Chapter 87: Adaptive Slime
Liam could barely keep his eyes open.
The swamp had become a blurry mess of shadows, roots, and tiny lights. All around him, the roots of the enormous plant twisted and writhed, trapping Chuck and Emily while Owen remained unconscious in the mud.
The buzzing of the mosquitoes was getting closer and closer.
’’I have to do something...’’
But the effect of the spores was too strong.
Then Liam remembered the flower he had taken from Owen’s bag.
He pulled it out with difficulty and stared at it for a few seconds.
’’If this thing was responsible for attracting the mosquitoes... maybe Lydia can consume it.’’
He reached out toward Lydia.
"Honey... consume this."
His Slime Wife took the flower between her hands and squeezed.
The gelatinous mass enveloped the petals, and the sharp edges disappeared inside her body.
Immediately, several messages appeared before Liam’s eyes.
[Your Slime has consumed a Swamp Carnivorous Flower.]
[Your Slime has reached Level 60.]
Liam smiled.
’’We did it...’’
Level sixty, finally.
But he no longer had the strength to stay awake.
The sound of the mosquitoes grew distant. The roots began approaching his body, and just before his eyes closed completely, Liam caught a glimpse of Lydia beginning to glow.
"Ly...dia..."
His body fell forward.
The little slime covering his body expanded beneath him, cushioning his fall.
And Liam lost consciousness.
◇◆◇
Lydia opened her eyes, noticing how her body had changed.
Her silhouette retained its feminine shape, with arms, legs, a head, and hair molded from her own body, but everything was made of a green gelatinous mass.
Lydia looked around.
Then she found Liam.
"Honey..."
Her husband was unconscious a few meters away from her.
Several roots began moving toward him.
Lydia took a worried step forward.
But then a voice echoed directly inside her mind.
’Don’t worry. I’m fine.’
Lydia froze.
"Liam?"
’Yes.’
The voice was unmistakable.
’I can see through your eyes.’
Lydia looked at her own hands.
"I don’t understand..."
’Neither do I. But I think it has something to do with your evolution.’
Liam could see the world through his wife’s eyes.
’The system says you evolved.’
Lydia felt an overwhelming sense of excitement run through her body.
"Into what?"
’Adaptive Slime.’
Lydia tilted her head.
"Adaptive?"
’It seems you now have an ability to adapt to different situations. I don’t understand exactly how it works yet.’
Lydia smiled.
"So... I evolved?"
’Yes. And I think my abilities as a Tamer evolved as well.’
"How?"
’It seems to be part of [Call]. Before, I could communicate with you through thoughts, but now it seems I can perceive what you perceive even while my body is unconscious.’
Lydia looked toward Liam.
"That’s incredible."
’And now we have a problem.’
The buzzing returned, and with it, thousands of tiny insects approached through the mist.
Lydia raised her head.
"The mosquitoes."
’Be careful.’
"I don’t think they can do anything to me."
’Maybe. But first, free the group.’
Lydia nodded.
She approached Chuck and Emily, who were still trapped by the roots.
"What should I do? Use Laser Shot?"
’No.’
Lydia blinked.
’You could cut the roots, yes, but we don’t know how close they are to the plant’s body. Use your Acid Bubbles.’
"Understood."
’And use the slimes covering their bodies to protect them.’
Lydia raised both hands.
[Acid Bubble]
Several small bubbles began forming around her fingers.
Then they shot forward.
The bubbles struck the roots.
Fssssss!
The vegetation began to burn.
The roots writhed violently and released Chuck and Emily before retreating into the swamp water.
Emily fell to her knees.
Chuck ended up sitting in the mud, still confused.
Lydia watched as the roots disappeared.
’It seems they’re part of the sub-boss’s body.’
"Then we have to find it."
But there was no time.
The swarm of mosquitoes appeared in front of them.
Lydia raised one hand, pointing her index finger as if it were a gun.
[Laser Shot.]
A beam of light pierced through the swarm.
Several mosquitoes disappeared, but hundreds more continued advancing.
Lydia stepped backward.
"There are too many."
’Don’t attack them.’
Lydia looked toward Liam.
’Try to consume them.’
"Consume them?"
’Yes.’
Lydia smiled.
"Alright."
Her body began to expand.
The gelatinous mass stretched like an enormous wall and surrounded the entire swarm of mosquitoes.
The insects became trapped inside her.
Then the mosquitoes began biting her.
Her gelatinous body began deforming wherever the insects sank their stingers into her.
Liam watched the messages appearing before his eyes.
[Adaptation activated.]
[Analyzing...]
[Adaptation Progress: 25%.]
Lydia watched in confusion as a dark substance began entering her body through the stingers.
"What’s happening?"
’Don’t consume them yet.’
"But they’re inside me."
’Wait.’
[Adaptation Progress: 41%.]
The mosquitoes continued biting.
Lydia felt the venom spreading throughout her body.
However, she felt no pain.
"I think I can handle it."
’Your poison resistance must be helping you.’
[Adaptation Progress: 63%.]
Lydia kept her body extended.
The mosquitoes continued trying to escape, slamming against the walls of her body.
Liam watched every change.
’Come on...’
[Adaptation Progress: 78%.]
[Adaptation Progress: 91%.]
The gelatinous mass began to vibrate.
Lydia gritted her teeth.
’Just a little more.’
[Adaptation Progress: 99%.]
Liam held his breath.
[Adaptation complete.]
Lydia’s body changed.
The gelatinous mass that had previously been green began taking on another color.
At first, there were only small patches.
Then the change spread throughout her entire body.
The green disappeared.
The Slime was now purple.
Exactly the same color as the strange venom the mosquitoes had injected into her.
Liam was stunned.
’The adaptation is complete.’
Lydia looked at her hands.
"What does this mean?"
’I don’t know yet.’
Lydia smiled.
"Then we’ll have to find out."
Her body began to contract.
The enormous mass surrounding the mosquitoes returned to its original size.
And then Lydia consumed them.
All of them.
The swarm disappeared inside her body.
Lydia returned to her feminine form.
Her silhouette remained the same, but she was now completely made of a purple gelatinous mass.
Her eyes glowed.
Liam could see exactly what she saw.
Further ahead, an enormous white plant writhed.
The roots slammed against the water.
The petals opened and closed violently.
It seemed to be suffering.
Lydia took a step toward it.
"Honey..."
’Yes.’
"I think I found the enemy."
’Me too.’
The enormous plant let out a high-pitched shriek that made the entire swamp vibrate.
Lydia raised her arms.
Her new purple body began emitting a strange energy.
’It looks like our new ability is about to be put to the test.’
Lydia smiled.
"Then let’s rip this problem out by the roots."