Story: NG+

Chapter 5: The Folly of Gabiru and the Orc Disaster


The days following the dryad's visit were a maelstrom of activity in Rimuru's village. The stealthy ogre, his form a living shadow, returned from his mission with a grim report. He knelt before Rimuru, his voice a low, gravelly whisper.

"Rimuru-sama, the Orc army... it is unlike anything I have ever seen. Their numbers are vast, easily ten times the size of a normal Orc tribe. Their magicule signature is not of a single entity, but a corrupting wave that spreads like a plague." He paused, a flicker of genuine fear in his eyes. "And their leader... I could not get a clear visual, but the aura I felt was... overwhelming. It's not just an army; it's a disaster in motion."

Rimuru processed the information instantly, Ciel's analysis confirming the ogre's fears. So, the Orc Disaster is in full effect. A single Orc Lord with a unique skill that allows him to consume and absorb his own kind for power. This is the catalyst for my intervention. Rimuru turned his gaze to the assembled ogres and goblins, who listened with a mix of dread and defiance. "The time for talk is over," he projected, his voice now a steady hum of calm authority. "We will not let this army destroy the Great Forest of Jura. We will face them."

Meanwhile, in the Lizardmen's murky territory, a sinister figure emerged from the swamps. He was a small, wizened monster with a cloak of dark leaves and a cruel smirk on his face. This was Gelmud, a self-proclaimed demon who found perverse joy in manipulating monsters for his own amusement. He found Gabiru, who was still stewing in his arrogant fury after the ogre delegation's visit.

"Gabiru," Gelmud purred, his voice like the slither of a snake. "I have heard of your valor, your strength, and your ambition. It is a pity your old fool of a father and his cowardly advisors hold you back. They would have you wait for a 'slime' to save you. Pathetic."

Gabiru's chest swelled with pride. "You speak the truth! I, Gabiru, will not stand by while the destiny of the Lizardmen is decided by others!"

"Then let me show you the path to true glory," Gelmud continued, his eyes glinting with malice. He presented Gabiru with a powerful, glowing staff, pulsating with dark magicules. "With this, and the help of a few loyal followers, you can overthrow your weak father, take your rightful place as chieftain, and lead your people to a swift victory over the Orcs. The Great Forest will tremble at your name, Gabiru the Great!"

Blinded by ambition and Gelmud's flattery, Gabiru took the staff. He gathered his most loyal warriors and, without a word to his father, launched a brazen attack on the Orc army. They stormed out of the swamp, a tide of arrogant bravado against a sea of ravenous monsters.

The Orc army, however, was not just an army. It was a single, unified organism of destruction. Gabiru and his warriors fought with all their might, but their individual strength was no match for the endless, regenerating horde. The Orcs devoured their fallen comrades, growing stronger with each bite. Gabiru's charge, so full of bluster, crumbled in a matter of minutes. His warriors were slaughtered, their bodies consumed and their spirits broken. Gabiru himself, battered and defeated, was forced to retreat, leaving his people to face the full wrath of the Orc Disaster.

The chieftain, watching from a distance, saw his son's folly unfold. He saw the inevitable defeat, the slaughter of his best warriors, and the utter desperation of his tribe. He fell to his knees, his heart heavy with grief and regret. All those lives... lost for the sake of a boy's pride, he thought, the weight of his own failure to stop Gabiru a crushing burden. In his darkest hour, with his people on the brink of annihilation, he had only one last hope: the mysterious leader of the new monster nation, the slime named Rimuru.

Back in his village, Rimuru's demeanor remained unchanged. Ciel had already reported on Gabiru's arrogance and his inevitable downfall. Rimuru saw this as a necessary, albeit tragic, step. It is a shame to see so many lives wasted needlessly, he mused, a flicker of genuine sadness passing through him before his strategic mind took over. But this humility is a lesson the Lizardmen, and my own allies, needed to learn.

"The time has come," Rimuru addressed his forces. "The Orc Disaster is upon us. The Lizardmen's domain is in peril, and they have no one left to turn to. We will not wait for them to ask for help. We will march. We will show the Great Forest of Jura what a true nation of monsters looks like."

With Rimuru at the head, his now powerful and disciplined army of goblins, direwolves, and ogres moved out. This was not a reactive defense, but a calculated, confident move by a leader who knew exactly what was coming and how to defeat it.