My stomach growled, but I couldn’t tell if the pain inside me was due to hunger, or if I was just lonely. It was strange, not starving considering this was my third day in this new world, and I’d only eaten some egg slop.

The thought of that delicious goop made my stomach rumble again, followed by a sharp pain in my left side. Okay, now I was sure it was the hunger.

Have you ever stopped to think about how difficult life without a convenience store can be? If not, let me tell you. It’s not pleasant. Having to find food is actually a lot tougher than you’d think. I ran across some wildlife throughout the day, but it was always something small, like an ancient squirrel predecessor or something. On top of that, I wasn’t entirely comfortable in my new body, so hunting would be a strange experience, especially without thumbs.

As a human, one might be able to find some vines laying around and tie them together to make simple ropes for hunting traps or something, but I was out of luck in that department. When I looked at my hands, tying knots was not the first thing I imagined them doing.

Actually, aside from providing balance when I ran, or maybe the simple action of holding something still, I didn’t know what to use my hands for. I’d have to try to find a use for them, but now I’d already been through two nights without eating, and the pressing hunger was my primary focus.

The hint of a heady scent caught my attention, and I drooled as I looked toward the source. My stomach blanched when I realized what it was, but I’d already rid myself of any projectile ammunition I might’ve had for now.

That delectable aroma came from the worm. Its open wounds dripped thick globs of green blood to the ground. It was getting dark, but I could hear soft splashes as the wounds leaked into what I imagined to be bloody puddles underneath them.

The Deotrexaptor continued to prowl around the worm though, seemingly unhindered by the gore it plodded through. As the raptoresque creature made its way behind the colossal body of the worm, I moved.

Swiftly, but carefully, I sneaked across the ground toward the worm. Toward the delicious scent of food.

Yeah, I planned to eat worm… meat? If it can be called that. Sue me.

Being sure to use the long grass and fallen logs as cover, I approached the worm. As the xaptor came around the worm once more, I crouched, pressing myself as flat as I could against the ground. The dino passed me by without pause, and a notification lit up in my view.

Your [Sneak] Skill has leveled up. It is now level 2.

Nice.

That was gonna be an important skill to level up. Especially if I was going to be performing more stealth missions like this. And although adrenaline was coursing through my veins, my heart nearly stopping every time the dark forest made a sound, I couldn’t escape a subtle feeling of joy.

For some reason, this life was the greatest game I could ever ask to play. Everything in this world was an unknown.

And everything in this world was a new experience, a new discovery. It was like playing a game with no access to the internet, a refreshing return to the days of Atari and SNES.

Even the pain I could feel was somehow exciting. As though giving meaning to the “game” so I could never become bored, there was something to fear. I could die.

The xaptor passed by once more, and I crept hastily toward the final trunk before the worm's body. The dark had closed fast, and I had to strain to see through the shadows. Once more, I felt a familiar pressure building up around my head.

New instinct? Yes, please!

I focused on the pressure, forcing my eyes to scrounge up any details they could in the darkness. As I did, another notification appeared in my vision.

You have developed your sight.

Congratulations! You’ve unlocked the [Nocturnal] Trait.

[Nocturnal]- Vision is less impaired by darker environments.

I would’ve jumped in the air with a fist pump but, being conscious of my surroundings, instead decided against that particular course of action. This wasn’t the time to celebrate.

As the shadows cleared away ever so slightly, I could definitely tell that my new night vision was coming into effect. The lazing sentry dino plodded around the corpse with a relaxed expression. He clearly wasn’t expecting any creatures to be foolish enough to try to steal from the pack. They must’ve been at the top of the food chain in this area.

I could tell now where the bored dinosaur was looking as I examined him. The feathers seemed to help camouflage his body effectively whether it was night or day. As my gaze rose back to his face, my heart stopped. He was looking directly at me.

And when he did, I froze. His eyes, even while relaxed, felt as though they were biting deep into my soul. I definitely didn’t want to get caught by that thing.

My stomach didn’t growl at all, either, probably quite aware of how severe the consequences would be if I were caught. It might’ve even been more aware than me... which is a scary thought.

The dinosaur that seemed to be staring at me blinked, twisted its head, and then continued on its patrol as if nothing had happened.

Your [Sneak] Skill has leveled up. It is now level 3.

Hey, I'll always take some free level-ups.

Your [Nocturnal] Trait has leveled up. It is now level 2.

The world became a little brighter.

You don’t realize how dark it is until somebody turns on the lights, that’s for sure. This instinct was definitely going to help me out more than I’d anticipated. I snuck forward carefully, as the xaptor once again passed around to the back of the worm, being sure to make no noise, and moving slowly. It was only one Deotrexaptor, sure, but considering my encounter with the one earlier, and after having seen what the pack could do, I didn’t want to deal with a level fifteen, not right now, anyway.

But I couldn’t run away. Not from this challenge. I’d already resolved myself to the deed, and even before that I’d determined that there would be no more “fearful flight” from my problems.

Besides, if my gaming experience was any indicator, massive level gains and loot await players ballsy enough to risk it all! And boy, was that me.

Online, in MMO’s and other games, I was always the player that screamed a war cry, running straight into the mobs of dragons, ready to slay them all, with no regard for my clan’s plans. And when my health dropped? At least I had chicken.

Plus, ninety percent of the time, I succeeded! And that meant first dibs on loot! Hah! This experiment would prove whether that reward logic remained true in this new world.

But if you’re going to actually live through that, and risk your life? It’s probably best to avoid that tactic. In a game, you’ll be sent for respawn instantly sans flawless execution.

And you don’t want to be sent for respawn in real life. To my knowledge… there uh… there isn’t one.

But still, I felt this burning desire within me to test the limits. Push the boundaries. To grow. To evolve!

Somehow, I managed to get up next to the giant corpse without the xaptor noticing. I’d waited until he was fully on the other side of the body before my hunger had taken control, and I made my mad dash forward, sniffing the worm upon arrival.

It smelled okay. Actually not as great as I’d been expecting given what I’d been detecting earlier. With the clarity granted thanks to being right next to the source, I could discern that, while the meat didn’t smell as good and delicious as that egg yolk, it still smelled delectable.

I reached out a hand, scraping a bit of the meat within the wound onto a claw, and slipping it into my mouth. The taste hit my tongue and ravenously, I consumed as much as I could.

Blood dripped down my face as I devoured parts of the worm, and I glanced back and forth to make sure the xaptor hadn’t returned. He had a long walk to go, especially at the pace he was prowling.

I examined the body as I ate.

Your [Observe] Instinct has leveled up! It is now level 6.

Giant Tree Worm [Corpse]

This body was once that of a fearsome beast, capable of taking on some of the strongest monsters. But it is slow, and weak to group tactics. Hunted by packs of Deotrexaptors and other agile creatures.

Oh! New information! Could this be from that level up? Or perhaps… do I know more because I’ve eaten it?

I kicked myself mentally for not trying to glean information from the corpse earlier, but there wasn’t much I could do about it at this point. So instead, I redoubled my efforts and swallowed even more worm meat.

I was beginning to grow full, surprising myself at how long it’d taken to do so, when a magic box appeared before me.

You’ve developed a new Skill: [Feast Lvl 1].

[Feast]

To consume the strong is a feat worthy for one called "dinosaur".

Grow in power, your foe devoured, and learn their roar.

[Feast] is a Skill that has no requirements.

Oh cool… A new skill! I guess it improves the more I eat? Or maybe feasting is a specific kind of consumption…

Your [Feast] Skill has leveled up. It is now level 2.

Check the box that says “always right” and let’s move on. It felt as though I could stomach a little more of the meat, or perhaps I was consuming it faster and it wasn’t registering with me. All I knew was that, somehow, I was still starving, and this skill was certainly going to be a useful one.

As I ate, I felt something burgeoning within my belly. My chest grew warm, and a tingling sensation flooded through my body. Then three notifications appeared in a row.

You’ve developed a new Skill: [Dig Lvl 1]. You’ve developed a new Skill: [Slam Lvl 1]. You’ve gained 500 experience.

Woah! What?

I didn’t have much time to process the three new notifications or to pull up any details, because my vision was once more filled with another three new boxes.

Congratulations! You have leveled up! X2 You are now level 5 [--/--]. Your [Health] and [Stamina] are restored. Your [Feast] Skill has leveled up. It is now level 3.

M-magic boxes! This- this is too much!

I processed the messages as they hovered before me, slowly dismissing each with an increasing sense of amazement. Was this why the Deotrexaptors placed a guard near the body instead of just returning for more later? Because consuming such strong monsters could grant skills and experience?

This mechanic was insane!

I giggled to myself. I was about to feast on this entire worm, and grow to untold levels! Fantasies of my small dino body growing to the size of a skyscraper and decimating cities blasted through my mind.

They will call me a god~!

There was one issue.

I was full.

In fact, I might’ve eaten too much. My stomach gurgled as I felt the uncomfortable sense of overeating build up inside.

Just to try to level up my Feast skill a little more, I crammed some more worm meat down my throat, but no new notifications appeared.

Instead, a burbling pressure built up in my chest, rising into my throat.

And I burped.

Loudly.

“Skrraaaaaawwwww!” came the howl of the Deotrexaptor sentry. Rapid footsteps came swiftly running back around the corpse.

I glanced around rapidly, searching desperately for a place I could hide. Sure, I could jump behind the fallen trees again, or perhaps press myself into the tall grass, but if that level fifteen was looking for me, there was no way I’d get away with it. And I couldn’t possibly escape that fast predator!

So I did the only thing I could think of, what's called a "pro gamer move", and without further ado, jumped inside the worm’s mouth.