Zaelen woke to find himself lying in the forest, wind whistling through the leaves above him. Sunlight weaved through the tree canopy to find its way to the ground, shining down on Zaelen’s back. He stretched, wondering why something seemed different all the while. Finally, it reached his nut-sized brain that he had evolved.

Well, evolving certainly made a difference... to say the least. Zaelen got up, testing out his new form. It resembled his original one; the golden scales and tail blades were still there. Zaelen would say that the biggest difference was the size as well as the fluffy white mane he now possessed. The green’s a nice touch too.

Horned Drake (Medium)

Name: Zaelen

Level: 1/150

HP: 70/70

MP: 60/60

SPD: 45

STR: 45

Skills: [High Leap Lv1] [Observe Lv--] [Dragon Breath Lv1] [Wind Slash Lv5] [Lightning Strike Lv2] [Roar Lv1]

Resistances: [Traumatization Lv5] [Fire Lv3] [Lightning Lv3] [Wind Lv1]

And of course, the traumatization was still there. As soon as he glimpsed it, the golden drake became a golden blob on the ground. Zaelen gave a sad long sigh, as if he had the weight of the world upon his shoulders. Weren’t resistances supposed to be good?! This is just a stain upon my reputation!

Now reporting changed stats:

Horned Semi-Drake (Small) -> Horned Drake (Medium)

Level: 30/30 -> Level: 1/150

HP: 40/40 -> HP: 70/70

MP: 30/30 -> MP: 60/60

SPD: 28 -> SPD: 45

STR: 20 -> STR: 45

[Leap Lv5] -> [High Leap Lv1]

[Fire Breath Lv2] -> [Dragon Breath Lv1]

Learned new skill: [Roar]

[Wind Slash Lv2] -> [Wind Slash Lv5]

Resistances:

[Traumatization Lv3] -> [Traumatization Lv5]

[Fire Lv1] -> [Fire Lv3]

[Lightning Lv1] -> [Lightning Lv3]

Learned new resistance: [Wind Resistance Lv1]

Zaelen perked his head up. Didn’t know evolution changed your stats. Well... I suppose it does make sense. BUT WHAT DID I DO TO GET THE TRAUMATIZATION TO LEVEL UP TOO, EH?! WHAT DO YOU HAVE TO SAY FOR YOURSELF, SYSTEM?! Of course, like usual, the system had no response. Zaelen stomped around for a while, his tailing lashing furiously. However, he recovered managed to somehow recover from his rage and started to plan on what to do next. Once he set his mind on going back toward the plains; Zaelen was interested to see if he could scavenge anything from the chaos the day before, what else was there to do but do it? He retraced his steps the day before as accurately as he could. Though, considering he’d fled with no thought to how he would get back, it proved to be a challenge. But Zaelen managed, quite a feat considering that Zaelen was... Zaelen.

And sure enough, there was still a wrecked carriage with wolf bodies strewn around it. To Zaelen’s surprise, there weren’t as many humans. Though, the wolf bodies weren’t large in number either. Meh, probably because I killed so many. He sniffed the air, and human scent wafted into his nostrils. Hm? The humans are still here? Oh right, they must be trying to get what’s left of their carriage or something.

Zaelen slunk through the grass. Though he was much bigger, the tall grass still served for ample cover. Soon, he had a clear view of the humans. It seemed they were taking care of the wounded. He moved closer, pricking his ears. If I remember right, humans had the same language as us in our world. Though it might not be as such for this...

“Hey, you okay? Those wolves were fierce.”

...Well, I guess the worlds still have similarities. Zaelen glanced around, searching for anything he could steal.

“And did you see that golden drake? It was fighting off the wolves, too.”

“Do you think it was helping us?”

“Who knows.”

Zaelen froze, listening as the conversation turned to him though his eyes still flicked over the items in the wreckage.

“I saw it retreating from five or so of those wolves. Do you think it survived?”

“I’m not sure... it was strong but five wolves...?”

“I guess there’s a possibility though.”

Zaelen found what he was hoping was salt. And if it was, there were certainly quite a few bags of the white stuff. And next to it was the clear smell of vinegar. Zaelen’s eyes swept over the humans again. They’re not that much of a threat, anyway. And so, Zaelen emerged into the open, revealing himself.

There were shouts of alarm; the uninjured humans jumped up with weapons raised. Not that Zaelen cared. He made a beeline for the salt and vinegar; the humans parted in alarm so there was a clear path to it. Aha! My beautiful salt and vinegar!

“Hey, don’t attack the drake! It looks like the one that helped us beat the wolves!”

“So we’re supposed to let it wander around in our camp?!”

“Besides, I don’t remember it having a white mane!”

“You were just too far away, idiot! That’s definitely the drake! Unless there’s a billion golden drakes just roaming around?!”

Zaelen ignored the argument that started up. Sounds a bit like buzzing flies. Meh. Oh, does space magic work here? It’s easy to use if you know the concept of which it’s based upon and how it works.

Zaelen focused hard, trying to open a ‘space pocket’. After a few tries, a hole cracked open in front of him. He bent down and started to transport the substances into the pocket. He curiously poked his head in halfway through to see a white space, with the sacks of salt and bottles of vinegar floating around.

Learned new skill: [Space Pocket]

Oh? That was easier than expected. I guess me getting my revenge had more benefits than expected. Zaelen, having raided and taken all of their salt and vinegar stock, turned, ready to leave. He found a human blocking his way. Zaelen paused, staring down at the human. Oh, he’s not scared of me?

“Drake. Do you have no intent to harm us?”

The voice sounded somewhat commanding. Not that it affected Zaelen in the least. Why’d you make me sound like a thing?! I have feelings, you know! He bent his head down until he was at eye level with the human. He narrowed his eyes. Is he trying to have a staring contest with me? Well, first staring contest of the... first staring contest since I’ve reincarnated! Zaelen wasn’t known for his patience in his old world, however, and clearly wasn’t going to be known for it in this one either. He broke the staring contest after a few brief seconds and walked around the human, heading back into the grass, feeling that at least one of his plans had been carried out successfully.

Just a few minutes after Zaelen whisked out of the sight of the humans, he felt something touch his tail. Something cold and slimy. Zaelen swung around, lashing his tail from the grip of the mysterious thing. He glared down at the blue blob.

Creature: Blue Slime

Zaelen felt shivers run down his spine as another leaped from the bushes onto his back. It doesn’t hurt, but it feels like slugs are crawling all over me! Zaelen shook the slime off, and then proceeded to slash at it with his claws. However, they didn’t prove effective and slid right through the slime’s gooey body. Zaelen stared for a second, then batted at the slime again. His claws once again slid right through. However, this wasn’t all Zaelen could do.

“...So, you’ve forced me to use my secret weapon...”

Even the slimes seemed to feel the change in atmosphere. They flinched back, letting out an alarmed “Squeee?!” in unison.

Zaelen advanced in a flash. He smacked a scattering of salt onto the slimes, which dissolved into a puddle of goop.

Killed Blue Slime. Gained 10 exp.

The other slimes tried to escape, but their fates were already set in stone. The golden terror of a drake was ruthless, advancing to scatter salt upon his enemies. While the slimes were small and slippery, they couldn’t do anything against salt. It would probably be an Ingenius idea, if it wasn’t for the seemingly evil maniac who wielded it. Soon, the slaughter was over and Zaelen reared back, cackling.

On second thought, cross out the ‘seemingly’. Zaelen was an evil maniac. A deranged evil maniac. And even in the middle of his cackling, he noticed something queer. Despite the fact that he’d certainly gained exp from the slimes, his level had not gone up. But Zaelen pushed it out of his mind soon enough and continued his reign of terror on the slimes for quite a while. It didn’t take much salt to kill the slimes; a few pinches could do wonders. Armed with salt, he was quite a horrifying sight to any slimes that came upon the crazed drake’s path.

However, his fun was interrupted by a crack of lightning inches from Zaelen’s face. He looked up curiously, focusing on the blue, serpentine dragon diving toward him. The emerald eyes of the dragon blazed angrily.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

Creature: Stormborn Thunderdrake

Name: Akyro

Zaelen tipped his head questioningly. He has a name? I haven’t met many creatures that have had names. The humans might’ve had names, but I flicked away the description the system sent me before I read it. Hrm. Perhaps only intelligent creatures have names?

The thunderdrake, AKA Akyro, landed on the ground, electricity flashing into the light gray blue mane of the dragon.

“What are you doing here? I didn’t know that there were any new drakes in these parts.”

His words did not match the hostility that was practically stamped all over his face. Zaelen paused, surveying the thunderdrake cautiously. I mean, the system gave ‘Akyro’, I think that’s how his name is pronounced, a pretty OP-sounding species name so I’m just gonna say that he’s probably OP...? Well, this is the sole purpose of vinegar! To beat OP dragons!

“Well? Don’t you – erk!”

Akyro choked on a mouthful of vinegar. He soon collapsed to the ground, choking. “W-what is this trickery?!” managed Akyro through coughs.

“Oh, it’s just vinegar,” said Zaelen, waving a claw dismissively. Heh, even resistances won’t work against vinegar. I bet he’s never even touched vinegar in his life. Zaelen gave a smug smirk down at the thrashing thunderdrake.

Akyro, after longer than expected, finally regained some control and staggered to his feet, albeit still coughing.

“Please, help me!” rasped Akyro, whose demeanor had completely changed.

Was vinegar always this effective? But this is just vinegar, no matter how you put it, so it’s not like its fatal. What’s the urgency?

Akyro, however, took this as a sign that Zaelen didn’t care. “Please, master! I’ll do anything you ask me to do!”

Who is he calling master? Zaelen looked around, but there was no sign of anyone else. Besides, [Observe] would’ve sent him a message already if there was anything.

Servant contract issued from Stormborn Thunderdrake (Akyro)

Will you accept?

Huh? The system is getting in on this? Is it because Akyro called me master? Might as well test it out.

Servant contract with Stormborn Thunderdrake (Akyro) accepted

Would you like to see Akyro’s stats?

Oh, that’s a nice perk. I get to see the stats of my servants?

Now reporting Akyro’s stats

Stormborn Thunderdrake

Name: Akyro

Level: 2453/5500

HP: 10250/10250

MP: 12550/12550

SPD: 9000

STR: 7500

Skills (Condensed): [Thunder’s Calling Lv8] [Flight Lv10] [Lightning Flash Lv5] [Electric Shock Lv7]

Resistances: [Lightning Lv8] [Wind Lv7] [Fire Lv4] [Darkness Lv3] [Light Lv6] [Pain Lv5]

HOLY CRAP! Zaelen stared at the stats listed on the message agape. This isn’t some system error, right?! Those numbers are in the thousands! How did I not die when Akyro breathed on me?!

Zaelen patted Akyro’s back and gave him some water from a lake which he had randomly stuffed into his [Space Pocket]. He didn’t question how his brain worked. However, Akyro took it completely the wrong way and stared at Zaelen as if he was the best thing the thunderdrake had ever seen.

“You’re... giving pure holy water to me? T-thank you...!”

He’s staring at me like what some of the other creatures in the kingdom did... what did Lyceris call them? Fans? Role models? Something along those lines, I suppose. But you know what, it’s nice being fawned over, so I’m not going to correct him. And more slimes need killing! Yes, that is a necessity!

Zaelen turned, ready to leave. “Well, I need to cause more slime deaths!” Then he ran off, leaving Akyro staring after him dubiously.

It seemed his luck was smiling upon him for once, for he soon heard the sound that had quickly become quite familiar to him; the cries of slimes. He slowed, slinking through the tall grass like a cat stalking a mouse. Though, instead of a mouse, this time it was several slimes. Zaelen peered through the hole for a few more moments. The hole was big enough for any slime to fit through; they could shift their body to fit through any hole, no matter how small. However, unlike them, Zaelen had bones. Which meant that no, he could not copy them. However, salt was another matter.

Zaelen whipped a large bag of salt out of his trustworthy [Space Pocket], licking his lips. Then he slashed the bag open, watching the white particles flow out into the cave. He dumped out the contents of the bag, before burning the empty sack. After all, he had to help stop ‘climate change’. Then he crept to a spot near the hole, ready to turn any slime that escaped into a puddle of goop like he had done so many times before.

He waited. While Zaelen wasn’t particularly patient with most things (as seen with the staring contest earlier), anything involved with slime murder was an exception. After quite a while of waiting, Zaelen found it peculiar that no slime had escaped. He picked himself up from his crouching position and poked his head into the hole. He glimpsed a pink form before something lashed out, wrapping around his snout. Zaelen gave a muffled yelp; his jaws were clamped shut, and jerked back, alarm pulsing through his body.

The sudden tension managed to break a part of what he could now see was a transparent, vibrant pink tentacle. The part that had been broken off lost its solidity and melted, dripping onto the ground. Zaelen wrinkled his face in disgust, clawing as much of it off as he could. When were slimes PINK?! Or am I just going blind? Yup, me having bad eyesight makes much more sense than slimes being pink.

However, Zaelen was soon proved wrong as a gigantic, vibrant pink slime slithered out.

Creature: Lower Radiant Devourer

Zaelen coughed, staring at the message. What?! System, you think that ugly blob is radiant?! Are you sure that your eyes are working? Do you even have eyes?! Zaelen skittered back, before dumping even more salt onto the slime. He refused to accept that it could be called ‘radiant’ Though it certainly is fat enough to be called a ‘devourer’. And what do you mean by ‘Lower’?! Do you mean there are even FATTER slimes out there?!

The salt sizzled against the slime, and Zaelen thought that his strategy was working until he realized that the slime was regenerating at a faster rate than the salt could destroy. He gave a hiss.

“Your struggles are futile! You will still perish from this world in time!” Zaelen yelled at the slime. Then he winced.

However, Zaelen followed through on his threat. Zaelen whipped out several bottles of vinegar. Fine. If salt doesn’t work, how about salt and vinegar! It’s a slime! It can’t beat vinegar and salt! Actually, its worse than a slime since it hurts my eyes just to look at that color! And thus, a ‘slime’ slowly but surely dissolved into a puddle.

Zaelen stood beside the ‘carcass’ of the slime, cackling like a maniac.

Killed Lower Radiant Devourer. Gained 100 exp. Lv: 3/150 HP: 72/72 MP: 62/62

Zaelen eventually finished and set to finding and bringing yet more slimes to their demise. Then, grass parted to reveal... a blue slime! Zaelen pounced and salted it before it could react. Rustle rustle. More slimes slipped through the grass till Zaelen was surrounded. Wait a second... there are FIVE pink slimes?! And what is that?! Slime royalty?! A gold slime that was even more obese than the pink ones had arrived.

Creature: Blue Slime

Creature: Lower Radiant Devourer

Creature: Radiant Devourer

Zaelen was a bit daunted. Even for him as the slime-killing addict that he was, this seemed like a bit too much. But also like the slime-killing addict that he was, he wasn’t about to back down either. He flicked his tail in anticipation, ready to face down all of them. He drew in a breath, then released [Dragon Breath]. To his surprise, the flames were not the normal colors like before; they were purple tinged with white. Of course, as long as they succeeded in what they were summoned to do; melt slimes, he didn’t have any complaints.

With his flames, salt, and vinegar, the ranks of blue slimes dwindled quickly. Zaelen had become somewhat of a pro at killing slimes. But he didn’t have infinite supplies and eventually began to run out. The slime horde didn’t seem to be stopping anytime soon, however. Woe me, how did I get into this mess?!

Zaelen started to slowly back off, when something touched his tail. Slimes?! How’d they get behind me?! There was now a very daunting issue in front of Zaelen. He was surrounded, and there was no apparent way to get out.

[Dragon Breath Lv1] -> [Dragon Breath Lv3]

[Lightning Strike Lv2] -> [Lightning Strike Lv3]

Well, at least there’s one or two good things in this... Then a tentacle wrapped around his ankle and gave a sharp tug. Zaelen yelped as he fell, seeing that a pink slime had coiled a tentacle around a leg and was tugging him forward. He writhed, managing to break free. But now, he’d been dragged into the range of the closest slimes, who slithered onto his body. Zaelen knew that slimes were acidic, and that his HP was likely going down quickly. He rolled in a scattering of salt on the ground, managing to kill many of the slimes. However, more came; he’d lost the advantage of the fact that he’d been too far for the slimes to get at him. Well, more like he’d thought so, considering that the pink slime had caught him. Then more of the dreaded pink tentacles wrapped around him, completely immobilizing him till all he could do was glare furiously at the slimes.

HP: 65/72

HP: 62/72

HP: 58/72

Learned new resistance: [Acid Resistance Lv1]

...I am so dead. Zaelen sighed.

Warning

Setting: Pain will be force-activated if HP depletes any further

What, is that going to help me?! Though, that does explain why I can’t feel pain.

Pain setting force-activated

Claws of fire seemed to suddenly rip through his insides, yet his skin felt as if it was encased in ice. Zaelen gave a screech of agony, though it was muffled by the slimes. He thrashed, his mind and thoughts temporarily blinded by the pain. But he managed to take hold of what clarity he had, and thrashed, his efforts to free himself strengthening. But it was no use. The slimes were piled over him now; all he could see was blue and the ground he was now pressed against. He could barely breath through the slimes, his breaths short and rasping. Darkness pressed against his consciousness.

Ugh... I didn’t even live a few days. Well, I guess it was worth it. At least I killed slimes...

Typical. Even when you’re on the brink of death, all you care about is slimes...

Zaelen’s sluggish mind didn’t comprehend how strange it was for this to happen. Yeah... if I got a chance to live this life, no matter how short, I wouldn’t do it any differently. He sighed. Too bad I couldn’t get back at Lyceris though. Guess I’ll have to take comfort in the scar I gave him.

Well, don’t give up yet, idiot. Seems like the universe isn’t going to let you go so soon

Eh...?

“Master!!!!!” howled a voice.

Wow. That had quite a few exclamation marks in there. Then there was a bright flash and the next thing he knew, the slimes blocking his view had disappeared. Zaelen lay on his side, looking up at blue skies.

Servant [Akyro] has killed Blue Slime (x106), Lower Radiant Devourer (x14), and Radiant Devourer (x4). Gained partial exp as [Akyro] is your servant. Gained 5467 exp. Lv: 87/100 HP: 4/120 MP: 100/100

Learned new skill: [Shadow Tentacles Lv1]

Learned new skill: [HP Regeneration Lv1]

[Traumatization Lv5] -> [Traumatization Lv6]

Warning: HP is extremely low

HP: 4/120

Low?! At least I’m alive! Zaelen quickly recovered from his near-death experience. At least mentally. His physical health wasn’t very good. In fact, he was still near death. And what was that I heard? The grim reaper? Death? Wait, what’s the difference between the grim reaper and Death? Though those are certainly a lot of level-ups.

Horned Drake (Medium) [Poisoned] [Bleeding]

Name: Zaelen

Level: 3/150

HP: 3/120

MP: 14/100

SPD: 45

STR: 45

Skills: [High Leap Lv1] [Observe Lv--] [Dragon Breath Lv1] [Wind Slash Lv5] [Lightning Strike Lv2] [Roar Lv1] [Shadow Tentacles Lv1] [HP Regeneration Lv1]

Resistances: [Traumatization Lv5] [Fire Lv3] [Lightning Lv3] [Wind Lv1] [Acid Lv1]

Oh. Well, I guess I’m still near death. Zaelen’s brain finally caught up with the situation at hand. I feel like the wind could probably kill me right now. Oh. And I’m poisoned. And bleeding. My HP is still going down. Well, I guess it’s the end. Too bad. I thought I would survive for a second.

Then the darkness, which had really never gone away, blotted out his vision. Zaelen relented, letting the blackness overtake his senses.