I'm too tired to fight another one, but what I was up against right now were five slimes. Should I run or fight?
*Boing*
Before I can make a decision, the slimes begin to wiggle their translucent bodies. I got up quickly and faced them.
There was no other choice. I steeled myself and pointed my sword at the closest slime about to pounce.
*Blop*
The slime went through my long sword then stopped midway. I missed its heart.
Another slime jumped at me. I twisted my sword before slamming it into the approaching slime. The first slime receives the impact, causing its heart to be cut through by my blade. It disappeared like a mist, leaving my blade sparkling on the battlefield.
These slimes are vulnerable to stab attacks. My hope was lifted a little after discovering their weakness. I dashed over to the second slime, which was rolling around on the grass, and stabbed it until I struck its heart.
The third slime was already coming at me when I turned around. So I firmly planted my feet on the ground and braced myself for the unavoidable impact.
"Uhh!"
I was knocked down and rolled on the grass. I glanced back to see if there was going to be another attack.
The other slimes pounced beside the third slime and began wiggling. I tried aiming my sword at them, but it was missing.
"Oh no, no, no!"
I'm starting to freak out. It was the only thing keeping me from succumbing to fear. I searched around but couldn't find anything.
I crawled and crawled until my fingertips came into contact with the pond.
"Oh no..."
I was about to run towards the pond but the slimes had already pounced at me. Am I going to die? They are just trash mobs in every video game. No one dies from them, even in tutorials. Beaten by slimes was-
"Enough! Water Blast!"
"Huh?"
I fell on my knees and glanced at my back. The slimes were squirming until they disappeared.
"Are you alright? Human?"
My confusion was distracted by a tiny voice, such as those of a little girl.
I returned my glance to the pond, but I couldn't see the girl who had asked.
"Are you okay?" she asked, worriedly.
"Y-yes," I answered.
A floating blue ball of light the size of a ping-pong ball flew in front of me. I focused my gaze on it and was shocked by what I found.
A tiny humanoid figure surrounded by an aura of gleaming blue light. She had pale skin, short blue hair, and big blue eyes. She was dressed in a glittering blue dress and had four blue shiny wings on her back.
"Beautiful..."
That was the first and only thing I said about this mystical figure.
[Pond Spirit] [Level 48]
"Can you stand?"
"I'm... saved."
I felt my body weakening until I collapsed.
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"Pond, pond, my pond is the greatest~ is the greatest! Pond, pond, my pond is so beautiful~ so beautiful!"
The childish song awakened me. The dazzling stars of the night sky overwhelmed me as I slowly opened my eyes. It was so lovely and calming that it quickly put me at ease.
Oh right. I was attacked by...
"Slimes!" I immediately sat up and looked around, terrified. There were trees and open space to my left, where I fought the slimes. To my right, there was a fire warming me and the sparkling pond.
"They're not here."
As I imagined having been killed by slimes, tears fell down my cheeks. I took a deep breath and clenched my hands.
"Hello, how are you?"
A blue ball of light flashed in front of my face.
"Ah!"
I unconsciously shielded my face with my palms.
"Oh! I'm sorry. Did I scare you? I won't hurt you. Ahuuu ahuuuu."
The back of my hand was brushed by a gentle breeze. I looked between my fingertips and saw the mystical figure with inflated cheeks blowing from her tiny lips. So it was the "Ahu ahu" sound. That was cute.
"Uhm... What exactly are you?"
[Pond Spirit] [Level 48]
"I am the proud Pond Spirit of this magnificent pond!" She swirled as she introduced herself.
"Spirit?"
She flew upwards, puffed her chest, and placed her hands on her hips.
"Yes! Yes! The Poooond Spirit!"
What a lively spirit.
"I-I'm Orion. Thank you for saving me."
"Aww, you're so cute!"
She screamed as she flew closer and hugged my nose. "There, there... You're safe now. I'll protect you. I'll gonna smash any monster that comes to my pond!"
"Thank you..."
I feel better after being comforted by a cute little spirit.
She gave me a lovely smile as she flew away.
"Smile! Make a happy face! Come on!"
I showed her the best smile I could muster to relieve her worries.
*Growl*
I looked down at my stomach and saw the branches and leaves that were covering me. That explains why I don't feel cold. What a nice spirit.
"Oh, dear. You must be hungry. Come! We've prepared something tasty for you."
With her tiny hands, she pulled my hand away towards the fire.
"We?"
I looked around, but no one was there beside us.
"Sit down."
I sat on the rock, facing the fire.
"I was assisted by the tree spirits and the fire spirits in making this soup. Uhmm... But, they flew away. They are very shy."
The Pond Spirit returned from the other side of the fire with a bowl of soup.
"Here!"
The soup looks and smells delicious. It had vegetables and even meat in it.
"Thank you so much. Uhm... Everyone."
"Yes! Yes! Did you know that tree spirits like cooking? They learn how to cook from watching people who stayed in the forest."
"Really?"
It was delicious. My empty stomach was filled with a bowl of soup. I'm glad they prepared food for me. I ate the soup while listening to her story.
According to her, God created the spirits to be the keeper of his creations. They aid the growth of trees and plants, allowing the water to flow, making the air breathable, and other things.
Spirits avoided people, but others were loved. They helped them by guiding those who had been lost out of their territory, saving them from fearful beasts and monsters, sheltering them from wilderness, sharing food with them, curing their diseases, and playing with them.
Other spirits share their power by bestowing "Spirit Blessing." They let people borrow their abilities in exchange for living with them, making them stronger as a result.
Spirits are born for the good of the world, but some people use them for their immoral acts, turning them into "Vengeful Spirits." Instead of protecting life, they turn their backs on it and consume everything alive in their way.
"But I'm different! My dream is to make this pond the greatest pond in the world, where people can eat, play, and raise families without concern for danger. After that, I will become the Mother Pond Spirit!" She proclaimed, aiming her fist at the night sky.
"Wow!" Her words moved me, and I couldn't help but applaud. "Are there other Pond Spirits besides you?"
"Yes, yes! A tree on the planet has a tree spirit. Each pond on the planet was the same."
"For me, you are the best Pond Spirit in the whoooooole world!" I said, reaching out my arms to the night sky.
"Oh... Oh!!! You're good.. Yes! You are the best kid in the whooooooole world!"
She hummed while she circled my head three times before landing over my head.
"I have a fantastic idea! What if you live together with me and together we work to achieve my dream?" She patted my head as she waited for my answer.
I was about to agree with her when she suddenly flinched.
"I'm sorry, boy... I guess you won't be able to live here with me." Her cheerful voice had been replaced with a dejected tone.
"Huh? Why?"
"Tell me, Orion. What brought you here? I'd just returned from assisting other spirits when I saw you being attacked by slimes. I didn't even notice your visit."
How can I answer that? Should I say that I was summoned here by the "God" or "Protector" of this world?
"It's fine if you can't say it. I'm not going to force you. I know you're a good boy."
"I'm sorry..."
"Okay, then! Let's sleep together."
"What?"
"Hm... How about I teach you water magic tomorrow? Do you like that? So, let's sleep early, okay?"
"Oh! really?!"
"Of course! Because you're a cute and good boy."
She landed on my chest after I lay down on the grass.
"Water Barrier."
The water from the pond flowed around us then swirled until a transparent bluish dome was created.
"Amazing! I feel warm."
"I told you I'd protect you." She grinned and lay down on my chest.
"Night, night."
"Good night."