Hana stood frozen as Haruto charged straight at the deadly predators.
The wolves hesitated—only for a fraction of a second. A flicker of uncertainty passed through their glowing eyes before instinct took over and they lunged.
Haruto didn't slow down.
With a confident grin, he closed the distance and drove an uppercut straight into one wolf's jaw.
The impact sent the beast skidding backward. Its massive head snapped to the side, legs faltering as it staggered, visibly dazed.
…It worked.
There was no time to process it.
The second wolf lunged for his head, jaws wide.
And right on cue—
The world slowed.
His intrinsic thought-acceleration skill activated instantly. The wolf's movements became crude and obvious, like watching a poorly animated model. Haruto slipped past the snapping jaws by a hair's breadth and twisted his body, driving a full-force elbow straight into the beast's forehead.
Both wolves reeled, stunned by the consecutive blows.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! DO YOU WANT TO DIE?!" Hana screamed from behind him.
Haruto tried to pull back—but the first wolf recovered faster than expected.
Its clawed paw lashed out.
The strike connected with his arm.
There was a sickening crack.
The bone shattered instantly.
Yet—
Haruto didn't move.
The wolf couldn't push him back an inch.
"H-HARUTO!" Hana's voice trembled, panic bleeding through every syllable.
Despite the ruined arm hanging at an unnatural angle, Haruto smiled.
"Don't worry," he said calmly. "I've got this. Just trust me—and stay back."
Almost immediately, the pain dulled.
His arm twisted back into place.
Flesh knit. Bone realigned.
Regeneration—confirmed.
Before the wolf could react, Haruto stepped in and drove a punch straight into its muzzle.
There was a wet, grinding sound.
The wolf's jaw dislocated violently, sending it collapsing to the ground, thrashing and howling in agony.
One down.
Haruto turned toward the remaining wolf—
And then it hit him.
A sensation far deeper than instinct.
Hunger.
Not physical.
Something fundamental.
An overwhelming, insatiable craving.
His mind snapped into focus.
Another skill.
Suppressing everything else, Haruto observed his own body with brutal concentration. The thought acceleration barely held together, but it was enough.
Barely.
The blood smeared across the wolf's claws—his blood—reacted.
It pulsed.
Expanded.
The crimson stains spread unnaturally, crawling up the beast's limb like a living infection. The wolf howled as the blood enveloped its arm, then its torso, then everything.
It spread greedily.
Devouring.
Consuming.
In seconds, the wolf vanished completely.
No flesh.
No bone.
Nothing remained.
Haruto stood frozen, staring at the empty space where the creature had been.
Power surged back into him—raw energy flooding his limbs, reinforcing his muscles, sharpening his senses even further.
A devouring ability… through blood.
He understood it now.
But one question remained.
Can I replicate it?
He tried.
Failed.
Again.
Then—success.
The hunger responded.
The gluttonous desire to consume. To steal. To claim strength that wasn't originally his.
His blood was the catalyst.
Each droplet carried intrinsic intent—gluttony engraved at a cellular level. Even the smallest trace could expand, regenerate, and devour before vanishing without a trace.
"…That's terrifying," he muttered.
And fascinating.
He tried again.
But this time—
The thought acceleration suddenly cut out.
What—
Before he could react—
The remaining wolf was already behind him.
Claws swung down, malice blazing in its eyes.
Haruto braced himself—
But something slammed into him from the side.
His body was thrown clear of the attack.
He hit the ground hard as the thought acceleration reignited, allowing him to roll away and create distance.
"…Hana?"
She was there.
She had pushed him out of the way.
But that wasn't what shocked him.
Hana's body had transformed—melting into a viscous, liquid form. It wrapped around the wolf like a constrictor, engulfing it completely.
The beast roared in agony as its body began to dissolve.
No—digest.
Haruto couldn't hear her voice, but he could see the strain. She was fighting to restrain it.
She wouldn't last long.
"I've got it," he said under his breath.
Taking a steady breath, Haruto reached for his bloodstained clothes and pinched off a single droplet.
He held it in front of him.
And focused.
---
At first, I treated skills like tools.
Like systems in a game—something granted externally, something you use to gain power.
But what if that assumption was wrong?
What if these "skills" weren't the source of power at all?
What if they were merely proof?
Proof of growth.
Proof of change.
Proof that something inside us had already crossed a line it could never return from.
Born not from rules—but from emotion.
From obsession.
From scars.
If that was true, then I didn't need to activate a skill.
I needed to awaken the feeling that gave birth to it.
So I asked myself—
Where did that hunger come from?
That insatiable craving to devour, to steal strength, to never be helpless again.
The answer came almost immediately.
Regret.
The regret of being too weak.
I had spent my entire life trying to fill a hole I never knew how to close. I tried my best to make sure Haruki never felt our mother's absence. I smiled. I endured. I pretended.
But it was never enough.
I wanted more.
I wanted the regret to end. I wanted it gone—burned away, crushed, erased.
And every time I searched for an answer…
I always arrived at the same place.
Power.
"If only I had been strong enough back then…"
That thought had haunted me for as long as I could remember.
And now—
The universe finally listened.
If I let them get hurt again…
There would be no excuses left.
Without hesitation, I dragged every buried memory to the surface. Every failure. Every moment I had clenched my teeth and told myself next time will be different.
They pierced me like needles.
But I endured.
Because this pain was familiar.
Then—
The blood reacted.
The small droplet twisted violently, spiraling up my arm as if it had a will of its own. It expanded, hardened, crystallized—forming a gauntlet of blood-red crystal, sharp claws extending from its fingertips.
Not armor.
A weapon.
I didn't think.
I moved.
My body surged forward with explosive speed. The wolf was still struggling beneath Hana's grip when I appeared before it—so fast its instincts never caught up.
For a brief moment, it met my gaze.
That was the last thing it ever saw.
The claws pierced straight through its skull as if it were nothing more than soaked cloth. The body convulsed once before my blood spread greedily, devouring it whole.
Just like the others.
When it was over, my legs gave out.
I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air, exhaustion crashing over me all at once.
Moments later, Hana released the dissolved remains and hopped straight onto my head. She was trembling too—drained, silent.
Neither of us spoke.
And somehow… that silence felt right.
Haruki was still lying nearby in her blade form. I reached out and picked her up gently.
"Haru… you still there?"
Her voice responded lazily inside my head.
"Yeah. Still alive. Unfortunately. I couldn't see or hear anything, so… did something happen? Oh—and if you're doing some weird stuff, at least get a room. I'm not here to third-wheel."
I locked eyes with Hana—who was practically melting on top of me.
And then—
We both laughed.
It wasn't planned.
It just… happened.
"What?" Haruki demanded. "Did you two finally kiss?! AHH! Why couldn't you wait till I was there?! Do you know how much I sacrificed—"
"It was nothing special," I cut her off.
Hana nodded cheerfully. "Yeah. Focus on learning how to control your body instead."
"…Fine~" Haruki grumbled. "I'm going back to work. Don't bother me again, got it? You, stupid dweeb."
"What did you just—"
"Okay, bye~!"
And just like that, she went silent again.
"…So annoying," I muttered, lying flat on the rocky floor.
Hana hopped down and settled on my chest.
"Are you… really okay?"
Her tone softened.
That alone made me smile.
"Didn't you see what we just did?" I said quietly. "I wouldn't have done any of that if I wasn't. Honestly… I feel better than I have in a long time."
"…If you say so," she replied, moving closer. "But tell me if you need help. That's not a suggestion."
I knew that look.
This was the dangerous side of her.
The one that made my chest tighten for a completely different reason.
I swallowed. "Will do…"
She puffed her cheeks, then curled up against me like a cat.
A slime.
With my crush's soul.
Totally normal.
I didn't even realize I was falling asleep until my vision dimmed.
I let it happen.
Because even in sleep—
My Magic Instincts remained active.
I could still see the world around me.
So I relaxed.
And trusted my magic instincts to keep watch. Not the best idea. But there are no other options, are there?
---
As Haruto and the others began their new lives deep within the Great Labyrinth, an entirely different atmosphere unfolded beyond its depths.
Welcome to the Nation of Leonhart.
A vast human kingdom known for its relative peace. Though its technological advancement lagged behind other powers, its people lived stable and content lives. Trade routes were active, streets were lively, and for most civilians, danger felt like a distant rumor.
Near the heart of the capital stood a grand building—one that carried both authority and history.
Inside one of its private chambers, two men sat across a polished table.
One was young, his posture rigid, anxiety written plainly across his face.
The other appeared older, calm and composed, with sharp features and a pair of pointed ears—clearly an elf.
The elf wore an influential uniform, one that marked him as someone of high standing.
The younger man wore a formal coat, neat but modest.
The silence was broken first by the elf.
"So," he said, folding his arms. "What does he want this time? Sending more people into the forest?"
His tone carried irritation.
"I've already said it's useless. Dealing with the snow and terrain is one thing—but rogue monsters are beyond our current capabilities. We can't afford to lose more adventurers over a vague hunch."
The young man flinched.
Swallowing hard, he produced an envelope and slid it forward with trembling hands.
"P-please… before you decide anything… at least read this."
The elf sighed, clearly annoyed, but still took it. His eyes narrowed when he saw the seal.
"The royal crest, huh… He's really using this for everything these days."
He opened the envelope, leaned back in his chair, and began reading.
Minutes passed.
With each passing moment, his expression grew stiffer. His brows furrowed, lips pressing into a thin line. Whatever was written there, he didn't like it.
Across from him, the young man struggled just to keep his head up.
Finally, the elf exhaled slowly and placed the letter on the table.
"'Seek the brightest star of the Tempest Dragon. The storm shall guide you to the greatest fortune…'"
He muttered the words aloud, then lifted his gaze.
"What do you think this means?"
The young man startled, but steadied himself.
"This… this was the last prophecy she gave us. Before she… before—"
"Before she fell ill again?" the elf cut in.
The young man nodded.
The answer came immediately.
"Then I'm sorry," the elf said flatly. "The guild will not be taking part in this."
Shock spread across the young man's face.
"B-but why?! The reward alone is absurd! And an imperial medal on top of that—do you know what that means?! Even the highest ranks of knighthood would consider it a once-in-a-generation honor!"
The elf's expression remained calm—but cold.
"Do you even know what happened to the last party we sent there?"
The room fell silent.
Their gazes locked—one firm, the other trembling.
The young man finally looked down, his voice barely above a whisper.
"…You wouldn't… do it for Nethra?"
That gave the elf pause—just for a moment.
"I told her hundreds of times not to use that parasitic skill," he snapped. "She never listens."
The young man's fists clenched.
"PLEASE," he begged. "My sister's life is in danger. You're our only hope."
The elf leaned back, closing his eyes.
"Enough."
"UNCLE, PLEASE! WE DESPERATELY NEED YOUR HELP—"
"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH."
The outburst silenced the room.
The elf remained quiet for a long moment, then slowly opened his eyes.
"…Dora."
The door opened, and a woman stepped inside, bowing respectfully.
"Yes, sir?"
"What about the team we sent to the Labyrinth?" he asked. "Did they find anything?"
She hesitated—but answered honestly.
"As suspected, sir. By the time our people arrived, the entire labyrinth had collapsed. No traces of magic beasts were found. Only faint residual spirit energy. The core appears to have vanished completely."
She paused before continuing.
"The inner multidimensional zone remains off-limits, but the density of surrounding magic particles is significantly lower than before."
The elf's eyes sharpened.
"So… Charybdis is gone."
She nodded. "Yes. The dragon factor has disappeared without a trace. This suggests the possibility of resurrection elsewhere… or—"
"—or permanent death," he finished. "Impossible."
He stood up calmly and turned toward the young man.
"Tell your father to prepare supplies for a party of six," he said. "One week's worth."
The young man froze—then his eyes lit up.
"R-really?!"
He stood at once, bowing deeply before rushing out of the room.
The elf exhaled and glanced toward a golden rapier mounted on the wall.
"…That niece of mine," he muttered with a faint smile. "Always too selfless for her own good."
---
Both Haruto and Hana had passed out in that room. They both were exhausted and didn't possess the strength to resist the mental blackout.
It seemed to be for an unknown reason but… looks like something had changed. Something big…
It's been nearly fifteen minutes and Haruto managed to finally recover. He slowly opened his eyes, struggling but relaxed. And as expected, he was right to count on the skill to keep watch for him. There hadn't been any changes in the magic in the area, other than a small fluctuation that was so small that it didn't really matter—wait…
"Ha—Hana?"
Haruto muttered in a low voice, as all his senses returned from sleep.
His eyes were barely open when he felt something laying beside him. Something as big as him.
For a second, he didn't even remember what's happening. But for some reason, his barely conscious mind assumed it was Hana.
As he opened his eyes fully, they made out an image he never expected to see.
A humanoid figure, wearing some kind of an adventurer type outfit.
But that face…
And the skin…
It's all…
… Slime?
The natural thing to conclude was that Hana, somehow evolved and took on a humanoid form.
So, he did what he thought was right.
"Hana?" He called out, lightly tugging her slimy head.
When she heard Haruto's voice, her eyes slowly opened as she groaned lazily in her sleep. "Mom… I told you, we didn't do anyth—" before she could finish however, her consciousness returned. "—AH! H-hey… Haruto? He he… why are you…" she stuttered in embarrassment as she saw his face so close to hers.
With her face so close to him, he too could see every last detail of those beautiful golden eyes.
He was speechless.
Hana herself, also just realized something was different.
She felt her body different from her slime form. It's as if she had returned to her old body, but with the same slime attributes. It felt… weird. Weird but functional enough.
She raised her hand with a smile. Feeling delighted as she felt her familiar body functions. She moved her fingers, even moving on to her legs. It all felt unreal. She thought it was cool to be a Slime. But it didn't feel right to just be a blob.
In the midst of the excitement, she jumped up and hugged him tightly. "I knew choosing to be a slime isn't the bad option…" She felt a warmth, something she couldn't feel just moments ago. It was comforting. So, she snuggled up happily. "… I got a real body, Haruto!"
Both Haruto and Hana had lost consciousness in that room.
Their bodies were utterly exhausted, their minds pushed past the limit. Neither of them had possessed the strength to resist the mental blackout that followed.
The reason was unclear—but something had changed.
Something big.
Nearly fifteen minutes passed.
Haruto was the first to recover.
His eyelids fluttered before slowly opening, his body still heavy but his breathing steady. The tension he expected never came. Instead, there was a strange sense of calm—as if the world itself had decided to leave him alone for a moment.
Good… the skill's still active.
Just as he had hoped, the passive magic-sensing skill had kept watch while he was unconscious. No hostile mana. No approaching threats. No sudden spikes.
Nothing had changed—
…no.
There it is.
A fluctuation.
It was incredibly faint. So small that most would have dismissed it entirely. But Haruto felt it clearly.
"Ha—Hana?"
His voice came out hoarse as his senses fully returned.
His eyes were still half-lidded when he felt something beside him.
Something warm.
Something… large.
As large as him.
For a brief second, his foggy mind failed to process the situation. Instinct took over instead, and the answer came naturally.
Hana.
That thought alone was enough to make him relax slightly.
But when he finally opened his eyes fully—
He froze.
Lying beside him was a humanoid figure.
She was wearing what looked like an adventurer's outfit, simple yet unfamiliar. Her body shape was undeniably human.
But her skin—
And her face—
It was translucent.
Soft.
Glossy.
…Slime?
His thoughts stalled completely.
The only conclusion that made any sense surfaced almost immediately.
Hana evolved.
Somehow, Hana had taken on a humanoid form.
Still trying to convince himself that he wasn't hallucinating, Haruto slowly reached out and lightly tugged at the slimy head beside him.
"Hana?"
At the sound of his voice, her eyes slowly opened. She groaned softly, still half-asleep.
"Mom… I told you, we didn't do anyth—"
Her words cut off mid-sentence.
Her eyes snapped open.
"—AH!"
She stiffened, then immediately flushed as she realized how close his face was to hers.
"H-h-hey… Haruto?" she stammered, panicking slightly. "Hehe… why are you so—"
She stopped.
Because now she felt it too.
With her face only inches away, Haruto could clearly see her eyes.
Golden.
Brilliant.
Alive.
He couldn't say a word.
At the same time, Hana finally realized what was wrong—or rather, what was different.
Her body.
It didn't feel like her slime form.
But it wasn't fully human either.
It was as if she had returned to her original body… while retaining the properties of a slime. Her movements felt smooth, light, flexible—yet solid enough to feel real.
Weird.
Definitely weird.
But it worked.
Slowly, she raised one hand, staring at it in awe. Her fingers moved easily, responding exactly as she remembered. She clenched her fist, then relaxed it again, a bright smile forming on her face.
She moved her legs next.
Then shifted her weight.
Everything responded naturally.
"…This is so cool."
Being a slime had been fun. Powerful, even. But deep down, being nothing more than a blob had never felt right.
This did.
Overwhelmed with excitement, she suddenly sprang forward and wrapped her arms around him.
"I knew choosing to be a slime wasn't a bad option!" she said happily.
Haruto stiffened at first—but then he felt it.
Warmth.
Real warmth.
Something she couldn't feel before.
It was comforting.
So comforting that she unconsciously snuggled closer, holding onto him like she was afraid the moment would disappear.
"…I got a real body, Haruto!"
…
For a moment, Haruto couldn't help but wonder.
What happened?
How did Hana turn into a… human slime? Or whatever this new form was supposed to be.
Did she evolve?
Who knew. She probably did.
Either way, it wasn't something worth worrying about right now.
He gently placed a hand on her head. The sensation was unfamiliar. Her "hair" wasn't really hair—it was more like a thin layer of slime shaped to resemble it. Surprisingly soft.
Comfortable, even.
Like a pillow.
"You might've evolved after fighting that thing earlier," he said casually. "That's really cool. Why don't you check if you got any new abilities or something?"
Hana jolted upright, a smug grin spreading across her face.
But just as she was about to say something, her expression shifted.
Her attention snapped toward the only entrance to the cavernous room.
Haruto immediately followed her gaze. "What's wrong?"
She didn't answer.
The look in her eyes, however, made his skin prickle. Something was off. Something heavy.
Just as Hana parted her lips to speak—
"Oh, you two woke up already? I thought you'd be sleeping for a few hours at least."
That voice.
Of course.
It was their resident gremlin—
Haruki.
She hovered nearby in her new form: a smooth steel sphere.
"While you were asleep," she continued smugly, "I worked on my body like you told me. Now I can change forms easily."
"Well, that's convenient, I guess," Haruto replied. "Can you turn into something useful? Like that sword? Or maybe a hat—"
"Yeah, yeah, say whatever you want," Haruki snapped. "But I'm more useful than both of you combined!"
That got his attention.
"Oh?" He stepped closer and picked up the small platinum-colored sphere. "Then why don't you show us?"
Haruki puffed up. "Fu*k off!"
"Oh, c'mon~ I didn't mean it…"
"No! Go away from me!" she yelled as she floated out of his hands. "You're definitely not using me like before! I don't wanna blend my brain again!"
She zipped over and plopped herself on top of Hana's head.
"Well, I don't care," Haruto said flatly.
But inwardly—
So she can fly now, huh? That's my sister for you. Figured she'd get the hang of it instantly.
Then his gaze returned to Hana.
His expression hardened.
"Hana?"
She hadn't taken her eyes off the entrance this entire time.
It was as if something was calling to her.
Even though Haruto himself couldn't sense anything lurking in the shadows, an uneasy feeling crept up his spine.
Maybe she was seeing something he couldn't.
That wasn't impossible.
Humans perceived the world differently than other animals. Some creatures could see colors others couldn't. Haruto, for all his skills, was still closer to human. He relied on sight—augmented by magic perception.
But Hana was a slime.
A completely different race.
One that might not even "see" in the conventional sense.
Maybe they sensed magic directly.
And if she had evolved…
Her senses might have evolved too.
Meaning—
"Are you sensing more monsters?" Haruto asked, placing a hand on her shoulder.
Hana stiffened.
"Let's go," he continued.
She turned to him instantly. "W-what? Go where?"
"To whatever you're sensing. There's only one path anyway." He glanced toward the entrance. "My guess is that your new form can sense things better than I can. So, you have to be our guide here."
She was scared to take on such a responsibility. Specially, when they're all in content danger.
Hana looked down, then clung to his arm without a word.
A moment later, she reverted to her small slime form and hopped onto his head. Haruki remained perched on top of her.
"What is it?" Haruto asked as he started moving. "There's no way you're scared of some Mobs are you?" He teased, trying to lighten the mood.
"O-of course not!" Hana responded immediately. It was a shot for her pride as a gamer. She didn't wanna take that. "Then, how about this—let's have a competition. Let's see who can kill most monsters. You or the two of us."
"Deal," he replied with a grin, which turned into one of mischief. "What's the price~?"
"Price—umm—How about… I don't know… a wish or something? I can't come up with anything right now."
"A wish, huh? That's interesting…" He walked toward the exit, carrying both Hana and Haruki on his head like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Hana let out a quiet sigh.
She felt it…
Relief…
And she knew exactly why she felt calm again.
For some reason… whenever she was with him, there was warmth.
And it lingered.