NOVEL NEXT Ch. 18
“Give me!”
At Russell’s command, Rozelite didn’t hesitate for an instant. She immediately surrendered all control of her body.
【Symbiosis Lv4】
The moment “Rozelite” stepped into the shadows of the alley, her movements shifted—subtle, abrupt, unnatural.
The stiffness of fear vanished, replaced by an unnerving fluidity and composure.
Without breaking stride, she hugged the damp, icy wall, slipping deeper into the alley. She tucked herself into a shadowed corner where piles of moldy burlap sacks and splintered crates hid her completely.
And just as she did—
The alley’s entrance darkened as two figures blocked it.
They wore rough, nondescript dark cloth. In the gloom their faces were blurred, but the menace of street scum was clear enough.
“...Damn it, where’d she go?”
One growled, the gleam of his short blade flashing as his eyes scanned the trash-strewn alley.
The alley was silent, save for the whistling wind through cracks and the occasional “drip, drip” of unseen liquid.
“She’s in there! That brat runs fast, but she couldn’t have gone far!”
The other’s voice was sharp with greed.
“She’s carrying something. I saw that S-rank bitch give her something at the church earlier!”
“Don’t tell me you—”
Before he could finish—
Swish—
A pale-blue tentacle darted out from the junk pile.
So silent, the two men froze dumbly.
The next heartbeat—
A dull yellow glow flickered. One thug suddenly felt a chill in his gut.
He looked down.
There was a hole. In his stomach.
Strength fled. His eyes rolled back, and he collapsed like a sack of grain.
Dead.
“Wh—?!”
The second man’s pupils shrank, terror flooding out the greed.
His companion’s grotesque fate. That eerie, luminescent tentacle. None of it fit anything human.
He screamed and spun to run—
Too late.
Shhhhk—shhhhk!
Several more tentacles shot out from the heap, serpentine-fast.
The thug howled, slashing wildly with his blade. Pointless. The tentacles didn’t clash; they coiled. In an instant they bound his legs, waist, and weapon arm.
Cold. Slick. Slimy. Strong. He couldn’t budge.
And then he saw it—
“Rozelite” rose from the junk heap.
Pale-blue translucent tentacles spilled endlessly from her slightly parted lips, from under her skirt. That tiny girl’s body had become a nest of writhing limbs, twisting and wriggling in midair like a demon descending.
“Mmmphhh!” the thug screamed, face contorted in raw terror.
A tentacle speared into his abdomen.
“Talk. Who sent you?” the girl’s voice was flat, eyes colder than steel—a terrifying contrast against her childish face.
“Mm-mm!”
He shook his head frantically.
“Don’t want to talk? Doesn’t matter to me. But think carefully.”
Thud!
The tentacle slammed him hard into the stones.
Blood sprayed. His insides felt shattered.
He crawled, kowtowing in terror.
“Mercy! Spare me, Sir Demon! I know nothing! I saw nothing! Please, please let me live!”
“You really know nothing?”
“I swear! I swear to Goddess Sevenstar! I really—”
“Then die.”
The girl raised her finger. A tiny point.
【Mana Cannon Lv8】
BOOM—!
A blazing orb of pure mana detonated at her fingertip.
The thug didn’t even have time to scream. He was obliterated, left only a scorched smear of charred flesh.
“Rozelite” lowered her hand.
Cold eyes swept the corpses.
After a pause, she summoned her tentacles, wrapping the bodies.
Humans weren’t monsters. Leaving corpses would cause trouble. She didn’t know how this world judged killing, but no need to invite unnecessary problems.
Erase the evidence.
【Bottomless Apetite Lv∞】
The bodies decomposed, digested, absorbed before the eye.
【MP: 969,900 → 971,990 ↑】
【Mana Reinforcement: Lv0 → Lv2 ↑】
【One-Handed Sword Mastery: Lv0 → Lv2 ↑】
【Dagger Mastery: Lv0 → Lv2 ↑】
【Weak Point Targeting: Lv0 → Lv1 ↑】
【Tracking: Lv0 → Lv1 ↑】
【Stealth: Lv0 → Lv1 ↑】
So many new skills at once...
A tentacle stroked “Rozelite’s” chin thoughtfully.
Human skills were different from monster skills—more varied, more tailored to fighting.
But honestly… What was a slime going to do with dagger or sword mastery? Wrap a weapon in a tentacle and duel? Ridiculous.
Russell drew the tentacles back. He returned control to Rozelite.
Her face went white. Her calm eyes shook violently. Her stomach lurched.
The alien feeling of tentacles bursting from inside. The thug’s twisted, terrified face. The stink of blood.
Too much. Overwhelming.
She crumpled against the wall, retching. Tears spilled down her cheeks.
“...”
Russell watched silently.
Was she too fragile?
No, maybe he was the strange one.
When had he become able to kill so casually? Even… eat people?
Had being non-human too long stripped away his respect for life?
He wanted to be human again, yet he was drifting further away.
“Mister… Slime…” Rozelite gasped, her voice trembling.
“Sorry. It was urgent,” Russell said.
She bit her lip, fists clenched, and then blurted out furiously.
“Even… even if it’s an emergency… if you’re going to come out from there… at least warn me first?! Forcing yourself out like that—it HURT, it really really REALLY hurt!”
“...”
Mister Slime shut up.