(Sam's POV)
Slithering through the dense underbrush of the forest, I found myself wondering when I'd get a break. I wasn't asking for much—just some quiet time to admire the scenery or maybe digest my last meal. But no, every corner I turned seemed to throw a new threat at me. It's like the forest had a personal grudge against me.
'What's next, a flying bear?' I thought, half-serious.
And then I saw it: a slow, lumbering creature dragging its stone-like body across the ground. It was an Armored Tortoise, a living boulder with legs, seemingly more at home in a rockslide than on the forest floor. Its tough shell gleamed in the fading sunlight, and I could tell just by looking at it that a direct attack wouldn't get me anywhere.
[Status Inspection Lv 3 activated.]
[Armored Tortoise]
[Level: 17]
[Rank: F]
[Skills:]
– [Shell Defense Lv 2]
– [Stone Skin Lv 1]
[Traits:]
– [Rock Affinity (Basic)]
[Status: Calm]
'Fantastic. A walking fortress. Just what I needed,' I thought sarcastically. The tortoise was slow, sure, but I'd need to hit it in the right spot to make a dent. Those skills—Shell Defense and Stone Skin—made it practically invincible from the front. But its underbelly… now that's where it might be vulnerable.
There was only one way to take this thing down, and it wasn't going to be pretty. I couldn't rely on brute force here. I needed to be smart.
[Stealth Lv 2 activated.]
I slithered low to the ground, making sure the Armored Tortoise couldn't see or hear me as I circled around it. The key to this fight was patience. I wasn't going to attack head-on like some reckless adventurer with a death wish. No, I was going to dig my way to victory.
[Burrow Lv 1 activated.]
Using Burrow, I began digging beneath the forest floor, silently creating a tunnel underneath the tortoise's path. I didn't have to go deep—just enough to get under the beast without it noticing. The soil parted easily around me as I moved beneath the surface, the sounds of the forest fading as I dug deeper. All I had to do was wait.
I stayed still, watching the tortoise from below as it slowly lumbered toward the tunnel entrance. It was calm, unaware of the trap it was walking into. My muscles tensed, ready for the moment to strike.
As soon as the tortoise was directly above me, I shot upward from the tunnel, launching myself at its exposed underbelly.
[Bite Lv 6 activated.]
[Venom Lv 6 activated.]
My fangs sank into its soft underside, pumping venom into its body. The tortoise let out a low, rumbling sound, its legs twitching as it tried to turn itself over. But the venom was working fast, and its movements slowed to a crawl. Its Shell Defense couldn't help it here. I had hit the one spot it couldn't protect.
[You have dealt a critical hit.]
The tortoise tried to kick me off, but I held on, sinking my fangs deeper. After a few moments, the creature's movements stopped entirely. It was over.
[You have defeated Armored Tortoise (Lv 17).]
[You have gained 55 XP.]
[You have leveled up to 18.]
I felt the familiar surge of energy as my level increased. I was stronger now, but the fight had taken more out of me than I'd expected.
I uncoiled from its lifeless body, feeling the familiar surge of Devour activating, but I didn't expect much from this slow-moving boulder.
[Devour Lv 1 activated.]
No new traits or skills gained.
'Well, that was disappointing.' I had hoped for something more exciting—maybe a skill to let me turn into a rock myself. But the real victory here wasn't in the Devour; it was in how I fought. For once, I had used my brains instead of just biting and hoping for the best.
The best part? Both Burrow and Stealth had leveled up after the fight. That was the kind of growth I needed.
[Burrow has leveled up to Lv 2.]
[Stealth has leveled up to Lv 3.]
I quickly checked my status window to see the changes.
[Name: Unnamed]
[Species: Predator Snake]
[Level: 18]
[Rank: F]
[Skills:]
– [Bite Lv 6]
– [Venom Lv 6]
– [Slither Lv 4]
– [Stealth Lv 3]
– [Status Inspection Lv 3]
– [Devour Lv 1]
– [Harden Lv 2]
– [Burrow Lv 2]
– [Frenzy Lv 1]
– [Fire Breath Lv 1]
– [Tail Whip Lv 1]
– [Charge Lv 1]
[Traits:]
– [Cold-Blooded]
– [Predator's Intuition]
– [Enhanced Sensory (Advanced)]
– [Enhanced Physical Strength (Basic)]
– [Heat Resistance (Basic)]
– [Basic Regeneration]
[Status: Satisfied]
[Hunger: 5%]
I slithered away from the scene, feeling a bit of satisfaction despite the lack of new traits or skills. Burrow Lv 2 and Stealth Lv 3 were going to be huge in future battles, especially against creatures that weren't so easily tricked.
'I've officially become a snake ninja,' I thought with a chuckle. If this tortoise could've seen me coming, it might've been impressed by my stealthy tactics.
But I couldn't get too cocky. This forest had a way of humbling creatures that thought they were on top. And I knew there were bigger, nastier things out here just waiting to put me in my place.
For now, though, I'd take the win. With Level 18 under my belt and my skills leveling up, I was one step closer to evolution. But if I wanted to make it to Level 24, I needed to keep hunting—and I needed to stay alive.