Primordial Slime: I Devour The World

The walk back to the capital was a nightmare Calian Valcrest could not escape.

The forest seemed endless. Every rustling leaf made his hand tighten around the reins. Every distant howl sent his heart racing. He had entered the eastern forest with one hundred soldiers beneath the proud banner of House Valcrest.

Now...

He was alone.

__________

The gates of the royal capital slowly opened.

The guards immediately noticed the exhausted man approaching. ”Lord Calian?”

Several guards rushed forward. ”My lord!”

”What happened?” Calian barely heard them. His exhausted body slipped sideways.

Strong arms caught him before he struck the ground.

”Summon the royal healers!”

”Hurry!”

The captain of the gate guards looked beyond the road. There was no one else. His expression changed. ”Where is the rest of your company?” Calian closed his eyes. He couldn’t answer.

___________

Several hours later...

The Grand Hall of the Royal Palace fell into complete silence. King Aldren was seated on the throne. Around him stood ministers, generals, nobles, and representatives from the Adventurer’s Guild. Calian knelt before them. Fresh bandages covered his wounds. His pride remained far more damaged. King Aldren looked down at him. ”Rise, Lord Calian.” Calian slowly stood. ”I have already received word that your expedition failed.”

”I wish to hear your account.” Calian took a slow breath.

”We entered the eastern forest according to plan. The outer region showed nothing unusual.”

He paused.

”The deeper we traveled, the quieter the forest became.”

Several Guild representatives exchanged glances.

”We believed we had discovered a monster nest. We were wrong.”

A minister frowned.

”What did you find?”

Calian’s expression darkened.

”An army.”

The hall erupted into whispers.

”An army?”

”Impossible.”

”Are you certain?”

Calian ignored the voices.

”An organized Orc tribe. They responded to our presence within moments.”

His voice grew quieter.

”They weren’t acting on instinct. They followed commands.”

One elderly general folded his arms.

”A chieftain?”

Calian slowly shook his head.

”No.”

He still remembered the massive figure emerging from the central war tent.

The scars.

The black mantle.

The immense blade.

”An Orc Lord.”

Silence.

No one spoke for several heartbeats. Even King Aldren’s expression hardened. One of the younger nobles scoffed. ”Perhaps you simply underestimated ordinary Orcs.” Calian slowly turned toward him. The noble immediately regretted speaking. The look in Calian’s eyes contained something no battlefield veteran could mistake.

Fear.

Not panic.

Not shame.

Fear born from witnessing overwhelming strength.

”I know what I fought.”

The hall became quiet again.

King Aldren rested both hands upon the arms of his throne. ”And your soldiers?” Calian lowered his head. ”They died. All of them.” The words echoed through the chamber. One hundred trained soldiers.

Gone.

Several nobles inhaled sharply.

A hundred men represented years of training. Years of investment. To lose them in a single expedition. The loss could not simply be ignored. Maps soon covered a long council table. Military officers pointed toward the eastern forest. Guild officials placed reports gathered over the past several months beside them. Missing hunters. Abandoned campsites. Smoke columns rising from deep within the forest. Unusual monster movements. Reports that had previously seemed unrelated. A minister frowned. ”Individually, none of these reports seemed significant.” The Guild Master nodded. ”But together...” He looked around the room. ”...they suggest something has been changing inside that forest for quite some time.” One general stroked his beard. ”If the Orc Lord united the surrounding orcs...”

Another general interrupted. ”What if it united more than Orcs?” The room fell silent. No one had an answer.

King Aldren looked toward the nobles gathered around the table. ”The Valcrest family has suffered a great loss.” Several nobles immediately nodded. ”My King, this cannot be ignored.” ”House Valcrest has lost one hundred men. The forest must be dealt with.” Calian remained silent. He had already seen the difference between courage and arrogance. But his family name still carried weight. And the nobles knew it. One of them stepped forward. ”Your Majesty, if an Orc Lord has established a military force within the forest, allowing it to remain there will only give it time to grow stronger.” Another noble nodded. ”House Valcrest has proven that the threat is real.”

King Aldren’s expression darkened.

He looked toward the map. The eastern forest. The place that had been ignored for years. Now an Orc Lord had appeared.

And a noble house had lost an entire force.

A voice came from the entrance. ”Father.” Everyone turned. The Crown Prince entered the chamber. The officials immediately bowed. The Crown Prince walked toward the table and stopped beside the map. ”I heard about Lord Calian’s return.” King Aldren looked at his son. ”Then you know what happened.” The Crown Prince looked toward Calian. ”Lord Calian.” Calian bowed his head. ”Your Highness.” The Crown Prince then looked at the map. ”An Orc Lord is certainly dangerous.” The nobles seemed satisfied. ”But that does not mean we should immediately send the Royal Army into the forest.”

The hall became quiet. One of the Valcrest nobles frowned. ”Your Highness, with respect...” The Crown Prince raised a hand. ”I have not finished.” The noble fell silent.

”The Intelligence Bureau has been watching the forest for years.” He looked toward one of the officials. ”Have the monsters attacked any Imperial settlement?” The Intelligence Bureau agent shook his head. ”No, Your Highness.” ”Merchant caravans?” ”No.” ”Border patrols?” ”No.” The Crown Prince looked toward his father. ”The settlement has not attacked us.” King Aldren remained silent. ”The demons have,” the Crown Prince continued. Several generals exchanged glances. ”Villages are being attacked. Caravans are disappearing. Border patrols are being ambushed.” He placed one finger against the map. ”The demons are an active threat.” Then he pointed toward the eastern forest.

”The monsters are not.” One of the Valcrest nobles stepped forward. ”They will become one.” The Crown Prince looked at him. ”Perhaps or perhaps they will continue living inside the forest without ever attacking the Empire.” The noble’s expression hardened. ”After what happened to House Valcrest?” The Crown Prince’s eyes narrowed. ”One hundred men entered the forest without proper information. They found an Orc Lord.” ”They lost the battle.” ”That is a tragedy. It is not proof that every monster in the forest is preparing to attack us.” Calian lowered his head. The Crown Prince was right. But the room had already shifted. The nobles were angry. House Valcrest had suffered a humiliating defeat.

And they wanted someone to blame.

King Aldren looked around the chamber. He could see it clearly. If he ignored the loss of House Valcrest, the nobles would see weakness. The Valcrest family had influence. Their soldiers had fought for the Empire. Their name carried weight. The king slowly clenched his hand. ”We will not ignore this.” The Crown Prince immediately spoke. ”Father.” King Aldren looked at him. ”I understand your concern.” ”But House Valcrest has lost one hundred men.” His voice hardened. ”We cannot simply do nothing.” The Crown Prince frowned. ”Then send scouts. Do not send the army yet.” King Aldren’s expression changed. ”That is enough.” The Crown Prince fell silent.

His father turned toward the military commanders. ”Increase patrols along the eastern border.” ”Send additional scouts into the forest.” ”Gather information on the Orc Lord.” ”And prepare a military force capable of responding if necessary.” The Crown Prince’s expression darkened. ”Father...” King Aldren ignored him. The decision had already been made. The nobles of House Valcrest lowered their heads. ”Thank you, Your Majesty.” The Crown Prince stared at his father. He understood. This was no longer simply about the forest. It was politics. His father wanted to satisfy the nobles. And because of that. The forest had just become a greater priority than it had been yesterday. The Crown Prince turned away. He said nothing more.

_______________

Morning arrived peacefully in the Eldoris Dominion. Golden sunlight filtered through the forest canopy, illuminating the growing settlement. Smoke rose lazily from cooking fires. Goblins hammered away at new homes while Moss Turtles slowly hauled timber toward the expanding outer fence.

Not far away, rabbit children chased one another through the open square, their laughter echoing between the buildings.

Tanaka stood quietly outside the meeting hall. Not long ago, this place had been nothing more than a cave surrounded by slimes struggling to survive. Now it felt like home for several races. Footsteps approached. Raizen entered first, followed by Drakar, Sylva, Torga, and Eldrin. Behind them came the five Kijin. Rogan, Raishin, Raveana, Relia and Ryuken. Tanaka looked at the group. ”What’s going on?” Eldrin chuckled. ”Nothing bad.” Raizen nodded. ”We simply wanted to speak with you.”

Tanaka tilted his body slightly. ”About?” Eldrin stepped forward. ”The Dominion.” Tanaka listened. ”The dominion has continued to grow,” Eldrin said. ”The farms are expanding. The workshops are producing more equipment. The roads are improving, and the outer defenses are becoming stronger.” Drakar nodded. ”The kobolds have also begun producing better tools.” Sylva smiled. ”The Moonhares have expanded the gardens.” Torga slowly nodded. ”The Moss Turtles have been helping with construction.” Rogan crossed his arms. ”And the Ogres have been carrying half the dominion on their backs.” Raveana grinned. ”Not literally.” Rogan looked at her. ”Some of us could.” Tanaka laughed. ”Please don’t.”

The Kijin laughed among themselves. Everyone had grown. Not just stronger. More capable. The Dominion no longer depended on him for every decision. That was exactly what he had wanted. He wanted everyone to have a place here. A reason to stay. A future. Tanaka smiled. ”I’m glad.”

Eldrin looked at him for a moment. Then his expression became serious. ”There is one more matter.” Tanaka looked at him. ”What is it?” Eldrin slowly lowered himself to one knee. Tanaka froze. ”Eldrin?” Raizen followed. Then everyone. Even Sora bounced forward before settling beside Tanaka. Tanaka stared at them. ”What are you doing?” Eldrin raised his head. ”You united races that once feared one another.”

”You gave us a home.”

Drakar continued. ”You gave our people a future.” Sylva smiled softly. ”You became the one everyone looks toward.” Raizen’s golden eyes remained fixed on Tanaka.

”You are more than our leader.” Rogan lowered his head. ”You are the reason these races stand together.” Ryuken spoke quietly. ”You are the one at the center of this Dominion.” Tanaka remained silent. He had never asked for worship. He had never wanted people to kneel before him. Everything he had done had started with one simple goal. Survive. Then protect. Then build. But somewhere along the way. The little settlement had become something much bigger. The monsters around him had become his people. Eldrin finally spoke.

”Great One.” Tanaka’s eyes widened slightly.

”Great One.” Raizen repeated. Then the others joined. ”Great One.” Tanaka looked at them. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say. He had heard them call him that before. But he had never accepted it.

It had simply been a name his people gave him. A title they believed suited him. Tanaka looked around at their faces. At the goblin leader. The Star Wolf King. The Lunarpelt.

The Wyrmkin. The Ironcarapace Turtle. The five Kijin and Sora. All of them had chosen to stand beneath the same banner. Tanaka slowly smiled. ”If accepting this title gives everyone something to believe in...” He paused. ”...then I accept it. From today onward...” Tanaka paused. ”I accept the title... Great One.” Warmth spread through his Magic Core. A translucent screen appeared before him. He stared at it.

[ Soul Record Updated

Title Accepted

The Great One

Recognized as the acknowledged leader of multiple races.

The heart of a dominion now beats alongside your own. ]