In battle, the situation developed very rapidly.

Claw cut brain.

Indigo arrived next to Green and prodded it with softened tentacles.

I oozed forward and flexed the ugly fingers of my desiccated mongoose claw. I was the spirit of bloody karma, arriving to collect my due.

Almost instantly after its brain was damaged, Sapphire’s movements changed. While it had previously been circumspect in its attacks, its response to every bit of visual stimulus now appeared to be hammering down at it with a claw. The mongoose shrieked? Hammer it quiet. Red rolls too close? Hammer with the utmost vigor.

Generally in pain? Hammer until your arm falls off. The floor of this maze-like cage trembled from its vigorous tantrum.

As Sapphire’s rampage continued for longer than five seconds, it was clear it was running out of energy. The claw actually seemed heavy as it lifted it back up before another strike. Also, several of these blows had landed on the mongoose, shattering the leg with the severed paw and likely several of its ribs. Blood seeped out of the monster’s side and pooled on the ground. But now, static crackled back and forth across its body. With the Sapphire slamming its claw around and the electricity, I considered my approach.

Every second I seemed to be getting more notifications about witnessing Mana, but I ignored them. Instead, I felt frustrated. Honestly, it’s this body. Reliable though the slime form is, and versatile, I would still prefer-

Hum, actually…

I concentrated and my reliable jello began to shift. With six Anima, I could easily make a humanoid frame. Two tentacles for legs and two for arms. Gradually, my form shifted inside the tattered rat skin. The recently absorbed claw went to the end of my right hand. I stood about as tall as an action figure, but it was still much more comfortable to move in this manner.

As I bounded forward on flubber legs, the mongoose waited for Sapphire to slam its claw down then slashed forward with electricity around its arm. It struck close to the base of Sapphire’s claw, so not only did it crack the crab leg again, but sparks ran down the short distance from the limb to Sapphire’s body. Only a small amount of its ooze vanished, but the Chimera Core flinched back and created some distance from the mongoose.

Distance I filled, eyeing the wounded mongoose. In my mind, on repeat, the memory of Green being stunned by Sapphire’s claw and then near-annihilated by the electric claw played over and over. Yet just as I worked up more righteous fury… Green bounded past me.

Your Skill (Temp) Lesser Mana Detection has grown to Level 10 (+3).

Ah. I guess you don’t really need me to avenge you… Ahem ahem, it’s sufficiently dramatic as all three of us face off against this foe.

Now left without a dance partner, the mongoose wheeled around to glare at our trio. Its mobility was limited by the crushed base of its spine. But apparently, it still possessed plenty of Anima. Green bounced and smashed against its side before rebounding quickly and avoiding the static. Indigo waded out into the spilling blood, absorbing quite a bit. And I-

I wish I had a mouth, for a dramatic one-liner, I thought. The mongoose turned sideways, finally noticing how close I had gotten with my humanoid limbs. Before it could react, its own claw stabbed into the left side of its face and scooped out its precious prize.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +3.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +4.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +2.

Would you like to integrate the slightly mushed left eye of Vindictive Static Mongoose Lvl 10?

Integration requires 10 Anima. Continue?

Ah, is it a problem if I have two left eyes? This is bullshit. But still I clicked yes, even as I hopped backward and avoided a wave of static discharge.

You have integrated the slightly mushed left eye of the Vindictive Static Mongoose Lvl 10! You have unlocked Skill (Temp) Detect Danger. Slightly Mushed Left Eye of the Vindictive Static Mongoose Lvl 10 provides Perception +5.

Your Skill Integrate Body Part has grown to Level 6.

So far, I had been growing by spurts of 1 or 2 Stats at a time. Their effects weren’t exactly earth-shattering, but it wasn’t like they weren’t noticeable. But suddenly receiving 5 to Perception meant the world spun around me as I attempted to acclimate to my new sharpened senses. Not only had the area of my energy sonar grown, but the specificity was staggering. But perhaps the most disturbing part was now seeing the bright color of blood spattered across the ground, to hear the fear and pain in the mongoose’s cry.

Quick as I had arrived, I wheeled backward. With some space, I looked down, with two left eyes, at my bloody claw. Shit, if I look at myself in the mirror… what sort of tiny murder doll am I…

After rearing back and slashing its claw blindly where I had been standing, the mongoose paused. It twisted around, so it could glare at me with its one good eye. Every bit of its body language screamed ‘revenge’.

Your Skill (Temp) Detect Danger has grown to Level 2.

You fucker, you are bleeding out this much, yet you still have enough pep to make threats? Ah, you definitely live a non-leisurely life… why couldn’t we have fought your brother, the forgiving mongoose…

Before it could claw its way across the ground to attack me, Green slammed against it from behind. It twisted around and lashed out, but that gave Indigo the chance to use its spider head to chomp down on the end of the mongoose’s tail and rip off a hunk. This it proudly carried toward Green, who bounded to meet Indigo-

If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.

Sapphire slammed its claw down sideways toward an unsuspecting Indigo, knocking the tail nib away and smashing the spider head to nothing. When Sapphire lifted the claw, Indigo reformed, but without its favorite body part.

Okay, time for a lesson in consequences. My body quivered. None of my jello wiggling contained joy. You, Sapphire, need to stop fucking with my people.

My gears began to turn. Except now, a new additional chute had been added, to accept the underlying Feeling I had developed: fury to fuel the process. My senses gathered information, seeking to understand how to birth the result I craved. Details, now with a greater degree of texture, flowed into me as I stared hate at Sapphire. Two sharp clang’s echoed out through my being. After a second, I saw a path.

My little body hopped forward, running straight at the mongoose. It fixated on me, glad one of its targets came of its own accord.

Your Skill (Temp) Detect Danger has grown to Level 3.

Sure, I get it. But let me show you what a man who has lived for twenty-nine years can accomplish. I raised my claw. When already, I’ve lost everything.

And I won’t let that happen again.

The mongoose screamed at me. I leapt to its left and it moved to shift after me— and collapsed, forgetting the paw on its right leg had been severed. Its body skidded and it thrashed. With that opening, my little body hopped up onto its side. I took my claw and drove it into one of the wounds made by Green’s rib bones.

These mongoose fingers might be degraded, but they could hook in a wound and tear it open.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +4.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +1.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +3.

Your Skill Absorb Anima has grown to Level 6.

Blood seeped into the claw. My body burned in pleasure, the hunger I had felt repeatedly whenever I saw a living being finally being sated. A part of me wanted to just give in and relax with that feeling… but the rigorous gears from my human life kept turning.

Another clang of engaged clockwork shocked me awake.

Even if I wanted to, I could not relax. Not right now. Not when other debts needed to be collected.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +2.

You have successfully Absorbed Anima! Anima +5.

Your Skill (Temp) Detect Danger has grown to Level 4.

Your Skill (Temp) Lesser Mana Detection has grown to Level 10 (+4).

As soon as the Skills triggered, I jumped sideways. Even still, a blast of electricity ripped through a tentacle leg, claiming 1 of my Anima and 4 of my Health. I hit the ground and rolled. Despite the damage, I still felt stronger than I had any time before. My body was larger too, with my Anima reaching 19. With how wounded the mongoose had become, it would be enough for Indigo and Green to handle it.

I walked toward Sapphire, who continued to pound the ground with its claw. It noticed me and raised the crab limb to scare me off. As much as I disliked Sapphire in the first place, it became even more insufferable without its tiny rat brain. It brought its powerful, but only weapon up, and then slammed it down when I didn’t react. I stopped just short and took a step to the side, so the impact wouldn’t knock me down.

I rushed around the edge of the heavy crab arm, now beginning to crack from how often it had been hammered without hitting a target, and bounded the rest of the way to stand next to Sapphire. Ah, I couldn’t decide if I was a genius for the idea of making a humanoid body with tentacles or an idiot for taking so long to do so.

When I landed next to Sapphire, I used the mongoose claw to latch onto the base of the crab claw. Sapphire wiggled and then physically threw its body against mine. I immediately lost three Health and one Anima as our bodies reacted to one another, but my tattered rat skin served its purpose in keeping our ooze separated. Sapphire’s larger body couldn’t just burn me away while I was wrapped in skin.

And with that opening… my finishing move! Majestic eruption of hyper-miasma!

I poofed out my point of Mana.

Sapphire’s quivering grew worse. It struggled to get away from the raw Mana I released, but my grip on the crab claw kept it close. Probably it could overpower me; definitely, it had earned some Strength from the crab arm. But it was just a Chimera Core and its rat brain had been destroyed. It flailed ineffectually, its Anima being consumed by the ambient Mana.

You have assisted in slaying a Lvl 10 Vindictive Static Mongoose!

You have Leveled Up! Health +2, Anima +1.

Heheh, with this timely Level~ I felt an emotional curdling as I watched Sapphire’s flailing; I would kill my fellow monster and feel not at all guilty about it. Until-

“Oh shit, they might kill each other.” For the first time in a while, the whiny voice spoke.

“Split 'em apart. That’s enough for today, anyway. The mongoose is finished.”

Your Skill (Temp) Detect Danger has grown to Level 5.

Your Skill (Temp) Lesser Mana Detection has grown to Level 10(+5).

Following the voices, a beam of pure Mana shot downward. The Skill activation had warned me somewhat, but I couldn’t scurry back quickly enough. The beam mostly cut through my body, barely grazing Sapphire. Six more of my Health and four Anima were annihilated just like that. The beam swung back and forth, forcing me to retreat lest I receive more damage.

Before I could fully disengage my clockwork mode, it tolled out one more metallic noise. Although only I heard it, my glittering brass machine made a promise I agreed with fully; I would not forget this human interference. But for now, I could only ooze away, my pride hurt by our observers so obviously favoring Sapphire. Especially considering what a sorry sight he had become.

My mood improved as I looked at my companions. Both Green and Indigo had grown to almost double my size as they finished off the Mongoose. Green had a fluffy new tail sticking out of its back, but the really ridiculous one was Indigo: it had absorbed the head of the Static Mongoose. Which, despite the increases in its size, was so large you could barely see any Indigo ooze. It was just a mongoose head and two rat heads, covered in a thin jelly coating.

Is this a taxidermist’s wet dream, or worst nightmare? I wondered. I could only shrug at the grotesque wound where I had ripped out one of the Mongoose’s eyes. Ahem. Too late to complain now about the companions I’ve chosen. Hopefully, none of its vindictiveness can be inherited just with a body part…

In a big break from the usual routine, the Mana barrier on top of our cage deactivated. My eyeball swiveled up to see massive human hands reaching down toward our position. They had gloves, but it still came as a shock when they casually plucked us up. I remained frozen, worried about more dangerous Mana attacks with my 2 remaining Health, but was amused when Sapphire obviously lashed out. The human didn’t even acknowledge the strike.

I had the vague sense of a laboratory-type setting as I peered around, and then the human holding me tossed me into a new cage. A few seconds later, Green and Indigo were tossed in the same enclosure, which was a relief. The cage to our left soon received Orange as an occupant. To our right was a cage filled with two rats, which quivered against the far wall.

“Now comes the real test,” Gruff voice said as he closed the cage door and walked away. “Hopefully, these can survive the night. I’m tired of having to explain the unexpected experiment failures to Raccain.”

Uhm wait, what?