I stared in silence, eyeing the notification carefully.

Evolution Available!

Would you like to view available options? ( Y / N )

There had been numerous clues that animals or monsters or whatever could grow. This would explain a lot.

I thought it odd. That Huntsman was supposedly twice my level, meaning at least 12 at the time. A spider is normally known for its venom, not physical strength. But its strength alone had nearly overpowered me.

Had it simply ran after the first bite, statistically, I would've died two times over if not for my quirky body. The venom was just that potent and infectious.

It wasn't strange to think such a being had an intrinsic difference between the other spiders in this cave. I also found it peculiar that even after it had died, nothing had waltzed in to clean up its corpse. It was almost as if the other bugs were afraid of that spot.

... Meanwhile, I just walked into it blindly like an idiot. Ugh.

It wouldn't surprise me if I'm missing some sort of 'animal instinct' that a Slime should typically have. If there were a grizzly bear outside this cave, I'd probably wind up giving it a hug before I even realized it was using me as dessert.

I'm being too critical of myself. I quickly checked my status.

Status Menu Name : n/a , Deathwarded Race : Tiny Slime Level : 10 (MAX) HP : 39/39 (+2.4/hour) Stamina : 30/30 MP : 16/16 (+0.55/hour) Strength : 9 Vitality : 15 Intelligence : 8 Wisdom : 7 (+5) Dexterity : 9 Luck : 30 (+5)

There was a new piece of information here. Unless I was being misled, I'd reached the end of some sort of path. It would appear I couldn't advance in level without choosing which way I wanted to walk, so to speak.

But still, evolution, huh? This could be the impetus I need to finally break out of this cave safely. Almost too convenient.

I mentally spoke the only obvious choice. Yes.

Unlike what normally happens when bringing up a notification, my brain seemed to stall for a split second. It felt like someone had lightly touched the core of my being—so gently it was almost imperceptible. Like they'd plucked something from me, then placed it back a millisecond later.

Evolution Overview Small Slime A larger variant of the regular Slime. Basic. Default Tiny Poison Slime Toxin wielding Slime variant. Adept at poison and subterfuge. Silent, deadly. Uncommon. All conditions met! (2 of 2) Small Hunter Slime Vicious, physical-based Slime variant. Able to take a beating and overpower foes. Uncommon. All conditions met! (1 of 1) Small Blue Slime Blue-toned Slime that is a cousin to the standard green Slime. Exposure to high levels of Mana has caused it to begin developing magical abilities. Uncommon. All conditions met! (2 of 2) ???????? Unavailable. 1 of 2 conditions met. ???????? Unavailable. 1 of 3 conditions met. ???????? Unavailable. 2 of 3 conditions met. ???????? Unavailable. 2of 6 conditions met. ???????? Unavailable. 2 of 7 conditions met. ???????? Unavailable. 2 of 5 conditions met. ???????? Unavailable. 4 of 10 conditions met.

My non-existent eyes went wide. I began to piece together the information that had appeared before me. So many thoughts were going through my head.

It wasn't enough. I needed to know more.

This was it. I could feel it. Would a monster that was ready to evolve realize the implications behind this message? Would they even get the same notifications I did?

Honestly, I couldn't say. But when I looked at the bottom of the list something had clicked. That was almost assuredly the best option I had.

My mind was doing double-time. I begged and pleaded and clawed at those conditions. I was convinced there was some sort of way to find out what needed to be done. 10 criteria, 4 of which I'd already met. But just what were they?

I went through every mental command I could think of. At one point, I'd even made an attempt to bargain with the Evolution Menu in exchange for hard labor or a figurative piece of my soul. Whatever the reason, the words finally clicked in my head.

View Race Evolution Information.

Are you certain?

I paused.

A sense of dire unease struck me. Were ... these notifications alive somehow?

Why ask me that? What's more, why ask me that when I can't afford not to know? This only raised more questions. Certain? Maybe not. But I would proceed regardless. I'd become fixated and couldn't turn away.

Those words quickly exited my head, before all thought went blank. And just like that, my mind seemed to explode again.

E̸v̸o̷l̶u̴t̶i̶o̸n̸ ̴O̴v̵e̶r̶v̷i̷e̸w̸? Small Slime A larger variant of the regular Slime. Basic. Default Tiny Poison Slime Toxin wielding Sime variant. Adept at poison and subterfuge. Silent, deadly. Uncommon. All conditions met! (2 of 2) Small Hunter Slime Vicious, physical-based Slime variant. Able to take a beating and overpower foes. Uncommon. All conditions met! (1 of 1) Small Blue Slime Blue-toned Slime that is a cousin to the standard green Slime. Exposure to Mana has caused it to begin developing magical abilities. Uncommon. All conditions met! (2 of 2) T̸i̷n̶y̸ ̷A̵s̶s̷a̸s̷s̷i̴n̸ ̶S̶l̸i̴m̴e̷ Diminuitive size belies a dangerous nature. Often mistaken for a low-rank slime due to its green coloration. This mistake is generally fatal. Distinguishable by a dark-blue to black colored Core. Fights with a mix of toxins and attacks from the shadows at the most opportune moment. Rare. [?][?][?][?] 1 of 2 conditions met. V̴I̸E̴W̷?̸ S̷m̵a̸l̸l̴ ̷W̸a̷r̴r̷i̸o̸r̸ ̵S̸l̴i̷m̶e̶ Unlike the aggressive and near-mindless Hunter Slime variant, the Warrior Slime can best be defined as honed and tactical. Strong, efficient, and a highly capable gooey warrior. Later evolutions have a high degree of variance and freedom. Rare. [?][?][?][?] 1 of 3 conditions met. V̴I̸E̴W̷?̸ S̸m̵a̴l̵l̴ ̸B̴l̶a̵c̵k̴ ̸S̴l̷i̶m̸e̴ Black-toned Slime that has undergone further mutation due to high Mana exposure. Able to harness various forms of sorcery with ease and a high level of precision. Some even have access to Holy and Dark-type magic. Rare. [?][?][?][?] 2 of 3 conditions met. V̴I̸E̴W̷?̸ T̸i̸n̸y̸ ̸L̵o̷t̶u̴s̶ ̶S̸l̷i̵m̷e̵ Scarcely seen Slime variant said to live directly within shadows. Able to kill via deadly airborne toxins and sharp tendrils equally. Possesses varied and unusual methods of stalking and disposing of prey. Adept shape-shifter and camouflage expert. Extremely dangerous and reclusive. Mythical. [?][?][?][?] 2 of 6 conditions met. V̴I̸E̴W̷?̸ S̴m̸a̴l̴l̸ ̴M̷e̶t̵a̷l̸ ̴S̶l̸i̵m̶e̷ Extremely rare and dense Sime capable of warding off all but the mightiest physical blows. Unusually hard, its sheddings are a highly prized alchemical reagent due to their staggering defensive properties. Despite its high defenses, it is still a thoroughly adept physical force and more than capable of shredding foes to ribbons. Mythical. [?][?][?][?] 2 of 7 conditions met. V̴I̸E̴W̷?̸ S̸m̵a̵l̸l̵ ̷V̸o̸i̴d̷ ̵S̵l̸i̴m̵e̷ Gooey amalgamation of sorcery. Said to wield magic power far beyond any other Slime, going so far as to harness even Space and Void elements. Drawn to places with high magical concentration. Mythical. [?][?][?][?] 2 of 5 conditions met. V̴I̸E̴W̷?̸ S̵m̴a̶l̶l̴ ̴R̶u̵b̷y̵ ̸S̸l̶i̶m̵e̴ A Slime named after a gemstone due to their extremely resilient defense and red coloration. Very eye-catching and exudes a regal air. They possess great speed, deadly stealth, potent physical abilities, regenerative properties, and mighty arcane prowess. Only a handful of such species have been mentioned in the history of the world. Legendary. [?][?][?][?] 4 of 10 conditions met. V̴I̸E̴W̷?̸

Ah. My head felt like it was splitting. Something told me I'd pushed too hard. That light touch I'd felt the first time I'd brought up the Evolution Menu had turned into a fingernail slowly gouging into my center.

I needed to hurry. Just one more time.

I focused on that garbled thought—willed it to say what it wanted from me.

C̶o̶n̷d̷i̶t̶i̸o̵n̵a̴l̵ ̴L̴i̶s̷t̵ ̵-̵ ̷S̶m̷a̸l̶l̷ ̷R̷u̸b̴y̴ ̸S̵l̸i̷m̴e̶ Strength ≥ 12 Luck ≥ 5 Vitality ≥ 12 Kill An Enemy ≥ 2x Level Intelligence ≥ 12 Extreme exposure to Mana Wisdom ≥ 12 Consume a Dungeon Core -OR- Mana Spring Crystal (Grade F or higher) Dexterity ≥ 12 In possession of at least 1 Rare -OR- Unique Skill

My mind was starting to slip. I quickly committed the information to memory and willed the notice away.

All 12's. Luck 5. Enemy 2 times level. Mana exposure. Dungeon Core or Mana Spring Crystal. Rare or Unique skill.

I chanted it like a mantra.

Pressure was building somewhere. Pain was spreading. Even after I'd stopped probing, it felt like something was chasing after me and trying to rip me in half. That's when I realized something. In hindsight, it was rather obvious.

Ah. I shouldn't have done that.

It was a simple thought, but it still struck me like lightning.

Small droplets of my body started to separate from myself, slowly drifting away as I floated in my lake. The slime-flesh was sloughing off as if melting. My whole being was losing coherence.

My body continued to feel unstable for an unknown period of time, all while I was fading in and out of consciousness. I wouldn't have thought it possible, but this agony put my earlier near-death experience to shame. The cycle kept repeating, with me waking up—only to pass out a short while later.

I wanted it to end. Please let it end.

After this process repeated several times, the horrid stream of torture finally began to wane.

When I finally began to return to sanity, a string of my 'unladylike' vocabulary spewed forth. Had I a voice, it would surely be hoarse by now. Certainly not my finest moment.

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

Mom always said I had the mouth of a sailor. 'Just like Dad.'

I would argue that this was the perfect situation and use of words to express just how much pain I was in. There is no doubt in my mind that I used precisely the right amount of 'Fucks' to express how I felt. I'd even invented a few new phrases to express my thoughts, so honestly, I felt rather accomplished.

"FFTTTHP! KRRPPF! THHLPLK! BTHTHHKKP!!"

Even this went on for several more hours, which seemed like an eternity to me. By the end of the ordeal, I was a goopy mess and had several small parts of myself floating on the surface of water.

I was also seething with rage.

So even the boxes in my head were trying to fucking kill me, eh? How absolutely wonderful!

My whole body was shaking in a mix of anger and exhaustion. I slowly wiggled atop the lake to collect the pieces that had come off me, reincorporating them back into my mass. While I didn't notice any abnormalities with the slime chunks, I still took a moment to examine them and make sure they were salvageable.

There was another notice, so I looked over it.

Skill unlocked! Skill increased!

Pain Resistance Lvl.1 Acquired!

Corruption Resistance Lvl.1 Acquired!

Pain Resistance Lvl.1 → Lvl.2

Ah. So, my little helper, are you trying to butter me up after the agony you put me through? Oh, I would drown you in Necrotic Toxin right now if I could, you intangible piece of fucking—

I sat there quivering in anger. It slowly started to recede. My rational mind began to kick back in as I took on my usual demeanor.

No. No, this was fine. I'd gotten what I needed. All it cost me was time and ... inconvenience. It seemed like I had plenty of time, while the latter of those could be ignored. I'd even been warned in a way, so it was my responsibility.

There was no point getting angry. Relax, me. Anger clouded judgment. What if during one of my fits an enemy snuck up on me? The chances were low given my location, but not impossible.

I brought up a good memory, fixating on it and counting backward from 10. By the time I hit 0 everything would be just fine. Just like always.

After my countdown, I poured over the information I'd gained.

Evolution options. Default, Uncommon, Rare, Mythical, Legendary. Small and Tiny sizes. The number of requirements, notification's structure and the conditions themselves. Even the naming of the evolutions and descriptions suggested three related branches.

I'd wondered how many stages of evolution there were, along with how many 'leaves' each branch eventually split into. Perhaps it varied by species, but I was only concerned with 'Slimes'. There was that one bit in the Warrior Slime description, 'Later evolutions have a high degree of variance.' Perhaps there were normally only one or two options after this stage? I might be at a turning point.

I could only speculate on matters and was starting to trip myself up. There might be more information locked behind the other evolution's conditions, but it was too risky to attempt delving back for every single one. Whatever made up my thoughts had nearly shut down permanently. Not risking brain damage again.

No, I'd work my way towards the final option, 'Small Ruby Slime'. If I were lucky I might unlock other ones in the meantime and could examine them further. If I were desperate and my goal was unattainable, I would delve again and put up with the pain.

While I wasn't sure it was doable, I still had the perfect tool for attempting most of the Ruby Slime's conditions. I'd simply Devour as many things as possible until I raised my numbers enough. I'd already satisfied two of the other conditions aside from stat parameters. That Huntsman's death provided one, whereas Devour was a Unique skill.

This left two problems. What qualified as 'Extreme exposure to Mana'? Images of an earlier condition came to mind. Mana Poisoning.

I'd already been exposed to Mana Poisoning. But I'd only satisfied 4 conditions—namely Vitality, Luck, killing the Huntsman, and having a Unique skill. Apparently, that level of Mana Poisoning wasn't considered 'Extreme' exposure.

Seems I'll have to find another way to torture myself in the future. Oh, how lovely.

Here's hoping that I don't bloat to death and blow myself up. Extreme Mana exposure, huh?

Another question became apparent. A Mana Spring Crystal or a Dungeon Core. No clue what Grade F or higher meant, but it didn't sound impressive. A Dungeon Core implied that Dungeons both exist and they had some sort of central object in them.

This really is like some sort of fantasy world. Seriously, what the hell did I get myself into?

Next someone was going to tell me there were goblins and orcs and trolls. Or that the grizzly bear I was worried about could actually summon lightning and cut apart boulders.

I really hope I didn't just jinx myself.

Whatever the case, I wasn't just about to roll over and die obediently. I'd finally been given some concrete direction.

This was interesting. And I'm certain if I still had a heart, it'd be beating faster with excitement. Just like I wished, huh?

There was so much about this world that was unknown. Completely different from the concrete jungle of the modern world. It was quite literally magical. And something told me it had more secrets than I could have expected.

I cast my senses downward to the bottom of my lake, into the soil and rocks. A Mana Spring, hmm?

I then cast my gaze upward into the surrounding air, rich in some sort of ambient and unknown energy. I began to suspect my little 'cave' was more cavernous in nature than I expected. Perhaps with a little jewel in the center, even?

A sense of giddiness overtook me. I'd been called many things before—bitch, whore, cunt, heartless, crazy, psychotic. Yes, I'd even been called a monster.

So I wonder, if I had a mouth right now, what sort of grin would I be unknowingly letting show? Something tells me I was slipping.

What happens if I consume both?

It was a tall order, but I had time. There was a sense of urgency to evolve, tugging at my mind. Some kind of dull, primal instinct that shouldn't be present in a flesh-and-blood human. Most likely, evolving now would provide a nice boost to survivability. Instant gratification.

But I was very good at waiting. I had a lot of practice doing so. 4 years spent on my last conquest, which was snatched away before I could get my prize.

No. Waiting made the payoff all the sweeter once you finally attained it, like a fine wine or slow-cooked steak. And I was very hungry.

Ahh. Even the thought made me feel good. If that Huntsman was the alpha spider around here and it was perhaps an 'Uncommon' stealth-type evolution for the lesser variety of Small Cave Skitter, how potent would an evolution be that was locked behind such normally unachievable means? A Mythical or Legendary type evolution.

I felt like I was being set up or nudged in this direction, which was worrying in some ways. But that didn't mean I would stray. Unless something exceptional forced my hand, I'd decided on my course of action. Now I just needed to plan how to meet the goal.

There were a few ways to go about this. Check off as many things from the list as soon as possible. Start chipping away at the ones that would take longest. Pick the safest options and bide my time.

It was easy to settle on the latter. If I were in a difficult situation perhaps I would accelerate my plans, but a slow grind was the best for now. I'd become proficient in hunting Centipedes and Skitters. Even if I had to take on a few at a time it wasn't a problem. A Huntsman wouldn't likely get the drop on me again. I felt confident that a swarm of bats would find me both unappealing and hazardous to their continued existence.

Tomorrow I would continue hunting. I'd been in my base rolling around in pain for at least a day, so most likely, the cave's teeming with delicious morsels by now. Restocked, so to speak.

There had to be a good way to obtain a bat corpse or two. I wanted to see if I could use Devour to snatch any abilities from one. The option to proceed further out into the cave wasn't bad either. I'd just have to be careful.

Yes, this was a good start.

I soaked up the magic-infused waters surrounding me, 'breathing' them in and out.

I felt good. And soon, I'd be ready.

----------------------------------------

"And I'm telling you, Reginald must be mistaken!" a man yelled.

A loud thump was heard as a fist struck a wooden desk.

Said desk was located in the administrative district of a small town called Berrios.

Taking a moment to appreciate such a desk, one would surely comment on its fine construction. The oak that had gone into it had been stout and treated. Surely it would survive even exposure to rain or sleet or hail. There was one thing that might be the death of it, however.

The man slammed his meaty fist upon the unfortunate desk again. He pressed his girthy knuckles onto it, producing a small creak!

With a red face and drop of perspiration atop his brow, he continued.

"There's no way a Dungeon could be springing up both so close to town and when there's already one between us and Eigach. It defies the natural order!"

The chunky fellow was the mayor of the town of Berrios, and despite his weighty demeanor, he did take his job rather seriously. Everything in excess, as some might say.

Opposite of the blonde-haired man stood an older woman, flanked by a lightly-armored man with black hair in his 30s—a guardsman, and also her escort.

The woman was clearly past her prime, with a slightly hunched back and thoroughly grayed hair, pulled back in a bun. Despite her age, her bronze-colored eyes retained a sharp glint. 20 years prior, she would've been considered attractive and 35 years earlier, a great beauty.

Alas, the mayor was a lard-ass and she was now an old bat. It was that simple.

The woman snorted through her slightly crooked nose, "Hogwash! Stop being a fool, Cornelius. We need to send a team to investigate. You've already got goblins, orcs, and trolls to the south. You want kobolds and spiders to the north?"

Cornelius' brow furrowed. He ran several thick digits back through his curly, strawberry blonde hair. A sign he was anxious, to those who knew him.

"Castella, I ... No, you're right. This is a necessary expense. Reggie may barely know how to do anything outside cutting trees and hunting, but he's certainly not blind. Alright."

Cornelius picked up a pitcher of water, pouring himself a large glass and downing it without hesitation. By the time he'd sloppily wiped his mouth, his face had taken on a much lighter shade of pink.

"I'll send word to the Guild. Give me a few moments to compose a letter. If you see Reginald, tell him we'll investigate the spider threads and kobold droppings. As for personnel and payment ... How much and many do you think needed?"

Castella's lips thinned. She already knew Cornelius would aim to spend as little as possible. Taxes were low and business was bad this time of year.

She knew that, so her mood only soured.

"I'll go my damn self, Cornelius. I'm taking Blake and Aryana. They owe me a favor, just like you will after this."

Her words instantly improved Cornelius' mood, though he tried not to sound overeager at his minor windfall.

A Dungeon investigation was expensive. The bulk of it was hazard pay due to the unknown factor. Chances are it'd be a few measly little beasts and monsters during the first few seasons, but the element of risk was present. Likely, the roads would be more dangerous than a fledgling dungeon.

"I'll feel much more assured if this investigation is in your capable hands, Castella. If you require anything else please inform me and I'll see what I can do. With any luck, this is just a false alarm."

Castella rolled her eyes, "A false alarm? You've got a better chance of daffodils growing from yer arse. I'll go have a look-see and tell you just what sort of Dungeon we've got brewing. Make sure to hold on to your stationery for once I return. You're going to be busy writing letters."

Cornelius' mouth cramped up for a moment, dreading the thought of all the legalities involved in finding a new Dungeon. Failure to comply would result in his mayoral dismissal at best. At worst?

Well, he didn't care to think about that future. It'd certainly be a different kind of 'dismissal'.

The old woman shuffled her feet towards the door, pulling her thin, mottled robe tighter. She turned back around to eye the pudgy man for a very long second.

"And I want a bottle of that Kulve wine imported! If I don't get a stiff drink when I come back, I'm going to be very cranky, ya hear? We'll be leavin' in 10 days. Expect us back in about 16. Got it?!"

Cornelius quickly stood at attention. "Yes, ma'am. It won't be a problem."

Castella turned back towards the door, which her escort opened and followed her out. With a click! the door had shut behind the two of them.

The tension flowed out from Cornelius like grease from cooked meat. He slumped back into an exquisite chair beside his desk. The chair, too, seemed it would voice protests were it able.

Cornelius muttered to himself, all while tweaking his feeble attempt at a mustache.

"Gods damned that woman. Kulve wine? Did she notice I had that bottle imported last month from up north? Gah! I was looking forward to it."

He wrung his hands and shook his head. He knew he was still making out.

Cornelius shook his head, trying to focus his thoughts.

He gave himself a slight clap on his pudgy cheeks, "Right, back to work already."

The man sincerely hoped it was a false alarm. Just another cave and some hairy, dumb dog-beast that found refuge amongst a few spiders. Sure, there'd be more business opportunities and trade flowing through the town, but it also meant his already burgeoning workload would steadily increase.

Certainly, he hoped it was nothing.

Unfortunate that Cornelius was a rationalist and rarely an optimist.

He prepared a large stack of parchment and tightly gripped his signet ring.

He would be busy.

World Map.

image [https://i.imgur.com/0c5gJ5i.jpg]