I stare dumbly at the core. After about a minute I stammer out, “My partner? Like as a tamed monster? But you just said you couldn’t give me a Soul Level…”

Well, it’s not precisely like taming a monster. There will be no soul bond only a mutual partnership. Notch can choose to leave at any time and so can you without the soul tearing business. He’ll share his soul level with you and Notch will get to get stronger with you, or something like that I’m not sure he didn’t tell me why he wanted to do this. This, of course, is only true if it works, and I’m just guessing on some of these parts.

“You want to be my partner Notch? This may not change your life at all I still have that Soul Bond with Nars and have to follow what he says,” I don’t want to scare off the little slime, but I feel like I need to make this clear from the onset. But I didn’t have to worry about anything Notch just does his nod wiggle. With excitement, I say, “Okay, Core I consent to be partners with Notch.”

Notch do you consent?

Another nod wiggle from Notch.

Okay with that out of the way you’re now married congratulations! You may kiss the bride Human.

“What!? Did I just agree to marry a Slime?” I shout staring daggers at the Core. That is until I see Notch doing a weird laughing wiggle. “You’re messing with me again aren't you?”

I couldn't help myself you’re so easy. Are all humans as gullible as you?

All I can do is mumble angrily I don’t yell off the one thing that could change my life over and over while Notch and the core are having their laugh.

Anyways, I do have two more conditions before I try this.

“Anything,” I say almost instantly.

Really human? Anything? You know how much will power it’s taking me not to screw with you again? You’re lucky these conditions are important to me. First, whether this works or not, you are to disclose the location or information about this dungeon to no one. I don’t want my Slimes to be injured, killed or retamed by any humans that you tell about this place. Second, if this does work, you are not to tell anyone about this unless I permit you. You will do a System Oath confirming these conditions.

“The first I understand, but I don’t understand the second condition. We could help all the Zeros in the Empire have a better life. This can change everything,” I say with some confusion.

There are a few reasons for this condition. First and foremost for this is that if there is any chance at all of this working the monster and human have to completely consent to be each other's partners instead of how Tamers are with a master-servant relationship. Can you see most humans being able to do this? Secondly, I don’t want to be the reason that every dungeon core being bothered by humans to give them a monster partner.

“I still don’t agree with the reasoning too much, but I will agree to these conditions. How do I do a System Oath and what are the consequences if I break this oath?” I only wavered on this decision for a second. I really want this, but I have never heard of a System Oath before.

It’s easy just say out loud in a clear voice I whatever your name is, swear to the System that I will never willingly tell anyone or anything the location or information of Dungeon #6283k and what the secret is to gaining a monster partner unless Dungeon #6283k gives permission otherwise. You should then get a system notification asking if you wish to make this oath, just hit yes and that’s it. As for the consequences, the system will block you from willingly break this oath, but if you continue to try and break it, you will die.

I will admit this made me hesitate for a few minutes. Breaking this oath will kill me… but it sounds like I have to try and break it, so I decided to just go with it.

In a loud, clear voice, I say, “I Nox, swear to the System that I will never willingly tell anyone or anything the location or information of Dungeon #6283k and what the secret is to gaining a monster partner unless Dungeon #6283k gives permission otherwise.”

Do you wish to make this oath to Dungeon #6283k?

YES

NO

I select yes, and another screen pops up.

You have made an oath to Dungeon #6283k. If you wish to be released from this oath, you must gain permission from Dungeon #6283k or a system administrator.

What is a system administrator? Is that God? Or maybe some kind of divine being?

Okay, let’s see if this works. Are you two ready?

Notch and I both nod one of us with more of a wiggle than the other but my knees are shaking so bad that could be me. The Core starts to glow so bright that it’s blinding and then darkness. That is until...

Do you wish to make a pact of partnership with Basic Green Slime, Notch? WARNING: This pact must be accepted by both parties involved. The average Spirit Level from both parties will be distributed to both parties not to be less than one.

YES

NO

With an almost giddy excitement, I hit the yes button again, and another screen pops into view.

You have made a Pact of Partnership with Basic Green Slime, Notch, this pact may be broken by either partner at any time not in a life or death situation except with the permission of the System Administrator.

Again with the System Administrator. Before I can think about this some more another screen appears that makes me shout in joy.

Due to being recognized as Sentient Being by the System the Soul Bind made by Nars Quikslev will be broken. Due to the oath to Dungeon #6283k Nars Quikslev will not be notified as to the reason the Soul Bind was broken.

I pick Notch up and start dancing in a circle with him in excitement. Unfortunately, it is hard to keep a grip on a ball of green slime, and I drop him… not the best way to celebrate a new partnership. After a minute of Notch berating me with different wiggles, he forgives me and then slimes up onto my shoulder and points to the Core.

“Ah, yes I guess we should thank the Core,” I say to Notch and put my hand back on the Core.

Done celebrating? Did everything work out? Can you check your status now?

“Yeah, it worked thank you, but I haven’t checked to see yet,” with that said, I think ‘status.’

Name: Nox

Spirit Level: 1

Health: 10

Mana: 10

1 mp/per hour

Skills:

Weak Mana Sense Level 0

Magic:

Mana Bolt Level 0

Partnered Monsters:

Notch (Basic Green Slime) Spirit Level: 1

Partnered Monsters Skills/Magic:

Notch:

Weak Mana Sight Level 10 Weak Mana Sense Level 10 Dissolve MAX Mana Bolt Level 5

Tamed Monster: None

Tamed Monsters Skills/Magic: NA

“I can check my status now thank you again,” I say through tears of joy. “But I don’t understand half of it.”

You should thank Notch I would never have done this otherwise. Just remember your oath and watch out for him and I’ll consider us even. As for your status screen, if you tap on the different options, it’ll give you an explanation. But don’t do that now it’ll take forever.

I nod to the Core and have Notch slid onto my palms so I can look at him and say, “Thank you, Notch, you have changed my life in a way I thought was impossible. Thank you.” This doesn’t even scratch the surface of my gratitude towards the little slime, but it is all I am able to vocalize.

As for Notch he just wiggles at me as if to say he understands how I feel and that is was no problem we’re friends… How I got all that from just wiggles, I don’t know, but it was there. So, I just nod and allow him to get back on my shoulder and put one of my hands back on the Core.

Well if you two are done being all sentimental, I have one last to ask. Do you want to teleport out now or stay the night and leave in the morning?

I look at my partner, and he just does his shrug so I say, “Tomorrow, I don’t think I’d be able to go too far now this day has been physically and emotionally draining. It’ll give me a chance to become familiar with my status screen also.”

Sounds good Notch should be able to lead you back to the room you woke up in see you in a few hours.

I set Notch down and wave back to the Core, “Thanks again see you in the morning.” and walk out following Notch. In the boss room, Gloop and Ooze are waiting for me.

“Well, I wasn’t expecting to see you again so soon human,” says Ooze. “But the Core still has you marked as a guest, so I guess I don’t get to eat you… too bad.”

Gloop swats at him then says, “You look tired dear we can talk tomorrow just follow Notch, and he’ll lead you back to your room.”

Gloop waves me off, and Ooze does too after Gloop hits him again. I just wave back and laugh in my head at the weird duo of Slimes and follow Notch once again. When we get back to the room, I woke up in earlier there is now a straw mattress laying on the floor, so I say to the air, “Thanks for the bed Dungeon.” And lay down on it and start going through my status screen section by section. After I read through it all, I go to sleep, and for the first time in months, I am looking forward to tomorrow.

These are the status screen descriptions.

Name is your Name did you really just ask what your Name was?

I guess I deserved that...

Spirit Level is the amount of Spirit power you can wield. Each Spirit Level gives 10 Health and Mana.

Health gives a general measure of your wellbeing. If this reaches zero, you will die.

Mana measures how much magic you can use. If this reaches zero, you will become unable to function until you restore at least one point. Restore rate depends on how easily you can cycle mana through your body.

Skills are either earned through hard work in a Profession or given through bonding with a Monster.

Weak Mana Sense allows you to sense the flows of mana around you. At level 0 you are unable to use this skill.

Mana Bolt is a spell that allows you to shoot a ball of pure mana. Range and power depend on level. At level 0 you are unable to use this skill.

Partnered Monster is when a monster and human make a pact using a Dungeon Core as a focus. (Due to Oath with Dungeon #6283k this section of your status screen will be hidden from anyone using all but the most powerful Inspection spells. All partnered monsters will appear under Tamed Monster section if inspected.)

Name: Notch (Basic Green Slime)

Spirit Level: 1

Health: 10

Mana: 10

11 mp/per hour

Skills:

Weak Mana Sight Level 10 Weak Mana Sense Level 10 Dissolve MAX

Magic:

Mana Bolt Level 5

Partnered with Nox

Basic Green Slimes are one of the weakest monster found in the world. They have a resistance to most physical damage. Their size ranges from 3 inches to 2 feet tall.

Weak Mana Sight uses mana to see the world around you. The range of sight depends on level. At level 10 you can see 10 feet all around you.

Weak Mana Sense allows you to sense the flows of mana around you. At level 10 mana restore rate raises by 2 mp/per hour and can find strong mana source at up to 10 feet away.

Dissolve allows you to dissolve any substance in your body. The strength of the Dissolve depends upon your Spirit Level.

Mana Bolt is a spell that allows you to shoot a ball of pure mana. At level 5 this spell cost 2 mana and does 1-2 damage.