Oh, Iyer! Iyerpol! – Chapter 39

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Translated By Arcane Translations
Translator: Yuziro
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Slimes.

One of the lowest creatures in the monster food chain, even below the lowly Goblin.

Fairytale slimes were depicted as house-sized behemoths, swallowing people whole and impervious to attacks.

The reality was far less dramatic.

Most slimes were the size of a cat or dog, incapable of digesting anything larger than, perhaps, a toenail.

They yielded no valuable materials, making them worthless to adventurers who needed proof of a kill for payment.

They subsisted on insects, not people.

Monster scholars considered them the only truly harmless monster in existence.

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It had once been an ordinary slime, frolicking in a meadow.

Its greatest joy was showing off the pretty pink flower that bloomed atop its green, jelly-like body as it bounced around.

The flower emitted a sweet fragrance, attracting insects and small animals, which it consumed.

With no natural predators and Goblins that left it alone, it lived a peaceful existence.

That peace shattered one rainy day.

While absorbing moisture from the downpour, it was suddenly scooped up.

“You’ll do nicely.”

A figure appeared without warning, its voice chilling, like the clinging rain.

Lifted into the air, it glimpsed the figure’s face and was overcome by a terror so profound it lost consciousness.

It awoke inside the cave, fused with the very stone around it.

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The slime bobbed its body, gesturing insistently.

I chuckled at its earnestness and followed its gaze.

“Hmm…”

In the center of one wall pulsed a sinister, purple mass.

Like a beating heart.

At its core, a green, gelatinous substance wriggled.

Was that…part of the slime?

“Is that why you can control the cave?”

Boing! Boing!

“And all these plants are because of that, too?”

Boing! Boing!

“So, the sweet scent that reached the forest…”

The slime bounced excitedly with each question.

More energetic than I expected.

Thanks to its enthusiasm, I was starting to understand what had happened.

Somehow, a part of the slime had fused with the cave.

Slimes were said to survive even when split in two.

The one in my arms was the severed portion.

After being separated from the purple mass, it had gained control of the cave.

Perhaps it still retained some connection to the part of itself still attached to the wall.

The problems began after it regained consciousness.

The flower’s fragrance intensified, attracting monsters and people, instead of just insects.

That’s why people came to this remote cave.

Drawn by the scent.

Trapped, with a part of itself fused to the cave, it was surrounded by powerful monsters, living in constant fear of discovery.

“That explains all the lush vegetation.”

The flower indicated it was a Grass Slime.

Its amplified powers must have caused the unusual plant growth.

“You must have been so scared.”

I stroked its head, and it quivered in my arms.

Suddenly snatched from its peaceful meadow and thrust into the depths of a monster-infested cave, with no escape…

I would have been terrified.

“Can’t you just…pull yourself free?”

It twitched weakly, trembling whenever it looked at the purple mass.

It seemed afraid.

Strange.

I didn’t sense any danger.

“Should I help you get it back?”

!

It bounced as if its body had formed an exclamation point.

I set it down and approached the wall, cautiously touching the purple mass.

Nothing.

Just…unpleasant to look at.

I reached for the green slime at its core…

Zap!

“Ow!”

A jolt shot through my fingertips.

Like static electricity.

The slime bounced over, staring up at me.

Concern?

“I’m fine. I can handle this.”

Guinness’s punch was far more intimidating than a little static shock.

Bracing myself, I pushed my hand deeper.

Zap!

“Ugh…”

I gritted my teeth and pushed through the tingling sensation.

Thankfully, it wasn’t any worse than a static shock.

My hand finally reached the green slime, almost up to my elbow.

I was about to pull it free when I remembered something and withdrew my hand.

“Wait…if I remove this, you won’t be able to control the cave, will you?”

Boing! Boing!

Affirmative.

…Seriously?

Then we can’t create an escape route!

That’s why I’m here!

“Make the paths first! One from here, and one from where Wagner and the others are!”

It bounced again.

Affirmative.

I crouched down, describing the paths in detail.

The shortest routes, level ground for Guinness, no monsters…

As I explained, a brilliant idea struck me.

“Right. Wagner and the others might not follow the path…”

I drew something on the ground with white powder, then showed it to the slime.

“Can you write this at the entrance to their path?”

Wagner and the others wouldn’t be able to ignore this.

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It was a desperate struggle.

Five veteran adventurers fought for their lives against a giant made of sand.

Each blow from the Golem was potentially fatal, but they pressed on, undeterred.

“Raaaagh!”

Ronchevich, wielding his one-handed sword, lunged at the Golem’s leg.

Thrust, withdraw.

Thrust, withdraw.

“Ronchevich, look out!”

Pichoni shouted from behind, firing arrows.

Ronchevich looked up, just in time to see the Golem’s fist descending.

He rolled away from the initial blow, but couldn’t avoid the follow-up attack.

Thwack!

“Ronche…!”

Pichoni bit back a cry as Ronchevich was sent flying, landing motionless some distance away.

At least he was out of the immediate fight.

They had lost one of their five.

A significant blow, but Ronchevich had done his part.

Now it was up to the rest of them.

‘Wagner…!’

Pichoni watched Wagner, fighting at the forefront.

Kundt, hammering relentlessly at the Golem’s leg, glanced at Wagner.

‘His reputation is well-deserved…’

Wagner, wielding the greatsword as if it were an extension of his own body, was the most impressive of the five.

‘Wagner of the Greatsword’ indeed.

“Kundt, get ready!”

“Right…!”

Kundt knew what Wagner was planning.

The relentless attacks on a single leg.

The Golem’s leg, battered and weakened, was starting to buckle.

Pichoni’s arrows kept the Golem’s attention focused upwards, giving Wagner and Kundt the opening they needed.

The Golem, aiming a blow at the agile Wolf, stumbled, its balance momentarily thrown.

Kundt’s eyes gleamed.

“Haaaaah!”

He swung his hammer, putting all his strength into the blow.

The hammer connected with the weakened leg.

Crack!

The Golem’s leg buckled.

“Now!”

Wagner was already moving.

The Golem, bracing itself with its arms, hadn’t completely fallen.

It was a testament to its power.

But Wagner and Kundt had anticipated this, and exploited the brief moment of vulnerability.

Wagner, sprinted towards the Golem, leaped onto its outstretched arm, and used it as a ramp to reach its shoulder.

He was face-to-face with the Golem.

Its eye, wavering, met his.

‘We…will return alive.’

That was their promise.

Wagner took a deep breath and swung the greatsword.

Thwack!

A heavy thud, a sickening crunch.

The Golem’s eye shattered.

Wagner pushed the blade deeper, cleaving through the remaining fragments.

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Crackle!

Purple electricity crackled and sparked.

Each time he tried to push his hand deeper, it was repelled.

A single touch could burn his hand to cinders, yet he persisted, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Finally, his hand closed around the green slime at the core of the purple mass.

The slime watched in awe.

It had been right.

The man possessed a similar energy to the one who had captured it.

It had initially tried to repel him, but he was different.

“Here you go.”

He gently pulled the slime free, cradling it in his hands.

“Be careful next time.”

A gentle caress.

The slime knew.

This was the one it had been waiting for…

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[HOW DARE THEY CAPTUER MR SLIME]