Chapter 08: System gift

For the first time, I felt a little pain since I came into this world. However, it did not pain from my outer body but from within me. More specifically, from inside my "core of origin."

I assumed it was my soul receiving energy large enough for the current me, a sort of bottleneck-breaking process, as cultivators liked to call it.

With a breaking sound, a surge of energy relieving me from deep within my soul that was possibly inside the core spread through my gelatinous body at the same time as a familiar floating window appeared in front of me along with a monotone voice reading the wave.

[Initiating the process of <First Evolution>. Next, choose your humanoid body]

I could not think about the anterior notification for long as two small floating windows appeared in front of me, side by side.

[Previous life appearance]

[Custom appearance]

'...'

If I had a mouth right now, I would be grinning from ear to ear with excitement.

'Yes, baby, this is what I've been waiting for all this time!'

My pathetic, round shape restricted my movements too much; hell, I don't even have limbs!

'Please, please let my goose keep hanging down.'

I hesitated a bit, but in the end, I opted for the first option and prayed to myself like a mantra while a blue slime from a particular anime came to mind.

While I still had some hatred for my appearance from my past life, I was starting to like it, at least now. Anything was better than being a slime; I can only hope my sex organ holds up; while it's true I've never used it, I can't imagine a life without my life partner.

'Lord almighty, that's all I ask of you...'.

As I waited for the impossible to happen, my body began to emit a bright and powerful golden light. Before I closed my eyes so they wouldn't burn, I could catch that about twenty meters around me had been illuminated.

I felt my body trembling and expanding, and, at the same time, I had a strange sensation of abrupt growth in some parts of my body.

I assumed it was my limbs, which turned out to be correct, as I could soon feel my fists clenching and unclenching with a strange, unnatural sensation. It was different from the sense conveyed by my human body.

Several minutes later, I opened my eyes, and my vision was blocked by grasses and some other types of vegetation. I slowly put strength into my new arms that I still couldn't manage enough to get up.

I wobbled a couple of times but managed to stand up.

"... Golden," I mumbled loudly, my voice sounding a little hoarse.

"Aren't I supposed to have no vocal cords? Meh, who cares right now."

Two silky golden bangs caught my attention. They were fluffy and fell to the level of my chin. However, it was clear that I had chosen the look from my previous life, which meant my hair must be black.

"Damn it! It was noticeable enough before, and now I even possess golden hair that completely outshines the gold itself."

"Oh, right...". Remembering the most important thing, with a bit of fear, I lowered my face and couldn't help but clench my fists in joy.

"Hahaha! I knew my little brother wouldn't abandon me, leaving me as genderless slime." I laughed good-naturedly as I looked at what was dangling in my crotch.

It's a shame I didn't use this tool in my past life. However, I can only hope that this life won't be like the last one where girls avoid me like they've seen a man for the first time; I bet even they didn't know the exact amount of men that had snuck under their skirts.

I sighed and realized that my sense of sight was much more perceptive than when I possessed my slime appearance. I could pick up even the tiny insects that wandered under the grass. Somehow, I could even hear the slightest rustle produced by their footsteps.

This meant that the passive skill "Wave Reader" was working better now, allowing me to hear from about a hundred meters away. However, it wasn't all in bloom; it was pretty annoying to listen to the monsters' roars as if they had put a speaker near my ear to scream.

"Sigh~ I guess I'll just have to get used to this..... On the other hand, I can't feel the natural warmth of my body; I'm like an undead. I also can't breathe, and the sense of touch feels weird...shit, I can't smell either."

[Continuing with the customization of human appearance. Please choose the aspects you want your human appearance to possess]

[Human sense of touch]

[Human sense of taste]

[Human sense of hearing]

[Human sense of sight]

[Human sense of smell]

[Accept] [Omit]

My eyes widened in surprise as I looked at the screen that had interrupted my curse. I had to thank the system for appearing at a relatively reasonable time as if it had managed to read my mind.

"I don't need the sense of hearing since I have the skill of "Wave Reader." It also doesn't make sense to choose human sight considering the ability of these sights that can see even ants dancing with their partners."

"Well...".

Putting an end to my thoughts, I chose human touch, the sense of taste, and the sense of smell.

Accepting my choices, the hologram screen glowed, and, to my surprise, dissolved and golden particles entered my body.

Instantly I could feel the changes.

My newly acquired senses are much more sensitive than an average human's. For example, my sense of smell could pick up the unmistakable aroma of nature, the fragrant scents of flowers, and the nauseating smell of blood wafting in the atmosphere.

Although I had no blood or similar fluid flowing through my body, I could feel the heat coming from my body like any other living human. The gentle breath of the wind caressed my face while the warmth of the sunlight nourished my skin.

I poked my arm, intending to check something, and, as expected, the pain was non-existent, just a slight tingling that soon disappeared. As expected from a "Pain Denial" skill, I felt no pain even after gaining my sense of touch.

I didn't know how the senses worked without the organs; however, I honestly didn't care since I could enjoy both the taste of food and feel the warmth of the world.

"My senses are a bit exaggerated, but otherwise, I have no complaints."

I mumbled with a tone of contentment with my hands at my sides; this position would be more convincing if I had some clothing covering my happily swaying little brother...

"Huh? This isn't over?" I questioned as I saw another screen appear in front of me.

[Congratulations! One step is the beginning of a thousand-mile marathon. You have taken a step toward conquering existence.

As a welcome, the system wants to reward you]

[Accept] [Reject]

"Pfft, I wonder where it comes up with these phrases, this system. Well, I guess it's not so bad, though...".

The reward came relatively late, considering I had already spent quite a few days with this system.

Although I was hesitant to accept it, as I didn't want some crap to appear in front of me that would put me in mortal danger, in the end, I got it.

"..."

Sacrifice rewards you with good gifts... that's what I would say if what I had in front of me was worthy, like those rewards in the novels by a system I once read.

An article of clothing, mistake, a white pajama with a cute panda bear figure carved on the chest was suspiciously folded on the grass. On top of it was a black-colored shoe, and right next to it was a katana with a shiny edge and a corked blade.

"Where are my Divine Rank skills and cool weapons that can split the continent into two halves?"

I couldn't help but curse as my expression darkened and my lips twitched.

"Well, let's see. Maybe they're not so bad." I tried to calm down and moved forward to pick up the pajamas.

"Man, how haaard is it to at least give me normal clothes?"

Pretty soft to the touch. That raised my expectations a bit and so, wanting to recognize the object, a holographic screen was projected onto it.

[Item: Sleeping pajamas.

Item Type: Clothes.

Item rank: Normal.

Description: Fiendishly soft pajamas made from the fur of a poor <Soft Panda>. Pretty good]

"Huh? Just that...? What a crock."

With a shrug and no other clothes to cover me, I reluctantly dressed in the white pajamas that were a bit baggy. I also checked the shoe with a bit of hope, only to have it shred to pieces the next instant. The escapades made them of a "Toothless Crocodile," That was what was written on the panel...

[Item: Katana.

Item Type: Weapon.

Item rank: Normal.

Description: A katana made of a metal called <Iron>. It has the power to dismember an ant. Don't complain]

"Yes, yes. Of course, quite impressive." I rolled my eyes. I shook the katana a few times and could see that the only good thing about it was its lightness.

I conjured up my map and started walking towards a river that was pretty close by. Although my feet were stumbling and my balance wasn't quite good, I managed to get there.

"Man, I badly need to train this body. The thought of being chewed up and swallowed again by those disgusting mouths makes me shiver."

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