The space around the [Rift Shard] took over the entire area, forming like a ring shape surrounded by slate floors stretching out to 120 meters from the zone. The area was covered with circular lines throughout the vicinity.

In the middle corner of it stood a structure that was seven meters in height and ten meters wide, made of wood and thatched roof materials. The Town Hall.

It was unclear how it appeared out of nowhere, as if the entire structure had suddenly sprung up from existence without any explanation of where it came from. The best explanation that could be offered was that the rift had strange irregularities.

Falling snowflakes descended from the roof and glided through the cracks of the ceiling, creating patches of snow decorated on its surface. Wooden walls painted with hues of caramel in them, holes piercing through from it, old-fashioned doors that looked like they were about to fall apart, floors being floors.

The front hall was plain and simple, with a wooden floor supported by four beams and covered with a thatched roof. Fences barricaded the whole area, leaving an entrance leading through the front door with two windows standing between it and a tower-shaped curved roof connected from it.

As Olen admired the tattered structure before him, two men quickly appeared in front of him, giving a sign of a symbol that recognized loyalty as they held up their hands to their chests.

“My lord, I bring grim news, the [Rift] has been showing signs of ripples without a stop,” Alfric said with worry in his eyes.

“My lord, with respect, if you have already noticed, there’s nothing outside the hall beside us,” Feimshall said as he looked through the horizon with a worried gaze in his eyes.

That just sounds condescending...

"Great timing," Olen said, with his sightseeing disturbed by the condition caused in the [Rift] upon hearing the news. Olen then proceeded to the [Rift] and left the town hall missing his opportunity to visit it inside.

Olen looked all around the area near the [Rift] to find out the problem that was causing the ripples to happen. And after some time, Olen found the source of the problem, as he noticed a strange glob bouncing around all over the floor as it circles throughout the rift every once in a while.

The glob of goo seemed to be prancing around heedlessly as it looked puzzled at the situation of what was happening to it right now. Taking a look at it, an object seemed to appear inside the glob of goo visibly floating in it. It looked like a splinter from a wood that was being dissolved by the goo inside it.

Wait a minute, if there's wood, there's dirt, and just from the look of the splinter, it looks like it had just been recently scraped from a bark, which means there is water.

“My lord, I think we might have found something crucial for our survival in this empty world,” Feimshall said.

“Yes, if there is a wood, then there’s no doubt it came from a tree, which means the land is fertile,” Olen replied as he stared at the glob of goo at the same time.

Like a bolt, a thought suddenly struck Olen as he realized that the [Rift Shard] might have the answer to his question. He stared at the [Rift Shard] for a while and a blue screen immediately appeared floating in the middle of the shard.

[Rift Gate]

[Rift: 1]

Stability: 8/10

Chewing at the information displayed in front of him, Olen then realized that whatever was happening inside that [Rift], causing massive changes to the other side connected to it, and there was a high chance that the glob creature might have come from it due to the instability it was causing.

With a thought, an invisible hand suddenly lunged through the air as it touched the pale screen and swiped through it, resulting in new information being displayed from it.

[Would you like to have the slime to be captured or form a contract]

“Contract,” Olen said as the sight of the information caught him off guard.

Oh no, this is going elsewhere…

Suddenly, a string of energy was drawn from the crystal lodged on the sword, channeling the energy across the [Rift Shard]. Followed by a sudden burst of energy, channeling back through the slime.

And after some time, a new contract was formed in Olen's thoughts. Meanwhile, the screen panel suddenly displayed brand-new information regarding the slime that he had just contracted recently with.

[Slime]

Tier: 1 (50/100)

Species: Metal Slime

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

"Interesting, considering the differences of our two species, it's reasonable for a monster to instead gain tier and evolve since they lack certain intelligence to comprehend knowledge for their own use," Olen thought.

Curious, he fed the slime with a sliver of his mana to see the changes that it would do to it. Every once in a while, the slime would wriggle and convulse as a sliver of his mana retained on its glob and hued with blue. And after the process was done, Olen checked the result right in front of the [Rift Shard].

[Slime]

Tier: 1 (60/100)

Mana: 2/2

Species: Metal Slime

Abilities: Hardening

[Olen Fairer]

Mana: 10/20

Delighted at the result, Olen decided to prepare and hone his proficiency with Aflric and Feimshall along with his new companion, the evolved slime. Hearing the thoughts of his master, the evolved slime wriggled and flopped atop Olen's head, bouncing from time to time.

I wonder what we look like right now.

Olen then walked outside through the town hall and saw two men sparring at each other as they exchanged blows, with Feimshall leading in a hand.

Alfric dodged the heavy sword approaching him as he rolled down to the side to keep his balance. Feimshall then took the opportunity and slammed his heavy sword on Alfric, leaving him with a narrow escape, but instead, Alfric dodged it in time as he leaped up from his feet with momentum and pierced his sword through Feimshall's neck, and abruptly stopped as the tip of the sword hung on his neck with an inch separating from it.

“You won, Alfric, who would have thought you used your weakness against me,” Feimshall said while he shook his head in defeat.

“You have overpowered me, Feimshall, there’s nothing to it, just a man with shrewd thoughts to keep his pace,” Alfric said with disapproval written on his face.

Noticing the changes in the air, two warriors suddenly felt Olen's presence and hastily proceeded to pay their respects to their liege. “Excuse us, my lord” as they bent down on their knees.

"Stand up, there’s nothing to be ashamed of, you were merely practicing, also from now on there will be no more kneeling in front of me," Olen said, raising his tone and establishing his authority without question.

"Let's continue to train and improve ourselves, both physically and mentally. We have a long journey ahead of us and we must be prepared for whatever challenges may come our way," he added.

[Speech proficiency has been increased slightly]

Not now! You dumbo brain!

The two warriors looked at each other bewildered at the command told by their liege, but after quite some time, they have come to accept the decree, and instead, they respond to the decree with their arms up folded in their chests in respect.

“Good, come with me, let’s spar and teach me the basics on how to use the sword,” Olen said, as he stared at the two warriors with an air of authority to be sure they won’t decline his request out of honor.

“My lord, if you haven’t noticed but your sword is in the pillar, and I’m afraid besides our weapon we have no materials to craft a sword,” Alfric said with a cough to hide the embarrassment.

Alfric continued: “My lord if you wish I could lend you my sword while I watch in the back at your spar with Feimshall”

“No need, I have something of my own”

“Hardening!”

Suddenly, the slime squirmed towards Olen's wrist and wiggled around his palm as it shaped into a hilt from a sword to his hand imbued with metallic shade.

“Come!” Olen said while glaring both at the warriors indicating who will step up first.

After quite some time, Feimshall heaved a deep breath and took a step forward as he brought his sword with him and proceeded to his own position while standing two-meter apart from the center of the battlefield.

Olen took up his sword and stood aligned from the center of the battlefield with his eyes staring at his own enemy in battle position.

Every once in a while, three figures would take up their swords as the sound of metal clashing together reverberated in the air while exchanging blows until one of them fell on the ground.

An hour later, Feimshall and Aflric leaned against the wooden wall, catching their breath after the grueling fight. As they stared in surprise at Olen laying back on the ground exhausted.

The two warriors were in awe as they watched Olen's skill with the sword, despite it being his first time wielding one. They couldn't help but admire his natural talent and determination to improve himself.

[Your understanding toward the [One Handed Sword] has increased moderately]

*Huff, huff*

Olen heaved a deep breath as he got up from the ground with a mix of joy and defeat written on his face. He looked at the sword from his own hand, he didn’t think that at the spur of the moment, the slime would suddenly liquefy and lose its shape, and before he knew it, the glob suddenly passed through the defenses of the sword, as the strike of the impact of his enemy blew him away. Earning him a loss.

I could have won once if not for this daym slime. Oh... if Shilla was just here. No, just no, a slime can’t do that, isn’t it? It's metal slime, not liquid slime.

With a sigh, Olen linked his thoughts to the sword, as the slime returned from its shape and squirmed through the top of his head. "As usual," Olen said while rolling his eyes.

Olen then noticed the two warriors approaching him with a mix of expressions on their faces, their arms folded across their chests in respect, and as they were about to open their mouths—

“No need to remind me of my defeat” Though Olen knew what they were going to say, he instantly dismissed it with a wave of his hand, which made the two warriors shut their mouths and smiled awkwardly as they departed with their eyes on the ground.

But as soon as they walked away, Olen stopped them and asked a question that would catch anyone off guard. “What do you think I look like right now?” with a smile as bright as the sun suspended on his face.

“With pleasure my liege, your head is as translucent as a glass with a silver lining across it, and a silver eye that pierces through the heavens above, a body as old as the great sun but brimming with life and longevity spanning across centuries, your skin as dry but strong as a bark,” Feimshall said while spouting endless words and reciting it with passion gleamed in his eyes.

After the intense passionate speech. Alfrick stood up and applause as his clap echoed through the sky without a stop until his strength depleted him, and flopped over to the ground.

Frickin medieval idiots… I swear. And what do you mean translucent, is that calling me bald? I’m bald... I’m still that bald old man. What the hell!

Watching Alfrick flop to the ground, Olen sighed at the embarrassing scene before him. But all things considered, Feimshall in some sense did portray him. He was old and...

A bald man with slime bouncing on top of his head.