After hesitating for two seconds, Rimuru simply spoke up, intending to go with the flow.
He turned to look at Thor and asked in a serious tone.
" Thor, have you ever thought about this?"
"When Ragnarok truly erupts, we will all have to defend Asgard to the death."
"Who will protect the Dwarves of Nidavellir then?"
Upon hearing this, Thor was completely stunned.
He subconsciously turned his head to look at the group of dwarves who were engrossed in their work, and his expression gradually became serious.
That's right, Nidavellir is a subordinate Asgard of Asgard.
The Dwarves can be considered half-citizens of Asgard.
Logically speaking, when the Asgard is in danger, the suzerain state should protect its vassals.
But the harsh reality is right in front of us.
When Ragnarok arrives, Asgard itself will be in grave danger.
He's not strong enough right now, so he still has to rely on Rimuru to protect him from disasters.
Where would they find the extra troops and resources to protect the Dwarves?
Thor remained silent for a long time before finally turning to look at Rimuru.
Speak honestly and ask for his thoughts.
"What's your plan? Just tell me."
Seeing that he had calmed down, Rimuru immediately took the opportunity to discuss the matter.
"I have an absolutely safe Virtual World space."
"If Nidavellir faces annihilation in the future, Asgard Clone to protect you."
"I can simply relocate the entire Dwarves into my Virtual World for refuge."
He added a further explanation, fearing that Thor might not understand.
"You've seen my huge white portal before, haven't you?"
"That's the gateway to the Virtual World; I have the access."
"No one can get in without my permission. It's absolutely safe and private."
As he thought about this, Rimuru couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
The Dwarves really too honest and too loyal.
Possessing top-tier forging technology in the universe, he can forge Stormbreaker and the Infinity Gauntlet.
As a result, the entire tribe did not develop any self-defense capabilities whatsoever.
They completely entrusted their lives, their possessions, and the safety of their entire race to Asgard.
And the result?
In the end, he was slaughtered by Thanos until only one person remained.
To trust someone completely, only to be utterly betrayed in the end, is truly frustrating.
Thor's eyes lit up instantly after hearing Rimuru's entire plan.
This escape route is just too perfect and too secure.
Ragnarok Asgard preoccupied with its own problems, had no power to aid Nidavellir.
With this Virtual World as a safety net, the Dwarves have an extra, guaranteed way to survive.
Suddenly, a bold idea popped into Thor's head.
He quickly and excitedly began to speak.
"Then... can Asgard move in too?"
"When dusk falls, I'll simply stuff the entire Asgard into your Virtual World!"
"If Surtur can't break through and the fire can't reach it, then Asgard will be saved, right?"
Rimuru's lips twitched violently upon hearing this.
Goodness, Thor really knows how to come up with ideas, his main strategy is to just give up and survive, right?
He could only patiently explain the truth to Thor.
What are you thinking, Thor?
"The root of Ragnarok was never the great fire of Surtur."
"It is Asgard's own destiny and cycle, the end of the laws of the Asgard."
Even if you moved the entire Asgard into Virtual World, avoiding external disasters...
"The collapse of destiny and the depletion of laws within will still trigger the Twilight Cataclysm."
"At best, it will only temporarily postpone our demise; it's a temporary fix, not a fundamental solution."
Then Rimuru added the most crucial sentence.
"And can you hide forever, even if you can hide for a while?"
"You've hidden Asgard, and the Nine Realms are leaderless."
" Nine Realms are thrown into chaos, and countless lives are lost. Can you bear the consequences?"
After hearing these words, Thor felt as if he had been doused with a bucket of cold water.
The hope that had just been ignited was completely shattered, and I instantly became completely calm.
He finally understood everything.
Twilight was not a calamity brought by outsiders, but a destiny ordeal for Asgard.
There's no way to escape it.
Even if they manage to survive for a while, what will happen to the Nine Realms?
What will happen to the countless races and beings that depend on Asgard for survival?
At this moment, Thor truly understood for the first time.
Just how heavy is the so-called responsibility of the God-King, the so-called burden of protecting the Nine Realms?
He's no longer the reckless Thor who only knows how to charge into battle.
He finally began to understand how much destiny and helplessness lay behind the throne.
Asgard's status wasn't earned through fighting and killing.
If Odin knew about Thor's recent changes, he would be very pleased. This foolish son, whose mind was always filled with fighting and killing, is finally starting to understand what the responsibilities of a king are.
After Thor for a moment, Thor readily nodded in agreement.
Rather than letting the Dwarves perish with the Asgard, it's better to leave them a way out beforehand.
With Thor's tacit approval, Rimuru stopped beating around the bush.
He began formally courting the Dwarves right in front of all the dwarf artisans.
To put it bluntly, it's about forcibly defying fate to change the destiny of this race, which is destined for tragedy.
Upon hearing this, the dwarf king present was completely dumbfounded.
I was completely stunned, my mind went blank for a couple of seconds.
He was screaming inwardly.
Not a buddy?! Is that right?
The legitimate prince of my suzerain state is still standing right here!
You actually dared to openly poach someone right in front of the person in question?
This is so blatant! They didn't even try to hide it!
The Dwarf King felt his heart skip a beat and secretly glanced at Thor.
I originally thought Thor would definitely frown, stop him, and get angry.
Thor remained completely calm, showing absolutely no reaction.
This left the dwarf king even more confused.
Rimuru decided not to hide anything and simply laid everything out in the open.
To avoid the dwarf king from making unfounded suspicions and causing embarrassment for both sides.
"I won't lie to you, and I won't do anything underhanded."
" Asgard will inevitably face Ragnarok in the future; the timing is uncertain, but it is unavoidable."
"That calamity was the destiny of the Asgard, something even Odin couldn't prevent."
"If the apocalypse truly occurs, all of Asgard's forces will have to defend their homeland to the death."
"By then, we won't have enough manpower, let alone the resources to traverse the stars and protect Nidavellir."
"Therefore, my invitation to the Dwarves to join my cause is not an invitation for you to betray Asgard."
" Thor was aware of it, Thor agreed to it, and the whole process was a result of our prior discussions."
Then Rimuru also relayed Odin's instructions.
All the stakes and interests should be laid out clearly and explicitly.
" Odin entrusted me with the task of protecting Asgard after his death."
"You shall come to my side, and the relationship between Asgard and Nidavellir will remain unchanged."
"The only difference is that I'm the extra layer of protection."
After hearing this entire explanation, the Dwarf King fell completely silent.
He stood there, frowning, and lowered his head to think seriously.
Ragnarok?
A cataclysmic event in the Asgard that even Odin couldn't stop?
That sounds terrifying; it's a catastrophe on a world-ending scale.
Upon reflection, this makes sense. If it were just ordinary warfare, why would Odin plan ahead for the future?
It's even less likely that they would specifically entrust the Asgard to a powerful outsider.
He gradually figured out the key issues.
As dusk fell, Asgard itself was in dire need of protection, and it could not safeguard its vassal states.
Therefore, Rimuru took over the responsibility of protecting them in place of Asgard.
But upon further reflection, new doubts arose.
The Dwarf King secretly raised his eyes to sized up the petite Rimuru.
I couldn't help but feel uneasy, and the more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt.
Logically speaking, Odin lived for hundreds of thousands of years and ruled over the Nine Realms.
Their strength was unfathomable, and they held the reins of power in the Asgard, yet in the end, they could not withstand the destiny of twilight.
The small-looking, unfamiliar, yet powerful figure before them.
How can they do what even Odin couldn't?
Why should they protect Asgard, and even the Dwarves?
Moreover, the dwarf king still harbored a sliver of wishful thinking.
The Dwarves have lived in the Nidavellir forging region for most of their lives.
He honestly forges and manufactures weapons, never participating in the conflicts of the Nine Realms.
He has a laid-back personality, never makes enemies, and has no hostile forces outside of his home.
They lived a peaceful and stable life for countless years, with everything going smoothly.
Perhaps the so-called disaster won't even befall them?
They may not actually face the danger of extermination.
He was now filled with a mixture of hesitation and suspicion.
They both feared the legendary Ragnarok and distrusted their new patron.
At the same time, they still clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that their race could get by peacefully.
The entire forging hall fell silent instantly.
Only the low rumble of the star's core burning slowly remained.
All the dwarves looked at their king, silently awaiting the final decision.