Chapter 26: A Predator's Patience

(Sam's POV)

Patience. It wasn't exactly my strong suit, but I was learning.

Slithering low under the dense foliage, I could sense my next prey nearby. This wasn't going to be another brute-force encounter. No, this beast required something… more subtle.

Steelclaw Badger. Nasty thing. Not as fast as some of the other creatures I've faced, but that thick fur and sharp claws meant it could shrug off most of my attacks and tear me to pieces in close combat. I didn't feel like getting shredded today, thank you very much.

'Time to get creative,' I thought, flicking my tongue as I surveyed the terrain.

The underbrush was thick here, and the forest floor was soft—perfect for Burrow. I'd been working on my ambush tactics, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity to test them.

I wriggled into the dirt, using Burrow to create a tunnel deep enough for a proper sneak attack. The vibrations of the badger's movement grew closer, its claws digging into the earth as it sniffed around for food.

'Just a little closer, pal,' I thought, staying perfectly still beneath the surface.

[Status Inspection Lv 3 activated.]

[Steelclaw Badger]

[Level: 20]

[Rank: F]

[Skills:]

– [Claw Strike Lv 3]

– [Tough Hide Lv 2]

[Traits:]

– [Pain Tolerance]

[Status: Unaware]

'Claw Strike and Tough Hide? Yeah, that sounds about right. This thing's built like a tank.' I mused, holding my breath (figuratively, of course). If I could take it by surprise, I might stand a chance of taking it down before it tore me to pieces.

I could feel the badger now, its weight pressing down on the ground above me. It was huge. Bigger than I expected. But if this worked, I'd have it.

[Predator's Intuition activated.]

That familiar pulse of danger tickled the back of my mind. The badger was on edge, its instincts sharp. One wrong move and it would notice me, but I stayed still, coiled and ready to strike.

The ground vibrated slightly as the badger took a step.

'Now.'

I burst out of the earth, launching myself upward with all the force I could muster. My fangs sank into the badger's hind leg, injecting venom.

[Bite Lv 6 activated.]

[Venom Lv 6 activated.]

The badger howled in pain, thrashing violently as it tried to shake me off. But I held on, tightening my grip and sinking my fangs in deeper. Its thick fur made it hard to get a proper hold, but the venom was already doing its work, slowing it down.

Still, this thing was tough. Tougher than anything I'd fought recently. It whipped around with surprising speed, slashing at me with its claws.

One swipe grazed my side, and the pain shot through me like fire. If I stayed in close any longer, those claws would tear me apart.

[Tail Whip Lv 2 activated.]

I lashed out with my tail, striking the badger's front leg and knocking it off balance. It stumbled, giving me just enough time to slither away and regroup.

'This thing really doesn't know when to quit,' I thought, feeling the sting from its claws.

The badger growled, charging at me, but it was slower now, the venom taking effect. Still, I couldn't afford to get reckless. One solid hit from those claws, and it would be over for me.

[Stealth Lv 3 activated.]

I slipped into the shadows, using the trees to my advantage. The badger paused, its head jerking around as it tried to find me. Its instincts were sharp, but my Stealth was sharper.

'Let's finish this.'

I darted out from behind the badger, biting into its neck this time. My fangs sank deep, and the badger let out one final growl before collapsing, its body twitching as the venom finally took over.

[You have defeated Steelclaw Badger (Lv 20).]

[You have gained 80 XP.]

[You have leveled up to 20.]

[Burrow Lv 3 → Lv 4.]

[Tail Whip Lv 2 → Lv 3.]

I slithered away from the body, panting slightly. That had been close. Too close. One more swipe from those claws, and I'd have been in real trouble. But I'd won, and more importantly, I'd learned something valuable.

[Devour Lv 1 activated.]

[You have gained the trait: Pain Resistance.]

A small smirk crossed my face as I felt the trait settle into my body. Pain Resistance—a handy trait to have, especially with the way I tend to get myself into trouble.

[Pain Resistance]: Allows the user to tolerate physical pain more effectively, reducing its impact on movements and actions in combat. Does not eliminate pain but mitigates its effect.

'Not bad. I won't be slowed down as much next time someone—or something—tries to tear me apart,' I thought, flicking my tongue in satisfaction.

I checked my status window to take stock of my progress.

[Name: Unnamed]

[Species: Predator Snake]

[Level: 20]

[Rank: F]

[Skills:]

– [Bite Lv 6]

– [Venom Lv 6]

– [Slither Lv 4]

– [Stealth Lv 3]

– [Status Inspection Lv 3]

– [Devour Lv 1]

– [Harden Lv 2]

– [Burrow Lv 4]

– [Frenzy Lv 1]

– [Fire Breath Lv 1]

– [Tail Whip Lv 3]

– [Charge Lv 1]

[Traits:]

– [Cold-Blooded]

– [Predator's Intuition]

– [Enhanced Sensory (Advanced)]

– [Enhanced Physical Strength (Basic)]

– [Heat Resistance (Basic)]

– [Basic Regeneration]

– [Poison Resistance]

– [Pain Resistance]

[Status: Cautious]

[Hunger: 30%]

'Pain resistance, huh? Guess I won't feel it as much next time someone tries to rip me apart,' I mused, slithering back into the forest.

But something in the back of my mind told me that I'd need more than resistance to pain. The deeper I went into this forest, the stronger the creatures became. I'd need to get stronger—and fast.

'Time to find my next challenge.'