"Time to clear this dungeon...though, I used more energy than expected fighting those two, guess elite ranks are no joke." Vell said as he entered the dungeon.
Stone steps descended into shadow, moss-covered walls glistening with moisture in the faint light that filtered from above. He paused at the threshold, rolling his shoulders to loosen the tension that had built during his fight.
"Highest ranked dungeon," he muttered, summoning a small ball of light that hovered above his palm. "Let’s see what you’ve got for me."
[Are you sure you’re okay to continue? Those two took more out of you than you’re admitting.]
He snorted, flexing his fingers as he started down the steps. "I’m fine. Elite rank or not, they weren’t prepared for what I’ve become. This dungeon should be a good way to recover some energy."
The air grew heavier as he descended, carrying the unmistakable scent of earth and something else—something sickeningly sweet that made his steps falter momentarily. His light illuminated puddles of clear liquid on the ground, reflecting the glow like tiny mirrors scattered across the dungeon floor.
[Is that....]
He crouched to examine one of the puddles without touching it. The liquid quivered slightly, as if responding to his presence. "Slimes," he said, his voice flat. "This is a slime dungeon."
He stood abruptly, continuing deeper into the passageway, but his relaxed demeanor had vanished. His jaw tightened, and his eyes darted from shadow to shadow with renewed vigilance.
The first chamber opened before him—a vast cavern with a high ceiling covered in stalactites that dripped constant moisture. Shallow pools dotted the floor, and in them, small, semi-transparent creatures wobbled and jiggled, their gelatinous bodies catching the light of his power.
"Basic slimes," he assessed, stepping carefully around the pools. "Almost no threat."
[Master, if this is too difficult, we can find another—]
"I’m fine," he cut her off, his voice sharper than intended. He took a deep breath, centering himself. "Sorry. Let’s just get through this."
The slimes noticed him now, their amorphous bodies quivering as they sensed his presence. They began to move toward him, slow and undulating, leaving glistening trails in their wake.
He watched them approach, his expression unreadable.
With a flick of his wrist, he summoned one of his katanas, the blade materializing in his hand with a whisper of mana. The slimes continued their approach, unaware of the danger. When the first one came within range, he sliced through it with mechanical precision. The creature split cleanly in two, its body dissolving into a puddle of clear liquid that sparkled with tiny motes of mana.
"Too easy," he murmured, but there was no satisfaction in his voice. He moved through the chamber methodically, dispatching each slime with quick, efficient strikes. Yet with each kill, his movements became slightly more aggressive, his cuts deeper than necessary.
[you’re pushing too hard. These are just basic monsters. Conserve your strength.]
He didn’t respond, focusing instead on clearing the chamber. When the last slime had been reduced to a shimmering puddle, he paused, breathing harder than the exertion warranted.
His grip on the katana was white-knuckled.
"Mia and Sia would have loved this place," he said finally, his voice barely audible. "All these monsters to play with."
The memory hit him like a physical blow.
He shook his head, banishing the memories as he moved toward the passage that led deeper into the dungeon. "Let’s keep moving," he said, his voice hollow. "This dungeon won’t clear itself."
The next chamber was larger, with a ceiling that disappeared into darkness above. Here, the slimes were different—larger, with cores of various colors visible within their transparent bodies. Some glowed with a faint inner light, while others had crystalline structures floating within them.
"Elemental slimes," he noted. "Fire, water, earth... the usual types."
A red-cored slime spotted him and surged forward, its body heating visibly until drops of its surface began to sizzle and steam. He sidestepped its charge, his katana slicing through its body. The core remained intact, falling to the ground with a clinking sound.
"Sloppy," he muttered to himself, quickly dispatching the core with a second strike. "Can’t leave the cores intact or they’ll regenerate."
More slimes approached, drawn by the commotion. A blue-cored water slime launched a jet of pressurized liquid that he barely managed to dodge. The water struck the wall behind him, gouging out a chunk of stone.
"These have some bite to them," he admitted, summoning his second katana. The dual blades hummed with energy as he settled into a fighting stance.
[master, your mana signature is fluctuating,] she warned. [This place is clearly affecting you.]
"I told you, I’m fine," he insisted, though the tremor in his voice betrayed him. "Just fighting memories, that’s all."
He launched himself into the gathering slimes, his blades a blur of motion. Water slimes burst into harmless droplets, fire slimes hissed into steam, and earth slimes crumbled to dust as he cut through them with increasing fury. Each strike was accompanied by a grunt of effort or a barely suppressed sound of pain that had nothing to do with physical exertion.
An image flashed in his mind: Mia and Sia, huddled together in his arms, their warmth and joy.
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He shook his head, trying to clear the image of his kids from his mind. His hands trembled slightly as he gripped his katanas tighter.
"Focus," he whispered to himself. "Just another dungeon run."
He moved deeper into the chamber, stepping carefully around the remnants of slimes he already defeated. The cores of the elemental slimes glittered on the ground, tiny stars in a constellation of battle.
[You should collect those cores. They might be useful later.]
"Right." he nodded, gathering the cores into a small pouch at his belt. The familiar motion helped steady him, giving his hands something to do besides shake.
As he reached for a particularly bright fire core, a movement caught his eye. He turned just in time to see a large slime dropping from the ceiling, its body a swirling mix of colors.
"Rare variant huh," he muttered, rolling away as the slime crashed into the spot where he’d been standing. The impact sent tremors through the ground, and its body rippled with energy.
The slime pulsed, changing colors rapidly—red, blue, green, yellow—each shift bringing a new elemental property to its form. It suddenly extended a tendril toward it, the appendage crackling with electricity.
"Lightning element too? That’s not fair," he said with a grim smile, dodging the attack. The tendril struck the wall behind him, leaving a scorched mark on the stone.
He circled the slime cautiously, looking for an opening. The creature tracked his movements, its body constantly shifting and changing.
"You know," he said conversationally as he feinted left, then darted right, "Sia was afraid of thunder. Every time a storm came, she’d hide under my cloak." He slashed at the slime, his blade cutting through its gelatinous form but missing the core. The wound closed almost immediately.
The slime lunged again, this time its body burning with intense heat.
"Mia, though," he continued, ducking under the attack, "she loved storms. Would sit by the window and watch lightning for hours." His voice grew softer. "They were so different, but always together."
[Master, perhaps now isn’t the best time for reminiscing,] she suggested as the slime suddenly split into three smaller versions of itself.
"Maybe you’re right." his expression hardened as he faced the three slimes. "But sometimes memories are all I have left."
He channeled energy into his blades, causing them to glow with a pale blue light. With practiced precision, he launched himself at the nearest slime, his katanas cutting in a cross pattern that sliced through to the core. The slime burst, its essence scattering.
The other two slimes converged on him, one freezing the ground beneath his feet while the other launched acidic projectiles at him. he stumbled on the ice but managed to deflect the acid with his blades.
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"They’re coordinating," he observed with grudging respect. "Slimes aren’t supposed to be this smart. Unless they are evolved like my kids were."
[This dungeon is high-ranked for a reason.]
He regained his footing and took a deep breath, centering himself. "No more distractions," he promised, though his mind still flickered with images of his lost companions.
He moved with renewed focus, his blades dancing through the air as he engaged the remaining slimes. One fell quickly to his concentrated assault, its core cleaved in two before it could react.
The last slime, perhaps sensing its impending defeat, began to swell, its body expanding rapidly.
"It’s going to explode!" He realized, diving behind a rock formation just as it burst. A wave of chaotic energy washed over the chamber, leaving scorch marks, ice crystals, and corroded stone in its wake.
He emerged from cover, surveying the damage. "That was... intense," he admitted, breathing heavily.
[Are you injured?]
He checked himself. "Nothing serious."
His eyes fell on a small, iridescent puddle near where the slime had been. Within it floated a tiny, half-formed slime—blue on one side, pink on the other.
His breath caught. "It looks just like..."
[Master, don’t—]
But he was already kneeling beside the puddle. The tiny slime quivered, seemingly afraid.
"Hey there," he said softly, his voice thick with emotion. "It’s okay. I won’t hurt you."
The slime trembled, then cautiously extended a tiny pseudopod toward him. He remained perfectly still, letting the creature decide whether to trust him.
The moment it touched him, he was flown towards the wall so hard that blood burst from his mouth and he felt bone cracking.
"what the fuck?" He coughed.