"So… I reincarnated," Damien muttered slowly, still trying to wrap his head around everything. The surreal whiteness was gone now, replaced by total darkness—no light, no sound, no sense of space.
"But... why can't I move?"
> Because you don't have arms or legs.<
The system's emotionless voice echoed directly in his mind, its tone disturbingly casual for such shocking news.
"What do you mean I don't have arms or legs?!" Damien said in disbelief. "You said I reincarnated! Don't tell me I was born a cripple!"
> Incorrect. You are not crippled. You are simply no longer human.<
There was a pause. The words echoed like thunder in his mind.
"...Wait… what?" he thought, a cold realization creeping in. "What do you mean 'not human'? What am I then?!"
> You are a slime. A Level 1 slime, to be precise. Also, yes, I can read your thoughts.<
"A slime..." Damien's voice was quiet now. Hollow. Defeated. "You've gotta be kidding me… I got reincarnated... as a slime? The weakest, most pathetic thing in any fantasy world? The bottom of the food chain?"
> That is correct.<
"I was expecting a second chance! Magic, swords, a powerful bloodline—something badass!"
> You have been granted the Evolution System. You will grow. Eventually.<
Damien let out a mental sigh. He couldn't even feel his body to vent frustration properly. No arms to punch a wall. No legs to stomp the ground. Just... gelatinous thoughts.
"Fine. At least tell me more about myself. Can I check my status window?"
> Yes, you may. Displaying status...<
A blue translucent screen popped into his mind:
---
[Status Window]
Name: (Blank)
Species: Slime
Level: 1
HP: 10/10
MP: 5/5
Racial Talent: Devour
Skills: None
Titles: None
Evolution Progress: 0%
Damien stared at the screen in stunned silence.
"No name... no skills… no titles… Just... Devour?"
> Devour is a racial ability unique to slimes. With it, you can consume organic and inorganic matter and, over time, assimilate properties from what you consume. It is your core method of growth and evolution.<
"So I'm literally a blob that eats to level up…" he muttered. "How inspiring."
> Your current form has no limbs, eyes, or defined organs. Movement will require adaptation. Vision will be acquired once your sensory core finishes developing. Estimated time: 3 hours.<
"So I'm blind, immobile, and stuck in the dark for three more hours?"
> Correct. Please be patient, host. Your journey has only just begun.<
Damien groaned mentally.
"From heir to a mega-corporation... to a dismembered corpse... to a blind jelly bean. What a glow-up."
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