Battle

 The slime lunged toward Andrew at a surprising speed.

Andrew sidestepped, bringing his sword up just in time. He swung it with practiced precision. The time he spent as a kid copying his elder brother swinging his sword had finally paid off.

But as the blade made contact, it skidded off the slime's surface, slipping in a way he didn't expect. The sword's edge barely grazed the creature, and its body seemed to flow back together, undisturbed.

"So slippery..." Andrew muttered, his grip tightening. The slime quivered, recoiling briefly before it pulsed forward again.

The grip of the leather-wrapped hilt felt natural in his hand.

The slime launched itself again, faster this time. Andrew pivoted smoothly, raising his sword to deflect. The blade slid uselessly off the slime's slick surface, nearly flying from his hands. He tightened his grip, frustration flickering across his face.

He braced himself, tightening his grip on the hilt. With another lunge, he swung again, this time aiming for its core. The slime quivered violently, its movement slowing. Taking a deep breath, Andrew focused on the ability he had glimpsed earlier Ability Steal.

He extended his free hand toward the creature, willing the absorption process to start.

Nothing happened.

Andrew muttered, frowning. He tried again, this time stepping closer and reaching out. The slime darted forward unexpectedly, forcing Andrew to dodge and stumble. It was so slippery that getting a grip on it seemed nearly impossible. Frustration boiled in his chest.

"Fine," swinging his sword again to weaken it further. With a desperate maneuver, he pinned the creature against the ground, its gelatinous form squelching under the blade. Pressing his palm firmly against its body, Andrew felt a strange sensation—like threads of energy slowly unraveling and weaving into him.

The process was agonizingly slow, the resistance tangible. Only when the slime was near death did its resistance fade, and the transfer quickened. Andrew gasped as the creature's body dissolved into a puddle of clear liquid, leaving behind a faint warmth in his palm.

A soft, glowing notification blinked into Andrew's vision, momentarily distracting him from his labored breaths:

[Ability Acquired: Slippery Secretion]

Your body can secrete a slippery, clear slime. Useful for defense or evasion.

He lowered his sword, its blade still dripping with remnants of the slime. He leaned against a nearby tree for support.

For a moment, he simply stared at the notification, the words blurring slightly as he wiped sweat from his brow.

"Slippery secretion?" Andrew muttered, skepticism creeping into his tone. He pushed himself upright, brushing away his fatigue, and decided to test it. 

A strange sensation followed—a tingling warmth that spread across his arms. Slowly, a clear, oily substance began to seep from his skin, glistening faintly in the dappled light. Andrew watched as it coated his arms, its texture resembling the slime.

He hesitated before touching it, the substance sliding effortlessly across his fingertips. "Slick, alright," he murmured, marveling at how unnaturally smooth it felt.

A small smile tugged at his lips. This could come in handy.

Andrew willed the secretion to stop, and, almost immediately, the slime began to drip away, pooling on the ground before evaporating into the humid air. 

Satisfied, he adjusted his grip on his sword and turned his attention back to the jungle. The cacophony of distant chirps and rustling leaves had quieted, replaced by an intermittent cracking sound. Andrew froze, his instincts sharpening. His eyes scanned the dim canopy, tracing the sound to its source.

There, in the distance, a faintly glowing figure emerged. It was a golem, its stone-like body riddled with cracks that pulsed faintly with inner light.

Andrew's jaw tightened.

He approached cautiously, each step deliberate. The soft ground muffled his movement, but the golem's glowing eyes shifted toward him regardless. It turned, its cracked body creaking, then lunged with surprising speed.

Andrew threw himself to the side, his boots skidding across the ground. He wasn't fast enough. The creature's heavy arm grazed him, sending him sprawling onto his back. The air rushed from his lungs as pain flared in his side, but he forced himself upright, gripping his sword with trembling hands.

The golem advanced. Andrew swung his sword in a wide arc, aiming for its arm. The blade met solid stone and ricocheted harmlessly off, leaving only a faint scratch.

"Perfect," Andrew muttered, frustration thick in his voice. He stepped back, buying himself a moment to think. His fingers twitched.

He activated the slippery secretion again, feeling the now-familiar sensation spread across his arms. The viscous coating gave him an idea—one that might buy him a chance.

The golem swung again, its massive arm arcing toward him. Andrew ducked, dropping low and sliding beneath the creature's reach, the slick coating on his skin allowing him to slip effortlessly along the ground. The golem staggered, briefly thrown off balance.

Andrew seized the moment, driving his blade toward the glowing cracks on its torso. The impact sent vibrations up his arms, but the golem hardly faltered. Its body pulsed, glowing brighter, as though taunting him.

Before Andrew could strike again, a fiery streak cut through the gloom. A flaming arrow struck the golem's chest, embedding itself deep in the glowing cracks. The creature froze, its movements stuttering before its body erupted into shards of stone and light.

Andrew spun toward the direction of the arrow, his pulse still racing. A figure emerged from the shadows—a man with reddish hair, a bow slung casually over his back, and a crooked smirk.

"Nice fight," the man said, his tone light but confident. "Though it looked like you were about to lose that one."

Andrew straightened, brushing dirt from his sleeve. "Could've handled it," he replied. "I was going to beat it."

The man responded. "I don't know. It looked like it would have taken you a long while." He then looked at Andrew for a second. "First time seeing you... You're a fresh system chosen?"

"Did my clothes give me away?"

"Yeah, a bit so. You're here by yourself...?" He looked around.

"No."

"I'll take that as a lie. I would do the same if I were in your position. But whatever. My name is Kellen."

Andrew nodded, still catching his breath. "Andrew... Thanks for the help. Even if I didn't really need it."

Kellen stepped closer, crouching beside the scattered remains of the shattered golem. From its crumbled chest, he extracted a small blue glowing orb.

"Don't be too confident. This place is crawling with tougher creatures than that." Kellen said, standing and brushing dust off his pants. 

"You're serious?"

"Yep. I killed some earlier. When you're done here, what do you plan to do?"

"I'm not too sure. I don't have a guide."

"Hmm... There's a city nearby—Nerthudan. It's a hub for people like us. Guilds, weapons, armor, training... everything you'll need to get stronger."

"Nerthudan..." Andrew repeated under his breath. He heard a lot about it as a kid. "Never been there before."

Kellen slipped the core into his belt. "Lucky for you, I'm heading there myself."

He opened his mouth to thank Kellen, but before the words could leave his lips, the air around them shimmered, a faint ripple like heat rising from pavement.

"What—?" Andrew started, his voice cutting off as the jungle around him began to dissolve. Trees, shadows, and even the scattered remains of the golem faded into a swirling haze. He blinked, disoriented, as the vibrant greens of the wilderness were replaced by muted, barren earth. The ground beneath his feet felt strange—firmer, grittier—and the humid jungle air was gone, replaced by something sharper and hotter.

Andrew looked around. "Where even are we?"