Chapter 26
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[Ding! You have absorbed 1 (G13) Energy from a Lvl 1 Bell Spider!]
[Ding! Your total (G13) energy has increased from 1 to 2, effectively doubling your power!]
Since first arriving in this world, this was the first time that Astaroth didn't have a direct increase to his size after absorbing energy. Rather, the only thing that changed was a slight improvement to his body width, length, and height.
This was something known as 'Energy Allotment,' and it was also what every living thing after a certain stage used to distribute the energy that coursed through their veins.
In reality, Astaroth's energy mass level had doubled after he devoured the Lvl 1 Bell Spider. However, with 'Energy Allotment', that energy was put into things other than just his size. For example, energy was required for the continued function of his carbon body. It would not stay afloat without it.
If 100% of all energy intake was put into size advancement, there would end up being many problems down the line. Organ failure and internal shutdown were not entirely out of the equation if energy distribution went on as it did when he was a Sponge.
Now, as a Bell Spider, he had fully developed organs and a functioning internal system.
All of this was to say that his energy would now be put toward better uses than mere size advancement…
"Hmm… I wonder if I am close to the point where I can start acquiring useful abilities from the organisms I kill. I guess I should be pretty close, but it seems as if the gene pool isn't yet that diversified…"
Astaroth was really looking forward to obtaining unique racial traits and special abilities, but it appeared that he still had some more waiting to do.
"While waiting, I guess I will explore this 'Pond' area a bit. From the looks of it, there are more than just Bell Spiders here."
|Web Swing|
Using webswing, Astaroth shot out multiple lines of white goo and vanished from his spot. After launching himself away from the sea bed, he received a very good look at the world around him.
It was a myriad of contrasting elements and extraordinary diversification and cohabitation. The Pond had leaping Bell Spiders, swimming fish, and tadpoles. It even had crestations and trilobites, all of which stuck to the loose, sandy ground and scuddled around underneath the protection of flowing seaweed.
"This place is beautiful…"
At a loss for words, Astaroth hung from the water and awed at the flourishing ecosystem around him.
He had never seen anything quite like it… It was truly more fantasy than reality…
Of course, in the most beautiful of things, there were always going to be ways where Mother Nature would show you that every rose came with thorns.
CHOMP!
"!?"
From right behind his hanging figure, a massive prehistoric bone-headed fish bit down on a smaller, less armored fish.
The smaller fish didn't stand a chance against the terrifying-looking fish, and with the appearance of a few clouds of blood, the smaller fish was chomped in half!
Splash, Splash.
The large fish did a few circles and devoured the rest of the smaller fish's corpse, making sure not to leave a single breadcrumb behind.
"..."
Watching this sight from afar, Astaroth was taken out of his fantasies.
This world — it was a pretty one. Yet, with beauty oftentimes came danger.
It was survival of the fittest.
"Time to hunt," Astaroth declared. His beady eyes suddenly had a fire ignite within them, and with a few more string slings, he went on the prowl.
The first thing he realized was that his race of Bell Spider was the smallest and weakest out of every other race in the sea. Left and right, he saw many members of his own kind get consumed. There were even a few times that he saw hundreds of Bell Spiders get swallowed by huge fish!
That was when he realized another large thing about this Pond: the sea critters were from a time period that just didn't match up with modern times. Prehistoric fish and ancient crestations. There were even a few species of plants that should be nowhere near modern times.
To say the least, the entire situation puzzled Astaroth…
When he asked the system about this occurrence, he received nothing that made anything for certain. Usually, the answers given by the system were accurate and concise, but this time around, nothing concrete came his way.
"It's odd," Astaroth said calmly. "This entire ecosystem; no matter which way one looks at it, something like this pond shouldn't exist. Even if it's a world of magic, it still doesn't make sense…"
Although he was not very familiar with the magical side of things, he at least knew when something was completely illogical.
The system told him a while back that this world was one where magic and chaos ran rampant and that many mystical things would throw his mind in circles. But even then, it kept quiet when it pertained to the mystery of this 'Pond'.
It was almost like…
"Almost like it's afraid of telling me something…"
While swinging around just slightly above the sea bed, Astaroth couldn't help but get a bad feeling about what was to come.
However, for now, he found his second target since arriving in the Pond.
An innocent-looking tadpole, double his size, long and green — it looked benign enough.
But if Astaroth had learned one thing thus far, then it was to never trust appearances. After all, appearances were deceiving.
And just as he expected, the moment the tadpole felt the ripples in the water, it put no emphasis on manners and speedily wiggled its tail toward the food!
With its yawning mouth opened wide, it was entirely ready to get itself a delicious spider snack for its meal today!
Splish, Splash.
"Sigh… You guys are always so hungry," Astaroth said coldly. "And I'm sorry to inform you of this… but I'm hungrier."
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