After I put enough distance between us, I realize I haven’t actually Appraised the new species yet.
<Bagragratch: A deformed monster with a huge jaw. They generally form herds and attack prey in groups.>
Ahaaaa. So even though they seemed super-powerful, they form herds even bigger than that? Now, that’s scary.
Yeah.
Let’s just pretend my Middle Stratum theory never happened. The Middle Stratum would never be this tough!
Sigh. I just have to hope that I’m not actually in the Bottom Stratum.
I scuttle along the wall quietly.
After I ate those last three monsters, my red stamina gauge stopped decreasing.
Hmm? Yeah, it was a lot of food, so the gauge was already nearly full by the time I finished the first one, but…
Maybe my Overeating skill is the cause or something?
It could let me stock up extra energy by eating too much.
This phenomenon never happened before I got the Overeating skill, after all…
So maybe that isn’t such a far-fetched theory.
<Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Appraisal LV 6] has become [Appraisal LV 7].>
Oh? Ooh? Ooooh?! Appraisal! You’ve come back to me! Now we’re cooking with gas!
After that big breakthrough last time, I can’t help but have high expectations now, though.
You know that, right? If you disappoint me again now, I’ll never forgive you, got it?
You can still clear the bar now that I’ve raised it, right?
We had a good thing going here. Don’t mess it up, okay?
Now, how’re my self-Appraisal results looking?!
<Small taratect
LV 3
Nameless
Status:
HP: 38/38 (green)
MP: 38/38 (blue)
SP: 38/38 (yellow)
: 38/38 (red)
Average Offensive Ability: 21
Average Defensive Ability: 21
Average Magical Ability: 19
Average Resistance Ability: 19
Average Speed Ability: 369
Skills:
[HP Auto-Recovery LV 2]
[Poison Fang LV 8]
[Poison Synthesis LV 1]
[Spider Thread LV 8]
[Thread Control LV 5]
[Throw LV 1]
[Concentration LV 1]
[Hit LV 1]
[Appraisal LV 7]
[Detection LV 3]
[Stealth LV 5]
[Heretic Magic LV 2]
[Shadow Magic LV 1]
[Poison Magic LV 1]
[Overeating LV 3]
[Night Vision LV 10]
[Vision Expansion LV 1]
[Poison Resistance LV 7]
[Paralysis Resistance LV 3]
[Petrification Resistance LV 2]
[Acid Resistance LV 3]
[Rot Resistance LV 3]
[Fear Resistance LV 5]
[Pain Nullification]
[Pain Mitigation LV 5]
[Strength LV 2]
[Solidity LV 2
[Skanda LV 2]
[Taboo LV 2]
[n% I = W]
>
Huh? Really? Seriously? My eyes aren’t deceiving me?
Wh…wh…whaaaaaaat?!
A real skill list!
Seriously, Appraisal, you’re too good to me! You cleared that bar without a problem!
Whoo-hoo! The dog days are over at last!
Appraisal, you’re amazing. Thank you. Seriously, thank you!
With this, I can finally use double Appraisal to find out what my mystery skills do!
All right. Whew. Where to begin?
Well, I was just thinking about Overeating, so how about that one?
<Overeating: Allows the user to ingest food beyond normal limitations. In addition, the resultant stamina can be stocked as surplus. However, the user will gain weight proportionate to this. The amount of stamina that can be stocked increases with higher skill levels.>
Oh, whoa! Very nice. That’s more or less what I guessed.
So this skill means my stamina won’t decrease for a while based on how much extra food I eat.
I’d gain weight, though? Am I really that fat? I don’t feel fat.
Maybe it just doesn’t make much of a difference, since I’m a spider.
If I were human, that could be a serious disadvantage.
Next, how about this one?
<Strength: Adds to average attack capability by the number of the skill level>
Ooh. So that’s what it does? So basically, a simple stat-enhancing skill?
Come to think of it, this skill increases when I level up.
I thought my attack power had gone up by 2 when I leveled up, but one of those points was actually thanks to this skill, I guess.
Which would mean…
<Solidity: Adds to average defense capability by the number of the skill level>
So this skill is the defensive version of Strength.
Honestly, it doesn’t do much, but given how crappy my stats were, I’ll take any advantage I can get.
Okay, let’s keep going!
Next is one I don’t recognize.
Since it’s level 2, it must have leveled up at some point, but I must’ve missed it when the Divine Voice (temp.) mentioned it.
<Skanda: Multiplies average speed capability by the number of the skill level. Also, growth of this stat at each level-up increases by 10x the skill level.>
Huh? Uh, wait, excuse me?
Oh, so this skill is why my speed is so much higher than all my other stats. Okay, I get it.
Whaaaaaaat?!
What kind of mega-overpowered skill is that?!
I thought my speed was just because of my species or something, but it’s because of this skill?!
Ooh. Hold up. Is this, like, one of those reincarnation perks you hear about or something?
Ooh! For real?! Whatever god is responsible for this, you rule!
Being born with a rare skill like this has to be the best benefit ever! All hail reincarnation!
They didn’t call me Skanda for nothing in that game I used to play!
Woooo! Now, this I could get used to!
So, what’s with the other skill I haven’t seen before?
<n% I = W: Cannot be Appraised>
Hmm? Can’t be Appraised? Why?
Aww, maaan. I can’t believe I’m stumbling here after coming all this way.
Well, based on the name, it’s probably just a bug or something, anyway.
It’s kinda creepy, to be honest, but since I can’t Appraise it, there’s no point in getting hung up on it any further.
Hopefully it isn’t a negative skill or anything.
Oh well. Time to move on to the next one.
<Taboo: A skill given to those who commit a taboo. Must never be raised.>
Yikes. Now this is way too deep for me.
That phrasing smells like a curse or some other destructive effect, though.
Man, I don’t want that! And it said “must never be raised,” but it already went up to level 2 at some point…
Seriously? That takes the wind out of my sails real quick.
<HP Auto-Recovery: HP gradually recovers over time. Can even recover injuries that would not otherwise recover naturally.>
<Poison Fang: Attacks using fangs will be given the poison attribute.>
<Poison Synthesis: MP can be used to purify and customize poison. Poisons that can be synthesized vary depending on the level. LV 1: Weak Poison.>
<Spider Thread: A special skill possessed by spider-type creatures. Can make customizable threads. Customizable Qualities: Viscosity, Elasticity, Resilience, Texture, Strength, Size.>
<Thread Control: Allows the user to freely manipulate thread>
<Throw: Improves power and accuracy when throwing objects>
<Concentration: Ability to concentrate increases>
y rate in any situation>
<Appraisal: Can read information about objects, creatures, etc.>
<Detection: A skill that combines all perception systems. Summary: Magic Perception, Physical Perception, Material Perception, Presence Perception, Danger Perception, Motion Perception, Heat Perception, Reaction Perception, Spatial Perception.>
<Stealth: Hides signs of the user’s presence>
<Night Vision: Allows clear sight even without a light source>
<Vision Expansion: Widens range of visible light>
<Poison Resistance: Ability to defend against poison attribute increases>
<Paralysis Resistance: Ability to defend against paralysis attribute increases>
<Petrification Resistance: Ability to defend against petrification attribute increases>
<Acid Resistance: Ability to defend against acid attribute increases>
<Rot Resistance: Ability to defend against rot attribute increases>
<Fear Resistance: Makes it harder for user to experience fear>
<Pain Nullification: Negates any faculty limitations on the body and mind due to pain>
<Pain Mitigation: Reduces the sensation of pain. Danger signals to the brain will still continue.>
I continue Appraising the rest of my skills in order.
Most of them are more or less what I expected, but there are some new discoveries, too.
For one thing, I’ve finally found out what Vision Expansion actually does, kind of. Does this mean I can see infrared and ultraviolet light and stuff?
Well, I haven’t seen anything like that yet, though. Maybe since the skill is only level 1, those things are still mostly invisible? Or maybe there just isn’t any light outside the visible spectrum inside a dungeon.
Well, not seeing that stuff hasn’t caused me any problems, so whatever.
Anyway, after examining the resistance skills a little more closely, I discover something kinda unsettling.
Most of the resistance skills are just as the name implies, but there’s one that seems a bit inconsistent with its name.
<Rot Attribute: Attribute that regulates the decay of death>
What the heck? Freaky.
I originally thought it meant I could eat rotten food or something, but it seems to be creepier than that.
My Rot Resistance skill increased when I ate that snail-bug, so… Does that mean those things have the same attribute?
Yeesh. That would explain why the taste is so mind-blowingly foul.
Well. So snail-bugs are really, truly for desperate times only, then.
Okay, last but not least.
Depending on the results of these Appraisals, my future could change dramatically.
The Appraisal of the three magic-type skills I possess.
These are the skills that I have no choice but to ignore, since I have no idea how to use them. If I could utilize them, though, I’m positive they would come in handy. I mean, if I learned how to use these, I would basically be a magical girl… Well, a magical spider, anyway. Like “Kumoko the Spider Girl” or something.
All right. Appraisal, don’t fail me now!
<Heretic Magic: Magic that directly assaults the soul. The available spells depend on the skill level. LV 1: Discomfort. LV 2: Phantom Pain.>
<Shadow Magic: Lower-ranking Dark Magic that manipulates shadows. The available spells depend on the skill level. LV 1: Dark Shadow.>
<Poison Magic: Magic that manipulates poison. The available spells depend on the skill level. LV 1: Poison Touch.>
Oh? Oh-ho-ho? Hmm. Now, that’s vague.
Well, it’s still leaps and bounds from being thoroughly clueless about these skills, but I still don’t know how to use them.
All right, so Heretic Magic is basically a psychic attack type of thing, right?
The shadows and poison bits seem self-explanatory.
So apparently there are spells I can use at level 1.
But how exactly do I cast them?
Maybe if I try thinking about it really hard, like with Appraisal?
Okay then. Here goes… Let’s use Discomfort!
…Nothing’s happening.
No, maybe it just misfired because I don’t have a target. Let’s try another one.
Dark Shadow!
…Nothing.
Poison Touch!
…Nope, nada.
My MP hasn’t decreased, either. That means it didn’t misfire, probably—more like it didn’t activate at all.
Man, seriously? Well, I can’t say this is entirely unexpected, but still, come on.
Hey, wait a minute. Maybe if I examine the term “Magic” with Appraisal, I’ll get some kind of hint.
<Magic: An established phenomenon that allows magic power to be transformed using skills>
Yeah, thanks for nothing. Oh well. I guess mastering magic is still out of my reach.
Damn. It looks like I won’t be able to call myself Magical Girl Kumoko for a while yet.
Aw, man.
Well, I can’t use them, but I figure I may as well Appraise the details of each spell anyway.
<Discomfort: Plants discomfort directly in the soul>
<Phantom Pain: Plants phantom pain directly in the soul>
<Dark Shadow: Makes a shadow darker>
<Poison Touch: Adds a poison-attribute attack to a target upon contact>
Poison Touch seems like a formidable spell to learn at level 1, but that means it’s probably got some kind of weakness.
Dark Shadow’s effect is obvious from the name, too, but how am I supposed to use that?
Hmm. Maybe you can combine it with higher-level Shadow Magic or something?
In which case, it probably doesn’t serve much purpose on its own.
Well, not like I can use it either way.
I lurk motionlessly in the shadow of the rocks.
<Elroe daznatch
LV 23
Status:
HP: 786/818 (green)
MP: 335/335 (blue)
SP: 779/779 (yellow)
: 723/781 (red)
Status Appraisal Failed
>
The creature is ambling along slowly, some distance away from the boulder I’m hiding behind.
What the heck is that thing? I don’t even know how to explain it. Sort of like a huge freaking fish with limbs? No, not exactly, but that’s the best I can manage to describe this bizarre creature.
Well, this mystery monster doesn’t really matter, anyway.
Actually, I guess it kind of does. Or it will if it finds me, at least.
But there’s something more important than that right now!
That’s right, Appraisal is at it again! I can see an enemy’s stats!
All I can actually see is HP, MP, and SP, but that’s impressive in itself, no?
Its success rate isn’t very high, since it’s probably only worked once every three or four tries, but it’s still great to know even a portion of my opponent’s status.
The numerical values of HP, MP, and SP alone are enough to give me a rough idea of how strong something is.
In this case, obviously these numbers mean I shouldn’t try going toe-to-toe with this thing. My best strategy here is to value my own life.
It’s common sense not to pick a fight with unknown creatures that happen to wander by, really.
I mean, did anyone else see those numbers?
What kind of HP is that? That’s enough to kill me twenty times and still have HP left over!
Now that’s what I call inflation.
If this stupid-looking mystery monster has stats that high, then the earth dragon probably had at least four digits of HP.
Unreal.
In the past few days, I’ve learned one thing: Monsters above level 10 are all way too strong.
I think that’s because if they don’t evolve at level 10, they
’re already a high-ranking species.
So if I ever see a monster above level 10, it’s generally best to run away from all members of its species, even if I meet one that’s still in the single digits.
On the other hand, species that never exceed level 10 are usually inconsequential.
What shocked me, though, was discovering that even the small-fry I’m used to hunting tend to have higher stats than me. Some of them even have HP in the triple digits.
It’s like, you guys are that strong? Really?
If I fight them head-on, I probably won’t stand a chance.
That was when I decided I had to bet everything on the element of surprise.
Even the monsters I think of as small-fry are higher ranked than me.
Meaning that my Spider Thread’s ability to render them immobile without a problem is pretty darn impressive.
Without it, I would probably be dead by now.
Stats are important and all, but clearly skills are, too. It sure would be nice if I could see my opponents’ arsenals soon.
If I could have that information, it’d be a huge advantage in battle, I think.
I mean, without my skills, my only advantage is my speed.
If I run into an enemy that can counteract my thread with fire, for example, or use an antidote to negate my poison fangs, I’m basically screwed.
Ohhhh man. Skill-based countermeasures could be scary. If I come up against someone that prepared, I’ll probably die on the spot!
But, well, other monsters probably don’t have the foresight for something like that.
That’s exactly why a weak monster like me has been able to survive this long.
Yep, intelligence is crucial. Humanity’s greatest weapon.
Sneak, sneak. Right side, all clear! Left side, all clear! Forward, all clear!
<Elroe kohokoro
LV 7
Status:
HP: 67/89 (green)
MP: 21/21 (blue)
SP: 79/79 (yellow)
: 54/85 (red)