My heart pounds in my chest as I run for my life, bounding through the cavern with a beetle on my heels. I duck, dive, and dodge numerous charges, tackles, and dive bombs as I make my way to the treeline. Man, this thing is agro! Come on, fella, all I did was break a stick! I mean, sure, it was broken during an attempt to kill you, but it isn't like I succeeded, so it doesn't count. Shouldn't I get a pass?

  The beetle, completely convinced by my silent argument, swoops down faster than before, stabbing straight through my ear, tearing the delicate membrane, and leaving a nasty, bleeding gash. Gah, I guess not. Run, Aria!

  I redouble my efforts, my legs a blur. I can see them now, the stout trees resembling salvation. It's such a beautiful sight. At least, I think they're salvation. They're starting to look a bit funny.

  At first glance, they remind me of inverted pine trees—wide at the top, narrow at the bottom. But the longer I look, the stranger they become. Their trunks are stark white, marred by small maroon splotches. Wide, flat branches jut out at even intervals, circling the trunks and giving the trees a slightly unsettling and almost synthetic appearance. The strangest features, though, are the leaves: long and twisting, like springs dipped in blood, complete with long 'tassels' hanging from the tips that resemble fresh blood drops. Honestly, they look pretty intimidating. I briefly consider whether or not plants could be monsters, but I squash that line of thought almost as fast as it pops up. I don't have time to worry about something that might not exist. If they are monsters, I'll cross that bridge when I get there.

  ...Please don't be monsters.

  The thicket is close now, but so is the buzzing. I don't glance back; no time to slow down. Faster, legs! Faster! Closer. Closer. Almost th—Aargh! Six razor-sharp legs lock onto my tail in a vice grip and pull. What the hell?! My head snaps around. The beetle, legs entangled, is trying to haul me airborne! Why, you sneaky bastard! In a desperate move, I turn in on myself, flipping the monster forward. Still latched to my tail, the beetle loses its aerial equilibrium and plummets, spines first, straight into the ground. A heavy THUD echos through the cavern as the monster finds itself pinned. A jolt of pain shoots up my tail from the impact, but I ignore it. This is my chance!

  My body coils, neck snaking out on pure instinct. First target: the legs. They dig into the underside of my tail, cutting and slicing as the beetle struggles to right itself. Damn you! Take this! With an audible crunch, my jaws snap shut on the nearest leg. Carapace splinters and cracks under my assault, but I don't relent. I twist my head, and with a sickening pop, the leg rips free, splattering green ichor onto my face. Disgusting.

  The monster lets out a horrible screech of pain, much louder than should be possible for a creature its size. Gah, that hurts. The sound digs into my ears, and I have to bite back the sudden nausea that washes over me. What is this, a sonic attack? I feel like my brain is going to dribble out my nose.

  [Hearing has reached Level 4!]

  Huh. Seems I'm right. Damnit, I need to shut this thing up! With my tail still gripped in the beetle’s remaining legs, I don't have many options. What can I do? Well, guess I'll try punching it.

  I push myself upright, my tail still trapped beneath me, and claw my way up the monster toward its face. Gripping the beetle's legs, I heave with all my strength to get closer to its mouth. Fortunately, my tail is flexible enough that it doesn't hurt much. The monster tries to screech even louder, but thanks to my improved hearing, I'm not as disoriented. I ball up my clawed fist and punch the monster in its mandibles. It sputters, clearly not expecting to be hit in the mouth, but I don't relent; I strike it again. And again. And again, until I am relentlessly beating its face in with my fists. After a few wallops, the beast releases my tail. That's when I swap to my claws.

  Gripping the beast's mandible in one claw, I rake the other down its face, puncturing its right eye. Another hideous scream tore out, weaker this time. I barely notice it. Another slash, another scream, another section of rent carapace. On and on it goes until finally, with a garbled wheeze, the monster goes limp.

  [You have defeated a Level 2 Ceratinus Missile Coleoptera. You have gained experience!]

  If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  [You have reached Level 2! One skill point awarded.]

  As the gruff tone of the Voice echoes in my mind, I sit, panting from exhaustion. I...did it. I beat a monster all on my own. I almost can't believe it. Disbelieving giggles escape my muzzle as I stare down at the eviscerated face of the beetle. Large hunks of carapace are missing, and both eyes have been torn out, leaking sticky green ichor everywhere. It's a grisly scene, but surprisingly, I don't feel much looking at it. Would a normal person be disturbed by such carnage? I feel like they would. Maybe I don't because of my shattered mind? ...Bah, doesn't matter now.

  I need to take stock before more monsters show up. There's no way all that yelling didn't get the attention of something in the tunnels. First things first, I need to get this food squared away. I need to keep my strength up, which means eating monster parts. Unfortunately, I don't have any way to cook it, so we're going complete monster on this one. Second: water. Not only do I need a drink, I'm going to have to wash out these wounds so they don't get infected. Third would be shelter. I'll have to make it myself since I'm pretty sure there's not a hotel around here somewhere. Huh, that's a funny word. “Hotel." Welp, add that one to the puzzle; I've got a job to do.

  With my plan set, I dig into my first meal on Pangera, starting with the legs. I have to get my revenge for my tail somehow, right? I pick up the leg I initially popped out, brush it off, and stare at it for a moment before popping the whole thing into my mouth with a crunch. I won't get anywhere by putting off the inevitable. I prepare myself to be revolted by the taste, but I'm surprised when a pleasant umami flavor spreads across my taste buds. It’s good—better than good, even.

  [You have consumed a new source of Biomass: Ceratinus Missile Coleoptera; you are awarded one Biomass.]

  [Basic Profile of the Ceratinus Missile Coleoptera unlocked!]

  And look at that; another nice surprise! I finally discovered how to obtain biomass, and the process is quite enjoyable. However, I still wish I could cook it. Perhaps there will be a chance to do that in the future. For now, it’s time to dig in!

  By the time I've finished my meal, wings and all, I have a sizeable belly bulge and gathered another two points of Biomass, much to my satisfaction. I should be able to make some substantial improvements to my mutations with these. Now, time to find something to wash this bug meat down with. I can see the edge of the creek through the thicket nearby; the blue glow contrasts sharply with the bloody red of the trees, significantly darkening the forest. I should stick to the shadows, just in case there's another monster.

  I step into the forest, staying close to the tall foliage and deep shadows as I make my way through. Occasionally, I pause to listen carefully, sending out echoes to ensure the area is safe before continuing. My slow pace means it takes several minutes to reach the creek, but fortunately, the surroundings appear clear when I arrive at the water's edge.

  Now that I'm here, the water looks strange. I saw it glowing from the cliff, but it seems there's more happening than I first assumed. Deep beneath the water's surface are bright, almost blinding, twisting, ephemeral glowing ropes of... something. They connect to the creek bed through thick pillars, swaying slowly as far along the creek as I can see. I wouldn't be surprised if these things extend the entire length of the small river. They don't look like monsters, so the water should be safe. Still, caution is key!

  Tentatively, I dip my muzzle in the water and begin to drink, watching the water for any signs of activity. However, instead of a monster bursting from the water to tangle me in glowing threads, I'm instead attacked by the water itself! One big gulp, and I'm yanking my head back in pain. Ouch! A deep, bubbling, burning sensation travels through my body with the water, settling in my stomach like a swarm of bees before slowly fading, taking the pain with it. What was that?! I might be two spokes short of a pinwheel, but I know water isn't supposed to burn, damnit! Did I just ingest an acid of some sort?

  I check my status, and it seems I haven't lost any additional HP since the battle. That's...strange. Was it all in my head? I glance sideways at the water, which is bubbling gently. ...I suppose one more drink couldn't hurt; it will help me determine whether I'm actually taking damage. If it is all in my head, I'm sure I can get used to it eventually.

  Dipping my muzzle in again, I take another large gulp, keeping an eye on my health the entire time. The same burning sensation invades my body, but I fight through it, determined to get to the bottom of this. After six large gulps, I pull back. I wait a few seconds for the burning to fade before determining that the water isn't actually harmful. I guess it's just...spicy? That'll take some getting used to, but I can deal with it.

  Thirst slaked, I move on to cleaning my various wounds. Thankfully, the water doesn’t cause much pain when applied to the multiple cuts and gashes, and I complete the task in less than ten minutes. Surprisingly, most of the wounds on my tail have already begun to close, and the initial swelling from the break has decreased as well. It seems like I'm healing nicely. I wonder if this is a part of my monster physiology. There are so many things I still need to learn about my body, but at least it's reassuring to know that I heal quickly. As I pull myself out of the water, I let out a tired yawn. It’s been a long day, so I think a nap is in order—after I set up camp, of course.