I stand motionless on the spot. The monsters steps are silent as it passes through the fog, a thing that seems to follow the creature as it moves away. After several minutes the air is back to normal, no sign of the creature left but blood and a headless corpse.

It takes a few minutes more, listening and watching around me before I'm willing to move, walking to the nearest large tree and wedging into a crevice at its base.

'… HOLY CRAP. Was that thing a deer!? Was it EVER a deer? What happened to it? Wait, did that thing EVOLVE? Is that what happened? Or was it in disguise?'

I shudder at the thought that something so horrifying could look so… normal. 'Is that normal? Are things like that everywhere down here?'

Protecting myself in the bend of the trees root I finally notice the red tint at the edge of my vision.

Warning: Your body has been injured by a [Death Aura] and has suffered [Three] points Necrotic Damage. [15/18]

Warning: Your body has been injured by a [Death Aura] and has suffered [Three] points Necrotic Damage. [12/18]

Warning: Your body has been injured by a [Death Aura] and has suffered [Three] points Necrotic Damage. [09/18]

You have survived an encounter with a stronger foe by avoiding observation!

Skill: Stealth has increased by one [6]

Skill: Disguise has increased by one [5]

'I wasn't just feeling afraid of that thing, it was actively killing me?! Just by being in the area? Wait, was the fog its "Death Aura"? How strong is that thing!?'

I'll be on guard if I ever see fog again, but even without it I'll bolt if I see a weirdly muscled emaciated animal. Even if it did evolve after the fight it was very strong to begin with and that's a risk I don't want to take.

As much as I want to leave the area I decide to stick around and see if the carcass draws any scavengers in; If I get lucky I might be able to catch one, but most of all it would clue me in a little more on what other things are here.

Having to "sit still" I end up zoning out for a bit after running though a dozen songs in my head, only coming to when motion catches my eyes.

It starts with a flutter of wings: leathery flaps making faint bap noises as they catch the air, slowing a body down as it lands. Defying my avian expectations the creature looks quite reptilian; not close enough to call it a dragon, but perhaps a wyvern? Wings aside it looks like a three foot long Tyrannosaurus Rex with a long neck and bigger, thicker teeth filling its mouth.

I quickly realize the plan forming in my head to catch it is not going to happen when another lands and postures over the carcass- the newcomer standing six feet tall, followed by another couple the same size who all start to fight over the bones.

With what little was left it doesn't take long before one scoops the remains up and flies off- an unnatural wind helping it lift off with unexpected speed, soon followed by the rest of the flock.

'I am way under level here. Maybe? These things have to eat something, so there has to be more weaker prey around like the normal deer. And there has to be enough of them to sustain the predators.'

'Well, staying here longer won't give me any answers. The carcass is gone, so I might as well leave too.' Moving out of the tree trunk I head deeper into the forest, keeping within ear shot of the creek. After another two hours of walking I have yet to see a single creature.

I feel like I'm missing something: I know skills can help you hide from sight, so there's a chance I'm just not seeing them. What little knowledge the Arcana skill gave me confirms this may be the case, but doesn't give me a way to see anything magical. 'I wonder if there's a skill that lets you detect magic? I could be standing right under something and not even know it.'

'... that is true, things could be here I'm just not able to see. Maybe I'm going about this the wrong way; maybe I should try baiting things in instead?'

This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

Pulling up my Gluttonous Gut menu I find a couple basic slimes and one iron pill bug in storage. 'Well, it's not like I considered using things for bait before. And there's the problem of drawing in the big wyverns from earlier. Water might work if I wasn't close to a larger source.'

'Actually, that reminds me.' I think, pausing to look back at the river 'I haven't investigated the water. I'm amphibious, so breathing won't be a problem, and if I'm underwater it should muffle the sound if I shoot a spine.'

Deciding it's the right choice I head towards the water and take a deep breath before slowly entering the stream. The liquid is colder than expected, but not too bad, and outside of light turbulence is moderately clear. Most important is that it's maybe eight feet deep max, meaning I shouldn't find anything huge living in it, and the water isn't moving fast so I won't have to fight the flow to move.

With a slight shake I adjust my Disguise, shifting the tint from green to brown to better blend in. Between the breath of air I took and absorbing air through my skin I should be able to stay under for about six hours, probably more if I add the air stored in my Gut.

'Hua, so being amphibious is why I didn't get better damage reduction, and the Spines are what is actually providing the Slashing Resistance.' I'm curious how much of my intended design is affected by subconscious knowledge, like having been thinking of sea urchins while making this form. Or if this thing already exists here and I was guided to replicate it, either in part or whole. 'Will have to figure that out if I ever find one.'

It doesn't take long before I see fish swimming around. I've never been familiar enough to tell most fish apart, but some of these are very unique with beautiful vibrant colors. Deciding it's time to test it out I aim a front spine at a fish and activate the minor [Explosion] inside the chamber.

THOOMP!

A spherical shockwave spreads out as the spine launches through the water, a visible trail piercing the water in its wake. As the round Shockwave implodes back in on itself the nearby fish react, all running away from the turbulence disturbing the water. My target also runs, the Spines trajectory veering off course just enough to miss it.

'Hmm, forgot to adjust for water flow affecting its course.' I ponder, a notification interrupting my thoughts.

Your attack against a [Silver Fish] was a success!

Piercing damage has decreased its health by [Two] points [01/03]

Mana Flesh has empowered your attack and inflicted excessive damage of [two] points, decreasing its health to zero. [00/03]

Congratulations-You have defeated an opponent!

You have gained [Zero] Victory Points!

'Silver fish?' I wonder, looking in the direction the spine went, but finding the mirkyness eventually blocks my view. 'Just how far did that go?' Taking a moment to think I realize I can see about thirty feet max, and since I can't see what I hit it went farther than that. 'That's better than I expected.'

I head upstream following the direction I fired, eventually finding the dead fish slowly being pushed towards me by the current. I step on the six inch fish to stop its movement, reaching with my mouth to pick it up by the spine through its body and drag it to shore.

Dropping it down I begin to shift forms, watching the light dance upon its scales. 'I'm pretty sure a "Silverfish" is a type of bug. But it's a "Silver Fish"; is its scales actually made of silver?'

I stare intently at the fish, eventually getting a window pop up

A silver scaled fish.

'Why do they bother with such obvious descriptions?' I wonder as I continue to stare, waiting for the second window to appear.

A fish with silver scales.

'... well, I don't know what I was expecting.' I think, still staring at the fish. 'I wonder if the Identify Spell would give something more useful?'

I lean down and swallow the fish, almost choking when an unexpected window appears.

NOTICE: An attempt to use a skill that does not exist has been made. Associated skill will be created at Level Zero:

Skill: Identify [0]

NOTICE: Identify is a specialized Ranger Class Skill the user is not affiliated with and will level at ¼ rate.

Coughing in annoyance I read the window, confused as to why it would appear now. 'Didn't I Identify the Mimic before? Wait, isn't this what happened with "Taunt"?

Does it require a certain level of use or focus to get it as a skill? And how does it differ from the spell?'

Knowing it'll be super slow to level makes me more annoyed at its current uselessness. 'Either I can eat it or attack it and I'll know whatever this will tell me quicker.'

Dismissing the window I return to the Fire Urchin form and head back into the water. 'I'll get a few more fish, then figure out what to eat and what to use as bait.'