chapter nine

🕊️ flames from shizu 🕊️

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Thick flames that shot up into the sky formed a massive swirl of smoke and ashes in the skies - covering the once-clear blue sky with thick heavy black smoke. Kumiho who wasn't going to come later than usual to their parting ways was quickly alerted when she saw the smoke.

The fox ran towards where the smoke came from just in time to see Shizu floating with transparent purple flames that portrayed her floating hair - she was the one who was making all the fire, she was the one who emitted it.

Kumiho ran beside Rimuru who was now on the ground, "Ru-nii! What's wrong with her!?" She asked as the slime stared at the masked girl worriedly, "I don't know!! She just collapsed and burst into flames!!"

"Shizu!! Shizu!!" Elen shouted anxiously as she stared worriedly towards the masked girl - the mask prevented the others from seeing what was her expression behind it. "Shizu? Shizue Izawa??" Canal exclaimed as he started to realize who the masked girl's identity was.

"Did you say Shizue Izawa? The Conqueror of Flames?" Gido added.

"Oh? Isn't she the hero from the guild that appeared 50 years ago?" Kumiho told Rimuru, questioning her sentence as the three humans finally realized who the mysterious Shizu's identity was, "That's Shizu? The Conqueror..."

"Isn't she retired by now?" Canal furrowed his eyebrows, watching how the masked girl floated high above the guard while being inside the huge tower of bright red flames.

"Rigurd and Rigur." Rimuru exclaimed, catching the two hobgoblin's attention, "Take everyone away from here."

"But..." "Lord Rimuru!"

"I command you."

"Yes! As you wish!" The two hobgoblins run away from the scene, going to evacuate the other goblins away from the area so they won't get any bad impacts if there are going to be any.

"Ranga, are you there?" Rimuru asked telepathically, alerting both Ranga's and Raiden's attention - as well as Kumiho who was able to hear their conversation, "I'm here my master!" The Tempest Wolf replied from inside the slime's shadow.

"I'll need you once it begins." "Okay!"

"Raiden! I need you too, alright?" Kumiho exclaimed, glancing at her shadow to which the wolf replied positively, "Got it, master!"

Due to the harsh wind that Shizu created with her flame tornado, the cracked mask on her face fell in front of Rimuru and Kumiho - revealing her current expression. Her used-to-be white sclera turned into a glowing red color while her irises turned into a glowing yellow color.

But then, she started tearing up - tears dropping down while her stoic and nonchalant face remained present on her face. It was as if her mind was being controlled by someone who forced her to do these things.

The once flame tower that she was in turned into an opaque fireball that surrounded her before it disappeared and revealed a demon - not the girl. He has smokey black skin, long sharp horns, bright red hair color, and flame emitting from his body.

"It's the flame spirit, Ilfrit!" Canal exclaimed, sweating anxiously.

"There's no other explanation. Shizu is..."

"She's the legendary hero, the Conqueror of Flames. We don't stand a chance fighting against that!" Elen stated, staring at her two other male companions in distress. "It's impossible. We're going to die standing here. My life was cut so short." Gido smiled.

The so-called flame spirit - Ilfrit roared, making a huge shock wave that blew the area below him as three flame towers burst from the ground around him. Kumiho's claws appeared almost instantly as she held onto the ground below her, using her tails to help support the slime from flying away.

The three towers that were previously created by Ilfrit disappeared and turned into a dragon-like creature that had flames on its shoulder. The creature flew above the village, sprinkling these weird red sparks that caused the houses to erupt into hot flames.

"Hey! We just finished building that!!!" Kumiho yelled angrily, her tails straightening up in an offended way, "That hurts, you know!! I'll make you rebuild that with your hands!!"

"You all need to get away from here!" Rimuru called out to the three humans who stood up, back facing the two creatures. "That isn't going to happen." Canal replied, reaching out to wield his sword and taking on their stands, "I'm not certain why she suddenly has it in her mind to kill us."

"She's still our friend!"

"We can't abandon her!"

"Oh, I see! Be careful then!" Rimuru exclaimed, "What really nice people." Kumiho nodded in agreement, "Humans in this world are kind."

Rimuru and Kumiho walked up to stand in front of the humans while the three surrounded the two creatures in front of them with their weapons wielded, "Let's go!"

"Hey, you! What are you after!" Kumiho yelled but the flame spirit didn't respond, instead, he created a fireball with a stoic look and threw it towards the two creatures who dodged the attack, "Water Blade!"

Rimuru attempted to attack Ilfrit too, throwing a water blade that flew towards the flame spirit but ended up evaporating when it hit his chest. After the attack, the three dragon-like monsters flew towards Kumiho and Rimuru.

"Icicle Lance!" Elen voiced as a big spike of ice shoot emerged from the blue magic scribe, shooting itself toward one of the dragon-like monsters – injuring its shoulder as it shrieked in pain. "We can handle this! We're used to this kind of situation already!"

Kumiho looked towards Ilfrit who conjured another dragon-like creature, aiming to destroy the villagers. She looked back towards Rimuru, "Rimuru-nii... I'll help defend the village, deal with that flame dude quickly." 

Rimuru looked back at the fox, "Got it! Be safe, Kumi."

"Raiden!" Kumiho yelled as the tempest wolf emerged from her shadow, letting the small fox get on his back. "Raiden! Go to where the goblins are grouped!"

"I got it, master!"

Raiden ran towards the cliff which had the goblins grouped up when he took a step into the air – a splash of glowing water appeared below his paws. He repeated the process many times and Raiden was now running towards the cliff by running on air.

"Raiden, allow me to pluck one of your furs..." Kumiho whispered as the wolf nodded, "Of course master!" Kumiho plucked Raiden's fur, tossing it inside her jaw before gulping it down.

"You have consumed the Tempest Star Wolf: Raiden's fur... you have obtained the skills the creature has..." Kami's voice echoed throughout Kumiho's head, 'Kami, let me use the [Raindrop steps] skill'

"[Raindrop steps] skill being processed throughout your body... [Raindrop steps] is successfully registered to the host body.'

"Raiden, I'm going to hop off now! Guard the goblins and make sure none of them gets injured. I'm counting on you." Kumiho instructed as the wolf nodded again, "I got it, master! You can count on me!!"

Kumiho hopped off Raiden's back, her paws making contact with the air – just like Raiden, a splash of glowing water appeared beneath her paws giving him support so she could continue to move. 'This skill is quite useful!'

As the flying salamander approached Kumiho, she lowered her stance – baring her fangs. "Sticky steel thread!" A clear cobweb lunged itself, wrapping the flying salamander that was struggling to free itself, 'Well, might as well explore my skills...'

"Core creation!" As Kumiho shouted that towards the flying salamander, its eyes and her glowing eyes made contact. The creature started to screech as it started to twitch, going through a weird transformation before it became a small glowing red marble that floated towards Kumiho.

When it reached Kumiho, she ate it like a small pill – analyzing its skills using Kami's observation skills. When she finished, she could see how Rimuru had finished the fight with Ilfrit – consuming him using his predator skill. She could sense how Veldora was talking with Ilfrit too.

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Kumiho made soft groans as her tails drooped low, pacing around the room continuously as Raiden watched her in a relaxed manner. She suddenly stopped and looked at Raiden, "I can't do it! I'm too scared!! What if I turn out ugly!!! UGHH!!"

Kumiho yelled in annoyance as she stomped her paws on the ground while Raiden watched her calmly – it had been hours since Kumiho repeated those words and actions. Raiden was encouraging her to turn into her human form as it could be beneficial for her.

"I'm pretty sure you won't, master." Raiden calmly repeated his words, "You won't know if you never try it."

"You're right... I guess I'll give it a go..." Kumiho breathed out as Raiden's ear perked up when she finally responded with a calm manner, 'Kami... how can I turn into my human form?'

"Answer: You can do so just like how you shapeshift into others... but this time, try to think about your pure core... a human core," Kami answered as Kumiho gulped.

Kumiho closed her eyes, tightening her jaw as she tried to think hard about whatever Kami told her. Finally, red smoke engulfed her and when it disappeared – a girl figure sat on the ground. She has healthy wavy snow-white hair that reaches her shoulder blades and blood-red irises.

A real beauty she is, with plump red lips and perfect facial features. Kumiho was naked though, when she looked at her hands – her eyes widened as she examined her pale peachy skin tone. Raiden threw some clothes he prepared for her, looking away.

"Raiden! Raiden! Am I pretty or not!?" Kumiho asked, wearing the ragged clothes that Raiden tossed to her. Raiden looked towards Kumiho once she finished changing, "Master is the prettiest, I could not deny!!"

Kumiho eye's brightened, "I need to tell Rimuru-nii about this!!! C'mon Raiden!!"

Kumiho rushed out of the tent, running towards where she would find Rimuru who was inside the tent that had Shizu resting there. Raiden ran outside too, "Wait for me, master!!!"

As Kumiho rushed towards the tent where Shizu was resting, she saw how Rigurd and Ranga were waiting outside the tent – looking inside the tent. Kumiho ran towards them as Rigurd noticed the girl, "Kumiho-sama!? Is that you!?" 

"Yes, yes! Please move aside!!" Kumiho instructed as Ranga move backward a bit, letting the girl squeeze herself into the tent that has the three human adventurers inside. Kumiho sensed Rimuru's aura too so she excitedly greeted him.

"Brother!! Check out my human-" Kumiho paused when she saw a weirdly familiar girl-like figure looking at her with her golden irises, the figure had bright blue hair color just like Rimuru's slime color. "Who are you!? Where's my brother!??"

"Calm down Kumi!! It's me!! Anyways- is that your human form? You look pretty-"

"NO YOU'RE NOT!! MY BROTHER IS UGLY-"

"KUMIHO!!!"