"Squish squish."
"...?"
At first, I thought I'd misheard it.
But the moment I tried to rush past Han Ji-hyeok and drive my attack into the King Slime...
"Squish squish. Ow, it hurts."
That utterly deflating, cutesy voice made me hesitate.
"Do-yoon!"
-Squirm.
The moment I missed my attack window, the King Slime—still locked in its stunned state—began wriggling back to life.
Sensing it, Han Ji-hyeok grabbed the back of my neck and yanked me backward.
"Gah!"
"What the hell are you doing, you idiot!"
It wasn't the gentle tone he'd used until now—this was a sharp rebuke that snapped me back to reality.
I cleared my throat awkwardly and reassessed the situation.
'What was that voice...'
"Don't hit me~ It hurtth~ Squish squish."
There it was again.
"No way."
"Do-yoon-ssi! Are you okay?!"
Jeong A-hyeon was peering at me from behind, her face full of worry.
"What's wrong? Poison?"
"First time hearing that King Slimes have poison?"
Cha Yun-ha and Jo Ha-rin exchanged glances, wondering why I'd aborted my attack.
"Ah. I'm fine."
Truth be told, I wasn't.
I was thoroughly confused.
A mysterious voice right before the strike landed.
It couldn't have been from any party member, and it came loaded with weird onomatopoeia.
My gaze instinctively shifted to Han Ji-hyeok.
More precisely, to what was in front of him—the King Slime, just resuming its movements.
"Squish squish."
'No way...'
"Do-yoon-ssi?"
A ridiculous assumption I shouldn't even entertain tormented me.
But the situation kept egging on the crazy thought.
"...I can hear a voice."
"A what?"
"From that boss mob. It feels like it's talking to me."
"...Pardon?"
All three hunters went silent at once.
It was only natural. Even I'd react the same if someone told me that.
'Am I actually losing it?'
No. Maybe I'd been crazy ever since acquiring the Boss Mob Gallery.
Chatting with tower bosses, trading memes with them—
And now even hearing voices from the King Slime right in front of me.
"Hey, sloppy Hunter. Can you hear me~?"
"..."
Should I respond or not?
"Do-yoon-ssi. What on earth—"
"It's not a lie. I can really hear it. Probably some skill effect."
"That, supporter skill?"
"Yeah."
"No. Even so—"
I stood up.
Took a deep breath, then sneaked up behind Han Ji-hyeok, who was still locked in confrontation.
"Do-yoon."
"Hyung-nim. Hold on a sec."
"...What?"
Before Han Ji-hyeok could react to my bizarre behavior...
"What are you?"
I pointed my rusty sword at its core and asked.
"Knew you could hear me~ That's what I thought~ Squish squish."
"This is insane."
"Hunter. Does it hurt~? You shouldn't hurt~"
Hearing that cutesy concern even now shattered every shred of common sense in my head.
And right then.
-Flash!
The King Slime shook itself once and charged at Han Ji-hyeok.
"...!"
Han Ji-hyeok tensed up again and smashed it full-force with his massive shield.
-Boom!
"Squish squish, ow~"
"You crazy bastard. Why the sudden attack?!"
"Do-yoon! Are you seriously nuts?!"
At this point, I wished I really was crazy.
Who could imagine hearing a boss mob's voice live in real-time?
If I hadn't acclimated beforehand via the Boss Mob Gallery, no one would believe it.
I anxiously awaited the King Slime's response, desperate to convince my fellow hunters somehow.
"Can't help it~ The moment Hunters enter, I automatically attack~"
"Then why talk to—"
"I can talk to you, Hunter~ How's that possible? No idea~ But it's amaaazing~ Squish squish."
That innocent tone from something so murderously huge—the dissonance was off the charts.
"But I just instinctively felt it~"
"..."
"Felt like I could talk to you, Hunter~ Probably 'cause of your mana~"
"My mana?"
That's when our exchange reached that point.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Successfully resonated with Boss Monster, 'King Slime'. Warning! Mind has been contaminated. Skill, Mana Resistance (C) activates. Resistance successful! Gained immunity to mental contamination.
"Ha-rin! A-hyeon! Pull Do-yoon away first!"
"...Got it!"
"O-okay!"
The two hunters rushed over and dragged me back by the arms.
"What's been up with you?! At least explain!"
Jeong A-hyeon urged me on.
"Ji-hyeok-ssi. Let's clear it first."
"Was gonna anyway! Yun-ha!"
"Yes, oppa!"
-Fwoosh!
Brilliant flames erupted from Cha Yun-ha's palm.
Magic.
Her palm, aimed at the King Slime's core, looked ready to explode any second.
"W-wait a minute!"
"Enough! We'll hear details outside!"
-Flash!
The fierce blaze was about to burst forth.
On impulse, I lunged and grabbed Cha Yun-ha's arm.
"Wh-what are you doing!"
"Hear me out!"
It was pure instinct.
The moment I saw 'resonance', some urge pushed me forward.
That's why I risked it to block her strike.
These guys were strong.
I hadn't heard their full records yet, but a 1st-floor boss would be a cakewalk even after hundreds of clears.
So I trusted them completely.
"Hyung-nim!"
"Do-yoon! This ain't a joke!"
Han Ji-hyeok glared at me, on the verge of exploding.
"I know!"
I scooped up my fallen sword and charged back at the King Slime.
"Squish squish. Kinda fun~ You won't kill me~?"
"Gonna kill you."
"Aw, bummer~ But I get it. Kill or be killed. That's the tower."
-Squish squish.
The King Slime said that, then wriggled again to shake off its stun.
"But with you, Hunter, feels like I can give you something~"
"Like what."
"This~"
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Resonating with target, 'King Slime'. Due to resonance, temporarily acquiring target's skill!
"...Huh?"
⚔ STATUS ⚔Skill Acquired! ▶ Acidic Digestive Fluid (D)
Right then, white smoke rose from my hand.
Startled by the bubbling sensation, I dropped the sword's hilt.
-Sizzle...!
The rusty sword hit the ground.
Following it with my eyes to the end, I spotted the hilt melting away.
-Drip. Drip.
The source was right in my grasp.
I looked down at my hand.
Something sticky oozed from my skin's surface.
"Do-yoon, ah. That's—"
Even Han Ji-hyeok, who'd been watching, trailed off in shock.
Suddenly gaining a skill, then murderous goo leaking from my hand.
My brain couldn't keep up.
'Lost control.'
Gaining the skill meant I had authority over it.
Panicking made it activate wildly, destroying my own weapon.
-Crunch.
I inwardly berated myself.
You idiot.
What kind of hunter discards their own weapon?
I refocused my mind.
▶ Acidic Digestive Fluid (D)
I didn't need to think to know whose skill this was.
That melt-on-contact attack—I'd seen it plenty in the gallery.
— But seriously, is it warm inside a slime if you stick your hand in?ㄴ Why you curious about that ㄴ Hold up, gotta try something real quick ㄴ For real, please no ㄴ You even human? Nah, monster confirmed ㄴ Lmao ㄴ Forget warm or not, prof. It just melts you?
...Stop digging.
"All good~?"
The King Slime chimed in amid the chaos.
"Yeah."
"Whoa, so cool~ Squish squish."
"This is nuts."
"...Do-yoon?"
"Nothing, hyung-nim."
I met Han Ji-hyeok's 'are you insane?' stare, then raised my remaining shield.
Focused my mind again.
: Attacks target using acidic solution upon use.
Using acidic solution.
It didn't specify only on skin.
Which means—
-Sizzle...!
Viscous liquid began dripping from the shield.
"...!"
Han Ji-hyeok and the others gaped in shock.
The goo spread thickly on the ground, melting the grass.
"Kill me now~?"
"Gotta."
"Squish squish, wanna chat more~ But don't wanna hurt Hunter~"
"..."
An unpleasant feeling stirred inside me.
Probably that carefree voice.
Gripping the dripping shield, I advanced on the stunned King Slime.
One good hit.
-Sizzle...!
I slammed the shield into its solid body.
Acid ate right into the impact site on its massive form.
"Hunter."
Another one.
This strike neared its core.
"See ya next time~"
Squeezing out its last strength, I delivered the finishing blow.
Aimed straight at the exposed slime core.
-Splat!!-Crack.
The shield's hard edge easily crushed the slime's soft core.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Challenger, 'Kim Do-yoon', has defeated Boss Monster 'King Slime'!
All that remained were the remnants of what was once the King Slime and the clear notification.
⚙ SYSTEM NOTIFICATION ⚙Acquiring Stage Clear rewards.
"...Do-yoon."
A voice from behind.
Turning around, I saw my teammates' dazed faces.
"What the hell was that just now?"
📰 Breaking NewsSo how did the newbie even get in here?💬 Comments— AnonymousOur gallery ain't some flea market. Can't just waltz in whenever you want lol. Even fellow tower bosses struggle to join, So how's a clueless newbie hunter pulling it off?— Anonymousㄴ How should we know? ㄴ Must be the admin's grace... ㄴ Season 3204226 newbie origin debate? ㄴ Wasn't there that determinism theory last time? Lmao ㄴ Short-Eared Goblin*) Such an intriguing theory~ Just coincidence, or 'someone' arranged it for us to meet~ ㄴ I legit believe in newbie determinism... We're all one anyway ㄴ This guy's sus af ㄴ Dropping likes again...?📰 Breaking NewsOne thing's sure—ain't no coincidence Nickname: Paper Enthusiast*)— Paper Enthusiast*)Said it was 'cause of a skill when he first came? As tower lord all this time, First I've heard of such an unheard-of skill. Skills got algorithms too, Newbie's is straight-up brand new tier.— Anonymousㄴ Skill algorithm ㄷㄷ ㄴ Fr what skill does that ㄴ "Boss Mob Gallery" ㄴ BossGal badass af ㄴ Aged Wine is...*) Hooee...! Don't care about that! Point is newbie met us and we can interact! ㄴ Wine Lord's a determinist too ㄴ Paper Enthusiast*) That's what makes it intriguing ㄴ Paper Enthusiast*) If he climbs smoothly to our level... maybe even for us...📰 Breaking NewsCan we dream of 'graduation' too~? Nickname: Short-Eared Goblin*)— Short-Eared Goblin*)Just heard about it. No tower lord's experienced it here yet, right~? Wanna see newbie grow soon~ Got so much to share then~— Anonymousㄴ Graduation real? ㄴ Yeah a few graduated from this gal ㄴ Fr? ㄴ Newbie huh. Few back in the day ㄴ 'Back in the day' when ㄴ Few hundred years ago? ㄴ Fml ㄴ Lmao thinking about it, ancient af ㄴ Why so bleak? ㄴ Feels like god summoned us for world end ㄴ Lmao fr📰 Breaking NewsAh we don't wanna be boss mobs either lol— AnonymousWho begged to be one Came to, already here. Whatcha gonna do— Anonymousㄴ Why you getting sentimental all sudden? ㄴ Diggin your own grave lol ㄴ Mod keep this post. Endless bullying material ㄴ Lmaoooo ㄴ Fr suck em dry to the bone ㄴ OP) Fml