Tainted Sewages - 6

Leaving them with their works, I walk ahead with the Bright Stone in my hand, fully equipped.

The small illumination makes the place looks and feels forsaken, forgotten by the world; a boundary of light and darkness that was so clear and overwhelming. It felt like the darkness wants to consume you in a blink of an eye. Outside, in the dark lie monster that wants to rip one who stands in the light apart.

I think this is the moment where people would feel fear. Would it be bone-chilling fear or maybe like something crawling on your skin or underneath?

Not far since I left the two and found a one-meter weird blob-like material with a dark-green murky color.

Disease Slime Lv 7

Health: 220

It was a blob of slime. There is no description, only race, level and total health it currently has. With little to no information, I stay still and make sure it stays under the Bright Stone domain so I may be able to react when the slime plan to attack me.

"Rudy, I encounter a monster level 7 Disease slime. Did you perhaps know its specialty, like what its weakness is or something that can help?"

"None brother, it's the first time I heard that kind of slime exists. Ross does not know about it either. I guess you need to attack it with precaution bro. Just turn back if the situation looks grim."

With no information on my enemy, I am back to square one. I guess the only way to find out is to attack it or bait it with something. I take out a stone I picked up outside and throw it at the unmoving slime. It possibly staring at me with it nonexistent eye.

My stone instantly reaches its body and bounce as some sort-of membrane is protecting its body from the stone I threw creating ripples; as if its body is made up of liquid with jellylike consistency protecting its body from outside harm. I see no damage was done to the slime and it still does not move or try to attack me at all.

Is it some kind of passive monster or just waiting for me to get close enough before attacking with all its might? There is too little information. Therefore, I continue my experiment a second time.

I throw my second stone at the slime. However, this time the slime act differently than when I first attack it with a thrown stone. Rather than letting the stone bounce harmlessly on the floor, it swallows the stone after third ripples appear on its body. The wave that appeared from the impact point gave it an extra momentum becoming a deadly grave for my treasure stone.

For my third experiment, I'm thinking of using one of my hidden weapon, the Knife Ejector.

Aiming at the unmoving slime, I put aether into the trigger mechanism and aim it toward the center body of the slime. The knife stabs the slime easily. I can only see half of the hilt left protruding of its body. My attack did 20 damage to the slime.

The slime starts to shake its body hard and spit the knife out of its body. It can only spit the knife three-meter away from its body not enough to threaten me.

Knowing its weakness, I eject the entire knife of my two Knife Ejector and did a total of 100 damage. The slime bleeds a murky-green liquid from its wounds. With the slime left with less than half of its total health. The slime spits all the knives currently stuck on its body and spits a liquid at my face.

I tried to evade the substance thrown at me but when I want to move my body, my right foot is slipping preventing me to dodge. With no leeway left, I automatically cover my arms in a horizontal position. My left toes were gripping the ground firmly preventing me from an unexpected slip.

Before I can fix my posture, the slime shot me with another spit. I let my body fall, take out the trusty estoc on my thigh, and attack the slime before it can spit any further substance at me.

Without minding my posture, I pierce the one-meter slime with my weapon twice. Each dealing 40 damage to the slime. It felt like I stab a mix of fat and muscles. Before the slime attempt to swallow me like the stone I've thrown, I get away quickly with a body-roll.

Fix my body position I took a pre-sprint position with an estoc on my left arm and the bright stone in the other hand.

The slime only had 20 health left. I should have attacked it a third time and kill it but I chose a safe route and backed away. I truly regret my decision but there is no rewind in life. Seeing the slime flatten its body, I get closer and shine it with light to look at its current situation. Suddenly it springs its body to my direction. I put the pointy estoc towards the jumping slime. Its body suddenly burst, exploding into my body.

I'm glad I don't open my mouth at that time.

Checking my status, it seems I was inflicted with 'Level 2 Disease' and 'Level 1 Poison'.

Based on my calculation I'll be dead in approximately 14-seconds. Hurriedly picking up my throwing knife. A total of six or it should be six but I lost one, probably when the slime spits the throwing knives that stuck to its body.

I walked back towards my party member which currently working as cleaning service agent. Eight-second later I can see a glowing orbs float lighting the surrounding place alight in golden color.

"…Heal!"

Before I can ask for one, it seems I already given one without asking.

I constantly received heal from Ross to somehow maintain my health at 70% and Rudy was trying to dispel the negative ailment with 'Cleanse'. He needs more than eleven tries before the effect was reduced to a minimum. No matter how many times after he dispels my twin negative ailment it keeps coming back tirelessly.

"I think it may be because I showered by the substance of the slime I killed. It burst after being killed splashing it's disgusting slimy liquid innards everywhere. Just imagine, one spit and I'm inflicted with poison."

"I don't know if this will work, but let us try anyway."

Lots of bubbles appear before me of varied sizes after Ross cast her spell 'Water Bubble'. Bubbles come rushing at me, it feels like a shower in steam water without the heat. They popped here and there unveiling my hood.

After almost a minute showered by bubbles Ross said: "Rudy cast 'Purification' on Vain."

Once the purification effect recedes, we wait for three-second to check if the poison and disease state will recur. Previously, the ailments return in the three-second interval. Five-second passed and nothing happened. I guess that really work.

Honestly, the bubble shower was quite nice if the place wasn't in this smelly place.

"Well, it works… What happened?"

She had a relieve look plastered on her face while asking a question.

Did she want to know the detail about what happened? Then I noticed her gazed was on my left hand where the dim and beat-up Bright Stone on.

I tell them how I fight the slime; how its attack, skills and the way I fight with it which makes the brittle Bright Stone is on verge of crumbling.

"The slime probably only had two skills, poisonous spit and swallow. "I add.

Rudy nod his head. whereas Ross looks at the ground. I can't see her expression but high chance she's thinking about the slime or something entirely different, I don't know. Both of them went silent all of sudden. A minute passed and Rudy still in silent mode crossing his hands putting a serious face. It's not weird if Ross went silent but Rudy wasn't the type to shut his mouth without blabbering unnecessary things. On second thought, I bet he's posing.

"Rudy, Ross, lent me all of your health potions and cleanse potion as well. Can the cleanse potion remove ailment status?"

"I've got a few batches on me and only 3 cleanse potion. They were expensive. Damn! Those pharmacists must make loads of dimes. Can you believe how…" (a batch of potion contain 5 bottles)

I look at Ross and ignore Rudy with his grumbling. He turns back to his blabbermouth self. I guess he really can't hold back his chatty personality.

"Sorry I only had a batch minus one and one cleanse potion. I never carry a lot with me because I can just heal myself."

"I'll take all of them. I'll pay you guys later. Anyway, what will happen if I died? I've been killed a few times and got resurrected, except status penalty what else?"

I planned to go and fight blind so I may need to take some measurement I can get. With my plan I know I have more than 90% of failing but I really can't think of any solution. And, my craziness is kickin'.

I remember a few months after I ran away from the orphanage the situation was so dire that I would go into hiding lest I become food myself. I have had to live in the dark tunnel for I don't know how long.

It was wintertime, where the cold would strike your bone, while your muscle becomes stiff and burned by the cold. The place I ended up was a slum that had been no place for the weak to wander in. They turn into cannibalism to survive the winter. I don't really know the condition at that time but, it's been long past.

If I can give a level to the slums, I would give it 4 levels:

-First would be, Struggle but nice. (My current home)

-Second, hard but you can eat just fine.

-Third, Worse but you can survive with mighty struggle.

-Fourth, Catastrophic where surviving is a wonder. (The place I stranded on when I was a kid)

Its mystery how that place can exist with how brutal it was. There is no birth but the population keeps rising. One of the few examples of how bad government can make citizens lives a nightmare but a dreamy world for them.

"Except for the status penalty, you will lose a level and your latest attribute point you distribute won't be available, it will be restricted until you reach your original level. If you don't pass level ten yet, then you won't lose any level." Ross answered my question with her serious face and add "what are you planning?"

Ross pulled me out of my thought.

I tossed Rudy his Bright Stone. Catching the dim stone, Rudy look shocked and confirm his thought to me. "Bro, did you plan to go fight in blind? Ain't that practically suicide?"

"Rudy, did you know what the world doesn't lack? It's evil people and batshit crazy person. And why do you think villains always step ahead of heroes? Because most of them are lunatics. This time I'll be that crazy person. Worry not I at least had 10% of success and don't forget it is a game. So, why afraid of dying?"

I gazed at them with a small smile on my face.

"10% means your chance of success won't be high. Rather it feels more like a gamble to me. Why not take a steady and safe step? Vain?"

"So that's why! I never…" seeing Rudy muttering and putting a shocked face while stroking his nonexistent beard. Rudy considering my words carefully felt like he will agree with my idea, totally.

Momentary silent, I answered her question.

"Honestly I prefer a safe side as well but, there is this feeling within me saying we'll be wiped clean if we advance like what we currently did. Think about it, this far and you two haven't been attacked by any monster yet. The progress bar…"

I explained to them my worries. Ross still looks worried but no words come out of her mouth. Rudy on the other hands gives me a thumbs up and a toothy grin.

"Okay then, I'll go ahead."

"Unleash the beast within you bro! Rip 'em all!"

"This plan of yours is just pure lunacy."

Rudy sent me with confidence while Ross still trying to convince me to stop my plan. I left them and walked off toward the darkness leaving the warm embrace of light.