Chapter 90
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 90
Chapter Title: Jelly
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"If you step on it, flames of hellfire pour out—it's an intruder prevention spell, and I've reinforced the barrier...."
"Mm. Good."
"With this.... it should be.... safer...."
After sending Erzsebet and the others underground, I finally relaxed and started testing the abilities of our new recruit, Pandora. With not just one, but three reliable members down there, they should handle whatever comes up on their own.
More importantly, it was time to check out the mage abilities I'd been waiting for.
"Curse Field."
[Trace of Curse]: Immune to curse effects.
"Whoa....! It doesn't hurt...!"
Was it the grimoire itself? Or the magic system Pandora had mastered? Or maybe Pandora herself was the issue? Either way, every spell she cast was laced with curses.
And curses weren't something you could handle lightly. They were the power of karma. Immensely potent, but they brought disaster back on the caster too.
What do I mean? Simple: using a curse hurts you, the user. That's why sacrifices or curse wards exist to block it....
'Immunity to curses works like this, huh?'
Pandora had a [Talent] called [Trace of Curse]. It made her immune to curse effects—including the backlash from her own spells. Thanks to that, she could unleash curse-infused magic without a care.
"M-Master. Is it really okay to do it like this?"
Excited that the curse didn't erode her even after using her power, Pandora had been casting spells as I instructed. But now she looked worried, belatedly. In front of her, the dungeon entrance was blanketed in magic circles.
"...This setup won't distinguish friend from foe...."
"Ah. It's fine."
I strode boldly into the array of magic circles she'd laid. Pandora freaked out and tried to grab my sleeve, but the spells activated faster.
[Curse Fire]
[Squeezing Grasp]
[All Down Area]
....
-[b]Janitor's Clothes (Lv. Max)[/b]: The janitor's outfit that repels all filth!
In an instant, multiple magic circles unleashed curse-laden spells. Just as I'd requested—no physical power, but ones that weakened the foe's strength or spewed hellfire.
And every single spell veered off sharply the moment it touched my [Janitor's Clothes], unable to reach me.
'Just as I thought.'
I've confirmed it plenty of times, but this Cleaning Game system treats curses as a type of contaminant. So while wearing [Janitor's Clothes], curses can't touch me. Same with [Janitor's Shoes] and other gear blocking environmental damage like flames when fully equipped.
'I've got a ton of points now....'
I plan to distribute reinforced [Janitor's Clothes] to everyone coming and going. That'll create a path only allies can use. Skipping friend-foe ID freed up power for stronger spells as a bonus.
"Good job, Pandora...."
"Aaaah... no... not again... I'm cursing my own kin... aaack!!"
"......."
First things first, calm Pandora down. Seeing me tank curses full-body sent her into a panic, ignoring that I'm fine....
'...Guess I'll sneak through when she's not around.'
I sighed and hurriedly soothed her. In the process, I paused the [Staff Management] screen I'd been monitoring, missing updates from the team underground.
"Kuh....!"
Erzsebet barely twisted her body to dodge the incoming tentacle. Sure, as a Blood Demon, she could regenerate any wound. But the slime's slime just now....
"The Master's power....!"
The magic that erased every drop of her blood without a trace. The force that had subjugated her—now wielded by this pathetic slime. The Master had called it [Detergent (Blood)], right?
'What the hell.... Did it evolve by consuming the magic the Master sprayed everywhere?'
Slimes change form based on what they eat.
Stuff them with random junk and water, they balloon into a King Slime. Guzzle blood, they become a Blood Slime that handles it a bit like Blood Demons. Devour poison plants, Poison Slime.
So if this slime ate that bizarre liquid magic—the one the Master used to crush her and clean up bloodstains afterward?
'That doesn't even make sense.... Kuh!'
She dismissed her own wild theory, but reality stared her down. Erzsebet dodged the slime's intensifying attacks with agile moves. One hit, and even the blood forming her body might get scrubbed away.
"Dream Demon, get up."
Instead, she hauled up Lilith, who was staggering from a fresh slime hit. True to her Dream Demon name, shocked but unscratched.
"Eek... t-tentacle slime...."
"What are you babbling about? Hurry up and use illusion or charm or something."
"Huh...? Why not do it yourself, Lady Erzsebet....?"
"Watch."
As Lilith blinked in confusion, Erzsebet conjured a blood membrane to block the slime. The massive slime zipped forward, regurgitating some ingested liquid and spitting it out.
-Ptooey!
"Eww.... s-slime spitting.... Whoa!"
Distracted by the weird sight, Lilith watched Erzsebet's blood shield dissolve in seconds. She bolted, but took a full-body hit of sticky slime goo.
"Ughhh.... gross...."
"From where I'm standing, you look filthier."
For some reason, the slime soaking in filth-water was spotless. Its spit looked clean too. Lilith, unwashed for ages, seemed the dirty one....
-Gulp!?
"Wh-what?"
The slime, focused on Erzsebet, finally noticed Lilith. Its nonexistent eyes gleamed. Obsessed with devouring grime and filth, this long-unbathed Dream Demon looked like a gourmet treat.
"Kyaa?! H-hey! Why me! Why's it coming for me?!"
"Heh. Finally catching a break."
With the slime's attention shifting to Lilith, Erzsebet pulled back in relief. Lilith got snagged by a extending tentacle, face crumpling.
"H-hey.... Lady Erzsebet! Help! Why me...."
"What are you whining about? Manifest an illusion or show it a dream to escape."
"Ah....?"
Lilith's dumbstruck face lit up with realization. She hurriedly manifested an illusion. Situation critical, no fancy stuff—just a simple cold weapon in a flash.
"Nngh..!"
Pink dream-magic billowed from Lilith, solidifying into a massive flail overhead. Gravity took over, dropping it straight down.
"Gulp?"
-Splat!
"Urk."
The flail smashed the slime's "face," shaking its body and freeing Lilith. She landed face-first with a weird noise.
"Well done, Dream Demon!"
"C-could you worry about me a little...? Y-yes, ma'am...... *sniff*.."
No real damage as a Dream Demon, but Erzsebet's zero concern brought tears. Still, she escaped the tentacle.
Keep manifesting illusions like this, though....
-Groooowl....
"Wha—what....?"
"...What is it, Dream Demon? Your doing?"
"N-no.... I haven't even....?"
Lilith's illusions outclassed a mid-tier Dream Demon's—stable until she willed them gone. Hell, they built houses for ruin dwellers.
But the flail embedded in the slime was slowly dissolving, reverting to dream-magic mist.
-[b]All-Purpose Detergent[/b]
The universal cleaner Eugene rarely used—only a tiny bit against the Radiant disciple to erase the holy zone.
Post-battle remnants absorbed by the slime let it produce a trickle internally, dissolving Lilith's "contaminant" illusion.
"...Dream Demon. Try charm or dreams?"
"...Slimes have no sex drive. And dreams..... uh, do slimes even sleep?"
Tension finally hit; Erzsebet's face grew serious. Nullifying her blood magic, even Dream Demon illusions—what the hell was this thing?
'Retreat?'
Pride clashed with reason—no backing down from a mere slime. Their mission: scout underground anomalies. They'd ID'd the lake and freak slime. Time to bail...
-Shlick...!
"Kyaaak?! I-it was just an illusion!"
No time to think. The slime, having devoured even the illusion, stretched tentacles greedily at them.
'No choice. Fall back....'
Tamed by Master's beatings, Erzsebet swallowed pride to retreat—then pounding footsteps echoed in her ears.
-....!!!!!
"Huh...? We're retreating, right?"
The slime sensed childlike footsteps too, recoiling tentacles in shock and backing off.
-Groooowl!!
It's coming.
THAT thing is coming! The monster that devours all! The one that instilled fear in it!
-Thudthudthudthud!!!
"It's Jelly!!"
"Groooaaaarrrgh!!!!"
Through the open door, Dry approached drooling. The slime spasmed and fled.