image [https://i.imgur.com/6wZmNEH.jpg]
My body, true to its pudding nature, subtly shifted upwards as I had done previously to catch a glimpse of Olin’s gnome form. Stretching like viscous slime, I adjusted for the right angle after noticing that the corpse had also shifted ever so slightly. There, in her chest, was a gaping wound right where her heart should have been. Nestled inside was a glowing white blob—the actual color unknown to me, thanks to my Thermal vision, which only indicated it was something warm and alive inside the corpse. But what was it?
“Mine! Mine! Aaaaah! MIIIINE!” a blood-curdling scream erupted from the blob ensconced within the corpse’s chest cavity.
What the hell?!
I quickly recoiled, crawling away more from surprise than fear. Of all things, I hadn’t expected the entity within the dead woman’s body to be capable of speech. Cautiously, much like a feline sizing up potential prey, I began to edge back, trying to steal another glance inside the cadaver’s gaping wound.
“Num num num, yum yum,” I could hear whatever was inside the woman murmuring to itself. Suddenly, it noticed me again and screamed, “MINE! MINE!” It then lunged—or, rather, I initially thought it lunged. It seems I often misjudge these situations when my expectations don’t align with reality. No, this creature didn’t lunge; it oozed out slowly, its murderous intent unmistakable amidst its incoherent, mad ramblings. “Mine! Kill! KILL! My yum num num! Me find first! MIIINE!”
Seriously! What. The. Fuck? Screw you! That’s my num num—shit! I mean, ugh, whatever. I’ll kill you and see if I can’t extract any skills from you or that corpse.
Shit, Blake, what’s wrong with me? Wait—why do I keep referring to myself in the third person? Argh! I’m losing my mind… Maybe my old therapist was onto something with those diagnoses. As for what those were—well, that’s protected by HIPAA (if you know, you know).
Great, I’m not only talking to myself and referring to myself in the third person, but I’m also breaking the fourth wall too? I could really use some weed right about now. Oh, shit—
I was lost in my internal dialogue when, suddenly, the creeping ooze lashed out to attack.
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
Acid Status Detected [SD]
Resist Status: Full Immunity [Active]
Applying Resistances…
Resistance Successful
Acid Effects Nullified
V:\>
There was a long pause as the ooze and I eyed each other, both clearly baffled by what had just transpired. Then, without warning, my opponent screamed in pain! As it did, I noticed light gray swirls appearing on its glowing white flesh—the flesh that had touched me—as it started to retreat with all the urgency of a tortoise with short legs; needless to say, it was not fast at all. Meanwhile, I stood there, frozen and confused, before flicking on Mana Focus for a quick flash of a moment.
The chamber burst into vibrant and confusing hues, which I had already suspected was actually mana wafting across everything. If I had to guess, the chamber was pitch black, but when you only see in Thermal and mana, who needs a light source? Still, before turning off Mana Focus, I noticed the creature looked off-yellow, almost sickly, probably due to the corrosiveness of its mana. A little section of its body that had touched me showed thin wisps of purple-like threads spreading over it.
Then it hit me: this ooze, slime, or whatever it was, might have some kind of acid resistance, but I was also—Venomous! I nearly died from laughter as I started to creep after it. Two slowpokes—one fleeing with all its desire to live, and the other—me—eagerly on the hunt. To any onlooker, it would have appeared pathetic, like two slugs in a slow-motion duel to the death. Yet, to me, this was an epic clash, the stuff of legends!
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
BattleResult
Enemy Defeated: [Dungeon Ochre Jelly]
Current Level: 13
Next Milestone at Level: 15
Initiate [Absorb] on [Dungeon Ochre Jelly]?
> YES
> NO
V:\>
My high-speed pursuit fizzled out as quickly as it had begun. The chase had been… exhilarating? No, let’s not dwell on that anticlimactic awkwardness. The ooze—or was it an ochre jelly? Whatever that is—succumbed to my venom before I could catch up. It seemed that other slimy types didn’t share my degree of immunities. This opponent, however, must have been rather weak since I didn’t gain a single level from poisoning it to death, which was quite a letdown. Still, it was worth checking if it possessed any skills I didn’t already have. With my metaphorical fingers crossed, I pressed yes on [Absorb] and reveled in the oddly delightful sourness of its flesh.
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
SkillUpdate
[Absorb] [Dungeon Ochre Jelly] Successful
New Selectable Skills Available:
- [Dull Corrode]
V:\>
Dull Corrode?
I didn’t have much more to add or say as I stared at the underwhelming skill name. It seemed I was destined to accumulate all sorts of weak skills I neither wanted nor needed. Though, this one sounded particularly uninspiring. Still, driven more by curiosity than anything else, I decided to pull up the description. Who knows, maybe I’d be in for a surprise.
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
SkillDetails
[Dull Corrode]
Description: Your touch becomes slightly acidic, capable of gently dissolving foods and nutrients—perfect for minor corrosive needs without causing harm.
Status: Inactive
Type: Ability
Activation: Passive
V:\>
Without causing harm—the fuck?
Disgruntled by the seemingly useless skill, I crept my way back to the dead woman, hopeful of finding something more beneficial. Without hesitation, I engulfed her body like ravenous, sticky tar, intent on completely devouring her. That said, I did notice something new about my Corrosive skill. Since the woman was already dead, her body seemed to dissolve much faster than the succubus had during our fall—in fact, after the fall, the succubus’s remains had also dissolved rather quickly compared to when she was alive. Hmm… food for thought.
Huh, she tastes a lot like hot cocoa and mint. Mmmm, delicious!
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
RequestAction
Do you wish to [Absorb] System User: [Sophia] Class: [Necromancer Apprentice]?
> YES
> NO
V:\>
She was a system user... like me? Wait, could she have been one of the summoned candidates that the vampires mentioned? Does that mean she was from Earth as well?
Setting those puzzling thoughts aside, since I had no way to get any answers, I focused on what truly mattered at that moment—performing a little squiggly pudding dance! My joy was boundless upon realizing that I didn’t need to be the one to make the kill to use Absorb on a corpse. My elation soared, and I mentally cheered, Yes!
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
SkillUpdate
[Absorb] System User: [Sophia] Successful
New Selectable Skill Available:
> [Spirit Vessel]
> [Necrotic Flame]
V:\>
Huh, sweet, two new skills!
I was pleasantly surprised to have gained two new skills this time, but I paused, fixated on one of them.
Wait a minute—Necrotic Flame?!
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
SkillDetails
[Necrotic Flame]
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Description: Wield the dark arcane to unleash a deadly inferno of flames that wither and decay all life they scorch.
Status: Inactive
Type: Spell
Activation: Cast
V:\>
Perfect—just… fucking perfect.
I had just filled up all four of my skill slots, and then what did I discover? An insanely powerful-sounding ranged spell. I had sworn not to have any regrets, but damn it, I was kicking myself now! Especially since I had originally wanted a ranged spell, and there it was, staring back at me from my system page, taunting me with its potential.
Seriously? I don’t want to fight up close with monsters. I want to be a sniper-like mage if I have to fight! This is so unfair.
Needless to say, I indeed regretted filling up all my available skill slots, with no way of knowing how to undo it. Begrudgingly, I glanced at the other skill description, my enthusiasm thoroughly dampened.
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
SkillDetails
[Spirit Vessel]
Description: Manipulate spirits around you, mending and melding them with any accepting vessel.
Status: Inactive
Type: Spell
Activation: Cast
V:\>
I didn’t give that skill much thought, instead glancing around for any remains of the girl that Absorb might have left behind for me to savor as I contemplated my next move. I was already growing weary of lingering too long in this dank chamber. It was time to experiment with Polymorph. It was a passive skill, so there shouldn’t be much to it, right?
Closing my eyes, I imagined the woman I had just devoured—no, I thought about the succubus and her curves, but with a few modifications of my own. Minus the horns, wings, and tail—a perfect body that I never had in my past life.
It’s Polymorphing time!
I hoped to see my new, sexy form as I opened my senses—not that they had ever gone away. But to my dismay, I was still the same slimy, grotesque creature. I tried looking through the system for any instructions or a manual, but I was left to my own devices.
My mind raced with possibilities, but still, nothing happened. There was no transformation, no escape from this goo form. It was almost laughable, in a sick and twisted sort of way. I stayed there for a long time, stretching and squeezing my body like some demented contortionist, but with no luck.
It wasn’t until I finally gave up, scratching my head in frustration, that I noticed it. Yeah, you read that correctly—I was scratching my head! I didn’t look exactly human, nor did I have a body per se, but I had a limb, and I was using it to rub my somewhat oval body—which one might call a head. It seemed that when I wasn’t consciously trying to cast, my subconscious managed to get the skill to work—you might say, passively.
I refuse to admit how many hours I’d been at this.
Instead of trying to shape my body, I simply tried to stand, no thought, just action. Suddenly, I began to stretch out, ripping, mending, and shifting like putty as I did. Tar-like strands, tendrils, and tentacles of abomination twisted into threads of interwoven muscle fibers as I started to take form. I rejoiced! For the first time since awakening, I reached out of the black muck that had been me and toward the heavens with my newly formed hands open wide.
A twisted smile tugged at the corners of my new face as I ascended, my laughter echoing in the darkness of my mind. It was a joyous madness, an intoxicating rush of self-gratification. Here I was, reborn in another world, transformed into a creature of pure darkness and instinct. I’ve done unspeakable things that would make my former self shudder in horror. I’ve battled spiders, ghouls, and even a seductive succubus, all of whom I devoured with delight. But it wasn’t just them—I couldn’t resist sinking my corrosive flesh into a random corpse as well. And the taste... oh, the taste! It was like nothing I’d ever experienced before.
I should feel disgusted, guilty, and perhaps even traumatized by my actions. But I don’t. Instead, I stand tall on my own two legs, feeling an unprecedented sense of pride and satisfaction. It’s as if my new life as a monster has unlocked a hidden part of me, a part that revels in chaos and destruction.
As I bask in my newfound freedom, a flicker of doubt crosses my mind.
Is this who I really am now?
Am I truly a monster?
Those doubts quickly dissipated, replaced by a surge of adrenaline at the prospect of new prey to hunt and consume. Yes, I am a Black Pudding, a creature of chaos, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Despite my pride in figuring out how to shapeshift in such a short time—maybe a day or two weeks lying in one spot trying, I wasn’t sure; it’s hard to keep track down here—I decided it was time to take a good look at myself. Though, I was already getting a good look, albeit a blurry one. Getting a three-hundred-degree view was already bad enough when you’re blob-shaped and your entire body is one massive eyeball, but when you’re stretching and contracting, it gets worse. Now imagine appendages to see out from—this turns an already sensory overload into something ten thousand times worse.
If only I could concentrate the skill I use to see into a focal point…
I froze my thoughts as I realized I could do just that. I had been trying to control the skill itself, but I had never tried to control from where I was using it—does that make sense? What I’m getting at is, instead of trying to control the skill, I should control which part of my body uses the skill. Let’s say, like giving myself two orbs with Polymorph and then try focusing the skill Thermal or Mana Focus into those orbs, just like real eyeballs!
Oh, I’m a genius! Ha, to think, it only took me a week—I mean, no time at all to find a solution.
An awkward chuckle echoed in my mind as I held out my hand like a vapid Instagram model, eager to admire my new form. I had the perfect idea as I subconsciously tried to form an orb in my hand. Standing there for I don’t know how long, I eventually did it! I pushed Thermal into the eye within my palm and took a good look at myself without all the blurry and overwhelming sights going on all at once.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for—the sight worked perfectly, albeit in black and white, but my form... Sure, I looked vaguely human… well, more like a bald, short version of Slenderman combined with a gooey skeleton than anything else. Talk about disappointment—I was a hideous monster!
Where the hell are my curves and alluring features?
My grumbling and bitching ended abruptly when a loud boom sounded above me! Flicking my open hand upward, I moved it around to get a good look but saw nothing—wait! In the hole I fell down, I noticed a mix of grays and white growing in size. My single eye within my palm widened in horror as I attempted to escape from whatever was falling.
After a single wobbly step, I fell flat on my face, splattering into a gooey mess. It turns out that learning to walk again is nothing like riding a bike. As I splattered, my eyeball liquefied, and Thermal snapped back into full panorama. Terrifyingly, I got an amazing view of the falling debris that did not wait for me to try again as it came crashing down on top of me.
V:\Ascension>SAFE_MODE
Fire Status Detected [SD]
Resist Status: None [Inactive]
Applying Resistances…
Resistance Unsuccessful
Fire Vulnerability in Full Effect
V:\>
I screamed—or I tried to scream, but all that escaped the gooey mess of a maw that appeared in the buried puddle was silence. Searing, burning pain washed over every surface of my body as stone and debris continued to crash down on top of me, with several pieces still alight with fire. I had no time to think or process what was happening above ground. I simply moved with frantic crawling as my burning body oozed its way through the rubble.
My only solace was that after creeping and sliming my way through all the dirt and stone, I somehow managed to extinguish the fire, though the damage had been done. As I emerged from the mess, a few pebbles and stone bricks tumbled onto the pile, filling the chamber beneath the hole. Getting far enough away from that horror fest, I curled up into a tiny pudding ball and sobbed as the jittering phantom pains of what I had just experienced coursed through me. However, I knew I couldn’t stay here much longer—not after a supporting pillar collapsed and the chamber shook as if a distant earthquake, or perhaps more likely, a battle raged above me.
Despite my pain, I found myself oddly thinking of Aurelia and wondering if she was safe. I knew I wasn’t this Bowen guy she thought my soul was from. Heck, I wasn’t even a guy, yet I couldn’t get her off my mind. Insane as it was, she occupied my thoughts.
Ugh, I’ve never been so head over heels with someone before. What’s wrong with me?!
Though I really do mean it, I hope she’s safe.
With a trembling body that still ached from fresh burns, I gave Polymorph another go, only to encounter a significant issue. After devouring a few spiderlings, a ghoul, a succubus, an ochre jelly, and a random woman’s corpse, I’d say I was about child-size, though I wasn’t sure why I wasn’t bigger. Unless it’s not counting all the water mass, which is utter bullshit if you ask me! Still, the issue was that after getting seriously burned, I was roughly the size of a tarantula once again.
As a second pillar in the chamber crumbled, I decided now wasn’t the time to bitch about the unfairness of life. Quickly, I took shape into a tarantula—or, more accurately, a single eyeball—lightly smoking and seared—with legs. I really did not like full three-sixty vision, so eyeballs were a must no matter what form I took, now that I knew how to do it. As for the spider legs, well, they were more like gooey appendages that shot out from and into my single eye, which was my entire body.
I quickly scurried away down a long corridor, just as the chamber’s ceiling gave way, collapsing the entire space, and perhaps my only escape if I decided I didn’t want anything to do with this dungeon.
The long, narrow corridor before me seemed to stretch on forever, but I strode forward confidently, my eye held high. Well, that may be an exaggeration. I honestly looked like a wobbling ball of goo waddling down a dark hallway. Whatever!
Despite the long walk—or rather, in spite of it—I started playing around with my eye. Thermal was still better in comparison to Mana Focus, although I hadn’t tried it yet with an eyeball. After giving it a go, I had to admit, I was starting to prefer Mana Focus over military thermal vision. The colors and hues were all off, but if I could figure out what each color represented in terms of potential mana, I’d have a huge edge.
A loud sound rippled overhead, and glancing up, I noticed the ceiling was cracking. This ended my experimentation with my eyesight as I quickly picked up my scurrying pace. Half an hour later, I finally reached the end of the corridor, with only a couple of cave-ins behind me. And oh, what an exhilarating reward awaited me.
I emerged from the confining passage onto a cliffside and froze as I gazed upon the scene before me. Lo and behold, a massive cavern stretched out before me. It reminded me of a documentary I once watched about a cave in China that was so large it had its own ecosystem. Glancing up, sure enough, there were clouds. Still staring up, I noticed large crystal structures emitting a ton of mana in a soft white glow. I guess they were emitting light, which would explain why there was so much vegetation down below.
Speaking of below, I stared at a colossal lake with a cascading waterfall. Yet, I marveled at something I hadn’t appreciated earlier—my newfound tolerance—I didn’t feel like throwing up!
Hallelujah!
I might not have perfect clarity as I’m still getting used to it, but the eerie splendor of the landscape lay exposed before me. I took it all in with no nausea or discomfort. It was amazing! Of course, I hadn’t truly appreciated this new comfort when I first formed the eyeball, being a bit distracted by falling debris and being burnt to a tiny crisp and all, but now, out in safety, I was finally appreciating it.
After taking it all in for a few moments, I started peeking around, noticing a few paths down from the cliff, but none were obvious choices. Then, I heard something that froze me still. A squabbling quintet disrupted the silence.
Hmm, listen to that delightful racket.
I strained to discern the identities of those bellowing beings, but their true nature remained cloaked in mystery. Yet, their raucous clamor was music to my ears.
I’m not alone! Yay—wait, I’m not alone?
No yay. I’m too tiny for a fight.
“Rob, I’m fucking tell you, we’re not ready for the next boss!”
“Well, Jason. Maybe if you hadn’t killed Sophia and eaten her heart, we might’ve stood a chance against that big fucker.”
“Hey! Hey! We did not have a ceasefire at the time. Besides, it’s not my fault that frog-faced freak stuck my soul inside this dark fae body. It’s fucking hard to control these impulses.”
Can’t argue with that. I’m still learning about my own dark impulses.
“Jason, Rob, you’re both right. Rob, this isn’t a video game. There’s no do-over! We need to grind some levels if we hope to beat that boss. Jason, we’re in a life and death struggle, and if those freaks who threw us down here were telling the truth, only one of us will be allowed to leave alive. And the door out can only be found at the end of this shithole dungeon! So, no, I don’t blame you for Sophia. We had not yet made any agreements at the time. However, as soon as we’ve cleared this dungeon, all bets are off.”
Only one of us can leave alive? Yeah, that’s about what I had gathered from Aurelia’s father, Lord Something-or-Other.
Well, let the Hunger Games begin!
“Jeremy, w-what if we level up to the point the v-vampires have no choice but to let each of us live?”
“You said it yourself, Heather. Your appraisal didn’t work on Demidicus or his terrifying daughter. I don’t see any of us getting a high enough level to make a difference to those fanged fucks, but if everyone here wants to try, I’ll play along. I’m all for grinding levels. What do you say, Yuri?”
“It’s Yua, and as long as you boys can prove you won’t betray one another, I’m willing to consider it. But I don’t trust the three of you.”
Hmm… It seems obvious those are five champion candidates chatting it up down there. I also suppose that makes Sophia, the corpse I ate, the sixth. Sorry—not sorry.
I had no idea how long they’d been down here or what level they were, and I was pretty sure they would kill me on the spot, even if I found a way to tell them I was a fellow candidate. Besides, I didn’t think I could stop myself from attempting to murder and eat them first.
Ugh, I’ve become worse than Jeffery Dahmer.
“Heather, what was the boss’s level?”
“It w-was three l-levels above me, at level fifteen.”
“Four weeks of grinding, and I can’t believe you’re level thirteen already. That drow experience boost is so unfair! I wish that sick fuck who summoned me had put me into one. Instead, I got some screwed-up dark fae.”
Wait, wouldn’t that only make her level twelve? The boss they’re talking about is three levels above her at fifteen... so yeah, twelve. Looks like one of them can’t do simple math.
“S-sorry, Jason,” she replied, her voice tinged with timidity. From her tone, I doubted she had done the math either—strange, it almost sounded like she was lying about her level. Whatever!
Level tweleve in four weeks? What. The. Fuck? I already higher level after a few paltry hours in this realm—minus the time figuring out Polymorph, of course—those are days we won’t be talking about. Maybe Aurelia’s faith in me wasn’t entirely unfounded.
Ugh, who wants to be some evil champion, though? On second thought... it might not be the worst fate.
Suppose the other candidates are also at or near my level. In that case, I’ll need to do some serious leveling before facing them. I’m outnumbered five to one, and I have two things I need to fix before a fight: one, I need to figure out a way to cheat. And two, I’m tiny! Like, where can a girl get a meal around here?
Eh, am I really plotting their murder?
YES!
Holy crap, I think I am a schizo—fuck, my stepdad turned out to be right!
Suddenly, an unexpected, hushed voice emanated from behind me, “Pssst!”
image [https://i.imgur.com/Vkd2U8s.png]