Reincarnation with Rimuru from Tensura

Prologue: Reincarnation

If I'd lasted a few more years, I could have been a Sage.

<Confirmed! Extra Skill "Sage" has been acquired.>

In fact, if I'd held out longer, I could've become a Great Sage.

<Confirmed! Upgrading Extra Skill "Sage".>

<Successful! Extra Skill "Sage" Upgraded to "Great Sage">

...

<"Thermal Resistance" has been acquired.>

I will become a predator in my next life without leaving a single woman. I will use my "little son" to the max.

<Confirmed! Acquiring the Unique Skill "Predator".>

Shut up!

...

I could feel my consciousness slipping away. It felt like I was deep inside an ocean. I couldn't move my body.

Shit! Don't tell me I survived and became paralyzed?

No! No! No! Anything but that.

That would seriously be very annoying. I hope that girlfriend show-off wiped my computer.

...

Whoa! Wait, I CAN move. I can't see or smell anything though. But this feeling... Is there something under my stomach? Is this grass? What's happening? I can't hear, and most of my senses are not working. Maybe I'll try eating it. Wha! But where's my mouth?

Huh! The grass dissolved inside me. I'm not human? Something must be wrong.

Hang on a sec!

Stay calm! Stay cool!

Uh-huh! I see. I see. Okay!

No! Nu-uh. Nada. I will not accept this.

I'M A FREAKING SLIMEEE!!!

Sniffle!

No! My precious body. My amazing body with beautiful and mesmerizing six-pack abs (self-proclaimed). Now it has been turned into this streamlined form.

...

It's been a few days since I accepted that I was reborn as a slime. And I'm enjoying the soft, jiggly form. I don't need food or sleep. The only thing is I'm lonely.

But on the bright side, I've noticed that "something" is following me wherever I go. And considering the sensation when I touched it, there is no doubt in my mind; it's a slime.

But why is it following me? It is quite small. Well, if I were to compare, I am slightly bigger than a basketball, and the little guy following me is slightly bigger than a baseball.

It doesn't have consciousness, it seems, and just follows me like a puppy following its owner. It's quite cute. It can't talk or respond to me.

So, I'm killing time by eating all the grass I can find around me.

And speaking of which, where is all this grass going? I don't recall taking a crap at any point.

<Answer: It is stored in the stomach of the user using the Unique Skill "Predator".>

I got a response?!!!

<Currently using less than 1% of full capacity.>

I recognize this voice. It's that weird computerized voice from when I was dying.

Wh-Who is that?

<Answer: It is the effect of the Unique Skill "Great Sage". Your powers have stabilized, making it possible for me to respond promptly.>

I do remember hearing something about sage and thinking it was so cool when I died. But what is a "Skill" anyways?

<Answer: A skill is an ability that, on rare occasions, can be acquired in recognition of some form of personal growth.>

I'm not sure if I entirely understand, but apparently that's how it works in the new world. So, Great Sage and Predator are my skills, huh?

But either way, after a long time of loneliness, I can finally talk to someone, even if it was my skill. And that's how I got carried away and fell into some sort of lake(?).

Aw, crap. I was just getting used to the new life after reincarnating, and I'm dying just like that again. Great Sage, how much does suffocation hurt?

<Answer: A Slime's body does not require oxygen.>

Yes, I actually don't feel any pain. So, after thinking calmly about the situation, my brain cells (or rather my slime body) came up with a brilliant idea. Let's absorb some amount of water and slowly exert it from a single area so that I can move or propel my body towards the water surface and float. Or so was the intended effect of the said idea.

Zoooooooomm. Splaaaat. Boing. Boing.

<Skill: "Water Pressure Propulsion" Acquired.>

I was sent flying from the pressure of the propulsion. I nearly cried there. I never expected the force to be that powerful; I couldn't see the amount of water absorbed from the lake, but it seems I absorbed quite a lot.

<<Can you hear me, little one?>>

!!??