Hunting More Critters

The next few days Ryuji hunted the remaining group of the rabivores. He explored further west of the cave to see anything can be used. He was able to gather a simple spear. It was rather crude looking one, it had a small sharp looking item at the end. He made it using stones near the river. He attempted to practice carving it with to make it a bit sharp. He still wears the loin cloth, but he felt his life was much better eating bugs. He could eat meat now thanks to his encounter the other day, he knows that there is an abundance of rabivore on the western side of the river. Not much can be learned in devouring the rabivore after learning and . Probably these are bottom of the food chain in the forest.

He also started experimenting more on his magic. He learned several magic spells based on his , , , and . He was able to control , and much better than before. He thought that it would be better to use this magic. He also attempted some new magic by sculpting something from the earth, but it ended up half-way done. Ryuji thought of having to practice more, maybe he could create something out from the earth.

He also trained himself and Pyun-Pyun to be much nimbler and employed some tactics when doing their hunt. He does not have any formal training in martial arts, he only relied on instinct like he previously had back on Earth. He used to throw out hooligans during bar fights before. He is used to assist the other men for unruly customers for the establishments he worked before.

Pyun-pyun started to exhibit some tentacle like movements. He mimics whenever the goblin is doing hand movements. It's like saying 'Hey master! I have hands too!' Ryuji chuckled and found it a little adorable. Such round creature imitating like a toddler.

They hunted new fauna at the western side of the river they could not cross the eastern part which he can see some spring pools from the network of small streams at the river. Basically, he is at the edge area. Ryuji was comfortable with the western part for now because whenever he sees rabivores, he sees walking meat. They also picked up new kind of herbs and flowers, some resembled like berries, fruits and beaned vegetables, others resemble like it grew out of a horror film like which is similar to a Sundew, it twirls to small insects trapping them and digests it from the outside, and the which is a rafflesia that walks and uses it roots to ensnare its prey. Luckily, its half the size of his slime and resembled like a melon which means it could not eat him and Pyun-Pyun.

The other day, while they hunted and killed successfully their third rabivore that morning, Ryuji and Pyun-Pyun was approaching their kill as it was near a dead tree stump filled with vines all almost covering the top part. They normally approach the vines when they heard a hiss followed by a multitude of similar rattling noise. Cautious with the ominous sounds, Ryuji scanned his surroundings as Pyun-Pyun moved closer to his master. It jiggled nervously.

Ryuji raised his vigilance. He has not deactivated yet but such sound cannot be found on the ground, but his senses were triggering his nerves like he was in danger. "Pyun, store the carcass." He whispered his order, cautious that it might trigger from the sound.

The slime swayed left and right as if protesting his master's order. Ryuji saw this and still on guard. He continued to look around, but he could not see anything amiss at the moment. Suddenly, a nearby rodent-like creature suddenly moved from the tree stump it looked like it was running for its life but was caught by a long green vine. Ryuji looked at the vine and held his hand to .

A voice chimed, .

Ryuji's pupils shrank. Based on what heard saying about 'venom', 'offering' and 'dead tree stump', he could feel great danger, they already have those three snakes present and judging the situation he could not calculate if they can defeat such foes all together. Numbers wise and potent venom plus the vantage point on top of the trees are stacked against their movements. Maybe that is the reason why this rabivore is very aggressive and did not dare to run on the other direction even if it had the skill. It was most likely fleeing from this slithering death trap.

Their rabivore spoil is dangerously near a tree stump. Something moved that caught Ryuji's eye. After he noticed the first green vine pit viper. He instinctively looked above and saw similar slithering movements which made him nervous. He did not know whether to laugh or cry at the moment. About three smaller vipers dangling above making its way to the tree stump behind the rabivore carcass aside from the first snake that he saw. He is not sure if there are more within the tree stump which made him shiver. He was not a fan of snakes during his earthly life which were confined with terrarium, more so he is not a fan of snakes right now that could easily without the glass barrier.

Luckily, snakes have not noticed them. Ryuji was contemplating about this new creature in sight. He was weighing in about defeating three venomous snakes and skill that he could get. But decided to back off instead as his fear and dread had been creeping. He felt a waste for abandoning their hunt. It was going to be their dinner. 'It's better to back away now than be killed by this.' He thought. cannot provide the levels of these fanged terrors. Besides, Pyun-Pyun seemed to sense something that is why it shivered toward the carcass.

As they slowly backed away. There was another 'hiss' that he heard as he slowly backed away. He tentatively looked back. Another of those pit vipers was slowly approaching them from behind. It was slightly bigger and looked more menacing on a closer perspective. It retracted its body as if ready to strike. The hiss was loud as if announcing its presence to other vipers in the area. Ryuji did attempt to glance and looked about the poking heads of these deadly vines.

Ryuji froze in horror. He was about to abandon their kill only to be confronted by a fifth one. The other snakes now caught the presences of a slightly larger competitor facing a slime and a darker green goblin. Now him and Pyun-pyun are surrounded.

The other green vine pit vipers moved a bit closer and checked the ongoing ruckus cause by their slightly larger competitor and a bigger creature. They did not dare earlier to bother the green goblin because it emanates an uncomfortable aura. Even if they were to attack it and won, they will not be able to present it to the mate that is waiting inside the tree stump. Now, a foolish competitor of theirs decided to confront the goblin and if it was killed, they can bring the dead competitor back to their mate. It might be dead but the poison that this foolish competitor is much more valuable than small critters that they collect for this mating ritual.

The snake in front of Ryuji retracted its body into an 's' shape. He should show his dominance to its fellow competitors so they would back away from the slithering maiden that had nested in the dead stump behind this goblin. So, it did not waste any moment and like a spring it lunged it strike and directed to the frozen goblin. Ryuji was blanked out in the heat of the moment frozen in horror, but blue blur bounced towards the snake's open jaw. Ryuji came into his senses and realized the blue blur. He gasped in terror. "Pyun!!!"