Primordial Slime: I Devour The World

Dragons were different from other monsters. They were not just ordinary monsters who gained power as they aged.

Their very existence was based around power. Dragons were classified all over the world, based on their evolution and potential. The first ones were called Hatchlings. Young dragons that were newly born, and were incredibly powerful compared to other monsters, but still young and inexperienced.

After Hatchlings came Dragon Pups. Their bodies had matured enough for them to utilize their own abilities properly. Then came Greater Dragons. Dragons that could, by themselves, completely destroy a settlement. Above Greater Dragons came the Dragon Lords. A Dragon Lord was a creature that could rule a territory by itself, and few dared to oppose one.

Above the Dragon Lords were the Dragon Kings. Dragons that could tip the balance of nations just by existing. Even the Dragon Kings did not hold the highest rank possible.

Elemental Dragons were even stronger than regular ones. Dragons that had transcended to a new hierarchy, bound with an element.

Fire Dragons.

Water Dragons.

Earth Dragons.

Wind Dragons.

Lightning Dragons.

And many others had evolved throughout history. Their power from their chosen element allowed them to reach beyond the previous limits of regular dragons. But still, there was something even higher. There were seven beings called True Dragons.

Only seven.

They were not even just dragons that had an impressive amount of power. They were beings so old, that they were close to becoming concepts themselves. Their bodies could be shattered. Their souls could be crushed. Their existence could be erased from history. But as long as their existence still had a connection to this world, death did not hold them for long. And there were some True Dragons that held the potential to evolve conceptual abilities. Above the True Dragons was another hierarchy, even more elusive.

The Origin Dragons.

Only five of them had ever existed, and each one was only comparable to the Primordials.

Compared.

But not superior.

Even the weakest Primordial could still overpower an Origin Dragon, if the battle was fought under the right conditions.

And above everything else... There was only one known existence that fit into the hierarchy above.

The Primordial Dragon.

A dragon whose existence had been there since the beginning of dragon kind. A being that was spoken about like a natural law rather than an actual creature. Most monsters knew nothing of all this. Most humans knew even less. Even the other dragons scarcely talked about this. But beneath the surface of the world, in Eldoris... One of the seven True Dragons had been sleeping.

Malachiel.

And he had been sealed for ten thousand years.

____________________

The chamber beneath the Dominion Dungeon was massive. There was no light, save for the few cracks in the walls. At the center of the chamber was an equally impressive creature.

Malachiel.

Red scales plated his massive body. Wings that could each span the length of this chamber were folded against his sides.

Horns jutted out from his head, and his claws dug into the stone floor. There were no magic circles, no chains binding him.

The seal had already shattered.

For ten thousand years, he had been sealed here. Not because he was powerless to break free. The seal had been made to keep him asleep. Malachiel had once been one of the most reckless True Dragons, challenging many beings that he should not have. And he had even offended one Origin Dragon.

Such an act was enough to warrant a duel between the two of them.

A battle between an Origin Dragon and a True Dragon could ravage entire worlds.

So, the Origin Dragon did not kill him. Malachiel could not truly be killed. So instead, Malachiel was sealed.

For ten thousand years.

That was the punishment for what he had done. But Malachiel’s imprisonment had had a side effect. His existence had generated a large amount of mana. Over the course of ten thousand years, this mana had seeped into the surrounding lands.

Into the woods.

Into the monsters.

That mana had been the catalyst for many things. And it had allowed for Eldoris to even exist. The dungeon had been created because of the mana.

Slimes had been created.

Wolves had evolved.

Stone monsters had awakened.

Goblins.

Kobolds.

Ogres.

Kijin.

Numerous species had awoken or evolved within this area because of the mana.

That mana had made this land fertile with monsters, and Eldoris had been built upon the edge of this sleeping dragon’s prison.

And now...

That dragon was awake. Malachiel opened his eyes, revealing red light. His enormous form slowly stirred. The ground shook, and dust rained down from the ceiling. Malachiel raised his head.

”Ten thousand years...”

His voice was deep enough to shake the chamber. He unfurled his wings, sending a gust of wind outward. Then, he looked upward. Something had caught his attention.

A battle.

He could sense it.

Magic.

Bloodlust.

Fear.

And something else.

Something strange.

Malachiel closed his eyes, his senses reaching out over the Dominion. He could sense the humans. He sensed the monsters. He sensed the dungeon.

Then...

He found him. A small existence. A slime.

Malachiel’s eyes narrowed. ”Interesting.”

The dragon reached out with his senses.

He could see the slime’s evolution path.

It was not clear. It was corrupted. Veiled by potential. But Malachiel could see it. The slime was not an ordinary one. It had taken a number of other beings’ abilities, and integrated it into his own existence. It had evolved, but it did not have a set limit.

Malachiel stared. ”What are you?”

_______________

Eldoris.

Tanaka stood in the ruined streets, his body covered in wounds. Gareth stood several meters away, his berserker form also injured. The fighting around them had ceased, with monsters and humans stopping to watch. The dungeon had been releasing mana waves. Tanaka could sense something approaching.

Not physically.

Something deeper.

An overwhelming presence.

His entire body told him instinctively. Predator’s Instinct screamed danger.

Danger.

Danger.

Tanaka’s eyes widened. He had never felt something like this before. Even Gareth was silent. Then the sky darkened. A great shadow passed over Eldoris. Tanaka looked up slowly, his eyes wide. A dragon descended from the clouds above. Its body was massive, its red scales reflecting the light of the burning city. Its wings spanned a great distance across the sky.

All the monsters below it froze. Raxolf’s fur stood up, Raizen lowering his body. The Kijin looked upwards, and even Gareth’s expression changed. ”What...”

The dragon landed, huge in size.

BOOM!

Its body crashed to the ground outside of the central district, sending shockwaves through the Dominion.

Tanaka stared, unable to move. Malachiel lowered his head, his massive red eyes locking onto the slime. The two stood motionless for several seconds before the dragon spoke. ”You.” Tanaka swallowed.

”Me?” Malachiel’s gaze narrowed. ”Yes.”

Malachiel studied Tanaka. ”I sensed your evolution.” Tanaka’s expression changed.

”My evolution?”

He asked in surprise. ”Your path.” Malachiel’s voice lowered. ”It is strange.”

Tanaka did not speak. Malachiel continued.

”You are a slime.” ”Yes.” Tanaka replied.

”And yet your evolution refuses to settle.” Tanaka was silent. The True Dragon smiled.

”What is your name?” Tanaka hesitated before answering. ”Tanaka Eldoris.” Malachiel repeated the name. ”Tanaka.” He looked towards the monsters surrounding the slime.

Then he looked towards the humans. His expression changed. The air grew heavy, Malachiel’s aura filling Eldoris.

Draconic Aura.

The human soldiers dropped to their knees, some choking, and others immediately fainting. Gareth stared, Calian shaking his body. Even the monsters had trouble standing. Tanaka’s eyes widened. Malachiel looked towards the humans. ”You.” The humans froze. The voice of the dragon filled Eldoris. ”You entered my sealed space.”

Silence.

Malachiel’s eyes narrowed. ”You disturbed my sleep.” His aura grew stronger. ”And you harmed him.” His gaze returned to Tanaka.

Tanaka did not understand. ”Me?” Malachiel’s eyes swept over the ruined settlement. ”This slime.” The dragon’s voice was cold. ”He protected the place where I slept.” The humans stayed frozen as Malachiel slowly unfurled his wings. ”And you dared to harm him?”

A soldier screamed. ”Monster!” Malachiel looked at him. The man disappeared.

Not burned or crushed, but just simply gone. Tanaka’s eyes widened. Malachiel opened his mouth. Red light gathered inside. Tanaka immediately sensed the danger, his body screaming. Then the dragon breathed.

True Dragon Flame.

The flames swept over the battlefield, silencing everything. There was no explosion, no drawn out fight, the human soldiers simply vanished. Armor, weapons, and their souls had all burned away beneath the True Dragon’s flame. The flames still moved, wiping any human they touched off of existence. There was no trace of them left. Nothing at all, not even the possibility of reincarnation. Tanaka stared, speechless. Malachiel slowly closed his mouth.

Only one human remained.

Calian Valcrest.

His body battered, but he had survived the worst of the True Dragon Flame thanks to Vanguard activating automatically, giving him an extra boost in power. Malachiel looked at him, their eyes briefly meeting.

Calian froze.

Malachiel simply turned away, not caring.

Calian immediately ran, not looking back. Malachiel watched him disappear into the forest. ”Not important.”

Tanaka stared at the dragon, having just witnessed something impossible. Gareth had been strong, Razer strong, Zarathiel strong, but this...

This was something else. Malachiel looked back at Tanaka. ”You are wondering why I spared the brat.” Tanaka blinked. ”I...”

He couldn’t reply. Malachiel smiled. ”I simply don’t care.” Tanaka stared as the dragon lowered his head until one of his eyes was level with Tanaka’s.

”But you...”

His voice was unusually calm. ”You interest me.” Tanaka did not know what to say. Malachiel continued. ”You protected this place while I slept.” Tanaka looked around.

”This is my home.”

He said. Malachiel nodded. ”Then you protected my prison.”

Tanaka’s eyes widened. ”Your prison?”

”Yes.”

Malachiel replied. The dragon laughed lightly. ”And because of your existence...” He looked toward the dungeon.

”...my prison became your home.”

Tanaka did not know if that was good or not. Malachiel looked towards the destroyed settlement. Then at him. ”You’ve suffered.” Tanaka was silent. Malachiel’s eyes seemed to pierce through him. ”The dead.” Tanaka’s body tense at the mention of it. The images replayed in his head. The bodies, the screams.

Relia.

The monsters who had died protecting Eldoris. Tanaka looked down. Malachiel noticed. ”You want them back.” Tanaka’s eyes widened. ”What?” The True Dragon smiled. ”I can raise the dead.” Tanaka froze.

Malachiel lowered his head slightly. ”I am a True Dragon.” His voice held an air of confidence. ”Death is not something that concerns beings like me.” Tanaka stared at him. Malachiel continued.

”So...”

His red eyes glowed. ”Tell me what you will, Tanaka.” The dragon smiled. ”I can even raise the dead if you want.”