Episode 3: The Slime’s Rare Drop!
I have no Attack power.
If someone like me wanted to defeat a Slime, I’d have to equip some kind of weapon.
But I didn’t even have the money to buy such equipment.
So, I tried picking up stones and throwing them, or fighting with a wooden stick.
But being an adventurer isn’t that easy.
For a small fry like me to fight a Slime without any armor, it’s life-threatening.
If I took even a single hit, it would be a fatal blow.
And yet, I only have a sliver of Attack power.
If I wanted to defeat a Slime with stones or a wooden stick, it would take hundreds, even thousands of hits.
Of course, that was a reckless endeavor.
Even if I managed to whittle down a Slime’s health to some extent, it would either escape or recover over time.
Still, I didn’t give up and tried again and again.
Because I was frustrated.
No, more than anything, if I didn’t, I wouldn’t be able to survive.
“Alright, just a little more… I’ve finally cornered it…!”
I persistently targeted one Slime and somehow managed to whittle its health down to a sliver.
Just one more direct hit with a stone, and I should be able to defeat it.
“Pikii!”
However, perhaps knowing I was as fragile as paper armor, it boldly attacked.
“Whoa…!”
I somehow managed to move my exhausted body and dodge.
If I took a direct hit from the Slime, I’d probably die instantly.
“This life-or-death battle…! It could become a habit!”
I see, being an adventurer might not be so bad after all.
Well, being as weak as I am, I’m not really in a position to say that, though…!
Even so, I found myself enjoying the current situation.
“With this, I can finally prove them wrong! I’ll show them that even I can defeat a Slime!”
Yes, for me, this is a battle of pride.
To make them acknowledge my worth!
Defeating a mere Slime might not actually mean anything in the grand scheme of things.
But still, I can’t back down now!
“Uoooooooooooh! Hit it!”
My form was like that of a gambler or something.
I… had won the gamble.
The stone I threw struck the Slime’s body directly, shaving off its remaining sliver of health.
“I did it! A Slime! I finally defeated it!”
Then, something was expelled from the Slime’s body.
Is this what they call a drop item?
I’ve never defeated a monster before, so this is a first for me.
“What’s this… what is it…?”
I checked the drop item.
My first spoils of war.
《Slime Knife》
Rarity ★★
Drop Rate 5%
Attack Power 5
Description: A weapon that deals increased damage to Slimes.
“Oooh!? Could this be what they call a 【Rare Drop】!? Maybe I really am lucky after all.”
To think such a rare item would drop from the very first one…!
I’m incredibly lucky!
Maybe because I’ve struggled so many times until now, the gods decided to give me this…
Anyway, with this, I wonder if I can somehow call myself an adventurer.
“Maybe with this weapon, I can actually defeat Slimes…?”
I muttered, taking the faintly blue-glowing knife in hand.
Even someone like me with no Attack power might be able to fight if I use equipment.
Normal equipment probably wouldn’t do much, but this is clearly a rare weapon.
Plus, it has an effect that makes it easier to defeat Slimes.
“Alright! Let’s give it a try!”
Without delay, I decided to go defeat a second Slime then and there.
“Hya!”
Slish!
“Pikiii—!”
To my surprise, using that knife, even I could defeat a Slime in just two or three hits!
A normal person could probably defeat one in a single hit.
But this is incredible.
That I could defeat a Slime so easily…!
“Amazing…! This knife is amazing!”
Something even more surprising happened.
The second Slime I defeated also dropped a 【Slime Knife】.
“Huh…? Is this… the same one…? Haha… no way…”
Yes, I thought it was just a coincidence.
There’s no way a Rare Drop would appear so many times in a row.
No matter how much luckier I am than others…
“Seriously…!”
But to my utter astonishment, I got 【Slime Knives】 from the third and fourth Slimes as well.
“This is… no longer a coincidence…!”
Could it be that, as long as I can defeat them, I’ll get a Rare Drop…?
If this is the case, maybe even I can make it as an adventurer…!?
I was a little excited by this glimmer of hope.
“Still… what should I do with all these knives?”
I’ll keep the first one as a memento…
Should I sell the rest…?
I don’t know how valuable they are, though…
For now, I defeated a few more Slimes and returned to town.
“Oh, couldn’t defeat any today either?”
The gatekeeper said to me.
However, my reply was different from usual.
“No, I managed to defeat some today.”
“Seriously!? You finally did it!?”
“Yeah…”
“That’s great news.”
Everyone else who had been cheering me on was also happy for me.
With this, maybe the way people treat me will change a little.
For the time being, I decided to go to the weapon shop and try selling the 【Slime Knives】.
“So, how much will you buy them for?”
“Whoa, whoa, seriously, lad…?”
“Is there… a problem?”
The old man at the weapon shop’s eyes went wide, and he started to sweat.
“Where did you get these!?”
“Well… they dropped from enemies I defeated…?”
“I see. It must have taken you a long time to gather them. 【Slime Knives】 are valuable Rare Drops, you know… Are you sure you want me to buy so many?”
“Ah, yeah… no problem. Please buy all twelve.”
From the way the shopkeeper put it, they seem to be quite rare.
But if he says it took a long time to gather, does that mean they’re really that hard to drop…?
Well, it’s not wrong to say it took time, though.
“Alright, that’ll be 24,000G (Galeus) for twelve.”
“Eeh…!? Th-that much…!?”
“Of course. It’s proper etiquette to pay a fitting price for valuable items. Or what? Is it still not enough? Well, if it were just one, I could offer more. But for twelve… you’ll have to forgive me if this is all I can do.”
“N-no… it’s fine. This is more than enough. Thank you.”
With this much, I can eat for a while.
My life up until yesterday feels like a lie.
“If you get any more rare items, bring them by anytime.”
“Ah, yeah… I’ll count on you then.”
I left the weapon shop, holding an astonishing amount of money.
What should I do from now on…?