There was a point in time where I would’ve considered myself generally safe around humans. In fact, any point in time that I needed to leave my house, I walked through crowds of them. I rode buses filled with them, and stood with them to my front and back in long lines.

I blended in, never more than a face in a crowd. Not really an individual, and no threat to anyone. The concept of humanity protected me, and I, in turn, protected it.

The only thing I would’ve ever been concerned about from other humans, unless they displayed a personaltiy which particularly bothered me, were rare things like the flu.

So pretty much, no risk to being around other people.

However, I wasn’t so sure these three people would see me in that “perfect stranger” kind of way.

Especially not when I was a killer reptile with teeth the size of a middle finger.

Heh. If that’s the case, if I were to snarl, is that like flipping someone off?

Anyway, looking at the situation, there weren’t really many options.

I mean, I could always abandon the sad sack of fur that was currently trapped in Santa’s black bag. But… the Gorlen was kind of cute, in a scared animal kind of way. And he hadn’t done anything wrong. Plus, if the humans wanted to eat something, they could go find a Deotrexaptor or something. I’m sure that scary-looking guy could handle a couple.

Hmm. The Deotrexaptors… What are they up to right now?

With the current levels of those three humans, there was no way I was going to stand a chance against them. Maybe I beat the brunette guy, but I don’t think I could fight a level nine and a level eleven.

That’s not even accounting for Savage Santa over there.

The clawed hand grasped desperately around the outside of the leather bag, muffled whining escaping the hole.

I drummed the dirt with my two upright talons. Moving them was coming easier now, anyway, so that was a plus.

Well. There wasn’t much else to do. I took a deep breath, gathering my courage.

Then I sprinted out into the opening, heading directly for the black bag.

Tap tap tap tap.

My feet slapped against the dirt, my head leaning so far forward I felt like I was going to fall over.

You’ve developed a new skill: [Sprint Lvl 1]

I didn’t let the box distract me, watching as my stamina rapidly fell. 120… 110… 100… I was almost to the bag. There was no way I’d be able to haul the little guy out of there, but maybe we could sneak away while the two squires donned their armor.

“Hey!”

It was not to be.

Savage Santa charged shoved a gauntlet into the other guy’s--Barlan’s-- chest. Then he sprinted at me. Great.

It’s okay, I reasoned. He has to make it around the pond first. I’ll have enough time to free this guy and maybe distract-- Ah!

A whistling sound followed by a thunk on the ground to my left announced the arrival of one of Santa’s massive knives.

Did he just throw that at me?!

A careful observation of the man confirmed that, yes, he did. He’d already unsheathed and readied another knife, taking aim and hurling it at me. I jumped to the side, the knife whistling over my head. My stamina was at 90 now...

I might’ve just sentenced myself…

This man continued to hurl knives as I reached the bag, slicing the rope around the top with my talon. Two black eyes gazed up at me through the opening and I kicked him a little bit, indicating with my head that he needed to leave.

Get busy moving, or get busy dying, gorlen!

The little furball started to climb out of the bag, and I turned to look at my attacker.

Thunk!

A wicked blade landed between my feet, this one longer and thinner, with a sickening bend throughout the weapon, like a snake. I turned to the man sprinting towards us, almost upon us now.

I turned to him, baring my teeth and waving my tail in the air.

I don’t want your toys, Santa! I’ve been a bad dino this year!

“Graaaagaa!”

Yeah… FYI, if you’re going to try to make a witty remark in battle, don’t do it as a dinosaur.

“No!” he shouted, arriving next to me, and unslinging his mace. I tried to slap him with my tail, but he bashed it away with the mace.

“Raaaough!” I roared, as shock ran up my spine, leaving my tail numb.

You’ve been [Crippled]. Your attacks with the [Crippled] limb will be 70% less effective. Your health is near critical! [67/200]

What!

Pins and needles ran throughout my body. He did so much damage, with just a single swing!

Is this is what a [Lvl ???] can do?!?

I jumped to the side as Savage Santa swung at me again, and prepared to run for my life.

Then I noticed the burly man wasn’t focusing on me. He dashed beyond me, and as I turned to see why, I noticed he was following the exact path of the Gorlen, who shuffled quickly towards the woods.

But not quick enough. The distance between them grew ever smaller, and as I prepared to give chase, two more voices cried out.

“Sir Grenzer!” Barlan called out, closing the distance to my position quickly. Shella stopped in place as she looked at me.

Your comprehension of [Yatten] has leveled up. It is now level 3.

“What kind of beast is that?!”

Barlan stopped in front of me, drawing a standard sword, and holding it out before me.

“It’s a baby... “ he answered, breathing heavily. “It’s a baby… uh… It’s a baby!”

I immediately turned, sprinting in the other direction, towards Santa and the gorlen. 80 stamina left.

“Hey!” Barlan called out, sheathing his sword to pursue. Shella started running again, but I was leaving them in the dust. It seemed only the knight was fast. Maybe it was the armor.

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

Miraculously, I caught up to the black-haired menace, using the new skill I’d learned from consuming the Deotrexaptor.

Your [Leap Strike] has leveled up. It is now level 2.

My talons wrapped around Santa’s shoulders, my weight fully pressing against him as I rode him to the ground.

“Agh!” he yelled as his face slammed into the dirt, his hands splaying outwards. “Saravani’s claw that hurts!”

He shoved against the ground in a push-up, regaining his bearings.

But I was already sprinting away towards the woods, swiftly gaining on the shuffling gorlen. 70 stamina. 60. I didn't know if I could make it.

My spine was still numb, but it didn’t stop the adrenaline coursing through my veins. I reached down to the three foot furball, and grasped his fur in my teeth. He squealed.

Sorry guy, you’re gonna have to handle this for a bit.

“Get back here, you thieving swine!”

Schlack!

…

What?

Suddenly, the ground was coming up towards me.

Pain erupted from my side, as the small knife sticking into it jammed into the ground.

Your health is critical! [32/200]

He’d finally hit me with one of the knives. I gasped, grasping it in my jaws, and ripped it out, spitting it to the side. I moaned through the pain, but I could only think about how I was going to die if I didn’t get away. I scooped up the gorlen who’d fallen in a heap underneath me, and sprinted into the woods. 40 stamina left.

You are [Bleeding].

No duh, I sarcastically thought to the boxes as I winced in pain. Just gotta get to the… cave…

I couldn’t feel much anymore, my senses dulling as my wound bled. 30 stamina.... 20... 10...

I managed to find the giant boulder that resembled Rexcelsis’ head.

Man if only he was here.

Stumbling, I crashed to the ground, falling through the leaves, and sliding down the slope, the gorlen rolling away into the cave with a whimper. No stamina left. Not much health either. A blazing 21 greeted me as I glanced at the magic boxes. I was going to die. With the little energy I could muster, I pulled myself around to face the entrance of the cave.

I tried to keep my eyes open as I moaned, but they were so heavy.

I stared up towards the leaves, my last glimpse of nature as my eyes closed.