Charlotte’s eyelids fluttered slightly as a grogginess settled in her skull. Sounds of gentle waves and a soft humming caressed her ears. She rubbed her nose, stretching her body out from the restful nap.


    Her eyes opened and were greeted by a dark sky covered with twinkling stars behind an especially large full moon. While rubbing her sore back, she looked around her. An ominous purple fog hovered over a dark sludge-like water that failed to reflect the beautifully speckled sky.


    A sudden wind sent wisps of yellow-white in front of her face. She instinctively tucked the silky smooth hair behind an ear and caught a stubborn strand.


    This isn''t my hair.


    She looked down at the unfamiliar clothes she was wearing. Her toes wiggled in white socks that hugged her thighs. She smoothed the long sleeves of the white dress and straightened the red sash around her waist that matched her red shoes.


    Last thing I remember, I was sitting in my room playing games and then… nothing? That can’t be right. What about my hard-earned investment account? My apartment I never bothered to furnish?


    She slumped in defeat but only momentarily.


    The humming at the front of the wooden boat brought her out of her dark musings. A figure hiding under a ragged cloak stood perfectly balanced on the bow as if it were a part of it. A white boney grip held a long pole that went into the dark water, pushing the two of them along. White letters formed above its head.


    [Skeleton Ferryman - Level 1]


    A s-skeleton?! Eek! Is this the River Styx? Am I dead?


    “E-excuse me, kind ferryman sir, where are you taking me?”


    It lifted a bony finger and pointed ahead of them.


    She leaned slightly over but could only see the same ominous fog.


    Charlotte shrugged, not seeing where it was pointing. She assumed they''d get to their destination eventually. She looked back to the ferryman and felt uncomfortable in its company but wasn''t sure how to go about her situation yet.


    A flashing in the corner of her eye caught her attention and she focused on it. It enlarged into a transparent window that bombarded her vision.


    You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.


    Error! Intrud—New user detected


    Randomized class selected


    Status screen now available


    Hey! Were you going to call me an intruder? How rude.


    The notifications were replaced by another window.


    Name: Charlotte


    Age: 18


    Class: Muckmancer


    Level: 0


    Skills: Identify


    Spells: Make-a-muck


    How does it know how old I was—am? Levels? Class? I read too many light novels and played too many games to know what’s going on. Maybe. Let’s not dwell on the facts too much and jump right into it.


    Identify: Self-explanatory. Do you really need a description to know what this is?


    Oh… I got the snarky system. Great.


    Anyway! So I’m a Muckmancer.


    Make-a-muck: Create a slime to do your bidding. Slimes level up with caster.


    What kind of slimes? I hope that they’re the cute slimes and not the other kind… heh… heh…


    I don’t have a staff or a wand so it might be innate magic? Time to give it a whirl!


    Charlotte giggled awkwardly and held out her hand to the middle of the boat.


    “Make-a-muck!”


    Something was pulled out of her. The sensation trailed down her arm and out of her palm. A blue marble emerged from her skin and landed on the floor with a plop. It grew with each beat of her heart, wobbling in place like pudding. If she held her arms out in a circle, its final form would fit perfectly inside. Simply drawn eyes blinked at her. It yawned as if just waking up from a nap.


    Something fluttered in her heart and she put a hand to her chest.


    It’s so cute! But that came out of me, right? Does that technically make this thing my baby?! I should have been more careful since I’m on a boat. What if it had been a super boss slime?!


    She squealed and scooped the newborn into her arms. It squished against her and she rubbed her cheeks on its smooth and warm surface. It let out cute yips and pips from the affection, its cheeks slightly blushing.


    How could something like this exist! It reminds me of the game I played when I was little: Slime Crossing. Its cuteness is unrivaled! The best of the best! Award winning slime!


    Hearts replaced Charlotte’s eyes and she wanted to spread the news of her newborn. She held it out in each hand and it let out another pip.


    Oof. Super-effective!


    Charlotte calmed down and placed the slime on her lap: its rightful lap-throne.


    “You need a name.”


    She thought of a specific ranger who kicked bad guys’ butts with super martial prowess and corny acting.


    “Alright, I will call you: Muck Norris.”


    The slime pipped in approval. White lettering appeared above its body(head?).


    [Muck Norris - Level 0]


    “I don’t know if I’d be able to name them all as creatively as you but since you were created first, you get a cool name.”


    She looked to the silent ferryman who dared ignore the birth of her sweet baby coming into this dreary world. She wanted to tell the world and had to start somewhere.


    “Mr. Ferryman! Look at my sweet Muck Norris. Isn’t it the cutest?!” Charlotte wanted to make friendly chit-chat but the ferryman continued to ignore her. Her mouth split into a feral grin.


    How dare he!


    Charlotte puffed her cheeks out angrily. She lifted the newborn above her head and it let out a questionable yelp.


    ”LOOK AT ITTTTT!” She threw the shocked Muck Norris at the ferryman and it bumped into the cloaked figure with a boof. The ferryman sprawled forward wildly into the water like a silly cartoon character. It splashed around pathetically until its body sank into the waters. The poke vanished as well.


    Oops?