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 175: The Monopolizer and Invader of the Stars, Melting, Mixing, and Swallowing Them Whole 5

Episode 175: The Monopolizer and Invader of the Stars, Melting, Mixing, and Swallowing Them Whole 5

(Note: Special for this chapter, telepathic conversation will be in /…/.)

“(No way…)”

I couldn’t close my mouth. Of course, as a Slime, I don’t actually have one, but it’s a figure of speech.

/That’s Fisu, right…? How did she get so strong in such a short time…?/

/You’re not really in a position to talk about short-term growth, Katsu-kun. Apparently, she’s been training under an incredibly powerful adventurer./

/An incredibly powerful adventurer, huh… They must be amazing…/

I muttered something foolish to myself as I continued observing Fisu. With each attack, her movements were improving, especially after warming up with her first strike. By the second and third strikes, she was noticeably better.

It looks like she’s got things handled over there.

I should focus on what I need to do.

Meanwhile, the side the Demon King was handling was turning into a catastrophe, with minions being blown away like paper scraps.

No need to worry about that either.

“(I don’t need to worry, but… how long is this [King’s Authority Skill] going to last?)”

As I approached Karkinos, attacking with my manifestation and slashing away, I couldn’t help but wonder.

Neither my [King’s Authority Skill] nor the “Polar King’s” lasted this long. Maybe it’s because summoning and attacking are different in nature, or perhaps Karkinos’ [Skill] is just special.

Either way, if this continues indefinitely as long as there’s |Mana|, we’re in trouble.

Karkinos’s |Mana| is as bottomless as its |Life|, and it won’t run out anytime soon.

While the Demon King should be fine, Fisu, who relies on physical combat, might run out of stamina at some point.

“(The best solution is to end this once and for all. [Manifest], [Charge Slash]!)”

I sprinted forward, following the path of the lightning I summoned, wielding my ancient spear.

The trees of Karkinos were felled in a single sweep, revealing the source of the [King’s Authority Skill]—a massive pillar formed by a cluster of plants.

“([Manifest], [Wave Slash]!)”

I targeted the trees that were continuously generating the cluster.

The wave of slashes released from my ancient spear sliced through the base of the pillar.

Even though the pillar was much thicker than my body, the slash, which ignored all defenses, cut through it in one hit.

“(So that’s what happens…)”

I thought that would be the end. But about a kilometer away, another black pillar rose.

It felt like plugging one leak only to have water gush out from somewhere else.

After all, Karkinos has no clear weak points.

Its [King’s Authority Skill] can probably manifest anywhere it wants.

“(For now, I’ll just have to destroy these black pillars one by one.)”

There was a slight time lag between the destruction of a pillar and the creation of a new one. It’s better than doing nothing, I suppose.

But I knew this wouldn’t be enough to make a real difference.

The best way to stop a [Skill] is to kill its user.

“(If only that were possible. [The Endless Cycle of Thunderous Rebirth]!)”

I changed tactics and fired off a lightning strike meant to return the〔Soul Arche〕to the earth.

Of course, it wasn’t enough to instantly kill Karkinos. If I had any hope that it would, I’d have used it from the start.

“(This feeling… Karkinos’〔Soul Arche〕is even stronger than the ‘Ancient King’.)”

The “Ancient King” had an impenetrable, ironclad defense, but Karkinos was on a whole different level.

It was an overwhelming presence, so massive that I felt a sense of helplessness. It was like I could never bring it down.

“(At this point, chopping it down might be more realistic… [Manifest], [Wave Slash]!)”

I destroyed the second [King’s Authority Skill] source. But this time, another black pillar appeared deeper in Karkinos’ forest.

Taking down the pillars was slowing my progress, but I had no other options. So I moved toward the next one.

From then on, until the sun began to set, it was a repetitive cycle of felling pillars and watching them reappear.

A slow, grinding battle of give-and-take.

Both Karkinos, steadily advancing, and I, dealing damage, were inching closer to our goals. But the progress was painfully slow.

“(There doesn’t seem to be any time limit on this [King’s Authority Skill]… This is bad.)”

Thanks to Fisu, Karkinos couldn’t use its minions to accumulate power in the background.

But that only holds true for as long as Fisu has the stamina to keep going.

Though she hasn’t shown any signs of fatigue, her stamina and |Mana| must be dwindling.

A quick resolution is our best hope.

Once again, I renewed my determination, a thought I’ve had countless times over the past few hours. But no breakthrough ideas came to mind.

Right now, all I can do is keep using my [Unique Skills] over and over to refine them.

I don’t have any way to break this stalemate.

/──Katsu, are you alright right now?/

Except if someone else could step in, that is.

/Sage! I’ve gotten so used to Karkinos’ attacks that I’m getting bored with them. I’ve got some room to spare, but what’s up?/

/We’ve just completed the artifact we were working on./

/No way!!?/

That was one of the plans we’d considered, but I’d dismissed it as unlikely since it relied entirely on others. It was such a long shot that I didn’t even count it as a real option… but if it’s finished, it could be a game-changer.

“([Innovation Under the Sun!)”

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~Skill Details~

[Innovation Under the Sun] 

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Grants the ability to view information about artifacts stored in the Akashic Record, which contains undisclosed data. Constantly boosts thinking ability related to Mana Crystals and artifacts.  

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This [Skill] connects to an archive where all information on artifacts in this world is gathered, allowing the user to extract the necessary data. Since there are relatively few artifacts in existence, the information I sought was quickly found without needing to narrow down the search.

“(Thanks, Tanasis. I’m going to make good use of this—[Update]!)”

Tanasis, who had helped me during my time in the Underground Kingdom, had been working on developing this artifact with other scholars for about a week. I silently thanked him as I began transforming my body into the artifact.

Soon, a complex, jade-green artifact appeared at the core of my body. It could perhaps be described as an altar. The main structure of the artifact consisted of six circularly arranged, plate-like Mana Crystals, resembling an incomplete dome.

“(Analysis complete… The functions are perfectly replicated. Alright, let’s kick this off with a bang—[The Endless Cycle of Thunderous Rebirth]!)”

I activated my [Unique Skill] against the branches and leaves that had rushed toward me when I momentarily halted my attacks. In the next instant, a blinding flash of lightning ravaged everything in its path.