Kael couldn’t sleep.
Not because of the uneven straw mat, or the low murmurs of goblin night-chatter outside, or even the snoozing goblin kid curled up with a wooden training stick by the hearth.
No, it was the silence *beneath* the noise. The kind that prickled at the edges of instinct.
Rimuru sat on his chest like a sleepy jellycat, occasionally wiggling.
"You feel that too?"
Rimuru pulsed once.
"Great Sage," Kael whispered, "give me a read."
"Ambient mana: stable. Auditory disruption detected. Local wildlife activity: zero. Probability of external threat: 83%."
Kael sighed, already sliding his boots on. "That’s what I thought."
He slipped out of the hut without waking the others, Rimuru hopping quietly onto his shoulder.
The village was dim, cloaked in thick mist. Fires burned low. Shadows shifted between huts. But there were no crickets. No birds. No forest sounds at all.
Kael frowned.
Then a scream tore through the night.
---
The First Strike
A goblin sentry slammed into the dirt near the main fire pit, blood trailing behind him. His spear shattered.
"They're here!" someone shouted.
The fog thickened. Then the shapes appeared.
Panther-like beasts, gold-eyed and silent, slinked from the treeline like wraiths with muscle. One lunged. A goblin archer cried out. Another vanished behind a hut.
Kael didn’t hesitate.
"Rimuru, let’s move!"
They sprinted toward the scream. A young goblin was pinned under a Nyavari—its claws digging in, eyes glowing.
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Kael dove, ramming into its side with a shoulder hit fueled by pure panic and adrenaline.
The beast hissed, turning on him—but Rimuru launched like a slingshot.
*WHUMP.*
Rimuru smashed into the Nyavari’s head and latched on like living glue.
"Now! Predator!"
"Activation confirmed. Consuming hostile tissue."
Rimuru glowed white-hot, and the Nyavari howled for the first time—not in rage, but in pain.
Its left foreleg dissolved into slime. The creature thrashed and fled into the fog, limping and shrieking.
Kael helped the kid up. "You good?"
The goblin stared in awe. "You... you made the slime *eat* it."
"We’re still working on his table manners."
---
The Battle Unfolds
Kael ran through the chaos.
Goblins fought with whatever they had—spears, torches, even kitchen knives. The Nyavari moved in silence, weaving through huts like liquid death.
Kael grabbed a fallen spear and turned to face another beast that was closing in fast.
"Great Sage! Help!"
"Target approaching. Vital points exposed: left shoulder, underjaw, rear tendon. Recommend feint followed by overhead thrust."
Kael feinted left, then drove the spear downward as the Nyavari leapt—catching it just beneath the jaw. It fell twitching.
He gasped, heart racing.
"Next enemy: eight meters behind you. Prepare to pivot and swing."
Kael spun, nearly falling over. "A little more warning next time, please!"
"Your balance is inadequate. Core stability: suboptimal."
"Gee, thanks. I’ll go do sit-ups mid-fight."
Rimuru zipped past him, glowing bright. Another Nyavari lunged—and Rimuru split mid-air, forming two slime orbs that slammed into its sides simultaneously.
Kael blinked. "Okay, that was new."
"Predator skill adapting. Mana threshold increasing. Evolution pattern: nonlinear."
Rimuru recombined with a satisfied wobble.
---
Goblins Rally
Gobrin led a squad of young fighters near the central fire, trying to hold the line. Nana hurled a makeshift mana trap that exploded into sparks, stunning one Nyavari long enough for Zelga to body-slam it into a tree.
"Zelga, left flank!"
"Got it!"
Kael fell into rhythm with them, parrying and dodging. He wasn’t graceful, but he was fast. And Rimuru never left his side, shielding him with slime walls and acidic counters.
"Spear tip cracked. Structural integrity: 62%. You will need a new weapon shortly."
"Add that to the list of things I’m stressed about!"
"Emotional outbursts reduce combat efficiency."
"I reduce your smug efficiency."
It wasn’t perfect. But it was working.
Then the fog pulsed.
And something big stepped through.
---
The Alpha Appears
It was twice the size of the others. Scars laced its hide. Its eyes glowed red-gold. It didn’t run. It stalked, each step deliberate.
Rimuru backed up.
"Great Sage," Kael murmured. "That one looks pissed."
"Designation: Nyavari Alpha. Threat level: significantly higher. Tactical recommendation: avoid frontal assault."
"No kidding. Got any non-obvious tips?"
"Yes. Stay alive."
The beast stared at Kael. Then it roared—not to intimidate, but to signal.
The remaining Nyavari stopped. Watched. Waited.
Kael raised his spear and stepped forward. "Guess I just made the guest list."
Rimuru floated beside him, glowing brighter than ever.
The real fight was just beginning.