My friend is a slime, so what?

Part 5: Evolution and you.

Everything has been peaceful since I first met Kumoko. She was irritated that I couldn't think of a better name than "female spider" in Japanese, but I've never been good at thinking under pressure. Besides, I don't know enough about this world's names to make an educated guess. Still, the name has grown on her, especially since she has gained additional perks, like increased magicule values and growth rate.

This led us to find a unique aspect of the world, Evolution. As soon as the evolution warning appeared on Kumoko's head, I asked "Great Sage'' about it. We were shocked as neither of us realized how large her evolution tree would be; she's like one of those digital monsters with insane evolutions that range from carrying a rocket launcher to being surprisingly sexy for a kid's game. Nonetheless, thanks to "Great Sage," we learned she has a humanoid evolution at the end of one of her evolution lines, which motivated her to waste no time on taking her first evolution step. It was a scary experience seeing her pass out and glow, but after the process was over, she appeared somewhat different and clearly stronger and quite hungry, as evolution seemed to take its toll on one body.

"When do you plan to evolve?"

Kumoko questioned as I was reminiscing about everything that had happened. Yes, I have evolutions that I can use, but most of them have disadvantages or dubious characteristics, such as the power to consume people's memories and eventually souls.

"I believe I will hold onto my evolution until I am certain of the path I want to take."

She shrugged off my remark and returned to her hunts. We make a good team even though we don't talk much. We hunted together, which raised our magicule and enabled me to learn several useful skills and transformations and allow her to evolve all the way to Small Poison Taratect, but we were starting to receive diminishing results from our hunting, so we began exploring the tunnels in an attempt to map them and locate an exit. Kumoko used her web to mark where she had been and set poisonous traps to easily capture monsters and make small bases for us to rest.

Fortunately, I was able to utilize "Great Sage" to incorporate how far she had explored to my map; from this, I found she had already come across a human camp, which is a good thing since it shows this world is not just caves. I asked Kumoko to take me there, expecting to discover a map that would get us out here, something she hadn't considered looking for the first time since, according to her, she was more focused on not starving to death, which I suppose is fair. Unfortunately, we were unable to find a map. The explorers must have taken it, which makes sense since the last thing you want to do while exploring a cave is get lost. Nonetheless, we were able to get several useful items from their camp. Kumoko claims a rucksack that she modifies with some of her spider thread to use and carry stuff around, and I pick up some books to learn more about this world.

I was ready to suggest claiming the camp as our own when Kumoko began to shed skin a couple times. Her poisonous traps must have caught something powerful for her magicule levels to rise in this manner! She rapidly leads the way with incredible speed, and I try my best to keep up with her.

"Kumoko! Wait for me! uff! uff! You know none of my forms can keep up!"

"I'm speed!"

Well, she is showing off again; luckily, "Great Sage" can keep track of where she is since I've named her, so I can catch up with her once she stops. I'm curious what sort of creature gave her such a boost; all the monsters we've encountered have been relatively weak, to the point that Kumoko now hunts them by building poisonous web traps since her poison synthesis has become powerful enough to quickly kill them. Is it possible that one lacked poison resistance? Still, it has to get trapped on her webbing for it to work. As such, it can't be anything large or physically powerful, possibly a small, swift creature like Kumoko? or a magical beast? No, magic could help them break free. "Great Sage," what do you believe she could have captured on her web?

Analyze: According to the monster database I currently have access to, and what we have encountered in this cave, I have managed to narrow it down to....

".... a human."

The voice of Kumoko sounds inside my head as I catch up with her and see the dead adventurer tangled on her web. We both stare at the body, speechless, as neither of us thought our first encounter with a human would be this way. I don't know what must be going through Kumoko's mind. I don't even know what to think or how to react. We both thought the web would be visible enough for a human to spot it and avoid it. It really wasn't her fault, but would she see it that way? After all, she was quite proud of those traps. I know I have to be a responsible adult, but how do one comfort a schoolgirl who accidentally killed someone?

"Kumoko, are you okay?"

What kind of question is that! Ugh... I really don't know what to do in this situation.

"I'm going to be okay, I think. It is not the first time I killed someone of my own species, I suppose."

She answers in a hard to read tone. Right she had been hunting spiders as well. Still, this is different; it was a person, but it would be better to not push this topic further, at least for now.

"You know I'm here for you, right?"

I said, trying to sound supportive.

"I know.... thanks."

We both give a moment of silence and pray to whatever god this world has. I was thinking of a way to give this man a burial when Kumoko asked.

"Aren't you going to eat him?"

This statement startled me, and I think Kumoko noticed that after she proceeded to elaborate further.

"You can transform into whatever creature you eat. When we get out of the cave, at least one of us needs to look like a human, and mine is pretty far in my evolution line and still looks like half a monster."

Is quite rare for Kumoko to say soo much in one go. She even looks exhausted after saying all that, but She is right about that. We need at least one of us to look human before heading out. Still, eating a fellow human.

"Can I take a moment?"

Kumoko nods as something else seems to get her attention. I bring the adventurer's body off Kumoko web and place it down on the floor. What would happen when I eat him? besides being able to transform into a human and getting his skills.

Would I get his memory?

Wack! Wack!

Would I get a title?

Nom! nom!

Would I be the same person?!

Slam! "Ow!"

I look back at the ruckus Kumoko is making, and I notice she is trying to crack open quite the large egg. When did that egg end here? Perhaps the adventurer was carrying that egg? It must be pretty sturdy if Kumoko can't break it, but she again shows how resourceful she is as she uses her webbing to hang the egg above a spiky rock. I wonder what type of egg it is.

Analysis Complete: Shinohara Mirei Earth Wyrm Egg.

Wait! That is a Japanese name!

"KUMOKO, STOP! THAT EGG IS AN REINCARNATED!"

"What?!"

CRASH!