Where am I?Why can't I feel my body?
Darkness—that was Hayashi's first sensation after waking up.
Then he noticed something strange. His body felt… different. Around him came the steady sound of tapping, as if someone were hammering nearby.
Hayashi tried to move. It wasn't easy; his body shifted only inch by inch.
Have I… turned into a slime?
"Yes, Host—you've transformed into a slime."
Who are you? And why are you in my head?
"I am the Great Sage," the calm voice replied inside his mind.
Then why am I like this?
"Host, this is one of the advantages of your reincarnation into a new world."
Advantages? This feels more like punishment! Hayashi shouted in his thoughts. Without a mouth, it was all he could do.
"Do not panic, Host. You wished for this transformation into a slime."
Why on earth would I wish for something so ridiculous? Hayashi nearly broke down.
"Based on the memories and fantasies in your mind, I fulfilled your deepest desire. Haven't you always dreamed of looking like the Cute King from that anime?"
I only liked the Cute King—I never wanted to be the Cute King! Ahhh!
Inwardly, Hayashi clutched his head in frustration. Then, after a moment of silent acceptance, he sighed and addressed the Great Sage again.
Fine. Since I have the Cute King's form, can you give me some anime-style skills as well?
"Ding. Sensing the Host's desire—granting skills: Magic Perception and Magic Release."(I won't explain the skills here—you probably know them. If you don't… well, too bad.)
Hayashi turned his attention to his surroundings. He appeared to be in a cave, buried in a pile of debris. Not far away, an older man with a neatly kept mustache was hammering metal on an anvil, while a bald man worked beside him. Nearby stood a half-assembled suit of steel armor.
The sight nagged at Hayashi. It felt… familiar.
Great Sage, can you identify which world I'm in?
"Host, based on my scan, this is the Marvel Universe. The mustached man before you is Tony Stark—Iron Man."
And the bald man? That would be… Yinsen, Hayashi realized.
Hayashi had always liked Yinsen. Back when he watched the movie, he'd thought Yinsen's death was tragic and unfair. Now that he had a chance to change that fate, excitement bubbled within him.
Great Sage, can I transform into a human form right now?
"Yes. Your human form has been preset to match the Cute King's appearance from the anime. (One of the perks of time travel—you don't need to consume or mimic others to shapeshift.)"
Then let's begin, Hayashi said, bracing himself.
His body swelled, shifted, and reshaped. After a few moments of writhing transformation, he stood upright in human form.
Tony Stark blinked in surprise at the sudden appearance of what looked like a young girl.
"Hey, kid—no idea how you got in here, but you'd better hide fast. Those terrorists out there aren't as friendly as I am."
"I'm a man." Hayashi's voice was firm, though he'd already been warned by the Great Sage about his overly cute appearance. Still, being mistaken for a girl grated on him.
"Sure, sure, girl. Just hide, alright? I won't be able to protect you later."
"I don't need to hide. I'm here to help you. I'm very strong." Hayashi crossed his arms and sat down nearby.
"Tony, we've got to hurry. Today's the last day before the deadline," Yinsen urged.
"Alright, Yinsen, start entering the final commands. Today's the day we walk out of here. As for the little girl—watch and learn how Uncle Tony deals with the bad guys."
Tony moved to suit up, while Yinsen focused on the computer. Meanwhile, the terrorists outside began to suspect something was wrong. They noticed Tony was no longer visible on the surveillance feed.
"Go check if they're still in there," the leader ordered.
Two armed men approached the heavy iron door and pounded on it. When it wouldn't budge, they opened fire.
Just as the door began to give way, Yinsen detonated a hidden bomb. The blast flung the nearest terrorist backward, but the armor's system entry wasn't complete yet.
"Tony, I'll buy you some time!" Yinsen shouted, grabbing a fallen rifle and rushing out.
"No—Yinsen!" Tony's voice broke, but he couldn't leave the system setup unfinished.
Hayashi knew if he didn't act now, it would be too late. He sprang to his feet and ran toward the danger.
"Hey, girl! Don't go out there—it's dangerous!" Tony called after him.
"Don't worry, Mr. Stark. I'm strong," Hayashi replied without slowing.
Tony clenched his fists, torn between anxiety and helplessness, his eyes locked on the armor's loading bar. Hurry up, hurry up…
Outside, Hayashi saw Yinsen crouched behind cover, firing bursts at the terrorists. "Come on, you cowards!" Yinsen roared. The enemy kept their heads down—nobody wanted to be the first to die.
Hayashi remembered the film—Yinsen had been killed when his ammo ran out, losing the suppressive fire. Yinsen turned and spotted Hayashi.
"Girl, get back! Don't be afraid, we'll get you out!"
The gunfire stopped. Yinsen's rifle was empty. The terrorists began to move in.
"I told you—I'm a man!" Hayashi snapped, stepping forward. He raised his hand.
Great Sage—Devour!
His hand twisted into a swirling vortex, sucking in every bullet fired at them.
"Oh my God—what is that?" Yinsen gasped.
Hayashi grinned. "This is my ability. I've been told I'm pretty strong."
"So… you have superpowers?" Yinsen's eyes widened. The mysterious "girl" who'd appeared out of nowhere was full of surprises.
By the time Tony Stark emerged in full armor, he saw Hayashi standing there, hand still spinning like a hungry black hole, swallowing every bullet in sight.