The next morning, I went back to the forest to hunt again.
The air was cool, and the trees were quiet except for the sound of insects and distant birds.
After some time—
"I've killed 15 goblins now," I muttered as I finished collecting their cores.
I placed them inside my magic bag.
It still amazed me.
This magic bag was really helpful. Even after hunting many monsters, it stored everything easily without adding weight. It felt like I was carrying nothing at all.
"The dungeon rewards are amazing…" I said quietly, a bit impressed.
If I didn't have this bag, carrying this many cores would've been exhausting.
I continued walking deeper into the forest.
That's when I saw it.
A slime.
But something was different.
Its body wasn't the usual clear blue. It had a strange color—almost green, with a soft glow inside.
"What… kind of slime is that?" I said under my breath.
Suddenly—
A familiar voice echoed in my mind.
"Hey, Renji."
Gluttony.
"Kill that slime over there and absorb its core."
"Why?" I asked, curious.
"It's a healing slime," he said casually. "When you absorb its core, you can use its ability. You'll gain healing and regeneration skills too."
My eyes widened.
"R-regeneration?"
"Yes. It will slowly heal your wounds and help your body recover faster."
"W-wow…"
Without wasting time, I gripped my sword and approached the slime carefully.
It noticed me and bounced slightly, trying to move away.
I swung my sword.
The blade cut through it easily.
The slime's body melted into liquid and then disappeared, leaving behind a glowing green core on the ground.
I picked it up.
It felt warm.
Without hesitating, I absorbed it.
The moment the core dissolved into my palm, a strange warmth spread through my body.
It wasn't painful.
It was gentle.
Like warm water flowing through my veins.
My muscles relaxed. The small scratches on my arms from earlier fights started tingling slightly.
I watched as one of the minor cuts slowly closed.
"Amazing…" I whispered. "I can feel it… it's a warm power."
"Good for you," Gluttony said with a chuckle. "Not only that, you can also make potions and sell them."
I blinked.
"Potions?"
"Yes. Using your power, you can create healing potions."
A smile slowly formed on my face.
"Not only can I use acid… now I have healing too," I said. "I can even make potions. This ability is so good."
Gluttony spoke again.
"And by the way… you can create potions based on your power level. Since you're improving, I guarantee you can create a medium-grade potion."
"Medium-grade?" I repeated.
"But don't tell others that you can create it, or your life will be in danger" he added.
"W-what?" I said in shock.
He laughed lightly.
"It's obvious. There's no one in this world who can create potions instantly like that. Normally, people need herbs, tools, and a long process. That's why potions are expensive."
I stayed silent, listening carefully.
"If people find out you can create them easily, your life will be in danger," he continued. "By the way you could sell one bottle for at least ten silver coins."
Ten silver…
For one bottle?
My heart started beating faster.
That's almost half of what I earned from 25 goblins.
"Then… if I make a lot of these potions, I can sell them to the guild for a high price?" I asked again, still trying to wrap my head around it.
"Yeah," Gluttony's voice replied in my mind. "You can, but don't make too many at once. And make sure to give a reason—say someone asked you to sell them. Keep it believable."
I nodded slowly. "A-alright… thank you."
"No problem," he said. "But don't forget to get ready for next week. See you then."
"Next week…" I repeated, curiosity rising in my chest.
Then it hit me. I froze. My eyes widened, and my heart skipped a beat. I finally realized what he meant.
Next week… they would come again.
The thought made a chill run down my spine. I'd survived everything so far, but knowing that the Seven Sins would visit me again—pain, control, and all—sent a shiver through my body.
I stood there for a few seconds, just staring at nothing, my mind spinning.
"…Seriously?" I muttered to myself. "…Why do I have to endure that again and again? Isn't what happened already… enough?" I threw my hands up, pacing a little. "…What's so good about… fucking me over again and again?"
I paused, frowning, then shook my head. "…I mean, really. Do they ever take a break, or is this some kind of weekly ritual for them?"
Even though I said it like a joke, the thought made my stomach twist. I knew it was coming. And there was no skipping this "appointment."
"If they keep doing this… what's going to happen to my body?" I muttered to myself, voice shaky. "…I know they gave me this power, that I'll grow stronger—but… is this really the price I have to pay?"
I continued walking through the forest, the sunlight filtering through the trees.
Suddenly, I spotted a large boar lumbering along the path.
"That's a boar… I've heard their meat is good, perfect for cooking," I muttered to myself.
Just as I was preparing to hunt it, an arrow suddenly whistled through the air and struck the boar square in the head. It toppled to the ground instantly.
A man stepped out from the bushes, holding his sword, and wiped it clean. "That was easy," he said casually.
I froze for a second. "Hmm… what are you doing here, young man?" another voice called.
There were more people—an adventuring party. One of them eyed me carefully. "There are stronger monsters in this area. What level are you?"
"I-I'm E rank," I said, my voice a little small.
"E rank? Are you insane?" he exclaimed. "A group of monsters attacks here—you'd be killed instantly if you tried to hunt here!"
Suddenly, one of his party smacked the first guy lightly on the head. "Aww," he groaned, rubbing it.
"Are you his mother?" the first guy joked, then squinted at me. "Hmm… now that I look at it, you're too young. How old are you?"
"17," I answered.
He smirked. "Hmm… you've got a nice body too."
"Hey! You pervert!" another member of the party shouted.
"I-I didn't mean anything like that, haha," the first guy said nervously, waving his hands. "I'm just… praising him," he added with an awkward laugh.
"By the way, what's your name?" he asked.
"My name is Renji," I replied.
"We're C rank adventurers," he said proudly. "This is Doran," he pointed to the man with the sword, "and this is Seron, our archer. And I… I'm the tank, tall, handsome and strong too" he said
confidently
"H-Hello… nice to meet all of you," I said, giving a small bow.
"Then I'll get going now," I said, trying to sound calm.
"Oh, you're going back now?" one of them asked, raising an eyebrow.
"I'm still hunting, so I'm finding goblins again," I replied, keeping my voice steady.
"Are you perhaps a swordsman?" he asked, tilting his head slightly.
"Ah… no," I said honestly, feeling a little awkward.
"Alright, alright, then we'll get going now. See you next time," he said with a friendly nod.
Those adventurers… if they're C rank, that means they're strong too, I thought as I walked through the forest.
Six goblins suddenly appeared, blocking my path. Their screeches filled the air, eyes locked on me.
I raised my hand, and acid formed at my palm. The first goblin screamed as the acid hit its face, slowly burning its head.
The others attacked, and I swung my sword, cutting two of them in half. That was easy.
The remaining three rushed me angrily. I hit their faces with acid again, and they screeched in pain. I stepped forward and swung my sword, cutting their heads cleanly one by one.
After the fight, I picked up the goblin cores and placed them in the magic bag.
I wiped my hands and continued walking, staying aware of the forest around me, moving forward steadily.
While I was walking, I looked into my magic bag. I have 21 goblin cores now… should I hunt more? I thought.
I continued deeper into the forest, curious about what other monsters might be lurking here. The shadows between the trees seemed thicker, and the sounds of distant rustling made my heart beat a little faster.
Just then, a group of goblins appeared, seven in total. They screeched and charged at me.
I didn't hesitate. I swung my sword, cutting two in half instantly. The others rushed, but I hit their faces with acid, making them scream in pain. I closed in and sliced the remaining three cleanly.
After the battle, I picked up their cores and placed them in the magic bag. Handling low-level monsters like these was easy now.
Here's a cleaned-up version of your scene with smooth flow and natural dialogue:
I returned to the Adventurers Guild, tired but satisfied.
"Good work again, Renji," Cera said with a smile.
She placed a small pile of coins on the counter. "Here are 28 silver coins for today."
"By the way," I asked slowly, "are you buying potions here?"
"Hmm… do you mean we're selling potions?" she replied, tilting her head.
"Ah, no," I said quickly, "someone I know is looking for buyers for his potions."
"I see… so where are the potions you're selling?" she asked.
"I'm sorry, I didn't bring them," I admitted. "He said that I need to find a buyer first."
"It's okay," she said kindly. "By the way, if you're selling potions, here's how it works: low-grade potions are 5 silver per bottle, medium-grade are 10 silver, and high-grade potions are 1 gold coin each."
"That's… an amazing price," I said, impressed.
"Yes," she nodded. "Only a few people can actually make potions, so the price depends on the situation."
"Alright, thank you for the information," I said, picking up my coins. "I'll get going now."
With that, I headed back to my room.