‘Hey, what the fuck is up with these stats?’
He could not believe what he was seeing, level 0? O attack power? That can't be normal.
[Those are your current stats, Don't forget, you are a slime, a weak species.]
‘This is all your fault dammit, how am i supposed to survive with such stats?’
[If you look at the bottom, soul threshold, that's how you get strong. Think of it like a unique skill, it allows you to absorb souls and gain the stats of that soul. If the soul is powerful enough, not only can you gain its stats but also some of its powers.]
‘Hmm, so right now I just need one soul?’
[Yes but what I just mentioned is not the true purpose of the threshold. The true purpose is for leveling up, in this case, you need 1 soul to go up to level 1, the more you grow, the higher the soul threshold will be.]
‘....then why not just have a separate skill named soul extraction or absorption instead of having them in one skill like this? Doesn't make sense.’
[Would you like me to modify it?]
‘Yes, it will make things a lot easier.’
[........complete..]
‘Something about you is so off. The way you talk and explain things, it's like you have never done this before. Tell me the truth, have you ever had a host before?’
[No, you are my first and last host.]
‘Last host?’
[Yes, once you die, I too will cease to exist.]
‘Are you trying to imply that you were specifically only waiting for me?’
[Yes……. I believe it's too soon to tell you this but if it will make you trust me and understand the situation more then i will tell you.]
He wasn't even paying attention to the battle anymore, this to him was more important.
[The reason for those dreams, how they were draining you and how you got pulled into this world…..the truth is…..it all happened because of you.]
‘Because of me? How?, I am no one special.’
[The current you is indeed nothing special but your previous life, you were a demigod, you created a soul corridor that linked alternate versions of yourself to you in order to make yourself stronger, in the process you created me to harvest even more souls but you never got the chance to use me because the gods didn't like this and they killed you.]
He could not speak, the information was overwhelming.
[In the process of your death, you split your soul in half, one soul got erased from existence and the other got sent to a world without mana, that half is you.]
He wanted to reject this, to tell it that all this information was bullshit but he knew, deep down, he knew it was all adding up.
[Since you were still connected to your alternate lives, when they died, your soul could no longer take the backlash and so you began to slowly die. This triggered me to come online and assess the situation. The only way to save you was to bring you into a world with magic but I never expected your soul to be so weak. I couldn't find a suitable vessel so I chose the weakest one that I deemed perfect.]
‘S-so…….this is too much. Why did you save me though?’
[Because you are my creator, I can not just watch you die.]
If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.
‘...thanks for saving me-. Wait, I am guessing the gods were not able to sense my soul back on earth since it was disconnected from mana but if I am back in a world with mana, won't the gods be able to detect me now?’
[No, you are too weak right now and such a long time has passed, surely they forgot.]
‘I hope you are right.’
His mind was so full of information it made him feel dizzy.
‘Why didn't you tell me all this from the start?'
[Would you have believed me? Even now, I can sense your doubt. Besides, information like this needs time to process. Your memories of your past life are gone, but the weight of such knowledge could still have damaged your psyche if revealed too soon.]
‘I get it now.’
He absorbed this information while watching a beetle scuttle across a nearby leaf. Just minutes ago, he had been lamenting his weakness, and now he was processing the fact that he had once been powerful enough to make the gods themselves take action.
'So the soul threshold... ,if what I am thinking is correct, it wasn't just a random skill you created, was it?'
[No. It is a simplified version of your original soul corridor. In your past life, you could absorb and channel the power of your alternate selves. This version is more... localized. Instead of drawing power across realities, you can only absorb the souls in your immediate vicinity.]
'And that's safer? Less likely to attract attention?'
[Precisely. Think of it as a candle versus a beacon. The original soul corridor was visible across realities. This... this is just another monster ability in a world full of monsters.]
The beetle had stopped moving, seemingly aware of his presence. If it was just a few minutes ago, he might have ignored such prey. Now though...
'One soul to reach level 1, you said?'
[Yes. Though I should warn you, even insects have souls. Small, weak souls, but souls nonetheless. Are you sure you want your first absorption to be...]
He didn't let the system finish. He slid over slowly and the beetle just stood there, this is because slimes are known to be non hostile.
‘So it's not going to run away? Good for me then.’
He engulfed it and the insect struggled for a moment before going still. A warm sensation spread through his form as a tiny mote of light dissolved into his being.
Soul Absorbed
Beetle Soul acquired
Stats gained:
- Speed +0.1
- Defense +0.1
Current level: 1
Soul threshold: 0/5
'That... that felt natural. Like I'd done it a thousand times before.'
[Muscle memory transcends lifetimes, it seems. Though I doubt your past self bothered much with beetle souls.]
'Every journey begins with a single step, right? Besides, I think I finally understand why you made me a slime.'
[Oh?]
'What better way to absorb souls than a being literally made to absorb things? You weren't just picking the weakest form available - you were being strategic.
For the first time, the system's response carried a hint of pride.
[Perhaps you inherited more than just your past self's potential. Now, shall we discuss your first real target? There's a-]
'No. First, I want every beetle, ant, and cricket in this area. If I'm going to start over, I'm doing it right this time. Building a proper foundation.'
[As you wish. Though I must say... you're taking this revelation about being a reincarnated demigod rather well.]
He shifted his amorphous body, already tracking another beetle.
'Well, what's the point in freaking out? Either you're telling the truth, in which case I need to get stronger to protect myself, or you're lying, in which case I still need to get stronger to survive. The goal's the same either way.'
[Interesting logic. Your past self was... less practical.]
'Yeah? Well maybe that's why he's dead and I'm not. Now hush - I'm hunting.’
The next few hours passed in a methodical blur of hunting and absorption. For an outsider, it might have looked comical, a tiny slime continously working its way through the underbrush, leaving clean patches where insects once crawled. But there was nothing comical about the determination driving every movement.
Soul Absorbed
Ant Soul acquired
Stats gained:
- Strength +0.1
- Defense +0.1
Current level: 2
Soul Threshold: 0/20
[You know, most reincarnated beings would be out seeking revenge or trying to regain their former glory immediately.]
'Most reincarnated beings are idiots then,' he thought back while cornering another ant.
'Tell me something, these stat gains, they're permanent, right?'
[Yes. Once absorbed, they become part of your base stats. Even if you evolve or transform later, these will be your foundation.]
'Then that's all that matters right now.'
The system fell silent, observing as he continued the painstaking work. It wasn't until the sun began to set that he finally paused.
Soul Absorbed
Cricket Soul acquired
Stats gained:
- Speed +0.2
- Jump +0.1
Current level: 2
Total Souls Absorbed: 12
Soul threshold: 12/20
“I wonder if that orc won against that giant snake.”
[You mean the baby anacxi?]
“Anacxi?.....hold on, that THING is a baby?”
[Yes, fully grown anacxi are 10× bigger.”
“H-hey, how big is this world?”
[.....are you sure you want to know that?]
“Just say it.”
[5,000 times bigger than earth.]
“That's ridiculous, there is no way that's true.”
[...it seems I told you too much. I will be going offline for a while, in the meantime, process all the information from our talk.]
H-hey wait…..system?......shit.”