"You've got guts, I'll give you that." the leader sneered, drawing his sword. "But guts won't keep you alive."

The gnome girl clutched my leg tighter, her small body trembling with fear. I could feel her desperation, her silent plea for protection.

I quickly assessed the situation. There were three of them and one of me. But what I had was the advantage of surprise.

"Give us the girl, and we'll let you walk away, " the wiry man with the dagger offered, though his tone suggested otherwise.

The man with the staff stepped forward, his eyes narrowing. "You have no idea what you're getting yourself into. This girl is valuable, more than you can imagine."

"Valuable how?" I asked, keeping my eyes on all three of them.

The leader smirked. "As expected, a slum rat oblivious to the world around him. We're not leaving without her."

That should have been the case, but i was the exception to the rule. You could say i'm the most knowledgable rat out there. They must be after her inheritance.

Inheritance. A unique perk for specific species. Beyond classes, inheritances are another crucial aspect that can drastically change one's abilities.

For instance, Beastmen possess the [inheritance] to manifest a beastial energy.

Depending on the family of the Beastman species, one could get a beast more attuned to offense, defense, utility, or magic potential.

If I had to give an example in earthly terms, some families would be related to the lion, using its inheritance for offense, another would be the elephant for its defense, and another would be the owl for its utility. Of course, these are earthly animals and these should be converted to the native animals of this world.

But Beastmen weren’t the only ones with access to this perk. Every species in this world had inheritances—except for humans.

Numerous theories had formed around this.

Some believed humans were the superior species and didn’t need an inheritance.

Others thought the opposite, claiming humans were the lesser species.

Another theory suggested that because humans were the most populated species, the deities didn’t grant them inheritances to avoid overpowering them.

Regardless of the theory, one thing was clear: humans didn’t have inheritances.

inheritances were game-changers, bonuses that could drastically alter a species' capabilities.

Most high-end parties were diverse, composed not only of different classes but also of various species, leveraging their unique inheritances for maximum advantage.

But the world wasn't kind to everyone. Gnomes were particularly unfortunate.

Fragile and weak, these small-statured beings were often overlooked for their lack of physical prowess.

They were like the smurfs from those old TV shows—small, unassuming, and largely underestimated.

Unlike their fictional counterparts, however, gnomes in dungeon end weren’t blue and didn’t wear ridiculous clothes.

Their small size and nomadic lifestyle made them nearly impossible to find, akin to locating a toothpick in a haystack.

Normally, species would collaborate, forming parties based on skill, class, and inheritance. Gnomes, though, were often kidnapped and sold as slaves for their valuable inheritances as it was easy to do so once one could locate them.

“What a pitiful fate.” I muttered under my breath, watching the girl cling to my leg in desperation.

This situation was clear to me now. The gnome girl had likely managed to escape from her captors because they hadn’t signed a slave contract with her yet, most likely due to lack of funds after purchasing her.

After all, buying a slave and signing a contract were separate transactions, both costly.

They were undoubtedly banking on making back their money through her inheritance—[Pathfinder].

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Gnomes, unlike other species, didn't have a variety of inheritances. Instead, they all shared a single, invaluable perk: [Pathfinder], also known as "The Treasure Compass."

Gnomes, being small and fragile, had developed a way to survive in this harsh world thanks to their inheritance.

[Pathfinder] allowed them to locate paths based on their desired outcomes.

If they wanted to find food, their inheritance would guide them.

If they sought their home, it would lead them back.

If they needed to escape danger, it would point the way.

But what made them truly coveted by other species, to the point of being kidnapped, was their ability to locate hidden locations in dungeons.

Hidden trials, hidden treasures—it didn’t matter. Having a gnome in your party guaranteed profit one way or another.

And that's where human greed comes into play, and I was no exception. However, I would never resort to kidnapping or coercion to achieve my goals.

The man with the sword and the one with the dagger rushed at me simultaneously, their faces twisted with irritation. The man at the back, his staff glowing ominously, prepared to cast a spell.

"Take him down!" the scar-faced leader roared as he charged forward, his sword raised high.

"Flame Slash!" he shouted, and his sword ignited in roaring flames.

I stood my ground, my heart pounding, but strangely, I felt a sense of control wash over me. It was a feeling I hadn't expected in such a tense situation. As the swordsman swung his fiery blade at me, I raised my arm, where Blob the Blocker had shapeshifted into a defensive form.

Clang!

Blob fulfilled his role perfectly, absorbing the impact of the flaming sword strike. I felt the force reverberate through my arm but managed to hold steady.

The dagger-wielding rogue moved in swiftly from my side, aiming to catch me off guard. "Speed Surge!" he yelled, and his movements became faster as his speed increased greatly.

But I was ready. With a quick parry, I blocked his attack with my own dagger. Our blades clashed, and I used the momentum to leap backward, putting some distance between us.

"Ha! Running away, are we?" the leader mocked, a cruel smile on his face. "It won't matter. My teammate will scorch you to death!" He said, expecting a spell to come my way. But nothing happened.

The leader's smile faded, replaced by confusion and anger. He turned to question his teammate.

"What the hell are you doing?!"

His voice died in his throat as he saw the sight behind him. The mage stood frozen, his mouth open in a silent scream.

From his gaping mouth protruded a sharp, green, gelatinous spike. Blood trickled down the spike, pooling at his feet.

His eyes were wide with terror, and his body hung limp, impaled from head to toe. The green spike glistened with his blood, a grotesque and gory sight.

The leader and the rogue turned back to me, their faces pale with shock and fear.

"How...?" the leader stammered.

I smirked, feeling the adrenaline coursing through my veins. "Did you really think I'd face you head-on without a plan?"

From the very start, I had orchestrated this outcome. I had ordered my slimes to move above the adventurers, waiting for the right moment to strike.

The man with the sword and the one with the dagger didn’t hesitate. Instead, their anger intensified, and they rushed at me again with renewed fury.

The rogue, being the faster of the two, reached me first. His dagger descended in a blur aimed straight for my chest.

Lifting my left arm. Blob absorbed the impact once again, the dagger clanging uselessly against the gelatinous shield. The rogue's eyes widened in frustration, but I was a step ahead.

"Blob! Spike form!" I shouted.

In an instant, Blob’s center shapeshifted into numerous spikes. The rogue barely had time to register the change before the spikes shot out, impaling him in the face and neck. His scream was cut short as his body went limp, collapsing to the ground in a bloody heap.

The leader’s eyes blazed with fury as he closed the distance, his flaming sword raised high. "You’ll pay for that!" he roared.

"Everyone! On him!"

With no mana left to change my slimes' shapes, I ordered the remaining ones on the ceiling to fall onto the enemy.

"What's this?!"

They dropped onto him, clinging and climbing to his head, their gelatinous bodies covering his face.

The man fell to his knees, desperately trying to remove them. His hands plunged into the slimes, unable to get a firm grip. He scratched at them, tearing small parts, but they quickly healed thanks to their upgraded traits.

The agony and pain of suffocation were evident, but what was more disturbing, something I didn’t expect, was that the slimes didn’t stop there.

They began entering the man's open mouth, ear holes, and any other orifice they could find on his face.

Unable to watch what happened next, I turned my body around, ordering my slimes to stop once the man's life was taken.

I looked down at the small gnome, who had buried her face in my pants to hide from the gruesome scene.

Shortly after, my slimes returned to me. Taking a glance back at the man, I couldn’t help but fall to my knees and vomit from the gruesome consequences of my slimes' actions.

"Burgh~! I never thought they could be used in such a way..."

The sight was horrifying. His face was distorted and bloated, his eyes bulging as if they were about to pop out.

The slimes had invaded his body, causing internal damage that was too much for anyone to bear. I had to look away, unable to handle the grotesque scene.

I turned to the gnome girl, who was trembling and still clinging to my leg. I knelt down to her level, trying to offer some comfort. "It’s over now. You're safe," I said softly, patting her head.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. "Thank you," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

I nodded, swallowing hard to push back the bile that rose in my throat.

felt a strange mix of relief and horror. Relief because we had survived, horror because I had taken a life for the first time.

Ding!

[Achievement Reached!]

[Condition: First Kill!]

[Reward: Physical +1]

And it seems like the system wants to make sure to remind me of it...