The Slime's First Hunt
I had seen once before how a slime hunts its prey, even before the tutorial began. And now, I was a slime. The moment that realization sank in, I started slowly backing away. It was an almost instinctive movement born from pure survival instinct. The more I retreated, the closer that demonic creature drew.
[Why are you running away? We don't have much time, you know.]
The being urged me forward with an innocent expression. Yet it seemed oblivious to the fact that its purity was the most terrifying thing I had ever encountered. Noticing my pale face, the entity let out an amused little sound.
[Ah, right... it must have been too much for someone who was human until just recently. Very well, just this once, let's switch to tutorial mode!]
"What the hell are you—huh? Huh?! What is this?! What's happening?!"
That lively voice only made my anxiety spike. As expected, the situation spiraled far beyond anything I could have imagined. My body, which had been moving perfectly fine moments ago, suddenly refused to obey. It felt as though someone else was deliberately controlling me. I poured every ounce of willpower into stopping my forward-moving legs, yet my flesh marched steadily onward—straight toward the massive ant beast.
[Let's begin with the basics. There's a nearly defenseless enemy right in front of us. So, what should we do?]
The answer appeared before my eyes whether I wanted it or not. Even as I stood nearly upon the creature, my legs showed no sign of halting. By now, I could already picture exactly what would happen next.
[The correct answer is to swallow it whole, of course! Go ahead—feel it for yourself.]
Its laughing reply fell like a death sentence, and reality followed immediately. It began with my lower half. Both legs lost their shape, melting together into a single mass. My upper body soon followed, softening and liquefying. My body, now nothing but viscous slime, began steadily enveloping the ant beast's entire form—slowly, but without pause. None of it was my will. Still, I felt every sensation as my flesh pressed against its iron-hard carapace.
"......!!!....!?....!!!"
My voice refused to emerge; my upper body had almost completely dissolved. I screamed in silence as my body merged with the giant ant, an indescribable sensation flooding through me. No human mind could endure this. The horrific feeling of the beast's body slowly entering mine was something no human sense could comprehend.
Then, while I struggled in confusion, something unexpected happened. The ant beast's jaws—previously motionless beneath the liquid coating—suddenly twitched. I desperately tried to pull away, but this cursed body ignored my will and continued its work. In an instant, the unfused portion of my body was severed by those jaws.
"……?"
I braced instinctively for the sickening sensation of being cut. Yet no pain arrived, no matter how long I waited. Realizing something was wrong, I scanned my surroundings and easily spotted a grayish blob of liquid not far away. At the same moment, a clear chime rang inside my head.
Residual: [8/10]
When I stared blankly at the incomprehensible notification, the being spoke kindly.
[That Residual stat shows how much of your body has separated from the main mass. In short, it represents your limit for division. ...And why are you so scared? Have you ever seen a slime die just because it got split? Your body isn't some fragile human shell anymore~]
Only then did I understand. Right. My body was now liquid slime. Without skin or veins, there would be no bleeding. Without nerves, there would be no pain. Experiencing it firsthand drove the truth home: I was no longer human.
The severed fragment crawled back toward the main body of its own accord, merging seamlessly as if nothing had happened.
Residual: [10/10]
Just as the being had said, once the fragment returned, my Residual returned to full. The same process repeated several more times. The giant ant could only move its jaws; anything more seemed beyond its strength. It tried to resist by swinging its sharp mandibles, but physical attacks meant nothing against my slime body. Time flowed on, and before long the beast was completely swallowed.
How could I possibly describe this sensation? I wasn't even sure human language could capture it. This was no longer the feeling of skin touching skin. I had swallowed something. It felt as though I had devoured something utterly revolting, something that should have made me vomit. Like eating dozens of ants all at once.
Even worse was the inexplicable taste. It was as if I were licking the beast's hard shell with my tongue. The ant's distinctive fishy, nauseating odor and flavor flooded my senses. If I still possessed a stomach or esophagus, I would have vomited everything long ago. But in this state, even that release was denied to me. It was pure torture.
My body, moving of its own accord, seemed to share the discomfort; it began to tremble violently. Yet against my will, it showed no intention of spitting the beast out. Judging that preparations were complete, the being spoke again with satisfaction.
[Hmm... preparations seem finished. Then let's move on to the final step! This is the most important part, so remember it well.]
Skill 'Dissolve' has been activated!
Almost simultaneously with the being's announcement, another system notification rang out. My body began to change. The ashen color grew increasingly transparent. Bubbles formed on the hard shell of the ant beast trapped inside me. Its carapace boiled and seethed like water on the verge of boiling over. The meaning was clear: the beast, helplessly swallowed, was melting within my body—just like food being digested in a stomach.
Once the shell dissolved, the vulnerable parts hidden beneath were exposed. The black liquid that seemed to be the beast's blood evaporated the moment it leaked out. Because my body had turned transparent, the entire gruesome scene was laid bare without any obstruction. Only the being before me witnessed it, but anyone with a weak stomach would have fainted on the spot. Even I, the one experiencing it, felt the same. The revulsion of watching such a horrific sight unfold right before my eyes was indescribable. If I could, I would have fled this place immediately.
Yet in that moment, something I couldn't understand occurred. My body was undergoing this nightmarish process, so I should have been overwhelmed with disgust. That would have been the normal human reaction. But instead...
It tasted good.
The melting shell, the dissolving flesh, the evaporating black blood—every part of it. I couldn't name the flavor, but as the process continued, an indescribable sense of satisfaction and fullness filled my mind. Those feelings naturally transformed into happiness. It was like eating a long-desired meal to my heart's content, like something missing inside me had finally been fulfilled. I knew something was wrong with this situation, yet separate from that knowledge, I wanted more. I wanted this pleasant feeling to last forever. With each passing moment, I felt something important to my humanity breaking away, but my already fading reason failed to notice.
The target of the skill 'Dissolve' has exceeded a certain Karma threshold. Due to the effect of the title Outsider Magical Girl, some stats have temporarily increased.
A voice echoed through my muddled mind, but I lacked the capacity to comprehend it. All I could vaguely sense was that the dissolution of the creature trapped inside me had accelerated dramatically. At some point, I could no longer clearly distinguish whether melting this beast was something forced upon me or something I was actively doing. Unlike my initial revulsion, this act now felt no different from devouring a feast laid out before me.
Before long, the enormous ant beast vanished without a trace. Having achieved its goal, my body—previously a massive lump—began gradually returning to the form of the girl I had seen earlier.
"……"
Through the deep silence, countless voices echoed in the air. Still half-dazed, as though dreaming, I stared blankly ahead with unfocused eyes. In that state where reason had not fully returned, I unconsciously licked my lips—an instinctive action I hadn't even noticed myself making.