CH 106

After getting the [Water of Evolution], we immediately returned to the first floor of the Cave section of the dungeon. The reason for this was that it was too dangerous to be in the Ruins if we were going to concentrate on experimenting with the [Regeneration Gel].

I didn’t feel comfortable experimenting with goblins, so I secured a slime.

The slime in my arms flails and tries to attack me, but the difference in status is too great for it to do any damage to me or escape my grasp.

But there was one problem in starting the experiment.

“Haru, where is the slime’s mouth?” (Kei)

“Well? The whole body, probably.” (Haru)

The slime I’m holding right now, or rather the slime that appears in the dungeon that was born in this world doesn’t have a mouth or eyes. This is why they are not like living things and are suitable for experiments.

“Brother, do you want to try on another monster?” (Haru)

“That would be a bit too graphic. Probably.” (Kei)

What we’re trying to do is to use [Regeneration Gel] to make the monster over-regenerated and bloated, and then use potions to restore it.

If it succeeds, I’ll be able to do the same thing with my own hands, so we’ll have to look at some grotesque matters, but I’d rather not experiment with animal or humanoid monsters, no matter how much I’m used to killing them.

When I think about it, I don’t think I’ve ever had such a big aversion to killing monsters since I entered a dungeon. If anything, it’s not the defeating of the monster, but the process. I remember the first time I killed a hobgoblin, I almost got very ill from the experience.

“All right, it’s not like we only have one Regeneration Gel, so let’s give it a try.” (Haru)

Haru didn’t want to see the boars, wolves, and goblins swelling up, so after pondering, she put the [Regeneration Gel] on the slime.

“Do you want some?” (Haru)

The slime that was doused with the [Regeneration Gel] began to wriggle in my hand as if it would never start to regenerate the moment we doused it with the substance.

“Spread it?” (Kei)

Haru picked up her tonfa and started spreading the [Regeneration Gel] on the slime. It’s like spreading jam on toast.

It was when Haru had spread the [Regeneration Gel] so far that it covered half of the slime’s body. The slime, which had been moving as if it was fleeing, suddenly began to lash out on the spot.

“Woah!” (Kei)

Sensing the obvious change in movement, I threw the slime against the wall. The slime that fell to the ground did not run away or attack but began to constrict on the spot.

“Is the [Regeneration Gel] working?” (Haru)

Haru held an open potion in her right hand and timed it well.

The slime, once reduced in size, twitched and twitched for a little while, then suddenly swelled up as if it couldn’t take it anymore. At this point, its diameter had doubled.

“Haru, I’ll give it a try to see if it’s really regenerating.” (Kei)

I pulled out my sword and slashed at the slime trying not to kill it. The wound on the slime instantly returns to normal.

Next, I cut through the slime as if I were scraping off a part of it. The sliced part of the slime immediately turns into a black mist and disappears, but the sliced part of the slime immediately starts to regenerate.

The regeneration speed was slower than a simple slash, but it was still fast enough that the slime’s body returned to the state it was in before it was cut in about 30 seconds.

“It seems that while the wound is regenerating, the rest of the body doesn’t regenerate randomly.” (Haru)

“I guess there’s an order to the regeneration.” (Kei)

We forgot about the experiment and continued to observe. The slime continued to grow, and when it stopped, it was ten times its original diameter. By the time it stopped, it was ten times its original diameter, and even we were small enough to be easily swallowed by it.

However, it must have been unable to bear the weight of its increased size. Instead of the round shape like a drop of water it had before it swelled, it became a flat shape on the ground, unable to move.

The ripples appear and disappear in various places on its body, probably from its effort to move.

“I mean, this is bad in a different sense.” (Haru)

“You mean it’s not swelling up or something?” (Kei)

Haru tilts her head while poking the end of the stuck slime with her tonfa. Before I knew it, the potion she had on her right hand was placed near the wall of the dungeon, in a place where slime couldn’t reach.

“Well, the effect of the [Regeneration Gel] is to continue regenerating using the magical power of the user.” (Haru)

“Yeah, slime was trying to keep it from swelling at first, but it seemed unable to resist. It seems that it’s quite potent.” (Kei)

“No, it’s not. The magical power of the first-floor slime is quite small.” (Haru)

“That’s right. Well? I’m not sure if it’s possible for such a small amount of magic power to swell so much?” (Kei)

We have [Magic] and [Enchant], but there is also [Heal] in the Proficiencies, and the explorer who takes it can use the Recovery Magic on his friends. At first, it is a magic that gives only a small amount of health recovery effect, but if the explorer who uses it reaches a level where they can fight in Forests and Ruins, it is possible to bestow a recovery effect as much as an intermediate potion with one magic spell.

However, it uses a large amount of magical power comparable to Haru’s [Collapse].

“Does the [Regeneration Gel] contain ridiculous amounts of magical power, or is the Recovery Magic used by the explorers inefficient at an abnormal level? Which do you think it is?” (Kei)

“Inefficient. If the [Regeneration Gel] has that much magical power, the slime in the Ruins will be much stronger, and I know when I see the [Regeneration Gel] that it doesn’t have that much magical power.” (Haru)

“That’s right.” (Kei)

With that in mind, it’s hard to think that the only inefficient thing is Recovery Magic. If it can swell a body to such extent with the magical power of a floor one slime. If it is possible to cause such an event with just that much magical power, it can be said that the magical ability of Haru and me is too low.

“I thought Magic was more efficient, but I’m rethinking it.” (Haru)

“That’s right. I’ve already come to the point where I feel like even the fact that a Magic Circle improving efficiency is fake.” (Kei)

The Haru stands up, she walks up to the potion she had left.

“Why is it fake?” (Haru)

Haru mumbled and gave a withering laugh, then flicked the potion away.

“The creator of this dungeon. At least that one has a means of efficiently harnessing magic power, and they haven’t given that means to the monsters. You wouldn’t do that if you were trying to protect the dungeon.” (Haru)

The potion that flew through the air fell onto the immobile giant slime, spreading the potion over its body.

The slime shrinks little by little while the black mist is emitted from its body. Each time it shrank slower, Haru sprinkled a new low-grade potion on it. The slime, which had been given a total of eight potions and had completely returned to its original state, jumped at Haru and was kicked away, before disappearing.

“First of all, Brother. Let’s heal your arm. The experiment was a success.” (Haru)

Haru smiled as she threw the empty potion bottle into the back of the dungeon.