100\% DROP RATE : Why is My Inventory Always so Full?-Chapter 48 - Slime Merge

With just 23 days left before the Grand Celebration, Lucien decided to dedicate more time to getting stronger.

But first, he made sure everything in the territory was running smoothly.

He instructed the Sustenance Division to begin planting the new crops and to tend to the livestock.

"Report immediately if anything unusual happens," he told them.

He also set aside a batch of seeds which he intended to plant in the garden.

Drawing from his BREED skill, Lucien shared a few new breeding ideas for the livestock. They were just some small improvements that could make a big difference in the long run.

As for the special crops in his garden, he knew the bees wouldn’t come near so he decided to hand-pollinate them himself.

Then another issue surfaced.

The workshop used by the Craftsman Division was starting to feel cramped. It was far too small for their growing workload.

Fortunately, the Construction Division responded swiftly and had already begun renovations.

Lucien had also purchased a few new recipes through the CRAFT feature.

He planned to hand them over to the Craftsman Division.

They are not just blueprints to follow but as references they could study and hopefully improve.

Out of curiosity, he decided to try crafting one of the simpler items.

Health Potion.

To his surprise, the process was seamless.

As soon as he selected the recipe and confirmed the action, the necessary ingredients were automatically deducted from his INVENTORY.

A progress bar appeared but...

Within five seconds, the potion was already complete.

What stunned him most wasn’t the speed. It was the quality.

It was flawless.

It seemed the system didn’t just craft efficiently. It produced top-tier items by default.

All that was left now was to wait for the workshop renovations to finish then pass the recipes to the Craftsman Division.

He also began to consider what kind of reward or gift to offer them.

Perhaps a powerful new furnace, crafted through CRAFT. Or maybe an upgraded set of tools and equipment, also custom-made through the system.

As he stood there, Lucien couldn’t help but feel proud.

His territory was evolving at a remarkable pace.

Every day, his people were learning new skills, improving in ways most nobles could only dream of.

In fact, Lucien was beginning to believe that his subjects were already outperforming professionals with decades of experience.

All thanks to the power of skills.

Lucien then called for Kael and soon they were seated in his study.

Kael looked exhausted but there was a certain lightness in his expression.

It’s the look of someone who had accomplished something meaningful.

Lucien raised an eyebrow. "Rough day?"

Kael chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck. "You could say that, young master. After the construction ended, your people swarmed me. They bought almost everything I had in stock. I barely had time to breathe."

He leaned back into the chair with a sigh.

"They kept coming hour after hour asking for regional specialties, gifts, tools... you name it. I just restocked and it’s all gone again."

Despite the fatigue, there was warmth in his voice.

"What really surprised me," Kael added, "is how much the barony has changed. So many things are new yet the people... they’re still the same."

He smiled faintly.

"They treat me like family. It’s a good feeling."

Lucien nodded.

Then... He updated Kael on everything that had happened in his absence. The things he missed while he was away.

Soon, their conversation shifted to more serious matters. Specifically, Kael’s delivery of the ’head.’

To make the trip faster, Kael had used Space Magic: Leap multiple times, traversing distances in a matter of moments.

He reached the Coalheart Territory, dropped the severed head at the front of their estate and vanished before anyone could react.

Afterward, he traveled across nearby border territories to sell various goods and regional specialties, making quick trades and avoiding unnecessary attention.

He didn’t linger.

Instead, he moved west.

Toward the large city beyond Coalheart’s, to purchase the items Lucien had requested.

Kael pointed to the pile of items on the floor.

Lying neatly in front of them were more than twenty Spatial Bags.

Lucien raised a brow. He had given Kael over a thousand gold coins for this errand, fully aware that it would be costly.

"I picked the ones with the highest capacity," Kael explained. "Each one cost fifty gold coins. Honestly, the Space Magicians who craft these are charging way too much. It’s robbery!"

Lucien chuckled and nodded.

’Still, it’s perfect timing. My drops are starting to overflow.’ He thought.

As they continued chatting, Kael mentioned something else.

"I ran into the tax caravan on my way back to Lootwell," he said. "I recognized them they’re the usual team assigned to the border routes. I used to see them all the time."

Lucien and Kael spoke for a while longer, discussing the caravan, the barony and the changes happening across the territory.

Before Kael took his leave, Lucien handed him a small bundle.

Some Honeys, Nectar Crystals and finally... something special.

The Iron Will Necklace.

A rare drop from the Coalheart Assassins, way back in Chapter 14.

It boosts courage and confidence. It’s perfect for Kael.

Kael looked at the necklace then carefully placed it around his neck.

The moment it touched his skin, he paused.

A strange but powerful sensation washed over him.

Like a spark lighting deep inside.

As if nothing was out of reach anymore.

As if he could do anything.

Confidence bloomed.

Without another word, Kael said thanks and bid goodbye. He then turned and hurried off.

After Kael left, Lucien turned his attention to the Spatial Bags.

He began testing them by transferring some of his loot.

1... 10... 100... and so on...

Item after item vanished into the bag without issue.

Lucien nodded with satisfaction.

Unlike his INVENTORY, which could only store 99 of the same item per slot, the Spatial Bags operated on internal space.

If it fit, it stored.

Then came the real test.

He tried placing a Spatial Bag itself into his INVENTORY.

The moment of truth...

Success.

The bag occupied just one slot and to his delight, he discovered that even Spatial Bags could stack. Up to 99 per slot.

Lucien couldn’t help but grin.

"I’ll never run out of storage again."

And while Spatial Bags didn’t stop time, his INVENTORY did which meant anything inside a bag placed within the INVENTORY would also be preserved.

Another glitch in the system and one that worked completely in his favor.

With that taken care of, Lucien finished a few more tasks then set out for the dungeon.

•••

Lucien brought Sparkles, his unicorn, with him to the dungeon.

It was time for it to grow stronger together with Skittles.

As for Peek and Aboo, he left them resting comfortably in his room. He had made sure to leave them plenty of food. Aboo was still pregnant and weak, and he didn’t want either of them feeling burdened.

For now, Lucien had a different goal in mind.

Testing and experimenting with his skills.

He assigned Sparkles and Skittles to the first floor where they could farm materials needed for ongoing construction projects.

Meanwhile, Lucien descended deeper straight to the second floor of the dungeon.

As expected, Skittles had already defeated the Slime Boss earlier.

Lucien stepped confidently into the lower level.

Lucien wanted to test something.

"SLIME BEAST MODE."

His body began to shift. It became translucent, fluid and strange.

Power surged through him as a sense of weightlessness settled in.

He felt faster.

Sharper.

Energized.

But almost immediately, he noticed something.

His Divine Energy was being drained.

"So that’s why I was bedridden last time," he muttered. "I barely had Divine Energy back then... Just the small boost from the Honey and Nectar Crystals I’d consumed. And when that ran out... what did it start burning through? My life force?"

A chill ran down his spine.

He also realized something else. Ever since acquiring Divine Energy, most of his other skills had become much easier to use, with almost no strain.

"Are Skills directly tied to Divine Energy?" He seriously pondered.

Lucien took a deep breath and steadied himself. He pushed those thoughts aside for now.

Still in Slime Beast Mode, he launched into a killing spree.

He tearing through the second floor’s slimes with brutal efficiency.

As expected, his Divine Energy steadily declined the longer he stayed transformed.

But this time, he understood his limits.

With his current reserve, he estimated he could maintain Slime Beast Mode for about 15 minutes without suffering side effects.

Lucien wanted to test something else.

He reached out mentally, calling for Skittles.

He had been able to do this for a while now. All it took was closing his eyes and focusing on their connection. With enough concentration, he could send commands from a distance.

This time, he called Skittles for a specific reason.

To test one of his Slime skills.

"SLIME MERGE."

The effect was immediate.

Skittles began to quiver. His body deformed and it expanded rapidly.

Then... like a liquid bullet, he launched himself toward Lucien.

In an instant, Skittles engulfed him and wrapped itself around every inch of his body.

They merged.

Or rather...

Skittles became a living armor, encasing Lucien in a form that was both alien and powerful.

But something was different.

Lucien felt it the moment the merge completed.

His body became lighter and more fluid yet at the same time, he felt invincible.

And then it happened.

Knowledge surged into his mind.

Instinctive understanding.

He could now use... Skittles’ skills.

Lucien decided to try it out.

Merged with Skittles, he gained access to a unique arsenal.

Slime Shots. Each with different effects.

Hot. Super sticky. Hardened. Fast. Cold. Poisoned.

Each variation had its use and Lucien could instinctively tell which one suited which situation. Even more impressive, he could now fire multiple types at once.

The possibilities thrilled him.

He then put one of the skills to the test.

With a single thought, he leapt into the air.

His body was light and springy.

Mid-jump, he locked onto a nearby Solar Slime then activated the skill.

SLAM.

His body instantly grew dense and heavy, turning into a living projectile. He crashed down onto the unfortunate slime.

Plop.

It died on impact.

Lucien stood with his heart racing.

He was exhilarated.

The power.

The synergy.

It was as if he and Skittles had truly become one.

After a while, he willed the Slime Merge to end.

The fusion peeled away and Skittles returned to his usual bouncy form, hopping in place with excitement.

It was clearly waiting for praise.

Lucien grinned and opened his arms.

Skittles leapt into his embrace.

Lucien laughed. The sound echoed through the dungeon.

He gave his loyal companion a gentle pat before continuing forward.

Lucien finally deactivated SLIME BEAST MODE.

The rush faded and his body returned to normal but then, he let out a sigh.

"...Did I just become a rainbow Iron Man?" he muttered.

But suddenly, his expression turned into a frown.

"Ugh. Rainbow colors look weird. Someone might mistake me for... something else entirely."

He gave an involuntary shiver at the thought.

"Definitely not using that transformation in public."

Shaking his head, he let Skittles bounce off to rest.

But he wasn’t done testing.

He had one more skill in mind.

"SPLIT BODY."

The moment he activated it, he felt the last traces of his Divine Energy drain away.

And then...

It appeared.

Standing in front of him was...

A miniature version of himself.

This chapter is updat𝓮d by fre(e)webnov(l).com