The twisted roots that blanketed the massive cave chamber coiled like serpents, tightening around a small orb of flesh. Its slick, pulsating surface throbbed faintly, giving off a dim, sickly glow—each pulse like the slow beat of some monstrous heart. With every contraction, an oppressive, malicious aura bled out into the air. Thick waves of magicules surged outward, crashing and spiraling against the stone walls like an invisible, chaotic storm.
But I remained unaffected—thanks to Mental Wall. Like a solitary stone, steady and unmoved, I stood firm amid the raging currents of this hateful, mindless river.
I crept forward, cautiously. My black wings twitched instinctively, half-unfurled and tense, ready to snap open at any moment should I need to bolt. If things went south, I wouldn't hesitate to flee and get the hell out of this cave.
What the fuck is that, Cognitus?
[Analyzing… Cross-referencing environmental data, object structure, and your stored memories along with external web-sourced information… Conclusion: 98% certainty. The walloping sodden mass of flesh is identified as the Charybdis Core.]
Huh. HUH?!
Why the hell am I still standing here? I should be running for my damn life—there's no universe where I can fight Charybdis.
I froze, brain spinning as I weighed my options.
Hey Cognitus… if I were to eat that thing, could you suppress it from awakening inside me? And more importantly—could I actually gain its power?
[Affirmative. However, consumption must be completed in one uninterrupted attempt. Any partial bite would trigger an explosive surge of magicules, instantly vaporizing your physical form.]
That's… comforting. Real comforting. Thank god I have a detachable jaw.
[Correction: You are a Gale Pipit, not a science fiction alien. You are, factually, a bird.]
Okay. Like… what the fuck am I supposed to do then?
Sure, I could tell Rimuru about this and let him come absorb it early—but what does that get me? Nothing. Right now, he doesn't see me as a threat since we're both from Earth, but let's be honest: otherworlders aren't rare in this world. They're a dime a dozen, and Rimuru's killed a few of them before in canon—people like me.
[In response to your inquiry: multiple solutions exist. The most accessible would be to consume a slime and acquire the skill Mimicry. This skill would allow you to assume a slime-like form, expand your body significantly, and absorb objects substantially larger than your normal physical capacity permits.]
Huh… not too bad, actually.
Alright. That's our plan then.
With my future strategy locked in, I decided to settle down and rest here in the cave. After all, this place would serve as my temporary home base—at least until I was ready to safely consume the core.