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The mountain stream was cold and clear, cutting through a small clearing surrounded by ancient trees. Thanatos knelt at the water's edge, washing dried blood from his hands—not his own, but from the cave bears he'd encountered an hour ago. Three of them, territorial and aggressive. They'd lasted less than a minute.
[Predator: Successful x3]
[Acquired: Hibernation, Enhanced Olfactory Sense, Territorial Instinct]
[Current Skill Count: 118]
"Great Sage," Thanatos said, watching his reflection in the water. His crimson eyes stared back, unblinking. "Status update on magicule absorption efficiency."
[Current absorption rate: 96.4%. Improvement of 12.3% since evolution. Veldora's blessing continues to enhance base capabilities. Recommendation: Continue dungeon exploration for optimal growth.]
Thanatos stood, shaking water from his hands. His wings were retracted, stored as blood within his body to avoid drawing unnecessary attention. In this form, he looked almost human—if you ignored the permanently red eyes.
"The nearest dungeon is approximately forty kilometers northeast," Great Sage continued. "Estimated monster concentration: moderate to high. Projected power gain—"
Thanatos held up a hand. "Quiet."
He'd felt it. A presence in the trees, watching him. His Universal Sense hadn't detected it initially, which meant whatever was observing him had significant stealth capabilities.
"I know you're there," Thanatos said calmly, not turning around. "You have three seconds to show yourself before I drag you out."
Silence.
"Three."
The trees rustled.
"Two."
A figure materialized from the bark of an ancient oak, flowing out like water taking shape. A woman—or something wearing a woman's form. Her skin had the texture of smooth wood, her hair was woven from leaves and vines, and her eyes glowed with soft green light. A dryad.
She smiled, and the expression was designed to be disarming, seductive even. "Forgive my intrusion, Lord Thanatos. I meant no offense."
Thanatos raised an eyebrow. "You know my name."
"All the forest knows your name now." She stepped closer, her movements graceful and deliberate. "When you claimed the Jura Forest as your territory, every guardian, every spirit, every ancient being felt it. Your declaration resonated through the very roots of the world."
She was trying to manipulate him. Flattery mixed with sensuality, an attempt to control the conversation through charm. Thanatos had seen this before—back in Tokyo, ghouls who used attraction as a weapon.
It didn't work when you could read intent through Universal Sense.
"Great Sage, analyze her emotional state."
[Target emotion: 73% fear, 18% desperation, 9% genuine hope. Conclusion: Manipulation attempt driven by urgent need rather than malicious intent.]
Thanatos let his Monster Sovereign skill activate, just a fraction of its power. The pressure rolled off him like a physical force, and the dryad's seductive smile faltered. Her wooden skin paled, and she took an involuntary step back.
"Let's try this again," Thanatos said, his voice cold. "Tell me the truth. Why are you here?"
The dryad's facade cracked completely. She dropped to one knee, her head bowed. "The forest is in danger, my lord. I came to seek your help."
"Explain."
"The Orcs." Her voice trembled. "There's a massive horde moving through the eastern forest. Thousands of them, led by an Orc Lord. They're devouring everything in their path—animals, monsters, even the trees themselves. Entire ecosystems are being destroyed. If they're not stopped, the Jura Forest will become a wasteland."
Thanatos considered this. She was right, in a way. He'd claimed the forest without fully understanding what that meant. But if he let this Orc horde rampage unchecked, his territory would be devastated before he even had a chance to build anything.
"Great Sage, can you verify her claims?"
[Affirmative. Utilizing Universal Sense enhancement protocol. Connecting to ambient moisture in air and trees to expand perception range...]
Thanatos felt his awareness suddenly explode outward. It was like his Universal Sense had been a flashlight, and Great Sage had just turned it into a floodlight. His perception stretched across the entire Jura Forest, following the network of water and living wood.
And there, to the east, he saw them.
An army. That was the only word for it. Thousands of hulking, pig-faced humanoids, each one easily seven feet tall and built like a tank. They moved in a massive swarm, trampling everything in their path. Trees were uprooted and devoured. Smaller monsters were caught and consumed. The very ground was left barren and dead in their wake.
At the center of the horde was something even larger. An Orc that stood at least twelve feet tall, its body grotesquely muscular and covered in scars. Power radiated from it—not as much as Thanatos possessed, but enough to be dangerous.
[Target identified: Orc Lord Geld. Threat Level: Disaster-Class (Lower). Estimated army size: 14,783 Orcs. Current trajectory: Will reach your claimed territory within 72 hours.]
Thanatos's eyes narrowed. "I see them."
The dryad looked hopeful. "Will you help us, my lord?"
"I'll deal with them," Thanatos said, already calculating angles of attack. "But not because you asked. Because they're invading my territory."
Before the dryad could respond, blood tentacles erupted from Thanatos's back, wrapping around her waist. She yelped in surprise as he lifted her off the ground.
"What are you—"
"Hold on," Thanatos said, his wings bursting from his shoulder blades in a spray of crystallized blood and red lightning. "We're taking a shortcut."
He launched into the air with explosive force, the ground cratering beneath him. The dryad screamed as they shot into the sky like a crimson comet.
They flew through the air at incredible speed, the forest blurring into a green carpet below them. The dryad clung to Thanatos's tentacles, her wooden features pale with terror.
"A question," Thanatos called over the rushing wind. "Why didn't you go to the Demon Lords first? Surely they have more resources than a newly emerged monster like me."
The dryad's green eyes met his. "Because we felt your claim, Lord Thanatos. When a true sovereign marks their territory, the forest itself recognizes it. The Demon Lords may have political claims, but they don't have spiritual ones. You do. The moment you declared the Jura Forest as yours, you became responsible for it."
Thanatos snorted. "Clever. Very clever."
"Is that... is that a compliment?"
"You're not wrong. I claimed this forest, which means I won't allow anyone—not humans, not demons, not even fellow monsters—to destroy what's mine." His crimson eyes glowed brighter. "The Orcs made a mistake when they decided to invade my territory."
[Notice: Combat situation detected ahead. Distance: 3.2 kilometers. Multiple life signs engaged in battle. Analysis suggests monster village under attack.]
"Great Sage, specify."
[Ogre village detected in valley ahead. Population: approximately 300. Attacking force: 1,000+ Orcs. Combat status: Ogres are losing. Estimated time until village destruction: 2 minutes.]
Thanatos's grip on the dryad tightened. "Hold on tighter. We're accelerating."
"What? Wait—"
Thanatos poured magicules into his wings, and his speed doubled, then tripled. The sound barrier shattered with a thunderous boom, leaving a blood-colored contrail in his wake. Trees bent from the shockwave of his passage.
They crested a hill and Thanatos came to an abrupt stop above a valley, the sudden deceleration creating a massive blast of wind that sent leaves and debris exploding outward in all directions.
Below them, hell had come to the ogre village.
The valley was a scene of carnage. Roughly three hundred ogres—red-skinned humanoids with horns and muscular builds—were fighting desperately against a horde of at least a thousand Orcs. The Orcs were larger, more numerous, and driven by a mindless hunger that made them fearless.
Ogre bodies littered the ground. Buildings burned. Children screamed as they fled toward the valley's far end, protected by a dwindling number of warriors.
At the center of the ogre defense stood six figures who radiated significantly more power than the others. One wielded a massive katana wreathed in flame. Another manipulated wind with graceful movements. A third wore full armor and held the line with brutal efficiency. These were the ogre leadership, and they were losing.
"By the spirits," the dryad whispered. "The ogres..."
Thanatos's expression was cold as he watched the battle unfold. The Orcs were slaughtering them. Not for territory, not for resources. Just for the sake of consumption. Mindless destruction driven by an insatiable hunger.
It reminded him of himself. Of what he'd been in Tokyo when he lost control.
"Great Sage," Thanatos said quietly. "What happens if the Orcs aren't stopped here?"
[Projection: The Orc army will consume the ogres, absorb their strength, and continue marching west. Within 96 hours, they will reach Rimuru's village. Survival probability for the goblins and direwolves: 0.003%.]
Thanatos's hands clenched. He'd left Rimuru in charge of that village. He'd promised protection to those monsters, even if he didn't particularly care about them personally.
And more than that—he'd claimed this forest as his. Every monster in it was technically under his sovereignty now.
"Lord Thanatos?" The dryad's voice was hesitant. "What will you do?"
Thanatos looked down at the dying ogres, at the mindless Orcs, at the children fleeing in terror.
His wings spread wide, crackling with red lightning.
"My job," he said.
Then he dove.