The road from Greengate wound through farmland for the first hour, flat and well-maintained. Arin traveled ahead of the party, scanning the fields and tree lines for threats. Behind him, the wagon creaked along at a steady pace, Master Brennan sitting nervously on the driver's bench.

  The morning was clear and cool. Perfect traveling weather.

  Kelsa walked beside the wagon, her hand resting on her sword hilt. Torvin marched on the other side, shield on his back, warhammer slung over his shoulder. Essa brought up the rear, her attention split between watching for threats and keeping an eye on Arin.

  This is different from traveling with the woodcutters. More organized. Everyone has a specific role.

  Arin ranged about fifty feet ahead, close enough to signal back quickly but far enough to spot dangers before they reached the party. His 360° vision made scouting easier than it would be for a human scout, since he could see in all directions simultaneously.

  After an hour, the farmland gave way to forest. The road narrowed slightly, trees pressing closer on both sides. Master Brennan shifted nervously on his seat.

  "This is where most attacks happen," Kelsa said, though Arin suspected she was speaking more for the merchant's benefit than the party's. "Stay alert."

  Arin's Darkvision was passive, always working in the background, but he found it sharpened his perception even in daylight. Shadows held more detail, and movement in the underbrush registered more clearly. Small animals moved through the forest. Birds flitted between branches. Normal sounds.

  Unlike Stealth, Darkvision didn't drain essence. It was simply part of how he saw the world now, and he couldn't imagine giving it up.

  Two hours into the journey, Arin noticed something. The bird songs had stopped about a hundred feet ahead. The normal rustling of small creatures ceased.

  That silence again. Just like before the goblin ambush.

  He returned to the party quickly.

  S O M E T H I N G A H E D F O R E S T T O Q U I E T

  Kelsa's expression sharpened. "Halt. Defensive positions."

  The party responded immediately. Torvin moved to the front, shield coming off his back. Essa positioned herself near the wagon, between Master Brennan and any potential threat. Kelsa drew her sword.

  "Can you scout it?" Kelsa asked Arin.

  Y E S, he formed, then activated Stealth.

  [-3 Essence per minute]

  He flowed forward, nearly invisible now, using every bit of cover. As he rounded a bend in the road, he spotted the source of the silence.

  Wolves.

  Five of them, positioned on both sides of the road. Not attacking yet, but clearly stalking the party. Waiting for the right moment.

  [Dire Wolf - Level 6]

  [Dire Wolf - Level 6]

  [Wolf - Level 4]

  [Wolf - Level 5]

  [Wolf - Level 5]

  The two larger dire wolves were the leaders, easily twice the size of normal wolves. Their eyes glowed with predatory intelligence. This was a coordinated pack, not a random collection of animals.

  Arin studied their positioning. Three on the left side of the road, two on the right. If the party continued forward, the wolves would attack from both sides, splitting their attention and creating chaos.

  But we can turn this around. If I take out one of the dire wolves before they attack, the pack might scatter.

  He returned to the party and deactivated Stealth.

  F I V W O L V S T W O D I R W O L V S L E V L 6 T H R E E N O R M A L W O L V S

  "Five wolves," Kelsa translated for the others. "Two dire wolves, level 6. Standard pack tactics, probably."

  "Can we avoid them?" Master Brennan asked, his voice high with fear.

  "No," Kelsa said flatly. "Once a pack like this picks up your scent, they follow. Better to deal with them now than have them attack when we're setting up camp tonight."

  "I agree," Torvin said. "Arin, can ye take out one of the dire wolves before they charge? Might break their nerve."

  C A N T R Y U S E S T E L T H

  "Good. Do it." Kelsa looked at Essa and Torvin. "Standard formation when the fight starts. Torvin holds the front, I flank right, Essa supports from center. Arin takes targets of opportunity."

  The plan was simple and clear. Arin appreciated that.

  He activated Stealth again and moved toward the wolf pack. The essence drain would eventually catch up, but this wouldn't take long. He positioned himself above the larger dire wolf on the left side, in a tree branch directly over where it waited.

  The creature was focused on the road, watching for the party to come into range. It never looked up.

  Arin compressed his mass into a dense sphere and dropped.

  The impact drove the dire wolf into the ground with enough force to snap bones. Before it could even yelp, Arin engulfed its head and began the dissolution process.

  [+28 Mass]

  [+22 Essence]

  The other wolves erupted in chaos. The remaining dire wolf howled, a sound mixing rage and confusion. The three normal wolves scattered briefly, then regrouped at the sound of their pack leader's call.

  But the hesitation was enough. Kelsa's voice rang out.

  "NOW! Attack formation!"

  The party surged forward. Torvin led the charge, his warhammer already swinging. He caught the second dire wolf as it leaped for him, the hammer meeting it mid-air and sending the creature tumbling.

  Kelsa went right, engaging two of the normal wolves. Her sword work was precise and efficient, keeping both creatures at bay without overcommitting to either.

  Essa stayed by the wagon, her holy symbol glowing as she prepared a spell.

  Arin flowed toward the third normal wolf, the one isolated on the right side of the road. It saw him coming and snarled, backing away. It showed the creature was smart enough to recognize a threat.

  But not smart enough. Arin used Charge, closing the distance in a burst of speed.

  [-5 Essence]

  He slammed into the wolf's flank, his acidic nature burning into fur and flesh. The wolf yelped and tried to bite him, but its teeth passed through his gelatinous form harmlessly.

  [+18 Mass]

  [+14 Essence]

  The fight was over in less than a minute. Torvin crushed the second dire wolf's skull with a devastating hammer strike. Kelsa dispatched one normal wolf with a thrust through the ribs, then wounded the second badly enough that it fled into the forest.

  Essa's spell, whatever she'd been preparing, proved unnecessary. She let the glow fade from her symbol.

  "Clear," Kelsa announced, cleaning her blade. She looked at Arin, her expression approving. "Good work. Taking out that first dire wolf broke their formation."

  T A C T I C S W O R K D

  "Aye, they did," Torvin agreed. He examined his hammer, which had bits of wolf fur stuck to it, and grimaced. "Messy work, but effective."

  "Is everyone alright?" Essa asked. When the others nodded, she approached Arin. "You're not injured?"

  N O T I N J U R D

  "Good. Though I'm not sure how I'd heal you anyway." She studied Arin's gelatinous form with clinical interest. "My healing magic works on living tissue. Would it affect slime biology? Something to experiment with later, maybe."

  "Later," Kelsa said firmly. "We need to keep moving. Where there's one pack, there might be more."

  Master Brennan, who'd been cowering on the wagon throughout the fight, finally spoke. "That was... that was incredible. You work together so smoothly."

  "That's what practice does," Kelsa said. She looked at Arin. "You followed instructions well. Didn't panic, didn't overextend. That's exactly what we needed to see."

  The praise felt good, but Arin knew this had been an easy fight. Five wolves against four experienced adventurers wasn't a real test. The real challenges would come later.

  They resumed traveling. The forest eventually gave way to more farmland as they approached the halfway point to Millbrook. By midday, they'd covered good distance without further incident.

  Kelsa called a halt near a stream, a natural resting point. "Lunch break. Thirty minutes, then we push on."

  The party settled into an easy routine. Torvin filled water skins from the stream. Essa distributed rations from her pack. Kelsa scouted the immediate area to ensure they were alone. Master Brennan stayed with his wagon, eating nervously.

  Arin couldn't eat, so he used the time to practice reading. He'd brought Jorin's primer, and he found a quiet spot to study it. The section on compound words was challenging but interesting.

  "Look at that," Torvin said, sitting down heavily nearby. "The slime's reading."

  "He told us he could read," Essa pointed out, joining them with her own lunch.

  "Aye, but seeing it is different." Torvin watched Arin for a moment. "Can I ask ye something, slime? And answer truthful, mind."

  Y E S

  "Why do ye want to be an adventurer? Ye could live quiet, stay with those woodcutters, never risk your life. So why this?"

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  The question deserved a real answer. Arin thought carefully before forming his response.

  N E D T O B E C O M S T R O N G R H A V T H I N G S I M U S T D O

  "Things you must do," Kelsa repeated, having moved closer to read. "That sounds ominous."

  P E R S O N A L

  "Ah." Kelsa nodded, understanding. "We all have our reasons. Torvin's saving money to buy back his family's forge in the north. Essa's working off a debt to her temple. I'm..." She paused. "I'm looking for something too. The point is, we get it. Personal reasons are valid."

  "Long as those reasons don't conflict with the party's safety," Torvin added. "If there comes a time when your goals put us at risk, ye tell us. Clear?"

  W I L T E L Y U P R O M I S

  "Good enough." Torvin stood and stretched. "Best get moving. Want to reach Millbrook before dark."

  The afternoon journey was peaceful. They passed through several small villages, each one centered around farming or lumber work. People stared at Arin as the party moved through, but with Kelsa and the others treating him like a normal party member, most of the stares were curiosity rather than hostility.

  By late afternoon, Millbrook came into view. It was smaller than Greengate, with perhaps two hundred people, and featured a simple wooden palisade rather than proper stone walls. The gate stood open, and a guard waved them through without question.

  Master Brennan visibly relaxed. "Thank the gods. We made it."

  "First day's done," Kelsa said. "Good work, everyone. Arin, you performed well. No complaints."

  H O W L O N G I N T O W N

  "Just tonight. We'll rest at the inn, leave at first light tomorrow for the return trip." Kelsa gestured toward a building with a sign showing a bed. "The Wanderer's Rest. Torvin and I have stayed here before. They're good people."

  The inn was modest but clean. Kelsa arranged rooms while Arin waited outside. Several townspeople gathered to stare at him, whispering among themselves. He ignored them.

  After a few minutes, Kelsa emerged. "Got three rooms. You can stay in the stable if you want. I didn't think you'd need a bed."

  S T A B L E I S F I N

  "Alright. Dinner's in an hour if you want to... well, watch us eat, I suppose." She smiled slightly. "You're fitting in better than I expected, slime. Keep it up."

  The stable was quiet and dark, exactly what Arin preferred. He found a corner away from the horses and settled in to rest. The day had been successful. No major threats, good teamwork, and he'd proven he could follow instructions and work as part of a formation.

  This is what Levi wanted, I think. Me being part of something and working with others toward common goals.

  He activated his Status to check his progress.

  [Name: Arin]

  [Species: Adaptive Slime]

  [Level: 9]

  [Mass: 199% of base]

  [Essence: 85/180]

  His mass had grown significantly from absorbing the wolves. Almost double his base size now. He'd need to be careful about that. Getting too large might make stealth work harder.

  The essence from the dire wolf had been substantial, though. Combined with what he'd started the day with, he was at about half capacity. Plenty for tomorrow's journey.

  As evening settled over Millbrook, Arin heard voices from the inn. Laughter, conversation, and the sounds of people relaxing after a day's work. Normal life.

  Someday, maybe I'll be able to join them. To sit at a table, eat food, be truly part of things.

  But that would require something he wasn’t sure was even possible.

  For now, he was a slime. An adventurer slime, but still a slime.

  And that had to be enough.

  ***

  Morning came too early. Arin woke to the sound of the party preparing to leave, their voices carrying from the inn. He flowed out of the stable to find them loading the wagon, which Master Brennan had apparently filled with supplies during the evening.

  "There he is," Kelsa said. "Sleep well?"

  A S W E L A S S L I M C A N

  "Fair enough. We're almost ready. Brennan bought some local produce to take back. Should be an easy trip home."

  The return journey began as smoothly as the first day had gone. Morning passed without incident. The party fell into a comfortable traveling rhythm, and Arin found himself relaxing slightly. Maybe this escort work wasn't so dangerous after all.

  That thought lasted until early afternoon.

  Arin was scouting ahead when he spotted them. Six figures on the road, positioned to block the path. Not monsters. Armed humans like the ones he had met before. Bandits.

  [Human Bandit - Level 5]

  [Human Bandit - Level 5]

  [Human Bandit - Level 6]

  [Human Archer - Level 5]

  [Human Fighter - Level 7]

  [Human Rogue - Level 6]

  Six bandits, led by a Level 7 fighter. They'd set up a classic roadblock, with the archer positioned slightly back for support and the rogue would probably hide at some point and then start flanking.

  This is bad. Six armed humans against four of us. And we have the merchant to protect.

  Arin returned to the party quickly.

  B A N D I T S A H E D S I X O F T H E M B L O C K I N G R O A D

  "Bandits?" Kelsa's expression darkened. "How many?"

  S I X L E D R I S L E V L 7 H A V A R C H R

  "Six bandits, including a Level 7 leader and an archer." Kelsa looked at Torvin and Essa. "This is trouble."

  "We can't go around?" Master Brennan asked, his voice rising with panic.

  "The wagon won't make it off-road," Torvin said. "And they'll just follow us anyway. Bandits don't give up easy money."

  "We fight," Kelsa decided. "Standard formation, but defensive. Torvin holds center, I guard right, Essa guards left. Arin, you find that rogue before he finds us."

  F I N D R O G U E U N D R S T O O D

  "Master Brennan, you stay with the wagon and keep your head down. No heroics."

  The merchant nodded frantically.

  As they approached the roadblock, the bandit leader stepped forward. He was a large man, scarred and confident. His sword looked well-maintained, and his armor was leather reinforced with chain.

  "Nice wagon you've got there," he called out. "Heavy load. Must be valuable."

  "We're guild-registered adventurers," Kelsa replied evenly. "Attacking us is a bounty offense."

  "Only if someone reports it." The leader grinned, showing missing teeth. "And I don't see any witnesses around here. So here's how this works. You leave the wagon, walk away, and everyone lives. Simple."

  "Or," Kelsa said, her hand moving to her sword, "you step aside and let us pass. Save yourself a lot of trouble."

  The leader's grin faded. "Last chance, girl. Walk away."

  "No."

  "Your funeral."

  The bandits attacked.

  Arin was already moving, Stealth activated, flowing off the road into the trees. He needed to find that rogue before the hidden attacker could strike from behind.

  [-3 Essence per minute]

  The main fight erupted on the road. Torvin met the bandit leader's charge with his shield, the impact of sword on metal ringing through the forest. Two more bandits engaged him immediately, trying to flank the dwarf.

  Kelsa faced two bandits on the right, her sword weaving a defensive pattern that kept both at bay. The archer fired from the back, his arrow catching Kelsa's shoulder pauldron but not penetrating the armor.

  Essa raised her holy symbol, and golden light flared. One of the bandits engaging Torvin screamed and staggered back, his eyes burning with holy radiance.

  Where is the rogue?

  Arin scanned the forest, his 360° vision searching for movement. There. A shadow moving through the trees, circling toward Essa's position. The rogue was going for the healer.

  Not if I get there first.

  Arin flowed through the underbrush faster than the rogue could move. He positioned himself between the hidden attacker and Essa, waiting.

  The rogue emerged from cover, a dagger in each hand, moving silently toward Essa's back. He never saw Arin.

  Arin struck from the side, slamming into the rogue with Charge.

  [-5 Essence]

  The impact sent the rogue sprawling. His daggers flew from his hands. Before he could recover, Arin was on him, engulfing his head and cutting off his startled shout.

  [+16 Mass]

  [+12 Essence]

  On the road, the fight was going poorly for the bandits. Torvin had crushed one bandit's leg with his warhammer and was pressing the leader hard. Kelsa had wounded both her opponents, blood streaming from cuts on their arms. The archer kept firing, but couldn't find clean shots with the melee so chaotic.

  The bandit Essa had blinded was stumbling around, screaming. Essa herself was supporting Kelsa with small healing bursts, keeping minor wounds from becoming serious.

  The leader saw his rogue go down and his face twisted with fury. "Fall back! Regroup!"

  But Kelsa didn't give them the chance. She surged forward, her sword catching one fleeing bandit in the back. The man went down hard.

  The archer fired one last shot, then ran. The two remaining bandits followed, leaving their leader to cover the retreat.

  The leader backed away slowly, sword still ready. "This isn't over. We know what you're carrying now. We'll be back with more men."

  "Try it," Kelsa said coldly. "Next time I'll take your head."

  The leader turned and ran, disappearing into the forest.

  Silence fell over the road. Three bandits lay dead or dying. The party was bloodied but standing.

  "Everyone alright?" Kelsa asked, breathing hard.

  "Took a sword strike to the arm," Torvin said, showing a deep cut. "Nothing fatal."

  "I can handle that," Essa said, moving to him. Her hands glowed with healing light as she worked.

  Kelsa looked around. "Where's Arin?"

  I A M H E R E, Arin formed, flowing back onto the road. K I L D R O G U E B E F O R E H E R E A C H D E S S A

  "You saved my life," Essa said quietly. "I never even saw him coming."

  T H A T I S W H A T S C O U T S D O

  "Aye, that it is," Torvin agreed. "Ye did well, slime. Very well."

  Master Brennan emerged from under the wagon, where he'd been hiding. "Are we safe? Are they gone?"

  "For now," Kelsa said. "But that leader was right about one thing. They know what we're carrying. They might try again."

  "Then we move fast," Torvin said. "Push hard for Greengate. Don't give them time to regroup."

  The party moved out immediately, traveling at a faster pace than before. Everyone was tense, watching the tree line for signs of pursuit.

  But no attack came. By late afternoon, they saw Greengate's walls in the distance. Master Brennan nearly wept with relief.

  At the north gate, the guards recognized them and waved them through. Inside the walls, the merchant pulled his wagon to a stop and climbed down shakily.

  "I'll report the bandit attack to the guard captain," he said. "And I'll pay the contract fee now, plus a bonus. You earned it." He counted out coins, handing them to Kelsa. "Twenty gold. Thank you. All of you."

  After Brennan left, Kelsa divided the payment. "Five gold each. Standard split for a four-person party."

  She handed coins to Torvin and Essa, then looked at Arin thoughtfully. "You planning to carry gold inside yourself forever?"

  H O W E L S E W O U L D I

  "Guild accounts," Torvin said. "Every registered adventurer can open one. The guild holds your money, keeps records, and you can withdraw what you need. Works across any guild hall in the kingdom too."

  "It's safer than carrying everything on you," Kelsa added. "Especially for someone who can't exactly wear a coin purse. Come on, we need to report the contract completion anyway. We'll get you set up."

  At the guild hall, after reporting to Master Torven, Kelsa led Arin to a clerk's window near the back of the main room.

  "New account," she told the clerk, a tired-looking woman with ink-stained fingers. "For our party's newest member."

  The clerk glanced at Arin, blinked, then shrugged. She'd clearly seen stranger things. "Name and guild number?"

  Kelsa provided Arin's information while the clerk filled out paperwork. "Standard terms apply. Two percent fee on deposits for account maintenance and cross-guild transfers. Withdrawals are free up to five gold per day, anything larger requires a day's notice." She slid a small leather booklet across the counter. "Account ledger. Keep it safe."

  Arin absorbed the booklet carefully into his mass, then extracted the five gold coins Kelsa had given him and pushed them toward the clerk.

  D E P O S I T P L E A S E

  The clerk counted the coins and made an entry in both her ledger and Arin's booklet. "Balance: Four gold, five silver. Welcome to the guild banking system."

  As they walked away from the window, Kelsa nodded approvingly. "Smart. Keep a few silver on you for small purchases, but let the guild hold the rest. Safer that way, and it builds a record of your earnings. Useful if you ever need to prove your worth to someone."

  The others had deposited their shares as well while waiting. It felt strange to Arin, trusting someone else to hold his money. But it also felt like another step toward being a real adventurer, someone who planned for the future rather than just surviving day to day.

  "So?" Essa asked once they'd finished. "Did he pass?"

  Kelsa looked at Arin for a long moment, then nodded. "Yeah. He passed. Followed orders, worked well with the team, and saved Essa's life. That's more than good enough." She extended her hand, then remembered Arin couldn't shake it. "Welcome to the party, Arin. Permanent position, if you want it."

  Y E S W A N T I T T H A N K Y U

  "Don't thank us yet," Torvin said with a slight smile. "Now the real work begins. We'll take harder contracts, face worse threats. Today was just the start."

  I A M R E A D Y

  "We'll see." Kelsa gestured toward the guild hall. "Let's report the contract completion. Then we'll discuss what comes next."

  As they walked toward the hall, Arin felt something shift inside him. Not his core, exactly. More like a sense of belonging. For the first time since Levi's death, he was truly part of something.

  A party. A team. People who trusted him and whom he could trust in return.

  This is what it means to be an adventurer. Not just fighting monsters. Working together and protecting each other.

  Levi would have loved this. The camaraderie, the purpose, the sense of building something meaningful.

  Arin couldn't bring Levi back. But he could honor his creator by becoming the kind of person, or slime, that Levi had believed he could be.

  One contract and challenge at a time, starting now.