I hopped around, devouring the magicules and trees on my path as well.
I gained [Photosynthesis], [Fruit Creation], [Flower Creation] and [Seed Creation].
Though Sage isn't able to convert the energy gained due to photosynthesis into magicules, I am sure that it will come in handy someday.
And maybe with Seed Creation, I can reincarnate in case I die?
That will be cool.
Soon enough, I came across a goblin village.
So I revealed my presence, letting my immense magicules leak out a bit to show that I am strong.
As I hopped towards the village, some wolves and goblins came in front of me.
No, they are Hobgoblins and direwolves... maybe Tempest wolves? Are the others aside from Ranga really also Tempest wolves?
'Appraisal!'
[Data not found]
...Sage is really useless. It doesn't know anything that I don't know. It isn't even able to perfectly recall the memories of my previous life.
Sigh!
Finally Rigurd appeared.
So it's really Rimuru's village huh. He doesn't seem to be anywhere.
"Sir slime, are you related to Rimuru-sama?"
"Who?"
Rigurd said, "I apologise, but Rimuru-sama is currently away. Would you like to come over and wait? We will do our best to give you our best hospitality."
Seems like Slimes are very respected now because of Rimuru.
Honestly, I want to devour a wolf and hobgoblin to see if I can get Shadow movement.
But... I would rather not attract Rimuru's anger. He is a pretty chill guy as long as I don't provoke him.
Well, the Forest is vast. And there are plenty of prey.
This time around, the Ogre village should still be okay, right?
I am not Rimuru, who can siphon off Veldora's magicules and name monsters recklessly. But I think I should be able to get some ogres under me and name a few.
Afterall, I did devour everything in Veldora's cave.
Alright! Let's get some strong underlings!
"Can you point me towards Ogre village?"
"Ah. Of course. It's in the direction of the Sun currently. The evening sun."
"Thanks! Let's see..."
'Fruit Creation!'
'Seed Creation!'
I created a Slime fruit, with my seed in it. Surprisingly, I was also conscious in the seed!
And since my clone was just a seed, it didn't take much magicules. Just like the trees, who produce how many seeds for who knows how long without any real bad effect.
And I am active in both my main body and sead.
Ah. So that's the use of [Unconsciousness Resistance].
Still, I don't think I can handle more than one with just Sage. I would rather not waste more of it's RAM, if it does have it, on handling the seeds.
'Sage, put my seed on power saving mode.'
[...]
'Meaning almost sleep. No thinking. Just listening and sending the messages to my main body through it.'
[Understood. Done]
Phew! I guess explaining things to it can get it to work huh?
Anyway, I handed my fruit to Rigurd.
"It's my gift to your leader. I don't know if it will work, but maybe we can interact to each other through it. Call me when he returns!"
"We will."
"Okay! Bye!"
I got myself bat wings, and started flying towards Ogre village. While concealing my presence to ensure that people interested in Veldora's appearance don't catch me.
It isn't much, and it is useless in front of even something like Magic Sense, even though I am not leaking any magicules. I am still a dense blob of magicules while being invisible as a slime.
Still, better than nothing.
While flying towards my destination, I saw Shizu heading towards Veldora's cave's direction.
Ah. It must be because I devoured Eren and her party. So that's why the Champion of Flames herself is sent to investigate ahead of time from canon.
What should I do? I want to get her unique skill Degenerate and the spirit Ifrit, but Rimuru also needs the skill to become super strong, and evolve his Great Sage into Raphael.
I don't think I will be able to get Great Sage until Rimuru evolves his own. Afterall, 'Unique' should mean that the skill should be held by only a single person, right? Atleast at the same time?
Or maybe my Sage can evolve into something different entirely?
Suddenly, she looked at my direction.
Ah. She noticed me, of course!
I removed my concealment and started getting down.
"What answers have you come searching for? For a price, I will answer one of your question."
I descended in front of her fully. And thankfully, she didn't attack me.
Though her flames will do nothing to me, slashing will most likely work.
"Wow... A talking slime? Your colour is unusual as well."
I stared at her, and she stared at me.
Her mask..., I don't think I can replicate it with just Sage.
And Diablo is probably watching her, right?
After a few moments passed, she finally asked.
"Can you really answer any question?"
"It depends on the price you are willing to pay."
"...Do you know how to save summoned otherworlders? Suffering from unstable magicules?"
She must be thinking that she is an idiot, asking for such a thing from a slime of all things in the middle of the forest.
It just shows how desparate she is.
"Yes."
"Huh!? You do!?"
"Yes. But you need to first pay the price."
Getting Shizu as my underling will give me a lot of Firepower, literally.
I need to get Degenerate, and make sure that Rimuru gets it too. Or maybe not necessarily. I am sure that his Great Sage will handle everything.
Hey Sage. Can I devour Shizu, separate her soul and unique skill, and give her a new body? And can you imprint a copy of Degenerate into her? And others?
[Separation of soul and placing it in a slime seed to cultivate new slime body is possible. But Unique Skill is engraved in the soul. It can't be separated without devouring the soul itself.]
...What if I use Degenerate? It can fuse and break down skills and such.
[...Soul part devoured to get the Unique skill described as Degenerate can be fused back to return the soul to it's original state. However, the unique skill wouldn't be fully replicated. And maybe not at all.]
...Ah fine. Let's do it!
I will think about the implications later!
I first need to become more powerful.
Shizu considered my offer, and asked, "What is the price you ask?"
"You will reincarnate in a slime body, and give me your unique skill.
In return, you will get a stronger and stable slime body, fully in your control, with a downgraded version of your unique skill. Ir maybe without it.
And you will serve as my underling for 5 years."
Did I ask for too much?
"...First tell me the method. I promise that I won't go back on paying the price. I just want to confirm that..."
"That I am not scamming you huh? Well, I don't really mind. You are about to lose control and die anyway.
You can save the otherwolders by going to Ramiris and getting a spirit for each person to fuse, and that will stabilize the magicules."
She seemed stunned. When she will look back at it, she will realise that Leon did the same thing to her.
"And I can use my and your unique skills in conjunction to make the spirits docile."
Unlike Ifrit.
She considered it, and then sighed.
She knew that the method I told her, about fusing spirits, might actually work.
But she has no way of knowing that I am going to keep my end of deal or not.
Well, I do look pretty shady.
"Don't worry. I am not a bad slime."