Slimy Research(Part 2)

But let's get back to my slime research. I'm also toying with the idea of creating something better than a bodysuit, but that's gotta wait a bit.

One thing that sets me apart from how Shadow Garden handles slime jelly is that my Magical Power has gotten sharp enough to slice through stuff with just a touch. I can cut through human flesh using a simple strand of slime jelly infused with mana.

What's more, when the human body gets sliced this way, the healing process hits a serious snag, and no defensive skill can stop it.

The thing is, even if a tiny bit of slime jelly hangs around in a human's body, it still carries traces of my Magical Power. That means it keeps on cutting wherever the injury is, shutting down any chance of healing.

Now, isn't that just a delightful little side effect?

As a result, as long as I have mana, I can have someone bleed to death if they're not careful enough.

As deadly as this effect is against an opponent, it's a bit of a headache for me too. The slime jelly can slice through my own defenses in the same nasty way.

[Turtle Shell] might as well take a coffee break—it's useless. Even my [Perfect Human Body] can't figure out how to stop the cuts if the slime gets too close.

And, here's the kicker—I'm powerless to halt this whole thing. It's like an unwelcome bonus, thanks to my [Sword] making [Mana] bow to it or something...

There's a silver lining to this mess, though.

Every time [Turtle Shell] is completely destroyed like this, it recreates itself back even sturdier. So, I guess that's a win-win situation.

I can't quite put my finger on why this happens—whether it's another loophole or if there are some specific conditions. But you can bet I'll milk this advantage for all it's worth.

While I went about my business, I made sure there was a dab of slime jelly stuck to my palm, keeping this whole process rolling on its own.

Hehehe, when was the last time I milked a loophole like this?

For a bunch of reasons, I was grinning ear to ear. One of them being that, once again, I've kicked the [Weakest] Combat Prowess to the curb!

[Status: Healthy

Level: 100

Mana Pathways: Perfect

Combat Prowess: Weakest ➔ Weak

Martial Arts: Karate(Lv.1)

Sword Arts: Sky Art(Sky Footwork(Lv. 23 ➔ 30), Sky Sword Technique(Lv. 23 ➔ 30), Sky Slash(Lv.5 ➔ 15))

Active Skills: Cooking Master(Lv.6), Turtle Shell(Lv. 15 ➔ 21), Mirage Veil(Lv.9 ➔ 12), Overload(Lv.13 ➔ 16), Shadow Step(Lv.1)

Passive Skills: Body Control(Lv.3 ➔ 4), Absolute Awareness(Lv.3 ➔ 4), Perfect Human Body(Lv.23 ➔ 29), Limit Breaker(Lv. MAX), Mana Control(Lv.11 ➔ 23)

Growth Skill: Strength

Magic: Body Strengthening(Lv.3 ➔ 11), Sword Infusion(Lv.3 ➔ 10), Equipment Enhancement(Lv. 9)(NEW!), Slime Manipulation(Lv.19)(NEW!)

Talent: Sword(Lv. 23 ➔ 27), Movement(Lv.23 ➔ 27), Wisdom(Lv.23 ➔ 27), Intuition(Lv.23 ➔ 27), Body(Lv.23 ➔ 27), Determination(Lv.23 ➔ 27), Mana(Lv.13 ➔ 21)

Awakening: Sword(5.3%)

You have 19 unused Skill Points]

[You have to wait 25 days until you can return to your consciousness]

This time around, oddly enough, there were no quests nudging me to do simple stuff for a quick level-up.

I'm guessing, since there's no ticking clock this time, I won't be able to score those rapid level boosts like I did in the First Trial.

But hey, I'm not losing any sleep over it.

I've got a stash of 19 Skill Points just sitting there, untouched and waiting for the right moment.

I ain't messing with them until I really need to. You never know what twists the System might pull on skills—stuff I can't even see coming right now. Better to play it safe and keep growing stronger on my own, especially since I'm not hitting any walls at the moment.

Sure, I've made some good strides this time, but it's still not enough to take on the monsters lurking in the shadows. Time to kick it up a notch and get even stronger...

"...Why are you wearing a lab coat? No, forget I asked. It seems you're done with your research for today, right? Now, you can spar with me!"

I let out a sigh.

It's all about playing the part of a researcher! You've never watched Steins;Gate. You'll never get the thrill of donning a lab coat and feeling like the next Hououin Kyouma...!

Anyway, here I am, doing all this to get stronger and save you, but hey, it's not like I can spill the beans on that.

"...Alright."

Even though I'm holding back a lot, it's pretty darn impressive. The girl who used to struggle to even hold her ground for 10 minutes against me is now pushing it to 20-25 minutes.

I've toyed with the idea of just letting loose and making her face the crushing reality of an unbeatable opponent, but honestly, I'm not sure if that's what she needs right now.

She's making strides at her own pace, so I'll let her be for a while.

Although forcing her to develop is good, it may convert in a flaw which will only be discovered later if she keeps advancing that way.

I might not be a sword master just yet, but damn, I've devoured tons of books on them. Just thinking back to those hours stuck in the library brings on a wave of nostalgia.

But I cannot lose myself in those memories.

I have no choice but keep on pushing forward.

---

Author's Note:

For the Steins;Gate fans reading this, I greet you fellas.

Can you guess what kind of Special Technique Akira wants to create using slimes?

It's just random hints, I won't expect anyone to go even closer to the truth, but it's fun to see what you come up with, lol.

Hint 1: It's an AOE Special Technique, but its effect decreases the further you go from the epicenter.

Hint 2: Exploooooosion! - Megumin

For Patrons: Next chapter will soon be ready! I will study for like 3-4 hours and then I'll finish working on it before posting. It's another really long one, so yeah...