End of the road

This day sucks, my house is gone, I'm stuck climbing up this tunnel after this freak before it escapes with my xp, and worst of all I think a piece of the shrapnel from earlier might be stuck in between my ribs and it itches REALLY bad!

I'm still not sure how that thing is even alive after all that, it must be in rough shape to have turned tail like that at least I just hope it stays alive until I can find it. I'm not sure if I still get anything if it bleeds out or something else gets the last hit…

It can't have gotten far, the trail of blood still seems fresh even though it is getting smaller plus I know it's missing at least one if not more legs well unless they grew back anyways.

The path is largely the same as the one I followed into the spider's lair originally only large enough to actually accommodate it and with less albeit much larger types of mushrooms as it goes on.

The path carries on for several minutes steadily growing warmer and more humid as I ascend while the trail gets fresher assuring me that I'm gaining on my quarry steadily.

Soon the end is in sight as the path ends and I crawl way up the edge and into a new cavernous area, this one barely a meter and a half in height but stretching out wide in every direction for dozens of meters.

The whole space is shockingly well lit thanks to a thick layer of what I first believed to be a glowing blue grass, as I set foot on it I realize rather than blades of grass their small tendrils constantly swaying as if by some non existent breeze.

With how open it is I spot my target almost immediately sprawled on the floor in the far edge of the cavern taking slow heaving breaths as I creep toward it.

As I near it I can finally see the full gruesome extent of the damage the creature has suffered, almost the entire abdomen of the creature is gone with only a small trail of organs barely strung together by the creature's mycelium trailing out from the front of its body.

At this point there doesn't seem to be much this thing can do to protect itself, heck it's missing most of its legs I'm surprised it could even drag itself this far.

Still paranoid from walking into its first trick I take my time closing in until i'm only a meter or so from it but It shows no reaction.

Huh, guess I just need to finish it off then and…

Just as I'm getting ready to finish off the creature something jumps out from the other side of the creature sending me into a roll as I manage to separate myself from whatever hit me.

As I get my footing back I see what hit me, still coated in a layer of brain matter is the same red mushroom that was rooted in the creature's brain.

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[Basic analysis Complete]

species Profile: "Spore-back mind rotter" LV.22

Vitae: 8/8

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So that mushroom was its own creature and the spider was just its host? I guess that would explain why so much of the spider's body was rotten and decayed, this thing was probably just using it as a meat suit.

With how low my vitae reserves are and with the painful hunger that follows with it I don't hesitate to rush my new foe.

Unlike the mighty spider this creature seems very frail, relying instead on the speed of its tendrils to restrict my movement before I can get in striking distance.

The creature's attacks are weak enough that even my flimsy scales can stop most of the impact allowing me to force my way up to it and slash it with the talons on the least restrained of my winglets.

Obviously not built for direct combat even my feeble claws leave deep gashes in its flesh, in mere moments the creature shudders and goes limp the red glow it emitted dimming out of existence.

[Lv.22 "spore-back mind rotter" killed +11 anima +44 xp]

[level up! lv1>lv3]

Moments after the mushroom's death a second notice appears while I untangle myself from the creature's tendrils.

[Lv.48 "Myr, The forgotten familiar" killed + 96 anima +144 xp]

[level up! Lv 3>8]

[Task updated, "Predator" slay 5/5 creatures of your size category or larger, Predatory instinct skill acquired.]

(Predatory instinct lv.1: Bolsters the users instincts to aid in tracking and killing weaker creatures considered natural prey, This also aids the process of detecting hidden prey and delivering fatal attacks. )

_

[Species: "Dingy" inferior Gray Wyvern "spawnling"]

[Name: Alistair]

[Level:8]

[XP:20/25]

[Condition: Severe]

[Arcana: 0/0]

[Vitae: 2/21>28]

[Traits: Inferior Draconic Blood, Wax Scales, Regenerative state, Predatory instinct.]

(Anima Bank: 125 Digesting:0)

___

More concerned with the violent hunger overtaking me I quickly dismiss the screen and begin feasting on my kills.

Unfortunately most of the spider's body proves inedible putting aside the rotted and decayed parts and those made of fungal material there is less edible meat on this creature than the walking-thorn I killed earlier.

The flesh of the mushroom on the other hand is surprisingly not only edible but actually tastes pretty okay, sadly I can tell I'm missing out on a lot of anima with how much of this is inedible not that I would be able to eat that much but still.

[You have consumed material with compatible anima digesting (107) additional anima]

After eating my fill I start the descent back down the tunnel to the creature's lair, since it's not around theirs no reason for me not to keep this for myself hell puts the tree stump to shame.

Once down I stagger over to the most comfortable looking area, a large spongy fungus with a almost pillow like consistency and finally fall asleep.