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The number of slimes that could be controlled with the [Slime Bringer] skill was proportionate its level. [LV1] only apparently allowed to control just one slime.
However, the skill also made it possible to convey thoughts, so we managed to negotiate with other slimes through the contacted one. The talk settled with us giving each slime four pieces of dried meat for their cooperation.
That helped us a lot. I don"t really like to give out orders.
Although we asked the slimes would they be fine with what we"re going to have them do after giving them the prepayment, the slimes just began to divide, making it impossible for us to distinguish those who agreed to cooperate.
Thanks to Reginablus" interpretation, I found out that slimes had quite different comprehension of self-consciousness from humans and other monsters, and how they viewed their mortality. It could probably be said that they had a colony-like consciousness or a group-like ego.
In any case, it"s a good thing they agreed to help us. Henceforth we should not show any hostility to green slimes. Yep.
"I-i-it"s the slimes, ah!"
*slimy* *slimy*
The count raised a cry.
They finally noticed that they ended up in the middle of the sea of slimes.
The horses were smarter than them, they quickly run away the moment"s notice.
"What are you doing? Burn them! Scorch all the slimes completely!"
"Y-yes! [Oh the spirit, the enemies of mine —]"
The magician who started to chant had their arm pierced with a jet black arrow. The flame arrow they tried to produce shook in the air before vanishing into the air.
"— Wha? What"s this?!"
"It"s [Force Arrow]… This magic belongs to me! It"s my job to protect those who help us!" — Cecyl declared, pointing her slender fingers towards the count group.
The magic shot forth was usually the result of the strength of the magical power multiplied by the chant. If the flow was interrupted during the chant even for a moment, the magic would end up becoming just the words devoid of any magical power.
It was similar an error that occured if you pulled the electrical cord during the work of a machine or any other system, no matter how amazing it could be.
"Please give up and go back home! [Force arrow], [Force Arrow], [FORCE Arro-o-ow]!!"
Cecyl shoot more and more jet black arrows while the magicians still continued their chants.
[Fireball], [Flame wall], [Ice Javelin]
However, the magic was being erased before it could be fired.
The magic control of the demonkin descendant Cecyl was perfect. Weaving its way through the gaps between the warriors, [Force Arrow] accurately shot through the magicians, s.n.a.t.c.hing away their magical power in the process.
"d.a.m.n! Don"t get c.o.c.ky! We will clear away those lowly slimes in a single breath! Invoking! Sword Arts — "
"— Too slow!"
*dash*
Jumping from the branch of a tall tree growing in the marsh, Rita landed a kick on top of the head of a warrior prepping his sword. Blowing away his heavy helmet, she then hit his opened face with her knee.
"We were very much aware of you guys approaching us, you know? That"s why we could prepare. Aren"t you making light of us too much, arriving here with so much noise coming from your footsteps just to talk?"
Rita was taking a separate course of action for some time in order to do the scouting. After coming here, she was keeping watch from atop a tree. She hid herself between the branches and leaves, erased her presence, and cleared her ears. It"s thanks to Rita that we could prepare [Ancient language, Fire Arrow].
"It"s exactly as Nagi said! It"s normal to target the magicians first! Then concentrate the attack to stop their movements, right?!"
Rita avoided the slimes while gracefully stepping on as if she was ridiculing the warriors swinging their sword through the air. Without changing her course, she aimed a blow onto the stomach of each of the magicians hiding behind their comrades. The hand of the golden-haired beastgirl sent the pet.i.te magicians flying.
Leticia followed after. Wielding a longsword, she striked the weapons out of their users" hands to the ground.
"The enemies are few! Attack them! Protect me-e-e-e-e!!" — The count cried with a parched throat.
"What the h.e.l.l is this? What"s going on?! What"s the meaning of all this?!"
"We don"t know, oh esteemed count! Can you tell us how are we supposed to launch an attack in this situation?!"
A group of green slimes was coiling around the feet of both the count and the warriors. Through the gaps of the armor they invaded beneath while all that surrounded their opponents was the slime sea squirming around.
Even if one slime was weak, a dozen of them gathered and put together was an entirely different ent.i.ty.
The count and the warriors couldn"t walk or run away. They couldn"t even change their posture.
"Kill them! You can ma.s.sacre all of them!"
"I understand that, but this situation is… Eh, Aine Crunette?!"
Seeing the figure of Aine with a broom in her hand the soldiers just stopped.
"Yes-yes, why don"t you stay there obediently, okay?"
*poof* *poof* *rustle*
Aine stood on the sea of slimes and brushed her broom across the warriors" faces.
"Everything is fine, I won"t kill you, okay? If I did, it would"ve lost any meaning for Aine to leave the guild. Nkun also gave his permission. That"s why, why don"t you sleep for a little while?"
With experienced hands, Aine wielded her broom.
The first brush — a warrior"s face became drowsy.
The third brush — a drool hanged from soldier"s mouth.
The ninth brush — a warrior dropped to his knees and lost consciousness.
"That"s it. I"ve debuted the [Memory Wipe] skill that I received from Nkun"
The maid-san did one more circular brush with a broom in her hand.
[Memory Wipe] allowed to render an opponent unconsciousness by rubbing their face with a cleaning tool. No matter how skillful the adventurer could be, there way no way they could deal with a skill they saw for the first time.
"Aine has become happy. Aine has become brand new. That"s why, do no hinder Aine"
"The h.e.l.l?! What"s going o-o-o-o-o-o-o-on?!"
Alright, the chaos is spreading.
The only thing we showed to Tanaka and Argis was the offensive magic that Cecyl was capable of. They didn"t see any other skills.
Our opponents thought that they could overpower us with sheer numbers, but thanks to our alliance with slimes, the negation of their magic, and even stunning their comrades with broom, it would be natural for panic to appear.
I held no sympathy for them.
"Listen, just protect me! Create no openings! Fortify the defenses with everyone we have!"
The enemy changed their battle formation, with the count positioned in its center. They were packed so tightly that they could only point their swords outside the formation and not move an inch. That was the chance I was waiting for.
"… Nkun"
"I know, I won"t kill Aine"s former comrades"
I knew that killing them would"ve made Aine"s submission of the common guild pointless. The goal was to make them unable to interfere with us. We should teach them the risks of getting involved with us by beating them down.
"I wonder if I can do it? …Ummm"
I probably shouldn"t summon [Reginablus] in front of the count. Then, let"s go with a nickname —
"Are you ready, Laydi?"
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A soft sensation was transmitted from the sword.
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"Make sure not to drag slimes into this"
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"…. Got it"
I tightly gripped the former cursed sword Reginablus, now magic sword Laydi in my hand.
"Whwhat are you planning? Wait a minute! I got it. I am not going to imprison Aine Crunette. I will hire her as my maid! You all as well, I will hire you under the same contract as Tanaka Koga — "
"Shut up. Just disappear already"
I had no intention to play along with this guy.
You didn"t even listen to what I had said earlier, did you, count?" In comparison to slimes who properly listened and agreed to help us. — Speaking of which, it"s kinda strange that monsters are monster susceptible to dialog than humans.
"Laydi, tell the slimes to withdraw"
In the direction where I pointed Reginablus the slimes began to leave.
"Rita, Leticia, you too withdraw quickly!"
The released count and the warriors looked at us in visible amazement.
I set up the cursed sword Reginablus. The enemy was still in a tight formation. All of them were within the scope of my attack skill.
I swung the sword horizontally from the right.
In this marshland where the slimes gather, I will display the power of the cursed sword which I continued to swing for a long time.
"Invoke! [Delay Arts LV1]!!"
A gigantic black scabbard teared through the bad and manifested itself.
The raised wind rolled up the muddy water from the surroundings. The enemies, who found themselves in this strange situation, began to run. However, they just hadn"t the time. The sword broke their hastingly made defenses. The shields were bented, the armor was crushed. And — a single blow from the magic sword Laydi blew away the whole crowd of tightly packed warriors.
TL notes: So Reginablus got herself (itself?) a new name. It"s just the first two syllables of the initial name, so it should"ve been Regii, that doesn"t really sound well, so I changed it to Laydi, since romanizaiton would"ve been Lady otherwise which is a rarity to use as a name.
Also, for those who didn"t understood the latest part, about the delay arts or whatnot. Basically, it works as a buildup. MC swings the sword to "store" power in advance, which is then released in larger magnitude in a single swing when he invokes the skill.