“Blurgh...”
Zaelen spluttered awake as water was dumped over his head.
“STOP DUMPING WATER ON ME!” he roared. And I was having a nice dream about murdering all the slimes in the world! It seems that coming to the verge of death still wouldn’t stop Zaelen’s addiction to slime-killing. Perhaps he should just be named “A Slime’s Worst Fear” instead of “Zaelen”.
“Master! You’re awake!”
“Ehh?” Zaelen’s joints ached like he was an old man (or drake, in this case). He blearily half-opened his eyes, found he had a splitting headache, and closed them again. He pretended to fall asleep again, hoping the owner of the voice would go away.
“Master, stop pretending to be asleep!”
Zaelen did not move. The owner of the voice tried one last tactic.
“Master, there’s a slime near your head!”
“WHAT?! WHERE, I’LL BURN IT TO ASH!” Zaelen leaped to his feet, bristling. “Ah, Akyro, you were the one trying to wake me up. Now... Where. Is. The. Slime?!”
Akyro fidgeted nervously. “Ermm, there’s actually no slime, Master. I was just trying to get you up.”
Zaelen stared daggers at Akyro. To a slime-murderer like him, this was a very high insult. “Fine! Then I’m going out to find some real slimes.”
“I’m coming too,” asserted Akyro.
Huh? “Why?” asked Zaelen suspiciously. “Are you going to protect the slimes?”
“W-what? No Master, I’ll fight with you! If that means killing slimes, I’ll do it!”
Oh, right, he’s my servant or something. Zaelen nodded then turned away to look for slimes. Apparently, his near-death experience with slimes didn’t make him less addicted to eradicating them. If anything, they made him more addicted. Zaelen paused as another message from the system popped up. Well? What do you want now, system?
Gained Status: [Ash-Risen]
Skills learned from [Ash-Risen]: System Interference
What is THAT? Well, if it doesn’t help me kill slimes, I don’t care about it. Zaelen swiped away his message and lifted a paw to continue.
What type of creature have I been forced to babysit now?
“Huh.” Zaelen eyed the message suspiciously. Now what has the system thrown upon me?
Thrown?! I’ll have you know that this is a great honor!
Zaelen gasped. “Akyro, you won’t believe this. I think the system has become smarter! It even seems to be sentient!”
Akyro stared at Zaelen dubiously. “Master... err, are you sure that you’re mentally... okay?”
“What?! Of course I am! It's just that the system finally knows how to respond to an insult! This is a universal discovery!”
“Sure, Master...”
Excuse me?!!!
“Now, system,” continued Zaelen, effortlessly ignoring the system’s furious messages. “There are a few important questions I must ask you.”
And why do you think I would respond to those so-called questions of yours – are you sure they just aren’t more insults? - when you keep throwing berates in my face?! What did I ever do to you?!
“Do you have eyes?” queried the drake.
Huh?
The system seemed shocked into silence. Aha! I knew I was right! The system must be so shocked that I knew its secret that it doesn’t even have a comeback!
Hey, stop getting to your weird conclusions! Why do you even think I don’t have eyes?! Is your head in the clouds?!
“There’s no use trying to hide it!” yelled Zaelen. “I know that you don’t have eyes!”
And what evidence do you have about that?! For god’s sake, I do have eyes!
“Oh really?”
Yes really!
“Then why’d you name an ugly, tentacle-y blob RADIANT?!”
Because it’s radiant – wait what?
Even Zaelen was shocked silence. “Wait... you actually do? You think slimes are radiant?”
W-wait, no, it's – I mean, I don’t know why -
“I knew it!” shrieked Zaelen. “You’re a curse upon this universe!”
I THOUGHT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT ME HAVING EYES?! WHEN'D IT GET TO ME BEING A CURSE UPON THIS UNIVERSE?!
And meanwhile this was all happening, Akyro was staring at Zaelen with intensely worried eyes. Did him coming to the verge of death make him like this, or was he this deranged in the first place? Wait no, I mustn’t doubt my Master!
⋆❖^⧫/-\⧫^❖⋆
Zaelen walked through the plains, scanning for slimes. He found one hiding under a stone after seeing the almost-invisible trail of goop the slimes left behind. He’d gained this knowledge from the system. Hehe, maybe the system is actually useful sometimes.
Ehhhh? Sometimes?! If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even have reached half the number of slimes you’ve killed in the past week in a month!
What? You think that you’re that OP? No thank you, Akyro is more OP than you in my opinion.
In your opinion. I’ll have you know that many of the beings in this world who actually know values would kill to have a skill like me! You should be treating me with respect!
Hmm, maybe the system is an old man? Sure sounds like it. And that would explain the blindness thought Zaelen, ignoring the tirade of a certain old man.
Wha-! I am not an old man!
Zaelen instantly leaped at a slime as it appeared over hill, quickly dissolving it with salt. Since he’d woken from near-death, he’d killed an amicable number of slimes in the past week. Akyro had left after the first day, though Zaelen had been too focused on hunting the slimes to hear why.
If I hadn’t died, I bet I would’ve leveled up by now... Since Zaelen had woken up, he had gained the status [Ash-Risen], which was why he had [System Interference] in his skill list. However, he’d rather he didn’t. The first reason because the system was an old man and rather annoying. The second was that he hadn’t been able to get the skill for free, so his level cap had increased ten times. Which was crazy. All for a complaining old guy!
Hey! If you have to say that I’m old, at least be respectful to your seniors!
Eh? “Wow, so you finally admit that you’re old? Do you have wrinkles?”
Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.
...I’m seriously starting to doubt your sanity! What person asks their senior if they have wrinkles! That’s just plain rude!
So, let’s continue the montage flashback, shall we? Anyway, (continuing to montage flashback!) I’d also had my species changed to [Horned Phoenix Drake (Medium)]. The only good part about this was that I’d gained some very interesting skills which sounded OP, but I couldn’t trust the system not to give me trashy skills.
I don’t have the power to give you skills! Though if I did, I would definitely give you trashy ones!
See? The system admits it. Is it just trying to get me to use the skills so I die?
I’m not that evil! Why would I?! If I purposely killed you, I’d get kicked!
What’s that about getting kicked? Hey, is there any way that doesn’t involve me dying to get you kicked out!
Argh! You’re so annoying!
Wow, that’s the first compliment I’ve gotten in a few months.
...can I quit?
Oh, please do! Hey, are you still there? After a bit of silence and no more messages appearing, Zaelen came to this: Did the system get so enraged that its old heart couldn’t take it, and it had a heart attack?
I DID NOT DIE FROM A HEART ATTACK! I’M STILL ALIVE AND WELL, THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN!
Darn. Guess I should just focus on slime-killing. Zaelen sniffed the air before throwing a clawful of salt at a slime.
You should learn [Salt Thrower] or something...
Zaelen ignored the criticism from the system on his techniques. It’s not like he could do better. Then an unfamiliar yet familiar scent wafted into his nose.
Creature: Slime Panther
I am getting shivers from just seeing the name though Zaelen. The slime panther, true to its name, was a slime that had taken the form of a panther. Or was it a panther that resembled a slime? Zaelen tossed some salt onto the panther. It jerked back, giving a roar of pain. Wait, it doesn’t say “squeee!”?
However, the salt failed to work.
Hehe, have fun fighting that one. Salt and vinegar won’t work on that.
So? What’s your point? Behold, my excellent plan! Zaelen whipped out a slab of salted meat and poured poison on it like any normal person (drake) would do. Then he threw it in front of the panther.
Hah! You expect that to work?
The panther dived onto the slab of meat and gobbled it down. A second later, it let out a gurgle and fell to the ground rasping. A few moments later, it melted.
Killed Slime Panther. Gained 55 exp. Converted into stats.
Oh right, I forgot all about explaining. Time to continue! So, after the talk about getting the skills that sounded OP but were probably trashy because of the system, I also got forced to not be able to evolve for some time limit that the system would not tell me.
Don’t you think that might be because you keep tormenting me?
My, the old man is complaining yet again! Hey, system, don’t you have anything else better to do?
... ... ...
Not that I care anyway. Don’t expect me to pity you if you suddenly get a seizure because of old age.
Argh...
Continuing the monologue! However, the points didn’t get converted into nothing. The points were converted into stats. The bigger my stats got, the less they increased, it seemed. And that’s it! Time to get back to reality!
Zaelen yawned he glanced around. Was that the only one in the vicinity? Just as he had that though, a crunch sounded from in the grass. He turned to see several blue wolves slinking through the grass.
Creature: Slime Wolf (Subordinate)
He prepped himself to get ready to throw more meat when the first one that reached him spoke. This one was orange instead of blue.
Creature: Slime Wolf (Mid-Ranked)
“Slime killerrr. Drrrake. Come with us,” it said.
“And why should I? For all I know, it’s a trap,” said Zaelen.
Another mid-ranked wolf stepped forward. “We will not hurrrt you unless a battle is needed or initiated. And we arrre not stupid like the pantherrrr. We will not be trrrricked.”
They do seem smarter than the panther. But arghh, a truce with slimes? Who cares what form they take!
Ugh, look. What they said is true. Just go with them. You will get to kill more slimes since they are probably taking you to their home.
You make a fair point but why are you helping me?
“Well? What is yourrr answerrr?” asked the first orange wolf.
We’ll talk about this later, old man! “I will come,” said Zaelen.
The slime wolf nodded. “Good. You made the rrrright choice. Follow us.” Then the wolf turned and loped away, the rest of the group following. A few dropped behind him, probably to make sure he didn’t change his mind and try to escape.
⋆❖^⧫/-\⧫^❖⋆
Zaelen padded into a hollow surrounded by brambles. The wolves stopped, forcing him to stop too.
“We arrrre here. Do not trrry to rrrrun, slime killerrr. I will gatherrr the leaderrrrs.”
Zaelen sat down. This was your plan, system. If I die, I’m haunting you for the rest of my life.
Ugh, well, I was right, wasn’t I?
Zaelen glanced around at the multitude of slimes emerging from dens. Ugh, fine, yes, you were right. Let me check my stats.
Horned Phoenix Drake (Medium)
Name: Zaelen
Status: Ash-Risen
Level: 87/1500
HP: 160/160
MP: 120/120
SPD: 55
STR: 65
Skills: [High Leap Lv1] [Observe Lv--] [Dragon Breath Lv1] [Space Pocket] [Wind Slash Lv5] [Lightning Strike Lv2] [Roar Lv1] [System Interference] [Phoenix’s Light Lv1] [Flare Wind Lv1] [Blaze Strike Lv1] [Inferno Wings Lv1] [Shadow Tentacles Lv1] [HP Regen Lv1]
Resistances: [Traumatization Lv5] [Fire LvMax] [Lightning Lv3] [Wind LvMax] [Light Lv15] [Death Lv5]
I mean, I guess these stats are decent. Is there a way to check enemy stats without them being my servant?
I am not telling you anything.
Argh, fine! Zaelen glanced around, noting where the most wolves converged. There were green, brown, and purple wolves scattered around the clearing.
Creature: Slime Wolf (Pup)
Creature: Slime Wolf (Omega)
Creature: Slime Wolf (Elder)
Zaelen eventually figured out that green wolves = pups, brown wolves = omegas, and purple wolves = elders.
“Slime killer.”
Zaelen focused his gaze in front of him. The orange wolf was back, leading a black wolf and two white wolves behind it.
“Yes?” asked Zaelen, half wanting to know what the wolves wanted to say and half wanting to get this over with already.
The white wolves stepped forward. He noticed all the wolves around him seemed to suddenly drop into a more respectful posture. The orange wolf bobbed her head to the black one and trotted off.
“I am the Male Alpha of this pack, Nyx. This is Aurora, my mate.”
Zaelen noticed that they didn’t have an accent like the other wolves. “So, what’s the point?”
“We asked you to come here so we could speak face to face. I will get straight to the point. Please stop terrorizing the inhabitants of the plains. They are related to us... somewhat.”
“And if I don’t?” replied Zaelen.
Aurora narrowed her eyes. “You must understand that you’re surrounded by enemies.”
“Can’t you just let me leave?”
“No. You must first swear on your rank.”
“I don’t even have a rank.”
“Then your life then.”
“No way.”
Hey, aren’t you worried that you might actually get killed?
There’s no way that I’m getting beaten by slimes a second time, system.
Don’t blame me if you get killed.
I will blame you.
... ... ...
Aurora sighed. “If you think that you will be able to leave this place alive without agreeing, you are wrong.”
Zaelen yawned again. “And why would I be wrong?”
“The pack will only listen to the alphas, which are us.”
Nyx stepped forward. “Unless you think that you can beat both of us alphas and Lunaire, our beta.”
Lunaire gave a nod, glaring at the drake.
“Hey, what if I say that I can? I mean, you’re all just slimes in the end and I’ve killed my fair share of that.”
There were gasps around the clearing. Nyx slit his eyes in anger. “Do not make the traditions that have kept us alive seem so simple.”
“But they are simple. You shouldn’t lie to yourselves, you know?”
Some of the wolves around the clearing growled. “Fine,” thundered Nyx. “If you think our traditions are so simple, I’d like to see how you actually do in them! We’ll be rid of you either way!”
“Ahh, there’s the real reason that you summoned me here,” commented Zaelen.
Control of [Pack] Issued. Will you accept?
YES/NO
If I don’t, they’re gonna think that I’m afraid of slimes! (Please understand that in a certain slime-killing addict’s brain, this was worse than dying) Zaelen selected ‘YES’ on the message.
You are in for it now...
Battle initiated. Rules set. You may not use outer interference. [System Interference] and [Space Pocket] blocked.