Endless Evolution as a Centipede in a Game-Like World

-Evolution-

[Wings: 5 biomass to grow clear, transparent wings made of chitin]

Wings, huh? This was another evolution made available after hunting flies. Having wings would be extremely useful for hunting and traveling. After killing the flies and the ants, I had a total of 9 biomass left.

[5 biomass spent on wings!]

For a brief moment, I could feel a warmness envelop my back as two crystal-like wings were formed. It lasted only for a few seconds before the sensation diminished, but strangely, nothing else happened.

I was expecting a skill, but after waiting for a few seconds, I didn’t receive one. Seeing this, I tried flapping the wings, but nothing happened, and then a realization dawned on me.

These wings were extremely small.

Are they even capable of flying?

That must’ve been the reason I didn’t receive a skill. These wings weren’t capable of flying.

Dammit, did I just waste 5 biomass?

Well, not a total waste. If these wings weren’t capable of flying, then they needed to undergo more evolutions. I had to constantly evolve them with biomass until they became suitable for flying.

I had to collect more biomass, but for now, I decided to use the biomass I had for another purchase instead.

[1 biomass has been spent to improve vision by 25%]

[1 biomass has been spent to improve vision by 25%]

[1 biomass has been spent to improve vision by 25%]

[1 biomass has been spent to improve vision by 25%]

Instead of spending what I had on the wings, I decided to improve my eyesight instead. My antennae and legs were great for picking up information about my environment, but when it came to high-speed combat, eyes were far superior.

Plus, there was certain information that could only be discerned by the eyes.

Immediately as the biomass was spent, a warmness enveloped my eyes. The sensation felt strangely pleasing, and then after a while, it faded.

-New Skills Acquired-

[Lv. 1 Omnivision Sight: Passive that allows you to see in all directions at once. At level 1, you have 180° field of vision]

[Nightvision: Passive skill that allows you to see clearly at night]

As a result of my evolution, I gained 2 skills. And also, my vision was no longer blurry. I could now see clearly even though it was now night. This was the first time I was seeing this world, and as my eyes drifted to the sky, I was met with a pleasant surprise.

Floating high in the sky was a crimson moon, and beside it was the faint outline of another planet with a crystalline ring tracing around it. The sight was straight out of a sci-fi film.

The outline of that planet was faint, but the atmosphere was a light shade of purple. This definitely wasn’t Earth. Since I’ve been here, I’ve only been facing ants and birds, but now, for the first time, I was seeing something that seemed utterly unreal.

For the rest of the night, I wandered around, hunting for prey. The first prey I found was a moth perched atop a flower. Stealthily and carefully, I moved towards the moth until I was at the perfect range.

Then, without wasting a second, I sprayed my acid at the creature, which landed directly on its wings. In a frenzy, the moth tried to fly away, but with its wings melting, it slowly descended from the sky, and the moment it was low enough, I lunged at the insect.

[1 biomass gained]

I then excitedly continued searching for more prey, sweeping my antennae across the ground to pick up on any signs of life. After a few minutes, I finally sensed something.

No, this time, I picked up on two separate creatures. A strong vibration assaulted my antennae every few seconds. The sound was loud and powerful.

I had an idea of what was causing it, but I wasn’t a hundred percent sure. Following the vibrations of the air current against my antennae, I soon found the culprit.

It was a bullfrog, and in its mouth was a lizard trying to wiggle itself free. Blending seamlessly in the darkness, I crept closer to both of them.

Both would be tough predators on their own. Especially the bullfrog. They were a real menace.

Bullfrogs excrete a certain toxin from their skins that makes them poisonous to eat. It just so happens that centipedes were one of the few creatures that have adapted to their poison, making it possible to eat them.

Though in the wild, it is often the other way around. Bullfrogs were normally the ones who eat centipedes. This is because they are huge and have tough skins that make it hard for centipedes to pierce with their forcipules.

Though this wasn’t true right now. With sharp obsidian as my exoskeleton, I don’t think I looked very appetizing to any creature. This was another benefit of this exoskeleton; it meant I wouldn’t be actively hunted as food by some of my natural predators.

There is a reason why creatures like porcupines aren’t often hunted.

At this distance, my acid couldn’t reach them, and I couldn’t afford to get any closer or I would be detected. Besides, even if I did, the acidity of my acid wasn’t strong enough to affect the frog’s tough skin.

[1 skill point has been spent to level up Acid Shot to Level 2]

[2 skill points have been spent to level up Acid Shot to Level 3]

I spent 3 skill points I had to level up the skill ’Acid Shot’, leaving me with 3 skill points still remaining. Now the acidity of my acid had increased, as did the range that it could be shot.

Excited to test out the growth of this skill, I aimed at the bullfrog; then, when my aim was on target, I fired. The blast was much more powerful than it was before, causing me to jerk back.

GROA!

The frog let out a loud croak as my acid splashed over its bumpy green skin; melting through it with ease. In its pain, it released the lizard that was in its mouth, causing it to fall onto the grass below.

The lizard bolted away from the bullfrog, looking for the perfect escape, which just so happened to be a tree.

Predictable...

I knew this would be the lizard’s escape; that was why I set myself up perfectly. Emerging from the darkness, I sank my forcipules into the lizard, pumping the creature full of my venom.

The lizard’s body immediately went stiff as it was paralyzed, but I didn’t wait until it was dead before I began consuming it.

[3 biomass gained!]

The bullfrog, seeing this all happen, immediately hopped towards us, trying to knock me over with its giant body, but by using Serpentine Evasion, I evaded the frog just in time before spraying my acid into its eyes.

The frog immediately erupted in a panic as it tried to use its legs to wipe the acid from its eyes.

GROA!

Like surgical scalpels, my forcipules pierced through the frog’s belly, the softest part of its body. My venom took hold almost immediately, but with the frog having such a strong will, it managed to hop around a few times before my venom completely destroyed its nervous system.

[8 biomass gained!]

I took my time and devoured every inch of the bullfrog, gaining a total of 8 biomass.

For my first night hunting as a centipede, I did well.

As I was ready to curl up into a ball and call it a night, I suddenly sensed something. It was a strange energy that was hard to describe. It felt similar to when I evolved parts of myself. This strange energy seemed to be coming from the air itself.

Even my antennae began reacting violently to it.

Strange...

Following the sensation, I was led to the entrance of a strange cave. The energy became even more intense to the point where it was hard to breathe.

The air itself had become thick, heavy and suffocating.

For a moment, I wondered what this strange cave could be until my gamer brain finally clicked.

This wasn’t a cave.

It’s a dungeon!