*PING*

Before my consciousness fades, I hear the digitized voice again. I should really give these voices names; we’ll go with codex for the digitized voice. Yeah, that sounds cool. Codex tells me that I can spend a life to continue? Oh yeah! That’s right, I have that Nine Lives skill! Sweet! I think to myself. Yes. Use a life to continue Codex.

Nice, a full restore! As a pale blue light engulfs my body the spiders recoil seeing that their meal is no longer dead. While they remain in a state of shock I spring into action. Immediately I extend my claws and swipe at the closest spider. To my surprise, the rat-sized spider is cleaved in two as my claws pass through its body.

Wow. I didn’t expect my claws to be so strong since my ATK stat would only deal a total of 5 damage, unless… Hey Codex, is there a way I can see my opponents’ stats? I think to myself.

Uh, what luck, I have just enough SP. Hell yeah, give me that skill!

Alight let’s put this baby to the test. I look at the group of spiders and activate Identify.

Not a lot to go on, but I suppose that’s what you get from a level one skill. Now that I know these guys are pretty squishy, I can squash these peons. After slicing that first one in half it looks like there’s nine left, I got this.

Before losing my advantage, I dash toward the nearest tree, scaling it with ease thanks to my nimble fame. I reach a branch about ten feet off the ground and crouch, waiting for my foes to give chase. The spiders reposition themselves at the base of the tree trying to surround me from all sides. As they begin their ascent, I leap, twisting in the air to deliver a satisfying double slash toward three of the spiders as I fall, splitting each one in half.

Nice! Three down, six to go. Landing gracefully on all fours, I square up to take on the remaining spiders. It could be the shock of seeing their meal come back to life only to waste three of their comrades but it almost seems like the remaining spiders are starting to quiver in their carapaces. Hehehe that’s right fear my mighty claws you little pests. For I am Kitty here me roar! “Meow!” That was cooler in my head…

If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.

Composing themselves, the spiders break up into two groups of three and begin flanking me. I know better than to fall for the same trick twice. Quickly I backstep and take a running leap toward the group on my right, but midway in the air my momentum is slowed. I look back to see razor thin thread extending from my back paw from the direction of the other group.

Damn, it was a trap, they wanted me to make my jumping move again to catch me in midair. Tricky little bugs. If they want to limit my movement then it’s time for a new strategy. I plant myself on the ground, ignoring the thread for now. I wait until three of the spiders are inches away from me. They prepare their spear-like front legs ,and that is when I strike. I angle my body away and lean into the direction of the attack—I bite down on the spider’s head, squishing it between my razor-sharp teeth and ripping it off in one fell swoop.

I would like to pause for a moment and just say I cannot describe how disgusting mashing down on a giant spider’s head feels and tastes. I’m defiantly going to be repressing this. Not wasting the momentum of my attack, I turn to the other two spiders and spit the remaining viscera at them, temporarily blinding them.

Slice! Slash!

I decapitate the blinded spiders, turn to my remaining foes, and ready myself for the next assault.

In an act of desperation and fear, the remaining three spider’s lunge at me, throwing caution to the wind, as they attempt to avenge their fallen brethren. I give them no purchase—I contort my body around their haphazard thrusts and deal them each a devastating blow to the head, splitting them open with each swipe.

Alright! I did it! I Won! I gained a level and a title too! I begin hopping in the air, prancing around the lifeless vestiges of my fallen enemies. I wonder if gaining levels effects my stats, lets check.

NAME:

SPECIES: House Cat (Tabby)

CLASS:

STATUS:

LEVEL: 2 EXP: 0/75

SP: 0

HP: 10 -> 12

MP: 0

ATK: 3 -> 4

DEF: 1 -> 2

MAG: 1

RES: 1 -> 2

SPEED: 10 -> 11

SKILLS: [Night Vision LV 1] [Acrobatics LV 1] [Claws LV 1] [Charm LV 1] [Identify LV 1]*NEW*

UNIQUE SKILLS: [Nine Lives]

TITLES: *NEW*[Pest Killer: Deal 1.5x Damage when facing insects or arachnids]

To my surprise multiple stats have gone up, and I’m bestowed a new title that gives me an advantage should any more spiders dare cross my path. Once the heat of battle has worn off, I notice quite a pungent smell emanating from my fur and notice that my front paws and parts of my chest are covered in spider blood.

Before the battle I recall a small stream close-by. As I walk toward it to wash this mess off of me, I feel a compulsion to not actually sit into the water—my heart begins to race. That’s odd. This almost feels like—You’ve got to be kidding me, Is my body afraid of the water because I’m a cat now!? Evidently as a cat I have no problem killing small animals with no remorse, but when it comes to moving water I’m petrified. How am I supposed to clean myself if I can’t get near water? It’s at that moment I recall the one thing about cat’s I’ve always found repulsive… Licking themselves clean.

I lift one of my paws and begin committing the unholy act of bathing myself with my tongue, shortly after I finish a message appears.

*ping* .

Consuming the spider blood must have given me that new skill, nice. Once I am clean, I notice a deep rumbling sound coming from my stomach. I’m going to have to find food. I was so caught up with all that was going on, I just realized hours had passed and I hadn’t eaten anything. Scanning my surroundings, all I see are trees and the pile of spider corpses I left in my wake. As my eyes drift to the spider remains, a thought crosses my mind. Though I am repulsed by the idea, my body seems to crave the idea of consuming what I’ve killed. Are these my animal instincts? Not wanting to think much more on the matter I dissociate and let my new body’s desire take over, feasting on my fallen enemies.

*ping* <[Poison Resistance LV 1] has become [Poison Resistance LV 2]>.

At the very least, my new skill leveled up as compensation for the therapy I’m going to need. After gorging myself, I feel a wave of tiredness wash over me. I wouldn’t want to just take a nap in the middle of a forest bed. I scale a nearby tree, pick a branch and sprawl out. In a matter of minutes I feel my conciseness slip.

---

Thump. Thump. Thump.

I awake to the sound of thumping; the whole tree shakes in rhythm. As I glance down to the base of the tree I see an awkward hulk of a creature bashing its skull against the tree trunk. The creature has a grayish-green hue to its skin, its ears pointy, teeth protruding from it’s underbite, eyes a deep red like the color of fresh spilled blood. I notice that a large indented scar ran from the back of its head all the way to its left eye, as if he took an axe to the side of his face a long time ago. It stood about four feet tall, though it’s hard to tell due to the creature’s hunch, as if its spine was not quite straight. Once my grogginess fades, I realize what this creature might be. Is that a goblin?