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Carl lay flat on his back, staring at the leafy canopy above, chest rising and falling in ragged breaths. His entire body was a symphony of aches, the kind that screamed, Hey, maybe don't yeet yourself off cliffs anymore?
He groaned. "Ow."
[You survived!]
"Oh, wow. Did I? Thanks for the update, Captain Obvious."
[Survival Rate Increased: 18%]
Carl squinted at the screen hovering in front of him. "Oh, don't patronize me now. You just admitted I was less than 20% likely to make it. That's not reassuring!"
[Survival Rate Decreased: 17%]
Carl glared. "Oh, come on!"
He groaned again and rolled onto his stomach, spitting out a leaf. He was still alive—barely—but he couldn't afford to just lay there. Not with some multi-eyed, nightmare-fuel beast prowling above. He had at least a little common sense left.
Probably.
"Alright, Carl. Time to get your butt moving before something decides you'd make a great afternoon snack."
His muscles screamed in protest as he pushed himself up. His legs wobbled. His arms felt like limp noodles. And yet, miraculously, he remained upright. A true victory.
[Would you like to celebrate with a dance?]
Carl let out a deadpan stare. "Would you like to celebrate with a deleted system?"
[O_O]
"Thought so."
Right. He needed to find shelter again, since his last safe spot was now in the direct path of a death beast. He turned in a slow circle, scanning the area. The forest was dense, vines and roots twisting across the ground like nature's personal tripwires. But off to the east, he spotted something promising—a rock formation, jutting up like jagged teeth. A cave?
"Alright, potential murder cave, here I come."
[Great decision! Let's just hope it's not already occupied.]
Carl paled mid-step. "Wait, what?"
[Nothing! :D]
"Oh, you little—"
A branch snapped behind him.
Carl froze.
His heart hammered against his ribs. Slowly, very slowly, he turned his head.
The underbrush rustled. A shadow shifted. Something was there.
Carl gripped his knife—a kitchen knife that barely qualified as a weapon—and whispered to himself, "I swear to God, if it's another teeth-monster, I'm throwing hands."
Silence.
Then—
A small, round creature wobbled out from the bushes.
Carl blinked.
"…A slime?"
It looked like a classic RPG slime. A jiggly, translucent blob, maybe the size of a basketball. Its surface shimmered, reflecting the dappled sunlight. It quivered slightly, as if nervous.
Carl tilted his head. "Wait. Are you scared of me?"
The slime jiggled.
[Analysis: Lesser Slime - F Rank. Non-aggressive unless provoked.]
Carl exhaled in relief. "Oh, thank god. A break." He dropped his battle stance. "Alright, buddy. You do you, I'll do me, and we'll both not die today."
The slime jiggled again.
Carl frowned. "Wait… Are you following me?"
The slime inched closer.
"…You are following me."
It jiggled.
Carl sighed, rubbing his temple. "Okay. Fine. Whatever. You're small, you don't have extra eyes, and you're not actively trying to murder me. You're officially the least awful thing I've met here."
The slime jiggled excitedly.
"…Do you understand me?"
The slime jiggled harder.
Carl narrowed his eyes. "If I name you, will you stop bouncing?"
The slime froze.
"…Fine. You're now… Bouncy."
Bouncy vibrated violently.
Carl sighed. "I walked right into that one."
[Congratulations! You have acquired a Follower: Bouncy the Slime!]
Carl blinked. "I what now?"
[Followers are loyal companions who will assist you on your journey!]
Carl looked down at Bouncy, who stared up at him with unblinking gooey enthusiasm.
"…Great. I'm a slime dad."
Bouncy jiggled happily.
Carl groaned. "Let's just get to the cave before something decides to actually eat me."
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The cave was, thankfully, not occupied by any giant murder-beasts. Just a couple of bats that left Carl alone, which he deeply appreciated. He inspected the place, noting the cool stone floor and the small crevice that could function as a sleeping spot.
"Alright. Temporary home acquired."
Carl leaned against the cool stone of the cave, letting himself catch his breath. His body still ached, his limbs protested every movement, but at least he had shelter now. For however long that would last.
Bouncy wobbled excitedly at his feet, either thrilled about their newfound home or completely indifferent to Carl's ongoing misery. Hard to tell with a sentient blob.
Carl ran a hand through his hair. "Alright. Cave acquired. Shelter secured. Next step—food."
His stomach growled as if to punctuate the thought. Right. He hadn't eaten anything since… well, since getting yeeted into this hellhole.
He groaned. "Great. Now I have to find something edible that won't kill me."
His gaze flicked to Bouncy, who wobbled cheerfully. A horrifying thought crossed his mind.
"…Can I eat slimes?"
Bouncy jiggled in what could only be described as alarm.
Carl sighed. "Relax, I'm not gonna eat you. Probably."
He pushed himself up, scanning the cave's entrance. There had to be something edible out there. Fruits? Mushrooms? Anything that didn't involve hunting something bigger than him.
[Survival Tip! Many edible options exist in the wild! Some will nourish you! Others will cause instant death! Choose wisely!]
Carl shot the hovering screen a deadpan look. "Wow. Thanks. Super helpful."
Bouncy jiggled.
Carl exhaled and forced himself to his feet, stretching out the stiffness in his sore muscles. "Alright. Foraging time."
He stepped cautiously out of the cave, scanning the area. The forest was dense, but he wasn't looking for anything too complicated. Berries, nuts, maybe even some edible roots. Anything to keep his stomach from staging a full rebellion.
Bouncy bounced along beside him, making soft gurgling noises.
Carl side-eyed the slime. "You don't eat, do you?"
Bouncy jiggled in what Carl assumed was a no. Lucky bastard.
After about twenty minutes of searching—and swatting away way too many oversized bugs—he found something promising. A cluster of small, round fruits hanging from a low bush.
[Analysis: Cloudberry - Edible. Provides minor hydration and energy.]
Carl's shoulders sagged in relief. "Oh, thank god."
He plucked a few and popped one into his mouth. The taste was tart but not unpleasant, and more importantly, it didn't immediately kill him.
Progress.
Bouncy made a curious gurgling sound.
Carl chuckled. "Jealous? Sorry, buddy. No goo-food for you."
He ate a few more, taking care not to overdo it. He didn't need a stomachache on top of everything else. Once satisfied, he glanced at the system screen.
[Return Cooldown: 9 hours and 47 Minutes Remaining.]
Nine more hours, and he'd be back on Earth. Back in his room, with actual food, running water, and a bed that wasn't made of rocks. Hopefully…
He let out a long breath. "Alright. Just gotta keep my head down till then."
Which, knowing his luck, was easier said than done.
Bouncy jiggled in what Carl could only assume was encouragement.
"…Yeah, yeah. Let's just get back to the cave before something horrible happens."
Spoiler alert: Something horrible was definitely going to happen.
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To Be Continued…