"Are we there yet?" Jen said impatiently.
"I'll tell you when we get there. Stop asking me." Brent said.
"Get where?"
"Wherever the hell that man is!"
'Gods help me, her beauty can only temper my annoyance for so long.'
"Before we go any further into this forsaken forest, we need to take a break. My sweaty clothes are making me feel like I'm underwater." Brent said.
"You're right, you do smell like a wet dog."
"And you smell like a wet bitch."
Jen's face flushed as she said, "S-shut up!"
"Anyway, according to this map, there should be a lake nearby where we can freshen up. Depending on how long it takes, we might camp there for the night and continue tomorrow."
She nodded in agreement. Despite appearing fine on the outside, she was physically exhausted from the journey. She had pushed herself this far in the hopes of finding her brother sooner.
While taking small breaks along the way, they eventually reached their destination with the sun still high in the sky. As they walked towards the lake, the duo spotted a half-naked man and a tall orange-haired female elf conversing with each other on the shore. They recognized the man, but not the elf beside him.
His thoughts raced as he tried to place the elf's identity. 'Is that Rebecca? No, it can't be. Well, she could be, but no one really knows her true identity. But what is an elf doing here? Is she a lost wood elf? That can't be right - she's shapely, fair-skinned, and has orange hair for god's sake, almost the complete opposite of a wood elf, but not quite as them dam high elf either. She's too muscly to be one. Who and what the hell is she?'
While he was lost in thought, Jen bolted towards her brother while slightly checking the woman standing next to him. Crossing the tree line, she said, "Rex!" causing both individuals to turn their attention towards her. She eventually jumped into her brother's arms and said, "Oh, brother!"
He was taken back by his sister's sudden appearance and immediately pulled his pants up.
"Jen? What are you doing here?"
He then looked towards the trees and waved to his friend, who was still standing in the tree line. Meanwhile, Rebecca, embarrassed by her appearance, stepped back and attempted to clean herself.
"You had us worried, Rex. You didn't show up, so we went looking for you. What were you doing?"
"Um, we can talk about that later."
"No, tell me now!"
"Fine. I couldn't resist the bounty for this bandit called Ack'lae Ziggurat, the reward was just too damn good to pass up. Plus, it could've really given me a solid chance of joining the city Guards."
Rebecca and Brent both said, "You what?!!"
Rebecca looked at Brent with suspicion, 'Does he know too?'
"Jesus Christ, my ears!" Rex winced in pain.
With curiosity, Jen said, "Who's that?"
"Don't worry about it. But before I answer you guy's question, I have one of my own. Why are both of you so interested in him?"
Not wanting to raise more suspicion, Brent said, "His dangerous. The reason that reward is sky-high is because some dangerous folks want him wiped off the map, and they're willing to use fools like you as pawns. And let me tell you, he's no pushover. Just take a look at his last name, it's after a damn kingdom man! If you had bothered to ask around, you'd find out why everyone's steering clear of that bounty like it's the plague. Sometimes, you can be downright insufferable." Jen nodded in agreement with Brent's scolding.
"Oh..."
Rebecca listened intently and decided to set the record straight. "You're not too far off. And I also agree with you, he is an idiot."
Rex shrank into the ground as they continued to dog pile on him.
"Before I left to clear the forest, the mayor warned me that the bandit was a wanted noble from the Ziggurat kingdom, and that he stole the royal artifact known as Azura's Heart—"
Jen and Brent said in unison, "Wait a minute, are you Rebecca 'THORN BUSH'?!"
"Yes, I am, but please let me finish." She said annoyance present in her tone.
They both apologized and let her continued.
"...The heart belonged to one of Azura's dead avatars and has the power to unlock mana in someone who doesn't possess it," She then made a serious look, "But don't say this to anyone else alright? This information could get you killed."
Rex facepalmed inwardly as he heard the last sentence.
Brent, seeing the opportunity, said, "If you don't mind me asking, what kind of elf are you?"
Rex, finally seeing his chance to talk said, "She is a Hal-" but before he could finish, Rebecca grabbed his lips and whispered angrily, "You aren't allowed to tell anyone about that. It's for your ears only, understand?"
Brent, seeing how she almost ripped Rex's lips off, decided to drop the topic.
Feeling like he had no choice, Rex nodded in agreement. Rebecca released his lips and said, "Now that we've answered your question, it's time for you to answer ours."
"Right," he said, struggling to come up with a plausible explanation. "I killed him," he finally blurted out. "He was asleep and defenseless, so it was easy. But something strange happened when he died. His flesh turned into steam, and all that was left were his bones. I don't know why, but that's what happened." He tried to sound confident, but inside he was panicking. 'I hope they believe me.'
Surprised by the answer, Rebecca said, "He was just sleeping? Nothing else?"
"Uh, yeah, he was in deep sleep. I actually slipped on one of his belongings, but he didn't wake up, so I guess I was lucky." He shrugged.
"You're right, you were lucky. The reason he was in a deep sleep is because his body was adapting to the new mana flowing through him. Absorbing any god's essence has this effect." She said.
'Oh, thank goodness, she bought it. The fact that I was right is crazy.'
"Before we go anywhere, Jen and I smell like wet dogs," Brent said with a chuckle. "We headed towards the lake to freshen up. It was pure coincidence that we found you guys here, and I'm thankful for it because I can't take another second of her questioning me if we're there yet. From the looks of it, you two might also want to freshen up."
"Yeah, a pretty girl like you shouldn't smell so weird. You should wash your gear while you're at it too. It's got white stains all over it," Jen said, not noticing the look of discomfort on Rebecca's face. Rex stifled a smile, while Rebecca blushed in embarrassment.
As everyone washed up in the lake, two groups formed, with the women on one side and the men on the other. While washing, Rex couldn't help but sneak a peek at the two naked girls whose backs were turned to them. With better eyesight than a normal human, he tried to go underwater to catch a glimpse. 'Damn, I wish I had some fisheyes right now.' Out of nowhere, a genius idea popped in his mind.
"HEY REBECCA! CAN YOU CATCH A FISH FOR ME?!"
She looked back and said, "ARE YOU HUNGRY?!"
"YEP!"
"OKAY!"
She then focused her mind and activated the Detect Life spell. The spell worked its magic and highlighted all the living beings that's closely related to a fish in light red. Looking around, she eventually spotted the biggest fish and dove gracefully towards it.
Hearing the conversation, Brent swam to Rex and said, "We have some jerky in our packs. If you want, we can give some to you."
"Nah, I'm fine. I like it fresh," he said with a happy smile.
Sighing, Brent said, "What is your relationship with her?"
"Um... We're friends," he said hesitantly.
"Friends, huh?" Brent's tone was sarcastic. "Rex, I'm a man too. I know what semen smells like. Look, I don't want to assume what you did with her, but you should know that high rankers have egos as high as mountains. And that doesn't include the fact that she's an elf. I don't know what kind she is, and she's been nice enough, but she looks like a high elf, and those ones are the worst. You don't know what kind of baggage she's carrying, and becoming indebted to her might as well turn you into her slave. So here's a tip from yours truly: be careful."
"I appreciate your concern. I really do, but I think she's just the hard-to-get type of gal," he said with a kind expression while giving Brent a fist bump.
Bumping his friends fist he said, "A what now? what's with you saying weird shit lately?"
"I'm just being silly. Don't worry about it."
Rebecca emerged from the water, exuding an almost otherworldly grace akin to a goddess ascending from the depths. With both arms, she proudly held a sizable fish above her head, causing her ample bosom to bounce and sway with each motion. Despite their generous size, her breasts appeared perfectly proportioned on her curvaceous yet toned frame, captivating anyone who watched their mesmerizing movement. As the water cascaded down her physique, it unveiled the silhouette of her light pink areolas, teasingly tempting to breach the surface at any moment. It seemed as though the water itself couldn't resist succumbing to the allure of her body, eagerly showcasing every contour and curve.
"Good job!" Jen said.
"Thanks," she said bashfully. She then yelled towards Rex, "CATCH!"
Seeing the big fish flying through the air with great speed, Brent swam away from Rex. Meanwhile, Rex thought, 'Damn! She's got a good arm. It's spiraling too! She could've given Tom Brady a run for his money.'
Thinking quickly on his feet, he came up with a plan as the fish closed in. He purposely failed to catch it and acted as if he was hit in the face, sinking down into the water while simultaneously assimilating the fish. As he did so, he thought about how he could improve the assimilation process, combining his knowledge of fish with his understanding of biology.
'Hopefully, this goes fast, this fish only weighs about six pounds so it should be...'
Just then, Rebecca's voice called out to him. Rising out of the water, Rex held his head with one hand and pretended to be hurt, but still fine enough to yell towards the girls, "I'M FINE, I'LL WALK IT OFF, JUST KEEP WASHING!"
Feeling guilty for accidentally hurting him, Rebecca sank into the water with just half her head sticking out. "I'm so sorry," she said to Jen.
Jen felt slightly angry but remembered that Rebecca was an elven high ranker and that she probably didn't mean it and calmed down. "It's okay, my brother is tougher than you think." Rebecca nodded and continued washing, still feeling guilty.
As everyone washed, Rex's bottom half was busy assimilating the fish. To his surprise, it only took 10 minutes. 'Yes! Hell yeah, baby!' he thought, excited at the prospect of gaining a new skill.
He stood in the water, savoring the feeling of the newfound knowledge. Though he was disappointed by the measly gain of one XP, one biomass, and 0.1 stats, which he immediately put in his physical attribute. It was only short-lived as he grew excited at the prospect of acquiring a new ability. He opened his menu to check.
Name: Leon Helva Johnson (Former)
Rex Burningham (Currently)
Race: Flesh Slime
Human (Currently)
Experience: 21/100
Level: 1
Biomass: 21
Mana: 10
Life Affinity: Gain the affinity for life magic, can influence the abilities the user gains.
Stats:
Author's Note: One stat point is equivalent to a stat point in an adult human's attribute. For example, a human child with a one stat on their physical attribute would be as strong as an adult human.
* Gain stats by absorbing flesh from other organisms.
Physical: 2.1
(Strength + Vitality + Endurance + Toughness)
Mental: 1
(Intelligence + Perception + Willpower)
Mobility: 2
(Agility + Dexterity + Flexibility)
Abilities:
~Shapeshifting: Shapeshifting is the power to physically transform into different forms, including the ability to grow extra limbs and organs. However, this ability demands a deep understanding of the physiology of the desired form or organ. It's crucial to note that the user must possess sufficient mass to transform into a specific form or organ.
~Tremor Sense: A passive ability that allows an individual to form an accurate mental image of the ground and anything in contact with it by detecting and interpreting vibrations.
~Flesh Absorption: With the power of Flesh Absorption, individuals can absorb flesh to increase their mass. The amount of mass they gain depends on the freshness of the flesh, where fresher flesh provides more mass compared to decayed flesh. Moreover, absorbing flesh grants them knowledge of its physiological makeup and a chance to acquire its abilities. However, the probability of gaining abilities decreases with repeated absorption of the same species. Additionally, the amount of stat points gained from absorbing the same species repeatedly decreases with each absorption. Furthermore, the amount of biomass gained from consuming the same species drops significantly after the first specimen.
~Biomass Condensation: The ability to densify parts or the entire body.
Water Breathing: The ability to breath underwater.
Available skills:
N/A
*Gain new abilities by leveling up. Gain experience by absorbing biomass, the amount of experience gained increases with the size of the biomass assimilated during a single session. In addition, experience can be gained by copulating with other organisms. However, experience cannot be gained from copulation for the next 48 hours.
*The user can delete certain abilities by consenting to multiple prompts that appear on the screen. However, abilities marked with the symbol "~" are unable to be removed.
Rex's surprise and confusion grew as he finally recognized his affinity for life magic and how it could shape his newfound abilities. The old Rex couldn't recall possessing any magical powers or mana. Initially, he assumed that everyone possessed mana, but Rebecca's explanation shattered that belief, revealing that access to mana and magic was a rare gift.
Various theories crossed his mind. Did slimes possess mana but lack the intelligence to use it? Or had he acquired the ability to use mana after reincarnating and absorbing Ack'lae Ziggurat's essence, who had consumed Azura's heart? But the origin of his life affinity remained a mystery. He mentally noted to ask Rebecca later, hoping she held knowledge about how affinities to specific types of magic worked.
Overall, he felt content with the revelations he had unearthed. He particularly found the ability to breathe underwater, which initially seemed boring, to be incredibly useful.
After washing up, Rebecca and Jen swam towards Rex, who was staring into the distance like a lost child, fake clutching his head. Feeling guilty, she approached and stopped a few feet away from him, revealing the cleavage between her breasts.
"I'm sorry, I didn't know you sucked at catching."
He was slightly offended but was used to it by now, "I'm tough. I can take it."
Jen, looking at the sun setting, asked Brent if they could make it back home.
"We're all done washing up, so yeah we can still make it back. But it's up to you guys to decide."
After everyone agreed, Rebecca asked Rex if he still wanted a fish. He replied, "The fish died, but it might still be down here. Let me check."
His eyes transformed into fisheyes and began searching for the goodies. He couldn't help but notice Rebecca's athletic physique, characterized by wide hips, well-defined curves, and a toned figure that suited her frame. Her short orange pubic hair added a touch of uniqueness to her appearance.
THIS IS NOT MY ART, ALL CREDIT BELONGS TO THE ARTIST. (NSFW) This is what Rebeccas body looks like
He was entranced by her beauty but was interrupted when someone grabbed his hair and pulled his head up. Grabbing Rex by the hair, Brent pulled him up and asked, "Meathead, are you trying to drown yourself? You've been down there for too long, you've got your sister worried over there."
Jen, relieved to see him fine said, "Did you find the fish?"
Feeling a bit dazed and almost intoxicated from staring at Rebecca's body, he responded, "No, it's too blurry to see. It's probably around here somewhere, but I don't want to waste time looking for it. But I do have some food in my pack that I can eat instead."
Brent shook his head in disbelief, "Are you done drowning yourself?"
"Yep"
"Then we'll head out and dress first." Brent turned and headed towards the shore, followed by Rex. While waiting for the girls to finish, Rex asked Brent if he would ever love someone like Rebecca.
"To be honest, she isn't my type. Don't get me wrong, she looks better than anyone I've ever seen, But I can't ignore the fact that she's an elf," he said, contempt visible in his tone.
He was intrigued, he could tell there was more to it, so he decided to press further. "Is that it? She's an elf? That's the best part! You barely see them anywhere. She's pretty much perfect. She might be on the fit and tall side, but that just means there's more to grab onto. So, what's the real reason?"
His face darkened as he said, "You said it yourself, it's because she's an elf. But it's not just that. Those bigoted fucks killed my parents. How can you love someone whose race, to this day, still hates anyone who's not their kind?"
He was taken back. He had no idea Brent had such a traumatic experience with the elven race. "They killed your parents? W-what happened?"
He calmed down and shook his head, "Not now. I'll... I'll tell you later."
He sat in silence, realizing that he had been completely oblivious to the feelings that Brent harbored towards elves. He felt guilty for not knowing more about the world he lived in and the history of the people he interacted with. "I'm sorry, I had no idea."
"It's fine. I never told you, so why would you know. Just know that I can't stand them."
The two of them sat in silence, the weight of Brent's slip up hung heavily in the air between them.
Brent finally broke the silence, "Rebecca is probably different. I mean, thinking back on the stories of her as an adventurer, she seems like the complete opposite of high elves. So, I won't treat her badly, but she won't get special treatment either."
'Thank the gods I have a friend like him.'
But something was bothering him, so he decided to ask. "Wait so who are the 'Parents' that you live with?"
He was shocked by the question, "I guess there's no point in hiding, huh? I'm a spy for our king. A spy that's stationed in this city. That's all you need to know."
'A spy?! Where did that come from?'
He relented, sensing that Brent didn't want to divulge any further information. A companionable silence descended upon them until the girls finished and approached them. Jen stopped in front of him, her face brightening up with a beautiful smile. "Shall we go?"
He returned the smile with warmth in his own. "Yeah, let's head home."
Thanks for the chapter and link to google don't work.
Don't know why, it's not working, but it should be working now.