"Why would you do that?!"


    "Why would I do what?"


    "Your hiding strategy! What else?!"


    "... Because it works?"


    "Don''t you feel sickened being... in there, even for a bit?" He tries to understand why it would do so, and hearing its reply that "It works", he came to a sudden conclusion - If there''s anything that "normal" animals with a sense of smell would like to avoid, it''s the stench of toxins and waste. Sam simply did it for its own survival, to enter a place that no one would dare explore.


    "... Yes... very much." Sam mutters in a somber tone. If it was verbal, he couldn''t have heard anything. But mental communication makes every message clear and concise, regardless of everything. He felt unprepared hearing it like that, as most of the time it uses a chipper voice.


    "The first time I did so... I wanted to die that time," That caught his interest. Sam takes four rock knives from a small pile he already prepared and does its job like a loyal servant. It butchers the skinless wolf with skills below an amateur. He strictly instructed how to do it earlier, without expecting professional performance. Though simultaneously slicing with four blades was already exceptional.


    "It was somewhere back then when I came across a big battle. I just watched... Soon later when the victor had its fill and scampered away, I took the risk. I knew that big food attracts big groups, but I didn''t care at that time, I was just too hungry. Then they came... a small scouting group. They look much like this guy right here."


    "But they were a bit bigger, and they had this... big knife thingy near their snout."


    "That''s interesting," With that description, a dog-like animal with a rhino''s horn was brought by his imagination.


    "Yes... very interesting... I guess? But that''s not the point. Point is, I was in a really wide open place. There was nowhere to run. Then they noticed me, it was too late. I panicked. I hopped around the corpse, hoping they''d never catch me. Of course, that''s stupid - me? Outrunning them? I can barely pull my weight that time..."


    "Then you saw it, didn''t you?"


    "Yup. As you guessed, I noticed a hole... and that one hole gave me one more chance."


    "At least it ain''t the other hole. That''d be weirder."


    "... Are there supposed to be more than one-"


    "It''s not important," He emphasizes, hinting for it to continue.


    "... Ok then," Sam''s suspicion didn''t even last a second. That''s right, he is the great one who can fight, the magnificent one who graced it a name. If it''s not important then it''s not to be bothered, as his infinite wisdom demands. "Then... you know what I had to do."


    "Uhuh, yeah," He couldn''t take it seriously with the topic at hand.


    "Damn that place," Sam said with pure contempt.


    "That damned hole - how could they have something like that inside them?!" Sam butchers, but now with greed for violence. It was slicing and dicing with sadism, not stopping even when the knives are constantly chipped.


    are creatures here that don''t give a damn about the Cube law, it''s a miracle he managed to aim at its eye back then.


    "Poison... everything was poison... everything tasted like rot... everything in me... begged to get out of that hell, but they were all outside. My body itched to leave that crevice... I didn''t. I kept shouting to myself again and again that, even if I felt like I was already dying, I''ll die if I did... There was nothing I can do but endure the torture.


    "I just... I just wanted to live..." Sam whispered, "Then everything went dark... darker than the darkness in that place..."


    "Ow.. oW," If that was the quarter of Sam''s firsthand experience, touching shit would be worse beyond hygiene concern.


    "Sam. Listen," He demanded, speaking in a tone that a pissed but patient father would have.


    "... I''m listening."


    "Don''t you ever dare do that kind of thing again, got it?" For once, he felt genuine sympathy for his buddy. In all honesty, he has a little sociopathic side buried deep in his consciousness. The reason for his concern over it was to improve his own survival, to use it as an object that can assist him - there''s no reason caring anything that isn''t human. But now it was different, "Especially not with me around, ya hear?"


    "But why? Others can''t chase me in there. Besides, I''m used to it."


    "Don''t care, ''cause if the next thing you say you fed me shit, you''re in deep shit."


    "Oh~ don''t worry. I made sure I didn''t." Sam replies in a sing-song voice. If the great Samuel would be mad if it injected him the toxic stuff, then he would be glad because it didn''t feed him that! Opposites should result in opposites, right? That''s what it thought.


    "... What do you mean you''re "sure"?"


    "What else would I feed you when you were out cold? I couldn''t eat through the wolf''s skin! And there was no wound!" Sam said excitedly. Finally, he would acknowledge its genius if he let it explain!


    "... Then what. Did. You. Feed me, Sam?" Each time he speaks a word he inches to Sam, who got happy hearing its name called by the one and only Samuel.


    "You see, I knew that you''re not used to poop, so I fed you the rectum instead!" Sam exclaim. And it was proud because Sam is the only slime that has the capability to save him earlier.


    "... You fed me ass?"


    "Yes! The ass!"


    "... The inner ass?"


    "Yes! The inner ass!"


    known that hellholes can be eaten. Unlike Sam. That''s right. Since he finally knows how it saved him, he should be even more grateful that no slimes can do what Sam has done, that he has a unique and intelligent partner under his wing!"If it wasn''t for you, Sam, my legendary existence would have ceased!" Is what Sam expects him to say, and an endless chain of compliments.


    "Sam," Two tentacles hold Sam''s upper curve as if it has shoulders.


    "Do not ever speak of this, understand?"


    "... Of course."


    "Good. Go back to your job."


    "Yes!"


    <hr>


    "Remember. Heave-ho. When I say heave, you ready. When I saw ho, you throw. Got it?"


    "Heave... ho!"


    "One more!" They did it once more. And the rest, done efficiently. The limbs are cut. He knows animal anatomy, and slice between its forelimbs'' shoulder blades. The hip, a bit difficult, needing more chops against the ball joints. The belly gutted with caution. Sam had to do most of the work at hauling the intestines.


    "Hold it up right there."


    "I''m doing it."


    "Woah," Sam awes outside. The hole was covered! It''s like there wasn''t even a cave in the first place!


    "Hey, we still have things to haul."


    "Right!"