Chapter 2 : The Beginning of Gerald's Journey

In the void, a place where all consciousness goes after their physical body dies, Gerald's soul rested for what felt like an eternity. Suddenly, he felt a strange pull and found himself being transported to a different realm by a powerful being. As he slowly regained his consciousness, he realized that he could not see or feel anything around him.

"Whe-where am I? I'm pretty sure I died in that explosion," Gerald muttered to himself, trying to make sense of his surroundings.

A booming voice echoed in his mind, "Welcome, Gerald! Welcome to the world of Terra."

Gerald was taken aback, "Wh-Who are you?"

The voice responded, "You need not to know my name. Perhaps, if you become stronger, you will know it."

"Can you at least explain to me what's happening right now?" Gerald asked, confused.

"In simple terms, you're going to be reincarnated in this world as a monster. I hope you'll survive for a long time," the voice explained before abruptly ending the conversation with a wish of good luck.

As Gerald opened his eyes, he realized that he had been reincarnated as a centipede. It was pretty obvious to him considering that he could see a ton of them around him, and he could feel the multitude of legs on his side.

'What the fuck is happening?' Gerald was confused. He knew that he should've died in the explosion, yet he was still alive, and now he had become a centipede.

'Wait, why are these centipedes grouped together? I remember reading something about centipedes being territorial though?' Gerald thought to himself. Just as he finished the thought, a loud sound was heard above him.

It looked like he was in a hole-like burrow, and he could see a bear-like creature looking down at the hole, sniffing the air. The other centipedes at the hole hissed at the intruder, and the bear roared, smashing the hole as dirt flew everywhere, continuing its rampage.

The centipedes, angry to see their habitat being destroyed, climbed and rushed towards the bear creature. They worked together, fighting the creature with their coordinated effort. Some distracted the bear while others bit it when it was distracted. Gerald could only watch as the battle unfolded, still trying to get used to his new centipede body.

"So that's why these centipedes are living together. It would certainly increase their survival if they live and hunt together" Gerald realized as he observed the centipedes' teamwork in action.

The battle was reaching its end soon. Gerald could tell because the bear was getting weaker and slower with each bite. "Do these centipedes have poison? That bear seems to be getting weaker the more they bite it," Gerald pondered.

Eventually, the bear fell lifeless under the constant attack of the centipedes. The centipedes quickly dragged the dead body of the bear into their burrow to prevent it from being snatched by others, securing their hard-earned victory.

The body of the dead bear was quickly devoured by the swarming centipedes as soon as it entered the burrow. Gerald, being lucky that it landed near him, wasted no time and did his best to eat as much as possible. His mandibles were not functioning well, making eating a challenge, but he was determined to replenish his energy. "Better eat now, because I think I won't be able to move for a while," Gerald thought to himself, mindful of his limited mobility.

[+1 Biomass]

As he feasted, Gerald couldn't help but notice notifications popping up about him gaining biomass. "Hmmm? Biomass? What's that?" Gerald wondered briefly, but he pushed the thought aside and focused on eating, knowing that the centipedes would finish off the bear soon, and he might not have food later if he stopped now.

Days passed, and Gerald persevered in his attempts to learn how to move his body. After much effort, he finally managed to gain some control after a few days of trial and error. During this time, Gerald also observed that the centipedes were cunning creatures, using various tactics to defeat monsters even stronger than themselves. He also noticed that new centipedes would suddenly spawn from a round orb in the middle of their burrow, and the centipedes always surrounded this orb.

One day, Gerald saw some centipedes venturing out of the burrow, likely for a hunt. "They're probably going out to hunt. This might be my chance to explore the surroundings. It's better to go out with a group of centipedes than to go alone," Gerald thought to himself, seizing the opportunity to follow them.

As he emerged from the hole, Gerald was struck by the breathtaking view that greeted him. Centipedes don't have good vision but he can still see a bit, the place looked like a cave, He can feel that the vast expanse was filled with different creatures, and Gerald couldn't contain his amazement. He noticed that they were on a high plateau, with a lake visible in the near distance, towards which the centipedes were headed.

Making his way towards the lake with his fellow centipedes, Gerald saw that the lake was teeming with creatures quenching their thirst. Surprisingly, there was no sign of fighting among the animals, but they eyed each other cautiously. Gerald joined in and drank from the lake, feeling a refreshing cold sensation as he did so. "Whoa! This lake tastes good!" he exclaimed, relishing the invigorating experience.

To his surprise, Gerald noticed a notification indicating that he had gained +1 Mana. "What? Drinking water from the lake gives you mana? Maybe I'll be able to use some magic," Gerald pondered, intrigued by the possibilities. He continued drinking from the lake until his fellow centipedes began to make their way back to the burrow. Gerald followed suit, realizing that being alone in this unfamiliar environment could be dangerous. Despite the absence of immediate threats around the lake, he remained cautious as he made his way back home, wary of potential ambushes.

After settling into his burrow, Gerald couldn't resist the curiosity any longer and decided to try something he had been contemplating. "There's mana, like in a game or fantasy world, so there should be a status window, right? How can I open it? Maybe I just say 'Status'?" Gerald pondered to himself.

As soon as he uttered the word in his mind, a translucent window materialized in front of him, displaying his status:

[Level: 1

Might: 10

Toughness: 10

Cunning: 30

Will: 15

HP: 15/15

MP: 25/25

Skills: Bite (Level 1)

Mutations:

Biomass: 7

Skill Points: 0]

"Whoa! That's cool!" Gerald exclaimed as he gazed at his status, fascinated by the information revealed.

'I've noticed the biomass that appears whenever I eat something, and how the centipedes' appearance changes after consuming certain creatures. Maybe it's related to this biomass, but how do I use it?' Gerald wondered.

As if in response to his thoughts, a new panel materialized before him, displaying a list of body parts that he could mutate.

'So I can use the biomass to mutate my body parts?' Gerald mused, considering his options. After a moment of contemplation, he made a decision. 'I think mutating my mandibles and exoskeleton first would be a good idea.'

With determination, Gerald used the available biomass to mutate his mandibles five times and his exoskeleton twice, feeling a surge of power coursing through his body.

[Level: 1

Might: 10

Toughness: 10

Cunning: 30

Will: 15

HP: 15/15

MP: 25/25

Skills: Bite (Level 1)

Mutations: Mandibles +5, Exoskeleton +2

Biomass: 0

Skill Points: 0]

Gerald was startled as a notification popped up, indicating that a body part upgrade was available for his mandibles. "What?" he exclaimed, intrigued. The panel displayed various upgrades that he could choose, but they required five or more biomass, which he currently lacked.

"Guess I need to go hunting," Gerald determined with resolve. He spent time practicing his movements, knowing that even a single misstep could be fatal in battle.