The thrill of unlocking the Shop and his new senses was intoxicating. For the next few cycles of hunting and sleeping, Adam was a model of efficiency.
His Acute Smell allowed him to track prey with terrifying precision, and his growing Agility made him a blur in the shadows. He was a perfectly adapted dungeon predator.
But as he consumed his fifth Fever Newt, a thought, quiet and persistent, began to surface in his mind, rising above the constant hum of survival.
"What kind of world is this?"
The question echoed in the silence between heartbeats. He was in a dungeon, sure. But what was outside? Were there cities? Kingdoms? Were there people sitting in cafes, complaining about calculus tests, completely unaware that beneath their feet existed a whole ecosystem of giant rats and rock toads?
He remembered his old world—the smell of rain on asphalt, the taste of a cold soda, the sound of his friends laughing. The memory was so vivid it was a physical ache. A deep, profound loneliness, one he hadn't allowed himself to feel, settled in his core.
"If I... when I get out of here... what will they see?" He looked down at his own body, now nearly two feet long, covered in darkening scales.
His forked tongue flicked out, tasting the air for threats. "They won't see Adam Smith, the kid who liked burgers and was bad at asking girls out. They'll see a monster. A snake. Something to be driven off or killed."
The realization was a cold shock. His second chance at life came with a cruel caveat: he was born into the role of the villain, the beast in the dark.
For a long moment, despair threatened to swallow him whole. What was the point of evolving, of growing stronger, if the ultimate reward was being hunted?
"No," he thought, his mental voice firm and resolute. "That's their problem, not mine. I know who I am. I'm still me in here."
He thought of the vast, unknown world above. He might be a monster in their eyes, but he was a monster with a human mind, human curiosity, and a burning desire to see the sun again.
"So what if they're scared? I'll just have to be so strong that they'll have to listen. Or so sneaky they'll never see me. I don't need their acceptance. I just want to see it. I want to feel real sunlight on my scales. I want to see a forest, an ocean... a sky that isn't made of stone."
This wasn't just about survival anymore. It was about reclaiming a piece of the world he had lost. The dungeon was no longer just a prison; it was a training ground. Every point of Strength was a step towards the surface. Every point of Agility was a step towards freedom.
His resolve solidified into a new, unshakable goal. "I will get out of here. I will see the outside world. And I won't let anyone or anything stop me."
As if the dungeon sought to test his declaration, his enhanced smell picked up a new, potent scent. It was musky, reptilian, and carried a distinct undercurrent of aggression. It was the scent of a rival predator.
He slithered forward cautiously, using his Web Resistance to brush aside stray spider threads without slowing down. He peered around a bend into a small grotto where glowing mushrooms grew in thick clusters.
There, coiled around the base of the largest mushroom, was another snake.
It was a Crystalfang Serpent (Lvl 6), a beautiful and deadly creature. Its scales had a faint, opalescent sheen, and its fangs, visible as it hissed, looked like they were made of sharp, clear quartz. It was a full foot longer than Adam and radiated a confident aura of dominance.
"Okay, not a toad, but still a problem," Adam assessed. "It's bigger, probably stronger. But I have a human brain. Let's see how it likes my tactics."
The Crystalfang spotted him immediately and rose up, hood flaring in a silent challenge.
"You want this hunting ground? Come and get it," Adam taunted mentally, not backing down.
The Crystalfang struck, lightning-fast. But Adam was ready. He didn't try to meet the strike head-on. Instead, he used his high Agility to dart sideways, letting the quartz fangs scrape harmlessly against the stone floor. As the larger serpent's head was extended and vulnerable, Adam lunged, not for the body, but to wrap his coils around the enemy's neck, activating Constrict.
The Crystalfang thrashed, its powerful body whipping around. It was stronger, and Adam felt his grip slipping. But he held on, and with a brutal twist of his own body, he managed to sink his own, less glamorous but equally effective, venomous fangs into the base of its skull.
It was a battle of attrition. The Crystalfang's venom was potent, a numbing cold that seeped into Adam's body, but his growing Poison Resistance and the Hardened Carapace fragment helped him weather the effects. His own venom, enhanced by efficiency, worked on the larger snake's nervous system.
Minutes that felt like hours passed. Finally, the thrashing ceased. The opalescent scales grew still.
[ Defeated: Crystalfang Serpent (Lvl 6) ]
[ EP Gained: 25 ]
[ EP to Next Level: 15/30 ]
[ Total Evolution Points: 97/100 ]
"So close!" Adam panted, unwinding himself. The victory was sweet, but the proximity to his evolution was electrifying. He was on the cusp.
He consumed the serpent, the meat strangely cool and crisp.
[ You have consumed a Crystalfang Serpent. ]
[ Strength +1 ]
[ Agility +0.5 ]
[ Venom Potency Slightly Increased. ]
[ Skill Fragment Acquired: Crystal Shard (0.7/1.0) ]
The stat boosts were significant. He felt a surge of raw power. And the new skill fragment was fascinating—a ranged attack? But his attention was fixed on his Evolution Points.
97 out of 100.
He was three points away. Just one more small victory.