The bears fur and pelt had provided me with basic primitive clothing. For some reason I was completely naked when I woke up so this place was extremely cold. Well, even with fur it was surprisingly cold in here, but it was better than nothing. I had also used the fur to cover the wound on my left shoulder. When I was done patching myself I looked back at the bear. I was hesitant to eat anymore meat especially after the pain that I had felt after eating it, but it really was all or nothing in here. As such I ate a bit more to fill my stomach.
.....It doesn’t hurt.... is it because I got used to it or something? Well no matter the case I’ve spent enough time here, I need to find water.
Wiping my mouth of the blood I continued my search for water. There was nothing I could do except walk in a straight line. From what I could tell from all of my walking was that this really was just an empty space with no walls, so there wasn’t even a point in changing directions.
I need to find a way to keep track of time.
This was also important, if I kept blindly walking with no sense of time my body just like last time might become discombobulated.
I know, I’ll just count my steps. Let’s see....for every twenty five thousand steps I’ll take a break.
This was the best thing I could think of in here. There was no day and night nor could I see anything so the only other option is distance. I chose this amount because I could cover a lot of ground in one go and I thought it was relatively possible, with how light my body felt after eating the bear and all.
Plus I just got a weapon, so it should be a bit easier to defend myself.
Even though this so called weapon was the claw, it would be extremely helpful in trying to fight. I had also remembered to gather all the other ones just in case this one had ever wore down or something, there was no telling what would happen in this void. As such after double checking that I was prepared I took my leave.
*****
Damn, this place is endless.
I had already taken a few breaks, and was starting to approach my next one. The thirst in my mouth was gradually gaining again, I started to think that maybe there needed to be a change of plans....
KIIIEEK!
What in the hell was that?!
It was a noise I had never heard before. It had given me a foreboding feeling in my chest, not only that it was pretty close too. But I didn’t run away, In fact followed the sound. I realize that in here I don’t have the choice to run. Of course I wouldn’t intentionally gain its attention or anything, so there was nothing wrong with at least checking it out. Besides it had been quit a while since I had came across any monsters and I was starting to get a little hungry again too. Upon arriving it was a pretty unbelievable sight.
GROAR!
KIEEEK!
It’s another bear and.....a spider?! Damn that thing is huge!
The two of them seemed to be fighting, I could see the bear using its fire breath to attack the spider but it seemed completely unfazed. In response the spider, which was even bigger than the bear jump on top of it. Using its fangs it bit into the bear, and in a matter of seconds it died.
That things dangerous....To think that it's strong enough to kill the bear I almost died to in one move!
After removing its fangs it used its two abdomens I hadn’t noticed until now, and wrapped its prey in silk. I understood that it was on a completely different level than me. not only that but with my injured arm it's be doubly dangerous for me. I thought it would be best to take it on later. But just when I was about to leave that thing turned towards me.
Damn....it found me. That things senses is crazy.
It hadn’t even finished wrapping the bear before it started crawling towards me.
“Kkieeeek!”
I could hear the cracks in its exoskeleton and joints as it came at me. It’s hairy legs and huge abdomens became clearer to me. Of course, I was tempted to run....but what would that do?....turning my back and giving a the enemy a blind spot? Never again would I run from an enemy even at the face of death!
I could feel a smile appear on my face. why? I had no idea nor did I have the time to care. All I could do was brace for the attack....I was confident enough in my agility to dodge this thing, especially with the new sense I had acquired. That being said I had to be especially careful about my arm.
here it comes!
I had yet to make a move, I had to be extremely cautious since I knew so little about this thing. As such, I let it attack first....well I was going to.
It disappeared?!
One second it was running at me and the next it was gone. It somehow disappeared from the one sight that I had, the confidence I had only a moment ago started to dwindle a bit. There was nothing I could do but try to focus more on my surroundings to find it. but as expected I couldn’t find it at all.
Dammit, where is it at!
I was in a horrible position, any slip up and I would die. I didn't let my guard down for a second as I waited for the monster to reappear. The mere seconds it was gone was enough to make the cold sweat temples drip. It was then I felt it.
Above?! Something this big could jump high enough to be in the air for 10 seconds?! The strength in its legs must be insane! No if it lands on me I would die! I need to get out of the way, now!
just like everything else around me I could only sense things from fifteen meters up into the air, not only that but the speed that thing was coming at was astronomical.
With no time to think any more I used all the strength in my body to jumped back wards.
BOOM
I had escaped in just the nick of time. But something was wrong.
What the hell? So far....
I know my body felt light after eating the monster, but to think that the bear caused my physical ability’s to improve this much....
not once since I had eaten that bear had I put my full force into physical things. It was just dumb to waste energy like that, in this place it was best to conserve energy. So for me to be able to jump back 6 meters and do a backflip by accident was a little surprising.
But still....that was close.
“Kieeeek!”
Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author's preferred platform and support their work!
I can’t let it jump again....
Now that I had something of a grasp on my physical abilities I knew it was possible to dodge it, but I didn't like how close I was playing with death.
with the claw in hand I dashed forward without hesitation. My speed easily exceeding the human limitations.
Chink!
What with this thing?! It’s like metal!
I struck at the front most leg on its right side. Only for a metallic sound to resonate through the air. It’s defense was truly incredible.
Damn....I should’ve known. Not even the bear could scratch this thing!
My failed attack had caused a moment of hesitation, giving the spider its chance to bare its fangs to attack me. Putting two of its legs on each side blocking my escape.
Shit!
Ching!
Even though I couldn’t dodge, my arm with the claw automatically moved to parry it’s fangs. Nothing but pure reflex to the danger, but it was enough to safe my life. Without wasting time I quickly used this chance to escape the spiders cage like legs.
SSIZZZ
The area on the ground which its venom touched started sizzling, it probably would have been instant death if I had even gotten grazed by that thing.
That’s the second time that I almost died.....enough! I need to find week spots.
I couldn’t just blindly risk myself anymore. I fully understood that this thing was much stronger than me in both offense and defense. But it had to have a weakness!
Come on....think! what would be a spiders weakness?!
It didn't even give me the chance to breath as it quickly dashed at me. I was just barely defending myself as it attacked useing it’s fangs.
so fast?!
It started attacking with its legs too, each attack was as fast as a bullet. One miss calculation and it would be over.
this thing.... it keeps going for my arm!
It seemed that it had enough brains to realize my arm was injured because it continued to aim at it. I was only barely escaping this bugs barrage of attacks and the scratches on my body started to multiply as I continuously thought about how to beat this thing.
“Kieeek!”
Another jump?!
This time though it was still within my detection radius without a doubt it was doing something different. Raising my gaurd, I waited to see what it was going to do.
what's it doing?
I could see it spreading its muscular legs mid air as it pointed its two abdomens at me, the question in my mind was quickly answered.
Shlik!
Webs!
It shot out a strings of web, it seemed it was tired of all my evading and parrying. As such it tried to use its silk to attempt immobilizing me to get a clean kill. Even though it was able to shoot out quite a bit with its two abdomens it was significantly slower than all its other attacks, so it was rather easy to evade. even so just evading wasn’t gonna allow me to win this battle.
Wait!....the webs!
“Heh, ahahaha! You bastard, your dead now!”
To think it was that simple, the whole point of the exoskeleton was to protect the outside not the inside! Yes, now it was my turn to attack!
I again dashed forward to the enemy, but this time I wasn’t going to attack head on. No, there was only one place where my attacks could reach this thing; the butt!
My teeth which were gritted only just a moment ago while enduring this bugs ruthless attacks again started to relax and even began to smile.
“Kieeek?”
I slid under the spider ignoring the seemingly confused sound it just made. It’s huge body was unable to follow me as I quickly approached it’s right abdomen.
In one smooth moment I stopped right at opposite end of its body and without even the slightest moment of hesitation I quickly inserted the claw into its anus, and with it I ran along its body.
“Ahaha, how does it feel to get your ass split in two! Go ahead! Scream for me!!”
“K-kieeek!”
As I ran along it’s abdomen it was getting ripped like that of paper. The insides and such started pouring from its right stomach. It cried out in pain, but I paid it no mind.This thing was going to die, the one who dared threaten my life was gonna die right here!
After the right abdomen was completely gutted, I attempted to continue my attack down its chest area but I ended up failing because of its exoskeleton was much harder there. It was truly....unfortunate....but this thing from that one attack was already practically dead.
Crash!
There was no doubt in my mind, I killed this thing.
“How..(huff).. did you like that?(huff) You damn bug.”
I was glad that this thing wasn’t carrying any eggs, I simply didn’t have the stamina to fight any more even if it was just some babies.
I should probably eat it, just in case I could get some more useful ability’s....and food.
I didn’t have high hopes for the taste of this one, but I’ve already eaten raw meat so it couldn’t get much worse....right?
Of course it’s ‘meat’ was located behind it hard exoskeleton so I by had to bypass all of that. I found that the easiest part to cut from was the abdomen, since it was already opened. I tried to find a clean spot to cut from.
It’s so slimy....
I had cut off a relatively big piece, I didn’t have the luxury of choosing when or what I ate. I had no idea when my next meal would be. Though, I did hope that if it was going to drip bodily fluids that it would quench my thirst.
The quicker the better.
I shoved the food into my mouth, though it was so big that it was inevitable that I had to take a few bites before finishing it.
Damn that’s bitter!
Yes, it was terrible but that didn’t matter if it meant I would live. That being said though, although the meat and juices from the spider was indeed bitter it was surprisingly refreshing when I had finished, probably due to not having any liquid besides the raw blood from a while ago. But It was here I had to prepare for the worst.
!! that hurts!
Just like last time when I eaten the bear the near unbearable pain had came. I can’t say I wasn’t expecting it, but even so no matter how much preparing I could do there was no way to not feel it. This time though....I silently endured through the hellish pain, not once had the thought of suicide came across my mind.
“Gahhh....it’s finally over....”
And again, just like last time the indescribable ‘good feeling’ had appeared. I was immediately able to feel the effect of the spiders meat.
Wow, I can sense things so much farther now! 50, 100, 150 meters?!
After focusing in, I got a grasp of just how much better this ability had gotten! It was crazy to think that just after eating this thing my ability could grow so much!
not only that, but it’s almost like I can feel the vibrations in the air....just like a real spider?!
In other words not only had the distance of my sense increased, but the quality was greatly enhanced too! It made me think that the only reason I had won was because I slid under it, making the damn thing unable to attack me.... then again if it had jumped my attack would have been ineffective, it was its moment of hesitation that costed it its life. Something I would have to keep in mind from now on.
I should probably collects its silk too
Something like that would probably become indispensable down here. That being said after I broke through both of its abdomens, I found out that one abdomen mostly consisted of of an actual sticky web and the other of just regular silk similar to something a little thicker than string.
there's so much....I can’t carry it all. It’s a waste to just leave it all just laying here. Maybe I should try my hand at crafting? A bag would be nice....
Of course I had no knowledge on how to make something like that, but I didn’t let such a thing stop me from trying. I didn’t even move away from the spider, I just ended up sitting there. And through trial and error I was able to make a pretty big bag. Though it was rather simple, it only consisted of a relatively square piece of fresh hide from the bear the spider killed earlier which I stabbed holes on each corner. Using some silk I weaved it together to make something similar to rope, and then put it in each of the holes respectively. The spiders web was really strong so I used it to patch up any folds or holes that would either constrict my movement or let things drop through.
Nice....oh yeah it’s fangs might be helpful too.
Just as a fangs should be, those things were extremely sharp. I was especially careful not to cut myself because they looked be coated in the same type of poison the spider used earlier, though it seemed much less toxic now. With a bit of effort I was able to remove them.
Chink!
I swung one of the fangs at the spiders metal like exoskeleton. After doing so I checked to see the damage.
It actually cut! Hehe, so it was good to extract these.
The bears claw was a little larger than a knife and was extremely sharp, by no means was it a bad weapon. But compared to the fang which was even harder and sharper, not to mention the poison that it was coated in, the claw was rather weak. It’s size was comparable to that of a dagger and felt good in my hand. In other words, it was an upgrade! Though it was a bit sad that the claw was only used one time.
Maybe I should try dual wielding once my arm fully heals. Wait, no I have a better idea.
I took off the fur that was on my arm, even though the wound was still opened it was only bleeding a little. Next I got some of the spiders web and applied it to the cut. It barely hurt, maybe it was because compared to feeling like your body’s turning inside out, it was child’s play. After I was finished I did a couple of circles with the arm.
Much better, the web is really good at patching things up.
Now I didn’t have the extra weight on my arm, and since the spiders web was so sticky and strong I would have to worry about the wound opening when I use it in a fight.
?! Hehe perfect.
The perfect opportunity had just presented itself, inside of my now increased range I could see what looked like to be a pack of wolves. They probably sniffed out the bears bloody carcass because they were heading straight towards me. Though that was fine, I could feel power surging within me after that last battle and to be honest I wanted to test it out. No, I couldn’t wait to test it out! I quickly grabbed my items and headed out.