Idin scratched his head as Amukelo posed his question. "Take stuff out of them? That's… well, not something people usually try. The easiest way to deal with slimes is just to destroy them. But in theory…" He trailed off, thinking. "You could wait for them to dissolve what's inside them. But that could take forever."
Amukelo stepped closer to Idin, his eagerness practically radiating off him. "Come on, I can do all the work. I'll lure them or whatever I need to do. I just want to figure out how to handle an empty one."
Idin glanced at the others for input. Pao offered a small, encouraging smile. "I think if he wants to practice, we should let him try. It's a good chance for him to learn."
Bao shrugged, her expression indifferent. "I don't mind, but I'm not waiting around all day. If it drags on, I'm killing them myself."
Bral smirked. "How about this: we kill the ones that are completely loaded with junk—easy targets. Then, if we find one or two that look like they're close to finishing dissolving their stuff, we leave those for Amukelo to experiment with."
Idin sighed, nodding reluctantly. "Alright. Amukelo, you're on the hook for this plan. We'll take care of the ones that are too full."
"Deal!" Amukelo said with a grin. Just as he finished speaking, another slime oozed toward him. Without hesitation, Amukelo stepped forward, his sword raised. His swing sliced cleanly through the slime and shattered its crystal. The creature collapsed into a pool of goo.
"Let's do it," he said confidently, wiping his sword clean.
The group set to work. Most of them were so loaded with debris that their movements were painfully slow, making them easy targets. Pao dispatched a couple with her water spears. Bao's shots shattered the crystals she was aiming for. Bral and Idin worked together, hacking through the slimes with ease.
After some time, the clearing was littered with puddles of defeated slimes. Only three slimes remained, each one with only a few pieces of wood or scrap metal floating inside.
These were clearly more mobile than the others, moving with a sluggish but deliberate speed as they began to advance toward the group.
Once only the three were left, Amukelo asked. "Shouldn't this quest be for bronze-ranked adventurers? This was super easy."
"It's not about how it looks now," Bral said, his voice light but patient. " Quests are based on their highest predicted difficulty. If you are lucky, like we are, the quest is easier than the expected difficulty. But in rare circumstances, it can be the other way around. It's better if it doesn't happen to you. These slimes just wrecked a merchant's cart. That's why they're full and slow. If we'd come here before the cart, or if these slimes were empty, it would've been a completely different story. Trust me, you'll see soon enough."
Amukelo nodded, and then he approached the slimes cautiously. He couldn't help but feel a flicker of excitement. But as he got closer, he noticed something. "Hey," he said, glancing at Idin. "These ones are moving faster than the others."
Idin nodded. "That's because they're not as full. The less stuff they have inside them, the quicker they get. They'll still get even faster once they're completely empty."
Amukelo nodded thoughtfully and turned back to the slimes. He decided to test the theory about luring them. Moving deliberately, he walked just close enough to catch their attention, then slowly backed away, keeping his movements steady.
The slimes responded, their movements becoming slightly more purposeful as they followed him. Amukelo glanced over his shoulder, making sure he had enough space to maneuver. As he led them in a wide circle, he could see the debris inside them shifting and dissolving bit by bit. It wasn't a rapid process, but it was happening.
"Alright," Amukelo muttered to himself. "Just keep them moving. Let them do the work."
The group watched from a safe distance. Bao crossed her arms, while Pao watched with quiet encouragement. Bral grinned, clearly entertained by Amukelo's efforts, and Idin stood silently, observing with a critical eye.
Amukelo's heart raced as the slimes grew slightly more agile with each passing moment. Their goo moved more fluidly now, the pieces of wood and metal inside them breaking down further. He adjusted his pace, keeping just ahead of them as he worked out the best way to handle the increasingly mobile creatures.
Pao decided to help Amukelo a little bit, and she raised her staff, and, she muttered a quiet incantation, and the ground between Amukelo and two of the advancing slimes suddenly erupted. A sturdy wall of earth shot up, blocking their path. The slimes paused momentarily, their gelatinous forms quivering as they tried to find a way around the obstruction.
Pao wasn't done. She extended her staff again, her hands steady as the ground shifted once more. The earth wall began folding inward, creating an enclosed box around the two slimes. The creatures were now trapped.
Amukelo turned toward her, grinning, and gave her a thumbs up. "Thanks, Pao!"
Pao smiled back, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush. "Just focus on the one," she said softly.
He nodded and turned his attention to the lone slime still advancing on him. The creature, now free of any debris, moved faster than before. Amukelo began jogging in a slow circle around the clearing, keeping just out of the slime's reach.
For nearly twenty minutes, Amukelo lured the slime, careful to stay ahead of it but still keeping it engaged. The group watched from a distance, their conversations quiet as they observed his efforts.
Finally, the slime's movements became even smoother. Amukelo noticed that its gelatinous body was now entirely translucent, its core crystal visible, and no longer encumbered by debris. The creature surged forward, faster than before, forcing Amukelo to pick up his pace.
Idin stepped forward, his boots crunching on the dirt as he approached the action. "Alright, Amukelo," he called out. "It's ready now. You can attack it—nothing's left inside to distract it."
As he walked closer, Idin bent down to pick up a sturdy stick lying near the edge of the clearing. Testing its weight briefly, he tossed it to Amukelo, who caught it mid-stride. "Remember what I said," Idin continued. "Use the stick first. Confuse it, disrupt its focus. Then, when it's tangled up, go for the crystal with your blade."
Amukelo nodded. He steadied himself, gripping the stick tightly as he stopped jogging and turned to face the advancing slime. "Okay," he muttered to himself. "Stick first, then the blade."
The slime closed the distance quickly. Amukelo planted his feet and swung the stick, jabbing it into the slime's body. The creature shuddered, its gelatinous mass enveloping the stick almost instantly. Amukelo grunted as he felt resistance—pulling the stick back was harder than he'd expected.
"Then the blade!" he said aloud, swinging his sword in a swift arc. The blade struck the slime's surface, slicing through the goo and heading for the crystal. But just as his blade neared its target, the crystal shifted, sliding away to a different part of the slime's body. Amukelo's sword slowed as the goo thickened around it, trapping it alongside the stick.
"Uh… guys?" Amukelo said, his voice rising slightly in panic. He tried to pull both the stick and the blade free, but the slime's grip held firm.
Idin sighed, a faint smirk playing at his lips. "Don't panic," he called out, walking closer. "This is expected. Now, push with your legs, but whatever you do, don't—"
Before Idin could finish, Amukelo instinctively placed his foot on the slime to gain leverage. His boot sank into the goo, and before he realized what was happening, the slime surged upward, enveloping his leg and pulling him inside.
The group gasped as the slime swallowed Amukelo whole. He struggled within its translucent body, his movements slowing as the goo began to sap his energy. "Help!" Amukelo's muffled voice came from inside.
Bral clicked his tongue, shaking his head. "Tsk… why didn't he listen?" He stepped forward, ready to intervene, but before he could move, an arrow whistled through the air.
Bao's shot was clean and precise. Her arrow struck the crystal within the slime, shattering it instantly. The creature collapsed into a wet puddle, spilling Amukelo unceremoniously onto the ground. He landed on his hands and knees, coughing and gasping for breath, his clothes soaked in the slime's remains.
Idin approached, his expression calm but firm. "Alright," he said, addressing the group. "It didn't work this time. Let's finish the rest and move on."
But as Idin turned away, Amukelo's voice stopped him. "No. Wait."
Idin turned back, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Amukelo, who was now sitting on the ground, still catching his breath. "I still want to try again," Amukelo said, his voice hoarse but filled with determination.
The rest of the group exchanged glances. Bao rolled her eyes but said nothing, while Bral let out a quiet chuckle. Pao, standing slightly apart, offered Amukelo an encouraging nod.
Idin studied Amukelo for a moment, his expression a mix of confusion and respect. Finally, he sighed and crouched down to meet Amukelo's gaze. "Alright," he said slowly. "But this time, listen closely to what I'm telling you. No improvising, no guessing. You do exactly what I say."
Amukelo nodded eagerly. "Got it. I'll do better this time."
Idin stood and dusted off his hands. "Alright. Let's try this again."