Okay, he could accept these changes. At least he still looked like a person, and not some eldritch monstrosity.
Small was fine. By his rough estimate, he was about the size of a human palm—definitely a downgrade, but manageable.
Being an Ice Spirit came with perks, like the translucent wings fluttering behind his back. They were surprisingly agile, letting him perform basic maneuvers midair. It was crude flight, but it worked. He twirled experimentally, feeling light as air.
Drawn by curiosity, he floated over to the glowing blue crystal he'd spotted earlier. Its polished surface reflected his image back at him.
"Tsk, tsk. Not bad."
The reflection showed a figure with icy blue hair and pointed ears—classic indicators of an elemental spirit with some elven aesthetic flair. He looked... ethereal. Almost elegant.
After a few moments of self-admiration, his attention returned to the crystal.
"[Overlord], any idea what this thing is?"
"Affirmative. Host may extract the item into the Material Storage for analysis."
"How do I extract it?"
He reached out, pressing his tiny hand to the surface of the crystal. Immediately, a prompt rang out:
"Unknown ore detected. Would you like to extract, Host?"
"Extract," he replied without hesitation.
"Extraction complete."
A ping confirmed the success, and now the item appeared in his material storage space.
So that's how the storage works.
"[Overlord], analyze the ore."
"Analysis complete.
[Magic Crystal Ore]: A rare mineral mutated by high-density magicules. As a synthesis material, it carries a chance of granting the traits [Physical Resistance] and [Magicule Enhancement]."
"Wait... magicules?"
He paused. That word—it triggered something.
Magicules? High-density magic environments? Elemental evolution? This was starting to feel suspiciously familiar...
Wasn't this all stuff from that anime he binged in college?
Heart racing, he darted over to a patch of odd-looking herbs and touched them.
"Extract. Analyze."
"[Fiboku Herb]: A plant species found only in areas saturated with magicules. Can be used in synthesis. Potential traits: [Magicule Recovery] and [Wound Regeneration]."
That confirmed it.
This world—these systems—they were straight out of That Time I Got Reincarnated as a Slime.
"So I was reincarnated here? In Tensura?" he muttered, his eyes wide with realization.
The word "reincarnator" made sense now. Rimuru had been one too. The ultimate cheat existence.
And wait—this cave. The glowing crystals, the dense magicule concentration... Wasn't this the same cave where Veldora, the Storm Dragon, had been sealed?
If that was true, then this might be the prequel to Rimuru's arrival. And if Veldora was still sealed...
His eyes sparkled.
If he could get Veldora to name him, just like how Rimuru did for so many, he could undergo spirit evolution and ascend rapidly. Being named by a True Dragon? That would be a game-changer.
But first—he needed strength. The cave was filled with monsters, and he couldn't rely on wishful thinking.
He pulled up his status screen. His racial skills were standard for an Ice Spirit:
[Ice Elemental Control],
[Ice Blade],
[Ice Spike],
[Frost Breath]...
Then his eyes landed on a particular skill, and his heart skipped.
[Plunderer]
"A Unique Skill? Seriously?"
He tapped the description:
[Plunderer]: Grants the ability to extract and learn skills from defeated enemies. Skills learned vary by target and success rate.
This was massive. It wasn't quite Rimuru's [Predator], but it was close—a custom version more suited to a spirit.
With this, he had a way to power up.
Over the next few days, Arthur fought to survive—subjugating weaker monsters and mastering his spirit-born abilities.
"Magic Sense."
He cast the spell to scan the area. It was the Tensura equivalent of radar—every creature's magicule signature lit up in his senses.
Target: Giant Poison Spider. Threat level: C+.
Arthur estimated himself to be borderline B-rank—close enough.
"Ice Spike."
With a flick of his mind, a volley of jagged ice shards materialized and shot forward.
Pshk! Pshk! Pshk!
The spider screeched and collapsed, impaled and twitching.
"Host has successfully defeated C+ ranked Giant Poison Spider. Would you like to use [Plunderer]?"
"Plunder."
"Skills acquired: [Hunting], [Fine Thread Control]."
"Nice."
"[Overlord], extract materials from the corpse."
Arthur stared at the massive monster before him. With its hulking frame, he expected a wealth of materials.
"Extraction successful. Obtained: [Spider Eye] ×2, [Sticky Silk] ×5."
His expression darkened. "That's it? For a C+ class monster?"
"[Overlord], are you sure this is all? This thing was huge."
"Affirmative. All usable materials have been extracted. Note: Only materials that meet or exceed C-rank quality can be stored in the Material Library."
"So anything below that gets tossed aside as junk?"
"Correct. Only materials classified as C-rank or higher are considered useful for storage and synthesis."
Arthur exhaled and clicked his tongue in annoyance, sparing one last glance at the monster's corpse.
"Garbage," he muttered before turning and advancing deeper into the cave, his senses alert and magic perception active.
Along the way, he encountered more monsters—none of which he spared. Each was swiftly dealt with, their materials and abilities harvested with precision.
He didn't overlook natural resources either. Magic Crystals and Fiboku herbs were scattered across the cave. Both had a C-rank classification in the Material Library—common underground but rare on the surface. Valuable.
"Once I collect enough, I'll test [Synthesis Creation] thoroughly."
(Note: The Material Library is categorized by material rank in alignment with monster classifications, making it easier to understand the system. Surprises await!)
"C+ class monster: Black Wind Serpent Python. Kill confirmed. Plunder or Extract?"
"Both."
"Plunder successful: Acquired skills [Temperature Perception] and [Deadly Poison Strike].
Extraction successful: Obtained [Poison Fang] ×2, [Snake Eye] ×2."
Arthur kicked the serpent's body aside.
"C+ class monster: Compound-Eyed Bat. Kill confirmed. Plunder or Extract?"
"Do both."
"Plunder successful: Gained skill [Sonic Vibration] and trait [Night Vision].
Extraction successful: Obtained [Bat Wing] ×2."
The moment he acquired [Night Vision], the dim cave illuminated in his view.
"So this is [Night Vision], huh? Not bad."
A rare smile tugged at the corners of his lips. With the improved visibility, his hunting efficiency doubled. To him, these monsters were nothing but raw materials—resources to be harvested.
And so, he continued. Monster after monster fell, their materials added to the growing inventory.
"Man, this is exhausting… time to take a breather."
He hovered down to an underground riverbank and dipped his translucent feet into the cool water. His petite, ethereal form reflected faintly in the surface. For a being without a physical body, he shouldn't feel fatigue, yet the mental strain was catching up.
"Where the hell is that Storm Dragon's seal… and that slime?"
He'd explored most of the cave already and still hadn't found Veldora's prison—or Rimuru.
"Seriously, how big is this place? I've flown for ages."
Perching on a rock, Arthur's crystalline wings folded behind him as he stared into the flowing water, his small face pensive and lost in thought.
From a distance, one would see what looked like a tiny, adorable spirit in deep contemplation.
"…Maybe I should check the Material Library."