Naturally, I spent a considerable amount of time playing around with [Nitro Slime] and trying out all the new features I could discover, as significantly increased time limits were not the only upgrade I received.
The types of bombs I could make had increased dramatically, so much so that I wasn't even sure if it was just because of [Nitro Slime] or if it was due to the "unity" of my unique slime traits provided by [Primordial Slime].
For example, I usually could always create detonation triggers based on impacts or intervals, and the precision of the latter had increased dramatically—I could set a time limit down to nanoseconds if I wanted. However, now I could do things like combining time limits and impact, which seemed like a natural progression of [Nitro Slime].
Now, however, I could also set a trigger based on heat, cold, and even lighting conditions! I could only assume these additions had come from [Blaze Slime], [Cryo Slime], and [Luminous Slime], respectively. Strangely enough, I could even make a bomb that triggered if it detected Mana, and I could even make it precise enough that it would ignore my own Mana and presumably others as well.
I could make bombs that ignore my and Vee's Mana and go off when there's an enemy spellcaster. Or I could make bombs that only go off when Vee and I cast spells, and thus our spells are the trigger!
I kept thinking of trying to find other trigger conditions, and sure enough, I found one that only went off if it received a charge from lightning. The fact that I could combine these various triggers into an absurd combination was highly entertaining. I didn't necessarily need a bomb that only went off if someone stood on it for 10 seconds, channelled Mana, and had a body temperature above 35°C, but I could!
If these interactions truly came from [Primordial Slime], then I'll probably gain some new ones when I get my pink slime core, maybe one based on lifeforce? Then again, I might only get that from the black slime since it drains life? No idea, but I'm excited!
I finally pried myself away from my seemingly endless possibilities of [Nitro Slime] toys and looked over if there were any other changes to my profile. Sure enough, amongst my Emblems I found a new one.
<[Unique]
You are a unique existence.
This Emblem is immune to identification. This Emblem cannot be equipped.>
Thanks for the compliment?
I wasn't sure how to respond to this, as it was effectively just as useless as my [Experiment] Emblem. It also brought up a strange question—wasn't I already unique before this?
Was there really another Chimeric Cluster Slime? Or does it ignore Mutations and only focus on the species? I have to assume the latter, because I thought the Cluster mutation was explicitly made for me.
It was just one more unanswered question that I filed away. Not that I seemed to ever get answers to my questions before being hastily returned to my slimy form.
I guess I'd better get out of here and go check on Vee. Not to mention the Feirelle elves.
I shifted into Sylthaeryn and found the experience beyond effortless.
"Oh… [Slime Mastery], huh…"
I had already experienced the ease with which I could move around and create slimy creations, but it hadn't crossed my mind that my mimicked forms would benefit too. Of course, after the fact, I realized that [Chimeric Mimicry] had previously been working together with [Morph Slime], and now that had transferred to the superior [Slime Mastery].
I sighed and shook my head. "It's too bad I didn't have it earlier, I wouldn't have felt so uncomfortable being stuck in one form for so long… oh well."
I spread my arms and fingers and began casting [Rift Door], hoping to reopen the spatial rift and make my exit. I was briefly overwhelmed that my Mana reserves had somehow increased even further, due to gaining an additional four levels from the trait fusion.
"You know… I'm surprised it only became four levels… I guess I was penalized a lot by my traits that weren't above ten yet?"
Thanks to [Triangulate], I already had a set of exit coordinates to work with, and now it was just a matter of inserting them into the spell correctly. I'd never done it from this end before, but it was still simpler than the [Displaced] monstrosity spell I had created.
"I wonder if my Mana also went up from my superior species… Vee had mentioned gaining a considerable boost to her attributes, but it's hard to tell since I don't exactly have those. Hopefully my core at least has more vitality… although I'm not exactly going to swing a hammer at it to test that theory."
After a little bit of trial and error, I created and stabilized the spell to make my exit door. Naturally, I examined the completed creation thoroughly in hopes that my [Sub-Cores] could easily replicate it for me at a later date. Once satisfied, I cast the spell and tore open the space in my white void, revealing the dark and dank cavern of the spider dungeon.
"Success!" I cheered and stepped through.
The dungeon was just as I remembered leaving it, and I could sense my connection to Vee had become a lot more solid. She was pretty far down from what I could tell. I closed the rift behind me and stared at the staircase down.
"Hello? [Dungeon Master]? Are you done with Vee?" I called out, hoping my presence would be detected.
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<Hmm? Oh! It's you, you're back.>
"Back and stronger than ever."
<I can see that… I struggle to even call you a slime anymore, you're unlike anything I've seen before. Vee has been informed of your return; she should be up shortly after finishing her meal.>
"Great, thanks."
<Just so you are aware, Aimon Carren has come looking for you quite frequently. I made the excuse that I'd invited you to my parlor as a respect for your position and your close bond with Vee.>
"I guess I should have expected people to come looking for me. Hopefully it was nothing serious?"
Becomes Trait: [Soul Vision LV 7]
This will cost 1 Trait Point.>
I know [Dark Vision] and [Thermal Vision] max out at level five, but I'm still skeptical about how you calculated this. Whatever, go for it!
<Fused Trait [Soul Vision LV 7] obtained. 17 Trait Points remaining.>
I was expecting a big difference in my vision, but the cave looked about the same to me. Maybe it was a little clearer than before, but it wasn't exactly that noticeable. The one thing I could do was zoom in further, which I guess was the main benefit of fusing the traits, as I got some free levels in [Eagle Vision].
Well, now for the potentially big one.
<Would you like to Fuse: [Electro-Magnetic Sense LV 5], [Tremor Sense LV 5], [Spatial Sense LV 6], [Olfactory Sense]?
Becomes Trait: [Soul Sense LV 8]
This will cost 1 Trait Point.>
Yeah, go for it! I'm surprised olfactory is in there, but whatever!
<Fused Trait [Soul Sense LV 8] obtained. 16 Trait Points remaining.>
While [Soul Vision] was effectively active at all times, [Soul Sense] was a toggle, and for that I was grateful. I knew Vee had been basically living with [Spatial Sense] active at all times, but that wasn't something I wanted to do.
I'll let my [Sub-Cores] handle that. But let's see what this new trait does!
I activated it, and to my relief, the experience was not nearly as traumatic as [Soul Sight] had been. Rather than rewiring my vision into an entirely new one, it was more like I had every prior trait active at once. Perhaps they could be used in tandem in some way, but I wasn't sure.
Even if it just cleans up my trait list and lets me level them up together passively, then I'm happy. Not everything needs to be some major revolutionary change like [Soul Sight] or [Primordial Slime].
The process of selectively activating the sight traits I wanted was far more straightforward, and in what felt like no time at all, I had regained my prior capabilities. The one I was most concerned about was [Spatial Sense], so I was rather happy.
You know… if I think about these three traits, I guess I could sum them up quite aptly. [Soul Vision] lets you see unimpeded, [Soul Sense] allows you to comprehend what is around you, and [Soul Sight] allows you to witness the truth.
While I was busy feeling philosophical, Vee abruptly poofed nearby. I swore she looked a bit rounder than I remembered, but I wasn't sure. One of my [Sub-Cores] automatically recreated our telepathic connection upon her arrival.
"Syl! You're back!" she exclaimed. "And you look… exactly the same? Did you even evolve, or have you been lazing about for these last ten days?"
"It's been ten days!? I thought I'd only be out for a week…"
"Yeah, you were out for a while. I was growing a bit worried. That Aimon fellow kept coming and searching for you. At one point, he explored the entirety of the first floor, and that's when Qhil told him you were downstairs with me."
"So what, is that roundness from stress eating?"
"Hey! I'm not the one who had a gluttony evolution," she snapped back.
"True… true… so did you get your help? Can you get a shapechanger evolution or something?"
"Oh yeah, I should have a special option available at my next evolution. Although it's obviously quite a bit away, I'll shift my focus to my race, and it should come eventually. Plus, we still have our vacation to look forward to."
"Haven't you already been on vacation?"
"Ha… well, while it was relaxing, I can't say the sights were that great. Unless you're a big fan of caves and cobwebs."
"Don't worry, we'll still go to the beach, I promised."
"Good. My quest even got upgraded to urgent, although I'm not sure why."
"That was Unc. Apparently, his [Experiment] named Leon is under attack by mermen?"
"Wait, so he wants us to save him?"
"He seemed pretty desperate; he even went against Gramps and Mother to tell me something he shouldn't have."
"Sounds like trouble. But as long as it's not going out of our way, I don't see why not."
I nodded in agreement.
"So… did you actually change at all?" Vee asked. "Because if you did, I want to see it."
"I did… I'm no longer blue," I grumbled.
"Show me, show me!"
I sighed and shifted into my default prismatic slime appearance. The change was so fast that Vee even let out an "eep" in surprise.
"Oh wow… you've become very pretty, in an almost hypnotic sense."
"Thanks? It's a bit distracting, if I'm honest. I liked being a solid blue. I'm also not sure how I feel about my core having stripes."
"I like it, and it'll only grow crazier the more cores you eat, I assume?"
"Yeah, my new trait mentions them getting automatically and fully integrated. I'm very much looking forward to my pink slime core."
"You know… that brings up a question I've had. Why is the core a different color from the slime? Like your blue slime core is red, which is the complete opposite!"
"Um… I'm not sure? I've never really questioned it."
"It makes your weak spot kind of easy to notice, doesn't it? Could that be the reason?"
"Considering the slime core is the only way to actually damage a slime… that's probably it. Otherwise, you're stuck fighting slime and not doing any real damage."
"Having witnessed that first hand… It's not very fair," Vee whined.
"Yup. I'm the cheating slime, and my cheats got even better. I can't wait to tell you about them!"
"Of course, the biggest cheater gets stronger…" she sighed. "Well, you can tell me about it on the way out. We'd better let Aimon know you are fine before he starts tearing his hair out."