Kim Hana’s body contained the cores of 69 slimes.
And the bodies of two A-grade male hunters named Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae each had 15 blood slimes currently parasitizing them.
Of course, in order for the slimes to parasitize a human body, it required only the cores for control, rather than the entire existing body of the slime, which is why such a large number of cores was involved.
Anyway, the original owners of those three had already died, but the blood slimes were manipulating the deceased human’s brain and body to move around.
Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae were currently pretending to be fine to sne sneak onto the Hunter Train without being noticed by other humans, even going so far as to prepare a distress return report.
Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae surveyed their surroundings.
They confirmed that their kind, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, had been crushed like garbage in the shredders by the hunters stationed at their base and front lines. At the same time, they also verified that their hometown, the Blood Swamp, which was their sanctuary, had turned into a huge forest due to some unknown attacks that caused giant trees to grow.
From the slimes’ perspective, they had lost even their dungeon boss, [Mother]. Hundreds of thousands of their kin had perished, and now even their hometown, where new slimes could be born, had been devoured by the forest.
They didn’t have much to begin with, but now they had lost everything.
However, they were planning to pick off the humans on the train one by one when the opportunity arose.
While not as significant as [Mother], slimes could reproduce on their own. The Hunter Train was comparable in size to multiple large buildings moving together, so if they could create a stable breeding ground inside the train, it wouldn’t be impossible to infest it.
Above all, Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae were burning with a thirst for revenge and hatred against the humans who had brutally consumed their mother.
This time, if this goes well… I will take revenge on that woman…!
For Mother’s revenge…!
The hatred they had previously held toward humans was only at a primal level.
But as they parasitized human bodies, their feelings and knowledge overwhelmed them, and the loss of [Mother] only intensified their animosity toward humans.
Let’s take revenge right now…!
When those humans invade other dungeons and attack, if we ambush from behind or intentionally provide support, surely many humans will die…!
Revenge is something that should be carried out over a long time.
After assessing the situation inside the Hunter Train through the human brain, they realized the train was just beginning its journey, and it would encounter various dungeons from there on, resulting in big and small battles in the future.
As battles continued, there would be more opportunities to slip in among humans.
They could sow discord among humans.
Deliberately take on key missions to sabotage dungeon raids or secretly increase the number of hosts, giving them plenty of chances to take revenge on those hateful humans.
With that, the two began plotting how to kill the humans.
Just then, Kim Hana called for Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae.
“So what you’re saying is…”
“Since it’s dangerous, we shouldn’t do anything for a while?”
“…Yeah, brothers.”
“Stop calling us that.”
Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae did not understand Kim Hana.
Having 69 slimes lodged in a human body made for a high rate of assimilation, but it seemed like they had assimilated far too much.
“Hey, you. Do you really think you’re a human just because you’ve taken over a human body?”
“That’s not it, brother. I just really think it’s dangerous…!”
“Even if it’s dangerous, we lost our mother right in front of us. Are you telling us to hold back while those hateful humans are right before our eyes?”
“What if we die from it! All the kin outside are practically dead already..! The suddenly grown trees have devastated the Blood Swamp where our kin could be born and grow!”
“So?”
“What do you mean ‘so’? Brothers, don’t you get it yet?! We’re the only ones left! Hunters outside will surely annihilate the rest of our kin or reduce them to a state of near extinction…!”
“And what does that matter?”
“Brother…?”
In that moment, Hana fell silent.
“Exactly. They killed our Mother, so we’ll show those hateful bastards what hell is. We’ll devour the brains and bodies of our trusted comrades and family in betrayal. We’ll create a breeding ground within the Hunter Train to increase our kin and lead them all to destruction.”
Ah, no.
These brothers… don’t they understand the situation…?
“Let’s think calmly for a moment, okay? Inside the train, there are countless detection devices that can sort us out. And among the hunters, those who specialize in detection are all over the place. If we try to create a breeding ground inside the train, we’ll be caught immediately! And if there’s even one S-grade hunter among them, we’ll be done in an instant. Moreover, the hunters have weapons that turned our home into a dense grove! It’s too dangerous..!”
“So?”
“What do you mean ‘so’!!! You know that’s dangerous! With human brains in play, it’s easy to see the odds are low!”
“And if we die, then what?”
“If we can take revenge on humans, isn’t that all that matters?”
No, no.
These brothers cannot hear me right now…!
Of course, Hana understood that they felt the same sorrow of losing their mother.
Losing their mother was sorrowful.
It was true that they felt hatred to the point of wanting to kill humans.
If they were just average mutated blood slimes without receiving orders from ‘Mother,’ acting on instinct wouldn’t have been a problem.
It would have been better to simply harbor hatred and have a casual desire to kill.
But right now, the situation is the worst of the worst…!
Their own lives and the future of their entire kin were at the brink of being obliterated, yet those two were only thinking about killing the humans right before their eyes.
Currently, only they could decide the future of the Blood Swamp and the dungeon, succeeding [Mother]. Their decisions could affect the fate of their kin, and thinking solely about instinct in this situation was akin to being blind and deaf.
If they’ve gained intelligence, shouldn’t they at least be able to think!? How can they have intelligence but use it so poorly…! How stupid can these two be!!
Was this the gaze that humans cast upon monsters…?
In that moment, Hana understood why humans despised and sought to kill monsters.
“Brothers, please listen to me! Right now, we need to lay low and wait for a chance! I’m not saying we should give up revenge! Just not right now…!”
[Hana.]
“….!”
At that moment, something echoed in Hana’s mind.
It wasn’t a voice resonating through the air.
It was as if a prayer was sent out, filled with spirit, and Hana froze.
“What, what is that noise…?”
“What’s going on?”
Whether the two brothers heard that voice as well, they looked around in bewilderment.
[Unlike you, those two have no potential.]
Hearing that, Hana dropped to her knees immediately.
“No! I’m sorry! Just, just once… please give me another chance!”
“What are you doing all of a sudden?”
“Are you talking to us?”
[From the very beginning, the chances were being given by you to them.]
And at that moment, from the ventilation ducts within the train, an unknown plant vine sprang out.
It was the vine of the Elder Mandragora, ranking among the highest of S-grade beings.
A mutated slime could not react at all.
[The ones who kicked away those chances were your brothers.]
Thud!
Crash!
“Guh, ugh!?”
“Oh, ugh!?”
“NOO!!”
Before Hana could even think of a plan, the plant vine burrowed into the ears, eyes, and noses of Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae.
The event happened so abruptly that Hana was left helpless, unable to react.
[Elder, suck them dry.]
Schluuurp, slurp!
Chomp!
Schluuurp!
“Guh…ugh…?”
“G-Get…!”
And the plant vine that had burrowed into the two men’s bodies began to suck the cores of the blood slimes parasitizing them.
In an instant, 30 mutated slime cores transformed into the plant’s nutrients, and Hana could only watch the scene helplessly.
Tap, tap.
Hana recognized the sound of footsteps.
Isia.
The Mangja Seongnyeo.
Though perceived as somewhat simple-minded, she was, in fact, a being concealed beneath a deep abyss… a monster that was much more savage than slimes while yet crying out for mercy.
“Well, it didn’t go as planned.”
“………..”
For a brief moment, she felt a bit of animosity towards those brothers. Thought them foolish… but the truth was.
No, this is better…
If those two had ignored Hana’s warnings and had tried to kill the humans so recklessly, they would surely have crossed an irreversible line.
“Hana. Now, those two must live as humans, right?”
“Ugh… ack…”
“U-hee, huh…?”
“…. Yes.”
At those words, Hana took something out of her mouth.
It was the core of a mutated slime imbued with Kim Hana’s knowledge and emotions.
Without hesitation, she shoved it into Choi Hyojae and Namgoong Hyung’s mouths.
In truth, one core was sufficient for a mutated slime to control a human.
The reason Hana had 69 cores inside her was originally intended for the purpose of ambushing humans inside the Hunter Train and increasing hosts.
….I never thought my part would be used like this…
After consuming Hana’s core, Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae quickly regained consciousness.
The slime cores that had originally occupied them were all devoured by that unidentified plant vine.
Now, Namgoong Hyung and Choi Hyojae had become the same kind of being as ‘Kim Hana.’
Their bodies were numerous, but their mental core was Hana.
“Those two will now live as humans.”
“………”
Isia gently wiped away the tears from Hana’s eyes with her hand.
And she licked the tear from the fingertip, like savoring sweet nectar.
Slurp.
“And now, you are the Slime Empress.”
Congratulations.
I look forward to your future.
However, Isia’s gentle words were completely lost on Hana.
—
The monster wave was completely eradicated, and the Blood Swamp became a dense forest.
Most of the organisms and water that constituted the swamp became excellent nutrients for the spirit nuke. The enormous trees, blooming grandly, quickly devoured the swamp, growing in size.
Of course, there was no sunlight in this place. They relied upon a mysterious beam of light for their sight, and the moment the Blood Swamp was devoured by the trees, visibility significantly improved.
“Now the lanterns can operate normally.”
“With this, it’s practically like strolling through a forest at dawn, right?”
“Wow, the elves have lost it…”
“Spirit nuke, huh? An incredibly innovative bomb…”
Thus, as the swamp disappeared, visibility and mobility improved, the hunters began to embark on serious dungeon exploration.
“Heh heh, I’m glad the hunters have a good view~”
“…….”
Most hunters were impressed and began their exploration, marveling at the elves’ ‘spirit nukes.’
They had neatly wiped out the Blood Swamp where slimes could hide and live, transforming the dungeon into a significantly safer forest—a cause for great celebration among the hunters.
With that, the Blood Swamp was swiftly lit up by the hunters, and mapping began.
With an end to the swamp environment, the state of the slimes rapidly deteriorated. It became much easier to kill the surviving mutated slimes.
If things continued like this, the entire map of the dungeon could be completed in less than half a day.
“Is that the elf’s secret weapon…?”
“I hear there’s chaos on the China front; is that really true…?”
“It seems to be a show of force.”
“Ha, a nuclear elf, what in the world…”
However, not all S-grade hunters and some humans had such bright expressions.
Not everyone felt that way, but S-grade hunters were in close cooperation with their nations or were representatives of their countries.
They were both S-grade hunters and, in a way, acted as diplomatic envoys. Since the elf’s ‘spirit nuke’ had been brought out at such an official and international event as the Hunter Train, they had every reason to look displeased.
No nation welcomes the birth of a ‘superpower.’
Therefore, people connected to politics couldn’t possibly see the elves in a favorable light.
They had to weigh how this would impact their own countries.
Would it be beneficial?
Harmful?
Or would the Elf Nation become a new adversary?
—
“Ho ho ho~”
A multitude of gazes turned towards Olga.
On one side were favorable and friendly looks.
On the other, an intimidating hostility, reminiscent of tentative enemies.
However, the commonality of those gazes was one thing: Fear at the discovery of a massive force at the national level.
“Ho ho ho. Olgania is quite clever, indeed.”
Menelapie observed the scene, shrugging her shoulders.
There was absolutely no need for Yeonhwa, the Yeon family, or even for Menelapie herself to assist the elves.
Olgana had detonated the spirit nuke at just the right timing, inflicting no casualties while being completely harmless to humans.
This was indeed the aim of Big Olgania.
Through an official show of force, they sought to unveil the power of the Great Forest, which had just recently integrated into international society called Earth.
The existing elves were merely a smaller ethnicity that had immigrated from another realm.
Indeed, most countries did not recognize the elf’s Great Forest as a nation and had no plans to even establish embassies.
In Russia, it even declared a veto against allowing elves into international meetings.
In reality, not only Russia but many countries felt burdened with the recognition of the elves as a nation on Earth.
Thanks to this, Olgania felt it essential to participate in this Hunter Train event to ensure that the elven nations were recognized on a national level and secured a definite position in the international arena.
Subsequently, Big Olgania, while assisting the hunters, also aimed to showcase the name of the Elf Nation by detonating ‘Nugeo River Green and Green’.
“It’s eco-friendly. No side effects. A widespread terraforming tactical weapon that’s beneficial to life~”
Olga’s smile was mirrored by the displeased atmosphere among the remaining humans.
Ho ho ho, think hard, everyone~ Oh dear, look at those sharp eyes. Are you scared?
Moreover, hunters confirmed that this new type of nuke had the potential to drain even their lifeforce, leading the hunters to regard the elves with diverse inner thoughts.
Some looked on with admiration.
Some with wariness.
Others with envious glances.
Though they may have each been fueled by different emotions, it was certain that with the spirit nuke, the elven position in the international community would soar once the Hunter Train came to a close.
“Wahaha! Is that your weapon?”
Of course, some people were seemingly devoid of all such thoughts.
As the massive mechanical wings unfurled, Elizaveta IV approached Olgania.
“Don’t come near.”
“Hmm, is that Yujin! Don’t worry, Yujin! Unlike Zeus, I’m not approaching elves with the intent of sexual copulation! I’m here solely to spar with that elf!”
In that regard, Elizaveta IV was one of the most infamous S-grade hunters, known both positively and negatively.
She was known to request battles with anyone who caught her eye and exhibited an innocent curiosity about everything, akin to a child.
“Oh ho, the little British girl. I’m not approaching for purposes of copulation either. That is merely a secondary thought; I wish to have a deep and thorough conversation with the elf…”
“Zeus, shut it and get lost.”
“Yujin, did you marry that elf? Why are you acting so desperate like you have a twisted fixation on her?”
“You bastard…!”
“Yujin…”
“Olga, don’t stop me. I need to settle this with that ruffian today…!”
At that moment, entering before the growling Yujin, a blonde woman dressed in Hellenic-style white robes appeared, similar to Zeus.
“Yujin Hunter, I sincerely apologize…Could you let it slide for my sake?”
Upon hearing that familiar voice, Yujin, whose face was on the verge of exploding, returned to his expressionless demeanor.
“Aphrodite, huh.”
“Yes, it’s been a while, Yujin.”
Her hunter name was Aphrodite.
She was the hunter and direct secretary for Zeus.
One characteristic of the Olympus Guild, where Zeus served as the guild master, was that once someone received a hunter name, they would abandon their civilian name and take on the hunter name.
Aphrodite was no different.
Nobody knew her real name, but in the world of hunters, the name Aphrodite had come to be regarded as her real name.
Though she was practically a newcomer since she had not held the hunter name long, the name Aphrodite was already renowned for managing Zeus’s endless messes.
“We first need to apologize for the current situation. I’m sorry, Yujin, and you as well, leader of the elves.”
Unlike her image, Aphrodite bowed her head profusely, which could have contributed to her reputation among hunters being she was beautiful yet famous for managing the aftermath of Zeus’s daily antics.
“If our guild master’s actions displeased you, I would like to ensure a private conversation later…”
“It’s alright~ Ho ho ho, thanks to Yujin looking out for me, I was pleased as well.”
“Olga…”
“Hoo, I hope to have a chance to discuss matters separately with you, leader Olgania. For now, let me take this guild master away.”
“Aphrodite, I’m not approaching for any illicit purposes…”
“Shut up, Zeus. You said you’d catch the boss monster! If you don’t catch it, I’m taking your tie tonight!”
“Ha, good grief… Fine, I’ll go…”
It seemed that when Zeus was in the presence of Aphrodite, he could only obey her, suggesting “Hera” wouldn’t have been an unfitting hunter name for her.
“Uh-oh! By the way, Menelapie, I didn’t realize you were still here!? Were you waiting for me? Shall we go together!?”
With Aphrodite’s urging to head into the dungeon, Zeus threw a casual flirtatious line at Menelapie.
Inevitably, the result of such a carefree flirtation was predictable.
“Sure.”
“Hey, that’s a bit harsh… Oh?”
“Let’s go together.”
“………….?”
What!? Why would we go together?
Menelapie’s unexpected response halted not only Zeus but also nearby hunters who happened to overhear their exchange.
