บท 2: Chapter 2 - Human Village
The wild dog seemed oblivious to his presence, drool dripping from its mouth as it eagerly prowled forward. It was clearly starving. While wild dogs had an excellent sense of smell, they couldn't detect odorless magical creatures like him.
'Perfect.' He thought, watching as the dog unknowingly turned its back on him, venturing deeper into the cave without hesitation.
The moment was now.
'Now!' he mentally commanded himself, launching forward in a quick burst. He leapt towards the wild dog's leg and stuck to it, his slimy form wrapping tightly around the limb.
"Grrr!" The wild dog growled in surprise, snapping its jaws toward him, but he was quicker. Dodging the sharp teeth, he began to spread, gradually enveloping more of the dog's body.
'Gotcha.' He thought, feeling his form slowly covering the wild dog's back. Fortunately, the taste of the wild dog is also very good.
Fortunately, he didn't have a stomach in the traditional sense, so he never felt full no matter how much he ate. Instead, he had a Common Skill called [Stomach], which allowed him to store everything he consumed inside his body. Thanks to it, he wouldn't feel hungry even if he went without food for weeks or months.
[Trait [Keen Smell] has been acquired.]
After fully digesting the wild dog, he gained a new ability: [Keen Smell], which heightened his sense of smell, letting him perceive his surroundings through scent and track anything he had encountered before. It was a useful addition, but as he sniffed the air, he realized there were no monsters nearby—only wild dogs and the occasional wild boar. Though he could get skills from these animals, not all of them were valuable. After all, most had no magical properties, and their abilities were limited to basic survival instincts.
As he finished digesting the wild dog, he noticed his body had grown again, now slightly larger than a mastiff. He was getting stronger, but as he stood there, a different thought crept into his mind.
'What is my goal?' He wondered, slipping into a post-eating contemplation. Up until now, he had only killed small creatures for survival. But this time, it was a larger animal, and strangely, it didn't bother him at all.
The act of killing or devouring raw animals, even those that would've disgusted him in his previous life, felt... natural. More concerning was the fact that he didn't feel any hesitation or remorse. In his past life, he was the furthest thing from a hunter or killer. He'd been a sickly young man who could barely leave his bed, let alone harm another creature.
He remembered his old life—a life spent almost entirely in his bedroom, surrounded by medical equipment that kept him alive. His parents, though wealthy enough to afford home care, had gradually distanced themselves from him. Maybe they'd given up hope after all those years of illness, focusing instead on his healthy younger brother, who would one day inherit their family business.
But he held no resentment toward them. He'd known his time was limited, and he didn't want to make them any sadder than they already were. Let them focus on their future, on the son who could carry their legacy.
Now, though... Now he had a second chance. He was alive again, but what for?
'I haven't set a goal.' He realized. So far, he had only been surviving—killing to eat, to grow stronger. But he was no Rimuru, who had a purpose from the start after meeting Veldora. He was alone, without direction.
He looked down at his slimy, growing form. There had to be more to this new life than just survival, right?
Suddenly, he suddenly remembered a thing about his past life. Didn't all he wanted to do in his past life was to become free? Free from sickness, free from being bedridden, free from pain, and free from anything that shackles him.
"I want to be free." the black slime said aloud, even though he couldn't physically smile, he was grinning in his heart. Freedom—he would do everything he wanted. His goal was simple: to become the strongest in this world and free himself from anything that could bind him. Even those gods above the skies wouldn't stand in his way.
Suddenly, the Voice of the World echoed in his mind.
[Condition has been met. The World Psalms of [Universe Devouring Slime] has begun.
[Demon Lord Seed] has been granted to entity [Black Ooze].
Unique Skill [Chaos Order] has been granted to entity [Black Ooze].
Chapter 1: [Cave of Obscenity] has begun.
Verse 1: [Arrival of Destruction] has commenced.]
"As I suspected, huh?" the black slime muttered. Though the message came from the Voice of the World, the style of the notification reminded him of Re:Monster.
His journey had officially started, and along with it, a True Name had been bestowed upon him. He knew better than to share it with anyone, though—those who wield curses or specialize in sealing magic could easily use it against him if they learned his True Name.
The Demon Lord Seed... that was something straight out of Tensura. It meant he could one day awaken as a True Demon Lord after completing his Harvest Festival. The idea intrigued him, even excited him.
As for the skill [Chaos Order], it made him stronger the more chaos and destruction he caused—and the more infamous he became for it. Right now, he could only boost his power by 0.01% of his full strength. To increase that rate, he had to become known worldwide for his evil deeds. It was a dark, yet strangely fascinating power.
What was truly striking, though, was how little hesitation he felt at the thought of killing humans. In his previous life, such ideas would have been repulsive. But now? It felt natural.
Necessary, even. If that's what it took to survive and gain his true freedom, then so be it. Call him a monster, a cruel bastard, or a selfish guy—it didn't matter. He had learned that in this new life, he had to put himself first. Others' lives? They just didn't concern him anymore.
After setting his goal, he left the cave with newfound confidence. His plan was simple: devour the surrounding animals on his way to the nearby human village. Maybe, after consuming a human, he could transform into one, even taking on his past life's appearance.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
An hour later, he found himself atop a hill overlooking the human village below. The sun had already set, and the villagers had retreated to their homes for the night. No one was outside. In addition to the humans, he could see various livestock—chickens, cows, and pigs.
On his way to the village, he had slain several wild dogs and boars. From the boars, he acquired a new Common Skill called [Wild Charge], which allowed him to hurl himself at enemies, with the damage increasing the farther he charged.
His size had grown considerably—now as big as two cows. One thing he noticed after consuming so many medium-sized creatures was that while his external size increased only a bit, his internal capacity expanded far more. For instance, while his body looked like it could fit only a couple of cows, inside, it was vast enough to hold the equivalent of thirty wild dogs and wild boars.
Thanks to his [Body Fluid Control], he could expand his body to match his internal size, shaping his fluid form as needed. Without hesitation, he made his way toward the nearest house, eager to gather information about the village. Although tempted to devour the livestock, he held back. The noise might wake the owner, and that would ruin his plan.
He also didn't intend to wipe out the entire village in one night. He wasn't strong enough to handle thirty or more villagers at once.
Luckily, all the houses were made of wood, making it easy to infiltrate. Softening his body, he slipped through a gap and entered the chosen villager's home. Inside, he spotted the target: an older man, likely in his 40s, fast asleep on the bed.
Quietly, he moved toward the villager and climbed onto the bed. To prevent any screams if the man woke up, he quickly enveloped his face, smothering him in a silent embrace.
"Mmmfff!!" The old man made a muffled sound, barely a gasp as the slime enveloped his face. His body jerked for a moment, but it was too late. The black slime's form tightened around the man, and in an instant, he was being devoured.
'Got him.' He thought, feeling the familiar sensation of absorbing his prey. The man's struggle weakened, and soon, there was no movement at all. Within moments, the villager had completely dissolved, leaving only the slime to fill the space where a man once lay.
[Language Skill [Human Language] has been acquired.]
[Job Skill [Job - Farmer] has been acquired.]
[Job Skill [Job - Fisherman] has been acquired.]
"Nice." he said with a grin, though no one could see it. The [Human Language] skill granted him the ability to understand and speak any human tongue. The [Job - Farmer] and [Job - Fisherman] skills filled his mind with practical knowledge of farming and fishing, not that he particularly cared about either at the moment.
He glanced around the simple, unremarkable house—a bed, a wooden table, and a few shelves lined with basic supplies. No treasures or valuable items, just the typical belongings of a humble farmer.
"Seems like he lived alone." he muttered, scanning the house one last time. The old man hadn't left behind anything of real value—just a few copper coins and a single silver coin on the table.
Shrugging, he slid back outside, making his way toward the livestock. 'Might as well make use of everything.' He thought as he approached the animals. The night was still, and the village remained undisturbed as he quietly consumed the old man's cow, pigs, and chickens.
[Common Skill [Milk Generation] has been acquired.]
[Common Skill [Egg Incubation] has been acquired.]
After devouring the cow, he gained [Milk Generation], which would allow him to create milk using the liquid in his body—something he never imagined needing, but it could prove useful. From the hens, he acquired [Egg Incubation], a skill that would help him hatch eggs more efficiently, though it was of little importance for now. The pigs and roosters, however, yielded nothing new.
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
"Missing...?" The village chief muttered, rubbing his chin thoughtfully as he listened to the young man standing before him. News had just arrived that the families of five households had vanished without a trace.
Their village was small, with only about fifty households in total, so losing five meant a 10% drop in population—a staggering number. What made it even stranger was that the livestock from those homes had disappeared as well.
"Yes, chief." the young man replied, his expression grave. "At first, we thought they might have run away, but we couldn't find any tracks or signs nearby."
The entire village was on edge. If five households could disappear so quietly, who knew who might be next? The fear spread fast, especially in a village this small, where rumors and worry traveled even faster.
"How about the adventurer task? Has it been posted?" the chief asked, concern evident in his voice. He needed answers, and soon.
The young man nodded. "Yes, the moment we realized they were missing, I sent Mike to the nearest town to post a quest at the adventurer's guild."
"Good." the chief said with a sigh of relief. "Tell everyone to stay on guard at night until the adventurers arrive. We can't afford to lose anyone else."
"Understood." the young man replied, bowing slightly before heading out of the meeting hall, leaving the chief to his thoughts.
Outside, the village was unusually quiet. People were locking their doors early, and whispers of fear hung in the air. Everyone knew something was wrong, and it wouldn't be long before panic set in if the mystery wasn't solved soon.
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