With so many questions running through his mind, he needed time to organize his thoughts. He took a long, deep breath before letting out a sigh. “According to the voice in my head, assuming I have not gone insane, I have been reborn as a slime. That would explain why I can’t move my limbs, along with my lack of senses, and why my only movement option so far seems to be rolling over. On top of that, my apparent lack of memories and rebirth is the result of some kind of agreement that I can’t even remember. For some unfathomable and infuriating reason, trying to remember anything about my past, name, or identity causes a lot of pain, and it will supposedly kill me if I keep trying, but that is not important at the moment. The most important thing at the moment is to remain calm and focused. I need to find out more about this world. If I’m a slime, does that mean this is some weird fantasy world? Finding out more about myself-” Winter’s voice rang out in his mind again, breaking his train of thought. “Congratulations, you have gained the skill [Mana Cycling Level One]. It seems like you are not a complete waste of time.”

He sat for a time in stunned silence, trying to process what Winter had just said. “What are you talking about? A skill? I gained a skill, but how?” Winter’s voice sounded in his mind once again, and this time, he could sense the feeling of bored disappointment bleeding through the connection. “It appears that I was mistaken in my estimation of your aptitude. I am unsure how to clarify myself any further; you have acquired the skill [Mana Cycling Level One]. This skill allows you to take in corrupted mana from the surrounding area and purify it, though you should not be too proud of yourself; most beasts are born with this skill. You are a slime, one of the few beasts who are not born with this skill and, as a result, need to acquire it. Slimes are responsible for waste disposal in this world, and they will typically gain this skill by trying to consume everything around them, including the ambient mana of the world. Even though slimes, unlike most other beings, do not need to breathe, your rhythmic breathing and innate mental desire to breathe allowed you to gain the skill much faster than what is typical for a slime.” Pondering this for a moment brought him to a simple conclusion. “I must be in some kind of system-based Isekai world.”

He directed his thoughts toward Winter, hoping to confirm his conclusion. “Based on what you have said, I have been reborn as a level zero slime who just gained a skill that allows me to purify mana. Does that mean this world is like a video game or an Isekai novel with levels, skills, and magic, making you my system or something?” He immediately felt anger bleed through the mental connection as Winter snapped at him with resentment in her voice. “First of all, I am not your system or something! I am Winter, Queen of the Frost Mountains, tasked by the God of Beasts to keep an eye on you! I could erase your very existence with a single thought! You should worship me, praise my name, and thank me for the assistance I have provided you.” He could feel the anger, annoyance, and sheer overwhelming pressure coming through the mental connection, threatening to crush his mind and soul at any moment. The increasing force and pressure on his mind scattered his thoughts to the wind like leaves in a storm, making his rushed attempt to stammer out an apology even harder. “I- I ca- I’m aargh- s- s- so- sorry. I- I di- I meant- no disrespect. Please- forgive me; I was a fool for not recognizing your greatness and paying you the proper respect.” Halfway through the apology, the pressure subsided, replaced with a feeling of self-satisfied amusement, but the ordeal left his mind reeling.

The sheer force of will Winter was capable of exerting was frightening, and as his scattered thoughts came back into focus, he realized just how terrifying that display of power was. Winter did not just display a feat of power but also a masterful feat of control; had she applied too much force, she would have destroyed him outright, and too little force would have made the display lackluster. The one thing he knew for certain was that, regardless of who or what Winter was, she demanded respect, and he needed to be careful how he addressed and dealt with her. He said nothing, sitting quietly, waiting to be addressed, not wanting to anger this powerful being any further. After a moment, Winter spoke, her voice rumbling in his mind while still exuding an air of self-satisfaction. “At least you are good at groveling for forgiveness. In regards to how this world functions, assuming I understand these concepts correctly, you are free to think of it like a game or Isekai novel if you want, but it is far more complicated than that. How should I explain this matter?” She trails off for a moment before continuing. “First off, you are not a slime; you are a small lesser slime spawn. Small refers to your size; lesser means you are an inferior specimen of that species; and spawn indicates that you are an infant of that species. In regards to your level, that is just an estimated measure of how strong you are. Humm, there is so much to explain and so little time. I should make this clear. While you are free to think of this world however you like, there are no game-like systems, stats, experience points, levels, or any actual skills or abilities present, no more so than in your original world. There are ways to simulate these aspects, and most individuals develop ways to accomplish this. Having said that, I should probably start with the fundamentals first and work out from there.”

He could feel a sigh come over the mental link as Winter continued. “There are two major sources of power in this world: physical energy and mana. Physical energy allows you to run, jump, punch, and perform other actions with your body. On the other hand, mana allows you to perform actions beyond your natural capabilities. An example of physical energy would be a dragon breathing fire, while a human would need to use mana to accomplish the same feat, typically in the form of a spell. However, it is crucial to keep in mind that things are relative. A dragon can infuse mana into its flames to make them more potent, and some humans have figured out ways to use internal energy to breathe fire in a similar way a mage would use mana to accomplish the same feat, but unlike a dragon’s natural biology, despite using the same source of energy. In the simplest terms, skills, abilities, and spells are the same, with the only distinction being how one accomplishes the task. Be mindful that this is a simplistic explanation, and other forms of energy exist, but you do not need to worry about that for the time being.”

Winter pauses, considering what she should explain next, continuing with the same board tone, like she was explaining something to an ignorant child. “I already stated that there are no skills, but that only extends to the context of games and novels. Think of it like this: you do not gain a skill to accomplish an action; you repeat an action to acquire a skill. If you practice jumping, or in your case, bouncing, you will get better at bouncing. With enough practice, bouncing will eventually be recognized as a skill. The fundamental principle behind acquiring a skill is to combine intent, energy, and practice. Intent is what you are trying to accomplish; in the prior example, that would be bouncing. Energy is what you use to perform a task; it can be physical energy in the case of bouncing, mana, or some other form of energy. The final step in acquiring a skill is the repetition of practice. Over some time, it will eventually be considered a skill, but it would be no more of a skill than walking or talking. So, regarding your earlier question, how did you gain [Mana Cycling Level One]? Simple: it is the result of all the rhythmic breathing you have been doing combined with your innate desire to breathe that you retained from your previous life. Although skills do not physically exist in the sense of a mechanic or system, any more so than a creature’s ability to walk or talk, my assessment skill has recognized your repeated actions as a skill and added it to your evaluation. Most sentient beings who live in this world have an assessment skill or an equivalent to evaluate other beings. It could be as simple as being able to sense the strength of others and comparing it to yourself. On the other hand, it could be as complicated as the visualization of a status screen giving a detailed breakdown of a creature’s characteristics. I am using the latter method. It allows me to see an estimation of a creature’s stats and skills, along with other beneficial information.” Winter goes quiet for several minutes, causing him to wonder if something happened, but before he can draw up the courage to call out to her, a status screen appears in my mind, like a futuristic holographic display.

The tale has been illicitly lifted; should you spot it on Amazon, report the violation.

After he took a moment to read through the displayed information, he recognized it as a display of his stats and skills. Out of all the information provided by this panel, the stat values presented concerned him the most because all of his stats, except for the constitution value, had a numeric value of zero. Unfortunately, this was not the end of his concerns. His core health was at a value of two out of five, which, upon reflection, he realized was likely what Winter was referring to when she said his core stability was below fifty percent. Fortnightly, this value was stable, and he could only hope the damage would heal over time. While the unknown skill posed more of a curiosity than an actual concern, based on what Winter had said about skills, they did not seem to have a negative connotation; at least, that was his hope. The last tidbit of concerning information was almost overlooked by him, causing a double-take, not believing he had read the information correctly. Despite reading the information three times, it was hard for him to comprehend that his size was only 2.54 cm. The screen blinked out of existence as he directed his thoughts towards Winter. “Why am I so small? How can I only be one inch; in what diameter or is that radius; but what the heck, how am I supposed to survive at this size?” He could feel Winter’s amusement as she spoke, and despite maintaining her calm demeanor, it was clear she found amusement at his situation. “You are a slime, not an ooze, jelly, or Oblex; on top of that, you are not even an hour old. Just eat everything that you come across, and you will grow. Slimes less than fifteen centimeters are classified as small, while slimes that reach or exceed sixty centimeters fall into the large category. My current recommendation would be to start by consuming the grass in the surrounding area, as there is a substantial amount of it. It will also prove to be beneficial to your development in the long run. Also, if you achieve particular criteria, you can evolve, changing your species classification. To your great misfortune, I will not provide additional information regarding evolution or species classification.” “That’s still not very big. What do you...” Protesting in frustration, he momentarily forgot who he was speaking to. A chill ran through his body, cutting him off as he felt Winter’s amusement shift to annoyance like flipping a switch. Her voice was cold, and her tone was sharp; it felt like she was holding a blade aimed at his throat. “Those measurements are based on your current form, a basic slime, the lowest and most pathetic creature on this planet. If you want a different outcome, figure out how to change your species classification. Now, do you have any further questions before I take my leave? I am getting bored of this interaction, and you need to get stronger before something eats you.”

The pressure he had felt earlier was not prescient, but Winter’s tone still made him afraid of overstepping. He had so many questions left to ask, but he could not afford to offend her any further than he had already. “I truthfully appreciate the help you have provided, and I apologize for any offense I may have caused. I do not wish to keep you any longer than need be, but if you would be so kind as to answer a few lingering questions, I would be eternally grateful.” The seance of annoyance faded as she spoke. “I will keep that in mind… ask your questions.” He hoped Winter’s mood would have improved; unfortunately, her voice was flat and commanding, far from the amused or formal tones she had taken earlier. He took a moment to narrow down the myriad of questions running through his mind to four pressing ones. “If you would be so kind as to explain what a grade is, why I have an unknown skill, if there is any way to improve my stats, and lastly, if skills and the like don’t physically exist, how can you use a skill to see my characteristics and even display them to me? Where does the information come from?”

To his relief, he could feel her mood improving, even resulting in a chuckle as she spoke. “Hmph, most of your questions are responsible; it looks like you are not a complete fool or perhaps just lucky, who knows. Grades or threat levels are a way to assess the strength of two creatures at the same level. For example, despite being the same level, a newborn level zero dragon whelp would be around twenty-four times stronger than a newly formed level zero slime. Grade G is the lowest rank, with legendary rank being the highest, but your first goal should be to reach grade F by any means necessary, and no, I will not tell you how to accomplish this. Concerning your unknown skill and skills in general…” She pauses with a sigh before continuing. “The answer to that question is extraordinarily complex; mages and priests have spent their entire lives exploring the topic of skills. I am using an appraisal skill to visualize information; this requires a combination of several different elements to achieve. Most individuals believe that the information gained from the assessment skills is knowledge granted by the gods. Unfortunately, this does not account for unknown skills like the one you have or slight discrepancies that arise when two people get different results when analyzing the same target. Priests and individuals who believe assessment skills are knowledge provided by the gods will typically ignore the inconsistency and claim it is the result of the individual’s skill proficiency or their favorability with the gods. The other school of thought is that the skill assessment is generated based on the individual’s knowledge, intuition, senses, perspective, and analytical capabilities. No one truly knows for sure. As such, I do not have any information about your unknown skill, how it works, or why I cannot see information about it. Ether, the God of Beasts, hid the information; it is a new skill or a combination of both. The only thing you need to remember about skills is that if you practice with intent while using an energy source, you will gain a skill and improve it over time.”

Winter paused; he could feel a mix of amusement and disappointment through the mental link. “You never cease to impress and disappoint me at the same time. Most of your questions are clever, and some are insightful, but you should know the answer to the last question without needing to be told based on everything I have already told you. I truly am disappointed that you have not been able to figure out how stats work or at least have a general idea about their function. The answer should be obvious, especially given how much you have inquired about skills. Stats are a representation of your physical characteristics. How would you get stronger, faster, or become more agile in your world?” Not even waiting for a response, she answers the question herself. “The answer is exercise, and much like in your world, exercise works the same in this world; just like skills, increasing your stats requires effort, but unlike skills, developing your stats requires considerably more effort and time. I will tell you that there are shortcuts to quickly raise your stats, but that is all I will say on the topic. With all your questions now answered, I will leave you with one last gift before I go. The gift I will impart to you will be a pseudo-status system that allows you to view your status. It will also inform you of changes in your condition as they happen. This gift is only temporary, and I have deliberately limited its functionality and the information it provides compared to other assessment skills. I will be keeping an eye on your development, so at least make it entertaining.” He tries to bow out of respect, but it only results in a comical display as he flattens his body against the ground. “Thank you, o great Winter Queen of the Frost Mountains; you honor me with your assistance, and your kindness truly knows no bounds.” He could feel Winter’s amusement through the mental link before it was severed. Despite no longer being able to feel Winter’s prescience, her voice sounded in his mind once again, cutting through the resounding silence.

“Congratulations, you have gained the skill [Mana Cycling Level One].”

“Congratulations, you have gained the skill [Suck Up Level One].”

“Congratulations, you have gained the skill [Suck Up Level Two].”

“Congratulations, you have gained the skill [Lesser Fear Resistance Level One].”

The voice was Winter’s, but it sounded stiff and emotionless, and despite his effort, he could no longer sense her presence; he was alone once again. “Wow, she wasn’t kidding; this is amazing, and I already got four new skills. The only question is what to do now.”