Snap
Huh?
I heard the sound of a branch breaking behind me.
I stopped and focused my attention in that direction. Although a slime's entire body acts as its eyes, allowing it to see in all directions, it can only make out blurry outlines of areas it's not consciously focusing on.
As I watched behind me, a beast emerged from behind a distant tree.
"Growl..."
"Sreeee!?(A wolf...!?)"
Seeing the four-legged beast covered in brown fur, I shuddered. A wolf is a terrifying monster with high Power and Speed. Its already fierce face was made even more savage by a scar that blinded one eye. The remaining eye locked onto me.
This is bad!
Instinctively, I started running. At the same time, the wolf began its pursuit.
Damn, this is bad luck! Getting targeted by a wolf right after being alone!
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System Notification:
...
[Rough Stone Slime has acquired the skill: Escape.]
...
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Is this what they call adrenaline? Before I knew it, I was running at a speed unimaginable for someone with Speed: 1. The scenery was rushing past faster than usual.
But this isn’t enough.
"(What should I do, what should I do, what should I do!?)"
No matter how well I run, with a base Speed of 1, it's impossible to outrun it! The distance is closing fast.
Is there anything, anything... Oh, right! I came up with an idea and rushed to a nearby tree. Then I hugged it tightly!
"(Gotta... climb... quickly!)"
I used the hollows and the trunk to pull myself up higher and higher. In short, I was tree climbing. This definitely seemed much easier when I did it in my previous life!
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
I’m betting on the possibility that the wolf can’t climb trees... but if I don’t hurry, I’ll be attacked before I make it. Gotta move faster!
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System Notification:
...
[Rough Stone Slime has acquired the skill: Climbing.]
...
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...Phew, I made it just in time. My low Power and jelly-like body made it hard to climb at first, but I managed somehow. The trick is to flatten your body and increase the contact area with the tree bark. I probably entered a sort of extreme focus mode back there.
Even without getting the hang of it, I was able to climb surprisingly smoothly after a while.
"Growl, woof!"
The one-eyed wolf couldn't climb the tree, so it was now scratching the trunk below. Whew, thank god it's unable to climb trees. I looked down at it from a branch.
"(Now that I feel safe, it’s starting to piss me off.)"
An emotion bubbled up inside me. It was anger. Why did I have to be chased? I just decided to be a harmless, good slime. How dare this dog-like beast do this to me?
The moment I felt secure, this thought crept into my mind.
"Slurr, Slu-sla-slar! Su-slaaa! Slasu-raaa-sla! (Hey, crab brains who can't even climb a tree! You're not scary at all! If you're so mad, come and get me!)"
I taunted in slime language. I also used the flexibility of the branch to jump up and down, further provoking it. I am sure jumping feels more like doing squats though.
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System Notification:
...
[Rough Stone Slime has acquired the skill: Taunt.]
...
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"Grrr... Woof woof!"
It couldn't possibly understand my words, but it seemed to grasp the mocking intent. Its single eye squinted, baring its fangs at me. Encouraged by its reaction, I jumped higher to further provoke it, and—
Snap
"(Oh noooo!)"
The branch broke! It couldn't support my high jump! Slimes can't fly, so naturally, my body started falling. Looking down in panic, I saw the wolf with its mouth wide open like a baby bird waiting to be fed.
Oh no, it's going to eat me!
The wolf's mouth is getting closer. What should I do? Think! I'm out of time, I can't—
I couldn't do anything. I just curled up tightly. As I fell, the wolf's jaws snapped shut.
Crunch, crack, snap!
A dull sound echoed.
"Grgl..."
"(Huh?)"
I had prepared myself to die, but I was still alive. With a thud, something fell to the ground. I crawled out of the dark, cramped wolf's mouth to survey the situation. The wolf lay on the ground, its neck twisted at an unnatural angle, with its fangs broken inside its half-open mouth.
"(Could it be that my weight broke its neck?)"
Regaining composure, I realized my body had turned a bright gray color. "Am I really that...heavy?"
Then it dawned on me how the wolf died. The Rough Stone Slime's body is about the size and weight of a bowling ball. If something like that falls from a tree, it's going to have a significant impact. Trying to swallow it directly, the wolf's teeth and neck could easily break. And that's what exactly happened.
...I guess there was no need to run for my life...
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System Notification:
...
[Rough Stone Slime has acquired the skill: Crush.]
> > Activation of the Unique Skill: Best Harvest.
> > You retain some soul power of the opponent: wild wolf.
> > Soul Accumulation Level increased to 7.