Chapter 4: Compression Testing

    Once I gained [Slime Density LV 1] I could feel the layout of my slime body a lot more clearly, such as the current compression level of various areas of my slime mass and even down to the individual pseudopods. At the moment, I could only compress my entire body or each pseudopod, but I can imagine that as I level up the trait, I could potentially have far greater control over what areas I raise the density of.

    Using the knowledge of my new trait, I compress my body back down to just a little bit larger than my original size. I tried to compress more slime mass, but this was the limit at my current level. Despite my smaller size, I felt safer and more solid with this higher-density slime.

    I was curious to see the effects of higher-density slime, so I compressed one pseudopod while leaving the other uncompressed, and then I slammed both tendrils into each other with as much force as I could muster. Splat! It was like throwing a water balloon at a brick wall, and the uncompressed pseudopod exploded on contact.

    ''Very impressive! If I keep increasing the density of my slime mass, then I can hopefully prevent something from entering my body and reaching my core.''

    I had another idea I wanted to test as I recreated my destroyed pseudopod, leaving it uncompressed, and moved toward two nearby slimes. I placed my two tendrils in two different slimes and then waited while staring intently. My theory was that the higher-density one would be much harder to dissolve, and sure enough, I could feel my control being peeled away layer by layer in only one pseudopod.

    Before I lost my pseudopod, I tried sending more slime mass to it while also trying to compress it. I could feel my slime mass drain from my main body to reinforce the density, and the peeling sensation eventually stopped. Satisfied with the results, I surround the core of each slime with my tendrils. Crunch! Crunch!

    x2

    x2

    Looking around, I can see that the slime buffet has ended, and the slimes are returning to their earlier activities. I''m surprised how many are still alive, as I was not the only one who ate a few cores.

    I keep compressing one of my pseudopods, but I can''t get it to match up with my mental image, which means I need a higher-level trait. I keep trying to brute force it, and I actually feel a dull sort of pain tremble in my core and quickly stop.

    ''Is this the slime equivalent of a headache or just too much mental strain? Maybe I should try a quantity practice approach.''

    I hold out my two pseudopods and compress one to the comfortable limit. Then, I compress the remaining pseudopod while simultaneously trying to decompress the first one. Compress, decompress, compress, decompress... I keep repeating this process while hoping that this counts as training. What comes to mind is that I''m flexing my ''muscles'', or doing bicep curls, and as I keep repeating the process, I feel myself flow into a rhythm.

    I''d scream with glee if I had a mouth so both my tendrils do a happy wiggle instead. I can instinctively feel a better understanding of my slime mass and its current density. I once again put my body''s density to the new comfortable maximum and shrink considerably, and then I begin forming my needle.

    I compress a long and thin tip of my pseudopod as much as possible, a much higher density than my main body, and I only stop once I feel my core begin to strain. I''m satisfied even though it looks more like a rapier than a needle. I thrust it into a nearby slime; the pointed edge pierces both slime and core like a knife through hot butter.

    I raise my rapier above my head and give it a happy wiggle.

    ''So [Mana Slime] stops at 10. I wonder if that''s the limit for everything. Although now that my slime has maximum richness I don''t feel like sticking around to be harvested.''

    With a swish of my rapier tendril, I point it to the forest.

    ''Let''s go!''