Slime Evolution

Chapter 404 - We Need to Join!

Elle floated ahead with an infectious grace, leaving a trail of small blue and golden sparks that gently dissipated into the fragrant air of the Guild tree.

She guided Dan and Sam along the suspended walkways of living wood that connected the internal branches of the imposing headquarters tree of Astralis Requiem.

The setting was spectacular, with bridges made of braided vines shimmering under the light filtered through the canopy’s pale leaves, and small beds of exotic flowers blooming directly from the bark of the ancient trunk, giving off a magical mist that soothed the visitors’ senses.

For the two brothers, who had spent the last month surrounded by gray dust and the suffocating heat of the volcanic zones, walking through that sanctuary felt like an illusion.

Dan gripped his black wooden staff tightly, his clouded eyes taking in every decorative detail with a mix of admiration and wariness.

Sam floated right beside him, his ghostly, bluish form flickering subtly whenever the forest wind swept through the walkways.

”Look at the flowers, Dan.” Sam spoke directly into his brother’s mind, his spiritual voice full of fascination. ”This whole structure integrated with nature... bruh... not even the High Zone in the real world can reproduce a level of beauty this pure and clean.”

”It’s a nice disguise, Sam.” Dan replied quietly, keeping his hood pulled down over his forehead to hide his peeling skin. ”But the prettier the nest, the higher the standards of whoever lives in it. I feel like our presence here becomes more and more out of place.”

Before Sam could push back against Dan’s pessimism, a group of four players wearing excellent gear for their current level appeared at the end of the corridor. They walked along chatting casually, laughing at some inside joke.

Dan and Sam instinctively stopped walking, fear of rejection making both of them step back to let the group of veterans pass. However, as the members drew closer, Dan and Sam began studying their features.

It became clear that those players didn’t have any unusual or exotic physical traits.

They all had the common human race, no horns, scales, or wings, and even though they clearly had some class different from the common ones, they still didn’t show any standout unique trait. In theory, they looked like ordinary players anyone could run into in the cities of Elysium.

But the reality of their power was what shocked the brothers’ perception. Those humans walked with an unshakable confidence, and the density of Mana and power radiating from their bodies indicated that all of them were at least Level 14, with some even at Level 15 like them!

Dan held his breath, his magic core vibrating in response to that passive pressure.

He and Sam had spent weeks hunting nonstop in the most extreme conditions of the swamp and the volcanoes, making the most of the huge advantage of the two epic races they had to manage to reach level fifteen.

They believed they were at the forefront of the game, but here was a group of humans with at most uncommon bases who had already reached the exact same level as them.

”How is this possible, Dan?” Sam whispered into his brother’s mind, his form flickering with surprise. ”They’re ordinary humans with basic classes, but their power level matches ours! How did they manage to progress so fast without the advantage of a rare base?”

”It’s probably because of the guild’s support...” Dan replied mentally, his voice coming out with a tone of reluctant respect. ”An organization that clears dungeons and hands out silver coins so easily must have leveling routes far superior to any hunting spot we’ve tried exploring on our own. They don’t need luck like we do when they have such an efficient structure working for them.”

While the members passed by them, the brothers noticed another bizarre detail.

On the shoulder of the warrior acting as that group’s tank, a small light blue Slime sat calmly perched, its gelatin blinking rhythmically with a soft light.

”That slime... could it be some kind of guild pet?” Sam asked, curious about the little creature’s texture. ”It looks really well cared for, almost like a gel jewel... if I’m not mistaken, on the guild banners we saw there was an image of a fox and a Slime, right?”

”I don’t know, but don’t touch it.” Dan warned, keeping his posture rigid, not wanting to cause any conflict even before joining the group.

The biggest shock for the two brothers, however, didn’t come from the level or the mysterious slime, but from the attitude of those elite players.

Dan and Sam braced themselves to receive looks of contempt, disgust, or the crude jokes they had already run into at other guild recruitment gatherings.

They expected the humans to laugh at Dan’s decrepit appearance or make jokes about Sam’s ghostly, frightening form. But when the four members walked past their vine table, their eyes showed only a healthy curiosity.

Sensing the density of the qualitative power radiating from the brothers, the humans recognized their strength right away.

The shield warrior gave an extremely polite nod, and the mage in the blue robe gave a friendly smile, signaling a silent greeting before continuing on down the corridor.

Unlike other guilds, there wasn’t a trace of superiority, disgust, or arrogance on their faces.

That simple gesture of respect warmed the two brothers’ chests immensely.

For the first time since they had started playing Elysium, they weren’t treated like freaks out of a horror movie.

The treatment they had received since arriving here was already better than anything they had ever received in the real world, considering that despite having a bit of money from their bastard father, they were still treated like trash by everyone, both in the Low Zone and the High Zone.

The sense of belonging and the desire to wear Astralis Requiem’s emblem grew overwhelmingly in Dan’s heart, and he straightened his shoulders with a determination he hadn’t felt in a long time.

”We need to get into this group, Sam.” Dan said out loud, his voice coming out firmer and more confident. ”If the ordinary members act with this much dignity and equality, their leadership must be spectacular. I’m not going to accept hearing a no today.”

”Me neither, bro.” Sam agreed, his ethereal form glowing with a vibrant light blue intensity. ”Let’s show them our best.”

Elle, who had been watching the whole interaction with a proud smile on her delicate fairy face, flapped her wings excitedly and pointed upward.

”Did our new friends see how nice the people here are?” Elle said cheerfully. ”At Astralis, all we care about is the kindness and strength of those who want to help! Come on, the meeting hall is right at the top of this floor! The leaders are already waiting for you!”

Following Elle’s excited lead, they climbed the last flight of stairs carved directly into the core of the headquarters tree.

The top of the structure opened into a wide circular hall, where the walls were made of resin stained glass that cast Mythlorien’s sunlight in shades of emerald and sapphire across the polished floor.

In the center of the hall, an imposing table of living wood stood in place, with two chairs occupied by Dylan and Alice.

Dylan wore an impeccable outfit that highlighted his natural elegance, keeping his gaze focused on a thick sheet of parchment in front of him, while Alice adjusted her leather gauntlets to handle an energy that seemed impossible to contain.

However, what truly caught Dan and Sam’s attention and took their breath away was the structure right behind them.

A carved wooden pillar held up a crystal basin filled with silk cushions and Mana flower petals, and there, in that basin, was a shocking creature!