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The throne room—if it could be called that—was really just the largest building in the goblin village. Thanatos sat in what had been Rimuru's chair, his massive scythe leaning against the armrest, wings folded behind him. His crimson eyes watched the diminished slime with clinical interest.
Rimuru looked pathetic. His normally vibrant blue form had dulled to a sickly gray-blue, and he'd shrunk to barely a quarter of his original size. He jiggled weakly, his voice coming out as a depressed moan.
"This is so unfair," Rimuru whimpered. "I helped Veldora! I was going to build a peaceful village! And then you just—you just exploded out of me like some kind of... of..."
"Parasite?" Thanatos offered, his tone neutral.
"I wasn't going to say it, but yes!" Rimuru's gelatinous body quivered with indignation. "That was completely inhumane! Who does that? Who hides inside someone and then devours them from the inside?"
"We're not human," Thanatos said simply. "You're a slime. I'm a monster. Humanity doesn't apply to us."
Rimuru deflated further, which was impressive given his already diminished state. "Great Sage," he thought desperately, "give me something. Anything. What are my chances if I fight him?"
[Analysis complete. Victory probability: 1.46%]
"One percent?" Rimuru's mental voice cracked. "That's it?"
[Affirmative. The entity designated 'Thanatos' has consumed approximately 30% of Master's total mass and magicules. Combined with his existing power and the absorption of your skills, his combat capability exceeds yours by a factor of 23.7. Additionally, this system cannot fully analyze his status, indicating power levels far beyond current assessment capabilities.]
Rimuru slumped—literally melted into a puddle of despair on the floor.
"Fine," the slime said, his voice hollow. "Just... just do it quickly. Devour me completely. But please, leave the goblin village alone. Leave the direwolves alone. They didn't do anything wrong. This was my mistake."
Thanatos raised an eyebrow. The slime was willing to sacrifice himself for creatures he'd known for less than a month. Interesting.
Before he could respond, a familiar presence touched his consciousness.
"Thanatos, my friend!" Veldora's voice echoed from within Rimuru's diminished form. "I know you're powerful now, but please—spare Rimuru! He's a good person! He was trying to help me!"
"You're still in there?" Thanatos asked, genuinely surprised.
"Of course! The absorption process isn't complete yet. I'm still connected to him!" Veldora sounded frantic. "Please, as a favor to me. He doesn't deserve to die for making one mistake."
Thanatos considered this. Veldora had named him, had given him this power. He owed the dragon something. But more than that...
"Master," his own Great Sage spoke up. "Recommendation: Do not eliminate the slime."
"Why not?" Thanatos thought back. "He's a potential threat."
"Analysis suggests the opposite. Rimuru Tempest possesses a unique ability to inspire loyalty and forge alliances. His skill set is optimized for leadership and diplomacy rather than direct combat. As you have claimed the Jura Forest as your territory, you will need subordinates, infrastructure, and political connections to maintain control."
Thanatos frowned. "I have Monster Sovereign. I can command monsters directly."
"Affirmative. However, forced loyalty through fear is unstable and requires constant enforcement. Rimuru generates genuine loyalty through kindness and competence. Additionally, his presence provides a buffer between you and lower-level administrative tasks."
"You're saying I should use him as middle management."
"Precisely. Furthermore, analysis indicates a Servant-Master Pact would bind him to you without requiring his death. This would grant you control while preserving his utility. The pact would also prevent future betrayal and allow you to monitor his actions."
Thanatos leaned back in the throne, thinking. His instinct from Tokyo—from being a ghoul—was to eliminate threats. But Great Sage was right. He'd been so focused on gaining power, on never being hurt again, that he'd forgotten something important.
He could afford to be kind now. He had the strength to protect himself.
"Great Sage," Thanatos thought. "Explain this Servant-Master Pact."
[Servant-Master Pact: A magicule-binding contract that establishes a hierarchical relationship between two beings. The Master retains ultimate authority, while the Servant gains protection and support. Both parties must consent. Breaking the pact results in severe magicule backlash for the offending party.]
Thanatos stood, his wings rustling as he walked toward the puddle that was Rimuru.
"Stand up, slime."
Rimuru reformed slowly into his blob shape. "I'm standing. Sort of."
"I'm not going to kill you."
Hope flickered in Rimuru's voice. "Really?"
"Really. But we're going to establish some ground rules." Thanatos extended his hand. "I propose a Servant-Master Pact. You serve under me, help build and manage this territory, and in exchange, you get protection, resources, and autonomy in how you run things. As long as you don't betray me."
"A pact?" Rimuru's Great Sage was already analyzing. "What are the terms?"
"Simple. I'm the sovereign of the Jura Forest. You're my administrator. You handle the day-to-day operations of this village and any others we establish. You answer to me, but you make your own decisions within the scope of your authority. And you never, ever try to betray me."
"And if I refuse?"
Thanatos's eyes glowed brighter. "Then I finish what I started."
Rimuru was quiet for a long moment. "Great Sage, is this better than dying?"
[Affirmative. Analysis shows 94.3% probability of beneficial outcome. Master would retain significant autonomy while gaining protection from a Catastrophe-class entity. Recommendation: Accept.]
"Fine," Rimuru sighed. "I accept the pact. But you have to promise not to hurt the villagers."
"Agreed."
Thanatos's hand glowed with crimson light, and Rimuru extended a pseudopod. The moment they touched, magicules surged between them, forming a binding contract that settled deep into both their souls.
[Servant-Master Pact established]
[Rimuru Tempest designated as: Servant]
[Thanatos designated as: Master]
The connection snapped into place, and Thanatos could immediately feel Rimuru's presence, his general emotional state, and the certainty that the slime wouldn't—couldn't—betray him without suffering catastrophic consequences.
"It's done," Thanatos said, releasing Rimuru's pseudopod. "Now, let's address the villagers."
The goblins and direwolves were still prostrated when Thanatos and Rimuru emerged from the building. The red lightning had faded, but the oppressive aura remained, keeping everyone pinned in place.
Thanatos stepped forward, and the pressure intensified. Several goblins whimpered.
"Attention," his voice carried across the village with supernatural clarity. "I am Thanatos, Blood Monarch and Sovereign of the Jura Forest. As of this moment, I claim this territory and all within it under my protection."
He gestured to Rimuru, who jiggled beside him looking significantly less impressive than before.
"Rimuru Tempest will continue to serve as your direct leader and administrator. He answers to me, but your daily lives will remain under his guidance. I ask for loyalty, not servitude. Serve well, and you will prosper under my rule."
The goblins remained silent, terrified.
Then one voice spoke up.
"No."
Everyone turned to stare. Gobta—no, this was Gobrou, the goblin warrior who'd been named by Rimuru. He was shaking, his legs barely supporting him, but he stood and faced Thanatos directly.
"I... I'm only loyal to Rimuru-sama," Gobrou stammered, his voice cracking with fear but firm with conviction. "You're a bully. You hurt him. I won't serve a bully."
Silence.
The other goblins looked at Gobrou with a mixture of horror and admiration. Ranga the direwolf whimpered, expecting their fellow villager to be vaporized.
Thanatos stared at the trembling goblin. His Monster Sovereign skill could crush this insignificant creature's will with a thought. His scythe could end its existence in a heartbeat.
Instead, he smiled.
The wings on his back dissolved into blood and flowed back into his body. His height decreased slightly, and his features softened—still intimidating, but more human, more approachable. The oppressive aura pulled back, becoming less suffocating.
"Brave," Thanatos said, and there was genuine respect in his voice. "Stupid, but brave."
He walked toward Gobrou, who flinched but held his ground.
"I don't need your loyalty to me, goblin. I claimed the Jura Forest, not this village specifically. As long as Rimuru serves me faithfully, your loyalty to him is sufficient." Thanatos looked around at all the assembled monsters. "I have no interest in micromanaging your lives. Rimuru will handle that."
He turned, addressing the crowd more broadly.
"I seek power, yes. But power for a purpose. I intend to create a nation where monsters can exist and prosper without fear of extermination by humans or exploitation by demon lords. A place of strength and security."
Thanatos raised his hand, and magicules gathered around him in a visible spiral of red and gray energy.
"As a demonstration of my commitment and capability, I will provide you with a proper defense."
He slammed his hand into the ground.
Earth Magic and Blood Magic fused together, flowing outward in a massive circle. The ground rumbled and shook as his power carved through soil and stone. Diamond formations erupted from the earth—his Diamond Scales ability transmuted into architecture—creating an inner wall of crystalline strength. Then smooth stone flowed over it, forming a seamless defensive barrier that rose thirty feet high.
The wall extended in a perfect circle, encompassing not just the village but roughly a hundred miles of surrounding territory. Guard towers formed at regular intervals, and gates appeared at the cardinal directions, each one reinforced with layered enchantments.
The entire construction took less than five minutes.
When Thanatos released his power, an impenetrable fortress surrounded the village. The walls gleamed in the fading sunlight, simultaneously beautiful and terrifying.
Every goblin, every direwolf, even Rimuru, dropped into a full bow.
"Lord Thanatos," the Goblin Elder's voice shook with reverence. "We are honored by your protection."
Thanatos nodded once, then turned to Rimuru. "Expand the village. Build infrastructure. Prepare for eventual conflict with neighboring territories. I'll return periodically to check on progress."
"Wait, you're leaving?" Rimuru asked, surprised.
"Temporarily." Thanatos's wings reformed, spreading wide. "Great Sage just informed me that this display of power will attract attention from human nations and demon lords who claim territory near here. According to analysis, I would struggle against even the weakest demon lord in direct combat at my current level."
"So what are you going to do?"
"What I've always done. Hunt. Grow stronger. Devour." Thanatos's crimson eyes gleamed. "My Universal Sense can detect dungeons. There are several in the mountain ranges to the north. I'll clear them, absorb their inhabitants, and return stronger."
He lifted off the ground, wings beating once to gain altitude.
"Oh, and Rimuru?" Thanatos looked down at the small slime. "Don't disappoint me."
With a crack of red lightning, Thanatos shot into the sky like a crimson meteor, heading north toward the mountains. His Universal Sense spread out before him, scanning for the telltale concentrations of magicules that indicated dungeon entrances.
He had work to do.
The Goblin Elder approached Rimuru once Thanatos had disappeared from view.
"Rimuru-sama," the old goblin said carefully. "What should we do?"
Rimuru sighed, his gelatinous form rippling with exhaustion. "We follow his instructions. Expand the village. Build infrastructure. Prepare for war."
"And?"
"And..." Rimuru looked at the spot where Thanatos had been sitting. "We start construction on a residence worthy of a soon-to-be Demon Lord. Because if we're going to survive in this world, we need Thanatos to be as powerful as possible."
"You think he'll become a Demon Lord?"
"Great Sage gives it an 87% probability within the next two years," Rimuru said quietly. "And honestly? After what I just experienced, I believe it."
The goblin elder nodded slowly. "Then we'd better get to work Rimuru-sama."
As the village began to stir back to life, organizing and planning under Rimuru's guidance, a certain slime couldn't help but wonder what he'd gotten himself into.
And more importantly, what kind of monster—what kind of nation—would emerge from the partnership he'd just forged.