Crossroad. Downtown.
"Attack! Slime!"
With my fervent cry, a large tri-color slime shot out, latching onto the head of the werewolf.
Growl?!
Slurp! Slurp!
The slime enveloped the werewolf's head, preventing it from breathing. The werewolf thrashed violently, trying to pry the slime off, but ultimately failed.
Thud!
It collapsed from suffocation. Nice!
"Brilliant! Tri-Color!"
Slurp! Slurp!
The tri-color slime swirled itself roundly upon my praise. Was it expressing happiness?
[Captured Monster: Lv.20 Tri-Color Slime (R)'s loyalty has increased by 1!]
"It really was pleased!"
The tri-color slime smoothly climbed onto my shoulder and swiftly disappeared into the void. Good job, buddy!
My second skill, [Become Mine].
Once per stage, it allowed me to permanently bind a monster affected by [Gaze of Command] under my command.
Although it would be beneficial to use it consistently in every stage to gain a new subordinate, due to various events, I hadn't been able to use it properly.
In Stage 5, I used it when I killed Celendion.
Stage 6, the ambush cleared out all the enemies.
I couldn't participate in Stage 7 as I was away in the Imperial Capital.
Stage 8 was my first battle back, and I lost the perfect timing...
It was only in Stage 9, during a free exploration of the [Slime's Lair] dungeon, that I was able to capture a tri-color slime.
This slime is that very creature. I named it 'Tri-Color'!
'It seems to consider this mysterious void space as its waiting room, like an inventory. No need to even build a facility for it.'
Though this mechanism seems oddly convenient, as long as it aids in my strategies, why not?
I hurriedly ran deeper into the city. Where's the next werewolf?
Growl-!
Barely a thought passed when another jumped out from a dark alleyway.
"Whoa! You startled me!"
I screamed in surprise, unleashing a blade of magic, but the creature charged at me even as the magic blade pierced its body. Why is it so tough?!
Thud! Bang!
"Cough!"
I tumbled down the alley intertwined with the werewolf. Its strong hand tightened around my neck, choking me.
Slurp!
Tri-Color sprung from the void, covering the werewolf's face, cutting off its air.
Yet, the werewolf didn't let go of my neck.
'I need to use the stake...!'
I aimed the emergency stake shooter strapped to my arm at the werewolf's flank, but...
'Oh no.'
I had already used it earlier. The shooter was empty.
I had been continuously battling werewolves in these back alleys. I was out of options.
Choke.
"Ugh, gha...!"
Darkness started to close in on me. This was bad...
Whiz! Whiz!
Suddenly, silver arrows pierced the air, embedding into the werewolf's neck.
Growl...?!
The dying werewolf spilled blood and fell sideways.
Gasping, I sat up. That was too close!
"Your Highness!"
It was Damien who shot the arrows and now rushed to my side, a crossbow in his hand.
"Thanks for saving me, Damien... But did you come all the way here yourself?"
"I ran out of bullets for the rifle-shaped magic gun, and my magic power's drained. Thought it would be better to get closer to the battlefield."
On Damien's hip were the pistol-shaped magic gun Cerberus, the machine pistol Woodpecker, and silver bullets.
If that's all he had left, it made sense to be closer to the front lines.
"The other reserves are searching in the opposite direction! I'm about to take a vantage point nearby and start shooting..."
Damien lifted his head, surveying the surroundings.
I also took a look around. The nearest tall building was...
"Over there!"
The chimney of a public bathhouse in the vicinity seemed the highest. Damien nodded and headed that direction.
"I'll provide cover fire from there! Hang in there, Prince!"
"Thanks, Damien!"
Watching Damien rush towards the public bathhouse, a thought struck me.
How did we get this deep into the city?
How many werewolves were left?
Could we fend them off before more damage was done?
"Arrrgghh!"
"Help! Please-!"
Sudden sharp screams reached my ears. Startled, I ran in that direction. What's happening?
Near the public bathhouse was a barracks, and in an open space by the barracks, two elderly people were running out in a panic.
"What happened?"
Hearing my shout, the two elders recognized me and quickly explained.
"My lord! A monster! A white-furred monster is there!"
"The soldiers tried to hold it off, but they've all been slaughtered...!"
"And?!"
Pressed for details, the elders exchanged glances.
"There was this scrawny, limping young man who stood against the monster..."
"He fought well. He was protecting us until a moment ago. But he said he couldn't hold on much longer and told us to get out..."
"..."
Skinny. Limping.
I knew immediately who it was. Gritting my teeth, I rushed towards the clearing.
"Quick, go home, lock your doors, and hide!"
Not long after rushing into the clearing, I found the monster facing off against a human.
"RAAAAH!"
A bloodied White Werewolf howled,
"Cough, cough..."
It was a blood-soaked Kureha.
Kureha's entire body looked mummified.
Flesh and muscle from all over his body withered. How did he withstand this with such a condition?
Then, the White Werewolf charged at Kureha. I quickly intervened, swinging my staff and releasing a blade of magic.
"This is Qi Sword Technique, you bastard!"
Well, not really!
Thud! Thwack!
The magic blade pierced its torso, and the enraged eyes of the White Werewolf swiftly turned to me.
It was a high-level elite monster which was kind of intimidating, but damn it, I wasn't just going to stand there and watch.
"Tri-color-!"
I hurled the Tri-Color, which had just popped out of nowhere, like a baseball.
Smack! Thud!
Tri-color immediately wrapped around the White Werewolf's face, once again blocking its breathing.
The White Werewolf struggled, unable to breathe. Good!
"Kureha!"
"Your Majesty...?"
Kureha, with eyes wide in surprise, looked at me. I quickly supported him from the side.
"We need to fall back. This creature is too dangerous for just the two of us."
Kureha had lost his combat ability, while I was a commander with abysmal personal combat skills.
Somehow, we could manage to take down a Brown or a Gray Werewolf, but this White one was on another level. We need to flee right now-
Then, a horrible sound rang out.
Startled, I turned to see the White Werewolf tear off my Tri-Color Slime from its head.
The creature balled the Tri-Color Slime in its hand, and with a sudden squeeze-
It was destroyed.
*Ding!*
[Captured Monster: Lv.20 Tri-Color Slime(R) has died.]
"Tri-Color, noooo!"
I screamed involuntarily.
This damn monster! How dare it harm my Tri-Color! After everything we've been through! I had dreams of nurturing it to evolve into a Slime Emperor, damn it!
The White Werewolf's eyes shifted towards us. I swallowed hard, banishing any stray thoughts.
Damien probably hadn't reached his sniping point yet, and our scouts were out gathering information from other places. We were alone.
How can we defeat this creature now?
Suddenly, the White Werewolf lunged at us on all fours. I tried to quickly summon the 'Taunt Tower' to divert its attention.
"...?!"
But I realized I didn't have the necessary magic core in my inventory. Frantically searching my pockets, the realization struck me.
Throughout the night, I'd used up almost ten magic cores, repeatedly constructing and dismantling the Shield Tower.
I'd exhausted all my spare cores.
"Damn it!"
In desperation, I locked eyes with the creature and used the 'Gaze of Command'.
This skill was a gamble, especially in situations like this, but I had no choice!
[Using Gaze of Command.]
[Please make eye contact with the target.]
The world around me seemed to slow down, and a blue interface characteristic of skill usage spread before me.
[Target Detected: 1]
[Please state the command.]
"Listen here, monster, you will..."
With all my might, filled with magic and desire, I shouted out the easiest, yet most effective command I could think of.
"Lie down, now!"
A jolt went through me as all the remaining magic in my body was expended.
I'd been on the move all day, so there wasn't much magic left.
A sense of heaviness engulfed my heart, and blood gushed from my nose.
[Command Difficulty: Easy]
[Comparing user's Intelligence stat with the target's Magic Power stat.]
[Determining success rate. Starting resistance roll...]
*Ding!*
A sound indicating the completion of the assessment echoed, followed by a flash of blue light.
I tasted the metallic flavor of blood and clenched my teeth. The creature was already too close.
Did it work?!
[Assessment Complete!]
>Failure: 1
[The command has not been executed.]
...What.
"Damn it, sh-"
That's why I can't trust these probability games! These bastards always fail at some point! Damn it!
Whether I cursed out loud or not, the White Werewolf rushed at me with a terrifying speed and took off after hitting the ground.
'I need to dodge with the Blink Dagger-'
I quickly drew the dagger from my inventory.
It was the SSR-grade dagger [Flash Knife] I got from a loot box a few days ago. Its ability allowed me to teleport to wherever the dagger was thrown.
As I was about to throw it to the side to dodge the attack, I hesitated. This dagger only teleports the user.
Even if I could evade, Kureha couldn't...!
Suddenly!
Kureha snatched the Blink Dagger from my hand. Huh?
"A Blink Dagger, huh? I'll borrow this for a moment."
"Wha-? Huh?"
Did he know the purpose of the Blink Dagger? But what was he planning to do with it?
Kureha threw the dagger I handed over straight at the White Werewolf.
The airborne White Werewolf couldn't dodge the thrown dagger.
Thud!
The dagger pierced weakly, and then,
Flash-!
In an instant, with a burst of light, Kureha teleported.
Whooosh-!
Splitting the moonlight, Kureha's flying kick plunged deep into the White Werewolf's abdomen. He pushed the dagger deeper with the tip of his foot.
He had replaced the missed opportunity due to his mummified state with the teleportation function of the Blink Dagger! Is he a genius?!
It was a picture-perfect kick.
Blood gushed violently from the White Werewolf's mouth, and the remaining flesh and muscle on Kureha's right foot turned to dust and scattered.
Had his body been intact, that one kick would have killed the monster. It was that perfectly executed.
However.
"...!"
It wasn't enough.
The stance might have been perfect, but there was no strength left in his physical body.
The attack fell short, and the monster resisted.
Grrrr...!
Spitting blood in mid-air, the White Werewolf sharpened its claws and lunged forward,
Pierce!
Piercing through Kureha's abdomen.