Formless, shapeless, helpless

A creature skittered through the darkness. Protected even from the moonlight by the canopy of the jungle trees that had overridden the area for kilometers in all directions for centuries. Perhaps less, perhaps more. Not like the giant wasp-like monster knew or cared about things like history. It had a mission and one mission only: Finding food for the sake of the swarm. It stopped beating its wings and got on its needle-like limbs to appraise the jungle floor in search of either dead prey or a trail that would lead it to a nest or something similar. It had strayed from its kind but that was fine, the low buzzing of its fellows' wings beat and echo through the humid air so incessantly it would have to die to lose its way back into the hive.

It would be especially good if it found anything alive. The monster was close to leveling up and would soon enough climb ranks in the hive with its new form. Not like it was capable of rationalizing any of this, but it instinctively knew it had to kill. It beat its wings a bit to shrug off the moisture that clung to them from the heat and ambience humidity alone and kept trying to track something to bring back home.

The silence was broken as suddenly as shattering glass. Pierced by the rustling of tree branches and falling leaves that danced to the night's cool wind. The creature would have ignored it, but this deep into the jungle the wind should not blow so strong as to disturb the trees like that. It opened its wings and shook them for a moment, tentatively preparing to take flight without being caught off guard by moisture or something happening to its wings. When nothing happened, it moved them again and buzzed its way up slowly. Its focus now on the branches above. It considered crawling up without flight, but decided against it without hesitation, for it had not the required intelligence to actually make educated choices.

Then, it was smacked back down onto the vegetation and root-ridden floor by a translucent blob of death.

It screeched with its mandibles wide open. Although all it did was to make the strange goo it was now trapped in to shake a bit while its carapace began to slowly and painfully dissolve without much trouble. Its wings were gone, to no surprise since they were the most fragile part of its body, and its stinger found nothing to pierce in the darkness of the jungle's night. Its limbs dissolved faster than its main body, and its eyes were completely gone by the time its mandibles were reduced to toothpick-like appendages. It died before its body dissolved entirely, but not that long before. Had its level been a bit higher, or had the light been a bit different it would have probably found the berry-like core sitting in the middle of the deadly goo that had, for all intents and purposes, sat to death on the wasp monster.

Well, deadly would be an overestimation. After all, the monster that killed the wasp ranked squarely on the E danger level on the Monster Danger Rating most guilds and governments (if not all of them) used.

Bouncing around in this humid-rich environment, the eyeless, noseless and limbless goo of death! ...A normal, colored slime.

Yellow Slime (Colored Slime) LV1

Status:

HP: 40/40 (green) MP: 10/10 (blue)

SP: 20/20 (yellow) : 20/20 (red)

Average offensive ability: 20 Average defensive ability: 20

Average magical ability: 10 Average resistance ability: 10

Average speed ability: 10

Skills:

[Jelly] [Spatial Perception LV3] [Motion Perception LV5]

[Acid Attack LV5] [Poison Resistance LV5] [Acid Resistance LV5]

Skill Points: 0

The basic slime monster which comes in a wide range of colors. They are considered pests by monsters and people alike. Their gelatinous body gives them a very successful form of protection by means of their acid attacks. Very low-level threat individually, but disposable tools are advisable for dealing with them. Do not touch them directly.

Well, normal might not be the correct word to use. For this particular (colored) slime, at least. It stayed completely put while the insect monster dissolved in its acidic interior and when it did move it almost drunkenly wriggled around not making much progress while its whole being oozed. The surface tension of the creature's exterior was enough for its inside not to spill all around, so it did not accidentally kill itself by leaning too hard on a spike or particularly sharp saplings though things that did go through were digested by the acid inside.

By the time it reached the nearest tree, another creature had strayed from its path and skittered in the slime's general direction but knew better than to interact with it. After all, even if it was a very weak creature, attacking it was certainly not worth it. Unless you could get its core in one hit, the slime would more than certainly melt your weapon or body for your effort. Slimes were pests like that, and although cheap tools were preferred to cull their population, monsters did not use tools and prefered to avoid these brainless creatures unless they possessed some form of ranged attack. To begin with, the wasp that died before would not have attacked if it knew what had disturbed the peace and silence was a slime. Attacking it would have damaged its stinger, and the slime would not have died from the poison. But in the wasp's defense, it had never seen a slime climb a tree before. Much less use the altitude to lay a trap.

After all, calling them brainless was no exaggeration. They were basically glorified macroscopic cells. Their core could not even be called a functioning brain. And as a result they were even simpler than the least developed monster out there. Their whole existence consisted of bouncing around and eating. Rarely seeking prey since their bodies were always absorbing nutrients from whatever got stuck inside them. Because of this they were mostly just a nuisance to humans and monsters alike.

By the time this living goo monster got back to the tree branch it previously rested on, morning had already arrived. As expected, since slimes did not have the necessary dexterity to climb up trees normally, let alone one that barely wobbled around with a lot of effort. And left in its wake corroded wood where its acidic body pressed too hard against the trunk of the plant. It was a good thing the flora of this place had grown basically unperturbed save for the paths cleared regularly by the locals for exploration; it meant no matter which tree the slime climbed on top of, it would certainly be old and thick enough to endure a bit of acid from time to time. Not like they would appreciate it, if one could ask them.

Yet it mattered very, very little to the transparent yellow creature. It simply pushed itself back into the spot it had occupied hours before and mimicked a huge drop of colored water from how still it became. Not even its core moved, since the jelly body did not either, and since it lacked even the most basic of organs it did not have a heartbeat nor did it inhale or exhale. Had it been a more subtle color it would have gone completely unnoticed for as long as it kept itself unmoving.

Of course, assuming anyone would be insane enough to look for a slime monster so high up in the air. In that sense… Was that monster perhaps a genius? Could it be its intellect was so far above the other, lesser, beings simply could not even grasp its superior intellect?

...Admittedly unlikely. If these creatures were to somehow become illuminated, then the rest of the world would be so far ahead in the intelligence curve that humans would not need to purchase the [Magic Power Operation] and [Magic Power Perception] Skills with their level up Skill Points. If such a thing were to happen, a new era of innovation would have ensued. Giant magic-powered mechas would be the norm, a magic equivalent of electricity would be widespread and the demons would have placed someone on the moon because obviously flexing on your mortal enemy is a foolproof-way to tell them you are not to be messed around with.

But since no such artificer wonders were developed as of late, nor did the rivalring races had begun a pissing contest with one another, it could only mean slimes were still very much brainless idiots. A race that had such difficulty learning that the only acceptable response to them could only be to either get rid of them or to tame them.

"As I said, you've come too late, mate. The last pest control expedition was just two days ago. Maybe you'd have found something if you had travelled a week earlier." The young woman talking was nothing like the man accompanying him was used to. Tanned skin peeked through the creaks and corners of her tribal garb. She wore cloth and leather alike in a mixture of her people's usual dressings and combat gear. Lines of thread placing the whole thing together, and the man had strong suspicions it was spider silk. Taratecs were not native to the Ahuacuauhtlan Rainforest, but these people somehow had access to them? The man would be more suspicious had he not been busy with her charming face and beautiful raven hair moving around while taking in as much of the wildlife around them as possible.

"Actually, I don't live far from here." He commented while using his robe's sleeve to wipe off the sweat from his face for who knows what time in the last few minutes "It takes days to travel, but it's not far."

"Eh, that just makes it worse." The young woman grinned "You could just wait for more monsters to pop out, aye? Listening around to the locals and stuff."

The man gave her a look "I came at this time so the trash could be dealt with. I'm expecting to get something good on this expedition." His white robes were drenched, and his dark brown short hair, mustache and goatee were wet from his sweat. If his gear was not so travel oriented, the local young woman would have doubted him. But he looked invested, and the pay was coming her way either way, so she did not really care about his situation.

"That so? Well, just don't get your hopes too high, buddy." Oh, he had high hopes, alright. But they had less to do with the current trip and more with the company at hand.

Which was pretty bad, since money had been invested in this "This place is riddled with poisonous monsters. Not too bad with an antidote, but those are―."

The woman stopped, glaring at one of the trees to the left side of the path cut down by the locals. The man followed her gaze when he noticed her stance shift into a combat-ready one and honestly he would have expected to see some random giant creature stalking them instead of a burn trail going up the tree trunk.

Her hands darted the next instant and gripped the wood and metal spear she carried on her back. She also held a pair of short curved blades positioned on her lower back but they were not leaving the path and a bit more range would be necessary if whatever left those marks was still above their heads.

"What." The man also took out his weapon. A small hammer with a shaft meant for dual wielding. He followed the trail with his eyes until the slightly light-reflecting surface of the abnormal slime caught his attention among the oversized tree leaves horizontal to both humans.

To call that vision bizarre would be an understatement. A wandering jelly critter resting on higher ground because of the terrain was not strange. Seeing one float in the water could be because it had fallen on the water body and could not bounce out of it by itself. But one that crept on a vertical surface? And so far above? It would sound more plausible if the Voice of God became male! The very idea was so deranged, the man caressed his neck for a moment. Wondering if he perhaps ingested or inhaled some strange hallucinogen substance.

"What is that thing doing?" Even the tribe girl did not know what she was looking at. Understandable, but no less disheartening.

"Can you bring it down?" The man took his eyes off of the monster and took a small stone after scrambling its contents to find it for a moment.

"Why…? Oh, an appraisal stone?" The woman didn't turn to face him completely, but kept herself positioned between the man and the unmoving monster. The man appreciated the professionalism in spite of possibly seeing visions.

"Nothing too amazing. It has a level 3 [Appraisal] capability." And it was not his, but that detail could be omitted if he wanted to show the beautiful tanned woman even a slightly better side of himself "Maybe this will make the trip worth it, who knows." Women like mysterious men. Or at least, that was what he heard growing up.

"Hmmmm." The woman eyed him like he was wearing a trench coat with what very obviously was a child shuffling within "Okay, I know you pale people are eccentric. And it's very much appreciated that the demonkind doesn't venture this far out…"

The man blinked, unsure where the rambling had come from

"...But you people say and do these weird things. I know, it's not my business. But c'mon? That thing? It would be more useful as decoration! ...And I realized it could be a trap. Some monster could have coated its nest with slime fluids to ward off predators."

"But what if it isn't, though? Only one way to find out." The man insisted.

"If we disturb something big enough to carry a slime without popping it," The woman talked slower, her voice a tone lower "I will not be enough to defend you. More so, I will run for it and not look back. Payment be damned, is that okay with you?"

Good thing the man was already sweating to begin with. He could ignore the shaking of his hands if he focused on her eyes.

He nodded. The guide sighed.

"Alright, your choice." After another sigh, the tribe woman spun her weapon and dug its blade into the muddy ground. Although the tribe had people with the [Reforge] Skill, there was no need to harm her weapon in that way if the environment offered her expandable alternatives. Besides, the monster was too high up for her to throw her spear and have it get stuck between vines and branches. No. She could have thrown one of her oversized daggers. But she did not want to damage them either. So she looked for a palm sized rock and put her [Throw] Skill to good use "Heeeeh!"

The makeshift weapon buzzed through the air, cutting vegetation in its path and hitting square into the thicker center of the branch that hosted the gelatin monster. It shook, as it was hit far enough from the trunk that it wasn't resistant to the impact. Making the monster bounce off its extension once, twice… And the next time it slid off and hit the ground with enough force to make its amorphous form almost splatter everywhere on landing. Good thing there were many plants to get stuck within it and stop its descent a fair bit.

"..." The woman hummed, proud of herself. The man gave her an unblinking look "...I wanted it alive, though."

"It's still alive!" She defended herself "Go on, appraise it."

He still did not believe her. And to be fair, it was hard to argue after seeing the jelly monster almost get scattered all across the plant-filled floor. Nonetheless, the man wiped the sweat off his brows and approached the twitching creature, getting the appraisal stone close in a way that put his hand between the gelatin monster and the magic time.

He might live without a hand, but he would never see the end of it if the stone got damaged in a freak accident.

"Hmmm, yeah. It is -barely- alive."

"Told you so."

The man hummed "You know? I'm taking it." He placed the appraisal stone away and pointed at the monsters "Seems like it has a habit of getting in fights. I can use it."

"Really?" The woman retrieved her spear "It's just a slime, you know." Making the man smirk in return.

"That's exactly what I was looking for." His words were as convincing as a flying brick to the window was subtle to convince someone you meant no harm. Not like he minded, though. After all he paid for a service and the service was provided. He forgot about her beauty for a bit, after appraising the lazy monsters in front of them.

Of course, the appraisal stone was level 3. So the tamer only got a glimpse of the monster's status. Perhaps he would have cried and jumped in sheer bliss had he had the ability to appraise it more accurately. Or perhaps he would have killed it on the spot. After all, a level 9 appraise (which was rare enough it fought for the position of top tier luxury item among nobility of the human countries) would have revealed more than just it having a name.

Yellow Slime (Colored Slime) LV4 | Name: Yoshinobu Nakano

Status: Shellshocked

HP: 2/46 (green) MP: 16/16 (blue)

SP: 22/26 (yellow) : 29/29 (red)

Average offensive ability: 26 Average defensive ability: 26

Average magical ability: 16 Average resistance ability: 16

Average speed ability: 16

Skills:

[Jelly] [Spatial Perception LV5] [Motion Perception LV7]

[Acid Attack LV6] [Poison Resistance LV6] [Acid Resistance LV6]

[Persistent LV3] [Rest LV1] [Spatial Maneuvering LV2]

[Faint Resistance LV4] [Impact Resistance LV2] [Fear Resistance LV3]

[Danger Perception LV1] [Tactile Enhancement LV2] [Stealth LV2]

[Taste Enhancement LV1] [Perception Expansion LV1] [HP Auto-recovery LV1]

[Heat Perception LV2] [Swim LV2] [Presence Perception LV1]

[Unaware] [n% I=W]

Skill Points: 130

Titles:

Assassin

A/N

Disclaimer: So I'm a Spider, So What? is not of my property and I claim no ownership over anything except for the fanon elements for the fic like the MC, the jungle and the slime race. Also, for the name and skill points? If you know, you know and that's that. Also, also, be sure to check out Basilisk and I Live In Hardcore. They are pretty great.

Edit. Dammit, FF. Corrected the format so n% I=W shows up instead of n=W.