Chapter 13

"Meet monsters:

- Common earthworm x68 (easy, worthless)

- Common earthworm+ x43 (easy, fangs worth collecting)

- Field mouse x11 (easy, fur worth collecting and edible meat)

- Field mouse+ x2 (easy, fur worth collecting and edible meat)

- Lesser basilisk pup x3 (medium, magic ingredient, worth collecting)

- Corpse-eating fly larvae x23 (easy, worthless)

- Corpse-eating fly x19 (medium, worthless)

- Corpse-eating fly mother x1 (hard, worthless)

- Baby trunk spider x3 (medium, webs can be collected)"

After an hour, I was able to continue my journey. I put my currently useless pet in a bag along with a large supply of food. It should be enough for a long time.

I wondered if the fact that I have an impact on the development of the animal... It wasn't specified that it had to be an insect. And maybe because of this, it is possible to get something different?

My thoughts were interrupted by movement in the nearby bushes. This is something bigger! Soon I saw a larger variant of the lesser basilisk pup! I think it's an older version. It also has bigger and prettier scales.

I started gathering fire magic in my hands as the creature leaped towards me. I dodged this attack and turned towards the animal. One fireball went straight to the head, another burned the paw. The beast howled and lunged at me again. I grabbed a knife. As soon as the basilisk was closer to me, I made a large cut on its neck. I managed to damage a blood vessel. The animal was still standing, but clearly losing its strength.

I was close to winning until suddenly I felt a bite on my other hand. This guy wasn't alone! I clenched my teeth with a painful groan. I instinctively covered my affected hand with fire and the beast released it with a squeak. I quickly moved away from the monsters and blew a strong stream of fire at them.

Their resistance, however, turned out to be greater than I thought, they were still alive! Even with the loss of blood, one of them was still standing, although it is evident that he was at the end of his strength. I attacked with more fireballs. My attacks have become much more accurate over time here. After a few more hits both monsters were dead.

"Young lesser basilisk" - they are good quality magic ingredients. Nothing about being edible, but I wouldn't touch a mutated dog either...

After a while, however, I felt a strange tickle in my mind and looked into the bag to where my familiar was. It ate everything I gave to it?! It has a bigger appetite than I thought, although it hasn't increased in size at all.

I glanced nervously around and looked at the carcasses of the basilisks. Worth a try. At least my hard work will be useful for something more. I put them in the bag so my familiar can eat them. I went on my way and thoroughly explored this place. Soon I came across a really big extension of the corridor. I can say it's about 100 meters in diameter for sure. Several separate tunnels also led from here.

After a while, I looked up and saw a very large amount of cobwebs. More spiders! I looked at my injured hand. It will be a difficult task. I took a few steps in it and sat down on the ground. I ate some berries and watched the surroundings. I'll take some time to rest.

During 3 hours of my break, nothing interrupted it. From the bad things... My hand hurts a lot and it's swollen. I need to find a medical herb soon.

I got up and walked towards the cobwebs. I didn't have to wait long, spiders started coming down the tree trunks one by one. Lots of baby trunk spiders! I counted more than 40 of them! There were also 6 bigger ones at the very end.

I started throwing fireballs at them. This turned out to be more difficult when only one hand is functional. I wanted to look for herbs here, I can't burn everything with fire breath.

I concentrated and created a larger fireball that killed several spiders at once. Unfortunately, the others have already come very close. I quickly took a few steps back and attacked them again. There are too many of them!

My breathing quickened and I felt very anxious. Everything was going so well, I can't die here! The strong feeling of fear awakened new energy in me. Darkness covered both my hands. I felt relieved, the pain receded into the background.

I couldn't forget about the danger! The shadow changed its shape quickly into two very long blades, with which I began to cut the spiders. One had bitten me on the leg. It hurt a lot! Larger spiders started attacking me with a web from a distance. It effectively slowed my movements, but I couldn't let go that easily.

I quickly defeated the smaller spiders and was able to take care of the larger ones. They lifted their front legs, displaying their large fangs. Defensive position? After a while, I took a few steps back, pretending to run away.

They reacted immediately and charged at me. I wasted no time and swung the shadow blades when they were within my range. All 6 bigger spiders ended up dead.

But I couldn't enjoy it. I felt shivers run through my body. First the bite of a lesser basilisk, now the bite of a spider... The spider definitely has a strong venom. I decided not to waste time and I looked around the area for plants that could help me.

I found some bushes of pink berries, some sweet grass... Nothing with a healing effect! I felt terrible... I was starting to have trouble walking and seeing when I saw something new. I scanned the plant with hope and... It's nothing useful! My last hope is to stay awake and eat pink berries. They do not have a healing effect, but they add energy.

My clothes were wet with my sweat, I suffered in silence. I didn't want to lure any creature here. Painful shivers ran through my body... I don't know how long I've been here, I've lost track of time... I'm exhausted and sore. At some point, the effects of the spider venom wore off, but it was a tough fight. I used up all my berries, ate sandwiches...

When I started to get back into shape, I felt that strange tickling in my mind again. I looked into my bag to see that the larva had eaten both basilisks and was... Maybe half a centimeter longer? And definitely fatter.

I got up with difficulty and looked around... The corpses of the spiders were no longer there. I noticed large paw prints where they had been before. The larva demanded its food more and more. It needed to eat all the time.

I gave her some flower petals for peace of mind and I looked around carefully. I don't want to find the owner of these footprints.

I managed to reach the corridor from which I came. I looked carefully around the trees and soon found what I was looking for! He was hiding on a tree trunk. I plunged the blade from the shadow into the spider and killed it quickly.

I wasted no time and tossed the corpse into my bag. The interesting thing is that to sense the thoughts of a familiar, it is also needed to have special predispositions. For now, it's just hunger.

I still feel very bad, but sitting in one place will not be safe. I kept backing up and looking for weaker monsters to kill. After a few hours, I managed to collect a large pile of food for my familiar

This should be enough for a long time. I was also feeling much better already, so I decided to be back to moving forward. I don't know how exactly monsters here are born, but again I met a few along the way. Being created simply from mana veins sounds pretty implausible... But as I saw... It makes sense.

I went back to the big space. However, I haven't noticed any more spiders here. I had a bad feeling... And then I heard a strong and deep growl. A very large monster emerged from where I had been sitting and fighting the venom effect before.

Its size resembles a bear, but it is covered with scales. In addition, a powerful mouth, talons, and spikes... I think that I found a bigger form of basilisk... The beast sniffed and looked at me with hatred. I felt a strange tightness in my stomach. It was as if I was suddenly slowed down and my movements were uncoordinated.

Basilisk! How could I not think more carefully about this name? Weaker specimens may not have had this ability, but this one is already able to limit me. I began to swear hard in my mind.

- I'm as stupid as even the law doesn't allow it.

The monster didn't give me much time and started running towards me. I gathered the darkness in my hands with difficulty and waited. He was very fast, but I managed to form a large blade at the last moment that pierced his head. Unfortunately, he was dispersed and his huge body fell on me.

I desperately tried to get out from under the basilisk, but I was too weak. I gasped for breath and stared at the monster. He was dead, but he was still a problem. After a while, I got an idea and opened my spacious bag. Fortunately, the magic worked, and the animal was inside it. Freedom!

I felt like I felt a lot of excitement in my mind. Certainly not mine. Someone will be able to devour for a very long time. I got up and looked around from my sitting position. I haven't washed in a few days and I can already smell it.

I felt exhausted. I got up and headed into the first tunnel. It might be too dangerous to sleep in this large space.