Syl

Chapter 12: Green vs. Blue

I glared at the green thief, still shaking a tendril. I couldn't think of a way to deal with this creature with the tools I had available; this green slime felt like the apex of our species. I let my thoughts wander in an attempt to figure out a solution while the green blob continued our staring contest.

The green slime had a small ripple in its body, and a tiny glob of green slime shot out of it and toward me. I panicked when I failed to dodge in time, but the glob missed me and instead hit the branch, which melted away rapidly and sent both it and me plummeting to the forest floor.

'What the hell, it can shoot slime? As if its super dissolving power wasn't bad enough, now it can fire projectiles as well - why don't I have that?' I complained mentally.

I wanted to read the trait description but was worried about my situation. I prepared to dodge, but the green slime baffled me and advanced toward me rather than firing another projectile. I leaped backward a considerable distance using my slime slinky twice consecutively. The green slime continued chasing me and fired another slime glob at me, and I had to dodge to the side, but my slow reaction caused it to go straight through a portion of my slime - melting along it as it traveled until the exit wound.

Once again, I readied for another dodge, but the green slime again didn't fire a second projectile. I was slightly faster than the green slime, even without using my slinky movement, so it made keeping it away from me simple. I kept careful watch, anticipating another deadly shot, but it seemed happy to chase me.

'Does it only shoot at prey if they are too far away? Despite its notably better ability, its mind is equal to my blue brethren.' I pondered while the green slime still showed no sign of shooting again, so I decided to take a risk, 'Show me that slime shot trait, please.'

Allows the firing of slime mass as an expendable projectile.

Objects and contents within slime mass may also be used as a substitute.

Compatible with other slime traits.>

I was grateful that the green slime didn't shoot at me while I read, proving my theory. [Slime Shot] sounded full of potential, and I could even fire my tusks like arrows. I instantly bought it.

Once again, the immediate knowledge and understanding of my new trait filled my core - a wondrously pleasant feeling. I fired a tiny amount of slime mass at the green slime, which hit it and dissolved instantly. The green slime didn't even react to my provocation and just mindlessly resumed its chase. This time, I fired a tiny blob of maximum-density slime, which hit the green slime and penetrated an inch before vanishing.

I picked up a few nearby rocks with my pseudopod, depositing them inside myself, and then fired them uselessly one after another into the green blob of acid. While my new ability was impressive, it wouldn't save me from this strange situation. I looked around in thought, and when my focus drifted toward the pond - I spied the frog bully who stole my lunch.

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'The enemy of my enemy is my friend?' I thought with a chuckle as I started to move towards the pond, making sure not to increase the distance between me and the trigger-happy green blob.

As we approached the pond, I noticed the frog was not fully awake and lying lazily in the sun. I consciously lowered my body, trying to stealth, as the last thing I wanted was for them to make a green monster alliance and both target me. Thankfully, my fears were soon unfounded as when the green slime spotted the more sizable meal, it directly shot acid at the frog and started heading towards it.

The oversized frog let out a terrifying croak of rage that rippled through the air - if I had eardrums, I think they would have burst. The frog monster searched for its attacker and spotted the green slime, which fired another projectile that sizzled as it hit the frog's skin. I was surprised the acid wasn't as effective as I had witnessed earlier; the frog must have an incredible hide that would make my [Dissection] skill drool.

Not wanting to be outdone, the frog launched its oversized tongue towards the green slime, but upon making contact, there was a loud sizzling noise. The frog let out a wail while it rapidly retracted its tongue and actually vomited when the tongue returned - it then did small hops to turn around to face the pond. While the frog was turning to retreat, the green slime fired two more shots off, sizzling on the back of the frog before it did a massive physics-defying leap and splashed into the center of the pond.

'What the hell, you frog bastard!? You can't eat it, so you run away! You gave me such hell, and then you just disappear into the pond!' I scream in anger, but my complaints will have to be on hold as the green slime is now moving towards me again as the only remaining meal.

Remembering that I could float, I start decompressing slime, except around my core, and moving towards the water. When I made contact with the water's edge, I poked it a few times cautiously before doing a short hop in - thankfully, I did float. I slowly drifted away from the bank, the green slime still chasing me, and I wondered if it could also float.

I stared in anticipation as the green slime showed no sign of stopping as it mindlessly chased me. When it made contact with the water, it didn't sink, but something was clearly wrong as it started to lose its' shape. The green slime immediately stopped chasing me and backed up a little, reforming into a more solid shape once it wasn't directly in the water.

'Ha! It can't handle water!' I mocked, glad to finally have an advantage over the green menace. Although my mocking was short, my mind went into overdrive to think of how to utilize this because I knew it would start shooting me when it realized I was out of reach.

I thought of buckets and flinging water, or perhaps I could make a spade and hurl the green slime itself into the pond. Then my mind clicked into place as I remembered my new trait [Slime Shot] would allow me to fire contents instead of slime, and my morning routine fully proved that I could contain water.

I thrust all three of my tendrils into the lake, trying to suck up as much water as I could, then immediately activated my trait. A large burst of water fired at the green slime, which washed away a portion of its slime. The green slime slowly started reforming its shape, but I couldn't let it recover, so I kept activating [Slime Shot] continuously, expelling a deluge of pond water.

The green slime struggled helplessly as its mass washed away until all that remained on the pond bank was a copious amount of mud and a single honey-yellow core shining in the sun. I flung a tendril of slime towards the core to finish the job - there was no melting slime to save it now. My tendril engulfed it greedily, and I heard a familiar crunch as I ate the core.

'Yes!' I answered immediately.