The goblin chief's body lay inert on the moss. Silence returned, but my internal circuits still screamed with alerts. My HP was at 5/70. My MP was at zero. I was a mass of damaged metal, barely functional.
I had to find shelter. The underground forest, with its strange lights and unknown sounds, was beautiful, but it was also a deadly trap in my current state. My camera swept, desperately searching for a hiding spot, a fissure.
Further on, I spotted a small opening in a rock face, barely wider than my spherical body. It was a shallow cave, but it could offer temporary refuge. I crawled towards it, my legs grinding with every agonizing movement. Every inch was torture.
I slid inside. The darkness was almost absolute, broken only by a faint phosphorescent glow on the ceiling. My optics adjusted. The air was heavier, stagnant. I pressed myself against the back of the cave, behind a rockfall, trying to make myself as small as possible. I was safe. For now.
Now. The silence settled. This was the moment to recover. To understand what I'd become. I didn't need sleep, but my systems pleaded for stabilization. My body's energy generator slowly began recharging my MP. It was an internal process I barely felt, a gentle vibration. My HP was also slowly regenerating, a slow trickle of repair.
I focused my consciousness on the System. It was time to use the points I'd earned.
[Status]
Name: One
Species: Spherical Droid Arachnoid
HP: 5/70
MP: 0/30
XP: 60/300
Level: 2
AP: 10
SP: 10
I had 10 AP and 10 SP. I considered my options. My survival so far had depended on my ability to dodge and strike. The fight against the goblin chief had been a desperate struggle. I needed to be tougher, but also deadlier. Versatility. That was the key.
I started with my AP.
[Stats]
* STR (Strength): 5
* AGI (Agility): 5
* CON (Constitution): 5
* INT (Intelligence): 5
* MP (Mana): 5
I allocated all 10 AP for the versatility I wanted:
* 4 AP to CON (Constitution) for better physical durability.
* 3 AP to STR (Strength) to increase my tail's damage.
* 3 AP to AGI (Agility) to improve my speed and evasion.
[Stats]
* STR (Strength): 8
* AGI (Agility): 8
* CON (Constitution): 9
* INT (Intelligence): 5
* MP (Mana): 5
My SP. I had 10. The System now offered me new component upgrade options.
[COMPONENT UPGRADES AVAILABLE:]
* Enhanced Durability Plating (Exoskeleton Upgrade)
* Description: Reinforces the outer shell with denser alloys and energy-dampening fields, significantly increasing resistance to physical impacts and blunt force trauma.
* Numerical Gain: +5 CON, +50 HP Max.
* Cost: 5 SP
* Agile Propulsion System (Legs Upgrade)
* Description: Overhauls the leg mechanisms with high-torque motors and flexible actuators, boosting raw movement speed, maneuverability, and acceleration.
* Numerical Gain: +5 AGI, +20% Movement Speed.
* Cost: 5 SP
* High-Frequency Sonar (New Sensor)
* Description: Integrates an advanced sonar array, allowing for detailed mapping of surroundings, detection of invisible units, and pinpointing enemies through solid objects within a limited range.
* Numerical Gain: +5 INT, Unlocks "Sonar Scan" active skill (Cost: 5 MP).
* Cost: 10 SP
* Arcane Resonance Core (MP Generator Upgrade)
* Description: Modifies the internal mana generator to resonate more efficiently with ambient mana, dramatically increasing MP regeneration rate and slightly boosting magical output.
* Numerical Gain: +5 MP, +100% MP Regeneration Rate.
* Cost: 10 SP
* Articulated Precision Tail (Tail Upgrade)
* Description: Extends the length and flexibility of the caudal appendage while reinforcing the tip with hyper-dense materials, allowing for longer reach, quicker strikes, and improved piercing capabilities.
* Numerical Gain: +5 STR, +2.5 Meter Tail Reach, Increased Critical Hit Chance (5%).
* Cost: 5 SP
These options. They were tangible. Incredibly detailed. My Alistair-self reveled in the sheer potential.
I decided to prioritize my shell first. The Enhanced Durability Plating. My very survival depended on it. I allocated 5 SP.
[ENHANCED DURABILITY PLATING (LVL.1) INSTALLED! CON increased by 5. HP Max increased by 50.]
[Stats (with upgrade gain):
* CON (Constitution): 14 (9 + 5)
[Status]
HP: 5/120 (70 + 50)
MP: 0/30
My Max HP was now 120. Much more reassuring.
Next, my tail. To make it longer and more flexible. The Articulated Precision Tail. I allocated the remaining 5 SP.
[ARTICULATED PRECISION TAIL (LVL.1) INSTALLED! STR increased by 5. Tail reach increased by 2.5 meters. Critical Hit Chance increased by 5%.]
[Stats (with upgrade gain):
* STR (Strength): 13 (8 + 5)
My SP were now at 0.
The interface updated, showing my revised stats.
[Status]
Name: One
Species: Spherical Droid Arachnoid
HP: 5/120
MP: 0/30
XP: 60/300
Level: 2
AP: 0
SP: 0
[Stats]
* STR (Strength): 13
* AGI (Agility): 8
* CON (Constitution): 14
* INT (Intelligence): 5
* MP (Mana): 5
I felt the changes. My shell seemed thicker, more robust. My tail was now significantly longer, moving with a surprising fluidity. A silent, devastating weapon.
I remained in the small cave. My HP and MP slowly climbed. An hour passed. My internal systems stabilized.
[Status]
HP: 60/120
MP: 30/30
Alright. Half HP, full MP. It was enough. Time to move.
I crawled out of the cave. The eerie glow of the underground forest greeted me. The air was cool, damp. My camera swiveled, scanning. I needed XP. Lots of it. And I knew the strategy that worked: stealth and surprise.
My enhanced optics, still at their base level, picked up movement. Small, gelatinous blobs. Slimes. They glistened on the mossy ground. Not exactly intimidating. A bit squishy-looking, really. Probably not much of a fight. And their ugliness rivaled the goblins.
[MONSTER DETECTED.]
[Name: Cave Slime]
[Level: 1]
[STR: 3] [AGI: 2] [CON: 6] [INT: 1] [MP: 0]
[Weakness: Piercing Impacts, Fire.]
[Resistance: Blunt, Slashing.]
I approached one. It was slowly oozing its way over a mushroom. My tail extended. It moved faster now, more precise. Thwip. A wet splat. The slime burst, leaving a faint acidic residue.
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Slime. +20 XP.]
[XP: 80/300]
Easy XP. My internal processes registered the efficiency. This was the way.
I moved through the forest, using my improved AGI to navigate the roots and climb the lower parts of the crystal trees. I hunted, always staying hidden, ambushing isolated targets. Slimes, mostly. Sometimes a lone goblin. Each kill was a precise operation.
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Slime. +20 XP.]
[XP: 100/300]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Goblin. +60 XP.]
[XP: 160/300]
Then, I spotted something new. Quicker. Small. Brown fur, long ears. Horned Rabbits. They hopped across the ground, occasionally twitching their noses. They looked like oversized, mutated bunnies. Slightly less hideous than the goblins, but still, not winning any awards.
[MONSTER DETECTED.]
[Name: Horned Rabbit]
[Level: 2]
[STR: 4] [AGI: 9] [CON: 3] [INT: 1] [MP: 0]
[Weakness: Blunt Impacts.]
[Resistance: Piercing, Slashing.]
High AGI. That would be a challenge for my tail. But I needed the XP. And my tail had improved piercing. I would try.
I descended quietly, getting behind one. My tail lashed out. It dodged. Fast. My tail retracted, my internal systems recalculating. This wasn't as simple as the slimes.
I adjusted my angle. This time, I predicted its dodge, aiming for where it would be. My tail snapped out again. A thwack. The Horned Rabbit crumpled.
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Horned Rabbit. +70 XP.]
[XP: 230/300]
Alright. New targets. More XP. My strategy was sound. I continued to hunt, alternating between slimes, isolated goblins, and these surprisingly nimble rabbits. Hours blurred into a methodical grind. My movements became smoother, almost fluid. My tail, an extension of my will.
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Slime. +20 XP.]
[XP: 250/300]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Horned Rabbit. +70 XP.]
[XP: 320/300]
My body hummed with a surge of energy.
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 3!]
[+5 AP]
[+5 SP]
[HP Maximum increased by 10. MP Maximum increased by 5.]
[Status]
Name: One
Species: Spherical Droid Arachnoid
HP: 60/130
MP: 30/35
XP: 20/400
Level: 3
AP: 5
SP: 5
I was gaining momentum. The satisfaction was purely logical, but potent. I allocated my new AP: 3 to CON, 2 to STR. My SP were reserved.
I continued the hunt. My HP was stable, my MP slowly refilling. The creatures of this forest were becoming mere obstacles.
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Goblin (Chief). +80 XP.]
[XP: 100/400]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Horned Rabbit. +70 XP.]
[XP: 170/400]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Slime. +20 XP.]
[XP: 190/400]
[MONSTER ELIMINATED: Cave Goblin (Guard). +40 XP.]
[XP: 230/400]
My internal systems pulsed with a familiar energy.
[CONGRATULATIONS! YOU HAVE REACHED LEVEL 4!]
[+5 AP]
[+5 SP]
[HP Maximum increased by 10. MP Maximum increased by 5.]
[Status]
Name: One
Species: Spherical Droid Arachnoid
HP: 60/140
MP: 30/40
XP: 30/500
Level: 4
AP: 10
SP: 10
Level 4. One more to go. The evolution awaited. The promise of new strength spurred me on. I needed to keep hunting. My path was clear.