Degenerate

Degenerate (変質者) or Shapeshifter (変質者) is a Unique Skill originally owned by Shizue Izawa. After consuming her, Rimuru inherited it from her.

Effects
Degenerate has two effects:
 * Synthesis (統合): Transform two differing targets into a single object. Can be used to merge Skills together, evolving them into new skills. More than one Skill can be acquired from the merging depending on the combination used.
 * Seperation (分離): Release the properties inherent to the target and make it into a separate object. (The original object may disappear if it has no physical form).

Trivia

 * The kanji for Degenerate is usually a slang word used to describe Perverts or extreme Eccentrics which is where the pun comes from where Rimuru teases the spirit of Shizue inside him at a comedic panel of the manga at the end of Chapter 12. However, the meaning of "Degenerate" relating to this skill's abilities is a more literal interpretation of the meaning of the kanji: the word "henshitsu-sha" is formed of the kanji 変 (hen), meaning weird, and 者 (sha), meaning person, but 質 (shitsu) could mean nature (e.g "the sadistic nature of the demon") or qualities (e.g kindness is a fine quality in a human). From the former, the meaning of "pervert" is derived, however, using the latter this could be interpreted as something like "a person with strange qualities"; from this interpretation a meaning akin to "shapeshifter" is derived.