Slime Leveling [Litrpg, Timeloop]-Chapter 173—Failed to protect

"Multi Phantom," Giliberu cast with his hands behind his back.

A clone manifested behind him and knelt down.

The adventurers couldn't spot the clone because the main body blocked their view.

'I really miss my lesser spirit slime body,' he mused. 'My clone would have turned into spirit form and rushed over, but now I'll have to think of another way.'

Thud!

He dropped the weapon and raised his arms.

He said, slowly moving forward, "Don't kill them. I'm unarmed."

The woman said, grinning, "No sneaky moves… stop right there."

"Not bad," she continued when he stopped with a frown.

"Now tie yourself with that rope glowing with golden color." She pointed toward the tied-up goblins with her dagger.

"Now… Reinforced Body, Haste." Giliberu used, spotting the woman's hand—her dagger was a little further than the goblin's neck.

He lunged at her.

The clone behind him followed, using "Reinforced Body, Haste."

In the middle of the leap, he cast "Multi Phantom."

Two more clones formed in the air, and they rushed towards the bulky man who was holding the young goblin.

The four Giliberus were glowing with the crimson aura.

The young goblin reacted quickly and bit down on the arm holding his neck.

"You—!" the bulky man yelled, releasing his grip.

In the next moment, he held his pain and swung his dagger downward, which was held in his other arm.

The goblin rushed forward, finding himself free.

The dagger slashed the goblin's right arm. Slash!

Thud! His entire arm fell to the ground as blood splashed.

"Ahhh!" the goblin screamed in pain.

"Acid Fist." The clone's fist smashed the bulky man's chest, sending him flying a few meters away.

The woman wasn't slow.

She slashed with her dagger as well, but the goblin in her arms was an experienced fighter.

He used "Iron Body."

Aura flared from his body—and the dagger only scratched his neck. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞

The woman's eyes widened. She noticed that Giliberu was right in front of her, his fist glowing red.

She hissed, "Poisonous Breath."

She blew purple gas from her mouth as a dark purple magic rune flared from her mouth.

The breath connected with the running goblin's right shoulder. Zzz!

"AHhh!" the goblin screeched in pain and fell to his knees.

His entire right arm fell to the ground with Thud!—as his side shoulder holding his arm burned away.

"Damn it," Giliberu roared as his fist finally landed on the woman's face.

Crack! Crack!

Her nose blew apart as she reeled backward.

Giliberu rushed in and blew her head away as he dumped more aura.

The thin man, Bill—who had been holding the Goblin Lord—fell to the ground dead.

A few moments ago—

Slash!

Bill swung his dagger into the Goblin Lord's neck.

But the towering goblin cast, "Demonic Body! Demonic Surge!"

He erupted with a massive amount of demonic force, which blew huge wind gusts. His entire body turned black like metal.

The dagger shattered the instant it touched his dark neck.

He broke free from the ropes with a slight twitch of his arms.

Then he slammed his elbow into Bill's neck, shattering it on the spot.

The human collapsed—dead.

Current time—

The old goblin fell to his knees, howling, "Ahhh."

Blood sprayed from his right shoulder like rain.

Dark, poisonous purple marks began to spread from the shoulder over his body.

The other goblin barked at the remaining adventurer.

"Acid Fist! Acid Fist!"

The clones and the main body ganged up on the remaining bulky man.

After a few brutal punches, he was beaten to death, joining his fellow humans.

The woman's eyes stayed wide with shock, even as she died.

The bulky man couldn't even respond as Acid Fist slammed into him repeatedly.

Even after death, his face was twisted in agony.

"Demonic Reforge," the Goblin Lord cast, placing his arm over the old goblin's torn shoulder.

The goblin's shoulder regenerated, along with his arm, slowly.

He then cast, "Demonic Recover."

Zzz!

Purple smoke emitted from the old goblin's body as demonic force entered his body.

The young goblin rushed to the Goblin Lord, holding his broken arm, still screaming, "Ahh."

Poof!

The clones vanished.

Giliberu fell lost in thought, 'Where did I go wrong?' He glanced at his fists.

Before he could prove his choice, he was hit hard.

"Demonic Reforge," the Goblin Lord cast, healing the young goblin's arm.

Then he broke the rope holding the other goblins, freeing them.

The two goblins rushed forward to the pondering Giliberu and bowed to him.

"Thanks, my young lord."

"Thank you for saving us."

The Goblin Lord patted Giliberu's shoulders. "If I weren't present here, one would have lost his arm, the other would have died slowly and painfully."

Giliberu's eyes widened as the Goblin Lord walked away.

'He's wrong… I could have saved the old goblin's life—by healing poison,' he mused, biting his lip. 'But he's right in one aspect, though. They would have been armless for their entire lives.'

My current arsenal lacks limb regeneration," he muttered.

He sighed and sat on the ground, wondering, 'So if things really were to happen again like this, what should I do?'

"Lord…" a goblin asked, glancing at the Goblin Lord who sat on the rock.

Goblin Lord raised his palm. "Let's sit here for some time."

Goblins sat down on the ground.

After some time, Giliberu slapped his cheeks and clenched his fists.

'What next time? There will be no next time. I failed only because I'm without my main body,' he thought, narrowing his eyes.

Yes, he was indeed right.

'After experiencing more than a hundred loops, I'd adapted to a slime body,' he thought bitterly.

He was very flexible in his Slime body, which had no fixed shape; however, only with his main body.

'This body… I'm not fully comfortable with it,' he mused, standing up.

Despite being 3 years in his goblin body, he wasn't able to properly unleash his power.

"It's my first fight," he scowled.

He recalled his first fight with his Slime body. "Died… at least I did good here." He grinned.

"Let's go, son." Goblin Lord said, waving his hand at the goblins to follow him.