Hours passed, marked only by the slow crawl of the sun as it ascended above the swamp's perpetually shadowed canopy. When Seraphina's consciousness finally flickered back into existence, it was to the searing agony of her re-formed body and the blinding, unwelcome glare of daylight.
Her eyes, unaccustomed to the sudden brightness, burned and watered. She tried to push herself up, but her muscles screamed in protest, a symphony of torment that was almost as overwhelming as the transformation itself. All she could manage was to roll onto her side, her throat constricting. A guttural retch escaped her, and she vomited onto the damp earth, the bile shockingly mixed with blood. Her entire body was slick with it, not just her own, but what seemed to be the residual remnants of the transformation process, covering the ground beneath her in a sickening pool.
"S...stats," she croaked, her voice raw and barely audible. The translucent screen shimmered into view, and her eyes, though still swimming, immediately fixated on the most critical number: Health: 1/24. The System had been brutally correct. The transformation had utterly ravaged her, leaving her on the precipice of death.
Before she could even register the profound vulnerability, an unmistakable sound ripped through the morning stillness: a crashing roar that vibrated through the very ground. Seraphina's head snapped around, her bloodshot eyes widening in horror. Barely twenty feet away, a towering, enraged Minotaur stood, its massive head lowered, its nostrils flaring as it stared directly at her. She could feel its raw bloodlust, a palpable wave of malevolent intent washing over her.
Then, it charged.
Panic, cold and absolute, seized Seraphina. She tried to scramble up, to put distance between herself and the charging beast, but her legs refused to cooperate. Her muscles, shredded by the regeneration process, were locked in a spasm of pain. She was utterly incapacitated, unable to move normally. She needed to heal, desperately, but there was no time.
"No, no, no!" she whimpered, her mind screaming defiance even as her body betrayed her. With a desperate, animalistic cry, she began to drag herself towards the temple entrance, her bloodied hands clawing at the earth. She was so close, just a few feet, but the Minotaur was gaining, its heavy hoofbeats shaking the ground. Tears streamed down her face, mixing with the blood and grime. She didn't want to feel this again – the humiliation, the shame, the crushing weakness. She was supposed to be a Monster Eater, powerful, not a helpless, broken thing crawling for its life. But she was weak, and the humiliation burned hotter than any physical pain as she desperately clawed her way to the stone threshold.
The thundering hoofbeats of the Minotaur, a terrifying drumbeat of impending doom, suddenly began to falter. The massive beast slowed, then stopped, its colossal head shaking violently. A guttural roar of frustration ripped from its throat as the subtle, insidious effects of the World Tree began to assert themselves. Seraphina, still desperately dragging her broken body towards the temple, risked a glance back.
"Is my luck going to hold out? Will this Minotaur die or get something terrible?" she thought, a desperate flicker of hope igniting within her. But alas, this had to be the day her pitiful Luck decided it wanted to take a day off. The Minotaur's negative status effect was Berserker. Instead of weakening, it merely drove the beast into a blind, uncontrolled fury, its bloodlust now amplified tenfold.
A primal scream tore from Seraphina's throat as she forced her ravaged body to crawl faster. Just as the Minotaur let out another enraged bellow and lunged, she propelled herself forward, slipping through the temple entrance by a hair's breadth. The monstrous impact shook the ancient stones as the Minotaur crashed into the doorway, its head wedging tightly, unable to fully enter.
With a desperate, defiant surge of adrenaline, Seraphina pushed herself up on her wobbling, agonizingly painful legs. Every muscle screamed in protest, but her resolve, hardened by humiliation and rage, burned brighter. Her left hand, without conscious thought, shimmered and transformed. Thick, razor-sharp Rengo Claws sprouted from her fingertips, gleaming wickedly in the dim light of the temple entrance.
With a raw, animalistic cry, she swung. The reinforced claws, imbued with the strength she had poured into them, raked across the Minotaur's face. A sickening squelch, a fountain of warm blood, and then, with a wet thud, a massive eyeball plopped onto the temple floor, still twitching. The Minotaur howled, a guttural, earth-shaking bellow of agony and rage. Blinded in one eye and reeling from the unexpected, excruciating wound, it instinctively thrashed backward, tearing itself free from the doorway and stumbling away into the forest, its roars fading into the distance.
Seraphina collapsed against the cool stone wall, sliding down to the floor in a heap. She lay there, panting, ragged gasps tearing through her chest. Every inch of her body screamed with renewed pain, and she winced, looking at the grotesque, mangled eyeball lying a few feet away.
"If I eat that eyeball, I only get one trait or skill, right?" she thought, her voice hoarse even in her own mind.
"Yes. To get more, you must eat the entire body of the Minotaur," the System replied, its response clipped and clear.
Seraphina lay panting, her body screaming with pain, but her mind was fixed on the grotesque prize. The Minotaur's freshly mangled eyeball, still glistening with fluid and blood, lay just a few feet away. Despite the agony, despite the raw revulsion churning in her stomach, she steeled her resolve. This was a chance for power, a direct gain she desperately needed.
She forced her battered body to crawl, inch by excruciating inch, towards the eyeball. Reaching it, she scooped the grisly orb into her hand. The soft, gelatinous texture, the metallic scent of blood – every instinct screamed in protest. She closed her eyes, took a ragged breath, and shoved it into her mouth.
The taste was abhorrent: a combination of pungent animal matter, saline, and something strangely bitter. The squish of it between her teeth, the viscous fluid coating her tongue, made her gorge rise. Every fiber of her being screamed to vomit, to spit it out, to purge the vile thing from her system. But Seraphina forced herself. Her jaw clenched, muscles screaming as she swallowed the grotesque morsel whole.
She lay there, shivering, waiting for the process to complete. The feeling of the eyeball slowly dissolving within her stomach was profoundly unsettling, a grim alchemy taking place. When it finally did, a vibrant notification screen burst into existence before her eyes.
Skill Acquired!
"Acquired: Skill: Predatory Gaze"
Description: The skill to intimidate prey with a gaze, inducing 10% fear. Only works on lower levels. However, it can potentially be leveled up to not only affect higher levels but to induce 100% fear in enemies and prey, causing them to die from fear.
Before she could fully process the chilling implications of her new intimidation skill, another screen popped up, revealing a linked, equally valuable ability.
Sub-skill Acquired!
"Acquired: Sub-skill: Scan"
Description: This gives the user the ability to see other beings' levels and basic stats. To see any other information, you need to acquire "Third Eye" to fuse with Scan to unlock "All-Seeing Eye."
"Oh, now my luck decided it wants to work again," Seraphina croaked, a bitter, humorless laugh escaping her lips, which immediately made her wince in pain. The irony was palpable. After surviving unimaginable torment by the thinnest thread, her luck was finally turning, granting her powerful new tools to survive this merciless world. She now had a way to assess threats and a terrifying ability to cow them, even in her current, weakened state.
The raw power of her new skills, Predatory Gaze and Scan, resonated within Seraphina, but the brutal reality of her physical state was undeniable. Her body screamed with agony, every muscle protesting, every bone aching. Her vision blurred, and the world spun with her dizzying pain. With 1/24 Health, she was one wrong move, one sharp breath, away from collapsing entirely.
Wisdom, sharpened by her near-death experience and boosted Intelligence, prevailed over immediate curiosity. Exploring the temple, no matter how tempting with its promise of gear and safety, would be suicide in her current condition. She needed to heal, to recover, to regain control over her newly re-formed, battered body.
With a mental command, her left hand, which had so savagely sprouted Rengo Claws moments ago, shimmered and softened, slowly reverting to its normal human appearance. She was still naked, still covered in blood and grime, an utterly pathetic sight. She knew she looked like a mess, a broken, bloodied thing, a testament to the horrors she'd endured.
But right now, the allure of unconsciousness, the desperate need for respite from the gnawing pain, was overwhelming. Sleep sounded like the only option. She needed to shut down, to let her body begin the arduous process of mending.
She pushed herself further into the temple's entrance, past the Minotaur's expelled eyeball, finding a spot against the cool, solid stone wall. The ancient silence of the temple, infused with the strange, protective aura of the World Tree, seemed to offer a sliver of safety. With a final, ragged sigh, Seraphina surrendered to the encroaching darkness, hoping that when she awoke, it would be to a body less broken, and perhaps, a slightly less cruel reality.
Seraphina pushed herself further into the temple's entrance, finding a spot against the cool, solid stone wall. The ancient silence of the temple, infused with the strange, protective aura of the World Tree, seemed to offer a sliver of safety. With a final, ragged sigh, Seraphina surrendered to the encroaching darkness, hoping that when she awoke, it would be to a body less broken, and perhaps, a slightly less cruel reality.
Seraphina's consciousness drifted in a void of pain and exhaustion. Hours passed, marked only by the slow, imperceptible shift of the sun above the swamp's perpetual twilight. When she finally stirred, it was not to complete relief, but to a dull, throbbing ache that permeated every inch of her newly re-formed body.
The interior of the temple was still dim, though faint streaks of daylight managed to filter through cracks in the ancient ceiling and the thick roots embracing the structure. She tried to sit up, but a wave of nausea swept over her, coupled with a searing pain in her abdomen. All she could manage was a low groan as she rolled onto her side, emptying what little was left in her stomach onto the cold stone floor. It was a meager, bloody mess. Her entire body felt heavy, bruised, and utterly depleted, still covered in grime and dried blood.
"S...stats," she croaked, her voice raw and hoarse. The translucent screen shimmered into existence, and her eyes, though still blurry with pain and residual exhaustion, locked onto the vital number.
Health: 3/24
A meager gain. Two points of health. The healing was agonizingly slow, a testament to the severity of the transformation and the harshness of this world's laws. It was barely a reprieve from her earlier critical state.
Before she could fully register the disappointment, a new sound, distinct from the ambient noises of the forest, intruded. A low, guttural snuffle. A dragging sound. It was close. Too close.
Her Awareness Level 2 flared, sending a spike of adrenaline through her battered form. Seraphina pushed herself, whimpering, to brace against the wall, straining to see into the deeper shadows of the temple's interior. The Minotaur was gone, but something else was here. Something... smaller.
Then, from behind a crumbling pillar near the entrance, a creature emerged. It was low to the ground, moving with a ponderous, shuffling gait. Its skin was mottled and greenish, its eyes dull and vacant. A Zombie.
And it was slowly, inexorably, shuffling towards her, drawn by the scent of blood and vulnerability.
Seraphina watched the zombie approach, its shambling gait agonizingly slow, yet relentlessly closing the distance. The creature's vacant, clouded eyes fixed on her, drawn by the potent scent of fresh blood and exposed flesh. Her body screamed with pain, every movement a brutal reminder of her near-death state, yet her mind, sharp and ruthless, began to work.
A truly nauseating thought formed, cold and clinical, pushing past her physical agony. "The undead can't feel pain, can they?" she mused, a dark, terrible idea blossoming.
"No, they have a natural trait that pain is no longer an obstacle," the System replied, its text flickering with a sudden, almost horrified realization. "You're not thinking of doing what I think you're thinking of doing?"
Seraphina ignored its implied question, her focus absolute. "Scan," she croaked, her voice barely a whisper, forcing the command through her throbbing skull.
The translucent screen flickered, instantly displaying the zombie's basic information.
Target Scanned:
Name: Undead Straggler (Common Zombie) Level: 2 Health: 30 Agility: 2 Strength: 8 Defense: 5 MP: 0 Intelligence: 1 Luck: 0
Seraphina's eyes, though still burning, absorbed the data. Level 2. Lower than her own Level 3. Slow. Her Absorption skill could work. She was in agony, barely able to move, but this... this was an opportunity. A way to heal, to gain stats, to get a taste of power without directly confronting a beast like the Minotaur again. The thought of consuming the rotting flesh made her stomach churn, but the prospect of regaining her strength, of not being this weak, helpless thing, superseded all revulsion.
The zombie continued its slow, relentless shuffle, its vacant gaze locked onto Seraphina. She lay there, her body a screaming canvas of agony, but her mind, fueled by the primal urge to survive and consume, raced. Absorption. That was the key. But could she do it in this broken, human form? Or, more precisely, could she leverage her new slime nature without the full, agonizing transformation?
A desperate idea sparked. She had Pheromone Secretion, described as secreting via "bodily fluid or slime fluid." Perhaps, with immense effort, she could push beyond mere pheromones and manifest the slime itself.
With a monumental effort that sent jolts of pain through her, Seraphina weakly lifted her right arm, her muscles trembling violently. Her gaze fixed on her palm, she concentrated, drawing on the same well of alien energy that allowed her to transform. Her skin began to prickle, then glisten. A viscous, amethyst-tinged fluid, mirroring the hue of her full slime form, began to ooze from her pores, coalescing in her hand. It pulsed, then divided, forming several small, independent blobs. These weren't mere secretions; they were miniature, conscious slimes, extensions of her own being.
"Protect me," Seraphina croaked, her voice barely a whisper, yet infused with an undeniable command that resonated through her new connection to these entities. "Absorb the zombie, and come back to me."
As if bound by an unseen will, her small army of miniature slimes, each no bigger than her fist, detached from her hand. They pulsed with an eerie determination and flowed, surprisingly swiftly given their size, towards the shambling Undead Straggler.
The zombie, slow and unfeeling, registered their approach with typical delay. Its arms, stiff with rigor mortis, began to rise, but the mini-slimes were already upon it. They flowed around its ankles, hindering its ponderous steps, then began to climb, their amethyst forms glinting as they covered its legs, its torso, and finally, its head. There was no struggle from the zombie, no scream of pain, only the muffled, wet sounds of consumption as the tiny slimes began their grim work, slowly but surely engulfing the rotting flesh.
The mini-slimes, relentless and silent, continued their macabre feast. The zombie, already slow and uncoordinated, lurched violently as the slimes clinging to its legs began to work with alarming efficiency. Its rotting flesh and decaying muscle gave way, consumed and broken down by the viscous, amethyst forms. With a wet, tearing sound, its feet dissolved entirely, and the Undead Straggler, robbed of its anchor, toppled forward with a dull thud.
It lay there, a grotesquely immobile mass, as the miniature slimes swarmed over it. They pulsed and spread, covering its entire form, like a living, amethyst shroud. Seraphina watched, mesmerized and horrified, as the zombie's body began to liquefy, melting away into the depths of her progeny. The ragged clothes, the decaying skin, the exposed bones – all dissolved into a viscous, nutrient-rich slurry. In moments, nothing remained of the zombie but a faint, glistening stain on the temple floor.
With their gruesome task complete, the mini-slimes began to flow back towards Seraphina, coalescing into a single, pulsating mass as they approached her. The pain in Seraphina's body was still excruciating, but a strange, magnetic pull guided the returning slimes. As the aggregated mass reached her, it effortlessly flowed onto her bleeding skin, sinking into her pores, re-integrating with her being.
A wave of vital energy, cool and oddly refreshing, washed over Seraphina's shattered body, pushing back against the pain. Notifications, bright and insistent, immediately bloomed in her vision.
Notifications!
"Congratulations! Monster Consumed: Undead Straggler (Common Zombie)"
"Acquired: Stat Points: 2"
"Acquired: Trait: Pain Nullification (Minor)"
Description: A minor passive trait granting a subtle reduction in the sensation of pain. Does not negate damage.
"Acquired: Trait: Undead Resilience (Minor)"
Description: A minor passive trait granting increased resistance to certain forms of debilitation common to undead, such as rot or disease.
"Acquired: Skill: Minor Regeneration (Passive)"
Description: A very slow passive healing rate. Heals 1 HP per hour.
Seraphina's eyes, still gritty with pain, darted to her stats.
Stats Update!
Health: 5/24 (+2 HP recovered from absorption) (Total 5 from 3)
Unassigned Stat Points: 2
The immediate surge of 2 HP was a godsend, pushing her health from critical to merely dire. The pain still raged, but with the Pain Nullification (Minor) trait, it felt... distant. Like a fire burning far away, its heat still immense, but separated by a layer of insulation. The Minor Regeneration was a promise, agonizingly slow but present, a path back from this abyss.
Seraphina lay there, panting, eyes fixed on the remaining 2 unassigned stat points. She had survived. She had gained. And the horror of what she had just done, consuming the undead through her own spawn, solidified the monstrous reality of her new existence.
The immediate relief from the 2 HP gain and the subtle dampening effect of Pain Nullification (Minor) was undeniable, a tiny beacon in her sea of agony. But Seraphina's sharp mind, despite the lingering haze of pain, immediately grasped the full, terrifying truth. This Minor Pain Nullification was utterly insufficient to negate the sheer, soul-shattering torment of transforming from slime back to human. The System's high-level "pain level" assessment still loomed, a horrifying specter.
She had two clear, albeit daunting, paths to truly conquer that pain:
Grind it Out: Wait until she was at full health (a long, painful process with Minor Regeneration healing at 1 HP per hour) and then deliberately subject herself to the transformation agony again and again. Each instance might, she hoped, level up her nascent Pain Nullification and Minor Regeneration, making future transformations less lethal and eventually bearable. It was a brutal, self-inflicted path of suffering.
Hunt and Fuse: Seek out another undead monster, consume its core, and hopefully acquire another instance of Pain Nullification or a similar trait. She could then attempt to stack and fuse these abilities, potentially creating a more powerful, more effective version that might actually mitigate the transformation pain. This path, however, meant immediate exposure to danger, a risk she was barely in a condition to take.
For now, neither option was feasible. Her body was still screaming, her health barely above critical. The need for recovery was paramount. She had won this small skirmish, but the war for her survival was far from over. Her Awareness Level 2 might warn her of approaching threats, but her 5/24 Health meant any new encounter could be her last.
Seraphina pushed herself back against the cool stone wall of the temple, her vision swimming. The two unassigned stat points from the zombie kill remained, a tantalizing promise of power she couldn't yet access. All she could do now was endure. Rest. Wait for her body to slowly, agonizingly mend itself. The world was still dark, though dawn had broken hours ago, but inside the temple, a fragile silence settled around her, broken only by her ragged breathing.
The agonizing process of healing was Seraphina's only priority. She pushed herself against the cool stone wall of the temple, her vision swimming, every nerve screaming. But even in her profound weakness, her sharp mind sought to leverage her new monstrous abilities for survival.
With a monumental effort, she once again forced her battered body to secrete. Viscous, amethyst-tinged fluid oozed from her skin, coalescing into several miniature slimes. They pulsed with an eerie, quiet sentience, extensions of her own will.
"Keep watch," Seraphina croaked, her voice barely a whisper, yet resonating with an innate command. "And protect me while I sleep."
Her small, amorphous sentinels obediently flowed to strategic positions around her prone form, melting into the shadows and crevices of the ancient temple entrance. They were her eyes, her early warning system, her fragile shield against the unknown. The 2 unassigned stat points from the zombie kill, a tantalizing promise of power, could wait. Her very survival hinged on rest.
As her Minor Regeneration began its agonizingly slow work, mending her shattered body one precious hit point at a time, Seraphina finally succumbed to exhaustion, her consciousness sinking into a deep, much-needed darkness.
Hours blurred into an indistinguishable passage of time. The sun arced across the sky, its muted light filtering through the overgrown temple, painting shifting patterns on the dust-laden stone. Seraphina's miniature slimes remained vigilant, silent sentinels, their amethyst forms almost imperceptible against the shadows. Nothing disturbed the ancient quiet of the World Tree-protected temple.
When Seraphina finally stirred, it was still to a dull throb of pain, but it was no longer the all-consuming inferno that had forced her into unconsciousness. The subtle workings of her Minor Regeneration and Pain Nullification (Minor) had offered some respite. She was still naked, still weak, but the immediate threat of death had receded slightly.
She could feel her health had recovered a few more points, pushing her further from the brink. The air within the temple was still, cool, and carried the scent of ancient stone and verdant overgrowth. No new sounds of approaching danger, human or monster, had penetrated the sanctuary.
Seraphina's eyes fluttered open, still heavy with the lingering exhaustion of her ordeal. The dull throb of pain was a constant companion, but it had receded enough for her consciousness to fully return. Before scanning her surroundings, her gaze, almost instinctively, fell to her own naked body, specifically her chest.
A faint gasp escaped her lips, quickly stifled by a wince from the pain. Her breasts, even in her weakened state, felt... different. Larger. Noticeably so.
"Did my breasts get bigger?" she thought to herself, a flicker of surprise cutting through her lingering agony. She hadn't paid any attention during the horrific re-growth of her body; survival had been her sole focus.
"Yes, those titties are enormous," the System's text appeared, as ever, blunt and utterly devoid of tact. "Be careful, you don't poke someone's eyes out, or get groped by a perverted woman."
Seraphina didn't react to the System's crude remark, her mind already moving past the shock. The immediate concern wasn't vanity or discomfort, but practicality. Her desperate need for clothes, already paramount, had just taken on a new, more difficult dimension. If her body had undergone such a significant, visible change, finding fitting garments in this abandoned ruin would be even harder. Her already high Charm stat (30) might now be amplified by this change, though it was hardly a comfort in her current, dire circumstances.
As Seraphina processed the jarring realization about her altered physique, her gaze shifted. Her eyes, still adjusting to the temple's dim light, fell upon her mini-slime guards. Her initial sense of their protective presence morphed into a stark, visceral understanding of their true nature.
They were no longer merely guards. Her miniature slimes, currently coalesced into a single, pulsating amethyst mass, were actively devouring something large and dark. Her Awareness Level 2 flared, processing the visual and subtle energetic cues. It was a giant black spider, its numerous legs stiffening and dissolving into the slimes' viscous depths. From its size, easily that of a Great Dane, it must have been a formidable, if not deadly, predator. The spider's dark, chitinous exoskeleton was already melting away, leaving behind only a shimmering, dark fluid as the slimes efficiently broke it down.
A cold, appreciative thought flickered through Seraphina's mind. Mini slime bodyguards? No. Mini slime assassins? Perhaps. Or, with a grim twist of her lips, mini slimessassins. They had been busy while she was unconscious, defending her and, in doing so, securing more raw materials.
Notifications!
"Congratulations! Monster Consumed: Giant Black Spider (Arachnid Predator)" (Consumed by subordinate entities, benefits transferred to user)
"Acquired: Stat Points: 3"
"Acquired: Trait: Wall Crawling (Minor)"
Description: A minor passive trait allowing the user to adhere to and move along vertical surfaces for short periods. Further levels improve duration and surface types.
"Acquired: Skill: Venom Gland (Minor)"
Description: The user can produce a small amount of mild venom, delivered through a bite or specific body part (e.g., fingertips if partial transformed). Potency scales with levels.
The mini-slimes, having completely consumed the spider, now pulsed with a richer, darker hue, faintly tinged with the spider's essence. They began to flow back towards Seraphina, ready to reintegrate.
Seraphina's health was still painfully low, but she had gained another 3 unassigned stat points. And two more potentially game-changing abilities: Wall Crawling for stealth and evasion, and a Venom Gland for offensive use, even in her human form. The temple truly was a place of unexpected gains.
A fresh surge of pain, sharp and distinct, lanced through Seraphina as her miniature slimes, now swollen with the spider's essence, flowed back onto her body. She gritted her teeth, but thankfully, the newly acquired Minor Pain Nullification dulled the edge, transforming the searing agony into a manageable, albeit intense, throb. It was the sensation of something new integrating into her very being.
Her inner awareness confirmed it. Somewhere deep within her reformed biology, a new organ had grown: a Venom Gland. It throbbed with a strange, latent energy, a silent testament to the spider's gruesome contribution.
Seraphina's mind immediately began to theorize, pushing past the pain and her naked vulnerability. Can she simply secrete venom now? Or, a more intriguing thought, can she create new miniature slimes, imbued with this venom, turning them into potent, toxic projectiles or assassins? The possibilities were both terrifying and thrilling. Her body was a canvas of monstrous evolution, and with each horrific acquisition, new avenues of power unfolded.
She now possessed 3 unassigned stat points. Her health remained a critical concern, though the healing from the zombie and spider absorptions, combined with her passive regeneration, was slowly inching her away from death's door. The need for clothes was still pressing, but understanding these new skills, especially the venom, could be crucial for her next survival strategy.
The new wave of pain, triggered by the integration of the spider's essence and the growth of the Venom Gland, solidified Seraphina's immediate priority. While the thought of venomous slimes was intriguing, she was still critically injured and vulnerable. Her priority had to be raw power.
"Stats," she rasped, and the familiar screen shimmered. She still had 2 unassigned stat points from the zombie, plus 3 more from the giant spider, totaling 5 points waiting to be allocated. Her legs, though still screaming with agony, felt a fraction more responsive. She could move now, slowly, painfully, but move nonetheless.
Her earlier strategic decision to balance her stats immediately came to mind. Her Strength was now 12, her Defense 10, and her Luck 7. With only 5 points, she needed to make them count.
Stat Allocation
Seraphina knew she couldn't afford to leave her HP so low, but she also needed to ensure she could deal damage and survive if another creature found her.
+2 points to Strength (Total: 14): This would further enhance the destructive power of her Rengo Claws and allow her to potentially overpower weaker foes if forced into a direct confrontation.
+3 points to Defense (Total: 13): Raising her Defense to 13 would make her even more resilient. This was crucial for mitigating damage from future attacks, especially while her health remained low. Every point in Defense meant she could absorb more punishment, buying her vital time.
This allocation would make her a tougher, more dangerous target, increasing her chances of survival significantly. Her HP was still a concern, but a higher Defense would reduce the rate at which she lost it. The Venom Gland and potential for venomous slimes could wait; raw, brute force and durability were what she needed right now.
Stats Update!
Strength: +2 points (Total: 14)
Defense: +3 points (Total: 13)
Unassigned Stat Points: 0
With her stats allocated, Seraphina felt a subtle surge of power flow through her. The pain was still a constant companion, but her newly bolstered body felt marginally more capable. She could gingerly push herself to a sitting position, then slowly, agonizingly, rise to a crouch. Her legs trembled, but they held.
The temple remained silent around her. The task of experimenting with her Venom Gland or creating new, specialized slimes could indeed wait. First, she needed to fully recover. Then, she needed clothes. And then, she needed to explore this ancient, overgrown sanctuary.
With newfound, albeit painful, mobility, Seraphina began to explore the ancient temple. Every step was a wince, but her enhanced Defense and Strength gave her a fragile confidence. The Minotaur's roar had long faded, and the ambient sounds of the swamp seemed distant, muffled by the thick stone walls and the World Tree's protective embrace.
She moved slowly, cautiously, her senses on high alert. The temple's interior was a labyrinth of crumbling stone, ancient carvings, and invading roots. Dust motes danced in the sparse shafts of light that pierced the gloom. She pushed open a heavy, creaking wooden door – remarkably still intact – and stepped into a new chamber.
Her eyes widened. This room was an unexpected sanctuary, a true gift. In its center, a natural hot spring bubbled gently, steam rising lazily into the air. A small waterfall cascaded from a fissure in the wall, its warm water flowing into the pool, then disappearing into a grate in the floor, maintaining a perfect, pristine balance. The air was warm and humid, carrying the faint, clean scent of minerals.