"Yawn..."
...it looks like I actually slept well last night. I must have felt relieved making a new friend. Speaking of, it looks like Teara actually has intelligence, if surrounding someone to warm them up is what you call intelligent...
"Ah, you're so soft!"
All of this felt like a dream, but when I woke up, it was reality. I guess I already knew that, but it's quite hard to believe that...
I'm a monster.
I would stretch my body after waking up, but...
I'm immobile.
It's kinda disgusting, really. Why would someone create a body so unfit for survival and then plop a High Schooler into it! To give a chance at a new life? Not likely. Sick entertainment? Most probably.
No! Instead of loathing whoever put me in this situation, I should actually do something to change it! I mean, I'm definitely not gonna stay immobile forever. Yeah! I will train and become strong! But...
"How do I do that again..?"
*Timeskip*
I decided to train my "movement" skills in order to actually explore where I am. Teara actually helped, which is weird cause you'd think a plant couldn't move, but it can! Teara acted as a wedge in order to help me roll better, while also pushing me! With their help, I was able to get to『Rolling LV6』and『Hopping LV5』very quickly. Of course, some passive skills like『Rationality LV3』『Concentration LV3』『Bodily Movement LV6』and『Cultivation LV2』levelled up naturally too. And finally, I was appraising everything I saw until my "Appraisal" levelled up, but even after it reached level 4, it only showed me my HP, MP and SP. It wasn't even in numerical form, just coloured bars!
『Small Unique Debea LV2 No name』
『HP Bar』
『MP Bar』
『SP Bar』
『SP Bar』
I mean... What is this?! Garbage! Trash! That's what it is! I want a refund!
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Appraisal LV4』 has became 『Appraisal LV5』》
Oh? Is this a bribe or a consolation prize? If this level of "Appraisal" still sucks, I'm getting that refund, you hear me!
『Small Unique Debea LV2 No name
Status: Weak』
『HP Bar』
『MP Bar』
『SP Bar』
『SP Bar』
...is this a challenge? I'm getting stronger with what I have, but you still make fun of me?! Fine, I get it!
I just won't use "Appraisal" anymore! Only under dire circumstances will it be used! No more screen time for you, "Appraisal"!
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Appraisal LV5』 has became 『Sad』》
Shatup! You brought this on yourself! Don't try to act sad...
Now that that disappointment is out of the way, I've started to notice something about my skills growth. They all level up very fast, which I don't think is normal. Like, the first time I fell from a high place and hurt myself, I got『Impact Resistance LV1』pretty much instantly. Also, when it came to the Black Demon Moss that I ate, I definitely wasn't supposed to survive or level up the resistances so quickly. This brings me to the conclusion that I have increased growth when it comes to skills!
"Heck yeah! I got a cheat skill!"
This is great news! The fact is, I need all the help I can get when I comes to mobility, so something that not only helps my "movement" skills, but also all my other skills is a huge pl-?!
"Krakow!"
Eh? What is that? A rooster? The noise is coming from multiple directions. Does that mean there are regular animals I this world? It would seem so, as I am hearing nature's alarm clock waking up the entire forest. In fact, I can hear it coming towards me.
"Krow!"
"Karakowa!"
"Krokaw!"
I said that it was natures alarm clock, but I didn't think I would need such a wake up call to see that "those" are not roosters! Or animal for that matter! This is important, so you're off the bench appraisal.
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Appraisal LV5』 has became 『Smug』》
Oh, get off your high horse and appraise already, you stupid skill!
『Sariella Randnel Failed to appraise its status』
『Sariella Randnel LV2 Failed to appraise its status』
『Sariella Randnel Failed to appraise its status』
Oh... never mind, turn it off. I don't need to see that. If they're only level 2 then... isn't this a bad situation? I can't move, so how would I counter their attacks? This is bad... OH NO THEY'RE CHARGING IN!!
*Crash*
"Heh, stupid lizards..."
The 3 Randnels tripped on the ground. More specifically, the moss on the ground tripped them. One of them was then surrounded by the moss, trapping it. Another had went head first into the stone, knocking it out..
Woah... that's... savage... While they're distracted, should I roll away? Seriously, what do I do in this situation..?
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Concentration LV3』 has became 『Concentration LV4』》
No... if a plant could do more than me, I'd lose my confidence! And besides... I don't want the experience to be taken away from me. With new resolve, I start to roll towards to one of the dinosaurs very slowly, making it get up and snap out of its previous daze. As I'm rolling closer, it starts to charge at me, but it seems distraught without it's "friends" with it. I stop rolling and get ready to hop.
"Kreewow!!"
When it has its fangs shown and it's breath could be smelt, I hopped into the air right above it and... fell on it. It tried to get out from below me by clawing, but it's head was stuck under my gelatin like stomach and it's claws only scratched the surface of my tough hide.
"...kraw..."
《Skill proficiency reached. Acquired skill 『Cutting Resistance LV1』》
《Skill proficiency reached. Acquired skill 『Smother LV1』》
Sheeeeeeesh... The thing couldn't breath under me so it died? Thought it would be more... resilient? Yeah, these guys kind of remind me of rats or cockroaches, just without the natural resilience.
《Experience points has reached a certain point. Individual, Small Unique Debea LV2 has became LV3》
Ah... here we go again with the "shedding" and stuff.
《Every basic ability rose》
《『Skill Proficiency Level Up Bonus』acquired 》
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Bodily Movement LV6』 has become 『Bodily Movement LV7』》
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Hopping LV5』 has become 『Hopping LV6』》
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Rolling LV6』 has become 『Rolling LV7』》
《Skill point gained》
I can control my body much better now. Man, level up may be uncomfortable, but it's great! Teara looks like they're struggling to hold down the dinosaur-like monster clawing at them, so I'll go help out.
I roll past the knocked out dinosaur and hop on top of Teara, who then opens up a hole in their foliage in order to let me kill the monster. I hop right on top of its face like the last one I killed, though I do feel my body move to cover more of its head for an easier kill. It doesn't put up a fight, probably because it's so tired out with trying to escape the mosses entrapment.
"...krow...
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Smother LV1』 has become 『Smother LV2』》
And it's dead... Why don't I feel bad killing things? It's not normal for a student to kill a creature and be like "This is fine." and stuff! Also, I thought that Teara would only be useful as a bed or emergency food, but I was proven wrong when I saw how the creatures were all tripped simultaneously. Seriously, if Teara is a plant-monster with that much intelligence, I wonder how intelligent other monsters are...
Actually, those dinosaur-monsters worked in a group a 3 and the one that I fought seemed incredibly distraught when it wasn't around the other two... Do all monsters have above average intelligence?! That's so unfair...
Sulking, I hop out of the moss pile and go to smother the unconscious monster... or... could I try naming it? No, I killed it's friends, not a good idea... Wait, where is it? Did it run away?!
"Dang it... my experience..."
《Skill proficiency reached. Acquired skill 『Intimidation LV1』》
Well, at least something goods come out of this... Oh, Teara healed right away even though they were scratched up a lot. I should probably go and thank them.
I hop over to Teara, who shuffles a little when it feels my presence, and roll onto them. I then use my feet (hooves? Paws?) to pet them.
"Good job!"
Teara wraps around my body, shrinking to the size of a plastic store bag, making them... wearable? I can't really roll if they're on top of me since they might get hurt, so I'll stick to hopping. Anyways, since that dinosaur escaped this crevice, that must mean there's a way out... but I'm not ready for exploration. Still, I should probably map out my surroundings, so that's definitely on my list. Oh, I wonder what types of magic and treasure I'll find! All mine! That would be great. I'll need to train my Rolling and Hopping before I can do anything so... let's get to it!
"Come on Teara, I'm gonna go train!"
With that, Teara slithers of my body and starts to push me in order for me to roll easier. If only my friends back in school were like this...
*Timeskip*
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Bodily Movement LV8』 has become 『Bodily Movement LV9』》
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Rolling LV7』 has become 『Rolling LV8』》
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Hopping LV6』 has become 『Hopping LV7』》
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Concentration LV4』 has become 『Concentration LV5』》
《Skill proficiency reached. Skill 『Cultivation LV2』 has become 『Cultivation LV3』》
*Notes*
[The 3rd Randnel was able to escape while our protagonist was looking into the distance, climbing straight out of that crevice with a bleeding head. It is now running towards its home/nest.]
[When one Randnel is separated from its group, it becomes distraught, unable to act on its own. It will blindly rush at any living creature, whether it be a Teratect or a Dragon, even breaking through the Fear status. That's why the first Randnel ran towards our protagonist.]
[After every chapter from now on, I'll add a *Notes* in order to write information that wasn't needed but is helpful for the story and world building.]
[In this chapter, our protagonist said that he had a cheat skill that made him grow faster. That isn't everything there is to the skill though. His unique skill, Premature, greatly improves proficiency gain on lower-leveled and un-acquired skills. Additionally, obtaining skills with skill points is discounted. That's why he only spent 75 skill points on 『Appraisal LV1』when he first bought it and not 100 like Kumoko (25% Discount). His skills stop greatly improving once they reach LV6, the skills will grow normally from there.]
[Just like Kumoko is a pet name given to Wakaba Hiiro when they turned into a spider, I think Butanoko works for our protagonist Masaru Tsushima. Butanoko litteraly means Pig Cub, so if you have anything to say or change about it, please ask in the comments!]
[I lied in the upper *note* about the pet name. I like it because it has part of my name in it, that being "Noko", so I found it funny how it also fit with the name the protagonist should be given.]
[Monster: Sariella Randnel]
Status: Sariella Randnel are small dinosaur like monsters who always move in a trio, even in a group they are very weak. They can be found all over the country of Sariella and are weaker variants of the ones found in the Great Elroe Labyrinth, though not by much.
Description: Also known as three intimate friends. A small dinosaur-like monster measuring about one and a half meters long. They always act in groups of three to outwit their opponents with skillful cooperation. They slowly widen the gap between their opponents by slashing at them and waiting for them to bleed out using their Cutting Enhancement and Stealth. Danger level D.
[Chapter ③ End]