Chapter Two: Hunters Assosciation

The piercing sound of the alarm clock shattered the stillness of the morning. I groaned, swatting at it with a sleepy hand. As I sat up, I glanced at my outstretched hand, half-expecting to see the shimmering orb of slime. But today, like every morning, there was nothing. My talent wasn't always active; it needed my mana to manifest.

After a quick shower and a hasty breakfast, I prepared for work. The city outside seemed different now, a blend of the familiar and the utterly strange. People rushed by, each one bearing their own talents, their own unique abilities. It was a constant reminder of the new reality we all faced.

At the office, the air buzzed with chatter about our newfound powers. Everyone wanted to share their stories, and I was no exception. My colleagues gathered around, eager to hear about the progress of my talent.

Tom, from the desk across, was the first to speak up. "You won't believe this, Kuro. I got the ability to shape-shift into animals. Check this out!" With a glint of excitement in his eyes, Tom's form rippled and in an instant, he transformed into a sleek, black panther. His agile form prowled around the office, drawing gasps of awe and amazement.

My jaw dropped in astonishment. It was one thing to hear about these talents, but to witness them in action was something else entirely. I couldn't help but applaud Tom's display. "That's incredible, Tom! You're like a living, breathing menagerie."

Samantha, always one for a dramatic flair, stepped forward with a mischievous grin. "Well, Kuro, you're about to witness a real showstopper." With a flick of her wrist, a swirling mist of poison materialized, coalescing into the form of a wickedly sharp katana. The blade gleamed with a malevolent green tint, emanating an aura of danger.

I couldn't help but take a step back, wary of the potent mist that formed the weapon. "Samantha, that's... that's amazing. You've got a deadly talent there." It was equal parts awe and caution that I felt. The abilities my colleagues possessed were nothing short of extraordinary.

As the day wore on, more colleagues shared their talents, each one more fascinating than the last. From elemental manipulation to telekinesis, the sheer amount of abilities on display was staggering. I listened intently, marvelling at the diversity of talents that now graced our world.

By the time the workday ended, I was practically buzzing with excitement. The slimes, my faithful companions, seemed to sense my anticipation. Together, we headed for the Hunters Association, ready to embark on the next step of our journey.

The association building was alive with activity, hunters of all kinds preparing for their missions. I approached the registration desk, my newfound camaraderie with my colleagues fuelling my determination. I asked the receptionist what i needed to do in order to register as a hunter with the hunters association and to my utter delight it required but a quick and easy test. I was to place my palm on a magic crystal that was rooted to the earth. I could tell by observing the way the room is structured that this place was built around this crystal.

After placing my hand on the magic crystals surface a hologram appeared showing my status screen to the receptionist. After a nod from her signalling the registration would be approved i sighed in relief, my heart finally taking a break from the constant pounding. 

We walked together back to the desk and she handed me my card along with a small envelope containing a check of 5 thousand pounds. Due to the increase of dangerous individuals and monsters especially the government had decided that anyone who would sign up to be a hunter, the strongest faction to date would receive 5 thousand pounds as considered investment for developing ones talents to the standard in new modern warfare.

 With my card in hand, I felt a sense of grandeur at the faction of hunters as a whole. This was my future now. 

Name: Kuro

Race: Megamu

Level: 1

Talent: [Slime Synthesis]

Rank: F

It was official. I was now a hunter, an F-rank one with a talent that was as unique as any other. The slimes, my steadfast companions, seemed to share in my excitement. Together, we were ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

This was just the beginning of a journey that would take me to places I'd never imagined, and test my limits. The world has changed, and so have I. Now, as a hunter, I am ready to embrace this new reality with open arms.

The mission was straightforward: [Collect specific herbs from inside an F-rank gate.] I packed my essentials and, with the slimes in tow, headed for the gate's location in my trusty car.

Upon arrival, I met up with the team assigned to this mission. They were a motley crew of ten, mostly D-rank hunters, with two exceptions—a cocky C-rank who went by the name of Alex. He had an air of arrogance that was hard to ignore.

Among the team was another F-rank like myself, Jake. We hit it off almost immediately. There was a natural camaraderie between us, as if we'd known each other for years. We bantered and exchanged stories, our shared status as F-rank hunters creating an instant bond.

As we entered the gate, the atmosphere shifted. The air grew thick with magic, a tangible reminder that we were stepping into a realm where danger lurked around every corner. The gate's theme, as it turned out, was mushrooms. Strange fungi of all shapes and sizes dotted the landscape.

The mission was clear: find and collect the specified herbs. It should have been a straightforward task, but Alex had other ideas. He declared that we should head straight for the boss room, disregarding the mission parameters.

Jake and I exchanged glances, a shared understanding passing between us. This was a risky move, one that could jeopardize the entire mission. But we were part of a team, and we followed Alex deeper into the gate.

It didn't take long for chaos to erupt. The boss room was heavily guarded, swarming with powerful mushroom creatures. Despite our best efforts, we were quickly overwhelmed.

In the midst of the chaos, I reached out to my loyal companions. The three slimes, who had been following the group quietly and discreetly, now rushed to my side.

The 3-liter slime hopped onto my sword arm, a small but potent ally. Jake and I had been given swords by the team leader, a C-rank hunter. The 5-liter slime, nimble and fast, positioned itself between me and the encroaching mushroom monsters, ready to protect.

As the 10-liter slime, slightly slower but incredibly powerful, caught up, it shot out three tendrils of slime toward separate mushroom creatures closing in on Jake. The tendrils acted as both a shield and a distraction, buying Jake the precious seconds he needed to regroup at my side.

The status of the mushroom monsters became visible as they entered our range:

Name: Lesser Mushroom Sentinel 

Level: 4

HP: 40/40

Weakness: Fire

Name: Mushroom Sentinel 

Level: 5

HP: 50/50

Weakness: Fire

Name: Lesser Mushroom Sentinel 

Level: 3

HP: 30/30

Weakness: Fire

With a plan forming in the heat of battle, Jake and I locked eyes, a renewed determination burning within us. The slime locked around my sword arm formed sharp edges along the blades edge making it serrated.

Together, with our unlikely team of slimes and hunters, we faced the mushroom onslaught.

Jake parried a mushroom vine that came crashing at him from above while I rushed to his side, weighing down on my blade with all my might, severing the mushrooms vine. Its screams echoed through the battlefield before the 10 litre slime shot two more tendrils at the lesser mushroom sentinel putting it on the defensive.

Not missing the opportunity Jake and I rushed forward, pressing the enemy making it use its vines to block our attacks as its body was clearly too large to dodge out of the way. With each hit it blocked another of its vines was lost, the serrated edge I gained from the 3 litre slime was no joke!

"Lets finish it bro! Look its about to die!" Jake yelled in excitement and relief. 

"Yeah! Lets do it!" Kuro said feeling a swell of affection for the new friend he had made on this mission.

With a final, resounding strike, the sentinel let out one last, echoing cry before collapsing in a heap. We stood victorious, chests heaving, a silent acknowledgment passing between us. This was our first true test as hunters, and we had emerged triumphant.

As the echoes of battle faded, Alex's voice cut through the still air, a mixture of frustration and grudging respect in his tone. "Fine, you two. You handled that better than I expected. Let's move on."

With a nod, Jake and I fell in step behind him. We had proven ourselves, earning a measure of acknowledgment from the cocky C-rank hunter. It was a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

The winding corridors of the gate seemed endless, the atmosphere growing darker with each step. The scent of damp earth and fungi hung heavy in the air, a constant reminder of the gate's theme. We moved forward, our senses alert for any sign of danger.

As we rounded a corner, the sight that greeted us sent a chill down my spine. A cavernous chamber spread out before us, illuminated by an eerie, bioluminescent glow. Massive mushrooms, their caps towering like pillars, dominated the space.

"This is it," Alex declared, his voice filled with a mix of anticipation and confidence. "The heart of the gate. Our prize awaits."

I exchanged a glance with Jake, a silent understanding passing between us. This was far beyond the scope of our mission, far beyond what we were prepared to face. But we were hunters now, and the call to challenge the unknown was ingrained in our very being.In other words, we had no choice now.

With grim determination, we followed Alex into the chamber, our footsteps echoing in the cavernous space. The air was thick with magic, a palpable force that seemed to pulse with a life of its own. It was both exhilarating and foreboding, a reminder that we stood on the threshold of something truly extraordinary.

As we ventured deeper into the chamber, our surroundings shifted. The ground became soft and yielding, covered in a layer of spongy moss. The towering mushrooms loomed overhead, their gills casting eerie shadows on the ground.

And then, we saw it. The object of our pursuit—the coveted herbs we had come to collect. They grew in clusters at the base of a particularly massive mushroom, their leaves a vibrant green against the muted palette of the gate.

"This is what we came for," Alex declared, a note of triumph in his voice. He moved forward to gather the herbs, seemingly oblivious to the oppressive atmosphere that hung around us.

But as he reached out, a low, rumbling growl echoed through the chamber. The ground beneath us trembled, and from the shadows emerged a creature unlike anything I had ever seen.

It stood tall and formidable, its form a grotesque fusion of mushroom and beast. Its eyes gleamed with a malevolent intelligence, a predator's gaze fixed on its prey.

Name: Mushroom Behemoth

Race: Fungal Aberration

HP: 700/700

MP: 500/500

Talents:

- Spore control: Give loyal sentience to Fungi and Spores.

Skills:

- Spore Cloud: Releases a dense cloud of spores, obscuring vision and causing those caught in it to turn into mushrooms.

- Vines of Constriction: Summons thick tendrils to immobilize foes.

- Fungal Infestation: Spreads fungal growth to control the battlefield.

"Boss-level monster," Jake muttered, his voice tinged with awe and trepidation. "We're in way over our heads."

I nodded, a sinking feeling settling in my stomach. This was a fight we were ill-prepared for, a battle that could very well be our last.

As the monster advanced, Alex raised his weapon, confidence undiminished. "We can take it. Together!"

But even as the battle cry left his lips, I couldn't shake the sense of foreboding that gripped me. This was a darkness unlike any other, a shadow that threatened to consume us all. And in its depths, I could only hope to find a glimmer of light.