Progressive Factor II: Lacrimosa Of A Reaper

Kizmel's Mission

Mito

"I hate these damn slimes!" screams Jaymes as he "cleanses" his blade of gelatinous goo after one such rough battle with the classical RPG creatures. To Koharu's benefit, the caves consisted of bats and aquatic creatures, with the slimes being the most troublesome. For one, they're weak to blunt weapons, and it can be tough to deal with them with five slashers and one piercer. Maybe if SAO came with magic, a blast of fire or ice could effectively obliterate the living jellies, but Akihiko Kayaba wasn't that giving.

They had just taken care of one by using the light coming from the open ceiling to expose its core. The Covetous Ooze, as it was called, was one meter wide at the most, and it had the urge to claim any weapon it could get its tentacles on. If caught and absorbed into its yellow-brown body, the slime could inflict massive durability loss.

And while the slime's presence breaks the trope of it being an introductory enemy, Mito did not want to find out if it presents with the armor-degrading trope.

Exposing the slime to the light revealed its core, the fatal weak spot for slimes. Under the veteran's instruction, Asuna dealt the fatal blow as the slime spread itself thin in preparation for a jumping attack. Using the single thrust skill Streak, she eradicated the Covetous Ooze, only for its remnants to spread upon her and Jaymes, the other person close to the slime, in case Asuna missed.

Since the slimy remains disappeared into pixels seconds later, Jaymes was overreacting., but Mito understood his sentiment completely.

"Ah, well done, Asuna," Kizmel says, her and Koharu rejoining the others after dispatching a pair of bats. "Not many elves are skilled enough to defeat a slime with a single rapier thrust."

"...Thank you..." Asuna twitches her lips as if she got some of the gunk in her mouth. It could be true, considering the slime exploded all over her and Jaymes. She wants to tease them both, but her senses tell her not to probe the volatile pair and to keep her guard up. Slow, wobbly movements are faint but audible in the cave, and the six quiet down to listen.

The sound crept closer and closer, but a slime did not appear. That did not seem right...unless...

"Above!" Kirito shouts, pointing to the stalactites hanging down from the ceiling. Above Asuna and Jaymes is another slime sliding between the rocky projections. Whether instinctively or because his hands are full, Jaymes kicks Asuna out of the way and holds his shield up to protect himself. At the same time, Kizmel and Koharu race to go after the falling slime; simultaneously, Kirito smashes through the slime with the sword skill Sonic Leap. After initiating the skill, he slowed down for a moment before slicing through the previously unseen core of the slime.

Once he lands back on the ground, he faces Jaymes and Asuna, the former glaring at his savior and the latter glaring at the former. "Are you two all right?"

"Tsk... You got more of it in my mouth. And sorry for kicking you."

"Thanks, but did you have to hit me that hard?"

"Next time, I'll let it catch you, princess. It was light enough not to damage you."

"Calm down, you two," Mito giggles and helps Asuna to her feet. "You are the Slime Siblings from now on."

"No. I rather die to the slimes than have anything more to do with her."

"Please do not equate me with the likes of him."

"What'd it taste like?" Kirito inquires before Jaymes and Asuna rip each other apart.

"The first one was hellishly sour, like sour plums pickled in lemon juice."