It Started with Slime - Part 1

Chapter 22 - Water, Water and more Water

Resh was already bored of considering the options. Instead of taking the time to consider any further, Resh just decided to go with the Tier 3 option available and then it would deal with the consequences later.

Water Slime!

With that, it transformed. The now-familiar feeling of its senses fading and the perception of pain suffused it. This time was different. Resh could more clearly see the rough rubbery and gritty substance under it, as well as a lighter streak across it. It was hard to discern any further difference since everything was in shades of grey. Contrary to earlier Resh could now also taste blood in its mouth, this flavour was familiar to the transitioning Water Slime. It had tasted it when it had eaten the Grounded Squirrets and various other creatures. In addition to that its ears were picking up loud bangs and rushing water as it heard from the river but somehow quietly or further away, Resh couldn't tell which. Then it could see something else coming near it and nudged Resh's face with a paw. No, wait that word wasn't right. A foot, that was what it was, a foot was touching Resh's face. It was muted though as if it came from a long distance.

Resh had a face and it was not made of Slime as it was used to. In the dream, it seemed somehow more solid. Like a claw would not pass through it and cause damage but cut instead allowing the liquid inside to flow out. Resh still wasn't sure though. This was a very strange sensation, something Resh had not felt before. It seemed only to happen when it evolved but each time Resh relived this dream it was able to sense and understand more of what it was feeling and what information it was receiving seemed to be increasing with its senses. It had never tasted the gravel under it, it had never heard the sounds in the dream before even though Resh could also sense that it was lying on the ground and could not get up at all. There was something wrong with it...

Resh woke up from the dream more confused than ever, it needed to get better senses so that it could understand what was happening. Something was still missing though, something that was needed. Like a piece of the dream was closed off and it could not get a full feel for what was happening. Resh became aware of the changes that had occurred upon waking.

You have chosen Tier 3 - Water Slime! You are now Water Slime Level 1!

As a Water Slime, you are well adapted to Water of all types and do not survive well outside of the Water.

You have lost all Assimilate Bonuses. Your 2x Bonus Experience in Water is now applicable to Land.

You have gained +10 Levels to Water Adjescent! You will not gain any experience from being in your natural habitat, Water!

You have gained the Environmental Skill Land Dwelling Level 15! You may stay out of the water for 34min 30sec before you need to fully submerge yourself in the water to reset your time. Failure to return to the water will mean that your body loses cohesion at a rate of 1g per second and disintegrates.

You have gained the Talent Water Born, 50% affinity with Water. All Water related damage to you is reduced by 50%.

+1 Intellect, +2 Accuracy, +4 Reaction, +3 Speed, +3 Perception, +35HP, +8HP Regen +25SP, +8SP Regen, +25MP, +3MP Regen, 2xExp for all Water Related Spells and Skills

All HP, MP and SP have been restored on Evolution!

As usual, Resh got bored and made a rash decision which ended up biting it...well, it didn't have a butt. The decision was still a pain. The whole transformation had gone quite seamlessly but the countdown for when it needed to re-enter the water had already ticked down almost to zero by the time it had the presence of mind to get itself into the water.

As soon as Resh moved it realised that something was wrong. It felt like it was moving an entire boulder and not just its body, even manifesting its legs did nothing to help. Extending its wings helped a little when it took flight but it was so slow! It almost felt like when it had started out and just a tiny Micro Slime, it had never been that slow since. It was excruciating moving at this glacial pace. There was also the added pressure of it literally being on a clock and that clock was counting down. With a 70% movement penalty on land suddenly hampering its movements this was going to take a while.

Maybe Resh should have waited to be in or near the water before evolving but deep and thoughtful actions were not what it was good at. Nearly dying from several of its decisions had almost become its trademark. It should have waited and become something different that wasn't tied to any particular location, water bodies were just too small of a space. It would have to stay near the river now at least until it could evolve again. With a sigh Resh thought, maybe it won't be so bad... only time would tell.

Resh reached the water in time and quickly sank in. Instantly it felt relaxed and at peace. Resh felt that being in the water was right in a way that it had never felt before. Then things started to change for the new Water Slime. It grew appendages from the sides of its body and back, similar to what the Carp had that it had seen. It was nothing it had seen before. In addition, it changed slightly so that it was more streamlined in the water. It could still change its shape at will as it could before but somehow its outer edges were smoother and coalesced better than before and now it could no longer feel the water pulling at it but instead gliding past it and buoying it as though asking it to come with it, eager to tug it along, Resh glided through the water with complete ease with its new appendages. They seemed to make it much more aqua dynamic and coordinated. Resh swam around before it noticed the other thing that it had gained.

You have gained Slime Fins Level 1! You get these fins automatically when you enter the water for the first time as a water creature. These are a basic form of Fins created as a part of becoming a Water Slime, they will not Level. Assimilate fins from a water creature to evolve them. They automatically retract when out of water.

You have gained Water Magic Spell Water Gun Level 1! Shoot a bullet of water from your mouth. This is a water version of the Air Magic Spell Sonic Boom as you cannot use Sonic Boom underwater where there is no Air.

Resh frowned at the comment, an expression that seemed to come instinctively. That was an obvious thing to say, wasn't it? Had these messages always been so obvious with their information? It ignored the message and saw that it had a new spell, first it tried to use its more powerful spell but instead of that a small amount of water shot from its mouth and impacted the bank instead of the jet of Air it was used to from Sonic Boom.

Can't use Sonic Boom! Resh was pouting with its mouth, another instinctive reaction. It seemed that Resh had completely ignored the message that it had received. Either that or it just didn't care and wanted to do its own thing anyway. It was a very Resh thing to do. With full MP and Photosynthesis and Meditate now fully functional in the water as well, Resh was able to use its new Spell quite a bit and it took full advantage of the fact. With a 2x bonus for all water-related Skills and Spells, it was quickly able to get the Spell stronger. Aiming at smaller fish was excellent practice even if it didn't do much damage.

Water Gun has increased to Level 2!

...

Water Gun has increased to Level 5!

Resh quickly depleted its MP and by then it was already nighttime. So its primary healing ability Photosynthesis was dormant. Resh was also tired by then so it decided to take the opportunity to sleep for a bit, Resh flattened and settled to the bottom of the river bed where it would not be disturbed. Then it took on both River Bed with Camouflage and River Water with Odour Alteration as the usual safety mechanisms it had adopted. Though it still didn't understand fully what Odour Alteration did. Resh had seen that some animals seemed to react to it changing that but that was the extent of its understanding.