The crushing, metaphysical weight vanished as quickly as it had appeared, but its ghost remained. In the observation gallery, the air was thick with the ozone of raw, unveiled power. Captain Arken stood rigid, his Terminator armor suddenly feeling less like a fortress and more like a coffin. He had faced the thunderous charge of Ork Warbosses and the soul-rending energies of Chaos Sorcerers, but he had never felt a pressure so absolute, so fundamentally final. It was the feeling of a god clearing its throat.
Librarian Corvus leaned against the back wall, the litanies of mental defense he had instinctively recited still echoing in his mind. He had known Rimuru was powerful, but he had conceptualized it as a weapon. He now understood it was an environment, an atmosphere, a state of being so far beyond them that they were like microbes in the presence of a star.
Interrogator Kael was the first to recover. His face was pale and beaded with sweat, but his eyes burned with a terrifying, ecstatic clarity. All his theories, all his suspicions, all his carefully constructed classifications had just been rendered obsolete. He was not studying a new species of xenos. He was witnessing a new law of physics.
His voice, when it came over the arena's speakers, was completely transformed. The cold, clinical superiority was gone, replaced by a tone of crisp, formal, and utterly sincere respect.
"King Rimuru," Kael's voice announced, the use of the title a profound concession. "Your point is… eloquently made. The examination is concluded. We offer our apologies for the inhospitable nature of our protocols. In a galaxy as treacherous as ours, caution often wears the mask of aggression. We were… overly cautious."
Rimuru's aura had already receded, his pleasant, neutral expression returning as if nothing had happened. The unconscious Tyranid at his feet was the only evidence of the preceding events.
"Apology accepted, Interrogator Kael," Rimuru replied, his tone light once more. "I understand the need for security. I hope your data was satisfactory."
There was a pause. Kael knew that the being was gently mocking him, and he also knew he was in no position to contest it.
"The data was… illuminating," Kael admitted. "Now, if you would permit it, allow us to escort you from this crude facility to a more appropriate chamber. We have much to discuss regarding your end of our covenant."
The blast door to the arena hissed open. This time, there was no intimidating phalanx of guards. There was only Interrogator Kael, standing alone, his posture one of a diplomat, not a jailer. Captain Arken remained in the gallery, a silent, humbled giant watching from above.
Rimuru was led to a high-level strategium, a circular chamber dominated by a massive holo-lith that displayed a slowly rotating, three-dimensional map of the Segmentum Pacificus. The walls were lined with ancient, data-slate-filled shelves and portraits of grim, long-dead Inquisitors. It was a room where the fates of worlds were decided. Corvus was already there, standing at attention, his helmet under his arm.
"Please," Kael said, gesturing to a chair at the grand strategic table. "Librarian Corvus has been fully debriefed, and his testimony corroborates the… events… we have witnessed."
Rimuru sat, observing the intricate star map with interest. "It's a very large empire you have."
"It is," Kael agreed, taking a seat opposite him. "And it is beset by an infinite number of enemies. Which is why your existence is a matter of such monumental importance." He steepled his fingers, his gaze intense. "We will uphold our bargain. Librarian Corvus swore an oath on his honor, and the Imperium does not lightly discard the word of an Ultramarine. We will grant you access to our archives. We will provide you with astromancers, theoretical physicists, and Magi of the Adeptus Mechanicus to assist in your research to find a way home."
He leaned forward, his expression grave. "However, the nature of what you are makes unrestricted movement impossible. Your philosophy is heretical. Your power is beyond our measure. Your very presence could destabilize a system, a sector, or perhaps more. I cannot, in service to the Emperor and to the protection of mankind, simply let you go."
Rimuru listened patiently, his expression unreadable.
"Therefore," Kael continued, "I propose a new arrangement. A true covenant, not of necessity, but of mutual interest. I will personally escort you. I will be your guide, your liaison to the factions of the Imperium you will need to speak with. I will take you to a place of unparalleled knowledge, a hidden library-fortress where the secrets of the galaxy are laid bare. In return for this guided, protected journey, you will continue to answer our questions. You will allow us to study your abilities, not as a prisoner in an arena, but as an ally demonstrating their strength. A full, transparent exchange of knowledge."
It was a masterful pivot. Kael had transformed a hostage situation into a guided tour, an interrogation into a research partnership. He was offering Rimuru the most efficient path to his goal, while ensuring the Inquisition's direct, constant oversight.
Rimuru was silent for a moment, his gaze turned inward.
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Rimuru looked back at Kael, a small smile playing on his lips. "A personal tour of the galaxy from an expert, with access to all the best libraries? That sounds far more pleasant than stumbling around on my own. Very well, Interrogator Kael. I accept your proposal."
Kael let out a slow, controlled breath, a wave of relief washing over him. The crisis was averted. The opportunity was secured. "Excellent," he said. "Librarian Corvus, you and your men are to be commended. Your actions on the Space Hulk were exemplary. You will be reassigned, and this entire incident is now classified Inviolate Maxima. You will speak of it to no one, under penalty of death. Is that understood?"
"It is, Interrogator," Corvus said, placing a fist over his heart. He looked at Rimuru, a silent expression of gratitude and warning in his eyes, before turning and leaving the strategium. His part in this strange story was, for now, over.
"Now then, King Rimuru," Kael said, standing up. "Our journey requires a vessel more suitable than a common gunship. My ship, the Stellarr Peregrine, is being prepared. It is a Rogue Trader vessel, small and fast, perfect for moving without attracting unwanted attention."
"And where are we going first?" Rimuru asked, genuinely curious.
Kael's lips twisted into the faintest, driest of smiles. "Our ultimate destination is a fortress-library in the Veiled Region known as the 'Librarius Xenologis'. A place where we catalogue the secrets of the alien, the mutant, and the unknown." He gestured to the star map. "But our first stop will be the forge world of Ryza. I believe it is time you were properly introduced to the Adeptus Mechanicus. After all," he added, his eyes glinting with scholarly curiosity, "they will be utterly fascinated by the science of your 'slime'."