Chapter 36: Let em Cook.
Moving in the opposite direction of where my original plotted path lay, Slimey held me in its body as we sat atop my newly acquired unicorn that led me to its home.
Behind me, Chloe and my primary squad, my monsters marching through the darkness to begin our “assault” on the Dryad Heart.
I’m sorry, did I say assault? I meant extermination.
Turning a corridor, it wasn’t long before my surroundings began to shift from catacombs covered in dust to tunnels filled with flora, roots, and new monsters.
Not many mind you, mostly deerlings, bipedal humanoid beastmen with the head of a deer and large reptiles that were akin to crocodiles but smaller and more smooth-like. Kinda like a gecko but if the gecko was the size of a weener dog and could spit acid.
Weak monsters that didn’t last long under the scrutiny of Zorin's hungry maw and Slimey’s serrated smile.
Before long, I was standing before a cave, pinging my surroundings that were flush with green plantlife teeming with anima mana.
Perfect.
From what I could discern, it was exactly like my pilfered memories, the vast underground woodland so majestic and beautiful, teeming with life in an impossibly dark place. A small beacon of hope in an otherwise bleak and dreary world.
Chloe.
The Orb Mage shifted.
Burn it down.
At my command Chloe began Operation Verdun.
A simple plan similar to my assault on Ayaka's nest.
Immediately Chloe began to emit smog, the flammable mixture entering into the spacious dry forest as I had Slimey expand.
My champion formed a sphere to block the exit, leaving only one opening for the poison to flow.
Squeaking, I could make out the monsters inside stirring, reacting to the intrusion.
Yet it would be too late.
The moment the chaos mana came in contact with anima mana, the latter would become infected, corrupted, and bogged down by its aversion to its opposite on the mana triangle, helping to spread the contagion. The only way to purify the chaos infection being holy mana.
Ordering Chloe to back out of the entrance, I had Slimey form a hole to let her out before sealing it up again.
With the flammable smoke inside the enemy's domain, I had Slimey collapse the entrance, the slime using her porous body to seep into the cracks of the archway to bring it down.
Satisfied that the exit was sealed, I waited.
“My Lord, the smog is seeping out now.”
Excellent. Slimey, use your body to cover the debris. Make sure the force of the detonation doesn't blow the entrance clear.
“Of course my darling, anything for you!” Slimey replied, eager to appease and be of use.
She quickly moved, splattering herself against the collapsed tunnel whilst forming an appendage to keep me aloft.
Chloe. Firebolt.
On my order Chloe lit the match, the smog sparking and traveling through the debris to reach the forest inside.
I didn't need to see or hear to be able to feel it, the vibrations of the explosion shaking the tunnel system and Slimey, her body wiggling as debris hit her and rubberbanded back into the exit.
Excellent.
With my limited sight and sound, I could make out the screams of various monsters inside. The panic and cries of dying creatures that had DARED TO TRY AND ATTACK MY MINIONS!
Ehem.
Suddenly another explosion, this time, one so volatile the force created shifted the entire cavern with dust and other bits falling on me. Fortunately, Slimey was quick to clean me.
Chloe LvL 6->7
Chloe LvL 7->8
Chloe LvL 8->9
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Chloe LvL 9->10
Chloe LvL 10->11
Chloe LvL 11->12
Chloe LvL 12->13
Chloe LvL 14->15
Chloe LvL 15->16
Chloe LvL 16->17
Chloe LvL 17->18
Chloe LvL 18->19
Chloe LvL 19->20
Huh… neat.
[Minion Chloe has reached LeveL cap.]
Suddenly Chloe collapsed, her bones falling into a pile with her robe draped over the floor like Obi-wan Kenobi.
Wait. No!
Name: Chloe: Skeleton Orb Mage LvL: 20[Evolving]
HP: 395/395
MP: 1500/1500
Skills: Undead. Souls Vision LvL 5, Minor Illusion LvL 1, False Life LvL 1, Mage Armour LvL 1, Ray of Sickness LvL 2, Fire Bolt LvL 3, Shocking Grasp LvL 1, Chilling Touch LvL 1, True Strike LvL 1, Telekinesis LvL 3, Impalement LvL 1, Dust Blast LvL 1, Decaying Touch LvL 1, Bone Cage LvL 2, Magick Bolt LvL 3, Fire Infusion LvL 2, Cold Infusion LvL 2, Lightning Infusion LvL 2, Necrotic Infusion LvL1, Fester LvL 1, Levitate LvL 1, Innate Phylactery, Spontaneous Caster. Magic Chant LvL 3, Gem Missile LvL 1, Recorder, Curse LvL 1, Cause Fear LvL 1, Mote of Light LvL 1, Mana Surge, Spark LvL 2, Blunt Barrier LvL 1, Bone Wall LvL 1, Nightmare LvL 1, Aura of Decay LvL 1, Reverse Life LvL 1, Emite Smog LvL 2. Emit Force LvL 1, Force Barrier LvL 4, Mana Barrier LvL 6. Raise Dead LvL 1, Doom Strike LvL 1, Acid Spray LvL 1, Force Bind LvL 1, Telekinesis LvL 1, Force Siphon LvL 1, Page Over->
I shut off the skill menu, focusing instead of the requirements needed for her evolution.
[Your Minion: Chloe is trying to advance to Class: Hellcaller Dullahan!]
[Requirements not met!]
Complete Skeleton x 3: 0/3
200 Pounds of Bones: 0/200
A+ Grade Magic Catalyst 1/1
Kill 500 Life Forms 2989/500
Kill 200 Life Forms using Flame Magic: 1903/200
Equine Skeleton x 1: 0/1
Ignoring the screams of monsters dying, I focused on the requirements.
Equine? The hell is an equine? Why would Chloe choose to evolve to something I didn't have?
“SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!” The death throes of a monster.
Hmmm.
Equine… What's a word similar to equine?
“SHREEEEEEEEEEEEEE!”
Equestrian? Equestrian is like… a horse rider right?
Am I supposed to find a horse rider? No, that’s dumb.
“aaaWHOOOOOOOOOO!”
I need a horse skeleton. OH! WAIT! I HAVE PLENTY OF THOSE!
Ignoring the vibrations and constant death wails, I pondered what my next actions should be.
With my main DPS down, I decided to retreat, calling forth Ayaka’s phase spider to teleport in and bundle Chloe up in web before taking her back to base.
Once I had her advance to another class, I would return to collect my spoils from my firebomb.
Moving back into the catacombs, I decided to do some material gathering much to Slimey’s unhappiness.
Oddly, as we went to work hunting down the skeletons fleeing from us, I could feel a simmering anger in the slime, like a heated pot of water threatening to boil over.
Did I do something wrong? I wasn’t sure, but Slimey was pure red, the gelatinous priestess’s skin crimson like blood.
Slimey? I sent.
“Yes Lord Darling?” Slimey replied, looking down at me with a wicked grin filled with serrated teeth.
Uh… is… everything ok? I asked, sensing a bit of… pensiveness from the slime.
“Oh. Nothing is wrong my Lord.” Slimey replied, squeezing me slightly in her arms.
Ah… ok…why are you squeezing me tighter?
“It's just…”
Ah here we go.
“You focus on leveling everyone but me. Am I not your champion, my lord?” Slimey asked, enveloping my body with her form, my rubber duck shell floating until being propelled out of Slimey’s mouth to stare directly into her eyes.
Right… uhm…
“Am I not your champion darling? Am I not the Pinnacle to which all your subjects should look to for inspiration? To be your greatest and BEST WARRIOR? To be YOUR ONLY CONFIDANT?”
Biting! Biting! BITING! YOU'RE BITING ME!
“RIGHT LORD HIRO???” Slimey asked, her eyes filled with a deranged madness.
UHHHHHHH. YEAH! YUP OF COURSE! LESS TEETH! LESS TEETH! PLEASE DEAR GOD LESS TEETH!!!
Slimey's features distorted, a slight ripple before I was back in her hands and the slime smiling at me.
Someone help! I pleaded silently, eyeing my minions who all were suddenly busy admiring the nearby architecture.
TRAITORS!
“I'm so glad you feel the same my Lord Darling, truly we were meant to be!” Slimey said, the familiar iron shackle appearing around my neck and her wrists. “Let's get to work immediately!”
Right…. Uh. Let me get Chloe done fir-TEETH! TEETHTEETH! JAT WAIT A MOMENT!
Slimey closed her jaw, either from the power of my command or her willingness to pause compelling her to stop.
Let me get Chloe set up and I PROMISE! I'll help you evolve!
“D-do you promise?”
YES! Just give me time! I swear!
Slimey changed colors, swapping from red to her usual blue before donning the humanoid pink.
Before long I was dragged back into my territory, the bones carried in Zorin’s storage device dropping into a hole dug into the ground by Ayaka as the large arachnid visibly molted.
“P-pwse may I-” Ayaka began.
No.
Ayaka scurried away, the large bug’s mandibles rubbing against each other to release a loud whine before she sat in the corner and splooted out. Her Juggernaut laid beside her, giving the sad bug company.
Man… if only my other minions were as obedient and less scary.
Hmm I could probably use my purify skill to detoxify the large arachnid come to think of it…
Nah.
Better to let her stew after all my months of captivity.
I turned my attention back to the pit I dubbed my evolution hole. Sitting in Slimey’s hand, I observed as Chloe slept beneath the pile of bones and carcasses being thrown in by Zorin.
Seeing as I had no use for the unicorns other than their hairs and horns already pulled out by my spiders, I had Zorin throw them in to help facilitate Chloe’s evolution.
After all, the evolution screen didn't state what kinds of bones were needed.
And now we wait… in the memetime, I would have to figure out how to make Slimey grow. And fortunately, I had a plan for that as a notification hit my screen.