AN : If you guys are wondering why Rei don't understand when monster speaking it because he don't really have a translating skill I did some research and found out that Great Sage help Rimuru translate monster language so that why he can talk to pretty much every intelligent creatures
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— Rimuru POV —
The silence didn't last.
The goblin in front—the one that had stepped forward first—raised its head again. Up close, it stood out more clearly than before. It wasn't stronger than the others, but it was steadier. The way it moved felt deliberate, like the rest were waiting for it to decide what came next.
Then it spoke.
"We beg for your help.
"They're asking for help," I said.
"They've been repeating the same pattern," Rei replied. "That fits."
The goblin spoke again, gesturing toward the forest behind it. The motion was sharper now, more urgent, before it lowered itself again, pressing its head down.
[Great Sage: Additional interpretation complete.]
[Hostile presence approaching. Urgency confirmed.]
"They're being chased," I said. "Something's forcing them out."
Rei watched them for a moment before answering.
"…Yeah. That lines up with how they're acting."
The goblin repeated the motion again, more insistently this time. The others shifted behind it, their magicules tightening—not aggressive, just tense.
They weren't afraid of us anymore.
They were afraid of something else.
"…Alright," I said quietly. "I get it."
I pushed myself forward, sliding across the ground toward them.
The reaction was immediate. Several goblins flinched, their bodies tightening, but none of them attacked. They stayed low, watching me carefully, waiting for what I would do.
"I'll help," I said.
The goblin lifted its head immediately. The others followed, their posture shifting just enough to show the difference. The tension didn't disappear, but it settled.
They understood.
"They reacted," Rei said.
"Yeah. That worked."
"Looks like it."
The goblin turned and pointed again, then stepped back.
Not retreating.
Leading.
"They want us to follow," I said.
Rei glanced toward the forest, then back at them.
"Yeah. That's what it looks like."
"We're going with them."
He hesitated for a second.
Then
"Alright. Just don't rush ahead."
Good enough.
The goblins began moving right away, faster now, no longer hesitating. They stayed close together, glancing back often to make sure we were still there. The one in front set the pace, and the others followed without question.
I moved after them, sliding over the ground and pushing forward in short bursts when the terrain got uneven.
It worked.
Mostly.
The forest floor wasn't exactly slime-friendly.
Roots, rocks, uneven drops—I had to keep adjusting just to keep up. After a while, it got annoying enough that I actually slowed down.
"Okay, yeah. This is getting inconvenient."
Rei glanced back at me.
"You're falling behind."
"I noticed."
He stopped for a moment, watching how I moved across the ground, then looked ahead at the goblins.
Then back at me.
"Get on."
I paused.
"What?"
"It's easier if I carry you."
"You're serious?"
"Yes."
I looked at him for a second.
Then shrugged—mentally.
"Alright, sure."
I pushed off the ground and landed lightly against him, then shifted upward until I settled on top of his head.
"This is weird."
"It solves the problem."
"Yeah, I guess it does."
He started moving again.
This time, without slowing down.
From up here, everything felt smoother. Faster, too. I didn't have to worry about terrain anymore, just keeping my balance—which, surprisingly, wasn't that hard.
"Okay, this is actually better."
"Obviously."
"You don't have to sound so confident about it."
"I'm not guessing."
"Fair enough."
We continued like that, following the goblins deeper into the forest. The path still wasn't obvious, but they moved like they knew it by instinct, weaving through trees and uneven ground without hesitation.
They weren't wandering.
They were going somewhere specific.
"They know where they're going," I said.
"Yeah. This isn't random."
"So this is their territory."
"Or what's left of it."
That part stuck.
The air shifted gradually as we moved. Not as sharp as before, but heavy enough to notice. The tension didn't disappear—it just moved further ahead, like something waiting outside our reach.
The goblins slowed.
Just a little.
Then the trees began to thin.
Light broke through.
And I saw it.
"So this is it."
A village.
Rough huts made from wood, branches, and whatever else they could gather. Nothing uniform, nothing stable—but clearly built with purpose.
The goblins stopped at the edge. Some turned back toward us, others looked toward the huts behind them. The urgency was still there, but it had changed.
Less immediate.
More contained.
They weren't safe.
But they were home.
I shifted slightly where I sat, looking over the village.
Small.
Unprotected.
And if what they said was right—
"They're not ready for whatever's chasing them," I said.
Rei looked ahead quietly for a moment.
"Yeah," he said. "Doesn't look like they are."