Rooooooaaaar!!
The mana beasts roared in unison as they charged toward the group. Their glowing eyes reflected primal rage, their claws tearing into the ground as they closed the gap.
Standing at the forefront, Damien didn’t flinch. His calm demeanor only added to the unease of Axiom’s group as they stood frozen behind him, none of them knowing what to do.
“Devour them.”
Damien’s voice was steady but carried a weight of absolute authority.
The command was directed at none other than Luton, the small red slime perched on his head.
At first, Jallen chuckled nervously. “What’s that little blob supposed to—”
Before he could finish, Luton leapt off Damien’s head and landed softly a few meters in front of him.
The slime’s harmless appearance made it look out of place amidst the chaos of the charging beasts.
The mana beasts, sensing no immediate threat, continued their charge. Just as they reached within striking distance, Luton sprang into action.
In an instant, the small slime expanded, stretching impossibly wide and high.
Its once-round shape transformed into a massive, semi-transparent blanket that loomed over the battlefield.
“What the…”
“Fuck!”
“Wooaaah…”
Axiom’s group gasped, their disbelief plastered across their faces. The mana beasts hesitated, unsure of what to make of the towering predator that now blocked their path.
With terrifying speed, Luton’s expanded form collapsed over the beasts, enveloping them in a single fluid motion.
A muffled cacophony of growls and roars erupted from within the slime’s form, but it was short-lived. Moments later, silence returned.
Then, just as suddenly as it had expanded, Luton contracted back into its original size, bouncing innocently on the same spot where it had landed.
The ground where the mana beasts had once stood was now empty, save for faint imprints of their claws in the dirt.
Arielle turned toward the group, a smug smile on her face. “Still think it’s harmless?”
Ryn, Vel, and the others remained silent, their wide eyes fixed on the little slime that had just devoured half the herd of mana beasts. Even Jallen, who prided himself on his knowledge of mana beasts, was at a loss for words.
“It’s… impossible,” he muttered, his voice trembling slightly. “That thing is no ordinary mana beast.”
“Now you see why he said to avoid his summons?” Arielle asked, her question pointed at Jallen.
Damien didn’t acknowledge their shock. His attention was focused on the notifications flooding his system.
«10 Grade Five Mana Beasts devoured! 164,850 more for Luton to advance!»
«3 Grade Four Mana Beasts devoured! 16,482 more for Luton to advance!»
«Reward: 8 Experience gained.»
«Reward: 24 Experience gained.»
A faint smirk tugged at Damien’s lips as he closed the system window.
Luton’s efficiency in combat was unmatched, and Damien knew that it would only grow stronger as it consumed more powerful foes.
The remaining mana beasts, numbering around fifteen, hesitated. Their once-fierce demeanor was replaced by visible fear.
They took slow, measured steps backward, their primal instincts warning them to stay away from the red blob that had just annihilated their companions.
Damien chuckled softly. “Cowards.”
Without hesitation, he gave Luton a second command. “Go.”
This time, Luton moved with terrifying speed, shooting forward like a crimson blur. The mana beasts panicked, scattering in all directions to avoid the predator.
Jallen, unable to stand idle, readied his weapon. “We can’t just let them get away!” He started to chase after one of the fleeing beasts, but Damien’s voice stopped him in his tracks.
“Don’t bother.”
Jallen turned, his frustration evident. “Why not? If we split up, we can take them all down before they escape!”
Damien’s silver eyes locked onto Jallen’s. “Because Luton will handle it.”
“You’re putting all your faith in that thing?” Jallen asked incredulously. “It’s fast, sure, but there’s no way it can track down all of them before they scatter too far.”
Axiom raised a hand, signaling for Jallen to stop. “Let’s see what happens.”
Jallen hesitated but ultimately complied, stepping back with his weapon lowered. The group watched as Luton pursued the fleeing beasts, its movements almost serpentine as it zigzagged through the open field.
“Store them,” Damien suddenly shouted.
Luton, mid-pursuit, adjusted its strategy. Instead of devouring the beasts outright, it began capturing them, trapping them within its gelatinous form without killing them.
One by one, the mana beasts disappeared into the slime’s depths, their struggles futile against Luton’s overwhelming power.
The field was eerily quiet, save for the occasional rustle of grass as the wind blew through.
Axiom’s group had spent the past thirty minutes observing in stunned silence as Luton systematically hunted down every last mana beast.
Finally, the red slime returned, bouncing happily toward Damien like a child seeking praise. Its innocent wobble was a stark contrast to the terrifying predator they had just witnessed.
“It’s done?” Jallen asked cautiously.
Damien nodded, crouching down to pat Luton gently. “Good work.”
“What… what did it even do with them?” Vel asked, her voice filled with a mix of awe and fear.
“Stored them,” Damien replied simply. “They’re alive, just… contained. Would you like to face one of them?” Damien asked with a curious gaze.
“No, thank you!” Vel said almost immediately.
Arielle grinned, leaning back against Aquila. “Told you it was the deadliest.”
For once, Jallen had no rebuttal.
As they prepared to move on, Damien found himself lost in thought. His earlier doubts about traveling with this group were beginning to fade.
While their strength wasn’t on par with his own, they were competent enough to handle themselves in most situations.
Still, he couldn’t shake the feeling that bringing them along might complicate things in the future. For now, though, he decided to focus on his primary goal—completing his kill count and unlocking his next summon.
“Let’s go,” Damien said, his tone curt.
The group nodded, falling into formation as they continued their journey. Though the tension from the earlier battle had subsided, the image of Luton devouring those beasts remained fresh in everyone’s mind.
“You did me proud today,” Damien spoke to his summoned slime lowly with a smirk, “you can devour the stored mana beasts as a gift.”