"How do you know me? So you really did overhear us yesterday—but why do you know who I am?"
Since Shichen had exposed him outright, Hans stopped pretending.
"I'll be straight with you: Wolbach told me," Shichen answered with a smile.
"Wolbach-sama? No way. Don't try to fool me," Hans scoffed.
"It's true. Wolbach was captivated by my looks and didn't want anything to happen to me here. She told me what was going on—and specifically told me who you are—so I'd understand how dangerous this is."
"Hah! You think I'm dumb enough to fall for that?" Hans still didn't buy it.
"Why not? Besides Wolbach, who else could've told me your identity?"
"…" That shut Hans up and knit his brows. Very few people knew who he was; without an insider leak, no one should. But he still couldn't believe Wolbach would sell him out like that—she wasn't some lovestruck fool.
"Quit trying to sow discord. Though… I suppose Wolbach-sama might be drawn to a guy like you… Whatever. Just go. I'll let you off."
Hans had no intention of fighting them and turned to leave.
"Where do you think you're going, Hans!"
"You're not getting away, Hans!"
"Hmph! Don't tell me you're scared of us, Hans?"
Aqua, Yunyun, and Darkness called out at once.
"…"
Hans stopped after two steps, back to them, shoulders trembling.
"Hmph! Don't think about running. Time to show your true colors, Hans," Aqua pressed when he froze.
At that, Hans finally spun around, face twisted with anger. "Hans this, Hans that—don't you dare address me by name so casually, you worthless pieces of trash!"
"Why's he mad?"
"We're the ones who should be mad!"
"By the way, Shichen, who's Wolbach?" Aqua asked, completely unfazed.
"Wolbach? A stunning onee-san type with a great figure," Shichen said honestly.
"…So you prefer curvy older women?" Yunyun couldn't help asking.
"Nope. I like girls like you," Shichen said, winking at her.
"U-um…" Yunyun flushed.
"…You're going too far!"
Watching them flirt in front of him, Hans' face went dark. He sighed heavily, shook his head, and muttered, "Why did it come to this? I spent so long investigating this town for this plan, made all the preparations… Finally got to the goal, and now you people show up to mess it up."
"Aha! So you admit it! I'm going to purify you until not even your bones remain!" Aqua jabbed a finger at him.
"Aqua, slimes don't have bones," Darkness reminded her.
"Oh, right. Whatever, not important. Let's finish off this guy, end the commotion, and head back to our baths," Aqua waved it off.
"You lot… aren't you getting a bit full of yourselves? Acting like you're something when you're not," Hans' eye twitched. He didn't recognize a single one of them and, confident as he was, saw them as small fry—beneath his effort. A waste of time.
"Shichen, he's looking down on us! Can we show him what we can do?"
"No problem. He's just a Deadly Poison Slime. Easy," Shichen said breezily.
"Oh? Still mouthing off in front of yours truly? From that attitude, you really don't sound like you're bluffing," Hans' tone turned icy.
"It's just a slime. Look at him getting all high and mighty!"
"But he looks really strong…"
"It's fine. With me here, I'm your sturdiest shield!"
"Shield my ass!"
Shichen flicked Darkness on the head. "Hans only looks like that. He's still a slime."
"Outrageous—such arrogance! So you're serious, huh? Fine, fine! Mere adventurers daring to challenge me! It's been a while. Normally, anyone who sees my true form drops to their knees begging for mercy—or turns tail and runs. Looks like you've got spine!"
Hans spread his arms, grinning wide. "I am Hans! A general of the Demon King's Army! A mutant strain of the Deadly Poison Slime—Hans!"
"What's with him? Why's he suddenly so hyped?" Aqua muttered.
"Probably introducing himself. Pretty plain compared to us Crimson Demons," Yunyun said.
"So corny," Darkness added.
"…"
Listening to their ruthless commentary, Hans' mouth twitched and his face clouded.
"Don't underestimate him," Shichen warned. "He is a Demon King general—and one of the highest bounties. For you three, he's very dangerous."
"I remember now," Aqua said. "You must never touch a Deadly Poison Slime. If he can contaminate enough hot water for the whole town, that means his toxin is extremely potent. Even mixed into the town's spring water it can harm people. If you touch him directly, you could die on the spot."
"Touch and die… so I can't be the shield?" Darkness said, disappointed.
"Don't worry. Even if you die, I can resurrect you," Aqua thumped her chest proudly.
"Really? Even if the body's dissolved?" Yunyun asked.
"Uh… not that."
"So it still doesn't work."
"You three just watch. Hans is a bad matchup for you. I'll handle him," Shichen stepped forward.
"Be careful, Shichen."
"He's all yours! Do it—teach him a lesson for fouling the springs!"
"Is there a reward?" Shichen glanced back.
"Of course! What do you want?"
"I'll tell you later."
"Deal! I'll agree to anything!"
"Hey—are you done yet? Are you ignoring me?" Hans snapped, scowling.
"Figured us out, did you?"
"…Don't think I'll spare you just because Wolbach-sama has her eye on you!"
"Come on. If Wolbach does have her eye on me, why would you assume I'm weak?"
"Good point… What class are you?"
"..."
"What's wrong? Scared?"
You think I'd tell you? That'd just give you a weakness to exploit.
"Are you stupid? Slimes really don't have much of a brain, huh. But fine, I don't mind telling you—I'm just an Adventurer."
"Excuse me? Adventurer? As in the so-called weakest class? Not 'adventurer' in the general sense, but the actual job like Archmage or Priest—that Adventurer?" Hans asked, incredulous.
"That's the one."
"…Get lost." Hans promptly turned to leave.
"Fireball."
Shichen didn't waste words. He hurled a massive fireball.
"Holy crap! What the—?"
Hans dodged easily, but the sheer size startled him. "What was that? Are you really an Adventurer? Not an Archmage?"
"Hans, I've got a question," Shichen said suddenly.
"What?"
"You're a slime, right? What's with the human body?"
"You don't know? Hahaha!" Hans laughed, unhinged. "Simple. I killed this man. If I eat someone, I can take their form."
"What?"
"That bastard!"
"Shichen, can we kill him?" Darkness growled.
"That was the plan," Shichen said flatly—this would make for a tidy report to Wiz, too.
"Kill me? You think you can?" Hans sneered.
"Sorry, I'm done wasting time." Golden flames bloomed in Shichen's hand, and he flicked them toward Hans.
"That's it?"
His words said one thing, but the golden fire was anything but normal. Hans tried to sidestep—only for the flame to curve midair like it had a will, then accelerate straight into him.
"What—?"
Caught off guard, Hans was wrapped in golden fire, engulfed in an instant.
"Graaah—!"
It wasn't the pain of ordinary burning that made him scream—and he could no longer maintain a human form.