NOVEL NEXT Chapter 4: Days Gone.
As days stretched into weeks in this unfamiliar body of mine, the challenges of survival seemed daunting, especially with my blindness. Yet, with each passing day, I found myself adapting, honing my senses and skills to extract blood with precision. Gradually, I learned to maneuver my body more adeptly keeping hidden from all sources of danger.
Mastering the art of blood manipulation has to be at the top of the list of things to do. Speaking of which I should make a list soon to keep my motivation to continue moving forward.
1. Master the Blood Body trait.
2. Evolve to a rank G-monster.
3. Keep getting food and survive.
4. Become stronger.
There is no reason to have a home base yet since I wouldn't even require it or be able to use a base properly. Plus if I leave I might never find it again and I never sleep anymore for some reason now resting, it's like half sleep. I have to stop moving and hide during this time as I digest the blood.
I thought of going after another creature like the one whose blood I had gotten a while ago. However, survival instincts stopped my actions. Despite the allure of larger prey, I had to exercise caution, so I opted to feed on smaller creatures instead. The risks posed by formidable adversaries loomed large; any misstep could lead to a swift and fatal encounter. The thought of engaging with creatures capable of ending me with a mere sneeze.
Yearning for greater resilience, I lamented my meager HP reserves, a mere two points that left me vulnerable. The harsh reality was clear: without a belly filled with blood, I had to tap into my health just to inflict harm upon other creatures to draw blood. This precarious balance between sustenance and survival weighed heavily on my every move, a constant reminder of the delicate thread upon which my existence hung. If only I possessed a larger body to have more substantial reserves.
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Two months drifted by, marked by a stark absence of small prey in my vicinity. The surrounding wilderness seemed devoid of suitable targets, leaving only formidable creatures akin to the one from my initial feeding experience. Their scent differed, lacking the same allure and familiarity. Yet, the recurring quest for sustenance finally reappeared as a beacon of hope, each point of experience garnered a small victory in this unforgiving terrain.
As more days elapsed, I completed the quest, albeit with increasing difficulty. Now, I bided my time, awaiting the next quest's appearance. During this lull, an intriguing discovery caught my attention—a creature or perhaps a monster of average size, a rarity in these parts. Intrigued and driven by hunger, I cautiously approached, intent on securing a blood meal. An unsettling realization halted my advance. Something about the creature's scent set off alarm bells within me, a primal instinct warning me to keep my distance. Despite my hunger, my body refused to draw any closer, a silent testament to the inherent dangers lurking in this thing.
Panicked thoughts raced through my mind as I hurriedly retreated, attempting to blend into the surroundings and evade notice. The safety of the bush beckoned me back, but before I could reach its protective cover, a sudden swoop from above caught me by surprise. Talons gripped my fragile form, tearing into my body and inflicting a painful point of damage.
Instinctively, I tapped into the remaining blood in my stomach, channeling it to heal the wounds even as I felt my life force dwindling. The temporary respite was fleeting, a grim reminder of the inevitable fate awaiting me once my blood reservoir ran dry.
However, just as despair threatened to consume me, a sudden upward thrust jolted me free from my despair. Confusion mingled with a glimmer of hope as I entertained the notion of survival in this dire predicament. In a desperate bid for life, I reasoned that my lightweight body might afford me a slim chance of survival if I dared to attempt something audaciously foolish with the remaining blood I had left.
Summoning every ounce of courage, I readied myself for the risky maneuver. But before I could act on my impulsive plan, my worst fears materialized—the massive bird that had ensnared me now held me captive in its formidable beak. However, contrary to my initial dread of being consumed, I found myself merely imprisoned within its grasp. Yet, this offered little solace as dread crept in, recalling the nature documentaries viewed with my father during his lab work—images of offspring eagerly awaiting their meal, a fate that seemed increasingly inevitable.
Determination surged through me like a raging river as I screamed internally, refusing to meet my end in such a helpless manner. If death was to claim me, it would have to pry me from life's grip with a fight.
Slithering deeper into the confining darkness of the bird's beak, I moved cautiously, acutely aware of the perilous line between survival and becoming a part of the bird's digestive system. My goal was clear: avoid the stomach at all costs.
Reaching the back of its throat, I tested the flesh with a tentative bite, relieved to find it yielding more easily than expected. Armed with this discovery, I initiated a relentless assault, employing both of my mouths in a coordinated frenzy. Each bite was strategic, alternating between areas to maximize the flow of blood. Gripping one spot with both mouths, I'd release one to clamp down on another, ensuring a continuous stream of blood leaked into the bird's throat. The plan was simple yet perilous—bleed this avian captor from within until it drowned in its vital fluid.
As the bird struggled, gasping for air it desperately needed, I remained steadfast, fueled by the primal instinct to survive. Unlike my feathered captor, I required minimal oxygen, granting me the endurance to see this risky gambit through to its bloody conclusion.
Before long, I sensed the bird's descent as it attempted to expel me from its beak. Yet, instead of my body being ejected, it was the creature's lifeblood that flowed out—a testament to the success of my relentless assault. Maintaining my grip within its throat, I remained undeterred by the violent convulsions shaking the bird's frame. Blood surged forth, cascading into its stomach and spilling from its beak in a crimson torrent.
With tenacity born of desperation, I tore into every available surface, creating a network of wounds that bled profusely. No part of this confining chamber was spared as I sought every opportunity to inflict damage, plunging deeper into areas already wounded.
As the bird's struggles waned and stillness descended, I seized the moment to gorge on the remaining blood within. Unsure of my location and with survival as my sole directive, I resolved to remain within this macabre refuge until either the blood ran dry or the captured blood soured beyond sustenance turning to rot. For now, within my unwitting captor, I basked in the grim victory of survival amidst the crimson tide of its demise.
Nearly twenty seconds later, a notification flashed before me, confirming the demise of an H-ranked Featherflit Lv: 2 at my hands. The system granted me 8 experience points for the kill.
This successful kill propelled me to level up, elevating my status to level 2. The ease with which I gained experience by eliminating my prey sparked a determination to explore more lethal tactics—penetrating creatures and striking from within, where my attacks could inflict damage by drowning and blood loss. I will need to think of ways to get inside first.
However, I needed a few moments to calm my frayed nerves after the harrowing encounter that nearly cost me my life, leaving me on the brink of becoming bird food. Once my racing heart steadied, I resolved to check my status page for any additional changes or upgrades.