Episode 29: Uncharted Territory
Having returned from school, Yuma was in his room, gazing at the “Demon Ore” he had obtained.
It was a black Demon Ore, identical in color, shape, and size to a regular Metal Slime. The only difference was the pattern that seemed to float on the stone’s surface.
It was a white plant relief, resembling a wreath of flowers.
“I wonder if this means anything?”
Yuma first took out his Mana Index Meter and pointed it at himself, pressing the switch. After defeating such a strong monster, it wouldn’t be strange if his Mana had increased a little.
He looked at the display screen with anticipation, but it was still zero.
“…Tch, what’s with that? After all that effort.”
Yuma voiced his dissatisfaction, but then he measured the dropped Demon Ore as well. It also read zero.
“This one’s zero too… so I can use it, huh?”
Yuma took it to the kitchen, washed it with water, and swallowed it as usual.
After a while, heat surged up from the depths of his stomach. It was a familiar sensation, but this time it was different.
“Ugh!? What? This heat…”
Heat, unlike anything he had felt before, coursed through his entire body.
Could it be something he shouldn’t have eaten!? He felt a sense of dread, but after a while, it subsided.
“Haa… am I okay…? That was a little scary.”
Wondering what kind of ability this Demon Ore would grant him, he went to the garden to test it.
Ignoring Mamezou’s barking, he first activated “Metallization.” When he turned completely black, Mamezou got scared, but he reassured him, saying, “It’s okay, it’s okay,” and somehow managed to calm him down.
“Now, there’s a possibility that the Deca Slime’s characteristics have become my ability…”
He thought about the Deca Slime he had encountered this morning. Above all, the attack with its extended tentacles was frightening.
It had transformed a part of its body into a weapon. If he could do something like that…
As he thought this, his hand began to change shape, writhing. Thinking it might be possible, he imagined transforming his hand into a weapon.
Then, his hand gradually changed, taking the shape of a single-edged knife.
“Ooh… amazing! I actually did it.”
He was a little moved. He tried various other things to see what else he could do.
He turned his hand into a hammer, then into an iron ball, and was able to change his body into various shapes just by imagining it. Simple shapes seemed easy to create.
What was particularly amazing was…
“Ooh, I can even do this! This is incredibly fun.”
Yuma had transformed into the shape of a round Metal Slime. He never expected to be able to transform his entire body.
He frolicked with Mamezou, hopping around.
He was having fun, thinking it was quite interesting, but then he glanced at the glass door of the house, and his reflection was visible.
He was in the form of a round Slime, hopping around, extending numerous tentacles, and wriggling them.
Yuma calmly considered.
“Wait… doesn’t this… look like a monster?”
◇◇◇
That day, the International Dungeon Research Organization (IDR) was in an uproar over an unprecedented event.
The “Orpheus Tablet,” installed in a corner of the Laboratory, was surrounded by many researchers.
Among the people looking up at the Stone Tablet and expressing their shock was Ethan Noble.
“Ethan!”
Clark ran up in a flustered manner.
“What’s wrong, Ethan! What’s all the commotion about?”
Clark looked around, confused. Due to the sudden event, the Laboratory was in chaos, and accurate information was not being conveyed.
Seeing Clark like this, Ethan gave a mischievous smile.
“That’s what’s capturing everyone’s interest, Clark.”
Ethan pointed to the upper part of the “Orpheus Tablet” that was placed against the wall.
It was the area where colorful ores were lined up.
“What is it? Have the Dukes or Lords been defeated again!?”
“No, no… it’s not that, Clark. No one would be surprised by that anymore.”
Clark frowned at Ethan’s defiant smile.
“Take a good look. At the very top of the Stone Tablet.”
As instructed, he shifted his gaze, and one of the ores was shattered. It was the topmost ore, which had never been destroyed before.
“The highest-ranking monsters recorded on the Stone Tablet, one of the six Kings…”
Ethan looked at the top row of the Stone Tablet and raised the corner of his mouth.
“The Black King has been defeated.”