Chapter 6 Subspecies of Slime

Since Sherry didn't know, Ybur had no choice but to explore on his own.

As he tried to send his spiritual power into it, he felt as if the God Secret Source were a Hollow, receiving the power without any reaction. But Ybur wasn't alarmed—instead, he rejoiced, thinking this was just right! Everyone knew that cheap goods were never of good quality, and if even initiating it was this difficult, it must indeed be something extraordinary!

Excitement surged through Ybur, and he continued to pour his spiritual power into it. After a moment, the God Secret Source, seemingly stimulated, began to change. Ybur suddenly felt his mind swell burst by burst, as if something wanted to break out.

Could it be...

He immediately set his sights on a passing gecko.

With a single thought, something invisible flew out of his body and hit the gecko precisely. In that instant, Ybur felt a small part of his spirit being drawn out as well, entering the body of the gecko.

An overwhelming sense of contradiction followed, and Ybur felt as if his perspective had switched abruptly. Using unfamiliar limbs, he clung to the wall; with a twist of his head, he saw a dark, round object on the ground...

No, hold on, was this the gecko's perspective? Was I observing myself through the eyes of a gecko?

Ybur felt somewhat dizzy. The discomfort of having his consciousness enter another creature's body made him want to vomit. He could vaguely sense emotions like "confusion," "surprise," and "fear" arising in the gecko's mind. These conflicting emotions felt like numerous small swords stabbing at him, even causing an illusionary pain.

Then, Ybur sensed that the gecko wanted to run.

Wait, don't run!

Ybur panicked, and just as the thought emerged, another wave of invisible force burst forth from within him, following the mysterious link and entering the gecko's brain.

The gecko's movements did indeed come to a standstill. The little creature seemed utterly perplexed, not understanding its own actions.

Ybur was greatly shocked.

I... can I issue commands to other things through the God Secret Source?

The abilities of the Immortal Elixir indeed included psychic control. Perfect! I really should be able to do this!

Ybur immediately focused his mind, trying to order the gecko: Come here!

The gecko hesitated slightly, then actually ran over. But as it came closer, the gecko's fear and rejection grew stronger, and Ybur felt his head begin to ache until he could no longer bear it—a certain invisible thread maintaining their psychic connection snapped suddenly.

The gecko turned and ran.

But Ybur sprayed a stream of Acid, covering the gecko, then rolled over and ate the little creature.

While digesting the gecko, Ybur thought pensively: At least for now, I've figured out one way to use the God Secret Source, which is to establish a psychic link with other creatures, thereby gaining their senses, thought perceptions, and even issuing commands.

But his spiritual power was still weak; controlling a small gecko had taken a tremendous effort, and in just this short while, he felt mentally drained.

Rest for a while... When I've recovered, I'll find another target for further experiments.

The air around became silent.

Ybur's body moved ever so slightly, digesting while he let his thoughts aimlessly drift, and memories of Ruby occasionally crossed his mind.

Ruby seemed to have had a happy childhood... The images Ybur often recalled were of Ruby running joyfully under the sun, through the grass, and studying the knowledge of Mysticism with a teacher.

How should I put it... Every time these memories come up, Ybur feels a faint longing.

In those memories, Ruby was happy and blessed.

The emotions contained within this memory may have become quite diluted over time, but whenever they surface, Ybur would feel as if he had tasted honey, his heart sweet and content.

But after all, this memory wasn't his own; he was like a child roaming the streets, looking through a shop window at the warmth of another's home. Thus, after yearning, what usually followed was a kind of sunken mood...

Ybur chewed over the delicate emotions inside his heart, as if he were chewing on a gecko inside his body.

After a while, he realized that this feeling was probably called "loneliness."

Ybur savored that subtle sentiment. Understanding another emotion made him feel increasingly "alive," as if he were truly awakening from an ignorant experimental subject and slowly becoming himself, an existent named "Ybur."

The sorrow of loneliness and the joy of rebirth, a complex and delicate emotion, quietly grew within him as his thoughts drifted away. Suddenly, the "Survival Guide" inside him vibrated:

"What's wrong, little black pudding? You getting all sentimental now?"

"..."

Ybur was somewhat speechless.

Sherry, every time I start to have a bit of respect for you, you start talking!

You've ruined the mood!

Sherry seemed to sense his annoyance and chuckled mischievously within Ybur.

But with this interruption, the indescribable sadness also faded a bit. Perhaps Ruby had created Sherry, considering the loneliness he might have felt, so she could keep him company? Even if this fellow was truly annoying...

But as Ybur aimlessly crawled on the ground, after a while, he suddenly said, "By the way, Sherry, do you believe that slimes could dream?"

"What?" Sherry flipped through the pages: "Slimes don't dream, they lack the organs for it, that's what the book says."

"I'm talking about me!"

"You... oh... well, theoretically, it's possible..."

Ybur recounted, "It was like this, earlier, during meditation, I was in a daze, and I seemed to have had a dream, but I didn't tell you at the time, just remembered it now. I dreamed that I had lost all my powers and became a pitiful, wandering slime..."

"Not to be blunt, but aren't you more or less the same right now?"

"Damn it, don't interrupt!" Ybur continued: "Then I could only live under a bridge, scavenging for trash to eat, but luckily I still had you with me..."

"Oh oh oh!" Sherry was rare moved: "It seems you know that books are the most critical spiritual nourishment, the ladder to advancement! Not bad, not bad, it seems I misjudged you previously."

Ybur said, "And then suddenly a homeless man came to steal my stuff to eat, so I picked you up and smashed his head..."

"Go to hell!!" Sherry exploded in anger.