My Slime Wife: Training and Pampering Her Makes Me Stronger
Chapter 9: Diving Through a Sea of Sand

Chapter 9: Diving Through a Sea of Sand

The sensation was impossible to describe.

Liam had imagined many times what entering a Dungeon would be like.

He had watched hundreds of broadcasts.

He had heard stories from Hunters.

He had read articles about monsters, traps, and treasures.

But he never imagined that his first experience would be like this.

Diving through a sea of sand, inside a gelatinous mass.

With his wife transformed into a slime suit completely covering his body.

He kept his eyes open as he moved through the white sand.

He couldn’t see anything.

Only sand.

Above.

Below.

To the sides.

Everything looked the same.

An endless white void.

He held his breath.

He didn’t know how long he had been descending.

It could have been seconds.

Or minutes.

Inside Lydia’s body, he couldn’t measure anything.

The only connection he had was his skill.

[Call.]

’Lydia.’

His thought traveled directly to her.

’Are you okay?’

The response came quickly.

[Lydia: Liam...]

’Yes?’

[Lydia: I’m trying not to look.]

He frowned.

’Not look at what?’

[Lydia: The direction we’re going.]

There was a small pause.

[Lydia: I don’t like not knowing where we’re heading.]

Liam understood perfectly what she meant.

Even he felt a certain discomfort.

They were descending toward an unknown place.

Not knowing what was below.

Not knowing how much farther they had to go.

Not knowing if they would find an exit.

’Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.’

The response took a few seconds.

Then Lydia spoke.

[Lydia: To be honest...]

[Lydia: I was scared.]

Liam remained attentive.

’The eyes?’

[Lydia: Yes.]

[Lydia: When I saw those things watching us from the sky...]

[Lydia: I thought they were going to attack us.]

[Lydia: I thought we had fallen into a trap.]

Lydia’s body moved slightly around him.

As if even remembering it made her nervous.

[Lydia: I’m glad we didn’t have to fight any monsters.]

Liam closed his eyes for a moment.

She couldn’t see him.

But he knew exactly what she was thinking.

He had been scared too.

Much more than he wanted to admit.

He had only tried to remain calm.

Because Lydia depended on him.

Because if he panicked, they would both be lost.

’To be honest... this is nothing like what I expected from the last floor of a Rank D Dungeon.’

He looked at the sand around him again.

’I wouldn’t even expect something this peaceful from a Rank E or F Dungeon.’

There were no enemies.

No traps.

No treasures.

Only that endless sand.

Lydia responded.

[Lydia: Then...]

[Lydia: Maybe being Hunters won’t be as complicated as we thought.]

Liam smiled slightly.

’You think so?’

[Lydia: Well...]

[Lydia: I thought we would find gigantic monsters the moment we entered.]

[Lydia: But so far, the biggest enemy has been sand trying to swallow us.]

He let out a small laugh.

’And my wife turned into a diving suit.’

The response came immediately.

[Lydia: Liam.]

’Yes?’

[Lydia: Don’t ever say it like that again.]

He couldn’t help but laugh.

Even in that situation.

Even trapped inside an unknown Dungeon.

Lydia was still Lydia.

◇◆◇

Time continued passing.

And little by little...

The lack of air began becoming noticeable.

Liam felt the pressure in his chest.

His lungs were beginning to burn.

’This... might have been a bad idea.’

Lydia reacted immediately.

[Lydia: Liam.]

’What?’

[Lydia: Remember that I can still hear your thoughts.]

He closed his eyes.

’I’m sorry. I didn’t want to worry you. But I can barely hold my breath anymore.’

There was silence.

Then Lydia answered.

[Lydia: It’s okay.]

[Lydia: It’s fine.]

[Lydia: Let’s find a solution.]

But Liam knew they didn’t have much time.

He tried to continue descending.

He moved one arm forward.

As if he was swimming.

Then something different happened.

His hand passed through the sand.

But this time, it didn’t meet any resistance.

He felt air.

Liam’s eyes widened.

’Lydia. I think...’

He didn’t finish the sentence.

He began moving with all his strength.

He pushed forward.

He broke through the sand.

And then...

His head emerged.

Air.

Real air.

He took a massive breath.

"Ah!"

Lydia’s body immediately began moving away from his face.

The gelatinous mass freed his head.

Liam breathed desperately.

Then he looked around and froze completely.

They weren’t underground.

They weren’t inside a cave.

They were in the sky.

Literally.

His body was floating among the clouds.

Below him was an enormous forest.

Giant trees.

A green expanse that seemed to have no end.

Liam looked upward.

The sand was slowly disappearing above him.

The same sand they had emerged from.

But now, it was falling from the sky.

"We did it..."

A smile appeared on his face.

"Lydia. We did it."

The response came quickly.

[Lydia: Thanks to your clever thinking.]

Liam shook his head.

"Don’t exaggerate."

[Lydia: I’m serious.]

[Lydia: Stop doubting yourself.]

He smiled.

"Since when are you the one giving me motivational speeches?"

[Lydia: Since we got married.]

Liam burst into laughter.

But then he looked downward.

And the smile disappeared.

"We have another problem."

[Lydia: What is it?]

"How are we going to get down?"

Both of them looked at the forest below.

They were far too high.

A normal fall would be fatal.

Lydia answered after a few seconds.

[Lydia: Maybe...]

[Lydia: My body can work to cushion your fall.]

Liam raised an eyebrow.

"You think you can?"

[Lydia: I don’t know.]

[Lydia: But I have confidence.]

He smiled.

"That sounds good."

Lydia’s response came with pride.

[Lydia: You’re not the only clever one in this relationship.]

Liam laughed.

"I already know that, sweetheart."

Then he felt Lydia beginning to move.

The gelatinous mass slowly left his body.

She returned to her original form.

A small green slime floating in front of him.

"Lydia, be careful. We don’t know what’s down there. You might fall on top of a monster."

The response came confidently.

[Lydia: Don’t worry.]

[Lydia: I have confidence now.]

[Lydia: I can face anything.]

And then, Lydia fell.

Like a small green drop thrown from the sky.

Straight toward the trees.

Liam held his breath.

But seconds later...

He saw her.

Her body had landed on some bushes.

She was moving.

She was fine.

The message arrived.

[Lydia: Liam.]

[Lydia: I’m going to start stretching.]

[Lydia: Don’t take your eyes off me.]

He understood.

Lydia began expanding.

Her tentacles grew.

Her body stretched over the bushes.

Preparing.

Liam looked downward.

His wife was there, waiting for him.

Then he made a decision.

He stopped resisting.

The sand that was still holding part of his body began to release him.

And he fell.

The wind struck his face.

His speed increased.

His eyes wanted to close, but he couldn’t.

He couldn’t look away.

He had to trust Lydia.

He had to see her.

The green mass below him continued growing.

Preparing to catch him.

Then...

Something caught his attention.

Among the trees.

In a small clearing.

There was a campfire.

An orange flame illuminated the forest.

Liam opened his eyes a little wider.

’A campfire?’

’Maybe they’re Hunters.’

For a moment, he slightly turned his head.

But Lydia’s voice immediately reached him.

[Lydia: Liam.]

He looked back at her.

[Lydia: Don’t take your eyes off me.]

His speed continued increasing.

The ground was getting closer.

The campfire continued burning among the trees.

And Liam realized that they might not be alone inside this Dungeon.

But he couldn’t worry about that right now.

Because at this moment, his life completely depended on the small gelatinous mass waiting below.