Chapter 148: Mutations, Randomness, And Skill Points
Arriving at the foot of the mountain, the Paru could immediately notice that its peak as well as the dark clouds surrounding it were very different from before.
‘The shes of lightning are way more frequent. They all also look more intense somehow…? Most of Serolia seems to be t, and with this mountain being, by far, the highest point I havee across, it’s not surprising that lightning would hit there way more often. That Giganto Zi must be having the time of its life.’ The Paru chuckled as he activated his Invisibility Skill. ‘Did it get overpowered by the numerous Tsero? They weren’t very aggressive towards the Giganto Zi, remaining mostly on the defensive, since thetter wasn’t getting closer to the Tsero Crystal. Remaining at the border of the area, they probably hoped that the Giganto Zi would turn around and walked away…’
After his first time at the peak of that mountain, the Paru felt a bit nervous as he started climbing.
‘Both the Giganto Zi and the Tsero can notice me despite Invisibility. Well, they get a sense that something is there. I had to move through many of them, but I still managed to grab the Tsero Crystal and get away rather easily, thanks to the Giganto Zi. Despite sensing me, they had other things to worry about. In the first ce, reading the electrical currents in the air can’t be easy when surrounded by other Tsero and that Crystal, since the charges fluctuate widely… I assume?’
Three lightning bolts were shot by the dark clouds that covered the mountain’s peak in the span of five minutes.
‘Looks like things are getting wild.’ The Paru smirked as he continued climbing.
…
About an hourter, ‘That’s… So fucking cool.’ The Paru thought to himself with wide eyes.
In front of him, an incredible battle was taking ce.
The Giganto Zi was surrounded by dozens of Tsero, each trying to pierce the former’s body with their horns.
The Giganto Zi’s eye had been pierced by a Tsero’s horns which, after having been shot by Roka, could barely be kept open.
Just as the Tsero seemed to have an advantage, lightning struck, and the Giganto Zi roared, its concentrated stream of energy, directed by its mobile and nimble tail, ridding it of the surrounding Tsero, allowing the Giganto Zi to turn the bnce in its favor for the umpteenth time.
‘Looks like an endless battle. Endless numbers for the Tsero, and endless endurance for the Giganto Zi.’
The Paru was using his Invisibility Skill while watching from afar.
He was seated with his legs crossed, exactly on the same pir that Roka had chosen earlier.
The Tsero slowly started moving away from their position, and the Giganto Zi followed.
‘That makes sense.’ The Paru thought to himself, as he brought therge meal in his hands closer. ‘Now that I’ve taken another Tsero Crystal, they need to move again, towards the next closer one.’
His jaws opened, and his fangsy on the Tsero Crystal.
Its surface cracked.
‘It’s tough to eat. I don’t want to waste the crumbs, but the moment that I take a bite, it starts breaking into chunks…’
With a wide smile on his face, the Paru watched the battle unfolding in front of him while eating.
‘I took the whole thing and not just the upper portion called the Tsero Crystal. I suppose it’s the same as that time when I ate the burried but also the whole nt, roots and all… Well, not really the same thing. This is a crystal. Minerals, right? Unlike when eating a living being, eating this doesn’t change my gic makeup. It doesn’t incorporate a different Species’ genes. It allows my cells to produce those minerals and… Well, I suppose that counts as changing my cells as well. It’s like Parus have the natural ability to learn how to produce the things that they eat. This seems to be it. Just like the Parus on that adding crystals to their shells.’
The Paru thought for a bit, watching the Tsero and Giganto Zi closely.
‘Eating this, through the energy it holds and creates, could raise my Stats or give me some kind of Skill. I can also have Tsero Crystals be part of my body… It doesn’t duplicate kic energy. Thermal energy doesn’t seem to do it either. Only electrical energy? There is electrical energy within the body, so it could duplicate that, allowing me to regain Endurance Points much faster. Do I want them on my back with the rest? Or something like… On my bones? Hmm…’
[The System suggests coating your bones.]
‘A thinyer of Tsero Crystals over my bones? That’s not a bad idea. I’ll also get some on my back. Just the middle ones though. Mmm…’
Lightning struck, and the Giganto Zi’s roar echoed again.
The Paru slowly enjoyed his meal while watching the spectacle.
‘Alright…’ He dusted his hands off, before hopping off the pir. ‘Guess I’ll go get something else.’
The invisible Paru moved into the area and back.
‘Geh… Hea… Vy!’
He eventually managed to get a Tsero’s body up that pir.
‘The number of Tsero is decreasing nicely. The Giganto Zi is limping. Guess they got its right leg good.’ The Paru thought as he took a bite of the unmoving Tsero’s leg. ‘Mm. Tasty.’
His lips curled up, watching the spectacle.
‘Like a T-rex versus Triceratops fight. Except there are many of thetter, and the former is powered up.’
Gulp-
The Paru scratched his neck.
‘Their bodies are heavy and too big. It’s a wonder they don’t need to eat. Now that I think about it, I’ve only seen adult Tsero. There doesn’t seem to be an Alpha among them. Well, Alpha isn’t really a thing, is it? It’s just a special and stronger specimen of that Species. If enough are bred, mutations can…’
The Paru furrowed his brows for a moment.
‘Mutations… They can ur at all times when cells multiply and divide, can’t they? If my cells hold a certain Skill, then those mutations could give rise to that same Skill but Lv.2, and those mutated cells holding the Lv.2 Skill need to multiply enough to overtake the others. This randomness that allows for mutations… Is that what Skill Points are about?’
[It could be seen that way.]
‘Interesting… Through the randomness, the Goddess acts. It’s definitely interesting.’ The Paru nodded to himself, before taking another bite of the Tsero. ‘I should get moving soon. The area isrge, so there are many packs of Tsero. The next Tsero Crystal is about 700 meters away, and that’s where the next pack of Tsero is. Guiding the Giganto Zi there sounds boring. I already have dozens and dozens of Tsero to eat. I don’t need more than this.’
The Tsero was quickly Devoured, and the Paru hopped off the pir.
The limbs on his back twitched for a moment, as the nature of the crystals covering them changed.
‘Kic or thermal energy might not be duplicated by the Tsero Crystal, but…’ The two middle limbs on the Paru’s back curled forward. ‘There are other ways of charging up stuff.’
With quick and repetitive movements that sent sparks flying into the air, the Paru made the sharp tips of those crystal-covered limbs grind against one another.
‘Ha!’ The Paru chuckled internally. ‘I used to do this shit with a pen and table!’
Slowly but surely, the air around the Paru started feeling different.
The electrical energy produced was duplicated by the shards of Tsero Crystals covering those limbs.
About a minute passed before,
‘Oh… Fuck yeah!’
[Endurance Points: 2700/2500.]
The more energy there is, the more duplicating it is worth it.
[Endurance Points: 2900/2500.]
[Endurance Points: 3400/2500.]
The Paru’s blue eyes shone brighter and those limbs were suddenly and violently pulled back.
Twitch- Zap- Twitch-
[Your Skill “Electric Surge Lv.4” activates!]
[All the energy stored within your “Electric Storage Lv.3” Skill is used to increase your Stats!]
[Stat(s) Chosen: Agility.]
[Your Agility Stat Temporarily increases by 30 Stat Points.]
[Your Agility Stat Temporarily increases from 63 to 93 Stat Points.]
The invisible Paru quickly closed the distance, and positioned himself perfectly so that, as heunched himself up and forward, leaving the ground cracked, his arm, turned due to the “de of Bones” Skill, would pierce the Giganto Zi’s already injured eye.
It roared loudly, shaking its head violently, sessfully shaking off the Paru.
But this was exactly what thetter wanted.
Beingunched by the Giganto Zi this way had ced him close to its behind.
The invisible Paru quickly closed the distance, circling around the Giganto Zi with ease, as he was, now, standing in its blind spot.
‘Don’t mind me…’
The Paru opened his mouth wide!
‘Taking this from you!!’
The next second, the Giganto Zi’s body froze.
It could feel that something was missing.
Indeed, it was.
The upper and lower limbs protruding from the Paru’s back twitched violently, as their tipspletely changed, reced by smaller versions of the Crystal at the tip of a Giganto Zi’s tail.
ROARRR!
‘Yeah, yeah.’ The Paru chuckled, an arrogant smile on his face. ‘Time to end this Quest!’