Chapter 41: Slime 2

Chapter?41: Slime?2

Chapter 41

Slime 2

In accordance with Sven’s command, the hunters fired their attacks with perfect coordination.

Treasure hunters that dealt with gimmicks and various phantoms excelled in their ability to adapt.

Even in the event of an unexpected enemy showing up in front of them, they demonstrated that disposition.

Within the darkness, dazzling shining lights flew out at a terrific speed.

Attack magic was fired from a number of meters away ― the most basic magic attack 『fire arrow』 made a muffled sound impacting on the slimes head, arms, and torso. It didn’t make any moves to evade.

The slime raised a strange cry that made you want to close your hands over your ears.

From the impact, dust swirled up concealing the large body of the slime.

『Fire arrow』 was a low grade magic that most Magi could use. It was simple to control and the mana consumption was low. The invocation speed was also fast, it was a magic useful from skilled Magi down to beginners.

It’s might was low among attack magic, but it had the power to pierce through thin metal armour.

Even more, the enemy this time was a slime which held weakness against fire. After receiving the attacks of more than ten Magi it wouldn’t be strange for it to be completely obliterated.

Without confirming the enemies erasure, a second wave of fire arrows were released into the dust cloud.

The bursts of flame warmed the air, and the intense heat was transmitted to Sven nearly ten meters away.

The continuous attacks that could be called excessive ended, and the area returned to silence.

The brown haired hunter on the ground was drawing back with his eyes opened to their limit.

“...-, did we do it!?”

“Don’t get careless! Move back! This is 『one thousand tribulations』!” Sven shouted while he set the sight of his arrow on the cloud of dust.

After the attack ended, the relaxed air became tense once again.

The appearance of the slime was beyond bizarre. For the members of Footprints, this wasn’t their first encounter like this. But they wouldn’t grow used to it no matter how many times it happened.

Approaching an unknown enemy was too high of a risk. They slowly gained distance from the cloud of dust.

While ready to shoot at any moment, Sven finally checked in with the now standing brown haired hunter.

“Oi, what is that guy?”

“I-I don’t know. I ran into it on the way back after pissing, it was headed in the direction of the camp.”

Sven clicked his tongue.

Should they be happy not to receive a surprise attack? The brown haired hunter was evidently unable to fight.

Setting aside Magi, a swordsman without arms was useless.

Henrik’s healing was powerful, it could heal serious wounds in seconds. But it couldn’t regain lost body parts.

The brown haired hunter’s looks were distorted. He had a demonic expression. Fear and anger as well as though he was holding back some impulse, he grit his teeth and spoke.

“It, still hadn’t noticed me. It was full of gaps. From behind, I slashed it! Shit! My... arms were ―”

The dust fell. One of the Magi opened their eyes wide at what emerged.

The slime was alive and well. There were no traces left on the body dripping like mucus.

The slime moved it’s arm like growths up. From it’s movements it didn’t look like it held any rage from receiving the attacks.

At that ugly figure, Sven’s party member next to him Marietta, had wide eyes. “Huh...? It was attacked to that extent and it’s...un...harmed?”

Was it resistant to fire? Either that or perhaps magic itself was ineffective. Every possibility went through Sven’s mind.

The slime took a sluggish step forward. At that moment Sven released his arrow. “-!”

Stretched focus. A jet black arrow with energy loaded incomparable to a 『fire

arrow』 was aimed at the slimes head, and it went straight between it’s eyes.

It was an arrow of certain death that could even shoot out dragon scales. The attack that gave Sven his name 『Tempest Strike』 drilled into the Slimes head – and in the next moment it was blown away into the air.

There was a noise like a splitting crack. “Wha-...”

At the unexpected sight, Sven furrowed his brow.

The arrow that was blown away and shot off whirled in the air, and dropped among the trees.

The scene was too unnatural, and the brown haired hunters eyes were wide while his mouth repeatedly opened and closed. Henrik at the side also became speechless.

Behind the examiners, Gark groaned in a low voice.

Sven was calm. Since entering the clan he had experienced many opponents where his arrows were ineffective.

It’s not that it didn’t pierce. It hadn’t been evaded. It was repelled. Moreover the slime didn’t take any defensive actions.

It hadn’t been all his power, but he didn’t plan to relax.

Without shaking he pulled a new arrow from his quiver and speedily nocked it on his bow.

The slime moved forward with an uncertain stride.

His companions gathered together at the abnormal situation, and Marietta cried out.

“I’ll use a different magic! Don’t let it draw near! 『Thunder Storm』”

Holding up her large staff, a golden sphere clad in lightning appeared in front of it. It was mid range attack magic that overwhelmed with lightning. By all rights it wasn’t something that would be used on a single monster.

Vast amounts of Mana was converted to rapidly create a lightning sphere that headed towards the slime, the energy scattered.

A flash that wasn’t inferior to true lightning cut away the dark, tremendous thunder echoed throughout the area.

However after receiving the lethal blow, the slime only stopped walking for an instant.

Marietta took a short breath after exhausting so much mana.

As it approached again as if nothing had happened, one beat later attack magic from all directions was released.

A blade of wind, a spear of earth. Flame and wind enveloped the slime. The vegetation burnt and the ground was hollowed out.

Each attack that came was magic that had slaughtered many phantoms before. Sven knew the power well.

However, the red slime received them casually. It only took a step back from the impact.

“...Impossible...there was, no effect?”

The Magi’s expressions warped with despair. The attacks of various natures had exhausted a considerable amount of mana.

If they spent some time, a more powerful attack magic could be used. But what they had used so far should have been enough to slay a single slime.

It could be understood if it was repelled by strong armour. But the strange variant before their eyes was totally soft.

It could be understood if it repelled attacks using it’s limbs. But the slime in front of them received them without defending.

In the place of the disturbed Magi, Sven fired arrows giving a short spirited shout. Arrows released with unseen force fell down on the slime like a storm.

Head. Neck. Arms. Legs. Body. Regardless of the location, the arrows were snapped away and held no indications of piercing.

Invincible. The word crossed his mind.

The enemy’s movements were not fast. But if an attack couldn’t be connect, it would not be defeated.

One of the hunters gave out a roar as if unable to bear the situation. As he rushed out, he swung his huge metal hammer down onto the slime.

The slime started to move without incident. It’s viscous melted form was unchanged, but it’s movement was far smoother than when it had first appeared.

Talia who had provided the slime killing agent fell down as her lips trembled. Sven stamped his feet and he screamed out.

“Fuuuuuuuuuuck! Like I thought, it wasn’t a slime at allllll!” His scream reverberated in the dead of night.

.

He had expected it. Sven had a long relationship with Cry.

The creature in front of them clearly deviated from the category of slime. By all appearances it was a subspecies of Wolf Knight.

Lyle who had received the advice turned pale, as he recalled it.

“T-That reminds me, Cry...... didn’t say slime. He said slime kind of guy-“

“That man, cut it out already! Convey information accurately! Don’t base it on the standard of 『Strangry』! How many times are you planning to kill us!!”

The pseudo-slime began forward with agile footwork.

In front of everyone shocked by the fact, Sven lowered his body and barely avoided it.

He wasn’t sure what would have happened if he didn’t lean over, but it surely wouldn’t have been anything good.

In the tension cold sweat dripped. He heard the sound of something damp striking behind him.

“Shit, what the hell is this, Cry! Drop dead!” “B-but, for Cry, just halfway is fine...”

“Don’t mess with me! Kill him! I’ll do it myself!!”

Sven raised an angry voice while skilfully evading, in the confusion the magic attacks resumed.

The pseudo-slimes movements were stopped from the impact, and he was able to distance himself in the gap.

Some advanced attack magic was able to be fired off, but they were also reflected off the surface.

The key to the solution, hadn’t been found.

Something had gone wrong, or perhaps it was growing, but the pseudo slimes movements were getting faster.

It’s target changed from Sven and it indiscriminately rushed down hunters.

An agonising cry was raised like the embodiment of hell. The hunters desperately distanced themselves from the attacking slime.

Although it hadn’t made any unusual attacks, the Magi had been considerably exhausted of mana due to their continuous attacks.

It would be difficult to defend like this if their mana was cut off and they fell down.

Sven frantically thought while keeping it’s movements in check with arrows. His number of arrows remaining was also low.

“Sven-san, lets retreat...” One of the hunters shouted.

But, there were still others inside the shrine. If they withdrew like this, the ones left

behind would be put at risk.

In the first place, if they retreated they couldn’t pull the pseudo-slime back to town with them.

A hunter holding a shield was hit by the slime and blown away.

He had been planning to release it from the beginning, and seemingly undamaged he got back up immediately.

It’s attacking capabilities weren’t that high, but it’s defence was tough.

Limbs. Head. Front or rear, no matter where you attacked, it was repelled. Rather than defence, it was closer to a counter.

And if they could get an attack through, they could defeat it.

And at that moment, Sven noticed the pseudo-slimes body had become slightly smaller.

The slime sprung up into a jump. It’s body had an indeterminate form so it was hard to grasp, but certainly you could see that it’s volume was reduced.

The pseudo-slimes body was liquefied, and when it gathered together it raised fumes, and nothing remained on the ground.

It was as if it had evaporated.

If they stalled for time... would it destroy itself?

Although it moved around wildly, it’s change in size wasn’t very large. There was no way to estimate how long it would take to reach zero.

But now he had some hope to wish for. This was a trial. He had the will to overcome this tribulation.

Cry was a man with depths that were hard to perceive, but the clan master wouldn’t drive them into a hopeless situation.

If he said that it could be done with half the amount here, that meant the man had read through everything and judged it so.

“Buy time! Look closely, it’s become smaller! Magi should preserve their mana and stamina! Party units should rotate to keep it contained!”

As Sven raised his voice, the expressions of each person changed. Hope rose amidst despair.

As he ran around he collected arrows that had been flicked away.

The total number of hunters was close to a hundred. The slimes current movement was random, and by attracting it’s attention in turns, they may be able to gain time by being able to control it’s target.

Taking a single blow wouldn’t be a problem.

Sven and the others part of Iron Cross, they all could use restoration magic. They couldn’t recover stamina, but they could heal wounds.

If their arms weren’t swallowed up, they would manage somehow.

Even more, this was one of Cry’s tests. Everyone of Footprints would have brought along more supplies than usual.

Having no way to win was one thing, but if there was a chance then they would do whatever they could.

Under Sven’s instructions, everyones expressions became calm.

It was at that time. The pseudo-slime that had been pursuing a thief changed it’s target.

It’s target was the two examiners furtherest away from camp. The gold eyes turned towards the two hidden behind a tree.

The slime dragged it’s body along quickly. Hunters along the way tried to induce it’s attention, but the slime bounced around in it’s movement.

It gathered enough speed to approach the ordinary civilians, and the examiners screamed out and broke into a run.

“Stop it!”

Sven sucked in a deep breath, and released an arrow.

The arrow flew at the pseudo-slime’s feet with a thunderous roar. With it’s posture collapsing, more arrows were fired in succession to keep it contained.

From firing rapidly his fingers ached with a tingling sensation. Just like that, his quiver became empty.

However, that much could only delay the pseudo-slime for a short moment.

The pseudo-slime made a great leap. As if in an attempt to eat it’s prey, it fell spreading itself to cover over the two examiners.

――In front of them, a huge shadow stood in the way.

A large frame dressed in crimson armour, and a giant halberd wedged into the space between them.

The leaping pseudo-slime fell onto the giant black-blue blade with it’s abdomen.

The arm holding onto the halberd shook with the impact. But, the hand holding onto the weapon never separated.

“-!? Branch chief!?”

“Oi, you bastard, go run back to Sven.”

A tattoo was engraved on the left side of his face, and on his cheek was the trace of an old wound.

The man once called the 『War Ogre』 smiled. His armour rung out in front of the

slime.

The slime knocked to the ground slowly got back up, and it’s eyes turned towards Gark.