Looking at my status again I noticed two changes on it.

Just under my race was written [Stage: Infant] and my merit points increased accordingly

and now it displayed [100 / 10500].

Well I'm doing progress, before going back to the capital I want to at least change my stage once more.

Thinking that something was a bit strange I asked in my mind.

"Aiduth, I knew that I could mature rapidly by eating others thanks to my instincts.

But now that I think about it from another prospective, this is very strange."

I asked her, hoping to get an answer.

"That is because our first ancestor was initially a Xenomorph, and so our specie inherited this trait"

Oh she spoke! Every so often I try to make contact with her but she doesn't answer.

Then I proceeded with an answer I had from the first hours in my new body.

"Why do you always refer as 'we', who are you?" I asked her, very curious about the topic.

"You are getting too curious there, I won't answer this" responded her trying to look mysterious.

But her voice, the more she spoke, the more I was certain. It was very similar to mine.

Anyway it's time to pass on the next of target my hunt.

Still in my quadrupedal position, I focus on my senses and legs before resuming my search to locate new prey.

After roughly twenty minutes of search in the tall grass I sense something twenty meters ahead of me.

There are four figures resting there. I believe them to be a canine type of beast.

Grey and black fur, two long white fangs protruding from their mouths and razor sharp claws.

My chances to win a direct confrontation with them are pretty slim. But individually I think I can win over them.

Thinking so I decide to try my luck. If All of them will come from me, I'll just escape. I don't think they can outrun me if I boost my speed with the tendrils.

As I activate my stealth boost, I slowly make my way near them.

Just before coming too close, I unwrap my tendrls and extend them coming close enough to the beasts to notice them.

Before they can do anything, I concentrate my nano-energy on the tendrils. They start to intensively lit up emanating rainbow coloured light.

Seeing all this colours pulsating rhythmically against the darkness of the night was a sight to behold.

The beasts seemed quite puzzled more than vigilant on my little show. These strange light weren't doing them any harm.

Then they start to growl between themselves, and finally one of them comes toward my tendrils.

As he arrive almost to the point of seeing my body, I start to move backwards and doing so my tendrils soon began to retreat.

This specie of monster didn't seem very clever, as he continued to follow the dazzling lights.

I had to constantly adjust my speed to block the beast attempts to catch the 'lights'. After roughly two to three hundred meters, sensing no other beast other than the to of us, I decided to pass onto action.

I suddenly stop and with me my tendrils and as the beast saw this he came even closer, seemingly even more puzzled.

Then with a rapid motion I jerk out the tendrils hitting the beast in the eyes.

"OWOOOOOAH"

Howled the beast intensively from pain.

Then I quickly proceeded to wrap my tendrils on the beast neck to push myself faster as I leaped from the ground.

With the great momentum I had, I channelled more nano-energy on my tail and directing it towards the beast's torso.

I felt it penetrating deep into its flesh, as the extremity of my tail was very simile to a blade.

The monster even if blinded and losing copious amount of blood started to retaliate, overcoming its initial shock.

It started to bite and scratch whenever he could. Even if I was directly over its back small cuts and bite marks were increasing on my skin, small amounts of purplish blood gushing out.

As my tails ravaged its insides, trying to find the heart I infused my small claws with nano-energy. Glowing blue they penetrated the beast's belly, not reaching very deep but still making it lose more blood.

After less then a minute my tail pierced the beast's heart. It was already starting to become weaker thanks to the amounts of blood it lost before.

[Beast killed, 200 MP gained]

As the beast exhaled its last breath I sensed another figure coming my way.

It should be one of the other three, maybe they heard the howl of the beast at the beginning of the fight.

I quickly start to cut more and more beast's belly with my claws and tail.

In a matter of seconds I took out its intestines and guts, almost empting it.

Then I wrapped my tendrils over my forearms and coiled my tail around my waist.

Without much concern I stuffed myself inside the monster's abdomen.

It was indeed a bit tight in there, bearing with it I waited for my next prey to come.

Sensing its presence, I knew it arrived. I perceived its shock and even a bit of sadness.

Was that a beast pack or something?

Anyway, as it started to sniff around searching for a trail of the murder of its companion, I began to ready myself.

I slowly freed my tail, pressing myself on on the belly's walls.

I had to persist, to hold on and not be noticed.

The beast began to sense my smell. It slowly started to sniff over the body I was in.

Then its nose arrived near the cut belly of its comrade.

Squish! Squish!

Its paws drenched in blood stepped on the guts and intestines. As the beast noticed this, even if a little dumb it started to think that it was very strange for the belly to be this full, with all of its guts out of it.

Before it could do anything, only nothingness will present before it.

[Beast killed, 200 MP gained]

As my tail, enhanced with nano-energy, pierced through its skull. Sending it into oblivion for good.

Soon after I pushed out my tail, with the help of my legs. Then I started to eat whatever I could of the two corpses in front of me.

This area already started to stink of blood and guts. If not the animals attracted by the smell, soon the other two members of the pack will come.

Quickly munching on the flesh I counted roughly ten minutes and abandoned the meat here, to run out of this area.

I knew that remaining here more will endanger me.

Running straight for an hour I permitted myself some rest. Always maintaining my senses reaching out for danger I took a small nap.

"KIIEEEK"

I suddenly woke up from the pain. My body was growing and very rapidly at that.

After five good minutes I could feel my changes.

My figure now reached over 1.60 meters, a bit higher than the height I had when I was still a celidre.

Once again my muscles didn't increase much in volume, they became denser.

My tail got a lot longer, especially now the blade like extremity.

I could also feel my tendrils better, they got longer and denser, I think I can move them with more precision.

Finally, my skin darkened again. I was now black in colour, still tingling of rainbow coloured lights could be seen under my skin.