《Getting big in the Big Blue》Chapter 2
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I'll admit. It took me quite some time to get my act together and figure out how exactly I was supposed to even move. Being a tini tiny sea snake with no arms or legs to speak of made the act of swimming quite the headache to figure out.
Nonetheless, after a couple minutes of random waddling, I more or less understood that to swim, I basically just had to move my tail from side to side.
A small victory, but one that I gladly took. Then, I had to sit down for a moment.
In life, I wasn't a very sociable, attractive, nor even outstanding person. I hated sports then, but considering the hundreds of fictions I read back then... I don't have much of a choice.
I curled myself up next to my now broken egg, and considered what I wanted to do in this life. I've always loved order and routine, but that would be an ill-afforded luxury here, considering that even the animals in my previous world had to ferociously fight just to scrape by. And in this world that apparently had a system of sorts... Yeah. It doesn't look good.
I could be a supremely venemous snake, if the poison stat adhered to it's namesake. However, that would hardly help me right now, would it?
I had barely escaped from my own egg, and that had been a struggle in on itself. How the hell was I supposed to break all these other eggs to get to the juicy bits inside with mere poison?
I hovered over the various stats, trying to figure out which ones did what. Eventually, the system decided to take pity on me.
Strength - Muscle mass, pure physical strength.
Constitution - The 'defense' stat. Makes your body tougher and increases regeneration.
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Dexterity - Basically agility. Makes your body more flexible and increases the body's reaction speed.
Intelligence - The mental capacity of a creature. Allows for faster process of thoughts and more complex thinking.
Wisdom - The magical capability of a creature. Increases mana pool and regeneration.
Poison - Special stat of certain creatures, makes your poison deadlier and more efficient.
I considered my choices, but eventually, the answer was obvious. For as much as I wished I could be a magician... I had no idea how to even see my own mana pool, much less use it.
Hence, I invested 1 point into constitution, and the remaining two into strength.
[Nameless] [Newborn Snakeling]
Age - 0 years
Level - 1
Constitution - 2
Strength - 3
Dexterity - 2
Intelligence - 1 (?)
Wisdom - 1
[Special] Poison - 4
Skills - (Bite Lv. 1), (Swim Lv. 1)
Immediately, I felt the effects of the investment. I felt pleasant tingles travel down my body as though someone was massaging me. It felt heavenly, but alas, it only lasted for a scarce few seconds.
When I came back from my high, I couldn't really tell the difference from before, unfortunately. Nonetheless, I eyes the juicy-looking egg next to my own.
It was a tad bit smaller than my own, and the snake inside it didn't seem to be even trying to escape it. Good.
I moved myself over to the egg, warily keeping an eye around me, afraid our mom would pop up or something. It was a stupid worry, but I couldn't help it. What I was about to do felt really, really evil.
Hesitating on how to proceed, I attempted to coil around the egg, barely managing to wrap around it once. Then, I flexed my muscles as hard as I could.
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The egg seemed to barely feel my attempts, but I didn't give in. As a marine biologist, I was far, far too aware of the incredibly miniscule chances that newborns of any marine species have at growing up. I didn't want to be helpless when I left this cave.
Thus, I chose to ignore the painful ache across my body and instead focused on pressing down on the egg as hard as I could. Eventually, I felt, rather than heard, a small crack form.
Encouraged, I pressed on even harder. My muscles were basically screaming at me by now, but i didn't give in. Finally, a minute later, the egg gave in.
A delicious-smelling liquid drifted out of the broken spot in the egg. With a vigor I didn't even think I had, I smashed my face against that spot, finally breaking through.
There was a disgusting-looking half-fetus, half-snake in the egg. I had little mercy for such a gross being, and with the delicious smell drifting out from it, I felt my instincts cloud my mind as I was driven to a frenzy.
I dragged the fetus out of the egg before taking vicious bites out of it. I would have eaten it whole, but it was a bit too big for that.
When I finished devouring the entire thing, which must have been at least half my own body weight, I felt as though waking up from a lucid dream.
I stared into nothingness for a few seconds as a couple notifications popped up at the edge of my vision, but I ignored them and considered what I'd just done.
I... Murdered something that hadn't even had the chance to be born. And... I felt nothing.
No disgust, no guilt, no happiness. I felt like an ampty void.
I truly was a monster.
Newborn (egg) Snakeling killed. Exp granted.
Skill (Bite Lv. 1) now Lv. 2
I felt incredibly sleepy now. My stomach felt full, and I could see my body bulging a bit from all the snake flesh I'd devoured. I settled myself down next to my egg as sleep gradually overtook me.
It was particuarly awkward because I couldn't close my eyes. Nonetheless, my mind eventually shut down, allowing me to drift into blissfull nothingness.
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Art of Mortality
New Synopsis after chapter 56: Long long ago, there was a mortal who despised the gods and envied the immortals. Why do the mortals have to die when the gods wish them to? Why do worlds have to perish when the gods say so? Why do only immortals get to live forever, why not mortals like him? As his family, friends, and his loved one died, he lamented. He wailed, he cried. He cursed the immortals, blasphemed the gods, spat at the heavens. But he was just a mere mortal. His curses were pointless, his blasphemous words were useless, and his spits only returned back to fall on his face. At last, he thought, enough was enough, he would definitely do something about it. He decided that it was time for the multiverse to know what a mortal can do. He was the first mortal to cultivate. Eventually, after a long struggle, he killed the Immortals, enslaved the Gods, and shattered the heavens. He reshaped the multiverse and rewrote his fate. In the end, he reincarnated as he decided upon a grand scheme, a scheme to rule 'All and Always'. He came up with the concept of what is known today as 'Paragon'. And with this, all of reality, 'All and Always', was finally reforming, according to a Mortal's Wish. Synopsis (Old): In the vast and complex multiverse, what can a mortal accomplish? In the grand scheme of things, what can a mortal change? In truth, what is a mortal, and what is mortality? Being mortal is being ordinary, the same as being trash, or so says The World. "No, mortality is an art, and a true mortal is a grand artist. Being the root of all, a mortal can become anything.", says a young mortal boy. Meet Edward Alexander, a mortal boy walking the path against gods and immortals, fighting to the end to rewrite his destiny, and change the grand scheme of things. Can he really change the grand scheme of things? Or maybe he himself is the Grand Schemer? To know the answer, follow Edward Alexnder on his journey to demonstrate the Art of Mortality.*******
8 162Magical Popcorn
There is nothing special about 15 year old Lin Ambros. She's never really excelled at anything; She's never won an award, nor has she ever joined a school club. Now just because she's gained magical powers, don't expect this to be one of those stories where she steps up and saves the day repeatedly. Ok, maybe it'll be sort of like that. But just once in a while. ??? The world is changing. Magic is growing and consuming. At the dawn of this new age, one can no longer afford the luxury of normality.
8 117Tree Spirit
The journey of a lonely Tree Spirit. Unceasing laughter, happiness, and bliss played themselves before it... before...him? But alas, he was only but a spectator relishing in their delight, their warmth, their care. When they went, darkness ensured. But, maybe he would find a place he truly belonged? A place where he would be cared for, and a place that he could be ...happy? ...But firstly, I'm a male okay. A proud male tree spirit. No matter what you do, that won't change! A Bl story... but mostly fantasy. The romance is still far away...
8 81Restless Night, Pleasant Dreams
I lived my life as a dream. Waking up to attend parties with those of my elk, sleeping with the bright and pretty, leaving behind many promises and lies. I woke up from all of that nonsense. No... it is better to say that I was— shock awake.. I watched my father die like a dog trying to protect my mother. I watch my mother take her own life after my father died. I clearly remember sitting in the steam carriage, nursing a hangover. Praying for this trip to be over. I clearly remember the amber eyes and twelve foot wing span. I clearly remember the sound of iron doors being ripped open as if it was paper wall. I clearly remember other drivers screaming and the sound of collisions and explosions as people rekt in panic of escaping. I remember the death around me and the fear that gripped me. The soul stirring feeling that sent me fleeing while my parents were suck clean of blood. I remember thinking, berating myself hours later. Gripping my hair, slapping my palms into my forehead, questioning why I didn't carry my tools. Weeks pass since that time.. My guilt is gnawing at me and this pain isn't something I like. I almost feel like the man in the mirror isn't me. The me I used to be. Maybe, if I take revenge. I can put these demons to rest? Maybe, if I put these bastard in a grave. I can be someone new? Maybe, after they all die. This mirror won't haunt me with their faces?
8 174Merigold Lee
[participant in the Royal Road Writathon challenge] Merigold Lee lives in Hakarth, where magic determines everything about a person's life. At 24 years of age, she has a plan - to become a Drafter like both of her parents, and spend her life quietly formulating the contracts that run society. In mere days, her magic will be Awakened. In mere days, her story begins.
8 208Forced Development (What does it truly mean to live a fulfilling life?)
To get things started I would like to admit that this story does not bring much new to the table when it comes to the over-saturated Litrpg genre in terms of things like mechanics and power systems. Then what exactly am I trying to bring to the table with this work? A nice slow-paced novel about people maturing and growing older think of it as the re: zero or jobless reincarnation of Litrpgs. A story that tries to take into consideration how a worldwide system would affect the economics and culture of a world. A story that is much more character-focused than the typical heavy progression-focused novels this genre is known for. The RPG system, like any good power system, is there to actually explore the themes of the story and not just as a plot device for characters to get stronger. This is a story where we will see the growth of the Mc from being a baby to when he dies of old age. With plenty of heart-racing actions and intriguing plot developments along the way. Exploring themes like; What does it mean to improve at something and what does it mean to mature as a person? How does magic, the constant threat of monsters and people so much stronger than the average joe that they can destroy countries affect one's culture both on the micro and the macro scale? How people are affected by the culture in general? Generational trauma Nature vs Nurture Talent vs hard work What is morality, society, and people's opinions on both? What does it mean to be human and what does it mean to be alive in the context of a world with multiple sapient species vastly different from one another in basic biology? All these questions are going to be explored from multiple angles using the system as a catalyst for those discussions. So if any of does questions sound interesting to you what are you waiting for, I'm sure you are going to love this story. PS - Chapter come out every Friday at about the same time.
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