Chapter Fourteen

From long practice, Bob ignored the silt-filled waters as they raged outside his hidey-hole. Lost instead in a game of his own devising. Trying to bite down on the piece of iron scrap he’d carried with him in rhythm with some of his old life’s favorite songs.

Not the most entertaining of activities he would admit, but it did make the time go by faster.

‘And better than that, it’s productive.’ Bob thought to himself, taking a quick glance at his Skill Page.

Unarmed Path Skill:

Bite (F)

Level: 9 – Exp: 99/100%

The most common attack available to a living creature.

Damage and bite force are increased per level.

It had probably been around three or four days since he’d made it to the lake’s edge, and Bob was ashamed to admit that it had taken him almost the entirety of the first to remember that ‘Bite’ could be leveled up without needing an opponent. Something which seemed far worse when you realized that he’d spent a large portion of it bored out of his mind.

The brief lull he’d encountered was unfortunately just that. A pause between what seemed an unending series of storms. The area he’d reincarnated in apparently being in the midst of its rainy season. He’d made progress, inching that much further around the lake every day, but it felt like the greater portion of his time was spent hidden away or keeping watch for the coming floods.

Cover was almost always easy to find, luckily. But there had been a few occasions where Bob found himself stopping even during travelable weather. Unwilling to leave ‘perfect’ cover behind when he knew a storm would eventually arrive.

Still, it at least gave him time for self-improvement. Even if the last percent of ‘Bite’ was being particularly stubborn about rolling over.

Which was a shame, because he was quite looking forward to the results.

Admittedly, Bob had no evidence that the skill would evolve at level ten. Or even at level one hundred. They could span off into absurd numbers for all he knew, given that the system had done surprisingly little in the way of explanation.

But he did know they would evolve. And that little detail made the coming level deliciously alluring.

Though, admittedly, part of him wasn’t sure what he was going to do once he ground out that final point. Losing his primary form of entertainment in this situation sounded less than pleasant. And it wasn’t like he could simply transfer over to one of his other Skills. ‘Dodge’ required an opponent and spamming ‘Taunt’ seemed like a quick way to find himself in a very bad situation.

He was going to have to figure something out soon though, as with one final ‘chomp’ the Skill finally hit one-hundred percent. A system alert immediately popping up in front of him.

Ding!

Bite (F) LV:10 Has reached maximum level!

Bite (F) Can be evolved!

Possible Evolutions:

Improved Bite (E),Toothless Grasp (E)

Worries and concerns about the endless storm withered away immediately as he was given the notification. A mixture of adrenaline and euphoria ripping through him as he forced his mind to still itself; not wanting a repeat of his first auto-selection. He could feel his form nearly shaking as he sent out a request for elucidation from the system. Though, of course, that could simply be due to the raging floodwaters.

Improved Bite (E)

The basic evolution for Bite (F)

Improved damage and bite force as compared to Bite (F)

End of evolutionary route

Requirements: Bite (F) Level: 10

Toothless Grasp (E)

Opens ‘Capture’ Path for ‘Bite’ Skill

All damage negated

Malleability improved

Requirements: Bite (F) Level:10, Majority of ‘Bite’ exp gained without dealing damage

This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.

Unfortunately, as Bob read through his options, he felt his enthusiasm begin to fade. The choice between losing his only combative skill and plateauing it at such an early stage not exactly filling him with joy.

Still, as far as decisions go, this one wasn’t exactly ‘Sophie’s choice’. The mere fact that ‘Toothless Grasp’ could evolve further making it the obvious go-to. Besides, the only things he’d actually managed to use ‘Bite’ offensively on were a petulant teen and a sardine-sized fish. Both of which had willingly placed themselves inside his mouth.

It also improved his primary use of the skill – that being as a sad replacement for a human hand – and opened up the possibility that, potentially, the Skill would continue to Level up in the same manner he’d managed with its predecessor. Something which might help him keep his sanity while waiting for the current, longest, storm to pass.

It was named ‘Toothless Grasp’ after all. So, Bob assumed it would gain experience by, well, grasping things.