[Defeated Gray Eared Rabbit Beast - (Unnamed)]

[+54 Experience]

[Level Up Available]

[Evolution Available]

A string of system messages passed by Licht’s eyes. Inwardly he was making a shocked expression.

“It died? Just like that?”

Licht was sure that absorbing the stomach acid of the rabbit would at most give it a stomach ache, but it had actually keeled over instead? What good fortune was this? Licht was no practitioner of the Kabbalah but he knew that he shouldn’t count his blessings when they came to him.

“What’s this evolution about though?”

Licht asked rhetorically as if he was pushing up his glasses to look at the status window.

[Level: 1]

[Exp: 54/10]

[Name: Licht Welles]

[Race: Nature’s Ego (Juvenile)]

[Health: 15/25]

[Stamina: 10]

[Energy: 0 AF]

[Rank: E-]

[0 STR, 0 DEX, 15 WIS, 5 END, 0 CHA]

[Virtues: None]

[Specializations: Wood]

[Skills: Psychometric Observation (D-), Biogenical Growth (D+), Passive Nutrition Absorption (E) Passive Acid Resistance (E)]

[Evolution Choices Available After Level 5!]

Much of the information had remained unchanged, but Licht found it interesting that his level hadn’t been automatically increased. For a man of modern times and one who was familiar with games and systems, he realized that there must be something more to the system than just gaining levels and increasing his stats.

“Speaking of which, I should be able to invest stat points into something after I leveled up, no?”

If the system that Licht was looking at followed the standard convention of LitRPG tropes, it should all work the same, no? As for how he knew these tropes…did it matter? Licht may have been a Beyond Senior Citizen card holder, or BSC for short, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t keep up with the times! He was a modern man, no doubt.

“Expand the menu.”

There didn’t seem to be anywhere to invest free points, odd. What was the point of leveling, then? Licht’s internal questions were answered as he focused on the evolution window that had popped up. When he did this, his earned experience from the rabbit beast was forcibly invested.

[Level has automatically risen from Level 1 → Level 5.]

Evolution Choices Available.

Notice: Evolving will reset your current level to one. All extrinsic stat points will be deducted after evolution.

Evolution Paths:

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

[Nature’s Ego: Adolescent]

“The second evolution of Nature's Ego into adulthood. This is the stage in which it is first able to commune with and control the surrounding environment. The tribulation period has passed, and from this point on it has a high chance of evolving into a dominant guardian of its habitat.”

[Warngreen Parasite: Matura]

“The Warngreen Parasite Plant lives mainly through infesting and consuming animal prey. Their deceptive exteriors allow them to pose as nutritious meals for wandering animal life and gain access to the stomachs of beasts, where they slowly eat through the creatures from the inside out. Later evolutions of this plant can gain the ability to control their hosts, allowing the parasite far more liberal means of attaining food.”

[Woodland Ego - Juvenile]

“A rare subtype of Nature’s Ego that has adapted to woodland forests. They possess unparalleled affinity with Wood Virtues and have a crushing advantage over their non specialized brethren in their native forest.”

“Olala. All this for little old me? I’m touched.”

Licht scanned the descriptions. The benefits were quite lush compared to his current situation. He almost felt like he was a high level executive who was being poached by a bigger firm. It seemed to him that the options were based on his past actions and his species.

“The Nature’s Ego option I can understand. Adolescence should be a direct upgrade from my juvenile state. Do Nature Egos evolve instead of age to mature? Would I gain abilities that I can actually use? I suppose I would at least get some energy to use my skills finally.”

This was Licht’s biggest concern. If being in the stomach of the corpse of the rabbit beast taught him anything, it was the importance of improving his survivability. Although often arrogant and snide, Licht recognized that his survival in this episode had been a fluke. The endurance he received from absorption had boosted his max health, but ultimately he needed more skills.

“I’m tempted to choose Warngreen Parasite for its abilities. Of the three, it seems like it has the most immediate benefits to my survival.”

Ultimately he was still stuck inside the rabbit’s stomach. His biggest survival boon, the ability to photosynthesize sunlight and convert it to energy, or in his case what he imagined to be HP and Stamina, was not present. Although his body had somehow been sated by the absorbed stomach acid for now, he needed to think of how he would get out of the current situation. Perhaps it went against logic in the long run, but he could only afford to make decisions in his current situation that allowed for immediate survival. With all of that in mind, Warngreen Parasite seemed like the best option, which would allow him to take advantage of the animal flesh in abundance around him. Though the thought of possession still gave him some gross vibes.

“However difficult the current situation is, I don’t think I want to make a habit of possessing the corpses of beasts. Should probably cross out that ability once I get it.”

Licht pictured himself as a parasite in the shape of a beast’s tongue, slowly worming his tentacles through his host’s skull. The visual made Licht shiver with disgust.

“That leaves the final option, Woodland Ego. This is probably a result of my Wood Specialization.”

Licht could find no other reason why this option would have appeared in the list. Why did he have the specialization of wood in particular anyway? Perhaps it was because he chose to be born in a temperate climate. Would he have a different specialization if he was a Nature’s Ego in an oceanic climate? What if he was a human? Damn, there were a lot of questions.

From amongst the three, Licht judged the Woodland Ego to be the riskiest choice by far. No clear path of progression had been outlined in the description. He would be a juvenile like he is now, but would he gain any abilities? Licht was sure that his “Virtues” status would be impacted, but he was still unaware of what that would mean.

The part about having an advantage over other Nature Egos seemed like a plus, but how often would a situation like that occur? Licht had gathered that Nature’s Egos were at least fairly rare, or that they were spaced out pretty far. The possibility of encountering another like him didn’t seem likely.

“This isn’t a novel, I can’t afford to make flashy choices that might compromise my safety.”

Just because it might give him the best long-term benefits didn’t mean Licht could afford to actually choose it. In this line of thinking, the Warngreen Parasite evolution was probably the safest path.

“But why… why do I feel like I shouldn’t choose it?”

Something inside of Licht urged him not to choose the parasite. Was it in consideration of his future? Licht couldn’t tell. He had never felt something like this as a human. Licht mulled it over as he gazed at the status screen, watching his health slowly tick up.

“Ahh, goddammit. I can’t help it! I’m still a hot blooded man at heart! I’ve got to go high risk, high reward!”

In the end, Licht decided to forgo all of his prior reasoning. What was the point of living a new life if he was going to constrain himself with burdens that he didn’t want once again? Plus, he thought the Woodland Ego sounded cool.

And that was what mattered.

Confirming…

[Notice: It’s recommended the user have at least 20 health for this evolution.]

[Proceed? (Y/N)]

“Yes!”