Sacred Beasts and Heralds of the End
After spending the having spent the next week doing almost nothing but ambush small prey that passes through the kelp forest, I managed to gain a few levels and even found a couple of adult turtles that gave a nice boost to my experience and biomatter.
Name: Cordelia Auspin
Race: Elite Juvenile Sea Snake (Talonian Regional Variant)
Tier: 2
Titles: Provoking Giants (-5 INT)
Level: 4
EXP: 160/440
HP: 14/14 MP: 14/14 SP: 144/144
STR: 22
VIT: 20
DEX: 29
INT: 40 (-5)
WIS: 29
MND: 11
CHA: 11
LUCK: 5
Acquired Skills: Investigate (2)
Innate Skills: Acid Spray (4), Tail Swipe (3), Venomous Bite (3),
Mutations: Superior Eyes (See Potential Mutations)
Current Biomatter: 250kg
Lifetime Biomatter: 290kg
Available Evolutions: N/A (See Potential Evolutions)
Details: A reincarnated Talonian Sea Snake. Some stats have been altered to accommodate for the previous life's attributes. As an Elite monster, you gain a bonus to all stats, current bonus +5. Just a little stronger than before, but you still have a ways to go. A fool who provoked the kin of a protective monster of a higher tier.
I didn't notice this before but I had gotten the option for something called Dragonic Eyes in the list of potential mutations. And after covering myself in my acid a few more times, I also have the choice for a mutation called Toxic Scales. Both are something I would like to have, but apparently, as a juvenile, I can only have two mutations. So I need to conserve my biomatter for Enhanced Size to meet the requirements for evolving into a Sea Drake.
Despite how boring and tedious it is to wait around for unsuspecting fish to swim by, I'd much rather do that over actively hunting now that I'm fully aware of the dangers. But most of the larger monsters, at least in comparison to the small fish, have started avoiding the areas around the kelp forest. Turns out they're not completely brainless, they at least know it's better for survival to avoid the places I've been killing them. At this point, the only creatures coming through these parts are the small fish that are both of a lower level and tier. I found out the hard way how pointless it is to go after them once I saw the 50-75% reduced experience. My less intelligent kin seemingly have no problem with this, as I often see others of my kind even, in the adult phase, happily munching on small fish. I, however, am smarter than that and not as content to stay as a weak little sea snake, how could I possibly kills gods if I'm this weak. Thus I begin to move out from hiding in the kelp forest and begin to actively hunt again, I just hope I don't run into anything a few hundred times stronger than me again.
It isn't long until I find my first hunt. Just slightly past the kelp forest, I find a strange fish pass by. It's about as large as a bluefin tuna, but more closely resembles some disgusting cross between a piranha and an anglerfish.
Race: Adolescent Luna Luxipira
Tier: 3
Level: 8
State: Healthy
HP: 80/80 MP: 35/35 SP: 479/479
STR: 59
VIT: 48
DEX: 71
INT: 43
MND: 40
Details: A predatory fish that hunts in the night. Uses a bioluminescent appendage atop its head to attract prey. Can launch its teeth from its mouth at high speeds when chasing fleeing prey.
Yeah, I'm just gonna nope right outa this one. I ain't messing with that monstrosity. I venture in the opposite direction of the Luxipira and find myself in even deeper waters. Once I begin to wonder if I should head back, I come across a rather lucky find.
Race: Hatchling Spawn of Zaratan
Tier: 10
Level: 2
State: Sleeping
HP: 5,500/ MP: 5,500/ SP: 2,420/2,420
STR: 132
VIT: 2,796
DEX: 330
INT: 1,158
MND: 1,245
Details: Spawn of the Sacred Beast Zaratan, the World Turtle. As a Sacred Beast, attacking him or his kin will incur the wrath of all intelligent life. Zaratan and his kin are the only turtles capable of magic. A highly intelligent and pacifistic herbivore.
I only say lucky because it's amazing my investigate even succeeded on this monster. Damnit! Why is my luck so bad! It's only level 2 and it has stats like that. On top of those stats, the size of the turtle is completely absurd. I thought it was a small strip of land until I saw the fins, turns out it's just a big ass turtle, and a baby one at that. I'll just head back to the kelp forest. Tonight doesn't seem to be a good night.
Turning away to from the turtle to head back, my luck once again takes a turn for the worse. Of course, I just had to bump into another Luxipira and this time I actually bumped into it for real. Just as I put some distance between us it begins to shoot out its teeth at me, each hit dealing 3 damage every time, leaving me with only 5 HP left. Thankfully the damage on that isn't much but it can add up real quick. The Luxipira rushes at me while I can visibly see its grotesque teeth grow back. After a few more seconds of chasing me the Luxipira's teeth have completely grown back and fires another volley in my direction. I managed to dodge most of them this time but one still hit, leaving me at 2 HP. Suddenly I feel the water churning around us, it doesn't take long for both me and the Luxipira to realise what had happened. Absorbed in the battle and shrouded under the night, I hadn't realised that the giant turtle was nearby. As the second volley of teeth was being shot, every single one hit, it just didn't hit me. As I dodged, they had hit the turtle, awakening it from its slumber. The monster's eyes alone are bigger than both the of us and it just gives us a deathly stare, seemingly trying to figure out the situation.
The turtle opens it's mouth as I feel something gather around it. Soon the nearby waters cool before eventually a beam of ice shoots out from the turtle's mouth directly hitting the fleeing Luxipira, both killing and encasing it in a large block of ice. I begin the quickly bob my head up and down to try and express my gratitude for helping me and to apologise for the inconvenience. Perhaps it understood what I wanted to convey or maybe it just thinks I'm too insignificant to be bothered with, the turtle returns to its former sleeping position.
It's unfortunate that I didn't get any experience from the Luxipira, but considering I didn't do any more than run for dear life, it makes sense. On the bright side, its body is still around albeit encased in a large chunk of ice stretching from the Luxipira to the position of the turtle, but it's here nonetheless. I begin to thaw it out using my Acid Spray, and after a couple of minutes, I make it through the thick ice and begin to dig into the carcass of the Luxipira. What? No one else is going to eat it so I might as well do it.
Due to its large size, it takes me almost 30 minutes to eat the whole fish. Now I look like some silly fat snake that ate too much, but the reward was well worth it. Taking a quick look at my status I found that I regained all my health back as well as obtaining 130kg of biomatter, bringing my current biomatter to 380kg. After the Luxipira dissolves to the point where can I no longer can be considered a fatty, I begin to make my way back to my hideout in the kelp forest.
Once I'm in the safety of my hideout, I ask the System about the things I learned to toady. Like the Sacred Beasts and the World Turtle, Zaratan. The more I know about the major powers in this world, the better I can avoid them until I feel strong enough to deal with them that is.
"Sacred Beasts are a category of monsters above tier 10. They are highly intelligent and capable of speech. It is said that they are the servants of Grauntia's gods, as such, they are often the subject of worship amongst intelligent life. They exist to offset the 4 Heralds of the End."
"The World Turtle, Zaratan, is a Sacred Beast dating back from the first era. He is one of Grauntia's 8 Sacred Beasts, followed by The Primal Mammoth, Diggaja, The Forest King, Timah, The Night Guardian, Amarok, The Sky Protector, Garuda, The Wings of Luck, Sarimanok, The River Song, Chalkydri, and The Ursine Lord, Gaoh."
Can I hear more about the other Sacred Beast? And what are the 4 Heralds?
"You have not directly met any of the other of the Sacred Beasts or their kin, as such no further information is available."
"Because you have met 2 of the requirements for The Star Eater, Ouroboros, you are privileged to the following information. When the 4 Heralds of the End are active at the same time it is said to be the start of the apocalypse. There is currently only 1 active herald. The Primordial Jaw, Cipactli. The remaining Heralds have yet to be seen, they are, The Star Eater, Ouroboros, The Bane of Man, ???, and The Land Ravager, ???. All living creatures are hostile to them, including each other."
I remember seeing that Ouroboros was called one of these heralds back when I first saw its information and now I know its full title, The Star Eater. So I'm to become the enemy of all that lives, is that right? Well, I'm fine with that. I was destined to make an enemy of most people here once I start to accomplish my goals. Once I reach that point, a few more enemies aren't anything noteworthy. I've got a long road ahead of me, but revenge is a dish best served cold.