Now trapped in the pipe, my kiln burns achingly, but I find myself too anxious to halt and inspect my condition.

‘If this direction has a way out, I shall be ever so happy. Let’s see: One. Two. Three…’

I employ my usual method to pacify my nerves until I eventually find myself at a stoppage. The pipe ends at another grate, and I have nowhere left to go. ‘Well, I suppose I am not going any further than this, unfortunately. I shall just have to wait here until the wretched rat leaves.’

Stopping, I bend my back awkwardly to inspect my kiln. I find the flame within has sunk from its resting size of a digit to the size of a barleycorn. [1] I run my index finger along the cracks causing a pain that is difficult to describe; it’s everywhere and nowhere. Rather than a burning pain, I would just say I simply have the impression that I am hurting—a much more profound pain than just a superficial flesh wound. This feeling is similar to eating, like tasting with the body rather than with my tongue. Rather than delightful, like tasting, though, it is more like a headache that affects my entire body at once.

‘Ah, now that I think about it, I am just a bit hungry again. Although not as bad as the time with The Bishop, it’s still there. Probably, because the wretched rat took a piece of my cattail.’

Staring at the shell of the kiln for a bit longer and feeling the pain, a thought comes across my mind.

‘Earl, will this heal as normal? This is not permanent, right?... I recall the ‘Chronicles’ said “-100%” or something of that sort.’

Earl Interface:

Oort Stained Tower Glass Kiln Guide

Repairing The Shell

A young Kiln must be within their Domain to Mend their shells. Therefore, outside of the Domain, Mend Rate will remain at -100%. However, Kiln’s rate of repair inside their Domain will typically far outpace organic lifeforms.

To my relief, a wall appears. ‘Aye, it seems as if many things are linked to the seed or Domain in some way. Is there anything else thou believe I might need to know Earl?’

Earl does not answer.

‘I suppose I have to ask a question before you answer? Is thou not capable of understanding when information is important?’

Earl does not answer.

‘I am curious if Earl can ever be more… helpful in the future. Not that he is not, but perhaps he could at least be talkative? Oh. I just recalled my Sturdiness increased. Would that help my Durability? Earl, please display my status.’

Studying the ‘status’ carefully, I find my Durability at 16.5, Shield at 87.5, and my Erysichthon at 15.

‘I feel as if someone could potentially kill me by total accident at this moment. Having increased it earlier, I believe I have confirmed Sturdiness is responsible for my Durability, and I really should ponder ways to increase it. I pray that damaging the Shell is not the only way to achieve that.’

My gaze turns toward the direction from whence I just fled. The wretched rat seemed enraged, and I do not plan to attempt to escape until I have waited for a while.

‘Mayhaps, I should take a bit of time to earn my last two stat points. I suppose Agility and Strength are my current most important stats, and the simplest to acquire.’

So in the tiny pipe, I engulf some rocks and start banging the cattail against the wall. I have nary an idea of how long this shall take, but once complete, I will see about fleeing this place.

+1 Strength

+1 Endurance

Strength is at its current max value for your current level.

0 Stat Points Remaining—Increase level for additional points.

One of the Cosmic Systems blue walls appears to my relief. It has been multiple hours since I began attempting to increase them. Although I do not get physically tired, my mind is fatigued. A type of fatigue that causes me to be clumsier and have some difficulty keeping my mind focused on the task at hand. Still, I notice my mind has relaxed slightly when I received the stat points a moment earlier.

‘Endurance and not Agility? A bit disappointing. Since I do not get physically tired, does that imply that Endurance also affects the mind's stamina? I hope it is not worthless.’ My eyes sweep across the base of the blue wall, where the Cosmic System informs me that I have zero of the wonderful point things remaining. Additionally, it mentions the only way to require more points is to increase my ‘level’ which I recall my Status, stating I needed to ‘progress past embryo.’

‘It would seem this is as powerful as I will be able to become at the moment. I do not believe I can directly face that disgusting rat. I simply need to escape this place and take refuge among the trees.’

However, the Cosmic System proves me wrong just after that thought.

Achieved Interim Prehensile Whip [Grade 5]

You Have Shown Enough Ability to Rank A Interim Skill to the Novice Rank

Please Select One Below

Beta Entities Are Guaranteed Knowledge Based On Their Choice

[Novice Prehensile Whip]

Continue down the path of an appendage built around practicality and efficiency—an excellent choice for those that want an extra hand rather than a simple weapon.

[Novice Feline Whip]

A rare offshoot of the “Whip Arts” skill. For someone or something that is interested in the beauty and elegance behind the art of the whip. Focus is on dexterity and precision strikes rather than raw power.

[Novice Serpentine Whip]

Similar to the Prehensile skill, but more focus on power and heavy blows. A rare skill for mammals to possess as it is typically only seen in reptiles and larger creatures.

‘Oh. The Novice rank of the whip skill! Three choices as well? Hmm, Feline Whip, and Serpentine Whip, both seem more suitable for my future needs. They seem more for combat than the Prehensile Whip skill. Well, in all honesty, the Feline Whip is very tempting, but in terms of my current haphazard fighting style, Serpentine is better. However, according to that note, it says I shall be “guaranteed knowledge.” If I am granted knowledge, then it seems as if the Feline Whip is the better choice. Also, with the tendrils, I feel as if I should focus on dexterity rather than power. Also, the cattail has already gained a lot of power from raising my Strength stat.’

Allowing time for my mind to rest, I read through the wall carefully and several times over. A few more hours pass as I do naught but stare at the wall.

‘With the tendrils, if I change my focus to one of pure power, I feel they would never be able to reach their full potential. Not to mention, the cattail is not like a tail from a large creature; it is naturally more dexterous… Aye, Feline Whip it is.’

Congratulations!

You have earned the “Novice Feline Whip” skill.

Prepare for memory upload.

Pictures flicker into my mind, images of myself. It is almost like memories of something I do not recall ever having experienced. The memories are not vague, but as clear as if I really did have such an experience.

Across from the person that mirrors me stands an expressionless person. My double raises their cattail, and the tendrils split, seeming a bit thinner and more tangled than they do when I use them. Their cattail strikes at the person across from them, striking their joints with precision. The person’s leg snaps, and their fingers break under the preciseness. Finally, the cattail shoots toward the person’s face pulling one of their eyes from the socket. The memory ends.

‘That was, how should I say it… a bit grisly. It also was not painful like Earl’s foolish “force knowledge.”’

I spend some time practicing with the cattail. Remarkably, I find that some things seem more natural than they did before. The most significant is my control over the tendrils. I find that I can thin and flatten them, making them appear to have sharper ends than they actually do.

‘Aye, I believe I am ready now. Let’s escape this wretched, filthy place… I shall miss the elderly rats, though.’

With naught for me to accomplish here, I crawl back through the pipes. Arriving a while later, I peer at the damaged grate.

‘The wretched rat does not seem to be here anymore. I should be cautious to ensure that it is not simply waiting for me to exit the pipe. Aye… One. Two. Three. Four…’ I listen carefully while counting. ‘Two-thousand… Still nary a noise, so let us attempt escape, shall we Earl?’

Again, I squeeze myself through, except this time, the shell passes effortlessly due to the bars being bent earlier. Very slowly, I drift toward the end of the pipe and glance around.

‘So now I shall very carefully and very quietly... flee for my life!’

Immediately I jump from the pipe and begin running. Moving as fast as the haze is capable, I drift through the halls toward the exit where I had spotted the trees.

‘This way, and then there will be a hall of brick. After that, there is some cracked stone. Then I shall be safe.’

Passing the cracked stone, an old, decayed ladder to the surface comes into view. ‘Aye! There it is! Oh, dearest ladder, how I love thee!’

“Squeawr!” the wretched rat half squeaks, half roars.

‘...Nay.’ Turning my head, the wretched rat is there, sprinting toward me, swiftly gaining ground. ‘Why? Why does thou care so much about pursuing me!? I have done naught, but bestow a new existence upon thou!’

Reaching the ladder as fast as possible, I ascend while unraveling the cattail.

“Squeawr!” The wretched rat reaches me and swipes at the already corroded and worn ladder. With a loud bang, the bottom of the ladder breaks, cascading to the stone below.

‘Dearest ladder, nay!’ I discover that the ladder is not the only casualty of the rat’s attack, but my own feet have also been obliterated. Without my feet, my progress comes to a standstill. ‘I do not wish to die; I do not wish to return to the dark!’

With my cattail unwound, it quickly ascends toward the surface and latches onto the uppermost step.

“Squeawr!” the wretched rat squeaks, spewing bile from the sores that cover its body.

Now without legs, the cattail draws me upwards, yet again, I dangle as if I am still suspended from the willow tree, and all of this is a dream.

Having recovered its wits, the wretched rat stretches its back, swiping at me again. It manages to take all the haze below my knee; however, some of the haze manages to find its way into its open maw and exposed eyes. It squeals as the haze burns its throats and eyes.

‘I am nearly there!’ Advancing to the top step, I hug the ladder with both arms to hold myself steady. ‘Ha! Rat, one day, I shall return to crush thou for thy transgressions!’

I raise the cattail, planting it firmly against the plate, I am not certain if anyone is above, but I do not care.

‘Fare thee well, liver-eater. If I were capable, I would laugh evilly at this very moment!’

With the full force of the cattail, I strike the metal plate.

**Ding.** A small noise echoes into the chamber pot tunnels below.

‘Wha—’

I strike once more. **Ding.**

‘What. Why will it not budge!?’

My gaze moves downward toward the squeaking rat, rubbing its eyes into the murky water below to clean them. My time is short before it recovers from the haze’s effects.

‘Nay! I am not going to die again. I refuse to go back to that dark place because of a wretched rat I accidentally created.’

**Ding. Ding. Ding.** I strike the plate over and over.

“Hey, did you just hear something, mate?”

“Yeah, I thought I just heard somethin’ knocking against the manhole cover.”

If I had a heart, it might stop at this moment. ‘Someone is standing on the plate!’

**Ding. Ding. Ding.** The cattail beats against the plate as if it is an animal trapped in a snare.

The wretched rat, now fully recovered, leaps upward and swipes at me again. This time it takes my thighs.

‘Get! Off! The! Plate!’

“Knocking against the manhole cover, ya sure?”

“Yo, anyone down there?”

‘Art thou utterly deaf!? Move! Move!’

I strike the cover again. **Ding!**

“See there it is again!”

“Mate, that’s probably just a rat. Come on. We should get back to the dorms before that cold front blows in with the blizzard tow.”

“We’ll be back way before that.” A knocking sounds from the other side as someone seemingly taps against the plate. “If it’s a rat down there, don’t do anything!”

Frantically, I beat against the plate—repetitious dinging noises reverberates. **Ding! Ding! Ding!**

‘Good lord! Prithee! Cease speaking! Remove thyself from the plate this instant!’

I continue beating against the plate, but it is as if an entire palace sits upon it. **Ding! Ding! Ding!**

The wretched rat leaps again. This time it takes my hips before falling to the floor below.

“See, not a rat!” The voice on the other side laughs, “Now move the damn car so they can come out.”

‘I am going to perish! I am going to die again!’

A sigh comes from above. “Alright, don’t get your knickers in a bunch. Probably just a sewer worker. Still, if anything, but a person hops out of there, you’re on your own, bruv.”

‘Stop chatting about whatever knickers are and move! Pray thee! I am going to perish in these waste-filled tunnels!’

The sound of something rumbling above vibrates as I do not stop trying to free the plate from its prison. **Ding! Ding! Bang!**

A miracle occurs when the metal plate flies off at my last hit. The two men scream and jump back in surprise as I drag myself from the hole.

“Ah! It’s the girl from that movie!? The Rin— ...The Circle!”

Simultaneously, the wretched rat leaps, grabbing onto the edge of the pavement while screeching furiously.

“Ah! I told you it was a rat!”

“You didn’t say it was a fuckin’ titan-rat! It’s the size of a damn bear!”

Stepping back, I gaze upon the rat, noticing the eye I struck earlier now looks infected and swollen. Recalling the memory given to me by the Cosmic System, I raise the cattail, preparing to retaliate.

The tendrils separate and thin. Immediately, I send the cattail barreling toward the wretched rat's infected eye, where the tendrils slip into the tiny space between the socket and eyeball. Firmly in place, a blood-red haze starts to stream down the length of the cattail as tendrils enclose the eyeball and scoop it from the socket.

In pain, the rat releases its grip upon the gray stone. A strand of nerves and muscles unravel from the rat’s eye cavity until it snaps, leaving the eye engulfed in the cattail. The sight is rather horrifying, and for a moment, I oddly feel a bit of tingle where once I possessed eyes. Now wrenched from the rat’s socket, the cattail sucks in the eye's nerves and muscles, dissolving them into a fleshy white and red haze.

A beautiful purple wall appears before me.

Earl Interface:

Absorbed ‘Putrid Sewer Rat Eyeball’

Reduced Erysichthon value by 5

Essence Absorbed 2.

0.2 Refinable Nebula

0.0 Refinable Vitrum

‘That much Essence for one eye? More importantly. Huzzah!’ I raise my arms high while using the cattail to slide the metal plate back over the hole. ‘I do not know how, but I survived!’

“Bloody hell! What the fuck just happened!?”

‘Who..? Is someone speaking in a silly accent?’