Arthur was sleeping in peace when something jolted him awake. Not a sound or a touch, but a sensation deeper than physical awareness. Danger approaching. His eyes snapped open and he sat up immediately.
"Master Arthur, we got trouble incoming."
Green's voice confirmed what his instincts were already screaming. Arthur rubbed his face, clearing away the last remnants of sleep. "Yeah, I could feel it in my sleep. Is this the emotion of you guys?"
"Pretty much, but not quite. You could say it was our survival instinct."
"Oh, I guess I'm connected to you guys."
Blue spoke up from his position near the cave entrance. "Yes, Master. We're connected to a certain degree."
"Blue is spot on," Green added. "And more importantly, as far as I can tell, three people are incoming."
Arthur tensed. Three people meant potential threat, especially if they were hunters sent by his father. "Are they male or female?"
"Well, they seem to have watermelons, so I'm guessing girls!"
Heat rushed to Arthur's face despite the situation. "Phrasing! Oh god, that's not appropriate."
"Got it, Master Arthur. I'll keep that in mind."
Blue's voice cut through the exchange. "Master, they're near."
No time for banter. Arthur made a quick decision. "Hide away, you guys! Let me see what they want and what they came here for."
The slimes vanished into the shadows of the cave, Blue's humanoid form somehow compressing itself into a crevice that shouldn't have fit him. Arthur pulled out his hunting knife and nicked his leg slightly, enough to draw blood but not cause real damage. Then he lay down on the cave floor as if injured, positioning himself to look vulnerable but not helpless.
Footsteps approached. Three figures entered the cave, their silhouettes backlit by daylight from the entrance. They stopped short when they saw Arthur lying there.
"Are you alright, mister?"
Female voice, concerned but cautious. Arthur kept his expression neutral. "Yeah, just a slight cut. That's it."
The same girl stepped closer. "Do you need healing?"
"No, I'm fine. You guys need to save the mana of your healer in case you get hurt."
Another girl moved forward, kneeling beside Arthur to examine the wound. "Don't worry, we're carrying healing potions."
"Healing potion?" Arthur let surprise color his voice. "Why would you spend such a precious item on me? Don't you guys need it?"
The third girl spoke up, her tone confident. "Don't worry! We're pretty strong and well known, so honestly don't sweat it."
"I don't even know you guys."
"Oh, my bad! I forgot to introduce ourselves." The first girl gestured to her companions. "I'm an attacking mage and my name is Kureha. The healer's name is Kurena, and our swordswoman's name is Kuresa. And interestingly, we're triplets."
Arthur's gaze drifted briefly to what Green had called watermelons before he caught himself and looked away, focusing on their faces instead. Identical features, identical builds, only their equipment and stance distinguishing them from each other. The resemblance was striking.
"Are you hurt anywhere else?"
Kureha's question pulled Arthur's attention back to the situation. "No, thankfully. This is the only wound I got."
Kurena handed him a small vial filled with red liquid. Arthur accepted it and drank, the potion tasting like bitter berries mixed with mint. The cut on his leg sealed immediately, skin knitting together without leaving a scar. Impressive quality for something they were willing to give away to a stranger.
"Thank you. How can I repay you for this help?"
Kuresa shook her head, dark hair swaying with the motion. "No need. We're doing what's right."
Good people existed after all. Arthur filed that information away. Maybe the world wasn't entirely filled with betrayal and cruelty. "What's your party called?"
The three girls stood and struck synchronized poses, clearly practiced. "We are called K Cuties!"
Those racks are definitely K cup. The thought surfaced before Arthur could stop it. He kept his expression carefully neutral.
"It's kinda cliche, to be honest," Kureha said, dropping the pose.
Arthur blinked, genuinely confused. "How? I think it's a good name!"
Kurena beamed at him. "Oh, thanks a lot! The name comes from our names and our cuteness."
That's what he'd thought. Arthur laughed, the sound feeling strange after days of tension and survival. "I think it's a resonating name."
"Thanks," Kuresa said. "By the way, do you need anything else?"
"No, I'm good. I'll rest here for a bit and then leave."
The triplets exchanged glances, some silent communication passing between them. Then they nodded in unison. "Okay, take care."
They left the cave, their footsteps fading into the forest beyond. Arthur waited until he was certain they'd gone before speaking. "You can come out now."
Green, Blue, and the other slimes emerged from their hiding places. Arthur looked at Green and shook his head. "Strange girls. Gave me a healing potion without even asking my name. Guess good people still exist out there."
"I knew you'd be lost in those racks."
"I'm a boy after all!"
Blue stepped forward, his humanoid form somehow conveying disapproval despite lacking facial features. "Master is on point. You should not pry further."
Arthur looked at Blue and nodded, appreciation warming his chest. At least someone understood. Green pulsed in what might have been amusement but didn't push the topic.
"Master Arthur, I think it's now safe to practice your summoning. The three of them left and are now far away."
"You're right." Arthur stood and stretched, working out the stiffness from lying on stone. "But I think they'll be back a while later to check on me. We should prepare some slime soldiers in case they come back."
"Then, Master Arthur, you should try summoning some mage slimes."
"Yeah, I'll do that."
Arthur closed his eyes and focused inward, reaching for that pool of mana he'd been building. The sensation came easier now than it had before, like a muscle he was learning to flex properly. He visualized a mage slime, something that could cast offensive spells and provide ranged support. Fire seemed appropriate. Destructive, powerful, useful for both combat and utility.
The mana flowed out of him in a steady stream. Arthur felt the pull, the drain on his internal reserves, but it wasn't as taxing as the previous summons. His capacity had definitely increased. The visualization solidified and something materialized in front of him.
A red slime appeared, pulsing with internal heat that made the air shimmer around it. Larger than the original cave slimes, roughly the size of a barrel. Orange and yellow patterns swirled through its translucent form like liquid fire trapped in gel.
"Greetings, Master."
The voice was deeper than Blue's had been pre-evolution, crackling with energy like a campfire. Arthur examined his new summon carefully. "Can you speak? That's good. Do you have magic powers?"
"Yes, Master. I can generate flames, create explosive projectiles, and raise the ambient temperature. I can also provide heat for cooking or warmth."
Utility and combat combined. Perfect. Arthur glanced at the golden panel that appeared.
[Summoning successful. User's mana pool increased.]
Another increment to his capacity. The cycle continued. Arthur did some mental math. If he could summon every three hours and each summon increased his mana, he could potentially create dozens of slimes over the next week. Maybe hundreds if he pushed himself.
"Red, do you need to merge with another of your kind to evolve into humanoid form?"
"Yes, Master. The evolution requires combining two red slimes of similar power."
Arthur nodded. That matched what he'd learned with Blue. "Green, how much mana do I have left?"
Green pulsed thoughtfully. "Roughly sixty percent, Master Arthur. You could summon one or two more before needing to rest."
One or two more. Arthur weighed his options. He needed combat power, but he also needed diversity, maybe something for reconnaissance. Building a balanced force would serve him better than just stacking damage dealers.
"What about summoning a yellow slime? What abilities do they have?"
The original yellow slime from the cave bounced forward. "Lightning magic, Master. We can paralyze enemies, move faster than normal, and our attacks ignore most physical armor."
Speed and crowd control. Useful for both offense and escape. Arthur made his decision. "I'll summon one yellow and one more red. Then we'll merge them and see what happens."
He focused again, visualizing a yellow slime crackling with electrical energy. The mana flowed and the creature materialized, smaller than the red but vibrating with barely contained power. Immediately Arthur moved to the second summoning, pulling another red slime into existence before his mana could deplete too far.
Two panels appeared in sequence.
[Summoning successful. User's mana pool increased.]
[Summoning successful. User's mana pool increased.]
Arthur felt the drain this time, his reserves dropping noticeably. Not empty, but definitely lower. Maybe forty percent remaining. He'd need to rest soon.
"Red, merge with your duplicate. Yellow, do the same with your counterpart from the cave."
The slimes moved to obey. Red flowed together with his copy, combining into a single larger entity that pulsed with intense heat. Light flared and when it faded, a humanoid figure stood where the slimes had been.
This one was broader than Blue, built like a blacksmith with thick arms and a barrel chest. Its skin glowed orange and red, flames flickering across the surface in patterns that suggested armor. It wore minimal clothing, just a heavy leather apron and thick gloves, both somehow resistant to the constant heat radiating from its body.
"I am ready to serve, Master."
The voice rumbled like a forge fire. Arthur grinned. "Welcome. I'll call you Red."
The yellow slimes merged next, their combination creating a different kind of humanoid. Slender and quick-looking, its body crackling with blue-white electricity. It wore light armor that looked designed for mobility, with metal accents that channeled the lightning across its form in deliberate patterns.
"Ready, Master!"
The voice was high and energetic, almost buzzing with static. Arthur nodded. "You'll be Yellow."
Three evolved slimes now. Blue for close combat and versatility, Red for magical bombardment and utility, Yellow for speed and disruption. A solid foundation for a fighting force. Arthur checked his remaining mana and winced. Definitely depleted. He'd need several hours to recover.
"Master Arthur, you should rest now."
Green's concern came through clearly. Arthur waved her off. "I'm fine. Just tired. We should set up a proper watch rotation though. If those girls come back, or if anyone else shows up, I want advance warning."
Blue stepped forward. "I'll take first watch, Master. Red and Yellow can rotate with me."
"Good." Arthur settled back against the cave wall, exhaustion pulling at him. "Wake me up if anything happens."
His eyes closed and sleep claimed him quickly, the strain of multiple summons taking its toll. But even unconscious, part of his mind remained aware of his slimes. Their presence felt like anchors in his consciousness, connections that wouldn't sever even in sleep.
The cave fell quiet except for the occasional crackle from Red or spark from Yellow. Blue stood guard at the entrance, watching the forest with patient attention. Green positioned herself near Arthur, ready to heal at a moment's notice.
Hours passed. The sun moved across the sky, casting changing patterns of light through the cave entrance. Arthur's mana slowly regenerated, his body recovering from the expenditure.