Mary was delicious.
It felt like someone had already taken a big bite, but still, it was different from Eila's stiffly squeezing insides.
It felt like falling into a sponge that warmly embraced me. The sour smell that humans inevitably give off was unavoidable, but it wasn't a big problem since I was doing it anyway.
'Now that I've eaten, I'll just let her go.'
If Mary had high rank itself or outstanding qualities, my thoughts would've been different.
But Mary's only 1-star.
And rather than keeping Mary alive, the priority was evolving Lime to learn about the 'Monster Evolution' mechanism.
Crunch!
I left the cleanup to Lime, and all that remained of the humans in the dungeon were the wooden sword and staff they left behind, plus some cloth scraps.
They must've been targeting this slime dungeon with these crude wooden swords, but unfortunately, this wasn't a slime dungeon.
...Though the main forces are slimes.
[Notice: Lime has achieved the evolution conditions for Slimefolk.]
[Level 15 / 15]
[Eat humans 4 / 4]
Lime achieved the conditions to evolve into Slimefolk. Thanks to that, my system's 'Monster Evolution' could proceed to the next stage without any problems.
[Monster Evolution: Lime can evolve.]
[Big Slime]
[Slimefolk]
"Obviously Slimefolk."
I selected Slimefolk, and following the system's guidance, I picked up Lime. Lime also seemed to sense what was about to happen and stayed still like a dead mouse.
"Let's evolve!"
I placed Lime in the center of the summoning facility. Luckily, evolution didn't seem to need a separate facility built, and Lime's body started sparkling green.
[Notice: Oh, Lime's condition is...?]
Like there was a B button I shouldn't press, green light sparkled. Lime's body was wrapped in green light, and its form gradually began changing.
[Monster Evolution: Lime (★★☆☆) has completed evolution!]
[Lime's species has been updated: 'Slimefolk'.]
[Lime's info has been updated. Lv. 15 / 35.]
"Only tells me the updated info. Tch."
I checked if anything changed from Lime's previous info, but nothing was different at all. Still, if there's one gain, it's the species itself called Slimefolk.
[Slimefolk: A slime that yearned to become human and took human form. Gradually gains an accurate appearance as it grows.]
[Next Evolution: ??? (Level achievement)]
"There's no other condition...right? Lime, you know anything?"
Shake shake. Lime shook its head left and right. It was quite fascinating watching a figure like a clay person made in childhood shake its head.
But I can't fuck it yet.
I'll fuck it after it becomes a human female form.
I planned to raise and eat Lime, and Lime probably wants that too. Otherwise it'll just become Lime juice.
"So grow up strong, okay? I'll make you subordinates too."
Nod nod. Lime nodded vigorously, and I first summoned subordinates to work for me.
"Lime, bring the magic stones. Don't eat them."
Lime waddled over and brought the magic stones I'd stashed under the bed. Thanks to sorting them into groups of five beforehand, it was enough quantity to definitely summon slimes.
"35? Lime, bring all 5 remaining ones too."
Lime tilted its head, but I gave the order again and gathered all 5 I'd left as spares.
'I need to summon 10 times to raise the summoning facility's level.'
I haven't summoned any monsters yet.
But I have 40 lowest-grade magic stones to summon 8 slimes, and 2 monster summoning scrolls obtained through quests or whatever.
First, one. I summoned a slime.
"Gacha!"
The magic stone in the center of the monster summoning circle sparkled. The magic circle made of wood began emitting purple light, and that magic power gathered at the very center of the altar to create one entity.
[Summon: Slime (★) has been summoned.]
A small green slime appeared on the summoning circle. The blankly staring slime stopped in front of Lime following my instructions.
'Ominously 1-star from the start.'
Even a 1-star that can't evolve to 2-star. I'll call this bastard Jack from now on.
[Facility Upgrade: Upgrade facilities within the dungeon.]
[Upgrade Target: Summoning Facility Lv.0]
[Upgrade Result: Lv.0 -> Lv.1]
[Upgrade Condition: Summon monsters 10 times (1 / 10)]
"It's nice that you show it clearly, but would it kill you to show a bit more?"
The system only told me what I wanted. It was appreciated that it showed gacha rates and future evolution routes, but still, people's hearts are like that.
But thanks to summoning once, the summon count increased by 1. Monster summoning counts both summoning by monster summoning scroll and by magic stones as summons, and I summoned slimes one after another.
I'm aiming for 7-pull gacha. Hoping for at least one 3-star, I summoned monsters with a pious heart.
"Ah, there was just a system error and a 5-star slime appeared in the future!!"
But no such luck.
[Summon: Slime (★) has been summoned.]
[Summon: Slime (★) has been summoned.]
[Summon: Slime (★) has been summoned.]
[Summon: Slime (★☆) has been summoned.]
[Summon: Slime (★) has been summoned.]
[Summon: Slime (★) has been summoned.]
[Summon: Slime (★☆) has been summoned.]
"Aaaah!!"
How can this happen?
All 1-stars came out, and there wasn't even one native 2-star. At least there were some that could grow to 2-star, but in the end I just got eight 1-star slimes.
"...Everyone assemble in front of Lime."
Though only eight slimes, they're all full of vigor.
Lime standing in front of the eight slimes strutted like a drill instructor freshly assigned after leaving boot camp, and I put an armband made of woven vine stems on Lime's left arm.
"Lime. From now on, you're the leader of these guys. Got it?"
Nod nod. Lime nodded while showing off the vine stem.
[Squad Formation: Appoint Lime as squad leader.]
[Squad Formation Condition: Monsters below squad leader level and rank]
[Squad Capacity: 0 / 10]
"Exactly two short."
If Lime had eaten just a bit less magic stones, I could've fully formed the squad. It's regrettable, but let's say it was thanks to that it could evolve. What's done is done.
[Squad Formation: Form a squad with Lime as squad leader.]
"Alright Lime. I'm giving you a mission."
I pointed at the wall leading to the cave entrance.
"Let's work now."
Instead of Big Slime, eight slimes—no, nine—should be enough to remodel the cave. The slimes started remodeling my dungeon to my will, gnawing on the cave walls like earthworms.
That Lime bastard's already slacking off just from getting an armband.
Once its form comes together a bit more, I'll discipline that arrogance with a hot club.
***
After grasping Lime squad's intelligence and work efficiency, I ordered them to make the straight cave as maze-like as possible.
Luckily Lime wasn't too stupid despite its big appetite, quickly grasping the map I drew on the floor and starting to remodel the cave walls.
'Knew I made the right choice evolving it toward human.'
It's become too human-like with the armband abuse and slacking, but the fact that its sly mind works means it has some intelligence.
Now what's left for me is testing my terrible gacha luck again.
"Please, at least let a 2-star appear...."
I still have 2 monster summoning scrolls left.
'Arithmetically, it's time for one 2-star to appear.'
The probability of 1-star appearing is 35, 30, 20. Add them up, it's 85.
So if I roll the remaining two times, surely at least one 2-star will appear. No, it has to. Or at least a 1-star with three stars should appear.
No matter how shit my luck is, isn't it too harsh to roll gacha 10 times and have all 10 fall within the 65% probability?
"Hoo, hoo."
It's my first summoning by monster summoning scroll.
I don't even hope for Lune or Brug. The system's probability was actually a lie, and please let it be a system where 4-star or 5-star also appears!
[Summon: Slime (★☆☆) has been summoned.]
"Fuck!"
Wheeze, wheeze. Steam blew from my nose. This emotion of joy and anger stirring inside me simultaneously was indescribable.
It being the bare minimum was good. But why another slime?
"It's the location, the location."
There must be a curse that only summons slimes because it's a slime dungeon. I took a deep breath, then pulled out the next summoning scroll.
"Ah, you go work. Lime! Take the new recruit."
One more squad member.
Lime instinctively kept the 3-star in check, but this bastard will take the former owner's place. I'll evolve it to Big Slime, then to Slime Dragon to become the star of dungeon expansion.
Then the last remaining monster summoning scroll.
"Another slime will come out."
I curse it. Since I cursed it, it'll work properly now. Or should I borrow a cat's paw?
"...."
I slung the unconscious Lune over my shoulder and approached the summoning circle. I grabbed Lune's wrist and pressed the summon button, and nothing happened.
"Doesn't work. Tch."
I overlapped Lune's tiny hand on top of mine. My finger will do the pressing, but if I borrow tons of Lune's energy to summon, won't something good come out...?
"Gacha!"
Please. Let it succeed this time.
I tore the monster summoning scroll with desperate hope.
Vroom, vroom.
'Damn.'
Same effect as before. Next time I'll borrow Eila's hand.
'Anyway I was planning to raise the facility level so it's fine—'
Vroooom!
The purple light started shining way brighter than before. My vision was brightly colored by the purple light bursting from the very center of the summoning circle.