The light-blue-haired girl emerging from the forest didn't seem particularly dirty compared to when I saw her yesterday.

It appeared that she hadn't spent the night in the forest after all.

"Long time no see! I'm glad to see you made it back to town safely after that."

"I'm the one who should be saying that. I was worried you might have died; you know… brother Slime!”

As we walked down the slope, that’s how the conversation began. While a part of me felt guilty for making her worry, another thought surfaced in my mind—a question I couldn’t ignore.

"Wait… don't tell me that's why you came all the way here?"

"Well, that's part of it. I also wanted to thank you, and I had a good idea of which direction you ran off to."

"It's dangerous, you know!? You realize how thick the mana is around here, right? That means the beasts are stronger too!"

"It's fine. I'm really good at moving without being seen."

Even as she spoke, my unease lingered, refusing to fade. Sensing my discomfort, the girl continued, her voice softening as she tried to reassure me.

"Really, it's fine. I have an Attribute Skill that lets me sense where beasts are."

"An Attribute Skill…?"

Unfamiliar with the term, I asked for clarification.

"Oh, right. Beasts don't have Attributes, do they? Attributes are a status that only humans possess. They let us use magic or enhance our skills."

"So that's a thing, huh…?"

Honestly, I didn't know much about humans since I usually ran away whenever I saw them.

Magic, huh? This world really leans into its fantasy elements.

"Wait a sec. What's the difference between skills and magic, anyway?"

"Magic is a type of skill," she explained. "It’s one of the Attribute Skills that draws on the power of an Attribute using mana. On the other hand, skills that don’t require mana and are constantly active are called Traits."

She added, smiling wryly, "Though, I can't use magic since I have a useless Attribute."

"Huh, that's interesting. So, is the reason you always find me also thanks to one of those Traits?"

"That's right. A lone slime is a rare sight, after all. But since you look different every time we meet, I was a bit unsure if it was really you."

"Well, I am kind of a square now."

"Yeah, I thought, 'What is this?' at first. But when I realized you were just transforming your body, I figured you might be a slime. And as it turned out… you were! Plus, you're light blue, so that gave it away."

"You’re identifying me by my color?"

"Yup! You're the only slime I've seen with such a beautiful color. Everyone in town is all fired up about finding the 'light-blue slime,' too."

…They're fired up, huh?

I already had a hunch, but imagining an entire town celebrating the idea of hunting me down is kind of terrifying…

"Oh, right! Speaking of your form, you've evolved again, haven’t you? You were so small when we first met. I’ve heard that evolution for beasts usually takes years, but... did your Soul Accumulation Level surge after you defeated that bear?"

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

"Yep. It took a hell of a lot of effort, but the bear was no match for me."

"That’s incredible! Honestly, back then, I was about to charge in without thinking, but if I had, I would’ve been killed instantly. So, thank you, brother Slime, for saving not just me, but those adventurers as well."

She bowed deeply as she spoke in a sincere tone. Having someone thank me so earnestly made me… a little embarrassed.

"Don't worry about it!! I only helped because I thought I could beat that bear, and besides, I couldn’t just leave people to be attacked."

"Even though you’re a slime?"

"Even though I’m a slime.Hum!"

"Haha, you’re so strange."

She laughed for a moment but then suddenly lowered her voice, as if she remembered something.

"Oh, by the way, someone’s after you, brother slime, so be careful."

"Yeah, I heard already. The townsfolk are hunting me, right? No need to worry; I’m a Mighty Beast, after all."

I puffed out my chest in pride. True, if someone like that old man from before showed up, it might be a challenge, but I was stronger now. With my current abilities, I felt confident that I could easily fight people off moreover…if I choose to escape no one can stop me.

"Don’t let your guard down. This is a secret, but…"

She leaned in to whisper, even though we were alone in the clearing.

"…It seems that an advanced adventurer named Jaykal is after you."

"Huh… Adventurers are basically pros at hunting beasts, right?"

"That’s right."

From what I gleaned through my Intent Interpretation, “advanced adventurer” seemed to mean something like “elite rank” adventures.

However, unlike regular hunter or adventures they seemed to be blessed by the heavens receiving mystic skills and powers from the moment they are born.

Her reaction confirmed that my understanding was correct.

"How strong is this advanced adventurer? Compared to the other adventurers in the forest, or maybe their level?"

"Way stronger. My town is full of adventurers, but there are only about ten advanced ones. Jaykal Sir is probably stronger than anyone you’ve seen before."

"Stronger than that old man…?"

"Huh? Yeah, I’d say he could probably take on a hundred old men without breaking a sweat."

Seriously?

A hundred times stronger than that geezer is basically a natural disaster.

"I don’t know his exact Soul Accumulation Level, but I’ve heard advanced adventurers are usually over level 50. Jaykal often takes down Mighty Beasts and supreme beats along with his party, so you might lose if you face him."

"A party… that means teammates, right?"

"Exactly."

Hmm… If he’s really a hundred times stronger than me, why would he need a party to take down Mighty Beasts?

Maybe he’s just extremely cautious, or perhaps…

"He’s a tall guy with a spear. If you see him, run immediately, okay?"

"Got it."

I agreed for now, but a question lingered in my mind.

"Why are you being so nice, anyway?"

"Because I’m worried about you, Susu. You helped me before, and I’d be sad if you got killed."

"…Is that really all? Wait before that- why I am suddenly Susu??"

"That’s the name I gave you just now hehe…Anyway, Jaykal is infamous for being always rough around other and having a violent behaviour. His lackeys have bullied me a few times, too. So, honestly, I just don’t want him getting any stronger."

She smirked mischievously. I’d thought she was just a good kid, but it turns out she has her own motives.

"The adventurers are saying you were last seen somewhere north of here… over that way. So, you should avoid heading in that direction."

With that, she stood up.

"Well, I’ve got to go. See you, Susu."

"Yeah, see you. But don’t come to a dangerous place like this again, okay?"

"Got it. Oh, and my susu, you might want to move somewhere else soon. If you stay here, you might get spotted."

"Sure thing!"

After parting ways with the girl, I considered relocating.

However, since there were still Trent fruits left, I decided to stay for a little longer. There shouldn’t be anyone coming for me within a day or two, right?

…NEXT DAY…

"Found you at last, Arsenal armoury Slime! Your Soul Fragment XP is mine!"

Leading a group of five humans, a tall man wielding a spear appeared.