(Sam's POV)
I had been slithering around this forest long enough to know that nothing comes easy. Sure, Bite and Venom were working fine, but I needed more than brute force to survive here. I needed skills and traits that would help me grow stronger—and smarter.
That's when I spotted a group of Lesser Salamanders near a stream. They weren't anything special at first glance, but I was curious. My Status Inspection had leveled up recently, and I figured I might as well test it out.
[Status Inspection has leveled up.]
[Status Inspection Lv 3 has been unlocked.]
[You can now view traits of targets.]
'Well, that's new,' I thought, flicking my tongue. Traits were a whole new ballgame, and who knew what kind of hidden abilities these salamanders might have? I focused on the nearest one and activated Status Inspection.
[Status Inspection Lv 3 activated.]
[Lesser Salamander]
[Level: 10]
[Rank: Unranked]
[Skills:]
– [Tail Whip Lv 2]
– [Bite Lv 2]
[Traits:]
– [Basic Regeneration]
[Status: Relaxed]
'Basic Regeneration?' Now that was something I didn't expect. A slow healing trait like that could be a game-changer for me. No more dragging my injured body into a hole to hide every time I got hurt. With this, I'd bounce back faster between fights.
'This could save my scaly hide,' I thought, excitement building.
I coiled tighter, ready to strike. Stealth Lv 2 made it easy to creep closer, and when I was in range, I attacked.
[Bite Lv 6 activated.]
[Venom Lv 6 activated.]
The Lesser Salamander screeched as my fangs sank into its tail, but before it could react, I dodged to the side, avoiding its Tail Whip. It wasn't much of a fight—my venom worked quickly, and soon the salamander collapsed, twitching as the poison spread.
[You have defeated Lesser Salamander (Lv 10).]
[You have gained 35 XP.]
As the creature fell still, I felt Devour activate.
[Devour Lv 1 activated.]
[You have gained the skill: Tail Whip Lv 1.]
'Tail Whip? That's not what I wanted, but I guess I'll take it.' A skill like Tail Whip might not sound like much, but it could come in handy for knocking back smaller creatures or creating space in a fight. Still, it wasn't the Basic Regeneration I was after.
The other salamanders had scattered, but there were still two more by the stream. I wasn't giving up just yet.
I slithered through the underbrush, my body low to the ground as I eyed the next salamander. It flicked its tail nervously, clearly sensing something was wrong. But it didn't see me coming until it was too late.
I struck again, fangs sinking into its side.
[Bite Lv 6 activated.]
[Venom Lv 6 activated.]
The salamander struggled harder this time, its Tail Whip catching me on the side, but I held on, pumping venom into its body until it finally went limp.
[You have defeated Lesser Salamander (Lv 9).]
[You have gained 30 XP.]
But once again, Devour didn't give me what I was after.
[Devour Lv 1 activated.]
[No new traits or skills gained.]
I let out an internal sigh. 'Seriously? What's a snake gotta do to get some regeneration around here?' Frustration was building, but I wasn't about to give up. I focused on the last Lesser Salamander. This one was by the edge of the stream, flicking its tongue nervously.
'I'm getting that regeneration, even if it takes all day,' I thought, slithering silently through the foliage.
I waited for the right moment, then lunged, sinking my fangs deep into its soft underbelly.
[Bite Lv 6 activated.]
[Venom Lv 6 activated.]
The salamander thrashed, but I held on, pumping venom into its veins until it stopped moving. As the creature lay still, Devour kicked in for the third time.
[Devour Lv 1 activated.]
[You have gained the trait: Basic Regeneration.]
Finally. I could feel the new trait settling into my body like a gentle pulse. Basic Regeneration would let me heal over time, even after the toughest fights. It wasn't much right now, but it was exactly what I needed.
I quickly checked my status window to confirm the update.
[Name: Unnamed]
[Species: Predator Snake]
[Level: 16]
[Rank: F]
[Skills:]
– [Bite Lv 6]
– [Venom Lv 6]
– [Slither Lv 4]
– [Stealth Lv 2]
– [Status Inspection Lv 3]
– [Devour Lv 1]
– [Harden Lv 2]
– [Burrow Lv 1]
– [Frenzy Lv 1]
– [Fire Breath Lv 1]
– [Tail Whip Lv 1]
[Traits:]
– [Cold-Blooded]
– [Predator's Intuition]
– [Enhanced Sensory (Advanced)]
– [Enhanced Physical Strength (Basic)]
– [Heat Resistance (Basic)]
– [Basic Regeneration]
[Status: Satisfied]
[Hunger: 15%]
[Basic Regeneration]: Slowly heals minor wounds over time. Does not work in combat.
I slithered away from the salamander's body, feeling the slow hum of Basic Regeneration beneath my scales. Finally, I had a trait that would keep me from crawling into a hole every time I got hurt.
But as much as I wanted to celebrate, my instincts told me not to get cocky. The deeper I ventured into the forest, the more dangerous it became. I needed to keep hunting, keep leveling up.
And that's when I heard it—a rustling in the bushes, followed by the scent of a much larger creature. I flicked my tongue, tasting the air, and slithered cautiously in the direction of the noise.
Peering through the brush, I spotted a Wild Boar tearing through the undergrowth, its tusks gleaming in the fading sunlight.
[Status Inspection Lv 3 activated.]
[Wild Boar]
[Level: 12]
[Rank: Unranked]
[Skills:]
– [Charge Lv 2]
– [Gore Lv 3]
[Traits:]
– [Tough Hide]
[Status: Agitated]
The boar wasn't a huge threat, but its Charge and Gore skills could do some serious damage if I wasn't careful.
'Well, I haven't died yet, so let's keep that streak going,' I thought sarcastically as I prepared to strike.
I moved carefully, positioning myself for an ambush, but just as I was about to attack, the boar's head snapped in my direction. It pawed at the ground, preparing to charge.
The Wild Boar charged at me, but I was ready. I slithered to the side, just barely dodging its Gore Lv 3, and as it passed, I lunged forward, sinking my fangs into its exposed neck.
[Bite Lv 6 activated.]
[Venom Lv 6 activated.]
The boar squealed, its body twitching as my venom spread quickly. It didn't take long for the poison to do its job. After a few moments, the boar collapsed, and I finally relaxed.
[You have defeated Wild Boar (Lv 12).]
[You have gained 45 XP.]
[You have leveled up to 17.]
[Devour Lv 1 activated.]
[You have gained the skill: Charge Lv 1.]
[Charge Lv 1]: A burst of speed that allows the user to close the distance between them and the target rapidly. Best used for surprise attacks or gap-closing in combat. Uses stamina.
I could feel the new skill settling into my body, like a spring coiling inside me, ready to snap at a moment's notice. Charge. A sudden burst of speed? Yeah, I could see the uses for that. I mean, what could possibly go wrong with a fast-moving snake missile barreling through the forest?
'Just great. Now I'm officially a bullet with fangs,' I thought, flicking my tongue with sarcastic glee.
Still, I wasn't going to complain. Charge would definitely come in handy. Especially when everything in this forest seemed to either want me dead or in its belly. Not that I'm complaining... much.