Spider 37:
The eel wriggles out of the magma to attack me.
The head definitely looks like that of an eel, but the rest of the body resembles a Chinese dragon.
Maybe I should call it a dragon eel instead?
More importantly, I definitely don't have the SP or EP to run away now.
Trying to do anything without SP will drain your EP at a much faster rate, and I lost a lot of EP running from that [Flame Breath].
It didn't help that [Mental Warfare] was also draining SP while I was on empty so it drained my EP directly too.
I have to fight and win!
Divine Voice: "Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Thought Acceleration LV2] has become [Though Acceleration LV3].
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Foresight LV2] has become [Foresight LV3]."
I do my best to rest up as much as possible before the dragon eel reaches me.
Once it gets close enough, it prepares to slam me with its tail.
Time to move then! [Mental Warfare] on!
I dodge it, and prepare for the tail sweep.
I dodge backwards, while the dragon eel prepares to lunge with its head to bite me.
Big mistake pal, this is what I have been waiting for!
I prepare a ball of [Deadly Spider Venom] and throw the Poison into the mouth of the dragon eel while dodging to the side.
The dragon eel chomp down on the ball of venom and start rolling around in pain.
Finally, it stops moving.
Whew...I did it.
I am so tired, but I definitely will level up from killing something so strong...right?
Nothing? Nai wa...
Heh, typical Hiiro luck...
Wait, no! The dragon eel ain't dead yet!
In fact, its HP is rapidly increasing while its SP drops!?
It's the ability [Life Exchange] from [Fire Dragon LV3]!
Shit! I had forgotten that crucial piece of information!
And even worse, it just gained [Poison Resistance LV1] and [HP Auto-Recovery LV1]!
Nai wa! I need to kill it before it gets back up!
I make the sturdiest Casting Net I can with [Energy Conferment] and wrap the dragon eel up.
Before the thread burns up, I desperately throw as many balls of [Deadly Spider Venom] at its face.
"Venom Gatling! Die die die!"
Thankfully, the venom enters its eyes and mouth, and the damage outpaces its [Life Transition] and [HP Auto-Recovery].
The dragon eel tries and fails to tear off the webbing and free itself in time.
The dragon eel finally drops dead for real and I collapse from exhaustion myself, turning [Mental Warfare] off for hopefully the last time.
Divine Voice: "Experience has reached the required level."
Individual Small Poison ???????? has increased from LV7 to LV8.
All basic Stats have increased.
Skill Proficiency level up bonus acquired.
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Parallel Thinking LV4] has become [Parallel Thinking LV5].
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [SP Recovery Speed LV2] has become [SP Recovery Speed LV3].
Skill Points acquired.
Experience has reached the required level.
Individual Small Poison ???????? has increased from LV8 to LV9.
All basic Stats have increased.
Skill Proficiency level up bonus acquired.
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Instantaneous LV8] has become [Instantaneous LV9].
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Persistent LV8] has become [Persistent LV9].
Skill Points acquired.
Experience has reached the required level.
Individual Small Poison ???????? has increased from LV9 to LV10.
All basic Stats have increased.
Skill Proficiency level up bonus acquired.
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Arithmetic Proficiency LV6] has become [Arithmetic Proficiency LV7].
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Vision Enhancement LV8] has become [Vision Enhancement LV9].
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Life LV8] has become [Life LV9].
Skill Points acquired.
Condition satisfied.
Individual Small Poison ???????? can now evolve.
There are multiple options for Evolution.
Please choose from the following:
Poison ????????
??? ???"
I recover as I level up three times and breathe a sigh of relief.
Whew...That was a close call.
I made some huge oversights in the fight, but got lucky and survived anyway.
Man, I can't keep getting away with all this luck.
Something terrible is bound to happen, I can just feel it in my Soul.
But still, I won!
I took down an opponent that's way stronger than me again!
How does it feel to be defeated by a small fry such as myself, Mr Dragon Eel?
How embarrassing it must be for you to lose such a fight you should have had in the bag!
Now you're nothing but juicy Experience for me to stop being weak!
Ha ha ha!
2/4 F-G-A G-A-B | C-G E | F-G-A G-A-B | C G | F-G-A G-A-B | C-G E-G' | F'-E'-D E'-C-|-C C'
Whew...my victory dance went a little overboard and I tired myself out again.
Right, right, Evolution.
Appraisal-sama: < Poison ????????
Evolution requirements: Small Poison ???????? LV10
Description: A rare adult species of the spider type Monster species, ????????.
Has extra extremely powerful Poison.
??? ???
Evolution requirements: Small spider type Monster with Stats above a certain amount and [Assassin] Title
Description: A small spider type Monster that is feared as an ill omen.
Has high combat and stealth capabilities. >
Evolution requirements?
Must be another upgrade Appraisal-sama got.
Way to go! Appraisal-sama!
You are the best!
As for my choice, it has to be however you say ??? ???.
Being an ill omen sounds super edgy and cool!
More importantly, being small and stealthy is super useful!
They say bigger is better, but I disagree!
All things trend towards sizing things down to be highly compact and efficient.
I prefer being small anyway, so I can go to all sorts of places without worrying about being too big to fit in, like say, a children's playground that is too small for adults to play with.
That and being big here in the Middle Stratum will only make it easier for me to accidentally miss a step, touch the magma and y'know, die?
And finally, getting bigger means becoming a larger and probably a slower target.
Ya seriously think I like playing tank when my Baldie has nothing but speed and attack?
At most, a dodge tank.
But should I evolve here?
I have the eel to munch on afterward but is that enough food?
I do have a decent amount of EP from the Level-Up-Recovery so maybe I will manage?
I definitely want to evolve so I will take the risk.
As for shether...
Welcome to the ????? 3-Minute Prepping show!
Time for this week's 3-minute prepper course!
Just look at these wonderful, fresh, durable scales!
It's going to take attacks with some real oomph to get past these!
So we're going to use them to build a shelter.
First, you just pick up the tail.
You want to drag it so that you'll have formed a circle.
Make sure to leave enough space to evolve on the inside, and then coil it on up!
Then just use the head to cover the opening on top, and you're all done!
Inner Critic: Pretty sure that took longer than 3 minutes, Hiiro.
Say what? That didn't take three minutes?
Don't be such a pedant, Inner Critic!
...
Okay, so it bears a certain resemblance to something that starts with a 't,' ends with a 'd,' and has 'ur' in the middle.
Inner Critic: Let's just pretend we never noticed, Hiiro.
Agreed, anyway, I got inside my temporary home.
Okay, let's start the Evolution!
Inner Critic: Good night, Hiiro.
Divine Voice: "Individual Small Poison ???????? will evolve into ??? ???."
Zzzzzzzz...