Chapter 6 The Suspicion

The chatter of the Vines Tavern was louder today, many of the men were sharing their stories, but there was one story that stirred the entire tavern's discussion.

"What do you mean you encountered an Electric Hound at the Slime Grove!?"

"I just heard a kid took down a Frost Giant at the Slime Cave."

"Is it just me or random ass strong monsters are appearing out of nowhere!? I heard a Flame Elemental rose from the Phish Town!"

Jacko then delivered some drinks to the men, Finn also managed to lift an entire tray and places it near them. "Oi! It's Jacko!" A familiar bald man called. "Oh...hey Broff!" Jacko waved along with Finn. "I gotta tell ya, I didn't expect you to take down anything, let alone a Giant Slime!" He laughed, a bit proud of Jacko. An archer with yellow hair and red eyes nodded. "Once thought to be just a playful boy has shown potential to become more. Such is the beauty of progress." He told. "Oh...thanks Levy." Jacko says. A red robed mage with a long mustache smiles. "Come sit with us, what was it like taking down your first Titan?" The mage asked. He sat down, Finn sitting on his head. "Well...it was scary at first, then I realized Vines was watching...then I kinda had my mind went blank, like a rush, as Nurse Petal called it." Jacko told. The men nodded as his statement, knowing that feeling he described very well. "That's the rush, it's what keeps us going. Death or not, it's the thrill of the fight! That's what got you our respect, you experience the thrill, and you're a real adventurer." Broff told. Jacko was getting worried simply by the fact that Broff is not speaking I'll towards him as usual. "Thanks? Though...ummm, nevermind." Jacko was about to say that he could smell his armpits from here...it is disturbing how noone noticed it yet. Then a strange robed man joins the table without saying anything...he looked at Jacko, very curiously. "Oh! I remember you... you're umm..." Jacko said first. The blue mage sighed. "Jason. And I was just recently informed about...your abilities." He said, observing him closely. Finn the Fairy Slime then flashes his eyes with a pink light, sensing that he was dangerously close to Jacko. Jacko didn't mind the flashing. "Jacko, if you have business with the stranger, leave the table." Broff told, annoyed that the mood was broken by this guy. "I don't like him, but alright." Jacko walks away, not even waiting for Jason to recover his sight. Jason immediately followed him. "So you're a Slime Summoner, correct?" The mage asked, curiously looking at Finn sitting on top of Jacko. "Yes...why are you looking at me like that, sir?" Jacko asks, leading themselves outside the Tavern. "Nothing, it's just so bizarre how someone with the power to summon monsters to be so...calm." Jason was about to say naive, but he'd like to keep his friendly approach. "They're slimes, not monsters. Well, my slimes aren't. Most slimes are...it's funny cuz I hate slime enemies the most." Jacko admitted. "Oh how interesting." Jason said, not even caring about that information. "I can't shake the feeling that you're trying to get away from me, even after all I've given you." Jason said. Jacko then turned to him. "Well, I like the stone you have me, but you're being...weird. Do you want something from me?" Jacko asked, tilting his head, Finn doing the same. "Look, we have a group at Magekeeps that are practicing summon magic you see...and the fact that you could do it so easily is quite interesting." Jason admitted, as he noticed they have reached the Slime Grove. "Magekeeps, the city of mages!?" Jacko exclaimed, happy knowing that this stranger was from there. "Yeah, yeah...would you like to come with us there?" Jason asked, hoping he would say yes. Jacko looked up and thought about it. "As much as I'd like to go, I want to stay here and keep doing quests here! That's what Vines told me to do after all. He said I'm not ready yet, and I believe him." Jacko told. "Why would he keep you here? You have a power that many mages don't have...or wish to have." Jason said. "You could further study to enhance your power and possibly become as powerful-". Jacko immediately interrupted. "Sorry, but that sounds like a lot of work. I don't like that." Jacko said, being taught by Petal was enough. "I'm actually in a very good mood to quest now, I'm gonna go." Jacko says, leaving Jason thinking to himself, who would refuse such an extremely rare opportunity just like that?

"Slime Summoner!" Jason followed Jacko into the Honey Guild. Jacko turns to him. "Mister, can you please leave me alone for now?" Jacko turned to him with a smile, while Finn is standing up and readying its pink lasers with it's pink hands.

"Will you at least consider the opportunity?" Jason asked. Jacko kept his smile, but he sighed right after. "Fine, I'll think about it. I know where to go." Jacko said, getting tired of this. Jason looks at the board. "I suggest doing that one." He said, as he left. Jacko sighed in relief. "Hiyaiyaiiii.." Finn groaned. Jacko then took a look at the quest that was shown to him.

Hunt the Electric Hound

Reward: 3000 Gold

I was told that the Slime Grove would simply have slimes inhabiting it, but I have saw a terrifying beast there, an Electric Hound with no eyes. I could have sworn I saw an orb within it's body as I tried to battle it. It was way too fast, I barely escaped. So, I'd like to challenge those who take this quest to take caution when battling this beast, tho I doubt anyone would. I'll be staying at Vines Inn. I am Levy Nasyon.

Jacko looked back behind him to see if Jason was still there. Fortunately he's gone, but was considering not doing this quest because he didn't choose it himself. Then again, he wanted to see this Electric Hound. "Alrighty Finn, ready to kick some butt again?" Jacko says while looking up at his head ar Finn. The Fairy Slime nodded, as it then unsummons itself by going inside Jacko's chest, being absorbed by where his heart would be. Jacko was relieved that he could unsummon slimes this way, swallowing them whole felt so wrong after all this time.

As Jacko was about to head back to Slime Grove, someone called to him. "Jacko! Get your ass back here before you do shit again!" Nurse Petal ran from her house, carrying a cleaner green robe with golden lining. She is still almost an inch taller than Jacko, as she then holds his soft white face. "You're planning on doing something crazy again huh?" She says. "I'm sure I can handle it. Well, I'm a grown man now..." Jacko complained, as his face was being examined by her fingers...wait a minute is that blood on her fingers!?

"I bought you a new robe from some merchant. And ah-ah-ah. Don't even offer to pay for it. I don't care. So take off that stinky ass robe and wear this." The Nurse said, while placing a finger on Jacko as he really was about to offer to pay for it. "Oh..okay, right now? We're in public..." Jacko said. "Jacko, it's just your robe." The nurse groaned as she then stripped off his robe and threw it to the ground as she then made him wear it. Petal placed her hands on her hips as she looks at how Jacko looked. "That's better. You should start wearing that if you gonna go questing from now on." Petal ordered. Jacko felt the robe and he smiled. "It is nice, Nurse Petal, are you sure you want me to keep this for free?" Jacko asked. "The only payment is you not going back to do weird shit in my house. Now get." She then turned around, sending him off with a wave.

With newfound confidence, Jacko entered the Slime Grove, immediately encountering a Giant Slime. The Giant Slime charged at Jacko. Jacko then immediately summoned a Fire Slime in his arms as he then threw it inside the Giant Slime, ordering it to be detonated, as he summoned a Grass Slime to then stretch it's sides, using it as a shield to block the explosion. "It worked!" Jacko exclaimed, for that was his plan for taking care of Giant Slimes from now on. Jacko felt bad for using his slimes like this, but Jacko is an adventurer now, he must use his abilities to this extent. He then sees more smaller slimes appearing in the area before them. "Finn!" Jacko called out, the pink slime reappearing beside his head in a pink light. "Hi! Hi!" Finn said as it then shoots it's little pink beams towards the slimes, slowly disintegrating them. Jacko was then suddenly pushed by a slime that hit his side, causing him to drop the Broken Stone Orb from his pocket. Finn immediately casted a magical rope to pull the slime off Jacko's chest and threw it to the ground, then proceeds to blast it with multiple pink beams to disintegrate it. "HIHIHIHIHIHIHIHI!" was Finn's battle cry. Jacko looked up and stood. "Thanks Finn." He said, as he fist bumped the Fairy. He then picked up The Broken Stone Orb, suddenly he felt something from the orb again, causing him to have an intense headache. "Argh! What now!?" He yelled. The Stone Orb suddenlybegan changing shape and shifting into something larger, causing Jacko to drop it. The orb then began to roar as some slime from the battle were absorbed over it, shaping into a slightly larger slimes, but still smaller than a Giant Slime. It had a large stone mouth and brown slime around it. Unlike the Frost Giant, the orb in the slime completely changed into a yellow light within the slime. Jacko held his head as his headache disappeared, looking at the new slime. It was not a slime he had summoned before. "Hello?" Jacko waved. Finn then swooped down to look at the new slime. "Goooorm" it groaned. Finn pestered the stone slime with greetings, the stone slime didn't mind. Jacko was relieved that it wasn't hostile. He then remembered that the adventurers spoke of stone monsters known as "Golems" before. "It must be a Golem Slime then! Awesome! He looks so cool!" Jacko lifted up...no, he barely could. The Golem Slime was as heavy as rocks, despitr it's slimy texture from the outside. "Goooooorm." The Golem Slime groaned. Finn then began tugging on Jacko's robe, pointing at a direction in the forest. Jacko looked and saw a streak of lightning. Jacko shuddered, that was way too fast...he couldn't even see what made that. "Finn, blast a beam in the direction if you see it again!" Jacko ordered, as Finn nodded. The Golem Slime just stood by Jacko. Suddenly, Finn started shooting it's beams everywhere, hitting the trees around it. "Where even is it!?" Jacko screamed as he only saw the electric light following the assumed Electric Hound. The Golem Slime then proceeds to jump, then landed back at the ground, causing the ground to shake. This caused the Electric Hound to trip and accidentally run through a tree, it's form sparking its own electricity and slowly reforms to it's hound-like appearance. Jacko too was staggered, his leg shook while looking at the Electric Hound. "There it is!" Jacko said, pointing at the direction of the Electric Hound. "Go attack it guys!" Jacko said, thinking that he cannot summon more than two slimes. Finn started shooting it's pink beams at the hound, aiming for the orb floating around it's body. The Electric Hound swiftly dodges the beams easily. The Golem Slime then chomps on the ground, chews the ground and then blasts the slimed product of the ground. The Ground Blast was large enough to catch the Electric Hound by it's orb, sticking it to the tree. Finn happily flies around the Golem Slime as thanks for helping. Jacko then sees the Electric Orb sparking through the slimed ground. Knowing that this was the source of power, he takes up the orb and then tosses it at Golem Slime. Golem Slime then chomps on the orb and consumers it... something flashed from within it, and the slime was satisfied. "Grom, I'm gonna call you Grom!" Jacko said as he rubbed the Golem Slime's head.

Jacko then turned to a sound from the trees, they were footsteps.

Jason then jumped out of the trees with a strange looking staff with three orbs upon it. "I've come to help...Jacko?" Jason looked astonished as he saw Jacko petting a new slime. "Heyyy...Jacko...I thought you were hunting the hound?" Jason asked. Jacko squinted his eyes, getting quite suspicious. "I think I killed it, I also fed the orb to Grom as his reward!" Jacko announced. "You? Barely an adventurer...took down another titan!?" Jason couldn't help but laugh hysterically...he was hoping for Jacko to struggle. "Jason, are you alright?" Jacko asked concerningly. "Hi...." Finn warned.

"Nothing...just nothing. I'm gonna go now." Jason quickly ran.

The three men from the tavern earlier toasted their beer mugs as Jacko watched as he just drinks his cup of water. "To Jacko's path to manhood!" Broff cheered, the other men cheering. "You have talent, be wise to use them for good. Or for booze." Levy, the archer spoke. "I don't drink." Jacko told. "You should! It's part of manhood." Broff reassured. "Well, I just don't like the taste." Jacko told. "Hmm, maybe in time." Broff said. "Shit has to go down before one starts drinking." Arkon, the red robed mage said. "Right! Haha!" Broff laughed. The men continued talking over Jacko. While the Slime Summoner himself is in deep thought. Jason looked very suspicious back there. He normally doesn't think about it that much, but someone annoying him that much has to mean something.