The wetlands smelled like someone had left cabbage to rot in a stewpot. JP gagged as his boots sank ankle-deep into muck, slime bubbles rising around him.
"This," he said, swatting at a mosquito the size of his thumb, "was not what I pictured when I signed up for monster hunting."
Lyra, perched on a dry log with the poise of someone immune to mud, tilted her head. "You're the one who picked it. 'Low risk, steady pay,' wasn't it?"
JP jabbed a thumb at the quivering green blobs inching toward them. "Those things look like snot with teeth!"
The first slime lunged. JP swung his knife—only for the blade to stick inside the gelatinous body. The slime quivered happily, like it had just won dinner.
"Oh, that's great!" JP yelled, tugging helplessly.
The second slime oozed closer. Lyra sighed, already reaching for her bow.
"No, wait—I got this!" JP fumbled with a bundle of wires and alchemical vials he'd been tinkering with. His "Slime-Zapper Net" was supposed to create a charge barrier to fry them on contact.
He tossed the net with all the grace of a fisherman. It landed squarely—on his own boot.
ZZZT!
"GYAAHH!" JP jerked upright, hair standing on end as sparks danced off his clothes.
The slimes, however, recoiled. Electricity sizzled through the mud, and with a wet pop, one burst like a popped water balloon, leaving behind a faintly glowing core.
JP wobbled on smoking boots. "See? Totally intentional."
Lyra's lips twitched, but she let him have the win.
More slimes slithered from the reeds, drawn to the noise. JP gritted his teeth, untangling his sparking contraption. "Alright, you jelly jerks. Round two."
This time he flung the net into the muck. It spread out perfectly—then sank straight into the swamp.
The slimes happily oozed on top of it.
"Uh… plan C?" JP stammered, backing up.
But then his Appraisal kicked in. The slime cores glowed faintly, each labeled with hidden properties: Conductive Essence. A rare crafting material. If he could juice them with enough charge…
JP shoved his knife hilt-first into the mud, jammed a spare vial of alchemical powder next to it, and jammed both into the ooze pile.
BOOM!
The ground shuddered, slime parts flying like confetti. JP shielded his face, coughing as cores rained down.
When the smoke cleared, the swamp was quiet. JP looked at the pile of glittering slime cores scattered around his boots.
"...I meant to do that," he muttered, scooping them up.
The guild confirmed later: the slime cull had been a complete success. Cores sold for a high price, and the guild card shimmered as JP's rank ticked up.
[JP has reached Level 15!]
New Skill Acquired: Material Insight II (reveals hidden properties with greater detail).
JP – Lv. 14 → Lv. 15
Strength: 29 → 31
Endurance: 34 → 36
Intelligence: 45 → 47
JP grinned at the glowing notification only he could see. Sure, he was singed, muddy, and smelled like fried swamp—but he'd pulled it off.
Lyra watched him with narrowed eyes. "You're reckless. But… resourceful."
"Thanks," JP said, still shaking mud from his boots. Then he added, "Next time though, you fight the snot monsters."
Lyra actually laughed. A short, bright laugh that startled him more than the slimes had.
For the first time since arriving in the city, JP felt like maybe—just maybe—he was starting to get the hang of this.