Time moves differently when you're a slimy creature.No clocks, no sun to tell you the hours, no TV to distract you.Just humidity, mud, and the constant feeling that you're sticky in all the wrong places.
It's been about a week since I was born.And yes, I'm still alive.That alone counts as a victory in a world where anything with teeth might decide you look tasty.
I can see now.Well, "see" might be too generous a word.My vision still looks like I'm staring through a dirty fish tank, but at least I can tell colors apart, recognize shapes, and identify what's food and what's just… mud.
And I discovered something important:I'm not alone.
Ludroths live in groups —a sort of natural harem made up of several females and one Royal Ludroth as the alpha— and yes, there are also young ones.Fifteen of us, to be exact.Fifteen little blobs of slime sliding around, growling, and bumping into each other like badly designed chicks.
At first, I was shocked to see so many.Then it made sense: this world is a buffet of predators.Mortality here isn't measured in years—it's measured in bites.Having lots of offspring isn't excess; it's statistics.
Besides us, the group has five adult Ludroths —all females— and one Royal Ludroth who, I'm guessing, is my father.And let me tell you: the guy radiates authority.He's about eighteen meters long.For reference, that's just one meter shy of the maximum possible size for his kind.So yeah, I doubt anyone wants to mess with him.
At least for now, we're safe.
[Biological reading updated]Species: Young Ludroth (Male)Age: 1 weekSize: 2.0 mStatus: Stable / Accelerated growth detectedNote: Current size exceeds species average. Cause: Reincarnation affinity.Clarification: Host will always reach the maximum possible size for its species.
"…So basically, I'm the premium edition.A collector's Ludroth."
That sounds cool until you realize it comes with a downside: I'm a walking beacon for trouble.My siblings —if you can call them that— follow me everywhere.Not because they admire me, but because being the biggest makes me look like the leader.And when you're a two-meter baby slime lizard, that means every accident, bite, and collision happens to you.
"Perfect. The swamp's official magnet for stupidity. Wonderful."
Still, it's not all bad.The group has accepted me.The other adults don't ignore me, but they don't dote on me either.They just watch—curious, cautious—like they can sense something's off about me.
I'm moving better now.My back legs are stronger, my front ones don't shake like jelly anymore, and my tail has become a surprisingly useful weapon for swimming and smacking things.The mud doesn't swallow me as easily, and I can even crawl out of the water onto the warm, slick rocks where the females rest.
And speaking of warmth…Sometimes I just sit there, watching the sunlight reflect off the adults' scales, and I feel something close to nostalgia.Memories of another life.Houses, noise, screens.And now? I'm a slimy, fish-smelling reptile the size of a sofa.Irony at its finest.
I've been thinking —yes, I still think, somehow— about my future.I have zero intention of spending the rest of my life hiding in swamps, running from bigger things.No thanks.I have a plan: make friends with humans.
Sounds dumb, right?Hear me out.Ludroths aren't top-tier monsters. Hunters don't go after them often; they're not prime meat.If a Ludroth doesn't attack, people usually leave it alone.So… if I play this smart, if I grow, get stronger, and someday approach a human settlement without dying, maybe I can become something like their giant pet.A swamp guardian.A reptilian watchdog.
They feed me, I protect them.Everyone wins.And best of all: no one turns me into pants.
"Yeah. That's the dream. Easy life, no risk, free meals.A flawless plan… if I ignore the fact that I'm a thumb-less blob monster."
My mother always seems to notice when I start overthinking.She nudges me with her snout until I roll over in the mud.Then she lets out a deep, gurgling growl —weirdly affectionate.I can't help but chuckle internally.
"Alright, mom. Fine. I'll do something productive.Like… try not to die."
I decide to explore a little further from the group.The water is warm and calm. Tiny fish swim around my legs, brushing against my slimy skin.I try to catch one, mostly on instinct.Miss.Miss again.Third try—I catch a leaf.
"Excellent aim, champ. Truly the apex predator of sludge."
I return to the group with the leaf in my mouth.One of the smaller Ludroths stares at me, confused.I toss it to him.He bites it.Now it's his favorite toy.
Maybe swamp life isn't that bad.For now.
I glance toward the shore.The Royal Ludroth —my father, I suppose— rests half-submerged, his yellow mane glistening under the sun.He's huge, majestic, intimidating.The kind of presence that feels carved by nature itself.And me? I'm the low-resolution copy.
But someday…Someday I'll reach his size.And when I do, I won't stay here.I'll find my own territory.A place where humans don't run from me.A place where I can just… exist.
[Status update]Accelerated growth confirmed.Development prognosis: Optimal.Recommendation: Continue feeding and strengthening limbs.
"Yeah, yeah, sure thing, Swamp Siri.Just promise me one thing—warn me if humans ever show up, okay?"
Silence.Figures.
I sigh —if slimes can sigh— and settle next to my mother, feeling the mud's warmth beneath me.For now, everything's calm.And even though I know it won't last,part of me wants to enjoy it.
After all, being a monster doesn't mean you can't dream.