I well up in metaphorical tears at the sight of my options, swollen with pride. It was a hard road, but I made it, and I've been given some awesome sounding evolutions for my efforts. Eager to get stuck into it, I start from the top and work my way down.
[ - Evolution Options - ]
[Blue Slime]
+4 Physicality, +4 Fortitude. A Baby Slime lucky enough to survive to maturity, these basic creatures are numerous in the upper Atriums. Able to adapt to almost any environment given enough time, Slimes are capable of ignoring losses to the matter that makes up their bodies in quantities that would surely kill almost any other living organism. Mass they are then able to reabsorb, so long as it has yet to be eaten by one of their many predators.
Alright, so I guess this is the 'natural' next step up from a Baby Slime. It sounds pretty simple at first, but I'll be able to reabsorb any matter I lose, so long as I can get to it before my opponents eat it...
Wait, that's insane! My mass is my health pool, so if I can reabsorb any mass I lose, so long as it isn't eaten or destroyed or anything, I essentially can't die! If that possibility was a shock, my next realisation leaves me reeling.
I could split one of my selves off during a fight to go around reabsorbing any mass I lose, then rejoin with them later for what is essentially instant heals!
Holy crap. I'm only on the first option and my survivability just went through the roof! Hahaha, evolution is the G.O.A.T.!
Looking at the system side of things, I have no idea if plus four to a stat is good or not, but considering the general weakness of slimes and my current stats, I doubt it.
But I'm only just getting started! Moving onto the next one, I open up the Green Slime.
[Green Slime]
+4 Physicality, +4 Fortitude. A Baby Slime lucky enough to survive to maturity, these basic creatures are numerous in the upper Atriums. Able to adapt to survive in almost any environment given enough time, Slimes are capable of ignoring losses to the matter that makes up their bodies in quantities that would surely kill almost any other living organism. Mass they are then able to reabsorb, so long as it has yet to be eaten by one of their many predators.
Oh, they're pretty much the same. Comparing this option to the first one, the only difference in the descriptions is that Green Slimes adapt to survive any environment, rather than adapting to it. I don't really understand the distinction, but it's there so there must be one. Maybe it doesn't matter right now, but influences my future growth? Moving on, it's the same for the Red Slime, only one line in the description differing from the other colours.
[Red Slime]
+4 Physicality, +4 Fortitude. A Baby Slime lucky enough to survive to maturity, these basic creatures are numerous in the upper Atriums. Adapting to specialise in surviving almost any situation given enough time, Slimes are capable of ignoring losses to the matter that makes up their bodies in quantities that would surely kill almost any other living organism. Mass they are then able to reabsorb, so long as it has yet to be eaten by one of their many predators.
Okay. If I'm right and this choice influences my future options, I can either go broad with Blue, survive with Green, or specialise with Red. The common theme I'm seeing is adapting to things, so I guess Slimes are just suited naturally adaptive in general. It tracks, what with our innate curiosity and desire to learn and all that.
But these are just the basic options from the sound of it. Time to move onto something a little fancier.
[Purple Slime]
+2 Physicality, +4 Fortitude, +5 Thought, +5 Intent. Observed infrequently, Purple Slimes boast greater intelligence than others of their kind, one of the few Slimes documented employing the use of rudimentary mana weaving.
You will be granted a Pattern Structure through which to influence mana.
Oh, this one increases my mental stats. I do like the sound of being more intelligent, though I don't really know what these stats do specifically, so I have no idea how that would manifest. I must have gotten this option thanks to practicing Mana Weaving so much. But what is this extra bit? It's giving me something? I wonder what a 'Pattern Structure' is...?
Focusing on the word and reading the expanded description, my eyes widen. A Pattern is something like an inert organ; a structure formed from whatever my body is made out of, but made specifically to conduct mana. The shape is permanent, but then whenever I give it mana, the Pattern automatically leads the mana through like a pre-made weave, meaning I can do magic without weaving it into shape first.
That's so cool! I'd have a weave permanently embedded in my body, no effort needed! I wonder what it would be made out of? My body isn't exactly solid, far from it, so how would it maintain its shape? Would I need to reform it if I get split up too much?
For that matter, thinking about it, couldn't I just make one of these Patterns myself out of slime membrane? One of the first things I learned from Mana Weaving is that the shape and movement of the mana is what makes the magic happen. If something pre-made like a Pattern can influence the mana by just feeding it through, then going through the motions step by step isn't necessarily an absolute requirement.
Of course, I could be entirely wrong; the System might give them out as a sort of cheat code for monsters that want to use magic without the Mana Weaving Skill. Something to think about.
For now, I'm not all that interested in picking Purple Slime. It's cool, but I don't wanna be a squishy spellcaster, all too literally in my case. This next one marks the start of my options that aren't just various colours, so I'm interested to see what-
[Oozling]
+20 Physicality, +20 Fortitude. Often mistaken for one of its distant relatives, the Slime, Oozes are solitary creatures, and would likely view said relative as nothing more than yet another meal to satisfy their voracious hunger. Though smaller than their more mature variants, an Oozling nonetheless boasts their species' impressive Physicality and nigh-immunity to physical damage. Approach with caution.
[Caution! This option will enact a species change! New Species: Ooze]
Oh, hell to the fuck no! Those stats are an absolutely ludicrous jump from the first three options, the bonuses alone more than double my current Physicality and Fortitude, but I can't turn into an Ooze! I don't wanna change my species, and what if their apparently 'voracious hunger' makes me want to eat my new friends?! My instincts as a slime feels so natural, it'd be horrific on a cosmic level if they changed to something this awful and started to affect the way I think.
Besides, the last thing I want to be is solitary. Being in the Fort and getting to know the slimes there has filled an aching hole I barely noticed in my old world. I'd much rather forgo the awesome might of the Ooze in return for the companionship and community of the Slime.
[Dense Blue Slime]
+10 Physicality, +10 Fortitude. Rarely, a Slime of advanced density will be spotted amidst a roving mess, yet even rarer still is the Dense Slime that bested all odds as a Baby to earn their current form. Among the most tenacious of Slimes native to the First Atrium, these monsters have evolved a unique survival strategy to counteract their species' lack of durability and sense of self preservation; predators can't finish you off if they're too full to eat all of you.
Your Membrane will become Compressive, improving your physical traits the more mass you accumulate. You will also be given Regenerative Molecules, able to recover your prodigious mass with equally prodigious ease.
Praise be to our Lord Attenborough above, for you are the dope-est of dudes! Look at those stat bonuses! I'd have eighteen in my physical stats right off the bat and I haven't even gotten to the good bits! 'Rare', 'bested all odds', 'tenacious'! These are some keywords I can get behind!
Then I have to re-read a sentence to make sure I'm not being pranked somehow. This slime's whole deal is to be such a hefty meal they can't be finished?! Talk about taking pride in your body! I try to look into the specifics of what having a Compressive membrane gives me, and what Regenerative Molecules do, but a handy little explanation fails to appear. I guess I'm allowed to get terms clarified, but I have to go off of vibes for any specific features.
Not that that'll be hard. The two features sound pretty simple actually; the more mass I have, the stronger I'll be, and I'll get some kind of regeneration capability as an alternative to Suture. Actually, considering I'll be a Dense Blue Slime, this option might also include the normal coloured Slime's ability to reabsorb mass!
If that's the case, it seems to me that this option would make me seriously hard to kill! Oh, Mr. Hyena, you've finally whittled me down to half my hit points? Whatever will I do- oh wait, I've gone for a little walk and got it all back, try again!
This is an absolute banger of an option, it's definitely going on the shortlist. Though, that's not to say I read the next with any less hunger.
[Slime Weaver]
+4 Fortitude, +6 Thought, +10 Intent. Shaping mana with the same ease by which they shape their own currents, Slime Weavers are intuitive shapers of mana. These monsters can create strings of slime with a mana thread core, useful for both weaving mana and entangling predators.
You will be given a Pattern Structure through which to influence mana. Additionally, you will receive a Molecular Loom, with which to weave your Intent in its purest form.
Woohoo! More stats! Looks like this one focuses more on the mental stats and mana weaving. Those slime strings sound pretty cool, I'd be weaving physically as much as I am mana...-lly. Slime Weaver also gives me a Pattern like the Purple Slime, but overall, this is an obvious upgrade. I've only just started using magic, but apparently my innovations have been impressive enough to get me two specialist evolutions, which is nice. Thanks for making me feel seen Mr. Attenborough, I appreciate your support!
It's obvious these slime strings are the focus of this evolution, so they must be pretty good at what they do. I haven't been all that interested in squishy mage stuff, but the option to 'string up' my opponents like some kind of steel-wire wielding ninja is a pretty cool mental image. Definitely going on the shortlist.
Now, I have an idea what the last one might entail from the name, so let's see if I'm right.
[Many-Slime]
+4 Physicality, +10 Fortitude, +10 Thought. Anyslime is a good time for a Many-Slime. These creatures take their species' inherent desire for company and community to the extreme. It is an impossibility to fight a Many-Slime one-on-one; your inherent ability to divide into numerous smaller Slimes makes you adept at both watching your own back and keeping your predators guessing.
Make your wounds work for you. Your form will be altered to include a Molecular Network, your molecules able to act on their own even when separated from your main body. This existence is extremely simple even for a Slime, lacking the spark of self.
Aaand I am! Sort of. This definitely showed up because of my... unique mental state, and it looks like a pretty solid advancement; I get a little stronger, a lot tougher, and smarter, but it lacks some of the pizzazz of the other options-
Until I get to the feature benefits.
My chopped off body parts will become slimes of their own?! There's a bunch of examples all over the place in my old world of big slimes splitting into smaller slimes as you fight them. They can be real annoying to finish off, especially if they can recombine. It doesn't say whether I get that particular benefit; reabsorbing mass could be limited to the coloured slimes, but I get the feeling it might just be a mature slime thing. Maybe. Hopefully.
I wonder how this would interact with my multiple consciousness'? I only have three, but would these mini-Lukes get their own consciousness? It says they lack the 'spark of self', but maybe because my consciousness is already spread out it'll throw me a bone. Even if it doesn't, animating any mass I lose is a big advantage in a fight. In fact, that could turn pretty nasty if whatever I'm fighting actually swallows part of me.
I grimace. As effective as it is, eating monsters from the inside out makes me feel icky. I'll do it, of course, I need to take whatever advantages I can get, but being surrounded on all sides by hot meat is even less appealing than it sounds.
Well, that's all of them. Time to decide what route I wanna go.
Realistically, I can ignore the first five options. The coloured Slime evolutions have given me some useful information, and finding out about Pattern Structures was informative, but they're rather basic. And despite the huge stat bonuses, I'm not touching Oozling with a ten foot pole. I'm rather beginning to enjoy being a slime, thank you very much, and I don't want to lose my new friends just for a boost in power.
That leaves Dense Blue Slime, Slime Weaver or Many-Slime. Dense Slime seems the simplest, but simplicity can be potent, especially when it makes me so survivable. On the flip side, the other two are focused in on specific Skills; if these evolutions don't have interesting synergies with Mana Weaving or Tandem Consciousness (maybe? still not sure exactly what Skill I've taught myself) respectively, I'll turn into a hat and eat myself.
I would've moved on from Slime Weaver already if it didn't explicitly tell me I can use my new strings for more than just weaving. Having some options to stop my opponents moving would be useful, but I have no idea how strong they'll be; and unfortunately, given my general durability, I have to assume they can be broken pretty easily by most of the monsters I'm fighting unless the mana thread core makes them stronger.
Enlarge has been a big help, and access to healing is super useful, but I think I'll pass on Slime Weaver. I want magic to supplement my strengths, not end up as the focus of it. I can always keep practicing my mana weaving, but I want an evolution that'll set me up for the long term.
And of my last two choices, I think Dense Blue Slime is geared just a bit more towards what I want. Many-Slime is great, the stats and that Molecular Network would make it a lot safer to take on stronger monsters by giving me ready-made allies, but there's just too much I don't know about my split consciousness'. If I had a better idea of what the uses and drawbacks are I'd quite probably spend longer thinking about it, but for now having multiple bodies is more along the lines of as-yet-untapped potential, rather than something I want to build around just yet.
I could be making a mistake, and once I've figured out the mystery Skill more I could look back at this choice kicking myself, but Dense Slime just has it all. I'll immediately be better at everything I've already been doing, I get inbuilt healing, and so long as I get more mass I just keep getting stronger. Sometimes, simple is best, and slimes make simple look *good*.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
Pushing aside any lingering doubts, I confirm my choice.
[You have selected]
Dense Blue Slime
[Evolution in progress...]
I didn't think it was possible, but apparently the nothing I'm floating in can get even more nothing-y than it already is. There's a sensation like I'm sinking into deep water, and for the first time since being born as a slime, I slip into true unconsciousness.
----------------------------------------
There's no way to tell how long I've been out, but my return to wakeful thought is sudden yet gentle, so I can happily tell myself it was too long. Unlike the last not-place I found myself in while selecting my evolution, I can't even look around my current location.
Instead, a page-like menu similar to an open manila folder fills my perception, mostly blank except for a little image of me on the left next to a series of numbers and the description for my evolution. Superimposed on the top of the folder is a text box that pulls my attention like a moth to a flame.
[Manual Evolution Menu enabled. Please make your selections and confirm to finalise the evolution process.]
Alright, I guess this is meat and potatoes of the [Manual] process. I wonder why it locked me into selecting my evolutions before if this was the major change?
The moment that thought is thunk, another text box shows up; Sir Attenborough's voice speaking to me as if in response to my confusion.
[The evolution process [Manual] grants access to more potent evolution options. Due to past actions and the nature of existences that qualify to access this process, countermeasures are put in place to prevent abuse.]
Oh. So basically, some folks figured out a method of gaming the evolution system at some point, decided to be dicks about it, and the System said "NO MORE!". I guess that's fair enough, at least I know for next time. Thanks for the information Mr. Attenborough, sir, appreciated.
I get no response, but I wasn't really expecting one. He hasn't spoken to me directly since I was born, why would he start now?
Turning to look at my slimy little self, I'm drawn to an invisible feeling of weight filling the menu just below. Interacting with it, I discover that this is all of the evolutionary mass I've managed to stockpile inside my Heart.
What the heck, there's so much of it! I thought I'd only be half full seeing as I didn't get the chance to go hunting more Beds, but I'm only a few percent off of being full up! How the shit did that happen?!
When I killed that Bed of Flowers and converted the excess XP into mass, I was hopeful, but I assumed I'd only have a pittance left over. Wow. I'd only killed a single level two Corpse Flower beforehand, but apparently that disparity reward isn't fucking around-
Wait, no!
My wailing unable to escape this nothing-place, I grieve in solitude. I'm evolving; my Tier will increase, meaning I won't get the disparity increase from the Beds anymore! So long effortless levelling, my sweet!
Still, I can console myself with all this extra evo mass. I'm so close to full that I might as well be full, so I don't really have all that much to complain about, so long as I focus on that.
Looking up and to the right, I take a closer look at the numbers next to my little caricature. Ah these are my stats-
Bloody hell! I have thirty three hit points now?! How did that happen?!
[Hit point value is determined by a combination of Physicality and Fortitude.
Note; Due to your species' unique physiology, which relates hit point value directly to quantity of mass, points in Fortitude can also be weighted to increase your mass, in addition to standard hit point determination methods.]
Oh, okay. So because slimes use their body as their HP pool I get more ways to give myself more mass? Neat! Thanks for the info, sir!
Now that I know how hit points are calculated, I take the opportunity to check out my Physicality and Fortitude, now buffed up to eighteen a piece. Looks like the bonuses from my evolution into a Dense Slime have already been added. Thought and Intent are the same as before, but that's to be expected.
Both the stats' titles and numbers stand out, calling out to be manipulated. Poking at the Physicality stat, some of my stockpiled mass is added to the digits, increasing them from eighteen to nineteen. Gaping, I flutter with excitement. I can improve my stats directly by pumping them up with evo mass? Forget being a single digit nobody, I can build myself into a powerhouse of stats!
Before I get carried away though, I need to figure out what these stats actually do first. Studying each of the titles, information blossoms before me.
Wow, this [Manual] process is pretty in-depth! Each of the stats govern multiple aspects of myself; when increasing their values, I can bump everything governed by the stat evenly, or choose specific aspects I want to improve.
For example, Physicality determines my size and strength. When increasing it, I can either make myself bigger and stronger, much bigger and a little stronger, or much stronger but only a little bigger. Fortitude normally covers my durability and endurance, which appears to be the energy Slam uses, but I'm also given the option to increase my mass, since I'm a slime. So I can improve my structural strength, making me harder to hurt, or give myself more endurance and stamina, so I can move around and use Skills like Slam more. That last aspect of Fortitude also seem to improve my body's resistance to harmful effects, probably things like poison or magic that makes me weaker.
As for Thought, there's a bunch to unpack. I can increase how fast I can process information, which has the added benefit of improving the speed of my weaving; or I can make my brain stronger, increasing the 'brute force' of my mind, whatever the heck that means. Making that aspect of Thought stronger also improves my 'hard' mental resilience, which is apparently how well I can resist effects that try to overpower my mind.
A shiver runs through my non-existent body at that. No way do I wanna meet a monster that can attack my mind, mind control is a hard no in my book!
Intent seems almost entirely focused on mana and 'soft' mental resilience, which differs from 'hard' resilience in preventing effects that try to gently influence or redirect my mind without my knowledge... okay, that's way creepier than plain old mind control, at least overpowering someone means they know it's happening!
Besides that, Intent increases the size of my mana reservoir and improves the speed at which mana regenerates. Also, it's nice to see that raising Intent in general makes it easier to influence mana.
I can add and remove mass from my stats as much as I want, so I play around a bit. I'm almost ready to get stuck into pumping all my mass into raising my stats, when I begrudgingly acknowledge that I still have more to look at. I've mostly been focused on the left side of the menu, but the right panel, despite being mostly blank, has some interesting features I should probably take a look at. Focusing on the upper section marked [Structures], an absolutely titanic list explodes across the right side of my perception, extending across, up, down, and out of sight.
...Fuck me.
Well and truly overwhelmed by the galaxy of suddenly revealed options, I first try to get some more information on what these 'Structures' are by taking a deeper look at the heading. Alright, so apparently they're various forms of additional physiology I can buy with evolutionary mass and add to my body when evolving. Well, that's simple enough. With that in mind, I start looking through the list.
After a few minutes of reading, I find myself both impressed and terrified. There's so many options available than I could give myself the ability to do or be almost anything, so much so that I have no idea what choices I should make. I could give myself teeth and claws, despite being a slime, or Scent molecules that give me a sense of smell, or tentacles, or crab claws, or carapace, or, or, OR!
There's just too much!
I think I'd have died of old age before reading through everything, even if I had the patience to try, but thankfully I can sort for Structures common to specific monsters, capabilities or themes. I also make sure I'm putting the cheaper stuff first, so I don't fall in love with something I'll never be able to afford.
I'm surprised to see I can even buy Pattern Structures as well. I'm confused at first as to why two of my evolution options would give me this choice when I can just buy it here, but taking the time to actually finish that thought process leads me to seeing that the big selling point there is that they're free. Because I wouldn't need to spend anything on buying the Structure here, I could use that mass to get another Pattern, or something that covers a weakness, or just raise my stats more.
Holding firm to that realisation, I consider whether I even want to buy a Structure. I could just pump everything into raw stats, making me way stronger than I am now... but the big benefit of adding new body parts is that I can mutate it like any other part of me, improving it over time with Impurities. Even something as simple as my Mana Receptors have become incredibly useful after adapting them, so I can expect anything I see here to have a boatload of hidden potential.
...
Sigh. I'm gonna be here a while, aren't I? Good thing I don't have a body to get tired, at least for the moment.
----------------------------------------
Finally!
It's taken more time than I'm proud to admit, but I've come up with a few ideas for some structures I might want to take.
The first thing I did was look for the Molecular Network and Molecular Loom. If Patterns can be bought here, I should be able to find these two as well, right? I found them pretty quick, looking for specific things is much easier than doing a broad search, but the moment I did it was revealed that both are well out of my price range. I could spend pretty much the entirety of my mass on the Loom, but I'd have nothing left for my stats, and I'm straight up unable to stockpile enough for the Network. Considering I could buy a Pattern or two with some mass left over if I wanted to, the fact that I was getting those Structures for free just goes to show how potent those evolutions were.
Once again, I pat myself on the back for taking the gamble on catalysing a Mana Heart so early. If I get evolutions that awesome to start, imagine what I could see for my next evolution, or the one after that!
Despite narrowing my options to Structures that will benefit a creature like myself, there's still a lot to go through. I can safely ignore any structures that provide healing, since that comes for free with my evolution, so I've been tossing up between diversifying my capabilities or getting something that will accentuate my strengths.
I considered buying wings, but they're surprisingly expensive. Apparently, Structures that aren't well suited to your physiology cost more, not to mention I'd probably have a hard time getting wings to work when my evolution into a Dense Slime is focused around big mass gains.
Something to synergise with mana weaving was next on the list, and I'm impressed by how many avenues I had to choose from. I could give myself a couple dexterous little tendrils that sell themselves as an efficient upgrade to standard limbs, but they don't give me anything my currents and membrane don't, so no dice there. Something that did catch my eye, however, was an organ that acts as storage for mana thread. I can make it, then feed it directly into this Threading Well, where the mana is preserved in its threaded form until I pull it out; ready for immediate use. It doesn't have much space, but it means I'll have a stockpile of thread ready to go in addition to a full reservoir, essentially increasing my maximum mana by a bit, so long as I keep it topped up.
Following on from the storage idea is another one; a Matter Well. Where the last Structure stored mana, this one stores mass. The way I understood it, the Matter Well is basically a dimensional pocket inside my body where I can store slime matter that will automatically replace any mass I lose. Granted, I need to actually put the mass in there first, and it's just a form of instant healing, but it doesn't decrease my max health; it essentially just makes me smaller.
Honestly, the real reason I'm so interested in it is that it's restricted to 'existences with a mutable form', which I assume means creatures like slimes and other things that don't care about the structure of their body, just how much of it there is. That, and the matter stored inside is pressurised; since I'd likely be able to move it around like any other part of my body, I could release it all at once like an attack, or protect myself by pushing out a wall of slime.
In the end, though, a chance encounter while scrolling for fun through some slime specific Structures had me promise my Heart to one option, and one option only.
[Solidifying Enzyme]
[An enzyme within your body that remains passive until activated, affects a chemical reaction that solidifies exposed molecules. The structural integrity of the resultant solid slime matter scales off of your Toughness. You possess a limited quantity of Solidifying Enzyme, which your body naturally generates over time.]
It's expensive, requiring a good half of my stockpiled evolutionary mass, but this will solve one of my biggest limitations as a slime; a profound lack of methods by which to cut or pierce things. Stabbing is a much faster way to kill monsters than eating them, and with my new understanding of how size and Fortitude effects my hit points, I'll be investing in that stat a bunch, meaning the slime matter I solidify will only get stronger.
Since I can alter the shape of my body at will, this means I can make things like knives and shields; depending on how much Enzyme I get, I could even cover my membrane in spikes, turning myself into a terrifying ball of doom!
Satisfied that I've addressed a critical weakness in my combat ability, I look to my stats. I have around half a Heart's worth of mass to spend, and spend it I shall.
First, Thought. I don't use it for anything specifically but it probably has some effect on my split selves, and twenty four as a number is fine, but it's could be comfier. I raise it up to an even twenty five for now, not weighting it in any direction. I probably won't notice a change, but until I'm given a reason to improve it, I'm happy with how things stand.
Next, Intent. Mana weaving being easier would be great, and I've been excited to improve that most integral foundation of cooldown builds; regen. But realistically, I need to increase my available mana. My bodies can shape weaves individually, but I still draw from a single source, so making sure I have enough points to split between my bodies is what I need right now. Still, I'm not gonna invest too steeply. Weighting everything towards mana capacity, I increase my mana to ten, leaving my Intent at twenty two.
Now for the big expenses. Bumping my Physicality up from eighteen to twenty five, I consider weighting everything towards mass, but the fact that I can get bigger through increasing both my physical stats means it's probably worth making myself stronger. I may not have muscles to flex, but who wouldn't take the chance to get stronger without the need to work out!
Even weighting each point ever so slightly towards increasing my mass has a noticeable effect on my HP; I haven't even touched my Fortitude yet and I'm sitting pretty at thirty seven! Moving onto said last stat, I uhm and ah over my options. I could take the average, or close to, again... but I can't help but be curious of what a 'durable' slime would look like.
As it always seems to, curiosity wins out. Weighting one or two points into endurance, I use up all of what's left of my evolutionary mass with an even split between increasing my size and durability, capping out at twenty six Fortitude. Watching my hit points climb, my metaphorical eyes shine like a kid watching the ice cream man pour them a soft serve.
Forty five. Forty five! I've literally tripled my previous hit point max, and I didn't even have to dump everything into getting bigger! Giddy, I have to ward myself off of scrapping my careful stat allocations and dumping everything into catapulting my HP to the moon. A big pool of health is nice, but I want to make sure I'm strong enough to actually fight my future foes, rather than just take their hits.
Just because the description for my evolution says Dense Slimes let themselves be eaten till they can crawl away doesn't mean I need to do the same; I can have all their strengths, without relying on their questionable tactics.
Double checking that I'm satisfied with everything, I crack a smile. Its been a long road, and I've nearly died more often than I'd like, but I made it. I'm evolving. I'll be returning to the Fort a whole new slime.
First, though, I need to get out there and help {Mask} evolve as well. Heading to the top of the menu and confirming that I'm finished with my selections, I can't deny that a good chunk of my eagerness to wake up is rooted in my desire to take my new body for a spin.
[Evolution process [Manual] complete]
[Finalising evolution...]
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The first thing I notice upon waking up is that, despite being back in my body, I'm still in the nothing. Apart from myself, the mana I can usually sense filling every square inch of the Dungeon is nowhere to be found. Unable to see any trees or vines, even the ever present grass and rock I can still feel beneath me is gone, completely devoid of mana, rendering my mana sense a blank canvas of nothing.
"What the hell..."
Casting my senses wider I see a tiny slime, a little under half my size, crawling toward me, frantic.
"Luke! LUKE!" {Mask} pulses; terror, curiosity and relief fighting for space on their membrane. "What happen? Luke still. Quiet. Me. Hiding us. Waiting..." They tremble, looking up at me, and I'm not sure what's stronger; their awe or their fear. "Luke. Get bigger. Much. Me. Excited. Then..."
"Then what, {Mask}?" I ask, almost afraid to find out. "What happened? Where did you hide us? Where are we?"
They shake their head. "Not moved. Dungeon Crystals. Light go away. Then mana. Disappearing. Me. Never outside Fort. When happens," they shudder. "Dangerous."
"Wait, you've seen this before?" What is up with this place!? I thought night wasn't a thing here; even when Big explain the Dim to me and I saw it shortly after it was more like twilight, not whatever this cloying blindness is. I can't sense anything beyond {Mask} and myself; no mana in the ground beneath, no Foundations floating through the air. It's just...
"Called 'Nothing'," {Mask} ripples, looking this way and that the same as I am in an effort to locate some speck of something with which to orient themselves. "Rare. Not often. Dungeon empty. No mana. How long. Not know."
...What?
"You're telling me that there's no mana here? And you don't know how long it'll last?" I splutter, reaching out as far as my senses will allow. Terrifyingly, they're right; I can't sense a single strand of mana, no matter how hard I look. They bob, shuffling close. "Hold on," I ripple, my fluttering nervousness edging up to the precipice that descends to full on dread as something they said finally registers with me. "Why is this... Nothing... dangerous?"
{Mask} is pressed tight against me, forming their reply, when I finally see something out of the corner of my eye. Latching onto it, whatever it is, I can see that the mana source is still far away; strangely, a good deal further away than I'd normally be able to sense things from.
"Slimes. During Nothing. Stay in Fort," they explain while I try to pick out the shape of the mana, a sinking feeling in my Heart as I start making out details. "Not see. Slimes. Get lost..."
"Ahh shit," I groan, watching the approaching form of a monstrous snake that appears to be made entirely of vines, its triangular head pointed directly toward us, navigating around and over obstacles that I can't see.
"...Predators. Not get lost. Slimes. Why. Not know."
Gathering the little fella up into my body, I bubble furiously. "It's because we may as well be fucking blind if there's no mana in anything, but other monsters still have eyes, ears and noses! How am I supposed to run away or see where I'm fighting if there's no mana in the fucking Dungeon?!"