Day 3

 

On second glance, the size difference wasn't as bad as I thought, but it might as well be a big snake! Especially if those spines had their way, I'd be a rag full of holes! Trying to smother its whole body as I had with the rat was not in the cards this time.

I'd rather not fight it at all...Oh, I know. I rapidly begin to fidget my rag body, like how a matador's shows a flag at a bull. I don't remember what this did to bulls, but I can't imagine this wouldn't look imposing to this sniveling insect.

"Hey, it's even working! the centipede is even walking backward, One two, One two, come on run you idiot!" It was backing up all the way, when are you going to leave, you stupid centip- Woah!

 

[Bzzzzzzz.] While I was busy flapping, the centipede crashed forward, intent to ram into me. 

Only at the last moment did I manage to fling myself aside, ending up in a crumpled heap while I stared at where I was previously.

[Bzzt-Bzz] The Centipede inquired inquisitively as it swayed its head from side to side, its antenna twitching. Once it saw me, it turned to face me as it began backing up to repeat its charge.

 

If it thought I was going to allow it to continue its thuggish actions, it truly couldn't comprehend my majesty. I prepared to jump once again and had a plan in mind this time. I waited for when the Centipede got closer, though she didn't need to wait for long.

Once it had set up, it wasted no time to spring its second charge, rushing towards Cloak. Invested in getting this weird flag to stop twitching and stay dead, gaining momentum as it closed on it. [Bzzzzzzzzzz.]

I waited, seeing it approach, all the while feeling internal terror continuously grow. Here goes nothing and I leaped forward, aiming at the biggest thing in my view, its head. With a bit of a dodgy landing, I land on its forehead, fastening myself to it as I push down its antenna. 'Ow Ow Ow!' I could already feel its mandibles tearing at my body in its terror.

 

The Centipede for its part began to rapidly devolve into panic once its momentum halted.

Trying desperately to remove it, growing more concerned the weird fabric was going to try to eat its face.

Pushing its mandibles further into the material, trying to rip a big enough hole to push it off its head.

 

Fuck it, I won't survive if I don't use this!

I clamp onto it close, as I wrench at the clum of energy within myself, using Soul Arts to apply [Paralysis].

Forcing the effect like a particularly annoying clump of clay as I splash the effect point-blank onto the Centipede.

It spasms, as its thrashing transforms into twitching instead, as its mandibles become unable to tear further. Left in a statue-like posture, waiting for its end as its terror grew.

 

I breathed a nonexistent sigh of relief...as I began applying pressure to its head, as I did not want to risk it thrashing while I did this. As I continued, I focused on Golem's Might, imagining the dirty jackhammers I saw in my old world.

Slowly compressing it further and further, I could feel its panic. Thankfully before the paralyzed could wear off, a cracking noise could be heard as its head was pulverized.

What I did not enjoy, was all the gunk that spilled out of its head as it was cracked open like a walnut. Covering me in its guts as I hear the status voice ring out.

I immediately forget all about the gunk as I listen attentively to the announcements.

 

{Race has Leveled Up!}

{Race has Leveled Up!}

 

'Yes, Yes-ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! I'm covered in fucking bug guts!'

'Get this shit off!' I screech mentally into the night, rushing towards the nearest puddle. 

Jumping right into it, I try to spin around in the water before I find that is awful for my omnidirectional vision.

 

It's like seeing the world do a barrel roll, thankfully I am not getting dizzy, but was still extremely unsettling to bear witness to.

I stayed still for a moment before beginning to scrub myself against nearby rocks.

Trying to scrape it off, though after feeling my torn-up body snag a few times, I try to be more gentle as I go about it.

 

Once I found my level of cleanliness adequate, I rushed back into the tent, careful not to disturb the occupant.

...That was a terrifying battle, I think as I examine myself while crawling along low to the ground.

Though I stop for a moment to take stock of how my body looked overall and being a bit unnerved.

Finding my rag body, which was already quite worn to begin with, had several more fingernail-sized holes punched through it.

 

...Scary, very scary indeed. While I was looking, I noticed that the threads at the edges of the holes were slowly weaving themselves together.

Good to know I'm not stuck with holes, I comment while I wander along the frozen ground within the tent, moving alongside crates as I continue my musings.

Compared to the rat that was a mere pushover once I had gotten to grips with my skillset.

That centipede nearly became a genuine disaster to deal with, even if I had managed to come out on top.

 

Though it was a stroke of good luck I quickly killed the centipede without alerting the skeletons nearby of our great and glorious battle.

Even with how I had paralyzed it with my daring strategy, it could have still made a racket with the bonehead in the tent.

Just imagining the commotion it could have caused gives me goosebumps about the consequences. Or they would, if I had any flesh to get goosebumps.

 

...Is this all I have for my destiny? Just to live in grime and dust? I begin to climb up a crate, gripping it with my entire body while heading towards the top.

I don't have any of the gang members to protect me, and I'm unsure how much battle and training I can do without someone to help me.

I want to keep surviving, and unless I can develop while I can, I won't be able to flee from this place with ease.

 

I need to get more practice and levels with my skills if I want to get anywhere in this place called...Eklipses I think?

I have confirmed that levels are both a reward and a marker of achievement.

So does that mean I should just aim to raise it as high as possible? But is that all I will do in my life, chase levels?

 

I stew for a moment, as I reach the top and examine my surroundings again, making sure no skeleton has entered as I notice something.

Moving my hand-sized rag body back and forth, watching how I move.

Dumbfounded staring ensues, as I realize something, something I should have realized when it started occurring.

When did I start crawling, slithering, and moving around like this? I remember that at the start I had discomfort.

Whatever, it's not essential at the moment, I brush the topic under the proverbial rug while settling my body flat against the top while finishing my thoughts.

 

It is good that I am surviving so far and it's obvious I will continue to do so, but is that all I want to do is survive?

To just crawl out from underneath scraps, and just take the remnants that others drop away?

Fight bugs whenever I come across them, for some easy experience?

 

'No. I want to enjoy my new life and all the best things this second life could be offering me. I don't want to be scrounging around for the rest of my life like the filthy poor child I was long ago. I left that life for good, for a valid reason.

I don't know what 'fine' things that are present in this disgusting, horrid, awful place. But I would not settle for less, only the finest will do for me!

That is what carried me to my position in my old life, and it will be what carries me forward in this one.

This is my declaration to the heavens! Just you wait, I will rise, rise I say!'

...

So, uh, where do I go from here?