Anyi stood before the Great Map, his finger resting on a marked area. "Here," he declared, "is our first station."

Layton furrowed his brow in confusion. "Why slimes? They're weak, even ordinary people can handle them. Why do we need to go?"

Anyi nodded, as if anticipating the question. "True, slimes are easy to deal with. They can be killed by destroying the magic core in their bodies. They aren't particularly dangerous to humans, as they mostly devour crops and poultry. However, despite how weak they are, their presence continues to be a problem. Do you know why?"

Layton scratched his head. "Because... there's a lot of them?"

"Exactly," Anyi confirmed. "But slimes don’t just appear out of nowhere. As Heroes, we are not just here to hunt individual monsters. Our mission is to investigate why slimes are proliferating and to eliminate the source of the problem. We’re not aiming to kill a few slimes—we're aiming to stop them from ever coming back."

Layton’s eyes widened in realization. "Ah! So that's the goal... To completely eliminate the source!" His face lit up with a newfound enthusiasm. "My fighting spirit is burning now!"

"Augur au au au au au ——!!!" The believers echoed, suddenly energized by the prospect. Their collective excitement filled the room, rippling through the ranks of believers.

"That’s right!" Anyi continued. "A Hero’s duty isn’t just to hunt. It’s to protect. We aren’t here to kill monsters for sport—we’re here to stop the harm they cause, at the root."

Layton, his chest swelling with eagerness, turned to Anyi. "I can’t wait to start! When do we leave?"

Anyi, with a calm nod, responded simply, "Now."

...

[Class 1 Disaster: Slime Scourge

Description: Viscous, squeak squeak, squeak, squeak—an alarming number of these gelatinous creatures have appeared.

Slimes are weak, so much so that even an ordinary person could kill one with a hammer. While rarely causing much damage, when surrounded by a swarm, you should flee immediately. Otherwise, you may be engulfed and dissolved in moments.]

"Wow…!" Ariana gasped, her eyes wide as the system’s stark warning materialized before her.

"What in the world is this?" Layton reached out, as if grasping the air, and the same information appeared in his vision, glowing faintly in the light of the carriage.

Miruku, meanwhile, said nothing, biting back her startle. 'I’m perfectly calm,' she told herself, 'I won’t be shaken by something like this.'

Anyi leaned back, his gaze shifting to the horizon, the darkening landscape beyond the window. "It seems we’ve entered an area marked by disaster," he remarked, as if this were just another day.

"Ha! Because we’re Heroes, Kami-sama must be guiding us to where we’re needed most!" Layton grinned, his enthusiasm undampened. "I like it! No matter where we go, we can crush any disaster that comes our way!"

Their destination lay far from the Theocracy, and it took a full day and night by carriage to reach it. Although there were closer monster spawn points, they were erratic, constantly shifting, and Anyi had chosen to prioritize a more stable target. As they traveled, he mused quietly to himself, thinking back on his previous life.

Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

Where had they started back then?

The question nagged at him, a whisper from a time he could barely piece together now. Breaking his silence, he turned to Ariana, his voice low and measured. "Holy Maiden, what would you have done if I had refused to join the team from the beginning? What if I had decided to hunt alone?"

Ariana blinked, surprised by the sudden inquiry, but her answer was quick and sure. "I would have found you, of course." She offered a playful wink, her smile warm.

"..."

Anyi was momentarily stunned. Could it be that, even in his past life, they had searched for him?

He glanced at Ariana again. Her system must have had a distance tracker, making it her first task to gather the team. Even if he had vanished, Ariana would still have known his general whereabouts.

The thought gave him pause. Perhaps this life wasn’t as different from the last as he had assumed. But then again, he had been just an ordinary swordsman back then, nothing like the human he was now.

The carriage jolted slightly as it finally came to a stop, signaling their arrival.

"Holy Maiden-sama, three great Heroes! We have arrived!" The believers’ voices echoed from outside the carriage.

Anyi stepped down first, glancing at the procession of carriages behind them. Though their team was small, it was clear the Theocracy’s influence ran deep. The four Heroes might have been the stars of the show, but behind them, the machinery of an efficient organization churned smoothly, preparing the way.

As soon as their feet touched the ground, the believers dispersed, already working to locate the local slime cleaning staff. There was no need to question the villagers or gather intel — everything had been pre-arranged.

"Welcome, great Heroes! I am Masi, the manager of the slime cleaners in this village." A bald, middle-aged man approached, his grin wide, followed by several staff members. He wasted no time introducing himself, clearly aware of their mission.

"Where's the slime?! I want to kill!" Layton's patience had worn thin from the long ride. He was practically bouncing on his toes.

"Hold a moment," Anyi said, his voice calm, bringing Layton back from the edge. He turned his attention to Masi. "Is there a training area nearby?"

"We reside in a zone free from slimes, but if you wish to engage with them first, we can accommodate that," Masi replied eagerly.

"Yes, we'd like to test our abilities." Anyi’s tone was measured, yet purposeful.

"Of course, of course! This way, please!" Masi gestured for them to follow, his enthusiasm unwavering.

As they walked through the village, it became apparent how mundane the task of slime cleaning had become. Men and women alike held the title of 'slime cleaner,' showing that the job was hardly a dangerous one. The group followed the narrow village paths for several minutes until they arrived at the "slime farm" — a training ground of sorts for dealing with the creatures.

The area was simple: an open enclosure, surrounded by wooden planks high enough to prevent slimes from escaping, yet low enough for any adult to look over. Inside, slimes of various sizes bounced lazily around, unaware of their fate.

As soon as the four Heroes approached, a new interface opened before their eyes, filling the air with the system's cold, mechanical tone:

[Unlocked new Bestiary: Slime

Strength: 0

Agility: 0

Endurance: 0

Durability: 3

Prana: 0

Intelligence: -10

Technique: 0]

Masi grinned proudly. "This is where we train locals to handle the slimes. They're weak, but quite a nuisance."

"I’d like to try my hand at a few. You don’t mind, do you?" Anyi asked, stepping forward.

"What are you saying, Mr. Hero? These slimes are meant to be killed! Please, go right ahead!" Masi responded, opening the gate.

Inside the enclosure, the slimes continued their mindless bouncing, utterly unaware of the danger approaching them. They posed no threat, no malice — just mindless, gelatinous masses wandering aimlessly.

Anyi walked in, the ground beneath his feet crunching slightly. He stood still for a moment, his expression thoughtful. Then, with a glimmer of light, a long sword adorned with a brilliant red gemstone materialized in his hand — summoned from the ether.

[The Hero's Sword Lv99]

The believers gasped, awe spreading through the onlookers like wildfire.

"A miracle! A miracle from Kami-sama!" someone whispered in reverence.