- Liqu -

Ah, finally again on the hunt.

It's a bit nostalgic.

Since I'm together with my Shari I’ve hardly had the chance to do so.

Not that I'm ungrateful for the way she provided for us.

It was really a nice change of pace not having to worry about how to obtain my next meal.

Yet devouring it gives me not the same sense of accomplishment I feel when I'm securing it like this.

Especially as doing it this way much more reliably allows me to fill completely back up.

And this is still the most desirable state.

Recently I had some fights which ended with a similar outcome but it's not the same thrill I feel while lurking in the dark, sneaking up on my prey, and catching it while it already knows that something's wrong but is unable to conduct countermeasures.

Shari should as well learn to appreciate this.

I already caught up on traces of human origin in the air.

Together with my attentive surveillance of all the vibrations in the vicinity, I'm certain that I can quickly track down my next target.

Moving through trees isn't the fastest way to go about this but they won't see me coming like this.

And that was of great importance for my Shari.

Furthermore, my targets aren't moving away but instead patrol this area.

That is because they're looking for us.

Well, I'll make sure that they'll find me.

I don't need too long till I gain vision on my first prey.

"God, are you sure they're here?" (prey)

"Absolutely not! Look, we only know that they're going to walk in this direction. Our scouts confirmed that half of their troop left the village. But apparently, they don't intend to use the path." (prey 2)

Oh, even two.

That's much better!

"Huh, they're not on the road? Did someone in the village talk? Seems like we have to teach them a lesson." (prey 3)

Hmm, three are already a bit much at once.

This means I'll have to wait till one of them is isolated.

"Not interested. More importantly, where even is the scouting troop? I thought I heard screams before. You think they lost?" (prey 1)

Slowly I glide forward to a tree that should grant me a good vantage point.

"How would I know? I mean, it could be. It's no safe job. Those private army guys are far tougher than one might believe from those prim attendees of some highborn snobs." (prey 3)

"Still, each corpse makes us good money." (prey 2)

"And it's not like a good shot with the crossbow couldn't handle them." (prey 1)

Ah, that's the moment!

Number three just went behind a tree.

Time to take him out!

I quickly slide downwards with a good part of mine.

There is a certain trick to go about this.

The two most important factors are speed and technique.

Before he has enough time to overcome his panic regarding what happens to him and starts screaming I encompass his head.

When they eventually start trying to do so it's imperative to fill their mouth.

Aside from this, suffocation can make them more docile, or at least divert their attention so they won't struggle as effectively.

After all, if they stuff their hands into their mouths they can't flail with them.

As soon I have dropped enough slime to cover around half his body I need to make sure I've got a good enough grip.

And then I pull.

Humans very often forget to look above their head, so that's in most cases the best place to hide a body.

Just when he's secure with me in the treetop I start dissolving.

This technique I developed exclusively for humans.

With humans, it's always a hassle as they act in groups and watch out for each other.

In the past, I often had to deal with adventurers who got sent to take care of that "unusually big slime".

The main issue with those is that they never give up.

Trying to escape won't work, since slime doesn't dissipate instantly and as soon they found even the tiniest speck of slime they would be after me.

On the other hand, fighting them head-on had a high probability of escapees.

And humans tend to overreact if they realize they underestimated something.

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When I made that mistake in the past there were so many after that it got really dangerous.

Since then I focused on getting rid of them without raising any alarms.

To speak of...

"Any idea how we should deal with that troop if we find them? (prey 1)

"We're going to open fire at them and pin them down. At the same time, we're supposed to talk to them and keep them occupied until enough reinforcements arrive. Got it?" (prey 2)

As I thought, they're going to warn each other.

"What about you, Rez?" (prey)

Oh, that must be the previous owner of this accumulation of bones inside me.

"Rez? This isn't funny! Come out!" (prey 1)

Now it starts to get critical.

It's time to act.

As those other two already franticly looking around for their lost comrade I only have to wait till I can be sure the other one looks long enough away for me to snatch number one.

It's not like he has much of a chance.

As soon he realizes he's alone fear seizes him.

This is bad in so far as it could likely lead to shouts which I must prevent.

"Rez! Beon! Where are you?!" (prey 2)

Tsk.

Seems like I have to distract him.

So I simply drop to the ground.

"Wha-" (prey 2)

"Excuse me, but I have to kill you now." (Liqu)

"Aaahh-" (prey 2)

Before he has too much time to think about this I jump at him and extend.

This is enough to finish this group for good.

I dissolve at a moderate pace so that I can get a good chunk of energy out of him but won't let my Shari wait.

Moving, positioning, and waiting for a chance took a while but patience is a virtue of hunting.

Something the others of my kind will never learn.

Shari naturally not included, as I intend to work very thoroughly with her on that matter.

And I know she has talent.

All in all, I think I did a pretty good job.

"Hey! I think I've heard a voice!"

"Shouldn't Group E search this area?"

"No idea. It's easy to lose track in this forest."

Huh, this could turn out problematic.

I'm not done yet and will leave a trail if I climb upwards.

So I have to stay on the ground.

Using a bit of my newly acquired sustenance I throw myself behind a tree on the side.

Just in time before this new group arrives.

Three men, and one woman, all carrying those crossbows.

I never like these for good reason.

"I'm sure I heard something! There... What the fuck?!" (new prey 1)

"God, what happened here?" (new prey 2)

"It spread all over the place. Uu-Urbh, is this a leg?" (new prey 1)

"Look at the crossbow! That's one of us!" (new prey 3)

Naturally, I wasn't going to dissolve a chunk of dead wood.

And for that leg, I simply hadn't enough time to finish.

"Is this... slime?" (new prey, female)

"How should a slime have done something like that?" (new prey 2)

"Maybe they were killed before and that slime took the spoils?" (new prey 3)

"I've just heard this scream. Whatever killed them is close." (new prey 1)

Uh, now they've become more vigilant.

That means fewer gaps to slip through.

Now I need to find a way to take them out.

Advantageous is that I'm right now oversaturated from my recent kills, even if I had to leave a bit behind along with the remains.

So I have sufficient resources for a real fight.

"G-Guys! I think that trail leads to that tree over there." (new prey, female)

I hate it when that happens!

It's not like I can do much about my nature.

But now that they're walking toward me I have to react

I concentrate for a moment and then leave my hiding place behind the tree.

* Slime bullet!

I shoot with two arms, aiming for their faces.

Dissolving slime bullets around the eyes should be enough to render them useless to support their comrades, if not kill them.

One hits the mark, the other only grazes the head.

"Zsch"

"Aaaarrrrrgh!" (new prey 2)

"Ahh, what's this!?" (new prey 1)

"Ambush! Cover!" (new prey 3)

Now I'm exposed.

Even if they cannot comprehend what they see, they can recognize me as a threat and rush to the closest tree to hide from my bullets, while readying their crossbows.

I really never liked these.

The impact is hard to counter and they pose a constant distant threat.

Making my inner body swirl is only possible as long I don't move, so they're limiting my options.

I see how the female aims for me.

Fortunately, I don't have to move right now, as I can shoot from this position.

So while I'm aiming as well I start to circle my mass to deflect their projectiles.

"Swish"

What!?!

This one just passed through me, almost to the other side!

And this even while I'm so dense!

How is this possible?

I always was capable of impeding crossbow shots from this distance.

Fortunately, it missed my core but this was too close.

As an emergency measure, I hide my core a little bit closer to the ground where it's covered by the plants.

* Slime bullet!

"Zsch"

"Ahhhh!" (new prey 1)

This took number one out for good while he was running for the trees.

Such an injury to the neck won't allow him to participate any longer.

"What is this thing?!" (new prey, female)

"How would I know? Keep shooting!" (new prey 3)

Hmm, now we're in a stalemate.

They can't target me but my bullets won't reach them behind their cover.

But I can pin them there.

"What should we do?!" (new prey, female)

"We can't get out or it will shoot us. Scream until our reinforcements arrive! Then maybe we can handle this thing!" (new prey 3)

While I continue to shoot two more bullets, I gather slime.

This accumulation I send out to my side, slowly circling around my prey.

It helps that I have visual intel from this tendril.

Two more "bolts" hit me.

The same, extreme force as before.

But now I at least know what to expect so I can slow them a bit and alter their trajectory.

Not that they've hit me anywhere close to my core.

Since I'm now mostly safe, I make sure they see me and know where I am.

Then I form a tendril, let it grow as big as possible, and rush them from the side, swiping them with a giant appendage.

I see the woman shrieking for a moment before I reach her.

"Zsch"

The last one panics and runs away.

So I rush behind him.

* Slime dash!

I have experience and more than enough energy, so I'm fast.

He's lost as soon I grab his legs with two more tendrils and make him topple over.

Since another virtue of hunting is not to cause any unnecessary harm I finish those of them who're not quite dead yet off.

Just then I dissolve the corpses.

Okay, maybe I started halfway in.

I need all the energy I can get if they have such strong weapons.

"I think the screams came from here!"

Ah, seems like I'm going to be busy!