An Iron Web

As intriguing as the cutting web before me was, I needed to sort myself out first. For one, where did that "Black Eyed" prefix on my race come from? The evolution selection didn't say anything about it. I can only presume evolution has a chance to result in variations that aren't specified until you actually evolve. That's… annoying. While gaining an unexpected boon is nice, I hate surprises; information I don't have is information I can't take into account.

An unexpected boon is hardly a bad thing, but the implications of said boon were potentially unpleasant. If I can get a positive surprise from an evolution, who's to say I can't get a nasty one as well?

Of course, it's not like I can actually do anything about that. All I can do is question, attempt to understand, and take it into account going forward. The fact that my actual stats haven't changed before and after is inline with what the description of the evolution I took said. My Dark Vision being upgraded and a new skill being given at max level was unexpected but not nonsensical given Black Eyes' description and it tells me that such things can happen.

Having something labeled as "Cultivation" amongst my stats was uncomfortable in and of itself; cultivation worlds tend to be on the frightening end of the power scale, though I have no idea what magic is truly capable of in this world. What I need, second only to getting out of this death trap, is information about the world I've found myself in. And maybe someplace safe to call my own.

I sighed, transitioning from running a paw across my face to scrubbing my scent out of reflex. My emotions were muted and dull by most people's standards, but they do exist; having a moment of relative calm was allowing the true nature of my situation to really sink in. Not only am I stranded in some alternate world as a fucking rat of all things, my immediate problems include being locked in some mad scientist jerkoff's labyrinthine testing ground for all the wretched monstrosities he decided would be fun to watch die.

My Paranoia meant I didn't actually have much need for glancing around in such a close quarters area, but I wasn't about to let logic lead me into complacency like that. A glance backwards revealed nothing but the same empty tunnel I saw coming in; but then again, how can I trust my eyes in a world of magic? It's entirely possible something is invisibly creeping closer to me in total silence, perhaps even fused with the very air to the point my Paranoia can't detect it until it slithers down my throat and tears my innards apart to make room for it to wear my empty husk like a cheap Halloween costume.

Paranoia +1

The several seconds I spent scrutinizing the air and walls was, of course, not wasted; even though I didn't actually find anything. The fact that I didn't detect any threats only shows that I need better detection methods; one can never disprove the presence of ninjas after all.

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Paranoia +1

You're never going to make me complacent, System; implying my fears are irrational and unfounded won't convince me I can trust you! I have no idea of your origins, intelligence, allegiance, or intentions!

Paranoia +1

I sighed, attempting to glare at the notification in the corner of my mind's eye as it faded away before giving up and focusing on the world around me. Immediate problems, Whitetail; I can worry about the distant future when I'm sure I have an immediate future.

Endless tunnels with probably no way out save the thoroughly locked and sealed entrance that leads straight back into maddoc Kurzebald's lab of horrors. The only way I'm getting out of here is getting that door open and either sneaking past or murdering Alxhaustra Kurzebald or finding a way to dig through here to the surface. Rats can chew through just about anything given enough time, but time is a resource I can't overly rely on in this wretched pit. Survival down here is not viable long term; I have no idea what is safe to eat (poison or disease both seem horribly plausible), where any water is, and this place is constantly filled with danger.

The water alone is likely the worst issue; if I were human, I would have roughly three days to find potable water before dehydration kills me. I can only assume rats have even less time; though I have vague memories of rats being able to live on the moisture in their food for an extended time. Even if that's true, it still brings me back to the problem of actually finding food, which likely means killing something undoubtedly larger and stronger than myself, and hoping whatever food I find won't dissolve my organs from the inside.

I brought my attention back to the web before me. If I didn't have Paranoia I wouldn't be able to spot the superfine threads suspended in the air before me; though, given the supernatural darkness of this place, I suppose vision is usually rather irrelevant for whatever set this trap up. The thread itself was black, oddly, though it was impossible to tell visually. The webbing was haphazardly arranged, large gaps in the coverage all over the tunnel; whether this was so whatever made it could maneuver or simply laziness I didn't know.

The trace amounts of blood on the threads themselves and the dried stains on the ground pointed to a method of killing outside the norm of spiders. I picked up a broken and gnawed on chunk of rib with the marrow sucked out (likely the discarded remains of one of the many creatures that lived short and violent lives in this shithole) lying half buried in the churned dirt between my fore paws. It was shockingly easy to heft the thing over my head and chuck it into the webs; while it would hardly be heavy for a human, I would figure a rat might struggle, I can only guess my strength stat made it as easy as it was.

I was already scampering away when I threw it, only remaining close enough to keep the closest threads within Paranoia's range. The thread's design and effect was rather obvious as soon as the bone touched it; the web cut right through the bone as if it weren't even there. The cut was so smooth and clean the web itself seemed wholly undisturbed. I wasn't going to take that risk, obviously; I know how spiders operate and want nothing to do with whatever horrifying super spider made that.

I was halfway back to the crossroad when I noticed the air getting warmer. I didn't hesitate, turning right around and running away from the heat; sprinting even faster when I saw light spilling out in front of me.

Skill Gained: Sprint

My speed noticeably increased, which the rushing crackling behind me made me quite happy about; though, the exhaustion that hit me three seconds later was decidedly less appreciated. I powered through the increasing pain and discomfort, though without the aid of my new skill. I was a quick little rat, but flames were licking at the edges of my awareness regardless by the time I was back at the now violently vibrating webs.

Endurance +1

I didn't have time to stop and consider my nonexistent options as I ran full tilt into the razor web, dodging rapidly between them with only my Paranoia to guide me. As soon as the following flames hit the webs behind me they began racing even quicker along them, causing the webs that proved themselves sharp enough to casually slice through stone to fall partially through the ground and walls as they collapsed in flames. Once more I'm running through a writhing mass of instant mutilation filling a hallway with death at my back and only the guarantee of even more danger before me.

This is becoming uncomfortably familiar.