After using one of his many skills on the slime in front of him, he discovered it displayed nearly boundless potential, much like his own. However, he also noticed he couldn't see its skills, despite having the ability to do so.
This predicament was unforeseen, but after thinking it through for less than a microsecond, he realized it was, in fact, a positive development. The slime's ability to thwart his attempts at accessing its nucleic heart, where crucial skills were stored, suggested that it possessed a unique skill, perhaps even a lesser version of his own.
Furthermore, within Rimuru's mind, as the tears began dissipating from his pale face, he directed an urgent message toward Great Sage, thinking, 'Find a way for me to escape!'
After receiving the command from Rimuru, Great Sage immediately utilized Analytical Appraisal to its fullest potential. Despite its relentless efforts to find an escape, it yielded no results, and as moments passed without any word from Great Sage, Rimuru realized he stood no chance against the man in front of him.
Still not hearing a response, his apprehension intensified, but it wasn't for himself – it was for his people in the town. The uncertainty from the man before him, whose unknown intentions gnawed at him, weighed heavily on Rimuru.
"Notice: Based on my unsuccessful analysis, I have instead identified multiple scenarios in which attempting to escape or engage in combat with him results in you either being captured or killed," Great Sage informed.
Upon hearing this, Rimuru experienced a surge of internal anxiety, even more intense than before. Finally gathering the courage to speak, his voice trembling, he stammered, "Uh, um... What do you want from me?"
Instead of a reply, Rimuru was met with a slight yet discernible grunt. Perplexed by the lack of response, he aimed to break the silence, his tone somewhat tentative, "My name is Rimuru Tempest... What's your name?"
"Eon," the man responded shortly, yet his few words sufficed to alleviate the tension that hung in the air between them. Additionally, within Eon's thoughts, conversing with an intelligent slime held a distinct appeal for him.
In the next instant, he uttered three simple yet commanding words, "Become my subordinate."
Since the proposition was so abrupt, he jolted back, and uncertain of how to respond, Rimuru took a moment to think about it. Then, after only a couple of seconds had passed between them in silence, he closed his eyes and, albeit reluctantly, said, "Alright?"
On Eon's side, he anticipated the activation of his Lie Detection skill. However, when it failed to trigger, he immediately activated his Gamble sub-skill, brimming with confidence as he asserted, "I want to have Rimuru Tempest as my subordinate."
"Your plea to establish dominance over the entity known as Rimuru Tempest has been acknowledged. The Voice of the World has endorsed this gamble of yours. Rimuru Tempest now stands as your subordinate, and a measure of control over his soul has been granted," the response declared.
As the Voice of the World concluded its proclamation of Eon's authority over the transformed slime, a sensation welled up within Rimuru. It was as though a connection had formed between him and the individual before him – a sentiment reminiscent of the brotherly pact he once forged with Veldora.
During this event, he experienced a growth spurt, adding a few inches to his height. Simultaneously, Great Sage conveyed to Rimuru that he had gained numerous skills from Eon, resulting in a substantial enhancement of his physical strength.
In the midst of that, Rimuru turned his gaze towards Eon, his expression a mix of disbelief and horror.
He also sought to understand how Eon gained subordination over him, and how he possessed such a multitude of skills.
Concluding his rant, Rimuru then heard the man next to him say, "Create some clothes out of your magicules. It will act as protection." Taking a moment to pause, he followed up with, "My clothing is on par with high legendary-grade armor. If you create yours, it should be of high unique-grade quality."
Instantly comprehending how to create clothes with his magicules, and with no hesitation, he created them within a minute, aided by Great Sage.
Quietly sighing to himself and shifting his gaze from Eon to his evolved body, he noticed that he now stood at 130 cm tall, with his hair flowing down to his mid-back. His golden eyes also held a more striking presence.
After finishing his self-assessment in the third person, considering he was technically inhabiting Shizue's body, he clenched his fists and sensed that his physical strength had increased threefold from before. With a substantial boost in magicules, they became noticeably purer and richer.
Observing that Rimuru had finished examining himself, Eon used Thought Communication into his stomach, and two figures materialized out of thin air before them.
One took on the form of a humanoid bee, possessing a voluptuous body and a strikingly beautiful face. The other figure appeared as a humanoid beetle, adorned in a pitch-black exoskeleton with distinct golden joints.
Furthermore, although Zegion had evolved just a couple of days ago, Eon discerned that he was nearly on par in terms of power with Rimuru, despite possessing only one unique skill. In contrast, Apito was noticeably weaker than both of them, but her strength still ranked high within the realm of humans and monsters.
With the two kneeling on the ground in a gesture of respect, Eon turned to Rimuru and stated, "These two are now your comrades."
Inside Rimuru's fatigued mind and weary eyes, he turned his head to gaze at the two humanoid insects, his thoughts racing, 'Why are these two so strong right now?'
Their magicule capacity, from what he could discern, was incredibly vast, dense, and exceptionally pure. It resembled what he had witnessed in the cave, causing his brain to short-circuit once more due to their piercing gazes.
After exchanging approving glances with Rimuru, they simultaneously raised their heads and declared, "We have both evolved into stronger beings thanks to you, master!"
Nodding to the two, Eon pointed at the ground. Both Zegion and Apito immediately understood his signal, while Rimuru remained standing, puzzled.
—「Seven Days Later」—
A few days after Eon departed the town to survey the forest, a pair of ogres – now Kijins – became Rimuru's subordinates due to a misunderstanding during their initial encounter.
Six ogres were present at the meeting, and their names were Benimaru, Shuna, Shion, Souei, Hakurou, and Kurobe. They acquired tremendous power after being named by Rimuru; however, their growth was restricted because excessive magicule intake would have proven fatal.
Now that they were his subordinates, Rimuru decided to assign them specific roles.
Benimaru personally requested to become a general in Rimuru's (nonexistent) army. Though he harbored initial reservations about appointing a general in his (soon to be) prosperous town, he swiftly embraced the idea without a second thought, spurred by the unwavering determination he saw in Benimaru's eyes. Within that gaze, he recognized the same fervor he once witnessed in the eyes of his junior colleagues back on Earth.
Moreover, after careful consideration, Rimuru concluded that the only person in town who could be deemed an exceptional cook/chef was Shuna, particularly after tasting her dishes. Additionally, she was entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the town's entrance, a role attributed to her intimidating demeanor when angered.
Moving onto Shion, she initially struck Rimuru as a composed and professional beauty, which solidified his decision to appoint her as his secretary. However, after spending more than ten hours with her every day, he came to realize that she was, in fact, a rather clumsy and straightforward individual.
Regarding Souei, the first thought that crossed Rimuru's mind upon seeing him was "ninja," likely influenced by his attire. Without much deliberation, he decided to appoint him as the leader of intelligence, a choice further validated by Souei's sharp intellect and strategic acumen.
Given his previous experience in training every single ogre in their former village, Hakurou was entrusted with the role of military training instructor, a position Rimuru believed suited him perfectly.
Finally, due to Kurobe's unique skill related to research, he was designated as the town's blacksmith.
——「Rimuru's POV」——
Perched atop the small mountain, the highest point near the town, I keenly sensed multiple figures approaching from the east.
Swiftly arriving at the anticipated endpoint of the approaching figures, I was accompanied by the Kijins, except Kurobe, who followed closely behind me. Although it wasn't necessary, given that the figures didn't possess a significant amount of magicules, I gazed into the forest, waiting in anticipation.
As the multiple figures emerged from the dense forest, a perplexed expression washed over me as I took in their appearances. Eager to identify their species, I turned my thoughts inward, asking Great Sage in the recesses of my mind, "What's their species?"
"They are Lizardmen," Great Sage responded in my mind, "and they possess scaly skin that exhibits a range of shades of green. These variations often pass down through generations. These scales not only offer them protection but are also an integral part of their unique physiology."
"Uhm, I don't need to know that much about them. I just asked what their species was, so..." I murmured to myself, glancing back at the Lizardmen who were pounding their weapons against the ground. Patiently, we waited for them to conclude whatever ritual or custom they were engaged in.
When the pounding ceased, the dozen or so Lizardmen split apart like Moses, allowing another Lizardman to walk through the open area. He closed his eyes and declared, "Behold, weak ones! My name is Gabiru!"
"This village will now be under my protection, with me, Gabiru, at its helm!" Gabiru declared boldly. As he opened his eyes, he caught sight of me and the five Kijins, all standing with our arms crossed. "Weak... goblins?" he mumbled in surprise.
With the lizardmen behind him seemingly oblivious to the situation, they started chanting the name, "Gabiru~" multiple times.
Gabiru shifted his gaze towards the five Kijins standing beside me. Making an educated guess, it seemed he detected the leakage of their magicules, as they weren't particularly adept at concealing it. It was then that his eyes settled on me.
Sensing his reptilian eyes scrutinizing every inch of my form, I involuntarily took a step back. Clearing my throat with a cough, I balled my fists and asked, "What is your purpose here?"
He, too, cleared his throat, his attention momentarily diverted to the sky. Then, with evident pride, he proclaimed, "I am the son of the Marshlands leader and have been bestowed with a name. It is my duty to seek out feeble villages in the vicinity and offer them sanctuary in our homeland!"
"If you want to take refuge in our homeland, then why don't you send one of your people with us so that we can establish a diplomatic relationship..." Gabiru proposed, his gaze unwavering as he looked into my eyes.
Before I could respond, the Kijins immediately took up a defensive posture, ready to subdue Gabiru if the need arose. Simultaneously, Ranga burst forth from my shadow in his true form.
Seeking to deescalate the situation, I prepared to speak. Yet, when I witnessed Eon materialize out of thin air before me, I halted and took a step back.
He dropped something, and as I glanced to the side, it became evident that he had just released Gobta. Eon's voice cut through the tension, instructing, "Fight him first, win, and you can take Rimuru."
An excited gleam lit up his eyes as he shouted, "I accept!" He swiftly assumed a defensive posture, brandishing his iron-tipped spear. In contrast, Gobta wore a bewildered expression, seemingly silently questioning, "What's happening?"
Yet, as I gazed into Eon's cold and calculating eyes, a sense of betrayal and confusion welled up within me. With a voice tinged with hurt, I questioned, "Why have you forsaken me..."
Ignoring my question, Eon remained focused. Benimaru, on the verge of asking about this mysterious figure, caught himself and turned his attention to Gobta. "Gobta! Fight this lizardman. If you emerge victorious, Kurobe will craft a weapon for you!" he declared, his voice filled with anticipation.
The confusion that had clouded Gobta's expression swiftly melted away, replaced by a steely determination. Fire ignited in his eyes as he declared, "Let's get this started!"
They stood in tense silence, meters apart, each gripping an iron-tipped spear, waiting for the other to make the first move. It was Gobta who acted first, hurling his spear directly at Gabiru's face.
The spear narrowly missed Gabiru's scaly face. His attention fixated solely on the approaching threat, he shifted his gaze away from Gobta – a crucial mistake
With Gabiru momentarily distracted, Gobta swiftly executed a Shadow Step after hurling his spear. In an instant, he appeared behind Gabiru, delivering a powerful kick to his head. He followed up with a flurry of rapid punches to his opponent's stomach.
Pummeled with a relentless barrage of blows to the stomach, Gabiru crumpled to the ground. It was evident that the kick to his head had taken its toll, possibly resulting in a concussion. As the Lizardmen witnessed their leader incapacitated, one of them swiftly scooped him up and fled the scene.
Sighing, I turned to Souei and conveyed through Thought Communication, 'Follow them and find out what they want. They don't seem hostile, so refrain from unnecessary actions, understood?'
'Yes!' Souei responded through our mental link before vanishing into the shadows. I turned my gaze back to Eon, a sense of betrayal still etched across my face.