Before taking any action, it’s always good to check with my security.

  "Why didn’t you call me?! Look at that weremonkey—if they were a threat, we’d be in danger!" They really could’ve alerted me.

  "...No threats, we ooze strong! Funny smell weak. Past Henrique killed a bunch with us. Din wanted to call, siblings said no. River ahead, river ahead!..." At least Din had the right idea.

  "Next time, call me. Din was the only one who thought of what’s right in this situation." Time to use their rivalry for my benefit.

  "...Understood. We ooze will call when funny smell shows up. Funny smell weak! Not that—Henrique wants to know when we reach destiny! Din wrong, Din wrong!..." I should’ve expected that.

  "No, that’s not it! Alright, forget about it. Din, next time something like this happens, call me." At least someone got it.

  "...Din will, Henrique! Din dumb, Din dumb! Din not dumb—praised by Henrique!..." They’re really full of energy.

  Like that weremonkey, it’s best to see what he wants.

  First, though, time to use the slime spell. My right hand’s skin slowly gets covered by the now blood-slime skin. The sensation of my hand changing, the gauntlet made by Din feeling like my own arm. I don’t feel temperature, pain, or anything like that. It’s like every movement I make is translated to the gauntlet.

  How would it feel to have this all over my body? Soon, with a surge of my divine spell and blood-slime skin spell, my entire body felt the same experience.

  Even my head. Touching my face, I finally felt the resistance of something. As I suspected, Xeen, the medic, really became a helmet. Strangely, it doesn’t seem to have any openings. How can I see everything around me? Let’s just accept it as it is.

  Maybe later, I should talk with the slimes to see if they have spells like me.

  "...Red jelly power!" Their mindspeak yelled in unison, radiating a feeling of happiness.

  "Yes, I changed that stinky metal for red slime." A choice I hope I won’t regret.

  "...Red slime? Maybe another red jelly power name. Metal stinky, red jelly power better! Red slime cool name! Din bad taste, bad taste!..." It seems they’re all happy overall.

  Each of my steps felt like my own choice, even though each one is micromanaged by the slimes, like some sort of muscle memory. The uneven floor of the riverbed proved no obstacle to me.

  I can’t wait to see how this performs in battle, even though I’ve wasted two-thirds of my energy. Better to fight smart.

  Now, it’s time to see if I can help them—and if they’re not foolish enough to betray me.

  The weremonkey seems smart, not making any sudden movements toward me. Would I be afraid of him, though? No, but I’ll be careful enough to survive.

  Which means having a plan to run away. Not that I’ve used it much lately.

  Alright, I’m feeling a little arrogant right now. When I get my ass handed to me, I’ll tone it down.

  For now, I’ll enjoy it.

  Nearing the weremonkey, the only thing I could hear were grunts and wails. These guys are real monkeys. Would mindspeak work?

  At least he knows how to call for help when his friends are being cooked.

  "Hey oozes, could you try speaking to this screaming weremonkey? Say that I’ll help, but if any of them approach behind my back or show any hostility, they’re slime food." Maybe this will encourage the slimes too.

  "...No slimes! Oozes!..." Not even my protégé, Din, is trying to defend me. Oh well.

  After watching the weremonkey suddenly stop, bend down, and wail, I knew he got it. Honestly, I felt a little bad for him. Imagine having your friends or family dying to wild tentacles.

  However, I need to look out for myself, especially when my energy is so low. Showing strength is half the battle.

  "...Funny smell understand. Promise reward for help. Funny smell crybaby. Din crybaby, Din crybaby. Not Din—monkey is crybaby..." I’m most surprised that it worked. Nevertheless, rewards are always good.

  I bet the monkey said something more useful. Depending on slimes isn’t the way. I need to learn mindspeak myself.

  Nodding at the furred humanoid, I strolled toward the mayhem.

  As I approached, there was no way not to have second thoughts. The tentacles are massive, like pythons from cheap movies, strangling their victims in a blink.

  Nevertheless, I want to see how my blood-slime skin is useful. Otherwise, I’ll regret losing my metallic blood skin.

  My adrenaline pumped, my mutated glands doing their thing.

  Slowly, I felt my skin prickling. A tentacle slashed at me, trying to catch another victim.

  It would’ve worked if it were just me, but the slimes took control, executing a mortal forward. I couldn’t help but think, why can’t they use a tendril to increase their range of movement even more?

  Like a man living in a cave, I finally saw the light. My will made the command, and a tendril shot forward, striking the soil. Sadly, after a weak push, the tendril lost purchase and slowly retracted back into the armor.

  No problem—I’ll get the hang of it.

  Another tentacle tries to grab me from below. Jumping high, I couldn’t stop thinking of a combo I remember seeing in a game. It was with chains, but slime tendrils could surely work.

  I willed it, and the slimes obeys, grabbing the tentacle. The tentacle pushes me forward, amplifying the power of gravity, making me fall like a boulder. Wielding it like a great sword, as I’d seen in games, the slimes took hold, transforming my pathetic attempt into one that would yield results.

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  Hands in the right places, firm but malleable, using the weapon’s own weight to leverage our strength.

  Expanding its size, the slime blade cut down like a guillotine. It wasn’t enough. The blade met meat and blood but didn’t bisect the tentacle.

  If it were up to me, I’d have fallen like a tomato. Nevertheless, the slimes took hold, our bond deepening, my thoughts flowing through them.

  Four platinum tendrils shot down, reducing the impact of my fall and making it easier for me to regain my balance.

  Looking up to see my work, I realize how screwed I am. The tentacle regenerates in real time. Yes, this time, I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.

  Run time.

  The river froths, the sound drawing my attention. I expected the beast would show itself.

  I got my expectations more or less right.

  The river calmed, becoming tranquil as if nothing has happened.

  I wish I could say the same about the riverbed. A wave of tentacles surges forward, all aiming for their target. Me.

  Fuck the monkeys, fuck the vampires—that’s their problem.

  There’s no way I’d run and give them my back. I learned my lesson with a bullet in the butt. Never give your back to your enemy, especially when they’re this close.

  Jumping backward, the first tentacle tries to grab my legs. The slimes, working in sync with me and my will, shot thick silver tendrils at the tentacle, pushing me back as it extended further, like two viscous arms doing push-ups.

  I love these slimes. We’ve only just met, but they already know my dumb ideas.

  Why run when I can propel myself around?

  The blue tentacles shot forward, but so did mine.

  Thick tendrils to propel, slim ones to find purchase. For the first time in this hell, I felt unbridled fun.

  What could be more fun than becoming a slime ball yourself?

  Not seeing the use in fighting anymore, the slime blade shrank back into a dagger and glued itself to my waist.

  The slimes radiated contentment—no words needed. I felt it through our connection via the blood-slime skin.

  Vaulting away from the tentacles as they tried to grab my torso. Pushing down when they tried to snake around my head.

  The number of tentacles only grew, but so did my sync with the slimes. I’m the command center; they’re my soldiers.

  Obviously, I moved my body clumsily, but the slimes fixes it. Someday, I’ll do it myself. Today is not that day.

  Rolling to the ground as tentacles speared at me, a tendril shot back, and another to the side—not at my command.

  Just as I was propelled back, I saw why. Another tentacle tried to spear me. As it rose, I finally notice the pointed end—black, gray, and sharper than it had any right to be.

  It didn’t stop me or the slimes from jumping back, using the thick tendrils to propel the jump even further, making me feel like a cannonball.

  I’d be afraid of the fall if not for the oozes.

  A bunch of silver tendrils slows my descent, taking the brunt of the impact.

  The tentacles try to reach me. They wish. Too far to reach. I’d burn them down if I had the energy.

  I didn’t, and the slimes felt a little tired.

  Anyway, I survived, and the poor sods died—

  "Oh, great Elysia, I thank you for your swift rescue of me and my bride. Even though my past master, Margonnes—rest her soul—and I were your enemies for a short time, your humble soul drew the attention of this filthy kraken so we could escape. I thank you from the bottom of my heart." The what?! Looking back, I saw the two vampires approaching, the weremonkeys carrying some of their deceased.

  So they survived. Alright, I’m a hero.

  I totally didn’t run away.

  A different feminine voice sounded in my head. The taller vampire gave a haunting smile, her fangs looking like a lamprey’s mouth.

  "We were afraid you had died as well, a victim of Aurore’s plot! Even as strong as she was, even as she undermined Margonne, you, and the other siblings to get her hands on shards. She even used spies to kill our dear Margonne!" Her hatred is palpable. It seems she really admired this Margonne. Which sibling could she be? She didn’t react to my dagger or my cape. Maybe they’re common? Though I think she’s the one who owned the saloons as her territory.

  The smaller vampire hugged the taller one.

  "We are blessed by our beloved Margonne. Even as the spies among our ranks of Dominion’s Digits massacred our own, she found it in her heart to let us escape, blessing our way out with her power. Even as she died in their clutches, we saw her use one of her bombing artifacts, taking those detestable cretins with her to their deaths."

  Fuck. Dominion’s Digit spies?! Weren’t they supposed to be loyal to you? Then why give them power?

  Would the slimes betray me? They ran away from the scene as their past master died, which seems quite fishy. If these guys wanted me dead, they could’ve done it, though.

  I can’t just think of everyone as a spy. And who would hire slimes as spies? Trying to speak to them is already a chore.

  The female vampire continues where the other left off. "You are wise to have bonded with slimes. They are simple but loyal, even if it seems a little demeaning." See? I’m right—though she’s probably not talking about me.

  Slowly, she gazes at my slime dagger, at Mia. "You are in possession of the slime weapon of Anwen! I knew you two were close, especially as he trained you since you were practically a baby! Is he... dead?" Hmm, that makes sense. So the group of slimes already knew each other.

  "Elysia?" They stared at me for a couple of seconds, as if finally noticing something. Am I fucked?

  "Why don’t you speak to us?" the female asked. "I know it’s a heavy topic, but you haven’t spared us a single word. Please don’t take this the wrong way—you don’t owe us anything, as royalty." The male added.

  Now, what the fuck do I do? Kill them? Just run away? Or come clean about who they’re speaking to?

  Too many choices, too little energy to waste using them.