Starting to feel like a cheerleader with all this yelling in his mind Aarav began to realise that the repetition was not giving him a tingly feeling for nothing. Like when you hmm for too long and your mouth starts feeling tickly. No this was a building of energy, like when he had broken through the 100 point barrier in intellect. This was a tangible building of power.

Wait a second! If I have telepathy, why can’t I read any of these people’s minds? Are they too far away? Or maybe they have protection? Or I’m too weak? Either way it was cool power that basically just let me down…

What Aarav was used to in his previous life was someone telling him that he had made a mental breakthrough, and that would be felt in a profound but intangible way. There was no physical substance to that sort of breakthrough. It was simply something that had unlocked in his mind. This was like if a mental breakthrough had a physical manifestation. This is how it would have felt. It was incredible and raw and powerful. It was something that Aarav could get addicted to. Maybe he already was? This could be a more health addiction that what he had before….right?

Regardless of the long term repercussions, this was happening right now and he would seize any opportunity that came his way. This feeling was very present, like when you focus completely on your breathing and nothing else. The focus was all encompassing. The energy was all encompassing. This...this he could feel was going to be his next big breakthrough. It was going to be his ticket into a new life in a new world. Leaving behind his old life and bringing him something so powerful, so profound as to be a game breaking…no, world breaking Skill or Talent, this was going to be it. He would need nothing more than this…thing to destroy all enemies in his path and claim this world.. Wait, did I just think about claiming this world….world dominion..isn’t that like a 90’s villain thing to want? Nevermind, stay focused Aarav. Damnit, don’t lose this!

The energy continued to build and coalesce. Spiralling in on Aarav’s core, where incidentally his brain was currently residing.

After what felt to Aarav like a lifetime but according to the movement of the sun had only been a few precious minutes, the energy had built to a crescendo and was suddenly sucked into the central point like a singularity had formed. The energy in that pinprick of space exploded into every cell of the slimes body. The heat and light was thankfully contained otherwise the entire village would have been blinded and if not then at least wondered what kind of light show was happening on their humble roof.

Then it happened…and it was unbelievable, he had to blink a couple of times to make sure what he was seeing was right.

You have gained the Charisma Talent The Way Forward is… Forward, you have confidently decided that your past life is not for you. You want to boldly step forward into a new life and move away from bad habits and paths you followed before. This new Talent will help you do that confidently and with the minimum of difficulty! Anytime you are in a situation where you are tempted to revert to your old ways of your past life, this Talent will alert you and act as your assistance! You will be lead to the path of victory by not allowing you to succumb to your vices! All your energy will be focused on your strength and power. It is not mind-control; you will need to use your initiative to fight your addictions and challenges. You can do it!

You have gained the Physical Stat Charisma -1. Yes, you are, extremely unexceptional!

First off, when did this system or whatever it is get snarky? It used to be very straight forward but now it’s giving me sass? Why does my life suck so badly! Second…are you kidding me! The last time I had this amount of power coursing through me I got Mind-Reading!! Mind-Reading!!! And this time….an Agony Aunt?!! A Sponsor?!! How are those two on the same level!!!? Aarav continued to rage and splutter in his mind. Even more frustrating was that he dared not vent too loudly even if it would have been infinitely more satisfying because of the people in the village that would have reacted…unpredictably to a slime monster screaming its head off in their midst.

To put it mildly Aarav was a man caught between a rock and many hard places with no way to scream for help or in frustration for fear of being crushed by an avalanche, although in that situation he could have squeezed his way out as a slime, so this was way, way worse. Like if Jack had stubbed his toe while trying to steal the giants golden goose before climbing down the beanstalk, there was no way would he have yelled….That might have made for an interesting story though…

As Aarav’s frustration abated bit-by-bit he thought it might not be all bad, maybe he could get rid of this stupid Talent in a trade deal…with the universe…or whoever gave out this ridiculous Talents. Get something better, if it was as valuable as mind reading….I mean. I couldn’t be cheap right? Could still get his dream of some world-ending Skill, right?

Twenty minutes later he realised that it was not going to work. Only the Talent that he had acquired remained and nothing more gained from all the effort his was putting into the swapping of Talents for something actually half useful.

The Way Forward is… Forward says do not live in the past and worry about regrets, move forward with the Skills you have and enjoy them!

Oh god! It sounds like a fortune cookie! Aarav thought. This was so annoying. Was it going to be spewing this sort of rubbish the whole time? Aarav, already tired of the newly acquired ability decided that a nap was in order; he could continue Consuming while doing that if he didn’t fully allow himself to sleep. It was a subtle balance but even as Resh he had been able to manage that and now it was as simple as breathing.

Just as he was thinking that he could not be more unfortunate, something happened that changed everything again. All his regrets and doubts about the useless Talent he had just gained, the complaining and frustration and crying. The wasted energy he had built with inhumane focus and dedication.

A notification appeared before his eyes. For such a short message the implication was profound.

Bird’s Beady Eyes has increased to Level 25!

Congratulations on reaching Level 25! Bird’s Beady Eyes has evolved into Bird’s Prime Eyes. Bird’s Prime Eyes are now able to see in colour! You will be able to see Red, Green and Blue and everything in between! Yes, you can finally see with colour….

Aarav couldn’t help but let out an audible gasp. Luckily the hubbub of the village masked his small lapse. In that moment a human could have screamed at the top of their lungs and he would not have paid it any mind. He had colour vision…I CAN SEE IN COLOUR! He looked around for someone to celebrate with…but there was no one…Aarav sighed, but he could not be completely melancholy with this new development.

He looked with Piercing Eyes +1 as far as he could see and the colour was rushing in from the edges of his vision. It was like where he only had rods, cones were being created in his retinas from the outside going inward. With his expansive view all around him he could see the browns of the soil in the village square, the greens of the grass, the blue of the sky and the white of the clouds, well, I could see white before so maybe no change there…and in the distance, as it moved down to the west, the yellow glory of the sun. The roofs were red clay tiles and the chimneys were made of a brown brick. Everywhere was a riot of colours, had his old world ever been so colourful? He could not remember.

Incidentally, maybe it was the months without colour that made everything seem so much more? It was most likely the case, his engineering mind continued to probe at the question even as his street-smart mind said it didn’t matter. Aarav had often been in this type of mental tug-of-war. Somehow he always had to rein his engineering curiosity in to survive. It would allow him to keep feeding his hunger and continue to power forward on his chosen path.

The Way Forward is… Forward says you are no longer bound to the ways of your past! Embrace your new psyche and step forward bravely. Come on! You can do it!