Damn it! If only I weren't a plant, I could escape or get away from it!
Although the Barripatch Thorn Grass seemed to be impressive with its inch-long gold metal thorns, the truth was that he had little ability to utilize those thorns. Natural predators weren't likely to come after him - especially given the waist-high grass surrounding his already impressive stature - but to think that he'd be facing a bunny!
Wait... why can I see the bunny despite all this grass?
Kaden could see the tall grass but it was like the terrain itself cutaway. It might be possible there's more than just the menus he can view in his start option after all; this seemed like an ability... almost like he was sharing his vision with the grass around his brush. Using that connection in coordination with his Intellect stat might be allowing him to parse all the sensory data into some sort of vision equivalent. If that were the case, then being a nature wizard seemed to be a pretty effective manner to evolve! But that was beside the point; for now, he had to think and analyze his opponent.
The rabbit - which he'll dub Ranbi - is about a foot tall and a little over a foot and a half long. It didn't come off too intimidating beyond an anime-like smirk; rather, it looked a lot like that one mouse Bokedon. Most of its pelt was a sunflower yellow, yet its poofy-balled tail and ears were a bright red. In nature, bright colors often warded off predators as a warning sign of poisonous blood. The ranbi bounced its way closer cautiously and Kaden immediately tensed... except it did nothing since his strength couldn't even resist the wind blowing across his exposed half. The egg was safely at the center of his body, protected on all sides by at least three feet of barripatch.
Since I just used Earthy Grasp a moment ago, that means I'll need to endure this creature for at least ten minutes without any spells! If I can do that, I can cast Growth and add another foot to my diameter! My growth speed is quite good to add a foot every week's worth of time... maybe I'm an invasive species...
The ranbi's threat was simple; it could eat grass and it was looking at him. It was impossible to know if it would harm the egg but his quest aside, he was personally in danger. As an isekai protagonist, it was up to him to stand tall and not lose so early in his adventure! He didn't even know if reincarnation was possible yet!
Alright... so it begins... my battle with this ranbi starts now!
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It had been almost painful for the last ten minutes. Rather than attack, the ranbi stood its ground... and stared at him the entire time. Kaden hadn't made the first move either; pulling the creature in may very well be a bad move, as it would mean he'd need even longer for his trump card use of Growth. Neither of his spells was particularly useful for combat but it was the only option he had if he wants to protect himself. Before even considering the idea of an egg, he needed to use strategy!
The only issue was that his predator was content smugly smirking at him.
Alright... almost have the MP gathered. This guy isn't so bad! I mean, can he dare to even fight me? I allowed the egg to enter but I bet resisting the ranbi will ensure it gets tangled and cut up.
Kaden had never killed anything in his prior life but video games had given him a good advantage; he was desensitized to violence from seeing the evolution of graphic games. This by no means meant he saw violence as okay but rather that it was simply part of the world. Not only that, but war stories and crime scene photos from his family had helped reduce the idea of killing something or seeing a gruesome scene outside of combat. All the harshness Kaden endured outside of his fantasy bubble of an alternative reality may have been part of what drove him to retreat from the real world... but now he had to apply it to this new world.
But the ranbi wasn't going to make it easy. The creature turned and raised onto its hind legs, looking back through the grass and chittering in its animalistic language. Part of Kaden wished he could understand what it was saying but unfortunately he learned very quickly when he panned his camera up to look out over the hilly terrain.
There were three more ranbi coming - two exactly like the last... and another with yellow-stripes on its ears.
Oh no... it's... it's calling others to help hunt me!?
As an invasive species it made sense that he was a delicacy. Though he didn't have flowers, the Barripatch Thorn Grass was clearly absorbing the nutrients of nearby grasses or at the very least consuming the grasses in its push to expand. If they were sharing roots to sustain his life, it meant that going after him would be a bountiful meal for any herbivore. Not only did it help restore balance but it could be a good snack to any local fauna in need of preparing for winter or lots of energy! This was bad! The other ranbi padded their way up alongside their companion and all shared the exact same shit-eating grin... and advanced on him!
Damn! This is bad... I need to act now!
The ranbi slammed into the patch and all four of them snapped their teeth around his youngest stalks. Each bite felt like someone smashed his hand with a hammer and made his vision blur, yet Kaden refused to lose focus. It cost him 1 HP per bite for a total of four. In a matter of seconds, they had dealt a fifth of his HP!
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Growth!
The ground around him erupted with blue aura and the wounded stalks rushed forward toward the heavens. Three of the ranbi were carried upwards by the rising stalks, being torn on the gold thorns and sent sailing into the air in a visceral shower of blood. His HP immediately reset to full and, as the ranbi descended, he fully encased all four within him and tried to squeeze his hold around them. The trio of ranbi that had landed were tangled up in seconds, tightly wrapped and choked by strands as Kaden struggled. Their wounds weren't deep but every movement gave his thorns room to dig; although he had only used one move, it was his most powerful mana spell and it was extremely effective!
Ow!
His HP dropped two points and he looked toward the only one that hadn't been sent flying. While the trio of non-striped ranbi were tangled and struggling, the other was chomping its way through. Every time Kaden resisted and tried to entangle it, this ranbi pushed onward and toward the core. Even if he had made himself an extra foot thick, it was obvious their power difference was too much.
Fuck! This is really bad! I have no mana and won't have enough for ten minutes to even push him out. At this rate, I'll be dead before it's recharged!
One of the other ranbi kicked off the ground and snapped its own neck in its struggles, the painful crunch resonating in Kaden's head with a realization that should've been obvious for any isekai enthusiast.
That's it! I need to kill these other three and level-up! If I can do that, I might get my mana back! Or new stats! I have to get them to die!
But saying that was easier said than done; of the two remaining ranbi, neither were close to the ground. Though they were covered in wounds and had thorns digging into their flesh, he didn't exactly have a ton of strength to capitalize on opening wounds up. His spikes weren't meant for cutting; they were meant for repelling foes. Kaden's options were certainly limited... but there was one idea.
Kaden focused himself on the ranbi pushing its way into his body as it chipped another two HP off - leaving him at 16 HP - and tried to relax everything else. The entangled ranbi were slowly uncoiled and dropped toward the ground. The first one only took a minute before it touched the ground and immediately tried to leap, while the second came only a breath later at two minutes. But both met the exact same fate as the first of the trio; Kaden immediately focused on resisting across his entire body as each one leaped, quickly snaking and tightening as they sailed through the thorny grass. Although his barripatch's defense and strength weren't great, their stalks were long and malleable; they were perfect for collapsing and snaring around the form of invasive figures. Much like running through corn hurts like hell when it snaps back around you, his new body wrapped and tightened with its combined strength as one mass. The second victim didn't break its neck but instead was suffocated, whilst the third followed in the grisly fashion as the first. Three of the four ranbi were now dead and he saw the system alert give him some relief.
Level Up!
First-time combat level-up! HP and MP restored by 20%! Level 2
Maximum HP: 20 -> 21
Maximum MP: 30 -> 35
STR: 1 -> 2
DEX: 2 -> 3
CON: 1 -> 2
CHA: 1 -> 1
INT: 10 -> 15
RES: 10 -> 11
LCK: 1 -> 1
Yes! That's exactly what I needed! Because twenty percent of thirty-five means I gained seven MP! Aside from the full he- ow! - make that temporary full heal, that means that with what I've regenerated while enduring equals out to 10 MP!
The ranbi with stripes on its ears advanced ever close to the egg and had barely a scratch on it. Motion had allowed him to amplify the damage dealt with its brethren so there was only one option on how Kaden could fight back. Although it was a risk, he needed to take the chance if he wanted to beat this straggler. The moment for victory was now! The UI-like image of his target appeared and went over half of his body. It was set just to the outside of his body, waiting until the ranbi finally stumbled into the core of his body. It chomped through two strands in one bite for a stagger critical that rocked Kaden down to only 6 HP. It was time to strike before it was too late!
Earthy Grasp!
The earthen barrier ruptured between the ranbi and the egg and the creature's eyes widened, yet it had nowhere near the reaction time necessary. Kaden's spell dragged it backwards and forced it off its feet, sending it rolling backwards as it pulled the critter. His extra point of strength and dexterity let him wrap it up faster as it moves, tearing and cutting it to shreds with every inch. But nothing could deal a finishing blow; the ranbi was cut up more than any creature should be, yet the damage was all shallow. It broke free of the barripatch with the walls around it... and finally was entrapped in the ring of earth on the outskirts. The short foot-high walls fell... and it was only now that Kaden realized the real risk he had taken in an earth disruption spell being cast on top of himself.
His impressive brush had an impressive semi-circle cut out of it... leaving not only the egg exposed but his low HP all that more precarious.
No... no!
Kaden's horror grew as the ranbi staggered itself to its feet, looking at Kaden with that smug smirk. It knew it had left him exposed, gently padding forward and bleeding all over the place. If it wanted, it could bite and trim him down from the outside nice and easily now. The magic hadn't scared the little fucker at all. This was the end of the line for Kaden.
Except the ranbi passed out, collapsing from all its blood loss within the empty divide.
... I-I won? Holy shit... I-I won! Fuck yeah! Eat that you rabbit bitch!
Kaden celebrated and cheered, of course; even if no one could hear him, it was his first victory in his new world. Just some regular mortal, huh? He'd show that woman god! In thirty minutes, he'd have enough MP to cast Growth and repair a lot of the damage he'd inflicted to his form. So what if he looked a little lopsided?
If I can win now... then evolving is going to be a piece of cake! I'll evolve and complete this quest in no time! My isekai adventure is only just beginning! Mark my words! I shall make sure everyone hears of my tale... and live the life I always wanted! Hahaha... ha...
Kaden stopped, spinning his camera around to look at the egg.
... Better bring you back into what's left of my body before something bad happens.