Chapter 281 - 279: The Best Timing

Chapter 281: Chapter 279: The Best Timing

Mutated Evil Rot Slimes have much greater Life Energy, and their acid is far more corrosive.

It could also corrupt its surroundings, slowly transforming the local ecosystem into an acidic swamp.

A group of smaller Slimes bounced around next to the Evil Rot Slime.

They were just as severely eroded and corrupted.

Zelir and his team had taken on a Slime extermination mission before.

Normal Slimes were all grayish-green.

But these Slimes were all covered in a viscous black liquid that looked... a bit like crude oil?

The weather was cold, and the air should have been crisp.

But when a grim wind blew past, a thick, foul stench hit them full in the face.

It wasn’t just an ordinary stench; this odor was a mixture of the sharp sting of powerful acid and the reek of long-stagnant, fermenting water.

"Ugh..."

All of them couldn’t help but cover their mouths and noses.

"This is disgusting... To think Slimes can turn into this," Valles said, his brow furrowed in revulsion.

"Prepare to move."

Zelir whispered, laying out their strategy.

"Valles, you’ll join me for the opening sneak attack. After that first burst, keep an eye on the surrounding Mutated Slimes and don’t let them close in on us."

Valles nodded silently.

"Gray, you’re with me against the Evil Rot Slime. Maki, you’ll work with Valles to clear out those Mutated Slimes."

Zelir assigned Gray as a primary attacker alongside him because Gray’s Fighting Qi had a special Wind Attribute.

As for Marcus’s job... there was no need to assign one.

He had always been the team’s Heavy Shield.

"Understood," they all replied in low voices.

Killing intent silently coalesced in the wind and snow.

The team was currently upwind, so they didn’t have to worry about being detected by the Evil Rot Slime Demon Creature Community.

Zelir and Valles simultaneously began charging their strongest attacks for the opening salvo!

"GLURG... GLURGLE GLURGLE..."

The Evil Rot Slime writhed slowly in the muddy swamp.

Wherever it passed, the pitch-black earth darkened even further, and the frozen ground silently thawed.

"SPLAT, SPLAT, SPLAT..."

A group of smaller Slimes hopped around the Evil Rot Slime.

"SPLAT, SPLAT..."

It sounded like raindrops falling on mud, splattering black sludge everywhere.

The weather was growing colder, which wasn’t good news for a Slime.

Although the Evil Rot Slime had little intelligence, its biological instincts drove it to migrate somewhere warmer.

’At least find a cave or something... South... a cavern, and preferably an unfrozen underground river.’

’Then I could just lie back, soak, and spend this damn winter in comfort.’

Suddenly, an intense and aggressive wave of Magic Power and Fighting Qi surged toward it.

The Evil Rot Slime grew vigilant. Its soft flesh tensed as it prepared for the unexpected.

But it was too late.

Before the Evil Rot Slime could even react, two brilliant beams of light cut through the forest.

A concentrated Aurora Energy Beam and a Thunder Arrow fully infused with Fighting Qi!

"SWISH! SWISH!"

The sharp sound of something slicing through the air had barely registered when the attacks landed.

The two struck the Evil Rot Slime at almost the exact same moment!

"BOOM!!!"

Arcane Magic Power and Thunder Fighting Qi exploded in unison!

The terrifying force instantly shattered its outer layer, sending huge chunks of gelatinous matter flying everywhere like broken Jell-O.

A black rain seemed to fall over the swamp as fragments of the Evil Rot Slime showered down with a wet SPLAT.

This well-prepared opening ambush instantly sent the Evil Rot Slime Demon Creature Community into a frenzy.

They flew into a rage, immediately locking onto the party’s location and beginning to bound toward them!

The overwhelming advance looked just like a black tsunami.

"They’re coming! Get ready!"

Marcus let out a roar.

He planted his Shield in front of him with his left hand and snapped down his helmet’s visor with his right, protecting his face from any splashing acid.

Finally, he drew his Battle Saber.

"I really hate these Demons that spray crap everywhere..."

Gray and Maki did the same, pulling down their visors. Their breathing grew heavy and muffled inside their sealed helmets.

Their roles on the battlefield were clearly defined.

"Bring it on!"

Maki let out a furious roar from under his faceplate.

He swung his Heavy Sword in a wide arc and began moving toward the side of the battlefield!

His intent was clear—to pull aggro!

Since Maki was the first to charge out, he naturally drew the attention of most of the Mutated Slimes.

"SQUELCH!"

The Mutated Slimes switched targets, a dense black mass hopping toward Maki.

This move successfully created an opening for the main assault team.

Mutated Slimes didn’t have a clearly defined threat rating in the Adventurer’s Association Universal Monster Atlas.

Their specific Special Abilities and effects depended on the community’s parent organism.

The parent of this community was the Evil Rot Slime.

Therefore, it was obvious that the Mutated Slimes under its influence also possessed enhanced acid abilities.

Their corrosive properties would be even stronger!

Overall, these Mutated Slimes had surpassed the scope of [Simple] rated Demons, reaching the [Difficulty] rating.

Maki gripped his Heavy Sword, glancing at his newly bought Armor out of the corner of his eye.

He thought to himself.

’I hope the anti-corrosion layer from the Blacksmith Shop holds up...’

The thought was fleeting; the monsters were already upon him.

Maki roared, stepping forward into a Vortex Slash!

Three Mutated Slimes, each over a meter in diameter, leaped high after gathering power, shooting toward Maki’s face like cannonballs.