Hermes finally found the entrance to the tunnel, a massive archway measuring ten meters wide, partially hidden behind a curtain of weeping moss. The walls were constructed from massive, damp concrete blocks slick with algae, while the rusted metal bars blocking the path were forged from bronze, still bearing the faded, proud symbol of the old empire.
This tunnel was a secret passageway leading directly to the village. However, since the young Don was still utterly unfamiliar with this place, he had to rely entirely on the uncanny sensory abilities of his companion, the nameless slime.
Damn it, it's so wet everywhere. I hate this kind of place, Hermes grimaced, his expensive leather shoes sinking into the mud and sludge covering the stone floor. He stepped directly into a shallow watershed, instantly soaking his shoes and socks in frigid water.
Goddamn it, Stump G! The veins on his forehead popped, his body trembling in sheer irritation at the filthy conditions.
"Master, you don't look good today. Your face is scaring me too much. Do you need my help this time?" asked the slime, its voice oozing with genuine concern from atop his shoulder. "I—I don't need your help. I'm not really mad, so shut your fuckin' mouth," Hermes snapped, his voice echoing loudly off the damp concrete walls.
"Master, you suck at lying. Next time, improve your dialogue, okay," the slime heaved a disappointing sigh. Shut the fuck up!
Suddenly, a stomach-churning, putrid stench overwhelmed his senses, cutting through the damp air. It was a thick, cloying odor of decay. Hermes's face turned ash-white, and he immediately covered his nose and mouth with a hand, gagging.
"What the heck is that smell?" inquired Hermes, his voice muffled behind his hand, desperately trying to pinpoint the source of the vile odor. "It is the smell of corpses, master. I will track it down," the slime answered nonchalantly.
Hermes gasped upon hearing the word corpse. "Tell me. Where is it now?" he demanded, panicking. "It is only seven meters away from us. It will appear once we enter its location," the slime responded.
Should I take a look? But it's sickening! The young Don frantically pulled a silk cloth from his chest pocket, tying it tightly over his mouth and nose for better protection.
"Wait for a second, the tunnel has only a single path," Hermes placed a hand on his forehead, realizing there was no way to bypass whatever lay ahead. "Of course, master," the slime simpered.
"Why are you happy now?" Hermes asked, turning to the slime with an infuriated face. "Because we can walk into the lumps of dead people. With this free package of meat, I can gather more resources for our upcoming battle," the slime explained happily, vibrantly.
Hermes's face turned sullen, a look of pure disgust passing through his eyes. T—this slime is a motherfuckin' sadist, he commented internally.
"I—is there something wrong, master?" the slime asked, sounding worried. "Naah, I'm fine," he answered with a subtle, forced tone.
"Master, master, we're almost there," the slime jumped in joy on his hand, eager to reach the source of the smell. I almost forgot that this creature is a slime. It is a monster in a flesh, he sighed, resigning himself to his fate.
"Master, halt. This is the exact place of the unappetizing odor," the slime gladly pointed out. Hermes stopped moving and looked around. The path in front of him was blocked by a large, chaotic pile of burned coal.
"Wait, are you sure this is the source? I thought you were jokin' about the corpse. You make me worried for nothing," Hermes sighed, looking at the black pile. "Eeeh, but that is the corpse I've been talking about, master," the slime eagerly pointed at the coal heap.
Hermes gasped for a second, and his body flinched violently when a stark white skeleton arm suddenly slid down from the pile, landing right next to his shoes. H—human b—b—body? T—t—this is real! He screamed inside his mind, freezing in place.
"Master, put me back on your face," the slime requested. "Umm, master? I said, wear me again."
Hermes flinched once again at the slime's demand and quickly followed the request, placing the mask over his face out of sheer panic and instinct.
"Master, I'm gonna eat their souls," the slime sincerely declared, sounding absolutely delighted.
Damn it, this monster is really a monster!
A mountain of corpses lay scattered along their path, decayed and fused together within the tunnel like slices of burning meat left too long on a grill.
W—what the hell happened to these people?
"Slime sequence: Soul eater mode activated," the slime cast a spell, mana surging around the body of the mask. The wet stone floor underneath them began to quake violently, and a tremendous pressure slowly created a powerful gravity circle around his position. The stagnant water on the floor hissed and disappeared instantly, evaporated by the sheer heat released by the mass of the slime's mana.
The whole place was illuminated by a glamorous, blinding violet light.
Hermes's pocket vibrated violently, and he quickly pulled out the source of the vibration. The newspaper again, said Hermes, worryingly.
He opened the newspaper and read the content frantically. [Breaking News: Slime Armor Innocence activated. The user is advised to endure the pain.]
What the fuck is it talking―? Aaaaagh!
Hermes knelt down violently from the immense pressure, his knees slamming into the concrete. His body got electrified, racked with agonizing pain as the souls of the corpses entered his body through the mask. His eyes started to shed blood, looking like a dead man's eyes.
"Aaaaaaaaaah!" he screamed out loud, the sound raw and tortured.
"Master, endure this one. This is our first time to gather these million sinners in this tunnel," the slime reminded, unaffected by his master's pain.
M—million? This is fuckin' nuts!
"Master, this is our chance to level up from the second tier to the third tier. With this, we can unlock another type of powerful magical item, a weapon of destruction. These sinners will be the key for our world domination," the slime laughed like an evil maniac.
T—this slime is an evil monster!
[Virus Achievement: Butcher level achieved. A million innocent lives have perished and been transformed into mana materials. The user is now tyrannically considered a butcher of death.]
Hermes stared at the notification screen, his expression neutral. He merely clicked his tongue, unimpressed by the sensationalist title.
[Virus Achievement: Slime Armor Level reached the third tier. The familiar sacrificed innocent lives for the sake of growth development.] [Weapon 3: Unlocked] [Weapons Mastery Level: Gold Tier. The accuracy level reached its fifty percent capabilities.] [Ammunition has been replenished.] [Virus Achievement: Slime Tyrannical Armor upgraded. The user achieved a powerful material that is immune to physical attacks and nullifies any powerful magics with one hand. But poison is still harmful to the body, so it is advisable to avoid a powerful witch who specialized in poison magic.] [Insanity Level: Maniac.] [Transmigrator Punisher weapons are ready.] [Virus Achievements: High Elf Murderer. The user has now achieved an imperial seal of command to slaughter the race of remaining elves within the island.]
"A million, huh?" Hermes murmured, his voice cold and devoid of emotion as he surveyed the melted pile of sludge. He was already adapting to the ruthless logic of this world, treating the lives lost merely as resources necessary for survival.
"Finally, we reach a third-tier level. We can finally deal with demon creatures, master. Man, I was right to eat the soul of Arak the Tamer," the slime simpered from the mask.
"You ate his soul too? Good," Hermes replied simply, tightening his gloves. "Efficiency is key."
"Oh, my gosh, master. You're at Maniac level. But still, you're weaker than the high elves. It is my seven thousand and eighty-two times to eat one of them. Holy mother of crispy chicken, I wanna eat another one. I love their souls too much," the slime chortled in a disturbing, high-pitched tone.
"Explain," Hermes commanded, his tone sharp but controlled.
"Arak is a member of a powerful high elf [clan]. I wonder why they still exist in this world. Hermes Archnemesis, you're really my true master. Not only did you use your brain in the battle, but you literally pulled an incredible performance to deal with those sons of a bitches. But still, the souls of the sinners which pack of their crimes are delicious," the slime explained, its gooey form shifting excitedly.
High elf? That is not part of the main story, Hermes contemplated, analyzing the implications without letting panic show on his face.
"High elves shouldn't exist in this world yet. Only the human race prevails in this timeframe," Hermes stated logically, finding the deviation interesting rather than terrifying.
"Brilliant, master. As expected from you, you're still a xenophobic ruler of the past. Don't worry, master. It is no longer racist if there is only one race like you always told us. We will hunt them down as per your command," the slime proudly declared.
"Don't call it xenophobia. Call it strategic necessity," Hermes corrected calmly.
Then, he checked the newspaper again. Virus Objective: [Elven Pry Massacre Mission. Slaughter the remaining members of the high elves. Don't let them escape. The time limit is three days.]
"Elven Pry Massacre... a main event, but ahead of schedule," Hermes analyzed, his mind already calculating the fastest route to eliminate them.
What about the next paragraph? He turned to the next page of the newspaper.
[Clan Mission: Add a new member of the family. The user will be punished if he fails to do so. The time limit is three days.] [Harem Mission: Save the heroine within the Dark Scily Dungeon. Failure to save her will punish the user severely.] [Clan Mission: Free the fifth district. The time limit is 30 days.]
"Clan mission? Harem mission?" Hermes raised an eyebrow, finding the terminology absurd but recognizing the necessity of completing them to avoid punishment.
"Oooh, w—wonderful. A—as expected. You're forming a harem now, master," the slime congratulated, sounding far too cheerful.
"Silence," Hermes commanded quietly.
"My apologies. I'm just surprised that you're receiving the same objective again. No wonder the Goddess really put her faith in you," the slime said.
"Who is this Goddess?" Hermes asked, his voice steady, analyzing the slime for any sign of deception.
"C—classified information," the slime whistled like a dumb kid, abruptly closing its gooey mouth.
"Answer me. Is it Stump G?" Hermes pressed, his gaze icy.
The slime shifted nervously, its gooey form vibrating slightly as it processed the name. "Stump... G? Master, I... I have no record of that name in my database. Is that another name for the Goddess, or perhaps a higher-ranking entity I am not permitted to know about?"
Hermes remained silent, his expression unreadable, simply staring at the slime until it began to shrink in discomfort.
"I—I'm sorry, master! I truly do not know who that is! Believe me!" the slime squeaked, terrified by the silence.
If death is the penalty, it's not worth the risk yet, Hermes decided, clicking his tongue in mild annoyance.
"Hold the topic for now. When the time has come, tell me who this Goddess is," Hermes instructed.
"Y—yes, master. Thank you very much," the slime responded positively.
Hermes noticed the mountain of corpses had melted down into a thick, putrid sludge on the surface. His eyes turned sharp, like a lion looking at the dead of its prey, as he surveyed the devastation.
"A disgusting view, but functional," he commented, unfazed by the gore.
"Master, it is a wonderful scene, though. These sinners have committed a lot of sins before they die. You don't have to feel sorry about them. In my opinion, we should celebrate their death. Why? Because they become our source of power and strength. Not only that, the hell itself won't even be bothered to collect them all. Why? Because they are already consumed by me," the slime proudly explained, its aura radiating a disturbing satisfaction.
"Good. Let's move," Hermes ordered, stepping over the sludge without hesitation.
"Slime, you're a xenophobic monster, aren't you?" Hermes sighed, leaning against the damp concrete wall of the tunnel, seemingly unfazed by the millions of souls just consumed. "Of course, I am," the slime gladly declared, shifting its gooey form proudly. "It makes things simpler."
"By the way, is our little friend still nearby?" Hermes narrowed his eyes, analyzing the shadows behind him but remaining perfectly still in his position. "Hmm? Yup, she is still there behind us," the slime answered, vibrating slightly.
"What do you mean, she? You meant, the creature is a girl?" Hermes demanded, genuinely surprised, his icy demeanor breaking for a microsecond. "Hmm? Yup, the aura has a similar pressure to my sister. But I'm very curious why she is following us. You're here and I'm with you. I wonder why she's observing us. If she is my sister then she should already show up and introduce herself," the slime worried, its voice fluctuating.
"Sister, huh. So, she is the same race as you?" Hermes inquired, bringing his hand to his chin, analyzing this new information. "Aah, nope. She is a spirit who takes the form of the letter. Basically, she's the most prominent type of item that can be useful for your objective," the slime explained, expanding slightly.
"What do you mean spirit? Are you telling me that you're a spirit too?" Hermes quizzed with a sullen face, realizing the magical complexity of this world was far deeper than he imagined. "Hmm? Yup, but I'm a special one created for you. I'm the only child between the Goddess and... oops. Classified," the slime shut its gooey mouth abruptly before it could finish its words, the mask turning a guilty shade of pale.
"Umm, what? Hey, say something," Hermes demanded, his voice hardening. "I... it's classified," the slime begged, shrinking away from his icy gaze.
Hermes placed a hand on his forehead and heaved a sigh, feeling a pounding headache forming. Man, this game has a lot of loopholes! The young Don sulked like a salty child, frustrated by the lack of direct information. High elves, spirits, and Goddesses were three words he couldn't comprehend, throwing all his previous knowledge of the plot into disarray.
The plot is changing a lot. Damn it, Stump G!