Sense Points: Wa | Do | Yo Fu | Yu | Jin Po | . | Njin | ※Nin | xx E | xx | Rest Required SP2
Takaji Youshi You
[Bow Lv8]
[Hawk’s Eye Lv9]
[Speed Increase Lv2]
[Discovery Lv2]
[Magic Talent Lv1]
[Magic Power Lv4]
[Addition Technique Lv6]
[Pharmacy Lv2]
[Taming Lv6]
[Linguistics Lv5]
[Alchemy Lv5]
[Synthesis Lv8]
[Earth Attribute Talent Lv3]
[Engraving Lv1]
[Swimming Lv0]
[Production Knowledge Lv1]
[Cooking Lv2]
In the quiet skirmish beneath the surface of the water, it was curious that both the Rice Eye and Discovery senses had leveled up. While checking my sense status, I received a friend communication and confirmed the caller.
“How unusual. It’s from Minits.”
“Haah~! Yun-chan, hello!”
“Ah, this is rare. What’s up? Where’s Taku?”
“Taku-kun is off on his own. I have a personal favor to ask, so is it alright if I head to the shop now?”
“Sure, no problem.”
“Got it! See you later!”
With that, she ended the friend communication. A request from such a rare person piqued my curiosity. Minits was a blonde, wavy-haired cleric player and a member of Taku’s party, but since my interactions with her were mostly through Taku, I wondered what kind of favor it could be. Tilting my head, I prepared some tea and snacks to welcome her.
“Sorry, Yun-chan, for the sudden favor.”
“Well, since it’s a production request, I’m more than happy to help.”
“Um, it’s a bit different from a production request, but is that okay? Oh, and Mami, stop hiding and come out!”
“Is it really okay? Are you sure?”
Minits gently pushed Mami, who had been hiding by the entrance, forward. Her nurturing demeanor made her seem like a caring mother. It seemed that Mami was the main focus of this request.
“Why don’t you take a seat instead of standing at the entrance? I’m brewing some tea now.”
“Y-Yes. I’ll wait.”
Despite having visited many times to buy potions, I couldn’t help but smile at the witch girl’s small, animal-like reaction.
“Here you go. Tea.”
“Thank you.”
“Yun-chan, these cookies are delicious! Did you make them?”
“Correct! Well, since I have an inventory, they won’t spoil, and there’s no expiration date, so I can make a lot at once and store them. If you want some, I can share.”
Watching the two of them enjoy the cookies made me smile as well. I prepared my own tea and sat across from them. Just then, Zakuro climbed up onto my lap and nestled between my stomach and the counter.
“Looks like you came out just for the cookies, huh? Can’t help it, can you?”
I picked up one of the cookies and brought it close to Zakuro’s nose. He opened his mouth and eagerly devoured the cookie, using his tiny front paws to hold it as he munched away. A warm atmosphere enveloped us.
“Wow.”
“Hey, Minits. Could it be that Mami’s request is somewhat related to current events?”
“Correct! You figured it out!”
“Well, it’s no surprise that people come to check on the Atelier for that reason.”
Mami, the subject of our conversation, was sending Zakuro a longing gaze, completely oblivious to our discussion.
“So, what do you want? You want me to teach you how to create a partner using the Taming sense? That might be a bit difficult.”
“I don’t think that’s possible. I doubt I have the luxury to hold onto a sense I won’t use, especially if it costs SP.”
“Then what is it?”
“Recently, Mami has been sighing a lot. I think she’s been daydreaming about pets. If I can fulfill that desire, maybe she’ll feel a bit better.”
“Well, I can understand that.”
While we were talking, Mami, unable to suppress her desire, gently reached out towards Zakuro. Sensing her movement, Zakuro stiffened for a moment and hid behind me.
Mami froze in her reaching position, clearly disappointed.
“…Yun-san, I want a pet too.”
With a small cough that almost slipped out, I felt a desire to grant her wish, but I had to think of a method.
“Seeing Mami shake her head back and forth as if her neck might hurt, I realized that while adjusting for combat might be difficult, a pet that’s just for companionship wouldn’t need to have high abilities.”
“If that’s the case, I can create a disposable MOB for you, if that works.”
“Really? Yun-chan, is that possible?”
“Technically, it’s treated as a production item. There’s a recipe for creating a slime MOB in the Synthesis sense.”
While it may lack combat power, it should be sufficient as a pet.
“So, what do you want to do?” I asked Mami, who blushed slightly, looking a bit embarrassed yet pleased.
“But that means it’s a production request, right? How much will it cost?”
“Well, I can’t use the production kit I have now, so I’ll need to buy a higher-grade one, which will cost about ten thousand G. The materials will vary depending on the MOB, so I can’t say for sure.”
“Ten thousand G is quite a lot to come up with so easily.”
“Since it’s not for equipment or repairs, the budget isn’t that tight.”
“The ten thousand is just the initial investment for creating the synthesis MOB, so I’ll cover that. However, you’ll need to provide the materials. As for the labor fee, how about ten thousand G?”
“In that case, yes. I’ll cover it. Please make me a cute slime.”
Zakuro bowed deeply.
“You can use materials you already have, or buy them from a shop or market. I’ll write down the necessary materials now.”
There are five types of items needed for synthesizing the slime. To be precise, they fall into five categories.
One is a MOB drop that determines the type of MOB. The remaining four can be classified into the four elemental attributes: fire, water, wind, and earth.
For good earth attribute items, you can gather ores or drops from earth attribute MOBs. By balancing these four types during synthesis, the strength of the MOB will be determined, and it can be created.
The list of materials I wrote down was just a simple one; stronger MOBs could be made from higher-grade materials, but only within the range of slimes.
“…Understood. I’ll need to gather a few more materials, so if it’s okay to meet again in a day, I’ll prepare everything on my end.”
I finalized the details with Mami. Although she said it wasn’t necessary, she handed me half of the labor fee upfront. It seems I’ll need to put in a bit of effort.
Recently, the increase in customers had allowed me to save up some money, but it all vanished with the purchase of the synthesis kit. I felt the need to earn money again.
“Let’s set up the five-type synthesis kit.”
The three types of synthesis kits I had been using were made of fabric depicting magical motifs, but the four-type synthesis required stone tablets. For the five-type synthesis, I would need to arrange the stone tablets and create a synthesis circle in a larger space.
The synthesis circle, composed of five stone tablets arranged in a cross, would require placing the base material in the center and the other materials around it.
After finishing the arrangement of the stone tablets, I looked around the cramped workshop and contemplated whether I needed to expand or if I should set up a separate room for synthesis. However, since I had just purchased the synthesis kit and was running low on funds, I didn’t have the luxury to consider that. After use, I would also need to temporarily remove the arranged stone tablets, which made me sigh.
I couldn’t afford to keep thinking for too long. I needed to create at least a sample before Mami and the others arrived.
It would be better to practice a few times rather than attempting to create the synthesis MOB on the first try and wasting materials due to failure.
I gathered blue jelly, a drop from the blue slime, along with relatively inexpensive materials: charcoal, well water, bird feathers, and stone.
“Alright, let’s do this. Synthesis!”
Standing beside the synthesis circle, I activated the synthesis skill. It consumed more MP than the two or three-type synthesis I usually used. The synthesis circle etched on the stone tablets began to glow with a bluish-white light, and as it surged, the four surrounding materials broke down into particles of their respective elemental colors. The decomposed particles were drawn into the central base material, and eventually, the light settled.
“Well, that’s a success.”
The bluish-white light that had illuminated the workshop faded, revealing a lightly colored stone at the center of the circle. It resembled the summoning stones used by Rui and the others, and in this case, it was the Slime Core Stone Lv1.
“The procedure is the same as summoning and returning a MOB using the Taming sense.”
I held the Slime Core Stone in my palm and prepared to summon it.
“Slime, summon!”
For a brief moment, the stone glowed white, and from within the light emerged a single eye. As the light faded, a gelatinous creature dangled from my palm.
“Ugh, that’s gross!”
I shook my hand to dislodge the slime, which splattered against the workshop floor, spreading its body wide.
It dragged its small core-like body along, creating a sticky trail.
Ugh, this wasn’t quite the slime I had imagined. No, this type was typical for blue slimes.
I had envisioned something a bit firmer, more gummy-like, but this was more akin to an amoeba, constantly swirling around its core.
In terms of size, it was smaller than a blue slime. It would take quite a bit of courage to make this one a pet. Mami likely wasn’t expecting this either.
“I need to come up with a better synthesis recipe,” I muttered to myself.
Once again, I sketched out the materials and began crafting a synthesis MOB. After completing the Slime Core Stone, I proceeded to combine it with various ore-type items.
“…This isn’t working. It just increased in volume. What other materials would be good?”
I experimented with ores, wood, herbs, drops from MOBs, and potions, combining them in various ways. Using slime as the base, I repeated the synthesis, increasing its volume and changing the color of the base slime depending on the attributes of the materials used. By incorporating a lot of water attribute materials into the core stone, it transformed into a blue hue, eventually evolving into a blue slime. By increasing the earth attribute, it shifted to a light brown color, finally becoming a mud slime.
I tried various patterns and recorded them in my notebook, but it was proving to be quite difficult.
“Ugh… I just don’t get it. How can I make a cute slime?”
Before me, a colorful array of gelatinous creatures writhed incessantly. If I were to express it in onomatopoeia, it would be something like squelch and splat as I leaned in closer.
“Yun-chan, I came as promised!”
“Hello, I’m here to assist.”
Since I had already informed Kyoko, who was logged in on her PC, it was smooth sailing as Mini and Mami were guided into the workshop. Upon entering, the two of them displayed reactions of avoidance at the sight of the vibrant slimes.
Mini, slightly taken aback, wore a strained expression as she gazed at the colorful mass of slimes, while Mami looked on in awe, seemingly impressed. Surprisingly, they could probably keep one as a pet just like this.
“I made a sample of a light slime, but what do you think?”
Mini instinctively moved closer to the wall, unable to stomach the sight, while Mami reached out without hesitation to touch one nearby. She patted it gently, testing its texture, and looked up at me while still crouched down.
“This won’t do. It lacks elasticity.”
“I figured as much.”
“No, no, no! What is this disgusting sight…”
I exchanged glances with Mami, who seemed unfazed, and replied, “Well, they’re just ordinary slimes, right?”
“Yeah, they’re just like the slimes you find in the plains,” Mami added nonchalantly. “There’s really no problem here.”
[Well, since it seems Mini is not on board, maybe I should clean this all up for now.]
Unlike summoned MOBs, synthesis MOBs don’t consume MP, so I could call forth as many as I wanted without any burden. After picking up all the core stones scattered on the floor, Mini finally spoke up.
“So, can we create an elastic slime?”
“Hmm. It’s difficult at the moment. I’ve been trying various combinations, but I just can’t figure it out. It might end up costing more than the budget we initially set. Is that okay?”
“Yes. If we’re going to take the plunge, we might as well go all in.”
Mami chimed in with determination, though I wondered if that was the right way to approach it. Well, I could appreciate her spirit.
“Then, how about we try making it together?”
“Making it? But neither Mami nor I have any synthesis sense.”
“As long as you can tell me the combinations you think of, I can handle the execution.”
“That sounds interesting.”
Finally, Mini smiled as she warmed up to the idea. I began by showing them the basics of synthesis and demonstrated how to create a slime.
After they grasped the concept, we started crafting slimes using the materials they had brought.
[They brought some high-quality materials: the fangs of a fire wolf, scales from a pufferfish, skin from a sky serpent, and a hobgoblin’s horn. This is a solid collection.]
They had brought in materials that were superior to what I had used.
“With these, we might be able to create an even better slime. Let’s give it a shot.”
I arranged the items in the synthesis array and activated my synthesis skill.
From the resulting Slime Core Stone Level 3, a larger slime emerged.
“Hmm. The level has increased, but it’s still the same type.”
“Hey, Yun-chan. Isn’t it absolutely necessary to use materials for synthesis? For example, combining core stones with each other?”
“Are you suggesting we combine slimes to create a king slime?”
I had never thought of that. I began placing the Level 1 Slime Core Stones I had made in bulk into the synthesis array.
Combining five Level 1 core stones resulted in a Level 2 core stone.
Even if I combined a Level 1 core stone with a Level 2 one, it would still be Level 2, but the volume increased. Perhaps it was akin to experience points.
“Hmm. It gets bigger, but it feels a bit off. Also, since I don’t know the recipe for different types of MOBs, I think I’ll hold off on those.”
“How about we focus on combining materials with specific attributes? Since we already have a mud slime, we could combine mud slimes or focus on ore types. If we need elasticity, we should tackle it from that angle.”
“Good point. Then let’s mass-produce mud slimes and experiment with various ores. Additionally, I want to explore the idea of synthesizing ores through alchemy to achieve higher transformations. I discussed this with Mami and we exchanged various opinions as we tried different approaches.
The result was three types: Mud Slime Level 3, Sand Slime Level 1, and Huge Slime Level 1. The Mud Slime had increased in volume and level due to the continuous synthesis with earth attribute materials. The Sand Slime had transformed from a gelatinous creature to one composed of sand, no longer resembling a slime at all.
The Huge Slime was created by alchemizing ten Slime Core Stones. Although we had successfully created new slimes, they all fell short in terms of elasticity and didn’t match my initial vision.
“Hmm. The Sand Slime is the only one that has some hardness, but it still feels a bit off.”
As I touched its surface, I could tell it was made of finely grained sand, constantly flowing. The Huge Slime, being larger than the others, was big enough to fit a person entirely, so after summoning it, I hesitated and decided to revert it back to ore.
“If we’re going to experiment with ore types, what should we use? Ugh, my head hurts!”
I tried numerous patterns, but nothing satisfactory emerged. Should I mix in herbs or try potions next? Or perhaps combine weapons? My mind was racing with possibilities.
“Hey, is there anything that can solidify liquids? Something like jelly or pudding?”
“Jelly or pudding, huh? Well, there are some options…”
I pulled out an item made from blue jelly, a drop from the blue slime.
“This is blue gelatin, an item meant for cooking. Want to give it a try?”
Mami, who had been poking the Mud Slime and Sand Slime with her index finger, turned around to look at the blue powdery gelatin, though she didn’t seem too hopeful.
I thought, why not give it a shot? I arranged the blue gelatin around one of the core stones.
“|| (Synthesis)”
As I spoke, the Slime Core Stone reacted, and what emerged was a core stone with a deeper blue hue.
Ah, it wasn’t a Blue Slime Core Stone but a different type: Gel Core Stone.
“Could it be… | (Summon)”
What I summoned was a palm-sized jelly-like entity. The gelatinous substance wobbled around a core that resembled a dark red-black sphere. It seemed to be exactly what Mami was looking for.
Mami, not caring that her triangular hat and glasses were askew, widened her eyes in delight and gently stroked it with her hands. She felt its texture with her palm and poked it with her fingertips, enjoying its elasticity.
“I want this! Thank you, Yun-san, Mini!”
“Is this okay? What about the size and color?”
“Make it a bit bigger.”
“Understood.”
Following Mami’s request, I synthesized more Gel Core Stones for finer size adjustments. In the end, it became about the size of a small cushion.
“Hey, this gives me an idea. How about we use this for a prank?”
“A prank?”
I tilted my head, looking at Mami, who was cradling the completed jelly, while I petted Zakuro and Ritti, who I had summoned. “What do you mean?”
“Well,”
After hearing Mini’s suggestion, we all found it a bit amusing and quickly set our plan into motion. Since we were running low on materials, I asked the two of them to go hunting and shopping while I prepared.
The prank’s concept was simple: we would make slimes and jellies resemble food and then move them just before someone was about to eat. Our targets would be Taku, Gantz, and Kei, who usually formed parties with us.
We crafted a small Poison Slime using the fangs of a fire wolf and light attribute materials, creating a white jelly-like slime.
We made a beautiful assortment of colored jellies packed together like a cold dessert, resembling water dumplings.
A sand slime and jelly were combined to mimic kinako (roasted soybean flour).
Three-colored jellies were shaped into dumplings, resembling dango.
Finally, we tossed a mix of colorful slimes into a pot, creating a hot pot-style slime stew.
The excitement of the creators was palpable, and it was amusing to see the food samples turn out so beautifully, almost like a work of art. While it wasn’t exactly production in the traditional sense, the joy of creating something together with others was delightful. Besides, the additional expenses for materials, amounting to several tens of thousands of G, were covered by Mami and the others, leaving my only cost as the production kit priced at a million G. As for the labor, well, that was just a bonus, so we ultimately settled on the initial budget of several tens of thousands of G.
“Alright, we’re ready to transport this to the store,” I announced.
“We’ve practiced following orders, so I’m sure we’ll get to see some surprised faces,” Mami replied with a grin.
Imagining Taku, who usually exudes confidence, wearing a dazed expression brought a smile to my face. However, I had to be careful not to overdo it and end up bending Arisaki’s will. Instead, I focused on helping showcase the synthetic MOBs, like slimes and gels.
Oku carried the gels and dummy dishes packed in the specially prepared birthday box to the counter, and finally, everything was set.
“Okay, we’ll go call them now,” Mami said.
“Yeah, please do. And we need to prepare some drinks too.”
We filled two types of containers with the Paralyze Slime synthesized from the guiding potion and real lemon squash, ensuring we were fully prepared. Just as I thought we were ready, I realized I had forgotten something crucial and rushed back to the workshop.
I hadn’t prepared the spoons, forks, and plates necessary for eating. Since it was all about the dummy dishes, I completely overlooked that without tableware, we couldn’t eat.
When I returned from the workshop with the necessary utensils, I heard Gantz exclaim, “Oh, Yun-chan, you’re already snacking!”
I stared at what Gantz was holding between his fingers. A synthetic MOB disguised as a water dumpling was swiftly swallowed by him without a second thought. The synthetic MOBs were disposable and had very mechanical AI, allowing them to follow commands faithfully but preventing them from taking any autonomous actions. This meant they couldn’t escape, leading to Gantz’s surprised shout.
“Ugh, it’s squirming!”
“Wow, it doesn’t taste like much. I thought these were sweets made by three girls under Yun-chan’s guidance, but they look good while tasting mediocre. Especially this one, it must be Mami’s creation!” Gantz declared, striking a pose as if to say, “I said it!”
But he didn’t realize that he had eaten the synthetic MOB before Taku, Gantz, and Kei could all command them to move at once.
“Yeah, this sweet red bean soup is something else. I licked it earlier and got poisoned, so this must be Mami’s, right? They say if you mess up cooking, status ailments can occur…”
“Uh, Gantz? Where are Taku and Kei? Didn’t Mami and Minits go to fetch them?”
With a trembling voice, I finally asked why Gantz was the only one here.
“Well, Kei found an item he wanted at the stall, so he’s haggling over the price. I didn’t want to deal with the long shopping, so I came here first. They should be here soon,” he replied.
Just then, I received a friend request from Minits.
“Sorry! Gantz went ahead alone. Hold him back for a bit!”
“Hahaha, sorry! I took my eyes off the food for a moment and he ate it!”
Oh no, he was currently gulping down the Paralyze Slime disguised as lemon squash. Despite its viscous nature, he seemed completely oblivious. What a character!
“Bwah! The fizz of the lemon acid flows down my throat and fills my stomach!”
No, he’s really getting paralyzed! Is he seriously unaware? Or is he trying to prank me instead?
As I pondered what to do, Minits and Mami returned with Taku and Kei in tow. I decided to let things unfold as they would.
“Lift off!”
At my command, the slimes and gels in the plates and pots leaped into the air. Ideally, Taku and Kei would have been caught up in it too…
But seeing Gantz continue to eat the slimes would be too much, so I executed my plan solely on him. The synthetic gel left a small round mark on Gantz’s forehead as a multitude of colorful goo fell around him. The sight was so overwhelming that not only Gantz but even Taku and Kei, watching from the entrance, stood there with their mouths agape.
If Gantz ended up regurgitating the slimes, he might just pass out from shock. But it seemed they had vanished in his stomach.
Afterward, Minits and Kei burst into laughter while Mami watched, trying to gauge the situation. Taku and Kei, relieved that they weren’t the ones affected, chuckled as well.
“Wow, I can’t believe Yun would set up a prank like this,” Taku remarked.
“No, it was Minits’ idea. Though, it definitely has some payback from the last time,” I replied, summoning some of the slimes and gels again.
“Seriously, to eat without realizing they were fake. Gantz is such a fool,” Minits said.
“What? With how beautifully they were presented, who could notice?” Gantz retorted.
“Honestly, I suspected you were aware and still went for it,” I added, mostly in jest.
“Don’t say such things!”
Gantz, the biggest victim of this prank, seemed to be enjoying himself more than he let on. What was supposed to be a light-hearted prank had turned into something deeper, but he didn’t seem too bothered, which was a relief.
“Still, you did a great job, Yun.”
“Yeah, well, since they’re disposable, I initially made them for pets, but I had so much fun synthesizing them that I kept going.”
Taku’s words made me feel a bit embarrassed for acting so childishly. Mami, having lost interest in our conversation, was now enjoying the squishy texture of her pet gel.
When the gel, which had been hidden under her triangular hat, finally emerged from the gap, it surprised not just me but also Kei and Minits. I felt like Mami had stolen the show with her prank.
As the gel peeked out, Mami playfully said, “Hey there!” using ventriloquism, causing Kei to double over in laughter. He was shaking, trying to hold back his amusement.
“Hey, can I touch it too? I want to feel the slime!”
“It’s not slime; it’s gel. They’re different species.”
“Details, details. It reminds me of the slime I made as a kid.”
Gantz poked the gel as if nothing had happened, repeatedly pressing his fingers into it. I found his actions endearing, but then I noticed something familiar happening.
The gel on Mami’s lap had its HP slightly reduced. And Gantz, oblivious, continued to poke it.
“Gantz! Don’t touch it anymore!”
“What? Yun-chan, are you jealous?”
“Ah!”
A small cough escaped Mami’s lips. The gel, poked too much, lost its viscosity and melted away, dissipating into particles.
“Ugh, you idiot! You’re a fighter, aren’t you?”
Gantz’s combat style revolved around unarmed close combat. Due to this, every attack he made with his bare hands had a damage judgment. The act of “poking” itself was considered an attack, and even if he was trying to hold back, continuous contact would build up damage, causing Mami’s gel to lose all its HP.
“Yun-chan, I want to punish Gantz a little. Can you help me?”
“Got it. Seriously, what were you thinking?”
Seeing Mami’s bewildered expression made me frown. Taku and Kei quietly blamed Gantz for his actions.
“Hey, I-I’m sorry! Please forgive me!”
“Just wait, I’ll fix that broken head of yours!”
I enchanted Minits with attack and speed boosts, enhancing her stats. Although she was a support class, she swung her mace with full force at Gantz’s temple.
With a controlled swing that sent him flying out the shop’s entrance, Gantz could have easily dodged, but realizing that avoiding it would complicate matters further, he took the hit and rolled to minimize the damage.
“Tch! Missed my chance!”
“Please, I’m sorry! Just let me off the hook!”