As I stared into the abyss of the swarm, I realized I had been wrong all along. I thought I had faced the worst of horrors in battle, earned the title of the bravest man, and believed I feared nothing. But now, as I stood before the swarm, I understood the true meaning of terror.
They were not just a formidable enemy on the battlefield, they were an indomitable force of destruction. Their sheer numbers were overwhelming, and their relentless pursuit left no room for escape. They moved with a synchronized precision, as if they were a single entity, devoid of any emotion or mercy. They were death itself, a relentless force that swept away everything in their path.
I had faced giants, dragons, and other mythical creatures in my battles, but none of them compared to the terror of the swarm. It was as if I was facing an embodiment of all my fears and nightmares at once. The very thought of encountering them sent shivers down my spine.
In that moment, I realized that even the bravest of men had their limits. I had stared death in the face and laughed, but the swarm was something else entirely. It was a force that instilled a primal fear in me, a fear that I had never experienced before.
-An Exert from the diary of an Unknown Warrior.
----------------------------
'I hate this world' Gerald thought to himself as he lay on top of a dead fox, surrounded by the carcasses of a dozen centipedes. He was covered in scratches and burns, evidence of the fierce battle that had just taken place.
Reflecting on the events that had led him to this moment, Gerald recalled how he had been following a group of centipedes that were out hunting. He had observed their fighting tactics, and when he finally decided to join the fray, a fox engulfed in flames had suddenly appeared from the trees. It was unclear whether the fox had been drawn by the commotion or if it was simply a coincidence, but one thing was certain - the fox was looking for a fight. It had attacked the centipedes with fireballs, resulting in some of them being gravely injured or killed. The rabbit creature they had been hunting had managed to escape, and the centipedes had turned their attention to the fox, chasing it as it evaded them with impressive speed.
'This motherf*cker is fast!' Gerald had taken cover in a tree, dodging fireballs that were flying in all directions. He had noticed that the fox was heading his way, seemingly exhausted and with its mana running low. Gerald had seen an opportunity to kill it and had prepared to ambush it.
As the fox approached, Gerald had lunged at it, causing it to lose its balance. The fox had tried to stand up quickly, but Gerald had done his best to prevent it from doing so. He had used his bite skill, which had leveled up in the process.
[Bite reached Level 2!]
The fox had screamed in pain and had attempted to blast Gerald with a fireball, even though it would hurt itself in the process.
Reacting quickly, Gerald had let go of the fox and tried to run away, but the fox had managed to blast a part of his body with a fireball. 'F**CKKK THAT HURTS!' Gerald had cursed inwardly as he rolled on the ground in pain.
The fox had realized it couldn't escape anymore and had turned to attack Gerald directly. Fireballs had been flying towards him, and despite some managing to hit, their damage had been reduced due to the fox's depleted mana. Just as things were looking dire for Gerald, the other centipedes had finally caught up and had jumped at the fox.
The fox had fought back fiercely, knowing it wouldn't survive much longer. It had taken out as many centipedes as it could with its flames, but it had sustained severe wounds in the process. Gerald had watched as the fox and the remaining centipedes engaged in a brutal battle, both sides struggling to stay alive.
The fox had proved to be resilient, even though it was on the verge of death. It had killed a centipede that had attacked it from a tree with a fireball, the fox had continued to spew fire from its mouth, resembling a dragon, it had also been damaging itself in the process but the other centipedes had learned from their mistakes and had refrained from rushing into the flames.
The centipedes cautiously retreated, having learned from the mistakes of others not to rush into the flames. The Fox, seeing this, felt a glimmer of hope. Perhaps it could escape by scaring the centipedes with its fire. Slowly, it climbed back to its feet, retreating while keeping an eye on the centipedes, occasionally breathing out fire to intimidate them. It thought it might finally be able to escape, until suddenly a mandible closed in on its neck.
Gerald, who had been observing the situation, rushed forward and used his skill [Bite] on the unsuspecting Fox. The Fox was about to throw another fireball, but Gerald used his skill again, biting the creature's neck and causing it to die.
[You killed an Infant Flaming Fox (Level 5)]
[You gained exp]
[You've reached Level 2, One skill point rewarded]
[You've reached Level 3, One skill Point rewarded]
Exhausted, Gerald collapsed on top of the Fox. 'Man, I hate this world' he thought to himself. He had been constantly dodging fireballs and keeping his guard up, looking for a chance to attack the Fox. It had been his first life-and-death fight, and it had taken a toll on him.
'But it's all worth it' Gerald reflected. 'I'm now level 3 and I have 2 skill points. I don't know what skills points are yet, but based on their names, they should be useful.' As Gerald was lost in thought, the surviving centipedes had already begun feasting on the dead Fox. 'Better eat this thing first and think about the skill points later' Gerald decided, joining the other centipedes in consuming the creature.
After they finished eating, the centipedes returned to their burrow. 'Sweet, I got 6 biomass just from that Fox!' Gerald exclaimed to himself as he found a corner to relax in. He then noticed that his stats had also increased slightly.
[Level: 3
Might: 16
Toughness: 14
Cunning: 33
Will: 17
HP: 28/28
MP: 27/27
Skills: Bite (Level 2)
Mutations: Mandibles +5, Exoskeleton +2
Biomass: 6
Skill Points: 2]
"Finally! I can upgrade my mandibles!" Gerald thought excitedly as a list of upgrade options appeared in front of him. There were various upgrades available, but a few caught his eye.
[Poisonous mandibles: These mandibles could be coated in a deadly poison that would paralyze or kill its prey.]
[Razor-sharp mandibles: These mandibles could be sharpened to a razor's edge, making them capable of slicing through flesh and bone.]
[Corrosive mandibles: These mandibles could be coated in a corrosive acid that would melt through anything they touched.]
[Electric mandibles: These mandibles could generate an electric current that would stun or even kill its prey.]
Gerald scrolled through the options, considering each one carefully. 'Ohhh, those are some good choices' he thought. 'The razor-sharp mandibles and corrosive mandibles sound tempting, but I think the best option is the electric mandibles. If I can paralyze the enemy, my buddies can swarm in and kill it before it can move again.' After deliberating for a few minutes, Gerald made his decision. He also decided to upgrade his exoskeleton once.
[Electric Mandibles, Exoskeleton +1]
With a confirmed thought, Gerald's vision blurred as he fell into a deep sleep.