Velasteros’s last memory before collapsing was successfully killing the demonic monster and laughing while her body painfully broke down.
Positives: She was deeply happy about murdering the demon. Who told that bastard to mess with her! If it just minded its own business, it would be alive, and Velasteros would be nice and healthy. The second positive, Velasteros was pretty sure she had levelled up.
Negatives: Last time she checked, she was dying. Not fun. And she was still unsure where to find the exit to the damn cave.
Time passing is such a weird concept. I knew what a day was thanks to my previous life, but what decided how time was managed? People? Gods? The World?
Velasteros’s thoughts drifted between different ideas she was curious about. Fading in and out, was this the dying process?
No… I feel like I would have already passed if it were. So I am alive? It would be great if I awoke then.
Finally, she felt a tug, and the spring of her mind flooded with feelings that pushed her consciousness back to the surface.
Keh! What!
The high rush of emotions left the scorpion in a confused state as her body felt tingly.
When she did, the scorpion was welcomed with the familiar cave that it passed out within. Before she could even examine herself, the corpse of the grey demon crystal monster lay across the ground in front of her, stealing her attention.
After a brief moment of pause waiting for the possibility of anything, she calmed down when nothing happened and appreciated there was a snack waiting for her when she awoke.
{Alert: The user has awoken. Playing pre-registered announcements.}
What, what…
The world wasn’t letting the scorpion process anything as she was slammed with more information.
[Voice Of Guidance]?
{Inform: The following messages will be played the moment the user has awoken.}
{Inform: Message One. The user has been asleep for approximately ~two~ days.}
{Inform: Message Two. The skill [Voice Of Guidance] will disappear twenty-four hours after the user has reached [Level 20]. In the case the user hasn’t awoken until after this skill disappeared, prerecorded messages will play upon the return of consciousness. Upon reaching [Level 20], [Voice of Guidance] used additional resources and placed points into [Vitality] to ensure survival. The probability of survival without interference was 70%. However, the chance of no lasting injuries that would impact evolution was only 20%. The method to ensure the best outcome for the user was taken.}
Cruel… The scorpion, for some reason, felt like she had been stabbed. She couldn’t explain this feeling. She clearly hadn’t been wounded on her chest with a piercing weapon…
[Voice Of Guidance] was only a skill, but it was the first entity that Velasteros had ever spoken with.
Velasteros knew the skill would disappear, even against her wishes, but… she didn’t know how to convey it… She still wanted to say goodbye.
{Inform: Message Three. Upon opening your evolution options, additional messages will play explaining the details of each option. Each evolution will provide new available skills. However, the user will still gain available skills based on fighting style, stats and already existing skills.}
{Inform: Message Four. The user has unlocked a new skill [Thrust].}
Oh, you're right. The scorpion chose to be happy. The new skill [Thrust] had appeared; she assumed it acted similarly to [Crush] but with jabbing attacks. She figured it manifested after using her stinger a lot during the end of the fight, along with prior hunts.
Then everything went silent again.
To hear its voice again, I will need to open my evolution menu…
Available Evolutions – [Obsidian Scorpion] [Tyrant Scorpion]
Available Evolutions – [Crimson Scorpion] [Toxic Scorpion]
Available Evolutions – [Amethyst Jewelled Scorpion], [Earth Scorpion], [Black Crab Scorpion]
The evolution menu reminded her of the original Available Skill list. A split between certain evolutions.
{Explain: The–}
Velasteros listened to the skill’s final words and understood that [Obsidian Scorpion], [Crimson Scorpion], [Tyrant Scorpion] and [Toxic Scorpion] all seemed like powerful options. However, even without [Voice Of Guidance] telling her, she could feel the influence of [Obsidian Tyrant Empress Remains]. Even if they weren’t created from that skill existing, the skill was still trying to influence them in a way she didn’t like. And it terrified Velasteros.
{Explain: [Amethyst Jewelled Scorpion] is a scorpion monster that has crystals that store excess life force on its body. An evolution based on environmental factors.}
{Explain: [Earth Scorpion] is a scorpion monster that excels in the manipulation of earth. They live in the underground, sandy deserts, and mountains. They also specialise in digging and making traps. An evolution based on intrinsic factors.}
{Explain: [Black Crab Scorpion] is a scorpion monster that has traits of crab monsters. They possess large, powerful pincers that can crush most things that get caught between them. An evolution based on intrinsic factors and actions.}
Each evolution had advantages that made me consider choosing it. And a small part of Velasteros became worryingly curious about the strength of [Tyrant Scorpion] and [Obsidian Scorpion]. So she mentally whacked those thoughts back into place.
Unless I can’t find another way out, [Earth Scorpion] is the evolution I like the least.
The benefits were cool, but Velasteros just wasn’t interested. [Black Crab Scorpion] was the evolution that was influenced by her actions the most. Her pincers' primary purpose was to grab prey so she could sting them. [Crush] allowed her to use them more as a weapon, which has been the reason for winning some of her previous fights. She theorised it would also give the biggest growth to my physical abilities.
The [Amethyst Jewelled Scorpion] evolution interests me. From its basic description, it will allow me to store energy for later use, well, ideally. It doesn’t actually mention in its description that I can use the stored energy… and I can’t ask Voice either…
Normally, entities would only have the name to base their choice on, and Velasteros began to feel some of the struggle most had when making these choices.
I… can wait for a moment.
Name: Velasteros
Species: [Black Scorpion] [20/20]
Stats: [2]
[Vitality] - 35
[Strength] - 32
[Endurance] - 18
[Intelligence] - 74
[Wisdom] - 27
[Agility] - 10
Skills: 3/3
[Crush] Lv7
[Barrier] Lv2
[Force Pull] Lv12
Everything had levelled up quite a bit, but all the points that had been drained for [Vitality] hurt. She understood it was necessary, but still. Well, I’m alive; I shouldn't be upset.
She wanted to wait, but there was deep pooling fear bubbling; what if she ran into another dangerous monster?
Velasteros tried to calm herself. If there were other monsters around, they would have attacked me while vulnerable. Even though that was just wishful thinking.
Continuing where she had left off, but on guard at all times.
However, the world had given her a moment of true peace.
Wooosh…
Then she heard a sound, something flowing, smashing, turning…
Water?
Her legs took control of her mind. Running as fast as she could, until finally seeing what caused the sounds. Breaking through a massive hole of light, the world laid itself before her. Water washes over her hard shell, but she didn’t mind the feeling. The flow of water split slightly by a large rock on the ceiling. It was a waterfall; it was her escape. The light of day proved it, as she could see at brief moments through clouds in the sky.
It was the outside, and it made Velasteros’s early worries feel like insignificant dust on the wind. Free from concern, her evolution began.
Light engulfed the body as she slowly grew. Then, after an hour, the progress was completed. Pain surged through her body throughout the whole experience, but it wasn’t anything she couldn’t handle.
One and a half times bigger than before, with purple gemstones covering her back and tail. A small, sharp bit of crystal on the tips of her pincers. The eyes remained orange but appeared brighter than before.
Name: Velasteros
Species: [Amethyst Jewelled Scorpion] [20/50]
…
Skills: 3/6
[Crush] Lv7
[Barrier] Lv2
[Force Pull] Lv12
[Unoccupied Slot]
[Unoccupied Slot]
[Unoccupied Slot]
There were no immediate stat changes, which surprised her but the three new skill slots were a welcomed surprise. Still, no extra skill.
Available Skill - [Obsidian Tyrant Empress Remains]
Available Skill - [Amethyst Gem Eyes], [Eyes Of Crystal], [Bipedalism Form], [Stealth], [Quiet Killer], [Enhanced Venom], [Stone Shell], [Thrust], [Reinforce], [Gravity Shift], [Crystallise], [Fire Magic]
These can wait for a moment…
Velasteros observed the surface world. Everything about it was so strange... the world around was no longer just stones and rocks; there were... trees...
I... know what these are...
It felt like intrinsic knowledge; she didn’t know where it came from but held no current interest in discovering why.
The scorpion scuttled around the light green grass that covered the uneven terrain between the trees. Nature's beauty revealed itself to her and she was enamoured. Whether this fleeting feeling would vanish or blossom into another magical thought had to wait for time to determine, but for the moment, Velasteros was happy.
The texture of the leaves and grass were a new experience. Some were soft to the touch, while others felt rough and jagged; a few tried to prick but were blocked by her shiny shell. It pleased Velasteros to know that plants were of no threat. Their spiky attempts were left in vain after facing the power of a mighty body.
“Ker, click.” The proud scorpion mused as it snipped away at the vines blocking the path. The fact that the world changed so much after such a short journey was marvellous. The colours of the plants and how the terrain created small holes and formed small lakes. Everything was so new and interesting!
“Oh, another creature, how lovely.” The sarcastic voice sighed, and Velasteros became cautious as she didn’t know where it came from. She was simply walking, and now her body tensed up.
The scorpion scuttled around in an attempt to locate the voice. There was a deep concern that whatever this sound came from was a threat, but Velasteros chose to focus. She wouldn’t be caught off guard.
“...An old but young soul, how strange.”
The voice sounded like it came from behind her, but then in front.
How disorienting.
“A mind that has grown too fast without the proper safety rails tends to be unstable and obsessive.”
“I’m neither of those things.” The scorpion clicked its pincers, proud that it had avoided those traps. It might have gained a lot of [Intelligence] quickly, but it was by no means unstable or obsessive.
“It can speak; how lovely.” The voice sighed. “Not another annoying voice.”
Velasteros wanted to pinch whatever this voice was. How dare it call her beautiful voice annoying? Velasteros didn’t actually know what she sounded like, but she completely believed it was anything but annoying. She only just realised she actually spoke as well; she hadn’t tested that earlier.
Suddenly, she noticed a large tree.
…
“I’m the tree.” Said the voice.
“The…”
“Yes, the big one.”
How did I not notice that… If Velasteros were a betting scorpion, she would’ve bet that tree was never there. Good thing she hadn’t learned to gamble.