Breaking down the wall wasn’t too difficult.
It would have been hard if I had done it alone with a pickaxe, but surprisingly, the slimes were a great help.
Pop!
As the slimes squeezed through the cracks and moved back and forth, the wall couldn’t hold and collapsed.
Unlike their usual smooth movement, they were forcibly exerting force this time.
“Well done, well done.”
Thanks to them, I was just creating a few cracks with my pickaxe and sucking up the rewards.
Squish!
“Aha, I am a lord. Lords do not move carelessly.”
As if to say, why are you just playing around, I spoke sternly to Mark Two who was squirming.
After a little while, the wall quickly fell, and the interior scenery was revealed.
“It’s dark in here.”
It felt eerily cold.
I took a step forward with the slimes, and as my eyes adjusted slowly, I could start to see inside.
The space itself was larger than I expected, looking like the inside of a cave.
“An altar?”
I wasn’t sure because I didn’t really know what an altar was, but it was a structure that anyone would remark looked like an altar.
Feeling that something was off, I naturally sent the slimes in first again.
“Check if there’s anything dangerous.”
Blob!
The cute, blobbing slimes spread out to inspect the surroundings. Although Poispois had initially entered and roughly scanned the area, it was still better to make sure everything was checked thoroughly.
Blob!
After about 10 minutes, the slimes returned with no issues reported.
“It’s obviously a piece, isn’t it?”
Piece.
Literally, it meant a hidden fragment.
There could be information about the history of this dungeon or about the creator of the dungeon.
It might even spawn a boss monster, or it could just be an empty space.
It could be a reward, or it could be something harmful; nobody knew what a piece might contain.
Generally, the chances were much higher that finding it would be beneficial for the finder, so I couldn’t help but be excited.
“It’s not like a monster is going to suddenly pop out of the altar, right?”
Huh? Did I just set a flag?
Creak-
As I approached, the previously still altar suddenly started to move.
As soon as I opened the top like a lid, a chilling aura burst forth from the altar.
“Ugh!”
Blub-blub!
The slimes reflexively blocked in front of me.
Although their movement to protect me was touching even in this sudden situation…
‘They’re no help at all!’
Slimes were slow and weak enough to be outmatched by an ordinary high school student.
They seemed all-powerful due to their mysterious abilities demonstrated so far, but that’s just how slimes are.
Splat!
Blorp?
I quickly scooped up three slimes into my arms.
Survive first, think later.
It’s time for a strategic retreat!
Tatatat!
As I ran swiftly, fortunately, there were no obstructions. Still, just to be safe, I ran to where the ladder was to get as far away from the wall as possible.
“Ah, not following?”
Blorp?
The three slimes looked up at me with big eyes while nestled in my arms.
I sneaked a glance behind; nothing was following. Did I imagine that strange presence?
“There was definitely something. Right?”
Blorp?
“No? But I’m sure there was something.”
Blub! Blub!
Was it an overreaction?
However, even if this place feels safe, the fact that it’s a dungeon hasn’t changed.
It’s not bad to be cautious, just in case. So, shall we go again?
Blorp!
The slimes slid down from my body and slowly made their way back to the spot where the wall had been breached.
I too matched their pace, cautiously moving forward.
“Really nothing? What was that earlier? Did I imagine it?”
As soon as we returned to the cave-like place where the wall had been breached, that inexplicably eerie and damp aura wrapped around me again.
Just as I was consoling myself that it must be the atmosphere, the slimes suddenly became agitated.
Blorp-blub!
Blub!
Their frantic behavior seemed to be calling me, so I hesitantly checked in the direction of the altar.
“What’s going on?”
As I approached the altar, I was startled by something that suddenly appeared and took a step back.
“…Ugh, what is this?”
There was a slime, shriveled and drying out. It seemed to still be alive, struggling to squirm out of the altar that had transformed like a coffin.
But its shape and color were quite unusual.
It was clear this was no ordinary slime.
“A striped yellow slime…”
Its shape wasn’t just round; it had features like a cat’s ears. Of course, it looked like that, but it was still a slime.
“Ah, I can just check, right?”
I realized I could call up the slime’s status screen.
I continued to watch the creature struggling to come out of the altar.
[?? Slime LV.10]
This is no ordinary slime.
[Sealed state.]
‘Ability to synthesize liquids’
[Ability: ??]
I scratched my head looking at the status window that promptly appeared. This system had not a single helpful feature.
“I can tell it’s not ordinary just by looking at it. And what’s with these question marks? And what about the seal?”
Anyway, since it was a slime after all, I wondered if I could make it mine.
“Hey, kid. Can you hear what I’m saying?”
Slooosh—
As soon as it heard me, it just slumped down. It didn’t look very well, so I left it to the slimes and went to check if there was any food left.
“Sheesh, there’s hardly anything left.”
These gluttonous creatures.
The tomatoes that were left were almost gone.
Still, seeing the second generation of crystal tomatoes that were now growing gave me some relief, but to sustain the growing number of slimes…
“Well, that’s why I planted a lot more underground.”
I planted seven types of crops.
It was getting a bit complicated to calculate everything, but I didn’t mind and planned to try various things.
With the remaining tomatoes, I approached the slime stuck like dead in the altar and handed it a tomato.
“Here, eat this and cheer up.”
Slooosh?
The creature still looked weak but moved with effort upon seeing the tomato in my hand.
Then it seemed to eat the tiny cherry tomatoes, one by one, at the spot I assumed to be its mouth.
“How is it? Tasty?”
Slooosh—
The slime looked around for more after eating the tomatoes. Unfortunately, that was all the tomatoes I had.
“Just hang in there for one day. I’ll harvest more tomatoes tomorrow. I should be able to harvest some Laylas by then too, and I’ll give you one specially.”
I had planted a total of 30 Laylas.
I was worried because I couldn’t plant many due to the lack of seeds, but fortunately, all of them grew without any falling behind.
I had planned to give one to each of the slimes from the beginning, but I hadn’t factored in this mutant slime.
‘But what can I do? It’s part of my family now.’
All slimes were my family.
And I thought I would be quite happy if this unique one became my minion.
It was a creature not found in the monster encyclopedia I had studied while researching Awakeners.
“What should I call you? Your level is 10, so how about Ten?”
Poooh—
“You don’t like that? Then how about Question, since you’re a mystery?”
Poooh—
“You keep making that ‘poooh poooh’ sound, so how about I call you Pooh?”
Poooh!
It seemed to complain again, but sorry, I can only understand the nuances.
Regardless of whether it liked it or not, I decided to call it Pooh and helped it out of the altar.
“Was this altar actually a coffin? Ugh!”
I almost fell through suddenly but managed to regain my balance using the exceptional physical abilities of an Awakener.
Curious, I looked again, and as I helped Pooh out, the altar split open, revealing stairs.
“Stairs? A secret room? Treasure?”
My thoughts naturally drifted to treasure.
It seems like in my past life, I must have died with treasure right before my eyes.
Startled!
Once again about to act unconsciously, I managed to stop myself.
What am I thinking there could be down there!
“Pooh, do you know if there’s something down here?”
Poooh— Poooh!
“I can’t understand what you’re saying?”
After eating the tomato, Pooh seemed to have regained some energy and was earnestly trying to explain something, but I couldn’t understand at all. Its language was much more advanced than that of my other slimes.
“So, it’s really a level 10 slime, huh.”
Now that I think about it, for a level 10, it doesn’t have much going for it. Of course, it’s said to be sealed, but, well.
I really should go out and gather some information about this seal. The chances of finding the answers I want are extremely low, but I have to try something.
“Can this thing be closed?”
I wanted to check later rather than right now.
For now, sleep.
I’ve been up for three nights already. Physically, I’m fine, but mentally tired. I’ve been through a lot all at once.
Pooh!
Then Pooh rubbed against the altar, and the door that opened the stairs closed.
“Oh, so you are somehow connected to this?”
Since Pooh was found here, it’s highly likely that whatever is down those stairs has something to do with Pooh.
Well, it’s a slime dungeon, and considering it awakened my powers as the slime lord, it’s not surprising that a level 10 slime is here.
There’s probably something related to slimes below those stairs too.
‘Come to think of it, it goes underground again. Could it be leading continuously underground?’
I thought this dungeon was only about 200 pyeong, but it keeps revealing more underground. The landlord, or rather, the dungeon owner, would probably ask for more money if they knew.
I need to make money fast and buy this dungeon.
“Okay, okay. Everyone’s had their fun, now it’s time to work.”
Blorp?!
They seemed incredulous as if they were wondering when they had ever played, but I still don’t quite understand slime language.
Nevertheless, they started working diligently again, all except for one.
“Hm? What are you doing here? You should work too.”
Pooh—
As I smiled and spoke, Pooh staggered after the other slimes.
Hmm, it still doesn’t seem to be in good shape.
I wasn’t a ruthless boss.
I was a very kind boss who knew how to think about welfare.
“Pooh! Since you’re not well yet, manage the upper area instead. There’s much less work up there since there’s not much to do compared to here!”
Haha, what a kind boss I am!
Moreover, the rookie was already managing things up there, so there wouldn’t be much work to do.
“Show the dignity of level 10! You can do it, Pooh!”
Was that silence just my imagination?
Regardless, another new family member had joined, and my farm was becoming more colorful.
“Maybe I should get some sleep now.”
I felt unusually high-spirited, probably because I was tired.
“Set the alarm, and, mmm.”
I watched Pooh and the rookie one last time before drifting off to sleep.
One slime, two slimes, three slimes…
Cliche Novel 