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Using its dissolving liquid, the slime dissolves the fruit floating in its gel-like body and absorbs it. The juice stimulates its taste buds.

"Hmm, bitter...!"

I really don't like this fruit. If I were to eat fruit, I'd prefer something sweeter, like strawberries...

...Huh? What are strawberries?

I've never seen such a fruit in my life...

I've been living as a slime for a while now, but occasionally, unfamiliar knowledge surfaces in my mind. It seems to be happening more frequently lately.

Is this also a characteristic of Roughstone Slimes? But there's nothing about it in my status...

"Slassura! (Hey, Slasuké!)"

While I'm lost in thought, a slime calls out to me. It's Slaata, a red, well-built slime.

He's a rare Large Bloody Slime and became the chief after the previous one was eaten by a wolf. Behind him are several other slimes.

"Slaasura, Slaala? (What's up, Slaata?)" "Slaass, Slaassla! (Listen up, you're being banished!)"

...What?

My mind goes blank from the sudden announcement.

"S-Slalaa... Slaaslaras!? (W-Why... Why am I being banished!?)"

Unable to hold back, I ask. Even today, I've been protecting my comrades and gathering food!

"Slaass, Slaassla! (It's obvious, you're too weak to even defeat a rabbit!)"

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...It's true that unlike the blue normal slimes, my grey form has weaker strength and my dissolving liquid's power is low. I'm not good at attacking.

But I've tried to contribute to the group in other ways. I've come up with various ideas for the prosperity of the group and used my high toughness to protect the other slimes multiple times.

I desperately explain all this, but Slaata is unmoved.

"Slarasura, Slaassslaara! (Nonsense, we don't need you to protect us!)"

That's not true!

Even if I concede that Slaata might not need it. Large Bloody Slimes have plenty of life force. They can take hits from goblins and still be fine.

But the other normal slimes aren't like that. They lose a lot of life from a single hit, and they know I've been protecting them.

"Su! Suuraass!? (Hey! Are you all okay with this!?)"

I believe someone will stand up for me and ask the slimes behind Slaata.

"Sura, Sura (Slasuké, weak)" "Suura, Sura (Don't need weak ones)" "Slaralala, Sura, Lass (Hahaha, get out, loser)" "S-Surassara... (N-No way, everyone...)"

But the responses are all insults and mockery. Neither Slao nor Slami nor Slaemon will help me.

"Slarasurasura (Get out if you understand)" "Surasura, Suuras? Slarasura? Susura!? (Wait, wait, don't rush! How will you decide where to gather plants? Who will take the hits from enemies? You'll regret this if you kick me out!)" "Slaass, Slaass! (Stop whining and get out!)"

From his stubborn tone, I realize arguing further is pointless.

"...Sla (…Fine)" "Slaassura, Slarasura (Oh, and leave that fruit, it's ours)"

I was part of the food gathering too, and even today, I brought back two fruits. And it's because I protected them from enemies that they could transport safely. But Slaata wouldn't listen to such things.

"Slara... (Got it...)"

I place the half-dissolved fruit down and start heading out of the colony. Just then,

—Thunk.

Something hard hits my body. They throw a stone at me from behind.

"Slaras, Surasura (Haha, got him, got him)" "Sura, Suura (Next, my turn)" "Surasuras (Me too, again!)"

—Thunk, thunk, thunk.

Slaata's followers keep throwing stones. Their aim is decent, and more than half hit me.

...Even though I suggested this throwing technique to give slimes more ways to attack...

"Sla... (It hurts...)"

With my toughness, stones don't even cause minor wounds. But it isn't my body that hurts—it is deeper inside. It feels like my heart is being hit directly every time a stone strikes me.

I always considered them comrades and gave my all for them. But they never saw me as one of them.

"Sla... (Damn...)"

I'll remember this. I'll get stronger and make them regret it someday...!

With this vow in my heart, I flee from my former comrades.

Thus, I am banished from the slime colony.