Chapter 19: The Limits of Growth
The next morning...
The little slime woke Tanaka up by bouncing on his head
Boing!
Tanaka peeled the little slime off of his body slowly
You’re becoming my alarm clock, aren’t you?
The little slime bounced proudly.
Apparently, it was the plan all along.
Outside the cave, the wolves were already up.
The Alpha stood near the edge of the forest, watching the trees with sharp eyes as the rest of the pack stretched and got ready to begin their patrol.
Nothing unusual.
The forest was quiet.
It was time for the dungeon.
The hunting party entered soon after sunrise.
There were now four slimes with the Leap ability.
Tanaka wanted to see what difference one ability could make.
The first floor greeted them with the familiar sound of grinding stone.
Six Stone Creatures came out of the darkness.
Tanaka stood at the back.
Your turn.
The lead hunting slime understood what his job was.
It bounced forward.
The other three slimes with the Leap ability followed right behind.
The monsters charged.
The first slime contracted itself.
Leap!
It flew over the head of a stone creature.
Instead of attacking the monster’s head, it rammed into the creature’s exposed Magic Core from behind.
CRACK!
The Stone Creature exploded instantly.
The other slimes bounced excitedly.
The other Stone Creatures attacked together.
The little slime bounced into the air.
Its landing was bad.
It flew past the creature it was aiming for and smashed its head into the ceiling. It slid down the wall and rolled along the floor.
Before anyone could react
It ran into the legs of another Stone Creature, sending it flying. The hunting slimes shattered the creature’s core.
Silence.
The little slime slowly pulled itself to its feet.
Boing.
Tanaka was laughing so hard inside he was surprised he didn’t start bouncing himself.
You meant to do that... right?
The little slime proudly puffed itself up.
Tanaka wasn’t so sure.
By midday...
The fights were getting harder.
The first floor no longer provided easy pickings.
The slimes were defeating every group they faced, protecting each other, rotating so that no one slime was always on the front lines, and finishing off the weakened monsters together.
Tanaka barely had to do anything.
They’re really coming along...
The second floor was different.
The Crimson Fang Wolves had apparently accepted the slime village’s presence in the dungeon. Instead of attacking, several wolves watched the training matches from the sidelines.
Some young wolves tried to mimic the slimes’ bouncing technique.
They didn’t fare so well.
The little slime watched the wolves with what might have been pity.
Deeper inside the dungeon...
The hunting party entered another chamber.
Blue mana crystals lit up the walls and the air felt heavier. Tanaka slowed. This room was different. A deep growl echoed from below the floor.
The ground cracked open and a giant arm made of solid crystal came up from the earth.
Another arm followed.
A giant golem made of crystal climbed out of the floor.
Unlike the Stone Creatures, this one’s body was made almost entirely of glowing blue crystal.
Its Magic Core burned within its chest.
Tanaka immediately activated his Mana Sense.
The core was dense and stable, its mana far more condensed than anything he had seen before.
His instincts screamed at him.
A guardian made of compacted mana.
Not something they could overwhelm through sheer numbers.
All the slimes froze.
Even the wolves that had been watching became silent.
Tanaka’s mind raced.
We’re not ready.
The Crystal Golem raised one giant fist and brought it down on the floor with a BOOOOM!!
Several slimes were sent flying.
Tanaka immediately bounced into the air.
Leap!
He flew at the giant’s arm and crashed into it with Earth Impact.
The impact sent shockwaves through the room.
The golem didn’t move.
Tanaka blinked.
Seriously?
The giant casually swung its other arm. Tanaka barely got out of the way. The hunting slimes attacked together. They pummeled the giant’s legs. Tanaka winced as he watched the slimes bounce away. Small cracks had formed in the golem’s legs, but they quickly repaired themselves.
Tanaka frowned. What was regenerative like them?
The little slime pointed at the glowing core in the giant’s chest. Then it looked at Tanaka. Tanaka’s eyes widened.
The core!
Of course!
They weren’t successful with attacking the body. They had to destroy the core! Tanaka immediately signaled the others. The slimes understood. Instead of attacking the golem’s body, they distracted it.
One group attacked its legs while another circled around to the back. The wolves darted in and out, drawing the giant’s attention before disappearing again. The slimes and wolves fought as one.
Perfectly.
Tanaka waited.
The Crystal Golem raised both of its fists. The slimes scattered. The golem’s chest was completely exposed.
Now!
Tanaka contracted himself. A surge of mana coursed through his body.
Leap!
He shot forward like a blue streak.
The Crystal Golem didn’t have time to react.
EARTH IMPACT!!
Tanaka’s body slammed into the glowing Magic Core.
CRAAACK!!
The room trembled as cracks spread out from the impact. The giant froze, it’s body shook. Surprisingly, the cracks stopped. The Magic Core remained intact.
Tanaka landed on the ground, panting. The impact was not enough. The Crystal Golem slowly turned to face him. This slime was the most dangerous of all of them. Its fists glowed with condensed mana.
Tanaka’s instincts screamed at him to get away. This attack was different. Much stronger than before. The slimes instinctively moved away.
Even the wolves lowered their bodies.
Tanaka didn’t move. He activated Devourer.
The Crystal Golem released a torrent of blue mana. Tanaka was swallowed whole by the stream. Pain shot through his body. Devourer opened as wide as it could.
The mana inside him surged endlessly till it was too much. His body shook violently. And he shivered. He immediately expelled the excess energy.
The wasted mana dissipated uselessly into the ceiling. The Crystal Golem’s attack ceased.
Silence filled the room.
Tanaka remained standing, his body shaking. He barely had enough mana to remain conscious.
So that’s my limit...
Devourer wasn’t an endless well yet. It still had limitations. The realization was worth it. The Crystal Golem slowly lowered its arms. Instead of attacking again, it took a step back.
Its glowing body began to sink into the floor. Within moments, it had vanished completely.
The room fell silent.
Tanaka stared at the glowing crystals in the walls.
"It ran away?"
The little slime bounced beside him.
Boing!
The slimes were just as surprised.
The guardian had simply decided they weren’t worth finishing.
Tanaka looked toward the glowing crystal floor.
A smile formed inside his thoughts.
"Interesting. So we are unworthy of even being defeated. Good. That means we’ll meet again. And we would have changed."