Chapter 26—Consequences
Slime#47's reserves weren't enough to cast an Uncommonspell even once properly.
His mana and aura had increased just a while ago, but he was back to suffering from lowreserves again.
"Child… ritual magic is your only path left now," Elder Slime said, voice heavy. He was saddened that he couldn't teach mana-increasing techniques without external objects. He then wob!—bounced back to the other slimes.
"It seems so…" the young slime sighed, feeling heavy that he had to depend on eldritch creatures.
A few moments of silence passed before he suddenly sensed something around him—tiny particles drifting. He couldn't see them, but he could sense them.
'Dust?.....Seriously? And they are sticking to me?' he complained internally.
He shook himself hard—Wob! Wob!—but the dusty particles clung on. 'Are they so sticky? Even adhesives won't stick forever.'
'They aren't going away…' They felt unresponsive yet cool—at the same time, warm. 'How can something be...like that?'
Elder Slime, who was far away, noticed Slime#47 wobbling like crazy, so he rushed over and asked with concern, "What happened now?"
The young slime replied, still wobbling, "Some tinyinvisible particles are all over the place and they're sticking—" He stopped as he noticed them on the old slime as well. "They are… sticking to you too?"
"Puff… so that's the problem," Elder Slime sighed in relief, then burst into laughter. "Hahhahaha."
"So what's funny… do those particles make one an idiot?" The young slime tensed up, wobbling even more desperately to get them off.
"They're manaparticles, child," Elder Slime laughed, nearly rolling, "It seems your perceptionhas increased, so you can sense mana in the surroundings."
"Mana? This junk doesn't feel anything like mana," he grumbled, ashamed.
"Mana in the world is unrefined—like small particles—while mana in any organism is refined by their body involuntarily and turned into gaseous mana," the old slime explained, still playful.
"Tch." He stopped wobbling, clicking his tongue. He then asked, "Are there more advantages of increased perception—G?"
"You can sensekilling intent now," Elder Slime said with a grin.
'It will be useful…' the young slime mused, feeling that it would help—he hadn't sensed any killing intent before from the kids or soldiers when they were aiming at him and the other slimes' lives.
"Can I absorb mana from the air?" he asked dubiously, remembering certain manga and anime where characters absorbed mana from the surroundings to increase reserves.
"No. Mana in the surroundings is very chaotic, unlike mana crystals, which are pure," the old slime answered simply.
The young slime was feeling down—he couldn't take advantage of his new sensory ability.
He asked, wanting to confirm something, "Since you said aura is made by our body, does that mean it doesn't existin the air like mana?"
"Yes. Aura is a variant of mana made by living beings within the body itself. You cannotfind it elsewhere," Elder Slime confirmed.
The young slime was back to square one—with ritual as the only option, which he didn't like!
-----
In the night, under the crimson rays of the red moon,
the young slime stood in front of the magic circle sigil and chanted along with Elder Slime, "O Moon God Korthu'Zaal! I, your minion, request more power!"
Wob!—He threw the slice of jelly he ripped from his body.
He then froze as the magic circle turned red.
Within his mind, an octopus Eldritch manifested and said in a cold, alien voice, "Ho… the tiny creature returns, begging for power again." He flicked his limb, and a small wisp of black fell onto Slime#47.
[ Ding! You have leveled up! ]
With previous experience, he instantly cut off the ritual by stopping the supply of mana.
But like before, the Eldritch energy within him kept the ritual going.
[ Ding! You have leveled up! ]
[ Ding! You have leveled up! ]
[ Ding! You have leveled up! ]
[ Ding! You have leveled up! ]
[ Ding! You have leveled up to Lv.20 ]
[ Ding! You have evolved from Slime ★★ to Slime ★★★! ]
[ Ding! Strength, Perception, Dexterity, Endurance, Wisdom, Aura Power, and Mana Power increased from G to G+. ]
[ Ding! You have acquired the Skill Fire Shield Lv.Max {Uncommon} ]
[ —Status—
Name: Slime#47 (Temporary)
Race: Slime ★★★
Class: Fire Mage
Traits: Eternal Mastery, Viscous Body, Amorphous Being
Titles: Unholy Moon God's Minion
Level: 20
Strength: G+
Endurance: G+
Will: F-
Wisdom: G+
Dexterity: G+
Perception: G+
Agility: G+
Vitality: G+
Aura Power: G+
Mana Power: G+ ]
'Not bad…Not bad at all,' He checked his status as the magic circle vanished with a Gzz!of smoke, then fell asleep where he stood.
He'd gained too muchpower all of a sudden; he had to rest and adapt before continuing the ritual again.
------
After a week, he performed the ritual again.
"O Moon God Korthu'Zaal! I, your minion, request more power!"
The eldritch glanced deeply at the young slime before flicking his limb.
[ Ding! You have leveled up to Lv.30 ]
[ Ding! You have evolved from Slime ★★★ to Slime ★★★★! ]
[ Ding! You have acquired the Skill Fire Chain Lv.Max {Uncommon} ]
[ Ding! Strength, Perception, Dexterity, Endurance, Wisdom, Vitality, Aura Power, and Mana Power increased from G+ to F- ]
[ —Status—
Name: Slime#47 (Temporary)
Race: Slime ★★★★
Class: Fire Mage
Traits: Eternal Mastery, Viscous Body, Amorphous Being
Titles: Unholy Moon God's Minion
Level: 30
Strength: F-
Endurance: F-
Will: F-
Wisdom: F-
Dexterity: F-
Perception: F-
Agility: F-
Vitality: F-
Aura Power: F-
Mana Power: F- ]
------
Yet again, after another week.
"O Moon God Korthu'Zaal! I, your minion, request more power!"
Elditch grinned and flicked his limb, sending a whisp of his aura.
[ Ding! You have leveled up to Lv.40 ]
[ Ding! You have evolved from Slime ★★★★ to Slime ★★★★★! ]
[ Ding! Strength, Perception, Dexterity, Endurance, Wisdom, Vitality, Aura Power, and Mana Power increased from F- to F. ]
------
Next week…
"Child, wait for one month. You cannotperform the ritual as you like, even if you can withstand it," Elder Slime said seriously. "That unholy creature won't hand over power like you expect."
The young slime also felt something off, seeing how easilyhe was gaining power, so he decided to wait.
------
After some time.....
'I cannot wait any longer… tomorrow's the day,' he mused. He'd spent all his days training, and he hadn't found any anomaly in his body except the curse he had.
[ Curse
—Unholy Eldritch Contamination— 1.1% ]
'It has increased...,' he wondered, as he hadn't found any changes in himself. His will was enoughto overcome the curse.
He stood in front of the magic circle and performed the ritual.
"O Moon God Korthu'Zaal! I, your minion, request more power!"
[ Ding! You have leveled up to Lv.50 ]
[ Ding! You can now evolve! ]
[ Ding! Your class can evolve! ]
Octopus Eldritch's two large eyes and all the small pitch-black eyes narrowed, "Hhahah… little one. Go on—rampage," he whispered, delighted.
[ Ding! Korthu'Zaal commanded your body! ]
[ Ding! You have been enslaved! ]
[ Ding! You cannot disobey! ]
[ Ding! Title 'Unholy Moon God's Minion' started to control your body! ]
'What—why can't I move?!' he panicked as his body twisted. His jelly body turned crimson. His body warped—stretched—split—twisted into long red tentacles. Dozens.
[Ding! You lack the Will to resist the command! ]
Whoosh!
One of his tentacles shot forward—Puk!—pierced Elder Slime's core at insane speed, who was running away from him.
'No…' he shouted internally.
End of the chapter. _______________________________________________________________________________________________________