After hunting a few more rabbits and the occasional bug, I settled down to look at my progress.
[Level 5]
EXP: 64/150
“This is taking too long. I need to find bigger prey!”
I am just bored? What do you mean I am just bored?! Mind your business good sir! Or Madam? Whatever! It’s too dangerous? What do you mean? What could possibly go wrong? You’re just an abyssal chicken!
***
On my way through a side cavern, I start mumbling to myself.
“That cavern where Mama’s lair was is too big and exposed. Better to move and hunt in one of these tunnels instead! I should stay away from Mama’s lair anyway…”
I had barely finished my thought, before coming across a long creature with no limbs.
[Abyssal Titanoboa]
[Appraisal Lv.3] leveled up to [Appraisal Lv.4]!
[Abyssal Titanoboa]
I froze on the spot. The monster turned to look at me. A primal fear welled up inside of me, seeping through my very bones.
“…Maybe he’s friendly?” I secretly prayed to all the gods of the Lizard Pantheon!
“HISSSSS!” The Titanoboa hissed, lunging at me!
I jumped, faster than I thought I could, and ran for my life!
“SKREEEEEEEEEEEE!”
“SHAAAAAAAAAAAAA!”
The walls of the tunnel trembled as the monster started to chase me! I didn’t dare look back, but I think it’s catching up to me!
“What could possibly go wrong indeed! Stupid! Stupid! STUPID!”
As soon as I make a turn, I find another monstrosity in front of me!
[Abyssal Venom Scorpion]
It turns towards me and stabs its tail at me! I jump to the side, only to watch the Titanoboa crash eye-first into the stinger!
“SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!”
The cavern walls rumble, stones falling from the ceiling! The Titanoboa is furious!
The venom scorpion roars back at it and lunges for another stab! As the two giants fight in the background, I hide behind a rock.
***
An unknown amount of time passed, and the fight settled down. The Titanoboa is constricting the Scorpion’s corpse. Covered in stab wounds, the giant snake was shaking in pain. The stab wounds were blistering and a slowly expanding purple tint could be seen on them. The Titanoboa then began to eat the scorpion. A dangerous idea started to rise from the pit of moronic ideas!
This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
“It looks weak! If I go for its other eye, I can blind it! It won’t be able to see, and I can kill it!” I said, shaking in excitement!
Slowly, I began to climb a boulder near the Titanoboa. It seems to have forgotten entirely about me! My heart thumping louder than the trembling tunnels, I reached the top of the boulder. The monstrosity still didn’t see me!
“I’ve only got one chance. By Mama’s shiny scales, I will kill you!”
Moments pass, and I wait patiently for the chance to strike. Soon enough, the golden opportunity shows itself! My heart jumping to my throat, I lunge towards the overgrown snake, aiming for its other eye!
[Claw Strike]!
“Hiss?” the snake turns its head towards me, and I only find air! I am going to be this thing’s side dish!
“SKREEEEEEEEE!” I screamed!
Desperate, in the last moment before the Titanoboa is out of range, I threw out a hail Mary!
[Tail Strike]!
My tail struck at the Titanoboa’s eye!
“SHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!” the monster trembled, slamming into the tunnel’s walls!
“YESSSSS! SUCCESS! I totally meant to do that!” I celebrated, only to slam into the ground, breaking my left hand!
“SKREEEEEEEE!”
“SHAAAAAAAA!”
We both cried! The agony was driving me mad!
“I need to finish it off! Who knows if the scorpion’s poison will steal the kill from me! I can’t wait for my hand to fix itself!” I whimpered.
The snake was beginning to slow down. It was dying. Now is the chance to strike!
I lunged at the snake, raising my right claw!
[Claw Strike]!
My claws bounced right off the snake’s scales! Rumbling once more, the snake’s body struck me, launching me at the wall! My back exploded with pain, and I fainted!
Moments later, I woke up. The snake was still trembling, it was going to die soon. But I was also on the brink of death! Mama, why did you show up?! Why is there a yellow ring over your head?! Stop waving at me, I am not joining you!
Rising from the floor, I approached the Titanoboa once more. I am not wasting all of this effort and pain! Last time, the snake’s scales deflected my strike, and I got punished for that. If only there was somewhere to attack without th-
“The stinger wounds!” I exclaimed, my eyes gleaming with greed and malice!
I moved, faster than I knew I could, leaping at the largest wound before me!
[Claw Strike]!
[Claw Strike]!
[Claw Strike]!
[Claw Strike]!
[Claw Strike]!
[Claw Strike]!
“SHAAAAAAAAAA!” the snake trembled one last time, and fell onto the ground, dead!
I fell on the floor, the pain and exhaustion from the fight hitting me all at once. But before my body reached the floor, my vision exploded with prompts!
You have killed an [Abyssal Titanoboa Lv. 9]!
3000 EXP Awarded!
Skill obtained: [Sneak Lv. 1]!
Skill obtained: [Ambush Lv. 1]!
Title obtained: [Predator’s Bane]!
EXP threshold met.
Unnamed [Abyssal Lizard] levels up!
EXP threshold met.
Unnamed [Abyssal Lizard] levels up!
…
EXP threshold met.
Unnamed [Abyssal Lizard] levels up!
Level cap reached. Evolution available!
Hey. Hey. HEY! How on the abyss did I get all of this! Before I decided to take a look at the fruits of my labor, my pain brought me back to reality.
“None of this is going to matter if I end up dying here…” I murmured.
A look at my status reveals the critical state that I am in.
[Abyssal Lizard]
Name: N/A
[Level 10]
EXP: 1235/MAX
HP: 2/50
SP: 4/30
MP: 5/5
Vitality: 10
Strength: 8
Dexterity: 15
Intelligence: 5
Wisdom: 2
Racial Traits:
[Claw Strike]
[Night Vision]
[Wall-Climbing]
[Lesser Regeneration]
Skills:
[Appraisal Lv. 4]
[Tail Strike Lv. 1]
[Sneak Lv. 1]
[Ambush Lv. 1]
Titles:
[Sapient Monster]
[Predator’s Bane]
“That was too damn close!” I exclaimed, a cold sweat running down my face. I know lizards don’t sweat, shut up!
“Now let’s see what I got out of this crazy adventure!” I said, rubbing my newly healed hands together with a large grin on my face like a super villain! Or flies, same thing.