Quietness filled the air. Yang, Yoji and the other three left Rimuru and Scarlet and gave the two a moment to choose what choice was best. But Yang and the four had no idea of what the actual choice was.
Rimuru stood before Scarlet, their usual humanoid form already dissolving, limbs softening and melting into translucent blue as they let go of shape and gravity alike. Clothing slipped away, absorbed seamlessly as their body collapsed inward and outward at the same time, reforming into a smooth, gently undulating mass of slime that reflected the dim light like liquid glass.
The Grimm girl watched as Rimuru's form shifted and morphed into their blue jiggly slime form. The light reflecting off Rimuru's shiny slime body. Her breathing shallow but steady, The corruption along her arm had not advanced further, but it pulsed faintly, impatient, as though aware something was about to change. Her ghostly white skin, a reflection and a reminder of her mother Salem.
Rimuru's voice echoed gently from the slime form, layered and calm. "Scarlet, I'm going to give you all the time you need to recover...I'm glad you're putting your trust in me...I know it'll be a change for you, your surroundings will be different from what you're used to."
Scarlet gave off a weak chuckle. "Don't be a smart-ass....I'll just treat it like a cryogenic healing chamber..."
For the first time, Rimuru didn't make any smart remarks at what was said, no hint of humor in their tone either. Only certainty and a hint of their role as a leader and their role as the demon lord. "Whatever helps you realize you won't be harmed." With that said, Rimuru surged forward. Not violently. Not suddenly. Rimuru's slime body flowed like a rising tide, translucent blue enveloping Scarlet's legs first. Slowly working up her body.
However, outside. Rory peered in, seeing what was happening. Her stomach churned with unease and a sick feeling, she turned away and didn't dare look back or speak to the others.
When Rimuru's slime form reached Scarlet's corrupted arm, Rimuru hesitated—just for a fraction of a second—before closing around it fully. The Grimm within Scarlet flared once, twice even. As if wanting to fight back, to complete its hold on Scarlet. Then it stopped.
No scream. No resistance. Scarlet's body was lifted gently, suspended within the slime as if floating in deep water. Her form blurred, then slowly faded from view as Rimuru's body absorbed her completely, the surface smoothing over until no trace of Scarlet remained outside.
The spot she had laid out, fell empty in an instant. The slime shuddered—once, twice—then began to rise, reshaping itself. Limbs formed again, taller this time, proportions subtly altered. When Rimuru returned to a humanoid shape, something was… different. Their frame was slimmer. Their features softer, jawline more delicate, eyes slightly larger and more expressive. Long hair—once a simple silvery blue—now carried faint crimson undertones when the light caught it just right, like a reflection that shouldn't exist.
"Raphael." Rimuru spoke.
<
Rimuru was silent, they could tell Scarlet wasn't dissolved. This wasn't meant to harm her, this was more about protecting her, to give her time to heal and recover. "Why did my appearance suddenly change?"
Raphael was quiet for a moment before answering. <
Rimuru cut Raphael off. "Scarlet didn't ask me to do the same...So, while she is recovering. I will appear like this, until further notice."
<
Rimuru looked down at their hands, flexing their fingers with mild surprise. "I suppose I should get used to this more...feminine form then." Rimuru muttered softly.
~~~
Lelei and Tuka approached hesitantly, eyes fixed on Rimuru with a mix of fear, awe, and desperate hope.
"Rimuru-sama." Lelei began carefully, adjusting her staff. "What… decision was made?"
"Yes, I would like to know as well." Tuka asked feeling a bit of worry rising from within her. "Is she? Dead? Alive?"
Rimuru met their gazes directly. No deflection. No comforting half-truths. "Residual influence." Rimuru explained. "Scarlet's essence isn't gone. It's… layered. Contained." Rimuru paused. "I absorbed her. Using my Devour skill. The same method I once used to contain Veldora the Storm Dragon."
"Y-You ate her?!" Tuka's face paled.
"Not exactly..." Rimuru muttered. "She is alive, it's just that time for her, had stopped. She will be recovering, once I am certain things for her are better. I will release her."
"So she's what, just sleeping, in a suspended area of frozen time?" Lelei asked with a raised eyebrow.
Rimuru nodded lightly. "Yes." Rimuru glanced down at their hands before looking back at the two. "For now, I will be carrying her."
"Shouldn't we tell Yang and Yoji?" Tuka asked with a raised eyebrow. "Or....?"
Rimuru paused for a moment, their arms crossed. A small sigh escaped their lips. "Yeah, do you know where they went?"
Not needing to answer the question for Rimuru. An explosion of fire erupted from the far left of the base camp, A small puff of smoke filled the air as Yang stumbled forward. "Ow..." She coughed and wiped her face with the back of her sleeve.
"Speak of the devil, and she shall appear." Rimuru muttered.
~~~
Tuka gathered Yoji and Yang, Rory however had wondered off somewhere. So trying to find the Demi-Goddess would only drag out the explanation of the situation, regardless. Rimuru needed to tell Yoji and Yang.
"So..." Yang spoke, with her arms crossed. Leaning against a tank, her brows furrowed. "What's this meeting about?"
Yoji who was just sitting on the ground, didn't say much. Rimuru glanced at the two for a moment. "Okay, so. regarding the situation on Scarlet. The change has stopped."
"That's it?" Yang asked. "Stopped? Stopped how?"
"That's all you need to know." Rimuru spoke. "It has stopped, to give us more time."
Yang scoffed. "I call bullshit." She pushed herself off the tank. "You're not telling us something, what are you hiding? I don't like people lying."
Rimuru didn't flinch or back up. Rimuru's face never changed to fear or show any sign of a lie. Rimuru kept that straight and truthful face. "I'm not lying."
"Oh yeah? Then where is she?" Yang asked. "And don't you dare skip out on the details either. Or so help me I'll-"
"Or you'll what?" Rimuru asked taking a step forward, the ground under their feet slightly cracking, Rimuru's aura spiked, to even the playing field and to show dominance over what Yang's next words and actions would be. "I'm much stronger than you could ever be Yang, don't forget that. You may be strong from the world you come from, but you're no where near the strength it takes to challenge me."
Yang stopped for half way, she knew Rimuru was right. "Fine, just spill the beans already."
Rimuru's aura settled as they cleared their throat. "Scarlet is suspended in a place time is stopped for her."
"Meaning?" Yoji asked.
Rimuru pinched the bridge of their nose, before taking a deep breath and exhaled. "I'm a slime, and what do slime monsters do?"
Yoji blinked, puzzled and confused for a moment before Yang spoke. "Absorb..." It was like two puzzle pieces fitting together, both Yoji and Yang glanced at each other before they both yelled. "You did what?!"
"She's unharmed and still alive, I absorbed her yes, but time doesn't flow within me." Rimuru spoke. "I will be carrying her from here on out, until we are certain it is safe for me to release her."
Yang looked dumbfounded for a moment and threw her arms up. "Great! So we have to make sure we babysit Rimuru now, fan-fuckin-tastic! What else can go wrong?"
Rimuru gave up after that, trying to explain the situation to Yang was going to be harder and harder to do, Yoji however was still trying to digest this info, but at the end of the day. Rimuru had bought more than enough time for Scarlet to recover.