ? | CAN'T
THAT | HANDLE
LOOK THIS
AT IT, TERRIFYING
…
IT'S NOT
ACTUALLY
THAT
BAD. TERRIF
…

…WAIT.

…IT'S
KIND IN FACT,
OF COMPARED
CUTE! TO
VELDORA
…

| SPENT THAT
A WEEK SETTLES
PRACTICING, IT.
AND NOW IT’S
TIME TO TEST
OUT MY
ULTIMATE
ATTACK.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 185 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 TAKE
THIS!

WATER
BLADE!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 184 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 ANNOUNCEMENT. NOT
IT IS THAT
RECOMMENDED HIS ACID NICE!
THAT YOU USE BREATH MY WATER
BLADE IS
"PREDATOR" WAS
STRONGER
TO DEVOUR ANYTHING
TO THAN |
THE TEMPEST THOUGHT.
SERPENT. SCOFF
AT.

HUH
?

SO YOU
ANSWER: BY KNOW
DEVOURING THE
BUT WHY SPECIES
AND SHOULD OF
ANALYZING | DEVOUR
MONSTER,
TOO?
THE TARGET, IT, GREAT
ITS SKILLS SAGE?
CAN BE
GAINED.

WELL,
LET'S
NOT
WASTE
REALLY
TIME…
?!

DOWN
THE
HATCH!

64

fuse_9781632365064.indd 183 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 ALSO, SKILLS:
YOU MAY "SENSE
"MIMIC" HEAT
THE FORM SOURCE"
OF ANY OOH…
SUBJECT AND
| HAVE "POISONOUS
ANALYZED. BREATH"
AHA! GAINED.

MIMIC…
LIKE
THIS, |
SUPPOSE
?

GUESS
|'LL
GIVE
IT A
SHOT.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 182 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 HEY,
BATS!

HANG
ON, IF THIS IS
SOME
| EAT
QUALITY
THOSE, MIMICRY
THEN !
MAYBE
…

EW,
NASTY!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 181 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 SKILLS: OKAY,
"DRAIN" AND
NO MORE
AND POISONOUS
DOWN BREATH
"ULTRA- THE AFTER
SONIC HATCH THIS…
WAVE" …
GAINED.

THERE
WE GO.

HEH
HEH HEH!
…TCH. ANSWER: RIDDLE
TO ME THIS,
ACQUIRE GREAT
A VOCAL SAGE:
ORGAN, WHY DID
MOST | GO
LIKELY. AFTER A
BAT?
?

…BUT | FIGURED
THAT IF | COULD
RECREATE THE OKAY,
ORGAN THAT | DON'T YOU
PRODUCES ACTUALLY WIN.
ULTRASONIC CARE ABOUT
WAVES, | MIGHT THE SKILL
BE ABLE TO ITSELF…
SPEAK OUT
LOUD.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 180 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 LIKE
| WORKED OR THIS HMM,
OVERTIME, MORE ? THIS IS
LOSING ACTUALLY
LIKE
SLEEP KINDA
THIS
(NOT THAT HARD.
| NEEDED IT)
?
TO PRACTICE
VOCALIZING.

THE
WHOLE
SKILLS: WHILE,
"STICKY AND DE- | WAS
THREAD" VOURED UNDER
THEM. CONSTANT
AND ATTACK BY
"STEEL MONSTERS,
THREAD" OF
ACQUIRED. COURSE.

AND IN |
EACH CASE, CRUSHED
| GAINED NEW THEM.
SKILLS TO
STRENGTHEN
MYSELF.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 179 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 GREE-
TINGZ.
| YAM AN AND
ON THE
AY-LEE-EN.
THIRD
TAKE MEE DAY…
TOO YOR
LEE-DER.

SUCCESS
REALLY?
THAT'S | DID !

IT? ITT,
GRAYT
SAGE!

YOU
… DID.

THE
TIME HAS
NOW THAT
COME TO
| THINK
VENTURE
ABOUT IT,
OUT OF
GOTTA STAY ON |'VE VAN-
THE CAVE,
MY TOES (IN QUISHED
AT LAST.
A MANNER OF A TON OF
SPEAKING) BUT DIFFERENT
| FEEL LIKE | MONSTERS.
CAN HOLD MY
OWN AGAINST
JUST ABOUT
ANY MONSTER
NOW.

69

fuse_9781632365064.indd 178 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 SO THE
CAVE WAS
IN THE
MIDDLE
OF A
FOREST.

OKAY,
HERE
WE GO
…

70

fuse_9781632365064.indd 177 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 STROLL
PRAC- AROUND.
TICE
TALK-
ING.

…IT'S
SO
TRAN-
QUIL.

STROLL
AND PRAC-
PRACTICE TICE
VOCALIZA- SKILLS.
TION.

STROLL
AROUND.

SPEAKING
OF WHICH,
THERE WAS
THAT ONE IT'S HARD
INCIDENT TO BELIEVE |
WHILE | WAS WAS GETTING
PRACTICING MY
ATTACKED SO
VOCALIZATION…
FREQUENTLY
BY MONSTERS
IN THAT CAVE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 176 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 WHAT
?

HUH?
THAT
WAS
WEIRD.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 175 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 THEY
ALMOST
SEEMED
SCARED
OF ME…

ARE
THESE…
GOBLINS
?
HM?

ABOUT
| 30 OF
SHOULDN'T SO |
THEM.
BE GUESS
SURPRISED. THERE ARE
THERE ARE GOBLINS
SLIMES AND IN THIS
DRAGONS, WORLD?
AFTER ALL.

THEN 30
GOBLINS ARE THEY
AGAIN
… AGAINST PLANNING
A TO
SINGLE ATTACK
SLIME? ME OR
WHAT SOME-
GIVES THING?
?!

73

fuse_9781632365064.indd 174 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 IT'S HARD WEAK,
TO IMAGINE SKINNY
THEM BEING BODIES.
ABLE TO
HURT ME,
HONESTLY.

DE-
CREPIT
GEAR.

HEY,
HOW
COME
| CAN
COMPRE-
ANSWER: IT
HEND ITS
WHEN SOUND GOBLIN CAN
WAVES CONTAIN SPEECH, TALK
MESSAGES ANYWAY ?!
OF PERSONAL ?
WILL, YOUR
"MAGIC SENSE"
SKILL CONVERTS
THEM INTO
WORDS YOU CAN
UNDERSTAND.

IF YOU
AHH,
VOCALIZE
| SEE.
YOUR
GUESS
THOUGHTS,
|'ll TRY YOU SHOULD
IT OUT. BE ABLE TO
CONVERSE
WITH THEM.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 173 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 …! NICE
|'M
RIMURU TO
THE MEET
YOU.
SLIME.

H-
HUH
?

75

fuse_9781632365064.indd 172 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 UH…
SORRY, DID |
| HAVEN’T THINK
REALLY GOTTEN
THAT TOO
THE HANG OF
MODULATING HARD?
THIS JUST YET.

SO,
WHAT DO
YOU WANT
WITH ME?
| HAVE NO
BUSINESS
UP AHEAD…
OR ANY-
WHERE,
REALLY.

POWERFUL
MONSTER
?

76

fuse_9781632365064.indd 171 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 ANNOUNCEMENT:
THERE IS NO REALLY?
MONSTER WITHIN MY MAGIC
A RADIUS OF SENSE ISN'T
100 METERS PICKING
THAT CONTAINS ANYTHING
GREATER LIKE THAT
SEE? MAGICULES THAN UP…
EXACTLY. THE INDIVIDUAL
NAMED
RIMURU TEMPEST.

100 meters = About 328 feet

HMM
… WAIT,
THEY
"AURA" MEAN
?! ME
?

GREAT |
SAGE, CAN DON'T
| SWITCH MY RECALL
"MAGIC SENSE" EXUDING
VIEWPOINT? ANY
SWITCH- AURA…
ING. | WANT TO
SEE MYSELF.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 170 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 Third-Person View

IT'S
POUR-
OH MY
ING
GOOD-
OUT
NESS.
OF
ME!

THIS
IS A
HEH… | FEEL LITTLE
HEH HEH. LIKE |'VE EMBAR-
YOU CAN BEEN RASS-
SEE THAT STROLLING ING.
? DOWN
MAIN
STREET
WITH MY
FLY DOWN
OR SOME-
THING.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 169 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 HA HA HA…
NO WORRIES.
| HAVE TO KEEP
MY AURA OUT,
OR ELSE |'LL BE
ATTACKED BY
ALL KINDS OF
MONSTERS.

THAT'LL
BE MY
EXCUSE
…

AFTER
APPAR- …UNTIL THAT,
ENTLY, THE | HAD A
THEY WERE TOPIC NICE TIME
OF ME CHATTING
GOING TO
STAYING WITH THE
GIVE ME A
AT THEIR HELPFUL
PLACE TO
VILLAGE GOBLINS…
SLEEP.
AROSE.

THERE'S OVER
OUR TIME,
MY HOME. THEIR
MAGIC LANGUAGE
SENSE BECAME
WAS CLEARER
PROBABLY TO ME.
GETTING
USED TO
THEM.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 168 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 THIS
THANK PLACE
YOU FOR IS A
DUMP
WAITING, …
VISITOR.

|'M
OH, UH, AFRAID
DON'T THAT
WORRY WE HAVE
ABOUT VERY
IT. LITTLE
TO OFFER
YOU.

|
ANYWAY,
WHAT'S UP? AM THE
| ASSUME ELDER
YOU INVITED OF THIS
ME HERE HUMBLE
FOR A VILLAGE.
REASON.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 167 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 MY SON
HAS TOLD
ME OF THE
INCREDIBLE
POWER YOU
HARBOR
PLEASE,
WITHIN
GREAT YOURSELF.
SIR, CAN
YOU HEAR
OUT OUR
HUMBLE
REQUEST
?

?!

ONE
MONTH DEPENDS
ON WHAT
AGO, THE YOU WANT.
DRAGON SPEAK.
EVER SINCE, GOD WHO
NEARBY PROTECTS
MONSTERS THIS LAND
HAVE COME SUDDENLY
INTO OUR VANISHED.
REGION IN
SEARCH YES,
OF NEW SIR!
TERRITORY.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 166 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 MOST
POWER-
JUST ONE FUL
OF THEM IS OF ALL
SO STRONG, ARE THE
HOW THAT EVEN DIRE-
THE WOLVES.
MANY TEN OF
PACK IS
ARE US HAVE
NEARLY
THERE TROUBLE
100
? DEFEATING
STRONG.
IT…

AND YOU'RE
YES, NO CERTAIN THAT THOSE
DOUBT THERE ARE ARE WHAT AS FOR
ABOUT AROUND 100 |'D CALL OUR TRIBE,
IT. DIREWOLVES "DIRE" ONLY 60
? ODDS… OF US,
INCLUDING
THE FEMALES,
ARE CAPABLE
FIGHTERS…

THE
GREATEST RIGUR
WARRIOR
RIGUR
IS MY
IN OUR ELDER FOUGHT
VILLAGE, BRO- TO THE
IT IS WHO THER. DEATH TO
THANKS RECEIVED
TO HIM HIS NAME RIGUR BRING
THAT WE FROM A ? US THAT
ARE STILL FAMED INFOR-
DEMON. MATION.
ALIVE AT
ALL.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 165 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 RIGUR'S…
NOT
AROUND
ANYMORE
MY SON ?
WAS THE
PRIDE OF
MY LIFE.
EVEN IF WE
WEAKLINGS
ARE DES-
TINED TO
PERISH…

…WE MUST
STILL FIND
A WAY TO
SURVIVE AND
HONOR HIS
STRENGTH.

WHAT
CAN WHAT |
YOU WILL | HAVE ONE
OFFER RECEIVE QUESTION
FOR FOR YOU,
ME
SAVING ELDER.
?
YOUR
VILLAGE
?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 164 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 |
YOUR MEAN,
MIGHTINESS, SURE, |
WE WOULD COULD
PLEDGE OFFER
TO
OUR
HELP
LOYALTY THEM
TO YOU! ON A
WHIM.

BUT | JUST
NEED TO
UPHOLD
THE
NATURAL
ORDER
A BIT.

…THIS
IS A
FAMI-
LIAR
FEEL-
ING.

84

fuse_9781632365064.indd 163 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 IN
THE END,
| ALWAYS
DID GIVE
IN TO
REQUESTS.

THE
TH- HOWL
THAT OF THE
WAS DIRE-
CLOSE
BY!
WOLF!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 162 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 ARE
THEY
ATTACK-
ING AT
IT'S
LAST
ALL
?!
OVER
WE'RE !
ALL WE'RE
GOING IN
TO BE DAN-
GOB-
GER
BLED
UP!
HERE
!

WE
HAVE LET'S
NOT TO NO- RUN
MENTION WHERE FOR
ALL THE TO OUR
WOUNDED, GO! LIVES
RUN
WOMEN, !
WHERE
AND
?!
CHILDREN
!

NOW
THERE CALM
DOWN,
IS
ALL OF
NOTHING YOU…
TO
FEAR.

86

fuse_9781632365064.indd 161 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 MEAN-
ING… THEY WILL
SOON BE
VAN-
QUISHED.

YES.
YOUR
REQUEST
SHALL BE
GRANTED
…

…IN THE
STEAD
OF THE
STORM
DRAGON,
VELDORA
…

…BY ME,
RIMURU
TEMPEST
!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 160 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 PLEASE
GRANT
US YOUR
PROTEC-
TION!

AND
FROM
THIS DAY
FORTH,
WE SHALL
EVER BE
YOUR
FAITHFUL
SERVANTS
!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 159 7/6/17 8:16 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 158 7/6/17 8:16 AM
fuse_9781632365064.indd 157 7/6/17 8:16 AM
fuse_9781632365064.indd 156 7/6/17 8:16 AM
 THEY
ARE ALL
VICTIMS
OF
DIREWOLF
ATTACKS
…

ER, SOME
LORD HAVE
RIMURU LITTLE
?! TIME
LEFT
…

WH-
WHAT
ARE
YOU
…?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 155 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 WH-
WHAT
IS…?

|
SHOULD
OF HAVE HIS…HIS
COURSE GUESSED, WOUNDS
YOU LORD HAVE
HAVE THE RIMURU. GOOD, HEALED
POWER OF THE TEST ?!
RESUR- WORKED.
RECTION
HELL, …
NO!

|'M JUST
AND SPLASHING
WHERE A HEALING
DID | ELIXIR INSIDE
GET THAT OF MY BODY
ELIXIR, ON THEM,
YOU ASK THEN SPITTING
? THEM BACK
OUT.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 154 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 THAT'S
RIGHT.
BACK
WHEN | AS A
…| WAS MATTER OF
COULDN'T
EATING FACT, | ATE
SEE OR
THOSE A TON OF
HEAR…
PLANTS ITS BASE
FOR INGREDIENT
NO OTHER WITHOUT
REASON REALIZING
THAN TO IT.
STAVE OFF
BOREDOM.

ACCORD-
ING
TO THE
…THEY'RE GREAT
CALLED SAGE…
"HIPOKUTE
HERBS."

SO
COMBINING
BASICALLY,
THE HERBS'
| JUST
SAP WITH
KNEAD THE MAGICULES
STUFF UP TURNS IT
…AND INSIDE MY
BINGO! INTO A
BODY… HEALING
HEALING
ELIXIR.
POTIONS.

94

fuse_9781632365064.indd 153 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 IN
OTHER
WORDS,
|'M
…AND SITTING
JUDGING ON A
BY THESE GOLD
LORD RESULTS, MINE OF
RIMURU IT'S HEALING
! PRETTY ELIXIR…
GOOD
STUFF.

IT SEEMS
WE HAVE
A LITTLE
FLIMSY,
CREATED A
BUT THIS IS "FENCE"
PROBABLY AS YOU
THE BEST ORDERED…
THAT CAN IS THIS
NOW
BE DONE SATIS-
ON SHORT FACTORY
|'LL
NOTICE. ?
JUST
…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 152 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 MY
|
LORD,
STOLE STOLE THE
WHAT
…? WEBBING
ARE
THREADS
THESE
FROM
…?
SPIDERS
IN THE
CAVE.

…WE
HAVE
OUR
MEANS NOW…
TO
STRIKE
BACK.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 151 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 TON|GHT,
WE LAY
WASTE
TO THE
GOBL|N
V|LLAGE
…

…AND
TAKE OUR
|T |S A
F|RST
GOOD
STEPS
MOON.
TOWARD
CONQUER-
|NG THE
FOREST
OF JURA.

97

fuse_9781632365064.indd 150 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 ON-
WARD.

THEY NO
LONGER
HAVE THE
PROTEC-
T|ON
OF THAT
ACCURSED
DRAGON!

LET THE
SLAUGHTER
BEG|N!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 149 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 TH-
THEY'RE OH!
COMING
!

THEY'RE
JUST UP
THERE!

THE
DIRE-
WOLVES
!!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 148 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 STOP
WHERE
YOU
ARE.

THAT'S
H|M,
DAD!
HE'S
THE
ONE…

|T |S
JUST A THE
S|MPLE MONSTER
W|TH THE
SL|ME! "|NCRED|BLE
AURA"
YOU CAME
NON- ACROSS?
SENSE.

100

fuse_9781632365064.indd 147 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 IF YOU
TURN LISTEN UP-
BACK |'M ONLY
NOW, GOING TO
BE YOU WILL SAY THIS
SMART, NOT BE ONCE.
AND HARMED.
LEAVE
US IN
PEACE.

DAD!

TH|S
L|TTLE HMPH!
SL|ME A FENCE
FANC|ES L|KE THOSE
|TSELF AT HUMAN
TO BE V|LLAGES.
|MPOR-
TANT!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 146 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 THOSE
MEASLY
ST|CKS
W|LL
FLY TO YOU GO
P|ECES F|RST!
BEFORE
OUR
CLAWS
AND
FANGS
…

?!
WHAT?!
WH- WHAT
WHAT JUST
|S HAPPENED
TH|S …?
?!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 145 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 IS
| USED THAT
THE STICKY WHAT
BUT THREADS TO THOSE
STRENGTHEN THREADS
THOSE | JUST
WERE
THE FENCE. ASSUMED
WERE FOR
YOU WERE
STEEL STRENGTH-
?!
THREADS. ENING THE
POSTS…

AND
EVEN BETWEEN
THE
IF
THREADS
THEY AND THE
DO… ARROWS,
THEY'RE
GOING TO
FIND IT HARD
TO CHARGE
THE FENCE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 144 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 |MPOSS|BLE!
THE PROUD
D|REWOLVES
CAN NEVER BE
BESTED BY
|NFER|OR CREATURES
L|KE GOBL|NS
AND SL|MES!!

I
CANNOT
ACCEPT
TH|S. 104

fuse_9781632365064.indd 143 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 DAD
?!

THE BLOOD
OF MY
FELLOW
WOLVES
ALLOWS ME
TO SEE THE
STR|NGS… MERE
…AND MY
TR|CKS.
CLAWS AND
FANGS ARE
MORE THAN
STRONG
ENOUGH TO
SEVER THEM.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 142 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 DON'T GET
COCKY,
MEASLY
SL|ME!!

I
W|LL
CRUSH
YOU
FLAT
!!

LORD
RIMURU
…!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 141 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 NICE
TRY…

?!

TOO BAD-
YOU FELL
INTO MY
STICKY
THREADS.

WHY
CAN'T
I MOVE
…?!
107

fuse_9781632365064.indd 140 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 H-
HE
DID
IT!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 139 7/6/17 8:16 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 138 7/6/17 8:16 AM
 DAD…

LISTEN
UP,
YOUR DIRE-
CHOICE WOLVES!
IS YOUR
SIMPLE- BOSS
FEALTY, IS NOW
OR DEAD!
DEATH!

WHAT
IF THEY
DECIDE,
OH, CRAP.
"WE'D | FORGOT—THE
RATHER BEST CHOICE
DIE THAN IS FOR THEM
BEND THE TO RUN AWAY,
KNEE!" BUT MY MIND
AND IMMEDIATELY
CHARGE JUMPED TO
ALL AT
THOSE BADASS
ONCE?
OPTIONS.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 137 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 HUH?
THEY'RE
| GUESS NOT
THEY'RE MOVING
HAVING …
TROUBLE
TAKING
ACTION
WITHOUT A
LEADER TO
CONTROL
THEM.

MAYBE THEY
JUST NEED
A PUSH IN
THE RIGHT
DIRECTION…

DIREWOLF
ANALYSIS
GOOD. COMPLETE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 136 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 HEH-
HEH-
WE HEH!
SHALL VERY
OVER- WELL!
LOOK
YOUR
THERE!
HOW ACT|ONS
DO YOU TH|S ONE
LIKE THIS T|ME!
MENACING
AIR?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 135 7/6/17 8:16 AM

 |F YOU
W|LL
NOT
OBEY MY
COM-
MANDS
…THEN …
I ALLOW
YOU TO
LEAVE
NOW W|THOUT
QUARREL
GO !!
!!

WE W|LL
FOLLOW
YOU TO
THE ENDS
OF THE
EARTH,
MASTER!

…HUH?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 134 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HMM.
QUITE
A WILD
RETINUE
|'VE
BUILT
UP FOR
MYSELF.

MONSTERS
DO NOT WELL, |
USUALLY BY THE
SHOULD
HAVE WAY,
THEIR OWN ELDER,
PROBABLY
NAMES. WHAT GIVE THEM
IS YOUR SOME
NAME? ORDERS TO
HELP THEM
TAKE CARE
OF THE
VILLAGE ON
THEIR OWN…

STILL, OH, AFTER ALL,

IT MAKES | SEE WE DO
IT LESS … NOT NEED
THAT'S CONVENIENT NAMES TO
IT! FOR ME TO MAKE OUR-
CALL ON SELVES UN-
YOU. DERSTOOD.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 133 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 |'LL
JUST
GIVE
WHOA, ALL
WHAT'S
WITH THE
OF YOU
BURNING NAMES.
GAZES? HOW
ABOUT
THAT
?

IF YOU A-ARE
WANTED YOU
NAMES UH,
CERTAIN
THAT BADLY, Y-YEAH. ?
WHY DIDN'T SO GET
YOU JUST INTO A
MAKE
UP YOUR
SINGLE-
OWN? FILE LINE.

115

fuse_9781632365064.indd 132 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 LET'S
SEE,
YOU’RE THE
THEN RELATIVES ELDER
AS HIS OF RIGUR, AND
FATHER, THE HIS
GREATEST SON
| NAME …
THE ELDER WARRIOR
OF THE
RIGURD. Y-YES,
MY VILLAGE,
LORD. RIGHT?
OOOH!

OKAY,
NOW RIGUR'S
UM,
WHAT YOUNGER
TO BROTHER
YOU'LL
BE…
NAME SHALL
THE
GOBTA! CARRY ON
OTHERS
?
HIS NAME,
RIGUR,
HENCE-
FORTH.

GOBCHI.

YES,
SIR!

SEE
HOW MANY LISTEN,
GOBLINS | DIDN'T
THERE ARE? CLAIM | WAS
| CAN'T SOME KIND
CAREFULLY
OF NAMING
CONSIDER
VIRTUOSO!
EACH AND
EVERY ONE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 131 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 |
ARE YOU
AM AWARE
SURE YOU
THAT YOU
WISH TO
HAVE GREAT
DO THIS,
MAGICAL LORD
POWER, BUT RIMURU?
THEN IF YOU GIVE
WHAT? EACH AND
IT'S NO EVERY
BIG PERSON
DEAL. HERE A
NAME…
HM?

|'LL
CALL | MEAN,
YOU A JUST LOOK
… FEMALE HOW EXCITED
HARUNA. GOBLIN, THEY ARE, ALL
HUH…?
LINED UP LIKE
THIS. | CAN'T
JUST STOP
PARTWAY…

LET'S
SEE…
YOU'RE
THE SON
OF THE
DIREWOLF
BOSS,
RIGHT?

117

fuse_9781632365064.indd 130 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 |'LL
COMBINE THE
CHARACTERS
FOR "STORM"
AND "FANG"
TO CREATE
THE NAME
RANGA.

YOUR
NAME IS
RANGA.

OH
WHOA…
CRAP, WHY DO |
MY SUDDENLY
"MAGIC FEEL SO
SENSE" WASTED
RAN …?
OUT.

DAMN,
ANSWER: | CAN'T
YOUR TELL
REMAINING WHAT'S
…PUTTING HAPPEN- WHAT'S
MAGICULE GOING
YOU LEVEL HAS ING,
INTO AN ON
DROPPED GREAT
AUTOMATIC AROUND
BELOW A SAGE ME.
"SLEEP CERTAIN ?!
MODE." POINT…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 129 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 YOUR
ESTIMATED HUH…?
TIME FOR
FULL
RECOVERY
IS THREE
DAYS.

If you BUT…
give each | WAS
and every ONLY
person a GIVING
name…
THEM
| HAD NO NAMES.
IDEA THAT
USED UP
SO MANY
MAGICU…

WAIT…
WAS THIS,
THEN LIKE,
WARN COMMON
ME KNOWLEDGE
FIRST!! TO ALL
WELL, MONSTERS
| GUESS ?
YOU
TRIED…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 128 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THIS FEELS
MY LIKE HAY
MAGIC SENSE BEDDING.
WHATEVER,
HAS RUN OUT,
| CAN DEAL…
SO | CAN'T SEE
|'LL BE FINE
OR HEAR, BUT
IN THREE
| CAN TELL
DAYS.
THEY'RE TAKING
GOOD CARE
OF ME.

THEY'RE
CON-
Y'KNOW, STANTLY
…INSTEAD, THIS WOULD RUBBING
THEY'RE
BE A REAL AND
GOBLINS
… TURN-ON SHINING
IF THEY MY SLIME
WERE HOT BODY.
NURSES,
BUT…

YOU
KNOW,
IT'S A
SURREAL
PICTURE,
BUT |
KIND OF
LIKE IT.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 127 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HOW Three
ARE YOU days
FEELING later
?

OH, LORD
RIMURU.

WHO
?!

|
WILL GO
AND CALL
UH, ELDER
SURE. RIGURD
FOR YOU.

HEY,
RIGURD. LORD
WHO
RIMURU!
WAS
THAT YOU ARE
WOM- AWAKE!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 126 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 AND
WHO
IS
THAT
?!

IS IT
JUST ME… PLEASE,
OR IS COME
EVERYONE THIS WAY.
SUDDENLY THE FEAST
HUGE…? IS NEARLY
READY.

UH, C-
COOL.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 125 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 ALLOW
ME TO
EXPRESS
MY
DEEPEST
JOY AT
…MY YOUR
LORD RECOVERY
!! …

UM…
RANGA
?

YES, MY
LORD!

UH…
WHAT'S
GOING
ON?!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 124 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 123 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 LORD
IS THE RIMURU
FEAST HAS
PRE- AWAK-
PARED, ENED!
EVERY-
ONE?

|
GOTTA
SAY…

WHO'DA
GUESSED THAT
JUST GIVING
THEM NAMES
WOULD CAUSE
SUCH GROWTH.

MONSTERS
SURE ARE
MYSTERIOUS.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 122 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 IT
JUST
MAKES
NO
SENSE
…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 121 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 SO!
TO UMM…
YOUR
A EVOLU-
TOAST! TION,
AND
CHEEEE…
THE END
OF THE
FIGHTING.

…EEE RS…

LORD
RIMURU,
DON'T
WHAT JUST
IS THIS STARE
"TOAST"
YOU
AT ME!
SPEAK DO A
OF? TOAST!

HUH? OH,
| GUESS
YOU'RE
NOT
FAMILIAR
WITH THE
CUSTOM.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 120 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 | SHOULD
HAVE FIGURED
THAT SOCIAL
| CUSTOMS
SEE, FROM MY
MEAN, YOU PAST LIFE
THEY'RE RAISE
WOULDN'T
NOT YOUR
NECESSARILY
CUPS
EVEN LIKE
HOLD TRUE
HUMAN. THIS… HERE.

THEIR…
CUISINE?
IS EITHER
RAW OR
COOKED
OVER AN
OPEN
FIRE.

AND
THEY
DON'T
SEEM TO
HAVE A
THEIR BUILT-IN
HOUS- SENSE OF
ING IS SHAME.
ROUGH-
AND-
TUMBLE.

128

fuse_9781632365064.indd 119 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 The
next
day
… SURE
GOT A
EVERYONE, LOT OF
GATHER WORK
AROUND! AHEAD
LORD OF US.
RIMURU
HAS A VERY
IMPORTANT
SPEECH
TO GIVE.

129

fuse_9781632365064.indd 118 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 …THERE.
IT TOOK
FIVE WHOLE
MINUTES
FOR YOU
TO QUIET
DOWN.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 117 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 WHAT?!
THEY DON'T
EVEN GET
MY BRILLIANT
PRINCIPAL
IMPERSON-
ATION?!

JUST AHEM!
THAT'S PIVOT WITH
HOW A TO A THAT
REAL NEW OUT
ADULT TOPIC. OF THE
HANDLES
EMBAR- WAY
RASS-
…
MENT.

SO IN THE AS
INTEREST OF YOU CAN
AVOIDING SEE, OUR
TROUBLE, LITTLE
GROUP
| WANT TO HAS
LAY DOWN GROWN
SOME MUCH
GROUND LARGER.
RULES.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 116 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 TWO:
JUST
BECAUSE ONE:
YOU'VE THERE
EVOLVED, WILL BE
THAT DOESN'T NO IN-
MEAN YOU'RE FIGHTING.
ALLOWED TO
LOOK DOWN
ON OTHER
SPECIES.

THREE:
NO
ATTACKING
HUMANS.

THAT IS ALL.
HOW THESE THREE
WILL THEY RULES ARE
RESPOND IRONCLAD.
?

132

fuse_9781632365064.indd 115 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 WHY |
MUSTN'T HAVE A
WE QUES-
ATTACK TION.
THE AHA!
HUMANS WHAT
? IS IT,
RIGUR
?

HERE
WE
GO…

YOU DARE
QUESTiON
LORD
NO,
RiMURU'S
NO,
JUDGMENT
IT'S
FINE.
…?

|'M
GLAD HE'S
QUESTION-
ING ME.
IT'S A SIGN
THAT HE'S
CONSIDERING
MY WORDS
SERIOUSLY.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 114 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THE
REASON
IS
THAT'S
BECAUSE SIMPLE.
ALL! | LIKE
HUMANS.

| SEE!
THAT IT ALL
WAS MAKES
EASY!
SENSE!

| MEAN,
LISTEN.
AND HOW JUST HUMANS
WILL WE LIKE US, LIVE IN
COMPETE
IF THEY GET PACKS
WHEN IT
COMES TO
ATTACKED, TOO,
NUMBERS? THEY FIGHT RIGHT?
WE CAN'T. BACK.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 113 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THERE-
GETTING FORE,
IN TRUTH,
ALONG | FORBID
ACTUALLY,
WITH YOU TO
| WOULD
THEM WILL ATTACK
PREFER
BENEFIT THEM.
HUMANS.
US,
ACTUALLY.

WELL, THAT
SUMS IT UP.
THOSE ARE
THE RULES |
EXPECT YOU
TO FOLLOW.

NOW
THAT
YES
… |'VE LAID
? DOWN
SECURITY
THE
ROLES,
RULES,
HUNTING IT'S TIME
ROLES, TO SET
VILLAGE ROLES.
UPKEEP
ROLES…
RIGURD.

135

fuse_9781632365064.indd 112 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 |
HEREBY
PLACE
SERVE YOU IN
AS A WISE THE
AND JUST POSITION
LEADER OF
OF THE GOBLIN
VILLAGE. LORD.

MY
|’M
LORD!
BASICALLY
A
FINE WITH | WILL
KING WHO DEVOTE
BEING A
REIGNS BUT
DOESN’T
BOSS WHO MY LIFE
JUST GIVES TO SERV-
RULE.
ORDERS.
SOUNDS ING THIS
GOOD POSITION!
TO ME.

AND IT WON'T
DO IF THESE AFTER ALL,
GUYS ARE |'D LIKE TO
COMPLETELY TRAVEL TO
HELPLESS A HUMAN
WITHOUT VILLAGE
ME TO CALL SOMETIME.
THE SHOTS.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 111 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 BUT NOW
THAT |'VE
TOSSED
THAT OUT
THERE…

AND
THIS IS
YES, |'M AFTER
ASHAMED YOU
TO REBUILT
ADMIT IT?
…

HEY,
|'M
| USED TO BUT |'M NOT
SO
WORK FOR YOU SAYING
SORRY
…BUT | A GENERAL … DON'T THAT YOU
DON'T HAVE CONTRACTOR, KNOW MADE
THE SKILL SO | KNOW ARCHI- ANY BAD
TO TAKE A BIT ABOUT TECTURE, DECISIONS.
CHARGE CONSTRUC- SO WHAT
AND CALL TION… ELSE
THE SHOTS. COULD |
SO WHAT EXPECT
NOW…? ?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 110 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THERE
ARE
SOME
THEY ARE WE'RE
WITH
HANDY GOING
WHOM
FOLKS TO NEED A
WE'VE
WELL- CONNEC-
TRADED
VERSED TION
IN THE
IN THE TO SOME
PAST.
ART OF KIND OF
BUILDING TECHNI-
HOMES! CIAN…

OH
YEAH OH!
?

TRADING
PARTNERS,
HUH?
WHO ARE
THEY?

THE
DWARVES.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 109 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 OH,
YOU'RE WHEN
FAMILIAR YOU SAY
…THE
WITH DWARVES,
ONES ARE YOU
YEAH, THEM!
THAT ARE TALKING,
|'VE HEARD
EXCELLENT LIKE…
OF THEM-
BLACK-
THROUGH
SMITHS
MOVIES
…?
AND VIDEO
GAMES!

| WILL
GO AND
NEGO-
CAN THE DWARF
TIATE
| TRUST KINGDOM IS
DIRECTLY
YOU TO BUT WITH TWO-MONTHS'
WITH
PREPARE THE HELP TRAVEL
THEM.
US FOR OF THE NORTHWARD,
THE TEMPEST ALONG THE
JOURNEY, WOLVES, GREAT RIVER.
WELL, THE TRIP
RIGURD?
AS LONG SHOULD
AS WE'RE BE MUCH
FOLLOWING FASTER.
THE RIVER,
| GUESS
WE CAN'T
GET LOST.

OH!
| WILL
HAVE
EVERY-
THING
READY
BY
MIDDAY,
MY
LORD
!!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 108 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 SO
THERE
YOU
GO.

NOW |'M
WE'RE
RUSHING HEADING
ALONG FOR THE
|'M AT A DWARF
KEEPING GOOD KINGDOM
MYSELF 80 WITH MY
FIXED IN KPH. TRAVEL
PLACE WITH PARTY.
MY STICKY
THREADS…

80 kph = About 50 mph

…BUT THE
WHEN | DESCENT
GLANCED DOWN INTO
OVER A CANYON
AT THE OR VALLEY
GOBLINS, IS A
THEY WERE LITTLE TOO
HAVING A THRILLING
BAD TIME FOR MY
OF IT, TASTE.
TOO.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 107 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 …BUT
|'M A BIT
THERE'S
WORRIED
NO WAY
ABOUT
TO HOW WELL
HOLD A THEY'RE
CONVER- HOLDING
SATION UP…
AT THIS
SPEED…

SHALL
HEY! WE USE
ARE YOU THE SKILL
GOBLINS "THOUGHT
DOING ALL OH,
RIGHT? RIGHT,
COMMUNI-
| HAD
CATION"
THAT YOU
THAT EARNED
YEAH, OPTION. FROM THE
LET'S DIREWOLVES
DO IT. ?
LORD
RIMURU
?

AFTER OUR DO
EVOLUTION, NOT
WE ARE NO WORRY
AH,
THAT'S LONGER AS ABOUT
GOOD. FATIGUED US!
BY SUCH
RIGOROUS
ACTIVITY!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 106 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 YES,
OH,
MY LORD,
BUT IT BY THE WAY,
WAS NOT WHO WAS IT
TO OUR THAT GAVE
CURRENT YOUR OLDER
LEVEL. DID HE BROTHER HIS
EVOLVE, NAME IN
TOO? THE FIRST
PLACE?

YEARS AGO,
HE WAS
NAMED BY
AHH… HE LORD GELMUD,
SAID THAT AN OFFICER
RIGUR OF THE DEMON
WOULD LORD'S ARMY,
MAKE A WHEN THEY
GOOD STOPPED BY
FOLLOWER THE VILLAGE.
ONE DAY.

| FEEL LIKE
THERE WAS
BUT SO
A VERY
DEPENDING NAMING
IMPORTANT
ON WHO CAUSES
KEYWORD IN
DOES THE EVOLU-
THAT STORY.
NAMING, TION.
THE
AMOUNT
OF
GROWTH
DIFFERS.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 105 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 DEMON
HOW
TRADITIONAL
LORD'S
ARE WE TALK- ARMY
ING HERE?
INVADING !!
THE HUMANS,
PLOTTING
WORLD
DOMINATION
?

|
SHOULD
HAVE
FIGURED
THERE
WOULD
BE A
BIG BAD
GUY!

IF THAT'S
THE CASE,
| WONDER
WHICH
SIDE |
WOULD
FALL ON
…?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 104 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 GOBTA,
YOU SAID
YOU'VE
BEEN TO
THE DWARF
KINGDOM
TO DO SOME
TRADING
BEFORE?

Y-Y-
YES,
MY
WHAT LORD
IS IT !
LIKE
?

THE
CAPITAL'S A UM, W-WELL,
BEAUTIFUL THE OFFICIAL
CITY BUILT NAME IS
INTO AN "THE ARMED
ENORMOUS NATION OF
NATURAL DWARGON."
CAVE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 103 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 AND IT'S
NOT JUST
DWARVES
THERE—
| SAW
PLENTY OF
ELVES AND
HUMANS,
TOO.

|
DWARGON WOULD
IS A BUT IS IT
BY THE LIKE
NEUTRAL POSSIBLE TO SEE
KING'S FOR
BASTION THAT.
ORDER, ALL MONSTERS
OF FREE
FIGHTING IS LIKE US TO
TRADE.
FORBIDDEN JUST WALK
WITHIN THE IN SAFELY
BORDERS OF ?
AHHH. THE NATION.

NOTHING
TO
WORRY
ABOUT.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 102 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 FROM
AHA! THAT WHAT
MAKES ELF… …THE THE
SENSE. ARMIES TALES
NO ONE A OF THE SAY
IS FOOLISH MILLEN- DWARVEN …
ENOUGH TO NIUM KING HAVE
PROVOKE THE ?! REMAINED
MIGHTY UNDEFEATED
DWARF FOR A
KING'S MILLENNIUM.
WRATH.

WHEN
| WENT,
| GOT SO AS
MENACED
JUST IN
LONG AS
FRONT WE DON'T
OF THE
CAUSE ANY
GATES
THERE'S … TROUBLE,
NO WAY INDEED.
WE SHOULD
WE CAN BE FINE.
RUN
INTO ANY
TROUBLE
THERE.

|'M
DEFINITELY
GETTING A
…BUT SENSE OF
MAYBE HEAVY FORE-
GOBTA'S SHADOWING
JUST THAT HERE, LIKE
WEAK AND WE JUST SET
PITIFUL. SOMETHING
IN MOTION…
| BET WE'LL
BE FINE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 101 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THREE
WHOLE
DAYS
AFTER
LEAVING
THE
GOBLIN
VILLAGE
…

A MASSIVE
MOUNTAIN
RANGE
LOOMS
BEFORE
US.

RIPPLING
PLAINS
STRETCH
OUT FROM
THE FOOT
OF THE
RANGE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 100 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THE
ARMED
NATION
OF
DWARGON.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 99 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 IT TOOK
US JUST
THREE DAYS
TO CROSS
WHAT WOULD
HAVE TAKEN
TWO MONTHS
ON FOOT.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 98 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 YEAH. WE'LL H-HOLDING
STICK OUT DOWN THE
LIKE A SORE CAMP, SIR?
THUMB WITH
A BUNCH OF
LOINCLOTHS
AND GIANT
WOLVES.

THE REST OF FROM

YOU, CAMP THIS
OUT AT THE POINT ON,
EDGE OF ONLY |
YES, THE WOODS AND MY
MY
UNTIL WE GUIDE
LORD
… RETURN. GOBTA
WILL
PROCEED.

| FEEL
KINDA
THERE'S BAD
NO FOR
OTHER THEM.
OPTION,
|'M
AFRAID.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 97 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 VERY
WELL.
YOU
MAY
PASS!

HMM,
THIS IS SECURITY'S
PRETTY
A REAL
TIGHT
SLOW
AROUND
LINE. HERE.

HEY! BUT
WHAT ARE ONCE
MONSTERS WE'RE
DOING INSIDE,
WE'RE
AROUND
FREE
HERE? TO GO
ANY-
WHERE.

UH-
HUH.

151

fuse_9781632365064.indd 96 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THEY'RE NOT
INSIDE YET,
SO THERE'S
NO PENALTY
FOR KILLING
THEM HERE,
IS THERE?

DROP
YOUR
BELONG-
INGS,
AND
MAYBE
WE'LL
LET YOU
LIVE.

THE THERE
HUMANS WE GO.
HAVE
SINGLED
US OUT.
FORESHADOW-
ING COMPLETE.

152

fuse_9781632365064.indd 95 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 94 7/6/17 8:15 AM
fuse_9781632365064.indd 93 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 HOW…?

HOW
DID IT
COME
TO
THIS
?!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 92 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 91 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 AND?
THIS IS WHAT'S
KAIDO, THE
CAPTAIN OF YOUR
DWARGON'S EXCUSE
SECURITY ?
FORCES.

| MEAN,
THOSE METAL
THE VERY
BARS AREN'T
FELLOW WHO
GOING
STUFFED ME
TO HOLD A
IN A WINE
SLIME INSIDE,
BARREL AND
ARE THEY TOSSED ME
? INTO A CELL.

H-
HEY…

|'M LET ME
TELLING YOU, | BE CLEAR,
WE WERE HAVE JUST SO
JUST LINING DONE THERE
UP AT THE ABSO- ARE NO
GATES, LUTELY MISUNDER-
NOTHING STANDINGS.
THAT'S ALL.
WRONG.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 90 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THEY'RE
NOT INSIDE HEY,
YET, SO WE WHAT ARE
CAN KILL
MONSTERS AND
THEM HERE,
DOING THEN
RIGHT?
HERE? …

DROP
ITEM YOUR
ONE: BELONG-
WE GOT INGS,
SINGLED AND
OUT FOR MAYBE
HARASS-
WE'LL
MENT.
LET YOU
LIVE.

YES, GOBTA…
SIR! DO YOU
"DON'T REMEMBER
THE THREE
ATTACK
GROUND
HUMANS"
RULES |
!
LAID OUT?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 89 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HEY! YOU
GOOD.
WHAT GIVES SURE?
NOW |
YOU WIMPY WELL,
WANT YOU
IF YOU
LITTLE TO CLOSE
SAY SO—
MONSTERS YOUR EYES
YOU'RE
THE RIGHT THE AND COVER
TO IGNORE BOSS! YOUR EARS
US?! FOR A BIT.

WIMPY
YOU ?
TALKIN'
TO ME
?

IS
THAT OF
SO? A COURSE
DO | SLIME'S |'M
LOOK THE TALKING
LIKE A WIMPIEST TO
SLIME OF THE YOU!
TO YOU WIMP
? MON-
STERS!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 88 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 APPAR-
ENTLY,
WHAT
HE'S NOT
GONNA THE
GET THE HELL
BIG ELSE
PICTURE WOULD
ISN'T UNLESS YOU
THAT HE FEELS
SOME
BE?!
RIGHT,
PAIN
SLIME FIRST…
?

THIS
GUY
THINKS
HE'S
FUNNY
…

HEH HEH!
AND HOW
LONG HAVE
YOU BEEN
CONFUSING
ME FOR A
SLIME?

IF YOU'RE
SOMETHING
ELSE, YOU'RE
RUNNING OUT
OF TIME TO
PROVE IT
TO US!!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 87 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 WELL,
YOU'RE
NOT
WRONG.

WHA
…?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 86 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 WHAT
DO YOU
THINK
OF MY
(NOT)
TRUE
FORM
?

|'M NOT
SURE IF |
CAN HOLD ITEM
BACK MY TWO:
POWER TO A |
SAFE LEVEL, TURNED
SO | REALLY INTO A
HOPE THEY WOLF.
JUST RUN
OFF IN
FRIGHT…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 85 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HEY, HELP HAH!
US OUT!
FIVE
YOU CAN'T
THEY SHOULD FOOL US,
AREN'T BE YOU'RE
INTIMI- ENOUGH STILL JUST
DATED ! A WIMPY
AT ALL! SLIME
UNDER-
NEATH!

ENOUGH,
ALREADY
!!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 84 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 ITEM
THREE:
| JUST
YELLED.
A LITTLE
BIT.
NOT EVEN
THAT LOUD.

TURNED
AND FLED:
16 TOTAL. AN-
SENT INTO NOUNCING
PANIC: RESULTS
OKAY, 68 TOTAL. OF
THANKS. KNOCKED INTIMI-
| DON'T INCONSCIOUS: DATION.
NEED A 92 TOTAL.
SOILED
LAUNDRY PANTS:
LIST.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 83 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HEY!
WHAT'S
HUH? GOING
A ON
SLIME OVER
THERE
? ?!
UMM…
TEE-
HEE!

…AND
THAT'S
WHAT
SO ARE HAP-
WE ALL PENED,
AGREED NO
THAT IT'S MORE,
NOT MY NO
HMM…
FAULT? LESS.
WELL, IT
DOES SEEM
TO MATCH
WITH THE
EYEWITNESS
TESTIMONY
…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 82 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 CAPTAIN,
COME
QUICK!
THERE
WAS A
HUGE
ACCIDENT
IN THE
MINE!

APPAR-
ENTLY AN
ARMOR-
WHAT SAURUS
?! SHOWED
UP…

THE
PATROLS
ARE ACTUALLY,
THAT'S WE'VE
ALREADY
ON THEIR NOT THE GOT TO
WAY TO PROBLEM. ELIMINATE
NO, VANQUISH
IT BEFORE
THE THE IT REACHES
ISSUE BEAST. THE CITY!
IS…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 81 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THE
IT'S
MINERS
LIKE
WE'RE WHO
NOT WERE DEEP
EVEN IN THE MINE
HERE.
TO EXTRACT
MAGIC ORE
SERI- WERE
OUSLY.
WHAT?! TERRIBLY
GARM'S INJURED…
GROUP
?!

AND WITH
DON'T THE WAR
PREPARA-
THEY'RE BE DAFT! TIONS,
NOT THEY'RE AT WE'RE
GOING LIKE THIS ALREADY
TO RATE LOW ON
KICK
BROT HERS … HEALING

THE TO ME! SOLUTIONS.

BUCKET
SO
EASILY!

FOR
NOW,
… GATHER
ALL THE
HERBS
YOU
HAVE…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 80 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HEY!
WHO
SAID EXCUSE
YOU ME.
COULD SIR?
COME
OUT
HERE
?!

HM?
IS THAT
REALLY
YOUR TOP
CONCERN
RIGHT
NOW?

WHAT ISN'T
IS
THIS RIGHT
THAT
HERE A
…?
BIT MORE
IMPORTANT
TO YOU?

IT'S
HEALING
ELIXIR.
DRINK IT
DOWN!
RUB IT ON!
IT REALLY
WORKS!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 79 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 AS YOU
KNOW,
THIS IS MY
NOT THAT (SAGE'S)
|'D EXPECT SPECIAL
HIM TO TAKE BLEND OF
THE WORD OF ELIXIR.
A MONSTER
PRESENTING
HIM WITH A
SUSPICIOUS,
UNIDENTIFIED
LIQUID.

YOUR
WHY NOT BROTHERS-
… TRY THIS IN-SPIRIT
METHOD, ARE IN
IF YOU TROUBLE,
DON'T ISN'T THAT
RIGHT?
HAVE A
BETTER
PLAN?

STOP ARE YOU DON'T

YAPPING SERIOUS, COME! YOU
AND LEAD CAPTAIN? WE'RE DARE
THE WAY, THAT'S GOING!
DAMN FROM A LEAVE
YOU!! MONSTER! THIS
PRISON
CELL!

169

fuse_9781632365064.indd 78 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 ONE
HOUR
LATER
…|'M …
ALL IN
ALL, |'D JUST
SAY |'M MESSING
GETTING AROUND
PRETTY WITH MY
STRINGS
GOOD
TO KILL
AT IT.
TIME.

THEY'VE
BEEN
HEALED!
THANK
YOU!!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 77 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 | STILL
CAN'T IF IT
BELIEVE IT. WASN'T
THIS ARM FOR YOUR
WAS MEDICINE,
NEARLY |'D BE
TORN DEAD BY
OFF JUST NOW!
MINUTES
THANK
AGO!
YOU!

THAT'S THERE
MORE WE
LIKE IT. GO.

…WHAT,
YOU CAN'T
SPARE A
SINGLE
WORD?!

TO
WELL, TELL THE
THAT TRUTH,
SEEMS |'VE
IF THERE'S NEVER
TO HAVE ANYTHING
PUT SEEN
| CAN DO SUCH AN
KAIDO FOR YOU, EXCELLENT
FIRMLY JUST SAY POTION.
IN MY THE WORD.
CORNER.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 76 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THE
VERY
NEXT
…WE DAY
…
WERE
FREE TO
TRACK
DOWN A
BLACK-
SMITH
WHOM
KAIDO
RECOM-
MENDED
TO US.

THIS
PLACE
IS
WILD.

INDEED
…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 75 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 GOTTA
HAND IT
TO THE
THEIR DWARVES.
AND
CITY IS
THEIR
FAR MORE
SELECTION
OF
ADVANCED
WEAPONS THAN THE
AND GOBLIN
ARMOR IS VILLAGE.
SECOND-
TO-NONE.

LOOK AT
THOSE.
THEY'RE
PRACTICALLY
GLOWING!

OH, HE
MADE
HUH
THE ?
ALL OF
SMITH THOSE.
WE'RE
GOING
TO
MEET.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 74 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HO,
BROTHER!
YOU IN
HERE?

WHOA…
THE VERY IS
PICTURE
THAT
OF A
CRAFTS- YOU,
MAN! KAIDO?
SORRY,
|'M
BUSY
IF RIGHT
IT'S NOT NOW.
URGENT,
COULD
YOU COME
BACK
ANOTHER
DAY?
HM?

Weapons Blacksmith
Kaijin

fuse_9781632365064.indd 73 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HEY,
THIS IT'S THE
OHO!
GUYS
THE IS THE IT'S YOU, YOU FROM
SLIME ONE, MASTER ALL YESTER-
WHO KAIJIN! RIMURU! DAY.
WORK
SAVED HERE
OUR ?
LIVES.

WHY
DON'T IS
WE TRY THAT
ASKING SO?
HIM, BUT |'M YOU
SIR? AFRAID HAVE
| CAN'T MY
LEAVE THANKS.
THIS
WORK
AT THE
MOMENT.

NO, DON'T
MIND ME.
| DON'T
MEAN TO
INTERRUPT.
HMM
?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 72 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HIM?
SURELY
THAT'S
THAT
RIGHT,
WOULD
BOSS! BUT HE
BE
UH, WHAT HAD THAT
POINT-
EXACTLY INCREDIBLE
LESS.
ARE THEY ELIXIR
EXPECTING ON HIM.
A SIMPLE WHY NOT
SLIME GIVE IT
TO DO? A TRY?

BUT…
IT NEVER
TELL ME HURTS
YOUR TO HAVE
NO IDEA IF PEOPLE
STORY.
| CAN HELP OWE YOU
THEM WITH FAVORS.
WHATEVER
THE THE
THING PROBLEM
IS… IS, THOUGH.

| SEE.
…BUT
SO YOU
YOU
NEED TO WHIP
DON'T UP TWENTY
HAVE LONGSWORDS
THE BY THE
MATERI- WEEKEND…
ALS.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 71 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THE
NATION
ITSELF
COMMIS-
SIONED
THIS
VARIOUS
ISN'T THE
CRAFTSMEN
SORT OF
FOR THE
REQUEST
JOB.
WHERE
| CAN
SHRUG MY
SHOULDERS
AND SAY,
"WHOOPS,
NEVER
MIND."

AND
NO. THESE
THOSE DON'T
ARE JUST COUNT
STEEL ?
SWORDS.

THE LONG-
WHAT SWORDS |'M
MAKES CALLED UPON
THAT TO SMITH ARE
DIFFERENT MADE WITH
"MAGISTEEL."
FROM A
NORMAL
SWORD?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 70 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THIS IS
THE ONLY
ONE |'VE
GOT IN
MY SHOP
INVEN-
WANT TORY.
TO
OOH, SEE
THIS
SWORD ?
SEEMS
TO BE
SHINING.

THE CORE
YOU IS MADE OF
SHOULDN'T IN OTHER
WHAT?! MAGISTEEL,
HAVE WORDS, WHICH
ACCEPTED | WANT
THE JOB.
IT GROWS ATTRACTS
ONE OF
| DIDN'T THOSE! AND AND
WANT IT EVOLVES STORES
IN THE WITH THE MAGIC
FIRST
USER'S POWER.
PLACE!
DESIRES.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 69 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 "WHAT'S THAT?
YOU MEAN THE
PROUD AND BUT THEN
CAPABLE KAIJIN THAT SLIMY
IS UNABLE TO MINISTER
COMPLETE SUCH VESTA HAD
A MEAGER TASK? TO SPEAK
HOH-HOH-HOH!" UP…

AND
DID YOU RIGHT IN
ASK SEND A FRONT OF
AROUND REQUEST THE KING
FOR TO THE
HIMSELF!
EXTRA GUILD?
THAT
PARTS?
MISERABLE
RAT!
|'VE DONE
EVERYTHING
| CAN,
AND THIS IS
WHAT IT'S
AMOUNTED
TO.

ANYWAY, HMMM.
CAN | WOULD IT BE
OVERTHINKING DAMN
ASK YOU IT ALL!
SOME- THINGS TO
ASSUME THAT AND WITH
THING, ONLY FIVE
YES. THIS VESTA
SAGE DAYS LEFT
FELLOW BOUGHT
? TO GO…
UP ALL THE
MAGISTEEL TO
PUT KAIJIN
OUT OF
BUSINESS…?

179

fuse_9781632365064.indd 68 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 DIDN'T | EAT
ANSWER: SOME KIND
THAT WAS A OF ORE
MAGIC ORE OF BACK IN
EXTREMELY THE CAVE?
HIGH PURITY, WOULD
AUGMENTED THAT HAVE
BY VELDORA
TEMPEST'S HAPPENED
MAGICULES. TO BE…

SO…
THAT'S
MY
CURRENT THE ORE
QUAN- CAN BE
DARY. FORGED
BINGO INTO THE
MATERIAL
!! KNOWN AS
MAGISTEEL.

SAY,
MY GOOD
FELLOW…

DO YOU
HAVE ANY
INTEREST HM?
IN COMING
TO OUR
VILLAGE TO
OFFER YOUR
TEACHINGS
?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 67 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HEY!
THAT'S
MY ONLY HUH?
ANALYSIS FINISHED WELL,
OF ITEM SWORD |…
COMPLETE. OF THE
BATCH!!

AS A
MATTER
OF FACT,
|'VE TAKEN
QUITE A
LIKING
|'LL TO YOUR
SUCK
WARES,
MATERIALS UP
SIR.
CONFIRMED. SOME
SHALL STEEL
| COPY? SWORDS,
TOO…
YES / NO

WHAT
THE—
?! "YES"!

181

fuse_9781632365064.indd 66 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 |'M NOT
GOING
TO
FORCE
YOU TO
GO.

BUT
YOU
MIGHT
WANT
TO
CONSI-
DER IT.

HERE
YOU GO—
MAGISTEEL
LONG-
SWORDS.
20
IN ALL.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 65 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 64 7/6/17 8:15 AM
fuse_9781632365064.indd 63 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 A…
CELEBRA-
TION?

OF
COURSE.
THANKS
OH NO, YOU TO YOU, |
THERE’S MUST WAS ABLE
NO NEED. LET ME TO FULFILL
TREAT THE WORK
YOU. ORDER IN
TIME.

WELL… BUT
IF THEY THERE’LL
INSIST, |
GUESS |
BE
HAVE NO BEAUTIFUL
CHOICE. WOMEN
THERE!

THAT'S
RIGHT!
FROM
PRETTY
…! YOUNG
THINGS
TO THE
MATURE
TYPES!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 62 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 61 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 WOW-
ZA!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 60 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 AWWW,
IT'S SO
CUTE!

WOO-
OOH
!!

NOW
THIS
IS AN
NO-
ELF!!
MORE
LIKE
AN
E. I. L. F.
!!

THEIR MAN,
CLOTHES | CAN
ARE SO BARELY
SHEER!! TAKE
THIS!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 59 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 DAMN,
WHAT'S
IS THIS… GOING
A PERSONAL ON? |'M
CHALLENGE? USING MY
YOU DARE "MAGIC
CHALLENGE SENSE"
ME?! FOR ALL
|'VE GOT!!

AND
YET ALL
OF THESE
MEGABABES
ARE JUST
BARELY
CONCEALING
THEIR MOST
|'LL VULNERABLE
GET PARTS FROM
.YOU… ME!
|'LL
GET
YOU!

WELL…
AT LEAST
HE SEEMS
TO BE
ENJOYING
HIMSELF.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 58 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 YOU
|'M TRULY
HELPED ME
GRATEFUL
UPHOLD TO YOU,
MY GOOD MY GOOD
STANDING SLIME.
WITH HIS
MAJESTY.

IT WAS
ONLY
POSSIBLE
BECAUSE
| THE
MERELY ORIGINAL
MADE PIECE BUT | STILL
COPIES. WAS SO CAN'T WRAP
FINE. MY HEAD
AROUND
HOW YOU
JUST
MULTIPLIED
MY BEST
WORK
IN MERE
SECONDS.

YOU'RE THE
GREATEST
BLACKSMITH
|'VE EVER
… SEEN,
KAIJIN.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 57 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 AHEM, WELL, WHAT
MADAM PRO- WAS YOUR
PRIETRESS? REQUEST?
MAY WE HAVE THAT | VISIT
SOME MORE YOUR
OF THAT FINE VILLAGE?
VINTAGE? WELL…

|
EVERYTHING
THOUGHT
SEEMS
YOU DIDN'T
DELICIOUS
WHEN A HAVE A
BEAUTIFUL SENSE OF UM…
TASTE,
WOMAN
MR. SLIME
S-SIR
POURS YOUR
GLASS ? ?!
FOR YOU.

OH,
WHAT A
CHARMER.

HE KAIJIN IS A
SEEMS TO BLACKSMITH
BE A VERY OF THIS LAND,
UPRIGHT, AND OWES
HONORABLE FEALTY TO
MAN, SO | HIS KING.
DON'T WANT
TO FORCE
HIS HAND.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 56 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 INCIDENTALLY,
GOBTA HAD
TO SIT THIS | FEEL
ONE OUT. LIKE |'VE
RECEIVED
A
REWARD
WORTHY
OF MY
WORK.

HERE!
THIS!

HEY MR.
SLIME,
DO YOU
HM? WANT
…A TO TRY
GLASS
ORB?
THIS?

192

fuse_9781632365064.indd 55 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 |'M
WONDER PRETTY
WHAT KIND GOOD
OF WILD WITH IT,
STUFF SHE PEOPLE YOU
DOES TO SAY | KNOW.
GUYS WITH
BLOW
THAT BALL…
THEIR
MINDS.

SO
LET'S
OH… TELL
FIG-
YOUR Y-YOU
URES. DON'T
FOR-
TUNE! SAY?

GOOD
WHAT
QUESTION. ARE YOU
WHAT DO GOING
YOU WANT TO
TO KNOW FORESEE
? ?

OOH, WHUT
? PERHAPS
THAT'S WE SHOULD
A DIVINE WHO
GOOD YOUR FATED
IDEA! ONE IS!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 54 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 MY
FATED
ONE,
HUH…?
IN OTHER
WORDS,
MY
FUTURE
WIFE?

NO,
WAIT…
|'M A IS
…IT IT EVEN
SLIME
WOULD
NOW, POSSIBLE
BE
MORE
SO | FOR ME
GUESS… TO GET A
LIKE
THIS? WIFE IN
THIS
WORLD
?!

HOW ON
DO THEY THAT NOTE,
MULTIPLY? DO SLIMES
CELL EVEN HAVE
DIVISION? GENDERS?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 53 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 ANYWAY,
| SUPPOSE
"FATED ONE"
IN A DOESN'T
AHA,
SENSE, MY NECESSAR-
THERE'S MEETING ILY MEAN
THE WITH "SPOUSE."
IMAGE! VELDORA
WAS PRETTY
FATEFUL.

MY
WIFE
?!

195

fuse_9781632365064.indd 52 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 …WHAT'S
THIS?

196

fuse_9781632365064.indd 51 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 …HMM?
THE LAST
DREAM
| HAD
BEFORE
| DIED?

| FEEL
LIKE |
KNOW
THIS
WOMAN.

BUT |
DON'T
..THINK…
|'VE
STILL, EVER
|'VE MET
PROB- HER.
ABLY
SEEN
DOES
HER
SHE LOOK
SOME-
LIKE THAT WHERE
CUTE GIRL …
(OR BOY?)
VERSION
OF ME?

fuse_9781632365064.indd 50 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 ISN'T
…THE
THAT
CON-
QUEROR
WOMAN
…
OF
FLAMES
…

…SHIZUE
IZAWA?

SHE'S
LOOKS A
LIKE A GUILD
YOUNG HERO.
HUMAN
GIRL, BUT IS SHE
SHE'S BEEN FAMOUS
AROUND
?
FOR
DECADES.

| BELIEVE SHE'S
RETIRED FROM
THE GUILD NOW,
A AND IS BUSY
HERO TRAINING NEW
… WARRIORS OFF
IN SOME
COUNTRY
OR OTHER.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 49 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 SHIZUE
IZAWA…
| "SHIZUE
MEAN, IZAWA"
THAT'S YOU
COULD ?!
ABOUT
AS TOTALLY
JAPANESE SPELL
A NAME THAT
AS IT NAME
GETS. IN
KANJI.

NO ARE YOU
FAIR! CURIOUS
HUH? ABOUT
ERR… YOUR
FATED ONE,
MR. SLIME
?

|
MEAN, |'D
LIKE THE CURIOUS?
CHANCE YOU
ANOTHER TO MEET COULD
VISITOR? A FELLOW SAY
WELCOME COUNTRY-
THAT…
! MAN…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 48 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 MADAM!
PARDON DO YOU
? ALLOW THE
LIKES OF
COMMON
MONSTERS
IN YOUR
ESTABLISH-
MENT?

ARE YOU
TRYING
TO TELL
WHAT'S
ME THAT B-BUT, SIR, THIS?
SLIME THIS SLIME
ISN'T A IS A TRUE
MONSTER GENTLEMAN
?! …

WHAT
?!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 47 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THE OH,
SCHEMING GREAT…
COURT IT'S
MINISTER
MINISTER
WHO
(PRESUMABLY) VESTA.
TRIED TO
SET KAIJIN
UP FOR
FAILURE.

AHA,
SO THIS
IS THE
GUY?

WELL, HE
CERTAINLY
SEEMS TO
BE THE
…HM? FUSSY
TYPE…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 46 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HMPH!
THIS
IS THE
BEST A
MONSTER
DESERVES.

|'M
JUST
FINE.
MORE OH…
IMPOR- OH
TANTLY, NO!
HOW IS
YOUR
DRESS
?

202

fuse_9781632365064.indd 45 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 DON'T
OF
WORRY
COURSE,
ABOUT |'M
ME. IT'S SUPER
NO BIG PISSED
DEAL. OFF
ON THE
INSIDE.

BUT THIS
MAN IS A
POWERFUL
NATIONAL
MINISTER.

| DON'T
WANT A
FIT OF
ANGER ON
MY PART
TO BRING
HARM TO
KAIJIN
OR THIS
ESTABLISH-
MENT.

HMM?
…| DIDN'T WHY,
KNOW YOU KAIJIN
WERE A …
CUSTOMER
OF THIS—

fuse_9781632365064.indd 44 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 43 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 Y-YOU
KNAVE! HOW
WHAT DARE
GIVES YOU
YOU THE INSULT
RIGHT TO
SPEAK
MY
TO ME SAVIOR!
LIKE…

COME
AGAiN
EEP!
?!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 42 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 Y-
YOU'LL
|'M SORRY PAY FOR
ABOUT THE THIS
DAMAGE INSULT
TO YOUR !
BUSINESS,
OH, MADAM.
THAT'S
ALL
RIGHT
…

WAS
ARE THEY THAT WISE,
GOING TO KAIJIN?
KICK YOU HE'S A
OUT OF MINISTER,
THE CITY RIGHT?
NOW?

HAH.
NOT A
PROBLEM
IF THERE'S
A NEW
PLACE
THAT
NEEDS
ME.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 41 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 HIS BUT YOU'VE
MAJESTY WORKED SO
WOULDN'T HARD FOR
BE HAPPY IF THE KING.
|'D TURNED YOU'RE JUST
THE OTHER GOING TO
CHEEK WHEN LEAVE HIM
MY SAVIOR ?
WAS IN-
SULTED.

NOT HAH!
STANDING |
UP FOR YOU FIGURED
WOULD HAVE YOU'D
DISHONORED
BRING
MY KING.
THAT
UP.

AS A
MATTER SO FOR
OF FACT, BETTER
| WAS OR FOR
HOPING …ALL WORSE,
YOU WOULD RIGHT. |'M WITH
COME TO
THAT YOU
DECISION. NOW!

|'M
IF
NOT
KAIJIN'S
SWEAT-
GOING TO
ING
COME THE
ALONG, DE-
| WON'T TAILS.
QUIBBLE
WITH HOW IT
HAPPENED.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 40 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 BUT
ON THE
OTHER
HAND
…| …
BROTHER, SHOULD
HAVE
RIMURU…
FIGURED
WHAT THAT YOU
HAVE YOU CAN'T
GOTTEN PUNCH A
YOUR- MINISTER
SELVES AND GET
INTO? AWAY
WITH IT.

HMPH!
| ONLY
GAVE A
FOOL
WHAT
HE HAD
COMING
TO HIM!

SO WE
GOT
DRAGGED
TO THE
ROYAL
PALACE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 39 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THE
TRIAL
BEGAN
TWO
DAYS
LATER.

…FOR THE AND

FIRST TIME ON
SINCE | THIS
CAME INTO DAY
THIS WORLD, …
| FELT A
TRUE SENSE
OF DANGER.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 38 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 THE
ARMED
NATION
OF
…IS DWARGON
RULED …
BY THIS
MAN:
GAZEL
DWARGO.

AND HE
EXUDES
TRUE
POWER
!!

210

fuse_9781632365064.indd 37 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 36 7/6/17 8:15 AM
fuse_9781632365064.indd 35 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 Bonus
Short Story

Veldora's Slime Observation Journal

~THE FATEFUL MEETING~

fuse_9781632365064.indd 34 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 Veldora's Slime Observation Journal
~THE FATEFUL MEETING~
♦DEATH AND REINCARNATION♦

Hello there. It's me, Veldora.

What? What do you mean, you don't know me?

Kwaaa ha ha hah! Your jokes are very amusing. Surely you are not
ignorant of the great Storm Dragon, one of the most powerful beings
in the entire world. On the other hand, I am currently nothing more
than a prisoner. For eons I have been sealed away by this infernal
“Unlimited Imprisonment,” and am thus unable to escape. In fact, I
recall a moment 300 years ago…
………
……
…

Porcelain skin. Dainty lips of deep crimson. Black-and-silver hair,

tied into one tail. Not that tall, really. The petite stature and slender
figure leads me to assume that the individual was female. Her eyes
were hidden by a mask, but it could not hide their beauty.

A hero.

Her presence was so dazzling that my eyes could not help but follow
her. Of course, it goes without saying that I was not charmed by this
beauty. We fought one-on-one in fair contest, and I lost. It would be
a lie to claim that I was not chagrined by my defeat. But strangely,
I bore her no enmity. Was it because the girl was totally unafraid of
me, and challenged me without any sign of emotion?

If anything, the presence of this hero has provoked within me not

hatred, but an intense interest in people. How disappointing that
she was indifferent to all but turning turned her blade upon me.

I wish that we could have spoken more. I fought as my spirit willed,

and lived as my spirit willed. There were some who offered their
opinions to me, but I did not offer them my ears in return. I had been
invincible, and believed that I had the right to do as I pleased.

But then I lost. It was not my first defeat, but I cannot recall ever
losing as thoroughly as I had in that moment. My arrogance in as-
suming that I was utterly unstoppable had been shattered, and came
to a sudden, spectacular end at her hands. I was so impressed that I
hoped to battle her again once I was freed from my prison.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 33 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 But sadly, human lives are short. Assuming the hero was of human
birth, my desire shall never come true, I fear. So as I sit in my prison,
I have found a surprising, new side of myself—a self-reflective one.
………
……
…

However! 300 years is too long a time. Simply put, I am bored.

Within a few more centuries, or perhaps not even that long, I would
have been unable to maintain my existence, and would then rein-
carnate. When a dragon perishes, it always returns elsewhere. Had
it happened, my identity would be lost, replaced with a different
individual's…but I did not mourn this fact. On the contrary, I was
looking forward to it. The unchanging boredom was so crushing
that I welcomed my coming oblivion.
❖
Such was my state until that clever little slime appeared before me.

Hurtling towards me with bursting energy, the slime brazenly

slammed into me. I was stunned, to be honest. If I do say so myself,
my aura is rich and powerful, with a tremendous magical density. It
is for these reasons that very few can stand in my presence. Even in
my imprisoned state, lower monsters are totally unable to approach
me. Even a higher-level monster would find it difficult to touch a
being of such pure energy as myself.

Intrigued, I decided I would speak to the creature. Perhaps it had no

higher intelligence or will, or was too newly born to understand, but
I was not concerned with these possibilities. All I wanted was some-
thing to stave off my boredom. But I had a feeling. A feeling that this
encounter would bring something much greater. I knew that it had
something in store for me. So with this unflinching, unerring premo-
nition in hand, I decided to parlay with the slime.

“Can you hear me, little one?” I asked, directly into its mind.

To my delight, it reacted. The slime's mind was fiercely conflicted.

That was enough to show that it had a will of its own. Next, I needed
to converse.

“Hello? Answer me,” I said, feeling excited.

Those who are as powerful as I am can learn to read the thoughts of

beings in their presence, to an extent. Although limited to the sur-
face level, it can be quite useful. As I had not spoken with another
soul in a very long time, I decided to read the slime's thoughts with-
out waiting for an answer, and…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 32 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 “I'm trying to, asshole!!”

Why, I ought to crush that measly slime!!

Asshole! It dares call me an asshole?!

I was outraged. And let me tell you, it is no mean feat to anger one as
patient as I. In fact, I was so taken aback that I almost felt admiration
at the courage of this tiny creature to refer to a great dragon as—and
I quote—an "asshole."

After this, I was able to successfully converse with the slime, and
taught it the Extra Skill, “Magic Sense” as a means to make up for its
lack of sight and hearing. The slime was a very quick learner, and it
gained the skill for its own use in just minutes.

By my estimation, this slime was already an A-Rank monster, going

by the scale often used by humans. As it had been likely birthed
from the incredible magic field surrounding me, this is perhaps not
such a surprise. And its quick mastery of the Magic Sense Skill is no
mystery, either.

I thought that it would be overcome with gratitude when it saw me,

but instead, it was terrified. The plucky little thing quickly overcame
its fear, however.

That part was a little annoying, but I could overlook it. Speaking with
the slime, I found it to be extraordinarily intelligent. This would be
impossible for a freshly-born monster, so it must have been memory
from its previous life.

Such things do happen on rare occasion, so on its own, this would

not be a major shock. But I soon learned that there was more to this
slime's story.
❖
What an extraordinary twist! In fact, it was a human from another
world that was reincarnated as a slime here. This was truly a re-
markable combination of events. Even my Unique Skill, “Inquirer”
—which allows me to consult a record of the world's events—was
unable to find another example of this particular coincidence. This
slime was clearly far more fascinating than I first realized. I was in-
stantly intrigued.

Just then, it asked, “Ya wanna be friends with me?”

I couldn't believe my ears. A humble slime? And yet, I had never

known a “friend” before this point. Plenty of enemies, however…

Not that it matters now. The slime looked like it was going to cry if I

fuse_9781632365064.indd 31 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 didn't agree to be friends with it. It was begging and pleading.

Naturally, with my generous and understanding nature, I granted

its request. I didn't want it to start crying, of course. What a handful
that little slime was.

And so, I gave the slime the name of Rimuru, and it became my
closest, inseparable friend. This was the meeting of Veldora Tempest
and Rimuru Tempest, and the beginning of our journey together.

♦GUARDIAN OF THE GOBLIN VILLAGE♦

Placing my full trust in Rimuru, I am now contained within his

stomach. For the most part, he has rather ridiculous skills. To his
good fortune, he was born with the Unique Skill, “Predator.”

When traveling from another world to this one, one will die without
the proper aptitude. Or in other words, with aptitude one gains tre-
mendous magical energy and great strength. Most of these people
use that energy to gain a power they desire—a Unique Skill. We call
such individuals “Otherworlders.” Like them, Rimuru gained his
powers when he was reborn into this world.

I do not know what he wished for, but he clearly gained a most for-
tuitous skill, indeed. On the other hand, Rimuru is so lackadaisi-
cal that it seems he may not fathom what a rare power it is that he
possesses. I find this situation to be quite humorous, and have thus
chosen to hold my tongue. Hah hah hah!

But that will explain how it is that I am observing the world through
Rimuru's eyes.

What do you mean, “That doesn't explain anything”?

I am a great and mighty dragon, you fool! Naturally, my Unique Skill,

“Inquirer” interfaces with our shared name, gleaning the informa-
tion for my sake—and other such details that I don't need to explain
to you. Why would I waste my time with that, rather than just break-
ing my Unlimited Imprisonment?

You fool!! Boredom is a deadly affliction—it can easily kill those with
no interest or joy in their lives. I am no different. Even with my in-
vincible might, the span of 300 years was enough to drive me to de-
spondence and resignation. But I will not make that mistake again.

I have found a fascinating figure, and we have become fast friends.

Now I shall share my days with him, and enjoy this world to its full-
est! My mind is made up. And thus this is not a waste of time, you

fuse_9781632365064.indd 30 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 buffoon. It is crucial!
❖
Oh?! Rimuru just defeated the most powerful Tempest Serpent in
the cave, has he? The beast had grown and transformed due to my
mighty aura, until it was worthy of being called the guardian of this
cave. The humans would classify it as A-Rank, meaning that it is
quite strong…and yet, it fell in just one blow.

Rimuru is very mighty indeed, though he knows it not. Still, he is no

more than a pitiful worm to me. Kwaaaaah ha ha hah!

And while I laugh, Rimuru continues his progress through the cave.
Along the way, he preys upon monsters, stealing their skills. He shut
off his Magic Sense to close his eyes as he ate, thanking his lucky
stars that he does not have a sense of taste.

Actually, he is not using his Predator Skill properly. He doesn't need

to literally eat the target, just touch and corrode it…but this is no
matter to me. All I can do is watch, not speak, so there is no way
for me to correct his behavior. And watching is certainly enjoyable
enough on its own.

There he goes again. Right as he consumed a C+-Rank Giant Bat,

something fascinating happened. I assumed that he would take its
skills like usual, but this time, he also stole the monster's bodily
functions. He found a most novel use for the hypnotic “Ultrasonic
Wave” ability. Rimuru used the skill to re-create just the sound-emit-
ting organ alone, and improved it to create a speaking voice. Truly
a clever bit of insight. Surely, if he can come up with that, he could
also re-create a monster's tongue and enjoy the sense of taste for his
meals—but he hasn't come up with that idea yet. He's probably just
forgotten about the concept, as he has no sense of hunger.
What a clever, yet forgetful little slime.
❖
Apparently, he's done enough within the cave to satisfy his curiosity
about his powers, as Rimuru has decided to leave now. Is he being
cowardly, or just careful? I cannot determine the answer.

Rimuru seems to be very cautious in certain ways, and yet bold and
fearless in others. Like just now. He is surrounded by pitiful little
goblins, and unsure of what to do. I would have slaughtered them
all by now, but Rimuru thinks differently.

After a brief conversation, he hides his own aura! There's just a bit
leaking out now; only to the level of an ultra-low monster. I would
have assumed that the goblins would take advantage of him…but

fuse_9781632365064.indd 29 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 then things took a startling turn.
❖
The goblins have sworn loyalty to him in exchange for his help. I
have absolutely no idea why this is happening. I have no personal
experience dealing with monsters so inferior to me. They would be
unable to survive even my presence. And as a conqueror of this mor-
tal plane, I certainly would never have considered it proper to lower
myself to their standards… Yet Rimuru chose to do so without hesi-
tation. And unlike me, he is no longer alone because of it.

Could I have been wrong? I do not regret any of my choices in life,

but perhaps I could have chosen a different way for myself. Such
was the sobering effect of Rimuru's actions.

♦MASTER OF THE DIREWOLVES♦

Well, Rimuru has taken on the duty of defending the village, and his
first action was to heal the wounded. It seems he crafted a high-pu-
rity healing elixir from the Hipokute herbs that grew in abundance
thanks to my aura. But he only just reincarnated into this world.
How can he possess such acute knowledge already? Then again, he
did seem to be conversing with someone else when I first met him.
Perhaps it was…

Even with my Inquirer Skill, I cannot scry into the depths of Rim-
uru's mind. Perhaps Predator is not the only Unique Skill that he
possesses. Predator is not a skill capable of performing an analy-
sis on the Unlimited Imprisonment which holds me captive. I sup-
pose I must assume that he holds some other, more secret ability.
But wait…

When we first met, he was talking to his own skill then. And…what
did he call it, again? It certainly wasn't Predator. Rimuru knew what
that skill was, at the very least, but I couldn't hear it.

Was I being obstructed from hearing it? That would make sense. It is
unheard of for a skill to act independently in order to sabotage an-
other's senses. That Rimuru is a crafty one indeed to fool a dragon!
Yes, I see now. I thought he was careless, but he is far more cautious
than I ever dreamed. Endlessly fascinating, this Rimuru.

His bold plan for the goblins involved tearing down their worth-
less shanty huts and constructing a defensive fence of the sort hu-
mans build. Rimuru helped craft the fence using sticky thread he
gained from a B-Rank Black Spider. With the help of steel thread, he
strengthened the fence and set a trap.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 28 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 It was a crafty trap, and an ingenious use of materials… When I
tried to sense Rimuru's surface thoughts, it turned out the idea came
from things that he called “manga” and “novels.” He merely com-
bined traps he had seen before, and “——” helped him optimize it.
But what is this “——”? It seems that it sensed I was listening in,
and prevented me from scrying. Just as I thought, Rimuru possesses
some hidden skill I am not familiar with. I find it rather cruel of him
to keep secrets from me, his closest confidant.

But setting that aside—manga and novels? These things are most
curious. I also sensed the related terms “movies” and “anime.” My
curiosity is piqued mightily. This will require some investigation.

To that end, I spared some of my Inquirer resources that were busy

trying to unlock my Unlimited Imprisonment and attempted to con-
nect with Rimuru's surface memory. I found some resistance again,
but I did my best in the service of my intellectual curiosity. To my
delight, I succeeded in unlocking a portion of his surface memory.
As a side effect, this made it a smoother process for Rimuru and I
to share information, which suits my purposes anyway. As Rimuru
would say, “I planned for that to happen.”

What I found was a treasure trove of details. A wonderful mountain

of information. The story was written in the language of another
world, but studying and learning language is child's play to me. I
treat it like solving a puzzle.

What's this? “And thus, the boy would become king”?

Simply fascinating. The protagonist enjoys the guidance of a tacti-

cian so brilliant, it is as if he can read the minds of the enemy forc-
es. This story features a kind of sorcery, but not the vivid effects of
magic spells. Therefore, there is no mass-slaughter through magic,
and the main form of conflict is tactical battle. This is the ideal type
of knowledge for our current situation.

Ah yes, I see. It is through knowledge from such writings that Rim-

uru is able to handle the wolves in the clever way he does. Based on
the state of battle, I can see that the wolves fell into his trap, and are
being soundly beaten by the inferior goblins.

If Rimuru himself bothered to fight, he could have easily destroyed

the wolves on his own, but instead he chose to have the weaker gob-
lins do the work—and the reason was clear. By forcing them to fight,
he provides them with confidence and experience. That becomes
trust in Rimuru, and binds them closer together.

So, this is all according to Rimuru's plan, is it? He seems to have

some level of ability to see what magic or skills an opponent wields.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 27 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 The ability to change his tactics depending on the foe makes him
quite the expert tactician.

I cannot rest on my laurels. I must consume more of this information

and gain greater wisdom.
❖
Later, I was enjoying a fascinating story composed of a combination
of images and text, when something unexpected occurred. I sud-
denly felt weak.

“What happened?” I wondered, focusing on Rimuru's senses, and

found that he was speaking to the goblins and wolves, one by one.

What does he think he's…? I nearly doubted my own eyes, but the
unthinkable was coming true. To my utter shock, Rimuru was fool-
ish enough to give each and every individual a name. I screamed,
“What are you doing?!” but of course, he could not hear me.

The naming of a monster is not at all like that of a human. The act is a
kind of contract that binds the two parties closer than even a parent
and child. This act is never undertaken without a deep trust. Unless
the relationship between the two is one of shared power, such as the
bond between Rimuru and I, the danger is too great to risk.

For one thing, the act of giving a name is the bestowing of one's
power upon a trusted subordinate. It inevitably lowers one's own
strength, so even the ultra-powerful such as I only attempt the act in
extremely rare circumstances.

Now this fool Rimuru comes along and decides to use up not just
his own magical energy, but my stockpile as well, merely to give the
monsters names. Even my benevolence has its limits.

I hastily attempted to block his actions, but the smoothness of our

information sharing made that quite difficult. Was this outcome part
of his plan when he allowed me greater access to his mind?! I had
thought I was getting the best of him, but ultimately I only fell into
his trap. The devious slime.

Still, I will not be defeated. I did what I needed to in order to stop the
outflow of magic energy. This continued until Rimuru eventually
went into sleep mode.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 26 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 ♦HEAD FOR THE DWARF KINGDOM♦

When Rimuru awoke, the monsters had evolved.

That was no surprise. After all, he stole my own magical energy to

name them. I suppose that it is pointless to complain at this stage,
but it could mean that my freedom from Unlimited Imprisonment
is delayed.

What did you say? “Stop reading manga and get back to my analy-
sis”?

Kwaaaaa ha ha hah! Do not bother yourself with my affairs. Even if

that should cause my efforts to be delayed, it makes little difference.
But this train of thought does not further my own ends, thus I shall
conclude it.

Back to observing Rimuru.

He claims that he will even find a way to co-exist peacefully with

the humans. That is good. I have an interest in humans, and have
wanted to visit one of their towns for myself. I could never do so as
a dragon without inciting a battle, but through Rimuru, even I may
have the chance to interact with humanity. Only once I am free of
this infernal Unlimited Imprisonment, however.
❖
It seems they had decided to rebuild the village they tore down in
the first place. I read Rimuru's surface thoughts as usual, and found
that he was planning to construct a home that he found pleasant and
enjoyable.

This is, of course, a very self-centered line of thought, but I have

no quarrel with it. One who cannot enjoy his own life cannot make
others happy.

On the other hand, observing Rimuru has taught me that one must
not only pursue one's own happiness, as I once did. In order for one
to live happily, everyone must be happy. I never bothered with lesser
beings, and it seems that was a mistake.

Now the goblins have evolved into hobgoblins, with greater intel-
ligence and active wills. Perhaps Rimuru is correct, and they will
develop culture and arts, bringing enjoyment to their lives.

The buds of possibility are to be cultivated, not plucked. Another

fine lesson learned in the short time that I have been with Rimuru.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 25 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 ❖
It seems we are heading to the Dwarf Kingdom now. The wind is
bracing from our position on the back of a racing wolf. I can fly
through the air faster than sound, so I have never experienced what
it means to run on the surface. I have now learned that because the
ground is so close, it passes by very quickly.

The experience was more thrilling than I expected.

♦THE DWARVEN CRAFTSMAN♦

No sooner had we arrived at the Dwarf Kingdom than we ran into

trouble. The humans are infamous for being unable to measure their
foes' true strength, and some were foolish enough to interfere with
us.

I have been similarly challenged by them in my time, and am well

familiar with their lack of foresight. …Then again, I suppose I can-
not fault them for seeing a mere lowly slime and jumping to conclu-
sions.

It seems the interlopers are adventurers, and no pushovers at that.

Rimuru transformed into a Tempest Star Wolf hoping to scare them
away, but they took his attempt as a bluff. This reveals the shallow-
ness of their thinking.

An ordinary slime has no intelligence at all, much less the ability to

transform. They ought to have been wary, yet the fools assumed no
danger to themselves. I suppose that I was the only one who was
undeceived by his appearance and could see through to his true na-
ture.

Rimuru roared at the adventurers, and they received their just

desserts, fleeing in terror. Some of the onlookers even voided their
bodily waste, creating an embarrassing spectacle that was certain to
bring them public shame.

Kwaaa ha ha ha! I bellowed—and no sooner had I started than our

group was arrested. There is no end to the entertainment. Do you
wish to kill me with laughter, Rimuru?

The group tried to play the fool to the authorities, but it did not
work, of course. Rimuru attempted no further resistance, and they
were tossed into a cell.

Naturally, being a slime, he could easily escape, but then what

would become of his goblin companion? Rimuru seems unfazed by

fuse_9781632365064.indd 24 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 any of this, so I expect he has a plan to deal with it.

But does he really? I am not certain myself, but surely he must. He

has an oddly powerful streak of luck, so as usual, some element or
another will conspire to—

“Captain, big trouble! There was a huge accident in the mine!”

There, you see? While the guards panic, Rimuru busies himself with
producing a healing draught for them. Clearly he intends to prove
that he is no enemy to the dwarven people.

What a well-prepared slime he is! I must take notes on his ability to

get by in the world.
❖
So it came to pass that Rimuru was released from prison.

Not only that, but the captain of the guard has now promised to in-
troduce us to a craftsman. Such good fortune that Rimuru is blessed
with!

A grand view of the Dwarf Kingdom. It is my first visit, I will admit.

I have viewed human settlements, but only from above. My dragon
body was far too large to settle down among them for a proper visit.
And the dwarves live in a natural fortress built into a massive cave
within the Canaat Mountains. It is perfectly obvious why I could
never fit into such a place.

To my surprise, the city was full of fascinating and entertaining

sights and items. If I could use my unique Inquirer skill on these
items to appraise them, I might learn how such things are meant to
be used. Sadly, seeing and touching are two very different things.

Oh, how I curse my imprisoned body! Why could I not have found
an interest in these things sooner? I am stunned at my own stupid-
ity. During my reign as a Storm Dragon, I only found pleasure in
conquest and terror. But as the saying goes, I was but a big frog in
a small pond.

The world is vast. Experiencing the wonder of such novel sights has
filled me with a powerful resolve—to gain my freedom and explore
this world on my own two legs.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 23 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 ♦THE FATED ONE♦

Today, I experienced a “party” for the first time in my life. Rimuru's

aid to the troubled dwarven craftsman was repaid with an invitation
to celebrate.

Through some unknown means, likely another hidden skill, Rimuru

managed to create copies of a mighty sword. I am unsure whether
he truly means to keep his abilities a secret. Rimuru is so open about
them that nobody is able to bring any accusations against him. I find
myself in agreement with this tactic. When one considers that Rimu-
ru can do anything, it all begins to make a kind of sense.

As for this “party,” it is a bracing event. I have long had a curiosity

about human food. Especially their spirits. I've heard of such things
in stories, and always wanted the opportunity to sample them for
myself. But with my enormous body, I could never have succeeded
in drinking liquor, and thus the sensation is unknown to me. Now
that the opportunity arises, I must certainly take it.

And now I realize that I had forgotten Rimuru possesses no sense of

taste. Damn it all!

Meanwhile, Rimuru himself claims that “everything seems delicious

when a beautiful woman pours your glass for you.”

Easy to say when the women are fawning over you!

What good is a friend who forgets about you and only seeks his own
enjoyment? So I warned him: grow yourself a tongue right this in-
stant! A demand which never left the realm of mere thought, hurled
into the void…

Envying Rimuru will earn me nothing. In a sense, he is unaware that

I am watching at all, so sadly, I must abandon my hopes. But I will
keep this place in mind. On the day of my revival, I shall return! Like
Rimuru, I will glory in being fawned upon by these women.

I have been a fool until now. It feels much better to be revered than
to be feared. I must exhibit my strength in an admirable manner,
and gain the respect of all. The hobgoblins whom Rimuru named
are the perfect start—he was quite clever and forward-thinking in
this regard.

Rimuru is exceedingly skilled at blending among peoples. At this

very moment, he has made himself the center of attention in this
establishment, receiving some kind of divination.

Apparently, the figure that flashed across the crystal ball is Rimuru's

fuse_9781632365064.indd 22 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 “fated one.” It seems to be a beautiful woman, albeit with a burn
scar across her face. Something about her is vaguely reminiscent of
the Hero. Perhaps they share some distant connection. But that is a
discussion for another time.

What must one do to become well-liked? I wish to get along with

others as Rimuru does.

This is all a waste of my time. I must read through more reference

materials, and study dashing and attractive gestures and quotations.
❖
Hmm? What's all the commotion about?

Just as I was readying myself for a good study session, some kind
of scuffle arose. Is Rimuru accursed in some manner, that extraordi-
nary events should follow him wherever he goes?

As soon as I take my attention away from him, something occurs. Of

course, something occurs even when I am paying attention, so the
cause surely does not lie with me.

In this latest bit of trouble, it seems a slender man threw water upon
Rimuru, and claimed, most insultingly, “This is the best a monster
deserves.”

This man acts with purpose. He came to this place for the express
purpose of causing trouble, and casting aspersions on Rimuru.

So what happens now?

I would turn the man into ash, of course, but how will Rimuru re-
act? Out of curiosity, I read his surface thoughts, and found that he
wishes to avoid conflict.

The man seemed to be a senior official of this nation, meaning that

killing him would have significant consequences. This would not
influence me in any way, of course. Why would he hesitate?

What's this? If such trouble arises, we will never be able to return to

this place?! That is a dire consequence indeed!

What will happen, then? Shall we simply grin and bear it?

For the first time in ages, I am flustered. For one as mighty as I to

feel such panic over so trivial a matter would have been unthinkable
in the old days. No one who knows me would believe it possible.
But now I am learning. When pleasures grow, sometimes patience is
required in order to preserve them.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 21 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 Such inconvenient and annoying rules society creates for us! But
without these rules, I suppose such pleasures would be impossible.
I feel as though I have learned another valuable lesson.

Just then, the dwarf who owed Rimuru his livelihood stood up. To
my surprise, this dwarf named Kaijin walked over to the official and
punched the hateful man.

I couldn't help but cheer. Yes, it was satisfying to watch. But more
importantly, Kaijin struck that blow for my good friend Rimuru.

Surely, this is an act worthy of celebration. I've come to understand

that it is more infuriating for one's friend to be insulted than to be
the object of derision yourself. Life has become one surprise after
another since I came to know Rimuru. I am satisfied that the choice
I made on that day was the correct one.
❖
Alas, it seems that Kaijin's actions did indeed cause trouble.Rimu-
ru's group was once again arrested and locked in chains. This time,
the stakes are more dire.

The dwarven king—Gazel Dwargo.

I can sense that Rimuru feels danger. But of course he does. This is
no ordinary man he faces. Even Rimuru cannot get the better of him.

I must admit that I am eager to see how my slime friend reacts now.

To be reincarnated in Volume 2!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 20 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 WHEW!
|'M SO
AFTER ALL, GLAD
IT'S NOTHING THAT WE THE
BUT SLIMES MANAGED DAY THAT
AND DRAGONS TO GET VOLUME 1
AND GOBLINS THE BOOK OF THE
AND ANIMALS OUT. "SLIME"
AND BEARDED MANGA
DWARVES. NO GOES ON
GUARANTEE OF SALE.
SUCCESS!

THAT'S
OH, RIGHT.
COME THE
REALLY.
ON, ONLY GUY
YEAH,
WHY THE REPPING THE
| BET.
UNDER- "BISHONEN"
(MONOTONE)
STATED FACTION
IS ME.
REAC-
TION
?! |
GOTTA
ADMIT,
THAT'S
A LOT
OF
PRES-
SURE.

WHAT ALTHOUGH
ARE YOU OH, | IT IS TRUE
READING, WOULDN'T THAT THE
LORD WORRY CURRENT
RIMURU ABOUT CAST OF
…? THAT. CHARACTERS
DOESN'T HAVE
MUCH FLASH
OR GRACE.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 19 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 WHY,
JUST THE
…OF FIRST SIX
"THAT VOLUMES
TIME OF THE
| GOT NOVEL
REINCAR- VERSION
NATED …
AS A
SLIME."

LOOK
FORWARD
TO A
LARGE
AND
VARIED
CAST TO
COME!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 18 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime began its life as a novel on the
Internet, and now it's actually got its own manga adaptation! So I thought
I'd reflect on some of the challenges of turning it into a visual format…

Late last year, I had my first meeting with Kawakami-sensei. At this meet-
ing we did our planning, and also had to do signings for a giveaway, which
was a difficult set of circumstances—not that I'm complaining.We settled on
two main issues for the manga.

The first problem was the protagonist's sense of vision at the start of the
story. Not having eyes wasn't a big deal in a text novel, but it's a major issue
for a manga. Thankfully, Kawakami-sensei cleared that hurdle with flying
colors! His depiction of the senses unfolding worked wonders. It's the exact
sort of touch that can only be done in the manga format, and never in a
novel.

The other problem was that the start of the story features very few charac-
ters. Yes, there are monsters, of course, but you just don't see any human
characters. In other words, there's no female lead! It's quite possible not to
have a "heroine" in the traditional sense, but not having any female charac-
ters whatsoever is a problem. There's no beauty in the manga. All we have
are slimes, goblins, wolves, dwarves… I began to worry: is this story actu-
ally extremely unsuited to a visual medium?! Thankfully, the cute way that
Kawakami-sensei drew our slime managed to assuage my fears a bit. I'm
certain it won't take any time at all for the readers to forget that our hero
was a grown man in his previous life…

So for a manga for boys, this first volume hardly had any cute girls. It's
my hope that Rimuru's slimy cuteness got us through that difficulty.
Nothing would make me happier than for you to continue following along
with Rimuru's adventures. And with that, my afterword is finished. Please
check out the next volume of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime!!

fuse_9781632365064.indd 17 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 16 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 SENPAI,
SENPAI!
WOULD YOU
RATHER BE
REINCARNATED
AS A MAN OR
A WOMAN?

|'D
YOU
MORON. LOVE TO BE
REBORN AS A
GORGEOUS
| BABE AND
DON'T GET ALL THE
CARE. ATTENTION!
EITHER
ONE.

AWW,
COULD THERE'S WHAT'S
C'MON, NO
BE A SNAIL. WITH THE
SENPAI. GUARAN-
THEY'RE BORING
OH, DREAM A TEE YOU'LL
HERMAPH- ANSWER?
JEEZ RODITES.
LITTLE! EVEN BE A YOU'RE NO
… HUMAN. FUN…

SATORU
MIKAMI
…JUST COULDN'T
A FEW POSSIBLY
MONTHS KNOW
FROM WHAT HE'D
NOW! BE REIN-
CARNATED
AS…

fuse_9781632365064.indd 15 7/6/17 8:15 AM

fuse_9781632365064.indd 14 7/6/17 8:15 AM
fuse_9781632365064.indd 13 7/6/17 8:15 AM
 Rimuru is referring to the famous character
Kitaro (of GeGeGe no Kitaro fame) developed by
Shigeru Mizuki. Kitaro is a boy with both human
and yokai heritage-yokai being the catch-all
term for traditional folklore creatures of Ja-
pan. In his adventures to create peace between
humans and yokai, Kitaro utilizes a number of
special abilities, one of which is a "yokai sense"
in which his hair acts as an antenna that picks
up supernatural signals. When he senses yokai,
Kitaro claims that he feels yoki, which could be
translated as "yokai presence" or "otherworldly
spirit." In this story, the term "aura" is writ-
ten with the kanji characters for yoki, allowing
Rimuru to make this Kitaro joke.

It's not just that these names all sound similar-

it's that Rimuru is literally taking "gob" (from
goblin) and running through the letters of the
Japanese alphabet one after the other. Japa-
nese characters (known as kana) are grouped
together so that a consonant sound is then
followed by a vowel, with each "row" having
five kana for the five vowels. So the ta (or
"t") row goes, in order: ta, chi, tsu, te, to. The
other consonants (as we would call them) in the
Japanese language follow a similar pattern: ka,
ki, ku, ke, ko; sa, shi, su, se, so, etc.

This and part of the text that follows in

Veldora’s musings are references to the
Heroic Legend of Arslan, a series of novels by
Yoshiki Tanaka that has also been adapted into
manga and anime. The most current rendition
of the series in manga form is currently being
published by Kodansha and is illustrated by
Hiromu Arakawa of Fullmetal Alchemist fame. The
series follows the adventures of young prince
Arslan of Pars, whose world is shattered when
his country is defeated by a rival kingdom.
He sets out on a journey to gather forces to
reclaim his land, and along the way, picks up
a crew of talented characters, including the
brilliant tactician, Narsus. The Heroic Legend of
Arslan is set in a fantasy world that appears
to be inspired by the medieval Middle East. As
Veldora points out, magic exists in Arslan’s
world, but it is limited, and not as powerful as
it would be in an RPG-based world like that of
That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

fuse_9781632365064.indd 12 7/6/17 8:15 AM

 Go back to the source with the
original light novel from
author Fuse and illustrator Mitz Vah!

THAT TIME I GOT REINCARNATED

AS A SLIME, VOL. 1
COMING DECEMBER 2017 FROM YEN ON!

Keep up with the latest at yenpress.com or follow us on

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