My Slime Wife: Training and Pampering Her Makes Me Stronger

Liam watched as more and more orcs climbed up the slopes, appearing from every corner of the simulated dungeon. Their enormous bodies were beginning to fill every available space while the hunters struggled to keep them away from the edge.

But it wasn’t enough anymore.

There were too many of them.

Emily punched one and knocked it back, but another immediately appeared behind it.

Carol was trying to protect two hunters while her metal-covered arms blocked the blows of an enormous club.

Even Chuck had stopped joking around and was throwing his knives, taking down several enemies.

Liam gritted his teeth.

’We need something more.’

Then he looked to the side.

Robert Hanks was still there.

The lone hunter stood apart from the battle, watching the others fight while Jordan held him in place so he couldn’t escape.

Liam approached.

"Robert."

The man turned his head.

"What do you want?"

"We need your help."

Robert let out a small laugh.

"If you help us, I promise to free you and let you go."

Robert stared at him for several seconds.

"I’m not helping you."

Liam sighed.

"Then think about it another way."

Robert raised an eyebrow.

"How?"

"If you stay here doing nothing for the rest of the trial, you’re probably going to drop a lot of spots in the ranking."

Robert’s smile faded slightly.

Liam continued.

"You were ranked fourth. Everyone expects you to prove why you deserve to be there."

Robert looked toward the orcs.

One of them had just sent a hunter flying through the air.

"If you want to stay at the top, you’re going to have to make this alliance."

Robert looked back at him.

"An alliance?"

"Only until we finish off the orcs. After that, everyone goes their separate ways."

Robert remained silent.

Liam could see the hesitation in his eyes.

"What is it? Worried they’ll steal your spotlight?"

"You’re quite the talker."

"And you’re wasting time."

A tremendous roar interrupted their conversation.

One of the orcs raised an axe and charged toward a group of hunters.

Jordan rushed toward them, carrying Robert.

His body took the impact head-on.

Jordan didn’t even move.

"Is that all you’ve got?!"

The orc was stunned.

Then Jordan looked at Robert.

"What this guy is offering you is the best deal you’re going to get."

Robert stared at him.

Jordan shrugged.

"You don’t have to help us just because you feel like it."

He finished speaking as he pulled out another bag of potato chips.

"Do it for yourself."

He opened the bag.

"But if you betray us..."

Jordan shoved a chip into his mouth.

"...I’ll catch you again."

Robert burst out laughing.

"Is that a threat?"

"No."

Jordan smiled.

"It’s a promise."

Robert looked at Liam again and sighed.

"Fine."

Liam smiled.

"Only until we defeat the orcs."

"Exactly."

"Jordan."

"Yeah?"

"Let him go."

Jordan looked at Robert.

"You sure?"

"Yes."

Jordan released the hunter.

Robert fell to the ground and slowly stood up.

Jordan stepped closer to him.

"I’m keeping an eye on you."

Robert stretched, and his shoulders cracked. Then he cracked his knuckles.

"Do whatever you want."

Liam pointed toward the front.

"Jordan, support the others."

Jordan nodded.

"Got it."

He finished the bag of potato chips in one go and tossed it to the ground.

"Here I go!"

The massive hunter charged into the battle.

Liam turned back to Robert.

The man reached into one of his pockets and pulled out a small piece of paper.

It was covered in stickers.

Liam frowned.

"What are you planning to do with those?"

Robert smiled.

"Watch and learn."

He then ran toward the enemies, but he didn’t attack. He simply moved between the orcs, sticking a sticker onto each one.

The orcs were confused, watching the man run between them without attacking.

The hunters also began staring at him in confusion.

"What is he doing?"

"Is he sticking paper on them?"

Liam slowly smiled.

’I get it.’

He remembered what had happened earlier, when Robert had thrown those stones and used his Awakening.

’He’s a damn genius.’

◇◆◇

Robert continued running from one side to the other, sticking the small labels onto the orcs.

Liam turned toward Lydia.

"Lydia."

His wife appeared beside him.

"Split up and cover all the hunters."

[Lydia: What is it, darling?]

"That guy is about to blow everything up."

Lydia took barely an instant to respond.

[Lydia: Understood.]

Her body began splitting apart until it formed several small slime bodies.

The slimes began sliding across the mountain.

One covered Emily.

Another covered Carol.

Another covered Chuck.

The rest headed toward the various hunters.

"What the hell?!"

One of them tried to step back as a green mass began covering his body.

"Don’t panic! It’s to protect you!"

Liam shouted.

The hunter looked at Liam.

"Protect us from what?!"

Robert heard that and smiled.

"So you figured out my plan."

Liam raised his voice.

"I’m not an idiot!"

Robert passed by another orc and stuck a label onto its back.

"You’re ruining my fun."

"And I’m not going to let you attack the other candidates."

Robert laughed.

"We’ll see about that."

An orc tried to hit him, but Robert ducked and the club passed over his head.

Another orc appeared behind him.

Robert spun on his heels and dodged the attack by mere inches.

"Will you ever stop running?!"

one of the hunters shouted.

Robert smiled.

"Because I’m not finished yet."

The orcs were completely covered.

Liam looked around.

Almost every monster had at least one of those small labels on it.

Robert finally stopped.

He was standing in the middle of the enemy formation.

He raised one hand.

"I think that’s enough."

Liam’s eyes widened.

"Everyone down!"

Robert pressed his thumb against his fist, as if activating a detonator.

BOOM.

The first explosion shook the mountain.

Then another.

And another.

BOOM!

BOOM!

BOOM!

The stickers began exploding simultaneously.

The orcs were sent flying in every direction.

Some crashed to the ground, while others were thrown through the air.

One of the labels exploded and sent a huge piece of armor flying.

Another ripped an orc’s weapon from its hands.

Dust completely covered the summit.

The hunters screamed.

Liam felt something slam into the slime covering his body.

But Lydia absorbed the impact.

◇◆◇

When everything was over, an enormous cloud of dust hung over them.

"Is everyone okay?"

Several voices answered.

"Yeah!"

"I’m fine!"

"I have no idea what just happened!"

Jordan coughed.

"I lost sight of that idiot!"

Liam raised his voice.

"Lydia!"

One of the green masses rose into the air.

[Gust]

Air shot forward, and the cloud of dust began to dissipate.

Finally, they could see the summit again.

The orcs were everywhere.

Some were lying on the ground.

Others were trying to stand back up.

But there was no sign of Robert.

Jordan looked around.

"Where is he?"

The woman in the yellow suit pointed toward the other side of the mountain.

"There!"

Everyone looked.

On the other side of the cliff, a small figure was slowly descending.

A parachute had opened above Robert Hanks.

The lone hunter was calmly moving away from the mountain.

Jordan’s mouth dropped open.

"IS HE ESCAPING?!"

Liam sighed.

"Leave him."

Jordan looked at him.

"What?"

"Thanks to him, we took out those orcs."

Jordan crossed his arms.

"Yeah, but..."

Chuck appeared behind them.

"We’ll deal with that idiot another time."

Liam let out a small laugh.

Then something strange happened.

One of the orcs that was still standing began to disappear.

Its body became transparent.

Then it turned into tiny glowing particles.

Liam watched as the creatures began fading away one after another.

The battle was over, and the hunters remained silent.

Some looked around, while others simply breathed sighs of relief.

Liam looked at Lydia.

His wife brought her six bodies back together into one.

The green mass slid toward him and returned to her usual form.

[Lydia: Are we done?]

Liam smiled.

"I think so. For now..."