Cid stood in the ruined field, cradling his wounded familiars, staring at the blinking text that hung in his vision.
[CALCULATING ADDITIONAL REWARDS...]
The pulse was hypnotic, each blink marking another second of analysis as the system processed what had just occurred. Around him, the nine dead Killer Weeds lay scattered across Gerald's farmland, their purple coloration fading to brown as the demonic corruption dissipated from their remains.
Through his bond with Regulus, he felt the Lion Emperor's impatient curiosity. The cub was exhausted and wounded, but still alert enough to wonder what rewards would come from their victory. Pride demanded recognition for exceptional performance.
Through his bond with Rimuru, he felt only simple contentment. The slime was tired but happy. Fight over. Everyone alive. That was success enough for Rimuru's uncomplicated consciousness.
The blinking text pulsed once more, then changed.
[CALCULATION COMPLETE]
[DISTRIBUTING ADDITIONAL REWARDS]
New notifications cascaded across Cid's vision in rapid succession.
[EXCEPTIONAL ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED]
[NEW SYSTEM FEATURE AVAILABLE: TITLES]
[TITLE SYSTEM ACTIVATED]
Cid's eyes widened. 'Titles? That's a new system feature entirely. Not just a reward but access to something that wasn't available before.'
More text appeared, explaining the new feature in that same robotic system font.
[TITLES REPRESENT SIGNIFICANT ACHIEVEMENTS AND MILESTONES]
[EQUIPPED TITLES PROVIDE PASSIVE BONUSES AND EFFECTS]
[TITLES ARE EARNED THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE IN SPECIFIC AREAS]
[MULTIPLE TITLES MAY BE OBTAINED BUT ONLY ONE MAY BE EQUIPPED AT A TIME]
'So titles are like permanent passive buffs,' Cid analyzed quickly. 'Earned through exceptional achievements. Can collect multiple but only use one at a time. That's a powerful system if the bonuses are substantial.'
Another notification appeared, this one highlighted in gold text.
[TITLE EARNED: WEED SLAYER]
[DESCRIPTION: AWARDED FOR ELIMINATING A KILLER WEED INFESTATION THAT EXCEEDED EXPECTED THREAT LEVEL]
[EFFECTS WHEN EQUIPPED:]
- DAMAGE AGAINST PLANT-TYPE ENEMIES INCREASED BY 15%
- RESISTANCE TO PLANT-BASED TOXINS AND POISONS INCREASED BY 20%
- DETECTION RANGE FOR PLANT-TYPE ENEMIES INCREASED BY 10 METERS
[EQUIP TITLE?]
[YES] [NO]
Cid read through the effects carefully. Fifteen percent increased damage against plant enemies was significant. The poison resistance stacked with what he already had, which meant plant toxins would be almost completely ineffective against him now. And the detection range increase could prevent ambushes from plant monsters hiding in vegetation.
'This is exactly the kind of specialized advantage that builds over time,' he thought. 'If titles stack and I can earn different ones for different enemy types, eventually I could have bonuses against every major category of threat.'
He focused on the confirmation.
"Yes. Equip title."
[TITLE EQUIPPED: WEED SLAYER]
[PASSIVE BONUSES NOW ACTIVE]
The moment the confirmation appeared, Cid felt something shift inside him. Not a physical change exactly, but more like gaining an instinctive understanding. His perception of plant life around him sharpened slightly. The dead weeds scattered across the field suddenly seemed more defined in his awareness, their corrupted nature more obvious than before.
'I can sense them now,' he realized. 'Not just see them, but sense them on some deeper level. The detection range increase is working. If there were any living plant monsters within ten meters, I would know immediately.'
Another notification appeared.
[NEW SKILL ACQUIRED: DANGER SENSE]
[DESCRIPTION: GRANTS BRIEF PRECOGNITION OF INCOMING ATTACKS]
[EFFECTS:]
- TIME PERCEPTION SLOWS SLIGHTLY WHEN IMMINENT DANGER DETECTED
- ALLOWS REACTION TO THREATS BEYOND NORMAL SENSORY CAPABILITIES
- DURATION: 5 SECONDS
- COOLDOWN: 60 SECONDS
- ENERGY COST: MODERATE
'A defensive skill,' Cid thought with satisfaction. 'And a powerful one. Being able to sense attacks before they land could be the difference between life and death. Five seconds might not sound like much, but in combat that's an eternity if time perception is slowed.'
He dismissed the notification and waited, wondering if there were more rewards coming. The system seemed to be on a roll with generosity today.
Two more notifications appeared simultaneously.
[REGULUS: FAMILIAR ADVANCEMENT]
[POWER UNSEALED: 10% → 12%]
[NEW ABILITIES STRENGTHENED]
[REGENERATION RATE INCREASED]
[ENERGY CAPACITY INCREASED]
[RIMURU: FAMILIAR ADVANCEMENT]
[POWER UNSEALED: 15% → 18%]
[CORROSIVE POTENCY INCREASED]
[ACID RESISTANCE STRENGTHENED]
[TRANSFORMATION FLEXIBILITY IMPROVED]
Both familiars reacted to the advancement. Through his bond with Regulus, Cid felt a surge of renewed vitality as power flooded back into the Lion Emperor's exhausted form. The cub's wounds stopped bleeding, the regeneration rate increase already taking effect. Lightning sparked more brightly across golden fur despite the fatigue.
Through his bond with Rimuru, he felt the slime's satisfaction intensify. The gelatinous body became slightly more cohesive, damage from the fight healing faster as improved regeneration kicked in.
'They are getting stronger,' Cid observed. 'Not dramatically, but every percentage point of unsealed power matters. And if this trend continues, if they keep advancing with each major accomplishment, eventually they will regain their full capabilities.'
He was about to check his own status when the movement caught his attention.
Rimuru was wiggling out of his arms with obvious intent, the slime's body stretching toward the ground. Cid set the familiar down carefully, curious what the slime was doing.
Rimuru wobbled across the field directly toward the nearest dead Killer Weed. When the slime reached the corpse, its gelatinous form spread across the withered plant matter and began to pulse rhythmically.
'What is it doing?' Cid wondered, watching closely.
The dead weed's remains began to dissolve, absorbed into Rimuru's mass. But it was not the same as engulfing for combat. This was different. More focused. The slime was searching for something specific within the plant matter.
Then Cid saw it. A small sphere, maybe the size of a marble, dark purple in color and gleaming faintly with residual corruption. It sat at what had been the base of the weed's main stalk, hidden within the root system.
'A core,' he realized with surprise. 'The Killer Weeds had cores. I never knew plant monsters could have cores like that.'
Rimuru absorbed the core completely, pulling it into the slime's gelatinous body where it dissolved rapidly. The purple glow intensified for a moment within Rimuru's mass, then faded.
Cid was about to call the slime back, worried that consuming corrupted material might be harmful, when he remembered the quest parameters. Eliminate all Killer Weeds. Nothing about preserving cores or bringing back samples. The weeds were dead. The quest was complete. What happened to the remains did not matter.
'And Rimuru is a demon slime,' he reminded himself. 'Corruption is part of what it is. Consuming corrupted cores probably won't hurt it. Might even be beneficial.'
Rimuru moved to the second dead weed and repeated the process, finding another core hidden within the root system and absorbing it. Then the slime proceeded to the third corpse.
When the third core was consumed, a notification appeared that made Cid's eyes widen.
[RIMURU: DEMONIC BLOODLINE STIRRING]
[BLOODLINE PURITY: 5%]
[CONTINUED CONSUMPTION OF DEMONIC ESSENCES MAY STRENGTHEN BLOODLINE]
[BLOODLINE ADVANCEMENT UNLOCKS UNIQUE ABILITIES AND TRAITS]
'Bloodline system,' Cid thought rapidly. 'Another new mechanic. Rimuru has a demonic bloodline that can be strengthened by consuming demonic materials. And strengthening it unlocks new capabilities.'
He watched as the slime's energy reserves visibly filled, the depletion from combat reversing as power flowed back into Rimuru's form. The cores were not just food. They were concentrated demonic essence that resonated with the slime's fundamental nature.
'Energy recovery,' Cid realized with growing excitement. 'Rimuru can restore energy by consuming appropriate cores. That's huge for sustainability. Instead of needing to rest after every fight, the slime can recover immediately by feeding on defeated enemies.'
An idea occurred to him. If Rimuru could recover energy this way, maybe Regulus could too. Different method, probably, given that the Lion Emperor was not demonic in nature. But the principle might apply.
He turned to where Regulus lay resting on the ground nearby, the cub's eyes tracking Rimuru's movements with interest.
"Regulus," Cid called out, drawing the Lion Emperor's attention. "Can you do what Rimuru is doing? Feed on the cores to recover energy?"
Through their bond, he felt Regulus's immediate response. Curiosity mixed with reluctance. The cub rose slowly and padded over to the nearest dead weed, sniffing at the withered remains with obvious distaste.
After a moment, Regulus sent back clear communication through the bond. Images and impressions that conveyed meaning better than words. The cores were tainted. Blighted by demonic corruption. Not suitable for consumption by a creature of lightning and storms. Eating them would sicken rather than strengthen.
'So it's specific to Rimuru's nature,' Cid concluded. 'The demon slime can consume demonic essence safely and benefit from it. But Regulus needs different energy sources. Lightning aspected cores, probably. Or pure elemental essences. Not corruption.'
He filed that knowledge away for future reference. Understanding how each familiar recovered energy would be critical for extended operations away from civilization.
Rimuru continued methodically through the field, finding and absorbing cores from every dead Killer Weed. Some cores were larger than others, suggesting variance in the strength of individual plants. The newest weeds that had spawned during combat had small cores barely larger than peas. The original two weeds had cores the size of small stones.
By the time the slime finished its systematic feeding, another notification had appeared.
[RIMURU: DEMONIC BLOODLINE STIRRING]
[BLOODLINE PURITY: 5% → 8%]
[ENERGY RESERVES: FULLY RESTORED]
[MINOR WOUNDS: COMPLETELY HEALED]
The slime wobbled back to Cid's feet, its purple coloration noticeably richer and more vibrant than before the feeding. Through their bond, he felt contentment and satisfaction radiating from Rimuru's simple consciousness. Full stomach. Full energy. Wounds gone. Everything is good.
'Eight percent bloodline purity from nine corrupted cores,' Cid calculated mentally. 'That suggests it takes quite a bit of demonic essence to advance the bloodline significantly. But if we can find stronger sources, richer corruption, the rate might accelerate.'
He looked around the field one more time, confirming that all nine Killer Weeds were dead and that no new ones were spawning. The corrupted soil around where each plant had been rooted still showed signs of blight, gray patches against the rich dark earth, but the corruption was no longer spreading. Without living weeds to sustain it, the demonic influence would fade naturally over time.
'The quest is complete,' Cid thought with satisfaction. 'Nine Killer Weeds eliminated. The infestation stopped before it could spread further. Gerald's farm is safe.'
He picked up both familiars again, tucking Regulus into the crook of his left arm and cradling Rimuru in his right hand. The cub was much recovered thanks to the unsealed power increase, though still wounded enough that walking would be uncomfortable. The slime was completely restored, wobbling happily in his palm.
'Time to report success,' Cid decided. 'Collect the reward. Get proper rest. Then figure out what to do next.'