Blame the Giant Busan Gate (3)!

I flew toward the source of the scream, and that's when I spotted her—a woman covered head to toe in slimes. She was dressed in something like a nurse's uniform, white mixed with pink, topped with a hat bearing a green cross.

"Don't move. Just stay still."

As I reached out my hand, she looked up at me in an instant.

Numerous magic circles floated up around her. Then, with a flash of light—

Thwack!—Psssh—

The slimes pierced by the lines evaporated from the intense heat, vanishing into thin air.

In the meantime, the woman who'd been staring at me with trembling eyes snapped out of it and scrambled to her feet.

"A-a person...?"

"Yeah, a person. No horns or tail, so it's 'cause my race isn't human."

"Thank you... I really thought I was done for."

Dying to slimes? Even for a support hunter, isn't that a bit too weak...?

"Wh-what's your name...?"

"Goldie. You're a healer, right?"

"Yes, that's right. I'm Kim Da-jung."

Thud!—

"Eek! That sword's too fast!"

"Ah! Da-jung-ssi?"

"It really was Da-jung-ssi! But it looks like cleanup's already done-da."

"Ah, yeah. This person saved me. But... are you a mage?"

She must've seen me casting magic earlier and pegged me as a magic-type hunter. ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠Well... I do use magic, so it's not wrong. But pinpointing me as a "mage" feels off too.

"I just use it as a side thing."

"I see? Ah, could I borrow your hand for a sec? I'll heal you up."

"I'm good—no injuries."

"At least for mana recovery..."

"I use special resources, so I'm fine."

Kim Da-jung gave an awkward smile at my words. But honestly... I don't really need a healer. I can self-heal anyway.

"Goldie-nim, mind if I take a quick look at your wings-da?"

"Huh?"

"I've been working on a personal flight device lately, and referencing your wings would make me super happy-da!"

"...Harin-ssi, asking beastkin like that is pretty rude."

"She's not beastkin-da."

Something like that went back and forth, but I let out a deep sigh ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and spread one wing wide. Refusing seemed like it'd just lead to hassle.

"No touching—just look."

"Whoa! Thank you-da! Such an honor-da!"

Na Harin whipped out a notebook and started sketching furiously. ...Her expression looks a bit off, though.

"Heh heh, with this, I could make a three-stage transformation suit or robot-da."

Oh... three-stage transformation does sound kinda cool.

"Anyway, haven't seen anyone else? Especially a short-haired redhead."

"Ah... a party member? I was running from slimes, so I didn't see anyone."

"Hmm... well, found you two quick enough, so the others shouldn't be far."

Tap—

Cool or not... honestly, these two aren't much help. Ha-eun really was the ace. She anticipated everything I might need...

"Let's walk around slowly for now."

I folded my wings and started walking, Na Harin letting out a regretful sigh behind me.

"Eek! Still not enough-da!"

"Time's up. Can't afford to slack. If you're geared, let's move."

"Mmm... disappointing, but you're right-da."

As we scouted the area bit by bit, Kim Da-jung approached cautiously.

"Was Harin-ssi serious earlier?"

"Huh?"

"About you not being beastkin."

"Ah, yeah. I'm a dragon."

"D-dragon...?"

No real point hiding my race. I'm blabbing about it on stream anyway, and the Association's acknowledged it. Sure, there are species bigots out there... but I haven't met any yet. Plus, provoking me would be fun. Wonder what face they'd make if I dropped polymorph right in front of them.

"A dragon means... like, big...?"

"Yep."

Her expression said she wasn't buying it.

"I'm a returnee. Don't worry—I'm a good dragon."

"Oh, a returnee-da? I'm one too-da!"

"Ah, that explains the unique outfit."

I'd sensed faint mana from the jacket over her tank top—that must've been why.

"Looks hot for the weather."

"It's fine-da! Has built-in AC, so it's cool-da."

"What was your world like?"

"Hmm... like what folks call steampunk-da."

Steampunk? Ah, that explains the gear—weapons with a mechanical, clunky vibe. I kinda like that style.

"What about you, Goldie-nim?"

"Mine was straight-up medieval."

"Ooh, cool-da. Hardly ever meet returnees—feels like comrades-da!"

"Shh. Hold up."

I sensed a presence and held the two back, peering into the bushes. Then—

"What the...?"

Slimes marching in a straight line toward somewhere. Slimes don't have intelligence—they're pure instinct. This shouldn't happen.

"Like ants," Kim Da-jung said cautiously, watching them.

"Ants?"

"Yeah, swarm creatures always march like that. Bees or... "

"Never heard of slimes swarming..."

"Mutation maybe-da?"

"What if they suddenly swarm us? Like, cover our bodies! Slip into our clothes!... "

What the hell is she on about?

"...Yeah, they'd cover you. Carnivorous slimes melt flesh."

"You crazy bastards."

"Oops, sorry. Meant that internally?"

What to do with these idiots? Only 'cause it's me keeping them around...

"Goldie-nim, how about tailing them first-da?"

"Them?"

"Yeah-da. If it's a real swarm, they're heading to the queen, right-da?"

Not wrong.

"Seems endless, though."

"Then fly-da?"

"I can. But you two can't."

"Hmm... for that, I'm good-da! Just gather some materials around, and I can make one-da."

"Huh...?"

Make one? What?

"Can't do wings yet, but a jetpack's simple-da!"

"Jetpack...? You can make that?"

"Essential in my world-da! Even students make 'em."

"Sounds way better than wings just from the name."

"Nah-da. Flashy name, but crap efficiency and durability-da."

She rummaged in her pocket as she spoke.

"...What're you doing?"

"Getting materials-da."

"Materials?"

"This jacket pocket has expansion magic-da! No weight either—super handy-da."

Whoa. I want one. Perfect for treasure storage.

"Don't give me that look—won't share. Can't even make it with my tech-da."

"Ah, got it?"

"Brought from another world-da."

She pulled out metal sheets, various materials, grabbed a wrench.

"Hmm, materials a bit short-da."

"Short on what."

"Propellant stuff-da. Need mana stones probably..."

"Mana stones? They're crawling right there."

I pointed at the slimes marching in line.

"How many?"

"Low-grade, about twenty-da."

"I'll grab 'em."

"No-da! My pack, I'll collect-da!"

Clank!—

She jumped up, activating her pile bunker. ...I'd be way faster, but she wants to show off?

"Let's collect together then. Faster that way."

"I'll help too."

What. Help from someone who can't even handle slimes? ...Saying that would hurt her feelings, huh?

Kiiing!—Pabababak!—

The pile bunker, charged with energy, let out a heavy thud, atomizing the last slime.

Romantic overkill, seriously.

"Whoa, that's badass."

"Thanks-da. My favorite buddy-da!"

She quickly grabbed the wrench, hammered a few times, twisted screws—

"Done-da."

Whipped up something and strapped it on.

"This'll last 15 minutes-da. Fast too-da."

"And me...?"

Kim Da-jung looked troubled.

"Umm... rush job jetpack, two's a stretch-da."

Her gaze turned to me. Demanding much?

"Haa..."

Carrying on my back blocks wings. If Terra were here, I could've depolymorphed and given rides...

"Grab my hand."

Not flying hugging a stranger I just met. Ha-eun, maybe.

"Th-this okay, right? Won't drop mid-flight or—"

"Grip tight."

Flap!—

"Kyaaah!"

"Whoa whoa, we're off-da!"

I soared high, tracking the slimes' path with Dragon Eye.

"Hwaaa..."

Glancing back at Kim Da-jung clinging to me like a koala, what I spotted was—

Zzt—

A massive fused lifeform signal in the distance, and—

"Oh, that's Ha-eun."

A dark red flame burning off to one side, invisible earlier. But... how's that flame burning the forest...?