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Chapter 117: Infiltration (3)

Upon hearing the voice of the slime at the front of the group, Rustly who was at the head of the party stepped back abruptly from the sight.

"...Reru?!" he shouted out. "Why are you here?!"

"Why am I here..." Reru leapt forward as he spoke out. "I should be the one asking you that instead, no?"

"Ugh... You clearly know why we're here!" Rustly stated. "Just let us past!"

"Hmm..." Reru stopped at his leaping. "No can do. You going to that human would interfere with her. It's much better to be patient and wait till she is done."

"What?" Rustly seemed to be dumbfoundedly staring at Reru. "Be patient? There's no time! Don't you see what's going on outside?!"

"Yes... I understand that." Reru nodded his head. "But, what can we do? There is no other option but to wait. If these humans were to meet up with her... It'll cause unnecessary trouble."

"There is something we can do! It's to see Old Man Renryth! He can help us out with-"

"No. You know very well the old man has long fallen into the curse..." he sighed. "It'll cause harm for us all if that human were to see him."

"But! If we can't see the old man... There is no way she'll finish in time!"

"In the end, instead of risking our one chance for nothingIt is much better to take the safest route," Reru spoke as he quickly turned around. "In any case... I have nothing more to say to you. Please quietly leave this place before you bring about an unfavourable situation for you"

"Reru!!" Rustly cried out.

"I suggest you do something much beneficial for all of us like helping to clear out the Farku race," he calmly stated. "As for when the human will finish up learning the arts... I estimate for it to be a week."

Watching the slime walk away from the group, Shinto hurriedly stepped to the front in a calm demeanour as he spoke out. "Stop."

However, despite calling out to Reru, the slime continued walking towards the door without looking back.

"...Reru, was it? Why is it that your assumption is that we'll be a cause for unnecessary trouble?" Seeing the scene in front of him, Shinto wasted no time in waiting for his reply as he quickly pressed on the matter.

"...?" Upon hearing Shinto's voice, the slime stopped at his as steps. In the next moment, he turned around, quickly locking eyes on Shinto. "You... How is it possible that you're able to understand our language?"

"That does not matter as of right now. The bigger issue at hand is what I asked," Shinto redirected his question against Reru. "Why is that you assume we'll be unnecessary trouble?"

"Hmph..." The slime scrutinized the human in front of him. "For someone who is openly wearing the cursed necklaceYour question as to why is as if you aren't causing trouble already."

"And are we really causing trouble?" Shinto tilted his head. "We've peacefully spoken with the people here and we didn't make any scene. Your assumption on the matter seems to formulate around the idea of your linear way of thinking about humans, isn't it?"

"Hoh? Then do explain about that necklace you're wearing," Reru curiously inquired. "It is cursed by the darkness of Sanke. YetYou still dare to wear such a thing?"

"The curse does not affect me," Shinto calmly voiced. "Which is precisely why we're more than fit to aid our companion in defeating the one who you call 'Sanke'."

"..." The slime was stumped for words upon listening to Shinto. With a glance to Rustly and back to Shinto, he let out a sigh. "Human... Even if you're immune to the curse, that still doesn't change the fact that the one who Rustly wishes to see is cursed."

"We'll find a way around it," he said. "From what I know, this person is still combating against the curse, right?"

"That was the last news that was given to us, yes," Reru replied. "What of it?"

"Then... There's still a chance," Shinto said. "If we were to go now, it may not be too late."

"...and what if it was? How are you going to escape from his grasp?" Reru pressed. "The cons outweigh the pros I'd say."

"If all else fails, I and my party will do our utmost best in protecting Raina from harm's way."

"Hmph... This is a waste of time you know that?"

"It's only a waste of time we exhaust all options."

"..." The slime stood still as if deep in thought, pondering on Shinto's words. Soon after, in the next momentThe slime entered into a battle-ready position. "Give me one proof that you're able to protect Raina from him. Together with your companionsfight me."

...

Back within the room filled with many books on floors and on the shelves, Raina held her staff tightly within her hands, quickly chanting out a few words.

"...to burn against the darkness," Raina muttered out. "To try against the flames..." Her staff waved around as a small flame began to surround her. "Continuing on against the blazes of legacy... blaze through the void!"

Shouting out, her staff aimed at a torn piece of paper in front of her. However, after minutes of chanting the spell, nothing came out.

"...sigh," Raina sighed at the sight of her staff failing to cast the spell. "Again I failed..."

[ 'Flames of Etheral' proficiency has increased by 0.04%. ]

[ Current proficiency in the arts: 38.04% ]

Glancing over towards her notification window, she raised up her staff once again. "At the very least... This is much more efficient than rereading the book over and over again." Shaking her head, she began to cast the spell once again.

...

Through the hallways of the castle leading up to a door at the end of it, multiple spikes of toxic goo protruded out on the floors, quickly making their way over towards the group.

"Ack-!" Frey cried out as she dodged the spikes nearly grazing by at her. "What's up with this slime?!"

"This slime is testing us," Shinto calmly stated as he jumped into the backlines. In the next moment, his staff drew into an arc as he casted [ Shadow Fields ]. Following that, Shinto swiftly consumed his MP as he ring threw out a flood of goo onto the floor[ Sticky Grounds ].

"Hmph... Is this is all you got?" The slime remained unphased at the Shinto's skills as he manoeuvred around the area. "This is child's play!"

Soon after, the slime leapt up into the sky, quickly spinning around and sending out rows of toxic projectiles over to the area. Then, 

"Tch... why is this guy's attack so fast?" Ethaniel held his sword in a defensive position as he fended off against the attacksHowever, unable to cut down against all the spikes, he took some of the blows.

"This is fast for you? Then you're no match for Renryth!" The slime who was still in the sky dashed forward over towards Ethaniel, quickly, from his side, a green-like slimy sword protruded out from Reru, swiftly clashing with Ethaniel.

"Urk..." With the force from Reru, despite being small, he managed to push back Ethaniel. "Tsk... don't underestimate me!" 

"This is beyond underestimation!" Reru scoffed as he protruded out another sword from the opposite side, quickly hacking at him and pushing him back over to a wall.

"Hey, are you forgetting about me?!" Frey shouted out as she rushed forward. With her hands curled up into fists, she threw multiple punches at the slime.

"When did I forget?" Reru dodged the hands of Frey as he quickly attached himself onto herSwiftly redirecting her attack over towards Kon, who was busily casting against his spells.

"Ack...!" The two shouted out as they collided with one another.

"...damn," Shinto clicked his tongue as he glanced around his fallen allies. "This is..."

"Power far beyond your level." Without being able to react, Reru instantly made his way over towards Shinto as he slammed his body against him. In the next moment, he was sent flying back over to a wall that was near Ethaniel.

"Argh...!"

"Hmph... How are you going to fight against Renryth, whose much stronger than me at this state?" Reru clicked his tongue at the sight of four fallen people.

"Ugh... This slime hurts like hell..." Ethaniel frowned at the overwhelming power of the slime, turning his head over towards his status screen, where he saw that in just a few hits from the spikes and the sword, took him down to half his health.

"It's really something. You say you want to meet with him to be able to fasten the learning process..." Reru muttered out in disappointment. "But yet you are all in this state? You might as well just stop there and turn back. Renryth will wipe you all out."

"...there has to be some way to go up against this guy right?" Shinto thought to himself as he scrutinized the slime in front of him.

"Overwhelming skills, speed, strength and a large health pool... I doubt it..." Ethaniel spoke in a defeated tone.

"Ahh... what do we do?" Frey mumbled out.

"So? What are you going to do?" Reru glared at the party. "With the way you all are right now, I'd say just give it up. You are no match for the beasts within these catacombsLikewise, you cannot do anything against this curse even if you're immune to it."

"Wait... I'm not done yet," Shinto shook his head as he stood up. "we're not done yet. Fight us once more."

"Master...?" Kon muttered out in shock.