Chapter 22
Chapter 22
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Translator: uly
Chapter: 22
Chapter Title: Naming Poopy
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Dun slung a water bottle on his back and chugged stamina potions while attacking Yi Yoo-hyun nonstop. He tried to hold back, but it was harder than expected, and he'd nearly killed her more than once or twice.
Yi Yoo-hyun diligently took hit after hit while fleeing nonstop to level up her evasion skill. Even when her eyes swelled shut like ping-pong balls from the beating, she'd down a recovery potion and keep moving energetically.
The quest's break time came when Dun collapsed from exhaustion. That's when Yi Yoo-hyun would hand him orange juice and nut cookies, saying he'd worked hard.
"Ah, get that away. The smell of food is making me nauseous. Just eat it yourself."
"Rihaowel said I have to make sure you eat."
"You should listen to me. Right?"
After force-feeding himself endless strawberry milk-flavored stamina potions, he couldn't stomach anything else. Yi Yoo-hyun stowed the orange juice and cookies back in her inventory, then fed ice to the slime to cool it down before pressing it to Dun's forehead.
The slime squirmed atop Dun's forehead, soothing away the heat.
"Ah... I'm beat... I don't wanna..."
"Just a little longer! The quest is almost done!"
"I'm beat..."
When his motivation to help with leveling hit rock bottom, Yi Yoo-hyun nagged relentlessly at his side. All to finish the quest faster.
At first, he'd told her to just practice on her own at her own pace. But Yi Yoo-hyun lacked any sense of danger, so she couldn't rack up experience solo.
That's why Dun had rolled up his sleeves and pitched in with the quest—and now he was the one tapping out first.
It felt downright weird, like he was the one in training.
On top of that, constantly sparring with her had bumped his skill utilization rate by about 0.5 percent. It might sound minor, but considering it hadn't budged in ages, it was a solid gain.
Growing was nice and all, but it left him grumpy about the needless hardship.
"I wanna take a nap."
"Teacher, just push a bit harder. The potion's effect is almost gone."
"Hang on, what am I even getting out of this? Why'd I leave my comfy room for this mess?"
"You're an awesome slave. We have a slave contract, remember?"
"Oh yeah."
It was all because of Pello's traces. Yi Yoo-hyun grabbed Dun's hand as he sprawled on the floor with his eyes closed and stretched it out long.
"Let's tough out your crap stamina while we're at it."
"This one's incurable."
The moment he psyched himself up to give it a real go, the fire fizzled. He'd remembered she was the future guild master and reignited his will to help—only for it to cool off again from aiming too high.
"Your cute slime's cheering you on too."
[Keep... going...]
The slime, now pink, splatted against Dun's cheek and nuzzled it.
Yi Yoo-hyun stopped her nagging about pushing on with the quest and glanced at the slime for a moment. It clung tight to Dun, frozen in place.
"By the way, this slime's level is super high now. You raising it on purpose?"
"Not really trying to, but it's stuck to me so much that it just happened."
Having the slime meant no need for a water pillow. Any spot to lie down became his bed. Pillowing his head on the cool, breeze-chilled slime felt great and lulled him right to sleep.
"But what's this slime's name?"
The slime reacted to Yi Yoo-hyun's question. Its already sparkling eyes gleamed even brighter. Dun averted his gaze, feeling burdened.
The damn slime's level kept climbing, and now it understood human speech like it was nothing.
"No name."
It was a slime—what was there to name? No need to rack his brain.
At "no name," the slime made a sad face and puffed out steam. It had been pink a moment ago, but now it was a deep blue.
"But it's a slime you always carry around. Don't you wanna call it something special instead of just 'slime' like any roadside one? The slime's all in for you, and no name... You're breaking this cute slime's pure heart."
"What're you on about? That's weird."
Her blowing a trivial thing way out of proportion irked him, and Dun scowled.
[Name... please... Dun's... special... being...]
The slime, which had been holding a flower, wriggled up onto Dun's face.
"You want a name?"
[Yesh... yesh...]
Dun peeled the slime off his face—clearly plotting to suffocate him again—and asked. Seeing the slime's excited expression, he rolled his eyes.
"Ah, I'm terrible at naming."
[Doesn't... matter... Name from... Dun... precious...]
"How about Poopy?"
[Love it! Love it!]
Any old name would do, apparently. It flushed pink and thrilled at the offhand "Poopy."
[The dominated slime's name has been set to 'Poopy.']
A game notification popped up saying the slime's name was registered.
"You're serious?"
"...It likes it, so whatever."
Dun scratched the back of his head sheepishly and placed the slime on his palm.
"Poopy."
[Thank... you... Name... thank... you...]
Seeing it so thrilled pricked his conscience a bit. He even felt like giving it a surname.
"Your English name's Poopy Slime, and adventurer name's Kim Poopy."
[Treasure... my name... Poopy...]
Steam leaked from the slime's reddish head, then its whole body glowed. It flashed bright for a moment before returning to normal.
['Poopy's' affinity has reached a certain level, changing from 'Monster' to 'Pet.']
[The pet inherits some of the master's abilities, enhancing its stats.]
[The slime has completed physical reinforcement.]
After a barrage of notifications, the slime's form shifted. It used to look like a round water droplet on glass, but now a round slime flower bloomed atop its head.
The slime flower's fruit at the antenna tip emitted a faint blue glow.
[Lv. 97] Poopy in Love
"What the. Why'd you suddenly get so strong?"
[Heehee...]
Poopy had become Ultra Poopy.
Turning into a pet let it inherit some of Dun's abilities, skyrocketing its growth.
Yi Yoo-hyun stared blankly at the name above Poopy's head, unsure if she was shocked that a mere slime outleveled her or by the sudden level surge.
"Why'd its level jump like that all of a sudden?"
"Seems like becoming a pet let it take some of my stats. Plus, it reinforced its body with that flower."
Yi Yoo-hyun let out a hollow laugh at the slime's explosive level-up.
"A slime stronger than rankers... Kinda makes it the world's strongest. Should I call you Big Bro Poopy?"
When a leveled-up Yi Yoo-hyun reached out to the slime, it swung its single antenna to attack her.
Gazing at the now higher-leveled, more aggressive slime, Yi Yoo-hyun pondered, then turned with a serious look.
"If becoming a pet speeds up level-ups that much, make me your pet too..."
"Shut it, gross."
Rejected outright, Yi Yoo-hyun looked embarrassed.
* * *
Boom! Kaboom! Thud!
Less than two hours remained before the drug-boosted stats wore off.
Thanks to their hard work, Yi Yoo-hyun was now level 48—on the cusp of 49.
[Your level has increased!]
Dodging Dun's branch attacks for dear life, Yi Yoo-hyun beamed at the notification.
"Whoa, I'm level 49 now!"
"You leveled up?"
"Yeah, one more and I'll hit 50."
Hearing just one level left, Dun halted his attacks and flopped straight to the ground.
"Sweet, we're done."
"Huh?"
Despite his insane speed, Poopy clung tight to his back, so Dun peeled it off and hugged it close. He loved the squishiness.
"Just dodging won't cut it for that last level. You need to kill monsters."
"Finally time to hunt monsters?"
"Yeah. Remirings live nearby. Let's smash some before the stats fade. Gotta escape this damn place."
At Dun's gesture, Yi Yoo-hyun scurried after him. A large lake sat near the Remiring habitat.
"Kim Poopy, size up."
[Ungh...]
Poopy gulped lake water and ballooned to mountain size. Guessing Dun's intent and mood, it floated its huge body on the lake.
Dun climbed atop it. The Remiring monsters' base was in the lake depths.
Killing regular Remirings worked from outside, but the boss required swimming in.
"What're you doing?"
"Their base is in the lake. We're going in. Lake Remirings are stronger than land ones and give more exp."
Yi Yoo-hyun nodded like she got it.
"What about me?"
"Swim after. Don't lose me. Even if you can't swim, you're an adventurer—flail hard enough and you'll manage."
Dun lightly stroked Poopy's head, bobbing on the water, and spoke.
"Dive where I show you."
[Ungh...]
Poopy spread wide, wrapping Dun's body. Turning into a hollow bubble, it wriggled downward.
Even filled with air, it could dive—proof of its freakish strength.
"Skilled."
Dun had planned to just hold on and swim down together, but Poopy kept not a drop of water from touching him as it descended.
Pleased by "skilled," Poopy let out a monster cry.
Thanks to Poopy, Dun marveled at the clear lake view. Colorful fish schooled around. Cleaner than expected.
Spotting a hole in the left lakebed, Dun directed Poopy there. It twisted and swam toward it.
Suddenly curious if Yi Yoo-hyun was keeping up, Dun turned.
He looked up, expecting her above, but something plummeted fast.
Yi Yoo-hyun had tied rocks to herself and was sinking at breakneck speed solo.
'Sorry! Save me!'
Assuming Dun was watching, she flailed and mouthed desperately.