Centipede Extermination 3

[Level 11 Acid Centipede Mage defeated]

[Level 9 Acid Centipede defeated]

[Level 8 Acid Centipede defeated]

[Level 10 Acid Centipede defeated]

[Level 8 Acid Centipede defeated]

[Level 10 Acid Centipede defeated]

[Level 10 Acid Centipede defeated]

[Terraform(II) leveled up to Terraform(III)]

[Level up!]

WOOOOOOH! That's a lot of notifications! I leveled up?! Terraform did too! This is big news. And an even bigger harvest! But first, I need to eat this stuff. Hopefully, that fixes the acid left inside me, though I can feel it seeping away on its own.

...

[Detected large influx of Life Matter, sorting...]

.

..

...

[41 Life Matter acquired]

Well that's new. I didn't even know Jeremy had the ability to adapt.

[...]

Just kidding, just kidding! No need to get worked up now. Still, now I have a fair amount of life matter, and it's only to increase from here. I still have 93 centipede targets left after all. Not to mention the big baddy.

By the way, how much life matter do I have right now anyway Jeremy? Do I have to use the status, or can you just show it to me?

[Life Matter: 70]

Oh, that's... not as much as I thought actually. Well I guess it works for only seven centipedes. Anyway, I'm worn out. Battles are awfully energy-consuming.

I shake off my worm body, getting rid of any remaining debris or centipede guts before making a 360 and worming my way back just beneath the ground. The right turn can't come any slower before I find myself back in one of my custom tunnels. I drag myself the last leg of the journey before dropping to the floor in exhaustion. That battle really was something.

...

*YAWN*

Phew, that nap was refreshing. I definitely needed it after that hunt yesterday. Now it's time to get back to work! Time waits for no one, and especially no worm. First order of business, upgrading my stamina, or trying anyway. Holy crap does it suck to only be able to fight seven acid centipedes before getting dead tired. Even if you discount the acid, that wasn't a stellar performance in the endurance regard.

Hey Jeremy, is there any way to increase my endurance?

[...]

Come on, Jeremy! Is there really no way? Don't be so stingy!

[Use all remaining Life Matter and one skill point to learn the base skill: Endure?]

Base skill? Are you telling me I've been missing something this entire time? Of course I will!

[Confirmed]

OUCH! OUCH OUCH OUCH!

IT HURTS!

Holy crap why didn't you even warn me, Jeremy? I nearly died right there! Is this skill even worth it?

[Base Skills are the same as normal skills, with the exception of being able to use abundant amounts of Life Matter to upgrade]

Oh.

Okay well, I guess it is worth it. It definitely puts a snag on my body development though. I have a feeling this skill is going to cost an arm and a leg. Or... two bristles I guess. Well, I've wasted enough time here. Back to work!

I use the time it takes for me to navigate back to the centipede nest to calculate any increase in my stamina. None. Or very marginal. Either way, I wasn't expecting much in the first place, but I still feel a little disgruntled. That was a prime opportunity to upgrade my battle capability.

Oh well, I'm back at the centipede base. Nothing seems to have changed, which is a good sign. Patrols are being sent out as normal, though I'll still continue to observe for now. Well, really more looking for a new target. I'm brimming with energy, and 93 centipedes won't sacrifice themselves.

Ooh! That one looks good. Four centipedes heading in around the same direction as my last meal. They all seem to be my strength, which explains the lack of numbers. I do have to be careful though, as these may be a search party for the group I ate. I doubt it though. Or I hope they aren't.

This particular group of centipedes is a fifty-fifty split. Two are knights. And the remaining two are assassins. Weird lineup. Still, four level-11 centipedes is a decent threat. Speaking of which, I believe this is when they actually gain distinction from the lower centipedes. When I defeated the level 11 centipede, Jeremy did classify it as a mage. So I can count on them getting a boost in ability to make up for that. Oh, they are leaving. After them!

Oh, this group is going farther than its counterpart, the dead seven. At this point, I think they might actually enter the expanse, though I doubt they would survive for long. I worm my way closer. I don't want to lose them. Or let them get to the expanse.

Shit shit shit! I think the assassins just noticed me! How could they, I'm covered in void particles... oh. So this is the ability boost. I halt around six meters away from the group. They wave their spikes at me, and the assassins look shimmery. Yup. They've definitely noticed.

We face each other silently. No one wants to strike first. I sure won't, I can't mess up. An assassin scrapes its legs across the dirt. A knight shifts a little. I tense. It's coming any time now.

Sure enough, a knight loses its patience first. It leaps towards me, spike pointing forward. I have to be careful, they're all the same strength as me. I squirm just out of range. Didge successful, the knight's spike drives into the ground. This one is strong.

Fuck, the assassins disappeared! I can barely make out their presence with void sense, and it's blurry as hell. Fuck! I dive underground.

Shink!

Dodged, yes! One of the assassins used my panic to mount a side attack. Luckily I tunneled underground. The assassins aren't too strong. Calm down. Calm down. I can do this. If I don't I die. A knight is above me, continually smashing its spike into the ground. I move, squirming my way into the side instead of the ground. The group follows. Do they have a way to sense me?

Shit! A knight stabs its spike into the wall. I contort my worm body, barely dodging. This is bad. I hold no advantage here. What was I thinking?! I need to focus. I scramble to the ceiling, out of reach of the centipedes. They don't give up, however. This group is experienced, and they're strong.

I might die here.