From Player To Npc

Shingi and the Players' party continued and kept facing more Slimes, Black and Yellow Ooze but no new type of monsters yet, but it helped them make them stronger either way. Phoenix wasn't using the exp she earned to her Skills, so her Level was raised somewhat fast as the Oozes were higher level than her, so she was currently level 11. WIld Tycoon had made some progress as she should have at least 70 or so kill, including her past ones, so 30 more, and she should be good to go.

As for the two brothers, Mizuneko wasn't training on something specific. Shingi told him they continue his training some other day. Hineko became faster with each battle and became more helpful in keeping opponents distracted, which were easy to learn when fighting the slow Oozes.

Shingi had some progress using his MANA HANDS during the battle and got a few ideas to use them to distract an opponent and his ROCK THROW spell. As for the rest of the spells, he didn't use them, especially his INVISIBILITY and DOME OF SILENCE, which would not affect those monsters since they couldn't see or hear; either way so would be a waste of mana. But he used his CAMOUFLAGE on him and Hineko now and then when they were scouting ahead to train it and raise their STEALTH to be safe.

As they have made a few circles as the Oozes after some time seemed to reappear, but in different numbers, they decided to get deeper in the Dungeon since they got quite familiar with the opponent here and now with Phoenix being of Higher Level than when they entered they could face stronger monsters. Her stats didn't change, but her MP modifier had increased slightly, so she had more MP. She had gotten some proficiency at her Spells, especially her MANA BOLT that she was mostly using, decreasing its casting time and MP consumption but just slightly.

She had learned one more spell, and this time, not one from an NPC but one she created herself. She called it SHADOW BOLT, but Shingi considered it more like a MINI DARK HOLE BOLT. Using the Darkness element mana of her Shadow and surroundings to create a Bolt of energy similar to MANA BOLT. Its effect wasn't of damaging an opponent cause of the impact but 'consuming' what it was touching.

Of course, that could affect them too. It seemed like it impacted something or someone; it started pulling towards its center everything around it. Still, the force wasn't that strong as it was barely enough to affect a Plain Slime. That was if it was less than a quarter of a meter from it.

But that was causing the spell was Low Grade. She wasn't too proficient with it, but who knew what other similar Spells she could create the more familiar she became with it and if her Mana Tree gets to produce Dark Element type of Mana.

As they had progressed deeper in the Dungeon and Shingi and Hineko, as usual, have gone ahead to scout; after a while, they encountered something or, more specifically, someone.

It wasn't a Player that they haven't encountered yet, but a female Villager who seemed to have passed out as three Red Oozes surrounded her.

Those were Blood Oozes.

They were normal Oozes that merely mutated to their current form after consuming a large amount of blood. The frustrating thing was that they kept the abilities they used to have in their old form and the new abilities of a Blood Ooze.

A Blood Ooze had the ability to detect any creatures at a range from him as long some blood was on them (not in them) or were bleeding and so. They could also attract blood as Magnet but only if it was exposed or through a wound and such, but they had to be close to doing that. One had to be careful when they fought them as they were known to make their bodies sharp and blade-like to open possible wounds on their targets to make them bleed and drain their blood.

Because two of them were a little darker red than the others, Shingi considered that they could have mutated from Black Oozes, but he couldn't be certain. He told Hineko to go back to the rest of the party and inform them of the situation and make sure they didn't have any open wounds, and he would stay behind to keep looking.

Hineko went his way in a hurry without worrying about being heard as they were too far from the Oozes, and they weren't able to hear either way.

Shingi focused his MANA SENSE on them. He saw that around the two slightly darker Black Oozes was the same type of aura he had noticed surrounding the Black Oozes, which should be their Special Defense ability against offensive spells but no such thing existed on the third one.

The Oozes seemed to move around the female body, who seemed to have started waking up and soon noticing the monsters around her.

As a reaction, she started moving away from the creatures but not completely standing up but not taking her eyes away from them. With that movement, she was also coming closer to Shingi. Still, he was currently hidden, so it should be just a coincidence. Still, it was also the only exit as the other way was 'blocked' for her since it was in the direction of the Blood Oozes.

The Oozes started slowly moving towards her, but the female seemed to be scared of the creatures as she shouted for help as loudly as she could.

Cause of the echo that the cave produced of her voice, some quick steps were heard by the direction Shingi came, and two figures came charging into the room towards the Blood Oozes.

These two figures were Wild Tycoon and Hineko, who made their charge towards the enemy without waiting for the rest of the party.

Interestingly, Tycoon, who was normally the group's slowest, had arrived as fast as Hineko. Still, Shingi knew she had learned the ACCELERATION skill that he gave her some tips on how to unlock during the past week. She had the most SP in the group, so it was a skill that she could use at almost its full power. It was a skill meant for Warriors, either way, and just not everyone could reach the ability to use it as Shingi as his Player Character.

Using that skill, she was slower than Shingi at his NPC body, but that was cause she was wearing heavy armor; otherwise, she could be faster than him, but he still wasn't able to use it at its full power cause of the limits of his Body. His stats should be enough, but it seems to cause his body was one of a child, the requirements were different. He had made some tests on that with a few exercises he was most familiar with before coming to this outcome.

Shingi came out of his hiding place without any choice but didn't help in the fight. Even if they weren't following their normal plan, they shouldn't have much problem, even Hineko, who wasn't much helping in dealing damage in the past battles. He instead headed toward the villager.

Tycoon seemed to be somewhat angrier than normal. However, she still seemed focused enough not to over damage the Oozes just if they could split. In contrast, Hineko, even if he did some damage to one of them, kept helping to distract others.

It didn't take much to kill the Oozes, even if they got some wounds from them and lost some blood but not enough to be in danger levels.

At that point, Mizuneko and Little Phoenix arrived and saw that they were late to join the battle, but no one had died at least.

Shingi, who just kept standing next to the villager after seeing the last Blood Ooze killed by Tycoon, turned towards the rescued one.

"Well, they are dealt with. So are you fine?" [Shingi]

Everyone else starting gathering and checking the one their team rescued, which seemed to be quite young but not as young as Shingi, maybe around Annoue's age.

"Yes. I am fine now. Just scared of monsters like that." [Young Female Village]

Shingi had left a chuckle hearing that unexpected but then continued with his normally serious face and voice.

"Well, they are now gone, so you can stand up now as they won't be able to do anything else. So what is your plan now?" [Shingi]

Before the girl said anything, Hineko came next to Shingi and put his hand over Shingi or tried to as Shingi noticed him and moved his shoulder away. Hineko seemed a bit embarrassed. He almost lost his balance and fall as; he didn't expect this kind of reaction but spoke, trying not to let the embarrassment show on his face or voice.

"Don't you think we should be nicer to her and let her breathe and calm a little? She was almost killed, so we should make things move slower." [Hineko]

Shingi, after hearing before he said anything he turned to look towards the rest of the party.

"I see.... anyone else has anything else to say or add for the current situation we are currently in?" [Shingi]

The Players looked towards each other in the confusion of the answer and seemed to give it a thought, but no answer was given for some time. But then Mizuneko spoke.

"Well, I understand what my brother's feelings are, so could we maybe just stop our exploration and get the girl back? I mean, she seems to be defenseless, and she would encounter other monsters on her way out, and getting deeper in it would affect our progress if we had to protect her." [Mizuneko]

Mizuneko was sure that this was a test of Shingi to see if they could make the right choice in situations like that. Ηe was certain that this was the best and safest way they could go with it.

"I see. Anyone else has anything more to say, or do you all agree with Mizuneko?" [Shingi]

The rest gave it some thought but not for long as they agreed with Mizuneko, especially Hineko.

"I see... I must say I am kinda disappointed." [Shingi]

He then didn't say anything else as he got his dagger from his ring, and with great speed, which none of the players could follow, he put it at the forehead of the female Villager.

The Players were surprised by this, and Tycoon was ready to attack him, thinking that he went crazy but was stopped by Phoenix.

"What is the meaning of this? Why did you kill her?" [Hineko]

Shingi didn't say anything, just looked at him and pulled out his Dagger, and then something unexpected happened.

The villager's whole body started turning red and losing its shape as it turned into a small pool of red blood-like liquid. A crystal sphere, which had a hole in it that a blade could fit it and, more specifically, a dagger. Shingi's dagger.

It was an Ooze's core.

The female Villager was actually an Ooze and actually one with the ability to transform itself at humanoid creatures' shape. These were quite rare to find, especially a low-level one like that as it seemed to be level 12. But since Shingi hit it at its core, it was killed right away. He had detected it using his MANA SENSE during the battle.

"You should always be on guard. I have told you that many times. Especially the two of you." [Shingi]

Shingi pointed at Phoenix and Mizuneko.

He had noticed with his MANA SENSE that there was some aura surrounding the whole body of the Villager. He was there even after she woke up, so he was certain that it was an ability of hers and not of the others. He knew of Oozes' existence with that kind of ability even if Mizuneko didn't mention any existing in the dungeon. Still, it could because the Players couldn't mention it in the game.

One of the Oozes' powers like that was consuming the memories of their targets if they left them alive. Of course, that was hard to do on Players as the developers couldn't make them forget something that happened to them. Still, they could make it that they couldn't mention to anyone about their encounter as they had that much control.

But that was in-game as they could mention it at forums or in other ways in real life, and none could do anything to them.

So if Mizuneko had checked the forums, he would have found possible mentions, but he had researched only by asking the players around town, so even if they knew something, they couldn't let him know.

The two mages understood what Shingi meant by pointing at the two of them and felt bad for not thinking of doing something simple like that. They weren't keeping MANA SENSE active almost all the time as Shingi did, but just when they considered it to be necessary.

Shingi left a small sigh seeing the Players in front of him being unhappy about making the wrong choice, especially Phoenix, who was currently her shy self, which affected her more.

"Well, either way, at least you learned something new this time, and none was harmed but remembered the lesson you learned at this moment. Whether you think you are on the good or bad side, always expect and look for the unexpected no matter how easy or hard things look. The Gods can always play their tricks to us." [Shingi]

It was true that the developers had designed many 'traps' for the players in many forms and wanted the Players to be smart or pay it if they took the wrong choice. Still, most of the time, paying a wrong choice was not taking the really good reward and not actually punishing the Player. Still, something like that was unacceptable by people like Shingi to de done by them.

He then summoned an empty vial from his Spatial ring, which used to be one HP regeneration potion used by Tycoon. He had cleaned with his FILTH EATER spell of any leftovers and filled it with some of the substance used to be the Transformation Ooze he just killed.

This was part of a rare creature, even if it was a low-level one. Still, it could be used by Hineko in the future with his Skill to make some useful potions, or they could sell them if needed. He was able to fill five vials and stored them at his Spatial Ring. The good thing was that the ring could keep things like blood and parts of monsters fresh for more time than normal like the time was passing slower for them while in the Spatial Ring's space.

"We probably won't meet more like that, but we should be careful of any more Blood Oozes. They should have been created by that one, probably by letting other Oozes consume her victims' blood. So keep your guard up, and if you get any open wounds, ask for a Regeneration potion just to be safe." [Shingi]

He also cleaned any blood on Tycoon and Hineko with his FILTH EATER spell just to be safe. The rest of the party haven't taken any damage or blood on them as they didn't get in melee with any of the monsters but kept their distance.

As for Shingi, even if he was at melee, in some cases, he hasn't been hit, not even once, as the Oozes were too slow for him even without using his ACCELERATION skill.

So the party continued once more. It seemed that this last encounter raised their focus somewhat, and they were almost ready for anything to be thrown at them at any point.