Banished from the herd, I was actually a member of a very rare species. ~With the unique skills that only I can use, I can grow and evolve quickly. I will become an unrivaled monster~ - Episode 19: VS Hamo

Episode 19: VS Hamo

“(Damn it! Come out already!)”

I shouted by the edge of the spring. The Hamo monster I was fighting had escaped into the water and hadn’t come out since. It seemed that it hadn’t fully retreated and was watching me from the depths of the spring. Probably due to the effects of my [Provocation] and [Enchanting Radiance].

But no matter how many times I used [Provocation], it wouldn’t come any closer. This kind of [Skill] is hard to stack.

“(Hey, hey, look, it’s bait!)”

I extended a part of my body, making it into the shape of a rod and line, and let it sway in the water. Since the fishing rod wasn’t covered by [Weapon Body], it was a bit tricky to transform, and the line ended up as thick as a tube.

Maybe because it was such a poorly made fishing rod, the Hamo showed no signs of taking the bait. The lack of actual bait might also be a factor.

I considered using the carcass of the deer. But if the bait was snatched away, it would be a disaster. I still intended to take that deer home eventually. I’ll save that as a last resort, but for now, I want to try every method I can think of.

“(Hey, look, there’s a UFO flying over there!)”

I turned around, showing my back, but got no response. Come to think of it, slimes don’t really have a clear front or back.

“Sla-sa, Sla-sa.”

I tried dancing. But the Hamo didn’t come out. It wasn’t like the Ame-no-Iwato myth.

(Note: Here is a brief story of the Ame no Iwato. Have fun reading ( ദ്ദി ˙ᗜ˙ )

The myth of Ame-no-Iwato begins with the sun goddess Amaterasu Ōmikami retreating into the Heavenly Rock Cave, Ame-no-Iwato, due to the disruptive and violent behavior of her brother, Susanoo no Mikoto. Her disappearance plunges the world into darkness, causing chaos and distress among the other deities. 

To lure Amaterasu out, the gods devise a plan that involves placing a large, sacred

mirror outside the cave entrance and staging a grand celebration with vibrant decorations and joyous festivities. Ame-no-Uzume performs an exuberant and provocative dance, which draws the other gods into laughter and excitement. This commotion piques Amaterasu’s curiosity, leading her to peek out of the cave and see her own reflection in the mirror. 

Intrigued by the light and festivity, she steps out, restoring light and order to the world. With her return, harmony is reestablished, and the balance between the deities is restored, including a reconciliation with Susanoo.)

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>> Fuwa Katsu {Jewel Weapon Slime} has acquired the [Skill: Dance].

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“(Alright, next…)”

I transformed part of my body into a whip and submerged it in the water. The Hamo cautiously backed away a bit. But, well, distance doesn’t really matter.

“(Activate, [Earth-Growth-Thunderbolt]!)”

I concentrated |Mana| at the tip of my body, transformed it into lightning, and fired it. The spring was illuminated by a flash of light.

“(Looks like it’s working.)”

The lightning pierced straight through the Hamo, continuously dealing damage. It convulsed, twitching its body. I kept firing the lightning at the Hamo as it struggled and tried to flee in the water. If I keep spending |Mana|, I can keep shooting it like a laser beam.

But I need to keep an eye on my |Mana| reserves, as the consumption is intense. When my |Mana| was down to less than 30%, I made a big leap backward. A split second later, sharp fangs attacked the spot where I had just been.

“(Finally decided to come out, huh?)”

“Shuu!”

It seems the Hamo, judging that staying submerged would eventually be its undoing, decided to attack. I quickly moved in to strike back. But by then, the Hamo had already retreated again.

Avoiding that bite out of fear earlier was a mistake. The sight of those fangs coming at me triggered an instinctive fear. Even though I knew in my head that I had blocked the first attack without injury, I still reflexively dodged.

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>> Fuwa Katsu {Jewel Weapon Slime}’s Soul Accumulation Level has increased to 30.

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While reflecting on that mistake, I leveled up. But the Hamo wasn’t dead yet. This must be experience from other aquatic creatures in the spring. 

My unique skill allows me to direct lightning to some extent, but it still spreads out a bit, especially in water. I felt a bit sorry for the collateral damage, but I kept my focus on the Hamo. The electric shock had a significant effect; its second bite was weaker than the first.

However, it was far from being incapacitated. Its three eyes were still fixed on me.

“Juru…!”

The Hamo groaned in pain as it activated its skills. It launched whirlpools like before, as well as large, vivid purple blobs that clearly looked poisonous.

“(Whoa, whoa… whoa!)”

I dodged, dodged, and dodged again. The Hamo seemed to specialize more in close combat, so its ranged attacks were somewhat sloppy. The real problem, though, was how I could counterattack. I’d prefer not to consume any more |Mana|, but… from this distance, even my whip won’t reach.

As I was mulling over what to do, I suddenly spotted something out of the corner of my eye. I adjusted my position while evading attacks to execute the idea.

“(Alright, [Slash]!)”

I swung my whip sword and cut off a part of the stag’s antler. Quickly wrapping it up, I pulled it towards myself.

“Slaa!”

Then, I immediately jumped! I leaped over the approaching whirlpools and poison blobs, and unleashed my [Unique Skill].

“Shuruuh!?”

Taking advantage of the momentary hesitation caused by the lightning strike—

“([Throwing]!)”

—I threw the stag’s antler!

The red, sharp, and menacing stag antler hit the Hamo’s head cleanly. Perhaps it was the stag’s lingering grudge. Luckily, the pointed end of the antler had struck, embedding deeply.

“Juu, uu…”

The Hamo, upon receiving the hit, stopped using the skills it had been unleashing with relentless force and began to thrash wildly instead. It seemed exaggerated for just having an antler stuck. No, it was certainly deep and painful, but it felt like there was something more disturbing in its violent reaction.

“(Could that antler really have been cursed…?)”

For a while, it thrashed and disturbed the water surface, but gradually its strength waned, and it eventually lay on the surface of the water. Blood flowing from its head stained the clear water a dark red.

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>> Fuwa Katsu {Jewel Weapon Slime}’s Soul Accumulation Level has increased to 38.

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