- Myra -

Yeah sure, why not?

Liqu just now basically exploded. Well, more like expanded, but the fact that she, in an instant, grew five times her size in all directions makes the former association more fitting. To the sides, it might even be a bit more than this. I can't help but think...

"Monster." (Myra)

Of course, this isn't anything new, yet the most I've seen her grow before was in that goblin cave, where there was, honestly, not all that much to see. Witnessing this hammers it down. I'm even one of the relatively calm ones. A good number of soldiers get visibly distressed, despite their commander claiming otherwise. Lorel, right next to me, doesn't look all that well either.

"Okay, men! You all were informed about the possibility of this kind of event. I don't want to see any loss of discipline here. Now get ready! We're going to follow right behind!" (Peras)

As if keeping order would be such an easy task if a huge clump of doom suddenly set in motion. Not to speak of willingly following behind it. It might've been several times better if this group had any time to prepare, but if I know one thing about this green slime, then it's that coordinated operating isn't really her. Yet as this is the case, we don't have much of a choice but to engage now.

Shari is moving closest, right behind her. I don't think I need to elaborate on why nobody else is very keen on getting close. Though I need to say that those three we talked to earlier in the guild hall are the next closest. From what I gathered from that talk, they might be used to it. Well, I guess I'm not all that different. I know Liqu isn't going to lash out at me, and the same goes for Jacob, so we can as well follow at a relatively safe distance. Jacob even makes sure that this gigantic blob provides sufficient cover for our approach, but as far as I know him, he's playing it safe and won't charge as one of the first into the fray. Not that this would be all that necessary, as just now, Liqu makes contact with the entrance gate.

"Zsch"

After mere moments, the wooden frame disintegrates, and a volley of bolts gets released from inside the hall. They impact Liqu to barely any effect, quickly losing their velocity after entering her form and coming to a stop before they even get close to that glowing core of hers, which she had already shifted to her back in advance. I'm not even sure what the defenders thought to achieve with this move, but it was probably the only thing they could think of doing after the protective doors vanished.

Due to the fact that she's translucent, we now have a rather unfortunate view of the other side. The dissolving of the gate wouldn't have been all that bad, but she quickly moves straight through the wooden barriers and catches the people behind, which is when the expected happens.

"Zsch"

Yeah, this. The fighters that got caught up in her mass don't have a real chance. With a rather deadpan expression, I turn to Lorel, who seems the most shaken of us.

"And you wanted to protect her from her girlfriend." (Myra)

"I certainly didn't know!" (Lorel)

Maybe this banter will help him calm down. After our grand declarations to support the guards, we can't afford to bail out here, no matter how terrifying this slime is. A sentiment the defenders inside seem to share.

"A monster!"

"Someone, bring the voidstone weapons!"

"I-it's a slime! It must have a core. Aim for it! Don't let it fully enter!"

Wow, those aren't their average hoodlums one would expect in Ekoras. That they are capable of bringing order into this. Not even just that, but they even make good attempts at fighting back.

I can see now that they thoroughly prepared for an attack. Apparently, the entrance hall has a second layer that splits from the stairs opposite us to line both sides of the room. A classic Ekoras design, as the stairs at the end of an otherwise empty main hall, along with the elevated position, allows for a good defensive position against charging enemies. It became popular after the first monster surge, when many had to retreat into the buildings only to find out that it didn't make that much of a difference against their feral enemies, aside from trapping them with them, that is. From the gallery, ranged weapons are now pointed at Liqu, which prevents her from bringing the rest of her body with her core inside.

However, her partner doesn't waste any time. I always found her to be of a rather pragmatic mentality, which isn't easily shaken. Still, in terms of pure strength, she's very likely behind the green one.

Yet now she seems intent on proving me wrong. With calm steps, she walks straight towards the green menace.

Reading on this site? This novel is published elsewhere. Support the author by seeking out the original. As she moves, slime oozes out of her clothes and armor, expanding like a second layer around her body. She gains speed the closer she comes, starting to slide along the ground. Then, with a move I have no idea how it could possibly work, she rushes straight at Liqu and then slides upward along her surface. Once she is at the top, she even accelerates further, and for a moment, it seems like she's standing in the air.

Wait, did, did she just split!? There's two of her! She split right away in two directions, one still clad in armor, the other bare. It's as if they propel themselves away from each other. What happens next, I can't see from my position, but my curiosity drives me closer to the giant blob, despite the danger it poses. Who knows if Liqu would even take note if I'd get caught up and dissolved by her during this mayhem?

However, a moment later, she presses forward, and I can finally get a better look. While the thought comes up if it's really fine to follow in there, with the ranged units on top, I quickly realize that this is unfounded. This blue menace has already taken care of all of them. Now I'm even able to get a good enough look to see that there are truly two of her. Both armed. Their bloody blades a testament to the carnage she committed. Or rather the both of them.

I'm asking myself if Chris didn't at least have a point to fear them. Next, the "naked" one seems to prepare for a jump. She dashes from her position and crosses an astonishing distance. However, it's not nearly enough to fully get on the other side.

"Splotch"

"Shit!" (Shari)

Yeah, now that full body of hers got literally splattered on the ground while the other looks a little helplessly from above at it. Liqu then begins to shrink down.

"Is everything okay?" (Liqu)

"Yes, it is. Miscalculated that jump. I'm going to fetch everything. Just don't touch it, alright?" (Shari)

"Oh, right. I would never." (Liqu)

If this didn't just sound completely dishonest. Their banter looks almost surreal with all those self-produced corpses around them. However, this is now our moment.

It was the job of those two to breach the defense, and it's ours now to take care of the rest. I quickly run past Liqu and sink my blades into the first guy I find. Disturbingly, I notice he's collared, as after a quick scan of my surroundings, I find a number of the defenders to be. Probably a tactic of that captain not to tell us. Unfortunately, as little as they probably want to continue this fight, we don't exactly have the time to evaluate every single one's opinion on this matter. So I don't and instead focus on killing, as otherwise, I'd incur incalculable risks. Before I can pull my blades out of the neck they're currently stuck in, I notice another one charging me from the side. I might make it in time, but don't have to when promptly a bolt gets stuck in his head. Seems like Jacob has got me covered.

Looking to the right side of the hall, I take note that this team that stuck so close to Liqu is at it as well. That woman, Vela, if I remember right, shoots arrows at a frequency that Jabob's crossbow can't keep up with. Not only this, but the shots are all rather precise. While she's doing so, the big guy, with the even bigger sword, makes sure no one comes too close. Still, that last guy is especially impressive. I think he's a frickin' mage. A close combat mage, if you've ever heard of something like this. He's like a living spark that flings from one enemy to the other, always delivering a decisive blow.

Lorel, meanwhile, apparently got out of his stupor and charges as well. As I expect by now from him, nobody has the strength to persevere against his empowered strikes. Then I hear a voice from outside.

"What are you waiting for?! Are you going to let those adventurers best you!?" (Peras)

Seems like that captain finally manages to rally his soldiers to our assistance. Not like there's all that much more to deal with in this hall. However, the remaining rooms and hallways still need to be covered. The soldiers don't rush in blindly, though. The front row is brandishing shields, and they move in a tight, although slightly jumbled, formation. The reason for that is that they're not completely focused on the task.

"Hey! Stop ogling those two! You've got a job to finish!" (Peras)

I'd as well say there are better times for this. Not that the theory helps while standing next to monsters who just killed dozens of people in the shortest possible time without even breaking into a sweat. Well, not like they could. Or would it be more adequate to say that slimes constantly sweat?

In any case, we may not be done yet, but we clearly got through the difficult part. By now, even Ms. Blue made it down here and moves to the puddle that double of hers left on the ground. The moment she makes contact with the mass, the matter seems to come back to life and somehow gets sucked inside her. Then she glides with her hand over the blades, rubbing off the accumulated blood on them.

"Zsch"

I can't help but be slightly distressed at this sight.

She really changed a lot. Back then, she wasn't just far less proficient at doing this kind of stuff and moving so inhumanly, she even seemed bothered by it. Now there's barely a trace of this former disgust. She just does as is required. Jacob approaches as well.

"You seem to have made progress." (Jacob)

"She surely did. Can't remember you being such an efficient killer." (Myra)

"I... had practice. Rarely on my terms. But I guess at one point you have to adapt." (Shari)

"I see. Well, not to the advantage of your enemies, it seems." (Myra)

"I try to avoid killing if I can. Being stronger even helps in this regard. If I had been back then..." (Shari)

Then she wouldn't have had to kill Chris...

"I get it. Better stop right there. You're not doing yourself a favor by bringing this up again and again." (Myra)

I hope this ended the talk, and we can move on. Speaking of it, the commander moves in, shouting orders left and right.

"Spread out! Check for survivors! Maybe we can extract some information!" (Peras)

"I wouldn't bother with those up there. I used a rather potent poison." (Shari)

"I see. Anyway, I need to relay my gratitude. Your attack was all I could've wished for. Seeing how they set up this hall, I doubt we could've handled this without incurring considerable losses." (Peras)

"Yes, yes! We really did well! I was a bit worried when they said they would bring out those weapons and I couldn't get inside." (Liqu)

"Don't worry. My men will make sure that none will reach this place." (Peras)

"Glad to hear this, but did you see how great my Shari was? And then you used linking while climbing on top of me! I didn't know you were capable of this!" (Liqu)

"I had a bit of experience regarding controlled linking with Nia. She's quite fragile." (Shari)

"I fear I'm going to regret this question, but who is Nia?" (Jacob)

Yeah, regarding context, I'd say another slime like them. Which is the kind of news that should make all of us concerned?

"My Shari's offspring!" (Liqu)

"Don't say it like this! It's not even accurate! (Shari)

"But she is! Her core comes from you, you made her slime base, you provided the image for her form. It fits, doesn't it?" (Liqu)

"Oh, please, stop!" (Shari)

What the fuck were they up to?!

"I... am not sure if I want to know about this." (Peras)

Fortunately for him, soldiers with their reports come running, so he can believably pull out of this conversation.

"We found prisoners, Sir. They're chained! Some of them already collared!" (soldier)

Well, that kinda proves we're at the right place here.

"Unit five is going to free them. The rest will continue the fight." (Peras)

Directly after this, there's the next.

"We found the dungeon, as well as a passage!" (soldier)

"Alright! Seems like we won't have as much time to catch our breaths! Let's bring this to a successful end!" (Peras)

"I'll be with you! Liqu, come, the job's not over yet!" (Shari)

"Yay! More for me!" (Liqu)

Yeah, you can't make us forget about the earlier discussion with just this.

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