The Gears Spin Out of Control

The Gears Spin Out of Control (狂いゆく歯車) is the twelfth episode of the anime adaptation of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.

Synopsis
Treyni explains that the Orc Lord has used the Unique Skill, Starved, on the orcs, causing them to constantly crave sustenance and even eat their own to gain more power. Accepting Treyni's request, Rimuru sends Souei to negotiate with the lizardmen for an alliance. As the chieftain urges his soldiers not to engage in battle with the orcs until Rimuru's group arrives. Gabiru, swayed by the words of Gemuld's messenger, Laplace, usurps the chieftain's position and leads the lizardmen into a direct attack on the orcs, unaware of the Orc Lord's true power.

Plot
The meeting between Rimuru and Treyni the Dryad continues. Souei reports that he's scouted the destroyed Ogre Village and has confirmed that both the Ogre corpses and the Orc Corpses have completely disappeared. According to Treyni, the surviving Orcs ate them. When an Orc evolves into an Orc Lord, they gain a Unique Skill called Starved, which works similarly to Rimuru's Predator.

For example, when Rimuru consumes someone using Predator, they have a 100% chance of gaining their abilities but they're only granted to the user. Compared to Starved, which, although it has a much lower rate of success, and drives the users mad with hunger, instead triggers mutations and grants copies of skills to the user's subordinates in addition to the user themself; the Orcs have already gained the Ogres brute strength, currently they're target the lizardmen's heightened speed, agility, and heightened ability to move through water and mud.

But, the worst-case scenario, is if the orc lord seeks out the collection of strong monsters that Rimuru has gathered together. Not to mention the Dryads and Treant's Treyni has under her protection. When the powers of all the creatures of the Jura Forest combine, they will become an unstoppable plague on the world and will spread like a rapidly evolving swarm of locusts.

As if further prodding Rimuru to action, Treyni also informs them that the Orcs actions are being guided by a Majin named Gelmud, who is working for a Demon Lord. Remembering the promise made to Shizu, Rimuru agrees to wipe the Orc Lord. As a start, in order to even the numbers against the 200,000 strong Orcs, Souei is assigned to establish proper diplomatic relations with the Lizardman Chieftain.

In the meantime, Gabiru finally wakes up following his humiliating defeat by Gobta, he immediately comes to the conclusion that Gobta was the strongest fighter in the village and that they lied to him about being weak to throw him off. One of Gelmud's colleagues Laplace informs him about the impending attack on the Lizardman settlement and voices his concerns that Gabiru's father might be too weak to face them.

Thus, Gabiru makes the decision to take over the tribe now and lead his people to victory against the Orcs. Meanwhile, Souei arrives at the Lizardman village where he forces his way into the chief's chambers. With the Orc army on their doorstep, Souei instructs the chief to Hunker down in a defensive battle until Rimuru's reinforcements arrive to deal with the Orcs. Seeing the immense power of Souei that could rival the Orc Lord makes the gears turn in the Lizardman Chieftan's head.

Souei, originally an Ogre and now a Kijin after being named by Rimuru, is a being of great power, Rimuru, therefore, must be someone of even greater power to be the one who named him. If such a person, with such subordinates, came to their aid, then the odds of survival, and for that matter, victory for the Lizardmen, will rise dramatically. Four days later, midway through Rimuru's reinforcements arriving, Gabiru arrives and overthrows his father as chief.

Gabiru proves himself a competent military leader, waging several guerrilla battles against the Orcs and thinning their numbers using hit and run tactics. However, he is caught off guard by the terror of an army that devours its own dead.

Characters
MAIN: BRIEF APPEARANCES/CAMEO: RETURNING CHARACTERS: NEW CHARACTERS:
 * Rimuru Tempest
 * Great Sage
 * Goblin Lords
 * Ririna
 * Rigur
 * Orc Lord (Mentioned)
 * Shizu
 * Ranga
 * Gobta
 * Hobgoblins/Goblinas
 * Gelmud (Mentioned)
 * Orc Army
 * Treyni
 * Rigurd
 * Kaijin
 * Benimaru
 * Shuna
 * Souei
 * Shion
 * Hakurou
 * Kurobe
 * Gabiru
 * Lizardman Chieftain
 * Lizardman Head Guard
 * Lizardmen
 * Laplace

Locations

 * Goblin Village
 * Great Jura Forest
 * Orge Village (Mentioned)
 * Lake Siss

Adaptation Notes
This Episode Adapts the Following Material:
 * Volume 2: Forest Disturbance
 * Chapter 3: The Envoy and the Meeting
 * Chapter 4: Disengaging Gears


 * Manga Volume 4
 * Chapter 18: Loosening Gears
 * Chapter 19: False Superiority

Differences:

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