"Hmm, there are still quite a few of them down there," Reinbach remarked.
Looking over the edge, it was clear the number of undead had dropped significantly, just as he had said. But because there had been thousands to begin with, "decreased" still meant hundreds were milling about.
Their movements were sluggish, and some had stopped regenerating entirely. They were clearly weakened, but the inferno was fading. With more room to maneuver, the fire was no longer spreading effectively, and we couldn't expect the flames to do much more.
"They're in much better shape than when we started," Remily said cheerfully. "Let's take them out steadily—and more importantly, comfortably."
"In that case, the slimes and I will head down first to secure a landing zone for everyone," I proposed.
"We're counting on you," Reinbach replied. "We'll join the fray as soon as the area is clear."
The canyon was drafty enough that oxygen deprivation wasn't a concern, but I equipped a Filter Slime like a mask to deal with the lingering smoke. To be safe, I prepared to dampen the landing site.
"Ryoma-sama, if you require water, please leave it to me. Waterfall!" Sebas incanted.
With a single word, a torrent equivalent to a swimming pool’s worth of water plummeted from the sky like a solid pillar. Steam hissed off the scorched bedrock for a split second before being drowned out and extinguished by the sheer force of the deluge.
I thanked him and signaled the Emperor Scavenger Slime. It responded instantly, swelling its body to its absolute limit before stretching toward the cliff's edge. Then, it retracted and launched itself into the void.
Its massive form quivered in the howling wind before it impacted the canyon floor. It bounced and flexed like a rubber ball in slow motion, dissipating the kinetic energy through its malleable body. I checked its status, but the only sentiment I received was "energetic." Falling from the height of a five-story building hadn't done a single point of damage.
"I'd heard stories, but it's another thing entirely to see that slime survive a drop like that," Remily noted, impressed.
"The Emperor's physical resistance is bordering on excessive," I explained. "I tried attacking it myself once as a test, but nothing worked."
Even magic struggled against its combined resistance and sheer mass. Honestly, if the Emperor ever turned against me, I wasn't sure if I could stop it. In the right—or wrong—circumstances, it was a terrifying creature. But as an ally, it was incredibly reassuring.
Below, several undead shambled toward the Emperor, only to be snared by tentacles and flattened by its immense weight. They didn't stand a chance against that kind of scale.
"Looks like the coast is clear. I'll send the rest down."
Once the Emperor flattened itself into a massive, squishy mattress, I sent the other slimes over the edge. They tumbled down one by one, landing safely on the cushion. Then, it was my turn.
"Well then, I’m off."
"Watch your step," Reinbach said.
"Thank you."
I unhooked my lifeline and leaped. Cold air rushed past me, and the roar of the wind filled my ears, but I felt no fear. I’d practiced high-altitude drops with the Emperor countless times during my research. While I couldn't formalize it as a general rescue technique—since I was the only person capable of commanding ten thousand slimes at once—I had total confidence in the maneuver.
I tucked my knees and landed seat-first. The Emperor’s body yielded beneath me, enveloping me in a soft, springy embrace. There was no jarring impact, let alone an injury.
"Are you all right?!"
"No problem at all!"
I signaled to the Emperor to begin separating and waved to the four people watching from the precipice to show I was fine. I probably should have focused on the hundreds of undead still milling about, but my slimes had already begun a total massacre.
A skeleton shambled toward me, its bones rattling like a school project. Before it could get close, a Metal Slime slammed into its ribs from the side, shattering its chest. The rest of the skeleton collapsed into a pile of lifeless dust. The other Metal and Iron Slimes were launching themselves through the air, shifting into spears to impale targets or spinning like razor-edged chakrams to slice through bone. They used their weight, speed, and shifting forms to devastating effect.
The gruesome remains left behind were quickly swallowed by the Scavenger and Acid Slimes crawling along the ground. They treated undead flesh and bone no differently than normal prey. If anything, the only ones struggling were those trying to swallow pieces that were still twitching with regenerative energy. Meanwhile, the Spider and Sticky Slimes were busy tripping up the survivors with webs and adhesive fluid.
The situation was so firmly under control that neither I nor the Light Slimes had anything to do. All I could do was stand there and watch the carnage. I’ll keep a sharp eye out just in case, I thought, but this really is a hellscape. Whether you’re fighting them or just watching slimes eat them alive, there's no such thing as a pretty battle against the undead.
A ripple in the air behind me signaled the others arriving via Space Magic.
"At this rate, we'll be done in no time," Remily remarked.
"Ryoma, there are fewer of them toward the right bank," Siber said, eyes scanning the terrain. "We'll clear that side first."
"Understood. I'll hold the left."
"Siber, don't get so excited that you trip over yourself," Reinbach teased.
"I know, I know. I'll treat it like a light morning stretch."
"Remily-sama, if you would be so kind?" Sebas asked.
"You got it! Coating Light!"
I pulled my slimes toward the left as Siber readied his halberd. Reinbach and Sebas drew their blades. Reinbach’s sword was a striking piece—a white, matte bastard sword that looked as if it had been carved from some prehistoric bone. The moment it left its sheath, the blade erupted in a crown of fire, radiating intense heat. Sebas, conversely, held a slender rapier. Under Remily’s enchantment, it glowed with a soft, steady brilliance, looking for all the world like a lightsaber from a sci-fi flick.
Their power was staggering. Reinbach’s flaming blade sheared through zombies like a hot knife through butter, the fire cauterizing the wounds and preventing regeneration before the rest of the body burned to ash. Sebas focused on precision, his rapier punching holes in the undead that were far wider than the blade itself. His blinding speed made it look like the upper halves of his targets were simply detonating.
Siber, however, was the real force of nature. He wove a mantle of wind around his halberd, and while it wasn't as flashy as fire or light, every swing produced a localized gale. He used the reach of his weapon and the pressure of the wind to sweep entire groups off their feet, leaving Reinbach and Sebas to finish off the stragglers.
"I knew Siber-san was strong, but those two are incredible," I whispered.
"They've got the skills of Regular Knights, so this is child's play for them," Remily said, leaning back. "And Reinbach-chan’s magic sword technique is just the basics. Technically, you could do it too. In fact, your chantless magic is probably harder to pull off than what he's doing."
"Really? I thought they were similar."
"Think about it. When you cast chantless magic, you're projecting a separate layer of mana around your arm to protect yourself from the spell's backlash, right?"
"Yes. I realized during testing that I’d probably blow my own hand off if I didn't, so I use a thin membrane as a buffer."
"That's the kind of thing an expert does, not a beginner. The basics of a magic sword are far simpler—you just wrap the weapon in the element. If it's fire, you just make the blade burn."
I frowned. "Wouldn't that ruin the sword?"
She grinned, having anticipated the question. "That's why magic sword users use blades made from materials that are naturally resistant to that element. It takes the burden off the weapon, so you don't have to waste mana protecting it. It lowers the barrier to entry significantly."
"So it's better for building a foundation."
"Exactly. The logic is the same for Sebas-chan’s sword—I just applied light-attribute mana to the blade. Whether you do it yourself or have someone do it for you, the principle is identical."
"I see... I'm usually on my own, so if I could learn to enchant weapons, it would really open up my options. Are there other spells like that?"
"For supporting allies? Strengthening magic or barrier magic, mostly. But honestly, if you have the time and the coin, it’s usually better to just buy enchanted gear or magic tools. Still, it doesn't hurt to have the skills in your back pocket."
"Good to know. Excuse me a moment, the undead are starting to pile up over there."
"Need a hand?"
"I've got it. They're just bunching up in a bottleneck."
I drew my Slime Katana and focused, compressing my qi into the edge of the blade. With a single horizontal slash, I released a Qi Blade. The shimmering arc of energy tore through the sea of slimes, bisecting a dozen undead at once. The sound of clattering bones as the skeletons collapsed reminded me of a strike in a bowling alley.
With the bottleneck broken, the slimes were able to resume their feast. I fired off a few more Qi Blades at other clusters until the slimes could handle the rest on their own.
"Hoh. You had that in your repertoire as well?" Siber asked, returning from the right bank now that it was cleared.
"I picked it up recently."
"It's remarkably polished for a new skill."
"I have three masters of qi application working at my shop, so I asked them for lessons."
Specifically, I'd learned from Yudam-san, as well as from Fei-san and Ox-san. Between them, they’d taught me how to project qi from a fist, how to extend a blade's reach, and how to overcharge a weapon with energy for a massive power boost. Using those principles as a base, I’d reverse-engineered the secret techniques used by the Mighty Sword Brothers who had tried to assassinate me at the end of the year.
"Incorporating the techniques of the very assassins sent to kill you... you're a hungry one, aren't you?" Siber said with a chuckle.
"When I find something interesting, I can't help but want to know how it works."
"We were wondering why you weren't coming to help, and it turns out you were getting a private lesson," Reinbach said as he joined us.
"I enchanted Sebas-chan's sword at the start, and it's not like we actually needed help," Remily added. "Besides, teaching Ryoma-chan is a better use of my time. Not wasting mana is the first rule of being a mage."
"I'm not complaining," Reinbach said. "But Ryoma-kun, if magic swords interest you, I'd be happy to show you the ropes. If you're okay with a fire-attribute blade, I can even provide a Dragon's Fang for the materials."
"A Dragon's Fang?! I don't know exactly how rare that is, but it sounds far too valuable for me..."
"My tamed dragons shed them every few years. They're top-tier materials, certainly, but they're not exactly rare for our family. Besides, I owe you quite a bit."
"I'm definitely interested, but I'm still a beginner. I can practice with a standard sword for now, so let's save the fang for another time."
A dragon part was the kind of legendary drop you’d only find in a final dungeon. Accepting one so casually felt wrong. I looked down at my Slime Katana and felt a wave of comfort. In the end, maybe Slime Equipment is the only thing that really feels right for me.
By the time we finished talking, the slimes had finished their work. Not a single undead was left standing; those that weren't already dissolved were pinned down, waiting for the slimes to finish them off. There was nothing left for the adults or me to do. In fact, if we tried to help now, we’d probably just get in the slimes' way.
I'm glad we could do this safely, but I feel like I spent the whole time talking...
It didn't take long before the slimes raised their tentacles in a silent cheer of victory.