Chapter 234
Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 234
Chapter Title: 67. Guardian Angel Slime (2)
4.
The higher the Mystic Gate's rank, the tougher the boss monsters that awaited became.
And the element that ramped up that difficulty wasn't anything else—it was the skills the boss monsters possessed.
“What skill gives us the biggest headache? That one.”
Among those skills, there was one that made adventurers shiver the moment they heard its name.
“Teleport.”
The instant movement skill, Teleport!
Truth be told, this skill wasn't just a headache.
“It renders everything meaningless.”
To take down a boss monster, hundreds of adventurers had to form a formation, execute coordinated plays, a process akin to building a sturdy fortress.
It was incredibly grueling and difficult.
Yet the Teleport skill demolished that fortress with laughable ease.
And that wasn't all.
“The worst part is that the spot it teleports to could be right above our heads.”
Meaning there'd be nowhere to run.
But now, the Guardian Angel Slime had just used that Teleport.
“Ah.”
The veteran adventurers froze in stunned expressions the instant they realized it.
The shock was that profound.
‘This is the worst.’
Worse than any scenario they could imagine.
That was when it happened.
“Everyone!”
Someone shouted.
“Snap out of it! It's not gonna change anything!”
The cry shook them back to their senses.
“Even if it teleports, taking it down is still a joke!”
“We just keep doing what we were doing!”
That was the essence of being a veteran.
Any adventurer could panic in an unexpected situation.
But how quickly they recovered—that was one of the biggest differences between rookies and veterans.
And these weren't just any veterans.
“We have to take it down to get out anyway!”
They were veterans with unmatched survival instincts, and they swiftly reformed their ranks.
They repositioned with the Guardian Angel Slime at the center.
Boom!
They unleashed their assault just like before.
Of course, their expressions were different now—stiff and rigid.
‘No telling when it'll Teleport again.’
The tension was incomparable to before.
Naturally, their fatigue was on another level too.
That previous minute now felt like ten!
‘We endure.’
Still, they gritted their teeth.
They knew.
‘It's a monster, so it has to have a limit.’
That an end would come eventually.
They just had to hold out until then.
El Pam's companions were no different.
“This is turning into a prolonged battle now. Won't be easy.”
Dibo no longer believed the adventurers could definitely take down the Guardian Angel Slime.
But he didn't think they'd fail either.
“It'll come down to how much health the Guardian Angel Slime has left. That's the key.”
He didn't know the outcome.
Of course, El Pam was different.
‘That's why they can never take it down.’
He knew.
‘The Guardian Angel Slime's health...’
5.
Helena.
She was living unprecedentedly hectic days.
‘Can't remember being this busy since that day.’
Since the time the Black Mage ran rampant across the world.
‘Something massive is about to blow.’
That's why she was certain these busy days weren't a good sign.
In any case, her schedule was so packed that meeting her had become extremely difficult.
Unless it was something major, even scheduling an appointment was tough.
Meeting her on the spot without one? Impossible, unless it was earth-shattering.
“Winston wants to meet? Got it.”
But his name changed everything.
And for good reason.
Winston was a legendary figure among archaeologists.
Especially his achievements at the Perion Ruins excavation site—they were beyond words.
That's why they made him the lead archaeologist for the Partem ancient ruins investigation.
For such a man to suddenly request a meeting?
The reason was obvious.
“What's this about, Winston?”
“I've deciphered it.”
“Deciphered?”
“Partem. We uncovered information about the Guardian Angel Slime there.”
Helena's eyes widened at his words.
“Everyone who went to hunt the Guardian Angel Slime will be wiped out.”
Her expression hardened at what followed.
“What kind of information makes you say that?”
If he was going this far, it meant the intel was no ordinary find.
In answer, the archaeologist Winston said,
“The Guardian Angel Slime doesn't die.”
“What?”
“That monster's health is beyond imagination. Even if the adventurers attacked nonstop for ten straight days, it wouldn't go down.”
6.
The adventurers who entered the Mystic Gate aiming for Fried's Brooch.
They finally encountered the Guardian Angel Slime, and it was a full day into the battle when they sensed something off.
Nothing particularly dramatic had happened. After the Teleport, the Guardian Angel Slime hadn't used any other special skills.
So additional casualties were minimal. Teleport was a pain, but these veteran adventurers had plenty of experience and countermeasures for it.
If anything, as time passed and battles repeated, the adventurers grew even more skilled.
After half a day, not a single death occurred.
‘Why?’
That was why.
‘Nothing's happening?’
Everyone started questioning it.
‘We attacked like this for a whole day?’
Few doubted that the Guardian Angel Slime hadn't taken any damage.
That made sense.
No, for a Blue-rank Mystic Gate boss, it was standard for subjugations to take over a week.
Expecting to drop an absurd monster like that in a day would be arrogant.
Hit-and-run, flee, hide, pursue—they had to repeat that endlessly.
Complaining after just one day that there was no conclusion? That wouldn't befit a veteran.
‘Why hasn't a new phase kicked in?’
What puzzled the gathered adventurers was the lack of phase changes.
A phase, simply put, was a crisis point.
Even for humans, a scrape might get no reaction, but a stab provokes a violent one. Monsters were the same.
When they felt their life was at risk, they'd pull out their hidden skills one by one.
That was a phase.
But the Guardian Angel Slime hadn't shown any phase changes all day.
The implication was simple.
‘No way.’
Yet the adventurers here couldn't accept it.
Of course not.
‘We've hammered it like this—there's no way it didn't take a hit. Absolutely not.’
How could they admit that all their attacks so far were like mosquitoes sucking blood from an elephant?
Of course, third parties saw it differently.
“My god.”
El Pam's party—they were certain.
“Its health is insane.”
“Or maybe its regeneration is.”
“Either way, it's a nightmare for whoever's trying to take it down.”
That the Guardian Angel Slime's health exceeded their wildest imagination.
“They can't beat it.”
Honestly, at this point, the adventurers' chances of downing the Guardian Angel Slime were near zero.
“Even a prolonged battle only lasts a day or two.”
They were prepared for a long fight, sure.
“But fighting nonstop for ten days? Impossible.”
There were limits.
“And pouring out magic and skills like that indefinitely? Even more impossible.”
Especially since their current combat style resembled a short burst more than a marathon.
Breakdowns were inevitable.
Only one option remained.
“Unless they change their approach.”
Prepare for an even longer battle.
Meaning not ten days, but a month or more.
“They'll figure it out.”
Given the caliber of adventurers here, they'd reach that conclusion.
Of course, it wasn't the right answer.
Fighting an absurd slime that could kill with one mistake for over a month?
How many would die?
The thought alone was dizzying.
“It's their only choice.”
Conversely, that's why these adventurers were likely to pick it.
They knew better than anyone that Mystic Gates offered no escape routes.
“Impossible.”
But El Pam thought differently.
“If it were possible, I wouldn't say it's not.”
His companions looked puzzled at that.
It was no easy feat, sure.
“But those guys aren't ordinary either. They might pull it off.”
These weren't adventurers who'd had it easy.
Worth a shot, at least.
“Their skill is top-notch.”
“Huh?”
El Pam wasn't dismissing the adventurers at all.
“They could fight for a month straight.”
“Then why...”
But the reason El Pam said that was simple.
“If they had enough food.”
“What?”
“Exactly that. It took a decent amount of time to get here. They don't have enough rations for over a month.”
Adventurers entering a Mystic Gate typically packed about two weeks' worth of food.
More would be ideal, but they had to carry plenty of other items too.
Plus, adventurers figured they could forage beyond the gate.
Worst case, eat monsters.
Some were even tasty.
“But still... wait a sec.”
At that point, El Pam's companions realized.
“Come to think of it, we haven't eaten anything here?”
“'Cause... we've only run into slimes.”
That every monster they'd faced en route was a slime.
And there was nothing edible among them.
Meaning they'd only eaten what they brought.
And on this fifth floor, nothing to fill their bellies either.
“They're already out of food.”
Hold out a month like that?
“A month-long battle in that state? Impossible.”
No matter how elite, no adventurer fights well on an empty stomach.
The outcome was obvious.
Now El Pam's companions' expressions hardened too.
“Boss, this feels seriously dangerous.”
The crisis facing the adventurers applied to El Pam's party as well.
Even the great El Pam couldn't perform at half capacity after days of starvation.
“Not quite.”
But Ralph saw it differently.
“No need to worry about food.”
“What're you talking about?”
“I saw it.”
“Saw what?”
Ralph turned to look at El Pam's inventory.
Kyuu!
At Mano inside.
“The boss stuffed a massive amount of food into Mano.”
“Really?”
Everyone was stunned.
He'd prepared for this?
“It's a slime boss area. High chance of no proper food.”
“Amazing. How'd you foresee that far ahead, Boss?”
A thought only El Pam could have.
Kyuu!
“Yeah, you're amazing too. For real.”
And possible only because of Mano, who could enlarge.
That was why El Pam had been more shocked than ever seeing Mano enlarge.
Mano alone elevated their Mystic Gate-clearing potential to another level.
In any case, El Pam's party no longer had reason to fear tackling this place.
“So Mano's huge shell is packed with food right now?”
“The most compact rations too.”
“Then... we could last a year.”
Mano's stock would outlast a month—no problem.
“We're good.”
Beyond prolonged—now ultra-prolonged was feasible.
“We'll take it down!”
As Dibo cheered, El Pam said,
“No need.”
“Huh?”
“No need to go that far.”
“What do you mean?”
“With food to last a year, why should we endure a year ourselves?”
Everyone looked baffled.
Except one.
“Brilliant!”
Ralph got it.
“Selling that food to the adventurers!”
“Exactly.”
What El Pam had prepared.
“The price is Fried's Brooch.”