Shinrin yoku.
To bathe in the stillness of nature.
A common misconception about nature is that majority of the time it is still. It is calm.
When stranded in the wilderness you do not fear the beast, but fear the cold, hunger and thirst.
Prepare for the inevitabilities of survival rather than the off chance encounter with predators. But still be vigilant. Be careful.
You don't know what is hiding in the stillness of nature. Watching. Waiting for its time to;
'STRIKE!!! It's a hit!!'
[[Venom] Activated]
[ [Lesser Tree Frog(Lvl:17)] Slain - Exp:13]
[Level up: Lvl:8 -> Lvl 9]
Not much has happened since exiting the river, besides an evolution. Here's how it went.
...
[Evolution available]
[Leech]
[Greater Bloodworm]
[Blood Fluke]
[Blood Pygmy Snake]
'Sooooo... I mean there's only one option. I'm tryna be a dragon here'
Quinn immediately picked [Blood Pygmy Snake].
[Species:Blood Pygmy Snake
Race:Reptile
Racial trait:[Blood Fangs]: Fangs built on the foundation of unique blood(Tier I)
Racial skills:[Dig] [Tremor Sense] [Venom] ]
[Racial skills will be lost]
[Do you wish to evolve? [Yes] [No] ]
'Huh, I loose a fair bit. But It's a sacrifice. Right?! YES'
[...]
[The World Worm, Ḱerithius, looks down on you]
[Are you sure you want to change race? [Yes] [No] ]
'... F##k, why I'm just a small worm. Why would some goliath worm look down upon me? Why me? If I say yes..'
[Changing Race...]
'Wait no... I...'
[Successfully changed race]
[The World Worm, Ḱerithius, curses you]
'Fu#...'
And with that Quinn drifted off into unconsciousness.
...
[Stat scale shifting... [-2] -> [-1]]
[
Strength:7-->0.7
Agility:7-->0.7
Vitality:5-->0.5
Intelligence:6-->0.6
Arcane:5-->0.5
]
...
'Yea. That was pretty much most of the events over the past two month. Besides me hunting of course. The only thing different about my body is that it got slightly bigger, a defined mouth with four fangs and scales. Oh and eyes. although I'm still blind af...
Why the hell am I narrating? Am I'm going crazy? Am I already crazy? This forest is soo boring. huff.. Boring is better than almost dying. Status'
[
Name:Quinn
Titles:[???] [Cursed by The World Worm]
Species:Blood Pygmy Snake(Lvl:9)
Exp:[14/91]
Strength:0.9
Agility:3
Vitality:2
Intelligence:0.8
Arcane:3
Skills: [Appraisal(Lvl:3)] [Mana Sense(Lvl:2)][Swim(Lvl:2)] [Hermaphrodite(Pending)]
Skill Potentials:[Blood Magic] [Barrier Magic]
]
[Species:Blood Pygmy Snake
Race:Reptile
Racial trait:[Blood Fangs]: Fangs built on the foundation of unique blood(Tier I)
Racial skills:[Dig(Lvl:8)] [Tremor Sense(Lvl:2)] [Venom(Lvl:2)] ]
...
'Besides getting cursed I'm more concerned about "[Hermaphrodite(Pending)]". Like just give me my dick back. Please.'
Quinn didn't really notice the curse. It didn't really inhibit his life. Like at all. Nothing. Zero. No effects whatso ever.
In his day to day life, the most dangerous thing was an ants nest. Quinn had a few couple close encounters. But he didn't have to worry about that in his burrow.
'I should extend this place. I am getting bigger with every level up.'
[[Dig] Activated]
He dug straight into an ants nest. In hind sight Quinn could've sensed this with [Tremor Sense] but he got too comfortable, too complacent. And in turn he got swarm.
'F##k F#3K, no no no... Why is this happening to me?? Get off. gET OFFF why won't you get off?'
Quinn struggled and flailed but atlas to no avail. There was only one choice. The creek.
...
The creek was only a couple meter's away from his burrow. Bursting out of his hole he crawled as fast as he could. But the ants made it painful. The ants made it feel like an eternity. Quinn needed to get into the stream before the ant's venom overwhelmed him.
His conscience was fading but he was fast enough. Quinn made it into the creek and wriggled all the ants off. Leaving them to drown in their own autonomy.
But nature wasn't done with Quinn. A decently sized [Dark Pine Bass] beelined straight for Quinn. In it's eye's Quinn was the perfect afternoon snack.
'Oh give me a F@#king break.'
Quinn swam down then up. Bursting out of the water scrambling the basses senses enough to barely avoid the mouth of the bass. But rather his it's side and get flung aside.
The slashing of the whole ordeal caught the eye of the one above ready to strike at a moments notice.
The bass swung around, zeroing on onto my position. Charging like a missile homing onto Quinn. Spelling his certain do... Plop
[Appraisal:
Species: Sun Hawk(Lvl13)]
And just like that the bass was gone.
...
Quinn always feared going back in the water because of the unknowns of fish and the whole ecosystem. But since he has in it now he realized something. The Pygmy snake's [Tremor Sense] can detect any movement in the creek. That was how he was able to escape the Bass and appraise the Hawk.
He could survive here. And in turn get out of this boring forest.