Freedom at last

Veldora placed his hand on the transparent layer of the Infinite Prison, feeling the magic that held him captive.

{The analysis of the Infinite Prison is complete. Would you like to break it? Yes/No,} said his unique skill, Investigator.

"Yes," Veldora responded without hesitation.

As soon as he said that, the transparent layer started to vanish. In no time, it was gone.

<< Acquired: Unique skill Infinite Prison>>

 a mechanical voice echoed in his mind, the Voice of the World.

But Veldora didn't focus on the announcement. His attention was on the slime. He slowly walked up and squatted down in front of it. The slime, oblivious to Veldora's presence, continued its cheerful exploration.

Veldora stared at the slime, pondering his next move. "Should I try to make a contract with it, or should I purge its soul?" he thought.

After considering all possibilities, he decided to kill it. Letting it live would only mean that it could surpass him one day. The slime had immense potential, and Veldora knew it could become a significant threat. While taking it as a subordinate was tempting, its power would eventually be too great to control.

On the other hand, purging its soul would grant Veldora the slime's skills and its cells' potential. It was a logical choice, albeit a ruthless one.

Having made his decision, Veldora extended his hand and placed it just above the slime's body.

{ Would you like to execute your soul-purging skill? Yes/No} Investigator asked.

"Yes," Veldora said firmly.

For the slime, before it knew it, an insane amount of pain struck it. The agony was so extreme that it frantically executed all of its defensive skills. Many blades of water struck Veldora's body, but they faded before they could touch him.

"What is this? Why am I feeling this pain? Ahhhhhhhh! I've died once, but that wasn't as painful as this," the slime screamed in its mind.

But after ten seconds, the screams vanished.

{Soul has been captured. Would you like to absorb it? Yes/No} Investigator asked again.

"Yes."

As soon as he said that, the slime's body started to float and wrap around Veldora. He was momentarily freaked out, but before he could react, the slime's body formed a cocoon around him, and its cells began to assimilate with his body. Veldora understood this was the process of absorption.

Veldora started to feel dizzy, a sensation very unlikely for a spiritual life form. Soon, he lost consciousness. Inside the cocoon, Veldora's body was slowly being reconstructed with the slime's cells. However, the slime cells weren't strong enough to withstand his massive energy. They were constantly being destroyed and reconstructed millions of times.

Veldora's soul also began merging with the slime's soul.

<<Acquired. Unique skill Great Sage>>

<<Acquired. Unique skill Predator>>

<< Skills of the same tree have been found. Great Sage and Investigator will be merged >>

<< Acquired. Ultimate skill Wisdom king Raphael >>

Two announcements echoed in his mind.

Time passed. After fifteen days, the cocoon suddenly tore apart from the inside. Veldora leaped out, his new form brimming with power and energy.

He landed gracefully, his eyes shining with newfound strength. He felt different, more powerful, more complete. The absorption process had enhanced him beyond his expectations.

He took a moment to appreciate the transformation. His body felt stronger, more resilient. The slime's cells had integrated perfectly with his own, creating a new, more powerful form.

Veldora, now fully conscious and feeling a surge of power, decided to test his newfound abilities. "Hey, Investigator, how much time has passed since I lost consciousness?" he asked, his voice echoing slightly in the cavern.

{ Master, the Investigator skill has merged with Great Sage and evolved into Ultimate Skill: Wisdom King Raphael. It has been 15 days since you lost consciousness}

said a mechanical voice, though it now carried a smoother, almost human-like tone.

"What!! That's great," Veldora thought, a wide grin spreading across his face. "Tell me about my other new skills."

{ Master has also acquired the Unique Skill Predator, which includes the following abilities:

- Predation

- Analysis

- Stomach

- Mimicry

- Isolation

Additionally, you have gained the Unique Skill Infinite Prison} Raphael responded, its tone informative yet respectful.

"Good, good," Veldora muttered, satisfaction evident in his voice.

Eager to test his Predator skill, Veldora activated it and began absorbing all the magicules in the air around him into his Stomach. The process felt natural, as if he had been doing it his entire life. He also stored all his excessive magicules inside the Stomach, making his outward appearance seem like that of a normal human.

With his energy now stabilized, Veldora began walking towards the cave's entrance. As he moved, he noticed a presence lurking nearby. His keen senses picked up on the subtle shifts in the air, and a smirk appeared on his face.

"Come out," Veldora commanded, his voice resonating with authority.

A figure materialized before him—was the dryad Treyni. She bowed deeply in front of him. "Congratulations on regaining your freedom, Lord Veldora," she said respectfully.

Veldora looked at Treyni, his eyes gleaming with mischief. "Thank you, Treyni," he began, his voice smooth and controlled. 

"But don't you think we need to celebrate this properly?" An evil grin spread across his face as he slowly approached her.Treyni straightened, a hint of concern crossing her features.