Primordial Slime: I Devour The World

Sylvane had seen many heroes return through its gates. Victorious generals. Celebrated adventurers. Knights bearing the banners of conquered dungeons. This time the city waited for someone different.

The northern gates opened shortly after sunrise. A column of soldiers marched through first, their silver armor gleaming beneath the morning light. Behind them rode a single man. He wore the same silver armor as the others, though his was simpler in design. A long blue cloak rested over his shoulders, its hem swaying gently with the movement of his horse. At his waist hung a plain sword in a weathered black scabbard.

Nothing about him demanded attention. Yet every soldier who passed him unconsciously straightened their posture. The citizens lining the streets whispered among themselves.

”He’s back...”

”The Northern Sword.”

”The Captain...”

Children waved excitedly as the column passed. The man acknowledged them with a small nod before continuing toward the Royal Palace. His name was Lucien Ashford. Captain of the Northern Frontier. One of the Empire’s strongest swordsmen. Twenty-seven years old. A hero who had earned every title through battle rather than birth.

He had spent years protecting the northern frontier. He had fought monsters. Bandits. Demons. Even enemy soldiers who had crossed the Empire’s borders. He had survived every battle. And unlike many nobles... He had never needed a family name to make soldiers follow him.

Inside the Royal Palace, the council had already assembled. King Aldren sat upon the throne while ministers, generals, nobles, and representatives from the Adventurer’s Guild occupied their usual positions. Calian Valcrest stood quietly near the edge of the room. The great doors opened. Lucien entered without ceremony.

He removed his sword before approaching the throne and knelt. ”You summoned me, Your Majesty.” King Aldren inclined his head. ”Rise, Captain Ashford.” Lucien obeyed. ”I trust your journey was uneventful.” ”It was.” ”Good.” The king gestured toward the large map covering the council table. ”Then let us begin.”

Lucien walked toward the table. For the next hour, he listened more than he spoke. Every detail was placed before him. Lucien interrupted only when something required clarification. His eyes remained fixed on the map. When the discussion turned toward Calian’s expedition, Lucien finally looked toward the young noble. ”You encountered an Orc Lord?” ”I did.””And only Orcs?” Calian nodded. ”They were the only monsters I fought.” Lucien folded his arms. ”You never saw evidence that other races served the Orc Lord?” ”No.” ”Nor evidence that the Orc Lord controlled the entire eastern forest?”

Calian hesitated. ”No.”

A thoughtful silence settled over the room.

Lucien turned back toward the map. ”Then we should avoid assumptions.” Several nobles exchanged confused looks. One finally spoke. ”What assumptions?” Lucien tapped the eastern forest with one finger.

”We know an Orc Lord exists. We know it commands an organized warband. We know one hundred soldiers were defeated.” He looked around the chamber. ”We do not know whether every monster in the forest serves it.” The room fell quiet. One minister cleared his throat. ”Surely monsters would never cooperate unless forced.” Lucien’s expression remained unchanged. ”Perhaps. But a commander who mistakes possibilities for facts loses soldiers.”

King Aldren spoke. ”Whether united or divided, the eastern forest has become a threat.” Lucien nodded once. ”I agree. The reports cannot be ignored.” The king looked toward the assembled generals. ”A military force will be organized.” ”Captain Lucien Ashford, I place you in command.” Lucien bowed his head. ”I accept.”

Preparations began immediately. The palace courtyard transformed into a sea of organized activity. Knights inspected their armor. Engineers loaded wagons with timber and tools. Battle mages prepared enchanted supplies. Healers checked their medicines. Adventurers hired by the Empire inspected their weapons one final time. Unlike Calian’s personal expedition, this was a true military operation. Nearly one thousand men and women assembled beneath the royal banner. Lucien walked among them quietly. He greeted veteran captains by name. Stopped to inspect damaged wagon wheels. Asked healers whether their medicines were fully stocked. Checked the scouts personally. Nothing escaped his notice. Calian watched from a distance. He had expected the famous captain to inspire soldiers with grand speeches. Instead, Lucien simply made certain everyone was ready.

Before departure, Lucien gathered every officer. The courtyard gradually fell silent.

He looked at each of them before speaking.

”Our objective is simple. Discover the truth. If hostile monsters stand before us, we eliminate them. If innocent lives can be spared. We spare them.” Several officers nodded. Lucien continued. ”Do not pursue enemies without orders. No prisoner is to be executed. If something contradicts our reports... You will inform me immediately.”

His gaze hardened slightly. ”I would rather return with unanswered questions than bury another hundred soldiers because someone acted on assumptions.” The officers saluted. ”Yes, Commander!”

The massive gates of the capital slowly opened by dawn. Rows upon rows of soldiers began marching forward. Boots struck the stone roads in perfect rhythm. Supply wagons followed behind them. Battle mages walked alongside armored knights. Above the column, the royal banners fluttered proudly in the morning breeze. Lucien rode at the front of the formation. His eyes remained fixed on the distant eastern horizon. After several moments, he raised one hand. He spoke only one word. ”Advance.”

______________

The Eldoris Dominion greeted another peaceful morning. The watchfires along the wooden fence had long since burned out, replaced by the soft glow of the rising sun.

Hunters prepared for their daily patrols. Goblin craftsmen resumed work on new homes. Kobolds carried tools between workshops. Ogres moved heavy stones and timber as though they weighed little. Moss Turtles slowly transported materials toward the expanding outer defenses. Moonhares tended to the fields and gardens. The Wolves prepared to leave for their patrol routes. Mana Birds darted between rooftops, carrying messages from one district to another. Slimes moved through the settlement as naturally as any other resident. Near the eastern fields, young rabbits laughed as they raced one another through the tall grass. To them...

It was just another day.

_____________

High above, a Mana Bird circled the forest.

Its sharp eyes swept across the endless sea of trees below. Nothing unusual.

Until...

Movement.

The bird banked sharply.

A line of armored figures emerged from the western road. Soldiers. Hundreds of them. The bird climbed higher. The line stretched farther than it could immediately see. More soldiers emerged from the forest path. The Mana Bird did not linger. It turned and flew back toward Eldoris as fast as its wings could carry it.

___________

Tanaka was studying one of the books from Rosen about agriculture when the doors suddenly opened. Raizen entered first. Behind him came Eldrin and Drakar. Moments later, the Mana Bird landed on the windowsill, chirping rapidly. Tanaka looked up. ”What happened?” Raizen didn’t waste a second. ”Our scout has returned. It spotted humans.” Tanaka became still. ”How many?”

The wolf leader shook his head. ”Too many to count accurately.” ”It said the line kept going.” ”An army?” Tanaka asked. ”Most likely.” Raizen replied. The room fell silent. Tanaka slowly closed the book. ”Meeting.” He paused. ”Now.”

Within minutes, every leader had gathered inside the meeting hall. The atmosphere was tense. Tanaka stood before the large map of the Dominion. ”Our scouts?” Drakar answered first. ”They’re approaching from the western forest. No signs they’ve split their forces. They’re moving carefully.” Tanaka nodded. That alone told him something. These weren’t reckless invaders. Whoever commanded them valued discipline. He looked around the room. ”We don’t know why they’re here.” ”We won’t assume.” Raizen spoke. ”They’re humans. They’ve hunted monsters before.” ”I know.” Tanaka’s voice remained calm. ”But if we attack first... He paused. ”We prove every fear they already have.”

Orders spread quickly throughout the Dominion. The children were escorted into the underground shelters beneath the meeting hall. Non-combatants moved toward the inner districts. Hunters took positions along the wooden fence. Goblin archers climbed the watchtowers. Kobold craftsmen secured the workshops and stored valuable equipment. The Wolves disappeared into the forest, hidden among the trees. Ogres moved toward the defensive positions. The Kijin prepared themselves for battle. Even the Slimes were moved away from the outer walls. No panic spread through the settlement. Tanaka watched everything unfold with quiet satisfaction. Months of planning hadn’t been wasted. This was no longer a frightened group of monsters hiding inside a cave. This was the Eldoris Dominion. A nation. His nation.

Not long afterward...

The human army reached the edge of the forest. Lucien Ashford raised one hand. The entire column stopped. Silence settled over the soldiers. What stood before them...

Wasn’t what anyone had expected. There were no crude monster dens. No piles of bones. No chaotic nests. Instead...

A sturdy open gate surrounded a growing Dominion. Watchtowers overlooked the forest. Smoke rose from chimneys. Fields stretched beyond the walls. Monsters walked openly through the streets. Goblins carried timber together. Kobolds worked inside workshops. Moonhares tended gardens. Moss Turtles slowly transported stone blocks. Ogres moved heavy materials near the outer defenses. Dark furred Wolves stood among the trees, watching silently. Mana Birds flew freely overhead. Slimes moved through the streets.

For several long moments...

No one spoke. One knight finally whispered,

”They’re living together.” Calian stared in disbelief. The soldiers were shocked. ”Did we come to the wrong place?” Another knight asked. Lucien’s expression remained unreadable. His eyes quietly studied the settlement. Someone had built this. And whoever had built it had not built a monster den. They had built a home.

A figure stepped out of the settlement. A young man with black hair. He wore simple clothes. He walked forward alone. Behind him, no monsters followed. He stopped several meters from the waiting army. The breeze stirred the grass between them. Lucien guided his horse a few steps ahead of the formation. The two silently studied one another. One commanded nearly one thousand soldiers. The other stood alone before them. Neither looked away. After a long moment, Lucien spoke. His voice carried clearly across the clearing. ”By order of His Majesty, King Aldren of the Syrathen Empire...”

”I have come to investigate the eastern forest and the growing monster settlement within it.”

His hand rested lightly upon the hilt of his sword. ”If you are responsible for the deaths of the Empire’s people...”

”You will answer for them.”

Tanaka listened without interrupting. When Lucien finished, he answered calmly. ”We are not.” Those three words caused murmurs throughout the human ranks. Calian stepped forward immediately.

”Commander! They are monsters! You can’t possibly believe...” Lucien raised one hand. Calian fell silent. The captain’s eyes never left Tanaka. ”Then who?” Tanaka held his gaze. ”There are others in this forest. They are not with us.” The clearing became quiet once more. Neither side moved.

Tanaka took one slow step forward.

”My name is Tanaka Eldoris...” His voice remained steady. ”Turn back from my home.” The wind drifted between them, carrying the scent of the forest across the silent clearing. The Knights Commander of the Syrathen Empire and the leader of Eldoris Dominion stood face to face waiting for the other to make a move.