"And... how do they pay you back?" Nemu already suspected that he would not like the answer.

Obviously, the big blue slime understood that Nemu wouldn't like it. So before answering he looked at him and then at Trewy. Trewy looked at him... uninvolved. As if she didn't care at all. Also, she had not participated in the conversation so far. She was standing in the background, listening. So he didn't think she cared. Why does a dryad even bother with a slime? He didn't understand it.

"You know, one day another red slime came near my cave. He looked at me the way you are looking at me right now. He didn't like what I was doing here and didn't understand that I was just protecting other slimes. They don't have to worry about their safety when they are here. And he said something to me, he warned me about the dryads and that if they found out what I was doing here, they would certainly not approve. And now, another red slime brings a dryad here. Right into my cave. You think I like that?" He looked alternately at Nemu and Trewy as he spoke. Slimes were no danger to him, he was sure of that. But turning the protectors of the forest against him was something he should avoid. Simply, he cant let them go.

"So, what are you doing here anyway? I don't understand the reason why you would gather so many slimes around you. You say you're protecting them, that would be a good thing, I plan to do the same, but yet you force them to stay here. And you still haven't answered how they have to repay you?" Nemu asked angrily. There were so many things here that still made no sense to him. Only one thing was clear, the big blue slime certainly didn't do it without self-interest. He had a plan and Nemu had to find out what the plan was, before he decided what to do.

"It's simple. I'm sure you know that slimes split. So I protect the slimes until they split and then I absorb one of them so the other can live on happily and in peace." Said the big blue slime innocently. 

Nemu was dumbfounded. That slime. He actually thinks he is the good guy here and what he is doing is to protect others. And that's also the reason why he got so big. He must have absorbed hundreds of slimes. But... how? Then Nemu had an idea.

‘Guide, what are the chances that the slime has the Absorption skill? Or a similar skill?' Nemu asked. That would explain a lot, but surely not everything.

[Calculating...] Guide paused for a few seconds and then continued. [Based on the observations from before the chances that the big blue slime has the Absorption Skill are high. It would also explain why the trees outside the cave are no longer there and also explain the construction of the cave.]

'Of course!' Nemu finally understood what was going on here. The trees outside, they looked like they just vanished. The big blue slime must have used his Absorption Skill on them. Nemu had never done something like that, he always picked up the wood from the ground but he was also confident that he would be able to absorb an entire tree. And the cave... The blue slime used his Absorption Skill to make it bigger and deeper by absorbing more and more of the ground. To dig a hole with his Absorption Skill? Nemu had to admit that this was a pretty creative use of his ability. But there were still unanswered questions.

‘But why would he have such a skill? I got my skill only after I got my name.' Nemu asked, hoping for a further explanation.

[According to many records, some people are born with skills. The reason for this is unknown. It happens to all races.] Explained Guide.

‘But how is he able to control all the slimes?’

[... Not enough information], Guide said after thinking for a few seconds. [... But it's likely that it's a weak mind control ability].

‘So ... two skills? Is that possible?' Nemu was confused. There are hundreds of thousand slimes in the Jura Forest. That one slime was born with a skill is not unlikely. No, in fact, it's very likely. The only difference here is that the big blue slime started absorbing other slimes, this must have increased its power and size more and more. And it has also made him more intelligent at the same time. That's why he's able to speak, even though he's a blue slime. It makes sense. But mind control didn't explain it.

[Highly unlikely.9 Guide agreed with Nemu.

So even Guide has no idea. 

‘But how is it possible that he can absorb slime? I thought it was impossible to absorb other life forms.'

[Assumption. The absorption skill does not consider slime to be a life form. Theory. It could be the same with spiritual life forms If the skill restrictions apply only to organic bodies.]

'Organic bodies? Wait a minute... Could I also absorb Trewny?' Trewy is a dryad. Her main body is a tree, and her current form is considered a physical vessel for her soul. That's how she explained it. So she doesn't really have an organic body.

[...] Did Guide just sigh? [Even if it were possible, the absorption of Trewy would break the connection with her main body. Her soul would return to her main body, and dryads take several years to create another physical body. Absorption of Trewy is not recommended.]

Nemu sighed at his own stupidity and asked weird questions in inappropriate situations. That should be enough information for now. At least it answered most of Nemu's questions. However, the situation was still not resolved. He will think about it later, now is not the right time.

"You're not protecting them." Said Nemu, shaking his slimy body. "At first I thought it was a prison. But it's even worse. It's a farm. A slime farm you built just to get stronger yourself."

The big blue slime became visibly angry. His mana seeped out of his body as he angrily said. “You know, it's always the same with you damn red slimes. You come in here and tell me that what I'm doing is wrong. That's why I keep you guys here until you split. And you know what the worst part is? I can't even absorb you. Your consciousness, or soul, remains intact. Do you even know how annoying it is to have another soul in your body? That's why I always spit you out. You're just not worth the trouble. You may think that your dryad friend will save you, but that, little slime, is not going to happen. When I'm done with you, I'll take care of her.”

"Oh, interesting. You think you can take care of me?" Even Trewy was getting mad now. That blue slime, he was arrogant. And that was something Trewy didn't like at all.

"Hahaha, you think I'm afraid of you? Protector of the forest? You look young. Way too young to be a danger to me." The big blue slime shouted.

The Battle began.

Nemu's vision was blurry. At first he didn't know what was happening, but he soon found out. The blue slime, he uses his mind control ability. It doesn't work properly on him but it limits his movement.

Surprisingly fast, the big blue slime leaped forward and covered half the distance in one jump. The room changed. All the slimes in the room began to retreat. Without a doubt, the big blue slime had lost control of its mind control ability while he focused on Nemu.

But before he could reach them. Large vines with thorns grew from the ground. And they grew not as they had in the fight with Corsar, but much faster. They enclosed the big body of the blue slime in seconds. He was halfway through, but before he could jump again, he was stuck in a cocoon of vines. But then...

The tendrils simply disappeared. In a second, they were all gone. However, it had also broken Nemu's mind control. He could perceive his surroundings again.

"Huh...?" Trewy said aloud. 

And the blue slime. He started laughing maniacally. "See? Like I said. Just a kid."

But before he could jump again, the tendrils grew again. They enclosed his body again. And again, they just disappeared. 

The big blue slime had a strange expression on his body. Whereas before they thought his body mimicked the face of a humanoid, now he showed something no humanoid was capable of.

"You're annoying." Said the blue slime before he started for another jump.

Meanwhile, Trewy looked at Nemu. She had seen this before. No, not just once. What just happened was something Trewy had seen many, many times before. Nemu turned to her. "I'll take care of it." He said.

With a nod, she stepped back. She knew what had happened. The blue slime. He had a skill similar to Nemu's and her tendrils wouldn't work. The blue slime had offended her, but she also knew that Nemu was even more sour on him, so it didn't hurt her pride to have Nemu deal with the big blue slime.

And now, the blue slime was right in front of Nemu. He was about to use his ability, but he hesitated, probably enjoying the moment.

So, Nemu had to say something.

"You know what's interesting?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Ever since I started my journey, I've always thought that magiculars are meaningless in a fight if you can't use them properly. And, well, that's still true. But there is one exception. And that's when it's just skill versus skill."

And for the first time in weeks, he unleashed his aura.

The big blue slime came to an instant halt. What was now on his face was .... Confusion. And…Fear.

"... What?" Was the only thing he could say.

"Well, bad for you that you have never learned to regress your aura. You never stood a chance. Even if you absorb a thousand more slimes. You know, I don't enjoy this and I won't enjoy something like this in the future, but I feel like you should know that you have lost." Said Nemu coldly.

Nemu sighed, that wasn't something he ever wanted to do.

"Absorption."