3 Enhancement
Focusing his mind on the knowledge [48 ways to seduce female squirrels], Marcus saw a summary of its details.
Well, its name very much explains what it does. It's about seducing female squirrels in 48 ways. But for it to cost so much as 100 potential points...
'What kind of trash is this? Is this the System trying to be funny?'
It was worth noting that the knowledge on his personal page, [Basics in seducing female lizards] only costs 20 potential points, and for the knowledge of squirrel seduction to be 5x more costly... Marcus is even now thinking if the system has some kind of kink for squirrels to show such bias favoritism.
Still, Marcus is not interested in either of them. Currently, he only has 2 potential points available, and even if he had enough points, he would certainly not spend it on such useless knowledge.
The only things Marcus could afford right now are the enhancements. He could enhance parts of his body to be stronger, and many of them currently cost 1 potential point excluding a few which currently costs 10 potential points per upgrade and the harder scales enhancement that costs 5 potential points.
Marcus has already decided which part to enhance. It was the sharper jaw enhancement, and bite strength. From breaking out of the egg to hunting the squirrel, his jaws proved to be the most useful tool he had right now, making it a priority in enhancement. And though Marcus is thinking that muscular vitality enhancement is probably much more cost-effective compared to enhancing the bite strength alone, he still wanted to upgrade it in order to be able to hunt faster.
Faster hunting, faster points. It was just like RPG games. If you would wait till level 100 before changing to good equipment to save money, you might have lost valuable time which you have spent on farming longer instead. A good balance is needed. And right now, since Marcus is just starting, he shouldn't be saving on points but use it all in himself to grow faster.
'Confirm'
[Jaw Sharpness has been enhanced... 1 potential point consumed!]
[Bite Strength has been enhanced... 1 potential point consumed!]
After confirming the two selection, Marcus suddenly felt all his teeth start aching. He didn't anticipate the arrival of such shocking pain making him feel like cursing.
"Ka!"
His gums even started bleeding, as he then felt his upper teeth start falling one after another together with the severe pain somewhat subsiding.
'!?'
"Ng-!"
To avoid swallowing the fallen teeth, Marcus ducked his head and started spitting out the fallen teeth. But when he did so, he saw much more teeth from his bloody spit than he had expected. Using his tongue to check his mouth, in his horror, Marcus realized that all of his teeth are gone!
"Ngg-!"
However, before he could even react further, Marcus suddenly felt his gums throb as he felt something growing.
'!?'
Together with a tingly feeling, a new set of sharp teeth suddenly grew out from the holes on his gums. And as their growth halted, the tingly feeling was then gone and was replaced by a comfortable feeling. However, before Marcus could enjoy the feeling, he suddenly felt the muscle in his mouth start cramping up.
Due to the pain, Marcus tried stretching out the muscles in his mouth by doing some strong biting actions in the air.
Despite what's happening right now, even while feeling the pain, Marcus had already stopped feeling worried. What is currently happening on him should be the work of the system, there was no reason to be scared.
After the pain and numbness subsided, Marcus then checked his changes.
Sharper Jaws!
Stronger Bite!
He felt that if he were to bite a squirrel's neck like earlier, it would only take him less than half the time he took killing it.
Feeling his new changes, Marcus has a great urge to test it out of someone, but seeing no creature around, he could only look at the squirrel's corpse. Looking at it, the feeling of hunger that he had temporarily forgotten suddenly returned, urging him to continue.
Licking his lips, Marcus then thought, 'Time to dig in!'
...
[Data received...]
Sounds of flesh being devoured resounded in the area.
[Data received...]
Time to time, sounds of cracking could even be heard.
[Data received...]
[Data received...]
[D...]
Licking the blood on his lips, Marcus felt sated.
He had enjoyed the squirrel to the point that he had even eaten its bones. And because of his sharp jaws, it didn't really give him much of a problem and only made his feast much more flavorful and enjoyable.
When devouring the squirrel's flesh, Marcus could even feel his body grow stronger a little even without the enhancement from the system. He felt refreshed, and he could feel his body grow a little, together with the muscle in his body contracting.
It seems that whenever he eats something, he would have some kind of natural growth.
'Status'
_______________
[Stage Completion] 0.3%
[Stage:] 1
[Name:] N/A
[Potential Points:] 0
----------
Remarks:
A carnivorous tiny bipedal lizard.
You can be considered as a predator, but only for small animals like squirrels and bugs!
_______________
Seeing his status, Marcus could see that the stage completion rate which used to be 0.2% had become 0.3%. Meaning, just from eating alone, he could still increase the stage completion rate, though not as effective as killing. While Marcus could grow naturally from eating, it was good to take note that he won't gain points from eating, and his stomach isn't like a black hole that could almost devour anything infinitely in a limited time.
Marcus shifted his sight to what's left of the squirrel. The only things left on it are its tail, assortment of guts, and parts of its back's furry skin.
Marcus has eaten the squirrel's limbs together with its fur earlier, but he couldn't do it with the rest of the furry skin from the squirrel's body. Marcus didn't really like the texture of the fur.
The fur is annoying to eat and not tasty at all.
Right now, Marcus is beyond full. He could have stopped eating but he was somehow addicted to the feeling of his jaws crushing the squirrel's bones so he somewhat overdid it.
During eating, a notice of 'Data received' appeared from time to time, and it was even more pronounced when he ate the squirrel's savory fatty brain. Signifying that eating the brain to be much more effective in terms of gathering data.
Marcus checked the potential points panel.
In the 'others' page, he could see a bunch of new accessible merchandise. There were no enhancements available but there are new traits and skills/knowledge.
Three Traits; [Fur growth (100)], [Squirrel Tail (50)], and [Squirrel Ears (25)].
Then four new skills/knowledge; [Attack Sense (30)], [Tree Climbing Basics (10)], [Basics in hiding nuts (10)], and [Playing Dead (15)].
Seeing the [Playing Dead] skill, Marcus looked at the squirrel's remains strangely.
Well, even with [Playing Dead], it probably had limitations, no one could possibly pretend to the point of becoming leftover remains...
Probably...
Well, at least 99% of the time.
Now, this is bad. Marcus is getting paranoid because of all the possibilities. The idea of the impossible becoming possible is now biting his ass.
But taking note of every miraculous possibility would make him crazy, for such possibilities are infinite. What he needed to do right now is to take note of the acceptable possibilities, at least those acceptable 99%, while being open-minded enough to at least never deny such miracles.
Marcus sighed in his mind, he had almost lost himself in overthinking, making himself looked stupid.
'There is no need to overthink things'
The system had already said that he had killed the creature when it rewarded him potential points. And although he didn't know where the system came from, his heart is telling him that he could somewhat trust it.
He remembered the words of a homeless during an interview in a high school project…
'When someone who always decides things using the mind is confused, then let the heart decide... When someone who always decides things using the heart is confused, then let the mind decide... And, when the time comes when both are confused, then let God decide by flipping a coin...'
Such was the words coming from a person who had lost everything... But it did give off the feeling of wisdom that comes from his experience and struggles.
Now, Marcus's mind returned to the squirrel's traits and skills.
Out of all of the things from the squirrel, besides [Attack Sense], nothing really comes off as useful to him right now. Although it was too late, the [Attack Sense] skill was probably the reason why the squirrel had found him out in the end. However, if someone who had fast reaction and agility has this skill, it would probably do wonders in evading sneak attacks.
[Tree Climbing Basics] sounds good for escaping, but it's not really needed right now. [Playing Dead] meanwhile sounds like gambling. He doesn't really know if a predator would leave him alone even if he were to play dead. Just looked at what remained of the squirrel… even if it were to play dead, Marcus would have still eaten it alive.
The squirrel traits, on the other hand, is a huge no to Marcus. The fur, tail, and Ears combination sounds like cosplay. It wasn't necessary, and a lizard cosplaying as a squirrel would look absolutely hilarious to him.
Looking back at [Attack Sense], it costs 30 potential points, so he would have to kill 15 squirrels if he wanted to get it.
Right now, it seemed that spending on enhancements is much better than anything.
Marcus checks the enhancements on his personal page and was then surprised to see the cost of Sharper Jaws and Bite Strength enhancement. He had thought that there would be a change in costs, but it seems that it still remained the same. The enhancement of Sharper Jaws and Bite Strength still costs 1 potential point each.
It seems that he could do a focus build. Still, focusing on offense with zero defense would make him into a glass canon. And considering his fighting style, it wasn't advisable. He should do a balanced offense-defense build.
Marcus tried to think of the things he wanted to buy.
For defense, [Harder Scales (5)], [Attack Sense (30)], [Enhanced Regeneration (10)], [Muscular Vitality (10)], and [Night Vision (30)] sounded good.
For attack, [Sharper Jaws (1)], [Enhanced Bite Strength (1)], [Enhanced Legs Strength (1)] [Agility (10)], [Prey Sensing (30)], and [The Art of Hunting (50)].
There is also the [Sharper claws (1)], [Enhanced Arm Strength (1)], and [Poisonous claws (100)] combo. Then [Enhanced Tail Strength (1)], and [Bladed Tail (50)] combo.
Then the trait [Mana Stone (500)]. Marcus is thinking that only by having this trait would enable him to unlock the skills that needed mana. It was costly, but if he were to have the chance in the future, it would be good to have it.
Besides the things he thought of, everything else would then be optional. He could try having them when he has excess points or when he needed them in certain situations.
'In the future, if my growth somewhat settles down, it would probably be good to save some points in case of emergencies.'
Then Marcus is suddenly feeling funny. He just killed a squirrel and now he is thinking of saving points in the future. He's really getting ahead of himself, he thought.
Marcus then cleared his mind and think of his priorities.
Priority is always survival, and then growth, afterwards, it would only by then will anything else follows.
'Now what should I do? should I start hunting for points?'
As Marcus is pondering about what to do next, he suddenly heard movements from the back.
'Hmm?'
Turning around, Marcus realized that the sounds came from an egg.
At first, the movements could only be heard from one egg. However, after a while, one after another, movements could then be heard from every unhatched egg...
'?!'
His brothers and sisters... are finally hatching!
