Slime Keeper 3: A Juicy Slice of Life LitRPG, page 1
Copyright © 2024 by Leon West
All rights reserved.
No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.
The story, all names, characters, and incidents portrayed in this production are fictitious. No identification with actual persons (living or deceased), places, buildings, and products is intended or should be inferred.
Book Cover by Inorai
Contents
Recap
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Things From Places
About the Author
Other Books
Recap
Book 1
After dying on Earth, I awakened in the fantastical world of Ylege and claimed a deed to an abandoned ranch at the Edge. With the help of my new companions—Glessal, a mana slime gorl, and Slanna, a darkness slime gorl—I set out to transform the [ Unnamed Ranch] into a thriving sanctuary for slimes and those in need.
As I learned to navigate the wonders and dangers of Ylege, I discovered my unique abilities as an [Earthborn Human] and formed a powerful bond with Glessal, becoming a slimecaster. Together, we faced the challenges of ranch life, capturing and raising blerps, and fending off hostile karoks and pursaks.
Amidst our efforts to build the ranch, we confronted the looming threat of Sheriff Raknar, who sought to strip me of my rightful claim to the land. To secure our future, Glessal, Slanna, and I ventured to the Edge County Faire, where we showcased our innovative slime creations and the talents of our beloved blerp, Ross.
Triumphing at the faire, we secured the funds needed to purchase a [Ranch Ownership License], solidifying our hold on the [Unnamed Ranch]. With new allies like Larissa, the elf, and Kaena, a magma slime gorl, at our side, we stood ready to defend our home and continue building a haven for all who sought shelter at the Edge of Ylege.
Book 2
With the [Unnamed Ranch] starting to flourish, life at the Edge became both more fulfilling and more dangerous. Glessal, Slanna, and I expanded our operations, capturing new types of blerps and pushing the limits of what our slime creations could do. But Raknar’s threats only grew as he sought to claim the ranch for himself. After his thugs targeted Larissa’s shop, it became clear that he would stop at nothing to tear us down.
While we bolstered the ranch’s defenses, we were forced to confront new threats, from rogue blerps to vicious karoks, but nothing compared to the chaos of the corrupted chicken-pursaks that nearly destroyed Edgedown. As the town rallied behind me after the battle, my reputation—and our need to stay vigilant—only grew.
Amidst all this, I entered the Royal Leaderboard, a high-stakes competition for [Slimecasters] from across the kingdom. Facing powerful rivals, I had to rely on my bonds with Glessal and Slanna, our new magma slime gorl Kaena, and even Talindra as we navigated the challenges ahead. Raknar, too, was among the contestants, determined to crush me on the public stage.
But our struggle went beyond just the leaderboard. Darker forces were at play in Ylege. I realized that Raknar’s obsession with me wasn’t just personal—it was connected to a greater conflict, one that threatened not only the ranch but the entire Edge.
Together with my companions, I vowed to protect everything we’d built, knowing that problems we faced would require more than just strength—they would demand every ounce of cunning, loyalty, and love we could muster.
Chapter 1
It’s hard to explain to someone who isn’t from the Midwest how desensitized you get to certain things.
You don’t think anything of it when someone says, “Ope, let me squeeze right past you there.” Someone suggesting a casual weekend trip out of town that includes a four-hour drive doesn’t even make you blink.
And it feels perfectly normal to stand on your front porch and watch an incoming tornado while everyone else screams at you for standing outside and watching an incoming tornado.
Although to be fair, no one was yelling at me right now. The storm was still a ways away, so I was fine. I could feel how the wind was picking up, whipping my hair around my face and sending leaves and debris skittering across the ground. There was an eerie greenish tint to the sky that always preceded a big storm back home. It was oddly comforting, in a way—a little slice of familiarity in this strange new world.
“You’re not invincible, you know,” Glessal said, drawing my attention to the beautiful blue woman beside me. Her presence brought a smile to my face.
“I know,” I said, reaching out to take her hand. Her slime was cool and smooth against my skin. “But I’ve been through plenty of storms like this before. It’s kind of exciting, actually.”
Glessal grabbed my arm and pulled it close to her chest.
I reached across my body to awkwardly pat her shoulder. “You’re that worried?” I asked her gently.
“Or I just want an excuse to remind you I can fit your entire arm in my chest,” she said, giving me a wicked grin. She was a slime gorl, one of the humanoid slimes of this world. Like every gorl I’d met thus far, she was tremendously stacked and wasn’t lying about how my arm nestled between her breasts.
“Which one is it?” I asked, returning her expression.
She flipped her head up, sending her long tendrils of hair cascading down her back. “Both,” she said honestly, dropping the teasing mask a bit. “How are you this calm?”
“I’m used to tornadoes,” I reiterated when I saw her discomfort, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. “They’re common back home.”
“Common enough to be a spectator sport?” she asked.
I chuckled, remembering how people would walk out on their patios to try and see the funnel cloud when the sirens went off. “Not quite, but sometimes yes. You can head down to the storm shelter. I’m just trying to think if there’s anything else I need to do first.”
She leaned her head against my still-held arm. “I’ll stay here,” she said, giving my arm a final squeeze before letting go. “I feel better about it when I’m with you. You seem like you know something I don’t.”
I grinned, leaning in to plant a kiss on her lips. Her mouth was soft and yielding, tasting faintly of sweet berries. “Yes, I do,” I said as I pulled back. “I know we’ve got plenty of time before we need to worry.”
Glessal giggled, a sound that never failed to lift my spirits. “You’re such a charmer. But… even still, maybe we should head inside now? The others are probably wondering where we are.”
I nodded, taking one last look at the approaching storm. The funnel cloud was visible now, a dark, twisting shape in the distance. “Good point. How’s everyone else doing?”
“Come inside and see for yourself,” she said, nodding toward the door.
I followed her around the house, keeping one ear open for the sound of the tornado getting closer. We made our way to the storm cellar. It was the kind of thing that I’d only ever seen in movies and TV shows—a big trapdoor outside that opened up to let people in underground. As we descended the stairs, we passed through a shimmering barrier of light that was definitely not part of the normal storm cellar experience. Instead, it was a byproduct of the [Ranch Management System] that allowed much of the buildings on this ranch to be imbued with a bit of magic.
In this case, that magic was providing an added layer of protection against the storm. Even if it passed directly overhead and then hovered on top of the house for a few seconds, everyone underground would be all right, and the house would be standing.
The basement showed it was certainly more crowded than it used to be on the ranch.
Slanna and Kaena were the first two to draw my eyes, two other members of my harem. The two women were a study in contrasts. Slanna was a darkness gorl, meaning the slime that made up her body was a deep purple that almost seemed to absorb light from the air around it, although that was an optical illusion. Kaena, on the other hand, was a magma gorl, and so gave off light from the bright orange slime that made up her form.
Both women were beautifully curvaceous, although that was true for all the slime gorls I had ever met. The two of them had taken over managing the other gorls as they started to hunker down for what was likely going to be a rather long day, reassuring them and handing out blankets.
“Blake,” Slanna said as she saw us, her face lighting up. “Was starting to worry you wo
I grinned, making my way over to her and Kaena. “Just taking in the view. How’s everyone holding up down here?”
Kaena snorted, her fiery hair flickering with amusement. “Oh, you know. Some are excited, some are terrified, and some are just annoyed at being cooped up. The usual storm shelter party mix.”
I laughed, giving each of them a quick kiss. “Sounds about right. Anyone need anything?”
“We’re good for now,” Slanna said, her cool hand resting on my arm. “I think it might be good for some of the other gorls to hear from you, though.”
Before I could respond, I noticed Ranne standing near the stairway with an expression that said she wanted to bite the tornado by the throat the moment it got close enough. I had to do a double take—she had a cat’s grace, and a cat’s penchant for moving unseen. I genuinely couldn’t tell if I’d walked past her without seeing her, or if she had just gotten over there while I wasn’t looking.
Knowing her, it could be both.
She was a hunter gorl and was shorter than the others but had a long thick striped tail that lashed the air behind her to mirror her agitation. Her leopard-like markings swirled unsteadily.
“Ranne,” I called out, making my way over to her. “You okay over here?”
She turned to me, her eyes sharp and alert. “Fine. Just don’t like being trapped down here while there’s a threat outside.”
I reached out, running my hand along her tail soothingly. She relaxed at my touch, her tail wrapping around my wrist. “I know, but sometimes the smartest thing to do is hunker down and wait it out. We can’t fight a tornado.”
“Watch me try,” she grumbled, but there was a hint of a smile on her face now.
They weren’t the only people here.
I surveyed the storm cellar, taking in the sight of the other gorls who had recently joined us at the ranch. Alloy caught my eye first, her metallic sheen reflecting the dim light. She stood tall and proud, but I noticed a hint of uncertainty in her posture.
“You doing all right over here?” I asked, approaching her.
She turned to me. “I’m... adjusting. Agreeing with Ranne a bit about wanting to fight the storm, but… I don’t have to fight right now, even if I could.”
I nodded, understanding. Alloy had been forced to use her steel-like body as a tool of intimidation under Raknar’s control.
“You’re more than welcome to help out around the ranch if you want,” I said, deliberately avoiding even a suggestion she should fight. Especially not a thing that couldn’t actually be fought. “But there’s no pressure. You can take all the time you need to figure things out.”
Alloy’s lips curved into a small smile. “Thank you. I think I’d like that.”
Moving on, I spotted Jalenya huddled in a corner, her green skin almost blending into the shadows. As I approached, she looked up.
“Hey, Jalenya,” I said softly. “You doing okay down here?”
She hesitated before speaking. “I’m doing all right,” she said, forcing on a smile that was obviously faked.
My heart ached for her. Jalenya had been forced to transform from a life gorl to a venom gorl by Raknar through a terrible act, and then use those new powers at his direction. She’d told me a little of the terrible things she’d been forced to do. The guilt of her involvement still weighed heavily on her.
“You’re safe here,” I assured her. “We’re lucky to have you.”
Jalenya’s shoulders relaxed slightly. “Thank you, Blake.”
I moved through the cellar, noticing all the little things. Liora was chatting animatedly with some of the other gorls—including Mira. Mira wasn’t part of Raknar’s former harem but since she’d arrived at the same time had fallen in with them comfortably.
“How’re you all doing?” I asked the group. I hated that I was starting to feel a bit like a politician making the rounds, but I wanted to make sure everyone was all right and accounted for.
Liora nodded. “Doing great!” she said brightly. “I mean, the storm sucks, but overall doing great.”
I grinned, happy to see she was bouncing back quickly. “That’s great to hear.”
The crystal gorl, Alisyn, crossed her arms. She was a shapechanger and had even imitated Talindra for a time. “It’s fine. Don’t like being cooped up, but it’s better than being tossed around by a damn tornado.”
I chuckled. I didn’t know her or Liora as well, but I could see the softness in her eyes that betrayed her true feelings. She liked it here.
“Well, you’re free to do as you please,” I said. “Just let us know if you need anything.” I scanned the room, and my forehead creased as I reviewed my mental list of everyone on the ranch.
“Where’s Vanel?” I asked, noticing the missing person.
“She said she’d be right back,” Slanna said, looking worried. “Something about checking on the blerps.”
I didn’t need to hear anything else. The moment I knew she was missing, I turned around and headed toward the stairs. “Stay here,” I said over my shoulder. “I’ll find her.”
When I opened the trapdoor, only my enhanced strength kept the wind from ripping it out of my grip. It was an effort to shove it back into place and stick a wooden beam between the handles so it wouldn’t open. The tornado was much closer now, close enough that my Midwestern-ass knew that now was the time to actually start getting worried.
“Vanel!” I shouted, trying to be heard over the wind and looking around.
Thankfully, Vanel was a life gorl, meaning she was made of bright green slime and so was easy to notice. I saw her near the [Pens] where all the blerps had gone underground to the individual storm shelters built into their pens. She was clinging to the side of one of the [Pens] with both arms as the wind made her hair flap about wetly.
I ran over to her, using [Shape Slime] to give us a momentary barrier against the wind. The blue shield shimmered into existence around us, muffling the howling wind and giving us a moment of relative calm.
“I’m sorry,” she said quickly, fumbling over her words. “I had to make sure all the blerps got into their pens.”
“It’s fine,” I said, reaching out to steady her. Her slime was warm and vibrant under my touch, pulsing with life energy. “We’ll get you to the storm basement. Did they all get underground?”
She nodded as the sound of the storm intensified outside my improvised shield of shimmering blue slime. “Blob Ross and the air blerps didn’t want to, but I was able to convince them,” she said, a hint of pride in her voice.
“How’d you do that? I thought only Ranne could talk to them.”
“Yes,” Vanel said, tossing her slimy hair over her shoulder, “but anyone can grab blerps and toss them into a hole.”
I chuckled. “That certainly sounds persuasive,” I said. A crack of thunder brought me back to the present. “You ready to head back?”
She nodded, and I dropped the barrier.
The wind hit us like a physical force, tugging at our clothes and threatening to sweep us off our feet. I realized that my enhanced strength only did so much in the face of a storm. All the strength in the world didn’t matter in the face of being picked up off the ground by a tornado.
I activated [Shape Slime] again, this time forming an anchor that dug deep into the ground. Using that as a tether, I hauled myself and Vanel forward, creating another anchor further ahead and repeating the process. It was slow going, but it kept us from being pulled away by the increasingly violent wind.
Suddenly, something came flying at my head out of nowhere. I instinctively batted it away, sending it careening off into the storm.
“What the hell was that?” I said, my heart racing. “Something almost hit me out of the storm.”
Vanel shrugged. “It’s probably a conjured item,” she said, as if that was the most normal thing in the world.
“What?” I asked her, confusion and a hint of dread creeping into my voice.
“Blake,” Vanel said, nerves replacing her casual tone. “You do know this is a mana storm, right?”
Before I could ask her to clarify, something else came flying at my face. This time, instead of knocking it away, I reached up to grab it.
My hand closed around it inches from my face. I could feel the way it squished under my fingers. Confused and slightly horrified, I looked down to see myself holding a…
