I barely slept. Not out of fear, but because of that uncomfortable mix of excitement and anxiety you feel before something important.
Today I would enter my spiritual world for the first time.
As soon as I got to school, Nolan was already pacing back and forth like he had explosive hyperactivity.
"Today I get to see my wolves! My wolves, Jian!" he shouted, his face glued with excitement.
"Relax before you give yourself a heart attack," I said.
"I can't. Wolves!"
Mira simply adjusted her glasses, exhausted by the mere act of existing.
"Try to keep your minds stable. If not, your world will reflect your inner chaos," she said.
Nolan swallowed like she had just told him he was going to die.
When the teacher gave the order, we all sat down, took a deep breath, and activated spiritual synchronization.
My vision went dark for a moment… then it brightened.
My world.
The island was a circular space, bluish-gray, with a ground as soft as damp clay. It wasn't small; in fact, it was bigger than I expected.
But it was… empty. Far too empty.
Then the information rushed into my mind, like a thought that had always been there:
Slimes can divide endlessly as long as they have resources to devour.
The more they consume, the more they multiply.
And they devour EVERYTHING.
I understood immediately why the island was so clean.
Why there were no plants, visible minerals, or animals.
My slimes had eaten EVERYTHING.
"Makes sense…" I muttered.
Just then, a group of slimes bounced out from behind a small flattened rock.
They were round, translucent, soft, making wet little noises that sounded like failed attempts at speaking.
They surrounded me quickly, staring at me as if I were their sun, their god… or their next meal.
"Hello to you too," I said.
Then the interface I had been expecting appeared:
[Evolution System Activated]
Sacrifice → Evolution Points
Points → Slime Evolution using special materials
I wasn't surprised.
I had known about it since the night before.
I touched one. It bounced happily.
More information flowed into my head, as if the world wanted to make sure I fully understood my role:
My spiritual world didn't have anything useful yet because my slimes had consumed everything available.
But that wasn't a disadvantage.
It was a hint.
If I found a rare resource…
If I brought it here…
My slimes could divide hundreds, thousands of times.
Then I could sacrifice them and use the system to begin the evolutions.
"Interesting," I said as I walked, the slimes following me like round little ducklings.
I knew I shouldn't sacrifice any of them yet.
For now, they were in their most basic form.
But that was the foundation for everything.
"Let's explore," I said.
They bounced happily, like I had just announced a gelatinous festival.
As I moved forward, a thought made me smile:
Let them keep thinking I'm trash.
Let them laugh at my slimes as much as they want.
I already know what this race can become.
And I won't tell anyone.
Because when my slimes evolve…
When they multiply uncontrollably…
When they devour and devour…
When my world expands…
It will be far too late for anyone to catch up.