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Chapter 15: Hunting Ornidons!

\'If this was more like a video game... I\'d get Experience Points for them.\'

Down below lay the Airos\' main territory.

Inside the crater, dozens and dozens of them were either walking, standing around, sleeping, or eating. Funnily enough,

\'Oh. They\'re eating Parus... I guess that explains why that one wasn\'t scared of me at all. They\'re familiar with Parus and how they operate. But that\'s exactly why an ambush could work...\'

Rei debated whether it would work or not and,

\'It would. My Stats have increased. Plus, the only Skill I gained was "Invisibility". In other words, they don\'t have the ability to detect invisible Airos themselves... They must communicate using sound or something.\'

[Correct.]

[Once Invisibility is in use, even Airos lose sight of one another.]

[They communicate using clicks of their tongue and other noises they are able to produce.]

\'I see. But it\'s worthless, since Devouring them won\'t... Wait, what\'s that?\'

Among the different Airos eating body parts of unmoving and cut-up Parus, a couple were eating something different.

Its head was similar to that of a rhinoceros, its back was covered by a tough-looking carapace similar to a turtle\'s, and, at the end of its legs, were what looked like sharp claws.

\'Can\'t see well from this far...\'

[A dead "Ornidon".]

\'Anything else?\'

[Their carapace is tough, though not as tough as that of a Paru.]

[Their claws are very sharp, but they lack the mobility to use them properly.]

\'Mm. Having a carapace or shell does have disadvantages.\'

[Through the pores around their body, they are able to expel a highly combustible spray all around them.]

[The spray is expelled in such a quantity that a mist is formed around the Ornidon.]

[It is often hot enough to burn the enemies who dare get too close.]

\'Fuck yeah. Now that sounds useful. Any idea where I can find them? I supposed I can steal the leftovers, but there really isn\'t enough.\'

[Ornidons are rather large in size.]

\'Yes, I can tell from what they\'re eating. While Airos are the size of a young human, the Ornidons might be the size of a rhinoceros, though wider and flatter... As long as that mist doesn\'t touch me, I should be fine. Plus, Invisibility guarantees a one-hit-kill... As long as I\'m able to pierce or slash through its skin. Show me my Status Window again.\'

[Species: Paru

Health Points: 30/30

Endurance Points: 1050/1050

Stats:

Strength: 3 -Agility: 6 -Perception: 8 -Vitality: 3 -Endurance: 106

Additional Stats:

Attack: 7 -Defense: 355

Skill(s):

Devour -Enhanced Devouring -Invisibility -Night Vision -Thermal Vision -Heat Resistance -Venomous Fangs -Infectious Cut -Spiderweb production.

]

\'Infectious Cut came from those weird rats. Basically, cutting them with my legs will produce a wound that will get infected pretty fast, right?\'

[In simple terms, yes.]

\'Simple terms are good enough. Venomous Fangs and Infectious Cut are my offensive Skills. The thing is...\' Rei raised two of his limbs and stared. \'These two are coated by that metal they use to mine the ground. Very sharp tips. Attacking with my mouth as it is wouldn\'t be as good. It\'s round. I lack jaws which would allow me to leap forward and bite stuff off... Since the Devouring is now more in my control, can I make my mouth like an Airos? Gain jaws, I mean?\'

[That would require adjusting a large part of the body, as you currently lack a skull to which the jaws would attack.]

\'Isn\'t that fine?\'

[It would be.]

Rei thought for a bit.

\'A hermit crab with an actual head... That would look pretty scary. Especially if the head resembles that of those ugly Airos.\'

[Very true.]

[But it is possible.]

\'Yeah but... I still need to get on that spaceship. Having an Airos head would make them see me as an enemy right away. IF I am found out, of course. Still, the way I am right now, I look pretty harmless. It would be better to keep a harmless appearance for now.\'

Rei nodded to himself.

\'Alright. Let\'s look for these Ornidons. The Airos closer to me are munching on Parus, while those further away are eating Ornidons. They should be further away!\'

...

\'Here they are...\' The Paru thought to itself once the targets were within its field of vision. \'Fucking hell. They look intimidating. Especially since they\'re sticking together so closely...\'

Indeed, half a dozen Ornidons were standing together. Each time one of their legs moved, it felt like the ground would shake.

\'Is size taken into account when it comes to this Devouring thing? Or is it about the number of creatures eaten?\'

[The size largely matters.]

\'Getting Skills from those rats and spiders took a while... Then the bigger the creature is, the easier it is to gain a Skill?\'

[Correct.]

\'Mm... Since it has to do with cells and genes, I suppose that makes sense. What matters isn\'t how many creatures of the same species I eat, but how many cells and genes. In that case, eating one big creature would give the number of cells and genes necessary, while for smaller ones, multiple would need to be eaten to acquire that required number or amount of cells and genes.\'

[Correct.]

[The amount of cells and genes needed depends on the Species, as well as the use.]

\'I see. Making a simple modification to my body or acquiring a simple Skill doesn\'t require as much. Makes perfect sense.\' Rei thought as he stared at the herd of Ornidons.

The Paru started walking closer after activating the Invisibility Skill.

Thermal Vision-

\'Aha. I can see spots on or inside their bodies where the heat is much higher. That\'s where the mist is produced and stored, right?\'

[Correct.]

\'Mm...\' The Paru looked around for a moment. \'Let\'s test how they react first.\'

Only a couple of steps were necessary.

\'Good thing you got me these tentacles, System.\' Rei chuckled internally, as he wrapped the end of his tentacle-like limb around a stone he found on the ground.

He pulled the limb back, and threw it! Aiming right at the closest Ornidon!

An angry grunt resonated, and was immediately followed by the Ornidon stretching its head forward and,

\'Oho. Impressive diameter.\'

The mist expelled was so hot that the stone that had hit the Ornidon\'s body changed color! Though only for a moment.

The rest of the Ornidons, sensing the heat approaching, had moved a couple of steps away.

\'A diameter of around three meters all around it...\' Rei smiled internally. \'All around it, except towards its head. Ha!\'

He quickly started walking forward.

\'Invisibility really does make things too easy!\'