The encounter with the Lesser Giant Forest Spider further strengthened the Black Snake's desire to evolve.
Everything in this Forest wants to kill and consume me. I need to grow, or suffer the fate of being prey.
Sun Yuying was practical and knew she was far from an Apex Predator in this place, despite having reached the limit of species growth.
With her new period of hibernation, Sun Yuying felt stronger than ever. If she returned to Earth in this form, she would be regarded as an irregular anomaly, by far the largest and deadliest Common krait ever recorded in the wild.
Nonetheless, the Black Snake instinctively knew this was not enough in this World.
Knowing about Spiritual Beasts meant she was barely at the beginning of the ascent to power in this World.
Sun Yuying flicked out her tongue once again and felt the scent of Wicked Tossian Fruits, mixed with something familiar.
Death Chameleon? I smell blood.
Flicking out her tongue constantly, the Black Snake knew it was a scent familiar to the blood of the Death Chameleon she preyed on.
The forest grew thicker high up in the trees, and she slithered closer towards her target.
Sun Yuying crept silently, as her serpentine head suddenly tilted in confusion.
Multiple scents? Familiar, but unique, two Death Chameleons?
The Black Snake felt wary. If the Death Chameleons were to act in pairs like the Monitor Lizards, it would prove far more trouble, as they were much deadlier.
Yet, she felt this was odd. The scent of blood indicated they were injured, and Sun Yuying knew the Death Chameleon resembled solitary predators, unlike the Wasps. She decided to take a risk and began her approach.
The Black Snake utilised the dense foliage well as she sneakily slithered close.
Shortly, she spotted a large thicket packed to the brim with Wicked Tossian Fruits, and ginormous branches surrounded it, allowing two sizable Death Chamelons to perch right before it.
Sun Yuying soon discovered that one of the Death Chameleons appeared severely injured, gutted by the razor-sharp claws of the other Death Chameleon, who, despite emerging victorious, sported injuries of its own.
Competing over resources?
The Black Snake thought the downed Death Chameleon was of a similar size to the bigger Elder she fought. Yet, it seemed it was caught by surprise by the smaller Death Chameleon, meaning even they are not immune to their own natural advantages in camouflage.
Sun Yuying soon discovered that the victorious Death Chameleon not only targeted the bigger Death Chameleon for the beneficial fruits, but also intended to prey on it.
These Death Chameleons are cannibalistic; if I don't move now, I might lose the opportunity to consume two of the creatures and take a significant leap into acquiring my second trait.
The Black Snake was audacious. She knew the Death Chameleon posed the greater danger when unseen. Yet, not only was this one injured, but it was unable to utilise its most significant advantage: its natural camouflage.
Moving quickly, she leapt towards the Death Chameleon in a flurry of movement.
Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.
The Death Chameleon, who was currently revelling in defeating its rival, was preparing to consume it before it detected quick movement. Its large, bulbous eyes showed apparent panic as it saw the predatory snake approaching.
Sun Yuying saw the Death Chameleon notice her as it sent its tongue to swat her away. Still, she was already moving and circling it, angling for an explosive leap to evade its defensive manoeuvres as her fangs felt its flesh give away as she took a lethal bite.
The Black Snake was opportunistic. She knew the Death Chameleon was injured and vulnerable; she knew it was the perfect prey, and from her human memories, even Snakes scavenge weakened creatures; it was the way of nature, and Sun Yuying would not let such a valuable chance go by.
Injecting doses of venom, she felt her venom sacs were larger than ever, as her increased size aided in enhancing the quantity of venom she had in her arsenal, and she utilised this to the fullest against the Death Chameleon, whom she wanted to slay quickly.
The already weak Death Chameleon, who had just fought a hard battle, soon slacked and stilled, its bulbous eyes, which a moment ago had gloated in victory, now remained lifeless.
Sun Yuying's mind did not linger on her victory or potential windfall.
I need to consume these creatures before another opportunistic creature like me stumbles upon the scents.
Her mouth expanded, and in a single fluid motion, she began to consume the gutted Death Chameleon first, sitting lifeless; it had bled profusely from the sharp claws of the victorious Death Chameleon, and the Black Snake's instincts knew she had to prioritise getting rid of it first, as it had the most glaring scent with its deep wounds.
After consuming it, a notification soon followed.
You have consumed Elder Death Chameleon, gaining +15 Spiritual Energy.
Then another shortly appeared.
Current progress: 3/5 in assimilating the trait Adaptive Camouflage from Death Chameleon.
Now, for the other. Her digestive system had become even stronger after her latest hibernation, and she was eager to devour the bodies before anything untoward happened.
Fortunately, despite her concerns of another predator approaching, nothing happened, and the other Death Chameleon was soon devoured, similar to the other.
You have consumed Elder Death Chameleon, gaining +15 Spiritual Energy.
Current progress: 4/5 in assimilating the trait Adaptive Camouflage from Death Chameleon.
The notifications indicating her rapid progress in acquiring the second trait pleased her, yet that was not it.
Sitting before her was the largest source of Wicked Tossian Fruits she had seen, and she was eager to see if it provoked a change in her.
She could do with all the advantages she can get in her hunt for a more advanced evolution, meeting additional objectives such as acquiring a Spirit Core.
Observing the large thicket, she saw over a dozen fruits, sitting around double the number she had found previously.
Despite the rumbling and pleasurable feeling in her serpentined body from devouring a large amount of Spiritual Energy, she no longer had the constant itch of further growth, having reached her limit; newly gained units of Spiritual Energy were now excess, so her stomach felt bottomless.
She was already approaching the fruits to begin consuming them one by one, and did so until a change came as she neared the end of her consumption.
You have consumed Wicked Tossian Fruit, gaining +4 Spiritual Energy.
Your trait, Venomous, has slightly enhanced in strength from the Wicked Tossian Fruits.
At this point, her blood felt raging, as if a limit was about to be broken. As she consumed the fruits one by one, a tumbling energy seemed to repetitively barge into the barrier that represented that limit until, in one forceful wave of movement, it smashed it. She felt a new wave of power flood her.
Your trait,Venomous, has broken its limit. The trait has evolved in grade from a mortal intermediate trait to a mortal upper trait.
Grades? Do traits have grades?
It was there that Sun Yuying discovered a new feature of the system. Traits were not stationary and could progress; they seemed to have grades, and all of her current traits were mortal, though of differing sub-ranks, and seemed to be minor thresholds before enhancing in grade.
Her trait, venemous, was already not at the lowest mortal grade, though she was unclear about it all since the system didn't come with an introduction manual and failed to explain things; she didn't even realise she could manually view the grades of her traits before now.
Either way, this is a good discovery, a way to get stronger without acquiring additional traits!
The Black Snake felt delighted. Perhaps she can grow her venom strong enough to take down a far stronger beast. Maybe, in conjunction with a trait such as Adaptive Camouflage, she can take a more proactive approach after all.
Progress is key. Now let's find that final Death Chameleon. I have a trait to acquire.
