Chapter: Eleven

Luckily, Bob’s stunned state had more to do with him than any special ability on the slime’s part. Outside of it, you know, being an abomination in the eyes of God and man.

This meant that he lost little more than a moment – spent marveling in horror at the glistening mass’s newfound elocution skills – before swiftly continuing his escape. The slime an uncomfortably close distance behind him.

And unfortunately, still very vocal.

‘Eat… Hungry…” The slime somehow spoke into his head; while at the same time transferring its body from one stalagmite to another in pursuit.

Bob did his best to ignore the voice. As well as the implied psychic connection to an undulating blob of underwater goo. His mind focused instead on turning himself right to avoid the slime cutting him off. Something his ‘armor’ was making almost hilariously difficult.

Bob considered trying to abandon it, but quickly realized that by the time he’d manage to squeeze his way out, the slime would already be halfway through digesting him. Instead, he began trying to violently jerk his front half to the side while continuing to inch away; working to both mildly alter his direction and begin further tearing the material of the bracer. Eventually breaking away enough to enable a halfway decent right turn.

Just in time for the slime to wind up another attempt to smash him into the dirt.

Whether it be due to the damage he’d caused to the bracer, or simply bad luck, Bob’s third desperate attempt to jump away wasn’t quite as successful as his first two. Managing to leap up and slightly to the side, but not enough so that the massive downward swing didn’t graze him.

The blow hit with far more force than Bob expected, the impact blasting him to the side and sending him into a wild spin through the water. Though, to his mildly maligned armor’s credit, dealing him no actual damage. At least according to the system.

Luckily, it also sent him a decent span away from his pursuer. Even if he felt hard-pressed to take advantage of that fact in his disoriented and, strangely, nauseous state. Not that this was the proper time to indulge in curiosity for his anatomical anomalies.

As he regained his bearings, Bob could see the slime was still after him. It seemed oddly unwilling to touch the ground, traveling from spire to spire; clinging tightly to each one before letting go. It only had two more to travel before it would be on him.

Which meant very little time for hesitation.

Bob acted quickly, making a choice which could quite literally be life or death.

He opened his menu.

Ding!

Evasion Path Skill Acquired:

Dodge(E)

‘Oh, thank God.’ Bob whispered to himself.

Before instantly being reminded that good news in this world doesn’t travel alone. And is rarely in pleasant company.

Ding!

‘Dodge(E)’ Cannot be currently be used as your Active Skill Roster is full.

Replace Skill in Active Skill Roster with ‘Dodge(E)’?

Yes/No

Yes! Add Dodge to my skill list! Yes! Bob screamed internally as he watched the slime move to the next stalagmite.

Which Skill would you like to replace on your Active Skill Roster?

Bite(F) Level: 5

Taun–

Bite! Just get rid of Bite you worthless, piece of shit system! Quickly! Bob screamed as he began to awkwardly inch away while still staring at his screen.

Only to instantly stiffen, an alien and effusive mixture of pleasure and pain ripping through his body. It was like the pins-and-needles feeling of a limb falling asleep, mixed with the pleasant tingle of a deep, blood-rushing morning stretch. Only molded into a full-body sensation and multiplied by about a hundred.

For the already off-balance and disoriented Bob, the sensation proved more than enough to knock him for a loop. His body falling bonelessly, or at least more bonelessly than usual, to the ground beneath him.

Ding!

Skill swap successful!

Dodge(E) has replaced Bite(F) in your Active Skill List!

The alert managed to break Bob out of the swoon that the Skill change had slapped him into. He looked up just as the window began to fade away.

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Only to be replaced by the slimy appendage of his would-be murderer.

Time seemed to slow for a moment as the tentacle descended upon him, his desperate desire to escape seemingly magnified into something more as he felt the fresh activation of a new Skill rush through his system.

Ding!

Dodge(E) has leveled up!

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