Chapter 7: Not a Bad Slime

I went out and purchased a Benchmade SOCP tactical knife as well as two brand-new rappelling ropes, and then I proceeded to tie up every bandit that I had previously knocked out.

Now, I'm officially out of gold.

I gripped the handle of the knife tightly in my fist and drove it into the back of the man's neck.

I felt the blade sink through his flesh until I hit something solid, his artery.

The man screamed out in shock as warm liquid gushed out of him and onto my hands, painting them a deep red.

I felt a sick sense of satisfaction as I watched him slowly pass away, blood oozing from his throat like a river of red blood.

The brain extraction SOP is as follows.

First, place the deceased person in a prone position with the head slightly elevated.

I moved the unconscious bandit to a table and propped his head up with a block of flat stone.

Second, using a scalpel or a saw, make a coronal incision through the scalp and skull, starting at the top of one ear and ending at the top of the other ear. Then, make a second incision perpendicular to the first, creating a T-shaped flap of scalp and bone.

Instead of a surgical scalpel, I went with a Benchmade SOCP because the item shop didn't have any other options. It's pretty sharp, and its shape resembles a scalpel, so this should work.

It isn't as sanitary as a surgical scalpel, but it's not like I'll have to worry about infections; after all, they're going to die anyway when I cut their brains off.

I made the incision using my reliable knife, cutting through the scalp without any difficulty.

After that, I made the second incision, which resulted in a T-shaped flap of bone and scalp tissue being created.

Third, carefully peel back the scalp and remove the bone flap, exposing the brain.

I grasped the scalp and gently peeled it back, revealing the grayish-white of the brain beneath.

The surface was swollen and slick with blood, its surface mottled with veins and creases.

With a swift tug, the scalp gave way, and I could see the pinkish-gray matter of the brain glistening in the light.

Fourth, use a spatula or a similar tool to gently separate the brain from the surrounding tissues, taking care not to damage the brain.

Since I didn't have a spatula, I used the knife to cut the brain from its connective tissues.

The brain tissue itself is surprisingly squishy, much like squid.

Fifth, cut through the spinal cord and any remaining connective tissues, freeing the brain from the body.

The shining blade of the knife made quick and precise movements without hesitation.

Blood oozed from the wounds, staining the blade as it sliced through the spinal cord.

Finally, with a final cut, the brain was disconnected from the body.

Finally, lift the brain out of the skull and place it in a container filled with a preservative solution, such as formalin. Take care not to damage the brain during this process.

I was surprised at how easy it was. I thought the brain would be much more difficult to cut out, but it only took a matter of minutes to detach it from the body completely.

I deactivated All Seeing Eye with a few FPs left.

Thankfully, I finished the operation before my FP was exhausted. The penalty for FP reaching zero was a catastrophic headache.

Alright. This is it.

"Itadakimasu!"

I bit into the squishy, bloody flesh of the brain.

"Urgh-" As I chewed, I couldn't help but feel like I was eating a soft and creamy rubber.

Its texture was unlike any food I've eaten before.

It was gross and wrong.

Don't puke. Don't puke. Don't puke. Urgh-

I've paid too much for this; it's sink or swim time.

There is no longer any path for retreat.

I have to eat this.

This is… not good.

I covered my mouth as the icky feeling spread through my mouth.

Urgh-

Its taste was most certainly not normal.

It tasted kind of funny, and its texture was strange.

I forced myself to swallow.

Don't puke. Don't puke. Don't puke.

"You, what..."

My heart leaped into my throat as I heard a desperate voice shrieking in terror.

I spun around frantically, my eyes searching wildly for the source of the haunting sound until I finally saw them, trembling and shaking with fear.

It was the girl from before.

"What are you doing?!"

With trembling lips, her face paled to a ghostly hue as she asked her question, the desperation in her voice echoing off the walls.

"Isn't that obvious...? I'm eating this man's brain."

I was momentarily distracted and stopped chewing.

"Y-You're a madman! What the hell's wrong with you!?" She shouted.

"No, I'm not a madman."

I continued to eat.

"Urghhh..."

I failed to suppress the gag reflex in time.

The vile chunks of brain matter oozed out of my mouth and onto the floor before being quickly scooped back up with my palms and forced down my throat.

As she watched, her eyes widened in fear, and her jaw dropped, frozen in shock.

She gasped and stepped back, pressing her hands together in horror as I continued to eat the gruesome brain matter.

Her expression was one of sheer terror, unable to comprehend the gruesome sight before her.

My throat clenched as I swallowed the final chunk of the brain.

Its slimy texture made my stomach heave.

I wiped away the sweat that had beaded up on my forehead with bloody hands.

[You have obtained the achievement "Taboo: Brain Eater"]

[You have obtained the achievement "Taboo: Cannibal"]

[You have unlocked a quest.]

[Not a Bad Slime]

[Difficulty: Intermediate

P-please, don't hurt me! I'm not a bad slime! If you feed me, I'll show you something slurprising.

Quest Clear Conditions: Successfully eat four human brains (1/4)

Clear Reward: 10,000 gold, +10 Loyalty, Achievement: Slime's Favor.

*Slime's Favor: Permanently increases loyalty by 50 and will not decrease further.

Quest Failure Penalty: Nothing.]

[The quest "Not a Bad Slime" has been forcefully accepted.]