17th | Breakthrough | Part 2_Propagate: A survival litrpg

Day 18

I've made up my mind, I'm going to hunt the ants. The question is, how should I make my approach. Before I can even begin to start scheming, the buggy smell of ant pheromones sharply intensifies, and I hear a loud *clack* sound behind me.

I quickly turn around only to see an ant running away from me, towards the nest, laying a trail of pheromones the whole way. Even if I can smell pheromones, I can't tell what they mean. Even if you can hear someone speaking, that doesn’t mean you automatically know what they're saying. Even being able to tell that they're talking to each other at all is much better than what other people would be able to do.

Though I don't really need an interpreter. It probably just marked me as a predator. The question now is, should I follow it, or let them come to me? Already a cluster of ant’s is approaching my location.

Alright, I'll wait for them to come to me. I'll find out how strong they are, then plan my strategy from there. If they're strong, I'll just keep baiting out groups until they're numbers are whittled down. If they're weak, I'll just dive straight into the cave.

The group is arriving near me now. I pull back three arrows and fire them all. I begin moving to a different position, before I notice the three ants I had just struck.. Were dead.

Huh? There's no way it's that easy. I check my notifications just in case.

< lv8 Latin Soldier Slain 40 XP acquired>

< lv5 Latin Soldier Slain x2 50 XP acquired>

Wow. That's just disappointing.

There were only four ants, so I just went ahead and finished off the last one. Same type, 35xp.

Well, guess I'll just dive straight in.

I start running towards the deep hole, about five hundred feet away from me. Now that I'm closer, I notice in the distance the terrain becomes noticeably more mountainous, to the far left there's this huge gash in the wall. Actually, it's not a mountain, but a huge plateau.

That's good to know, in case I need to escape. I can probably use that cave in the plateau to sleep in tonight, depending on how long this raid will take. The sun is only just now starting to fall into dusk.

Once I'm only fifty or so feet away from the entrance, huge swaths of ants start streaming out of the entrance. The cave mouth would probably look like a bottomless pit to most, but I can see pretty far back there. And it is huge.

Before the ants get too close, I began firing off as many arrows as I can. It's been a while since I've had to shoot this fast. I don't know if it's an effect of some kill, but as time winds on, I start firing faster and faster. This situation must really be power-leveling my archery skills.

I had thought they looked Latin mostly as a joke, due to the strange symbols covering the ants chitin. I guess the system was desperate for a name for them. Even if I don't actively name something, if I just offhandedly describe it in some way the system will add that name to the bestiary. Which is another tab the main status has. It has every beast I've named and encountered, along with a list of abilities that I mentally identified.

I don't get status notifications in fights, but that just means I don't get alerted when something happens. That doesn't mean the level up is stalled or anything, I just don't find out about it until later. I can still check the notification log manually, which I do. I've gotten good enough at multitasking that I can check my status and fire my bow at the same time! Even though my aim suffers a lot, it doesn't matter since it's impossible to miss with this many ants.

<[Multishot] Experience threshold Reached. Lv6 -> Lv8>

<[Targeting] Experience threshold Reached. Lv6 -> Lv7>

Class - Survivor | lv 24/25 | 1084/2400 xp *

Race - Modular Human m

Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+3)

Name - Maximilian | Condition- Curse of Soul Fray

Hp- 2000/4000 (1/2)

SkP- 1 Stp- 3 Souls- 29 12 0

Stats - (+9 phys)(+3A)

Strength 39

Speed 40 (+5A)

Stamina 37

Dexterity 56 (+35)

Intellect 36

Sense 64.4 (x2.3)(+10)

Vitality 20 (1/2)

Charm 11 {locked}

Special Skills -

Existential Empower ||| lv6/20

Death Resistance \ lv2/99

Corruption Resistance ||| lv1/20

Class Skills -

Desperate endurance | lv2

Schematica 2/3 | lv1

High Hound | lv2

Defense Orientation | lv4

Passive Skills -

Complex Crafting ||| lv1/20

Multishot || lv8/10

Tracing || lv7/10

Int Dismantling || lv10/10

Grinding || lv5/10

Greater Deft || lv7/10

Toxicology || lv6/10

Targeting | lv7/10

Long Strider | lv5/10

Body Reinforcement || lv3/10

Acrobatics | lv3/5

Regeneration | lv3/5

Terrain Sense | lv5/5

Stitching | lv1/5

Dodge | lv1/5

Active Skills -

Rapid Dash || lv5/10

Leap | lv ⅗

Power Shot | lv3/5

Meditation | lv3/5

Pierce | lv1/5

Resistances -

Greater Pain res || lv5/10

Shadow res | lv1/5

Modularity- Special: Assimilation

Nervous 200% | Immune 200% | Integumentary 200% | Muscular- 200% | Absorbing Skeletal- 200% || Circulatory 200% | Reproductive 200% | Assimilating Digestive 200% ||

I keep striding backwards in order to keep away from the ants, but no matter how many I kill, they just keep coming, there's no sign of the flow ever ceasing. I realize with a spike of dread that I'm running out of regular arrows.

C'mon, I must have killed at least a hundred of them by now right?

< lv1-10 Latin Soldier Slain x84 1765 XP acquired>

< lv5-14 Generalis Major Slain x8 395 XP acquired>

< lv1-16 Cisternina Soldier Slain x15 560 XP acquired>

< you have leveled up! LV24 -> Lv25 | +1 SkP +3 StP>

< Congratulations! You have reached max level! +1 bonus SkP >

? Is that it? Where's my class up-

A massive ant lunges at me. My split attention does me in, as large white jaws of light close around my torso. I barely dodge out of the way, using [Leap] in the process. Shit! I forgot monsters can use skills too. Actually no, I knew they could use magic, not skills! I guess that confirms my theory that monsters have a status too.

Alright screw this! Melee time! I'm almost out of arrows anyway, by the feel of it I have less than a dozen.

I take my hexsidian knife out of my fancy leather holster, and begin cleaving down ants left and right. I put my dodge skill to use as I weave between all sorts of biting attacks. I only see those white translucent jaws three more times.

I stab into an ant that was about to unleash the jaw skill, before I remember my most recent modification. Slightly reluctantly, I bight into its flesh. Chewing the vile substance moderately before swallowing. I wonder how long it takes-

< Generalis Major absorbed! Part: head muscle. Processing… complete! +3 strength added to stocks! >

Stocks? Uh, activate? Use my stocks!!

< Temporarily applying all stocks. +3 strength! Duration: 3 mins. >

< Note: Assimilation duration is dictated by the amount of the chosen part eaten. The amount of stats given, or strength of skills given depends on the quality of the eaten part. Different parts can also determine the quantity of stats gained. >

I feel my arm muscles ripple, and thicken slightly. I punch an ant that rushes me, and it flys into a wall, painting it green from the impact. I continue slicing and dicing. I even started duel wielding with my throwing knives. If I put 1 between each finger, they become pretty decent claws. Plus I can use them at range if I'm in a pickle, though I only have eight.

About half an hour later, and I'm still getting bombarded by ants. Even though I've moved hundreds of feet away from their hole by this point, they seem hell bent on destroying me. I spend my stocks whenever I have the chance to get any. Eating helps restore my stamina slightly, but I'm getting very tired.

While I have gotten a vast wealth of xp, and even some new skills, the tide of ants is unceasing. I need to retreat. I see those jaws of light again, and before the ant can even twitch, I whirl around and bite into its body.

< Generalis Major absorbed! Part: Majority thorax. Processing… complete! +5 strength | +4 Stamina | added to stocks! >

< Warning! Stamina has fallen below 20% rest is advised! >

Apply stocks.

Noticing that the next wave of ants was a few seconds away, I tear off a plate of chitin on the major's head, before biting into its brain. Its unbelievably gross, but ill put up with it.

< Generalis Major absorbed! Part: Brain. Processing… complete! +1 Intellect | added to stocks! Skill- [Crushing Bite] lv2 has been stocked!>

The ants fall upon me once again. I decide to test out this new skill.

“ CRUSHING BITE!!”

My teeth begin to glow that bright ethereal white. Suddenly a ghostly shape erupts outward, forming into large jaws of light about a foot away from my face. Rather than looking like ant mandibles like I expected, it was instead shaped like a jaw, looking more like a bear trap than anything else. The ghostly jaw followed my movements with only a slight delay.

When another ant jumped me, (they love doing that for some reason) I quickly turned around and shut my teeth in its direction. The jaws turned around right when I closed my teeth. It closed instantly around the ant's head, crushing it into paste.

Dang, what a strong skill! Unfortunately this is my limit. I'm going to retreat to that crack in the plateau I saw earlier. [Dash]!

And I raced off, the river of ants still following me. Do these guys really have nothing better to do?

I get into the cave and start rushing within. I look around wildly for something I could use to block the entrance, but I have no luck. I can pick up their legs tapping on the stone, they will be here soon. I go back as far as possible, until I get into a large circular cavern.

I jump down into the cave, the tunnel entrance sitting about thirty feet above the cave's floor. I brace my feet for the impact, and the system pings me with a skill gain notification. It's at this time I remember the huge flood of notifications I probably have.

< lv1-10 Latin Soldier Slain x334 2115 XP acquired>

< lv1-20 Generalis Major Slain x56 3690 XP acquired>

< lv3-16 Cisternina Soldier Slain x27 560 XP acquired>

< lv7-18 Ruunt Hunter Slain x23 745 XP acquired>

< Acquired Skill: Melee >

< Acquired Active Skill: Smash >

< Acquired Skill: Feather Foot >

<[Dodge] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv5>

<[Body Reinforcement] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv7>

<[Regeneration] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv4>

<[Long Strider] Experience threshold Reached. Lv5 -> Lv6>

<[Power Shot] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv5>

Class - Survivor | lv 25/25 | 8514 xp *

Race - Modular Human m

Achievements- The Special | Self indulgent | (+3)

Name - Maximilian | Condition- Curse of Soul Fray

Hp- 1780/4400 (1/2)

SkP- 3 Stp- 6 Souls- 113 35 0

Assimilation Bonus: +5 str | +4 stm | +1 int

Stats - (+13 phys)(+3A)

Strength 48

Speed 44 (+5A)

Stamina 45

Dexterity 56 (+35)

Intellect 37

Sense 64.4 (x2.3)(+10)

Vitality 22 (1/2)

Charm 11 {locked}

Special Skills -

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Existential Empower ||| lv6/20

Death Resistance \ lv2/99

Corruption Resistance ||| lv1/20

Class Skills -

Desperate endurance | lv2

Schematica 2/3 | lv1

High Hound | lv2

Defense Orientation | lv4

Passive Skills -

Complex Crafting ||| lv1/20

Multishot || lv8/10

Tracing || lv7/10

Int Dismantling || lv10/10

Grinding || lv5/10

Greater Deft || lv7/10

Toxicology || lv6/10

Targeting | lv7/10

Long Strider | lv6/10

Body Reinforcement || lv7/10

Acrobatics | lv3/5

Regeneration | lv4/5

Terrain Sense | lv5/5

Stitching | lv1/5

Dodge | lv5/5

Melee | lv1/5

Feather Foot | lv1/5

Active Skills -

Rapid Dash || lv5/10

Leap | lv 3/5

Power Shot | lv5/5

Meditation | lv3/5

Pierce | lv1/5

Smash | lv1/5

Resistances -

Greater Pain res || lv5/10

Shadow res | lv1/5

Stocks-

Modularity- Special: Assimilation

Nervous 200% | Immune 200% | Integumentary 200% | Muscular- 200% | Absorbing Skeletal- 200% || Circulatory 200% | Reproductive 200% | Assimilating Digestive 200% ||

< Melee- An all purpose close combat fighting skill that doesn't focus on any one weapon or style. >

< Smash- Increases damage and destructive force of the next blunt attack by 100% | 3 min cooldown. >

< Feather Foot- Decreases damage taken from falls, also makes your steps quieter. >

What skills can I rank up right now?

< [Int dismantling] | [Terrain Sense] | [Dodge] | [Power Shot] >

I can hear the clacking of the ants' legs on the stone. Actually scratch that, I can hear the echo of thousands of legs. They must have entered the cave. They'll be here in less than a minute.

Hmmm, what skills can help me right now? [Dodge] and [Power shot]. Interesting thing about power shot, is that despite the name, the skill applies to anything. The way I leveled it up so much without using my bow was by applying it to my fist and punching the shit out of the ants. Oh and my knife too I guess. That's probably how I got the [Smash] Skill.

< [1st] Tier [Dodge] Has ranked up into [2nd] tier: [Evasion]- Allows the user to continually dodge attacks, while also setting up for counterstrikes.>

< [1st] Tier [Power shot] Has ranked up into [2nd] tier: [Power Boost]- increases the speed and power of the next attack by 300%. 5 min cooldown.>

Another thing I need to do is modify my teeth. I check my status, only to find there's no option for teeth. What? Do I just need to enhance the mouth then?

< Purchase {Teeth} option for one small soul?

Oh, that explains some of the missing stuff. Like the urinary system and the esophagus. Among others I can't think of right now.

Condition- Curse of Soul Frey | Stress (lesser) | Weariness

Yeah, that sounds about right. Ok, purchase {Teeth} and.. Ok this one!

Splintering {Teeth}- Increases ability to chew and break down hard substances and natural armor, like scales and bone.

I don't need to reinforce it first, since I have a free modification slot for all my parts. As soon as I hit the button, I start running up into the tunnel, using [Leap] to get up there in one bound. My face goes numb presumably from the modification process, and I can feel my teeth shaking. Despite that, I begin winding up one of my master arrows.

I can see the shifting shadows of a truly obscene number of ants, the front of which is only twenty five or so feet away from me.

“Pierce!”

The red light covers my arrow in waves, but I don't wait, as soon as the energy turns into a point at the tip of my arrow, I fire. It whooshes through the air, before multiple loud cracks ring out from the impact. I watch my status as I load another master arrow. The kills slow down, until it finally stops at sixteen deaths.

“Power boost..”

Bright, orange flame quickly covers both my bow and the arrow. Actually, it covers my hands as well, making bright orange gauntlets. This time I shift to the left slightly before firing off yet another arrow. This one racks up only ten kills.

I didn’t come into this cave thoughtlessly. I know it may look like I've screwed myself over by getting trapped in here, but this is where I make my final stand. These ants are hellbent on killing me. If they were going to give up, they would have done so half an hour ago. My stamina may be high, but I have to rest eventually. These ants are like drones, doing their tasks unceasingly until they run out of power. If I climbed up the mountain, they would have followed me. They can climb much better than most animals, after all, they were made for it. If I climbed up a tree to sleep they would find and kill me. If I go up the mountain, they would climb much faster, catch up and kill me.

If I don't kill them now, I'm done for. The tunnel serves as a good choke point, limiting how much they can overwhelm me. They also won't be able to surround me, and arrows will be much more effective in this straight tunnel like this.

As I'm thinking, I continuously fire every arrow in my arsenal. When an ant gets close, I [Smash] them into the ground. I hold them in the cave until I run out of arrows. Then, I fall back, taking some exoskeleton to munch on.

My modification finishes, and feeling returns to my mouth. I glance at my new skill explanations again as I recover and wait for the ants to climb down. I have no way to attack them from here after all.

< [Smash]- increases attack damage and destructive force by 100% for the next physical attack. 1 min cooldown, uses stamina. >

< [Melee]- An all purpose close range attack style that doesn't focus on any one weapon or technique. Street fighting. >

< [Feather Foot]- Decreases fall damage taken, slightly increases jump height, and makes your steps quieter. >

< Cisterna Soldier absorbed! Part: Exoskeleton. Processing… complete! +3 Defense | added to stocks! >

Defense? I didn't know that was a thing. System, give me the definition. The ants have finished clamoring down to the cavern floor, and are beginning to rush towards me. The information absorbs into my mind as I use my stocks.

< Defense- Increases natural defenses, internal and external, against physical force. High stat values can completely ignore damage. Includes both a flat and percentile damage reduction. >

Assimilation Bonus: Def +3

Ok. I can do this, I can do this. Just breathe..

Purchase skill: [Cut]. Put all stat points into stamina.

Stamina 47

Ok, now I just have to pray that it will last me. As [body reinforcement] levels up, my stamina will also increase. [Regeneration] doesn’t regenerate stamina, only hp. Even if those skills got maxed, I can't rank them up. I have to use [Long Strider] to the best of my ability and reduce my stamina use. I'll use both [Evasion] and [Melee] simultaneously. I'll only use my skills when necessary. [Dash] is still on cooldown, but it's almost up. There are cliffs on the walls, but I have to wait for [Leap]’s cooldown before I can escape to those. So I have to hold out for.. Three and a half minutes. Okay. I can do this. I can do this. Just breathe…

I activate [Melee] feeling it infuse my muscles with foreign memories. I know how to make every punch a little stronger. A little faster. I know how to save just a little stamina, how to move with that little extra percent of efficiency. I activate [Evasion] and for the first time in a long time, I feel the skills resonate. They begin vibrating, working together to strengthen me even more.

The ants are upon me, but now I'm ready. Predictably, they start jumping at me. Maybe instead of latin ants, I should call them jumping ants instead? I unsheath my knife, and cleave the diving ant’s head in half. Many of the ants go around to flank me, so I set my feet into a flexible stance, and begin dancing around the cavern.

An ant jumps from my right, my increased field of vision lets me know, and I whirl around to stab into its brain. The others take the opportunity to bite at my ankles. I use my new [Cut] skill, and quickly cleave through all three of them. One of the tank ants runs up with multiple smaller ants clinging to its armored body. I twirl around and make a deep cut in the right side of its head, destroying its armor but not killing it.

The ant rears back with those ghostly white jaws, though these ones look a bit different. Unlike the standard one, this one has a few ridges within its bite, like spears. I had already set my stance, so I fluidly dodged to the side of the monster, and stabbed it in the head. The other ants began jumping at me, but not before I slip a chunk of its brain into my mouth. Having my sense of taste above eleven does not help the taste,

I chew on the squish substance, using much of my will to not spit it out immediately. As soon as I swallow, I get the absorption notification. One intellect and one defense, as well as another stocked skill; [Piercing Chomp].

I'll save that one until another tank comes through. I hack and slash, conserving my stamina as much as possible. The intense melee continues on for another fifteen minutes, with no sign of ending. My muscles are burning, my back is sore and my arms are tired. I need a break. I break through the ant encirclement and [Leap] onto a high up ledge. My jump sends me higher than expected. I wonder how much my skills leveled up? Once I get up, I sit down and lean on the wall, doing my best not to move and meditating to calm my nerves. I open the status, and the information floods my mind without me having to open my eyes. I listen to the pitter patter of ant legs, until I feel the platform lurch slightly from new weight. I guess my rest is over.

<[Long Strider] Experience threshold Reached. Lv6 -> Lv8>

<[Body Reinforcement] Experience threshold Reached. Lv7 -> Lv10 | +3 phys>

<[Regeneration] Experience threshold Reached. Lv4 -> Lv5>

<[Leap] Experience threshold Reached. Lv3 -> Lv4>

<[Evasion] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv4>

<[Melee] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv4>

<[Power Boost] Experience threshold Reached. L1v -> Lv2>

<[Pierce] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv2>

<[Smash] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv3>

<[Cut] Experience threshold Reached. Lv1 -> Lv3>

<[Existential Empower] Experience threshold Reached. L6v -> Lv8>

<[Death Resistance] Experience threshold Reached. Lv2 -> Lv3>