The evening ended when Hans told me “Good night” and entered the little tent to sleep. The moon had only just risen, and the sun had only just fallen. The night sky was the sort of black that only could never experience living in the city, and the stars looked like glittering diamonds in the sky. There is something about the night sky that brings out the dormant poet hidden within all of us.

Staring at the night sky, I failed to notice the shadow looming above the tent.

The shadow was rather large, easily able to tower above the tent when standing on its hind legs, which it was doing at the moment. The arms were stretched out and the claws were all shining ominously in the pale light of the moon. The mouth was wide open, drool pouring out in unnecessary quantities. The claws and fangs, glittering together, formed a remarking dance of light which imminently captured my attention.

Without having even a split second to react, the claws descended upon the tent, shredding it to bits. However, it did not destroy its content. Inside, I could see Hans awakening with a shriek to the situation. Her eyes met with the beasts, and both became paralysed.

Whilst this exchange took place, I decided to attack in a more subtle and unseen manner.

My root slithered along the ground, invisible to the naked eye. However, as it came about a meter away from the beast, it stopped. I still had 5 E left, but my root must have stopped as a sort of defence. If I had no E at all, id be completely vulnerable, so I understood the decision. However, if that game of staring continued, I knew who would lose.

But, I had no long-range attacks. Sure, I had all those scent things, but, other than that, I had nothing.

I racked my brains and went through my list of abilities, finding nothing. I grit my non-existing teeth, forming my mouth into a bud.

Hm.

Hmmm.

Do I have to follow what my abilities do?...

No, that would be impossible. I can move despite not having the “ability” to do so. There must be something... Ah...

Aha!

This'll be dangerous, and I might die in return, but...

I don't have the time to think about this.

I brought back a sensation I had felt only an hour or so ago, as well as several weeks ago, when I was still Bob the human. I produced saliva.

It was very strange to feel my mouth filling up with a thick, water-like substance, but I had to get used to it. My mouth was still formed into a bud.

When I felt my mouth to be almost entirely full, I opened a small hole in the front of my mouth, and spat at him.

A long trail of the saliva flew through the air at surprising speeds and crashed into the beasts face.

- You have gained Acid Spit Lv.1. -

“GGRRRRAAARRR”

He turned to me, half of his face enveloped in a strange smoke. Now that I looked at it, half of his face was red. And bleeding. Oh god.

He started running at me, fumes following his face and his mouth twisted into an eternal “GRRAWR”.

However, he didn't get far before my root was around his foot.

Without a thought, I activated absorb in the most concentrated manner possible and tightened my root around the foot.

With a shriek not entirely unlike the one Hans pulled a few seconds ago, the beast fell before me.

However, it was not over.

My root followed along his leg, travelling further up while it spread out and absorbed slowly as to notdestroyy the leg entirely.

The beast tried to rise, but it was impossible. He couldn't move.

Within seconds, my root had enveloped his entire nether region. I felt a bit of sympathy for the poor guy, but, then again, he attacked first. If I didn't do this, we'd be the dead ones and not him.

But no matter my justifications and reasons, I did not wish to witness him suffer. And so, I let a root slither around his neck, and cut it off.

The head rolled for a bit but stopped about a meter away from the body.

- You have gained 20 Ep. You have now reached Lv.10. -

Oh, nice-, let me just...

But, before I could absorb the body, Hans stepped out of the shredded tent, looking rather frightened.

Her eyes travelled between the body, head and me almost frantically. She fumbeled through the shredded tent for a bit before returning with a candle. She set the candle on fire, and, in my dazed countenance, I forgot to absorb the body.

The light illuminated the surroundings only slightly, but as it had been black as pitch only a second ago, it was blinding.

She stared at the body. The roots coiling around it, the cut off pieces, the unsightly head... she was undoubtedly in chock.

Her gaze turned to me. It was cold, lifeless, frightened.

“Are you benevolent?”

Even her voice had turned cold and lifeless. I could only nod in response.

She looked down at the beast with almost sympathetic eyes.

“...We leave now.”

She started packing her things, and, whilst she was occupied with that, I absorbed the body. Not all of it. I suceeded in leaving a few pieces of meat which I believed could be cooked and eaten.

When she was done and all the remained of the beast was a puddle of blood and a few pieces of meat, I couldn't help but feel guilty under her judging eyes.

And so we left, carrying only a bag filled with necessities.