[Author’s Note] I always appreciate feedback on typos! 3rd time’s the charm!
1. Everything’s tough at first. Everything’s tough at first. #2
━Kyuuiiing!
A slime caught between my front paws was squealing and flailing about like it was auditioning for a horror movie.
Not sure if it was trying to escape my clutches or attack me, but either way, it was a lost cause.
I was genuinely shocked to discover there were even worse creatures than me—a magical beast gnawing on tree bark!
The squishy, cool feeling from within my front paw was actually pretty nice. It felt like I was poking at a black garbage bag filled with ice water.
━Kyuuiing!
After firmly pressing the wriggling creature down with my front paw, I stuck my tongue out and gave it a little lick. Just testing in case it turned out to taste horrible or if I would be poisoned.
Oh.
I shivered in surprise. The surface of the slime was surprisingly bouncy and, contrary to what I expected, it tasted sweet.
It might just feel like licking a giant grape jelly!
Lick lick.
━Iing…
The poor slime was trembling, making pathetic sounds, probably realizing it was about to meet its untimely doom at the hands of a beast that couldn’t care less.
A fleeting moment of pity washed over me. While I’d squashed mosquitoes and ants without a second thought, killing a creature this big felt like crossing a line.
Could it also think and feel like me? Was it okay for me to just snuff out its life?
But my tongue didn’t seem to care about such philosophical dilemmas.
Lick lick.
As I kept licking the slime, my eyes darted around, and I noticed the sun was starting to set.
Come nightfall, I’d have to scamper up a tree again, trembling in fear of the predators. I couldn’t guarantee I’d have another chance like this.
━Don’t resent me too much.
With my eyes squinted shut, I opened my mouth wide toward the slime caught in my front paw.
Humans, by nature, consume other creatures to survive; that was just how it goes.
The meat I had eaten up until now had all been processed, but those creatures were once beings like this slime.
━Isn’t survival just about that?
With a final squeak, the slime’s last cries echoed pitifully through the dimming forest.
For a brief moment, I’d worried about the ethics of life and d*ath, but after savoring the plump slime, I felt satisfied enough to rub my belly.
Unlike its sweet surface, its body oddly tasted like a bland konjac seasoned with salt and soy sauce. In the grand scheme of things, it was acceptable.
It didn’t seem to have any poison or harmful ingredients. If anything, I felt energized from being full.
As I swallowed that last bite, words floated before my eyes.
【You have gained experience points.】
Experience points? Sounds like a video game!
━
Before I knew it, the sun was almost gone. I climbed up the tree trunk to perch on a high branch like I had done the day before.
With a full belly and feeling safe, all those forgotten worries crashed into my mind like a tidal wave.
Where exactly was I, and what had happened to me?
Letters depicting “The Ancient Nest” and stats like strength and intelligence appeared in front of my eyes. Not exactly what I wanted to see, so I waved my front paw to scatter the letters around.
I couldn’t even guess how I ended up like this.
What had happened to my original body?
Would my parents worry if I lost contact for too long?
The loneliness of being abandoned alone in a forest filled with howling beasts wrapped around me like a cold shroud.
The light-hearted freedom I once felt when I moved away from my family was a far cry from this eerie, existential solitude.
Family and familiar faces kept flashing through my mind.
Would I ever see them again?
Feeling glum, I took a deep breath and exhaled until no air was left in my lungs.
It was one of those breathing techniques I used to calm my complicated thoughts back in the dorms.
‘Let’s stop being so pessimistic.’
I figured worrying wouldn’t yield any answers and wouldn’t change a thing, so I shook my head vigorously to clear my thoughts.
If I just manage to survive, then maybe I’ll figure out what’s going on, right?
I was a bit surprised to realize I had such a strong will to live. It seems humans adapt and change based on their circumstances.
I must survive.
I clenched my two front paws into fists, reaffirming my resolve. After eating a slime alive, nothing would hold me back now.
Then, there was a sudden rustling noise from the leaves, followed by a peculiar scratchy sound that made my ears twitch.
Thinking it was just some bushes rustling under the wind, I perked up my ears.
The different scratchy sounds grew louder.
It came from right above the tree I was resting on!
I nonchalantly lifted my head, and an icy chill washed over me, feeling like all the bl**d had drained from my face.
A spider, roughly the size of a human head, was moving on the trunk!
With its black body, spindly legs, and bristly hair sticking out like spikes, it made me cringe involuntarily.
If that creepy thing bit me, I’d probably end up with a bellyache, adding insult to injury!
Determined to distance myself from the creepy crawly, I jumped away from the tree trunk.
Each movement felt like stepping on a rickety branch; I worried it might snap under my weight, but seemed fine enough.
As I thought I was far enough from the spider, something sticky and gross whipped across the back of my head.
A dreadful premonition made me turn around, and I nearly screamed in panic.
A giant web, larger than I was, was draped across the tree. Clearly, it had been hidden behind the leaves when I climbed up!
‘This is so sticky!’
I flailed my front paws desperately trying to peel the web off me. The slimy stickiness clung to me with each movement.
━Zzzzz.
The spider, once slow-moving, now darted toward me with alarming speed! The sight sent chills running down my spine, and I lost my balance, crashing downward off the branch.
Just then, a loud grunting sound erupted from the bushes, and a black shape lunged at me. I collided with something and tumbled to the ground.
━Krrr.
“Y-you little brat!”
Three gleaming red eyes shone right in front of me. It seemed the wolf that had tried to attack me last night was back again, not too tired to take another shot at me.
━Kraaang!
With its claws pressing down mercilessly on me, I barely managed to dodge its snapping jaw, swiping at its nose with my front claws.
━Krah!
Surprised by my unexpected counterattack, the wolf leaped back, giving me some space.
‘Hey, this isn’t too bad!’
It didn’t feel nearly as heavy as I expected, and a burst of confidence surged through me.
Unlike the hungry me from yesterday, I was a bit stronger now, boosted by the slime I just devoured!
━Krrr…
The wolf bared its long, sharp teeth at me in an attempt to intimidate.
In return, I raised my long arms high to appear bigger while making a fearsome noise.
━Arrrgggh!
Even I thought it sounded weird, but surprisingly, a tense standoff unfolded between us.
We stared each other down for what felt like an eternity. The pressure of possibly losing my life hung heavily in the air.
━Kraaaak!
The wolf sprinted straight at me! I stumbled backward under its weight, flailing my front paws in a panic.
We tumbled together like clothes in a washing machine, each of us landing blows and scratches on the other. The wolf’s jaw wobbled like a bobblehead from the hits.
But, regaining its composure, the wolf sank its teeth into my shoulder.
Screaming from the pain of being bitten, I was hit with a rush of furious rage. My front claws dug into its third eye on its forehead.
━d*e! d*e!
━Kegeng!
Even with its rugged fur and muscular body, it seemed its eyes were a soft spot because the wolf hissed in pain, loosening its grip.
In that moment, I took a cue from the wolf and clamped down on its neck!
━Kraaaah!
The wolf gasped, thrashing its body. I squeezed even harder, using every ounce of strength to grip onto its neck.
For the first time, that primal urge to ‘k*ll something’ surged within me.
Though it felt like my muscles were tearing from the effort and my mouth was about to give out, I couldn’t loosen my hold.
━Ssssss…
A sound like a deflating balloon came from the wolf’s jaw. Thinking that victory was close at hand, I let out a yelp of victory as I twisted its neck around.
━Just d*e already!
Suddenly, a sickening crunch echoed as something hard snapped. Panting heavily, I released my grip and leaned back just enough to work it off me.
The massive wolf collapsed atop me. With great effort, I managed to shove its body off.
━You’re not the only one with teeth, you know!
I savored the taste of victory as I slowly got back up. Wincing in pain, I grimaced a little.
I hadn’t noticed during the excitement of the battle, but I’d lost a chunk of my shoulder and was bleeding quite a bit.
━Ugh, this hurts too much.
Every wound pinged with pain. As I gritted my teeth, I noticed that my hunger from earlier had definitely returned now that I’d digested the slime.
Pain and hunger blurred my vision red. I’d lost so much bl**d; I needed to fill my stomach quickly with iron or protein before it was too late!
━You were trying to eat me, so you had to expect the same, right?
I glanced at the wolf lying in front of me, drooling who-knows-what by its mouth.
Could I actually eat an unprepared beast? But then again, I realized—I was now part of nature’s cycle too, so surely I could manage!
With a wide open mouth, I took a massive bite out of the wolf’s body. The long fur filled my mouth, and I spit it out, only to repeat the process a couple of times until the rich, iron taste spread through me.
It was a taste filled with primal ferocity and raw life, sending shivers of energy through my body.
My wounds rapidly healed, and I felt vitality flooding my veins. A white light encased my body, shimmering like a glorious halo.
【You have gained experience points.】
【You have leveled up!】
Hearing the words “leveled up,” I let out a brief exclamation of surprise. The white glow faded, and I found myself back in tip-top shape without a scratch.
Like a video game character, my HP and MP seemed fully charged all at once as my body returned to peak condition.
Was there anything more that would change besides just physical healing? I tilted my head in curiosity when familiar letters appeared in front of me.
Species: Magical Beast lv.2
Strength: 10
Agility: 6
Stamina: 8
Skills: 《Omnivore》 《Sturdy Claws》
I nodded as if I’d discovered something profound.
Next to the species label, a tiny lv number was displayed. Strength and stamina were each increased by 1 from before.
I figured this was the effect of leveling up.
But honestly, I couldn’t grasp how much of a difference a 1-point increase in these stats made.
It would’ve been nice to have something to compare to or an explainer, but unfortunately, this was a jungle with no friendly guides around to help me out.
Regardless, leveling up was a good thing!
In a world where I could actually raise my level like in a game!
[Author’s Note] Thank you for reading! My goal is to minimize heavy elements beyond my abilities and focus on light, enjoyable writing!
