A serpentine body coiled up as it watched the latest group exit the dungeon. A sigh of relief escaped from its mandible mouth.

"To think I was threatened by a slime..." The horrific amalgamation muttered.

"At least it was restrained by its disguise. When I encountered it, it tore through my dungeon unabated." A skeletal voice replied from a shimmering image.

"You know I don't respond well to threats, Simon." It snapped back. "And it's your fault it has that damnable Emblem."

"Regrettably, our hands are tied. It's the pet project of one of the gods."

"Yes... And what a strange project it is... The one silver lining is the next Dungeon Master who comes across that pest is in for a nasty surprise." The strange creature started to chortle maniacally.

"I would have thought you might have been pleased to see another chimeric monster," Simon said slightly mockingly. "You could even claim to be its distant cousin."

"Yes... Just like you are related to those mindless zombies." The creature retorted, once again clicking its mandibles. "Your body parts can even be pulled off."

"Now, now. It was just a joke. Besides, at least you haven't encountered the dragon," Simon responded. "Word on the grapevine is that it practically destroyed Juniper's entire dungeon."

"A dragon... Honestly, what were they thinking... Although that's hardly an accomplishment, her dungeon is just one giant tree. Of course, it would burn down," Its mandibles clicked together as it paused. "I think the slime is potentially far worse with its growth potential."

"I'll agree there. From the report you sent me, I see it's drastically shot up in power since I last encountered it."

"And now it's armed with the power of an orange slime... So much for the restrictions of not letting dungeon slimes ever escape."

Simon chuckled. "Well, at least it's not our problem anymore. You could almost say we both got off lightly."

"Indeed... I find myself looking forward to hearing what becomes of our coworkers in the future."

***

It was interesting that as soon as we left the hatch exit for the dungeon, it immediately shut and vanished as if it no longer existed. [Tremor Sense] even showed me that the entire tunnel was being sealed away.

'Who knew Dungeon Masters could do such rapid landscaping?'

It was a little concerning that the Dungeon Master could extend its influence beyond what would be officially considered the dungeon. Could they, in theory, spawn monsters above ground if they so wished? I had to believe they didn't because of rules and restrictions set by the gods.

We were only a short jog away from the encampment, and we did so triumphantly. The Misfits were extremely proud of themselves and glamouring in the attention, while Jet and I were happy to be in the shadows. Sadly, unlike Jet, I couldn't literally hide in the shadows, and this Elf persona was far too noticeable.

'When I make another disguise, I'm certainly taking a page from Sylvester's book. I wonder how feasible it would be to get a Dwarf profile? If the Dwarves have criminals, I could sign up for some bounty-hunting and get one that way. Dwarven warrior? Alchemist or Blacksmith, maybe?'

We headed to the Guild's tent and reported our success. During this time, we also dumped all our loot that we weren't keeping and recorded what had already been distributed. I was relieved that the Guild took charge of selling and redistributing the spoils, as getting involved directly with money was the last thing I wanted to do. There was a lot of open transparency where each member would receive a report, and you could raise a formal dispute if you were unhappy with the result, but it sounded like it was far too much work for me. I could just go hunt some more monsters and earn money that way; no need to penny-pinch.

As was clearly custom for adventurers, our group started partaking in copious amounts of alcohol. Even Jet, who was supposed to be a staff member, was chugging like a champion. When Ian was intoxicated enough, he started bragging about our dungeon adventure to the entire tent and giving his own boastful retelling of our encounters.

Occasionally, Eliza corrected him; other times, the listeners turned to Jet as if looking for confirmation of the tall tale. Other parties who had witnessed an illusion floor were shocked at the ruthlessness the dungeon had thrown at us. Apparently, their encounters usually involved just a few additional fake monsters thrown into the mix as a distraction or a goblin disguised as an orc. The highlight of the retelling was clearly our boss battles, and the audience gasped when we mentioned fighting an Eyedra.

We continued late into the night, and when things started to settle down, I was propositioned by the Misfits. I had expected them to offer me a spot in their group, so I politely turned it down, citing my goals to head towards the Dwarven Empire now that I had completed my task.

This was where I discovered that Pelopi was a clingy drunk. She started holding onto my arm, refusing to let go, and nearly sobbing while begging me to stay with them. Despite the heartbreaking scene, I had to firmly decline, although I threw in the notion that if our paths crossed again, I'd be more than willing to join their party again. It cheered her up a bit, and thankfully, Eliza pointed out that their group needed to get to Gold first. Unlike myself, they still had some more quest requirements to fulfill.

When it was finally time to leave, we said our farewells for the evening. Pelopi was still somewhat snotty and teary, but she gave me an almost crushing hug. Eliza and Ian gave me high-fives and then wandered to their tent.

Jet approached me, looking almost miraculously more sober than moments ago. "I bet you're going to disappear in the morning."

I gave a small smile. "Guilty... I'm not a fan of saying goodbye."

Jet chuckled before replying. "No, don't worry, I understand. I already had my initial evaluation sent through Bert. Lisa can promote you as soon as you get back, and you can be on your journey with Thern."

"Thanks, Jet. I appreciate it."

"No problem. Hiccups aside, it was a fun dungeon run, and it reminded me of my glory days."

"You're starting to sound like Roderick."

He shrugged. "I made Gold; that was my end goal. I hope the climb beyond doesn't scare you off."

"I guess we'll see..." I replied, unsure of what exactly to say.

"Take care, Syl. Enjoy the Dwarves, I'm sure you'll fit right in with how you handle your booze." Jet said, chuckling to himself as he walked off.

"Take care, Jet. Thanks for showing up."

Walking off into the night, I found myself a safe haven to burrow into, making sure I was well outside of what I assumed was the dungeon's reach. I burrowed down and withdrew my glorious bedtub before blobbing out entirely.

***

As sleep overcame me, I found myself floating in my mind. It was slightly similar to the void I had grown used to where I had conversed with Gramps. Abruptly, numerous textboxes appeared before me, stacked neatly like multiple reams of paper. The front textbox was clearly a letter addressed to me, so I started reading it.

Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!

You finally paid off your debt. Took you long enough!

As previously agreed, I've given you a list of base slime species you do not know about.

I also included ones that your previous evolutions skipped over due to their lower tier; otherwise, this list would be just two slimes!

I didn't bother including mutations, as I presume you were seeking more targets to hunt for rather than casual evolution perusal.

I wish you luck in your hunt and ever-growing collection.

~Gramps.

PS: I received a complaint about you threatening a Dungeon Master. While I find the idea laughable, please do not become a repeat offender with the same Dungeon.

PPS: Mother was delighted by your dabbling into Enchanting. I found it a little dull, but I applaud your use of it on your cores.>

'Thanks Gramps! Also, is he encouraging me to try to exploit more dungeons? I mean... I was going to anyway, as I don't think I'd get pink slime any other way. Unless I go rob royalty.'

I mentally waved the textbox away, and it flew off before dispersing into motes of light. The next textbox was immediately recognizable, a slime evolution profile, and I eagerly started reading.

A dungeon slime that attacks by crushing foes under its extreme weight as the slime has the strange ability to freely adjust the weight of its slime.

While its method of attack can be exceptionally deadly, the slime itself has no additional resistance or immunities and can be easily dispatched unless caught off guard.

Its slime cores seem to offer no known uses and are considered not worth the trouble of attempted harvest.>

'Interesting... Being able to change my weight would be interesting. I could have everything at maximum density and then just reduce my weight. Conversely, a heavy-weight [Slime Shot] could be interesting?'

A scarce and harmless slime found deep in untamed wilds or, occasionally, an unsuspecting farmers' field. Its slime is like a highly nutritious fertilizer that causes rapid plant growth, which aids it greatly in its seeking of sustenance.

A rarity amongst slimes is this slime's almost vegetarian nature, as it prefers to eat plants over meat, which usually produces far more slime mass.

Their cores can be utilized as Nature Catalysts but are highly coveted and protected by the Elves.>

'Interesting... So the dwarves have Silver, and the Elves have Brown. While I don't think I'd care about the ability to make fertilizer, I have to assume this would give me access to [Nature Magic]. Although... If their ability to more efficiently process plants into slime mass is a trait, then that might be very valuable for me now that I no longer have [Mana Conversion].'

A harmless and often times friendly slime that can emit a glow even in the darkest depths.

Surviving on roots, fungus, and tiny bugs, this slime is considered almost an endangered species, as any environment in which it could theoretically spawn is far too hostile for such a low-tier monster to survive.

Some adventurers have even claimed to have taken them as a cute pet and household cleaners.

The uses for their core are unknown due to scarcity.>

'Harmless? Friendly? Pet? And they can GLOW? What is even in glowing when traits like [Dark Vision] exist? The only reason I don't write off this entire slime is to complete my collection and in the hope that it could possibly offer me [Light Magic].'

An extraordinarily rare slime hardly ever encountered due to its scarcity and strange nature. The gold slime seemingly has no ability of its own but instead causes reactions based on various substances it encounters or mixes with.

Its habitat is unknown, but it can presumably be found in dungeons with a rarity exceeding that of the highly sought-after pink slime.

One main use recorded for the Gold slime is its usage in Enchanting, as apparently, its slime worked marvelously for Rune Engraving.

Another recorded usage is in Alchemy, where its slime had strange catalytic properties that either enhanced the outcome or, in some cases, caused a contrasting effect.

There are no recorded uses for its core, likely due to its unwillingness to risk losing its source of the mysterious golden slime.>

'Rarer than a pink slime? Unknown uses? Enchanting and Alchemy? It sounds intriguing, but... I can't even think of an affinity this one might give me. Also, it sounds like unless I make a deal with another Dungeon Master, I have no hopes of finding one?'

Placeholder. Seriously, we have Silver and Gold slime, so why not Copper slime? Consistency, people! TBD.>

'Uh... Gramps? Seriously? I mean, unfortunately, I do agree, but seriously?'

By far, the black slime is one of the deadliest base slimes, as this slime has the ability to siphon lifeforce for nourishment and to replenish itself.

The slime is extremely hostile, sensing and seeking life with fervor; it is known to overwhelm adventurers by attacking and engulfing them from all angles.

The slime itself is weak to Holy magic, and when enough of its slime is destroyed, it retreats, keeping its vulnerable core out of sight and secure.

Exclusively found in the highest-level dungeons, they prove that even a humble slime can still threaten even veteran adventurers, as they often attack in small yet overwhelming swarms.

There are no known uses for their cores, and some adventurers who've encountered them even swear they do not have a core despite the logical impossibility of such an existence.>

'Holy shit! Jackpot! Well, unless that last line is true... If it is a coreless slime, can I even integrate it? But draining lifeforce sounds really good, and basically, it's like that [Death Magic] spell the Eyedra was casting on me. It's also weak to Holy, so I have to assume it would have a Death affinity... It's very odd that they work in a swarm together; I presume that's just the Dungeon Master controlling multiple of them as that's very unslimelike.'

When I dismissed the final textbox, the world started to darken, and I found myself drifting off into true slumber.

Another leg of my journey was finally complete, and I couldn't wait to see what awaited me in the Dwarven Empire. New people to meet, a new core to acquire, and likely new monsters to fight and eat. Not to mention my possible reunion with Trixie.

One thing was for sure; I would have a slime of a time.

Name: Syl [Nature's Bane]

Race: Chimeric Cluster Slime (Blue) LV 1

Class: Elementalist LV 4

Status: Healthy

Mana: Overflowing

Emblems:

[Experiment]

[Apex Hunter]

[Elven Legacy]

[Dungeoneer]

[Nature's Bane]*

[Manhunter]

Traits:

Slime:

[Mana Slime LV 11]

[Acid Slime LV 7]

[Poison Slime LV 6]

[Blaze Slime LV 6]

[Cryo Slime LV 7]

[Voltaic Slime LV 6]

[Nitro Slime LV 6]

[Morph Slime LV 8]

[Pseudopod LV 7]

[Slime Shot LV 7]

[Vaporize Slime]

Core:

[Core Collective LV 8]

[Core Storage LV 6]

[Sub-Core Alpha LV 5] [Sub-Core Beta LV 5]

[Sub-Core Gamma LV 5] [Sub-Core Eta LV 5]

[Sub-Core Delta LV 5] [Sub-Core Theta LV 5]

[Sub-Core Epsilon LV 5] [Sub-Core Iota LV 5]

[Sub-Core Zeta LV 5] [Sub-Core Kappa LV 5]

Mimic:

[Chimeric Mimicry LV 7]

[Chroma Shift LV MAX]

[Consuming Osmosis LV MAX]

Mana:

[Mana Circulation LV 7]

[Mana Reinforcement LV 7]

[Mana Infusion]

Attributes/Other:

[Soul Mastery LV 7]

[Enhanced Vitality LV 5]

[Magic Resistance (Lesser) LV 5]

[Curse Resistance LV 2]

[Illusion Resistance LV 3]

[Sonic Resistance LV 1]

[Prodigy]

Senses:

[Olfactory Sense]

[Dark Vision LV MAX]

[Mana Conception LV 6]

[Life Sight LV 4]

[Thermal Vision LV MAX]

[Eagle Vision LV 3]

[Electro-Magnetic Sense LV 4]

[Tremor Sense LV 2]

Trait Points remaining: 8

Skills:

General:

[Universal Language]

[Equipment Swap]

[Dissection LV 7]

[Mapping LV 5]

[Tracking LV 2]

[Identify LV 6]

[Multitasking LV 5]

[Perception LV 4]

[Aerial Finesse LV 4]

[Thunder Step LV 4]

[Companion Bond]

Combat:

[Tranquil Flow LV 5]

[Attack Mastery (Lesser) LV 7]

[Affliction Mastery LV 6]

[Exploit Weakness LV 4]

Magic:

[Water Magic LV 5]

[Fire Magic LV 5]

[Corrosion Magic LV 5]

[Ice Magic LV 5]

[Arcane Magic LV 4]

[Lightning Magic LV 5]

[Mana Manipulation LV 6]

[Magic Efficiency LV 5]

[Counter Magic LV 4]

[Elemental Shift LV 5]

[Elemental Adaptation]

[Ritual Casting]

[Mana Suppression]

[Meditate]

Sneaky:

[Vanish LV 6]

[Assassinate LV 6]

[Identity Fabrication LV 6]

[Acting LV 5]

[Rogue Expertise LV 4]

[Magical Subterfuge LV 4]

[Subtle Afflictions]

Skill Points remaining: 13

Profession:

Enchanting:

[Rune Reading LV 6]

[Rune Engraving LV 1]

[Rune Framework LV 7]

[Rune Tracing LV 5]

[Rune Design LV 3]

[Runecrafting LV 2]

[Rune Inspection LV 5]

[Rune Filigree LV 3]

[Rune Repair LV 2]

[Brand]

Profession Points Remaining: 0