[Creature: Slime

Slimes are ubiquitous monsters, often compared to a mass of thick, slippery mucus that can invoke nausea at first sight. Despite their unsettling appearance, slimes pose little threat to seasoned adventurers. Their weak point is their core—destroying it results in immediate defeat. Only when humans are overwhelmed by a large swarm do slimes become a genuine danger.

Given their low difficulty, these creatures offer meager experience points. However, due to their sheer numbers, they're an ideal target for novice Heroes seeking quick and easy gains.]

"It actually showed up!" Layton exclaimed as he stared at the virtual screen, detailing the slime's characteristics.

"Does this info pop up whenever we encounter monsters?" Ariana asked, glancing at Anyi for an answer.

"No idea," Anyi replied, shrugging nonchalantly. "It's only the second time I've seen it."

Before they set out, Anyi had casually opened the bestiary, showing it to the others as if by accident. With the system prominently displaying the bestiary collection rate, it was hard for him to avoid sharing.

As the group readied themselves, Masi, a local villager, approached, carefully balancing a tray of four glasses of water. "Heroes-sama, I just fetched some water for you all!" he said with a smile.

"Hold it!" one of the believers barked, instantly suspicious. The disciples had been sent not just to support the Heroes, but to safeguard the Holy Maiden, and they weren’t about to let a stranger approach so freely.

"This?" Masi's smile never faltered. "It's just water I prepared for the Heroes."

"Water?" Layton laughed heartily. "Perfect timing! I’m parched!"

Before anyone could stop him, he strode forward and took a glass, downing half of it in a single gulp.

"Hero-sama, wait! What if it's poisoned?" one of the believers urgently warned.

"Poison?" Layton seemed genuinely confused. "We're here to deal with slimes, right? No one would bother poisoning us."

He drained the rest of the glass, letting out a satisfied sigh. "Ahh, that’s refreshing! Sweet too! You all not drinking? It’d be rude to reject the villager’s kindness."

Anyi exchanged a glance with the others, then stepped forward. "Let's give it a try."

"I want some too!" Ariana eagerly grabbed her own glass, feeling a sense of camaraderie from the offering.

Miruku hesitated but eventually muttered, "We can't refuse a gift..." and stepped up as well.

As the remaining three took small sips, Masi watched with barely contained excitement. 'They drank it! They really drank it!'

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But the Heroes weren’t drinking a normal beverage—what they had consumed was slime. A liquid form of slime, to be precise. While it was highly corrosive, it worked slowly, and before dissolving their internal organs, it would trigger violent vomiting within the hour.

Anyi took another sip, pausing to share, "Slime is abundant in this village. It's not uncommon for them to use it in their drinks."

Everyone's gaze snapped to Masi, suspicion growing. The villager broke out into a cold sweat. 'Have they figured it out already? How?!'

"Yes, Hero-sama is correct!" Masi forced a grin. "Our village has a tradition of making slime drinks. Someone had the bright idea to add slime to fruit juice and sugar a while back, and now it’s become a specialty!"

Layton blinked in surprise. "This is made from slime? And yet it's tasty."

Ariana nodded in agreement, while Miruku turned pale, covering her mouth as if holding back nausea.

Anyi remained silent, taking another sip thoughtfully.

In a previous life, slime drinks were a common delicacy among Heroes. Thanks to the unique skill [Gluttony], they were essentially living vacuum cleaners, able to consume anything—slime, goblins, it didn’t matter. The skill ensured anything they swallowed was instantly converted into nutritious energy.

To these Heroes, slimes weren’t just nuisances or weak enemies. They were, in fact, a reliable source of nourishment, their liquid form doubling as both food and a means to restore HP or mana.

And oddly enough, the taste wasn’t half bad.

However...

While Heroes can digest slime without issue, for normal people, consuming it leads to dire consequences. Slime, after death, dissolves into what appears to be clear water. But in truth, within every glass of water containing slime, there are living creatures.

Even once separated from their bodies, slime liquids slowly regroup, seeking any means to escape. For an ordinary person, that means once consumed, the slime will find a way out—one way or another. Anyi couldn’t help but think: these villagers were braver than most for drinking such a thing regularly.

Though personal tastes are free, Anyi felt compelled to suggest they consult a doctor. Specifically, a specialist in the, well, "anal department."

Moreover, Anyi had quickly discerned Masi’s true intentions. There was no way the villager had known about the Heroes' [Gluttony] skill. It seemed much more likely that Masi had simply intended to cause them severe discomfort—to leave them vomiting and shackled to a toilet indefinitely.

Anyi kept quiet for now, choosing to observe what Masi’s next move would be. He was curious about what the man ultimately had planned.

Once the group had drained their "drinks," they set off towards the slime-infested forest. As they walked, Masi rambled on, giving detailed descriptions of the village. He pointed to homes on the left and the right, explaining the daily routines of their inhabitants. As the village chief and leader of the Slime Cleaners, Masi seemed to know every corner of the village like the back of his hand. His constant chatter was nothing more than an attempt to stall.

"Anyi, how did you know it was slime?" Ariana asked, her voice laced with curiosity as they marched. "Have you eaten slime before?"

"I have," Anyi replied, his tone calm and composed as usual.

Masi nearly lost his mind at their casual exchange. 'Why? Why haven’t they felt anything yet?'

He had spent over twenty minutes leading the group through the village, introducing them to every trivial detail he could think of. By now, the slime should have begun wreaking havoc inside them. Especially the Holy Maiden—she’d had more than a small sip!

But nothing. No one seemed affected. Not the little girl, not the muscular Hero, and certainly not Anyi. Masi had long since abandoned the hope that the slime would work on Anyi. That man was clearly the strongest in the group.

Just then, a young boy ran towards them, panting and wide-eyed. "Leader! Leader, something's wrong!"

Masi straightened, a hidden gleam of excitement in his eyes. 'Finally! It’s time for the next phase of my plan.'

"What happened?!" Masi feigned concern, leaning in.

"Slimes...! Slime riot!" the boy shouted breathlessly.