Primordial Slime: I Devour The World

Tanaka charged.

His body shot across the cave.

Leap.

The world blurred.

He slammed into the youngest hunter with everything he had.

Earth Impact!

The blow connected.

The hunter staggered.

A crack spread across the leather armor covering his chest.

The young man looked down in surprise.

"I actually felt that."

Tanaka didn’t stop.

He attacked again.

And again.

Every remaining drop of mana fueled another strike.

The other hunters stepped in.

A spear swept across the cave.

Tanaka barely avoided it.

A sword followed immediately.

Slash!

Pain exploded through his side.

His gelatinous body split open.

He rolled across the stone floor before forcing himself upright.

"Again."

Leap!

Another strike.

Another impact.

The hunters finally began taking him seriously.

"Enough."

The bearded leader stepped forward.

Unlike the others...

His presence alone felt overwhelming.

Tanaka attacked anyway.

The leader raised one hand.

He caught the charging slime.

Just...

Caught him.

Tanaka struggled.

Nothing.

The man’s grip didn’t move an inch.

"So this is a special one."

"He evolved a few combat skills."

The bowwoman lowered her weapon slightly.

"If left alone, it might eventually become dangerous."

The leader nodded.

"Which is why we finish it now."

He squeezed.

Cracks spread through Tanaka’s core.

For the first time since his reincarnation...

He felt death approaching.

The leader threw him.

BOOM!

Tanaka crashed through a stone pillar.

The cave shook violently.

His vision blurred.

His Soul Record flickered before his eyes.

[ Mana: Critically Low ]

"I..."

He tried standing.

His body collapsed.

Nothing answered his commands.

No mana.

No strength.

Just pain.

The hunters resumed exterminating the remaining slimes.

One.

Then another.

Blue lights drifted through the cave.

The little slime desperately rammed a hunter’s boot.

Boing!

The attack did nothing.

The hunter raised his spear.

Tanaka saw it.

"No."

The little slime looked back at him.

Its emotions reached him.

"Move..."

His body refused.

The spear descended.

Time slowed.

Tanaka remembered the day he woke up.

The first slime that welcomed him.

The shiny pebble it gave him.

The hunts.

The dungeon.

Every adventure.

Every laugh.

Every small moment.

He had found a home.

And now...

He was about to lose it.

Something inside him snapped.

His soul.

His will.

His refusal to accept this ending.

The cracked Magic Core blazed with light.

The cave trembled.

Mana erupted from every direction.

The hunters froze.

"What?"

For the first time...

A voice echoed across the world.

It did not come from the cave.

Nor the sky.

It simply...

Existed.

Cold.

Ancient.

Absolute.

The Voice of the World has acknowledged an individual who has overcome the boundary of survival.

The forest fell silent.

Every living creature instinctively stopped moving.

The hunters looked around uneasily.

The voice continued.

Hidden condition fulfilled.

Common Skill: Survivor...

A brilliant silver light enveloped Tanaka.

His shattered body began rebuilding itself.

Changing.

..has evolved.

The hunters instinctively stepped backward.

"Impossible."

The bearded leader tightened his grip on his sword.

"This pressure..."

The Voice spoke once more.

Unique Skill acquired.

Devourer.

The words resonated through the environment.

Tanaka’s consciousness sank into a sea of endless darkness.

Within it...

A single mouth opened.

Endless.

Bottomless.

Hungering.

Not for flesh.

Not for blood.

For everything.

Skills.

Mana.

Magic.

Existence.

The darkness swallowed the vision.

His eyes opened.

They glowed deep sapphire.

His gelatinous body had changed.

The blue color became darker.

Denser.

More refined.

His Magic Core pulsed with overwhelming life.

The Soul Record appeared.

[ Evolution Complete

Race: Devour Slime

Rank: E

Unique Skill Acquired

Devourer

Allows the user to analyze and digest compatible matter, mana, and skills.

Successful digestion permanently integrates acquired abilities. ]

Tanaka slowly rose.

His wounds were gone.

His mana had been completely restored.

He felt stronger.

Far stronger.

The little slime stared at him in amazement.

The hunters did the same.

The bearded leader’s expression changed for the first time since entering the cave.

Not confidence.

Caution.

Tanaka looked at the spear pointed toward the little slime.

Then at the hunters.

His expression was calm.

Cold.

"My turn."