Your「ALCHEMY」skill has increased to Level 38!

Using a temporary laboratory set up outside by Anna, you brew another concoction. You've been continually making potions for two days now, and the fruits of your labor are swiftly becoming apparent.

[Healing Potion]

Description: A bubbly pink concoction that restores your health. Its quality determines how much it heals its drinker.

Quality: Great

Weight: 0.5

"Ooh, not bad!" Anna cranes forward from behind the lab table and admires your handiwork. "You've really improved since yesterday, I'm impressed!"

"It's due largely in part to your constant feedback, Elder. Your observations are surprisingly acute, and you don't even use God's Eye!"

"Aw shucks, you're making me all pink! Keen eyesight in this field comes naturally to those who have 400 years of experience under their belt, it's nothing special!"

"I still find it amazing you can stay invested in a subject for that long. Even I get bored of using the same talents over and over again."

"Haha! Sure then, praise me all you like!"

Contrary to what you believed, Elder Anna has proven to be of great help to you these past couple of days. Without you asking, she pointed out the flaws in your potions and gave you pointers on bettering them.

"How can I repay you for all the help you've given me?" you ask the woman as you wipe down the table with a wet cloth.

"Eh? There's no need. I was only sharing my thoughts with you."

"I won't take no for answer. I want to pay you back."

"Jeez, you certainly are persistent."

As you wash out the dirty apparatuses, Anna glances at the mortar and pestle. Traces of crushed petals stick to the surface of the cup-shaped receptacle. And her eyes widen as a metaphorical lightbulb pops up above her head.

"Say, Nameless Seer," she sits on the tabletop. "You're heading back home later today, right?"

"Hm? Yeah, but not for long. The Elderwood Warriors and I are simply transporting today's harvest to the village."

"In that case, could you do me a little favor?"

You look up at her and beam. "Of course, anything for you!"

"Okay, wait here."

The Elder rushes off to a pile of crates beside the under-construction apothecary. After digging for a while, she returns with a pack of seeds in her hand.

"Here you go," she plunges them into your pocket. "I'd like you to cultivate these flower seeds for me."

"O-oh," you hold them in your trousers. "What kind of flowers are these?"

"The medicinal kind. They're actually super rare alchemical ingredients that I haven't been able to grow. Seeing as the soil in your meadow is rich and fertile, I can only assume these babies will flourish there."

You nod and take her up on her request.

Later in the afternoon, you and a convoy of leaf wagons led by Leronil make your way through forests toward your homestead. You are escorted by 10 armed elven soldiers, who help in pulling the carts.

These men that guard you are clearly not accustomed to the lands beyond the Elderwood Valley, and you can sense their nervousness through the air alone.

"You don't seem as uneasy about this, Leronil..." you say to the man.

"Ahaha, well I know these woods like the back of my hand," he chuckles. "The Elderwood Scouts were sent out to explore daily after all."

"Have none of the soldiery been outside?"

"Only on rare occasions do the strongest combatants leave the safety of the mountains. We were the exception though, for whatever reason."

"Elder Alimarc..."

"Hey now, let's not speak so candidly about the guy. I wouldn't want to be indicted for treachery."

You and Leronil continue down this roadless path with these elven soldiers following close behind. The way is peaceful like it always has been. But as you near the meadow, you're alarmed by the number of enemies nearby.

You freeze in your tracks. "Everyone, hold up."

"What's wrong?" Leronil raises his spear.

"My Echolocation, it's picking up over a hundred monsters in the vicinity."

"What in Gaia's name?!"

Your remark prompts the men to ready their weapons. And you signal them to follow you as you approach the edge of the forest. Staying on the alert, you peek at your garden from behind the trees and see a horrific sight.

PS_177013

Slime [⚥]

Level: 7

HP: 850/850

Blue slimes have overrun the homestead, and a third of the crops have been devoured. An infestation of these fiends was the worst that could've transpired. As fire spells will reduce the surviving plants to dust, you instead rely on your trusty dagger and coordinate a plan with the elves.

The warriors quake in their boots, seeing a hundred gelatinous freaks hopping around in a field can have that effect on you.

It is when Leronil steps up and speaks to the elves that everyone maintains their composure. "Hold steady, men. We can't afford to stand idly by as these monsters consume our livelihood. Now listen to the Garden Beast, keeper of these hallowed grounds, and act in a way befitting a proud defender of our village."

You pat Leronil on the back for taking charge and reshift your focus on the mass of slimes running rampant. "Leronil is right. The enemy's numbers may seem imposing, but they are mere slime. The blue variant is considerably weaker than the rest. I know that from experience."

"You hear that, men? Victory is practically on our doorstep! Steel yourselves and fight, so that we may come home and tell tales of how we defended this land!"

Leronil's words spur the elves on. Their frightened expressions change and they confidently wield their weapons. Leave it to the son of the village chief to instill bravery in the hearts of his soldiers.

They finally look the part of a dashing band of fighters.

"Don't underestimate the enemy though," you remind them. "We still need a basic strategy to go by. On that note, I think I've devised something based on our current composition."

10 elven warriors stand with you: 4 spearmen, 4 archers, and 2 swordsmen. With this in mind, you brief them on this plan of yours and have Leronil help you with setting up the formations.

And the attack commences. You rush the monsters, catching them off guard. Leading the charge is none other than Leronil.

You then split up halfway toward the enemy and two teams are formed, each with 2 spearmen, 2 archers, and 1 swordsman. Leronil leads the group on the right, and you lead the group on the left. You cover more area through this method.

"All according to Darius' book," you think to yourself. "I knew that section on military stratagem would come into use sooner or later."

Standing in the vanguard and taking the brunt of the attacks were the spearmen, who used the length of their weapon to create distance between them and the slimes as they stabbed them.

Supporting them from behind were the archers, who took care of the slimes that weren't already skewered by the sharp sticks.

And protecting the bowmen from stragglers, was the swordsman. As ranged units do poorly in close encounters, the blade-wielding soldier compensates for this by cutting down all foes that dare get close to his allies.

You and Leronil break through the first wave of slimes and take care of the ones in the back. As both of you handle yourselves adequately in battle, you face these fiends head-on and without any support—Leronil with his spear, you with your dagger.

Adhering to the tactics you taught them, the elven warriors take out 33 slimes. Meanwhile, you and Leronil eliminate 25.

The 42 remaining slimes are not blind to their situation. And upon registering the countless Petrified Slimes lying on the ground, they swiftly retreat to the top of the hill and huddle close together.

"W-what are they doing?!" Leronil yells to you from afar.

"I don't know!" you wipe the blue goop off your cheek. "I've never seen them behave this way!"

Leronil rallies his men, and they watch as the slimes clump together like clay. You cannot fathom what they intend on doing until the answer stares you straight in the face.

Slime King

Slime [⚥]

Level: 40

HP: 35000/35000

"Everyone get back!" you shout as the slimes begin fusing.

"What's wrong Garden Beast?!" Leronil gestures his men to retreat. "We had them on the ropes!"

"They're becoming one!"

"One?!" the leader turns around and witnesses the process unfold. "Oh... Gaia preserve us..."

The slimes combine into a single entity, one larger than anything you've encountered thus far. Its colossal size surpasses your house and the beast overshadows the whole field.

This aberrant amalgamation jumps down to the foot of the hill, and it is as though two hills are standing before you.

The elven soldiers cower in fear as this behemoth draws closer. Even Leronil trembles in the presence of this beast.

"Say, Garden Beast," he wrenches out a terrified grin, "How the heck are we supposed to defeat that thing..?"

"Hm. I suppose it's time to use that huh..?"

"That..? Are you going to cast that spell you used back at Whitewidow Grotto?!"

"Nope. If I did resort to using Fignum, we can kiss our farm goodbye."

"Then... what could you possibly have in mind..?"

Using Supersonic Speed you zip up to the Slime King and assume a fighting stance. The monster pays no heed to this and continues onward, treating you like an ant.

"If I do this, I'll undoubtedly lose this weapon," you grip this rusty dagger with your fingers. "My first weapon in this world... To think it'll meet its end here..."

"What are you..?"

"Goodbye—"

The slime hops and lands on you, cutting you off. Leronil and his men are shocked to see you disappear in this glob of blue.

But their despair is soon replaced with astonishment, as a brilliant white light shines from within the Slime King. And bursting from its insides is you, clutching a hilt whose blade was shattered.

You totter to your feet with a sad smile lining your lips.

"Well, guess that's that!" you proudly declare. "Turns out its vitals were in its core!"

Talent: Critical Strike

Description: When you're within range of the enemy's weak point while wielding a short-bladed weapon, you automatically lock on to it without fail.