Chapter 3 - Void Slime Powers

Kayn saw a shadowy figure watching him. It was difficult to make out any details, but judging by the silhouette, it looked human.

"Hey," he yelled. "Who are you?"

The shadow moved the moment Kayn's voice rang out. Without hesitation, it turned and ran.

Despite his fear, Kayn sprinted after it. But the thick vegetation and the figure's incredible speed made the chase impossible. Within moments, it had vanished.

Kayn sighed, frustrated with his own tracking skills.

"Was that really a human?" he wondered.

He still had no idea what had happened to the other people who had been frozen like him. Had they awakened? Or had they all perished?

It was possible that he was the only one left with memories of the old world.

The only way to find out was to track down another human.

Kayn returned to the river. A water source was exactly the kind of thing humans would look for when building a tribe or something similar, so Kayn figured it was a good idea to follow the river.

It was just a guess, though. While it was common for people to settle near rivers, what if this river didn't have a tribe? What if nearly all humans had died, and the entire region he was in was empty?

But it was worth the risk. He was already there, so why not go for it?

The sound of the flowing water was soothing, but Kayn couldn't help glancing over his shoulder, afraid the shadow might still be watching him from behind the trees.

The encounter had been unsettling, especially because he was alone in the middle of the forest.

Thankfully, no one seemed to be following him—or at least, he hadn't noticed.

Kayn walked and walked, his legs starting to ache. He was not the fitness type.

Hours passed, and night drew closer, yet there were still no signs of a village or any humans.

That was bad.

"At least nothing attacked me," he thought, trying to stay positive.

He had to find a place to spend the night. The bunker was too far away to be worth going back to.

So, he needed another option. A cave would be the easiest to find.

Building a shelter in just a few hours, without tools, was nearly impossible, so Kayn accepted the fact that he might have to sleep in a cave—which came with its own risks.

Other creatures surely thought the same way, seeking caves for shelter. The chances of stumbling upon a creature inside were high.

But at least it would keep him warm. The wind was biting, cutting against his skin, and there were beasts lurking outside as well. All things considered, a cave still seemed like the best choice.

Kayn searched for hours before finally spotting a cave he could use as shelter.

With his sharp stone in hand—the only weapon he had—he stepped inside.

He kept the stone ready to strike at anything that might attack, but nothing did.

A few old bones were scattered in one corner, but they looked ancient. If a predator had once lived there, it seemed to be long gone.

The cave was small, which Kayn preferred. Fewer places for creatures to hide, and it wasn't too dark inside.

After securing his shelter, he left the cave to gather materials for a fire. Thanks to his knowledge, starting one wouldn't be difficult.

There were plenty of sticks, moss, and stones around to get it going. The weather was on his side too—if it had been raining, things would have been much harder.

Once the fire crackled to life, warmth spread through his body, making him feel like he was in heaven.

During the day, the temperature had been tolerable, but at night? In the middle of the forest? It was brutally cold.

"This is so good," he muttered, holding his hands close to the flames.

His Void Slime sat beside him, still as ever. It didn't eat, didn't move much, didn't speak.

Kayn wished he had someone to talk to, but just having the slime there made him feel a little less alone.

His stomach growled. He needed food, but there was none. Going out to hunt at night was a terrible idea.

Foraging for fruit wasn't an option either. The world had changed, and he couldn't be sure which ones were safe to eat.

One wrong berry, and he could end up dead. It was a common mistake in wilderness survival.

So, he needed another plan.

"I could try fishing in that river tomorrow," he thought.

Making a fishing rod and finding bait would be much easier than crafting a proper weapon for hunting.

A bow and arrow? That would take tools he didn't have, so the fishing rod was the better option. But first of all, he had to survive the night...

The night had been rough. Kayn didn't have a proper place to sleep inside the cave.

He had put together a makeshift bed using vegetation from outside, but it barely helped. His back ached like hell. The hard stones beneath him made sure of that.

Throughout the night, he kept waking up. The campfire kept him warm and gave him enough light to see his surroundings, but every time a sound disturbed his sleep, he felt like someone was there.

That shadow from the other day still haunted his mind. Every time he glanced into the darkness, he swore he saw it again.

Was it just his imagination? Or was the shadow really out there?

By the time morning came, Kayn was exhausted. He woke up as early as he could—though it wasn't that early. His body was more drained than he had expected.

Maybe it was because this was the first time he had moved so much since waking up from being frozen for who knows how long.

The fire had burned out.

He stepped outside and checked the time using the position of the sun. Thanks to his scouting knowledge, he guessed it was around 10 a.m.

"10 a.m.… I really overslept," he muttered.

His thirst was unbearable, so he headed back to the river.

Since he hadn't gotten sick from drinking the water yesterday, he figured it was safe.

Reaching the river didn't take long. It was massive, stretching across a huge portion of the forest.

Kayn drank deeply and then decided to clean himself up. The crystal-clear water allowed him to see the riverbed, making sure there were no dangerous creatures lurking beneath the surface.

With that out of the way, he had a new mission: build a fishing rod, craft an angler, and gather some bait.

The first thing he needed was a stick. It had to be the right size and flexible enough to work as a fishing rod.

That turned out to be harder than Kayn had expected.

He searched everywhere near the river, but nothing seemed suitable.

"The angler is going to be a problem too… Fuck," he muttered, frustrated.

That's when something unexpected happened.

For the first time, his Void Slime communicated with him. It didn't speak, but it jumped a few times, staring at him as if trying to say something.

Kayn raised an eyebrow. "I need something to fish. A spear? Do you know what a spear is?"

He gestured with his hands, mimicking a stabbing motion, hoping the slime would understand.

It worked.

Or maybe the slime already understood him perfectly. Either way, what happened next was incredible.

The Void Slime began shifting, its form twisting and stretching until—

It became a spear.

Kayn's system immediately displayed its information.

[Slime Spear (Level 1)]

[Damage: 35-45]

[Durability: Unbreakable]

His eyes widened in disbelief.

This was insane.

The Void Slime, which had seemed useless until now, suddenly opened up a world of possibilities.

Kayn's mind raced with ideas. Could it change into anything?

"Can you turn into a fishing rod too?" he asked, describing its shape and function.

The Void Slime responded immediately. Its form shifted once again.

[Slime Fishing Rod (Level 1)][Damage: 2-2]

Not only did it look like a fishing rod, but it also had a built-in string and angler.

All Kayn needed now was bait.

He knelt by the riverbank, digging through the soil with his hands until he found a few worms—more than enough to catch some fish.

Sitting on the edge of the river, he cast his line. A dark, shifting fishing rod made of slime? It was oddly badass.

It didn't take long.

A fish bit.

With one strong pull, Kayn reeled it in. It was huge.

His stomach growled as he grinned. Without hesitation, he grabbed the fish and made his way back to the cave.

Before he could even ask, the slime changed again—this time into a knife.

Kayn wasted no time. He cleaned the fish, then rekindled his campfire. Skewering the fish on a stick, he cooked it over the flames.

No seasoning. No fancy tools.

But when he took the first bite, it tasted incredible.

Hunger was the best seasoning of all.

He devoured the fish, then went back for another.

By the time he finished his second, he finally felt satisfied.

Now, he needed carbs.

His thoughts drifted to the fruits and berries he had seen earlier. It was risky—eating the wrong one could kill him—but surviving on just protein wouldn't work for long.

Still, he decided to wait.

His body could handle a few more days like this. No need to take unnecessary risks.

"Where should I go next?" Kayn wondered.

Now that his body had fuel, he was eager to continue his search for humans. Once again, he decided to follow the river.

But as the hours dragged on with no sign of life, doubt began creeping in.

Was this really the best approach?

The entire day passed without a single clue—until late afternoon.

That's when he found something.

Kayn crouched near the damp soil close to the riverbank. His sharp eyes caught a set of footprints pressed into the wet dirt.

Not just one or two.

At least four.

"Footprints…" he murmured, his heart pounding.

This could be good, or it could also mean Kayn was in trouble. He was, after all, alone.