It's been over a week since the unfortunate incident with shizue. Everyone gave rimuru some space to process what had happened. They eventually went back to their more casual self. I chose to wait for a bit before asking rimuru for the human mimicry but they offered it to me before I mustered the courage to ask
Rimuru: Hey Kaijuno, don't you want the human mimicry?
Kaijuno: I did, but was unsure how long it be until it was appropriate
Rimuru: You don't have to worry too much about such things. Beside I didn't want to leave you hanging
Kaijuno: Well if you insist then I suppose I won't complain
With that I was finally able to gain a human form. When I tried it out, I look exactly like rimuru, an absolute replica of their form... except for that I'm noticeably shorter than rimuru, but whatever. Althougb I'm not too sure about going with the idea of being identical twins, especially a twin of someone with a gender identity crisis.
Along with that, I got Wise Sage to recieve skill data that rimuru copied from ifirit like fire manipulation, that fire circle attack, body double... buuuut there is one issue, Unique Skill Degenerate casue well, it's a unique skill, only rimuru can have it
Kaijuno:( Wise Sage is there anyway to at least get the synthesis and separate sub-skills from Degenerate?)
Wise:[Suggestion: fuse copied data of sub-skills synthesis and separation with master's desire to form a unique skill more compatible for master.
Yes or No?]
Kaijuno:(More compatible? Well if it's better suited for me, then my answer is yes)
Wise Sage:[Notice: Performing skill , acquisition....Successful, Unique Skill Photoshop has been acquired]
Kaijuno:(Photoshop? Haven't heard that word in awhile. You kept mentioning about using my desires to influence the skill acquisition, what did that do to get me photoshop in the first place?)
Wise Sage[:Unique Skill Photoshop consist of the following sub-skill:
Synthesis- to fuse skills into a new skill
Separate- to divide skills into multiple skills
Editor- to alter the visuals and form of a skill]
Kaijuno:(so it thanks to sub-skill Editor, I got a Unique Skill similar to Degenerate?)
Wise Sage:[Yes, do to master's desire to avoid being "a twin of someone with a gender identity crisis", sub-skill editor was formed to alter into a form that master desires]
Kaijuno:(I mean it just sounds like Universal Shapsift, but with how early in the story it is, I suppose there's a point in having it now)
Wise Sage:[Negative, unlike intrinsic skill Universal Shapeshift, editor can not only alter master's form but also the form of master's skills]
Kaijuno:(wait if I can alter the form of my skills, can I make them more powerful?)
Wise Sage:[Negative, skill altering does not improved the power of a skill. Examples: changing water spear into water blade and black lighting in white lighting]
Kaijuno:(okay so it's more of bonus treat than really an upgrade, but is there anything specific I should know about my personal alteration?)
Wise Sage:[with editor, any partial mimicry or form add ons will not consume any additional magicules. Anything more like severe height change or total mass inflation will still consume additional magicules to a lesser extent]
Kaijuno:(So if I were to put on wings right now, my magicules won't be drained]
Wise Sage:[Precisely]
Kaijuno:Rimuru there's something I'm gonna try out with my new skills, be right back
Rimuru: Alright
I head to our tent to try out changing my form to my liking. But how will I change my form to my liking? First off is definitely my hair, the long hair really feels like it get in the way and also to help avoid making me confusingly feminine, so short cut it is. While I'm on the subject of hair, let's see about changing the color. The Blue Hawaiian hair doesn't do it for me, purple?...nope, red?...nope, green?...nope, blonde?... not that either. No, no, nope, any color hair doesn't do it for me, it doesn't feel natural for me. The best that goes for me is black, but there's an issue with black. That issue is that even with the shorter hair, I look exactly like a mini shizue
But I really can't bring myself to do any other colors though. Maybe some other changes could fix it. How about a tan to go along with the black hair. Guessing by this appearance, I could be mistaken for a dark skin tomboy, hopefully such a concept is already established in this village, and that I won't be the one to start it.
How about the eye color? The golden eyes are nice but I don't think it fits well to the rest of my appearance. Let's see what colors would go well.... hmmm.... hmmm.... hmmm.... Oh! Purple seems to do the trick. But one last thing I want to try out is the drainage free partial mimicry. Wings really get in the way of my back and shoulders nor do they really look that cool to use constantly. Armor skin does look cool but I wouldn't have it for my casual appearance.
I'm not even gonna bother with the insect mimicry. What about the Tempest wolf mimicry?... Well the ears do look kinda nice to have, but the tail does look a bit too linear to my liking. Wait I could alter it to make the fur puff up, there now I have a personal pillow to hug, which kinda weird to think of my tail.
In the end, I practically turned into a beast men, although I'm not sure about how I look in the end, especially since the black hair shizue resembles still bugs me.
Kaijuno:(I still want to at least look related to rimuru but I don't be a reminder of his lost love either though. Got any suggestions Wise Sage?)
Wise Sage:[Suggestion, analysis and copy individual shizue's mask to cover master's face]
Kaijuno:(if I need to use a mask, why not get one of the dwarf brother to design and build one for me then?)
Wise Sage:[It is due to shizue's mask possessing magic resistance which can block master's aura]
Kaijuno:(aren't I already holding in my aura from leaking, why would I need to use the mask?)
Wise Sage:[master is not considered to be emotionally mature, as such an accidental aura leakage can still occur before Unique Skill Humble activates automatically]
Kaijuno:("not considered to be emotionally mature"? Is it really because I constantly get frightened by big monsters every time I encountered one?)
Wise Sage:[Yes]
Kaijuno:(Well how can I even convince rimuru to lend me the mask? Especially with their emotional attachment to it)
Wise Sage:[Wise Sage can perform an analysis on the mask and it's magic resistance properties to make a personally copy for master]
Kaijuno:(while helpful to prevent aura leakage, it wouldn't help prevent me from looking too much like shizue. Infact it kinda makes it worst, oh hey bro I decided to make myself look like a miniature version of your dead love interest, you wouldn't mind if I make a copy of her mask to wear and remind you even more of what you could've have)
Wise Sage:[The design of the mask can be altered by Unique Skill Photoshop due to the clothing being considered to be an add-on]
Kaijuno:(clothes are the add-on, not animal ears and tail?)
Wise Sage:[Negative, it's considered to be partial mimicry]
Kaijuno:(there's still the matter of making a legitimate excuse to why I should have a copy... actually there's somewhat of a reason I can think of. Hopefully it's enough since it is a reason they can relate to. Best to at least try.... right?)
I reverted back to my slime for and made my way over to another tent that rimuru went into. Right when I hoped inside was when rimuru constructed a female double
Rimuru: Stop! Stop! Nevermi-
Kaijuno:...
Rimuru:...
Kaijuno: I didn't see anything
Rimuru: Can't you at least knock?
Kaijuno: Apparently so. Seriously, you didn't waste any time to get some action after getting a human form
Rimuru: IT'S NOT LIKE THAT!!! I don't even have my son in this form
Kaijuno: You have a child?
Rimuru: I meant my pelvis
Kaijuno: Oh, well that explains what I'm looking at. I just thought Pinocchio was telling the truth down there
I can see Rimuru immediately growing a few veins on his forehead from the comment I made
Rimuru: So why did you come by?
Kaijuno: it's something in regards to the mask's magic resistance effect
Rimuru:Oh really?
Kaijuno: Yeah, From what Wise Sage had told me, the effect of magic resistance can block out our aura completely
Rimuru: Great Sage already told me that as well, what's your point?
Kaijuno: I want to be able enter human settlements eventually, the issue is thar I'll be recognized as a monster species despite my human appearance.
Rimuru: Can't you just hold it in while in human settlements?
Kaijuno: Apparently Wise Sage thinks otherwise. They stated that I'm "emotionally imature" since I keep leaking my aura accidentally. Remember when we went on our expedition, and we encountered a knight spider?
Rimuru: That incident?
Kaijuno: Yup, and if our folks get horrified when it happens, imagine how humans are gonna respond to it. My point being... is it okay that you can let me have Wise Sage analyze the mask to have my own magic resistance mask please?
Rimuru's Pov
Kaijuno asked me to analyze the mask. Although I'm not completely sure how to respond to it, maybe I should ask Great Sage for some advice
Rimuru:(what do you think Great Sage?)
Great Sage:[Answer: Individual Kaijuno Tempest has proven they have not master their control of their aura. If individual Kaijuno were to accidentally release their aura near humans, they would immediately assume aggression from Kaijuno and would attempt to attack Kaijuno. Individual Kaijuno's proposal would be a recommended way to prevent this incident from occurring]
Rimuru:(If it could help Kaijuno interest with humans, I wouldn't really mind since I'm sure they would like to interact with them again. But I feel uneasy having someone else wear shizue's mask when she gifted it to me)
Rimuru:Kaijuno I'm not exactly sure about you constantly wear shizue's even if it's just a copy, you sure you don't want to another accessory to try putting magic resistance on?
Kaijuno: Well you're not wrong that I could try other accessory, if you're worried about constantly seeing the same design on someone else, I have an idea
Rimuru:What's your idea?
Kaijuno: thanks to the data of Unique Skill Degenerate, I was able to obtain the Unique Skill Photoshop. The main difference between the two skills is that Photoshop holds another sub-skill which is editor. With editor, I can change the design of my clothes, which includes headgear.
Rimuru: So you're saying you can make your copy look different from the original.
Kaijuno:Yup, it would be pretty messed up to have someone else use your memento.
Rimuru:but what are you gonna do with you're copy?
Kaijuno: I'm thinking if keeping the base material of the mask while adding a simple face over it
(I was thinking of a kedamono look for the mask, maybe even adding different expressions but I don't really want my drawn face to have a goofy resemblance to saitama. Better to have simplistic eyes and mouth)
Rimuru: ...couldn't you be more creative?
Kaijuno: I like to be peotic but not with my faces
Rimuru: *sigh* Alright! Only if you keep the design of your mask noticeably different from the original, then I'll let you have a copy
Kaijuno: Deal!
Kaijuno's Pov
After the promise was made, Rimuru ended the mask for me, and I stored in my stomach for Wise Sage to perform analysis on it. They said it will take a couple of hours to complete the analysis, to which Rimuru wasn't to keen on but knew it wasn't something to complain on. It was suddenly there was a knock on the outside of the tent
Rigurd:Rimuru-Sama, Kaijuno-Sama, are you here?
Kaijuno:Yep, we're here, what's up?
Rigurd:I searching for you both to know if you wish to attend tonight's feast
Rimuru:I told you before, we both don't ha-... OOOOOOOOOOH! Actually we WILL attend tonight's feast, make sure there's lots of good meat
Rigurd: Of course Rimuru-Sama
Kaijuno: Speaking of lots, do you want to go see off the hunting party?
Rimuru: Sure, it's not like there's anything else to do hear besides construction anyways
We both head off head off to the outskirts of the village where Gobta, Rigur and a couple of hobgoblins and Tempest Wolves were prepping for a hunt
Rimuru: heading out for a hunt?
Rigur: Yes Rimuru-Sama, we're planning to hunt for some bulldear.
Gobta: You gotten a human form Rimuru-Sama?
Rimuru:Yup
Gobta: What about you Kaijuno-Sama?
Kaijuno:I'm working on it, just gonna finish some details.
Rimuru: Yeah and with this form I can finally enjoy some meat with you guys
Gobta: If you're gonna eat, would you're chest grow bigger
Rimuru:...
Rigur:...
Kaijuno:...
Gobta:ACK!!!
As earned, Gobta was swiftly drop kicked to the nearest tree. Seriously, WHO talks like that? Especially nonchalantly.
Rigur: We shall make sure to discipline him
Kaijuno: Speaking of bulldear, is there gonna be enough for our village?
Rigur: Likely so since there's been a migration of magic beasts recently. Which will mean more ample prey
Rimuru/Kaijuno:Hmmmmm
In sync, both Ranga and Willfla were summoned from our shadows
Rimuru: Ranga go with Rigur and the hunting party in case there are any magic beasts in the area
Kaijuno: That goes for you too Willfla
Ranga/Willfla:Yes Master!
That's three times these two were in sync at the same moment. First the shadow summoning, the their answering, and now they're tailwags are in sync
After seeing off the departing group, me and rimuru headed to veldora's cave to try making some new skills with Degenerate and Photoshop.
I was finally able to merge sticky threads with steel threads to make sticky steel threads. With editor, I made the threads red and pronounced it as bloody threads.
We both casted out flames that we gotten from ifirit, the difference being that rimuru's flames were black while I made mines to be more of a desaturated purple. So basically it was Black Flames and Violet Flames.
Wait a second, I completely forgot this is when the ogres would make their first appearance. But thing is though, I tried to give them a way escape before the orcs even arrived and yet they haven't appeared earlier. Did my attempt to help didn't actually wor-
Willfla:(Master, we've run into a group of people and we will need your input)
I turn toward rimuru who's seem to get the same message from ranga
Rimuru: let's go check it out
Kaijuno:Right!
We both rushed over to the where the hunting party was at and we were surprised at what we saw. What we discovered was a very large group of ogres, a whole village worth in fact.
Rimuru: What are they?
Rigur: they're ogres Rimuru-Sama and they claimed to be invited by Kaijuno-Sama
Rimuru immediately gave me a "explain yourself" glare that gave chills around my non-existent spine. It made me realized that despite the long thought process to make up a story to convince the ogres. My poor memory made me forget to relay info this to rimuru
Kaijuno:( CRAP! I forgot to tell rimuru when they got back from Dwargon)
Kaijuno:sooooooooooo, there may or may not have been some stuff that I heard of during my travels to the ogre village. Stuff that I waited to tell you when you got back from your own expedition, buuuuuut may have forgotten by the time you actually got back
I was looking down for most of what I said but when I looked up by the time I finished, rimuru was growing more veins on their head over this than when I made that Pinocchio comment earlier. Luckily to an enormous degree, before rimuru could burst, we were approached by the Ogre Chieftain
Ogre Chieftain: Hello Kaijuno, it's great to see you in good health
Kaijuno: YES! It's great you're doing well yourself. Quite the large expedition team you got here.
Ogre Cheiftain: Actually Kaijuno, this is the entire clan here
Kaijuno: the literal entire village from there to... here
Ogre Chieftain: Yes
I can sense rimuru's aura starting leak out behind me, better change the subject to something less infuriating
Kaijuno: Was there any trouble getting here? I've been hearing there's been a surge of magic beasts lately
Ogre Chieftain: You're correct that there has been a rise in the number of magic beasts and we would've lost a great sum of our numbers under normal circumstances. But thanks to the great power from the four you named, we were all able to survive the journey.
Kaijuno: Well I'm glad to know I ended up being a great assistance. Speaking of who, how are -
When I looked around to find those four, I noticed something that for first time ever in my current life, caught me off guard on how unexpected it was. After I quick look, I found where they were among the ogres but what caught me off guard was that they BARLEY CHANGED.
I was expecting them to be noticeably human compared to the rest of the ogres, but it's like they're in-between the stages of ogres and kijins
I was expecting them to be noticeably human compared to the rest of the ogres, but it's like they're in-between the stages of ogres and kijins. While their anatomy had somewhat changed a bit, and their horns had shrunken and thinned, they kept their saturated skin, they still have fangs, and their face marking are still there and we're altered
Kaijuno:(F********K! Did I not gave them enough magicules to evolve into Kijins? Was my magicules not pure enough for them to evolve? It was mentioned a few times that Kijins are what ogres rarely evolve into, did it mean they have a more common evolution branch)
Wise Sage:[Negative, individuals Leonardo, Benjamin, Cameilla, and Lavandra have successfully evolved into Kijins]
Kaijuno:(... successfully? We're not going by Re:Monster evolution logic here right? They're not half kijins, just straight up kijins)
Wise Sage:[Correct]
Kaijuno:(But how did they barely change from their previous evolution? I thought that kijins would resemble humans)
Wise Sage:[This is due to master's desire to have the kijins keep their monstrous appearance after evolution completion]
Kaijuno:(Desire? How can I just want them to evolve into monstrous kijins, aren't the kijin's general design set to be closely humanoid?)
Wise Sage:[Negative, it was due to rimuru's desire for humanoid subordinates, which was why the kijins became human like in the source material. This is supported by the fact that dragon newts can have branching appearances despite being labeled as the same species]
Kaijuno:( it's still hard to believe their monster design details could've been kept this entire time. No matter, let's get back to the situation at hand)
Kaijuno:-they?
Ogre Chieftain: They're doing great, thanks to your naming. I'm very proud to be able to see my children evolve and surpass me.
Benjamin: Hello Kaijuno-Sama, it's a pleasure to see you again
Kaijuno:(Did he just give me the "Sama" formality?)
Kaijuno: it's great to see you all as well, but this is not place to discuss things, let's head back to the village to go over the matter. Considering the whole clan is here, it seems things have truly become severely dire
Rimuru: Severely Dire? SEVERELY DIRE!? Kaijuno! How much did you actually left me out on!?
Kaijuno:Apparently more than I was aware of myself
Rimuru: Don't think I will forget about this.
Kaijuno:(hopefully that's not the case)
Rimuru: You were thinking I would forget weren't you?
Kaijuno:Nope
Kaijuno: (was it written on my face? How the heck did they instinctively read my mind?)
We all headed back towards the village, to everyone's surprise when we brought a whole lot of ogres, a species they believed to be prideful warriors. Before we started to go over the reveal of the first major saga plot. I transformed to my basic humanoid form for what's about to happen next. Me and Rimuru, sat next to eachother to try out our first taste of food in MONTHS. What we were given was meat skewers. I never had skewers before unless if you were to count kabobs, so I was interested to try it out. We grabbed a skewer and bit into it
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Kaijuno/Rimuru:It's Good!
In response, the crowd of hobgoblins, goblinas, and Tempest Wolves cheered at our satisfaction like their favorite sport team won the world championship. After settling down the commotion, we went to where the head figures were chatting in regards to what happened
Kaijin:Orcs!?
Ogre Chieftain: Yes, not only were there thousand of them, but they were all armored too. For my pride as the chieftain of the ogre clan, it pains me to admit but despite ogres being superior to orcs, we would've definitely been killed by their numbers alone. If it wasn't for Kaijuno's help, we likely wouldn't be here today.
Kaijin: But why would there suddenly be an army of orcs appearing in the Great Forest of Jura?
Rigurd: it's likely a conspiracy plan to take over the whole forest
Ogre Chieftain: You might be on the mark there. Apparently from what Kaijuno said, there's a fashionable Majin roaming around the forest.
Rigurd: A Majin? Could it be the same one that named one of my sons?
Ogre Chieftain: We're unsure. Was there ever mention of it's name?
Rigurd: I believe the name was Gelmund
Rimuru: So you're saying this Gelmund guy is plotting to take over the Great Forest of Jura with an army of orcs
Ogre Chieftain: It seems to be
Kaijuno: It seems that if we were to survive this, our best bet is to united front against this overwhelming force.
Rimuru:Seems to be
Kaijuno: which is why I have a proposal
Ogre Chieftain: And that would be?
Kaijuno: In trade for taking up refuge here, you all shall be my subordinates until this war is over. Afterwards you're free to go back to your non endangered village
Rimuru: Are you really sure you should just make an offer off the spot?
Kaijuno: Coming from the same one who accepted 500 goblins basically on a whim and besides, I know you would've made the same offer
Ogre Chieftain:to subordinate my entire clan in exchange for shelter?
Kaijuno: Yes and not just shelter, but food, water, clothing, we even have talented dwarves to help construct a bunch of weapons for the fight.
Ogre Chieftain: I'm...not so sure. I would like to think it over before making a final decision
Kaijuno: No rush about it. Anyways I'll go back to eating some delicious ske-
Rimuru: OH NO YOU'RE NOT!
Kaijuno:What!?
Rimuru: Did you actually forget?
Kaijuno:...eh...
Remembering about the doom that looms over me, what do I respond with? A simple spindash to swiftly flee the scene
Rimuru:DON'T YOU DARE RUN!
What began was an hour long chase that ended with me getting caught by rimuru and receiving a heavy lecture that resulted in me getting banned from eating any skewers for WEEKS. Afterwards, I returned Shizue's mask since it has been fully analyzed for a while. At least I can look forward to showing off my new completed form tommorow
Ogre Chieftain's Pov
After Kaijuno fled, we mostly made small talk with the other folks. By the darkest of the night, mostly everyone had went to slumber except for me and my son
Benjamin: Do you plan to take the offer, father?
Ogre Chieftain: It's hard to say, we've been a proud warrior clan for generations, only to now consider ending up as someone's subordinates
Benjamin: At least though it's nothing permanent. And I say it not a bad deal in exchange for our current survival
Ogre Chieftain:... I would like some time to myself to settle on my final decision.
Benjamin:Alright, but whatever decision you make, we of course will follow you
After saying that, my son left me to myself
Ogre Chieftain:( Damn it, if only we were stronger... if only I was stronger.....)
*The Next Morning*
I made my concluding decision and went to bring it up with Kaijuno. I approached the residing tent of theirs, giving a knock to the outside wall to make my presence known
Kaijuno: Come in, Chieftain
As permitted, I entered the tent, only to be met with not a slime, but with a young beastmen child who is crossing their limbs while wearing a strange mask.
Kaijuno: If you're wondering, this is the more constructed form I made for myself like how rimuru does.
Ogre Chieftain:R-right
Kaijuno: So, have you made you're decision?
Ogre Chieftain: Yes, while under the condition to have the subordination only set until the issue with the orcs have been resolved and that we may freely move back to our village afterwards, as Chieftain of the Ogre Clan we shall accept the conditions to become your subordinates
Kaijuno: Great! And as a sign of this deal becoming finalized, I shall gift you a name
Ogre Chieftain: A name?
Kaijuno: Yes, I shall offer you the name Napoleon
Ogre Chieftain: I shall humbly accept your offer
As I said this, I felt a huge surge of magicules flow through my entire body. It was like I regained all my lost strength and reverted back to my prime, no I felt I surpassed my what was my prime.
Instinctively I kneeled in front of the child and for a momment, I thought I envisioned the scenario differently. I didn't feel I was kneeling to a child anymore, it was like I was bowing down in the precense of a mighty king. NO! Not even a mere king could give off such a precense of power and authority. It was as if they were a being from a plane of existence far above my own. It the closet I can think to describe them as, I would say that what their precense resembles is like...
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