The tranquility was shattered by a jarring noise—the snap of a dry branch, followed by the clatter of armored boots. My face hardened, my serene expression replaced by a deep, familiar wariness. I quickly pulled Bubbles into a small leather pouch at my waist and retreated into the thick undergrowth, my heart pounding a steady, nervous rhythm. I hadn't felt this kind of fear since the last time a group of humans had ventured too close, their greed radiating off them like a foul odor.
I peered out from behind a thick, moss-covered trunk to see three figures emerge from the tree line. They were human adventurers, decked in leather and steel, their faces grim and determined. The sight of them made my stomach churn. I had seen their kind before, always searching, always taking. They were a blight on the forest.
The first was a burly man, his face a roadmap of old scars, a massive two-handed sword strapped to his back. He was the leader. The second was a woman with a quick, nervous energy, clutching a small crossbow. The third, a young man with a cocky grin, carried a shield and a short sword, his armor polished to a ridiculous shine.
"I'm telling you, Korvin, this is the place," the burly man grunted, his voice a low rumble. He looked at a crumpled map stained with dirt and sweat. "The whispers say the old king's fabled Gemstone Grove is hidden somewhere in these woods. The riches below the earth would buy us a kingdom."
My blood ran cold. The Gemstone Grove. It wasn't just a legend; it was the heart of my forest. A place where the unique mana of the slimes crystallized over years into vibrant, glowing gems that powered the entire ecosystem. It was what made this place so special, and it was the very thing the humans were hunting for. The antagonist's greed had finally found me.
"Are you sure, Brutus?" the woman, whose name I now knew was Korvin, asked, her eyes darting nervously through the trees. "This forest feels... strange. Almost like it's watching us."
"Superstitious nonsense," Brutus scoffed. "We've been through worse. Besides, what's a little mystery when there's a fortune to be made? Now, let's fan out. That map says the Grove is near a cluster of weeping willows. The trees should be glowing."
As they began to stomp deeper, each step felt like a personal insult. They crushed the delicate mushrooms, trampled on the luminous flora, and their heavy boots left deep imprints in the soft earth. They were destroying my sanctuary without a second thought, and for what? For jewels they would simply sell for coin. My peaceful life, the very thing I had worked so hard to protect, was about to be destroyed. My hands, so used to gentle handling of slimes, clenched into fists. I knew what I had to do. I couldn't just run and hide; they would find the Grove eventually. It was time to show them that this forest wasn't unguarded.
I quietly moved through the trees, a ghost in my own home, circling around the intruders until I was positioned between them and the heart of the Grove. From my pouch, I pulled out a small, round stone that pulsed with a faint green light. It was my Slime Beacon, a tool I had crafted to call my friends. I held it up, focusing my will, and a soft, high-pitched chime echoed through the trees, inaudible to human ears.
Within moments, I felt their presence. A soft ripple of movement in the leaves, a shimmer in the air. Two new slimes emerged from the undergrowth. The first was a large, lime-green creature named Mossy, a Forest Slime I had been training for months. The other was a spiky, crimson Fire Slime named Ember, his gelatinous body radiating a pleasant warmth.
Name: Mossy (Forest Slime) Level: 8 Skills: Camouflage, Vine Whip, Minor Earth Manipulation
Name: Ember (Fire Slime) Level: 7 Skills: Fireball, Heat Absorption, Minor Ignition
They both bounced toward me, their forms rippling with a quiet excitement. I gave them each a pat, then gestured toward the humans. I focused on my Interface, pulling up a strategic overlay. A mental map of the forest appeared, showing the glowing Gemstone Grove, the three adventurers, and my slimes. My weakness was melee combat, but my strength was strategy. I would fight them not with a sword, but with the forest itself.
I gave the mental command. Mossy, with his Camouflage skill, melted into the scenery, becoming a nearly invisible lump of green. Ember's little body pulsed as he generated tiny, controlled fireballs. My plan was simple: confuse, distract, and scare. I would not harm them, not unless I absolutely had to. My goal was to make this forest so unwelcoming that they would flee and never return.
Mossy moved first, using Vine Whip to snag the map right out of Brutus's hands. The big man yelled in surprise as the map was yanked away and wrapped around a branch high above their heads. The young man with the shiny armor swore and tried to grab it, but Ember, from a different direction, launched a tiny fireball that harmlessly fizzled just by his feet.
They scattered, looking for the source of the attacks. I directed Bubbles to use his Adhesion, making their boots stick to the ground as they walked, and sending tiny, frustrating splashes of water in their faces. It was a symphony of chaos that only I could conduct.
"What in the blazes is this?!" Brutus roared, swinging his sword wildly at a patch of nothing, convinced he was fighting an invisible foe.
I smiled. My peaceful life may have been disturbed, but I would protect my home. My slimes were ready. And now, so was I.