Hunter had an important skill point to spend. It was a special skill point because it was the last they would earn before they reached level 5, and could evolve into a better kind of Claw Centipede. They thought maybe the skills one had could effect what evolutions one could choose from. It was true that the hiding way was best for now, but it would be even more good if they could somehow fight strong monsters after they evolved. The only way this seemed possible was to use mana in a very strong way, because powerful monsters started out with bodies that were so much better than centipede bodies that fighting with stinger and claws could never be good. The mana way seemed like a thing that might be, but was much more likely not to be.

There were some skills that would be a little good, such as Tail Strike and Piercing Snap. The problem was that Hunter could not see how those would help against very strong monsters. They already had sting and claw snap skills with many levels in them, and in any fight that was a little bit dangerous it would be bad to use a skill with a lower level instead. So they would have to use new skills for their claws or stinger only in easy fights until those got many skill levels also. Only there was a problem. If they just used the skills they already had instead, then those would get better and be more useful in hard fights.

Hunter thought more. Their mind went on a long, long walk. One of the places it walked to was back to each monster they'd hunted who had core. Why did those condense cores when no other monsters Hunter found did? Hunter thought on this for a time until they found an answer. Monsters who condensed cores had very safe ways to hunt and grow stronger already, and so they did not need to evolve right away. If instead one was a Juvenile Emerald Monitor or Big Head Cricket or Claw Centipede Hatchling, then each hunt was dangerous. There wasn't any prey that was all safe to kill. So it was a big risk to condense a core instead of evolve into a bigger and more mighty kind of monster who could hunt more things safely. Hunter had decided to condense a core partly because instinct said it would be a strong thing with some time to grow, and partly because they thought they could find safe ways to level five more times without evolving first, because they were clever.

Hunter had been right. Their level was back up to four, only now they were a Claw Centipede Hatchling with a monster core instead of just a normal hatchling. This was even the second thing listed in their Status, and so had to be important and good.

Status

[Name: Hunter]

[Level: 4 (core)]

[Stats:

Might 11

Toughness 14

Cunning 26

Will 15]

[HP: 35/35]

[MP: 20/20]

[Skills: Pincer Snap level 4, Grip level 4, Deadly Sting level 3 (II), Sprint level 3, Advanced Survival Instinct level 1 (II), Advanced Stealth level 3 (II), Dodge level 4, Mana Manipulation level 5 (upgrade available)]

[Mutations: Infused Stinger +5, Tomosvary organs +2, Adaptive Camouflage Exoskeleton +5, Claws +2, Antennae +1, Eyes +2, Legs +4]

[Species: Claw Centipede Hatchling (Unguibus Scolopendra)]

[Skill Points: 1]

It was bad their antennae were still only +1. Those were a very good part, but each time they had biomass to spend other parts had reasons to be more important. The next two biomass they got would improve antennae to +2.

It was fine.

They returned to thoughts of monsters with cores and monsters without. If their thinking was right, then most of the big and powerful monsters with strong bodies did not have cores. Those were much larger than Hunter, and had much more might and toughness, but a core was a thing Hunter had that those did not. Monsters like Hunter who condensed cores had ways to get stronger that were very safe, and did not try to fight strong monsters unless they had a good trick.

Hunter thought about thinking. There was a problem with their thinking, and it was that it should not really be hard. Mana Shaping was a skill they could purchase that would let them get stronger without danger. They could practice it and not fight, which was not true of skills like Dodge and Deadly Sting. It was not clear in what way being able to shape mana would help them, but safe ways to grow stronger were just better than ways that were even a little dangerous. Forceful Mana was the other skill it was good to think about, but Advanced Survival Instinct said that one would not be so safe to practice until one reached a high level in Mana Shaping.

The good choice was easy. They should purchase Mana Shaping. Because they wanted very, very much for some other way to be good instead, their mind had made the thinking hard. It had been both very boring and very difficult to get Mana Manipulation to level 5. Mana Shaping would probably be even more boring and more difficult. They did not want to do it.

Hunter was a thinking centipede. They would always choose the thinking way, even if it was not fun or interesting at all, even if it made them a little sad. Being biomass would be worse than being sad.

Spend Skill Point. Upgrade Mana Manipulation to Mana Shaping.

[Would you like to upgrade Mana Manipulation to Mana Shaping?]

Yes.

Hunter's mind filled with complex patterns. To practice Mana Shaping they had to move mana from their core and shape it into those patterns. It looked very, very hard. They were not sure they could do it at all.

It was fine. They had time. Their stomach was very, very full and would not grow hungry for a time that was long. They would practice and practice and practice, even if it was very, very hard and very, very boring. It was a safe way to grow stronger. Safe ways were the best ways.

The big water in the above that was now below them would be a better place to practice. It was safe next to water in the cave, but in the time it would take to practice Mana Shaping, more piercers could come and drop down to kill Hunter when they left the water. This would not do. Thinking more on Piercer Cone Snails, Hunter decided to walk on the ceiling of the tunnels as they traveled back. That way none of those could drop down and kill them.

They moved in a safe and careful way away from the water and across the cave floor. Hunter did not know how piercers sensed, but thought it was probably not with eyes, which meant their Adaptive Camouflage Exoskeleton would not help too much. They wished a little that they had upgraded their antennae instead of their legs. Now they knew what scent piercer was, so it would be good to be able to taste them in air from further away.

When they got to the cave wall, they saw that another monster had thought to walk on walls instead of the floor also. It was one of the kind that looked like a heavy, squashed down monitor with spikes on its body. That kind had hides that looked thick and tough, but that would not be a problem because Hunter was the best at stinging.

Hunter had a full belly, but had not eaten of that kind before, and was curious. It did not look fast, and instinct said it would be pretty safe to hunt if Hunter avoided the spines. So they dashed up the side of the rock wall to attack.

[Sprint has reached level 4]

Prey turned around slowly. It was not as good at moving on a wall as Hunter was. When it opened its mouth though it looked like it had two long teeth that were also stingers.

Hunter knew envy. That was a good trick to keep small stingers in one's mouth.

It was fine. They just could not let it bite them. Prey was slow, and Hunter was careful. They tested how quickly it could dash and bite, and how it moved to make it hard to claw or sting without getting hurt by the spines on its body. It could not catch them, so Hunter had time. Finally it moved in a bad way that let Hunter sting safely. Hunter's venom gland was full, and they had spent much mana to make that venom good. Their core was full of mana again, so they had much to put into their stinger. It was a very strong sting.

[You have defeated Level 1 Spineta Lacertos]

[You have gained XP]

The biomass that had been prey fell off of the wall and onto the cave floor. Hunter ran down to eat it.

[You have consumed a new source of biomass: Spineta Lacertos, you are awarded one Biomass]

[Basic profile of the Spineta Lacertos unlocked]

[Spineta Lacertos: Thorn Lizard, spines are sharp and contain mutated venom.]

[You have gained one Biomass]

Hunter knew respect. That prey had only been level one, but was clever enough to have stingers all over its body and in its mouth. This was a very good trick.

Hunter now had two biomass to upgrade Antennae, which was good. To do so in a safe place they had to go back to the water in the cave, which was a little bit bad, but it was fine.

Nothing happened on the way back to water.

Spend Biomass. Upgrade Antennae to +2.

[Do you want to upgrade your Antennae to +2?]

Yes.

Antennae were a good but small part, and the feeling when they upgraded was very good but was also a little small. Still, Hunter was happy. Now all of their parts were improved to at least +2.

Because their part for scenting piercers was better now, Hunter moved in a still careful but faster way back to the place where the tunnel opened into the cave. They climbed the tunnel walls and walked on the ceiling. It felt weird at first to walk on a ceiling instead of on ground, but it was a little fun too. Soon it was not weird but was still fun. They found one monster on the way back down to the above. It was a monitor.

[You have defeated level 1 Juvenile Emerald Monitor]

[You have gained XP]

[You have gained one Biomass]

Hunter had planned to just go back to the big water in a stealthy way, but if biomass walked all alone right to them, there was no reason not to kill and eat.