Between bashing my head and throwing my tail into the shell, it doesn't take more than a minute to emerge from my egg. Taking my surrounding I find two other broken eggshells and... a really large bird staring me down. Taking a closer look, the two other broken eggs seem to have blood surrounding them.
"hiss, hiss... hiss."
I attempt to communicate with the bird but all I can bring out is the hissing of a snake, well I should have expected that. Focusing my view on the bird brings up the System's screen to display some information on this oversized bird.
Race: Adult Lighting Thrasher
Level: 2
"To see more information please unlock the Inspect skill."
so that's it huh... Do or die I guess! On nothing more than pure instinct, I use my Acid Spray aiming at the birds face. Surprising myself I managed to hit the mark on my first try, although it doesn't amount to much other than momentarily stunning the big bird. Makes sense it has some sort of resistance to my attacks, it does prey on my species after all. While I still have the chance, I make a run for it and hide my self in the crevices of the nearby rocks. Just barely getting my full body hidden away before the bird can snatch my tail. That was too close for comfort.
The bird spends some time trying to break down the surrounding rocks and even throws lightning at me, what the hell! Seemingly tired it wanders off finally giving me a true chance to catch my breath. But why lightning of all the things it could have been, I was just killed by lightning. I know my luck was bad but to have my life threatened the moment I was born is truly unlucky. With the chance to actually check my surrounding without my life at risk I seemingly find myself to be on a beach, and I think I can kind of see water in the distance. A shame that a snake's eyesight is so poor, but my sense of smell is far better than when I was human. I can even feel things moving around me, some sort of pressure sense. If it wasn't for the Lightning Thrasher standing between me and the ocean I think I would have chosen to run off in that direction instead. I stare at the surrounding rocks that are keeping me safe while I think for a bit until the System suddenly pops up and interrupt me.
Species: Talonian Volcanic Rock
Huh? I can even view stuff like rocks? I try again on the sand below me, the screen showing itself faster due to actually focusing this time.
Species: Talonian White Sand
"Requirements met, the Inspect skill has been unlocked."
That's nice and all, but what exactly does the Inspect skill do?
"Skill: Inspect. Allows the user to see the basic stats for other living beings."
This seems pretty useful. Now I can better judge whether I should fight or run from the monsters I run into from now on. My Acid Spray and Venom should have corrosive elements to it so I wonder if I can use it on the rocks to peak out and gain a greater view of my surroundings. Even if my vision isn't the greatest, just having more information about my surroundings will aid in my survival.
I begin to use Acid Spray on the rock directly behind me and find that it does break down the rock, creating a small dent. If I keep this up I should be able to poke a small hole through to the other side.
After about 10 minutes of using Acid Spray on the rocks, I finally manage to breakthrough before laying flat from exhaustion.
"Acid Spray (1) has levelled up to Acid Spray (2)."
So that's what the number next to my skills meant. I had forgotten to look into that. Good to know I can level up my skills like this, but doing that again is not something I want to do if I can avoid it. Now that I've had a little time to rest lets see what's on the other side.
Poking my head out through the hole I see that the sun has almost set and the figure of the Lighting Thrasher resting over what looks to be it eggs. As far as I can tell there is some forestation in the distance, but with the darkness setting in combined with my poor eyes, I can't see much more other than rocks and sand. I've decided my first mutation is going to be the Superior Eyes, it won't take long before my poor sight gets me killed. But first, it's time for some revenge. Attacking a sleeping target is cowardly? They drew first blood, not me. Besides I did this all the time back when I was human.
Time to see what I can view with the Inspect. I should be able to use this by just focusing and thinking about it, as I have done for everything else so far. Ah, there we go.
Race: Adult Lighting Thrasher
Level: 2
State: Light Sleep
HP: 145/150
STR: 32
VIT: 29
INT: 13
MND: 40
I can't see everything unfortunately but this is still enough.
After double-checking to make sure nothing else was nearby I move towards the resting Lightning Thrasher. Keeping up a slow and steady movement, so as to not make a sound. Just as I arrive the Lightning Thrasher awakes, but it too late. The moment it opens its eyes I use my Acid Spray on them, and as it releases an ear-piercing shriek I use my Acid Spray once more directly into its mouth. Using inspect once again I find it health has fallen quite a bit, down to 80. I begin to coil myself around its neck and bite into it, pushing my venom directly into the bird's lungs. After about 30 seconds of struggling it finally falls dead and I hear the System's robotic voice once more.
"You have slain a Level 2 Adult Lightning Thrasher. You have gained 80 EXP. Because it was 1 level higher than you, you have gained an additional 10% EXP (8). Because it was on a higher evolutionary path you have gained double total Exp. You have gained a total of 176 EXP. Congratulations, you have reached Level 3. You have reached the max available level for a hatchling, excess EXP has been discarded. Please evolve to level up further. Skill: Venomous Bite (1) has levelled up to Venomous Bite (2). Skill: Acid Spray (2) has levelled up to Acid Spray (3)."
That's a lot of information all at once. To start with it seems like my skills grow faster when in combat compared to just throwing them out against a wall. Since I've hit the cap on my growth I should focus on consuming biomatter for my mutations and evolution, thankfully I even have an all you can eat buffet right before me. A dead Lighting Thrasher and even four of its eggs.
Not bad taste like chicken. Anyways, now that I've eaten lets see how our status page has changed.
Name: Cordelia Auspin
Race: Elite Hatchling Sea Snake (Talonian Regional Variant)
Titles: N/A
Level: 3 (Max)
EXP: N/A
HP: 10/10 MP: 6/6
STR: 12
VIT: 11
DEX: 18
INT: 22
WIS: 15
MND: 4
CHA: 9
LUCK: 3
Skills: Acid Spray (3), Tail Swipe (1), Venomous Bite (2), Inspect (1)
Mutations: Superior Eyes (See Potential Mutations)
Current Biomatter: 50kg
Lifetime Biomatter: 50kg
Available Evolutions: Juvenile Sea Snake (Talonian) Requires 15kg of biomatter (See Potential Evolutions)
Details: A newly reincarnated Talonian Sea Snake. Some stats have been altered to accommodate for the previous life's attributes. As an Elite monster, you gain a bonus to all stats, current bonus +3. A newly born weakling, cursed by the goddess of luck.
I'm going to ignore that last part. if I do some quick math, it looks like I got about 10% of my previous stats for each level. System, do I have any mutations available?
"An Elite Hatchling may only have 1 mutation. Currently available mutations are: Enhanced Size (500kg), Spiked Tail (15kg), Enhanced Lungs (25kg), Superior Eyes (25kg), Gills (20kg)."
First and foremost I want to have the Superior Eyes mutation.
"This action will consume 25kg of biomatter. Are you sure you want to continue?"
Yes! oh, my eyes are starting to warm up... they're getting pretty hot... too hot, ouch, shit this burns aaahhh!
Despite only 30 seconds passing, the pain made it feel like 30 minutes. Am I going to have to go through that every time I mutate... this is going to be a long journey. But that pain was worth it, I can much further than before, slightly better than when I was human, although the night still obscures a lot. I should still have 25 biomatter left so I can use that to evolve, but can I still evolve into a Sea Drake if I become a Juvenile? System, show me the information on the Juvenile Sea Snake.
"The Juvenile Sea Snake is the evolution that follows the Sea Snake's hatchling phase. As a Juvenile, it has yet to fully grow, as such its evolution isn't yet locked to the Sea Snake path. Has a +3 in most stats compared to the hatchling."
That's good, I was afraid I would have to stay a hatchling until I met the requirements for the Sea Drake. Based off of what I just went through for the mutation, I should probably find a be in a safe place, or I might find myself being dinner rather than the diner.
I move back to the crevice I was hiding in earlier and prepare to evolve into a juvenile.
"Evolving into a Juvenile Sea Snake will consume 15kg of biomatter. This action will also reset your level to 1 and any incompatible mutations will be lost (none). As an Elite Juvenile, you will gain a +5 to most stats. Are you sure you want to continue?"
Yes.
As I confirm my choice I find myself losing consciousness and see a cocoon-like structure to form around my coiled body. As it fully surrounds me I finally lose all awareness and pass out.
As I begin to regain my bearings the cocoon that surrounded me during my evolution breaks down and I quickly find myself in a predicament. My body is too large to escape from the crevice. Guess I can take a quick look at my new status since I'm stuck here for now.
Name: Cordelia Auspin
Race: Elite Juvenile Sea Snake (Talonian Regional Variant)
Titles: N/A
Level: 1
EXP: 0/200
HP: 10/10 MP: 10/10
STR: 15
VIT: 14
DEX: 20
INT: 28
WIS: 20
MND: 8
CHA: 11
LUCK: 5
Skills: Acid Spray (3), Tail Swipe (1), Venomous Bite (2), Inspect (1)
Mutations: Superior Eyes (See Potential Mutations)
Current Biomatter: 10kg
Lifetime Biomatter: 50kg
Available Evolutions: N/A (See Potential Evolutions)
Details: A reincarnated Talonian Sea Snake. Some stats have been altered to accommodate for the previous life's attributes. As an Elite Monster, you gain a bonus to all stats, current bonus +5. Starting to get stronger but you're still pretty weak. Your luck has at long last surpassed that of a normal Sea Snake, even if it is only by 1.
Why does the last line always have to insult me? I'm sure it was Him that designed this system, so I guess it makes sense that it will always find some way to piss me off. I'll deal with him eventually. Anyway, it looks like most of my stats got a boost, other than my health and strength. Time to blow this joint.
After a few minutes of randomly flailing about it throwing acid everywhere, I managed to escape from the crevice and get met by the rising sun. What a nice greeting to start my day. Being completely free I get the chance to take a look at my new body and find I am rather large for a sea snake that hasn't fully grown. When I fully stretch out I am about at long as a male teenager. I knew I had gotten larger but this is more than what I had expected, still, that Lighting Thrasher was taller than my full length. If I hadn't taken it by surprise while it was defenceless I probably would have lost my life. Oh, how I love helpless victims that can't put up a fight, they're just the best.
A little late but it's about time for this Sea Snake to take her first step er.... slither into the ocean.