Partners [Tensura X Oc]

Chapter-15 Preparation

Souei: 'So when would you like to hold the discussions, sir?'

YN: 'We'll probably need time to prepare, and the goblin riders will need a few days for the journey. A week from now, maybe?'

It'd be more like two weeks if we were going on foot, but a goblin rider wouldn't need five days. I reckoned we'd take around two days to prepare, so a week should be fine. Gabiru had his own transport beast, but it didn't look nearly as fast as a tempest wolf. If we arrived at the lizardman caverns before he and his men returned, we might wind up getting caught in... whatever he was planning. I wasn't completely sure it was a coup yet, but it always paid to watch your back at times like these. We needed to stay on top of the situation if we wanted to keep the initiative on our side. A little late, in this case, would be just right. So, seven days. 

Souei: 'Very well. I will work to make it happen.'

He ended the link.

I wanted this alliance to be firm, in writing, as soon as possible, but I knew it'd be hard to trust someone you'd never met before. But if we waited to prepare until after we shook hands and declared the alliance done, the orcs would be knocking on our collective doors in an instant. If the whole thing fell through, I was planning to pull back our forces at once and let me alone face the orcs and use my [Dark]. If they weren't willing to work with us, we'd wait for the orcs to swarm them, then hustle off to the treants' sanctuary. It sucked for them, but I wasn't here to give them lip service. This was war, and I had people counting on me. There had to be a line in the sand. They sounded open to the idea, though, so maybe I was just catastrophizing again... Either way, though, I had to hope it'd work out.

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Rimuru POV

Kaijin already had my next order--- a hundred sets of goblin rider weapons and armor, as soon as possible. Benimaru and Hakuro needed some, too, not to mention Shion, but they could wait. Souei would be home soon anyway; they could get it arranged then, together. Kurobe was taking care of our weapons, Shuna and Garm our armors, and they'd be done with it soon enough. 

Yn and Sarena didn't want any armor or weapon. They could summon or create their own weapon and they also said that the armor will only get in their way. And above all we have less time on our hands so they both didn't request anything. Yn also shared the information he got from Souei to me. 

So, while I waited for Souei, I decided to organize our goblin riders. Their leader, to start with. I inadvertently locked eyes with Gobta. He was second in-command with the security forces. It seemed suitable enough.

Rimuru: "Hey, Gobta, are you free?"

Gobta: "Nhh?! Whenever you say that, I have a feeling it never works out too well for me..."

Rimuru: "Ah, you're just imagining things. You're going, too, right?"

Gobta stopped short before replying. I smiled at him. He froze.

Gobta: "Of course!"

I didn't appreciate the weirdness of that act, but I chalked it up to the ominous aura I could feel behind me. Well, huh. Guess a smile from Shion was more effective than anything I could cook up in slime form. She nodded at Gobta's reply, looking down at me as I mulled over the power she wielded. So Gobta was our goblin rider leader. No one had any complaints--- despite his occasional wobbles, they recognized how capable a hobgob he was. Yn didn't seem to have any problem, so we agreed to make Gobta is the leader of Goblin Riders in the war.

Gobta: "By the way, have you asked Kurobe about the weapon you promised me yet?"

Rimuru: 'Boy, I sure didn't, huh?'

Rimuru: "Oh yeah, of course."

Gobta: "Really? Because you look kind of like you forgot."

Rimuru: 'Damn, he's sharp.'

Rimuru: "Ha-ha-ha! You're such a worrywart, Gobta, my boy! I've got the most wonderful short sword coming your way, so be patient!"

Gobta: "R-Really?! Ooh, I will be!"

Nice. Dodge that bullet. Good thing Gobta is so easy to work with.

Rimuru: 'Better tell Kurobe before I forget again.'

I thought as he merrily skipped away.

That left 100 members to select. Which Yn just selected the original goblins who were already paired with their rides opposed to the relief members in security force. Yn handed their names over to Kaijin, asking him to get their equipment ready.

Just as Yn was done wrapping this up, Souei came back.

Souei: "I apologize for the delay,"

He appeared from Benimaru's shadow like some master ninja.

So, let's get started.

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AN: With this the chapter is finished. Yup there will be preparation arc before the war. And the events related to Treyni and Gabiru will be as same as anime. I hope you all like it. Tell me your honest opinion until then good bye.