Chapter 2

Hidden by leaves and shadows, I watched as the hares crept to the creek and clucked and purred to each other. My target was the chubby one grunting as it sniffed another hare, aggressively looking for a mate I assumed. Tightening my muscles, I leaned forward and rushed out of my hiding spot, rapidly picking up pace as the hares dashed away.

I chased along the creek, slowly closing the distance until I leapt forward. My shadow rolled over the chubby hare, and it turned just in time to see my looming paw. Claws ripped through its fur and it shrieked. One more swipe, this time aimed towards its head, and it quietened. Grinning in anticipation, I opened my status.

[Level Up! You are now level 10.

Level 10 (3/1200) - 1 unassigned attribute point

Race: Pygmy Bear (tier 1) - 75 kg

Class: unlocks at level 20

Strength: 13

Agility: 12

Constitution: 15

Endurance: 10

Perception: 10

Luck: 5

Perks: Great sense of smell, Bear's regeneration]

It had been two months since I had killed the red fox and discovered my status. In that time, I had been earnestly hunting down small critters to level up - I had tried hunting a larger deer and had been gored in the side for my efforts so I had since stuck to manageable prey. With the attribute points I had gained on the way, I had put 3 into agility, 2 into constitution, and 1 into strength and endurance. Adding my latest point to constitution, I checked my evolution paths.

[Evolution tier 2 condition met: level 10.

Unlocked evolutions

Brown Bear: Strength is greater than 10, Constitution is greater than 15

Vampiric Pygmy Bear: kill 5 enemies and suck their blood

Arcane Pygmy Bear: be conscious

Locked evolutions

Shadow Pygmy Bear: Agility is greater than 15

Golden Pygmy Bear: Luck is greater than 10

Black Bear: Agility is greater than 10, Perception is greater than 10

???

???

…]

This was an easy choice as I definitely didn't want to be a tiny pygmy bear anymore. So I picked brown bear and waited.

[Evolution in progress. Time until completion: 167 hours, 59 minutes, and 50 seconds.]

Giddy with excitement, I bounced around while roaring until I tired myself out. Surrounding colours seemed brighter and the sun shone a comforting warmth on my coat as I headed towards my favourite cave to sleep.

****

My elation came to an end a few hours into my evolution as the pangs of hunger threatened to overcome me. Desperate, I began to hunt zealously, plummeting to low spirits as I realised my hunger wasn't going even as I gorged myself. It only got worse as soon after my muscles were burning with pain as if they were all simultaneously being torn apart, bones dislodging and reconnecting. Over time, I numbed to the pain and my mind began to slip until it was all an oily blur of colours and scents.

Coming back to my senses, I gazed around and saw a bloody corpse below my legs. Flipping it over, I faced the lifeless, rolling eyes of a deer with snapped antlers. My whole body ached and throbbed but there was a particularly sharp sting in my chest that stuck out. I knew what it was before I even looked down, but I still cringed as I caught sight of broken horn lodged in my flesh, brown coat dripping blood. My blood.

My breaths were forced and pained until I calmed down. Acting on my ceaseless hunger, I devoured the rest of the deer until I was gnawing on its bones. Dusk had passed during my meal and the sky was darkening, so I trekked to my favourite cave, noting on the way how large my stride had become.

I had always liked this cave because of the protection it provided with its narrow entrance, but now I was only getting frustrated as I tried to force my way inside. Of course I had noticed I had grown but not this much! Giving up after my umpteenth attempt, I wandered the forest aimlessly, not feeling very sleepy anyway.

With time, the sky began to lighten again and I went to the creek to spy on my reflection. Looking into the light blue water, a large brown bear with fuzzy ears and a long face stared back. My claws were longer than before and gently curved, suited for digging and killing. What was harder to see in the water was the power I felt in my muscles, although there was a hint of muscle and bulk in the reflection.

[Level 10 (371/1200)

Race: Brown Bear (tier 2) - 121 kg

Class: unlocks at level 20

Strength: 23

Agility: 17

Constitution: 31

Endurance: 15

Perception: 10

Luck: 5

Perks: Great sense of smell, Bear's regeneration]

Expanding my race, I looked through the bonuses it afforded me.

[Brown Bear (tier 2)

A large, dominant creature with great mass and inordinate speed. Usually found alone in forested regions, foraging for food and building bulk for the winter.

+ 15 Constitution, +10 Strength, + 5 Endurance, +5 Agility]

Falling to the urge, I bellowed and stood in awe of my own deep, menacing voice. Was this really me? Roaring again, I grinned wildly and ran through the creek, water coming up to my chin and clumping up my fur, leaping onto the other side.

I had been pushed around for long enough by the other animals; it was time to carve my own territory, time to hold my own fruit grove and feast till I burst every day.