The Stalker

Walking into the jungle, the jungle's dense canopy blotted out the suns creating a slightly darker environment with patches of sunlight breaking through here and there. Various plants of different shapes and sizes spread throughout the jungle floor creating locations for creatures to hide and wait for prey to stumble by.

"Which direction do you want to go?" Eclipse asked Coco.

"Huh? Oh I'm fine with going wherever you want to." She said while staring off in a specific direction.

Hundreds of feet away in the direction Coco was looking, a pair of hungry red eyes slunk back into the shadows. Though it appeared to have disappeared, the gaze never left the new prey that encroached upon its domain.

"Well if you don't care then lets just go forward since we don't know this place. We're bound to run into something soon, I mean this is a monster infested jungle after all." Eclipse said.

After walking through the forest for almost half an hour and traveling a few miles into the depths of the jungle, Eclipse heard something in the bushes up ahead of him. Crouching down and trying to make as little noise as possible, Eclipse slowly began to peak through the bushes.

In front of him was a 2 foot long half a foot wide caterpillar. It was a bright red color and had a few yellow colored spikes a few inches big covering its body in various areas. The ends of each spike had a purple liquid that was likely poison covering the tips.

As Eclipse watched, the caterpillar slowly inched forward at an extremely slow pace in the weird way caterpillars moved. He assumed the only way this monster survived in a jungle like this was that it probably had very few predators that were capable of eating it due to its poisonous nature.

Otherwise there was no doubt in Eclipse's mind that a slow and almost defenseless creature like this would've gone extinct by now.

"System, is there anything I should know about this creature before I attack?" Eclipse asked, staying on the cautious side. In response the system didn't say anything and instead displayed a brief analysis above the creature's head.

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Species- Poisonous Horned Caterpillar

Level/Rank- 21 {G-}

Description- A G- ranked creature that will never surpass this rank unless it evolves through the process of chrysalis. It is covered in poisonous spikes that deter most normal ranked creatures from attacking it. Upon death a purple poisonous gas will start to come off its body.

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"So this thing really is defenseless." Eclipse said.

"It's… perfect!" He said, greed flashing in his eyes. Looking around, Eclipse spotted a giant broken branch around five feet long and a few inches thick. The stick was broken off at one end forming a natural jagged spike.

Walking over to the worm that was slowly inching away from him as it sensed danger, Eclipse raised the makeshift spear above its small little head. It stopped trying to escape him realizing the futility of running, looking up at him with sad puppy dog eyes.

"Your sacrifice will not be forgotten dear comrade." Eclipse said. His eyes were so blinded with greed at the thought of easy Xp that it almost looked like there were dollar symbols in his irises.

Splash!

Bringing the pointed end of the spear down on the defenseless creature's head to give it a quick death, a sickening splashing sound resounded throughout the area as the spear pierced the caterpillar's jiggly flesh.

"1* Poisonous Horned Caterpillar Slain, 5,000 Xp Gained!" The system said. "Level up to level 4 has been acquired! 0/2,500 XP to reach the next level!"

"Wow, level 4 after killing only one monster this will be a piece of cake to reach higher levels." Eclipse said.

"Your leveling speed will slow down as you get higher so enjoy it while it lasts." The system said. "But do avoid broadcasting how fast you level up because even the amount you gained now is highly abnormal for most creatures of this world. This is because you have a giant Xp boost from your title as well as earning double the amount of stats points per level up."

"Wait isn't that extremely broken?! Also when you said title, did you mean that emissary title that looks like it's glitching out?" Eclipse asked, shocked to hear about some amazing benefits.

"The Xp boost is the really amazing feature of the two as it will help you level up at speeds that will be unheard of. As for the increase in skill points earned, that is more so there to help bridge the gap between you and people naturally talented with extremely pure bloodlines." The system said.

"This is because those with a higher 'potential' due to talent and bloodline purity will naturally have higher stats then a normal person. Take for instance Coco next to you, her stats can't even be compared to yours because she probably has an extremely pure bloodline and is a genius among geniuses. However you can't even use some of your skills at level 1 unlike her because your stats are currently similar to a normal peasant."

"Wait so what you're saying is that I'm currently in power equivalent to a nobody with no potential? I'm not some extremely talented person chosen by god to save this world like most reincarnated MCs are?" Eclipse mentally asked in despair.

"I'm glad you're catching on quickly. Besides a few powerful skills you were granted by my creator and your sponsor, you are currently no different than a normal person." The system said, humbling Eclipse.

"But worry not, with my help and the title we'll be able to slowly start bridging the gap between you, a normal peasant, and those that are truly talented!" The system said in a proud and stoic voice.

"Thank you System-Sensei!" Eclipse said, tears of joy filling from his eyes as he fell to his knees in prayer as a ray of sunlight broke through the jungle's canopy, lighting up the kneeling Eclipse and his surroundings.

"While your bloodline right now isn't very pure, my creator was generous enough to grant you a frighteningly powerful bloodline if you can fully awaken it." The system said in a mysterious sounding voice. "But let's not worry about the problems of tomorrow, instead focus on the challenges of today and get to hunting!"

"Yes, let's go hunting some more! Forward march Coco, to victory and beyond!" Eclipse shouted running forward into the forest while waving a makeshift spear that was now covered in poisonous purple blood at the end.

Caught up in his excitement at growing stronger, Eclipse failed to notice after he finished getting his first kill and talking to the system that Coco was hardly paying attention to him.

Instead her gaze was more focused on a specific direction behind them that led to a darker part of the surrounding jungles. Her gaze seemed to be glowing as she stared daggers of pure ice in that direction.

In retaliation a piercing red gaze stared back at her before being forced to be the one to break eye contact. Slinking back into the shadows and disappearing. But the unsettling presence never disappeared, if anything it was getting stronger and closer with each passing minute.