13 A gift to himself

I put as much EXP as I could, which was 1022, into 'Web Spinning'. That only left me with 206 of it, but my ability rose to the eleventh level. And that meant, besides of how much better in general my spider silk became, that I could pick up an additional upgrade. The System even sent me a notification, in fact. I knew it will hover in front of my vision until I pick that upgrade.

['Web Spinning' can be evolved! Choose: 'Magic Webs' or 'Stronger Webs'.]

Magic webs? What did that even mean? The worst part is that after picking the upgrade, I wouldn't be able to pick another, ever. Unless I somehow lose the ability and level it up again, but in the past that only happened when I died—and now it wasn't an option.

Well, I knew what I needed now, and I wouldn't risk not getting it in order to try out some strange stuff that might end up being a complete waste of my precious EXP.

['Web Spinning' successfully evolves into 'Steel Web Spinning'.]

The notification came with a sharp pain in my throat, where the web gland was. When it dissipated, I examined my character sheet.

[Voren]

[General Info]

Species: Erimia Beetle

Sex: Male

Age: 21d

Height: 0.8cm

Weight: 0.026kg

Emotional state: Calculation

Titles: Devourer, Alpha Predator, The Lord of Nine Hells

[Stats]

HP: 3/3

EXP: 206

STR: 2.12

DEX: 1.99

CON: 2.76

INT: 8.75

[Abilities]

Devourer (lv MAX) (Evolution options available!)

Flight (lv 6) (Can be levelled up!)

Stinger (lv 6) (Can be levelled up!)

Steel Web Spinning (lv 11)

Underwater Swimming (lv 1) (Can be levelled up!)

Berserk (lv 1) (Can be levelled up!)

Chitinous Carapace (lv 1) (species boon)

Not a bad sight, and I hoped to make it even better by getting back my invested EXP with interest. All that time, the boar kept sleeping not far from me, not bothered at all by my presence. Of course. I was just a beetle. A small, weak beetle…

I moved my mandibles bitterly. Less than a month ago I was feared by all, and now I am glad to be ignored because it means I can move around safely. My hatred for these bastards who call themselves gods rose another notch or two.

With grim determination propelling me, I crawled towards the boar. When I reached its side, I spit out a bit of spider silk on the ground and began to spin my web, curious to see how the new upgrade will show itself.

The fist thing I noticed that strands that I spun glimmered a little now, as if made of metal. Despite that, they were as soft as before, and sticky when needed. I couldn't tear them at all with my STR, but as puny as it was, it wasn't an achievement. Still, higher level meant better everything even if I couldn't test it myself.

The real test was going to happen soon, though.

I spun the first strand from one side of the boar to another, sticking it to the ground, and immediately began to make another. The boar could awake at any moment. I worked in speed, so it was a good thing I didn't need an elaborate structure. Just to stick as much web on the boar as I could.

I spun and spun until my legs felt leaden because of all the crawling and my spinneret ached. My investment in levelling, though, wasn't for naught—despite how tiresome this all was, I still had more silk to spit out.

The sun shone into the boar's dwelling in full by the time it stirred. Sunlight reflected from the thick layers of webbings I put all around the boar's body. His legs were completely stuck to its sides, covered in webs as thick as ropes. I didn't have time to make a proper cocoon out of the boar, but as long as the webs held, the boar would only be able to grunt and bite.

It opened its eyes and tried to move, grunting in confusion and then growing frustration when it found himself unable to do so. Its helplessness, with it bound so completely… made it into a special gift to myself, from myself. The webs were a wrapping ribbon. Only a bow was missing.

I dug in regardless, as I had no time to waste—who knew how long my webs would hold? I held hard on the shaking bristle and crawled on the boar's neck. This was the best place to start eating.

I bit down, chewing and swallowing. First the bristle, thick and touch and tasting as well as you'd imagine a hair would. Then skin, also tough, but much better with its salty tang. The angry grunts of the boar changed with more fearful at that moment, as it felt a first prickle of pain. Then I chewed to the delicious fat and farther, into the savoury muscle, chewy sinew, and my goal—the bone—drinking down all the blood that flowed out on my way.

By that time, the creature was letting out high-pitched screams. It irritated me to no end, and I ate faster, not bothering about savouring the taste anymore. My mandibles chewed through the bone like it was nothing, as well as the nerves that ran around it, and finally, the boar went still and silent. Dead.

The rest of my meal was much more quiet. I expected some animal to appear to check on what was going on, but apparently the horrible screams were more of a deterrent than a lure. Better for me.

[Creature devoured. Gained 11482 EXP. New evolution options available.]

I wanted to laugh, but didn't have the speech apparatus for it. Instead, I lifted my forelimbs in the air and made a small happy dance.