MC POV

“Fade in, it’s a dark winter morning. The forests shadow looms over our great hero like a terrifying demon preparing to swallow its prey.” (Adam)

Its noon and the flowers are all in bloom so it’s probably spring…

“The slime tried to correct me only to realise what an ass hole he was being for trying to ruin my fun.” (Adam)

I’m not an ass hole. All I’m saying-

“You really don’t get to decide that.” (Adam)

Ugh I don’t care enough. You said you had some surprise for our upcoming fight-

“Oh! That right, where did I put it….it’s here somewhere…” (Adam)

Put it? Here? I thought you didn’t have a body

“Yeah I made one. It’s not real I created a room and a body I can occupy inside a dreamscape, its similar to a lucid dream.” (Adam)

Pretty cool. What does it look like?

“It’s your old human body. It’s the only one you have memories of piloting so I’m stuck with it for now. No offence. Here it is, get ready to have all the epicenes glands in your body explode once this fight starts.” (Adam)

Looking forward to it. Oh, the dryad are back and there are eight now. Didn’t take them too long, I guess there village is nearby. Maybe I’ll go have a look when I’m done here. Oh the adventurer’s leader is heading towards them. He talking to them while four dryad are moving to encircle me just outside a fifty metre sensory range. That settles it I’m the target, I can’t blame them given the situation but I’ll show no mercy.

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Bordani POV

The Dryad returned in the afternoon. They had a few extra members but that only makes sense given that we asked them to take care of the slime. Sete was still against this idea but majority vote ruled in my favour so the plan is in motion. The Dryad leader handed over a small cloth bag which I hastily tipped out onto my palm. A slime core of disgusting snot green was in my hand. This is the colour of Mimic slimes so seeing the displeasing colour eases my tension a little.

I turn around and walk in the direction of my comrades. The slime is just sitting there as I approach when a thin tentacle slowly forms and stops in the air in front of it like an open palm waiting for me to place the core into it.

I raise the core in my hand holding it between my fingers and look at the slime whilst slowly increasing the pressure I’m putting on the core as though I’m about to shatter it. The slime seems to tremble in fear of me destroying the core and with draws the extended tentacle.

“Come on your clearly not as stupid as the other slimes negotiate damn it.” (Bordani)

[[Quest update: -anomaly- has provided alternative quest routes for you to pursue.

‘Safe exchange’ route: Upon exchange of the slime core restraining collars will be removed. –Anomaly- cannot initiate a confrontation with you for 15 minutes. ‘Riches and rewards’ route: accompany –anomaly- on his journeys as a ‘retainer’. Receive a 5% portion of all future financial gains or sufficient compensation to the same value. ‘Don’t push me fucker’ route: name changed on –anomaly’s- request. You will be treated as a hostile threat. –anomaly will target you at any given opportunity. Note: this route can only be achieved by destroying or refusing to hand over the quest objective.]]

I nod to my companions to indicate that I received the update window but they are looking on front of them. I guess they received one as well. Why wasn’t this delivered to the party leader but to the individuals? I guess it made a mistake in its fear. This is it. Route 1. I’m coming Mono-chan.

I select option 1 and hand over the core. When the slime receives it I feel a sense of relief wash over me and the metal collar around my neck loosens and returns to the slimes body.

[Quest complete]

I turn my head to my comrades and flash a smile of relief which they return to me. I notice that the dryad where looking at our exchange in confusion and suspicion but I don’t plan to stick around and answer their questions.

Just then.

a huge earthen aura explodes from the slime

I’m startled and draw my sword on reflex but am smart enough not to initiate a conflict by striking it. Was that its plan? We aren’t that foolish so you can’t attack us….wait it can’t attack us but-

“SHIT. Move quickly!!” (Bordani)

earthen spikes fire out from below the dryad’s feet. Some jumped to avoid them while two of the dryads that surrounded us has their feet pierced. Eight metallic spear tentacles launched towards each of the dryad.

We can’t interfere with it but the Dryad will assume we are on the same side. Fuck! If you can’t kill us get someone else too. We need to run quick.

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MC POV

I hate being threatened. I had enough of that in my past life. I could hardly contain my rage when the adventurer threatened to crush my core. Luckily I had already prepared a quest update in advance or I may have acted rashly.

“Free mind” (Adam)

Oh yeah. I guess I would have been fine then. Oh well I’m still pissed. And this fucker looks so smug, like he’s outsmarted me. Just give me the core already

[[Quest update: routes selected.

Bordani, Elaine, Taron Sete ]]

Huh? That unexpected. I only did it on the longshot but hey, no complaints here. Wonder which ones Sete. Guess I can figure that out later. We’re starting.

“Good. lets rock!” (Adam)

{

if you wanna see some action

Gotta be the centre of attraction}

Ichigos theme. Nice, I like it. Now for some earth spikes.

I launch thirty two earth spears at the dryad. Four each. The two with the lowest levels among them were struck directly whilst the rest dodged in varying ways. Although three of those who dodged still received injuries to their lower legs.

Whilst they were caught off guard I launched some piercing attacks at them. One each to test the waters. As I attacked they immediately took defensive measures. One who had jumped to avoid my earth spikes was in no position to react and tried to shift her body mid-air and avoid it. Clearly not understanding that tentacles are flexible she was pierced through the head.

Similarly, the two that were impaled originally must have felt Deja vu. Because rather than weapons they started chanting with raised hands only to find my attacks were faster than their chanting and were each pierced though their raised palms and then foreheads.

The others were better off. Three of the four that had spread out originally died but the last one showed a great deal of battle experience by using a weak spell to boost speed, as they are quicker to cast, and retreated quickly. Whilst Polerta the shaman made a hand seal and a wooden totem rose from the ground to block my strikes path. The three others that stood with her all started to chant as I launched my attack but being a higher level were able to do so faster than the first two.

Petals danced in front of them like a certain pink shikai, making me even happier at Adams music choice.

{Now you feel like number one

Shining bright for everyone}

Of course, they weren’t sharp enough to cut me but they did slow down my attack. They had enough time to dodge back but it seems that piercing through their petal shields harmed them somehow. Some type of backlash? Doesn’t matter right now.

The adventurers had started to flee away from the forest. But this caught the dryad’s attention. An expression of rage was clearly displayed by all of the Dryad. They must have thought this was all a trap by the humans. So most of their attack were targeted towards them.

This was only natural. Harming my body would be much more difficult than killing my Tamer. They figured it out quickly after their petal blades didn’t make so much as a scratch.

The dryad who fled initially seemed to be a close combat mage. As she charged in front of the adventurers as a long thin leaf like sword grew from her right arm and a poppy like shield formed on her left.

The other three mobs used a combination of tangling grass to slow the adventurers down and storms of flower petals to attack. The adventurers defended as best they could but their party composition wasn’t suited for these opponents, not having a decent tank or healer.

At this time Polerta was simply staring at me with her hand placed flatly against the back of the totem ready to intercept me if I acted. Not that I had any more plans too.

The rogue went into a stealth state and dashed away on his own towards my direction. I initially assumed he was targeting me until he stopped 40 metres from me and kneeled. I guess he was the one who chose route 2 then.

“He clearly didn’t tell his party.” (Adam)

Adam was right. The adventures seemed to think he was still nearby awaiting an opportunity to strike. The leader even relinquished his sword arm to create an opening for him. He shouted something but I couldn’t understand it. Probably a signal to the rogue by the way his faced looked pained after receiving no response. Without a sword or rogue the frontline was gone. And it took seconds for the close combat mage and the petal storms to turn them into puddles of blood.

Polerta was surprised and clearly confused by my inaction. She didn’t let her guard down though. With the rogue not dead and my very suspicious movements, I would be disappointed if she had.

The dryad regrouped behind Polerta but my first attack clearly left an impression as they weren’t willing to make a move. So whilst I had the time I had the earth underneath each corpse swallow them up and transported them to the spot underneath where I was standing/sitting/whatever slimes do.

“The music loses its impact when the fight slows down.” (Adam)

Hey don’t be down there will be plenty more fights. Let’s try the one from Halo next.

“ooowww that would be awesome, first we need to get you some type of gun and-.” (Adam)

Now that Adams happy and lost in his own little world it’s time to mimic.

[[Slime Fiend activated- enemy lv disparity 23 levels. total mass increase 2%, slime mimic skill obtained. Memories obtained.]]

[[Slime Mimic- an exclusive skill of the mimic slime rare variant. Allow you to mimic the external appearance of creatures you consume. Note. Cannot mimic creature’s texture, voice/call or scent. Cannot obtain memories from the absorbed target.]]

And a little free living aaaannnddd… boom!

[[Mimic Master- a variant of the species exclusive skill ‘Slime Mimic’. Allows you to mimic all physical aspects of creatures you consume. Allows you to mimic targets temperament and personal eccentricities at will. You may also absorb the targets memories upon consumption. Note you can mimic proficiencies of target but not their skills.]]

Good. I’ll send a tentacle into the earth and start absorbing them out of sight of the dryad. I don’t want to anger them any more than I already have, by eating their friends in front of them. And I defiantly don’t want to traumatise my new retainer either. He already seems upset about abandoning his comrades.

“I don’t care about the rogue but isn’t your edit a bit weird?” (Adam)

Oh your back. Well, sadly there isn’t enough lee way to get skills or affinities from non-slime targets. Mimicking their appearance and memories will allow me to get a humanoid body and knowledge of this world. Temperament and eccentricities are of course toggle-able that would make infiltration very easy. Plus proficiency theft means I can essentially steal someone’s talent. I could devour a sword prodigy and learn the sword at a ridiculous pace. Of course I couldn’t use sword skills unless I meat some kind of swordsman slime but it’s still a total cheat.

“Wow that is OP. you are really using my gift to the fullest, I’m impressed.” (Adam)

Thank you….oh right the dryad. They are still there but they seem to have grown trees around me and themselves whilst I’ve been distracted. I don’t know what they are doing but I’m almost finished with these corpses so I should have some idea soon. Oh yeah, no more reading my mind once I have vocal cords Adam. You hear me.

“Fine, fine, I hear you. Just share the absorbed memories with me and I’ll leave your personal memories alone. Deal?” (Adam)

Deal. Now let’s make me a body

“Oh, and I’ll need memories of you in your new body as well.” (Adam)

Fine.

“You know, because your old one sucks.” (Adam)

Yes I know.

“because its short” (Adam)

Ok

“and average looking” (Adam)

Can you just-

“and you have a small-“ (Adam)

Yes, fine, fine, I said fine!!