Disruptor

Who... Who's there??

Who spoke!?

To his great astonishment, Cliff received no response, only silence... He looked around, hoping to locate the strange being that was talking to him. But there was no one in sight...

Cliff picked up the small crystal to examine the creature he had just encountered. He was trying to follow the advice of the being, or at least the "strange creature".

The problem was that he was not at all familiar with the terms "skill" or "mana". How to know how to use them? He had no idea... But one thing was certain: he had been kidnapped and taken to a strange forest, where there could be strange creatures.

What guaranteed him that the so-called "slime" was not more dangerous, that the creature was literally trying to dissolve him? Who assured him that in this forest, he was not just walking tasty meat?

I will never allow that.

And screw it.

I'm too young to die, I'm only 27 years old, I have so many projects!

All he should do is try - no, survive - in this unknown forest.

Playing with the small crystal in his hand, he wondered how to absorb the "essence" it contained.

Maybe it could be beneficial to him?

There is only one way to find out.

He just needed to try, maybe by breaking the crystal? Is there any liquid he should swallow?

Cliff grumbled;

It's moments like these that I wish I had answers…

He closed his eyes, held his breath, and focused on what he had in his hand, imagining he was inhaling the air directly from his hand.

Suddenly, a slight pain ran through his veins, as if something or some kind of energy had been injected into them, he grimaced in pain trying to resist this new sensation.

Then the voice, coming from nowhere, whispered in his ear:

[you have absorbed the essence of a slime]

[you have acquired acid resistance]

[you have acquired the pseudo-transformation slime]

[you can now use acid secretion]

Uh... does this mean that this strange voice is telling me about the weird things I'm doing?

And since it says that I can secrete acid, which may be related to the creature I just killed, what I have just absorbed is like injecting its genes, actually...

Very curious, Cliff continued to analyze the stone in his hands. He could see that the stone, which was shining in a scarlet color, was now just a transparent crystal. He put it in his pocket as it was time for him to continue his journey.

Minutes passed and turned into hours, the landscape darkened, and it was already getting late.

Cliff desperately searched for a place to take shelter in this unknown forest, which seemed to suggest that his flesh would not be any juicier with a pinch of despair added to it.

Damn.. I can't even imagine!!

He climbed a tree, to his great surprise, his body was supple and agile. Perhaps it had something to do with the strangely viscous creature he had just slain?

With no time to dwell on this, he clung to a sufficiently wide branch and decided to spend the night there, undisturbed by anyone or anything.

Unfortunately, this poor young man did not realize that he was the disruptor himself.

While perched on the branch, he saw something that widened his eyes significantly. In shock, Cliff drew his sword.

On another branch a few meters away, a snake wide enough to swallow him in one bite was calmly digesting a precious morsel it had just savored.

The reptile had jet-black scales, as if all the darkness of the world had taken refuge there, and judging by its two dagger-like fangs...

It was a venomous snake.

He held his breath, seeking other ways out that might spare him from becoming the cursed snake's dessert.

I wonder what creature could have a belly big enough in such a state; from what I see, it could be my size. Damn! Where the hell am I? Not even in Australia are there animals like this... Maybe it's just me who didn't know?

Cliff twisted his body, trying to make as little noise as possible so as not to wake up Uncle Snake from his little digestive nap.

A shiver ran down his spine when Cliff thought about the fact that snakes have thermal vision, meaning that the mere fact his body emits heat could make him detectable by this abomination.

Judging by its thick scales, it would be difficult, if not impossible, to cut it with my katana. Trying to slice it would be tantamount to provoking it, in other words... suicide!

Cliff pondered for a moment and decided to stay on the branch while keeping an eye on the giant reptile. He might have to refrain from sleeping tonight, but it was for a good cause.

For his life, at least...