Margaret Foster's boots crunched over the gravel as she stepped out of her truck, a pair of vehicles behind her. Her head turned to survey the vast, marshy field in front of them.

  A small grin tugged at the corner of her lips as she adjusted the large duffel bag on her shoulder and brushed her flaming red hair out of the way.

  "Alright boys, listen up!" She barked. Her voice carried a commanding tone, cutting through the quiet hum of the countryside. "We've got a job to do, and we're not leaving until it's done. Got that?"

  A chorus of affirmations came from the group behind her, a motley crew of young men and women, each wearing an expression that mixed excitement and apprehension in equal measure. Some of them were here for the thrill, others for the pay. But they all understood one thing - they were about to step into a world most people would rather pretend didn't exist.

  Her gaze swept over the field, eyes narrowing slightly. The sun was just beginning to wane, painting the sky in soft hues of afternoon light.

  "Remember," she said, her voice quieter now but no less firm, "these things are deceptively quick, they're vicious, and they're smarter than your average rodent, and there's no telling if there's some spillover here. Keep your guard up, watch each other's backs, and we'll get through this in one piece. Understood?"

  A chorus of "yes, ma'am" echoed back, and she nodded in approval. She turned to lead them forward, but a hand on her shoulder stopped her. She glanced back to see one of her regulars, a lanky bearded man with shaggy blonde hair, beige cargo pants, red flannel, and a green beanie looking at her with a mixture of admiration and concern. Dylan. He was the one who sourced most of their supplies, and even contributed produce from his own farm.

  "You're always first in, aren't you, boss?" Dylan asked, his voice gentle and tinged with worry.

  She chuckled, her hand reaching up to pat his. "Someone's gotta do it, right? Might as well be the one who knows what they're doing. Besides, I've gotta set the standard around here." Her smile was warm, but there was a steely glint in her eyes that spoke volumes about her resolve. She was their protector, their guide, and their friend.

  Marshes and swamps, like the one that sprawled in front of them, were notorious for these kinds of infestations. The murky waters, dense vegetation, and relative isolation made them perfect breeding grounds for a variety of magical creatures - most of them not the friendly kind. Among the most common and bothersome were slimes. These gelatinous, translucent creatures were a far cry from their cute and cuddly depictions in video games. Even if they were mostly herbivores.

  In reality, slimes were a nightmare.

  They multiplied slowly at first, but upon reaching 'heat season' - they would suddenly congeal and devour everything in their path as they multiplied asexually.

  They weren't that deadly to people, but they could easily destroy crops and strip the land bare in a matter of weeks. They were also terrible on the clothes, eating through them in seconds. That meant you had to get them tailored and charmed to resist slime secretions before coming on a job like this.

  That's why most farmers would post a bounty on a local portal. Sure, it was a bit pricey, but the cost of hiring someone like Maggie to clear the area was a lot cheaper than the potential losses from a slime invasion.

  And if Maggie was being honest? The payout wasn't even the best part.

  The adrenaline rush of the hunt, the satisfaction of a job well done, and the knowledge that she was making a difference in the world - that's what kept her coming back for more bounties like these.

  Left unchecked, a slime infestation could turn a verdant valley into a barren wasteland within a few reproductive seasons. And that's where she and her team came in.

  Slime hunting was... lucrative. The creatures had medicinal properties. If you ground them into a paste, they could heal injuries in a few minutes.

  The pay was good. The bounties were high. But the work was grueling. The sun was blistering, the humidity was oppressive, and the terrain was treacherous. It was a job that most people would balk at. But not her. She thrived on it. The danger, the challenge, the satisfaction of a job well done - these were the things that drove her.

  A tall, barrel chested 31 year-old Asian man named Dennis walked beside her. He was towing a bulky cart he'd lifted out of the truck, the contents of which bounced and shifted with each step.

  Slimes, they'd discovered, had a particular fondness for the crunch and flavor of fresh produce. It was a lure they couldn't resist, a fact that Maggie and her team had turned into an advantage.

  Dennis's job was to lay the trap, placing the vegetables strategically around the marsh. It was a dangerous task; once the slimes caught the scent, they would swarm, and being caught in the middle of a hungry slime horde was not a fate anyone would wish for.

  But Dennis was one of Maggie's most experienced hunters, and she had full confidence in his abilities.

  "Hey, Maggie," Dennis called out, his voice barely audible over the sound of the wind and the distant squelching of slime movement. "Think this batch is gonna be big enough for a meal or two?"

  Margaret chuckled, her eyes still scanning the terrain for signs of the slimes. "Depends on your definition of 'big enough,' Dennis. You remember that one job in Oklahoma? Now that was a feast."

  Dennis laughed, the sound hearty and full of warmth. "How could I forget? We ate an entire dutch oven full of braised slime that night, I thought we'd burst. But damn, they were delicious."

  The medicinal properties of slimes weren't just reactive. A slime could be rendered edible with the right preparation. And they tasted surprisingly crunchy. Kinda like jellyfish. Some people even enjoyed eating them raw in a salad, a practice that Maggie found slightly disturbing. But then again, people had different tastes. She wasn't one to judge.

  After all, slime flesh was one of the most powerful and affordable prophylactics and defensive performance enhancers on the market.

  She'd had to use it herself, from time to time, when dealing with the more... interesting... hunts. It was the nature of the business. You had to be willing to do whatever it took to get the job done. Even if that meant swallowing a few mouthfuls of raw slime.

  Maggie's thoughts were abruptly interrupted by a faint, squelching noise in the distance. Her eyes narrowed, focusing on the source of the sound.

  "There," she said, pointing towards a dense patch of reeds a few meters away. "I think we've got our first catch of the day."

  Dennis nodded, his expression turning serious. "Alright, let's get to work. Remember, aim for the core. That's the only way to put these things down for good."

  With that, the team sprang into action, each member moving with practiced efficiency. Some of them readied their weapons, while others began setting up the collection tanks that would hold the defeated slimes until they could be transported back to town for processing.

  Maggie stood in the middle of the action, her eyes flicking between each member of her team, making sure everyone was in position and ready for what was to come. There was a certain thrill in this moment, just before the battle began.

  As the first slime came into view, the team tensed, their weapons at the ready. The creature was a vivid, almost fluorescent green, its body shimmering in the sunlight. It was about the size of a large dog, its gelatinous form undulating as it moved closer to the bait.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Maggie watched as one of her newer recruits, a young brunette named Emily, took a cautious step forward, her hands shaking slightly. The girl had only been with them for a few weeks, and this was her first encounter with a monster. Maggie could see the fear in her eyes, the uncertainty in her movements.

  "Steady, Emily," Maggie called out, her voice calm and reassuring. "Remember what we practiced. Breathe, focus, and strike true. You can do this."

  It moved slowly at first, but as it got closer, its movements became more frantic, more desperate. It was hungry, and it could sense the bait they had laid out for it. More and more slimes of different colors emerged from the reeds, their bodies glistening in the sunlight. They were drawn to the bait like a moth to a flame, their instincts overriding any sense of danger. They knew that there was food to be had, and they would stop at nothing to get it.

  The first slime reached the bait, its body quivering with excitement. It lunged forward, enveloping the vegetables in its gelatinous form. As it did, the other slimes began to swarm, drawn in by the commotion. It was like watching a wave crash onto the shore, their bodies blending together in a writhing, pulsating mass.

  Just as the first slime was about to reach the vegetable pile, Maggie gave the signal. "Now!"

  The team opened fire, raising their firearms and unleashing a barrage of bullets and magic bolts. The sound was deafening, echoing across the marshlands. The slime shuddered under the onslaught, its gelatinous body quivering and pulsating. But it wasn't going down without a fight.

  It reared up, towering over the team, its body swelling and contorting as it prepared to strike.

  Maggie's heart raced, her adrenaline pumping. This was what she lived for, the thrill of the hunt, the feeling of being alive in the face of danger. She raised her own crossbow, taking aim at the slime's pulsating core - a swirling mass of color and energy that was the creature's heart and mind.

  She pulled the trigger, and a burst of energy erupted from the bolt, striking the slime dead center. The creature let out a shriek, a sound that was both horrifying and oddly satisfying. It began to collapse in on itself, its body melting as a puddle of gooey, viscous liquid poured out of its cartilaginous membrane.

  As the slime dissolved, the team let out a cheer. They had taken down their first slime of the day, and it had been a clean, efficient kill.

  But they knew that this was just the beginning - there were many more monsters lurking in the marshes, waiting to be hunted. Dennis quickly gathered up the remains of the slime, scooping the cartilaginous membrane into one of the collection tanks.

  Suddenly, a gust of wind blew across the marsh, carrying a scent Maggie couldn't quite put her finger on. The air grew colder, and a sense of dread settled over the group. Maggie's instincts kicked in, her years of experience telling her that something was wrong. She scanned the horizon, her eyes narrowing as she tried to pinpoint the source of the disturbance.

  "W-What's going on?" Emily stammered, her voice barely a whisper. The rest of the team stood frozen, their expressions a mixture of fear and confusion.

  "I don't know," Maggie replied, her voice tense. "But whatever it is, we need to be ready for it. Everyone, on your guard!"

  The wind grew stronger, whipping through the marsh and sending ripples across the murky water. The vegetation around them rustled and shivered, as if responding to some invisible force. Maggie could feel the tension in the air, thick and oppressive, like a storm about to break.

  "Hey! What's that?" Dennis shouted, pointing at a disturbance in the reeds. A faint, eerie glow emanated from the spot, growing brighter by the second. The slimes nearby began to quiver and shudder, their gelatinous bodies convulsing as if in pain.

  "What the fuck is that!?" Dennis screamed, his voice hoarse and filled with panic.

  "I don't know, but we need to get out of here!" Maggie shouted, grabbing Emily's arm and pulling her away from the scene.

  "Cinder Art..." a young woman's voice echoed from within the reeds, "...Rengoku!"

  A burst of crimson light exploded from the reeds, bathing the marsh in a terrifying red glow. A massive column of flame rose into the sky, its heat so intense that Maggie felt it from across the field.

  Dennis, Maggie, and the others staggered backward, shielding their faces from the searing heat.

  Within the column, they could see the silhouettes of the writhing slimes, their bodies melting and twisting in agony. The sound of their death throes filled the air, a horrifying symphony of pain and despair. A shockwave of heat and force ripped through the team, knocking them off their feet and sending them sprawling into the muddy ground.

  Maggie landed hard, the impact knocking the wind out of her lungs. She struggled to catch her breath, gasping for air as she pushed herself up onto her elbows. Her ears were ringing, and she could feel blood trickling down the side of her face from a cut on her forehead.

  The rest of her team was scattered around her, some of them stirring, others still motionless. Maggie's heart raced as she scrambled to her feet, her legs shaking from the shock of the explosion.

  "Everyone, sound off!" she yelled, her voice raw and desperate. "Is anyone seriously hurt?"

  Her team responded, groaning and calling out in a chorus of dazed and disoriented voices. They were battered and bruised, but miraculously, no one seemed to be seriously injured.

  "What the hell was that?" Dennis asked, his voice shaky as he sat up, cradling his head in his hands. "Did... Did the Association send backup? Is there an Sentinel in the area or something?"

  "I don't know," Maggie replied, her voice tense. "But whatever it was, it's not friendly."

  "Well... whoops. That is quite awkward," an unfamiliar voice said. It was feminine, but cold. A slight Asian accent she couldn't quite place. "Um. Sorry about the scare. And your vegetables."

  Maggie turned towards the voice, and her eyes widened in surprise. A young-sounding woman with neck-length hair stepped out of the shadows, her face obscured by a hooded black cloak and a white mask adorned with floral patterns. Maggie could tell she was a foreigner, likely from somewhere in the east, but she couldn't quite place where.

  The woman had a strange aura about her, a mixture of confidence and apprehension. She moved with a fluidity that was almost unsettling, her steps silent as she approached the team.

  "I apologize for startling you," she said, her voice hesitant but firm. "I was following a bounty and it led me here. I did not anticipate finding another team in the area."

  Maggie stared at the woman, her mind racing with questions. Who was she? Where had she come from? And how had she managed to take out an entire field of slimes with a single attack?

  "You're..." Dennis started to speak, but his voice trailed off, his eyes fixed on the woman.

  "A hunter, yes," the woman replied, her tone matter-of-fact. "Like you, I came to exterminate the slimes and harvest them. They are annoying to deal with using pure physical damage, and you were in the way."

  Margaret's brow furrowed, her curiosity piqued. "Who are you?" she asked, her voice steady despite the lingering adrenaline from the explosion.

  The woman hesitated for a moment, her eyes scanning the faces of the team. Finally, she nodded.

  "You may call me... Hanako."

  Maggie extended her hand, her grip firm and her gaze steady. "Pleasure to meet you, Hanako. I'm Margaret, the team leader. This is Dennis, our tracker and muscle."

  Dennis waved sheepishly, still trying to process what had just happened. "Nice to meet you, ma'am," he mumbled, his voice barely audible.

  Hanako's gaze swept over the team, and she nodded in acknowledgment. "Well met, all of you. I apologize once again for the disturbance. Would you mind if I hunted further ahead? There is still a lot of work to do, and I would like to take a quarter of it, if you would be willing."

  Maggie exchanged glances with her team. A quarter? Maybe she had a team nearby. It would be nice if she had some helpers around.

  "If your crew takes the right side of the marsh and we take the left, I think that should be manageable," Maggie suggested, her voice cautious but hopeful. "We'll stay out of each other's way."

  Hanako inclined her head, her expression hidden behind the mask. "Te— Hmph. That sounds like an acceptable arrangement. Thank you for your understanding." Her voice held a hint of relief, as if she was glad to have found a solution that didn't involve confrontation. "I will be on my way now."

  With that, Hanako turned to leave, her cloak billowing in the wind.

  "Hey wait up!" Emily called out, her voice trembling with awe.

  Maggie turned back to look at the woman, but she vanished in a blur.

  "Wait, where did she go?" Emily asked, her eyes wide with disbelief.

  Maggie shook her head, a wry smile on her lips. "I have no idea, kid. No idea at all. But one thing's for sure that girl is something else."

  "Um...." Dennis murmured, his eyes wide. "She sounded so sexy... I wonder what she looks like beneath the mask"

  Maggie sighed. "Come on, Romeo. Let's get back to work. We've got slimes to hunt."

  She turned around once again to assess the damage from the explosion. She balked, seeing a couple of the crew standing around the vegetable carts.

  "Dylan?" Maggie called out. "Is everything alright?"

  Dylan stared at the carts without responding. The vegetables within were a steaming pile of mushy and charred shredded remains. Useless. The explosion had caught the carts and burned the produce.

  "Dylan?" Dennis asked, his brow furrowed in concern.

  "My..." Dylan barely managed to eke, his expression a mix of shock and disbelief. "M-My Cabbages!!!"

  And then he screamed.