Fiend (5)

Usually, in movies and games, most enemies are either eliminated or killed using hot weapons or cold weapons. Guns are typically classified as hot weapons, but tanks and explosives are part of them, too. Basically, almost all modern combative equipment are classified as hot weapons, with the exception of knives and other similar items.

Swords are the ones that people often think of when hearing the term cold weapons. That is because swords are usually made of metal, and metal is usually cold. But then again, spears; lances; halberds; and other similar weapons are also considered as cold weapons.

With that reasoning, one might think that some guns should be called cold weapons because they are made of metal. And you're right, some guns should be called cold weapons. But what makes a hot weapon a hot weapon is that the more you use it, the hotter it gets.

Constant explosions happen inside all hot weapons, and that is why they are called hot weapons. Some guns even emit smoke after firing a bullet.

But no matter which of the two kinds of weapon you use, the only important thing in using it is to finish whatever it is you have to do with it. And oftentimes, that's the most important thing that you have to do. This is why there exists a variety of weapons one can choose from.

If you can't pick a lock, smash it with a hammer. If you can't cut a rock, pierce it with water.

Faced with an enemy the likes of which Rando has never seen before, and with no suitable weapon at hand, one could only think that he must find a way out no matter what.

Or else... our story might end here.

However, having read countless fantasy novels and played some RPG in his lifetime, Rando was a little bit unperturbed.

He wasn't concerned whether he had weapons or he had none. He wasn't worrying if he could kill the monster right in front of him today or not.

He just wants to live.

And to do that, he needs to find a way to, at the very least, escape his current predicament. He believes that the slime existence outside the convenience store he was in right now has a weakness, just like every other enemy in movies and games or in real life.

Enemies such as an undead skeleton can only be killed when it has been grounded to dust, or if the controller (usually a necromancer) is killed. Fiends like the golems can be defeated once a certain ball called a core inside of it gets destroyed. And the scary zombies from zombie films and games usually require a shot in the head to kill it.

The main characters of such novels or movies or games usually have a weapon. It may be a gun, a sword, or some kind of magical staff. It may be an innate weapon, a superpower of sorts, that can help them kill their enemies.

But have you ever heard of killing an enemy with a nearly empty bottle of detergent?

Rando was already starting to have doubts in his plan.

'There's no way it will die from something this dumb, right?'

The plan was quite simple, and it was logically sound. From what Rando had heard these past few days from the radio, these existences have been infected with some kind of disease and was able to kill a grown adult man given enough time with just it's blood.

And since it was a disease, no matter if it's a virus, bacteria, or some type of parasite, it can be killed using a strong solution of alcohol or by some kind of chemical.

In this case, only a detergent was present.

'It's worth a try, right?'

It certainly is.

The genius of the poor may sometimes surprise the privileged, and the shout of the unheard can sometimes overcome even the roar of the lion.

Rando may not know because he has left the army a while back, but the Philippine Army is currently wasting their guns and bullets towards exterminating the existences.

Or, what's left of their supplies anyway.

War just ended and everybody is recovering. The army did not have the time to prepare because of all the recent reconstructing they have helped in.

Their leaders certainly know that sooner or later their supplies will deplete. And before that happens, they have to figure out how to effectively kill the existences.

And of course, the existence is doing the same.

Rando opened the closet door and slowly walked out. His eyes are locked on the slime collector that is still trying to jump inside. Although he knew that the slime collector couldn't reach him, he was still afraid.

After running all the way here in the convenience store just because he wanted to get more food, he is now facing his greatest fear as of yet. So, who wouldn't be afraid?

But Rando didn't just stand there in fear, in fact, he moved quickly after he closed the door behind him. He immediately grabbed several condom packs nearest to him without caring about their size, before rushing back towards the janitor's closet just like what he did when he arrived.

The bucket was not even halfway filled with water when Rando came back. He immediately opened the bottle of detergent and poured some in the bucket. Soon, the water became full of bubbles.

*thud thud thud*

The vibrations of the ground grew slightly stronger, and Rando quickly peeked outside.

There are now more arms holding on to the wall, however, the slime collector's action only felt stronger but not different. It was still trying to enter with no luck.

"Is it mad because it can't enter?"

Rando was spot on, it was indeed currently mad right now.

But not because it couldn't enter.

*guursh*

As Rando heard the sound of overflowing water, he immediately looked down at the bucket and then turned the faucet off.

'It's full now.'

Rando thought in his mind as he was opening the first pack of condoms. He took one condom from the pack and unrolled it before filling it with water. After he finished filling it up, he tied the neck tightly and held the pinkish water balloon full of bubbles in his hand.

'Will this work? Should I try it first?'

It was a good idea, if it didn't work then he would have wasted his time filling all the other condoms, only for it not to work against the slime collector.

'No, if it did work and I only made one, I would be wasting the opportunity of that thing's confusion. If there was nothing trying to kill me then sure, but I need all the bullets I can gather.'

It was at this moment that he began to think that he is in the army as a soldier once again. Even though he left the army a long while ago, the feeling of holding a gun never left his hands.

Rando would sometimes find himself shooting at a wall with his hand, even though he didn't have a gun. He missed how he used to just run around and shoot all day, he missed shooting at the gun range whenever he had the time just to train.

He missed everything about the war.

The sense of tension and that warning in his head telling him that he could very well die at any moment once he steps into the battlefield.

Maybe that was why after all this time, the moment he held the water balloon, he felt like he was back on the battlefield.

Gun in hand, enemies in front. There was only one order--

--shoot.

Of course, being a soldier doesn't just mean shooting at the enemies, but he liked that part the most.

About five minutes later, Rando finally was able to finish loading his bullets--err, filling up all the condoms he could fit in the bucket.

Of course Rando wasn't just going to carry all the water balloons with his arms, so he emptied out the bucket and he put them there.

The bucket was quite heavy, but not challenging for the current Rando even after 6 months away from the army.

He put the axe inside the bucket and carried the bucket in his left hand. He faced the wall, held the doorknob, and slowly but surely turned it wide open.

He faced the slime collector that was outside, about 10 meters away from him, and held a water balloon.

'This is it, I hope this works.'

He then threw the water balloon.