Chapter 10: Gazing Lizards

Wow... wow... wow... wow!!!

Wasn't this situation something insane?

How did I even make it out alive?

I had survived the ambush...

The corpses lay around me being drained of their life. I was victorious... and now...

I finally had a nice stockpile of food.

Annoyed that I wasn't able to take it with me I started digging in slowly eating away at the corpses.

Having to feed me with the poisonous meat of these hornets made my resistance skills jump another level up.

The Poison Resistance was now high enough to withstand the damage frogs, spiders and these hornets could previously inflict on me.

Even becoming almost immune to their poisonous effects. Thanks to that, this felt like a huge win for me.

Not only because I leveled up almost all my skills, but because I didn't give up even when it was six against one. Even fighting their boss early on...

Thinking back at the situation shivers went down my spine, but, still... I was proud of myself.

Wanting to celebrate I chowed down on the last remaining carcass, the carcass of their leader.

A huge black wasp-like creature with needles as arms and legs. How I had won against it...

I had no clue... But I was happy to be still alive.

Thanking the gods for my survival,

wait... is there even a god in this world?

As I finished eating the carcass of the leader a new message popped up in the system.

"Due to over-eating, we like to present you with a special skill. The skill has been unlocked due to meeting the requirements.

Skill <Over Eating lv 1> has been unlocked.

Thanks to this skill you will be able to eat past your usual limit, stacking up your SP allowing you to flee in tight spots or even keep on going whenever the user feels like it.

Note: eating past your limit will affect your body,

Increasing mass and slowing your overall movement- and reaction speed."

Thinking of how the system addresses me whenever I accomplish something, makes me feel like something or someone is constantly watching me...

Maybe they are the gods of this world?

*pfffttt*

Hahaha, who am I kidding?

Let's not waste time on this for now.

Having struggled through yet another insane situation I must say that I am pleased with the <Survivor> Skill.

I think it's time to head back and see if I can open the egg I had found laying around. Let's hope the parent hasn't come searching for their child. Well...

If it's still in the same place they shouldn't be able to find it. So, there shouldn't be anything to worry about, right?

When heading back I fought a few frogs on the way back gaining enough experience to level all my skills and even gain another level. When I finally arrived at the hiding spot on the wall it didn't feel right anymore.

Even if it was the place that I could call my first save haven. Going inside there it was... Different... The huge smooth rock...

*chuckle*

I chuckled a bit seeing it lay there right at the same spot I had left it. It was time to try and break it.

But really... how did it even fit inside here?

As I struggled to get it out, I realized it barely fit through the crack in the wall. After countless attempts, finally getting the sheer size outside of the cave I found myself in,

the rock... looked astounding.

As light reflected on its surface.

My goal for the day?

Finding a way to break this bastard!

Still complaining about the fact that I barely got it out of my so-called home I took the rock with me,

rolling it out in front of me.

The sheer size alarmed most small-sized creatures, making them hide as we rolled passed them.

It didn't take too long before fear got replaced by curiosity as they quickly swarmed around it wanting to see what it was. Allowing me some quick and easy prey and food along the way as they were all mesmerized by the smooth and shiny edges.

For example, the sheer beauty of the object was mesmerizing. Which almost made me lose focus.

Thankfully I didn't as eventually along the way I found even some new enemies like a new species of lizard.

The first thought in my head as if I could eventually turn into one of those, but shortly after I realized I would even be able to learn its skills,

based on how I defeated most others before it.

Something was different with this one, something that didn't feel right... curious as it was it followed me and the rock, but never really attacked us.

Still... it kept following us as the trail was easily spread out. Getting closer whenever I didn't look.

Soon the lizard closed in... blinking with its eyes as it gazed upon the rock. Closing in it flinched and instantly locked its gaze upon the incoming roads.

A frog tried to strike at the small looking lizard,

but, as it locked its gaze on the from something happened...

Looking at what transpired in front of me shook my very core... Did... did the toad just froze in place?

Unable to process what just happened I quickly hid behind the smooth rock that I brought along.

Alarmed by my sudden movements the small lizard turned its gaze towards me, but its vision got blocked by the now smooth looking rock.

Unsure of how its abilities worked I tried to keep my distance... making sure he couldn't gaze upon me I swiftly moved around the rock,

until I realized something about my new opponent's ability.

Frustrated by the situation I began to rant.

"Fuck... who knew that the basilisk would be such a small and innocent looking critter could be so dangerous... petrifying everyone he gazes upon...

Think Mira... Think... up until now, how did the small bastard petrify its prey?"

The small basilisk gazed upon the rock and quickly crawled on top hoping to catch me off guard from above. As he did, I had already hidden somewhere close by between some rubble...

but, what happened next made me realize how its ability might have a weakness...

Even if it was so tiny, this could work.

Quickly I listed its uses, pro's and cons in my head as I still tried to stay a few steps ahead...

"I know it needs light to freeze its prey,

another condition is that they both need to be able to see each other. Hmm..."

As the basilisk tried to gaze upon a small looking spider, it jumped away before it could fully cast its ability making it faze himself.

As I saw this another ide quickly began to surface, making sure this would work,

I had to tease the little bastard!

I now had finalized the simulation in my head and was certain of my victory.

The little guy, now back on top of the rock I had brought along tried to find me in all desperation...

When suddenly I rushed past it, only partly stopping whenever I found a small puddle of water.

The reflection made the little lizard faze itself to the point where I finally immobilized it and roasted it with <Fire Conjuration>. Ultimately its great ability came with too much responsibility allowing me to strike when it became too cocky.

I had defeated the newly found enemy, as my energy levels got depleted I needed to quickly refill my energy, deciding to eat the little bastard had proven to be useful as the system introduced what I had hoped to find.

"Due to the consumption of a certain enemy,

the following skill has been unlocked;

<Petrifying Gaze lv 1>.

Unable to fathom the uses this ability would have I again gained enough experience for a level up, maybe it is because of the new enemy and skill. Or at least... I tried to tell myself that...

Unable to forget the first objective I instinctively continued on my quest to find human beings... If there were any, to begin with...