Chapter 69: The Job Is Done [Bonus - ]
The light slowly began to fade.
The hunters who were still covering their eyes began lowering their arms, trying to regain their vision after the flash.
Liam was one of the first to look toward where Lydia was.
There, suspended in the air, was the small green gelatinous mass.
She hadn’t disappeared. She hadn’t exploded. She didn’t even seem injured.
Liam smiled, and a window appeared before his eyes.
[Your Slime has consumed Dungeon Core.]
Liam let out the breath he hadn’t even realized he was holding.
Then another message appeared.
[Lydia: I told you I could do it, honey.]
Liam let out a small laugh.
’Yeah... you did.’
All the hunters around them were still staring at Lydia with their mouths hanging open.
Don Rouch was the first to react.
"I have to admit, I was convinced that core was going to destroy that little Slime."
Amber crossed her arms, still surprised.
"Me too."
Millie quickly nodded.
"I thought she was going to explode at any moment."
Liam looked at his wife again.
’She’s definitely a lot tougher than she looks.’
Then, more windows appeared before his eyes.
[Your Slime has leveled up.]
[Lydia Davis ━ Split Slime Level 54.]
[Your Slime has learned "Multiple Eyes."]
[Your Slime has learned "Release Dark Energy."]
[Your Slime has learned "Learning."]
[Your Slime has learned "Regeneration."]
Liam blinked.
"How many skills...?"
Lydia remained floating in the air while Liam quickly checked the descriptions.
[Multiple Eyes]
[Allows the generation of eyes capable of providing independent vision. The eyes can be generated inside or outside the Slime’s body.]
Liam raised his eyebrows.
’So she can finally see on her own.’
Until now, Lydia had relied entirely on the senses she shared with Liam to perceive the world whenever she split.
That could change a lot of things.
Then the next description appeared.
[Release Dark Energy]
[Allows the generation and manipulation of dark energy similar to the energy obtained from the Dungeon Core. It can be used to unleash attacks charged with said energy.]
Liam looked at Lydia.
’That sounds dangerous...’
[Lydia: Dangerous in a good way?]
Liam smiled.
’Probably.’
The next skill appeared.
[Learning]
[Passive skill that allows for better analysis of situations and learning from acquired experiences.]
Liam stared at the window for a few seconds.
’So...’
He remembered the battle and the boss, which had learned from the hunters.
It had observed their attacks, positions, and patterns.
And now Lydia possessed a skill that did something similar.
’It looks like she can learn from what happens around her, too.’
Finally, the last description appeared.
[Regeneration]
[Allows the Slime to regenerate parts of its body through rest and recovery.]
Liam smiled.
’That will come in handy.’
[Lydia: Especially after everything we just did.]
Lydia began to change shape.
Her small gelatinous body expanded and once again took on a human appearance.
However, this time her clothes were different.
A black suit covered her body, and behind her, the enormous wings of the Roc spread wide.
The wings began gently flapping, keeping her suspended in the air.
Lydia looked at her own hands.
"Wow..."
Then she looked at the wings.
"Are these new, too?"
Liam smiled.
"Looks like your new evolution came with a few changes."
Lydia began moving her wings.
Liam was about to answer when a powerful tremor shook the entire area.
"What was that?!"
The violet sky seemed to distort, and the air began twisting several meters away from the hunters. Energy started gathering in a single point.
Then a portal appeared.
It was a bright opening floating in the air.
The exit.
Wayne looked at the portal and tossed the remains of his cigarette onto the ground.
He pulled another one from his trench coat and lit it with complete calm.
"Hurry up, guys. We need to get out. The job is done."
The hunters in his squad straightened.
"Yes, sir."
Wayne raised one hand, and several energy platforms began appearing in the air.
The platforms stretched from where the hunters were standing toward the portal, forming a suspended bridge.
Amber looked at the path.
"Everyone in my squad, use Wayne’s bridge. Stay organized and don’t rush."
Don Rouch did the same.
"You heard her. Nobody gets left behind, and nobody tries to play hero."
The hunters began moving forward.
Some were still injured.
Others were walking with difficulty after spending hours fighting the boss.
But they all wore different expressions now.
They had won.
They had completed an S-Rank Dungeon.
Liam watched everything and couldn’t help but smile.
’We really did it...’
He had entered that place as a rookie.
He had ended up giving orders during a battle against an S-Rank boss.
And although he was still far from the level of those sub-captains, he had managed to prove that he could contribute something.
Lydia flew over to him.
"Liam."
His wife landed in front of him and, without saying anything else, hugged him.
Liam smiled and returned the embrace.
"You were amazing."
"So were you."
Lydia rested her head against his chest.
"You were incredible, giving orders even to the guild’s sub-captains."
Liam laughed, slightly embarrassed.
"Don’t exaggerate."
"I’m not exaggerating."
Lydia looked up at him.
"Even Wayne listened to you."
"Well..."
He couldn’t deny it.
During that battle, Wayne had followed his instructions.
Not because Liam was stronger.
Nor because he had more experience.
Simply because his observations had proven useful.
Lydia smiled.
"See?"
Liam gave her a light tap on the forehead.
"I get it."
"Then we should go."
Liam looked down.
The forest on the first floor was beginning to collapse, sand was falling from the sky, and parts of the terrain were even beginning to disappear.
"Yeah."
Liam looked toward the portal.
"It’s time to get out."
Lydia smiled.
"Then..."
Her body began to transform, and several Slime tentacles appeared around her.
One wrapped around Liam’s waist, while another coiled around his legs.
"Lydia!"
[Lydia: I’ll carry you.]
"Can’t we just use the bridge like everyone else?"
Lydia looked down.
The hunters were slowly making their way across Wayne’s platforms.
[Lydia: We can, but this is faster.]
Liam burst out laughing.
"Of course."
The tentacles tightened, and Lydia began flying toward the portal.
"Wait!"
Liam barely had time to hold on.
The small gelatinous mass accelerated.
They flew over the hunters.
"Lydia, slow down!"
[Lydia: No!]
"Lydia..."
[Lydia: We have to get there before them!]
Liam laughed as the wind struck his face.
Below them, Amber, Don Rouch, and Wayne watched the couple make their way toward the exit.
Don Rouch smiled.
"Those two definitely aren’t normal."
Amber let out a small laugh.
"We already know that."
Wayne simply took another drag from his cigarette.
His eyes followed Liam for a few seconds.
"Rookie..."
For the first time, he didn’t say it with contempt.
He said it as if he were trying to understand what kind of hunter that boy would eventually become.
Meanwhile, Liam and Lydia passed through the portal.
A white light enveloped them.
For the first time, they both felt like they could truly relax.