Chapter 182: Welcome to Slime Village... Eh? A Literal Slime Village!? — Part 2.


Maddy’s stomach rumbled as the sweet aroma of baking bread pulled her closer to the market stall. Her eyes widened as she saw it: dough colored slimes wriggling softly in baskets, each one plumping and stretching as it absorbed piles of flour, sugar, and cinnamon. One in particular wobbled energetically, turning a warm, golden brown while exuding the unmistakable scent of fresh donuts.

[New Monsterpedia Entry Added: Food Slime]

[Food Slime (Evolved Form) — Habitat: Farms / Forests / Kitchens / Markets]

[A small, harmless slime that feeds on scraps, fruits, grains, and other edible matter. Food Slimes are often found near settlements or natural sources of nutrition, absorbing flavors and sometimes exuding sweet or savory liquids from their bodies. Though they pose no threat, they can attract predators due to their aromatic secretions. Some cooks and alchemists carefully cultivate Food Slimes for ingredients or flavor enhancements.]

[Magic: 7,000 | Might: 3,000]

"They’re... the ingredients and the chef!"

Maddy whispered, mouth watering. She inched forward, trying to get closer without disturbing the bouncing blobs. But as she stepped toward the golden smelling slime, a slick trail of liquid stretched across the cobblestones. Her boots hit the slippery surface.

"Wha—!"

Her legs shot out from under her, and she crashed hard onto the ground, her head striking the edge of a wooden crate. Stars danced across her vision. Pain radiated through her skull.

Before she could even groan, a small, pale green slime hopped atop her back. It squished warmly against her, oozing a faintly shimmering gel over the bruise forming on her head.

[New Monsterpedia Entry Added: Soothing Slime]

[Soothing Slime (Evolved Form) — Habitat: Forests / Springs / Sacred Groves]

[A gentle slime that emits a faint, calming aura. Soothing Slimes produce a viscous gel known for its mild restorative properties, capable of easing fatigue and stabilizing minor injuries. They are passive creatures that avoid conflict, often gathering near clean water or mana-rich areas. Their presence is considered beneficial, and they are sometimes sought after by adventurers for their healing properties.]

[Magic: 12,000 | Might: 2,000]

"Oh... oh wow!"

The pain was fading, replaced by a soothing warmth that spread through her shoulders and temples.

"You... you just healed me? That’s amazing! Incredible!"

Her gratitude turned into a small, delighted laugh as she reached to pat the slime but before she could, a tiny spark leapt from her fingertips. Her static discharge, a leftover quirk from her uncontrolled magical affinity, arced through the slime in a tiny crackle of electricity.

The soothing gel bubbled and fizzed as the little slime let out a helpless squish, its body instantly crisped to a faint, toasty smell.

"Ah! Oh no, I—! I... I didn’t mean to... it... it was just trying to help me!"

Her heart raced, both horrified and incredulous. She had never felt so simultaneously grateful and guilty. The lesson hit instantly: even the gentlest of slimes could be destroyed by her own unpredictable powers. 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

Now, as Maddy caught her breath, her eyes scanned the bustling town once more. The realization hit her with a mix of awe and apprehension: these slimes weren’t just cute creatures or minor pests—they were Oozewell. Every building, every product, every livelihood here depended on them.

"The townspeople were lucky to have such abundant, useful creatures and clever enough to harness them so effectively."

But then... something felt off.

Her sharp gaze swept over the streets, the marketplaces, the rooftops. The slimes were everywhere, too many, too chaotic. But this? It was more like a riot in gelatinous form. Some slimes were squishing over each other, others spilling across pathways, splattering on stalls, jostling goods and even one another.

Maddy tilted her head, a frown knitting her brows.

"Wait... if these slimes are being carefully taken care of, why is it such a mess? Why is it... chaotic? If they were truly being farmed and managed, there would be order, systems in place... right, Lucy?"

The thought nagged at her as she continued walking, every bounce and wobble of the creatures sending a flurry of questions through her mind. Something wasn’t quite right, and she couldn’t shake the uneasy feeling that this town, so dependent on the slimes, might not be as perfectly controlled as it first seemed.

Determined to get a better understanding, Maddy walked deeper into Oozewell. She passed more stalls, quaint houses, and even the Adventurers’ Guild, its sign swinging lazily in the breeze.

The streets buzzed with slimes of all shapes and sizes: some rolling down cobblestone roads, others weaving through market displays, a few hopping in and out of a peculiar slime run restaurant where gelatinous chefs seemed to be preparing meals of their own making.

She blinked.

"Where were the humans? The town was alive, yes but... alive with slimes. Humans were conspicuously absent, leaving the streets eerily empty except for the gelatinous inhabitants. What is going on..."

Then she turned a corner and froze.

There, amidst a cluster of glistening, multicolored slimes, a single creature hunched over a... human bone, pulsating with a sickly green sheen. The flesh had long gone, the bone slowly dissolving in the slime’s caustic touch. Her Monsterpedia flickered to life immediately:

[New Monsterpedia Entry Added: Sludge Slime]

[Sludge Slime (Evolved Form) — Habitat: Swamps / Sewers / Polluted Rivers / Caves]

[A foul, poisonous slime that thrives in contaminated or decaying environments. Sludge Slimes exude toxic fluids that can corrode flesh, metal, and other slimes, making close contact extremely dangerous. They move slowly but can engulf prey or intruders in their corrosive mass. Sludge Slimes are often found in groups, creating hazardous areas that poison the surrounding terrain over time.]

Maddy’s stomach churned. Slowly, it all began to click—the chaotic streets, the missing humans, the sheer number of slimes everywhere.

"This... this town..." she whispered, voice trembling. "It’s not just a slime farm... it’s been consumed by its own sources. The very creatures the villagers depended on... have taken over. This place... it’s been attacked. No... it’s been devoured—from the inside out."

The realization hit her with a cold, sinking weight: Oozewell wasn’t just a Slime Village... it was now a town overrun by the predators it once nurtured.