Soli and Louis are actually going to Aluteria, where the Mayor are asking for Louis' presence since he want him to make him a big portrait with just several coins, which Louis is always turning down over and over. What Louis only want to do is either be paid the correct amount of coins as the professional artist or be left alone.
"And you came along Mr. Soli to clean... Err, actually I do want to ask you. Are you really intend to talk to me about my opinion about beauty and art?" Louis ask as he pack up his materials and have the canvas drawn from the cliff be sold to Artisans Guild.
"Is that peculiar hmm? I do want to see interesting stuff or to fight but I do have morals about violence." The monster answers as Louis recounts in his head about the fight he does. He didn't believe that the man he is currently speaking with is a peaceful man ar all. "Well if that's what you are claiming for... " Louis answer as Soli remember one promise to him.
"I do want to visit that Mayor you are talking about. I want to know as much that I can about this world as I am not a local here." Soli ask as Louis laugh while they are approaching his house, a small shack with surprisingly spacious inside. "What I said about that? If you resort to violence then I'm okay! I don't want to cause unnecessary trouble about this." Louis answer as he looks at Soli, waiting for him to take a hint.
"Well I hope you have a great rest of your night Mr. Soli. Good night." Louis bid farewell to the priestly wearing man as the monster steps outside and look around to see if he can do something interesting. He sighs as he decides to leave Aluteria for a while in order to explore.
Approaching the city gates he see an armored man, an archer, a cleric and a mage standing and waiting for someone. He just walk past them but the armored man stops him by grabbing his left shoulder and calling him.
"Halt! One of the adventurers told us that you did thr erasure of the farming village near Aluteria. State your business and speak of you don't want to get hurt!" The armored man ask as Soli looks back at him and he hold his hand. As Soli holds it, he reconstruct the metal on the gauntlets to create spikes inside of it, making the man scream in pain.
"Gwaaah!!! Attack him!"
As the armored man commands his companions prepares to attack, but since Soli is warned by the kid to not be violent within the city's vicinity, he proceed to use the moonlight's ray to solidify photons coming from it and he redirect it to the mage, cleric and the archer.
"Since that is made of Photon, I highly doubt you have in your arsenal to block that, or expect it in the first place." Soli explains as the heads and limbs of the adventurers fall off, but Soli didn't let it happen as he hold them and reconstruct them into statues.
Several eye witnesses are fleeing in terror about what they've seen, but Soli creates something in the air that instantly put anybody into sleep.
The breeze of the evening are giving a different chill in the air as Soli move the statued adventurers in the city circle as Soli leaves like nothing happens. The next morning Louis wakes up and he witness the buzzing and people gathering over to the city circle, where they admire the newly installed statues there.
As Louis lay his eyes on those statues, he pukes and panics as he knows who did them and he didn't know how he manage to do this when he is not looking. Louis doesn't even know what to do as he wants to flee as the man he accompanied yesterday is truly an incorrigible monster.
"Oh my Lord... I need to ask protection. I need... No..."
The kid didn't know what to do while Soli is strolling through the deep forest as he wants to know more about the ecosystem of this world as he wants to encounter any interesting phenomena. He intentionally goes into a place where a bunch of monsters are gathering, which he manage to catch them one by one, until he let one of them flee.
"Such beings... Those goblins. They are ugly, disgusting. I will erase such stain in this world." Soli declares to no one but his action will say otherwise. When he cross a dark tree, where he already noticed a large being are hiding above, he looks up and a giant spider are gonna be jumping on him.
"Foolishness..."
Soli then stomp his left foot as a spire of soil stop the giant spider from hitting him and he touch it. In a flash, the flesh of the monster flies everywhere, painting the surrounding with its purple blood. Soli keeps himself clean when he deconstruct the flying flesh off him.
The monster then approach the den of the goblins, where a dozens upon dozens of goblins, giant goblin, goblin archers, shaman and goblin general are facing Soli. He smiles as he didn't have any fights that interests him since he came in this world. "I really hope you keep me entertained you ugly creatures." He says while he is spreading his arms and hands like he will accept them for a brutal embrace.
Meanwhile...
Aluteria's messenger and guild runners are delivering news about the monster in priestly robes but this is being spread slowly for some reason. Gran and the Valkyries are on a slow expedition to go to the caverns in order to eliminate the Black Slime residing there.
"So... I fought a dark slime before. This one is a more powerful one, is that what you are pointing at?" Gran ask as Gina nods in agreement. "Remember, use fire spells as those tend to be effective against this kind of monster. Also Rinko, you can retreat and not block anything if you think it will put you into a lethal position. Got that?" Gina replies while pointing out to the Valkyrie defender about their new strategy.
"Yes Leader!"
Rinko is a quiet but sweet girl, she likes to be with the Valkyries as she believe their way of life is fun and exciting than what she's been raised at.
"You Mayuri, how are you been recruited in this party?" Gran ask as she is the most mysterious one for Gran. He's trying to read her expressions, but he fails every single time. "Somehow that green hair and light armor you're having is much more comfortable than what Rinko is having here." Gran adds as Mayuri think of what she can answer to the only male accompanying them.
"I do like to have this classified. Leader and others knew, and you outsider don't need to know anything." Mayuri answer as Gran just shrugs off while they are approaching the said cavern. Veronica feels the weird mana reading emanating from the said cavern. Gran also feels a distortion in the Dimensional Flow as well.
"Looks like we need to be sharp." Gran states as he disembark first from the carriage. The ladies follow suit as Gina declare the start of the mission at hand. The first to point is Mayuri. Gran follows her as he doesn't want to let go of her alone. As they enter the dark cavern Mayuri produce a fire on her finger in order to illuminate the way.
"I'm seeing several goblins up ahead. Dispatching." Mayuri says as Gran keeps up with her. She jumps and run through the ceiling. Gran just jog through the ground as she drops into one of the goblin and Gran kicks the other. The goblins there starts to screech, but they didn't let them escale or act. Mayuri slice another with her dagger and the one fleeing is hit by her throwing dagger.
"Checking for remaining monsters... None." Mayuri informs after looking around for any surviving low tier monsters. Gran confirm it as well since he close his eyes to concentrate. Gina then the others move forward as Veronica cast a Light Spell in order to completely illuminate the cavern. The group moves deeper into the cavern as they are carefully looking for the said Black Slime.
"Oh god that reeks." Gina remarks as soon as they reach the end of the cavern. Gran smirks as he finally catch where the monster is hiding. "Clever little bastard huh." He then looks back as he see the black sludge slowly drooping from the cracks as it attack Veronica first. Gran push her out as he duck to evade the said sludge attack.
"He's slithering through the cracks! Stay alert!" Gran says as he stands with Gina as he is feeling where is the monster is moving now. Veronica is trying to detect the monster's mana signature, only to fail and she feels that the monster itself knows how to hide its own mana signature from them. Gran later detect it move over the walls.
"There!" Gran throws his dagger out and he embed a little of his Flow in the said dagger and he use Compression to suck out the Black Slime from hiding. The Black Slime tries to assimilate the said attack, but when it does, Gran follow this attack up with a sudden Repel. "Dimensional Boom."
As the Exorcist mutters this it produce an explosion so great it creates a crater inside the cavern and the whole structure shakes violently. The defender Rinko protects the group from the falling rocks, dust and debris instead. "Mr. Gran please don't let us be caved in this place!" Rinko begs of the Exorcist as he doesn't like this kind of controlled fighting.
"Okay then, I wanna know if there is any rock formation or any shit out there?!" Gran question the Valkyries as he points out the dead end they are located right now. "I do not think there's anything beyond there. What are you planning to do then?" Gina answers as Gran smiles. He then proceed to pick up his dagger and he feels that the Black Slime moves to the dead end wall.
"Ladies with me! I'll do something about this situation." Gran ask of the Valkyries as Gina commands her party to then go to Gran's back. Once they assemble to his back, he then throw his dagger upwards and he utilize Compression again, but this time he plans something massive. He's circling his hands as he decides to destroy the entire ceiling part of the cavern.
But Gran didn't stop there as he then proceed to destroy the entire rock formation and he devastate the whole cavern and he turn it into an open air location. In such little time he destroy the place and he eliminate the places where the Black Slime may hide from them.
"What the hell man! You really destroy the whole damn place! We are filled by debris you idiot!" Gina screams at Gran while he just cover his ears. Veronica blast away the rocks away as Mayuri just hide inside Rinko's shield. The ladies are coughing like hell, and Gran is standing face to face with the Black Slime, who manage to survive thanks to its absorbed abilities from the adventurers it devour and absorbed.
"Hello you slimy one! Want to dance?" Gran ask as he catch his falling dagger and he feels the pressure from his noggin. The Black Slime then cast three spell circles, preparing several spells against the team. Gina takes point as she throws her mana filled spear to deny this.
*FWOOOOM
The spear hit the Black Slime between its eyes as Veronica fires a follow up Fire Spell. "Fire Spell: Infernal Shot!" The monster burns, but it later absorb the said spell as it fires back a spire of multiple hardened sludge at them. Gran cast a Barrier on his palm as Rinko position herself to block a portion of the attack as well. The Black Slime then slithers away while Gran grab some candies in his pocket to munch with.
"Follow it!" Gina commands as they chase out the monster sliding through the forest as it eat and absorb any critters and animals that it may come pass. Mayuri use her natural speed to cut off the Black Slime, and she try to cut down the monster with her dagger. She unleash half a dozen slashes as the monster froze in place.
"Sixfold Slash..." Mayuri utters as the Black Slime's viscous body flung out to the trees. "Retreat Mayuri! I'll make sure this monster will not get back again!" Gina commands since she knows that this Black Slime is hard to kill as it manage to survive by eating mana and mana made attacks.
Gina then ask Gran to do the Compression again as Gran oblige and he throw his dagger again. Is sucks out the Black Slime's remains as Gina jumps out to stab it out with her spear.
"Aren't that already dead when Mayuri slice it to bits earlier? Isn't that an overkill?" Gran ask as the dagger returns to his hand since Gina throw it back to him. Gina scoffs as she walks back to her team. "Nothing is too much if you are adventuring and asked to slay such creature. Well let's head back and report that this Black Slime is slain by thr great Valkyries!"
As Gina says that she burst into cheer as Gran feels another disturbance in the Flow. Veronica feels the head splitting pressure entering their vicinity. A large shadow later looms into the party, a large monster that they didn't expect for it to appear.
Meanwhile...
Soli demolish the monsters without a trace as he sighing and notice boring his encounters has been. He decides to stroll a little more into the thick forest, until he encounter something, and this made his blood and whole body rise from excitement.
"No way! Finally something that can give me a challenge!"
He gaze upon a sleeping dragon bathing in moonlight. Soli intentionally depowers his Dimensional Flow as he wants to challenge this scaly monster on his own. "Hey dragon! Want to fight?" Soli ask as the sleeping dragon open its eyes and see the priest looking man standing in front of him.
It stands as it draws its face near Soli.
*BAAMMMM
Soli didn't wait any sign as he unleash the first attack with a flicker jab. He follows it up with a stream of punches as the dragon withdraw its face and it roars back to the humanoid monster. It later flap its mighty wings as he flies to release a portion of his mana filled mouth. Soli then jumps out to create distance as the scaly monster prepares to unleash his flame, Soli prepares several Earthen defenses.
As the dragon unleash its grand flame it burn down that portion of the forest as Soli is left unharmed since the Earthen blocks of defense does it's job and it give Soli a boost as well as hops above those in order to reach the dragon. As he jumps out he unleashes a powerful left roundhouse kick, which sends the large being beaming down to the treelines and back to the ground.
"Unleash your fury dragon! Let the moon witness your power here!" Soli taunts the being and unknown to him, the dragon is smart and it understand what it is saying. It then stands back up to unleash a barrage of fireballs against the humanoid monster as Soli parries and slap the mana filled attacks as he dash through the way and he chambers his fist again to unleash his own fury against the scaly monster.
It jumps back before Soli hit it as he draws a wall of fire between him and Soli. Soli then reconstruct the wind that surrounds them and he deprive the flames of its oxygen, thus killing it instantly. The humanoid monster then put his hand below as he act like scooping the very earth on his hands. He then throw it to the dragon.
In an instant the said soil becomes a lethal sonic breaking projectiles. The dragon use its wings to block it, and the dragon decides to do one thing, to flee. It flap its wings again, this time he quickly fly into the clouds as fast as it can and it flee. Soli doesn't like this one bit and he use the ground to create multiple spires and projectiles to pepper the monster with barrage of earthen shots.
The dragon are hit with multiple projectiles and a spire graze him. He manage to escape still and Soli smirks as he knows that he and the dragon will be meeting again to end their fight. "This is getting boring. I should get back to Louis. Hope he have some stuff that will answer my quest for true beauty." Soli trace back his steps to return to the city.
Meanwhile...
The dragon lands in front of the Valkyries and Gran with a great shaking and it retreat its wings as it is full of wounds and bruises. The scaly monster whimpers and, from Gina's guess, asks for help not to harm anyone. Everyone looks at each other if they know any healing spells.
"I can, but right now I'm spent. I'm sorry everyone." Gran refuses as he grab another candy to draw sugar from. Rinko is a defender and all of her skillset is focus into defending her friends. Mayuri shakes her head as she master the skills of blending into shadows and being extremely fast. Gina is known for her brute force and her powerful spear.
"Veronica, I hope you know some healing spells." Gina ask as the pink haired mage just scoffs at the thought and she pouts and scream at everyone. "I hope you learn some healing spells someday! It will save your lives." Gran just cover his ears as the rest of them. She place her hand on the dragon and she cast a healing spell, where Gran witness how the wounds close as the bruises disappear.
"Well that's very convenient." Gran utters as he witness how the dragon is healing, but then Veronica faints and lose her footing. Rinko catch her quickly as the weak dragong is able to stand and flap its wings to show that the wounds are all fully healed. The dragon then puts its face near Veronica and it caress her, considering her like its mother.
"Okay is that a normal dragon behavior?" Gran is weird out by the turn of the events as he later approach the dragon the touch and feel its scales, which everyone does since this is the first time they touch a dragon who will not posing to harm them. Mayuri then hears a weird movement from the city of Helios. "Oh god... I'm hearing some wailing and screams on the air..." Mayuri notify the rest as the moment she stops speaking, everyone notice a familiar attack that towers over the city of Helios.
"That's the..." - Gran
"Black Slime again. How did it escape our attack?" Gina ask as she realize something. Yesterday the lady adventurer who commission this request have the black slime burst out of her. Is it possibly that..." Gina recounts as later they encounter three random ladies approaching them and Gina confirms her suspicion.
"Damn! You there! Why do you decide to carry the spawn of that abomination?!"
Gina realize that the Black Slime reproduce using the women's womb to create more copies of itself. The ladies experience some ecstasy from the assault and this disgust Gran and the rest in no end. The women then falls unconscious and from their body some small ebony slimes appear, and Gran didn't think too hard this time.
Gran throw his dagger and he commands the Compression. He adjust the attack to consume every last parts of the Black Slime as Gran ask Gina to end them. Since they are just unleash into this world, Gina's flame filled spear manage to eliminate them. Gran fight through his mind's exhaustion as he want to return to the city as something might be happening there about this creature.
"Hey! You think you can ride that dragon or something? Kidding." Gran says while they see how the black sludge hit something inside Helios. This prompt the party to be quick as this is not thr time to dilly dally.
"I'll go ahead! If you can see any carriage or anything go on!" The Exorcist informs the ladies as he takes a stance of a runner ready to go. "Hey, hold on! It seems that Veronica is looking for something." Gina calls out as the ladies see that the dragon is signaling something via head movements and its subservient actions.
Gran didn't heed. He still launch himself while the Valkyries decide to ride on the back of the dragon. "Tch! What a show off." Gina mutters.