"Provisions?"

"Check"

"Waterskins?"

"Check"

"Potions?"

"Check"

"Alright, those are the major parts… is anyone missing anything?"

The sound of clattering copper plates as the newly dubbed 'Hoplites of Tob' double checked their satchels and bags. Their armor was reminiscent of ancient greek design, particularly the spear and round shield. Though modifications were made, as there wasn't much a means of mimicking the plumes without sufficient horsehair. That said, they were still intimidating with a mohawk of copper running from the nose guard over to the back of the helmet. The quenching process that changed the color of the knife earlier was used on the plates as well, making them shine with a malachite teal. I myself opted for at least a lighter build of the armor, a few plates overlapping over my clothes to cover essential areas.

Uniquely enough about our group, we actually had one of the albinos traveling with us. Crusch couldn't come with us sadly due to being needed by Marscha, but this guy volunteered. He was wearing an animal hide cloak over his form, a forged copper mask assisting in protecting his face. The cloak idea itself was taking off among the albinos, as it was sufficiently more protective than a bush. What wasn't covered by the cloak was wrapped in a cloth-like material, wrapped around his arms and legs like gauze. His staff was old looking, willow wood with a piece of amber embedded in the clawlike design of the caster's instrument.

Todone himself was still sporting the bugplate armor I'd made him, though he now carried a green copperhead spear that gently shimmered in the early morning sunlight. He stared at it with the same glimmer of joy in his eyes, though I could tell that was starting to waver in favor of boredom and annoyance with my frequent checks.

Yulg himself stood low with a copper 'tower' shield, only really working as such simply because of his size. In his free arm he held a mace, opting for blunt damage. Whereas most of the lizardman armor was designed to imitate the citizen soldiers of ancient greece, his was designed in a different fashion. Bulkier and sturdier, by his own request. I wasn't able to get much out of him as to why, but it had something to do with 'leaving roots behind' or something. Overall, his armor made him almost like a stereotype paladin.

"No one's gotta run back for something? Maybe a memento or a favorite knife?"

"Nolan…" Todone whined.

"Alright alright, I'm just making sure this goes well. This is our first official field test of the copper gear. I just wanna make sure it makes a good impression."

It had been a few days, but by working with the craftsmen of the tribe we'd managed to make a few pairs of armor. In order to properly show off its usefulness, we needed to make a proper expedition in it. And not just any old expedition either. If all goes well, I can actually expect us to be producing it more readily.

"Now that we're all set up, I think we oughta just go over the expedition parameters one more time".

"Nolan…" The toadman whined again.

"I wanna make sure we're on the same page!" I exclaimed exasperatedly. I shake my head with a sigh and continue. "Some of the tribe's hunters discovered a den of slimes nearby. In terms of being a direct threat, they're not that much of one. However, once they settle down in an area they often clean out just about every plant and slow enough animals, often messing up the local ecosystem and building up to tremendous numbers. As a result, we need to wipe 'em out before they throw things out of whack. And as a bonus, Crusch informed me that their mucus is fairly useful as a sunblocker, so we're helping out the albinos with this one"

I rolled my shoulder, adjusting the copper pauldron resting on it. The job was fairly straightforward, and I kind of find it funny that as my first official quest I'm off to kill slimes when I've already slain a necromantic abomination. Our only real challenge was being outnumbered, but we had ten of us total. Just enough for formations and drills, which we'd briefly practiced with sticks while the copper gear was being prepared. Not enough to call ourselves soldiers with pride, but enough that we won't immediately break under duress.

"With that said… let's march boys!"

We clattered along through the mottled light of the forest, keeping our march at a steady pace. I must admit, I'm glad that I've exercised since coming to this world. Were it not for that, I shudder to think of the level of pain I'd be in right now. It's very much apparent in the albino coming with us, obviously beginning to waver already. Not that I ain't burning, but at least I can say I've had worse.

The albino was the only one among us that didn't really have experience with our marching rhythm, but that was okay. I imagine getting him out of the house so to speak would probably do him some good anyways. As we marched, I couldn't help but admire the finer aspects of my living conditions.

If you told me I'd be forming a militia of Dungeons and Dragons drop-outs, I'd probably be weirded out by you more than anything. Yet here I am, organizing a small scale hunting party to deal with a slime den. I'm genuinely surprised that I've managed to wiggle my way as being the 'squishy but nice' human, even if I'm still considered an outsider by their terms.

We pause in our march as Todone raises his hand in the air for us to pause, and he leans down. He brushes his hand against the soil, and even from here I can tell it's starting to look fairly bare for a forest floor.

"We're getting close," He muttered.

"That doesn't make sense, their den should be much further out," One of the lizardmen noted as flicked his tongue in the air, nodding. "There's an acidic scent in the air however. If their den isn't nearby I'll eat my shedskin"

"Hmmph, I guess that scout just wanted an excuse to laze about in the woods for a couple days then"

I blinked at that. Huh, I don't think I've ever actually seen them shed. Is it like a private thing or-

"We've got company!" One of the lizards shouted.

We turned to him and noticed that he raised his shield up to bash away a flopping green slime, sending it splattering into various clumps. As I couldn't help but watch the blobs glisten in the air, I caught sight of something above us that made my eyes turn into pinpricks.

"They're in the trees! Umbrella formation!" I shouted, just in time as the slimes began drooping down to plop on the shields and slide to the ground to be smashed by tails.

"{Vine Whip}!" The albino shouted, a singular vine lashing out from the dirt to whip at a cluster of slimes as they dribbled down like snot.

I pause for a moment as I realize that spell wasn't in my list given to me by the system, something I'm positive of, but I can't afford another thought to that as I'm busy using {Create Water} to wash away more slimes.

"God, say what you will about their durability, there's a lot of them," I muttered more to myself than anything, noticing that the tide of slimes was steadily growing.

"Something's not right…" The albino spoke up. "Most slimes hate being in high places, a deep enough drop will destroy their cores. They shouldn't be in the trees to begin with"

He casts another vine whip, and I take a moment to swing at another slime that bounced at me. Splattering with ooze, I turn around to face another gelatinous blob and kick it, using the brief connection to make an {Insight Check} before I crushed its core.

{Green Slime (Level 9)}

The hell? It's pretty normal from the looks of it, aside from the fact I couldn't get a more accurate read. Maybe that one was just a fluke? I reach up and plunge my hand into another slime, grappling its core with a shuddering quiver.

{Green Slime (Level 8)}

That doesn't make a lick of damn sense. A fleeting kick I can understand, but this? As I feel my hand slowly start to burn, I feel a faint headache building in the back of my skull the longer I hold on. I crush the slime core before any real damage could be dealt to my hand and killed it, whipping my hand to the side to wipe off the slime. Interestingly, the head stopped as soon as I killed it. I ready my brush-hook to fight more of the slimes… only for them to start retreating. They slithered into various nooks and crannies, slipping underneath rocks and thick brush.

"... I imagine that's not supposed to happen either?" I couldn't help but ask.

He said nothing, simply wagging his tail in a motion I've grown to ascertain means anxiety in the lizardmen. I grit my teeth, staring at our slathered selves.

"Well, good news is the shields work like a charm. Let's clean up while we can, and keep moving. Something tells me we aren't going to have a fun time up ahead, so let's take it easy while it's an option"

The other lizardmen nod and murmur in agreement, seeming off put by the strange slime behavior. Yulg's face was unreadable due to his helmet, and his body language didn't give anything away. As for Todone… he seemed almost thrilled. Kid really is a battle nut. I couldn't help but smile at it.

We nibbled on our rations, sitting in a circle and keeping an eye over our shoulders. The air was somewhat lighter than it probably should have been, but that was a good thing. Best not to think about oddities when we can think about other things.

In a strange, universal way, that happened to be women.

"I'm telling you, her tail sways like the wind!" One of the lizards barked out with a laugh. "She could dance an entire circle around me, and I still want to ask for her claw!"

The other lizardman he was talking to scoffed and shook his head. "While a fighting spirit ensures strong children, I also know she's about as good at cooking as you are"

"I don't believe you!"

"You need to remember that my brother married her sister. I tend to get the juicy details from that bloodline"

The former harrumphed at that. "Even if she wasn't the best of cooks, that doesn't change my views. We can always barter for cooked food when needed if it comes down to it"

"Which side do you think has a point, human?" One of the lizards asked me.

"You're… asking my opinion?" I couldn't help but say with surprise.

"Well why not?" A third lizardman said with a shrug. "Your counsel has proven to be sound so far, we'd like to hear your thoughts"

I chewed my cheek in consideration, before shaking my head. "While it's not ideal that neither of you can cook all that well, it also isn't a bad thing. Bartering to cover that side could most certainly work, but it wouldn't always be doable either. Have you considered simple meals that wouldn't require much prep like say, sushi?"

The two lizards blinked, before the first one smacked his forehead. "I can't believe I hadn't thought of that"

It was my turn to blink. "Wait, you guys actually know what sushi is?"

"It was mostly a delicacy among the marine lizardmen, but yes. The fish in these swamps are earthy and bland, but… they can most certainly work"

I shrugged. "Hey, who knows. If you'd like I could probably show you a few tips about cooking when we set up camp for the night. Would certainly earn you points with some ladies"

He opened and closed his mouth like a fish, before shaking his head. "I'd very much like that, actually"

The second lizardman laughed at that. "Hah! A male cooking for a female?"

I raised a brow at that. "Weren't you one of the guys that enjoyed my bug cooking? I'm pretty sure you were there, and I'm also certain you probably saw some of the compliments I got from the ladies?"

His mouth clicked shut at that, rubbing his chin in thought. I couldn't help but shrug, rocking in my criss-cross position.

"Would you like it if I taught you?" I offered.

"... maybe?" He spoke with uncertainty.

"Well, y'know, you don't have to, but if you happen to eavesdrop while I teach then I guess there's nothing we can do about that"

"... thank you…" He muttered, looking down.

A fourth, older lizardman laughed at the whole display, clutching his belly. "Ohohohoh! I remember when I met my wife. Ah, it was at the annual tribal competitions, I was a young drake looking to prove himself in spear throwing! For some reason she fancied me of all lizards, as arrogant and headstrong as I was at the time and tossed me a lei in her favor! Ah, I lost the competition but it didn't matter to her. Those were the days…"

Another lizardman nudged Todone, much to his chagrin. "So, what about you frog boy? Got a girl at the lake?"

The teen toad sputtered at that, and if he were capable I'm sure I'd see him blushing. "I-I uh, no. Not exactly, no. No sir"

I cocked an eyebrow at that. "After the way you just sputtered like that? Bulllll-shiiiiiit. At the very least you have someone you've got a crush or interest in"

Todone continued to sputter, looking away sheepishly. "I-I'd rather not talk about it right now"

I raised my hands at that, smirking. "Alright, fair enough. I won't push the subject, but it's all but obvious at this point. You Yulg? I know it's probably a sore subject, but…"

The goblin shrugged. "... females not common…"

Alright, fair enough answer.

"What about the human?" One of the lizardmen asked. "Surely you had a female you wanted to mate with?"

The brusque wording almost made me lose my temperament alone, but I held my cool. "Eh, not really. I was always more focused on making sure things were working in proper order for everyone else around me. Never had much time to focus on myself, more or less all work and no play. Wasn't a fan of it, but it was necessary. Honestly, finding myself out here is a blessing, I actually get to have some time to relax for once"

The lizardmen laugh at that. "Hah, you hear that?! The human finds Tob relaxing! Goodness gracious, you truly must have had an interesting life to say that!"

"You have no idea…" I grumbled darkly.

None of the others seem to have noticed or particularly cared about my words aside from Todone, who was already aware I had some kind of past at this point. The chit-chat continued, delving into other subjects. Eventually, we picked ourselves up and continued on the march. The sun was already beginning to wane in the west, but we still carried on. Thanks to our albino, we actually have a means of starting a fire quickly as he apparently knows a spell for that.

Speaking of, I think back to the spell I saw him cast earlier, {Vine Whip}. That spell definitely wasn't on my list, I feel like I would have noticed something like that. As we march, I use my eyes and thoughts to direct the interface in front of my vision, double checking. It was there, I made an interesting discovery.

{Vine Whip spell learning progress: 4%}

… I can learn spells? That's… that's fucking brilliant. Actually, it almost makes sense. I thought it was weird that there was a gap between the amount of spells I could learn naturally and the amount of spells I could 'remember' in a slot. Does this mean I'm not limited to the system's list in terms of what I can discover then? I know it worked that way with my already retained knowledge of primitive bushcraft, but spells? You bet your sweet bippy I'm gonna take advantage of this.

Is there any way I can fast-forward this process?

{Notice: Not enough spell points!}

Aw nuts. Ah well, at least I tried I guess. I suppose my only option would be to keep watching him cast spells for now. There's gotta be another way though, I know for a fact that in Overlord there was talk about making spells. I can't imagine the kind of brain work that goes into that however. Still, now I have an actual means of expanding my magic repertoire outside of 'instinctual' learning, and that counts for a lot.

I shake my head, eyeing the albino almost hungrily if I must admit. I'll definitely need to get buddy buddy with him if I want to learn a thing or two. Crusch has her own bag of tricks I'd like to learn from, but this is the more readily available source. Wouldn't hurt to learn a thing or two from more than one magic caster.

Here's hoping that this expedition doesn't go wrong, but with the little incident earlier I'm not feeling all that confident.

Crusch Lulu has left the party!

Nolan Potts, Human (Karma: 65 [Neutral]) [18/21 Spell slots used]

Classes: Brawler (5), Ranger (3), Druid (4), Clothier (3), Translucer (1). Total Level (16).

Spells (Druid): Frostbite, Entangle, Create or Destroy Water, Guidance, Jump, Cure Wounds, Dust Devil, Protect from Poison, Hold Person, Spike Growth, Lesser Restoration, Water Breathing, Darkvision, Sleetstorm

Spells (Ranger): Animal Friendship, Speak to Animals, Ensnaring Strike, Conjure Animals

Items of Note: {Humble Beginnings}

Party Members are as follows…

Member One: Todone, Son of Kodrotti, Toadman (Karma: -15 [Neutral])

Classes: Toadman Warrior (9), Brawler (8), Total Level (17).

Member Two: Yulg (Karma: 30 [Neutral])

Classes: Goblin Marauder (1), Brawler (8), Warrior (2)

AN: Opting to get rid of the 'Gear' tab from now on, was unnecessary and just taking up space.

Spatialyeti8: I'm glad someone else got that. Grew up on the stuff, can certainly expect a reference here and there