In a forest faraway, at the ends of the Slavia kingdom, a fight is underway. An old man who looks like he is in his seventies is fighting six assailants all in black and wearing masks. The assailants are well coordinated with every attack aiming at a vital spot.

It is evident that they have been trained for that specific task. However, their enemy wasn’t ordinary either. His movements were fluid and indescribable. Already, he had killed ten of the original sixteen assassins sent to kill him. He is ruthless with every attack he lands, killing at contact. He dodges their attacks like he has eyes at the back of his head and counterattacks without them even being able to react.

It has only been three minutes since their attack and already, they were only left with six. However, within seconds that six turned to a three then a one until none were left. The sight would make any ordinary person vomit their guts out. Crimson blood bathed the forest red. Although it is nighttime, the stench of blood would send those with a keen sense of smell running the other way.

The old man stands in the field filled with the corpses of his enemy. A face so nonchalant, unfitting of the massacre before him. He lets out a sigh as he speaks with a voice that didn’t suit his appearance.

“So annoying. These guys are like cockroaches, you kill one ten more show up.”

***

No matter how many I kill, more keep popping up. Even when I changed my appearance. Why is that?

Ariel speaks, stating her hypothesis.

Although you changed your appearance master, you forgot to change your mana signature. I believe they might have a device that can track it.

Following Ariel’s assumption, I used my magic sense on the bodies to see if any of them had a magical device. And would you guess, they did. I take it out of one of the corpses and analyse it. It looks more like a compass with a mana stone at the back and four magic crystals at points north, east, south, and west. A needle at the centre.

After analysing it, I smash it with my hand to bits. It seems this device not only has the capability to track mana signature, it is also capable of detecting strong magic fluctuations. Of course, I haven’t used any strong magics lately, so they probably just tracked me via my mana signature which they probably recovered in Waham, possibly in my room at the inn.

That was the only time I used mana.

Knowing this, I use the chance to also change my mana signature. I decide not to remove my disguise since they seem to have a portrait of my real face. At least until I leave this kingdom, I plan on keeping this disguise. I look at my reflection from the puddle of blood illuminated by the moon.

My white hair was replaced by grey hair and my sapphire eyes were replaced by dark soulless eyes. Even with different coloured eyes, it seems I can’t get rid of my ‘true nature’. I guess that saying about eyes being the window to one’s soul isn’t a complete lie. Of course, not many would notice.

I had read the memories of one of the assassins sent to me. It turns out that they are part of the Assassins Guild and their branch base is somewhere here in the Slavia kingdom. I have their coordinates so its possible to pay them a little visit and wipe them out. But that seems annoying. Locking eyes with the puddle of blood again, I smile.

Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.

I do have to say though, even with all these wrinkles, I look like a hermit who is filled with knowledge and wisdom.

I chuckle to myself with hands behind my back, crouching just a little. Like wind, I disappear from the scene.

The next day, daytime.

I’m still in the same forest just far deeper. I could have left it immediately if I hadn’t discovered something interesting. And that something interesting is standing in front of me. An earth dragon filled with rock hard scales stares me down. The terrain is deformed with rocks petruding everywhere, tipping over trees and destroying the ground. I smile as I speak.

“That’ll be enough for today, Lime.”

The earth dragon breathes, and the debris scatters. Its body starts to melt as it turns into a greyish blurb. Its size reduces to that of a slime.

“Kyuu!”

Lime’s cheeks turn red as he jumps up and down in excitement. He has just demonstrated his ability to shapeshift. It’s one of his abilities he got after evolving. It turns out he can turn into anything he eats. Because of that, we spent a lot of time experimenting with this ability. So far, he has eaten 29 monsters of various types, sizes and abilities.

Not only that, he is even capable of using their abilities if he also ingests their cores. Right now, as he was an earth drake, he was capable of using its rock manipulation abilities to the fullest. Of course, Lime’s ability has limits. For one, in order to use the abilities of the ingested monster, he needs to transform into their form. So far, he is only capable of using some of my magic in his slime form from ingesting my cells.

That’s not all, he is also capable of transforming into inanimate objects as long as he ingests them. We tried it with a rock, sword, and magical items. Of course, there are limits to this too. For example, he can’t transform into a liquid and as for magical items, its only his appearance that changes and doesn’t acquire its magical properties. That’s probably due to the complex spells within them and the inability for monsters to use magic spells. At least, human magic spells.

Transforming into something like a sword also puts a strain on him as he doesn’t get the sharpness of the sword or its durability. However, I figured if he were to transform into a weapon, I could enhance him by giving him the properties of a sword with my mana. Not only that, I also discovered that he was suitable for me to use my transformation magic on, as his semi-liquid body allows for easy manipulation of his form and his ability to eat energy results in the transformation lasting longer without me needing to refuel it with my magic.

“Okay Lime, let’s go.”

I grab Lime and infuse some magic into him. With a thought, he transforms into a cloak which I throw around my neck covering my entire body. A pair of eyes pop out on the cloak around my neck as they furrow.

“Oh, come on, it’s not fun for me either having you sit on my head all the time. Now quit being such a baby and let’s go.”

***

At the dead of night.

A figure is sprinting in the forest. Although it is dark and would make any ordinary person struggle to run, this figure has no problems traversing the dark forest. However, due to the injury it sustained on its abdomen, it couldn’t showcase its athletic ability, allowing for its pursuers to shrink the distance.

“Stop there, you elf bitch, huff. You’re making this a whole harder than it has to be,” shouts one of the five pursuers.

Of course, the elf didn’t stop and continues to run. Up at a distance, the elf sees a dim light flickering. Following the light in the hopes of finding someone to help her, she finally reaches the open space as the flames of the fire sway left and right due to the gentle night breeze.

An elderly man is sitting next to the fire, staring at it as if under hypnosis. He slowly lifts his head and stares at the elf with his dark soulless eyes that seem to draw you in like the abyss.

The elf flinches uncontrollably, her legs shaking. She tries to back away slowly however her legs give in. Was it due to fatigue or was it due to the darkness within the man’s eyes? He slowly opens his mouth and speaks, a dreary voice which causes the elf’s spirit to shake.

“Hello, there. To think I’d meet an elf. How interesting.”