As all gamers know, or at least, should know, level of enemy is not always the sole determining factor of the fight. Now usually, gamers are restricted in what they can do during a fight, as are the mobs.

But here? This is a world of “anything goes”.

And that means that level is of even lesser importance.

A fair example would be the Deotrexaptors taking down that [Lvl ???] worm. That could never happen in an online game. They just wouldn’t be able to deal any damage past the resistances of the higher-level creature, and then if they did, that damage would probably be healed faster than it was dealt.

But the xaptors took down the worm together. I suppose you could compare it to a raid, but for some reason, it didn’t feel that way to me.

Well anyway, I was now on the receiving end of several low-level monsters working together.

As I jumped onto the body of the nearest beetle, it crashed to the ground, dragging across the floor under my weight, several legs snapping off in the process.

You have [Crippled] the [Jungle Tunneler].

I jumped off the bug, tackling another of the beetles that had flown ahead of the group.

I missed the beetle’s back, and landed on its face. Right in between the mandibles.

Not today!

I kicked off the mandibles, managing to crawl onto the bugs back just as it landed on the ground, sliding like the other.

Snap!

The mandibles bit together, narrowly missing my tail.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Just as with the other bug, the legs snapped off as we skidded through the tunnel. He too, was now crippled.

But the other one, legless, was now flying towards me, bleeding a green goo from its belly, and snapping its mandibles viciously.

I used Leap Strike, flying towards the beetle, and kicking the bug hard in the face as it arrived, chomping with the mandibles.

Schlick!

“Graaga!” I shouted in pain. That bugstard had bitten my tail!

You have been [Crippled]. Your attacks with the [Crippled] limb will be 70% less effective. You have received 105 experience for killing [Jungle Tunneler].

Oh now I saw it. He hadn’t just bitten my tail.

He’d bitten my tail off!

Well, just the tip, anyway.

But it still hurt like hell!

I dashed down the hall to the other beetle that was recovering from my attack, the rest of the group swarming behind me now. I danced around the snaps. One bug sliced at me with a sharp hook on the end of its front leg, slicing down my shoulder.

Ow! Why does fighting have to hurt so much!

I rolled away, landing face-up underneath the bleeding beetle. Green goop dripped onto my stomach as my target realized I was there, but just as quickly as I arrived, I struck.

My legs kicked out, slicing down the already wounded underside of the bug, and tearing open the belly.

You have received 105 experience for killing [Jungle Tunneler]. Congratulations! You have leveled up! You are now level 7 [135/350]. Your [Health] and [Stamina] are restored.

My wounds healed, though the tip of my tail was still missing. The [Crippled] debuff also remained flashing in the corner of my vision.

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Hot green liquid from the beetle above me splashed down across my stomach and face, and some poured into my mouth.

Ah! Gross! I yelled mentally as I rolled away from the stuttering bug. It dipped in the air while I fought the others, before collapsing to the ground.

Come to think of it…

That guy’s blood actually tasted pretty good. I could get used to that.

Maybe as a dressing?

You have developed your appetite.

Congratulations! You’ve unlocked the [Gourmandize] instinct!

[Gourmandize]- New foods grant additional experience. The more well-prepared, the better the reward!

Well, I wasn’t going to complain about that. I dodged further down the tunnel as the bugs snapped at me in the low light. The roaring of the waterfall filled my ears as I closed in on the dark ravine room.

I kicked at a beetle that bit down towards me, sending it careening back down the tunnel, shaking its body as it recovered.

Another one snapped at me, and I jumped, slamming into it with my tail. It hit the ground with a thwap and bounced up a little bit, but not before I stomped on its skull, crushing its face into the ground.

Your [Slam] has leveled up. It is now level 3. You have received 105 experience for killing [Jungle Tunneler].

I clawed sliced at another beetle that bit down fiercely into my side, but my claw bounced off the hard shell.

A claw strike managed to slice across the eyes of the insect, and the mandibles pierced my flesh as the creature bit harder.

“Raag!” I cried in pain, stumbling further backwards into the room.

The room light up brightly once again, I assume, from movement, and I tried desperately to bite, kick, and slash at the beetle crushing my ribs with its bite, but he’d caught me at an awkward angle, and I couldn’t move my legs outward to the side to kick him.

The other beetles that had been preparing to strike suddenly turned, and flew away, up towards the light.

Of course. They’re attracted to the light...

But the one that had its grip on me continued to crush, and blood ran freely down my front and sides.

You are [Bleeding].

With no other attackers to worry about, I managed to shove my hands between the two massive chompers of the grappling bug, and as the spikey appendages pierced my palms, I pried them off me. I grasped the beetle around the tiny spot where its head connected to its body, and slammed it into the ground, snapping its neck.

Yeah! That’s right! Get RK-DinO’d!

You have received 105 experience for killing [Jungle Tunneler]. You have learned a new skill: [Grapple Lvl 1].

I turned to look at where the rest of the beetles had gone, and saw them approaching the glowing ball of light, which hovered above the other side of the ravine.

Zap!

A beetle touched the light.

Zapzapzapzap!

And the rest of them followed suit.

Then, they crashed to the floor across the bridge, their legs twitching, and wings not retracting under their hard shells.

I observed them.

Jungle Tunneler [Lvl 5] [Stunned] This giant insect gathers globs of dung to dip in the acid of the bees it is in a symbiotic relationship with. Then, it rolls them against materials to drill tunnels. Unintelligent, but viciously territorial. Observations: Attracted to light.

Oh hey, so the information I could glean would update itself based on my own personal observations. That could be useful, especially for remembering things I might’ve only seen once.

Swiftly, I dashed across the bridge, staining it with my blood, and causing it to shake underneath me.

Your [Sprint] has leveled up. It is now level 3.

Then, I bit the heads off of each beetle, until there was only a single one left.

Your [Bite] has leveled up. It is now level 3. Your [Bite] has leveled up. it is now level 4. You’ve received 525 experience for killing multiple [Jungle Tunneler].

Congratulations! You’ve leveled up! x2

You are now level 9 [120/450]. Your [Health] and [Stamina] are restored. You are no longer [Crippled]. You are no longer [Bleeding].

[Guided Evolution Alert]

You have reached the halfway point to your maximum level. You may now glimpse some of the evolutionary paths that await you, whether or not they are unlocked.

All in all, a nice little haul for my first raid.

Now to deal with you, I thought as I looked at the remaining stunned beetle.

Oh, the things I have planned for you…

A rumble began in my chest as I laughed maniacally.

“Graaahahahahaaaaghaagaha!”