01x24.5 - (D) Tales: Veldora's Journal

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Rimuru: I may have underestimated you,

Rimuru: but you underestimated me far more.

Rimuru: My turn.

Italics_Top,Great Sage: Use unique skill Predator?

Rimuru: Yes!

Rimuru: Shizu-san!

Veldora: Resign yourself, Ifrit.

Veldora: You cannot break free from this space.

Veldora: You are no match for Rimuru.

Veldora: He is my sworn friend!

Veldora: I am the Storm Dragon, Veldora Tempest.

Veldora: You will serve as my opponent until I am satisfied.

Ifrit: Storm... Dragon?

Veldora: Indeed.

Veldora: I am one of the True Dragons, the strongest beings in the world:

Veldora: Veldora the Storm Dragon.

Veldora: Ifrit, it appears Rimuru intended to isolate you,

Veldora: but I consciously summoned you here.

Ifrit: Wh-Why?

Ifrit: Was simply consuming me not enough?

Veldora: So you do understand!

Veldora: Now, then...

Text: Dragon

Ifrit: Um... What is this?

Veldora: A shogi board.

Ifrit: A shogi board?

Veldora: It is a game with a rich history in the world Rimuru came from.

Text: King General

Veldora: Of course, this does not physically exist.

Veldora: I envisioned it using my thoughts.

Veldora: It is boring to play alone,

Veldora: so I had hoped someone would come along to play it with me.

Veldora: You will serve as my opponent until I am satisfied...

Veldora: my shogi opponent!

Ifrit: R-Right...

Ifrit: What the hell?

Veldora: Of course, I will teach you the rules, and I'll even give you a handicap.

Veldora: First, I'll give you the four-piece handicap, removing my rook, bishop, and lances!

Title: That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime

Title: Tales: Veldora's Journal

Veldora: And there are several ways you can order your pieces.

Veldora: The pieces you place first mean the difference between the Ohashi order and the Ito order.

Ifrit: Okay.

Veldora: And the player in the seat of honor uses a king general,

Veldora: while the lower-ranked player uses a jeweled general.

Ifrit: Okay.

Veldora: Now, Ifrit, you can go first.

Ifrit: Thank you.

Veldora: Yes, a pawn that reaches the promotion line is called a promoted pawn.

Veldora: There's even a saying, "A pawn is worth , gold generals."

Veldora: They appear weak, but they are very useful pieces.

Text: Man

Text: (Self-proclaimed)

Veldora: Ifrit, you are quite adept at this!

Ifrit: You flatter me.

Veldora: Now, where did I leave off in my life story?

Ifrit: About years ago,

Ifrit: when you burned a town to the ground in a moment of mischief

Ifrit: and ended up fighting the Hero.

Veldora: Oh, yes!

Veldora: So I fought this human Hero who wore a mask,

Veldora: and I let my guard down for just a second

Veldora: and found myself captured by Unlimited Imprisonment!

Text: — Absolute Severance —

Ifrit: You have clearly been through difficult times, as well.

Text: Unlimited Imprisonment

Ifrit: Let's see... The silver general can't move back or to the side, right?

Veldora: Correct!

Veldora: Incidentally, my favorite piece is, of course, the rook!

Veldora: It can become a dragon, after all!

Veldora: Also, incidentally, I'm partial to the static rook!

Ifrit: Being imprisoned for so long

Ifrit: and spending years alone must have been terribly lonely.

Veldora: Wh-What are you saying?!

Veldora: As one of the world's strongest beings, the True Dragons,

Veldora: you suggest that I, the one feared as the Storm Dragon, am lonely?!

Veldora: Me, lonely? Th-That's absolutely preposterous!

Veldora: I wasn't the least bit lonely!

Text: Black Serpent Appeared

Veldora: You'll never hear me say I'm not lonely anymore!

Ifrit: Um...

Veldora: There were many things I could do alone.

Veldora: Solo shiritori, solo janken, solo look-that-way...

Ifrit: Lord Veldora...

Veldora: I-I don't need your sympathy, okay?!

Veldora: Still, when I was alone, he appeared before me.

Text:

Ifrit: He?

Ifrit: Oh, do you mean the...

Text: Mimic Black Serpent

Veldora: Indeed. It was a slime...

Veldora: Rimuru.

Text: — Poisonous Breath —

Ifrit: I see.

Veldora: The moment Rimuru appeared out of nowhere in my cave,

Veldora: I could, of course, sense his presence.

Veldora: Even within Unlimited Imprisonment,

Veldora: I could tell he wasn't the same as the spiders, snakes,

Text: "Paralysis Breath" Acquired

Veldora: and other creatures in the cave.

Text: Black Spider Appeared

Veldora: It was a first in years.

Text: "Sticky Thread"•"Steel Thread" Acquired

Veldora: A-And as I felt that presence steadily approaching me,

Veldora: what do you think I did?

Ifrit: Well...

Ifrit: I don't know.

Veldora: I practiced using my voice.

Text: Giant Bat Appeared

Ifrit: Impressive, Lord Veldora!

Text: "Drain"•"Ultrasonic Wave" Acquired

Veldora: I had hardly spoken out loud in years, after all.

Veldora: So, you know, what if I'd tried to speak and my voice didn't work?

Veldora: Like this...

Veldora: I'm sure you've been through it, too.

Veldora: After spending a weekend at home, not speaking to anyone,

Veldora: you tried to speak after returning to work, but your voice didn't work.

Veldora: You must have forgotten how to speak at some point!

Ifrit: I'm not sure what you mean by "weekend" and "work," but...

Text: — Water Pressure Propulsion —

Veldora: Of course, I could have just communicated with my thoughts,

Veldora: but since I had a rare opportunity, I wanted to use my voice.

Veldora: "She sells seashells by the seashore."

Veldora: Yes! My voice worked!

Veldora: I've practiced projecting my voice! Okay, I'm ready!

Veldora: All that's left is to wait for the slime to come to me!

Veldora: Ba-dump... Tremble... What is this sensation?

Veldora: I've never felt it before!

Veldora: Wait, slime! Not that way! You're going farther away from me!

Veldora: Yes, that's it! I'm over here!

Veldora: This way, Mr. Slime! Follow the magicules!

Veldora: But I'm a little bit nervous...

Veldora: What if he runs away upon seeing me?

Veldora: I may be striking, gallant, beautiful, and wondrous,

Veldora: but, you know, I am a Dragon... and I look a little scary, right?

Veldora: I need to be careful not to scare him.

Veldora: So, what should I say to him?

Veldora: "Hey, you cute little slime! Are you free?"

Text: Extra Skill Magic Sense Acquired

Veldora: No, that would make me seem gaudy.

Veldora: "I am the Storm Dragon, Veldora!"

Veldora: But starting off with that would probably scare him...

Veldora: I should save the "Storm Dragon" part for later.

Veldora: I want him to think I'm nice.

Veldora: As I was thinking all that,

Veldora: Rimuru came close to where I was imprisoned.

Veldora: So I gazed right at him without even blinking!

Veldora: I mean, even monsters never came near my prison, you know?

Veldora: It had been so long since I'd seen something that moved!

Veldora: My heart was pounding!

Veldora: You get it? You get it?! It was awesomesauce!

Ifrit: I'm not sure I know what "awesomesauce" means, either...

Veldora: Oh, so you do get it, eh? Of course you do!

Veldora: Dogs and wolves wag their tails when happy, right?

Veldora: It was that feeling!

Veldora: I was just a heartbeat away from unconsciously wagging my own tail!

Veldora: My heart was pounding so hard, I nearly hyperventilated!

Veldora: But I am Veldora the Storm Dragon, one of the world's strongest beings, the True Dragons.

Veldora: I maintained my dignity when I spoke to Rimuru.

Ifrit: So after all that, what did you say to him?

Veldora: "Can you hear me, small one?"

Veldora: That's safe, right?

Ifrit: Yes, quite safe.

Veldora: So then, the slime was startled, at first,

Veldora: but he was a brilliant individual.

Veldora: He understood me in no time, and then he said he'd be my friend!

Veldora: I felt my heart grow warm!

Veldora: I was trapped in a prison, but I felt as if I was flying high!

Veldora: I felt my heart flutter!

Ifrit: You had been so lonely for years, after all.

Rimuru Tempest

Veldora: That's right!

Veldora: W-Wait! I wasn't lonely, okay?!

Veldora: A measly years is but one second to me!

Ifrit: Do you... like talking that way?

Veldora: Indeed.

Veldora: What do they call it? "Tsundere"?

Veldora: In spite of myself, I find it cute.

Ifrit: Yes. It is cute.

Veldora: Aw, you're going to make me blush!

Veldora: So, after becoming my friend, Rimuru made an interesting proposal.

Veldora: Not really! He said he was going to eat me!

Veldora: Honestly, what a laugh!

Veldora: What? That's not funny?

Ifrit: I can't believe you agreed to be eaten so easily.

Veldora: Well, I mean, was I supposed to just stay in my prison?

Veldora: Once my magicules ran out, I would've been a goner.

Veldora: And there was no telling when I'd ever have another visitor...

Veldora: So I let him eat me, and I'd analyze my prison

Veldora: from inside him while he analyzed it from the outside.

Veldora: He said that might lead to me being freed from that prison eventually.

Veldora: It gave me hopes and dreams, and...

Ifrit: And?

Veldora: I would never be alone again.

Ifrit: I see.

Veldora: So there you have it!

Veldora: That's why I'm inside here now.

Veldora: Oh!

Ifrit: What's the matter?

Veldora: It seems Shizu has passed...

Ifrit: What?

Veldora: No, perhaps I should say she rejoined her mother.

Ifrit: I worshiped the Demon Lord Leon.

Ifrit: For that reason, she and I were not very compatible.

Ifrit: But I believe she was a pitiable woman whose fate toyed with her.

Veldora: I see... You must have some regrets.

Veldora: But don't worry.

Ifrit: Huh?

Ifrit: Um, I'm not particularly worried...

Veldora: Just leave everything to Rimuru.

Veldora: Rimuru will see to it that the wishes she left behind are realized.

Veldora: He is my sworn friend, after all!

Veldora: Oh? Rimuru seems to have gained the ability to take a human form.

Veldora: Tsk! I missed an important scene!

Ifrit: By the way, Lord Veldora...

Ifrit: Should you really be playing shogi with me like this?

Ifrit: What about your analysis of Unlimited Imprisonment?

Veldora: It may not look it, but I'm working on that.

Veldora: I'm doing two things at once. I can multitask!

Ifrit: Multitask?

Veldora: I'm not sure what it means, but Rimuru said it.

Ifrit: I see... "Multitask," is it?

Ifrit: That is impressive.

Ifrit: Anyway, you missed the scene where Great Rimuru took a human form...

Veldora: Check.

Ifrit: Check?

Ifrit: Oh! I get it. Um...

Ifrit: Now, then... This is...

Ifrit: Even if I block you here, my king will be in check, no matter where I put it... right?

Veldora: That's right! It's checkmate!

Ifrit: I've lost.

Ifrit: Well played, Lord Veldora.

Veldora: I am Veldora, one of the True Dragons,

Veldora: the world's strongest beings, and the one feared as the Storm Dragon!

Veldora: I'm the best at shogi, too!

Veldora: Call me a Meijin, a Ryuo, a Shinjin'o... whatever you like!

Veldora: Ifrit...

Veldora: You have learned the rules of shogi well in just a few months.

Ifrit: No, you are simply an excellent teacher, Lord Veldora.

Veldora: Of course, that is part of it, but you have respectable talent.

Veldora: You learn fast. It's a lot like...

Veldora: Rimuru's Predator skill!

Veldora: I said something pretty clever!

Ifrit: Quite well done, indeed.

Veldora: Oh, it was... exactly that!

Veldora: I am the Storm Dragon, after all!

Ifrit: You go, Storm Dragon!

Veldora: Ifrit, you've gotten much better at playing off of my lines!

Ifrit: Thanks to your influence, Lord Veldora.

Veldora: So it's not just shogi. You've learned flattery, too!

Veldora: It may finally be time to play with no handicaps.

Ifrit: Thank you.

Ifrit: Still, there was that battle with the Orc Lord...

Ifrit: Then the Demon Lord Milim showed up, and Charybdis attacked...

Ifrit: So much happened in such a short time.

Veldora: Indeed. But Rimuru did very well.

Veldora: He took in the Orcs

Veldora: and established the Jura Forest Alliance.

Veldora: His men... no, I think Rimuru considers them friends.

Veldora: They have greatly increased in number.

Ifrit: Yes.

Ifrit: There are Ogres, Lizardmen...

Ifrit: He accepts everyone, regardless of race,

Ifrit: and gives them a place.

Ifrit: Great Rimuru's heart seems to be just as big as his stomach.

Veldora: Right? Right?

Veldora: Rimuru is my sworn friend, after all!

Veldora: He can't abandon anyone who's in trouble!

Ifrit: I see.

Ifrit: His town achieved vast development as a result.

Veldora: Before Rimuru was reincarnated into this world,

Veldora: he worked for something called "general contracting" in his own world.

Ifrit: General contracting?

Veldora: It's like a mixer, I think!

Ifrit: I see...

Ifrit: What's a mixer?

Veldora: It seems the knowledge and experience he gained

Veldora: through general contracting helped in building his town.

Veldora: Oh, it looks like Rimuru has arrived in the Kingdom of Ingrassia.

Ifrit: The Kingdom of Ingrassia...

Ifrit: So he's gone to see her students, then.

Veldora: Indeed. He's gone to realize the wish Shizu left behind.

Veldora: See? Isn't Rimuru just so compassionate?

Ifrit: I'm not sure why you look so smug about that...

Veldora: Do ya like that? Do ya?

Veldora: Hey, I know!

Veldora: Instead of "Veldora,"

Text: Free Union Headquarters

Veldora: it might be fun to go by "Veldoyalikethat"!

Ifrit: Yes... that would... be... fun.

Ifrit: Yes, yes. Great idea, Lord Veldoyalikethat.

Veldora: You know, Ifrit, you've seemed a bit distant lately.

Veldora: Are you bored with me? Have you found someone else to play with?

Ifrit: Of course not. I'm not being distant.

Ifrit: I am a superior spirit of fire.

Ifrit: I'm always burning red-hot with passion.

Veldora: Really?

Ifrit: Would you like to touch me and see?

Veldora: Okay...

Veldora: Oh... You're warm.

Ifrit: That tickles...

Ifrit: Oh? That's the leader of the Kingdom of Ingrassia's Freedom Union,

Text: Grandmaster Yuuki Kagurazaka

Ifrit: Grandmaster Yuuki Kagurazaka.

Ifrit: He came from the same world as Great Rimuru.

Veldora: I'm impressed you know that.

Ifrit: I still retain a few of the memories Shizu had when she was unified with me.

Ifrit: He's one of her two disciples.

Ifrit: Yuuki's appearance hasn't changed since I first encountered him.

Ifrit: There was another disciple, a girl,

Ifrit: and she was even more skilled than Shizu.

Veldora: Oh?

Ifrit: A female disciple...

Ifrit: She may have been a beast in the truest sense.

Veldora: She was that strong?

Ifrit: If he had ever been forced to face her,

Ifrit: even Great Rimuru could not have defeated her easily.

Veldora: Girls sure are scary.

Veldora: Sounds like Rimuru would be better off never meeting her.

Veldora: But he certainly seems to be hitting it off with this Yuuki.

Text: Sirius

Veldora: That sacred text...

Ifrit: Sacred text?

Ifrit: You mean the thing they call "manga"?

Veldora: Precisely.

Veldora: I have become absorbed in them myself by viewing them through Rimuru's memories.

Veldora: They are a splendid compendium of knowledge.

Veldora: You should read some, too.

Ifrit: Right...

Veldora: And let me know what you think! I'll share my impressions with you, too!

Veldora: Oh, but no spoilers!

Ifrit: Um...

Ifrit: Could you let go of my hand now?

Veldora: It's warm...

Veldora: It was truly a great thing that Rimuru became a teacher to Shizu's students.

Ifrit: He earned the children's trust so quickly.

Text: Sirius

Text: Altair: A Record of Battles

Ifrit: They had gone wild after the loss of Shizu,

Ifrit: but they've calmed down a bit.

Ifrit: Still, Great Rimuru never ceases to amaze.

Ifrit: To think he came up with the idea to have superior spirits inhabit them

Ifrit: to prevent the magicules in their bodies from rampaging and k*lling them.

Ifrit: There aren't many who would think of that.

Veldora: Right? Isn't he great?

Ifrit: You're Lord Veldoyalikethat again.

Veldora: Oh? The children are giving it their all!

Veldora: Each one is attempting to take in a superior spirit!

Veldora: We must cheer them on, as well!

Ifrit: R-Right!

Veldora: Go, Gale!

Veldora: Go, Alice!

Veldora: Go, Kenya!

Veldora: Go, Ryota!

Veldora: Go, Chloe!

Ifrit: Go, Gale!

Ifrit: Go, Alice!

Ifrit: Go, Kenya!

Ifrit: Go, Ryota!

Ifrit: Go, Chloe!

Both: Go! Go! Go!

Veldora: They did it!

Ifrit: Now the children will be safe.

Ifrit: The magicules within them won't rampage,

Ifrit: and their bodies won't be destroyed.

Veldora: Yes. Now Shizu can rest in peace.

Ifrit: That... is wonderful.

Veldora: And Rimuru can return to Tempest.

Veldora: He can finally see his friends again and enjoy life with them.

Ifrit: Yes. He's earned it.

Ifrit: I think Great Rimuru should get some rest.

Ifrit: He's been doing so much, for so long.

Veldora: Yes, that's true.

Veldora: Saying goodbye to the children will be painful,

Veldora: but he can see them again anytime.

Veldora: There's no reason to be sad.

Ifrit: Yes.

Ifrit: By the way, Lord Veldora...

Veldora: Wh-What is it?

Ifrit: Check.

Veldora: Check?

Ifrit: Yes. Checkmate.

Ifrit: I win.

Veldora: Wait a—

Ifrit: There is no waiting. These are the rules.

Veldora: Very well! I have a trick up my sleeve!

Ifrit: You have a trick for getting out of checkmate?

Ifrit: No... That can't be possible!

Veldora: I didn't want to have to do this,

Veldora: but out of respect for your newfound skill...

Veldora: I will show you the trick up my sleeve!

Ifrit: Trick... up your sleeve?

Text: King General

Text: Emperor

Ifrit: Th-The king general was promoted to emperor?!

Veldora: This is my king general's true form!

Veldora: This emperor can move twice!

Veldora: That means he can escape your checkmate!

Ifrit: Huh?! That piece isn't in the rules—

Veldora: Fool!

Veldora: You think I would be bound by rules that someone else came up with?!

Veldora: Listen to me! If you're bound by rules and standards,

Veldora: you can never be a true risk taker!

Ifrit: No, standards aside, you need to follow the rules!

Ifrit: A king general can't be promoted. It wasn't even in enemy territory.

Ifrit: And it absolutely cannot become an emperor.

Ifrit: In other words, since I put you in checkmate, I win.

Ifrit: Are you trying to hide your loss behind laughter?

Italics,Veldora: Lead the way, take me home...

Italics,Veldora: Memories will be my guides toward tomorrow...

Italics,Veldora: Come, come, let's go home...

Ifrit: Are you trying to sing your way out of this?

Veldora: I am one of the True Dragons, the one feared as the Storm Dragon, Veldora Tempest!

Ifrit: Lord Veldora?

Veldora: Who wins and loses at shogi is but a trifling matter to me!

Ifrit: Then, shall we play a review match?

Ifrit: Lord Veldora...

Veldora: Hey, look! Rimuru is on his way back to Tempest!

Veldora: Ah, what a fine job you did! Well done!

Veldora: Wait... Who is that?

Ifrit: Who?

Ifrit: That's...

Veldora: I feel a strange apprehension...