Slime's True Power is Rising!

Waking from a dizzying dream, Yujin realized he was lying in bed with a half-naked beauty.

'......Huh?'

Yujin blinked for a moment. He couldn't grasp the situation at all. What the hell happened?

He'd definitely gone to school for the first time in ages. He'd been so nervous that he'd taken the stamina pill his senior gave ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠him. And...... and?

His memory cut off after that.

'Uh....... This seems like the school infirmary. When did I get here?'

The sensation of an entire chunk of time vanishing. Was this what they called a blackout?

Regaining a bit of his wits, Yujin looked down.

'......And why the hell am I half-naked?'

His school uniform shirt was wide open. And nestled right in his arms was some beauty. He could feel her faintly hot, shallow breaths. Waist-length blonde hair, milk-white skin. Her top was a white dress shirt, half-undone. Her bottom was just black stockings—no panties underneath, so the outline was blatantly visible......

"Gahhh!"

Yujin jolted in shock and yanked the blanket up. Worried she might see his embarrassing state, he even covered his eyes with his hands.

"Auu...... Shut up...... Be quiet......"

Despite his frantic reaction, the girl remained unfazed. She rubbed her eyes once, then tugged at the blanket like she wouldn't let it go. Leaning her head on his arm, she burrowed even deeper into his embrace.

Yujin's face flushed beet red. For a total outcast like him, this kind of behavior from a beauty was way too stimulating.

'C-calm down! This is a trap! Something bad's definitely gonna happen after this!'

Even in his panic, Yujin analyzed the situation with superhuman mental fortitude. A man and woman alone in bed. Both half-stripped. His memory blanked out. Wait, this felt familiar?

'Am I gonna end up like Cheolsu, dragged off to the police station?! Who's gonna bail me out?!'

That psycho Kim Yujin! He finally went and fucked up big time!

Quickly piecing it together, Kim Yujin sat up.

"Mm......?"

The beauty, suddenly losing her pillow, narrowed her eyes. Yujin slammed his head against hers in a frantic bow.

"I'm sorry!"

"......Huh?"

"I don't know what I did, but I'll take responsibility! If there's a kid, I'll raise it happily no matter what!"

Yujin was an outcast, but he was a good person at heart. Even if it meant a life of false accusations and joyless duty! If he'd made a mistake, he'd own it as a man. That was the right thing to do—at least, in Yujin's book.

"......What the hell are you doing?"

But the girl's response was utterly indifferent. She cautiously lifted her head. The beauty was already sitting up, yawning like she was tired. She was tiny compared to Yujin—her open mouth and the pale pink tongue inside were adorably small.

'C-cute......'

Even in this situation, the thought slipped out unbidden.

The girl looked at him and smirked, her lips curling in the most devilish way imaginable.

"......Kinda disappointing, huh? You manhandled me ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠so rough, and you don't even remember."

"M-manhandled?"

"Yeah, you grabbed me when I tried to pull away, ignored everything I said. Made me work hard."

Yujin's face drained of color. M-me? A rapist? Against a girl like this? This wasn't something an apology could fix.

".......I'll take responsibility with my death."

Yujin pulled a gun from his inner pocket and pressed it to his temple. Who knew the gun Park Secretary gave him for self-defense would see use like this? His short life hadn't had many friends, but it had been pretty happy.

"Hey, hey! Stop it, you dumbass! Can't you take a joke?!"

The girl smacked his arm repeatedly. The size difference made it barely hurt.

"It's me, me! Your great and mighty slime!"

"......Our not-so-great slime?"

Was she talking about that chatty parasite in his soul? The one who screeched nonstop whenever he messed up?

"No way......"

"Heh, yeah, I get it's hard to believe. 'A pervert monster who steals schoolgirl bodies couldn't possibly be this cute beauty,' right?"

"Hey, your wording's been pissing me off since earlier."

The beauty sighed and shrugged lightly. Her sleeves were a bit loose now that he looked closer—like she'd stolen someone else's clothes.

"This is just reflecting your tastes right now."

"My tastes?"

"I've been inside you all this time. Our souls are linked tight, so my form adapted to maximize host survival."

Slimes' defining trait was transformation. They shifted their body composition to favorable states against any opponent. Appearance was no different. Top-tier slimes could reshape at will.

In other words, to boost her survival odds with Yujin, she'd become this ideal beauty.

"Be grateful. Not many get to see their fantasy girl made real."

"I can't agree with that! So you're saying my tastes run to blondes in nothing but a shirt, black pantyhose, and no panties?!"

"Ebi."

The slime hiked up her shirt, barely covering her panties. Yujin flushed and turned away from the blatant panty line.

"Mmm, nice. Seeing that fresh, flustered face makes me feel better."

The slime cackled like it was hilarious. This girl had gotten even cockier since manifesting outside. Wait—outside?

"You couldn't come out of my soul, right?"

The slime had been trapped in his soul. That's why she couldn't exit despite wanting to. That's why Yujin had been practicing mana control—to let her flow out with his ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠mana.

"Eh, long story...... But bottom line: you got soul power."

"......Why?"

Soul power. The one ability that could substitute for mana. A special force awakened only by unlocking your soul's strength. No idea how amazing it was, but it sure as hell didn't just pop up after a nap.

And now it had, for no reason? Did the author write this with their feet?

"Anyway, check your status since things changed."

At the slime's words, Yujin opened his status window. Felt like ages since he'd last seen it.

He ignored the new skills and traits for now. Who cares about that stuff! A good guy like me couldn't be Pure Evil!

"......Soul power really appeared."

It was a measly 10, but a new stat was undeniable. He still didn't get why.

"Why'd this happen?"

"Eh, bunch of factors. Your new Cheon-gong Shin-gwon, the stamina pill's power, plus your body getting fried by ambient mana, maybe."

Fried by mana? No clue, but the result was good, so whatever. At least the slime could come out now.

"So my soul power let you exit."

"Yeah. Used a ton of power manifesting, though. Kinda wiped."

Wiped? Yujin glanced back at his body. The slime aside, he was half-undressed too. He covered himself with both hands.

"......You sneaky slime. Planned to steal my purity while I was out cold, huh."

"Wanna kill the guy you just saved? Shut up—I kept you alive."

"Alive?"

"The pill put you in a temporary trance. Then mana shock birthed soul power—prime qi deviation territory."

Yujin knew about qi deviation. Fail to circulate your energy fast, and bam—coughing blood, dead.

"Lucky you got a competent slime. Few can circulate energy for someone else. Me manifesting? Pure luck for you."

"Ah......"

"Anyway, cleaning up your messes is a pain."

Yeah, she'd straight-up saved his life. Yujin gave a wistful smile.

"Got it. Then this is a parting gift."

".......Huh?"

"You always said you wanted out. Now you can, so we're splitting, right?"

.......No, why'd it go there?

The slime was genuinely flustered. She'd just been griping for some appreciation. Not expecting this reaction.

"N-no, I didn't mean......"

"It was fun having you around, but can't be helped. Can't keep burdening you. Thanks for everything."

"W-wait, that's......"

The slime panicked in a very uncharacteristic way. Sure, she griped a lot—Yujin's actions were frustratingly slow. But she didn't want to split. No, now she actually......

That idiot. If you're gonna make that face, at least try to stop me.

The slime knew it. Yujin was a dimwit, timid, a trash heap who ruined lives. But at his core, he was pure and kind.

She cleared her throat and spoke.

"......You're a real selfish jerk, huh?"

"Eh?"

"Told you—circulating energy is exhausting. I'm down most of my power now! Tossed out like this, I'd die!"

"Oh, r-really?"

"Yes, really! And after partnering so long, you're ditching me when I'm vulnerable? After I saved your life?! Too much!"

Had to spell it out, or the blockhead wouldn't get it. Yujin's face lit up.

"So we'll stick together a while longer?"

"......Yeah, at least till I recover. Got a problem?"

"Nope! Stay as long as you want."

The slime sighed deeply. Goddamn. Could this guy survive without me? How'd I end up stuck with him?

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

".......Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Gonna go back in. Don't wanna show you."

"Now you care."

"Shut up. You've been chatty."

Despite her words, Yujin obediently closed his eyes. The slime reverted to liquid and slipped back into him snugly. He felt pinned, but oddly reassured by the familiar coziness.

How do I turn this idiot into a real man?

Mulling that, the slime smirked mischievously.