8 Experience Grinding
After a couple of hours of constant grinding, I managed to chip away at the plated armor of the red sea starfish, severing its five limbs, one at a time until there was none left, just the plated armor central disc, the brain of the red sea starfish.
Second Kill!
[You have killed a Red Sea Starfish level 11 (2 out of 5). You have earned 574 experience points...]
[You have leveled up and become level 11...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Tier 1 Dexterity Up Lv2} has become { Tier 1 Dexterity Up Lv3}...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Weak Stab Lv6} has become { Weak Stab Lv7}...]
[You have consumed the flesh of a Red Sea Starfish. You have received 12 bio-growth points...]
[You have consumed the plated exoskeleton of a Red Sea Starfish. You have received 8 bio-growth points...]
[Current bio-growth points: 21]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Weak Bite Lv1} has become { Weak Bite Lv2}...]
Third Kill!
[You have killed a Red Sea Starfish level 11 (3 out of 5). You have earned 574 experience points...]
[You have leveled up and become level 12...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Tier 1 Dexterity Up Lv3} has become { Tier 1 Dexterity Up Lv4}...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Weak Stab Lv7} has become { Weak Stab Lv8}...]
[You have consumed the flesh of a Red Sea Starfish. You have received 12 bio-growth points...]
[You have consumed the plated exoskeleton of a Red Sea Starfish. You have received 8 bio-growth points...]
[Current bio-growth points: 41]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Weak Bite Lv2} has become { Weak Bite Lv3}...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Reinforced Mandible Lv1} has become { Weak Bite Lv2}...]
Fourth Kill!
[You have killed a Red Sea Starfish level 11 (4 out of 5). You have earned 574 experience points...]
[You have leveled up and become level 13...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Tier 1 Dexterity Up Lv4} has become { Tier 1 Dexterity Up Lv5}...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Weak Stab Lv8} has become { Weak Stab Lv9}...]
[You have consumed the flesh of a Red Sea Starfish. You have received 12 bio-growth points...]
[You have consumed the plated exoskeleton of a Red Sea Starfish. You have received 8 bio-growth points...]
[Current bio-growth points: 61]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Weak Bite Lv3} has become { Weak Bite Lv4}...]
Fifth Kill!
[You have killed a Red Sea Starfish level 11 (5 out of 5). You have earned 574 experience points...]
[You have leveled up and become level 14...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Tier 1 Dexterity Up Lv5} has become { Tier 1 Dexterity Up Lv6}...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Weak Stab Lv9} has become { Weak Stab Lv10} The skill { Weak Stab Lv10} has reached the maxed level and has evolved into { Strong Stab Lv1}...]
[You have consumed the flesh of a Red Sea Starfish. You have received 12 bio-growth points...]
[You have consumed the plated exoskeleton of a Red Sea Starfish. You have received 8 bio-growth points...]
[Current bio-growth points: 81]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Weak Bite Lv4} has become { Weak Bite Lv5}...]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Reinforced Mandible Lv2} has become { Reinforced Mandible Lv3}...]
After having killed all five limbs of the red sea starfish, all that remains was the central disc, the brain and the hive mind of the original red sea starfish. Tiredness swept over my body, pretty exhausted, as my muscle aches and is in pain, because of overuse and the constant stabbing motion.
However, I wasn't done yet, as my body was aching, there were creaking sounds in the movements of my joints. I ignored the pain, by focusing all of my concentration on experience grinding, killing the red sea starfish is my intended goal.
I raised my many spiney spider-like legs, into the air, and descends downwards, with the added strength and penetration bonus of the {Strong Stab} skill, I pierced the armor plating of the red sea starfish, and into its flesh and the brain of the red sea starfish.
'Screech! Screech! Screech! (Bastard! I will kill you! Vermin!)' The red sea starfish screamed, as its lifeforce is drained before its very eyes.
Just like an H*adcrab, I wrapped myself around the head, or to be exact the brain of the red sea starfish, with my numerous spiney spider-like legs pierced into its flesh and clutch onto the internal intestine of the red sea starfish. With little force even used, I start to contract my legs, squeezing even harder, as I slowly crushed the brain matter of the red sea starfish to bits.
[You have killed the Red Sea Starfish Central Disc (Brain). You have earned 1223 experience points...]
[You have leveled up and become level 16...]
With the final essence of the red sea starfish's life force vanishing before my very eyes, it's consciousness dissipating into nothing, I relished in my sweet victory, as I gazed at the twilight sky from above the sea.
Wallow in my sweet and hard-earned victory, its time to collect my loot, as I ripped apart the many armor platings on the red sea starfish, and start devouring the brain of the red sea starfish, whilst sharing some bits and leftovers with the little ghost shrimps as well, being very generous to the little fella.
[You have consumed the brain matter of the Red Sea Starfish Central Disc. You have received 27 bio-growth points...]
[You have consumed the plated exoskeleton of the Red Sea Starfish Central Disc. You have received 14 bio-growth points...]
[Current bio-growth points: 122]
[You have reached the maximum skill proficiency. The skill { Tier 1 Intelligent Up Lv1} acquired...]
'I've now obtained enough bio-growth points to buy the skill {Weak Exoskeleton Regeneration} from the monster system, but I could also buy the {Camouflaged} skill instead of the {Weak Exoskeleton Regeneration} from the monster system. The {Camouflaged} skill seems a bit more useful at the current predicament, as I'm not exactly strong, and could possibly hide from incoming large predators, by camouflaging my skin to the external environment, escaping the enemy lines of visual detection.' I thought, coming to a logical conclusion, weighing the pros and cons of each alternative option.
'Besides I could always save up enough bio-growth points to buy the {Weak Exoskeleton Regeneration] skill. It didn't take me that long to gather up 122 bio-growth points. I could gather a lot more within a week or so.' I thought, as I made up my decision, I decided to buy the skill that I wanted.
'I want to buy the mutational skill {Camouflaged}.' I said, and the monster system responded, as a blue screen notification appeared before my retina.
[Do you wish to buy the mutational skill {Camouflaged} from the monster system for 100 bio-growth points?]
'Yes!' I responded.
[You have purchased the mutational skill {Camouflaged} from the monster system. 100 bio-growth points deducted...]
[You have learned the mutation skill { Camouflaged Lv1} acquired...]
[Current bio-growth points: 22]
The moment I acquired the skill, I can feel my body instinctively change, though there weren't many physical changes. The harden white exoskeleton starts to exhibit visual changes, as the color changes slightly to a more darkish sandy yellow, matching with the sandy environment.
Though there many visible white patches, of my previously white exoskeleton, this is because of the skill level of the {camouflaged} skill being too extremely low, and I wasn't able to fully utilize the skill effectively as an expert can, diminishing the effects of the {camouflaged} skill.
'Boss! The sky is darkening. We should head back to the nest. It is dangerous out in the dark!' The little ghost shrimp said so in a hurry, as you can't sway his eagerness to return back to the nest.
'Do not worry, little one? I know of a good place to stay for the night. We could hide in the sea corals for the night, to bide our time, until morning, when it is safe to come back out.' I said, suggesting another alternative instead of heading back in a hurry during the night, as large nocturnal monsters may come out, and possible ambush us.
'Do you really mean it, boss?' The little ghost shrimp asked me, his eyes brimming with a worried expression.
'Yes!' I responded in affirmation.
I and the little ghost shrimp then dragged the remaining leftovers of the red sea starfish's carcass, that we didn't manage to finish off, because we were full at the time, and use it as a bedtime snack. We slowly swam through, and enter a small forest of peach vibrant soft coral reefs, and use it as our temporary housing for the time being.
