He died. That was the last thing he remembered. What came after death wasn't something he expected. He expected to either go to hell, or heaven, or simply just cease to be. But none of that happened. He was simply conscious in an unending void. It wasn't what he hoped his afterlife would be. He sighed. Well, he tried to. He could feel that he was slowly losing memories. Not his core memories, but the ones he considered insignificant, such as studying.
He didn't mind losing those memories. But he didn't want to lose sight of who he was. Even in death, he did not wish to lose the memories that shaped who he was. He did not want to lose the memories of him stealthily eating ice cream with his dad at night. He didn't want to lose the memories of him playing with his mom. He didn't want to lose any memories that contained his parents. He didn't want to lose the memory of how ice cream tasted.
He fought against the unending void. It was not a traditional fight but instead, a fight of will. He fought to maintain his memories while the void continuously tried to devour them.
He did not know for how long he had been struggling against the all-encompassing void. Time didn't exist in the void. There was no beginning, no end—only the slow erosion of self. Even as the heavy weight of the void, the heavy weight of forgetfulness pressed against his mind, he didn't give in. He refused to.
And then, something changed.
A presence stirred in the unending void. He could sense something other than himself in the void for the very first time. And for the First time in all of existence, the void cracked. He felt the pull from the crack.
[REINCARNATION PROCESS DISRUPTED. MEMORY RETENTION ANOMALY DETECTED.]
[RECALIBRATING SOUL FRAMEWORK… ERROR.]
[NEW FORM ASSIGNED.]
His thoughts splintered as his very existence collapsed and reformed. He could feel his body returning—or rather, something entirely different taking its place. He was no longer human. He could actually FEEL his body, for the first time in a very long time. He could feel that, unlike a human body, his new body didn't have any flesh. Instead, it tended to pulse and shift without any bones.
[YOU HAVE BEEN REBORN AS A {MANA SLIME}.]
[INITIALIZING STANDARD REINCARNATION PROTOCOL…]
[ERROR… ERROR… ERROR… SUBJECT HAS TOO MUCH VOID ENERGY.]
[CREATING A UNIQUE SYSTEM…]
A rush of information filled his mind, pushing back against the emptiness. He had survived the void but now, it said he had too much void energy? What was even void energy? He didn't know. But he couldn't have seen wrong. It definitely said he was being reborn as a slime. Wow! Like in those cartoons daddy watched! I'm gonna be a squishy blob! But wait... how am I gonna eat ice cream without a mouth?
He tried to breathe but he found that he had no lungs. He tried to move this time. Instead of being able to control his body, he simply wobbled a little and slid.
[WORLD DESIGNATION - ELDRIN - REALMS OF LEGENDS]
[RANK - F]
[POWER FLOOR - HIGH| POWER CEILING - LIMITLESS]
[NEWCOMER ADVANTAGE - WORLD HOPPING SYSTEM]
[SURVIVAL PROBABILITY - 0.001%]
Geeze, that's a super tiny number! That's like when mom said only a teeny tiny bit of people are as cute as me! He thought to himself before he looked curiously at the system. And what's this about a World Hopping System? Is it like the magic portals in my cartoons?
He called out hesitantly in his mind, System? Hello? Are you there?
[Status Screen]
[Name]: ???
[Race]: Mana Slime
[Rank]: F
[Level]: 1
[Titles]: [Void Survivor], [Newborn Slime]
[Affiliation]: None
[World Designation]: [Eldrin — Realms of Legends]
[Power Floor]: High
[Power Ceiling]: Limitless
[Survival Probabilities]: 0.001%
[Stats]
[MP]: 500/500
[SP]: 50/50
[INT]: 10
[STR]: 3
[DEX]: 5
[END]: 8
[MAG]: 20
[LCK]: 1
[ADP(Adaptability)]: 10
[Racial Skills]
[Poison Immunity] - Immune to all Poison.
[Mana Affinity] - Able to use all types of magic that uses mana.
[Basic Skills]
[Status Resistance] - Reduces the effect of negative status effects.
[Extra Skills]
[Adaptability] - Enhances abilities to adjust to environments, power systems, and foreign energy.
[Greater Skills]
[Absorption] - The ability to consume and assimilate organic and inorganic materials to gain traits, skills, and abilities. Higher ranks improve efficiency, absorption speed, and extracted benefits.
[Regeneration] - The ability to regenerate slime mass with mana as long as the core is intact. Higher ranks improve regeneration effect, speed, and efficiency.
[Unique Skills]
[System Synchronization] - The system is currently robotic and limited in function. As it ranks up, it develops self-awareness and human-like intelligence.
[World Hopping] — Grants the ability to travel to different worlds, but under strict conditions:
Time Limit: Limited time per world. (Currently: 30 days.)
Power Lock: Always start at the lowest power in a new world.
Return Point: Return to Eldrin when the subject die or time limit is reached.
The words from the Status Screen slowly faded away. And suddenly, he found himself being 'plopped' into existence. He felt hungry, unbelievably hungry. It was unlike anything he'd felt before. I'm so hungry I could eat a MILLION cookies! Even more hungry than when mommy was late picking me up from soccer practice!
His body moved instinctively and consumed a rock that he was touching.
The moment the rock dissolved into his body, something changed.
[You have absorbed an unknown mineral. Analyzing...]
[New Basic Skill Acquired: [Lesser Bioluminescence]]
[Grants the ability to emit a faint glow.]
A glow? I'm glowing like a nightlight! So cool! How did that even work? He had no eyes, no way to see himself, but he could feel an odd, tingling sensation throughout his body. It was as if his entire form had become slightly lighter—less dense.
Well, if he was glowing, then maybe there was some way to use this to his advantage. Not that he had any idea where he was or what kind of place Eldrin—Realms of Legends—was supposed to be. Maybe I can be like a fairy! Or a firefly! That would be awesome!
He tried to move again, wobbling forward in an awkward slide. His body was still strange to him, but the Adaptability skill seemed to be kicking in, making each movement smoother. He had no legs, no arms, just an amorphous body that pulsed and shifted.
[New Skill Interaction Detected: [Lesser Bioluminescence] + [Mana Affinity]]
[Skill Evolution in Progress...]
[Congratulations! Basic Skill [Lesser Bioluminescence] has evolved into Extra Skill [Mana Glow]]
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
[Allows the user to emit a steady glow by expelling excess mana. Effectiveness depends on mana reserves.]
That was... super fast! Like zoom-zoom fast! But also a little concerning. Did everything he absorbed change him this quickly? He tried to dim the glow, focusing on controlling it, like when daddy uses the dimmer switch in my bedroom, and after a few moments, he felt a shift. The light faded slightly but didn't completely disappear.
Neat!
Still, he needed to get his bearings. He had no clue where he was or what kind of dangers lurked nearby. He tried to listen, but the world was eerily silent. No wind, no rustling leaves—just emptiness.
Great. Alone, blind, and glowing like some kinda weird jellyfish. What a way to start a new life.
A soft chime echoed in his mind.
[World Hopping System Notice: Initial world exploration phase has begun. Survival Priority: HIGH. Threat Level: UNKNOWN.]
Yeah, no kidding. I'm like a tiny mouse in a big cat house! He was a weak, glowing slime in a world with a high power floor and limitless power ceiling. He was basically a walking—er, sliding—target.
He needed to get stronger, fast.
Instinctively, he reached out with his Absorption skill again, touching another nearby rock. It wasn't glowing like the first one, but it was something. The moment it broke down inside of him, he felt a tiny boost to his endurance.
Alright, I'm getting stronger! Super slow, like a turtle, but still stronger!
He tried something he had heard in stories his dad usually told him. He tried to control the mana inside of him. It was… not easy. He felt like it was too heavy. It made sense, considering that he had 500 mana but still. He tried to push through the resistance, forcing the mana to move. It was sluggish at first, like trying to trudge through a swamp, but the more he focused, the easier it became. Slowly, he spread his mana outward, letting it seep into the surroundings.
The moment it expanded beyond his body, he felt something. It was quite weird. It was like he was seeing, touching, smelling, hearing, and tasting everything at the same time. Whoa! This is crazy! I can feel EVERYTHING! He felt the mana around him pulse, like a ripple in a pond.
[New Basic Skill Acquired: [Mana Sense]]
[Allows the user to perceive mana in the surrounding environment. Range and Clarity depend on proficiency and skill rank.]
[New Basic Skill Acquired: [Mana Manipulation]]
[Allows the user to manipulate mana inside the body. Precision and Range depend on skill rank.]
He wobbled a little in joy. I can see again! Yippee! How long had it been? He didn't know. He looked around. Well, not really look around since he had 360 vision with Mana Sense. It's like having eyes EVERYWHERE! So cool! He saw those glowing stones he had consumed once. He also saw a bunch of herbs. He absorbed one of them.
[You have absorbed an unknown herb. Analyzing…]
[New Basic Skill Acquired: [Lesser Natural Regeneration]]
[Regenerates the user slowly over time without any use of mana.]
He looked at the newly acquired skills in awe. This is like opening birthday presents! He wobbled even more in excitement. He looked around the cave. He could see that there were even more herbs. He rushed to absorb all the herbs.
[You have absorbed an unknown herb. Analyzing…]
[New Basic Skill Acquired: [Lesser Mana Regeneration]]
[Increase passive mana recovery slightly.]
He smiled. Mana Regeneration? That's like having a sippy cup that never gets empty! He continued to absorb the herbs.
[You have absorbed multiple high-mana unknown herbs. Analyzing…]
[Absorption Limit Reached. Selecting Most Compatible Trait…]
[Basic Skill [Lesser Natural Regeneration] had evolved into Extra Skill [Natural Regeneration]]
[Regenerates the user over time without any use of mana.]
[Basic Skill [Lesser Mana Regeneration] had evolved into Extra Skill [Mana Regeneration]]
[Increase passive mana recovery moderately.]
He vibrated in joy. He looked around once more and saw shining rocks. Isn't that the one that gave me Mana Glow? The super sparkly ones! He thought to himself before moving to absorb one of the rocks.
[You have absorbed an unknown mineral. Analyzing…]
[New Basic Skill Acquired: [Durability]]
[Increase the user's durability slightly.]
He laughed. Well, more like he wiggled a little since he didn't have a mouth. Just like with the herbs, he wanted to gain more skills. So he started absorbing as many of the glowing rocks as he could. Nom nom nom! One by one, they dissolve into his amorphous form, absorbed by his skill.
[You have absorbed multiple high-mana unknown minerals. Analyzing…]
[Basic Skill [Durability] had evolved into Extra Skill [Harden]]
[Can increase the user's durability using mana and passively increase durability over time.]
He giggled. This is just like those games daddy let me watch him play! Though, he was usually bad at those, since he couldn't understand what to do. He turned sad for a moment. I miss mommy and daddy so much. He wondered when he was going to see them again.
He shook his head. He wasn't even sure if they were alive. He was reminded of how he died. He died in a car crash when they were on their way to Disneyland. We were gonna see Mickey Mouse... He hoped they were still alive and if they weren't, he hoped that they would at least get a second chance at life like him. However, he found that unlikely since he barely survived the void with his memories intact. He didn't even remember his name.
He vibrated his body, trying to forget about sad things. I don't wanna be sad. I wanna be happy! He decided that he was going to be happy. Such was the mind of a 7-year-old.
While he was thinking over his head, his Mana Sense detected a presence.
[Threat Detected — Analyzing…]
[Species Unknown]
[Rank: E-]
[Threat Level: Moderate.]
He turned his slimy body around, looking straight at the gigantic spider. It's bigger than daddy! It was almost the size of a human. It screeched and lunged at him. He panicked and tried to dodge but he was too slow. The spider's fangs sank into him.
[Poison Detected… Negated by Poison Immunity.]
He shook a little. I wasn't hurt? Cool! The spider's fang was still embedded in his body. One of the spider legs had impaled his slimy body, though it didn't hurt. It missed the core by an inch. He hurriedly activated Absorption. He felt the legs dissolve as they were slowly absorbed into him. The spider screeched, thrashing wildly as it tried to pull away, but it was too late. His Absorption skill latched onto the creature like a black hole, devouring the entire leg at breakneck speed.
[You have absorbed a portion of an unknown species. Analyzing…]
[Species found. Species: [Lesser Giant Arachnid]]
[Basic Skill Acquired: [Climbing]]
[Grants the ability to cling to any surface.]
He smiled at the unexpected skill. Climbing? That's super cool! I can be like Spider-Man! It looked super useful, especially for a slime like him. He started to imagine himself sticking to walls and ceilings like Spider-Man. Well, Slime-Man. No, Slime-Boy? Spider-Slime! That sounds awesome! He shook his metaphorical head to clear his head. He would try to find a good name for himself later.
He looked at the giant spider fleeing away from him. He wiggled a little. He was confused. Why is it running away? Didn't its mommy and daddy teach it to say sorry when it hurts someone? He remembered his parents(father) teaching him to treat others like you wanted to be treated. That would mean that since it was trying to kill me, I should at least try to kill it back, right? Daddy always said to treat others how you wanna be treated. If he didn't even try, his parents(father) would probably think he didn't listen to their advice. And he didn't want to be a bad child.
The giant spider screeched as it scuttled away, its movement clumsy as it tried to balance on seven legs. The green blood from its severed leg dripped onto the cave floor, sizzling against the stone as its strong acid acted upon it.
The slime—that was him now, wasn't it?—vibrated in satisfaction. He had won. Or… at least, he hadn't lost. Still, watching the spider retreat gave him an odd feeling. He had been helpless when he died less time. A victim of something out of his control. Here, in this world, he could actually prevent such accidents. At the very least, he wouldn't die simply because of an accident.
His Mana Sense told him that the spider hadn't gone too far—it was hiding behind a jagged rock, trembling. The slime wobbled in thought. Should I chase it? It tried to eat me first so it's only fair if I eat it back!
Then again, maybe it was a mama spider? Maybe it has spider babies to take care of?
…but if he let it go, wouldn't it just try to eat him again?
He sighed—or at least, he tried to. Instead, his entire body just rippled slightly.
The slime slid towards the jagged rock. The spider's remaining legs twitched as if it was about to lunge at him. But ultimately, he was proved faster.
With a sudden lurch, he expanded his body outward, engulfing the spider's trembling form. It screeched and thrashed as Absorption activated. Its struggles grew weaker by the second as its legs and body broke down. He felt strange. It was like drinking something through a straw, but instead of drinking water, he was drinking existence itself. It feels funny... like slurping a really thick milkshake.
He bowed a little in his mind before finishing it for good. Sorry, Miss Spider. You tried to eat me first.
[You have absorbed [Lesser Giant Arachnid]. Analyzing…]
[Basic Skill Acquired: [Webbing]]
[Allows the user to produce and manipulate silk-like threads.]
[Basic Skill Acquired: [Night Vision]]
[Enhance vision in low-light environments.]
[Extra Skill Acquired: [Threat Sense]]
[Instinctively detects danger before it happens.]
[Extra Skill Acquired: [Venomous Fang]]
[Grants the ability to create poison.]
[Extra Skill Acquired: [Multi-Limb Coordination]]
[Allows better control over multiple appendages.]
[Extra Skill [Venomous Fang] absorbed into Basic Skill [Poison Immunity]]
[Basic Skill [Poison Immunity] had evolved into Extra Skill [Poison Manipulation]]
[Immune to all poison and can create and manipulate all poison the user has absorbed.]
[Basic Skill [Night Vision] absorbed into Basic Skill [Mana Sense]]
[Basic Skill [Mana Sense] had evolved into Extra Skill [Mana Perception]]
[Allows the user to 'see' mana flow, density, and signatures with extra clarity. Can differentiate types of mana such as fire, ice, dark, etc.]
[Extra Skill [Threat Sense] absorbed into Extra Skill [Mana Perception]]
[Extra Skill [Mana Perception] had evolved into Greater Skill [Mana Hazard Domain]]
[Creates an invisible mana field, constantly gathering information in a wide area. Functions like a radar and can automatically recognize danger levels from all mana sources. Mana source changes color based on threat level—hostiles glow red, neutral glow blue, allies glow green.]
He smiled. Wow! That's SO MANY new powers! It's like Christmas morning! He looked through the skills and was very satisfied with them. He activated Mana Hazard Domain, curious as to how different it was from Mana Sense. He immediately sensed the difference. Whoa! This is way better! Before, Mana Sense merely gave him senses over 5 meters around him. Now, he could see far further.
He froze for a moment as he saw a deep red source of mana in the edge of his vision. It was a wolf, way bigger than the spider he had seen before. That thing is HUGE! Like, bigger than a car! It was staring straight at him. He looked around for a way of escape but couldn't find any. There was only one way out left.
He looked at his Unique skill, World Hopping. Yes, that's my only chance! He didn't waste even another second.
[World Hopping Activated.]
[Destination: Randomized. Searching for Compatible World…]
[World Designation Found: [ARDENTIA — REALM OF ADVENTURERS]]
[Calculating Synchronization…]
[Warning: Time Limit Enforced—30 Days]
[Power Lock Engaged—Resetting Rank]
[Please Choose One of These Skills to Bring to ARDENTIA: [Mana Hazard Domain] [Poison Manipulation] [Multi-Limb Coordination] [Webbing] [Climbing] [Harden] [Mana Regeneration] [Natural Regeneration] [Mana Manipulation] [Adaptability] [Absorption] [Regeneration] [Mana Affinity]]
He quickly chose Absorption. Gotta pick this one! It helped me the most! It had been his lifeline in this world and he believed that it would still be extremely useful in the new world, Ardentia.
The moment the system finalized the selection, space itself fractured. The air around him cracked like shattered glass, reality breaking apart in jagged shards. A vortex of pure energy formed behind him, pulling at his body. It's like in the movies when the portal opens up!
The wolf lunged, not wanting to let its prey get away but it was too late. Ha ha! Too slow, Mr. Wolf!
His vision was consumed by darkness, weightless and endless, but unlike the void he had suffered through before, it was far different. It wasn't mindless emptiness but instead, had movement. He could feel himself moving. I'm like zooming through space!
The system voice echoed in his mind, now that he couldn't see once more.
[World Transition in Progress…]
[Ardentia Arrival Imminent.]
Just as suddenly as the jump had started, he fell. The world rushed up to meet him. He found himself bouncing away as his slimy form hit the ground. Boing! Boing! I bounce just like a rubber ball!
He found himself in the middle of a dungeon.
