[Author’s Note] Thanks for the recommendations and comments! 12th Episode
4. Suspicious Evolution 011 – Suspicious Evolution #2
I gathered all the vines that the marbling was holding and the ones I found in the forest and tied them together into a long line.
In the end, I managed to make rather shoddy rope, but with absolutely no knowledge of rope-making, I was thankful for even that!
I decided to test its strength by tugging on it with all my might. Impressively, it stood strong and didn’t snap, even with my newfound enhanced strength.
After tying the long rope to a nearby tree, I let it dangle down into the underground.
I envisioned myself descending like a special forces team rappelling down, but instead, it was more like a kid fumbling on a rope.
Once I landed on the ground, I grabbed some crystals lying around and headed back into the deep pit, ‘Queen El-Gasa’s Tomb.’ I intended to move all the junk I had piled up back to the surface.
I considered living down in this underground lair like that snake did, but the thought of spiders showing up made it a hard pass for me.
Even at this very moment, those spider beasts were clicking their little feet just beyond the tiny rat hole.
“Ugh, terrible.”
Unless I had some deadly bug spray or something, I didn’t want to share my living space with those critters.
After moving most of my things to where the rope was, I tied several snake bones to the end of the rope. Then, climbing up the rope, I pulled the bones back to the surface.
The vine creaked under the weight of me and the snake bones, but fortunately, my makeshift rope held up without breaking.
I repeated this a few times and successfully moved the snake’s remains above ground.
“I should build a box and use a pulley to haul this up. Wouldn’t that be nice?”
I thought wistfully, but alas, I lacked enough materials and, more importantly, I didn’t know how to make one.
Originally, they say if your head’s not very bright, your body has to suffer for it. Thankfully, with my drastically increased physical strength, the task was a hassle but not too hard.
“Back in the old days, some say primitive tools didn’t evolve because the natives were just too good physically to feel inconvenienced. I moved all the stuff quicker than expected!”
Keeping myself busy made my mind clear, and the energy flowing through my body boosted my mood immensely. More than anything, I liked the idea of creatively working for myself.
Once I moved most of my stuff, I planted the giant snake ribs I created around my stone house, standing them like a fence.
Given the size of those bones, I could make a tight and packed barrier.
The circular fence looked reminiscent of a primitive tribe’s barricade. I thought about better ways to use the bones, but this was the best idea that came to mind.
“If I think of something later, I can just take them out one by one. Oh, should I also make a roof while I’m at it?”
I wrapped the bones in multiple layers of vines to form a rather decent leg. Think of it as a giant version of a bamboo leg.
Setting it atop the stone wall, I had a sturdy base for my roof.
I then threw on the leather clothing I captured from marblings earlier in the afternoon, layered it with the snake scales like tiles, and finally, I didn’t forget to spread branches on top for camouflage.
During the day, it might not be noticeable, but at night, it would definitely look like a bush.
Though my house and fence looked quite rough and lacking compared to an ancient hut, considering I built it with wild materials and no special tools, the result was pretty impressive.
“Next time I hunt a beast, I should skin it and cover the roof. Wouldn’t want any rain leaking in.”
I stored the snake eggs and blue crystals securely inside my stone house.
The eggs would serve as emergency rations in case of a crisis, while the blue crystals would help chase away bugs, so I thought to set them up like a mat.
As soon as I stepped into the room with the blue crystal, hordes of tiny bugs that were lurking scampered off into the forest.
I gazed at the room illuminated by the crystal’s light and smiled contentedly.
“I’m glad I didn’t grow bigger despite evolving.”
If my height had increased too much, it would’ve caused quite the headache—I’d be forced to tear down the home I painstakingly built!
“Will I evolve again next time?”
I recalled the moment my experience points rose after munching on some marbling in the afternoon.
Though my level didn’t rise, seeing my experience points go up seemed to hint that one day, I’d level up again, and maybe reach another evolution at a certain level.
“There’s no guarantee I won’t grow again, so it might be a good idea to gradually expand this place whenever I have the chance.”
I resolved to settle in here and not leave this makeshift hideout.
What I initially thought would just be a temporary shelter had turned into a home I felt a connection to—after all the effort I put into creating fences and such.
However, it worried me that this was where the marblings had already made their home and that it might have been discovered by other marblings from a different group.
Perhaps this place could also be a patrol route or a gathering point for similar little imps.
“I can easily handle marblings now. If three or four come at me, I can use them for food.”
I lay back in my cramped house and maintained a positive mindset.
Maybe tomorrow during the daytime, I could set up a totem using the bones of the little imps I buried in the ground nearby. That could deter any timid intruders from coming close.
“It’s a shame the campfire went out. Should I look for some flint? Or do I have to rub wood together to start a fire?”
Lost in thought, a big gust of wind blew, shaking the branches of the trees in the forest.
I curled up tightly inside my small room. No matter how strong the wind blew outside, it wouldn’t concern me inside my home.
Feeling comfort in the solid walls around me and the soft blue glow of the crystal, I closed my eyes. It was the moment I felt the most at peace since coming to this world.
*
—Woo-oo.
After some time of me sleeping, I stirred awake and detected the presence of creatures outside my stone house.
“Marblings?”
They might be either the ones I saw in the morning or perhaps companions of those who had already taken up residence here. I perked my ears and focused on counting them.
The sound of footsteps—crunch, crunch, crunch—was endless. It seemed they were stepping on the dried leaves and twigs I scattered around the fence. My military training in setting up traps really paid off here.
“Whoa, that’s a lot of feet. Like, a lot-a-lot.”
It felt off for it to be just marblings. I could hear beast-like growls and sporadic panting mixed with the footsteps.
I cautiously rose to my feet and lifted the branch blocking the entrance. Red eyes glinted just beyond the fence made of snake ribs.
Under the bright light of two moons, their dark fur shone slickly. With their long limbs and those elongated muzzles, they looked like canines.
Once I realized what they were, a thrill of excitement and fear zipped through me.
“It’s the three-eyed wolves…!”
Those pesky three-eyed wolves that had bullied me since the first day I came to this world were lounging just outside my fence.
Unlike that one I saw before, this time there were several of them. I could see about three right near the entrance, and sensing others nearby, it seemed there were at least six or seven.
“Wolves are pack animals by nature. Guess having three eyes doesn’t change that.”
The lone wolf that attacked me before must have been an oddball. It’s possible it was a stray wolf abandoned from this group.
I peered through the gaps between the branches. The wolves couldn’t easily cross the rib fence, gnashing their teeth while growling in frustration.
“The fence is effective. Good thing I pointed the sharp bones outwards.”
But I couldn’t relax just yet. If they were multiple wolves, something unpredictable could happen.
Some might have the strength to leap over the fence or the brains to find a workaround.
In fact, I saw them lifting their front legs as if they were trying to leap the ribs.
—Kegeng!
One wolf howled in pain; it must have scraped itself on the bones. It twisted around, licking its wound.
“At this rate, they might find a way to get over.”
Although my strength had increased since evolving, they looked at least 1.5 times bigger than the wolf I fought for my life before.
Instinctively, I gauged the power they possessed.
“If they attacked one by one, I could handle it. But what to do now?”
Facing a pack of wolves required one thing and one thing only: I had to keep the advantage of the terrain and defend my territory that I built.
I pushed against the stone wall inside. It didn’t budge at all, probably because the earth was compacted. So it would hold firm even if the wolves crashed against it.
“All I have to do is smash the face of the one that sticks its head through the entrance. Then I can take them down one at a time.”
With my back against three sides, I just had to scratch the face of the one coming through the front. Wild beasts would never think of such a desperate strategy!
Like how a single warrior defended against many troops in historical battles, I chose to hold my ground in this house.
—Grrr…
—Kong, kong!
The panting grew louder as heavy bodies thudded against the ground repeatedly.
—Kegeng!
A large howl echoed from behind the entrance. I had no idea what triggered it, but I could feel the wolves moving closer, getting ready to breach my bone barricade.
The thick stone wall surrounding my hideout made their breaths distinctly audible. They were sniffing around, moving to and fro.
I curled up and held my breath, suppressing even the urge to swallow. I was ready to fight if necessary, but ideally, it would be even better if they didn’t figure out my presence and left safely.
Crunch, crunch.
A scratching noise filled the air. One of the wolves must be trampling the branches piled on my home.
—Grrr.
I felt a movement on the roof as well. The bones creaked ominously, threatening to collapse at any moment.
“…Thank goodness I made a roof today. If it were just branches, they would’ve fallen right in on me.”
I sighed in relief that my hard work for building was not in vain. Simultaneously, a shiver ran down my spine, realizing that if I hadn’t bolstered my defenses, I would have been in serious trouble while sleeping.
As the creaking stopped, one of them jumped down from the roof.
—Grrr…
—Sniff.
—Kong, kong.
Four or so wolves circled around my hideout. Canines have sharp senses, so they must be picking up on my smell and not backing down.
“Just try to poke your face in,” I thought, sharpening my front claws. I knew it was only a matter of time before my position was discovered.
The night still felt deep, and the wolves seemed to have nothing better to do than invade my territory.
The sound of sticks being disturbed continued for a while. It seemed they were digging through the disguise of the home I worked hard to create.
“How dare they destroy my home…!”
Images of the rewarding hours I spent on my projects flashed before my eyes. I was ready to scream and swipe at them, but I forced myself to breathe and calm down.
—Grrr!
After some time, finally, the head of a wolf appeared right in front of my eyes. Its three red eyes grew big as it spotted me.
—Kong!
At that moment, I swiped at its face with all my might.
—How dare you show your face!
—Kegeng!
The wolf recoiled in pain, pulling its head back. My sharp claws had raked its nose mercilessly; the anguish would be unimaginable!
—Grrr.
The larger wolf managed to push its face and front paws into the hideout. I felt grateful that my living space was so cramped.
“Anyone who sticks their head in here is toast.”
I couldn’t disguise my boiling rage. I continued to scratch at the wolf faces pushing through.
—Grrr, ACK!!
—Kong, kong!
In terms of numbers, I was undoubtedly outnumbered. However, this was more than a hunt between wild beasts; it was a combat between a human and a beast.
Civilized strategies shine brightest in crisis situations.
