We had just defeated a unique monster and were taking a break together.

Setrina noticed a monster approaching the barrier—a slime.

"It's touched the edge of the barrier and rammed into it over and over."

Hearing Setrina's report, I paused to think for a moment.

Slimes were a type of monster added to the game today.

Since we had no information on unique individuals, one could hide among the slimes that had attacked us.

So leaving it alone was not an option, but…

"…Can we let just one through for now?"

"Of course."

"Alright. Everyone, sorry, but our break is over."

Once I confirmed everyone had stood up, I stored the glass, table, and chairs.

"Setrina, count on you."

"Mm—it's coming from over there."

Sure enough, it came from the direction Setrina pointed to.

It oozed forward, crawling toward us.

Its design wasn't the kind you'd see in a mainstream RPG; it looked like something you could only describe as "crawling sludge."

It resembled a giant jellyfish beached on the shore, thrashing about as it struggled to adapt to land.

Its color was a semi-transparent gray.

If I remember correctly, its color changed depending on what it ate.

Looking closely, I could see a sphere floating inside its body.

...Could destroying that thing kill it?

"Kageboori. Can you crush that sphere using your shadow power?"

I spoke to Kageboori, the literary girl with braided hair who had been on the library committee with me last year.

"H-Hai! B-being asked by... Ku-no-kun... f-heh... ah, y-yes, I can do it!"

Startled by being addressed so suddenly, Kageboori let out a strange noise but agreed to the request.

Her shadow took on a human form, transforming its arm into something like a sword as it approached the slime.

And then, she lunged forward, stabbing at the sphere.

The sphere shattered perfectly in two, and the slime burst into fragments like a broken water balloon.

"...I see.

So that must be something like a heart for a slime," Fukami murmured with a serious expression.

"Looks that way. Inzawa, thanks for the save."

"D-d-don't mention it. I'm glad I could be of help, eehehe..."

Inzawa fidgeted, blushing with shyness.

"Sojusuke, what do we do? There still seem to be a lot of them nearby."

"I know how to take them down now. I also want to find out what changes based on the color differences, and there might be a unique individual among them. Let's fight here."

"As for me, I'd like to enslave a few before heading back. It'll come in handy, being able to digest anything, won't it?"

Inubo placed her index finger against her chin, smiling eerily.

You couldn't mistake this for the same child who had been jumping around excitedly over sparkling water just a moment ago.

"Sojusuke, shall we wipe them out from the sky?"

What a grim way to put it—'wipe them out.'

Despite letting out a helpless chuckle at my childhood friend's choice of words, I nodded.

"Yeah, let's do that. But I want a few people, including myself, to stay on the ground. We need to collect materials from the slimes too."

"Well, then I'll stay behind."

"I'll help out as well."

"I'll transform into Fennril and fight too...!"

"Momo's staying!"

"...Me too. I have to be of some use."

"A-And I... if it's not too much trouble"

Sena, Fukubō, Genchū, Momo, Shippū, and Inshin volunteered to stay.

"Healers are safer in the safe zone, so I'll provide cover from the sky."

"I'm going to command a few slimes and watch over things from up there as well."

"Then I suppose I'm staying too. I'll support you as an archer."

Chia, Inukai, and Matoba would provide aerial support.

"Sena, please release the barrier now."

"Mm—released. Also, once the three of them take flight, I'll protect them with the barrier. I'll make sure we can still talk to each other."

If sound passage was permitted, even if we couldn't see inside the barrier from outside, words could still be exchanged. "Thank you. Please, rely on that arrangement."

The slimes that had been unable to approach due to the boundary line moved in, surrounding us.

A few of them quivered violently before lunging at their fellow slimes.

"Alright, up you go, all three of you. Mikron, Highrow, I'm counting on you."

Two phantom beasts carried the trio into the air, soaring upward.

"Wind Blade!"

Deep Hō unleashed a wind spell at the azure slime closing in on him.

As if cutting through jelly, a portion of the slime was severed off, and I immediately stored it away.

Checking my [Inventory], I saw it listed as a "Slime Fragment."

I'd have to look up what I could use that for later.

"Ku... I'm glad I can be of help, Mr. Kukino!"

Inbatsu also controlled the shadow warriors from earlier, slashing through the slimes.

"A chance to repay Sōsuke, huh?"

Yorina used small barriers to slice through the slimes' bodies.

"Hah...!"

A Gale Spinning Kick sent a slime flying, and a follow-up stomp crushed its core, causing the ground to sink.

He appears to have mastered 『Leg Strength Enhancement』.

"—Ah!"

The Genchu who had transformed into Fenrir swung his massive claws, cleaving the slimes in eight.

Tsunaha, unable to dismember the slimes' bodies with explosive force, deftly shot their cores through with arrows, racking up kills.

"Sousuke-kun, could you lend me something that looks like a weapon?"

While everyone fought with great effort, Momo placed her hand on my shoulder and spoke.

"Are you okay?"

"If I do well, I can sit next to Sousuke-kun next time, right? Momo can do it too!"

It would be a shame to dampen such enthusiasm.

"Don't push yourself."

I retrieved a spear from my 『Inventory』 and handed it to Momo. "Thanks! Here I go!"

With that shout, Momo multiplied into five copies, all charging at the slimes simultaneously.

Her movements weren't exactly refined, but her lack of hesitation gave them raw momentum.

She thrust her spear wildly, missing the core several times before managing to take one down.

"Yes! Slimes aren't gross, so maybe Momo can handle these!"

Momo looked my way, flashing a smug grin that clearly said see, I told you.

"Wow, Momo, you're amazing."

"Right?!"

She puffed out her chest like a kid.

"But try not to stick your neck out too much."

"Sousuke-kun, stop worrying. But don't worry, Momo's fine because we're all avatars."

"Even so, that doesn't mean you can just get hurt."

"……Oh, thanks."

When I spoke with a serious tone, she unusually replied with a meek voice.

"I-I mean, no matter what, Momo will do her best!"

It was in that very moment that she stirred into action.

"Kyaa!"

One of her avatars was hanging suspended in mid-air.

Looking closely, it seemed like she'd been caught by some semi-transparent tentacle... but what on earth was that?

No, since the only enemies here were slimes, that was a certainty.

Yet somehow, a massive body, several times the size of dozens of slimes, had appeared in my field of view.

Had I not noticed it until now? That huge thing?

No, since it was a viscous creature, it likely leveraged that nature to flatten its massive body and close the distance. "Huh? Huh? What's going on?"

One of the uncaught clones let out an anxious voice.

"Momo, what are you doing? Dissolve your clones immediately!"

A voice from above—Inui's voice.

"I... can't."

"...Momo?"

"I can't dissolve them!"

Clones can be dissolved at any time by the host's will.

It is precisely because of this trait that Momo is able to extricate herself before encountering truly terrifying danger.

It was a distinct strength inherent in her ability.

But if it wasn't working, and she were dissolved by the slime like this, due to the memory sharing between clone and host, she would end up experiencing her own death.

I have to save her immediately.

Next chapter scheduled for update on April 15th!

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We had just taken a break after defeating a unique monster.

Serina noticed a monster approaching the barrier—a slime.

"It's been repeatedly crashing into the barrier."

After hearing Serina's report, I thought for a moment.

The slime is one of the monsters added today.

I don't have any information about unique individuals, so it's possible that the slime attacking us could be one of them.

But I can't just leave it alone...

"...Can we let just one through?" "Of course."

"All right. Everyone, it's time to end the break."

After confirming that everyone had stood up, I put away the glasses, table, and chairs. "Serina, please."

"Yeah--it's coming from over there."

The slime was indeed coming from the direction Serina pointed to.

Slithering, it crept toward us.

It didn't look like the kind of design you'd see in a national RPG; it looked more like something you'd call "creeping slime."

It was like a giant jellyfish washed up on the beach, struggling to adapt to life on land. Its color was a translucent gray.

I think its color changes depending on what it eats.

If you look closely, there are spheres floating inside it.

...Would destroying those spheres allow us to defeat it?

"Yumemi. Can you crush those spheres with your shadow powers?"

I called out to Yumemi, the literary girl with braids who was in the library committee last year.

"Y-Yes! I-I can do it if you ask me to, Kouno-kun!"

Startled by my sudden call, Yumemi responded with a strange voice, but agreed to help.

Her shadow took on a human form, her arms transforming into swords as she approached the slime.

Then, she thrust toward the sphere.

The sphere split perfectly in half, and the slime scattered like a burst water balloon.

"...I see. That must be something like the slime's heart." Profound Law muttered seriously.

"That seems to be the case. Yumihiko, thanks."

"I-I-I-It's n-nothing. I'm glad I could help, hehe..." Yumihiko blushed bashfully.

"Souma, what do you want to do? There are still plenty of them around here."

"I know how to defeat them now. I also want to know what changes with the color difference and if there are any unique individuals. Let's fight here."

"I want to summon a few and bring them back. They're so convenient, aren't they? They'll digest anything."

Inuukei placed her index finger on her chin and smiled wickedly.

She didn't seem like the girl who was playing with soda water earlier.

"Sou, do you want to eliminate them from the sky?" The term "eliminate" was quite harsh.

I smiled bitterly at my childhood friend's words and nodded.

"That's right. But I want a few of us to stay behind on the ground. I want to gather some slime material." "Then, I'll stay." "I'll help too."

「I’ll transform into Fenrir and fight too…!」 「I’ll stay too, Mom!」

「…Me too. I can’t just sit around and do nothing.」

「W-well, if it’s not too much trouble, I’ll join too.」

Selina, Shinpo, Genju, Mom, Fūfu, and Yūsui have volunteered.

「Healers are safer in a safe zone, so I’ll support from above.」

「I’ll use a few slime minions and watch from above too.」

「Then I’ll join too. As a bow user, I’ll support you guys.」

Senyū, Inuuke, and Kikaha will support us from the air.

「Selina, then please解除the barrier.」

「Okay―Barrier解除. Then, when the three of them fly out, I’ll keep them safe with the barrier. I’ll make sure you can still talk.」

If sound passes through, we won’t be able to see inside the barrier, but we can still talk. 「Thanks, I’ll leave it to you.」

The slimes that couldn’t get close to the boundary line are now approaching to surround us.

A few of them twitched and then pounced on their slime friends.

"Alright, the three of you to the sky. Mikuron, Hairou, I'm counting on you."

Two of the phantoms took the three of them up into the sky. "Wind Blade!"

Deep Ho took aim at the blue slime that had come close and let loose a wind spell.

The slime was sliced like jelly, and I quickly scooped up the pieces.

Checking my 'Inventory' showed it as 'Slime Fragment'.

I'll have to look into its uses later.

"I-I'll be of service to you, Kouno-kun!"

Yin Sen also took control of the shadow warrior from before and sliced the slime to pieces.

"This is Sou-suke's chance to repay his debt."

Sei Rina was cutting the slime's body with a small barrier. "Ha...!"

A whirlwind roundhouse kick sent the slime flying, and a stomp crushed its core, causing the ground to collapse.

It looks like he's mastered the use of "Enhanced Leg Strength." "――――Huh!"

Genjuu, transformed into Fenrir, swings his massive claws and tears the slime into eight pieces.

Unable to scatter the slime's body, Tekibaya had been cleverly shooting the slime's core with arrows to rack up kills.

"Souya-kun, lend me something that looks like a weapon!"

While everyone else was struggling, Momoe touched my shoulder and said. "Are you okay?"

"If you do well, you can sit next to Souya-kun next time, right? Momoe can do it too!"

I shouldn't pour cold water on her enthusiasm. "Don't push yourself."

I took a spear from my "Inventory" and handed it to Momoe. "Thanks! Let's go!"

With that shout, Momoe became five people, and all of them pounced on the slime.

Their movements weren't refined, but their lack of hesitation gave them a certain power.

They stabbed the slime with the spear, missed the core several times, but managed to defeat it.

"Yay! Slimes aren't gross, so maybe Momoe can do it too!"

Momo looks at me and gives me a smug face. "Yeah, pretty good, Momo." "Right?" Momo puffs out her chest like a child.

"But don't stick out too much."

"You're so nice, Tsunegusu-kun. But it's okay, Momo, they're all just clones."

"Even so, you shouldn't get hurt." "…Thanks."

When I say it in a serious voice, she makes an unusually meek sound.

"Um, I mean, Momo will try my best!"

Just as she was getting fired up, "Kyaa!"

One of her clones is hanging in midair.

If I look closely, it looks like she's been caught by a translucent tentacle… but what is that?

No, there's only one enemy here, a slime, so it's certain.

The massive body of dozens of slimes was suddenly in my line of sight.

--Did I not notice it before? That massive body?

No, since it's a slime-like creature, it might have flattened its body and approached while utilizing its slimy nature. "Huh? Huh? Why?"

One of the clones that wasn't caught let out a worried voice.

"Mom, what are you doing? Quickly, dispel the clones." The voice from above. "――I can't." "…Mom?" "I can't dispel them!"

The clones can be dispelled at any time by the original's will.

It was because of this characteristic that Momoko could disengage before experiencing a truly terrifying situation.

It was a clear strength of her ability.

But if it didn't work, she would end up experiencing her own death through memory sharing with the clones if she were to be dissolved by the slime. She had to help her immediately.

Next update on April 15th!

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