Tensei Shitara Slime Datta Ken (WN) - Chapter 1

It’s dark.
I can’t see a thing in this total darkness.
Where is this? Rather…what happened?
If I remember correctly, I think I was being made fun of…something about being a sage or great sage…

And then I fully regained my consciousness.
My name is, Mikami Satoru. A 37 year old nice guy.
Back then on the road, I protected my junior from work, from a random slasher, but got myself stabbed.
Good, I remember. It’s all right, it isn’t the time to panic yet.
Anyhow, For the cool me to become flustered, at least it has to be on the level of during the time I was an elementary schooler, when I was unable to suppress the urge to sh*t my pants.
It was when I tried looking around my surroundings that I realized. My eyes wouldn’t open.
Not knowing what to do, I tried scratching my head…to find that my hands weren’t responding.
Putting all that aside, I wonder where my head is.
How disorienting.

Oi oi, just wait a second.
Give me some time, so I can calm down.
In these kind of moments I’m supposed to count prime numbers, right?
1, 2, 3… Daah!!!
Wrong. This isn’t it. In the first place, 1 isn’t a prime number was it?
No no, that doesn’t matter either.
This isn’t the time to be saying such stupid things, aren’t I in deep trouble?
Eh? Wai-…what’s up with this?
Perhaps…could it be that it’s too late to do anything other than to panic?
I hastily check whether I was hurting anywhere.

There is no pain. I feel comfortable.
I can sense neither cold nor heat. This space I’m inside of is really quite cozy.
I’m a little relieved about that.
Next I check the rest of my limbs. Let alone moving a single finger, my arms and legs gave no reaction…
What does this mean?
It’s not like I’d lose my limbs over just getting stabbed…what’s going on?
To begin with, I can’t open my eyes.
I’m in some pitch-dark space, unable to see a thing.

My heart was gripped in a terrible anxiety I’ve never felt before.
It seems…I’ve entered a vegetative state, or something like that?
Though only my awareness remains, maybe my nerves have been severed which is why I can’t move?
No no no, anything but that!
When I think I’ve been finally saved, it turns out I’m a human vegetable. This is the worst, but at least my lower half is fortunate enough to feel something.
Though either way, there’s no doubt this is a disaster, to think I’ve become a vegetable that can only think, I’m in hell…
My mind fills with the worst imaginations, beginning to turn the initial confusion into despair.

I want you to just think about it.
A human locked up in darkness will go insane in the blink of an eye. My situation matches exactly that, furthermore, I can’t even suicide.
When you can only wait for the encroaching madness, it’s impossible not to despair.
But at that moment,

A sound of touching something,

And I felt it with my body.
Hn? What’s this…
I focus all of my senses on that touching sensation.
On the side of my stomach? Something that felt like grass was gently brushing against me.
As I concentrated further on that area being touched, I came to vaguely understand the span of my own body. Occasionally, I could feel pointy ends prodding me in places.
That made me somewhat happy.
Even now, I was still blind in the darkness. However, of all the five senses, I experienced the sense of touch again.
Becoming interested, as I tried moving towards that grass,

Slither.

And I felt myself moving.

I…moved?!
At this moment, I clearly confirmed that I was not on top of a hospital bed. It was because in the area below my…stomach? I could feel the shape of something rugged, like rock.

I see…I have no idea what’s going on, but apparently I’m not at a hospital.
On top of that, I can’t see.
Seeing as I also can’t hear a single sound, it’s most likely I’ve gone deaf.
Though I’m not sure where my head is, I keep moving closer to the grass. Directing my consciousness towards the grass making contact with my body, I follow that sensation.

I can’t smell a thing. Perhaps, I’ve lost my sense of smell as well?
Also, how should I say…I’m not sure of the shape of my own body.
I don’t want to admit it, but I have a hunch that the shape of my body is strangely similar to that of a certain streamlined, jelly-like “monster”, which is quite popular among RPG lovers.
Such thoughts have been going through my mind for a while now.

No no…that can’t be the case, really. However the circumstances may be, that just can’t…
For the time being, let’s put those suspicions aside.
I decided, I would try the one last untested sense of the five human senses.
But I don’t know where my mouth is. What to do?…

<Will you use the Unique Skill [Predator]? YES/NO>

Suddenly, a voice sounded in my head.

Ha?
Wha-, come again?
Unique skill [Predator]…you say?
Rather, what’s that voice?
I did feel like I was hearing a weird voice, even when I was talking with Tamura, so it wasn’t just my imagination?
Is somebody there?
Nevertheless, this puts me on edge. It was, rather than someone being nearby…I had a feeling that the words were surfacing from within my mind.
It gave me the impression of something inhuman, or should I say, like the automated sounds of a computer.

For the time being, it’s a NO!
To say the least, I’m a Japanese person who knows how to say no after all.
In my mind I thought “NO”, and waited to see what would happen.
I get no response. I waited for a while, but the voice didn’t come.
Apparently, it doesn’t ask for a second confirmation. Did I choose wrong? Is this a game you get stuck on if you don’t say yes?
Like in an RPG, I thought that the same message would be continuously repeated until a “YES” was confirmed, but it seems I was mistaken.
Calling out to me just to ask a question, then neglecting me. Such an impolite guy.
To be honest, hearing that voice had made me just a little bit happy.
I was somewhat regretful.

Well, it can’t be helped now.
I’ll continue from where I left off testing my sense of taste.

I move my body towards that grass from before. Concentrating on the part of my body in contact with the grass, I confirmed where it was and leaned on it.
Covering the grass entirely with my body, I ascertained it’s texture. Indeed, there’s no doubt this really is grass.
While I was confirming that, the grass in contact with my body began to dissolve. I wondered if my body was melting, but it seems only the grass was affected.
And then, I came to realize that the components of the dissolved grass were being taken into my body.
Apparently, I dissolved and absorbed the grass. In other words, instead of using a mouth, my body can absorb grass through contact.
By the way, there was no flavor at all.

To sum it all up, it’s like this.
It appears, I’ve stopped being a human. I’m almost certain of this.
And that means, I really did die from getting stabbed?
It’s not really a question though, I’m pretty sure of that fact now. That being the case, I’ve concluded that this isn’t the hospital, but a rocky area that allows for grass to grow.

What happened to Tamura?
What about Sawatari-san?
Has my PC been safely destroyed?
There was no limit to the questions. But it’s probably too late brooding over those things. I have to think about what to do from now on.
Or should I say…wait up.
I wonder what’s happened to me. Come to think of it, based on that earlier sensation…
Once again, I began focusing on sensing my body.

Jiggle. Jiggle.

My body was moving rhythmically.
In the pitch dark, I spent some time exploring and better understanding my own body.
And…

How could this be!
I was such a handsome specimen, not to mention overflowing with manliness, but now I’ve been reduced to this streamlined and polished form!
What, how idiotic! This is unacceptable!!!
PR/N: *Chuckle Chuckle*

While sensing the boundaries of my body, however I looked at it, I ended up being reminded of that “thing”.
No no, I mean, really?
It’s not like I dislike them okay? Yeah. I even think they’re adorable in a way!
But see here, if you asked people, “Would you like to become one?”, then most likely 90% would concur with me.
Nevertheless, I suppose there’s no other way than to face the reality…

That somehow, I’ve been reincarnated as a slime.

Munch munch.
Munch munch munch.

There I was, eating grass.
Why you ask? It’s obvious!
Cause, I’ve-Got-Time, yo!

After grudgingly accepting the fact that I was a slime, the days passed reasonably well.
To start with, in the beginning, I was first concerned with food supply.

I was set on testing to see if a slime’s body could feel hunger. Just to be sure, I moved while checking the immediate surroundings, and found a place where grass was plentiful.
Surprisingly, that place was not too far from the first batch of grass I’d found.
When needed, I could feed on the grass, and as for water I’d somehow make do with grass sap.
Because I couldn’t see my surroundings at all in the darkness, it was good luck finding a place so near. Moving around in itself was a matter of life or death.
Afterwards, I began experimenting
I tried counting 50,000 sheeps. I got tired of it.
I tried sleeping, but never felt drowsy at all.
I counted prime numbers, which became incomprehensible as time went on. There’s no way I could do that.
Trying to play Shiritori alone was simply futile, so what could I do by myself to kill time…
*Shiritori = Japanese word-chain game

If the internet was available, I’m confident I could waste away any amount of time, but there’s no cellphone games or anything at all.
This was pure agony.
Meditating like an ascetic monk, just isn’t possible for an amateur.
Another thing is that while uncertain, there seemed to be no other living creatures in this place.
Up till then I hadn’t felt the slightest hint of other creatures.
Well…though I couldn’t be sure of it in the current state of disabled sight, hearing and even smell, at the very least I hadn’t been attacked so far.
Thanks to that, I’ve been living peacefully without fearing for my life.
And so, at the end of enduring the glorious pain (to my mind) I was able to come to a conclusion.

I don’t get hungry. Also, I don’t require sleep.

Not once did my stomach growl, nor did I become drowsy.
Just how many days it took, I don’t know. Being in total darkness all the time, I never felt the passage of time.
During that period, I didn’t hear that odd voice in my mind again. Though I wouldn’t mind his company right now.
And so, I’m eating grass because of no other choice.
Since there’s nothing else to do, I’m eating grass for the sensation of popping bubble-wrap it gives.

Lately, I’ve discovered in my body, that the grass I absorb is being decomposed and the broken down components are accumulating.
If asked, what significance does that have, I would reply that there is none.
I was just afraid, that if I didn’t do something I would go mad.
Nowadays I’ve grown accustomed to two things. Absorption and decomposition, rinse and repeat.
At this point, I found something of a mystery.
It was a question formed long ago upon discovering my lack of appetite for food, in relation to excrement. I had no need for food, but what about excretion?

The answer? It’s unnecessary!
Until now, I have not once discharged any excrement whatsoever.
It’s not strange that a slime doesn’t need to eject waste, but then, where does all the grass I’ve harvested disappear to?
Upon inspection, I didn’t sense any changes from my original form.
Just what is going on?

<Answer: It is being stored in the stomach provided by the Unique Skill [Predator]. Furthermore, the current amount of space being used is less than 1%>

Say what? I got a reply!!!
But did I ever use the skill? I replied “NO” back then.

<Answer: The Unique Skill 『Predator』 is not being used. It is set so that substances taken into the body will be automatically stowed inside the “Stomach”. This function is optional, and may be changed>

What did you say…. This time a smooth reply came. Leaving that aside, I want to know, what happens when you use the skill?

<Answer: Unique Skill 『Predator』 effects…

Predation: Draws the target into the “Stomach”. However, if the target is a sentient creature, the probability of success will greatly decrease.

Affected targets: Not limited to organic matter and inorganic matter, also affects skills and magic.

Analysis: Able to analyze and research targets affected by Predation. Craftable items can be produced. Copies of materials can be produced. Upon succeeding in analyzing the technique formula, the targeted skill or magic can be acquired.

Stomach: Stores targets affected by Predation. Also, able to store materials produced through Analysis. Anything stored in the “Stomach” will be unaffected by time.

Mimesis: Able to mimic the appearance of target affected by Predation, gaining equal ability to the target. However, limited to targets that have been successfully analyzed for information.

Isolation: Stores harmful elements that are unable to be analyzed. Targets are rendered harmless, and converted to magical energy.

Those were the explanations for the 5 main abilities>

Eh?… Eh?
I haven’t been this confused in a long time. Those abilities, they sure sounded amazing…. It feels like, those abilities shouldn’t be used by the likes of a slime.
Wait, before that,
The voice that answers my questions, what is it? Is somebody there?

<Answer: It is the effects of the Unique Skill 『Great Sage』. As a result of establishing this ability, performing swift responses has become possible>

Great Sage huh…. It was so bothersome when it was making fun of me, but now it’s become so reliable. I’ll be relying on it more from now on.
Frankly, I’m okay with this situation now.
Perhaps this loneliness that I believed to be endless can be healed.
But this “voice” might just be an auditory hallucination that I invented. Nevertheless I’m okay with that.
For the first time in a while, I experienced my heart grow lighter.

Status
Name: Mikami Satoru
Species: Slime
Titles:     None

Magic:     None

Skills: Unique Skill 『Great Sage』
Unique Skill 『Predator』
Slime Inherent Skills 『Dissolution, Absorption, Self-Regeneration』

Resistances:
Heat Fluctuation Resistance EX
Physical Attack Resistance
Pain Immunity
Electrical Resistance
Paralysis Resistance