- Slime –
.
.
.
Boooooooooring!
Yes, nothing to do.
Every day is the same.
Even if something does happen I openly question if there was any reason for it to happen in the first place.
Now you could say it shouldn’t be boring if something is happening, but that simply isn’t enough for me!
For example, why should a fight to the death be important to me if I don’t know if there even is a reason to be alive in the first place?
It's not like such battles are too common for me, but the same logic can be applied to most other things.
Yes, I get it that those are rather dark and deep thoughts, which I’d probably be better off not wondering about, but that’s just how I am.
Huh?
Yes, I’m a slime, so what?!
Did anyone tell you that I’m not allowed to have deep thoughts?
Well, it could have something to do with the fact that I’m already ten years old.
What’s strange about that?
Well, most slimes do not survive their first year.
Trust me, I speak from experience.
If I would need to give a reason for my feat of considerable longevity besides my skill, smarts, and intellect?
Okay, it might have something to do with the fact that my color is a light green and even though my core shines in a violet color, it’s dull enough to not get noticed.
If I’m being honest with myself, there’s been more than a few occasions where a group of humans more than able to put an end to my existence, who I later learned are called “adventurers”, just overlooked me in the greenery of grass, moss, or trees.
That last one only started happening after I found that climbing up trees might give me a better chance of survival than just staying still in front of them.
Don’t judge me.
Survival strategies require at least a sense of self-awareness and I think coming so far in my second year was an achievement.
It ends up coming down to a few questions.
If I’m self-aware should I not be more concerned about all the others that didn’t make it?
Or if I’m bored should I not try to talk to them?
Well, it’s not like I didn’t try, but the main problem is, that the other slimes aren’t self-aware.
While verbal communication is obviously a difficult task, it’s possible to communicate between minds when the cores are connected by our bodies.
To be precise, that's when we merge our slime together.
Well, the only response I got after countless tries of communicating was, “Move, search, devour, forward.”
Over and over.
From all of them!
Can anyone really blame me for eventually giving up?
Maybe I could have tried to keep one alive.
Long enough for them to start getting some semblance of consciousness.
However, from what I know actual experience is necessary for becoming self-aware, so locking them up won’t work.
Also, I’m not really sure if it even works like that.
And I’m not too keen on investing time, resources, and risk so much only for it to end in failure because my species is simply not made for self-awareness.
Sometimes I wonder if we even are the same species.
Forgive that thought, but it’s hard to believe I have anything in common with those idiotic, repetitive, gluttonous things that only showed interest in devouring stuff.
This leads to one of the life-altering decisions I made.
As I was sentient, the creatures that are naturally most interesting to me are other sentient beings.
Unfortunately, the most interesting ones were also the ones most determined to kill me; “Humans”.
Nevertheless, that didn’t hold me back from learning more.
Well, maybe it did a little bit since I’d already developed risk management skills.
So I started by hiding in the greenery close to villages, closing the distance more and more.
A very advantageous trait for these kinds of things is being able to see in all directions, and luckily slimes are able to do just that.
Eavesdropping on the people I gradually developed a sense of speech.
I have to point out that even though I don’t have ears I can hear just fine by subconsciously analyzing the vibration of frequencies with my body.
I eventually realized that giving words to your thoughts helps a great deal in developing your way of thinking.
Also, it’s just helpful to get information on the people who want to kill you.
All in all, I would say that I’ve gained quite a bit from those excursions.
Over the years I noticed not just how my thinking had developed, but also that there were physical changes.
The biggest change might’ve been my core growing from the size of a marble to the size of a very small child’s fist.
On its own that would have been bad since having a bigger weak point is something that would be targeted by a certain species that is after me.
However, it also allowed me to control more mass if I was able to get enough nutrients to make it.
I assume it went like this:
My enhanced thinking forced the core, my center of consciousness, to expand in order to keep up, but since that is also the thing that controls the liquid that makes up my body, that increased as well.
Unfortunately, I came to realize that my larger body, which could reach over two meters in height when fully extended, prevented me from being able to go on more excursions.
Well, if it’s necessary I can just throw mass away and shrink to a suitable size.
However, to be honest, I don’t want to do that.
As you might have guessed, my color can only do so much to hide me if adventurers spot something as big as me.
What saved me was that they didn’t have anything that could reach my vulnerable core with what they were carrying.
They were forced to give up and I could also escape any search parties sent after me later.
I knew humans tend to be especially hostile to oddities, as the hunt on my species proves, which seems to be very new, as I found out.
And I need to admit that I am an oddity, no way around that.
With that, I realized my new body was my lifeline.
Because I needed sustenance I developed hunting strategies like creating pitfalls by dissolving earth, learning about ambushes from above, or taunting hostile creatures to attack me.
By the way, dirt contains almost no nutrients for me.
Even if I don’t have a sense of taste, knowing that I’d be wasting my time dissolving it compared to eating animals didn’t sit well with me.
Plants are another option, but the mass I'm gaining from them feels less responsive like it isn’t the right kind of thing to eat.
There were some plants and some plant parts that worked better for me.
Still, overall it’s only something for emergency sustenance because mass without the necessary energy to control it gets left behind.
In the end, it comes down to the fact that flesh is the best source to sustain me.
At the same time, I also tried to figure out other ways to use my body, and I would say that I did that quite successfully.
I even am able now to take out entire groups of adventurers on my own instead of just scaring them off.
That might be merciless, but they would attack first and I think retaliating in accordance is fine.
One time I even made a second core, but the resulting yellow slime with orange core was very disappointing so I abandoned it.
All in all, I’ve made huge progress in what I can do.
Aside from the ability to move quickly by forcefully pulling all my mass in one direction, being able to throw mass at distant targets, and keep the slime’s dissolving property, my greatest achievement was being able to control the state of the matter I consist of.
I can alter the liquidity and make it as sticky as tar, if not more so, but more importantly, I can control the density of my body.
I ended up being able to shrink down to a fifth of my maximum volume while maintaining the same mass.
That’s still a lot bigger than normal slimes, but it helps a lot in terms of stealth, surprising opponents, and enhancing the capabilities of my body.
This state allows me to create more pressure in my body, attacking with more impact by applying more mass on less space, and concentrating the unique effects of my slime.
Don’t get me wrong, I’m aware I’m not invincible.
However, I’m sure that if I’m careful I can hold my own and keep myself alive indefinitely.
Now excuse me, but I need to do something about this soul-crushing boredom.
Oh cool!! I thought is was going to be a human reborn as a slime. She's just a a smart slime, those poor adventurers didn't know what they were getting into
They are two. If you look over the chapter there is a different name.
I have a good survival strategy for him/her: learn to dissolve only clothes. All the young virgins will want to possess it to throw it at the girls and will fight to preserve its existence.
Correction, will gight fiecerely, as if it was their only salvation to uncover... er, truth? Beauty? Way forward?
I love that confused sapience of a Slime, who tries to figure out if that was something supposed to happen. Pretty much like humans
Yep, this story has quite a bit of this. But mostly I enjoy its antics while pursuing its goals.
And even if something happens I hereby openly question that there is any reason for it to happen in the first place. -> Even if something does happen I openly question if there was any
something is happening.
But for me, that is simply not enough! -> happening, but that simply isn’t enough for me!
For example, why should a life and death battle be of any importance to me, if I don’t know if there is a reason to live in the first place? -> maybe “For example, why should a life and death battle be important to me if I don’t know if there even is a reason to be alive in the first place?” ?
Not that I had many of them in the last time, yet the same logic can be applied to most other aspects. -> That isn’t to say I’ve had such battles often, but the same logic can be applied to most other things.
which I would fare better by not pondering on, but it’s not really my way of being. -> maybe “which I’d probably be better off not wondering about, but that’s not how I am.” ?
Yes, I’m a slime, so what! -> slime. So what?!
give a reason for my feat of considerable longevity; besides skill, smarts, and intellect? -> longevity besides my skill
green and while my core shines in a not pretty dim violet, it’s dull enough to not get noticed. > and even though my core shines in a bright violet color (colour?), it’s dull
If I’m honest to myself, there was more than one occasion, where a group of humans more than able to put an end to my existence (called "adventurers" as I learned), had just overseen me in the grass, moss and or the greenery of a tree. -> maybe “If I’m being honest with myself, there’s been more than a few occasions where a group of humans more than able to put an end to my existence, who I later learned are called “adventurers”, just overlooked me in the greenery of grass, moss, or trees.
The latter only after I found out that climbing there might give me better chances than staying stock-still in front of them. > maybe “That last one only started happening after I found that climbing up trees might give me a better chance of survival than just staying still in front of them.” ?
Survival-strategies require at least a -> remove hyphen
So it comes to the following questions: > It ends up coming down to a few questions.
Or if I’m bored should I not try to talk to them? -> If I’m bored shouldn’t I try talking to other slimes?
but the main problem is, that they are not self-aware. -> is that the other slimes aren’t
While talking with voice is obviously a difficult task, it is possible to connect minds when the cores are connected by the bodies. -> maybe “While verbal communication is obviously a difficult task, it’s possible to to communicate between minds when the cores.” ?
To be precise when we merge our slime together. -> precise, that’s when we
Well, the only response on countless tries of communication was: "Move, search, devour, forward, repeat." -> maybe “Well, the only response I got after countless tries of communicating was, “Move, search, devour, forward.” Over and over.
So can anyone really hold against me that I eventually gave up? -> Can anyone really blame me for eventually giving up?
Long enough to get out of, well nothing.
But as I see it to become self-aware actual experience is necessary. So locking them won’t work. -> maybe “Long enough for them to start getting some semblance of consciousness. However, from what I know actual experience is necessary for becoming self-aware, so locking” ?
I’m not really sure if it really works like that. -> if it even works like that.
And I’m not too keen on investing time, resources, and risk only to end in failure -> I’m not too...risk only for it to end
Sometimes I think that they are maybe not my species. -> Sometimes I wonder if we even are the same species.
Forgive that thought, but it’s hard to believe to have anything in common with these nonsense-blabbering things, only interested in devouring stuff. -> maybe “but it’s hard to believe I have anything in common with those idiotic, repetitive, gluttonous things that only showed interest in devouring stuff.” ?
That leads me to one life-decision I made. -> maybe “That leads to one of the life-altering decisions I made.” ?
other creatures that are too are naturally most interesting for me. -> the creatures that are naturally most interesting to me are other sentient beings.
The problem was that the most interesting ones were unfortunately those who were foremost in killing me: "Humans". -> were also the ones most determined to kill me;“Humans”.
Nevertheless, that did not hold me back, maybe a little due to my at this point already developed skill of risk management. -> maybe “that didn’t hold be back from learning more. Well, maybe it did a little bit since I’d already developed risk management skills.” ?
That slimes can see in all directions is a very advantageous trait for those operations. -> maybe “A very advantageous trait for these kinds of things is being able to see in all directions, and luckily slimes are able to do just that.” ?
Eavesdropping on the people I’ve gradually developed a sense of speech. -> I gradually developed
Just to point it out, although I don’t have ears, I can hear quite fine by unconsciously analyzing the vibrations of frequencies on my body. -> maybe “I have to point out that even though I don’t have ears I can hear just fine by subconsciously analyzing the vibration frequencies on my body.”?
Like this, I came to realize, that giving words to your thoughts helps a great deal in developing your way of thinking. -> maybe “I eventually realized that giving words to your thoughts helped a great deal in developing your” ?
Also, it can simply be helpful, to get information on the guys who want to kill you. -> it’s just helpful to get information on the people who want to kill you.
would say that I’ve gained quite a bit by those excursions. -> bit from those
That is to say, I’ve noticed after some years that not just my thinking developed, yet there were even physical changes. -> Over the years I noticed not just how my thinking had developed, but also that there were physical changes.
The biggest might’ve been that my core did grow from the size of a marble to a very small kid’s fist. -> maybe “biggest change might’ve been my core growing from the size of a marble to the size of a very small child’s fist.” ? (Unless Liqu would have some kind of fruit/vegetable to compare it to?)
That itself would have been bad, since having a bigger vulnerable part, which gets targeted by a certain species that is after me, is a problem. -> On it’s own that would have been bad since having a bigger weak point is something that would be targeted by a certain species that is after me.
But it also did lead to the point that I could control more mass, if I found the sustenance to gain it. -> However, it also allowed me to control more mass if I was able to get enough nutrients to make it.
keep up. But as it also holds control over the liquid that makes up my body, this did increase as well. -> up, but since that is also the thing that controls the liquid that makes up my body, that increased as well.
Unfortunately, I came to realize that my grown body, which completely extended does reach at least two meters in height with the corresponding width, prevents me from my excursions. -> Unfortunately, I came to realize that my larger body, which could reach over two meters in height when fully extended, prevented me from being able to go on more excursions.
However, to be honest I’m unwilling to do so! -> honest, I don’t want to do that!
Like you might have guessed, my color does only so much in hiding me if adventurers are spotting something of my height. -> color can only do so much to hide me if adventurers can spot something as big as me.
What saved me then was that they had no means to reach my vulnerable core with their tools at hand. -> me was that they didn’t have anything that could reach my vulnerable core with what they were carrying.
As they were forced to give up, I could also manage later to escape any searching parties sent after me. -> They were forced to give up and I could also escape any search parties sent after me later.
And I need to admit that I am an oddity, no way around this. -> around that.
Like that, I realized that my new body is my lifeline. -> With that, I realized my new body was my
Because I did need sustenance, I developed hunting strategies like for example pitfalls carved by dissolving earth, learning about ambushes from above, or taunting hostile creatures to attack you. -> Because I needed sustenance I developed hunting strategies like making pitfalls by
By the way, earth brings nearly nothing for me. -> earth contains nearly no nutrients for me.
knowing I relatively waste time by dissolving it with my enzyme, it does not sit right with me to do so. -> knowing that I’d be wasting my time dissolving it compared to eating animals didn’t sit well with me.
Plants on the other side are a solution, but the gained mass feels less responsive in general like it has simply not the right consumption. -> Plants are another option, but the mass gained from that feels less responsive like it isn’t the right kind of thing to eat.
Some plants and parts of them fare better. -> There were some plants and some plant parts that were better.
sustenance.
Because mass without the -> sustenance, because mass
it comes down that flesh is the best source to sustain me. > it comes down to the fact that flesh
At the same time, I also tried to figure out ways to use my body.
With quite some success that is to say. -> I also tried to figure out other ways to use my body, and I would say that I did that quite successfully.
Till now I came so far, that I’m even able to take out groups of adventurers on my own, instead of just scaring them off. -> Maybe “With how far I’ve come I’ve even been able to take out entire groups of adventurers on my own instead of just scaring them off.” ?
yet they would attack first and retaliation is an adequate measure in those situations, as it goes for me.
-> but they would attack first and I think retaliating in kind is fine.
At one time I even made a core, but the resulting yellow colored slime with orange core was pretty much a disappointment.
So I abandoned it. -> One time I even made a second core, but the resulting yellow slime with orange core was very disappointing so I abandoned it.
I made a rather huge progress in what I can do. -> I’ve made huge progress in what
Aside from the ability to rush by forceful pulling all my mass in one direction or throwing my mass at distance, even with attached properties, my greatest achievement was to control the state of the matter I consist of. -> to move quickly by forcefully pulling all my mass in one direction, being able to throw mass at distant targets and keep the slime’s dissolving property, my greatest achievement was being able to control
I can alternate the liquidity and make it as sticky as tar, if not more. And even more important I can control the density of my body. -> I can alter the liquidity and make it as sticky as tar, if not more so, but more important importantly I can
In the end, I've accomplished to go down to a fifth of my volume while maintaining my mass. -> I ended up being able to shrink down to a fifth of my maximum volume while maintaining the same mass.
This is still much bigger than normal, yet it helps quite much in terms of stealth, surprising opponents and also enhances the capabilities of my body, since this state allows more pressure inside of me, more force by using the mass on less space and stronger effects of the slime using the probabilities of its unique condition. -> maybe “That’s still a lot bigger than normal slimes, but it helps a lot in terms of stealth, surprising opponents, and enhancing the capabilities of my body. Since this condensed state puts more pressure in my body, the slime gets denser and stronger.” ?
However, I’m sure that if I’m careful, I can hold my own and like this hold me alive indefinitely.
So that’s all about me for now. -> careful I can hold my own and keep myself alive indefinitely.
Now excuse me, but I need to do something against this soul-wrecking boredom. -> do something about this soul-crushing boredom.
“Did anyone tell you that I’m not allowed to have deep thoughts?”
Yes, Shari did. She said, “Wait, that’s illegal.”
@expentio
but more important importantly I can control -> remove first “important”
@FallingLeaf Looks like author applied your suggestion "All in all, I’ve made huge progress in what" without exercising critical thinking and now there's a random floating sentence fragment
@Modality You have no idea how much that one bothers me on a personal level. I don't even want to imagine how many reasons skipped out for that one sentence alone.
Though, the former sentence was fuller. It's less a lack of critical thinking and more a simple missfire of the keyboard while correcting.
Omoshiroi
Thanks for the chapter
Well, foremost that most don’t make it through the first year.
I understand what you meant, but this is a rather awkward sentence. Personally I would phrase it as follows: 'Well, most slimes do not survive their first year.'
Keeping to your old phrasing the correct way would be, 'Well most don't make it through the first year'
Yes, I’m a slime, so what?!
Thanks for the chapter
Well, now this story starts. You're in for a ride.