My Slime Wife: Training and Pampering Her Makes Me Stronger
Chapter 22: Becoming Hunters [3]

Chapter 22: Becoming Hunters [3]

The Ace of Spades Guild’s training gym was much larger than Liam had imagined.

The facility was divided into several training areas.

Some Hunters were pounding enormous reinforced punching bags.

Others swung wooden swords against metallic training automatons, while a group of archers practiced on targets that moved at incredible speed.

Every impact made the floor tremble.

Liam swallowed.

He couldn’t help thinking that they all looked like professionals.

And he...

Just two days ago, he could barely afford to pay his rent.

"Welcome."

Millie smiled as she walked beside him.

The towering shield user was wearing athletic clothes instead of her heavy armor, though she looked just as imposing as ever.

"Some of the people we rescued in the dungeon are training around here. They’ve recovered quite well."

Liam looked around.

He recognized several faces from the group that had accompanied Amber.

Some raised a hand to greet him.

Others simply nodded respectfully.

It all still felt strange.

He had never imagined Hunters that strong would treat him as an equal.

"Liam."

Millie pointed toward a man walking in their direction.

"I’d like you to meet Instructor James."

The man appeared to be around sixty years old.

His hair was completely gray.

He wore an immaculate white suit.

Dark sunglasses concealed his eyes.

His posture was so perfectly straight that he commanded respect the moment he approached.

"So... You’re the famous Tamer."

James extended his hand.

"I’ve been looking forward to meeting you."

Liam shook it.

"The pleasure is mine."

The instructor gave a faint smile.

"Millie and Evan haven’t stopped talking about you."

He paused.

"Well... You and your slime wife."

Liam chuckled softly.

"I suppose we gave them quite a story to tell."

"More than you realize."

James crossed his arms.

"Amber isn’t the type to exaggerate either. If she says a tiny slime defeated a dragon in an S-Rank Dungeon... I’d rather see it with my own eyes."

His gaze shifted to the bag hanging from Liam’s shoulder.

"Did you bring her?"

"Of course."

Liam opened the bag, and the little green gelatinous slime hopped out.

Plop.

Plop.

Plop.

James observed her for several seconds.

Then he burst into laughter.

"How fascinating."

Liam raised an eyebrow.

"What is it?"

"Years ago, I fought one of these."

He crouched in front of Lydia.

"It was much bigger. Much uglier. And far less friendly."

Lydia gave a tiny bounce, as if offended.

A message immediately appeared before Liam’s eyes.

[Lydia: Ugly?]

[Lydia: Did this old man just call me ugly?]

Liam had to suppress a laugh.

James continued speaking, completely unaware.

"Ordinary slimes have never been particularly dangerous creatures. That’s why it’s so hard to believe one this small could accomplish something like that."

He looked back at Liam.

"If Amber hadn’t personally told me what happened... I’d think this whole story was made up."

Liam scratched the back of his neck.

"What can I say? My wife just became ridiculously strong."

Another message appeared.

[Lydia: I liked that answer.]

James slowly began circling Liam.

Looking him up and down as though analyzing every detail.

"Now I’m curious about something else."

He stopped in front of him.

"What powers do you have?"

Liam thought about it for a few seconds.

He wasn’t sure how to explain.

"I don’t control Lydia."

James raised an eyebrow.

"You don’t?"

"We just... We trust each other. And I can communicate with her. That’s all."

"Telepathy?"

"Something like that. She can talk to me. But no one else."

James nodded thoughtfully.

"Interesting."

Then, without warning...

He squeezed Liam’s arm.

Liam jumped slightly.

"Huh?"

James began feeling his shoulder.

Then his other arm.

Then his back.

He even gave his stomach a light poke.

"Hmm..."

Liam blinked.

"Are... Are you examining me?"

"Very little muscle mass. Poor physical endurance. No formal training."

Liam smiled sheepishly.

"Well... Until a few hours ago, I couldn’t even afford a gym membership."

James laughed.

"That explains quite a bit."

Millie stepped in.

"If you join the guild, you’ll be able to use all these facilities."

She gestured around them.

"The gym. Personal trainers. A nutritionist. Rehabilitation services. We even have partnerships with several businesses."

Liam’s eyes widened slightly.

"All of that?"

"Of course. We also get discounts on equipment."

Liam felt like it sounded too good to be true.

Not long ago, he and Lydia had argued over whether they should buy meat or rice.

And now...

He might end up training in a place like this.

Meanwhile, another message appeared.

[Lydia: Liam.]

[Lydia: This man feels weird.]

He smiled.

’James?’

[Lydia: Yeah.]

[Lydia: He keeps touching you.]

Liam almost laughed.

’He’s just doing his job.’

[Lydia: I still don’t like it.]

James cleared his throat.

"All right."

"Enough talking."

He pointed toward an enormous machine positioned in the center of the gym.

It looked like a cross between a weighing scale and a medical examination pod.

Dozens of cables ran through it.

Transparent crystals were embedded throughout the structure.

A large circular display stood at the top.

"That..."

he said proudly,

"is the Rank Measurement Machine."

Liam stared at it in fascination.

James smiled.

"It took me nearly five years to perfect it."

Millie added proudly,

"Thanks to it, awakened individuals no longer have to risk their lives just to discover their potential."

James gestured toward the platform.

"Step on."

Liam obeyed.

The platform emitted a soft metallic sound.

The instructor began attaching sensors to Liam’s arms.

His chest.

His back.

Even his wrists.

Then he looked at Lydia.

"Your turn."

Lydia gave a tiny hop.

Plop.

James picked her up with surprising gentleness.

He placed her on a smaller platform beside Liam.

She immediately sent another message.

[Lydia: I don’t know if I like standing on a scale.]

Liam smiled.

’I don’t think you weigh very much.’

[Lydia: Very funny.]

James attached several cables to Lydia’s gelatinous body as well.

The sensors simply floated inside her.

Somehow, everything worked perfectly.

"Good."

the instructor said.

"Now both of you close your eyes."

Liam obeyed.

"And now?"

"Don’t think about anything."

"How exactly does this work?"

James laughed.

"That... is a trade secret."

Liam sighed.

The gym fell silent.

Only the faint hum of the machine could be heard.

Then...

The display began filling with glowing lines.

Waves.

Graphs.

Numbers.

Millie watched everything intently.

James folded his arms.

No one spoke for several minutes.

Until finally...

The machine emitted a beep.

Beep.

James looked at the results with curiosity.

He examined Lydia’s information first.

He smiled.

"Well... That was rather obvious."

Liam opened his eyes.

"What is it?"

James pointed at the screen.

"Your wife got incredibly lucky. The analysis is completely stable. There’s no doubt about it. Her current potential corresponds to... Emerald Rank."

Millie smiled.

"I knew it. After defeating that dragon, there was no way she’d rank any lower."

Liam looked at Lydia.

"Did you hear that?"

A message appeared instantly.

[Lydia: We’re Emerald Rank!]

[Lydia: Well...]

[Lydia: I’m Emerald Rank.]

[Lydia: You’re not... yet.]

Liam laughed.

"Thanks for the encouragement."

James continued staring at the display.

This time, however, he frowned.

"How strange..."

Millie stepped closer.

"What’s wrong?"

James adjusted his dark glasses and reviewed the data again.

The machine emitted irregular beeps, as though it couldn’t make up its mind.

"With him... It’s not so simple."

Liam felt a knot form in his stomach.

"What does that mean?"

James pointed at the display.

"The system is fluctuating."

"Fluctuating?"

"Yes."

"For a few seconds it reads Gold. Then it changes to Emerald. Then it goes back to Gold. And then to Emerald again."