— Rimuru POV —
The outside was… a lot to take in all at once.
After being stuck inside that cave, everything felt completely different. The air actually moved instead of just sitting there, the light came from above instead of glowing crystals, and the space stretched out in a way that made the cave feel small in comparison. It wasn't overwhelming in a bad way, but it definitely took some getting used to.
Still, I wasn't complaining.
If anything, it felt like things were finally starting.
I moved forward slowly, taking in as much as I could while trying not to get distracted by every little change. Trees, uneven ground, open sky—it all felt unfamiliar, but not dangerous on its own.
Rei didn't seem affected at all.
He moved with the same steady pace as before, like the environment hadn't changed in any meaningful way. There was no hesitation, no visible reaction, just quiet observation followed by movement.
I couldn't help but notice that.
"You're really calm about all this," I said, letting the thought carry naturally between us.
"Yes."
The answer came immediately, without any change in tone.
"…Right. Of course you are."
I let out a quiet mental sigh and kept moving. Talking to him still felt a bit strange, not because it was difficult anymore, but because of how direct everything was. There was no extra context, no unnecessary detail—just exactly what needed to be said.
At the same time, it made things easier.
After everything that had happened in the cave, having someone who didn't panic or overreact wasn't exactly a bad thing.
"Hey, Rei?" I tried again.
"Yes."
"You always think like that? Like everything's a system?"
There was a brief pause before he answered.
"…It is."
"…Yeah, I guess it kind of is."
I couldn't even argue with that. Skills, magic, even names—nothing in this world felt random. There were rules behind everything, even if I didn't fully understand them yet.
That reminded me of something.
I glanced toward him, thinking back to earlier.
"You came up with your name just now, didn't you?"
"Yes."
"Just like that?"
"Yes."
"…Huh."
That was… interesting.
[Analysis: Naming may influence evolution and increase magicule levels.]
"Wait, seriously?" I muttered, more to myself than anything else.
Okay, that made it way more important than I thought.
"You didn't know that, did you?" I asked.
"…No."
"…Yeah, me neither."
That didn't feel great.
We kept moving, the conversation fading naturally as the forest stretched out around us. The cave was already behind us now, far enough that it didn't feel like a constant presence anymore.
Honestly, I wasn't sure what to think about Rei yet.
He wasn't hostile—that much was clear—and he hadn't done anything that suggested he would be. If anything, he was reliable in a way that made things easier, even if the way he thought was a bit intense.
Still, after everything that had happened, it felt better not being alone.
"Hey," I said after a moment.
"Yes."
"We should probably stick together for now. At least until we figure things out a bit more."
I waited for a response, half expecting him to reject the idea or question it.
"…That's efficient."
I paused.
"…That's your way of saying yes, right?"
"Yes."
"…Okay, good."
That settled that.
We continued forward without stopping, the rhythm of movement becoming easier to follow now that there was a clear direction. The environment still felt unfamiliar, but it didn't feel hostile.
At least—not yet.
The thought came to me before I could ignore it.
"Something's watching us."
I didn't say it casually this time.
Rei's response was immediate.
"…Direction."
"Front. Slightly left."
We both slowed, not stopping completely, but enough to shift from movement to awareness. The forest grew quieter, not silent, but just enough that the difference stood out.
Then I saw it.
Small figures, partially hidden between the trees, just far enough to stay out of clear view.
Green skin.
Watching us.
"…Those are—"
"Goblins."
I stayed still, watching them the same way they were watching us.
So this was it.
Our first real encounter outside the cave.