It’s moments like these that really made me miss bugs of a reasonable size. Because bugs of a reasonable size did reasonable things. For instance, their… is dens the right word? Well, their homes were small.

Now that I was in the center of this place, massive as it was, I could tell the room absolutely reeked. Or… maybe it was because I was slathered in dung.

Either way, this place truly stunk.

Hey! If you guys really need to work with poo so much, at least let it be shampoo!

The beetles didn’t appreciate my joke.

Well, even if they could think at such a high caliber as myself, which would naturally be required to comprehend my humor, I guess they couldn’t have heard it anyway.

So I won’t fault them for that.

But I will fault them for charging me! With an angry clicking sound, the beetles dropped their dung, snapping toward me with their massive mandibles as they attacked.

Yep. Time to go.

I started scrambling up the slope, slipping in the wet, brown goop, but I managed to get to the top just before the first beetle reached me.

So I guess [Flee] was never an option, huh?

I turned to face off against the horde of giant insects out for my blood. This… was going to be interesting. But also, absolutely terrifying!

I shook my head.

So be it.

And then I charged at the closest snapping menace.

As all gamers know, or at least, should know, the level of the enemy isn’t always the sole determining factor of a fight. Some creatures are simply weaker than others, regardless of their level, and others are extremely strong once they reach a certain point.

Now usually, gamers are restricted in what they can do during a fight by the game they’re playing, as are the mobs. Usually, there’s a few key bindings that allow the player to quickly perform certain actions, but that’s about the greatest versatility you get.

Here, though? This was a world of “anything goes”. And in a world where anything goes, level is of even lesser importance.

A fair example, I suppose, would be the Deotrexaptors taking down that Giant Tree Worm, which clearly outleveled them. In an online game, though, that could never happen. They just wouldn’t be able to deal enough damage to get past the resistances and regeneration of the higher level creature. And then if they did, that damage would probably be mitigated by zone penalties or something, which were my least favorite mechanic in MMO’s.

“You can’t fight these mobs because this area is too high-level for you! Sorry!”

Bleh.

But the xaptors took down the worm together. I suppose you could compare it to a raid, but for some reason, it didn’t feel that way to me. The world was too realistic, and the fight just seemed like normal combat.

Another thing about zone penalties, actually. Something positive. The aggro mechanic was sometimes reduced if you weren’t within the challenge rating, which was nice. But not all games did that.

…

Exhibit A: I was now on the receiving end of several low-level monsters working together.

As I jumped onto the body of the nearest beetle, it crashed to the ground, sliding across the floor under my weight. Several legs snapped off in the process.

You have [Crippled] the [Jungle Tunneler].

I jumped off the bug, tackling another of the beetles that had flown ahead of the group. I missed the beetle’s back, landing on its face instead. Right in between the razor-sharp mandibles.

Not today!

I kicked off the rounded tops of the mandibles, managing to crawl onto the bugs back just as it landed on the ground, sliding like the other.

Snap!

The mandibles bit together, narrowly missing my tail.

Crack! Crack! Crack!

Just as with the other bug, the legs snapped off as we skidded through the tunnel.

But the other one, legless, was now flying towards me, bleeding a green goo from its belly, and snapping its mandibles viciously.

I jumped at him, unconsciously using my new ability Leap Strike. Flying towards the beetle, I kicked the bug hard in the face as it arrived, chomping with the mandibles.

Schlick!

“Graaga!” I shouted in pain. That bugstard had bitten my tail!

You have been [Crippled]. Your attacks with the [Crippled] limb will be 70% less effective.

You have received 105 experience for killing [Jungle Tunneler]. Congratulations! You have leveled up! You are now level 7 [100/400]. Your [Health] and [Stamina] are restored.

Oh now I saw it. He hadn’t just bitten my tail.

He’d bitten my tail off!

Well, just the tip, anyway.

But it still hurt like hell!

Almost immediately, though, my wounds healed, though the tip of my tail was still missing. The [Crippled] debuff also remained flashing in the corner of my vision.

That’s… unfortunate.

If it wasn’t for the healing in mid-combat, though, I probably couldn’t challenge these bugs like this. In fact, if it wasn’t for the healing in mid-combat, I’d probably die in this fight.

As it was, the adrenaline pumping through my veins made me smile, which… is probably an unpleasant image in the grand scheme of things. Especially given the fact that I was presently… “eliminating an infestation”, I guess.

I dashed down the hall to the other beetle that was recovering from my attack, the rest of the group swarming behind me now. I danced around the snaps. One bug sliced at me with a sharp hook on the end of its front leg, slicing down my shoulder.

Ow! Why does fighting have to hurt so much!

I rolled away, landing face-up underneath the bleeding beetle. Green goop dripped onto my stomach as my target realized I was there, but just as quickly as I arrived, I struck. My legs kicked out, slicing down the already wounded underside of the bug, and tearing open the belly.

You have received 105 experience for killing [Jungle Tunneler].

Hot green liquid from the beetle above me splashed down across my stomach and face, and some poured into my open mouth. I got a mouthful. Just a bit off the flank. But still...

Ah! Gross! I yelled mentally as I rolled away from the stuttering bug. It dipped in the air while I fought the others, before collapsing to the ground, where it twitched a few times before death.Though...

Come to think of it…

That guy’s blood actually tasted pretty good. I could get used to that.

Maybe as a dressing?

You have developed your appetite.

Congratulations! You’ve unlocked the [Gourmandize] Trait!

[Gourmandize]- New foods grant additional experience. The more well-prepared, the better the reward!