I wiped the sweat coating my forehead as I stood at the edge of the clearing, my fists clenched tight at my sides. I hadn't expected this. My first quest, assigned by the system, had seemed simple enough—find and defeat Ten Devourer Slimes.
Just a beginner's task, right? But when I saw the slimes lurching toward me, their bodies pulsing with an ominous red glow, I realized the system's idea of "beginner" was still far beyond my current abilities.
The slimes weren't just small and fast, they moved with purpose, their gelatinous bodies weaving like predators locked onto prey. Every time I ducked or dodged, they adjusted their trajectory, attacking with sticky, acidic tendrils that hissed and burned whatever part of my body they touched.
I drew a deep breath as one of the slimes lunged at me. I met it with a clean, deadly punch, my fist driving through its gelatinous body. The impact sent the slime flying into a nearby tree with a wet, explosive sound.
I allowed myself a small smile. But before I could catch my breath, the air around the slime began to shimmer. Its gelatinous body trembled, then immediately reformed, its red core glowing brighter than before.
"What the---?" My eyes widened in shock.
The slime, now whole again, lurched away from the tree as if nothing had happened. As if my attack hadn't damaged it at all.
"You've got to be kidding me," I muttered, backing up as the slime attacked again, nearly catching my leg. My Health Points had already dropped by 20%. The interface flashed a red warning that made me flinch.
DING!
> Warning!! Health Points: 80/100
"Damn it!" I cursed before tapping the interface.
I quickly checked my inventory. Nothing surprising, just the essentials: one emergency flare and a potion labeled Power Booster. I hesitated as the description flickered before me:
> Power Booster
> Instantly increases physical strength by 200% for 15 minutes. One-time use.
The slimes circled me with unsettling synchronization, their glowing cores pulsing in unison, as if communicating silently, and before I could breathe, they all attacked at once.
"This is not good!" I shouted, dodging.
I evaded two slimes, but another caught my shoulder, its acidic touch burning through my tunic.
DING!
> Warning!! Health Points: 60/100
A sharp cry escaped my lips as pain spread through my arm. The slimes retreated momentarily, reforming their line, their movements disturbingly coordinated. They were no longer attacking separately, they were working together, adjusting to my every move.
My fists clenched tighter, my fingers bleeding from the relentless punching. I glanced at my inventory. "If I use this now, I'll have nothing left for later. But if I don't..."
I looked up as the slimes pulsed with that threatening red light, preparing another coordinated strike. I felt the weight of the air, the menace unmistakable.
No choice.
My hand grabbed at the inventory, seizing the potion. The bottle felt cold in my palm, almost as if mocking my hesitation.
"Alright, let's see what 200% can do," I whispered, pulling the potion from inventory and downing it in one gulp.
A surge of heat coursed through my body, spreading to my arms and legs. My muscles hardened, my veins felt like they were burning, and my fists began to tremble—not from fear, but from pure power. I flexed my fingers, marveling at the newfound strength flowing through me.
A slime attacked, but now... I didn't dodge. Instead, I pivoted and unleashed a punch into its body. The impact was like a bomb. The slime's gelatinous form rippled violently before exploding, its core shattering in a shower of light.
> Critical Hit! Devourer Slime Defeated: 1/10
I grinned. "Not so tough now, are you?"
The other slimes hesitated, their movements becoming more chaotic as if sensing the shift in power. But hesitation didn't mean retreat. Two of them charged simultaneously, one from the left and one from the right.
I ducked under one and drove my fist upward into the second. The slime burst on impact, its core destroyed. The first slime spun in the air to retaliate, but I caught it with a backhand strike, slamming it to the ground. Before it could recover, I crushed its core beneath my military boots.
> Merciless Hit! Devourer Slimes Defeated: 3/10
The remaining slimes became more cautious, circling me like predators waiting for an opening. My breathing was heavy, but the potion's power continued to burn within me. I charged forward, fists raised, challenging them to come closer.
Another slime lunged, faster than the others. I shifted my weight, barely dodging its acidic tendril, and countered with a powerful uppercut. The slime went flying upward, its core shattering before it hit the ground.
> Critical Hit! Devourer Slime Defeated: 4/10
"Four down, six to go," I muttered.
A ding rang in my ears as my interface glowed with a notification.
DING!
> Dodge Skill Unlocked. Please name your skill to activate its effect.
I barely had time to process this before another slime attacked, its gelatinous form stretching through the air like a whip. I spun to the side, dodging on pure instinct, but now, something was different.
As I dodged, an afterimage of myself flickered for a brief second before vanishing.
My eyes widened. That wasn't normal.
The system was waiting for my input. If I didn't name the skill, I couldn't use it fully.
Another slime leaped, its acidic tendrils reaching for my face. I rolled to the side, barely avoiding the attack, and gritted my teeth.
"I need a name. Something quick. Something---"
The word flooded my mind the moment the next attack came.
"Evade!"
The system blazed in response.
> Dodge Skill Registered: Evade
> Effect: When evading an attack, a ghostly afterimage lingers for 0.5 seconds, confusing enemies and increasing dodge speed by 10%.
A surge of energy swirled through my legs, and suddenly I was moving faster.
The next slime attacked, but instead of just dodging, I felt a shift. My body blurred, an afterimage of myself flickering behind me, and the slime's tendril struck only air.
The creature pulled back, confused.
I smiled. "Now we're talking."
My confidence surged. The slimes weren't invincible, I was just getting started.
With renewed strength, I charged forward, then vanished into the shadows, leaving the slimes momentarily disoriented. I emerged behind three of them, my fists faintly glowing with residual energy.
With one wide swing, I shattered two cores, their bodies collapsing into harmless puddles. The third slime tried to escape, but I pursued it, my enhanced strength allowing me to close the distance in seconds. I delivered a devastating straight punch, the impact's force cracking the ground beneath us.
> Brutal Hit! Devourer Slimes Defeated: 7/10
The final three slimes grouped together, their movements frantic and desperate. My body trembled as the potion's last strength slowly faded. My fists felt heavy, my stamina nearly depleted.
But I couldn't give up... not now.
I charged forward, weaving and spinning between their attacks. One slime struck, catching my shoulder. My health bar dropped alarmingly.
DING!
> Warning! Health Points: 30/100
I ignored the pain and delivered a series of punches, each hit precise and relentless. The first slime shattered, then the second. As the last slime attacked, I caught it mid-air and slammed it to the ground with all my remaining strength.
> Brutal Hit! Devourer Slime Defeated: 10/10
I collapsed to my knees, my chest heaving as I gasped for air. The clearing was quiet now, except for the soft hum of the interface displaying my rewards.
DING!
> Quest Completed!
> Devourer Slimes Defeated: 10/10
> Rewards: 100 Pesos, 50 XP
I let out a shaky laugh, my fists still trembling from the battle. "That was way harder than it should've been."
My health bar flashed ominously.
DING!
> Warning! Health Points: 10/100
I sighed, forcing myself to stand. "Looks like I need healing," I said to myself while checking the Quest Log and notifications.
I noticed a message indicating a Healing Skill was locked. I examined it carefully, reading the information:
> Healing Skill: (Locked) Unlock at Level 20
"Level 20? That's so far away!" I sighed. "I need to level up if I want to heal quickly. But how can I level up when I have no health left?"
As I opened my interface, another notification appeared before me:
DING!
> Return to Ustina. Buy a Healing Potion from any Potion Shop.
"So Ustina is the name of that futuristic town..." I murmured. "Okay, looks like I have no other choice."
Without hesitation, I headed back to Ustina, weak and hungry. My body's energy was nearly depleted, and my health points were close to zero.