Experiments, Slime Science, and a Hint of Civilization

Two days have passed since we left our makeshift camp. Two long days following the stream downstream, hoping it’ll eventually lead us to some form of civilization. Honestly, at this point, I’d settle for anything that has a roof and booze that won’t make me go blind.

“Where there’s water, there’s people… and if luck’s on my side, an inn and some decent liquor.”

Pururun, who has made my satchel her personal luxury suite, vibrates doubtfully. This little slime never stops being fascinating.

While we walk, I keep testing my new power. Chirurgia Arcana — that’s the name that echoes in my mind whenever I draw upon it. A cool, dramatic name for a magic that’s… well, not exactly heroic: conjuring surgical instruments to kill enemies rather than save lives. Probably Being X’s idea of divine irony.

“Alright, let’s try again. Slowly this time.”

I extend my hand and focus on a simple image: a basic scalpel. Model 10, straight blade, steel handle. The air shimmers, and the instrument appears in my palm — perfect in every detail. The weight, the balance, the sharp edge… this isn’t a fantasy replica. It’s genuine operating room equipment.

The problem? The energy cost. Even for this tiny tool, I feel a dull fatigue creeping into my limbs, as if my life force is fueling the magic directly.

“Goddamn stupid system…”

I try to hold the scalpel for longer. After thirty seconds, my hands tremble. After a minute, dizziness kicks in. I let go, and the blade dissolves in a golden flash.

“Note to self: no more than one minute for a simple tool.”

Pururun pops out of the satchel and bounces in front of me, forming a little dome shape. A floating question mark appears over her.

“You wanna know what I’m doing?”

Wobbly, jelly-like nod.

“I’m trying not to die like an idiot the next time we bump into a monster. Because let’s be honest, at level one, you’re not exactly gonna save my ass.”

She flushes a deep burgundy red, offended. Adorable.

I try something more complicated: a surgical scissor. Two articulated parts, more complex structure. It takes noticeably more effort to summon. The tool shivers slightly in my grip. Not a good sign. My control still sucks.

“Shit!”

The scissor slips from my hand and embeds itself in the trunk of a tree — mere centimeters from Pururun. She turns ghost white and hides behind my legs.

“Sorry, slime buddy. Overshot it.”

That’s the tricky part about this magic: too little energy and the instrument destabilizes; too much and I lose control entirely. Finding the balance is proving… challenging.

And I have to master it quickly. The ability to conjure sterile surgical tools at will in a world like this? Invaluable.

***

As we continue walking, I keep an eye on the local flora. My old medical and botanical instincts kick in — natural remedies, traditional medicine… some things look suspiciously familiar.

This gray-brown bark, for example, looks almost exactly like willow. If it is willow, it might contain salicylic acid. Natural anti-inflammatory.

“Pururun, I think this bark’s got anti-inflammatory properties.”

I point at the tree. She stares at it for half a second… then leaps forward and devours the entire bark layer in one go. Her body flashes through every color imaginable — red, green, yellow, violet — before settling back to translucent blue.

The tree, meanwhile, is now tragically naked.

“For fuck’s sake! What are you doing?!”

She moves on to a moss growing near the roots, swallowing it in one gelatinous gulp. Same color-cycling light show.

“You’re seriously high, you know that? What are you, a walking space cake?”

Pururun emits a pleased little trill and bounces forward like nothing happened. This slime is hiding secrets. Big ones.

I quickly grab some samples before she eats the entire forest. These reddish minerals, for instance, look like cinnabar. If I remember correctly, that stuff contains mercury. Toxic in high doses, but diluted, it can act as a disinfectant.

“No, Pururun! Not that one!”

Too late. She’s already slurped it up. This time she turns bright red and goes completely still for several minutes. I actually start to worry… but then she returns to her normal color and resumes bouncing cheerfully.

“One of these days, you’re gonna poison yourself to death, you gelatinous idiot.”

But deep down, I wonder. Maybe she’s not just eating at random. Maybe she’s analyzing the chemical properties of what she absorbs. A walking lab, of sorts. In a fantasy world, honestly, why not?

***

In the afternoon, we meet our first human since the bandits.

A ragged man pushing a wheelbarrow full of firewood freezes when he spots us.

“Hey there, buddy! Where does this road lead?”

His eyes go wide when he notices Pururun at my feet.

“A… a tamed slime? Are you a monster tamer, milord?”

Monster tamer. Of course. Medieval fantasy logic: if something weird happens, blame magic and adventurer guilds.

“Something like that, yeah. So — this road?”

“It leads to the town of Lowstone, milord. Two days’ walk downstream. But… beware of bandits. The road is not safe.”

Bandits. Again. This world is crawling with them like termites.

“Thanks for the tip.”

He hurries away, casting anxious glances at Pururun. Apparently, having a slime companion isn’t common.

***

That evening, we make camp near a small rapid. The spot is surprisingly pretty, almost idyllic — if you ignore the unsettling forest noises once the sun sets. I use the red gem to light the fire. It’s starting to wear out; I’ll need to find more soon.

“Alright, Pururun. Wanna be my test subject?”

Like a cat reluctantly leaving a warm bed, she oozes away from the fire and positions herself in front of me, curious.

“You’re squishy, elastic, and you eat anything. That makes you the perfect shield.”

I summon a scalpel and gently toss it at her. She absorbs it without flinching, then spits it out with a satisfying plop.

“Interesting. You can absorb objects easily… and I already know you can harden your body when you want. I’ve been on the receiving end, remember? But how good are you as a projectile?”

I pick her up and hurl her at a tree with all my strength. She smashes into the trunk with a thwack, then ricochets back toward me like a slime-shaped cannonball. I dive out of the way. She sails past and splits another tree before happily bouncing back to me.

“No injuries?”

She wiggles a firm “no.” Perfect.

“Alright, recap: You can act as an absorbing shield, a lethal projectile, and — potentially — a portable chemistry lab. Not bad for a sentient dessert.”

She turns pink, clearly flattered, and a tiny heart floats above her.

“But you don’t like it when I use you as a weapon, do you?”

Wobbly jelly nod.

“Pacifist, huh? You remind me of first-year med students. Full of good intentions, absolutely useless in emergencies.”

Pururun flushes a dull red and sulks.

“I’m kidding, I’m kidding. You’ve got more personality than half the interns I’ve worked with.”

She returns to her usual blue and snuggles up against me.

This slime is really something else. Strange. Endearing. And maybe, just maybe… the best ally I’ve got in this world so far.