TTIGRAAS: Predator

Chapter 5

Days passed with Shizu remaining unconscious, but all four of us stayed hopeful for her survival.

She had nothing physically wrong with her, at least nothing that some potion could fix. That was one of the first things I tried, but it didn't do anything to help her condition.

Gradually, she seemed to age decades, no longer looking like the young woman I'd gotten to know, but that didn't stifle the closeness that's grown between us in the short time we'd spent together.

The trio and I remained at her side the entire time, waiting for Shizu to wake up again, but I was beginning to grow unsure that would happen.

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The quiet of the cave was suddenly interrupted by a small, shallow gasp that grabbed our attention immediately. Shizu finally opened her eyes again and turned to look at Eren, Kaval, Gido, and me, smiling weakly after noticing us.

"Thank...goodness...you are all...safe..." she mumbled in a mere whisper, too tired to manage much else. "When I lost control of Ifrit...I feared the worst would happen..."

"Shhh...it's alright, Shizu, none of us were badly hurt." Eren kindly explains, sensing the worry in the woman's voice.

"Yeah, we're a B-ranked team, y'know!" Kaval declared with a chuckle.

Shizu smiled warmly at this.

"So bold, just like Hinata-chan...and enduring hardships with a smile, just like Yu-kun...my old students, now grown up...I wish I could've seen them one last time..." Shizu whispered wistfully to herself before she turned her dark eyes toward me.

"Slime-san...come closer..."

I hopped right to her side as she asked. Happy to see me, she smiled softly.

"You ate my curse...didn't you, Slime-san?"

"Yes, I did."

"It feels nice...to be free of that burden...but...I believe I won't last much longer without it."

"No!" I exclaimed, shocked. "You're going to get better!" I insisted, but Shizu just shook her head slightly at my assertion.

She fell silent for a moment, staring up at the cave's ceiling.

"Are you willing to hear the last wishes of this old woman?" she asks me calmly.

"Sh-shizu...n-no...you c-can't!" Eren sobbed off to the side, no longer able to contain her tears. Her two friends patted the girl on the back, both wearing sullen expressions of sadness.

"Y-yes..."

"I went on this journey...for two reasons...I was a teacher in Englesia...and my five young students...I was trying to find a way to save them from their fates. And my Demon Lord...the one I spoke with you about...I wanted to tell him off for what he did to me...just once..."

"I..."

I was at a complete loss for words. I'd never lost a single person close to me in either of my lives and I just didn't know how to handle this sort of thing. But, I needed to be strong and carry on Shizu's wishes; it was the least I could do for a fellow countryman and someone I consider my close friend.

"I'm just a slime, but I'll try my best to carry out those tasks for you, Shizu-san," I assured her.

"And you three...please stay safe...try your best not to be so reckless..."

Eren nodded her head, still sobbing.

"Yes, Shizu, I'll keep these two safe," Kaval answered.

"Same here. We won't go dyin' unnecessarily." Gido added.