'Okay, so let's recap,' I thought as I slithered through the underbrush, keeping my senses on high alert. 'I've leveled up, defeated a fellow snake, and unlocked a cool-sounding skill I can't even use yet. All things considered, not a bad day for a noodle with fangs.'
But the hunger? Oh, it was creeping back, even after that meal. I wasn't starving yet, but the gnawing emptiness in my belly was a constant reminder that in this world, food equals power.
And power equals survival.
[Hunger: 60%]
'Right. Time to find the next unlucky snack before I become the snack.'
I flicked my tongue again, tasting the air. The forest around me was alive with sounds—creatures rustling in the bushes, insects buzzing in the trees—but nothing immediately threatening. I picked up the faint scent of small animals nearby, probably more rodents or insects, but I wasn't about to complain. At my level, I couldn't afford to be picky.
[Enhanced Sensory (Basic) activated.]
[Tracking: Small creatures detected, 15 meters west.]
I followed the scent, slithering quietly across the forest floor. My Slither Lv 2 was definitely smoother now, more efficient. I wasn't flopping around like before, and I could move faster and with more control. That was something.
As I moved, I couldn't help but notice just how alive this forest felt. Every inch of it was teeming with creatures—some small, some large, and many unseen. And from the way the system kept blocking most of their stats from me, I knew there were much bigger predators lurking just out of sight.
[Warning: Multiple large creatures detected, 50 meters east. Levels ???.]
'Yeah, let's stay far away from that.'
After a few minutes of slithering, I reached a small clearing where the scent was strongest. There, darting between some rocks, I spotted a few more of those beetles—Level 2, by the looks of it. Easy prey, just like last time.
'Alright, I'm not exactly in the mood for a beetle buffet, but food is food.'
I crept closer, staying low and quiet, my body poised to strike. As I closed in on the nearest beetle, I noticed something strange—it wasn't moving as fast as the last one. In fact, it was barely moving at all.
'What's up with this one? Did I stumble onto a beetle retirement home?'
I was about to strike when I noticed why the beetle was so slow. The air around it had a weird, thick smell—almost sweet. I flicked my tongue out again and realized there was something coating the ground around the beetle.
[Warning: Poisonous substance detected.]
[Type: Venomous secretion from unidentified creature.]
'Oh, fantastic. A poison trap. I'm in a minefield of death, and I almost slithered right into it.'
I backed up quickly, scanning the area. Sure enough, the entire patch of ground was coated in a faint, sticky liquid. It wasn't strong enough to kill something like me instantly, but I had a feeling it wasn't here by accident. Something had set this trap, and judging by the fact that the beetles were still alive—barely—it probably wasn't far off.
'Okay, Sam. New plan. Get out of here before whatever left this lovely death trap shows up to check on its handiwork.'
I slithered away as fast as I could without drawing attention, heading back toward the safety of the thicker underbrush. My mind raced. If this place had creatures smart enough to set traps, then I wasn't just dealing with dumb predators anymore. I was up against something with real intelligence.
I didn't make it far before I heard it.
Thud. Thud.
'Oh no. Not again.'
The vibrations were familiar—big, heavy steps shaking the ground. And judging by the way the undergrowth was rustling, it was heading straight for me. I ducked into the nearest hiding spot, wedging myself between two rocks as the footsteps grew louder.
Through the gaps in the rocks, I saw it.
A massive creature, covered in black fur, its face hidden by the shadows of the trees. But I didn't need to see its face to know what it was. The status window did the honors:
[Enemy detected: Forest Bear (Lv ???)]
[Rank: Unranked]
[Status: Hostile]
'A freaking bear?!'
The bear stomped into the clearing, its huge paws squashing everything in its path. It sniffed the air, then lumbered toward the spot where the beetles had been trapped. I watched as it lazily swatted one of them with a paw, crushing it instantly.
'Okay, good news: it's not looking for me. Bad news: I'm still way too close to becoming bear chow.'
I stayed as still as possible, barely daring to breathe. The bear continued sniffing around the poison-covered ground, apparently more interested in whatever had set the trap than the actual beetles.
After a few agonizing minutes, the bear lost interest and began to wander off deeper into the forest.
[You have evaded a higher-ranked predator.]
[Stealth bonus: 15 XP]
'Okay, this is getting ridiculous. I keep leveling up from hiding. Maybe I should just become a professional coward.'
I waited until the bear was completely out of sight before I slithered out from my hiding spot. My heart was still pounding, and my hunger was starting to gnaw at me again.
'No more beetles. No more traps. No more bears. I need something simpler.'
I scanned the area again, this time making sure there were no hidden poisons or lurking monsters. To my relief, I spotted a small mouse darting between some rocks nearby. Perfect.
I moved in quietly, my body flowing effortlessly across the ground as I lined up my strike. This time, I was faster, more precise. I lunged, sinking my fangs into the mouse before it even knew what hit it.
[Bite Lv 3 activated.]
[Venom Lv 3 activated.]
[You have poisoned the mouse.]
[Target's health decreasing.]
The mouse twitched once and then went limp. Easy.
[You have defeated Mouse (Lv 2).]
[You have gained 20 XP.]
[Hunger decreased by 40%.]
'That's more like it. Simple, quick, and no risk of being eaten by a bear.'
I swallowed the mouse whole, feeling the hunger subside a little more as my body absorbed the nutrients. The familiar warmth of leveling up began to tingle in my muscles.
[Level: 5 → 6]
[Bite Lv 3 → Lv 4]
[Venom Lv 3 → Lv 4]
[Slither Lv 2 → Lv 3]
'Nice. Leveling up faster than I thought. Maybe I won't die horribly after all.'
As I rested under the tree, I opened the Evolution Tree again, hoping for more clues about unlocking my special forms.
[Standard Evolution Path:] Basic Snake → Adult Snake (Lv 10 required)]
[Special Evolution Paths available:] Locked. Conditions not met.]
[Hint: Defeat a higher-ranked predator or consume a rare item to unlock special evolution paths.]
'Well, that's easier said than done. I'm not exactly in the mood to fight a bear right now, so I guess I'll have to keep looking for some rare item or find something more manageable to fight.'
As the sun began to set and the forest grew darker, I curled up under a rock, my mind racing with possibilities. There was so much I didn't know about this world, but one thing was certain: I wasn't going to stay a weak snake forever.
'Step by step, meal by meal, I'll get stronger. And then... well, let's just say I'll be the one setting traps for bears.'