Acid
I have crawled deeper into the throat (or whatever organ I'm in) of the Hell Tortoise.
I stumbled across more maggots like me that dwell inside of the massive organism as well as a new small creature called bacteria. This is what appraisal showed me.
[Status:
Species: Bacteria
Lv 1
HP: 10/10
MP: 0/0
Strength: 1
Defense: 1
Speed: 1
Skills: Deteriorate Lv 1, Crawling Lv 1
Skill Points: 0]
It is another weak creature like the maggots except it has the skill deteriorate. Deteriorate eats away at everything it touches which can bypass the armor stat.
This is an annoying skill.
I would say if a level 1 bacteria and a level 1 maggot were to fight 9 times out of 10 the bacteria would win solely because of deteriorate. Howevver, I am no longer a level 1 maggot.
I also had a choice between Mucus Trail Lv 5 and Slither Lv 5 once my crawling reached level 5. Mucus trail leaves a trail of mucus that can trap other lifeforms. For me, this is completely useless.
I am exploring. I have no time to set up a base and wait for someone to fall into my traps. In an actual combat experience enemies are unlikely to come at me from behind and only the most stupid monsters would step into the mucus. Besides, slither increases my speed so it was a no brainer to choose slither lv 5.
My speed stat is now 10 and I am a Molten Maggot Lv 3.
It seems that when I gained 5 EXP I leveled up to level 2 and when I reached 10 total EXP I leveled up to level 3. So basically in my evolved state leveling up is the same as before.
After doing it three times I realized the obvious pattern. Level 1 - 0 EXP, Level 2 - 5 EXP, Level 3, 10 EXP, Level 4 20 EXP and so on. The amount of total exp I need to gain doubles each level.
Simple, right?
This is my current status:
[Status:
Species: Molten Maggot
Lv 3
HP: 38/38
MP: 10/10
Strength: 21
Armor: 70
Speed: 10
Skills: Leech Lv 7, Acid Vomit Lv 5, Slither Lv 6, Igneous Armor Lv 5, Ash Magic Lv 4, Armor Up Lv 2, Heat Sense Lv 1, Appraisal Lv 1
Skill Points: 4]
I leveled up my skills while fighting the weak maggots and bacteria and that's how I got to where I am now.
By a large boiling liquid. I can hear it boiling right next to me.
I now know where in the organism I am.
The stomach.
Anyway, I know I am resistant to heat but I don't know if I can resist the stomach acid.
Will I instantly die if I touch it?
There is only one way to find out.
I stick part of my body into the stomach acid.
OUCH!
That's so hot!
I thought I could resist hot things but this burning is on another level.
I checked my HP and its at 9 already!
Thank God I don't see burning next to my name or I am a goner.
I sense a faint heat signal inside of the liquid. I appraise it.
[Status:
Enzyme
Lv 12
HP: 120/120
MP:0/0
Strength: 60
Armor: 12
Speed: 15
Skills: Disintegrate Lv 6, Acid Immunity Lv 5, Swimming Lv 9, Crawling Lv 1
Skill Points: 11]
Everything besides armor I am completely outclassed.
And it is coming straight at me.
I can't run away because my speed stat is lower than it. It may have a lower crawling skill than me but I shouldn't take chances. Also disintegrate looks like a stronger version of deteriorate. I can't use an acid vomit attack in combat so my only combat option would be to use leech.
But if it attacks me once I'm dead.
I may have a chance to crawl away from the distance I am at now.
I need to find a way to kill it from a safe distance.
I slither away from the enzyme that is coming at me at a faster pace than I could before getting slither.
I hear a sploosh sound which means it is out of the acid. It seems to be coming at me slower now thank god.
If I don't overcome this small trifle I will never get a chance to live in Volconia.
The wall is hard to pierce because of the fact that it is from the large beast so I can't throw a piece of the wall at it.
I don't have many projectiles and I am backed into a corner.
I have no option but to attack it.
My strength is more than its armor but its strength is lower than mine. I know this is a gamble but if I leech it I can get the health that I lost back. It may disintegrate me but I have to bet it all on black.
I suddenly launch at the enzyme's heat signal and start to sap its HP. It tries to disintegrate me but as soon as a part of its attack touches me I twist my body away from that spot as soon as possible in order to avoid the attack. It seems to be working.
Enzymes are unable to feel pain or scream but if it could it would. It has a lot of HP but by leeching to it and circling around the enzyme it slowly but surely gets killed by me.
[Defeated Enzyme Lv 12]
[Gained 50 EXP]
[Molten Maggot Lv 3 has reached Molten Maggot Lv 4]
[HP and MP fully restored]
[Max HP has increased to 42]
[Strength has increased to 24]
[Armor has increased to 75]
[Molten Maggot Lv 4 has reached Molten Maggot Lv 5]
[HP and MP fully restored]
[Max HP has increased to 46]
[Strength has increased to 27]
[Armor has increased to 80]
Finally.
I finally don't get options at level 5.
I can go past level 5 for the first time in my maggot life!