020
A crack appeared in the golden egg of the Black Magma Slime, and black ooze began to leak out. Soon, the egg split completely, revealing the being inside.
[Suhng...]
A sticky black mass. Red cracks and bubbles writhed dynamically across its surface, while two glowing red eyes burned at its core.
I agreed with Ha Yu-mi's assessment. What was inside was obviously magma. I had no idea what the black shell was made of, but it sure as hell wasn't anything from Earth.
[Suhng!]
The thing shot me a friendly glance. Looked like evolution hadn't broken the taming. No hostility meant no scorching heat either. Or maybe it had some kind of barrier up? To test, I asked Jellyfish-002 to drop the shield just a bit.
It's not hot.
Still no heat. It must be carefully modulating its power so it wouldn't harm its allies. As long as it didn't lose control and rampage, it wouldn't hurt me or the other monsters.
I stroked the slime's head clinging to my leg.
[Suuuhng...]
Anyway. With the evolution complete, I updated the monster compendium and gave it a new designation.
Actual Threat Level:SS-grade
Current (Nerfed) Threat Level:A-grade
Ability:Magma
Black Magma Slime. That was the creature's new name.
After finishing the compendium update, I made a quick run to Passage 5 for rations. Breakfast was apples, as usual.
"If I can't find other food today, yeah, hit me up."
I'd originally planned to ask only Pururu for a bit. She had my money, so I figured she'd cover it. But I changed my mind. No point turning down ally support when I needed to save cash. Wasting coins meant no evolution tickets—and those things cost a fortune.
SS-grade evolution, though...
I crunched on the apple, eyeing the magma slime. SS-grade monster. Even in that other world, few knew of their existence—a threat level most folks didn't even believe in. They thought S-grade was the top. And I'd made one with a single ticket.
Still couldn't wrap my head around it. SS-grade just from a ticket? And it wasn't even that expensive. You couldn't put a price on that kind of power.
Seeing it with my own eyes and I still don't believe it.
The ancient labyrinth explorer trait was more broken than I'd thought. On par with the ability I'd lucked into back in that world.
Lost in thought while munching, Ha Yu-mi's chat popped up. I snapped out of it, finished the apple, and replied.
"Yeah?"
"Go ahead."
I nodded in agreement. Ha Yu-mi kept going.
Made sense. She couldn't gauge it—normal for someone from peaceful Earth, no supers or monsters.
"Simple terms: S-grade can wipe out a world solo."
"Nah, plenty."
"Dimensional mage said humans there were way stronger than average worlds. Lots of heroes who could match S-grades."
Ha Yu-mi's curiosity seemed sated.
"Don't ask."
"Kidding. What's up?"
She was a valuable ally, so I'd answer sincerely, annoyance be damned.
"SS-grade can take down the world I was in."
"A few, but most hid out. The aggressive ones got smacked down by the first hero and grand sage in seclusion."
"Me."
"That's all the explanation you're getting. Time to explore."
I wrapped up Q&A and stood. Today's target: Passage 8. Finish that, then revisit Passage 2.
Twenty minutes into Passage 8. A monster blocked the wide cave path.
[Shhhiss!]
Golden crown on its head, gray armor on arms and groin, red cape billowing behind. A massive bipedal pig with sharp tusks. I dubbed it Pig King.
"Nerfed to B-grade."
I pulled back Dog Spider-001 and Jellyfish-002. Time to test Black Magma Slime solo. No interference—it'd handle this easy.
[Suhng.]
Pig King and magma slime squared off at a distance, tension thick between their glares.
Pig King moved first.
[Shhhississik!!!]
Its roar echoed off the cave walls.
Sound waves shook the cave, crumbling small rocks. Even the slime distorted briefly.
Fear inducement?
Almost passed out. Good thing Jellyfish's shield held.
Pig King hunched, then spun like a drill. Red cape whipped up hot winds.
[Shissik!]
Spinning full tilt, it charged the slime. Couldn't sense stronger foes? Dumb or aggressive—either way.
Sharp tusks hit slime body—split it, slid through, reformed.
[Shissik?]
[Suhng.]
[Shhissik!!]
Flustered, Pig King stomped, sending shockwaves and sharp rock shards. Crown glowed—magic incoming.
Too bad.
Magma slime wasn't waiting.
[Suuuhng.]
It ramped up heat. Cave turned lava zone instantly. Still controlled—no burn for us. But Pig King...
[Shh... shhissik...?]
Armor melted. Crown dimmed and dripped. Cape burned, tusks liquefied. Heat-locked, it couldn't move as ceiling magma dripped, melting it whole.
[Suuuhng~]
Slime reshaped fluidly, slinking close. A faint giggle echoed. It poked the melting pig with black shell, grinning innocently—like a kid with a toy.
[Saaang.]
Slime gaped wide—crunch! Gulped Pig King's head in one bite.
Lava zone faded to normal cave. Slime's heat cooled. I asked it to always throttle power around non-allies—don't want auto-aggro from mere presence.
We hauled the headless Pig King corpse back to shelter. Why? Food, obviously.
"Finally, some protein."
[Siii!]
[Pii!]
[Suhng!]
Monsters buzzed at pork prospect. Me too—mouth watering.
Magma slime stretched into a hot, flat table-like surface.
Jellyfish dismantled the carcass like a pro butcher—tentacles filleting meat, separating bones. Dog Spider dashed chunks onto the hot slime.
Sizzle.
Meat cooked atop magma slime. Safe? I'd well-done it first, just in case.
Waiting, I opened the compendium.
Actual Threat Level:S-grade
Current (Nerfed) Threat Level:B-grade
Edible.