The slime monster had attempted to put as much space between it and its pursuers as was possible in the short time it took them to catch up with it. It had truly hoped that they would have been stumped at the pool where it had just woken up minutes before they had arrived. Aylia had made it aware that something was approaching, so it tried out a new spell it had been thinking of during its brief captivity in the vines of the Nightcaller.

--- Congratulations! You have learned the new spell, Magic Blade.

*SHUNK*

The translucent energy blade had cut a small, triangular hole in the drying vines. The spell had made a little more noise than the mastermind was planning on, but luckily, it was quiet enough that the dense foliage around them covered up most of the noise. Still, it decided not to spend any time attempting the other spell it had thought up. Maybe next time…

It then proceeded to make a beeline towards the Boss Room, hoping that it might be able to ambush the advens as they fought the boss. That had been its first mistake. It had forgotten to account for the obscenely high greed of most advens compared to a hunting party.

Using Aylia as a guide to “follow the flows of Energy,” as she had called it, they made quick work of the Maze and soon found themselves at the landing beneath the Boss Room. Then came the creation of ‘The Plan.’

The Plan had two phases to it. The first would be to try and create as much false information about it as possible. It set the stage by using its new spell to cut up the ground of the landing, deep enough that the Dungeon would not be able to recover before its own prey arrived. This would, hopefully, instill the idea that it was in a hurry. And then that idea should help them split up in an attempt to cut it off from said Boss Room.

Thus, as it climbed up the tree, and saw them down at the landing, it continued luring them up there, moving forward at a slower pace than it was actually capable of obtaining. At least that was the plan… until it was out of sight. The quick-witted monster then did the equivalent of a sprint and reached the top in record time.

Next, Newb shifted over to one side, near enough to a shadowy corner to give the idea that it would be hidden there, and then leapt up onto the side of the small enclosure before the Boss Room. Using its naturally sticky body, and combining it with its Stealth Skill and magic, the slime sat and waited.

--- You are now under the effects of Invisibility.

What happened next surprised the little monster. The blue-haired man arrived only moments later. He then just stood there for a long moment, long enough that Newb almost made its move. Just then, his head swiveled in the direction of the shadows, smiling.

When the hunter did not look up at the slime’s hiding spot and began to head a little ways toward the Boss Room, Newb knew that it had succeeded in fooling the dangerous adversary. The monster watched curiously as this adven knelt down, saying something under his breath, then touching the ground with two fingers.

“That’s a trap spell… He means to cut off any way for whatever he is hunting from entering the Boss’s layer.” The spirit helpfully provided. But that got the ovoid jelly thinking… Just what was this strange human planning?

The hunter then returned to the entrance of the enclosure and repeated his trapping spell. “I guess we won’t be leaving just yet… Maybe I can try to break one down?” Newb inquired of his tenant.

“Maybe, but you’ll have to be careful. If he notices, it could mean death for us.” Aylia’s worried hope was confusing, but the slime shrugged the worry off and began to focus on the trap spell, swapping over from its regular “sight” to the world of auras, lines, and waves that Energy made up. The spell was a confusing mass of energy, shifting slightly as the monster’s own Mana probed the spell.

As it focused on its task, Newb took note of the hunter hiding across from its own ‘hiding’ spot. This trap was clearly not only intended for the slime. While it carefully searched for weaknesses in the trap, the other adven arrived.

She was catching her breath when the trap closed in around her. She never even saw it coming. This almost made the monster feel sorry for her. It wondered how handicapped it would be if it didn’t have the ability to see Energy in all its forms. Such a pity that this girl did not have such a superior sense.

As the man and the woman began their fight, Newb redoubled its efforts, wiggling some of its Mana into the spell. Under Aylia’s guidance, it altered the spell just enough that it would be able to make its escape, when the time came.

--- Congratulations! You have learned the Skill, Energy Alteration. This skill has been superseded by your Enhanced Skill, Energy Manipulation.

Then it heard the shout, “Judgment!” Its whole body froze with a primal fear, and any other notifications it may have received were lost in this moment of terror. The energy that filled the air caused it mild irritation, and it was all that it could do cling to the wall.

“That girl… how does she know such advanced magic?” Surprise and awe seemed to fill the spirit’s voice, which only came as a quiet voice. They both continued to watch, enraptured by the end of this fight.

As the spellcaster slid to a stop only a couple meters away from where it hid, Newb changed its Phase One plan ever so slightly. Sure, it could have stayed hidden until the fight naturally came to a close. However, when such a grand opportunity presented itself, how could this enterprising jello not leap at it? It was almost like she was served up on a silver platter.

Without a moment to lose, it made its move. Firing off a salvo of Magic Missiles, the heroic monster leapt down upon the downed caster. The girl only managed to glance in its direction for a moment before Newb activated its Voracity Ability…

“Phase One has been successful. Now moving on to Phase Two.” Newb told its counterpart. The human girl, as it had dubbed her, was out of the way, and the opponent’s strength was cut in half. Though, judging from the way that he was swinging that sword, maybe it was more along the lines of a quarter… Maybe just a tenth…

The amount doesn’t really matter, the ever-thinking blob chided itself. What did matter to it was that it was now one-vs-one. And numbers make a huge difference.

“Wait… You ATE her?!” The spirit seemed to be just a tad hysterical. Probably because the slime had just engulfed a very unique individual.

“We can talk about this later… Right now, I need your help in surviving this battle. I don’t think I can win, but maybe we can find a way out of this that will benefit everyone involved.” Staying calm, especially in this situation, was how Newb had learned how to cope with dangerous enemies. Look at what it had been able to accomplish from its encounter with the Nightcaller?

“But-” She did not get to finish her complaint because the slime was already moving, avoiding a downward swing that cracked the ground it had been on just a moment ago.

“Focus, or stay quiet!”

“OK! Ok.” Being reprimanded by a creature much younger than herself, Aylia began to focus on what would need to be done. They came to a stop almost 5 meters from where they had been and watched the eerily calm man turn to look at them.

“I suppose I should thank you for finishing off my primary target like that.” He casually stated. “Now I won’t have to fabricate any story to the King when I report that his only daughter lost her life to the very monster we were sent here to kill.”

Holding back a retort, the slime slid a little to one side, thinking about what its next move should be. That, and it felt no need to reveal to this madman that it could actually understand what was being said, and was capable of responding.

“I guess I was right about you after all.” He droned on, getting into a slightly crouched stance, sword held above him in both hands. “You’re every bit the monster I painted you out to be…” The last couple words came out as a growl, and the energy about the hunter changed. One moment, it was calm, like the calm before the storm. Then next, it was like the storm had arrived, erratic and deadly.

He leapt forward at a speed not previously shown during his fight with the woman. Although, fight would not be the right word for it. It was more like a lion playing around with a mouse. He could have devoured her, but chose to draw it out before an inevitable conclusion.

Almost instantaneously, he was in front of Newb, cutting down with an angled attack.

--- You have suffered a massive blow for 275 life.

The slime had been ill prepared for the strike. The complete change of character and power had surprised it, leaving its defenses wide open. Even with all its defensive Abilities and Skills, it was now down over a third of its Life. Another hit like that would spell its doom. And the weapon had not felt like a sword. The hunter had hit the monster with so much force that it was hurt more by being bashed instead of being cut.

--- You are now under the effects of Rejuvenation.

--- Your wounds have been mended for 100 life.

“Newb! Get your head in the game!” Aylia called out.

Allowing itself to be moved by the force of the attack, the monster bounced away from the hunter. Though he had attempted to follow up with another couple swings, the momentum had thankfully moved it outside of his attack radius. For now, it thought bleakly.

The man began to follow after Newb, but it had no intention of getting anywhere near that monster. It found itself right next to the weakened wall, the one that led back out into the forest. “Maybe I could allow him to cut down his own wall? Or maybe…” The slime watched and waited, hoping to be able to escape this fight in one piece.

The hunter did not make it wait long. He lunged forward, sword held high, and the little slime hero bounced beneath the adven. Now safely on the other side of the madman, it cast its most powerful spell.

--- You have suffered 102 life from rebound damage.

--- You have recovered 100 life.

The Shockwave had fulfilled its desired effect of launching the unsuspecting human up and away from itself, but the wall was much stronger than the gelatinous mass had thought. The spell bounced off the wall and struck its caster. And having been subject to the destructive force that such a magical attack caused, the slime found itself hurtling away only coming to a stop when it slammed into the opposite wall, appearing to be a pancake upon it.

“Newb! Are you ok?! I felt that, and I don’t usually feel anything.” Aylia was concerned, but the little jello could not respond right at that moment. Its thoughts had turned to mush, feeling as though they were not coherent in any shape or form. “It might be time to get out of here…”

After what felt like a long time, the slime peeled off the wall and flopped to the ground. It then rose back up to its optimal roundness and collected its scattered thoughts. “Owwww…” was all it could muster.

The human was also recovering from the blast, but in the way that a rabid beast would. He growled and shook himself, the blue hair swinging about him like a mane. His eyes then settled on Newb, and all remaining humanity left them then. The hunter cried out in challenge, and the slime responded in the only sane way it could manage: it took off ‘running’.

“Aylia, any help you could offer would be very welcome right now!” the jelly called out to its resident.

“... Make a break for the weakened wall and tear it down. Then run! You are outmatched!” The genuine fear in her voice motivated the little ovoid even more to not get hit again. The true monster charged and leapt straight towards Newb. It responded by rolling under him like a tumbling rock, but it was not fast enough.

--- You have been grazed for 79 life.

--- You have healed 100 life.

While it wasn’t sure if this was more damage than a graze would have dealt to it before, Newb was not in the mood for finding out. It approached its escape route at maximum velocity, pouring its Mana into the spell like it had earlier, but with more of a haphazard haste. It felt the resistance of the wall for the briefest moment, then heard a loud *CRASH* as the spell collapsed.

“I’m free!” Newb was elated and wasted no time in beginning its descent away from the maniac with a sword.

--- You have been cleaved for 346 life. You are stunned for 5 seconds. You are bleeding for 5 seconds.

--- Your internal shell has been ruptured. Your magic and connection with the Spirit, Aylia, has been severed. You will not be able to benefit from either until your inner shell has recovered.

--- The effects of Rejuvenation have been ended prematurely.

The elation immediately left it like some of its internal fluids. The hunter had caught up and chopped open the outer shell of the little monster, chipping into the inner shell, where its Mana core resided. The only plus side was that the slime was soaring through the air at breakneck speeds, flying far away from the hunter.

The hopeful hero felt… off. Everything felt so light and the color faded away from the world around it. Its sight returned to the limited sphere as all its magic based abilities deactivated. Its consciousness was slipping, but it couldn’t shake the feeling that something was very wrong. What did... that box... say? It thought, trying to cling to something. My… connection has been… severed? Is that… why… I… feel… so alone?

*************

A few minutes passed as the berserker’s rage subsided, leaving behind Captain Axis Ghiet once more. He was still breathing heavily, but was able to think clearly once more. He stared off into the sea of trees in the direction that the abnormal monster had disappeared into.

Then he checked his injuries. Between the scuffle with the late princess and… this, he had suffered a grand total of 675 life. Not the worst that he had ever been injured, but this was the first time that such an opponent had dealt so much damage with one attack.

The princess’ Judgment Spell was surprising, but because of her low Level and Stats, he had only sustained 127 life. Given that his life was around the 4 digit mark unharmed, that was a decent amount of damage, but nothing to be worried about. The slime’s Shockwave, on the other hand… The crushing force of the blast against his own solid wall had taken its toll.

I severely underestimated it, was the only conclusion he could draw from this encounter. But, that was now no matter to be concerned with. Axis looked down at the viscous goop that lay smattered upon the ground. Though it had not been his intention to use one of his most powerful Attack Arts, the ‘Soul Shatter’ Art was a force that no monster had ever survived before.

The slime was certain to not have survived its fall, even if it took no damage from hitting any obstacles or the ground. Having had its outer and inner shell ruptured, the shock to its system would certainly kill it. Or the bleeding. But, something was nagging at the edge of his mind… a slight possibility of something that he thought was an impossibility.

“And even if you did miraculously survive, that area of the forest is filled with the vilest of creatures. You won’t make it out alive. Not in your condition. Goodbye, slime.” With that, the lone hunter, Axis Gheit, made his way to the Forest Maze exit, and began his journey home…