The Gathering

The Gathering, 「集う物達, Tsudō mono-tachi」 is the seventeenth episode of the anime adaptation of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

Synopsis
Vesta succeeds in developing a full potion to equal Rimuru's potions, prompting Rimuru to attempt negotiations to develop low potions in Tempest. Just then, Phobio, beastkeeper of the demon lord Carrion, comes to Tempest with the intent of taking it over, but is promptly dealt with by Milim before Rimuru resolves things peacefully. Offering Milim a new weapon in exchange for information, Rimuru learns that the other demon lords have their sights set on him for foiling their plan to create a puppet demon lord. Later, the Border Survey Corps led by a man named Youm, joined Eren's party, come to Tempest, where Rimuru asks them to take credit for defeating the Orc Lord. Meanwhile, the demon lord Clayman takes an interest in a powerful beast known as Charybdis and sends Tear the harlequin to investigate.

Clayman and Tear are plotting something and mention Charybdis.

Summary
Inside of the Brumund Kingdom's Freedom Association branch office Guild leader Fuze is having a meeting with Belyard and they share information on the recent death of the Orc Lord. Simply put they already know that a city full of monsters led by Rimuru Tempest were responsible, but now they need to determine if they should treat Rimuru and his forces as friend or enemy. Thus Fuze sets out with Cabal's Party to witness the slime for himself.

Meanwhile Rimuru is checking in on Vesta's progress. Firstly Vesta has built a long distance communication type crystal that allows him to stay in touch with Dwargon. Secondly the Dwarven scientist has succeeded in reverse engineering Rimuru's potion making techniques. Healing potions made from Hipokte Grass using Dwarven techniques can at best only achieve 98% purity where as Rimuru's potions have achieved 99% purity.

That 1% means that Rimuru's potion, Full Restore, can achieve full restoration, meaning that just coming into direct contact with it will heal you even if you are on the brink of death including regrowing lost limbs. Compare the Greater Restore of the dwarfs which can only heal your wounds, it would restore your body back to the condition that it was in before it got injured. Now with his new equipment Vesta can make Full Restore too.

Now that they've created the potion the question becomes what to do with it, though the feat of making Full Restore is impressive it's benefits applies only to a very niche consumer. Vesta however suggests they simply take the same approach that Dwargon has for years: Water the potion down and sell it as greater restore and lesser restore in far greater Quantity.

Though a grateful Vesta is happy to help as Rimuru is leaving the Cave he spots a explosion go off in the middle of his city. Asking a severely wounded Rigurdo what happened the Goblin King explains that yet another diplomatic envoy has arrived in town, this one behaving as if he already owned the area and struck down Rigurdo when told otherwise, which resulted in Milim Nava's fiery retaliation.

Once he's awake the envoy introduces himself as Phobio and he is there on assignment from the Demon Lord Karion. With a pacified Milim on standby Rimuru attempts to enter negotiation with Phobio, though the Beastman looks down upon the 'lowly slime' Rimuru does point out that he's stronger than Phobio and he controls over 30% of the Jura Forest.

Meaning that if Phobio doesn't correct his behavior then he will be single handily responsible for inciting war against his own people. Thus Phobio cuts to the chase: he's there as a talent scout for his master's army, specifically looking for the Majin that defeated the Orc Lord. Having obtained the information he wanted Rimuru tells Forbio to leave.

They can't go around killing envoys and they can't let him stay, so if his master wants an alliance with him he'll either have to come personally or send someone with manners. Thus Phobio leaves muttering words of revenge. Rimuru questions Milim on what she knows about Karion, to which Milim claims that she can't say as she made a promise with the other Demon Lords not to interfere with them.

Having just informed Rimuru that she is hiding something and there are other Demon Lords involved, Rimuru is able to coax more information out of Milim with a promise of having a weapon made for her and with the understanding that he will use the information she gives him to stay out of the business of other Demon Lords which eventually succeeds.

Thus Milim explains that she, Karion, Frey and Clayman tried to use Gelmud to raise a puppet Demon Lord to take control over the forest. While Milim was just trying to kill time the others might have had more invested in the scheme than she realized and now because of that the other Demon Lords have taken a vested interest in the slime and his forces.

In the meantime Farmas Kingdom has also launched a investigation into the forest of their own: this one consisting of a small army of violent thugs that they have sprung from prison to use as disposable scouts being led by a man named Youmu. They encounter Fuze's group who have accidentally invoked the wrath of a Knight Spider and ends up joining with Youmu's group while running away.

As the adventurers and drafted criminals prepare their last stand against the giant spider Gobuta and his Goblin Riders walk in, briefly note that Spider Knight is rather tasty, before they easily defeat it and take it's corpse back to their village to have for dinner. Thus two more diplomatic envoys/investigation teams are welcomed over for dinner.

There Youmu's rude personality results in him getting bludgeoned into submission by Shion before they can begin negotiations. Simply put, Rimuru wants to open diplomatic and trade negotiations with Brumund and Farmeas and points out to the two that they are already trading with Dwargon and their routes are quite safe. Before Fuze can make promises though he needs to confirm that Rimuru means the human Kingdoms no harm.

With that done there is another matter that needs to be addressed, the Orc Lord. Rimuru is considered a threat because he defeated the Orc Lord, if someone else did that he would seem less threatening to the populace of the human Kingdoms, if he aided that someone then he would undeniably look like a ally of humanity. On a related note Rimuru asks what Youmu's relationship is with his employers.

Youmu simply intended to confirm that there wasn't anything left in the forest that threatened the human settlements before he and his men faked their deaths and moved to another Kingdom. Rimuru has an alternate proposal: if Youmu claimed credit for defeating the Orc Lord with Rimuru and Co's help then he would get to be a hero and the subject of the fearful reaction to Rimuru from the humans would be resolved.

Of course the current Youmu can't claim the credit, his equipment would have to be upgraded, his looks cleaned up and his swordsmanship polished. Youmu survey's the town and confirms that it is quite peaceful and the idea of being free from the shackles of his employers is quite enticing, working for Rimuru as oppose to his current employer is quite acceptable. In the meantime Clayman is having a meeting with one of his subordinates Tear.

The two briefly discuss Milim's place in the city before Tear gives her report on Frey: the Harpy Queen is apparently freaking out because Charybdis is about to be revived, and based on this information Tear and Footman are dispatched to try and tame Charybdis and it's Demon Lord class power for Clayman.

Characters
MAIN:
 * Rimuru Tempest
 * Benimaru
 * Shion
 * Shuna
 * Souei
 * Milim Nava
 * Rigurdo

BRIEF APPEARANCES:
 * Vesta
 * Kaijin
 * Gabiru
 * Gobuta

RETURNING CHARACTERS:
 * Fuze
 * Belyard
 * Cabal
 * Gido
 * Eren


 * Clayman (Ending)

NEW CHARACTERS:
 * Farmenas & his company
 * Phobio & his company


 * Tear (Ending)