Chapter 38 - Failure

Failure

Slimes.

They are the representative of the monsters that appeared in the early stages of RPGs. (T/N: role-playing game)

They were usually set as one of the weakest monsters in the game.

I kind of feel dreaded right now.

It’s not the type of dread I felt when I could sense an approaching talon hidden in the wind.

It’s just that, seeing the first monster that I had encountered after finally leaving the ruins, it reminded me that the monsters in that ruins were actually really powerful.

[Those slimes doesn’t look like they have anything golden on them…]

Most of the monsters that I have encountered so far have eyes that glow in gold.

Even that horse monster whose upper body was a carnivorous plant had a part that looks like a golden eyeball.

The only monster that I’ve encountered which doesn’t have a golden eyeball were the dragon zombies… well, they don’t have eyes in the first place.

Anyway, there are no golden parts in the slime.

[……….]

It seems they haven’t noticed me at all.

It’s not that they just don’t have any eyes.

It’s because…

[Pigyuu!]

[Pi, gigiii… gii…..]

[Giii!]

[Gyuii!?]

[Giii!]

[Piii!? Pyiiiii….]

[Giii!]

[Kyuuu!? Kyyuuuuoo…]

There was a fight going on.

No— Can something like this be called a fight?

Rather, it’s more like a one-sided bullying.

There was a smaller slime mixed in their group.

That slime is now being cornered and attacked by five other slimes.

The smaller slime retreats away from them as if it’s frightened from the others.

[S- Stop it…!] (T/N: ya- yamete yo~! ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) )

It’s as if I could hear a voice like that.

They don’t look like they’re just playing around.

I decided to just keep on looking at them for now.

The smaller slime looks as if it was being stomped.

It’s as if the smaller slime’s head is pressed down on the ground.

I can’t help but unintentionally murmur.

[…That’s no good.]

It’s not that it can’t ask others for help.

It’s just that, that helping hand you’re expecting may not come.

You have to struggle.

The first thing you should rely on is not the help of others, you should rely on your own strength.

[Piiyyyyiiiii…]

The color of the smaller slime gets thinner and thinner.

Or rather… isn’t it getting closer to gray?

Are the other slimes okay when they’re about to kill someone of their own race?

Their killing intent is hard to read compared to the monsters in the ruins.

Is it because they were weak monsters?

It’s difficult for me to tell whether they really want to kill that slime or not.

It’s no good.

It was when I was thinking like that.

[Pigyuuuiiiiiiii—!]

The smaller slime leapt after its color became paler than before.

Gooo!

Gaaa!

A hard sound resounded as the other slimes were struck by the smaller slime.

It seems that it had restored part of its body after it attacked.

[Pyyiiiiii! Biiggyyyyaa!]

[Piggiiii! Giiii!]

But…

[Pigyyiiiii— Gyukuuu!?]

The smaller slime was being overwhelmed by the other slimes greater number.

It’s one against five.

It also have a smaller body compared to the others.

[Gigigi! Giiii!]

[Gyuuu!? Kyuuu!?]

There’s no way it can win.

To put it simply…

[This much should be fine already.]

The edges of my mouth had spontaneously sprung up.

I push through the bushes and walk in the direction of the slimes.

I stuck out my arms towards them.

[<Paralyze>]

The slimes have stopped moving.

[Giggyyoohh!?]

The slimes looks as if they’re confused by their current situation.

[<Poison>]

I invoked <Poison> towards those five slimes.

The slimes seemed to be dyed into the color of poison.

In the edge of my field of vision, a semi-transparent <Lethal> tag showed up.

[So, this is where I change the settings, huh…?]

I tapped on the displayed tag once.

I could hear a click after I tapped the display.

And the <Lethal> tag on the display switched to <Non-Lethal>.

[I was lucky I have encountered some monsters for me to try this out.]

Sensing my approach, the slimes seem to be getting more frightened as I get nearer.

Are they afraid of death?

Or perhaps, are they afraid of me?

I can’t feel if I’m releasing any killing intent, but perhaps may be they can feel it?

[Mogogogogogo…!?]

[Pugigiiiii…]

I look down at the five slimes at the ground.

[Kuku… I know that suddenly intruding is immature so I’m going to sorry right now. It’s just that— seeing multiple creatures someone who is smaller and weaker, it’s not a pleasant sight to see… That’s why, for my self-satisfaction, I decided to meddle a little bit.]

Specifying multiple targets…

I tapped the <Release> tag displayed on the direction of the isolated slime while disregarding the <Release> tags next to the other five’s yellow gauges.

After tapping, the display has changed to <YES/NO>.

I pressed the <YES> tag once.

The poison in its body has been released.

I put away the smile on my face.

[Step aside.]

The slime that have become paler retreated away.

I still haven’t released my vigilance even if they were out of my sight.

[Kyuuuoooo…]

[Pigigi…]

This slime looks as if it’s dragging its legs as it stepped aside.

I’m confident on winning against these slimes now that the number in my status is high.

I was completely sure.

In addition, I think it’s on the verge of dying because of my poison.

I think that I’d even be able to kill it with one poke.

The five slimes disappeared after a few seconds.

I turned towards the remaining slime.

[I don’t think that’s what you could call a very good experience… It’s a bit too much to kill someone without even listening to him, especially when you’re a member of his family.]

It’s not normal for a family to turn their killing intent towards their own child.

Well, it had become “normal” for me back then, but…

I talked to the small smile.

[I’m also going remove the “reason” why you can’t move… so after that, you’re on your own now.. Ah… I don’t feel like killing you so you can be relieved.]

Is it because I feel like I can finally understand what are the thoughts that they are trying to say with their words just like that time with the Soul Eater?

I talked to the monster along with some bodily movement so that it could easily understand.

I don’t know if it had actually understood what I said.

I went closer to the small smile and crouched down.

[It’s just for a bit, but I’m going to say something that may seem too smug for me.]

[Pigi?]

It’s not afraid at all.

It’s quite a weird one.

[I’m sorry that I am late on my assistance. But I guess… well done. I was relieved when you had fought back against them.]

[Piiiii!]

[…even if you could already move, don’t attack me, okay?]

[Piiii!]

I have a feeling that we are actually conversing with each other…

It may also be just my imagination.

I canceled the <Paralyze> on its body.

[Piii! Piii! Pyiii!]

Hmm?

It’s color had turned back…

It seems that slimes recover its health after some time.

I stood up.

[Goodbye then, get strong from now on.]

Saying something that makes me too smug again, I picked up my leather bag and wore it over my shoulder.

Turning my back towards the slime, I left.

For the time being, I want able to try out the additional functions of my skills.

There was a bit of a nuance where I had to sort through my emotions, but I’ve answered the main question that had been troubling me.

It’s not bad at all.

These new functions of my skills seems to be useful.

It’s about some distance away from where the situation with the slimes have happened…

[……..]

The sound of rustling bushes could be heard.

Gasa gasa~ (T/N: rustling sfx)

It’s just as I thought.

I turned towards the sound as I sighed a bit.

Appearing with a leaf above it’s body, the small slime seems to have followed me.

I scratch my forehead with my fingertip.

[Aren’t you going to go back where your kind lives? They’re not the only friends you have, right?]

[Pigiiiii…]

The slime looked a bit devastated by my words.

It’s as if it’s hanging down its head.

I turned back…

…And started walking again.

After walking for quite a while, I stopped and turned back.

[Pyiiii…]

I give up.

[Do you want to follow me from now on?]

[…Pyi?]

“Is it no good?”

Is it because the creatures that I have encountered in the ruins are just monsters?

I can somehow grasp what it’s trying to say.

[Slime huh…]

I can’t really call it a ferocious monster but…

How should I say it?

I can’t feel its “eeriness” unlike from those monsters in the ruins.

For example– like those monsters with golden eyes.

I can’t feel anything like that at all.

Are there monsters in this world that are considered as not dangerous to humans?

No… Now that I think about it, what’s their difference with humans?

There are humans just like Kirihara and Oyamada, and there are also humans that are like Sogou and Kashima.

[Though I say that… I don’t even know if I can bring monsters into towns and villages…]

[Puyyyuuu…]

I feel that it’s really depressed.

Why is it that this situation brings back memoriesof my past?

I once took a weak cat to a vet.

If I remember correctly— I’m sure that I went there with one of my classmates, Kashima Kobato.

The reason that this suddenly came to my mind was because Kashima’s name was brought up earlier.

Anyway, Kashima took care of the cat after that.

My aunt was allergic to cat fur.

That’s why I could keep the cat for myself.

When I was about to leave the veterinary hospital, I saw the face of the cat.

It looked really anxious.

“I’m glad that I was saved. But what am I supposed to do from now on?”

I feel like I’ve heard a mysterious forlorn voice.

There’s no collar on the neck of the cat.

I think it was a stray cat.

That cat had been alone.

There were no cats that would be looking out for it.

It would have to wander about all by its lonesome.

At that time, I felt that I had some mysterious affinity with that cat.

I understood the reason.

Perhaps, that cat was the same with the current “us”.

[I see, so you too–]

Someone one’s lonely after being excluded from the group.

[—are a failure, just like me?]