Day 1
I awoke to darkness all around me. I could feel something pressing against me from all sides. I began to struggle, writhing against the elastic darkness around me; my mind filled with confusion and fear all the while. I need to get out, blurry memories darted about my mind, I need to get out! I can’t feel my limbs, I need to get out!
I burst free of my fleshy prison… right into a nightmare. I’m surrounded by maggots and rotting flesh. Maggots that were easily as big as me… I took a shuddering breath through an unfamiliar anatomy; hesitantly looking down at myself. Had I the proper anatomy I would have screamed; I was a small, white worm like creature. Otherwise known as a maggot.
I writhed in fear, confusion, panic and disgust; my mind racing as I tried to understand what was going on. My little panic attack didn’t last long before a primal force took over, driving me to eat. And eat I did. I ate and ate and ate, my human mind going catatonic as the strangely pleasant sickly sweet taste of rotting flesh filled my mouth.
I came to hours later, when the toll of a small bell sounded in my ears (or what passed for them) and a blue screen appeared before my eyes.
Congratulations! You have leveled up! MP increased by 10!
I blinked as it faded rapidly away. Leveled up…? Did that mean I was reincarnated… in a game? I frowned, if so, how do I call up my menu? Menu? Status? Another blue screen appeared before me.
Basic:
Nameless
Level:2
Race:Maggot
HP:N/A
MP:20/20
Titles:
Undying
Reincarnated
Traits:
Sapient
The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.
Hungry
Skills:
Crawl Lvl 5
I looked over my stats; raising a metaphorical eyebrow at my health as I chomped down on more rotting flesh; mildly disturbed that I was becoming numb to that. My eyes went wide when I spotted {Undying} amongst my titles. I focused on that title and was satisfied when the screen changed.
You are undying; neither time nor any injury will ever drag you from the mortal coil. From minor wounds to atomization; you will recover. However, you will never know rest, never again will slumber embrace you.
Well, that’s definitely a mood booster. Waking up a literal maggot was rather demoralising… and I just realised I may be stuck as a maggot forever. My depressing musing was cut off before I could sink to deep.
Ting!
You have leveled up! MP increased by 10!
I brought up my stats, focusing on my level.
You level up when you gain enough exp to do so. Leveling up increases your health and mana. When you reach level 100 you can evolve.
Well that confirmed it; I was either insane or in something very similar to RE:Monster. Either way, no point in not aiming for the top. Just to be sure, I focused on exp.
Exp is gained by murder and violence. Death caused by your actions gives you exp. Skills gain exp by being used.
I frowned, if that was the case why was I leveling up by just eating?
I scanned my stats, focusing on each of them to see what they did. Reincarnated meant when I gained a skill I had in my past life I would regain half my levels in it. Sapient meant I had human intelligence and reasoning skills. It was when I reached Hungry I finally found it.
Hungry is a racial trait that forces the being to near constantly eat. It also gives them the ability to gain exp for eating.
On one hand; useful. On the other hand; infuriating. Regardless, to business.
A malicious grin would have crossed my face if I had one as I turned to look at my “siblings”. Well in RE doing things outside the norm could unlock different evolution paths; time to break the mold HARD. I crawled towards the oblivious form of another maggot, continuing to eat as my hunger demanded as I got ever closer.
When I was almost touching them I bunched myself up and leapt on their back, sinking my tiny toothed mandibles into their soft flesh. They writhed as I ripped and tore soft flesh from them, swallowing mouthfuls and hoping I could actually digest flesh that wasn’t rotten. As its sticky blood flowed from its widening wound its struggles slowly became weaker. I had nearly decapitated it before it gave in with a shuddering twitch.
I glanced around, seeing none of my “siblings” noticed my murderous betrayal I set about devouring my victim.
Ting!(x7)
You have leveled up! MP increased by 10! (x2)
Title gained: Cannibal
Skill gained: Jumping Lvl 1!
Reincarnated activated: Skill Jumping Lvl 37 gained!
Jumping has passed level 25! Controlled descent modifier gained!
Skill Gained: Bite Lvl 1!
Reincarnated activated: Skill Bite Lvl 3 gained
I continued my meal; my ill gotten gains tasting all the better for the malign means I acquired them. I finished my meal and headed towards more of my new friends. Soon a whole day had passed and I had devoured many times more than my own weight in rotting flesh and my fellow maggots. I reached level 23 before the sun set; 32 before it rose.