《Syl [A Slime Monster Evolution LitRPG]》 Chapter 1 : Meeting Gramps I died. At least, that was all that I could remember. I was unsure how it happened or even who I was, but I was positive that was the outcome. While trying to make sense of the situation, despite my lack of memories, a thought came to me intuitively: I should open up my status menu. I focused my mind as if I''d done this many times, and a window appeared within my subconscious. Name: ????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Race: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Class: ???????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Status: Dead Unfortunately, it provided no help other than confirming I was dead. Thank you, Captain Obvious... I continued floating in the endless void for what felt like an eternity until a simple wooden stool appeared. I stared at it briefly and then suddenly found myself sitting in it. Well, I was getting tired of floating... "Ah! You''ve finally arrived. Greetings, a loud but cheerful voice suddenly entered my mind. "I can''t believe you died in such a ridiculous way. I don''t think I''ve ever seen such a waste of 5 Reincarnation Points." As he continued talking, I got the mental image of a grandfather. I looked around but could not find its source. I would have opened my mouth to speak, but it seemed like I didn''t have one. I was unsure how I was even sitting since I couldn''t see my body. Reincarnation Points? That sounds familiar, I thought to myself. "Indeed it should! In your previous life, you had many accomplishments and died a spectacular death, earning a boon for the world and a feast for us." The voice answered as if reading my mind. What!? I tried to interrupt with my thoughts screaming, but the voice continued. "Because of this, we rewarded you 5 Reincarnation Points for your next life to get a head start. You spent your first point to be born a noble, your second point to be a prodigy, and your final 3 points to unlock Dimension Magic. Honestly, you were practically built for greatness, and we thought your previous feast would pale in comparison. It should have been a banquet!" I''m sorry? I don''t even know how I died. I felt a crushing disappointment, like the grandfather who once was proud of me was giving me a scolding. "You were poisoned on your birthday by your older brother." On my birthday, seriously!? "I suppose he felt his inheritance as the firstborn was severely under threat by a walking prodigy showing off a legacy magic. Honestly, this is one of the reasons we should get rid of noble being a reincarnation option." How was I poisoned? Surely they tried to save me if I was a noble? "You dug into your favorite cake like it was about to sprout legs and run away. You were going at it so fast that people thought you were merely choking, which unfortunately gave the poison enough time to do its job." I felt so ashamed even though I didn''t remember any of this. I stared into the void, wishing to disappear. I couldn''t believe that my past self was such an idiot. This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience. "Anyway, it''s time for your next life. Unfortunately, you earned no Reincarnation Points because you didn''t accomplish anything noteworthy this time." Guilt. Shame. I closed my eyes, hoping for the mental lecture to be over. "However, your soul has a pretty good track record, and I feel you did not get your fair chance. Not to mention being poisoned on your birthday..." A second chance? A do-over? I felt a small bubble of hope blossoming. "Not quite. We can''t just give points away." Bummer, I guess there''s no such thing as a free meal. "However, we do run experiments on new reincarnation options to see if they have any future potential. Instead of having a default life, could I put you in one of these experiments?" Although he was giving me a choice in the matter, I felt an otherworldly pressure telling me that I needed to accept, or he would be disappointed in me. I wasn¡¯t sure why I wanted to impress this disembodied Grandpa, but I was sure I could do it this time. I just needed to stay away from any poisoned cake. It sounds like an upgrade over starting with nothing, so sign me up! "Excellent! I''ll get the paperwork in order." Wait, I have some questions... The sound of a book being slammed shut echoed in my head, and the stool I was sitting on disappeared beneath me. Suddenly, I felt myself begin to fall into the void below. Is he rushing this so I can''t change my mind? What sort of experiment is this? "Enjoy your next life. I expect big things from you!" That was the last thing I heard before the void below ripped open into a blinding light, and my consciousness faded.
The blinding light slowly began to fade as I started to hear life around me. Around me, I heard birds chirping, the rustling wind, water trickling, and something... sloshing? I tried to blink but couldn¡¯t seem to. Eventually, I started making out shapes, which slowly came into focus. I saw the sky above me, the ground below me, a nearby stream, a forest in the distance, and what appeared to be a city with very high walls. Many round blue shapes around me seemed to be bouncing around. Wait, why can I see so much all at once? I didn''t even turn my head? I tried to move my body but seemed to fall over and roll forward. However, my vision didn''t change with my body''s orientation and continued to come into focus. Do I have a full 360-degree vision? That seems very good, is this Grandpa''s blessing? My vision focused more, and I saw that the blue ball shapes had a rather liquid-like texture and had a colored jewel in their center. My mind was tickled with the answer. Why am I surrounded by slimes? I asked myself before I screamed out in horror. Status! Name: - Race: Slime (Blue) LV 1 Class: - Status: Healthy Grandpa... why did you turn me into a slime? This feels more like a punishment than an experiment. Is this because I wasted your Reincarnation Points? Unfortunately, my thoughts went unanswered as I watched the slimes around me going about their business. A few seemed to be ¡°eating¡± some plants by slowly dissolving them, which they did by engulfing them inside their slime body. Other slimes were sitting lazily by the stream, others seemed to be trying to jump or bounce, and two larger ones were even chasing after a rabbit. Deciding to see what my new slime body looked like, I attempted to head toward the stream. Thankfully, moving my new body came to me without too much difficulty, almost instinctually. Upon reaching the stream, I got close enough so that my reflection was within range, where I saw a blue slime with a crimson-red core. I moved erratically to confirm the owner of the reflection. Damn... I really am a slime. I looked at the closest slime nearby, whose core was also a reddish color, although, compared to my own, it seemed much more dull. At least my core is a rather vivid color. My self-reflection was interrupted by the arrival of humans carrying baskets full of jars while some of the scruffier-looking ones were carrying buckets. Humans from that nearby city, I''m guessing. I hope they don''t mean any harm. My fellow slimes don''t seem to be panicking. The humans spread among the slimes, and I watched one of the first pick up a slime with one hand. After placing their basket carefully, they held the slime over one of their many jars, and he unsheathed a belt knife. Horror filled my mind as I watched the human cut into the slime, and the jelly was amputated from the slime and deposited into the jar below. Or are they just too stupid to know any better!? I screamed as I watched the humans, one after another, follow the same steps. I immediately started trying to run away, thinking I could get to the forest away from this slaughter. My 360-degree vision gave me the perfect horror show as I watched a child run to catch up to me. Nooooooooo! The boy grabbed me and threw me into his bucket as I tried to squirm and get away throughout the process, but it was futile. His childlike strength was Herculean in comparison to my jelly muscles. "Xxxxxx xxxxx xxx''x xxxxxxxx xx xxxx..." The boy said something, but I couldn''t understand the words that came out. He pulled out his own knife, which looked well-used and looked after. Please let me go! I don''t want to die again! The boy couldn''t hear my screams as he brought the knife down. I''m sorry, Gramps... Looks like I''ll be seeing you again shortly. Chapter 101 : Bait Book 1 Recap: Reborn as a simple blue slime, Syl sought to escape the confines of being farmed. Heading into the forest, Syl caused all sorts of mayhem and began defeating the monsters that ruled the forest. After evolving, Syl ran into a dying elf who bonded and commanded Syl to kill her. Feeling confused and violated, Syl fled the forest as quickly as possible. Syl then gets involved with a tribe of goblins bearing a grudge against humans, and Syl decides to join them in hopes of finding someone who would accept a monster. While with the goblins, the human adventurers attacked, leading to Syl eventually pretending to be a captured elf and securing safe passage into the human town. Syl ended up joining the Adventurer''s Guild and picking up the Mage class to get access to the wonders of Magic. Shenanigans ensued, and Syl ended up defeating a dungeon, killing a noble out for blood, and then being transferred to the next city over. In Kaerlin, Syl was promoted and immediately sought out completing quests to earn income for slime cores and for rare monsters to eat. Syl killed a salamander, stopped a large orc raid, and took part in an emergency quest to stop a monster stampede. Now Syl has set sights on the nearby floating island, intending to obtain a yellow slime for new slime traits and lightning magic!
I woke up the next morning feeling amazingly refreshed, which is hilarious, considering I was in a hole in the ground. Despite the minimal mental tax of holding a form, returning to slime for a good night''s rest just couldn''t be beat. ''Maybe I should buy myself a big, fancy bathtub, the ultimate slime bed.'' I pondered the idea, ''Although I''ll need to work more on getting my [Core Storage] to the next level. I can''t believe I''ve run out of space...'' I peeked into my storage, almost entirely occupied by an ocean of slime. While debating what to do, I came to a realization. ''Wait. Is this even my maximum compression anymore? [Slime Density] was integrated into [Morph Slime] and gained an extra level or two...'' I started withdrawing portions of my slime and tried compressing it again. Some of it was already at the new maximum, clearly generated after the trait fusion, while a large amount was still at the old maximum. I had automated the process of dumping excess slime into storage so long ago that I had completely forgotten about needing to do any maintenance. ''Alright, let''s set my [Sub-Cores] to sift through all the slime and recompress it. Goodluck!'' I mentally cheered at being able to delegate the work. This had the added benefit of working towards my next [Core Storage] and [Morph Slime] level, as they would need to withdraw it to compress it further. ''It''s too bad I can''t interact with my internal inventory. That would be certainly handy, or maybe that''s a feature at a higher level?'' I continued walking along the path toward my mental quest marker. It was extremely early in the morning, so I had the road to myself. I occasionally observed the progress my [Sub-Cores] made with the task, and I wondered if perhaps I had given them a potentially endless task - how would they differentiate between the slime confirmed at maximum density and not? The answer became apparent as I watched them proceed with their ruthless efficiency: They had somehow segregated my slime into different portions within my internal storage. It was like an invisible wall between my slime and the one side rapidly filled after being withdrawn and recompressed. ''Is that a feature I unlocked at some point and never knew about?'' I questioned. I tried adding another dividing line between the slime and another territory being cleanly created in the inventory space. ''Huh... Okay, new orders, everyone. After compressing everything, let''s divide it into four portions: half will be maximum density slime, twenty percent will be [Blaze Slime] at maximum density and temperature, twenty will be [Cryo Slime] at maximum density and minimum temperature, and the remaining portion will be regular slime.'' This would be quite the task for the [Sub-Cores], but I thought calling upon different types of slime at a moment''s notice would be worthwhile and handy. [Poison Slime] and [Acid Slime] could be activated like a toggle, whereas the two temperature-based traits did have some delay in reaching their limit. I also set up an order to replenish the stocks, as I felt like I''d be using both as ammunition to deal with flying monsters. ''Previously, I had to mentally be aware of where it was in my storage; this feels much more convenient.'' While my [Sub-Cores] worked hard, I got to continue playing around with magic. I was making decent progress until I spotted something immensely large on the horizon; my spell fizzled out as my concentration broke, and I stared in awe at the massive floating chunk of landmass. It was still extremely far away, but to be able to see it from this distance, it had to be enormous. Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. "They said it was a floating island, but that feels like an understatement..." I murmured, a bubbling excitement building up. I couldn''t wait to explore it. It was late afternoon when I reached the quest area, where the floating island was now much closer and in range. Best of all, my [Sub-Cores] had finished their task and even improved the trait level. "Now the question is... How do I find the griffins?" I said, sighing as I tried to examine the skyline. "I can''t see them. They''d probably look like tiny specks of nothing to me." I decided to attempt Luke''s bait strategy. When no onlookers were on the road, I formed a tendril disguised as a leash and had Alpha turn into a deer. When I was happy with the disguise, I sat on a nearby rock and waited. And waited. And waited... The number of stares I got from travelers was grating, the strange sight of an elf sitting on the side of the road decked out in high-quality armor and magically stacking rocks with a pet deer. At least Alpha seemed to be having a good time, clearly utilizing [Acting] and even pretending to graze. I tried to just focus on my [Arcane Hand] practice while passing the time. A few did question why I was sitting on the side of the road, and the simple explanation of griffin bait was enough to satisfy their curiosity. I wasted the rest of the entire day sitting there with nothing to show for it. I eventually decided to retire for the evening and blobbed out. The next morning, I stared up at the floating island, and its gradual drifting approach was much more apparent after an entire night of not examining it. I attempted the bait strategy again, except this time, I had Beta also pretend to be a deer, and rather than sitting around, I decided to walk toward the floating island. I was getting annoyed when early afternoon approached, and I still hadn''t been attacked by the so-called griffins. I wondered if someone else had killed them. Would my quest get updated if that was the case? Could the guild remotely cancel something? "In the worst case, I could try to use the bug wings and hope it''s enough. Maybe if I just create like ten of them?" I was busy thinking of contingency plans when it finally happened. I was contemplating if I could build a slime pillar towards the island when there was a sudden loud screech, snapping me back to reality. A large shape had swooped down and plucked Beta from the ground; the slime leash rapidly thinned out when it stretched to its maximum before snapping when I didn''t think to expand it quickly enough. "Beta!" I shouted in horror as I saw it falling from the sky like a lifeless blob and splattering on the ground in the distance. Unbeknownst to the griffin, what it thought was a meal had lost its form as soon as it lost connection to me. I hoped Beta survived the fall; otherwise, I''d have to wait until tomorrow to regenerate it. The griffin was climbing high up into the air, preparing for another divebomb. This time, I reinforced the tendril to Alpha and planned on being dragged up with them. Unlike before, I wasn''t going to be caught by surprise as I waited for its inevitable attack. As it appeared again, with a high-pitched screech, I saw it grabbing Alpha. When the griffin started ascending, I retracted the tendril leash and pulled myself towards it. The griffin seemed to notice something was amiss and tried releasing its grip on Alpha. This monster was intelligent enough to attempt to use gravity as its weapon, but I commanded Alpha to grab on. In what I could only assume were panicked screeches as it realized its prey was a predator, Alpha inverted and burst out like a maw clamping shut over its clawed front legs. I had already swapped over to a different profile, deposited my armor, and discarded my disguise, all while the wind rushed past me. Now, as pure slime, I fired all my cores through the tendrils connected to Alpha and watched the slime mass rapidly follow after. ''It''s been a long time since I used the slime grapple. I''m glad it still works.'' I thought happily. The griffin was not happy; it had stopped ascending and instead flapped in place while it tried to rip and tear with its razor-sharp beak. I had Alpha defend with [Acid Slime], and when its attempts to bite were countered by burning pain, it frantically stopped. It immediately did a nosedive and tried aerial maneuvers to shake me off. But with all my cores safe and sound close to its body, I had already begun the process of enveloping its entire body tightly with slime except for its wings. In what must have been a panicked last-ditch effort of barrel rolls, it lost control of its flight and violently crashed to the ground. Its body and my slime scraped across the surface, causing a trail of blood, slime, and feathers. I had wrapped my cores in a pocket of dense slime and set the elasticity to the maximum, hoping it would protect them. Somewhere, through the violent, uncontrolled tumbling across the surface, I received a notification. ''I mean... It kind of killed itself, not that I''m complaining about free experience.'' I gathered my bearings and checked that all my [Sub-Cores] were accounted for. I had lost a lot of slime mass across the ground, but honestly, it felt like a drop in the bucket at this point. I looked at the mangled corpse of the griffin and sighed as [Dissection] berated me for ruining a large portion of its valuable parts. I was surprised that its feathers were considered valuable, but very few were intact after that terrible landing. I let [Dissection] salvage what it could and happily ate the rest. I was excited to review the new profile, but I had a more pressing concern. I needed to check where Beta had fallen. I shifted into a wolf to run faster, and thankfully, [Mapping] made it easy to find my previous location. After a brief search, I saw a blue puddle and a slightly scuffed and cracked apple-green core. I immediately grabbed the core with a tentacle and plunged it into my slimy depths. ''That''s a relief... Sorry about that, Beta.'' I could feel slime mass being used to repair the tiny fractures in the [Sub-Core], but I was just grateful it wasn''t destroyed. ''Now let''s have a look at what that griffin had to offer.'' Chapter 102 : First Flight The first thing I noticed about the griffin was that it had the trait Whitney had told me about. <[Eagle Vision] Increases eyesight by 80% per trait level. In addition, your vision will be protected while moving at high speeds.> I wasted no time purchasing it, immediately trying it out and getting a sort of binocular effect and greater clarity at a distance. I could see why Whitney had coveted the trait and couldn''t wait to show it to her. The other traits were as expected, enhancing its claws or hide. It had a few weird ones to help it survive at high altitudes or protect it from the cold. None of that applied to me as a slime, so I skipped over it. Then, I spotted a single skill and eagerly read its description. <[Aerial Finesse] Adds systematic corrections to maneuvering while airborne, scaling with skill level. Including but not limited to personal flight, mounted, or acrobatic.> ''This sounds a little insane, doesn''t it? It makes it sound like it kicks in as soon as I''m no longer touching the ground. Maybe even potentially improving my maneuvering with my slime grapple.'' I was about to immediately purchase it but hesitated for a brief moment. A pessimistic thought bubbled up inside. ''I swear, Gramps, if it tells me I need Air affinity for this, we''re no longer friends.'' I felt immediate relief when the error didn''t pop up. Once the information was finished being written to my core, I felt I had a good introductory understanding of how I''d attempt to fly. I wasted no more time and shifted into a copy of the griffin, deciding to start with a working form before I started creating some chimeric form. ''Could I just slap big giant bird wings on the back of my elf form and fly? Although I get the feeling that if I get enough levels in [Aerial Finesse], even if I can''t now, I will eventually be able to do so.'' I started off slow, but eventually, I was mildly airborne, and immediately, I could feel the skill kicking in. Even at level one, I was surprised at the amount of aid it offered. I started off low before gaining some confidence and increasing my ascent. When I heard some screaming below me from a group of travelers. ''Oh shit... I''m showing up as a high-level griffin, aren''t I?'' I thought in dread and started to fly away from the road. I landed briefly, ensuring I was alone, adjusted my profile to level ten, and then took flight again. However, I would avoid the road this time, even with my precautions. I enjoyed exploring the skies, slowly building up my confidence, and learning the ropes while slowly approaching the floating island. Even from below, it was a beautiful sight, with clouds clinging to the underside of the landmass like bubbles. I wondered what caused it to stay afloat while practicing hovering in place when I heard a familiar screech and saw another form rapidly divebombing towards me. ''Oh... Evan did mention they are territorial.'' I was preparing for it to crash into me, but surprisingly, it stopped a short distance away and began squawking at me threateningly. ''Oh? Do you think you''re big stuff since you''re four levels higher than my disguise?'' I retorted to myself because, obviously, the bird couldn''t hear me. I rapidly cast an empowered [Flammable] on it and giggled with delight when I saw the debuff. The griffin clearly didn''t expect a spell from a fellow birdbrain, and [Subtle Afflictions] took advantage of the opportunity. <[Flammable] 100%: 9min remaining.> It kept squawking at me like an overgrown parrot, and I decided to answer it in a Dewi-like fashion. Grabbing all my [Sub-Cores] to aid in rapid spell construction and throwing in some empowerment, I internally smirked when I mentally shouted, ''[Fireball]!'' The ball of flame, tinged with blue, rapidly formed before flying forward, crashing into the griffin and erupting into a fiery inferno. I saw the griffin plummet rapidly out of the cloud of smoke, and gravity took the final hit. This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ''Wait. Shit, I said I was going to practice my other spells; I really let my inner Dewi takeover.'' I mentally scolded myself as I started to descend rapidly. ''Actually... If I had fought it in aerial combat, I bet I would have gotten a good chunk of experience towards [Aerial Finesse]... Ugh.'' When I examined the corpse of the griffin, I felt [Dissection] unleash its fury as I had burnt away every single precious feather with that display. Ignoring the complaints, however, it smelt pretty good, and partway through devouring it, I turned on [Olfactory Sense] and enjoyed a surprisingly decent meal from the bird half of the griffin. With a full belly and a completed quest, I felt confident in approaching the floating island. Despite having decided to finally embark, it was still a good distance away, only aided by now that I had a superior form of travel. Although I was hardly bored and took delight in the thrill of the skies, I tried a few aerial maneuvers like a barrel roll or flying in a loop, hoping for some juicy extra experience. I wanted to explore the underside of the island at some point, but my first priority was the top, so I started to ascend. Bursting through the clouds was a surreal experience, and I was overcome with a sense of freedom and exhilaration. The sunlight inside the clouds gave the fluffy white masses a warm glow while the moisture clung to my body. I kept climbing and climbing; eventually, I could see the surface of the landmass, and I could''ve landed, but I kept going. The higher I climbed, the more I could see the island. It really was like a self-contained ecosystem; it had a forest of strangely colored leaves and what I could only describe as a miniature mountain with a stream flowing down into a lake. On the lakeside, I could see ruined ancient stonework structures completely overtaken by nature. Nearby, the ruined stonework looked like what used to be a cleared plot of land that perhaps once had fields but was now completely overrun with wild vegetation. Perhaps most strange of all were a few scattered bits of land floating above the primary mass. Most were tiny in size, barely large enough to stand upon. I quickly spotted one that was different and held a singular, massive tree, its roots deep enough to penetrate entirely through and dangling far down enough to nearly reach the primary island below it. I found myself flapping in place in a hover, staring at the scenery. It was spectacular. Should I go to the big tree first? What about those ruins? They might have treasure! The mountain could hold its own secrets; I could spot a cave or two. And who knows what monsters could be hiding inside the forest of rainbow leaves? My daydreaming was rudely interrupted by two identifications pinging in my mind I looked around frantically, worried that they had snuck up upon me, but I realized they were still at a safe distance and not apparently hostile. The two elemental forms floated amongst each other, twisting, twirling, and intertwining like some strange mating dance. The cloud elemental was relatively easy to spot, but the air elemental would have been nearly impossible to see without [Mana Conception]; both housed a glowing vortex of what I assumed was Air mana in the center of their being. That vortex was their true form, like how the rock elementals had a crystal core. ''I get the unfortunate feeling that I won''t be able to eat these two for a profile... This is like those ghosts all over again.'' I grumbled. Judging by the amount of mana contained in their vortexes, I predicted that the cloud elemental was the evolution of the air elemental. I had the feeling I''d probably need to kill them with magic, but I decided to approach in a vain attempt that I might be able to devour them. When I approached the two elementals, they immediately became hostile, much like the rock elementals. The air elemental sent out a buffet of wind against me that ruffled my feathers and threatened to send me in a tumble. Meanwhile, the cloud elemental rapidly approached me, and as I was recovering from my nearly failed flight, it started to surround my head with a dense cloud. I formed a [Pseudopod] and lashed out at it, but as I predicted, it just soared through the cloudy substance. Despite its hostile action, the cloud elemental didn''t appear to be doing anything. I was very confused until I realized it was probably trying to suffocate me. I chuckled as I ordered my cores to fire a basic spell of each affinity at the elemental to see what would harm it, but not before casting all my debuffs first, as I needed all the magic experience I could get. [Water Orb] displaced the cloud, [Acid Dart] soared right through it, [Icicle] didn''t appear to do anything that I could see, and finally, [Fire Arrow] seemed to remove any cloud it flew through, briefly flaring up a little brighter than normal. The elemental made a visible effort to dodge and get as far away from it as possible. ''Looks like they don''t like Fire... Now that I think about it, Dewi did mention that Air feeds Fire, which was why he picked it.'' I quickly cast [Nova] and managed to burn away a large portion of the cloud elemental. It was now rapidly retreating away from me, and I ordered my [Sub-Cores] to aim for its glowing vortex with [Fire Arrows]. Meanwhile, I was buffeted by a burst of wind again by a very angry little Air elemental. I managed to recover from a tailspin and decided to focus on trying to dodge in the air. I glanced briefly at where the cloud elemental was and noticed the vortex of air mana had completely exploded; not a single bit remained of the elemental. ''I hate fighting enemies I can''t eat... Since the air elemental is smaller, let me see if I can''t engulf it.'' I started flying towards the air elemental, which decided to change tactics of attacking me directly rather than attempting to drop me out of the sky. I saw mana gathering into a disc of rotating wind, and it fired it at me. Despite the forewarning and adequate [Evasion] skill, I still didn''t completely dodge the fast-moving disc that tore through my wing. I felt myself plummeting out of control as I regenerated the wing rapidly. ''It''s too bad I don''t have dragon wings. These bird wings are very fragile...'' I recovered from my failing flight just in time to dodge another incoming disc. It was oddly humiliating that I had defeated the evolved monster easily, but now the little air elemental was causing me such grief. I gave up on my plans to swallow it and ordered my [Sub-Cores] to barrage it with [Fire Arrows]. It was aggressively chasing after me now, so I retreated backward while dodging another incoming disc; it was a lot easier to dodge while retreating rather than approaching, and the pesky elemental soon learned that the hard way when a [Fire Arrow] connected with its vortex and it popped in a flash of flame. Chapter 103 : Up and Down ''Well, that was annoying. As much as I want to fly to my next destination, let''s land on the edge and slowly progress inward for now. There''s a good chance other flying monsters will attack me if I make myself so visible.'' I flapped down slowly to the island''s edge, my wings beating against the wind. Finally, I landed on the solid ground, a wave of relief washing over me. Just as I was about to appreciate being on solid ground again, two notifications suddenly popped up. ''Landmark?'' I questioned and activated my newly upgraded [Mapping] skill. Looking at my mental map, I could see some places, most notably Stantondale, Kaerlin, and Glimmerock, were now named and marked. Weirdly, the forest, the mine, the farm, or even the goblin cave did not have any names or markings, despite me mentally knowing that was their location. ''Perhaps they aren''t notable enough? Or not specifically named. Hmm...'' I canceled my griffin shape and was partway into transforming into an elf when I stopped it abruptly. Instead, I just reverted to my default slime form, feeling the familiar fluidity of my gelatinous body. I stretched out, loose and free, forming all my [Pseudopods] and giving them a much-needed wiggle. ''How long has it been since I was just a regular slime?'' I asked myself, ''Well, I can''t exactly call myself regular anymore.'' I peeked over the edge briefly before retreating when I felt a mild sense of vertigo; it was a long way down. I chuckled to myself and questioned why I felt such a fear. I bet I could survive the fall; even if I didn''t, [Defy Death] would kick in. Hell, I could likely recover if I transformed into a griffin quickly enough. ''Okay, so let''s set some goals. The main priority is to find a yellow slime, above all else. The secondary goal would be to find interesting monsters to eat and explore the island. Tertiary would be to work on my skills and traits.'' ''I should probably set up a base of operations, a home away from home. Having a known safe area to return to is preferable. Although in an emergency, I could just dig down.'' After thinking for a moment and recalling the island''s topology from my prior observation, I made a decision. ''The lake and that overgrown ruin would probably be ideal; they''re central to the island, and having access to all that water could be useful for offense or defense.'' As usual, magic practice was my go-to activity when traveling. I was very curious about what the next level of [Arcane Magic] and [Ice Magic] would provide. The slowness of Arcane, however, really bugged me. I was sure I should have reached level two by now. ''Is it the spell that''s at fault? Does [Arcane Hand] just give crap experience?'' I wondered, trying to think of the difference between it and my other forms of magic. ''Not being able to use it in combat is definitely a downside; I know that gives more experience than usual... If only there were an arcane arrow spell or something...'' I mused. ''Wait. I could just make an arcane arrow spell. I have the components for a projectile spell; I''ve been so focused on making afflictions and debuffs that I''ve neglected my basic building blocks!'' I immediately tossed aside all my spells in progress and formed a [Fire Arrow], then immediately started removing all traces of Fire mana and replacing it with Arcane. I had to ensure the spell was completely clean; otherwise, the frustratingly malleable Arcane mana would become Fire before I knew it. The basic components were easy to work with, and soon, I had a solid and easy spell structure. I promptly cast it, aiming at a sizeable rock, and a colorless bolt of mana emerged and blasted it, sending it flying with surprising force. I immediately cast it again, expecting a notification. ''Huh. Not what I would have called it, but sure.'' I grumbled, ''I guess I shouldn''t be too surprised with such a basic combination already existing; it wasn''t exactly some great innovation.'' ''Wait... Does discovering spells give a massive amount of experience? It''s probably the first-time bonus, at least. Have I been ignoring a small goldmine in experience?'' My curiosity was interrupted by a random identification. Returning to reality, I spotted a winged horse drinking from the lake with seemingly no care in the world. I immediately thought of blowing it up with a good [Fireball] spell, but then I realized I could sneak up on it and give it the old slime hug since it was alone. I did, however, cast my debuffs, wanting the free experience, before I flattened myself against the ground, changed my coloring, and started to slither towards it. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. There was a bright flash, and the horse''s head went up. I had thought it might have spotted me when suddenly there was the sound of cracking thunder. Its nose flared with a disgusting snort moments before I leaped forward, slime extended outwards like a giant net, and tendrils latching onto the winged horse. As soon as I grabbed on, it frantically whinnied and started bucking, but I latched on tight and enveloped it. Mana seemed to coalesce into its wings before it shot up into the sky at gravity-defying speeds, but that wouldn''t be enough to remove me. I had already started to invade its body and turned on the acid. Its wings were an obvious point I should have attacked, but I knew [Dissection] wanted them badly, and I didn''t want to ruin another harvest. I realized it was trying to call for help moments before smothering its mouth. I also made sure to use [Life Sense] to see if I could finally notice a difference in the trait. Two more horses seemed to answer its call, their wings also glowing bright with mana, and the wind itself began answering its call. I wondered how they would deal with me without harming their ally. They cast a few shallow blades of wind, not wanting to cut deep enough to damage their rapidly melting friend, which I could ignore. ''Are they hoping that they can cause me pain so I''ll release? I mean, it''s a sound strategy if I could feel pain in my slime.'' Suddenly, I saw the life plummet on my captured pegasus, and then it promptly died, giving way to all my acid and dissolving almost instantly, except the wings, which I stored away for proper harvest later. There were lots of furious horse noises, followed by the sound of intense wind that began to cut away at me. I was more than happy to plummet back down to the safety of the floating island, so rather than turn into a griffin or pegasus, I partially transformed some salamander hide and utilized [Draconic Scales (Lesser)] to block the blades of wind. Armed with [Arcane Bolt] and five willing fighters, we rapidly returned fire. The pegasus seemed startled at the sudden barrage and began to float through the sky with unparalleled grace as they dodged the magical projectiles. Against my expectations, they cooperated and created a large buffet of wind that sent me flying back up high into the sky. ''Looks like they want to keep me up in their domain. That''s rather frustrating.'' While I didn''t feel at risk, I didn''t enjoy being manhandled and thrown into the sky like a ragdoll repeatedly. If they could dodge six [Arcane Bolts], then I''d need to redouble my effort. ''I''ve never had my [Sub-Cores] try this before, but it should work!'' I would have all of us use [Multicast] combined with [Arcane Bolt]. I gave the order and physically felt the mana in my body strain; what was normally a continuous, rapid flow of mana suddenly became a violent deluge. I felt a strange... Pain? Something wasn''t happy with what I was attempting to do. Did I not have enough flow to output the mana I was trying to use at once? ''Come on! I''m a bloody walking mana potion! I should be able to do this!'' I screamed in protest. Something deep in my core popped, for lack of a better word. Then, it felt like it was going to split in two. Suddenly, garbled notifications appeared, temporarily blocking my vision. I had an immense sense of dread. ????? ????? Then, against my expectations, my [Sub-Cores] complied and began each firing two [Arcane Bolt] spells simultaneously. I wanted to cheer mentally, but I was struggling to focus. I wanted to join them, but I had to keep us together at this point. Whatever I had done, the mental impairment had been beyond expectations, and if I were human, I think I would have blacked out. Relegating myself to the cheerleader of this situation, I watched the cores work together in tandem to provide a bullet hell pattern of magical bolts that caused one pegasus to dodge into another. Once one slipped up, they all focused fire and barraged it endlessly. It was not a pretty sight, and soon, a rather mangled pegasus was plummeting. <[Arcane Magic LV 2] spell [Arcane Armor] learned.> I thought I was finally out of trouble and would be landing shortly when, again, I was lifted up into the air. Three more stupid horses had appeared. I was mentally cursing when a flash of light blitzed toward the group of pegasus, followed by the rumble of thunder. Energy crackled between the horses, and they seemed temporarily stunned before another bolt struck them, and soon, three charred corpses were plummeting. I called off my cores and was hoping to focus on defense. I searched for the cause of the lightning, and then I spotted it. The yellow slime was far larger than any other slime I had seen, bordering between boar and horse size. It had a large violet core that crackled with energy. Most strange of all, the slime undulated rhythmically, almost like a bellows or a coil being wound up and released. It even had two [Pseudopods] on top, spread out in a v-shape, lightning arcing between them. I only had a moment to admire it before it fired another bolt from the v-shape that fried the remaining pegasus; I hadn''t even noticed it was rapidly retreating away. I felt threatened by this slime but also awed by its power. Its base slime species was technically on par with my two mutations, and if I didn''t have my class levels, it would technically be higher level than me. My admiration was abruptly interrupted when I slammed into the ground with a squelch. Chapter 104 : Thunderstruck Despite being a victim of gravity, my slime cushioned the landing, so I didn''t appear to suffer much damage from the impact. I reformed my shape while I regained my bearings. I opened up my status to check my condition, as I was a little concerned since I felt odd. Name: Syl [Dungeoneer] Race: Chimeric Mimic Slime (Blue) LV 10 Class: Shadowcaster LV 11 Status: Injury (Minor) Mana: O???????????????????v????????????????e?????????????????????????r?????????????????f??????????????????l????????????????????????????o?????????????????????w????????????????????i????????????????????n???????????????????g???????????????? ''Oh no... What''s happened to my mana? That doesn''t look good.'' I groaned. I had also gained a class level at some point during that scuffle, but my notifications were a mess. There was the pegasus profile, which was labeled [Equine] for some reason. I had also gained a new spell level, and... Something happened to my traits. I decided to put that all aside for now; I wanted that yellow slime more than anything else. I quickly confirmed that I could still use mana, firing an [Arcane Bolt] at the ground. ''Hopefully, it''s just a visual problem... I''m sure Gramps will notice it and fix it.'' If that yellow slime was anything like me, I knew it would be heading towards the meal it secured. If I was lucky, I could ambush it while it ate and secure that delicious core for myself. I started heading in that direction while quickly examining my new spell. The new spell [Arcane Armor] sounded great; it would create a mana barrier on myself, shimmering and protective, like a second skin. It brought back memories of the transparent slime coating I used as a goblin, which hilariously gave my previous deception a little validity. Unlike other forms of defense, however, it seemed to prevent a fixed amount of damage before expiring based on the amount of mana expended and seemingly limited by my [Arcane Magic] level. I hesitated to experiment with it too much, but I figured a good defense would benefit me. However, when I tried to cast an empowered version, it refused the extra enhancement. I cast an enhanced [Arcane Bolt] and blasted the ground, relieved that I hadn''t somehow lost that functionality with all the mana strangeness. ''I guess it''s like [Decay] in that it has its own internal scaling. I''ll have to see if I can take it apart or apply it in other ways later.'' When I approached the spot, I was being as stealthy as possible. I hadn''t heard any further sounds of thunder, so I knew the yellow slime wasn''t attacking anything. Thankfully, my intuition paid off, and consuming the dead pegasus was a yellow blob growing in size. I noted how slowly it ate and could only be very grateful I had acquired a green slime early on in my journey. I hid behind a tree and started to extend two tendrils toward the slime, hoping I could grab its core and rip it out for a quick victory. That large violet core looked so tantalizing. Slowly. Patiently. Like two camouflaged snakes approaching their prey. It happened so suddenly that I didn''t know how to react. When my tendrils got within striking range, and I was about to make my attack, a massive jolt of energy sparked from the violet core outwards to its slimy exterior and arced towards my two tendrils. The shocking energy flowed straight up my tendrils, destroying them along the way with startling efficiency right back to the source; me. ''Shit!'' I screamed, but it was too late. I had let my guard down and was so startled that I couldn''t think of discarding the tendrils before the current reached me. The attack surged within me, arcing between my core and all my [Sub-Cores] and filling me with a numbing pain. The worst part was that it bypassed the [Arcane Armor] entirely since it just traveled directly through me. I was given no opportunity to recollect myself, and suddenly, a bolt was flung at my location, followed by the loud cracking of thunder. It splintered through the tree and struck directly against my [Arcane Armor], nearly shattering it in a single strike. Unfortunately for me, [Arcane Armor] was not infallible. Even though it had enough capacity to absorb the blow without shattering, there were still sparks of lightning arcing through and directly into me, once again surging throughout my being. The pain was terrible. I quickly shifted into the salamander, once again donning the protective scales and hoping it would protect me. Using bare tendrils wasn''t an option if it could repeatedly use that retaliatory attack, so instead, I used my extremely malleable form to enlarge and extend a scaled claw toward the yellow slime. ''If I could use magic, this would be simple... But I don''t want to destroy the core.'' The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. The yellow slime made no attempt to dodge or retreat and simply kept up its rhythmic coiling. I could see the sparks rapidly discharging from the violet core and building up, then in a burst, it launched another bolt directly at my claw. The bolt of lightning struck against the [Arcane Armor]. Apparently, the claw counted as part of my body, so it was protected by the spell, unlike my [Pseudopod]. Still, the remaining capacity was insufficient, and the bolt shattered through it and struck against my elongated claw. When I saw the scales offer no added protection, I immediately abandoned the entire limb, but not before some of the discharge reached me and caused internal havoc. <[Sub-Core Delta] has been destroyed. Rest to recover.> ''Shit! No, no, no, no!'' I recast [Arcane Armor] and cast [Bubble]; I needed to retreat and return when better prepared. I had greatly underestimated the yellow slime, which seemed to almost be my natural counter. I ransacked my memories of what I could recall about the yellow slime and vaguely remembered a warning about not using water against it. This became rapidly apparent when another bolt struck against my watery barrier, energizing the entire barrier before all the energy discharged into the center and converged on the most conductive target within; me. This must have been an extreme threat to my life, as Alpha took control of tendrils and formed shields of what looked like parts of the Earthshaker''s rocky carapace in a near instant and tried to enshroud me. Again, it wasn''t enough, and the tendrils were annihilated; my fresh [Arcane Armor] instantly shattered, and the depths within my slime were ravaged as the pure energy arced between me and my remaining [Sub-Cores]. <[Sub-Core Alpha] has been destroyed. Rest to recover.> <[Sub-Core Gamma] has been destroyed. Rest to recover.> I heard what sounded like an explosion going off in the distance near the yellow slime, different from the thunder cracks, but I couldn''t pay attention. I needed to escape. I had a momentary realization when Alpha tried to use the Earthshaker that the description of yellow slimes mentioned using earth or nature magic against them. I had to assume rock and wood had some protection against the ruthlessness of lightning, but without the affinities, I could only give inferior imitations. Still, it was better than nothing; even the draconic scales proved useless. I had no time for aesthetics and merged whatever was possible with the nature boar and rock bear, creating some chimeric monstrosity out of necessity and grabbing both [Barkskin] and [Earthen Carapace]. I recast my armor spell again as I scrambled away, just in time for another bolt to lash out against me. I tried to evade, but the speed was far beyond me, and I heard the familiar shattering sound again before what remained of the lightning reached me. It struck, and the pain was immense. Once again, it penetrated through me, but I noticed considerably less lightning had reached my delicate innards. The bark and rock seemed to partially insulate me against the lightning. <[Sub-Core Epsilon] has been destroyed. Rest to recover.> As I tumbled across the ground, the sound of another explosion went off. I was filled with regret at my overconfidence and my lack of preparation. I had access to the guild''s library; why didn''t I do research on what yellow slimes or lightning could do? Or asked Lisa about it, as it was her element. I had read the warning about using water against it, which seemed to be my primary affinity as a blue slime, and even if it was some time ago, it was stupid for me not to consider it. I had two more [Defy Death] triggers left, so I had to make sure I got away before they expired. I heard another violent explosion going off, and I finally glanced toward the source while refreshing another [Arcane Armor]. The yellow slime was surrounded by fire, and less than half of its original slime mass remained. Something had attacked it, but I had no idea what. I saw it building up another bolt of energy, and as I turned to retreat, I noticed a large [Fireball] forming next to me. I was confused. In this strange state of seemingly broken mana, I hadn''t even noticed the spell pulling on it. I hadn''t ordered an attack; why was the spell being formed? My stunned thoughts weren''t fast enough, as when the bolt of lightning shot towards me, the [Fireball] launched as if counterattacking. That sparked my memory. ''Beta! No!'' I screamed, unable to stop the attack. I had remembered too late. I had given Beta a counterattack order and never dismissed or replaced it, just like how Alpha had moved to defend my life automatically under another order given at the same time back when I was confronting Krutz. Perhaps because the attack was visible, [Evasion] had tried to give me an early warning. I dodged as fast as possible, my body practically surging out of the way with alien movement only possible as a gelatinous slime. I wanted to cheer when I saw the bolt wouldn''t strike me directly when I noticed it curved partway and redirected into me. I wanted to scream at the unfairness of the situation, but pain overwhelmed me after I heard the familiar shattering sound. By now, I had lost count of how many times [Arcane Armor] had been destroyed. <[Sub-Core Beta] has been destroyed. Rest to recover.> I had lost all my [Sub-Cores], and I likely only had one [Defy Death] trigger left. Then I heard the explosion. If I had a heart, I was sure it would have stopped when I saw the flood of notifications. <9 Trait Points are now available.> <10 Trait Points are now available.> <12 Skill Point is now available.> <13 Skill Point is now available.> . Chapter 105 : Plan B ''Ah...'' I stared in stunned silence, then frantically ran to where the yellow slime once stood as fast as I could. Using as many tendrils as possible, I desperately searched for remnants of the violet core. ''No!'' I screamed in desperation. I felt like crying if that were even physically possible. This felt like my biggest setback ever; this was something I had truly wished for, and blinded by my desires, I shot myself in the foot. I found what looked like melted tiny shards of the once beautiful violet core and desperately absorbed them, but nothing happened. There was no updated profile, and there was certainly no core integration. ''All that effort, all that pain, and nothing to show for it!'' I slammed tendrils against the ground; their form fluctuated wildly in my anger. ''Five [Sub-Cores] gone!'' I kept lashing out until I eventually calmed down a little. Then I began to think. I needed to find some solution; I couldn''t accept wasting this opportunity. ''Okay... First, there might be another yellow slime on this island.'' I pointed out the obvious solution. ''But I need to come up with a better plan. I didn''t fully understand how great of a weakness I have to lightning... I need to defeat it without destroying the core.'' ''The second option would be to force one to spawn. If I keep killing everything on this island, surely, eventually, a new one will spawn. Assuming what I know about monsters spawning, it will likely be low-level, and I could probably take it out even now. Its core won''t offer me as many traits, but I could, in theory, repeat the process and get another.'' ''While working on the second solution, I could train for the chance at the first solution. I need something to defeat it without damaging the core. Poisons immediately come to mind, but us slime are immune to those. If I were Simon, I could just attack its lifeforce directly.'' I started reading through my traits and looking over my magic; I needed to find some slime weakness that would be effective without damaging the core. Fire, Acid, and Arcane all had to be immediately discarded. I pondered Water as a solution momentarily, remembering how I defeated the green slime in the past by washing it, but I was far too afraid to use Water anywhere near a yellow slime again. ''That leaves Ice... I don''t think [Icicle] or [Frostbite] will leave the core undamaged.'' I mused, then vaguely recalling something, I looked over [Cryo Slime]. ''Thwarts slime mass from being frozen solid... Huh.'' The thought had frightened me at the time, but perhaps now it was my solution to this problem. If I froze the yellow slime, I could pluck the core out. No slime, no generating lightning between the core and membrane, right? ''If I find one before I work up a real plan, I can attempt using [Slime Shot] and [Cryo Slime]. However, I''d prefer to train [Ice Magic] and take advantage of our natural weakness to magic. There has to be a freeze spell or something.'' I nodded in satisfaction. After my outburst, settling down and assessing the situation had given me some catharsis. Now, in a better frame of mind, I needed to solve my health issue first. Name: Syl [Dungeoneer] Race: Chimeric Mimic Slime (Blue) LV 12 Class: Shadowcaster LV 13 Status: Dying (Critical) Mana: O???????????????????v????????????????e?????????????????????????r?????????????????f??????????????????l????????????????????????????o?????????????????????w????????????????????i????????????????????n???????????????????g???????????????? It did not look good, and I only had one remaining [Defy Death] since I still dared not risk the new trait level being retroactive in giving me another trigger. I still had no idea what was happening with my mana, but it didn''t seem harmful. Deciding I needed to heal up, I transformed into the badger borrowing [Raging Regeneration] and promptly activating it. I could feel my core healing, but a bubbling anger grew inside, threatening to undo my catharsis. Clearly, the trait did a little more than it said it did, but it did have raging in its name. Thankfully, I managed to keep it forcefully contained to a mild simmer thanks to the remnants of my willpower trait that had combined into [Soul Mastery]. When my health was finally full, the effect stopped, and I sighed in relief. Although the status menu still showed the exact same garbled mess for my mana. This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there. I had the pegasus profile to review and my new skill. I chose the latter because it likely had a more direct upgrade for my path. ''Yes.'' <[Tranquil Flow] Entrust yourself to the flow. When activated, it greatly enhances evasion capability by allowing one to be maneuvered with the flows unconsciously. While activated, mental interference is greatly reduced; however, sufficient opposing emotions can temporarily break the state, and you cannot enter it again until it is sufficiently corrected. Drains mana over time and accumulates mental fatigue while activated. Only one state can be active at a time.> ''This sounds really, really good.'' Was my immediate reaction. I also had another tickling thought, ''Is this a skill related to my Water Affinity? All the talk of flowing reminds me of water, like a leaf on a stream. If so, it''s about time! Compared to Air and Earth, I''ve been feeling very neglected. A movement skill would be great; I want compensation for not having [Wind Step].'' ''Not being able to passively use it like [Evasion] doesn''t sound like too much of a burden; once I get my [Sub-Cores] back, I could probably set up a routine for them to activate it as a reaction.'' What was once a faint sense in the back of my mind, subtly on the lookout for threats, went silent. Honestly, it freaked me out a little at first, I hadn''t even noticed the sense growing all this time, and its sudden absence felt awkward and uncomfortable. I mentally triggered [Tranquil Flow], and my mind immediately calmed, a sense of peace warmly flowing through me. It brought about a sense of calm readiness for anything, but I couldn''t see the full extent of this new skill and state since there were no present threats. I thought of keeping the skill active. The mental fatigue felt easily manageable, likely due to the combined benefits of [Core Refinement] and [Soul Mastery], and normally, I''d be unconcerned about mana expenditure if not for its current garbled condition. I deactivated the skill for now and almost immediately missed the calm state. ''Well, I''ll try it again as soon as I encounter something. My biggest concern is that I can''t even feel my mana usage right now.'' I looked over the [Equine] profile that the pegasus had granted me, which I now realized was because it was a monster branch from a normal horse. ''Why not just call it a horse profile, then? Was someone feeling strangely inspired when they created this one?'' I questioned. Gramps was the only one I had met, but he mentioned others, and the wildly differing skill and trait descriptions made it apparent that they had differing creators. The pegasus had both [Wind Magic] and [Aerial Finesse] as starting skills. I immediately checked if I could grab the magic and was unsurprised to be denied. It still felt right to just confirm it, especially with the oddities currently plaguing my profile. As for traits, they had a few attribute enhancers like strength and even could empower their hooves, but what caught my eye was a trait called [Enchanted Wings]. I couldn''t buy [Enchanted Wings], but it was a prime target for mimicry. It enhanced any formed wings with natural mana and allowed near unhindered flight capabilities, explaining why they were so unnaturally graceful. It also increased flight speed and maneuvering with every level; I could only imagine what combining it with a decently leveled [Aerial Finesse] would accomplish. ''Hell, compared to the griffins, they barely even flapped their wings. It''s almost like they had a freeform movement. Despite me literally eating one alive, it had no trouble controlling itself in the sky; meanwhile, that griffin took a tumble.'' Wanting to test it out, I transformed into my elf form and then created pegasus wings, immediately copying the [Enchanted Wings] trait. With barely a flap, I lifted off the ground. "Okay... If the griffins were considered flying, this feels like cheating." I commented, easily maintaining a stable elevation barely off the ground. I flew up a little higher and tried shapeshifting around, transforming into some of my other monsters and even recreating the chimeric form I used to explore the mines. Perhaps it was an aid from my trait because each transformation had the wings rapidly shift to an appropriate matching size without any additional input from me. This led to me staying airborne with barely even a drop. All the transforming midair clearly impressed the system, as I was rewarded with a level-up. I tried replicating the same midair transformations without [Enchanted Wings], and while it was possible, it was a much clumsier affair, and I hit the ground more than a few times. ''I think the benefits greatly outweigh the loss of my mimicked trait budget.'' I finally concluded, making a mental note to always pick this trait if I ever wanted to do anything wing-related. I ended up settling on a vaguely humanoid form with wings coming from the back. I was tempted to use an elven form but settled on using a smaller size for easier mobility. I used Hobgoblin as the base, taking [Thick Skin] and throwing in enough elf features to qualify for [Elven Reflexes]. [Draconic Scales (Lesser)] was surprisingly applicable for goblins, giving me the impression that dragons could breed with almost anything. I tried to take [Ironbark], but it seemed there was some interference between it and the combination of [Thick Skin] and [Draconic Scales (Lesser)], so I settled on taking [Earthen Carapace] and [Barkskin]. Even at their diminished efficiency, I hoped they would reduce another electrifying encounter. Finally, I kept the form partially transparent to allow a wide view range; I didn''t dare limit my visibility in this situation, and I hid my core by changing it to the same transparent blue. Ready and eager to move on, I gave another flap to return to a semi-hovering position and cast [Arcane Armor] to finish my preparations. ''Here''s hoping this trains [Aerial Finesse] and both my slime traits as well.'' After a quick consultation with [Mapping], I regained my bearings and headed towards the lake ruins again. I began my mental ordering out of habit, only to sadly realize that none of my [Sub-Cores] had survived that encounter. I felt a strange loneliness I hadn''t felt for a long time; even though they couldn''t talk or think for themselves, I had a peculiar companionship for my eager helpers. Chapter 106 : Icy Innovation The convenience of flight, even when merely hovering slightly above the ground, couldn''t be overstated, and I found it strangely pleasant. Good thing I was planning on staying up here for an extended period, as I felt reluctant to be permanently grounded when returning to Kaerlin. Hopefully, I could have enough fun with wings to get it out of my system. ''Reaching Gold-rank, retrieving my core from the dwarves, and then... perhaps, just perhaps, I could risk revealing my true self to someone I trust?'' I mused uncertainly. If it didn''t work out, I could abandon Syl, the adventuring elf persona, but I didn''t want to risk burning that bridge until I extracted the benefits I had already lined up for myself. ''If I make monster friends, they risk getting hunted down. Not to mention, they supposedly go crazy if they evolve too much. Ideally, I''d find another experiment, like Odark, just more likeminded.'' While I pondered, I kept myself busy by working on my [Ice Magic]; it felt extremely weird to be solo casting after growing so used to always having my [Sub-Cores] to always give a little bit of help. Rather than spam casting [Icicle] repeatedly, my approach was to try to convert as many of my other spells into their icy counterpart and confirm if discovering a spell gave bonus experience. I started with [Water Magic] since I knew there was some compatibility between the two elements. It was easy enough to begin replacing [Water Whip], and I soon found myself with an icy version. Giving it a swing and realizing how impractical it was, the whip''s flexibility was the point, and having a frozen rigid version was stupid. Perhaps modifying it to create a different weapon would lead to something, but I was a spellcaster, and even if an ice greatsword sounded cool, why would I do that? I started working on [Bubble] next; this made more sense as I was sure an icy version would offer a more defensive solution from the reinforced solidity. It would be much more disposable than the original spell, as I knew it would lose the ability to allow outward passage. While working on this customization, I paused with a thought, rather than replacing the Water mana, couldn''t I corrupt it with Ice? I started to trickle some Ice mana into the spell, and slowly, like dyeing cloth, the Ice mana began to bleed into the Water, corrupting and transfiguring it to match. I smiled with satisfaction and wondered if any other elements would have such a convenience. ''Who knew my little fun with freezing water back then would result in this.'' I promptly cast the spell, targeting a flower for the first cast. The way it materialized was visually appealing; a floating icy point apparated and then permeated outwards, encapsulating into a fully formed dome. Satisfied, I stopped moving and cast it upon myself. ''Guess I wasn''t the first to think of this idea either.'' That reminded me I hadn''t cast the rather useless ice whip twice to get the discovery. So I cast the spell again, even though I''d likely never use it again. ''Wow... I don''t like that. Why bother adding create to the name? Feels really redundant.'' I grumbled and smashed the ice whip against the dome, causing the whip to shatter. ''I bet whoever did this claimed all the weapons for consistency...'' I paused and smirked, ''What if I can find one they didn''t get, then give it a different name convention, ha!'' While it was a little petty, going through all the ice weapon spells would probably give decent experience. But first, I needed to get out of the frozen dome. When I moved inside it, the unmistakable difference to [Bubble] was that it didn''t move around with me. Forming a reinforced tendril, I slammed it against the ice and was quite impressed with its robustness. Activating [Acid Slime], I melted an impromptu doorway and inspected the larger dome from the outside. I liked what I saw, although I''d likely make some minor modifications and turn it into a half-dome to prevent trapping myself inside. Since I was getting distracted by spells, I decided to stop advancing towards the lake to settle my curiosity. I immediately began to work on creating the other ice weapons, starting with the easily malleable original water spell before converting it to ice. I had to start with the rapier; I had expected it to be an easy win over spell names but was sadly let down when I saw the notification. ''Ugh. I bet all swords will fall under this.'' I thought bitterly and confirmed it by creating a dagger, shortsword, and even greatsword out of ice with no further notifications. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. As I continued to go through the weapon catalog, I was extremely excited to get a soft confirmation that discovering spells likely gave bonus experience. <[Ice Magic LV 3] spell [Chill] learned.> ''[Chill], huh... So, the complete opposite of [Heat]. I''ll have to learn to modify my spells with this on my own.'' ''Damn, whoever created these spells was far too thorough... Why would you even make a bow? It doesn''t even function.'' I grumbled. Pulling on the string caused it to snap immediately. ''I guess I should stop complaining; experience is experience, and I guess it would be a neat campfire trick.'' With my curiosity settled and calling a partial ceasefire on the spell name war, I continued traveling. I hadn''t even noticed I was still partially floating off the ground this entire time, and I hoped it was passively earning me further experience. This time, the lake had no pegasus drinking from it, and I got to take a closer look at it. Unlike the frog pond, the water was crystal clear, reminding me almost of the water generated from spells or my daily slime wastage. Trying to see through the watery blur, I thought I spotted something settled at the bottom of the lake, but I decided the ruins looked much more appealing to explore for now. Despite being lost to the passage of time, the stonework still seemed in decent condition, albeit absolutely covered in moss. I would have expected more weather damage, but [Mana Conception] revealed tiny traces of mana within the stonework. Whoever had built this had clearly spent a lot of effort trying to make it last as long as possible. None of my various senses could detect anything nearby, so I was mostly at ease while I searched through the rubble. My lack of architectural knowledge meant I was mostly just going from the largest structure to the next, as their vague shapes meant nothing to me. More frustratingly, there wasn''t really anything to discover. The most notable thing I found, aside from more rock and vines, was that the entire area had a lot of feathers, and quite a few of the stones had what looked like scratch marks. I had compared the feathers to the pegasus and griffin, but it matched neither, and [Dissection] classified them as worthless. While exploring the remains of what I assumed was a toppled tower, I noted that the staircase abruptly ended. I removed some of the rubble by shifting it with [Arcane Hand] and tossing it into a pile. What I uncovered was a partially collapsed stairwell heading downwards. "Well, if any treasure or secrets are left, I bet it''d be down there," I said with a grin. I started heading down, easily overcoming the tight squeezes with a little bit of acid. It went further down than expected but eventually opened into an absolutely decrepit room. Some furniture had completely rotted away, the tables spilling their contents, and the only intact table was one made of stone with many empty vials and bottles. I saw another room ahead but decided to pocket what I could recover. "Definitely gives some underground secret laboratory vibe," I commented, picking through the table scraps to see if anything remained. Approaching the next room, I peeked inside and saw what could only be described as a torture room. It had stone slabs with metal restraints, various sharp tools covered in grime, and what looked like large stone basins, their insides stained in a dark reddish brown. "Okay, so add evil mad scientist to the mix." I chuckled nervously. I approached what looked like a large steel box with a small window and started to take a peek inside when a gnarled hand reached out and tried to claw my face off. I hadn''t seen it coming, so it did make contact but failed to penetrate my [Arcane Armor], the magical second skin briefly becoming visible at the point of contact. "Ha! Nice try, creep!" I mocked, feeling a little happy about all my preparations paying off. Whatever was in the box made a long, hollow moan and started banging against its prison. "Sounds like a zombie... But worse?" I questioned aloud. When the greyish-black arm reached out again through the bars, I quickly threw out an [Identify], realizing I''d need to do it manually for now. The result confused and shocked me. "Since when do monsters have names and classes?" I wondered, "Are you an experiment?" The only response I got back was more moaning and banging against its prison. "No, you can''t be, Gramps made it sound like the experiment thing was recent...ish?" I pointed out, more to myself than the screaming undead, "So I guess that can only mean you used to be a human before turning into... This." Unfortunately, the wailing monster gave me no answers, and the only way I was going to find out more was to let it out and devour it. Pointing a finger toward the locks on the metal box, I fired a little [Acid Slime] at each of them and waited for the creature to escape. Since I had the time to prepare while it broke free, I cast two [Icicle] spells and held them both, slowly empowering them. "I feel like my [Sub-Cores] deserve a raise... Doing this by myself really sucks." I chuckled. "Well, after the barrage of [Arcane Bolt] spells, I''m surprised that didn''t happen earlier," I commented and was about to start working towards a third [Icicle] when the metal box burst open. The starved ghoul was a haunting sight, its emaciated frame barely held together by tattered, soiled farmer''s clothes. Its sunken eyes burned with an insatiable hunger, and its bony fingers twitched as it reached out, seeking sustenance. The ghoul''s pallid skin clung tightly to its skeletal form, accentuating every protruding rib and joint. Its gaunt face bore a perpetual grimace, with lips drawn back to reveal yellowed, jagged teeth. "Shit! That''s hideous!" I cursed in surprise and launched both [Icicle] spells at it; one pierced directly into its chest while it barely dodged the other. It then let out an ear-piercing shriek echoing throughout the underground. Before it lowered itself into a pouncing position, I heard the distant sound of more metal banging. Chapter 107 : Ghoulish At the sight of the battle-ready ghoul, I immediately triggered [Tranquil Flow], and a serene warmth washed over my mind and emotions. The ghoul leaped forward, its claws and fangs hungering for flesh. Moving with a calm and fluid grace, my body effortlessly evaded its attack. It lunged again, its hostility a mere force to be diverted, and my body seamlessly glided out of harm''s way. ''The attacks are like currents... And I''m just following the flow.'' Its lack of success seemed to fuel its hungered desire even further, and somehow, it stepped up its savage assault to another level. Curling its hands together as if trying to disembowel me, it pierced forward. Having entrusted myself fully to the state of mind, my body opened up, and its piercing strike sailed through the gap in my torso. The creature leaped backward, a new hesitancy on its face. ''Shit, I didn''t mean to do that!'' I started to panic a little; I hadn''t expected to lose myself in the state that much; it conformed with my gelatinous and fluidic form so much that the action had felt perfectly natural to me. ''Shit. Wait, what if I use this and go all jelly while in disguise? There''s no way I could explain that away. Shit. Have I made a mistake by picking this skill up?'' Abruptly, the state ended; my little neurotic episode was too opposing for it to remain active. The ghoul''s claws struck against [Arcane Armor] again before I realized what had happened. Then, its fangs sank down, and I heard the familiar sound of the barrier shattering. In a panicked response, I erupted with all my tendrils at once, all of them aimed at the ghoul in an attempt to push it away from me. The abrupt change in form was completely unexpected, and the six tendrils slammed it against the wall so hard that settled dust was disturbed. Realizing my mistake, I immediately began working on killing the ghoul, triggering [Acid Slime] and rapidly melting away at it. I was horrified at its strength; it took nearly all six tendrils to restrain it. It screamed endlessly until it died, and I could hear the banging in the distance getting louder and what sounded like hinges being broken. I briefly glanced over its profile, confirming it was undead and seeing traits related to blood-feeding and unholy strength. What startled me was that I could see a clear link from human to ghoul among my profiles. I''d look into it in more detail later; I had what sounded like a horde coming for me. I worked to quickly form a half [Ice Dome] spell and cast it at the other doorway, hoping it would give me a little more time before the other enemies arrived. Since I wasn''t flying, I swapped out [Enchanted Wings] for [Inferno Sac], and it would be my emergency backup if things got too out of hand since past experience told me the undead didn''t like fire. ''It always comes back to fire; no wonder Dewi likes it so much.'' I tried to calm myself down and reactivate [Tranquil Flow], but I was not in the right frame of mind, and it rebuffed me. I''d have to get in more practice later and see if I could somehow keep with the flow without it morphing my body if I was in disguise. I''d hate to lose such a powerful skill by limiting its availability to only slime time. Maybe another [Sub-Core] order? I could hear bashing against the ice, so I began casting [Ice Patch] to freeze the entire floor. Then, I lifted myself up to the ceiling with some adhesive tendrils. Transforming my core to match the stonework, I hoped to remain undetected as I withdrew slime and started to spread out, claiming the entire ceiling as my domain. I maneuvered the formed [Flame Sac] into a corner, hoping to keep it safe and secure as my emergency backup plan. ''Well, if they attack and rupture the organ, that works too.'' I chuckled to myself. I tried to use [Life Sight] to try to get a prediction on their numbers, but either they were out of range, or the undead were excluded. [Thermal Vision] wasn''t a help either; "as cold as a corpse" came to mind. With [Mana Conception], I could see tiny black dots, probably some form of death-related mana that fueled these creatures. The last of my preparations involved casting [Arcane Armor] on my core. Having the protection on my slime as a whole was a waste, and I was pleased when that was a viable target. I saw my camouflaged core gain the magical extra coating that vanished after settling in place. I made a mental note to test having all my [Sub-Cores] cast the spell on themselves. The icy barrier cracked and shattered as the small horde of ghouls rushed into the room, almost immediately losing their footing as they stepped onto the ice. Any tension I had deflated like a balloon as I couldn''t help but laugh at the sight of these undead monsters falling and slipping over one another. They snarled and hissed, even swiping at each other. I gave them all a quick [Identify]; none had a combat class, and the highest ghoul level was only three. It really seemed like a bunch of civilians were captured and transformed into these abominations. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Having seen enough, I made my move. I immediately grabbed three ghouls using two tendrils each and flung them into large pockets of slime. These pockets were large enough to hold them in place while dissolving them, and by turning up the density to the max after submerging them, I doubted that they could escape. Meanwhile, I started to cycle casts between two [Icicle] spells. Despite my additional rank in [Multitasking], I couldn''t handle a third spell while also keeping my attention on my tendrils. Unfortunately, I dropped [Icicle] in favor of [Acid Dart] after confirming the spell lacked the punching power to reliably deal with the ghouls. For now, I avoided any fire spells to prevent the makeshift icerink from melting. The ghouls fought back by clawing at the ice with one hand to stabilize and then swiping at my tendrils as they approached. I just had to keep them occupied until the digestion pockets finished their job, and then I could throw another ghoul to replace them. If I had my helpers, I could have probably created more than three of my slime pockets. Still, alone, even my refined and high-spec core struggled to handle all of this slime with varying densities, multiple [Pseudopods], and not to mention magic. The plan wasn''t flawless, however, as some of the ghouls managed to slide towards some of the slabs, where, upon reaching, they used their more stable footing to leap upwards and take slashes at me. Their effort rewarded them with a handful of [Acid Slime], and they screeched in pain. When a few of them decided this fight wasn''t worth continuing and started heading towards the door that led to the exit, I was forced to cast another [Ice Dome] to block their attempts. They started bashing against the ice, and I knew I needed to finish them off before they escaped; if some of them managed and survived falling to the surface, there could be dire consequences. I extracted the [Inferno Sac] and dangled the organ into the center of the room. One of the ghouls immediately saw it as a tantalizing target and leaped for it, landing a vicious bite against the rather fragile organ. As I suspected, it ruptured and exploded in a fiery detonation, washing through the entire room in a flame coating. ''Not as effective as using the flames directly, so not really a useful attack option.'' I deliberated. I had wondered about using them as a sort of bomb, trap, or even a pseudo fireball, but I was better off pulling continuous flames into a breath attack. Frankly, I was more impressed by the explosion I pulled off in the mineshaft. Any surviving stragglers got thrown straight into the slime pockets as I quickly worked to finish up. While these monsters weren''t exactly a direct threat to me, especially if they didn''t know to target my core, it was nice to see a good plan come to fruition. I scrolled through the numerous notifications and summarized my final earnings. <13 Skill Points are now available.> ''Really? All those ghouls and I barely gained a level?'' I complained. Their racial level was low, but they had decent class levels, so I had expected much bigger gains. ''Do noncombat classes give reduced experience? It''s the only thing I can assume with these results.'' I shrugged and reformed into my weird little chimeric goblin again to continue my exploration of this lab. The next room contained more prisons, now mostly broken free. There was the occasional one still trapped inside, which I finished off with acid. I collected some of the metals from the various boxes as [Appraisal] told me they were either iron or lead. I noted that all the broken boxes were lead, while the iron ones still had a few ghoulish prisoners. "More metal samples for my future silver slime," I said with a grin. However, I still hadn''t found any real valuables, and my inner treasure hunter was feeling rather disappointed as I walked from room to room. Eventually, I stumbled across a locked reinforced door and hoped I''d finally get something. The door was described as mana-treated wood, and the reinforcing was mana-enriched iron. I saved a decent quantity of both in my storage before devouring the rest. Beyond the door looked like a small study, although the bookshelves contained nothing but rotting or crumbling tomes. On the desk, however, was a book that somehow seemed to survive the test of time. I immediately approached it and melted the tiny lock that kept it securely closed. I immediately started skimming through the book, and almost unsurprisingly, it sounded mostly like the ravings of a mad lunatic. Why have the Gods forsaken us humans? Why are the dwarves and elves favored over us? Why can we not evolve? There must be a solution; I refuse to accept that we are forced to be shackled to this mortal fleshbag. I''ve seen a simple wolf evolve into a hybrid between wolf and man, so surely there is another path for us? I will find it! The author seemed to blame the Gods a lot and seemed exceedingly bitter. He tried all sorts of things, even performing operations on test subjects, replacing their organs, limbs, and even brains with those of monsters. It mentioned him dabbling in necromancy, monster taming, and even failing at demon summoning. Through my advancements in the necromantic arts, I have found a new type of monster that transforms what it feeds on into an entirely new race! I feel like this is the answer I''ve been searching for! The only variable to overcome is that they are automatically enslaved after transitioning, and they become seemingly mindless, hungry beasts. But I think the solution is actually rather simple; I just need to kill the creature before the enslavement is complete. Yes, finally, I will transcend! That was the last entry, and I closed the book with a frown. "Man, this is some creepy shit," I muttered, shaking my head. "Tell me about it." A soft yet high-pitched voice replied. Chapter 108 : Trixie Upon hearing the voice, I immediately swiveled in the direction, taking an offensive stance, tendrils out and a [Fireball] spell rapidly forming within my palm. Tucked into the corner of the room as if forgotten was a silver birdcage, and inside it, sitting in a cross-legged position, was a tiny winged girl looking at me. She had extremely long, disheveled golden hair splayed along the cage''s bottom. Sprouting out of her back were what looked like butterfly wings, except translucent and dull. The clothes she wore looked like nothing but tiny brown rags, more suited for wiping a table than being worn. The word that immediately came to mind was slovenly, and as if to answer my thoughts, she started scratching her stomach with a bored and tired expression. I immediately threw out an [Identify], hoping to find out what the strange creature was. "What the hell are you?" She asked before I could ask the same question. "Have I been asleep so long that goblins are now blue and have grown wings?" "I''m not a goblin, at least not in the conventional sense," I replied, my words hanging in the air, pregnant with unspoken truths. "Oooh, are you one of Mister Gloomies experiments?" She asked. I immediately latched on to the word. "Experiment? Are you also one? Do you know which God?" She chuckled, slapping her thigh, "Hell no, I''m not one of his little lab rats." Then her expression turned a little serious, "And if you''re mentioning the Gods, I don''t think you are one of them either." "Oh..." I responded, feeling a little deflated. It made sense, unfortunately, as this lab felt far too old for Gramps'' experiment. "So, do you mind doing me a favor and letting me out?" She asked, now cleaning the inside of her right ear with a pinkie. I was immediately cautious. I had no idea if Trixie was a friend or foe, and in my partially vulnerable state, I didn''t feel like taking the risk. "Perhaps..." I replied, trying to size her up. "What are you, and why are you captured?" "I asked you first..." she said, puffing her cheeks. "But fine, I can show some deference to my potential rescuer. I''m a pixie who was captured and being used for ingredients by Mister Gloomy." "A pixie? Trixie the pixie?" I replied, frowning at what felt a little contrived. "Yup. Chose the name myself, glad you like it." She said, retrieving her finger and examining it before flicking whatever filth she had accumulated on the tip. "And Mister Gloomy was using you for ingredients? How?" "Wow, you really know nothing huh. Pixie dust, of course." She said and, as if to answer my question further, stood up and started shaking herself like a wet dog. A gold dust emanated from her like mushroom spores and lightly settled along the silver cage floor. She seemed friendly enough, but I wasn''t totally convinced. I decided to swap to my [Apex Hunter] emblem to see if she triggered a reaction. Trixie seemed to trigger a response from the emblem, but it wasn''t the one I was familiar with, as if the emblem itself was confused about whether she was worthy or not. ''Well, shit. That just makes me even more worried.'' "So? Gonna let me out, blue goblin? Blueblin?" She asked, giving a toothy smile, "Judging by how this place has gone to hell and back, I''m assuming Mister Gloomy is gone or dead, and I''d very much appreciate being free again." "Maybe... Tomorrow, though, I need to rest first." I replied. If I was going to let her out, I wanted all my [Sub-Cores] and [Defy Death] triggers back, so I was prepared for the possible betrayal. "What? Tomorrow?" She shouted, puffing out her cheeks again and looking extremely pouty. "Rather tomorrow than possibly years from now. I''m sure you can wait one more day?" I asked. She let out a huge, overexaggerated, and reluctant sigh, "Fine..." She plopped down on her backside and then started making shooing gestures as if telling me to leave. It seemed like she was done conversing with me entirely until I was willing to consider letting her out. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. I slowly walked out of the room, and the tiny pixie was already closing her eyes and entering what looked like a trance. I assumed that was how she passed the time without going crazy being trapped here for who knows how many years. I entered one of the rooms, far away from the private study, and melted into another hideaway hole. I covered the entry with a broken cage and then had to ensure it was sufficiently large for me to withdraw enough slime mass, as it would cost a lot to replenish all my cores. I felt a little bad leaving Trixie like that, and I wanted to trust her, but I just wasn''t willing to take that risk without my assurances. When I woke up the next day, I was filled with immense relief to see my cores floating happily inside of me again. As predicted, it had cost a fortune of slime, a week''s worth of [Slime Conversion] at minimum, assuming I didn''t supplement my diet with some monster meat. ''Do they cost more to replenish now that they are at a higher level? I don''t recall Alpha costing nearly this much to regenerate.'' Regardless of the cost, I was glad to have the full team back together and felt whole again. I ordered each of them to cast [Arcane Armor] on themselves and wiggled with glee when I watched the magical protection successfully form. I also had Epsilon don the Violet core coloring; I hadn''t yet obtained one, but I wanted a visual motivator. Before approaching the study with Trixie, I formed three [Inferno Sac] and started preparations by filling them to the brim with mana. I still evaluated this as my most powerful attack to date, at least in terms of instant destructive power. [Decay] with enough debuffs was likely stronger but required more prep time. I also transformed back into my previous form, except this time, I wore my armor, which readjusted to fit me thanks to the enchantment. I had Epsilon take position in my head for visibility and finally tested that I could have Alpha activate [Tranquil Flow]. When I entered the room, I noticed Trixie was in the exact same position I had left her in and didn''t react to my presence. Only when I approached the cage did she finally react. "Oh! Blueblin, you''re back." She responded, stretching and letting out an overexaggerated yawn. "I hope it really is the next day and not years... You weren''t wearing armor last time." "Nope, it''s the next day," I answered honestly, still trying to examine the so-called pixie. "Great. So you going to let me out now?" "Well... Not to be rude, but what happens if I let you out?" "I''d be most grateful!" Trixie replied, giving a wide, toothy grin. When I didn''t immediately respond, she sighed and continued talking. "Well, I could offer you a bunch of pixie dust. Maybe you could convince me to be your magical familiar, or perhaps... Friends?" "What''s pixie dust used for?" I asked, genuinely curious about the strange golden powder. "Potions... Enchanting... You know, magic stuff." "Right. Alright, I guess." "Thanks! Man, I can''t wait to stretch the old wings..." Trixie said, standing up and doing some light stretches. I sighed and looked at the cage; from what my senses told me, it was mildly enchanted but didn''t seem enough to keep someone captured. I did an [Appraisal] to understand what this was before I attempted to eat it, and it was revealed to be Lead Silver. I could only assume it was some form of alloy; perhaps that was why she was contained. I placed a hand on the cage and started digesting it, I almost expected some form of resistance, but it dissolved away at remarkable speed, making me wonder how it even kept her contained if it was so fragile. As soon as the roof of the cage melted away, Trixie fluttered up; her dull wings were now bright and vivid, shimmering like a rainbow. I cautiously stepped back while she stretched and took a deep breath, her entire body becoming more striking in color, like a fresh coat of paint. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when Trixie suddenly smirked. Black horns suddenly appeared on her head, a black tail, and her rainbow butterfly wings were replaced with bat wings. "You fool!" She cackled right before I unloaded all three [Inferno Sacs]. The room erupted in blue flames, and the bookcase, desk, cage, and everything else were vaporized in a scorching inferno. Then I activated [Slime Burst], exploding two large salvos, one armed with [Cryo Slime] and the other [Blaze Slime] and both with [Acid Slime]. The two contrasting slime types violently reacted to each other, and the entire room sounded like it was about to collapse; I rushed out of the room and prepared to see if anything emerged. "ARE YOU CRAZY?!" A shrill voice screeched from the slowly dying flames. I paused in confusion, but not before holding a variety of offensive spells each between me and my [Sub-Cores]. An extremely wide-eyed Trixie appeared before me; the black tail, wings, and horns were gone. I tensed, ready to unload my barrage of spells on her. "What is wrong with you!?" She shouted at me, but before I could say anything, she kept up her verbal assault. "Holy shit, how high-strung are you that you can''t even take a joke!?" I tried to open my mouth, but she interjected. "I''m a bloody pixie; everyone knows we play pranks! What the hell have you been through to be tenser than a violin string? That can''t be healthy; you must learn to chill out!" "And what the hell was that? Are you secretly a glamoured dragon? No, you can''t be because I''ve met dragons who are not nearly as trigger-happy as you; what the hell is wrong with you!?" She was panting heavily, having not stopped once to breathe during that entire tirade. I didn''t know how to react, so I stared at her in stunned silence, my offensive spells still ready to fire. "Damn it, Blueblin, say something!" She screeched at me. "S-sorry?" I stuttered out. She sighed and groaned while pulling at her hair before finally responding, "Look, I''m sorry, too. I had no idea I''d be staring death in the face over a prank. I guess I should have gotten to know you more first." After finally gathering myself back up from the initial shock, I responded, "Yes, you should have. I don''t think anyone would trust a random monster to be playing a joke or prank." "What?" Trixie looked at me dumbfounded, "I''m not a monster. Honestly, that''s a little insulting." "Sorry... Does that mean you''re a race like the elves or dwarves?" I asked curiously, slowly easing up on my tension. "Ew. No way." Trixie responded with a look of disgust. I couldn''t help but sigh, full of emotional exhaustion. This was going to be a long day... Chapter 109 : Spirit "Well... I''ve freed you, so I guess we can part ways now." I said, my voice laced with a hint of impatience, not wanting to deal with the pixie anymore. "Don''t be like that, Blueblin. We might have gotten off on the wrong foot, but I''m sure we can resolve our differences." Trixie responded, patting herself and causing a comical amount of soot to fall from her person, the bright, vivid coloring returning to her once more. "Stop calling me Blueblin... My name is Syl." "Well, Syl, not all of us have [Identify] or go around rudely identifying everyone we run into." "You''ve clearly never been around humans for very long; I feel like everyone has it." "Yes, well, that''s just one of the reasons we try to avoid them," Trixie said, then vanished from sight. I frantically scanned my surroundings when I felt something appear atop my head and tried to grab it with an impromptu maw of slime. The source of the disturbance was the pixie. "Woah!" Trixie said as my slime passed through her, and she fluttered upwards. I tried to grab her with a tendril, but it also seemed to just go right through her as if she were intangible, like a ghost. "So, I''m guessing you''re a mimic, huh?" Trixie asked, looking far too relaxed despite my attempts to engulf her. "Did you lose your chest, and that''s why you''re so grumpy?" "What? No?" I replied, disgruntled and confused. If she was like a ghost, then that means magic would work, and I subtly cast my debuff spells on her from my [Sub-Cores]. I watched as my debuffs stacked up on her, and then, in a blink, they all vanished from her. "Oh. I didn''t expect such a rich meal of mana." Trixie replied, patting her exposed stomach, which she had pushed out exaggeratedly. "Y-you eat mana?" I asked, a bubbling worry of what that meant for me as a slime made of mana. "Us pixies are one of the spirit races; we are essentially beings of mana," Trixie explained, "We normally passively eat any ambient essence, which is how I survived being trapped for who knows how long, but direct mana makes a great snack." She approached me, and I tried to swat her in retaliation, but once again, my tendrils passed through her. I didn''t like this situation at all; it felt like I had no control over it. I cast [Frostbite] and [Combust], but both cleared away, with Trixie looking at me smugly and patting her belly. I tried casting more direct spells, but they either passed through her or vanished inside her. I fled, trying to think of a solution as I tried to make my escape to the outside. ''I can fly away if it gets risky; I doubt she can keep up with the pegasus wings.'' I thought to myself, she hadn''t attacked me yet, but that didn''t stop my mind from imagining her treating me like a delicious meal. When I burst free to the outside world, I traded the [Inferno Sac] trait for [Enchanted Wings] and soared into the sky¡ªcarefully watching the hidden stairwell with the help of [Eagle Vision]. "A little dramatic, don''t you think?" Trixie''s voice rang out, and I found her seated atop my head again. I wanted to scream; I had no idea how she kept up with me, let alone suddenly appeared from nowhere. I tried to think of solutions, perhaps poison gas. Or I could prepare [Decay] and cast it before she ate my debuff spells. "I have no idea what''s going through that crazy head of yours, but I don''t mean you any harm. Seriously, Blueblin, I mean Syl. Calm down." She said, patting my head with her tiny hand. "Besides, if I harmed my rescuer, I''d become an outcast. You have my word." I groaned, letting out an extremely reluctant sigh. "Good. By the way, your mana is delicious, but I don''t want to get fat." She replied calmly, totally unbeknownst that was my exact worry. "Water... Fire... Corrosion... Ice... All very, very pure." She listed off her fingers one by one, pausing on her fifth finger. "Very interesting..." "What?" I asked hesitantly. "No. Nothing." She replied with a giggle. "Honestly, I''m still unsure what you are; I''d swear you were a spirit, too, with this much mana." "Well, I''m not." "Don''t you dare tell me the answer; I want to figure it out myself." She said with another giggle. "But what have you done to yourself? Your mana channels feel... Broken?" Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. "Broken...." I shuddered, remembering what happened to my [Mana Circulation] trait. "Indeed. Normal monsters and humans have mana channels that circulate throughout their bodies. The greater the channel, the greater the flow, the more they can output, regenerate, and so forth." She explained. Her total personality flip was jarring, and I wondered if this was another prank being built up. "Us spirits don''t have that. We basically are mana. We can output everything in one go if we want. If the mana in humans is a river, then we are the ocean." She paused for emphasis, fluttered off my head, and pointed at me. "That leaves you. You have channels or rivers, but you also have an ocean. No... More like a lake?" She continued, now tapping a finger against her temple. "What does that mean exactly?" I asked. "I have no idea." She answered and giggled. "You''re like some in-between, which is why you feel broken. Your channels are constantly maxed out, trying to output and exist as if you were a spirit, but they weren''t designed for that." "Great... That''s just great..." I replied, but the incomplete answer left me with more questions. I tried to puzzle it out in my head. Trixie said it felt like I had both. When she described her mana as an ocean, what came to mind was my reservoir of slime and my [Mana Slime] trait. But while my slime was me, technically, it also wasn''t me. My real being was my core, which I had to assume contained my mana channels. I had tried to go beyond what my channels could output; I had thought it was as simple as having my [Sub-Cores] cast the spells, but if they didn''t have channels themselves, then that meant I determined their entire mana output. But I had forced it, trying to use beyond my channel capacity and instead use the readily available ocean that was my slime. ''That sounds... Plausible?'' I thought to myself, feeling a little more reassured. I then noticed that Trixie was floating amongst multiple tendrils that were trying to grab her; she must have done something while I was lost in thought that Alpha or Beta had decided to defend me. Noticing my attention, she grinned. "You were lost in thought for such a long time, and I was growing bored. I tried to poke you out of it, and imagine my surprise when you started unconsciously defending yourself." I retracted my tendrils, not that they had any hope of actually containing her. Then I thought back to the Lead-Silver alloy and wondered if that was the trick to containing her. I had both in storage and could probably try melting them together and making my own alloy. If I had a silver core, I could do it to my tendrils, and then she''d have no escape. "I swear I just have more questions after that display. My current theory is you''re a mutated elemental or a mimic that mutated into an elemental." Trixie said, still trying to solve the puzzle that was my existence. "But we can put that mystery aside. Do you care to share your thoughts on your mana situation with the rest of the class?" Somehow, Trixie was now wearing glasses, which she pushed up the bridge of her nose with a single finger. Her brown rags were replaced with a black two-piece suit, and her once frayed and disheveled hair was now in a neat ponytail. She gave a mischievous grin when my confused and shocked reaction met her satisfaction. "Maybe... But it relates to what I am, and I still don''t feel comfortable sharing that." I answered honestly. "Ugh. If I swore an oath, would that make you stop being so paranoid?" Trixie asked, looking fed up. "I don''t know. Maybe? Look, my situation is complicated, and I''ve built up a lot of things I don''t want to risk crumbling down right now." "Such. A. Control. Freak." Trixie said, shaking her head disappointedly. Then she started to talk aloud in another language I couldn''t understand or recognize even partially. I tried to say something, but when I opened my mouth, she held out a finger and wagged it as if warning me to wait. ''Well. Shit. Can''t get more real than that.'' I thought to myself. Even just reading the words before me gave me a sense of their binding power and the feeling that if Trixie betrayed them, there would be dire consequences for her. "I accept," I said aloud. Golden chains glowing in a rainbow luminescent light abruptly appeared and began to drape over Trixie, then bound tight across her torso and limbs. A golden lock appeared between the two chain ends and clicked shut, causing the chains to glow and then vanish in a starry sparkle. "Whew. That was overly dramatic. So, feel like talking now?" Trixie asked, looking at me expectantly. The strange thing was that I did feel like my secret was now safe with her. This was far beyond whatever the Adventurers Guild did, which was a poor, barebones imitation in comparison. "Okay... So... I''m a slime." I said slowly and almost immediately regretting it. I expected some shock or surprise, but instead, Trixie looked angry. "Syl, seriously. I swore a Spirit Oath. Do you have any idea how bad that would be for me if I broke that? Surely you can trust me now." I blinked in confusion, trying to explain, "No, really, I-" "No buts!" Trixie interrupted, shaking her head with a look of betrayal, "Seriously, this is far, far worse than you trying to kill me for the prank. You''re honestly making me doubt my judge of character." I kept trying to explain, but Trixie kept interrupting me, and I grew increasingly frustrated. After one interruption too many, I screamed at her to listen, causing her to flinch in response and gasp when I thrust my hand into my head, grabbing Epsilon, who was housed there, and ripping the [Sub-Core] out, holding it out in front of me. "Trixie! I really am a slime!" I said, frustrated out of my mind, showing her the core and waving it around as proof. Trixie stared at the core, almost as if she couldn''t believe her own eyes, before she started laughing almost uncontrollably. She eventually calmed down, wiping tiny tears from her eyes, "Okay, Syl, that was an amazing prank. It was way better than mine," she said, still giggling. "What? No, this is real; I am a slime." I responded, freely morphing my limbs and even stretching out my face. It looked like Trixie was about to try to deny it again, but she eventually seemed to accept that I wasn''t joking. "Wait... You''re actually serious?" I nodded, causing Trixie to stare at me rather sheepishly. I couldn''t understand why it was so unbelievable that I was a slime; she even considered me potentially being a mutated elemental, so why was a slime so unbelievable? The absurdity of it made me almost want to know the reason why before my mana situation. Chapter 110 : Chains "This is crazy. I trust you, but the reality of this situation is just too absurd," Trixie exclaimed, her head shaking in disbelief. "Is it really that absurd? I know Gramps said I was an [Experiment], but I didn''t think I''d be that different from the others." I questioned. "Ha! Did you give one of them a nickname? That''s cute." Trixie giggled, "So what''s this experiment?" "Well, I got told I died before accomplishing anything and got offered a chance, which led to me waking up as a slime. I''ve also encountered another [Experiment] who was born an orc and evolved into a troll." I explained briefly. "Eww... They seriously put someone in an orc?" Trixie started fake gagging, "I''m guessing you must be an old soul then?" When I stared at her blankly, she continued talking. "You die, get your life judged, get rewarded or punished, then get thrown back into your next life once your soul gets cleaned." "Yes... That sounds about right from what I''ve pieced together." "So they''re sticking old souls in monsters... Very interesting. I wonder if it''s from boredom or if they are trying something new." Trixie murmured, placing her finger on her lips in thought. "The orc, as disgusting as that is, makes sense at least. Even something like an animal monster would make sense, or an elemental, maybe a demon." "But not a slime?" "No. How do I explain this.... Uhh..." Trixie started grumbling and scratching her head. "Have you ever interacted with a monster or monstrous humanoid other than this orc troll?" "I lived with goblins for a brief time," I answered. "Okay, good. So, they technically don''t have souls. Or at least not a soul like the humans, elves, dwarves, and so on. But they are still alive and think and feel; I''m sure you''ve experienced that." "Yes, they had their own tribe, loose organization, and understanding of skills and traits." "Exactly. Now, to drop it down a level, even animal monsters have feelings and instincts. They''ll breed, form packs, nests, and so forth." Trixie continued, and I nodded along, "Dropping it another level, even elementals, which are like semi-sentient bundles of mana, have bare minimum instincts and feelings. They usually guard an area rich in their element and feed their desire to grow and eventually become something more." "Okay. Then what about slimes?" I asked, hoping to get to the point. "Slimes have none of that. They don''t think. They don''t feel. Their only instinct, if you can even call it that, is to eat." Trixie explained. "The world treats them either as pests or as a resource. Even livestock gets treated better; slimes just... Are." I frowned. What she said did corroborate with some of what I experienced, especially with how dumb some of my brethren acted. I recalled the orange slime entry in the book, which sounded anything but stupid. "But I''ve read about some slimes setting traps and doing things that suggest intelligence. Like an orange slime." I replied, hoping for an explanation. "Yes. And you''ll note that all of those are dungeon-based slimes. They are mindless drones directed by the Dungeon Master; consider them movable traps or a controlled dungeon hazard." Trixie disputed, "Even a Queen Slime doesn''t have the pack or maternal instincts; they will literally eat over ninety percent of their offspring." I must have been showing a grim expression as Trixie smiled at me softly, "Hey. Don''t worry; none of that matters to you. You''re basically an entirely new species at this point. Very cool." "Right... Thanks." I replied. While I didn''t care too much about never running into another slime like me, I was now concerned about how my situation would be handled should it be revealed. How would I be handled if I was considered a new species? Would I be captured for study and preservation or perhaps executed outright to prevent a new race from forming? ''Queen Slime was one of my evolution options...'' "You really get lost in your little world a lot, huh?" Trixie asked loudly to get my attention. "Sorry. I''m just concerned about how I''d be treated if I truly am as unique as you say." "I think it''s amazing, but what''s on your mind?" "Well... What happens if I pick the Queen evolution. Would my offspring be mindless?" Trixie''s jaw dropped, perhaps now understanding my concern, and I felt relieved that she was under a magical oath. She snapped out of her shock and surprise and raised her finger as if telling me to hush. If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "Do not tell anyone you can evolve into a Queen." She warned in a harsh tone, unbefitting of the clown persona or the cheeky know-it-all. "As for what would happen... I think there are two likely possibilities, the first being that they become like other monsters and have some minor intelligence." "And the other?" I asked with bated breath. "That they are born completely under your control. Drones for you to command, a dungeon master not limited to a dungeon." Trixie said grimly. I understood the ramifications but recalled Keldenar with his golem city and army. "It doesn''t sound that different from the Golemancer who controls thousands of golems and his own city." "Oh, there''s a Golemancer city now? I''ll have to go visit." Trixie said enthusiastically, "But I''m assuming even with his power, he''s still one person. What if you control your children, get them to evolve into Queens, and then also control the children''s children? You could exponentially grow at a rate that could literally cover the world. You slimes can basically eat anything and convert it to slime mass. Heck, I vaguely recall a slime that could even turn mana... into... slime..." Trixie suddenly paused as if expanding on an errant thought. Suddenly, chains apparated around her and jerked violently tight. She seemed startled initially, then shook her head and frowned at the sky. "I wasn''t actually going to do it!" she shouted, and then the chains slowly vanished. "What happened?" I questioned, feeling defensive again suddenly. "I think I figured out that you are, in fact, that type of slime, and I might have briefly believed that you were a future risk to the world. My oath seemed to not like that line of thinking." Trixie shrugged. "Sorry about that. At least you now know how powerful the oath I took was. And seriously, never mention that evolution to anyone." "Thanks for the honesty... Weirdly, that makes it feel better?" I replied, feeling a little more at ease again. "Besides, even if I did take that evolution, I certainly don''t plan on doing anything on that grand scale." "Yeah... Like I said, I feel like I''m a good judge of character, and I don''t think the current you would do anything like that. But time will tell, and when you are as old as dirt like me, who knows if you''ll still be the same?" "Wait, really? How old are you?" I asked. "Rude! Never ask a lady her age." Trixie giggled, already having flipped back to the bubbly personality. "Anyway, since I''ve already made an oath, I might as well score some bonus points for the future. So, would you care to explain your mana situation in more detail?" I nodded and started by explaining my theory about [Mana Slime] and [Mana Circulation]. I also explained in detail what had caused the situation, although I didn''t mention my [Sub-Cores] being the reason I had overtaxed my mana output, placing the blame fully on [Multicast] alone. Thankfully, it seemed more than probable, and Trixie seemed very impressed with my magical repertoire. This also led to me admitting that I started as a simple blue slime. As our conversation continued, I noticed that the magical oath chain would keep partially appearing, and another link would be added to it before vanishing again. ''Is more being added to her oath?'' I wondered, trying to recall the exact wording of the notification. "You''ve come a long way from a little blue slime... I guess that explains your mana and why it tastes so good; you''re like a monster half a step into becoming a spirit." Trixie commented, "Although, why did you come to this floating island?" "I''ll tell you now, but I just have a question. Does your oath involve all my secrets?" I asked curiously. Trixie paused, then started thinking. The chain briefly appeared again in its entirety, and after she examined it a bit more closely, she shuddered. "Shit." "I came looking for a yellow slime to absorb and gain its trait," I said promptly. Multiple extra links got added to the chain, and Trixie stared wide-eyed. "Wait, absorb it?" She asked, her voice a little panicky before the full force of the chains wrapped around her. I chuckled nervously as her future fear must have reared its head again. "Well, shit. You got me there..." Trixie sighed deeply as the chains disappeared again, "I guess this is my own fault; I had no idea what a big little secret the blue goblin could be hiding... It was just too much of a tantalizing puzzle. Guess I''m fully on team Syl now." Despite what she said, she candidly didn''t seem too concerned beyond those brief restraining moments. Quite frankly, I felt like this worked out well for me, at least emotionally, as I could vent some secrets and frustrations to someone now. Although mentally, I still felt like I wanted to get away from this meddlesome pixie and whatever future pranks she would cook up. "Well. Getting back to your mana situation... I''m a little stumped, to be honest." She said, sitting on my head again. She likely wanted to examine my mana closer or have another treat, which I allowed for now. "Beyond your mana being turned up to eleven and stuck there, I can''t sense anything wrong with it. Maybe you''re using more mana than normal when you cast, but it seems to regenerate so fast that it doesn''t matter?" "Ha... I wonder if I''m stuck like this till I can speak to Gramps; hopefully, he will notice it before then." "Don''t worry about it so much, let''s focus on the now." Trixie said patting my head, "So you wanted a yellow slime? Surely, they aren''t too hard to find up here." "I did find one, but I accidentally killed it... My plan was to either find another or force one to spawn." "That''s a shame, but your idea is pretty sound, especially if you kill or get rid of the two creatures hogging all the essence." "Wait, two things are stealing the essence? I know you said you passively feed on it." "Yeah, I take a tiny amount, although, after your spells, I probably won''t need a refill for days. Longer if I keep sitting on your head." Trixie replied, then licked her lips, "Seriously, your mana is delicious. I think I''d want to keep you around even without the oath." I was slightly startled by the random skill increase, but then I realized we were still in the sky during this entire conversation. With how perfectly I was floating in place, I don''t even know if I could call it flying at this point. I guessed that [Enchanted Wings] was likely pushing my skill to improve rapidly. "Something wrong?" Trixie asked, noting my silence again. "I just realized we were flying this entire time. I''m surprised nothing came to attack or investigate." I replied. "Oh, they certainly came to investigate. I''ve just been hiding them and us." Trixie said with a giggle and waved her hand. The air shimmered and abruptly changed, revealing a completely different scene. A herd of pegasi circled us as if searching. They seemed to notice the change and started to whine and snort aggressively. I turned to Trixie as if expecting an answer, but she had vanished. "Damn, pixie..." Chapter 111 : Pegasi The air surrounding all the pegasi rippled as they all started commanding it to follow their whims. Part of me was glad this would be an interesting challenge against so many [Wind Magic] users, but on the flip side, it would have been so much simpler to handle all these flying horses if they tried to fight with their hooves. With a burst of speed they clearly didn''t expect, I charged directly toward the nearest pegasus, throwing my armor into storage and turning into a gelatinous flying maw as I engulfed it midflight before it could escape. Chaos erupted from the rest of the pegasi, startled by what had happened. They all became much more flighty and panicky as they formed their magic. I regretted not trying to grab multiple in that first charge, as I doubted they''d let me get within close range again. The captured horse was already dissolved, so I could try evading any wind blades coming at me as I shrunk down from a giant blob with random wings back to a more refined form. I felt [Tranquil Flow] trigger as per my previous order and found myself again in the strange trance as I freely started eluding the incoming wind blades. It was a shame I hadn''t yet acquired lightning magic, a skill I had seen prove effective against swift foes. However, as indicated by their profile, their lack of enhanced ice resistance presented a prime opportunity for me to hone my [Ice Magic]. I commanded my [Sub-Cores] to pair up and cast [Frigid] on each pegasus while Alpha remained at my side, ready to assist. Together, we unleashed a relentless barrage of [Icicle] spells in retaliation. As I watched the pegasi deftly dodge my spells, a wave of discouragement washed over me. I couldn''t help but wish I had more offensive spell constructs at my disposal, a feeling of frustration and determination mingling within me. ''I currently have various projectile shapes, but they don''t differ too greatly in the grand scheme. I have a close-range damage burst, a dust that applies ailments, an explosive projectile, and... Whatever I can classify [Torrent] as.'' ''There''s some component in my debuff spells that lets me apply them from visual range, as long as I overcome their resistance. Sort of like a perception-based attack? Although it must be a very high-level concept if I can''t even determine what or where it is in the spell construct, let alone try to understand it or utilize it. Then, I could apply afflictions the same way or maybe even make a fireball explosion spontaneously appear in a spot. Now that would be awesome.'' Aside from the [Frigid] debuff being applied rapidly to each and every damn flying horse, the fight was feeling a bit like a stalemate. I couldn''t hit them, and they couldn''t hit me. I tried to see if I could cast [Ice Dome] on one of the pegasi, but the spell fizzled. I knew it was likely because the spell was technically still classified as a buff, which the system self-managed to only apply if it was determined to be beneficial or, at the minimum, non-harmful, which clearly was not the case here as I imagined it would have surrounded a pegasus and cause both to be forced subjects to the whims of gravity. I had only the briefest of chats with Evan over the explanation of buffs, as I didn''t find myself that interested in them at the time as there were so many weird rules around them, like if the target person determined you as hostile, then they could automatically deny a buff being cast by you. At the time, it made me wonder why the inverse [Bubble] worked on the nature boar, and I could only guess it was because the system didn''t determine it as harmful, and the boar was too stupid to deny a so-called buff. Although to be fair, it was raging at the time and likely wasn''t thinking anything other than kill kill kill. I noticed the pegasi were doing something to break the stalemate, seeing a large vortex of mana swirling around me controlled by a group of four working together far out of range. I tried flying further, but they shifted the vortex along with me. I could swear the stupid horses laughed at me as they made various noises and even curled their upper lip at me mockingly. But it didn''t seem to be doing anything, and eventually, the other horses even stopped firing blades of wind at me, and all just joined in on the mockery. "Oooh. Looks like they got you good. You''re totally caught in their ultimate trap." Trixie said, laced with sarcasm and bored mockery, as she appeared by my side from who knows where. I shifted enough to speak but failed to; only a strange sound came out, which became softer and softer with each attempt. "Use your head. I''m talking to you telepathically." She answered. "Oh," I replied mentally, not expecting it. "What''s this trap? Other than not allowing me to talk." "They''ve stolen almost all the air around you. You''d probably have noticed it sooner if you didn''t have what looks like [Enchanted Wings]." Trixie answered, "They think they will suffocate you, which is absolutely hilarious, by the way." "Oh... Yeah, us slimes don''t breathe." The last of the [Frigid] spells had been cast now, and now it was time for a barrage of [Icicle] spells so large it couldn''t be avoided. It started out with six tiny magic circles being formed, which then split into twelve. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. Trixie somehow whistled in our mental conversation, "Very nice usage of spell splitting..." Then twelve became eighteen, and I could hear the audible gasp echo in my mind from the pixie. Then, the hailstorm was unleashed as I magically fired the barrage of spells. The look of utter panic from the pegasi was a sight to behold, and they frantically began taking action, some even hiding behind their allies. "Hey... This isn''t spell splitting; the mana in each spell isn''t reduced..." Trixie questioned me, "No way. Are these all [Multicast]?" I didn''t reply; I was too focused on maintaining the barrage, and now, even mixing [Cryo Slime] empowered [Slime Shot] into the mix, I wasn''t feeling the popping sensation this time, and I wondered if my [Sub-Cores] were now drawing mana from my slime now. It made me wonder what would happen to my slime if it had been fully depleted of mana. "Hey, I think you''re starting to shrink a little," Trixie warned. "Thanks, Trixie. I didn''t expect that answer so soon." I replied and set up a replenishing trickle of slime from my storage to refill my stocks. The pixie had become deathly silent as she stared at me with fascination until she broke the silence with an odd question, "Syl, are you uncapped?" "What?" I asked, not really understanding the question. "Nevermind. Shit. Why are you such a walking mystery." She replied, now chewing on her thumbnail. I''d reduced the number of pegasi to about half when their large combined spell collapsed. Their expulsion effect was soon replaced with air rapidly returning and filling the space. It only disrupted my casting for a brief moment and allowed a few of the cowards to successfully flee. "I really need a better way to deal with flying enemies; I probably wasted more than half of my spells," I complained. "Was it really a waste? When I look at you, I''m unsure if you even expended anything, as far as I can tell." Trixie asked, raising her eyebrow inquisitively. I took some mental stock before replying, "I did expend, but depending on how many dead pegasi are down there to harvest, I might make it back." "If I wasn''t a spirit, I think I''d complain about you slimes being very unfair." Trixie giggled and cheekily stuck out her tongue. I flew down and started to gather my prizes, a tendril grabbing one and triggering a rapid dissolve each time. Trixie still followed, staring at me like she was trying to solve her puzzle. While I happily ate and let [Dissection] do its work on claiming the feathers, I looked over my gains for the fight. Much to my disappointment, I didn''t gain a level in [Ice Magic]. <10 Trait Points are now available.> <14 Skill Points are now available.> . I happily looked at the new skill, which I undoubtedly unlocked due to my Ice Affinity, and wondered what amazing effects it could have. <[Icy Presence] Allows control over one''s body temperature to negate or hamper thermal sensing and allows one to shrug off most negative environmental effects related to cold. Control scales with level as well as a minor intimidation effect while active. Drains a minuscule amount of mana while in use.> "Wait. This is shit. I can already do almost all of this." I complained, causing Trixie to look at me in confusion. As if she could read my mind, she responded, "Not all skills will be winners, and I bet any human would love whatever you are mocking." I groaned while feeling a little concerned that she read me so easily. I tried thinking about whether she could read minds, but she didn''t say anything, so my suspicion received no confirmation or denial. "I''m surprised there are so many of these damn horses. Surely the island doesn''t spawn this many naturally?" I asked Trixie while cleaning up some of the last remaining ones. "If you go to the giant tree, you''ll get your answer," Trixie answered cryptically. "And you''ll need to if you hope to spawn your yellow slime." "Let me guess, I''m going to have to deal with a lot more of these damn horses?" I said, sighing. "Yes, and the sooner, the better," Trixie said, sitting on my head again. I wanted to protest, but I still found myself unable to deal with the pixie. "Ugh... I wonder if I could get my next level in [Ice Magic] before then. I need something to deal with them better." Trixie smiled, "Well... If you do me a favor, I''ll help you." "Help me how?" I questioned, then quickly added, "And it depends on the favor." "I could hide your projectiles from their vision, but only against the pegasi since they are annoying and disgusting. The rest you need to handle yourself." Trixie stated. I remained silent for a while, hoping she would explain who or what the others were, but she instead started humming while waiting for my answer. "And the favor?" I eventually asked. "It''s nothing big, and if you want your yellow slime, you''d need to deal with her anyway. The other one messing with the essence on this island is a real bitch, and I want you to kill her for me." Trixie said with an attitude that was as if asking to borrow a cup of sugar. "Really? Who and why?" I probed for more information. "I won''t spoil the surprise, but she is another type of spirit. From what I can tell, you''re directly suited to counter her completely." Trixie answered, giving an evil smirk that looked a little misplaced on the bubbly pixie, "As for why... Well, she''s been here for a long time and no way she didn''t know I was trapped here, too. So she left me to suffer for years without help, so she deserves to die." "A little harsh, don''t you think?" "I think when you meet her, you''ll agree with me. She''s a real bitch." Trixie giggled, "Anyway, I can promise you as long as she is here, you won''t get your yellow slime to spawn." "Can''t I just ask her to leave?" I asked. "Ha! That''s a good one. She''ll attack you for even suggesting it." Trixie giggled. "Tell you what. You can try telling her to leave, but the deal is that once the fighting starts, you don''t show her any mercy." "Alright then... I''ll agree to that," I answered, to which Trixie happily started petting my head and humming a whimsical tune. You''d swear she hadn''t just asked me to kill someone for her. Chapter 112 : Up the Tree While flight was an option, I decided to stick to the ground as we approached the giant tree to delay getting there and avoid making myself a flying target. Once I was close to or under it, I hoped to stealthily make my entrance to avoid being thrown around in the wind again. I was determined to level up [Ice Magic], so I resumed my previous cycle through weapons, hoping to reach the next stage. Meanwhile, Trixie was still sitting on my head, sometimes watching me, other times humming with her eyes closed as if my head was her personal relaxation couch. She had asked me why I was practicing [Ice Magic] so hard, and I explained my plan to freeze a yellow slime for capture. I had expected a comment or remark, but instead, she hummed to herself and continued lounging about. ''Damn, looks like they got this one too.'' I cursed. I tried making variations between shields or weapons, but they all fell under minor modifications in the main spell category. [Create: Ice Hammer], for example, was the catchall for maces, hammers, mauls, and even clubs. I had started to work on modifying [Torrent] when Trixie suddenly interrupted me, "Wait till your next level of [Ice Magic] before you work on that. Trust me." I reluctantly stopped my work and debated whether to take the explosion part of [Fireball] and make an ice shard explosion or modify [Arcane Armor]. Recalling how arcane mana seemed to just soak other elements up like a dry sponge, I decided it might be an easy win, and any extra defense options were a welcome addition. "So what do you get if you absorb a yellow slime?" Trixie asked while I was in the middle of tinkering. "You mentioned its trait, which I assume is its lightning. Anything else?" I paused to consider whether to tell her, but considering it would add to her oath, I shrugged and said, "If it''s like the previous slimes I ate, I will gain Lightning Affinity." Trixie squeed with glee and patted my head excitedly, "Really? Is that why you have so many affinities? That''s amazing; your mana would become even more delicious!" "Please don''t eat me." I chuckled with only a hint of fear. "I think I could say the same thing to you after what you did to all those pegasi." Trixie giggled, "So you''d just be missing Earth and Air from the basic elements then..." "I have a plan to get Earth, probably. Air... I don''t think I''ll ever get it; it''s continued to elude and taunt me with traits and skills I can''t acquire," I grumbled. "True... I''ve certainly not heard of an Air slime..." Trixie muttered, deep in thought, while twirling her hair. Leaving her to her schemes, I gladly continued to work with [Arcane Armor]. I was certainly right that it greedily drank up the Ice mana and rapidly shifted and changed; all I needed to do was maintain its shape and not let it deform from the new mana type, which, with all five of my helpers, was a greatly simplified task. ''If the future Arcane spells are like this too, then I can rather simply add a new spell for each element. It''s too bad that the reverse isn''t true.'' "If you can get three elements to level five, or five to level three, you might get a solution to your problem..." Trixie muttered, seemingly having thought long and hard. "I have four above three already, so I just need to get Arcane to three?" I questioned. "No. Elements, not affinities. Corrosion and Arcane are out of this equation." "Right... Anything else?" "Probably at least level twenty in your class. More wouldn''t hurt, but I think that''s the minimum." "Thanks, Trixie. Guess I''ll have to wait and see the surprise." "Yup. No more hints for you, or you will ruin the surprise." She teased and returned to her lazy nap. I wondered what this solution could be, although part of me was concerned that Trixie was fattening me up so she could eat me later. I was still greatly unsure about how to treat the pixie. One moment, she''s helpful; the next, she''s letting a bunch of pegasi attack me. Her amount of knowledge was both useful and a worry; if she truly was old as dirt as she joked, then that might put her above even Simon the Lich. As I neared the floating tree, I saw pegasi circling the base as if performing patrols, so I made sure [Vanish] was active to deter them from noticing me. I paused briefly to confirm my spell was complete and then, hiding out of the line of sight, cast the now-formed spell. A translucent layer of shimmering ice rapidly formed and started to encase me, providing what I hoped would be a formidable defense. The outer layer was jagged, although not enough to cause more than a slight deterrence to an unarmed attacker. I expected the armor to be solid and unmoving, but surprisingly, it shifted along with my limbs, making a creaking, cracking noise as the joints of ice rubbed against each other. Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "I hope you aren''t going to sneak in wearing that." Trixie teased, and unfortunately, I had to agree with her assessment. I canceled the spell, and the chunks of ice cracked and fell off my body, rapidly crumbling away. I had Delta cast the spell on itself and watched the pale-turquoise core surround itself in protective ice armor. ''At least it''s not [Create: Ice Armor].'' "So you''re going to hide my spells from the pegasi?" I asked, looking for some solid confirmation. "Yes, but only them. The rest you''ll need to deal with," Trixie said, fluttering off my head; she gave me a mock salute and then vanished. "Good luck!" "I wish I knew how she did that..." I muttered, cycling through every sensory trait I had available and still unable to see her. Shifting my transparency and flying as slowly as possible with [Vanish] active, I flew towards the dangling roots, hoping to use them to ascend safely without notice. I held my nonexistent breath while I floated up to the roots, and when I made contact, I immediately shifted my coloring to match them and started to slither along them rather than fly. I felt invisible and immensely proud of my sneaking skills, completely undisturbed climbing up. When I ran out of protruding roots to climb, I squashed myself against the soil and started to slither up again. I couldn''t remember using [Adhesive Slime] that much when I bought it originally, beyond a few tree-running tricks, so I was glad it still had some functionality even though now I was flight-capable. Reaching the lip of the landmass, I peeked over the top with great caution. Seeing the giant tree up close was even more impressive. It utterly dwarfed even the highest buildings I had seen in Kaerlin. Shockingly small structures seemed to be either carved directly into the tree or loosely attached on the sides, with a massive opening where the trunk met the ground. Pegasi flew to and from small openings, almost like bees returning to a hive, and on the ground near the entrance were other horse creatures I had not seen before. Unlike the Pegasi, they didn''t have wings; instead, a majestic horn glimmered in the sunlight atop their head, and their coat coloring was various shades of pearlescent white. I contemplated blasting them from range, but I remembered how well my badger disguise had worked previously. If I could get up close, I could easily expand and devour some of them before they knew what hit them. Lowering myself below the lip again, I examined my surroundings until I was sure there was no pegasus patrol. I shifted myself into one, changing my profile to match the disguise. I went for a decently high level to hopefully garner some respect. ''[Identity Fabrication] honestly might be my best skill. I''m pretty glad I didn''t eat that troll.'' I flapped over the edge, landed on the ground, and started trotting towards the entrance. I mentally cheered when the unicorns didn''t attack me, and the flying pegasi continued their patrol undisturbed. When I approached the unicorns, they snorted and trotted their hooves. Perhaps it was my imagination, but they felt sort of... Outraged? I wasn''t sure what their problem was, and I tried to ignore them until one swatted its tail against my rear and another spat at me. "Oh man, this is hilarious." Trixie''s voice rang through my mind, "Your mental resistance is too high for them to talk to you; they think you''re insulting them. Let me handle the connection..." "Filthy peasant! You dare!" A voice blared through my mind. "Sorry...?" I tried to reply mentally. "Oh, now you respond, only after realizing you are in the presence of your betters. Such arrogance." The unicorn replied. "We should put her in her place; his majesty shouldn''t be trifled with such a pompous servant." Another replied. "Indeed." "Agreed." I couldn''t believe what I was hearing; it was insane. "So I''ve been listening to their private conversations. They think you''re trying to proposition their ruler, and they seem to be quite intimidated by your mana." Trixie suddenly explained while the unicorns began to circle me. Their horns began to glow, and I knew it was time to fight. I leaped towards the nearest unicorn and prepared to devour it with acid. I gave my [Sub-Cores] the command to debuff all of them. "The nerve!" "The audacity!" The unicorns shouted in disbelief that I would willingly defend myself. I formed two tendrils of opposite densities and flung them toward the unicorn before it could do anything; whatever spell was forming on its horn fizzled as one tendril clobbered it while the other engulfed it. "Guards! To arms! This peasant is revolting!" One of the unicorns blared aloud, and I noticed some pegasi immediately reacting and approaching. The other unicorns began firing beams of light from their horns. The spell buildup was long, but the projectile speed was terrifying. The fired beam of light penetrated straight through my head, and I wondered what type of magic or trait it was. "[Light Magic], fast and high penetration but relatively low damage." Trixie suddenly explained unprompted. "Or at least that spell is, be thankful these mares are absolute amateurs." Witnessing the large amount of pegasi rapidly approaching, I ordered four of my [Sub-Cores] to start firing, hoping that Trixie would uphold her promise. Meanwhile, Alpha and I would deal with the unicorns, who were now all debuffed with [Frigid]. I cast [Frost Armor] and was rapidly enveloped in protective ice before another light beam struck against it. When it hit the ice, it seemed greatly hindered, and the single powerful beam split into a multitude of minuscule ones that couldn''t even penetrate my slime. "Ooh! Refraction!" Trixie cheered. I wanted to complain about her commentary, but I shut my mouth when I noticed a pegasus getting absolutely skewered by multiple icicles. [Frostbite] easily applied to one of the nearby unicorns, ice rapidly forming and piercing into her as it spread. "Huh... I thought you didn''t have freeze?" Trixie curiously asked, "Oh... Is it just ice damage? How the heck did you figure that one out." "I dunno... It''s poison ice..? I''ll explain later." I replied mentally while focusing on trying and failing to dodge unicorn lasers. I was extremely impressed with [Frost Armor] reducing the impact of their spell. I felt very confident until one of the unicorns charged me from behind, stabbing into the armor with her horn before firing a point-blank laser. Unfortunately, the beam directly hit one of my many [Sub-Cores], but thankfully, was unable to deal enough damage to break through the previously cast [Arcane Armor] on it. "Oh, don''t mind me. I''m just thinking aloud." Trixie chuckled as I reverse-engulfed the unicorn that had charged at me. Chapter 113 : Horsing Around Unlike the pegasi, the unicorns felt far less threatening as they struggled to dodge any of my attacks. Their beams of light, while initially scary due to their speed and penetration, were not as deadly for me. With their wind, coordinated teamwork, and evasive speed, the pegasi would have been my primary concern if not for whatever Trixie did to hide my spells. With my spells hidden, I no longer needed to unleash an improbable barrage and hope to hit them, and their effectiveness was greatly enhanced. The pegasi were like delicate glass cannons that relied entirely on their speed and aerial maneuvering to survive. They only required a good hit or two to take down, and often, gravity would finish the job. I barely paid attention as my [Sub-Cores] continued their task of dealing with them; it honestly felt great to have the team back together. The unicorns were either screaming in panic or bloody murder as they tried to deal with me, accusing me of treason, regicide, and even homewrecking. I tried my best to tune out their words and wished Trixie hadn''t maintained the connection. Some of the more advanced unicorns attempted to counter my attacks with blinding flashes rather than their offensive beams of light. Yet, their efforts were in vain. Even when my normal vision was impaired, I could still rely on [Mana Conception] or [Life Sight] to maintain my advantage. Without warning, a thunderous sound, followed by a resounding neigh, reverberated from the hollowed tree. Emerging from the shadows was a majestic creature, a horse-like being with both pegasus wings and a unicorn horn. Its pearlescent coat, more radiant than any unicorn''s, shimmered in the light. Its mane, a vibrant kaleidoscope of colors, was a testament to its regal nature. "Wow, how many names does someone need?" I questioned. There was a cacophony of laughter from Trixie before she struggled out her next words, "You... You gotta listen to this guy." "I''d rather you not-" I tried to reject the offer, but Trixie did her own thing, and suddenly, I had another voice blaring in my head. "Loyal subjects, why do you fight?" The alicorn spoke; even mentally, his voice was flowery and pompous. One of the surviving unicorns spoke up, "Your majesty! This pegasus monster has been sent to assassinate you! Clearly, an agent of chaos! Her form twists and turns like the monster she truly is!" The alicorn examined me and... smiled? His upper lip curled and showed his pearly whites. "Good heavens, what a fantastic mare. Your potential is outstanding." "Your majesty!" The unicorn protested, "She killed many of your concubines!" "We can spawn more as long as I hold this essence nexus, but an enchanting specimen like this doesn''t come along so often... She''d make an excellent broodmare." He replied and fluttered his eyelashes as he gazed at me. I wanted to vomit, but Trixie just kept laughing. "Your majesty! You can''t; she is but a peasant!" The unicorn begged, and against my expectations, the alicorn snarled and, with a swipe of his horn, formed a blade of light that decapitated the unicorn. "Good. Her voice was droning on." He chortled to himself and began to pompously trot towards me, "Good concubines for the harem are so hard to find, but you, my dear, could be my number one broodmare. Our children would be legendary; we could overthrow my brothers and claim the kingdom!" "Uh... No thanks," I replied instinctually. "Now, now, my dear. I do like a bit of feistiness, but I''m not opposed to breaking in a new mare." I had enough of this and was about to go full slime chimera on him when Trixie spoke up, briefly holding back her laughter. "Please keep pretending to be a pegasus. Then, later on, shapeshift into something male; the uglier, the better, please!" When I didn''t immediately agree to her request, Trixie quickly added, "I''ll give you a reward or something! Please, I haven''t laughed so hard in years!" I still had no idea where Trixie even was, and it seemed she could quite easily control the direction of these mental conversations. Her strength and abilities were still a great unknown, so I reluctantly grumbled an agreement. Meanwhile, the pompous alicorn kept regaling me with his glory. Since he was so full of himself, I decided to layer out all my debuffs beforehand by keeping the conversation going. "Your... Majesty..." I forced out, "Why are you controlling this essence nexus?" "Well, my dear, one as great as myself can never have too big of a harem. I was hoping to eventually find myself an excellent broodmare, and it seems my prayers have finally been answered with your arrival." The debuffs were applied one by one, and I tried to think of something to keep the conversation going until they finished. "I see... But what of the other males? Surely they''d object?" Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. "Ha! That is why I kill them as soon as they spawn. There''s only room for one stud on this island. I''d not even let another male unicorn, pegasus, or alicorn dare to breathe the same air as me and my harem." He snarled. Trixie continued to laugh, clearly eavesdropping on the conversation. My preparations were finally in place, so I cut off his conversation by launching a rapidly formed [Icicle] spell directly at him. Despite my sudden attack, he surprisingly reacted in time and formed a floating shield of light that blocked the icicle spell long enough for him to dodge before it penetrated through. He gave another horsey grin, "Yes... Much potential, I''m glad you want to put up a fight, my dear. Forcing you to submit beneath me is far more exciting than if you were just willing." I cast both [Combust] and [Frostbite], the two different powders blowing towards him before another thin light barrier appeared to block the dust as he launched himself into the air. I followed after him, bemoaning that this was going to be another aerial opponent and a nightmare to hit. "I''ve hidden you and the royal twat from the remaining pegasus, so enjoy your battle uninterrupted!" Trixie giggled. I chased after the alicorn while firing multiple spells at him, which he dodged and proceeded to mock. If snark was a skill, he''d have it maxed out. When his horn shone brightly, I expected more of the lasers, but instead, a floating golden sword of brilliant light appeared nearby and slashed at me. Someone triggered [Tranquil Flow], and I glided out of its slicing arc. "Spectacular! Such grace!" He swooned. Shuddering under his lustful gaze, I swapped to a barrage of twelve spells in retaliation; his eyes went wide as he suddenly had to try to dodge a hail of ice. Another shield of light formed, blocking some of the ice shards, but I finally managed to deal some damage to him. He seemed shocked at his own frailty, as the glancing blow should not have inflicted such a wound. I expected him to be angry, but he swooned even harder, "Masterful! Looks like my eyes were right to see such a hidden gem." A soft glowing light enveloped him, and I saw his wounds slowly closing up. "Shit. He has healing magic..." I grumbled. Another sword of light appeared from behind and slashed at me, but thankfully, I could sense the mana forming and knew it was coming. "Feels unfair that his light sword is so much better than my ice sword..." "What are you talking about?" Trixie replied, "You could do the exact same thing with your ice weapons... Don''t tell me you thought you had to actually swing them with hands?" "...Yes?" I answered, firing more spells at the alicorn while continuing to avoid his light blade. "It''s not even hard. I bet you could do it right now if this royal idiot can do it." Trixie pressed. That really got under my skin; while I didn''t consider myself a master of magic, this prancing, stuck-up alicorn being able to outdo me just wasn''t acceptable. Perhaps sensing my bubbling anger, Trixie gave an explanation. "Just form the spell and hold it; you should be able to mentally swing it. If it helps, picture using [Arcane Hand] without actually using it." I followed her advice, and when the sword came down at me, I cast [Create: Ice Shield] and successfully blocked it. The alicorn prince once again swooned like a horny teenager. "Marvelous. Breathtaking. Spectacular! I simply must have you!" I cringed and quickly dodged a second golden sword, which apparated from the opposite side of the original, forcing me to block one while avoiding the other. "Okay, so I can do that, but mine have a limited range compared to his." "Yes? Just move the anchor point or recast the spell if that''s too hard for you? " Trixie answered, sounding dumbfounded. "Anchor point?" "Okay. Who was your magic teacher? I''m going to have to seriously give them a piece of my mind." Trixie huffed. "You''re creating custom spells, are on the verge of having two affinities of magic at level five, and yet you don''t know what an anchor point is!?" "Look. I''m mostly self-taught, and the one teacher I had believed everything could be resolved with a good [Fireball] spell." I answered while forced to form a second ice shield to block the now faster-moving swords. "Of course, it was a bloody Pyromancer!" Trixie exclaimed. "This explains so much..." I tried to approach the alicorn, but he was more than happy to keep fleeing while slashing at me with his swords. Occasionally throwing out a blinding flash of light in hopes of tripping me up, but [Mana Conception] was more than enough to still see the magical blade trajectories. I caught him with another spell barrage, but he smirked and healed himself again. "Well, there''s no way I can explain anchor points to you mid-battle." Trixie sighed, "How about you submit, then give him a show." Trixie''s gleeful delight bled through the telepathic link. Mentally, I sighed in resignation, but outwardly, I pressed hard on my [Acting] skill. I briefly considered if adding elven ears to my pegasus would be enough for me to borrow [Elven Glamour], but I decided to not risk it. When his blades clashed against my ice shields, I let go of the spells completely so they shattered and allowed the blades to cut into my flank. Alpha, still following my prior orders, made the wounds look realistic despite not causing any genuine damage. "Your majesty! I''m no match for you... I submit." I declared, hoping my performance was enough. I worried I was hamming it up too much, but [Acting] seemed to feel like this was the right choice. "Yes!" The alicorn responded, his voice dripping in arrogance and glee. The hunger in his eyes made me want no part of this, but Trixie kept egging me on to continue. The alicorn smugly approached, and I showed no outward hostility or movement. His lip curled up as he showed his teeth and dramatically flicked his mane in the wind. "Let me heal you, my broodmare, then get you cleaned up, and we can proceed to our castle." He replied and nuzzled against my neck. Holding back the urge to vomit, he cast a healing spell, and Alpha faked the wounds closing up. "Do it!" Trixie ordered. I positioned myself closer to him, placing my head on his torso, which seemed to delight him. Then, I triggered my shapeshifting. The ugliest creature I could imagine was the orc, so I made the largest and nastiest orc I could recall. My head was shifted into an arm, which grabbed onto the prince, not allowing him to leave. "Wh-what!?" He stammered out in confusion. My body rapidly rippled and transfigured; I ensured the orcish face was right up close and personal. Perhaps I still had [Acting] on, as I instinctually gave a nasty grin of rotten tusks. "Hey, handsome," I replied out loud, trying to do my best orcish guttural imitation. The alicorn prince screamed in shrill and pure terror, yet that was still outdone by the sheer volume of laughter that erupted from the pixie. Chapter 114 : Old Tactics After the scream came the panicked attempts at escape from the alicorn prince, but I had ensured I was tightly wrapped around his barrel with my arm and an accompanying tendril. "No! Unhand me, foul beast!" He demanded as he slammed a golden sword deep into the orcish face. The orc head had no core inside, so there was no real risk to me, and once again, I felt obligated to put on a bit of a performance. Either [Acting] wanted an encore, or Trixie was seriously rubbing off on me as a bad influence. I had the head grin maniacally despite having a sword embedded in it and licking its lips. The prince, in a state of panic, continued to cast spells and make frantic attempts to dislodge me. But I had already enveloped his entire body in slime, firmly establishing my hold. In the past, when I had covered monsters, they had been more than willing to harm themselves in an attempt to kill or remove me. But the alicorn prince was different. His golden weapons of light swiped at me with extreme hesitancy, his fear of self-inflicted injury palpable. Just as I was about to unleash the full force of my [Acid Slime], a stern reminder from [Dissection] halted me. This prince was a treasure trove to be harvested, not a mere enemy to be dissolved. Reluctantly, I had to resort to the old suffocating invasion, a method my low-level self would have been proud of. My tendrils and slime sought any and all available entry inside the alicorn; once again, he screamed in mental outrage and panic. He begged and pleaded, offering me riches, mares, if I only spared him. He cast multiple healing spells on himself as [Life Sight] showed me how much he bounced between death and life. I had introduced some Bloodrot poison to hinder his healing, which caused even more panic from the prince. There were accusations of being a pestilence demon, and he seemed to swap to another form of magic that didn''t seem to do anything. I was trying my hardest to just block him out, and at some point, Trixie cut off the connection, which I was grateful for, as I didn''t want to hear him mentally screaming until the very end. Unsurprisingly, he began to plummet, unable to maintain airborne through the pain and near-death state even with his magical flight, which was when I fully enveloped his wings to protect them for [Dissection] and withdrew a mass amount of slime to provide enough cushioning to protect the resources; I didn''t dare risk the ire of [Dissection] after failing twice with the griffins. My [Life Sight] must have leveled up, but I ignored the notifications for now, as I could see the alicorn''s in much more detail. As each second went by, a large chunk would suddenly vanish until nothing was left. Our landing was much bouncier than I expected, and I partially reduced my outer density between each bounce in the hope of slowing us down. ''A much better crash landing than the griffin, at least!'' Fate must have hated my positive attitude as I noticed our current trajectory heading off the floating island. Seeing the inevitable outcome, I quickly made plans, withdrawing more and more slime mass. Once we crossed the edge, I''d form as many wings as possible. I''d be a giant fat blob of slime with wings! It would be very stupid-looking, but hopefully enough to keep myself and my prize from plummeting to the ground below. Bouncing off the side, I put my plan into action, and with a little bit of strain and perhaps a few wings too many, I stabilized and flapped myself back towards the island like a massively overweight bird. When I landed, I let out a sigh of relief and let [Dissection] get to work by assigning it to my [Sub-Cores]. I sighed deeply. "Wow, Syl, you''re pretty scary, you know," Trixie said, finally reappearing before me. "Remind me not to get on your bad side." "Sure... I hope it was worth it." I responded. I wasn''t tired or hurt per se, more just emotionally and mentally drained or perhaps coming down from a combat high. "Oh, definitely. That orc bit you did was outstanding! I thought I would die of laughter," Trixie responded, giving me a standing ovation. "Are all royals and nobles like that?" I asked. Admittedly, I didn''t have the greatest sample size. Trixie shrugged, "Ehh... I think it differs from race to race and person to person. The fairy queen is a real pleasure. The dwarf king is cheery as long as he isn''t sober. All the elves are pretty friendly to my kind. I''ve always avoided humans and got captured the one time I didn''t, so I can''t help you there. This assumes none of the thrones have changed while I''ve been stuck here." Trixie knew a surprising lot, and I wanted to poke for more information, but I could almost feel the mental glee oozing from her as if she was just waiting to deny me. The way my emblem behaved around her also made me suspicious that she was more than what she appeared to be. Or maybe she was just really old and had lots of random tidbits rattling around in her head. Deciding to ignore the pixie for now, I turned to the vast wall of text from all the notifications. The first thing I did was look at my proficiency increases. I was eager to see if I had finally reached the next level of [Ice Magic]. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. These gains were welcomed; getting a direct line of sight to the alicorn flip-flopping between life and death must have been great for experience. Multitasking going up was not surprising after so many spell barrages. <[Ice Magic LV 4] spell [Frozen Grasp] learned.> Finally, I reached the next level of [Ice Magic], which contained the powerful concept of ice that I had been looking for¡ªthe ability to freeze things directly. I immediately knew I could increase its power by adding [Chill] to it, which would increase the speed, but I was more concerned with adding it to another spell form to get around its current melee form. I partially shifted a torso, leaving a large blob of attached slime to continue dissecting the alicorn and cast the spell. As the spell settled in place, almost my entire arm was coated in an extreme amount of ice mana. I grasped a nearby rock and watched the whole thing freeze solid. When I had cast [Frostbite] on a rock previously, it coated it in ice and did not actually freeze it, but now, this rock was frozen to its core. Trixie looked at me and sighed, "I know the spell has Grasp in its name, but you don''t have to cast it on your arm as the medium." I stared at her, letting her words settle in. From the spell name and the bare minimum knowledge of casting it installed into me, I automatically assumed I had to use it on a hand. I tried casting it again a few times until an icy, ethereal hand eventually formed near me and metaphorically grasped another rock, rapidly freezing it. "Adequately sufficient!" Trixie said sternly, "I already think my reward for your stellar acting performance will be a magic boot camp. Even if you are her natural counter, I cannot throw you at her like this. It would be disgraceful." I blinked, surprised by the suggestion, "Thanks, Trixie. I''d appreciate that." She smiled friendly and sat on my head again, clearly waiting for me to finish what I had started. When I started going through the kill notifications, I was genuinely shocked at the quantity, I knew I wasn''t paying attention to the pegasi, but the sheer amount that my [Sub-Cores] had dealt with was startling. ... ... ... <11 Trait Points are now available.> <12 Trait Points are now available.> <15 Skill Point are now available.> <16 Skill Point are now available.> ''Ugh... Really? That''s all you''re going to offer me, class?'' I grumbled. I knew that the class wasn''t specifically tailored for me and that any normal person would be happy about either of these, but it left a bitter taste in my mouth. I was also sitting on many skill points, and now I was very close to level twenty, which Trixie said would offer me a solution if I had three elements at five. ''At this rate, there''s no way I''ll get [Ice Magic] to five before I hit twenty. Should I just buy it?'' "Hmm, you could. But I think we could do it." Trixie suddenly said. "Okay, seriously, can you read my mind?" I demanded an answer. "No, you just have a habit of reading things aloud in your head, not to mention frequently talking to yourself," Trixie giggled. "You have to be a little mindful when using telepathy." "Well, that''s one mystery solved." I looked over the two new profiles I had gained. Both the unicorn and alicorn updated the [Equine] profile. It was the natural evolution path of either unicorns or pegasi, which made me wonder why the unicorns were put above them. Not wanting to dive into horse politics, I looked for any traits or skills I would want. Anything the unicorn had was in the alicorn profile, so I promptly ignored it and looked over the alicorn in more detail. It had quite a few traits I had never seen before; [Enchanted Horn], [Curse Resistance], [Divine-Touched], [Telepathy (Lesser)], and a familiar friend [Magic Resistance (Lesser)]. Over in skills, it had [Light Magic], [Recovery Magic], and [Holy Magic], and I failed to meet the prerequisite for any of them. [Divine-Touched] raised the efficacy of [Light Magic], [Recovery Magic], and [Holy Magic] and raised resistance against [Dark Magic]. None of that applied to me, so I could ignore it unless I needed a half-effective dark resistance. [Curse Resistance] seemed interesting. I prodded Trixie for an answer, to which she frowned and replied, "Basically, everything you are doing with [Corrosion Magic] and more. It''s good to have if ever fighting warlocks or demons." Remembering warlock and Krutz and his attempted enslavement, I hastily bought it. [Enchanted Horn] was amazing, and I wish I could have bought it, so it would have to be a prime candidate for borrowing instead. <[Enchanted Horn] Raises spell power by 5% per trait rank. Spells focused through the horn become more real.> "What the hell does more real even mean?" I questioned Trixie. "Oh, that''s pretty easy to explain. So, anything created by magic would be more substantial. Like his swords of light, they had a sort of weight to them despite being made entirely of light mana." Trixie explained. "Now, it''s not going to make it actually a sword, but you can surely understand the benefit. You''re using ice, which is already pretty substantial, so you probably never realized it, but if you tried to do the same with fire, it''d go right through." "Huh... Thanks, that actually weirdly makes sense. At the time, I thought, ''Well, that''s magic,'' but I didn''t think further about it." "Yeah... No need to think too hard on it." Trixie chuckled. <[Telepathy (Lesser)] Mentally communicate to 1 target per trait rank within visual range. If the mind is unwilling, mental resistance must be overcome to establish a connection.> "Well, that''s pretty simple. Although I''ll probably stick to borrowing it, I don''t know if I trust myself to talk to people mentally." "Yeah... You''re kind of an open book in that regard." She patted my head before fluttering off, "Now, let''s go claim our new tree fort before someone else steals it!" Chapter 115 : Cleanup A sense of victory washed over me as I confirmed the successful harvest of alicorn horn, mane, hide, and feathers. Trixie and I leisurely flew back towards the tree, observing the lost and uncoordinated pegasi still in the air. Trixie, with her enigmatic demeanor, seemed to be concealing our presence, ensuring we remained completely undisturbed. Her actions, shrouded in a veil of mystery, were a puzzle, evading even my most rigorous attempts to sense or identify them. Any attempts to question her about it were met with a smug smile and giggles as if I were a child asking why water was wet. As we returned to the tree, the scene was a chaotic mess, the aftermath of the battle starkly evident. The once serene surroundings were now marred, the ground littered with fallen pegasi and unicorns, their lifeless bodies a stark contrast to the vibrant atmosphere that had filled the air moments ago. Despite their equal monster tier, the unicorn horns were much more valuable, and I felt a sense of duty to start harvesting them. "Right... You take care of all this mess, and I''ll handle the inside of the tree. I bet it''s like a barn in there." Trixie declared, her voice filled with a mix of determination and anticipation, and fluttered off inside, her wings a blur of motion. I wasn''t going to complain about being told to eat and harvest, so I started gathering the carcasses with pseudopods and bringing them to a giant blob of slime, which I was designating the [Dissection] zone. To facilitate this, I let my [Sub-Cores] control portions of slime while I got to sit down and relax. Occasionally, one of the pegasi would fly past as if searching for the tree, but it would fly past and not even react to me. ''Seriously, how incredibly powerful is she?'' I wondered, my awe and concern for her growing with each passing moment. While I delegated the boring work, I played around with [Frost Grasp], as I desperately wanted to add its freezing property to other spells. The [Icicle] spell currently felt more like it did more piercing or stabbing than anything ice-related. Still, I had hope that if I added the freezing property to it, then any icy shards stabbed into an enemy would slowly emanate and freeze them. Then, the next step would be to add [Chill] to the spell, further improving it. From there, I might have a working template for future ice spells. I was still moderately upset by the difference between intermediate and beginner spells. Nothing shown so far was impressive in an isolated use case, and instead, it provided a very complex building block for you to work with. Although I probably skipped quite a few steps, I could only assume that, normally, a mage would have quite an impressive repertoire before reaching my point. Spells like [Fireball] and [Torrent] were immediately useful; meanwhile, [Chill], [Ice Patch], and even now, [Frost Grasp] seemed niche in usage. ''Calm down, Syl, one step at a time...'' It was already quite dark when I came out of my tinkering trance. I must have felt very safe to have gotten so absorbed in my work. Glancing over to the tree, I noticed a trailing line of rabbit-sized stick creatures carrying all sorts of garbage and bits before heading towards the tree''s platform edge and dumping it over. I could sense the small amount of Nature mana contained in these creatures. ''Are these Trixie''s?'' I wondered, watching the strange creatures work. "Don''t you dare eat them!" A warning shot through my mind. Not wanting to tempt fate, I ignored them and continued my work until, much later, Trixie approached me and gestured toward the tree with a big grin plastered on her face. "Our home away from home is cleaned and ready!" She announced excitedly. "Come on in, I''ll show you around." I followed her, a little excited to see what was inside. Despite the giant hole, there was actually still a large portion of the tree undisturbed, likely to prevent killing it entirely. I was surprised at the edges'' smoothness; some of it looked almost like it was naturally formed rather than cut out or crafted. There was a table that looked grown out of roots, two matching chairs, and on the outer wall, some wooden benches grown out of them directly. The walls were covered with freshly grown vines and ivy and decorated with floral arrangements, creating a very pleasant and peaceful atmosphere. "I''m surprised they managed to do all this...." I muttered. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Oh no, they didn''t; it was all very crude; the tree was practically crying; it was so abused. I used a sprinkling of Nature magic to regrow and tidy things up." Trixie explained. I followed Trixie as she flew upwards into an upper chamber, what was previously giant open holes that the pegasus flew to and from now looked like it had window frames, minus the glass. Hanging from the ceiling was a very flowery hammock made out of perfectly smooth vines and decorated with a large variety of blooming flowers. Then, in the corner was what looked like an unnaturally smooth and pristine wooden bathtub. "I wasn''t sure what you''d sleep in, so I figured a bath might work?" Trixie asked and waited as if seeking approval. I couldn''t help but laugh. "Thank you, Trixie. I''ve always thought of getting myself a bathtub or a bucket or something. I can hold a form while I sleep, but oozing out is the ultimate sleeping experience." Perhaps Trixie didn''t expect such a genuine reaction from me as she blushed momentarily before promptly hiding it behind her usual teasing demeanor, "Well, I figured this way you won''t make a mess; after all, I had to clean up so much horse crap." I smiled before approaching the tub and sinking deep into it. Trixie fluttered to her hammock and lay back comfortably while swaying. I hadn''t seen any of her branch sprites inside and wondered if she had dismissed them or sent them away on another task. "How did the alicorn even control what spawned?" I asked, the convenience of our telepathic conversation meaning I didn''t need any shapeshifting. "Likely from his [Prince] emblem. Anything strange or very unusual usually comes from an emblem, especially if anything interacts with the world''s functions." "Does that mean a yellow slime now has a chance to spawn?" "If you get lucky, one might spawn now that we got rid of the horse harem. Although much of the free-flowing essence is still being captured, you might need to wait quite some time." "Captured by the one you want me to get rid of?" "Bingo!" Trixie giggled, "Yellow slimes are quite a complex monster, so they require a lot of essence to spawn; right now, it''s possible but very unlikely; we are much more likely to spawn some griffins or air elementals, maybe even a harpy?" "Yeah... I had the option to evolve into one but opted for a mutation instead. So they are technically the same tier as me." "Evolving is fascinating. It''s probably the one thing I''m jealous of with you monsters; I always wondered what it would feel like." "Well... I''m an odd case, but for me, I pass out and then have a conversation with Gramps. Then, I wake up and find out two days have passed." "Ha! Losing two days is nothing." Trixie scoffed, "Try being left in a cage, entering a meditation trance, and losing years." "Sorry... I can''t even imagine what that''s like." "No need to apologize; you freed me after all. I just wish I could find that corpse bastard and stick it to him." Trixie sighed, "Seriously, Syl, never trust a human." "Uh..." I muttered, not sure how to respond to such a statement. "Don''t tell me you have human friends?" "Well... Something like that. I''m technically part of the Adventurers Guild and have built up an entire persona. I''ve gone on quests, saved farmers, defeated monsters, and they even want to give me a promotion." Trixie paused momentarily before responding; I wondered if I had upset her, "That''s pretty impressive for a slime. Although you involve yourself in risky business, humans are smart and scheming... I''d hate to see you captured and experimented on." I shuddered. It was like Trixie had specifically targeted one of my greatest worries; "Not all of them are so bad... At first, I was very scared of them. They harvested me when I first appeared, and then I watched one obliterate a green slime. Then I fought some while protecting some goblins, and they seemed... Weak? Then I somehow ended up being rescued by them, became an Adventurer, had one try to kill me, survived, and got promoted. Honestly, it''s been kind of chaotic. But I''ve made a few I''d likely consider friends..." "I still think it''s far too risky; I just hope you''re strong enough that you''re prepared for it the day it inevitably happens." Trixie warned, then added, "You''ll have to show me your disguise in the morning; I want to see how you fooled them." "Sure, it''s been pretty good so far. Although it draws far more attention than I''d like, I''m considering creating another persona." "Interesting... Well, the more tricks, the better, in my opinion." We continued to make some more small talk late into the evening; being so open for a change was honestly rather pleasant. "Are we safe being out here? There was still quite a lot of pegasi flying around." "Don''t worry, nothing will find us while I''m around," Trixie replied with unshaken confidence. "Anyway, it''s been a long day, and I''m sleeping. Toodles." And just like that, she seemed to immediately fall asleep, the telepathic connection dropping. While I had faith in her capabilities, I still set up some orders to wake me up in an emergency and replaced my [Arcane Armor] on myself with orders to be refreshed if it expired. I opened [Mapping], the new landmark feature showing me how close we had now drifted towards Kaerlin, although Thern had said that it didn''t get close enough to actually pass over the city. ''I hope surviving pegasi don''t cause any problems below. Although, perhaps there was a good chance the alicorn might have ordered them to do so. He definitely seemed like the type to do that.'' I wondered. ''Well, I''m sure there are plenty of other capable adventurers; they can handle a few stragglers. Hell, I''m sure Lisa could blast them with lightning. Now that is a scary thought.'' Sleep came relatively easily despite my concerns as I sank deeper into my tub. I made a mental note to claim this tub for myself when departing this island. Chapter 116 : Pixie Lessons I awoke the next morning bright and early; Trixie was still asleep, snoring loudly and contorted in her hammock in a precarious position. I decided to sneak outside and continue working with my spells until she woke up and supposedly would help train me. Regardless of whatever help she offered me, I wanted a proper, usable offensive ice spell and immediately brought all my [Sub-Cores] to help with the task. My concentration finally broke when the tiny pixie floated over, grumbling almost as if she had a hangover. Her appearance was once again slovenly, like when I had first met her. She nonchalantly floated over and collapsed against my slime, her arms out wide like she was trying to hug a pillow and rubbing her face against my outer layer. "Ahh... You''re refreshingly cool." She sounded very pleased. I was so stunned by the action that I nearly let my spell collapse if not for my helpers holding it together. Either she had a newfound trust in me, or she had the utmost confidence in her own abilities. I certainly couldn''t imagine anyone allowing a known acid slime so close to themselves. Regardless, I didn''t want to tempt fate by attempting anything against her, and as much as I didn''t want to admit it, she was slowly growing on me. "What are you doing?" I eventually asked when she had still not moved or done anything beyond trying to press herself against a larger surface area of slime. "Breakfast... Well... Brunch..." she murmured; even telepathically, I could feel the tired tone in her voice. As if to soothe my worry, she promptly added, "It''s just the mana you''re leaking; you''re passively generating more than you''re actively spending..." I kept my concern silent and continued to tinker away. Occasionally, she would watch my work, but she didn''t add any commentary or correction, so I had to assume I was at least heading in the right direction. I lost track of time again, and eventually, she fluttered off me and stretched herself. "Okay, I''m up. Can you continue that later, please?" she asked, pointing toward my in-progress spell. "Sure," I agreed, letting the spell dissipate after ensuring the progress was saved amongst my cores. She nodded, then held her hand out, a skill or trait hovering above her palm. <[Mana Entity] Redacted.> "Can you purchase this trait?" She asked curiously. I was slightly concerned about the trait''s description being unavailable, but I tried. "Nope. Requirements partially met, it says." I answered. "Damn. Well, that would have potentially solved your strange mana combination. Guess you will have to evolve further or try something else." She shrugged, shaking her head, "Well, you promised to show me your disguise, so let''s see how you fooled those humans." Seeing no reason not to, I shifted into my elven form while auto-equipping my armor that appropriately resized itself. It was previously resized to fit my hobgoblin form, and I couldn''t help but be so grateful once again for the enchantment. Once fully formed, I did a little twirl and smiled at Trixie. "Well? What do you think?" I asked. Trixie stared at me long and hard. "I did not expect an elf. I''d swear you look familiar, too, like someone I know, their sister or daughter perhaps..." "Her name was Sylthaeryn... That''s about all I can remember. She did have another name, but my memory of that is a bit fuzzy..." "Sylthaeryn. Syl. That''s cute. You stealing her identity?" Trixie asked. "No." I immediately answered, maybe a little too forcefully, "Well... Actually, maybe a little? She gave me the name; it was sort of her dying wish." Upon further questioning from Trixie, I explained the situation and what had happened. She frowned deeply when I mentioned the human noble that had tried to kill her for the [Elven Legacy] emblem. "See. Like I said, humans can''t be trusted. Far too greedy." "Are you honestly saying you aren''t tempted to grab the emblem yourself?" I asked. If mana was as important to her kind as she made it out to be, then something like this would only be a great boon. "I can promise you. I have no such interest in that emblem." Trixie uttered, I could swear there was almost a hint of fear in her eyes. Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road. As much as I tried to continue the conversation and get more details, Trixie completely shut down any attempts. She didn''t tease or joke about it and completely stonewalled me. I wonder if perhaps this might be related to another oath she had taken, as it was notably uncharacteristic of her. "Right so. I like that look; you''re very cute and pleasing to the eyes. I demand you stay like that while training; afterward, you can return to looking like a blob or goblin or whatever." Trixie demanded. I nodded in agreement; I didn''t really see any reason not to. She eased up a little and smiled, "Also, I can see how you fooled those humans. As far as I can tell, you are an elf right now. It''s actually a little scary how good your disguise is, and I don''t rely on something as fickle as [Identify]." "Thanks. Glad to know I can at least rely on it." "Enough of that! Now let''s start." Trixie exclaimed, held out her hand again, and started gesturing to it, "So this is an anchor point." I cycled through every sense available, then looked at her. "I... Don''t see anything?" "Oh, sorry, force of habit." She giggled and waved her hand, revealing a magical spell formulation. I could see it was made up of what I now recognized as Nature mana, but I couldn''t discern its purpose. "Wait... That''s the anchor point?" I asked, holding out but not fully casting [Water Orb]. "Yes. It''s where the spell originates from. They are formed within your mana aura by default, so they can''t be tampered with. Then it will do its intended effect as once cast, it''s not at risk of tampering by normal means." "Wait, but..." I held [Ice Dome] and showed it to Trixie, "But this spell clearly originates at a different location?" I questioned and cast the spell, forming a tiny ice dome over a flower at range. "Ah... I see your misunderstanding." Trixie smiled, "Think of the anchor point as the instructions; if they are within your mana aura, they are safe from being easily tampered with. Now, that spell is instructed to create that dome at a fixed point, which is a component of the spell''s makeup. In theory, you could greatly simplify the spell by making it just create the dome at its anchor point without the component that gives it a location target." "I see..." I murmured, slowly putting the pieces together. "That water spell only has the instruction to shoot forward from its anchor point," Trixie said and also cast a tiny [Water Orb] spell, which splashed harmlessly against me. "Now, you need to learn to move the anchor point. Obviously, there are now risks involved in casting it away from outside the safety of your aura, but we will go into those details when you''ve actually accomplished it." Trixie further explained, and then I saw the [Water Orb] forming above me and firing directly downwards, again splashing me with harmless water. While I was basking in the newfound revelation, another ball of water hit me from behind, and then two dropped on top of me. I frowned at Trixie, who was now giggling after proving her point. "Okay. I get it and can probably think of hundreds of good uses for it. It would probably trigger my [Sneak Attack] if I cast spells from behind monsters." "Yes!" Trixie exclaimed joyously, clapping her hands like a proud parent. She held another spell construct in her hand, and then I watched the construct start to orbit around her before flying up into the sky and firing another water ball at me. I could have dodged, but getting a little wet meant nothing to me. "Now, what I just did there is more advanced. It''s easier and safer to cast it at a point and be done with it, but in the case of your ice weapons, you could learn to keep up the casting and have it follow after your target." I nodded, thinking of the potential possibilities and applications. It certainly was like a whole new world of magic was being opened to me. "But! First things first, we need you to actually form your anchor point outside of your aura. It''s going to suck, big time, and if you''re anything like me, then your instincts will be screaming at you not to do it." I smiled; this genuinely sounded amazing, and I was more than willing to put up with some inconvenience to learn something this useful. Hell, I brute-forced so much mental backlash trying to create my first custom spell; this sounded far less strenuous. "Thanks, Trixie. I can''t wait." I said happily. "No problem. We''ll make you a magical force to be reckoned with!" Trixie beamed; she seemed genuinely thrilled. "Now, let''s start with the mental exercises." Trixie kept me busy late into the night with her training course when she abruptly announced that she was too tired to continue and fluttered back into the tree for sleep. I wouldn''t say she was a bad teacher, but she and I might have had more in common than I realized, and suddenly, I wondered if this was how I made Dewi feel. Many of her explanations were based on feelings and emotions, and when I struggled to produce any results or understand her explanation after numerous failed attempts, only then did she offer a slightly more typical explanation. The gist of it was that I needed to overcome a mental block that is ingrained as soon as someone learns their very first spell, and I needed to project my will outside of the safety of my so-called mana aura. Trixie''s original explanation was to meditate and think of projecting myself outside of my body, which then became an attempt to visualize my perception point changing. Her last attempt at trying to aid me in understanding the concept was to try to have me personify myself as a target. "This rock is you, Syl. Now, because you are this rock, you should have no problem projecting a spell from it. You are the rock. The rock is you." Trixie had said sternly, wagging her finger. "Be the rock, Syl." Shockingly, that explanation had helped me the most, and through great mental strain, I had formed a partial start at a spell construct next to the rock. My mind reeled at the attempt, and like Trixie had pointed out, a deep-seated instinct screamed out to me that what I was doing was very dangerous and that I should stop. After that, I failed to form another partial construct for the rest of the evening. She was so excited when I had made that initial partial success, and now I felt like I had let us both down. I had tried to ask Trixie why this was such a massive hurdle to overcome, but she only frowned. "I wish I could tell you, Syl. But I worry that if I tell you, it''ll only reinforce the mental block," Trixie explained. She must have sensed my oncoming protest and reassured me to stop me. "I promise I''ll give you a proper explanation as to why, the risks involved, and how best to overcome them. But please trust me on this." Feeling low on resolve, I returned to work on my ice spell before eventually also turning in for the night. I hoped a good night''s rest would help me recover enough to overcome this block. Chapter 117 : Safety Override The next day was a continuation of the same, a relentless cycle of almost succeeding, only to be plunged back into the depths of failure. I turned to Trixie, hoping for a glimmer of advice, but her response was a genuine, regrettable denial. "I certainly hope I don''t have to overcome this each and every time..." I said with a hint of anxiety. "Thankfully, it stays broken once you''ve overcome the mental block," Trixie replied. "That''s a relief... I think I''d give up if you said otherwise." I admitted, my voice tinged with gratitude. "Is there a skill or trait for this?" I asked, hoping there was perhaps a purchasable solution. After a pause to think, Trixie replied, "No... But it''s very good training for [Mana Manipulation]. Also, once you''ve achieved it, I believe it might open up some skills for you in the future." "That''s a shame... I''ve had things I wanted to do in the past, but until I got the right skill or trait, it seemed utterly impossible. Like I was blocked on a reality level." "Think of it like agreeing to terms and conditions. Or a safety waiver." "What?" I asked, puzzled. "Are you sure you want to do this? Are you really sure?" Trixie giggled, but the joke went over my head. I also tried ordering my [Sub-Cores] to attempt it, but they ignored the order. Whatever this was, I had to overcome it myself, and I just hoped once I had broken through, it would apply to them as well. It was late afternoon when it finally happened. An invisible barrier in my mind shattered, and far outside of my so-called "mana aura," I formed the basic spell construct for [Water Orb]. There was an immediate flare of dread, and I wondered if I was about to be punished, but then it entirely faded away. I let the spell cast, and it fired off into the distance. Then I immediately attempted it again, and like Trixie had said, there was no resistance at all. I ordered my [Sub-Cores] to cast, and they followed through. I couldn''t help but cheer. I was extremely worried that they wouldn''t be able to after they blatantly ignored my earlier order, which I didn''t think was even possible. "Excellent! Well done, Syl. I knew you could do it." Trixie said with a bright and cheery smile as she petted my head. "Now, I can explain the risks and consequences without potentially scaring you off entirely or reinforcing the block." "Right," I replied, eagerly nodding. "Okay, construct another [Water Orb]," Trixie requested, and I did so. "The first risk is an obvious one; someone else can seize your spell," Trixie said and held out her hand toward my spell. It shimmered slightly, and I felt it ripped from my control. A feeling of raw and pure violation washed over me, and then the spell was aimed at and hit me. "That is the weakest threat; only amateurs will do something like this, as most casters are usually heavily resistant or immune to their own affinities." Trixie explained, then chuckled before adding, "And if they aren''t, they are idiots. Of course, if you have allies, they might turn your spell against them, which could be tragic..." I nodded in agreement, remembering how Dewi had ensured he was fireproof. Since I mostly acted alone, the idea of my spells being turned against allies didn''t seem that likely, and I was mostly immune to all of them as far as I knew. "Cast something a little bigger for the next demonstration, please. Preferably something, not water." I cast [Fireball] this time, holding it in the air. Trixie reached out and seized the spell. Again, I felt violated, and the spell exploded as the construct dangerously unraveled. I felt something inside of me burn away. "The second risk is someone disrupting your spell and causing you a backlash, which will burn your mana. Against lesser foes, you can overcome this, and there''s an entire skill for this, which I''ll give you afterward." Trixie explained. "So that was the... Burning feeling?" I asked. "Yes. You have so much mana that you probably barely felt it, but for lessers, it can be deadly, especially if the enemy caster is highly proficient." Trixie answered, "I probably burnt away double the mana in that spell, but I''ve heard masters burn away up to five times the mana." "That''s a horrifying thought. And that''s not even including the spell going haywire." "Yes, depending on the type of spell or the mana types involved, it could be especially deadly when it breaks apart. Advanced spells in particular..." Trixie gave a little shudder; I could only imagine what an advanced spell breaking apart would do. The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "Right. Another [Water Orb] for the final demonstration." She requested, and I complied. She seized the spell but held it, saying, "Right now, this spell is fully mine to control, but you are the designated fuel source." It didn''t take long for her words to sink in, and my mind flickered through the potential ramifications of what she said. "Oh no..." "Yes. This is the biggest risk, especially if you aren''t strong enough to regain control. In theory, I could drain you dry right now." Trixie said, and I watched her morph the spell form from [Water Orb] into [Torrent]. My mind reeled in disgust and outrage; it was like she had somehow violated my soul. I struggled to even comprehend how sinister and wrong this felt, and suddenly, all the prior warnings made sense. "Sorry. An old friend of mine once described this as watching your child get mutilated right in front of your eyes." Trixie said with a grimace and finally cast the spell. The feeling lessened drastically, but now I could feel the connection to my mana, and there was no way to stop it. "In theory, I could just leave this until you drained, although remarkably, you seem to be almost keeping up," Trixie said, unable to hide her surprise in her voice. "I could increase it too." I pointed out, allowing vines to grow out and borrowing [Solar Rejuvenation]. Trixie was startled for a moment, then watched with a strange look of admiration. "Well, aren''t you just full of surprises?" She chuckled and finally let the spell end. "So those are all the risks?" I asked, feeling the relief of my spell no longer held hostage. "Technically, there''s one more, but I''m nowhere near good enough to do it. It''s sort of an advanced version of what I just did. Theoretically, one could seize your spell and transform it into an entirely different spell with an entirely different affinity far beyond your capabilities. It could instantly drain and kill you." I stared at Trixie in horror, "What?" "Oh yes. It''s quite scary. The consequences for casting a spell you shouldn''t be able to is severe. Imagine I took your little first-level water spell and modified it on the fly into an eighth-level nature spell?" "I-I didn''t even know that was possible..." I stammered, struggling to even comprehend how someone would do something like that. It made all my spell modifications look like child''s play. "Like I said, far beyond what I''m capable of. If you run into someone like that, they could kill you a million other ways, so I''d hardly worry about them manipulating your spell; that would just be them showing off." Trixie pointed out. I was immediately reminded of Simon the Lich and how he casually killed me with the wave of his hand. "What''s stopping you from manipulating a spell within my mana aura?" I asked. "Or manipulating it once it''s actually cast?" "It''s just how the world works," Trixie answered before pausing to ponder. "To give you an analogy, let''s say your spell was a recipe on a piece of parchment. Your mana aura is your house, and I can''t steal your recipe from within your house or mess with it. But if you leave your recipe on the street, I can do whatever I want with it." I paused to consider her words; they sort of made sense. "Right... But then what about when it''s cast?" Trixie sighed, perhaps disappointed I didn''t appreciate her analogy. "Well, your recipe was for a cake. You''ve baked your cake, and now I can''t mess with the recipe. I could blow up your cake or stomp on it, but once it''s baked, I can''t mess with it internally anymore." "That... Kinda makes sense. Okay..." "Look, I never said I was the master of analogies, but I thought it might help?" Trixie puffed out her cheeks, looking a little sulky. "Right. Sorry, Trixie. Thanks for trying." I said, giving an apologetic bow of my head. "So, I suppose the more important question is, how do I stop this?" "Well, you have a few options. Let''s start with the simplest: cast your spell fast enough that it can''t be manipulated." Trixie said, nearly instantly casting a [Water Orb] before me that splashed against me. "That requires practice. I think a few skills might help, but nothing beats good old practice." I nodded along, "Makes sense." "The second method, and my favorite, is hiding your spell. If they can''t see it, they can''t seize it." Trixie said, another ball of water forming before casually being launched at me. This time, I couldn''t see her spell workings; the water just appeared from nowhere. "Unfortunately, you aren''t compatible with my method, so you might need to discover your own." "Is it an affinity requirement?" I questioned. "Yes." My mood immediately plummeted, and I sank my face deep into my palms and let out a frustrated groan. Trixie seemed surprised by my sudden outburst. "Bad experience with affinities or something?" She questioned. "It feels like whenever I want a trait or skill, I''m blocked by a missing affinity..." I moaned. "Yeah... Well, look on the bright side; not many can gain a new one by eating a slime?" Trixie replied with a shrug. "Yeah. You''re right. Still disappointing, though." Trixie cleared her throat loudly. "Anyway. While you can''t use my method, you can still hide your spells. Form them behind an opponent, above or below them, and so forth. Just try not to form them too close; if they are within someone else''s aura, they are easier to detect." "You say that, but I can''t detect yours at all, and I''m pretty sure you''ve made them within mine." I pointed out. "Easier, not guaranteed," Trixie replied with a cheeky smile. "There''s a decent chance once you''ve used it a bit, your class might give you a solution. You mentioned [Sneak Attack], so I assume it''s some sort of roguey-spellcaster isn''t it?" "Yes. It''s a hybrid class, from what I''ve been told." "Good. There''s even a chance you''ve met some prerequisite just by breaking through the restriction. Look forward to your next level up." Trixie said with a wink. I tried casting a few times; if I pulled in all my cores to help and avoided empowering, I could cast excessively fast. Even Trixie was greatly impressed by that spellcasting speed. I knew [Magic Efficiency] also reduced spellcasting time, but I couldn''t exactly focus on training that skill in particular unless I spent some skill points to directly upgrade it. I questioned Trixie about it, but she said I should just cast lots of spells outside of my aura, which would be a risk bonus. I was practicing with [Icicle], determined to get my [Ice Magic] to five while working towards my modified version. Trixie agreed with my approach to add [Frost Grasp] and [Chill] to it, although she pointed out that spell modifications weren''t exactly her thing. "As fun as it is to watch you trying to turn this island into a glacier, I''m going to bed. Tomorrow, I''ll show you a new skill, and we can practice defending your spells for when stealth or haste fails you." "I can''t wait!" I said with a beaming smile, "Thanks again, Trixie." Chapter 118 : Final Lesson While I waited for Trixie to wake up, I again continued my work on enhancing my spell. To better understand [Frost Grasp] and practice speed casting, I had my [Sub-Cores] rotate through the castings of the spell at a distance. Icy, ethereal hands formed briefly to freeze a nearby rock or flower in the distance before disappearing. I hadn''t noticed it at first with spells like [Icicle] or [Water Orb] due to their minimal cost; it seemed that forming the spell outside of my aura incurred an additional fee, a percentage of the original spell''s cost factored over the distance. In the heat of combat, I didn''t anticipate this to be a significant issue; it felt more like a safeguard to prevent long-distance spellcasting. ''Or at least limiting them to one or two while waiting for mana to regenerate.'' I noted. While the idea of spell sniping didn''t interest me much at present, I did see good use in it for rapidly expending my mana so that I could work on my mana-related traits, which had become an issue since I was, in theory, always capped out. The only problem was that while I could sense mana leaving me and a rough approximation of the quantity, my actual capacity levels were completely unavailable. Trixie could somehow feel my mana levels due to her nature, but I didn''t feel comfortable leaving it in her hands; it would be like relying on someone to tell you when to eat or breathe. I was on the verge of what felt like a breakthrough when the pixie abruptly appeared and seized the spell out of my grasp. I tried to struggle and fight to hold it, but it was beyond me and broke apart. The frustration was overwhelming, and I wanted to scream in anger. Still, I managed to hold back since, with my [Sub-Cores], I could recover the point of progress relatively easily, and Trixie probably wanted to prove the point that I needed to work on my defense. "I don''t know whether to applaud your insight of working on a spell outside your aura to train multiple skills at once or slap you for putting yourself at so much risk," Trixie said with an exaggerated sigh. "I figured it would be worthwhile if I knew I was in a safe area." I defended myself. "True enough, I suppose. We are safe up here, thanks to me, but I hope you''ll remember you won''t always have me around." I nodded in agreement. I planned to be very aware of my surroundings if I tried something like this again. "It''s frustrating that I can''t just drop the spell once you''ve claimed it. I would have thought that would be a reliable defense." "Technically, you''re right; that''s the best to do if you''re desperate and don''t feel confident in wrestling back control. You just lack the capability to even do that right now." Trixie said and presented a skill. <[Counter Magic] This skill allows spell constructs to be seized or reinforced. Skill level determines your base attack and defense but can be further enhanced through knowledge, mental attributes, or other magic-related skills and traits. Defend your spells or dominate your opponents!> I hastily bought the skill; I was sick of feeling like a toddler trying to stand up to an adult. I was glad that the skill level wasn''t the only determining factor, and I wondered what other skills or traits would aid. The obvious two were [Mana Manipulation] and [Mana Conception], but I glanced through my others to see if anything stood out while reading through the description. ''Reinforce... Huh...'' I thought. "Trying to think of what works with the skill?" Trixie asked despite giving me a knowing smile. "Yeah... I have the [Mana Reinforcement] trait and thought it might work. But the description mentions the body specifically, so now I have my doubts." "Maybe? You might need to find a different teacher, though. I certainly don''t focus on reinforcing my spells; I prefer trickery and deception." Trixie replied. "Now, let''s try out your new skill!" We started off with me trying to defend my spell. Now, instead of feeling like a toddler, I felt like maybe a child or teen trying to protect myself, and [Mana Manipulation] was my knife. Trixie explained that the quickest way to defend myself if I was willing to take some mana burn was to rapidly disrupt my own spell; we practiced back and forth doing that. Trixie would seize my spell, and I''d defend it by quickly throwing it into a tangled mess. Trixie was gentle with me, but I felt like I was making progress and was eager to try attacking later on. During our practice, I had the errant thought of wondering if [Ritual Casting] would apply to this and had my [Sub-Cores] join in with destroying my own spell. "Yes! Excellent use of [Multitasking] to destroy the spell from multiple points," She smiled happily, and I felt a little guilty. "If you can do the same when attacking, you''ll be a tough opponent." We continued for a bit longer, and I felt quite confident in rapidly destroying my own spell. Then Trixie suggested we swap to trying to maintain the spell. Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "As I said, this isn''t really my specialty. But from what I know, the stronger the recollection of your spell, the better. If you can maintain a strong image of the spell and fix the mistakes." Trixie explained. I had to suppress a laugh; if spell recollection was a benefit, then my cores would be an extreme handicap in my favor. This time, Trixie suggested we use [Icicle] as if I was continuously fixing the spell, then I''d probably gain some experience toward [Ice Magic]. We started off slow. Trixie only used one point of attack, where she tried to unravel my spell, forcing me to fix it. Despite not having my [Sub-Cores] to help, I found this quite manageable as I found my recollection of this spell structure perfect. Trixie started picking up the pace to put me under some pressure, and after some time passed, she eventually began to increase the number of attacks she made. I tried my hardest to defend alone, but after a few losses, I decided I was being stupidly stubborn and brought in the full team. At first, Trixie was smiling, but then her face started to contort, and a look of confusion was noticeably present. Trixie could maintain about seven attacks at once, a shocking number alone, but I could mount six defenses before even getting [Multitask] involved. "Okay... You are shockingly good at defending your spell. Did your skill level up already?" She asked, clearly getting a little frustrated. I blinked in confusion, then looked at the two notifications I had somehow ignored. "Oh! I got a level in [Mana Manipulation] and [Counter Magic]!" I said excitedly. "Even with tutoring, that feels too fast for [Counter Magic]..." Trixie said, scratching her chin in thought. "Well, I do have [Prodigy]." I pointed out, causing Trixie to raise her eye in surprise. "Also, there''s a chance you''re triggering my emblem. Although I have no idea if that''s true or not." "You have a trait and an emblem for bonus experience? Talk about lucky." Trixie said with a hint of jealousy. "I mean... I could share [Prodigy] with you?" I offered. Trixie had more than earned it, in my opinion. "Aww... That''s sweet, Syl. But unfortunately, I believe that''s a birth trait, so I''d be blocked." I tried anyway, but Trixie frowned. "Wow. I can''t even read the trait; it''s completely garbled." I apologized, and we went back to our practice battle. But it wasn''t long until Trixie stopped us and shrugged. "I think you have the gist of it by now. Let''s do a little bit of attack practice." Trixie held out a [Water Orb] construct, and now I got to see what it was like on the other side. Surprisingly, it came rather naturally to me, as it was almost like an alternative version of when I was trying to create a custom spell. However, despite Trixie saying it wasn''t her specialty, I had to admit her defense felt rock solid, and she showed off a little trick where she would actually cause her spell to squirm out of my mental grasp like an oiled-up snake. Our practice went on far longer than I expected. Trixie seemed to be having a lot of fun, as she would add a lot of colorful commentary as we fought over the spell. Unfortunately, I only managed to break her spell once when I threw all my cores at her and told them all to utilize [Multitasking]. It was a massive coordinated assault, all at once, and rather than tangling up her spell, it was like I had torn at it from multiple different points. Trixie groaned, clutching her head as if recovering from a migraine before she chuckled. "Damn, you got me good. I think we can bring this boot camp to a close." I smiled and politely bowed to Trixie, "Thank you so much for the help; this honestly feels like a new door has been opened." "You''re welcome. I''m glad I could give you a better reward than just some pixie dust for helping me out of there. Honestly, I might have been stuck there for eternity if you didn''t show up." Trixie said with a giant smile plastered on her face. "The only thing that sucks is I don''t know how useful this will be for you. Breaking through your aura is a definite, but you might be hard-pressed to even get a chance to use [Counter Magic]." "True... Against non-spellcasters, I''m perfectly safe, and then against another caster, what are the chances they have [Counter Magic]?"I pondered aloud, "Actually, do they need to have broken through their own aura to use it?" "No, but learning the one without the other is rather strange. But I''ve certainly seen stranger things." She gave me a big wink. "If you can''t find someone you trust to practice with, I suggest you do what you were doing earlier by modifying spells outside of your aura. Also, you should practice changing a spell; that would be a good tool in your arsenal, but it''s another way to practice." "So cast [Water Orb] and upgrade it directly into [Torrent]." "Yeah. Or, if you want to really get creative, change it into an ice spell." Trixie nodded as if agreeing with herself. "Great. Sounds like a fun change of pace. Now I just need to complete my spell modification, and then we can deal with the other essence thief, right?" Trixie fluttered over to take a seat on my head. She sat cross-legged and started humming to herself as she arced her back backward and had her eyes shut tight. She rocked back and forth, trying to make up her mind. "You could probably take her now... But it might be worth getting some genuine combat practice before." "Sounds good to me. There''s probably a few pegasi still, although I didn''t notice them flying past." "No, I think they fled the island; maybe there are a few stragglers, but without a leader, they become rather dumb." Trixie replied, "But new monsters have been spawning, and I''m sure you haven''t explored the entire island." "Yeah, I wanted to explore the lake." Trixie shook her head, "No. Not there. That''s where she is." "Ah... Okay, well, there are plenty of other smaller floating islands. Not to mention a rainbow-colored forest I didn''t explore and some caves." "Good. Plenty of options for tomorrow!" "Now, if only I could solve my messed-up mana." "From what I can tell, other than messing with your status and occasionally draining the mana from your slime, it doesn''t seem to be doing much?" Trixie said, shrugging. "Wait, it''s draining mana from my slime?" I asked in a panic, Trixie nodded, "Shit, I didn''t even notice. I don''t even know what the repercussions of that would be." "I dunno... Normal slime?" Trixie responded, unsure. "Mana slime is my normal, though..." I tried looking at my slime reserves, but I wasn''t entirely sure if it had diminished at all or not. I had gained a lot from the pegasi and unicorns. ''Well, I can always just make more too.'' I told myself and activated [Slime Conversion]. "Well... That''s not good." Chapter 119 : Feathers "What''s not good?" Trixie asked, peeking down from my head to stare at my face. "I have a trait that lets me convert mana into slime," Trixie looked at me horrified, so I quickly clarified. "My own mana." Trixie visibly relaxed, her tiny form shifting on my head. I could understand her fear-if she was a being of pure mana, as she claimed, the thought of being converted into slime was surely horrific. "It was useful when I couldn''t find a food source or just wanted extra slime for a situation," I continued, "but now it''s causing issues. I even received an error message." Trixie pondered for a moment, then spoke up, her voice tinged with concern. "It seems you''ve unwittingly created a paradox. You''ve identified your slime body as a mana source, but you also possess a skill that creates slime from your mana. It''s like trying to create slime from slime, and that''s been deemed prohibited." "Okay... I can somewhat understand that. My only issue is that I had effectively infinite mana before this, so I certainly felt like I was creating slime from nothing before this." I questioned. "This is a bit of a history lesson, "Trixie began, her tone serious. "In the past, the Gods have been rather lenient with creatively using exploitative loopholes, which your ability probably fell under. However, they have a strong aversion to duplication glitches." I sighed, but there really wasn''t anything I could do right now, so I just had to accept it. "I''ll have to defer to your wisdom..." Trixie chuckled, and we both went to our respective beds. Despite my comfortable bath, sleeping that night was a bit harder. As usual, I had the morning to myself, and I was determined to finish my first modification to [Icicle] before Trixie awoke. Considering she had been effectively asleep for years if not decades, I would have almost expected her to have a surplus of energy. Maybe it was due to [Mana Manipulation] reaching a new level, but I found my task far easier this time, and I finished adding the freezing property to my spell. I immediately cast it, and the ground where the frozen shard penetrated started slowly freezing in a growing radius. The way [Frozen Grasp] worked was I could keep the ethereal hand apparated, and it would keep repeatedly applying the effect at the cost of additional mana sustaining the spell, so I wondered how it would work now that I had transferred the effect over to a one-time projectile. After a few repeated casts and trying out different levels of spell empowerment, I concluded that there was a time limit per spell based on how much mana I crammed into it. "This would make a great affliction... And debuff... I should modify [Frigid] and [Frostbite] next before trying to add [Chill]. More tools in the toolbox rather than just one big one." "Talking to yourself again?" Trixie asked, I hadn''t even noticed her arrival. "It''s probably a bad habit, but I find it helps." "True. By the way, I have no idea what [Frigid] and [Frostbite] are, but I can throw in a recommendation of trying to swap out the fire in your [Fireball] spell." My eyes widened at that suggestion. When I originally thought of that, I had pictured it just being an explosion of icy shrapnel, but if I could make it an explosion that froze those caught in the blast, that had potential. "You don''t have fire or ice, right?" I asked curiously, having only witnessed water and nature. "Nope, but I have a friend who does. Hopefully, he hasn''t kicked the bucket yet..." "Oh..." I felt a bit awkward, "Well... I mean... Don''t let me stop you." "Ha! You can''t get rid of me that easy, Syl." Trixie said with a wink, "But when you go back to your human city, I might go pop in and visit some people." "Oh. Surely you could just go invisible or whatever you do, though?" I asked. "I could, but I''d rather not risk it. I''d offer the same to you, though. Wouldn''t you rather come with me after this island business?" I hesitated; while personally, I''d consider Dewi or Whitney closer friends, the relationship wasn''t built on honesty, and Trixie knew the real me. "Maybe if I didn''t already have some plans arranged. There''s a good chance I''m going to the dwarven empire in a month or two, and I''ll get a silver slime core from them." "Oh! If you''re visiting the dwarves, perhaps that''s where we can meet up." Trixie responded positively, "Unless I find you before then. But if there are too many humans, don''t expect me to show myself." I agreed wholeheartedly. "But that''s for the future! We got an island to conquer first!" Trixie exclaimed, thrusting a fist into the air with cheer. If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. I was going to walk, but Trixie said she''d hide our flight. We debated between going to the forest or the cave first and eventually settled on the cave because it was likely quicker to explore fully. I was again using my winged-hobgoblin hybrid form for the multitude of defensive traits and to minimize my profile. Trixie complained about no longer having a "pretty elf" to admire but eventually stopped whinging when she got me to agree to show her some of my other transformation options when we returned to our tree base. "You''re honestly fascinating. Most mimics have one, maybe two forms, not including their real form, so for you to have such a plethora is unheard of. They are ambush monsters; they definitely don''t go around seeking prey like yourself." Trixie had commented during our travel time. As we approached the cave, I could see winged creatures nearby, and using [Eagle Vision], I spotted two bird-like women guarding the entrance. Rather than arms, they had large wings, their plume of feathers completely different from each other. They had little in the way of clothing; one had what looked like knives strapped to her long bird legs, while the other was perched on one leg while leaning on a spear under her armpit. "Harpies..." I informed Trixie, who I assumed didn''t have the same enhanced vision as me. "Oh great..." Trixie grumbled and started tearing away at her dress, which briefly fluttered back to the brown rag she was previously wearing. I wondered what she was doing and saw her begin stuffing her ears with balled-up bits of cloth. "You might want to get rid of your big goblin ears," she suggested, now talking telepathically. "Seriously, you do not want to hear a harpy scream unprotected." I removed them, but I could still hear my surroundings. "I don''t think I actually need ears to hear things. I am a slime, after all." I almost laughed at the dumbfounded expression on her face as she struggled to comprehend what I just said. "What? How? Do you hear things through the vibrations in your slime or something?" "I have no idea; how does a rock elemental hear things?" I retorted. "Uh..." Trixie paused, utterly speechless momentarily, "Good question, actually..." "So either I''ll be completely immune or completely helpless. Wonderful." We approached closer to get a better vantage point, then watched and waited to see if more would leave or approach. Trixie was, in theory, hiding us, but I was making sure to keep up [Vanish] myself in case another prank was brewing. "You could probably kill them both with a good [Sneak Attack]." Trixie pointed out. "I''ve never encountered harpies before, so I don''t know what to expect. A friend described them as female orcs." "That''s a decent comparison for their behavior, but in terms of their physique, they are fast and frail and prefer to evade or ambush." "A cave doesn''t normally allow for much evasion, though." "Yes, but it would certainly give a boost to their scream." "Oh... I wonder if they''d be willing to talk." "They''re monsters, Syl. If you aren''t one of them, then you are just a bag of walking experience points." I didn''t respond. I knew she was mostly right, but it still bugged me. We continued observing, and two more harpies arrived in tandem, carrying a dead pegasus between their claws. They arrived looking mostly unharmed but very fatigued. Then, they dragged the corpse inside the cave. "I wonder why they didn''t cut it up into more manageable chunks; it looked mostly whole." "Beats me. It''s a little strange." Trixie replied; I could almost feel her shrugging through the mental bond. A short while later, another harpy left the cave with what looked like limbs clutched in her claws. She left, flying higher up the small mountain to what I could only assume was another cave. "The plot thickens... Those looked like humanish legs and arms," Trixie mumbled. "So it wasn''t my eyes playing tricks on me." "Like I said. Monsters. Beyond all your slime nonsense, because honestly, that''s another entire can of worms, I don''t think you truly understand how unique you actually are." "Right. Well, I think we''ve observed enough. I guess I''ll take out the guards, and we can sneak in." I effortlessly stacked [Erode] and [Frigid] on the two guards, then started to cast four [Icicle] spells distantly above and behind them, aiming for their heads. "Showoff." Trixie teased. With the spells completed, I coordinated their firing so the pair would be hit simultaneously. The frozen shards pierced directly into the harpy pair and dropped them both nearly instantly. Their bodies then began to freeze over rapidly. "Okay... I didn''t expect that." I said, a little shocked. "I told you they are frail... You debuffed them twice, hit them with [Sneak Attack] and a status ailment. Not to mention two empowered spells each. Talk about overkill." Trixie shook her head. "What next, [Meteor] on a goblin? Maybe throw in [Assassinate]?" "Stop. Stop. I get it..." I grumbled. We sneaked over to the two frozen corpses, and I quickly ate both. [Dissection] was telling me they were worthless, so I only saved an ear each for proof. I was surprised that their feathers weren''t worth anything, but then I realized that despite the different colorings, they matched up with the ones I found in the ruins before I discovered the underground lab. Disappointingly, the harpy profile was full of traits that I already had or better, the only exception being [Screech]. It was described as a sonic-based attack whose primary focus was stunning and disorientating but was apparently lethal to lesser foes at high levels and close range. I briefly shifted into one to try it out, causing Trixie to stare at me. "So now you can instantly turn into one of them? That hardly seems fair," Trixie said with a frown. "Yeah... Something like that, it''s a mix of two evolutions and a rare trait." I halfheartedly explained. "You!" Abruptly, she went wide-eyed and pointed an accusatory finger at me, gasping, "You were trying to eat me!" I shifted into a rather flawed mimicry of demon Trixie; after all, I had only seen her using it once and had no benefit from [Consuming Osmosis]. The form was also obviously goblin-sized rather than pixie-sized since my cores wouldn''t allow me to go too small. Obviously, I had no traits or anything, only pure visual mimicry. "You fool!" I replied, cackling in her mind. Trixie went from outrage to astonishment to joining in on the cackling laughter in record time. Only my orc transformation against the prince got more of a reaction out of her. "Okay. Okay. I forgive you for trying to eat me, Syl. I guess I did kinda deserve it at the time." Trixie said, recovering from her wheezing laughter. I wondered how she was so emotive during these telepathic conversations, as faking being out of breath was a bit extreme. "I forgive you too. Now, let''s see what''s in the cave of horrors." I replied. Chapter 120 : Harpy Cave The entrance to the cave loomed before me, a vast maw that seemed to have been carved out to accommodate the harpies'' frequent comings and goings. I morphed into a more amorphous form, clinging to the ceiling and blending in with the roughly worked stone, my colors mirroring the cave''s dark tones. "Wow. Way to make me feel useless in this expedition." Trixie teased before giving a playful wink and disappearing from my sight. As I approached the opening, I was taken aback by the lack of additional security. It was either a sign of the harpies'' arrogance or their underestimation of potential threats. The air was filled with a cacophony of echoing sounds, a bizarre mix of squawks and throaty laughter. Inside were the two harpies I had seen earlier, along with the pegasus strung up and bled over a crudely shaped stone tub that must have seen much use as it looked permanently stained and caked with leftover blood. There was also a strung-up body, looking very similar to the ghouls I had fought except hardly emaciated; it was in the process of what looked like regrowing its legs while one of the harpies was busy butchering off his arm. What once might have been a decent robe was now nothing more than a crude toga at best, crusted and layered with long-aged dirt and blood. His eyes seemed hollow and lifeless like he had lost the spark of consciousness. One of the harpies grabbed a filthy stone mug in her talons with unnatural dexterity and, in a practiced motion, fetched some of the unicorn blood and force-fed it to the ghoul. "Oh shit. It''s Mister Gloomy. I wondered what happened to him." Trixie''s voice rang in my head. "They''re... Feeding and harvesting him." I replied. "Trade in some blood for some regrown meat. It''s quite clever, although I can''t say that looks appetizing; even regrown, it looks half-rotted already." "He''s a ghoul. They''re some form of undead. His book mentioned an undead monster that could turn humans." Trixie snorted a laugh, "Serves the bastard right for locking me up. I was going to complain that I can''t get my revenge on him, but it looks like he''s spent years being nothing but bird chow." "I''m surprised he doesn''t just kill them. He''s a much higher level than them, and I can tell he''s not lacking in mana." "Yeah... That is odd; it''s like he''s under a compulsion spell, but I can''t sense any foreign mana on him at all." I shuddered at the mere mention of compulsion, and Trixie seemed to pick up on it. Her voice unexpectedly softened, and I could feel almost like a mental hug. "Guess I don''t need to explain to you how vile compulsion can be." Having seen far too many limbs being harvested, I began debuffing the two harpies and the ghoul after they were done. This coincided with them swapping positions, and the other one cut into the ghoul, becoming extremely surprised at how quickly she lobbed off the limb. "Have you been holding back on the hunts?" The one harpy questioned the other, surprised at the apparent display of strength. "N-no? The blade just sunk straight through. It''s never been like this." "Really? Strange..." The other responded and grabbed another cleaver before hacking into another limb; it went flying off. They both squawked in confusion but soon began cackling in delight. "This will make our job so much easier!" "Yes!" Using the unexpected distraction to its full extent, I rapidly formed my spells behind the two as they examined the ghoul and fired the razor-sharp shards of ice again. It seemed Trixie was right about my overkill, as a single spell for each was enough as it pierced their fragile skulls and began to freeze over their bodies. I lowered tendrils and started dragging the bodies upwards. "Couldn''t you have just done that from the start?" Trixie asked. "Yes, but I wanted the magic practice." "Ah. Yes, very good, I was testing you. The easy path isn''t always the right path." I would have rolled my eyes if I had any at the poor attempt to sound like a wisened sage. Meanwhile, Trixie appeared visibly and waved a hand directly in front of the ghoul''s face, trying to force a reaction, but it simply stared listlessly. She touched him, and I watched her siphon off a tiny amount of his mana before she made a retching sound. "Well, nothing''s wrong with his mana except it reeking of death." She fluttered back to me and siphoned a little from me. "Cleansing your palate?" I asked. "Yes. He''s truly rotten on the inside and outside, spiritually and physically. On the other hand, yours is pure and has a bounty of flavors... I honestly might be a little addicted to your mana." This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings. "So... What are we going to do with him?" I asked, trying to change the subject away from snacking on my mana. "Killing him would be a mercy at this point. You might as well take the experience and put it to good use." While I would gladly accept the offer, I was slightly confused by her not wanting it. "Do you not want to do it? Settle your revenge? Or even party up and share the experience?" Trixie shook her head, "No... I honestly don''t need the experience, and it''ll be more useful to you. I won''t even gain a single level." "Well, thanks, I''ll gladly take it." I fired my [Icicle] spell at it, piercing into its head, but unlike the harpies, this wasn''t enough to kill it. It still didn''t react, merely letting out a long groan as the pierced ice shard began to emanate its freezing ability. The embedded mana in the spell ran out before it even froze its head; clearly, it was resistant to the magical ailment. I was about to fire more at it, but then I recalled the unicorn horn I still hadn''t tried. I dropped to the ground with a wet plop and started to shift my form again, back into my winged hobgoblin form, but this time, I grew a unicorn horn from my forehead. Trixie immediately started laughing. "You''ve upgraded from blueblin to blueblicorn." Trixie chuckled over her own bad joke. "I have to create the part to use it..." I grumbled. "Could you not just hide it inside yourself? I''m assuming you don''t actually have organs and guts and whatnot." Trixie asked. "Maybe?" I replied curiously. I removed the horn and tried to form it inside myself. However, despite having the horn formed inside, it wouldn''t let me borrow the [Enchanted Horn] trait. "I can make it inside myself, but it''s become inert now," I informed her. "Weird. Does it have to be on your head?" I easily agreed with the idea, so I formed the horn in my hand and tried borrowing the trait. It worked. "This works!" I said excitedly and waved the horn around. "Here''s a fun idea, you could pretend it''s a wand!" Trixie giggled. "It''s still a bit silly, but way better than coming out of your forehead." I liked that idea. It would give me a good excuse if I wanted to use the trait in disguise. I could also put it on the ends of tendrils if I ever wanted to stab something. Armed with my new trait and boosted spells, I cast a few more [Icicle] spells. I noted that the horn seemed to glow with each spell, and I wondered if that was why I couldn''t just keep it hidden inside of me. I kept casting spells at him, hoping this would be enough to push ice magic over the edge. I had a [Frozen Grasp] going as well. Eventually, his entire form was frozen, and with a final spell, his body shattered into pieces. A stream of notifications flooded through, so I quickly latched up to the ceiling again to read through them safely. "I just got a flood of notifications... Going to go through them." I explained, then quickly grabbed the ghoul ice chunks with tendrils. "Hopefully, something good!" Trixie said with a thumbs-up before also disappearing again. <[Ice Magic LV 5] spell [Glacial Aura] learned.> "I got ice magic level five!" I told Trixie happily. "Great! Now you just need to get your last one!" I quickly went through the spell to familiarize myself with it. The spell modified my mana aura to physically slow enemies within it and also contained a minor freezing ailment. "Looks like it''s a slow and freezing aura," I informed her. "That''s useful; if you cast that spell, you''ll better understand what''s within or outside your normal mana aura." Trixie said happily, "You should be able to power up the spell to increase its range, but beware that extended range does not include protecting your spells." "Thanks for the heads up. I didn''t realize ice magic would teach me slowing; I thought that was more of a warlock thing?" I questioned. "There is overlap with some of the spell concepts. Although I believe yours is limited to physical slowing, like making it harder for something to move its joints as if they were slowly freezing up." Trixie explained. "There''s a much more powerful slow effect that affects everything; magic, projectiles, or even thoughts!" "That''s... Terrifying." "Yeah. But don''t worry about that; you shouldn''t run into advanced magic for a long time." <12 Trait Points are now available.> <16 Skill Points are now available.> <17 Skill Points are now available.> I smiled at the levels I had gained; I was now over halfway to my next evolution. It was a little disheartening how slowly I was accumulating race levels. I had to hope the dungeon I was doing for my gold promotion would have some decent experience despite being split amongst the party. I quickly looked at the new skill. <[Magical Subterfuge] Beguile your magical opponents by concealing your spell constructs from their sight or manipulating them to distort their true intent. This skill and its levels can be used to achieve these effects alone but to truly utilize either option, it must be paired up with a compatible skill. Stealth Bonus: [Vanish] (Excellent Efficiency) Deception Bonus: [Acting] (Poor Efficiency).> "Holy shit! This skill is amazing!" I exclaimed happily. "Oh?" Trixie asked curiously. I extended out a tentacle and displayed the skill to her, as it would take me too long to describe it. I also purchased it immediately. "Very nice. I suspected you''d get something as soon as we broke through your wall. I used to have this skill, and it''s a game-changer." Trixie said with a hint of what I assumed was pride bleeding through the telepathy. "I hope you have skills that are compatible with it to get the bonuses." "I have both; my stealth says excellent, but my deception says poor," I answered. "Then lean on the stealth aspect until you find the missing piece; either way, you''ll level up the skill." "Will do." "Oh wow. An emblem too, today just keeps on giving." <[Manhunter] Achieved by killing over fifty humanoids or someone with the [Slayer] emblem. Deal 20% bonus damage to humanoids and gain a large circumstance bonus in tracking them down. Equipping this emblem will cause Fear (Lesser) to all humanoids. The hunter has become the hunted.> "Well, shit," I muttered. "What''s wrong?" "It sounds like I''ve accidentally become an enemy of humanity." "What?" Trixie asked, sounding genuinely baffled. Chapter 121 : Harpy Nest I promptly showed Trixie the [Manhunter] emblem; she stared at it momentarily before chuckling. "That hardly makes you an enemy of humanity, Syl; stop being so dramatic." "Even if I''m being a little paranoid, surely this isn''t a good thing? I''d certainly distrust someone if they had this emblem." I retorted, my voice betraying a touch of anxiety. "Just don''t equip it then unless it''s your only emblem?" "Aren''t there ways to detect emblems? I have one that specifically says it''s immune from identification." Trixie''s nose scrunched up as she pondered. "There are... But it would require a really powerful artifact, class, or emblem. Reading someone else''s profile isn''t just something anyone can do. Maybe royalty?" I gave a dark, halfhearted chuckle, "If they could read my profile, I think I''d have more to worry about than just my emblem." "Exactly! You''re much more likely to encounter someone with either a lie detector skill or a truth spell. They''d probably just ask you if you had any illegal emblems or something, but even that is a bit of a stretch even for your endless paranoia." "What makes you say that?" "Well, I mean, the races aren''t exactly peaceful; if you were in the military, a bounty hunter, or even a bandit slayer, you''d inevitably earn that emblem, so I doubt it''s actually illegal. As long as you aren''t secretly dabbling in something like Necromancy, I think you''re fine regarding their morals." I thanked Trixie for her explanation and looked around the room to see if there was anything else noteworthy. Embedded slightly below the floor was something that gave off the soft glow of mana, so I quickly melted a path to it with some tendrils. I found a transparent geode of glowing grey crystal, so I threw out a quick [Appraisal]. "Floatstone?" "How else do you think this island is up here?" Trixie answered. "Drop it from high up." I lifted the strange rock with a tendril and let go, but it just sat in place instead of falling. Trixie poked the rock, and I saw her siphon some of its mana. The rock started to drift slowly downwards. "See. The entire base of the island is absolutely jampacked of the stuff. It can grow if you stick it in the ground and overfeed it mana. It''s pretty valuable, but you need a ton of it to do anything useful." "Great, maybe I''ll harvest some when it''s time to leave." "Just don''t take too much, or you''ll drop the island." I looked at her in horror, but she only giggled. I couldn''t find anything else of value or note, so we left the cave sneakily. We slowly flew up higher while I tried to spot another one of the harpy caves. I also tried out [Glacial Aura] to pass the time while searching, and just like Trixie had informed me, I could now visibly see the range of my mana aura, which was a pretty impressive radius around me. I noted it seemed to be centered around my core, which made me wonder if I could cast it from a [Sub-Core] and then position it in a tendril to artificially move the aura. "I''d suggest you finish your other spells before you start trying to tinker with a custom aura; the difficulty for those is an entirely new level," Trixie said. "How hard are we talking? I''ve brute forced a custom spell before I even had [Mana Conception], and while it was painful, it was worth it." "I''ve never successfully modified one," Trixie replied honestly, a tiny amount of what felt like shame bleeding through, "But... I''ll give you the advice I was given. Rather than modify the spell directly, take it apart until you only have the aura component remaining." "Thanks for the tip. Honestly, this is very impressive, and other than [Fireball] and mass casting, I felt like I''ve lacked a good area of effect option." "Just be warned that you must actively select targets to be considered an ally. Otherwise, the aura will affect them unless they are in your party, then the system automatically assists you." "Wait... Shit, does that mean I''m hurting you?" I quickly realized, but Trixie giggled before I could turn off the spell. "Yup. Although you''re just feeding me rather than hurting me. But feel free to mentally target me as an ally as practice. Remember, you need to do this each time outside of a party, and there is a limit based on your mental aptitude and [Multitasking] skill." The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. It hardly took any effort and could be summed up as simply thinking aloud that she was my ally. Trixie did say I could even generalize and say things like, "That group over there is my ally," but it was risky if I wasn''t entirely sure of my mental capability. "Although as fun as this is, I need to focus on my [Water Magic] now if I want to get it to five before I reach level twenty." "Yeah, but that''s a basic magic; it should hardly be any effort. Spam some spells, and you''ll be done in no time." After searching and searching, I finally found what looked like some rocks with noticeable claw marks; getting closer, I discovered some broken and stray feathers, which led to finding a cave entrance hidden behind some false foliage. "I think I found their home," I informed Trixie, and I received a notification as if in agreement. Before entering, I cast [Permeable] a few times on Trixie, which caused her to raise a confused eye. "Thanks for the snack?" "Just trying to sneak in some extra experience." Trixie giggled, spreading her arms wide. "Feel free!" I repeated the process a dozen times before finally entering the cave. I was half expecting a guard, but none of my senses detected anything living behind the curtain of foliage. I pushed it aside to enter, unleashing a jingling noise echoing into the cave. "Oh, that''s rather clever." Trixie pointed out, and I saw bits of bone and metal behind and attached to the curtain arranged like a makeshift windchime alarm. Since sneaking was out, assuming they heard the racket, I shifted into a harpy and had all my cores cast [Arcane Armor] as added protection. I also confirmed that the dragon scales were compatible with harpies, adding another to the growing dragon breeding list. I briefly wondered if I should be offended or grateful that there weren''t any dragon slimes. Although I could change that if I managed to find one to eat. Trixie kept giggling in my head as we approached, although she was invisible again. I could overhear voices talking ahead, so they must have assumed it was more likely to be one of their own if they weren''t on high alert. "What is that idiot prince thinking. His idiot subjects have completely ruined our breeding cycle." "I do not know, Mother, we can''t even find the great tree." "And his subjects continue to fly around, attacking wildly." "At least that will bring us more food. But we are at risk if I don''t have more daughters." "We''ve tried, Mother... But the humans are far too wary; the skies are riddled with arrows and magic when we approach." "Even our usual distractions like the griffins seem to be missing. Something strange is going on." "So frustrating... I have gone far too long without a good husband; they break far too easily." The chatter was wild, and Trixie just kept laughing and laughing, although she had somehow lowered her mental voice so that there was more ambiance to their conversation. Inside the cave, it could only be described as a giant nest. It honestly looked like one massive fire hazard, and I had to restrain my inner Dewi so that I did not just toss a fireball into the group. I saw three other harpies of similar low levels and one much larger harpy. I had to do a doubletake when I spotted her, as she was massive compared to the others, and I wondered how she even fit inside the cave. While the other harpies seemed to vaguely represent different birds like eagles, hawks, or even ravens, when I saw this one, all I could think of was a fat turkey. Shaman seemed to be the monster equivalent of Mage, so she wasn''t that advanced and likely was missing a prerequisite to get her intermediate caster class, but regardless, she had evolved. I knew I had been burned by overconfidence before, but it felt a little hard to be threatened by her. "Daughter, why have you left your post?" The large harpy demanded. I quickly ordered [Permeable] to be cast on everyone. Meanwhile, I tried my best [Acting]. "Mother, I spotted many horses approaching; I came for help." "That royal bastard! I''ll pluck his feathers and remove his horn!" She screeched. "Go, daughters, kill them, and then we will deal with the prince." I followed the three after copying their little bow to the queen. Once we burst out of the cave, I began my preparations. Flying without my [Enchanted Wings] trait felt terrible, and I was ready to slot it in as soon as the battle started. I called them to wait, and they paused mid-flight, staring at me in anticipation. "What is it, sister?" "I just wanted to discuss strategy before we fight the horses." "Who are you pretending to be the smart one? Ha!" "Yeah, you weren''t even smart enough to bring your spear. Stupid Skree." I rapidly ordered a [Torrent] spell cast above each of them, aimed downwards, as I didn''t feel that [Water Orb] would be enough. I wanted to empower and compress the spells, but the harpies were getting antsy, so I prematurely fired them off. None of them sensed the impending spells, and when the violent flood of water struck each of them, they were rapidly sent plunging into the ground. I also fired six [Water Orbs], two each, after them. I wasn''t sure if my spells or gravity finished the job, but there were three kill notifications almost immediately. "Sheesh. That was pretty brutal." Trixie commented. "You seem to keep forgetting that they are fragile and going for overkill." "I thought [Water Orb] wouldn''t be enough, and I was also worried that my water spells wouldn''t have enough killing power." "I mean... Kinda? I''ve certainly seen some very powerful water spells throughout my day. Although, in your case, unless you are fighting something inherently fire-based, you''d likely be better off using water to boost ice and lightning spells." "Soak them and then freeze them?" "Exactly! But obviously, stick to water for now. I don''t think Miss Fatty Bird will cause you much trouble. I''m surprised you even bothered luring the other three out of here." "Seemed right in the heat of the moment," I replied with a shrug. I collected my spoils, not wanting to waste the potential slime mass, and then started heading back towards the cave to deal with the queen. Trixie revealed herself so I could cast [Permeable] on her a few times, as we both seemed hopeful that I''d hit both milestones together. "What does this spell even do? I''ve never seen it before." She asked. "It gives Water weakness debuff. I''ve got one for each of my elements." Trixie smiled brightly, "I think you will love the surprise at level twenty." Chapter 122 : The Surprise It didn''t take long to return to the cave. The familiar jingle announced my presence, and I transformed into a harpy, hoping to catch the queen off guard with a [Sneak Attack]. But to my surprise, despite her earlier promise to prepare, the harpy queen was simply lounging and feasting, her regal demeanor contrasting with her lazy actions. "Daughter, you''ve returned so soon?" The harpy queen''s voice, a mix of curiosity and concern, filled the cave. "Mother, the winged horses have retreated. The others are in hot pursuit," I hurriedly reported, my mind already strategizing for the impending battle. I began cycling through all my debuffs, preparing for the fight that was about to unfold. She gave off a hearty, cackling laugh with the food still present in her mouth. Honestly, I wondered where her unfound confidence came from, as I would have put her far below the alicorn prince''s threat level. I quickly started casting an empowered [Torrent] behind her, the spell forming and beginning to empower. "No! Too close!" Trixie tried to warn me telepathically before the harpy queen swiveled backward to stare at the forming spell. "What? Magic?" Her voice was filled with confusion, and her eyes widened in disbelief as she stared at the forming spell. While the harpy stared at the spell, I hastily completed it with full focus and fired it off. Then I rapidly formed more [Water Orbs] to fire from behind. The burst of water from the [Torrent] spell met a stalagmite of rock that abruptly burst from the cavern floor to intercept it, causing the stream of water to bisect. The harpy cackled another throaty laugh before the balls of water struck her, and her laughter turned into a shrill screech. The cavern violently shook as her unending wail continued, echoing and reverberating throughout. I was immediately grateful that my slime senses didn''t explode from the relentless sound barrage. The sonic-based attack seemed to penetrate my slimy form, losing some of its ferocity as it went through my highly dense slime to finally be halted against the [Arcane Armor]. The magical defense was not infallible; however, a steady trickle of damage infiltrated through, causing recurring dull pain in my core. "Gods, shut her up!" Trixie pleaded. I wasted no time forming as many [Torrent] spells as possible, firing rapid bursts of water at her from all directions. I also shifted form, ballooning out into a fat salamander to hopefully put more distance between my outer membrane and my cores. With plenty of defensive traits and a sparkling unicorn horn, I looked ridiculous but felt powerful. When the spells hit the harpy, she finally ended her brutal cacophony but retaliated, forming a large blade of wind that struck against my reinforced hide. "Shapeshifting monster! You dare defile my nest and pretend to be my daughters! I''ll feast on your supple flesh and feed you to my chicks!" The harpy taunted. I fired a small barrage of [Water Orb] spells, but she raised her hand and formed a wind wall that caused the light projectiles to be blown off course. I immediately swapped back to two [Torrent] spells, one clearly visible in front of me as a distraction while the other was hidden in the corner of the cave, compressing and empowering. I sensed a large buildup of mana below and above me, and one of my cores triggered [Tranquil Flow], but only my cores moved out of the way as a rocky maw formed from the cave to bite through my slime. The harpy had formed multiple stalagmites and stalactites to create a brutal combination, like being devoured by giant rocky fangs. "Foolish creature attacking a shaman surrounded by rock and earth!" The harpy mocked, thinking herself the victor as fake blood oozed from the rocky penetrations. I would have laughed if not for the strange sense of calm provided by the state. The rocky protrusions did not hit any of my cores, so I was completely unharmed despite visually looking terrible. I fired off the front [Torrent], which the harpy blocked with another impromptu rocky barrier. "And now I''ve stopped your last desperate attempt at salvation. Grovel before-" She prematurely mocked as my secondary spell, with far greater compression and empowerment, went off, ripping straight through her side and taking out one of her wings entirely. She snarled in pain, and if looks could kill, I''d be obliterated on the spot. [Life Sight] showed her at least half-life after that exchange, although without more levels in the skill, I had no idea if she had barely crossed the threshold or was near death. She formed a makeshift compress out of rock and earth while simultaneously sending out an intense gust of wind at me to try to buy herself time. The wind was inconvenient but not nearly enough to stop me as I oozed out of the confines of the rocky fangs. The look of shock and horror on her face caused Trixie to burst out laughing, and I found myself chuckling along and accidentally prematurely ending [Tranquil Flow]. ''Shit, I really need to work on that.'' I scorned myself. I cast two [Water Whip] spells behind the harpy, and I must have gotten the range right outside of her aura as she didn''t immediately detect it. At the same time, I kept her distracted with some halfhearted water projectiles shot at her but were no real threat due to the ongoing gust of wind. Either she was really a birdbrain, or my performance was beyond adequate because I could see her once grim expression slowly twisting into hope with a tinge of arrogance again. I coordinated my attack at the same time she swapped from her makeshift first-aid to fire a shrapnel shower of rocks at me, further propelled by the still ongoing gust. Despite the increased velocity, the rocky shrapnel wasn''t sufficient to even scratch my stolen dragon scales. Aided by my [Sub-Cores], I flexed my will, causing the two watery whips to burst from their magical constructs and wrap around the harpy. She squawked in sudden surprise before the watery whips surrounded her like live tentacles, the control of which was effortless on my part from a solid mental image of using my own slimy pseudopods. Before she could shriek, her mouth was bound shut, and the two whips began constricting tightly on her entire form. This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. The gust ceased, and she was squirming in her tight restraints; rocky protrusions burst around her to stab at the watery bindings but, other than penetrating them, did nothing to hamper the ongoing spells. I was shocked at the effectiveness of the spells, even though I had hardly ever empowered them, and only then did I recall that part of the unicorn horn made spells more real. Completely at my mercy, I began finishing her off with a battery of water spells. I even made an impromptu water sword twice to stab at her, which was enough to finally push my [Water Magic] to the next level. <[Water Magic LV 5] spell [Rain Cloud] learned.> I was really glad that the water weapon spells weren''t contaminated with "Create," but I was a little disappointed in my brief glance at my new spell. It created a cloud... That rained. I couldn''t see a use for it on its own unless I wanted to help some plants or farmers or perhaps prevent a Dewi situation, but it likely had some good modification prospects. The harpy didn''t last much longer. She eventually gave up on trying to free herself and swapped to trying to kill me or disrupt me, but the situation was far too much in my favor now. I had already secured my [Water Magic], so I wasted no time speeding up the process by utilizing some [Icicle] spells to finish the job. <13 Trait Points are now available.> <17 Skill Points are now available.> <[Exploit Weakness] Your attacks have a chance to apply [Vulnerability] to the target, increasing all damage sources by 5% per stack. Maximum [Vulnerability] stacks are limited to this skill''s level. The base chance to apply [Vulnerability] is 10%+1% per skill level. Each debuff or affliction on the target increases the chance of success by 5%. Targeting a weakness or a triggering [Sneak Attack] doubles the application chance. Exploit any advantage to secure your victory.> "Oh, is this your surprise?" I asked Trixie, as I figured she could likely hear me reading the skill in my head. "Cause this sounds fantastic." "Nope, but that sounds like a milestone skill. Most classes give at least one skill every five levels and a big skill every ten levels. Assuming you meet their requirements, of course. Keep reading." Seeing more notifications meant that Trixie''s surprise probably meant a new class, which, admittedly, I had expected since she was being rather precise in the requirements I had to meet. Regardless, I was happy that Shadowcaster was giving me one last skill that sounded amazing. I bought it and continued reading. "I''m assuming Hydromancer isn''t your special surprise?" I asked Trixie. "Not at all." She replied, appearing again and taking her usual spot seated on my head. ''No.'' "Cryomancer?" "Better, but nope." ''No.'' "Oh. This sounds good. Elementalist?" "Bingo!" Trixie said excitedly, giving a big thumbs-up. ''Yes.'' . <[Elemental Shift] Shift your elemental alignment to gain bonuses for your chosen element to the detriment of your others. The chosen element receives the following benefits per skill level: 10% spell power, 5% reduced mana usage, 10% spellcasting speed, and 5% resistance penetration. Other elements lose the equivalent gains while opposing elements lose double. Derived elements receive halved bonuses when aligned. Unaligning or shifting to a different element triggers a 5-minute cooldown, which can be circumvented once per skill level and refreshed with a 10-minute rest.> "Trixie, what is this skill?" I asked, bewildered by how much better it was than anything I had seen before. "Welcome to the advanced classes, Syl," Trixie said with a grin. "And yeah... Some of the advanced skills are just giant walls of text." I wasted no time purchasing the skill, but then I read the description a few more times, trying to wrap my head around it. Most of it was self-explanatory, and I could assume that if I aligned to Water, I''d get a penalty to Ice and double deficit for Fire. I was only unsure what a derived element was and what this meant for my non-elemental affinities like Arcane and Corrosion. I asked Trixie in hopes of an explanation. "Your Arcane and Corrosion spells will completely ignore anything to do with this; they are not elements. As for derived elements, well... You''ll find out soon enough; I''d hate to ruin the surprise." Trixie said with a cheeky wink. "Also, I think you''re wrong about Water giving a penalty to Ice, but that''s for you to figure out." I thanked her for the clarification and was glad to know if I could still fall back on Arcane and Corrosion if I found myself in the wrong elemental alignment for a foe. Also, while some part of me screamed not to, I bought one upgrade level for [Elemental Shift], as I was concerned about only having a single cooldown-free shift. ''Yes.'' I felt a little safer having two emergency shifts per combat. Also, I still had another skill to look over, so I brought it up. <[Element Tracker] Adds elemental affinity to the [Identify] menu, providing information on what to avoid and exploit. Information might be unavailable if [Identify] level is insufficient, but it can be unlocked through practical application.> This skill was a perfect complement to my new class''s identity. With it, I could determine a monster''s element, try to directly oppose it with bonuses from [Elemental Shift], and then pile on even further with my weakness debuffs. Purchasing it was a no-brainer. <[Element Tracker] has been integrated into [Identify LV 5].> I tried it out on Trixie, but there was no change, so I tried it on the dead harpy queen and saw both wind and earth. "Well, eat up, and then let''s go home for now. I''m sure you have new toys to play with, and you still promised to show me all your transformations." Trixie said with a pleased nod, slowly taking out her makeshift earplugs. I nodded happily in agreement. Chapter 123 : Egg "Come on, show me, Syl! You can''t hide it forever," Trixie urged, her eyes gleaming with anticipation. "I really don''t want to... Look, I''ve got much more interesting monsters." I replied, my body shifting and contorting into the massive form of the earthshaker bear. "See, I fought this one with the help of a tribe of goblins." "That''s cool, but I want to see you lay an egg." Trixie pouted. Trixie had been going on and on since we left the harpy cave. I had hoped she would tire of asking when we reached the giant tree, but unfortunately, her determination was unwavering. The harpy queen''s profile was a major disappointment, mostly removing restrictions from the default harpy profile for vitality and strength. It likely came with some stat boosts, like my own queen evolution had offered. There was a singular new trait, [Egg Laying]. Regrettably, Trixie had overheard me reading the trait and made it her new goal for me to try it out. The trait mentioned that the eggs would be unfertilized and nearly demanded the user seek donations from other races to correct this. I shuddered just at the thought and wished I could forget the whole thing. "Come on, I want to see how it works. Will your egg be a slime, a harpy, or both? How would you even make an egg? Can the egg be eaten? I have so many questions." Trixie droaned on endlessly. A part of me knew my willpower would eventually fail me, and I''d give in, and once I realized that I couldn''t help but sigh deeply and wish to get it over and done with. "Fine! Once! Then, we never speak of this again. Promise?" I relented. "Promise. Yay! This is so exciting!" Trixie said, clapping her tiny hands. With deep reluctance, I shifted into the harpy queen and borrowed the trait. I activated the trait, which took some mana from me to artificially simulate the trait, and suddenly, I felt an egg inside me. Rather than eject it naturally, I simply reverted to slime and slinked away, leaving a fresh, large, harpy egg. I even threw an [Appraisal] at it. Trixie frowned slightly. "With how simple that was, I think you just made an enemy of all mothers worldwide." "I don''t want to talk about it," I grumbled. "I honestly expected it to just be slime, but that looks like a genuine egg." "It seems when I borrow a trait, it uses mana to create it, rather than whatever the creature''s natural method would be." "Oh, so you''ve tried this before?" Trixie asked as she somehow removed the top portion of the egg and revealed its yolky insides. It honestly looked like an overgrown chicken egg to me. "Yeah, I can turn into a few spiders with [Web Spinning]. I originally thought it would just use my slime to imitate it, so it was quite surprising at the time." "Show me?" Trixie requested before sticking her finger into the yolk and licking it. Unlike the harpy, I had no reservations against this and quickly turned into the highest-tier spider I had access to and created some web. Trixie poked and prodded it a bit, then shook her head before turning to ask me a question. "Can you make the non-sticky kind?" I didn''t even know spiders had other kinds of web, but I realized she was right when I looked deeper into their profiles. Once I had the knowledge, the trait was more than happy to produce the required result. Trixie poked and prodded it a few more times, then rubbed her face against it happily. "Well. I was going to suggest you open an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, but if you can create infinite spider-silk, that would be an even more awesome idea." She said with a mischievous grin before the silk vanished. "Maybe I should go pick up the Tailor class; that could be fun..." I produced some more silk for Trixie to play with since it cost me nothing, and then I moved on with my plans. I used [Identify] on myself, revealing Water, Fire, and Ice. I noted that Water was brighter than the other two, perhaps indicating it was my main element? Or maybe it was bodily related, hinting that I should attack with whatever Water''s weakness was. As Trixie had pointed out, Arcane and Corrosion were not elements and didn''t appear. ''I wonder if the guild''s crystal uses a bastardization of [Element Tracker] to determine affinities. If so, then there possibly a further upgrade to [Identify] that gives all affinities.'' I activated [Elemental Shift] and was mentally presented with my three options; I chose Ice. I felt something ripple through my mana, but otherwise, I felt the same. [Identify] now showed Ice in a much more prominent position, whereas Fire was subdued and barely legible, and Water looked pretty much the same as before. I began casting a few of my Ice spells, noting the noticeable difference between them before I changed my elemental alignment. I then moved to Water, and strangely, they seemed stronger than before. Then I swapped to Fire, and the difference was drastic. Previously, if I empowered them enough, they were on the verge of turning blue, but now they almost felt cold, like dying embers more than roaring flame. If Dewi ever saw the [Fireball] I cast, it would have brought me utter shame. I swapped to Water and repeated the experiments a little hastier; Ice still felt stronger than normal but nowhere near its aligned state, whereas Water had received a massive buff, and Fire was still greatly diminished. Before I swapped to Fire, I wanted my element unaligned. This time, I hadn''t reached the cooldown, so nothing happened, and instinctually, I knew I had the option to bypass this, which I did. Then, I cycled through all three elements and noticed that all three were stronger than before. "What the hell''s going on?" I asked but noted Trixie was either not around or not paying attention. "Maybe I''ve been relying on Trixie too much, I should figure this out myself... Let''s see..." First, I tested out Arcane and Corrosion, and both seemed slightly stronger than I recalled, but they were nowhere near my elements. This led me to try to remember my previous conversations regarding magic and elements. I could quite easily assume that an advanced class increased all my stats higher than an intermediate or beginner, and now that I wasn''t a hybrid class, my magic stats were getting the full attention. I also recalled Dewi explaining that Pyromancer massively boosted his Fire spells, but everything else received small penalties. The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. "I guess that means as an Elementalist, I receive a boost to all Elemental spells and likely slight penalties to everything else?" I pondered, "And perhaps I''m not noticing those penalties due to the bonuses from a pure caster class and also going from intermediate to advanced." Happy with my theory, I''d run it by Trixie before bedtime. I finally shifted to Fire and teased myself by trying Water and Ice first. As expected, both were severely diminished, which made me very concerned about the flexibility I''d be losing as I''d be giving up two of my elements to empower one, unlike when I aligned to Water or Ice. Finally, I cast a [Fireball], and my doubts began burning away. The fiery explosion was already majorly transitioned into the more powerful blue flame, and I couldn''t help but cheer excitedly. I quickly cast another [Fireball] but began to empower it, watching the ball become entirely engulfed in burning blue. "So my spells have only just caught up to the strength of that salamander... And to think that people honestly think traits are useless. What a joke." I chuckled to myself. I played around with my newly acquired blue flame spells for a bit. It was honestly far too much fun, and once again, I felt the temptation of the Dewi path casually trying to sway me. When I finally got it out of my system, I turned to address the big elephant in the room. [Corrosion Magic LV 4] It was arguably my most promising magic, as I had improved everything else through it. Nevertheless, I felt like I had neglected to focus on it directly, and I knew as soon as I got [Lightning Magic] that it would effortlessly steal away my attention. I had two unfinished projects, a debuff for afflictions and an acid affliction, and after giving it some thought, I decided the latter was likely easier to accomplish. "And if I create an acid affliction, I could probably take that as a template and add it to [Acid Dart], which sounds like a terrific idea." I immediately got to work, throwing all my attention and cores to the task. I had forgotten I had gained a level in [Mana Manipulation] since I last worked on it, which meant that in only an hour or so, I had already surpassed my previous work on the spell. Although, admittedly, that wasn''t exactly hard to do with how little progress I had actually given to it, and I felt a little ashamed when I first saw it after I had one of my [Sub-Cores] conjure up the saved partial project. ... "Damn, I guess I can''t expect all my ideas to be unique, especially if I''m limiting it to only one type of magic," I complained to myself; I had sort of expected to be naming the spell, and I had already planned on calling it Melt. "Well, I guess Dissolve is more fitting..." I had thoroughly lost track of time, entering an almost trance as I poked away at the spell with my full attention. It had taken less time than I had thought, and I nearly wondered if I was also gaining a boost due to my class. It still wasn''t nightfall yet, so I decided to jump straight into trying to apply [Dissolve] to [Acid Dart]. "Well, let''s get to it." ... I felt a poke against my core; I abruptly screamed in horror and flung out tendrils and acid in retaliation. I frantically looked around and saw a rather pouty-looking pixie tapping her foot expectantly. "Finally, I got your attention," Trixie said with a sulky pout. "Look, you need to get some sleep before tomorrow; you need to be in tip-top condition for your upcoming fight." I looked around in confusion and noticed it was well into the twilight hours. I felt a bit sheepish at how I had somehow completely neglected my surroundings this entire time, but when I saw the amazing progress I had made, I understood why. The spell was on the verge of completion, and I knew I could finish it off when I inevitably awoke before the lethargic pixie. "Right, thanks Trixie. Sorry about ignoring you." I said and started to follow her inside. She exaggeratedly sighed before smiling, "I''m not that upset. I just want you to do your best for tomorrow. I think you''re ready to finally conquer this island for real." I nodded, still curious about this still unknown foe. I tried questioning Trixie as I relaxed in my wooden tub, but she said she didn''t want to spoil the surprise. I also asked her about my theories regarding my Elemantalist class and was immensely pleased when she confirmed my suspicions. "I can''t believe I already reached an advanced class; everyone else made it sound like it''s the end of the road." Trixie snorted a laugh, "It''s your first advanced class, more like the start of your journey. Please don''t tell me you actually thought there was nothing after this." My silent reluctance to answer must have been evidence enough as Trixie giggled and refused to elaborate further. I finally looked over my new full profile and noticed an unknown trait I had nearly unlocked. I made a mental note to keep the human''s [Untapped Potential] active until I unlocked the new trait, whatever it was. ''I hope it''s something good.'' Name: Syl [Apex Hunter] Race: Chimeric Mimic Slime (Blue) LV 17 Class: Elementalist LV 1 Status: Healthy Mana: O????v???????e??????r???????????f????????????l???????o????????????w????????i????????n??????????g????? Emblems: [Experiment] [Apex Hunter]* [Elven Legacy] [Dungeoneer] [Nature''s Bane] [Manhunter] Traits: Slime: [Mana Slime LV MAX] [Acid Slime LV 7] [Poison Slime LV 6] [Blaze Slime LV 6] [Cryo Slime LV 4] [Morph Slime LV 7] [Pseudopod LV 6] [Slime Shot LV 6] [Slime Burst LV 6] [Vaporize Slime] Core: [Core Refinement LV 6] [Core Storage LV 6] [Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5] [Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] [Consuming Osmosis LV MAX] Mimic: [Chimeric Mimicry LV 6] [Chroma Shift LV MAX] Mana: [Mana Circula???????????????????t???????????i???o?????????????????n????????????????????? ???????????????????L????????????V???????????????????? ??????????????????7????????] [Mana Reinforcement LV 6] [Mana Infusion] [Slime Conversion LV 4] Attributes/Other: [Soul Mastery LV 7] [Enhanced Vitality LV 5] [Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 4] [Curse Resistance LV 1] [Defy Death LV 4] [Prodigy] [??? LV 0] Senses: [Olfactory Sense] [Dark Vision LV MAX] [Mana Conception LV 5] [Life Sight LV 3] [Thermal Vision LV MAX] [Eagle Vision LV 2] Trait Points remaining: 13 Skills: General: [Universal Language] [Equipment Swap] [Dissection LV 6] [Mapping LV 5] [Tracking LV 2] [Identify LV 5] [Multitasking LV 4] [Perception LV 4] [Aerial Finesse LV 3] Combat: [Tranquil Flow LV 5] [Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 6] [Affliction Mastery LV 4] Magic: [Water Magic LV 5] [Fire Magic LV 5] [Corrosion Magic LV 4] [Ice Magic LV 5] [Arcane Magic LV 2] [Mana Manipulation LV 5] [Magic Efficiency LV 3] [Counter Magic LV 2] [Elemental Shift LV 2] [Ritual Casting] [Mana Suppression] [Meditate] Sneaky: [Vanish LV 5] [Sneak Attack LV 5] [Identity Fabrication LV 6] [Acting LV 4] [Rogue Expertise LV 4] [Magical Subterfuge LV 1] [Exploit Weakness LV 1] [Subtle Afflictions] Skill Points remaining: 13 Chapter 124 : The Final Source As expected, I awoke before Trixie, who had somehow managed to entangle herself even more in her hammock. I stealthily made my way out of our expansive tree fort and resumed my practice. I was becoming increasingly adept at merging a basic projectile spell with an additional effect, a skill I was eager to master as it would enhance all my basic attack spells. ''I''m a little surprised I haven''t earned an emblem, skill, or something for all my work. Maybe I can ask the guild about that; surely there''s a glossary of common emblems and how to go about achieving them. Although Whitney did mention that people like to hoard their power.'' As predicted, I finished my spell in roughly two hours and was testing it out quite happily. After the initial acid struck and did its melting damage, it would linger around and keep going. It was reminiscent of my adhesive acid slime shot combo, and once again, I couldn''t help but feel a mix of excitement and confusion, a familiar feeling in my magical journey. ''Seriously. I discovered a custom spell, then merged it into another spell to mimic something I could do two evolutions ago... I''m starting to understand why Gramps was so upset.'' After only a few more casts of my newly renovated [Acid Dart], I finally got the level up. <[Corrosion Magic LV 5] spell [Contagion] learned.> As the spell''s information was written to my mind, I couldn''t help but chuckle. The spell would take all afflictions and debuffs from a target, halve their current duration, and spread them in a cloud released from the target. Anyone caught in the released cloud would have one chance to resist or receive all the spread afflictions and debuffs at the newly halved duration. I immediately thought of a scenario where I could cast [Contagion], then [Decay] on every target but one, then cast [Contagion] again and repeat the process; that was until I continued going through the spell and realized that it somehow marked what it spread and prevented them from being further spread. ''That''s a letdown. My own fault for jumping to conclusions before finishing reading.'' Even if I couldn''t keep spreading the same conditions repeatedly, it was still an amazing spell, and, in the right situations, it could save me a lot of time and effort. From what I understood, there was no friend or foe component to this, and it would only exclude me from the targeting. I didn''t have a target to try it out on right now, but I cast the spell and held it to scrutinize it. Like [Decay], it was a doozy to comprehend, and vast sections of the spell construct were like staring at a foreign language. The only section I felt comfortable modifying was the one I recognized as the cloud shape it would take when cast. ''Or maybe spores would be more appropriate than a cloud in this case? Either way, I think I''d want to convert this to a projectile. For both safety''s sake and for a range of options. How often can I expect enemies to be conveniently grouped up?'' Unlike [Decay], I could pump more mana into it, but judging by the increased mana going straight to the cloud portion of the spell, I figured it would only increase the emerging cloud size. Definitely not a spell to use amongst friends in its current state. Happy with the current state of my spells, I went back to trialing [Elemental Shift]. Sleeping on it overnight, I thought I should see if my [Sub-Cores] could align themselves. I ordered one of them to use the skill and, with bated breath, watched them do it. My celebration was again premature as I saw the triggered skill apply to me rather than my [Sub-Core]. ''Is it because they don''t have mana channels?'' I wondered, recalling Trixie''s explanation. ''Does that mean, in theory, I could shift the mana in my slime?'' I was extremely tempted to try it out, but I had a fight coming up and didn''t want to risk breaking my mana, traits, or profile any further. As if preordained, Trixie emerged right when I contemplated trying it out ''just a little.'' "Morning..." Trixie said, mid yawn. "I don''t know how you get up so early." "Morning. Technically, I can go for a day or two without even sleeping, based on previous experience." "There''s a trait for that... The higher you get it, the less sleep you need until you eventually stop entirely." Trixie said, her distaste clearly visible. "I don''t know why you''d want to rid yourself of one of the few pleasures of immortality." I shrugged and decided to change the subject, "So, anything you can tell me about this foe?" Trixie sighed, "I wish I could, but if I interfered, we would be severely punished." She paused, scratched her head, and then shrugged. "Correction... I''d be punished, but you''d be caught in the collateral crossfire." While I would have preferred some more information, it wasn''t like I had a choice if I was to believe Trixie, and so far, her track record was pretty spotless other than the occasional prank thrown in. Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences. "So, where to?" I asked. "The lake. You sure you ready?" "I can''t think of any skills or traits I could easily gain a level. Unless we wait around longer?" Trixie shook her head, "No, you''re right. Leaving her alone any longer might actually be to your detriment, and it sounds like you''ve grabbed all the low-hanging fruit." I wasn''t sure what to expect, so I took my "Blueblin" form as I stacked all my defensive traits again and had everyone recast [Arcane Armor]. Since Trixie said it was at the lake, I could assume it was an aquatic foe, and likely Ice or Fire would be my weapon of choice, but I left myself elementally unaligned for now. It didn''t take us long to land at the edge of the lake, and once again, I was amazed at how crystal clear the water was, but I couldn''t spot anything living inside it. I cycled through all my senses, and the best I got was a high concentration of water mana near the center. "Come, let''s go make ourselves known," Trixie said and started fluttering toward the center area of the lake. I followed cautiously, scanning the water below, still unable to spot anything living or otherwise. I expected to find something when we reached the center, but it was still just the two of us. Trixie frowned and impatiently tapped her foot against nothing while she fluttered about. "Is she ignoring us? Surely, she should have felt us arrive." Trixie complained. "...Do we just wait around?" I asked, unsure how to proceed. "No... How about we knock? A good [Fireball] straight down should do the trick." Trixie said with a wink. "Are you serious? Is that why you said she''d attack me on sight because you wanted me to provoke her?" I said, frowning. Trixie halfheartedly chuckled and shook her head. "Fine. I''ll just steal some of her essence flow; that should wake her up." Trixie closed her eyes briefly, and I almost instantly felt the large source of mana below rapidly approaching us. Bursting from the lake was a girlish figure with greyish-blue skin and what looked like fish scales along her limbs and partially running up her neck to reach her face. A webbing was between her fingers and toes, similar to a frog, although her fingernails were black and elongated. Rather than hair, she had what looked like constantly dripping water pouring down her scalp, and her eyes looked like giant sapphires. I had initially assumed she was naked but then noticed that rather than clothes, she seemed to be wearing almost a toga made entirely of running water. Rather than flying, she seemed to be standing atop a solid water platform, which defied gravity. The second I saw her, my emblem immediately reacted. Worthy! I shuddered. Was Trixie serious about putting me up against her, or was the pixie finally showing her true colors, and this was her plot to eliminate me. No. That was my paranoia talking. I had to give her the benefit of the doubt; she''d taught me a new form of magic, helped me train my magic skills, and gave me information on how to directly unlock an advanced class. The undine seemed angry initially, but she was startled when she noticed us. "Trixie, wh-what are you doing here?" "Oh, you know... Just visiting. It''s been so long, after all," Trixie replied, dripping with sarcastic venom. "I''ve been cooped up for far too long." "I-I see... Glad to hear you''re out and about and doing... Well." "No thanks to you." Trixie snapped back, and the undine visibly gulped. "I don''t know what you mean." "Really?" Trixie responded with a glare that gave me chills, even though I wasn''t the target. "You didn''t notice a fellow spirit on the island you just happened to be squatting on? The same spirit who was trapped and likely reported missing?" "Yes?" The undine responded as if she really believed that would be enough. Trixie burst into uncontrolled laughter, causing the undine to shift nervously. "Look, even if you''re upset, you aren''t allowed to act against a candidate unless you want to be banished." The undine responded after gathering some false courage. Trixie smirked. "Yes. I certainly can''t attack you directly. Or even help someone against you." Despite the open hostility in Trixie''s words, the undine seemed to grow more confident in herself. Was she an idiot? Trixie glanced at me and gave me a cheerful smile. The undine finally seemed to notice my presence. "Who''s this blue goblin?" She demanded. "This is my good friend, Syl," Trixie replied, and I gave an awkward wave in response. The undine seemed to examine me closely and then shuddered. "Y-you''ve brought another water spirit to challenge me? I know you''re upset, Trixie, but be reasonable." "I don''t know what you''re talking about..." Trixie said, giggling to herself. The undine turned to me, "Look, I don''t know what she told you, but you should give up. I''m far stronger than you, and I''ve been gathering essence here for decades. I''m one of the furthest along water spirits." I sighed, not really understanding the situation fully. "Look. I just want the island essence to return to normal to get a yellow slime to spawn." I thought my explanation was reasonable, but the undine glared at me and shook her head. "I am not leaving the island; I claimed this essence nexus. Even if I left temporarily, reclaiming it would take me forever." "Can''t I just give you mana like I''ve given Trixie? I don''t see why you need the essence specifically." The undine looked shocked at me, but Trixie just laughed. "She''s not eating, she''s leveling up. As spirits, we can channel great quantities of essence into direct experience; it takes longer than killing monsters, but it''s far safer and easier." "You can just sit on your backside all day and gain free levels!?" I exclaimed, horrified. "Well, only the lazy or the cowards do it. I only did it briefly when I was first born." Trixie answered. "Is that why she''s only an intermediate class?" I asked. "Yeah, she''s probably neglected to train her skills, so she lacks the requirements. She''s probably trying to just brute force her way through." Trixie answered. "Oh, big talk from little Miss Prodigy!" The undine said, shaking her head. "Not everyone is as barbaric and lucky as you; it''s no wonder you got yourself locked up." I couldn''t believe my ears. The human nobles'' leeching experience from adventurers was bad enough, but this was beyond that. While I could hardly call myself weak and pathetic right now, I definitely didn''t start that way; I had to struggle just to survive my first day, almost eaten by my brethren. Meanwhile, this undine just sleeps in her lake all day and just levels up for free, with no risk, no struggle, just pure privilege. I refused to back down. Especially because she was standing in the way of my yellow slime. "Last chance, Aquillia! Leave, or I''ll take you out." I warned. Aquillia snorted, "Big talk for a little one. Trixie can''t help you; you''re all alone, and this is my domain." She raised her arms outwards, and the entire surface of the lake shook. Chapter 125 : Undine I knew I''d lose in a battle of Water versus Water, so I shifted my alignment to Fire as I figured it was the directly opposed element. I hesitantly ordered a [Flammable] cast; my concern was that she could pull a Trixie and eat my debuffs. Simultaneously, I prepared two [Fireball] spells that promptly promoted to the superior blue flame. The lake quivered, erupting with multiple water geysers, a testament to her power. However, unlike the [Torrent] spell, these lacked velocity, and despite their superior numbers, I deftly maneuvered through them. The combination of [Enchanted Wings] and [Aerial Finesse] proved to be a game-changer, enabling me to dodge and weave with precision. ''Finally, I can use the pegasi tactics for my benefit!'' With my two spells ready and no sign of my debuff being countered, I launched them in opposite trajectory arcs, anticipating a collision and explosion if the undine dodged. To my surprise, she raised her hand and conjured a large water barrier instead of evading, a likely modification of the [Bubble] spell. ''I suppose I can''t assume that she only slept and passively leveled. That would be far too convenient.'' When my spells collided with the barrier, the fiery blue explosion was massive, completely obscuring our vision of each other. I hastily cast another two spells, this time from above and well outside her aura range, then fired them downward, hoping for a good [Sneak Attack]. The duo of explosions boomed through the surroundings, flame erupting again. I mentally grouped my [Sub-Cores] into two groups while keeping Alpha as my dedicated helper. I ordered one group to cycle through all my debuffs while the other group''s task was to repeatedly form and hold a [Fireball] at the ready. At the same time, I borrowed [Inferno Sac], formed three organs in myself, and began channeling mana into them while I performed an aerial charge. My mind raced. It had been a long time since I had tried so many simultaneous actions at once, even with delegating to my helpers. Whether by instinct or dumb luck, I sensed the large buildup of mana just in time to dodge to the side as a tiny beam of water jetted out and parted the smoke cloud. It was aimed at my center of mass, but thanks to my dodge, it struck against one of my arms, eviscerating it nearly entirely. ''Since when could water do something like this?'' The parted smoke revealed a very angry and upset undine, her facial features contorted into a nasty snarl. Her body was simmering, with vast amounts of steam leaking. Before I reached her, I witnessed her spell this time, the tiniest ball of water forming at the tip of her finger before firing another tiny beam of water aimed directly at my head. [Tranquil Flow] triggered, and my head retracted inside of myself, allowing the dangerous spell to pass by me. The shock on her face was priceless, and that was when I reached her. I erupted with flame and also, point-blank, fired the prepared spell. Her water platform rapidly shifted with unparalleled speed, covering her entirely with almost a second layer of skin and making me think of slime. Trying to seal the deal, I tried to cut into them as tendrils burst from my form, each armed with a different weapon or claw, and I tried to slice into her. Unfortunately, my tentacle armaments passed straight through the undine, her body taking on a watery constitution similar to my slime as she plummeted toward the lake. I knew she was still alive; there was no notification yet, and I tried to blast her with as many fire spells as I could, even swapping over to [Fire Arrow] for speed and precision. Countless blue flame arrows struck against her form, each taking out a chunk of her visible mana, but not enough to seal the deal before she fell into the lake. "Shit. So close," Trixie cursed. The lake trembled again, the level diminishing rapidly and the water losing some of its crystal clarity. Then, a large sphere of water began to emerge from the lake, with Aquillia in the center. I wasted no time blasting it with a few [Fireballs], causing massive clouds of steam to burst from it, but it replenished itself directly from the lake faster than I could boil it. "I must say I''m almost impressed. Who knew you were actually a Fire spirit in disguise? You would have easily defeated me if I wasn''t in my domain." Aquillia said in a taunting manner via telepathy. Any wounds or burns she had previously seemed entirely gone. Trixie looked like she wanted to say something but seemed forced into silence. "Your mana levels are certainly something else, but Water is supreme in a battle of attrition. Even the mightiest mountain can be carved away with the power of Water!" Aquillia continued her mocking ramble. "Poor Trixie, if only you could have found a Lightning spirit instead, maybe you''d have a chance; now you''ll just have to watch as I make your champion submit." She was building up a vast quantity of mana, and I recognized the spell as [Rain Cloud]. I lobbed a few more [Fireball] spells at her sphere, but it seemed the Dewi method wasn''t enough. Her spell went off, and the sky darkened as the floating island became blanketed in dark rain clouds. After a pregnant pause, the heavens broke, and rain began to pour down. It was certainly impressive, truly showing her pinnacle of [Water Magic], but I couldn''t puzzle together why she did it. I knew she could likely use it as another Water source to save on mana, pulling it directly rather than apparating it, but she had an entire lake at her disposal. When I tossed my next [Fireball] at it and saw its result looked slightly weakened, I was giving a possible answer. I flicked through to [Mana Conception] and saw the entire area was now rich in Water mana. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. "Well. I guess I shouldn''t use Fire anymore..." I chuckled. "Quite. I thought it would be prudent to snuff your flame of hope. I offer you a chance of surrender if you renounce your support of Trixie." Aquillia said with the utmost confidence. I chuckled and triggered [Decay] on her. She had every debuff I had available except for [Permeable]. Just like the salamander, I was shocked that I could, in fact, apply her own elemental debuff to her, but it vanished almost instantly. It seemed similar to Trixie; Aquillia could also eat mana but was limited to Water. She visibly staggered as the spell went off, a look of abject hatred and horror for a mere moment before she seemed to promptly regain herself. "Well. Shit. That didn''t work." I muttered. Trixie gave me a questioning look, and Aquillia just laughed. "Good try. I assume that was your final trump card?" Aquillia said as if expecting me to give up now. "I wouldn''t say final..." I responded and triggered [Elemental Shift] to Ice and sneakily recasting [Frigid]. My other debuffs seemed redundant, and I would fully embrace Ice now, even activating [Cryo Slime]. Aquillia''s laughter stopped, and she stared at me in absolute shock. Trixie was now smiling but still remaining uncharacteristically silent. "What the hell are you?" She demanded. "First Water, then Fire, now Ice?" Instead of responding with words, I responded with magic. Abruptly forming five of my newly minted [Icicle] spells and firing them at her. They struck against her giant sphere in detached locations, and the water began freezing. There was a brief flash of unease across her face before, with a wave of her hand, her sphere violently ejected the foreign magic. She glared with a new burning hatred in her eyes. "You dare contaminate my water with your filth? I retract my offer. You''ll die here and now." She snarled. There was an intense, sudden fluctuation of mana when three of those tiny beams of water burst from the sphere, targeting different portions of my body. I managed to dodge two, but the final beam bisected my lower torso almost entirely and sent it plummeting below. I hastily withdrew slime, regenerated the lost portion, and cast [Ice Armor], hoping for another layer of defense. I kept trading blows with her by firing [Icicle] spells, but she would eject it as soon as it began freezing over. Returning to [Tranquil Flow], I hoped to aid my dodging of her deadly water lasers, but the speed and quantity she was outputting quickly became too much even for me. I kept losing limbs, watching them plummet below, and an extremely unlucky beam struck Gamma, tore through its [Arcane Armor], and shattered it in a near instant. <[Sub-Core Gamma] has been destroyed. Rest to recover.> I had a brief flash of anger but managed to narrowly suppress it. Instead of trying to dodge with my body, I put extra emphasis on my cores dodging out of the way, as my slime was far more expendable than a core. I spread out my six tendrils from my back like spider limbs. I ordered a consistent barrage of [Slime Shot], in addition to my [Icicle] spells, hoping to overwhelm her ability to eject the frozen projectiles. My plan was working! Suddenly, Aquillia stopped firing her deadly beams and focused on defending herself. As if to dissuade me from celebrating early, her sphere began violently churning like a whirlpool. Suddenly, my attempts to freeze her sphere seemed greatly diminished, and any ice chunks became ground up into a slurry. "Ha! Nice try, but as long as I do this, I''m safe from your freezing." She taunted with her regained momentum. I glanced at Trixie, who seemed to be gazing downward instead of looking at us. I curiously followed her gaze and saw large chunks of ice in the lake below me. It took no time for me to puzzle out the answer; anytime my slime body was obliterated, it fell below and was still made up of [Cryo Slime]. I immediately knew what I needed to do. I ordered all my cores to extract, pulling from my vast stockpile of slime, starting with my segmented reserve of [Cryo Slime]. My body began to swell rapidly, losing shape and form, and even forming multiple copies of wings was not enough to keep me airborne. "What? What are you doing!?" Aquillia shouted. What she witnessed greatly disturbed her, and it seeped through the telepathic conversation. Trying my best not to plummet into the lake, I began sectioning off segments of slime, dropping the payload below. With varying built-up pressure, I also triggered [Slime Burst] to scatter my slime both near and far. Aquillia began to laugh nervously, "Trixie, I think your champion is self-destructing. It''s truly a pathetic last resort." Trixie said nothing, still staring below, and instead gave a rather sadistic smirk; Aquillia instantly became unsettled and then also followed the pixie''s gaze. Aquillia screeched, almost on par with a harpy. "Stop! Stop defiling my lake! You vile monstrosity!" I expected her to start attacking me, but instead, she began trying to churn the entire lake she did her sphere. However, I could see she was losing the battle this time as my slime seemed to swirl amongst the water without easily losing its cold temperature. The cost was great, but I was determined to win this battle. With her distracted, I stopped vomiting copious amounts of slime and instead cast [Glacial Aura] from all my cores and charged at her. I swelled more in size and thrust all my tendrils into her sphere. She finally noticed me and screamed. The water lasers were rapidly fired, and she even attempted another new spell I had never seen before; she sliced as if wielding a blade with a continuous beam that cut through me like butter, but as long as it didn''t hit a core, it would just be distributing more of my frosty slime. Through the combined effort of my [Glacial Aura] and [Cryo Slime], with the occasional [Frost Grasp], her sphere finally began icing over. She was shrieking in hysterical rage as the frost crept toward her like an unstoppable assassin. She started begging and pleading, but I ignored her. I presumably couldn''t stop the assault now, even if I wanted to. When the ice reached her, I saw in real time as her mana began to deplete at a rapid pace. [Life Sight] showed nothing, but I expected as much for a spirit as a being of mana. When her mana reached a dangerously low level, the pure water mana began to be corrupted with ice, as if it no longer held the strength to prevent the taint from spreading. With a last dying gasp, she froze entirely and abruptly burst into a sparkle of impossibly bright mana. <14 Skill Points are now available.> Chapter 126 : Levels Galore "I did it," I said with relief. Although I glared briefly at the sparkly rainbow cloud, that was all that remained undine, which denied me a new meal full of traits. If all spirits behaved like this, then I was putting them on the shitlist just like those damn ghosts. I made a mental note to lodge a complaint with Gramps; too many things were immune to being eaten. I had half expected the undine to suddenly pull out another trick and instantly thaw my ice or perhaps reveal another spell I had never seen before. That water beam spell was something else; the weirdest part was that I could tell it was based on the [Torrent] spell. All my cores and I had seen her cast it enough times, and I was sure if we joined forces, we could puzzle out replicating it. But first... I had far too many notifications waiting to be read. I shifted to a more comfortable form and plopped down on the frozen lake. It had been far too long since [Apex Hunter] was triggered; it made me wish there was a feasible way to replicate its effects for training sessions. There was a chance Trixie was somewhat triggering it, but if so, the effects were greatly diminished, as if it knew there weren''t any real stakes at risk. These were all traits and skills that had been long outstanding in gaining a level up. At first, I wondered why [Vanish] was included, but then I recalled it was now applied to spells via [Magical Subterfuge]. This was a major milestone, which meant I went from a trait budget of thirty-six to a whopping forty-nine, and all my mimicked traits could now go up to level seven! With how much I stay permanently transformed and mimic traits as if they were my own, I expected it sooner, but it seemed like as soon as any of my skills or traits hit level five, they slowed to a crawl. Definitely, something to question. I was a little disappointed that this only gained a single level, but I had hardly used it since gaining it, and if I was desperate to level it up, I could just eat some more cores. Hopefully, Johnathan was doing merchant things to get me some more. Another useful bunch of skills that managed to make some gains. Stacking [Prodigy] with [Apex Hunter] for boosted experience was so satisfying. In hindsight, I should have tried to do some more sneaky spells to power-level this skill. Also, it was upsetting that Aquillia either couldn''t or wouldn''t cast her spells outside of her safety zone; I would have loved to have worked on [Counter Magic]. Although I was leaning towards wouldn''t; if she was a being of mana, risking herself like that would have allowed me to potentially drain her dry if I seized her magic. I was shocked that [Exploit Weakness] gained two levels. I would have thought it would only gain experience when it applied [Vulnerability] and would have been hard to level up. I could only theorize that whenever I triggered an application, whether it was already applied or not, then it was gaining experience. Perhaps my barrage of [Fire Arrows] caused multiple triggers and boosted the skill greatly; she did have a ton of debuffs at the time, so the chance of success was likely near guaranteed. I was pleasantly surprised to see this gained a level. I was upset that I didn''t flip between elemental alignments to grind away at the skill, lost in the heat of battle. However, since it did gain a level, this potentially meant that just being in an elemental alignment was enough to gain some experience. Or perhaps casting spells that get boosted by the alignment? Regardless, I was happy. <14 Trait Points are now available.> Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. <15 Trait Points are now available.> <16 Trait Points are now available.> <17 Trait Points are now available.> I gasped. Gaining four race levels was huge. I only needed another nine levels, and I could evolve again and gain another sneak peek at what other slimes were out there. Perhaps, more importantly, I could get Gramps to wake up and fix whatever was happening with this half-spirit mana thing. I was also once again extremely grateful for [Identity Fabrication], as otherwise, I would be showing an absolutely ridiculous elf level when disguised. <15 Skill Points are now available.> <16 Skill Points are now available.> Only two class levels. My reaction was harshly the opposite of my race levels; I was astounded that it was so low. Were advanced classes this hard to level up? Is this why Tabitha had said she would have warned me against choosing Assassin as my first class? ''Actually... I should probably dip into Assassin and then go back to Elementalist; I could probably get a skill or two that way. I assume there would be no downside now that I''ve already invested in an advanced class.'' Finally, I looked at my new skill. <[Elemental Adaptation] While elementally aligned, you can imbue your [Mana Reinforcement] directly with the element, gaining defensive properties and other enhanced effects based on the chosen element. This skill has no levels, and its effects scale off a combination of [Elemental Shift] and [Mana Reinforcement].> Okay, this sounded fantastic, but I would have loved some details on the so-called ''other enhanced effects.'' The defensive properties were likely not as valuable for me, assuming they would give me fire resistance while aligned with fire. Regardless, it was only a single skill point, and I loved experimenting, so I grabbed it. There were still a few notifications still waiting for me. <[S???????p?????i????????????r???????i?????????t?????????? Candidate] Error. Redacted.> <[S???????p?????i????????????r???????i?????????t?????????? Candidate] has been forcibly equipped, replacing [Apex Hunter].> "Okay, this is getting ridiculous," I muttered. "Are you done leveling up?" Trixie asked, fluttering nearby and looking absolutely delighted. "Also, congrats! I knew you could do it." "Thanks. I certainly gained a lot. I probably could have ended it quicker if I had tried to freeze her first; I thought the fire would be the go-to counter since [Elemental Shift] puts it as the opposing element to water." "True. Freezing her was what I originally had in mind. Unfortunately, I was not allowed to tell you that directly." Trixie shrugged. "Not that it seems to have mattered; you got there in the end and even robbed her of her domain. Truly excellent! I actually had no idea you could freeze an entire lake! I joked about you turning this island into a glacier, but you basically did it anyway! Where the heck did you even keep all that slime? Dimensional storage?" I could only stare at the nonstop verbal barrage from the excited pixie. Examining my storage was a grim sight; I had blown through over half of my reserves. In the long run, it was worth it as I had secured a victory and made considerable gains, but without [Slime Conversion], my anxiety was growing. "That can wait. More importantly, what''s a spirit candidate?" I said. "Don''t worry about-" Trixie tried to brush it off, but I pressed. "I gained the emblem." "What? Impossible." Trixie looked me over and shook her head. "A rather poor prank, Syl." I couldn''t help but frown. I wondered if I could project the emblem to her like a trait or skill. With hardly any effort, I soon had the broken emblem projected before me. It seemed possible to share nearly anything in your profile if you wanted. Trixie stared at the broken emblem and frowned deeply. "Well. That''s not good. What did you do to it?" Trixie asked with a hint of accusation. "Actually, no. Why do you even have that? You''re not a spirit." "That''s what I want to know." I fired back. Trixie gave a reluctant sigh. "Okay... I''ll explain... Some of it." "I''m all ears." "A [Spirit Candidate] is someone with the potential to become a Grand Spirit and oversee a major magical aspect. Think of it almost like nobility, except actually important. In Aquila''s case, she was one of the candidates trying to preside over Water." "She would literally rule over Water?" I questioned. "Eh... Kinda? She would be tied to it and responsible for rainfall and water-related disasters, ensuring a balance of Water Mana throughout the world... Lots of admin. And work... Lots of boring work." It was on the tip of my tongue. I had to ask. "Are you a Grand Spirit?" "Bah! You''d never catch me doing such boring work. I don''t need some fancy title to boost my ego." Trixie guffawed. "Maybe if they made a Grand Spirit of Pranks, I''d consider it." "Right... So what should I do about this?" "Honestly? Nothing. You''re not wearing the emblem, so you''re automatically disqualified. You''re supposed to proudly wear it so other candidates can attempt to remove the competition. The most qualified candidate would be promoted if the current Grand Spirit of Water kicks the bucket or retires." "And she would have gotten that by just sitting around here?" "Yeah... It''s certainly not the best qualification. I doubt she was really in the runnings, but being a high level is usually seen as worthy enough." "Yeah... I can''t say that appeals to me," I admitted. "I''m not going to get in trouble for killing a candidate, right?" Trixie giggled, "I''m glad we agree. And no, candidates are expected to be able to survive against monsters. If I had taken her out directly, there might have been some trouble." "So... I can get my yellow slime now?" I asked, trying to look on the bright side and avoid the things outside my control. Trixie paused and breathed in deeply, her eyes shut tight. "The essence flow is returning to normal for the island, so regular spawn rules should be resuming very soon." "How long does it take for monsters to spawn?" "Depends on the area, but since floating islands are self-regulating, there''s likely a daily batch of spawns. There''s currently a lot of built-up essence; Aquillia going pop has flooded the place." Trixie began explaining, tapping her finger against her lip. "If you''re lucky, I''d say as soon as tomorrow; otherwise, maybe a week at most? Assuming you do some daily monster culling." "Great! I can''t wait!" I said with newfound optimism. "Just try to avoid breaking something else." Trixie giggled. Leaving the frozen lake behind, we started heading towards our tree fort. I shifted to a water alignment and started toying around with replicating that impressive water beam spell. I couldn''t help but giggle at the thought of Dewi complaining about compression again when I eventually showed him this spell. I was feeling absolutely giddy. Finally, the yellow slime core was potentially in my grasp again, and I was armed to the teeth to get it. Chapter 127 : Cascading Events Things had been going well for ''Gramps.'' While there were minor hiccups and occasional disappointment from one of the experiments, it was a resounding success in the grand scheme of things. After all, you must break a few eggs to make an omelet. Finally, some proper recognition was shown of the countless traits he poured his blood, sweat, and tears into. He had been in such a positive mood that he even took some time to design a new monster species or two; it had been ages since he last felt so inspired. He turned his attention to one of his favorite subjects lately, the slime. It had been some time since he last checked in on Syl, as it was now called, and while he enjoyed watching live, being able to binge through the logs and skip or fast-forward through boring parts had its own merits. The last time he was watching, Syl had just killed a mutated nature boar spawned by the system''s overflow catcher. At the time, Gramps couldn''t help but chuckle at the irony of it, as Syl had inadvertently caused the buildup through a cascading series of events and now had directly disposed of it. He thoroughly enjoyed what he saw and strongly approved the idea of seeking out a floating island; the only thing better for growth would be heading toward another dungeon. He enjoyed watching Syl take out the griffins and elementals and was currently fighting a large group of pegasi. When it happened, Gramps couldn''t help but do a spit-take of his coffee as he witnessed the slime cause a system error. "What the hell have you done now..." He muttered, his voice carrying the weight of his disappointment and concern. Checking the logs, the [Sub-Core] trait seemed to behave above its intended parameters. When he originally designed it, he found the idea full of fun potential with its almost barebone AI functionality and the ability to set nearly pseudo procedures and subroutines programmed to them. Syl demonstrated minor proficiency in using them almost completely unaided. Gramps had hoped the process would have been faster, but rather than exploring them further, Syl kept getting distracted by silly things like magic. The problem was Syl''s core was the only mana source, and the subs drew from it directly. Syl had made the mental argument that [Mana Slime] was a source of mana; technically, this was true, and the [Sub-Cores] agreed and took Syl''s demand as an order and, rather than pulling mana from the core, pulled the raw liquid mana flowing throughout the slime. It was a gross violation of the system, but rather than anger, Gramps couldn''t help but chuckle at the absurdity of it. Syl was the only slime with the trait at the moment, as none of the wild slimes had randomized it yet, and some of the [Dungeon Masters] were strangely hesitant to try out a beta trait on their directed monsters. "It''s amazing how one dungeon master dies while testing out a new alpha feature, and suddenly, everyone is scared to be a tester. No courage. Bah!" Gramps barked with bitter dismay. "I''ll have to fix the trait now and then fix Syl''s during the next evolution." He continued to watch and shared Syl''s grief over losing the valuable yellow slime core. That would have been an amazing acquisition, as the yellow slime was shockingly old for one of its kind; obtaining [Voltaic Slime LV 7] in the wild was rare. He continued to watch the events unfold. He wasn''t too fond of Syl getting involved with a spirit but couldn''t help but laugh as the spirit swore to an oath far larger than it could have imagined. He had no doubt if the spirit truly wanted; it could have wiggled itself around it, but it seemed genuinely grateful for being rescued and enjoyed Syl''s company. This was fortunate, as even if the spirit wasn''t shrewd enough to nefariously wiggle out of an oath, it would gradually be freed from it if Syl ever shared the secrets with others. A secret between two individuals is robust, but a secret amongst a large group might as well have no meaning. He skipped over large portions of the magic segments, although he saved it as a potential bargaining chip with her. While Gramps was known for his love of traits, she was known as the Mother of Magic. He was already on rather friendly terms with her, and if he showed her that his subject was showing great fondness for her domain, he might have a favor or two lined up in his back pocket. While Gramps wasn''t that fond of pranks, he found himself in a light chuckle at the downfall of the alicorn. The rest was mostly business as usual; again, a large magic portion was skipped and set aside for potential bargaining. Then, Syl was confronting a [Spirit Candidate]. "This should be very interesting..." Gramps said, on the edge of his seat. When Syl struck the final blow, a victory sealed not through Syl''s admittedly powerful magic but due to the combination of multiple slime traits together, Gramps suddenly found himself off his chair and cheering. "Ha! Who cares about magic? Just stack all your traits together and dominate the competition! That''s what it''s all about!" He celebrated. Then, the errors started appearing. "Shit! What now?" He exclaimed, his jubilant mood now soured. He read over the logs and frowned deeply. This was not good. The system somehow thought Syl was a spirit, and the one error assumed minor at the time was now spiraling into something larger. His immediate thought was to delete the issue, Syl. That would be the normal, appropriate response. But Gramps found himself chewing on his thumb with concern, trying to puzzle out another solution. There were multiple other experiments, and Syl was only one of them. But Syl had numerous traits that he had lovingly designed and even picked the evolution he had custom-made. To say Syl was an ideal experiment for his purposes wouldn''t be an understatement. Not to mention, Gramps had quite a few bets placed on the damned slime ball. If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. He hid the error logs and started to leave. He needed at least two others to approve of an emergency solution because, at the rate this slime was causing system errors, it wouldn''t survive until its next evolution without intervention. "I can probably get her on my side. I probably just need to mention Elementalist and tell her Syl created those new debuff spells... No doubt she knows of them but likely hasn''t investigated who made them yet." "Who else could I easily get on my side... Even though Syl spared the troll, I doubt he would help me." He scratched his head vigorously as he tried to think of potential allies. He mentally went through some of the other less promising experiments; offering some help was likely his best chance. Gramps was well known for his trait-creation wizardry, often pushing the system''s limits, and nearly any of the others would be grateful for one of his more inspired works. With a flash of enlightenment, he had his idea. "The crab!" He exclaimed, slamming a fist into his palm. "Yes. He was desperate; I could offer a custom trait, maybe even a custom evolution tailored for it." With a wave, multiple floating screens appeared before him, and he pulled out some of his summarized logs. They were quite a mess, and Gramps couldn''t help but snort at the disorganized mess. The crab was rather cowardly and far too focused on defense; it seemed far too interested in collecting shells, and it evolved into a hermit crab as a result. Why it didn''t pick a mutation or stronger species evolution was beyond Gramps'' understanding, but he could work with this! "A trait based on shells collected, or perhaps a trait that lets one build a custom shell... Yes! I can work with this!" Gramps said triumphantly, his creative juices flowing, and he stormed in that direction. It was time to collect his potential allies. *** To my surprise, Trixie was even more helpful and cheery than normal. She looked like the cat that got the cream. I didn''t even ask; she gave generous information and tidbits freely and openly while I tried to recreate the water beam spell. Apparently, it was a rather common, if advanced, spell that most water affinity mages would be taught when apprenticing, as it could be rather easily upgraded as one progressed. The basic concept was to focus the power of [Torrent] down to a much smaller area, creating a dangerously destructive effect. This would train a mage''s control as they manipulated a rather basic spell. Then, once mastered, a mage would be expected to add additional [Torrent] constructs to the existing spell, as if layering it. The increased power would cause the spell to be much harder to focus, and this repeatable process was, in theory, a constant form of growth until you reached a point where the exponentially increasing difficulty became far too much for even an Archmage. Aquillia had layered the spell three times, whereas Trixie could only do it twice. While Trixie had [Water Magic], she preferred to focus on her other talents. The initial step was promptly completed, and with a little bit of pixie guidance, I added the second layering without much trouble and immediately got to work on focusing down the spell back to its pinpoint. The powerful pressurized water beam was immensely satisfying, even if I could immediately tell it lacked the oomph the undine''s version had shown. Trixie explained that the other forms of magic usually have similar practices, but unless I obtained Nature affinity, I''d need to improvise it myself or seek another teacher willing to share their knowledge, as that was all she could show. The Mage''s Guild would likely be my best bet, but I was a little unhappy that Dewi''s teachings were being rapidly replaced. Then again, Dewi had seemingly made his discoveries with little outside help, perhaps just some of the Adventurer''s Guild knowledge they were willing to share with him. After applying the concept, I knew I could eventually do the rest myself, so Trixie and I chatted about my previous escapades instead of continuing since it was already late. Trixie said that while my effort to train nonstop was admirable, I should set aside some time to "smell the roses." Before sleep, I made sure to withdraw enough slime to restore Gamma. My tub was nearly overflowing, but I didn''t want to be caught unaware. We planned to fly around the island tomorrow, searching for the new spawns and clearing them out until, eventually, my yellow slime would spawn. I''d also gratefully eat any new and interesting monsters, as I''d never say no to some new profiles or to refilling my slime reserve. My mind felt like it was going in overdrive as I thought of all the possibilities, and like I had predicted, I found myself struggling to eventually fall asleep. I took a brief glance at my profile, noticing that my Emblem had been removed. I''d need to remember to equip a new one in the morning. Name: Syl Race: Chimeric Mimic Slime (Blue) LV 21 Class: Elementalist LV 3 Status: Healthy Mana: O????v???????e??????r???????????f????????????l???????o????????????w????????i????????n??????????g????? Emblems: [Experiment] [Apex Hunter] [Elven Legacy] [Dungeoneer] [Nature''s Bane] [Manhunter] [S???????p?????i????????????r???????i?????????t?????????? Candidate] Traits: Slime: [Mana Slime LV MAX] [Acid Slime LV 7] [Poison Slime LV 6] [Blaze Slime LV 6] [Cryo Slime LV 5] [Morph Slime LV 7] [Pseudopod LV 6] [Slime Shot LV 7] [Slime Burst LV 6] [Vaporize Slime] Core: [Core Refinement LV 7] [Core Storage LV 6] [Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5] [Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] [Consuming Osmosis LV MAX] Mimic: [Chimeric Mimicry LV 7] [Chroma Shift LV MAX] Mana: [Mana Circula???????????????????t???????????i???o?????????????????n????????????????????? ???????????????????L????????????V???????????????????? ??????????????????7????????] [Mana Reinforcement LV 6] [Mana Infusion] [Slime Conversion LV 4] Attributes/Other: [Soul Mastery LV 7] [Enhanced Vitality LV 5] [Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 5] [Curse Resistance LV 1] [Defy Death LV 4] [Prodigy] [??? LV 0] Senses: [Olfactory Sense] [Dark Vision LV MAX] [Mana Conception LV 6] [Life Sight LV 3] [Thermal Vision LV MAX] [Eagle Vision LV 2] Trait Points remaining: 17 Skills: General: [Universal Language] [Equipment Swap] [Dissection LV 6] [Mapping LV 5] [Tracking LV 2] [Identify LV 5] [Multitasking LV 5] [Perception LV 4] [Aerial Finesse LV 4] Combat: [Tranquil Flow LV 5] [Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 7] [Affliction Mastery LV 5] [Exploit Weakness LV 3] Magic: [Water Magic LV 5] [Fire Magic LV 5] [Corrosion Magic LV 5] [Ice Magic LV 5] [Arcane Magic LV 2] [Mana Manipulation LV 5] [Magic Efficiency LV 4] [Counter Magic LV 2] [Elemental Shift LV 3] [Elemental Adaptation] [Ritual Casting] [Mana Suppression] [Meditate] Sneaky: [Vanish LV 6] [Sneak Attack LV 6] [Identity Fabrication LV 6] [Acting LV 4] [Rogue Expertise LV 4] [Magical Subterfuge LV 2] [Subtle Afflictions] Skill Points remaining: 15 Chapter 128 : Hot-Spring In a truly astonishing turn of events, Trixie had awoken before me. It was a surprise I couldn''t quite fathom. Before leaving my bathtub bed, I confirmed that Gamma was successfully restored and appropriately filled myself out with a bit of reserve slime. Outside, I found Trixie, a sight to behold, trimming branches from the giant tree with an almost assembly line of Branch Sprites. The way she orchestrated the process was nothing short of ingenious. The sprites would bring her a stick, she would cast a spell, and a new sprite would be formed. Then, equipped with what I could only describe as a tiny leaf glider, they would wander to the edge of our tree island and jump off. "Morning, sleepy head," Trixie greeted me with a mischievous grin, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Morning... Dare I ask what is with all the sprites?" I asked. "I figured this would make our task easier, rather than flying around aimlessly for days on end," Trixie explained. "The sprites will send me a mental note when they encounter a monster, or if they are killed, I''ll know where, and then we burst onto the scene." "I mean... Not to complain about [Ice Magic] because, honestly, it''s pretty cool." I started. Trixie rolled her eyes at the terrible pun I had stolen, but I caught a hint of a giggle. "But that seems vastly more useful than the majority of spells I''ve unlocked. Aren''t Ice and Nature supposed to be on the same tier?" "They are, and I guess it depends on what you''d define as useful. One of the primary concepts in [Nature Magic] is ''giving life,'' while it undoubtedly has some combat uses, I find it better suited to more utility roles like this." Trixie explained while she continued to work. "The ''freeze'' concept of [Ice Magic] is downright deadly; it''s likely one of the scariest in all elemental magic. I can''t think of a single nature construct I could craft to stand up against it, so while you get little to no utility, you''ve got a stacked deck in the killing department." "Thanks. Sorry for whinging." I said sheepishly. "Hey, no worries. If you get your hands on Earth, you may also get yourself Nature. Then you''ll see my point more clearly when you''re wondering why you get a spell that creates brambles while others can shoot bolts of lightning or freeze something to death." We chatted for a bit longer, and eventually, Trixie stopped creating more Branch Sprites. She sat atop my head to top herself up with mana, as it was much preferable to her eating some of the essence on the island, and she was only skimming the top off my passive regeneration. True to her words, she started getting information about the island from her minions and communicated with me that the largest buildup was near the lake. We rushed over to the still-frozen wasteland. "Shit. I should have expected this." Trixie sighed as we saw what had spawned by the lake¡ªice elementals. Seeing the various forms of the elemental was interesting, even though I knew at the heart they were technically the same being with the same traits. I could probably harvest the elemental core from the solid variants, but I could almost imagine the slurry or snow poofing into nothing when they died. I shifted my elemental alignment to fire and was ready to start killing; then, I recalled my newest spell [Contagion]. While the situation wasn''t ideal since I didn''t need anything other than [Flammable] at the end of the day, I was still curious about my new spell and its effectiveness. The elementals were meandering about, having not noticed our presence. I picked one of the most central ones as my target and began my barrage of debuffs. I was about to cast [Contagion] but was suddenly inspired. "I can cast my afflictions at range now!" I realized. [Combust] and [Frostbite] were still both limited to their close-range magical powder form of distribution, as I had only applied [Dissolve] to [Acid Arrow]. While I still wanted to free them from such an unideal limitation, it didn''t matter right now. I wanted to cast [Combust] on my target, then [Contagion], spreading everything. I held an empowered [Contagion] at the ready, boosting the spore radius to its current maximum, and then, with perfect timing, cast my spells. [Combust] applied to the elemental and started to take burning damage, but before it could react, [Contagion] went off. A transparent blackish cloud of mana burst from the elemental, spreading out in a wave around it. I saw all its ailment durations get halved, and that was when I saw them all get applied to the nearby elementals. "Damn, Syl, you''re like a walking bio-hazard," Trixie commented. "And you complained about my little twigs, honestly..." I winced at the harsh comment. "I guess it''s easy to get blinded by what we don''t have..." This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Trixie nodded in agreement. The weaker elementals were already dying, and I decided to clean up using a point-blank [Fireball] spell. It was another theory I wanted to test; I cast the [Fireball] in the center of the pack, and it rapidly swelled in size and swirling blue flame. Then I destabilized the spell as if I were in a [Counter Magic] battle, and it detonated in place. It was very effective, and the remaining elementals were dispatched in one fiery swoop. "Good idea, in theory, but destabilizing your spell like that cost you a lot of mana," Trixie said, wagging her finger. "Damn it... I forgot about that. I can''t gauge or measure spells right now." I groaned. The stupid broken mana thing was seriously inconvenient; I might have drained myself without knowing. "Yeah, you''d be better off removing the projectile portion of [Fireball] if you wanted it to detonate without colliding into something or perhaps aiming it downward," Trixie suggested. Trixie''s words tickled my memory; then I recalled the long-forgotten third-level fire spell¡ª[Nova]. I groaned at my stupidity in hindsight. "I already have an explosion spell... [Nova]..." I reluctantly informed Trixie. She cackled with laughter at my expense. "If that isn''t the damnedest proof, a Pyromancer originally trained you. Of course, you think [Fireball] solves everything." I groaned while mentally cursing Dewi and flew down to examine the icy remains. Surprisingly, I managed to recover two ice elemental crystals. I ate one just in case, but it fell under my original [Elemental] profile, as I had predicted. I stored the other one away for selling. "I''d suggest you toss some fire spells around and melt the ice as much as possible; otherwise, this area will keep spawning more ice elementals," Trixie suggested. "Whatever you did here is so rich in ice mana it''s actually ridiculous." I took her advice to heart and started to spam some fire spells around. I also got to try out casting [Nova] at range, and it worked perfectly without me needing to destabilize it. It was frankly a lot of fun just casually tossing spells around, like fulfilling any child''s power fantasy. With my inner pyromaniac thoroughly fulfilled and most of the lake no longer solid, I decided to speed up the process by triggering [Blaze Slime] to the maximum and plunging into the icy lake. Once submerged, I started withdrawing more slime to expand myself and then elongated exploratory [Pseudopods] to increase my surface area further. "What are you doing?" Trixie eventually asked, giving me a telepathic poke. "Doing my best jellyfish impression," I replied cheekily. Trixie snorted, "Good one." "I try. But in all seriousness, I''m trying to raise the temperature enough to deal with any remaining [Cryo Slime], hopefully..." "Huh... Neat." Trixie responded, and I watched her dip a toe in the water above me. Eventually, she gained the courage and fully submerged herself; a deep and refreshing sigh echoed in my head. "You''re like a portable hot-spring generator; just add water." She chuckled. "Who knew you slimes were so useful." While I was stuck here, I tried out [Elemental Adaptation]. I had asked Trixie if she knew anything about it, but she admitted that she''d never heard of it. Her friend who had this class either didn''t mention it or hadn''t qualified for it. The most immediate difference was entirely visual, my normal [Mana Reinforcement] now glowing with Fire-attuned mana rather than raw. Weirdly, I felt... Stronger? It almost felt like I was borrowing [Enhanced Strength]. I shifted to Water and felt the strength fade, and when I reapplied the reinforcement with the new element, it was replaced with... Something. "Hey Trixie, if Fire is Strength, then what would Water be?" I asked. "Uhh... Flexibility? Fluidity?" She answered, a little unsure. I accepted that answer; it made sense since my Water Affinity gave me an improved version of [Evasion]. I shifted to Ice, and another strange sensation filled me when I reinforced again. I tried to puzzle out what this gave me but couldn''t think of anything, and Trixie''s answer was ''Cold.'' Eventually, we exited the water. Trixie had warned me that if I stayed too long, we might end up with the opposite problem and find Steam or Hot-spring Elementals in the morning. Chunks of frost still floated near the edges, but Trixie said it would likely even out eventually. We returned to our tree for a rather pleasant evening. I was hopeful for better results the next day. *** "Hey, how''s your crab doing?" Gramps asked, approaching his target. "H-hey... He''s doing okay... He still refuses to leave, though; I don''t know what to do." "Well, I was just thinking that we have a unique opportunity to explore shell-based evolutions and traits!" Gramps began, making sure to lay it on thick with attempted pizzazz. "I was even thinking of designing a trait myself; I think your crab would love it. It might even give him some newfound confidence." "R-really!?" He replied, startled. "You''d do that for me? I mean... Him?" Gramps chuckled. "Of course, my friend, we wouldn''t want to lose such valuable test data. Would we?" "N-no. Of course not." He replied almost immediately. "I''m glad we see eye to eye on the importance of keeping the experiments going," Gramps said, giving him a good pat on the shoulders. "There''s another subject that''s fallen into very unfortunate circumstances." Gramps swapped his tactics, taking a more regretful approach. "Oh no... Is there not something you can do?" Gramps tried not to smirk; he felt he had landed his hook. "Not alone. But... Perhaps with some help?" "I-I''ll help. It''s good to stick together. Though... Depending on the severity, we might need someone else." Gramps gave himself a mental high-five. "Don''t worry, my friend, you can leave that to me. Now, let''s see what we can do about your crab. I was thinking of possibly a trait that lets him build a custom shell; the scalability would give him some confidence, and if we make some of the materials required for later upgrades only acquirable outside the ocean..." "He''d be forced to leave! That''s brilliant!" He cheered. Then, as quickly as the joy came, it vanished. "But how... Would we give it to him? He''s already lost his trait helper, and his next evolution is far away." "I can just give him a [??? LV 0] trait the next time he picks up a shell, then let it unlock after he''s collected a few more. Since he''s not my subject, it wouldn''t be against the rules." "Huh... Why didn''t I think of that?" He paused. "Won''t the others complain?" Gramps chuckled. "Who do you think I stole the idea from? I''m certainly not the first to throw some zest into this event." They continued to walk off and throw some ideas around, although, in the end, it would be wholly Gramps''s design that was implemented. But that was no excuse not to let him feel like he helped contribute, even if the truth showed otherwise. ''Well, that''s the easy part done. Now I just need to convince her...'' Chapter 129 : Yellow Hunt The next day, Trixie''s minions found two more sources for us to investigate. I was hopeful for our plan, but when the first monsters we encountered were a bunch of fresh harpies, I couldn''t hide my disappointment. Dispatching them was a simple experience; I just had to align myself to Fire and detonate a sneaky [Nova] amongst their group, thanks to [Magical Subterfuge]. I couldn''t help but compare myself to the adventurer I had seen at the start of my journey who obliterated that green slime. Only Trixie''s repeated reassurance that spawned monsters weren''t "living" kept me levelheaded. If I got a wish from Gramps, that would definitely be high on my list of changes. Assuming I survived long enough to become a Queen Slime, I''d feel a little reluctant that my own children were nothing but mindless slimes to be slaughtered wholesale. The other monster we investigated was a freshly spawned griffin. It was currently hunting some of the regular animals that would also be spawned on the floating island, not brave or strong enough yet to risk descending to the surface. I had asked Trixie if I should be culling the normal animals too, but she had said it would be rather pointless as they took up almost no essence at all, and I risked leaving any monsters after we were gone with potentially no food to hunt. Rather than exploding it out of the sky, I wanted to try a more preserving approach using [Ice Magic]. I shifted my alignment to ice and began debuffing the griffin before casting multiple [Icy Grasp] spells at range. Seeing a griffin flying around suddenly frozen solid and starting to plummet out of the sky was unbelievable. The alarm bells from [Dissection] blared, and I flew with the utmost haste to its landing spot. Then, I swelled into a giant slime cushion to catch my prey. "That''s worth a gold star," Trixie replied happily. The pixie seemed to take great pride in my magical accomplishments after she trained me to use it better. Before returning to our home, Trixie started replacing some of her Branch Sprites that hadn''t survived and spreading them out more around the island in hopes of finding my yellow slime. Despite wanting to be more proactive, I was now forced to wait, so I just passed the time by modifying my already existing spells; in particular, I wanted to upgrade [Frigid] my ice debuff to include freezing. I had thought about creating an entirely new debuff to handle that aspect. Still, it felt much more natural to incorporate freeze into an existing spell, and [Decay], my big debuff and affliction nuke, promised that damage was based not only on the number of ailments but also their relative strength. I was in a routine loop of waking up early, doing some magic practice until Trixie woke up, and then running around the island using her like a monster sensor. After a lot of searching, we finally found the day spawn¡ªAir Elementals. My mood soured, and I wasted no time detonating multiple [Nova] spells midair before promptly leaving. Overall, it was another day of dismay. I kept psyching myself up with bubbling anticipation, only to be disappointed. Trying to find some silver lining, I at least successfully modified [Frigid] near the end of the day. The next day, we awoke to the familiar sound of cracking thunder. My hopes were immediately reignited at their peak. Both Trixie and I raced towards the source. "Looks like luck is finally on our side," Trixie said. "I''m also sensing quite a bunch of Lightning mana." "I''m honestly so excited. I can''t wait to see what [Lightning Magic] has, not to mention my new trait!" "And you''ll be one step closer to getting Air, too." Trixie pointed out, although she still withheld exactly how I was supposed to make that happen. We arrived on the scene, and my mood plummeted harder than that frozen griffin. I cursed. Trixie sighed in disappointment and was about to try to say something before I unleashed on the elemental. The lightning elemental hadn''t spotted us yet and seemed preoccupied with darting in and out of a cloud formation. With practiced precision, all my debuffs were fully unloaded before finally [Decay] was cast. With an almost pop, one moment, the elemental was darting around and sparking into the cloud; the next, it burst like a static discharge followed by a small thunderclap. <18 Trait Points are now available.> I barely glanced at my level up, and there was no point in searching for something to eat from the elemental, so I headed home. "Come on, Syl. Cheer up." Trixie pleaded. "It''ll happen eventually. I don''t want to give you false hope, but the chances are higher now that there''s been some lightning mana discharged into the environment." "... Sorry. I''m still bitter about how close I was originally. Part of me expected it to just naturally line up after we dealt with the alicorn and undine." "Look. I''m also disappointed, but don''t let that dampen your mood. Just think of it as extra time to get all your ducks in a row before you get utterly lost in playing with lightning." I knew she was right, and I was just being impatient, but it was still a bitter pill to swallow. I decided to continue plucking some low-hanging fruit still on my to-do list, like adding [Combust] to some of my fire spells. In an effort to cheer me up in the evening, Trixie changed the subject to the other disguise I had briefly mentioned to her. Sylvester. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Trixie loved the name; I had originally thought she was simply trying to sweeten me up, but the way she kept going on and on about the delicious irony, I discovered that she was being genuine. Originally, my plan was for an old wise man, but Trixie said it would make me look rather incompetent if I was so old and only a sub-level twenty sorcerer. Going along with her advisement, I lowered the age to around the late thirties, and my magnificent wizard beard was reduced to a goatee. Trixie looked at me with envy when I shifted around some slime into some of the various robes I had eaten and settled on a dark navy blue coloring. "You can just make clothes... I swear you''re cheating at life here." Trixie stated. Confused, I frowned, "But I''ve seen you make clothes too?" The pixie coughed and looked away sheepishly. "Right... But yours seem nicer." I wanted to challenge that, but I recognized the tone in her voice would just lead to me arguing with a brick wall. "You know... If you shifted to an element, you could probably pretend to be a Cryomancer or Hydromancer." Trixie suggested. "Would there be any benefit to doing that though?" "Other than the name sounding more impressive?" Trixie smirked. "In all seriousness, hiding your other elemental affinities would be the main benefit. Not that just anyone can pick those up, but it can''t hurt to be extra cautious, right?" I nodded in agreement; the extra security alone was a big plus. And while it was my obvious paranoia talking, I liked that there would be a clear differentiator between Syl and Sylvester''s affinities. Two people, both sharing the exact same affinities, two of which are rare elements, sounded far too incriminating. We continued adjusting the disguise far later into the night than I expected. Trixie was having far too much fun, and when she finally gave a double thumbs up, I made sure to lock down the disguise as a permanently re-creatable form. I hated putting my race level so low, but it would raise far too many red flags. And, while I could have put Cryomancer all the way up to thirty, I decided on a sort of midway point, which left Sylvester some room to grow. Trixie''s distraction the previous evening was clearly what the doctor ordered, as I woke up feeling much better and calmer the next day. I mindlessly poked away at adding [Combust] to [Fire Arrow]. I thought about adding it to [Fireball] but knew I could use [Contagion] to spread the effect if needed. Then we were off, once again following the Trixie sensor. Unfortunately, her minions couldn''t actually speak to her, merely sending her a signal when they spotted something. I would have much preferred to have known beforehand if this would be a monster cleanup or if we were actually getting our prize. I was absentmindedly thinking about my next goals, I still had yet to experiment with Arcane that much, and it held both a potential affliction and debuff. I had no clue what the affliction would do, perhaps some form of pure damage regardless of element? I hoped the debuff would be a general magic defense debuff, similar to [Erode] and physical defense. "Syl!" Trixie shouted loudly through my mind, abruptly returning me to reality. "What?" I asked, a little dumbfounded. "Isn''t that what you were after?" She asked, pointing towards the ground. It was tiny compared to the one I had seen previously, but it was yellow slime! I couldn''t help but shout triumphantly and thank Trixie profusely. "I mean... You''re welcome, but how about you thank me after you get it?" Trixie pointed out. "Do you want me to hide you so you can get close?" "No. I don''t think that will work; the last time I tried to sneak up on one, it shocked me as soon as I got close enough. I''m almost positive it didn''t know I was there, so it must have just been triggered by proximity." "And judging by your last attempt, you can''t solve this with a [Fireball]?" "No..." I admitted bitterly. "I''m going to freeze it, then eat it." Trixie nodded. "Sounds good to me. Good luck!" I was about to cast [Frigid] but held back at the last second. I was so afraid of doing too much damage and breaking the core. Instead, I cast a single [Frost Grasp] spell, alone, unempowered, and as basic as possible, and gently poked the yellow slime with the phantasmal hand. Within mere moments, the slime was completely frozen over and... dead? <16 Skill Points are now available.> With all my speed available, I rushed down and swallowed up the frozen slime, my emotions racing with anticipation. ''Yes!'' I screamed. While I immediately wanted to look at the new trait, I rushed to confirm my other goal. I tried to purchase [Lightning Magic]. <[Lightning Magic LV 1] spell [Spark] learned.> "Yes! Yes! Yes!" I shouted triumphantly. The spell installed into my core was somewhat underwhelming compared to my struggles to get here, but I couldn''t care less. I finally had it! At its base, the spell would create a spark of lightning to strike a very nearby target, but I knew I could simply cast the spell at range, thanks to my training. Having the very first lightning spell be essentially melee only, I somewhat understood why Lisa became a warrior hybrid. Finally, the moment of truth, I looked over my new trait. Even though it was only level two, I was still immensely satisfied. <[Voltaic Slime LV 2] This slime can store and generate lightning sparks; the maximum generation, storage, and output are all scaled with trait level. The maximum storage is a guideline and not a true limit; however, exceeding the limit will cause violent, uncontrollable discharges within its proximity. To facilitate gathering and storing electrical energy, the slime can toggle into being an active lightning rod, causing nearby bolts to redirect towards it. This trait adds lightning resistance, which scales with the trait level until immunity is reached at the maximum level. Furthermore, the slime core is insulated from its own lightning or electrical shocks, preventing the slime from killing itself. Compatible with other slime traits.> My mind was overwhelmed with excitement, and I felt the urge to give a long overdue happy tendril wiggle. However, one big question was on my mind: What the hell was electrical energy? Chapter 130 : Sparks "Judging by your reaction, I''m guessing that was a success?" Trixie asked, fluttering over. I shifted to my familiar elven form and rolled my fingers while casting my new spell, causing sparks to surge between my fingers. "You tell me," I said with a cheesy grin. Trixie took no time taking her usual seat atop my head and breathed deeply. "Wow, you have practically pure lightning affinity just like that." I nodded and discharged the spell towards the ground. There was no booming thunder, more like a light crackling noise as it erratically surged vaguely in the general direction I had aimed it. "This might be a good opportunity to tell you that one in three lightning mages end up killing themselves directly or indirectly," Trixie said unexpectedly, her voice carrying a note of concern. "I hope you''ve got some lightning resistance or a way to prevent shocking yourself." "That''s concerning..." I replied, unsure if she was joking or not. "Hey, fire mages are one in five. It''s not that bad!" Trixie giggled, her laughter echoing in the air. "Well. Luckily, I don''t need to worry about fire at this point. As for lightning... I''ve got some resistance now, and apparently, I can store it. Although, I''m not entirely sure how that works." "Only one way to find out!" Trixie said, leaving her spot and flying to a safe watching distance. I shifted back to a regular slime form, wanting to witness what happened with full transparency. After ensuring that [Voltaic Slime] was active, I cast [Spark] at myself. The spell honed in on me with the utmost precision, and once it hit my slime, it started to arc around within. I now had a vague sense of my capacity and was beyond the limit. Trixie stared in fascination, her eyes twinkling as they followed the sparks inside me. Due to the trait, the profile, or witnessing the yellow slime at work, I knew I would need to perform a similar undulating action to generate more. Although copying that while disguised would be terrible, I wondered if I could use cycling between slime decompression and compression within myself to generate the same effect. I created small pockets in myself to perform the action, and after a bit of trial and error, I managed to start generating tiny sparks within the pockets. By increasing the cycling frequency, I could induce them faster. "Okay, that''s very pretty," Trixie admitted. At that stage, I reached my capacity rather quickly, and the arcs were no longer contained within my slimy center and instead started to surge across my outer membrane. It would make a great offense or defense from anyone in melee with me, although admittedly, that was already the case with plenty of my other slime traits. I let it build up some more, and then, instead of just surging across, it violently discharged towards anything nearby. Happy with the results, I tried to control the surging energy into a bolt and wanted to direct it toward a distant tree. The power surged to a singular point inside me, then bursting with unparalleled speed, erupted from my slimy form toward my intended direction. The bolt struck the tree, followed by a rather unimpressive thunderclap. The bark was blown off at the point of contact, and the energy seemed to travel through it, leaving scarred pathways. I found myself both equally impressed and unimpressed. The effectiveness of the overloaded lightning bolt was inspiring, but the diminutive size of my bolt and its effective destruction paled in comparison to what I saw that yellow slime pull off. I knew it was an unfair comparison, like comparing a [Fire Arrow] to a [Fireball] spell; it likely had far more levels in the trait than me, but I still couldn''t help but feel a small wound in my personal pride. Trixie, on the other hand, was clapping excitedly. "That was very impressive. I don''t know what you did, as that clearly wasn''t a spell, but it was very flashy." "It''s my new trait. I can store, generate, and discharge lightning." I explained, a familiar oath chain briefly appearing on Trixie. "Well, I''m certainly glad I''m not a lightning mage. You''d literally just grow stronger anytime I cast a spell." "That''s the hope at least. However, if I don''t increase the trait and, by extension, my capacity, I think I could still be in trouble. I only get lightning immunity at max level." "You could also shift your alignment to lightning. I''m like ninety-nine percent positive, which would increase your resistance." "True! I haven''t tried that yet." I said excitedly and activated [Elemental Shift]. It went off without any issue, and I immediately cast a new [Spark] spell to notice the improvements. Likewise, I discovered that Water and Ice were now crippled, while Fire seemed neutral. Lastly, I tried out [Elemental Adaptation] and found myself with quicker speed and reaction. I shifted to a humanoid form and started running with some rather impressive speed. You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story. "Let me guess. You''re fast as lightning now?" Trixie chuckled. "Seems like it. Maybe a little stronger as well? It''s hard to tell; I wish I had an instruction manual." Speaking of which, I still needed to look over the yellow slime profile. It had [Pseudopod] and [Slime Density] as common traits, and I found it a little strange to see a slime that didn''t naturally gain [Slime Shot] or [Slime Burst]. It also had a rare trait I had never seen before, [EM Field]. <[EM Field] This trait allows the user to sense electrical fields, conductive materials, and bioelectricity within a 5m per trait rank radius. Higher trait levels also increase visual clarity when observing within the field. Note_1: This trait name and description desperately need a rework; it is not fantasy-sounding enough. Note_2: Electrovision? A little uninspired. I''ll come back to this later.> ''Note... One and two?'' I stared at the description dumbfounded. I didn''t know whether to laugh or be concerned that Gramps had presumably left notes about this trait. Did he not care at the time because he thought nobody would read a monster trait? Maybe if I remind him, he''ll reward me? Regardless, the trait sounded good, and I wondered if this was the reason the yellow slime spotted me when I tried to ambush it. My slime was highly conductive, so I must have been seen like a giant signal flare when I entered its radius. After obtaining it, I toggled the trait on, and the entire world around me within the small radius took on a strange greyscale coloring. It was very odd, and I wasn''t entirely sure how to decipher this new information. The radius seemed to start away from my form, so I formed a tendril to examine it and was met with a bright yellow representation of it. I assumed this meant it was highly conductive, and I toggled off the lightning rod aspect of my [Voltaic Slime] and watched the yellow coloring dim to a much more subdued shade. I turned off the trait, finding the vision a little distracting, and delegated it to Epsilon to use it and train its levels. I would explore it in more detail later because I had more exciting plans. I was eager to test out my new spell against a monster, so we headed to what we assumed was another spawn point to find a pair of pegasi resting atop one of the smaller floating island segments. I didn''t have a lightning debuff yet, so I would likely be fighting with [Spark] alone. I was about to begin casting the spell multiple times, originating around the winged horses, but a thought occurred to me¡ªcouldn''t I just cast [Spark] inside them and have it ravage them from inside like I had suffered? I knew I had to have a clear visual perception to cast a spell at a distance, but with all my various senses, I felt I had enough to see inside the horses. I tried casting my spell, but it immediately failed. I tried again with a much clearer image, using a combination of [Thermal Vision] and [Mana Conception]¡ªit also failed immediately. "What are you doing?" Trixie asked curiously. "I tried seeing if I could cast a spell inside one of the horses," I answered. "What. Obviously, you can''t do that." Trixie looked at me with utter disbelief. "I have multiple different forms of vision; I thought it would be enough if I could see clearly inside it. Even a tiny spell inside the stomach or somewhere with a large enough open space." I explained. "Well. I''m glad you understand that you need a clear image to cast; that would''ve been the first hurdle. However, casting inside someone else''s mana aura greatly pushes against what the world deems permissible." Trixie explained. "The world and the system just do not allow it; imagine how easily you could kill someone by just forming a fireball inside of them. Likely, it was once possible until the Gods put a stop to it." "Yeah... I guess. I''ll ask Gramps next time I speak to him. I just thought it would be a neat idea." Trixie shrugged. I instead decided to cast three [Spark] spells per pegasi. The spell constructs rapidly formed around them before discharging the basic lightning spell. Unlike earlier, when I cast the spell, it seemed far more precise this time, and I directly targeted the closest pegasi each. They each let out pained wails before dropping. "You sure you don''t have [Assassinate]?" Trixie asked, pointing at the two charred horses. I shook my head and started heading to claim the spoils. I was met with shrieking rage from [Dissection] when I noticed the damage done. Yeah... There was no way the precious feathers were surviving that experience. Whoops. Satisfied with the results, we started to head back to our home again. My number one priority now would be to create a debuff, which would hopefully be enough to level up my magic and see what else it had in store for me. When we arrived, Trixie turned to me, looking a little sad. "So. Is that it? Are you planning on heading to the humans now?" I shook my head. "No... I''m not exactly in a rush, and I''d like to get another yellow slime or two, if possible." A brief look of relief flashed over Trixie before she gave a cheeky grin, "Well, aren''t you a glutton. Eating one slime isn''t good enough for you?" "I did qualify for a gluttonous evolution at one point," I couldn''t help but chuckle. "But getting another yellow slime will let me easily level up the trait. It''s horribly low level due to a first-time penalty and the slime not having the trait very high." "Sure. Sounds fun. In the meantime, could I get some more silk?" Trixie asked, putting her hands forward and making a gimme motion. I gave in and produced some more spider silk, then immediately started on the lightning debuff. Trixie thanked me and was about to leave before she gave me a warning, wagging her finger sternly. "No lightning bolts towards our tree home. I don''t want lightning-scarred wood." "Sure. It''s not like I make a habit of destroying trees..." I replied with a shrug. I briefly recalled some of my earlier experiments back when I lived in the forest and chuckled nervously. ''Well, I don''t go destroying and eating trees now.'' I mentally corrected myself. "I heard that!" Trixie''s voice rang in my head. "Damn, telepathy!" Chapter 131 : Routine Island Life By now, crafting debuffs had become a well-practiced routine. I executed the familiar motions, swiftly replacing them with Lightning Mana. With [Mana Conception LV 6] and [Mana Manipulation LV 5], I felt akin to a surgeon wielding a scalpel instead of a blunt knife. The longing for the next level of [Mana Manipulation] was palpable, and the prospect of tinkering with Arcane Mana without corruption was tantalizing. In a remarkably short time, my latest spell was born, and I reveled in the gratification of a well-executed job. I also theorized that aligning to Lightning with [Elemental Shift] facilitated the ease of working with it. The new debuff was called [Conductive], which made me realize that none of my new debuff spells had ever informed me that I had discovered a new spell or unlocked an existing one. ''Onto my never-ending list of questions for Gramps, it goes. Seriously, I could write a book at this stage.'' <[Lightning Magic LV 2] spell [Lightning Rod] learned.> And it went without saying that manipulating and creating a custom spell was amazing for experience, or maybe that was just me abusing [Prodigy] and [Elven Legacy]. And just like [Ice Magic], it seemed like I wouldn''t get offensive spells right out of the gate; I honestly expected level two to give me something like [Lightning Bolt] or some form of ranged spell, but instead, I got a concept. ''I shouldn''t complain too much; it is a really good one, after all.'' As its name implied, the [Lightning Rod] spell caused nearby Lightning, both natural and magical, to try redirecting into the target. Seeing a spell recreate my newest trait was a little funny. What was very interesting was that this was clearly a debuff spell, but if I didn''t have and understand them already from [Corrosion Magic], I might not have realized it. ''It would have been strange if only one form of magic monopolized all debuffs. I wonder what other spell forms I may miss by merely not understanding them enough.'' Before heading off to bed, the last thing I checked was casting [Lightning Rod] and then observing it with [EM Field]. I targeted a stone and watched it unnaturally light up to a glowing yellow. I cast [Spark] nearby and watched the crackling lightning energy go straight for the rock. ''I''ll want to combine this with [Conductive]; I can''t even think of a scenario where if I''m making something weak to Lightning where I wouldn''t want it to also attract it. But only after I make a ranged spell, I can''t have my only attack spell be limited to melee or moving the origin point.'' *** Unfortunately, I didn''t finish creating a projectile spell before Trixie woke up. If I had to describe it, Lightning Mana didn''t like being contained and struggled like an unruly child. But, with my current capabilities, I could certainly force it; I just needed more time. The spawns for the day were more harpies and, weirdly, a singular water elemental in the lake. This island really liked spawning harpies; Evan would hate it. Lightning spells were devastating against the harpies, and the poor water elemental basically went pop with a single spell. I shuddered, thinking that I had almost the same fate. "I can''t imagine you''re getting much experience from this island anymore." Trixie pointed out. "No... Definitely not; risk plays a big factor in experience gains, and this almost feels like bullying. I''ve basically conquered this island. If not for really wanting another yellow slime, I''d leave." "Well, enjoy it while it lasts. Once you move to a high essence zone, you''ll look fondly back to these relaxing times." "I wonder if that''s why high-level adventurers retire and become Guild Masters in these areas. I''m assuming they haven''t leveled in a long time." "That or pickup a non-combat job. No need to constantly seek out bigger and tougher monsters to fight. I''m definitely swapping to [Weaver] or [Tailor] when I visit home." "Are you sure I can''t convince you to come with me?" "I''d say the same to you. I still think you should abandon the adventurer shtick and come with me." "...Maybe after I deal with the dwarves. I don''t know how easily I''d ever get access to another silver slime." "Well then, when you''re done hunting slimes here, we''ll part ways and meet up again there. I hope you can handle your booze." Trixie said cheekily. "Ha! I''m immune to it." "Boo! That''s no fun." *** Our routine continued like this for another few days. In that time, I successfully created a ranged spell and chuckled that I had predicted its obvious name¡ª[Lightning Bolt]. It was honestly a lot of fun because, combined with [Lightning Rod], I could toss the spell and watch it curve toward the target with unnatural precision. No more would I worry about pesky pegasi dodging my spells and taunting me from a distance! This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. Despite killing quite a few monsters, I had gained no level-ups. I likely only gained the last level in Elementalist as leftovers from my massively boosted gains from the undine. That''s not to say my skills and traits didn''t progress. I kept experimenting with [EM Field], not to mention leaving Epsilon to use it, so it leveled up relatively fast. [Eagle Vision] I used to scout out our spawned targets, which was getting thorough usage. Trixie agreed to do some [Counter Magic] training. Although if I ever brought my [Sub-Cores] to help, she would storm off and refuse to play anymore, claiming I was cheating. I also kept practicing storing and generating Lightning with [Voltaic Slime] before finally discharging it into the sky when it finally reached its limit. I also hoped that by doing this and spamming my spells, I would influence the area with more Lightning. Trixie had originally laughed at my optimistic view, claiming I''d need to do much more than that to affect the elemental influence of an area. As if fate decided to mock her, a yellow slime spawned the next day after I had generated and cast a bunch of Lightning around the island. "It''s a pure coincidence!" Trixie fumed. Chuckling at her outrage, I approached the slime. I didn''t even need to freeze this one; I grabbed it with tendrils, and any discharges it tried against me merely filled my own capacity. While some part of me wanted to stay around farming forever, I had other goals and objectives. I still wanted to use my other persona before I went to deal with my gold-promotion dungeon. Trixie and I agreed that the next yellow slime would be the last one. *** In hindsight, I could have easily made an affliction spell, but I was deadset on combining [Conductive] and [Lightning Rod]. I had thought it would be a simple process like adding the freeze concept to [Frigid], but instead, it was more like layering two individual spells together. My upgraded [Frigid] was a single debuff with two effects, but this was becoming a single spell with two debuffs instead. In the grand scheme of things, I wasn''t sure why the system was making such a strange differentiation, but apparently, it mattered. I didn''t care for such magical nuances as long as I got my desired spell effect. I even tried to ask Trixie about it, and she described it as "Magical snobbery." During our routine island cullings, I noticed there was one area we always avoided¡ªthe rainbow forest. I asked Trixie if we shouldn''t explore it, and she sighed as if she had expected me to eventually ask. "There''s no slimes in there... I''ve been having us avoid it because I didn''t want you fighting or killing them." "Oh. Friends of yours?" I asked curiously. "Kind of... That forest has a dryad and some gnomes." Trixie began explaining, and I listened in quiet anticipation. "The gnomes would likely take offense and attack, and the dryad would join in to defend them. I don''t really care for the gnomes; they are basically the goblins of the spirit world, but I don''t want a dryad to die." "I mean. You''ve helped me so much already; it''s honestly the least I can do." Trixie chuckled at that. "I kinda feel the opposite; you helped me out of a pickle with that cage. If you really wanted to, I''d feel obligated to allow you." "Well, then, just call it a favor between friends. I haven''t gone evolution crazy yet," I said with an exaggerated wink. "And the world lets out a collective sigh of relief," Trixie giggled. "I don''t think we could handle an evolution-crazed slime that can mimic and eat anything." *** One afternoon, while tinkering, I had an errant thought regarding [Elemental Shift]. Previously, I had tried to cast it via my [Sub-Cores] and failed, as they lacked any individual mana, which made me wonder if I could theoretically activate it on my slime. If I could have even one more active element at a time, that would greatly benefit me. The biggest example I could think of would be having active Water and Lightning, as while they weakened each other when I changed alignment, they worked well together in practice. Soaking a foe with Water magic before blasting them with Lightning was a deadly one-two combo, but I had a limited number of shifts during a fight. When exploring what caused my slime to be used as a mana source, I narrowed it down to my [Sub-Cores] when they were trying to pull more than my natural mana output would allow. So, while I couldn''t access my slime mana, they could. Following that train of thought, I ordered Alpha to activate [Elemental Shift] on my slime. I anxiously watched my slime with [Mana Conception], hoping and waiting for it to change element. Alpha was certainly trying to do something, so I ordered Beta to join in. Perhaps we simply needed more mental power. I was currently Lightning-aligned, and slowly but surely, I watched as the slime around my two cores gradually shifted to Water. I ordered the others to join in, and then, in a flash, my slime was now of a different elemental alignment. Transferring vision rapidly to Alpha, I checked on my own core and mentally cheered when I saw it was still clearly Lightning. "Oh no..." "Shit, shit, shit! What have I done." I screamed and shifted wings before flying as fast as possible to the tree. I found Trixie casually trying to weave with the spider silk. "Syl?" She asked, looking confused as to why I had burst in. "I''ve done something. Gramps is sending me messages." "Wait. Directly?!" Trixie exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Yes. I''m going unconscious in less than 10 minutes. Can you protect me?" "Uh... Sure. Do you know how long?" "I have no idea. To be honest, I''m terrified. I think I just royally screwed up. Shit." I was panicking. "Of course, Syl. Just go sit in your tub before you pass out and scatter across the floor. I promise I''ll look after you." Trixie said, trying to reassure me. I nodded frantically and rushed out; I had no idea how much time I had left. I hurriedly threw myself into the tub, and Trixie gave me her best smile and a thumbs-up. "Don''t worry, Syl. You''re safe with me." She said a gentle smile on her face. "And I''ll be here when you wake up. No matter how long it takes." I was about to thank her when the world abruptly went black. It was time to face the music. Chapter 132 : Tribunal Things were once again under control from Gramps'' perspective. He had secured a solid conspirator by completing a few new traits, which, in all likelihood, he would have created anyway, as once he got a new idea, he seldom would let it sit and rot. At the same time, he devised a solution that not only solved the cascading errors caused by the slime but also allowed him to explore his domain further. Furthermore, Syl had acquired a yellow slime and was already well underway with customizing the new magic, which would be excellent bargaining potential. Yes, things were lining up perfectly like a chain of perfectly stacked dominos. Armed with a plethora of documentation and footage, he approached her. "My my. It is an odd occasion where you''re initiating a conversation." The motherly voice said, brimming with curiosity. "Well. Since this is your domain, I thought I''d bring this to your attention. One of my subjects has made remarkable progress that I thought would delight you." Gramps responded diplomatically. "Really? You allowed one of your subjects access to magic? I thought you scoffed at the idea and were going to purely limit them to nothing but traits." She asked, her suspicion immediately evident. "I nearly did," Gramps admitted. "But this one has shown remarkable creativity, so I let it slide. It''s achieved four elements, two of which are advanced, Arcane, and Corrosion magic." She seemed genuinely surprised by this statement. "How? Show me." Gramps held back from showing his glee at baiting the hook and started showing some of the documentation he''d gathered, revised, and thoroughly purged of errors. "A slime did all this. Surely you jest?" She immediately objected, but Gramps remained silent to allow her to continue to read. "Yes... I see... Core integration, I forgot we even gave them that ability. I knew about the same species reinforcing one another but had no idea they could cross-integrate like that." Gramps remained silent, allowing her to solve the puzzle pieces he''d carefully arranged. "And slimes have extreme mana purity. Fascinating..." She mumbled as she read. "Started with Water... Gained Fire... Shadowcaster? Not what I would have picked... Oh yes, obviously for Corrosion. I see..." Suddenly, she jerked upward and slammed her hand on the document. "[Permeable]!? [Flammable]!? Why does this slime have access to those? Aren''t they restricted to boss monsters or magic items?" Gramps raised both of his hands up, trying to calm her down. "It figured them out by brute force editing the [Erode] spell." When her face showed no sign of believing him, he presented the relevant footage. Finally, she relaxed, although she winced every time the magical backlash triggered. "As for how or why? Well, that''s more your domain than mine. I don''t investigate magical matters." Gramps added. As if to satisfy her own curiosity at this point, she started pulling out some of her own logs, rapidly scanning them far beyond the capabilities of mortals. "It appears they created the effects by simply hijacking portions of the magic system." She said with a frown. "Lazy... Although I wish they''d simply told me this instead of hiding it, I would have officially registered it." "It''s also already replicated the effects of [Frigid] and [Conductive]." Gramps pointed out. "Spoilers..." She grumbled as she returned to reading the documentation Gramps had provided. Then she came across the custom spells. "I''ve been wondering who was responsible for creating [Combust] and [Frostbite]... To think you were the one blocking the information." She grumbled, chewing her thumbnail. Finally, she had read and seen enough. She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and massaged her temples. "Alright... You have my interest and attention. What is it you want?" "Well, this lovable little slimeball has caused some minor system errors. I''ve gained lots of valuable data from it and don''t want to lose such a promising subject. I thought you''d sympathize after seeing its dedication to magic." She sighed deeply; he was going straight for her weak point. "I''m assuming you''ve already got another accomplice." "Of course. I wouldn''t waste your time otherwise." She gave a dry chuckle. "Of course. And I''m assuming you''ve already thought of a solution to solve and prevent future errors?" "Naturally." She paused to think. Tapping her finger against her chin. "I want full unrestricted access to observe anything magic-related." Gramps hated giving others access to his personal assets, but it was a reasonable request. "That can be arranged." Without warning, two red screens appeared before Gramps. Errors, countless errors. Everything was going so well, so why could the little slime not just sit still? He immediately started to suppress the errors, but they were escalating. "What have you done now, Syl!?" Gramps demanded as he frantically scanned the logs. "The slime has become a half-spirit? Very, very interesting... You were holding out on me." The motherly voice murmured, now tinged with curiosity and desire. She had rapidly accessed the error logs Gramps had tried to keep hidden by cross-referencing against the slime. "Give me a good reason why I shouldn''t flag this slime for immediate deletion. This is far beyond the acceptable amount of errors for a single individual." She demanded. "Yes, but my solution will solve present and future errors. I just need your approval, and we can pull it into an emergency state." Gramps first defended his actions; now he just needed to try to sweeten the pot again. "As for reasons why. I admit I held back some accomplishments. Syl has also procured the Elementalist class, and if you look over here, you can see the upgraded version of the [Frigid] debuff integrating both Ice and Freeze." Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. She paused and diligently looked over the extra documentation and noted that the slime had already broken through the magical safety restrictions via unexpected tutelage from a spirit. "Very well... However, the negotiations have changed. There''s new cards upon the table." Gramps tsked, almost glaring at her. "What do you want?" "I want to make the slime an offer as another solution. The slime picks between mine and yours. You aren''t allowed to tell it what your solution will do." "That hardly seems fair. At least let me say something to make my case." "Very well. But you''ll need to run it by me beforehand. Clocks ticking. How long until the slime is deleted? Tick-tock." She mocked with a predatory smile. Gramps grumbled, "Fine." *** Once again, I found myself floating in the empty void. I had an overwhelming sense of dread. Perhaps I was actually a cat in my past life because it seems my curiosity is about to get me killed. I found myself seated on a familiar chair once again, and I took my elven form for conversing. "Syl. I wish we were meeting under better circumstances. You''ve certainly been... Busy." Gramps''s voice echoed, imbued with crushing disappointment. "I''m sorry, Gramps! I had no idea!" I pleaded. "Gramps? You let the slime nickname you; that''s oddly cute." A new womanly voice replied. While Gramps'' voice invoked a sense of a grandfather who believed in you and you didn''t want to disappoint, this other voice gave the image of a mother who knows best. "It seemed harmless at the time. And I find it oddly amusing." Gramps responded. "I want one too. You''ll give me one, won''t you, Syl?" She asked. "S-sure! Since we''ve got Gramps already, what about Grandm-" I halted midsentence. An overwhelming sense of existential dread filled the entire void. "I mean... Sorry, how about Mom? Mother? Mommy? I''m assuming you wouldn''t want to be called Aunt-" "Mother is fine. Thank you, Syl." Mother interrupted. Gramps was giving a hearty chortle. "H-hey... I want a nickname..." A third voice mumbled. It sounded far younger than Gramps and lacked the confidence of the other two. "You''re supposed to be merely observing." Mother retorted. "I-if you get one. I want one." "How''s Uncle? Or Unc?" I suggested. "I like Unc! It''s more casual sounding." Unc replied, sounding joyously happy. Gramps cleared his throat loudly, causing silence to return to the void. "Anyway, back to business. You''ve caused numerous system errors, Syl. Now, I''m partially to blame since I created the [Sub-Core] trait, but you kept pulling on the loose thread." "Sorry... I just wanted to cast more spells at once, and it broke... I was fulfilling a promise on the second one, and I had no idea I''d get [Spirit Candidate]... The third was entirely my fault, though..." I admitted, hoping my honesty would perhaps lighten the punishment. "Sp-spirit?!" Unc questioned. Gramps cleared his throat again and proceeded as if ignoring Unc. "Yes. So, we will present you two options to resolve the issue. You have to pick one of them; the only other option is deletion." "Deletion?" I asked. "Death." Mother clarified. I shuddered. "So. My option is to evolve you now; it will be a forced evolution and entirely of my creation. No options or choices on your end." Gramps said. "S-since you haven''t reached level thirty yet, there will be an experience p-penalty on you," Unc added. "Until you pay off those levels, you will be s-stuck at level one." "That''s their option." Mother began, sliding in with perfect timing. "However, my proposal is for you to become a spirit." I heard a spitting noise, followed by loud coughing. "What?" Gramps uttered between coughs. "Yes. Syl, you''re already almost there, and I think you''d be a wonderful spirit. You''re already friends with one, defeated another candidate in battle, and have very pure mana. You''d fit right in." Mother continued. "What would Syl even qualify for? There''s not a slime spirit." Gramps asked, now recovered. "No, no. No slime. You''ve already got Ice, Water, and Lightning - you''d make a wonderful Storm Spirit. Or perhaps something more esoteric, like a Mana Spirit? That could work, too." Mother answered. "But what about the experiment?" Gramps demanded. "Call it a success? Follow one of the other candidates? Or consider this part two as a spirit?" Mother replied. They continued to bicker back and forth, but I started to focus on what was offered. Did I want to become a spirit? I didn''t even think that was possible, but now it was on the table. No more pretending to be an elf, no more risk of being found out as a monster. I could join Trixie; I was pretty sure she would be delighted to show me the ropes as a spirit. It sounded exceedingly positive if I looked at it in isolation. But what would I be giving up? No more being a slime. Did I hate being a slime? Maybe at first, but I''d long since grown into and comfortable with my slimy form. No more collecting slime cores, adventurer shenanigans, or collecting traits. I could live without the adventuring, but I''d be saying permanently goodbye to the people I knew. Although Thern was still an option, Trixie had said spirits got along with elves and dwarves. I''d also potentially lose out on Earth affinity and magic, assuming I was correct about the silver slime having that. Unless spirits could gain affinities? "Can spirits gain affinities?" I asked. "N-no," Unc responded. The other two were still arguing, although the contents of their argument were drowned out by a low humming noise. "That''s not great... I was close to gaining Earth." "That''s p-pretty good. But being a spirit is p-probably better? Although, getting a custom evolution from G-gramps is very tempting." "I just wish I knew what it was. I somewhat know what''s on offer as a spirit, but an unknown evolution is risky. Also, the spirit option doesn''t come with the level penalty, I''m assuming?" "N-no. Spirits don''t evolve. M-mother would probably take your current combined levels." "Right... No further evolutions either." I muttered. "B-but you could become a Grand Spirit! You''re already a candidate. That''s worth like two normal evolutions." Unc pointed out before quickly adding something as an afterthought, "By the way. If you ever come across a crab, p-please be nice to him." "Sure?" I agreed, not understanding the purpose of the request but not wanting to offend the disembodied voice. Unfortunately, as helpful as Unc was trying to be, he was just making my decision even more difficult. Eventually, the other two finally stopped and rejoined us. "So, Syl, what do you think?" Mother asked. "Is there nothing you can tell me about the evolution option?" I asked. "Yes. I can say one thing about it. It will let you do what you tried to do originally." Gramps answered in a very careful manner. Despite not seeing any of them, I could swear I felt the glare in Mother''s eyes as she judged his words. As good as Gramps words were, they made me question everything. I had tried and failed at countless different things. Was he talking about recently, in the past? Was it a beneficial thing I was trying or something bad? Gramps has had my best in mind in the past; I vaguely recalled him mentioning that he had given me the Chimeric evolution, and Doppelganger was offered by one of the others. Surely, I could expect it to be at least on par with Chimeric, right? And at the core of everything, I still wanted to be a slime. "Okay. I think I want to go with the evolution option." "Are you sure?" Mother questioned. "Spirits are immortal, you know. You could live forever with your friend... Trixie." I could''ve sworn I heard paper shuffling before she gave Trixie''s name. "Aren''t s-slimes already immortal?" Unc asked, and the feeling of dread filled the void. Although I couldn''t see it, I could swear some dangerous glares were being directed towards Unc. "Yes... I suppose that is true," Mother reluctantly agreed. "But as a spirit, you could directly interact with essence. Truly, you may never get this offer again." Now, that was something I hadn''t considered. However, when thinking of interacting and using essence, the first thing that came to my mind was Aquillia sleeping and passively gaining experience. The offer almost felt like honeyed poison. "Yes. I''m sure." I responded a little more confidently. At the heart of it, I still wanted to be a slime. Perhaps I was giving up the opportunity of a lifetime, but I''d be abandoning all my goals and slimy ambitions. I wanted to eat one of every slime core at a minimum! There was a very loud sigh. "Very well. I still expect full access to the magic-related logs and feeds. "Of course," Gramps responded. I swear I could feel great pride and joy radiating in his words. Finally, the sense of dread left the void. Now, I just needed to hopefully get some answers before being ejected again, like Gramps seemed to love to do. Chapter 133 : Forced Evolution "So does this mean I''m the first [Experiment] evolving?" I asked. I wondered if this technically meant I was eligible for a reward if Gramps won a bet. "No. You''re not even in the top five, even with this early evolution." Mother immediately responded. "Your class is stealing a lot of your experience..." Gramps explained, and I could tell he was a little frustrated. I swiftly changed the subject before he set my class to minimum distribution or something else equally drastic. "Now that I''ve already agreed to evolve, is there anything you can tell me about it?" I asked, my anticipation palpable. "Nope. This is being kept very hush-hush, and I wouldn''t want to spoil the surprise." Gramps answered. "There won''t be any notifications, so don''t be paranoid about it. Just check your profile afterward." "Does this mean I won''t get a sneak peek at the other slime species?" I asked, feeling a little down. "I used them from my previous evolutions to understand which slimes I should hunt down." "Hmm... Perhaps I can arrange for them to be shown to you when you officially achieve level thirty." Gramps replied and waited as if expecting approval or disapproval from the others. "S-sounds fine," Unc responded. "I don''t mind," Mother added. "Excellent," Gramps replied. "Just giving you another heads-up, but expect quite a few traits to be merged. Your new trait made quite a few of them redundant. Honestly, your profile is a bit of a mess; you should do more of that." "Yes... I was hoping to get more visions and merge them into a super vision." I replied honestly. Gramps chuckled. "Good. Good. Also, your old evolution got a renaming. It''s now just Chimeric since it upgraded your previous Mimic evolution. Apparently, calling it Chimeric Mimic felt redundant to some of the others." "It is a mouthful, especially if further mutations are picked." Mother pointed out. "Rather keep it short and sweet." "B-but longer names are cool!" Unc argued. I didn''t mind either way; I hardly ever showed my true race. Arguably, if anyone could get through my [Identity Fabrication], not having the word Mimic visible in my profile might mislead someone. "Oh. Speaking of names, Gramps, you left some notes in the trait [EM Field]." I pointed out. There was a pregnant pause followed by some intense, rapid-fire conversation among the three. Once again, the contents of the talk were obscured heavily by the low humming noise. "Well. That''s embarrassing. Thanks, Syl. I''ll get that cleaned up immediately." "And fix the name." Mother added sternly. "Yes..." Gramps grumbled. "Also, this goes without saying, but we will be removing the [Spirit Candidate] emblem." "Makes sense. I don''t really want random spirits attacking me either." I nodded along. "Which, by the way, are totally unfair. Why can''t I eat any of them? First the ghosts and now these." Mother was the first to respond, "Well... You''ve certainly created a little monster, haven''t you?" "I-I thought we disabled the evolution contingency?" Unc questioned. "No. That''s just Syl being Syl." Gramps defended me. "[Consuming Osmosis] promotes eating other monsters, not to mention coupled together with [Chimeric Mimicry], and then just general slime growth." "Fascinating... Perhaps I should get you to review my most promising subject, too." Mother said with some suggestive allure. "Very well. Anything else before we go?" Gramps asked. "I have a few more questions..." I meekly pointed out. "Good! Now get going, you little slime ball, stop breaking things, and calm down a little." "Of course..." I muttered, half-expecting it. I could have given Gramps the excuse that he didn''t want to reveal too much while surrounded by his peers, but my gut told me otherwise. He had far too much fun dropping me into the void with outstanding questions. *** Instead of waking up to a blinding light, I awoke to a grim and dark room. The tree fort, which had been our home for almost my entire island journey, now looked withered and decayed. Cobwebs littered the room, and it looked thoroughly abandoned. Even my beloved bedtub looked like it had stood against the test of time. "What the hell happened here? How long was I out for? Where''s Trixie?" I wondered. I plopped out of my bedtub and headed downstairs, which looked similarly disastrous. I looked around, trying to find any hints or clues, until I spotted a hagged and heavily aged Trixie nodding off on a chair. "Trixie?" I questioned. "Syl...? Is that you...?" Trixie asked, coughing between words. "You''ve finally returned." "H-how long was I out for?" I questioned. "Seven..." Trixie paused. "Thousand years..." "What? No... That can''t be..." I said, dumbstruck. "I''m afraid so..." Trixie said, giving a sad yet soft smile. "But I kept my promise and waited and waited..." I shook my head in confusion at the unexpected notification. Then the entire room felt a little... Wrong. I turned to the decrepit pixie and hidden beneath her sullen features, I could see what looked like the biggest shit-eating grin I had ever seen. "Oh! You bitch!" I shouted. Suddenly, the room... Popped. It was just like I had left it, the wrongness instantly gone. I had plenty of questions for her about illusions and whatnot, but it finally felt like I had found a missing puzzle piece to all of Trixie''s shenanigans. Trixie was hosing herself with laughter, so much so that she fell off her chair and was now rolling on the ground. My glare soon became a slight chuckle; she had gotten me good. "Alright. Good one, Trixie... Now, really, how long was I out for?" "Seven... Days." Trixie said, sticking her tongue out. "Yikes... It took an entire week... I didn''t expect that. Sorry, Trixie." The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "No problem. I hope it was worth it and resolved your... Issues?" Trixie asked and fluttered over. "Interesting... Very interesting... You''re no longer making me think you''re a spirit, and your mana lake seems to be gone... Wait, you now have SIX rivers?" "I''m actually not sure what happened yet. I haven''t looked at my profile." "Well! Get on with it; I want some answers because this is bizarre!" Trixie declared. "Oh, wait. One more thing, before I forget." She fluttered over to what looked like a rough, small wooden chest, opened it, reached in, pulled something out, and casually tossed it toward me. "Catch!" I frantically grabbed at the small object, nearly fumbling it before catching it with a quickly formed tendril. Getting a closer look at it, I saw a familiar-looking violet sphere. "You got me a slime core?!" I said excitedly. "Yup. The bugger spawned two days ago. I hope it''s all good for your eating thing?" Trixie questioned. I wasted no time devouring the core and mentally cheered when I saw it was successful. "It worked fantastically. Thanks Trixie! Now, I don''t need to get revenge for your prank." I said half-jokingly. "That''s a relief. I wouldn''t want you exploding this poor tree." Trixie giggled. I looked over my new profile. It was time to get some answers. Name: Syl Race: Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) LV 1 (-8) Class: Elementalist LV 4 Status: Healthy Mana: Overflowing Emblems: [Experiment] [Apex Hunter] [Elven Legacy] [Dungeoneer] [Nature''s Bane] [Manhunter] Traits: Slime: [Mana Slime LV 11] [Acid Slime LV 7] [Poison Slime LV 6] [Blaze Slime LV 6] [Cryo Slime LV 5] [Voltaic Slime LV 6] [Morph Slime LV 7] [Pseudopod LV 7] [Slime Shot LV 7] [Slime Burst LV 6] [Vaporize Slime] Core: [Core Collective LV 8] [Core Storage LV 6] [Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5] [Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] Mimic: [Chimeric Mimicry LV 7] [Chroma Shift LV MAX] [Consuming Osmosis LV MAX] Mana: [Mana Circulation LV 7 [Mana Reinforcement LV 7] [Mana Infusion] Attributes/Other: [Soul Mastery LV 7] [Enhanced Vitality LV 5] [Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 5] [Curse Resistance LV 1] [Illusion Resistance LV 1] [Prodigy] Senses: [Olfactory Sense] [Dark Vision LV MAX] [Mana Conception LV 6] [Life Sight LV 3] [Thermal Vision LV MAX] [Eagle Vision LV 3] [EM Field LV 2] Trait Points remaining: 7 Skills: General: [Universal Language] [Equipment Swap] [Dissection LV 6] [Mapping LV 5] [Tracking LV 2] [Identify LV 5] [Multitasking LV 5] [Perception LV 4] [Aerial Finesse LV 4] Combat: [Tranquil Flow LV 5] [Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 7] [Affliction Mastery LV 5] [Exploit Weakness LV 3] Magic: [Water Magic LV 5] [Fire Magic LV 5] [Corrosion Magic LV 5] [Ice Magic LV 5] [Arcane Magic LV 2] [Lightning Magic LV 2] [Mana Manipulation LV 5] [Magic Efficiency LV 4] [Counter Magic LV 3] [Elemental Shift LV 4] [Elemental Adaptation] [Ritual Casting] [Mana Suppression] [Meditate] Sneaky: [Vanish LV 6] [Sneak Attack LV 6] [Identity Fabrication LV 6] [Acting LV 4] [Rogue Expertise LV 4] [Magical Subterfuge LV 3] [Subtle Afflictions] Skill Points remaining: 15 Chimeric Cluster Slime... It was an interesting name choice. I wasn''t entirely sure if I was sold on it, but considering I never showed myself, it wouldn''t matter. It was also interesting to see that I could see the levels that I still needed to pay off for this early evolution. Next, I looked over my new trait, which was easily identifiable. <[Core Collective] When determining if a Trait or Skill is usable or in effect, all [Sub-Cores] now function as if the primary slime core. In addition, should the primary core be destroyed, a [Sub-Core] will immediately be subsumed and become the new primary core. All [Sub-Cores] now contain their own circulation of mana, taken directly from the Soul rather than being distributed from the primary core. This trait enhances every core''s basic functionality and teamwork capabilities and moderately improves durability, scaling with level. Core creation time and cost are reduced by 10% and 5%, respectively, per trait level. However, core creation cannot be initiated while in combat. All cores receive a renewable shield that will prevent one instance of immediate destruction. The shield is renewed by expending 10% of the core''s base slime cost while out of combat.> I spent so much time repeatedly reading the trait that Trixie left me to start knitting in the corner. This new trait was a doozy, and I finally understood Gramps'' cryptic hint. I frantically started searching for what was missing from my profile. I found out I was missing [Core Refinement], [Defy Death], and [Slime Conversion]. I could understand missing [Core Refinement] as it was now baked into [Core Collective], and I could, with great reluctance, understand why they took [Defy Death] from me. If my [Sub-Cores] were now considered equals, then would they each get their own death shields, or would we share a pool? The former would greatly benefit me, excessively so, while the latter would honestly be a huge downgrade for me. I could only assume this was a compromise for Gramps and me. In theory, I have more lives now than before. But why did he take away my [Slime Conversion]? Was it to prevent further errors? Was it because he was unhappy with how much slime I could generate for free? I got given a new valuable way to expend slime and then robbed of one of my sources of income. I frantically looked at the blue slime profile, I would instantly rebuy it, and the trait was... Gone? Unfortunately, my complaints fell on deaf ears, and I could not overrule Gramps or possibly one of the others. I gave some orders to my [Sub-Cores] and noted they seemed far more responsive than normal. My next test would determine if Gramps'' had screwed me over or not. I ordered Gamma to use [Elemental Shift] and align to Fire. And Gamma did it. Not fully believing it, I ordered Delta to shift to Ice and Epsilon to shift to Lightning. Both did it. ''Well... This certainly changes things. My immediate thought is to keep one to each element and have them focus exclusively on that element. I''ll have to test how [Ritual Casting] works now; I can only assume that a Water-aligned core won''t be much help if assisting with a Fire spell. Obviously, if I''m fighting like a Fire demon or something, I''d swap everyone to Ice.'' I immediately thought of having one focused core and one helper core aligned per element. Since my new evolution and trait wanted me to get more cores, I instantly purchased four more, one for each of my current elements. "What happened to my trait points!?" I cried. Trixie jumped out of her seat in a panic. "What? Syl?" She questioned in confusion. I pulled on my memories and was sure I was sitting on seventeen trait points before I evolved. They had just disappeared for no reason. I was fuming. First, they took away [Slime Conversion] and now robbed me of ten trait points! "I''m missing ten trait points!" I informed the pixie while frantically searching my profile for any hint or indication. "Did you make a few upgrades or something you forgot about?" "No. I''d been saving my points up... I''ve only bought one upgrade, which only cost a single skill point." I immediately replied. "Hmm... What about Tiering or Uncapping?" Trixie asked. "I have no idea what either of those are..." I replied, then vaguely recalled a thought. "Actually, didn''t you once ask me if I was uncapped?" "I did. It was the only way I could explain you casting over ten spells at once. Wait. So your [Multitasking] isn''t above ten?" "What? No, it''s only level five." I replied. "It''s only level five!?" Trixie shrieked. "Yes? And isn''t ten the upper limit anyway?" I asked. Trixie shook her head in disbelief. "Okay... I will need an explanation on how you cast so many spells at once after this, but no, ten is not the limit. You can pay points to uncap a trait or skill above. Not every trait or skill is compatible, and to do so, you need to pay ten points. Are you sure none of your traits are above level ten?" I searched through my traits again and found a trait I had often skipped over as it was so far in the back of my mind. My first-ever trait maxed out so quickly I had almost forgotten about it. [Mana Slime LV 11] Chapter 134 : Goodbye Glimmerock "One of my traits is eleven now... But I definitely didn''t buy the upgrade... Did Gramps buy it for me? That hardly seems fair; I want a refund." I moaned. "I don''t know whether to say congrats or sorry..." Trixie said with an odd frown. "Getting anything above ten is a huge accomplishment. Not many people have that many points, especially considering how hard it is to even reach level ten." "Well, I feel robbed. What even is the point of going above ten?" "Well, I can''t confirm or deny since I haven''t reached that point myself yet. But supposedly, the uncapped levels are worth more. I''ve heard rumors of anywhere between two and three regular levels." "So a trait gives me a sense in a ten-meter radius per level; the extra levels might give me twenty?" "Or maybe fifteen or thirty? I honestly don''t know." Trixie replied with a shrug. I looked over the trait in question... <[Mana Slime LV 11] This slime contains a rich and dense concentration of pure mana based on its trait level. Mana Slime is a highly sought-after resource used mainly as an alchemical reagent, and its price can vary based on its purity level. It can also be ingested raw for emergency mana recovery.> "Of all the traits to pick... It had to be this one... If it was [Acid Slime], I could probably melt through anything and everything! I don''t even really understand this one." I continued my tirade. Trixie sat on my head and gave her answer after a brief moment of concentration. "Your mana is more pure, as unbelievable as that sounds. I... I don''t think I''ve tasted something so delicious before." "Great. I made myself even tastier and more valuable... The humans will be lining up to take me to the slime ranch for harvesting." Trixie winced. I had told her after all about my brief experience as a farmed slime. Never again... I had even fantasized about destroying the farm and getting some form of revenge in my darker moments. "Not to alarm you... But, you''ve shrunk a lot..." Trixie pointed out with a look of mild panic. "Huh? Oh, right, I bought four cores..." I mumbled and started pulling from my reserves to reinvigorate my form. "So. What did you do to fix yourself, and how do you cast so many spells? I want some answers after all this waiting." Trixie said with a slight pout. I gave an abridged version of my new trait and my experience with the Gods, skipping over most of their conversations and not telling Trixie I could have become a spirit. I also explained my [Sub-Cores], how I used them to cast spells, and how they now had their own mana channels. While I trusted Trixie''s oath and friendship at this stage, I held back telling her that the [Sub-Cores] were now my extra lives. "Well... You completely destroyed my theory. I had thought you were using the cores like some strange magical catalyst to get access to the other elements, and that''s why they were floating inside of you." Trixie replied, scratching her head while pondering. "Now you''re telling me they are your functional personal spellcasters. And that they just got upgraded from apprentices to full-blown mages... That at least explains all the extra mana flow I''m sensing from you." "And solves me overloading myself and using my slime as a mana source. I will probably set up some form of hierarchy for my cores and have a dedicated leader and their support." "Hilariously, you''ve stumbled upon setting up your cores like the elven military," Trixie said with a smirk. "Oh?" "Yeah. It''s why the humans fear them so much. Almost every elf has identical affinities, so they are perfect matches for [Ritual Casting]. You''re a one-slime army." "I know you said you''re old as dirt, but how do you know this?" "I think everyone knows this. After all, plenty of others have tried to copy it, and the dwarves were at least partially successful. Although, who knows nowadays, I really need to catch up on current events." "Before I forget. What did you mean by tiering?" I asked. "Oh. That''s when you upgrade a trait from Lesser to Greater." Trixie replied, once again, like it was common knowledge. "It automatically happens when a trait or skill reaches its maximum level. You also have the option to manually upgrade it early once it reaches The Wall for one point per level difference." "The Wall?" "Level five. I''m sure you noticed how much harder it is to level up from five to six? Everyone calls it The Wall. It''s also the primary reason why most individuals lack the ten points to uncap." "That''s like choosing to have one skill at eleven or have two at ten..." Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Exactly!" Trixie said with a snap of her fingers. "I have a Lesser skill and trait. What happens if I tier them up?" "You''d pay the difference between their level and ten in points. Then they get upgraded to Greater and reset back to level one." "Back to one? That sounds horrible..." I replied with shock. "Yes. But two things: a level one Greater skill is the equivalent of a level ten Lesser skill." Trixie explained; I nodded along. "And Greater skills start at The Wall from the very start. To make matters worse, they cost double the points to upgrade manually." "Yikes... Not really selling me on it, to be honest." "Some skills or traits get an upgrade. Although that''s few and far between. [Telepathy (Greater)], for example, lets me communicate without visual sight and is scaled by the group rather than individuals." "I have [Magic Resistance (Lesser)] and [Attack Mastery (Lesser)]... Although I don''t even have the points to upgrade the trait anymore." I grumbled bitterly. "My teacher recommended upgrading a Lesser to Greater as soon as possible to start grinding away at the real wall. But it''s up to you. If you''ve been saving your points until now, it''s likely a drop in the bucket." I wasn''t willing to make the decision now. I''d probably ask Lisa or someone at the guild about it to get a second opinion, although Lisa had previously told me to spend my points on upgrades and did not mention Tiering or Uncapping. Did the humans not know, or was this restricted knowledge like Whitney had bemoaned? We chatted a bit longer, and Trixie told me how she spent her time knitting and occasionally removing the monster spawns. She also visited the dryad for tea, who was apparently delightful company and extremely grateful that I wouldn''t be invading her rainbow forest. When it came time for bed, Trixie looked at me seriously. "So... I think I''m going to head home tomorrow. I want to see if my friends and family are still around." I nodded. "Honestly, thank you so much for all your help. I can''t even think of the value of the magic training and class recommendation." "The magic training was the basics, at least for spirits. The class was probably the most valuable; I''d appreciate it if you kept its requirements to yourself." "Of course." I easily agreed. "You''re... Still welcome to come with me, you know?" Trixie offered. "Part of me really wants to... But I want to finish my plans in motion, and I''m eager to beat another dungeon and visit the dwarves." Trixie chuckled. "No problem. Just thought I''d try to tempt you. Just please be safe around all those humans." "Of course. Same to you, don''t end up trapped in another cage for years." Trixie shivered. "Never again..." Before bed, I shifted Alpha to a Water alignment, as I didn''t have a dedicated [Sub-Core] donning the blue slime guise yet. One of the new recruits would have to take up that mantle once they caught up in levels. I then assigned each new core an element and paired them with their leader. I wanted to keep myself mostly unaligned and then shift where appropriate, joining one of the dedicated elemental teams or acting as a versatile elite. I also set up the new cores with some minor repetitive tasks to continuously work on, mostly internally withdrawing and depositing slime mass. I also tested if my new trait allowed my [Sub-Cores] to act outside my slime or in separate slime, but that was still impossible. Another evolution, perhaps? Or maybe it was a rare slime trait? Perhaps controlling disconnected slime was treading too close to elemental territory? Hopefully, I''d find a solution at some point, although keeping thin tendril connections between us allowed me to entertain the idea of multiple bodies. The next morning was a surprise. I had thought of potentially leaving in the early morning. Perhaps Trixie knew I didn''t like saying goodbye and was prepared. She had a grin of smug victory plastered on her face. "Thanks again, Syl. For the rescue and the fun time." The pixie said, giving me a small hug against my head. "You''re welcome. Thanks again for everything. Regardless of the ups and downs, it ended up being a huge positive in the end." "Do you have any gold?" Trixie asked. "Perhaps a coin?" I pulled out one of my gold coins and presented it to her. She briefly glowed with magic and touched the coin; it glimmered with a persistent rainbow-colored hue. "There. That''s my mark; I''ll try to find you with the dwarves." Trixie explained. I nodded. Trixie gave a bright smile and started to frantically wave. "Farewell for now! See you around Syl! Stay out of trouble!" "See you." Then, without warning, she just vanished. Part of me hoped she was still there, just invisible like always, but with my new [Illusion Resistance] trait, I could vaguely feel that this time it was different. I still had many questions about the strange pixie, but I couldn''t deny her help and the fun I eventually started having with her. "Well. I have to get the dwarves now." I said, looking at my new rainbow gold coin. I consulted [Mapping] and saw that Glimmerock was now quite far away from Kaerlin; however, with my new flight, it would be relatively simple to get within walking distance. I had lost track of time, but I knew I still had at least another two months to meet Thern''s deadline. I doubted the dungeon would take a month, which meant I still had some time for myself. I briefly considered staying on the island a bit longer, but I felt like I''d be beating a dead horse at this point. I still had a lot of [Lightning Magic] to work on, but I could do that anywhere. However, there was one thing I still needed to do, so I went back to the room to grab my bathtub. I was filled with relief when I saw that it had been stored successfully. "I should consider getting it enchanted. Self-repair, at least, maybe a mild heating?" I took one last look at the island, flying around at top speed in my now iconic "Blueblin" form. With a smile and a wave, I started flying towards Kaerlin. Flying was so convenient that I knew I would miss it being grounded once I was back in the city, so I took the scenic route, spending plenty of time flying around amongst the birds and clouds. When I got close enough to the city, I stealthily landed in an area I was sure was clear by using [Eagle Vision] from up above. Then, I shifted forms, taking on my new appearance and persona, which I''d worked on with Trixie. Sylvester. I started aligning all but two of my cores to Ice to fit in well with my fake Cryomancer class. I left Alpha and Zeta aligned to Water. My goals were threefold. First, to see the success and likelihood of creating a new identity. Second, to investigate another guild and see what crafting classes had to offer. Third, I wanted to experience not being the elf in the room. "Now... Am I more interested in learning Alchemy or Enchanting?" I wondered while walking towards the road, stroking my now goateed chin. Chapter 135 : Sylvesters First Day It was late afternoon when I finally reached the city gates; thankfully, I had shaved off an entire day''s travel time by flying most of the way. There wasn''t any foot traffic leaving the city, and I was forced to join the line to await entry. When it was finally my turn, I approached the gate confidently. "Do you have identification?" The guard on duty said as I approached. "I do not. I hope to join the merchants guild." I replied. The guard seemed to be waiting. "Sir? Do you have identification?" He asked again. My confusion seemed to only fuel the guard''s impatience. He was clearly losing his temper, and I could feel the tension in the air. "Sir, if you''re going to waste my time just staring at me, I''ll kick you to the back of the line," he said, looking extremely unsatisfied. I blinked in confusion a few times. The gears finally turned, and I suddenly realized my screwup. I was trying to talk to him telepathically! I had clearly spent far too much time with Trixie. I faked clearing my throat. "Apologies. No, I do not have identification; I hoped to get one when I joined the Guild." The guard frowned, shaking his head before grumbling. "Of course... No identification. Great..." The guard fetched a clipboard and started writing down on it. "Sylvester. Level twenty-five... Cryomancer?" He frowned. "Are you not with the Mages or Adventurers Guild?" "No. I didn''t feel the call to adventure, and I''ve never been to the capital to register with the Mages." I answered. He nodded along, then stared at me intently; I had the vague sense he was using a skill on me. "Any known criminal record?" "None." After getting his confirmation, the guard visibly eased up and looked much more friendly. He finished writing something down and then held out his hand. "It''s five silver for entry with no official identification. If you obtain one within two days, you can reclaim three from the guard post." I pulled out a gold coin and handed it to him. He frowned, looking at the coin before letting out a sigh. "Let me guess, you don''t have anything smaller?" "Afraid not. I have some coppers and one silver." I replied, taking note of the coins I had taken from the adventurers. "But, how about this, you can keep the remainder if you''d be willing to escort me to the merchants guild? As both a thank you and an apology for taking up your time." The guard looked shocked before giving an absolutely cheerful grin. "Gladly, sir. Are you willing to wait a bit for me to swap shifts?" "Of course. Thank you for your valuable time." I said, giving a small, polite head bow. Sylvester was a refined gentleman after all, so said [Acting]. True to his word, it didn''t take long for the guard to fetch me from waiting beyond the gate. He looked positively cheery, and it was shocking how one gold coin could change someone''s personality so quickly. While the Adventurer''s Guild was built against the inner wall, the Merchant''s was actually built into the wall. It was a massive building with ornate and colorful tilework on its rooftop. I had the vague sense that the building existed on both sides of the wall, likely a dedicated commoner and noble entrance. I thanked the guard again, and he responded with a thump to his chest and a toothy smile. "No. Thank you, sir. If any guards give you trouble, tell them to call Aaron." ''So far so good.'' I entered the building and was shocked at the number of people inside and the wall of booths with employees lined up. Where the Adventurer''s Guild entrance was a large open floor plan, this was a strictly organized waiting area. I watched as people waited in line for a booth with a staff member or pulled out a tag and entered through another doorway into an inner part of the building. I patiently waited in line until I was finally beckoned towards an empty booth. The man looked to be in his late twenties and was dressed sharply; he would easily fit in as a wait staff member in an upper-class eatery. "Evening, sir. My name is James; how may I assist you?" He asked routinely and politely. "Pleasure to meet you, James. My name is Sylvester, and I was looking into mayhaps joining the Guild." I answered. "As a crafter, reseller, or distributor?" He asked, and after brief glance continued, "If you''re looking for mercenary work, this isn''t the place." "Crafter. I was also hoping to seek lessons in either Alchemy or Enchanting." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. "Yes, we do offer those services here. Crafter registration is ten silver. Alchemy lessons are one gold per week, reagents included, whereas Enchanting lessons are seventy silver." James began explaining. "However, those are the basic group lessons. If you wish to apprentice directly, the costs range from anywhere between ten and fifty times that amount depending on the level and availability of the master." "Fascinating. Do you perhaps offer suggestions or advice? Both interest me, but I''m a little undecided between the two." "We do, and we also offer aptitude tests. Can you tell me a bit about yourself, Sylvester? Your affinities and classes would be ideal in narrowing it down." "Water and Ice are my affinities, with a higher purity on Ice. As for classes, I went from Mage to Sorcerer to Cryomancer." I answered. "A rather typical progression into specialization, I see. Having Fire and Water would be the perfect combination for alchemists, especially if you have very good mana control. That''s not to say the option is closed off for you; the lack can be readily overcome with magic tool use, and some actually prefer to use a tool than their own flames." James began explaining. "As for enchanting, purity is everything. Do you also have [Arcane Magic]?" I paused for a moment before responding, "I do." "Excellent. One could say that is the minimum barrier to entry. Now, Ice is a rather rare affinity, and Water is always in demand. Water is life, as they say." James chuckled at his own joke. Then he paused as if remembering something. "Actually... I think I saw a request a few weeks ago mentioning Ice. Would you be willing to wait one moment?" "Not at all. You''ve been most helpful, James." He politely bowed and left the booth, heading towards an employee door in the back. I mentally sighed at my lack of foresight in doing some prior research. If I had known, I could have included Fire in my affinities to be perfect for Alchemy. Although then I''d be treading dangerously close to the same affinities as Syl. I could always learn with a tool and then, in private, use my own Fire. Or I could just learn Enchanting now and learn Alchemy later. I could even "level up" Sylvester and say I picked Fire for my twentieth-level ascension. Eventually, James returned with a sheet of parchment and an excited smile on his face. "Thank you for waiting. A request was posted a few weeks ago from a prominent noble looking for the services of an enchanter specialized in Ice. When none met the criteria, the request was changed to include any promising apprentices with the required affinity. I believe the request is still unfulfilled, but it is old and could just be a clerical error. But if I''m correct, this could be an amazing opportunity for you. Would you be willing to wait until tomorrow after lunch to come back?" I paused to think. I didn''t need to rush to a decision; it wouldn''t mean much, even if I wasted a day waiting. "Very well. I don''t mind waiting till tomorrow, but do you mind giving some more detail?" "Of course. I just didn''t want to get your hopes up in case I was wrong." James said. "What was being offered was a fully paid apprenticeship under a master enchanter, with the only payment being the creation of two specific enchanted items upon reaching sufficient level." "Quite frankly, that sounds amazing." "Indeed. I''m unsure if you''re aware, but a true master can assign you the [Apprentice] emblem, which boosts all learning rates under their direct tutelage. Depending on the master, the boosts can be unbelievably potent, and with how desperate and high profile this request was, I believe they might be pulling on the best of the best." James said excitedly. "I honestly had no idea. Now you really have me hoping the clerks didn''t mess up." I chuckled. James scratched his cheek sheepishly. "I apologize; I probably said too much. If it makes you feel any better, I''d lose a huge signing bonus, so I''d share some of your pain." "Well, that would certainly lighten the sting to know I''m not alone in cursing the lack of proper paperwork." I joked. "Can I at least register in the meantime, or should that wait until tomorrow?" "We can proceed with the base registration for so long. Would you like to pay a gold to upgrade your guild tag for transactions?" "Please do. And I''m assuming I can deposit my coin here?" "Of course." We proceeded with the required paperwork. Compared to the Adventurer''s Guild, it was quite the process; after I paid my fee, I was given my new tag registered under Sylvester and my unique signature. I was a little worried about my previous registration, as Syl might have backfired at this point, but thankfully, nothing came up. I deposited eighty gold coins and kept the remainder for emergencies, including the ninety silver coins I received as change. "Thank you very much for joining the Merchant''s Guild, Sylvester. I hope tomorrow brings both of us good fortune." "Thank you, James, you''ve been most helpful. One last thing, is there an inn you could recommend to me?" "Of course, the one right across the street is affiliated with us, and you''ll receive discounted rates. They are one of the few inns who regularly import and store frozen seafood, so you''d be in for a rare treat." I thanked him again, wished him a pleasant evening, and looked forward to our meeting tomorrow. Heading toward the inn, I was greeted by the friendly staff and swiped my new tag for payment. I mentally cheered at once again, not needing to worry about fiddling with coins and learning the price of things. The meal was indeed seafood, and I had the choice between fish or crab... Recalling Unc, I decided to try the former. Just in case the latter caused some divine punishment. It was certainly tasty, a step up from the Adventurer''s Inn, but still a downgrade compared to Moonsong or Trevor. I briefly considered if I should learn the cooking skill, but then realized I could probably just buy some tasty food and keep it in storage. Besides, as a slime, nothing was truly sweeter than eating a fresh new profile and earning vast quantities of slime mass. No, wait, correction. Nothing was truly sweeter than a fresh new slime core! Within the privacy of my own room, I shifted myself and some cores over to Lightning. It took no effort to resume my progress toward combining [Conductive] and [Lightning Rod]. I had only briefly resumed the spell combination when I realized that I hadn''t touched this since evolving, and now I would potentially see the benefit of my newly upgraded cores. Curious about their improvements, I gave them a direct order to help me combine the spells and found their unseen hands far more helpful and productive than normal. ''Was [Core Refinement] giving me that much of a boost? Or is this the teamwork capability mentioned in [Core Collective]?'' I wondered. Before my usual bedtime, I had a completed combined spell. I was exceptionally surprised; I had left it near completion before my forced evolution, but I thought I''d need at least another day or two before finalizing it. Unfortunately, I had nowhere to safely test the spell, so I''d have to keep it in my back pocket for now. Satisfied with a well-done job, I returned everyone to an Ice alignment and called it a night. I was eager to see what tomorrow would bring. Chapter 136 : An Irrefutable Offer The next day, I awoke with a surplus of time; my guild visit was scheduled for after lunch, allowing me to explore the city from a fresh perspective. I donned a new set of simple robes and left the inn. The transformation was remarkable; I no longer felt the weight of countless eyes on me, and people didn''t shy away. I blended in with the crowd, spending hours wandering, visiting open markets, and sampling various foods and snacks. ''It''s a pity [Consuming Osmosis] doesn''t work with food, for whatever reason. Although, perhaps that''s what stops me from eating a dragon steak and getting a free profile?'' An unexpected encounter during my exploration was with pickpockets. It seems I didn''t venture into the city much as Syl, always heading straight to my destination. But now, either my elf guise was too intimidating, or my current appearance was seen as an easy target. The reactions of the would-be thieves were quite amusing, as they delved into my pockets, which were purely for show, only to find nothing. I couldn''t help but miss the giggles of my now-absent tiny companion. ''This could be a decent way to level up [Perception]...'' It felt like the perfect moment to head to the guild, so I set off. Upon entering the building, I joined the line, prepared to wait. To my surprise, I didn''t have to wait long before James approached me directly, looking equal parts frantic and grateful. "Sylvester, I''m so glad you came. If you would please follow me, the client wishes to speak to you." James said. "Well, it certainly beats waiting in line." I chuckled and followed him. Heading through the door, James led me deeper into the guild. Using my mental map, I figured we had crossed the wall and were now technically within the inner wall. It was subtle initially, but everything from the floors to the furniture seemed suddenly nicer. We eventually reached what looked like a private meeting room with leather couches arranged circularly around a very ornate table. A golden egg-shaped device in the center of the table was engraved with what looked like enchanted runes. James told me to get a seat and that the client would arrive shortly. While I waited, I stared at the strange egg, the most interesting thing in the room. The intricate carvings into its structure tickled the back of my mind, looking overly familiar to something but different enough to perplex me. Eventually, the door opened to two well-dressed individuals. I immediately recognized one, and my mind went into a brief frantic panic. I immediately wanted to leave the room, only holding it together with some heavy reliance on [Acting]. I didn''t feel up to interacting directly with someone I knew as Syl. Johnathan looked dressed down compared to when I met him as Syl, and it looked like he had advanced his class. His racial levels, however, were a shocking disappointment, only gaining a single one since I last saw him. Gregory, on the other hand, was old and had a magnificent long and grey wizard beard. Instead of an accompanying robe, he wore a trim-fitted two-piece suit in a brown shade. My extra senses also picked up another individual entering the room stealthily. If not for [Thermal Vision], I might have missed her, as her strange, full-bodied armor seemed to greatly blend her into the background. ''A warrior tank hybrid with a rogue? I can only assume she''s his bodyguard. If I were a noncombatant, I''d probably also feel hesitant entering a room with a potentially unknown person with a combat class.'' They both sat without saying anything, and the bodyguard took a corner position out of my direct line of sight. Well, for my human eyes, at least. Finally, James entered and closed the door behind him. "Mister Green. Thank you so much for your valuable time. This is Sylvester, who I mentioned in my report." "Thank you, James," Gregory spoke while Johnathan uncomfortably stared at me. "Before we potentially waste Mister Green''s time, would you kindly inject the device in front of you with Ice Mana?" "Very well," I responded politely, extremely thankful I was immune to nervous sweats. I placed my hand on the golden egg and focused on filling it. Almost immediately, as I began, Gregory made an unexpected comment: "Oh, good. He already has [Mana Infusion]." The engraved lines on the device drank in the mana and soon shone brightly in a pale, almost white blue. I could sense the device would take no more, and I removed my hand. "Good. At least he actually managed to fill it, unlike the last one." Gregory muttered, pulling out a small handheld device that looked like a stick encrusted with five identical gems lined up in fixed intervals. "Now, the real test..." He touched the tool against the egg, and all five gems immediately lit up. He stared at the tool with astonishment, stashing it in his pouch and pulling out a nearly identical one except with a different wooden finish. He touched it, and again, all five lit up. He frowned deeply before pulling out another one, this time with eight gems, and when it touched the egg, all eight shone. "Well. Either all three of my tools are defective, or we have found our man, Sir. It appears he wasn''t a braggart when he informed James of his Ice mana purity." If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. "And you''re sure, Greg?" Johnathan asked, the first words since he entered. "Positive. He has the highest purity Ice mana I''ve seen in quite some time. I''d almost suspect he''s someone''s bastard son." I felt extremely uncomfortable with them talking around me, even though I was sitting before them. It was a stark contrast to my previous interaction with Johnathan. "Hmm... I thought of that possibility too, but my merchant skills are behaving oddly." Johnathan replied before finally turning to me. "Tell me, Sylvester, are you married?" I blinked in confusion at the odd question. "No?" "So bastard son is likely then," Johnathan said, returning to Greg. "[Merchant''s Eye] is telling me he''s linked to a great fortune, but it''s unavailable or restricted. The only time I had previously encountered that was when a wife kept a separate bank account from her husband." I wanted to comment, or leave, or do something, and the only reason I wasn''t staring wide-eyed, slackjawed, and flabbergasted was my [Acting] skill begging me to just sit there in silence. "I see. He would be entitled to it if he knew about it. What a fascinating skill interaction." "Fascinating for me. Can''t say the same for the now widower," Johnathan smirked. "So. Is he worth your time, Greg?" "He meets all the minimum requirements. I''ve certainly worked with worse on other projects." "Excellent. You can start immediately tomorrow; I''d appreciate a progress report at least every two days." "Of course, Sir." "Wait," I finally said, holding up my hand. "Is there a problem, Sylvester?" James asked, looking at me like I had just kicked a baby. "I never agreed to accept this. I was even still contemplating whether I wanted to pursue alchemy instead." James was now visibly sweating; now, I had just eaten the metaphorical baby in front of him. Gregory raised a curious eyebrow while Johnathan looked furious. "Do you have any idea how important this deal is?" Johnathan demanded. "No. Quite frankly, I have no idea why you even want me. Nothing has been explained, and you''ve assumed I''ll merely agree without question." I replied. "A commoner with some backbone." Gregory chuckled. "Accepting this deal is in everyone''s best interest. You''d be a fool not to take it." "Why does it have to be me? Surely you can get someone else?" "You think I haven''t tried? I even paid for Greg to level up to his next ascension. But the Gods decided Ice wasn''t on the menu." Johnathan replied angrily. "Look, I''m sorry, but I refuse to blindly agree to something. Picking up Enchanting or Alchemy was a fun idea I had at the time." Gregory looked bemused, James looked like he was having a panic attack, and Johnathan looked outraged. "Your life will become exceptionally difficult should you turn down this offer." "Is that a threat?" I asked. "No. Merely a suggestion. Trust me, you''d know when I make a threat." Johnathan said darkly. "I''m assuming real threats involve Mari in the corner there," I asked, pointing toward her location with my thumb. Johnathan''s eye twitched. He opened his mouth to reply or perhaps give an order, but he was interrupted by Gregory''s hearty chuckle. "Pardon me, Sir. But you''ve tried the stick; perhaps let''s try the carrot? It seems Sylvester here likes to see the cards laid out on the table." Johnathan looked like he swallowed a lemon but gave a curt nod. "This is our goal," Gregory said, pointing towards the golden egg. "A magical tool that will create a cold freezing aura that preserves perishables." I looked at the egg in a new light. Were those intricately carved sigils some modification or alternative version of my Ice spell constructs? I was more interested after hearing that tidbit, and Gregory smiled eagerly, perhaps noticing my interest. "But if you have one or made one, why do you need me?" "Well, I made this one, but it was carved using Arcane mana. It''s perfectly functional, so long as you always have someone on hand to fill it up with decent quality Ice mana." Gregory explained. "Now, should you accept and are capable enough to learn, I will have you create two of these carved out with Ice-mana. The end result will be that anyone can fill up the tool with raw mana to get the desired result." "And I''m assuming that if the mana in the carving isn''t pure enough, it won''t function?" I asked. "Precisely. Or it will function but be so inefficient that it would need a near-constant mana supply to even work. The purer it is, the more easily it corrupts Arcane mana." ''Well. That''s an unexpected revelation. Who knew I was my own worst enemy when working with Arcane mana? It nearly instantly corrupts into other mana.'' "Couldn''t you get around that by using a material aligned to Ice?" I asked curiously. Greg smiled; perhaps he liked inquisitive minds? "Yes, but-" "That''s what I''m trying to get around!" Johnathan interrupted. "I''m trying to replace two ice core tools with these so that I can sell them to a very important client." Suddenly, the situation clicked. Johnathan was trying to free up the slime cores to sell to me! I felt stupid for not connecting the dots sooner, perhaps put off by not wanting to interact with someone I knew and by his very different behavior. Did he treat all commoners like this? Was it because I was currently a man? Or was it purely because he was desperate to impress an Elf? Maybe it was even simpler than that, and he was just desperate for more merchant levels since our last transaction apparently gave him two. ''Shit. I guess I''m in now...'' While I would have loved to have left him to stew, now it was in my best interest. I''d effectively get free training and two slime cores! I obviously could be wrong about Syl being his important client, but who else wanted slime cores other than me? "Okay. I''m interested, but are you training me only to make these and then abandoning me? Or am I actually getting properly trained?" I asked curiously. Gregory actually looked offended by my insinuation. "I''m obligated to train you to the best of my abilities when I assign you the [Apprentice] emblem. I am not leaving someone linked to me directly no better than some back-alley enchanter." Having taken enough time to ponder, I nodded. "Very well. Then I''ll accept your offer." The tension in the room suddenly deflated. James immediately looked relieved, and Gregory gave me an enthusiastic nod. "Excellent. I leave the rest to you, Greg." Johnathan said and promptly left the room. Mari actually approached me, I would have suspected something, but I sensed no hostility from her. She put her hand on my shoulder and leaned in to whisper. "I''m impressed you could detect me. Also... Just between us, while your backbone could be seen perhaps as courageous or admirable... You might be executed on the spot if you behave like that before any noble other than Mister Green." Then, she promptly left. She practically rushed out the door before I could respond or say anything. "I won''t keep you any longer. Meet me tomorrow bright and early. I hope your desire to learn is as much as your inquisitiveness." Gregory chuckled. "James, make sure you revise his admission so he can enter the enchanting rooms." "Thanks, Gregory. I look forward to it." I smiled. "Can I call you Greg?" Gregory snorted a laugh. "Sure. But tomorrow, it will be Master Greg, and I won''t tolerate any tomfoolery." I nodded, and he left. James turned to me and gave me an awkward smile. "I don''t know whether you''re brilliant or insane. Maybe both." I couldn''t help but laugh at that, giving him a pat on the shoulder and thanking him for everything. Having nothing else to do, I decided to head back to the inn, where I had a pleasant late afternoon and evening before retiring early to my bedroom and finishing the day off with my regularly scheduled magic practice. Chapter 137 : Circles and Spheres After shifting into a new wardrobe and eating breakfast, I headed towards the Merchant''s Guild. While part of me thought it could be fun to rock the boat, I didn''t necessarily want to antagonize the man who was going to be teaching me. After all, if our relationship soured, he might still only teach me the bare minimum despite his claim of not wanting his name attached to a failure of an apprentice. I had thought I was early, but James was already at the Guild and ushered me deeper into the building. Once again, I found myself crossing the imaginary line into the noble section of the building. The room I was led to looked almost like a personal study combined with a tiny laboratory. Multiple large workbenches were loaded with various metal objects forged into strange shapes, while another contained multiple glass spheres. There were all manner of little tools that I couldn''t name, ranging from pliers to strange-looking writing implements. There was also a sizable bookcase and a moderately sized chalkboard hung against the wall. I sat on one of the couches while James offered me some tea as a refreshment; he returned with a large pot and two cups and was soon followed by Gregory. "Excellent. I''m glad to see you arrived early, Sylvester." Gregory said, taking a seat and pouring himself a cup of tea. He added precise amounts of milk and sugar to his drink before taking a deep sip. "I thought it prudent to be amicable to my teacher. I found Enchanting fascinating when I came across it, and I''m eager to see what I can learn." "Of course. To gauge your knowledge, tell me what you know about Enchanting and noncombat classes in general." He requested. "Very well. Noncombat classes earn experience by fulfilling the class''s identity, and a chef levels up by cooking, for example. However, you earn nothing towards Racial levels. I''m also assuming that experience amount is determined by the finished quality or its impact." "Correct. You can also earn experience by raising your linked class skills. In fact, if you practice and raise your skill while assigned to a different class, when you swap back, you might be accompanied by some surprise level-ups as your class catches up to your new skill level." "Fascinating. That explains why an acquaintance of mine was working on tailoring and weaving despite not having the class at the time..." I murmured, scratching my chin. "Regarding Enchanting, I know there are two types - permanent and temporary. I''ve seen someone draw a temporary enchantment with their finger for a quick solution. Still, the primary purpose I know is to permanently enchant equipment, which uses its wielder''s natural mana to fuel it." "A little barebone, but I''m glad you didn''t lie or try to pull anything out of your arse," Gregory said, nodding thoughtfully. "You''re correct that the general purpose of Enchanting is for equipment; this is why having access to Arcane mana is a minimum requirement, as it needs to be pure to be usable by any client. Imagine buying armor with a protection enchantment that required you to have Fire mana; we''d have a lot of dead guards and adventurers, I can tell you that much." "Now, the higher tier of Enchanting would be specific enchantments fit for purpose. A device that creates a flame, produces water on demand, or keeps a chest of food frozen and preserved. Even without the user being naturally capable of doing this. For example, in the Adventurer''s Guild, a few of their enchanters can create battle items, such as a wand that can shoot out a lightning bolt." "Now. Before you get all excited, most of those inscriptions are patented, and you''d need to pay a fee to access them. They can be quite... Pricey, but they often end up paying for themselves in the long run. For example, the simple storage enchantment costs fifty gold to procure, but that investment is a nearly endless source of revenue as everyone needs or wants dimensional storage. If you buy access to the patent, I can include it in your curriculum." "Wow..." I said, barely hiding my excitement. "Do I need to buy a lot of patents, or are those included in this apprenticeship?" Gregory gave a knowing smirk, "Do not fret. Your gold is safe; most common inscriptions are freely distributed, and my own will be given to you freely. The only exception is the Ice inscription, which Mister Green has already paid the required patent fee on your behalf." He paused, cleared his throat, and tried to speak as clearly and slowly as possible. "The refrigerator inscription." "Re..frige..rator?" I asked, stumbling horribly across the unfamiliar words. "Horrible name, I know," Gregory said with a brief chuckle and a shake of his head. "Some upstart adventurer created it. Wonderful principle, a truly profound design, and absolutely revolutionary in its usage. But, Gods, what an awful naming sense." "I have to agree..." I said with a nod, still trying to pronounce the unfamiliar word subconsciously. "So. Any other questions?" Gregory asked. "When can we begin?" I said with a smile. Gregory gave a friendly chortle and stroked down his massive beard. "Good. I''m glad you''re eager. I just need to give you my Emblem, and you need to swap your class." He then raised his hand and pointed a finger at me. "I nominate you, Sylvester, as my next apprentice." I was slightly worried about that declaration; how strict was the name requirement? But thankfully, two notifications appeared before me. <[Apprentice] While under the direct tutelage of your master, you will receive bonus experience towards your class and skill progression. Bonus experience is limited to the class for which your master has earned the [Apprenticeship] skill. Upon reaching satisfactory completion of the [Apprentice] emblem, your gains will be finalized, and your master will be rewarded with class experience and a level in [Apprenticeship]. Should the [Apprentice] emblem be revoked by either party, the [Apprentice] will receive an experience penalty to earned levels, and the master will lose a level in [Apprenticeship] and forfeit the projected class experience.> "Wow... That''s quite the Emblem..." I muttered, reading the description. "Indeed, it''s why those of us with the skill are quite picky with who we choose. You could accept it, reject it immediately after, and I''d lose an extremely valuable level in my [Apprenticeship] skill." "I have to assume it''s more than just pride that stops someone from grabbing a bunch of apprentices and graduating them in a day?" "Quite right. Firstly, [Apprentice] only works on one individual; there is an upgrade that removes that restriction, but it requires one to also take up a teaching profession first. Secondly, the system is cognizant of the individual''s standards and will not allow me to graduate you verbatim unless you''ve met my standards." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. I opened my mouth to ask a question, but Gregory held out his index finger to pause me. "I bet you''re thinking, what if you have a master with low standards? Well, if their standards are too low, they will not qualify to get the [Apprenticeship] skill. Furthermore, the value and effectiveness of their [Apprentice] emblem will also be lowered. My standards are high; therefore, my requirements are strict but of exceptional value." "Thank you," I said, giving a polite nod, and then I accepted the [Apprentice] emblem. < Emblem Granted: [Apprentice].> <[Apprentice] has been forcibly equipped.> <[Apprentice] has qualified you for the [Enchanter] class. Swap now?> ''Yes.'' <1 Profession Point awarded for your first profession class. Profession Points remaining 1.> I frowned deeply. "First class? Also, did I just lose all my saved points!?" "Heavens, no." Gregory immediately replied. "While you can only have one class equipped at a time, the two are almost entirely separate. Otherwise, we would have retired adventurers immediately becoming master artisans or a tailor suddenly becoming a master swordsman." "Well... That''s a relief. Things might have gone ugly if I''d just lost my savings." I said, shaking my head. At the same time, I confirmed that my profile was showing my new class and Emblem correctly, which would have been a horrible oversight. Gregory chuckled. "I can imagine, although I don''t know why you''d save your points. Anyway, spend your first point on [Rune Reading]. We can get you some easy levels through some simple lecture rather than you attempting to level up by making chicken scratchings." I nodded and bought the skill. "Excellent." Gregory moved towards the blackboard and produced a thin piece of chalk. He proceeded to draw a perfect circle with efficient and well-practiced ease. "Now, this is the most important and basis of all enchanting." He poked the board with his piece of chalk for added emphasis. "A circle?" I asked, tilting my head. "Circles and Spheres. The shapes of infinite and uniformed perfection." He proceeded to draw another one, this time adding simple glyphs inside of it. "The basis of every enchantment or inscription starts here." "Now. The most common question on this reveal is, ''But what about an enchanted sword or armor that isn''t in a circle?''" He paused and drew a simple sword, then started filling the inside with a detailed structure, almost like a tree with circular fruit hanging from it. "The answer to that is frameworks. Which links multiple circles together, but that is an advanced topic we will cover in actual detail later and is a rather crude solution." He placed his chalk down, pulled out what looked like a pen, and started drawing on the air. He started drawing sigils and glyphs in a very strict pattern, and it looked impressive how it all interlinked into one grand pattern. Then, off to the side, he drew a simple armor shape and overlayed it with his drawing, which matched up almost perfectly. Finally, he drew a sphere and also overlayed it, now revealing that the entire grand pattern was contained within it. "This is where we find perfection, creating our sphere where no one thought possible." He said proudly. "Of course, there are other ways; some inscriptions are malleable enough to allow creatively overlaying your circle or sphere. If you recall the device from yesterday, it was egg-shaped, and the..." He paused. "Refrigerator inscription is two separate but interlocking circles overlayed over the bottom and top hemispheres." "So a good enchanter must find where they can make a circle or sphere or otherwise resort to the framework solution?" I asked. "Precisely. Now, let''s go over reading some of the basic inscriptions." He said, grabbing a large book and placing it before me. "This is yours to keep unless you flunk out. It should make some good bedtime reading in your evenings." When I opened the book to the first page, I was welcomed to a simple circle with one glyph inside. Despite the page title labeling it a "Rank 1 Strengthening Inscription," I could actually read and understand the glyph. "Now. Assuming you didn''t lie about following my instructions, can you tell me what this does?" Gregory asked in a stern tone. "It''s called a strengthening inscription, but it actually reinforces the overall durability," I answered. "Excellent. Yes. Anything with this would receive an extremely minor durability reinforcement. Good for common tools, and it''s simple enough that you can easily miniaturize it to place at the bottom of a handle, for example." He flipped through the book until he stopped at the page labeled "Rank 2 Strengthening Inscription," which contained the previous rune I recognized and an additional new one. "The number of runes, sigils, or glyphs within an inscription determine its rank, but you can''t just slap a bunch together. They must be carefully selected from compatibility or offset enough to enter an equilibrium." "Now, if you look here..." *** "I think that is enough for one day." Gregory finally announced, sitting down with a satisfied look on his face. It had been a blur of going from page to page, with him first having me try to explain the rune myself before he would help or explain its concept. It was almost like learning an entirely new language or alphabet, except greatly enhanced via [Rune Reading] and [Apprentice]. I hope you gained at least one level in reading?" Gregory asked. I looked over my notifications eagerly. <1 Profession Point is now available.> "Level three in [Rune Reading] and level four in my class," I eagerly answered. Gregory looked slightly taken aback. He blinked and stared at me several times, possibly using [Identify]. "I know my skill ranked up after my last [Apprentice], but this seems a little excessive..." Gregory muttered in confusion. I knew the likely source and decided I better be open about it, "Oh. I have the [Prodigy] trait. It gives me a-" "[Prodigy]!? Yes, yes, I know what it does." Gregory interrupted and started tugging at his beard. "I think you''ve all but confirmed that you''re someone''s bastard son at this point... This is an unexpected surprise. I''ll need to readjust my lesson plan to consider that; this is remarkable and truly wonderful. I wonder if I''ll get any bonus from [Apprenticeship], there was that one rumor... What luck! Ha!" I let Greg go on with his ramblings as I awkwardly ran my fingers along the spine of my new book. My memory was really good thanks to [Soul Mastery], but I wondered if I could have my [Sub-Cores] also read and memorize them. I was sure a big part of my education would require me to memorize the contents of this book and possibly others. Could I even order my [Sub-Cores] to read while I slept? Now, that was an idea worth exploring. "Ah. I got carried away; please forgive me, Sylvester. I suggest you grab [Rune Etching]; perhaps tomorrow, we can try having you draw your first circle. Please do review what we covered today in your book." Gregory said, now looking almost as eager as I did this morning. "I apologize, but I need to run off and redraft... Almost everything. If I''m a little late tomorrow, please forgive me." We shared a very brief goodbye before he practically stormed off. I left the Guild after storing my book and waved farewell to James. It was already evening, so I rushed to the inn, ate my meal, and went straight to my room. "Alright... Let''s see what we can do." I said eagerly, plopping the book on my bed and bringing my [Sub-Cores] to attention. "Oh, right, I should buy that new skill..." "Wait..." I said, frowning deeply while looking at the notification in more detail. "I was distracted at the time, but Profession Points? Also, shouldn''t I have two remaining? I''m level four?" While slightly distraught about the missing points, I knew I could question Gregory about it tomorrow, and rather than worrying about it, put it in the back of my mind while perusing through my book. Chapter 138 : Rune Etching The next day, when I arrived in the lesson room, there was a note written on the chalkboard informing me that Gregory would be a little late and that I should take the time to practice drawing circles of differing sizes. ''I mean... How hard can it be?'' I thought, intrigued by the unexpected challenge of the task. I picked up a piece of chalk and began drawing my first circle on the board in almost no time. I then drew another one, slightly smaller, and nodded in satisfaction at the result. ''Am I being weird again? This doesn''t seem hard... Maybe I''m just a circle-drawing genius,'' I joked to myself. I wracked my mind, trying to think of a reason why I was finding such easy success in a task that Gregory clearly thought I might have a little trouble with. The only thing that came to mind was perhaps the steadiness of your arm and hands, while I had practically unparalleled and perfect control over my slime as long as it was close to one of my cores. I also tried ordering one of my [Sub-Cores] to control my arm and draw the circle, which they also did with the utmost precision. ''Just another reason to be glad I''m a slime. And to think Mother wanted me to become a spirit. Ha!'' Thankfully, Gregory arrived before I ran out of chalkboard space; he entered the door looking slightly flustered. "Apologies for being late, Sylvester." He said upon entry. "I hope you haven''t had too much trouble with drawing circles-" He stopped as he saw the board covered in them. I gave a grin. "It''s been going pretty well." "I can see that." He said, blinking a few times. "And here I was going to recommend you the [Steady Hand] skill or perhaps [Body Control] trait if you were struggling. Or do you already have one of those?" "I don''t have either of those, but perhaps I have something similar?" I asked. "Well, I would have only been able to offer you [Steady Hand], which is a common skill picked up amongst crafters. With [Body Control], you might need to pay someone from the Adventurer''s Guild to show you; it gives you more precise control over your muscles and such. Some people swear by it, but the idea of potentially needing to relearn something as simple as walking sounded far too high of an entry requirement." "Sounds a little extreme," I said with a chuckle. "Indeed! But anyway, since your circles are looking spectacular, we can move on to working on your [Rune Etching] skill." I gave an enthusiastic nod, and Gregory gestured for me to join him at one of the work benches. From his storage pouch, he pulled out dozens of square-shaped pieces of wood of varying sizes before finally pulling out a small tool that looked a little like a metal toothpick. "So, [Rune Etching]. It''s the starting point for all Enchanters, and you''ll likely find it extremely limiting and frustrating to work with. Enchantments made with it will eventually burn out; from the moment they are activated, they are on borrowed time. Once you move past it, its only purpose is for trial and error or rush jobs until you unlock [Rune Tracing]." Gregory held out the long metal toothpick for me to grab, "Essentially, you''ll be using this tool to scrape into the wood while letting your mana flow into the tool. It''s made of a metal that is conductive of mana, although it''s one of the cheaper options. Too much conductivity and you''ll overload what''s possible for [Rune Etching]. Furthermore, circles created with [Rune Etching] cannot exceed rank three inscriptions. If you wish to practice them, you''ll need me to make the circle for you until you get [Rune Carving]." I nodded along as he kept explaining. The normal progression was [Rune Etching] into [Rune Carving] into [Rune Engraving], limited by inscription ranks three, seven, and ten, respectively. On the other hand, [Rune Tracing] was what I had witnessed Thern do when he traced a temporary enchantment with his finger, and in theory, it had no rank limit as long as you could imbue enough mana into the temporary circle. Gregory also gave me some practical application examples. A [Rune Etching] would be used for a quick fix lasting no longer than a handful of days, assuming perfect construction. Otherwise, it would barely last a day. Gregory reminisced about when he was still just starting out and how he would sell his services to prevent water damage, in particular bad storms. A [Rune Carving] was expected to last at least half a year, while perfected jobs could last just over a year and was perfect for insulating a house for winter. Finally, [Rune Engraving] was the pinnacle and was expected to last a lifetime unless destroyed. The most obvious application was in constructing magic items and tools. However, Gregory admitted that in emergencies, weapons and armor would sometimes be given [Rune Carving] enchantments, although when the enchantment expired, the weapon would usually be destroyed as a result. Honestly, I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Gregory, and he was undoubtedly very passionate about his line of work. Finally, I was instructed to try using [Rune Etching] on one of the pieces of wood after Gregory demonstrated using it himself and placing a simple strengthening inscription on it. Thanks to [Mana Conception], I could watch as he let out a consistent trickle of mana pour into the tool, focusing on the tip and drawing into the wood efficiently and effectively. Gregory gave a knowing smile, watching my gaze, "Good to see you have at least a decent level of [Mana Sight], and I hope a decent level of [Mana Manipulation] to go with it. It''s been often proven that there is a lot of cross-class skill application for Mages and Enchanters." I was thoroughly excited when I was handed back the tool and told to copy his inscription. I felt like I was armed to the teeth with all my skills and traits, precise control over my body, and, of course, my direct tutelage. With the tool in hand, I began my work, starting with the circle and proceeding with the relatively simple rune in the center. There was a pregnant pause when I completed the final stroke of the rune, and the entire thing gleamed brightly before the piece of wood began to rapidly grow cold before cracking in half. I was thoroughly disappointed, almost expecting guaranteed success, but Gregory gave a happy chuckle. Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. "Well, as far as first attempts go, that was marvelous. I must admit I had to hold my breath there at the end; I thought you had it." Gregory said proudly. "From what I saw and the end result, I''d say you just need to tone down your mana level. You tried to copy my own, but you only have level one [Rune Etching]. Also, you must ensure that your mana is pure; your high ice affinity must have leaked through." I took the suggestions in stride and began my second attempt. This time, I achieved remarkable success by ensuring I was pulling pure mana and drastically lowering the output. Gregory actually cheered when it succeeded this time, and I found myself caught up in the positivity. "I''ll be damned if I don''t get at least two [Apprenticeship] levels when I''m done with you." He said happily. The rest of the day involved repeating the process. After three successful attempts at the normal size, Gregory showed me an example of enlarging it on a much bigger piece of wood. Once I had demonstrated that three times in a row, he asked me to try reversing that principle and try it out on a much smaller piece of wood. In my mind''s eye, I was trying to imagine how it would look shrunk down. I was struggling a little to get a good mental grasp until I thought of trying to copy how my mimicry traits copied parts and applied shrinkage or enlargement. Once I started thinking about slime shaping, I found a much clearer mental image and got to work replicating the miniaturized inscription. When I completed the final stroke, I overheard Gregory letting out his held breath. He had a big grin plastered on his face right up until the small piece of wood cracked in half. "So, so close," Gregory said with a slight chuckle. "You got the idea down to shocking perfection; I really thought you had it there. The only thing you forgot to do was appropriately lower the amount of mana. When you copied my enlarged inscription, you also directed more mana into it, so I thought you had understood the theory." "Ah..." I said, realizing the seemingly obvious mistake. Of course, a larger inscription would need more mana, and a smaller one required less. Once again, I had overloaded the poor etching. "You seem to have very good visualization. If you can apply the same concept when we move away from flat surfaces, I think you''ll breeze through the basics." Gregory said. He pulled out a piece of parchment with an inscription drawn on it and, after looking around the room for something appropriate, walked over to one of the higher tables and gestured for me to follow him. He crouched down and pointed towards one of the rounded table legs. "Where would you put the inscription if I asked you to strengthen this table leg?" He asked. "On the underside of the foot seems the most appropriate," I answered. "Correct. But for argument''s sake, let''s assume that the foot was unavailable. It''s been bolted to the floor." I paused to think a bit before answering, "I could maybe fit a really small one if shrunk enough..." "True. That would be possible, although you''d likely need to create quite a few tiny ones to achieve the desired strength. However, this is one of the more common options." Gregory then proceeded to wrap the piece of parchment around the table leg; I could see how the inscription was still whole despite being distributed over an uneven surface. Seeing the realization on my face, he smiled, "Hopefully, this illustrates the importance of having a good mental image." "Couldn''t you apply a marking or ink to get the correct distribution and then enchant it?" Gregory chuckled at that. "I''m glad you asked so I could slap that foolish idea from your mind. Lesser Enchanters sometimes use stencils to assist them, but the quality is degraded when finalizing the enchantment. The excuse given is that the ink or paper or whatever they use between the enchantment target causes interference, but I say the system knows a cheat when it sees one and applies appropriate judgment." It was an interesting idea and seemed plausible from what I had seen of Gramps and Mother. After all, they had robbed me of precious [Slime Conversion] and ten trait points! Although part of me wanted to test the limits of this cheating theory, could I do the engraving with my slime? What if I formed the rune shape in slime, filled it with mana, and melted the full inscription in one go? Would that work? "I can see you''ve got ideas running around in your head. But learn to walk before you try running!" Gregory said with a chuckle. We continued with another set of strengthening enchantments and then tried a few of the other basic ones. The one that intrigued me the most out of the basics was one that reduced the weight of the enchanted object; I had no idea such a thing was possible through enchanting. The other interesting interaction was when I added the fire resistance enchantment, requiring me to give a lot more mana for the enchantment to actually stick. It was an interesting thing to witness, and Gregory said there was another entire area of study where people researched the optimal material for each enchantment. Still, in theory, you could simply overcome it with enough mana and grit. "I think that''s enough for the day. Tell me what you''ve managed to achieve." Gregory said after examining my last piece of wood with a very satisfied nod. I pulled up my notifications and began reading them to him. <1 Profession Point is now available.> "Excellent. You''re clearly getting the perfection bonus. Honestly, I almost wish we could set up shop in a dungeon or something and stack even more bonuses!" Gregory said with a smug, toothy grin. "Perfection, [Prodigy] and [Apprentice]... Even so, it seems I gained even more levels than yesterday, numerically, and that''s without considering the higher experience requirement per level?" I questioned. "Rightly so! Today, you''re actually doing what your class wants you to do! Yesterday''s levels were purely from raising your class skills, but now you were doing the job!" Gregory said, giving me a pat on the back. "Ah! That completely slipped my mind..." "Don''t worry about it. It''s your first class where you don''t need to kill things to level up; I expect a lot of confusion in the coming weeks." "Speaking of which... I have a question. I seem to be missing a lot of skill or profession points?" "Oh. Silly me." Gregory said, tugging at his beard. "You only get a profession point every three levels. Try not to be wasteful with them; I''ve got an optimal path for you to follow, so please do not take anything until I tell you to." "Not a problem, Master Greg. I''m quite a point hoarder." I said, grinning. We talked a bit more before finally departing. Greg said he might soon ask me to do some actual enchanting jobs as it would be a good way to earn experience and some coin. While enchanting random bits of wood was certainly a way to progress, if the enchantments were actually going towards a useful purpose, I''d earn some more experience. I was instantly reminded that I had given Johnathan two levels just for being a "satisfied customer." ''I wonder if that''s why Yuzz was always so happy to work on stuff for me... These profession classes are really something else.'' Chapter 139 : Progress Before I knew it, I had spent over a week with Gregory, learning the ins and outs of being a basic Enchanter. Once Gregory saw how well I took in his lessons, combined with my gains from [Prodigy] and [Apprentice], it became a relentless pace of nonstop learning. I''d swear he was more excited than I was to learn new things and eager to get me out of [Rune Etching] as quickly as possible. Despite all that, and even with the multiple stacking bonuses, once we hit level five, it was like we had hit a brick wall, and the push to level six was grueling. Practically every scrap of wood Gregory could come across was eventually laid before me to etch into. The reason for our mad rush was for me to purchase [Rune Carving], which, from the explanation I got, was a tiered skill like Trixie had mentioned to me, meaning I would need to pay upwards of five points to tier up [Rune Etching] into it! Gregory was similar-minded to me in that he hated to waste points, but after a long discussion, we decided to stop at level six. The benefits were far too great to have early access to [Rune Carving], which would open up many new ways for me to work and learn simultaneously. Not to mention, Gregory had said there were other ways to make up for the points later. When I finally got the notification, both of us cheered so loud that we had some of the guild workers check up on us to ensure that everything was still okay. <5 Profession Points are now available.> ''Yes!'' I had never agreed to a prompt so quickly before. <[Rune Etching LV 6] becomes [Rune Carving LV 1]. Profession Points Remaining 1.> And with my remaining point, I was instructed to finally purchase [Rune Framework]. It was nice to finally get a new skill, as I had been sitting on only [Rune Reading] and [Rune Etching] for so long. [Rune Reading] had reached level five in this time, although since I couldn''t enchant anything above rank three, it was a little meaningless. [Rune Framework] would allow me to design the complex layouts required to link multiple circles together and would be necessary for our next learning steps as I sold my services to insulate housing for Winter. My other skills offered by the class were either a little disappointing or something I''d purchase later. [Rune Inspection] would let me judge the quality of individual runes or an inscription as a whole, which might have been useful if I was self-taught. But I had an expert as my master, and I''d grown a little attached to hearing him say "perfect" when judging my work. At level ten, I was offered [Bartering], which was likely when basic enchanters probably started to try earning an income. Level fifteen had offered me [Rune Carving], which felt deliberately taunting. I also still had [Rune Design] from [Apprentice], which was all about designing custom runes and likely far above my level. Gregory was initially surprised I had been offered that, and one evening, while discussing it, we boiled down the likelihood of it coming from the fact that I had worked on customizing spells. Supposedly, the two were very similar, and judging by how I could almost recognize some of the patterns from my spell constructs and concepts, I could see why. While Gregory applauded my gumption, he recommended holding off until I get [Rune Tracing] as it would be the safest option when experimenting with unknown runes. One reason we hoarded these early points was the potential to upgrade to [Rune Engraving] early. Ultimately, the decision would be mine to make, but Gregory had said it would speed up my growth tremendously, and he was authorized to throw many more resources my way if I had access to it. I figured this was potentially Johnathan trying to get an earlier return on investment, but I was honestly tempted to do it earlier myself. While I was enjoying my time as Sylvester, I still had a commitment I refused to abandon as Syl. Realistically, I could throw another month and a half into this before Syl needed to return and head out toward the dungeon. Getting to gold rank, visiting the dwarves, and getting my silver slime core was infinitely more important than potentially getting another white slime core. Realistically, I''d likely abandon Sylvester to the wind if I needed to, and I could slowly piece together the class myself. However, what paused me about that was I''d be completely screwing over Gregory, with whom I''d formed a very amicable master-apprentice relationship. If Sylvester disappeared mid-training, then Gregory would end up in hot water with Johnathan, and there would be skill and level penalties for breaking [Apprentice] as well. I still had plenty of time to consider and reassess it, so I left it alone for now. My biggest reason for wanting to get [Rune Engraving] as soon as possible was brought about by an errant thought: Could I engrave my own cores? From everything I understood about Enchanting, it seemed likely. In theory, I could try it already with [Rune Carving], but I was a little worried about my cores exploding when the carving reached its lifetime. "Hey, Gramps! I exploded myself by enchanting my core! Whoops?" Was not a conversation I wanted to have. It was likely an irrational fear; enchantments were relatively safe, but something about it bugged me. I''d maybe test on one of my [Sub-Cores] once I received the basic training on spherical enchantments. I also tried out my theory of using slime to etch, and it worked! Sorta... The etching worked perfectly for about two seconds before the piece of wood violently exploded. My theory was that it had far too much mana for [Rune Etching] to handle, which was why I was super excited to try out [Rune Carving] and eventually [Rune Engraving] with slime! The issue was clearly [Mana Slime], and even when I dropped it down to the minimum density, it was just too much. Perhaps if I evolved away from a blue slime, I''d be able to toggle the trait instead of being all mana slime all the time. That''s not to say my entire life was nothing but enchanting. I still spent my evenings and sometimes mornings working on my magic. I spent a lot of much-needed time consolidating all my spells for each element to each have a basic applicable template. For Ice, I successfully added the freeze concept to everything and then combined [Chill] into all the spells, greatly enhancing their effects. I also further upgraded [Icicle] to include [Frostbite], and while it was a bit of a mana hog to combine so much into one spell, it is now exceptionally deadly. With one spell, it would deal both Ice and Piercing damage from the initial hit, and then it would permeate both a freezing effect and ice damage over time. I tried to work a little with [Glacial Aura], but Trixie was not joking about its difficulty. I solidly put it on the back burner for now. For Fire, I replicated what I did with Ice and worked on adding [Combust] to all my damage-related spells, as they already had [Heat] from when I was training with Dewi. Fire was a lot easier to work with, and I wasn''t also trying to juggle an advanced ailment concept, so it was almost no effort at all. Water... Was in an odd place. I didn''t have an affliction or ailment for it. Instead, I just kept working on applying more compressed [Torrent] spells together. I had nearly matched the output I had seen from the undine. Since I didn''t have any spell combinations to make, I instead investigated my unused [Rain Cloud] spell. Honestly, I almost felt like it was on par with [Glacial Aura] in terms of complexity, which, coming from a basic element, was certainly saying something! My immediate thought was to try to make a fire or acid rain, but without a lot of trial and error in a big open area, I was reluctant to proceed further in case I burnt or melted down the inn! This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it. Lightning was shockingly fun, pun intended! And my enchanting practice actually helped me out a bit with this one. I would bring some of my pieces of wood enchanted with durability or magic resistance back home with me, and thanks to [Lightning Rod], it became a relatively safe way to test my spells! Well, that was after I learned how to soundproof my room by creating multiple dampening enchantments and covering the floor, walls, and ceiling with them. Before soundproofing my room, I had caused a minor panic when I first cast [Lightningbolt], which I thankfully explained away as an enchanting accident. Speaking of [Conductive], I finally tested my combination of it and [Lightning Rod] and was most satisfied with the result. However, I received a strange series of notifications once I cast it. <[Conductive] spell has been registered.> It was strange; I had definitely cast [Conductive] before but had no prompt to name it or discovery notification. Searching my memories, I noticed this oddity with all of my debuff spells; the debuff had a predetermined name, and I had just copied it for the spell. When I cast my other debuffs once, I received bizarre prompts for all of them. <[Permable] spell has been registered.> <[Flammable] spell has been registered.> <[Frigid] spell has been registered.> I hoped this meant I gained bonus experience for discovering or creating these spells because I felt I needed any edge to reach level six sooner. The level five wall was no joke. With debuff and attack spell covered, I naturally started working on an affliction. Lightning was similar to Fire in that it seemed naturally highly compatible with the "damage over time" aspect, which I had previously kept calling poison. It barely took up an evening and a morning to create it before I cast it on one of my pieces of enchanted wood. I was honestly struggling to think up a name for this one as I stared at the piece of wood sparkle with tiny zaps of lightning coursing through it. The strange behavior was due to [Lightning Rod], which made my lightning affliction stick to something it probably shouldn''t be able to. ''I dunno... Call it [Zap]?'' I thought with a shrug. <[Zap] spell has been registered.> <[Zap] spell has been unregistered.> ''Unregistered!?'' I screamed in protest. <[Electrocute] spell has been registered.> ''... Does this mean Mother hated my name? What''s wrong with [Zap]? [Create: Ice Stupid] is fine, but you have issues with [Zap]?'' I mentally shouted to the void. <[Lightning Magic LV 3] spell [Ball Lightning] learned.> I went silent at the new notifications as the new spell was injected into my mind. Like the name implied, it would make a lightning ball, which would drift in the direction it was cast in until colliding or disappearing. Anything too close to the ball would be shocked by arcs that discharged from the ball. Casting the spell but not releasing it, I could see that empowering it would increase the ball''s size and likely the arcs'' range. ''Come to think of it, it''s kind of like my [Voltaic Slime] when it''s overloaded. I bet this would go well with [Lightning Rod].'' Even with [Lightning Rod] and soundproofing, I dared not cast even a tiny version of this spell inside. [Corrosion Magic] and [Arcane Magic] had unfortunately taken a backseat during this time, even if I wasn''t currently an Elementalist [Elemental Shift] made it so much easier to work with elemental mana in general. I still wanted to create a poison debuff, but other than that, I felt like I was in a relatively good spot with [Corrosion Magic] as I had already added damage over time to [Acid Dart]. I didn''t have a good excuse with [Arcane Magic]. It certainly wasn''t as exciting as my other magic when I first got it. When I initially ran into the hurdle of trying to create an affliction or debuff, I abandoned it for easier solutions. However, with Enchanting and all my gains on my other forms of magic, I felt like I was on the edge for my next level in [Mana Manipulation]. I promised myself I''d give it some much-needed attention as soon as I got that long-awaited and glorious notification. Speaking of gains, the newly formed cores had almost caught up, having reached level four and likely soon to hit that horrible wall that was level five. I was tempted to grab one more [Sub-Core] for an even ten, but after my stolen trait points and my level debt, I decided to save those precious few points. The evening I got [Rune Carving], Gregory even took me out to Moonsong for dinner to celebrate. It was an unexpected surprise and made me even more determined to impress him tomorrow. Regrettably, I was forced to wear a suit, which made me feel strangely uncomfortable after wearing mimicked slime clothes for so long. If the suit wasn''t a rental, I would have eaten and copied it on the spot. Oh well. At least the food was amazing. Name: Sylvester [Apprentice] Race: Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) LV 1 (-8) Class: Enchanter LV 20 Status: Healthy Mana: Overflowing Emblems: [Experiment] [Apex Hunter] [Elven Legacy] [Dungeoneer] [Nature''s Bane] [Manhunter] [Apprentice]* Traits: Slime: [Mana Slime LV 11] [Acid Slime LV 7] [Poison Slime LV 6] [Blaze Slime LV 6] [Cryo Slime LV 5] [Voltaic Slime LV 6] [Morph Slime LV 7] [Pseudopod LV 7] [Slime Shot LV 7] [Slime Burst LV 6] [Vaporize Slime] Core: [Core Collective LV 8] [Core Storage LV 6] [Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Zeta LV 4] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5] [Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Eta LV 4] [Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Theta LV 4] [Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] [Sub-Core Iota LV 4] Mimic: [Chimeric Mimicry LV 7] [Chroma Shift LV MAX] [Consuming Osmosis LV MAX] Mana: [Mana Circulation LV 7] [Mana Reinforcement LV 7] [Mana Infusion] Attributes/Other: [Soul Mastery LV 7] [Enhanced Vitality LV 5] [Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 5] [Curse Resistance LV 1] [Illusion Resistance LV 1] [Prodigy] Senses: [Olfactory Sense] [Dark Vision LV MAX] [Mana Conception LV 6] [Life Sight LV 3] [Thermal Vision LV MAX] [Eagle Vision LV 3] [EM Field LV 2] Trait Points remaining: 3 Skills: General: [Universal Language] [Equipment Swap] [Dissection LV 6] [Mapping LV 5] [Tracking LV 2] [Identify LV 5] [Multitasking LV 5] [Perception LV 4] [Aerial Finesse LV 4] Combat: [Tranquil Flow LV 5] [Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 7] [Affliction Mastery LV 5] [Exploit Weakness LV 3] Magic: [Water Magic LV 5] [Fire Magic LV 5] [Corrosion Magic LV 5] [Ice Magic LV 5] [Arcane Magic LV 2] [Lightning Magic LV 3] [Mana Manipulation LV 5] [Magic Efficiency LV 4] [Counter Magic LV 3] [Elemental Shift LV 4] [Elemental Adaptation] [Ritual Casting] [Mana Suppression] [Meditate] Sneaky: [Vanish LV 6] [Sneak Attack LV 6] [Identity Fabrication LV 6] [Acting LV 4] [Rogue Expertise LV 4] [Magical Subterfuge LV 3] [Subtle Afflictions] Skill Points remaining: 14 Profession: Enchanting: [Rune Reading LV 5] [Rune Carving LV 1] [Rune Framework LV 1] Profession Points Remaining: 0 Chapter 140 : Rune Carving "Now, this is where the real fun begins!" Gregory said excitedly. Some tools, ranging from farming implements to blacksmithing, were placed on the workbench, and over a dozen more were sitting in a barrel. Two barrels full of weapons, separated into swords and spears, were also on display. [Appraisal] showed me everything was iron or bronze, nothing too fancy. "I''d love to have you working on spherical enchantments, but first, we need to get you used to your new skill and your new tool," Gregory said with a cheery smile as he produced what looked like a well-maintained tool. If the previous one I used for etching looked like a toothpick, this was a scalpel. I gingerly held it and gave it a trickle of my mana to see how it flowed, and wow, this tool was a greedy boy as it slurped up my mana. I could see there was clearly an enchantment to aid the flow of mana and produce a sharpening effect on the tiny blade. "Carving requires a lot more mana; after all, you''ll need to be able to mark even metal! Also, I hope this goes without saying, but be careful not to lose any fingers!" Gregory said, giving a bearded grin. "Is this a silver-steel alloy?" I asked curiously. "Indeed, good eye! Silver, like other precious metals, is a good mana conduit, and the steel is for durability." "Why not gold or monster parts?" "Cost and waste mostly. At least for a [Rune Carving] tool, it would be frivolous. For [Rune Engraving], I''ve seen plenty of tools made from all sorts of things. Somehow, befriend and outdrink a dwarf; perhaps you can get your hands on some Orichalcum or Adamantine. I''ve even seen some nobles brag about one made from Mithril, a relic reforged from the Elven war. Then you get the real exotics; one of my old teachers had one made from dragon bone! Blasted thing could make the most ravishing Fire enchantments I''d ever seen but was utterly useless for everything else." ''That silver slime is sounding better and better...'' Gregory started me off by enchanting the tools with only durability. It was my first time doing the rank four version, but it came out almost perfectly. I was so used to being frugal with my mana to avoid destroying an etching that I had subconsciously held back a bit too much. My second attempt was far better, and Gregory happily claimed it was perfect. My goal was to enchant all the tools with durability. When I was halfway through the barrel, Gregory told me to swap to rank five durability. "Remarkable..." Gregory muttered as I placed the last tool aside. "Something wrong, Master Greg?" "I''m shocked at how you''re still standing. Bloody hell, you have easily doubled my mana capacity. I expected us to take a lunch break ages ago, but you just kept going, and I didn''t want to disturb you..." "I have a really high level in [Mana Circulation] and [Mana Well]," I explained. Holding back the truth that I had already fused [Mana Well], just in case. "And at least twenty-five levels in an intermediate combat class..." Gregory said, tugging at his beard. "Ten levels in Sorcerer, too," I added, as it was already part of my backstory. "Do you not have a combat class?" "I believe almost twenty levels in Mage when I wanted to become an adventurer like every child does when they are young. Then I learned I could earn double my weekly adventurer salary in a day with enchanting! Never looked back." Gregory chuckled. "Although I''m extremely jealous of the attributes yours is clearly giving you. Maybe I should see if Mister Green will pay for me to get some Sorcerer levels." "I didn''t realize professions get fewer attributes..." I murmured, trying to recall what Tabitha had told me. "Just how the world works, I''m afraid. It makes logical sense, though; I run out of mana and simply have to take a short break, maybe have some tea. An adventurer runs out of mana, and they might end up as monster food." "Now, before we go and have lunch, let me quickly show you something..." I must have frowned because Gregory chuckled in response. "Even if you can go, I''m starving, and it''s not like the weapons will run away." He pulled out one of the swords and began his explanation. My task for the swords was to add durability and sharpness to them. I could simply make two enchantments, but this was the perfect opportunity to use [Rune Framework]. Gregory explained that having one solidified enchantment was more efficient and effective than multiple individual ones, and by creating a framework, you could ensure the enchantments are applied to the correct areas to avoid wastage. "No point in your sword handle being sharp, after all," Gregory said with a chuckle at his own joke. He easily demonstrated the process and then withheld, presenting me the finished blade. "Now, let''s go get lunch, and then you can try to replicate this!" *** I spent a week doing nothing but swords and spears. I swear I could see the layouts in my dreams as I was now intimately familiar with the durability and sharpness of inscriptions, both of which I could easily replicate up to rank six. I was effectively cheating to get up there, using my overwhelming mana to far exceed what [Rune Carving] was trying to limit me to, but even with my attempt at cheating, I couldn''t achieve rank seven yet. The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. <3 Profession Points are now available.> Gregory wasn''t kidding about the difference between [Rune Etching] and [Rune Carving]. Originally, I had been worried the pace would slow down, but now that I was producing usable and meaningful goods, the system was optimally rewarding me. I must have been doing quite a good job as when I reached level twenty-five, I was offered two skills: [Brand] and [Rune Filigree]. The former would let me leave my unique signature to be recognized by fellow crafters and merchants, which was vital to becoming a big shot. The latter skill would let me add flourishes to my work, which did nothing but look pretty. Gregory demonstrated it to me and showed that you could even control what color your inscriptions would glow at the higher levels. The higher the level, the more frivolous extras you could add to an inscription without directly affecting the final product. "Between you and me..." Gregory had said in a hushed whisper. "The nobles gobble this shit up. They absolutely love it if you can make something in their family crest''s colors or somehow sneak their insignia into an inscription." Unfortunately, it wouldn''t really help me until I got [Rune Engraving]. While we predicted I''d have excess profession points before reaching [Rune Carving LV 5], I was more interested in spending two of them for [Rune Tracing], which I should unlock at thirty, and [Rune Design]. *** With sufficient levels of [Rune Carving] and [Rune Framework], Gregory finally let me out into the city to work on Winter insulation and waterproofing. These big jobs would net me a lot of experience, and they heavily relied on [Rune Framework] to cover a large area. I had wondered why we didn''t just create multiple inscriptions, and after Gregory had a long chuckle, he finally answered me. "Not everyone has your boundless mana; expanding a framework costs a fraction of the mana. Also, remember these aren''t [Rune Engravings], so they will run out. Would you rather check one inscription to see if it''s still functioning per house or twenty?" Walking around the city in effectively an official uniform of the Merchant''s Guild was interesting... Slowly but surely, people began to recognize me, and it nearly freaked me out a few times when someone I''d never seen before greeted me by name. This was especially apparent with the city guard, who would even bring me refreshments while I enchanted their guard stations, barracks, and gatehouse. While I probably couldn''t say any of them were directly my friend, per se, it was a stark contrast to my time as Syl. Sylvester''s only real friend was likely Gregory, but he had many positive acquaintances. Syl had quite a few close friends, but outside of those didn''t really interact with anyone else. I was quite scared when Johnathan arranged for me to do a job at the Adventurer''s Guild when I was nearing the end of another two weeks. I felt like my worlds were colliding, and I almost wanted to refuse on the spot, but as Gregory had pointed out ¡ª this was an amazing opportunity. [Acting] unfortunately agreed with them, so I graciously accepted with eager falsehood. ''Betrayed by my own skill...'' I knew it was my own paranoia, and I''d be seen as just another face in the crowd, and for the most part, that was true. I just silently tried to work efficiently and silently. I had wondered why Thern wasn''t doing this or the Guild''s own staff, even if Johnathan was pulling strings. I was minding my own business when my horrors came to life. Thern approached me. "So you''re the brat Greg has been bragging about..." He said as he ran his thick fingers through his beard. ''Gregory... Why?'' "Good day, Sir Dwarf. I am Gregory''s [Apprentice], Sylvester." I said as politely as possible. "Hmm... Well, aren''t you polite? Keep working; don''t stop on my account, lad." Thern said as he started inspecting my work extremely closely. I felt extremely uncomfortable and even asked Alpha to stop me if I was about to make a mistake. Although, at this point, I had done so many of these, it was almost routine, even with the added pressure of another Enchanter critiquing my work other than my own teacher. Abruptly, Thern chuckled, and I could see a sort of goofy smile beneath his bushy beard. "Well damn. Looks like I owe Greg some coin and a drink. Name''s Thern; sorry for giving you the stink eye." "Not at all. It''s a pleasure to meet someone else who knows Master Greg." "I dunno who''s luckier, you or him," Thern said. "Beg your pardon?" I asked. "You got one of the few Enchanters I still respect in this city," Thern said, producing a small flask and taking a swig, then pointing towards my work. "Half the bastards in this place wouldn''t be teaching you efficient work like this; you''d be drawing fancy squiggles that look pretty and either fade in half the time or are barely effective." ''Wow... Greg said his standards were high, but I had no idea.'' I thought. "But then he lands a fucking [Prodigy] on his doorstep. It''s mind-blowing!" Thern shouted and chuckled. "Even I''d be tempted to try to get back into the trade to teach, just for the bragging rights!" "You left?" I asked. Syl knew, but Sylvester didn''t. "Aye. Got offered a strange combat enchanter class and took it. It''s a hella lot of fun, but nearly caused my parents to disown me." Thern said with a hearty grin. I frowned. "Not that I''m not grateful for the work, but... Couldn''t you do this and a better job?" Thern laughed so loudly I thought I had said something wrong; he was practically wiping tears from his eyes. "Aye. I could do this; hell, I could Engrave it and make it permanent. But then, how would the youngins ever learn anything? Or earn their coin?" Obviously, I didn''t put the puzzle together quickly enough, so Thern promptly continued. "You definitely had a combat class before this; you don''t have the crafter money mindset yet." Thern chuckled. "It''s like an unspoken agreement so the next generation has a chance. Imagine everything was permanently enchanted unless it broke. You''d struggle to find work. In this same hypothetical, imagine all the great enchanters kicking the bucket; what now? We have to start from scratch." I nodded along, continuing to work. "It''s also great for repeat customers," Thern said, giving an exaggerated wink. "Of course, if one day you want to permanently enchant your own house or even a friend or family member, nobody is gonna come kicking down your door or anything. But... If you enchant an entire town, city, or even a district, there might be some... Consequences." He gave a toothy smirk before bellowing with laughter. He watched me for a few more moments, then shook his head and chuckled before walking away. "Keep well, lad." "Thank you, Mister Thern." I was most grateful I didn''t run into anyone else until I finally finished for the day. Chapter 141 : Time Crunch I felt like I had almost enchanted half the city and wondered what favors or deals were pulled to allow me such exclusivity. However, I did note that I didn''t step a single foot into the actual inner city, so either they had arranged permanent enchantments, or my work wasn''t fancy enough for their tastes. After just over two weeks, I made considerable gains, and despite spending almost every waking hour enchanting what felt like everything, I only reached level four. This was with two guaranteed experience boosts and potentially a third if [Elven Legacy] was getting involved. Did Enchanting qualify? It was Mana and arguably Magic-related. <6 Profession Points are now available.> I was extremely worried I wouldn''t hit my self-imposed deadline. I''d also need to focus more on enchanting in the evenings instead of magic. Which made buying [Rune Tracing] and [Rune Design] a no-brainer. Now, while neither of these would directly increase my [Rune Carving] experience, I had hoped that if I made a discovery and carved it, I''d get some sort of new bonus. Something akin to my presumed spell discovery bonus. It was a long shot, but I was starting to feel desperate. I didn''t want to let Greg down. However, I also planned to try doing some more [Rune Carving] in the evenings; for that, I would need a test subject. A small part of me cringed at spending another precious trait point, but this was the only way I could achieve this without sacrificing a lot of slime mass. My other cores were too high level at this point and would cost me a fortune of slime to constantly remake them, which is why I rejected the [Sub-Core] experience network for the first time ever. I''d add Kappa officially to the team once this enchanting journey was over for some well-earned power leveling. I wanted to try [Rune Carving] my own slime cores. Originally, I wanted to hold off until I got [Rune Engraving], but in hindsight, perhaps that was foolish. I hadn''t even confirmed if I could Enchant a "living" core, so waiting until I had the best resources and skills before trying could have ended with immense disappointment. If it worked, I could practice on Kappa, destroy the core, and reform it. Thanks to [Core Collective] reducing the time by 80%, what would have taken 8 hours would be just under 2, and by using low-level [Sub-Core] and reducing the cost by 40%, I would hopefully not hurt my slime bank too much. Plucking the core from my body, I first gave an incrementally tighter squeeze until a small crack appeared. Mentally recording the force required to start damaging it, I allowed it to heal before beginning the next part. I slowly and cautiously brought the tool to its surface. A small part of me shuddered from remembering how close a knife was to my core when I was at my weakest, but thanks to [Core Collective], even freshly spawned, Kappa was far more durable than I was back then. I hadn''t learned spherical enchantments yet, so I''d start with a simple circle overlayed to take up a hemisphere, and the obvious choice was a simple strengthening rune. It was a nerve-wracking experience, but when I carved the final stroke, the entire inscription briefly shimmered and settled on the core. "Success?" I asked myself. From everything I could tell, it worked, so I applied the previous amount of force to the core. No cracks appeared, but with my excitement bubbling, I kept applying force until one did. "This potentially changes everything... The question is, will it healing destroy the enchantment? Also, will the enchantment remain, or will it be freshly smooth if I restore it from destruction? Honestly, I hope it''s the latter; otherwise, I''ll be stuck with a lower-rank rune forever..." I waited for the crack to restore, but the enchantment stayed. It was strange, as arguably, the core had a chunk carved out and missing, but somehow, it could differentiate between a wound and a benefit. That left one more thing to confirm, and with a heavy heart, I crushed the core and dissolved its shards. I was immediately surprised that eating the remains of the core gave me nothing, but perhaps that would have been seen as an exploit? If it gave me no slime mass, maybe I could keep the shards in case it had another use or value? "There was one slime type whose shards were used in potions or something... I think it was the pink one?" I tried recalling to myself. With nothing to do but wait the requisite amount of time, I started practicing [Rune Tracing] and immediately found an unexpected hiccup; I could not make any runes above first rank with it. "Well, shit. I guess that means no tracing rank sevens for a long time..." I muttered as I returned to the basic runes. Greg had praised my memory as "eidetic," but honestly, I could cheat by asking one of my [Sub-Cores] to show it to me. They seemed to have no issue recalling anything I had shown them or asked them to do, frighteningly so. Greg had been most grateful that we could skip a lot of time that would''ve been set aside for simple memorization exercises. I''d never watched a [Sub-Core] be formed outside of a new trait, where it would instantly compress down into the perfect orb with aid from the system, and I previously had to always be asleep for them to regrow normally. It was like watching a constant whirlpool of ever-increasing slime slowly build into a tiny piece of solid crystal. Once that initial crystal center was formed, it would uniformly swell in size until, eventually, Kappa was reborn. "Perfectly smooth! No enchantment!" I cheered happily. Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. This was the best outcome, in my opinion, and I eagerly began the next set of carvings. It was time to cram in some extra effort! *** The morning after I finished up at the Adventurer''s Guild, what awaited me was a disheveled Greg slumped over the desk, nursing his head and a mug of dark brown liquid. "Good morning, Master Greg?" I asked curiously. He winced and glanced at me entering. "Sorry, Sylvester... I had... Quite a night." "Should we postpone today?" "No... I''ll recover eventually. I don''t know what demonic plane that dwarven bastard got something like that from. I swear it should be outlawed; it''s practically poison!" After putting the pieces together, I smiled softly. "Someone once told me never try to outdrink a dwarf..." "Sounds like someone far wiser than me..." Greg said with a self-deprecating chuckle. While we waited for him to recover from his dwarven-tiered hangover, I consulted him over [Rune Tracing], hoping it would be enough to qualify for the [Apprentice] experience bonus. That was one unfortunate aspect of my solo endeavors. By the time I reached my level, Greg had thankfully recovered enough to actually begin teaching me for real. Spherical inscriptions! He reached for one of the glass balls and began doing a rather simple light inscription. The trick with spherical inscriptions was to balance them out. While a rank one inscription was simple and could be slapped into the center of a circle, a sphere had to be broken up "three-dimensionally." So, even a simple rune was quite a drastic difference when transitioning from circles to spheres. However, this was not without merit, as the possibilities were much greater, and you could combine either breaking up an individual rune into more parts or adding another rune to the circle and using it to balance it out. When not following predetermined inscriptions or combinations, it was a lot of trial and error, and even if I graduated from Greg''s teachings, I would likely hold off on spherical enchantments on my own core until I was more familiar with the concept. I would be perfectly happy with two circle hemisphere enchantments per core and working on greater heights later. In the future, I foresaw plenty of [Rune Tracing] to spare Kappa the explosive results of a bad spherical enchantment. *** Somehow, another week had passed. While I had succeeded in following the blueprints and instructions for spherical inscriptions, I was starting to feel the pressure of time and that I was still far away from [Rune Carving LV 5]. I''d even stopped my magic practice, instead trying to squeeze any bit of experience possible towards enchanting. That''s not to say my non-crafting skills and traits didn''t improve after all this time. I''d been aligned to Ice for so long that it passively leveled up. I wondered if I was getting any bonus experience for aligning multiple cores. [Mana Manipulation] was a given at this point. I''d almost expected it sooner, and while some part of me was looking forward to finally working on [Arcane Magic], I wasn''t feeling up to it at present. I was surprised that enchanting was counted for [Magic Efficiency], but I wouldn''t complain. My [Sub-Cores] were clearly still working on my traits, as ordered, in the background. [EM Field] being renamed when it leveled up had confused me until I realized Gramps had said he would fix it. Speaking of my cores... The gang had finally reached five. That horrible level that haunted me so. Kappa was still at level one, as I had given it strictly no orders and sometimes wouldn''t even regenerate it until I was heading home. Part of me was terrified it would reach level two through recovery alone. I needed to save all the slime I could and get as much extra enchanting as possible... Perhaps my anxiety was bleeding through as one day, Greg approached me with a rather concerned look on his face. "Is everything alright, Sylvester?" He asked. "What do you mean, Master Greg?" I asked curiously. "Is there something wrong with my work?" "No. Your work remains astounding. But... You feel like someone about to go to war." Greg said, shaking his head. "I''m not sure I understand?" "Your pace is remarkable. Not once have you asked for a break. Not once have you complained about a workload; in fact, you''ve asked for more." Greg began answering, then sighed. "It reminds me of... People who were trying to get their affairs in order. Or... Someone being threatened." He turned to me with an extremely serious expression on his face. "Is Johnathan or anyone from the Green estate threatening you?" I blinked in confusion, his tone and expression demanding utter honesty. "No. I''m not being threatened. What makes you think I was?" Greg let out a long sigh as if relieved. "I was worried he was pressuring you. It seems he''s expecting his client to return in less than a month, and he asked me if there were other ways to speed up your progress. I was worried he perhaps thought my reports were inaccurate and trying to push you..." I chuckled at the hilarity of the situation. "No. I guess that''s my fault, in a way... I''ve got a commitment coming up, and I can''t refuse it. I was trying to reach our goal before I had to leave." Greg seemed pleased with my honesty but also confused. "We can continue your training when you return. That''s certainly no reason to work yourself to death." "I... I''m unsure how long it will take, a few months at minimum, perhaps even a year?" "Well... I certainly wouldn''t mind waiting. Johnathan, on the other hand... Might be a bit upset." Greg chuckled as he tugged at his beard. "But it''s not like you''re tied to his estate. I''d take a bit of heat, but nothing I couldn''t handle." "I don''t want to put you through that." I immediately rejected the idea. "Is there no way we can speed things up?" Greg let out a genuine laugh at the absurdity of my statement coming off the previous tension. "Without being wasteful with money... It would be hard. Getting you to do more complex inscriptions would be ideal." I snapped my fingers. "What about if I buy some patents?" Greg was tugging his beard more, his usual indicator of being deep in thought and running through the idea. "Yes... If you buy the patent for the storage inscription, we could enchant some crates and chests. Even if they will fade in half a year, plenty of merchants would jump at the chance for extra capacity!" I pulled out my guild tag and smiled. "So, where do I pay?" Greg chuckled and opened the door, gesturing for me to go first. "Let''s go get you licensed. Then we can start the lesson immediately and have James bring some chests or crates from the warehouse." "Sounds great. The storage bags adventurers carry around have always fascinated me." "As it should. An adventurer created that one, according to the history books. Dimensional magic is an absolute rarity, so the ingenuity of transcribing it into an inscription that works regardless of affinity was a truly world-shattering accomplishment." Greg paused and chuckled. "I''ll also request a catalog of available patents for you to borrow; you can look through it for anything that tickles your fancy." "I''d love that. Thank you." "No problem at all. We even have one with the adventurer patents; after all, every boy dreams of crafting and holding a magic sword!" Greg said with a happy chuckle. Chapter 142 : Final Stretch After paying the fee, my guild tag was apparently appropriately marked to show that I was authorized. I also received a piece of parchment as a receipt that I could use in case someone asked for proof that I could access the inscription. I was a little shocked at how much security was around it until Greg mentioned that half of it was due to this particular enchantment''s potentially dangerous nature, and even qualifying to teach someone else was apparently extremely strenuous. Obviously, I didn''t foresee myself teaching anyone enchanting, so it was a bit of a moot point. With other less dangerous patents, you''d be given a parchment copy of the design, or with the really complex ones, even a small booklet with detailed instructions. Spherical ones were extremely hard as attempts to replicate them on pages had been difficult, and simply having someone paid to teach was far less costly than trying to create a magical tool to display the three-dimensional inscription. True to his word, Greg gave me two small books to borrow, each a catalog of the various patents for sale. It was a simple name, short description, and associated price, with sometimes an additional fee listed if tutoring was required or available. Then, we returned to our workroom, which had already received a few small crates. "Right. Unlike our previous lessons, I''ll demonstrate, and then you''ll need to first replicate it on the chalkboard or parchment." Greg said as he pulled out his own tool. "While I have confidence in your ability to replicate this, it is better to be safe than sorry, and wrongly drawing this enchantment can result in injury." "No problem." I agreed. He opened one of the crates and inspected for a solid area where he could carve the enchantment. You wanted it to be safe and secure because if it became too damaged, you could lose whatever contents were stored inside. The inscription was like a true work of art, and I struggled to recognize a single portion. Where other inscriptions and runes had seemed quite similar to some spells I''d known, these were completely foreign. My [Rune Reading] was trying to decipher it but failing miserably, I got some vague interpretations about converting and expanding, but it was actually starting to hurt my head. When Greg finished the final stroke of the pattern, an ominous hum permeated the room before it settled down. "I swear I hold my breath every time I finish that final stroke. That sound is the thing of nightmares." Greg said with a chuckle. "I''m just glad this is a circle enchantment, not a sphere." "There is an upgraded version of this that is a sphere, but it''s costly and difficult. You must pay for and take an exam before you''re even considered. The exam is a thousand gold, and the patent is another two thousand." I gave an impressed whistle. "Considering this one was only fifty, that''s pretty crazy." "Seriously, Sylvester, dimension magic is no joke. I know you''re inquisitive, but don''t mess with this. That hum terrifies me because I''ve seen many enchanters lose their hands in it, if not worse." Greg warned. "As for the upgraded version, it causes objects placed inside of it to be paused in time, for lack of a better word. Food won''t spoil, ice won''t melt, and drinks stay warm. Even a year later, whatever goes in comes out as if it were the very same second." ''My [Core Storage] does that...'' "Anyway. That''s neither here nor now." Greg interrupted my wandering mind. "I suggest you study this as intensely as possible, then start practicing it on the chalkboard." I studied the inscription while ordering my [Sub-Cores] to save the design. Other than the extremely complex circle, which was the entire linchpin of the enchantment, the rest were a lot of [Rune Framework] lines designating the interior volume of the crate as the source, with plenty of redundant lines drawn in. I asked Greg about it, and he confirmed it was so that the contents wouldn''t be lost or damaged if one line was damaged. Then, I started replicating it on the chalkboard. Even though it was correct the first time, Greg made me repeat it a few more times and pointed out some small irregularities to fix up. It was admittedly nitpicky, but Greg warned me he had high standards before he took me on. Finally, after filling the chalkboard multiple times with the exact same inscription, Greg was satisfied for me to attempt it. I wasn''t willing to lose a hand to a failed dimensional storage, so I ensured my [Sub-Cores] would correct me. It was an intense experience, far worse than when Thern was staring at my work. It felt like Greg was preparing to potentially jump in to warn me at a moment''s notice. With bated breath, I completed the final stroke, and the hum filled the room as I quickly retreated my hands from inside the crate. "Excellent. Truly excellent. I wish I had your memorization." Greg chuckled. "Now, before you undoubtedly start enchanting endless amounts of crates, let''s have lunch." *** There were boxes and crates¡ªso many boxes and crates. Thank the gods that I didn''t get muscle cramps because repeating that complex circle for hours upon hours every day was gruesome even for me. Some days, I would even just order some [Sub-Cores] to pilot my body for me because even I was starting to take mental strain. I''d started losing track of time and hoped I still had leeway to work with. Maybe Syl could bribe Thern to delay his trip? I honestly wasn''t sure anymore. Greg and Thern had apparently tested one of my carvings, and I could reliably recreate the inscription with a year-long lifetime. This was one of the uses of a high-level [Rune Inspection] skill to verify an inscription''s integrity and remaining life. Word had gotten around, and soon, almost every merchant had requested one. Mass-producing temporary crates wasn''t that rare of an idea, although other enchanters usually used it as a source of emergency fundraising. The peculiarity was that [Rune Carvings] of the dimensional storage inscription would have an average lifetime of around six months. There was a lot of variance between enchanters; Greg could make them last seven months, and Thern''s lasted ten easily. But mine were peaking at a year and reliably. Greg and Thern had theorized it was due to my extreme consistency when enchanting, but I had a very odd feeling that perhaps my [Core Storage] trait somehow influenced it. So, with reliable and cheap storage available¡ªeveryone wanted one. The price was undoubtedly raised due to the year guarantee, but it was still a mere fraction of a permanent storage cost of this size. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. I was happy that Sylvester was now earning some income, as I wanted to buy the patent for many inscriptions. Most notably and highest on my priority list was one for mental resistance, which I wanted to carve directly into my own core as soon as possible. Speaking of cores, I had been experimenting a lot with Kappa. I could easily fit two high-rank runes on it without resorting to spherical enchantments, and I''d been trying various combinations. My favorite combination at the moment was self-repair and durability, as both were highly compatible, so I could put the highest rank for both without any compromise. My other options were self-repair and magic resistance or durability and magic resistance, although those were slightly less compatible. Sure, there were other compelling things like mana gathering, stealth, and blur, but none really appealed to me as simply increasing survivability, at least for now. Also... Against better judgment, there was an accident. I had tried inscribing the dimensional storage rune on Kappa. I was driven by an errant thought that it would increase my storage or give Kappa individual storage separate from the linked storage we could all pull from. Instead, it had been... Disastrous. I would have thought Kappa would simply explode or something similar. Instead, Kappa had been sucked into a tiny pinprick of a void of nothingness... At least, that is the only way I could describe it. It was haunting, and what scared me the most was that I didn''t get a destroyed or lost connection notification. There was nothing. Kappa was just gone as if removed from existence beyond the understanding of my notifications. My only relief was that I could reform the [Sub-Core], and I vowed never to attempt that again. As for progress, I had reached level forty in almost no time when we switched over to the new training method, and I''d been offered something that Greg was looking forward to¡ªa class upgrade. Forty was when most professions got to select a new class, described as a specialization. Enchanters got quite a few, and I was surprised that I was being offered ones from completely unrelated fields, but Greg said that was perfectly normal. Runesmith, Runeweaver, Runescribe, Runetinkerer, Runecrafter. Greg had said that I could pick any that tickled my fancy, and he only discouraged Runescribe, which was extremely costly. Runesmith would let me inscribe runes while forging a weapon or armor. Runeweaver would let me use thread to inscribe runes into cloth or leather. Runescribe would let me use specially crafted magical paper and magic ink to draw a full inscription, which I could apply to almost anything for an instant temporary enchantment. Runetinkerer was all about creating magical items, combining inventing and runes, and was what Greg had chosen. Finally, Runecrafter was more of a generalist and encouraged experimentation and new ideas. It wasn''t the flashiest of the five, but it spoke to me, and I wanted to create my own runes eventually. . ''Yes.'' <5 Profession Points are now available.> ... <6 Profession Points are now available.> ... <6 Profession Points are now available.> ... ... <6 Profession Points are now available.> I blinked in confusion. I had just gained two levels instantly. What happened? I read through the latest notification in shock as I dropped my tool. "Sylvester? What''s wrong?" Greg asked, concerned; he frantically inspected the work I had just completed. "It looks fine to me?" "I hit level five..." I mumbled as I quickly tried to upgrade it. ''Yes! Gods, yes!'' <[Rune Carving LV 5] becomes [Rune Engraving LV 1]. Profession Points Remaining 1.> "Truly!? That''s fantastic!" Greg shouted loudly as he grabbed my shoulders in a half-hug, the excitement getting to him. "I just upgraded it... I got two entire levels from it, reaching five. That''s... Insane." "Bah! I''m surprised it wasn''t more with all of us dedicated to you reaching it!" Greg said, slapping my back. "I still got a point... Should I get [Rune Repair]?" I asked. "Normally, I''d say yes. But... I think you should get [Brand]." Greg said, grinning proudly. "Really? Isn''t it pretty useless?" I questioned. "How else will you permanently mark the tool you will make? I want to point to the name Sylvester on it and say, ''He was one of mine!''" Greg said before laughing. I found myself joining in the merriment and purchasing the skill. Having a skill in my profession list without "Rune" in the name was a little funny, but this was a universal skill amongst the professions. You could activate it whenever you completed a craft, and it would mark the target. One time, Greg even showed me a Baker with the skill, and [Appraisal] showed me that every one of her muffins was branded. They were also the damn best muffins I had ever tasted. After we cleaned up the room, I was almost immediately dragged to Moonsong for a celebratory dinner that Greg had fully paid for. I dared not think of connections he pulled to somehow get a booking on the same day. While we were settling down after dinner, he pulled out a small box and softly slid it across the table. "Really Master Greg? You''re spoiling me." I said with a chuckle. "Open it first before you give me any lip. I''m still your Master for a few more days yet!" He guffawed. I shook my head and slowly opened the box; inside was an immaculate, enchanting tool with replaceable heads of varying sizes, from a toothpick to a scalpel, the largest looking like a letter opener. [Appraisal] told me it was made out of Electrum, and unlike my previous tools, it looked brand new. [Mana Conception] and [Rune Inspection] together showed me intricate designs perfectly flowing throughout the tool with matching [Rune Framework] that would link up between each of the different heads to the handle. I couldn''t believe the detail and beauty of the device. Seeing my speechlessness, Greg slapped me on the shoulder. "I can''t let my [Apprentice] just use any old piece of junk. I''d be laughed out of the guild!" I could only smile in stunned silence. I finally looked at the [Brand] and nearly choked when I saw Gregory and Thern. Greg gave a massive grin, clearly realizing what I had seen. "You impressed a dwarf; that''s good work. He did the forging, and I did the enchanting. Make sure you buy him a bottle of the strongest alcohol you can before you see him again." "And what about you?" I asked. "Oh? You want to give your old Master something... Well... Let me think..." He said before breaking out into a smug grin and chuckling. "That damned refrigerator egg better be bloody perfect; I want to be able to brag for years!" Chapter 143 : Rune Engraving Having finally achieved [Rune Engraving], we could move on to some of our final lessons. That''s not to say my Enchanter journey was over; far from it, I still had much to uncover in my own time, and I had barely touched spherical enchantments beyond the fundamentals. Greg had even described it as having reached the starting line, and I''d be registered as a fully licensed Enchanter within the Merchant''s Guild with Greg''s name backing my credentials. I wondered if I was perhaps setting a record for graduating from [Apprentice], but Greg had heartily laughed at that thought. While I was by far his fastest graduate, I wasn''t even close to some of the training Royals got. He explained that they would receive tutelage from someone with an absurd level in [Apprenticeship] while likely also having [Prodigy] and combined with legendary artifacts that could either boost experience or understanding and an ocean of elixirs and potions. "So we''ve finally reached [Rune Engraving], and thus, I need to explain what we mean by permanent enchantments." Greg began his lecture as I eagerly waited to absorb the knowledge. "Generally, we break down permanent enchantments into two broad classifications. The first and most common by far is unpowered enchantments, and I''d say these easily make up more than seventy percent of all engravings. The inscription is unpowered, and you must channel mana through it to activate it. Think of a tool that you only activate when needed, and our refrigerator egg also falls under this category, except it has been combined with a storage component. This includes most adventurer equipment, which passively siphons off mana from their wielder or wearer to power the enchantments. It need not be said, but most [Rune Carving] enchantments do this as well, but the difference is that the Carving will fade as mana flows through it, but the Engraving will not. Unless the Enchanter is grossly incompetent, using the wrong tool, or the object itself is of poor quality, of course." "The second is passively powered enchantments. The enchantment is always on through accumulating mana or mana generated from the object itself. The first option usually leads to an extremely large enchantment, as mana-gathering arrays are inefficient unless you combine your engraving with high-quality materials designed to entice the mana into the enchantment. The second option is the more common method of the two, and this is where monster parts usually come into play." "For example, instead of using our refrigerator inscription, we could enchant a white slime core, which is practically pure ice mana. The slime core being aligned to Ice means we wouldn''t need someone with Ice-mana to do the inscription, and it would be permanently on. We usually add another inscription to act as a switch, temporarily breaking the enchantment so it can be turned off if required. The downside of this, aside from potential resource scarcity, is that the quality of the material will significantly affect the quality of the result. A poor quality core could lead to an enchantment barely cooling a room, while a high-quality one could potentially even freeze its owner." I asked a few questions, such as how I added material to an engraving, and Greg demonstrated. He showed a specific head for the engraving tool that could absorb resources, usually in liquid form, and distribute them along with the enchanting mana flow. Greg did a relatively small enchantment to not waste resources, which in this case was a tiny coin of mana-enriched silver. The coin easily melted in a small flask he rapidly heated. He then dipped the head of his tool in the faintly glowing silvery liquid, and it sucked it up to the last drop. Greg then proceeded to enchant as normal, and soon, there was a beautiful glass ball of permanent light. He also explained there was a skill I''d unlock later on now that I had [Rune Engraving], which allowed you to designate a source as your material and incorporate it without needing a tool, presuming very precise mana control. Now that we had reached this point, I had finally been given access to the refrigerator inscription. I was immediately grateful it wasn''t a spherical enchantment as I had expected, but instead, it was two highly interwoven circle enchantments. The bottom enchantment was entirely related to storing and distributing mana, acting as a battery. The top enchantment was the cooling and freezing effect, and while originally it had felt oddly familiar, now armed with [Rune Reading] and quite a bit of experience and theory crammed into my core, I now could recognize parts of it as a modification of [Glacial Aura]. Unfortunately, translating spell constructs into runes or inscriptions wasn''t a simple process, and it was one of the things I wanted to study in my own time once I was free from the obligations I had set myself. But still, it was nice to see a visible sign of my progress. Greg had me practice both circles individually before we worked on the interlinking mesh formation. The bottom one was simple, I had worked with storage functions before, and this was just a more advanced one. I was happy to have it added to my rune collection for free. The top part was the tricky part and involved many complex runes I''d never drawn before, but with the aid of all my helpers, I was soon drawing it without error. Happy with my results, we moved on to enchanting one or two fake eggs made from iron or copper. Our actual end product was to be made from electrum, a gold and silver alloy that practically went hand in hand with magical tools due to its natural tendency to contain and distribute mana. It was the gold standard. Heh. The copper and iron eggs wouldn''t last long, and the metal would warp after one or two uses, but it was a great way to check my work. I was extremely grateful we didn''t immediately move to the end product because I had made a careless mistake on the mesh of the copper egg, which meant its storage would drain into the freeze effect quicker than intended. I was a little distracted during the engraving as I needed to ensure I was pulling only Ice mana, and I had become far too familiar with pulling only Arcane for all of my previous work. With a deep engraving of ice mana, any raw mana injected into the finished product would be rapidly transformed into Ice. Hence, the storage component was vital for this egg, not just for prolonged usage, but to give an appropriate amount of time to buffer the raw mana becoming Ice. High-purity Ice mana was needed to overcome any leaked affinities from the user, as not everyone could produce pure Arcane mana on demand, and even raw mana would contain small traces of their affinity. Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon. Thankfully, my second attempt at using the iron egg was a resounding success once I told my helpers to double-check my work. It honestly started to feel like I could do anything if we all put our cores together, and I was eager to see what else I could accomplish with [Core Collective]. One amusing thing about enchanting with Ice Mana was that it made the room absolutely nippy, and Greg would be forced to wear a large fluffy coat and gloves if he wanted to closely observe. I luckily got to handwave any such necessity by claiming [Ice Resistance] from my Cryomancer class. Once Greg and Thern tested the trial refrigerator eggs and gave them a thumbs-up, we proceeded with the first real attempts. I was surprised by the dwarf coming to observe, but apparently, Greg had been bragging, and there was a small bet going on about how successful my first real attempt would be. It was likely the most intense enchanting session of my life, with two sets of eyes closely observing and critiquing my every stroke. Thankfully, I had nine hidden helpers to protect me from potential screwups. "Bloody hell! I feel like a dwarf runt being drunk under the table." Thern exclaimed when I finished the final stroke. "I told you my [Apprentice] is precise!" Greg said smugly, stroking his beard. "Scarily so," Thern said, wasting no time to examine the finished product. "I''d swear you were one of those fancy enchanting golems if I didn''t just watch you do this before my eyes..." "Oh. I heard about those. Supposedly going to revolutionize the business." Greg answered before I could question. "I heard they can only do one enchantment, though?" "Aye. One was shown before my Pa, made the most perfect lines I''d ever seen but could only do one enchantment and nothing else." "Good for mass production, but..." Greg said, stroking his own beard now. "Yep. Terrible for any creativity or unorthodox solution. Supposedly, they can''t go above rank four yet either." Thern finished Greg''s thought. "Sounds like our jobs are safe now, old friend." Greg chuckled. "Or maybe we send your [Apprentice] to take them on!" Thern said, giving a big hearty laugh and slapping me roughly on the back. "After all those bloody storage crates you''ve enchanted, I''d swear you were one of them!" I couldn''t help but chuckle, maybe a little nervously. "Enough about golems! I want to know how good the egg is; my [Rune Inspection] isn''t high enough yet." "Has bloody [Rune Engraving] yet can''t even inspect one!" Thern gave a friendly jab. "Hey... It''s level five." I tried to defend myself. "If it weren''t for your results, I''d lock you in a vault filled with magic tools and not let you out until you could properly evaluate every single one!" Thern countered. Greg cleared his throat, giving a friendly smile. "Well. Good thing he''s my [Apprentice]. I can''t say most approve of the dwarven course." "Bah! It puts hair on a youngin''s chest." "The egg?" I interrupted. "Or should I just fill it up with Ice mana right now and see how good your coats are?" Both of them laughed at that. "At least he''s got some teeth!" "Aye!" Finally, they both got to work, and after some intense back-and-forth, they finally injected it with some mana, made some more evaluations, and turned to me. "So, we''ve evaluated it and..." Greg began. "It''s bloody perfect!" Thern interrupted, giving another hard slap on my back. "Also, bloody hell, do you have frozen blood running through your veins? The purity is off the scale. I swear I could inject Fire Mana, and it''d still become Ice in that thing." "I bet he can do it again." Greg said with a sly grin. "I''m not taking that bet! Ma didn''t raise no fool." Thern chuckled. After a short break, I made the final egg. Unlike the first, I didn''t have the unexpected pressure, and it was easily replicable. Thern had once again commented that I was like an enchanting golem. Meanwhile, Greg was simply just happy. He''d seen me make countless storage crates, after all. Before we closed up for the evening, I wanted to thank both of them. I withdrew the gifts I had secretly obtained, smiling friendly and gratefully. For Thern, I had requested James buy me an impressive bottle of alcohol "fit for a dwarf." Not one to take half measures, I had secretly added a few drops of [Poison Slime] to the mix after ensuring it would still mix. Thern wasted no time popping the bottle and taking a swig, giving a large grin only outdone by the one I had seen as Syl. "This is some really good stuff! Thanks, lad!" He said cheerily. For Greg... I had initially struggled to think of an idea. I had considered buying something, but it felt a little impersonal. I had then thought of trying to enchant something, but I worried it wouldn''t be impressive enough at my level without guidance. Over the long time we spent together, I had become quite familiar with Greg, and one thing he had always grumbled about was his master''s dragon bone tool. I thought it would even the playing field if I could give him something similar. Thankfully, it wasn''t that hard to find out what affinities Greg had by just querying his enchantment specialties. He was born with Fire and Light, then added Water, Earth, and lastly, Wind in his attempt to get Ice. It was a long shot, and after some secret research by looking into some of the Merchant''s Guilds catalogs, I had the perfect idea. I handed him the long, thin wooden box and smiled teasingly. "Really, Sylvester? You didn''t have to get me anything." Greg said although he couldn''t hide his smile. "It''s nothing, Master Greg. Just something I picked up in my travels before I arrived here." "Bloody, open it! The suspense is killing me!" Thern shouted, causing Greg and me to laugh unexpectedly. Greg gingerly opened the box, and his eyes widened. "Is that what I think it is?" Thern asked. "I believe so..." Greg said as he gingerly touched the immaculate white horn in the box. "Shit! Lad, do you want to become my [Apprentice] next?" Thern asked unabashedly. "I don''t know if I can spit out another unicorn horn..." I chuckled. "Do you even have Light affinity?" "I don''t, but bloody hell. Where''d you even find the thing?" Thern asked. "I passed by Glimmerock on my way here," I answered. "I had heard there was an incident with the adventurers getting attacked by pegasi..." Greg muttered. "Aye! The things were out for blood. Never seen them go that crazy before; an emergency quest was even put out. Probably ruined plenty of young gals'' imagination of the ''majestic creature.''" "I can imagine... My niece loves to draw them and unicorns." Greg said with a slight frown. "Well. I can''t say I see the appeal after being attacked by them. At least I got a fancy horn from a dead one." I shrugged. "Fell from the island? I wonder what caused such a ruckus up there." Greg asked. "I have an idea..." Thern said, giving a chuckle accompanied by a cryptic smile. "Not going to share?" I asked, and Greg nodded in agreement. "I''ll hopefully get my confirmation in a week or two. But, see! You should go pick up your combat class again. You never know what you''ll find outside of the city walls." Thern teased. "Why bother when I have such a generous [Apprentice]?" Greg countered, causing Thern to sputter. "Honestly, Sylvester. Thank you." "You''re very welcome. Master Greg." Chapter 144 : Sylvesters Last Day With the pressure gone, Greg and I spent some more relaxing time polishing up the last few skills and lessons. I also ensured access to a few other good inscriptions, like resizing, stealth, and, of course, mental resistance. I paid what felt like an arm and a leg for the entire set of mental resistance runes all the way up to rank ten. Sylvester''s pockets were practically empty, but I could always do some work or make a donation as Syl if I was truly desperate. Greg also bragged nonstop about the unicorn horn and his plans for it. I was a little surprised at how happy it made him, and I hoped that if I returned as Sylvester, I could see the final result in the future. I also finally took the plunge to fully enchant my cores; after much trial and error on Kappa, I came up with the final results. For my [Sub-Cores], I engraved them with durability and self-repair. The synergy between the two couldn''t be overstated, and I hoped that it would save me a lot of slime mass in the future from repairs. However, I went with mental and magic resistance for my own core, which also had a synergy bonus. Being mentally controlled again was still one of my biggest fears, and while the slow regeneration of self-repair was tempting for my own core, I''d rather have the extra safety. Using the tool on my own core was... An experience. I was extremely grateful I could borrow [Pain Suppression] from the orcs. Otherwise, I don''t think I could have completed it. I guess I could have ordered my [Sub-Cores] to do it, but even though I trusted and relied on them, I felt compelled to do this myself. It had the added benefit of seeing more of what [Core Collective] offered me; I could freely and instantly switch my vision between all my cores, far greater than before, and even have multiple perspectives simultaneously. I still couldn''t separate my [Sub-Cores] from myself, going completely inert when losing a direct slime connection to myself, so I wasn''t entirely sure how useful having numerous perspectives at once was. Perhaps that restriction would go away if I uncapped [Core Collective]? Or maybe another slime or trait held that ability? ''Maybe my next evolution will be the Chimeric Range Cluster Slime... Heh.'' I also finally let Kappa join the [Sub-Core] experience network. The time for rapid trial and error was gone, and now I could hopefully practice with [Rune Tracing] alone. Hopefully, Kappa would be power-leveled to five in no time. Now that I didn''t need to spend every waking moment breathing enchanting, I finally returned to [Arcane Magic]. I was now armed with a higher level in both [Mana Manipulation] and [Mana Conception], and I wanted to finish that debuff. It took two evenings to wrestle the mana into cooperating until I finalized the spell, and after casting it, I was rewarded. <[Arcane Magic LV 3] spell [Aegis] learned.> The debuff [Hexed] inflicted magic weakness; I had my suspicions and was beyond speechless when they were confirmed. How deadly would a [Fireball] be if they were double debuffed? Or a [Lightning Bolt]? If I had to take a guess, assuming both debuffs were at an equal level, [Hexed] would be less effective than [Flammable] or any other specifically targeted debuff. When I asked Thern for magic resistance on my armor, he mentioned that the more effective option was focusing on a specific defense rather than having broad, generalized protection. So, I could only assume the same applied offensively. Now for my new spell, [Aegis] instantly created a small shield that, from what I understood, was highly effective against spells. It could also block physical attacks, but it seemed more of a side benefit and wasn''t nearly as effective as its primary purpose. Interestingly, the spell didn''t cost a lot of mana to cast unless you maintained it where it had an almost exponentially increasing cost. Block an attack and let it go as soon as possible was the clear impression I got. Once the [Aegis] was in place, it couldn''t be moved, and interestingly enough, it could even support my weight. If I didn''t already have wings, I could make "steps" by cycling between two [Aegis] spells. My goals were accomplished, and my time likely completely ran out. It was time to say goodbye to Sylvester for now, anyway. I looked over my profile at my final results and smiled happily. The only thing that shocked me was the fact that despite all the Engraving I did, it was still level one! Name: Sylvester [Apprentice] Race: Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) LV 1 (-8) Class: Runecrafter LV 18 Status: Healthy Mana: Overflowing Emblems: [Experiment] [Apex Hunter] [Elven Legacy] [Dungeoneer] [Nature''s Bane] [Manhunter] [Apprentice]* Traits: Slime: [Mana Slime LV 11] [Acid Slime LV 7] [Poison Slime LV 6] [Blaze Slime LV 6] [Cryo Slime LV 5] [Voltaic Slime LV 6] [Morph Slime LV 7] [Pseudopod LV 7] [Slime Shot LV 7] [Slime Burst LV 6] [Vaporize Slime] Core: [Core Collective LV 8] [Core Storage LV 6] [Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Zeta LV 5] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5] [Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Eta LV 5] [Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Theta LV 5] [Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] [Sub-Core Iota LV 5] [Sub-Core Kappa LV 1] Mimic: [Chimeric Mimicry LV 7] [Chroma Shift LV MAX] [Consuming Osmosis LV MAX] Mana: [Mana Circulation LV 7] [Mana Reinforcement LV 7] [Mana Infusion] Attributes/Other: [Soul Mastery LV 7] [Enhanced Vitality LV 5] [Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 5] [Curse Resistance LV 1] [Illusion Resistance LV 1] [Prodigy] Senses: [Olfactory Sense] [Dark Vision LV MAX] [Mana Conception LV 6] [Life Sight LV 4] [Thermal Vision LV MAX] [Eagle Vision LV 3] [Electro-Magnetic Sense LV 3] Trait Points remaining: 2 The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. Skills: General: [Universal Language] [Equipment Swap] [Dissection LV 6] [Mapping LV 5] [Tracking LV 2] [Identify LV 5] [Multitasking LV 5] [Perception LV 4] [Aerial Finesse LV 4] Combat: [Tranquil Flow LV 5] [Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 7] [Affliction Mastery LV 5] [Exploit Weakness LV 3] Magic: [Water Magic LV 5] [Fire Magic LV 5] [Corrosion Magic LV 5] [Ice Magic LV 5] [Arcane Magic LV 3] [Lightning Magic LV 3] [Mana Manipulation LV 6] [Magic Efficiency LV 5] [Counter Magic LV 3] [Elemental Shift LV 5] [Elemental Adaptation] [Ritual Casting] [Mana Suppression] [Meditate] Sneaky: [Vanish LV 6] [Sneak Attack LV 6] [Identity Fabrication LV 6] [Acting LV 5] [Rogue Expertise LV 4] [Magical Subterfuge LV 3] [Subtle Afflictions] Skill Points remaining: 15 Profession: Enchanting: [Rune Reading LV 6] [Rune Engraving LV 1] [Rune Framework LV 7] [Rune Tracing LV 5] [Rune Design LV 3] [Runecrafting LV 2] [Rune Inspection LV 5] [Rune Filigree LV 3] [Rune Repair LV 2] [Brand] Profession Points Remaining: 0 Since I was leaving and traveling, I had a good excuse to swap back to my combat class. I was a little worried about changing my class, but when I asked if I could do so privately, James nodded as if it was the most common request in the world. Without fanfare or complications, I switched to Elementalist and changed Sylvester''s profile to show Cryomancer. I had almost expected Johnathan to make an appearance, but instead, I just got a nicely written letter thanking me for my services and to not hesitate if I wished to sell my services to the Green estate in the future. On the other hand, Greg looked proud and handed me a card that showed me as a licensed enchanter, authorized by the Kaerlin Merchant''s Guild and directly apprenticed under Gregory. My guild tag was also updated with these credentials, but the physical object was useful when dealing with someone who couldn''t access it. "And with that. I believe you''ve graduated from your [Apprenticeship]." Greg said, giving a nod. <[Apprentice] emblem has been removed.> <[Apprenticeship] criteria has been met. Results finalized.> ''Well, that''s a relief. I would have hated to lose some of my levels after all that effort...'' Greg took in a deep breath. He looked like he was about to pass out. "I gained three levels..." Greg murmured as if not believing it himself. Thern woke him from shock with a signature slap on the back. "You lucky bastard!" From what I understood, the skill levels gained by his [Apprenticeship] were based on multiple factors: speed, efficiency, lesson quality, satisfaction from the target, and final results. Greg had heard [Prodigy] would likely give him an extra level by default, and Thern had confirmed that rumor. Either Greg truly went above and beyond, or another factor was at play. I had two theories, but I obviously couldn''t voice them. One was that he had effectively trained me and all of my [Sub-Cores], so he was accidentally rewarded for "extra" students. The other theory was that he had taught a monster; how many people could honestly say that accomplishment? ''Well... Not that Greg could brag about that, unfortunately.'' I said goodbye to Thern and James at the guild, but Greg walked me to the gate. Thern told me to visit the dwarves sometime, which I couldn''t help but find hilariously ironic. James simply thanked me and hoped to do business together in the future. I probably should have interacted with him more, but it seemed this guild''s handlers were a bit more hands-off than the Adventurer''s Guild. Or perhaps Sylvester just wasn''t as high-profile as to warrant additional attention. "Send letters if you can. And please come visit again." Greg said. "Thanks for everything, Mas-" "No! Just Greg now." He interrupted with a chuckle. "Thanks, Greg. I''ll try to stop by if I get an opportunity, or at least send a letter or two through the guild branches," I said. We exchanged a solid handshake and said our final farewell. Then Sylvester left the gate. Unfortunately, I had to keep up appearances, so I walked quite a distance before finding an appropriate opportunity to head off the road and shift. I took some time to blob out for a bit before finally assuming my Syl persona. I also equipped my [Dungeoneer] emblem and ensured my profile reflected everything correctly. Then, I casually strolled back to the city while openly practicing my magic again as I began shifting all my cores into different elements. I was returning to my two of each type, except I would keep Alpha and Beta unaligned and on [Corrosion Magic] or [Arcane Magic] duty. I had Kappa join Zeta to fill the missing gap for Water. When I reached the gate, I was immediately set upon by one of the guards. At first, I was cautious, but then he bowed before me. "Miss Syl, it''s so good to see you back! Can you please report to the Adventurer''s Guild directly?" He asked politely. "Sure? Is there a problem?" I asked curiously. "Quite a few people have asked if you''ve returned." He said with a chuckle. I nodded, and after flashing my adventurer tag, I headed in. I had grown used to walking about the city as Sylvester and being just another head in the crowd, but unfortunately, that time had ended. Assuming I hadn''t lost my chances with Thern, I hoped the dwarves would be less unabashed about staring and talking about the elf. I hadn''t even reached the guild yet when I saw a familiar figure rapidly approaching me. Clearly, someone had already told the guild I was back. I braced myself for impact as she flung herself at me. "Syl! You''re back!" Whitney exclaimed as she practically hung from my neck. "H-hey..." I struggled out. "Good to see you again." "I can''t believe you were gone for so long! We knew you were still alive but thought you''d be back long ago." "Well..." "Some said you got lost in a dungeon!" "Actually-" "Others said you went back to the elves!" "..." "People were worried you might have been kidnapped. Or the orcs came to take revenge on you. Or-" "Stop!" I said, placing a hand over her mouth. "I''m fine. I was on Glimmerock for longer than I expected..." "So you actually got up there?" Whitney said as if not believing me. "I got countless griffon and pegasus feathers, beaks and claws, and even unicorn horns to prove it," I said with a hesitant chuckle. "You really don''t hold back, huh..." "I guess not. I learned a bunch, killed a bunch, leveled up a bunch, and now I''m back." Whitney looked at me up and down, likely with [Identify] too. "What class even is that? I don''t think I''ve ever heard of an Elementalist before." "It''s pretty rare. Think Dewi''s Pyromancer class specialized except for Water, Fire, Ice, and Lightning." I answered. "For now, anyway." "You actually got Lightning? Holy shit, Syl!" Whitney gasped. "I got something else, too," I said with a wink and tried to subtly show her the [Eagle Vision] trait. Whitney''s eyes went wide; there was a brief pause followed by another impromptu hug. If she wasn''t trying to strangle me before, now she was clearly trying to finish the job. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She said excitedly. You''d think I just gave her a pink slime core or something with how excited she was. "I''m glad you like it," I eventually said when she started to calm down. "I hope this makes up for my absence." "Well, you''ve certainly bought me off. I''ll put in a good word with the others." Whitney said with a giggle. "Hmm... I didn''t realize my absence would be taken so badly." I replied, scratching my cheek. "Thern was quite upset. Apparently, you''ve delayed something or other. But lately, he''s stopped complaining and has been pretty cheery. Lisa thought you were the reason pegasi went wild. Luke has just been plain worried." "Hmm... The pegasi might be my fault." I answered honestly. "Well... I hope it was worth it because you know how much Lisa hates paperwork!" Whitney said teasingly. I rolled my fingers in a small flourish, letting a little bit of Lightning Mana crackle and spark between them. "Definitely worth it," I said with a grin. Chapter 145 : Friendly Interrogation Entering the Adventurer''s Guild while chatting with Whitney, I noticed a few cheers and jeers as people who clearly recognized me saw that I had returned. There were some murmurings about my "strange new class" and people pointing out my high level. I noticed Luke rushing to meet us. "Luke!" I said cheerily. "It''s good to see you back, Miss Syl. Master Lisa wants you to report to her office immediately, please." Luke replied with a bizarre blend of concern and relief. Others must have overheard it, and immediately, the rumor mill got to work. Was she in trouble? Did she accomplish something? Is it an interrogation about her strange class? And all other whispers flooded the hall. I tried to ignore all of it as best as possible. Whitney said she''d talk to me afterward after making me promise I wouldn''t suddenly run off again and left with Luke, so I was alone heading towards Lisa''s office. While climbing up the staircase, I saw Thern peek his head out of the library. "Well, look who finally decided to show up!" He sounded gruff and upset but soon cracked a wide grin and gave a full belly laugh. "Sorry for missing our arrangement, Thern... I spent a lot longer on Glimmerock than I expected." I explained. It was half-true. "I can''t wait to see all the bits and bobs you''ve undoubtedly brought back," Thern said, nodding. "You''re lucky that I''ve made some arrangements; assuming you don''t spend a month in the dungeon, you''re supposed to go clear!" "So the offer still stands?" I asked hopefully. "Aye. I argued it wasn''t safe to transport the new furnace heart by regular means and got authorization for something... Special." Thern said, giving a big wink. "It''s too bad you didn''t come back sooner; I would have loved to have shown some of your materials to a friend. No doubt you''ve brought some ripe for enchanting." "And here I thought your only friend was at the bottom of a mug." Lisa suddenly replied, causing us all to flinch. You could almost feel the crackling of thunder in her eyes. Thern laughed. "Better not keep her waiting; she''s got a shocking temper." "Good thing I''ve got a sparkly personality." I countered, giving my own sparkling demonstration of Lightning Mana. Thern backed up, howling with laughter. "Bloody hell, keep that away from my beard!" I couldn''t help but grin, and Lisa even chuckled at that. "You''ve certainly opened up a lot more," Lisa commented. "Aye. You''ve definitely come out of your shell since I last saw you. A lot less stiff. Nothing like the thrill of adventure, ey?" I paused. Had I? I spent a lot of time with Trixie and regularly joined in with her antics. Had she opened me up? Was I that easily influenced by the people around me? I also spent a long time interacting with people as Sylvester... "Absolutely," I replied. "Well, let''s head to my office to get your official report," Lisa said, and I followed after telling Thern we could chat later. As I sat down, I wondered if this would be an interrogation or a pleasant conversation. But her secretary brought some drinks and snacks immediately to set the mood. "So. Welcome back; I take it you did manage to get onto the floating island?" "I did," I replied and began retelling my account. From griffons to elementals to eventually fighting pegasi. I decided against any mention of Trixie; the pixie was my friend, and she was utterly terrified of being captured by humans again. I didn''t mention the ghouls either, as I had no proof of killing them. I mentioned fighting pegasi and unicorns and eventually discovering the prince. When I mentioned finding an alicorn, Lisa was actually startled; they must have been extremely rare. I mentioned that once I dealt with the unicorns and the alicorn, the pegasi seemed lost and distracted, and I took out the ones I could. I had thought she might question me, but it seemed like she would hold back questions until the end. I finally mentioned dealing with the harpies, as I had kept proof of them. I mentioned the other monsters I had fought and ultimately came across and harvested a yellow slime. I secretly withdrew Epsilon as proof of my yellow slime core, ensuring it was wrapped in a thin slime layer to hide my engravings. Obviously, I had to keep Epsilon touching my hands at all costs. Lisa was tapping away at her desk in thought. "So it seems you were accidentally responsible for the wild pegasi attack." "I''m sorry... I had no idea. Was it bad?" I asked. "No casualties, thankfully, quite a few injured, but nothing career-ending. It also brought some unexpected resources to the city. That''s not to say it was a good thing, but from what you described, it could have been much worse." "I''m not sure I follow. Worse, how?" "Well, this alicorn was clearly their leader; imagine if it decided to make a coordinated attack. The pegasi were all wild and uncontrolled. Small blessings." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. I nodded. "So while we can''t really reward you for it, at least you won''t be punished. Assuming you have proof?" I pulled out the alicorn horn and placed it on the table, withdrawing a unicorn horn as well for comparison. "Well. Proof doesn''t get more real than that." Lisa chuckled. "I''ve got quite a lot of others, harpy ears too, but I''m sure you wouldn''t like those on your desk." Lisa breathed in deeply before nodding. "Yes. Please don''t ruin my desk. If your harvests are as plentiful and high-quality as usual, you might put our branch in debt..." I chuckled before taking back my two horns. "Well. I''m open to negotiations; everything is up for grabs except the alicorn horn. I have its hide and wings, too." "Bloody hell. I can''t even imagine what a robe or armor made out of alicorn hide would do for a cleric." Lisa shook her head in disbelief. "I do have some questions." "I''ll answer freely as long as it''s not too invasive." Lisa nodded. "How did you get up on the island? I recall your original plan was to tame a griffin, but considering you didn''t come back with one, I assume that plan didn''t work... Or it met a tragic end?" I knew this question was coming up, and thankfully, I had put together a plausible and demonstrable excuse. My original plan was to say the griffin died, and I returned to the surface by splashing down in a bubble spell or something similar. But, thanks to [Arcane Magic], I now had a slightly less insane-sounding excuse. "No griffin taming, unfortunately, and I can even do a quick demonstration," I replied. Lisa nodded, and I stood up, quickly casting [Aegis] lying horizontally, stepping on it before casting another, and continuing my large strides while the original disappeared. I kept making new ones as I strolled around her room off the ground; I was grateful she had a tall ceiling. Finally, I started stepping towards the floor again and smiled. "Okay. I don''t know whether to call you a genius or insane. One wrong step, and we''d be cleaning you off the ground. Or what if you run out of mana?" "I hate to brag, but running out of mana is quite a rarity for me nowadays, and as long as I don''t try to keep [Aegis] apparated for too long, it costs almost nothing." Lisa chuckled but nodded in acceptance. "Thern is going to be slightly upset about your lack of flight; he was expecting you to just pop over to the dungeon and back." I winced. Obviously, I could fly and literally pop over and back, but now I have contradicted that excuse. Lisa was tapping her desk in thought. "Well, perhaps we will find another way to get you there quickly. I''ll sleep on it. Worse case, you hire a really expensive horse, feed it some potions, and tell Thern to wait a bit." "If I had [Wind Step], I''d just use that to get there," I said with a self-deprecating chuckle. "No Air affinity, but you were lucky enough to get Ice and now Lightning." Lisa pointed out. "Yup. I''ve got [Lightning Magic] and everything." I replied positively, showing a small casting of [Ball Lightning] in the palm of my hand. Lisa chuckled. "Just be careful not to wear too much metal when practicing, or you might shock yourself." I nodded in agreement, letting the spell fade without casting. "So. Your new class, what are you willing to share about it?" Lisa asked. "You''re welcome to refuse, but as Guild Master, if I don''t at least formally ask, I could get in some hot water. I''ve never heard of it before, so I assume it''s quite rare." "I can''t tell what conditions I met to acquire it... But I''m willing to give a little info." "Honestly, anything at all to give the pencil pushers." Lisa sighed. "It''s an advanced mage class focusing on elemental magic in particular. Think Pyromancer, Hydromancer, and Cryomancer all wrapped into one." "What about Geomancer, Aeromancer, and Electromancer?" Lisa asked curiously. "It''s called Electromancer... Seriously?" I questioned, and Lisa nodded, suppressing a light giggle. "Alright, well, to answer your question, yes, it includes those, but I don''t have Air or Earth affinity." "Yet. I''m assuming?" "Fingers crossed." "It sounds remarkable. I''m a bit sad you''ve abandoned a hybrid class, but it sounds almost like you''ve found something beyond that." She paused, then shrugged. "A hexa class?" "No idea. But I''m enjoying it so far; I''ve never felt stronger." "I''ll bet. It''s your first advanced class, so you''ll gain amazing attributes." "Speaking of which... I previously qualified for Assassin, and I was thinking of dipping in to see if I could get a useful skill or two before immediately swapping back. Any reason not to?" "Now that you''ve already stepped into advanced classes, not really... How much do you know about cumulative levels?" Lisa asked. "First I''m hearing of it, to be honest." Lisa nodded as if expecting that response. "It''s a bit hard to quantify, but your class levels per rank add up together. All your beginner classes add up to a number, your intermediate add up to another, and your advanced another." ''Sounds kind of like how my monster evolution levels used to add up to my elf level.'' I thought to myself before giving a nod of understanding. "Your cumulative levels make it harder to level up. Dip your toes into too many classes, and you might find yourself struggling harder than your peers to progress further." "How bad is it?" "Honestly, no idea. It''s not like people have worked it out to a science. Supposedly, it differs from person to person, too. The more spiritual people even call it, the weight your soul can carry." Lisa paused for a dramatic effect on that bombshell before chuckling. "I just use common sense and don''t invest a bunch of levels in a class I''m not interested in." "So... Good idea or bad idea to dip into Assassin?" "I''d say go for it. It''s one level, and you were already a Rogue Mage hybrid. Maybe it will make the upgrade of Shadowcaster appear sooner to you, or maybe some Elementalist Assassin, who knows? At a minimum, you''ll get an upgrade to [Sneak Attack]." Lisa said with a wink. I nodded. Trixie had already hinted that there was a skill called [Assassinate], so it made perfect sense. I also wanted to dip into Monster Tamer; knowing what skills it had might give me more opportunities for reasonable excuses. We chatted for a bit more before Lisa said I should go to one of the harvest rooms and dump my goods. Then, she would join me with Thern and Luke to catalog it. I started dumping my goods on various tables, ensuring the alicorn parts were away from the unicorn or pegasi. I stacked the harpy ears in one corner, then placed all the griffin bits in another. I only had a few ice elemental cores, most of which didn''t survive my explosive detonations. At least they weren''t melting, oddly enough. Sadly, I had no proof of the wind elementals, cloud, or even my victory over the undine. Not that I was going to tell anyone about that fight. When the gang arrived and entered the room, I noticed Whitney had joined them. Their astonishment at my newest collection was priceless. "Bloody hell! This is even crazier than your salamander hunt!" Thern shouted as he stared around the room. Lisa was more reserved in her astonishment, "I almost feel like she killed more pegasi solo than the adventurers and guards..." Whitney was silent, her mouth wide as if trying to catch flies. Luke gave a tired chuckle. "She was gone for so long... I honestly expected more." "There would have been more... Sadly, they couldn''t be harvested... Damned elementals." I said bitterly. Chapter 146 : Forced Vacation Everyone was eagerly examining the materials. Luke was trying to catalog everything, Thern was inspecting the quality, Whitney was testing the sharpness of some of the claws, and Lisa looked like she was trying to ponder something. "Any materials you planning on keeping or having crafted?" Luke asked. "Hmm... Not really. The only thing I want to keep is the alicorn horn." I pointed out. "So everything else is up for grabs." Thern looked like he had sucked on a lemon as he glared at the unicorn horns. "I wish I had bloody Light affinity..." "You could always hire her to hunt something for you. I''m sure there are many appropriate monsters when you go home." Lisa mentioned. "Aye... That''s a good idea." Thern agreed. It took a while, and there were some questions about the monsters and how it was to fight them. Luke and Lisa looked almost relieved that some of the parts weren''t in absolutely pristine and perfect condition. I felt the need to defend myself and pointed out how they would''ve been without the griffon''s horrendous crash landing. Lisa was especially happy that I had killed a Harpy Queen. "As impressive as all of this is, that might be your greatest long-term accomplishment. The roads and routes wherever Glimmerock is currently floating will be much safer without a Harpy Queen capturing men." Lisa said. "We might need to set up some sort of annual quest to encourage people to try to reach and explore Glimmerock. Letting monsters spawn in such large quantities unpruned is especially dangerous..." "Maybe encourage the nobles to invest in a small airship?" Whitney suggested. "I''m sure they''d be greatly tempted by the monsters it spawns. I mean... Did anyone know it spawned unicorns?" "Not from the records I''ve read..." Thern said, scratching his beard. "Harpies and griffins were a known and the usual stuff you''d find on a floating island. But it seems this one has become rather Fae-ish, for whatever reason." "Well, maybe a certain elf can tell one of them about her recent adventures," Lisa said with a suggestive wink. "Johnathan?" I asked with a frown. "He''s asked when you''re returning nonstop. I don''t know what you did to him on your dinner date." Lisa chuckled. "I didn''t know you were dating someone..." Whitney said, looking slightly offended. I wasn''t sure why. "It was one dinner. He made it a request. Otherwise, he wouldn''t sell me a white slime core." I pointed out. Lisa chuckled, joining in. "I can vouch for that; sorry for teasing. Johnathan was looking to gain more influence and thought being seen in the company of an elf would help his business." Whitney looked slightly relieved at that and nodded her head. Weird. We finished up and left the room. Luke and Lisa said they might have to auction most of the stuff off unless they could devise another solution. I made sure to tell them I was in no rush. I headed off with Whitney, and we shared a pleasant evening at the inn, where I was coerced into retelling my story again over food and drink. I would''ve thought I should rush to the dungeon, but instead, I was told to spend a few days unwinding and relaxing. I spent a day shopping and chatting with Whitney, buying far too many clothes as usual. We also stopped by the guild, where I requested a chance to swap my classes privately. "Could I not just buy one of these crystals?" I wondered aloud. "You could... But if it''s not linked to a city, it won''t work. They are quite expensive and heavily regulated. Not to mention, as soon as you left the city walls, it would cease to function unless you returned." Luke explained. It sounded like there was more there, but frankly, I didn''t care at the time. As soon as I heard I couldn''t just carry the crystal around with me as I adventured, I lost interest. Whitney wished me luck, and I was given a crystal to make my choices. I hadn''t expected it, and nobody warned me, but when I swapped classes like that, I felt my Mana plummet. Yet, on the flip side, I felt like my mind had sped up abruptly, and my perception of the world slightly slowed down. Was this the effect of having an absurdly high agility? Just an absolutely immense amount of speed and reaction time. I pulled out my alicorn horn and flourished it with unnatural speed and precision. ''Weird how swapping to Enchanter didn''t affect me this much... This is certainly interesting.'' I wondered before looking over my new skills. While I usually accepted any upgrade immediately, I was slightly concerned after [Evasion] became [Tranquil Flow] and lost some more generic usability. So, I made sure to look over the two skills first. <[Sneak Attack LV 6] Adds bonus damage to attacks on unaware or defenseless targets, scaling with skill level. This bonus damage partially ignores most forms of mitigation and resistance if executed from stealth.> <[Assassinate] Adds bonus damage to attacks on unaware or defenseless targets, greatly scaling with skill level. This bonus damage moderately ignores most forms of mitigation and resistance if executed from stealth. Once per day per skill level, you can trigger an [Assassination] attack that deals 2x+0.1x per level. If the target is aware of you, the bonus damage is reduced by half. If you defeat an enemy in a single attack while they are completely unaware, bonus experience will be awarded.> ''Yeah... That''s a no-brainer upgrade.'' I chuckled and immediately accepted it. I was happy to see the usual "greatly scaling" and pleasantly surprised to see "partially ignores" upgrade to "moderately ignores". That wasn''t even considering the special [Assassination] attacks, which would deal almost triple damage and bonus experience for one-shot kills. And there was another prompt waiting for me. ''Exchange? Not upgrade?'' I wondered at the different wording and examined the two skills before deciding. <[Vanish LV 6] Helps the user hide their presence, greatly scaling with skill level. Obscures the user''s Lifeforce and Mana while the skill is active.> If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. <[Shadow Stealth] Helps the user hide their presence, greatly scaling with skill level. When the user is within a shadow, darkness, or twilight, their presence is extremely reduced, and Lifeforce, Heat, and Mana are obscured.> [Shadow Stealth] had the potential to be better, but [Vanish] was more aligned with me, and I didn''t want to lose the ability to obscure my Mana. I had to hope that if I discovered the advancement of Shadowcaster, I''d eventually get a suitable upgrade for [Vanish]. I also worried that [Shadow Stealth] wouldn''t work well with [Magical Subterfuge]. Happy with my decisions, I made another swap. The world returned to its usual pace, and I lost the extreme grace, dexterity, and speed I had just gained. I shuddered when I saw the skill. I knew it was coming, and even though I mentally prepared myself, it still gave me a feeling of dread. <[Companion Bond] Form a bond with a willing monster. Accepting the bond cannot be forced by any means. The monster will receive the [Bonded Companion] emblem, a requirement for future companion-related skills to function. Your [Bonded Companion] is always treated as a Party member to you. You may only have one [Bonded Companion]. If the monster lacks basic intelligence and language capabilities, it will receive an initial mental improvement and the [Universal Language] skill to facilitate communication between the two individuals. The bond lets both individuals know one another''s health status and allows greater cooperation as their bond grows. As the bond grows, further bonuses will be given. A [Bonded Companion] still has free will; however, [Order] commands can be given to give temporary situational bonuses in extreme circumstances. The [Bonded Companion] only gains these circumstantial bonuses if it agrees with the [Order]; otherwise, it can attempt to resist with its Willpower against your own, and depending on the severity, a permanent bond penalty will be applied. This skill has no levels.> <[Companion Training] Your [Bonded Companion] receives additional skill experience when you are training them and minor additional experience for kills earned together. Bonuses experience scales with skill level and bond level.> I felt a little sad reading both of these skills... If the circumstances had been different, I would have had an extremely fruitful and prosperous relationship with Sylthaeryn. [Order] must have been what she had done to me, and even the skill description hinted at not using them lightly. A permanent bond penalty certainly sounded bad. I bought the skill. I wanted to know if I could tame another slime or something else. It was only a single point, and I certainly had them to spare. After that, I promptly swapped back to my original class and felt my magical might return. Afterward, Whitney and I chatted about my brief moments as an Assassin, and she agreed with my choice to keep [Vanish]. We both chatted at length about how big of an upgrade [Assassinate] was compared to [Sneak Attack]. Two letters and a familiar-looking box awaited me when I returned to my room. The first letter was from Johnathan soliciting my presence for dinner the next day, and the second letter was from Lisa telling me about the request and offering a borrowed dress and outfit. She also hinted at me mentioning unicorns and the island in great detail and requested me to meet her the day after. It sounded like it was time to get my two white slime cores, and I was most eager. Whitney was upset about me going to dinner with some noble but cheered when she saw me in Lisa''s dress. She lamented not having a self-repair and size-altering fancy dress of her own, and I found myself regretting not being able to just do it for her. I could probably buy one and enchant it secretly, but I worried about what sort of paper trail that might leave. Dinner with Johnathan was... Interesting. His attitude was completely different as I had expected. It was strange being able to see two sides of the same person due to my shape-shifting nature. As per Lisa''s request, I made sure to embellish my time on Glimmerock as much as possible, and at times, I swear I could see Johnathan''s eyes filling with gold coins. Finally, it came time for him to offer me my cores. I was so excited, even though it wouldn''t be anything new. "It took a while, but I managed to procure another white slime core," Johnathan said proudly. "I had to summon the might of the Merchant''s Guild to have a wonderful magical tool enchanted to replace this one." ''Only one?'' I thought curiously. I had made two of those refrigerator eggs. "I''m most grateful, although if you have more, I''d be willing to purchase them too?" Johnathan looked like he was about to say something but instead gave a toothy smile before making a script change. "Don''t worry, Syl, I''m sure I''ll come across another one sooner or later, and then we can share each other''s company again." ''Bastard is holding out on me to secure another dinner date...'' I thought grumpily. Sadly, I couldn''t act on my Sylvester knowledge and just had to purchase the one white slime core graciously. The rest of the dinner wasn''t worth mentioning, and when I got back to my room, I ate the delicious core. ''Now that is a big level jump!'' I thought happily. [Morph Slime] had been stuck at seven since my Chimeric evolution, and my latest meal had finally pushed it over the edge. Being a combined skill, it must progress much slower since it was [Shape Slime] and [Slime Density] wrapped into one skill. At least, that was the only reason I could think of. I practiced a bit of [Rune Tracing] in the evening, which was now part of my evening before-bed rituals, and wondered what Lisa wanted to chat about... I cleaned Lisa''s dress with the power of slime! Some part of me wondered if Lisa gave me a different one this time because she wanted to borrow my cleaning services again. After having a casual breakfast with Whitney, we headed towards the guild. Luke strangely told me to head towards a small enclosed training room rather than Lisa''s office, and Whitney was unfortunately not allowed to follow. "Syl, I hope the evening was pleasant?" Lisa asked, wearing a lot more casual clothes than I had ever seen her in before. "It was alright... I think he''s sold on trying to get access to unicorns, so at least that was positive." I handed her the box. "Here''s the dress back; thanks for letting me borrow it." Lisa opened it up, and I caught a very satisfied smile on her face before she closed it. "No problem at all, any time." "So what''s the meeting about? And why not in your office?" I asked. "I have a proposition for you. I had to get permission first, which took longer than expected... But I finally got approval yesterday. If you accept it, the guild wins, I win, and you win. It also has the added bonus of potentially solving your transportation issue, assuming you weren''t just bragging about your near-endless Mana." Lisa said. "I''m listening..." I said, unable to hide my curiosity. "In exchange for some of the materials you brought, I have been authorized to show you one of my skills. It''s one I think you''ll really like." Lisa said, waggling her eyebrows. "You needed permission to show me one of your skills?" I asked, extremely confused. "Yes. In addition, you''ll need to swear to the guild that you won''t share it with anyone else unless you request authorization." "Why...?" I said, feeling very confused. "Whitney mentioned people hoarding skills and traits... Honestly, I don''t really like the idea." Lisa smiled sadly. "I understand your frustration. But it''s in the interest of safety as well. Imagine giving a young adventurer a powerful skill he or she didn''t really earn or wasn''t ready for. They might feel invincible and head to an early grave. Or worse, use it for shameful purposes." I sighed reluctantly. "I suppose." "The skill I want to give you is from my advanced class... So I needed permission to share it. I could easily give you [Lightning Magic] because... Well, if I''m completely honest, I didn''t believe you''d get Lightning Affinity." Lisa chuckled. "But you could easily swap to Sorcerer or something and get the skill; I just saved you some time and effort once you were qualified." Seeing my interest raised, Lisa continued. "Some concerns were raised, but after your accomplishments and when I mentioned the significant contributions you could offer us, I convinced the pencil pushers. So, what do you say?" I nodded and smiled. "I swear to the Adventurer''s Guild not to share your skill without receiving authorization." I half expected some notification or something or for Lisa to make me repeat it while she used some [Guild Master] emblem ability, but instead, she just nodded and smiled. "Good! I''m trusting you, so have a look at this bad boy!" She said excitedly. I held my breath in anticipation as she held out her hand, revealing the skill. <[Thunder Step] Move a distance with lightning-fast speed, even in midair. However, the final destination must be on the ground, or the user will suffer significant internal lightning damage. A thunderous discharge is released at each point of arrival, scaling with skill level, and can be willingly reduced but not entirely negated. Skill level determines Mana efficiency, maximum chained usage, and distance traveled.> Chapter 147 : Ride the Lightning Staring at the skill, I was filled with anticipation. Could I really buy this? A small part of me was nervous, but I pushed past it and proceeded to try. I felt so much relief, and it must have been clearly visible as Lisa gave a cheery smile. "Great. Now, before you start zipping and zapping around, I need to give you some demonstrations and warnings," Lisa began her lecture. "First, a common-sense warning; do not use it inside any city. You''ll spook everyone with the thunderclap at your arrival points and likely shatter some windows or send a noncombatant flying." I nodded. "Secondly, do not go airborne with it until at least level two. Trust me, you do not want to be on the receiving end if you cannot ground yourself." I nodded. It was easily understandable from a human perspective, although I was tempted to see how it would interact with my [Voltaic Slime]. "Thirdly, if you haven''t already, invest in the [Lightning Resistance] trait or get some gear. You can certainly afford the latter." Lisa said with a chuckle. "I''ll now give a quick demonstration and just a sample of one of my ideas. You''ll undoubtedly find your own ideas and potential; I cannot even imagine what a full spellcaster can do with it." Then Lisa''s body began to crackle as she bolted up into the air. I now understood why this room was on the ground floor yet took up both the first and second floors in vertical size. When she arrived, there was a small shockwave and crackle of Lightning. Her body was now coursing with jolts of lightning. "You have." She started speaking before bolting a short distance and regaining any lost height. "Seconds," She said, reappearing with more surging energy. She bolted again and reappeared. "Between jumps" "Otherwise" "You break." At this point, the amount of energy surging around her was quite frightening. She disappeared again in a flash of Lightning. She landed on the ground, and all the built-up energy surged violently downwards. "The chain." She gave a small bow, and I reflexively clapped at the demonstration. Lisa must have liked that as she gave a big toothy grin. "So it builds up until discharged through the ground..." I started questioning my observations. "Or yourself. Seriously, always keep one jump in reserve for the touchdown," Lisa interrupted. "I was also restraining the bursts between each jump; you''ll want to work on that as soon as possible if you want to use it safely among party members." I nodded and wondered if I could use the lightning attraction aspect of [Voltaic Slime] to further mitigate that. "Okay. Last thing. I want to show off a bit." Lisa said, giving a cheeky wink as she walked over to a corner of a room where I noticed what looked like a storage bag and started pulling out an extremely impressive-looking sword. [Rune Reading] was immediately triggered, and I could see several inscriptions purely for gathering and holding mana. "This was my first idea for working with and around the skill. It works as long as you have enough [Lightning Resistance] and can handle some pain." Lisa explained. Her body began to crackle as she bolted upwards. This time, however, she didn''t repeat the process, and she must have broken the chain. A bright flash of Lightning surged through her body for moments. I saw her eye twitch before the energy in her body rapidly directed itself toward her sword. The sword began to spark with dangerous power, and all the runes along its blade were alight. She landed gracefully and flourished her sword, which gave off a deadly crackle through the air before she made a forceful swing. A bolt of lightning burst midswing and scattered against the wall, and an immense inscription of multiple reinforcements briefly flashed as it absorbed the attack. "Impressive, right?" Lisa asked with smug satisfaction. "Very," I answered honestly. Lisa nodded as she sheathed the sword. "So yeah. My idea was you could [Thunder Step] your way across the countryside towards the dungeon. Gets you there fast, gives you time to practice the skill, and is much more exciting than filling some poor horse with potions." "And get''s me a skill I''ve desperately wanted," I added. "Well... I''d probably hope you eventually get [Wind Step] unless you want to abandon your Rogue side. Obviously, [Thunder Step] utterly ruins any attempts at stealth." I couldn''t help but groan at the validity of that statement. Finally, Lisa had me try out the skill and again emphasized that I should only use it to traverse the ground. She even suggested I buy level two immediately if I was worried enough. As I activated the skill, I felt it take some of my mana, and immediately, my body burst with lightning energy. I bolted to the edge of the room, arriving with quite a loud clap of thunder, and watched as the built-up energy immediately disappeared toward the ground. It felt exhilarating, and Lisa gave me a knowing smile. "Fun, right?" Lisa asked. Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit. "As long as you forget the potentially deadly aspect." I chuckled. Lisa nodded. "I''d suggest avoiding wearing conductive metal while you practice it." We chatted a bit more, and I tried out the skill several times before we called it. Before leaving, we headed to her office, and she showed me a map showing the dungeon''s location. To my surprise, it seemed to have updated my [Mapping] skill, and now I had a pretty solid idea of its location. Armed with my transport method and location set, I just needed to make my final preparations and say my farewells. I spent another day getting some food supplies that I threw into storage and spending more time with Whitney. She expressed some desire to come with me, but she had her next job lined up in the capital and probably should have left a few weeks ago. She had claimed some "vacation time" while waiting for my return and also said both Dewi and Evan wouldn''t forgive her if she didn''t find out the results of my island adventure. I spent a little time with Thern and smoothed things over by giving him a refill on his now favorite beverage. I''d discovered this as Sylvester, but the dwarf found it hilarious to see how a non-dwarf would react when they attempted the drink. I''d asked if I should take any quests on the trip there, but that idea was shot down in flames. It sounded like Thern''s solution now had an extremely strict time requirement, and I wasn''t to waste any more time. Finally, it was time for me to say my goodbyes. Whitney had almost ambushed me as I left my room, perhaps not trusting me to just leave like I did last time despite my numerous apologies and promises not to do that again. I promised to send her a message through the guild about how the dungeon went and another when I arrived in the dwarven empire. She also told me I must come to the capital after my dwarfy business was done. Finally, Whitney gave me a long hug and well wishes. Thern simply told me to hurry up and beat the dungeon already. Luke wished me good luck, and Lisa just gave me a thumbs up. Leaving the city, I felt refreshed and free; I gave the guards a friendly wave as I winked, disappeared, and appeared in the distance to the sound of booming thunder. I chuckled to myself at their shock and surprise and triggered the skill again. It was time to ride the Lightning. Lisa was right; this was an extremely fast way to travel, albeit very mana-intensive. I had bragged about my mana, but even my reserves started to drop at the skill''s current inefficient levels. When it reached level two, I immediately tried to chain an airborne combination, moving diagonally upward and downward. I was pleased with the results; chained usage seemed noticeably cheaper than separate skill activations. This greatly reduced my travel time as I needed far fewer breaks to replenish my mana reserves. My nighttime camp was my good old burrow-into-a-hole trick, and I even dug out a large enough area to pull out my bathtub! I spent the evening doing some much-needed [Rune Engraving] on my precious tub; it desperately needed some self-repair enchantment at a minimum, which I combined with a small storage inscription, which I filled up with mana. This way, it would have a reserve of mana to pull from if it needed to repair itself and wouldn''t be subject to any degradation. Then, I sank into the tub for a very pleasant night''s sleep. On my second day of travel, I decided to experiment with [Voltaic Slime]. I was correct that its attraction function could greatly reduce the bursts at each arrival point, making it much safer for bystanders. Sadly, I couldn''t do anything about the sound, but that was better than shocking someone accidentally who happened to be wearing too much metal. As for the redirected Lightning, [Voltaic Slime] was enough to contain it, and I could discharge it normally in directed bolts of my own. Feeling confident and knowing I had plenty of backup protections, I decided to see if [Voltaic Slime] was enough to handle the backlash from not grounding myself. I had every core cast [Arcane Armor] and aligned everyone to Lightning for the presumed increased resistance. Then I bolted into the air and waited... The energy surrounding me began to surge and arc internally. I now understood what "internal lightning damage" meant, as the built-up energy discharged directly inside my own core. My [Arcane Armor] meant nothing, but thankfully, it didn''t seem to be too much damage, likely due to my high resistance from both [Voltaic Slime] and [Elemental Adaptation]. It stung a lot but was siphoned off rather quickly into my slime and partially filled the capacity of [Voltaic Slime], and I fired another bolt upwards to free up my capacity. Then, I triggered the skill once into the furthest horizontal distance and another back diagonally downward to safely discharge. ''Okay... So I can already survive and use the negative side effect of [Thunder Step]. The pain sucks... I could always turn it off through the orc trait. But the damage, at least from one jump, doesn''t seem that much. I''m unsure how much energy is stored per jump chain, but I''d rather not risk it right now.'' I hoped it would be a good way for me to train [Voltaic Slime] without casting [Lightning Magic] at myself. The skill hit level three late into the early evening, drastically increasing my travel speed. Referring to [Mapping], I could have reached my destination tonight, but I instead decided to call in the early evening and arrive first thing in the morning. This way, I also got to spend another underground evening in the comfort of my bathtub. There was no chance of blobbing out in the dungeon with the party I ended up with. ''If I had known I''d get [Thunder Step], I might have considered engraving lightning resistance into my core. I could destroy my core, but that seems... Shortsighted.'' I shuddered, even thinking about it. I was extremely reluctant to test out my new lifesaving method. On the last leg of my journey, I wondered what the poor travelers might have thought about hearing the booms of thunder across the distance. Would they believe some monster was doing something, or would they shrug it off as an adventurer thing? I had to assume the latter, as otherwise, why would Lisa have suggested that I use this as my travel method? Or perhaps she''d thought I''d get the thunderclaps under control quickly. I gave a small mental apology to any travelers I might have spooked before proceeding with my next three consecutive jumps. It didn''t take long before my [Eagle Vision], combined with my significant elevation, spotted the huge amount of tents in all varying sizes and colors surrounding what looked like a giant hole in the ground. It all lined up with the destination [Mapping] pointed me towards, so I landed nearby before casually strolling the final distance. I figured arriving in a bolt of thunder in the middle of the tents would not earn me any friends. And if [Mapping] and common sense weren''t enough, my [Dungeoneer] emblem also tickled the back of my mind, informing me there was a dungeon nearby. <[Dungeoneer] With extraordinary effort and luck, you have completed a dungeon solo. Or perhaps you over-leveled and stomped a low-level dungeon? Either way, congrats! Dungeon loot earned has a higher chance of being enchanted. Equipping this emblem will slightly increase the chance of dungeon loot dropping and allow the user to detect nearby undefeated dungeons.> I had slightly forgotten that the emblem would point me toward dungeons I hadn''t beaten yet. I wondered if the loot bonuses would make me a sought-after party member. Despite my precautions, when I arrived, I could hear some groggy adventurers complaining about "bloody lightning mages." I had clearly awoken some of them earlier than they liked. It was a little surprising seeing the variety of setups; there were food tents, vendors, and even a sort of pawn shop where you could sell your dungeon loot. Unfortunately, despite the general grogginess of the early morning, quite a few people noticed the clearly visible elf approaching. I headed toward the absolutely massive tent, which looked like something a circus might set up. Thankfully, as I approached it, I saw the clearly labeled sign declaring it the Adventurer''s Guild. Chapter 148 : Recruitment Woes Entering the tent, I was met with the sight of many tables and benches occupied by various colorful individuals wearing assorted gear and weapons. I had to block out my notifications as Beta nearly blinded me by trying to [Identify] everyone in the room. Thankfully, only the most perceptive of the adventurers noticed my entrance, causing quite the look of confusion and startlement at their tables. I did my best to ignore the unwanted attention and strolled to what I had to assume was the reception desk; behind it sat a man who looked more bear than human. "Shit. I just lost ten gold." He grunted as he saw me. "I''m sorry?" I replied. "It''s my own fault. Lisa said you would arrive a month or two ago, and when you were a no-show, I started calling you her imaginary elf friend," he said as he scratched at his arm. "There seems to be a lot of bets around me..." I mumbled uncomfortably. "Don''t take it personally. Us guild staff get bored sometimes after living a life of constant danger. Name''s Bert. Nice to meet ya." "Syl, nice to meet you too. As Lisa said, I''m here for my Gold promotion test." "You and half the lot here," Bert grunted, pointing towards a large wooden board. "Those are the people recruiting party members. If they aren''t lacking your role, or you don''t find one you like the vibe of, you can sit around here until one does." "Thanks, Bert." "Just be careful, don''t just accept the first party you come across. You need to trust these people to have your back in the dungeon down there." I nodded and thanked him again before heading to the board and reading through the various recruitment attempts. There were certainly a lot of them, and it quickly became apparent that most parties lacked a healer. I doubted I''d ever fulfill that role unless I lucked across a pink slime core. Originally, Lisa had said I could''ve fulfilled a caster or rogue role. That changed after coming back with my new advanced caster class, and she said I should advertise myself as a dedicated caster or a debuffer and caster. However, she said I could still advertise myself for the rogue role if I was desperate. Either I had bad luck, or most teams already had a dedicated caster, as I couldn''t find anyone actively seeking one out. Two parties were looking for a rogue, so I figured I''d at least talk to them. The bottom of the poster had a tent number to seek out the parties, so I memorized them and left the main tent. That... Did not go well. After they got over their initial shock of "holy shit, it''s an elf!" when I explained my position, they began trying to find the most polite way of letting me down. The party leader was at least courteous, but he said he didn''t feel like trusting his team''s lives with someone who had only touched a hybrid rogue class and then promptly abandoned it. I supposed it was understandable, so I left them after thanking them for their time. The second party... Well. I got practically chased out of the tent. The woman seemed absolutely furious, and I had no idea why. Her other team members had seemed eager for me to join, but then she suddenly turned sour and rejected me outright. Lisa had mentioned that hybrid classes had a sort of stigma against them, but I had no idea it was this bad. So, without more direct leads, I was forced to wait in the main tent. Since I had time to kill, I started working on my arcane affliction, only briefly pausing when someone inquired about my purpose here or tried to ask me some questions about elves, which I politely refused. There were one or two recruitment attempts, but they all had the caveat that I''d join their Company upon completion, which Whitney had warned me against. I wanted to remain a freelancer, able to explore where I wanted when I wanted. Honestly, I wished I could''ve just gone and done the dungeon myself, but the point was to prove I was capable of teamwork. The entire first day was a bust, I was offered to rent a tent, but I politely turned it down and said I''d camp in the forest. Once I was sure I was safe and far away, I melted myself down into a hole and spent the night in comfy sleep. I was anticipating another quiet day, but fate must have decided to mess with my expectations. I was suddenly accosted by a rather rude young man. He and his group decided to strike while Bert was on break. I reflexively thought this might have been some noble arrogant bullshit again, but when [Identify] told me otherwise, I figured I might have developed a bias. "So this is the elf whore who''s trying to sleep her way to Gold?" He said with a nasty smirk. ''What?'' I thought to myself. It was such an outrageous claim I didn''t even know how to respond. "And she''s only level four in her class; she must have been spoon-fed and carried her entire life." His friend claimed. "Hey, maybe if you show us a good time, we''ll carry you through the dungeon," Colin said, pointing towards him and his buddy. "No," I responded. "Think about it real carefully, girl. Nobody is going to want to party with such an infamous elf. We might even let you follow our party around if you''re good enough," Ted said with a wink. "Like a mascot! Brilliant idea." Colin laughed with a snort. "No," I said in a sterner voice. "I''d sooner solo the dungeon than trust myself with your lot." Love what you''re reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on. That seemed to greatly offend Colin, who reached for his sword sheath. "You bitch. Think you''re hot stuff? Better than us humans, huh?" It took the full might of [Acting] for me not to stare at him in bewildered, flabbergasted confusion. Instead, I had a stern, expressionless face. "I challenge you to a duel!" He shouted loudly for everyone else to hear. "Unless you''re a coward," Ted added on. A duel? Honestly, if it got rid of them, I wouldn''t mind, but how would I beat him without killing him? I didn''t really have non-lethal options in my magical arsenal. ''Actually, I could beat him, and that would probably prove my worth to all the adventurers. Then I''ll find a party, no problem,'' I reasoned to myself. At this point, Bert had returned from his break to see what all the fuss was about. "I wouldn''t do that if I were you." He warned. "Don''t worry, Bert. I can handle it." I replied. Bert sighed and gave a shrug. "Make sure it''s official." "Of course. I want the whole guild to know I beat this elf." Colin said smugly. "How do duels work?" I asked. "If I hold back my spells, I might take a wound I shouldn''t have." In reality, I didn''t want to risk an arm coming off and returning to slime or something similar. Colin was smirking, perhaps thinking this would be even easier for him since I admitted to having no dueling experience. Bert pointed a meaty finger toward Ted, who flinched. "You have [Deathward], right?" Ted nodded frantically. "Of course. I''d be a shame of an Archpriest without it." "Good. [Deathward] them before the duel starts." Bert said with a grunt. "Hope you won''t come up with some excuse when I beat you into the ground." Colin chuckled. I sighed reluctantly. I''d be ending this as soon as possible. We headed outside and away from the tents. Either they planned this out, or Ted ran wingman to this operation as a large crowd followed to see the spectacle. Soon, a large ring of people surrounded me and Colin. Bert ordered people to stand back, and there was some slight shuffling, but not much distance was put between them. I immediately wondered if this was some sort of foul play; if the audience got caught up in one of my spells, I''d likely get into trouble. Perhaps they had discovered I was the source of the lightning? Or maybe I was being overly paranoid again, and the audience was merely excited to see two adventurers dueling. We stood a good distance apart, supposedly to give spellcasters a chance to react in time against a martial opponent. I went through my options while Ted began casting this supposed [Deathward] spell, which he seemed to be delaying as much as possible so that more of an audience could gather. Lightning and Fire were most likely a no-go in terms of collateral damage. Ice and Corrosion left lingering effects, and I wasn''t entirely sure how they would work with a [Deathward]. I could throw a bunch of debuffs and hope [Decay] would take him out, although that''d certainly be unimpressive, and he seemed like the opponent to complain about being beaten by such an obscure attack. Which left Arcane and Water. Arcane I only had [Arcane Bolt], and I''d have no benefit from Elementalist or [Elemental Shift]. So, ultimately, I was left with Water. I shifted over some additional cores to water alignment, and my plan was to rapid-fire cast the water laser spell, hopefully taking Colin out instantly or forcing him to surrender. Then I spotted it, Ted was casting far more than just [Deathward] on his accomplice. I thought I would call foul, but instead, I held my tongue and began my own preparations. [Hex], [Permeable], and [Erode] were stacked up on the unsuspecting Colin, and judging by the lack of any comment from spectators or perpetrators, nobody had noticed at all. Ted tried to pretend he was taking the same length of time to cast [Deathward] on me, but he couldn''t fool my [Mana Conception]. At least he wasn''t stupid enough to not give me a [Deathward], which I had thought was a possibility. "Right. I officially sanction this duel between Syl and Colin. Till surrender, incapacitation, or whoever has their [Deathward] trigger first." Bert said, sounding very reluctant. Bert began counting down. Colin unsheathed his blade. I gave orders to my cores, all hands on deck; this would need to be the fastest spell construction and firing I''d ever done as soon as Bert shouted go. I was grateful Colin didn''t have Air affinity and [Wind Step]; otherwise, he''d instantly be in my face. When Bert finished the countdown, it all happened at once. The deluge of Water Mana swirled above my head. The spectators gasped. Colin actually flinched. Three overlapping magical circles formed and instantly shrunk to their minuscule size. Colin burst forward at a surprisingly fast speed. The spell was completed, and the air screeched as the water laser tore through the air at a downward angle to ensure no audience injury and aimed directly at his chest. It happened in a blink. Colin had a gaping wound through his entire torso. His eyes were wild in horror and shock. He vomited blood. Someone in the audience screamed. Then, there was a bright flash of magic, and suddenly, the gaping wound was gone as if it never happened. The only evidence it had occurred was the clean circle where his armor and underclothing once occupied, his vomited blood, and the deep and precise hole where the deadly spell had continued its trajectory. I wondered if he would cry foul, but instead, he collapsed to the ground as if entirely spent. Rather than rushing to his friend''s aid, Ted began screaming and running away. Every witness was eerily silent. While I didn''t expect a standing ovation for my victory, I hadn''t foreseen this awkward and stunned silence at all. "The winner is Syl," Bert said, breaking the stunned silence. Bert then pointed toward Colin. "Somebody please grab the brat since his friend left him." There were murmurs; one of the larger adventurers hefted Colln up, and everyone began awkwardly leaving. I walked back, unsure of how to handle this outcome. "Told ya it was a bad idea," Bert said as we shuffled back to the tent. I didn''t respond. I kept trying and failing to understand why my victory had achieved this result. Nobody approached me for the rest of the day. The next day was more of the same, and I began feeling extremely frustrated with this situation. I was the one challenged; why was it my fault I had won? I didn''t ask Colin to insult me or spout his petty insults and drivel for his crony to try to stack the deck against me. Whispers, terrified glances, and rumors continued to spread around me. I wanted to lash out, but I knew it would make it worse. I began frantically thinking of solutions. I could likely solo the dungeon, but that wouldn''t meet the so-called requirement. It was a stupid requirement, in my opinion. I also thought maybe I could instead get to the dwarves as Sylvester and abandon going as Syl? Perhaps I could say I wanted to get a silver core for enchanting? Bert approached my table and sat down, giving a deep sigh. "You scared the shit out of ''em." "I was the one challenged," I said angrily. "I know." "I just wanted to be left alone." "I know." "He called me a whore who didn''t earn her rank." Bert grimaced as he shook his head. "You''re completely in the right. You''d likely be praised if you were anything other than an elf." "Why?" Bert sighed deeply before finally responding, "There are a lot of stories about elves from the war. Most people shrug them off when they grow older, knowing it was overblown propaganda or stuff to scare kids into line." Seeing my confusion, Bert chuckled. "If you don''t go to bed early, the elves will come get you! Stupid shit like that." "... I see..." "Yep. And, unfortunately, you kinda brought that irrational fear into reality yesterday. I don''t know much about Water mages, but I''ve never seen one blow a hole through a person before." "I wanted to end it quickly. I thought if I proved capable, it''d prove I could carry my own weight, that I''d earned my rank," I admitted. Bert nodded. "Yeah. You can''t afford to take chances as a spellcaster; you''re not a frontline fighter. I understand why you did what you did perfectly, and most people probably agree as well." "But I''m an elf." "But you''re an elf." I sighed. Once again, things couldn''t be simple. I just hoped it would turn around soon, or my plans would be ruined. Chapter 149 : Misfits There was one silver lining about all this mess, I had plenty of time to kill and continue to practice magic. Kappa had joined my other [Sub-Cores] at reaching the dreaded level five, and I had completed my Arcane affliction. As I delved into the intricacies of the spell, a chilling realization dawned on me. This spell, [Mana Burn], had the potential to harm Trixie. While I prayed I would never have to use it against her, the thought of having it as a weapon against another pixie was a relief. Just when I thought the day was a lost cause, a figure caught my eye. She was a sight to behold, with a wild mane of fiery red hair and an outfit that could only be described as a loincloth and tunic. But what truly caught my attention were the cat ears perched on her head and the large, bushy wolf tail that swayed behind her. ''Human?'' I questioned immediately. She looked nervous, her tail swishing, and she placed a bright red apple on the table before me as if it were an offering. "Please don''t eat me, Miss Elf. I just want a moment of your time," she said nervously, gesturing towards the apple. "What the hell kind of rumors are being spread about me? I''m not going to eat you." I said with a hint of frustration; her ears twitched. "Oh, thank goodness. I''d make an awful meal. I''m all stringy and no flavor." She said with a nervous chuckle. I frowned. "Moving on... What did you want to talk about?" "Wow, just like that? I didn''t even need to bribe you with more apples?" Pelopi said curiously. Seeing my lack of a response, she added a second apple to the table before continuing. "My party needs another member to get through the dungeon. We''ve gotten to the first mini-boss but haven''t beaten it to get to floor two!" I felt a sense of relief. "I''m looking for a party to conquer the dungeon. I''d gladly consider joining yours. Could I meet the rest of your team before making a decision?" "Of course!" She said, her tail wagging energetically. "Our party is called the Misfits! You''ll fit right in!" "Misfits?" "Because we''re a bit of an eccentric bunch. You''ll see when you meet the other two," Pelopi said. I grabbed my apples and followed her out of the main tent. She started leading me towards a rather shabby-looking tent near the outskirts of the encampment, which had what looked like a few burn holes in it. Before we entered, she handed me another apple. "You can give this to Eliza to break the ice. She''s a bit of a weirdo, but I''m sure you''ll love her." ''She is calling someone else a weirdo? Kettle meet pot.'' Pelopi dashed into the tent before I could ask her any further questions. "I''m back, and I''ve brought us a potential party member!" "Someone actually wants to join us?" A man''s voice came from inside. "Don''t say that! You''ll scare her off!" Pelopi shouted. I slowly entered with my guard slightly up. Inside was a rather large man, without even a single hair follicle on his body and completely bald despite looking only in his early twenties. His skin was littered in scars, and he was wearing some sort of armor that reminded me of the salamander I fought, except that it was made out of the skin rather than the scales. Another girl with long blonde hair and pale skin was lying on a bedroll with a book in her hands. She was wearing a light blue robe that I could see held some minor defense enchantments at a glance. Upon seeing me, both of them reacted in startlement. Eliza dropped her book on her face, and Ian jumped back a few feet before tripping and stumbling over what looked like a large axe lying on the ground. "Wow, guys. Way to ruin your first impression!" Pelopi said with a giggle. "Are you crazy!?" Ian shouted, trying to recover from his stumble. "I don''t want to get eaten in the dungeon or have my organs splattered across the ground! I like them inside of me; that''s where they belong!" "She already agreed not to eat us," Pelopi said. "I''m not going to eat anyone!" I shouted with frustration. "That''s not what the rumors say!" Eliza said. "Yeah. We heard you blasted some young swordsman to pieces." Ian added. Pelopi was trying to secretly gesture toward the apple in my hand. I sighed and lobbed it toward Eliza, who initially tried to cover her head with her arms. The apple bounced off her head and landed on her lap. She gasped when she noticed what it was. You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. "Ian. I think we can trust her." Eliza suddenly said. Ian groaned, and Pelopi giggled. "I think I''m starting to understand why you''re called the Misfits," I said, shaking my head. I was desperate, but was I this desperate? "Oh, wait until you hear how weird our party composition is," Pelopi said, waggling her eyebrows. "Don''t scare her off already!" Eliza pleaded. Her tone and attitude had literally flipped over a single apple. "What''s wrong with your party? As far as I can tell, you''re just missing a tank?" I asked. "No. I''m the tank." Ian said. I was about to ask how a berserker was the party tank when Pelopi shouted. "Misfits!" "Explain...?" I asked curiously with a shrug. "I have taunt skills. I gather everything together and then set myself on fire." Ian said defensively. "You sound like my Pyromancer friend..." I replied. "You''re just missing a [Fireball]." "Normally, people scream about me setting myself on fire." Ian chuckled. "I can''t say it''s the weirdest thing I''ve heard of... But don''t tanks try to not take damage?" Eliza raised her hand. "That''s because of me. I need him to have damage so I can transfer it to the monsters." I blinked in confusion. "What? That sounds amazing." Eliza gave a toothy grin. "I know, right? That''s the power of a Dark Healer! I siphon and transfer damage around!" "The biggest issue is that she needs a target to take the damage. Her normal healing is kind of atrocious." Ian admitted. "So Ian takes steady damage from self-immolation in case the monsters can''t hurt him?" "Yup." Eliza nodded. "Please tell me you have some form of pain mitigation," I said, almost pleading with Ian. "One of the first things I got. I''m not a masochist," Ian said as if it were obvious. "It''s really cool!" Pelopi said. "Eliza fills up her healing buffer with the damage she inflicts; that way, she can heal the real big injuries!" "Honestly, it sounds pretty amazing. I thought my own class was impressive, but I''ve never heard of having a healing buffer or healing via damage or even transferring injuries." I admitted. "Our general strategy is to kill things before they kill us. It usually works well." Ian nodded. "Except for the dungeon mini-boss. We keep running away because we don''t have enough damage." Eliza said, now crunching away at her apple. "Well. I can certainly help in the damage department. I can debuff monsters to lower their defenses and resistances, and then I''ve got six different kinds of magic to work with." "Six? Damn, I thought Pelopi''s four was impressive." Ian replied. "Can you make things weak to Fire?" "Fire, Ice, Water, Lightning, and then both general defense and magic," I answered. "If the monsters were weak to fire and my axe, that would be amazing!" Ian said excitedly. "Wait. I can understand making something weak to like Fire, but how the hell do you just make something weak to magic overall? Or defense?" Eliza asked. I shrugged. "It''s what the spell does. Think of your general protection enchantment on your robe, except in reverse." "So if you lowered my defense, and I stubbed my toe, I might break my foot?" Ian asked. "Maybe not that bad?" I answered, scratching my head; it was a little hard to judge how much of an effect it really was. "In general, it seems to work very well. I usually combine that with [Sneak Attack] and finish most fights before they start." "Super elf magical assassin!" Pelopi said with a gasp. "So you really did blow that guy''s guts out," Ian said a little nervously. "Does that mean you did seduce a married party?" Eliza asked, her eyebrows waggling suggestively. "Yes, I beat some guy harassing me in a duel. No, I didn''t seduce anyone." I answered. "Damn." Ian and Eliza both said at the same time. "Don''t forget me!" Pelopi said, flailing her arms wildly. "So I''m a druid, except magic is hard, so I can only really make plants grow. Instead, I like to claw things to death." "She has four affinities, and she barely uses one..." Ian said, shaking his head. "At least she can make these seedpods that explode when there''s fire. It works well with me." "And infinite apples." Eliza pointed out, handing Pelopi some apple seeds from her fruity remains. As weird as their party was, it seemed to be working out for them. I could definitely fill a magical damage dealer role in their group and perhaps a rogue on the side since it''s clear they currently have no method of dealing with traps. "Well. Looks like I wasted a trip." Another voice said, raising the tent flap. "Whatever it is, we didn''t do it!" Pelopi shouted before leaping backward like a startled cat. Jet looked extremely confused. "Right... Well, Lisa asked me to come as a favor when she heard from Bert you were having some difficulty finding a party." "How did you get here so fast?" I asked. "[Shadow Step]. I can move between any connected shadows." Jet answered. "I''m starting to feel like there''s a step for everything," I chuckled. Unfortunately, my joke fell flat with the others. "Anyway... It looks like you''ve managed to find a decent party, if a little unorthodox." Jet said with a firm nod. "Damn. Did you try to recruit a bigshot or something, Pelopi?" Ian asked. "I mean, she is an elf." Eliza pointed out. "How many elf adventurers do you know?" "One," Pelopi answered cheerfully. I cleared my throat, trying to get back on topic. "So what was Lisa''s plan? If you don''t mind me asking." "I was going to throw together a random party and join as an examiner. Any group would jump at the opportunity to have their dungeon run officially examined, and it would stop any further... Incidents." "Yes! Please examine our run!" Ian shouted frantically. "Why do we want someone to examine us?" Pelopi asked before I could. "Assuming we don''t screw up, we''d be basically assured to get promoted if our run was officially signed off," Ian answered. "Oh! That sounds good. Yes, please!" Pelopi said, giving a short, frantic bow that caused her cat ears to flop forward. "Huh... I didn''t know it wasn''t a guarantee. I thought you just had to clear the dungeon." I said, scratching my head. "Heavens no. The only time that happens is if someone behaves exceptionally well above their rank," Jet said, and the way he stared at me gave a hint of what he meant. "Usually, you need to meet a minimum number of quest turn-ins, recommendations from guild staff, well-respected third parties, and so forth." "Then why are so many people here?" I asked. "I can answer that," Ian replied. "The dungeon clear is the minimum and often seen as the stepping stone; most people try to get it done first so the guild starts paying attention to them." "Correct." Jet said. "Sounds like I really did things out of order." I chuckled. "From what Lisa has told me. Yes. Yes indeed." Jet answered. "So, will you join our party?" Pelopi asked, trying to give her best puppy dog eyes. Jet examined each of us and then shrugged with a smile. "Sure. I''d hate to waste the trip, plus it''ll be fun to see what this party of misfits can do." "Hey, that''s our group''s name!" Eliza said with a toothy grin. "Just don''t expect me to carry you. I won''t use my enchanted weapon and will appropriately scale myself down to your level." Jet replied with a chuckle as he ominously sunk into his own shadow. "We leave tomorrow!" "Damn, that''s creepy." Ian chuckled. "Damn, that''s creepy cool, you mean." Eliza corrected. Chapter 150 : Fitting in with Misfits "Okay! Proper introduction time!" Pelopi declared and began pointing one by one at everyone. "Eliza." "Ian." "Syl." Finally, she pointed to herself. "Pelopi." I had no doubt they had probably immediately used [Identify] on me, but formally introducing ourselves still felt nice. Which was likely the point Pelopi was trying to make. "So what can you tell us about yourself, Syl?" Ian asked. I started briefly explaining some of my spells when Eliza held out her hand to stop me. "No, no. This is about you, not what you can do." Perhaps they noticed my aversion and thus started with themselves to break the ice. "So we grew up together in a small village," Ian said, pointing to himself and Eliza. "Childhood friends and now a couple," Pelopi added, to which Eliza and Ian groaned. "Dawnwood. Name aside, it was a real shithole. It pretty much only exists to send lumber and wood to the capital." Ian continued. "That''s where I''m from," Pelopi said. I held out my hand to pause the story, an unresolved curiosity now on the tip of my tongue. "Why does everyone call it ''the capital''?" "It''s cause the name keeps changing!" Pelopi answered. "Changing? That sounds terribly inconvenient for everyone." I replied with confusion. "Right... Only our kingdom really does that." Eliza said, scratching her head. "Whoever is the current ruling noble family names it after themselves. It''s sort of a tradition." "It''s currently the Keaburgs," Pelopi chipped in. "Suddenly, Stantondale makes a lot more sense..." I muttered. "Minor nobles who don''t participate in the fight for the capital usually just settle down in a small town or city and rename it," Eliza explained. "It''s not so bad. At least we aren''t ruled by a never-ending royal family like the Outeatus Kingdom." Ian pointed out. I had to hide my surprise. I had no idea there even was another human kingdom. "I used to be from a noble family," Pelopi said. "You don''t need to be that honest with me..." I said cautiously, mostly because I didn''t want to be that open. "Don''t worry; she tells everyone about it," Eliza said, shaking her head. "We found her living in the forest like a feral child. We basically raised her ourselves and were forced to take her with us when we left to become adventurers." "You act like this stray wouldn''t have willingly followed us wherever we went," Ian chuckled. "Yup!" Pelopi agreed. "So I ran away, lived in a forest, and was found by these two. They seemed nice, so I followed them, and the rest is history!" "That''s... Extremely abridged." Ian frowned, pinching his brow. "Your turn." Pelopi declared, pointing to me. I sighed before beginning. "I basically left the forest to explore the world." "Where''d you start out?" Eliza asked curiously. "Stantondale... There was an incident with goblins, and I was found by another adventuring team. I hung out with them, and they explained the guild to me and recruited me. I already enjoyed hunting monsters and getting stronger, so it seemed like the best idea." "I can''t say I recognize the name. Do you know what its main trade was?" Ian asked. "Blue slime farming," I answered. "Ah... One of the mana potion farms." Ian nodded. "I feel sorry for the poor slimes..." Pelopi said softly. My opinion of her instantly increased tenfold. "Then I moved to Kaerlin and got promoted to Silver. I''m trying to get to Gold so I can visit the Dwarven Empire." "So, kind of like a world tour?" Eliza asked. "Well... We will see after the Dwarves. I''ve already explored a floating island." I answered. All three of them were very impressed with that, and I was barraged by some minor questions about what I had seen and done on the island. Eliza and Pelopi were extremely excited to hear about unicorns until I described how murderous they were. "I''d almost say anything after exploring a floating island would be a downgrade. I don''t want to say you''ve peaked, but..." Ian commented. "Some friends left for the capital, so maybe I''ll go there," I answered. "There''s much more exciting places than that!" Pelopi scoffed. "So you''ve already beaten the first floor of the dungeon. Do you have any advice? What can we expect?" I asked, trying to change the subject. "Oh... you mean you don''t know the dungeon''s theme?" Eliza responded, genuinely surprised. Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. "No. It seems most people in my life tell me they don''t want to ''ruin the surprise.''" I answered. "I''m all for surprises, but this doesn''t seem like an appropriate one," Eliza said curiously. "Imagine if the dungeon''s theme was winter or ice, and you didn''t prepare warm clothes and appropriate supplies." "There is a chance I forgot to ask... I do tend to get... Distracted." I answered, being a little honest. Pelopi giggled and nodded as if perfectly understanding my explanation. I wondered if I should be worried about our budding kindred spirit. "Well, you''re either lucky or unlucky, depending on how you look at it since this dungeon''s theme is Mutation," Eliza answered. "Mutation? Like monster evolutions?" I asked. "Yes, exactly. Each floor has a different Mutation, and every monster on the floor will have that Mutation." "So there''s a big luck factor involved. Our first time, we thought we were very lucky; the first floor was nothing but Swarms," Ian explained with a big grin. "I basically got to set myself on fire and watch as they all died around me; it was pretty awesome!" "Then we reached the mini-boss, who guards the second floor and combines the first and second-floor Mutation," Eliza said, looking quite upset. "And that was where our luck ran out... One glance at the guardian, and we ran." "Really? That bad?" I asked curiously. I couldn''t really think of anything I''d run away from unless maybe I saw Simon guarding the floor. "Volatile... Meaning they explode when they die." Eliza answered. "Oh... Oh!" I exclaimed as I realized what that meant. "Combined with Swarm, that feels like the worst possible combo." "I don''t know if you can get a more horrible combination. Well, at least for our party." Ian admitted. "Quite different to the undead dungeon I did." I pointed out. "That''s why the guild likes it as a test. You don''t know what you''ll be up against since it changes daily. We could have picked a different dungeon, but beating this one not only ticks the box but also gives you a gold star," Eliza explained. "I wonder if that''s why Lisa sent me here. If I had this one on my record, it would have made my early promotion more acceptable." "So. To answer your original question, unfortunately, we won''t know what to expect until we enter tomorrow. So be prepared for anything," Ian shrugged. "And with me on the team, you don''t have to worry about food, at least!" Pelopi said cheerfully, producing more apples. "Yeah. If you can stomach apples, we have food sorted. So just water." "If you don''t like apples, it might be a deal breaker for us working together," Eliza said sternly. "I''m perfectly fine with apples," I answered under Eliza''s intense gaze. "And I can provide fresh water since it is one of my affinities. I''m surprised Pelopi can''t?" As if to answer my question, Pelopi cast [Water Orb]. Instead of the pure and fresh appearance I was used to, it looked like brownish-greenish swamp water. "Magic is hard..." Pelopi said with dismay. "Do not drink that... You''ll be in the toilet for days." Ian said with a look of horror. "Somehow, even boiling it doesn''t fix it... It''s truly cursed." Eliza added with a shudder. I cast the spell myself and held it for them to see. They stared at it with strange astonishment. "I don''t think I''ve seen water that clean-looking before." Ian pointed out. "Supposedly, I have extremely high purity mana; at least, that''s what the guild said." "So Pelopi''s is either impure or something else?" Eliza asked. "Honestly, I have no idea... I thought purity only mattered for enchanting." I replied, then scratched my head as I tried to puzzle together something even remotely plausible. "If I had to hazard a guess, I''d say it''s like her Earth and Nature mana are bleeding in?" "I hope that doesn''t mean Lightning is bleeding into your Water." Ian chuckled. "Screw Lightning. She said one of her affinities was Corrosion." Eliza replied although I could tell she meant it as a joke with the tone and accompanying grin. "See. This is why I ran away. The magic stuff is way too hard. I had four magic tutors, three of which would shout at me for getting it wrong." Pelopi said, swishing her tail. "Being a noble sucked. Who cares about some fancy extra name." "Forgive me for asking, but aren''t your parents worried about you?" I asked. "No. They found me when I registered for the Adventurers Guild and promptly disowned me. Apparently, I brought shame into the family tradition. Good riddance," Pelopi growled. "Oh. I''m sorry." I replied a little awkwardly. "Anything you can tell us about elves?" Eliza asked curiously. I hid my flinch behind a pondering scratch. I could make some educated guesses based on the emblem and traits I had read and some of the little bits about the elf war I had picked up on from others. I could''ve said nothing, but it might turn around and bite me if I kept dodging this question. "I don''t know how common knowledge this is, so forgive me if I''m repeating myself." I started, and now I had their undivided attention, which was a little uncomfortable. "But Elves generally follow a chosen path, such as mastery of the bow, magic, nature, and so forth." Unfortunately, with my incomplete profile, I could only be vague. I''d only seen the [Elven Marksmanship] trait after all. "The biggest being magic since our progenitor was a Master Magus, which is the path I''m also following. I have dabbled in archery and monster taming, though." This was an extremely minor dabble, especially with the latter. I''d only grabbed the class and one skill. Nobody interrupted me, so I must have been doing well so far. "Elves are also seen as guardians of nature and almost universally have an affinity with Nature magic. We''re also deeply in tune with our bodies, and while a little on the frail side, we are highly dexterous and agile." I said, pulling inspiration from the [Nature Commune] and [Elven Reflexes] descriptions. "I want to be a guardian of nature!" Pelopi said, causing Eliza to giggle. "That was great. I only heard from my great uncle, who said the elves turned an entire forest into a living weapon. He used to joke that he became a lumberjack to take revenge against the trees." Ian said with a chuckle. I nodded. "I''ve seen extremely impressive nature magic bringing trees and anything plant to life. Unfortunately, I don''t have a Nature affinity." I said regretfully. "I''d give you mine if I could. Other than growing apples, it''s very uncooperative." Pelopi said with a frown. "If you didn''t have Nature affinity, you wouldn''t be able to be a Druid, though." Eliza pointed out. "Crap, I forgot about that! Sorry, Syl, I''ll have to rescind my offer." Pelopi said, sticking out her tongue teasingly. I couldn''t help but chuckle. "Don''t worry, maybe I''ll pick it up with my next ascension." "Yeah, you seem to be on a roll with that. I don''t think I''ve ever seen someone with such a high race level." Ian pointed out. "It''s all of you I don''t understand," I replied. "Everyone I talk to seems to hate their race levels. But I suppose that maybe elves are blessed in that regard compared to humans?" "Yeah... Other than some attribute boosters or resistances, I can''t say I''ve ever seen anything worthwhile." Ian admitted. "Speaking of levels, your class is advanced, right?" Eliza asked. "Yes, and from what I''ve been told, it''s extremely rare," I answered. "Judging by your levels, I''m assuming you''re still intermediate?" "Yes, although we''ve all qualified for a generic advanced class, we''re waiting for a more specific or rarer one before we take the plunge into advanced classes," Eliza answered. "I received similar advice," I replied with a nod. "I had the Assassin class unlocked for a long time but only took a level in it after I had already completed a few levels in Elementalist." "So you are a super elf magical assassin!" Pelopi gasped. "Maybe without the super unless I manage to get an Umbral affinity," I teased with a wink. Eliza joined in with the teasing. "Yeah... I''d have to agree after seeing that Jet fellow disappear into his shadow." ''I wonder if there''s a shadow or umbral slime? Maybe black? Unless that''s Death affinity... Assuming there even is a black slime. I''m sure there''s at least one for every color, right?'' We chatted for a bit longer, mostly while I followed them around as they restocked some supplies from the various vendors. Honestly, the whole dungeon business seemed extremely lucrative here, considering the large setup, despite being nowhere near a city or town. Perhaps it was due to the variety of an ever-changing dungeon? I wondered if there was any chance for me to get a new slime in the dungeon, and if so, I just hoped it didn''t have some strange mutation that would make it unharvestable. We eventually said our farewells in the early evening, even though I was offered a spot in their tent. I would enjoy my last night in my comfy bedtub before I was stuck in the dungeon for who knows how long. Chapter 151 : Into the Dungeon After waking up and preparing myself, I headed towards the party''s tent. I had expected them to still be sleeping, but when I arrived, they were busy folding it away and packing it into a rather poor-looking storage bag. [Rune Inspection] told me it was close to the end of its life, maybe a month or two at best. "Might want to get that replaced soon." I pointed out. "Yeah... I wish they weren''t so expensive. Hopefully, we''ll have a good haul of loot in the dungeon." Ian grumbled. "No promises, but I might be able to help with that. I''ve got a high level in [Dissection] if there are any valuable monsters, and my [Dungeoneer] emblem increases the chance of enchanted loot." I explained. "Wow, you actually leveled up [Dissection]," Eliza said, gnawing on an apple like a squirrel. "I tried. I thought it would be easy if I used animal claws." Pelopi said, then shuddered. "I was wrong." "Blood and guts everywhere..." Eliza shuddered as well. "That''s a pretty cool-sounding emblem," Ian said, ignoring the other two. "I''ve heard of similar things, although apparently, they can sometimes upset the dungeon." "Correct," a disembodied voice said before Jet slinked out of the shadows. "The [Dungeoneer] emblem basically strongarms the dungeon into expending more energy on loot, which it is sometimes not too happy about. Although it''s not nearly as bad as someone with a looting skill, they really hate those." "Lisa mentioned a looting skill as well. Isn''t it just like an instant [Dissection]?" I asked. "Yes and no. It does have that function, but it also turns the monster''s dead essence into a drop." Jet answered, "And considering dungeons feed on essence, that''s like stealing its meal?" Ian asked. "Correct again," Jet said with a smile. "Has everyone got everything? Is there no need for last-minute supplies? Remember, we will likely be camping after each boss." "As ready as I''ll ever be," I responded. "All good on our end," Ian said, tying the bag closed. Before we left, we had a small debate about who should be the party leader. It was eventually settled on Ian. I didn''t want to be evaluated as a leader, and I confirmed that I was trying to be a solo operative and fit in where needed rather than leading my own group. We had briefly discussed whether we should find a final party member, but Jet recommended against it. "The Misfits are an officially registered party; to claim proper credit, they need over half of the party members to be from their group." Jet explained. If they were a proven registered party, then they would find it easier to get group quests assigned to them or attract prospective members or even temporary members. Name or party recognition was apparently super important for adventurers. We headed to the giant hole in the ground, where I saw a spiral walkway dug into the ground. There were also ropes if you wanted to skip walking and rappel down, but we took the safer option. When we reached the bottom, there were seven doorways, five of which were shut tight. "Looks like lots of parties are still in the dungeon." Jet noted. "Who''s going to pick the door?" Eliza asked. "Flip a coin?" Ian suggested, and the rest of us all nodded, except for one. "Boo. That''s not fun." Pelopi whined. "Why are there seven different doors?" I asked curiously. "This dungeon is big enough to have seven different groups and layouts. Since its theme is Mutation, each door and its respective floors are cycled to a different one daily." Jet answered. "That way, you can''t easily buy info as well," Ian grumbled. "Nope. That''s why it''s such a respected dungeon for tests," Jet pointed out. "It''s almost like the dungeon is cooperating with us." "Isn''t it trying to make itself as deadly as reasonably possible to claim the unprepared?" "Well... Sure... That''s the real answer, but it''s nice to think the dungeon is on our side, weeding out the unworthy." Jet chuckled. I thought back to Simon. He made it seem more like a chore, but perhaps this dungeon master was different? Did the guild even know about dungeon masters? Maybe it was a high-rank or staff-only secret? We flipped a coin and entered one of the doors; it closed behind us when Jet pulled a lever near the door. He explained it as preventing outside interference, which this dungeon apparently hated. Very different to how Simon behaved. Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. Weapons were drawn, and we established a walking formation for the party. I was quite surprised when Pelopi''s arms grew fur and giant bear claws, but nobody else even glanced at them. Jet pulled out a handheld crossbow made of many interlocking mechanisms and a simple durability enchantment. Eliza held a staff, and finally, Ian wielded his giant two-handed axe. The entrance to this dungeon was like a cave with glowing fungus on the roof, far different from the crypt and undead theme of Simon''s dungeon. We trodded carefully along the passageway, heading slightly downwards until we entered a large room. I was nearly blinded by the [Identify] notifications, so I quickly ordered Beta not to show them. Inside were a multitude of what looked like... Goblins? No, they weren''t just goblins; they looked like goblins mashed with another random monster. There was a goblin wolf, a goblin bear, and even a goblin with an octopus for a head! Its tentacles were wrapped around tiny little rusty shanks. Hell, one goblin was literally made out of fire. "I... Don''t think I''ve ever seen this Mutation before?" Eliza questioned. "Talk after the fight," Ian said as he rushed into the room. His taunt skills were clearly triggered, and every eye suddenly fixated on him. Then he let out a roar and suddenly self-immolated. Jet slinked into the shadows and began taking half-hearted potshots with his crossbow. I was reminded he did say he wouldn''t carry us. Eliza cast a spell that seemed to be slowly siphoning a dark aura of mana directly off Ian. Pelopi growled and leaped toward the octopus goblin. In hindsight, we should have talked battle tactics, I could have spread a debuff around before engaging, but perhaps that was too much for the first encounter on the first floor. I started pinpointing the threats that would be difficult for the others to fight, starting with the fire goblin. I cycle cast [Permeable] into [Torrent], firing a deadly water beam directly downward from the ceiling like an orbital strike. The fire goblin shrieked before it was pierced straight through by the water laser and then rapidly dissolved like a dying elemental. ''Is that what it was? Half goblin, half fire elemental?'' That was when I noticed spider goblins crawling on the roof. Some were spitting webs, while others were lobbing green blobs of poison. Ian didn''t even bother dodging the webs, as they burnt on contact with his burning body. However, he was forced to dodge the green blobs, and most annoyingly, some of them seemed to be ignoring his taunt, going for sneak attacks against Pelopi and Eliza. "Syl, Jet, handle the ranged enemies!" Ian shouted. "On it!" I shouted. I had [Conductive] cast on any of the poison spitters and then lobbed an empowered [Ball Lightning] starting on the roof and gliding forward as if sweeping across the roof. The shocking arcs it generated went straight toward the intended targets, but the orb rapidly shrank as it spent its energy, so I worked on a second and third orb. Soon, lightning-charred spider goblins were dropping from the roof. Meanwhile, Pelopi had torn apart the octopus goblin and was now dueling the bear goblin. She had already torn its one arm off in a savage display of power. Eliza threw a black mana projectile against a wolf goblin, trying to sneak around to ambush Pelopi. It struck, and a hint of golden mana aura tricked off of the wound toward Pelopi. I made a note to ask about that cause it seemed really cool. Ian kept tanking with his body. I couldn''t help but think Roderick would be mightily upset at how, instead of mitigating with a shield or armor, he bodyblocked everything with his raw flesh. Admittedly, he must have been extremely tough, as even some of the goblins'' fangs or rusted weapons hardly affected the man. Instead, getting that close would actively burn them or meet their end on his giant axe. Any wounds he did suffer were closed up with dark energy; it was a rather unpleasant form of healing, very different from Evan''s. Rather than a golden glow of soft, warming light, instead tiny black tendrils would form and almost actively stitch the wound closed in a rather fleshy and gruesome display. That only left Jet, who was still only halfheartedly shooting at a monster. I was quite curious; whenever he fired a bolt, the monster seemed to be hit twice. Delegating my combat to some [Sub-Cores] so I could investigate further, I eventually discovered, thanks to [Mana Conception], that there was a faint trickle of umbral mana in the shadow of his crossbow bolts. Whenever that umbral-enchanted shadow bolt hit the monster''s shadow, the monster would react as if struck by a real bolt. ''I hit your shadow, so you take damage. That''s insane!'' I mentally shouted at the absurdity. I obviously recalled Trixie''s words about not being too envious of others, especially when I had so much going on myself, but whatever was going on with his Umbral affinity seemed extraordinarily fascinating. It didn''t take much longer for us to finish off the rest of the strange goblin monsters. Then, we regrouped and had a small post-battle celebration. "That went really well!" Pelopi said, her bloody bear arms turning back into her dainty human ones. "Despite their oddity, it wasn''t that much risk," Eliza said. "I didn''t even need to spend my holy pool." "Yeah, this first floor seems quite good so far," Ian said with a big grin. I just hope the second floor doesn''t have some nasty surprises. Do you have any idea what this floor even is?" "It''s the Merged mutation." Jet explained after he reappeared from collecting any undamaged crossbow bolts. "It just takes two or more monsters and mashes them together. Usually, each room will have a primary monster; in this case, it was goblins, and then every goblin will be Merged with a random other monster." "I would have called it the Chaos Mutation," Pelopi said. Jet shrugged. "We should hurry. If we''re fast enough between battles, I can keep my holy pool from leaking, and we can hit the boss with a full tank." Eliza said. "What about looting?" Ian asked. "Cut off any claws or fangs and throw them to me, I''ll properly harvest them tonight. My storage doesn''t let things rot." I said. Ian let out an impressed whistle, and everyone quickly got to work, hacking off limbs as quickly as possible and bringing them to me. Pelopi handed me the entire octopus head of the goblin. "Can you store this for me?" Pelopi asked. "If I''m lucky, I can use a tentacle or two to add it to my beast transformations." "Sure," I replied, hoping to keep any leftovers. I hadn''t gotten an octopus profile yet, and I was curious if these Merged monsters would even give me one. Their unknown [Identify] profile caused me to have some doubts. "How does that even work?" I asked curiously as a follow-up. "I have to do a ritual where I meditate on the beast, ingest some of it raw, and then, if I''m lucky, I can awaken it within me," Pelopi explained. "It has to be a non-magical monster, so no unicorns or dragons for me..." "Why do you even want tentacles?" Ian asked, scratching his bald head. Pelopi wiggled her fingers. "Tentacles! Imagine what I can do with them." Eliza nodded sagely. "I understand." I also found myself nodding; my [Pseudopods] were sometimes wonderfully useful. I wouldn''t be alive here today without them. "What?" Ian asked, looking flabbergasted. Our rapid advance into the dungeon brushed over his confusion. This would be fun. Chapter 152 : First Floor "So what''s this holy pool you mentioned?" I asked as we continued to move forward. "If you don''t mind me asking, that is." "I don''t mind. It''s a bit weird, and as the group healer, I want you to believe you''re in good hands," Eliza responded. "So, imagine I have two buckets. When I use Dark healing on someone, I fill up the one bucket with Dark Energy. Then I can use that Dark energy to cast offensive spells; you might have seen me casting [Dark Bolt]." I nodded. "Right. So when I damage something with Dark energy, it gets ''Purified'' into Holy energy, which fills up my other bucket. I can use that energy for big or quick heals." Eliza explained. "That sounds incredibly useful," I responded. "What''s stopping you from just keeping them both full?" "Well... Both buckets have holes; if I don''t use them quickly enough, they start to leak into me. When the Holy bucket leaks, it heals me like a soft regen. Which is pretty great, in all honesty. However, when the Dark bucket leaks, I take the injuries stored in it. You had your stomach cut open? My stomach starts to rupture." "Holy shit. That sounds dreadful." I replied in honest shock. Talk about a brutal healing method. Eliza nodded. "That''s why I try to spend the Dark pool as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, I can''t heal normally without spending my Holy pool, so I''m incentivized to generate it as quickly as possible." "And let me guess, you need Mana to access the buckets?" I asked, after puzzling together how I felt like her class worked. "Yeah. If I''m ever without Mana, I can be in for some trouble if my Dark pool isn''t empty." Eliza admitted. I pulled off my Mana Regeneration ring and handed it to her, "You can borrow this for the dungeon." She looked surprised, then shocked. "Are you sure? What about your own Mana?" I chuckled. "Not to brag, but Mana is one of the things I seldom have to worry about." "Is that an elf thing?" Pelopi asked, her ears perked up. "You could say that," I said with a wink. "Damn. I want to be an elf." Pelopi said, her tail swishing frantically. "Heads up! Next room ahead." Jet interrupted our conversation. Surprisingly, there were only two monsters this time, but they were both huge. They looked like giant bullmen, except one looked like he was made out of bark. The other had the lower half of a horse; it looked absolutely ridiculous. "Minotaurs?" Ian asked. "I think so," Eliza replied. "That one looks like a treant," I said, pointing to the wood one. "And the other one looks like a Centaur. Which is kind of funny considering Minotaurs are half bull and half man, so we have half bullman and half horseman." "So half man, quarter bull, quarter horse?" I asked. The group muffled their laughter. Even Jet smirked. "Tanking both might be a problem; those giant weapons look dangerous," Ian admitted. "Let''s focus on the half-tree one. I''ll debuff it, and it should go down quickly. I''ll also try freezing the other one to maybe give us more chance, but no promises how effective that will be." "I can also help try to restrain the horse one." Jet admitted. "Sounds good, like a good damage race to me," Pelopi said excitedly. "Our specialty." Eliza winked. I started casting all my debuffs from outside of the room before we entered. [Hex] and [Erode] for both monsters and then [Flammable] and [Frigid] respectively. Then I gave a thumbs up, and Ian rushed into the room and charged towards the treetaur. He ignited midcharge and tried to slam his axe into it, but the monster blocked with its own weapon. Pelopi joined the fray and started trying to hack into its rear with her claws. Meanwhile, Jet and I had to tie up the other one quickly. I began casting [Ice Patch] to hopefully ruin its traction and then began firing [Icicle] spells from behind. It bellowed in rage as the ice slowly crawled over it from the piercing icy projectiles stabbed into its body and galloped forward with fury. [Ice Patch] weirdly didn''t seem to be affecting it much, and that was when its own shadow seemed to reach out and trip it. "Damn, it''s a lot sturdier than it looks." Jet grunted as I saw him looking like he had just run two entire marathons. ''Yay for cool Umbral skills,'' I thought before firing a few [Water Orb] spells to soak the horsebullman and then firing more [Icicle] spells at its four legs. When I saw how well the combination of water and ice worked, I mentally thanked Trixie. I glanced at the other group and saw Ian''s arm knitting back together, but thankfully, the treetaur looked even worse. Looking more charcoal than wood at this point, Pelopi was ripping it apart limb by limb, and Ian kept hacking at it with his axe held in one hand. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. Eliza brought down a black spell that looked almost like a scythe on the enemy, nearly hacking off its head entirely before dissipating and gushing out a large burst of that golden holy energy. I briefly wondered if the type of damage she absorbed affected the form and appearance of her offensive spells. Ian let out a roar, and with clearly practiced maneuvering, both Pelopi and Eliza backed off before he literally exploded. As the flames died down, there were only a few smoldering remains of the treetaur, and Ian was immediately wrapped in a golden light as his numerous and severe burn wounds began to vanish. The three turned and began to rush over to join us before pausing and staring at the almost entirely frozen other monster. "Well, shit. That''s terrifying." Eliza chuckled. "Remind me to never get on the bad side of a Cryomancer." "Super elf magical assassin," Pelopi murmured. "Yes and no." Jet said. "I''ve worked with a Cryomancer before, and I''ve definitely seen them do similar things, although I admit it usually takes longer than this." "It''s my debuff; it makes them weaker to both ice damage and freezing," I answered. "Yes! That was amazing!" Pelopi cheered. "I''ve never seen my claws do so much damage before." "My axe and flames, too; that monster might as well have been made of paper and coated in flammable oil." Ian nodded. "I''m glad to see you are learning the power of having a good support class. Combining debuffs and buffs can make or break a party." Jet started explaining before a notification interrupted him. "You''re honestly calling that support work." Eliza pointed at the now-dead monster and giggled. "Well... She''s a bit special." Jet admitted. "A bit," Ian said with emphasis, staring blankly at Jet. "Jet tripped and restrained the monster for me with his shadows. It basically ignored my [Ice Patch] spell." I pointed out. "Also, my advanced class has been a massive power jump for me." Jet cleared his throat. "Indeed. Thank you for pointing that out. And yes, you''re all still in your intermediate classes." "So what can we harvest from them?" Pelopi asked; I was grateful for the subject change. "Probably just their weapons. Maybe their horns?" Ian suggested. I gave a lookover with [Dissection] and nodded in confirmation. It was a little grim decapitating and throwing in a frozen minotaur head into storage, as well as the charred remains of the other head. At the same time, I managed to throw in a few other frozen chunks while the others were coordinating the giant weapons into their storage bags. I was really hopeful for a new profile. Also, I gained a level from the first minotaur the others killed. I looked over and frowned at my notification. <3 Trait Points are now available.> On the one hand, I was happy that it looked like I''d gain trait points for those owed levels. On the other hand, I was slightly concerned that I didn''t gain a level in my class. I knew it was an advanced class and needed more experience, not to mention sharing with the party, but surely it would have gained one level by now? ''Is Gramps stealing all my experience towards my owed race levels? Is he upset I spent all that time enchanting?'' I wondered to myself. I hoped I would be proven wrong after the next fight. "Hey, we got a chest drop!" Pelopi shouted excitedly. "The first floor rarely drops loot, though?" Ian asked curiously. "Looks like Syl''s emblem is already strongarming the dungeon." Eliza joked. "I''ll check it for traps," Jet said. "Syl, come help me double-check since you used to be a rogue hybrid." "Sure." I agreed and joined him at the chest. I watched him pull out his set of thieves'' tools and inspect the box. "Looks like the others don''t even realize the real surprise." Jet said in a hushed voice. "What do you mean?" I whispered back. "I had my suspicions when you cast those [Ball Lightning] spells in the first room, but all your [Icicle] spells from behind the minotaur really sealed the deal." Jet explained. I tried to puzzle out what he meant, then realized he was perhaps talking about my changing the origin point of my spells. "Do you mean moving the anchor point for my spells?" "Is that what you call it?" Jet asked with genuine curiosity. "Well. It definitely wasn''t on your guild file. Admittedly, I don''t know too much about spellcasting, but I''ve definitely seen Lisa cast [Ball Lightning] and my share of [Icicle] spells, but they''ve always originated from the Mage." I opened my mouth to respond, but Jet held out a finger to pause me. "You aren''t in trouble. I''m just letting you know that only elite members of the Mage''s Guild usually do something like that. Hell, it''s one of the things they brag about against the Adventurer''s Guild. I assume you haven''t joined their guild in your floating island absence?" "No. I didn''t join the Mage''s Guild." I replied. "Which means you figured it out without being legally bound by them," Jet replied, releasing a soft chuckle as he shook his head. "You could earn a lot of clout if you shared that within the Adventurer''s Guild." "I... I''m not sure if I can." I said hesitantly. I probably could share it; Trixie hadn''t said to share that, only my class. However, I didn''t want the knowledge and learning methodology of it to somehow link back to the pixie. I owed her that much, at least. Jet nodded. "I understand. I just thought I''d put it out there, especially if you might have shared it for free. Rather, at least earn your worth, ya know?" "Thanks for the suggestion and the advice." "No problem. Lisa is a good friend who told me to look out for you. I can sort of see why now." Jet chuckled. "Anyway, let''s pop this bad boy open. There are no traps, but it is locked." He twisted his tool with a single fluid motion, and there was a multitude of satisfying clicks as the chest opened. "I can cheat with my shadow." Jet said with a wink as he walked away from the box. Inside was a singular bracer. <[Bracer of Shield].> I picked it up and chuckled as I tossed it towards Ian. "I know you have the whole take damage thing going on, but I think this might stop you from losing your arm next time." He clumsily caught the bracer, not expecting the toss, and looked it over. Eliza looked it over and then nodded in agreement. "Please do. I don''t want to see your arm lopped off." Eliza admitted. Ian nodded and put it on, and with a flex of his arm, a transparent tiny buckler of a shield appeared floating near his arm. "Woah! Ghost shield!" Pelopi said before throwing a rock at it. "Hey! Watch it!" Ian complained just as the rock struck the shield and harmlessly bounced off. "It kind of reminds me of the [Aegis] spell," I said, demonstrating it. "However, it doesn''t look like it costs incrementally more mana the longer you hold it." "It doesn''t look nearly as strong as that spell either." Eliza pointed out. "Still better than nothing. If it saves your arm even once, it''s worth it." Jet said. "You guys sure I should have this?" Ian asked. "I''m not the one on the frontline," I admitted. "Don''t look at me. My arms turn into bear claws. I can''t wear something like that." Pelopi said. "Guess it''s settled then," Eliza said, patting Ian on his bald head. "I just hope it doesn''t burn and break," Ian muttered. "It shouldn''t... It''s enchanted for defense and durability." I said. "Plus, it''s dungeon loot, which makes it extra special." Jet added. "They usually have extra effects even our best enchanters can''t replicate yet." "Huh... Cool." Ian said, looking at the bracer with some newfound awe in his eyes. "Less talking, more killing! We gotta kill the boss before Eliza empties herself." Pelopi shouted and started heading towards the exit. "Oh shit. Right." Ian said and started hurrying after her. We rushed after the crazy druid. Chapter 153 : First Roadblock We managed to catch up with Pelopi before we reached the next room. Ian was a little upset by her tomfoolery but soon forgave her. "Aren''t you worried about traps?" I asked. "The first floor doesn''t have traps," Jet explained. "Although it is better to be safe than sorry." "Is that a universal dungeon rule or just for this one?" I asked. "This dungeon specifically, although it''s quite common for most multi-floor dungeons. Obviously, the big labyrinth maze dungeons are only a single floor, so the traps are there from the beginning." "Also... You didn''t have a rogue in your party." I said, pointing to Ian. "How exactly did you expect to get past the second floor?" "Well, originally, we planned on mostly farming the first-floor mini-boss," Ian explained. "Although we did consider me being a human trap detector." "Please never do that in the future. I say as both guild staff and a loyal member of the rogue class," Jet said authoritatively. "Yes, sir..." Ian grumbled, causing Pelopi and Eliza to giggle together. The next room we had to deal with was a small group of ogres. They were smaller than the minotaurs but a larger pack, and they had several random monsters smashed together with them. The most troublesome had clearly been merged with a salamander and seemed to almost copy Ian in setting itself on fire. Both were at a stalemate in dealing damage, so we mostly left them to wail at each other while we cleaned up the rest of the room. The most unfortunate of the random monsters was an ogre merged with possibly a harpy, griffon, or another feathered monster. Despite having massive wing arms, it couldn''t fly at all and just flapped desperately in an attempt to soar towards us. It promptly died while flapping like an idiot. Once again, ice played a big role in our victory, and I got to show off my versatility in targeting the monsters'' weaknesses. We chopped off what parts we could before rushing to the next room. I had assuredly sneaked a piece or two extra into my storage for slime food. Much to my regret, I had gained no levels, so I was beginning to suspect my built-up experience debt. The next room made me wonder if I had already upset the dungeon. We faced yetis as the group theme; giant white wooly monsters entirely immune to ice. The pack was smaller again, clearly a much bigger threat individually than the ogres, but still not at the minotaur level again. This time, I got to bring out the [Fire Magic] and gleefully joined Ian in setting them on fire. Other than a single iconic enemy per room, most of them seemed entirely random in their monster distribution. That led to one of the yetis having giant, meaty crab claws instead of hands, so it immediately snapped its own weapon in half before charging at us. The truly unfortunate yeti, however, was one joined with some form of vine plant monster, and it burnt spectacularly when it made contact with Ian. The troublesome enemy for the room was a yeti made partially out of granite, clearly merged with either an elemental or a golem and covering for its weakness to Fire. We spent quite a long time wailing on it until it eventually died. Arguably, I should have used [Water Magic] and blasted it with the deadly water beams, but at the time, I couldn''t think of a way to safely use them in coordination with two party members fighting and dodging in melee combat with it. So, taking the simpler option, I swapped to using [Acid Dart] despite not having any of my elemental advantages. <4 Trait Points are now available.> ''Seriously, Gramps? I''m going to tell Mother you''re stealing my Elementalist experience!'' I mentally threatened the void. "The mini-boss is likely coming up next," Ian announced while we were looting what we could. "What can we expect?" I asked curiously. "It''ll mostly be focused on this floor''s theme but have a minor effect from the next floor," Ian answered. "How would that apply to this Mutation?" Eliza wondered aloud. "It''ll be three or four monsters slapped together at a minimum." Jet answered. "So, another horsebullman?" I joked. "That would be great! That rock yeti was not fun..." Pelopi mumbled, chewing on one of her horribly misshapen bear claws. "That certainly would be the least dangerous option." Jet agreed. "Which means we definitely should expect something much worse." Eliza pointed out. "Boo..." Pelopi grumbled. "Well, I''m almost full on Holy energy, so I got plenty of room for big heals," Eliza said, causing everyone to ready their weapons and glance towards the passageway. We cautiously ran through the passage until we reached a fancily engraved archway with glowing sigils. "Boss time!" Ian said excitedly. Unfortunately, we couldn''t take a sneak peek at what we would encounter, as they would spawn once we all entered the room. I could see a massive locked door in the distance, which would only open once we defeated the boss and led us to the second floor. "Remember, retreat is an option," Jet pointed out. We all nodded to his welcome advice. Even the final boss of this dungeon apparently wasn''t a lock-in fight, but we were all warned that in future dungeons, that did become a normal condition, and very rarely would a high-level dungeon spare you if you couldn''t handle its final challenge. The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation. We entered the room, fully battle-ready, when our foe dropped from the ceiling out of nowhere. It appeared to be a giant scorpion made of both molten rock and ice. Despite being the boss of the floor, it was about the size of the minotaur-centaur combo and only slightly bigger than the earthshaker bear. Something about it seemed odd, but I couldn''t put my finger on it. Ultimately, we just needed to kill it, so I discarded that nagging feeling in the back of my mind. "Wow. The dungeon really hates you, Syl." Eliza joked. "Scorpion! I want its claws and tail!" Pelopi shouted cheerfully. "Focus!" Ian shouted as he taunted the boss and charged forward to grab its attention. I started my debuff cycle; I was going to throw absolutely everything at this monster just in case. Perhaps I could even seal the deal with a well-timed [Decay]. Obviously, I started with [Erode] into [Hex] to immediately begin benefiting the others, as I doubted they cared if I made a likely ice-resistant monster marginally weak to it. Pelopi shifted into a more feral form, her legs becoming wolf-like and digitigrade with dark grey fur to match. Even her teeth elongated into fangs, although I doubted she would be taking a bite out of either side of the elemental scorpion. Jet slinked to the room''s edges and began providing ranged support with his double-hitting crossbow bolts, aiming for the tail whenever possible. Since I was going through my routine at this point, I thought about what hitting twice with one attack could potentially imply. Assuming he had [Sneak Attack] or better, did that mean he received the bonus damage twice? Ian set himself on fire as usual; even if it did little damage to the monster, he would still provide a constant supply of Dark energy for Eliza to siphon and use offensively. However, at later levels, if his resistance becomes too high, they might need to figure out a new trick. All my debuffs were in place just as I watched Ian use his new ghost shield to block an incoming strike from that menacing-looking tail. I wondered if it was poisonous, possibly a new sample for me to grab after the battle? Pelopi was pouncing around, trying to strike at its legs to reduce its mobility, so I chose to join Jet in trying to target the tail. I shifted my primary core to Lightning, and after a quick [Thunder Step] to reposition myself, I fired a [Lightning Bolt] directly at the tail. "Bloody hells!" Pelopi shrieked, her furry bits standing on end. "Of course, Lisa sold you her skill! Ha!" Jet laughed. The scorpion, however, was not happy about being shocked, and surprisingly, when it flicked its tail, an icy shard of purple ice targeted me. Rather than dodge, I threw up a quick [Aegis] to block it and watched it shatter against the magical shield and scatter some sizzling ice shards. "Is that poison ice?" I questioned aloud. "Could be! Be careful of that tail," Eliza warned. "I''ll keep some Holy in reserve for detoxification." I kept peppering it with [Lightning Bolt] spells whenever possible, which it clearly didn''t like as it kept trying to sway toward my direction before Ian controlled it to stay focused on him. I would have thought he might blindly take some pincer wounds from the monster to fuel Eliza, but instead, he was thoughtful about it and would either deflect a pincer with his axe or dodge to the side and only take a grazing blow. There was a brief scary moment where it unhinged its mandibles wide and breathed a frosty breath on Ian, but he roared in response and exploded in flame to counter it. I kept feeling something was wrong with the monster; weirdly, it had yet to do any fire attacks against us. I could understand it sticking to ice in an attempt to counter Ian, but the rest of us would''ve surely been prime targets for some molten rock and fire. Things were going well; we were almost in a battle rhythm, and with its tail looking extremely weakened, I decided to try to remove it from the equation. "Heads up, Pelopi! Stay clear of its rear!" I shouted before triggering [Thunder Step] and appearing near its side rather than its rear. I shifted myself and some extra cores to Water alignment and began trying to recreate the thin blade of water I had seen in the final moments against the undine. With all the debuffs stacked together, I was pretty sure I could entirely remove the tail now that it looked thoroughly mangled from all the damage Jet and I had caused it. I began casting the spell; four perfectly overlayed [Torrent] spells, compressed together in an absolutely tiny spell form. With so many of my cores now aligned to water and my new skill levels, it looked perfect and perhaps even better than what I had seen Aquillia use. With an upward sweeping motion, I cast the spell and targetted the scorpion tail; the water screeched through the air and scored the dungeon floor and wall in the path it traveled. In the path, it impacted with the tail and, with a gruesome sound, sliced through the tail and sent it into a spinning loop into the air. The scorpion screeched in rage as its tail stump leaked its purple fluid, which likely still posed a slight threat if it got into someone''s face. Still, I''d rather have some purple goop to the face than a giant stinger stabbing through it. "Thanks for making my job easier!" Ian cheered. "Thanks for the warning!" Pelopi said, looking slightly startled. It was looking great. Now we just needed to finish off the last dregs of its health, and we''d be done with the first floor. That was when something seemed to shimmer above the scorpion''s main torso. I blinked rapidly and started swapping through all my different visions and senses, finally landing on [Electro-magnetic Sense]. I had marked the monster with [Conductive] so it shone brightly according to this vision, and that''s where I saw the faint, blurry outline of what looked like another torso from just above and behind the scorpion''s head. I could see the faint traces of something long ending with three-prongs in the blurry torso''s hands. The blurry image suddenly lurched, and I could see a vaguely feminine form holding a trident. It was already mid-thrust before I could shout my warning, the hidden trident stabbing deeply into Ian''s shoulder before being ripped backward and tearing flesh with it. "Ian!" Eliza screamed before a golden light enveloped him and rapidly closed the wound. Ian immediately backed off, holding his axe in a defensive stance in front of his body. "What the fuck hit me!?" He screamed. "I don''t know? I didn''t see anything!" Eliza answered. Pelopi was frantically scanning the room as if looking for hidden enemies. I realized nobody else had resisted the illusion, although glancing at Jet and his lack of surprise made me rethink that. "It''s hiding its other body behind an illusion!" I shouted my answer to the others. "About time!" Jet shouted with a chuckle. "You kids forgot all about the second mutation!" The scorpion woman thing was now behaving more defensively; it looked like we still had round two to win before we could move to the next floor. It was as if knowing it was an illusion, combined with my resistance trait and my senses, that more and more of its hidden features were being perforated. Suddenly, the odd feeling I had regarding the monster made more sense, and even its molten rock body was a complete lie! It had no fire and was almost entirely ice with a few bits of rocky carapace. Everyone was taking defensive positions, staring at the wounded scorpion with newfound caution and worry. Other than some bloodstains, Ian looked healthy and ready for round two. "Still... If the dungeon is already throwing illusions at us on the second floor, I hate to know what the third floor will have." I overheard Jet mutter to himself. I readily agreed, and I wondered what cruel fate chose these particular mutations for the dungeon run I was on. Either the dungeon was out to get us, or was Gramps a lot angrier at me than I thought? I shook myself out of my negative thoughts; it was time to finish this fight. Chapter 154 : First Rest "There''s another torso above the scorpion head, armed with a trident!" I shouted to the others. "Also, the molten rock is a complete lie; the thing is almost entirely ice!" "Good to know fires back on the menu," Ian said, squinting above the scorpion''s head. "I don''t know how to block or fight an invisible second body." "Can you mark it somehow?" Eliza suggested. "I''ll try!" I shouted. I shifted my alignment to Lightning and used my last swaps to change a few cores to Fire. Then I coordinated casting [Electrocute] with some helpers and had a second team work on casting [Combust]. Both spells went off directly near the humanoid portion of the monster. I knew it was risky, but since it had shown no apparent casting of spells, I felt relatively safe going against Trixie''s teachings. Both spells went off without a hitch while Ian was fighting off the advancing pincers; the scorpion screeched as its squishy humanoid portion was wreathed in flame, and lightning surged over its body. "Hey! I can kinda see it a little bit now!" Pelopi cheered. "Yeah, a little... Shit, the second floor is gonna suck if everything is like this." Ian said with extreme displeasure. At this point, I had broken through the illusion entirely, so I had no idea what they were seeing. I could only imagine it was floating flames and sparks in a roughly humanoid shape. A bolt of black energy slammed into the monster''s humanoid torso. "Less talking, more killing!" Eliza declared. We continued fighting against the monster, mostly trying to land blows against its extra torso, which seemed far less protected than the rest of it. That didn''t stop me from launching a few well-placed fireballs and lightning bolts at its rear, which was now almost entirely unoccupied by the rest of my party. The monster was definitely slowing down and looking close to death when Pelopi leaped onto its back and started going absolutely feral against the defenseless torso. Tearing through with savage fury. "I should have jumped up here as soon as the tail was gone!" Pelopi cackled a little maniacally as she became increasingly coated in blood. The monster had tried to turn to defend itself with its trident, but it could not fully swivel the secondary torso. It eventually dropped its trident, clanging to the floor unceremoniously, and held its hands over its head as if trying to defensively crouch as Pelopi kept up the absolutely one-sided and brutal assault. I didn''t even get a chance to cast [Decay] when the monster suddenly collapsed into a twitching heap on the ground. Its illusion must have dropped entirely as the rest of the party gasped. <5 Trait Points are now available.> "Hell yeah!" Pelopi screamed, throwing both arms into the air. Ian meanwhile collapsed onto his rear, letting his weapon clatter to the ground. He seemed far too tired to celebrate at the moment. "We did it!" Eliza cheered, although also a little halfheartedly. She must have blown through a lot more mana than intended when she threw that emergency heal on Ian. "Good job, everyone," Jet said, giving a simple nod. "I''m glad it''s dead. I still can''t believe its illusion was so hard to pierce..." I sighed. "It can be tricky unless you have [Illusion Resistance] or other special senses," Jet explained reassuringly. "For me, I knew about the torso because I saw its full shadow even through the illusion, but I had no idea it was faking the fiery appearance." "I do have [Illusion Resistance] and other senses, though..." I grumbled. "Please share that with us!" Pelopi begged. "I want to see what I''m hitting on the next floor." "It''s not restricted, is it?" I asked Jet. "Ah, of course. Lisa told you about that," Jet replied. "No, resistance traits are freely shareable, and since they help prevent death, their price is regulated if you plan on selling." "Regulated?" I questioned. "If you try to sell it for an unduly amount, the guild will either take it from your savings or undercut you on all future sale attempts. We want as many adventurers to come back home alive as possible." Jet answered. "Not to mention traits in general aren''t worth as much." ''I hope Gramps didn''t hear that.'' "Hmm... Well, I don''t mind sharing, especially if it makes the next floor easier for the party. Anyone got any other resistances to share?" I replied. "[Fire Resistance], if that wasn''t obvious already," Ian answered. "Oh, I also have [Fear Resistance]." "[Poison Resistance] from my noble days..." Pelopi murmured as if looking through her profile; she must have sensed our gazes upon her as she followed up. "What? It''s totally normal; any self-respecting noble family trains their child to survive poisons. I was fed small doses until I got the trait." ''Should I laugh or cry?'' I thought bitterly. "Glad I''m not a bloody noble..." Jet whispered. "I got [Dark Resistance] and [Bleeding Resistance]," Eliza answered, swiftly changing the subject. The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. "[Blind Resistance]." Jet nonchalantly. We all looked at him curiously. "What? I don''t have [Illusion Resistance]." "No, I''m wondering why you have [Blind Resistance]," Ian muttered. "Because everyone tries to flash the shadow guy with a blinding light!" Jet chuckled. "Also, protecting my eyes is important as a sniper, even if I didn''t have the whole umbral shadow thing going on." "I bet there''s a fusion with all the resistances." I commented. "Two, from what I heard: one for damage types and one for ailments," Jet replied. ''Definitely something to consider. However, if I fused a useless [Poison Resistance], would I even gain a single additional level in the resulting fused trait? It seems like a waste of a trait point...'' I ended up showing the group [Illusion Resistance] and got to see [Blind Resistance], [Fear Resistance], and [Dark Resistance]. I already had [Poison Resistance] from the badger profiles, so I was going to give it to Pelopi for free, but Eliza showed me [Bleed Resistance] as well. I was tempted to buy [Blind Resistance] but held off on all purchases for now. "We were so occupied with the illusions we didn''t even see our two loot chests for beating the boss." Jet chuckled as he pointed to two chests that had appeared in the room. "Treasure!" Pelopi cheered. Jet glanced over both chests, and I assisted where possible; both were unlocked and untrapped. "I know we joked about the dungeon hating you, but trapping boss-reward chests would be a step too far." Jet explained. A cloak was inside one chest, while the other held a belt. <[Cloak of Slowfall].> <[Belt of Strength].> "Ooh. Pretty good." Jet said with a grin. The belt ended up going to Pelopi; boosting her strength was one of the few ways to increase her damage since she couldn''t rely on conventional means such as weapons. The only other candidate was Ian, who had already received his bracer. The cloak was interesting but not really useful for anyone. The Misfits had suggested I use it in conjunction with [Thunder Step] to glide around until Jet shot that idea down immediately. "I''ve spent enough time around Lisa to know if you stay airborne after a [Thunder Step], you might kill yourself," Jet warned, and I nodded in agreement. We agreed to likely sell it, although Pelopi asked to borrow it for the dungeon just in case. She demonstrated some running long jumps while beasted out and glided across the room, giggling happily while she did so. "So, where are we setting up camp?" I asked. "Right here. It''s the safest spot in the entire dungeon now." Ian answered. "Correct. Some extremely big dungeons have safe zones on each floor, like midway points, but the boss room is the safest spot for dungeons like this. There''s no chance of something spawning on our head," Jet added. "Although we must still keep a watch rotation," Eliza quickly said. " Just in case something wanders in from below." Jet nodded in agreement as he gestured towards the door that was now open. "So it was a scorpion and some ice elemental or equivalent. What''s the lady part?" Pelopi asked. "I think it''s a nymph," Jet said, scratching his head. "At least that''s the only thing I can think of that boosted its illusions so well." "Ugh... Fey..." Eliza shuddered. "Well... In all likelihood, there might be more Fey on the second floor if the mutation is indeed illusion." Jet admitted. "Wonderful. I''m setting the room on fire if there''s even a hint of fairies or pixies." Ian said with a frown. I had to keep my mouth shut, even though I badly wanted to defend Trixie''s honor. "I guess I''ll set up my tent and begin harvesting then," I said, and I started pulling out my severely underused tent. Everyone nodded and began setting up their own tents. "What makes you think there will be more Fey?" Pelopi asked Jet, who was in the middle of setting up his tent. "Well, they are the type that would benefit the most from an illusion mutation, so I expect at least a few." Jet answered. "That''s not to say there won''t just be a random spider or something with illusions; there definitely will be some of those. But, if the second-floor boss isn''t some type of Fey, I''ll eat my hat." "But you don''t have a hat?" Pelopi questioned, tilting her head. "Exactly my point." Jet smirked. That caused all of us to chuckle, except for Pelopi, who the attempted humor was lost on. So, instead, she came to me and requested the octopus. I handed it to her, and she cut off some tentacles before returning it to me. Then she sat cross-legged and started pulling out all sorts of knickknacks and placing them in a circle around her, even lighting a candle. It was a bizarre sight, and while I wondered if any of that was even required, my question was answered when Eliza whispered to me that most of that was just for good luck and superstition on Pelopi''s part. Leaving the rest of the group to do their own things, I headed inside my tent to start my [Dissection] after requesting Ian to see if he could remove the pincers from the scorpion. I started pulling out all the various monster bits, and after pulling out Alpha as a disguised green slime, I proceeded to work. That was when I noticed something was wrong. I was gaining slime mass, [Dissection] was happily identifying the rare parts to keep, and Alpha was doing an amazing impression of bonded slime, but [Consuming Osmosis] was not triggering. "Shit!" I heard Pelopi curse from outside before hearing something cluttering across the ground. "What''s wrong?" Eliza asked. "My ritual isn''t working..." Pelopi said before something else clattered. "Surely there''s enough parts to try again?" Eliza suggested. Clearly, this was a known problem with her druid thing. "No. It''s not working at all. I''m not even reaching that part." Pelopi explained in a huff. "Maybe the next floors will have something for you?" Ian asked. "What about trying the scorpion?" "But I wanted tentacles!" Pelopi moaned. "Hey... We can go to a coastal city next, or maybe try to find an Aquatic dungeon?" Eliza negotiated. ''So it''s not just me... Is it because they''re merged monsters? [Identify] couldn''t even give them a name. If the monsters on the next two floors don''t give something, I will be extremely annoyed.'' "I suppose..." Pelopi grumbled. I emerged shortly after and displayed the results of my [Dissection]. "Bloody hells, Lisa showed me some of your work, but seeing it right after the fact is something else." Jet laughed. "You any good at extracting venoms? I''d love to get a vial of whatever''s in that tail." "Yeah, if you have a container, I can do it. I just need to drag the parts to my tent," I answered. "Gladly!" Jet said, and I watched the shadows under the severed tail writhe and swirl as if alive. Slowly, the tail was dragged toward my tent. "Did you expect me to touch it with my hands?" Jet said with a cheeky wink before handing me a few empty corked vials. I was thankfully left alone to do my work while I could overhear Pelopi dry-heaving. She must have tried to eat some of the scorpions. Even the boss gave me no profiles. Much to my disappointment, however, it did trigger [Poison Slime], so it was the merged monsters, not the dungeon, that prevented me from adding to my collection. The sad part, however, was that the scorpion''s venom was [Neurotoxin], which I had already sampled. ''At least I got a bunch of slime mass... And money, I guess?'' I grumbled as I watched my slime carefully, extracting the stabby part of the tail and the inner part of the pincers while dissolving the rest. ''And an especially well-earned skill level! These random merged monsters must have triggered a first-time bonus for every single harvest.'' I obviously got to cheat at extracting the venom; I could just exclude it and watch as it became a fluid floating harmlessly inside of me, which I carefully ejected into the vials. After I handed the vials to Jet, he whistled happily. I also showed off the harvested pincer and tail. "I swear you could quit being an adventurer and become a professional harvester," Ian commented. "Yeah, but where''s the fun in that?" I replied. "I just hope it''s nothing illegal, or I''ll have to dispose of such good work." Jet said as he started into the vial. "It''s [Neurotoxin]," I answered. "Oh? Nice, that''s only restricted and not entirely illegal. Wonderful!" Jet said happily. Everyone else began settling down as we started pulling out meals and starting a campfire. We had cleared the first hurdle, and our spirits were at an all-time high. Chapter 155 : Second Floor Brawl We split the watch schedule between Pelopi, Ian, and myself. Eliza also offered to take a shift, but we rejected it so the healer could have a full night''s rest. We excluded Jet since he was technically here as an evaluator. We didn''t expect the dungeon to attack us during the night, so it felt a little moot. During my shift, I spent most of my time poking around with [Lightning Magic], although I had to keep it quite subdued or risk waking up the others. Since I knew all my other elements were now at the dreaded level five, I wanted to focus on catching up rather than individual progression. The biggest issue I was having was trying to find something that would be useful for this dungeon. I initially thought about creating a lightning explosion using [Fireball] or [Nova]. I reined in my desire for wanton destruction when I realized catching my party members in the collateral would be far too easy. With my other available concepts and pieces, I wasn''t entirely sure where else to go. Perhaps I could just do something similar to [Torrent] and create a tiny thin [Lightning Bolt]? Would that work? ''Wait... Have I even added [Electrocute] to my other spells yet?'' I mentally cursed myself. In my head, I had completely written off adding my afflictions to everything already, forgetting that I had just created a new one. I still needed to add [Mana Burn] to [Arcane Bolt] as well, but that could wait. I immediately began combining [Electrocute] and [Lightning Bolt]. I decided to ignore [Spark] for now, and trying to mess with [Ball Lightning] at this stage seemed unwise. I tinkered into the late evening until I was positive that everyone else was asleep. I walked far from the other tents and ran my hand along the dungeon wall. "Hello? Are you friends with Simon the Lich?" I whispered. I had no idea if the dungeon could hear me, but since it seemed to be paying attention to my [Dungeoneer] emblem at least, I figured it was reasonable to assume it could. "So... I understand my emblem is causing you an issue. How about a trade?" I asked to the dead silence. "Well... I''ll assume you are listening and can''t talk to me. It''s probably rules about us [Experiments], or maybe you''re forbidden to talk to adventurers? I have no idea what the rule is for Dungeon Masters." "Anyway... I want a slime. I know you can probably spawn them. I need either a Pink or Orange slime." I continued. I wished I had more information about what other colors were available. I didn''t want to just throw random colors out and hope for the best; rather, I would stick to the ones I knew existed. "If you can spawn one of those slimes for us to fight. I''ll unequip my [Dungeoneer] emblem." I offered. Unfortunately, there was still no response or even a minor indication I wasn''t just talking to a literal wall. "I have no idea how it works on your end. But I can falsify my emblem, so I''ll display the fake for my party, and then I''m sure you''ll not be pressured to give any more extra loot." "So as soon as I see one of those two slimes, I''ll swap emblems. And it must be a real slime. I know the next floor is going to be full of illusions. If you taunt me with a fake slime, I will return and solo this dungeon." I threatened the wall. "It was great chatting with you. I hope you''ll consider my offer," I said. I gave my best friendly smile and stroked the wall, partially transforming my arm into a swarming mass of tendrils as I winked. I then returned to the camp and continued my uneventful watch. No monsters appeared, and there was no indication that my message had been received. At some point, I also dissolved more of the scorpion carcass for slime mass, not wanting to sacrifice such a vital resource. *** "Alright, everyone, ready to conquer another floor?" Ian shouted cheerfully in the morning. There were some vague murmurs of agreement from his other two companions. Clearly, he was the sole morning person of the misfit trio. "Yeah, I''m excited to see what monsters we will encounter now that they won''t be randomly slapped together," I responded. "If you ignore the fact, we might think we are fighting an orc, and then it''s a goblin who stabs us in the shins." Jet pointed out. "Well, with [Illusion Resistance], I hope that won''t be the case," Ian said. "Syl had the trait and still was fooled. I didn''t, and I was partially fooled." Jet countered. "If you have any extra senses, I''d suggest focusing on them; they can help pierce the veil. Like the wrongness of its shadow helped me see reality." "I have good hearing and smell," Pelopi suggested. "Smell is probably good. I don''t know of many illusions that could hide their smell." Jet replied. "I''ll hopefully keep things burning or electrified. Hopefully, that will help." I offered. "Electrified?" Pelopi asked. "It''s the affliction my [Electrocute] spell causes. The little lightning sparks cause damage over time." Pelopi nodded energetically before handing me an apple. Honestly, the number of apples she was producing was becoming a little insane; we had apples for dinner and breakfast, and I often spotted her or Eliza gnawing on one between fights. "Hey... Whatever happened to the trident that stabbed me?" Ian suddenly asked as he looked around the room. "And the monster''s corpse." Eliza also pointed out. "Ah, shit." Jet grumbled. "The dungeon probably claimed the weapon when we weren''t looking. Probably going to reuse it for some other encounter." "Boo. That''s no fair," Pelopi complained. "Did it eat the scorpion too?" "Yeah, they clean up corpses left alone for too long." Jet answered. "I bet the entire first floor is spotless by now." Everyone nodded at that explanation. I was happy it left the corpse long enough for me to get a meal but miffed that it had stolen the trident from us before we even noticed. With preparations made, we all started heading towards the opened doorway and the staircase downwards. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. The dungeon was still very much cave-themed, but now there was some actual stonework along the floors and walls, albeit quite shoddy and rough in quality. The dungeon was still illuminated by the eery sourceless glow, and I was very grateful I had maxed out my [Dark Vision] so long ago. The tunnel opened into an extremely large cavern with seemingly no enemies but countless little holes in the ceiling, floor, and walls. The only sign of life was a soft, skittering sound. We all looked around frantically; Pelopi''s ears were twitching. "Get ready, everyone," Ian said as he ran to the center of the room. Bursting from the holes was a swarm of wolf-sized ant monsters, clearly visible. I caught three different types from [Identity] before I silenced the prompts so I could focus on battle. I launched a [Fireball] at one of the larger groupings. "Syl!?" Ian shouted in confusion. "Did you spot an enemy?" Jet asked. "What? They''re everywhere!" I shouted right as one of the soldiers collided with Ian, sending him toppling backward. "What the hell!?" Ian shouted before abruptly self-immolating. "I can hear them, but I can''t see them!" Pelopi shouted, trying to swipe blindly around herself. "Why''s [Illusion Resistance] not working!?" Eliza demanded as she frantically looked around. I launched multiple [Fireballs] at our perimeter, hopefully deterring them "It''s ants! Pheromone ants!" I shouted. "Everyone, hold your breath as much as possible!" Jet ordered, his jovial tone gone as he swiftly withdrew a black mask he hastily wore. "Eliza, try [Detox] if you can!" She nodded as she began to draw Dark energy from Ian, who was still trying to blindly fight his foes and wracking up some injuries. Thankfully, the ants didn''t seem terribly strong, and he was accidentally killing them just through his self-immolation. When she had enough energy, she fired blindly at one of the holes and struck one of the ants still pouring out, then swiftly began casting the Holy spell on Ian. Unfortunately, the ants'' rearguard emerged after the vanguard fully overtook the room. The shapers began flinging rocks at us while the sprayers launched streams of a mystery fluid from their abdomens. The humans were not pleased with whatever the ants were firing as they began coughing through teary eyes and the occasional painful cry. Poor Pelopi was rolling on the ground, covering her mouth and face desperately. I cast [Bubble] on her via my water-aligned [Sub-Cores] and hoped it would help as I launched more [Fireballs] at the approaching tide of soldiers. "I can sort of see them now!" Ian shouted. Jet had replaced his crossbow with a much fancier one. I could practically see the enchantments flowing off of it. His shadow warbled aggressively, as if alive and angry, before he fired bolt after bolt in rapid and seemingly endless succession. Every single bolt was a flawless headshot aimed at one of the sprayers. ''Wow. He''s certainly not messing around.'' I thought as I glanced at his crossbow with fascination. <[Splinterstorm].> ''Damn, his crossbow even has a name. Fitting.'' I had tried to give him a [Bubble], but he kept repositioning himself by melding into a shadow, and my spell couldn''t follow after him. I also threw one on Eliza to keep her relatively safe. ''It''s a pity [Arcane Armor] is personal. I wonder what I''d need to modify to cast it on others.'' Ian had recovered mostly and was burning himself and the soldier ants. Eliza focused on keeping Ian hale and hearty while occasionally throwing another dark projectile to exchange her dark and holy pools. Wanting to do my part, I had an idea. I could see the shapers forming rudimentary earthen walls to protect the sprayers. I triggered [Thunder Step] and arrived on the scene behind their fortifications and casting [Nova] before immediately triggering another [Thunder Step] towards the next makeshift fort. The double sounds of thunder and fiery explosions went off as I zipped from position to position, causing a direct disruption amongst the ants they couldn''t ignore and often didn''t survive. Without shapers, the sprayers were defenseless against Jet''s continued onslaught. By disrupting the rearguard, the ants lost the majority of their edge, as the soldiers focused mostly on delaying and tanking rather than directly damaging. Since everything was so chaotic, I slipped some cheeky nibbles on some ant corpses with a well-timed tendril or two sneakily grabbing from my feet. The ant''s formic acid was nothing compared to my concoction as I brought on the full digestive might of [Acid Slime LV 7]! ''Good! If this dungeon was going to deny me profiles for this entire trip, I was going to be pissed!'' I thought happily. Once Jet and I ran out of shapers and sprayers, we joined in on the swarm of remaining soldiers. Not wanting to hurt Ian, I swapped to a volley of [Fire Arrow] spells while slowly working on getting [Flammable] up on the healthier-looking ones. Ian, understandably, took out his anger rather brutally on the last few stragglers, mashing them into an unrecognizable pulp. Even after finishing the fight, poor Pelopi did not look great even after a holy cleansing from Eliza. "Can you wash her?" Eliza asked me. "Sure. Hold your breath." I said. Pelopi nodded through teary red eyes and closed her mouth shut. I cast the reversed [Bubble] spell and rapidly filled it with water. Ian and Jet politely looked away. To ensure she was cleansed enough, I grabbed [Elemental Amalgamation] and took direct control over the water already infused with my mana, which began to swirl and scrub her down as best I could. I even threw in a [Heat] spell just to show off a bit. Then, with a flick of my wrist, I pulled all the water off and flung it against the dungeon wall. Pelopi blinked rapidly a few times in confusion. "That might have been the quickest and best bath I''ve ever had." She abruptly ran towards me and squeezed me tightly in an abrupt hug, her tail swishing frantically. "Thank you so much, Syl! Absolutely everything was burning!" "I''m guessing because of your sensitive nose?" I said as I prodded her with a [Heat] spell to help remove any residual dampness. "Yeah, what was with that? I thought this floor was supposed to be illusions?" Ian asked. "Pheromone induced hallucinations." Jet answered with a frown. "You could conceivably say it''s an illusion adjacent, but certainly not what I would have expected." "Do you think the dungeon is upset that we all bought [Illusion Resistance] yesterday?" Pelopi asked as she vigorously rubbed her nose. "Maybe..." Jet muttered. "So what''s next, heat-based monsters using mirages?" Ian asked. "Shit, I hope not. One hot head is enough for me." Eliza chuckled. "Hallucinogenic spores, maybe?" I offered. "Bloody hell, that''s a thing?" Ian asked. I nodded. "I fought a Plant Horror that could do it." "Well, if it spores, at least that should be resistible with [Poison Resistance]..." Jet said with a heavy sigh. "I''m not really sure how to counter pheromones or fricken mirages." "If it''s based on the heat, I have [Glacial Aura]. Hopefully, enough [Ice Magic] thrown about will oppose it." I suggested. "Hopefully." Jet agreed. "I wonder why the dungeon is so mad?" Pelopi asked. "Surely Syl''s emblem isn''t enough to cause this?" Eliza asked. ''Is it because of what I said to the dungeon last night? Shit...'' I worried. "Maybe Syl could turn it off?" Ian suggested. "No way!" Pelopi immediately refused. "It''s a decent suggestion," Jet said, scratching his head. "Why not, though, Pelopi?" "Because. Look!" Pelopi pointed to the end of the room, where another chest was visible. "We already got more loot!" "Well. That''s a pretty good reason to keep it going." Ian said with a chuckle and a nod. "Certainly hard not to agree with more loot." Jet agreed. "And now we know the dungeon is out to get us, we can be more prepared for illusion adjacent bullcrap," Eliza said with a smirk. "Agreed," I said happily. I was glad to keep the emblem going, hoping the dungeon would cooperate in giving me a slime. If it really was targeting us, the fact we survived this rather unfair trap would certainly make it rethink its position. I hoped anyway... For now, we had ants to gather and loot to grab. ''What an exciting start to the second floor.'' Chapter 156 : Shocking Illusions Jet and I began looking over the loot chest while the others cut off ant parts into smaller chunks for me to harvest later. Other than a few pieces of chitin and mandibles, it didn''t seem like the ants were that valuable when I glanced briefly over them. "Glad to see you''ve settled in nicely with [Thunder Step]," Jet commented while he worked. "You definitely remind me of Lisa back when she was active; she also used to zip zap around like that, although without the fiery explosions... And a lot more thunder and lightning." "It was the most disruptive move I could think of at the time," I replied. "If I had thought about bursting into enemy lines, I probably would have worked a little more on using the built-up energy or perhaps complementing it with a lightning spell." "Oh? You''ve already started figuring out how to use the side effects. I''m assuming Lisa showed off her sword?" Jet asked. "Yeah, and I have some decent resistance to lightning, but not enough to ignore the damage." "I could siphon the damage off of you!" Eliza interrupted. "Hmm... Not a bad idea," Jet mumbled. "I had thought you were maybe still very fresh with the skill and didn''t want you to kill yourself, but with this party composition, it might be a good idea." "Yes! I''ve never siphoned lightning damage before." Eliza said, pumping her fists in celebration. "Ian''s also built up so much resistance; it''ll be nice to be on a full tank for a bit." "Cheating on me already..." Ian said, shaking his head. "And to think I gave up all my hair for you." "As if you could afford the oils to keep it from burning." Eliza teased. Pelopi rubbed her nose in irritation. "Burnt hair smell... Bleh..." The chest clicked and opened up, revealing an amulet amongst a stash of gold coins. <[Amulet of Oceans].> "Oh. Interesting..." Jet said as he eyed it. Despite never seeing the enchantments before, they must have been low rank enough as [Rune Reading] fully comprehended it almost instantly. "[Water Resistance] combined with... [Water Breathing]?" I said, a little unsure after puzzling it together. "Oh, your [Identify] is better than mine." Jet chuckled. "With a name like Oceans, I could only tell it was water-related." "Being able to breathe underwater would be amazing!" Pelopi said cheerfully. "We''d need two more, though." Ian pointed out. "So... Sell and split it?" Eliza said. "Boo!" Pelopi said, puffing out her cheeks and her ears drooping. "You can always buy it from the party if you want it that badly," I said, the others nodding in agreement. "Speaking of which... If we come across any slimes, then I want to buy or claim the core." "Feel free to. Assuming you can kill one without destroying the core." Ian shrugged. "She''s got [Ice Magic], remember." Jet answered. "Most of our intact cores come from them unless you got [Death Magic]. Or you can do it the old-fashioned way and repeatedly remove its slime until you starve it out. I''ve also heard of some adventurers who can even pluck the core directly out of the slime mass." It took all my restraint not to visibly shudder at hearing that horrific way of killing a slime. I realized that other slimes did not have [Core Storage] as I''d never seen it in any of the various profiles, so assuming they ran out of slime or their core was removed from their slime mass, that was it. We finished storing the ant parts and splitting the gold. Ian temporarily wore the amulet just in case the dungeon threw water monsters at us to counter his fire. At this point, we were all a little paranoid that it was out to get us. Eliza was extremely excited about the next room as I agreed to take some damage from [Thunder Step] for her to siphon. We were also cautious about moving to the next room, as there was now the possibility of traps. I got to witness how Jet handled it, although he kind of got to cheat with his affinity. Whatever his perception failed to catch, he would double-check by almost solidifying his shadow, which elongated in front of him. We did encounter one or two minor traps, the most notorious of which was a pitfall hidden under an illusion. "I really think the dungeon is out to get us," Jet chuckled. "I know this is the illusion floor, but putting traps under illusions seems a step too far." During this time, I also glanced at the three ant profiles. Nothing was too eye-catching unless I suddenly wanted to get into pheromones. I already had a hallucinogen poison, so it seemed a little moot, and my [Acid Slime] was far superior to their formic acid. The chitin held some promise, but then again, I had lesser dragon scales... At least the mandibles were a decent part to potentially mimic. The weirdest trait, however, was [Ant Haul], something they all had from birth. It significantly boosted strength, but only when carrying or lifting things. I could probably find a use for that. We spotted the next room and cautiously approached to take a peek inside. We saw a multitude of goblins and orcs. The room appeared normal, but we were extremely hesitant. I could immediately tell that something was wrong with everything in it. "I can''t break the illusion entirely, but I feel a great sense of wrongness," I whispered. "Their shadows are all extremely weird. None of them match up." Jet also agreed. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. "They don''t smell like goblins or orcs." Pelopi pointed out. "In fact, I almost don''t smell anything..." "Wonderful. Guess we just go in blazing?" Ian asked. "Let me try to spread my debuffs?" I asked. "Don''t enter the room until the cloud disperses unless you want to be weak to everything." "Noted," Jet replied. "Yeah... I can''t say being afflicted with debuffs is on my bucket list." Ian joked. I targeted one of the monsters; there was something there, but not the actual monster before my eyes. [Thermal Vision] didn''t show anything, so the monster must be perfectly matching the room temperature, and [Electro-Magnetic Sense] didn''t either, so they had to be neutral in conductivity. [Life Sight] was the only thing that told me something was there, but not enough to pierce the illusory veil. I cast my full cycle of debuffs before casting [Contagion], and a cloud of Corrosion Mana burst throughout the room. The monsters began yelling battle cries as they drew their weapons and looked ready to fight. It was startling how real they looked, even though we knew that wasn''t true. As soon as the cloud dispersed, Ian ran into the room ablaze. Pelopi ran after him, claws out and eager for battle. Despite their fake appearances, they were hitting something as purple blood splattered with their blows. Ian would intercept a blow from a monster and physically feel it but then take an unexplained blow from elsewhere. Whatever the monsters were, they were coordinated well with their illusions to give a false sense of realism. I joined them with a double [Thunder Step], one into the room and another up into the air. I had taken the single jump well when I tested it, so I figured I could handle a double surge, and it would give me plenty of energy to work with. I let the precious seconds of the combo chain expire, and the backlash began. It was not a pleasant feeling having lightning surge inside me, but the damage was quickly siphoned off thanks to Eliza as a black mist radiated off me. Meanwhile, I wrestled the surge into [Voltaic Slime], which I collected in my right arm while gracefully landing on the floor. Spreading all my debuffs had given me a much clearer vision of the room, as now the enemies were all glowing in my [Electro-Magnetic Sense] thanks to [Conductive] and [Lightning Rod]. I wasn''t sure what they were, but they looked vaguely cone-shaped and connected to the floor or ceiling. I wasted no time firing a blast of stored energy from my arm. At the same time, I cast a [Lightning Bolt] spell, hoping to disguise the controlled burst as me using the surging energy to fuel my spell. A giant double burst of lightning and thunder struck whatever was on the roof. The sound was almost deafening, and the light nearly blinding. "Holy shit!" Ian shouted in surprise. Pelopi actually dropped into a huddle and clutched her head. I may have gone overboard. Luckily, Jet covered for her lapse in judgment with a few well-timed crossbow bolts. It was hilarious that even though some of his shots were misses, the shadow still struck the enemies and dealt damage. Meanwhile, whatever I had hit flailing wildly as the energy coursed through it; it seemed [Lightning Rod] was especially deadly with such a large amount of directed energy. "A warning next time!" Jet scolded. "I swear it''s Lisa all over again. Bloody thunder and lightning." "Lurkers!?" Ian shouted in confusion. "A giant maw with tentacles!" Jet shouted. "Try not to be grabbed." "It''s hiding its tentacles in place of the monsters!" I shouted, having finally realized what I was actually seeing. "Sneaky buggers aren''t they!" Ian chuckled as he instinctively dodged an orc axe coming to his face, only for him to suddenly trip and start behind, lifted by his foot towards the ceiling. "Shit! I''ve been grabbed!" Suddenly, a bolt of black lightning forked out of nowhere towards the ceiling. It arced and crackled menacingly. Whatever was holding Ian let go, and he tumbled gracefully to the floor, rolling to his feet in a fluid motion. "Was that dark lightning!?" He shouted excitedly. "Hell, yes!" Eliza shouted; dark energy was coursing through her arms and staff. She fired another crackle of dark black lightning toward something else. "This is the coolest thing ever!" Pelopi had recovered and was now tearing into one of the cone monsters on the ground, having already brutally ripped off its tendrils. "You better step up your game, Ian, or Eliza will run off with Syl." "That''s not fair!" He chuckled, stepping up his fiery blaze to a higher grade that also coated his axe in flames. "I''m just an ordinary human; you can''t expect me to compete against an elf." Not wanting to be left out, I kept throwing around [Lightning Bolt] spells and occasionally doing a single hop [Thunder Step] into [Voltaic Slime] discharge. The single jumps were much more manageable and didn''t leave the entire party quaking. Eliza looked like she was having the time of her life, laughing maniacally while firing the black lightning surges toward wherever there was a hint of life. I figured she had to be using [Life Sight] to make sure she was hitting something real. Thankfully, there were no more surprises, and we cleaned up the rest of the room without too much trouble. We could all see the clearly horrific monsters, with the illusions now broken. They were like fleshy stalagmites or stalactites with endless rows of jagged teeth. Their tendrils were either smooth or tipped with barbs. "You going to try to eat those?" I asked Pelopi, pointing to a particularly nasty-looking tentacle. "No way," Pelopi immediately rejected the idea. "That''s far too gross, and even if it wasn''t, it''s a magical monster, so it doesn''t work with my class." "They''re also poisonous, so definitely not a good idea." Jet quickly added. "I think it was called [Spitebite]? While not at all deadly, it sends your sense of pain into overdrive." "Oh... That explains why I actually felt something." Ian said almost casually. "I was a little surprised. Reminded me before I got my pain resistance skill." I threw some barbed tendril tips into storage while sneakily withdrawing one inside myself. <[Spitebite] has been sampled. [Poison Slime] updated.> ''Weird that there was a poison that just caused hurt, but oh well. Another for the collection.'' We also gathered some of their teeth; apparently, they made really good arrowheads or sawblades. While we worked, Jet explained that the monsters usually live in caves, naturally camouflage among the rocks, and are predominantly ambush predators. Combining an ambush monster with illusions was nasty, but at least it was more in line with what the dungeon should have been throwing at us. When we were done collecting our spoils, I had even eaten enough loose parts to finally satisfy my [Consuming Osmosis]. Looking at their profile, I immediately noticed [Thermal Vision], which might have explained why they mostly ignored me and went primarily for Ian, even without his taunt. Having barbed tendrils in my collection and their razor-sharp maw were pretty interesting for mimicking. Trait-wise, they had [Natural Camouflage], which helped them blend in with the environment, and they also had [Illusion Magic]. ''Of course...'' I grumbled mentally. We also discussed my [Thunder Step] usage and concluded that I should stick to only single jumps if I wasn''t going to discharge safely on the ground. While I could handle it, and Eliza had enough to drain the damage, it was putting her at the near max of her dark pool instantly, and she was actually a little worried she wouldn''t be able to drain it fast enough. She was clearly very reluctant about limiting it, as she found the black lightning it generated both fun and extremely effective. I didn''t mind either way; happy for a way to train my skills and traits. "So... Left or right?" Ian asked, pointing towards our two options. "Flip a coin?" Eliza suggested. "Might as well. With our luck, it''ll be a dead end anyway, and we will end up backtracking." Jet said with an exaggerated sigh. "Bad luck, but plenty of loot!" Pelopi said positively. "Guess that''s the silver lining." I chuckled. We flipped a coin and headed down the left passageway. Chapter 157 : Delusions and Blurs Our passageway was again trapped behind illusions, frustrating even Jet. Ian stepped on a pressure plate that was completely missed, being far too heavy to be triggered by Jet''s shadow, and was stabbed in the leg by a spear that emerged from the wall. Luckily, Eliza was still topped up on Holy energy, so it was healed almost instantly, but it was frustrating how dirty the dungeon was being. And what was the result of our struggle through the heavily trapped passageway? We entered a large room with the door closing behind us and enemies flooding the room. They were large multi-winged bat monsters armed with [Air Magic] and sonic-based attacks. Luckily for us, they couldn''t avoid Ian''s area taunt, and a lot of them ended up burning to death when they came into contact with him. Most frustrating was they were emitting a constant hum that echoed throughout the room and afflicted us with an auditory hallucination to hide their projectiles rather than themselves. While I certainly was immune to poisons and pheromones, as evidenced by my harpy encounters, sound, and sonics were a definite weakness of mine. ''This must be how the pegasi felt when Trixie hid all my [Icicle] spells.'' I thought. I kept blasting lightning to kill them as fast as possible, joined by Eliza''s dark lightning. Pelopi actually used some magic when she ran out of the biting variety of bats to fight; she conjured up a strange spiky seed pod that exploded rather violently with an accompanying tiny spark of flame. I had to refresh my [Arcane Armor] twice during the encounter, as it was broken by the hidden blades of wind. Thankfully, we came out of the encounter with a victory. <6 Trait Points are now available.> ''Okay... Seriously, this is getting annoying now. I want to level up my class!'' <[Lightning Magic LV 4] spell [Chain Lightning] learned.> ''What!? An actual usable spell right out of the gate?'' I could not hide my shock and surprise. "You get something good?" Pelopi asked me curiously. "Yeah... I just reached level four with [Lightning Magic]; I just learned [Chain Lightning]," I responded, trying to understand the spell''s implications. I cast and held the spell to start my deciphering. "Oh shit," Jet said, looking a little pale. "If you thought Pyromancers and wanton [Fireball] spells were the number one cause of friendly fire... You''ve never been in a party with damn [Chain Lightning] in the arsenal." "Hmm... I can tell it sort of bounces between nearby targets?" I responded. "Ha! That''s an understatement." Jet shook his head. "The bigger the spell, the more bounces, jumps, chains, or whatever you want to call it. Not to mention, it can hit the same target twice, and yeah, it does not differentiate between friend or foe." I nodded in confirmation; there was nothing about targeting beyond the initial target, which means it was likely semi-random but likely influenced by proximity and factors like conductivity. It shouldn''t hit any friends if I threw a bunch of [Lightning Rod] debuffs on enemies. ''Actually... if I fought a big enemy, couldn''t I use [Voltaic Slime] to bounce between me and the enemy? Or would [Voltaic Slime] fully absorb the bolt and therefore no more bounces?'' I wondered. Unfortunately, I couldn''t exactly reliably test that, as no doubt the others would question why I was willingly casting an offensive spell against myself. I also briefly glanced at what was clearly the [Chain] portion of the spell, as the rest was pretty much just [Spark] and [Projectile]. It was complex as all hell, and I wondered what other types of magic it would be compatible with. Could I make bouncing flames? [Chained Fireball]? Definitely something to look forward to. The strange bat monsters didn''t have much for us to harvest, mostly just their fangs. Their relatively small size meant I could toss a few into "storage" and withdraw them internally. That was at least some silver lining¡ªmore profiles! After the horror of the first floor''s giving me nothing, I was extremely happy to have my doubts stifled. As suspected, the Gust version had [Air Magic], while the Fanged variety had [Blood Drain]. The Acoustic portion gave it the [Auditory Delusion] skill, which, of course, required an Illusion affinity. I had to assume the Mutation also gave it the affinity, as otherwise, it was rather lackluster in terms of what it gave the bat monster. My Mimic mutation, for example, didn''t give me an affinity, but they gave me extremely powerful traits and skills in exchange. Both, however, had an interesting trait [Echolocation]. Unfortunately, the trait was incompatible with my species, which I guess made sense since slimes didn''t exactly have ears or mouths. Still, it was undoubtedly something nice to have in my back pocket for [Chimeric Mimicry]. However, there was a new trait I could buy [Sonic Resistance], which I grabbed because I hoped it would prevent future sound-related threats. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. We carefully backtracked and took the other option, which led to a fork, and we again decided to flip a coin. However, this time, Pelopi insisted we take the route the coin didn''t choose. Which... Lead us into another trapped room full of elementals. But not just any elementals, no... The worst part was we couldn''t accurately deduce their numbers or even which elemental we were fighting as they blurred together and heavily obfuscated their numbers. "I bloody called it!" Ian shouted as we engaged the enemies. I threw as much Mana and empowerment into [Glacial Aura] as I could after aligning to Ice. [Icicle] would be my main attack, but I threw the occasional [Bubble] spell around to protect my allies. Ian was quite disheartened at being unable to do much in this situation besides being a meatshield. Pelopi also had to resort to throwing around her swampy [Water Orb] spells or risk seriously hurting herself in the process. Jet remained as effective as normal; despite his bolts burning on contact, their shadowy counterpart still dealt damage. One very positive thing was that the Magma Elemental was the only considerable threat, and thanks to my aura, it was struggling to reach any of us in a timely manner. I also threw up the occasional [Ice Dome] to either provide cover for allies or a temporary roadblock for the elemental. With all the ice and water being thrown around, the mirages eventually vanished, and we could cleanly and efficiently remove the weaker elementals while evading the magma. "All I can say is thank the gods it doesn''t have a ranged attack," Ian said, looking rather tired from all the constant running around and taunting. "Just please kill it already... I''m sweating my tits off." Eliza complained. "I kinda like it. It''s like the entire room is a big sauna." Pelopi said cheerfully before throwing another swampy [Water Orb]. "I think we need the water laser." "You might be right..." I agreed. "When I freeze portions of it, it just melts them again. It''s surprisingly durable for an elemental." I had already, by this point, thrown all my debuffs on the monster, so I began firing [Waterjets] at it repeatedly and hoping to hit its crystal core somewhere in the slowly moving burning blob. It took quite a while, but eventually, I struck it, and it rather unceremoniously began to turn into a lifeless, yet still burning, puddle. Pretty much the whole party collapsed when we got the final kill notification. "Well... That wasn''t fun." Jet sighed. "But look! More loot!" Pelopi pointed to the chest. "Yaaaaaay..." Ian said as he tiredly raised one arm to cheer. "We might need to take a rest. I don''t think we can rush to the boss at this rate." Eliza suggested. We all took a moment to eat, drink, and rest. Ian even took a power nap, using Eliza''s lap as a pillow as he was greatly tuckered out from all the running. Pelopi started growing some "stamina herbs" from seeds she pulled out of her pouch along with a mountain of apples. Jet popped open the chest to reveal our prize. Inside was a vast quantity of coins and a sacrificial-looking dagger that any wannabe cultist would be overjoyed to receive. <[Bloodrend].> "Oh shit. A named weapon." Jet said excitedly. "Any idea what it does besides the obvious bleeding?" I took a moment to study the enchantments carefully; it appeared there were three housed within this weapon, carefully arranged spectacularly. Not even Greg''s work was this sublime. "It looks like it has a chance to cause a bleeding affliction. It also has a function of returning when thrown, and finally, it has a combination of auto-repair and auto-sharpen," I answered. The last one, in particular, was so well designed I couldn''t help but be awed. Jet gave an impressive whistle before picking up the dagger. He flourished it a little before tossing it against the wall; it penetrated about an inch deep before flashing blackish red and returning to his hand. "Bloody hells, that sounds amazing for any rogue. I''d be tempted to buy it if I wasn''t already so specialized in ranged combat." Jet said excitedly. "Hmm... Maybe I should buy it for my friend then." I replied. I figured Whitney would probably love a weapon like this. "Sounds like I need to get in line to be your friend if your pockets are that deep." Jet teased. He did another small flourish and presented the weapon to me with the blade held delicately between two of his fingers and the handle pointing outwards. "Thanks. Unless anyone else wants it?" I said, taking the blade and gesturing to the rest of the group. "As cool as it looks, I''d rather get a big hammer or axe," Ian said. Pelopi giggled and held out her bear claws, "I only need these babies." Eliza paused as she scratched her cheek in thought. "The only use I could think of would be to cut Ian so I could siphon bleed damage off of him." "Nope! Vetoed!" Ian instantly rejected the idea as he wildly flailed his arms in protest. "Well... You heard the baby; I guess it''s all yours." Eliza giggled. "Plus, it definitely suits you more." "Yes. Very appropriate for the magical elf assassin." Pelopi nodded in agreement. "Could you not cut yourself?" I asked curiously, then chuckled. "Wow, that sounds horrible out loud and out of context." Eliza smirked. "I can''t siphon from myself. Probably to prevent me from doing some loop where I take damage from my leaky dark pool and then siphon that." "And one of the main reasons I try to damage myself as quickly as possible so she has some Holy to heal herself." Ian quickly added. We chatted a bit longer while eating apples and evenly distributing the gold from the chest. I tried out the dagger a few times, which was pretty fun; thankfully, I didn''t make myself look like an idiot due to [Attack Mastery (Lesser)]. ''I think I''ll pay the points to tier it up when it reaches level eight...'' This room, despite locking us in, did have another exit so we could continue our journey deeper into the second floor. Once again, we carefully journeyed forward with Jet out in front, followed by Ian, while the rest of us followed at a safer distance. The idea was that if Jet failed to detect another illusioned trap, Ian might trigger it and be in a much better position to survive than the rest of us. "I wonder if the dungeon is finally taking pity on us?" Ian joked since we had yet to encounter even a single trap. "Maybe. It''s been highly unusual." Jet wondered. Suddenly, Jet paused and frowned. "What?" Ian asked. We all took a ready stance. "Did you not hear that?" Jet said as he walked a few paces. Eliza, Pelopi, and I were too far away to hear reliably whatever Jet was talking about. Ian seemed to be thinking as he also took a few steps. "It sounds... Squishy?" "That''s what I thought too..." Jet said, frowning hard as his shadow tried to interact with the floor. "Is that... Sizzling?" Ian suddenly said. "Run!" Jet screamed as he threw himself into his shadow. Ian stumbled backward into a run when the entire corridor before us suddenly erupted in an explosion. I reflexively threw up multiple [Aegis] spells to shield Pelopi and Eliza behind me. "Ian!" Eliza screamed out amongst the deafening blast. Big Announcement! Hi all! Lunadea here! I''ve got a bunch of announcements. Our beloved Syl has wandered all over Royal Road and will soon be wandering over to Amazon to explore what''s going on there! Unfortunately, that does mean the story is going to get stubbed, as KU pays so much, and I enjoy things like paying my rent and being able to write more Syl. The story will get stubbed from RR on November 6th. It''ll be live on Amazon on November 8th! I want to express my appreciation to each and every one of you for being a part of this incredible journey. When I first started writing about Syl, a neurotic little slime (and Gramps!), I never imagined the overwhelming support it would receive. Your encouragement and enthusiasm have been the driving force behind my continued writing, and I can''t thank you enough. I''m truly excited to see what the future holds for us and Syl! Only the first book is being stubbed, and RR postings will continue as normal for all the slimy goodness you''ve come to expect. We''ve also got a shiny new cover! Thank you, Tsuu and Mango Media, for making it happen! I adore Tsuu''s work, so when I was given the option to pick her as my cover artist, I literally jumped at the opportunity! Stolen novel; please report. Patreon: I''m not trying to slip in a Patreon change in the middle to hide it, but there are going to be some changes to the Patreon. The current $5 Mana Slime tier is going to get locked and grandfathered on November 1st. Everyone still in the tier when it closes - all of my early followers who made this all possible - will continue to get the same level of content as the new $10 Slime Core tier. A permanent reward for being an early subscriber and supporter of Syl. Fair warning, though. If you lose the tier, there''s no way to get it back. So, on November 1st, there will be a $5 Slime tier (10 advanced chapters) and a $10 Slime Core tier (25 advanced chapters). There are also going to be a few new vanity tiers that offer nothing besides a fancy Discord role and maybe a personalized thank-you note from me. Again, there is nothing extra besides vanity and being able to support me. There''s a $15 Sub Core, a $25 Trixie, and a $50 Gramps tier. For my existing Mana Core followers, I haven''t forgotten about you. The tier will also be locked on November 1st, and you''ll be treated like the other vanity tiers. Thank you for giving more support when you didn''t need to. Rest assured, I''ll share the preorder links with you as soon as they''re available. The audiobook is currently undergoing its final check, and I''ll update you on its status as soon as I have more information. Your patience and understanding are greatly appreciated. Thank you all for understanding and supporting me on the journey! Luna.
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Chapter 158 : Orange You Glad Jet stepped out of a shadow behind us, looking haggard despite avoiding the explosion. He glared at the resulting destruction in horror. The smoke and rubble made visibility difficult, but [Life Sight] still showed Ian alive. Eliza wasted no time rushing forward to his aid. "Ian!" She shouted again. "H-hey... I''m alive." Ian said loudly; blood was leaking from his ears. "Bloody thing nearly triggered my [Last Stand]." Pelopi turned on Jet and grabbed him by his shirt. "What happened!?" She demanded. "Trapped hallway. I think it''s an orange slime with illusion or camouflage or some other shit..." Jet explained bitterly. "A slime did this?" Pelopi said, almost confused. "Dungeon ones are no joke. They protect the dungeon with brutal efficiency, unlike their wild counterparts." Jet said with a frown. ''Huh... Do they not know they are controlled directly by the Dungeon Master? Trixie really dropped a lot of knowledge on me...'' I wondered. ''Well... It looks like the dungeon is meeting my request, although maybe a bit reluctantly since it clearly tried to kill us.'' Ian looked like hell, and Eliza spent the last dregs of her holy pool trying to heal him before pulling out a potion and forcing him to drink it. Once it looked like he could stand on his feet and comprehend things, Jet rapidly approached him. "Sorry, I couldn''t pull you in with me." Jet apologized profusely, even going as far as to bow his head. "[Shadow Step] doesn''t let me take passengers." "Hey... No big deal. I''m the tank; I''m meant to take damage," Ian replied. He tried to shrug it off with a wave before wincing in pain. "I thought you were fireproof?" Pelopi asked. "Explosions aren''t fire... I''ve taken a [Fireball], this was... More." Ian said, shaking his head with another wince. "Well. We need to turn around and take the other passageway now." Jet said. "Normal procedure is to avoid orange slimes like the plague." "I''m willing to risk going after it," I said, raising my hand. "I''ve got both ice and water, which the guild book suggested using against them." Pelopi clung to my arm and started pulling me away. "No! Too risky..." While I was appreciative that she cared, I wanted that slime core. "Look. You can all stay safely here while I go in. I can protect myself well enough and can even [Thunder Step] away if something gets really bad." I said. "Is it really worth the risk?" Eliza asked with a frown; she had lost her cheer after seeing Ian in such bad condition. "I''m confident in my abilities. I''m perfectly suited to counter it and can safeguard myself with [Arcane Armor]." I said. The three misfits still seemed unsure, but Jet nodded. "I do agree that you are the textbook counter for it having both Ice and Water magic. Frozen orange slime can no longer detonate." "Then we can go together," Pelopi said, but Ian shook his head. "No. What if Syl misses a spot? This orange blob is clearly able to hide its slime traps." Jet said. "Syl does have an escape skill and good reaction time. Not to mention at least three defensive spells from what I''ve seen in this dungeon alone." Pelopi pouted but reluctantly agreed. "We''ll head back to the previous room and rest up." Jet said. "And wait for your victory notification! Make sure to kill it extra dead for me," Ian said with a grin. I waited for the others to safely retreat before I turned to the passageway. "Right... Orange slime time." I said, struggling to hide my grin. I did feel a little guilty about having Ian caught in the blast, but I couldn''t help but feel giddy about the potential of a new slime core! I activated [Glacial Aura], dumping as much mana as possible into it to increase its range and effect. Then, I carefully started walking through the passageway. I could see something beginning to frost over like a trail across the walls and floors. Once it froze over, I could see its bright orange coloring. I also activated [Cryo Slime] to drop my temperature as low as possible, hoping to further fuel my icy presence. Whenever I spotted a large portion of slime beginning to freeze over, I would hasten the process by casting [Frost Grasp] on it. I ensured my [Sub-Cores] used all my various forms of vision and senses to detect the slime in case it tried to ambush me. My biggest hope was that [Electro-Magnetic Sense] would reveal it if it was as conductive as myself. Turning a corner, I spotted something trying its best to hide in a tiny nook. As I predicted, its natural conductivity gave it away as it was like a golden beacon in the monochromatic vision. I couldn''t help but shudder a little, remembering how dangerous that conductivity was for me. Either it was angered by coming into contact with my [Glacial Aura], or it realized it was spotted and spat a blob of slime toward me. I dodged to the side, only for the projectile to detonate at my flank. The explosion brushed dangerously against my [Arcane Armor]. "Sneaky bastard, aren''t you!" I responded, accompanied by an excited grin. With some alignment shifts and coordinated teamwork with my cores, we threw [Frigid] on it before a dual casting of [Frost Grasp]. The orange slime immediately became violently hostile, perhaps sensing its icy doom and causing more orange slime to detonate in our vicinity. It even detonated itself in an attempt to escape its rapidly forming frozen prison, and I cursed aloud, thinking it might have killed itself. But when the explosion settled, the core was still alive and well, missing a large portion of its remaining slime mass and the tiny remainder frosting over swiftly. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. It died a little unceremoniously, as seemed to be tradition with slimes. A little sad that there was quite a lot of power tucked into that little orange slime ball, but it was so extremely countered by ice. ''It makes me wonder what my remaining outstanding biggest weaknesses are. I can''t be frozen anymore. I''m mostly free of worry from lightning. I can''t boil alive anymore... [Death Magic] and any mind bullshit, I guess.'' I happily plucked the frozen remains of the orange slime and engulfed it. Now that it was dead, it had returned to its original coloring, an extremely vibrant orange for the slime, and its core was a toxic green. I crunched down happily on it. ''Yes!'' I answered, struggling to contain my excitement. ''My slime power collection grows!'' ''Free new trait! Score!'' ''I guess that makes sense. I don''t exactly have a limit on any colors or opacity.'' . ''Damn... Not enough to get it a level in either of these.'' I looked over my two new traits eagerly. <[Nitro Slime LV 4] This slime has the ability to prime its slime mass for detonation. Once primed, the slime mass retains its current state of being and can be triggered with a mere thought to detonate. The power scaling of detonations and control over the primed slime are determined by trait level, and additional levels may provide further control, tools, or applications. Furthermore, the location of primed slime can be accurately and innately sensed within 20m per rank. Primed slime retains its state for 6 minutes per rank. The trait also provides the slime Shockwave and Detonation resistance to prevent an untimely demise, scaling greatly with trait level until immunity. Compatible with other slime traits.> ''Shockwave resistance? I wonder if I just made my [Sonic Resistance] redundant? Well... It should be fine? If I fuse it together with other resistance traits into some big combined skill. The rest of this sounds great. I wonder how much additional control further levels will grant.'' <[Tremor Sense LV 2] This trait allows the user to discern vibrations and sense the location of anything in contact with the same surface. The trait level determines the minimum detection level and increases accuracy. 5m per trait rank radius for pinpoint detection and 10m per trait rank for rough detection.> ''Amazing! Truly amazing! What an awesome trait!'' Extremely pleased with my two new traits, I looked over its profile. Sadly, there wasn''t more than what I had already acquired from it. It looked like the Camo mutation just gave it the [Chroma Shift] trait and then the [Stealth], [Sneak Attack], and [Trapping] skills. Quite an awful mutation, all things considered, much like the Greater mutation I had seen on that bear. Unless there was something I was missing? I tried to buy a skill. ''Well... I expected that. I didn''t see any illusions in its profile after all. Not to mention, I don''t know if I even can integrate a mutation.'' I had some ingrained knowledge of the trait installed directly into my core, so I wanted to test it out. I triggered [Nitro Slime] and primed my fingertip with the intent of it exploding only forwards. It did so without issue, almost like a miniature [Nova] spell. I tried changing around its parameters, as I understood I could even change the type of explosion to be more slime scattering. The result was a blast scattering slime outwards, reminiscent of [Slime Burst]. ''Huh... Actually, that''s weird. I didn''t see [Slime Burst] in the orange slime profile at all. Is that because it''s redundant?'' I triggered [Slime Burst] and noticed that the similarity with[Nitro Slime] was undeniable. Curious about their interactions, I tried activating both at the same time. ''Well... That answers that question. Yes?'' I paused to think it over. Honestly, I couldn''t think of any reason not to integrate it. I had no idea how big the penalty would be, but in reality, even a single additional level in [Nitro Slime] would be better for me in the long run. Having come to my conclusion, I confirmed. ''Two levels! Not bad! Straight over the dreaded level five.'' With the improvements, I could definitely feel greater control over the trait. It seemed like now I could even do an almost entirely shockwave-based explosion, and it seemed like now I could prime my slime to detonate on contact rather than purely on a trigger. Hell, I could even keep a detonation almost entirely internally by controlling its direction. I withdrew a bit of useless monster part inside myself, then triggered an internal blast and watched it be vaporized. ''An... Implosion? I think that''s the word?'' I wondered curiously. ''Of course, I could also fire a [Slime Shot] of primed slime and have it detonate midair, or even better, attach it to my target with [Adhesive Slime] and then trigger the detonation. Or go with the on-contact explosion. Or prime it to go off when something steps on it, which unleashes a payload of [Acid Slime]? So many options!'' I chuckled as I needed to calm down and report to my party before they came to investigate. I''d have plenty of time to play around with the trait later. But before doing that, I continued along the corridor with [Glacial Aura] active to clean up any left behind traps until I saw the next room and confirmed there wasn''t another slimy ambusher. I stopped at the next room and smiled. "Well. A deal is a deal. Thank you. I absolutely love the orange slime," I said in a happy whisper. I doubted I''d get a chance to meet the requirements of the [Apex Hunter] emblem, so I swapped to [Nature''s Bane]. Then, I visibly disguised my profile with [Identity Fabrication] to display [Dungeoneer] again. "I hope that takes the pressure off. Thanks again." I gave an energetic wave to the dungeon wall before starting my journey back. I returned to the rest of the team without issue. They all looked relieved, and Ian looked much better after receiving some TLC from Nurse Eliza. "You''re back!" Pelopi cheered. "We got the kill notification a while ago." "I''ve been avenged!" Ian cheered. "Yup. Problem solved." I said with a thumbs up. "I also checked until the next room and cleaned up any remaining slime." "Great job." Jet said. "I guess we don''t need to backtrack." "Well, unless the room is a dead end." Eliza pointed out. "Did you check?" "Oh... No..." I replied sheepishly. "Sorry." "Glad even you can make mistakes." Ian teased. "Well, let''s get to it then," Jet said as he motioned to the exit. "Hopefully, the dungeon has fewer surprises left for us." The others packed up their things, and we started retracing our steps. "Did it put up much of a fight?" Pelopi asked curiously. "Not really? Once I cast [Frost Grasp], it pretty much died on the spot." I answered. "Ice magic is cool like that," Jet responded, causing a groan from the misfits. Guess they weren''t a fan of puns. Chapter 159 : Jinxed Despite my reassurances, everyone was extremely careful as we retraced our steps. I even joined the vanguard with [Glacial Aura] active, just in case. Interestingly enough, the dungeon had already cleaned up all the mess, and any damage from exploding slime was gone. We reached the room again without incident and peeked inside. It was mostly empty except for a small fountain and a large ornate door, which indicated that it was the boss''s room. "Look! The boss room is just ahead," Ian exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement and anticipation. "And a fountain; I''m surprised we''re getting a safe zone," Eliza said curiously. "Unless I''m mistaking the layout?" "No. This does look like a rest area." Jet confirmed as he glared at the water. "Are you worried it''s poisoned?" I asked, pulling out one of my flasks and placing it inside the fountain while absorbing some of the mystery liquid through my arm. From what I could tell, no notifications or anything significant happened. "Yeah. As stupid as that sounds." Jet said with a sigh. "Dungeon fountains are supposed to be rejuvenating waters. But this dungeon has been anything but ordinary since we reached the second floor." "Oh! I read about those. They''re like weak healing potions, right?" Eliza asked. Ian gestured for my canteen, so I handed it over to him. He poured some of the contents on some of his wounds and massaged it in with his free hand. As he continued the work, the damaged skin slowly started looking better. "Amazing!" Ian said happily. "Too bad this one didn''t come with a pink slime, or we could pretty much regrow some limbs with that fountain." Jet pointed out. "Is this dungeon big enough for that?" I asked curiously. Jet shook his head. "Regrettably, no. I was just joking. Otherwise, we could have been set for life." We took some time to collect some of the healing water and rest up while Ian rejuvenated himself. "So, do you think we should take the boss on now?" Jet asked. "Kill the boss! Get the loot! Sleep!" Pelopi declared. "I''m ready and willing," I responded but turned to Eliza. "But your Holy pool is tapped out, isn''t it?" "Yeah... But unless we backtrack to the other passageway and find some monsters to fight, that will not change." Eliza responded. "I can always generate some on the fly, especially if you do your zip-zap step and I siphon your damage. I''m more concerned about Ian." Ian let out a smirk as he gestured at his now healthy-looking skin. "Oh, I''m good to go. This water has me as smooth as a baby''s bottom." "Okay," Jet said with a nod. "Sounds like we will be attempting the boss then. We know it''ll be illusions and whatever the next floor is, so be careful." "And probably a Fey, or you''ll eat your hat," Pelopi added. "Yes..." Jet frowned before giving a light chuckle. "I might need to buy a hat..." We made our preparations and were in generally high spirits as we snacked on some of Pelopi''s apples and ironed out our opening strategy. No matter what enemy was thrown at us, my job was to harm myself with [Thunder Step] so Eliza could rapidly refill her reserve. We entered the room and waited... Weapons were drawn, and you could almost sense the held breath as we all anticipated what this menacing floor would finally throw at us. A black cat appeared in a poof of rainbow smoke and glitter. Then, as the smoke began to disperse, we saw that it was no ordinary black cat. Its fur was black like midnight, and on its chest was a white patch of fur in a starburst pattern. On its back, it had tiny dragonfly wings that glimmered like an iridescent rainbow. On top of its head was an adorably small crown tilted to its side as if worn with a casual demeanor. As we all stared in bewilderment at the strange creature before us, it also stared back at us as if annoyed it had to deal with us. Its icy blue eyes slowly blinked in an almost reptilian manner, the left eye blinking horizontally while its right eye blinked vertically. "Ha! It''s a Fey! I knew it!" Jet shouted triumphantly. "No! Why!?" I shouted. I blinked in bafflement at the strange additions to my [Identify], but my thoughts were interrupted. "What''s wrong, Syl?" Pelopi asked worriedly. "It''s a ghost..." I muttered with disappointment. "No! Not ghosts!" Pelopi joined in on my frustration. Before the others could question it, the black cat let out a menacing hiss as it slowly started levitating. Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. <[Jinx Aura] is in effect.> Right. Despite its weird appearance, this was a boss fight. I triggered [Thunder Step], appearing in the air and casting [Conductive] on the enemy before I needed to unleash the backlashed lightning. I immediately felt physical relief as Eliza siphoned off the damage, and as if we coordinated it, we both unleashed our respective lightning attacks simultaneously. The thunder boomed, and lightning crackled as it coursed through the cat as it screeched in pain. The cat looked almost comical in its outrage as it growled and hissed like a feral beast as it glared at us. Ian had charged in with his axe, only for it to swing right through the monster, and Pelopi''s claw strikes from its exposed flank also phased through the cat. "Well, shit. I can''t hit this damn thing!" Ian shouted right before the cat exploded with a dark miasma of blackish mana. "Is it trying to kill me in status messages!?" Pelopi shouted in disarray. "I don''t even know what half of these are?" Eliza spoke frantically. Jet fired an arrow, which soared straight through the cat, but its shadowy counterpart thankfully still landed a blow. I overheard him mutter a complaint, "Ghosts... Honestly... This dungeon..." I immediately went through my full debuff cycle and various elemental spells to see what worked and what didn''t. [Icicle] passed straight through the cat; however, it still seemed to do some harm from the [Frostbite] and [Frost Grasp] components added to it. [Fire Magic] and [Lightning Magic] were definitely my strongest options, as even the powerful [Waterjet] spell seemed to be less effective than I anticipated. The cat, unfortunately, was not going to just debuff us and call it a day; I wondered if it would start blasting us with spells, but then suddenly, an array of floating weapons began appearing around it, which it seemed to expertly control and either throw at us or swing with practiced precision. I immediately thought of the alicorn prince and his light-based weapons, and I was eager to try [Counter Magic] against it, but there seemed to be no anchor point or spell to latch onto. Very odd. It kept conjuring magical armaments to fight us, although despite the weapons looking especially deadly, they didn''t seem to deal as much damage as one would expect. The hardest part was that the weapons seemed extraordinarily magically guided, and no amount of dodging would end their unrelenting pursuit. My [Arcane Armor] was getting a thorough workout as the armaments crashed against the briefly appearing barrier. Pelopi''s bestial claws likewise seemed to do nothing to the cat, and she resorted to falling back on her magic. She first tried to cast various Nature spells, like a vine or her exploding seed trick, but all passed through the annoying ghost cat. She threw a few muddy [Water Orb] spells before finally settling on [Fire Arrow]. Ian was the most disadvantaged as he could literally do nothing against the cat with actual weapons. His only contribution was taunting it, which appeared to still work, and hopefully, burning it by proximity. He was also moving unnaturally slow, so he clearly failed to resist that affliction. Eliza''s black lightning and occasional dark bolt still retained its usual effectiveness. I''d even argue it was perhaps more influential than my own lightning based on how the cat would try to actively defend against it by trying to dodge or even forming some magical shields to block the spells. "I can''t seem to siphon the damage inflicted by these weapons. They might be cursed or something!" Eliza shouted. "Holy seems to still work, so keep me topped up, Ian and Syl." "Not like I can do much else against this bloody ghost cat!" Ian shouted. "I hate it!" Pelopi shouted angrily, right before her [Fire Arrow] spell she was attempting to cast suddenly exploded in her face. "The hell?" Jet shouted as his crossbow seemed to... Break? The various mechanisms of his device seemed to creak, and the bowstring snapped. Nearly right after that, one of my [Lightning Bolt] spells became extremely unruly and burst within my grasp; I felt a backlash of mental anguish straight to my core while the violent lightning was stored within [Voltaic Slime]. I had never seen my magic behave like this except when I was attempting to brute-force my spell creations, so it was utterly baffling. "Is this the [Jinx Aura]?" Eliza questioned. "Oh bloody hells. That''s ridiculous!" Ian shouted, right as his axe seemed to slip out of his hands almost comically. "I don''t suppose you have [Dispel]?" Eliza asked me with concern. "Anything stronger than a poison or disease is beyond my current Holy magic level." "No? Should I have it?" I questioned before blasting another [Lightning Bolt] at the cat. Successfully this time and juicing it with some of the discharge stored within [Voltaic Slime]. "It''s one of the spells from [Arcane Magic]!" Jet answered while pulling out a different crossbow from his magic storage. "Mine''s only level three!" I replied. "Balls." Jet muttered. A hammer struck against my [Arcane Armor], finally shattering the barrier, and at the same time, a sword sliced along my arm. Blood leaked from my arm, and I clenched it in pain with my other hand. "Bloody hell, that hurt..." I grunted as I recast [Arcane Armor]. "These weapons seem to hurt a lot more than normal. Even I''m taking some pain." Ian said angrily. I then stared at my arm in shock. It hurt. Why? My arm wasn''t real; it was slime and anything not striking my core was meaningless. ''So why the hell did that hurt me?'' I asked in utter confusion. Even when I told Alpha to fix the wound, it still was there... Bleeding as if my arm was real, and only when Eliza''s Holy magic embraced me, did the wound finally close up. It made no sense; it didn''t seem real. I told my [Sub-Cores] to continue the battle in my place while keeping up my facade, which they seemed to have no problem understanding. Their new level of intelligence, after my latest evolution, still needed to be fully explored, but it appeared they easily understood my intent. Once I confirmed their performance was believable, keeping in line with my usual displayed adventurer power level, I could focus internally on trying to puzzle out this conundrum. The cat was a Fey, so it was something like Trixie. This was the second floor, so illusions were the theme, and the third floor seemed to be ghosts... The more I puzzled together, the more wrong the situation was. Was this entirely an illusion? But then, why did it feel so real? Illusions surely couldn''t actually deal damage? ''Or... Can they?'' I questioned and recalled a similar discussion with Trixie about a certain trait I had acquired from the prince. I pulled it up. <[Enchanted Horn] Raises spell power by 5% per trait rank. Spells focused through the horn become more real.> ''More real!'' I exclaimed excitedly to myself. ''They are illusions, but the cat must have a trait to make them more real. That''s terrifying, I''m glad it didn''t just make an illusion dragon to eat us or something.'' As if to confirm my new understanding, the wrongness of the room seemed to become rapidly apparent. The glowing magical weapons started to turn more shadowy and ethereal, proving their falsehood, and if that wasn''t enough, I received a sudden prompt. "It''s all fake!" I shouted aloud with glee and noticed that even the bloodstain on my arm vanished with my proclamation. The cat glared at me with utter abhorrence and loathing. Chapter 160 : Declawed and Decrowned "What do you mean it''s not real!?" Ian shouted as he was fighting off a group of imaginary swords. Now that I had broken through successfully, the entire fight seemed almost comical. "All the weapons are an illusion! You need to disbelieve it!" I shouted. To prove my point, I used [Thunder Step] to appear next to the cat and attempted to backhand one of its floating swords. There were some yells from my party members for me to stop, but I knew it wasn''t real, and my hand passed straight through the blade despite some of their gasps and astonishment. The cat growled, and then its shadow erupted with shadowy spikes toward me; I reflexively threw up an [Aegis] and saw the dark spikes crash against it. "Okay, its shadow can apparently attack!" I warned as I retreated to a safe distance with another [Thunder Step]. "Is that why it cast [Eclipse]?" Jet said with a frown. "Bloody hell. No stupid monster cat will use my own affinity against me." Jet seemed to accept what I said easily enough, and soon enough, he ignored the illusory blades that passed through him. Eliza joined shortly after, as it seemed her inability to siphon the illusion damage had spoken volumes to her frame of mind. Ian and Pelopi, however, were struggling desperately to overcome it. I wondered if it was due to their failure to resist one of the numerous curses the cat had flung at us, and unfortunately, the cat seemed to know this as it focused its assault on them and tried to ignore us. While throwing [Lightning Bolts] at it was all fun and good, it had an enormous mana pool and thus effective health. I had the perfect new spell to try out ¡ª[Mana Burn]! When I cast the spell on the cat, it screeched with rage. Its shadow flickered wildly and lost all cat-like resemblance, instead looking like it belonged to one of my chimeric monstrosity forms. Everyone reacted with shock, and that was when its shadow rose from the surface, detached itself from the cat, and flung itself at me with burning hatred. I threw up an [Aegis] in reaction, and the shadow monster tore through; as soon as I heard the familiar shattering sound, I threw up another, and this time, it finally halted its trajectory. The shadow slithered around and over the [Aegis] before flinging itself towards me again. "Focus on the cat! We have to kill it before its shadow gets Syl!" Jet ordered. "I still can''t hit the damn thing!" Ian shouted in frustration. "Eliza! I''m going maximum burn!" "Right!" Eliza confirmed. Ian erupted with newfound firepower, the tips of his flames even turning blue with the intense ferocity. Under the insane heat, his flesh was in a constant flux of charring before returning to normal, while a massive amount of dark energy was being constantly siphoned. With her free hand raised, a black flame formed, and then, rather than her usual dark bolt, a flamethrower of black conflagration streamed from her palm. Pelopi kept up her [Fire Arrow] spells while running away from the swords chasing her. She sprinted and dodged with feline grace. Jet replaced his crossbow again, this time with two identical handheld ones, and began firing a torrent of shadow-infused bolts at the cat. Meanwhile, I had my shadowy pursuer hounding me with dreadful ferocity. I tried casting spells at it, but it seemed completely ineffectual against the shadow. The closest I got to harming it was with bright light generated from either [Fire Magic] or [Lightning Magic], which seemed to stun the entity temporarily. This thing was like my worst nightmare: immune to debuffs, immune to afflictions, immune to magic, and likely even immune to slime. I tried casting some [Lightning Bolts] at the cat when I got the chance but received a scolding from Jet. "Worry about keeping yourself alive, Syl! It''s a damage race right now!" Jet shouted. "We''ve got this!" Eliza said reassuringly. I nodded as I used [Thunder Step] to evade the shadow once more. It almost instantly rebounded off the dungeon wall when it missed me and was again like a projectile seeking to end me. I made sure to at least order any expiring debuffs and afflictions refreshed to my cores, especially [Mana Burn], which seemed to be double dipping in the damage department. ''I had presumed destroying mana would deal damage like backlash does; it seems my assumption was correct. So since mana is being destroyed and mana is its health, it''s stacking together. No wonder it sicced its shadow on me exclusively.'' With the number of [Aegis] spells this shadow was chewing through, I was honestly beginning to worry even I''d run into some mana issues. It was becoming a balancing act of trying to estimate whether I should avoid it with [Thunder Step] or block it with [Aegis] depending on its incoming velocity. What made matters worse was the [Jinx Aura] was affecting both my skill and magic, as sometimes I would trigger [Thunder Step], and it would just fail, and I''d be left standing on the spot looking like an idiot. [Aegis] failing was awful as the magical shield would form and instantly shatter without blocking even a single blow, wasting a considerable amount of mana in the process, not to mention the backlash, which felt like taking a hammer to the core. Not fun. After our game of cat and mouse, it seemed to finally reach a level of its remaining life when it recalled its shadow to deal with the others. With only Pelopi and Ian taking damage from its illusions anymore, it needed to take out the others. It seemed Eliza was its next target as the shadow flung itself at her; I immediately threw up two [Aegis] spells to block it. "It''s coming for Eliza!" I shouted. Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. "Shit! Ahh! We were winning this race! Stupid ghost cat! Stop cheating!" Pelopi screamed. From my perspective, its mana was dangerously low, so I made the impromptu decision to try to seal the deal with [Decay] and also triggered [Assassinate], even if the bonus damage would be halved for the cat being fully aware of me. With six debuffs at least, eight if I included the ones I had merged, and four afflictions, I knew it would be a big chunk of damage, and I prayed to Gramps that it would be enough to end this. There was a conflux of the various forms of mana surging around the cat and then an explosion; it all converted into a singular source of necrotic mana. The cat''s eyes went wide, its shadow shuddered, and then, with a pop, it burst into a cloud of rainbow sparkles and glitter. Its tiny crown clattered to the ground and then poofed into rainbow smoke. "Is... Is it dead?" Ian stammered as he collapsed to his knees, and his flame died out. Eliza collapsed so hard that she nearly faceplanted. She struggled to her belt to reach for a blue potion before Pelopi rushed to her side to help her drink the concoction. Our group cheered. However, it was considerably less energetic than our previous kill, which was understandable given how frantic and rushed it got at the end. "Gods, if I see another bloody illusion spell, I am going to lose my bloody mind." Jet complained rather uncharacteristically. "Well... Isn''t the final boss all three mutations together?" Eliza said, having recovered some energy after her potion. Jet opened his mouth to answer, then paused. He put away his crossbow, which I noticed was neither of his two handheld ones nor one of his previously used ones. The [Jinx Aura] must have affected him greatly. He muttered a curse, then pulled out a flask and started drinking. "Sounds like tomorrow''s problem," Pelopi declared. <5 Trait Points are now available.> ''Damn it, Gramps! Please give me some class levels already!'' Once again, my complaints went straight into the void. Swallowing my disappointment, I noticed other unread notifications during my frantic escape attempts and looked over them. With all the [Thunder Step] usage I''d been doing throughout the dungeon, I was grateful for a well-earned level-up. I honestly loved the skill, and I felt like I needed to give Lisa a big hug or maybe offer my dress-cleaning services to her again. [Exploit Weakness] was also long overdue, and I wondered if it was perhaps due to most of my foes not lasting long enough to take extra damage from the [Vulnerability] stacks. Did attacking an enemy with stacks give more experience than applying a stack? Or was I killing things so fast that the [Vulnerability] debuff didn''t even apply? I could only shrug and move on. <[Arcane Magic LV 4] spell [Dispel] learned.> ''I could have used you ages ago... Great!'' I grumbled. Despite its name and my initial presumption, it did not instantly end all magical effects. There was a lot of information in this one spell hastily crammed into my core, and I had trouble deciphering it all. My rushed understanding was it would take my [Mana Manipulation] and [Arcane Magic] levels and slap them together versus the enemy''s own [Mana Manipulation] and equivalent magic skill. That was the basic interpretation. There was stuff for the amount of mana utilized and overcoming resistances, as well as if you were trying to [Dispel] one effect or multiple. It was also easier to [Dispel] something on myself than on another unless that person was an ally, and so on and so on. Everyone took some time to recover, mostly drinking water, catching their breaths, and letting mana recover. The last one was especially important for me. I had gone all the way down to Ebbing Mana, which I had not seen in ages outside of my transportation expenditure. "So, did we get any loot? Or was it all gone because of stupid ghosts?" I questioned. "There''s a chest." Jet mumbled as he pointed a thumb in the direction. "Only one? What a cheapskate dungeon. The last boss gave two!" Eliza muttered. ''Sorry guys... At least that proves my fake emblem isn''t working anymore. Hopefully, the dungeon will be less brutal from now on...'' "It could have at least given us the cat''s crown." Ian joined in the group rant. "What do you mean?" Pelopi asked curiously. "The crown is on Syl''s head." "What?" I questioned. Was Pelopi still afflicted? Everyone turned to me, and they gazed at my head. "Huh. How''d that happen?" Ian said, scratching his head. "Now she''s become a noble." Pelopi teased. "Or maybe royalty?" Jet coughed, seemingly having choked on his drink a little. I reached up to touch the top of my head, and sure enough, there was a tiny crown there. I pulled it off and looked at it with a frown. <[Cat Sith Crown].> I stared at the tiny crown in confusion. It seemed to have some form of enchantment, but I had trouble deciphering any of it. "I have no idea what this does," I said with a mumble. "Well, it''s not magical," Eliza said. "Yeah, [Appraisal] is showing nothing." Jet agreed, having recovered from his coughing fit. I stared at them in bewilderment before responding. "It''s definitely magical. I can see three different types of enchantments at least, and my [Appraisal] calls it the [Cat Sith Crown]." "That''s... Odd?" Jet said curiously. "Toss it here?" I threw the crown over to him, and he examined it closer. "[Appraisal] still shows nothing... Not even a failed [Identify] notification." Jet said, scratching his head in puzzlement. Eliza and Pelopi also took a closer look, but both concluded it was showing up as non-magical in Pelopi''s [Mana Sight] and Eliza''s [Mana Conception]. "So Syl''s the crazy one for once." Ian joked. "Think it''s the cat''s revenge for you breaking its illusion?" "I hope not..." I mumbled. Pelopi placed the crown on her head and gave a mocking and snooty laugh befitting a pompous noble. "Bow down before Princess Pelopi!" She joked. The crown suddenly poofed off her head. "Your crown''s been stolen, your highness." Ian roared with laughter. Pelopi frantically grabbed at her head where the crown once was. "Well, shit. It''s definitely magical if it can disappear." Jet said. "But where did it go?" I asked curiously. Pelopi suddenly pointed to me. "Crown thief!" "Oh. It appeared on Syl''s head again..." Ian said. "That''s handy?" "Or worrying... An unknown magical item has attached itself to her." Eliza pointed out. "This bloody dungeon... I swear." Jet grumbled, taking another drink. "It doesn''t seem harmful," I said, hoping it was true. At least no scary notifications or garbled text was appearing. "Although if I''m forced to wear this thing, I wish it was a hat rather than a crown..." As soon as I said that, there were some gasps from the others. Jet spat out his drink and started coughing. "What!?" I said with worry. "Definitely a magic crown," Eliza stated. "It''s a magic hat now!" Pelopi corrected. I reached up and pulled it off my head. What was there now was a round-brimmed cap with a large bright red feather attached to it. <[Cat Sith Crown].> "Huh..." I mumbled, staring at the strange... Hat? Chapter 161 : Hats, Axes, and Claws We were all staring at the crown-turned-hat in bewilderment. To everyone else, it appeared utterly mundane and only revealed its true nature to me, its apparent new owner. Its abnormal attachment to me and its tendency to return to my head or even sneak into my [Core Storage] was a mystery that kept us all on edge. The latter was extremely alarming, and I couldn''t shake the feeling that the crown was playing a prank on me for trying to get rid of it. Finally, Jet spoke up. "Okay, take everything I say with a mountain of salt because I''m pulling on some utter dregs of secondhand information, but I think it''s become soul-bound to you." "How and why?" I asked with concern. "I assume because you dealt the final blow on the cat. It''s the only thing that makes sense." Jet answered. "So, is this a good thing or a bad thing?" Eliza asked, her curiosity piqued. To everyone''s surprise, it was Pelopi who answered. "Soul-bound items are unusual but not that rare. I know my family had one; I was supposed to inherit it one day. It just means nobody, but you can use it." "That''s vaguely in line with what I heard," Jet responded, scratching his chin. "I heard a swordsman who was soul-bound to his sword, and only he could unsheathe it. It also apparently couldn''t cut him." "And I got a hat..." I replied with deadpan disappointment. "A transforming hat," Ian corrected with a cheeky grin. "Although I can sympathize with the disappointment of not getting a cool magic weapon." We spent some time exploring the limits of the crown''s transformations. Anything considered even loosely as headwear and head accessories was up for grabs, including ribbons, hairclips, hoods, helmets, masks, and even bizarrely, a scarf as long as it was one of those large ones that covered one''s mouth. Also, nobody was able to remove it from my head except myself, which further added to its mysteries. I ended up settling for an oversized black witch hat as I recalled Kurt mentioning that any self-respecting mage would have an iconic hat. The Misfits all heartily agreed with the decision and wondered why I didn''t have an impressive mage hat sooner. Jet muttered something about stereotypes but otherwise shrugged and said it looked good. Finally, after our distractions, we looked at our loot chest. The group''s disappointment over only one reward chest was greatly diminished when they saw its utter size, which easily dwarfed any of our others. Ian excitedly clapped his hands together in prayer. "Please give me a new weapon! Please, please, please!" "You never say wishes out loud," Pelopi scolded him. "Everyone knows that." "Hush you. I''m begging this wonderful and generous dungeon to give me a new toy." Ian replied. "With your magnificent hallways. I love how you''ve decorated the place, by the way, and your combinations for this run have been masterfully deceptive." Eliza leaned over to Jet to whisper into his ear. "Does that work?" Jet gave a subdued chuckle. "Probably not, but let a man dream." Even without Ian''s unwavering optimism, we were all excited to see what was in the chest. After confirming that it was not trapped, illusion or otherwise, Jet finally opened the chest. Everyone held their breath. "Yes!" Ian cried out in victory. Inside the chest was a golden-orange double axe. The entire thing seemed impossibly made from a single material as if carved out rather than forged. It also hummed with a now recognizable combination enchantment of auto-repair and sharpening. Most startling, there were also two mystery enchantments on each axe blade that I wasn''t entirely sure what they did. Once again, it was beyond my own [Rune Reading], except I could tell that the enchantments were almost the direct opposite of one another. One axeblade had a reddish glow, while the other had a blueish glow. ''A reversed effect depending on which axeblade you use?'' I wondered to myself. <[Ghostflesh Choppa].> "A bit of an ominous name." Jet said and turned to me. "Your [Appraisal] telling you anything better?" "It''s got repair and sharpening, and each blade is... Different." I replied with uncertainty. "Opposite effects, as far as I can tell." "Well, there''s one way to find out!" Ian declared. We all looked at him expectantly as he reached towards the axe with zero hesitation and picked it up. Then he ran the back of his free hand along the blueish side, causing Eliza to scream at him. He pulled his hand back and revealed... Nothing? Not a single wound. "Shit. Don''t tell me I finally got a weapon drop, and then it can''t actually cut anything!" Ian said with disappointment. "I told you not to say your wish out loud! You ruined it!" Pelopi replied. "I can''t believe you!" Eliza shouted before punching him in the shoulder. "What?" Ian said with a playful shrug and grin. "I figured you still had some Holy pool to heal me with. It seemed the quickest way to see what it does." Jet cleared his throat. "Putting aside superstitions and... Impulsive decisions. Syl said each side was the opposite effect, so..." "Right!" Ian interrupted with glee as he reached towards the red side. "Don''t!" Eliza shouted in an attempt to stop him. But again, without hesitation, he touched the axeblade. "Ouch!" Ian said as he immediately pulled his hand back, a rather deep cut on the back of his hand despite a rather gentle touch. Eliza immediately reached for his hand and spent some of her remaining Holy pool to heal it. Thankfully, it did close up without any concern. However, she still punched him repeatedly in the shoulder for his recklessness. Jet sighed and walked away, once again reaching for his flask. It had been a rough day for our party. Well, maybe not for me. Today was wonderful for me, thanks to that orange slime. The axe obviously went to Ian, as he probably would have fought someone over it. Likewise, the crown was now mine since we literally couldn''t remove it from my possession. I hoped Thern or perhaps Trixie would know what the crown did and how to remove it if I wanted to. Thankfully, it would happily sit inside my [Core Storage] so I could easily hide it away if I needed to slime out. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. Everyone began setting up tents and a fire at our campsite. Now that we had just the final floor to handle, the Misfits were filled with giddy anticipation. Jet almost immediately started pulling out five crossbows once done and began working on fixing them, a mix of anger and determination in his expression. "So the next floor is ghosts, huh?" Eliza commented. "I believe it is actually the Ethereal mutation." Jet spoke up while continuing to fix his crossbows. "This means we can expect a bunch of beings that are either permanently incorporeal, halfway, or can swap between the two states." "I thought you weren''t supposed to help us too much?" I questioned. "Oh no. As far as I''m concerned, you''ve all passed already." Jet said before giving a rather wicked smirk. "Now... Now it''s personal." The Misfits were cheering, and I was also quite content; that meant we only had to make it out alive to tell the tale. Jet refrained from the celebrations and continued working on fixing his weapons with a dark glint in his eyes. Occasionally, he would mutter about "five bloody breaks." and "bloody ghost fey." before taking a swig of his flask. Since Jet was in his own world and I figured I''d rather leave him alone, I hung out with the others. They were trying to figure out how to deal with more ghosts. "Well. Assuming my axe can''t do anything, even with its cool name, I can just keep them taunted, and you guys deal with them." Ian said while polishing his new weapon with great attention. "I have no problems with ghosts," Eliza replied. "Hell, if the healing required is light enough, I could even throw an offensive Holy spell as crazy as that sounds." "True. That''s assuming that they have the usual ghosts and undead weakness." Ian replied. "If this floor was anything to go by, I don''t think they will be undead..." I said as I joined in on the conversation. "Yeah. Jet said Ethereal, right?" Eliza commented. "I just hope that means I can actually sink my claws into something..." Pelopi grumbled; she did not look pleased with the revelation. "Syl was right, damn ghosts." "Why are you unhappy with ghosts?" Ian asked me. "You have so much magic; you''re like an anti-ghost." "I hate ghosts because they leave nothing behind to harvest..." I replied. ''And thus no profile or even slime mass. If not for the experience, it would be a total loss...'' I thought bitterly. "Ah. That makes sense." Ian nodded. "You probably get a bunch of money from your harvests, not to mention skill levels." "Never get in the way of a girl and her spending money." Eliza teased. "As long as I get to keep the axe, you can buy whatever you want." Ian instantly replied. "So... Any ideas for me?" Pelopi asked, her ears once again drooping. "Well... [Fire Magic] usually works well against undead." I answered. "Boo," Pelopi said, sticking out her tongue. "Magic is no fun." "Even if you tailored it to yourself?" I questioned. "Sure, [Water Orb] and [Flame Arrow] are kinda dull, but couldn''t you do something like fire claws or water claws?" Pelopi''s ears perked up at that suggestion. "Huh... Magic can do that?" Ian burst out laughing. "It''s called magic for a reason." Pelopi punched him in the shoulder, and unlike Eliza''s rather playful ones, it nearly sent the man toppling. "Yeesh! Grumpy wolfcat." Ian chuckled as he rubbed his shoulder. "Well... Unfortunately, I don''t know how much help it will be right now, but assuming you have at least [Water Whip], that''s the starting point." I began explaining. I cast [Water Whip], then began shifting it into different weapons. Pelopi stared unblinkingly. "Water is the safe option for experimenting with the shape and layout, and when you have confidence, you can start replacing the water mana with the type you want." I continued explaining and turned my impromptu water axe into an ice one. "I don''t have ice..." Pelopi pointed out dejectedly. "I did that for safety and convenience, but it''s certainly possible with Fire," I responded. Despite Dewi''s initial suggestion to create a flame whip, I hadn''t explored making any fire weapons. Still, with the ease thanks to my Elementalist class and the plethora of experience I had gained in customizing spells and replacing mana, it was relatively easy to do on the fly for such a basic spell. Especially since I brought in all my helpers to speed up the task. After letting the frozen axe disappear, I replaced it with one made out of Fire. Ian whistled. "Maybe I should explore my Fire affinity more..." "You just got a new axe," Eliza said, poking him in the ribs. "I''m just thinking of the future!" Ian defended himself. "That''s also only assuming Ghostflesh here can''t deal with them." Pelopi reached out to touch the axe handle and winced in pain as she retreated her hand. "Hot!" "Oh... Well, it is literally a flaming axe." I responded sheepishly. In curiosity, Ian also touched the handle but shrugged as it didn''t seem to harm him. It was a low-level spell cast at the bare minimum; after all, no need to bring out the blue flames for a demonstration. "Glad I''m not the only one with [Fire Resistance]," Ian chuckled. "One of my original magic teachers would point-blank cast [Fireball] on himself," I explained. "Good old Pyromancers sharing the love of [Fireball] with the world." Ian gave a toothy grin. I then tried to give Pelopi a crash course in basic spell modification. Unfortunately, her skill levels in magic were rather lackluster, and she only had [Water Magic LV 3] and [Fire Magic LV 2] for our anti-ghost options. She had [Nature Magic LV 5] and [Earth Magic LV 2], but it sounded like none had anything to deal with ghostly entities since they were extremely physical despite being magic. I possibly needed to apologize to Trixie for criticizing her teaching talents as I struggled to explain things properly just as much, if not worse than she did. Pelopi was growing increasingly frustrated when her attempts to reshape [Water Whip] failed. "Is it because claws aren''t a weapon?" Ian asked. I shook my head and cast my own version of the watery claws. "No. It just requires a lot of trial and error and practice. I usually spend all my free time tinkering with spells; my [Mana Manipulation] is level six through proficiency alone." "Bloody hell." Ian shook his head. "No purchases at all?" "I''ve been... Reluctant to spend my points..." I admitted. Eliza snapped her fingers. "I have an idea! Pelopi, how fuzzy can you make your bear claws?" Pelopi shifted her arms in response, showing full fur, paws, and claws with no hint of her human appendage remaining. "Okay. What if Syl ice claws for you?" Eliza said. "Assuming they aren''t too cold for you to handle." "Huh... That''s not a bad idea." I responded. ''Especially if I just move the anchor point to Pelopi''s hand, I could just have one of my [Sub-Cores] maintain it for me and forget about it.'' "Isn''t Ice too physical?" Ian asked. "True... But if I added [Frostbite] to the tips of the claws, perhaps..." I started responding, then paused to begin my spell work. Inspiration had struck! I started shaping my water claws to fit over her paws and extend like a giant clawed gauntlet. Once I was happy with the design, I started replacing the Water Mana with Ice; thanks to the frozen sharpness, they looked quite savage. Then I started experimenting with [Frostbite] to see if it could be kept contained only to the claw portion of the icy gauntlet. Strangely enough, this partial modification of an existing spell seemed remarkably easy. Perhaps this was due to just slightly limiting an existing effect rather than trying to add a brand-new one? Either way, I was happy the gauntlet portion wouldn''t be giving Pelopi an affliction. Happy with the result, I cast the spell by maneuvering the anchor point and situating it onto her arm. Pelopi shifted uncomfortably, perhaps feeling the subconscious effect of a spell within her personal aura. I was about to finally cast the spell when a sudden prompt appeared rather unexpectedly. I paused as a smile began rapidly forming on my face. ''Oh! So your stupid little create spells never got to claws, huh?'' "What''s got you so happy?" Eliza asked. "Apparently, the spell is entirely new. So, I get to name it." I replied. "That''s so cool!" Pelopi replied. "Okay, you''ve convinced me to work more on my magic! I had no idea you get to name spells!" "What are you going to name it?" Ian asked curiously. "For simplicity, I was thinking something like ice claw, but giving it something more impactful could be fun," I replied. "Well... You have Frostbite already, so what about Frostclaw?" Eliza suggested. "That sounds like a dad joke..." Ian chuckled. "I love it." "Frostclaw sounds awesome!" Pelopi cheered. I had to agree; it was a great-sounding name. Much better than [Create: Ice Claw] or whatever other garbage that other mage had created. "Frostclaw," I answered to the system message. <[Frostclaw] spell has been registered.> I couldn''t hide my victorious smirk. Chapter 162 : Ethereal Casting the new spell encased Pelopi''s arm in the icy gauntlet. I had to quickly warn her not to touch the claws under any circumstances. If we weren''t in the middle of a dungeon run and I had more time to endlessly tinker, I would have tried to scrutinize how buffs work and try to apply that to the spell. Pelopi spent some time swinging around her new toy and scratching the claws against the dungeon walls. It looked like she was trying to break it, but as long as I kept holding and maintaining the spell, it would repair the damage at the cost of some of my mana. When I finally released the spell, it cracked and crumbled off Pelopi''s arm, leaving behind some wet and cold-looking fur, and when she shifted back, it was bright pink. "Okay... It''s a little chilly but really fun!" Pelopi said, trying to warm up her arm. "I''d say we could wrap up your arm, but I don''t know how much warmer that would be than them being literally bear arms," Eliza replied. "Do you have [Ice Resistance]?" I asked, to which Pelopi shook her head. I rummaged through my profiles and found the trait sitting with the orc profile, then displayed it. "You''re like a walking treasure trove of traits," Ian joked. "She does have nearly fifty race levels." Eliza pointed out. "Are you beelining for your next ascension that much?" I chuckled, hoping to hide the fact I needed to lie to answer the awkward question. "I want to get all the elemental affinities since it ties directly to my class." "That makes sense," Pelopi said, then held out her other arm. "I''m ready for another test." I cast the spell, and she had fun practicing and swinging the icy claw around, leaving frosty scratches on the walls and floor. "I wonder if giving her a new toy will come back to bite us..." Eliza muttered while watching the unrestricted vandalism. "Let her have some fun," Ian replied, poking her. "She''s had a rough second floor with all the illusionary nonsense, and I bet even with those magic ice claws, the ghosts aren''t going to make it any easier for her..." Since [Frostclaw] wasn''t designed with the intent to hurt the wielder, even the first level of [Ice Resistance] combined with her bear arms was enough for Pelopi to comfortably wield it for an extended duration. I was asked if we could do it with any other elements; most notably, Pelopi wanted lightning claws, but I couldn''t see a way to mimic the effect of a gauntlet as it was far too immaterial of a concept. The rest of the evening went by with not much other details. When it was my turn to take watch, I made sure to wander away and thanked the dungeon again for the orange slime. There was no reaction again; even if it was a coincidence, I thought it better to be safe and polite. I also spent some time doing some very minor testing with [Nitro Slime] and what were the implications of "primed slime" since, according to the description, it retained its state for the duration. I formed a small sphere of slime and primed it, then placed it on the floor, completely separated from me. Unlike any of my previous attempts to separate my slime, it actually kept its form. As amazing as that was, it unfortunately was the limit of the extra control, and I couldn''t reform it once it was separated as usual. I also tried placing a [Sub-Core] in another sphere of primed slime, but despite the sphere retaining its shape, color, or any other modifications I had made before priming it, as soon as it left my grasp, the [Sub-Core] connection was broken. Unconnected slime control was still beyond my abilities, and I wondered if it was even possible. I certainly hoped so. If I had been willing to take the risk, I could''ve created a gauntlet of primed slime for Pelopi and perhaps made a solution for lightning claws that wouldn''t harm her. It was something potentially worth exploring, especially when I got my tendrils on that silver slime. I could make a metal slime sword that was actually detachable! For half an hour anyway... Finally, before my shift was over, I looked over my profile. There had been quite a few changes, and I couldn''t help but glare at my unmoving Elementalist levels. A lofty goal I anticipated would be all my [Sub-Cores] reaching level six together; that would be a glorious cascade of notifications. Name: Syl [Nature''s Bane] Race: Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) LV 1 (-3) Class: Elementalist LV 4 Status: Healthy Mana: Overflowing Emblems: [Experiment] [Apex Hunter] [Elven Legacy] [Dungeoneer] [Nature''s Bane]* [Manhunter] Traits: Slime: [Mana Slime LV 11] [Acid Slime LV 7] [Poison Slime LV 6] [Blaze Slime LV 6] [Cryo Slime LV 7] [Voltaic Slime LV 6] [Nitro Slime LV 6] [Morph Slime LV 8] [Pseudopod LV 7] [Slime Shot LV 7] [Vaporize Slime] Core: [Core Collective LV 8] [Core Storage LV 6] [Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5] [Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Eta LV 5] [Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Theta LV 5] [Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] [Sub-Core Iota LV 5] [Sub-Core Zeta LV 5] [Sub-Core Kappa LV 5] Mimic: [Chimeric Mimicry LV 7] [Chroma Shift LV MAX] [Consuming Osmosis LV MAX] Mana: [Mana Circulation LV 7] [Mana Reinforcement LV 7] [Mana Infusion] Attributes/Other: [Soul Mastery LV 7] [Enhanced Vitality LV 5] [Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 5] [Curse Resistance LV 2] [Illusion Resistance LV 3] [Sonic Resistance LV 1] [Prodigy] Senses: [Olfactory Sense] [Dark Vision LV MAX] [Mana Conception LV 6] [Life Sight LV 4] [Thermal Vision LV MAX] [Eagle Vision LV 3] [Electro-Magnetic Sense LV 4] [Tremor Sense LV 2] Trait Points remaining: 5 Skills: General: [Universal Language] [Equipment Swap] [Dissection LV 7] [Mapping LV 5] [Tracking LV 2] [Identify LV 6] [Multitasking LV 5] [Perception LV 4] [Aerial Finesse LV 4] [Thunder Step LV 4] [Companion Bond] Combat: [Tranquil Flow LV 5] [Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 7] [Affliction Mastery LV 5] [Exploit Weakness LV 4] Magic: [Water Magic LV 5] Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.[Fire Magic LV 5] [Corrosion Magic LV 5] [Ice Magic LV 5] [Arcane Magic LV 4] [Lightning Magic LV 4] [Mana Manipulation LV 6] [Magic Efficiency LV 5] [Counter Magic LV 3] [Elemental Shift LV 5] [Elemental Adaptation] [Ritual Casting] [Mana Suppression] [Meditate] Sneaky: [Vanish LV 6] [Assassinate LV 6] [Identity Fabrication LV 6] [Acting LV 5] [Rogue Expertise LV 4] [Magical Subterfuge LV 3] [Subtle Afflictions] Skill Points remaining: 13 Profession: Enchanting: [Rune Reading LV 6] [Rune Engraving LV 1] [Rune Framework LV 7] [Rune Tracing LV 5] [Rune Design LV 3] [Runecrafting LV 2] [Rune Inspection LV 5] [Rune Filigree LV 3] [Rune Repair LV 2] [Brand] Profession Points Remaining: 0 *** Everyone woke excited for the day, although without Jet, none of us would have known the actual time, thanks to the dungeon''s artificial lighting. I thought he bought the skill [Time Keeper], which I had previously scoffed at, but he had a magical device that kept track of the time. It was a strange circular device with two arms that told you the time together. I would have thought it entirely mundane, but it had the tiniest sliver of an enchantment on it that, as far as I could tell, merely made the arms spin. I had wondered who came up with such a strange device, and thankfully, there was a [Brand] on the device indicating that its creator was Keldenar. ''So the Golemancer made these? Very interesting... I still have his invitation to visit his kingdom from that damage test. Perhaps I should bump my visits priority after the dwarves?'' With us finally ready, we started heading down the stairs to the final floor. Like the transition from the first to the second, it immediately stepped up in quality: the floor looked wonderfully paved, and the walls even had sconces. Before we reached the first room, I cast [Frostclaw] twice for Pelopi and had my two Ice [Sub-Cores] hold it. Thankfully, the upkeep cost was minimal, and Pelopi had seemingly gotten used to the discomfort of having my spells within her aura. We reached the first room without any traps, and inside, we could hear a yipping noise and chattering. Peering inside, we saw a bunch of little lizard people in various scaled colors, and most importantly, they all had different opacity levels. The lancers were only mildly transparent, whereas the three magical varieties were barely visible and even floating. "I bet how see-through they are is correlated to how ethereal they are," Eliza whispered. We all nodded in agreement. Which meant that it was my primary duty to deal with them, and I''d target the healers first. Ian and Pelopi were itching to try out their new weapons, so we didn''t do any further planning. Ian once again burst into the room, and Pelopi sprinted afterward while making a beeline towards the snipers. I used [Thunder Step] to appear midair beside one of the clerics, startling him as I cast a point-blank [Lightning Bolt]. Due to the sheer number of kobolds being thrown at us, I didn''t expect them to be too difficult to dispatch, but I didn''t expect my first cleric to basically be blasted into nonexistence. Even with all my various bonuses, it seemed far more effective than normal. This was further proven when Eliza''s black lightning from siphoning my self-damage demolished one of the other healers. Eliza didn''t have as many stacking bonuses as I did, so it was a rather strange sight, further proven when she stared at her hand in bewilderment. The lancers came in two varieties, one with a large twohanded spear and another with a short spear and shield. The shielded ones had [Taunt] and made sure to use the skill on us. [Taunt] was interesting; even if you resisted it, which I did, it still had a minor effect on you. If you attacked anyone but the taunter, you dealt reduced damage and had a constant nagging feeling in the back of your head. Failure meant you were compelled to attack the target, but these kobolds must not have had the skill at a high level as none of our group failed to resist. Ian swung his axe with excitement clearly visible on his face. He was testing out the blue enchantment side, and this time, it did damage the lancer with which he was directly engaged. With well-practiced precision and a flick of his wrists, he instantly rotated the weapon around for his second swing on the red side. The second swing caused a huge bloody gash in the kobold, dropping it on the spot. With both kobold clerics down, I moved on to the geomancers, easily dispatching another with a [Lightning Bolt]. I felt a buildup of mana, and [Tremor Sense] detected huge vibrations below me, so I used another [Thunder Step] to go directly upwards. The ground erupted upwards into a deadly batch of rocky shards and spikes as if the ground was trying to eat me. In response, I threw a quick [Aegis] spell below me to block any shrapnel and watched Eliza take out another geomancer. Pelopi, meanwhile, was tearing through the kobolds, bouncing around the room like a flea before pouncing down on the small lizards and tearing into them with the icy claws. Any slashes she made would become a deadly frozen gash creeping over the kobolds before they poofed out. It was greatly upsetting that the ethereal theme likely meant there would be nothing left to harvest for this entire floor. Jet had tried shooting a few of the casters but soon switched to helping Ian with the lancers. It appeared he was dealing less damage than he liked against the more transparent variety. Thanks to their see-through nature, they didn''t seem to have solid shadows, which appeared to be reducing his usual method of attack. ''Such a strange interaction.'' I thought to myself before blasting another geomancer. "Can you save a pyromancer for me!" Ian shouted aloud. "Want to test the axe?" Eliza questioned. "Yup!" Ian replied with a grin as he cut into another lancer. Hilariously, the pyromancers were the least dangerous of the lot as the [Fire Arrow] spells it cast against Ian barely singed his skin. Likewise, the snipers were somewhat ineffectual, as Pelopi downright ignored some fired arrows. One of the snipers started becoming more opaque before firing an arrow, and this time, it left a flesh wound on her. An interesting observation for the post-battle talk. We didn''t take much longer to clean up the remaining kobolds, and Ian was slowly approaching the lone pyromancer left. I would''ve thought it might have cowered or begged, but it kept fighting mindlessly, showing a clear difference between dungeon-spawned monsters and others. Ian swung down with the red side, and it barely scratched the kobold, who responded by casting [Nova] right into Ian''s face, also doing almost nothing. With a big grin, Ian swung with the blue side again and tore straight through the ethereal kobold with a strange ripping noise. "I bloody love this axe!" Ian shouted aloud. "Red side for flesh, blue side for ghosts!" "Ghostflesh makes sense now..." Jet murmured. I definitely needed a thorough copy of the blue enchantment; perhaps I''d finally find a way to eat ghosts if I could somehow apply it to myself. Or could I possibly create an enchanted weapon with silver slime? ''Although how would I eat it then? The enchantment would break as soon as I turned the ghost weapon into slime for dissolving? If I combined it with [Acid Slime], would any dissolving be enough for a profile? Questions, so many questions...'' "Who cares about your silly axe? These claws were outstanding!" Pelopi boasted with a beaming smile. "I killed so many stupid ghosts!" "On the other hand, these ethereal ones seem to give me a lot of trouble..." Jet said, shaking his head. "They don''t have full shadows, so it''s reducing my umbral damage, and then my actual bolts don''t deal full damage due to their ethereal nature..." "I noticed one of the snipers briefly become opaque before firing." I pointed out. "So, at least for the physical damage dealers, they''re also hampered." "Which was why the mages were at maximum ghostliness." Pelopi agreed. "On the flip side, they were very weak..." Eliza added. "I know the lightning I''m siphoning from Syl is strong, but it was certainly not that strong before." "Ethereal entities take more damage from magic in exchange for their physical resistance or outright immunity." Jet explained. "It''s definitely a tradeoff." "Guess that''s good for me." I chuckled. "Well, until the dungeon starts stretching the definition of ethereal, like I''m half expecting it to do." Jet grumbled. "Hey, all things considered, the dungeon was pretty good to us so far." Ian argued. "Nothing like crazy pheromone ants on the first room of the second floor." "I bet it''s luring us into a false sense of security..." Pelopi speculated. Ian faked outrage with a gasp and ran his hand softly along the dungeon wall. "Don''t listen to the cranky catwolf, you beautiful dungeon. I love the axe, by the way..." "And to think I was worried about Syl, but he''s about to cheat on me with a stinky dungeon and an axe." Eliza joked. "To be fair. It is a beautiful axe." Jet responded. "Boys and their toys." Pelopi shook her head. "You''re one to talk, Miss [Frostclaw]!" Ian countered. We all couldn''t help but laugh at that exchange. So far, so good with our entrance to the third floor. Chapter 163 : Phantoms and Shadows The third floor was not what we expected. As we continued through it, we found ourselves relaxing more and more after the stressful second floor was put further behind us. While Ethereal was annoying, our composition was quite suited to counter, especially since Ian''s new axe could harm them. Our next encounter was with Phantom Yetis, and even though Pelopi had to give up using [Frostclaw], we still dispatched them relatively easily. Honestly, it was a bit weird how much the dungeon seemed to favor the large white furry creatures as this was their second appearance, and Ian boasted that the dungeon must really like him since it was throwing something he so effortlessly countered. He technically didn''t even need his new axe to beat them since they were extraordinarily weak to fire. I would have loved to have gotten my tendrils on their profile to see if there were some hidden gems for the dungeon to keep throwing them at us. Unfortunately, any cool and interesting monsters I saw on this damned floor were nothing but a tease, and it looked like the few monsters I got to eat on the second floor would be all I would be getting. Well, except for my orange slime, which was the true prize. Our loot for the yeti was some ordinary chainmail armor and some coin, much to the rest of the group''s disappointment. Everyone else was suspicious that the dungeon wasn''t being so ruthless on this floor. Pelopi still claimed it was trying to lure us into a trap, while Eliza wondered if the dungeon was just trying to get rid of us as soon as possible, as even the trapped hallways seemed to be gone. Ian defended the dungeon''s virtue, while Jet had no comment and still seemed extremely peeved about going through so many crossbows against the cat. Our next encounter was against headless knights called Dullahan. Their blackened armor and weapons looked extremely impressive and intimidating, which seemed to favor greatswords that they could wield one-handed. At first, we wondered how their being Ethereal would help such a clear physical monster, but they cleverly were only keeping their heads ghostly while their body remained entirely physical. The Dullahan hid their vulnerable ghostly heads inside their chest cavity, trying to exploit their intangible dual nature to their benefit. This rapidly turned in our favor as [Lightning Bolt] nearly killed one in a single blow, likely due to all the energy surging inside such a convenient conductive metal trap. After that demonstration, the remaining Dullahan hilariously all withdrew their heads from their chests with great haste. Seeing a dungeon monster act with such a determined effort to save itself was peculiar. I wondered if the dungeon master was taking a more direct approach, something like a course correction on what was supposed to be a challenging encounter suddenly being too easy. Sadly for the Dullahan, I could still just throw [Conductive] on their vulnerable head specifically, and it would help redirect my spells toward it. Dewi might have said [Fireball] was the solution to everything, but now I had begun to wonder if the true solution wasn''t [Lightning Bolt]. Noting that the Dullahan head was an entirely separate target, I cast [Conductive] on both the head and body of one and then cast [Chain Lightning]. The body tried to block the bolt of magical energy with its body, as it knew trying to dodge with its head wasn''t viable. The result was the [Chain Lightning] violently striking into the armored body before sparking off into the head, then back into the body and repeating over and over until the Dullahan exploded into dead ghostly mist. Thankfully, the remaining energy within the spell was not enough to jump toward any further targets, and it was discharged safely. "Well... That was shocking." I said with a nervous chuckle. "As I warned, the spell can be extremely dangerous." Jet shook his head. "At least you aren''t using yourself as a conduit like Lisa once tried." ''One in three lightning mages end up killing themselves... I''m starting to think Trixie wasn''t just joking around.'' These monsters also proved that Ian''s axe had a limit; it wasn''t called Ghostflesh for nothing, and the red enchantment seemed to give no additional benefit against their blackened armor. At least it still dealt damage, though, which could not be said for the blue enchantment, which seemed incapable of dealing even blunt damage against corporeal targets. ''I''ll need to be careful if I successfully reproduce that enchantment effect. Imagine if I put that enchantment on my core and made myself permanently unable to deal damage to non-ghosts. I''d be forced to destroy my core.'' Other than my lightning, Jet was actually the most effective against these heavily armored foes. His umbral crossbow bolts seemed to pierce through any and all defense, and it was abruptly clear he was not holding back. It was surreal to see the actual bolt ricochet off the armor relatively harmlessly, only for a puncture wound to abruptly burst from seemingly nowhere. <6 Trait Points are now available.> ''My debt is almost paid off...'' After a brief respite, we swiftly continued since there was no loot to gather or corpses to harvest. Our theory that the dungeon was trying to get us out of it as soon as possible was called into question when the next room was full of rock, crystal, and earth elementals, clearly in retaliation to my abundant use of lightning. Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon. To make matters worse, they didn''t just have a generic Ethereal mutation; instead, they had one that clearly skirted the theme''s edges. Shadow. I would have thought Jet would have thrived against such foes, but it appeared that would not be the case, as it seemed the Shadow mutation gave a generic resistance against almost everything due to its strange sort of ethereal nature. Big tanky earth elementals with improved resistances... "Well... This is going to be a slog." Ian grumbled. And a slog it was. We dispatched most lesser elementals without much trouble, but the Crystal variety was highly resistant to magic even before its Shadowy mutation. It finally went down after a lot of combined effort from Pelopi and Jet, absolutely pummeling it with endless attacks. It finally cracked, shattered, and collapsed into a lifeless, hazy black blob. That only left the Obsidian one, which, despite our best efforts, resisted almost everything we threw at it. Water and Corrosion seemed the best available out of my magic options, but even that produced a lackluster result. Seeing [Waterjet] fail to penetrate the elemental despite [Permeable] and [Hexed] being applied to it was extremely demoralizing, and I wished I could have gone full slime on the blasted thing. The way we finally dealt with the monster was boring but effective. I cast [Mana Burn] on it, and we waited till it eventually ran out of mana and died. Sure, there was no glory, and it wasn''t very fun, but we won against the blasted thing. We each had to take turns kiting the slow and cumbersome monster around the room, as Ian did not have the stamina to handle the task for the full duration. "So boring!" Pelopi whined. "I didn''t expect the dungeon to throw such a high-tier monster at us, although thankfully, it was just one of the durable variety." Jet said. "I''ve been meaning to ask this for a while, but my [Identify] leveled up, and it''s... Different." I asked Jet while thinking of the strange obsidian elemental. "Oh? You do unlock more stuff as it goes. What changed?" Jet asked. "The Obsidian Elemental had a symbol next to its name?" I said, holding out my index and middle finger to mimic the V-shape. "Ah! Yes, I know exactly what you''re talking about," Jet said rather happily. "It''s a curious number script, believe it or not. Nobody knows why the Gods use it, but that means tier five. The Crystal elemental was tier four, and the Rock elemental was tier three." I used [Identify] on myself and looked at the result. ''So I''m tier four then?'' "Does that mean the obsidian elemental evolved five times?" Pelopi asked. "No, wouldn''t it be four evolutions?" Ian interjected. "One plus four." Jet chuckled. "You''re both wrong. Not all monsters start at tier one." "That makes sense. No way you can compare a goblin to an orc." Eliza joined in on the conversation. "Yes and no," Jet replied, swishing his hand. "Depending on how it evolved, a goblin, in theory, could have more potential than an orc. Evolutions and Mutations can be scary, depending on which ones are stacked together. For example, an Ogre is tier three, but personally, I''d be more cautious around a tier three goblin." "Why, though?" Pelopi asked. "The goblin would have more levels, wouldn''t it?" I asked. "Correct!" Jet replied. "I''m glad to hear someone has read up a bit on monster theory; there are quite a lot of books at our Kaerlin branch otherwise gathering dust... Anyway, a tier three goblin has, in theory, thirty monster levels behind it." "That many?" Ian asked, looking a little shocked. Jet pointed to me to answer, perhaps wanting to test my knowledge. "Ten for the first evolution and twenty for the second evolution. Their level resets on each evolution, so it''s a cumulative thirty." I answered. "That''s thirty trait points. Bloody hell." Eliza said wide-eyed. "Bingo!" Jet chuckled. "Now, obviously, a fresh Ogre doesn''t start with no traits, but a goblin that survived that long? It would also have a ton of encounters and experience in addition to whatever it evolved." "Assuming it survives that long..." Eliza added, and Jet nodded in agreement. "But we fought some evolved goblins, and they weren''t so tough?" Pelopi questioned. "They were dungeon spawned, though," Jet replied. "They come in at a set level; they didn''t work and earn that level. They are also like slimes in how mindless they are, as are most dungeon minions." ''Hey... I resent that comment.'' "Okay. So, if I see an evolved goblin in the wild, I must be super cautious. Got it." Pelopi said, nodding enthusiastically. "Cautious is an understatement. Having gone through two or three evolutions, a goblin would be downright sadistic in its quest for more power." Jet warned. "Evolution crazy...." Eliza muttered. "It''s a pity; imagine if we could have civilized goblins on our side." "Goblin adventurers would be kind of fun," Pelopi giggled. "It''s been tried and failed far too many times, unfortunately." Jet shrugged. "It never ends well." "Boo! That''s no fun." Pelopi whined. "Hey, don''t shoot the messenger," Jet waved his hand. "Go complain to the Gods." "What about [Bonded Companions]?" I asked curiously. "Yeah! Monster Tamers!" Pelopi agreed with unbridled energy and enthusiasm. "Damn, you aren''t giving this old man a break." Jet chuckled. "You''re not that old yet." Ian countered. "Compared to you lot, I feel like I am." Jet teased. "Now, I''m no expert, but from what I understand, the bond helps keep the sanity in check, but if the monster evolves too quickly before a well-established relationship, the companion becomes feral and must be put down." Pelopi flinched, and her ears drooped in disappointment. "Brutal," Ian commented. "Harsh," Eliza agreed. "Hey, I said I''m not an expert!" Jet defended himself. "There are probably other ways around it, like dominating the beast until it complies or perhaps tricking it with snacks, or who knows." Rested up, we continued onwards, only to be met with an extremely large set of ornate doors not long after. "Final boss room already?" Jet murmured, unable to hide his surprise. "The dungeon must genuinely want to get rid of us," Eliza giggled. "Hardly any traps. No forked passageways. Looks like the dungeon is treating us well." Ian said passionately. "Almost no loot though," I added. "I''m not going to complain! I can''t wait to see the sun again!" Pelopi cheered. "So... The final boss will be all three mutations?" I commented. "A mismatch of multiple monsters with illusions and ethereal..." Jet answered, then shook his head. "I get the feeling I''m going to despise this." "Look on the bright side; at least you don''t need to eat your hat anymore." Pelopi teased. I could''ve sworn I felt my oversized witch hat tremble at that comment. Chapter 164 : Boss Time "Well, I''m ready," Ian said excitedly, softly tossing the axe handle between his hands. "Remember, retreat is an option." Jet warned. "You have already passed in my books." "Thanks, but..." Eliza started replying. "We want to kick this dungeon''s butt!" Pelopi roared. "Don''t get me wrong, I fully agree." Jet smirked. "I''m just fulfilling my guild staff obligation." He pulled out his [Splinterstorm] crossbow and stroked it with a glint in his eyes. "I think we all want some... Revenge." Ian pointed to his axe and chuckled. "I don''t know if I''d say revenge, but I want to finish the job." "Remember to be on the lookout for illusions..." I warned. "The worst part is, thanks to the first floor, it will be a huge mystery..." Eliza sighed. "I''m assuming the boss will just be a big unknown with [Identify]." "Yes, which is actually very unfortunate." Jet grumbled. "If we knew what type of ethereal monster it was, it could help, like the difference between a phantom and a shadow." "Anything but pheromones again..." Pelopi pleaded as she rubbed her nose uncomfortably. "Our usual opener?" I asked Eliza. "I''m still pretty topped up on my Holy pool, but I won''t say no to more black lightning," Eliza replied happily. "Just please wait till I use [Taunt] first," Ian groaned. The Misfits did some last-minute emergency potion distribution, and then everyone finally declared they were fully ready. At the same time, Jet pulled out a black cloak and hood that he draped over himself. I tried to have my [Sub-Cores] memorize any enchantments they saw in the brief moments before it activated, causing his features to become heavily obscured by an oppressive shadowy aura. Then... We entered. The room was large and circular, with massive marble pillars reaching the ceiling arranged fairly symmetrically. At the center was a giant magical circle with intricate sigils and embellishing glyphs. It looked majestic as it shone brightly with vivid magical coloring. It was also clearly fake, as [Rune Reading] showed that the entire thing was a bunch of Filigree. ''Well... Points for presentation.'' The boss hadn''t appeared yet, and everyone split up to avoid being clumped up, our ranged combatants taking position safely behind a marble pillar. Finally, Ian approached the center with Pelopi in the wings, ready to pounce. The room flickered with magical lights, and the fake magic circle put on a wonderful display. Thunder crackled, and there was a booming, echoey laugh. Transparent barriers enclosed the circle, and then, within the circle, a tremendous eyeball appeared. <[Identify] failed.> ''Huh...'' The eyeball rotated and blinked while the room hummed with magical energy. Then, multiple tendrils burst out from the eyeball, each with a different claw, appendage, mouth, or even more eyes. ''Ripoff! I already did that in Simon''s dungeon.'' I joked to myself. "Oh gods, is that an Eyedra?" Jet muttered. "As in... A hydra of eyes?" Eliza asked. "Yes." Jet responded. "Although it seems to have replaced its eyes with... Everything." Then, the eyeball started to become semi-transparent. The barrier had yet to drop, so we still couldn''t engage it; this dungeon seemingly wanted to ham up the theatrics of this final encounter. "And its giant weak point is ethereal now... Great." Jet moaned. "I mean, that works for us," I responded, pointing to Eliza and myself. "Yes, but Eyedras are innate spellcasters and quite magic-resistant." Jet pointed out. "Well, shit." Eliza shrugged. Tentacles kept appearing off the eyeball while it glared at us unblinkingly. I started trying to decipher all the various tendril ends. There were claws from a multitude of animal and monster varieties, from crabs to bears to badgers. Then, all forms of mouths and jaws, from shark, canine, and even lamprey. Some tendrils were just grabbers, others ended in a pointy bit, and quite a few ended in another unblinking eyeball. One tendril, in particular, was an eyeball that opened into rows and rows of razor-sharp, jagged teeth. "I got some good news and bad news," Jet said while the barrier started to flicker out as if counting down the start of this climactic battle. "Please tell me it''s not a giant eyeball; instead, it is something normal, like maybe a golem or drake," Pelopi begged. "No... It''s clearly an eyeball, or at least something similarly spherical." Jet chuckled. "But, I think some of its tentacles are fakes; they don''t have proper shadows." "That''s something at least," Ian replied. I couldn''t confirm or deny Jet''s theory since the magical barrier prevented me from sensing anything related to the eyeball. None of my debuff spells could penetrate the barrier, which was strange because they always seemed to work on anything I could perceive. Needless to say, trying to cast inside the barrier didn''t work either. This strange translucent barrier blocked senses and spells and, from what I could tell, was entirely non-magical itself. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon. The creature let out an indescribable roar, and the barrier abruptly vanished. My senses could finally pick up the monster for real, and there were quite a few tendrils without any heat signature. Ian let out a battle cry as he used [Taunt] and charged forward while immolating. I triggered [Thunder Step] to appear behind and far from the eyeball while ordering my [Sub-Cores] to begin their debuff cycle. As each debuff went off, there was a brief flicker of a barrier around the central eye, and messages began to flood my vision. <[Hexed] resisted.> <[Conductive] resisted.> <[Permeable] resisted.> <[Flammable] resisted.> <[Frigid] resisted.> <[Conductive] resisted.> <[Permeable] resisted.> <[Flammable] resisted.> <[Frigid] resisted.> <[Hexed] resisted.> <[Hexed] resisted.> <[Hexed] resisted.> I noticed two things relatively quickly from the flood of information. Firstly, it majorly resisted my [Hex] spell, as the [Hexed] debuff failed to stick around. Secondly, it immediately failed to resist [Erode], meaning physical defense was definitely not its strong point. Unfortunately for the stupid eyeball, my [Sub-Cores] were overly diligent workers and would endure and strive to fulfill my order. This might not have been even a minor struggle for them if I had made my affliction debuff. Still, seeing them brute-force their way to victory was hilarious as the giant eyeball seemed to widen in stupefaction at the sheer unrelenting excess of spells being endlessly thrown at it. Regardless, I fired my combination of [Lightning Bolt] and [Voltaic Slime] at it and watched as one of the tiny eyeballs directly intercepted with a forming [Aegis] spell. While I would have loved to have thrown around more lightning, I figured what I really needed to do was to start trying to trim down on the tentacles with [Waterjet]. "Syl!" Pelopi shouted while currently brawling with some of the clawed tentacles. "[Frostclaw] me up! But just one!" We didn''t start the encounter with them as we weren''t sure if she''d need it. While her claws must have still been sufficient, she had grown fond of the magical ice variety and wanted at least one to cause mayhem with. I set Delta to cast and maintain one [Frostclaw] while I had my other Ice-aligned core, Theta, activate [Glacial Aura]. When [Frostclaw] was cast, the giant eyeball''s pupil immediately dilated and focused on Pelopi, and I felt a mental tug-of-war had started between Delta and the Eyedra. ''Innate spellcaster!'' I recalled Jet''s warning. ''Stupid eyeball, I''ll have you know I was trained by Trixie herself!'' I jumped in to help Delta and started to overwhelm the attacks against the spell. I longed to finally try out [Counter Magic] and see how I would stack up against an actual enemy, as after Trixie''s training, I had no opportunity to use it. Again, the eyeball seemed stupefied by what it was witnessing, and after I slapped its filthy mana hands away from my spell, it soon gave up. Or maybe I was personifying the eyeball too much? Either way, I hoped I showed it who the boss was. I ordered Delta to call for help if the spell came under attack again, as no doubt it would likely throw in some sneak attacks while it thought I was distracted. ''Everyone else, be on the lookout for any spells we can attack!'' I ordered. With that out of the way, I shifted my alignment to Water and began firing [Waterjet] spells to cut down the number of threats we needed to watch out for. Hopefully, the eyeball didn''t have regeneration or anything, and they would stay trimmed. The eyeball must have hated what I was doing as it sent a handful to directly assault me before I zipped away, thanks to [Thunder Step]. ''Man, I love this skill. As awesome as magic is, I wonder what I''m missing out on from the non-casters.'' I couldn''t help being curious. Eliza was making sure to use marble pillars as cover as she darted around the battlefield and occasionally threw out a variety of blackish blades and piercing spells. Ian was doing his job well and was being assailed by multiple tentacles of all varieties while she was sucking up the damage and trying to dish it back out. He was swinging his axe around with reckless abandon and a battle-frenzied grin. Occasionally, his axe would pass straight through an illusioned tentacle, but he took those in stride before swinging again. The Eyedra was relatively clever with its usage of intangibility as it would try its best to partially shift a tendril where either Pelopi''s claws or Ian''s axe would swing through. Pelopi would follow up any failed shredding with the [Frostclaw], while Ian would pivot into using the blue blade to rend through any ghostly shenanigans. Jet, true to his word, was not holding back. The man was like an undefined shadowy blur of a presence on the battlefield, and if not for the occasional volley of bolts being fired, I would''ve sworn he had left us. From where I saw his bolts land, he tried his best to target the eyestalk tentacles exclusively. Speaking of which, those mini-eyeballs were quite nasty and would cast relatively basic low-level spells from a wide variety of magical affinities. No big spells were being cast from them, and while I didn''t know the exact spells of the affinities I didn''t have, I presumed nothing went above second-level spells, as they matched the mana quantity of [Fire Arrow] and [Acid Dart] that was being flung around. It was like each eyeball tentacle was a poor man''s [Sub-Core], and I soon spotted that the color of the iris seemed to determine what spell affinity the tentacle could cast. ''Are we seriously fighting a bargain bin version of myself? Just with added illusions and ghostly bullshit instead of all my cool slime traits.'' I so desperately wished I could throw around some slime right now and assert my dominance over this crude impersonation. My cockiness backfired, and I must not have been random enough with my [Thunder Steps] as when I reappeared from my latest jump, the giant eyeball fired a beam of pure arcane energy directly at me. I threw up a [Aegis] spell, which shattered nearly instantly, then rapidly started throwing more and more behind one another to stop the arcane deathray. I sadly had no time to see if that was a spell or trait as the eyeball seemed to take my momentary distraction as the perfect chance to strike. Hidden eyestalks suddenly appeared with an entirely black iris. They reeked of Death mana, and suddenly, I felt a slow and draining pain in my core. ''A low-level [Death Magic] spell?'' I wondered. I cast [Arcane Armor] on my core directly, and the constant pain was more than halved. I was grateful they were limited to this basic spell. If they could just rip the life force right out of me, I would''ve been in some serious trouble. Not that I was going to let it slowly siphon me, as I quickly ordered Zeta and Kappa to remove those eyeballs with [Waterjet] while I kept defending myself. ''No idea how many spells you can [Multicast], but I''ve got my army of cores on my side!'' I would''ve loved to have said it was a flawless execution, but the Eyedra wouldn''t let me destroy its Death eyes without some struggle as they began to weave and dodge like slippery snakes. My surroundings darkened dramatically, and my shadow spread as if suddenly growing. Abruptly, a vaguely humanoid shape half-emerged and pulled out a crossbow from the shrouded pit. "Need a hand?" Jet''s familiar voice asked although it sounded strangely distorted. "I mean... If you''re offering," I responded. "I''ve got all eyes on me right now." Jet chuckled, although it sounded far from reassuring, thanks to his distorted voice, before firing a volley of bolts with pinpoint accuracy. When the Death eyes tried to be tricky with their evasion, he simply targeted their shadows, which ruptured the eyes into lifeless stumps. Between Jet and my two Water cores, soon all the ambushing eyes were dealt with moments before the giant arcane laser finally fizzled out. "Strike now while it has to recharge!" Jet''s voice echoed from every shadow within the room. Everyone flinched and spouted a variety of curses from sheer shock. "I''m glad he''s on our side..." I heard Eliza mutter before all three Misfits burst into action, and I happily joined them; it was time to turn the tables. Chapter 165 : Eyedra With Jet''s declaration, we had believed this was our moment to end the battle. Fueled by determination, we unleashed as a collective force, holding nothing back. Whether Jet''s knowledge was lacking or he had underestimated the boss monster, our chance was met with a ruthless counterattack. The remaining eyestalks tried to cast a barrage of spells to intercept; arrows of fire, darts of acid, balls of water, blades of wind, and shards of rock attempted to make an unrelenting barrage against us. Meanwhile, the tentacles with added appendages tried to stab, cut, shred, pincer, or even just body block if all else failed. Despite the mounting wounds, Ian remained an unstoppable force. His resilience was awe-inspiring as he shrugged off the repeated blows with seemingly little care. His toughness must have been off the charts, and he clearly had only one objective: to plant his shiny axe into the giant eyeball. ''Then again, he does have the utmost confidence in Eliza to keep him breathing.'' Pelopi, due to her choice of attack, was also forced to engage in melee, and unlike Ian, she couldn''t just barrel through. Instead, she started dodging and weaving while pouncing forward, even using some of the tendrils to vault herself further forward. The way her body contorted and flexed was shockingly impressive. ''She''s supposed to be a human, yet here she''s impressing me with her body control, and I''m a slime!'' With ample energy being siphoned from Ian, Eliza threw out black bolts like there was no tomorrow. It would have been funny if it manifested as her own black tentacles, but it seemed that if the damage source was too varied, that was the default fallback. Rather than trying to strike the central eye, she targeted the limbs that had abandoned any idea of self-preservation to stop the incoming adventurers. Jet was the luckiest of the bunch; being entirely ranged, he didn''t need to charge forward to deal damage. As I wondered what he would do while not holding back, it was answered as his own shadow lifted itself off the ground, and he casually tossed one of his spare crossbows. It nodded silently as if receiving an order and began its covering fire. The eyeball was desperate, throwing out illusions to stop the group. Lousy illusions. Who would honestly believe a flawless wall would suddenly appear in front of them without any source at all. The Eyedra was certainly no Fey with its attempted trickery. Pelopi and Ian charged through the illusions without hesitation, and neither Jet nor his shadow failed to hit their mark. That left me. Since its defenses were supposedly lowered and it was already debuffed, I began throwing out afflictions before the melee began. It would have been amazing if I could have sealed the deal with [Mana Burn], but the Eyedra had such vast quantities of mana that it was not a viable option. Still, every little bit of damage would help. Since I knew Pelopi would be engaging in melee and she was still armed with one [Frostclaw], I decided I''d use [Icicle] on the Eyedra since it would avoid collateral damage on the rest of the party. Perhaps we could build up enough freeze ailment together. But first, I opened up with a trusty [Fireball] spell so I could brag to Dewi the next time I saw him. The spell detonated in a spectacular explosion of blue flame that thankfully dispersed before Ian or Pelopi arrived. Sadly, its high magic resistance was clearly showing, and I couldn''t help but be a little disappointed in the lack of damage. This was further emphasized when I threw out a [Lightning Bolt] to see it almost disperse against a membrane of protective skin tightly covering the Eyedra. [Icicle] was more effective due to its more physical nature, but even that was quite disappointing. When Ian finally reached it and swung his axe, causing a huge bloody gash into the eye, easily outdoing all the cumulative damage I dealt to the central eye in a single hit, I couldn''t help but feel a little jealous. Pelopi also began slashing into it with unbridled feral ferocity. She even started growling and looking a lot more bestial with each swing of her claws. ''Guess this is their chance to shine. Oh well, I''ll start on tentacle cleanup duty then.'' I shifted most of my cores over to Lightning and ordered them to start casting [Conductive] on all tentacles in sight. Integrating it with [Lightning Rod] was still one of my proudest magical achievements, and I was going to have some fun. Swapping over to [Electro-Magnetic Sense], I looked for the largest cluster of now brightly glowing tentacles and began casting and firing an empowered [Chain Lightning] spell with glee. It. Was. Glorious! The bolt of lightning struck the tentacle, sparkling and crackling with overwhelming energy. It was fried into a charred husk before the spell bounced to the next nearest target. Between all the sparks and crackling thunder, it was like a miniature fireworks display was going off as the spell bounced around the room. When I spotted another juicy cluster, I wasted no time hurling out another spell to chain between the tentacles and wipe them out. The eyeball was covered in horrific wounds when it suddenly surged with arcane energy and released a shockwave, knocking everyone back. It began slowly floating upwards as interlocking hexagonal barriers started to form and surround it. Any remaining tentacles, even stumps, it had was retracted to within the safety of the barrier while it stared menacingly at us. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it. "Damn, guess we don''t have enough damage to kill it in one go." Jet grumbled in his still distorted voice. His shadow was trying to regain itself, but it looked far less substantial now. "My legs!" Ian began yelling in panic. We all stared at him as he tried to crawl away further away from the Eyedra. His legs looked roughed up but perfectly fine, yet he was yelling as if he was amputated. "Ian!" Eliza yelled at him. "Get a grip, it''s an illusion!" He blinked a few times, then reached down, sighing in relief as he touched them. "That was a cruel joke," Ian muttered. "Its illusions are terrible! I can''t believe you fell for that," Eliza commented in disbelief. Pelopi meanwhile charged back in and started slamming against the barrier, while the Eyedra kept consolidating its power and reinforcing its defenses. She let out a ferocious roar and then abruptly began to shift more and more. She swelled in size, her joints creaked and snapped, and her mouth twisted into a muzzle. It happened in mere moments, and her clothes ripped and tore away, and suddenly, she was replaced entirely with a massive brown bear. The only thing that remained beyond some torn scraps was the magical belt of strength, which had conveniently resized and strapped around the bear''s waist, and the slowfall cloak, which, against all belief, was somehow attached to her back. "Did she just turn into a bear?" I asked as I hurled another [Lightning Bolt] at the Eyedra, crashing against the barrier and barely destroying one hexagon, which was replaced by another. "Yes, it''s a thing she can do a limited amount of times per day," Eliza answered. "Focus, guys! We are so close to killing the thing!" Ian picked himself up and charged in again, slamming his axe against the barrier rather ineffectually. He rapidly swapped to the other enchanted side, but it couldn''t penetrate the barrier. Jet''s arrows also couldn''t damage the Eyedra now that it had bunkered down, as the bolt''s shadow failed to reach deep enough into the barrier. One of the few intact tentacles lashed out against Pelopi, who was raging and roaring against the barrier, but it squashed against the barrier and failed to go outward. Ian must have also noticed it, as he notified the rest of the party before me. "I think it''s trapped in its own barrier! We can''t get it, but it can''t get us." Jet stopped shooting, I couldn''t see his facial features, but I was pretty sure he was frowning. "So we have to wait it out until it runs out of Mana?" "The thing has barely touched its Mana; we might be here forever," I commented. "Ideas, people! We need ideas!" Eliza urged. "What''s the rush?" Ian commented. "It''s not like it can harm us while it''s being a coward." As if to directly disprove Ian''s words, a spell construct of pitch black death mana formed rapidly into a scythe. Instinctually, I reached out and seized it, tearing it to shreds with the full might of my eleven cores. The Eyedra could not hide its shock and pain from the resulting backlash. "What the hell was that!?" Eliza shouted, having clearly witnessed the spell forming. "Looks like it can cast spells outside the barrier," I answered. "I tore the spell to shreds." "Could you cast spells inside the barrier?" Jet immediately asked. "I can certainly try..." I replied. I knew it was risky since its mana aura was no doubt fully encompassing the barrier, but at worst, I would get some magical backlash. I attempted to cast [Ball Lightning] inside the barrier, but the Eyedra immediately focused on it, seized it, and tore it apart without even a second of hesitation. I thought it might have tried to tussle with me for a more detrimental outcome, but it seemed it was not confident in an extended [Counter Magic] battle against me. I winced at the magical backlash, and Eliza quickly threw out a healing spell on me. "When did you get so damaged?" Eliza asked with concern. "Some Death spell and then magical backlash," I answered. Eliza frowned and sighed. "Guess Death spells are another form of damage I can''t siphon... Wonderful." "Guess we are back to our stalemate," Ian grimaced. "On the plus side, if it tries to cast outside of its barrier, I''ll make it pay," I said. "We need a way to dispel through that damn barrier," Eliza said, chewing on her thumbnail with frustration. "Oh," I responded in shock. "I''ll try [Dispel]." "I thought you didn''t have it?" Eliza asked with an accusatory tone. "I actually got it after the cat boss..." I admitted. "It kind of slipped my mind with everything else going on." "Great!" Jet replied. "Everyone, get ready!" I began preparing to cast [Dispel], dumping a considerable dose of mana into it as I wasn''t entirely sure how much I would need. I had not used the spell and figured more would likely lead to a more favorable outcome. The Eyedra must have known what I was doing as it risked casting another spell behind me, the black scythe of death mana forming before my [Sub-Cores] grabbed it for me and shredded it with ruthless efficiency. Perhaps truly frantic, it attempted to cast two spells simultaneously, but again, my [Sub-Cores] jumped into action and ripped them apart. ''Haha! Thanks for the free level!'' I taunted in my head. ''Even without my help, it''s ten against one; you got no chance, you bloated eyeball.'' Finalizing the spell, I informed everyone; they all readied attacks, waiting for it to go off. Well, except for Pelopi, who was still mindlessly smashing against the barrier in her hulking bear form. The spell went off, and the barrier briefly dropped; everyone barely landed a single attack before being shunted backward, and the barrier returned. "Well... That kinda worked?" Ian said, rubbing his head. Pelopi roared in agreement. Or maybe in complaint? I had no idea; I wasn''t fluent in bear. ''Unless [Nature Commune] works? Does Pelopi count as a non-magical animal?'' I wondered. My curiosity couldn''t be contained, and so I tried it out. No response. I doubted Pelopi was dumber than that wolf I tried to speak to, so unfortunately, she must not have been a viable target. "So, do we just keep trying to kill it one hit at a time?" Eliza asked. "I''m surprised it reformed so quickly..." Ian grumbled. "It wasn''t fully destroyed." Jet answered. "What do you mean?" Ian asked. "I thought that was the point of [Dispel]? It destroys magic, right?" "If you totally overwhelm the spell, it does. Otherwise, it can briefly turn it off." Eliza answered. "That barrier is absolutely crazy, so I kind of doubt Syl can completely overpower it." "Hey..." I complained, feeling a tiny bit insulted. "No offense!" Eliza apologized. "So..." Ian said awkwardly. "Strategy session?" Everyone else agreed. I grumbled out mine, still feeling a little soured. Chapter 166 : Acidic Solutions "So... Any ideas?" Ian asked. If I had my way, we would just be smacking it between my [Dispels], but the others seemed reluctant. It would be a slow and steady way to victory since we could see the Eyedra was slowly regenerating over time. If I used a giant combination casting with all of my [Sub-Cores] and a massive chunk of my mana, I would be relatively sure I could just overpower the Eyedra''s reinforced barrier. Still, it would be an enormous display of power that I probably couldn''t explain away as "elf things." The Eyedra was more than happy to glare at us from its protective bubble and lick its wounds. Only occasionally attempting to cast a spell outside when it thought our guard was down before my [Sub-Cores] would shatter it. I had thought of seizing the spell and trying to drain the Eyedra that way, but that would also be a massive revelation that would be hard to explain away. The Eyedra also kept using [Death Magic], with which I had zero familiarity, furthering my hesitancy. What if I accidentally modified it, and it killed everyone in the room? "We need something to keep damaging it even while it hides away," Eliza replied. "We could try a poison or something, perhaps? Jet suggested. He had dropped his full shadow mode and was looking haggard. Whatever that was, it evidently took a lot out of him to do it for an extended period of time. ''Actually, everyone other than Pelopi and myself looks exhausted. I guess that''s why they aren''t happy about extending the fight out longer.'' "Poison or Acid could work..." I mumbled. "But the problem is its intangibility." "Actually, that might not be a problem. It''s been remaining tangible more often when I smack it with the blue blade." Ian said and proudly patted his axe. "It really hates the ghost-hitting enchantment for some reason." "So. Does our super magical elf assassin have some awesome poison for us?" Eliza asked teasingly. I paused to think. Ideally, I''d use Bloodrot [Poison Slime], but that would undoubtedly be an illegal substance. My other big option would be [Acid Slime], which would certainly cause tremendous damage to the Eyedra with its reduced defenses and its absurd potency. The only issue was how to deliver it, as even if I borrowed a potion vial or similar, I doubted it would survive the full extent of [Acid Slime LV 7]. While pretending to be lost in thought, I started experimenting inside of myself. I formed a potion bottle out of slime and primed it with [Nitro Slime] after filling its center with my highest concentration and density of [Acid Slime]. Unfortunately, the slime bottle melted, and all the slime rejoined inside me again. I grumbled in annoyance as I felt my [Sub-Cores] fend off another attempt of [Death Magic]. I needed [Acid Slime] to prevent the [Nitro Slime] from melting. Ideally, I''d just mix the two and be done with it, but I planned to have one of the others toss the bottle at the Eyedra, likely Jet, who could no doubt do it perfectly hidden once the Eyedra became tangible. I was extremely worried that handing a bottle literally made out of [Acid Slime] would likely melt their flesh, even if it was in a primed state. I repeated the process again, but this time, I coated the inside of the slime bottle with a mix of [Nitro Slime] and [Acid Slime] and primed both. The final result was a bottle outside of [Nitro Slime], a full container of maximum [Acid Slime], and the mix layered between. Sloshing the bottle around, I noted that the primed mixture successfully contained it, and there seemed to be no interaction between the two primed layers. Happy with the result, I pulled it out from my "bag" and held it up for the others to witness. "I really didn''t want to use this..." I lied. "But this is an extremely powerful non-magical acid." I swished the bottle around, letting the contents swirl. The fake bottle was semi-transparent, while the acidic contents were bright green. Jet whistled, sounding quite impressed. "Is that... Green slime?" Eliza asked, frowning. "Something like that..." I answered reluctantly. "I''m shocked it hasn''t melted that bottle into goop," Jet replied. "If it''s as powerful as you say it is, there''s not much that can keep green slime contained." "Which is why I''m extremely reluctant to use this." I lied again, hoping it sounded reasonable. "No doubt. I bet an alchemist would try to rob you for it." Jet chuckled. "Indeed..." I grumbled uncomfortably and presented the bottle to Jet. "Ian makes it tangible; you throw the bottle at it." Jet hesitantly accepted the bottle. I admittedly was a little nervous about him touching it, but there were no adverse effects. "Well, I like that plan." Jet grinned. "Me too." Ian agreed. Pelopi roared. Everyone took their positions while the Eyedra glared cautiously at us. Jet disappeared, and I could only tell his positioning thanks to my ability to pinpoint my primed slime. From what I could discern, he seemed to bounce around the room from shadow to shadow until settling directly under Pelopi. The man was literally hiding in her shadow. I prepped my [Dispel] again, throwing more mana into it and pulling in two [Sub-Cores] for a boost, hoping to give them a bigger opportunity window. If Ian threatened the Eyedra enough with his axe, it would hopefully stay corporeal long enough for the acid to do its work. The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. Like clockwork, the Eyedra again attempted to stop me. I had my [Sub-Cores] hold the spell hostage until I destroyed it in coordination with my casting of [Dispel]. Once again, its barrier flickered out, and it reeled back in pain from the magical backlash. Ian wasted no time in planting his axe straight into the monster. Ian was completely correct. The Eyedra dropped its ethereal nature within seconds of the first blow, not wanting to take the second by any means. Jet appeared and flung the acid bottle with utter precision. Using my control over the primed slime, I flipped a mental switch and set it to detonate on contact. The bottle tapped the back of the Eyedra and immediately exploded, showering the creature with acidic contents. If the stupid eye had a mouth, I bet it would have been screaming as the acid had done immense damage, practically turning its entire rear into bloody goop in rapid haste. Jet leaped in withdrawal before firing a few crossbow bolts, screaming curses while he did so. Pelopi also let out a concerned howl before stumbling backward, clearly not wanting to go anywhere near the rapidly melting flesh. ''Thank goodness I set the [Nitro Slime] to the absolute minimum explosion... Otherwise, I might have coated them in acid.'' "I can''t believe that was in my hand!" Jet shouted. "It was that volatile! And you were just casually keeping it in your bag!" Pelopi made a grunting bear sound, clearly in full agreement with Jet''s assessment. "It was only a little acid..." I mumbled. The Eyedra started returning to its ethereal state, preferring the axe to the acid. Luck or fortune must have been on our side, as its reforming barrier was nowhere in sight; perhaps it lost its concentration. Ian was ready and waiting to land blow after blow with his blue enchantment, letting out victorious shouts with each blow landed. Whatever remained of the acid slime was now eating into the floor, so Pelopi charged in to start clobbering the Eyedra with her [Frostclaw]. However, she only got in a few more hits before Ian sealed the deal, and with a mighty blow, when he cleaved into the Eyeball, it burst into ghostly energy. <7 Trait Points are now available.> <8 Trait Points are now available.> ''Well... At least my evolution debt is paid off now.'' ''Hidden quest? Is that how you''re going to give it to me?'' I wondered. ''Interesting that it wants me to leave the dungeon? Is that so I can''t try to extort another slime from this one?'' "We did it!" Ian shouted in victory. "We did it!" Eliza joined in. "I''m not even mad that I didn''t get to hit it at the end!" Pelopi roared and started nudging Eliza. "Right... Clothes... " Eliza sighed and started heading behind a pillar with Pelopi in tow. Jet looked a mixture of happy, concerned, and upset as he gestured toward the melted hole in the floor. "I don''t know whether to be glad we killed it or angry that you had something that dangerous lying around." Jet grumbled. "I don''t want to know how you got it; just please tell me you don''t have more of it sitting in your bag." "I definitely don''t have more in my bag," I responded. Technically, this was true since it wasn''t in my bag; it was me. Jet looked skeptical but sighed, shaking his head. "I just hope it''s safely secured if you do have more." "Well, it explains why Syl took so long to decide on the idea," Ian added as he joined the conversation. "She must have been extremely reluctant to use such a powerful one-time tool." "True... Anyway, let''s claim our final chest. I want to be out of this damn dungeon right after." Jet responded as he started walking to the back of the room, where a large, ornately decorated chest awaited. Ian nodded but snuck me a quick wink and thumbs up before following after Jet. "At least the dungeon isn''t being skimpy on our final reward..." Jet admitted before looking over the chest. Surprisingly, he discovered a single trap on the chest, linked to a micro-crossbow hidden within the fake lock. He disarmed the trap with relative ease and then dismantled and removed the micro-crossbow. He was eagerly examining it as he muttered to himself. "I bet I could get this as a wrist mount..." Jet said, barely hiding his enthusiasm. "Reloading it would be a bitch, but if I had it coated with a poison or something, it would be great for emergencies..." "Forget your toy!" Ian complained. "What about the loot?" Inside the chest was a crossbow, although unenchanted and made of a strange wood that made Jet curious. There was also a set of hide armor, which came in a stunning bright orange with black stripes, enchanted with self-repair and size-changing. The inside was also full of various coin denominations, although the vast bulk seemed to be silver rather than gold to make up a more impressive quantity. Finally, there was the true prize, a ring of pure black metal with three individual transparent gems arranged in a triangular formation on the large setting. <[Ring of Spell Storing].> "Bloody hells." Jet said when he spotted the ring. Each tiny gem held an identical intricate spherical enchantment that I hastily ordered all of my [Sub-Cores] to save the blueprint. Once again, it was beyond my [Rune Reading] level, but the name given by [Appraisal] was rather self-explanatory. "Does it do what it says on the tin?" I asked Jet since he seemed to have some idea. "Yes. You cast a spell into the ring, which is saved in one of the gems. This one has three sockets and is a very good find." Jet explained. "Oh? How big is the range?" I asked with genuine curiosity. At the same time, I examined the ring from different angles to ensure my cores were recording every minute detail. "Lowest is one, highest I''ve heard about is six." Jet answered. "High-ranking nobles love them; they usually store them with an offensive and healing spell." "That sounds perfect for Eliza..." Ian mumbled. "Assuming she can store one of her healing spells, she''d have an emergency heal in case her Holy pool is empty." "An excellent idea." Jet agreed. "But..." Ian said with a little dismay. I noticed he was looking at me, and I pieced together his concern. "Don''t worry, I don''t want it." I chuckled and gave a reassuring smile. "It''s fascinating from a magical perspective, but I don''t think I''d have much use in storing a spell." ''Well... At least in ring form...'' I admitted to myself. ''If I could find a way to replicate this spherical enchantment on a core, or perhaps even slime when I get my silver core, then who knows what possibilities there are.'' Ian looked relieved and then a little guilty. "Are you sure? You''ve not exactly gotten much loot from this dungeon for yourself." "Ian''s right." Jet admitted. "You took a dagger for your friend, but otherwise, there''s been nothing for you." ''Well... My real prize was the orange slime core.'' Not that they know about that. "What are you talking about?" I smiled mischievously. "I got this amazing hat." Both of them blinked in confusion, staring hard at the hat. "I honestly forgot about the hat..." Jet admitted. "Same..." Ian agreed. "Well, if it makes you feel any better, just let me witness both storing and using a spell from the ring a few times for educational purposes," I said. "That''s more than reasonable." Ian smiled and then burst into laughter. "Hell, I bet Eliza will beg you to store a [Lightning Bolt] in the damn ring!" "I understand completely," I said, giving a finger flourishing of sparks. "I''ve been finding Lightning very addictive." Chapter 167 : Stunning Advice Pelopi and Eliza eventually joined the rest of us, the former now wearing a new set of clearly disposable clothing. We brought both of them up to speed and started discussing the loot distribution. Pelopi was quite disappointed with the loot on display until I pointed out that the hide armor was good for her since it held self-repair and resizing. I was glad to repurpose the advice I had received from Simon. I hadn''t bothered to invest in it, opting for most of my attire, other than my salamander leathers, to be pure slime for now. Pelopi was hesitant to try out the armor with some partial beast shifting, not wanting to ruin the attire until I pointed out that even in the worst-case scenario, if she slightly damaged it, the outfit would repair over time. The childlike glee on her face was quite the sight when she found the outfit freely expanded to match her shifting. Jet took the mundane crossbow, some coin, and the trap crossbow, which was not technically a reward, but he seemed to be counting it. Ian obviously didn''t want anything and even said he''d forfeit some of his portions to pay for Eliza''s ring. He was quite happy with his axe. Nothing really caught my eye outside of what I had already taken, although the Misfits had sort of forced the [Cloak of Slowfall] onto me. Eliza argued that if I used it in combination with [Thunder Step], I could safely glide without worrying about gravity and rain death down on monsters below me. It felt like a waste for me since I had wings and could fly, but that was not true for Syl the Elf, so I reluctantly accepted it. Eliza was absolutely thrilled with the ring and immediately sought to confirm that it worked with her type of magic. Luckily, her Holy pool hadn''t completely drained yet, so she rapidly tested out a few spells. It was a complete success, and I got to witness the enchantment in action very directly. As Ian predicted, Eliza immediately asked me if I could store two [Lightning Bolt] spells for her. I had asked if she wouldn''t prefer [Chain Lightning], but Ian practically screamed his objection. Jet also cited safety concerns, and Eliza very reluctantly agreed. I had to wear the ring to store a spell, but other than that restriction, it was easily intuitive. I stored and cast a few spells, trying to further investigate the enchantment where possible. A rather neat feature was that the clear crystal gem that housed the enchantment would glow when it stored a spell, and its glow color was related to the spell''s affinity. Needless to say, Eliza tried out a few [Lightning Bolt] spells herself, which I happily refilled. Perhaps we were excessive in our testing and tomfoolery, or I was just that close after using [Lightning Magic] so often, as I received a rather sudden notification during our fun. <[Lightning Magic LV 5] spell [Stunvolt] learned.> ''So [Lightning Magic] also has its own ailment!'' I thought excitedly. From what I could tell from the spell, it inflicted the [Stunned] ailment, temporarily preventing the receiver from moving. Unlike any other ailment, though, its duration was minuscule, and if I understood it correctly, even if fully boosted, it would not exceed a few seconds. "Something wrong?" Eliza asked. "Oh, sorry, I just got a new spell..." I replied, realizing I must have stood there utter silence. "Is it better than [Chain Lightning]?" Eliza asked curiously, unable to hide a clearly mischievous grin. "Eliza... No..." Ian cautioned. I cast the new spell and watched my hand begin to spark at an extreme frequency, accompanied by a loud buzzing-ticking sound. Compared to [Lightning Bolt], it seemed different and was a blueish-purple color. Jet suddenly leaped backward, cursing and swearing up a storm. "Gods!" He shouted, recovering from his panic. "You scared the life right out of me." "Sorry?" I said, unsure. Jet seemed to recover and shook his head. "No... No, it''s not your fault. It''s Lisa''s." "Explain?" Eliza asked. "That spell," Jet pointed harshly at my hand. "Lisa thought it was a hilarious prank to use it on us since it didn''t deal damage. Needless to say, I''ve been... Conditioned to react a little uncouth due to it." "Yeesh. Glad I''m not in your party." Pelopi expressed. "How bad can it be?" Ian said, shrugging. Jet gave a dark chuckle. "Be my guest..." "Ian... You''re almost fireproof, not lightningproof." Eliza replied. "What? Jet said it doesn''t deal damage." Ian said, turning to me. "Right, Syl?" I nodded. "No damage, but it inflicts [Stunned] ailment." "Ailment is putting it lightly..." Jet understandably grumbled. "One minute you''re minding your own business, the next you hear that noise followed by a poke in the back." Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. "I had no idea Lisa was such a prankster..." I replied. "Not that I don''t believe you, but it seems so out of image from my interactions with her." "The Guild Master role definitely mellowed her out... Moderately." Jet replied. "But trust me, that dangerous prankster side lurks beneath, waiting for me to drop my guard." "Enough talk." Ian declared. "Stun me!" I poked him. The blueish-purple energy immediately discharged straight into him. Ian immediately yelled out and collapsed onto the ground like a puppet tangled in its own strings, his limbs twitching a bit. Pelopi burst out laughing, as did Eliza, but Jet was just nodding sagely. "I warned you..." Jet said, smirking. Ian shook his head frantically as he slowly stood up, his legs wobbling. "Okay... I understand and fully agree... That spell is just evil..." "It''s the sound that gets me..." Jet shuddered. We were ready to leave after everyone rested and the loot was distributed. Eliza also returned my mana regeneration ring to me; I wished I could have given it to her, but I didn''t want to potentially anger the Golemancer, whom I planned on visiting after the dwarves. We headed towards the now-open door at the back of the room, and looking inside, we saw a spiral staircase leading straight up. "This the exit?" Pelopi asked eagerly. "Yup. Thankfully, this isn''t one of the dungeons you''re forced to backtrack through," Jet explained. "Some of the really big ones even have a teleport to the exit." "Thank the gods. I don''t think I could handle going through the illusion floor again," Ian admitted. We all easily agreed to that and began our slow ascent towards the exit. "So... While I''ve got you all here and there''s nothing better to do, how about I give you all some individual evaluation?" Jet offered. "Really?" Eliza asked. "That''s awfully nice of you." "I mean... It is my job." Jet answered. "And we have a long walk ahead of us..." "Yes, please!" Pelopi immediately agreed. "I''d love some advice from a Gold-rank guild staff," Ian said excitedly. "Great. We''ll start with Pelopi since she responded first." Jet started. "You''ve got great battle awareness, and your energy and enthusiasm are unrivaled. You quickly dispatch foes and move on to the next target with minimal downtime." "I would''ve recommended getting some more animal shifts, but that already seems to be your priority, so I''ll say you should try giving some more attention to some magic." "As Syl demonstrated, there are other uses for magic, and if you could add some magic claws or even some crowd control via some plants or vines, I think you''d add a lot more to your versatility." Pelopi nodded, although she looked like she had been fed a lemon with that last statement. "Ian. You''re the party tank, and you fulfill the role tremendously well. You take the damage and dish it back out, and your self-immolation style to work in tandem with your dedicated healer is outstanding teamwork." "My suggestion, although I''m pretty sure you''re aware of it, is that you''re rapidly becoming fireproof, although it seems your class has given you an extremer flame to compensate for that. I don''t know how that will work out when you reach immunity, as that tends to be very cut and dry." "My one issue with your style is that there are some attacks you just cannot take. Right now, you throw yourself into the damage, and I worry that when you need to tank an opponent that needs to be avoided or blocked, you could end up in a dire situation. That shield bracer is a start, although you seemed to have forgotten it existed after you got your shiny new axe." Ian facepalmed and groaned in frustration. "Damn it! I completely forgot about the bracer!" "Eliza... Your class is the most absurd of the bunch, and that''s putting it lightly. I''ve never witnessed a healer that heals through damage, but I have to say it was fascinating. The cooperation and teamwork between you and Ian are enviable, and I applaud the kill-it-quickly fighting style." "I won''t rehash what I said about Ian''s eventual fireproofing, but just be aware of it as that was your most reliable source. Your new ring has thankfully shored up your biggest weakness; your Holy pool being empty at the start of a fight." "I wish I could give you some solid or confirmed advice, but because your class is so unknown to me, I can only make suggestions. I hope they bear fruit for you in the future... The most pressing thing would be to learn more thoroughly what you cannot siphon, as demonstrated in our last fight where Syl was left damaged, unbeknown to you. The other suggestion would be to investigate further into what spells you can cast from your Holy pool. Buffs come to mind, but even things such as regeneration spells or area healing could be ideal focus areas." Eliza nodded. "Thanks, I''ll definitely look into both." "Syl. Your class is terrifyingly adaptable and potent; it is a textbook example showing that not all classes, even on the same tier, are equal. I genuinely wish we had more people like you to show youngsters not to rush to their first advanced class, and I''m so glad that none of the Misfits have picked one yet." "Your debuffs alone would be enough to put you on any party, but you also can capitalize on those yourself and brutally target weaknesses. I really liked how you were willing to help Pelopi out; I just wish you had offered something sooner. You''re a bit of a lone wolf, and it shows." "Now, there''s nothing strictly wrong with that, and I''d honestly say you''re already better than the average solo temp I''ve worked with. So, take it more as an advisement than a criticism. Notably, on your offensive side, you could have suggested some tactics for some of your more collateral spells to shine, like [Fireball] and [Chain Lightning]." "The Eyedra gave you a bit of a struggle with its high magic resistance, but honestly, if you''re in a party, you should rely on others to cover that weakness for you. I''m most assuredly not going to tell you to be a master mage and warrior." Jet paused and scratched his chin. "Actually... Yeah, that''s something to work on; rely on others a little more. Assuming you actually desire to join more parties in the future anyway." I paused to let his advice sink in. It was definitely true and solid advice, assuming I was just a mage. Obviously, in reality, my fallback would be my slime. Still, it was true that I felt myself holding back, perhaps a little too much, and I should have coordinated a bit more so I could throw around [Chain Lightning] without needing a massive setup with [Conductive]. But what truly had me thinking was Jet''s last comment. Did I want to be in parties in the future? While my time with the Misfits was pleasant, I enjoyed being fully open and myself in my adventures with Trixie. Although I''d hardly say Trixie and I had much teamwork in that regard, as in actual combat, her biggest contribution was making my [Icicle] spells invisible. ''Well, once I''ve got my silver core, I can reevaluate how much I want to moonlight as an adventurer. The solo work definitely still suits me.'' We all continued chatting and sharing random thoughts and advice, thanks to Jet''s icebreaker. Overall, it was a pleasant group conversation that helped pass the time ascending the massive staircase. We eventually reached the end, where it was blocked by a hatch; opening it, we were welcomed by the fading afternoon sunlight. "Sunlight and fresh air!" Pelopi joyously exclaimed. "Dungeon officially complete!" Eliza said happily. "And now we can celebrate the night away!" Ian cheered. "The gods know I need a stiff drink..." Jet sighed. It certainly sounded like it would be a night of festivities. Chapter 168 : Farewell and a Letter A serpentine body coiled up as it watched the latest group exit the dungeon. A sigh of relief escaped from its mandible mouth. "To think I was threatened by a slime..." The horrific amalgamation muttered. "At least it was restrained by its disguise. When I encountered it, it tore through my dungeon unabated." A skeletal voice replied from a shimmering image. "You know I don''t respond well to threats, Simon." It snapped back. "And it''s your fault it has that damnable Emblem." "Regrettably, our hands are tied. It''s the pet project of one of the gods." "Yes... And what a strange project it is... The one silver lining is the next Dungeon Master who comes across that pest is in for a nasty surprise." The strange creature started to chortle maniacally. "I would have thought you might have been pleased to see another chimeric monster," Simon said slightly mockingly. "You could even claim to be its distant cousin." "Yes... Just like you are related to those mindless zombies." The creature retorted, once again clicking its mandibles. "Your body parts can even be pulled off." "Now, now. It was just a joke. Besides, at least you haven''t encountered the dragon," Simon responded. "Word on the grapevine is that it practically destroyed Juniper''s entire dungeon." "A dragon... Honestly, what were they thinking... Although that''s hardly an accomplishment, her dungeon is just one giant tree. Of course, it would burn down," Its mandibles clicked together as it paused. "I think the slime is potentially far worse with its growth potential." "I''ll agree there. From the report you sent me, I see it''s drastically shot up in power since I last encountered it." "And now it''s armed with the power of an orange slime... So much for the restrictions of not letting dungeon slimes ever escape." Simon chuckled. "Well, at least it''s not our problem anymore. You could almost say we both got off lightly." "Indeed... I find myself looking forward to hearing what becomes of our coworkers in the future." *** It was interesting that as soon as we left the hatch exit for the dungeon, it immediately shut and vanished as if it no longer existed. [Tremor Sense] even showed me that the entire tunnel was being sealed away. ''Who knew Dungeon Masters could do such rapid landscaping?'' It was a little concerning that the Dungeon Master could extend its influence beyond what would be officially considered the dungeon. Could they, in theory, spawn monsters above ground if they so wished? I had to believe they didn''t because of rules and restrictions set by the gods. We were only a short jog away from the encampment, and we did so triumphantly. The Misfits were extremely proud of themselves and glamouring in the attention, while Jet and I were happy to be in the shadows. Sadly, unlike Jet, I couldn''t literally hide in the shadows, and this Elf persona was far too noticeable. ''When I make another disguise, I''m certainly taking a page from Sylvester''s book. I wonder how feasible it would be to get a Dwarf profile? If the Dwarves have criminals, I could sign up for some bounty-hunting and get one that way. Dwarven warrior? Alchemist or Blacksmith, maybe?'' We headed to the Guild''s tent and reported our success. During this time, we also dumped all our loot that we weren''t keeping and recorded what had already been distributed. I was relieved that the Guild took charge of selling and redistributing the spoils, as getting involved directly with money was the last thing I wanted to do. There was a lot of open transparency where each member would receive a report, and you could raise a formal dispute if you were unhappy with the result, but it sounded like it was far too much work for me. I could just go hunt some more monsters and earn money that way; no need to penny-pinch. As was clearly custom for adventurers, our group started partaking in copious amounts of alcohol. Even Jet, who was supposed to be a staff member, was chugging like a champion. When Ian was intoxicated enough, he started bragging about our dungeon adventure to the entire tent and giving his own boastful retelling of our encounters. Occasionally, Eliza corrected him; other times, the listeners turned to Jet as if looking for confirmation of the tall tale. Other parties who had witnessed an illusion floor were shocked at the ruthlessness the dungeon had thrown at us. Apparently, their encounters usually involved just a few additional fake monsters thrown into the mix as a distraction or a goblin disguised as an orc. The highlight of the retelling was clearly our boss battles, and the audience gasped when we mentioned fighting an Eyedra. We continued late into the night, and when things started to settle down, I was propositioned by the Misfits. I had expected them to offer me a spot in their group, so I politely turned it down, citing my goals to head towards the Dwarven Empire now that I had completed my task. This was where I discovered that Pelopi was a clingy drunk. She started holding onto my arm, refusing to let go, and nearly sobbing while begging me to stay with them. Despite the heartbreaking scene, I had to firmly decline, although I threw in the notion that if our paths crossed again, I''d be more than willing to join their party again. It cheered her up a bit, and thankfully, Eliza pointed out that their group needed to get to Gold first. Unlike myself, they still had some more quest requirements to fulfill. When it was finally time to leave, we said our farewells for the evening. Pelopi was still somewhat snotty and teary, but she gave me an almost crushing hug. Eliza and Ian gave me high-fives and then wandered to their tent. Jet approached me, looking almost miraculously more sober than moments ago. "I bet you''re going to disappear in the morning." I gave a small smile. "Guilty... I''m not a fan of saying goodbye." Jet chuckled before replying. "No, don''t worry, I understand. I already had my initial evaluation sent through Bert. Lisa can promote you as soon as you get back, and you can be on your journey with Thern." "Thanks, Jet. I appreciate it." "No problem. Hiccups aside, it was a fun dungeon run, and it reminded me of my glory days." "You''re starting to sound like Roderick." He shrugged. "I made Gold; that was my end goal. I hope the climb beyond doesn''t scare you off." "I guess we''ll see..." I replied, unsure of what exactly to say. "Take care, Syl. Enjoy the Dwarves, I''m sure you''ll fit right in with how you handle your booze." Jet said, chuckling to himself as he walked off. "Take care, Jet. Thanks for showing up." Walking off into the night, I found myself a safe haven to burrow into, making sure I was well outside of what I assumed was the dungeon''s reach. I burrowed down and withdrew my glorious bedtub before blobbing out entirely. *** As sleep overcame me, I found myself floating in my mind. It was slightly similar to the void I had grown used to where I had conversed with Gramps. Abruptly, numerous textboxes appeared before me, stacked neatly like multiple reams of paper. The front textbox was clearly a letter addressed to me, so I started reading it. ''Thanks Gramps! Also, is he encouraging me to try to exploit more dungeons? I mean... I was going to anyway, as I don''t think I''d get pink slime any other way. Unless I go rob royalty.'' I mentally waved the textbox away, and it flew off before dispersing into motes of light. The next textbox was immediately recognizable, a slime evolution profile, and I eagerly started reading. ''Interesting... Being able to change my weight would be interesting. I could have everything at maximum density and then just reduce my weight. Conversely, a heavy-weight [Slime Shot] could be interesting?'' ''Interesting... So the dwarves have Silver, and the Elves have Brown. While I don''t think I''d care about the ability to make fertilizer, I have to assume this would give me access to [Nature Magic]. Although... If their ability to more efficiently process plants into slime mass is a trait, then that might be very valuable for me now that I no longer have [Mana Conversion].'' ''Harmless? Friendly? Pet? And they can GLOW? What is even in glowing when traits like [Dark Vision] exist? The only reason I don''t write off this entire slime is to complete my collection and in the hope that it could possibly offer me [Light Magic].'' ''Rarer than a pink slime? Unknown uses? Enchanting and Alchemy? It sounds intriguing, but... I can''t even think of an affinity this one might give me. Also, it sounds like unless I make a deal with another Dungeon Master, I have no hopes of finding one?'' ''Uh... Gramps? Seriously? I mean, unfortunately, I do agree, but seriously?'' ''Holy shit! Jackpot! Well, unless that last line is true... If it is a coreless slime, can I even integrate it? But draining lifeforce sounds really good, and basically, it''s like that [Death Magic] spell the Eyedra was casting on me. It''s also weak to Holy, so I have to assume it would have a Death affinity... It''s very odd that they work in a swarm together; I presume that''s just the Dungeon Master controlling multiple of them as that''s very unslimelike.'' When I dismissed the final textbox, the world started to darken, and I found myself drifting off into true slumber. Another leg of my journey was finally complete, and I couldn''t wait to see what awaited me in the Dwarven Empire. New people to meet, a new core to acquire, and likely new monsters to fight and eat. Not to mention my possible reunion with Trixie. One thing was for sure; I would have a slime of a time. Name: Syl [Nature''s Bane] Race: Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) LV 1 Class: Elementalist LV 4 Status: Healthy Mana: Overflowing Emblems: [Experiment] [Apex Hunter] [Elven Legacy] [Dungeoneer] [Nature''s Bane]* [Manhunter] Traits: Slime: [Mana Slime LV 11] [Acid Slime LV 7] [Poison Slime LV 6] [Blaze Slime LV 6] [Cryo Slime LV 7] [Voltaic Slime LV 6] [Nitro Slime LV 6] [Morph Slime LV 8] [Pseudopod LV 7] [Slime Shot LV 7] [Vaporize Slime] Core: [Core Collective LV 8] [Core Storage LV 6] [Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5] [Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Eta LV 5] [Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Theta LV 5] [Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] [Sub-Core Iota LV 5] [Sub-Core Zeta LV 5] [Sub-Core Kappa LV 5] Mimic: [Chimeric Mimicry LV 7] [Chroma Shift LV MAX] [Consuming Osmosis LV MAX] Mana: [Mana Circulation LV 7] [Mana Reinforcement LV 7] [Mana Infusion] Attributes/Other: [Soul Mastery LV 7] [Enhanced Vitality LV 5] [Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 5] [Curse Resistance LV 2] [Illusion Resistance LV 3] [Sonic Resistance LV 1] [Prodigy] Senses: [Olfactory Sense] [Dark Vision LV MAX] [Mana Conception LV 6] [Life Sight LV 4] [Thermal Vision LV MAX] [Eagle Vision LV 3] [Electro-Magnetic Sense LV 4] [Tremor Sense LV 2] Trait Points remaining: 8 Skills: General: [Universal Language] [Equipment Swap] [Dissection LV 7] [Mapping LV 5] [Tracking LV 2] [Identify LV 6] [Multitasking LV 5] [Perception LV 4] [Aerial Finesse LV 4] [Thunder Step LV 4] [Companion Bond] Combat: [Tranquil Flow LV 5] [Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 7] [Affliction Mastery LV 6] [Exploit Weakness LV 4] Magic: [Water Magic LV 5] [Fire Magic LV 5] [Corrosion Magic LV 5] [Ice Magic LV 5] [Arcane Magic LV 4] [Lightning Magic LV 5] [Mana Manipulation LV 6] [Magic Efficiency LV 5] [Counter Magic LV 4] [Elemental Shift LV 5] [Elemental Adaptation] [Ritual Casting] [Mana Suppression] [Meditate] Sneaky: [Vanish LV 6] [Assassinate LV 6] [Identity Fabrication LV 6] [Acting LV 5] [Rogue Expertise LV 4] [Magical Subterfuge LV 4] [Subtle Afflictions] Skill Points remaining: 13 Profession: Enchanting: [Rune Reading LV 6] [Rune Engraving LV 1] [Rune Framework LV 7] [Rune Tracing LV 5] [Rune Design LV 3] [Runecrafting LV 2] [Rune Inspection LV 5] [Rune Filigree LV 3] [Rune Repair LV 2] [Brand] Profession Points Remaining: 0 Chapter 169 : Returning I woke up feeling refreshed and ready for the day, but my mind was still relatively buzzing with the information I had received from Gramps. While I was eager to capitalize on seeking out the other types of slime, that would have to wait until after the Dwarves and I got my tendrils all over that delicious silver slime core. Reluctantly crawling out of my bathtub, I stored it away and began to exit safely to the surface. ''I''m sure Thern will want to leave almost immediately. However, there''s a brief stop I want to take before I head back to Kaerlin...'' I was about to [Thunder Step] away when I realized I''d probably be waking up a bunch of hungover adventurers¡ªit was barely sunrise, after all¡ªand decided to shift into a griffin and soar into the air. [Aerial Finesse] combined with [Enchanted Wings] was a blessed way to travel, and I happily soared through the sky. ''Man, I missed flying... I must figure out a good excuse for my persona to fly.'' I abruptly realized that I still had my giant hat to worry about, which would be detrimental to my monstrous disguises. However, when I looked at it, I noticed it had already transformed into a very subtle, small hairclip, barely visible and clipped securely behind one of my ears. ''I keep forgetting this hat exists... I definitely didn''t change it myself, but if it responds to my intent, then it''s a little more useful than I realized. Although other than being transforming headwear, I still don''t know if it has a beneficial effect.'' Once sufficiently away, I started to add [Thunder Step] while in flight. My top speed was significantly improved, although the backlash was fierce when I chained one too many jumps. ''I really wish [Voltaic Slime] was a higher level...'' I consulted my [Mapping] and saw that Glimmerock was, regrettably, a great distance away. Trying to take a small detour to attempt another yellow slime hunt just wasn''t feasible unless I wanted to further risk Thern leaving me behind. Sighing to myself, I continued my journey towards Stantondale, ensuring that any large multi-chain jumps were safely discharged into the ground. Combining flying with [Thunder Step] shaved off almost two days of travel time despite the greater distance to Stantondale than Kaerlin. However, that was also with a higher level [Thunder Step] skill, which meant I could do far longer chains, so my rough mental calculation was a guesstimate at best. I also caught and ate a few wild monsters I spotted on the way. While it felt like bullying, and the experience was clearly not worth mentioning, I wanted to build up a bit of a reserve of slime mass. My latest acquisition, [Nitro Slime], was simply amazing, and I wanted to try it out in various ways and see what it was capable of. However, I would require sufficient slime mass to do this, as the trait utterly destroyed the slime when it detonated. It was a fascinatingly powerful trait, and a few monsters on the way fell victim to my experiments. One of my most nefarious experiments was when I made a tiny bunny and primed it to hold its form, then left it on the ground near an unsuspecting wolf. I would have thought the bunny''s utterly lifeless and frozen state would have made the wolf suspicious, but it wasted no time in savagely biting on the fake bunny, which then detonated. ''While leaving explosive traps behind is one thing, my ability to mimic and disguise the bombs as something else is frighteningly powerful. Gods... Imagine if I could move them? I could make homing bombs, like tiny pigeons, to fly at a target before detonating.'' During the evenings, I spent some time looking into [Stunvolt]; the obvious application would be to see if I could add the stunning concept to my other spells or create a greater affliction effect like I had with [Frostbite]. I wasn''t exactly sure how that would work because of the short duration of the stunned ailment. Freezing something was basically a finisher; not much could survive the final stage of the ailment, whereas stunning was rather easy to apply but extremely short-lived. ''Perhaps rather than a build-up, I could work on it by applying the condition periodically. Then it would stun the target briefly every few seconds? Would that work?'' It was definitely something worth exploring. *** When I neared Stantondale, I halted all [Thunder Step] usage and stuck to flying high in the sky, trying my best to blend into the background by maximizing my transparency. By the time I had officially arrived, it was late afternoon, so I spent some time casually waiting and practicing my sustained flight and [Eagle Vision]. I patiently waited until the evening approached, watching the people go about their final day activities from the sky. ''It''s slightly horrifying to think they have no idea I''m here... If I were a crazy monster, what would be able to stop me from flying over the town and dropping [Nitro Slime] bombs on them? Which... Is what dragons apparently do to kill anyone who awakens their bloodline... Yikes.'' Once sufficiently dark, I shifted into a small blue slime form and slowly descended as stealthily as possible. Once I landed, I hid my wings away and threw my magic hat into storage. The fact that it could be easily thrown into storage gave me comfort over the strange item supposedly soulbound to me. ''To think I''m back here again...'' I thought, feeling slightly nostalgic as I watched the slimes bouncing around me. Their numbers had greatly replenished since my last feast, and it seemed the humans had grown tired of them being feasted on. There was also now a rudimentary fence surrounding their extremely large enclosure. The fence wouldn''t stop any slimes from escaping, but evidently, the hope was that it would keep any predators out. This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it Looking through my profiles, I borrowed the [Telepathy (Lesser)] and attempted to contact one of the blue slimes. Silence. I tried reaching out to others, but there was nothing. Not even a hint of a thought. I even tried keeping contact with one while I produced some food for it, but other than greedily devouring it from my hand, there was not even a hint of a thought. ''I''m really beginning to understand why Trixie couldn''t believe I was a slime...'' Focusing on [Companion Bond], I tried to see if I could establish a link that way. I had never used the skill before, so I wasn''t sure what to expect, and in a way, it felt like I was reaching out to make a mental handshake with the creature in front of me. I had a brief moment of hope, but my mental hand grew cold, and the slime showed no hint of acknowledgment of my offer. ''I didn''t even get a rejection notification, which I assume I would have gotten if it said no... Are slimes just incapable of it?'' I felt quite bitter, as one of my solutions was to try to appear as a slime tamer, but if it was impossible, I was in a bad situation. ''I can''t handwave something as cut and dry as this. There''s only so much bullshit people are willing to believe as Elf things.'' With that bitter confirmation, I moved on to the final activity I wanted to try. I wanted to know if eating a few more slimes could further improve my [Mana Slime] trait. I reached out with a tendril and engulfed an unsuspecting blue slime whole, devouring its slime and core entirely. ''Hmm... I gained the trait but no level-up. Perhaps I just need to eat a few more...'' ... ''It''s shocking how uncompressed their slime is... Was I really this weak back in the day?'' ... ... ''Ha! It worked!'' I cheered happily. It had taken far more slimes than I thought it would have. I had eaten six slimes for a single level. ''And I have to assume that it was only six due to me partially leveling up the skill...'' I had to know. My tendrils spread out and started to grab more slimes. ... ... ... ''Eleven slimes!'' I exclaimed. It was a shockingly high amount required, and the field was starting to look barren of slime life. My guilty conscience rose as I realized I was eating away the primary income for the town. ''Uh... Maybe I can make it up to them? I mean, my slime is far better than this garbage... Although saying that, I still can''t even feel or see a difference between this trait now and when it was still at level ten.'' I started pulling out some of the empty vials and containers in my storage, ensuring they were both clean and empty and ready for me to fill them with my own slime. I confirmed it was only [Mana Slime] and filtered it down so it wasn''t ultra-dense. I scattered the containers on the ground, hoping it would be good enough compensation for my meal. ''It''s a good thing I have quite a few canteens and the vials I took from that ghoul lab.'' Feeling slightly less burdened by my conscience, I sprouted wings and flew straight up. While flying high up in the sky, I also flew over Stantondale, seeing the few windows illuminated by the lights within. I also pulled out the adventurer tags I had taken back when I was with the goblins and dropped them inside the town one by one. ''Hopefully, someone finds these... I should have returned them ages ago, but I kept forgetting I had them.'' Part of me wanted to drop in and say hi to Roderick, Tabitha, and Kurt, while my stomach desperately wanted me to visit Trevor''s Inn for some, no doubt, high-quality food. Sadly, I had to give up on either idea; it was far too risky, and I didn''t want the disappearing slimes linked back to me even if I gave some compensation. I soared into the night sky with the stars and moon guiding me while I headed toward Kaerlin. I briefly glanced at the mountain deep in the forest and wondered if the goblins had survived... Something to look into when I didn''t have obligations. *** When I neared Kaerlin, I shifted my trajectory toward the dungeon so that my arrival would make more sense. Landing down stealthily, I shifted back to my elven persona, stretching and confirming my profile, and everything was in order. Then, after a bit of stretching, I grinned as I began my thunderous arrival. I couldn''t help but chuckle as the guards and citizens waiting in line were startled when I arrived. I even overheard some muttering from the older guards bemoaning Lisa. ''Sounds like Jet wasn''t joking when he said she was a bit of a prankster back in the day...'' Thankfully, there seemed to be no resentment, and I was let inside the city with minimal interaction. Despite not getting told to head straight to the Adventurer''s Guild, I still made my way there, seeing no reason not to report in and see if Thern hadn''t grown tired of waiting. ''I wonder how the dwarven city will compare... Hopefully, I won''t have as many eyes always staring at me.'' Arriving at the guild without issue, I politely waited until Luke had finished dealing with his current client. While waiting, a few other parties asked me if I was interested in joining for a quest, which I had to politely decline, saying I had prior obligations. Unlike the fiasco at the dungeon, there was no outburst of anger or insults thrown at me. ''That situation still really bugged me... I wonder what that guy''s problem was? My paranoia can''t help but feel like it was somewhat staged.'' Finally, Luke arrived, smiling brightly. "Good to see you again, Miss Syl." "Pleasure to see you as well, Luke. I''m back from a successful dungeon run." "I did receive Sir Jet''s communication and gave it directly to Master Lisa. She told me to send you to her office as soon as you reappeared." Luke paused and chuckled. "Some bets were going on if you were going to be gone for months again." "As fun as that would''ve been, I don''t think I could keep poor Thern waiting any longer. Assuming he hasn''t left me behind already?" "No. He''s still waiting and mentioned that he wants to drag you off as soon as you get your new tag. By force if necessary." I couldn''t help but wince, feeling remorse for leaving him waiting for so long. I made a mental note to expedite giving him some more alcohol slime. We exchanged a few more pleasantries before I headed to Lisa''s office. ''Gold-rank, here I come!'' Chapter 170 : Gold Interface "I''m glad you didn''t bring an army of angry horses this time." Lisa joked when she first saw me. "Have fun in the dungeon?" "Aside from some issues getting started, it went pretty well. Thanks for sending Jet." I answered honestly. "No problem. He was just sitting around gathering dust. I hope he didn''t spook you with his shadows?" "Just some mild jealousy; it certainly looked useful." "Yeah, I wish I could send my shadow to fetch snacks for me," Lisa admitted. We reviewed Jet''s report, and she confirmed some of the oddities we experienced in the dungeon. I also gave a report on [Thunder Step] and how I found it. I couldn''t stop singing the skills praise, and Lisa seemed thrilled that I had no buyer''s remorse. I also asked how things were in the city, and that was how I found out that, unfortunately, I had missed Whitney, who ended up taking her assignment in the capital to further hunt down the smugglers. I pulled out the enchanted dagger and showed it to Lisa. "Is there any way I could have this sent to her?" I asked, lightly tossing the dagger into the air before it poofed and reappeared in my hand. "I found it in the dungeon, and I think it''s perfect for her." "Oh! A returning weapon, those are pretty nifty. We once found a javelin that had that enchantment." Lisa said rather enthusiastically. "It''s also got an enchantment that causes bleeding and then a combination of self-repair and sharpening," I added. "Wow... I had no idea you could give advanced appraisals." Lisa said, looking genuinely surprised. "I must remember to add it to your guild profile when I update its rank." "So I''m Gold?" I asked. "Cause otherwise, I think Thern will kill me." "So, I think it''s safe to say you''ve passed," Lisa said proudly. "Now, normally, for Gold rank and above, we would have a ceremony..." "Oh no..." "But!" Lisa interrupted, holding up a single finger. "I know you''d hate that, so we will skip the big presentation." I sighed in relief. "Thank you." "No problem. Besides, Thern would kill me if I held you up with a big ceremony. He''d leave with you right this moment if he had his way." "That reminds me, I need to do some shopping..." "Yes. Please bribe the very grumpy dwarf, especially if you have more of that crazy alcohol he loves so much." Lisa said, chuckling. "Sorry... I''m guessing that''s my fault." "Heavens no. His enchanting buddy has apparently been an insufferable braggart." Lisa responded. "His words, not mine." "Oh..." As if summoned, Lisa''s door slammed open, and a grumpy-looking dwarf entered. "There you are!" Thern grunted, pointing a meaty finger at me. "Finally crawled out of the dungeon, I see... Good! We leave tomorrow morning, bright and early. Meet you at the guild reception." Before either of us could say anything, he stormed out. "And that, Syl, is why you never want to meet a sober dwarf." Lisa chuckled. "I''ll get him some emergency alcohol pronto." "The guild thanks you for your sacrifice." Lisa joked. "Anyway, we can get this over and done with if you hand over your old tag." I pulled it off my neck and placed it on her desk. She unlocked a small safe in her desk drawer and pulled a golden chain with an absolutely massive crystal. I had to hide a wince of pain when I tried to use [Rune Reading] on the new tag; even my old one was beyond my comprehension. ''They did say this was something put in place as a wish from the gods, so I guess it makes sense that I can''t understand it at all. Still, I didn''t expect to take mental damage just from glancing at it.'' She put it next to my old tag, and with a casual wave, both crystals shone brightly. "Poof. It''s done." Lisa smiled and gestured for me to take it. I picked it up and placed it over my neck. "You can now take up to five quests at once. You now also have the guild vouching for entry into foreign allied nations, so yes, you can access the Dwarven Empire now. Your access to guild-managed dungeons has also increased, which I''m sure you''ll enjoy." Lisa began explaining. I nodded along. "Finally, it''s time for the big reveal..." Lisa said, pausing for dramatic effect. "Say or think Interface, like you would your profile." If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ''Interface.'' Suddenly, strange objects appeared in my vision; what looked like a tiny map was in the corner of my sight. Red and blue bars appeared above Lisa''s head, while another two nearly identical bars were at the bottom of my vision. The red bar above Lisa''s head absolutely dwarfed the one at the bottom of my vision, while the opposite was true for the blue ones and to a much larger extent. I couldn''t handle the shocking amount of information and surprise at what was now being presented, and Lisa must have been waiting to see my reaction as she couldn''t help but start laughing. "Welcome to one of the most controversial features someone asked the gods for. Some love it, others hate it and refuse to use it." "What... Is all this?" I said, trying to look around, but the things followed my vision. "Well. That depends on what traits or skills you have available to you, and I''m not entirely sure what you have." Lisa answered. "I know you have [Mapping], so you should have a minimap. You''re also a spellcaster, so you undoubtedly have [Mana Sense], if not better, and so, you should have a mana bar." "So this... Blue bar is my Mana?" I asked. "Yes, your own is quite accurate, while the bar on others is a comparative estimate to your own amount combined with your corresponding trait or skill level," Lisa explained. "For example, I can tell you have more Mana than me, but I have no idea how much more. It''s mostly a visual translation of your feelings or intuition." "I guess the reddish one is lifeforce, then?" I asked. "Yeah, it''s pretty good for healers to see if a Party member is injured and needs serious attention at a glance," Lisa answered. "I guess you could also use it to estimate how close a monster is to death, but personally, that sounds stupid. You keep stabbing until it stops moving." Lisa continued explaining this feature to me; it was interesting that everything promptly vanished when I removed my guild tag from my neck. Only the gods could have designed a device linked to one''s skills and traits. Thankfully, it was also customizable, and I could dismiss information I wasn''t interested in. Lisa also mentioned that new features were always being discovered from some obscure trait or skill, especially if it was some form of upgrade or enhancement to the [Identify] skill. ''If it works with [Affliction Tracker], then that might make it quite useful.'' "Last thing before I let you go grab your supplies, food, and whatnot," Lisa said. "As a Gold-rank adventurer, you may be called upon in a time of crisis if you are within the area. Think of that orc raid you stopped, except on a bigger scale. The guild would usually post an emergency notice, and you might be asked to participate. It''s not mandatory per se, but if you reject too many emergencies without a reasonable explanation, you could find yourself getting fined at a minimum and, at worst, face demotion." I nodded. It sounded reasonable enough, like almost an impromptu militia for serious threats. "Oh. I almost forgot," Lisa said, pointing to the dagger. "We can have that sent to the capital branch for Whitney." "Thanks, that sounds perfect," I said happily. I had already memorized its enchantments, so I had no use for it myself. "So you got a cloak and a dagger... Not exactly the best dungeon loot for you, all things considered." Lisa said. "I also got this hat," I said, pointing to the giant witch hat. Lisa looked at me with genuine confusion on her face. "Didn''t you always have that hat?" "No. I definitely got it in the dungeon. It came from a Cat Sith." I pointed out, wondering if this was some bad prank. Lisa frowned and scratched her head. "Are you sure? I genuinely can''t picture you without that hat; it perfectly suits you." "I would have absolutely remembered having a shape-changing hat," I said, demonstrating how to change it into a tiny crown. Lisa looked startled at first, then smiled. "Okay, that''s a pretty great hat; one of our diamond ranks has a robe that can become any other form of clothing. Although... Her robe actually comes up as magical, whereas your hat looks utterly mundane no matter how much I look at it." "We theorized that only I can see its enchantments because it''s soulbound to me," I answered. "Fascinating, but other than the convenience of having a hat for every occasion, I can''t say I''m that impressed. Jet mentioned that Eliza got a spell-storing ring with three slots!" Lisa replied, then frowned as she pulled out a sheet of parchment from her desk and quickly read through it. "Actually... His report doesn''t mention your hat at all..." Lisa said, frowning, and then she burst into laughter. "I get it. You''re both playing a prank on me; Jet pulled you in to get some revenge for old times'' sake?" I sighed. I felt like we were going around in circles; clearly, something Fey-related was happening. "Sure. It looks like you figured it out." "Ha! Brilliant. You almost had me going there." Lisa chuckled. When I was leaving, I even overheard Lisa asking her secretary if she liked my new hat. The secretary replied almost instantly, "Didn''t she have that hat when we first met her?" ''There''s something funny going on, and I feel like my only hope for an answer is Trixie since the cat was a Fey. Still... What a strange effect. It appears utterly normal to anyone but me, and it somehow convinces them that I always had it.'' When I was exiting, I subtly showed Luke my new tag, to which he grinned happily and gave me a thumbs up. I was glad they knew I didn''t want to make a big deal about it and were happy to keep it hushed for me. I proceeded to go on a shopping spree, buying a few new flasks and some kegs this time since Thern had previously scolded me for buying barrels. I also purchased some empty chests and food supplies before finally retiring to the inn. Once in my room, I began to work. I filled the kegs with alcoholic slime, as well as some flasks and canteens for Thern. At the same time, I began enchanting the chests I bought with the storage enchantment. Despite using [Rune Engraving] and the proper tool, the enchantments would only be temporary as I was carving them directly into the chests without a medium such as gold or electrum. I could have used another method to make them permanent, such as adding a gathering array, but it felt like too much effort when I just wanted disposable chests to store the kegs and barrels. I wanted the chests to make the handover of the alcoholic slime simpler and to also draw less attention to how crazy my storage space was. As if the ever-growing capacity for my [Core Storage] and its timeless feature wasn''t bad enough, it also seemed to somehow get around one of the biggest restrictions when working with storage enchantments. Putting a dimensional storage into another one. If you had two storage chests and tried to put the smaller one into the larger one, it would just refuse to enter. No matter how much you wanted to force it. An unbeatable and invisible force would prevent it, and the chest would bend and break sooner than enter. For some reason, I had no restriction on my [Core Storage] and could easily throw any storage chests inside it. This was part of the explanation I was given when I was learning the storage enchantment from Greg, although he said there were storage artifacts from dungeons that could circumvent this restriction. For example, some Diamond-rank adventurers would find an amulet, ring, or bracelet with a dimensional space feature. So, I began enchanting chests and throwing barrels and kegs into them once they were filled and sealed with alcoholic slime. The chests could then be put on a wagon or cart. ''Actually... Thern never mentioned how we are traveling...'' I thought curiously. ''Oh well. Tomorrow will tell. Hopefully, it''s not too long of a journey.'' Chapter 171 : Travel Arrangements The next morning, I awoke bright and early and hurried to the Adventurer''s Guild. The graveyard shift workers, who were still on duty, were taken aback by my early arrival. When I mentioned that Thern had instructed me to be there early, they couldn''t help but chuckle. However, they also confessed that even Thern''s usual arrival time was still a good hour or two away. "I can at least take your luggage so long." One of the staff members offered. I nodded and placed my various chests on the floor. The man was startled momentarily before giving a firm nod and then rubbing his hands together energetically. He then started lifting the chests one by one, somehow balancing them in a tower formation. Some of the other staff joked about him showing off to pretty girls again as he trundled to deliver the chests. Despite what the staff had said, Thern did, in fact, arrive sooner than they expected. Before even greeting him, I silently handed him a flask. He stared at it briefly, twisted the cap off, and took a swig. He immediately started coughing, followed by laughter. "Ah! That''s the stuff!" Thern said, sounding much more pleasant than yesterday. "It''s good to see you, friend. Again, I''m sorry for the wait." I apologized and handed him more flasks, which he eagerly accepted. "It''s not that bad. I''d be taking the long way home if not for you." Thern admitted. He pointed to an obsidian-colored chest in his luggage, which was highly locked up with multiple chains and enchantments. "In here is a brand-spanking new furnace heart, all thanks to that salamander you dealt with," Thern explained. "Right... I had wondered who won the bidding war," I said, recalling my conversation with Luke. "I had hoped the dwarves would win it so I could negotiate for another silver slime core." "Ha! Well, you''ll certainly have the money to potentially negotiate. Although you could also sell your services, many beasties live around us with valuable parts." Thern said. "So I could do a bunch of hunting quests and get another core that way?" "Aye. My pa has already told some of the higher-ups that you were the one to secure the inferno sac." Thern answered. "Just make sure to do it through the Adventurer''s Guild branch, so you have some diplomatic protection." "Diplomatic protection?" "Just in case some scoundrel tries to renege on a deal. Then the full weight of the guild can be dropped upon them." Thern said with a hearty chortle. I followed Thern as he led the way; we stopped off at the library, where he collected a few of his things before heading towards a deeper section of the guild. I hadn''t seen this section before and wondered where we were headed. Did the guild have some sort of staging area for wagons or something? Thern unfortunately refused to answer my query and instead just chuckled with a "wait and see" response. We had to enter through three locked doors, and my tag briefly glowed as we passed through each one. I turned my head to Thern, showing my concerned curiosity, and he smirked. "Security. It''s checking that you haven''t stolen that Gold-rank tag. Congrats, by the way! Bring me something fancy to enchant, and I''ll do it for free." Thern replied, showing a toothy grin. The final door led to a large room with a massive circular dais. Hundreds of glyphs and sigils decorated the platform engraved in gold, a stark contrast to the almost pitch-black stone the main structure was made of. In the center of the dais was a waist-high column, also fully engraved but made out of pristine marble, and at the tip was a beautiful-looking crystal sphere. I briefly thought it might have been a slime core, but upon further inspection, it seemed to be an artificially made crystal. Seeing my shock and surprise, Thern couldn''t help but laugh. "First time seeing a teleportation room?" "I didn''t even know they existed..." I admitted. "Aye. Most people don''t. They are quite expensive to use and with very strict security." Thern answered and then patted the black box holding the furnace''s heart. "Our trip is being sponsored by the Empire! They don''t trust such a valuable object being transported by ordinary means." "I''m not going to complain... But I''m sure we could handle some bandits between the two of us." "No doubt," Thern admitted confidently. "But I guess all the smuggling going on here in Kaerlin has made some of them worry. Not to mention the pegasi and orc attacks... But look on the bright side; their paranoia gets us a comfy trip!" "Sounds great. So how does it work?" "Ha! I don''t blame you for asking. Unfortunately, this is one of the rare occasions that I can''t actually explain something Enchanting related." Thern admitted, almost looking slightly embarrassed. "I''ve spent months staring at these glyphs, trying to decipher them, but it''s like it''s written in multiple bloody foreign languages. All I know is that you place a keystone in two of these and then channel mana into the orb, and it works." "Keystone?" Thern pulled out a stone disc, cast in marble and engraved with silver. "This here is the keystone. Drew it myself. On the other side is another matching one, and they somehow speak to one another through that monstrosity." Thern said as he pointed to the dais. If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. "Can it be anything as long as they match?" I asked curiously. "Aye. But that''s risky," Thern answered. "It''s very hard to make two things absolutely identical, so it tries to make the link between the two best matches. If we did something simple like a circle, we could end up in another teleportation room with a circle keystone." "I see. That could be a big safety concern." "Which is why this room is so heavily monitored. Now help me get your chests onto the platform," Thern said, pointing to my luggage in the corner. We moved the chests on the platform, and Thern looked inside them, confirming that the contents were safe and smiling when he saw all the barrels. While we were setting up, Luke and Lisa came to check on us and wish us a good time in the Empire. "If you plan on bringing back any souvenirs, please get anything other than alcohol. I swear that''s all anyone brings back from the Dwarves." Lisa had joked. Thern slotted the keystone into an empty slot in the dais, and when he did so, it seemed to complete the framework as the entire thing hummed to life. I tried desperately to understand what I saw, but Thern wasn''t joking or humble when he said he had no idea what it was. I felt I would have no chance if someone as educated as he couldn''t comprehend it. ''I could probably get my [Sub-Cores] to recreate this... Although that''s certainly risky. I could end up sending myself to go visit Kappa if I screwed up.'' "Right. I think we are ready." Thern said, looking pleased. "Anything I should know or be warned about?" "Keep your arms and legs inside the circle. Seriously." Thern said sternly. "Other than that, try not to vomit." I nodded and stepped up onto the platform to join him. Thern placed his hand on the crystal orb, and it began to slowly build up with a glowing light. The sigils and glyphs on the dais began to shimmer and transform before my eyes, and the entire room began to bend and warp. "Hold on to your breakfast!" Thern bellowed with laughter. Then the orb suddenly flickered red, and Thern muttered a dozen curses. "I thought they charged the bloody thing!" Thern shouted angrily. He slapped his hand on top of the orb, and I saw the orb pulling vast quantities of Mana from him. Thern started muttering curses and then suddenly fell to his knee. "Shit! Syl, I''m gonna need you to help dump Mana into this thing! It sucked me dry!" Thern shouted in panic. I nodded, rushed to the orb, and placed my hand on it. Immediately, I felt the orb start to siphon Mana from me. Thern looked relieved when the dais'' enchantments suddenly became alive, and the room rapidly warped and twisted. There was a popping noise, and abruptly, the room we were in looked completely different. The wooden floors and walls were replaced with pure stonework. Where there might have been a sconce, instead, an engraving was carved directly into the stone, providing an ample light source. Thern took a swig from his flask before steadily standing up again. "Bloody beards. That could have gone to shit." I opened my mouth to ask what had happened when the door to the room slid open. Rather than a wooden door that swings, it was what looked like a stone door that somehow slid into the wall to open a walkway. A stout female dwarf entered the room, looking absolutely livid. While Thern had an impressive beard that went down past his waist, she, on the other hand, had a massive hairdo that stood tall above her head like a giant beehive. It was massively braided and well taken care of with its wispy black coloring. Thern looked at the woman storming towards him, his eyes wide. He looked about to say something when the woman decked him in the face with a massive right hook that sent him crashing off the dais and tumbling to the wall. Unsure if we were under attack or not, I swiftly cast and held [Stunvolt] in my hand. The blueish-purple energy sparked dangerously on my hand, the buzzing-ticking sound filling the entire room as, unlike my testing, I held nothing back, and it was fully empowered. The dwarven woman actually flinched in surprise at the loud noise and swiveled to look at me; she glared as if I had challenged her. "Syl! No! That''s my ma!" Thern shouted, spitting out some blood. "What''s wrong, boy? Not gonna let your pointy-eared girlfriend defend your honor?" The woman barked. "Ma!" Thern shouted, going red in the face. "We''re coworkers!" "And how many other coworkers have you brought home with ya?" Thern''s mom snorted in response. Thern facepalmed while fiercely groaning. "Just cause I work with the humans doesn''t mean I''ve adopted their taste in woman, ma! I''m still a dwarf at heart." "That''s a relief on a poor mother''s heart," She responded. "Bah! The only way to relieve your black heart would be to throw it into a volcano." Thern spat. Then, both dwarves abruptly started laughing so hard that tears began forming in their eyes. I dropped my spell and looked at the two, feeling lost and confused. "I have no idea what''s going on..." I mumbled to myself. "My son is saying you''re too skinny to be a wife. And I don''t blame him. Are those humans starving you or something? You''re practically skin and bones!" Thern''s mom responded. "Ma!" Thern shouted. "Sorry... Sorry... Forgive an old bat for being brusque; I haven''t had my morning drink yet." I pulled out a flask and handed it to her, immediately making the woman burst out with a devilish grin. "Boy, I think I like this one!" "Ma!" "You''re right. Where''s my manners." The woman chuckled. "Name''s Thessa; pleased to meet ya!" "Syl. Pleasure to meet your acquaintance." Thessa nodded, then finally took a swig of the canteen. She kept drinking and drinking before finally stopping and letting out a breathy sigh followed by a belch. "Well, slap my tits; that''s probably the strongest drink I''ve ever had!" Thessa exclaimed happily. "Did ya think I was fibbing to pa?" Thern questioned. "I thought maybe you''d lost your gut living out in the sun with the humans," Thessa admitted. "But I''m happy to be proven wrong. Although you''ve clearly gotten rusty if that teleportation was anything to go by!" "You can insult me, but never insult my work! I copied the keystone design perfectly!" Thern shouted back. "Then explain what went wrong with the teleportation? It clearly needed more Mana to compensate for your screwup." Thern reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of parchment with what looked like black markings on it. He stomped over and angrily thrust it towards his mom. "Good thing I took a rubbing of the finished product." Thern defended himself. Thessa examined the piece of parchment with the utmost scrutiny. "Hmm... I''d give this a less than five percent deviation... Not bad, boy!" She said, scratching her chin. "But then what the hell happened?" "I thought maybe the guild might not have charged the mana battery enough," Thern said. "Surely they wouldn''t be that stupid," Thessa said. "Although the only other possibility is too much dimensional weight." "Dimensional weight?" I asked. "It''s not exactly an official term, but we use it to describe the phenomenon. Basically, you can''t cheat teleport costs with dimensional storage." Thern answered. "But even with the extra chests, it wouldn''t have cost that much more Mana. I mean to explain that you''d need an absolutely massive amount of dimensional space, on par with an artifact storage!" ''Oh... Shit. It was my [Core Storage], wasn''t it?'' Chapter 172 : Dhoggurum As if answering his own question, Thern suddenly looked at the pouch on my hip. The bag made out of ornate-looking leaves was still an unresolved mystery. He hummed in thought, perhaps thinking that the bag was potentially an artifact. Honestly, I was beginning to think it may be as well, as despite my advancements in skills and traits, including my profession, I couldn''t make heads or tails of the bag. ''I wonder if the bag is soulbound to Sylthaeryn? If it''s at all like my hat, then that would explain a lot. Although... Then why did she ask me to give it to another elf? Is it perhaps soulbound to the elven race specifically?'' Thern chuckled. "It''s my fault. I should have asked how much you have stored away personally, especially after what I''ve seen you pull out from harvests." "You also should have explained the emergency procedure," Thessa grumbled. "You bloody nearly drained yourself dry trying to do it yourself..." Thern looked quite embarrassed as he sighed. "You''re right. Sorry, Syl. I hope it didn''t drain you too much." "It didn''t seem that bad..." I answered honestly, which caused both Dwarves to stare at me in astonishment. "I know you brag about your Mana capacity a lot, but even so... It should have been horrible since the conversion ratio is so poor," Thern said, scratching his beard in thought. "What would have happened if we didn''t pay the Mana?" I asked. "Your storage bag would have exploded," Thessa answered. "The teleportation platform has safety measures that ensure it teleports anything living first." ''I wonder how that works for my [Core Storage]...'' I couldn''t help but wonder with morbid curiosity. "But enough of that!" Thessa said cheerfully. "Come, come. Let''s get you unpacked and settled in." Before we left, Thessa claimed the keystone from the platform and gave Thern another scolding, saying that the first security measure was to immediately remove it after teleportation. Under his mother''s verbal thrashing, Thern could only sigh and nod. Then, we both followed her out of the room after each grabbing a chest. I got an abrupt notification when I first stepped beyond the door. "Dhoggurum?" I muttered and activated my [Mapping] skill. Suddenly, the room swayed, and I nearly fell over. As if expecting that Thern caught me before I fell. I could only thank the gods my [Sub-Cores] handled keeping my disguise intact. "Ha! Lisa owes me a bottle of whiskey!" Thern joked. My vision stopped spinning, and my [Mapping] skill seemed to finalize what it was trying to do. It zoomed out drastically, and I saw we were to the distant north¡ªabsurdly far from Kaerlin. "What... Happened?" I murmured, confused. "Your [Mapping] skill updated with a new distance. I bet you had never traveled this far before, but Lisa said she was sure you had." Thern explained. "First-time teleporters usually experience this." "Some... Warning would''ve been nice." I grumbled. "Aye. But then, I wouldn''t have won my bet." Thern smirked. Once I had recovered, we continued out through multiple stone doors that slid into their holding like the previous one. The security was very impressive compared to anything I had seen in the human city. After following her through passageways, we eventually came to an almost familiar sight: an Adventurer''s Guild reception. The layout was eerily similar, except nearly everything was carved from stone, and barely anything was made from wood. And it went without saying that almost everyone present was a dwarf, except for a few humans scattered about. Thern gestured for me to follow him to one of the reception desks, where we needed to register our arrival. The receptionist was a little surprised to see me hand over a Gold tag. "Blimey. I thought you were escorting an elf ambassador or something. I can''t believe one actually joined the guild." The dwarf said as he twirled the tip of his pointed beard. "Ha! Wait till she starts doing some quests here; then, you''ll be in for a real shock and surprise!" Thern bragged and gave me a big wink. Then we followed after Thessa again, who was tapping her foot impatiently. One thing I was immediately grateful for was the dwarf''s attitude towards me; I could see they would look a bit surprised at my appearance but then almost immediately pushed it aside and went about their day. On the other hand, the few humans blatantly stared and promptly started gossiping with their companions, as I had grown reluctantly accustomed to. Exiting the Adventurer''s Guild, I was welcomed to the sight of the city. "Welcome to Dhoggurum!" Thessa said proudly. The entire city was carved out of solid stone, showcasing the unmatched dedication of the dwarven people. The walls, buildings, and even the streets were all hewn from the rock, displaying remarkable precision and commitment. I marveled at the underground metropolis''s grand architecture and its sheer scale. The ceilings towered high above, supported by colossal stone pillars that seemed to disappear into the darkness above, creating an almost artificial starry canopy. If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. The city was organized with practicality and efficiency in mind, with narrow passageways leading to various districts and chambers. Every detail, from the ornate carvings adorning the buildings to the meticulously crafted bridges spanning deep chasms, spoke magnitudes about the dwarven mastery of stonework and engineering. The glow of magical lights illuminated the bustling streets, casting a warm and inviting ambiance throughout the city. Despite being underground, the dwarven city felt vibrant and alive, with shops, taverns, and workshops bustling with activity. This spectacular view was due to our location on the topmost level. The center of the sprawling city was entirely hollow and carved out, making each level visible from this vantage point and showing its grand majesty. Massive staircases accessing the other floors and even what looked like floating platforms rose and descended through magical or engineered means. "Is it a giant cube?" I couldn''t help but ask. Thern burst out laughing while Thessa looked a teensy bit upset. "Aye! It''s a bloody cube because we Dwarves like efficiency, so it''s focused on trying to keep everything as close as possible by using verticality." Thern explained. "Doesn''t living on top of everyone get... Overwhelming?" I asked. "Back in the day, that was a small problem, but you''ll find everything enchanted to block out sound or intrusion. No need to worry about a snooping neighbor." Thessa answered. "Then that definitely makes a lot more sense. It sounds convenient." Thessa liked my agreement as she showed a toothy smile. "Glad you can see our dwarven wisdom. I don''t know how the humans live, so... Spread out." We continued following her as she showed us around. Seeing so many enchantments in the walls for light or decoration was spectacular. We descended a staircase and eventually headed into what looked like a mostly residential area. Thessa opened the door and welcomed us into her home. "I see you upgraded from our last home," Thern said. "Business has been good. The old one was getting too cramped, and now I have my own personal forge." Thessa said proudly. "Soundproofed, I hope," Thern said. "And temperature regulated," Thessa answered. "You know how much Darmod loves his beauty sleep." Thern laughed. "Pa was always too sensitive." Thessa led each of us to a room. Thern''s was clearly meant for family, while mine was evidently a guest room. It was still well decorated and had a very nice, soft, and fancy-looking human-sized bed. "You''re lucky we have a human bed. Otherwise, you''d need to fit yourself into a dwarf one." Thessa chuckled. "I think all your nutrients are going into your height; I swear you elves are far too tall. Now, let''s get some food into you both!" The food was wonderful and generously portioned, and of course, a keg of alcohol was promptly opened. Thern and his mom caught up, and I let them while trying my best not to pry into their family business. Then, the conversation swayed into talk of adventuring and some of my work. That was when Thern admitted he wanted me to be on the lookout for any monsters that had parts suitable for enchanting when I eventually left the city on some hunts. He was still clearly very jealous of the unicorn horn I had given Greg. Thessa couldn''t hide her curiosity, which led to Thern showing her the completed forge heart. Honestly, the thing looked nothing like the original organ, and instead, it almost looked like an encrusted obsidian gem glittering with massive amounts of enchantments. Thessa inspected it with a critical eye and evaluated it as satisfactory. "This is good, but it''s the finished product," Thessa sighed. "I was hoping you had some raw materials to show off." "Got anything interesting leftover from the dungeon?" Thern asked. I winced since the Misfits and I had decided to sell everything. However, I still had three parts left over: my alicorn horn, my earthshaker carapace, and the claws from the badger. I withdrew the first two and ignored the claws, as I didn''t want to potentially implicate myself with Bloodrot. "Sadly, we sold all the dungeon loot, but I still have these," I answered. "This would make some mighty fine armor... And you harvested this yourself?" Thessa asked, examining the rocky carapace. "You should''ve seen it back in the guild. A room full of stuff this good." Thern chuckled. "Why the bloody hell are you running around killing monsters then?" Thessa asked, flabbergasted. "You could sit safely in a room and make a fortune." I couldn''t help but grin before I answered. "But where would the fun in that be? Where''s the adventure? I get to explore, kill monsters, and level up." Thern burst out with laughter. "Aye! Spoken like a true adventurer!" Thessa sighed deeply. "I really don''t understand you lot. Stick me in a forge all day, and I''d live a happy life." "Well... Think of it this way. Without people like me, you wouldn''t get to see and use stuff like this." I replied. "Don''t you start using facts and logic to dissuade me now," Thessa chuckled. "A mother wants her son to stay safe and sound." "Ma!" Thern grunted, looking mightily embarrassed. "Hush you. You''ll always be my baby boy no matter how big of a beard you grow." It was a relaxing and pleasant time, and later in the afternoon, Thern''s father arrived home. He looked nearly identical to Thern, except his beard was groomed to perfection and even had some braids and jewelry tied into it. He was almost the spitting image of a well-off merchant and had a bit of a beer belly going on. While Thern and Thessa were quite boisterous, Darmod was polite and a little reserved. It seemed Thessa wore the pants in the relationship. However, when he saw the barrels I had brought and sampled some, there was a twinkle in his eye, and he suddenly became very enthused and energetic. "Syl. We are going to make a fortune!" Darmod said enthusiastically. "Well... I''m honestly more interested in a silver core than money." I answered. Thern again couldn''t help bursting out with laughter. "My pa didn''t believe me when I said you wanted that." Darmod grumbled a bit at being caught off guard like that but nodded. "Well, it''s a good thing my son convinced me otherwise. I should be able to requisition your silver core by lunchtime tomorrow." "Yes! Please do!" I said, unable to hide my excitement. "And please let anyone know I''m willing to work for more, even doing some hunts." I made sure to point out the rocky carapace I had harvested. Darmod couldn''t help but blink in surprise. "Yes... I''ll be sure to do it. Just to confirm, this will be a dead slime from a common metal." "Yes. Anyone is fine. Why would that matter?" I asked. Darmod fiddled with one of his braids before asking his own question. "How much do you know about slimes eating other slimes?" "When a slime eats another, it becomes purer," I answered. "Alright, that''s good, so I''m not accidentally revealing a dwarven secret." Darmod chuckled nervously. "Silver slimes, when they eat another, not only become purer, but they also take on any metals the other slime accumulated." "Why is that an issue?" I asked. "Because if you have a slime that can produce gold, why would you want to contaminate it with tin?" Darmod responded. "The slimes are stupid, so they mix all of their absorbed metals together." "Ah... So they create unexpected alloys." "Yes. That''s why if any slime with a common metal is found, it is usually swiftly disposed of. We dare not risk it being consumed by another and causing a contamination." We continued to chat into the evening before finally calling it a night. Despite my glorious bed, I felt like I would struggle to sleep because of my unbridled anticipation. Chapter 173 : A Feast "Roderick!" One of the staff members burst into his office. "We might have a situation." Roderick groaned as he stared at the mountain of paperwork on his desk. Harris had certainly kept this aspect of the job in the dark from him, and he was undoubtedly having some second thoughts lately. "What''s the issue?" Roderick asked, trying to hide his displeasure. "Old Tom says something happened to the slimes. He''s requesting an urgent meeting with you and Harris at his house." "Don''t tell me the goblins are back..." Roderick muttered angrily. The staff member could only gesture in confusion. He hadn''t received any more detail about the situation. Roderick grabbed his coat and briskly left the guild. ''I swear if it''s goblins again, I''ll personally shove my shield down their throat...'' Roderick arrived at Tom''s house, knocking and hastily entering to escape the cold. Harris had already arrived and was casually chatting with Tom; judging by their relaxed disposition, it appeared the news hadn''t been brought up yet. "Glad you could make it," Harris said. "Paperwork keeping you busy?" Roderick grunted a response while Tom gestured for him to take a chair. "So, what''s happening, Tom? Is it the bloody goblins again?" Roderick asked. "I''m not actually sure what it is..." Tom said, frowning deeply and exposing his tanned wrinkles. "Many slimes have gone missing, presumably killed, but it''s not like the last time." Old Tom reached under the table and pulled out a bag, which he opened on the table to reveal various flasks, canteens, and potion vials. "What''s all this?" Roderick asked. "These were left in the slime field," Tom answered. "Each one seems to contain slime." "So some bastard harvested our slimes and left behind a consolation prize?" Roderick spat, feeling frustrated. "I don''t think that''s the case," Tom responded. "I had my alchemist friend look at it, and he nearly lost his mind." "What do you mean?" Harris asked curiously. "He said it''s the purest slime he''s ever seen. Far beyond anything ever recorded." Tom replied. "He asked me if I knew who refined it." Roderick sighed as he massaged his temples in frustration, a headache brewing. "So some mad alchemist experimented on our slimes?" "Sounds plausible..." Harris muttered, then he picked up one of the vials. "Maybe you''re too young to recognize this, Roderick, but this potion vial is ancient." Old Tom actually nodded. "That''s what bugged me too. Vials in that style haven''t been around for decades." "So what does this mean?" Roderick sighed. "Do we have to worry about some powerful ancient alchemist wizard?" "Well, considering he left behind payment. Perhaps not?" Harris responded. "Any idea how much this is worth?" "My buddy says it''s worth a fortune. Easily more than we''d make a year if not more." Tom shrugged. Roderick had mixed feelings, but Harris actually started laughing. "Sounds like we lucked out. A mysterious alchemist drops by and advances our income by a year?" Harris chuckled cheerily. "Perhaps..." Roderick admitted. "We need to keep this hushed. We can''t let the Stantons hear about it." "No complaints from me. Those bastards would steal all the money." Tom spat. "I''m more worried about them using the money to flee before Whitney finishes her investigation," Roderick said in a hushed tone. Harris whistled. "Exciting times." "At least it''s not goblins." Tom gave a gap-toothed grin. *** The next morning, we had another hearty breakfast and chatted about our plans for the day. Darmod would take one of the chests to his client and arrange for the silver core, and then we would meet up for lunch at one of the nicer establishments. Meanwhile, Thern and I were going to do some shopping. Thessa would have loved to join us, but she, unfortunately, had to deliver the furnace heart to the forges. "Bah! Don''t let those crocodile tears fool ya." Thern barked out. "Ma prefers a forge to any living person. I bet she wants to be the first to test out the new heart." Following Thern, we headed toward the merchant''s district. The hustle and bustle of the crowd were intense, and there were so many people it was a little claustrophobic. Despite literally standing out amongst the dwarves, it was great that they seemed to pay me no extra attention and were much more interested in getting their own business done. We explored various stores, but none of them really caught my interest until we found a blacksmith. I ended up purchasing the smallest weapon of each different metal or alloy I could find. While I could have saved money by just getting a raw ingot, I decided against that route because it might indicate that I was planning to do something with silver slime. The mithril rapier I ended up purchasing was the most expensive, and I deeply regretted that I''d be eating it later since it looked magnificent. Thern bought himself a few different hammers, and while he lamented their cost, he said it was worth it to get the dwarven quality assurance. After our shopping was done, we made our way to the food court, where Thern explored a few breweries while we waited for our appointment. Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. Lunch finally arrived, and we met up with Darmod, but Thessa was nowhere to be seen. "I bet Ma won''t be showing up," Thern said. "She''s probably got herself lost in the forge." "Looks like it..." Darmod said with a knowing sigh as we entered the establishment. While the decor wasn''t on par with the best I''d seen, the food on display far exceeded my expectations. The portions were absolutely massive, and it seemed this restaurant specialized in the strangest steaks available. The meat variety ranged from drakes to basilisks to worms, and I was utterly intrigued and deeply regretful that food on its own wasn''t enough to qualify for a profile. "Worm meat is soft and juicy. But if you want my recommendation, go for basilisk." Darmod suggested. "It''s tough, and you''ll need to fight with your teeth, but the taste is worth it!" It seemed relatively the same to me, so I followed his advice. When Thern and Darmod dug into their meals, you could audibly hear the crunching in their teeth, as if they were chewing on rocks, but the look of bliss on their faces showed how much they enjoyed it. I had to admit, it did not disappoint, and finally, I could say I had eaten something that surpassed Trevor''s inn. Best of all, I didn''t need to struggle with my meal since I could easily dissolve my way through it. Clearly, the dwarves had been expecting a reaction, and their disappointment was evident on their faces. "What the bloody hell are elf teeth made out of," I overheard Thern muttering to himself in a whisper. When it came for after-meal drinks, Darmod finally opened a pouch and placed an iron-gray core on the table for me. "Well, Syl. Here''s your silver core." I gingerly picked it up and examined it in my hand. A tiny crack and hole in the sphere indicated how they had killed the slime¡ªalmost like they had driven a thin nail through it. "Thank you very much!" I said eagerly. I pocketed the core but then withdrew it inside myself. ''Yes!'' ''Wow, that was a low-level slime. Still, I could work on leveling up the trait myself, and then if I can get some more cores, I can perhaps bypass the slower levels.'' I wanted to read the trait and profile but held back while I was still in active conversation. "Any mention about me doing some hunting work for them?" I asked. "They were interested but hesitant that you could do the job," Darmod admitted with a sigh. "Someone said you came from the human lands where the monsters are still relatively weak." "That''s a load of hogwash!" Thern disagreed angrily. "She bloody killed an Inferno Salamander! By herself! I''d like to see one of those shitheads even survive in its presence." "I know, son. I agree, and I argued as such," Darmod quickly responded. "They just want her to do a quest or two with the guild, and then we can slap that in their face as proof." "Sure. Sounds good to me," I replied calmly. "I was going to go hunting anyway, regardless of their opinions. I want to see what''s out there!" "I can''t wait to see the regret on their faces when they didn''t jump on your offer sooner," Darmod said with a smirk. "And when they run out of that alcohol, we can fleece them good!" Once we left the restaurant, I finally looked at my new trait. <[Metal Slime LV 2] This slime contains the properties of various ores and metals and can harden and transmute itself at will to mimic them; the strength and advantages gained heavily depend on the type of metal chosen. While the slime''s usual outside factors, such as density, affect this trait''s usage positively, its primary scaling comes from its level, and the strength of its metals will be significantly hindered if they surpass the trait level. Different metals can be mixed at a reduced strength for each combination except for compatible and proven alloys, which provide a small bonus. Additional metal types must be acquired through sampling ores, metals, or alloys. Available metals: Tin. Compatible with other slime traits.> ''Interesting... Unlike my other traits, it''s heavily dependent on both the trait level and the metals I have available. I''m glad I didn''t pick this as my evolution option. Also, I wonder what hindering metals above the level means?'' I secretly started depositing small pieces of various metals inside my stomach to dissolve. <[Copper] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> <[Silver] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> ''Also, I just realized the trait only showed tin as available, meaning it wasn''t retroactive. I''m glad I decided to save my metals.'' <[Gold] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> <[Bronze] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> <[Steel] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> <[Mana-Enriched Silver] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> ''Interesting. That silver ore is classified as different.'' <[Electrum] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> <[Iron] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> <[Lead] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> <[Lead Silver] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> ''I''m so going to catch Trixie and prank her when I see her! Assuming my [Metal Slime] level is high enough to mimic this correctly.'' Unfortunately, I''d have to wait till I got home to eat my adamantine hammer and mithril rapier. I couldn''t think of a way to sneakily deposit them inside my thin, elven frame. I was curious about what else I might count as an ore, so I started withdrawing other things and taking a small nibble out of them. Most of my tests were unfruitful, but I did get one shocking revelation. <[Floatstone] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> ''Seriously, floatstone is an ore?'' While I desperately wanted to start experimenting, I couldn''t leave as Darmod was playing tour guide for me. Although I could swear his tour was just an excuse to go on a city-wide drinking binge. I looked over the silver slime profile and noticed it had [Shape Slime] and [Pseudopod]. This go-to combo was a blast from my past, and I wondered how different my life would have been if I had started as something other than blue. When we finally started heading back, we picked up some food from a stall on the way home. I was curious why, but it became quite apparent when we arrived at an empty home. "Ma''s gonna be stuck in the forge all night." Thern chuckled. "I wish you never told her about that new forge heart," Darmod joked. Finally, alone in my room, I pulled out my mithril rapier and adamantine hammer. Surprisingly, both took quite a while to dissolve despite the full might of my [Acid Slime]. The adamantine especially seemed to refuse to dissolve until I cast [Erode] on it to assist in my digestion. <[Mithril] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> <[Adamantine] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> ''I gained a level just from sampling metals! Ha!'' Eagerly, I formed a [Pseudopod] and then activated [Metal Slime]; I started with iron as I assumed it would work flawlessly despite the low level. A metallic sheen glimmered, and I watched my slime take on the new trait. I started shifting the tendril into various weapons and couldn''t help but be amazed at the perfection. Previously, my weapon mimicry was as close to real as possible; anyone observing likely could not tell the difference, but now, not even I could tell this wasn''t an iron sword, and I knew it was literally my slime. ''Okay! Let''s try out mithril!'' I mentally changed the metal selection and watched in real time as it transmuted from gray into silvery blue. It was beautiful; it was magnificent. Then, the sword flopped like a wet noodle, and if I wasn''t keeping tight control over its density and form, I knew it would be falling apart before my very eyes. ''So... I''m guessing this is the significant hindering mentioned in the description.'' It was a little disheartening to see such a loss of control over my slime; I knew I could have made a stronger sword without the trait at all compared to this result. But I knew it held significant potential, and leveling it up would be one of my highest priorities. Chapter 174 : Cavern Questing After much testing, my current limit with [Metal Slime] seemed to be iron. Copper and lead were both perfectly usable, but iron seemed to be my best option in terms of weapons. I also could predict that the next level would likely give me access to Silver and possibly Bronze. Despite the momentary disappointment at not being able to immediately use the best metals, the trait itself was fascinating, and it brought me fond memories of my initial testing with my slime when I was first starting out. It was intriguing that despite my prior work with [Chimeric Mimicry] and [Morph Slime] being what I would call nearly flawless, now armed with [Metal Slime], I couldn''t help but notice that any formed weapons seemed better. I always struggled to mimic sharpness, even with the combination of complete profiles, high trait levels, and plenty of practice, but now it was beyond compare. The inherent compatibility between all my slime traits was simply outstanding; I felt like giving Gramps a standing ovation. ''I didn''t even need to make the mental adjustments or anything myself; it''s like my mimicry trait automatically knows what traits to incorporate.'' Finally, having exhausted myself, I called it a night. I couldn''t wait to head out and start using [Metal Slime] against monsters. *** "I wish I could''ve joined ya for some hunting. But I need to go get Ma out of the forge." Thern said during breakfast. "No problem, Thern. Family comes first, and we can go on a hunt next time." Thern shook his head. "I''m not worried about Ma. I''m worried about the other dwarves probably stuck there with her. But I''ll definitely take you up on that rain check." After breakfast, I left the house, saying farewell to Thern and Darmod. I was extremely thankful for [Mapping]; otherwise, I might not have found my way back. ''Sure, it might be efficient. But it''s certainly confusing needing to traverse multiple floors.'' While the guild was busy, it didn''t take me long to finally get an available receptionist. She looked cheery enough and had a similar giant beehive hairstyle, except it came with a big single braid hanging over her shoulder. "Good day. Do you have a quest to post for us?" The dwarf asked with a cheery attitude. "Ah. No, I''m an adventurer and looking for some quests." I said, pulling out my tag. "Ah, shit! Sorry, sorry." The dwarf apologized nervously. "I heard the rumor but didn''t think it was true. I thought maybe you were one of the elves from the embassy." I hid my surprise at him mentioning other elves and decided to ask Darmod about it later. I still had the bag I was tasked with returning, after all. "Nope. Freshly promoted to Gold and looking to prove myself." I answered. "Looking to impress someone? Hmm..." The dwarf responded, tugging at her braid. "Well, I think your first two quests can be the permanent ones for killing Worms and Kobolds. There''s no penalty for not doing them, and you never know when you will run into either." I nodded and accepted both. "Now those always earn goodwill, especially if you can kill a worm. Those bastards are always threatening our wards." The receptionist explained. "As for what else will make people look at you... Let me look at your quest record and what we have available." I nodded and waited in silence. "Okay. Your profile says you''re really good at mass exterminations. That is a lot of orcs you killed there!" The dwarf said excitedly. "An ant princess was spotted forming a new nest nearby. If you can exterminate it before she sets up and becomes a queen, you''d be making a big splash!" "Any different to dungeon ants?" I asked. "The regular drones will be on par, maybe even dumber than dungeon minions?" The receptionist said with a shrug. "The ant princess, though, will be smart and is the real threat. She will also try to run away, so make sure to seal the deal." "Sounds good to me." I agreed and accepted the quest. "If you kill the princess, that''s quest complete. But any dead ants is good in our books." The receptionist grinned. I thanked the receptionist and was given some guidance on which city gate to use. Unfortunately, her verbal guidance wasn''t enough, and I got somewhat lost. I wished I could have gotten a quest marker to the gate as I got a little lost until I found appropriate signage pointing towards the gate. *** "That''s a gate? It looks more like a vault door." I muttered to myself, staring at the massive circular door absolutely buzzing with enchantments. I wondered if they had to open the gate to exit, but I noticed a much smaller hatch-style door leading out when I neared it. Again, I was mistaken for an elven ambassador, but I got loud laughs and apologies when I showed my guild tag. Then I was outside the city, and it opened up into the mouth of a giant cavern. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation. "I am so glad I have [Darkvision]..." I chuckled. I allowed the Ant Princess Quest to guide me since it was the only one with a location. I followed a well-maintained tunnel path with torches, markers, and even some hints of well-worn flooring. I was grateful for the tunnel path as it appeared I was heading off to quite a distant locale. I used the time to try familiarizing myself with [Tremor Sense] since I figured it might be vital to locate the burrowing worms or the ant nest. When I reached the end of the tunnel, I couldn''t help but gasp at the sight before me. It was like an entirely different biome had opened up. The underground cavern was primarily occupied by towering mushroom trees reaching up toward the unseen ceiling, their gigantic caps casting eerie shadows. The soft glow of bioluminescent fungus carpeted the ground, illuminating the surroundings with an otherworldly light. As I ventured deeper into the cavern, the air was filled with a faint, earthy scent of damp soil and the gentle rustle of unseen creatures moving through the mushroom grove. It was a mesmerizing and enchanting landscape, unlike anything I had ever seen. "I swear if you dropped me here, I think I''d struggle to realize I was underground," I muttered to myself. Despite my hope of using [Tremor Sense], there was so much activity from all sorts of creepy crawlies in this mushroom biome that I struggled to make heads or tails of where to go or what to pursue. I tried my best to filter it to only larger points of interest, but even then, it was a little overwhelming. "Let me just head towards the ant sighting rather..." I said, trying to suppress the small headache forming. Heading deeper into the mushrooms, I noticed that most of the non-monstrous critters seemed to be bugs or invertebrates. Nothing seemed particularly eye-catching as I grabbed and snacked on a few things. Eventually, I sensed something trying to creep up on me, and I thought it might have been a serpent judging by how it moved, but when I turned to face it, it appeared to be some form of living fungus. "Seriously? You''re a tier three monster?" I looked at the strange thing with bafflement. I was about to lob a [Fireball] at it when I paused and decided this was ample opportunity to try out my two latest slime traits extensively. Forming a shortsword in one hand and a rapier in the other, I took a stab and a swing at the fungus. It didn''t even react, and my attacks seemed to not affect it in the slightest. It counter-attacked by trying to unexpectedly rise up and try to engulf my weapon and use it to crawl towards my arms. ''Honestly... I should have seen this coming. It''s literally just iron at this point.'' I sighed and activated [Nitro Slime] with an instant prime and detonation. There was a click, and then the sword it was crawling over abruptly detonated, sending bits of fungus scattering. The small remnants of the fungus creature were writhing on the ground, trying to reconstitute itself. Not willing to let it do so, I stabbed into it with my rapier, which I then reverted to a more slime state and engulfed it. ''Weren''t plants supposed to fear me?'' I wondered. I still had the [Nature''s Bane] emblem equipped, even though I displayed [Dungeoneer] using [Identity Fabrication]. ''Perhaps I should swap to the latter in case I discover a hidden dungeon nearby?'' I changed my emblem and then started looking through its profile to find out why it had approached me. The answer was baffling. ''It''s a damn slug? Seriously? It basically has fungus in its name?'' The traits were also laughably bad. It secreted digestive acids used to eat prey and could even vomit them out. It might have been useful if I didn''t have [Acid Slime]. Its final trait allowed it to morph into the appearance of a fungus it was in contact with. I found it pretty dull and disappointing. ''I hope the worms or kobolds have better traits... I already have an ant profile, so there''s not much hope there unless the princess has something... Wait!'' I realized I already had an ant profile! I threw everything into storage and shifted into a giant ant, making sure to pick up the various pheromone-related traits. ''I''m sure I can use this to find the ant nest!'' I thought happily as I continued my search. Sure enough, after exploring a bit more, I began to find many trails left behind, all heading toward a unified direction and previously invisible to my normal senses. Feeling quite happy about a well-executed plan, I started following the trail and saw a few drones meandering about. Unlike the previous ants, they were bright red and busy harvesting what they could. ''That''s a bit on the nose, isn''t it?'' I crawled up a large mushroom and watched them continue to work. The numbers were quite considerable, but they were all low-level. The nest most likely held some higher-tier ants. ''I know [Nitro Slime] is very effective... But could I combine it with [Metal Slime]?'' I began thinking of how I could effectively combine the two. One idea that came to mind was to create a shrapnel-style bomb that would explode and cut up the ants. While that would certainly satisfy my inner Dewi, I wondered if there was potentially a more elegant solution. I especially wanted to toy with more cost-efficient ideas. Sure, I could detonate a small lake''s worth of [Nitro Slime] and probably kill nearly anything, but it felt wasteful. Since [Metal Slime] had made me think of my past tactics, I wondered if I shouldn''t explore that. I could create metal projectiles to shoot like I had once done with tusks and teeth. I thought of the giant frog and the boar I had attacked from the inside and wondered if I could apply that method somehow? ''Metal spikes or needles that are primed and detonate from the inside? Could that work? I could even coat the tip with [Acid Slime] for enhanced penetration.'' The idea sounded good, and I started experimenting by using both traits to design thin needles. Once I made a few and chose my favorite design, I locked it in, created a few more, and then primed them to hold their shape. ''The conditions I can set with [Nitro Slime] will expand with further trait levels. How amazing would it be if I could set the exploding condition for after you are inside? The on-contact explosion is probably too quick. My other option is a 5-second delay, but that feels too long. Hell, if a monster is too small, the needle might be outside of it before it detonates!'' I was searching for a solution when the obvious one struck me. I could set them as on-trigger and then use a [Sub-Core] to monitor and detonate once the needle had penetrated. Given how high-spec they had become after evolving, I was sure they could easily handle the task. With a salvo of iron needles formed from [Metal Slime], tipped with [Acid Slime], and primed with [Nitro Slime], I began sneaking about for some good firing angles. Like an assassin, except with explosive needles rather than poison, I began my assault. Needles fired out unbeknownst to the ant drones going about their business and pierced rather effortlessly through their carapace. Thanks to the various skills and traits I had accumulated, it was far more accurate than I had realized, and as each needle pierced through, they detonated. ... ''Haha! Nice, good, excellent!'' I cheered as the explosive needles were far more effective than I realized. The ant drones were popping before my very eyes. ... <14 Skill Points are now available.> . ... Chapter 175 : Metal Urchin I was extremely happy with the results; my explosive metal needles were far more effective than I could''ve realized at the time. While the [Metal Slime] trait was clearly being carried by [Nitro Slime], I was sure they''d both be pulling their own weight when I had proper access to better metals. Just imagining an adamantine needle exploding gave me chills. ''Still... [Nitro Slime] is terrifying. I can understand why they don''t allow orange slimes to spawn outside of dungeons. The only thing stopping it from being my ultimate secret weapon is the fact that it destroys the slime mass. Ugh... If I hadn''t lost [Mana Conversion], I wouldn''t even need to worry about resource costs.'' I had a bunch of notifications to go through; I had thought all of them would''ve been ant deaths, but I came across a shocking revelation. <14 Skill Points are now available.> ''Huh... Either I was really close to a level up, or perhaps the Eyedra had leftover experience after I paid off my debt.'' I thought, surprised I had gained a level so soon from such low-tier monsters. Then, I looked at the new skills. . ''I was so distracted by [Metal Slime] that I completely forgot to check whether I had gained Earth affinity!'' <[Earth Magic LV 1] spell [Rock Lob] learned.> ''Success!'' I cheered happily. ''Although now I''ve gained Earth before Air... Seriously, Trixie, you promised me Air affinity!'' The spell it gave me was rather simple. I could pull up a rock, rapidly mold earth into a rock, or even apparate a rock entirely from Mana, although at quite a cost. While it was inherently extremely simple, the fact that it was so variable in its mana price was at least interesting. ''I bet the type of earth affects the cost. Something fine like sand probably costs more compared to something coarse like gravel.'' Then, I pulled up my new skill. <[Elemental Harmony] Enter a trance to increase your natural Mana flow and Mana regeneration, which is greatly enhanced by the elemental essence of the region and affected by your [Elemental Shift] skill level. Beneficial effects scale exponentially the longer the trance is maintained. If you are aligned to match a region element, a small portion of these benefits are granted passively if sufficient elemental essence is present. This skill has no levels.> ''Oh. This is clearly an upgrade to [Meditate].'' I realized and pulled up the skill to compare. <[Meditate] Enter a trance to increase your natural mana flow and mana regeneration. Meditation can be used to stave off the effects of sleep deprivation, but it is not a true substitute. Beneficial effects scale exponentially the longer the trance is maintained. This skill has no levels.> ''Yeah... I never used this at all since I got it. I lost the sleep portion, but passively gaining some of the effects while aligned sounds ideal. Otherwise, when would I ever use this?'' ''Go for it.'' ''I effectively lost a skill point since I never used [Meditate] once... Or, would I not have been able to grab [Elemental Harmony] without [Meditate] as a prerequisite?'' I pondered. Then, I looked at my final notification. . ''Nope. I''m a happy Elementalist, thank you very much.'' I replied, rejecting the class swap. Now, did I want to buy two more [Sub-Cores]? While I had eight points to spend, part of me wanted to save up for another uncapping or to potentially use them to upgrade Magic Resistance from Lesser to Greater. ''Yeah... Let''s hold off on spending more. Which means I''ll have to realign my current cores. Sorry [Alpha] and [Beta], you two will be on Earth duty for now. Although it''s not like you can''t cast Arcane or Corrosion spells even while aligned.'' I tested it out, and while Corrosion was definitely unaffected, I did notice trace amounts of elemental contamination in my Arcane spells. ''Okay. I''ll just keep myself unaligned then and hot-swap as needed. At least until I decide to get more cores.'' I decided. ''Now, the elephant in the room... Do I start using [Earth Magic] now?'' I spent some time grumbling to myself, trying to make a decision. I had just gained a new shiny toy, and I knew bringing it up to my other magic levels would no doubt help me, especially if it contained other spell components. A small part of me acknowledged my poor impulse control as I fluttered from one thing to the next, and so, with great reluctance, I decided I wouldn''t actively pursue [Earth Magic] for now.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ''I want to level up [Metal Slime] through usage, not to mention testing [Nitro Slime].'' I glanced at Alpha and Beta and realized I was also being stupidly greedy for wanting my own hands personally in every project. ''I could try leaving it to them. I mean, it''s probably stupid that I haven''t already... Just... Would it still be my accomplishment?'' I knew I was being weirdly insistent on this subject, but I just struggled to let go. Of course, I didn''t need to rush into crazy [Earth Magic] right away as well. ''Okay... Let''s just take a step back. I''ll keep my custom spells to myself for now, no rush, but I''ll set Alpha and Beta on apparating rocks with [Rock Lob]. The mana cost will be high, as will the initial difficulty compared to using the earth available, so it might train a few of my skills and traits. Meanwhile, I''ll focus on my slime as I originally planned.'' Relatively happy with my decisions, I gave them both the order to start grinding away. I set up some conditions that they wouldn''t do while I was actively using stealth to avoid blowing my cover, and if there were no engaged enemies nearby, they would just drop the rocks. Otherwise, they would provide supporting fire. It was a bit of a complex order, but it seemed they were easily fine with accepting such a conditional order. I also gave them a halt order if my Mana dropped below thirty percent. Then I started gathering and eating the remains of the ants scattered about. Using my much neglected [Pseudopod] trait to reach out and collect them. My ant profile was updated, and I found out this subspecies of ant could, in fact, expel fire and also came with a rather high level of innate [Fire Resistance]. The salamander had [Inferno Sac], which was the upgrade of [Flame Sac], while these drones had an even further downgrade called an [Ember Sac]. ''If the soldier ants have [Flame Sac], I wonder if the princess will have an [Inferno Sac]?'' I wondered. Although it made some logical sense, I somehow doubted that was the case, as otherwise, the dwarves surely would have mentioned it or sought out this ant colony much sooner. With my meal complete and some slime mass recovered, I started following the scent trails left behind by the fire ants. One unexpected side effect was that incorporating this ant species made me understand their specific scent trails more clearly. They left odd scents of "collect here" or "food here" rather than basic communication. ''I guess I shouldn''t judge them too harshly. My slime brethren literally can''t think at all...'' I made sure to take out any drones I spotted on the way to the nest, which, by following the trail, I realized was quite a distance away from the initial location given by the quest. Not that I could blame the guild; the original location was evidently just the first point of contact. When I finally found the nest, I was surprised at the level of camouflage the ants had adopted. The nest was well hidden under some collapsed towering mushrooms, and if I hadn''t had the trail to follow, I wouldn''t have spotted it that easily. ''Can that really be called tracking? I followed a trail directly left behind...'' I shrugged. Trying to understand how big the nest was, I activated [Tremor Sense] and saw that it was quite a sprawling network below me as numerous blips appeared through the sense. ''Okay, it''s ant extermination time!'' As I neared the nest entrance, I saw it wasn''t entirely undefended. Three large ants were hanging from the underside of a mushroom. ''I wonder if I could sneak in and assassinate the princess?'' I pondered as I quickly shifted into an appropriate fire ant drone disguise and continued forward. At first, it seemed like my plan was perfect, as the ants showed no hints of hostility. But when I neared them, I suddenly caught a new whiff of a scent that clearly meant "intruder." Two of the three soldiers immediately tried to seize me with their massive mandibles, which was when I abandoned my ant form and swelled out to a far more impressive, blobby form. I opted to use the silver slime''s natural method of attack as iron spikes protruded from my body, and I formed bladed pseudopods. The soldier ants had a much more robust carapace, so I had to target weak points to get past their defenses. Meanwhile, a hail of magical forming rocks was lobbed at the third soldier who remained behind. The strategy executed by these fire ants seemed to be to lock something in place with their mandibles and then unload their [Flame Sac] point blank. Some drones even appeared from the nest, trying to hold me down. Unfortunately for them, you can''t hold a slime in place, and even if they could, I was so fireproof at this stage that it was a joke. With much poking and prodding, I managed to stab through into one of the soldier ants and had the invading tendril burst outwards like a sea urchin of iron spikes. It was certainly an effective method of attack, and the ant died shortly afterward. While [Acid Slime] would have made penetrating much simpler, I wasn''t sure how mixing my slime traits affected experience distribution. If the cause of death was acid, I presumed it would gain the lion''s share of experience, which made me hesitant to use the deadly slime. ''Ugh. I''m being stupid again.'' I admitted. I sent an order to my remaining [Sub-Cores] to cast [Erode] when I was engaging in melee with the ants. This way, I could continue using [Metal Slime] as my offensive. When my metal-bladed tendrils started cutting through the ant carapace, I grinned maniacally as I formed more weapons, becoming a whirling blender on the poor ant. I gained a newer appreciation of my defense debuff and wondered if this was how Roderick and Ian had felt. With both soldiers dead, I was prepared to take on the third when I noticed it battered and broken with countless rocks and shards around him. Alpha and Beta had shown no mercy and clearly were having quite some fun with [Rock Lob] as they crushed the ant. I quickly ate what I could and began my descent into the nest, only to be met with a wall of drones that all unleashed their [Ember Sac] in unison. I wanted to giggle at the tickle of embers, as even Dewi had trained himself on much harsher flames. ''Talk about a perfect opportunity to use [Contagion]!'' I fiendishly thought. [Erode] was cast on the most central ant, and then a boosted [Contagion] sent out a massive cloud of the debuff, infecting every ant present. While I would have loved to have spread something crazy like [Electrocute] or [Frostbite] and watched the ensuing chaos, I had another fun idea planned. I opted to morph into a metallic boar and charge forward into the crowd of ants; as I broke through their ranks with my mighty charge, I gave the order to control and erupt into as many spikes of slime as possible to all of my cores. So much slime mass was being directly manipulated I was forced to withdraw more as an endless sea of spikes, prongs, and drills burst outwards. Seeing such well-executed and precise control over my slime mass was so satisfying. ''Should I call this the metal urchin of death? Or is that too edgy?'' I couldn''t help but snort at the terrible joke. Perhaps driven by instinct, when an ant was killed, it was immediately dragged in by hooked tendrils and promptly eaten and absorbed. It was a little surprising to see my [Sub-Cores] actually understood my desire to train [Metal Slime], and thus, only my center of mass became the designated eating zone to ensure no kills were made with [Acid Slime]. ''My last evolution really gave them a boost. I probably haven''t scratched the surface of what''s now possible.'' I thought as they continued to cull the drones. Chapter 176 : Ant Assault ''These ants are worth a pittance of experience. I hope I at least get a level from the princess.'' After cleaning up the ant mess, I realized I was slightly on fire. It was not hot enough to cause any real damage, but the rather consistent flame was noticeable. It was nearly identical to my experimentation with creating the flammable adhesive slime. The profile of the soldier ant revealed the source; they had a fluid gland that created the strange flammable substance. It looked like they could spray it from their rears if they developed the right trait for it, but otherwise, it was flowing throughout their body, and it would likely coat anything that killed or wounded them. ''Really brings a whole new meaning to sacrificial soldiers.'' The fluid also served as a marker, making me realize why so many ants were charging me so suddenly. I must have been like a beacon to them. A simple rotation of my slime cleaned off the residue. Being underground, the area was likely full of Earth essence, so I swapped my own core over to Earth alignment to hopefully gain some of the new passive benefits from [Elemental Harmony]. At the same time, I wanted to see how Earth affinity affected [Mana Reinforcement] with [Elemental Adaptation]. Although I could hazard a guess it probably increased my defenses. I continued my delve deeper into the ant nest. I had to rein in my overconfidence; my near defeat on the floating island was still relatively fresh in my mind. But it was getting hard not to when I saw ant after ant erupting with metallic spiky protrusions after being invaded by a tendril. ''It really makes it hard for me to judge these quest ranks; I''m not struggling at all here! I guess the average person might struggle against a swarm? But I think anyone with any decent amount of [Fire Resistance] could have done this.'' I watched as another ant failed to penetrate my defenses and then was swiftly torn apart by one of the [Sub-Cores] in retribution. Getting into physical contact with me was already bad enough for most enemies, but seeing jagged spikes of metal burst out in retaliation was quite a sight. ''I guess, unlike the adventurers, I don''t need to worry about my body taking wounds. Although even if I did need to worry about my slime body, with [Metal Slime], I''m probably tougher than tanks like Ian and Roderick. Just as long as nothing hits my core... But once I get enough [Metal Slime] levels, I can probably create a coating around them, my own personal armor.'' All the activity in the ant tunnels meant that [Tremor Sense] was getting a workout, although I delegated the information to my [Sub-Cores] as trying to process it myself was a little too distracting. Likewise, Alpha and Beta kept throwing rocks around, and they didn''t take long to reach the next level in [Earth Magic]. As far as first-level spells went, [Rock Lob] was pretty mediocre, and it would likely have barely threatened the ants at all if not for [Erode] ruining their defense. <[Earth Magic LV 2] spell [Rampart] learned.> The new spell lets you pull up the earth into rough structures; the main use was clearly to make walls, as the name implied. At least that was the base intent, as with enough levels in [Mana Manipulation] and some effort, you could force more elaborate designs. The more Mana you dumped into the spell, the more refined the result. I sealed off a tunnel behind me as an experiment, and when I threw my entire magical weight into the spell, the resulting wall closely resembled granite in terms of toughness. Finally, unlike [Rock Lob], this spell wanted you to use existing resources, as the cost to create even the simplest earthen wall from pure Mana alone was astronomical. My self-proclaimed endless supply of Mana was put in its place. Of course, unless I was flying, I couldn''t see a reason to ever need to create it from Mana alone, and I''d be far better off using many more available options in that scenario. ''When I''m forced into some non-slime downtime, I must investigate pulling apart this spell and replacing Earth with Ice. It''s my only other Mana type with such a strong physical presence. You can''t exactly make structures out of Fire and Lightning. Arcane is a possibility... But if maintenance cost is anything like [Aegis], then it''s a no-go.'' The path I followed was likely the primary shaft, judging by its size and the number of branches it led out to. While I wasn''t too worried about ant reinforcements, I still had some experiments I wanted to try out with [Nitro Slime]. One of my options was to create bombs that would trigger when stepped on, a feature clearly devised with dungeon traps in mind. Borrowing that dungeon trap inspiration, I trapped the various side tunnels with these slime mines as I progressed deeper into the nest. The fact that I could customize each bomb''s payload with different combinations of slime traits made me wonder if this was always the plan for it or if Gramps had modified it later with me in mind. I presumed I might get a first-time bonus for each different type of bomb, so I tried to give each tunnel a unique trap.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. At first, I covered the basic types: [Acid Slime], [Cryo Slime], and [Blaze Slime] were all deadly payloads entirely on their own. Then, I needed to get creative. I wasn''t sure what to do with [Poison Slime] on its own, but I found a potential winning combination with vaporized Bloodrot. [Voltaic Slime] was also tricky, as it wasn''t inherently dangerous without some stored charge. It seemed like it might have been a long shot to think I could store charged slime in a primed bomb, but I was wrong, and it worked without a hitch. ''I''d almost say Gramps needs to split out the primed state as its own trait; the fact that it''s baked into [Nitro Slime] almost seems too much. Even if it''s only frozen and can''t be manipulated, the fact that it keeps shape, form, and capability with disconnected slime has so much potential.'' For the [Metal Slime] bomb, I added shrapnel and hoped for the best. With only iron, it was likely the weakest of my options. If I wasn''t just curious and wanted to focus on only the best result, I probably would have coated the shrapnel in Bloodrot. I could sense the bombs, but keeping track of when they detonated and then trying to assign the corresponding kill notifications to each bomb sounded impossible, at least alone. I assigned each bomb trap to a [Sub-Core], color-coded for my own convenience, and told them to keep track of the kills with the vague hope it was within their capabilities. ''This is probably the most ambiguous instruction I''ve ever given them. Let''s see if they can handle it.'' It didn''t take long for notifications to start coming in; I mostly ignored them and simply checked to see if I had received any level-ups. Meanwhile, the ants in front of me were getting much more desperate in attempting to halt my progress. <9 Trait Points are now available.> <13 Skill Points are now available.> Before reaching the princess, I was pleasantly surprised to gain a level in my race and class. Before proceeding further, I asked the [Sub-Core] with the highest kill count to present itself. Beta and Delta floated closer, representing [Poison Slime] and [Cryo Slime], respectively. I was overjoyed that they had somehow followed that vague order. I had no idea how they did it, but I wouldn''t argue with the results. I had them arrange themselves in order from most to least kills, and I was initially surprised to see Gamma representing [Blaze Slime] at the lowest end. ''I guess the ants are fire and heat resistant... Seems a bit unfair considering I nearly boiled alive in my own slime even when I had [Fire Resistance].'' I made a few more questions and arrangements and discovered that while Beta and Delta were almost equal in kill count, there was no comparison if we compared time to kill. The [Cryo Slime] bombs were a nearly instant death for the ants. ''Good to know. If the princess gives me any trouble, I can throw around some [Ice Magic]. Also, it''s kind of weird that [Voltaic Slime] performed less impressively than I thought it would. Did I not charge the slime enough, or are the ants resistant?'' I entered what I assumed was an important chamber due to its sheer size, thanks to [Tremor Sense]. Inside, I was treated to the sight of the princess flanked by two absolutely massive ants. The princess was smaller than I expected, but she did come with wings and an enlarged butt. On the other hand, her protectors were absolutely kitted out with impressive chitin, spiked mandibles, and what looked like the sprayer upgrade on their rear. ''Princess, you appear to be slacking off. Your subjects are at a higher level than yourself.'' The rest of the room seemed to be a hatchery as there were white oval-shaped egg things slightly squirming, being grabbed and taken away by some drones. They immediately spotted me, causing the two bodyguards to snap their mandibles threateningly and flash with a red-hot glow. The princess also seemed to glow, and then I witnessed her release a glowing aura that permeated throughout the entire chamber, and a glow settled onto her two bodyguards. ''Is that a buff aura? I''ve never seen another besides my [Glacial Aura] and that cat''s [Jinx Aura]. I hope that''s a trait I can mimic.'' The uncharacteristic display of intelligence also gave me a nagging feeling in my mind, so I grabbed [Telepathy (Lesser)] and mentally reached out to the princess. A soft, bubble-like shield surrounded her mind and attempted to prevent my reaching out, but I broke through easily with a small flex of my mental might. "Hello!" I reached out. "INTRUDER!" The ant princess screeched out with an almost alien-like mind. "Are you an [Experiment]?" I questioned. "LEAVE OR DIE!" She responded and was clearly trying to shove my mental connection away. I tried a few more times to speak with her, but she kept repeating, "Leave or die." I broke the connection because I did not want the alien voice screeching in my head and wrote off the princess''s possibility as a fellow [Experiment]. Not wanting to be outdone by the ant aura, I cast [Glacial Aura]. The icy, ethereal Mana spread out and flooded the entire room. The ants really didn''t like that, and now the two guards started hastily charging at me. Meanwhile, I saw the princess sneaking towards one of the exits. I had Alpha and Beta, my two personal earth mages, cast [Rampart] to seal the exits. At the same time, I shifted into a more bulky form by shifting into a mostly earthshaker bear body while reinforcing it with [Metal Slime]. And so, as a silvery-gray earthshaker bear, I met the royal guards in a head-on collision. The impact was audible. The first guard I ran into was sent backward, digging in its heels, while the second guard clamped down on me with its scorching mandibles. A powerful clanging noise echoed throughout the sealed chamber as the ant repeatedly tried and failed to penetrate. Now that I had Earth affinity, the borrowed [Earthen Carapace LV 7] trait was operating at full defensive capability, and it was reinforced with [Metal Slime] and [Mana Reinforcement]. Not to mention whatever defenses my increased density would provide. There were minor scuffs and scratches, but my metallic rocky carapace was unharmed otherwise. ''I guess I''m an ironshaker bear now!'' Chapter 177 : Playground I was extremely happy with how tanky I had become. I only wished I had a bigger monster form to mimic. Still, my chimeric evolution added flexibility to my forms, so I started to swell and grow my size far beyond the original earthshaker bear. ''It''s disappointing I didn''t manage to get a yeti or ogre profile from the dungeon; those looked really strong. I hope I can find something big and brutish down here.'' While I still loved magic, there was something inherently fun about turning into some giant oversized monster and smashing my foes. Speaking of magic, my [Glacial Aura] was clearly building up its effect as the ants started to become noticeably slower, and some of the weaker drones collapsed and began to freeze over. To counter this, the royal guards started leaking heat from their bodies, a misty haze rising from their carapace as their bodies began to glow softly. They also started vomiting out flames to try to melt me. Realizing she was trapped, the princess joined more directly in the fight and started fluttering around the large chamber and lobbing globs of spit at me, which seemed to react harshly with the flames present and further fuel their intensity. ''Okay, everyone, metal urchin!'' My body rippled and burst outwards with hundreds of protruding spikes. The full form of my seven [Pseudopods] formed and began more directly assaulting the two royal guards. Not to be outdone by their mandibles, my tendrils were tipped with fangs, claws, and weapons from various profiles as they started to pierce, crush, and slice into the ants. Since I was the leader, I delegated full bodily control over the cores and decided to focus on the princess. She was fluttering around a lot more anxiously now, so I started firing my metallic needles at her. She must have had either a danger sense skill or evasion as she promptly began dodging; unfortunately for her, all my needles were also explosive payloads, and it was easy to catch her off balance by detonating them once they were behind her or when they were glancing past her side. The two royal guards flared up with even more strength when I attacked the princess and began pushing back. They ignored all wounds and attacks and just mindlessly pushed forward to eliminate the threat to their princess. Their berserker mindset was offputting, especially when I saw that some of their wounds began congealing and sealing up. ''Okay, team, let''s throw in some [Bloodrot]!'' The order was immediately received, and the metallic weaponry glinted with a dark maroonish tint. When the next batch of wounds was caused on the royal guards, their wounds started to fester, and that congealing goop was nowhere to be seen. While I was happy to have countered their healing, I did start to receive a rather notable complaint from [Dissection]. It appeared these ants were quite valuable. I pushed the objection away and continued my fight; I was having too much fun right now. I found myself toying with the princess, using the combat to get some thorough practice with [Nitro Slime] and some more advanced attacking maneuvers. By leading her around with needles and explosions, I could lure her into taking hits she really shouldn''t have; I also played around with the idea of leaving needles embedded into the wall and then only detonating them when she dodged closer. This chamber had become my trapped explosive playground, and I was setting the rules. The battle continued; the guards must have died at some point, as I noticed the chamber had become quiet except for the sound of explosions. At this point, the princess had stopped trying to attack and was frantically trying to survive the explosive gauntlet. However, my amusement ran out when the princess frantically abandoned reason and charged at a wall, trying to burrow furiously with her superheated mandibles. I sighed, disappointed, and lashed out with [Cryo Slime] tendrils to drag her back. When the icy slime even grazed her, she violently trembled. Frantically thrashing, my tendrils began to drag her back into the room, but then she died far sooner than I expected. ''Huh... I knew [Cryo Slime] was effective... But that effective?'' I couldn''t help but wonder. ''Sure, she was damaged, with less than half her life force remaining, according to [Life Sight].'' I could have easily conquered this battle if I wasn''t so focused on leveling up and trying out my newer traits. [Dissection] was still giving me some attitude, but I shrugged it off, as the princess was in good enough condition to harvest fully. And while the royal guards looked like moldy sponges with numerous holes and Bloodrot festering, their mandibles were still in adequate condition. As I ate and harvested, I looked over my notifications. <10 Trait Points are now available.> This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. <14 Skill Points are now available.> ''Two levels each from defeating basically an entire nest. Not bad.'' I initially was quite happy, then paused. ''Wait... That actually seems a bit high, right? If I look at my progress from the dungeon...'' I started looking through my profile. Thankfully, it didn''t take me too long to solve this puzzle. <[Assassinate LV 6] Adds bonus damage to attacks on unaware or defenseless targets, greatly scaling with skill level. This bonus damage moderately ignores most forms of mitigation and resistance if executed from stealth. Once per day per skill level, you can trigger an [Assassination] attack that deals 2x+0.1x per level. If the target is aware of you, the bonus damage is reduced by half. If you defeat an enemy in a single attack while they are completely unaware, bonus experience will be awarded.> ''I bet my traps were triggering [Assassinate]... No wonder they were so effective! And then I gained bonus experience for defeating them in a single attack!'' It was an exciting revelation and rapidly elevated [Nitro Slime] to likely be my best trait candidate. Sure, all my slime traits had the tagline "Compatible with other slime traits," but this flexibility and usability were just so damn good! ''I wonder if there are any classes related to traps? While I''m pretty deadset on seeing what Elementalist offers me at higher levels, and Trixie promised me Air affinity, I''m certainly open to other options. Not to mention what Trixie had said when I gained Elementalist...'' I pondered and then tried to recall Trixie''s exact wording. "It''s your first advanced class, more like the start of your journey." I could almost hear her voice. I missed the damn pixie; I hope she arrived in Dhoggurum soon. ''To think I tried to blow her up...'' I thought grimly. ''But yeah... If I need multiple advanced classes, assuming there''s something trap-related, I''m putting that high on my list. Not to mention the progression from Shadowcaster, although I''ll likely need a higher level in [Corrosion Magic] and [Vanish] to unlock that.'' Then, I looked to see what skills or traits leveled up. Sadly, there weren''t many; it wasn''t like I was triggering [Apex Hunter] or any other form of bonus experience. ''Excellent! I now have access to silver and bronze. Sadly, there is no level-up for [Nitro Slime].'' I quickly tested the new metals; my grayish silver bear became gloriously bronzed. I wasn''t entirely sure if this was better than iron; was it just harder to form because it was an alloy? Moving on, I formed an ornate silver rapier, proving that my previous theory was correct. ''Nice... Now, if only I could figure out what other Sight trait I''m missing. I''m almost positive there''s a combination between this and [Mana Sight]. Well... [Mana Conception] for me, since I upgraded it.'' I had also postulated a potential combination of traits with the name Sense, like [Tremor Sense] and [Electro-Magnetic Sense]. Likewise, I figured there was probably something with Vision, but apparently, [Eagle Vision] didn''t count as a trio with [Dark Vision] and [Thermal Vision]. The two new ant profiles were interesting, as they were synergistic evolutions and relied on each other with traits to facilitate that. As long as the royal guards were in the presence of their assigned princess or queen, they would receive quite a stat boost. The princess also somehow took reduced damage as long as her royal guards were present, in a strange linked way, reminding me of Eliza''s damage siphoning. ''I guess that might be why she died so easily. No royal guards, no special damage mitigation. Well, and these ants are super weak to Ice.'' I tried mimicking both traits at once, but it looked like I couldn''t cheat the system like that. The princess''s aura was from a strange gland, and it would affect any progeny. I tried using it myself, hoping my [Sub-Cores] could''ve been loosely classified as my offspring, but sadly, that was not the case. The regeneration also came from a gland; while I could use it, it was a little impractical. With [Inferno Sac], I could send Mana into it to generate the flame nearly instantly, and this [Regen Gland] functioned that way, except at a much slower rate. Store and use later, rather than spend and use now. I tested to see if the fluid could be stored outside the gland, but it rapidly faded upon removal, even within my [Core Storage]. ''An exploit fix?'' I guessed. The princess also had egg laying... I ignored it. ''Trixie must never find out.'' I vowed. The flammable spit was interesting. It was also stored in some gland sac thing, and [Dissection] seemed to be preserving it. I tried sampling it, but it didn''t trigger anything, so I just stored it in some canteens. ''I literally just bought these canteens before the teleport, and I''m emptying them already... I need to get more conventional storage.'' Then, I saw the final trait in the princess''s profile. I gasped. <[Essence Sight] See the natural flow of Essence in the environment. Higher trait level allows further understanding of Essence concentration, elements, and condition. Trait level determines detection range.> ''I knew another sight trait existed!'' I celebrated. I tested to see if I could buy it, and it was compatible with my race! However, I rejected the purchase and instead opted to borrow it and earn it that way. Now that my race levels were more irregular in frequency, I needed some scrimping, especially if I wanted to potentially uncap or uptier a trait. ''It shouldn''t take too long to unlock it if I also borrow the human trait [Untapped Potential].'' I reasoned and shifted into a goblinoid form. ''Still... Why does the ant princess have it? I thought only spirits were involved with Essence.'' Thanks to [Chimeric Mimicry], I borrowed and activated the trait at level seven. The room erupted with previously unseen colors and substances; I quickly canceled the trait and recovered from the surprise. ''Okay... That was a lot of information...'' Instead, I borrowed the trait at level one. It was much more manageable this time, although it didn''t tell me much except that this room had Essence. I began gradually adding more levels to the trait; the slower pace allowed me to become accustomed to it and parse the additional information each level provided. First, I understood the Essence concentration, then the primary element, and then, as more levels were added, I could tell what the minor elements were present. The final packet of information contained any recent changes to the Essence flow. Putting this all together, I could tell this room had a high concentration of Essence, which had recently spiked. All the ant deaths explained that. Also, while the primary element was Earth, there was a lot of Fire element originating from below the chamber, and the egg pile was on the closest hotspot. ''So... The ant princess has this trait to find a good nest location?'' I reasoned. ''But... Then why didn''t the harpy queen have the trait? Or do harpies not care about their nest location as much. Or is it because they are monstrous humanoids rather than just plain monsters?'' Sadly, neither of the two profiles could answer the question, although, in the grand scheme of things, it didn''t matter other than to feed my growing curiosity. ''Speaking of curiosity...'' I thought as I stared at the Fire Essence source below. ''I wonder where this goes?'' Chapter 178 : Exploratory Mining I briefly considered not exploring the unknown source of fire essence. But in the end, I loved a good mystery too much, and perhaps it would hold something interesting to eat, or maybe it would be one of the other quest targets I was supposed to exterminate. ''A quick peek, and then I''ll head back. I''m sure I''ll be home in time for supper!'' With acidic tendrils as my tools, I began my burrowing descent towards this heated source. It was certainly not the most exciting time, so I kept myself occupied trying to create my earth debuff. ''What would an earth weakness even be called? Rocked? Soiled? Dirtied?'' As I descended deeper, the rock density and the ambient heat increased. Eventually, I reached a layer of blackish rock that was remarkably warm to the touch. ''I''m so glad I can''t boil alive anymore. Otherwise, this would''ve been a really stupid idea.'' [Tremor Sense] told me that beyond this rock, it opened up into what appeared to be an open cavern. With excited anticipation, I continued through. As I broke through, a vast and lengthy cavern was revealed, where a river of molten magma flowed with a mesmerizing, fiery glow. The intense heat radiating from the magma river made the air shimmer, and the distant rumbling of the flowing magma echoed throughout the cavern. Using adhesive tendrils to latch onto my entry hole, I lowered myself near the magma, feeling the heat wash over me and marveling at the raw energy before me. I poked the river a few times; it seemed like my resistances were enough for my slime to not burst into flames on contact, although I wasn''t about to take a dip. I also tried looking down both ends of this river using [Eagle Vision], but both weren''t entirely straight and curved off. I wasn''t sure which end of the river to follow, and there didn''t seem to be anything below the surface, at least within range of my current position. Borrowing a higher level of [Essence Sight] again, I discovered that one path headed towards more fire essence. My decision was made. I took on my regular winged blueblin form for its convenient flying size and began to fly carefully down the tunnel. To my surprise, I wasn''t the only flying creature in these tunnels, and there seemed to be a few fire elemental bats fluttering around. For the most part, they seemed non-hostile and would actually flee from me. Their low numbers, low tier, and inedible status made me defeat only one with [Frost Grasp] before ignoring them. The magma river, however, was extremely intriguing, and occasionally, I''d see what looked like fish coated in blackish glass. I paused and attempted some fishing experiments by trying to catch some by dipping my [Pseudopods] into the molten river. It took quite a bit of trial and error, as I was almost fishing blindly. The only vaguely reliable sense or vision I had to use was [Life Sight], as the strange fish didn''t appear with [Mana Conception]. They were clearly the same temperature as the magma itself, so they blended in when I used [Thermal Vision]. The area and creatures were not conductive, so [Electro-magnetic Sense] was also a bust. When I eventually caught one, it was quite a nutritious feast despite its lack of levels, which fell more under critter status than a monster. They were called obsidian fish, and when I noticed some other creatures in the magma, they all had obsidian as a prefix to their species. I was mostly minding my own business when my fishing expedition was interrupted by the sound of some immense rumbling. I flew towards one of the walls and pressed against it to try to get a sense of where it was coming from with [Tremor Sense]. Whatever it was, it was making such powerful vibrations that it was being picked up despite my lack of trait levels. ''Is that... Two of them?'' I pondered, trying to decipher what I was feeling. If I read the trajectory correctly, they would appear further ahead in this tunnel, closer to the source of fire essence. I hastily flew towards it, hoping to catch sight of whatever it was as it approached. I spotted the destination up ahead. The magma river opened up into a lake and an absolutely massive cavern. The cavern ceiling was extremely tall and littered with various mineral deposits in a stalactite formation. The magma lake was also not completely unpopulated, and it had its own pillars, creating impromptu platforms or islands. The ceiling and walls were littered with burrowed holes in varying shapes and sizes as if many creatures had sought out this destination. The rumbling grew louder, so I flew towards a stalactite to hide behind. Depending on what was approaching, I could flee or attack. I didn''t have to wait long. A massive tube of rotating teeth burst out of a newly formed hole, revealing itself as a gigantic glassy black worm. The worm dived into the magma lake as if seeking refuge. You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version. ''Well... I did ask for something bigger to eat and fight. I can see why the dwarves want these things killed; they could potentially try to tunnel into the city and break their defensive wards.'' The rumbling hadn''t stopped, and the previously burrowed-out hole burst open to reveal an even larger worm. It was also mostly black, but unlike the first one, it seemed refined and reforged. Down its entire length were what seemed like carved-out channels into its hide that pulsed like a living furnace with a bright orange glow. Its outer coating alone sent [Dissection] into a frenzy. The bigger worm was likely chasing the smaller one, and now the two were wrestling and writhing within the magma lake. I hadn''t often seen members of the same monster species fighting, but perhaps worms were solitary. Were they territorial rivals? The evolution must have been fairly recent, judging by its reset level. Was it trying to take out the competition before it could also evolve? I borrowed [Telepathy (Lesser)] and tried contacting both to see if there was anything from such high-tier monsters. While I could connect to both, all I got back from either was a deep-rooted desire to kill, eat, and grow. Not even words. ''I guess not every monster is as intelligent as the ant princess. A shame she wasn''t willing to talk.'' As for the two worms, I wanted to defeat both of them. Just thinking about the massive amount of slime mass I''d generate from either meal, not to mention the traits and a brand-new form, was absolutely mouth-watering. ''I should help the small one kill the big one. As long as I secure the killing blow. [Decay] would be ideal since it''s a huge chunk of damage, and my [Life Sight] is much better nowadays. It''s too bad I can''t use the interface feature without directly wearing my guild tag; having their life bars would have been convenient.'' It was an odd limitation. The tag had no problem tracking my quest progress while in my [Core Storage] but could not activate the interface feature unless I actually wore it. I wasn''t worried about the tag breaking; it seemed almost impossible to even damage, but I refused to wear it out of disguise. Hidden behind my stalactite, I threw all my debuffs onto the tempered worm. The difference was evident, as now some of the bites from the obsidian worm were breaking through, but not nearly as well as I thought. A fully empowered [Erode] initiated from stealth gave a defense debuff of 100%, but that clearly did not remove all of the tempered worm''s protection. After all, it would be immensely powerful if it included any additions it had made to its defense. ''I''m throwing random numbers around here, but if the worm had 150% defense, I probably lowered it to 50%.'' I initially thought it would be strange if I was already at the maximum potential of my debuffs when [Corrosion Magic] still had another five levels to go, and this made me think it would go beyond 100%. Even with my debuff assistance, it didn''t look like the obsidian worm would succeed. It was tricky to compare myself to regular monsters, but this made the gap between evolutions especially apparent. I began preparing some of my explosive needles with eager anticipation when I paused. I looked at my needle and then the sheer size of the damn worms. ''Right... Needles aren''t going to cut it.'' Thanks to eating almost an entire ant nest, I had an excessive amount of slime mass, and the delicious meal before me would undoubtedly return any investment made with interest. Thus, I started upgrading from needles to spears while watching the two worms continue their wrestling match in the magma lake. ''It''s too bad I don''t have a profile for something more exotic like a harpoon. Perhaps I need to visit a coastal city next?'' The increased weapon size also gave me more room to work with. The design I finalized had a spearhead of [Acid Slime] and [Metal Slime], while the shaft replaced the former with adhesive [Cryo Slime]. I liked this design as I could readily replace the payload contained in the shaft depending on the monster, and I quite easily predicted these worms would be weak to Ice and Cold. I alternated between iron and bronze for my metal choice, as I had no idea which was better. Then I mixed [Nitro Slime] into the entire creation and primed it. Happy with the finished product, I told my [Sub-Cores] to remember this configuration and set up most of them to handle the production. ''I''m tempted to throw in some [Bloodrot]... But if I ruin that harvest, I think [Dissection] will kill me. Not to mention, I''d hate to ruin the meal for myself.'' My blueblin form wasn''t ideal for the rapid internal creation of my exploding spears, so I was forced to swell in size and latch onto the ceiling. I had all of my cores spread out as much as possible and was disguising myself as part of the ceiling with individual stalactites that each housed a core. ''I think this is the largest amount of slime mass I''ve ever pulled out and controlled at once. Actually... This is almost like an adaptation of what Gramps'' emergency contingency did to save my life against that blade wolf.'' With my position secured and doing my best to blend in with the ceiling, I began my assault. The cores not assigned to production would join me in the firing line. With the element of surprise and my high trait levels, the dozen or so spears were launched and met their target with startling efficiency. About half of those ricocheted off its exterior, and I had them detonated to avoid wasting the payload, causing a light splattering of [Cryo Slime]. Another half stabbed in but didn''t make it fully inside, but they were in a perfect position to at least coat the worm after detonation. Finally, the remainder penetrated deep into the worm and unleashed their full strength. The worm ululated in pain, echoing throughout the cavern, resembling an endless cacophony of gravel and metal being pulverized together. The other worm tried to take advantage of this momentary respite to land its own chomps into the foe but desperately winced away when it took in a mouthful of what must have been some residual [Cryo Slime]. ''Come on, it''s just a bit of cold slime, don''t be such a baby! I''m doing all the work here!'' I kept firing spears and having them appropriately detonate depending on the outcome. Any that ricocheted hurt me on an emotional level, as it was like throwing slime away. Sure, I had the slime budget to afford this, but it still stung. Things were going relatively well, although I noted that the obsidian worm was still flailing around like an idiot. It had taken one mouthful of slime; surely it wasn''t that bad? ''Or... Is the inside of their mouth a giant weak point? Maybe their stomach can''t handle the slime?'' I had attacked monsters in the mouth before, but seeing those rows upon rows of teeth made me shudder. I would not want to stick my tendrils in there, but perhaps I could make one accidentally swallow a slime bomb? Judging by the vast amount of lifeforce the tempered worm displayed, I might have to. Chapter 179 : Worms Now, the only issue left to figure out is how to aim my projectiles into the mouth. The worms didn''t really close their mouths, and they were huge in size, so it wasn''t an impossible target. But, with the amount of time they thrashed around and refused to stay in one place, it wouldn''t be easy. I kept producing spears and my attack on the worm, although I was reserving more in storage for later usage as I''d probably need to get closer to secure some shots down the gullet. My chance of victory wasn''t in question; it was just the time required and resources expended. ''I seriously can''t believe how much damn health this thing has. Did the dwarves scam me into taking this quest?'' I knew there wasn''t a penalty for failure, but personally, I refused to accept the outcome. I tried studying the two worms as they fought and wrestled. Besides their sheer size and mouths, they weren''t exactly high on the threat list. They weren''t even particularly fast. Trying to find potential weak points, I noted that they had no eyes, which made me wonder how they were sensing each other. ''I would have thought [Tremor Sense], but I don''t know how effective that would be while in magma. [Life Sight] would be a valid option; the two are both like beacons of life.'' For now, I just continued to safely observe and strike from afar. Trying my best to understand the two monsters while building up my projectile stockpile. After quite a bit of back and forth, I was beginning to lose hope that I''d discover something else to them other than their hatred of eating [Cryo Slime]. That changed when the two worms crashed into one of the pillars inside the magma lake that connected the floor to the ceiling and shattered it. Suddenly, both worms frantically started trying to eat something within the pillar, even going so far as to partially ignore each other except when fighting over the scraps. I wasted no time using [Eagle Vision] to locate their target. Between the rubble of the collapsing pillar, I noted some ores within. ''They eat minerals?'' That revelation certainly explained some things. Clearly, the worms had some way to detect nearby ores, which they seemed to delight in eating. It also further explained why the dwarves had such a hatred for the damn things; imagine if one of them ate your gold mine! I''d certainly be furious. If that were the case, would the smaller worm look like a tasty snack to the big one? It was coated in obsidian, after all. Perhaps the rarer the mineral, the more flavorful it was for the worms? If that was the case, then maybe I could fool the worm into eating a slime bomb by making it out of a rare or valuable metal. Rather than anything too complicated, I made a silver sphere with a [Cryo Slime] center and primed it so that it would keep its shape. Then, using [Slime Shot], I fired the bomb toward the two worms that had resumed attacking one another. I wasn''t expecting much; it was, after all, just a quick theory thrown together. But against my expectations, as soon as the silvery sphere was within a certain distance of the two worms, they both seemed to home in on it and desperately seek it out. The blasted obsidian worm swallowed the thing whole, much to the frustration of both me and the tempered worm. Despite my anger, I didn''t detonate it immediately, as I needed the obsidian worm to stick around longer to keep the tempered worm occupied. I swapped from spear to silver ball production and began launching them toward the worms. Again, when the silver spheres neared the worms, they ravenously sought them out. Seeing the greedy obsidian worm trying its luck again, I needed to prevent it from eating it, so I detonated the first one, likely sitting in its stomach. A huge chunk of its life force immediately depleted before my very eyes, and it continued to drop rapidly by the looks of things. I hoped I hadn''t accidentally killed it too soon with the world''s deadliest candy. The obsidian worm immediately howled in pain and thrashed around, ignoring all the tasty treats the tempered worm consumed gluttonously. As long as it kept eating, I kept spitting out silver balls, and only once the obsidian worm had recovered did I finally start the detonation. The chain reaction of all the silver balls going off was extremely audible, even with the nonstop wailing from the obsidian worm. I squealed with joy when I saw each detonation removing another vast chunk of lifeforce and spreading out the deadly [Cryo Slime]. The damage the one bomb had done to the obsidian worm was impressive, but this was on a whole other level, not just due to the number of detonations but also because the tempered worm was fully debuffed. However, by my rough estimation, the worm would still live. ''Ah! I should have used [Assassinate]!'' I cursed my lack of hindsight. I had six daily uses of the extra bonus damage and seldom used it. While I most assuredly forgot about it often, another small part of me wanted to always keep it in reserve for some desperate "what if" scenario that might never occur. But if I wasn''t going to use it now against something crazy like this, then when would I ever?A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. ''One for a [Decay] finisher, two for the obsidian worm, one for my hypothetical emergency, that leaves me with two to use right now!'' I reasoned. I gave the order to regroup as I let go of the ceiling, my slime mass and [Sub-Cores] rapidly snapping back to reunite around my primary core. While falling, I began shifting into my blueblin form and rapidly flew closer to the thrashing worm. The obsidian worm was taking its opportunity to land some solid bites against its still vulnerable aggressor. I pulled out some of my prepared spears and made the ad-hoc decision to merge them together into two larger ones. These would be my triggers for [Assassinate]. Flying this close to the worms was somewhat nerve-wracking, and I double-checked that I had my [Arcane Armor] cast on all my cores before the final approach. Then, with the aid of my helpers, I planned out the optimal [Slime Shot] to land directly down the gullet. The two spears were partially sunk into my arms, which I had enlarged to house them and satisfy the requirements of [Slime Shot]. Before initiating the attack, I triggered the conditional use of [Assassinate], giving both spears the multiplicative boost. When I had finally decided that this situation warranted the usage of my daily limits, I pondered whether I had to trigger the skill before launching the spears or before triggering the detonation. However, I had the gut feeling that it was before launching the spear and that the detonation and even the subsequent [Cryo Slime] would technically all fall under the same attack. So, trusting my gut, I flew to the optimal position while dodging flailing worms. Despite my open hostility towards them, the two seemed to not even acknowledge my presence. Any attacks I avoided were purely coincidental collateral from their girthy body flailing around. I launched both spears, the moment almost freezing in time as I watched with eager anticipation. When both projectiles went straight down, I wasted no time triggering the detonation and mentally cheering before even seeing the final outcome. The tempered worm reeled from the resulting attack. When its lifeforce dropped like a rock, I couldn''t help but feel giddy and thanked my gut for its good intuition. I swiftly cast [Contagion] to spread the debuffs to the unexpecting obsidian worm and began what I hoped would be my final attacks. Since I still had some spears remaining in my [Core Storage], I began firing out the remains of my stockpile at both worms this time. The obsidian worm had seemed primed to go for the almost-fallen worm when I had unexpectedly assaulted it. With the obsidian worm now occupied with itself, I triggered another [Assassinate] and finally cast [Decay] on the big worm. The purple mana swirled around the worm, and one by one, all of its afflictions were purged with magical fury, and a mighty singular blow was struck against it. The worm gave a few remaining spasms before collapsing into the magma lake. <11 Trait Points are now available.> ''Yes! Kill secured, now I just need to clean up.'' I cheered. Then I spotted the sinking worm. ''And then¡­ Go fishing, I guess...'' Even without my attacks, the obsidian worm was not looking good. It had previously had to bear the brunt of all the attacks of the much larger worm in addition to any accidental damage it took from me. I thought I might have needed to use [Assassinate] against this one, too, but it looked like I was mistaken. Unlike the tempered worm, the obsidian worm''s defenses held little remaining protection against my attacks once it was debuffed with [Erode]. It felt good to be on top of the food chain again as I watched it''s rapidly depleting life. When I estimated it was close enough to death, I threw out another [Decay] to finish the job. Like before, the purple mana of the spell swirled around the monster, but in what felt like a less dramatic fashion than the [Assassinate] empowered version. Then, unceremoniously, it was over. <15 Skill Points are now available.> Before the obsidian worm could start to sink, I rushed over to it and threw out tendrils to try to grab it. Unfortunately, I was nowhere near strong enough to stop it from sinking, so I made the executive decision to dive down its gullet and eat it from the inside out. As I had suspected, the worm meat was delicious and nutritious, and I saw a much-needed replenishment of my slime mass. Rather than depositing it, I let it balloon out and aid in consuming the worm. I ordered everyone to get to work and follow the instructions of [Dissection]. When I broke through to the fleshy interior of the magma lake, I couldn''t help but flinch reflexively. Not that I was afraid of the magma, but I borrowed [Fire Resistance] as a precaution. I was initially surprised by how little was being saved from the worm; it seemed like, other than a few choice obsidian scales and its teeth, everything else was designated for eating. But the true prize would be the evolved one. I had wanted to avoid looking at the worm profile until I ate the bigger one, but I realized that I would likely require it to aid in locating and retrieving it. So, I compromised by skimming through it. The worm had [Tremor Sense], as I suspected, but also [Mineral Sense], which must have been how it sensed the ores. They were otherwise entirely blind, not even having something like [Life Sight] to sense nearby foes. Sure, they lived underground, but having such a crippling weakness to anything flying seemed very detrimental. Borrowing the trait and beginning to transform into a worm myself, I could sense that the obsidian in its hide was being detected. And at the bottom of the lake, I could see my true prize glowing like a sun in all its glory. All of my newly acquired slime began repurposing itself into facilitating my giant obsidian worm form. The transformation was startling, and having the entire massive body exclusively under my control was a bizarre feeling. I had never been in a body nearly this big before. ''You know¡­ I had nearly given [Nitro Slime] the award of best trait ever. Still, the fact that [Chimeric Mimicry] is pretty much singlehandedly allowing me to control this entire form by itself is certainly eye-opening.'' The best part about my new worm form was that, unlike the original, I was not limited to being blind and could easily create transparent pockets for a [Sub-Core] to see out of. Not that there was anything to see at the moment aside from the depths of the magma lake. And so I wormed my way to my next meal and hopefully a good trait or two. Chapter 180 : Eating Rocks When I finally reached the tempered worm, I wasted no time diving into a presumably delightful meal. I had tried to dig in like any of my previous meals, but even with my [Acid Slime], I had some issues with the worm. If anything, it seemed sturdier than when I was fighting it. Adapting to the situation, I shrunk my worm form down in size and ate at the fleshy interior to get around the conundrum. While I perused the profile, I let the rest of my [Sub-Cores] and [Dissection] continue the work. <[Tempered Reinforcement] Increases a monster''s physical defense in proportion to its heat level. Affecting most, if not all, forms of natural armor it may have. The base defensive boost and the maximum heat bonus scale with trait level. This trait also greatly boosts resistance to all forms of heat, but it comes at the cost of equal vulnerability to cold.> ''Very interesting... I guess I left it a bit too long in the magma, so it''s all gone hard. But if cold lowers the defense, then I''ll just add [Cryo Slime] in with [Acid Slime] for the harvesting.'' Before I gave the full go-ahead to all my [Sub-Cores], I personally tested the theory with the directed guidance of [Dissection]. The difference was outstanding, and I was back to my familiar harvesting capabilities in almost no time. ''That''s good. Otherwise, I might have needed to drag this sucker out of the magma lake.'' Letting the gang get back to work with the newfound knowledge, I was about to continue perusing the profile. But an unexpected notification interrupted me. <[Obsidianite] has been sampled. [Metal Slime] updated.> ''What!? I ate basically the other entire worm and didn''t get anything, and now you update? What the hell is obsidianite?'' [Metal Slime] held no answers for me, and so I was forced to scour through the monster''s profile for the answer. That answer was also frustratingly inadequate; the best I could put together was that this unknown metal was formed during the monster''s evolution. ''It''s like the rocky obsidian evolved into a metal... Maybe the dwarves will know?'' I tried using [Metal Slime] to form some myself, but it was impossible at my current trait level, like both mithril and adamantine. Possibly even worse, it was hard to tell the difference in my slime falling apart. The evolved worm''s only remaining trait was [Volcanic Stomach], which let it rapidly convert rock into magma that it could spew out. It was pretty cool, although [Tempered Reinforcement] was the true prize and ripe for mimicry. As far as I could tell, nothing stopped me from borrowing the trait and heating myself up with [Blaze Slime]. No need for a magma bath. ''[Volcanic Stomach] is probably how it''s supposed to heat itself up if there''s no other source nearby.'' As for the traits both worms had, [Mineral Sense] seemed useful, and perhaps I could combine it with [Electro-Magnetic Sense] and [Tremor Sense] in some combination. Both worms had a trait called [Obsidian Scales], which seemed to be an alternate version of [Earthen Carapace], with the caveat that it also required Fire affinity. I did try using both at the same time, but they seemed mutually exclusive. The deciding factor was that [Earthen Carapace] was incompatible with [Tempered Reinforcement]. They also had [Rock Connoisseur], an unranked trait that allowed them to eat rocks and raw minerals for food. The trait mentioned rarer minerals as more nutritious and delicious. I thought it might be a good way to exploitatively generate slime mass, so I tried mimicking it and eating some rocks. Firstly, the amount of slime it generated was so infinitesimal that I could only assume Gramps, or someone else, had perhaps had some foresight to prevent me from doing something like this. Secondly, despite the trait claiming the rock and minerals were delicious, that couldn''t be further from the truth. ''What a scam. I can''t believe I toggled [Olfactory Sense] on for this disappointment.'' Eating and harvesting the second worm entirely took far longer than expected. I was beginning to worry that Thern might get worried about my absence if I didn''t return home in time for supper. ''Not that I think I could eat another bite after that meal.'' I chuckled to myself. And, of course, I simply had to try out the new form. Massive quantities of slime were withdrawn, and I found my wormy body swelling to its newer proportions. Even if I had experienced fighting these obsidianite scales firsthand, I could instantly recognize their value now that my body was wrapped in them. ''And to think it will be even stronger when I can handle obsidianite myself via [Metal Slime]. Although I swear, I can feel [Chimeric Mimicry] already somehow using a small portion of it.'' And now that I had a full understanding of the worm in sight, I could tell that those glowing channels along its outer body were actually linked to its stomach. A very convenient design and considerably more pleasant than the idea I had where it barfed over itself.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement. The trip back to the hole I made was rather fun as I got to experience traveling like a giant worm down the magma river. Although I was feeling more like a leviathan or sea serpent than a burrowing worm. I had hoped I might have encountered something to test out the new form against, but sadly, that didn''t happen. Perhaps they were all scared away from the racket of the two rampaging worms, as even most of the critters had seemingly fled. Not wanting to immediately end my time trying out the new body, I started compressing and shrinking the form to a more manageable size when I reached my destination. ''Time to try out burrowing with a mouth full of rotating teeth!'' I double-checked that [Olfactory Sense] was disabled and then began tunneling upwards back into the ant nest. The trip back up was brief, and the worm''s natural burrowing significantly outdid my "just melt it" strategy. Since I had a stomach full of rock and earth, I felt obligated to at least give [Volcanic Stomach] a quick chance. All things considered, vomiting up the molten rock wasn''t as bad as I thought it would be, thanks to the worm''s body literally designed to accommodate such a feature. Of course, I simply had to try some slime shenanigans as well. I formed tendrils connected to my worm stomach and collected the magma. Armed with some new ammunition, I used [Slime Shot] to try various projectile methods. ''It''s a shame I don''t think this is too useful... Trying it out is entertaining, but my slime is far better if I want to burn or melt an enemy. And that''s without needing to eat rock first, waiting for the stomach to convert it, and only then spitting it out. How sad is that? I can spit magma, and I could probably say it''s a neat trick.'' I shrugged it off. The body alone was worth its weight in gold for me. I dug myself an expedited exit out of the ant nest and even caught a few drone stragglers wandering around aimlessly. A chomp or a few tail whacks was far more than the simple ant drones could survive. The fact that the teeth ripped apart the ants like wet paper was a little startling. I triple-checked that the coast was clear before returning to my elven persona. I wasn''t sure how long this adventure had taken, and I really hoped I hadn''t caused Thern or his family to worry about me. "I need to buy one of those time tools..." I sighed. "Unless only Keld sells them? Maybe they are imported? I''ll ask Darmod when I get home." I was heading back to the dwarven tunnel that led to this fungal cavern. I had my eyes out for kobolds just in case, but I doubted I''d be that lucky. At the same time, I made sure to keep using [Essence Sight]. I had checked, and it was already appearing as the [??? LV 0] trait, so I knew I was very close! [Prodigy] was working overtime with [Untapped Potential]. ''Speaking of traits, I wonder what the dwarves have... Something like [Alcohol Connoisseur]?'' I couldn''t help but giggle. I reached the tunnel without any fuss, and now, in the relatively safe confines of familiar ground, I sped up my pace in returning. Deep in the tunnel, I finally received my notification. "Great!" I cheered. "Saved a trait point right there." I immediately pulled up my profile and attempted a trait fusion. Excitement was bubbling; I hadn''t done this successfully in what felt like ages. Would it finally work this time? ''Nope! I''m gonna get some free levels in [Essence Sight] first.'' I rejected the prompt. ''Hopefully, I can also get [Mineral Sense] for free... What would that combination be? I want to doubt it''s [Soul Sense], but maybe Gramp''s felt uninspired with the names again.'' To my surprise, I met a squad of dwarven guards on patrol in the tunnel. They were more surprised to see me, but a flash of my guild tag to confirm my identity was all that I needed to do. They became jovial once they realized I was an adventurer, and one even offered me a flask as a reward for "a hard day of adventuring." I thanked him and accepted it, even going as far as to chug some of it on the spot, much to the delight of the dwarves. "Are ya sure you aren''t a dwarf trapped in an elf body?" One of the guards joked, causing quite a joyous ruckus from the group, which I joined in on. I waved goodbye and continued my journey, wishing them a safe return. The guards at the gate were similarly happy to see my return and curious about what quest I had been on. When I mentioned that I had taken out an ant princess, quite a few guards offered to take me to a tavern to celebrate with multiple rounds of drinks. It felt nice to be appreciated for the job. I politely turned them down and told them I had a friend waiting for my return, which they accepted without too much fuss. If they had pressed the issue, I might have given in to the social pressure. If I hadn''t been concerned about potentially causing Thern and his family some worry, I would have returned to the guild to report my completed quests. So I beelined towards his home, my [Mapping] skill actually being helpful this time thanks to retracing familiar ground. I still had no idea how the dwarves navigated this city unless they all had it. Knocking on the door, I waited patiently for a response. ''Wait. Shit. What if they''re sleeping? How do the dwarves tell how late it is without a sun?'' My momentary panic was put at ease when Darmod opened the door. He gave a big grin, seeing me safe and sound. "Syl! Glad you made it back in one piece," Darmod said cheerfully. "Yup. It was a rather fun experience; hopefully, defeating an ant princess is good enough to prove my worth," I answered. Darmod gave an impressed whistle as he led me into the house. "Definitely. Those ants are a real menace," Darmod answered. "I think any dwarf in the world would buy you a drink if you told him you killed a princess or queen." Thern was seated at the table with a few mugs of ale on the table. There was no sign of Thessa. "Ah, you''re back!" Thern chuckled. "I was worried you''d be gone for months again." "I''m sorry, I''m sorry. I should have returned from the floating island sooner," I apologized again. "Bah. Don''t listen to Thern; I bet he''d be gone for a year if he was on a floating island," Darmod chuckled. "Did you manage to drag your mom from the forge?" I asked curiously, noting Thessa''s absence. "Aye. Kicking and screaming," Thern shook his head. "And she bloody passed out as soon as her head touched the pillow." "That''s good. I wanted to ask her about a metal I found, but it can wait till tomorrow," I explained. "Oh? I''m not a smith, but being married to one, maybe I can help?" Darmod offered. "Sure. It''s not a big deal, but I found some obsidianite." I answered nonchalantly. Thern was busy taking a drink while I was talking to Darmod, and when I finished speaking, he immediately spat out a spray of ale. While Thern was coughing and spluttering, Darmod appeared frozen in a state of shock. Chapter 181 : Obsidianite "What?" I questioned the two dwarves. Thern tried to say something, but it just came out as a splutter of coughing. "Did you say obsidianite?" Darmod asked in an almost hushed tone. "Yes. I got some from a worm I killed." I answered honestly. "Bloody beards," Darmod muttered. "You said she was special with coming back with crazy shit, son, but I think you undersold her." "Shit!" Thern eventually yelled after recovering enough, "Why didn''t I come with ya? Of all the bloody luck!" "Can someone please explain what the big deal is?" I requested. "Obsidianite is a very rare metal. To say people have died trying to get some wouldn''t be an exaggeration." Darmod started to explain. "What makes it so special?" I asked. "It didn''t appear that much better than adamantine." "You''re right that, in most cases, it''s not that different from adamantine," Thern answered before Darmod. "However, while adamantine can rarely be found and dug up, this bloody stuff is rare to an extreme. It doesn''t form naturally and cannot be created artificially. It can only be obtained from a select few monsters through the godly power of evolution." "Huh... What about feeding it to a silver slime?" I suggested. Thern''s face scrunched up, evidently greatly disturbed or disgusted by the very idea. "I''m sure it''s been tried... Like bloody throwing money away," Darmod answered, also looking bothered by the suggestion. "But you''d either need a silver slime that spawned with obsidianite as its metal type, or it would be ruined by the slime mixing the two metals together." "And I''m guessing obsidianite has no alloys," I replied. "Nope. None of the legendary metals like to play nice," Thern answered. "Well... Are you going to show us?" Darmod asked, licking his lips. "Aye. You can''t leave us high and dry by teasing us like that," Thern agreed. I shrugged and pulled out one of the largest fully intact scales from the worm, gently placing it on the table. Thern''s response was to start cussing up a storm, while Darmod was beginning to look particularly sweaty. "Gods... It''s fully intact," Darmod said, shaking his head. "You really don''t half-arse anything, do ya, Syl?" Thern chortled. "I mean... I had no idea," I shrugged. "My [Dissection] skill told me it was valuable, so I grabbed it." "This one scale is probably worth more than our damn house," Darmod explained. "Huh... Think I could get some silver slime cores?" I asked. Thern groaned as if expecting my question while Darmod stared at me as if I had grown a second head. "That would be such a waste!" Thern exclaimed. "I know you have your kinks about the bloody slime cores, but we''re talking about a piece of valuable obsidianite. Bloody beards, just imagine a forge hammer or inscriber made from it!" "I mean... You can certainly have those," I responded. "I just want some silver slime cores since I''m unlikely find them outside here." "What do you mean?" Thern asked, looking puzzled. "I didn''t say that was my only piece-" I began answering. "Gods!" Darmod shouted, standing up so quickly that his chair tipped. "H-how many do you have!?" Both dwarves stared at me so hard it felt like they were trying to drill into my mind with their gaze. Their abnormal reaction to this entire situation made me feel uneasy. [Acting] must have agreed, as I was getting a subtle hint that I shouldn''t reveal the truth. "A few..." I responded hesitantly. I slowly pulled out a few more; with each one I pulled out, the dwarves looked increasingly frantic, so I stopped when I reached five. I got the odd feeling that if I revealed that I had harvested almost the entire worm, minus the scales I ruined, I might get attacked. Both dwarves were speechless for quite a while, staring at the obsidianite with a mixture of concern, envy, and awe. I was growing increasingly uncomfortable when Thern finally broke the silence. "We can''t let anyone find out where they came from." "They''re going to find out eventually," Darmod countered. "Nobody can keep five large intact pieces of obsidianite a secret. Gods, doesn''t the Adventurer''s Guild know she took a worm kill quest?" "Yes, but the guild would never sell out an adventurer, especially not one who''s reached gold-rank," Thern disagreed. "I dunno, son, greased palms can tempt foolish dwarves," Darmod replied. "That''s not reassuring..." I muttered. "Well, then we should sell it through your company discreetly," Thern suggested "Hmm... That would be maybe plausible. I could pull in one of the noble houses to be our benefactor for a small cut, perhaps get some protection that way to conceal the true source."Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. "Whatever you two think is best, as long as I can get a few slime cores out of this, I''m happy," I replied. "You''re welcome to take one for an inscription tool, Thern." The dwarf looked genuinely gobsmacked. "R-really!?" "Of course, I wouldn''t be here if not for you," I replied. "You even waited for me when I was late..." Thern broke out laughing hysterically. "Bloody beards, Syl, I think I could kiss you!" "I''d rather not. No offense," I replied, waving my hand dismissively. "It''s an expression!" Thern laughed more, "Wait till Greg hears about this. Sure, he had a prodigy for an apprentice, but I got a bloody elf adventurer!" I chuckled, remembering how sour he was after I gave Greg the unicorn horn. "Although if you''re going out adventuring tomorrow, you have got to take me along!" Thern demanded. "I''m sick of missing out on all the fun, which you seem to be a magnet for. First, you visit a floating island and find unicorns, alicorns, and pegasi, and now, barely a few days here, you find obsidianite! When I take my eye off you, I bet you''ll find some lost, enchanted relic or godly artifact." "Sure. I''d be glad to see what runes can do in combat," I replied honestly. His strange class had greatly interested me. "I had a quest to exterminate kobolds, but I didn''t run into any today." "Aye, the cheeky buggers can be hard to find," Thern admitted. "But I''m sure we can find some. Teach them not to mess with a dwarf and an elf!" "In the meantime, I''ll contact the Flintheart family. I''m practically blood brothers with Kaldrour, their current heir, so they''ll be extra discreet." Darmod added to the conversation. "I''ll tell him you want silver slime cores as payment... But I don''t know if even they can wrangle enough to pay you." "I''m alright with other cores. I''m missing a few from my collection." I responded. "Sure, which ones?" Darmod asked. "Can''t hurt to ask. Hell, they might buy some off the market for you. It''s a bit middleman, but whatever works." "Black, Pink, Gold, Gray, Brown, Violet," I replied, listing the ones I knew from memory. "Lass... You have expensive taste. I''m pretty sure half of those are forbidden or unknown." Darmod replied. "Also, no offense, but I think you''d be the best person to obtain a brown slime core." Thern burst out laughing. "You take eccentric to a whole new level. But if you keep finding such incredible loot, I won''t complain no matter what you do with all those cores!" "What''s all the racket down here?" A grumpy Thessa asked, practically storming down the stairs. "You drag me away from my work, telling me I need to sleep, and then you make enough bluster to rouse the bloody dead!" "Sorry dear, we were just discussing-" Darmod replied before pausing. Thessa suddenly started sniffing very loudly, and then she looked at the table with an almost predatory gaze. "Is that what I think it is?" "Pa! She''s got that look in her eyes!" Thern warned. Darmod moved swiftly to Thessa as if to halt her progress, but he was slowly being pushed backward even when he placed his hands on her shoulders and braced himself. "Honey! Dear! Be reasonable! We have a guest!" Darmod begged. I stared unblinkingly at the strange situation until Thessa reached the table. Her eyes went wide as she saw the obsidianite scales, and she immediately took a big whiff of them. As if that wasn''t strange enough, she picked it up and proceeded to lick it. A moment later, she actually bit into it! ''Gods, is she going to eat it?'' I couldn''t help but wonder. My fear went unproven, and instead, she started cackling with laughter. "Obsidianite!" Thessa exclaimed. "It''s been almost twenty years since I last worked with it!" "Ma... Be reasonable. That belongs to Syl." Thern said. "Well, except for the piece that will become my inscription tool and hammer." "Oh?" Thessa asked almost threateningly. "And who exactly is going to forge those for you? I don''t see another master smith in the room." "W-Well..." Thern stuttered. Thessa grinned triumphantly. "Blast it. She''s right. Especially if we want to be discreet," Thern grumbled. "And you, Syl!" Thessa declared, pointing at me. "I''m going to forge you a weapon!" "I don''t really use weapons," I answered honestly. "I have a bow I earned from a dungeon ages ago that''s gathering dust. I''m pretty heavily focused on magic." "Bah. Mages," Thessa scoffed. "What if you run out of Mana? Always good to have a backup." "Well...." I stammered. Perhaps hoping to gain some ground on his mom, Thern chuckled and answered. "I don''t think Syl here has ever run out of Mana; I know you don''t have [Mana Sight], ma, but she''s got enough to light up the entirety of Dhoggurum." "Well, ornamental then!" Thessa replied. It was rapidly beginning to look like she wouldn''t take no for an answer. "Well... I do like rapiers," I answered. Thessa sighed, "Of course... Something dainty..." "Never disparage the client''s choice, dear." Darmod chuckled. "You''re right," Thessa said reluctantly. "At least she didn''t say something silly like a bow. Sure, I was hoping for a big warhammer or battleaxe, but I''ll just have to make do." "Maybe it''s a little late to bring this up again, but I still haven''t understood why obsidianite is so good," I said. "I know it''s rare since it''s only from monsters, but what makes it special to use? I''m hoping it''s not purely decorative for its rarity." "Heavens no." Thessa chuckled. "Let the smith do the talking, not the merchant or enchanter." Darmod and Thern nodded in agreement. "Obsidianite is nearly as durable as adamantine. Through its godly creation and monster evolution, it''s lost all the brittleness of obsidian and has become a true metal worth using." Thessa began explaining. "You''re probably familiar with mithril being a Mana conductor. Obsidianite is a little similar in that regard; instead of conducting it and distributing it, it drinks it up and stores it, using it to reinforce itself." "To add to what Ma is saying, if you have either Earth or Fire affinity, it will naturally enhance the obsidianite. Earth adds to its durability, while Fire refines its edges," Thern explained. "That''s... Honestly, very impressive," I conceded. "I thought you''d like that. Especially since you have Fire affinity," Thern grinned. "Actually, I just recently got Earth too." "Bloody beards, girl! Will you have every affinity the next time I see you?" Thern exclaimed. "Even better then!" Thessa cheered. "What about some obsidianite armor? A nice set of full plate to seal your defense." The dwarves were going back and forth so fast that I couldn''t find the opportunity to speak up. "You really want her clanking around in full plate?" Thern asked. "Her previous class was a rogue mage hybrid. I''m pretty sure she still likes being sneaky." "I do," I admitted. "Although I wouldn''t say no to an armor upgrade." "Hmm... I could add some small platings to your existing leathers. Like studded leather, except far more expensive," Thessa chuckled. "What''s this made out of?" "Inferno Salamander," I replied. Thessa whistled and nodded, looking very excited. "Made from the original owner of that new furnace heart," Thern added. "That''s perfect," Thessa answered happily. "The natural Fire affinity in the armor will blend well with the obsidianite. I would have thrown it away if it was made of something like fish scales." Using [Equipment Swap], I exchanged it for one of my spare robes and handed it over to Thessa. To my surprise, she began examining it on the spot. "Hmm... Good, the maker knew what he was doing. Also, damn, do you bloody elves not sweat at all?" Thessa asked. "Of all the racial differences possible, I think that might be cheating too much," she shook her head and then swiftly changed the subject. "I''m assuming the runes are your handiwork, Thern?" "Aye. I''ll need to redo them when you''re done with the rework," He replied. "Good. I''m glad to have more evidence proving you haven''t gotten rusty," Thessa poked. "You''d have broken a poor mother''s heart." "Quit the act, you forge devil," Thern quipped back. "So... About payment," Thessa said mischievously. "I can put a deposit down or something," I answered, pulling out my guild tag. "Ahh... I''m afraid Thessa''s Forge only accepts trade as payments for the foreseeable future," She chuckled. Of course, the dwarf wanted some of the obsidianite herself. However, I saw no reason to refuse, as apparently, I had more than they knew what to do with. Chapter 182 : Saber-Rattling A plan was being put together by the three dwarves, and I left them to continue their work. I really didn''t want to get involved with money and negotiations, so I felt like delegating the task to them was more than appropriate. Darmod was the merchant, after all, and I trusted Thern to keep his family from potentially scamming me. Thern also reconfirmed that he would come out with me on some adventuring tomorrow. I saw no reason to refuse, but sadly, that meant I would need a slight pause on my [Nitro Slime] testing and [Metal Slime] training. Well... If I get more silver cores from this trade deal, I guess the latter wouldn''t be so much of a downside. Plus, I get to see a Glyph Mage in action! I already had Enchanting covered, so I could probably unlock it myself, and it would be added to my list of potential class considerations when I''d gotten everything I wanted out of Elementalist. Since slime was unfortunately a no-go tomorrow, magic was back on the menu, so I spent the rest of my evening hashing out an [Earth Magic] debuff. It took surprisingly little effort, and in no time, I had accomplished it. Hmm... I don''t know if I''m sold on that name. I''d almost say [Fracture] should be the armor debuff, and [Erode] should be the earth debuff. No? I don''t know if you''re listening, Mother, but that''s my feedback! I wondered if [Soul Sight] would help further my spell tinkering when I got it. [Mana Manipulation] was undoubtedly the key player, but progressing in [Mana Conception] allowed me to identify a lot more spell concepts and Mana types. I was wildly curious but restrained myself as I wanted to get more [Essence Sight] levels before the fusion into [Soul Sight]. And so, I called it a night with nothing immediately pressing. *** "I swear you''ve woken up the beast in both of ''em; I''ve never seen Pa and Ma so excited before," Thern said as we headed towards the guild. "No offense, but you also had quite the look in your eye," I pointed out teasingly. "If you understood enchanting and saw the state of my tools compared to some of my peers, you''d understand my excitement," Thern defended himself. "Damn, Greg has been eating it up with his bloody unicorn horn tool. If only I had a Light or Holy affinity... And tools with dual Fire and Earth are also rare." "Hmm... Would not normal obsidian also work? Or perhaps one from an obsidian golem or something?" I couldn''t help but ask. "I could''ve, but I''d bankrupt myself with frequent tool replacements. I''m not the most delicate when using tools, as is common with most dwarves." "Ah... That makes sense," I agreed. The guild wasn''t too busy when we arrived, and soon enough, we were in discussion with a handler. I reported my successful ant princess extermination, and Thern requested to be assigned the same quests that were assigned to me already. At some point during our conversation, the handler looked absolutely startled and wide-eyed but rapidly recovered, shaking his head. I barely caught it and wondered if I had imagined his composure breaking. Maybe he''s just having a rough day. Probably recovering from reveling too much last night if the other dwarves are any indication. I swear they have at least one tavern on every street. "Been a while since I got to stop kobolds; this should be fun," Thern grinned happily when he got his quest, and we left together. Our trip to the gate was uneventful, and we mostly just made small talk with Thern leading the way. I was grateful to follow, as I felt I might still get lost with how this city was structured, even with [Mapping]. Once again, the city guards were ecstatic at our arrival and gave us a series of shouts and cheers at our departure. When we were out of sight of the gate, I turned to Thern with a questioning gaze as he had added his own contribution to getting the guards worked up. "Us dwarves love a good fight, so adventuring is basically in our blood!" He began explaining. "For any good dwarf, defending the home and people is seen as honorable, and with how brutal it can be down here, it''s instilled in us from a very young age. Adventuring doubly so, as you protect the home from current threats, prevent potential future threats, and risk your life to do it! Right out there in the open, not behind a wall or nothin''! There can be no greater honor!" Thern gave me a hefty pat on the back, and we chuckled as we continued down the familiar passageway. *** "Badour, lad, what''s got you so worked up?" The dwarven guild master asked.The author''s content has been appropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. The dwarf had come practically storming into his office early this morning with urgent news. As far as he knew, there were no dire emergencies or anything presently happening that could threaten the great city of Dhoggurum. "Master Lukhek, I was handling a quest turn this morning and saw the most outrageous thing. I just had to tell you about it," Badour explained. "Oh? Did we get a rare monster kill or something?" Lukhek asked, stroking his beard curiously. "I hope it was a big beastie! Always good for morale! Who''s the lucky dwarf?" "Well... Actually, it was an elf," Badour admitted. "An elf?" Lukhek questioned, then recalled what he had read about a recent accelerated promotion and approval for travel. "Ah... I think I read about her. I thought it was more a diplomatic position than anything else. Or at least that''s the rumor I heard since no elf has ever been interested in joining the guild." "Bloody beards, sir. If she''s a mere diplomat, then I''m terrified of what the actual elf combatants can do," Badour admitted with a dry gulp. "I see... What quest did she complete?" Lukhek further inquired. "She eliminated a reported ant princess in the fungal cavern; it was of the Fire Ant variety." "Bloody ants," Lukhek grunted. "While that''s an admirable first quest and decent accomplishment, it''s not that unusual. I''d expect any gold-ranker to do that. However, that proves that she wasn''t given her rank as a diplomatic gesture... I''ll have that rumor squashed; it''s disgraceful for someone who''s contributed to defending Dhoggurum''s future." Badour nodded in agreement; such rumors were utterly contemptible. "It wasn''t just the ant princess... She also took a general ant extermination quest, and here is the recorded amount from the finalized quest payout," Badour explained and handed over a document. Now, Lukhek was curious. He accepted the document and began perusing it. The number he saw was startling; he almost didn''t believe it, but it was impossible to fool the quest system as it was a reward designed by the gods themselves. "That''s a lot of dead ants..." Lukhek muttered. "And two of them were royal guards if I''m estimating the payout amounts correctly." "And unless she had secret helpers outside of a Party, she did it entirely solo," Badour further explained. "Bloody beards... This is quite a show of force; what are those elves up to," Lukhek questioned. He began scratching his beard in thought. "Is this them saber-rattling?" "Why would they do that, Master Lukhek?" Badour asked. "I thought we were on good terms with the elves." "Well... Are you familiar with the Outeatus trade expansion?" "Ah! My cousin mentioned something like that," Badour said excitedly. "Was it something about the Outeatus Kingdom finally opening up their coffers to buy foreign goods?" "Aye. That''s the one. If your cousin is a merchant, then I''m sure you''re familiar with the fact that most dwarves will accept anyone''s coin, whether they be human, fairy, elf, or otherwise." "Oh, trust me, I know. The bastard would probably sell his mother for the right price." "Ha! Sounds about right," Lukhek barked out a laugh. "Well, the elves aren''t too happy about us potentially trading arms and armor to them. I''ve heard the diplomats here are kicking up a storm." "Why do they care who we trade with? It''s none of their business," Badour scoffed. "Come on, lad, I''m sure you''ve read at least one history book?" Lukhek asked with a frown. Badour shrugged sheepishly. Sighing and shaking his head, Lukhek answered. "The Outeatus Kingdom are the ones who instigated the second great war. Ordered by their God King to usurp the [Elven Legacy] emblem for the royal family." "Oh... Right... That..." Badour pretended to recall. "But that was ages ago, right? Bygones and all that, especially if there''s coin to be made." "Bloody beards, lad; if your work is as half bad as your talent in lying, I might need to hire some new staff," Lukhek joked, causing Badour to pale. "Some of the elves involved are still alive and kicking! Of course, it''s still relevant to them, even now!" "Oh... So is this reminding us to choose them over the humans?" "Maybe... It''s certainly convenient timing, but I could just be poking at shadows," Lukhek admitted. "I can''t say I''ve ever heard anything good about the Outeatus royals. And it''s hard to sympathize with a family all sired by a human supremacist who called himself a God King. I mean... Bloody beards, we know that the gods literally exist; that''s at least blasphemous or foolish. On the other hand, what about the ordinary people of the kingdom? Surely they aren''t guilty..." "I... Uh? Sorry, Master Lukhek, but this is going over my head," Badour admitted. "Sorry, lad. I''m rambling. A curse of old age. I''ll let you run off now. Thanks for bringing this to my attention," Lukhek said, giving him a friendly shoulder pat. "Thanks, Master Lukhek!" Badour said with a quick salute. And you aren''t old, sir; you have plenty of years left to dedicate toward protecting Dhoggurum!" Lukhek watched the lad run off and chuckled to himself. Cheeky little brown-noser. Still... He wasn''t sure what to make of this. It should at least be mentioned to the diplomats that the elves might be taking this exceptionally seriously. Using his [Guild Master] emblem, Lukhek brought up a secondary menu that was not unlike one''s own personal profile. He quickly searched for any other recent quests this adventure had completed or undertaken. Oh, it looks like she still has a quest for worms and kobolds in progress. I''d swear she was a dwarf looking for a promotion. He thought with a chuckle. Then he noticed two payments had already been made on the worm quest. Most of these things were entirely automated, thanks to the glorious gift from the gods. In fact, some adventurers never even bothered to mention a completed quest; it was more of a friendly formality or for a bit of bragging. Or someone trying to make a statement? Lukhek wondered. Using his authority, he looked at the payments; one of the two seemed a bit too high, according to his memory of worm quest payouts. That''s odd... What kind of worm would give so much gold? Now that his intrigue was poked, he couldn''t help but start following the trail. He pulled up quest records and started looking for the ones related to worm extermination. When he found the list close to the payment amount, he couldn''t help but gasp. These are all tier-five worms! Bloody beards! He clutched at his table to steady himself; it was such a startling discovery. I want to believe she had hidden helpers outside of a Party... But gods, if I''m wrong, this could be a grave warning to us dwarves! Screw the bloody God King''s seed and their bloody coin; it can''t be worth risking something like this! Feeling slightly flustered, he rushed out of his office. He needed to tell one of the noble families about this and hoped they''d intercede in the diplomatic discussions. Bloody beards! Our great ancestors'' teachings always mentioned that we should be wary of digging too deep¡ªto control our greed! *** Relaxing in his chair while rolling a small marble ball between his fingers, Gramps couldn''t help but smirk. "I hope she can take the constructive criticism over her spell names... That''ll teach her to get upset over some placeholder traits," Gramps chuckled to himself. Chapter 183 : Glyph Mage Explosions rocked the cave''s corridor, sending rocky shrapnel flying. "Take that, you scaly bastards!" Thern shouted triumphantly as he threw another glowing stone down the corridor. Shortly after, another explosion rang out, encrusting the rock and enemies in an icy residue. A small tunnel abruptly emerged from our side, and a small ambush squadron of kobolds was sent to flank us. Thankfully, I had [Tremor Sense] active and could feel their approach through the rocky floor. I immediately threw out a [Chain Lightning] spell at the first target after they breached, causing a cacophony of yips and yaps from the affected tiny lizard people as the dangerous lightning magic chained between them. Behind us, another set of explosions went off as the trap that Thern had left was triggered. "Ha! I told you they''d try to sneak behind us!" Thern gloated before casting a spell to seal one of the passageways with a rocky wall. Thern''s class was... Interesting. He had Fire and Earth Magic in his repertoire and occasionally used both effectively when the situation called for it. However, any spellcaster could accomplish that, and that''s where his Glyph Mage got to show off a little. Thern could rapidly create a set of offensive enchantments pretty much at will. They were like hostile or unstable versions of larger enchantments, like spells stored within an object just waiting to go off. His favorite application was storing an explosive glyph on a rock or something and throwing it at an enemy. He''d also shown that he could leave a glyph behind, as he had demonstrated with his trap, with trigger conditions to go off. I couldn''t help but draw comparisons to my own [Nitro Slime] trait and its usage, except while mine was sort of taken care of thanks to the trait system, Thern had to draw in his instructions and conditions. However, one aspect that was quite interesting was that Thern''s glyphs weren''t limited to only his affinities, and he could pull on a variety of tricks from once beneficial enchantments now turned malicious. Of course, if he actually had the affinity himself, it would be better, and that''s where I could help him. Thern could create an almost blank glyph, just waiting to absorb some Mana, and it would rapidly transform itself. Taking full advantage of how Arcane Mana was so transmutable. Thern could enchant a bunch of rocks, and if I just briefly channeled my Mana through the bag, it would convert all of them. Like Eliza, Thern had also become quite a fan of having Lightning added to his arsenal but soon requested Ice instead, as it was "making his beard fuzzy." Another interesting use for his class was he could quickly apply glyphs to himself and others, applying an enchantment as if it were a buff rather than a permanent effect and not requiring one to wear armor or some magic item. Thern had given both of us physical, earth, and fire resistance quite rapidly to deal with the kobolds. The class''s intention clearly focused on utility more than offense, but Thern seemingly took that theme under advisement only. Only a crazy dwarf could think of using unstable enchantments as a weapon. When he explained it to me, I thought of potentially using an unstable storage enchantment, but Thern said it didn''t work that way. Instead of sucking up the space and destroying whatever was in it, when Thern applied that enchantment offensively, it instead ejected a concussive force as if expanding the area. In fact, quite a few enchantments behaved oddly when turned into unstable glyphs. Weight reduction, used offensively, briefly applied a downward crushing force to those caught in its explosive residue, and it was clear that Thern had done many experiments to discover the strange variety of effects. Preparation was mandatory for his class, but with practiced fast rune tracing or using a skill he had picked up that let him instantly apply a template, albeit at a reduced effect, he overcame such burdens. When that wasn''t enough, he also had a backup weapon that looked like a combination of a hammer and a pickaxe. On one end, it had a large flat hammerhead; on the other, it had the sharp, pointy end of a pick. While it looked like a tool for heavy excavating, Thern made it look like a deadly weapon he had spent years honing. I sensed the survivors of the trap behind us approaching, so I turned around and cast a barrage of [Rock Lob], as I still needed to work on getting my [Earth Magic] up. The hail of rocks battered against their shields and armor. They cursed and hissed, throwing ranged projectiles and their own spells in retaliation, bouncing against my [Arcane Armor]. The kobolds were strange creatures. Since I had only seen the dungeon variety before this, I wasn''t sure how ones not under its influence would behave. I thought they''d behave similarly to goblins since they reminded me of them, but they had a more savage feralness to them. As soon as they spotted us, they flew into an almost murderous rage and, in particular, focused a lot of effort on attacking Thern. I would have described goblins as cunning but cautious, but the kobolds were cunning and vicious. The goblins I had encountered used traps and strategy occasionally, where the kobolds lived and breathed it. The tunnel we were trying to travel through had all sorts of hidden ambush points and devious devices designed to deal with intruders. While the goblins were numerous, the kobolds felt endless. Or was the goblin tribe I met just on the small side?Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. We were making good progress down their tunnel when suddenly there was a rumbling, and the entire tunnel felt like it would collapse. [Tremor Sense] was basically screaming warnings at me, and I quickly began casting [Rampart] to create makeshift supports. Thern, with barely a flinch, also started using the [Rampart] spell to secure our position. "Bloody cowards tried to drop the mountain on us!" Thern spat out. "Stupid lizards, don''t you know you can never bury a dwarf! This might as well be a spa for me!" Thern had always been rough around the edges, but I''d never seen this side of him before. Evidently, the animosity between Dwarves and Kobolds went deep. When the rumbling finally stopped, Thern let out a disappointed sigh. "We''re gonna have to go back and find another one of their tunnels." "Could we not just dig our way deeper?" I asked. Thern shook his head. "Not worth the effort. These cowardly lizards, when they retreat, collapse the entire tunnel. We''d have to dig through an absolute avalanche of rock and stone to get anywhere. "I see... Well, you found this tunnel easy enough; I''m sure you''ll find another for us." That had been quite the surprise. When we arrived at the fungal cavern, Thern wasted no time locating "signs of kobolds." It was frankly a little embarrassing since I was the one with the [Tracking] skill, but how Thern handled it so effortlessly proved that he had done this many times before. Thern led us to a secluded wall section with a hidden tunnel in a small alcove. From a distance, I wouldn''t have even noticed it was a tunnel as it seemed to create an almost natural optical illusion or camouflage. Thern had just chuckled and called them sneaky lizards. Then, he proceeded to periodically throw some of his enchanted rocks down the tunnel to "disarm" traps and wake up the kobolds. After that, it had practically been a nonstop barrage of the little buggers. The experience was rather poor, but Thern warned me not to underestimate them as they had apparently claimed the lives of many overconfident dwarves through poison and treachery. Not that I have to worry about being poisoned... "So... What''s the plan to get out? I could maybe start throwing around some acid from [Corrosion Magic]?" I asked. "That sounds like a terrible idea," Thern said bluntly. "I thought you said you got [Earth Magic] now?" "It''s level two..." I answered. "I haven''t had the chance to get much use out of it. Throwing rocks isn''t nearly as effective as blasting things with lightning." Thern sighed. "If you weren''t so honest, I''d suspect you were just being lazy..." He began casting a spell, slowly turning the fallen rocks and debris behind us into fine sand. "Now that looks useful," I praised. "What spell is it?" "[Sand Pit] spell," Thern answered. "Well, an application of it. You''d get it at level four if you weren''t slacking off." "I was too busy getting obsidianite to level it up," I teased back. "You know, that magic metal that all three of you were so handsy over?" "Bah! You got me there," Thern chuckled. "It''s definitely a useful spell, though; it lets you break down most forms of rock and earth." "Sounds like [Rampart] in reverse," I pointed out. "Pretty much," Thern answered. "That big orc tunnel you found back in Kaerlin was probably dug out with it." "I wonder how they got rid of all the sand, though..." I murmured curiously. "Well! That''s something you can help with!" Thern said happily as if expecting that question. "Start using all this sand to make some dense hand-sized rocks for me; the more spherical, the better. You''ll be helping clear our way, give me more ammunition to throw glyphs on, and train your [Earth Magic]." I nodded in agreement. It was reasonable, and I didn''t have anything better to do. "I wonder how many kobolds I''ll need to gain a level up..." I couldn''t help but wonder aloud. "A lot... But we might start seeing some of their elites, now that we''ve kicked the hornet''s nest. Especially if they decided to abandon this entire tunnel," Thern answered. "What do the evolved kobolds look like?" I asked. "It depends. Some revert to a more monstrous form, like salamanders or small drakes. They abandon their intelligence and are handled like wild beasts by the typical kobolds. Others become just a bit bigger, similar to hobgoblins," Thern answered as we continued working. "The ones you really need to watch out for are the ones that start looking more draconic... Their scales are the first thing to notice, not unlike that salamander you harvested, and some even get vestigial wings. You see one of those buggers, you kill it immediately!" "I wouldn''t think only one evolution further would be that much of a threat?" I asked curiously. "No, it''s the threat of what they could become," Thern answered. "Each evolution after that, they become more draconic, and soon you got a lesser dragon on your hands." "Surely one monster isn''t that bad?" "Aye. You''d be right. It''s still nowhere near a real dragon, not even close. But the kobolds worship dragons, and one of those can unite multiple tribes together, and soon you have an entire kobold warband out for blood and conquest." Thern sighed. "It''s a pity cause lesser dragons give very good materials and are incredibly rare. But the risk isn''t worth it." I would''ve loved to get my tendrils on a lesser dragon, but it sounded like that wasn''t going to happen. A real pity. Of course, I had taken some nibbles on the kobolds that attacked us, but there wasn''t much other than having a cool new form to mimic at some point. So, if we went deeper into their territory, I hoped to get more of their profiles from their various evolutions. They were still interesting, though. If I understood their profile correctly, they would be born with a random elemental affinity and then gain a spit based on that element, as well as the appropriate resistance. Rarer ones could even get corrosion! Although it seemed they only got half of it, either poison or acid. The idea of a little lizard goblin spitting acid was quite the image. Eventually, we broke out to the fungal cavern once again. After all our efforts, I was rewarded with two level-ups. Sure, it wasn''t the biggest surprise, but it was still very welcome. I had been using the skill when I could, and watching the area''s essence gradually rise from the dead kobolds was likely worth quite a bit. <[Earth Magic LV 3] spell [Shatterquake] learned.> And, as expected, my [Earth Magic] leveled up. Of course, Thern took full credit for this, and I let him have it after he had to dig us out of this mess. As for the new spell, it was one I was quite familiar with... As that damned bear had given me a very up-close and personal experience! The spell had two components. One was that it could quake the ground to cause instability, which Thern said was quite good for knocking someone off their feet. The other was that it could violently shatter rock, creating and launching hazardous shrapnel. So, tremors are created in the earth and soil, while rock is shattered. That''s pretty cool. However, I wonder if that ring of erupting rock spires was just the bear using [Rampart]... Chapter 184 : Kobolds and Dwarves Thern began collecting all the rock balls I had made for him and placing his glyphs on them individually. Once they were ready, he would put them in a small storage pouch he had that was rapidly accessible. "These are pretty good spheres!" He complimented me while he worked. "If you ever decide to take a break from all the monster killing, you should maybe look into enchanting. I dunno if you know this, but spheres are pretty important with high-level enchanting." "The way you''re using it certainly looks entertaining," I chuckled, hoping to dodge the question. "And I thought I''d seen it all with the damage-dealing healer." "Now that sounds like a fun class!" Thern responded. "Where the heck did you see one of those?" "One of the members of a party called The Misfits. We ran the mutation dungeon together. They had a shapeshifting druid, a burning barbarian, and a dark healer," I explained. "Well, I''ll give them points for a good Party name," Thern laughed. "Now, let''s find us another tunnel!" It didn''t take Thern long to find another one, and then we were again engaged with kobold defenders. Now that I had a higher level of [Earth Magic] and since we were surrounded by rock, I started using [Shatterquake] to explode shrapnel on nearby walls. "Bloody beards! Was that you?" Thern questioned while slamming his hammer into a kobold. "Yes? I wanted to try out the new spell," I answered while casting it again, this time below a group of kobolds trying to shoot us with arrows. "A warning next time would be nice!" Thern scolded. "Sorry! I''m used to solo fights." "I can see that. You are like a one-elf artillery mage," Thern joked. It didn''t take us long to defeat the initial defenders, so we quickly took a recovery break. Thern, of course, drank from his flask. "I had no idea you could do that," He finally spoke up. "What? You literally just took credit for my [Earth Magic] leveling up not even an hour ago," I responded. "No, no, not that!" Thern clarified. "You''re casting that spell so far away! Is that a trait or skill or something? I know I''m not exactly a traditional spellcaster, but mine can''t go nearly that far out!" "Oh..." I replied. I hadn''t even realized I was technically casting outside my Mana aura. "It''s not a trait or skill; it''s a technique that allows changing the anchor point of a spell." "No kidding?" Thern asked, scratching his beard. "Wait... Isn''t that Mage Guild stuff?" "Yeah... Jet mentioned something like that to me as well," I sighed. "Don''t fret; if it''s a secret, then my lips are sealed," Thern reassured me. "I''m not sure if it''s a secret or not... I just wasn''t taught by anyone from the guild. Jet mentioned it would be quite an opportunity if I wasn''t bound by any agreement not to share," I explained. "I sorta understand. They''re quite a strict bunch, so they could take it as someone on the inside leaking their teachings," Thern said, nodding to himself, "Well, I don''t think you need to worry about any of that here; there''s no Mage''s Guild branch in any dwarven city." "That''s a little surprising. I would have thought they''d at least have a branch in Dhoggurum." "Eh, it''s all bullshit politics. Don''t worry about it," Thern brushed it off. "Now, let''s get back to fighting some kobolds before they decide to close this tunnel off again!" We continued pushing deeper into the tunnels. It was strange that we were almost getting less resistance to our assault than the first time as if the kobold''s attention was elsewhere. I had mixed feelings watching Thern bruteforce his way through the kobold traps, most of the time breaking them with destructive force. Thinking about the time I spent with Whitney and Jet to disarm traps, I began to feel like I had wasted my time. To think I was supposed to be the rogue, but Thern just breaks them... Maybe I''ll get my chance on the dungeon I do solo? We finally met some real resistance when we were ambushed by a group of kobolds leading a pack of salamanders. "I hope you''ve got enough [Fire Resistance]!" Thern joked as he quickly scrawled a new enchantment on himself. "I dealt with an Inferno Salamander; I think these whelps will feel like a warm breeze by comparison." Thern burst into laughter. "Good combat banter! I love it! This is the dwarven way!" Despite the new enemies, things were going pretty well until a greenish salamander showed up and breathed noxious gas all over Thern, sending him into a coughing fit. I was about to intervene when Thern recklessly charged at the thing and forced it to swallow a few of his rocks by prying its jaw open. The death of that salamander was shockingly gruesome, and even some of the kobolds began to retreat after that.Reading on Amazon or a pirate site? This novel is from Royal Road. Support the author by reading it there. Giving my [Sub-Cores] some permission to join the fight, I started throwing more spells around than normal to keep everything under control, feeling concerned about my dwarven friend. I have a few healing potions... Shit, why didn''t I buy an antidote or something? I fretted, trying to think what I was supposed to do if he was fatally poisoned. My worry became unfounded as Thern pulled out his potion and quickly chugged it after thumbing open the stopper. He made horrendous retching sounds before quickly washing it down with his usual flask. "I can''t believe the bastards poisoned me," Thern grumbled. "Drinking a bloody antidote potion is never fun. I swear those alchemists make them taste like ass on purpose." "You okay?" I asked. "Yeah, I''ll be good in a minute or two..." Thern grumbled. "I warned you to be careful and then look at me, letting a mindless salamander get the jump on me." "Well, at least you got your revenge. By the way..." I started gesturing towards my chin and then pointing at his beard. "You got some salamander... Everywhere." "Ah bloody beards, I got the giblets all over me," Thern said with frustration. "I''m gonna need a good soak after this." "Quite literally, bloody beard," I said with a cheeky grin. Thern briefly looked upset before bursting out with laughter. "Good one. I''m glad to see you''ve come out of your shell; gone is the polite little elf that entered my library." "I hope you''re not implying I''ve lost all my manners." "Nope, but you''re a lot more fun to be around. Although I wish some of your luck would also rub off on me." "Well, there''s still more tunnel to explore unless they plan on collapsing this one on us as well." "I hope not. But I wouldn''t put it past the bloody cowards," Thern grumbled. I quickly harvested the salamanders, cutting off large parts to "harvest properly" later. Interestingly, I had to intentionally use [Dissection] as if the skill was upset that I was regressing in the rarity of materials to harvest. Are normal salamander parts not good enough for you anymore? Admittedly, I felt similarly unlocking the lesser profile when I already had the one from Inferno Salamander. At least it further completed my collection, and now I had the strange evolutionary interconnection from Kobold to Inferno Salamander. Was the one I fought originally a kobold? Probably not; I don''t think they''re native to the region? With Thern fully recovered and the hasty collection of valuables, we continued. We were making some good progress deeper into the kobold tunnels when we came across an unexpected sight; another group of dwarves! It was a relatively large party, although of much lower levels. They were currently fighting a large horde of kobolds at an intersecting fork. Thern wasted no time joining the fray and tossing a few unexpected, explosive rocks around. Seeing their group under some pressure from a group of kobolds with ranged weapons, I focused on multiple big castings of [Shatterquake] directly under them. This caused the rocks to violently explode, killing some and disrupting the others. The resulting chaos caused some dwarves to launch attacks at me, but I quickly threw up a few [Aegis] spells to block their barrage. "That''s a friend, you blasted dimwits!" Thern shouted in rage. "Hold your fire!" One of the dwarves bellowed to the rest of his group. The rest quickly heeded, which was good, as Thern looked about ready to start bashing in some skulls. With both of our groups, it didn''t take long to mop up the rest of the kobold forces. "Sorry about that..." The apparent leader of the group said, looking concerned. "You better be sorry!" Thern shouted. "You just attacked a gold-ranker in front of a guild staff member. You''re lucky she''s got a cooler head than you lot, or you''d all be fried with lightning!" Two of the older-looking dwarves seemed shocked, while the group''s youngsters looked upset. "Ah! I''m so sorry, sir! Ma''am! Uhh..." The dwarf started stammering and apologizing profusely. "Don''t tell me they''re going to steal our tunnel; we were here first!" One of the dwarves complained. "Yeah... I''m so close to getting my next class; I could almost taste it... What rotten luck." "Oi! You little punks sure have some mouths on you!" Thern said gruffly, albeit in a joking manner. "Sorry, sir..." The party leader tried to apologize again. "Na, don''t be lad. It''s all good," Thern shook his head. "We were mostly just blowing off steam... I''m sure we don''t mind letting you have the experience?" Thern turned to me and shrugged questioningly. I didn''t really need much time to make my decision. "I don''t mind. The experience is kind of bad..." I admitted. "Although, what about the evolved kobolds? We did stir up trouble earlier." "Bring ''em on!" One of the dwarves shouted confidently. Thern, on the other hand, was stroking his beard in thought. "We could babysit a bit until the inevitable tunnel collapse?" Thern suggested. "It''s better than going home early, at least. Get to help the next generation of dwarf adventurers and all that." The leader seemed thrilled with the suggestion, and most of the group did, although the two younger dwarves seemed disgruntled. I overheard some especially rude remarks about Thern''s use of babysitting. I shrugged. "I don''t mind. Does it earn me some points with the guild?" Thern laughed. "I''ll put it on your record. In case you ever want to join the guild staff." Thern winked. There was some discussion amongst the dwarves, and eventually, they agreed. Both Thern and I watched the group leading the charge down the only unexplored path since we''d cleared out our own respective tunnels. "So... Do we just watch them? How does this work?" I asked once they were out of earshot. "Aye," Thern answered. "Watch, and if anything too deadly happens, intervene. If we spot any evolved monsters, kill ''em right away. Although I get the feeling we won''t be here too long, the kobolds will probably drop the tunnel soon, so be ready to help me with the ceiling." I nodded and began my watching... Some of me was a bit upset at not getting to train my skills or traits, but I supposed I would get back into the thick of it tomorrow. The one benefit was that it was interesting to see a full party work together from the sidelines; I had always either been in the thick of it myself or the target of it. Thern was getting surprisingly invested and often shouted suggestions or warnings to the group. There was even some praise or cheers at a well-delivered blow. I decided to just watch in silence, looking for any good opportunities. The other dwarves seemed quite jumpy about me, considering they had tried to attack me in the tunnel. Thern and I only needed to intervene once; an ambush with a pack of salamanders practically dropped on the group came out of nowhere. It got a little frantic, and while there were some wounds amongst the group, thankfully, nobody had died. <16 Skill Points are now available.> Well... At least that''s good. There was a huge rumbling accompanied by the sound of explosions and quakes. Thern and I both jumped into action, hastily casting [Rampart]. "Everyone gather round!" Thern shouted. "There''s gonna be a lot of digging in the future." A few breaths later, we were joined by the Geomancer in the dwarf group. He recovered from his shock and helped create earthen pillars to support our makeshift structure. Thern looked at him and smirked. "Lad, I hope you have [Sand Pit], or I''m going to be a very grumpy dwarf." Chapter 185 : Politics By the time we finally escaped the tunnel, everyone was extremely tired and grumpy. Well... Except for me, I felt pretty good, all things considered, the benefits of being a slime. Since there were so many of us, fresh air apparently became an issue for the dwarves, but Thern and the party leader had come prepared, and both had a dimensional storage container containing fresh air. "Any smart dwarf keeps at least one of these things; you don''t want to be trapped underground and suffocate," Thern explained. I guess being buried alive is a common occurrence for them... That''s rather unsettling. Thern and the Geomancer had to repeatedly work overtime casting [Sand Pit], but the lad had far less Mana than Thern and frequently took breaks to recover. Meanwhile, I kept compressing the sand into spheres, even though Thern was unlikely to need them anymore. Occasionally, I''d throw out [Shatterquake] to contribute to our excavation by breaking apart a large enough rock into more manageable chunks for our two diggers. To boost morale and also aid in their recovery, I pulled out some of my "alcohol" to share with the group. Thern chugged it as soon as it was in his grasp, while the rest of the dwarves were initially hesitant. Although once they all had a few sips, they were hooked and singing praises. "Is this recovering my Mana?" The Geomancer asked, looking astonished. "I always had suspicions about that myself," Thern answered. "Whenever I had a hard day full of enchanting, nothing put the spring back in my step than some of that glorious booze." "I guess the secrets out. I like to think it gives it the extra kick," I replied, relying heavily on [Acting] to save the day. "Ha! What next? You gonna start mixing in health potions?" Thern said, laughing uproariously. "Either that or antidote," I teased. "Sorry, I don''t think even the gods could make your booze palatable if you mixed in that gunk," Thern replied, shaking his head. "Please don''t," The other dwarves agreed. It seemed everyone hated the taste of antidote potions. Nobody wished to continue, so we all headed back to Dhoggurum together. The group seemed quite happy, and it looked like they had made good progress despite the kobolds ending their adventure early. They had also become much more amiable to Thern and me, and some brown-nosing was happening with the former. When we finally got back inside the city, we said our goodbyes and headed back home. "Sorry about that. I''m sure you usually get to do far more exciting stuff," Thern apologized unexpectedly. "No worries. I''m sorry my luck didn''t activate, and we couldn''t kill a lesser dragon or something rare and interesting," I responded. "Ha! Now, that would have been a story," Thern chuckled. "Still, it feels good to get a bit of a workout. Feels like it''s been too long since I did some good monster hunting, even if it was just a few kobolds." "Too much sitting around enchanting?" "Mostly. That and paperwork," Thern shuddered. "What''s your next plan? Going to go find a good quest to hunt? Take a break?" I paused to think a bit, then nodded before responding, "Maybe a small break... I want to do some shopping. Do you think I could get one of those timekeeper tools?" "Oh, you want a clock? I''m sure my Pa can point you in the right direction," Thern answered. "Great, thanks," I replied cheerfully. *** The next day, I went on a shopping trip. While I would have appreciated it if Darmod had accompanied me, he was a little too busy negotiating with the Flinthearts. Thankfully, he did at least give me a list of shops to check out and which ones to avoid. Having a merchant''s opinion was always good. Thern, meanwhile, was called in to assist Thessa with some enchanting, so it was just me today. This meant I spent a large portion of my morning getting utterly lost in this dwarven maze until I finally gave in and asked for directions. The merchants I dealt with were polite and friendly, especially when I flashed my gold-rank adventurer tag, and then they ensured I was given VIP treatment. I managed to get my hands on one of the time devices, a clock, as they called it, and I fondly inspected the rounded and flattened device in my hands. They came in various casings, but I chose the sturdiest option available, preferring robust practicality over gaudiness. It did not look bad¡ªfar from it¡ªbut it was remarkably more subdued compared to some of the gem-encrusted pieces they had on display. At least now I''ll know the time if I spent days in a dungeon, underground, or who knows where. I thought happily over my purchase. I also stocked up on some more containers in case I needed them for harvesting and opted to buy a few emergency potions. I wasn''t sure if or when I''d group up with someone again, but I didn''t want to end up in a situation where someone I cared about was dying of poison, and I could only watch helplessly.Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. Definitely adding alchemy to my to-do list at some point. Either that or somehow convincing a dungeon to give me a pink slime... Probably both, though, why not. I have the time. I pulled out my coin marked by Trixie and wondered when the pixie would arrive. I certainly hope she wasn''t playing a prank on me, saying she''d meet up with me only to leave me waiting months. Hopefully, she didn''t get herself captured again... I couldn''t help but worry. Before returning home, I purchased some choice cuts and other food items for our dinner. They gave me free room and board and refused any payment offer. So, if I wanted to reciprocate their kindness, I had to take any chance I could, and they could never turn down food or drinks that had already been purchased. Then again... They had already helped themselves to that obsidianite... At dinner, Darmod was looking mightily pleased with himself. "I got this as a downpayment from the Flinthearts," Darmod said with a wink as he handed me another silver slime core. I couldn''t help but smile at it gleefully. "Thanks!" While I was incredibly tempted to eat it on the spot, I knew I''d be wasting the trait level up. [Metal Slime] had leveled up after the fight with the ant princess. Then I had gone to fight two powerful worms and used them extensively, so I could only hope that the next level-up was somewhat close, especially after sampling something as rare as obsidianite. Nope... Patience, Syl. Get the trait to level five; then, it''ll be time to chow down. "Speaking of which, the Flinthearts were wondering if you were open to completing a quest for them?" Darmod asked. "Sure, I don''t mind doing a quest," I replied happily. "It''s sort of my job, even if I''m kind of treating this a little like a vacation." "That''s good. It''ll also help you, relieving some of their financial pressure," Darmod said happily. "Oh? Why''s that?" I asked curiously. "They''ve been having trouble with one of their mines, and someone is blocking people from taking the quest posted to free it up," Darmod explained. "The guild would never!" Thern shouted angrily. "It''s not the guild staff, but adventurers who accept the quest get... Persuaded to turn it down," Darmod said sadly. "While the bribes are no doubt less than the reward, they come with no risk." "Bloody noble politics," Thern spat. "Well, I don''t think they could bribe me unless they offered me a ton of slime cores," I joked. "Please don''t..." Darmod begged. "She''s joking, Pa..." Thern paused. "At least I hope she is." "Mostly," I teased. "Any idea what the issue is?" "Just that a monster has taken residence in their orichalcum mine," Darmod answered. "You can meet Kaldrour Flintheart at the guild for more details; he''s dying to meet you." "Sure, sign me up." *** Elsewhere... Two individuals were seated in a grand chamber adorned with opulent furnishings and extravagant decorations. The walls were draped with rich, heavy curtains in deep, royal colors and scattered intricate tapestries depicting historical battles and tales of valor. Wall display cases showcased rare and valuable artifacts, intricate sculptures, and ancient tomes. The room was also adorned with gilded mirrors, which added a sense of grandeur and expansiveness. The room''s centerpiece was a large, polished marble table surrounded by ornately carved chairs upholstered in sumptuous fabrics. The table adorned elegant candelabras, casting a warm, flickering light across the room. As a finishing touch, a small serving area was discreetly tucked into one corner, offering a selection of fine wines, pastries, and other delicacies to indulge in. "It''s been decided that we will continue our trade agreements with the Outeatus Kingdom, but only for necessities and luxury goods. Arms and armor are off the table," The dwarf spoke before sipping his wine. "I hope this is satisfactory to The Grove." "More than satisfactory, my old friend," A lithe elven male replied before gracefully sipping his own cup. "After months of refusal to budge over the promised wealth, I''m frankly surprised that The Empire has so abruptly come to reason." "Oh? Are you going to play the fool, Tamnaeth? After you made such a blatant power display," The dwarf chuckled. Tamnaeth was immediately suspicious but hid it behind a mask of utter composure. Power display? He''d done no such thing. Had one of the elders interfered with the lack of progress in recent months? He had reassured them multiple times that things were still within expectations. While something had been suggested originally to remind the dwarves not to trust that savage kingdom, it was deemed far too risky at the time. When dealing with their stout allies, if you were too forceful, they tended to dig in their heels and oppose you out of sheer stubbornness. "Come now, Loldraeg. Surely you can indulge me," Tamnaeth threw on as much social charm as possible, even though it was notoriously ineffectual against the dwarves. "For old time''s sake?" "Fine, fine," Loldraeg chuckled, giving a knowing wink and grin. "I understand the need to gloat and bask in the glory of a job well done. I''ll give it to ya." Tamnaeth gave a tiny smile as he drank from his cup. He patiently waited for Loldraeg to continue. "I don''t know whether to call it a stroke of genius or madness. Sending an elf to join the adventurers guild was startling enough on its own, but going out of her way to accept multiple quests to turn dwarven goodwill towards her was smart thinking. Singlehandedly taking out a fire ant princess and two royal guards, and, by estimating the numbers, likely almost the entire nest. You know how much we dwarves hate those blasted ants... And then, the cherry on top is having her defeat a tier five monster, presumably also by herself. But not bragging about it openly, and instead subtly handing it in with the completed ant quest to an inquisitive staff member, who would question the sheer numbers... Combining goodwill and a reminder of your fangs all in one neat package. Truly brilliant," Loldraeg said, raising a glass to toast. Tamnaeth was shocked. He had not heard any of this; it took all of his social prowess not to let his mask crack. He couldn''t sense any falsehood in Loldraeg''s statement, but it sounded outlandish. Would the elders really send someone to join that guild? They always scoffed at the idea and said it was beneath us. While killing a tier-five monster isn''t that unbelievable, it would have to be of someone with some degree of pedigree. Would any parent accept their child dirtying their lineage by joining that group of rabbles? Even if it was for a good cause. Tamnaeth merely smiled, accepting the toast. "Thank you for the indulgence, old friend." "Anytime. Personally, I think any coin accepted from that kingdom isn''t worth it," Loldraeg admitted with a sigh. "Those coffers reek of blood, but the lust for wealth has tempted many young dwarves..." "I can''t see even the staunchest of our elders complaining about trading a few amenities," Tamnaeth replied, waving his hand dismissively in gesture. "Besides, I assume even that trade will be guarded for snapping mutts." Loldraeg nodded. "Of course. Should any of that cursed seed think themselves another God King, they''ll be swiftly reminded why their forefather failed." They continued to exchange pleasantries. Meanwhile, Tamnaeth kept thinking about that elven agent in the Adventurer''s Guild. I''ll have to pay them a visit... I''m curious about who they sent and why I wasn''t informed. I understand the need for some undercover action, but not even coming to greet me when I''m in the most authoritative position for this region is almost insulting. Still... It certainly has garnered results. Chapter 186 : Meetings I was heading towards the Adventurer Guild that morning to meet with Darmod''s friend, Kaldrour Flintheart. I had yet to interact with any dwarven nobles, so I wondered how their demeanor would differ from the human ones. But if he was friends with Darmod, then he surely couldn''t be too bad. When I arrived, I asked one of the staff members to help me find the meeting room where I was supposed to wait. "Ah, Miss Syl, good morning. Sir Flintheart hasn''t arrived yet. However, another gentleman has requested your presence. Would you be willing to do so?" Are they already trying to bribe me so I do not take the quest? Word sure travels around fast... Well, I''ll accept the meeting so I can at least warn Darmod and Kaldrour who it was. "Sure, I don''t mind since I got some free time," I replied politely. The dwarf looked relieved at my acceptance. I was led to a rather ornate room filled with rather fanciful decorations and a surprising amount of pastries and wine. Oh? Are they trying to butter me up? "Greetings, it''s nice to finally meet you," a gentle and refined voice said. "I hope your time in Dhoggurum has been pleasant." Rising from his seat was a lithe elven male with long silvery hair, perfectly straight and prim. His outfit was an immaculate tunic brimmed with defensive enchantments, leaving him both fashionable and protected. It''s an elf! I thought with astonishment. I know I kept hearing they had some diplomats here, but I never suspected I would run into one soon. Does that mean the Flintheart''s enemies are the elves? No tiers or elements... Did my [Identify] partially fail? Also, he has two classes! "You may call me Tamnaeth. I''m the currently assigned elven authority to this region," Tamnaeth introduced himself before I could say anything. "Syl, it''s nice to meet you," I responded. "Syl? You''re using an alias?" The elf spoke while he seemed to be examining me more closely. "You look..." He paused, his face looking like he was either weighing up options or running calculations. Has he seen through my disguise? Recovering from my initial shock, I remembered the request I had been given by Sylthaeryn. "I was told to give you this," I said. Reaching for the bag and removing it from my person. I held it out. The elf suddenly went pale. His composure almost instantly shattered. His eyes widened, and his pupils constrained. "I-I''m terribly sorry!" He spluttered out, his once dignified composure broken. "I had no idea. You''ll receive no interference in your duty from me!" The elf suddenly started moving toward the door as if his life depended on it. "No, wait, I need you to take this." I tried to protest as he continued his exit. "I understand. Message received. I''m truly sorry for risking your cover, my lady," Tamnaeth said as he practically fled the room. When the door swung closed behind him, I could only blink in utter confusion. I''d been left holding the bag. "What the hell just happened?" I asked myself. *** Tamnaeth took controlled breaths as he rapidly reapplied a mask of composure and regalness. He didn''t want any of the dwarves, be they common or noble, to see that crack in his social armor. Gods... I can''t believe they sent one of the vines. But that bag is proof enough. Is there something bigger at play here than just the Outeatus Kingdom? Which branch would willing to send their child outside of the Grove? He recalled what his [Identify] had told him. I know I''ve been stagnant in progressing my racial levels ever since picking up this diplomat position, but still... That was humbling. Not to mention her class¡ªmight it be a rare or hidden one? It reeks of someone''s prodigious progeny, certainly above my pay grade. And with a racial level that high, I wonder what her other classes are? No way that singular advanced class is the entire story... Tamnaeth shook his head, attempting to dispel his curiosity. No, I must not interfere. I''ll send a message back to my elder and seek further instruction. I must not jeopardize her mission; her threat was clear enough. He shuddered, remembering her holding out her golden oak bag so nonchalantly, as if in a brazen display of force. If that wasn''t a blatant sign of her command.If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. "I was told to give you this." (Look, here is my authority.) "No, wait, I need you to take this." (Don''t approach without permission again.) Speaking in subtle code was challenging without breaking cover, especially if she was under a mental compulsion not to break the persona. But Tamnaeth felt he had interpreted the messages correctly. And to think I so brazenly called myself the authority in the region. He shuddered. I''ll report the mission as a success and, if needed, apologize to her branch. *** I sighed and began raiding the snacks and drinks, throwing everything into storage. If he''s going to leave me hanging with the bag, then I''m at least taking the food. Maybe I''ll have to seek him out later and drop off the bag. I intend to keep my promise to Sylthaeryn even if I have to coat it in adhesive slime and throw it at him! I left the room with my [Core Storage] full of newfound deliciousness. It didn''t take too long for me to run into another staff member. "Ah, you finished your meeting already?" He asked curiously. "You could say that..." I grumbled. The dwarf clearly didn''t understand my annoyance and merely gave a sympathetic smile. "Well, Sir Flintheart has arrived. Do you need a break to freshen up?" "No, I''m good. Let''s get this over with." I swear if he runs away, too, I will be furious. I was taken to a less ornate room this time. Sitting inside was a rather friendly-looking dwarf with a fiery orange hair and beard combo. "Ah! You must be Miss Syl!" He said merrily. "Darmod has been singing your praises, so I''ve been ecstatic to meet the adventuring elf myself." "That''s me," I replied. "Pleasure to meet you, Sir Flintheart." "Please! Any friend of Darmod is a friend of mine. Call me Kaldrour." "Sure, just call me Syl then," I nodded. "So what''s this orichalcum mine issue Darmod mentioned?" "Straight down to business, I can appreciate that," Kaldrour said with a nod, then frowned. "It''s been a rather frustrating predicament... A monster has taken up residence in my orichalcum mine, and anyone I''ve tried to recruit to deal with it is either underqualified or bribed by my competition to look the other way." "Why are they bribing adventurers? Sure, it must be hurting your income, but aren''t they just burning their own funds to do so?" I questioned. Kaldrour nodded. "My rivals are hoping that if I don''t meet my mineral quotas, they can bid for the ownership of the mine." "Really? That seems a little excessive, especially if it''s through no fault of your own." I replied, unable to hide my confusion. "You have a quota for something you personally own? Why does that matter? I can''t imagine the city being upset a farmer''s cow isn''t producing milk." "Mines and minerals are the lifeblood of the dwarven empire," Flint explained. "So much so that having adequate output is mandatory. Not meeting the minimum levels is seen as an affront to any self-respecting dwarf, and thus, it will be sold and taken over by someone else who promises to fix the mistakes." "That''s... Harsh." I responded. "I mean, it''s not like the monster living in the orichalcum mine is your fault." "I suppose it would seem that way for any non-dwarf." He chuckled. "But again, any self-respecting dwarf is expected to protect their own domain. It''s why the defense of Dhoggurum is seen in such a positive light. Me being unable to defend my property is seen as a weakness." "Even though it''s your rivals stopping you from defending it?" "Defending oneself from cutthroat business is-" Kaldrour began explaining. "I get it," I interrupted Kaldrour. "Any self-respecting dwarf should be able to do so." He let out a loud chortle. "Exactly!" "I don''t suppose your rivals have any elven connections, do they?" I asked curiously, my prior encounter still fresh in my mind. He scoffed at that. "Those scoundrels? No way, they are a bunch of lesser nobles like myself. I doubt the Grove would give them the time of day." "Huh... Well, I''m willing to help. So what''s moved into your mine?" "A spider monster known as ''The Terror''," "''The Terror''?" I replied deadpan. "Some adventurers started calling it that, and it became a named monster," Kaldrour answered, shaking his head. "Quite a lot is unknown about the bugger, but it used to be a Trapweaver Spider and was notoriously tricky as it would lay devious traps that befuddled even some veteran adventurers." "Used to be?" "It''s likely since evolved... But the result is unknown," Kaldrour answered. "Interesting..." "I''m glad you think so. It''s terrified any lower-rank adventurers, and the high ones I''ve tried to hire to take care of it get bribed to look the other way," He shook his head. "I don''t want to send a bunch of mustached younglings to their deaths." "That''s honestly very respectable. Still, I''m surprised that the other adventurers are so easily bribed..." "I think that''s why they''ve been drumming up the name ''The Terror'' so much." He answered. "Anyone I''ve hired hears it, then when is offered free money to just not complete the quest, well... You can understand why they''d accept money with zero risk." "Well, I can''t see them bribing me," I answered honestly. "Killing a rare monster and getting who knows what parts from its harvest sounds far more enriching." "Ha! You really are a true adventurer; Darmod wasn''t kidding." "So kill the monster, and the quest is done? Anything else?" "Honestly, if you can even just get it out of the mine, I''d consider it a success. Even though it''s got the nickname ''The Terror, '' it''s rather unsuiting. Many of the initial adventurers that went against it were allowed to escape, and only the ones that truly threatened its life were killed." "That''s rather unusual behavior..." I replied. "Indeed. I care more about my mine than its death, so if it''s safer to just make it flee, then please take that objective. Don''t go dying on my account." "Anything I should know about my potential bribers?" "I presume they will try to contact you while you''re on the way to the city gate. If you reject their offer, I''m unsure what they will attempt, so please be careful." "Oh? Would they send some hired goons my way?" He grunted angrily. "I honestly wish I could say no. But it''s feasible. The one is rumored to have some extremely seedy connections, but I keep hitting dead ends whenever I''ve tried to dig deeper." Please send me some scumbag thugs my way! I thought eagerly. If I get to kill some scoundrels, that''s a free dwarf profile for me! "Can I ask a... Sensitive question?" "Of course. My lips are sealed," Kaldrour replied with a firm nod. "If they do send some thugs my way... Do I have to resort to non-lethal methods?" "Ha! Part of me wants to say yes because even scumbags deserve a second chance, but the rules of self-defense are extremely clear here," Kaldrour spoke. "If they threaten your life, then their own is forfeit. I''m pretty sure the Adventurer''s Guild has a similar policy about defending its own, no?" I nodded. "It does... Just wanted to make sure there wasn''t some dwarven law or something I''d be breaking." Kaldrour chuckled. "It''s always good to check. So, if I haven''t scared you off, are you sure you want the quest?" "Glady. Plus, helping you out is how I get myself some more silver slime cores." Kaldrour burst out laughing. "So Darmod really wasn''t kidding about that... Well, I''ll gladly put in all my effort with that regard, even if you can''t clear out the mine." He leaned over and spoke in a hushed whisper. "That obsidianite is going to make all of us very rich." With no further questions, I happily accepted the quest. Thankfully, it came with a convenient [Mapping] tracker, so I was unlikely to get lost this time. A chance at a dwarf profile and some new spider monster. Sounds like I''m in for a fun time. Chapter 187 : Scoundrels Walking towards the gate, I looked for the potential contacts. I wondered if they would perhaps not approach me since I was a supposed elf, or was their greed enough to ignore that? It didn''t take too long for a rather posh-looking dwarf to intercept me. "Miss, might I have a moment of your time?" The dwarf asked. "Ten silver slime cores," I responded. "I beg your pardon?" The dwarf asked befuddled. "That''s my price to not clear out the orichalcum mine." The dwarf''s shock and surprise were so apparent that I thought his eyes would pop out or his jaw would hit the floor. "Surely you''re joking?" "Nope. That''s my price. Gold, jewels, or anything else has no value to me. If you want to bribe me, then that''s my price." "I-I... I could maybe get one?" The dwarf stammered. "Not good enough, sorry." "Two! I meant two!" I kept walking. "Silver slime cores are rare. Even if they are trash ones killed. You can''t be serious!" The dwarf failed to reason with me. "Surely you don''t want to face The Terror!?" "I''m completely serious. Sorry, we couldn''t go do business. I''ve got a spider monster to deal with." I replied with a shrug. The dwarf''s bafflement was soon replaced with rage. "Don''t you know who I am?" He shouted in outrage. "Should I? Any fool willing to stop a gold-rank adventurer with a fully legalized quest must not be worth knowing." His face flipped through various emotions before he settled back on anger. "How dare you! You''ll regret not taking my offer." "Maybe... Or you''ll regret not saying yes to my ten silver cores. Bye." I walked off, leaving the dwarf once again utterly baffled and upset. I did throw a quick [Identify] his way just so I''d have a name to give back to Kaldrour. I hoped he bought the act enough to send his thugs to stop me; I wanted a perfectly legal reason to get my tendrils on a dwarf profile. Surprisingly, someone else attempted to bribe me so I would not complete the quest, but I didn''t even bother talking to that one. I''d given my price, and they were still trying to throw useless things like gold coins at me. I mean... If I wanted gold, I''d just make it myself. Well... Once I get a higher rank in [Metal Slime] anyway. I chuckled to myself. The route to the mines differed from my previous exits, so I had to rely fully on [Mapping] to point the way. I wonder what kind of spider it is. Trapweaver sounds very enticing. If it has some great trap-related traits, they could be combined nicely with [Nitro Slime]. I really need to look up if there''s a trapper class or something. Leaving this gate, I was welcomed to extremely vast tunnels with dedicated walkways and tracks for transportation, as well as many, many dwarves. The majority were laborers accompanied by the occasional guard patrol. Wow, the dwarves really don''t half-arse anything... I think this is my first time seeing minecarts. Seeing this many dwarves made me doubt if they would send any thugs my way, which was somewhat disappointing. However, that soon faded when [Mapping] started leading me towards tunnels with far fewer dwarves. That further emptied out when I began taking a tunnel that looked practically abandoned. I guess this must lead to the Flintheart mine. They''ve really been suffering if it looks like this has already been abandoned. I wonder how he''s been meeting the quotas. Is he buying from someone else and passing it off as his own? I started going down the tunnel at my own pace when I heard multiple footsteps rapidly approaching. "It''s this way, right?" "Must be. Look how abandoned it is." "So, do we just rough her up?" "I guess that depends on how cooperative she is or not." "The boss was furious, but I don''t want to have the guild after me for killing one of their own..." "Don''t worry, we''ve got the numbers, and that''ll scare her off." Their voices echoed down the tunnel. I couldn''t help but silently laugh with glee. Now the question is... Do I kill them all and reveal myself? I guess it depends on how much of a threat they are. I could maybe kill a few and send the rest off running, showing some leniency. A warning not to mess with me? Of course, that''s assuming I don''t need to resort to using my slime abilities; I''m not going to let cockiness be my downfall.Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more. I turned around to face the oncoming thugs and ensured [Arcane Armor] was up. It was a group of around six dwarves of middling levels. I was honestly feeling a little insulted by the show of force. Two held heavy crossbows; one looked to be some sort of spellcaster, one had a massive mace, and the other two looked like typical tanks. Interesting that my [Identify] only got the elemental affinities or class ranks for some of them. I guess I need to raise its level more? "Well! Look who''s been waiting for us, boys!" one of the goons said, smirking. "I''m here on official adventurer guild business. Are you really sure you want to interfere?" "I don''t like this... She''s far too confident." "Bah! False bravado. Those adventurer types know how to fight mindless monsters and think they''re hot shit." "Last chance to back down, missy! Why don''t you go back to your forest and leave the orichalcum mine alone? It''s for everyone''s best interest." I snorted a laugh. It was too absurd; they sounded almost worse than Stantondale brat''s thugs. I gave a flourish of my hands with lightning crackling between them. "I feel like I should be warning you. Last chance to turn around and run away?" I replied confidently. "Oh, a bloody mage. Of course, that''s why she''s so confident." One of the thugs laughed triumphantly. "Bet she''s never fought a spellbreaker before." I actually have... Although I don''t remember him doing much other than screaming at me. "Let''s see how good you can concentrate on your spells when we smack you around!" Well... I guess there''s no reason to hold back. I ordered my [Sub-Cores] to cast my debuffs on one of the dwarves; this was the perfect opportunity to spread them all. It took only mere moments, and then, with a confident grin, I cast [Contagion]. The dwarves had missed all the subtle afflictions being cast, but when I cast that spell, they had noticed and almost immediately reacted. "Attack!" One of them shouted just as the transparent blackish cloud of Mana exploded from their debuffed companion. From what I could tell, it appeared that none of them resisted the debuffs. Oh, wait! I''m wearing my guild tag. Interface! Suddenly, little bar indicators appeared in my vision. As I suspected, it seemed like [Affliction Tracker] was one of the skills that would integrate with the magic item as tiny pictures with a red border appeared next to each hostile dwarf. The lightning bolt with a red border must be [Conductive]; likewise, the flame must be [Flammable]. This is very useful! My thoughts were interrupted as two crossbow bolts were fired at me. The first bounced off my [Arcane Armor] while the second shattered it, but the bolt was still stopped. I shifted to Lightning affinity and cast [Chain Lightning] at the mace dwarf. To my surprise, he swung his mace at the incoming bolt and smashed it! How the hell? At least it should have shocked him through the mace!? I protested. "Ha! I told you she''s never fought anything but monsters!" He sneered. I clicked my tongue in annoyance and began "multicasting" with my [Sub-Cores]. [Arcane Armor] was reapplied, while two [Fireballs] were formed and launched at the backline, which was my first priority to takeout. To keep the spellbreaker occupied, I fired another [Lightning Bolt] at him, forcing him to smash it with his mace. "Gods, so many spells!" The geomancer shouted in surprise. "Her [Multicast] must be an insane level!" "Shut up and get the wall behind her, then get rid of her footing." The sniper shouted. The fortress knight threw himself to block one of the [Fireballs] while the mirror knight''s shield glimmered brightly, and when the spell made contact, it was reflected directly back at me! Okay, this is getting annoying! I grumbled angrily as I cast [Aegis] to block my returned spell. Clearly, their strategy was for the two tanks to defend their backline. Then their spellbreaker could get up in my face while the three of them provided supporting fire. An earthen wall was erected behind me, and the geomancer began casting [Sand Pit] to further trap me. I had my Ice aligned [Sub-Cores] cast [Glacial Aura] while I began casting a [Waterjet] spell at the mirror knight. Surely there was a limit to what he could reflect? The pressurized water beam struck his shield violently, sending him a few feet back. It looked like he had initiated the reflection but could only aim it to the side and not directly at me. I kept the spell going to see if he had a time limit on his reflection, but the way the dwarf smirked made me think otherwise. "Keep wasting your Mana knife ears!" While he was trapped, I began peppering the fortress knight with [Acid Dart] spells. While he was incredibly tanky and probably had various elemental resistances, I doubted he had something to protect him from the corrosive acid¡ªespecially if it destroyed his precious shield. The spellbreaker had reached me by now, and even though he was well within the range of my aura, he seemed to be hardly affected by it. He swung his mace at me, and when it made contact with my protection spell, it caused it to instantly shatter. At the same time, my [Waterjet] spell abruptly ended, and my [Glacial Aura] winked out. What!? Two crossbow bolts were timed perfectly to coincide with my defense going down. I had no time for a spell, so I triggered [Tranquil Flow] to dodge. I dodged both of them, but then one of the bolts seemed to correct its trajectory, embedding itself into me. "Got ya bitch!" The sniper jeered as fake blood oozed from the wound. My feet had also sunk into the completed sand trap, and it looked like a rather unfortunate situation. The spellbreaker moniker seemed not just for show, as it quite literally broke or disrupted my spells. I triggered [Thunder Step], abandoning the slime that made up my feet to avoid any potential hindrance. "The hell!?" "Bloody beards!" "That''s not a spell!?" The dwarves shouted in shock and surprise as I chained a few jumps until I ended right above the sniper. "Got ya..." I muttered as I grabbed him moments before the [Thunder Step] backlash began. Using him as a conduit and utilizing [Voltaic Slime], I channeled as much of the surging energy directly into him as possible. He screamed out in pain, and I watched the bar representing his life force plummet, but it wasn''t enough to kill such a high-level dwarf so easily. The marksman and geomancer backed off while the two knights charged at me. Both used a skill intending to prevent me from dealing enough damage to kill their companion. That was frustrating, as while I wasn''t mindless enough to be forced into attacking the mirror knight, it meant that everyone but him now took reduced damage. I had made up my mind; no survivors. I instructed my [Sub-Cores] to cast [Rampart] to seal off the remaining tunnel entrance and kicked the rather limp and screaming sniper dwarf, sending him tumbling toward his two knight companions. The fortress knight caught him while the mirror knight interceded between us. "I got you, Gotmela!" The fortress knight said, reaching into his pouch, likely for a potion to administer. "What''s all this sticky gunk stuck on your chest?" He questioned while trying to pull at it, but it seemed far too slimy and adhesive for his gauntleted hands. The mirror knight was glaring at me, waiting for me to make any indication of casting a spell. I simply smiled. "Boom." And an explosion echoed throughout the now sealed tunnel. Chapter 188 : Anti-Mages Despite the dramatic explosion, the dwarf was still barely alive. I had expected a kill notification, but it appeared that [Taunt] reduced my damage a lot more than I realized. Which means I need to defeat the mirror knight first. "Kastramri! Why didn''t you reflect the spell!?" The fortress knight screamed in anger. "That wasn''t a spell!" He defended himself. Internally, I rapidly created four explosive needles and withdrew them between the fingers of my clenched fist. At the same time, I kept up internal production so that I would have a good supply of needles. "Looks like she might have some assassin training!" The mirror knight shouted before he smirked. "Not that it will do much against a tank. I''ve got you countered pointy-ears!" Although I made a throwing gesture with my hands, I was actually utilizing [Slime Shot], which was far faster and more accurate than anything I could try to replicate. The mirror knight brought up his shield, but the reflective glimmer did nothing since it was not a spell. To my surprise, the needles went straight through the shield and pierced into his armor and flesh. The dwarf uttered an angry and shocked yell moments before I triggered the detonation. Four simultaneous explosions reverberated throughout the tunnel, startling everyone present. The marksman seemed to have lost her cool, but the geomancer was now trying to skewer me with spires of rock and earth. I dodged the first few before reapplying my [Arcane Shield] and throwing out [Manaburn] to hopefully siphon her resources. However, that wasn''t enough for me, and I also fired more needles at the geomancer and marksman. I needed to try to deal with them before that damn spellbreaker got back into my face. The marksman took a direct hit, but to my astonishment, my projectiles aimed at the geomancer were intercepted by what looked like floating basalt rocks. That''s an interesting way to defend yourself. I wonder if it''s a custom spell or something at later levels. "I can smell the metal in those needles; you won''t trick me!" The geomancer spat right as I detonated all the needles. Interesting... I wished I had more time to think and examine what was happening, but I had the mirror knight and spellbreaker engaging me in melee. Seeing the fortress knight still trying to recover the sniper, I knew I needed to take him out. With two sturdy dwarven bodies blocking me, both designed to counter direct magic, I was forced to reveal one of my secrets. I began casting [Chain Lightning], and both immediately readied themselves to stop me. I guess their classes allow them to sense Mana or when a spell is being cast. It''s too bad for you; I''m not casting the spell directly. I fired the spell after moving the anchor point directly above the fortress knight, who was administering a potion. The bolt of surging lightning Mana struck him directly and then began to bounce back and forth between him and his patient. The two magical counters looked baffled momentarily before becoming furious. The spellbreaker rushed to strike me with his hammer to disrupt my casting. But he was too late. To everyone''s surprise, once the sniper was slain, the spell then ricocheted towards the mirror knight after bouncing to the fortress knight one last time. I must have underestimated how much I juiced the spell, as it seemed to still have plenty of Mana for some additional bouncing. I had no idea the spell would stop targeting something once it was dead. Is that because [Conductive] fell off once he died? Despite being effectively caught blindsided, once the spell hit the mirror knight and dealt some damage, it unraveled entirely and dispersed. To me, that felt unfair, but I suppose it was some antimagic skill from his class. The spellbreaker''s mace once again crashed against my [Arcane Amor], instantly shattering it. He wasted no time throwing follow-ups against me. I dodged the first blow and tried throwing a [Aegis] to block a second, but it might as well have been wet paper, and his weapon crashed into my arm as a result. My arm splattered into a misshapen form from the powerful blow; I couldn''t believe it overcame my defenses so easily. I had [Mana Reinforcement] on constantly; it made no sense! Even though it hadn''t hurt and wasn''t genuine damage despite Alpha faking an absolutely bloody mangled mess, I used [Thunder Step] to get out of direct contact with the spellbreaker and mirror knight. As if expecting that the spellbreaker heckled at me. "Bloody coward! Get back here and fight! Or are you so scared after your Mana failed you?" Can I really not use any Mana against those two? Crazy that there are classes like this. There better not be a class or skill that disables traits, or I''d be absolutely screwed. I pretended to "heal" my arm by chugging from an empty canteen. Causing the dwarves to glare in outrage when it "recovered." "What a rich bitch, affording potions that good," The mirror knight spat in disgust. "Don''t worry; we can split her loot once she''s down," The spellbreaker replied. "Plus, this way, she gets to suffer a bit more before we put her down."Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation. The mirror knight nodded, then shouted. "Broudaen! Swap with me!" "Okay!" The fortress knight shouted back. <[Taunt] has been replaced.> Interesting... I guess he''s worried about me shoving more explosive needles at him if he gets close and wants the damage reduction. Makes sense if the fortress knight is going to stand back. If I wasn''t concerned that they might have some communication methods with their employer, I''d just go full slime monster on them. I was fine with them knowing I''d killed them, but revealing absolutely everything felt foolish, even if I really wanted to. Well... If I''m a rich bitch, I might as well pull out some fancy toys to go with it. I chuckled to myself. I equipped myself with a shield and spear made from satisfying [Metal Slime]. The dwarves approaching me again seemed minorly annoyed at me, making their job more difficult. To make matters worse for them, I hastily cast [Fireball] directly downwards on the poor marksman, leaving the poor dwarf practically on the death''s door. "How does she keep casting spells like that!?" The mirror knight demanded an answer. "No idea. Must be some elf bullshit!" The spellbreaker spat out. "Either way, you and me don''t need to worry about that. She can cast all the tricksy spells she wants, and we''ll be just fine." "Damn you, Nuzzun!" The fortress knight cursed, "Care about your coworkers, you greedy shit!" "I don''t get paid to care. That costs extra!" He said smugly. Even I was slightly taken aback by such an attitude. But while the fortress knight looked pissed, the mirror knight was even nodding in agreement. Wow... I guess when you lie with mutts, don''t be surprised when you get fleas. "Stop wasting time and kill her!" The geomancer shouted. "She cast something that''s draining my Mana, so hurry up!" Both anti-mages looked annoyed at that revelation and began charging at me. The geomancer immediately began supporting them; shrapnel was exploding out from the nearby rocks while stone walls began trying to box me in further. I flung my primed spear at the mirror knight. I expected him to block it, which I hoped for, but he dodged to the side instead, so I was forced to detonate the weapon, to his surprise. While pulling out a second spear, I blocked the incoming blow of the spellbreaker with my shield. Thankfully, the shield blocked his blow this time, but it still negatively affected me. Each blow, even though I was blocking it, seemed to be eating away at my Mana. Seriously, does his class let him burn Mana with attacks? I''m blocking him, dammit! I wasn''t going to let him slowly eat away at my health, so spikes erupted from my shield, completely catching him off guard and stabbing him into his arm. "Agh! You bitch!" He yelled in anger. As he pulled back, I swiftly stabbed forward with my spear, digging cleanly through his armor and into his side. He looked about to curse in horror when he must have seen my grin and realized this spear was the same as my previous one. "No! Don''t!" He screamed out immediately as I detonated the spearhead. I didn''t want to be unarmed, so I pulled out another spear before the smoke cleared. When it did, it revealed the spellbreaker lying on the ground, bleeding heavily but still alive. I''m not used to opponents not going down so quickly. Dwarves really are something else. Although I am still taunted. I glanced toward the fortress knight, who, surprisingly, still hadn''t joined the frenzy. Instead, he was looking over the geomancer, who was looking rough, on her knees, panting heavily. Her Mana was looking like dregs. When he caught my gaze toward him, something unexpected happened. <[Taunt] has been removed.> I hummed curiously as I wondered what his angle was. Is he asking me to spare him and the geomancer? My curiosity was interrupted when a lightning bolt struck me out of nowhere; I turned to the source and saw the mirror knight looking incensed. Even with [Voltaic Slime] siphoning off a large amount of the spell into my storage capacity, it still hurt as I was not entirely lightningproof yet. Seeing my pained face caused him to glee in delight, and then he unleashed a fireball at me. Then, another fireball, and he kept going. He''s not a spellcaster. Where the hell did he get these spells from? He''s certainly not casting them. That lightning bolt was especially powerful; was that mine? Unbeknownst to the mirror knight, the fireballs he was unloading on me were doing almost nothing. Unless he had some blue fire secretly stored away¡ªhe just wasn''t hot enough. It gave me the perfect opportunity to think. I guess it''s a good thing he doesn''t have more lightning spells... Is that how he dispersed my [Chain Lightning]? Does he store the spell inside himself to use later? Then he must be emptying his collection to try to kill me. Even with all the fiery smoke and explosions, I could still make him out clearly. He must have run out of [Fireball] spells, as he was now resorting to [Fire Arrow]. Mindlessly firing at the singular spot, he last saw me. Before the smoke and flame cleared, I ordered all [Sub-Cores] to create a batch of needles, and once I had a sufficient stockpile, they all fired out in a spray. It oddly reminded me of Jet''s [Splinterstorm], seeing that many go out at once. The dwarf became a living pincushion as he spat out blood. He seemed about to say something when there was a soft click followed by multiple detonations. When the explosion''s echoes finally started quieting down, I could hear someone cursing at himself. "Bloody hells... Bloody beards... Gods..." I looked and saw the fortress knight shaking his head. "What the hell did they sign us up for? An easy target? Bloody fools!" The dwarf continued to rant. He looked terrified when he saw me looking pretty much unharmed from the fire spell barrage. He dropped his shield and weapon and held up his hands. "I surrender! I''ll do whatever you want!" Well, now I''m extra glad I didn''t go slime monster on them. It would have been quite a blow to my conscience to kill someone who''s actively surrendering like that. Even if he probably still deserves it. "Fine. But I won''t hold back if I see your face again," I warned. He visibly shuddered. "Hold back? That was you holding back? Bloody crazy elves..." He must not have wanted to say the last part out loud as he immediately shut his mouth and looked about to soil himself. I pointed to the exit and just glared at him. "Go! Before I change my mind." He nodded, grabbed the unconscious geomancer, and started running, even leaving his weapon and shield behind. Then he awkwardly halted as he reached the rock wall I had thrown up, which was currently blocking his hasty escape. I sighed and began casting a spell. Using [Shatterquake], I made the wall explode outwards away from them and unsealed the passageway. I didn''t have [Sand Pit] yet, so an explosion was the only way out unless I melted it with acid. Seeing the entire wall explode like that into rocky shrapnel made the dwarf nearly drop his unconscious companion. He briefly bowed his head and then ran. I don''t think letting him live will come back to bite me... Worst case, they send more dwarves to attack me, and I still have my ultimate trump card. I didn''t expect him to try to save the mirror knight after he had abandoned his camaraderie, but I was surprised he left the marksman behind. Then I saw she was dead; I had just missed the notification. The spellbreaker had long passed out from his wounds. Even if I gave him a potion, it was unlikely he''d survive, not that I had any intention of saving someone with such a troublesome class. Seriously. Damaging my lifeforce directly through Mana burn is not fun. I don''t think I could ever become immune to that form of damage. I twirled my spear before stabbing down to finish the job. Chapter 189 : Derived Dwarves I had several notifications to look through but had more pressing concerns. I threw up another wall with [Rampart] to reblock the passageway and gain relative safety and privacy. Right. Time to eat up and get that dwarf profile! I looted the scoundrels of their valuables and turned up the [Acid Slime] to the max. Great. Now, I''ll be able to make a dwarf persona at some point. Besides their equipment, they all had exactly 100 gold coins in a small pouch. I threw pretty much everything into my [Core Storage], although I frowned as I puzzled together the implication of the coins. Did they seriously only pay 600 gold to take me out? I''m insulted being worth so little! At least... I assume that''s a little? I have far more than that in my guild account, after all. With that out of the way, I pulled up the dwarf profile and began my perusal of their traits. I probably wouldn''t be able to buy any myself, like the elf ones, but they would all be prime for borrowing. I began looking at every trait, but my confusion grew as I went through each one. <[Dwarven Resilience] What doesn''t kill you only makes you stronger! This goes double for your belly. A tough dwarf is a good dwarf!> What? <[Prospecting] Smell the bounty within the rock! Those stones aren''t just for looking pretty!> Is this just [Mineral Sense]? <[Stubborn Willed] Your mind is your own, but your anger gets the better of you!> Anti-mind control? With anger management issues? <[Forged Skin] Your skin is tempered to withstand rock and flame! Those puny pokers won''t do much, either.> Elemental resistances? Defense? <[Stunted Strength] Dynamite comes in small packages, so let your fists do the talking! You won''t be winning any ballroom dances, however.> Strength buff and an agility debuff? <[Stone''s Blessing] All things Earth come naturally; the bounty of the stone will never leave you wanting.> Earth... Magic? Earth Affinity? Details, please! <[Capable Hands] As long as it''s Metal or Rock, your hands will do the talking! Let them guide you and your tools.> Why would hands talk!? <[Underdweller] The ground is where the home is. Never get lost, and be safe in the stone''s embrace.> Is this how they navigate their city? An entire trait for that? Does it do more? I paused, letting it all slowly digest. I think I hate them? What the hell are these descriptions!? Nothing Gramps could have ever written! I thought some of the Elf trait descriptions were a little flowery, but this is a whole other story! I can probably guess what some of these do, but that doesn''t make it any less frustrating! Since I was in a sealed room, and none of my senses or visions could sense anything, I blocked out my entire profile. Then, I began testing a few dwarven shapes. Male, female, bearded, giant hair, stocky, buff, and all sorts between. A fully completed profile really makes the difference. I also took the time to shapeshift quickly into a few kobold forms since I hadn''t tried that out yet. Feels mostly like the goblins, except with a lizard tail. I thought, flicking my tail around. Returning to the dwarf forms, since I hadn''t settled on a persona idea yet, I mostly stuck to copying one of the dwarves I had slain. Once again, I found another race compatible with the dragon scales trait. I threw on all the dwarven traits I could and started playing around with my form. I started trying to blend the elf and dwarf profiles, but I noticed it leaned more toward dwarf than elf. Is this because I''m lacking the full elf profile? I really need to complete that... Could I eat that Tamnaeth guy? No... That''s probably not a good idea, even if he did run away and refuse to take the stupid bag. If he tried to kill me, that would be one thing, but being annoyingly smug and then running away certainly isn''t enough justification. Don''t want to go full evolution crazy, haha... My strange dwarf-elf hybrid could, in fact, take traits from both races! This means that I could, at some point, cherry-pick the best to create my ultimate non-slime form! Part goblin, part kobold, part elf, and part dwarf! I chuckled and began moving on to all the notifications I''d been putting off. Great! Should I fuse it now or wait a bit longer? I''m tempted to wait till five to get the maximum benefit! Another stack, which means an extra 5% damage bonus! I''m glad it''s just there in the background, adding to everything. Actually... That''s probably why my [Decay] dealt so much damage against that worm, even with the [Assassinate] bonus. If I understand correctly, I gained another four debuffs for its final tally. <[Corrosion Magic LV 6] spell [Caustic Cloud] learned.> Oh! Oh shit! I just got sixth-level magic! I''m shocked it wasn''t Fire or Water... Although, now that I think about it, I''m technically using a bit of [Corrosion Magic] with every debuff or affliction I cast, even if its primary Mana is now Fire or something. So maybe I shouldn''t be surprised [Corrossion Magic] was the first to reach it. I took the time to quickly understand the spell. As its name implied, it was another spell based on the acidic portion of Corrosion Mana. Interestingly, this gave me another look at the "cloud" component that [Contagion] also had. Except in this case, this cloud lingered in a set area rather than spreading and dispersing immediately. I began casting the spell but held off on its final completion as I examined it more thoroughly. Getting a closer look, I could see that it wasn''t an apparated effect but more like an orb I could deposit at a location and explode into the hazardous cloud.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. I finished the casting and watched as the sickly bright green orb was flung out and hit my targetted wall. It burst into a similarly colored cloud, partially obscuring, and lingered around for far longer than I had expected for a base spell. When it finally dispersed, the contaminated rocky area looked significantly goopy. Talk about a rather horrific spell. A cloud of acid that melts whatever is inside. I mean... I could do the same with [Vaporize Slime], but it wouldn''t linger around unless I kept fueling it with slime. Also, Mana is basically free for me. Sucks that it''s another spell without any distinction between friend and foe, though. Gods, if I wasn''t getting some insane resistance from [Acid Slime], it would affect me, too! Sadly, there were no more skill or trait notifications. I had really hoped [Metal Slime] or [Nitro Slime] might have gained something, or even [Earth Magic], but clearly, I hadn''t used any of them enough. Finally, I looked over my level-ups. <12 Trait Points are now available.> <17 Skill Points are now available.> Both race and class levels are always nice! Those assholes were at least worth decent experience. Also, my class is revealing a trait! Those are pretty rare! Let''s see what we''ve got; please be something good! <[Derived Element (Basic)] Select a Basic Element and gain it as an Affinity, with Mana Purity levels greatly influenced by this trait level. One''s Mana Purity can influence this trait, notably its leveling speed and, to a minor degree, the starting Mana Purity. The trait points invested will be partially refunded if the owner gains the extra affinity through other means, such as Ascension.> It took me a while to fully comprehend what I had just read. Was this finally my solution to the lack of Air Affinity for so long? Trixie wasn''t lying! I couldn''t believe it. While I trusted Trixie¡ªrelatively speaking¡ªI had somewhat assumed this was a long-building prank on her part. Then again... She probably didn''t think I''d have my class levels halted for so long when she advertised this class as a possible solution! Also, if this offers me a Basic Element now, does that mean I might get offered an Advanced Element at maybe level 20 or 30!? It was so exciting. I wasted no time purchasing my trait. Rather than immediately acquiring the trait, I was giving the mental impression that I had a choice to make, although my only option was Air in this circumstance. I giggled to myself. This was so exciting! I quickly moved to see if I truly had the affinity and tried to purchase the magic skill. <[Air Magic LV 1] spell [Wind Cutter] learned.> Oh, that''s the spell the Mage used to kill the green slime back in the forest! This is truly wonderful! I cast the spell and fired a small blade of wind at the rock wall. It didn''t leave a very large cut, as it was only a first-level spell, and I hadn''t even empowered it or anything. I was curious if my derived element counted for [Elemental Shift] and tested it by trying to align myself to Air. There seemed no hiccup at all. Well, that''s great! I tried casting another [Wind Cutter], cutting a much further gash into the rock wall. The difference was remarkable. I forgot how much of a buff [Elemental Shift] gives me... I thought before my thoughts were abruptly interrupted. I stared at the sudden notification. That was far sooner than I had ever expected. Is my [Mana Slime] trait boosting it? Maybe even [Elven Legacy]? I had no idea, but I wouldn''t complain about a trait leveling up fast. Mana Purity seemed to be my thing if Trixie was any indication. Then... I browsed for the skill that eluded me for so long. I opened up its description to look at it. <[Wind Step] Move a short distance with near-impossible speed, even in mid-air. Skill level determines mana efficiency and maximum chained usage.> Far too long, you have taunted me. But not anymore! I purchased the skill. "No!" I screamed in fury. I stared long and hard. "Did I just get pranked?" I asked, glaring at the previous failed prompt that seemed to be fading away before my eyes. Part of me wanted to go on a rant, but I was terrified it might be taken away. Instead, I finally used the skill and moved a tiny short distance. [Thunder Step] is faster... But this is entirely silent. Though, I wonder... I used [Thunder Step] into the air, ensuring the chain was considered broken. I immediately used [Wind Step] to hit the ground when I felt that tingling. The surging pain lessened as I partially grounded myself, but not enough to stop everything. Damn, I thought it might have worked... I guess you can''t just entirely negate a downside like that. I wonder if there are more Step skills and, more importantly, if they can be combined! It was a really interesting idea. Before heading off, I reviewed my freshly updated profile. Name: Syl [Dungeoneer] Race: Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) LV 5 Class: Elementalist LV 10 Status: Healthy Mana: Overflowing Emblems: [Experiment] [Apex Hunter] [Elven Legacy] [Dungeoneer]* [Nature''s Bane] [Manhunter] Traits: Slime: [Mana Slime LV 13] [Acid Slime LV 7] [Poison Slime LV 6] [Blaze Slime LV 6] [Cryo Slime LV 7] [Voltaic Slime LV 6] [Nitro Slime LV 6] [Metal Slime LV 4] [Morph Slime LV 8] [Pseudopod LV 7] [Slime Shot LV 7] [Vaporize Slime] Core: [Core Collective LV 8] [Core Storage LV 6] [Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5] [Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Eta LV 5] [Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Theta LV 5] [Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] [Sub-Core Iota LV 5] [Sub-Core Zeta LV 5] [Sub-Core Kappa LV 5] Mimic: [Chimeric Mimicry LV 7] [Chroma Shift LV MAX] [Consuming Osmosis LV MAX] Mana: [Mana Circulation LV 7] [Mana Reinforcement LV 7] [Derived Element (Air) LV 2] [Mana Infusion] Attributes/Other: [Soul Mastery LV 7] [Enhanced Vitality LV 5] [Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 5] [Curse Resistance LV 2] [Illusion Resistance LV 3] [Sonic Resistance LV 1] [Prodigy] Senses: [Olfactory Sense] [Dark Vision LV MAX] [Mana Conception LV 6] [Life Sight LV 5] [Essence Sight LV 3] [Thermal Vision LV MAX] [Eagle Vision LV 3] [Electro-Magnetic Sense LV 4] [Tremor Sense LV 3] Trait Points remaining: 11 Skills: General: [Universal Language] [Equipment Swap] [Dissection LV 7] [Mapping LV 5] [Tracking LV 3] [Identify LV 6] [Multitasking LV 5] [Perception LV 4] [Aerial Finesse LV 4] [Thunder Step LV 4] [Wind Step LV 1] [Companion Bond] Combat: [Tranquil Flow LV 5] [Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 7] [Affliction Mastery LV 6] [Exploit Weakness LV 5] Magic: [Water Magic LV 5] [Fire Magic LV 5] [Corrosion Magic LV 6] [Ice Magic LV 5] [Arcane Magic LV 4] [Lightning Magic LV 5] [Earth Magic LV 3] [Air Magic LV 1] [Mana Manipulation LV 6] [Magic Efficiency LV 5] [Counter Magic LV 4] [Elemental Shift LV 5] [Elemental Adaptation] [Ritual Casting] [Mana Suppression] [Elemental Harmony] Sneaky: [Vanish LV 6] [Assassinate LV 6] [Identity Fabrication LV 6] [Acting LV 5] [Rogue Expertise LV 4] [Magical Subterfuge LV 4] [Subtle Afflictions] Skill Points remaining: 15 Profession: Enchanting: [Rune Reading LV 6] [Rune Engraving LV 1] [Rune Framework LV 7] [Rune Tracing LV 5] [Rune Design LV 3] [Runecrafting LV 2] [Rune Inspection LV 5] [Rune Filigree LV 3] [Rune Repair LV 2] [Brand] Profession Points Remaining: 0 Chapter 190 : Trapping the Trapper With [Shatterquake], I smashed through the wall the enemy geomancer had cast, clearing the path to the mine. I left the remaining roadblock intact for safety and deterrence, a silent warning to unwelcome visitors. Alright, take on the spider monster, grab some orichalcum for the profile, and return to the guild triumphantly! As I approached the mine, the scene was one of thorough abandonment. Tools and picks were scattered about, and minecarts were upturned, likely further acts of petty vandalism from the enemies of the Flinthearts. Carved into the bottom of one of the minecarts were the words "GO AWAY." They really went all out with the spooky ambiance. I chuckled to myself. And as if to prove that the mine had been captured by a spider monster, there was an endless sea of webbing scattered about. I cast [Wind Cutter] at the mine entrance to clear the way, and to my surprise, while it did break most of the minor webbing, a large portion remained intact. That''s some tough web... Good thing I''m a slime, or I could end up stuck. Let''s turn on the acid and melt my way through. But before I officially entered, I spent some time organizing my cores. I now had two new elements to level up, even though I had really wanted to work on [Metal Slime] and [Nitro Slime]. I aligned each pair of [Sub-Cores] to Earth, Air, Lightning, Ice, and Fire. Water was the odd one out, but I figured it wouldn''t be useful against a spider monster unless it evolved into some Lava spider. I kept myself aligned with Air, hoping to level up the trait. Speak of the devil... That''s some utterly absurd leveling speed! It can only be my [Mana Slime LV 13], right? Not even [Prodigy] gives that much. It''s too bad my [Air Magic] and [Earth Magic] don''t level up that fast. I stayed in my mostly elven form in case I had any unsuspecting visitors and powered up my defenses by borrowing the [Draconic Scales (Lesser)] trait and ensuring my outer layer was reinforced with [Metal Slime]. Stepping forward into the webs, they all gave way effortlessly. While they may have been able to withstand my basic Air spell, they were no match for the might of [Acid Slime LV 7]. I started using all my senses to try to understand the mine''s layout, and at the same time, I grabbed [Mineral Sense] to find the nearest deposit of orichalcum. After wandering the abandoned mine for quite some time, I questioned whether this spider existed. I had run into absolutely nothing living so far. I had found some orichalcum with relative ease and sampled it immediately; it wasn''t enough to grant me a level, but my gut told me I was close. Is this spider even here? I couldn''t help but question. Or is it luring me into a trap? It is a trapweaver, after all. Maybe it''s avoiding me since I''m destroying its webs just by walking into them? As I was contemplating this, I suddenly fell face-first into the ground. My body impacted the ground with a metallic clang due to my metal layer. I blinked in confusion and turned my gaze to what had tripped me. What had been my feet was now a puddle of slime and had been entirely separated from my body with an impossibly clean cut. I stared at my leg stumps in confusion, watching Alpha producing a fountain of fake blood. What the hell just happened? I cycled through all my available senses to examine the spot closely. Rather than find something, it was more like I found nothing. Or, rather, an absence of anything. A thin line of nothing was running low across the ground like a tripwire. I could only vaguely pick it up due to the utter lack of even essence in that minuscule spot. I regrew my feet and crawled over to the spot. I carefully avoided any major contact with the abnormality, stretched my arm out, and ran a single finger over the place. My finger fell off. I watched as the appendage fell to the ground and splattered from its lost form. What the hell? Before I could question it further or experiment, the abnormal spot vanished. The absence of essence rushed to fill in the tiny gap. This has to be the spiders doing, right? Did it realize I had discovered its trap? Then, was it removed before I could test its capabilities? This was a disturbing revelation. I hadn''t expected such an intelligent monster, and its unknown evolution might have pushed it even further beyond what Kaldrour had described. On the other hand... Imagine if I get my tendrils on that profile! I licked my lips.The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. With newfound determination, I got up and continued my trek deeper into the mine. Now, I was being extra cautious, as I needed to not sense something specific but rather the absence of something, a highly frustrating conundrum. As if proving my point about the task''s difficulty, the trapmaker caught me in a few more as if probing at my capabilities. I lost an arm and a leg and narrowly avoided losing my head entirely. Also, why can''t I sense the damn spider? [Tremor Sense] or [Life Sight] surely should be enough? At least it''s still treating me as if I were a person and not a monster as if I have regeneration rather than a body of slime. I was very tempted to fuse [Soul Sight] on the spot to have a better chance of discovering this hidden foe. The one silver lining to this bizarre duel was it seemed to be doing great for my experience gains. I had the bright idea of delegating the task to my [Sub-Cores], but even they seemed perplexed by this encounter. Was the spider only laying the traps mere moments before I ran into them? It would be one way to explain the strange circumstances. Not happy to be the one being probed, I decided to hole up in a spot that looked like it used to be a rest point for the miners. I sat down on one of the stools and waited. I stretched my senses to the max, assigning each [Sub-Core] a specific trait and immediately reporting anything. I had set up a few bombs in the room with [Nitro Slime] and even left a few mines in the tunnels, hoping to catch the spider off-guard if it poked one. Meanwhile, I passed the time by working on my [Air Magic]. I had a new debuff to construct. At this point, it was almost a routine more than a task, and creating one took very little effort. I actually really like that name! I couldn''t help but compliment it. And, of course, discovering a new spell came with plentiful experience. <[Air Magic LV 2] spell [Gust] learned.> The new spell was relatively simple but useful. Creating a one-directional burst of wind. Maintaining the spell was also an option that produced a continuous breeze as long as you kept feeding it Mana. A one-time big burst of wind, or keep it going. This is what that harpy queen must have done. It would be great against any archers, although I think someone with Jet''s skill level and equipment could probably ignore any windy conditions. I hummed as I waited patiently for the spider to make its appearance. Occasionally, I''d be forced to replace one of my traps with a refreshed one, as my [Nitro Slime] still had a relatively restricted time limit attached to it. And so began my cold war against the spider. Now that I was being much more passive, I didn''t haphazardly lose any more limbs to its suddenly appearing traps. It felt like a relative stalemate until, what must have been curious on its part, I heard a detonation of one of my [Nitro Slime] mines. I giggled to myself as all of the planted bombs in that same vicinity were immediately triggered in response. To anyone else, it would have seemed like a chain reaction, but I had plotted to hopefully catch it in my own trap. I didn''t get a notification, so either it''s still alive, or I missed it... I went to examine the resulting explosions, but I couldn''t see any blood or limbs in the resulting rocky carnage. I slowly returned to my resting spot but encountered no opposition. According to my clock, two hours passed. I spent some of that time gleefully examining the strange device and praised my foresight in purchasing it. In addition, I was swinging a sword made of [Metal Slime] around and changing its form partially midswing in a desperate attempt to level up the trait again so I could eat the core sitting in my storage. Did I scare it off with that explosion? I couldn''t help but wonder. Strangely, it had made no further attempts to investigate me or my various devices being planted. I sighed and sat up from my spot. I guess it''s forcing my hand. Unfortunately, I''m in a position where I have to attack to break the stalemate. I stepped through the room doorway, and suddenly, my vision twisted. What!? I found myself no longer stepping out from the rest point, and instead, I was hurtling down into what looked like a deep chasm. I blinked in confusion and sprouted wings, halting my descent safely. I examined my surroundings cautiously. Other than this pit drop, there seemed to be no further hostilities. How the heck did I get here? Where exactly am I? Activating my [Mapping] skill confirmed that I had been teleported, as my map had a notable gap. I was still within the orichalcum mine but far deeper and below. I flew to the point where I had appeared, and the only evidence left behind was a small bit of spiderweb rapidly fading away. I clicked my tongue in annoyance while trying to locate anything else out of the ordinary. This just further proves that the spider evolved... But what kind of evolution lets it teleport me? Dimension magic? That''s a terrifying thought... An evolution or mutation just outright gives a monster something scary like that. Though... Would it have even had the time to get used to a new skill like that if its evolution was recentish? Unless Flintheart was understating the timeframe. It''s not like most normal monsters have skill points to spend unless it also got the [Apex Hunter] emblem? I doubt it has a class, or Flintheart would have mentioned that. I sighed. There was an obvious elephant in the room I had been avoiding. I''m probably dealing with another [Experiment]. It explains the lack of killing, the cautious behavior, and even the strange evolution. Although... Dropping me down a pit would certainly have been lethal under normal circumstances. I continued searching for any clues, but the trail was cold. Now, do I try to reason with him or her? I''d certainly like to chitchat with another experiment. Having someone else in the same situation as me would be nice. Another person who gets to know the full slimy details, perhaps? Although... After Odark, I have no idea if that''s a good idea anymore. But! He wasn''t the most emotionally stable, living the orc lifestyle and whatnot. Maybe this spider will be better mentally, having lived alone? Why did it decide to live inside this mine rather than escape elsewhere? If it can teleport, then surely it isn''t trapped here. I nodded, my mind made up. I''d certainly give diplomacy a try. At worst, I''d get a nice new profile to eat or perhaps another bribe to let the [Experiment] escape and live? Either way. I complete my quest and get my silver cores! Win-win-win for Syl! Chapter 191 : The Terror But first, I need to find that spider... If it even is a spider anymore? Honestly, it''s starting to feel like it has evolved into a ghost, with how I''ve not even caught sight of the damned thing. I paused, realized the possibility, and groaned. Please don''t be a damned ghost! *** She was right! I can''t believe she was right! A small spider frantically thought to herself as she scurried away toward her den. She couldn''t believe the absurd situation she was in when she had finally gotten some peace and quiet from the nonstop dwarf attacks. But now some crazy exterminator elf was after her! She thought back to the warning given to her by the mysterious voice during her last evolution. "There''s a good chance you''ll run into an... Elf in the near future." The bodiless womanly voice expressed. "I don''t think you currently have the strength to prevail, so I suggest you improve yourself drastically." She hated the voice, especially how it always spoke in a "mother knows best" sort of manner. Like she was a damn child. It was the reason she was in this situation in the first place! A brand new life it had enticed her with, filled with possibilities and unknowns. The only payment was some of your old memories, a real bargain, right? Sure, she got the brand new life she was promised, only the hidden caveat of being reborn as a damned spider! She couldn''t believe her misfortune; where was the disclaimer on this deal? Please note that this new and exciting promised life has no guarantee of being even remotely human. That should have been my warning! She cursed to herself. And only some of my memories? I can''t even remember my old name! What I was left best with feels so random and useless! She pulled up her profile quickly to look at her condition. As always, she grimaced when she saw the new name the dwarves had somehow given her. Name: The Terror [Manhunter] Race: Riftweaver Spider LV 25 Class: - Status: Injured (Minor) Mana: Draining My Mana is looking atrocious. Why did teleporting that elf cost so much, Mana! I barely moved her any distance at all! And why isn''t she affected by [Manhunter]? The fear effect worked on the dwarves, so it should work on elves, too! I''m only halfway to my next evolution, so it''s not like I can pull something out of my ass to gain the upper hand. She began spinning more [Rift Thread]; it was her best weapon remaining after her Mana had plummeted so spectacularly. Her latest evolution was spectacular, and she felt like she could take on anything, or so she had thought until this elf proved otherwise. Sometimes, I really wish I could have a do-over with my choices. Picking the Shrinking mutation was a mistake of note; make myself small and cute, and maybe the dwarves will stop attacking me? Ha! Good joke, past-me. Nobody finds spiders cute... She paused and tried to think on the bright side. Although... it did allow me to qualify for this dimension evolution since dimensions are apparently related to size. Or something. Ugh, all this stuff makes my head hurt. Maybe I should have taken her advice and picked a magic-related evolution sooner? She pondered the thought a bit before shaking her little head. No... While some spite may have influenced my decision, Trapweaver was definitely the way to go. I wouldn''t have survived as long as I have if I hadn''t been bunkering up in this booby-trapped mine. She sighed. Well... Until the elf exterminator showed up and destroyed everything that I had constructed by casually walking through it! Seriously? Is her body itself a weapon? Why does everything except [Rift Thread] just break on contact with her? And does she have instant regeneration or something, too? It took ages to grow back when I lost a leg, even when I used that [Regen Gland]! Meanwhile, I watched her regrow an entire arm in seconds! Talk about unfair... And most importantly, why do elves have wings!? That had really shattered her hope of defeating the elf. Gravity was her ultimate secret weapon, the great equalizer to all, but even that wasn''t enough to stop the elf. With a new supply of [Rift Thread], she began crafting some [Recovery Thread] and manipulating it with [Thread Mastery] to cover her burn wounds before recoating herself in some [Armor Thread].If you come across this story on Amazon, it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it. And landmines? Freakin'' landmines! I thought this was a fantasy world with magic and monsters; why does she have landmines!? If I hadn''t used [Blink], I would have been a smoldering corpse. She "slapped" herself with one of her pedipalps. This was no time to get into a negativity spiral. At worst, she could [Blink] away and abandon her home; escape was always an option. She sat in her web cluster and activated [Spatial Sense], getting a small but incredibly accurate reading of her surroundings. [Spatial Sense] was almost mandatory to use anything with [Dimension Magic] or even to utilize her [Rift Thread] effectively. Next, she activated [Thread Mastery] again and began exploring through her silken network laid throughout the mine to locate the elf. Ordinarily, it would provide minimal sensory input intended only for vibrational feedback. However, combining the two traits allowed her almost complete remote surveillance anywhere within her spiderweb. This, combined with [Rift Thread], which was imbued with dimensional energy, allowed her to set traps remotely anywhere within her domain. It took her a while, but she found the elf cautiously exploring another tunnel. She grasped some of her [Rift Thread] and shunted it into appearing and occupying the space surrounding the elf. When used like this, her [Rift Thread] was especially deadly. It created a tiny area of nothingness, and since she could basically "teleport" it into an open space, she could trap someone without them realizing it. However, that did not seem to be the case with the elf. She immediately froze as if having discovered the suddenly appearing trap. Agh! Just step into it! She shouted in frustration, but now the elf examined the hidden [Rift Thread]. Why? How? Nobody else could detect it; this is so frustrating! She snapped some of the connected threads in an attempt to use the trap as an offensive trap. But it was far from effective, as it was extremely slow due to the strange nature of the [Rift Thread], seemingly disregarding most of the usual properties she had routinely used. Factors like wind and even tension, the strange otherworldy thread seemed to ignore all that and behave by its own made-up rules. Watching the deadly thread slowly drift towards the elf, only for her to casually move out of the way and watch it with puzzlement, was disheartening. If it was her normal threads, she could have snapped them like whips and cut the elf into pieces by now. Frustrated by the experience, she sent one of her ceiling traps collapsing like a well-positioned net. Thanks to the high tension applied to the thread, it sprung from nowhere and at an incredible speed. The entire net was created from [Poison Thread] and was razor-sharp. When she had used it against even the toughest of dwarves, they would at least receive some cuts from it, and her poison would get to work. But once again, when the net touched the elf, it just... Melted. The elf tilted its head at the trap with a bemused expression. Why didn''t I pick a spider with deadly fangs instead of all this thread nonsense? Then I could just bite her! The elf tilted her head, then smiled. "I think I found you..." What! How? She screamed mentally. Then she saw the elf''s gaze following along the ceiling at her hidden spiderweb network. No! No, no, no! She started panicking. Why did I do that? I knew she had some crazy sensory ability to see the [Rift Thread]! The elf was moving with startling speed, using some movement ability to vanish from sight and appear at a distance. Does she have something like [Blink] too? Shit! Following along with [Thread Mastery] and [Spatial Sense] became increasingly problematic as the elf moved far too quickly, making tracking her difficult. She made the snap decision to upgrade [Spatial Sense] using some trait points to further increase its vision radius. Immediately, her field of vision increased, and now the elf wasn''t instantly escaping from her vision''s boundary. Okay! Trap time! I can use her reckless speed to my advantage! But before that, she quickly threw up a boundary web between herself and the entrance to her home. By creating an entire frame of [Rift Thread], she could create makeshift portals by imbuing it with some of her Mana. It was how she had originally sent the elf plummeting into the pit trap. Feeling a little safer, she started creating lethal tripwires in front of the elf. She barreled straight through one, leaving a gash that initially made the spider cheer at success, but the elf kept going. Despite the massive amount of blood produced, the wound was seemingly almost superficial with how quickly it closed up and how she ignored it. Stop cheating! You must suffer some penalty for all the blood you''ve been losing! She created more tripwires, but now the elf was prepared, and right when she thought she finally had her, the elf suddenly burst into lightning and appeared an even greater distance away. It was so absurd that it bordered on the unbelievable. Just how many tricks could one person have? Were all elves like this? None of the dwarves had displayed anything nearly as good as this, and even the ones she struggled to defeat fell victim to gravity. Why was I born a stupid spider when I could have been born a killer elf? Look at her! She gave up on trying to create more tripwires; she was wasting what precious [Rift Thread] she had left and instead was preparing for a last stand. She still had her teleport trap on the doorway, and when not operating remotely, she had far greater control over her threads. I guess I''m testing using it as a direct weapon now. I wish I had the foresight to practice this some more, but I never imagined none of my traps would work. If she was desperate, she could even undo her shrink and return to her full size or even pump it up and try to crush the elf. Hell, maybe even use her old fangs like when she first started. Would my fangs even work? Or would they also melt? She shuddered at the thought. At the same time, she confirmed that she still had avenues of escape using [Blink]. She could hear the sound of rock exploding as the elf destroyed a path towards her den. That''s when she finally came face to face with her would-be assassin. She stared at the beautiful elf with envy, a far cry from her monstrous spiderly form. She tensed, expecting a sudden attack, and was ready to use [Blink] at a moment''s notice, but instead, the elf just stared at her as if trying to solve a puzzle. It was like a silent standoff, with both parties slowly examining each other, but neither committed to taking the first hostile action. The spider could feel fatigue slowly building up on her, like a creeping poison. The tensity of the situation was clearly getting the better of her. Since the equipped effect of the [Manhunter] emblem wasn''t doing anything, she decided to swap it out for [Apex Hunter] as a troublesome thought was niggling in the back of her mind. As soon as the new emblem was transferred over, a familiar voice tickled the back of her mind. Worthy! No, no, no! She''s stronger than me? I already suspected it, but having it so bluntly confirmed is rotten! And then she felt her heart sink as the elf suddenly smirked. Dread immediately assailed her, and she instinctively reached for [Blink], only for it to fail spectacularly, and she barely moved a few inches. No, why!? She demanded, the fear gripping her as she pulled up her profile. She had ascertained she had the Mana previously, and it had been recovering too. What she saw next robbed her of all remaining hope. Mana: Drained What did she do to me? Chapter 192 : The Spider and the Elf Finally, I was face to face with the spider I had been hunting for so long. It had finally screwed up and revealed its hidden network of webs running along the ceiling when it tried to use them to attack me. [Tremor Sense] had picked up the constant vibration along the threads, and then I simply had to follow it back to its source. The frantic attacks against me as I progressed only made my task easier. It was impressive that it could use this setup almost like a control center and watch the entire mine from safety. I was hesitant about being teleported away again, but when I investigated more thoroughly, I saw that the entire entryway to its den had a thin perimeter of empty space. I could bet that crossing that invisible boundary would find me relocated again. When I first spotted it, I noted its Mana was fairly diminished and quickly threw out a deceitful [Mana Burn] affliction to eat away at its reserves. The spider showed no reaction to my subtle spell, so while my affliction nefariously got to work, I continued silently observing it like it was observing me. The spider had a sleek black form and many outstretched legs with menacing grace and sharp ends. Unlike the other spiders I had fought, this one lacked powerful-looking fangs or a rear end that could fire projectiles. Its front legs, however, seemed more tool-like compared to the other spiders, like something that would belong to a tailor or weaver. Strangely, it was covered in threads I wouldn''t have noticed at first glance if not for [Mana Conception] making them light up like colorful lights. It looked like it had wrapped itself up in protective layers it had weaved. And all this thread had come from highly evolved spinnerets; I couldn''t even imagine how it compared to the base ones I could mimic. However, what was mostly confusing was its size. The spider wasn''t even bigger than a wolf! All the previous spider monsters I had fought were giant and menacing; even the smaller jumping variety appeared fearsome. It had an almost creepy-cute appearance if I had to describe it. That''s tier five, right? Quite a high level for such a little monster. Then again, I''m almost there myself, and technically, my entire being is contained within my tiny core. Not having even a single elemental affinity is strange, but I guess if it got something absurd like Dimension, it can''t exactly complain. I''d bet it probably has Corrosion, too. What really gave me pause was the almost impossibly hidden threads it had wrapped between the front legs, almost like a garrote wire. Now that it was attached to the spider, I noticed it had a blackish-purple sort of Mana coloring. So that''s Dimensional Mana, right? I can barely comprehend it; it feels downright alien. My thoughts were interrupted when my [Sub-Cores] brought a change in the situation to my attention. [Apex Hunter]! I cheered and equipped my own one to compare results. Unfortunately, I didn''t receive the mental tingle, so my combined levels must have surpassed the spider. I found myself giving a small smirk at the situation. The spider suddenly jumped as if I had attacked it and teleported a few feet across as if trying to escape when its Mana hit rock bottom, causing its escape to spectacularly fail. Its multitude of eyes seemed to blame me for its predicament. "Sorry! Can''t have you running away," I tried to explain. Perhaps the spider perceived my words as a threat, as it tried to repurpose the boundary into a barrier to prevent my entry into its den. Seeing the net of strange thread blocking the entrance, I couldn''t help but be intrigued; how would it react to magic? I cast a simple [Water Orb] spell and watched it get sliced into bits as if portions of it were swallowed up. The spider reacted to this by sealing up more gaps in the web. I cast a [Fire Arrow] directly on one of the webs and watched the spell disappear on contact. Remarkable. It''s almost like an all-eating void. I even threw out a [Lightning Bolt] and watched the bolt of magical energy lose its form and disperse. The spider looked like it was growing increasingly anxious if I was reading its shaking legs correctly, so I decided to halt my experiments. "I''m sorry, but I couldn''t resist trying to see how it would interact with some simple spells," I explained. Borrowing [Telepathy (Lesser)], I tried to reach out to the spider, but the mental handshake was hastily slapped away, and the spider began skittering backward. "Look, I was only trying to talk," I tried reasoning. "I have a trait that allows mental communication since I assume you can''t talk out loud."This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. I tried to make contact again but was mentally slapped away again. I sighed. "Guess I''ll have to do some more convincing?" I touched the rocky wall with an outstretched hand, producing a mass of tendrils at the point of contact. Armed with [Acid Slime], they sought into the rock, melting a tunnel for me to enter the spider''s den. The spider seemed confused by my current actions and weaved more thread frantically from its spinneret. It likely did not have a direct line of sight to the tunnel I was crafting, so I doubted it knew my goal. When the tendrils extended beyond my range, I sent a few [Sub-Cores] through my arm and down into the tunnel. I wanted to appear from a point of relative safety in case the spider had any further traps planted near the entrance. Meanwhile, we continued our staring contest. The spider would occasionally try to flicker, likely to attempt another teleport. But with its Mana consistently being emptied thanks to [Mana Burn], it was a fruitless endeavor, and it was becoming increasingly anguished. "Come on, I just want to talk to you," I tried reasoning again. The little spider actually shook its head at me! The nerve! Well... I have a surprise for you. Theoretically, I could leave behind a body duplicate if I primed it beforehand, although it would be stiff as a board. I''d never attempted it before beyond the bunny bombs I had fooled some wolves with, but it was certainly worth a shot. I started sending more and more of my cores along the melted tunnel while ensuring one stayed behind to maintain my "body." Once we were ready to break into the room, I primed the body and retreated my final [Sub-Core] to join the rest of us. The body was perfectly still as if leaning against the wall. It certainly felt uncanny to look at since it was still a perfect replica of my elven persona. [Tremor Sense] told me the spider hadn''t moved, so I began my sneaky infiltration into its home by finally melting through the final bit of rock between me and the chamber. It was still having a staring contest with my primed fake body, so I sneakily approached. I wasn''t exactly sure how this interaction was going to go. Part of me wanted to land a sneak attack while it was preoccupied, but if it was a fellow [Experiment], then I wanted to at least try negotiating and getting more information. I''d attacked Trixie, and we''d become friends, so anything was possible. When I reached a certain point, the spider immediately turned around to face me as if I had somehow come into its vision radius. It was absolutely startled and leaped backward in retreat away from both me and my immobile clone. "Hey, so are you willing to talk now?" I asked. The response I got was the spider jumping and growing! The tiny little spider suddenly enlarged to a far greater size and leaped at me with the threatening thread between its front legs. I was dumbfounded by the sudden and unexpected change, as I couldn''t have predicted it could shrink or grow, but I still managed to react in time to retreat using [Wind Step]. In retaliation, I fired a [Lightning] bolt directly at it. The crackling energy struck against it before it could dodge, but its woven armor seemed to take the brunt of it and did far less damage than I had expected. "Damnit, just talk to me!" I shouted as it leaped for me again. A bunch of the threads in the chamber seemed suddenly commanded by it and were trying to hinder my movement. "Fine, if I have to force you to submit, I will!" I shouted. Another [Wind Step] got me away from it, and then I launched a barrage of spells at it by letting my [Sub-Cores] go wild. Two [Fireball] and [Wind Cutter] spells went hurtling towards the spider. Meanwhile, [Shatterquake] was activated from both sides, sending a wave of rocky shrapnel flying toward its flanks. [Glacial Aura] became active to slow and hinder the spider, and I launched another [Lightning Bolt]. I had thought it quite an impressive barrage of spells, but the spider surprised me by erecting makeshift web shields to catch the rocky shrapnel on its flanks. It dodged one of the [Fireball] spells while the remaining one was swallowed up by a net of that strange thread. The [Lightning Bolt] crashed into it but still seemed less effective than I had hoped. [Glacial Aura], however, was in full effect, and it appeared that even its network of hidden threads in its lair was starting to get a little frosty. "Oh? Not a fan of the cold?" I taunted. The spider hissed at me, flicking a thread at me. I dodged, but it looked like it had expected that as another one of those strange threads awaited me and sliced through my arm. "What a waste," I commented as I regrew an arm. The spider looked outraged. I held out the freshly grown hand, but instead of casting a spell, I used [Nitro Slime] to create a small explosion to scatter a spray of [Cryo Slime] throughout the area. Again, the spider surprised me by first shrinking and then expertly dodging most of the slimy shrapnel, but it couldn''t help but catch a few scattered sprays and encounter the deathly chill encroaching upon it. It then charged at me, shifting between its shrunken and enlarged form in a rather unorthodox approach. I fired a flurry of [Icicle] spells when it suddenly shrunk and vanished. The spot it once occupied only held a small circle of thread attached to a connecting line across the floor. "What?" I questioned. I received the warning too late from my [Sub-Cores] as the spider had somehow teleported behind me and attacked. With its size enlarged again and its front appendages stretched outwards with interconnected thread, it went straight for my head. Its garrote wire of that deadly thread cut through my neck like a hot knife through butter. From the disconnect, I temporarily lost connection to the [Sub-Core] I had housed in my head and to my primary normal vision. A frustrating experience that would have likely killed most others. Using [Life Sight] as my eyes, I exploded with a barrage of [Pseudopods] toward the spider. Each tendril was armed and tipped with [Metal Slime] blades and spears. The spider had clearly not expected such a counterattack from a headless corpse and was caught off guard, and my blades cut and spears pierced as best they could, although its threaded armor was putting up a much greater defense than I would''ve thought. If slashing and piercing were not going to be effective, I rapidly morphed the ends into metallic bludgeoning implements like hammers, maces, and morningstars; I had plenty of variety to choose from. The array of tendrils continued to assault the spider, which was trying to defend and counterattack. It would slice off a tendril, only for it to regrow shortly after. At the same time, I was spreading out a growing radius of slime on the floor to catch any severed appendages. "Well, you made me stop fighting like an elf, so good job!" I said with a newly formed head. There was a frantic panic in the spider''s eyes as it tried to defend against the endless assault of tentacles. "We can keep playing until you feel like talking." Chapter 193 : The Spider and the Slime I cut off her head! Why is she still alive!? The spider frantically panicked. She stepped in and felt whatever was leaking onto the floor, burning the tips of her paws. And now the floor is lava! Not literally, but why is it burning? What is this blue goop? What is going on? This is far too strange! Does nothing make any sense? Using her thread manipulation, she ascended up and off the surface. The spider silk was almost invisible due to its thinness, so it nearly looked like she was flying, not unlike an actor performing wire-fu. Normally, she would avoid using such measures as it made her feel a little queasy and preferred to have all eight of her legs firmly on the ground, but desperate times called for desperate measures. The elf smirked, seemingly increasingly amused by the situation. It looked like she was melting, yet her size didn''t diminish at all. Can all elves do this? What kind of horrific world is this? That stupid voice called her an elf. Again, something reached out to her mind; it felt alien and wrong, so she instinctively slapped it away. The elf claimed it was to talk to her, but she wasn''t about to start believing an elf that could clone itself, survive decapitation, and melt. I bet that''s how she puts the brain parasites into me! Nope. No. Rejected! And that was when the tentacles appeared. The floor was growing tentacles reaching out to grab her! It was absolutely horrific, and the acrobatic maneuvering required to keep out of their grasp made her want to hurl. But dodging wasn''t all she was doing; as she grappled around the room, she was layering wires of [Rift Thread] to collapse into a constricting trap when she was done. Hopefully, even the elf couldn''t escape a straightjacket made of [Rift Thread] if it didn''t outright kill her. She tried again to [Blink] to a better vantage point to avoid the slimy tentacles. However, her Mana was still completely empty, so she was forced to defend herself by bisecting the tendril with some of the [Rift Thread] she was keeping close on hand for offensive usage. Mana: Drained Why has it still not recovered even a little bit!? She wanted to cry. What was once her domain had somehow become a living nightmare. The floor was attacking her, tentacles were everywhere, and a smug elf was mocking her right in the middle of it all. Well, we shall see who has the last laugh! Feeling newfound confidence in her network of interlinking threads, she snapped one of the supports, which caused a cascade of the threads to collapse inward. An all-encompassing net, allowing nowhere to run unless the elf could instantly dig down. Victory is within my grasp! The spider thought hopefully. Even the elf seemed surprised by the sudden turn of events; she finally reacted and began unleashing a barrage of spells in all directions at the inwardly collapsing web. But it was all for naught! Fire, Lightning, Water, Earth, and even Air all disappeared into the void of the web! The spider had thought she had seen it all when spikes of bronzed metal burst outward from the elf in various shapes and sizes as if trying to puncture or cut the thread. But once again, it was futile. The elf even used a new form of magic. A neon-green spell that sizzled as it flew through the air, but it also was swallowed up. With each failure, the spider felt more and more confident. Eight magical shields suddenly apparated out of nowhere, surrounding the elf and providing it an almost complete hemisphere of protection. It''s useless! Quit struggling so much already, you damned monster elf! When the enclosing net touched the shields, she had expected them to immediately eat through them, but clearly, her overconfidence was showing. When the [Rift Thread] met the unknown spell shield, magical sparks discharged from the contact point in a hodgepodge of everchanging impossible colors. She could feel the tension on the threads; the elf had somehow stopped her trap! No! No, you don''t! She rapidly repositioned herself and assumed some more direct control over the trap with [Thread Mastery]. It was mentally fatiguing, but at least it cost no Mana, so it was something she could still do. Who would win? These magical shields or her net? Cracks started appearing in the eight shields, and the spider felt glee bubbling up. She exerted even more mental will upon the threads; the crushing enclosure was her ultimate victory! The sound of glass shattering echoed throughout the den. The shields had lost. The constricting web surged forward unimpeded and enclosed entirely upon the elf. Victory! Squelch! The entire elf''s body became like paste being forced through a strainer. The spider nearly vomited at the sight; it was utterly gruesome.Unauthorized use: this story is on Amazon without permission from the author. Report any sightings. That''s what you get for messing with me! She cheered while swaying from her thread. But something felt... Wrong. Where are my level-ups? She asked, then immediately realized. She''s not dead! The elf''s head grew from the sludge on the ground, away from the web net. She rose up as if emerging from a swamp. The spider wanted to scream. "That was pretty scary!" The elf spoke. "If I was caught off-guard, that might have been the end for me! And then I''d find myself in that void, sitting on a chair and having a very awkward conversation with Gramps." Gramps? Who the hell is that? Wait... Void? Is that? Her thoughts were interrupted when tendrils from out of nowhere suddenly grabbed her. She wondered how she hadn''t noticed them until it was too late and noted that they had taken on a texture and coloring, almost mimicking the dark, rocky environment they were in perfectly. "Finally got you!" The elf replied. The spider freaked out, trying to rapidly adjust her size from big to small in an effort to escape, but the slimy tendrils were gripped on tight and accommodated appropriately for her size adjustments. No, let me go, you evil sludge monster! "You know... Even if you are a fellow [Experiment], I''m sure they won''t mind me taking a few nibbles, right?" The elf asked. Nibbles!? She freaked out, barely registering the other words. She had to do it, her last resort. It was a trait called [Phase Out], another she had gained from her most recent evolution. Rather than use Mana or any other communal resource, the trait had a total duration it could be used for per rest. You could do it as small as even a single second of an increment if you wanted, but if you ran out of time, you would be forced back to reality¡ªwhether you were ready for it or not. She hated it. The reason was simple; every time she used it, she couldn''t help but feel existential dread that she would fall through the world or get stuck in something and turn into a dimensional smear. But she had no other options. And so she reluctantly activated the trait as her body seemed to shift in place to another plane of existence. Her stomach immediately churned, and she felt her previous meal trying to say hello. She slipped through the restraints with ease and began plummeting towards the floor. She reached out for a thread to grab her, but it phased right through her. Shit! I forgot it''s literally everything! I can''t use my web or anything to catch myself! "Oh gods, not more ghost bullshit! Is this purely to stop me from eating another [Experiment]? I feel like you gods have a grudge against me now!" The elf started ranting. She only half paid attention to it as she needed to cancel the trait before she fell through the ground. When she shifted back to reality, her stomach lurched. Oh no... I can''t... She collapsed on the ground and vomited. The slimy floor even retracted away from her puke as if not wanting to touch it. "That''s... Eww... I didn''t even know spiders could vomit," the elf commented. Stupid ability... Stupid elf... Stupid... Everything... She was feeling drained. The constant state of being at zero Mana was clearly not healthy, and losing her entire stomach contents had clearly been enough. "Last chance, or I swear to Gramps I will just eat you even if they offered me a core on the spot!" The elf threatened. Once again, she felt something mentally reach out to her. Fine, I give up. Brainworm me... "Finally!" The elf exclaimed. "Gods, was that so difficult? The last [Experiment] was at least willing to talk to me before he went all blood magic on me." [Experiment]? That sounds familiar... "Oh, you''ve got a cute mental voice. I guess you''re a girl spider?" The elf asked. "And good, if [Experiment] sounds familiar, then I''m guessing it''s one of your Emblems, and you''re also one just like me." Wait! She''s reading my mind? The spider panicked. "Not mind reading... [Telepathy]," the elf corrected. "Though apparently, if you habitually talk to yourself with your inner voice, it can basically be called mind-reading. I certainly ran into that issue." Oh balls... The elf giggled. "At least you had the mental strength to cut off our connection. Try being forced to talk to a pixie who could sneakily intrude without you knowing." I don''t care about that; why are you trying to kill me!? The spider demanded. "Well, you tried to kill me first, technically..." The elf pointed out. "Unless you want to say most people survive losing their legs and arms when they walk into this mine." I guess that''s true... The spider admitted. "As for why, well, this mine belongs to a dwarven family I work for. They want to get back to business, so they employed me to make you leave." The spider gulped. "Non-lethally was an option," the elf shrugged. "As long as you leave their mine, they are happy." That''s a relief. "Plus, I might anger Gramps or whoever is the god you''re assigned to if I just eat a fellow [Experiment]. Although I will say after seeing your abilities on display, I''m certainly tempted..." Don''t eat me! The spider shrieked back mentally. "Ow!" The elf flinched. "That was loud... How the heck did you make my ears ring? I don''t even have ears. Anyway... I currently do not have plans to eat you, even though it is tempting. Assuming you''re going to stop the hostilities." I gave up already, didn''t I? I have no Mana to do anything and no more stamina to spin more threads... "Huh, so it does use stamina..." The elf replied, then began going on a tangent. "It just uses Mana for me; I have always wondered about that. I guess since I don''t have that as a resource, it just taps the closest substitute?" Uhh... Miss... Elf? I have no idea what you''re talking about. "Oh!" The elf snapped out of it. "Sorry about that, I have a tendency to get... Distracted. Also, the name is Syl." I''d say it was nice to meet you, Syl, but honestly, you kind of ruined my day. "Sorry about that..." Syl apologized, looking a little sheepish. "But like I said, the dwarves want this mine back." I guess I''ll have to pack up and leave then... Better than being eaten. I can''t believe what a scam this life was. I get born a spider, and you get born as some elf demon. How is that fair? "I''m frankly surprised you still think I''m an elf after everything you already witnessed," Syl replied with a shrug. "No, I''m a monster just like you. A slime, actually..." You''re a slime? "Yes?" Syl replied, astonished. Really? "First Trixie, and now you, too?" Syl replied, looking rather annoyed. "Why does everyone not believe me? I can maybe understand normal people not believing it, but surely a fellow [Experiment] shouldn''t find it that strange?" Sorry if I offended you... Just... The few slimes I ran into weren''t exactly... She waved one of her front legs in a gesturing manner as she pointed to Syl. All of this... Everything... They were kind of useless blobs? Syl sighed deeply and shook her head. "Okay... I do understand a little. Although, in defense of slimes, I''ll say that I''ve fought a lot of spider monsters before, and most of them were underwhelming, too." I watched a slime fall into magma. Did any of the spiders do something that stupid? Syl paused and then reluctantly shook her head, looking oddly depressed. "No..." What a strange... Slime? The spider couldn''t help but think.