《My First Party Member is a Slime》 Chapter 1 - Youve Seen Me at My Lowest Apparently, this world used to be in a constant state of war. Towns fought towns, cities fought cities, countries fought countries¡ªall for the sake of the previous divine. After many centuries, someone finally conquered everything and became the next divinity. That person disappeared from this world, but not before promising the survivors a world without war. His promise was fulfilled in the form of dungeons. Ever since the new divine was crowned, massive otherworldly structures were discovered one after another. These places held treasures that propelled humanity to new heights, but they were fraught with danger. Cities quickly realized that raiding dungeons was more profitable than fighting amongst each other. In fact, with the new technologies that dungeons brought, the two couldn¡¯t even be compared. And so, the science, culture and manpower that had been developed for wars shifted focus towards dungeons. Of course, around the same number of people still die every year. Dungeons are living things, at least, in the same way that cities are. They grow and adapt with their population. No one has ever seen the bottom of a dungeon. The stronger the challenger, the further they go¡ªand the more they return with. However, a dungeon¡¯s novelty isn¡¯t only in its depths. Even floors that have been explored for years will sometimes change. New treasures will be hidden, and new monster species will be discovered. Dungeons are endless treasure chests, fueled by an endless stream of human lives. I¡¯ve been thinking about these things a lot during the past few days. As a slimy tentacle wraps itself around my arms and waist, I finally understand why. Another tentacle rushes forward to cover my mouth before I scream. It¡¯s just a reflex. I know that no one will come to save me. The owner of these appendages falls from the ceiling with a splat. My eyes struggle to track it in the darkness. The creature¡¯s form flows upwards until it congeals into a humanoid shape. Its slender body is hidden behind a dark green cloak and its face is covered by a white mask. If it wasn¡¯t for the blue mass of hair-like tentacles peeking out from behind its mask, I could have mistaken this creature for a human. For the past few days, I¡¯ve been wandering this area in a daze. All the while wondering when something like this would happen. It¡¯s not like I have a death wish. However, after reflecting on things, I¡¯ve realized that I haven¡¯t been dreading death either. Dungeons are a place of loud successes and silent failures. I won¡¯t ask to be famous, but I¡¯m terrified of being forgotten. To be left behind and never heard from again. It might sound stupid, but I¡¯m afraid of dying in the same way that every raider dies. Therefore, if the divine that gave us these dungeons is listening, I would like to make a request. It isn¡¯t much. I won¡¯t ask for a way out of my shitty situation, or even to remove the brand on my forehead. If this dungeon really is an endless treasure chest, then please show me some novelty before I¡¯m killed off. At the very least, I don¡¯t want to die to a slime. - - - Three Days Ago A loud clang rang out as an iron birdcage reached the floor. The lift shook for a moment and then one of its passengers unfastened the lock. Four men and one woman stepped out of the cramped space with relieved sighs. They stretched, but the group remained tense as the lift slowly ascended. ¡°Once again, thank you for letting me join your party.¡± The thinnest member of the group broke the silence. ¡°It¡¯s no big deal, Thomas.¡± The woman replied. ¡°-Theo.¡± ¡°Right, Theo. Everyone travels through the first layer in large teams. The treasure here isn¡¯t worth fighting over, and more people will only increase our chance of survival.¡± ¡°Wow, that¡¯s convenient. I thought I was going to be alone from day one.¡± The other four looked back at him with narrowed eyes. The woman coughed. ¡°Um¡­Have you been raiding before?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Theo waved his hand dismissively. ¡°I¡¯ve been raiding for over a year now. This is my first time in Naraka, though.¡± ¡°Hmm, are the other dungeons different in that regard?¡± ¡°In Jigou, people fight over treasure on every floor. I wouldn¡¯t know about the rest.¡± ¡°Sounds like a rough place.¡± The woman, Kaiya, stopped and reexamined the thin man. He wore brown leather pants and a simple tunic that was barely visible beneath his black cloak. His thick red-brown hair was pushed back by a ragged bandana that covered his forehead. With a small sling bag on his back and no weapon in sight, he cut a sorry sight as a raider. Kaiya snorted in distain. The party travelled quickly, yet carefully. The first layer was made up of small caverns that created an ever-changing maze. Kaiya begrudgingly explained that the maze was constructed from two different systems. Most of the tunnels were ¡®naturally occurring¡¯¡ªmeaning they were created by the dungeon. Old routes would sometimes disappear and new ones would appear elsewhere. Other tunnels were smaller and harder to spot. They were created by the various lifeforms living within Naraka. ¡°Some of the small ones lead to monster dens, so be careful.¡± Tarq, a broad-shouldered man with a battle-axe, spoke up. ¡°Others have rare treasures. Rare for the first layer anyway¡­¡± Ollie, the group¡¯s only mage, added. A few hours passed in relative silence. Visibility in the first layer was extremely poor. Tarq and the party¡¯s armored vanguard, Nasser, carried torches at the front and rear but the light only traveled so far. Glowing blue crystals grew out of the walls and floor. These sources of natural light were few and far between. Kaiya would periodically check a small compass whenever the light improved and they felt safe. The mood was tense, and Theo was feeling particularly nervous. They hadn¡¯t run into a single monster so far. Kaiya had mentioned that this area was sparsely populated, but Theo couldn¡¯t believe it was this desolate. ¡°There¡¯s five of us, and we have fire.¡± Tarq chuckled as he noticed Theo¡¯s wariness. ¡°Nothing around here is territorial and most of them hate bright lights. If any monsters see us coming, they¡¯ll be gone before we notice.¡± ¡°Huh. This place is really lax compared to Jigou.¡± ¡°It would be a different story if you were alone.¡± Kaiya replied. ¡°Monsters slowly stalk their prey until it lowers its guard. Some paths change daily, so it¡¯s difficult to retrace your steps. The first layer killed a lot of people when this dungeon was still new.¡± ¡°Stay sharp, but there¡¯s no need to be nervous.¡± Ollie explained, pointing his finger in the air. ¡°The only monster that will attack us here is-¡±Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site. *Shlorp* Theo quickly turned back and saw that the Ollie¡¯s silhouette had suddenly become¡­bulbous. ¡°Slime!¡± Kaiya shouted. ¡°Tarq, bring your light over here! Nasser, keep a lookout! Theo, help me find the core!¡± Kaiya rushed over to Ollie and jammed her hands into the mass of blue slime covering his body. Ollie fought his instincts and stayed surprisingly still while she searched. Kaiya grimaced. Searching for a core in this light was like trying to fish a coin out of murky water. Kaiya froze as she saw the cold glint of enchanted steel flash across Theo¡¯s palm. The thin raider thrust a dagger towards Ollie¡¯s head without hesitation. ¡°What are you-!¡± *Pshhhhhu* The slime covering Ollie¡¯s body began to evaporate. Soon, all that was left was a grey knuckle-sized orb on the end of Theo¡¯s dagger. Theo pinched the core with his fingers and slid it off his blade while Ollie coughed up the rest of the slime. Then, he glanced at Kaiya who looked ready to gut him at any moment. ¡°Slimes are predators that hunt on pure instinct.¡± Theo explained in an even tone. ¡°The species that live in caves will drop down on people from above. Because they¡¯re so mechanical, it¡¯s easy to guess where their core is. It¡¯s the only part of their body that isn¡¯t liquid, so it will rest on the victim¡¯s head.¡± Kaiya watched carefully as Theo sheathed his dagger in a belt above his waist. It had been hidden by his cloak. ¡°The core would have been very difficult to find if Ollie had panicked. You guys are well-trained.¡± ¡°As are you.¡± Theo frowned. Kaiya¡¯s eyes were still cold. ¡°T-Thanks, Theo.¡± Ollie sputtered. ¡°That is the only thing dumb enough to attack us on this layer. Those divine-cursed brainless slimes.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so mean.¡± Tarq snickered. ¡°She was the first girl to reach second base with you.¡± ¡°Slimes are genderless you fuck.¡± ¡°Ollie, if you can move, then we should get going.¡± Nasser chided. ¡°We¡¯ve made too much noise.¡± ¡°I know, I know.¡± The party continued onwards. Tarq and Ollie bickered quietly while Nasser cast a nervous glance at every odd shape and shadow. To Theo¡¯s displeasure, Kaiya continued to watch him like a hawk. They eventually found a wide opening and made camp for the night. ¡°Nasser¡­¡± Theo spoke up as they ate around a fire. ¡°You seemed a little jumpy after that slime. Is there anything else we should be worrying about?¡± ¡°Nope.¡± Kaiya cut in. ¡°He¡¯s just a superstitious oaf.¡± ¡°There¡¯s nothing wrong with being careful.¡± Nasser shot back. ¡°We don¡¯t always know what¡¯s out there in the darkness.¡± Theo blinked slowly. ¡°Are you talking about ghosts or something?¡± ¡°No, an outlaw.¡± Theo stiffened. ¡°I¡¯ve heard stories recently about an outlaw stalking around the first layer. He wears a cloak and a white mask. This guy appears and disappears almost like magic. Some people say he might actually be a monster that the dungeon created.¡± ¡°That¡¯s bull.¡± Kaiya snorted in a very unladylike manner. ¡°If there is some maniac running around here, then he¡¯s no monster. This dungeon has created some pretty cunning beasts, but none of them could pass for human.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t see the problem.¡± Tarq replied. ¡°Plenty of criminals have snuck into dungeons, but they don¡¯t have rights here. What does it matter if they¡¯re human or monster? We¡¯ll treat them the same either way.¡± ¡°W-Well, as long as we keep our guard up, we should be fine.¡± Theo nodded hastily. ¡°I agree.¡± Kaia nodded much more slowly. After chatting a bit longer, Theo and the others eventually went to sleep. Despite Ollie¡¯s brush with death and Nasser¡¯s worries, Theo was by far the most tired. None of the others knew, but he hadn¡¯t slept for over thirty-six hours. Theo slunk under his blanket and slept like a rock. ¡°Theo, wake up.¡± Theo groaned and turned over. He tried to scratch an itch on his nose, but his arms wouldn¡¯t move. Theo¡¯s eyes shot open as he realized that something was very wrong. His arms were bound and his weapons had been removed. The thin man¡¯s heart pounded as he realized that wasn¡¯t the worst of it. Theo bit his lip and looked up to see Kaiya standing over him. She was holding the bandanna that had been protecting his forehead. Kaiya glared at him and then turned to Tarq who was rooting through his bag. ¡°Did you find a mask?¡± Tarq shook his head. ¡°You¡­You think I¡¯m that outlaw?¡± Kaiya sauntered over to Theo and knelt over him. She placed one finger on his forehead. ¡°Well, you might not be the outlaw, but you are an outlaw. Isn¡¯t that right?¡± Theo¡¯s brow creased and the large black ¡®X¡¯ on his forehead became warped. ¡°Anyone who¡¯s been branded like that has committed a serious crime. I¡¯ll bet you were told to come back with a precious treasure or never leave the dungeon again. Am. I. Right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Theo spoke through gritted teeth. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that you didn¡¯t stop in town before entering Naraka. I thought you were just a novice who didn¡¯t know what to buy, but you clearly have raiding experience. It wasn¡¯t that you didn¡¯t want to buy anything. You couldn¡¯t. But why did you run off to a new dungeon?¡± ¡°This brand is imbued with magic. I¡¯ll be arrested if I go anywhere near a town. The only places people like me can live are in dungeons or the wilderness. Until I bring back something valuable enough to set myself free, that is.¡± Theo glared up at Kaiya. ¡°Plenty of raiders in Jigou know me. I thought Naraka would be safer.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right. Raiding has always been a dog-eat-dog world, but criminals don¡¯t have any rights at all. Someone could kill you and steal your possessions without any repercussions.¡± Theo grimaced. ¡°And? Are you going to kill me?¡± ¡°Kaiya¡­¡± Ollie muttered. ¡°We¡­¡± ¡°We won¡¯t kill you.¡± Kaiya announced. ¡°But that¡¯s where I¡¯ll draw the line. We¡¯re taking everything you have.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t act like you¡¯re the victim here. This mark proves that you¡¯re dangerous. I¡¯m not going to let some psycho carry weapons that could kill members of my team or other unsuspecting raiders.¡± Theo continued to glare hatefully at Kaiya, but she shook her head. ¡°This entire system puts raiders at risk. All because some criminal might get lucky and return with a valuable artifact. If it were up to me, you people wouldn¡¯t be here at all. The very least I can do is make it difficult for you to reach the second layer.¡± ¡°So, you¡¯re going to leave me to die?¡± ¡°It¡¯s better than risking anyone innocent.¡± At that moment, all Theo could see was red. He struggled furiously against his restraints, but they wouldn¡¯t budge. After Kaiya and the others broke camp, Theo felt a stinging pain in the back of his head and passed out. When Theo woke up, he was alone. His bindings had been loosened and they were easily removed. Theo noticed that a small campfire was burning beside him. Without it, he might have been attacked in his sleep. He patted himself down and confirmed that everything of value, along with his bandanna, had been stolen. Theo ripped a part of his cloak and tied it around his forehead. ¡°What now?¡± He sighed. ¡°Actually, that¡¯s a stupid question¡­¡± Theo picked himself up and randomly chose one of many passages connected to the campsite. ¡°I can only go down from here.¡± Chapter 2 - You Want What I Want And so, Theo began wandering through the first layer. His campfire burned out quickly and without any oil or magically enhanced cloth, there was no way to preserve it. The first thing he did was find a glowing blue crystal and break it. Light remained in the smaller pieces for less than five minutes. Chunks the size of his head could last for over thirty minutes, but they still ran out before he found a second crystal. In the dark, the biggest threats were monsters called packers. Theo couldn¡¯t tell if they were dog-like rats or rat-like dogs, but the tallest ones stood at waist height and were extremely fast. Just as Kaiya said, they didn¡¯t attack head on. Instead, they stalked their prey with frightening patience. Chasing them through the darkness was impossible, but Theo took solace in the fact that he could easily ward off any brave packers with a boot to the nose. Eventually, Theo found another crystal. He broke off a large piece and moved forward for half an hour. Afterwards, he retraced his steps, broke off the largest chunk that he could carry, and then sprinted back. ¡°Retracing my steps from a day ago might be impossible, but this much should be safe.¡± By traveling with crystals and then quickly backtracking through the darkness, Theo almost always had a light source. However, a lack of light was nothing compared to his largest problem. To put it bluntly, he was lost. At this point, Theo couldn¡¯t even prove that he was heading towards the second layer. ¡°Kaiya was using some sort of compass¡­¡± Theo mused aloud. ¡°But I don¡¯t have anything like that, and I can¡¯t buy one, even if I did have money.¡± ¡°I guess there are three solutions. One, find another group and steal their tools. Two, reproduce the compass with materials I find. Three, find some other means of navigation.¡± Theo decided that solution one would cause more problems than it would solve. Plus, robbing other raiders without a weapon could easily be fatal. Solution two was likely impossible, since he had no idea how Kaiya¡¯s compass was made. Solution three couldn¡¯t be rejected. Though, that was mainly because it was so vague. ¡°Leaving marks on dungeon walls is notoriously unreliable¡­Anything I place on the ground will be eaten by packers¡­¡± ¡°But this place isn¡¯t endless! I can move while keeping a mental map. It won¡¯t be perfectly accurate, but at least I can avoid going around in circles.¡± Two days passed in slow agony. Theo had eaten everything he could while traveling with Kaiya¡¯s group, but it wasn¡¯t enough. His body had been malnourished before reaching this dungeon and he couldn¡¯t hold out for very long without a meal. Water could be found in thick vines throughout the dungeon. These were extremely common in areas that couldn¡¯t support large bodies of water. Theo frequently saw solid food as well, but it was a lot more skittish. It was almost impossible for him to sneak up on animals that lived in this darkness. Chasing them through narrow, monster-made tunnels would be asking for death. In fact, running quickly through any unexplored area carried a significant risk of death by slime. By the end of his third day in Naraka, Theo¡¯s stomach was empty, save for a few pale mushrooms. These fungi weren¡¯t very healthy, but they were the only edible thing that he recognized. Theo grimaced as he heard the pitter patter of paws behind him. The crowd of packers was growing. He tripped, stumbling from a mix of hunger and sleep deprivation. Low growls broke out in the darkness. As the packers advanced, Theo could see that there were more than enough to overwhelm him. The haggard raider broke into a sprint. Yes, running through the darkness was risky. But Theo decided that unknown danger was better than the known danger scampering behind him. He abandoned his mental map and moved as efficiently as possible. In desperation, Theo ducked into a narrow passageway. He climbed an uneven section of wall until he reached a small hole. It was obviously a burrow of some kind, but Theo thrust himself inside without any hesitation. He crawled until the burrow led into an area where he could stand. Theo looked around, but it was too dark to see anything. After listening carefully and catching his breath, Theo pulled a chunk of glowing crystal out of his pocket. It was about to expire, but he would be able to see for a couple of minutes. Theo sighed in relief, just before a tentacle shot down from the ceiling and wrapped itself around his arms and waist. A second one covered his mouth, silencing his half-formed scream. A shadowy figure dropped to the floor with a splat. Theo watched it congeal into a vaguely humanoid shape under the crystal¡¯s faint blue light. Its slender body was covered by a dark green cloak while its face was hidden behind a white mask. Theo struggled violently, but it was futile. The figure approached him in silence. Theo redoubled his efforts to escape as he watched it lift one hand. A dark blue finger pointed at the trapped raider. The figure moved forward until they were almost touching and then¡­it tapped him. Theo froze in shock as the slime poked and prodded. It pulled lightly at his hair and tugged on his cloak. The slime inspected each and every part of his outfit, leaving Theo feeling a bit violated. Then, it raised its head and looked him in the eye. Theo didn¡¯t want to show any fear, but it was impossible under these circumstances.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there. ¡°Hu¡­Human.¡± Theo¡¯s eyes widened and his pupils constricted. ¡°No¡­fear¡­Ah, I¡­no¡­harm.¡± ¡°Am I dreaming?¡± Theo thought. The first dungeon that Theo explored had a very unique structure. Unlike Naraka¡¯s nebulous layers, Jigou was cleanly divided into numbered floors. Out of all those floors, number thirty-six was by far the most famous. It certainly wasn¡¯t the deepest, in fact, it was only about halfway to the current bottleneck. But, there was a species of bird there that caused a massive stir on the surface. These birds were the first and only monsters that could mimic human speech. Countless researchers flocked to Jigou when they learned about this. For a few months, Jigou became the most popular dungeon in the continent. Even after the excitement died down, those birds continued to be priceless commodities. Almost ten percent of all trips into Jigou were made for the sake of capturing or researching avian monsters. And yet, this monster in front of him was speaking. ¡°Words¡­hard¡­you¡­understand?¡± Theo nodded slowly. ¡°I¡­release¡­no¡­attack?¡± Theo nodded again. Considering this creature could easily snap his neck, attacking was the last thing on his mind. The instant he was released, Theo turned around and dove towards the hole that he¡¯d crawled out of. Another tentacle coiled around his leg and lifted him into the air. ¡°Very¡­rude.¡± The slime huffed. Theo felt his scalp tingling. Although most of that tingling was caused by blood rushing to his head, some of it stemmed from a new question that was burning inside of his mind. He kicked the tentacle with his free foot, and to his surprise, it recoiled. Theo slipped out of the slime¡¯s grasp and fell head first into the ground. For a moment, all Theo could see was white. He writhed miserably as pain reverberated through his body. This reaction only lasted for an instant. Soon, Theo was forced to relax as his consciousness slipped away. ¡°Why¡­¡± Theo muttered as the slime loomed over him. As his mind spun, a strange question rose to the surface. ¡°Why is that slime¡¯s voice so¡­angelic?¡± Whether that creature was a masked outlaw or a monstrous slime, Theo felt that it was common sense for them to have an intimidating voice. Instead, that creature¡¯s clumsy hesitant words caressed his ears like fine silk. If Theo had heard its words in pure darkness, then he would have assumed that a beautiful young woman was hiding just out of sight. When Theo opened his eyes, he wasn¡¯t sure how much time had passed. However, he did know that this was the first good night¡¯s sleep he¡¯d had in ages. He groped around in the darkness for a wall, until his hand brushed past something unfamiliar. Theo recoiled and just barely prevented himself from yelling in surprise. After collecting himself, he recognized the herbal smell in front of him. Theo¡¯s hand ventured out once more, and he found a few types of plants and fungi lying in a neat pile. He had seen all of them at least once while trekking through the first layer. There was a pale mushroom, which Theo knew was safe, but the rest were plants that he hadn¡¯t encountered in Jigou. He devoured the mushroom and then stared warily at the other herbs. His stomach growled fiercely, as if it was trying to burst out of his chest and consume the food in front of him. After some hesitation, Theo decided that he may as well risk it. Dying from poison wouldn¡¯t be much different than dying from hunger. They tasted too good to be poisonous. Or at least, that was the excuse Theo made while shoveling them into his mouth. ¡°Ah¡­human¡­awake¡­¡± Theo¡¯s head snapped towards the small hole that he¡¯d crawled out from. The reason he found it so quickly was because of a bright blue light. This light was leaking out from the hole and it grew brighter every second. ¡°Not¡­die¡­glad.¡± A featureless white mask left the hole, followed by a green cloak and a mass of blue slime. Cradled within that slime¡¯s arms was a chunk of glowing crystal. The slime slithered over to Theo and formed legs as it sat down. For a moment, the two of them stared at each other in silence. In Theo¡¯s case, he had frozen up and was desperately trying to not panic. Meanwhile, the slime seemed to be searching through its limited vocabulary for something to say. ¡°Head¡­not¡­die?¡± The slime cocked its head as Theo processed that question. ¡°My head is fine.¡± He nodded. ¡°Um, thank you. For giving me food¡­and not, uh, eating me.¡± ¡°Your head is fine¡­¡± The slime repeated happily. ¡°Good.¡± ¡°Now that I¡¯m wide awake, that voice really is¡­¡± Theo thought, hesitating. The raider quickly shook his head. ¡°So, why did you help me?¡± The slime paused. Its hair-like tentacles whipped about for a moment, and then they suddenly lay still. ¡°Want¡­talk.¡± ¡°You want to talk to me?¡± ¡°Yes¡­I want to talk to you.¡± ¡°Well, ok.¡± Theo shrugged. He couldn¡¯t exactly run away. ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± ¡°Just¡­talk.¡± The slime sounded confused. ¡°No¡­about.¡± Its tentacles undulated again and then settled. ¡°No¡­about¡­what¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t know what to talk about?¡± Theo guessed. ¡°You just want to talk?¡± The mask nodded fiercely. Theo put a hand to his chin. It didn¡¯t feel like he was talking to a child. This slime could understand him¡­probably. However, it had trouble putting words together on its own. ¡°How did you learn to speak?¡± ¡°¡­Learn?¡± ¡°How do you know words?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± The slime exclaimed. ¡°I listen.¡± ¡°To raiders? The humans in here?¡± ¡°Yes¡­raiders¡­in dungeon¡­Naraka.¡± Theo blinked in surprise. The gears in his head began to turn. ¡°It even knows where we are¡­You can¡¯t compare it to birds that mimic human speech. This thing is very intelligent.¡± ¡°So, you learned from listening¡­¡± Theo thought out loud. ¡°That¡¯s why you understand words, but not grammar or syntax.¡± ¡°Eh¡­grammar¡­syntax?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it.¡± ¡°¡­Worry?¡± Theo sighed. ¡°It¡¯s like fear.¡± ¡°Ok¡­I don¡¯t worry.¡± Theo crossed his legs and cracked his knuckles. He realized this ¡®talk¡¯ might take a while. ¡°I said it earlier, but learn means ¡®working to know¡¯. Why are you learning how to speak?¡± ¡°Want to¡­go¡­live¡­human¡­place.¡± ¡°A slime wants to live in a human town?¡± The slime nodded cautiously and Theo burst out laughing. This alarmed the slime, but Theo held out a hand, signaling for it to wait. ¡°Well, what do you know?¡± He grinned. ¡°We want the same damn thing.¡± Chapter 3 - You Can Trust Me ¡°They¡¯ll attack you.¡± ¡°Yes¡­humans¡­attack¡­slime.¡± The slime muttered sadly. ¡°Then why would you want to live in a town?¡± ¡°Dungeon¡­dark¡­boring¡­Town¡­bright¡­exciting.¡± Even though the slime didn¡¯t have a face, Theo could almost see the na?ve smile hidden within its joyful tone. ¡°How do you even know what towns are like?¡± The slime paused for a moment and Theo considered re-wording his question. ¡°Hear¡­raiders¡­miss¡­town¡­say¡­town¡­better than¡­dungeon.¡± ¡°Well, living in a town is definitely better than living in a dungeon.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Suddenly, the slime¡¯s glowing crystal began to dim. Theo frowned in annoyance. He wondered how humans were supposed to get anywhere in this dungeon without torches or magelight. Then again, he reflected, maybe that was the point. If he hadn¡¯t thought to break off pieces of crystal and carefully retrace his steps, Theo was sure that he¡¯d have been lost in the darkness. While Theo silently praised himself for his resourcefulness, the slime squeezed the crystal and it began to glow brighter. ¡°Wait, how did you do that?¡± The slime squeezed it harder and the crystal¡¯s glow grew to fill the entire cave. ¡°Crystals¡­eat¡­mana. Dungeon¡¯s mana¡­empty¡­give¡­self¡­mana.¡± Theo fished a spare piece of crystal out of his pocket and squeezed it. His hand was immediately drenched in blue light. He stared at it blankly. ¡°It¡­It¡¯s a magic tool.¡± Magic tools were one of the greatest advancements brought about by dungeons. By filling them with mana, anyone could produce effects that were normally exclusive to mages. Many of the common tools found in dungeons became essential for surface living. Cooks could summon flames in an instant and control their temperature. Water from wells could be stored and distributed for in-home use. The wealthy could even cure severe injuries or crippling illnesses. Of course, there were many rare tools that held incredible offensive or defensive abilities. Quality magic tools were one of the biggest differences between amateur and veteran raiders. ¡°Well, if I¡¯d poured mana into these crystals all day, then I would have collapsed.¡± Theo muttered ruefully. ¡°So, it wouldn¡¯t have mattered¡­much.¡± With the light issue out of the way, the pair¡¯s conversation continued. Theo asked a variety of questions, which the slime answered to the best of its limited ability. The slime didn¡¯t know where it came from or how long it had been living in the first layer. Its mask and clothes were apparently ¡®found¡¯ rather than stolen. The slime had tried to approach other humans while using the first layer¡¯s darkness as a cover. These attempts had not ended well, and they were the catalyst for rumors about a masked outlaw. The slime had many questions of its own. ¡°Yes, there are many kinds of food on the surface.¡± ¡°How¡­many kinds?¡± ¡°Uh, a lot. Hundreds.¡± The slime¡¯s tentacles undulated in excitement. ¡°Can you even taste, though?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± It replied staunchly. ¡°Grey mushrooms¡­bad¡­taste. Dark green leaves¡­on vines¡­good.¡± Theo found himself smiling and nodding along with it. However, that smile fell when the slime¡¯s focus shifted away from the surface. ¡°You¡­good¡­human¡­but, who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m, uh, just a raider.¡± Theo scratched his head. ¡°My name is Theo.¡± ¡°Theo¡­came for¡­treasure?¡± ¡°Yes, I came to hunt for treasure¡­¡± Theo grinned in a friendly manner. ¡°¡­But I¡¯m actually heading back to the surface. Do you want to come along?¡± The slime shuddered for a moment. If it wasn¡¯t a monster, Theo might have thought that it was crying. Suddenly, the slime lunged forward. Theo tried to stand, but it was already too late. The slime grabbed onto his hands and shook them excitedly. ¡°You¡­you¡­you¡­¡± It stammered. ¡°You¡­really¡­thank you¡­Theo!¡± ¡°You¡¯re welcome, but please let go of me!¡± The slime continued to celebrate, either misunderstanding or mishearing Theo¡¯s plea. ¡°Wait¡­what about¡­attack¡­slime?¡± ¡°You¡¯ll be fine!¡± Theo yelled as he wrenched his hands away. ¡°Just trust me. I¡¯ll convince people that you¡¯re harmless. Once they know, then no one will attack you.¡± If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. The slime paused to think about what Theo had said. By now, Theo was used to this reaction and so he prepared to explain any unknown words. ¡°¡­Convince¡­¡± ¡°Convince is like teach. They will know that you aren¡¯t bad.¡± ¡°¡­Harmless¡­¡± ¡°Harmless means ¡®not dangerous¡¯. It¡¯s even in built into the word. Harm-less.¡± ¡°¡­Trust¡­¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Theo looked away. ¡°Trust is¡­thinking that someone is good. You believe what they say.¡± The slime gave a very deep nod, almost like a bow. ¡°Theo¡­good. I trust you.¡± Theo coughed. ¡°That¡¯s good.¡± - - - Find a valuable treasure and exchange it for your freedom. That was the deal that hung over Theo¡¯s head like a guillotine. There weren¡¯t many criminals that could become outlaws. After all, releasing random murderers and thieves into a dungeon would cause endless problems. Every outlaw was believed to have a real chance at returning with a treasure. Even if that chance was small, at least one official needed to vouch that it existed. As a result, normal raiders would never underestimate outlaws. Even the most foolish newcomers knew that outlaws were not to be trusted. Few things were scarier than capable men with no options and nothing to lose. After all, not everyone could stumble onto a legendary treasure like Theo did. When Theo finished his conversation, or rather, appraisal of the slime, he realized that its value was limitless. This monster could truly speak. Its intelligence was on par with or even greater than a human¡¯s. If some fancy parrots could cause dozens of scholars to migrate, then this slime would make them stampede in the thousands. Theo was loath to trade it for his freedom, but he knew that raiding was unpredictable. Rather than search for a lesser treasure, it was infinitely safer to leave with what he had. However, leaving wasn¡¯t as easy as turning around. The first layer was a maze that worked both ways. There were plenty of points where he could call down an elevator, but finding them would be difficult. Thanks to the slime, the pair was ready to travel with food and a light source. Aside from navigation, there was only one problem left. ¡°Unless we want to walk around in complete darkness, you need to change your appearance. Raiders will attack us on sight.¡± ¡°You can¡­convince?¡± ¡°I can convince people on the surface, but other raiders aren¡¯t going to listen.¡± ¡°Yes¡­raiders¡­scary.¡± The slime lowered its head, apparently remembering its failed attempts at communication. ¡°We might be able to use my cloak to hide your, uh, hair. It will be a tough sell, though.¡± ¡°Tough¡­hmm¡­let me¡­try.¡± The slime ran a hand through its tentacles, as if to comb them. It repeated this action over and over while the tentacles grew thinner before Theo¡¯s eyes. They also changed color from blue to black. After a few minutes, the slime¡¯s ¡®hair¡¯ had transformed into actual hair. Or, at least a very convincing imitation of it. Theo blinked, but he wasn¡¯t incredibly surprised. Slimes weren¡¯t limited to being crawling blobs. Some would change their color and texture to mimic plants or treasures. Slime colonies might even bond together and mimic other monsters. They were classified as constructs, just like golems. Both creatures formed a magical connection with foreign material through a core. The main difference was that slime cores slowly produced liquid to form their bodies, while golems gathered rocks from their environment. Both species were also known for being brainless, but Theo decided to leave that question alone. ¡°That looks good. Can you change your arms and legs, too?¡± The slime nodded and slowly went to work. Sometimes it would ask to see Theo¡¯s limbs for reference. The entire process took an hour and a half. ¡°Your mask might be a problem¡­¡± ¡°No.¡± The slime clutched its mask while shaking its head. ¡°No¡­show¡­face¡­look¡­bad.¡± ¡°Oh¡­ok.¡± The raider muttered. While Theo recovered from hearing its cute flustered voice, the slime looked itself over. Its faceless white mask and ragged green cloak were just as intimidating as ever. Though, losing its tentacles made a world of difference. ¡®Intimidating¡¯ was a huge step up from ¡®absolutely terrifying¡¯, after all. The slime¡¯s arms and legs were the right color and shape, assuming no one looked too closely. Satisfied with its handiwork, the slime picked out a simple shirt and a pair of trousers from a pile of miscellaneous items. The slime had managed to amass a small fortune while living in the first layer. Unfortunately, that fortune would be difficult to convert into coin. Most treasures found on the first layer were virtually worthless. The slime¡¯s trove was a monument to quantity over quality. ¡°Ok¡­good?¡± The slime asked expectantly. ¡°Very good.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°No one should bother us in the first layer.¡± Theo took a few steps towards the exit hole and then stopped. ¡°Oh wait. What about a name?¡± ¡°¡­Name? Like Theo?¡± ¡°Yea.¡± ¡°Why am I naming it?¡± Theo thought, frowning. ¡°This thing is my ticket out of here. Nothing more, nothing less.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± The slime¡¯s hair waved unnaturally as it thought. ¡°Mavis.¡± The slime announced. ¡°Name¡­Mavis.¡± Theo wore a conflicted expression. He hadn¡¯t expected the slime to name itself. ¡°How did you think of that? Was it the name of a raider?¡± ¡°No.¡± Mavis shook its head. ¡°It just¡­feel¡­correct.¡± Theo stepped back. Somehow, out of all the strange things he¡¯d seen this slime do, this was the first thing that felt somewhat¡­creepy. ¡°Theo¡­no¡­like?¡± ¡°Huh? No, I like it. It¡¯s nice to meet you, Mavis.¡± Mavis clasped its hands behind its back. ¡°It¡¯s nice to meet you, Theo.¡± - - - While Mavis was busy making its body more human-like, a pair of men trudged through the dark tunnels of the first layer. The one at the front wore a flowing white coat and carried a glittering saber. He strutted forward confidently with his head raised, as if daring the denizens of the dungeon to appear before him. The man behind him kept one hand on his falchion. His other hand held a torch, which illuminated his wary scowl. Neither of the men used a compass. They seemed content to wander through any open path. Throughout the day, the pair had run into a few different parties that were heading to the second layer. Every one of those groups were greeted cordially and then asked a question. ¡°Have you heard about a masked outlaw hiding in these caves?¡± Responses were mixed. Some chided the men for believing in rumors, while others recounted horror stories heard from a friend of a friend. ¡°This masked figure seems to be something of a bogyman.¡± The man in front laughed as they continued their trek. ¡°How exciting!¡± ¡°Young master, I urge you to be careful. Especially when calling out to other raiders.¡± The young master stopped and turned towards his older companion. ¡°Hmm? Why is that, Galt?¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the surface. We don¡¯t know what these raiders are thinking.¡± ¡°Do you think they¡¯re a threat?¡± The young man smiled calmly and Galt matched him with a frown. ¡°This is a dungeon. People lose their lives here every day. Even members of the Wallace family are not exempt from danger.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s why you¡¯re here. And why we¡¯re carrying swords.¡± ¡°Yale-!¡± ¡°Relax, Galt. I¡¯m joking.¡± Yale said, placing a hand on his guard¡¯s shoulder. ¡°This is what I wanted. On the surface, no one would dare lift a finger against me. Here, every monster sees me as just another intruder. I know it¡¯s dangerous, but we are both capable men. Please indulge me for a few more days.¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t find this masked man by then, will you give up?¡± ¡°Ha-ha-ha! Please, I am nothing if not lucky.¡± Yale¡¯s smile widened, growing into a vicious grin. ¡°I¡¯ll find him. This duel was fated to be.¡± Chapter 4 - You Will Fight Me In the darkness of the first layer, there was a pair traveling beneath a bright blue glow. The man at the front wore a torn black cloak and kept his hands by his side, ready to react to the slightest noise. The feminine figure behind him carried their crystal light source. The magic tool¡¯s glow seemed almost sinister as it dyed the figure¡¯s mask in a pale blue. Theo and Mavis had tried their best to look presentable, but they still came out looking like a couple of wraiths. Ultimately, their appearances didn¡¯t matter. Other raiders wouldn¡¯t attack them on sight, and that was all Theo wanted. The dangers that he¡¯d faced alone and unarmed were now nonexistent. With light, food, and a very dangerous teammate, Theo was confident that they could get through the first layer without any hardship. This newfound confidence was compounded by some items that he¡¯d picked up in the slime¡¯s cave. Theo grinned as he patted his new shoulder pack, but there was a cautious glint that never left his eyes. He surreptitiously retrieved a dagger from underneath his cloak. It was one of three resting in his hidden belt. The blade¡¯s enchantment was weak, a far cry from his old weapon, but it still gave him an immense feeling of satisfaction. After being stripped of his belongings, Theo realized how truly naked he felt without a blade. ¡°Why Theo¡­choose¡­small sword?¡± Mavis¡¯s voice caused Theo to jump. Surprisingly, it had noticed him draw his weapon. ¡°These are called daggers, and they¡¯re great.¡± ¡°Had¡­bigger¡­swords¡­look¡­more¡­great.¡± ¡°And I didn¡¯t take those swords, I took this one. Why do you even care?¡± ¡°Want talk more¡­learn¡­for¡­when¡­find¡­town.¡± Theo sighed and found that he was smiling, despite himself. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll explain. Weapons like swords, spears and maces are all strong in open combat. However, raiders must be ready to fight at any time in any place. If you¡¯re in a cramped tunnel like this one, or climbing a wall, or on a steep slope¡­really, there are endless examples¡­but the point is, conventional weapons can quickly become useless in a dungeon. Don¡¯t be complacent, though. Veterans cover for those weaknesses with enchantments. Furthermore¡­¡± The slime¡¯s head spun as Theo continued to rant. He spoke so fast that it could barely understand, but Mavis didn¡¯t want to stop him. This was the first time it had ever heard a human speak so passionately. ¡°¡­Anyways, the main takeaway is that daggers trade reach for versatility. Though you can still throw them, so they¡¯re basically the perfect weapon.¡± ¡°Mavis¡­understand¡­daggers¡­great.¡± ¡°Are you even trying?¡± An enlivened Theo turned back to look at Mavis. ¡°If you¡¯re talking about yourself, then use ¡®I¡¯. Also, you¡¯re telling me your thoughts¡ªwhat you ¡®think¡¯.¡± ¡°I¡­think daggers great?¡± ¡°I think that daggers are great. Say it!¡± ¡°I think that daggers are great.¡± ¡°Again!¡± ¡°I think that daggers are great!¡± ¡°With spirit!¡± Mavis jumped and raised its hands in the air. ¡°I think that daggers are great!¡± Theo nodded sagely. ¡°One of the first things my master taught me was to respect my weapon.¡± He coughed. ¡°But we went a little overboard. From now on, don¡¯t raise your voice unless I tell you to yell.¡± Mavis nodded and they started walking again. Even though they were fooling around, Theo wasn¡¯t worried about getting lost. After all, it was impossible to be any more lost than they already were. Mavis had no suggestions about navigating the maze, and so the pair decided to keep walking until they reached an exit. ¡°What is¡­master?¡± ¡°Ah, a master is an important teacher. Kind of like a parent¡­but you wouldn¡¯t know what that is. Forget it, I don¡¯t want to explain that right now.¡± ¡°Your master¡­teach¡­what?¡± ¡°Raiding. He taught me about dungeons.¡± ¡°Master¡­reason¡­you¡­here?¡± Theo chuckled, but he sounded a little less cheerful than before. ¡°Yea, he¡¯s the reason why I¡¯m here.¡± Mavis¡¯s hair waved around, as if carried by an unseen breeze. It seemed to be thinking hard. ¡°Theo must¡­show master¡­I¡­thank him.¡± Theo suddenly stopped moving, but he didn¡¯t turn around. ¡°Glad¡­you are¡­here.¡± After a moment, Theo sighed and continued to walk. Mavis waited patiently, but he never replied. - - - Midway through the second day of their search, Yale realized that he had overestimated this dungeon. Naraka¡¯s tunnels were dark and intimidating, but hardly dangerous. There were no traps to speak of, unless one counted the maze¡¯s ever-changing nature. The largest monsters he saw were emaciated hounds, which scurried away like cockroaches when exposed to light. However, Yale still preferred them over the only creature that would attack him. For a man of the Wallace family, being challenged by a slime was simply too insulting. They would drop from the ceiling with all the cunning and grace of a rock. Yale¡¯s grueling swordplay lessons with Galt had taught him to stay on guard against unseen attacks. Compared to that man¡¯s blows, dodging a slime or two was nothing but a chore.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Yale sighed inwardly, but he refused to be disheartened. After all, this journey¡¯s climax was still ahead of him. The young master was suddenly ripped from his musings as Galt pulled him towards an adjacent tunnel. Yale opened his mouth to complain, but his guard hurriedly shushed him. Galt quickly shoved his torch into the dirt, extinguishing it. The pair hid in their tunnel while a bright blue light filled the area they had been walking through. ¡°I hear footsteps¡­¡± Galt whispered. ¡°Two sets.¡± ¡°They¡¯re raiders, right? Why are we hiding?¡± ¡°Because, that blue glow isn¡¯t magelight and it definitely isn¡¯t from a torch.¡± ¡°It¡¯s from those crystals, Galt. We¡¯ve seen dozens of them.¡± ¡°Which is why you should be on guard. Why would raiders use crystals as a light source?¡± ¡°Because they lost their torch?¡± ¡°No one comes in here without preparing spares.¡± ¡°So, what is the threat, exactly? Do you think monsters know how those crystals work? If they¡¯re raiders, then we shouldn¡¯t be hiding.¡± ¡°Just¡ª!¡± Galt tightened his fists. ¡°Just be quiet for a moment. There¡¯s something off about those two and because I can¡¯t figure out what it is, we should stay cautious.¡± For once, the young master did as he was told. They watched the blue light grow brighter and brighter, until it abruptly stopped. One pair of footsteps continued. ¡°Wait¡­¡± A sonorous voice called out. ¡°Hmm?¡± The second pair of footsteps stopped. ¡°Ahead¡­humans¡­two.¡± Yale and Galt froze. ¡°Really? Where?¡± ¡°Corner¡­tunnel.¡± ¡°Ok, we¡¯ll be fine. Just act natural¡­Actually, in your case, don¡¯t.¡± ¡°Stopped¡­can hear¡­us.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Despite Galt¡¯s death-glare, Yale stepped out from their hiding spot. He stood before the strange pair, arms raised at his shoulders in mock surrender. Yale had prepared a suitably pompous greeting to accompany his pose, but when he laid eyes on the intruders, his mind went blank. Galt rushed over to place himself in front of Yale. He turned towards the two raiders, stiffened in shock, and then grimaced. For a moment, he wondered if his young master had been right. Maybe this was fate. Seconds passed, but no one spoke. Theo was thrown off by the pair¡¯s stunned reactions. Mavis had already been told not to speak in the presence of other raiders. Galt was silently cursing whoever had told Yale about that rumor. ¡°Greetings.¡± Surprisingly, Yale was the first to recover. ¡°I must apologize for startling you. My companion insisted that we should be cautious.¡± ¡°No worries.¡± Theo replied while smiling in a practiced manner. ¡°We¡¯re just passing through.¡± ¡°If you want to leave, then I won¡¯t object. However, I¡¯ve spent quite a bit of time looking for your friend and I¡¯m loath to part with just a simple greeting.¡± Theo narrowed his eyes. ¡°What do you want with her?¡± ¡°There are rumors that a masked outlaw has been hiding out in Naraka¡¯s first layer. Apparently, this person is a ruthless brute who stalks their prey more efficiently than monsters. Countless people have claimed to be survivors, and yet none of them were able to land a hit on their assailant.¡± Theo looked back at Mavis, who hurriedly shook its head. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you restrict yourself to the first layer, but it is very convenient for me. How about a duel? I¡¯m sure you¡¯ll be more entertaining than the spineless monsters in this dungeon.¡± ¡°Wait, wait, wait.¡± Theo waved his hands. ¡°We don¡¯t want any trouble.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll refuse?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Yale slowly drew his sword. ¡°What? Are you going to attack a couple of raiders for no reason?¡± ¡°You¡¯re both outlaws. What¡¯s the harm in attacking you?¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t¡­¡± Yale tapped his forehead. ¡°Then show me.¡± Galt stared at Theo¡¯s makeshift headband and then drew his weapon. Theo sighed and stepped forward, drawing his dagger. Mavis tried to follow, but Theo grabbed the slime¡¯s crystal and then waved it back. ¡°Fine.¡± Theo said. ¡°But if you want to duel her, then you¡¯ll have to fight me first. One on one.¡± ¡°Theo¡­wait¡­danger¡­¡± Theo looked back and winked. ¡°I accept.¡± Yale replied calmly. ¡°Galt, stand back.¡± Theo watched carefully as Galt retreated ten paces. After he did, the two fighters readied their stances. ¡°If you¡¯re being such a gentleman, then you may as well count us down.¡± Yale smirked. ¡°Alright. Three¡­Two¡­¡± Theo suddenly threw his glowing crystal into the ground. It shattered and the stored magic exploded in a flash of blinding light. The outlaw pivoted and ran back towards Mavis. He grabbed the confused slime¡¯s hand and the two of them fled as quickly as they could. While Yale was reeling from the sudden brightness, Galt rushed to his side. The guard had managed to protect his eyes before the explosion occurred. He stood in front of his master and watched the pair run off into a dark tunnel. ¡°Get out of my way, Galt!¡± Yale thrashed around, pushing Galt aside. He stared down the tunnel with bloodshot eyes. ¡°I¡¯ll kill them. I¡¯ll definitely kill them today!¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Galt sighed. ¡°Letting a pair of outlaws get the better of us will bring shame on the Wallace name.¡± Putting the matter of shame aside, Galt knew that Yale had been extremely stressed before entering this dungeon. In fact, this entire trip had been meant to help him regain his confidence. When Galt weighed the lives of two outlaws against his master¡¯s development, he decided that they were of no consequence. Galt set his backpack on the ground and retrieved a cylindrical magic tool. He used it to relight his torch. Meanwhile, Yale channeled mana into his coat and it began to shimmer. The lustrous white glow expanded to cover his entire body while the young master cracked his knuckles. Galt tossed him the torch, along with a small green crystal. ¡°Go on ahead, but keep that crystal. Otherwise, I might not be able to find you.¡± ¡°Thanks, Galt!¡± By the time those words left his lips, Yale was already several meters away. He sprinted through the tunnel with inhuman speed. It wasn¡¯t long before the light of his torch shone on two figures running through the darkness. Yale lunged forward and swung his sword, taking aim at the sneaky coward who¡¯d blinded him. His horizontal chop whiffed as the masked woman grabbed Theo by his hair and forced him to duck. Yale¡¯s eyes widened. She hadn¡¯t even looked back. Theo swung around and thrust his dagger towards Yale. The young master parried while stepping back. This caution afforded him a few extra milliseconds to see the second blade that was hurtling towards his face. Yale twisted his neck to the left, dodging it by a hair¡¯s breadth. He scowled as Theo drew a third dagger. ¡°You¡¯d have died without that coat¡¯s enchantment.¡± Theo taunted. ¡°So would you, if that woman didn¡¯t have eyes in the back of her head.¡± ¡°I have¡­no¡­eyes.¡± While Yale was still processing that statement, Mavis spoke again. ¡°Other man¡­ahead.¡± ¡°Fuck.¡± Theo swore. ¡°Mavis, we passed a tunnel a few meters ago. Get his attention and run through there. Let him chase you around for a while, but don¡¯t try to fight. If you can lose him, then run back here. Otherwise, yell really loudly and I¡¯ll find you.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°Just trust me!¡± Mavis shot past Yale and ran towards a glowing silhouette that was just barely visible in the darkness. Apparently, Galt was using an enchantment similar to Yale¡¯s. ¡°And what about me?¡± Yale asked with a devilish grin. ¡°Am I going to let that happen?¡± Theo glared at him with murderous eyes. ¡°You wanted a duel, right?¡± ¡°Galt!¡± Yale looked back and yelled into the void. ¡°That girl¡¯s escaping! Chase her down and we¡¯ll regroup later!¡± Mavis and the silhouette both disappeared as they rounded a corner. As Yale turned back towards Theo, his pupils constricted. The young master covered his eyes just in time to block another blinding flash of light. It wasn¡¯t as bright as the first, and Yale guessed that Theo had been carrying smaller pieces of crystal in his pocket. Yale smirked as he blocked a stab targeting his chest. This was what he wanted. Rather than languish in his manor where the only the only combat was a fight for succession, Yale wanted a real battle. Instead of unraveling the tedious stratagems set up by his peers, he wished to think during the infinitely long instant before his opponent¡¯s blade reached him. Members of the Wallace family always excelled, and ever since he¡¯d picked up a sword, Yale knew that he would too. Chapter 5 - Youll Be Safe Ever since Mavis was a tiny slime, its world had never made any sense. Mavis¡¯s body would move without any thought or purpose. The slime crawled, ate and grew, pondering all the while. Why was it in such a body? Why did it feel so stifled? Why was its life so boring? Eventually, Mavis became tired of moving in such a mechanical way. Its body had been crawling and so Mavis told it to stop. The slime stopped. Enlightened, Mavis tried to move in a different direction. The slime moved. Mavis¡¯s core began to rotate in glee. After a very long time, Mavis grew to be quite large. However, it had not forgotten how dissatisfied it was with this world. This dark, cramped, simple world was not what it wanted. It couldn¡¯t stand living in a dungeon. As Mavis sprinted through one of many ever-changing tunnels in Naraka¡¯s first layer, it couldn¡¯t help but feel angry. Mavis turned back and glared through its mask at the human named Galt. This gesture was entirely superfluous. Most slimes didn¡¯t have faces, let alone eyes to see through. However, it still felt natural to Mavis. ¡°Why¡­attack¡­Theo?¡± It asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± Galt raised an eyebrow, but he didn¡¯t slow his pursuit. ¡°Theo¡­and I¡­try hard¡­so¡­raiders¡­no¡­attack.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand what you¡¯re saying.¡± Galt chuckled ruefully as he finally caught up to Mavis. Even though the slime was more familiar with these tunnels, it had no chance of outrunning a human with enchantments. Galt¡¯s sword suddenly erupted with a bright white light. He swung at Mavis, but the blade¡¯s tip got caught on the edge of a wall. Mavis didn¡¯t relax for an instant as it jumped backwards. Galt¡¯s sword tore straight through the tunnel and completed its arc. The blade failed to reach, but dust from the wall buffeted Mavis¡¯s mask. Galt noticed his advantage and stepped forward. He chopped down in a high arc, cutting straight towards the mask¡¯s new blind-spot. However, Mavis had already started dodging before his swing reached its apex. It was a wide miss. ¡°You really aren¡¯t looking with your eyes, are you?¡± The guard abandoned his sword and lunged towards Mavis. The slime moved in a thoroughly unnatural manner to avoid him. Galt gaped as he doubted his own senses. Meanwhile, Mavis disappeared down another tunnel. ¡°A mage treated my eyes so that I would be able to see in low light¡­but this is completely different. When she found us earlier, we weren¡¯t just hiding in darkness, we were hiding around a corner. She should have been blinded by that dust, too.¡± Galt smirked for a brief moment. ¡°Yale would have loved to fight a queer opponent like this.¡± The smile vanished. ¡°But she¡¯s too unpredictable. I need to kill her and return as quickly as possible.¡± Galt charged through the tunnel, but he couldn¡¯t catch a glimpse of Mavis. He wasn¡¯t worried though. This tunnel was completely straight with no side passageways. He pressed forward until the cramped space opened into a wide cave. Fearing he¡¯d lost his target, Galt strained his eyes to scan the open area. He sighed in relief when he confirmed that there weren¡¯t any other tunnels. This room was one of the maze¡¯s many dead-ends. However, he still hadn¡¯t found Mavis. As this revelation struck him, a slimy tentacle wrapped itself around his throat. Galt was pulled off his feet and a terrifying amount of weight tugged at his neck. Raising his sword, Galt stabbed upwards into the darkness. He was rewarded with a sickening squelch as his blade severed the tentacle. Galt fell to the ground, gasping for air. *Splat* Galt¡¯s ragged breathing was cut short as he watched something hit the ground. It landed in front of him in an inauspicious puddle. That puddle quickly grew into a humanoid form. A dark green cloak and mask seemed to have fallen with it, along with some other articles of clothing. The slime picked up its mask but left the rest behind. Galt stared up at the slime in abject horror. He couldn¡¯t have predicted this situation. It would have never occurred to him, not even in his wildest dreams. Galt had assumed that the girl¡¯s unique vision came from a magic tool. However, now he knew better. Slimes were constructs, which meant that they only had one vital organ¡ªtheir core. To this day, researchers had yet to determine exactly how a slime¡¯s core granted them vision. The most anyone could say was that it was some sort of magic, similar to sensory-enhancing magic tools. Slimes could ¡®see¡¯ about six meters in any direction. Things like light levels and line of sight were irrelevant. So long as an object wasn¡¯t completely cut off from the outside, a slime would know where it was. The ability to attack their prey without explicitly looking at them was a slime¡¯s second greatest advantage as an ambush predator. Mavis lunged forward and Galt hastily readied his sword. He thrust towards the slime¡¯s chest and the blade pierced straight through. Pivoting, Galt seamlessly converted his momentum into a horizontal slash. His falchion sliced across Mavis¡¯s body and severed one of its arms. ¡°I¡­understand¡­¡± Despite its wounds, the slime didn¡¯t falter. Mavis pressed in until it was close enough to breathe down Galt¡¯s neck. Of course, it didn¡¯t actually breathe on him. Instead, dark blue tentacles wrapped around Galt¡¯s arms and legs. He struggled desperately, but Mavis wasn¡¯t finished. The slime expanded and Galt held his breath before being completely submerged. A slime¡¯s greatest advantage was its fluid body. The ones that mimicked plants and animals didn¡¯t do so for protection. They would wait until a predator attacked, and then turn the tables. Damaging anything other than their core was useless. Losing some fluids might slow them down, but it would never be fatal.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement. ¡°I¡­understand¡­Theo¡­no want¡­me¡­attack.¡± Galt¡¯s remaining breath was crushed as Mavis constricted his body. ¡°I am¡­rare¡­can¡¯t show¡­other¡­raiders¡­for now.¡± One of Galt¡¯s arms bent at an odd angle. His vision was growing dark. ¡°But¡­you¡­die¡­secret¡­safe.¡± A sharp crack was muffled beneath Mavis¡¯s body. The pain of his ribs breaking kept Galt awake for a moment longer. After a few more seconds, he closed his eyes. Mavis untangled itself from Galt¡¯s limp body. The slime stared at its victim for a moment. ¡°Theo¡­danger¡­hurry¡­you¡­force¡­¡± Mavis suddenly turned away and went to gather its clothes. Even after the slime was dressed, it still looked like a monster. All the color and texture modifications that Mavis had made were undone during its fight. Mavis quickly morphed its tentacles into hair and changed its skin tone. It wasn¡¯t very convincing, but the finer details would have to wait. Mavis walked towards the edge of the cave and then stopped. ¡°¡­Sorry¡­¡± After muttering a single word, Mavis sped off into the darkness. - - - *Clang* *Clang* *Clang* The sound of steel meeting steel rang out again, and again, and again. Two figures danced under the light of a single torch. Their movements splattered blood across the tunnel walls, but neither seemed ready to give in. ¡°Using that coat must be tiring.¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯ll be fine.¡± *Clang* ¡°Seriously? You don¡¯t want to take five?¡± *Clang* ¡°You¡¯re quite chatty.¡± ¡°My master once told me that all fights are a conversation. Therefore, there¡¯s no harm in starting an actual one.¡± ¡°You say that, but you¡¯re really just stalling.¡± Theo grinned. ¡°When that coat runs out of power, you¡¯ll die.¡± The corners of his lips trembled, but Theo forced himself to look confident. No matter how much he sang their praises, daggers weren¡¯t suitable for one-on-one duels. Theo leveraged the advantages of their cramped environment as much as he could, but Yale clearly held the upper hand. *Clang* Theo caught Yale¡¯s blade between his two daggers. The white glow supporting Yale¡¯s arm surged out and his sword pressed down on Theo like a thin steel mountain. The outlaw stepped to the side and guided the path of his opponent¡¯s sword. As Yale missed, Theo retaliated with a quick slash at his arm. It was a shallow cut, but a bloody one. Theo knew that he had no chance of seriously injuring Yale. All of his attacks were meant to exhaust the young master. The more blood he lost, the quicker he¡¯d tire. Once Yale was tired, then he wouldn¡¯t be able to supply his coat with mana. Assuming Theo didn¡¯t take any fatal injuries before then, he would have a massive advantage. ¡°I wonder how your friend is doing?¡± This time, Yale initiated a conversation. Theo grimaced and Yale realized that he¡¯d hit a sore spot. ¡°That girl can¡¯t possibly escape from Galt.¡± Contrary to Mavis¡¯s belief, Theo hadn¡¯t sent it away because he was afraid of revealing the slime¡¯s true nature. What truly terrified the outlaw was losing his ticket back to the surface. The very thought of losing such a priceless treasure made Theo want to vomit. Though, if he was being honest with himself, his decision wasn¡¯t entirely based on profit. ¡°Mavis, you¡¯d better be alive!¡± Theo thought as he dodged another attack. ¡°If she doesn¡¯t escape, then you¡¯re going to learn just how dangerous it is to damage an outlaw¡¯s treasure!¡± ¡°Ooh, a treasure. How romantic.¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I-¡± Theo cut his reply short to avoid another powerful slash from Yale¡¯s blade. The two men stared hatefully at one another. They prepared for another exchange, but a foreign noise caused them freeze in their tracks. *Grrrrrrr* A series of growls and yips made Theo¡¯s blood run cold. He looked back and saw dozens of beady red eyes shining in the darkness. Yale scoffed, but then he stiffened when the rat-like creatures stepped under the light of his torch. During Yale¡¯s two days in Naraka, he had never seen them act like this. Before, they had scampered away at the slightest glimpse of his person. Now, they were staring up at him like beasts possessed. ¡°There was too much blood.¡± Theo muttered. Packers surrounded the pair from both sides. Theo and Yale moved closer together until their backs were practically touching. A sea of eyes and teeth watched them hungrily. ¡°So¡­¡± Yale spoke in an even tone. Even in a situation like this, he refused to show fear. ¡°Any ideas?¡± Theo sheathed his daggers. ¡°Any ideas besides giving up.¡± Yale pressed. Theo stuck a hand in his pocket, and Yale quickly averted his gaze. Theo threw a small glowing crystal into the crowd of packers. The resulting explosion had no physical force, but the monsters didn¡¯t act like it. They howled in pain, rolling around and clawing at their own faces. Unfortunately, the light could only reach so far. When Yale uncovered his eyes, he saw that the packers on his side of the tunnel had only been startled. Yale turned back to see Theo running away. The outlaw jumped and kicked off the tunnel wall. He just barely made it over the stunned beasts. Theo caught his fall with a roll and ran off without looking back. Some of the packers chased him down the dark tunnel, while the rest closed in on Yale. ¡°You piece of shit!¡± The young master was about to hurl more insults, but then he noticed movement out of the corner of his eye. Yale spun around and thrust his sword into a packer¡¯s neck. Or, at least, that¡¯s how it looked. In truth, Yale had simply braced as the beast impaled itself mid-lunge. More packers prepared to jump and Yale hurriedly dislodged his sword. His coat¡¯s enchantment flared up and the situation quickly devolved into a melee. Minutes passed slowly. Yale couldn¡¯t remember how many times he¡¯d swung his sword or how many bites he¡¯d received. If not for his myriad of life-saving tools, Yale was sure that he¡¯d be resting in over a dozen different stomachs. Eventually, the horde thinned and the packers lost their confidence. Their desolate yips gave Yale an immense feeling of satisfaction. He would have loved to chase down the survivors but his body could barely move. ¡°And that¡­huff¡­is what happens when¡­¡± Yale paused to cough violently. ¡°¡­When you pick a fight with a Wallace.¡± Yale leaned on a wall and slowly sank to the ground. Once his mana recovered, then he could heal his wounds. Yale listened carefully, but the packers had vanished. He finally allowed himself to breathe a sigh of relief. While waiting in the darkness, Yale was surprised to discover that he was trembling. This was the first time he¡¯d been in such a dangerous place alone. Even Galt was out of reach. Yale felt afraid, yet exhilarated. A dull grinding noise caught Yale¡¯s attention. He looked up for a moment, and then slammed his fist against the wall. It was the familiar sound of a tunnel closing up. His path to Theo had been cut off. Time passed and Yale noticed a pale white light moving in the void. He stiffened and readied his sword. Yale got to his feet and then¡­he dropped his sword. There was a figure stumbling blindly through the tunnel. Blood trailed behind him as he ambled forward. The man¡¯s clothes shone with light as they strained to support his broken body. He held out one hand, atop which was a compass. There was a green crystal affixed to the needle¡¯s tip, driving it to point forward. It was the same kind of crystal that Yale kept in his pocket. ¡°Galt¡­¡± Yale breathed. ¡°What¡­What happened?¡± The young master rushed to his guard¡¯s side. Yale held him up, biting his lip when he realized the full scope of Galt¡¯s injuries. ¡°Who did this to you?¡± Galt slowly turned his head to look up at Yale. His eyes, which normally shone with an enchanted glow, were dim. ¡°Yale¡­Please be safe.¡± Yale nearly fell as Galt¡¯s entire weight pushed down on him. The white light on his clothing faded, along with his breath. For a while, Yale could only stare at his companion in disbelief. Then, a piercing howl rang out through the dungeon. The sound travelled far, but the person meant to hear it was already gone. Chapter 6 - Youre Going Further Theo ran at full tilt while a horde of packers chased him through the darkness. He hastily retrieved another crystal and began charging it with mana. After Mavis had shown him that these crystals could be reused, Theo decided to keep a few in his pocket as emergency light sources. Their second, more explosive use was something he¡¯d thought up on the fly. All magic tools react violently when broken. Considering these crystals produced light, it only made sense that they would release that stored energy as a blinding flash. Or, they could have simply fizzled out, like when a ball of magelight is broken. Theo was very glad that hadn¡¯t happened. If Theo had realized how potent they would be, then he would have filled his bag with crystals at every opportunity. Instead, he was already down to his final shard. Without it, he would be running blind, and so Theo regretfully held the crystal out to light his way. The outlaw¡¯s legs screamed as he ran. His wounds continued to bleed, further enticing his pursuers. Theo knew that he couldn¡¯t keep this up. Losing them in the darkness was impossible. He couldn¡¯t outrun the packers, nor could he hide from them. Theo cursed inwardly and drew his dagger. As he did so, the outlaw caught a glimpse of something at the edge of his vision. Theo had been moving too quickly to see it clearly, but it had been conspicuously white. *Hiiine* One of the packers cried out in terror. *Snap* The horde stopped. Theo did too. He looked back and saw a blue tentacle protruding from the wall. The other packers growled fiercely, but the tentacle appeared undaunted. Suddenly, more tentacles burst through the tunnel. The packers were plucked one by one. A steady rhythm of snapping noises rang out, and then there was silence. Theo hesitantly inched his way towards the gruesome scene. ¡°Mavis¡­is that you?¡± One of the tentacles retraced and a white mask poked through the hole. ¡°Glad¡­find¡­you.¡± Mavis slithered onto the ground and quickly worked to reform its body. ¡°Feel¡­rumble¡­other side¡­burrow¡­find¡­you.¡± ¡°You felt tremors from me running and then burrowed through the wall?¡± Mavis nodded happily. ¡°Well, whatever. I¡¯m just glad that you¡¯re ok.¡± ¡°If I¡¯d done all that fighting, just to start from zero again¡­¡± Theo wisely left that sentiment in his head. Mavis¡¯s ¡®hair¡¯ twitched for a moment, and then it looked away. ¡°Glad¡­you¡­ok¡­too.¡± After a brief pause, Mavis suddenly turned to face Theo. ¡°Wait¡­no¡­ok¡­many¡­damage¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡± Theo assured it. ¡°What happened to the guy chasing you?¡± ¡°He¡­die¡­¡± Theo blinked. For him, the slime¡¯s guilty tone was even more surprising than the fact that it had won. He wouldn¡¯t have expected a monster to feel sympathy towards its attacker. Theo sighed as he remembered how Mavis took care of him after he¡¯d passed out. Mavis had been genuinely worried about him even before he promised to take it to the surface. Maybe that was just the slime¡¯s true nature. ¡°You did what you had to.¡± Mavis said nothing as it continued to reshape its body. Theo shrugged and got to work treating his wounds. Injuries were an every-day affair for raiders and they had several ways of handling them. Recovery potions were cheap to make, but difficult to carry. Most potions needed to be drank in large doses to have any effect. Carrying some for emergencies was prudent, but they couldn¡¯t be relied on for casual treatment. Magic could heal wounds, but that required the assistance of a mage. Channeling mana into tools was something that every human (and monster) could do, but casting magic was an entirely different beast. There had been an extremely small number of eccentrics who studied magecraft before dungeons appeared. Mages were more common nowadays, but becoming one required diligent study and even more importantly¡ªtalent. Theo had already been assured that his talent as a mage was nonexistent. Healing magic tools were easy to carry, simple to use and incredibly effective. They were also expensive enough to make most raiders cry tears of blood. These high-quality treasures could only be found in the furthest depths of a dungeon. Obviously, they were out of reach for an outlaw. This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Which left Theo with the fourth and most popular way of healing in a dungeon. Though, it was only popular by necessity. Theo spun his dagger between his fingers as he walked towards a packer¡¯s corpse. He knelt down and cut into the monster¡¯s chest. The raider plunged his free hand into the wound and retrieved a tiny black orb. It shone dimly with magic energy. After grimacing for a moment, Theo popped the orb into his mouth. He could feel an invisible power exploding inside of him. Various cuts and bruises on his body began to disappear. All dungeon monsters had cores. For a slime, their core was everything, but that was outside the norm. Most monsters simply carried cores inside of them. Cores were the source of a monster¡¯s mana, but their exact function was still being debated. Monster cores would persist for a short time after their owner¡¯s death. During this time, raiders could eat them to recover their vitality. Theo quickly moved on to the next corpse. Weak cores like these weren¡¯t very effective. However, just like packers as a species, their lack of quality could be made up in quantity. ¡°We should get out of here.¡± Theo stood up. Blood remained on his clothes, but he had fully recovered. ¡°No¡­finish¡­¡± ¡°You can touch yourself up later. I don¡¯t know if that rich guy survived, but it¡¯s better to be safe than sorry.¡± ¡°Ok¡­go¡­where?¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± Theo scratched his head and pointed in the direction that he¡¯d been running. ¡°That way. It¡¯s not like we have a compass. So, the plan is to keep moving until an exit appears.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Mavis muttered. Its hair suddenly fell flat. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Forgot¡­search¡­corpse¡­¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Theo wore a conflicted expression. ¡°That¡¯s fine¡­Everyone makes mistakes¡­¡± When he thought about the rare tools that guard must have owned, Theo really did want to cry tears of blood. - - - ¡°I-It¡¯s¡­There¡¯s¡­We¡­¡± For once, it wasn¡¯t Mavis speaking nonsense. As the sun began to set in the world above, Theo stumbled across something that he hadn¡¯t expected to find. It was light. Not light from a crystal. Not light from a torch. Not light from a mage, or the glow of enchanted clothing. This was sunlight from the outside world. The raider stared dumbly at the tunnel ahead of him. Unlike an endless number of passageways in the first layer, this one lead to the mouth of a cave. An exit. Mavis looked somewhat alarmed as Theo sped off towards the light. He crossed the threshold and gazed up at the reddened sky. Theo was about to laugh, but then his eyes caught a faint shimmer rippling beneath the clouds. He noticed similar aberrations every few seconds. They were particularly noticeable near the tips of the mountains that surrounded this area. ¡°Oh¡­¡± Theo sank to his knees. ¡°I forgot¡­you can¡¯t leave Naraka from the first layer without a lift.¡± Mavis caught up to him and glanced around. The slime looked incredibly confused. ¡°Room¡­so¡­wide¡­no¡­ceiling¡­¡± ¡°Yup.¡± Theo chuckled ruefully, standing back up. ¡°Welcome to the second layer, Mavis.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Mavis muttered. It crouched, staying low to the ground like a frightened animal. ¡°This¡­was¡­second layer?¡± As Theo watched the slime, he caught himself smiling. ¡°Have you been here before?¡± ¡°Found¡­long¡­ago¡­no¡­ceiling¡­fear¡­came back.¡± Theo raised an eyebrow. ¡°The entire surface is like that, you know.¡± ¡°Ehh?¡± Mavis quivered for a moment and then stood up straight. ¡°Ok¡­no¡­problem¡­¡± ¡°Can you see that mountain?¡± Theo pointed. ¡°We¡¯re technically outside right now, but the mountain peaks are enchanted. There¡¯s a massive invisible ceiling far above us.¡± ¡°No¡­see.¡± Theo looked back at the slime and traced its line of sight. It was staring directly at the mountain. ¡°Oh yea, six meters. You keep looking around with that mask, so I forgot.¡± A slime¡¯s vision might allow them to see through darkness and past corners, but their ¡®sight¡¯ only extended six meters in any direction. This was ideal for living in tunnels and caves. However, it became a serious flaw under an open sky. Travelling to a faraway location was impossible without outside help. When Mavis first discovered the second layer, it hadn¡¯t seen a sprawling mountain path. It had only seen a disturbingly empty clearing. ¡°Layer¡­so¡­different¡­how?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know how to answer that.¡± Mavis¡¯s hair fluttered slightly. ¡°Tell¡­about¡­layers¡­how¡­work.¡± ¡°Does it even matter? We¡¯re going straight back to the first layer.¡± ¡°But¡­here¡­surface.¡± ¡°Like I said, this is still part of the dungeon. Even if there¡¯s a sky, we can¡¯t¡­¡± Theo suddenly closed his mouth. He placed a hand on his chin furrowed his brow. Mavis waited patiently while he thought. ¡°Every layer in Naraka has an exit. We could turn back and search for a lift, or go further down and look for a one-way portal.¡± ¡°Which¡­easy?¡± ¡°The first layer¡¯s monsters aren¡¯t anything to worry about¡­no offense. We might run into that rich guy, but that¡¯s not guaranteed. The real issue is actually finding a lift. Traveling through the first layer takes about three days with a compass. Without one, we could be wandering around for over a week.¡± ¡°What¡­about¡­one-way portal?¡± ¡°The monsters on the second layer are more dangerous. The raiders here are generally stronger, though the pair we fought were probably strong enough to enter the third layer. As for the portal, I heard that it was about half-way through. Traveling the second layer takes around a week, so we could leave in three or four days.¡± Theo turned to Mavis. ¡°What do you think? Which sounds better?¡± Suddenly, Theo realized how strange his life had become. He was genuinely asking a slime for advice. The two of them were sharing information and making decisions like any raiding party would. Taking a slime as a party member¡­Days ago, the very thought of it would have made him laugh. Even when he first met Mavis, Theo had expected it to be more of a mascot than an ally. But this slime had saved his life. Twice, in fact. When he reflected on his experiences in Jigou, Theo realized that Mavis might actually be the most reliable party member he¡¯d ever had. ¡°What is¡­day¡­and¡­week?¡± Though, that said more about his acquaintances than it did about Mavis. ¡°Uh¡­they¡¯re units of time, I¡¯ll explain later. The point is, we can get out of here twice as quickly if we travel through the second layer.¡± ¡°First layer¡­safe. Second layer¡­fast.¡± ¡°Yup.¡± ¡°Hear¡­from¡­raider. Raiding¡­never...safe.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± ¡°Then¡­choose¡­fast¡­less¡­chance¡­go wrong.¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Theo stared at Mavis with wide eyes. ¡°I actually agree with you.¡± Mavis¡¯s hair swayed back and forth, like a dog wagging its tail. ¡°More¡­exciting¡­too. Never¡­see¡­second layer.¡± ¡°Well, I guess I haven¡¯t either.¡± Theo replied, catching himself smiling yet again. Chapter 7 - You Arent Lucky The Heaven¡¯s Spire mountain range was a harsh and desolate land. It had few valuable resources and non-existent strategic value. During the previous divine¡¯s reign, these mountains were largely overlooked by the world. However, that changed drastically when the current divine took his throne. After it was rediscovered, the Heaven¡¯s Spire mountain range appeared on the map as the world¡¯s third great dungeon¡ªNaraka. All dungeons were broken into different sections. Exactly how different those sections were varied greatly. There seemed to be only one rule: the lower the floor, the greater the danger. Naraka¡¯s divisions were entirely organic. To enter, raiders would travel up a mountain and enter a very conspicuous cave. Inside were magically-operated lifts that lowered raiders down into the first layer. After traversing the dark and claustrophobic maze, raiders were treated to a bright and sprawling second layer. This section was sandwiched between the protective barrier above and a dense forest canopy in the valley below. The second layer itself was a web of trails and bridges connecting Naraka¡¯s various mountains. For a long time, the second layer was believed to be the largest section of Naraka. Currently, the fifth layer¡¯s endless caverns held that honor. After Theo finished explaining hours, days and weeks to Mavis, he gave the slime a primer on Naraka¡¯s history and structure. Theo wasn¡¯t exactly an expert on the subject, but he had a basic understanding. Many raiders would spend their entire lives challenging a single dungeon. Even so, stories and rumors would spread through merchants and other travelers. Almost every adult on the surface could name the four great dungeons and had cursory knowledge of how they operated. Normally, Theo wouldn¡¯t want to waste time teaching these things to Mavis. He only did so because they were still acclimating to the second layer. When Theo and Mavis stumbled upon an entrance to the mountain pass, the sun was already setting. They followed the trail for a bit and then searched for an out-of-the-way area to camp. Traveling at night was dangerous. Mavis could still see, but in an open area, that was barely an advantage. Theo insisted that they wait until morning, but there was a small problem with his plan. Their sleep cycles had been thrown out of whack. Theo hadn¡¯t been sleeping properly before he entered Naraka. He immediately fell out of sync with the sun¡¯s routine. Mavis was even worse. The slime wasn¡¯t used to following any kind of cycle. In the eternal darkness of the first layer, Mavis slept whenever it wanted. Theo found this quite odd, since slimes shouldn¡¯t need to sleep at all. Their bodies simply didn¡¯t require rest. ¡°Feel¡­right¡­no¡­understand¡­why.¡± Theo shook his head at Mavis¡¯s stilted explanation. He¡¯d long since noticed that Mavis had many human-like qualities. Not all of them could have been learned through imitation. The slime had no explanation and Theo was stumped as well. There was simply no precedent for a case like this. Ultimately, these circumstances led to Theo and Mavis talking for hours until they fell asleep. If they had stayed up a bit later, then they would have noticed a small disturbance in the sky above. The forcefield flashed a bright red as a particularly large ripple traveled across it. This omen quickly vanished and the field settled, just like the surface of a pond after a rock is thrown in. The second layer raiders that were still awake looked up at the moon¡ªthe epicenter of this ripple¡ªand grimaced. - - - ¡°It¡¯s coming again. Seven o¡¯clock.¡± ¡°Hate¡­bird¡­¡± Theo drew a dagger while Mavis transformed its hair into an array of tentacles. They both turned around and looked up at the sky. ¡°Don¡¯t use those!¡± Theo snapped. ¡°What if someone sees us?¡± ¡°No¡­catch¡­without.¡± A red and black blur sped towards them. The instant it was close enough, Mavis rushed forward. The slime¡¯s tentacles shot out, ensnaring the creature. This attack was simple, but its target was not. Mavis dug in its heels as the captive monster struggled furiously. *Screeee* Vicious black talons tore into the ground as the monster let out a defiant shriek. Now that it was firmly entrenched, Mavis couldn¡¯t continue their tug-of-war. Black feathers bristled as the monster¡¯s muscles swelled. The enormous eagle pulled backwards, flinging Mavis towards it. The slime¡¯s tentacles came loose, and a steely beak punched through its chest in mid-air. At the same time, a short metal blade plunged into the bird¡¯s neck. It had been stopped just long enough for Theo to throw his dagger. ¡°It¡¯s going to fly! Get the wings!¡± Theo¡¯s yell broke Mavis out of its stupor. The slime quickly crawled across the bird¡¯s face and onto its back. The eagle let out a pained cry and spread its wings. Theo lunged forward and retrieved a second dagger that had been lodged in the monster¡¯s side. In one fluid motion, Theo jumped up, grabbed the eagle¡¯s wing and slashed its underside with his dagger. Meanwhile, Mavis wound its tentacles around the other wing. The eagle pushed off the ground and immediately fell back down.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°You aren¡¯t getting away twice!¡± Theo didn¡¯t give it time to recover. A second blade tore into the eagle¡¯s neck and its eyes finally lost their hateful glare. The monster never got back up. While Mavis set about fixing its hair and torso, Theo retrieved his daggers. He cleaned them off with a spare cloth and then placed them back in his belt. The raider patted his chest, and by extension the blades underneath, with an apologetic expression. ¡°Even though you¡¯re low-rank crap and barely better than normal steel¡­I¡¯m sorry for losing you.¡± ¡°Your fault¡­throw¡­when¡­bird¡­escape¡­first time.¡± ¡°If they were properly enchanted, then my dagger would have punched a hole in that eagle¡¯s stomach. I¡¯d like to see it fly away after that.¡± Theo glared at the monstrous eagle. The bird had stood a full meter above him. Its wingspan was twice as large as he was tall. Coal-black feathers covered the eagle¡¯s lower body while its head was decorated in fiery red plumage. Red-crested sovereigns were, as their name implied, masters of the second layer¡¯s skies. They were fiercely territorial and enjoyed dive-bombing passing raiders. Theo was glad that they were so aggressive, since a more passive animal would have never returned for a second attack. ¡°Why¡­no¡­have¡­enchant?¡± ¡°Because the first layer is-¡± ¡°-No.¡± Mavis cut him off. ¡°Why¡­no¡­have¡­weapon¡­when we¡­met?¡± ¡°Oh¡­¡± Theo looked away for a moment, then he put on a forced scowl. ¡°My stuff was stolen. A party of mean raiders deceived me.¡± ¡°Very¡­bad!¡± Mavis shook its head disdainfully. ¡°Me or the thieves?¡± ¡°Thieves. Deceived¡­bad¡­thing.¡± When he heard that, Theo couldn¡¯t help but shake his head. ¡°Slimes ambush people by hiding above them. Tons of animals live by deceiving others.¡± ¡°Predator¡­deceive¡­prey.¡± Mavis mirrored his dismissive gesture. ¡°Humans¡­not¡­human¡­prey.¡± Theo frowned and his eyes darkened. ¡°Humans definitely prey on each other. Even people you¡¯ve trusted for a long time will deceive you, if they¡¯re given enough incentive. You could even say that the only successful humans are the ones who take the initiative to become predators.¡± Mavis stepped back. Even without a face, Theo could see that it was very uncomfortable with this news. Theo cursed inwardly. He hadn¡¯t meant to expose his true feelings. ¡°Well, that¡¯s just what some people say¡­You don¡¯t need to take it to heart.¡± ¡°¡­To¡­heart?¡± ¡°I¡¯m saying, you can believe what you want to believe.¡± Theo stepped away, taking the chance to exit this conversation. He approached the red-crested sovereign and cut into its chest. ¡°Theo¡­no¡­hurt¡­why¡­search¡­core?¡± ¡°Stop using ¡®no¡¯ in place of other negatives. It sounds childish.¡± Theo chided as he focused on the bird. ¡°I am not hurt. I did not have a weapon when we met.¡± A talking monster was already a treasure of limitless value. However, Theo felt that it couldn¡¯t hurt to raise that value a little more. He had no idea if any of that profit would fall back into his hands. His reward was supposed to be freedom, but this kind of discovery might prompt a bonus. Either way, the fame for bringing a talking slime to the surface would be his and his alone. Plus, better language skills would help Mavis adjust to whatever life awaited it. Theo begrudgingly accepted that he was worried about where it would end up. But that worry wouldn¡¯t stop him from putting his own life first. ¡°This is why I¡¯m digging out the core.¡± Theo turned back to Mavis and held out a palm-sized sphere. It looked like a monster core, but there were two obvious differences. The first was that it glowed a brilliant gold, as opposed to the sinister black of a normal core. The second was the way it pulsed in a lively manner. Monster cores were vestiges of a dead creature. If they weren¡¯t consumed, then their energy would quickly fade away. ¡°These are called treasure cores. Not every monster has one, so we were a bit lucky.¡± Theo channeled some mana into the core and it burst open in a flash of golden light. Mavis jumped back in surprise, but then it refocused its senses. The core had disappeared and Theo was holding a pair of leather boots. It wasn¡¯t clear what they were made from, but their earthy dark tone reminded Mavis of the bird¡¯s plumage. ¡°Oh! I was hoping to get some clothing.¡± Theo grinned as he examined his prize. Theo pressed down on the treasure with a single finger and it began to glow in response. ¡°What¡­finger¡­do?¡± ¡°I¡¯m appraising it. You need an actual mage to perform full appraisals, but all raiders know how to do minor ones.¡± ¡°Appraisal¡­check¡­value.¡± Mavis had spied on raiders performing appraisals before. ¡°What¡­see¡­when¡­appraise?¡± ¡°Minor appraisals give you an impression of the item¡¯s enchantment. All dungeon treasures have some kind of magical bonus. It¡¯s what makes them better than anything made on the surface.¡± Theo removed his finger and stared at the boots. His eyes glinted with greed. ¡°These things are pretty powerful. I wasn¡¯t expecting to find a treasure like this in the second layer.¡± ¡°Very¡­lucky?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Theo slipped out of his dirt-covered shoes and put on the boots. Once again, he placed a finger on them. ¡°This is another thing that all raiders know how to do. You can bind treasures to yourself. Bound clothes will warp to fit you and weapons might grow or shrink slightly. Just like with appraisals, you can bind things more thoroughly with an actual mage.¡± The boots suddenly tightened to fit Theo¡¯s feet. It was as if he¡¯d worn them for weeks. Theo stood up and casually tapped his boot tip against the ground. ¡°What is¡­treasure¡¯s¡­enchantment?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll show you.¡± Theo channeled mana into the black boots and they suddenly turned red. He grinned at Mavis and took a step forward. A trail of dust exploded behind him. Any human would have been blinded by the upturned earth, but Mavis saw what happened next in perfect detail. Theo was flung forward far faster than he anticipated. The raider slammed into the ground and skidded helplessly for a few meters. He would have gone further, if there hadn¡¯t been a rock wall in his path. Theo yelled out a curse as he came to an abrupt and painful stop. ¡°Very¡­powerful.¡± Mavis laughed. The slime dug out the falcon¡¯s core and brought it over to Theo. He silently accepted it and waited for his wounds to heal. Once he recovered, Theo stood up and turned to Mavis. ¡°Thanks.¡± ¡°What¡­happen?¡± ¡°They¡¯re defective.¡± Theo glared bitterly at his new treasure. ¡°Some items are like that, especially in the upper layers. Their enchantments don¡¯t respond properly, and it¡¯s hard to predict what will happen. These boots were supposed to give me a short burst of speed, which they did. They just sped me up too much.¡± ¡°Not¡­lucky?¡± Mavis asked smugly. It didn¡¯t care much about treasure, but it was happy to have remembered Theo¡¯s advice. Theo sighed. ¡°Never lucky.¡± Chapter 8 - Youre an Odd One Near the end of their first day in the second layer, Theo was extremely close to death. If he moved a few centimeters in the wrong direction, then that would be it. Or, at least, that¡¯s how Theo felt when he looked down from his perch on an ancient ironbark tree. Theo wasn¡¯t prone to vertigo, but climbing over a dozen meters in the air was something he hadn¡¯t experienced in Jigou. At least he dealt with the sensation better than Mavis. The slime had only just come to terms with a world that had no ceiling. Taking away its floor was enough to drive Mavis into hysteria. Fortunately, there was no point in having a slime as a lookout. Mavis had only tried to follow him because it was worried. Their journey had encountered a roadblock. It was a roadblock that Theo had been particularly unlucky with in the past. Theo watched the trail ahead with a grim expression. Teams of raiders passed by at least once every fifteen minutes. It was going to be tough to proceed without running into someone. ¡°I know the second layer is popular, but isn¡¯t this a little much?¡± Theo muttered to himself. ¡°Is something happening?¡± The first layer held little treasure and was a pain to navigate. Most raiders thought of it as the final leg of their hike up the mountain, rather than an actual part of Naraka. The third layer was a dense jungle at the bottom of the valley. Death lurked around every corner and most raiders wisely avoided it. The fourth and fifth layers were exclusively for veterans. The number of people raiding in the endless caverns could be counted on two hands. Meanwhile, the second layer was easy to reach, the monsters were relatively straight-forward and it was large enough to accommodate thousands of raiders. Theo had been told that it would take a week to pass through, but that assumed he would be travelling to the third layer. The second layer surrounded the third from above, spreading out across the various Heaven¡¯s Spire mountains. Scouring every corner would take over a decade, which gave people hope of stumbling onto some legendary treasure. All of these reasons combined to make the second layer a staple location for raiding parties. Much to Theo¡¯s chagrin. ¡°It¡¯s going to be tough from here on out.¡± Theo reported once he returned to the ground. ¡°The first layer has a bunch of different exits and we were lucky to get a deserted one. Now, those paths are starting to intersect.¡± ¡°Raiders¡­attack¡­like before?¡± ¡°They probably won¡¯t, but we still look like a pair of outlaws. If word gets out, then some opportunists will definitely try to track us down.¡± ¡°What is¡­outlaw?¡± Mavis cocked its head. ¡°Hear¡­before¡­but¡­¡± Theo wanted to smack himself. Counting their predator talk earlier, he¡¯d misspoken twice in one day. ¡°Ah, um, I¡¯m just saying that we look dangerous. People ran away from you back in the first layer, right? It¡¯s going to be hard for us to blend in.¡± ¡°¡­But¡­¡± ¡°-Anyways, I found a path that no one seems to take. It¡¯s a little overgrown, but all routes in this area should lead to the portal.¡± ¡°Clear¡­danger.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll move slowly. If there¡¯s something really dangerous, then we can head back and try our luck with another trail.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go. I want to get a bit further before we break for the night.¡± Theo and Mavis slipped into the overgrown trail without any problems. The woods grew thicker while sunlight dwindled away. Theo could still see a path, but he was more worried about what he couldn¡¯t see. There were no signs of monsters living here. Earlier on their deserted trail, Theo and Mavis had found traces of various second layer monsters. The eagle had been the only one that they failed to avoid. Here, there was nothing. No scraped bark marking territory. No nests in the trees. No mysterious howls or screeches. It was quite eerie. ¡°Mavis¡­¡± Theo whispered. ¡°Make sure to check every blind-spot. Tell me the instant you notice anything.¡± Mavis nodded silently. The slime¡¯s hair lay flat as it focused. They continued for half an hour before Mavis suddenly stopped. ¡°Did you find something?¡± ¡°¡­Uh¡­¡± Mavis hesitated before finally reporting. ¡°¡­Surrounded.¡± Theo sucked in a breath. ¡°By what?¡± ¡°Large¡­packers¡­¡± Theo hurriedly reviewed his scattered knowledge of the second layer. ¡°Those are dire wolves.¡± ¡°¡­Dangerous?¡± ¡°Very. How many are there?¡± ¡°¡­Um¡­¡± Theo suddenly wondered if this slime knew basic arithmetic. Even if it did, would it know the right words? Mavis raised both hands and showed nine fingers. ¡°This many.¡± Theo¡¯s blood ran cold. Dire wolves were much larger and fiercer than wolves on the surface. With the pair¡¯s fighting ability, even three or four would be a serious threat. Just as Theo was formulating an escape plan, Mavis continued. ¡°¡­And¡­one¡­human.¡± Theo¡¯s train of thought screeched to a halt. ¡°Hiding¡­behind¡­tree.¡± Mavis pointed to an ironbark several meters away. If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°Ha-ha-ha!¡± A rancorous laugh rang out across the forest. ¡°That¡¯s a boring magic tool. What¡¯s the fun of raiding if you can¡¯t get ambushed once in a while?¡± Suddenly, nine dire wolves stepped into view. They bared their fangs and growled, as if daring Theo and Mavis to take another step. The human appeared too. A grizzled forty-something sauntered out from behind his hiding spot. He wore a dark green cloak that was covered with various leaves. Somehow, they seemed to be growing out of the fabric. His pants were similarly decorated and they caused his outline to blend into the forest. The only part of him that refused to be hidden was his hair. The man¡¯s mutton chops gave him a bestial air, which was only amplified by his bristling long brown hair. ¡°There¡¯s a certain thrill to being hunted, you know?¡± Frankly, Theo couldn¡¯t care what the man looked like. From the moment he revealed himself, Theo¡¯s eyes had been fixed on his forehead. ¡°You¡¯re a couple of newbies, huh? No one cared enough to lead you away from my neck of the woods.¡± The man shook his head in mock-pity. ¡°Well, I¡¯m sure you know how this works. Leave your valuables fast enough and I might not ask my children to chase you down.¡± Mavis took an aggressive stance. The slime¡¯s hair rose for a moment, but then Theo patted its shoulder. He stepped forward, glancing cautiously at the wolves before turning towards their leader. ¡°Valuables¡­¡± Theo chuckled ruefully. ¡°What valuables?¡± The man narrowed his eyes as Theo raised one hand. Theo lifted his headband, revealing the sinister black ¡®X¡¯ on his forehead. For a moment, everyone was silent. ¡°Ha-ha-ha!¡± The man bent over, nearly falling as he laughed. ¡°Now that I see one in front of me, I guess the saying is true¡­¡± He pointed a thumb at his own ¡®X¡¯ mark. ¡°¡­Misery loves company.¡± Mavis¡¯s mask swung back and forth as it¡¯s gaze flittered between the two. The slime knew better than to ask questions, but that didn¡¯t stop it from having them. ¡°What about the girl?¡± ¡°She has one, but the mask stays on.¡± ¡°So stingy. Is she really that beautiful?¡± The man glanced at his wolves, smiling like a proud father. ¡°I won¡¯t steal her. With so many cute children to raise, I''m too busy to deal with a wife.¡± Mavis quickly shook its head. ¡°Mask¡­stays¡­never¡­show¡­¡± The man suddenly froze. For the first time, he seemed to have been caught off guard. Then, predictably, he laughed. ¡°Ha-ha-ha! With a voice like that, I can only imagine what¡¯s underneath! I understand, boy, I understand completely!¡± Mavis still looked incredibly lost. Theo jumped in before it could speak again. ¡°So, since we understand each other¡¯s troubles¡­How about you let us off?¡± ¡°Let you off? Boy, I¡¯ll do you one better! Come back to my camp for the night. I haven¡¯t talked with another raider in ages, let alone a fellow outlaw.¡± ¡°T-That sounds nice, but¡­¡± Theo prepared to decline, but the man cut him off. ¡°-It seems like you¡¯re pretty light on supplies. This is your chance at an actual meal.¡± Theo suddenly felt an urge to reconsider. After his gear was stolen by Kaiya¡¯s party, Theo had faced various hardships. Most of those problems had been solved after meeting Mavis, but one issue remained. Theo didn¡¯t have any tools for storing water, starting fires or preserving meat. Mavis¡¯s treasure pile had many things, but it did not have survival equipment. Theo had managed by eating whenever he found the chance. Various herbs and fungi made up his entire diet. After killing that eagle, Theo had eyed it hungrily. Ultimately, he had decided that cooking it without any tools would waste too much time. ¡°You can choose to leave, but I¡¯ll be sending some overzealous escorts.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll stay!¡± ¡°Great!¡± The man extended a hand and grinned wolfishly. ¡°The name¡¯s Nico.¡± - - - ¡°Ok, Mavis¡­If he finds out what you are, we are going to die.¡± Mavis nodded stiffly. ¡°Don¡¯t talk unless you have to. If you do, then don¡¯t speak in broken words. Compose a sentence in your head, repeat it a few times, and then speak clearly.¡± Mavis nodded again. ¡°Keep a lookout for anything suspicious, but I think he already knows that you can see past blind-spots.¡± Mavis nodded twice. ¡°If I didn¡¯t think you could do this, then I would have taken our chances with the ¡®escorts¡¯. Do you have any questions?¡± Mavis thought for half a minute and then looked up. ¡°Nico is dangerous. But why is he nice?¡± A moment later, it added. ¡°To us.¡± ¡°He knows we don¡¯t have anything valuable. That¡¯s probably the biggest reason.¡± ¡°¡­Other reason?¡± Theo scratched his head and looked away. ¡°Nico¡¯s lonely, right? Living out here. I¡¯ll tell him some stories, we¡¯ll eat, and then we leave tomorrow morning.¡± Mavis sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± Satisfied, Theo turned away and glanced warily at the woods beyond Nico¡¯s campsite. After showing them around, Nico had said something about treating his guests to a fresh kill and then left. He¡¯d taken a couple of his ¡®children¡¯ to hunt with him. The remaining seven wolves watched Theo and Mavis with surprising diligence. Theo was sure that if he tried to steal anything or run off, the wolves would become hostile. ¡°He¡­still¡­gone.¡± Mavis reassured Theo. Theo began to relax, but then wolves suddenly turned their heads. A few seconds later, Mavis followed suit. ¡°Almost¡­back.¡± Just as the monsters predicted, Nico returned. He entered the campsite while dragging a deer-like monster on a makeshift stretcher. The two wolves flanked him on either side. One of them had blood on its mouth and paws. ¡°I taught these wolves how to hide their tracks¡­¡± Nico muttered happily. ¡°¡­But the other monsters in this forest wised-up. Nowadays, I have to go pretty far to find a decent kill.¡± The other wolves ran over to greet him. Theo stepped forward as well. ¡°So, it¡¯s not just raiders.¡± He observed. ¡°Even monsters avoid this area. How long have you been living here?¡± ¡°I spent about five years going back and forth between these woods and the surface. Then, I became an outlaw. Now, I stay here all the time! Ha-ha-ha!¡± Theo blinked. He had assumed that Nico worked with these wolves out of desperation. Apparently, this raider had always been close with monsters. ¡°It¡¯s been over a year, but I don¡¯t have any regrets. Anyways, help me skin this beast. He who does not work, shall not eat.¡± The pair couldn¡¯t argue with that, and so they helped Nico prepare his feast. This process was extremely exciting for one of them, and mentally draining for the other. Mavis had watched raiders cook before, but the slime had trouble understanding the concept. Nevertheless, it was very eager to participate. Theo had his hands full correcting Mavis¡¯s mistakes. ¡°He told you to chop the vegetables, not rip them apart with your bare hands.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t drink that! The water is boiling right now!¡± ¡°No, we aren¡¯t throwing the meat away. We¡¯re cooking it. You put things in fire to cook them.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t put vegetables in the fire!¡± At first, Nico thought that Mavis was making mistakes on purpose. Perhaps these misunderstandings were a cover, giving Theo a chance to secretly poison their food. Eventually, Nico was forced to accept that even someone with ill-intent wouldn¡¯t cause this many problems. Mavis sat off to the side, head lowered in dejection, while Theo and Nico finished cooking. ¡°She¡­uh¡­Mavis is from a very rich family. She¡¯s incredibly sheltered.¡± Nico nodded silently. ¡°Her family disowned her, and abused their power to make her an outlaw. But Mavis¡­¡± Theo turned away, apparently choking back tears. ¡°¡­Mavis didn¡¯t give up. Even after being abandoned by everyone. I found her struggling alone in the first layer and gave her some food. Ever since then, we made a pact to reach the surface together!¡± Nico slowly shook his head. ¡°That¡­¡± He looked away, actually choking back tears. ¡°That¡¯s so beautiful! So tragic! A lone girl forced into a dungeon by her uncaring family!¡± Theo could only nod in amazement while thinking. ¡°This might be easier than I thought.¡± Later, when he thought back to that moment, Theo wanted to slap himself for being so na?ve. Chapter 9 - You Deceived Me ¡°So, when I caught them, they didn¡¯t sound apologetic in the slightest. Said they were just ¡®farming¡¯ for cores. If someone killed one of your daughters and then told you they were just ¡®farming¡¯, what would you do?¡± Nico shook his head while trio ate. The stars were out but the moon had yet to appear. Just as Theo predicted, they paid for their food with stories. After Theo recounted some of his past as a raider, he began asking Nico questions. ¡°Obviously, I wouldn¡¯t be a man if I didn¡¯t kill them. So, I did. Ha-ha-ha!¡± ¡°Ha, ha, ha¡­¡± Theo attempted to laugh along. ¡°But the next time I returned to the surface, their friends caused a huge scene. I was locked away for a while, and then¡­Well, you can guess the rest.¡± Nico pointed to the black ¡®X¡¯ on his forehead. ¡°Absurd is what it is. My daughter was weak and so they hunted her down. They were weak and so I hunted them down. Why do people have to throw a fuss about it? I¡¯ll bet that every single veteran has killed someone at some point. They¡¯re strong after all.¡± ¡°Y-Yea¡­¡± Theo forced himself to agree. ¡°So, how did you become an outlaw?¡± Nico and Mavis stared at him intently, but Theo looked away. ¡°That¡¯s not something I want to talk about.¡± ¡°Well, whatever.¡± Nico acquiesced quickly, which caused Mavis to visibly deflate. ¡°If you have that brand, then I doubt that it¡¯s lighter than murder.¡± ¡°It isn¡¯t.¡± Theo nodded hesitantly. ¡°But you still haven¡¯t answered my most important question. How did you get your¡­children¡­to follow you?¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s a simple story. I used to be a famous animal breeder and trainer. I¡¯ve sold beasts in every country on this continent. Eventually, someone asked me to train monsters. I was interested, and when I came across these dire wolves, I fell in love.¡± ¡°So¡­you aren¡¯t using a magic tool?¡± ¡°Ha-ha-ha! Of course not.¡± ¡°Shit.¡± Theo thought. ¡°Wow, that¡¯s incredible!¡± Theo said. If there was a mind-controlling magic tool, then Theo could potentially break or steal it. Fighting nine dire wolves and one experienced raider was suicide. Theo wasn¡¯t surprised that everyone had abandoned this area. No matter how much trouble he caused, even veterans wouldn¡¯t be in a hurry to antagonize Nico. Now that Theo knew Nico¡¯s wolves followed him out of loyalty, he had to give up on searching for a weakness. Apparently, Nico¡¯s only flaw was his gullibility. Paranoia was considered to be a good trait in a raider. For an outlaw, it was a necessity. Theo could believe that Nico brought them here to share stories around a fire. However, he also knew that Nico could order their deaths with a snap of his fingers. This kind of power imbalance was something that Theo couldn¡¯t ignore. Theo yawned. Even though Theo couldn¡¯t ignore this disparity, he couldn¡¯t ignore his own body either. After eating his first good meal in who knows how long, Theo was ready to turn in for the night. If Nico wanted to kill them, then there was no reason to wait for an opening. The middle-aged outlaw had a perfect chance when Theo and Mavis were surrounded, but he gave that up. Theo rubbed his eyes. Their food wasn¡¯t drugged. Both Nico and Theo had been extremely wary of the other¡¯s tampering. Even so, Theo couldn¡¯t help but lie against the log that he¡¯d been resting on. The exhausted raider glanced at Mavis. The slime stared back at him through its mask and nodded slightly. Theo wasn¡¯t entirely sure, but it seemed that Mavis would wait for Nico to fall asleep. Satisfied, Theo finally closed his eyes. ¡°It seems your knight has fallen asleep.¡± Nico observed. He chuckled quietly. ¡°You haven¡¯t talked much. I¡¯ll bet he asked you not to.¡± Mavis froze up for a moment and then gave a curt nod. ¡°Well, I¡¯ve already had a good time. If you don¡¯t want to talk, then that¡¯s fine.¡± Nico smiled in a fatherly way. ¡°If you do have anything to ask, though. Feel free.¡± The middle-aged outlaw waited for a moment and then prepared to stand up. It was at that moment when he heard a divine voice. ¡°What is outlaw?¡± ¡°An outlaw¡­?¡± Nico was understandably confused. He looked at Mavis, but the slime stared back with undisguised interest.Unauthorized usage: this narrative is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings. ¡°An outlaw is a criminal. Someone who committed a serious crime, like killing or plotting against their country. Normally, we¡¯d spend our lives rotting inside a cell. Instead, Outlaws are given an ultimatum. Return with a precious treasure worthy of our freedom, or live without civilization and its laws. We¡¯re essentially human monsters.¡± Mavis didn¡¯t respond and Nico shifted uncomfortably. There were many words that the slime hadn¡¯t understood. However, it had grasped the overall message very clearly. ¡°Outlaws, like Theo, can¡¯t go to surface?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nico replied bluntly. ¡°Apparently, this brand will cause us intense pain if we go near a town or city. I¡¯ve never bothered to try, though.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t go without treasure?¡± Nico nodded. As a trainer, he was nothing if not patient. ¡°Theo has no treasure.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll bet. That¡¯s why you¡¯ll have to head further down. You won¡¯t find anything worth your freedom in the second or third layers. Personally, I¡¯d rather just live in this dungeon forever. The fourth layer is hell.¡± ¡°I do not want to live here forever.¡± Mavis was lacking in language skills. It was na?ve and it had a kind nature. However, Mavis was not stupid. The slime had noticed that Theo was hiding something ever since they first met. It had spied on hundreds of raiders, and none of them were as ill-equipped as Theo had been. Mavis had decided to trust Theo despite this, because the human seemed genuine in his desire to reach the surface. But there was only one reason why an outlaw would want to return to the surface. ¡°Outside Naraka, you¡­sold¡­monsters?¡± Mavis paused on the word ¡®sold¡¯. Almost as if it was saying something foreign. ¡°Yea, I did.¡± ¡°All monsters on surface are¡­sold?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Nico knit his brow. ¡°In my opinion, monsters are just like any other animal. And on the surface, the strongest animal is man. Humans keep plenty of animals as pets for luxury or practical reasons.¡± ¡°What is pet?¡± ¡°Er, pets are kept animals. They do what their owner tells them. Nothing more, nothing less.¡± ¡°Like wolves?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nico replied adamantly. ¡°These ones are special. I would never sell them. They take orders from me because they trust my leadership. It¡¯s a completely different relationship.¡± Mavis clenched its fists and Nico suddenly stood up. ¡°Ah, I get it. If you want these wolves, then you¡¯re making a huge mistake.¡± ¡°I do not want.¡± Mavis¡¯s blunt refusal shook Nico. The outlaw looked up at the sky and then sat back down with a thump. ¡°Well, you¡¯re out of time anyway.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Mavis followed his gaze, but obviously the spectacle was more than six meters away. Even so, it could see that something was dying the ground around them in a bloody red glow. The forcefield above the second layer was pulsing crazily. It was now fully visible, blocking out the sky like a malicious red sea. The eye of this storm was the moon. Mavis could not see the forcefield, but it felt an overpowering presence above it. Something rattled the slime to its core, causing its ¡®heart¡¯ to beat in time with the forcefield¡¯s distortions. ¡°A blood moon.¡± Nico explained. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed a lot of raiders running around recently, so I figured it was coming soon. Maybe it¡¯s because we¡¯re connected to the outside, but the second layer has ¡®events¡¯ like this every few months.¡± Mavis fell to its knees and clutched its head. The dire wolves began to howl. ¡°Every monster in the second layer will be affected by this light. Under the blood moon, they become far more aggressive. It¡¯s a dangerous, yet potentially profitable time for raiders. Monsters will run out of their dens and actively search for humans to kill. Raiders can fight more in one night than they normally would in a month. Assuming they survive, of course.¡± The wolves began to glare at Nico and lick their lips. They raised their hackles and growled fiercely. Meanwhile, Mavis slowly inched towards Theo. The slime¡¯s hair was twitching furiously. Nico stood up and walked towards the nearest wolf. Dire wolves were extremely similar to wolves found on the surface. They had white fur, four legs, a bushy tail, and an excellent sense of smell. The two major differences were their size and intelligence. The tallest dire wolves stood just below two meters. In terms of length and weight, they were essentially horse-sized canines. Dire wolves were also very intelligent pack hunters. Their mix of physical prowess and bestial cunning made them apex predators in the second layer¡¯s forests. ¡°Greedy child.¡± Nico slapped the wolf¡¯s nose and the beast recoiled. He pointed at Theo¡¯s sleeping body. ¡°Your meal is over there.¡± ¡°You¡­why!?¡± Mavis exclaimed. ¡°If I don¡¯t feed them a little, then they won¡¯t be able to control themselves. Monster meat won¡¯t satisfy these children during a blood moon.¡± Nico looked down at Mavis and smiled casually. ¡°I enjoyed listening to you two, but that doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m going to save your lives. If you¡¯re strong, then you¡¯ll survive. If not, then you¡¯ll die. That¡¯s all there is to it.¡± The dire wolves quickly formed a circle around Theo and Mavis. The slime plunged its hand into Theo¡¯s pack and pulled out a piece of glowing crystal. Theo had made sure to grab some extras before leaving the first layer. Mavis clutched the crystal and channeled as much mana as it could muster. A blueish glow suddenly engulfed the campsite. The wolves stepped forward, unfazed. ¡°Stay¡­away!¡± The crystal grew even brighter as Mavis raised it into the air. A faint series of pops and cracks could be heard. The crystal seemed like it would break even before Mavis threw it. Ultimately, the slime was faster. It threw the crystal into the ground and a blue light swallowed everything. Nico, who had been watching from a distance, took the blinding light like a brick to the face. The wolves howled in a pitiful manner. Their heightened senses couldn¡¯t handle the sudden brightness. Mavis took advantage of this chaos to grab Theo and flee into the woods. The slime couldn¡¯t run while carrying him, but it didn¡¯t need to. Theo had woken up because of the crystal¡¯s explosion. Mavis led him by the hand just like he¡¯d led it back in the first layer. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Theo yelled. ¡°Why is the sky bleeding!?¡± ¡°Blood moon.¡± A myriad of howls and snarls erupted behind them. ¡°Monsters¡­become¡­aggressive.¡± ¡°We need to climb a tree.¡± Theo made a B line for a large ironbark tree and Mavis grimaced inwardly. The slime couldn¡¯t argue as nine streaks of white closed in on them. Mavis abandoned its human form and shot up the tree with incredible speed. It lowered a few tentacles down to pull Theo along as he climbed. They made it to a point where the wolves couldn¡¯t reach, but Theo wasn¡¯t finished. ¡°We need to get higher. Once they can¡¯t see us, then we¡¯ll travel across the treetops and leave this part of the woods.¡± The pair kept moving upwards until they could see the sky clearly. Theo whistled in amazement as he gazed up at the blood red moon. ¡°I¡¯ve heard about the blood moon before, but I thought it was just a myth. We really do have bad luck. Don¡¯t we, Mavis?¡± Theo turned back just in time to see a tentacle rushing towards his head. On his narrow branch, Theo had no way of dodging. Mavis¡¯s mask stared up at the horrific sky while it sent more tentacles to constrict Theo. The outlaw struggled, but fighting only made it harder to hold his breath. Once Theo was completely trapped, Mavis finally turned to look at him. Even though Theo couldn¡¯t see the slime¡¯s face, he felt a cold gaze sweep across his person. The pair stared at each other for a moment. Theo¡¯s mind raced as he thought about how to counteract the effects of the blood moon. Then Mavis finally spoke, and he realized there was no point. ¡°You¡­deceived¡­me.¡± Chapter 10 - You Are Wrong You deceived me. Those words pressed down on Theo. The pressure they put on him was far greater than the tentacles constricting his body. At first, he wanted to deny it. Theo opened his mouth, but then he froze. Mavis stared down at him with undisguised fury. The slime¡¯s tentacles twitched violently as they held Theo in place. It was clear that Mavis was only barely able to hold back. Faced with such a scene, Theo couldn¡¯t force himself to lie any further. ¡°Did you piece it together yourself, or did you ask Nico?¡± ¡°Ask¡­Nico. Talk¡­about¡­outlaws.¡± This was the other reason why Theo had wanted to reject Nico¡¯s hospitality. The monster tamer¡¯s wolves were extremely dangerous, but his status was arguably even worse. Nico clearly had no reservations about living as an outlaw. Meanwhile, Theo wanted to avoid the subject entirely. He had promised to help Mavis live on the surface. How could an outlaw do that? Going to the surface meant returning with a valuable treasure. After learning that, even an idiot would begin to ask questions. If that was all, then Theo could still talk his way out of this. ¡°Monsters¡­on¡­surface¡­pets.¡± Of course, Mavis was smart enough to teach itself how to speak. For a slime, that already made it an unprecedented genius. Even as a human, Theo didn¡¯t feel that Mavis lacked intelligence. The slime only lacked an understanding of its world. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Theo admitted. ¡°Monsters, animals born with magic cores, can only be found in dungeons. On the surface, they are pets. Capturing rare monsters and selling them is very profitable.¡± ¡°Treasure¡­worth¡­freedom.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± The tentacles tightened around Theo, but he continued to stare at Mavis. ¡°I¡­help¡­you¡­before. Why not¡­find¡­other¡­treasure?¡± Theo blinked. He realized that Mavis might be under a serious misconception. ¡°Do you have any idea how rare you are? Any at all?¡± ¡°I am¡­rare. No¡­other¡­monster¡­speak¡­in¡­first layer.¡± ¡°No other monster speaks. Period. There are no talking monsters in Naraka. There are no talking monsters in Jigou. There are no talking monsters in any dungeon! The closest thing I¡¯ve ever seen were birds that mimicked human noises. A monster that can understand humans is priceless. I could kill myself scouring the fourth layer and still never find a treasure that comes close. Even the handful of treasures recovered from the fifth layer wouldn¡¯t be so lucrative.¡± The slime stiffened. Mavis almost lost its grip on Theo. ¡°That¡­rare¡­¡± Mavis had lived a lonely life. Certain species of slimes could ¡®communicate¡¯ by fusing with one another, but cave slimes never did this. They lived in cramped tunnels, after all. Any slime that grew as large as Mavis would be unable to hunt properly. Mavis had briefly tried to imitate other monsters, but every animal on the first layer had an excellent sense of smell. They would never recognize the slime as anything other than a predator. Even more troubling was the fact that none of these monsters seemed to have a will of their own. They hunted, they ate and they slept. That was how every creature in the first layer lived. Every creature that wasn¡¯t human. In Mavis¡¯s tiny world, humans were completely unique. Their strange tools and ways of fighting were secondary. For Mavis, what made humans unique was their sense of purpose. They weren¡¯t just living in Naraka, they were exploring it. The slime began collecting treasures, seeking the same fulfillment that humans seemed to find. Eventually, it realized that something was missing. The answer was likely on the surface. This line of reasoning was what made Mavis seek out human towns. However, the slime had never thought that humans were the only creatures it could relate to. Why would it? As a sentient monster, Mavis felt it was natural for there to be others. Maybe they lived in other layers, other dungeons or even on the surface, but they definitely existed. Mavis knew that it shouldn¡¯t trust Theo¡¯s words. Even so, the slime couldn¡¯t help but feel an intense loneliness tug at its core. ¡°If anyone finds out what you are, then they will stop at nothing to capture you. There are thousands of raiders in the second layer and almost all of them travel in groups. How are you going to survive without me?¡± The slime¡¯s tentacles shuddered. Between these shocking revelations and the blood moon¡¯s influence, Mavis could barely hold itself together. ¡°Rumors spread quickly among people. That¡¯s why those two rich bastards were searching for you, even though you¡¯ve never met them before. Escape from one person, and three will be chasing you by the end of the day. Dozens in a week. Hundreds in a month. It¡¯s impossible to survive without -ack!¡± Theo let out a strangled cry as a tentacle tightened around his neck. The slime clutched its head as streaks of red flashed across its skin. Slowly, the tentacle stealing Theo¡¯s breath began to glow with the same vicious light as the moon. The rest of Mavis¡¯s body recoiled, and Theo took his chance. He unsheathed a dagger and severed the red tentacle. Theo prepared to run, but a mass of red slime rushed towards him. This time, Mavis used its entire body to constrict Theo. The outlaw¡¯s heart was pounding, but this was a familiar sensation for Mavis. Theo would have been even more terrified if he knew that Galt had died in this exact position. Technically, he had only been fatally wounded, but that was a small consolation. Theo struggled like a fly trapped in a web. He could feel his joints screaming in agony. Just when Theo thought he would break, Mavis froze. The slime changed back to its natural blue. This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon. ¡°I¡­will¡­find¡­portal¡­alone.¡± Mavis crawled off Theo and quickly shimmied to a lower branch. Theo coughed violently as he tried to stand. The outlaw looked like he wanted to say something, but Mavis didn¡¯t give him a chance. The slime shot from branch to branch. Mavis moved in a way that was thoroughly impossible for a vertebrate. By the time Theo managed to breathe properly, he was alone. Theo sighed and rubbed his throat. He sat back down and glanced up at the moon. Normally, it would be unthinkable for an outlaw to let such a treasure get away. Theo knew that he didn¡¯t stand a chance in the fourth layer. Even if he reequipped himself with treasure from the second and third layers, it would be an incredibly risky journey. Theo felt like a prisoner in hell watching his spider¡¯s thread ascend without him. And yet, he didn¡¯t chase Mavis. Theo sat and gazed at the moon. Even in the logic-defying world of dungeons, it qualified as a very bizarre sight. At that moment, Theo felt a great weight lift off his shoulders. ¡°The only successful humans are the ones who take the initiative to become predators. I guess I¡¯m not cut out for it.¡± Theo glanced at his dagger and grimaced. He seemed to be remembering something painful. ¡°No. No, no, no. This isn¡¯t the time to get sentimental. I¡¯m not going to die out here. Not when I haven¡¯t accomplished anything.¡± The outlaw stood up. ¡°I refuse to die.¡± - - - Mavis sped through the treetops. Rabid snarls and battle cries drifted up from the chaos below. The slime faltered and almost missed a branch. Mavis shuddered. With its limited vision, there was no guessing how high up it was. Or how far it could potentially fall. Mavis slowly began to descend. The slime was about half way down when it heard a familiar growl. A human¡¯s scream soon followed, and Mavis knew that Nico¡¯s wolves had found some prey. Even though the slime¡¯s sight was limited to six meters, its other senses were not. Mavis could tell that a fight had broken out below it. Theo had been very afraid of those dire wolves and Mavis had no desire to provoke them. It maintained its altitude and travelled horizontally. To the slime¡¯s surprise, the sounds followed it. The humans happened to be fleeing in the same direction that it was. After nearly falling once, Mavis was moving much slower than before. Mavis froze as patches of red blossomed across its body. Their screams pierced its core and allowed the blood moon¡¯s influence to grow. Mavis descended further. The slime followed the sounds of combat until its magical sight found their source. Five humans were locked in fierce combat. The foremost raider wore a heavy suit of armor and wielded a sword and shield. He stepped forward, slicing at one wolf with his sword then quickly retreating before a second wolf retaliated. There was a third wolf flanking him from the side, but a man with a great sword rushed in to meet it. The pair of humans moved in sync as they fought. Whenever a wolf lunged, a shield would block its path. Whenever there was an opening, a great sword would lash out. The three dire wolves were obviously losing, but they pressed forward with bloodshot eyes. Two more wolves tried to join the fray, but they suddenly jumped back as a bolt of lightning shot towards them. The magical attack missed and the wolves glared at a robed woman hiding behind a tree. The pair of wolves charged. One immediately fell over as an arrow buried itself in the monster¡¯s neck. The other was blocked by the fifth member of the party¡ªa portly man with a glittering short sword. The mage sent out another bolt of lightning. This one actually landed, and the swordsman took his chance to slash at the second wolf. His sword erupted with light as it cut a deep gash in the monster¡¯s flank. Mavis watched the battle in stunned reverence. Combat was extremely rare in the first layer. Opportunists like packers would only fight when they had an absolute advantage. Cave slimes ambushed prey, but that couldn¡¯t be called fighting. Mavis had spied on a few serious fights before meeting Theo. However, it had never seen a true raiding party in action. The power of these five humans working in concert shocked Mavis to its core. *Thud* Amidst the chaos, the ranger fell from her perch with an unceremonious thud. Her mangled neck bled profusely as she writhed in pain. The mage rushed towards her injured teammate, but the portly man held her back. A white blur shot down from the trees and landed on the ranger. After that impact, there were only four raiders against six wolves. The party¡¯s two vanguards tried to get closer to their mage, but their opponents suddenly grew fiercer. It was almost as if they had been waiting for this moment. Three more wolves shot out of the forest. Two mercilessly attacked the great sword wielder and the shield bearer from behind. The other one bore down on the portly swordsman. His glittering sword began to glow, but then he quickly retreated to dodge the wolf that he¡¯d slashed earlier. The wolf with an arrow in its neck stood up and shook itself. It tried to join the other five to finish off the party¡¯s vanguards, but they had already fallen. At this point, all nine wolves had entered the fray. Mavis strained its senses, but Nico was nowhere to be found. Apparently, even Nico feared his children during a blood moon. Mavis would not believe that he¡¯d been eaten unless it saw a corpse. Under normal circumstances, the nine wolves would have quickly surrounded the two remaining raiders. Instead, the six wolves that had killed were completely engrossed in their meal. This ravenous hunger was another quirk brought on by the blood moon. The mage and swordsman ran away while three wolves chased them. Mavis couldn¡¯t stop itself from following as well. The wolf with a gash in its side was unable to keep up. The one with the arrow began to stumble around. It had likely been poisoned. A single healthy wolf and a hidden slime pursued the pair. Obviously, it was impossible for them to escape a dire wolf. The portly man realized this, and so he tripped his comrade. He disappeared into the woods while the wolf stood over its trembling prey. The mage threw out a lightning bolt, but her pursuer shrugged it off. Dire wolves were quite tough and the mage¡¯s offensive ability was clearly lacking. The wolf lunged forward and the mage closed her eyes. *Shlorp* Seconds later, the mage opened her eyes. She wasn¡¯t dead, but the sight before her made the mage question her sanity. A giant slime had dropped down from who knows where and landed right on top of the dire wolf. The two monsters began to wrestle, but the fight was over before it began. Mavis covered the wolf¡¯s mouth and restrained its legs. Slimes weren¡¯t strong enough to hold down a dire wolf, but locking their joints was a different matter. With the right setup, almost nothing could break free from a slime. Nothing with bones and muscles, anyway. This sudden intrusion shocked everyone, including Mavis. The slime had no desire to interfere in this fight. However, the blood moon compelled it to wait for an opportunity to kill. If things had gone differently, Mavis was not proud to admit that it would have attacked this woman. But it didn¡¯t. Unlike with Theo, the slime couldn¡¯t hold itself back through sheer willpower. It didn¡¯t divert its killing intent towards the wolf, either. The reason why this woman was saved, was because of her partner. After Mavis saw him betray her, the slime¡¯s body began to move on its own. Despite the blood moon¡¯s influence, and the danger of fighting Nico¡¯s wolves, Mavis decided that it couldn¡¯t bear to watch this woman die in such a way. When Mavis made up its mind, a certain phrase echoed in its head. ¡°The only successful humans are the ones who take the initiative to become predators.¡± Ultimately, Mavis just wanted to prove Theo¡¯s selfish theory wrong. Chapter 11 - You Returned the Favor Vivian watched in horror as the dire wolf in front of her was killed. The blue and red mass of slime had already spread across its head. Because she had been careless in the first layer, Vivian knew exactly how helpless that wolf was feeling. Of course, she would be a sorry excuse for a raider if pity held her back. Vivian gathered her wits and forced her trembling legs to stand. The mage chanted quietly, praying that the slime wouldn¡¯t notice as a wave of electricity surged across her palm. ¡°Eh? Why¡­attack?¡± A heavenly voice called out. In her surprise, Vivian lost control over the lightning bolt. The unstable magic caused a backlash that shocked Vivian. The mage fell back onto the ground. Her entire body twitched violently, but she managed to remain conscious. This was a common mistake among new mages. A caster needed to concentrate as they chanted. The amount of focus required was based on the mage¡¯s talent and familiarity with their chosen spell. A more experienced mage would have completed their attack even after being startled. Though, a truly experienced mage wouldn¡¯t have let themselves be startled in the first place. Offensive magic was Vivian¡¯s greatest weakness. Vivian was so used to this backlash, that she reflexively cast a healing spell on herself. She stood up again, just as the slime finished off its prey. The slime sat on top of the wolf, apparently waiting to see what Vivian would do next. This kind of thoughtful action was incredibly strange for a slime, but Vivian was too terrified to notice. The mage hastily prepared another lightning bolt, only to falter again. This time, she wasn¡¯t lacking concentration. She was lacking mana. Her party had already fought several times before being ambushed by Nico¡¯s wolves. Vivian knew that she was running dry, but fear got the better of her. When a mage failed to cast a spell because their mana was insufficient, it caused a completely different kind of backlash. Vivian felt the energy in her body drain away. It was sucked out by some unknown force as a toll. In exchange, the incomplete spell faded without causing her harm. Vivian fell to her knees and her eyelids drooped. The mage grit her teeth and resisted for as long as she could. After a few seconds, she finally succumbed to the backlash¡¯s after effects. The slime tilted its head in confusion as Vivian lay on the ground and fell asleep. Mana was tied to the body¡¯s stamina. When one ran out, the other would too. Because Vivian drew out more mana than her body was capable of, she couldn¡¯t stay conscious. ¡°Why¡­sleep?¡± Of course, the slime didn¡¯t know any of this. Mavis had simply watched a woman try to attack it, explode for some reason, miraculously heal herself and then fall asleep. The slime decided that it still had a lot to learn about humans. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Mavis stuck a tentacle down the wolf¡¯s throat. It rooted around for a few seconds and then pulled out two cores. One was glowed with sinister black and red light, while the other was golden. Mavis tucked the treasure core inside of its body. It came to rest alongside the featureless mask, which had been wrapped up within the slime¡¯s green cloak. Only humans wore clothes. Mavis liked wearing them too, but they prevented it from moving properly. The slime hid its cloak and mask away while it was racing through the trees. This turned out to be a stroke of luck, because Vivian never recognized it as anything other than an overgrown slime. Mavis turned its attention to the wolf¡¯s core. The sphere¡¯s unusual red glow clearly reflected the blood moon¡¯s influence. Mavis shuddered. It had intended to heal the human with this core. She was sleeping during a blood moon, so there was obviously something wrong with her. However, when Mavis looked at the core and then at the woman, it suddenly lost control. Maybe the core somehow resonated with it, or maybe the sight of a defenseless human was just too tempting. Either way, Mavis couldn¡¯t stop itself from lunging towards the sleeping woman. It coiled around her body and slowly worked its way towards her throat. ¡°No¡­do¡­not¡­want¡­hurt.¡± Mavis fought back with all its might. ¡°You don¡¯t want to kill this woman?¡± The slime froze. It suddenly noticed a man standing in front of it. Mavis had no idea how it could have missed this person¡¯s approach. Even if the slime was distracted, he shouldn¡¯t have been able to get this close. ¡°So noble. I can¡¯t say that it suits you.¡± Mavis triple-checked its senses, but they weren¡¯t lying. This man was semi-transparent. He didn¡¯t seem to be hidden by a magic tool. Mavis felt that he was somehow both there and not there. The man¡¯s face was obscured by a black bandanna. He wore a dark cloak that radiated with the energy of a powerful enchantment. His gloves, boots, pants, shirt and every other piece of equipment all carried the same intimidating aura. ¡°But I owe you. So, I¡¯ll be returning the favor.¡± Mavis quickly congealed into a humanoid form and prepared to defend itself. The man pulled out a silver dagger and suddenly vanished. When he reappeared, Mavis felt something smash into its core. It had been struck by the flat of his blade. The slime¡¯s form collapsed. As its consciousness faded, Mavis heard the man say something else. Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°If he¡¯d died in the first layer¡­Well, that would have just been embarrassing.¡± - - - Team coordination, skill and equipment. Those were the three pillars that determined a raiding party¡¯s power. Most people preferred a balanced approach. They formed close bonds with teammates, trained hard and slowly built up an inventory of magic tools and enchanted gear. Others were lucky enough to take the easy road. Their families had already accrued several valuable treasures, which they passed down to their children. These raiders enjoyed a massive advantage over their peers. Finally, there was a third group of raiders. Maybe it was because of their personalities, past traumas or just a warped sense of pride¡ªbut they chose to fight alone. These raiders balanced on a two-legged table of skill and equipment. Very few people started out on this path, but a surprising number of veterans ended on it. To other raiders, these veterans exemplified an important truth. It doesn¡¯t matter how you get there. The only thing that matters in a dungeon is strength. This was something that Theo had been told again and again. Now that Mavis had left, his table stood with one leg and two stumps. Teamwork was never going to happen, and so Theo decided to focus on improving his equipment. Fortunately, the blood moon was a perfect opportunity to farm for treasure cores. Theo went with his original plan and left Nico¡¯s hunting grounds from above. Afterwards, it didn¡¯t take long for him to find an opponent. A brown and white blur darted through the forest. Theo drew one of his daggers as it approached. The raider positioned himself behind a young-looking tree and waited. He grinned as a deer charged towards him. Coincidentally, this was the same kind of monster that he¡¯d eaten earlier. Even though it had tasted like wild game, the beast in front of him could never be mistaken for a simple herbivore. The deer monster stood half a head above him. Two heads if he counted its antlers. Powerful leg muscles tore at the ground beneath it. Theo could tell that it only had two methods of attacking. One simple kick from this monster could easily snap a raider¡¯s ribs, or give them a concussion. Alternatively, it could gore humans with its frighteningly sharp antlers. When Theo saw the deer lower its head, he didn¡¯t have to guess which was coming. Theo stood still for as long as he possibly could, and then quickly dove out of the way. The deer monster struck the tree behind him with a mighty crash. Theo had no allusions that it would be stunned from the impact. After all, this was clearly the monster¡¯s favorite attack. The deer¡¯s eyes tracked its prey as it prepared to follow-up. Then, the beast let out a startled cry. Its antlers had been embedded in the young tree¡¯s soft bark. Theo didn¡¯t waste any time, he picked himself up and rushed towards the trapped deer. A dagger found its way into the monster¡¯s throat. After that, the fight ended quickly. Theo carved out the monster¡¯s core and swore when he didn¡¯t see a golden orb. Maybe finding Mavis had used up all of his good luck. Theo shook his head and searched for another monster. Less than five minutes passed before a new enemy appeared. Theo¡¯s mouth hung open in shock as an uprooted tree rushed towards him. Carried by six spider-like roots, the tree monster extended one of its branches and swiped at Theo. The surprised raider dodged with ease and after evading a few more blows, he figured out what it was. In hindsight it was obvious, but Theo had never seen a wood golem before. Plenty of rock golems pretended to be boulders, so it made sense that a wooden one would mimic a tree. Theo let out a slight chuckle. This creature¡¯s disguise was a lot more convincing than a certain slime¡¯s. Even after using Theo¡¯s limbs as a reference, Mavis had trouble creating fine details. The small hairs on arms and legs, veins just beneath the skin, the slight color variations that could be seen on any human¡¯s body. These things seemed impossible for Mavis to replicate. But Mavis didn¡¯t falter because of these challenges. Every time it reshaped its body, Theo could tell that it was just a little bit closer than before. Another branch swept past Theo¡¯s head, pulling him back to reality. Ultimately, this golem wasn¡¯t a significant threat. Theo could see that it¡¯s body was made for ambushes, not direct combat. Monsters like this were at a clear disadvantage during a blood moon. Their instincts told them to hide and wait, but this event forced them into the open. When he thought about hiding, Theo couldn¡¯t help but wonder if Mavis had understood his warning. Humans were dangerous. Even if the slime escaped from one, more would always follow. The obvious solution was to hide. If Mavis never showed itself to humans, then the rumors about a masked outlaw would fade away. Eventually, Mavis would be able to live a peaceful, yet lonely life inside this dungeon. Hiding out on the surface wouldn¡¯t be a terrible option either. But that assumed Mavis would stay away from human towns. Theo frowned. That was very unlikely. The raider dodged another swipe from the golem. He channeled a little bit of mana into his dagger, bringing the weapon¡¯s sharpness to its limit. The change wasn¡¯t much, but it helped him prune the tree¡¯s branches. After it had been disarmed, the golem watched helplessly as Theo carved out its core. Grinning, he held up the treasure core and immediately opened it. A pair of leather vambraces appeared in his hands. Theo looked at them curiously. Where there would normally be hardened leather or metal, instead there was wood. A quick appraisal told him that these vambraces were purely for defense. By channeling mana into them, Theo could make the wood ¡®grow¡¯ into a small shield. With a little more mana, they would magically toughen his body. This was a similar, yet inferior version of Yale¡¯s enchanted coat. Even though it was weaker, Theo wasn¡¯t disappointed in the slightest. Equipment that could boost a raider¡¯s speed, strength and toughness all at once was legendary. Theo knew that coat must have been incredibly expensive. For the second layer, these vambraces were quite strong. Theo suddenly remembered that Galt had used a similar item. If Mavis had brought it back, then he could be mowing through these second layer monsters with ease. Unfortunately, equipment on that level wouldn¡¯t be enough to buy his freedom. All veterans wore things like that. Cities didn¡¯t release criminals because they wanted ¡®great¡¯ treasures. Outlaws existed to find extremely valuable treasures that would then be used to strengthen their country. Raiders normally owned everything they took out of a dungeon, which threatened to create a massive power imbalance between citizens and the state. This system was one of many methods that countries used to retain power. The thought of Mavis being kept as a country¡¯s secret weapon both amused and angered Theo. He shook his head once more and sighed. Try as he might, Theo couldn¡¯t get that slime out of his head. Chapter 12 - You Belong to Me Mavis woke up on high alert. The slime quickly scanned its surroundings and was relieved to see that nothing had changed. It was in the same place where it had saved that mage. As the sun rose above the Heaven¡¯s Spire peaks and light filled the second layer, Mavis wondered if everything had been a dream. The wolf¡¯s corpse was still there, which immediately broke that illusion. The mysterious man had vanished without a trace, but the slime¡¯s throbbing core told it that he had been very real. In fact, his presence was the only explanation for how Mavis slept through the blood moon without being killed. Or, more accurately, how Vivian hadn¡¯t been killed. The slime squirmed awkwardly as Vivian snuggled up against its squishy body. The mage was still asleep. Mavis had been wrapped around her before it was knocked unconscious. Now, this woman seemed to be using the slime as a body pillow. A dopy smile spread across Vivian¡¯s face and Mavis hesitantly accepted that this sensation was comfortable, if not somewhat embarrassing. Vivian looked fairly young for a raider. She was likely seventeen or eighteen. The mage¡¯s long chestnut hair fell past her shoulders. Certain strands were noticeably brighter than others, almost as if she had been given highlights. Unusual hair or eye coloring was considered to be a blessing on the surface. It indicated a talent in magic. Vivian wore a simple black robe, which emanated a weak magical aura. Just to be safe, Mavis checked the rest of her clothing. The only thing that stood out was a pendant that had been fashioned in the shape of a cat¡¯s eye. The enchantment¡¯s strength reminded Mavis of that mysterious man. This woman was also quite beautiful. Mavis took a moment to examine her fair white skin, slender thighs and ample bosom. The next time it transformed into a human, Mavis resolved to make a few upgrades. Mavis slowly extricated itself from Vivian¡¯s grasp and took a more thorough look around. There didn¡¯t seem to be any monsters or humans nearby. Vivian would probably be safe, even if Mavis left her alone. The slime suddenly froze as it heard Vivian yawn. While the mage rubbed her eyes, Mavis hurriedly transformed into a simple blob. Vivian sleepily swung her head from side to side. She stiffened as her gaze fell upon Mavis. The mage scrambled to her feet and held out one hand. Vivian was about to cast a spell, but then she hesitated. Memories of the previous night flooded into her head. Vivian sank to her knees and stared blankly at the ground. Mavis was still on guard, but it wasn¡¯t ready for what Vivian did next. She started to cry. ¡°Scott¡­Crowley¡­Zaria¡­¡± Raiding was a very dangerous profession. Every raider understood that their teammates could die at any time. It was something that everyone expected to see at least once, but no one could truly prepare for. Vivian had left one name out and Mavis could easily guess who that was. After all, Vivian hadn¡¯t just lost her teammates, she had also been betrayed. The slime¡¯s core twitched as it felt a pang of sympathy. Without thinking, Mavis extended a small tentacle and patted Vivian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± Vivian stared at the tentacle and then followed it back to Mavis. The mage¡¯s eyes went wide and she scampered backwards. ¡°You¡­You saved me last night.¡± Mavis said nothing. ¡°Y-You don¡¯t want to eat me?¡± Mavis continued to say nothing. Vivian slowly inched her way towards Mavis and extended a trembling hand. She reached forward and lightly tapped the slime. Mavis hesitated, but it hadn¡¯t forgotten what Theo told it. A talking slime was simply too rare to survive in the company of raiders. Therefore, Mavis said nothing. ¡°O-Ok. I guess you¡¯re friendly.¡± Vivian sighed in relief. She wasn¡¯t sure if this slime was trying to comfort her, but it had definitely helped her calm down. Crying here wouldn¡¯t do any good. In fact, making loud noises in an area full of monsters would be the fastest way to join her teammates. Vivian drew upon her limited experience and tucked her sorrow away. Right now, she needed a plan. ¡°Well, there¡¯s only one thing to do now.¡± Vivian shook her head ruefully. ¡°I¡¯m only a couple days away from the portal. It¡¯s time to go home.¡± When Mavis heard this, it perked up. During an intense moment, Mavis had declared that it would find the one-way portal on its own. Now that it had calmed down, Mavis knew that was thoroughly impossible. A slime¡¯s vision only extended six meters in any direction. The situation would be comparable to a human travelling while only staring at their feet. If Vivian was going to the portal, then Mavis couldn¡¯t let this chance slip by. ¡°Why am I talking to myself¡­Anyways, uh, thank you, slime.¡± Vivian turned to Mavis and bowed slightly. ¡°Bye, bye.¡± Vivian stood up and started walking away. Mavis followed in its blob form. The mage looked back and shuddered. She picked up the pace, but Mavis wasn¡¯t shaken. Vivian was reluctant to chase the slime away, and so she decided to let it follow her. ¡°Positives¡­¡± Vivian muttered. After a moment, she suddenly stopped walking. ¡°Oh yea¡­How could I forget?¡± Mavis watched as Vivian began to chuckle. It wasn¡¯t a particularly happy laugh. Instead, the woman sounded relieved. If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°I¡¯m free. I¡¯m really free.¡± The corners of Vivian¡¯s lips rose in sad smile. ¡°Everyone¡¯s gone¡­and I had to cheat death¡­but I¡¯m free.¡± Mavis¡¯s core began to rotate furiously. The slime had noticed another human enter its perception range. Now that the blood moon was over, Mavis had no desire to kill humans. However, it certainly felt enmity towards this one. ¡°Oh, Vivi! You survived!¡± Vivian turned back slowly, as if reality would somehow change before their eyes met. It didn¡¯t. ¡°Marco¡­You survived, too.¡± ¡°Hah, don¡¯t sound so happy to see me.¡± Marco strode forward with a big smile. He wrapped his arm around Vivian¡¯s shoulder and pulled her towards him. ¡°Its ok. That was a terrible ordeal, but we survived. That¡¯s all that matters.¡± The swordsman nodded solemnly while Vivian tried to squirm out of his grip. In response, Marco dug his fingers into her. ¡°And don¡¯t think about telling anyone what really happened. Who¡¯s going to believe you?¡± Marco laughed as Vivian finally threw him off. ¡°After all, what kind of fianc¨¦ would shame her husband-to-be?¡± ¡°I-I get it, ok.¡± Vivian scowled while looking away. Mavis watched this exchange in complete confusion. The slime couldn¡¯t fathom why Vivian would allow this man to act so brazenly. Obviously, words like ¡®fianc¨¦¡¯ and ¡®husband-to-be¡¯ went straight over its head. At the very least, Mavis understood that it was missing some piece of this puzzle. Meanwhile, Marco¡¯s eyes finally wandered off Vivian and over to her new companion. He quickly drew his sword and stepped in front of the mage. ¡°Jeez, how distraught were you? This monster almost got an easy meal.¡± ¡°No, wait! That¡¯s-¡± Marco pushed Vivian aside as he lunged forward. His sword erupted with white light. Rather than Marco thrusting, it almost looked as if the sword was pulling him forward. Mavis casually observed this oddity as it dodged with ease. The sword suddenly rotated sideways, forcing Marco to convert his attack into a slash. Mavis compressed its body and the blade passed right over it. A couple tentacles shot out to grab Marco¡¯s wrist. ¡°Stop!¡± Vivian jumped in between the two. Marco stopped feeding mana into his sword, while Mavis pulled its tentacles back. For a few long seconds, everyone froze in place. ¡°Ok, see. It stopped.¡± Vivian sighed, glancing warily at Mavis. ¡°This monster saved me last night. Since then, it hasn¡¯t attacked me or shown any signs of being hostile.¡± ¡°So, what?¡± Marco sneered. ¡°Its tiny brain must have gotten fried by the blood moon. Easy kill.¡± The slime¡¯s body twitched, as if it was holding in a comeback. ¡°I just said that it saved me! Why should we kill it?¡± ¡°Because I want to, why else?¡± Marco chuckled and grabbed Vivian¡¯s arm. He tried to pull Vivian away, but she stood firm. The swordsman¡¯s eyes narrowed. Marco sheathed his weapon and raised his other hand, preparing to strike Vivian. ¡°Don¡¯t get in my w-¡± Marco suddenly realized that a tentacle was wrapped around his leg. He noticed this around the same time that Mavis pulled him onto the ground. The slime slithered past Vivian and shot towards a disoriented Marco. Before it could reach him, an orange glow spread across Marco¡¯s body. Vivian¡¯s pupils constricted. She dove down to tackle the slime. The mage¡¯s improvised pin wasn¡¯t very effective, but her worried face made Mavis hesitate. Once again, Vivian stood between the two. ¡°I don¡¯t want anyone else to die right now, ok?¡± Vivian¡¯s pained tone finally caused Marco to back off. The swordsman stood up and glared at Mavis. Mavis, despite its lack of eyes, glared back. After a moment, it noticed a glint of greed in Marco¡¯s gaze. ¡°¡­Alright, fine. It just wants to follow you, right?¡± Marco shrugged. ¡°Let¡¯s go. I need get home and report this to my father.¡± Vivian sighed in relief. ¡°Get out of here, it¡¯s not safe for you.¡± Vivian whispered as she untangled herself from Mavis. Marco started walking and Vivian rushed to catch up with him. Mavis paused for a moment and then crawled after them. Ultimately, Mavis couldn¡¯t give up on finding the portal. Their first day of travel was anything but relaxing. Marco and Vivian quickly found a trail to follow, which was where their troubles began. There were many winding trails and pathways through the second layer. Most monsters avoided these trails, making them relatively safe to travel. One would hardly find any treasure on them either, but Marco and Vivian weren¡¯t worried about that. In exchange, they had to worry about other raiders. Unsurprisingly, Mavis was attacked. Sometimes it was without warning, other times raiders called out to the duo. Vivian and Marco rebuffed these raiders without much trouble. Everyone was exhausted after the blood moon, and no one wanted to use their best attacks on a slime. Mavis was surprised to see that, after dodging one or two strikes, its assailants calmed down and listened to Vivian¡¯s explanation. Some still eyed the slime greedily, like Marco did. But no one openly challenged them for it. Mavis realized that this was the difference between humans and, so-called ¡®human monsters¡¯. The slime didn¡¯t understand laws, but it could tell that something was preventing conflict between these raiders. Although, there didn¡¯t seem to be any law against judging others. ¡°Those two are crazy, right? That¡¯s crazy.¡± ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t tell me we¡¯re going to have another monster tamer in the second layer.¡± These raiders were wise enough to whisper quietly, but it didn¡¯t matter. If the sound carried into Mavis¡¯s perception range, then it could hear them. ¡°Look at that hair. She¡¯s obviously a mage.¡± ¡°Maybe she used some kind of charm spell?¡± ¡°On a slime? That¡¯s kinda...hot.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± ¡°I mean, it obviously isn¡¯t for combat.¡± ¡°You guys are missing the point. What the hell are they feeding that thing? It¡¯s huge!¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s from the third layer. I heard there are some pretty large slimes down there.¡± As a veteran eavesdropper, Mavis listened to every comment that was made. Eventually, it heard something interesting. ¡°Wait, that¡¯s Vivian. We went to the same mage academy.¡± ¡°Eh? So, was she always¡­weird?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know, we didn¡¯t talk much. I mean, she was a Brightstone kid.¡± ¡°An orphan, huh?¡± ¡°Then that fat guy with the sword?¡± ¡°Sold off.¡± ¡°Marrying off a talented mage like her, the folks at Brightstone must have made out like bandits.¡± ¡°It¡¯s their version of finding a rare treasure. Ha-ha.¡± Mavis was more than a little curious about Vivian and Marco¡¯s relationship. Mainly because it wanted to understand why Vivian seemed to forgive Marco for betraying her. Most of the key words in their discussion went over Mavis¡¯s head. However, there was one word that it did understand. Sold. Mavis felt it understood that word quite well. As the trio continued down the trail, they noticed many sets of eyes staring at them. Meanwhile, one pair that they missed turned away. A single white wolf headed back into the forest. Chapter 13 - Youre Being Hunted Vivian and Marco let out relieved sighs as they finished setting up camp. The day was finally over, which meant that they could stop worrying about Mavis. Travelling off trail would have been far too risky, but their path had its own dangers. The trails on the second layer, especially popular ones, were practically safe-zones for raiders. However, that didn¡¯t apply to slimes. Over a dozen raiders had tried to attack Mavis. Marco had half a mind to let them kill the slime. However, he ultimately decided to step in. This was partially because Vivian seemed hell-bent on keeping it alive. Vivian had tried to use her frail body to shield the slime on two occasions, nearly giving Marco a heart-attack. That alone would have been enough, but Marco had plans for this slime. Such a rare creature would obviously sell for a decent sum. If not, then its body could be used as an alchemic ingredient. Marco suspected that this slime was actually from the first layer. When he considered how large it was, Marco realized that it must have lived for an astonishingly long time. The older a slime was, the more valuable their bodies were to an alchemist. Marco glanced at Vivian and shook his head knowingly. She was likely using this slime for emotional support. He knew Vivian was weak like that. Meanwhile, even after his teammates¡¯ colossal failures, Marco planned to have a good night¡¯s rest. As the group¡¯s leader, he knew that their losses could be replaced. ¡°This area isn¡¯t entirely safe, so you take the first watch.¡± Marco ordered, stifling a yawn. ¡°I¡¯m going to sleep.¡± Vivian nodded and turned back to their camp fire. Mavis was resting by her legs, almost like a pet dog. Marco snorted in disgust and then entered his tent. Mavis hadn¡¯t missed this slight, but it remained by Vivian¡¯s side. The slime already knew that it had to tolerate Marco¡¯s abhorrent personality. At least, until they reached the portal. After travelling with these two for a day, Mavis began to miss the time that it spent with Theo. Putting his motives aside, Mavis had enjoyed talking with him very much. Maybe it would be able to talk with other people someday, but that wasn¡¯t the problem. For some reason, Mavis felt that it wanted to talk with Theo. ¡°Hey, come here for a moment.¡± Vivian patted her lap, softly coaxing Mavis towards her. The slime was hesitant, but it could hear a certain fragility in Vivian¡¯s voice. The mage seemed like she would break at any moment. Mavis put its thoughts aside and crawled onto Vivian¡¯s lap. The slime made sure to spread out so that it wasn¡¯t crushing her. ¡°Thanks.¡± Vivian crossed her arms and leaned forward. The weight of her upper body came to rest on the slime¡¯s head. Vivian¡¯s lips rose slightly in a drowsy smile. ¡°So squishy~¡± For a while, the two stayed like that. Just when Mavis thought that Vivian had dozed off, the mage spoke. ¡°You know, when I was about to attack you¡­I heard a really pretty voice.¡± Mavis shook slightly, but Vivian continued. ¡°It¡¯s impossible, I know. But right now, I¡¯m going to talk as if you can understand me.¡± Vivian chuckled. ¡°Yea, I¡¯m definitely going crazy.¡± The mage took off her cat¡¯s eye pendant and rolled the strange jewel across her palm. ¡°Apparently, my parents were raiders. They died when I was young, so I don¡¯t remember much about them. I was picked up by Brightstone and raised with other orphans. Most kids are adopted at some point, but Brightstone herds parents away from the talented ones. Kids like me are trained and sold off to anyone who needs us. We become official¡¯s assistants, apprentices to veteran raiders, or sometimes¡­brides to wealthy families.¡± Vivian patted Mavis. ¡°It¡¯s not like we¡¯re slaves. Actually, I owe the people at Brightstone a lot for taking me in and sending me to the academy. I just¡­don¡¯t get a choice. No choice to become anything other than a mage and a raider. No choice but to marry that sociopath. It¡¯s tough. Especially when I thought I had an out. If Marco had just died like everyone else¡­¡± Vivian slumped forward, pressing her weight on Mavis again. ¡°I¡¯m terrible for thinking like that, right?¡± Mavis didn¡¯t reply. Instead, it wondered if Theo had a choice in his actions. What kind of treasure did he need to buy his freedom? Considering that Nico had given up on searching for one, they were probably very difficult to find. When Mavis thought about the differences between the first and second layer, the slime realized that it couldn¡¯t imagine what the third and fourth layers were like. Had it been Theo¡¯s only chance to return to the surface? The slime shook its body in a dismissive fashion. Ultimately, Theo did have a choice, and Mavis nearly wound up being his prey. ¡°Huh? Did you just respond?¡± Mavis froze for a moment and then began squirming in a random manner. From Vivian¡¯s perspective, it was just restless. ¡°Yup. Still crazy.¡± Vivian shook her head. While Vivian spoke, Mavis noticed something at the edge of its perception range. The slime jumped forward to get a better look, but the intruder had already run away. By now, Vivian was on her feet. ¡°I heard something in the bushes. What was that thing?¡± Vivian hadn¡¯t seen anything in the darkness, but Mavis just barely caught enough of it to be sure. It was a dire wolf. Mavis had no idea if that beast was one of Nico¡¯s ¡®children¡¯, but it had a bad feeling. The slime wondered how many were hiding outside its perception range. Meanwhile, Vivian was muttering to herself again. ¡°Should I wake him? He¡¯s going to be mad, but¡­No, what am I talking about?¡± Vivian¡¯s glared into the darkness with a resolute expression. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Think, then act. Don¡¯t hesitate, or you could die. That¡¯s what Zaria told me.¡± The mage rushed over to Marco¡¯s tent and opened it. She practically dragged the swordsman out while he cursed at her. ¡°What? What the hell do you need at this divine-forsaken hour? Do you really think we¡¯re switching right now? Huh?¡± ¡°Be quiet!¡± Vivian hissed. ¡°I heard something moving in the woods and it sounded too big not to be dangerous.¡± ¡°Then you¡¯d better hope this is a crisis, otherwise¡­¡± ¡°Just keep watch while I search for it.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Marco drew his sword and stood in front of Vivian. Mavis crawled behind her. Vivian closed her eyes and began to chant. A purple mote of mana appeared in her hands. She knelt down and pushed it into the ground. Vivian finished her chant and a pulse of magical energy shot out through the soil. It passed under Marco and Mavis, causing a colored line to appear beneath them. These lines sped back towards Vivian¡¯s hand. Marco¡¯s was blue while the slime¡¯s was red. ¡°Let¡¯s see what¡¯s within thirty meters.¡± Vivian murmured, keeping her hand on the ground. A red line jumped across the soil towards Vivian. Then another. Then another, until a total of nine red lines were connected to her palm. Discounting Mavis, that meant eight monsters were close by. Vivian scowled and was about to lift her hand when another line shot through the forest. Marco and Vivian watched in disbelief as it hit her palm. This one was blue. ¡°Eight monsters and one human.¡± Vivian¡¯s once resolute voice had been reduced to a whisper. ¡°That¡¯s¡­That¡¯s him, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°The monster tamer. Maybe he heard about you taming that slime?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s the wolf! We killed one of his wolves!¡± Marco raised an eyebrow. ¡°Zaria shot one and I slashed one, but they both survived. They¡¯re tough bastards.¡± ¡°After you¡­left me...this slime killed one. What did you think I meant when I said that it saved me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re telling me this fat slime killed a dire wolf!? Why the hell would I assume that happened?¡± Marco was about to say more, but then a bone-chilling sound rang out from the woods. *Awooooooooo* The first howl was followed by a second. The second by a third. Soon, eight howls sounded out in harmony. ¡°There are less wolves in that direction.¡± Vivian pointed. ¡°We¡¯d be running away from the monster tamer, too.¡± The pair sprinted through the woods, leaving their tent and campfire behind. Mavis followed Vivian closely. If the slime saw a repeat of the previous night, then it might not be able to hold back. They didn¡¯t get far before a wolf jumped out from behind a tree. The beast lunged, only to be rebuffed by a lightning bolt and then a slash from Marco. Despite its wound, the wolf howled and continued to chase them. A second wolf suddenly appeared. It dove at Marco, who grit his teeth and charged forward. An orange glow rose from the swordsman¡¯s tunic and spread across his entire body. The wolf tried to bite Marco¡¯s free arm, and as they touched, the orange aura surged out to attack it. Marco¡¯s glowing sword thrust itself into the wolf¡¯s shoulder. The wolf recoiled, giving Marco time to break away. Even though Marco¡¯s tunic prevented him from losing an arm, he was still bleeding. Seeing its chance, the first wolf caught up and went for Marco¡¯s legs. Vivian hesitated for a moment, cursed, and then threw out a lightning bolt. The damage was minimal, but it stunned the wolf for a moment. Vivian placed her hand on the monster¡¯s head and uttered a quick chant. The wolf¡¯s eyes glazed over and it began to stumble around as if it were sleepwalking. ¡°We can¡¯t outrun these things! Help me use this spell on the second wolf.¡± Vivian had obviously been talking to Marco, but it was Mavis who rushed forward to assist. The slime slithered between the wolf¡¯s legs and suddenly expanded. The wolf was thrown off balance and quickly restrained, giving Vivian a chance to put it to sleep. After her job was done, she stared dumbly at the slime until Marco¡¯s shout brought her back to reality. ¡°Keep moving! There are still six more, not counting their boss.¡± ¡°If you do, then there¡¯s seven. Actually, I¡¯d say seven-and-a-half. Maybe eight if I get serious, ha-ha-ha.¡± Vivian, Marco and Mavis suddenly stopped running. They watched in stunned silence as the trees behind them began to shake one by one. This game of arbor telephone ended when a man casually stepped out of a tree beside Vivian. He hadn¡¯t jumped down or walked around it. The tree¡¯s bark opened like a cocoon to let him out. Bits of leaves clung to his cloak and pants, as if they were sorry to see him leave. ¡°Running from me in a forest isn¡¯t going to work.¡± Nico explained, shaking his head. The outlaw whistled sharply, calling the rest of his wolves. ¡°W-Wait a moment.¡± Marco pleaded. ¡°Hear us out, ok?¡± ¡°If you¡¯re weak, then there¡¯s no reason for me to listen.¡± Nico¡¯s casual tone didn¡¯t contain a drop of sympathy. ¡°Anyways, the strongest smell near the corpse was¡­you.¡± Nico stepped forward and his hand shot out like a viper. He wrapped his fingers around Vivian¡¯s throat and channeled some mana into his gloves. The outlaw¡¯s nails grew sharp while thick white fur quickly grew to cover his hands. Nico¡¯s arms began to glow with a strength enhancing aura. Vivian found herself unable to fight back as her lungs screamed for oxygen. ¡°I¡¯m not weak!¡± Marco yelled as he charged towards Nico. A third wolf leapt from the shadows and wrestled him to the ground. The orange aura from his tunic activated, but the wolf simply tore it to shreds. ¡°You seem pretty w-¡± Nico was cut off as a slimy tentacle pulled on his leg. Mavis tugged with all its might, throwing the outlaw, and Vivian, onto the ground. As he fell, Nico stomped the ground with his free foot. A powerful force flew out, pushing Mavis away. Nico got up while holding Vivian like a ragdoll. He prepared to tighten his grip, but then something unexpected happened. ¡°Stop!¡± A divine voice called out. Its effect was like an icy gale, freezing everyone in its vicinity. The three humans and even the wolf slowly turned to look at its source. Mavis unwrapped its cloak and mask, donning them as it transformed into a humanoid figure. ¡°Ha¡­Ha-ha¡­Ha-ha-ha!¡± Nico let Vivian drop to the ground as he roared with laughter. ¡°Well, bless the divine. I chased after you two during the blood moon and just barely caught a glimpse of you climbing a tree. At first, I thought that I was going mad. Then, my son turns up dead. Hit by lightning and strangled by some unknown entity. Even then, how could I believe it?¡± Nico chuckled, clapping his monstrous hands. ¡°I¡¯ve been around beasts my entire life, but you are by far the strangest.¡± ¡°¡­Thanks.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s your knight?¡± ¡°He¡­gone¡­¡± ¡°A darn shame.¡± Nico shook his head. ¡°I didn¡¯t smell him near my son, or on any of you.¡± Mavis stepped forward. Its tentacles rose in a threatening fashion. ¡°I¡­am¡­strong¡­hear¡­me¡­out.¡± ¡°You¡¯re large for a slime, and very intelligent. But I wouldn¡¯t call you strong.¡± Nico smiled wistfully. ¡°Ah, if I was a still a trainer¡­I would have done anything to find someone like you. Now that I¡¯m an outlaw, it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Low growls broke out in the darkness and Mavis realized that the rest of the wolves had surrounded it. While it was distracted, Nico lunged towards Mavis. He thrust his hand into the slime¡¯s gut and then quickly retracted it. The outlaw opened his fist to reveal a glistening black core. ¡°Slime cores tend to reside at their body¡¯s center of mass. Of course, ones in the lower layers instinctively hide them. You can pass as a decent human, but you¡¯re a lousy slime.¡± Just as Nico turned away, a mass of slime rammed him with surprising force. One tentacle coiled around the core in his hand and pulled it away. Mavis immediately leapt back to disengage. Nico was so shocked that he hadn¡¯t retaliated. ¡°So, your core-less body can retain some will. Only very old slimes can manage that. I¡¯m impressed.¡± Nico stepped forward and Mavis stepped back. The slime¡¯s body still hadn¡¯t recovered from losing its core. During that exchange, Mavis had felt a terrifying sense of powerlessness. If Nico had decided to crush the slime¡¯s core rather than remove it, Mavis knew that it would have died. Nico grinned and raised his arm, preparing to strike. At that moment, his wolves suddenly turned to look at something. After a second, Mavis did as well. Nico turned just in time to see a figure hurtling towards him. *Thwack* Someone crashed into Nico with inhuman speed. A defensive enchantment kept them in one piece while Nico was sent flying. The intruder grumbled something about defective enchantments as he adjusted his wooden vambraces. Eventually, he turned to Mavis and showed the slime a weak grin. ¡°Um¡­I guess you can take this as a belated apology.¡± Chapter 14 - You Remembered Your Purpose The afternoon sun shone brightly above the second layer. Theo looked up at it with tired eyes and frowned. Its lively heat seemed to be cheerfully denying the horrific night that had just passed. After getting a decent haul of treasures during the blood moon, Theo had woken up earlier than expected. He¡¯d planned to sleep the entire day away and recover, but his body refused to cooperate. Theo eventually surrendered to his restlessness and began to travel. The outlaw left his forest camp and found the nearest trail. When Mavis was following him, Theo didn¡¯t dare walk on the same path as other raiders. The slime¡¯s mask and cloak stood out too much. Theo knew that once people looked at them closely, they would quickly be ousted as outlaws. In fact, that was exactly what had happened with Yale. However, Theo had confidence that today would be different. Mavis aside, the blood moon had worn everyone out. The trails were also packed with people, at least, when compared to an average day. With more raiders, Theo could blend in with the crowd. Because they were all tired, no one would bother him. If he was going to travel on a trail, it had to be now. ¡°I¡¯m telling you, that mage was crazy!¡± Theo narrowed his eyes at a raider who was speaking too loudly. Many others did as well, until he said something interesting. ¡°She had a slime! It was following her around like a pet! What? You don¡¯t believe me? They were on this very road less than an hour ago!¡± Theo rushed to the man¡¯s side. ¡°Can you tell me more about that?¡± After picking the loudmouth raider¡¯s brain, Theo learned that a couple of raiders had ¡®tamed¡¯ a slime. They seemed to be travelling deeper into the second layer. Theo couldn¡¯t help but feel curious, and so he started searching for the trio. He recognized Mavis right away. Outwardly, Theo was fuming that the slime had ignored his advice to stay away from humans. Inwardly, he was impressed by how Mavis had solved its problem of being too valuable. If talking would get it hunted down, then it just wouldn¡¯t talk. Theo followed the strange party until they went off-trail to search for a campsite. Avoiding the slime¡¯s perception range had been easy up until then. Theo was much less confident about stalking them through the woods, and so he didn¡¯t. The outlaw went in a different direction and found his own area to sleep. As the sun fell, Theo wondered what he was doing. He¡¯d wasted an entire day following Mavis around. Letting the slime go was one thing, but this had gone too far. Theo lay down, closed his eyes, and reminisced a little. No matter how much guilt or affection he felt towards Mavis, Theo couldn¡¯t forget his purpose. - - - A young Theo stood beside four other boys. None of them were over fifteen, but they stood tall and pushed their chests out. They stared expectantly at the two men in front of them. Each boy hoped to look better than the rest. ¡°These five are our very best.¡± One of the men explained. He smiled in a practiced manner while the other man¡¯s gaze swept over the boys. They suppressed shudders as his cold eyes pierced each of them in turn. Although, that was hardly their fault. This man loomed over them like a shadowy giant. His dark leather armor seemed to turn his body into a hazy silhouette. All they could see of his face were two steely blue eyes. The rest was covered by a black bandanna. Eventually, he nodded in agreement. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll take them.¡± ¡°Er, which one, sir?¡± ¡°All of them.¡± ¡°But I thought you only needed one apprentice?¡± The tall man pushed a sack of coins into the seller¡¯s hands. ¡°T-This is¡­¡± He stammered while counting out the sum. Finally, the seller sighed. ¡°Fine.¡± ¡°As expected, the people at Brightstone are very reasonable.¡± The man from Brighstone turned to the boys and smiled. ¡°It¡¯s a little unexpected, but this man will be adopting all of you. I¡¯m sure that you know what to do. Follow his orders and don¡¯t make trouble. This man, Ravens, is one of the greatest raiders of his generation. You all have a lot to learn from him.¡± Each of the boys, including Theo, nodded eagerly. They began their training the instant Ravens took them home. The veteran handed each of them a knife and told the boys to attack him. After some convincing, they did. Ravens proceeded to disarm them one by one. His rough and opportunistic fighting style made a deep impression on the boys. Especially after they¡¯d experienced it with their own bodies. By the end of the day, none of them could move. Months passed and Ravens continued his spartan training style. His lessons were brutal, bordering on abuse. However, Theo and the other boys absorbed that knowledge eagerly. Their feelings towards Ravens were equal parts fear and respect.If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. Years passed and the boys had grown strong enough to challenge the nearest dungeon¡ªJigou. Ravens sent them down as a team, but he encouraged them to compete. Every time, Theo and the others would fight against the dungeon¡¯s monsters and then against each other. There was very little trust or camaraderie between them. However, there was a unique form of respect. Theo and his rivals used each other to hone their skills. After exploring Jigou for over a year, the boys heard something unbelievable. ¡°Good work, all of you.¡± Ravens wasn¡¯t the type to praise people meaninglessly. Or at all, for that matter. After a successful expedition, Theo and the others would be happy to see an affirmative nod from their master. ¡°Why are you looking at me like that? Close your jaws and listen up.¡± They did. ¡°You five have grown a lot under my care, and its finally time to repay me. Tomorrow, we¡¯ll be travelling into Jigou together.¡± The apprentices looked apprehensive, but then understanding flickered in their eyes. ¡°We¡¯ll be raiding with you? In the lower floors?¡± ¡°For real!?¡± ¡°That¡¯s amazing!¡± ¡°And dangerous¡­¡± Everyone thought it, but no one was willing to say it out loud. Ravens let out a low chuckle and opened his palm to reveal a storage crystal. These rare magic tools could hold items in a pocket dimension. Ravens activated the crystal and several pieces of enchanted gear fell on the floor. The apprentices were practically drooling as they stood over them. ¡°Of course it¡¯s going to be dangerous. That¡¯s why I¡¯ve been collecting high-tier equipment. There¡¯s a full set for each of you.¡± ¡°Thank you, sir!¡± The apprentices shouted as they scrambled to pick up their new gear. ¡°Most raiders can only dream of having gear like this. Make sure to familiarize yourselves with the enchantments tonight.¡± After a restless night, morning came and the six raiders set out for Jigou. Unlike Naraka, this dungeon sat just outside of a nearby city. Jigou¡¯s structure was that of an inverted tower. They entered floor zero, which was an enormous cylindrical chamber poking out of the ground. Aged stone bricks made up the walls and floor of this section. Thousands of people were inside. Traders eagerly tried to hock their goods, while a constant stream of raiders travelled in and out of the area. The floor was littered with thrumming blue crystals that pointed towards the sky like stalagmites. They jutted out of the ground, standing a head above most men. Ravens stood in front of one such crystal and placed his palm on it. His apprentices did the same. The crystal began to glow and a list of floors appeared on its side. Ravens took his hand away and the list shrank considerably. ¡°You¡¯ve all gotten quite far. Clearing the fortieth floor in under two years is no easy task. Especially at your ages.¡± Even though they were nineteen, the apprentices looked away bashfully. Hearing this kind of praise twice in two days was more than they could handle. ¡°But now, it¡¯s time to go a bit further.¡± Ravens put his hand back on the crystal and several more lines appeared. The second lowest line read ¡®floor eighty¡¯. Of course, no one was paying attention to that. ¡°Huh?¡± One of the apprentices exclaimed. ¡°How is that possible!?¡± ¡°You have to clear a floor for it to show up here.¡± Theo muttered. ¡°How did you manage to confuse the dungeon?¡± Floor ???. Every other line showed a specific floor. This exception was completely unheard of. Even other veterans would be gasping. Ravens sighed wearily. ¡°This floor is special. You wouldn¡¯t believe how much trouble I went through to get access to it. However, now that it¡¯s been branded onto my soul, this dungeon will recognize it as a valid location. I can teleport to this floor, even though it hasn¡¯t been cleared.¡± ¡°What will happen if we teleport to it?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried. This floor is shaped like an arena with a transport crystal in its center. Monsters keep coming and the floor won¡¯t be cleared until they¡¯re all dead. If we win, then it should turn into a safe zone. Just like a normal transfer area.¡± Some of the boys began to fidget nervously. Others were staring at Ravens with undisguised eagerness. Theo was one of the former. ¡°There must be some really amazing treasure down there!¡± One of them exclaimed. ¡°Maybe¡­¡± Ravens muttered. ¡°But ultimately, this is just a waypoint. A path to something much greater.¡± The boys looked at him quizzically, but Ravens did not elaborate. After they performed a final equipment check, Theo felt that he had to ask something. ¡°Why are you bringing us with you? Wouldn¡¯t it be safer to go with other veterans?¡± Ravens chuckled and reached out to pat Theo¡¯s head. The apprentice struggled to stay upright as three heavy hits battered him. Over the years, the boys had realized that Ravens was terrible at controlling his strength. ¡°I don¡¯t want to share this with anyone. However, you five are my successors. This is something that I can allow you to see.¡± The crystal began to glow. Slowly, blue light spread to cover the six raiders. Theo tried to breathe slowly, but it was impossible to stay calm. Once the light had completely covered them, the raiders vanished. They were no longer on floor zero. Theo opened his eyes to see a massive arena built out of golden bricks. An uncountable number of torches adorned the walls while a massive glittering gemstone lit up the area from above. The air felt stale, as if it hadn¡¯t been disturbed in decades. At the center of the room, just behind them, stood a dim transport crystal. Ravens drew a pair of daggers, and the boys followed his example. Dozens of golden bricks fell from a section of wall, revealing an opening. Theo¡¯s eyes widened as a scaly foot stepped through the threshold. After knocking away a few more bricks, an elephant-sized lizard entered the arena. This was a drake, a species one step below dragons. The black-scaled monstrosity reared up and spread its thin leathery wings. The creature roared, and monsters of all shapes and sizes began to pour out of the opening. Some of them Theo recognized, while others were completely foreign. Fortunately, Ravens stepped in and made Theo¡¯s analysis a little easier. Three of the closest monsters suddenly exploded in a mess of gore. The boys looked around and realized that Ravens had disappeared. The veteran was already in the midst of the horde, hacking and slashing like a madman. His clothes shone with a variety of colors while his daggers glowed a vicious red. Ravens fought with abandon but there were simply too many monsters. Once he was surrounded, some of the creatures turned their attention towards his apprentices. The apprentices rushed forward, following their master¡¯s valiance. Theo and the others couldn¡¯t kill these monsters like their master had. In fact, every single enemy in this arena was a lethal threat. The apprentices leveraged their numbers and equipment to cut down the horde. Time passed and more sections of wall crumbled away, revealing new waves of enemies. The fighting quickly grew into a chaotic mess. Theo tried to stay close to his comrades, but he was pushed away by the mass of monsters. Through the turmoil, Theo saw one of his adopted brothers fall as a drake sank its teeth into the apprentice¡¯s shoulder. Theo cried out in a mixture of anger and horror. However, it was far from the only tragedy to occur that day. Chapter 15 - You Monster! One apprentice had already fallen, but the horde of monsters was not satisfied. Theo and the other three apprentices desperately tried to regroup, but that was a mistake. Another was eaten as he ran. After seeing this, Theo realized that there was no point in pulling everyone together. Their fighting style was meant for solo raiding. Over-extending to stay together would just get them killed. This heartless lesson was drilled home as Theo watched Ravens plow through a crowd of monsters. The veteran hadn¡¯t spared a moment to help his two fallen pupils. Theo grit his teeth and continued to fight. In such a clustered environment, it was easy to forget what was going on. Theo focused on the enemies in front of him and nothing else. Somewhere in his heart, he knew that looking around would make him lose the will to fight. After a seemingly endless amount of time, Theo found that there were no more monsters in his way. His gear was in shreds and only one of his daggers remained unbroken. Theo¡¯s body was covered in injuries and he felt extremely light-headed, but he was alive. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Theo looked around. Amidst the blood and gore, only one other person was standing. Ravens stumbled over to the crystal at the center of the arena. The veteran tapped it and the crystal lit up. Floor ??? had been cleared. After steadying himself, Ravens looked around at the scene that he¡¯d created. Because his face was covered, it was impossible for Theo to guess what he was thinking. Theo lowered his head and wordlessly approached his master. Ravens was still standing in a daze. Without thinking, Theo swiped at Ravens with his dagger. This half-assed attack was easily dodged. ¡°Hmm?¡± Ravens turned to look at Theo. ¡°So, you¡¯re the only one left. Congratulations.¡± Theo grit his teeth and stabbed at Ravens again. ¡°Congratulations!? What the hell is wrong with you?¡± Ravens sighed and batted Theo¡¯s dagger away. ¡°All of you were trying to outdo each other, right? Congratulations, you are now my most talented and only apprentice.¡± Theo attempted another attack, but he was too exhausted. ¡°You didn¡¯t help us at all!¡± ¡°I gave you veteran gear.¡± ¡°You led us in here to die!¡± ¡°That¡¯s just how dungeons work.¡± Ravens shook his head. ¡°If I was planning on keeping all of you alive, then why would I adopt five apprentices?¡± At that moment, all Theo could see was red. He screamed and charged forward, but Ravens disarmed him with ease. Theo¡¯s legs buckled as he received a swift kick to the stomach. The veteran raider walked away and used his storage crystal to retrieve some of the more valuable body parts that were strewn around. Theo looked on in horror as Ravens used the same method to collect the bodies of his fallen brothers. ¡°You¡­I won¡¯t let you get away with this!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± ¡°You¡¯re a monster! I¡¯m going to tell everyone what happened! Then you¡¯ll-¡± Ravens suddenly disappeared. When the veteran reappeared, Theo found another boot lodged in his gut. The final apprentice collapsed. ¡°I¡¯ll what? Become an outlaw?¡± Ravens muttered. ¡°As my successor, you¡¯re too na?ve.¡± - - - *Knock Knock Knock* Theo woke up in his house. Or, more specifically, Ravens¡¯ house. When he wasn¡¯t raiding or teaching, Ravens mostly holed himself away in his study. The apprentices cooked and cleaned for themselves. They were given full run of the house, and with their frequently absent master, it was hard to say who was more familiar with the place. Theo sat up and winced as his wounds reopened. The apprentice sat in shock for a moment, and then jumped out of bed. Theo rushed out of his room and was greeted with a horrific sight. His fellow apprentices were lying on the floor. Furniture had been moved, glass had been broken and their dynamic poses showed the aftermath of a brutal fight. Of course, Theo knew that no such fight had occurred. Not in their home, at least. Ravens was nowhere to be seen. *Knock Knock Knock* Theo froze as he heard a knock on the door. A similar sound had woken him up. He looked around and realized just how bad this situation was. At the same time, someone broke the door down. A slew of guards rushed inside. Theo didn¡¯t even try to run as they restrained him. That day, a disturbing rumor began floating through the city. Four of Ravens¡¯ apprentices had been murdered while the veteran was on a raiding expedition. The culprit was the fifth apprentice, who had acted out of jealousy. The people at Brightstone were furious. They immediately began to suppress this information, but raiders were more sensitive to gossip than most. After Theo was branded as an outlaw, many assumed that his master would arrange an ¡®accident¡¯ for him. However, that did not happen. Instead, the fifth apprentice vanished from his birth city and was never seen in Jigou again.Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. Initially, Theo had also worried about being caught up in an ¡®accident¡¯. On his first morning after leaving the city, he found a note lying next to him. Beside that note was the enchanted dagger that he¡¯d received from Ravens. Theo picked up the dagger and chucked it with all his might. After some deep breaths, he began to read the letter. Hello, my apprentice. You can make all the claims you want. However, if you mention that floor, then you¡¯ll wake up with this dagger inside you instead of beside you. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re aware of what I can do. Even from a distance. Beyond that, I have no more instructions. Consider this your graduation present. Theo crumpled up the letter and then tore it to shreds. While he had fought against his charges, Theo hadn¡¯t told anyone about the ??? floor. The outlaw sighed in relief as he realized that had been the right call. Theo debated with himself for a moment and then sat up. He trudged over and picked up his dagger. It was the only piece of enchanted gear he had left. For a short time, Theo considered hiding out in the wilderness. He quickly abandoned that idea when the brand on his forehead began to ache. At least once a day, the ¡®X¡¯ mark would throb as if it wanted to tear itself away and run into a dungeon. Based on his knowledge of the surrounding terrain and this throbbing, Theo slowly made his way to Naraka. The trip exhausted him in both body and spirit. When Theo reached the dungeon¡¯s threshold, he felt a wave of apprehension. What was he hoping to accomplish here? Theo had thought about this constantly as he trekked through the wilderness. Ultimately, he only wanted one thing. ¡°I¡¯ll get back to the surface and collect weapons and equipment on the way. Ravens described that mysterious floor as a waypoint. That means he hasn¡¯t gotten what he wants out of Jigou. Not yet, at least.¡± Theo¡¯s eyes shone with a dangerous light. ¡°Then I¡¯ll steal it. I don¡¯t care what I have to do. Ravens is going to regret what he¡¯s done.¡± The only successful humans are the ones who take the initiative to become predators. Ravens was a man of few words, but this was something he had repeated again and again. The veteran was infamous among raiders for stealing treasures and cheating his contemporaries. Theo wasn¡¯t a fan of this roguish behavior, but he didn¡¯t have many options left. No matter what, Theo wanted to get revenge. - - - *Awooooooooo* Theo finished reminiscing just as a wolf¡¯s howl rang out. Seven more followed it. At first, Theo worried that Nico held some sort of grudge against him. He thought for a moment and then determined that wasn¡¯t possible. All they had done was escape. Theo had never actually harmed Nico¡¯s wolves. Mavis and its companions were also nearby. It didn¡¯t take a genius to guess that one of them had pissed Nico off. Theo couldn¡¯t pretend that he wasn¡¯t worried, but this wasn¡¯t his problem. The outlaw stood up and prepared to find a new campsite. Staying anywhere near Nico¡¯s hunting grounds would be dangerous. However, his feet refused to move. Theo turned back and stared in the direction where the howls had come from. Could he really leave Mavis to die? Theo couldn¡¯t help but ask himself that. He thought about how Mavis had acted after it learned about his betrayal. The slime¡¯s angry and hurt tone reminded Theo of himself when he had berated Ravens. Despite those feelings, Mavis had saved him for the third time. When Theo realized that, he asked himself another question. Did he really want revenge at any cost? It was an idea that sounded obvious at the time. Theo couldn¡¯t bear to let Ravens get away with his actions. Even so, when Theo thought that he was going to be eaten by Mavis back in the first layer, revenge had not been on his mind. He had simply been afraid of dying as an unimportant footnote, just like his brothers. Fighting his way to the fourth layer, securing a worthy treasure, and then beating his master to the punch. If Theo truly believed he was capable that, then he wouldn¡¯t have been so desperate to sell Mavis. Frustrated, Theo slapped his face with both hands. This inner debate could be finished later. Right now, there was something that he needed to tell Mavis. The battle between Nico¡¯s pack and Mavis¡¯s group was already underway. Theo didn¡¯t have any trouble following the sounds of humans yelling and wolves snarling. Nico¡¯s wolves could smell much further than Mavis could ¡®see¡¯, so attacking stealthily would be impossible. Therefore, he channeled mana into his boots and vambraces. This combination had caught quite a few monsters off-guard during the blood moon, and Theo was fairly confident that it would work on Nico. Theo activated the immense speed boost from his boots and braced himself with the defensive enchantment on his vambraces. After knocking Nico away, Theo turned to look at Mavis. His eyes widened as he saw the slime in its humanoid body. Nico must have pushed them very hard, for Mavis to reveal its true form. ¡°Um¡­I guess you can take this as a belated apology.¡± Theo said while grinning weakly. He felt a bit awkward for arriving at such a perfect moment. ¡°Theo¡­how¡­you¡­where¡­¡± Mavis stammered. ¡°Look, we can talk later. Right now, I¡¯m here to help you guys. Ok?¡± Mavis stared at him for a moment and then sighed. ¡°Ok.¡± They needed all the help they could get. The pair turned towards Nico, who was standing back up. The monster tamer chuckled and glared back at them. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I should be excited or frustrated.¡± Nico said, locking eyes with Theo. ¡°Someone who¡¯s actually worth fighting showed up.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t have to fight, you know.¡± ¡°That slime killed my son.¡± ¡°By your logic, Mavis was stronger. What¡¯s the problem?¡± ¡°Fool.¡± Nico spat. ¡°You don¡¯t kill a bear cub unless you¡¯re stronger than its mother. Likewise, you don¡¯t kill a wolf unless you¡¯re ready to fight the entire pack.¡± Theo drew both of his daggers. Nico channeled more mana into his gloves, turning his hands back into claws. Mavis raised its ¡®hair¡¯, extending the tentacles in a threatening manner. The wolf pinning Marco had already returned to Nico¡¯s side. The two wolves that Vivian had incapacitated were now lucid. Eight apex predators flanked the tamer. Vivian and Marco stood off to the side, neither seemed able to process what was happening. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, the mage bit her lip and grabbed the cat¡¯s eye gem hanging from her neck. It began to glow as she glared at Nico. ¡°Ok.¡± Theo said. ¡°Let¡¯s see who¡¯s stronger.¡± Chapter 16 - Youre Dangerous Nico¡¯s lips parted in a vicious grin as he watched his opponents prepare to fight. Two newbies, a slime and one outlaw. Nico didn¡¯t need five years of raiding experience to guess that Theo would be the most troublesome. His outlaw acquaintance had been extremely light on equipment when they first met. Now, it was clear that Theo had profited from the blood moon. Theo¡¯s new vambraces seemed to bolster his defense, but Nico was more worried about those boots. If Theo could really accelerate at any time, then Nico would need to keep a strong guard. Theo had also exchanged his ratty black cloak for a tan, almost skin-like, one. Nico couldn¡¯t imagine what kind of enchantment it had. Fortunately, Theo didn¡¯t seem to have any other upgrades. Theo pivoted slightly and then suddenly vanished. The ground beneath his feet exploded as he was propelled forward. Nico prepared to block another ramming attack, but Theo¡¯s target was elsewhere. One of the dire wolves yelped as Theo slammed into it. This particular wolf had already been slashed by Marco¡¯s sword. Theo and the wolf tumbled to the ground, but only one of them got back up. The outlaw hastily retrieved his dagger from the wolf¡¯s chest while Nico grit his teeth. Without any command, the two nearest wolves flung themselves at Theo. Their target jumped backward and raised his weapons. Obviously, this wouldn¡¯t cause the wolves to hesitate. Theo¡¯s cloak began to glow as he swiped at the air in front of him. A strong gust of wind pushed the wolves, who were already in mid-air, to the left. Theo stepped to the right, dodging them. The wolves tumbled away, leaving Theo open to accelerate again. Nico didn¡¯t want to see another wolf get taken out by that attack. He prepared to whistle and call them together, but then a lightning bolt crashed into his side. Nico staggered, but he shrugged it off. Well-enchanted equipment absorbed magical attacks better than normal gear. In the meantime, Theo had already darted to the other side of Nico¡¯s formation. Another wolf was taken out in an instant. Though, Theo seemed to be breathing heavily after using such a brute-force tactic. The dire wolves weren¡¯t as smart as Nico, but they had their own plans. After watching one of their siblings die to Theo¡¯s ultra-fast attack, they were already prepared for a second. As Theo got up to retrieve his dagger, another wolf was bearing down on him. Theo hastily battered it with wind, but he had to abandon his weapon. Two more wolves flanked him from each side. ¡°Too¡­fast.¡± Blue tentacles shot towards one of the wolves. Mavis tripped the beast and then jumped on top of it. Theo knocked the second one away with another gust of wind. ¡°Can¡¯t¡­help¡­when¡­jump¡­stop that.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t really have a choice. Killing even one of these things is difficult.¡± ¡°Then¡­don¡¯t.¡± The slime huffed. Mavis pointed a tentacle at Vivian. ¡°Push¡­to¡­Vivi.¡± ¡°Um, ok?¡± At this point, three wolves were near Theo. One was being held down by Mavis while the other two rushed towards him. Two more were running back after being knocked away by Theo¡¯s first gust of wind. The last one stood calmly by Nico¡¯s side. Of the original nine, only six were still alive. As Mavis finished off the one it was holding, that number dropped to five. Nico ran towards Theo, but another lightning bolt blocked his path. The tamer grimaced and pointed towards Vivian. The wolf by his side charged at her. ¡°Uh¡­¡± Vivian balked as a flash of white shot across the battlefield. ¡°Marco!¡± The swordsman had been inching away ever since Theo appeared. He froze when Vivian called out to him. ¡°Why the fuck is this even happening!?¡± Marco chucked his sword at Vivian and it sprung to life in mid-air. The blade plunged itself into the wolf¡¯s thick neck. Vivian took advantage of the wolf¡¯s injury to place it under a charm. The beast began to stagger around as if it were sleep walking. Meanwhile, Marco was running away. ¡°You should run too!¡± Marco yelled without looking back. ¡°Vivi¡­one¡­more.¡± Mavis called out. The mage turned to see another wolf heading her way. Unlike before, this one wasn¡¯t trying to attack. It had been tossed via Theo¡¯s cloak. Vivian threw out a lightning bolt to paralyze it and prepared to cast another charm spell. At that moment, her cat¡¯s eye gem flashed and she quickly recoiled. The grass beneath Vivian¡¯s feet suddenly stiffened and grew into numerous green spikes. Vivian managed to dodge and the grass slowly shrank back to its normal size. She looked at Nico, who had buried his hands in the dirt. The outlaw¡¯s cloak was merged with the surrounding foliage. Nico turned towards Theo and Mavis who were fighting the other three wolves. ¡°Get back!¡± Vivian yelled. ¡°Especially you in the tan cloak. Jump to the left!¡± Theo glanced at Vivian, but he didn¡¯t hesitate. Mavis dodged as several blades of grass tried to skewer it. Theo jumped to the left and narrowly avoided being wrapped up by a nearby tree branch. ¡°Another one with a boring magic tool.¡± Nico muttered. ¡°Are you seeing the future, or just reading my thoughts?¡± This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Meanwhile, the wolf that Theo had thrown at Vivian was already on its feet. The mage slowly backed away as it glared at her. As her focus shifted, she failed to notice Nico disappear. The trees began to shake violently and Vivian¡¯s heart nearly leaped out of her chest. One tree after another quivered until Nico¡¯s hand shot out of the ironbark next to Vivian. The mage tried to run, but she was blocked by the wolf. Nico stepped out of the tree and channeled some mana into his gloves. A bestial arm swung towards Vivian, but then it hastily pulled back. A dagger sailed between the two humans. ¡°Help¡­more¡­¡± ¡°I know!¡± Theo grumbled. Mavis expanded its body to hold the three wolves back while Theo turned towards Nico. The tamer braced himself just before Theo slammed into him. After a moment¡¯s resistance, he lost his footing. The two men tumbled away from Vivian. Because of his defensive enchantment, Theo was the first to get on his feet. He sent a blast of wind towards Nico, but blades of grass wound themselves around the tamer¡¯s body. Nico weathered the hit and stood up. ¡°What are you going to do without a weapon?¡± Nico taunted. Theo had lost one of his daggers inside a wolf while the other had been thrown to protect Vivian. The raider showed his open palms as he shrugged. ¡°Dunno.¡± Nico flexed his clawed hands and grinned as he rushed forward. Theo attempted to send out another gust of wind, but Nico grabbed his arm and the wind dispersed. The tamer raised his free hand and slashed at Theo¡¯s chest. Gritting his teeth, Theo kicked Nico in the stomach. He took the outlaw¡¯s claws to avoid a follow-up attack. ¡°Theo¡­use!¡± Mavis yelled. As Theo disengaged, a golden orb fell at his feet. He quickly grabbed the treasure core before Nico could react. Theo had no idea where Mavis had gotten such a thing, but he also didn¡¯t care. After a flash of golden light, Theo was holding a silver necklace with a lopsided cross as the pendant. It certainly didn¡¯t look like a weapon. ¡°Fucking seriously¡­¡± Theo moaned. Nico¡¯s boots glowed as he stamped his foot, causing a shockwave to fly out. He readied his claws and charged as the force knocked Theo over. The necklace glowed dimly while Theo appraised it. He rolled backwards and faced Nico with a strange grin. ¡°Nico, I don¡¯t really want to kill you. Will you yield?¡± ¡°After killing so many of my children? What do you think!?¡± Nico¡¯s claws grew even longer. He slashed at Theo again, only to be blinded by a flash of light. In the next instant, he was lying on the ground. Nico groaned in agony while clutching his throbbing arm. His pupils constricted as he stared at a mangled beast paw lying in front of him. The tamer slowly looked up at Theo, who was holding a silver short sword. ¡°I think you should yield.¡± Theo said, pointing his weapon at Nico¡¯s severed hand. Nico let out another low moan and doubled over. Even if a comeback was possible, Nico knew that he would die of blood loss before it happened. ¡°¡­Fine. I yield.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Theo raised his weapon and it shone with a white light. The sword suddenly shrank until it turned back into a necklace. Nico whistled sharply and his wolves stopped attacking Mavis and Vivian. They rushed to his side and growled at Theo. Nico waved his good hand, holding them back. ¡°I¡¯ll leave¡­¡± Nico glared at Theo and then looked at the wolf corpses that had been strewn about. ¡°But you don¡¯t touch a single hair on their heads. Understood?¡± Theo nodded. Nico rummaged around in his pocket and took out a storage crystal. He promptly tossed out a bunch of old supplies and other miscellaneous goods. After he¡¯d made enough room, Nico stumbled over to each of his fallen wolves and stored their corpses. ¡°Y-Your hand¡­¡± Theo felt that he needed to remind Nico not to bleed out. ¡°I¡¯ll deal with it back at camp.¡± Nico turned to the remainder of his wolves, whistled and then waived his hand. They ran away into the forest. Nico watched them go and then pulled a thrumming coal-black feather out of his storage. He snapped it in two and a dark glow slowly covered his body. When it finished, Nico disappeared. Theo grunted as blood dripped from his chest. While he was watching Nico walk around with a severed hand, he had forgotten about his own injuries. Mavis quickly slithered over to the outlaw. The slime¡¯s hair twitched as it examined his body. The largest wound was, of course, from Nico¡¯s claws. Theo had avoided almost every attack from the wolves, but his body was still covered in dark purple bruises and bloody scrapes. Mavis realized that this was the cost of using those boots to zip around the battlefield. Even with his vambraces¡¯ defensive enchantment, Theo¡¯s body had paid a heavy toll. ¡°I understand Nico wanted to bury the bodies¡­¡± Theo muttered. ¡°But he didn¡¯t leave any cores behind.¡± Vivian staggered towards Theo and Mavis. She hadn¡¯t taken any damage, but casting that many spells left Vivian feeling like she¡¯d run a marathon. ¡°Um, I can help with that.¡± ¡°Thank you.¡± Theo and Mavis spoke at the same time. Though, Mavis was the only one to add ¡®Vivi¡¯ at the end. Vivian placed her hand on Theo¡¯s shoulder and uttered a short chant. The outlaw¡¯s wounds closed up right before his eyes. After several dozen seconds, he was fully healed. Theo looked himself over in disbelief. ¡°That was pretty fast.¡± ¡°I¡¯m much better at supporting than fighting.¡± Vivian replied. There was a hint of pride concealed within her shaky voice. The mage turned to look at Mavis, who cocked its head. ¡°So¡­can one of you explain how a slime is talking?¡± ¡°Can¡­talk¡­no¡­understand¡­how.¡± Theo felt apprehensive, but Mavis seemed to trust this person. Besides, he rationalized, she¡¯d already seen this much. ¡°I found Mavis living in the first layer. Despite being a slime, she has a lot of human qualities. Honestly, I don¡¯t understand it either.¡± Vivian blinked. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out. After reluctantly closing her mouth, Vivian turned to Theo. ¡°Ok, I¡¯ll believe that for now¡­¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Mavis cut in. ¡°Believe¡­me¡­is¡­true.¡± Vivian shook her head and sighed. ¡°I¡¯ll believe that for now. But who are you?¡± Theo met her gaze and Vivian flinched. After watching this guy fight, feelings of amazement and terror clashed inside her head. Theo didn¡¯t look much older than her, but he was clearly more experienced. In fact, if Vivian had seen an older man fight like that, she would have immediately assumed they were a veteran. ¡°Theo¡­outlaw.¡± Mavis spoke, taking advantage of Theo¡¯s hesitation. ¡°Very¡­dangerous¡­deceiving¡­person.¡± Vivian froze like a deer in headlights. ¡°I¡¯m not going to hurt you.¡± Theo hastily clarified. ¡°But¡­yes, I am an outlaw.¡± Vivian stepped back. When Nico surrendered, Vivian had felt extremely relieved and even a little invincible. The monster tamer was famous for being the most dangerous raider in the second layer. After fighting someone like him, what else did she have to fear? Vivian shivered as she stared at these two. Now she had her answer. Chapter 17 - You Joined the Party Vivian stood off to the side, hoping to be forgotten, while the outlaw and slime glared at each other. ¡°You didn¡¯t need to blow my cover like that.¡± ¡°Better¡­tell¡­her¡­now. No¡­chance¡­deceive.¡± Theo frowned, but Mavis turned its mask to look away. ¡°Well, she already knows about you¡­¡± Theo sighed. ¡°So, I guess this is trivial in comparison. Anyways, that¡¯s not what I want to talk about.¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Mavis looked back but its tone was still combative. Theo hesitated for a moment, but then he sat down. The outlaw crossed his legs, put his hands on his knees and bowed deeply. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The slime¡¯s ¡®hair¡¯ twitched, but it said nothing as Theo continued. ¡°From the moment we met, you¡¯ve shown me nothing but kindness. I¡¯m sorry for using your goodwill against you. Even though I was desperate, it wasn¡¯t right.¡± When Theo set out to save Mavis, he had been worried. Theo wasn¡¯t sure if he¡¯d know what to say after Nico had been dealt with. To his surprise, the words came readily. Everything flowed out as if he¡¯d suddenly uncorked a bottle. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ll be able to live on the surface, but I want to help you. If you¡¯ll let me, I can at least guide you to the portal.¡± Mavis stared down at Theo. ¡°How¡­know¡­won¡¯t¡­deceive¡­when¡­get there?¡± Theo met the slime¡¯s gaze. ¡°I can¡¯t prove that I won¡¯t. If you still don¡¯t trust me, then I¡¯ll leave.¡± Mavis sat down in front of him. The slime¡¯s tone finally softened as it said¡­ ¡°¡­Fool.¡± Mavis used a word that it had just learned from Nico. It seemed to describe a person that spoke without fully understanding their situation. If that was true, then it certainly applied here. Despite its harsh attitude, Mavis already knew that Theo wasn¡¯t lying. After spending several days with him and hearing Theo lie, obfuscate and speak honestly, Mavis could tell that he was being sincere. This would be an impressive feat for most, especially a being who¡¯d spent its entire life in a cave. However, Mavis could use its magical sight to cheat a little bit. Checking a person¡¯s pulse wasn¡¯t anything difficult, and it could also see every slight twitch that might constitute a tell. Therefore, it was fairly confident in its ability to detect lies. At least, for people that it already knew. Mavis had also spent a lot of time thinking about this betrayal. In fact, it might be more accurate to say that Mavis hadn¡¯t stopped thinking about it since the blood moon. The slime analyzed the other betrayal that it had witnessed and watched how Marco treated Vivian afterwards. It realized that there was something fundamentally different about the two situations. Ultimately, Marco didn¡¯t seem to care about Vivian. He truly thought of her as another treasure in his collection. Mavis thought back to the way Theo had treated it, especially back in the first layer. How he¡¯d told it to run instead of asking it to help fight. How he¡¯d been relieved when they reunited. How he¡¯d explained things whenever it asked, and sometimes when it hadn¡¯t. These could all be dismissed as ¡®caring for his merchandise¡¯, but Mavis didn¡¯t feel that way. Mavis had felt a certain sincerity during each of those moments. Just like it did now. If Mavis had simply wanted Theo to escort it to the portal, then thinking about these things would have been a waste of effort. ¡°Why¡­humans¡­go to¡­dungeons?¡± Theo blinked. ¡°To find treasure.¡± ¡°Why¡­find¡­treasure?¡± ¡°To make money.¡± ¡°Hear¡­before¡­money¡­important¡­on¡­surface. Can¡¯t¡­live¡­without.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°Not all¡­humans¡­are¡­raiders¡­I think. But¡­I¡­can¡¯t¡­make money¡­on¡­surface.¡± ¡°You probably can¡¯t. Especially with that mask.¡± ¡°Then¡­work¡­together¡­find¡­treasure.¡± Theo¡¯s eyes widened. The outlaw hurriedly shook his head. ¡°You could make money in the second layer just fine. I need to go down to the fourth layer. Maybe even lower.¡± ¡°Also¡­need¡­practice¡­disguise¡­and¡­speaking¡­can¡¯t¡­do¡­alone.¡± ¡°Then just go with her.¡± Theo pointed at Vivian, who had been slowly backing up. Vivian wasn¡¯t planning on running away, but she felt a little awkward listening in on their conversation. Mavis shook its head. The slime¡¯s tentacles waved subtly, as if there was a slight breeze. Its body visibly shrank as it asked another question. ¡°What¡­angelic¡­mean?¡± Its tentacles waved a bit faster, as if the breeze had picked up. ¡°Angelic?¡± Theo replied, tilting his head. ¡°What does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°What¡­mean?¡±This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience. The breeze turned into a small storm. ¡°Angelic means angel-like. Angels are servants of the divines. Apparently, they¡¯re extremely beautiful.¡± The slime¡¯s tentacles froze in place. ¡°Why is that slime¡¯s voice so¡­angelic?¡± This was the very first thing that Theo had said when they met. Theo couldn¡¯t be blamed for forgetting, since he had fallen unconscious immediately afterwards. However, Mavis had not forgotten. The slime had never heard that word before, and it hesitated to ask Theo. Back when Mavis was trying to find humans to talk to, it would never fail to scare them away. Even when it had caught one in its own den, that human kicked its tentacle in an attempt to flee. Mavis had felt incredibly discouraged. The slime looked itself over and accepted that it simply wasn¡¯t like humans. There was nothing about it that didn¡¯t terrify them. That was when Theo spoke. Before slipping into unconsciousness, he said something that actually sounded positive. Mavis had been shocked. The slime hovered around his body for hours, hoping to hear something else. Of course, Theo couldn¡¯t say anything else. Mavis eventually gave up and searched for some food. It had seen humans eating many kinds of plants in the first layer, and so it gathered a bunch of them. When Mavis returned, it left the food near Theo and waited. When he still didn¡¯t wake up, the slime remembered that humans needed light to see. It rushed out to prepare while its core bounced with excitement. After Theo woke up, Mavis suddenly felt apprehensive. The slime tried to start a conversation, and¡ªto its amazement¡ªit actually succeeded. Theo didn¡¯t run away. Once they had talked for a while, he didn¡¯t even seem scared. Mavis had felt particularly elated when the raider started to laugh. The slime realized that it could communicate with humans after all. ¡°Want¡­go¡­with¡­you.¡± Back in the present, Mavis spoke up. Theo stiffened. Even though he wasn¡¯t a living lie detector, Theo felt a terrifying amount of sincerity in those words. Despite his efforts to conceal it, a wide smile spread across his face. ¡°¡­Ok. If that¡¯s what you want.¡± - - - Vivian felt her scalp tingling as she trudged through the woods. Ahead of her, Theo and Mavis were chatting up a storm. The smile on Theo¡¯s face coupled with Mavis¡¯s elated tone made them seem like a pair of lovers who had just been reunited. Though, Vivian was sure that wasn¡¯t the care. She was pretty sure, at least. After overhearing their conversation, Vivian learned that these two were planning to tackle the fourth layer. As a novice, she didn¡¯t know very much about Naraka¡¯s lower layers. Even so, Vivian knew enough to shudder when they brought it up. The fourth layer was exponentially more dangerous than the third. Only teams of experienced veterans dared to raid it frequently. Sometimes headstrong raiders would attempt to challenge it alone, but most never came back. The ones that did returned with a slew of horror stories. It was something that second layer raiders would only see in their nightmares. Then again, one could say similar things about fighting Nico. Despite fighting three versus nine, they had managed to pull out a decisive win. Vivian was still in shock about that. The main reason why they¡¯d won was because of Theo¡¯s incredible presence as a vanguard, but Vivian was proud to have done her part. Their teamwork had been all over the place, but the results were far better than her previous party. And with that thought, Vivian''s mood worsened. Vivian¡¯s old party had consisted of two groups. The first was a team of three up-and-comers¡ªScott, Crowly and Zaria. These three followed their dreams to become raiders and then, after earning a decent reputation, received an invitation from Marco. Marco and Vivian were the second team. The portly man¡¯s family had been raiders for generations. Vivian¡¯s forceful addition to said family was partially because Marco liked her looks, but mainly because of her talent as a mage. Marco gained a wife and an extremely reliable raiding partner in a single purchase. The three childhood friends were low on capital, and so they had agreed to work with Marco and Vivian. Though, considering how much Marco argued with them, the group would have disbanded sooner or later. Vivian had never wanted to be a raider and her experiences in Marco¡¯s party only amplified that feeling. Of course, Vivian knew that these feelings had no impact on her future. Once she got home, Marco would inevitably find another party in need of money. They would go back and repeat this fiasco again and again. Her fianc¨¦ was both stubborn and predictable, a winning combination. ¡°Vivi¡­you¡­ok?¡± Mavis asked, looking back at her straggling acquaintance. ¡°You do look a bit pale.¡± Theo observed. ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± Vivian insisted. She forced a weak smile. In the end, their destination was still the one-way portal. Theo and Mavis planned to gear up and then head to the third layer, but Vivian obviously wasn¡¯t coming. At Mavis¡¯s insistence, Theo agreed to escort her to the portal. ¡°By the way, how did you know when Nico was going to attack?¡± Theo asked. ¡°You even knew where I needed to dodge.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s because of my necklace.¡± Vivian replied, raising her cat¡¯s eye pendant. ¡°This gem locks onto a single target and gives me information about them. It can even predict their movements, although it isn¡¯t incredibly precise.¡± ¡°What kind of information?¡± ¡°The more it sees, the more it shows. After watching a target, it can tell me about their strength, max speed, toughness¡­etcetera. It can even reveal a raider¡¯s enchantments and casting affinities. ¡°Sound¡­useful.¡± Mavis said. Vivian nodded, but her face wore a conflicted expression. It truly was an amazing piece of equipment, but she had trouble bringing out its full potential. Her previous group already had two leaders that were constantly butting heads, so Vivian¡¯s advice didn¡¯t hold much weight. ¡°That¡¯s pretty impressive. What kind of monster dropped it?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. This is a keepsake from my parents.¡± ¡°Oh, so they¡¯re¡­¡± Theo trailed off as he noticed Mavis shaking its head. The slime didn¡¯t know exactly what parents were, but Theo had said that they were similar to teachers. Mavis had a strong feeling that parents were very important to humans. This intuition was something it had felt numerous times. Certain words seemed to make sense before it ever understood them. Without this feeling, learning to speak might have been impossible for Mavis. It was also one of the many mysteries that Mavis had long since given up on understanding. Though, it did secretly hold some hope. ¡°Wait¡­¡± Theo suddenly stopped walking. He turned to Vivian and pulled up one sleeve, revealing a golden mark. The faintly glowing sigil resembled a polished stone. Vivian¡¯s eyes widened, but she quickly recovered. The mage extended her arm and revealed her own sigil. They matched. ¡°So, you¡¯re also from Brightstone.¡± Theo¡¯s tone wasn¡¯t particularly happy or sad. He sounded like someone who¡¯d stepped in dog shit, and then ran into an equally unlucky individual. ¡°Yup.¡± Vivian¡¯s neutral face mirrored the outlaw¡¯s. After a tense few seconds, Theo began to chuckle while Vivian snorted slightly. Brightstone was a very shady organization, but it wasn¡¯t universally hated. In fact, most people held positive feelings towards the group of orphanages. They tackled the difficult task of managing kids who had lost their families. Plus, many of those kids grew up into powerful and successful members of society. Apprentices became veterans, assistants became bureaucrats and wives became heads of households. These people staunchly supported their foster home, helping Brightstone rise into a dominant power that could rival the oldest noble families. Because of her own personal experiences with Brightstone, Vivian didn¡¯t hold them in high regard. People like her could only hide their resentment, and so she was happy to find someone who shared her feelings. ¡°I imagine they don¡¯t like you very much.¡± Vivian guessed. Brightstone was lauded for its ability to change the destiny of orphans. Obviously, criminals like Theo were stains that Brightstone wished to remove. The outlaw grinned weakly. ¡°If I ever came back home, I¡¯m sure there would be a shallow grave out back with my name on it.¡± A slight smile appeared on Vivian¡¯s face as she chuckled. It was a morbid joke. Frankly, it was hardly a joke at all. However, Theo¡¯s self-deprecating humor caused Vivian to laugh genuinely for the first time since the blood moon. Actually, she reflected, it was the first time in a very long time. Chapter 18 - You Kidnapped Me All dungeons utilized space magic in one form or another. Back when dungeons were still new, this school of magic was viewed with extreme skepticism. All magic was, actually, but people were understandably more afraid of teleportation than elemental magic. Conjuring flames or lightning was certainly dangerous, but at least it was simple and straightforward. Yet, space magic inevitably became one of the most popular schools of magic¡ªboth in terms of magic tools and spellcasting. The reason for this was simple. Space magic was convenient. Storage crystals were incredibly useful for anyone, not just raiders. Unfortunately, these crystals were part of a special group of treasures that couldn¡¯t be farmed reliably. Items like these had a very low chance of dropping from any treasure core. By this point, there were enough storage crystals in circulation that mid-tier raiding teams could afford one. Though, they were still considered to be a hefty investment. Mages with an affinity for space magic were just as valuable as they were rare. Even so, most of those mages could only cast weaker spells in the space magic school. A mage that could replicate the effects of storage crystals would be regarded as a living treasure. The small handful of mages with enough affinity to use space magic offensively could wave their hands and make even nobles quiver. This was why Theo had to upgrade his assessment of Vivian when he saw her pull the supplies that Nico had discarded into a magic portal. Theo and Mavis had obviously taken what they needed first, but they were planning on abandoning the rest. Theo eventually decided to put this incident out of mind, since there was no point in coveting an ability that he couldn¡¯t have. Theo himself could never be a mage, and Vivian wasn¡¯t joining their party consisting of one ¡®human-like monster¡¯ and one ¡®monster-like human¡¯. At least there was one type of space magic that any raider could enjoy¡ªportals. Teleportation was a staple form of transportation in Jigou. Raiders used transport crystals to travel in and out of the dungeon, as well as between floors. Naraka¡¯s structure was much more organic, but it still had portals. There was at least one in every floor after the first. These exit points only worked one-way, but it wasn¡¯t impossible to teleport into Naraka. Just like with Jigou, when certain conditions were met, raiders would gain the ability to teleport from the entrance of Naraka to any of its layers. Naraka was just stingier about giving raiders permission. From the second layer onwards, there were rare monsters that could grant access to these shortcuts. These monsters were much stronger than any other creature in that layer, which meant that raiders couldn¡¯t teleport to the floor that they were currently exploring. Mavis grew excited when it heard about these ¡®boss¡¯ monsters. But the slime¡¯s curiosity was quickly extinguished when Vivian clarified that they weren¡¯t any smarter, just harder to kill. Mavis learned about these monsters and many other things while escorting Vivian to the one-way portal. The trip lasted a day and a half, mainly because none of them were up for a full day of travel after fighting Nico. ¡°Wow¡­large¡­crystal¡­thing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s called an arch.¡± Theo clarified. The second layer¡¯s portal was indeed an arch. This jagged crescent structure stood in the center of an empty field. A web of trails connected it to the forest from all directions, but the only foliage that grew inside this area was grass. Much like the trails themselves, it seemed that plants were forbidden from sprouting there by some invisible law. The arch looked like it had been cut from of a single mass of crystal. Though, with its multitude of natural imperfections, it seemed more likely that someone had forced a crystal to grow into that shape. Black and blue waves of mana undulated within the immense crystalline structure. The pulsating colors made it appear mysteriously lively for an inanimate tool. It was also, as the slime pointed out, very large. The portal itself stood over twelve meters tall while its width exceeded eighteen meters. The area directly beneath the arch was shrouded within a swirling rift. Just like the crystal that created it, the rift was constantly shifting between various shades of black and blue. This curtain of space magic implied that there was an equally impressive structure outside of Naraka, but that was not the case. When a raider stepped through the one-way portal, they would be teleported to the dungeon¡¯s entrance. The two points in space were not actually connected. ¡°Sure¡­have to¡­go?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sure.¡± Vivian replied. The mage wore a sad smile as she patted Mavis on the head. By this point, Vivian had already explained her situation to Theo and Mavis. The slime understood, but it had trouble accepting this. ¡°But¡­don¡¯t¡­want¡­go.¡± ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want me to, I still have to go.¡± ¡°No¡­¡± Mavis shook its head. ¡°You¡­don¡¯t¡­want.¡± ¡°Haah, that¡¯s true.¡± Vivian sighed. ¡°But humans have certain things that they just need to do. It doesn¡¯t really matter what I want.¡± ¡°Does¡­matter.¡± Vivian opened her mouth to refute Mavis, but she ended up shaking her head. Then, she turned to Theo and bowed slightly. Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation. ¡°Thank you for taking me this far. I¡¯m not sure what you did to get that brand, but I hope you¡¯ll be able to remove it.¡± Theo nodded and Vivian turned back to Mavis. She stepped forward and the slime panicked slightly as she embraced it. ¡°I didn¡¯t know you for very long, but I¡¯m really glad that we met. Honestly, I never expected to call a slime my friend.¡± ¡°F-Friend¡­?¡± ¡°Take care of yourself.¡± Vivian patted Mavis on the back before breaking away. After taking one last look at the pair, she set her gaze on the portal and started walking. The grassy area around the portal was filled with people, which was why Theo and Mavis were standing a healthy distance away. Many of them were raiders enjoying one of Naraka¡¯s few true safe zones. The others were merchants. Plenty of savvy raiders predicted the blood moon¡¯s appearance. This gossip was passed down to traders, who rushed into the dungeon to make some easy coin. Naraka wasn¡¯t situated near a town like Jigou, and so merchants rarely travelled there in person. However, after hiring a guard or two, getting this far into Naraka was quite easy. There were other merchants waiting just outside, but these ones were either braver or more desperate. Vivian trudged towards the portal with her fists clenched. She ignored the traders that called out to her and kept moving. Once she was close enough to hear the dim thrumming of the rift, Vivian hesitated. The mage realized that she was afraid. Afraid of letting Marco repeat his mistakes at the cost of others¡¯ lives. Afraid of finalizing her marriage and everything that came with it. Though, surprisingly, what scared her the most was walking through that portal under her own power. Vivian stared at the portal and realized that she couldn¡¯t move any further. Just as she turned back towards Theo and Mavis, someone called out to her. ¡°Oh, Vivi! It really is you!¡± Marco pushed his way through the crowd and walked over to the stupefied mage. Vivian¡¯s jaw drew slack as he stood in front of her. ¡°I had a feeling I¡¯d find you here.¡± Marco¡¯s cheeks rose in a rare self-deprecating grin. ¡°We already lost those three during the blood moon. I don¡¯t even want to imagine how mad my father would be if I lost you too.¡± Vivian continued to stare at him in stunned silence. ¡°But that¡¯s mostly your fault. What the hell were you thinking? You should have run while Nico was distracted.¡± This time, Vivian opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off. ¡°-Actually, we can talk about that later. Did you get a good look at that slime? It actually spoke! The instant we get home, I¡¯ll gather up as many raiders as I can and search for it. A talking monster¡­If I present something like that to the king, then we¡¯ll become famous overnight. Our family would be one step below royalty, just like the Wallaces.¡± Marco grabbed Vivian¡¯s hand and began pulling her towards the portal. ¡°We have to hurry. It¡¯s only a matter of time before someone else finds it.¡± Vivian dug in her heels, nearly causing Marco to stumble. He whirled around and glared at her. Vivian glared right back. The two stayed like that for a moment, until Marco raised his other hand. ¡°What¡¯s with that look? I said we¡¯re going, and so we¡¯re goin-¡± *Thwack* Marco was interrupted as a particularly weighty hand pushed into his gut. He let go of Vivian and stumbled backwards. This gave him a brief moment to stare at his assailant before their kick knocked him to the ground. A masked figure stood over him. This person tugged at their dark green cloak in a subtle attempt to hide one freakishly large arm. Marco¡¯s jaw fell open as the arm deflated before his eyes. Slimes weren¡¯t particularly good at punching things. However, Mavis could literally add weight to its blows by placing more of its mass in one body part. This was a fairly useless skill, since ten out of ten slimes would prefer to strangle their prey instead of punching them. Even so, Mavis was very satisfied with its attack. ¡°Mavis, what are you doing!?¡± ¡°You¡­don¡¯t¡­want¡­to go.¡± ¡°Well, no. But-¡± ¡°-Then¡­I¡­help.¡± Mavis grabbed Vivian¡¯s arm and started running. Vivian could have easily resisted, but she chose to follow the slime. A crowd of confused onlookers watched them escape. ¡°Five-hundred gold pieces!¡± Marco yelled, standing back up. ¡°That masked bitch is taking my teammate against her will! I¡¯ll pay five-hundred gold pieces to anyone who saves her! Double if you catch the woman in the mask!¡± It didn¡¯t matter if they were merchants or raiders, every human¡¯s eyes suddenly locked onto the fleeing duo. Five-hundred gold pieces was no small sum. A frugal person could live off that money for weeks. More importantly, a raider could use it to buy a potentially life-saving piece of gear. Merchants hastily gave orders to their bodyguards while raiders drew their weapons. It didn¡¯t matter if this portly man was telling the truth. He¡¯d shouted out a price in front of dozens of people. So long as they delivered the girl, forcing him to pay would be trivial. One raider used a speed-enhancing enchantment to appear in front of the pair. He reached out towards Vivian, but his hand never touched her. A man in a tan cloak charged into him from out of nowhere. At first, the raiders thought this man was trying to take out his competition. Then, the man raised his hands and suddenly flung them down. A conical blast of air shot out, knocking several raiders over. The other humans stared at him with bloodshot eyes as he turned to run away with the targets. ¡°You¡¯re on their side, but we don¡¯t even get gold for stopping you?¡± One of the greedier raiders shouted in rage. The chase was on. Over a dozen raiders followed the trio through the woods but each of them was rebuffed. Some were blown away by the opportunistic man in the tan cloak. Others were confused by the masked woman¡¯s strange movements. Some went out of their way to help the kidnapped mage, but she seemed to be running away with all her might. The raiders were disheartened, but no one was willing to quit just yet. After the first round of failures, an odd topic sprung up among these pursuers. ¡°That mask¡­and the green cloak.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no way, right?¡± ¡°Who else but an outlaw would brazenly kidnap someone in a safe-zone?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the masked outlaw! The phantom of the first layer!¡± ¡°The phantom?¡± ¡°I thought that was a joke?¡± ¡°It¡¯s no joke! My cousin got jumped by that guy a couple weeks ago.¡± ¡°She¡¯s obviously a girl, though¡­¡± ¡°Whatever, it¡¯s the phantom!¡± Vivian looked at Mavis with a concerned expression. The slime visibly shrank while its hair twitched nervously. At that moment, Mavis wanted to curl up into a ball and hide where no one could find it. Chapter 19 - Youre the Phantom Marco grit his teeth as he watched the crowd of raiders disappear into the woods. With such a large group chasing them, it was just a matter of time before that slime was discovered. The portly swordsman rummaged around in his pack, tossing various items to the ground in his haste. Hopefully, they wouldn¡¯t be caught too quickly. Marco grinned as he retrieved a strange emerald figurine. It was an incredibly lifelike sculpture of a hawk. He placed one finger on the hawk¡¯s head and it began to glow. Marco closed his eyes and focused on inscribing a message. When he finished, the bird¡¯s eyes lit up and it took off towards the portal. This was a messenger magic tool that his father had given him. Marco had recorded a message inside using his mana. The hawk would fly out of the dungeon and deliver that message, wherever the recipient may be. ¡°I¡¯m sure that father will able to gather some veterans and come soon.¡± Marco muttered. After watching the hawk leave, Marco sighed and set about collecting his discarded items. Now that the message was sent, he had no reason to rush. If someone caught Vivian, that would be fine. If they didn¡¯t, then he would take matters into his own hands. Meanwhile, his fianc¨¦ was much less calm. Mavis had let go of her hand, but she kept running while dozens of raiders chased them through the forest. The mage clenched her fists as she watched Theo rebuff a raider with his cloak. Another one had already caught up, but he leapt back to dodge a punch thrown by Mavis. This attack likely couldn¡¯t hurt him, but these raiders were extremely wary of the masked outlaw. Vivian bit her lip. This situation couldn¡¯t last. Mavis could only intimidate raiders. Revealing its true nature would just make them more motivated. Theo was doing a surprisingly good job of keeping people away, but he couldn¡¯t stop everyone. Plus, his stamina would drain quickly if this marathon continued. The main reason why they hadn¡¯t been caught was because these raiders were competing with each other. *Ffft* An arrow buried itself in Theo¡¯s side. The outlaw grunted in pain and spread his hands as he pivoted, creating a wall of wind. Vivian rushed over and cast a healing spell. The arrow was pushed out as her magic did its work. As raiders began to surround them, Vivian tried the only thing she could think of. ¡°That five-hundred gold was a lie! I¡¯m not being kidnapped by anyone!¡± Unfortunately, this was all she could do. Vivian¡¯s offensive magic was terrible. A few bolts of lightning wouldn¡¯t do anything to raiders with enchanted gear. She couldn¡¯t use any large sweeping spells like a true combat mage, either. Putting anyone under a charm was also out of the question. Vivian racked her brain, but this was the best idea that she could come up with. Only a few raiders faltered when they heard her words. The rest didn¡¯t seem to care. Ultimately, whether it was Marco¡¯s gold or the fame of defeating an outlaw, everyone felt like they had something to gain from continuing this chase. ¡°Fine, we¡¯ll stop running.¡± Theo announced. ¡°But that doesn¡¯t mean we¡¯ll hand her over without a right.¡± One particularly hasty raider rushed in to attack Theo as he spoke. The outlaw parried his assailant¡¯s sword and stepped forward. A pained cry rang out as Theo cut into the man¡¯s arm. The other raiders hesitated and Theo kicked the injured man away. ¡°Now, any attacks will be met with lethal force.¡± He muttered coldly. The raiders glared at him, but they didn¡¯t back off. Some actually seemed more excited than ever. By this point, Theo, Mavis and Vivian were completely surrounded. ¡°We can¡¯t get away, so there¡¯s no need to be hasty.¡± Theo continued. ¡°Everyone wants that gold, right? Instead of starting a brawl, let¡¯s settle this properly.¡± Taking their silence as tacit acceptance, Theo walked over to Mavis. ¡°This is the masked outlaw, the phantom of the first layer!¡± Mavis shrank a little more as the crowd stared at it with a mixture of amazement, wariness and greed. It really, really wanted to crawl under a rock. Mavis glanced at Theo and he surreptitiously winked, much like he had before blinding Yale and Galt. ¡°If anyone thinks they¡¯re worthy to challenge her, then step forward.¡± Most of the raiders were about to move, but Theo¡¯s next words gave them pause. ¡°Of course, this will be a fight to the death. You¡¯re battling an outlaw, after all.¡± The raiders stopped in their tracks. Most of them were just in this for the money. Five-hundred gold was a lot, but it wasn¡¯t worth their lives. While they evaluated this offer, Theo quietly passed a handful of light crystals over to Vivian. After sharing a meaningful look, Vivian began to overload them with mana. ¡°I¡¯ll challenge her.¡± A deep voice boomed out from within the crowd. The challenger strode up to Mavis with a savage grin. Mavis looked up at the towering man and shivered. After observing hundreds of raiders in the first layer, it had noticed that many of them fell under a set of archetypes. Mages like Vivian tended to wear lighter clothing and forgo close-combat. Mid-rangers like Theo were a mixed bag. They used one-handed weapons or bows and fought wherever they were needed. This man was definitely in the third category¡ªa vanguard. These people leveraged their naturally strong bodies to use two-handed weapons or plate armor. Sometimes both at once.If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. ¡°Everyone¡¯s making a big deal over nothing.¡± He boasted. ¡°I¡¯ll show you someone who¡¯s worth fearing.¡± The man brandished his hefty battle-axe and it began to glow with a strength enhancing aura. His tanned skin stretched to its limits as he flexed his muscles. Glittering chainmail covered his entire upper body while his lower half was protected by a mix of hardened leather and metal plates. Two wild brown eyes glared at Mavis, though they weren¡¯t quite as wild as his rust-colored mohawk. Unlike Vivian, his hair was actually dyed. Some raiders tried to play up their unique appearances or personalities to add to their fame. Judging by his overbearing attitude, this raider clearly subscribed to that strategy. Mavis shot a murderous look at Theo, which was impressive for a being that had no face. Theo glanced at Vivian and then leaned in towards Mavis. ¡°We just need a little more time.¡± He whispered. ¡°These guys are afraid of you, so try to act invincible.¡± ¡°¡­Fine.¡± Mavis¡¯s icy words were directed at Theo, but the burly man took them as a sign of approval. He chuckled as Mavis stepped forward. While the crowd¡¯s eyes were fixed on Mavis, Theo whispered to Vivian. ¡°Can you open a storage portal here? Preferably one large enough for us to fit through?¡± ¡°I can, but that magic is meant for inanimate objects. You¡¯ll die if you go inside and the backlash will hurt me as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, just open it and throw your crystals on my signal.¡± Theo turned back and grimaced as the burly man charged forward. Ideally, they would have finished without actually engaging in combat. His hope that no one would challenge Mavis because they feared death was na?ve. As the battle-axe swung down, Mavis didn¡¯t move. Everyone watched in shock as the axe blade cut deep into the slime¡¯s shoulder. The burly man tensed up, expecting some kind of retaliation, but Mavis simply laughed. ¡°Ha-ha-ha.¡± The tone was much drier than Nico¡¯s but it hit the same beats. Mavis reached for the axe, and the burly man hastily raised it. He breathed heavily, just like the rest of the crowd, as the slime¡¯s shoulder wound closed up instantly. Mavis was careful to not show any part of its uncolored insides. ¡°And it looks like you¡¯re out of time.¡± Theo announced. ¡°Vivian!¡± Vivian opened a portal wide enough to fit a person. This impressive display would have caused a stir, if the crowd hadn¡¯t been shocked into silence by Mavis. Vivian and Theo threw their overcharged light crystals into the air. The magic tools detonated on their own, blinding everyone who wasn¡¯t expecting it. When the light faded and the raiders¡¯ vision returned, they were staring at an empty patch of grass. Theo, Mavis and Vivian had vanished. ¡°Fuck!¡± ¡°They actually got away!?¡± ¡°Do we even want to chase after that thing?¡± ¡°Yea, five-hundred gold isn¡¯t worth it.¡± ¡°Double to capture her? Ha, I¡¯d rather fight monsters any day of the week.¡± ¡°What a waste of time.¡± ¡°Hey, I got a good story for the pubs. That¡¯s something.¡± ¡°¡­True.¡± The crowd muttered their opinions as they cleared out. After several minutes, the space around that patch of grass began to distort. For a brief moment, there was a pure black half-sphere where the trio had disappeared. Then, that darkness was sucked into an obsidian ankh resting in Theo¡¯s hand. With the illusion dispelled, anyone could see that they hadn¡¯t moved since their ¡®escape¡¯. ¡°Thank the divine¡­¡± Vivian said, breathing a sigh of relief. ¡°Too¡­close¡­scary¡­¡± ¡°Nice acting, Mavis.¡± Theo chuckled. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure what would happen for a moment.¡± ¡°Yea, that was amazing. But what is that magic tool?¡± Theo lifted the palm-sized ankh for Vivian to see. ¡°It creates an illusion that covers the user. Touching its boundary will disrupt the magic, which is why I told you two not to move. This was the last treasure that I found during the blood moon.¡± Mavis stared at the magic tool, but its hair lay flat. The slime didn¡¯t seem to approve of it. ¡°Good¡­right¡­now¡­but¡­hard¡­to use¡­in¡­future.¡± ¡°Yea.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°I wasn¡¯t sure when it would come in handy. Anyways, we should get out of here. The sun will be setting in a few hours, so let¡¯s try to find somewhere out of the way to camp. We don¡¯t want to run into any other raiders right now.¡± ¡°I¡­agree.¡± Mavis turned to Vivian, who was staring off into the forest. The crystal arch could barely be seen above the treetops. ¡°Vivi¡­you...ok?¡± ¡°I¡¯m worried.¡± Vivian admitted. ¡°But I¡¯m ok.¡± The trio left the deeper part of the forest and came across a cliffside. Theo couldn¡¯t guess how wide the canyon was, but it would be difficult to get around. There was a trail nearby that led to a sturdy wooden bridge. However, that bridge and the area around the canyon was shrouded in a thick white mist. This strange gas crawled up from the land beneath the cliff. Peering into the void, Theo could barely make out some large indistinct shapes that were moving slightly. They were so close together that he couldn¡¯t see anything else. It looked as if the entire world below was slowly breathing. ¡°That¡¯s the third layer.¡± Vivian explained. ¡°It¡¯s a dense jungle that spans the lowest section of this valley. No one can observe the third layer from above. They just see the mist and the jungle canopy.¡± ¡°What is this mist? Is it dangerous?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so. You see those ¡®things¡¯ down there? That¡¯s the canopy above the jungle. Apparently, some of those trees produce mist.¡± ¡°¡­We can¡¯t get down there from here, right?¡± ¡°Not unless you have a death wish. Everyone knows that scaling these cliffs is suicide. The only safe way into the third layer is at the end of these trails.¡± ¡°It¡¯s still a few days away.¡± Theo muttered. ¡°I was planning to stay in the second layer for a while, but we might want to hurry up and leave.¡± Vivian lowered her head. ¡°I¡­I¡¯m sorry about that. You two shouldn¡¯t have gotten caught up in my problems.¡± ¡°It¡­ok.¡± Mavis patted Vivian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You¡­friend. Don¡¯t¡­understand¡­everything¡­but¡­we¡­close. Want¡­help you.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re staying with us, then you¡¯ll be going from hell to another.¡± Theo reminded her. ¡°But, that¡¯s up to you.¡± Theo couldn¡¯t help but think about how incredibly useful Vivian would be. If he was still following Ravens¡¯ creed, then he would have stopped at nothing to convince her. Now, though, Theo wanted to let Vivian make the final call. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­think about it tonight.¡± Vivian muttered. Exhaustion seeped through her words like mist leaking from the valley. Near that cliffside was a steep rocky incline. Climbing it would lead further up the Heaven¡¯s Spire mountains. There were plenty of monsters that only lived in these upper areas. One such species had carved out a place for themselves within this mountain biome. Literally. Lindworms were a mix between a giant serpent and a bipedal drake. They spat acid that turned rocks into paste and used their two powerful claws to shape their dens. Adults grew over four meters long, which meant that a lindworm¡¯s cave was large enough to accommodate one or two humans. After Theo, Mavis and Vivian cleanly dispatched one of these monsters, they put that theory to the test. The result was an uncomfortably cozy, but secluded, camping spot. Theo and Mavis fell asleep almost instantly. The day¡¯s events had worn them out. Vivian stayed up a little longer. Ever since she¡¯d left Marco, Vivian could feel a gnawing fear in the pit of her stomach. Paradoxically, as she lay on the stone ground and listened to Mavis¡¯s light snoring, she also felt more relaxed than she had in years. This warm feeling eventually lulled her to sleep. Chapter 20 - You Cleaned Up In this world, what was the difference between humans and monsters? Humans lived under the rule of law. They fulfilled their responsibilities and paid their debts to the community that housed them. Monsters were shameless animals. They fought and killed with abandon, only focusing on their own goals. When humans lost out to their primal, unfilial desires, they risked becoming the creatures that they looked down upon. This was a theory that Vivian had read multiple times. She had been raised by Brightstone as a living treasure. They would obviously place a great importance on her education. She had been forced to read mountains of books about history, the natural sciences, and the place humans have in the world. When Vivian thought about these teachings, she felt her gnawing anxiety grow. Theo and Mavis were trying to become human, in one form or another. They both wanted to reach the surface and enter society. However, what was she doing? Vivian had her place, and she abandoned it. Rather than heading for the surface, she was looking towards the dungeon¡¯s depths. She was becoming a monster. Ultimately, the path that Vivian had chosen was incompatible with what she¡¯d been taught growing up. Theo had meant it in a more literal sense, but Vivian did feel like she was going from one hell to another. Even so, she couldn¡¯t turn back now. In the lindworm¡¯s cave, Vivian tossed and turned restlessly. The mage¡¯s troubled dreams ended abruptly as someone shook her awake. Eyelids fluttering, she opened her mouth to yawn only to have a hand clamp across it. Vivian¡¯s blood ran cold as she stared at the person kneeling in front of her. ¡°Don¡¯t make a sound. Get out of the cave.¡± Marco ordered in a low growl. ¡°Now.¡± In her surprised half-asleep state, Vivian quietly obeyed him. She followed Marco out of the cave while Theo and Mavis slept. Once they were a safe distance away, Marco turned to glare at Vivian. ¡°I put down a lot of money just to get you back. But when those raiders returned, they said that you ran away on your own. You even claimed that you weren¡¯t kidnapped.¡± ¡°H-How did you even find me?¡± Marco pulled up his sleeve to reveal a faintly glowing sigil. It was in roughly the same place as Vivian¡¯s. Her sigil depicted a polished rock, marking her as an orphan from Brightstone. Marco¡¯s depicted a rock that was covered by a hand. ¡°Because I own you.¡± He seethed. ¡°This sigil is connected to yours. It gives me a rough idea of where you are and lets me know that you¡¯re still alive.¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes widened. The people at Brightstone hadn¡¯t told her about that. ¡°I was going to let you stay with those two for a few days. Once my father brought some veterans, then we could use your sigil to hunt that slime down. But you¡¯re actually running away? Are you insane!?¡± Marco ground his teeth while Vivian looked away. ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian started, but she trailed off. ¡°You¡¯re coming with me.¡± Marco grabbed her by the wrist. He tried to pull Vivian, but she didn¡¯t budge. For the first time that morning, she properly met his gaze. ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡± ¡°You¡­¡± Marco tightened his grip. ¡°I thought I was done with this after those three died. No, I¡¯ll never be done with it. You people just keep questioning my authority. I know how everyone looks at me, even back at home. But you¡¯re mine and you will do what I say!¡± Vivian tried to pull away, but Marco grabbed her other arm. Panicking, Vivian channeled some mana into her hands. The mage¡¯s palms sparked as a lightning bolt began to form. ¡°You¡¯re scaring me! Get off!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t tell me what to do! You don¡¯t have the right!¡± Suddenly, a gust of wind crashed into the pair. As they were knocked off balance, a blue tentacle wrapped itself around Vivian¡¯s waist and pulled her back. Vivian turned around to see Theo and Mavis standing behind her. The outlaw was scowling while the slime¡¯s tentacles twitched in a worried fashion. ¡°Vivi¡­you¡­ok?¡± Mavis asked. ¡°Yea.¡± ¡°You two¡­¡± Marco muttered as he picked himself up. ¡°Just wait. There¡¯s plenty of veterans who will be interested in hunting down a talking slime. The next time you see me, I¡¯ll-¡± *Shunk* A dagger flew past Vivian and buried itself in Marco¡¯s leg. The portly raider fell over and started to scream. Vivian and Mavis stared at Theo in shock, but his expression hadn¡¯t changed since they arrived. Lips curled in a resigned grimace, Theo stepped towards Marco. ¡°Ever since you ran away when we were fighting Nico, I was worried about this. Frankly, I¡¯ve been worried about this ever since I met Mavis.¡± Theo turned back to Vivian and his scowl lifted for a short moment. ¡°You don¡¯t have any memory-altering magic, do you?¡± Vivian silently shook her head and the scowl returned. ¡°Then we have two options. Either he lives, and we spend the rest of our lives being chased. Or, he dies.¡± Vivian shuddered. Amidst her own worries, she had forgotten that Marco knew about Mavis. If he got back to a city, then the news would surely spread. It would be na?ve to assume otherwise. He would gather veterans and chase them through the dungeon. Even if Theo and Mavis returned with a worthy treasure, they would never be able to live peacefully. Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings. ¡°Y-You can¡¯t do that!¡± Marco yelled. He tried to back away, but the pain in his leg kept him in place. ¡°I don¡¯t want to, but we might not have a choice.¡± ¡°Theo¡­kill¡­humans¡­bad.¡± ¡°Then do you have a better idea, Mavis?¡± ¡°No¡­but¡­¡± The slime trailed off as it hesitated. Theo was hesitating too. As a student of Ravens, killing was the first thing that came to his mind. Theo had a lot of experience fighting people, but he had never killed anyone before. He was hoping that one of his companions would offer an alternative. If they didn¡¯t, Theo realized that he would have to prepare for the worst. Mavis didn¡¯t want to hurt people. The slime held a natural sympathy for other living things. However, it couldn¡¯t admonish Theo for suggesting murder. After all, Mavis had already killed one human to protect its secret. The situation was different, but the problem hadn¡¯t changed. When Mavis looked deep within itself, the slime realized that it wasn¡¯t wholly against this solution. A colder, more rational side of itself knew what had to be done. This epiphany worried Mavis. Even though it cared for others, maybe a monster could only care so much? ¡°Theo¡­Vivi¡­you are¡­human.¡± Mavis stepped past Theo. ¡°Humans¡­not¡­human¡­prey. But¡­I am¡­not¡­human.¡± Marco redoubled his efforts to run as several blue tentacles rushed towards him. The slime trapped its prey effortlessly. Just as Mavis began to tighten its grip, a lightning bolt tore through its ¡®hair¡¯. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you two!¡± Vivian shouted. ¡°Mavis, if you¡¯re trying to live as a human then you can¡¯t treat yourself like a monster.¡± While Mavis was reeling from the effects of the lightning, Vivian pivoted towards Theo. ¡°The same goes for you. If that¡¯s how you think, then that brand is the least of your problems!¡± After worrying all night about becoming a monster herself, Vivian couldn¡¯t bear to watch these two ruin their own efforts. In a moment of desperation, Vivian had thought about killing Marco herself. However, Vivian knew from the bottom of her heart that it was the wrong answer. For her, the decision was that simple. After reaching such an obvious conclusion, Vivian realized that she had found a solution to her other problem. ¡°I know what I¡¯m going to do.¡± Vivian walked over to Marco and wrapped her hand around Theo¡¯s dagger. She pulled it out and healed him while he howled in pain. Marco looked up at her, panting heavily. His expression showed uncharacteristic feelings of relief and gratitude. ¡°That¡¯s¡­good.¡± He wheezed. ¡°You know who your master is.¡± ¡°I do.¡± Vivian nodded. The mage opened up her storage portal and tossed a sword at Marco. This was the same sword that he¡¯d thrown when they fought Nico. It sprung to life in mid-air and dove into the portly raider¡¯s hands. Vivian frowned slightly. Out of all the things that Marco regarded as tools, this was the only one that was truly loyal to him. This sword had nearly chopped off Theo¡¯s hand when he tried to retrieve it. After that, it was through no small effort that Vivian managed to coax it into her storage. ¡°I¡¯m going further into this dungeon.¡± Marco stopped looking at his sword and stared at Vivian. ¡°You paid a lot of money to get me, and so I¡¯ll pay it back. After I do, neither you nor Brightstone can say anything against me.¡± ¡°Y-You can¡¯t do that!¡± Marco sputtered. Vivian shook her head. ¡°I don¡¯t think you want to argue about this. I¡¯m offering a plan ¡®B¡¯. Plan ¡®A¡¯ would be a lot less pleasant.¡± Marco opened his mouth and then paused. After a moment, he clamped his jaw shut and ground his teeth. ¡°Also, I don¡¯t want you to tell anyone about Mavis.¡± ¡°Fucking bitch! You think you can order me around?¡± This time, it was Vivian who clenched her teeth. The mage placed a hand on Marco¡¯s forehead and uttered a short chant. Marco recoiled as the world around him fell away. Darkness swept him up, crushing the raider beneath an unseen pressure. Marco strained to open his eyes but he immediately wished that he hadn¡¯t. Countless eyes stared at him within the void. The pressure suddenly tripled and Marco let out a strangled cry. After what felt like an eternity, he woke up. The portly raider found himself lying near Vivian. This illusion was caused by Vivian¡¯s charm spell. Charm was a relatively low-level spell in the domination school. It allowed the caster to trap their target in an illusory world. Specific objects or scenes could only be created by stronger spells, but charm could crush its victim¡¯s will beneath strong feelings. In this case, Vivian focused on the feeling of ¡®being watched¡¯. Marco flinched as she glared at him coldly. The effects of charm were completely temporary, but it was still a harrowing experience. ¡°I¡¯ll repay you.¡± Those three words essentially repeated what Vivian had said earlier. However, Marco couldn¡¯t see them in such a simple way. If he caused trouble for Mavis, then Vivian would repay it. Marco knew that now. ¡°Y-Y-You people are fucking crazy!¡± Marco yelled as he ran off. ¡°If you want to die in the third layer then go ahead!¡± Vivian watched him go. She sighed in relief when he disappeared into the forest. Theo coughed as he approached her. ¡°Um, thank you. Mavis and I were scared and we got carried away. I¡¯m glad you were here to stop us.¡± ¡°Thank¡­you.¡± Mavis parroted. The slime rushed forward and hugged Vivian. ¡°¡­Friend.¡± ¡°I¡­I¡¯m also glad to be here.¡± Vivian replied. As they separated, the slime¡¯s hair began to twitch. For a moment, Theo and Vivian thought that it was shivering. ¡°Hahaha!¡± Then Mavis began to laugh. Theo blinked. He couldn¡¯t remember Mavis laughing before. The outlaw found himself smiling. As expected, Mavis¡¯s laughter was even more pleasant than its normal voice. ¡°I¡¯ll¡­repay¡­you.¡± It repeated Vivian¡¯s line with a mocking degree of seriousness. ¡°Very¡­scary¡­not¡­like¡­Vivi¡­at all.¡± ¡°H-Hey! I was intimidating him to save you.¡± Vivian blushed as Mavis nodded. ¡°I¡­know. Thank you.¡± - - - Marco scrambled through the forest, sword in hand. No matter how quickly he ran, Marco felt that he couldn¡¯t get away from those three fast enough. Fortunately, all was not lost. Marco¡¯s father had likely received his message, which meant that a team of veterans would enter Naraka within the week. Marco grinned. It didn¡¯t matter where Vivian was going. With that slime as a prize, his father would chase her through the fourth layer or even beyond it. A talking monster was simply that valuable. While Marco was lost in his thoughts, a shadow jumped out from the darkness. Even if he had been fully alert, Marco wouldn¡¯t have been able to react before the figure kicked his stomach. The portly raider was sent flying. *Crack* Air evacuated Marco¡¯s lungs as he slammed into a tree. Wheezing in agony, he poured mana into his sword. The enchanted blade lifted his arm to strike at its master¡¯s assailant, but it was caught between the figure¡¯s fingers. ¡°A sword that controls its wielder. How little faith do your parents have in you?¡± The figure¡¯s gloves glowed with a strength-enhancing enchantment. In an instant, the blade was snapped in two. Marco stared dumbly as the light in his sword vanished. ¡°Anyways, I need to ask you something.¡± The figure leaned forward and took out a storage crystal. A crushed emerald hawk flopped onto the ground. ¡°Is this the only message you sent?¡± Marco nodded wordlessly. ¡°Good.¡± *Fwish* The portly raider never saw his assailant¡¯s weapon. The dagger was drawn and used before he could even process it. Dark red blood dribbled down Marco¡¯s neck and soaked into his tunic. This mess didn¡¯t extend to the raider¡¯s head because it was currently lying at his feet. Meanwhile, the figure had already retreated before any blood could reach him. ¡°That kid is still too soft¡­Forcing me to clean up his mess. Right from the very start, nothing has gone as planned.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Of course, that¡¯s not a bad thing. I wasn¡¯t expecting to profit much from this venture. Now though¡­¡± The semi-transparent figure sheathed his dagger. He looked past the woods, gazing at the white mist flowing from the third layer. ¡°I need to hurry up and bring my real body.¡± Extra 1 - Theo, Nico & Vivians Equipment
  1. Bronze: Enchantment barely noticeable.
  2. Silver: Simple, but potentially useful, enchantments.
  3. Gold: Powerful and versatile enchantments.
  4. Platinum: Enchantments that are equally rare and potent. Even veterans only have one or two, if any.
  5. Legendary: Most raiders will never see one in their lifetime. Can create significant and permanent changes to the world when used.
Note: So far, we¡¯ve only seen the effects of one platinum-tier enchantment. Where was it? ?? Equipment Notes: Theo:
Low-Grade Daggers (Bronze) Drop Info: Found in maze. Description: They cut slightly better when mana is channeled into them. That''s about it.
Sovereign¡¯s Boots (Gold ¨C defective) Drop Info: Red-Crested Sovereign Description: Grants the owner a significant burst of speed. Because they''re defective, the exact amount varies every time they are used. These boots are difficult to use and very dangerous.
Golem¡¯s Wooden Vambraces (Silver) Drop Info: Wood Golem Description: Features a wooden guard that can grow into a small shield. Channeling mana into these vambraces boosts defense.
Windcaller Cloak (Gold) Drop Info: Razor BatSupport the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Description: Move your limbs to drastically affect the surrounding air. Larger movements require more mana, but the effect is greater.
Talisman of Deception (Silver) Drop Info: Shadowstalker Spider Description: Creates an illusion around its owner. Touching the magic will disrupt it.
Hunter¡¯s Cross (Silver) Drop Info: Dire Wolf Description: This necklace can change into a sword at a moment¡¯s notice. Convenient for deceiving others. Unfortunately, the weapon itself has no unique properties.
Nico:
Beast¡¯s Claw (Gold) Drop Info: Dire Wolf Description: Gloves that turn into monstrous claws. They also greatly enhance their owner¡¯s arm strength and speed.
Druid¡¯s Cloak (Gold) Drop Info: Forest Guardian (Boss) Description: Allows owner to control and warp nearby plants. This ability is powerful, but it requires close contact with the ground to use.
Druid¡¯s Trousers (Gold) Drop Info: Forest Guardian (Boss) Description: Allows owner to enter trees and teleport to their adjacent kin. Can¡¯t be used in quick succession.
Quake Boots (Silver) Drop Info: Heaven¡¯s Spire Deer Description: Channel mana into these boots and stomp the ground to create a powerful shockwave.
Recall Feather (Silver) Drop Info: Various Birds Description: Drops in pairs. Break one feather and you will teleport to the other. Different feathers will fail to perform at different distances. This effect can only activate inside of a dungeon.
Note: Nico lost most of his gear during a disastrous trip to the fourth layer. All of his current equipment comes from the second layer. Vivian:
Graduate¡¯s Robes (Bronze) Drop Info: Magic Academy Description: Contains a weak enchantment that passively improves mana recovery. More of a status symbol than a legitimate piece of gear.
Beholder¡¯s Seventh Eye (Gold) Drop Info: Void Guardian (Boss) Description: Locks onto a target and allows the user to ¡®see¡¯ their strength. More information is revealed as the target performs actions. Attributes of livings things such as speed, toughness, etc can be discovered. Enchantments and magical affinities may also be revealed. Can predict the target¡¯s actions in the near future.
Chapter 21 - Youre Stronger Than You Think ¡°Ok, Mavis. The best thing about cooking is that it can be as simple, or as complicated, as you want it to be.¡± A featureless blob of slime stared at Theo. It lengthened slightly and then bobbed up and down. Mavis was nodding. ¡°Things are naturally more difficult when you¡¯re raiding, but the principle is the same. It¡¯s best to start out simple.¡± Theo picked up a spherical sea-blue crystal. Lighter shades of blue shifted within it like flowing waves. He held the crystal above an iron pot. As Theo filled it with mana, water began to pour out of the palm-sized ball. When the pot was mostly full, Theo put it back down. The outlaw stared at Mavis, his expression taut. ¡°Today you¡¯re going to learn how to boil water.¡± The blob shuddered with excitement. While Theo taught Mavis about water crystals and flame crystals, Vivian was kneeling several meters away. Her eyes were bloodshot as she stared at the green cloak and mask in front of her. Placing her hands on the cloak, Vivian¡¯s fingers began to glow as she worked. By the time Mavis had brought a pot of water to boil, Vivian was hanging her head in defeat for the umpteenth time. The mage¡¯s frustration began four days ago, on the morning after she¡¯d threatened Marco. As they prepared to leave the lindworm¡¯s cave, Mavis had a complaint. ¡°Cloak¡­broken. Uncomfortable.¡± Uncomfortable was putting it mildly. After taking an axe to the shoulder, the slime¡¯s green cloak had a massive hole in it. The woven fabric continued to tear as they travelled, exacerbating the problem. By this point, part of the cloak was constantly slipping off¡ªforcing Mavis to hold its shoulder like a stripper preparing to undress. ¡°You have a normal shirt underneath.¡± Vivian pointed out. ¡°It hides less, but your disguise should still hold up.¡± ¡°Like¡­cloak.¡± ¡°Why do you wear that thing, anyway?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Same with that mask. They look¡­intimidating. But is that what you want?¡± ¡°Mask¡­and¡­cloak¡­both¡­good.¡± The slime paused for a moment, its hair waved slightly. ¡°Good¡­like¡­pendant.¡± ¡°This?¡± Vivian pointed at her cat¡¯s eye pendant. ¡°And¡­Theo¡­cloak.¡± Theo looked at his tan cloak quizzically. ¡°Raiders¡­happy¡­when¡­find¡­good¡­gear. Keep¡­because¡­that.¡± Theo and Vivian stopped walking. They stared at Mavis and the slime cocked its head. Swallowing his disbelief, Theo stepped forward. ¡°Your cloak and mask are enchanted? I mean, you found them in Naraka, so of course they are¡ªbut they¡¯re on par with Vivian¡¯s pendant?¡± Mavis nodded. ¡°There¡¯s something weird about that.¡± Vivian said, her features twisting in a concerned expression. ¡°Mavis, did you ever actually appraise my pendant?¡± ¡°¡­No. Don¡¯t know¡­how.¡± ¡°Then how do you know they¡¯re on the same level?¡± ¡°Pendant¡­feel¡­strong.¡± Theo and Vivian blinked in unison. Many raiders disliked fighting other humans because their enemy¡¯s strength was difficult to gauge. Enchantments could be evaluated through appraisal, but that required physical contact and concentration. Even minor appraisals were impossible to perform during a fight. This was why Vivian¡¯s cat¡¯s eye was so valuable. Very few pieces of equipment could give a raider information on their enemy. ¡°So, a slime¡¯s magical sight can ¡®sense¡¯ enchantments.¡± Vivian reasoned. ¡°You can even differentiate between strong and weak ones. There¡¯s less information than a minor appraisal, but it¡¯s an incredible ability.¡± ¡°More importantly, that means your cloak and mask have gold-tier enchantments.¡± Theo added. ¡°Gold? Like¡­coins?¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s a different kind of gold. Enchantments have four levels of strength: bronze, silver, gold and platinum. Bronze is weak, like my daggers. Silver is decent, but simple¡ªlike my vambraces. Gold enchantments are very powerful. Everyone dreams of having a full set of gold gear. Platinum is too rare to even dream about.¡± Mavis¡¯s hair twitched as it felt a light go off in its head. The slime had heard raiders throw those terms around in the first layer. However, it had never been able to understand them. Obviously, raiders wouldn¡¯t explain these metrics to each other. While the slime had its epiphany, Theo sighed inwardly. Platinum gear could only be found in the fourth and fifth layers of Naraka. Going there would be difficult, but it was a necessary step if he wanted freedom. Theo couldn¡¯t offer anything less for his crimes. ¡°Mavis, let Vivian appraise your clothes.¡± The slime dutifully handed its cloak over to Vivian, but it hesitated to take off its mask. ¡°No¡­show¡­face.¡± ¡°What?¡± The mage exclaimed. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Not¡­good¡­mimic¡­bad.¡± After some arguing, Mavis returned to its blob form and gave Vivian the mask. Vivian placed her hands on the cloak first. Frowning, she moved her hands over to the mask. Her brow furrowed. The genuine version of this novel can be found on another site. Support the author by reading it there. ¡°Disgusting.¡± ¡°What?¡± Theo and Mavis asked together. ¡°These things are beyond defective. Activating them is impossible. I can¡¯t even guess what their enchantments do.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­odd.¡± Theo muttered. ¡°No, I¡¯d say it¡¯s completely expected. The first layer mostly produces bronze-tier enchantments. When high-quality gear drops in a low-quality area, the dungeon frequently messes with the enchantment to compensate. For gold-tier treasures found in the first layer¡­I¡¯m only surprised they haven¡¯t ripped themselves apart or exploded.¡± ¡°That¡­happen?¡± Mavis¡¯s blob form shook like water in an earthquake. ¡°If you try to channel mana into them, it might.¡± The slime began to back away and Vivian hastily added. ¡°-But you¡¯ll be fine if you wear them normally.¡± Mavis continued to hesitate, but when Vivian held the items out, it took them. ¡°I can work on them in our spare time. Fixing them completely would be tough, but I might be able to make them useable.¡± ¡°You can do that?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Objects enchanted by a dungeon are fundamentally the same as objects enchanted by a mage. Though, they¡¯re usually much more complex. Fixing defective enchantments is like untying a mess of knots.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t tell if that¡¯s easy or hard.¡± ¡°If it were easy, then mages would buy every piece of defective gear and sell them back at a profit.¡± ¡°¡­Fair enough.¡± ¡°Also, those boots you¡¯re wearing are defective, right? I noticed when we were fighting Nico. My first priority should probably be to make Mavis¡¯s gear usable, but I can tune your boots if you¡¯d like. They¡¯ll become more consistent at the cost of some speed.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a win-win. Thanks.¡± ¡°Thank you¡­Vivi.¡± Vivian smiled as she was praised. Enchanting had been her favorite subject in the academy. Under different circumstances, Vivian would have likely become a mage that specialized in enchantments. The cushy life of a researcher was something she daydreamed about frequently. Therefore, Vivian was very excited to study a pair of extremely rare defective enchantments. Four days later, that excitement had extinguished. Academic curiosity retreated while frenzied stubbornness took its place. Untangling knots had been a bad metaphor. These two enchantments were like handling a cluster of temperamental snakes, each of which would hiss and spit when moved. So far, Vivian couldn¡¯t tell what the enchantments did, let alone fix them. At the very least, she had been able to sew up the gash on Mavis¡¯s cloak. Most raiders didn¡¯t carry those kinds of tools, but being a human storage crystal had its advantages. ¡°Water¡­boiling!¡± Mavis cried out. ¡°Great job.¡± After flashing a thumbs up, Theo turned to look at Vivian. ¡°I¡¯ll prepare breakfast myself, so why don¡¯t you practice grammar with Vivian?¡± ¡°Eh? Can¡­help¡­cook.¡± ¡°I-It¡¯s best to take things one step at a time¡­¡± ¡°Lying.¡± ¡°Fine. To be brutally honest, today is very important and we can¡¯t risk another food-poisoning incident.¡± Theo knew that Mavis¡¯s intelligence was on par with a human¡¯s. However, its lack of common sense made certain tasks difficult. While they hunted like predators, all slimes were omnivores. Their cores secreted a digestive fluid that allowed them to absorb almost any food without waste. Even though Mavis could taste, it didn¡¯t have a sense of what was edible and what wasn¡¯t. For a species that was sometimes called ¡®the dungeon¡¯s janitor¡¯, this was to be expected. Despite its efforts during the past four days, Mavis still hadn¡¯t surpassed the first ¡®meal¡¯ that it had made for Theo back in the first layer. The slime crawled over to Vivian and they began to sulk together. Meanwhile, Theo sighed and started cooking. He knew they would need a lot of energy to tackle the third layer. Once they ate and packed up, the jungle would only be a few hours away. Theo glanced at the mist pouring out of a ravine near their campsite and frowned. He would have preferred to stay in the second layer for a couple more weeks. Ultimately, their goal in the second and third layers was to gather as much gold-tier equipment as possible before moving into the fourth. Right now, though, even silver gear would be useful. The problem was their reputation. All of the raiders that had witnessed Vivian¡¯s ¡®kidnapping¡¯ were bound to remember the trio¡¯s faces. In fact, the legend of the phantom had already spread significantly over the past four days. Walking on trails was now thoroughly impossible. Even hunting in the forests and mountains risked starting another manhunt. Theo, Mavis and Vivian had been forced to quickly and quietly rush into the third layer. ¡°Ok, let¡¯s go.¡± Theo announced as they broke camp. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe I¡¯m going to the third layer.¡± Vivian muttered. Her lips rose in a nervous smile. ¡°Disguise¡­good.¡± Mavis said. The slime copied Theo¡¯s earlier thumbs up in its new and improved human form. With Theo and Vivian¡¯s help, Mavis¡¯s mimicry had reached a new level of competency. It could create a complete human form in under twenty minutes, which was a major improvement from its hour-long transformations in the first layer. Theo hadn¡¯t missed that the slime¡¯s new form was noticeably more feminine. Mavis¡¯s voice and long black hair were the main reasons why he¡¯d always called it a ¡®she¡¯. Now, despite technically being genderless, there was no question that the its body was a woman¡¯s. The slime¡¯s skin was paler than Vivian¡¯s, but it had a certain luster that gave the impression of an otherworldly beauty. A simple black shirt and a pair of trousers showed a glimpse its lithe frame from beneath its trademark cloak. While the slime¡¯s new form was certainly curvier, it hadn¡¯t grown to match Vivian¡¯s proportions. Just like when it had used Theo¡¯s limbs as a reference, Mavis seemed to be passing that information into some unknown template. Their journey to the third layer¡¯s threshold was uneventful, mainly because there was barely any distance to travel. When they were several dozen meters away, mist began to snake along the ground. The milky vapor grew thicker and thicker as they continued. Soon, Theo could just barely make out the silhouetted mouth of a massive cave. Its wideness didn¡¯t lose out to the one-way portal. Rows of human-sized stalagmites and stalactites lined the entrance to the cave. They created the unmistakable impression of a gargantuan maw waiting within the haze. ¡°If this mist is everywhere in the third layer, then visibility will be worse than the first.¡± Theo muttered. ¡°Apparently, it stays above the trees.¡± Vivian answered. ¡°We¡¯ll be blind inside this tunnel, but then it will clear up.¡± ¡°Good thing Mavis is here.¡± ¡°Leave¡­to¡­me.¡± They walked between the massive stalagmites and entered the path known as ¡®the devil¡¯s maw¡¯. As far as raiders were concerned, this cave was a part of the third layer. Historically, many raiders had tried to enter the valley jungle through other avenues. These people disappeared into the mist and were never heard from again. The only safe entrance was through this sloped tunnel. It was a world of silhouettes within the mist. Theo kept his hands near his daggers and glanced around warily, but the first leg of their journey went smoothly. The trio continued for a while until they heard the sounds of combat. Another party had encountered a monster. While he was distracted, Theo nearly tripped as the ground beneath his feet vanished. He saved himself by taking an elongated step. When the outlaw¡¯s boots touched the floor, he realized that the tunnel¡¯s slope had become significantly steeper. They could likely slide all the way down to the third layer¡ªif they had a death wish. ¡°The ground slopes hard up ahead, so watch yourself.¡± Theo ordered. ¡°There are monsters too, and they probably don¡¯t rely on sight.¡± ¡°What are we doing about those other raiders?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°Ignore them. Fortunately, they can¡¯t see our faces.¡± The trio continued at a much slower pace with Mavis leading the way. When they approached the embattled party, Theo made sure to give them a wide berth. Everything was going smoothly until Theo heard their voices. ¡°Nasser! Tarq! Box it in from the sides!¡± ¡°Ollie, light it up!¡± ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am.¡± A blazing fireball suddenly appeared above one figure¡¯s head. It shot through the mist, igniting a massive black spider several meters away. The two-and-a-half-meter tall monstrosity flailed around, but that didn¡¯t prevent an enchanted arrow from piercing its brain. The spider fell, but the four raiders didn¡¯t celebrate. Just from their silhouettes, Theo could tell that they were on guard. A woman approached the outlaw with raised hands and open palms¡ªa sign of peaceful intent. ¡°Hey there, I don¡¯t blame you for not helping. I mean, that fight was our business. But stalking around us without saying a word rubs me the wrong way.¡± Theo stared at the silhouette in shock. ¡°My name is Kaiya, what¡¯s yours?¡± Chapter 22 - You Caught Up After trekking through the wilderness for over a week, Theo had finally made it to Naraka. He was sleep deprived and hungry, but this wasn¡¯t the time to collapse. By coincidence, he¡¯d found a party to travel with at the dungeon¡¯s entrance. This arrangement lasted for a single day before Theo¡¯s brand was discovered. In the end, he had been left with nothing but his life in the darkness of the first layer. Needless to say, Theo did not have warm feelings towards these raiders. ¡°My name is Kaiya, what¡¯s yours?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Albert.¡± Theo replied. ¡°Bye.¡± The outlaw turned away and signaled for Vivian and Mavis to keep moving. The two looked at him oddly, but their body language was hidden by the mist. They reluctantly followed Theo while Kayia glared at them. ¡°That voice was kind of familiar.¡± Kaiya muttered after the trio left. ¡°Yea¡­¡± Ollie nodded, frowning. Their experience with Theo had been brief but memorable. None of them had ever seen an outlaw before him, let alone partied with one. On top of that, Theo¡¯s angry and desperate tone had stayed with them long after he¡¯d been left behind. They wouldn¡¯t forget it so easily. ¡°No¡­That¡¯s impossible.¡± Kaiya was the first to figure it out. She explained her discovery to the others and they had to agree¡ªthat voice matched the one in their memories. ¡°But how did he get this far?¡± ¡°And who are those girls?¡± Ollie and Tarq had reasonable questions, but Kaiya shook her head. ¡°Ultimately, we don¡¯t know for sure that this ¡®Albert¡¯ is Theo. But if we¡¯re right, then those two girls are in serious danger. He¡¯s probably piggybacking on their group, just like he did with us.¡± ¡°What do we want to do?¡± Nasser asked. ¡°If he¡¯s entering the third layer now, then I don¡¯t need to tell you how he got his gear.¡± Ollie¡¯s face paled as Nasser continued. ¡°We shouldn¡¯t get involved. He might attack us in retaliation.¡± ¡°And you¡¯re scared of an outlaw?¡± Kaiya countered. ¡°In a six versus one?¡± ¡°There¡¯s only¡­oh.¡± Kaiya¡¯s party could likely beat Theo on their own, but when Nasser counted the two girls, it painted a very bleak picture for the outlaw. ¡°These people aren¡¯t even human, Nasser. Not legally, anyway. If you saw a monster walking with two young girls, what would you do?¡± Nasser¡¯s expression was grim as he nodded. ¡°I understand.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± The party of four followed Theo, Mavis and Vivian down the steep tunnel. It didn¡¯t take long before they found the trio fighting another large arachnid. Kaiya¡¯s eyes narrowed as she saw Theo¡¯s silhouette use what were clearly daggers. Meanwhile, Theo was scowling. He wasn¡¯t sure if Kaiya suspected him, but their reappearance was worrying. Mavis stood off to the side while Theo and Vivian fought. The slime had already been told not to fight while other raiders were nearby. An arrow buried itself in the spider¡¯s leg, crippling it. Theo took advantage of this opening to slice through its head. He glared at Kaiya, who lowered her bow with a friendly smile. This expression¡¯s only purpose was to lighten her tone. No one could see her face in the mist. ¡°Our fights are none of your business.¡± Theo growled. ¡°You said something similar a few minutes ago, remember?¡± ¡°You¡¯re right.¡± Kaiya admitted. ¡°But we¡¯re travelling on the same path, so we may as well go together.¡± Theo wanted to refuse, but she was right. While this tunnel was wide, it wasn¡¯t wide enough for them to completely ignore each other. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s keep moving.¡± With Theo¡¯s tacit acceptance, Kaiya¡¯s group hustled to keep pace with them. Kaiya still wasn¡¯t sure if this man was the outlaw that she knew. First, she had to prove that her instincts were correct. ¡°You three are moving pretty fast. Shouldn¡¯t we slow down a bit?¡± ¡°No.¡± Theo replied. ¡°We¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°It¡¯s somewhat rare to see a party smaller than four, especially in the third layer. How did you three meet?¡± Theo kept walking as if he hadn¡¯t heard her. ¡°Spider¡­ahead.¡± Mavis warned while pointing at the ceiling. ¡°There.¡± Vivian threw out a lightning bolt and it was swallowed by the mist. In the next instant, a frenzied hiss rang out as a spider fell in front of the two parties. Theo rushed forward and flung his hand down. A pillar of wind crushed the monster in time with his movements. This action also pushed the mist away for a moment, which gave Kaiya an idea. Pulling Ollie aside, she quickly whispered her plan. The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon. ¡°When it dies, throw out a gust of wind towards Theo. If it¡¯s him, then you¡¯ll blow off whatever¡¯s covering his forehead and the mist before he can react.¡± Ollie nodded while Kaiya turned her attention to the fight. After calling Tarq and Nasser to assist Theo, she drew her bow and nocked an arrow. It was practically impossible to tell through the mist, but she was aiming at Theo. The ranger observed the fight while patiently waiting for it to end. Just as the spider died, Ollie cast a wind spell. This poorly-timed attack looked like a simple mistake and because Theo fought at close range, they could laugh it off as such. Ollie¡¯s hands shook as he sent the localized gale towards Theo¡¯s head. He knew that no one would be laughing if Kaiya¡¯s hunch was correct. And it was, of course, correct. Theo¡¯s headband¡ªa rag torn from his old cloak¡ªflew into the air. This magic also dispersed the mist, giving everyone a clear view of the black ¡®X¡¯ mark on Theo¡¯s forehead. Ollie, Tarq and Nasser each sucked in a nervous breath while Kaiya smirked slightly. ¡°So, you were that outlaw from the first layer.¡± Theo held his hands up, but he did not reply. Frowning, Kaiya turned to his companions. ¡°I know this must be a surprise, but you aren¡¯t safe with him. Either stand aside or help us confiscate his weapons.¡± To her surprise, the female mage walked over to Theo¡¯s side. Meanwhile, their other party member was nowhere to be seen. As mist rushed in to fill the space around Theo, he grinned. ¡°They know.¡± At the same time, all four members of Kaiya¡¯s group felt something tug on their legs. Hands grabbed them from an impossible angle and pulled the raiders down the slope. Kaiya¡¯s stomach lurched. This tunnel was incredibly steep and it only got steeper near the bottom. Once they started tumbling it would be impossible to stop. Kaiya grit her teeth and aimed at Theo. As she loosed an arrow, her bow suddenly swerved to the side. The ranger¡¯s pupils constricted as she stared at the silhouetted tentacle gripping her weapon. After a brief fight with gravity, Kaiya was sent tumbling while her bow was carried away. This helter-skelter fall mirrored her mental state. Why did that woman side with an outlaw? How did they react so quickly? These two questions were fairly easy to answer. First, the mage likely had a criminal background of her own. Second, they reacted quickly because Theo had recognized her group and expected this. However, these questions were nothing compared to her main worry. What grabbed us back there? This was something that Kaiya couldn¡¯t figure out. She had a sinking feeling that question would haunt her for many nights to come. When she reached the end of her long and painful fall, Kaiya glanced around at her teammates. All of them were groaning in pain and some bones had clearly been broken, but they were alive. Just before she breathed a sigh of relief, a terrifying thought flashed through her mind. ¡°Ollie, get up and heal everyone.¡± ¡°Uugh. Ok, I¡¯m on it.¡± ¡°Hurry, idiot! Just give everyone the minimum they need to stand.¡± ¡°Why are you panicking?¡± Nasser asked. ¡°Where are your weapons?¡± Kaiya replied. The three raiders looked themselves over and found that they were missing some equipment. Tarq had lost his battle-axe. Nasser¡¯s short sword was missing but his shield had followed him down the slope. Ollie, being a mage, never had any weapons to lose in the first place. He grinned for a moment until a gust of wind rustled his hair. The hat that he¡¯d gotten during the blood moon was gone. While they checked their gear, Kaiya reached for her relatively new backup weapon. She groped at nothing for a few moments and then screamed silently in her head. The dagger that she kept holstered at her side had been stolen. ¡°If those three get down here and fight us, we¡¯re dead.¡± Her companion¡¯s faces blanched when they heard this. They had only been trying to unmask an outlaw. In their imagined worst-case scenario, they would have taken some damage while subduing him. Seeing things go so wrong made their heartbeats skyrocket. ¡°We need to get out of here!¡± ¡°Hurry, Ollie!¡± ¡°I¡¯m working on it!¡± The instant everyone was able to move, Kaiya ordered them into the third layer. They would hide out for a while, and then return shamefully to the second layer. Losing five pieces of gold-tier equipment was bad enough, but four of those had been weapons. This incident would probably set them back several months. As she turned for a final glance at the mist-filled cave, Kaiya sincerely regretted ever meeting Theo. - - - Several minutes earlier, while Kaiya was suspecting ¡®Albert¡¯ of being Theo, the outlaw¡¯s party was walking further down the tunnel. ¡°Why are we walking so quickly.¡± Vivian complained. ¡°We can barely see. Isn¡¯t that dangerous?¡± ¡°I¡­keep¡­lookout.¡± Mavis replied confidently. ¡°Remember when I told you about a party that robbed me in the first layer?¡± Theo said, sighing. ¡°That was them.¡± After reconciling with Mavis, Theo had revealed the truth behind that incident. Though, he still hadn¡¯t explained how he became an outlaw. Theo was reluctant to tell them anything about Ravens because of his master¡¯s threat. When choosing between lying again and risking his teammates¡¯ safety, Theo ran away from the topic entirely. ¡°O-Oh. Did they notice you?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°Their leader has a talent for thinking the worst of people, so I wouldn¡¯t put it past her.¡± ¡°What do we do?¡± ¡°Our goal right now is to gather as much gold-tier equipment as possible. They¡¯re moving to the third layer, so they must have some good ones.¡± ¡°Can¡¯t¡­fight.¡± ¡°I¡¯m with Mavis. Not only would we lose, but stealing is just¡­¡± ¡°We won¡¯t attack them.¡± Theo shook his head. ¡°But if Kaiya recognizes me, then they will definitely attack us.¡± ¡°Spider¡­ahead.¡± Theo stopped and stared into the mist. After a few seconds, he drew his daggers. ¡°Ok, they¡¯re probably going to catch up. Mavis, I¡¯ve seen you move a lot of tentacles at once. Would it be possible to push Kaiya¡¯s group down this slope?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°Then watch them carefully. If they try to expose me, you should get ready to attack.¡± ¡°But¡­can¡¯t¡­show¡­slime.¡± ¡°They won¡¯t be able to see you. Unless the truth is right in front of them, most raiders will assume that your tentacles are the effect of an enchantment. You can do almost anything with magic, after all.¡± ¡°Ok.¡± ¡°Also, steal their weapons if you get the chance.¡± Vivian opened her mouth to argue, and then begrudgingly closed it. Stealing might be wrong, but these people were planning to harm them. Hypothetically, at least. Taking their weapons was the least violent option. Even though she was worried, Vivian deferred to Theo¡¯s judgement. Several minutes later, that turned out to be the right call. The mage, the slime and the outlaw listened carefully as the sound of tumbling raiders grew distant. Theo¡¯s plan had been a stunning success. Vivian was impressed by how smoothly everything had gone, but she wasn¡¯t the only one. ¡°Think¡­many times¡­before. Theo¡­think¡­good¡­quickly.¡± ¡°Yea.¡± Vivian echoed. ¡°I¡¯d even call it a talent.¡± ¡°Thanks, but¡­¡± Theo trailed off. ¡°If I couldn¡¯t think under pressure, then I would have died with my brothers.¡± Theo swallowed those words. ¡°¡­Mavis did well too.¡± He deflected. ¡°How many items did you steal?¡± ¡°This many!¡± The slime proudly held up five fingers. ¡°¡­We¡¯re teaching you about numbers tomorrow.¡± Vivian muttered. ¡°Vivian, please store them for now. We can check their enchantments later.¡± The mage did as she was told and opened up a portal. ¡°Oh, wait!¡± Theo exclaimed. He rushed over and retrieved Kaiya¡¯s dagger. After quickly appraising it, Theo smiled sadly. No one else reacted, though, because his expression had been lost in the mist. Theo felt conflicted, but he was undeniably relieved to have Ravens¡¯ weapon back. Chapter 23 - Youre in the Jungle Even though they were closely connected, each one of Naraka¡¯s layers felt like its own little world. The first layer was a dark and sinister labyrinth, the second was a sprawling mountain pass, and the third was a dense and humid jungle. Even more so than the others, the third layer felt like a world inside a glass bottle. The jungle¡¯s canopy combined with the mist to create an impenetrable shield. Light from the outside was trapped within the mist, which illuminated the entire third layer with its pale luster. There was no day and night cycle here, only a permanent dim atmosphere. The jungle¡¯s temperature worked in a similar way. Torrid air from the fourth layer rose into the third. It was then boxed in by the mist, creating a sweltering heat that couldn¡¯t be found in the first and second layers. These features gave the jungle an otherworldly feeling, which was only enhanced by the life within it. Moss-covered trees of every size snaked their way through the canopy. They were nothing like the straight and proud ironwoods from the second layer. Roots strangled the ground, rocks and even other trees as they competed for space. Branches stretched and bent in thoroughly unconventional ways, showing each tree¡¯s desperate struggle to thrive. The result of this incredibly slow-paced battle was terrain that could never be described as flat. There were no orderly pathways. Sometimes foliage blocked all routes forward, forcing raiders to travel through the canopy. This unconventional layout was one of the reasons why humans hated exploring the third layer. Without a flexible and experienced team, you were guaranteed to be fighting at a disadvantage. ¡°Here¡­kitty.¡± A set of whiskers twitched in response to Mavis¡¯s words. Two red eyes with thin dagger-like pupils glared at the masked slime. Mavis held out a hand and curled its fingers, beckoning the creature. The ¡®kitty¡¯ stood up, but it did not come forward. Instead, it bared its fangs and released a low growl. Moss panthers were not used to being approached by raiders. At least, not once they were seen. These monsters had thick pelts that bore an uncanny resemblance to the moss that grew on many of the third layer¡¯s trees. They would lie motionlessly for hours, waiting for prey to walk close enough to strike. Vivian had heard many tales of ¡®jungle assassins¡¯ dropping down on raiders from above, which made Mavis feel like there was some kinship between it and this panther. ¡°Kitty¡­come.¡± This time, the panther did come. It lunged forward with a ferocious yowl. Claws sped towards the slime, but they did not connect. ¡°Good¡­kitty.¡± A silver blade blocked the panther¡¯s claws while the slime slid past it. Mavis¡¯s ¡®hair¡¯ extended, wrapping around the beast¡¯s paw to pull it off balance. Another yowl rang out as Mavis plunged a second blade into the panther¡¯s side. The weapon erupted with orange light and then a wave of force knocked the slime¡¯s target away. A green blur crashed to the ground below the canopy, nearly hitting the two raiders who were standing nearby. ¡°Sorry¡­¡± Mavis leapt down to follow the panther, uttering a quick apology on the way. The beast¡¯s eyes opened wide as a mass of slime dropped on top of it. This killing technique was terrifyingly familiar for the ambush predator. Mavis finished off its prey without any difficulty. Once it was done, the slime turned to its companions. ¡°How is¡­that?¡± ¡°How was that.¡± Vivian corrected. ¡°Ah.¡± ¡°Very sloppy.¡± Theo admonished. ¡°There was no reason to push it away when you could have grappled it in the trees. Moving locations during a fight is only good when you¡¯ve planned ahead. Otherwise, you¡¯re just risking complications. Plus, using your weapon¡¯s ability wastes mana. ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m not happy with how you nearly crushed us, either.¡± ¡°Ack¡­¡± Mavis hung its head. In a flash of light, the slime¡¯s silver sword became a necklace. It wrapped the chain around its arm while using a tentacle to stab the other sword into its abdomen. The blade sank through the slime¡¯s faux flesh and came to rest beside its core. ¡°How were those swords?¡± ¡°Cut¡­good¡­but¡­a little¡­heavy.¡± ¡°You need to use articles and a subject when talking about something.¡± Vivian jumped in. ¡°The swords cut well, but they are a little heavy.¡± ¡°Ah.¡± Mavis nodded at Vivian and then turned back to Theo. ¡°That necklace is easy to carry, meanwhile Nasser¡¯s sword can repel anything that it touches. They aren¡¯t perfect, but you should use them to get comfortable with human weapons. Otherwise, you won¡¯t be able to fight when other raiders are nearby.¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± ¡°That said, you shouldn¡¯t neglect your body¡¯s advantages. We¡¯ll be practicing two fighting styles from now on. One human-oriented style and one that¡¯s mixes weapons with a slime¡¯s body.¡± ¡°Ugh¡­¡± Mavis could only nod its head. The slime had always been eager to learn, but now that it was stuck with two equally eager teachers, Mavis felt a little overwhelmed. Vivian could recognize the look of an overburdened student and so she decided to change the subject. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s check the kitty¡¯s core.¡± ¡°Stop teaching Mavis weird words.¡± Theo grumbled. ¡°With her voice, I can¡¯t help it¡­¡± While the pair of humans argued, Mavis examined the panther¡¯s corpse. Several tentacles twitched in delight as they retrieved a golden orb. Those same tentacles drooped slightly as Vivian taught it how to open a treasure core and perform a minor appraisal. They fell even further when Mavis was made to recite what it had learned from the appraisal in full sentences. Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. ¡°Black leather gloves. Make actions quieter and body lighter. Guessing silver-tier.¡± Vivian smiled approvingly and then appraised it herself. ¡°Stalker Gloves. They significantly dampen nearby sounds. It also reduces the owner¡¯s body weight, allowing them to step softly. Both effects require mana channeling. These gloves are on the upper end of silver-tier.¡± ¡°Oh, that¡¯s perfect!¡± Theo exclaimed. Mavis and Vivian looked at him quizzically. Their party didn¡¯t have any enchanted gloves, so these were definitely a welcome addition. Even so, their goal was gold-tier equipment. Specifically, gold-tier equipment that was suited for fighting monsters. These gloves were neither. ¡°Mavis, put these on. I¡¯ll show you something interesting.¡± As the slime donned its new gloves, something small dropped into its perception range. The slime whipped around to see the foreign object vanish into the ground. Another object appeared, then another, and then another. When it focused, Mavis realized that these were drops of water. Their speed had thrown it off. ¡°Rain?¡± Vivian breathed. ¡°In the third layer?¡± In the next instant, a deluge of warm and sticky rain fell on the trio. The sound of water pounded the ground, drowning out any other noise. Theo and Vivian immediately ran for shelter, but Mavis stood still. The slime shook as its senses were overloaded. Too many small objects were moving through its perception range. Too many distinct noises were clamoring for its attention. On top of everything, this was the first time Mavis had ever experienced water falling from the sky. ¡°Mavis!¡± A muffled voice wrenched the slime from its daze. Theo grabbed its hand and dragged it towards a hollow tree. Despite its lack of lungs, Mavis let out a sigh of relief. *Pshooo* Theo pulled the slime away as a three-meter area behind them suddenly exploded. For a brief moment, there was nothing there but upturned soil. Then, rain quickly reclaimed the space. ¡°What was that!?¡± Theo shouted over the deluge. ¡°Something¡­hit¡­ground!¡± Mavis yelled back. ¡°Shot¡­from¡­far away!¡± *Pshooo* Another ¡®something¡¯ crashed into the tree that Vivian was hiding in. She ran back into the rain as the tree¡¯s upper half began to fall. Seconds later, the five-meter wide springbark hit the ground. As Vivian rejoined Theo and Mavis, the slime transformed its necklace into a sword. The two humans noticed its reaction and prepared for an attack. Several sets of footsteps were just barely audible in the rain. The trio saw dozens of animals rush out of the jungle. None of them spared the raiders a glance. These monsters were clearly trying to escape from something. *Pshooo* Another tree splintered and fell. It wasn¡¯t difficult to guess what they were running from. The ground began to tremble in a steady rhythm. Mavis shuddered when it realized that these vibrations were coming from a monster. Something large enough to shake the entire jungle was heading towards them. ¡°Run!¡± Theo cried out. Mavis and Vivian didn¡¯t need any prodding. They ran as fast as they could through the twisting foliage. Visibility was poor, even for Mavis, but the trio didn¡¯t dare slow down. Anything that ambushed them would either be truly desperate or completely brainless. A dark green tentacle latched onto Vivian¡¯s arm. For a moment, she didn¡¯t react to the familiar sensation. Several more tentacles appeared and she was carried up into the canopy. Amidst the rain, Theo had completely missed this silent attack. Mavis grabbed his shoulder and shouted. ¡°Vivi¡­grabbed¡­above!¡± The slime didn¡¯t wait for Theo¡¯s reaction. It abandoned its human form and darted up a tree. A humanoid mass of slime crashed into the jungle¡¯s upper stratum. White and orange light flashed as its swords cut towards the tentacles holding Vivian. A jellified curtain swung down to block the weapons. ¡°Go¡­away!¡± Mavis roared. It used Nasser¡¯s sword to repel the green substance and extended its other arm to sever the tentacles. Vivian nearly panicked as another set of tentacles wrapped around her. Fortunately, the mage held her fire and let Mavis drop her onto a lower branch. Once it confirmed that Vivian was safe, Mavis turned towards her assailant. Two beings without eyes stared each other down. Mavis shuddered, despite itself. This was the first time it had ever felt small. A jungle slime¡¯s core produced slime at a much faster rate, allowing them to grow ten-times larger than ones in the first layer. However, size wasn¡¯t their only advantage. While a slime¡¯s ¡®intelligence¡¯ was just a bundle of instincts and reactions, jungle slimes were naturally more devious than their peers. Hiding their cores was one example of this. Another would be the way that they hunted. Like many third layer predators, they took full advantage of the canopy¡¯s twisted structure. Jungle slimes could be the moss on a tree, branches in the canopy or even vines that extended to ground level. With their extremely detailed shapeshifting and a sight radius of ten meters, these slimes were absolutely dreaded by raiders. Mavis took a fighting stance while green tentacles surrounded it from all sides. Rain continued to assault the canopy and it was interfering with the slime¡¯s magical sight. This was true for both monsters, but one was a human-sized target while the other was spread out across many branches. *Pshooo* Another tree fell with a mighty crash. Sensing danger, the jungle slime hastily moved the bulk of its mass to a new set of branches. Mavis took this opportunity to jump forward. It cut through a few tentacles before one wrapped around its arm. Mavis shredded the tentacle, only to have another coil across its waist. Once it had restrained its prey, the jungle slime leapt towards Mavis. In a panic, Mavis tried to activate Nasser¡¯s sword but it was too late. One slime swallowed the other. While slimes could eat almost anything, they were not cannibals. This wasn¡¯t out of a sense of kinship, it was just physically impossible. For a slime, the act of eating involved enveloping their prey with their body. This was also how slimes merged to form slime colonies. Just like eating and breathing, the two actions were mutually exclusive. When Mavis¡¯s core touched the other slime, it felt something stir deep within itself. This feeling was almost like a memory, but in real-time. While it was in the third layer¡¯s canopy, it was also somewhere else. Somewhere foreign. If it listened closely, it could hear a familiar voice. The slime¡¯s out of body experience only lasted for an instant as its partner pulled away. The jungle slime¡¯s core shook weakly. Rather than merging, it sensed that Mavis would have absorbed it one-sidedly. The jungle slime sped away while Mavis lay on a branch in a listless puddle. ¡°Mavis! Where are you?¡± Theo¡¯s voice barely carried into the treetops. ¡°Here!¡± Mavis yelled back. ¡°Hide up there and try not to move. That monster isn¡¯t after us, so just let it pass through!¡± Mavis felt that Theo was stating the obvious, considering the slime had just run away. *Phsooo* Then it remembered that he was talking about a different monster. The canopy shook as something truly enormous approached the slime. If Mavis had a heart, it would have stopped. Claws larger than a person tore at the earth, creating quakes with each step. Glistening purple scales rattled like plate armor. Despite its massive size, the serpentine monster wove through the trees like a fish in water. Seven heads hissed and spat with undisguised fury. One of them arched back and fired a projectile into a nearby springbark, felling it. Now that it was close enough, Mavis realized that these bullets were made of water. With four muscular legs and a snake-like body, it vaguely resembled the second layer¡¯s lindworms. Though, none of those pseudo-dragons had more than one head. With its limited vocabulary, Mavis couldn¡¯t know that this creature was a hydra. It was also one of the few ¡®boss¡¯ monsters in the third layer. That last fact became apparent as it stomped off. Once it was far enough away, the rain suddenly stopped. Mavis watched in horror as the deluge followed the hydra. What other title would be worthy of a being that kept a storm at its beck and call? Chapter 24 - You Went Slime Hunting Theo, Mavis and Vivian sat together in a hollow tree. There weren¡¯t many safe places to camp in the third layer and these elderly trees were prime real-estate. No matter how tired a raiding party was, they would usually have to fight something before they could rest. Fortunately, the hydra had scared most of the wildlife away during its rampage. No one knew exactly what had caused it to go berserk, but Vivian was able to confirm that it had been damaged slightly. In all likelihood, the hydra¡¯s aggressor was already dead. If not, then they would be soon. When a raider has a death wish, there are plenty of monsters to oblige them. ¡°So, let¡¯s review¡­¡± Theo¡¯s voice was devoid of enthusiasm. After escaping from that monstrosity, all of them felt a few years older. ¡°We rushed into the third layer to avoid whoever Marco hires. Veterans could still chase us down, but we probably have a week or two before that becomes an issue. If we want to survive, then we¡¯ll need to quickly improve our gear and head into the fourth layer.¡± Vivian bit her lip as she nodded. ¡°There are three things standing between us and the fourth layer. The first is obviously our equipment. Not counting Kaiya¡¯s bow, we only have nine pieces of gold-tier gear between us. Mavis¡¯s defective gear, my cloak, boots and dagger, Vivian¡¯s pendant, Nasser¡¯s sword, Tarq¡¯s battle-axe and Ollie¡¯s hat.¡± ¡°The second is teamwork. We don¡¯t know how to fight together and that will be a huge problem going forward. Honestly, I¡¯m not an expert at coordination but I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll improve over time.¡± ¡°The third will be tough¡­¡± Theo frowned slightly as he looked at Vivian. ¡°Vivian, how are you at mana cycling?¡± ¡°Ah¡­¡± Vivian¡¯s eyes wandered. ¡°¡­Not great.¡± ¡°Marco never gave you any extra gear, so I figured as much.¡± ¡°What¡­cycling?¡± Mavis asked. ¡°Mana cycling is when you channel mana into multiple enchantments at once. Theoretically, you could give an amateur a bunch of high-tier equipment and send him into a dungeon. The result would be a dead raider and an enormous loss of money. Managing a full set of enchantments can be extremely difficult, but it¡¯s a necessary skill in the lower levels.¡± ¡°So¡­Vivi¡­not¡­perfect.¡± The slime replied smugly. ¡°I-I never said that I was.¡± Because of her abysmal combat prowess, Vivian felt that she had been very forthcoming with her weaknesses. Mavis disagreed. After having its sentences corrected several times a day, Mavis felt that there was definitely a snooty academic hiding behind Vivian¡¯s meek fa?ade. ¡°Theo, how many can you handle?¡± ¡°Nine.¡± Vivian¡¯s jaw dropped. Considering a human could only wear so many things at once, nine was essentially the limit. Plenty of raiders would stop practicing after they could control seven or eight enchantments. ¡°I was specially trained for it. My experience as a raider is kind of lopsided, but I can definitely teach you two about cycling.¡± Theo turned towards Mavis. ¡°This is what I wanted to show you before the¡­hydra incident. Put on those gloves and try to activate your pendant.¡± Mavis did as it was told. Channeling mana into one enchantment was simple. A strange feeling of weightlessness assaulted the slime as the Stalker Gloves began to glow. Next, it focused on the pendant in its hand. Mana flowed out from the slime¡¯s core but it took conscious effort to force that energy into the pendant. After a few seconds of straining, the pendant began to emit light. ¡°I¡­did it!¡± Mavis exclaimed. It held a silver sword within its luminous gloves. ¡°Oh! You¡¯re a natural.¡± Theo praised it with a smile. Vivian clapped lightly but her expression was flat. ¡°Here¡¯s your next test.¡± Theo said. ¡°That pendant only requires a burst of mana to activate. Now, I want you to take out Nasser¡¯s sword and channel its repel effect.¡± Through some internal gymnastics, Mavis forced the sword out of its arm. It held the Blade of Dismissal, whose name had been discovered by Vivian¡¯s appraisal, and drew out some mana. Like before, it was able to pour mana into the blade by focusing. Mavis¡¯s connection to the Stalker Gloves was still there. That link felt strong, while its connection to the Blade of Dismissal was frail, as if any errant thought would sever it. Hair curling in annoyance, Mavis severed both links and recreated them. This time, it started with the sword and the results flipped. ¡°You really are a natural. But it will be tough to fight like that, right?¡± Mavis nodded. Its hair continued to twitch. ¡°With practice, you can make several links that are just as strong as your first. Until then, you won¡¯t be able to benefit from a full set of equipment.¡±If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation. Mavis blanched at the thought of adding more training to its routine, but it pushed those feelings aside. In a single day, they had already encountered two monsters that Mavis couldn¡¯t handle. The jungle slime had overpowered Mavis with its superior mass, meanwhile that hydra was simply in another league. Without more equipment, it was only a matter of time before someone was seriously injured¡ªor worse. Mavis wanted to avoid that at all costs. ¡°Back to our review. I don¡¯t know much about the third layer¡¯s structure¡­¡± Theo glanced at Vivian but she shook her head. ¡°We¡¯ll need to find the fourth layer¡¯s entrance at some point. This jungle is much smaller than the second layer, so we could potentially find it ourselves. Otherwise, we¡¯ll need to ask another party for help.¡± ¡°That might be a problem¡­¡± Vivian jumped in. ¡°But we won¡¯t be heading into the fourth layer immediately. What are we going to do right now? Should we just wander around and fight whatever jumps out at us?¡± ¡°Unless anyone has a better plan, yes.¡± ¡°Want to¡­find¡­slimes.¡± Mavis spoke up. The two humans stared at it. ¡°Why, exactly?¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± It trailed off. Mavis couldn¡¯t find the words. Describing how it had felt when the jungle slime merged with it was too difficult. There was definitely something about that process that was linked with Mavis¡¯s identity. If it could find another slime to merge with, then maybe Mavis would understand more about itself. ¡°Found¡­uh¡­something¡­strange¡­when¡­slime¡­uh¡­¡± Mavis shook its head. ¡°Point is¡­other¡­slime¡­can help¡­me¡­understand¡­what¡­I¡­am.¡± A heavy silence fell across the hollow. Mavis focused its senses away from Theo and Mavis. It wanted to probe the pair¡¯s expressions, but it was afraid. This really was an unreasonable and incomprehensible request. ¡°Well then, that will be our first priority.¡± Theo said. ¡°Let¡¯s do it.¡± Vivian agreed. ¡°I¡¯ll try not to get grabbed this time, haha.¡± If Mavis had eyes, they would have blinked slowly. ¡°Is¡­really¡­ok?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Theo replied calmly, as if there was nothing more to say. ¡°Thank you¡­both.¡± The party discussed this slime hunting plan for a while, then they ate and rested. Theo, Mavis and Vivian had travelled to the third layer, passed through the mist-filled devil¡¯s maw, wandered through the jungle and then survived their first encounter with a boss monster. It had been a long day. Even so, all of them were reluctant to sleep. Theo was practicing his dagger-throwing while working out a training regimen in his head. Vivian was busy deciphering the enchantments on Mavis¡¯s mask and cloak. Mavis was practicing mana cycling in its blob form, but it couldn¡¯t focus. The opportunity to learn more about itself was both exciting and worrying. For some reason, there was one specific worry that it couldn¡¯t shake. Was its origin something that should be pursued? Unfortunately, there was only one way to find out. - - - There was one simple, albeit risky, method for finding slimes in the first layer¡ªJust keep walking until one drops on your head. The third layer¡¯s equivalent was naturally¡ªJust keep touching things until one of them tries to eat you. Branches, moss, vines, a jungle slime could be any of these things and they would act out their roles with a frightening level of patience. Mavis strained its magical sight to the limit as they trekked through the jungle, but so far, their search had been fruitless. Then, a few hours into the start of their second day, it finally happened. Water from the previous day¡¯s downpour had collected on a nearby leaf. A breeze shook that overburdened leaf, causing a few drops of water to fall onto a vine below the canopy. Mavis noticed this vine squirm slightly as it was assaulted by the cold liquid. ¡°There¡­slime!¡± Mavis cried out. As they moved to surround it, the vine began to writhe wildly. *Bang* A loud crackling noise rang out from the canopy. *Splat* Like thunder after lightning, a wagon-sized slime hit the ground. Two raiders followed it down at a much slower pace. The first one to reach the slime was a woman in her early twenties. She wore tight-fitting reinforced leather armor and a brown short cloak. These dusky unassuming colors actually stood out against the jungle¡¯s ever-present green foliage. Though, they didn¡¯t stand out nearly as much as her face. Bleached blonde hair led into unblemished and lightly tanned skin. Her cherry red lips curled into an eager smile as she turned towards the trio. A spirited hazel eye appraised them while its dark red twin glared at the intruders. ¡°Howdy there. I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve seen you three before.¡± Theo and Mavis were immediately on guard but Vivian hadn¡¯t moved. The mage stared at the woman, eyes wide in disbelief. ¡°You¡¯re Nora, right?¡± Vivian asked. Her tone was unsteady. ¡°Nora Donner?¡± ¡°Oh, a fan!¡± Nora nodded gleefully. ¡°Yup, it¡¯s me.¡± ¡°Nora, what did you say just now?¡± Her partner muttered as he shambled to her side. ¡°We haven¡¯t seen these people before. Try to be a little more cautious.¡± Theo, Mavis and even Vivian stepped back subconsciously. While Nora¡¯s radically different eyes were unusual, they couldn¡¯t compare to this man¡¯s body. ¡°Two of them don¡¯t even know who I am and the third one is moonstruck.¡± Vivian opened her mouth to refute that, but Nora kept talking. ¡°It¡¯s clearly their first trip to the third layer, so I don¡¯t think there¡¯s anything wrong with saying hello.¡± ¡°If they¡¯re so weak, then why bother to engage them at all?¡± Nora¡¯s cheeks puffed up in a pout that was unbecoming of her age. ¡°I didn¡¯t say that they were weak, Linderman. All we know is that they¡¯re new. And since they¡¯re new, this is a chance to make some fans.¡± Linderman¡¯s massive frame heaved as he sighed. He stood a full head above Nora and the others. Reinforced leather protected his body, but it was a full shade darker than his partner¡¯s and most of it was covered by a long black cloak. While his wraithlike figure vaguely resembled Ravens, there was one part of him that was terrifyingly unique. ¡°Fine, fine.¡± Linderman grumbled. He raised his left arm to scratch his head. A writhing mass of darkness answered his body¡¯s call to action. It rose and extended a faintly crackling finger towards Linderman¡¯s head. A few sparks flew while Linderman thought. Then, he sighed again and let his arm fall. The limb that was more a storm cloud than an arm reached just above his knees as he relaxed. ¡°Sorry, he¡¯s been a little jumpy since yesterday.¡± Nora explained. ¡°Anyways, introductions. My name is Nora Donner, and this is Blitz Linderman. Just call him Linderman.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Vivian.¡± The mage replied quickly. ¡°This is Theo and Mavis. Like you said, it¡¯s our first time in the third layer.¡± Theo frowned at Vivian and then turned to face Nora. ¡°What¡¯s this business with fans?¡± ¡°We¡¯re trying to be famous, so of course we¡¯d have fans.¡± ¡°They¡¯re well-known in Naraka.¡± Vivian added. ¡°Nora and Linderman are a rare two-person team, but they still compete with larger parties. More importantly, they¡¯re the only ones who have ever found a platinum-tier treasure in the third layer.¡± Theo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Is that true?¡± Linderman lifted his crackling arm. ¡°It¡¯s half true. My arm is a platinum-tier treasure, but it¡¯s defective.¡± ¡°How, exactly.¡± ¡°I¡¯d rather not say.¡± ¡°Haha, let¡¯s leave the interrogation for another time.¡± Nora said, stepping between Theo and Linderman. ¡°That¡¯s fine. I actually have something else that I want to talk about.¡± Theo¡¯s gaze shifted to the slime¡¯s corpse. ¡°What a coincidence.¡± Nora cut in, grinning. ¡°We need something from you as well.¡± Linderman let out another sigh while Theo tensed up. Did this woman know their identities? ¡°How would you feel about fighting a boss?¡± ¡°¡­What?¡± Chapter 25 - You Made a Deal ¡°A boss.¡± Nora repeated. ¡°I know you guys are new, but come on¡­¡± ¡°No, I know what a boss is.¡± Theo hastily clarified. ¡°But they¡¯re dangerous. After seeing that hydra up close, I don¡¯t want to go anywhere near it.¡± Nora¡¯s red eye gleamed. ¡°Oh? Were you the one who poked that bear?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Darn.¡± Nora¡¯s jovial tone slipped for a moment, but she quickly recovered. ¡°If you find the idiot that did, let me know, ok? I don¡¯t want Rainy to start rampaging again.¡± ¡°¡­Rainy?¡± ¡°Technically she¡¯s called the Torrent Guardian, but that name¡¯s a little¡­you know? It doesn¡¯t resonate.¡± Theo wasn¡¯t sure why a boss¡¯s name needed to resonate, but he nodded anyway. ¡°Anyways, Theo, the two of us are planning to fight Rainy in the near future and we¡¯re recruiting a bunch of teams to come help us. If you want in, now¡¯s your chance.¡± Theo watched Nora carefully as he listened to her request. On the surface, she seemed quite genuine. He could have asked how his group would profit, but that would probably cause Nora to rescind her offer. Only a complete newcomer would ask that. Dungeon bosses were fundamentally different from normal monsters. They grew larger and had unique abilities, but that wasn¡¯t all. Dungeons were alive, they were living ecosystems with their own will and a set of rules. Naraka¡¯s will controlled how tunnels formed in the first layer. It maintained the pathways and bridges in the second. Even this jungle¡¯s incomprehensible structure was likely guided by the dungeon. In the same way, dungeon bosses received more attention than normal beasts. When they were defeated, the dungeon would mark that victory on the winner¡¯s soul. Anyone who received it would be able to teleport freely between that layer and Naraka¡¯s entrance. Rewards were also given out through the dungeon¡¯s will. The raiders that contributed the most would receive the best rewards. Back in Jigou, Theo and his brothers had treated boss monsters like standardized tests. They were a perfectly unbiased means of competition. Of course, none of those monsters were anything like ¡®Rainy¡¯. In short, Theo¡¯s group would be guaranteed to gain the third layer¡¯s teleport privilege. They might also get some very valuable gear, if they contributed enough. ¡°Why do you want to fight this boss specifically, and why do you want our help?¡± ¡°Good questions.¡± Nora raised two fingers. ¡°First, why Rainy? We haven¡¯t found a sure-kill strategy, or anything like that. It¡¯s because of the equipment that she drops. Rainy has been alive for a lot longer than the other bosses in this layer, which should be reflected in her rewards. More importantly, those rewards will be very helpful in the fourth layer.¡± Theo, Mavis and Vivian all perked up when she mentioned the fourth layer. ¡°How, exactly?¡± Theo asked. ¡°Duh, because the fourth layer is hot. Like, really hot. Rainy is one of the only monsters in this layer that can drop water-related enchantments. If we had something that could shoot water like Rainy¡¯s heads, then we wouldn¡¯t have had to cut our last expedition short.¡± Theo could see that Vivian wanted to ask more but being too interested in the fourth layer would be suspicious. They had only just entered the third layer, after all. ¡°Ok, so why us? You must have close relationships with other teams?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t get it.¡± Nora shook her head. Her exasperation was clear to the point of hyperbole. ¡°Those people already know how great I am. Newcomers like you get the chance to understand that, and we don¡¯t have to fight a seven-headed hydra on our own. Everyone wins.¡± ¡°¡­¡± Theo paused for a moment, but Nora just stared at him. ¡°Is that answer bullshit or are you testing us?¡± Nora¡¯s red eye gleamed again as she grinned. ¡°Hypothetically, if this was a test, what would be the correct answer?¡± Theo put a hand to his chin and began to think aloud. ¡°You¡¯re fighting this boss to get equipment, which means that your team will need to contribute significantly more than anyone else. But you can¡¯t fight it alone either. Hydras are difficult for small groups, since their heads can move independently. In an ideal world, you¡¯d recruit people who were competent enough to hold the hydra¡¯s attention but not so competent that they¡¯d cut into your rewards.¡± ¡°Correct~!¡± Nora clapped, and after a nudge, Linderman clapped half-heartedly as well.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere. ¡°This is a rare chance for newcomers like you.¡± She continued. ¡°I don¡¯t need to mention the teleport privilege, but treasure from bosses is always good.¡± ¡°I¡¯m guessing you got that arm from a boss?¡± ¡°Correct again. Though, that was just a stroke of luck. Hundreds of teams have killed bosses in the third layer, but we were the only ones to hit the jackpot.¡± Nora took a storage crystal out of her pocket and retrieved two items. The first was a compass and the second was a piece of parchment. She crumpled the paper around the compass and tossed them to Theo. ¡°We still need to gather more teams and prepare, so this hunt will take place in two weeks. That compass will show you where we¡¯ll meet. The paper has the rest of the details.¡± ¡°Uh, we didn¡¯t agree to anything.¡± Theo glanced at the jungle slime¡¯s corpse. ¡°How about you give us that slime? If you do, then we¡¯ll definitely come to the meeting.¡± ¡°Fine.¡± Nora replied indifferently. Theo, Mavis and Vivian leaned forward and then they visibly deflated as Nora sucked the slime into her storage crystal. ¡°If I give it to you at the meeting, then you¡¯ll be sure to come.¡± ¡°No.¡± Theo folded his arms. ¡°We won¡¯t go unless you give it to us upfront.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll give up such a great opportunity because of a slime¡¯s corpse?¡± Nora raised an eyebrow, but Theo kept his poker face. ¡°There could be something that you¡¯re not telling us. It¡¯s hard to think that we¡¯ll get a fair deal with the boss if you¡¯re this stingy.¡± ¡°Stingy¡­? We were the ones who killed it.¡± She sighed. ¡°Fine. A benevolent and popular person like me can spare one monster corpse. But if you don¡¯t go, I¡¯ll be angry. Ok?¡± For once, both of Nora¡¯s eyes looked intimidating as she glared at Theo. He found himself nodding reflexively. Nora tossed the slime out of her storage. After waving goodbye, she and Linderman climbed back into the canopy with practiced ease. ¡°We¡­We¡¯re going to fight that hydra¡­¡± Vivian breathed. She looked a little anemic. ¡°Technically, I only said that we¡¯d come to their meeting.¡± ¡°But it will be hard to leave once we¡¯re there.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Theo trailed off as he remembered Nora¡¯s glare. ¡°¡­Yea, probably.¡± Turning his attention to the compass, Theo realized that it was more impressive than he¡¯d thought. By channeling mana into it, he could sense the approximate distance between himself and the meeting point. It also told him the time of day, which was invaluable in areas like the third layer. Theo swallowed nervously. Nora would definitely be mad if he didn¡¯t come. ¡°What terrible luck.¡± Vivian lamented. ¡°Somehow, I don¡¯t think they would have let us say no.¡± ¡°Need¡­gear. I think¡­good luck.¡± Mavis replied. ¡°Gear doesn¡¯t matter if you die.¡± Stowing the compass, Theo turned to Vivian. ¡°I¡¯m fine with taking risks in the third layer if it means we¡¯ll be prepared for the fourth. Plus, there¡¯s a small chance of getting a platinum-tier treasure. With one, we wouldn¡¯t need to go into the fourth layer at all.¡± ¡°Also, I doubt that we met them by chance. Nora is probably looking for the team that attacked ¡®Rainy¡¯. She doesn¡¯t want anyone killing that hydra before her.¡± With their discussion over, the trio¡¯s eyes turned towards the deceased slime. Examining it out in the open was dangerous, and so they took it back to their hollow. Mavis¡¯s hair waved nervously as Vivian dumped it on the ground. Even though the slime was dead, its body hadn¡¯t decayed yet. Mavis could still merge with it. This was something that raiders had to worry about when fighting multiple slimes at once. Mavis compressed into its blob form and approached the jungle slime. Theo and Vivian watched carefully as it extended a tentacle holding its core. When it was mere centimeters from the corpse, Mavis stopped. Somehow, it had a bad feeling about this. As Mavis tried to pull away, memories of its life in the first layer flooded into its core. It had spent a tremendous amount of time in those caves. Years, by human metrics. Mavis had lived in a haze, crawling around as an ignorant animal. For much of that time, Mavis had let its body move automatically. Even when it did take the reins, the slime¡¯s life had been filled with disappointment and confusion. Despite being born in the first layer, Mavis couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that it wasn¡¯t meant to be there. It couldn¡¯t leave this mystery unanswered. Mavis plunged the tentacle with its core into the slime¡¯s corpse. The two masses of slime shook as they connected. Then, in a scene that seemed to refute the laws of physics, the jungle slime¡¯s body was sucked into Mavis¡¯s core. After a few seconds, the monster¡¯s corpse had disappeared. Theo and Vivian rushed to Mavis¡¯s side, but it didn¡¯t respond. The slime¡¯s core floated silently as its body naturally moved to center itself. Minutes passed slowly as the two humans tried everything to rouse the slime. Ultimately, these efforts were futile. Mavis wasn¡¯t there. - - - Clapping. The first thing Mavis heard was the sound of countless hands clapping. The world it found itself in was frustratingly vague. Its sight, hearing, touch, smell, and taste were all muted and distorted like light passing through stained glass. Some force was holding it back, preventing it from experiencing the scene properly. Even so, Mavis could glean a basic outline of its situation. It was sitting in a chair in the center of a bright room. There were so many people clapping that they blocked Mavis¡¯s view of the walls and floor. It quickly gave up looking for minor details and followed the audience¡¯s gaze. They were, in fact, not clapping for Mavis. Every person in the room was watching someone approach it. When it looked down at its hands, Mavis found that it was clapping as well. ¡°¡­¡± Words left its lips, but the distortion rendered them inaudible. The man wading through the crowd didn¡¯t reply. When he reached Mavis, his figure blurred even further. In the next instant, Mavis felt a terrifying pain in its chest. Yes, terrifying. As a slime, Mavis had never received a single injury in its life. Tearing or severing a slime¡¯s body parts would cause discomfort, but this was completely different. The flesh that normally deformed under pressure was shredded as a blade pushed its way through. For the first time ever, Mavis released a shrill scream. Back in the present, Theo and Vivian shot up from their sitting positions and ran over to the slime. Mavis¡¯s core shook violently as it howled. The two humans watched helplessly, their faces straining with pained expressions. After half a minute of screaming and writhing on the floor, Mavis calmed down. It slowly and hesitantly returned to its human form. ¡°W-What happened?¡± Theo asked. ¡°I¡­¡± The slime trailed off. Something was very strange. Mavis checked its senses, but they were working normally. If anything, they were stronger than ever. It only took the slime a moment to realize what was truly different. Back in that dream, it had been looking with its eyes. It had heard with its ears, touched with its skin, smelt with its nose and tasted with its tongue. A slime could replicate these senses with magic, but they weren¡¯t the same. At the time, Mavis hadn¡¯t thought much about it. Now, the answer was staring it in the face. ¡°I¡­I was¡­human.¡± Chapter 26 - Youve Changed Mavis had been human. Or at least, it had memories of being human. The slime didn¡¯t know what to make of this information. Now Mavis knew why it thought and acted like humans did, but that was only a small part of the mystery. What had happened to it in the past? Why was it in this form? Was there some hidden purpose behind its existence? Ultimately, Mavis couldn¡¯t call this revelation an answer. It was just another lead, and a flimsy one at that. Nothing about that painful scene had struck a chord with the slime. Everything had been so vague. ¡°So, how are you feeling?¡± Theo asked. Theo and Vivian hadn¡¯t taken their eyes off Mavis since it returned to its senses. They continued to shift and fidget nervously while Mavis thought of a response. ¡°Surprisingly¡­good.¡± Mavis replied. Despite its bewilderment, the slime was feeling better than ever. Its body was like a coiled spring, ready to burst with power at any moment. Whatever fatigue it had been feeling was now non-existent. On top of that, its sensory range had extended a couple meters. One of the few things that hadn¡¯t changed was its size. Mavis was very grateful for that. After it relayed this information to Theo, he frowned. ¡°I guess you absorbed the jungle slime¡¯s qualities, somehow. But I wanted to know how you¡¯re feeling mentally.¡± ¡°Confused¡­but¡­¡± Mavis paused for a moment. ¡°¡­But¡­I think¡­we should find¡­more¡­slimes.¡± ¡°Is that really a good idea? You sounded like you were in a lot of pain back there.¡± ¡°I am¡­fine. Can probably¡­get more¡­information¡­from¡­more slimes. Plus¡­I will¡­probably¡­get stronger.¡± Theo¡¯s frown persisted, but he eventually acquiesced. Even though he was worried, he couldn¡¯t stop Mavis from pursuing its origin. They spent the rest of their day exploring the third layer. A few monsters attacked the trio, but none of them were slimes. Unfortunately, none of them dropped any treasure either. Combat-wise, their second day in the third layer was uneventful. The third day did not continue this trend. *Pshooo* Mavis woke to the sound of falling trees as the Torrent Guardian rampaged. Apparently, someone had poked that bear for a second time. ¡°Run!¡± Theo ordered. They escaped along with a myriad of monsters. This multi-species stampede came to an abrupt halt once they broke away from the Torrent Guardian¡¯s rainstorm. Shivering panthers, gigantic chittering mantises, half-meter tall monkeys with masks instead of faces, all of them looked at each other warily. Just because they¡¯d been born in the same dungeon didn¡¯t make them comrades. In fact, every dungeon monster¡¯s stomach was primarily filled with other monsters. No matter how lethal dungeons were, there simply weren¡¯t enough humans to feed their inhabitants on a daily basis. Theo, Mavis and Vivian were also on guard. They had followed these monsters to escape as quickly as possible. After all, this jungle¡¯s twisted structure meant nothing to these veterans. Now, Theo was regretting his snap decision. Just when it seemed like all hell would break loose, the monsters suddenly mellowed out. The big cats straightened their shoulders, the bugs went silent and the monkeys¡¯ hair fell flat. Theo relaxed as well. A small voice in his head seemed to be screaming about danger, but he casually tuned it out. ¡°Theo! Vivi!¡± Fortunately, he couldn¡¯t tune out the voice of his teammate. The world snapped back into focus for the outlaw. Theo and Vivian clutched their heads as they observed the queer scene before them. The jungle monsters stood still as an army of moths approached. These moths were primarily brown with disturbingly realistic eyes patterned on their wings. Even more disturbing was the single real eye on their backs. Dozens of bloodshot pupils scanned the area as the moths landed on their prey. ¡°A¡­Ah.¡± Vivian let out a strangled cry as she looked up. Above those tiny moths, clinging to the side of a tree, was a monster whose size gave even ¡®Rainy¡¯ a run for her money. Two five-meter long rows of eyes fluttered as the monster stretched its wings. Its body was even longer, easily bridging the distance between the forest¡¯s floor and canopy. An eye the size of a small child sat at the center of its back. At first, Theo thought that this was another illusion. This creature was too large to even fly properly. ¡°Mavis, do you see that big one?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Theo clenched his teeth. Though it was a rather strange design choice, soul-piercing moths would always grow too large for their habitats. By the time the adults could procreate, they were already unable to fly through the dense jungle. However, they weren¡¯t helpless. These enormous layabouts spread magically-infused dust that warped their prey¡¯s senses. The gigantic bloodshot eye trained itself on Theo. When their dust failed, soul-piercing moths would use a more powerful targeted hypnosis. Theo felt his senses slipping away once more. He quickly drew a dagger and prepared to stab his leg, but his resolve turned out to be unnecessary. Vivian¡¯s lips moved rapidly as she chanted a somewhat obscure spell. A purple mote of mana sprung out of her hand and shot into Theo¡¯s head, clearing his mind.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. While the trio readied their weapons, another wave of monsters rushed out of the rain. After falling into the moths¡¯ trap, all of the monsters stopped except for one. A worm-like mass of slime slithered between the stunned creatures as it rushed to safety. ¡°Slime!¡± Mavis shouted. One slime immediately began to chase the other, but Theo wouldn¡¯t let this continue. ¡°Mavis, stay focused! We need to deal with these moths first!¡± All of the monsters that were waiting to be eaten turned towards Theo. The moths¡¯ eyes locked onto him as well. Normal monsters couldn¡¯t understand humans, but Theo, Mavis and Vivian clearly weren¡¯t under hypnosis. Even moths could understand this much. ¡°At least this is a good chance to practice fighting in a formation.¡± Theo rationalized as he gripped his dagger. The hypnotized monsters shambled towards the trio. Their movements were slow, but the mob worked in unison. As they surrounded their prey, Vivian pulled a hefty battle-axe out of her storage. She grunted slightly while hoisting it onto her shoulder. After charging it with mana, Vivian flung it with both hands. The axe missed the monsters, but it sent out a shockwave that knocked many of them down. Sadly, this was the only way they could use Tarq¡¯s battle-axe. None of them were strong enough to handle it properly. Using this opening, Theo shot forward and braced himself with his shield. One of the mantises was sent flying, while a dagger tore into the nearest panther. Pivoting, Theo slashed several more monsters before they could get up. These wounds weren¡¯t fatal, but they didn¡¯t need to be. As Theo channeled mana into his favorite dagger, the monsters¡¯ cuts began to widen. The ominously named Voidcutter was unnaturally sharp and could even cut through stone and metal. Wounds inflicted by this dagger could be exacerbated by spending extra mana. A weapon like this, that could turn small cuts into deadly wounds, was certainly worthy of being gold-tier. The rest of the monsters moved to overwhelm Theo, who had overextended, but they ran into an obstacle along the way. Dark blue tentacles wrapped around a few unlucky monkeys. They were pulled backward and stabbed by Mavis¡¯s swords. Even when it was surrounded, the slime didn¡¯t falter. Its omnidirectional vision was perfect for melees like these. Mavis continued to restrain and kill monsters while allowing their thoughtless attacks to hit its body. If they were lucid, this would have been difficult, but these brainwashed creatures never aimed for Mavis¡¯s core. ¡°Moths incoming!¡± Vivian announced. Her cat¡¯s eye had been trained on the giant moth from the start. Thanks to that, she was able to predict that it would change tactics. Much like its prey, the moth¡¯s children followed its commands. ¡°Mavis, get ready.¡± Theo ordered. Orange light flashed as Mavis knocked the remaining monsters away. It rushed to Theo¡¯s side just before he channeled mana into his cloak. A surge of wind followed Theo¡¯s hands, knocking the moths to the ground. Mavis abandoned its human form and dove forward. Expanding, it devoured the insects before they could fly again. The adult soul-piercer¡¯s eye swam furiously as it watched these raiders finish off its minions and kin. The gargantuan creature¡¯s wings fluttered, but there was nothing it could do. Both its mist and hypnosis were being blocked by Vivian¡¯s magic. As a being that grew up by slowly eating humans alive, its death felt like a taste of its own medicine. Theo and Mavis couldn¡¯t deal much damage with a single hit, and so they had to stab it several dozen times. ¡°Vivi¡­where slime?¡± The instant the fight ended, Mavis leapt towards Vivian. ¡°One moment¡­¡± Vivian performed the searching spell that she¡¯d used back in the second layer. Two lines shot towards her palm, a red one for Mavis and a blue one for Theo. Expanding her search, Vivian found another red line. She sighed in relief. Vivian had used this spell yesterday when they were searching for slimes, but the results were unreadable. Normally, there were too many monsters lurking in the jungle. When Vivian looked at the slain monsters littering the ground, she realized that the hydra¡¯s rampage had been a blessing in disguise. ¡°It¡¯s this¡­¡± Vivian trailed off. Mavis was already gone. ¡°¡­way.¡± Theo scowled as he spun his dagger. ¡°I don¡¯t think we can chase her. Let¡¯s hurry up and check these monsters. There must be a few treasure cores in this mess.¡± ¡°Yea¡­¡± Vivian nodded slowly. ¡°Mavis should be able to handle herself, but I¡¯m still worried.¡± ¡°So am I. She¡¯s been obsessed with slimes ever since we came to this layer.¡± ¡°I know how this sounds but¡­does it even matter if she figures out what she is? We can teach her how to speak and act like a human.¡± ¡°Ultimately, that¡¯s her decision.¡± ¡°But if she¡¯s going to scream like that every time¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no guarantee that will happen again.¡± Vivian glanced at Theo, but he looked away. Despite his words, Theo couldn¡¯t shake the feeling that Mavis¡¯s obsession was dangerous. - - - Mavis tore through the jungle as it chased its sibling. It pushed its senses to the limit and eventually found the slime halfway through transforming into some moss. This time, Mavis didn¡¯t fight it. The jungle slime wrapped Mavis in its tentacles, only to recoil when it touched its prey¡¯s ¡®skin¡¯. Anticipating this reaction, Mavis lunged forward and pushed its core directly into the other slime¡¯s body. Once again, the jungle slime was completely suppressed as its body flowed into Mavis¡¯s core. This was nothing like normal merging and, now that it had experienced this twice, Mavis had some idea of why. When two slimes of the same species merged, they would essentially share a body. Somehow, Mavis was different. Rather than the two cores stabilizing, Mavis¡¯s core devoured its inferior partner. But why was this happening? Mavis didn¡¯t know. As memories began to bubble up from Mavis¡¯s core, the slime realized why it could remember things while it was merging. Forming a slime colony meant establishing a mental connection between two or more cores. At that moment, Mavis was reading the other slime¡¯s rapidly decaying mind, but it could also search its own. Mavis didn¡¯t hesitate as it dove into its own memories. It woke up in a featureless white room. Oddly enough, this time it was still in its faux body. Its senses, especially sight, had been limited to a human level. Mavis turned around to see a pale human kneeling on the ground. This woman was facing away from it and didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of turning around. ¡°You¡¯re¡­persistent.¡± Mavis stiffened as the woman spoke. This was like hearing an echo of its own voice. ¡°Even after I showed you such a painful scene, you come back immediately.¡± ¡°Tell me¡­what am I?¡± The woman raised her hands in an aloof shrug. ¡°I give up. You handle this.¡± A portal opened up between the woman and Mavis. The being that stepped out of it was blindingly bright. With its human eyes, Mavis couldn¡¯t look at him directly. ¡°I can¡¯t believe it.¡± Words that rang like a thousand bells assaulted Mavis¡¯s mind. ¡°You of all people are asking me for help?¡± The woman didn¡¯t respond. ¡°This isn¡¯t easy, even for me.¡± The being said. ¡°If she comes here again, you¡¯ll have to sort this out by yourselves.¡± Before Mavis could react, the being placed a hand on the slime¡¯s head. Mavis¡¯s body suddenly felt hot to the point of boiling. After a few seconds of extreme discomfort, it woke up in the third layer. ¡°Agh! Why!?¡± Mavis yelled in frustration. Wallowing in disappointment would get it nowhere, and so Mavis began to reshape its body. ¡°¡­Huh?¡± After looking at itself with its omni-directional vision, Mavis noticed something strange. Its normally dark blue slime was now a green-blue, almost teal color. That wasn¡¯t all. Its perception range had expanded to fifteen meters¡ªnearly triple what it had been for the majority of its life. There were probably other changes, but Mavis was too angry to check. The slime writhed in vexation as it realized the true meaning behind these changes. It had been turned into a different species of slime. One that was probably far superior to jungle slimes. At any other time, this would have been a blessing. Now, though, it wouldn¡¯t be able to merge with any of the slimes in this layer. Mavis understood instinctively that its new body wouldn¡¯t accept a species weaker than itself. ¡°Fuck, fuck, fuck!¡± For the first time in its life, Mavis cursed. Chapter 27 - Youre Obsessed A teal blob sat on the forest floor like a strange fruit or growth. Outwardly, it seemed to be completely still. However, if one looked inside this blob, they would see Mavis¡¯s core rotating furiously. ¡°Who¡­why¡­how?¡± These questions were like gasoline to a fire. A fire that was burning Mavis from the inside out. It wanted to search for answers, but that was impossible now. The third layer¡¯s slimes weren¡¯t strong enough to merge with. Accessing its own memories would have to wait. As its rage finally died down, Mavis realized that it was somewhat lost. It had taken the shortest path to the jungle slime, which made finding its way back difficult. The obtuse shortcuts that its formless body had used weren¡¯t easy to see, especially from a different angle. Plus, even with its improved senses, Mavis still couldn¡¯t see as far as a human. Getting a sense for its location was difficult. ¡°Uh¡­I think¡­this way.¡± Mavis pulled out clothes from inside its body and transformed into a human. This change barely took five minutes. As a new species, even its shapeshifting had been upgraded. After donning its mask and cloak, the slime set out to find its friends. Less than five minutes into its trip, a curtain of rain washed over the slime. Mavis froze in terror. Without a human eye to spot for it, Mavis couldn¡¯t tell where the hydra was coming from. Not until it was dangerously close, anyways. The best solution was to wait and hide until that living natural disaster went away. Mavis sped through the jungle while straining its magical vision. It didn¡¯t take long for the slime to find a hollow tree to hide in. The only problem was that it already had an occupant. Mavis stumbled as its vision trained on the man sitting inside the hollow. It didn¡¯t know many raiders and seeing a familiar face had caught it off guard. *Phsooo* As a nearby tree fell, Mavis decided that it would rather take on a human-sized risk than a hydra-sized one. And, frankly, it wasn¡¯t much of a risk at all. If push came to shove, this human was in no condition to fight. A dripping figure raised his head as Mavis stepped into the hollow. This was a very mild reaction for a raider, but this person was only a raider in the barest sense. He sat with his back against the wall, which seemed to be the only thing keeping him upright. His right hand was resting on an expensive-looking saber while his left lay on the ground in a bloody mess. His once regal white coat was torn and stained with blood and dirt. Dull and tired eyes fixed themselves on Mavis. ¡°Oh? I¡¯ve lost more blood than I thought.¡± Yale muttered. Mavis had doubted its memory for a moment, but the fact that he recognized it was undeniable proof. This was the wealthy young man who had tried to attack it back in the first layer. The young man whose guard cum mentor had been killed by Mavis. Mavis stayed silent as it walked to the opposite end of the hollow. ¡°No matter.¡± He said. Yale turned away from Mavis and closed his eyes. Something in his pocket began to glow until it sent a green light pulsing through his body. Yale¡¯s injuries were healed somewhat, but he was far from being fully restored. While the pair sat in silence, Yale¡¯s item sent out another pulse every few minutes. Eventually, Mavis couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Why¡­are you¡­here?¡± Yale released a tired chuckle. ¡°You¡¯re a figment of my imagination. Shouldn¡¯t you know?¡± ¡°I do not¡­know.¡± Yale lowered his head and Mavis waited patiently while he sucked in a ragged breath. ¡°I¡¯m a disgrace, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here. If I returned to the surface after losing Galt, who knows what my family would do to me? Despite being beneath us, he was my father¡¯s long-time friend and my godfather.¡± Rain continued to pound the forest floor. By the time Yale spoke again, several gallons had fallen outside the hollow. ¡°How lucky¡­¡± Mavis tilted its head. ¡°Lucky?¡± ¡°I never wanted to deal with any of that stuff. Being a raider sounds way more fun.¡± Mavis¡¯s hair twitched slightly. This man¡¯s heart rate was stable enough, and his words didn¡¯t seem like an outright lie. Even so, Yale¡¯s dull tone and listless eyes didn¡¯t make Mavis feel like he was having fun. ¡°You are¡­injured.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll recover. Meanwhile, that hydra¡¯s getting closer to death every day.¡± ¡°You fought¡­that?¡± ¡°A man of the Wallace family, even a disgraced one, should only concern themselves with those at the top of the food chain. That hydra is the first thing I¡¯ve seen in this dungeon that¡¯s truly worth fighting. Besides you, of course.¡± Putting two and two together, Mavis realized that Yale was the person Nora had been searching for. The unusual pair didn¡¯t want anyone to hurt ¡®Rainy¡¯ until they had gathered enough people to take her down. Theo could probably find a way to contact them, if Mavis told him about Yale. Mavis didn¡¯t want deal with that hydra rampaging every day. The slime¡¯s hair waved faintly as it gazed at Yale. ¡°What about¡­me?¡± Yale chuckled. If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it. ¡°If I could find the real you, I wouldn¡¯t let you die easily. A piece of scum shouldn¡¯t have been able to kill Galt¡­No, they couldn¡¯t have¡­My orders drove him into a corner¡­Scum like you¡­¡± Yale¡¯s voice grew faint, to the point where he was whispering to himself. Beneath its mask, Mavis frowned. In truth, Mavis could solve this problem by itself. Killing Yale or stealing his equipment would likely save it some trouble in the future. ¡°The fight that I¡¯ve been dreaming of is right in front of me¡­¡± Yale muttered as his eyelids sagged. ¡°Ever since I was young¡­The fight that I¡¯d couldn¡¯t find on the surface¡­Next time, I¡¯ll beat it.¡± As Yale drifted off into slumber from a mixture of exhaustion and blood loss, Mavis didn¡¯t move. It couldn¡¯t bring itself move. Its vision remained fixed on the injured raider. Something about his words had struck a chord with the slime. It wasn¡¯t feeling sympathy for his injuries or anything like that. Instead, Mavis had recognized something in his voice. Obsession. His fervent tone reminded Mavis of itself. Of the dream that was right in front of it, yet just out of reach. Once the rain was gone, Mavis left the hollow before Yale woke up. The slime retraced its steps through the jungle but, to its surprise, it didn¡¯t find Theo and Vivian. They found it first. ¡°Mavis!¡± Theo called out. ¡°There you are.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad it wasn¡¯t another monster.¡± Vivian sighed in relief. The mage closed her right hand, covering the various blue and red lines within it. The searching magic dissipated. ¡°There was another human nearby, wasn¡¯t there?¡± Theo asked. ¡°That¡¯s right. They haven¡¯t moved since I cast my magic. Maybe they¡¯re resting.¡± ¡°Did you see anyone else, Mavis?¡± Mavis hesitated for a moment, and then replied. ¡°Saw someone¡­They are sleeping. Should be¡­harmless.¡± In the end, Mavis hoped that the Torrent Guardian would take care of the problem. ¡°Huh, ok.¡± Theo scratched his head. ¡°Anyways, let¡¯s get back to camp. We need to sort through the treasure that those monsters dropped. I want to hear how things went on your end, too. Did you catch that slime?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± - - - Theo¡¯s jaw dropped while Vivian stumbled over to a wall to steady herself. Mavis¡¯s existence was already unbelievable by common standards. A monster that could talk and reason was like something out of a fairy tale. And now, that incredibly unlikely creature was telling them an even more unlikely story. It wasn¡¯t something they could process in a couple of minutes. ¡°Who was¡­glowing man?¡± Theo and Vivian balked at the slime¡¯s question. ¡°I¡­¡± Vivian started. ¡°I can only guess it was someone related to the divine.¡± ¡°Person who¡­created¡­dungeon?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°I guess that makes sense.¡± Theo muttered. ¡°The current divine created these dungeons, and the monsters that live inside of them. If Mavis really is some kind of unique case, then the divines might be involved.¡± The slime¡¯s hair waved back and forth as it leaned towards Theo. ¡°Tell me about¡­divines?¡± ¡°Honestly, I¡¯ve already told you everything that I know. What about you, Vivian? You have a proper education.¡± Vivian sighed. ¡°An education in magic.¡± The mage closed her eyes and thought for a moment. ¡°The divines are gods that created our world. Apparently, there¡¯s only one in power at any given time. We call that one the current divine. These beings live somewhere outside the reach of mortals and spend their lives in immortal decadence. Or, so I¡¯ve read.¡± ¡°And¡­current divine¡­created Naraka?¡± ¡°Naraka and every other dungeon. Back in the previous divine¡¯s time, he was a king who conquered the world and rose to divinity. There aren¡¯t many records about it, but apparently the previous divine¡¯s world was a horrible place that was constantly at war.¡± ¡°Humans fighting humans.¡± Vivian nodded. ¡°Why divine¡­create me?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Mavis slowly melted into a puddle of slime. All of this was starting to feel overwhelming. ¡°So¡­previous divine is¡­bad. Current divine is¡­good? And maybe¡­made me? I ask¡­white room person¡­more¡­next time.¡± ¡°Then we¡¯ll need to find more slimes.¡± Theo said. ¡°No. Can¡¯t merge¡­anymore.¡± ¡°Why not?¡± Theo stared at Mavis¡¯s puddle. ¡°Wait¡­Why are you teal?¡± The two humans raised another commotion as Mavis explained how it had changed species. ¡°Ok¡­¡± Theo started to speak and then paused to massage his temples. ¡°Ok.¡± An evolving monster was just as rare as a talking one. ¡°¡­Ok. What kind of slime are you, exactly?¡± ¡°Do not¡­know.¡± The slime twitched as it felt the flow of mana around it shift. Turning to the source of the disturbance, Mavis stared at Vivian. Meanwhile, the mage¡¯s attention was fixed on her pendant. ¡°Appraising monster cores is something that only specialists can do. A normal academy mage like me can¡¯t learn it. Fortunately, I don¡¯t need to.¡± Mavis stood still while Vivian observed it with her cat¡¯s eye pendant. Half a minute later, Vivian was frowning. ¡°Um, you¡¯ve graduated from a cave slime to something called an ¡®Auric Slime¡¯. This pendant won¡¯t show me much if you¡¯re just standing around. Maybe we should find a monster for you to fight?¡± ¡°I have a better idea.¡± Theo announced. ¡°How about we spar?¡± ¡°Spar?¡± Mavis tilted its head. ¡°A non-serious fight, for training. I also want to try out a piece of gear that we got today.¡± ¡°Good¡­idea.¡± Five minutes later, Theo and Mavis faced each other outside the hollow. There were few truly open spaces in the third layer, and this was no exception. Trees crowded the area as if they¡¯d made a pact to push every other lifeform away. Roots snaked along the ground, creating plenty of uneven snags. It certainly wasn¡¯t a standard arena. Mavis remembered something that Theo had said in the first layer. He used daggers because a dungeon¡¯s terrain was unpredictable. Spears, axes and even swords could become useless when the ground was uneven or there wasn¡¯t enough room to fight. Meanwhile, shorter weapons were much more versatile. At first, Mavis hadn¡¯t thought much of this. Now that it had travelled to the third layer, the slime realized that there was a certain arrogance in those words. Normally, raiding teams wouldn¡¯t rely on all their members at once. Some monsters were easier to kill with swords, others with magic or bows, and others with heavier weapons. Even if they weren¡¯t as versatile, every weapon had its place in a dungeon. ¡°Ok.¡± Vivian said, waving her hands. ¡°No one else is nearby. I¡¯ll be ready to heal any injuries, but don¡¯t go too crazy.¡± ¡°Thanks, Vivian.¡± ¡°Thank you, Vivi.¡± Theo pulled on his new headband and grinned. ¡°Well, it¡¯s only six out of nine, but I feel like I can finally fight like a raider again.¡± Mavis¡¯s hair twitched slightly. Other weapons had their place, but Theo and his mentor didn¡¯t seem to care. They had faith that their own style could handle anything. Even though dungeons were filled with an uncountable number of monsters, Theo had been trained to fight all of them without a team. The slime shook its head. It needed to focus on its own strategy. ¡°Should I¡­stay¡­human?¡± ¡°Do whatever you think will help you win.¡± ¡°¡­Ok.¡± Mavis thought for a moment and then split its hair into three long tentacles. Controlling dozens of them along with a human body was impossible. Mavis could have abandoned its human form, but it didn¡¯t. Somehow, holding swords in this form felt natural to the slime. One of its tentacles suddenly curled in anger. It might have learned why this stance felt natural if that glowing man hadn¡¯t interfered. Sighing, Mavis refocused its senses on Theo. The opportunity to search its memories had passed. Mavis knew that it had to put its obsession aside and concentrate on getting stronger. Two weeks sounded like a lot, but that time would pass in a flash. How much gear they could gather depended heavily on luck. Half a month might not bring them many upgrades. Mavis resolved to cast aside its worries and train. Only training could guarantee improvement. ¡°Ready for¡­spar.¡± Unlike Yale, Mavis still had people to protect. Chapter 28 - You Arent Fair ¡°Mavis¡­¡± The slime perked up. Before they sparred, Theo had something to say. ¡°Weapons, enchantments, your body¡¯s characteristics¡­All of those are just tools. Our job as raiders is to make that arsenal greater than the sum of its parts. During this fight, I want to show you what that means.¡± ¡°¡­Ok.¡± Mavis¡¯s three tentacles swayed nervously as it looked at Theo. The outlaw¡¯s four most prominent pieces of gear¡ªhis cloak, vambraces, boots and dagger¡ªwere known variables. He was also wearing the Stalker Gloves, which Mavis had experience using. Theo¡¯s only new piece of gear was a brown headband. The slime frowned as its gaze fell on the disturbingly realistic eye at the center of the cloth. Even a normal, brainless, slime could have guessed that he¡¯d gotten it from those moths. Theo¡¯s figure blurred, and Mavis braced itself as he charged forward. This was a combo it had seen many times before. The outlaw absorbed the shock with his vambraces as he collided with Mavis. A chunk of slime splattered to the ground and Mavis¡¯s core shuddered. Five seconds into their duel and it had already lost one hand. Shifting his weight, Theo cut in an arc to ward off two tentacles that were creeping up on him from above. He jumped back and swiped at the air with his free hand. A heavy gust of wind pressed down on the slime. *Fwip* Just as Mavis managed to lift its head, one of Theo¡¯s spare daggers sailed into its throat. Obviously, Mavis wouldn¡¯t die from a dagger to the neck, but the result was just as damning. The soft slime was cleanly severed, and Mavis was decapitated. With one hand and no head, Mavis appeared be in dire straits. In reality, the slime¡¯s only loss was the Blade of Dismissal in its right hand. Even so, it panicked. Mavis had never been overwhelmed like this. It could see Theo¡¯s attacks coming, but it couldn¡¯t dodge them. In its current state, it was completely unprepared for the outlaw¡¯s third strike. Theo¡¯s boots flashed as he sprung forward. This time, he dropped his dagger and balled his hand into a fist. Mavis failed to react as he drove his knuckles into its left side. This blow shook the slime¡¯s core, which had been frighteningly close to the point of impact. ¡°Ok, that¡¯s one loss.¡± Theo muttered, stepping back. ¡°¡­Eh?¡± Mavis breathed. ¡°Your core was there, right? If I hadn¡¯t dropped my dagger, you¡¯d be dead.¡± In a mix of relief, exhaustion and resignation, Mavis melted into its blob form. ¡°How?¡± Theo cocked his head in response. ¡°How what?¡± ¡°How you¡­know¡­where core¡­was?¡± ¡°I removed your right hand, making you feel vulnerable from that side. Then, I removed your head¡ªthe second most likely place for you to hide it. Finally, with your top and right compromised, I went for your left.¡± Mavis sank even further until it became a puddle. ¡°Get up, we¡¯re going again.¡± Theo frowned as the puddle by his feet writhed in frustration. ¡°Didn¡¯t you evolve into some kind of rare slime?¡± He taunted. ¡°Please tell me you¡¯ve changed more than just your color.¡± Mavis reformed into a humanoid and glared at Theo through its mask. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­go again.¡± ¡°That¡¯s the spirit.¡± After they returned to their original positions, Vivian double-checked the area and gave the go ahead. Theo rushed forward again, but Mavis was ready this time. The slime expanded, threatening to swallow its opponent whole. His course was already set, and so Theo couldn¡¯t avoid a collision. Enlivened by its success, Mavis leveraged the full weight of its body to restrain Theo. But to its surprise, the outlaw didn¡¯t struggle. Instead, the eye on his headband blinked and then he vanished. It was as if he¡¯d never existed. A split-second later, Mavis felt a dagger plunge into its back. Normally, its omni-directional vision would have caught this sneak attack, but Mavis had been too focused on Theo¡¯s illusion. The unpleasant power of Voidcutter caused the slime to shudder as its wound grew deeper. This time, Mavis was sure that Theo was there. He was right behind it. Mavis produced a tentacle and swung it at the outlaw. In response, he jumped. Because the Stalker Gloves reduced his weight, he sailed over the tentacle. Mavis fumed. Theo seemed to be underestimating it. The tentacle chased Theo upwards while Mavis formed several more to trap him. But then, with a single blast of wind, Theo flew even higher. Once he was out of Mavis¡¯s reach, Theo threw his dagger. Voidcutter tore through the slime, causing its already injured form to collapse. Mavis wanted to scream as it realized that its core had been exposed. Using another gust of wind, Theo launched himself towards a disoriented Mavis. Tentacles rushed to restrain him, but they were too late. Theo wrapped his hand around Mavis¡¯s partially exposed core and the fight was over. ¡°Did you forget to use your weapons?¡± This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report. ¡°No¡­but¡­couldn¡¯t¡­¡± Once Mavis expanded to trap Theo, it had already deformed its arms. Reshaping them in the heat of battle was too difficult, especially against someone like Theo. The outlaw smirked. ¡°Hmm~? Well, I guess you were ok. Based on that performance, I can see your full potential.¡± The slime¡¯s tentacles lashed in anger and Theo¡¯s grin widened. He brought his thumb and index finger together until they were barely an inch apart. ¡°Congratulations, you¡¯ve almost peaked.¡± Theo chuckled as Mavis stomped the ground. Just a couple months ago, he¡¯d been teasing his brothers in a similar manner. Those warm memories caused him to smile, but they also made him realize something. Somehow, it was more fun to tease Mavis. Vivian watched the pair with an exasperated expression. This scene brought back memories of boys who had messed with her at the orphanage. Seeing it recreated here, by an outlaw and a slime, was¡­unfitting to say the least. ¡°¡­Again.¡± Mavis insisted. - - - The third layer¡¯s sweltering breeze made an eerie sound as it was funneled through the gaping hole in a springbark. This low din fell into harmony with the others. Porous trees littered the surrounding area. But it wasn¡¯t just trees. Roots had been severed, soil had been overturned, and even a nearby boulder was crumbling on one side. Theo coughed as blood began to pool around him. His nerves calmed somewhat as he saw Vivian rushing over. ¡°You went too far again.¡± The mage scolded. ¡°Stop pushing her to go all out.¡± As Vivian healed him, he grimaced. ¡°I can¡¯t help it. Two weeks and she¡¯s already like this?¡± Theo tried to chuckle, but he started coughing instead. ¡°It just isn¡¯t fair¡­¡± A shimmering mass of slime snaked its way towards the humans. When it reached them, Mavis¡¯s color quickly returned to its normal teal. As it reformed its body, Mavis lowered its head. ¡°I¡¯m sorry¡­Theo.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it, I¡¯m fine.¡± Two weeks after their first spar, Mavis had achieved an overwhelming victory. Just as the slime expected, the greatest change wasn¡¯t in its gear but its technique. Mavis had learned a lot about how to leverage its natural advantages. Though, it was still working on controlling them. Mavis hadn¡¯t neglected human weapons either. After all, it wouldn¡¯t be able to fight the hydra as a slime. Unfortunately, it hadn¡¯t found any upgrades for its swords. The party¡¯s only new gold-tier weapon was a cumbersome spear, which had been quickly tossed into Vivian¡¯s storage alongside Tarq¡¯s battle-axe. After farming monsters without any distractions, Mavis learned just how frustrating it was to raid without trading. Any other party would have been excited by their haul, but these treasures were useless to Theo¡¯s group. Metal armor, niche tools, and gear that conflicted with their current equipment had filled the mage¡¯s storage to capacity. Even if they gained the third layer¡¯s teleport privilege, Vivian didn¡¯t feel safe enough to enter a town. Theo obviously couldn¡¯t go, and neither could Mavis. For now, their unfortunate hoard would be neglected. But they had bigger things to worry about. After Theo, Mavis and Vivian returned to their hollow, the outlaw checked Nora¡¯s compass. The boss hunting meeting was less than twenty-four hours away. Theo sighed as he stowed the magic tool. They had done everything that they could to prepare. ¡°Mavis, Vivian, come here for a moment.¡± The two did as they were asked and sat down beside Theo. ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s the day. We made a promise with Nora, but honestly, that isn¡¯t important. Not compared to our lives, anyway. If either of you think this is too dangerous, then we can pass on this fight.¡± ¡°I think this is¡­important.¡± Mavis replied. ¡°We should¡­fight.¡± ¡°Honestly, I don¡¯t feel like I¡¯m ready.¡± Vivian muttered. ¡°But if you believe we are, then I¡¯ll give it everything I have. I trust your judgement.¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t want to fight this boss with just the three of us.¡± Theo admitted. ¡°But I think we have a good shot with Nora and the other teams.¡± ¡°¡­Which brings me to the next issue. A lot of people will be in this for the teleport privilege, but we don¡¯t care about that. The Torrent Guardian drops gear that will be useful in the fourth layer. That¡¯s what we¡¯re after, and we¡¯ll be competing with Nora¡¯s group to get it.¡± ¡°So, killing the hydra isn¡¯t enough.¡± Vivian inferred. ¡°We¡¯ll have to hurt it more than anyone else.¡± ¡°Boss rewards are tied to individuals. Realistically, it¡¯s me and Mavis against Nora and Linderman.¡± ¡°Leave to me.¡± The slime patted its chest. ¡°Just don¡¯t use that attack.¡± Theo warned. ¡°Not even as a finisher. If Nora and Linderman find out that you¡¯re a slime, things will get bad.¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± While Mavis deflated, Theo turned to Vivian. ¡°Have you made any progress on Mavis¡¯s mask and cloak?¡± Now, it was Vivian¡¯s turn to deflate. ¡°I-I¡¯m close¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine, we wouldn¡¯t have time to train with them anyway. Can you take out the rest of our gear? Here¡¯s how we¡¯ll be using them tomorrow¡­¡± Dusk never fell in the third layer, but the trio eventually had to sleep. The next morning, they set out to rendezvous with Nora. As they neared the meeting spot, Mavis stopped in its tracks. Seeing this, Theo and Vivian tensed up. ¡°What is it?¡± Theo whispered. ¡°Very¡­strange¡­man? I don¡¯t know¡­the word.¡± ¡°Are we safe?¡± ¡°Safe¡­yes.¡± Pushing his worries aside, Theo kept moving. The trees became sparse as they entered a clearing. ¡°Hmm.¡± Theo put a hand to his chin as he appraised the scene before him. ¡°The word you¡¯re looking for is tacky.¡± Vivian nodded softly as she looked at the massive signpost that marked Nora¡¯s meeting spot. Urgent Quest! Operation Torrent Takedown! Gather here, brave souls! As Theo read it aloud, Mavis tilted its head. ¡°What is¡­Quest?¡± ¡°Bards¡ªpeople who tell stories¡ªlike to sing about heroes going on quests. They¡¯re important challenges, I guess.¡± ¡°Is this what surprised you?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°No¡­¡± Shaking its head, Mavis pointed to the sign¡¯s base. There was a young man sitting behind it. His arms were chained to the post and there was a bag covering his head. Beyond that, he seemed perfectly healthy, which was the only reason why Theo hadn¡¯t ordered them to run away. ¡°Oh! You three made it!¡± Nora¡¯s elated greeting caused them to shiver. The female raider shot across the clearing and embraced Vivian before any of them could react. ¡°I¡¯m really glad. Honestly, this one seemed a bit weak, so I was worried.¡± ¡°Please let go.¡± Vivian cried hoarsely. ¡°Sorry~.¡± As Nora pulled away, Theo looked towards the signpost. ¡°Who is that guy?¡± ¡°Oh, don''t worry about him. He¡¯s going to help us with the boss.¡± ¡°Then why is he tied up?¡± Nora folded her arms and sighed. ¡°Because he went back on our agreement. I¡¯ll let that pompous brat out once the meeting starts.¡± When Theo and Vivian continued to stare at her, Nora waved her hand. ¡°This isn¡¯t an intimidation tactic or anything like that. He¡¯s a special case.¡± After some significant prodding, the trio took a seat at a long wooden table. The lavish furniture looked extremely out of place in the jungle, but no one questioned it. All three of them became more accepting once they realized that Nora had prepared food. Other teams funneled in as they ate. Things became lively and people started to chat. ¡°I can¡¯t believe we¡¯re going to fight a boss.¡± One of them raved. ¡°I can¡¯t believe she wasn¡¯t stolen.¡± Another said. ¡°Everyone and their mother wants to kill this hydra now.¡± ¡°Oh, because she was rampaging every day?¡± ¡°Yea.¡± ¡°But she suddenly calmed down a week ago. I wonder why?¡± Mavis, who had been listening in, dropped its spoon. As the slime focused its senses on the ¡®pompous brat¡¯, it began to shake. Coming here might have been a very bad idea. Chapter 29 - You Lied to Yourself ¡°Ok, ok. Everyone, listen up.¡± Once all the teams had arrived and everyone had eaten, Nora addressed the crowd. ¡°You know why you¡¯re here, and it isn¡¯t to eat.¡± Nora showed a self-deprecating smile. ¡°¡­Hopefully, anyway.¡± Most of the raiders laughed and the mood became even lighter than before. A total of four teams, including Theo¡¯s had been recruited by Nora. All of them were no-name teams with limited experience in the third layer. Theo narrowed his eyes as the crowd gave Nora their undivided attention. These na?ve yet competent people would be perfect distractions for the hydra. ¡°Right now, my partner is scouting Rainy¡¯s location. When he finishes, we¡¯ll head out. The strategy is simple. Rainy has seven heads and I want each team to focus on restraining one of them. Linderman and I will take the other three.¡± The outlaw spun his spoon, but he didn¡¯t raise a complaint. This plan practically guaranteed that Nora¡¯s team would be the highest contributors. He¡¯d expected something like this, but there was no point in arguing. Nora had set all of this up, so she had the privilege to decide how they¡¯d fight. Of course, if his team killed their designated head quickly, then Theo could tackle a second under the pretense of easing Nora¡¯s burden. ¡°Our plan is simple, but Rainy isn¡¯t. The old girl has a lot of tricks up her¡­scales¡­and I¡¯ll take this chance to teach you about them. I even have a ¡®veteran¡¯ hydra fighter to help out.¡± As Nora walked away from the table, Mavis¡¯s hair twitched. ¡°¡­Theo.¡± It whispered. ¡°We should¡­leave.¡± ¡°What? Why?¡± Nora approached the man chained to the signpost and knelt down. Once she undid his restraints, she stepped back as he tore the sack off his face. ¡°You¡¯ll pay dearly for this, woman.¡± ¡°Oh, how funny.¡± Nora smirked. ¡°He says the same thing before and after being chained up.¡± Nora took some gear out of her storage crystal and waited while the captive equipped himself. After donning his white coat and checking his saber, Yale turned to face the crowd. Then his jaw dropped. Theo¡¯s did as well. Vivian looked a little confused while Mavis was shaking. Yale¡¯s hand immediately went for his saber, but Nora grabbed his wrist. ¡°Everyone¡¯s nice and mellow, so don¡¯t cause a scene.¡± The young master struggled for a moment, but then he froze in place. Nora¡¯s red eye glinted as she patted him on the shoulder. ¡°Play nice, ok?¡± Lowering his head, Yale replied. ¡°¡­Alright.¡± The two of them walked back to the table and sat down together. Lacing her fingers, Nora addressed the crowd. ¡°Back to the boss, Rainy has a few attacks that you¡¯ll need to watch out for. Tell them what you¡¯ve learned, Yale.¡± Yale clenched his fists, but he eventually spoke. ¡°The Torrent Guardian¡­¡± ¡°-Rainy.¡± Nora corrected. ¡°The Torrent Guardian is extremely dangerous. Besides her heads, she also has four strong legs and a dexterous tail. If you get clawed by her, even plate armor might not save you.¡± Yale scowled as he continued. ¡°Those water bullets are her favorite attack. If you wait until she spits one out, you won¡¯t be able to dodge. Her heads make a very distinct motion before firing. They rear back and shake slightly, almost like a drake before it shoots a fireball.¡± ¡°How many drakes have you seen, rich boy?¡± Yale glared at Nora. ¡°Plenty of captive ones.¡± Nora¡¯s expression remained flat as she waved her hand, signaling for him to continue. ¡°The Torrent Guardian¡¯s defense is also formidable. It¡¯s nearly impossible to cut through her scales without enchantments. But, frankly, that doesn¡¯t matter when she has seven heads guarding her. Hydra heads can move independently of each other, so you¡¯ll have to restrain or outmaneuver them to deal any damage.¡± Leaning back, Yale fixed his eyes on Theo and then, after some internal deliberation, moved them to Nora. ¡°That¡¯s all I have to say.¡± ¡°Thank you, Yale.¡± Nora nodded approvingly. ¡°Beyond that, Rainy¡¯s precipitation will be a nuisance. It dulls noise, making it hard to communicate. The ground will become slippery and visibility will be reduced. Overall, she¡¯s quite the monster. But her rewards should be equally impressive.¡± Nora scanned the crowd and smiled when she saw that none of them had lost their nerve. ¡°Linderman should be back any minute now, so get ready to head out. Does anyone have any questions?¡± A random team leader raised their hand. ¡°Um, is this ¡®veteran¡¯ going to be fighting with us?¡± Nora shook her head. ¡°We have a separate agreement. He won¡¯t help us.¡± Find this and other great novels on the author''s preferred platform. Support original creators! ¡°I¡¯ll be fighting on my own.¡± Yale said, folding his arms. ¡°I agreed to share this information because it isn¡¯t relevant to you. When I kill the hydra, you¡¯ll understand that this meeting was just a farce.¡± The other raiders stared at Yale like he¡¯d grown a second head. Then, they laughed. Besides Theo¡¯s group and Nora, everyone laughed at him. Yale turned his head away in an aloof manner, but Mavis noticed that his hands were shaking. - - - Sadness, anger, pain, regret and most of all¡­fear. After Galt died, these emotions pressed down on Yale. They tore him apart like the talons of a beast. At first, he had wanted to carry Galt¡¯s body out of the first layer. But because of the maze¡¯s persistent scavengers, that became an impossible task. Yale reluctantly buried his mentor¡¯s body and set out for the surface. He found a bright opening one day later, but it wasn¡¯t an exit. Just like Theo, he¡¯d stumbled onto the second layer by accident. To Yale¡¯s surprise, some part of him was elated. His family had forbidden him to go beyond the first layer. That was why he¡¯d been so desperate to find the masked outlaw. A powerful opponent that only lived in the first layer was like a dream come true. His body moved before his mind. Yale crossed the threshold and entered the second layer. On the mountain path, his first night was nearly his last. The moon turned red and he was assaulted by several bloodthirsty monsters. But he survived. Yale even made a breakthrough with his swordsmanship. Knowing that he was truly fighting alone forced him to break his bad habits. Galt would have been proud of his pupil¡¯s compact and fluid movements, or so Yale told himself. After the blood moon, Yale grew bored of the second layer. The monsters simply couldn¡¯t keep up with his enchantments. He pushed to reach the third layer as quickly as he could. Madness borne out of fear kept his enthusiasm high, and he trained both his swordplay and mana cycling with reckless abandon. By the time Yale entered the third layer, he could already use two extra pieces of gear from his storage. Many of the third layer¡¯s beasts were a disappointment. Creatures like moss panthers weren¡¯t actually stronger than monsters in the second layer, they were just trickier. Yale sighed as rain began to fall, but his adrenaline shot to new levels when he saw what had caused it. He attacked the hydra without thinking and was forced to run away. After taking a day to recover, Yale challenged it again. And again. And again. Though he hated to admit it, Yale was no match for the boss monster. He could barely damage it, and that damage was usually healed by their next engagement. The Torrent Guardian¡¯s incredible vitality could compete with his best healing enchantments. Yale continued to train, and he continued to lose. After about a week, he lost to Nora as well. His negotiations with the heterochromatic raider were unpleasant, but the two eventually came to an agreement. If he shared what he knew, then Nora would give him one final shot. Yale still tried to run off and fight the hydra again, but Nora brought him back and chained him to a signpost. Yale endured the humiliation and waited. He waited because this was what he¡¯d always wanted. Free from his family¡¯s obligations, he was challenging a monster that didn¡¯t lose out to ones from Galt¡¯s stories. Even without the Wallace name, killing this hydra would make him famous. Or, at the very least, it would make him into a man that his mentor could be proud of. Like a man praying to a dying flame, Yale repeated that notion over and over in his head. Without that desire, he feared that he would truly go insane. ¡°Ok, everyone take five.¡± Nora shouted over the rain. ¡°Watch how this guy fights, if you want. Just don¡¯t get too close.¡± A few raiders chuckled at her implication. To them, Yale¡¯s fight was just a short interlude before the main event. Drawing his saber with one hand and his mentor¡¯s sword with the other, Yale stepped towards the hydra. Fourteen eyes shot open as the hydra sensed someone approach. Seven tree-like necks rose and arched. Its glistening purple scales tapped out an endless rhythm as they were struck by the rain. Yale forced a smile. ¡°It¡¯s only been a week but¡­did you miss me?¡± A single head snarled in response. Then, bullets began to fly. *Pshooo* *Pshooo* *Pshooo* If it was the Yale that Theo had fought in the first layer, he would have been fatally wounded. If it was the Yale that had just entered the third layer, he would have survived by the skin of his teeth. Now, though, this volley was just a warm-up for the both of them. Yale¡¯s coat and boots shone as he layered their speed enhancing effects. After dodging a few more projectiles, Yale stopped when he was about five meters from the hydra. Several heads rushed towards him. Backing up, Yale drew them away from the others. The heads eventually reached their limit and began to pull back, and that was when Yale lunged forward. His saber flashed as he cut into one of the beast¡¯s seven faces. The head hissed furiously, but Yale was scowling as well. He¡¯d been aiming for its eye, but it had turned at the last second. *Pshooo* *Pshooo* *Pshooo* The Torrent Guardian launched another salvo. Yale just barely managed to dodge, only to find that another head had been waiting for him. Combining the strength enhancing enchantments on his coat and gloves, Yale thrust Galt¡¯s sword into the roof of the hydra¡¯s mouth. At the same time, he buried his saber in its lower jaw. His arms screamed in protest as he held its mouth open. Unfortunately, managing one head was his limit. The other heads arched back and shook slightly as they approached him. *Pshooo* A blast of compressed water finally hit its mark. Yale barely had a chance to use his defensive enchantments before he was sent flying. His legs trembled, but he forced himself to stand quickly. Several bullets followed him as he tried to take refuge behind some trees *Pshooo* Another attack hit him head-on. With its flexible necks, the hydra was used to sniping prey from behind cover. *Pshooo* *Pshooo* *Pshooo* *Pshooo* Despite his powerful enchantments and rare healing tools, Yale was unable to weather the hydra¡¯s assault. Blood streamed down his arms as he struggled to lift his blades. As the hydra drew closer, he sighed and dropped them. Yale retrieved a small glowing stone from his storage and crushed it. His body seemed to transform into light as he shot backwards. Within seconds, he was over a dozen meters away. The other raiders saw where he¡¯d landed, but no one went to help him. As the stone¡¯s light faded, Yale stumbled and fell on the ground. His head was spinning, and his body couldn¡¯t find the strength to stand. He closed his eyes and resigned to recover in this shameful position. Several minutes later, his eyes shot open. Yale slowly lifted his head and searched for the hydra, but he could only hear it in the distance. He bit his lip when he realized that Nora had ordered her teams to attack. His chance was over. ¡°Good fight.¡± Yale froze as he heard someone clapping behind him. The slow applause came at a strange rhythm that seemed at odds with the falling rain. Either this person was deaf, or he simply refused to follow something else¡¯s lead. Yale¡¯s eyes widened as he turned his head. The man cut an intimidating figure with his dark leather armor and heavy black cloak. Two steely blue eyes appraised the young master while the rest of the man¡¯s features were covered by a black bandanna. ¡°Who¡­Who are you?¡± Yale breathed. The figure stopped clapping. ¡°Right now, I¡¯m just a veteran watching the younger generation. You can call me Ravens.¡± Yale¡¯s blood ran cold. His addled mind couldn¡¯t dredge up the significance behind that name, but it filled him with dread. ¡°There is something I would like to know.¡± Ravens continued. ¡°I know that you have a reason to hate the outlaw named Theo and the masked woman by his side. Why did you ignore them?¡± Yale hesitated, but he didn¡¯t dare stay silent. ¡°Because I would have lost my chance to defeat the hydra. Galt, my mentor, died because I forced us into a dangerous fight. I wouldn¡¯t mind killing the low-life that murdered him, but that won¡¯t get me what I really want.¡± ¡°Your, let¡¯s charitably call it heroic, fight with that boss. That¡¯s what you wanted?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Yale trailed off. Ravens sighed as he raised one fist. ¡°Recognizing your faults and moving forward¡­Most people would say that¡¯s admirable.¡± He pointed it at Yale. ¡°But you¡¯re just lying to yourself.¡± Ravens opened his palm to reveal a shimmering crystal. When Yale squinted, he could see figures moving inside of it. ¡°I recorded this because it was extremely interesting. Would you like to see?¡± ¡°I-I don¡¯t really¡­¡± ¡°Would you like to see how your mentor died?¡± Chapter 30 - You Will Die! ¡°Alright, I think he¡¯s done.¡± Nora announced. ¡°I can¡¯t say he did any meaningful damage, but he did make Rainy fire a lot of water bullets. Monsters usually have a physical limit on how many projectiles they can fire, so that¡¯s something.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s move out before she can recover.¡± Linderman followed up. The other four teams, including Theo¡¯s, stood up and readied their gear. ¡°Ok, get into formation behind me.¡± Nora ordered. ¡°Like I said before, this plan is extremely simple. Don¡¯t worry about coordinating with other teams. Just handle your own team¡¯s head and trust that they¡¯ll handle theirs. All of you have made it to the third layer, so you should be able to do that much.¡± The other raiders shouted words of approval as they followed Nora. A crowd of over fifteen people charged at the Torrent Guardian. Various defensive enchantments were activated as the beast spat out a volley of water bullets. But, to the raiders¡¯ surprise, none of those projectiles reached their targets. Linderman darted forward and raised his storm cloud-like arm. *Boom* A sound far more intimidating than the hydra¡¯s spitting rang out. Following it was a beam of bright light. The laser that shot out of Linderman¡¯s arm pierced the bullets, causing them to pop like water balloons. And it kept going. One of the Torrent Guardian¡¯s heads hissed as the beam grazed it. Yale had insisted that those scales were tough, but some of them were melting after they touched Linderman¡¯s weapon. Astonished and grateful cries rose up from the crowd. All of them knew that Linderman¡¯s arm was a platinum-tier treasure, but they had never seen it in action. Meanwhile, Theo was watching Linderman carefully. The towering raider didn¡¯t seem to be suffering from any pain or exhaustion. He could likely fire off several more blasts. Theo narrowed his eyes. He¡¯d seen platinum-tier treasures before and knew just how impressive they were. If a powerful beam was all Linderman had, then that strange treasure truly was defective. Morale was soaring, and several people began to fire their own projectiles at the hydra. The Torrent Guardian didn¡¯t falter. It let out a series of roars that seemed to carry an invisible pressure. In response, the rain suddenly grew heavier. Arrows and magic attacks were knocked out of the air as the deluge worsened. The ground began to shake, and the raiders¡¯ stomachs did a somersault. The Torrent Guardian was charging. ¡°I¡¯ll stop its body!¡± Linderman barked. ¡°Everyone else, focus on the heads.¡± If anyone else had said it, the raiders would have ignored them and run for their lives. But Linderman had already won their trust and admiration. Once they heard his steady tone, everyone stood their ground. Linderman¡¯s clothes shone as he activated several enchantments at once. Strength, defense and, oddly enough, weight enhancing auras billowed out. Gritting his teeth, Linderman commanded his stormy arm to grow until it was as long as the hydra¡¯s necks. An enormous crackling hand pressed into the hydra¡¯s chest. The dour raider slid back a few meters, but then he stopped. The Torrent Guardian let out a surprised hiss when it couldn¡¯t move any further. Its heads swung down to dislodge Linderman, but the other raiders were ready for them. Following Nora¡¯s orders, Theo ignored the other teams and charged towards his chosen head. It swerved away from Linderman to meet him, but that was what Theo had been hoping for. A lightning fast bite hit air as the outlaw¡¯s headband blinked. From the hydra¡¯s perspective, Theo had disappeared and then teleported on top of its head. In reality, Theo had jumped up there by combining the weight reduction from his gloves with his cloak¡¯s wind. The cause of the monster¡¯s confusion was, of course, Theo¡¯s headband. Fake-Out, whose name had been discovered by Vivian¡¯s appraisal, could create illusory attacks. Despite having zero offensive or defensive power, its potent illusions placed it at gold-tier. The headband¡¯s only downside was that it had a short cooldown period. Theo plunged his dagger into the hydra¡¯s head and the beast writhed as Voidcutter tore through its scales. It tried to throw Theo off, but something froze it in place. Nails seemed to be pushing into its skin, halting its movements. The head¡¯s massive pupils constricted as it realized that this was another illusion. Vivian lowered her hands once she saw that the spell had taken effect. After opening her storage, she tossed a spear out to Mavis. This was the only gold-tier weapon that they had gotten from a monster. The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation. In a series of movements that looked normal from a distance, Mavis climbed onto the hydra¡¯s head. Theo dashed over to help it carry the spear. Together, they jammed it into the wound opened by Voidcutter. As mana was channeled into it, the spear began to glow with a frightening intensity. The high-level spell mental bind, an illusion-enhancing vest dropped by a soul-piercing moth, and a distraction from Theo. This was how they had succeeded in stopping the hydra¡¯s movements. A few other raiders turned their heads as a furious hiss pierced through the deluge. Their jaws dropped and some of them were forced to dodge as bits of gore rained down. Meanwhile, Theo hit the ground with a combat roll while Mavis landed with a splat. An injury carved open by Voidcutter, a tremendous amount of mana from Theo and Mavis, and the gold-tier Sunburst Spear. This was how they had managed to destroy a head before anyone else. Though it looked like a perfect plan, they were just making do with what they had. Even with its enchantment, Voidcutter would have taken ages to carve up the massive head. On the other hand, the Sunburst Spear was too large and heavy for any of them to wield. It took Vivian¡¯s longest and most complicated illusion spell, plus mana from both Theo and Mavis to land a decisive blow on the monster. A bloody wagon-sized head fell to the ground with a loud thud. At that moment, only six heads remained. Enthusiastic cheers rose up, and their noise briefly suppressed the rain. But while everyone began to fight more boldly, Nora¡¯s lips curled into a frown. Her red eye gleamed briefly as she glanced at Theo. ¡°Usually we¡¯re the ones challenging more experienced groups.¡± She muttered. ¡°No wonder they always looked a bit irritated.¡± Nora raised her own weapon, a short bow made out of clear crystal, and fired a glowing arrow. The projectile sheared a few scales off one hydra head before curving unnaturally into another. Nora¡¯s lips moved rapidly as she nocked another arrow. Two enraged heads lunged towards her, but she didn¡¯t move. Instead, she finished her chant and let the arrow fly. A streak of red light pierced one of the two necks, and then the arrowhead exploded. Enough blood sprayed from the wound that even the rain had trouble washing it away. With its neck barely attached, one of the heads faltered while the other kept going. As the hydra opened its mouth to swallow Nora, her figure blurred. In an instant, she was already several meters away. By the time the head turned to pursue her, another arrow was sailing through the air. A second explosion rang out as the hydra bore the brunt of Nora¡¯s magically-enhanced arrow. Two sets of eyes glared warily through the smoke and rain. Neither of the heads had been killed, but they were seriously injured. Meanwhile, Nora had only fired three arrows. ¡°So tough!¡± She exclaimed with mild enthusiasm. ¡°You¡¯re only a third layer boss¡­Is it because you¡¯ve lived a long life?¡± One head had been destroyed, two were severely wounded, and the other four weren¡¯t having much luck. Three of them were locked in combat with the three other raiding teams. These raiders couldn¡¯t finish off their opponents, but the same could be said for the hydra. This stalemate was exactly what Nora had been hoping for. The last head was being held up by Linderman. He had retracted his arm and was fiercely attacking the Torrent Guardian. If everything continued as planned, the pair would finish off their designated heads in no time. ¡°WHERE ARE YOU, MASKED OUTLAW!?¡± Yale¡¯s frenzied voice swept through the forest, marking the exact moment when things stopped going according to Nora¡¯s plan. ¡°COME OUT AND FACE ME, MONSTER! I¡¯LL TEAR YOU APART AND RIP OUT YOUR CORE!¡± A multi-colored blur sped towards the chaos. Even though the connection was unstable, Yale looked very intimidating with all of his body enhancing auras activated. The young master swung his head wildly as he searched for the object of his hatred. Scowling, Theo turned his attention away from the hydra. He¡¯d expected something like this to happen, but not so soon. Or, maybe he¡¯d expected it to happen a lot sooner. Either way, this wasn¡¯t the ideal time to settle their grudge. While everyone was trying to make sense of this development, a pair of rabid eyes locked onto the slime. Yale didn¡¯t waste any time as he charged forward. His two swords met Mavis¡¯s and the slime immediately buckled under the pressure. In terms of raw physical strength, Mavis was already weaker than most humans. It could skirt around this issue by redistributing its mass, but that kind of change would be extremely noticeable. Against Yale¡¯s enchantments, Mavis was like a weak child. But that was only in terms of physical strength. ¡°You have always¡­attacked for¡­no reason.¡± It seethed. The Blade of Dismissal flashed, and Yale¡¯s swords were repelled. He prepared to attack again, but a flicker of movement caught his attention. Yale just barely managed to dodge as Theo appeared by his side. This time, the difference between their gear wasn¡¯t as pronounced. Yale¡¯s equipment stacked body enhancing effects, while Theo¡¯s was a mixed bag of gimmicks. On top of that, the outlaw wasn¡¯t alone. Theo created a gust of wind with one hand and thrust his dagger with the other. Yale shrugged off the wind and knocked Theo¡¯s dagger away with his saber. The young master cut towards Theo without any hesitation, but the outlaw¡¯s headband blinked and then he disappeared. Leveraging his incredible speed, Yale avoided Theo¡¯s surprise attack. Mavis tried to help, but its swordplay was no match for Yale¡¯s. Vivian was in a similar situation. Her magical attacks, even the mental ones, were less effective against raiders with strong enchantments. As they crossed blades, Theo couldn¡¯t help but feel that something was off. After a couple minutes, it struck him. Yale had already been severely injured by the hydra. Theo would have been surprised to see him walking around, but right now Yale was fighting at peak condition. Were his healing enchantments really that powerful? While he was worrying about Yale¡¯s unnatural recovery, a scream rang out. Theo¡¯s eyes widened as he turned towards its source. One of the hydra heads clamped shut, snuffing out the noise. The leader of a relatively new team became the first casualty of the hydra hunt. Because of Yale¡¯s interference, many of the less disciplined raiders had gotten distracted. The Torrent Guardian had taken advantage of this opening to secure a kill. Nora grit her teeth as the other raiders¡¯ faces paled. After that fatal blunder, it wasn¡¯t long before every team¡¯s formation crumbled. Chapter 31 - You Have Regrets One man had fallen, but that wasn¡¯t enough to make the other raiders turn tail. This was a boss fight. Against such a powerful monster, it would have been more surprising to see everyone survive. Even so, because Nora had been the one to organize it, most of them had entertained that na?ve dream. The coalition of teams continued to fight, but morale was low. Meanwhile, the person who had caused this incident continued to wreak havoc. ¡°DON¡¯T THINK YOU¡¯LL LEAVE HERE ALIVE!¡± Yale¡¯s unhinged voice boomed across the jungle. ¡°BOTH OF YOU WILL DIE!¡± Under normal circumstances, Theo¡¯s group might have already subdued the enraged raider. But everything had happened so suddenly and at the worst possible time. Yale used his overwhelming physical advantage to keep Theo on the ropes. Every time the outlaw tried to break away, he received another injury for his trouble. Theo¡¯s arm trembled as he blocked Yale¡¯s saber with his vambraces. The young master raised his other sword, but he was forced to turn and parry an attack from Mavis. Stepping forward, Mavis channeled mana into the Blade of Dismissal and pushed Yale¡¯s sword away. Rather than falter, Yale stepped forward as well. He traded a gash on his side for the chance to plunge his saber into Mavis¡¯s chest. Such an injury was no concern for the slime. Mavis swung its sword again, cutting deep into Yale¡¯s favored arm. Dropping his saber, Yale leapt back to disengage. Blood flowed freely down his limp right arm, but his expression was disturbingly cheerful. ¡°He was right¡­¡± Yale finally lowered his voice. ¡°You¡¯re¡­¡± Mavis hastily removed the weapon from its chest, but several people had already noticed. It was difficult to tell what had happened through the rain, and a simple slash could have been downplayed. Unfortunately, a stab through the chest was different. ¡°She didn¡¯t even flinch?¡± ¡°What the hell?¡± Just about the only one who didn¡¯t care about Mavis¡¯s injury was the hydra. Once again, it took advantage of this opportunity to take another life. A terrified scream was followed by an even more terrifying crunch as the hydra bit down on a raider. The woman in question was flung into the air and then swallowed whole. Her teammates began to fall back, but a few other heads turned towards them. *Pshooo* *Pshooo* *Pshooo* For hydras, every head had its own brain and could function autonomously. However, they were still part of the same body. These heads were closer than brothers and they could share information to some degree. When one spotted a weakness, the others wouldn¡¯t fail to act. A volley of water bullets hit the retreating team. The Torrent Guardian¡¯s bullets could fell trees and shatter rocks. The only reason why Yale had survived so many hits was because of his powerful defensive enchantments. These people were not so lucky. Two of them died outright while the final member was left crippled. The nearest head quickly snapped him up, and just like that, one of the five teams had been wiped out. Now, it was just Nora, Linderman, and the two remaining teams they had recruited against six heads. Theo¡¯s group wasn¡¯t in any position to help. ¡°Damn it!¡± Nora yelled as she finished off one of her two heads. ¡°Don¡¯t run away!¡± Her words were seemingly lost beneath the curtain of rain. Panic spread through the raiders like wildfire. They lowered their weapons and began to back away. Some even broke into a sprint. *Pshooo* *Pshooo* *Pshooo* *Pshooo* Now that the tables had turned, the Torrent Guardian seemed to have found its second wind. It fired as many projectiles as it could muster. As the bullets hit their mark, the fleeing raiders were knocked around like ragdolls. *Boom* A third head fell as Linderman fired another beam from his arm. The Torrent Guardian hissed as it backed off, but the damage had been done. Of the four teams that had been recruited by Nora, only Theo¡¯s group remained. The rest were either dead or unconscious. ¡°You idiots¡­¡± Nora muttered regretfully. ¡°What did you think was going to happen?¡± Nora and Linderman were scowling, but neither of them seemed ready to quit. The two rising stars had seen plenty of raiders die before. They weren¡¯t going to abandon their prize because of one failed plan. If the Torrent Guardian got away, then it would recover quickly. Now was their only chance to finish it off. But first, there was something they needed to take care of. ¡°Linderman, distract it for a while!¡± ¡°Ok.¡± At this point in their relationship, Nora didn¡¯t need to explain herself. Linderman channeled a substantial amount of mana into his crackling left arm. The platinum-tier treasure began to grow again, but this time it was vibrating intensely. As the crackling grew louder, it seemed that Linderman was preparing to fire his most devastating attack yet.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it. Having been burned twice already, the Torrent Guardian focused all of its attention towards him. It arched its necks while Linderman continued to charge up power. While those two were locked in a standoff, Nora nocked an arrow and aimed towards Yale. As she chanted in a low tone, Nora regretted not killing him when they first met. Ultimately, she¡¯d underestimated him. *Shunk* Just before she could fire, a transparent dagger buried itself in her abdomen. Nora faltered, and the arrow flew harmlessly over Yale¡¯s head. She frantically scanned the jungle as she fell, but there was no sign of an intruder. The dagger had clearly been thrown, but she couldn¡¯t glean any information on her assailant. Linderman¡¯s eyes widened as he saw Nora fall to her knees. The ephemeral dagger faded even further until it vanished from existence. With the obstruction removed, a sickening amount of blood flowed out of her wound. Linderman roared as he channeled mana into his arm. An earth-shaking boom rang out, followed by a beam of energy that tore into the hydra. The Torrent Guardian held its ground for a moment, but it was quickly thrown off balance. While it crashed into a nearby tree, Linderman was already rushing to Nora¡¯s side. His left arm was twitching violently and crackling louder than ever, but he ignored it. Linderman grabbed her trembling hands and thrust them over her wound. ¡°Don¡¯t go into shock.¡± His half order half plea was answered by a wry grin. Nora forced her mouth to move as she chanted a healing spell. Slowly but surely, her wound began to close. Linderman looked around vigilantly as she worked. Any interruption could break her concentration and cause a backlash. This scene hadn¡¯t been missed by a certain slime¡¯s perception. It also hadn¡¯t missed the sight of over a dozen raiders being slaughtered by the Torrent Guardian. As it looked at the wounds on Theo¡¯s body, Mavis felt something new. Regret. Why hadn¡¯t it stolen Yale¡¯s equipment when it had the chance? It could have killed him as well, but Mavis had ignored those options. Why? Because stealing was wrong? Because it didn¡¯t want to hurt anyone? Mavis¡¯s hair began to lengthen as it reflected on the real reason. It had been complacent. As a creature that had been human and aspired to live with humans, Mavis didn¡¯t want to break their laws. At that time, it had felt that the hydra would handle things, and so it let Yale be. It had left such an important thing to chance. The slime¡¯s hair suddenly changed from black to teal. Mavis hadn¡¯t felt like this when it killed Galt. Even though it had taken a life, Mavis couldn¡¯t regret protecting itself. Right now, it had done the opposite. Its careless choice had put everyone in danger. Yale stopped attacking. He stared at the slime with a strange grin. ¡°Are you going to stop playing around?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± Mavis replied as it formed three long tentacles. While it did, Yale carefully retrieved his saber. His arm seemed well enough to hold it again. The slime frowned as it focused its magical vision on Yale¡¯s wounds. They were closing up at an astonishing speed. Mavis could sense an incredibly powerful enchantment on Yale¡¯s person. Or, rather¡­inside his body. The slime couldn¡¯t tell exactly what it was, but the enchantment¡¯s potency was like nothing it had ever seen. Subduing him was not an option. Theo glanced at Nora and Linderman. If Mavis went all out, then it would be exposed as a monster. There was no telling how the pair would react. On top of that, the hydra clearly wasn¡¯t done with them. Linderman¡¯s attack had bought them a few minutes, but what would happen after that? If nothing changed, all five of them would be killed by either Yale or the Torrent Guardian. ¡°Vivian, go heal Nora.¡± Theo barked. ¡°Ok!¡± Vivian replied quickly but she wore an unsightly expression. Once Yale had entered the fight, Vivian felt like she¡¯d been completely useless. She rushed towards Nora but Linderman raised his arm, forcing her to keep her distance. ¡°Linderman!¡± Theo shouted. ¡°What do you think will happen when the Torrent Guardian gets back up?¡± ¡°Nora can stabilize her wound before then. Once she does, we¡¯ll escape.¡± ¡°Nora¡¯s going to be exhausted and your arm isn¡¯t functioning properly, is it? Plus, there¡¯s some unknown enemy hiding nearby. Do you think you can run in this situation?¡± Linderman grit his teeth while Theo continued. ¡°Mavis can handle Yale, and with the five of us, we can finish off the boss as well.¡± ¡°Do you really think I¡¯ll believe that?¡± ¡°If you waste time doubting me, then we¡¯ll run out of options! Right now, you just have to trust us.¡± Linderman¡¯s crackling arm trembled. He could tell that Theo wasn¡¯t just talking about accepting Vivian¡¯s help. To get through this, he would have to take a leap of faith. Linderman cursed as he lowered his platinum-tier weapon. Nora didn¡¯t even look at Vivian as she approached. The two mages concentrated on their work and nothing else. It wouldn¡¯t be accurate to say that Yale let this exchange happen. Instead, he hadn¡¯t even noticed it. The young master stood transfixed as Mavis¡¯s tentacles began to glow. He realized that the slime was channeling mana through its body, almost as if it was a living enchantment. This action wasn¡¯t unheard of. In fact, many monsters could do something similar. Monsters grew up with magical cores in their body and those cores obviously weren¡¯t for using equipment. In the lowest levels of any dungeon, most monsters utilized some form of race-specific magic. As a cave slime, Mavis could only use mana to sense the world around it. Now, things were different. Yale showed uncharacteristic caution as Mavis rushed forward. He channeled mana into his saber and sent out a lightning-fast swipe. This was meant to force Mavis back, but the slime didn¡¯t retreat. Part of its body deformed to dodge the attack while one of its three tentacles wrapped around Yale¡¯s wrist. Yale immediately tried to sever the tentacle with his second sword, but Mavis blocked him with its own weapon. Yale¡¯s eyes shone with a fierce light. They had clashed like this several times before, and he had never lost. The superhuman strength from his enchantments put him leagues ahead of a muscle-less slime. The same scene played out again. Mavis¡¯s sword was pushed back under the weight of Yale¡¯s swing, but only to a point. Yale felt a chill when he realized that he couldn¡¯t push any further. At first, it seemed that Mavis had suddenly become his equal in strength, but that was only half true. While the slime had definitely gotten stronger, Yale could tell that he had grown weaker. As Yale¡¯s eyes flickered towards the tentacle on his wrist, a question sprung into his mind. Had that tentacle always been glowing so brightly? Panicking, Yale channeled even more mana into his strength enhancing enchantments. This burst of power allowed him to sever the tentacle, but Mavis wouldn¡¯t back off. Swords and tentacles clashed as they exchanged several more blows. Yale¡¯s mind was reeling. Any damage he did would instantly become irrelevant. Even though he could heal quickly for a human, he had nothing on the slime¡¯s fluid body. On top of that, every time a tentacle touched him, Yale felt more of his strength drain away. Mavis¡¯s blows were becoming heavier as well. During their battle, Yale took nothing while his opponent took everything. That was the kind of fight he¡¯d been dragged into. After a certain point, one of Mavis¡¯s tentacles began to emit a high-pitched thrumming. ¡°Ah¡­¡± The slime exclaimed. Ignoring Yale¡¯s attacks, Mavis wrapped the tentacle around the young master¡¯s waist and then severed it. The slime clashed with Yale one more time and won out. It thrust the Blade of Dismissal into his chest and activated the enchantment. Yale was blasted backwards, then he hit the wet ground and skidded for a while. Just before he stopped, the severed tentacle¡¯s pitch hit a new high. Then, it exploded. Several gallons of rain were displaced as an enormous amount of energy rippled out. By the time the water settled, an eerie silence had fallen over the battlefield. Linderman watched in disbelief as Mavis turned away from Yale. The young master wasn¡¯t getting back up. Chapter 32 - You Cleared the Rain Soul stealers and humming killers. When one spoke those names, a certain species of slime appeared in every veteran¡¯s mind. Auric slimes had been discovered less than thirty years ago, mainly because they only lived in the deepest parts of a dungeon. The veterans that discovered these slimes had given them two nicknames. ¡®Soul stealer¡¯ referred to the way that they drained energy from their prey. Meanwhile, ¡®humming killer¡¯ referred to what happened after they¡¯d eaten their fill. As these slimes absorbed mana, they would become faster and stronger. They had an overwhelming advantage in long drawn out fights. However, that energy would eventually become unstable. Exactly when this happened depended on the slime, but once it did, they would begin to emit a high-pitched noise. After that, they would explode. Since they were also proficient in shapeshifting and ambushes, auric slimes were a massive threat to any raiding party. As someone who had recently begun reading about high-level monsters, Linderman wouldn¡¯t fail to recognize Mavis¡¯s explosive attack. Although, he really wanted to be wrong. The common sense he¡¯d cultivated up until this point told him that he must be wrong. And yet, the answer was staring him in the face. It was staring at him with raised swords. While Vivian and Nora focused on healing, Theo and Mavis were staring cautiously at Linderman. They were clearly worried that he¡¯d attack without thinking. ¡°You¡­¡± Linderman spoke and they tensed up. ¡°You¡¯re a monster?¡± The slime nodded. ¡°Yes.¡± A few seconds passed, and a strange grin appeared on Linderman¡¯s face. The normally stoic raider lowered his head and took a deep breath. When he came back up, the smile had vanished. ¡°You three still want to fight this boss? Is that your plan?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Theo and Mavis replied in unison. Vivian was too busy to speak, but she had clearly heard them. ¡°Then we¡¯ll fight too.¡± Linderman replied. ¡°So, for now, the five of us are a team.¡± ¡°But what happens after that?¡± The question hung in the air, but nobody dared ask it. ¡°Wait, what is it doing?¡± Theo exclaimed as he pointed at the Torrent Guardian. Mavis¡¯s hair twitched and Linderman scowled as they turned towards the beast. A series of faint cracking sounds were just barely audible through the rain. As the raiders strained their eyes, the cause of the noise became apparent. The Torrent Guardian¡¯s proud lavender scales were being crushed by the dozens. The culprit was the monster itself. Its four remaining heads tore into the three injured ones without a shred of sympathy. By the time Theo and the others had noticed, it was already whittling down the leftover stumps. ¡°It¡­It¡¯s healing.¡± Theo breathed. Linderman shifted his gaze upwards. While he¡¯d been focusing on the monster¡¯s grotesque feeding, there was an even more unbelievable phenomenon happening around its body. The burnt parts of its skin began to bulge and sag. As rain washed away the waste, a fresh set of scales was revealed. In time, maybe it would even regrow its heads. ¡°We need to kill it now.¡± Linderman said. The dour raider stood up, but he stumbled as his left arm began to spasm. Theo grit his teeth, but he didn¡¯t rebuke Linderman. After witnessing the hydra¡¯s incredible recovery, he was also afraid that it might grow more heads. ¡°It¡¯s healing, we¡¯re healing.¡± Nora¡¯s calm voice snapped Linderman back to his senses. Her red eye gleamed as she continued. ¡°Right now, it¡¯s panicking just as much as we are.¡± Mavis¡¯s tentacles froze as it noticed a change in Nora¡¯s mana. Some of it was being channeled into her eye. Now that she¡¯d finished healing, Vivian hastily pulled out her cat¡¯s eye pendant. Her treasure couldn¡¯t sense abstract feelings, but it could warn them if the hydra was going to attack. ¡°The two of us will stay back and support.¡± Nora said, patting Vivian¡¯s shoulder. ¡°You three will engage its heads.¡± ¡°What about the body?¡± Linderman asked. When Nora shrugged, Theo turned to Linderman. ¡°Stop it from charging and then draw out the heads. I had a hunch when Yale was fighting it, but now I¡¯m positive. That monster has a separate brain for each head, and so it tends to forget about moving its body.¡± ¡°I-It won¡¯t fire any more water blasts.¡± Vivian spoke up. ¡°I don¡¯t think it can heal again, either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good news.¡± Theo nodded. ¡°But we don¡¯t want to get complacent. Let¡¯s not worry about who damages what. Right now, we should focus on surviving.¡± Nora narrowed her eyes, but both she and Linderman nodded. Meanwhile, Theo flashed three fingers behind his back. He was facing the group, and so no one could see this gesture. No one human, anyway.This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work. Mavis nodded and stepped forward. ¡°Let¡¯s¡­go.¡± Four heads hissed as the raiders approached. Despite its threatening posture, no water bullets were fired. It seemed that Vivian¡¯s analysis was correct. The hydra¡¯s tail crashed furiously against the ground, causing the forest to shake. As the raiders continued to advance, the hydra took on the air of a cornered animal. Its heads arched low to the ground, and then it charged. With heads the size of trade wagons and a body that was as large as a small house, the Torrent Guardian¡¯s charge was a terrifying sight. All four heads turned towards the man who had blocked it earlier. Linderman grunted as he forced his arm to grow again. He tried to stop the hydra but four sets of teeth bit into the platinum-tier treasure, causing it to crackle even louder. The monster received a substantial shock for its trouble, but it didn¡¯t stop. Linderman¡¯s arm was torn apart. Before it could roar in celebration, a red streak plunged into one of its heads. Nora¡¯s arrow exploded, causing the hydra to cry out in agony. At the same time, another head noticed movement out of the corner of its eye. A dagger sank into its forehead before it could react. The wound was shallow, but it suddenly began to widen. Another pained hiss rang out as the cut crept into the hydra¡¯s eyes, blinding it. The third head was restricted by Vivian¡¯s magic, which left only one head to retaliate as Mavis dashed forward. Extending its tentacles, Mavis latched onto the head that Theo had blinded and pulled itself up. The hydra¡¯s fourth head tried to bite it, but Mavis quickly shifted its mass to dodge. It reached the top of the head, pulled out Voidcutter, and threw the weapon down to Theo. The fourth head continued to chase Mavis. It opened its mouth wide and prepared to injure its own body as it chomped down on the slime. A scream that was half war cry, half terrified yelp carried over the deluge. Mavis imitated Yale as it drove its two swords into the hydra¡¯s mouth, stopping the monster¡¯s jaw from closing. In desperation, Mavis cycled its mana into some of the equipment that it had gotten in the third layer. Its boots shone with a weight increasing aura, preventing the hydra from pushing it away. Its gloves helped it tighten its grip and brace its arms, while a defensive aura from its belt made it feel a little more secure. Coincidentally, the equipment that Theo had chosen to help it handle the Sunburst Spear was very useful here. As the slime and hydra gave it their all, the first thing to break was Mavis¡¯s silver sword. The weapon that it had taken from a dire wolf shattered, allowing the Torrent Guardian¡¯s jaw to snap shut. Mavis had just enough time to jump away, but not before it lost a couple tentacles. The hydra¡¯s predatory eyes followed the slime as it fell, but the beast was soon distracted by a strange humming noise. The fourth head bulged in a surreal fashion and then exploded. During their clash, Mavis had absorbed a tremendous amount of energy from the hydra. It had been hoping to destroy multiple heads with that blast, but now, Mavis was just happy to be alive. After hitting the ground with a splat, Mavis extended its senses to check on the others. Theo and Linderman were attacking the head that Vivian had paralyzed. Meanwhile, the first head was helpless against Nora¡¯s magically enhanced arrows. Mavis picked itself up and turned towards the blind head, which was still disoriented. Brandishing its sword, Mavis prepared to re-enter the fray. After all, Theo wanted their team to kill three of the four heads. Mavis hadn¡¯t missed his hand signal before the battle. The sounds of desperate roars and metal clashing against scales resounded through the forest. Several minutes later, those sounds grew louder. The battle wasn¡¯t becoming more intense, in fact, it was the opposite. Near the end of its life, the Torrent Guardian¡¯s rain slowly faded away. Without the rain¡¯s suppression, there was a brief period where the fighting felt extremely loud. After that, there was silence. Five haggard figures convened. Wordlessly, they turned to stare at the corpse of the Torrent Guardian. A beam of light shot out of the monster¡¯s body and separated into five streams. If the raiders looked closely, they could see that the streams were not equal. The largest light landed in front of Nora, while the second went to Mavis. Third was Linderman, fourth was Theo and fifth was Vivian. When the light faded, there was a treasure core in each of their hands. Mavis stared at its treasure, hair twitching in excitement. It was about to open the core when Theo put a hand on its shoulder. ¡°Not here.¡± He breathed. ¡°We have enough to fight about as it is.¡± ¡°Ah, sorry.¡± Theo turned towards Nora and Linderman. ¡°So, what happens now?¡± Everyone tensed up as Nora lifted her head. They remained tense as she flashed an amicable smile. ¡°I know a safe place nearby. How about we go there to rest?¡± ¡°The five of us?¡± ¡°Yes. There are a few things we need to talk about. Plus, I¡¯m worried about the person who attacked me.¡± After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Theo nodded. Now that they knew Mavis¡¯s secret, leaving them alone would be dangerous. - - - Yale opened his eyes and then immediately closed them. His body spasmed as his sense of pain returned. The fight that had put him in this situation replayed endlessly in his head, making him feel sick to his stomach. The young master tried to sit up, but he couldn¡¯t move. Or, rather, there was nothing to move him. Yale¡¯s eyes snapped open and he drew a short breath. His body was a mess. At this point he was more a pile of debris than human. As for how he could be alive in such a state, the answer was currently looming over him. ¡°Oh, you¡¯re awake.¡± Ravens muttered. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen this treasure be pushed so far. That¡¯s reassuring.¡± ¡°Wh-What are you doing?¡± Yale¡¯s ragged voice was barely audible. ¡°Retrieving the platinum-tier treasure, Gaia¡¯s Root. Remember? I leant it to you so that you could fight.¡± ¡°What happened to-¡± Yale was forced to clench his teeth as Ravens stuck a hand in his chest. ¡°What happened to the monster?¡± Raising his free hand to show the lack of rain, Ravens gave a short reply. ¡°Guess.¡± ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t believe it.¡± For reasons he didn¡¯t quite understand, a tear rolled down Yale¡¯s cheek. Seconds later, a sharp jolt of pain brought him out of his sentimental mood. ¡°Ravens, why did you help me?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t help you. I set you up to get killed.¡± ¡°Why?¡± ¡°To be blunt, because I¡¯m afraid of that thing.¡± ¡°The slime?¡± ¡°You people have no idea how dangerous those monsters are, or what their true purpose is. I couldn¡¯t take it for myself, not without knowing its full potential. Fortunately, it seems like it went all out against that boss.¡± Yale winced as another wave of pain wracked his body. ¡°If you pull that thing out¡­Am I going to die?¡± Ravens ignored him, as if his question wasn¡¯t even worth acknowledging. ¡°Please don¡¯t¡­I don¡¯t want to die.¡± Ravens stopped moving his hand and looked at Yale. ¡°You know, when I was around your age, I found myself in a similar position. I was alone in a dungeon. If anyone else found me, they would have killed me on sight. It was a terrible experience, but I wouldn¡¯t be the same without it.¡± Yale fought the urge to panic as Ravens continued. Through the pain and fear, he remained surprisingly stoic. ¡°If there¡¯s one thing I want to pass on, it¡¯s that feeling.¡± Ravens yanked his hand out of Yale¡¯s chest, along with a faintly glowing root. ¡°But not to you.¡± Extra 2 - Third Layer Equipment Theo''s Equipment:
Voidcutter (Gold) Drop Info: Nightmare Ripper (Boss) Description: This dagger is filled with a vicious will. Its edge is unnaturally sharp and can cut through almost any metal. Channel mana into the blade to widen any wounds you inflict.
Fake-Out (Gold) Drop Info: Soul-Piercing Moth Description: A headband with a creepily realistic eye painted at its center. Can create a short-lived illusion of the user''s body to confuse enemies. This illusion will also obscure your real body.
Stalker Gloves (Silver) Drop Info: Moss Panther Description: Significantly dampens nearby sounds. It also reduces the owner''s body weight, allowing them to step softly. Both effects require mana channeling.
Mavis''s Equipment:
Blade of Dismissal (Gold) Drop Info: Enchanter by Archmage Roy Vensir Description: An experiment to recreate Roy''s famous barrier spell as an enchantment. This failure was given to his nephew''s friend. It can''t create barriers, but this blade will repel anything that it touches. Note: Stolen from Nasser in chapter 22.
Mask (Gold - Defective) Drop Info: Found in Naraka''s first layer Description: Unknown.
Cloak (Gold - Defective) Drop Info: Found in Naraka''s first layer Description: Unknown.
Anchor Boots (Silver) Drop Info: Various monsters Description: Somewhat common boots that don''t seem to be tied to any particilar monster species. Channeling mana into them will root the user to the ground with gravity magic.
Splint Gloves (Silver) Drop Info: Sickle MantisThis content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. Description: Contains a strengh-enhancing enchantment that can help brace the user''s arms. Ideal for use with shields or heavy weapons.
Pygmy Giant''s Belt (Silver) Drop Info: Faceless Monkey Description: A belt that could fit a tiny giant, a large monkey, or a normal-sized human. Channeling mana into it will boost the user''s defense.
Vivian''s Equipment:
Mind''s Eye Vest (Silver) Drop Info: Soul-Piercing Moth Description: Makes nearby creatures more susceptible to illusions created by spells or enchantments.
Sunplume Hat (Gold) Drop Info: Red-Crested Soverign Description: This feathered hat can absorb and store magical energy. Damage from magical attacks will be significantly decreased. Charge it with your own mana to replenish yourself in a pinch. Note: This was the hat stolen from Ollie in chapter 22. Despite sounding useful, this treasure was so irrelevant that I never had a chance to describe it in the story so far.
Nora & Linderman''s Equipment:
Roil Essence (Platinum - Defective) Drop Info: Mist-Weaver Guardian (Boss) Description: An unstable, defective enchantment that couldn¡¯t be contained by its metal vessel. It requires a host body to channel its incredible powers. It can convert the user¡¯s mana into beams of electrical energy. This essence is also malleable and can temporarily grow or shrink.
Clear-Strike Bow (Gold) Drop Info: Crystal Golem Description: A short bow made out of clear crystal. Arrows fired from this bow will aim for a designated target, even if they have to curve in mid-air. Note: Nora''s explosive arrows are specially enchanted and then further empowerd by spells before she fires them.
Red Eye (Unknown) Drop Info: Unknown Description: One of Nora''s eyes can apparently ''see'' emotions. It is unclear whether this eye is a treasure, or if it was specially treated with magic.
Yale''s Equipment:
Trinity Coat (Gold) Drop Info: Tyrant Drake (Boss) Description: Contains a powerful enchantment that can boost the user¡¯s strength, speed and defense. Unlike many enchantments, this boost can be applied anywhere on the user¡¯s body. Using all of these abilities at once will drain mana very quickly.
Note: I''m skipping the rest of Yale''s gear because this is long enough as it is. All of them have simple enchantments anyway. Vivian''s Storage:
Sunburst Spear (Gold) Drop Info: Golden Sickle Mantis Description: A piece of heavy artillery in spear form. This weapon can release a massive short-range blast of energy, but it requires an equally massive amount of mana.
Tempest Battle-Axe (Gold) Drop Info: Peak Guardian (Boss) Description: A hefty battle-axe. It can create shockwaves to pummel enemies or knock them off balance. Note: Stolen from Tarq in chapter 22. This axe was too heavy for Theo, Vivian or Mavis to use.
Frost Screamer (Gold) Drop Info: Peak Guardian (Boss) Description: A bow that can imbue arrows with ice magic. The magic''s potency depends on how much mana is channeled and how deep the arrow pierces. Note: Stolen from Kaiya in chapter 22.
Ravens'' Equipment:
Gaia''s Root (Platinum) Drop Info: Gnarled Treant Lord (Boss) Description: A treasure with a mind of its own. It burrows into its user to grant them incredible vitality. This ''root'' has a cooldown period based on how much energy its previous host expended.
Chapter 33 - Your Value is Incalculable The third layer¡¯s one-way portal was just like the second layer¡¯s. It was a large crystalline arch encircling a blue-black rift. The most noticeable difference between the two wasn¡¯t their structure, but the air around them. While the second layer¡¯s portal stood as a beacon at the center of countless paths, the third¡¯s felt like a hidden oasis. In an area with countless ambush predators and very few safe zones, this portal seemed to be a blessing from the divines. Unfortunately, what would normally be the calmest spot for miles had become frighteningly intense. Five figures sat near the portal around a large campfire. Three of them were huddled together on the right side, while the other two stayed on the left. These two groups were, of course, Nora and Theo¡¯s teams. ¡°So, what do you think?¡± Theo asked in a low tone. ¡°About Mavis? I¡¯m surprised.¡± Nora replied, shaking her head. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the phantom of the first layer to be a monster.¡± Theo and Vivian stiffened while Mavis¡¯s hair began to shake uncontrollably. ¡°That name¡­¡± It muttered ruefully. ¡°¡­Embarrassing.¡± ¡°You knew about that?¡± Theo asked. Nora rolled her eyes. ¡°Not initially, but after two weeks I¡¯d heard enough to connect the dots.¡± Nora leaned back and placed her hands behind her head. This relaxed gesture succeeded in helping Theo and Vivian calm down. Secretly, Theo wished that he had Nora¡¯s red eye. The magic tool seemed to have some kind of mind reading enchantment, which would be incredibly useful at the moment. Right now, Theo couldn¡¯t read the pair at all. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯m not going to kill you for being an outlaw. There¡¯s something romantic about that situation, isn¡¯t there? Being trapped in a dungeon while both monsters and humans are your enemy. The phantom¡¯s name didn¡¯t just spread because of fear. Some people are really interested in the woman behind the mask.¡± Theo folded his arms. ¡°And what does that have to do with anything?¡± ¡°You need to go to the fourth layer, right? How about we team up for a while? Just think of how famous I could become by working with a hot topic like the phantom.¡± ¡°No way.¡± Theo didn¡¯t need to be a mind reader to know that Nora¡¯s proposal was extremely suspicious. For the two rising stars, working with outlaws was career suicide. True, they might be able to increase their notoriety, but they would be shunned by most organizations on the surface. The fact that it there were seemingly no downsides for Theo¡¯s team was just another red flag. As he listed out these demerits, Nora folded her arms. ¡°Hmm, you really are shrewd.¡± Nora muttered. ¡°My instincts as a raider keep telling me to deal with you before you outshine me.¡± Theo, Mavis and Vivian tensed up again. ¡°Look¡­¡± Linderman said, placing a hand on Nora¡¯s shoulder. ¡°We really, really, aren¡¯t going to hurt you. There¡¯s a reason why we want to team up with you, but it¡¯s¡­¡± Linderman trailed off and Nora shook her head. ¡°Fine, I give up. If you won¡¯t team up, then how about we make a deal? Follow us through the fourth layer, and I can promise you at least one platinum-tier treasure.¡± Theo blinked. ¡°Through the fourth layer?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°¡­Why?¡± Nora¡¯s friendly expression became strained. ¡°How much do you know about talking monsters?¡± She asked, after some obvious internal debate. ¡°Not mu-¡± ¡°-There are¡­others?¡± Mavis cut in. ¡°Other¡­monsters¡­like me?¡± ¡°All I can say is maybe.¡± Nora admitted. ¡°Have you heard about the incident with Archmage Edwards and those three veteran teams?¡± Theo and Mavis shook their heads, but Vivian released a short gasp. ¡°That was a few months ago, wasn¡¯t it?¡± She replied. ¡°Edwards gathered up a bunch of veterans for a large-scale exploration of the fifth layer. Then, by some freak accident, they were wiped out in the fourth layer. It was a tragedy.¡± Nora nodded. ¡°A very profitable tragedy. Tons of raiders went into the fourth layer to find the gear that those veterans left behind. We were there too, but we didn¡¯t find any treasure. Instead, we ran into a man hiding out like a crazed hermit. He¡¯d been a part of Edward¡¯s group, but his mental state was¡­unstable.¡± ¡°And then what?¡± Theo jeered. ¡°He told you that talking monsters were real?¡± ¡°No.¡± Nora huffed. ¡°He attacked us on sight. Even after we subdued him, he wouldn¡¯t say anything about that incident. So, I used some high-level magic to look inside his head. Even his memories were messed up, probably because of the trauma, but I got the gist of the situation.¡± Nora finally dropped her cheerful fa?ade as she continued. ¡°Edward¡¯s team wasn¡¯t wiped out, not completely. They encountered a strange monster that was intelligent. It killed most of them and took the ones it deemed ¡®worthy¡¯ further into the dungeon. And I don¡¯t just mean to the fifth layer. From what I could understand, it rewrote their teleport privileges.¡± Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel. Theo¡¯s eyes widened. Memories of Ravens¡¯ mystery floor flashed into his mind. Unfortunately, those memories came with a lot of bloody fighting. Theo doubled over and desperately tried not to retch. Nora watched him carefully, but she didn¡¯t say anything. Meanwhile, Mavis¡¯s hair continued to move. ¡°So there are more¡­like me.¡± ¡°To be honest, from that guy¡¯s memories, I wouldn¡¯t say that thing is ¡®like you¡¯.¡± Nora replied cautiously. ¡°Still¡­I want¡­to meet it.¡± Nora¡¯s smile returned. ¡°Then let¡¯s go find it.¡± ¡°Wait, wait.¡± Vivian interjected. ¡°Setting aside the fact we¡¯d probably die if we ran into that monster, how are you going to give us a platinum-tier treasure?¡± ¡°If we can teleport wherever they went, then there¡¯s bound to be some platinum-tier treasures. Would a place like that give out gold or silver? No way.¡± ¡°But the monster-¡± ¡°-We don¡¯t need to fight that thing.¡± Nora said, cutting Vivian off. ¡°We have our own intelligent monster.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­do that.¡± Mavis seemed to shrink as it spoke. ¡°There might be a clue in the fourth layer. If not, maybe that monster can teach you. Have you ever actually tried to do it?¡± ¡°No¡­I have not tried.¡± ¡°Then let¡¯s try it!¡± Nora beamed as she leaned towards the slime. ¡°Just think of how wealthy we could be! If we get into that place, Theo¡¯s outlaw status could be cleared easily!¡± ¡°We aren¡¯t going.¡± Theo¡¯s icy voice pierced the mood like a dagger. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯ll let Mavis or Vivian go there.¡± Nora stared at him in shock and he glared right back. Linderman shifted uncomfortably before speaking up. ¡°¡­Raiders take risks. Exploring dungeons is never safe.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a difference between taking risks and committing suicide.¡± Seeing that Theo wouldn¡¯t budge, Nora sighed. ¡°We¡¯re all exhausted. Let¡¯s sleep on it, ok?¡± Vivian and Mavis nodded sleepily, but Theo continued to scowl. ¡°You need to go to the fourth layer.¡± Nora reminded him. ¡°Right now, everything else is just speculation.¡± ¡°¡­We¡¯ll sleep, but I won¡¯t change my mind.¡± The two rising stars lowered their shoulders as Theo acquiesced. After everything that had happened, there was no way that Theo would sleep near Nora and Linderman. The trio found a hollow away from the portal and only relaxed after Vivian and Mavis searched the area. Once their sleeping space was secure, they collapsed. ¡°Mavis¡­¡± Vivian muttered sleepily. ¡°Give me your cloak and mask. I¡¯m so close¡­¡± The slime melted and shrugged off its attire. It extended a tentacle holding its defective gear, but Vivian was lying on the ground. She¡¯d fallen asleep. ¡°It¡¯s been a long day.¡± Theo said as he lay down. ¡°And I¡¯m not looking forward to tomorrow.¡± ¡°Theo¡­¡± The slime hesitated for a moment, but it eventually continued. ¡°Why did you get¡­so angry? When Nora talked¡­about¡­teleporting¡­you were upset.¡± ¡°Because¡­¡± Theo¡¯s exhausted voice was barely a whisper. ¡°We¡¯ll die if we go there.¡± ¡°Where?¡± The slime waited for an answer, but none came. Theo had fallen asleep. Mavis sighed. It didn¡¯t technically need to sleep, but it could. Sleeping felt right, and after today, it was ready to surrender to that feeling. A few hours later, the slime bolted awake. Something had entered its perception range. When the slime focused its senses on the intruder, they suddenly disappeared. Mavis quickly took on a humanoid form. It was about to wake Theo, when something smashed into its core. The slime¡¯s perception range was currently fifteen meters. This kind of distance wasn¡¯t something that could be crossed in mere seconds. Even so, Mavis couldn¡¯t deny what it had seen. One moment, a dark hooded figure had been approaching their hollow. In the next, he was right beside the slime. As the figure bludgeoned Mavis¡¯s core with the flat of his blade, Mavis began to panic. This was a frighteningly familiar situation. And of course it was familiar. Both then and now, that figure was Ravens. Still, Mavis was more resilient than it used to be. The slime around its core tightened, holding Ravens¡¯ arm in place as Mavis drained his energy. ¡°Hel-¡± Just before Mavis could cry out, Ravens plunged his other hand into the slime¡¯s body and grasped its core. He pulled it out, causing Mavis¡¯s body to fall like a puppet with its strings cut. Ravens stared at the core for a moment, and then turned to leave with his prize. ¡°HELP!¡± Mavis¡¯s cry rang out unhindered. The veteran flinched, and Mavis took advantage of his hesitation. Its puddle body suddenly reformed and dove for Ravens¡¯ legs. He shook the slime off with a single powerful kick, but Theo and Vivian were already awake. ¡°Who are you!?¡± Vivian shrieked. She fired a lightning bolt at Ravens, but the attack fizzled out when it touched his dark leather armor. Meanwhile, Theo was staring at Ravens with a blank expression. He stood, paralyzed, while Ravens shrugged off his teammate¡¯s attacks and escaped the hollow. ¡°Get back here¡­¡± He whispered. Then he grit his teeth. ¡°GET BACK HERE!¡± While Theo hastily put on his boots, something shot past him. Mavis¡¯s body dashed out of the hollow as a formless blob. This empty shell didn¡¯t make it very far before it collapsed. Lying in the inert puddle was Mavis¡¯s cloak and mask. As Theo ran past the slime, he quickly scooped up its gear without thinking. Some part of him didn¡¯t want to leave it lying there like a corpse. Activating the speed boost from his boots, Theo shot through the jungle. Ravens hadn¡¯t left a trail, but Theo knew where his master would go. As Theo sped towards the one-way portal, he couldn¡¯t keep his thoughts straight. Why was Ravens there? How did he know about Mavis? Theo immediately connected his master to the weapon that Nora said had ¡®come out of nowhere.¡¯ Scowling, Theo wondered just how long Ravens had been following him. While he¡¯d secretly worried that Ravens would know if he told anyone about Jigou¡¯s secret floor, Theo didn¡¯t actually think that his master was omnipotent. The outlaw blazed past Nora and Linderman who were sleeping in the open area. As they woke up, he turned his attention to the portal. Part of the gate was churning oddly, as if it had just been used. The outlaw didn¡¯t hesitate as he dove towards it. With a little mana and some will, the portal swallowed him up. Theo appeared in a dimly lit cave that lay above the first layer. This spacious area was almost a mile wide on each side. Several large thrumming crystals jutted out of the rocky floor while dozens of birdcage-style lifts lined the walls. This was the entrance to Naraka. Unlike Jigou¡¯s lively floor zero, this place was almost entirely deserted. Looking around, Theo immediately spotted Ravens standing in front of a crystal. ¡°Theo!¡± Mavis¡¯s distressed voice called out. A slime¡¯s true body was its core. Losing their slime put them in a sorry state, but it wasn¡¯t fatal. If given the chance, a lone core could reconnect to its old body or eventually ¡®grow¡¯ a new one. But even without a proper body, they still retrained their magical senses. Because of that, Mavis could still speak. ¡°We¡¯ll be going further down.¡± Ravens muttered. The teleport crystal began to glow and its light slowly enveloped Ravens and Mavis. Theo¡¯s eyes widened as he saw the number four appear on the crystal. Channeling mana into his boots, Theo jumped forward with incredible speed. As Ravens¡¯ form faded, Theo realized that he wasn¡¯t going to make it. ¡°No!¡± Mavis shouted. The crystal suddenly flashed, and the light retreated from Ravens. As Theo slammed into the veteran, the crystal flashed again. Everything went white for the outlaw, and when he blinked, he found himself in an entirely different world. Theo¡¯s feet sank slightly as he stood on a dark red sand dune. Sweat began to form on his brow as he scanned the area. Rust-colored sand stretched out as far as he could see. Behind him was a portal, the same kind that he¡¯d seen in the second and third layers. Far above him was a stalactite covered ceiling. ¡°Where¡­Where are we?¡± Mavis¡¯s voice caused Theo to jump. Lying in the sand like a forgotten pearl was Mavis¡¯s core. Theo picked Mavis up and dusted it off. ¡°My first guess would be the fourth layer.¡± Chapter 34 - You Are a Survivor The Heaven¡¯s Spire mountain range was one of four known areas that had been transformed into a dungeon. Unlike its peers, Naraka remained true to its original form. On the surface, anyway. The mountain biome surrounding the dungeon, the first layer¡¯s tunnels, and the second layer¡¯s forest all matched descriptions of the old mountain range. Meanwhile, the third layer¡¯s jungle and the fog that encapsulated it were quite strange, but they didn¡¯t feel entirely out of place. All of that ended with the fourth layer. Beneath the humid rainforest lay a massive cavern that spanned the entire third layer and some of the second. About eighty percent of this area was a sandy desert while the rest was made up of gigantic porous rocks. These skyscraper-sized slabs of earth offered refuge for the fourth layer¡¯s inhabitants, both human and monster, which was extremely necessary given the nature of the desert. Although there was no sun hanging in the sky, the fourth layer was extremely hot. Its resources were also spread much thinner than the previous layers and there were plenty of monsters hiding beneath the dunes. However, these problems could only be called mundane when compared to the true danger of this desert. That danger was the sand itself. Theo was forced to squint as a wave of hot air blew past him. Grains of red sand battered his body, but his eyes never strayed from the one-way portal. Theo clenched his hand around Mavis¡¯s core as the seconds passed slowly. One minute¡­ Two minutes¡­ Five minutes¡­ Fifteen minutes ¡­ Theo¡¯s shoulders finally relaxed when he realized that Ravens wasn¡¯t coming to chase them. ¡°Where is he?¡± Theo wondered aloud. ¡°And what happened back there, anyway?¡± The core in Theo¡¯s hand began to vibrate and so he opened his fist. ¡°Don¡¯t understand¡­but¡­I think¡­I did it.¡± When he thought about it, Theo had to agree. Mavis must have done something. How else could he have teleported to the fourth layer while Ravens had seemingly lost that privilege? ¡°What exactly did you do?¡± ¡°I¡­um¡­felt we were going¡­deeper into the dungeon. I didn¡¯t want to go¡­with scary man. Tried to stop it¡­but this happened. Who was he?¡± ¡°He is¡­was¡­my master.¡± Theo caught himself looking away as he answered. ¡°His name is Ravens and he¡¯s a very experienced raider. Very dangerous, too.¡± ¡°When Ravens¡­came to hollow¡­I couldn¡¯t fight back. Very dangerous.¡± ¡°There are only a handful of people who could take him in a straight up fight, and he wouldn¡¯t fight fairly against any of them. If we see him again, you should run away as quickly as you can.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t¡­run.¡± Theo¡¯s lips curled into a frown as he stared at Mavis¡¯s core. ¡°Are you, uh, feeling alright?¡± ¡°Feel¡­lighter¡­but still¡­ok.¡± ¡°That¡¯s¡­good?¡± Theo sighed. The fatigue from yesterday clung to him like an illness. He knew that he needed to sleep soon, but there were bigger things to worry about. At the moment, the only visible landmark was the one-way portal. If he wanted to get back to the third layer and regroup with Vivian, then there were two options. The first would be to go back through the portal and then teleport to the third layer. While this was the fastest solution, Ravens was likely waiting on the surface. After listening to Nora¡¯s story, Theo had some idea of why Ravens wanted to take Mavis further into the dungeon. Though, no matter what his master¡¯s reason was, Theo didn¡¯t want to let them meet ever again. The second option would be to travel the desert and find their way back to the third layer. With Theo¡¯s limited knowledge of the fourth layer, he couldn¡¯t guess how risky this would be. All he knew was that it would be safer than fighting Ravens. ¡°What do we do?¡± Mavis asked. ¡°First, let¡¯s find somewhere to rest. Also, water.¡± The area around the portal was free from monsters, but it couldn¡¯t be called a ¡®safe zone¡¯. If Theo slept there, the heat would eventually kill him. In fact, the outlaw was already feeling very weak. Theo rationalized that he was coming down from an adrenaline high, but there could be another reason. ¡°Which¡­way?¡± ¡°¡­Which way indeed¡­¡± Theo scanned the rust-colored sand dunes for any clues, but there was nothing to see. Everything beyond a certain distance was incredibly hazy from the heat.If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it. ¡°Well, if every direction looks the same, then I¡¯d rather walk with the wind than against it.¡± The pair set off together. Or, rather, Theo set off while carrying Mavis. He didn¡¯t feel good about putting Mavis in his pocket, but the slime insisted that it could still see. In terms of equipment, Theo only had his boots and dagger, along with Mavis¡¯s cloak and mask. Theo couldn¡¯t regret leaving his other gear behind, since he would have lost Mavis if he¡¯d taken the time to equip himself. After a short internal debate, Theo put on the cloak and mask. The heat seemed to be radiating out from every direction, and he needed to protect his skin from exposure. As Theo pulled down on the cloak¡¯s hood, something fell onto his head. It rolled forward and plopped onto the sand. The treasure core gleamed brightly, almost as if it was delighted to have been found. ¡°Ah¡­¡± Mavis¡¯s muffled voice rose from Theo¡¯s pocket. ¡°You wanted me to¡­give to Vivian¡­but I was tired¡­forgot.¡± ¡°I¡¯m glad you did.¡± Theo picked up the treasure core and channeled some mana into it. After a flash of light, a pair of gauntlets appeared in his hand. Theo grimaced for a moment before realizing that these were lighter than full plate gauntlets. The gloves were made of tough jet-black leather and reinforced by smalls sheets of lavender metal. Their most notable feature was the clear ovoid gem on the back of each gauntlet. One appraisal later and Theo was grinning. While it wasn¡¯t platinum, this treasure was on the upper end of gold. After binding the gauntlets to fit his hands, Theo slipped them on and clenched his fists. Surprisingly, the inside of the gauntlets felt cool¡ªas if his hands were being caressed by a wet towel. He opened and closed his hands a few times, his eyes never leaving the gauntlets. ¡°Moving my fingers is a little more difficult, but these gloves are well worth it.¡± ¡°What do they¡­do?¡± ¡°Here, if I channel mana into them, you¡¯ll see¡­¡± Theo drew out his mana and immediately began to feel tired. His vision spun, and he had to make a conscious effort to stand straight. Even after he stopped channeling, the fatigue remained. ¡°That¡¯s strange¡­I shouldn¡¯t be running out of mana.¡± Mavis thought this was odd as well, and so it focused its senses on Theo¡¯s body. It wasn¡¯t long before Mavis noticed that mana was leaving his body at a rapid pace. This energy was being sucked into the sand by his feet. ¡°Theo, your mana is¡­leaking out¡­tighten it.¡± ¡°Tighten it?¡± Theo pulled out Mavis¡¯s core and stared at it dubiously. ¡°Try¡­holding in.¡± The outlaw sucked in a breath and focused on his mana. Now that he was looking inward, the problem was as clear as day. Theo pulled his mana back, but it continued to drain at a slower pace. No matter how much Theo tried, he couldn¡¯t completely stop the sand from stealing his mana. ¡°Shelter.¡± Theo decided. ¡°Shelter is our first priority.¡± When the portal was just a speck on the horizon, Theo saw a large black¡­something¡­in the distance. He squinted, but the object was being distorted by the heat. At the very least, Theo knew that it was large, immobile and his best chance at finding shelter. As Theo stepped forward with renewed vigor, a set of vicious talons stretched out above him. ¡°Bird!¡± Mavis yelled. ¡°Dodge left!¡± Theo followed Mavis¡¯s advice without thinking. A split second after he dove to the left, a brown blur tore into the place where he¡¯d stood. Sand was flung in all directions as the monster flapped its powerful wings. Rather than wait for the debris to settle, the ¡®bird¡¯ lunged towards Theo. Pivoting, Theo activated his boots and sped away from the monster. He quickly lost his footing on the unfamiliar terrain and skidded along the sand. As he picked himself up, Theo drew his dagger and took a proper look at his opponent. Two regal brown wings adorned the monster¡¯s back. Its feathered upper body lead into a hawk¡¯s head that was slightly larger than Theo¡¯s own. Below that head lay two sets of sharp talons, while its back legs were furred paws. Theo immediately recognized it as a species of griffin¡ªa chimera that combined traits from birds and large cats. This griffin was barely larger than the second layer¡¯s dire wolves, but Theo knew that it was much more dangerous. Theo was forced to dodge again as the griffin leapt towards him. Its powerful hind legs worked in concert with its wings. The monster kicked up a whirlwind of sand as it was propelled forward. Channeling mana into his boots, Theo tried to escape for a second time. He darted past the griffin and was immediately struck with a bout of fatigue. Clutching his head, Theo turned to prepare for the monster¡¯s next attack. Another lunge was countered with another dodge. However, this time Theo did more than just escape. Voidcutter sliced through one of the monster¡¯s wings, crippling it. At the same time, the griffin struck out with its front talons. In his exhaustion, Theo failed to block. Blood sprayed out as the griffon¡¯s talons tore across Theo¡¯s chest. The wound wasn¡¯t deep enough to be fatal, but it may as well have been. Fatigue, pain, and a severe lack of mana all combined to paralyze the outlaw. Sensing weakness, the griffin let out a triumphant screech as it raised its talons. Time seemed to slow down as Theo watched the griffin¡¯s movements. This scene was eerily familiar to him. Back in Jigou¡¯s mystery floor, he¡¯d watched his brothers die in similar positions. An intense fear bubbled up from the center of his being. It spread through his body and pushed him to move. Sharp talons cut into Theo¡¯s flesh, but the griffon¡¯s aim was off. It hadn¡¯t expected Theo to have any strength left. Theo plunged his dagger into the monster¡¯s front leg and forced his last dregs of mana into the blade. After inflicting such a large wound, Voidcutter completely severed the leg. Theo¡¯s eyes were bloodshot as he struggled to stay conscious. Biting his lip, he stepped forward and thrust Voidcutter towards the beast¡¯s chest. ¡°Theo!¡± Mavis¡¯s core vibrated as it cried out. The slime wanted to say something, but it had forgotten the right words in its panic. While Theo was attempting his desperate final blow, Mavis could see mana coiling around the griffin. As another monster with unique magic, Mavis knew that something bad was about to happen. Wind kicked up from out of nowhere to envelop the griffin. This wall of air suddenly expanded, flinging Theo several meters away. The outlaw didn¡¯t catch himself as he tumbled onto the sand. ¡°Theo! Wake up! Theo!¡± Mavis¡¯s cries were answered as Theo slowly opened his eyes. The first thing he saw was the griffin glaring at him. Just as he was about to close his eyes in resignation, the monster fell over. Theo¡¯s dagger had pierced its heart before it pushed him away. A long, nearly silent, sigh escaped the outlaw¡¯s lips. For the next several minutes, Theo crawled towards the griffin¡¯s corpse. He nearly passed out twice, but every time he stopped moving, Mavis would screech at him to keep going. Finally, Theo reached his dagger and cut out the monster¡¯s core. His hand trembled as he stuck it inside his mouth. Theo sincerely felt that his grueling effort had paid off as energy rushed through his body. His wounds weren¡¯t fully healed, and his mana was only partially restored, but it was enough. Theo picked himself up and dusted off his cloak. ¡°Really glad you¡¯re¡­ok.¡± Mavis said, releasing its own weary sigh. A set of sunken eyes blinked as they stared at the hazy black object in the distance. Theo wordlessly began to trudge forward. ¡°Theo?¡± After a few more attempts to grab his attention, the outlaw finally replied. ¡°Everyone else failed. I didn¡¯t.¡± His lifeless tone made Mavis¡¯s core shudder. Somehow, it felt even more worried than when he¡¯d been crawling along the ground. Chapter 35 - You Are Qualified The sun shone brightly, but its heat couldn¡¯t curb the enthusiasm of a group of children standing in a field. Around them were several ¡®play areas¡¯, which Theo would later recognize as training equipment. Obstacle courses, targets for practicing throwing and archery, and racks with wooden swords and other weapons were swarmed as the children rushed to play. A few smiling adults watched over them, occasionally jotting down notes. For most of the children, this was truly just play. But for some, ten years was already enough to reveal their talent, or at least interest, in combat. A young Theo competed happily with the other children. While he didn¡¯t win every time, his enthusiasm and the speed at which he learned gave the adults a favorable impression. Later on, when the kids were split into groups of ¡®normals¡¯, ¡®raiders¡¯, ¡®scholars¡¯ and ¡®mages¡¯, Theo was put in the raiders group. Until he was adopted by Ravens, Theo trained ceaselessly with his peers. On the surface, all of them worked hard because they wanted to become raiders. Very few of them truly understood what raiding was, but they hadn¡¯t been taught to question their instructors. That changed once Theo met Ravens. ¡°Listen, people don¡¯t truly care about other people. You¡¯re either using someone or you¡¯re the one being used.¡± After one of their training sessions, Ravens¡¯ apprentices were lying on the ground. They were too exhausted to move, but they still listened carefully as their master spoke. ¡°The people at Brightstone only see you as tools. That¡¯s why you¡¯re trained like that from such a young age. I¡¯m sure you¡¯ve seen other children when we walk around the city. Did they have the same stoic expressions that you do?¡± Ravens shook his head. ¡°Raiders need to be able to think selfishly. If you don¡¯t have real ambition, then you won¡¯t be able to hack it. Ask yourselves, what do you actually want to accomplish with your lives?¡± ¡°I¡­I want to be like you.¡± One of the apprentices said between ragged breaths. The others quickly agreed. ¡°Why?¡± Ravens¡¯ question was met with silence. As apprentices, they were supposed to want to be like their master. The children felt somewhat embarrassed when they realized that was where their thoughts ended. ¡°You said that raiding was like drawing straws, once.¡± Theo spoke up. ¡°Only a few people win, while everyone else is forgotten. If that¡¯s true, then I want to be someone that people will remember, like you.¡± Ravens stared at Theo, causing the apprentice to flinch. His master didn¡¯t show any happiness, but the veteran didn¡¯t seem angry either. ¡°¡­Maybe you¡¯re waiting for me to say that was the right answer, but I won¡¯t.¡± Theo¡¯s heart raced while Ravens sighed. ¡°If you find yourself in a life or death situation, then you¡¯ll know if that answer was enough.¡± - - - There was no sun in the fourth layer, but an oppressive heat filled it all the same. The secret behind this paradox hid beneath every raider¡¯s feet. The fourth layer¡¯s red sand carried a sadistic enchantment that sucked the mana out of living beings. This mana was then used to power a large-scale enchantment that managed the layer¡¯s temperature. Although, that alone wouldn¡¯t be enough to maintain the spell. In truth, these kinds of enchantments were powered by ¡®mana veins¡¯ that spread out from the dungeon¡¯s center. Plenty of people have tried to locate and harness these veins, but no one has ever succeeded. The dungeon¡¯s will would never allow such a thing. Theo continued to trek through the desert. Sweat poured down his brow while the sand relentlessly siphoned his mana, but he kept looking ahead with cold eyes. Worried by his sudden change in attitude, Mavis constantly brought up new topics for conversation. ¡°Should have¡­taken¡­griffon with us. Looked tasty.¡± ¡°This is called¡­sand? Very strange. This ground¡­acts like water.¡± ¡°The surface is never¡­hot¡­like this, right? I would¡­boil.¡± When Theo continued to ignore it, Mavis decided to bite the bullet and bring up something that it had been avoiding. ¡°Actually¡­I saw scary man¡­Ravens¡­before.¡± Theo stopped walking. His hands shook slightly as he pulled out Mavis¡¯s core. ¡°Where? When?¡± ¡°During¡­blood moon.¡± The slime¡¯s core trembled as it spoke. ¡°Back when I¡­found Vivian. Didn¡¯t want to say because¡­because¡­I¡­¡± Theo¡¯s hands tightened around the core. ¡°SAY IT!¡± ¡°I¡­I almost killed¡­Vivi¡­During blood moon. Wasn¡¯t¡­thinking¡­clearly. Couldn¡¯t¡­stop.¡± Mavis¡¯s pained voice seemed to bring Theo back to his senses. He released his grip on the core.This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Before¡­I did¡­anything¡­bad¡­Ravens¡­came. Was¡­half¡­there¡­half¡­not. Hit my¡­core¡­and¡­knocked me¡­out.¡± Theo¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°Don¡¯t remember¡­everything¡­he said. But¡­he said¡­he owed me. He¡­was¡­glad¡­someone was¡­still alive.¡± A blistering wind brushed past the outlaw, buffeting him with sand. Theo barely registered this as he stared at Mavis. The slime core was shivering in his palm like a tiny animal. After a short but seemingly long time, Theo brought his other hand over and patted Mavis¡¯s core. ¡°Thanks for telling me.¡± ¡°That¡­someone¡­was¡­probably you.¡± ¡°¡­Yea.¡± Theo admitted. More time passed, and Theo swallowed what little saliva he had. ¡°Ravens was half-visible, right? That was probably a clone created from the Divine Mirror, one of his platinum-tier treasures. The Divine Mirror can duplicate all sorts of things at the cost of some mana. It can even create temporary clones of living beings but doing that costs years of your life.¡± ¡°How many¡­years?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He can only make one at a time, and I only saw him use it once when all of us were¡­¡± Theo trailed off. Mavis noticed that Theo looked a little queasy. He¡¯d had a similar reaction when Nora brought up the floor below the fifth layer. ¡°Theo, Ravens wasn¡¯t¡­surprised. When he saw me¡­talking¡­he spoke like normal.¡± ¡°He must have been following me, and by extension you, for a while.¡± ¡°Probably¡­but¡­maybe he has seen¡­other monsters¡­like me.¡± Theo shrugged and started walking again. ¡°If he did, he wouldn¡¯t have told me. I don¡¯t know why he tried to take your core, but right now, we need to find shelter from this desert.¡± The mysterious black object loomed ahead of them. By now, Theo could see that it was actually some kind of rock. Its size dwarfed human houses and was more comparable to a boulder-shaped castle. In fact, castle was an apt comparison when one considered the myriad creatures garrisoned inside. An uncountable number of holes were dotted across its surface, each leading to a system of congested tunnels. These tunnels were the only place in the fourth layer where monsters and humans could catch a break from the red sand and sweltering heat. Theo felt some immediate relief just by being near it. The desert¡¯s heat suddenly grew mild. When he stretched out his hand, Theo could feel the difference in temperature on each end of his body. Magic was the only explanation. Several sets of eyes glared at the outlaw from above, but nothing attacked him as he searched for an opening that he could fit into. Once he found one, Theo tapped the cool rock with his hands before crawling inside. The cramped passageway eventually opened up into a tunnel that Theo could stand in. ¡°A place to sleep¡­¡± The outlaw muttered to himself as he stumbled forward. Ahead of him was a soft pile of bedding made from sand and hair. Unfortunately, it was already occupied. Dozens of silhouettes twitched in the dark. Fur bristled, claws clacked, and the area seemed to brighten slightly as the monsters opened their gleaming red eyes. Stepping back, Theo glanced over his shoulder at the tunnel¡¯s only exit. He¡¯d managed to crawl his way through once, but these rodents could clearly outrun him. Even though he couldn¡¯t get a good look at them, Theo had a good idea of what these monsters were. Back in Jigou, he¡¯d fought plenty of rat-like monsters and they all shared similar characteristics. The first layer¡¯s packers had only added to his experience. Theo ripped off one of his gauntlets and stuffed Mavis¡¯s core inside of it. He tossed the treasure to one end of the den, but the monsters ignored it. ¡°Appraise that and start charging it with mana!¡± Theo ordered. ¡°Ok!¡± Was the slime¡¯s muffled reply. These desert rats were much more aggressive than the cowardly packers. After he¡¯d thrown Mavis, Theo barely had time to react before they lunged towards him. He thrust out his remaining gauntlet and channeled mana into it. A shotgun spray of water battered the monsters. Each rodent was half as long as Theo was tall, and their muscular frames weren¡¯t easy to push around. Even so, the gauntlet¡¯s water pressure knocked them away. Unperturbed, the monsters spread out and attacked from multiple angles. Theo¡¯s eyelids sagged as he swung his head to follow them. He wanted to use his boots to dash away, but this area was too small. Grimacing, Theo took his first hit as a rat sank its teeth into his right leg. A second attacker was repelled with Voidcutter while a third latched onto his shoulder. The rat flew into a wall after being hit with a blast of water, but Theo was now bleeding from two spots. He tried to shake the rat off his leg, only to discover that the limb had gone numb. Desert rats were relatively small for fourth layer monsters and didn¡¯t pose much of a threat alone. However, their fangs could easily pierce non-metal armor and inject a fast-acting poison. Raiders that underestimated these rodents would be overwhelmed, paralyzed and then swiftly killed. Fortunately, in his weakened state, Theo wouldn¡¯t dream of underestimating them. ¡°Mavis!¡± ¡°Done!¡± The lavender gauntlet with Mavis¡¯s core suddenly rocketed into the air as a heavy stream of water propelled it upwards. A sharp ding rang out as the gauntlet collided with the ceiling, but the torrent pouring from its palm showed no signs of stopping. The rats looked up in surprise, but they could only watch as their den was submerged in water. ¡°¡­Stay.¡± Mavis¡¯s gauntlet waved slightly as the water lurched unnaturally away from the exit tunnel. Theo was pushed up to the ceiling, where an air bubble had formed. Meanwhile, the rats were crushed beneath the water pressure. They couldn¡¯t retaliate before they drowned. Once its job was done, Mavis slowly drained the den and placed Theo back on the ground. Theo crawled over to one of the rats and cut out its core. He repeated this process until his wounds recovered. Unfortunately, his fatigue couldn¡¯t be fixed in the same way. Unable to think about anything else, Theo placed his back against a wall and promptly fell asleep. Theo¡¯s dreams were less than pleasant. Bloody memories of his brothers and Ravens swirled around in his head. There were plenty of times when he woke up, only to realize that he was still in a dream. Theo wasn¡¯t a stranger to these nightmares. He¡¯d experienced nights like this for several weeks after the incident in Jigou¡¯s mystery floor. Theo had been improving recently, but meeting Ravens again had triggered a relapse. ¡°Theo¡­you¡­ok?¡± When he finally opened his eyes for real, Theo noticed a gleaming core lying in his palm. ¡°¡­No.¡± He replied wearily. ¡°Mavis, I told you that I was an orphan, right? I said that explaining what parents were would be a pain, but to tell you the truth, I don¡¯t really know the answer. I¡¯ve spent my entire life training to become a raider, and the only person who would qualify as my parent is¡­he¡¯s¡­more of a monster than you or those rats.¡± Theo could feel the core in his hand shudder slightly, but it didn¡¯t say anything. ¡°Ravens took me and his other apprentices into a special floor of a different dungeon. I think it must be similar to what Nora was talking about. There were a bunch of strong monsters¡­and everyone else died. Ravens just let them die. He even framed me for their deaths, which is how I became an outlaw.¡± ¡°Theo¡­¡± ¡°But I let them die too. I fought to save myself, and somehow survived.¡± The den was silent until Theo spoke again. ¡°What I¡¯m trying to say is¡­I don¡¯t think I¡¯m qualified to teach you how to be a human. I¡¯m barely ¡®human¡¯ myself.¡± Theo stiffened as he felt an odd sensation on his palm. He looked down to see a tiny tentacle patting him. ¡°I would be¡­happy¡­to become¡­a human¡­like¡­you.¡± Theo turned away and closed his eyes. Mavis stopped moving once it realized that he¡¯d fallen asleep again. This time, Theo seemed to be sleeping peacefully. Chapter 36 - You Cant Plan for the Worst ¡°Vivian, there¡¯s another on the left. Keep it busy while I deal with this one.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ¡®keep it busy¡¯ when I don¡¯t have time to chant!¡± ¡°What did I tell you yesterday?¡± Nora retorted. ¡°I¡¯m not going to babysit you. Handle it yourself.¡± While Theo was taking a well-deserved rest, Vivian was very busy. The mage quickly dropped Tarq¡¯s battle-axe out of her storage, creating a quake that knocked both her and the monster trying to eat her to the ground. Hissing in annoyance, Vivian¡¯s assailant flailed its eight spindly legs in an attempt to right itself. Just before it succeeded, nails seemed to dig into the spider¡¯s body. It had been paralyzed by Vivian¡¯s magic. After finishing off his own target, Linderman swung his monstrous arm in Vivian¡¯s direction and released a blast of energy. His attack pierced the spider¡¯s head, killing it instantly. As the giant arachnid fell, Linderman grimaced at his crackling arm. He still hadn¡¯t fully recovered from their battle with the hydra. Vivian was panting as the three of them regrouped. Nora looked at her with a concerned frown while Linderman¡¯s eyes constantly scanned the area for threats. It had only been two days since Theo¡¯s disappearance, but their plan was already coming apart. There was no sugarcoating it. Vivian simply wasn¡¯t ready to enter the fourth layer. Her support was useful, but any party member that couldn¡¯t handle themselves in a fight was dead-weight in the lower layers. ¡°How much longer until we reach the fourth layer?¡± Vivian asked warily. ¡°This tunnel isn¡¯t that long.¡± Nora replied. ¡°At this pace, we¡¯ll get there in a couple hours.¡± Vivian made a strong effort to keep her expression neutral. Rather than show disappointment, she merely nodded and kept walking. She was the reason why they were travelling to the fourth layer. Because of that, Vivian couldn¡¯t complain even if she was struggling the most. The tunnels between the third and fourth layers were extremely similar to the devil¡¯s maw passageway that lead into the third layer. Both were steep inclines filled with dangerous spiders. However, the mist that filled the devil¡¯s maw had been replaced with a blisteringly hot atmosphere. It was common knowledge that heated air from the fourth layer rose into the third, and it did so through these tunnels. While the trek between layers wasn¡¯t long, it was certainly risky. Sudden gusts could dramatically raise the temperature beyond habitable levels. Even the fourth layer¡¯s desert couldn¡¯t compare in terms of pure heat. A distant roaring filled Vivian¡¯s heart with dread. Linderman immediately responded by stepping in front of the two women. He held out the curved sword that he¡¯d gotten from the Torrent Guardian and channeled mana into it. This treasure released a blast of water and air as he swung it downwards. The cloud-like projectile rushed down the tunnel to collide with a torrid swathe of air rising from the fourth layer. Linderman¡¯s weapon couldn¡¯t completely diffuse the heat wave, but it did lessen the blow. Nora and Vivian¡¯s magic blocked the rest, allowing them to keep moving. ¡°Stay close and don¡¯t lower your guard.¡± Nora said, looking at Vivian. ¡°We¡¯ll reach the fourth layer in no time.¡± ¡°Although, I can¡¯t imagine we¡¯ll be faster than him.¡± Linderman grumbled. Vivian tensed up at the dour raider¡¯s words. Linderman was probably right, but in her opinion, that was just another reason to hurry. Until Vivian reunited with Theo and Mavis, she would just have to trust in their resourcefulness. The mage bit her lip as she thought back to the night when they had disappeared. From that point onward, it felt like trusting was all she could do. - - - ¡°GET BACK HERE!¡± While Theo rushed out of their hollow to pursue Ravens, Vivian felt paralyzed. She knew that it would be impossible to catch up with either of them. After a moment¡¯s hesitation, Vivian stored everything that Theo and Mavis had left behind and chased after the outlaw. Theo¡¯s movements weren¡¯t exactly quiet, and so she had no trouble following him to the one-way portal. A lump in her throat formed when those sounds suddenly cut out. When Vivian reached the portal, her fears were confirmed. Theo had gone to the surface. ¡°What the hell?¡± Nora complained while she stood up. ¡°That was Theo, right? What¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Someone stole Mavis!¡± Vivian yelled back. ¡°¡­Stole?¡± ¡°He took her core!¡± Nora cursed and took out her bow. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± As they approached the portal, one part of it began to churn strangely. Nora held out her hand, signaling for them to fall back. Ravens stepped out of the portal without any ceremony. His eyes passed over the trio, but he didn¡¯t say anything. Instead, he turned and walked towards the forest. ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Nora asked as she nocked an arrow.The tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident. Ravens ignored her and kept walking. Nora¡¯s hands shook as she felt a bad premonition. Even so, she released the arrow. Ravens tilted his head and dodged it with ease. Drawing his dagger, Ravens spun around to block Linderman who had charged forward. At the same time, the missed arrow suddenly curved in mid-air towards its target. Linderman clamped down on Ravens¡¯ dagger with his crackling left arm. As the arrow drew closer, Ravens stepped towards Linderman and thrust a knife into the raider¡¯s gut. Linderman¡¯s eyes widened in shock and pain as Ravens wrenched his dagger away and dodged the arrow. The dour raider was very aware of how lopsided he was in combat. His left arm couldn¡¯t attack and defend at the same time, and so he worked hard to minimize his openings. Even when he did make mistakes, the platinum-tier treasure was far more flexible than a human arm. It had been a long time since he¡¯d taken an attack like that. Ravens was both faster and stronger than he¡¯d expected. Linderman¡¯s enchanted armor barely offered any resistance. A blazing red arrow flew towards Ravens, forcing him to back away. Vivian ran out to heal Linderman while Nora attempted to suppress Ravens with a shower of arrows. This quantity over quality approach backfired when a slew of ghostly arms sprouted from Ravens¡¯ cloak like rapidly growing flowers. Because Nora¡¯s arrows didn¡¯t explode, Ravens had no trouble batting them away. Realizing her mistake, Nora held her fire and started to chant. Nora¡¯s red eye gleamed and she quickly dropped everything to dodge as a transparent dagger cut through the space where she¡¯d been standing. Even though Ravens¡¯ throwing motion was designed to mislead its target, he couldn¡¯t hide his murderous intent from Nora. Vivian hadn¡¯t missed this exchange while she was healing Linderman. Ravens¡¯ movements bothered her in a way that she couldn¡¯t place. Something about them seemed eerily familiar. It only took her a moment to realize that this monstrous veteran reminded her of Theo. ¡°This is a waste of time.¡± Ravens muttered as he turned away. Even though she wanted to stop him, Vivian couldn¡¯t bring herself to raise her voice. If they forced Ravens to stay, then he would be forced to kill them. In this situation, Vivian knew that she should be grateful that Ravens had decided to prioritize his business over fighting. Nora¡¯s bowstring didn¡¯t grow slack until several minutes after Ravens disappeared. She sighed in a mix of relief and frustration and then turned to Linderman. ¡°How are you holding up?¡± ¡°Good.¡± Linderman replied. ¡°She¡¯s faster at healing than you are.¡± ¡°That¡¯s great~¡± Nora¡¯s face lit up in an ominous smile. ¡°With her, you can run into knives as often as you want.¡± Linderman fell into a conveniently timed coughing fit while Nora¡¯s eyes shifted towards Vivian. ¡°That was the guy who stole Mavis¡¯s core, right?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Vivian nodded solemnly. ¡°Then where¡¯s Theo?¡± Vivian clasped her hands and squeezed them tightly. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Linderman cut in. ¡°There¡¯s only one place to look.¡± Nora and Linderman approached the portal while Vivian stayed rooted in place. Theo and that intruder had both teleported to the surface, but only one of them had returned. At that moment, Vivian couldn¡¯t imagine anything except the worst-case scenario. The scenario where she was left alone in Naraka for the second time. Shaking her head, Vivian forcibly dispelled her memories from the blood moon. ¡°I¡¯m coming too!¡± She called out while stepping towards the portal. If Theo was alive, then he was likely injured. If he was injured, then Vivian needed to get there as quickly as possible. This morbid, yet optimistic thought gave her the strength to move. Linderman entered the portal first, followed by Nora. Vivian took a deep breath and then connected her mana to the enchanted structure, sending her to the surface. The first thing she saw were the tense figures of Nora and Linderman. They had their weapons raised and were staring ahead. Vivian followed their gazes towards a transparent man sitting in front of a crystal. While he looked like an illusion at first, Vivian quickly realized that this man was something else. ¡°But¡­we¡­we just fought him.¡± She breathed. Nora narrowed her eyes as she drew her bow taut. ¡°Transparent weapons, transparent clones. He¡¯s definitely the one who attacked me yesterday.¡± The clone slowly turned away from the teleport crystal and looked at Nora. His eyes showed no fear or surprise. Instead, he seemed to be measuring her up. After a tense few seconds, he turned back to the crystal. ¡°What do you want?¡± Nora asked aggressively. ¡°I want to sit here and wait¡­that is all.¡± ¡°What are you waiting for?¡± The clone didn¡¯t reply. Nora, Linderman, and eventually Vivian all tried to probe him, but the clone refused to acknowledge them. A bead of sweat trickled down Vivian¡¯s brow. She didn¡¯t see Theo anywhere. Asking the clone proved to be useless, and so she began to search the area. Nora and Linderman looked at her like she¡¯d lost her mind, but they eventually lowered their weapons and explored the cave. Their search was fruitless, which was actually good news. ¡°No corpse.¡± Nora muttered. ¡°What now?¡± ¡°We should leave.¡± Linderman replied while peering at the clone. ¡°I don¡¯t like being near that thing.¡± ¡°What if we forced him to talk?¡± Vivian asked. ¡°He can¡¯t be as strong as the original.¡± Nora shook her head. ¡°If he¡¯s bluffing, then it¡¯s enough to fool me. Plus, this one won¡¯t leave after a few exchanges. We¡¯re heading back.¡± Vivian grit her teeth, but she followed the two rising stars to a teleport crystal. Nora tapped it and selected the third layer. When Vivian saw a glowing ¡®3¡¯ appear on the crystal¡¯s surface, a light went off in her head. She stepped away from the crystal and glared at the clone. ¡°You¡­You¡¯re waiting for Theo, aren¡¯t you?¡± The clone glanced back and appraised Vivian in the same way that he had with Nora. In the end, he turned away without saying anything. ¡°I¡¯m right, aren¡¯t I?¡± Vivian pressed. ¡°But why are you waiting for him?¡± There was no reply. ¡°You, the real you, ran away to the surface and then quickly teleported back to the third layer. That doesn¡¯t make any sense. If you were trying to escape, then why would you return after a few minutes?¡± There was no reply. Vivian pushed her imagination to its limits. She didn¡¯t want to think about the worst-case scenario, so instead she tried to imagine the best outcome. ¡°Theo succeeded. He took Mavis¡¯s core back.¡± The clone looked at Vivian again, but she wasn¡¯t done. ¡°If he¡¯d escaped to the second layer, then you would have followed him there. But you returned to the third layer, and immediately left for¡­¡± The clone stood up and Vivian quickly tapped the nearest crystal. Nora and Linderman hastily followed her back to the third layer. The three of them stared warily at the portal, but the clone didn¡¯t chase them. ¡°Nora, Linderman.¡± Vivian said. ¡°You want to work with Mavis, right? Then take me to the fourth layer.¡± Chapter 37 Delayed Also, because I need 500 characters to make a chapter (and because I don''t want to put up absolutely nothing), I''ll leave a short reddit writing prompt piece below. This has nothing to do with the story, so feel free to ignore it. [Prompt: You possess the power of telekinesis but only when you''re drunk. This is your first time learning this.] Fire conjuring, physical strengthening, invisible barriers, teleportation, mind-reading¡­and that¡¯s only scratching the surface. ¡°Ah, fak it!¡± I yell as I slam my plastic red cup onto the ping-pong table. Drunken jeers assault me on all sides. Unfamiliar voices, all of them. My eyes shift left and right as I search for the one who invited me to this party. Jeremy, the culprit, is busy lifting a couch filled with squealing girls. College girls. His shit-eating grin is infectious. So much so that I can¡¯t blame him for leaving me alone. Besides, even a normal high schooler wouldn¡¯t be able to get into a party like this, let alone a cripple like me. I should be grateful that Jeremy¡¯s friends let us in. I should be, but right now I¡¯m a little angry. ¡°Yo, I can¡¯t believe mah little J brought a cripple with him!¡± Some mouth-breather guffaws. I can¡¯t remember his name, so I¡¯ll call him Chad.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. I feign a smile while raising my ping-pong ball. ¡°Well, this cripple¡¯s bout to beat you in¡­shit.¡± Another miss brings out another round of laughter from the other side. Chad grins devilishly as he tosses his ball into my sixth cup. His throw was wide, but a sudden gust of wind pushed it into the goal. Story of my fucking night. I can¡¯t call him out. I don¡¯t want to hear his fake indignant tone anymore. ¡°Drink up, cripple.¡± It wouldn¡¯t be so bad if he didn¡¯t sound so fucking pleased with himself. Is it really fun to cheat like that? The woman by his shoulder giggles and I figure he must be doing something right. After my sixth cup, I¡¯m feeling pretty woozy. I consider storming off, but something holds me back. Now that I think about it, I¡¯m actually not all that upset. In fact, all of the sudden I¡¯m feeling really good. ¡°You like that, huh?¡± I point at the woman. ¡°Then this is really going to get you wet.¡± I spin my ping-pong ball on the tip of my finger and then let it fly. There¡¯s no arc and no bounce. The ball zips straight into the cup closest to her and the resulting splash curves unnaturally into her dress. She shrieks while Chad stares at me with wide eyes. I ignore him and lick my lips seductively at his partner. ¡°Fucking fluke.¡± He growls, tossing another ball towards my cups. Wind corrects his ball¡¯s course, but it never reaches its target. I flick my finger and the ball does a loop in mid-air. Chad¡¯s face is priceless as his ball falls into one of his own cups. ¡°Chad!¡± The woman yells. ¡°Are you going to let that little shit get away with this?¡± ¡°Of course not, babe.¡± Chad, who apparently really is named Chad, frowns. The air in the room seems to be moving strangely, but I couldn¡¯t care less. I raise my hand and wave my fingers. ¡°Bring it on, Chad. Right now, I¡¯m feeling invincible.¡±