Chapter 5

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My new pet, Matilda !

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After a few minutes of training and thinking, Michael then realized something important.

'How didn't i consider that sooner! I blame that on nerves and preconceptions.' (Michael) Thought Michael while mentally face-palming.

There's the possibility that instead of those insects being enormous that i might be the one who's actually incredible small! And if those insect are scaled like on earth that would mean i am approximately the size of a pea... sob*

'I was born a microscopic entity??? Lucifer must be laughing his ass off... ggrrgrr*' (Michael) Thought Michael annoyed.

Having lived in a few 'giant insects world' before the possibility is still there, lizard got bigger than buildings back on earth (dinosaur) so insects can also do it given the right conditions. Before assuming anything i need confirm and i know a few quick way to do so.

Michael then proceed by 'snaking' his way up one of those grass trees trying to reach past the canopy. By the way i compressed myself a little more to get heavier than air just to be safe even thought most of the wind is blocked by vegetation i don't know what to expect once i reach the top.

I quickly reach the top thank to all my 'mana manipulation' practices i have become quite agile. As i poke one of my eyes up past the canopy it became all clear. It appear that yes there's enormous trees all around and the place i called jungle up to now is but the grass covering the forest floor...

I can't see much since i'm so small but i can see a bird perched up there on the lower branch of a tree that one couldn't even begin to compare to the other trees.. It is gigantic !! and it's leaves are jet black giving off an unnatural look.

'That must be it !!! Mother !!!' (Michael)

As i was marveling at the sight of mother the bird suddenly takes off and fly by me at high speed heading who knows where.. If i didn't know better now, i would have said this bird had a 300 feet wingspan and called it a dragon...

Blush*

Well some things that seem obvious to one doesn't feel that way to others... 'cough* d3rrial!!' look away pouting*

Getting down from the grass tree i let out a long sigh..

'As of now i am not even wort a an insect strength wise... I'll need to level from the insect stage to reach the mammal/lizard/bird stage eh... From what i understand i started at plant or even worst microbes level.. eww.' (Michael)

Now browsing through all my memories of the insect world i am trying to find a smart way to assure my victory when an old saying come to my mind:

“Supreme excellence consists of breaking the enemy's resistance without fighting.”

― Sun Tzu, The Art of War

An idea immediately pop up in my head.

'I just got the idea of the century !! Satan i'm smart !' (Michael)

You will surely immediately understand if i tell you what i am looking for now with my mana threads going everywhere in the air. What i am currently looking for is, a spider web!!!

Mwehehehehe*

'So smart so smart! Don't you think so Beatrice ? I'm damn smart right? [...] Still not talking eh.. WELL YOU CAN'T STAY MAD FOREVER !' (Michael) Say Michael to his new friend 'square shaped rock' (I think all this binding soul to rock thing affected him more than expected..?!)

Few hours of searching later i finally see her.. How ironic, usually you can easily find spider webs but always fail to see the spiders but here i found a spider hidden under a leaf sleeping or whatever... Spider don't have eyelids so how would i know... All i know is what i can see and she's all curled up in a ball, immobile.

So not only did i find a spider but it is a 'jumping spider' easily identifiable thank to her two humongous eyes place in front of her head allowing her to get good dept perception like humans. This allow her to better judge the distance between her and her prey before jumping on it at lightning speed. They then use their 2 huge fang to inoculate a potent venom that also act as a prep-digestive tenderizing the flesh.

With this method of hunting they do not have a need for conventional webs so they simply use their silk to build nest. Okok i keep using 'her' but there's no way for me to know for sure unless she had eggs which she do not... But it doesn't matter i named her Matilda and this is how she look!

Spoiler :

Isn't she totally kawaii ?

'From now on you are my pet. And you shall call me master!' (Michael)

'...' (Matilda)

'Ho thank you! I think your 8 eyes are also beautiful...' (Michael)

'...' (Matilda)

'huhuhuhuhu* you silly !' (Michael)

I then slowly crawl toward her... Poking a red eye in her face... No reaction... I am probably to insignificant for her to even notice... I then proceed to climb her back. (We are hanging upside down under a leaf) Probably hiding from view of predators... Birds and such..

Twitch!*

'Ho! [...]' (Michael)

The moment i climbed on her back i took a hold of a few hairs on her back to anchor myself and she slightly twitched.

'Did it tickle? Hoowee watta cute girl tickle tickle!' (Michael)

'...' (Matilda)

'Hahahahaha okok i stop now.' (Michael)

We then wait... And wait..

[...]

Sighhh around 6 hours later finally movements ! Matilda slowly walk up to the mid height of the bush we were presently on, then stop on a sturdy looking leaf. She is actually looking in a zone with less vegetation which probably mean more insects traffic.

Then again the waiting game.. I have realized this, a spider doesn't move much... Quite the boring pet if you ask me... Well at least i can have some conversation with her but still... I'm more the 'always doing something' type... So here i am on her back waiting.. While making some complex geometry. I've outgrown the cubes.

We've been waiting for a few hours when suddenly.

'Wheeeeeeeeeeoooooooooooooooo!!!!!!' (Michael)

Matilda jump and intercept a dragonfly in mid air !!! But the acceleration! From totally immobile for hours to 'Rip the skin of your face' fast in a fraction of second. I thought for a moment that i would need to let go of her by fear of being ripped in pieces from the speed.

Kinda like that:

Spoiler :

SPEEEEEDDDDD !!

After catching the dragonfly we then crash-land on the ground, and while i am putting my mind back in order Matilda already as her fangs deep in the dragonfly flesh.

'Here's my free easy mana!! Victory !! Good girl Matilda!!' (Michael)

'...' (Matilda)

'There's no need to be embarrassed by a well deserved praise Matilda!' (Michael)

'...' (Matilda) Blush*?

Before i even noticed she had already eaten the head while making Crunk* Crunch* noises. Seeing this as my cue, i immediately start leaching the dragonfly mana. As i create the connection i get worried. This thing has around 100 time more mana than me and even if dead, the shear difference in mana pool size is creating a major drag effect pulling me in. I struggle with all my might trying to gain momentum and pull back toward me.

Sll..ll...sllluuuuuu...luuurrrrppp*

Ufff* uff* uff* uff*

'I.. i thought i wouldn't make it.. uff.. uff..' (Michael)

Well that was the first one, but now having gained all this mana. Mwehehehe Now many insects are on the menu ! I then compress my new acquired mana as to not encumber Matilda to much. Then Matilda went up the bush again and under a leave and went back to.. Sleep.. Or not moving whatever..

For once i'm totally ok with that, I don't need to eat, drink, go to the toilet or sleep but i am totally exhausted, mentally drained after that last fight where i thought i would die. After a few moment of idling i should be back in shape.

All in all, Matilda is the best thing that ever happened to me in this world so far !!!

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