It's been over two more weeks since I ended up on this island, and I only have one more week left until the fishing boat comes to find me.
— ...That's strange, where did this come from? — I mutter, looking at a panel floating in front of me.
[Name]: Rafael
[Race]: Human
[Level]: 3
[Magic Power]: 2
[Skills]
[Armorer]: 3
[Weaponsmith]: 3
[Hunter]: 5
[Gatherer]: 8
[Builder]: 2
[Cook]: 2
[Stabber]: 10
[Scythesman]: 8
[Immunity]: 2
[Spearman]: 3
[Fisherman]: 1
[Survivor]: 5
[Spells]
[Protective Membrane]: 1
[Remembrance]: 1
After defeating that parrot, my level finally went up by one, which proves that insects barely give me any experience. That's why I only managed to reach level three after hunting down another bird.
Besides that, in the meantime, I also got a magic stone from the parrot and kept alternating between his stone and the shrimp's stone to see if my magic power would rise.
— And it looks like it really did, even though each full stone only gave me a single point of magic power… — I murmur, a little disappointed, then turn my attention back to the spells. — These spells… I got them after absorbing those two stones, right?
Judging by their names, I can tell that [Protective Membrane] came from the shrimp, and [Remembrance] from the parrot.
— Finally, I've got spells to train! — I celebrate, before looking at my arm and thinking: — [Protective Membrane].
A thin membrane appears on it, but as soon as I touch it, it vanishes. On top of that, a light headache starts pounding my skull as soon as it fades.
— The level of this membrane and my magic power are still way too low… But seeing how it works, I'm glad I didn't try to fight the shrimp and instead let it die of dehydration.
With these new spells, I start thinking about collecting stones from other insects, but then I remember some of them could be dangerous for me.
— What if I get the slug's ability and end up turning into slime? I really have to think this through.
Another problem is that absorbing these stones takes far too long, since it took me over a week for each of them.
— Even so… I think I'll try to get one more, just to leave here with three spells to work on in the future.
So I start walking deeper into the island, carrying my gear made from insects and birds. After living here so long, I already feel comfortable in the areas I know.
My biggest issue, however, is the discomfort in my foot, which I twisted when I fought the parrot. I still haven't recovered, since I've been walking around the island every day without resting.
— What would the ant's spell be? Maybe super strength? I heard they can carry ten times their own weight…
As I walk, I think about each insect I've seen and which one might give me the most useful ability right now. Even after considering so many, none of them really appeal to me, and I end up heading toward the spring.
— Now that I think about it, I gained [Immunity] level 2… Was it the water that's contaminated, or the meat I didn't cook well enough?"
I'm not much of a cook, and the only thing I did was throw the meat on the fire, so I'm not sure what gave me that boost in immunity.
— I guess I'll go a little deeper today…
After passing the spring, I keep walking for a while without running into many insects. Soon, droplets of water begin to fall from the sky, and before I realize it, the sky is dark with heavy storm clouds.
— I've been here this long, but this is the first time it rains… I need shelter.
Since going back would take too long, I search nearby for somewhere to hide from the rain.
— …A cave! Please, let it be empty…
I reach the cave and stop at the entrance, afraid of stepping into the darkness and something appearing.
— This should be enough to shield me from the rain right at the entr— my thoughts are cut off by a noise coming from inside the cave.
A strange sound echoes from within, like metallic claws scraping stone. My whole body shivers, and instinctively I grip my scythe while slowly backing out into the rain.
The sound grows sharper, and from the shadows, two glowing orbs reflect what little light remains. A black carapace, huge pincers snapping with the sound of blades clashing, and a curved tail ending in a stinger the size of my arm, dripping viscous venom. A colossal scorpion, nearly two meters long, emerges from the darkness.
— …This is overkill!
Without a second thought, I run out of the cave while I hear the scorpion breaking everything around it, chasing me in the rain.
— Damn leg, this sprain is just psychological!"
I look back and see the scorpion approaching. Because of the rain and my leg, I can't run properly and I fall to the ground. My body, soaked by the rain and dirty with mud, remains prostrate as the scorpion stops in front of me.
— …Hahaha… So this is my end?
For some reason, I start laughing, a broken and empty laugh, while I watch the creature preparing to attack me with its tail.
— Let's just en...
When I tried to provoke the creature to get it over with, something hit me from the side, and I went flying, crashing brutally against a tree.
— Aaaahhh!! — I scream, my voice tearing my throat. The impact left me completely dazed, and the pain exploded in my arm. — Ha… Ha… Aahh!!
It takes a while for my mind to return to normal due to the shock. I feel my blood running and my vision, which was blurry from the rain, is now a little reddish. Curiously, the cold water calms me down, even with the horrible pain I'm feeling.
— What… Happened!?
I look around and find the spot where I was with the scorpion. In that place, several roots were attacking the creature, trying to trap and pierce it.
— What kind… of monster… is this?
A monster that attacks with roots is something new to me, even after everything I've been through on the island. Instead of worrying about the scorpion, I try to find the origin of this monster while I get up slowly, my body trembling.
— Tch… Haa… This hurts…
As I get up, I realize my left arm is no longer responding. When I look at it, I see it's bent in an impossible position. The pain of every movement runs through my body like an electric shock. If it weren't for the rain, I'd probably be in tears right now.
— Let's… Ah… Survive.
When I finally manage to stand up, I breathe slowly to prevent the pain from clouding my mind and grab my shrimp knife. My scythe was thrown far away, and even if I wanted to, I couldn't use it with one hand.
As I walk slowly to where the fight is taking place, two thoughts come to mind. First, if I still haven't found this plant monster, it's because it never considered me a target. It probably just ignored me all this time. Second, seeing how the fight is unfolding, with the scorpion trying to attack the plants but being pierced by the roots and being on the verge of death, it tells me that the monster is probably nearby.
— Where… Are… You?
If I don't eliminate this monster, I could end up dying to it after the scorpion, since being ignored doesn't mean it can't attack me.
Looking carefully around, I finally notice a strange-looking plant. It looks like a carnivorous plant, only much bigger than normal, slowly approaching the scorpion.
— It has no eyes… It must sense presence through the ground.
Taking advantage of the scorpion getting all the attention, I move slowly toward it. When I feel any slight tremor in the ground, I stop walking and stay still, trying to deceive it.
As I continue, I finally get in the way of it and the scorpion, which is practically dead.
— Come on…
I remain still, slightly crouched, as it approaches. As soon as it gets close enough, I pierce the thinnest part of its body, which is basically its stem where it is connected to the roots.
— Damn… Aaaahh!! — Seeing that I couldn't cut it all, I throw myself to the ground, and the pain hits me hard. But this also saves my life.
The plant seems to have confused my attack with the scorpion's, causing it to attack the scorpion again with its roots. I get up with difficulty, and since it's closer this time, I don't need to wait long to make another attack.
This time, the cut was much deeper, making the part that must be its head fall to the side. With that, the roots also begin to stop moving.
— Hahahah!! I won! — I exclaim, my voice hoarse from exhaustion, as I finally cut the plant's head off.
It's a good thing it wasn't a common plant, or even cutting off this part wouldn't have really affected it, but I soon understand why it stopped moving.
— Haa… So… You have… a magical… stone…
I see the bright green stone that was inside the plant. Taking advantage of the fact that the fight seems to be over, I put my knife on my waist and pick up the magical stone.
— I could… get the scorpion's…
I look at the huge scorpion, which probably has a stone related to venom, but then I decide to let it go.
— Let's… Rest…
I walk slowly, almost falling, toward the scorpion's cave. Although it was a dangerous area before, it is now probably the safest area in the region. With my body all broken and wet, I sit down near the cave entrance.
— I will survive… I will survive… AAAHHH!!
As soon as I sit down, I force my arm into a more normal position and then tie it to my body with the shrimp rope. The pain is so intense that for a moment I almost pass out. Besides, my body is weak, and I feel like I have a fever.
— Haa… Haa… I need… water…
Taking off my protector made of shrimp scales, I put it in the rain to collect some water before grabbing the green stone and breaking off several tiny pieces.
— Maybe… four or five…
I take about five pill-sized pieces and, after waiting for the rainwater to fill the protector a little, I throw everything in my mouth and swallow while using the [Protective Membrane] skill to protect my throat.
— Please… Work…
After that, exhaustion makes me lie down on the cold cave floor and pass out.
[To be continued…]