'Okay, new rule: stay away from sticky, poison-covered areas. And also, bears. Definitely bears,' I thought as I watched the last rays of daylight filter through the thick trees.
The forest was getting darker, and I wasn't sure how I felt about that. Sure, being a snake gave me some natural stealth advantages, but there was something about nighttime in this place that felt more... dangerous. Like the creatures here were waiting for the cover of darkness to hunt. And something told me that bigger, nastier predators thrived after dark.
[Night approaching. Increased danger level detected.]
[Advised: Seek shelter.]
'You don't say? Thanks for the heads-up, Captain Obvious.'
I quickly scanned the area for a decent hiding spot. There were a few options: under some thick tree roots, behind a fallen log, or between a few large rocks. But there was one spot that caught my attention—an abandoned burrow tucked into the side of a small hill. It was just big enough for me to squeeze into, and it seemed safer than staying out in the open.
'Perfect. Let's hide out in there and wait for morning.'
I slithered toward the burrow, flicking my tongue to make sure there weren't any lingering surprises waiting for me inside. To my relief, the air tasted clean—no predators, no poison. Just an empty hole.
'Nice. A cozy little snake house for one.'
[You have entered shelter.]
[Safety increased by 50%.]
As I coiled up inside the burrow, I started to reflect on everything that had happened so far. I was stronger now, definitely more in control of my snake body. My Bite and Venom skills had improved significantly, and even my Slither was smoother and faster.
But it still wasn't enough.
'Leveling up is great, but I need more. I need to evolve. I need to unlock those special evolutions if I'm ever going to survive in this place long-term.'
The Evolution Tree popped up in my mind again, teasing me with the possibilities of what I could become. The Standard Evolution Path was basic, and while turning into an adult snake would definitely be a power boost, the idea of unlocking a unique form was much more exciting.
But the conditions for unlocking those special paths were still a mystery.
'It said something about defeating a higher-ranked predator or finding a rare item... but that sounds easier said than done. Especially when the "higher-ranked predator" is a freaking bear.'
I sighed inwardly, not sure what my next move should be. My best bet was probably to continue hunting smaller creatures, leveling up, and hoping I could find a rare item or stumble upon a weakened higher-ranked beast.
As I lay there, curled up in the safety of my burrow, a new idea popped into my head.
'What if there are other creatures like me out there? Reincarnated, I mean. Could there be others struggling to survive, trying to evolve like I am?'
It was a wild thought, but it wasn't impossible. If I had been reincarnated, there was a chance others had too. And who knew? Maybe some of them were already stronger than me, living among the humans, elves, or other races in this world.
'Or maybe... some of them are already monsters. Just like me.'
The thought made my scales tingle. If that were true, things could get interesting fast.
I must have dozed off for a bit because the next thing I knew, a rustling sound outside my burrow snapped me awake. My senses immediately kicked into overdrive, and I flicked my tongue, trying to detect what was out there.
[Enhanced Sensory (Basic) activated.]
[Detecting movement: 5 meters outside.]
Something was moving near the entrance of the burrow. Small, quick. Probably nothing too dangerous, but I wasn't about to take chances.
'Okay, Sam. Don't panic. Just check it out carefully.'
I slowly slithered to the edge of the burrow, peeking out just enough to see what was causing the noise. A small, twitchy creature was darting around near the entrance—a squirrel-like beast, with sharp little claws and fur bristling with energy. It was scurrying around, sniffing the ground and clearly unaware of my presence.
[Squirrel Beast (Lv 3) detected.]
'Huh, another meal, maybe?'
The squirrel beast was clearly weaker than me, and while it seemed agile, it wasn't exactly a threat. I could probably take it down easily enough, but after everything that had happened today, I wasn't in the mood to jump into another fight.
Besides, something about the way it was sniffing the ground made me pause. It wasn't just foraging. It was... tracking.
'Wait a minute. Is this thing following a scent trail?'
I watched carefully as the squirrel beast scurried around, its nose twitching furiously. It was following some kind of scent, and judging by the way it moved, it wasn't just after food.
'Is it... hunting something?'
The squirrel beast darted to a nearby tree and started clawing at the bark, its eyes sharp and focused. Whatever it was tracking, it seemed desperate to find it.
I flicked my tongue again, trying to pick up the scent it was following. And then I caught it—a faint, sweet smell, like the one from earlier. The one that had led me to the poison trap.
'Oh crap. That's the same smell. It's following the poison!'
Without warning, the ground beneath the squirrel beast erupted, and a long, slimy appendage shot out from below, wrapping around the creature's body. The squirrel beast let out a shrill scream, struggling to escape, but the appendage tightened its grip, pulling it down into the earth.
Within seconds, the creature was gone. Swallowed whole.
[Unidentified creature detected: Level ???]
[Name: ???]
[Status: Hostile]
'Oh. Hell. No.'
I froze, every instinct in my snake body screaming at me to stay hidden. Whatever that thing was, it was using the poison as bait, just like before. And if it could take down that squirrel beast so easily, there was no way I was going to survive a direct encounter.
I stayed perfectly still, my heart pounding in my chest. The ground was quiet again, but I knew better than to assume I was safe.
'Okay, Sam. New rule. Don't mess with anything that smells sweet in this forest. Ever.'
After what felt like an eternity, the rustling stopped, and the forest returned to its eerie stillness. I slowly slithered back into my burrow, curling up as tightly as I could, my body still trembling from the encounter.
'I need to get stronger. Fast. This place is a death trap, and I'm not even close to being able to handle whatever the hell that was.'
I glanced at the Evolution Tree one more time, feeling a renewed sense of urgency. If I wanted to survive in this world, I needed to unlock those special evolutions, and I needed to do it soon.