The wolves stopped their attacks and soon turned back. They must have realized that continuing to attack me was a waste of time since it wasn't working.

"Slurr-Slass! (Remember this the next time we meet!)"

I shouted insults at their retreating backs, then took a deep breath. Even though I wasn’t hurt, being constantly attacked by creatures bigger than me was unsettling.

It was especially tough because slimes can’t close their eyes.

On the bright side, enduring their attacks non-stop earned me a new skill called "Block." It seems to increase the defense of myself and my weapon, and also reduce impact.

Though I wonder if I'll ever need it with my toughness, it’s a useful skill to have nonetheless.

"Time to find a place to sleep," I thought.

The sky was turning crimson; it was getting late. I couldn’t return to the slime nest, so I had to find a place on my own.

"But first, dinner."

If there’s a corpse near my sleeping spot, it might attract other beasts with its smell.

So, I had to eat now.

I licked my lips, or at least mimicked the motion since I had no tongue, as I looked at the wolf carcass.

As a former human, the idea of eating raw flesh was off-putting, but my life as a slime made me recognize it as food. I had eaten animals and other beasts that had died many times before.

"Time to dig in!"

I extended a part of my body, clasped my hands together, and started using my Dissolving Liquid skill on the wolf’s body, slowly melting it.

"Ew, it smells like a rotten corpse... but the meat is tasty."

It didn’t taste anything like the cooked meat I used to eat as a human, but from a slime's perspective, it was delicious.

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The mana in the meat flowed into me as I melted it, and the fresh blood moistened my body with every drop I absorbed.

While digesting, I felt a strange sensation in my body.

"Now that I think about it, I’ve been feeling this tingle since I defeated those wolves."

I decided to check my status.

"Well, well, looks like I can evolve... Are you serious?!"

This sensation was a sign that I could evolve. I had thought I would never reach the level required to evolve since I couldn’t defeat enemies and raise my level, but here I was, ready to evolve in just one day.

Suppressing my excitement, I continued eating until I had devoured both wolves completely. I used to be unable to eat this much, but I guess my level had increased my stomach capacity (if I had one).

Despite this, my body didn't grow larger or heavier, and slimes don’t excrete waste. Slime biology defies the law of conservation of mass, making it a complex and mysterious existence.

Anyway, before evolution, I needed to find a place to sleep. I wandered through the forest for a bit and found a tree that wasn’t too noticeable with a small space under its roots. Perfect for spending the night.

I squeezed into the space under the tree roots.

"First, let's check the possible evolutions!"

I focused my consciousness inward.

[Evolution Options]

Jewel Slime Beast Rank: LOW [D]

- A rare type of slime.

- Possesses the best defense in the slime world with outstanding toughness and resistance.

- Has special skills for escaping, making it quick on its feet.

Rock Slime Beast Rank: GREAT[C]

- A common type of slime.

- Its rock-like body is incredibly solid, with high power.

- Has the ability to camouflage as a rock.

I could choose between these two. The Jewel Slime seemed to be a defense and speed type, while the Rock Slime was a defense and attack type.

The stronger one was definitely the Rock Slime. Its beast rank was higher, indicating it was stronger.

The [Beast rank] seems to be a rough measure of a monster's strength. Great Beast is one rank above Low Beast, making it a mid-tier class in this forest.

However, it concerned me that the Rock Slime was called a common type.

I hadn’t seen other slimes like myself, so I assumed the Rough Stone Slime was a rare type.

If my toughness was due to being a rare type, evolving into a Rock Slime might make me lose that advantage.

Also, my newly developed crushing attack strategy didn’t require much power. In this sense, the Jewel Slime, which had excellent resistance to status ailments and escape skills, seemed a better choice.

But overall, the Rock Slime was undoubtedly stronger due to its higher rank.

"Hmm... no use overthinking it with no clear data. I've decided: I will evolve into a Jewel Slime!"

As soon as I made up my mind, the power surging within me intensified, growing more violent. The energy whirled around, accelerating and expanding.

My body felt like it was boiling, with bubbles of energy rising inside me, reaching a climax before bursting all at once.

"Slurr-aaah!"

I roared involuntarily as the overflowing energy marked the completion of my evolution.