Chapter 5: Practicing Abilities

[ "Keep in mind, host, that honing your skills requires dedication and perseverance. Mastery doesn't happen overnight. Now, shall we proceed with a practical demonstration?" ]

Arata nodded, his eyes bright with excitement.

"Yes, I'll start by trying to sense my mana. Then, once I feel confident, I'll try to activate my abilities."

With that, Arata shut his eyes tight, delving deep into his mind. Despite the darkness, it felt as though he could see the faint glimmer of particles dancing in the air around him.

Using his mental vision, he focused on the glowing ball of energy forming at the center of his slime body. Slowly, he concentrated on drawing in the particles from all around him, as if gathering invisible threads of energy and weaving them into his core.

It was like he was collecting all the hidden energy in the air and storing it inside himself. As he continued, a tingling sensation spread throughout his body, and he could feel the energy responding to his efforts, swirling and buzzing with power inside him.

"Oh, it's working! I can feel the mana flowing within me."

Arata opened his eyes and focused on the task at hand.

"Now, let's give the Water Blast a try."

Taking a deep breath, he recalled the instructions given by the system just moments ago. Closing his eyes once more, he visualized the mana gathered within him.

Arata imagined the flow of mana from his core, guiding it along his inner channels towards his mouth, shaping it into a condensed water sphere.

‧ ⋯ - ☰ Water Blast. ☰ - ⋯ ‧

Opening his eyes, he released the mana-infused water, watching it collide with the tree trunk in success.

As the Water Blast hit the tree trunk, there was a noticeable impact, leaving behind a small dent and causing a few leaves to flutter to the ground. Arata's eyes widened in amazement at the result of his ability.

"Nice. It actually works!"

After successfully casting the Water Blast several times, Arata felt a surge of exhilaration coursing through him. With each attempt, he became more confident in his ability to harness mana and channel it effectively.

However, on his sixth try, Arata found himself unable to sense the mana from his core at all. Frowning in confusion, he turned to the system for answers.

"System, what's happening? I can't sense any mana from my core." Arata voiced his concern.

[ "Answer." ]

[ "It appears that you have exhausted your current mana reserves, host. Mana naturally replenishes over time, so there's no need to worry. You'll be able to use your abilities again once your mana has recovered." ]

Arata nodded in understanding, realizing that he had pushed himself too far in his excitement. Taking note of this limitation, he made a mental calculation.

"So, I can only activate Water Blast five times before needing to recharge. Got it." he muttered to himself, resolving to be more mindful of his mana usage in the future.

After waiting for a couple of minutes, Arata felt a slight replenishment in his mana. Encouraged by this, he focused inward once again, sensing the energy within him.

Feeling a fraction of his mana restored, Arata pondered his next move.

"System, is there a way to increase my mana regeneration?"

[ Yes, host. You can enhance your mana regeneration by actively drawing in mana from your surroundings. Try focusing on gathering the mana particles in your environment and directing them to your core. This will effectively double the speed of your mana regeneration." ]

Arata listened to the system's advice and tried it out. He closed his eyes, focused on gathering mana from the air, and directed it into himself. Soon, he felt his mana returning at a much faster rate.

With his mana fully recovered, Arata decided to give his Scavenge skill a shot.

‧ ⋯ - ☰ Scavenge. ☰ - ⋯ ‧

Extending his senses, he sought out hidden treasures nearby. However, all he could sense were some wooden sticks and rocks scattered around.

"Hmm, just sticks and rocks." Arata muttered disappointedly.

"Well, I guess it's better than nothing. At least I'm starting to get the hang of this Scavenge skill."

Suddenly, a thought struck him. Curious about his own needs as a slime, Arata turned to the system for guidance.

"System, what exactly do I need to eat as a slime?"

[ "Answer." ]

[ "As a slime, host, you possess the remarkable ability to consume a wide range of materials for nourishment. From organic matter like plants and fruits to even non-organic substances, your adaptable digestive system allows you to practically eat anything." ]

"Ah, so I can practically eat anything. That's quite convenient."

Arata, now aware of what he could eat, went to the nearby wooden stick he found with his scavenging skill. He stretched out a part of his jelly-like body toward the stick, wrapping around it softly.

As the stick touched Arata's surface, it began to melt gradually, vanishing into his see-through body. After fully consuming the wooden stick, Arata felt a slight boost in his energy.

"Hmm, it seems that I don't have taste buds anymore." he remarked, realizing the absence of familiar sensations.

"Alright, that's one less thing to worry about. As long as it keeps me going, I'm good with it."

As Arata continued consuming sticks and even ventured to nibble on small rocks, he noticed that after a few moments of eating rocks, his energy didn't increase any further. Despite not feeling full and knowing he could continue eating, it became apparent that he had already consumed enough for his energy.

"It's just a waste of time to keep eating." Arata concluded. Seeking confirmation, he asked the system if his assumption was correct.

[ "Answer." ]

[ "Host, your observation is correct. Your energy needs have been met, and further consumption at this time would yield no additional benefit. ]

"Gotcha, thanks." he replied. "Regardless, now I know when to stop munching on everything in sight."

Satisfied with his progress, Arata felt ready to explore further. Looking up, he saw the sun starting to lower in the sky.

"It's said to get more dangerous once night falls. But I wonder, is there really a night in this world? I know time flies, but some parts of the world can't go dark, right?"

[ "Answer." ]

[ "Indeed, host. While it's possible for some parts of the world to experience endless daylight due to the rotational period of a planet, there are also regions where it gets nighttime. It depends on various factors such as the planet's axial tilt and its orbit around its sun." ]

Considering what the system said, Arata thought about what to do next. The idea of darkness didn't concern him much at the moment.

"I'll start moving."

"Nightfall will come when it does. Right now, I need to focus on finishing these missions to earn more tickets for the next simulation."

Initially, Arata struggled a bit with his new form. Without feet to walk on, he found himself hopping and sliding, trying to find his balance. But as he moved, he grew more accustomed to his slime body, adapting to the terrain.

With each squishy step, he became more confident, his movements becoming smoother and less clumsy.

"Huh, this isn't so bad after all."

"I mean, sure, it's a bit different from walking, but I can get used to this jumping and gliding thing."