Chapter 1: The Silver Beginning and the Storm Dragon
The sensation of death was remarkably... mundane.
Sato Satoru (no relation to Mikami Satoru, though fate clearly had a sense of irony) felt the cold steel slide between his ribs. It was a mugger. A cliché. As he slumped against the pavement, the sounds of the city began to fade into a dull hum.
It's so hot, he thought, his vision blurring. Is blood always this warm?
I'm hallucinating, Sato thought with a weary mental sigh. I've read too many manga. Now my brain is making up a 'System' voice to comfort me while I bleed out. Real professional, brain.
He felt a deep, hollow pang in his chest. Not from the wound, but from a lifetime of "almosts." He looked at the people walking by—people with families, with high-paying jobs, with talents he never bothered to cultivate.
I always wanted what they had, he mused bitterly. I spent my life envying them. If I get another shot, I'm not just going to work for it. I'll take it. I'll copy it. I'll make it mine.
And if I can't find it? I'll just make it myself. I should have been a creator, not a consumer.
His breathing slowed. His thoughts turned toward the one thing he actually enjoyed: the long nights at the Izakaya. Man, I wish I could have finished that last bottle. I wish I could drink a hundred bottles and never feel the hangover. Just an infinite belly for booze and energy...
Darkness. It's getting dark. I'm cold now...
Sato woke up. Or rather, he "became aware."
There was no light. There was no sound. There was only a strange, buoyant sensation. He felt squishy. He tried to move his arms, but he didn't have any. He tried to open his eyes, but he didn't have those either.
Wait, he thought. I recognize this. I'm a slime. The bottom of the fantasy food chain. Fantastic. I'm the tutorial mob.
He felt a strange "tugging" sensation next to him. It was a presence—warm, familiar, and vibrating with the same energy he felt within himself.
[Warning: High-density Magicule entity detected in close proximity. Identifying... Identification complete: Biological Twin.]
The voice wasn't the cold "System" from before. It was deep, resonant, and felt like a library of infinite knowledge.
"Who are you?" Sato asked mentally.
[Answer: I am the Unique Skill, Wisdom King Solomon. I exist to support your existence and manage your vast capabilities.]
Wisdom King? That sounds a bit higher grade than a standard 'Great Sage', Sato thought. And did you say 'Twin'?
Suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind—not the skill, but a frantic, high-pitched thought.
'Wait, wait, wait! Am I a slime?! Why am I a slime?! And why is it so dark?!'
Sato felt a surge of protective instinct. "Calm down," he projected. "You're not alone. I'm right here."
The other presence paused. '...Sato? Is that you? Did you get stabbed too?'
"Yeah. Seems we both had a bad day at the office, Satoru," Sato replied.
For what felt like weeks, the two slimes bounced around the darkness of the cave. Sato, now realizing he was a Silver Slime due to his high Magicule density and unique mineral composition, took the lead. While his brother (who was a classic blue) busied himself eating hipokute herbs and magic ore, Sato was busy testing his new toys.
Solomon, status report on [Magicule Generator], Sato commanded.
[Report: The generator is functioning at 100% efficiency. Excess Magicules are being diverted to [Infinite Space]. Current reserves: Sufficient to level a small mountain.]
Good. I'm not going to be some weakling's lunch.
Eventually, the two brothers stumbled—or rolled—into a massive open area. The air changed. It became heavy, charged with static and ancient power.
"Do you hear that?" Satoru asked through the link.
"Hard to miss," Sato replied, sensing a massive presence ahead.
"Can you hear me, little ones?"
The voice was like thunder. Both slimes "looked" (using Magic Sense, which Solomon had efficiently taught Sato to activate) and saw a mountain of obsidian scales and golden eyes. A Dragon.
"A-A Dragon!" Satoru shrieked mentally.
Sato moved in front of his brother, his silver surface shimmering. "Yeah. A big one. Stay behind me."
"Ho? A Silver one and a Blue one," the dragon boomed, leaning down. "It has been three hundred years since I had visitors. You do not seem afraid, Silver one."
"I'm too tired to be afraid," Sato replied coolly, though his mind was racing. "I am Sato. This is my brother, Satoru. And you are?"
The dragon let out a laugh that nearly blew them away. "I am the Storm Dragon, Veldora! One of only four True Dragons in existence!"
Veldora began to explain his predicament—the Hero, the Unlimited Imprisonment, and the centuries of boredom. Satoru, being the social butterfly he was, hit it off with the dragon immediately, talking about manga and games to pass the time. Sato stayed quiet, analyzing the seal.
Solomon. Can [Snatch] or [Creation] bypass that seal?
[Answer: Not in your current state. However, if the Individual Veldora is stored within [Infinite Space], analysis can be performed safely from the inside.]
Sato shared the plan with Satoru. They would take the dragon with them.
"Veldora," Sato said, his voice serious. "We can't break the seal from the outside yet. but if you enter our stomach—specifically mine or my brother's—we can analyze the seal from both sides. We'll get you out."
Veldora looked stunned. "You... you would risk housing a True Dragon? The Magicule strain alone could dissolve a normal monster!"
"I'm not a normal monster," Sato said, his silver body hardening. "I have [Infinite Space] and a [Magicule Generator]. I can hold you."
"Gahahaha! Very well! I like you, Silver one! And you too, Blue one! Before we do this... let us exchange names. I shall grant you a name, and you shall grant me one!"
Satoru thought for a moment. "How about... Tempest? For the Storm Dragon?"
"Wonderful! It sounds powerful! From this day forward, I am Veldora Tempest! And you... you shall be Rimuru Tempest!" Veldora turned his glowing eyes to Sato. "And you, the elder brother, the steady shield... you shall be Silver Tempest!"
Sato felt his body surge. His silver tint became more lustrous, almost like liquid mercury. He felt a tether snap into place—he was now officially part of this world's hierarchy.
"Rimuru," Silver said, turning to his brother. "You take half of him, I'll take the other. We'll process the seal together through the [Family Link]."
"Got it, big brother!" Rimuru chirped.
With a massive GULP, the two slimes absorbed the True Dragon. The cave, once filled with a terrifying aura, became eerily silent.
Silver looked at his brother. "Hey, Rimuru. I didn't tell you before, but my skills... they're a bit different from yours. I can create things. I can steal skills. If things get dangerous out there, don't try to be the hero alone. That's my job."
Rimuru wobbled, a mental smile crossing the link. "Always the serious one, huh? Fine, fine. But don't forget, I've got a pretty 'Great Sage' in my head too. We'll be fine."
Silver Tempest looked toward the exit of the cave. The world outside was full of monsters, demon lords, and nations that would fear a slime. But they had each other, a dragon in their bellies, and a generator that never stopped humming.
"Let's go," Silver said. "Time to see what this world has to offer."
[End of Chapter 1]