The path dipped slightly, crunching under Allen's boots. The trees around them swayed gently, sunlight streaming through the canopy in dappled gold. Birds chirped lazily, a breeze tickled the leaves. It was quiet. Too quiet.
Allen slowed his pace. Something felt… off.
He stopped walking, raising a hand.
Fina and Rinni froze beside him.
"…You feel that?" Allen muttered.
Fina sniffed the air. "Mmm. Yeah. Something's watching."
Rinni clung to Allen's arm. "From where…?"
Then Allen saw it.
Half-tucked behind a mossy stump, barely noticeable in the sunlight, was a small, rounded… blob.
It looked like a scoop of wet yogurt had tried to cosplay as a spirit. Smooth, pale white, and glistening faintly in the light, the thing was no bigger than a melon. It didn't have eyes, or a face, or anything resembling a mouth—but it wobbled slightly, like it was breathing. Or thinking.
"…What the fuck," Allen said flatly.
Rinni gasped. "I-Is that… a slime?"
