Chapter 5
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Sneaky Visitor
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【Phishing Snake LV8】
【Phishing Snake】
A worm that looks like a snake that looks like a worm.
It lives in dark places where its eyes have degenerated, so instead it senses vibrations to detect prey.
It's a hunter that extends its long tongue to look like a tiny bug, luring in prey for an easy catch.
A worm that looks like a snake that looks like a worm.
...So it's just an earthworm, right?
But why's it called a snake, then?
I glared at the plump bug in front of me.
That must be the Phishing Snake's tongue.
It wiggles it like bait to deceive enemies.
But that's not enough.
If you're paying attention like I am now, you can immediately tell it's the tongue of some massive creature.
But the fact that even I almost fell for it means there's something more it's hiding.
My eyes can see through the ability it's concealing.
【Skills】
「Serpent Leap LV2」
「Tail Whip LV3」
【Traits】
「Pheromone Manipulation」
Pheromone Manipulation.
That must be it.
It uses that tongue and pheromones to lure in prey. That's its hunting method.
There's a high chance it knows I'm hiding here.
It's hard to believe it was just blindly trying its luck on anyone.
Look at it spraying pheromones that smell like fried chicken to try and charm me.
As a living creature, that kind of action has to consume its own resources.
Like a bug-eating plant withering away after repeated failed hunts, it'd suffer massive losses from striking out.
So we can assume it's certain I'm here.
It's probably planning to gobble me up the moment I take the bait.
Even if the pheromones don't work, it'll just wait at the entrance until I eventually come out.
But that strategy doesn't work on me.
Knowing it'd trap me if it blocked the entrance, I prepared an escape route.
If I sneak out now, I might avoid getting eaten.
It'll realize it struck out too late and rage.
But there's a problem.
Even if I escape, then what? I'd be right back to square one.
What could a weakling like me even do after running away?
Wandering around outside in the middle of the night would be no different from begging to die.
For one thing, my night vision sucks, and that's fatal.
If I lose my nest, I'm done for.
It'd just be a matter of who eats me, but my fate wouldn't change.
I have two choices.
One is to hunker down for real.
Wait until dawn, then slip out through another exit.
I'd lose the nest, but at least it wouldn't be dark, so I could make a fresh start.
Most fledglings would go with this strategy, but it has a fatal flaw.
The higher the enemy's intelligence, the lower my survival odds.
The moment it shoves a sharpened twig into the hole instead of that weird tongue, I'd be crow kebab.
It's a plan full of risks that relies on hoping the enemy is dumb.
So what's the other option?
Simple: drive this guy out.
Easier said than done, of course.
A fair one-on-one fight wouldn't even qualify as a battle.
But my goal isn't to beat it—it's to chase it off.
Just show it I'm not easy prey, and that'll be enough.
In the wild, wounds lead straight to death, so if I make it clear it'll take damage even if it eats me, that'll do it.
Thinking of it that way, it's not an impossible challenge.
Of course, that doesn't make it easy.
For now, I need to use everything at my disposal.
Let's think about its weaknesses.
First off, its eyes have degenerated.
It can sense enemies through vibrations, sure, but lacking sight is definitely a weakness.
If I stay perfectly still like now, it can't detect me.
"Kirik..."
A sound came from outside.
At the same time, that intense fragrance from before spread strongly again.
Since I didn't react, it's trying the charm again.
[Resisted Charm.]
I'm not dumb enough to fall for that.
But I can't let on that I know.
I plan to use this situation to my advantage.
"Kkaak..."
As if enchanted by its pheromones, I naturally stretched my beak toward the bait.
The moment I bite the bait, it'll reveal its true colors.
Its bait is part of its body.
Its tongue, no less.
And tongues are one of the most famous weak points.
So my opening move: target its tongue.
Snap!
"Kieek!"
When I clamped down on the bait, I pecked as hard as I could.
To make it feel the maximum pain.
Of course, it won't back off just like that.
Would a guy using bait run away because the bait got nibbled?
It'll endure the brief pain, excited at the thought of eating me.
Shwoop!
Its tongue gently pulled me in.
The instant my body poked slightly out of the burrow...
Whoosh!
Its maw lunged at me.
Almost there.
Most beasts would meet their end here.
With their head bitten in a defenseless state, they couldn't resist.
But I'm not most beasts, and I'm not defenseless.
I braced my legs and took one step forward.
To this snake, its maw is death, and my advance looks like nothing but a desperate struggle to die faster.
But the reality is the opposite.
"Kiiik!"
Do you know what to do when a beast bites you?
Yanking away blindly only deepens the wound.
Plus, the beast will get even more riled up seeing you in pain.
So what do you do?
Don't panic—step even closer.
Push in like you're going to smash its jaw, making it realize it made the wrong choice.
Crunch.
Of course, that's only viable against opponents your size.
Forget tigers or lions—you'd shove your arm in and lose it outright.
The gap between me and this thing is similar.
And I'm shoving my head in, not an arm.
At this rate, its teeth will pierce my skull for sure.
"Kkaaak!"
If they can reach my head, that is.
Crack!
"Kiik, krueek!"
A crisp sound rang out.
Its teeth couldn't penetrate the acorn helmet.
And that's not all.
I'd forced it in at just the right angle, wedging it tight.
Now it couldn't open its mouth wider or close it, while I could slip out leisurely with the acorn still in place.
My body was free to move, but its actions were restricted.
"Kisaaak..."
The panicked thing tried to pull its head back.
This was my best chance.
"Jjaaeak..."
I raised my right foot and clamped down hard on its sleek back.
Squelch!
I had to make it understand I'm no easy meal.
So it never dares come at me again.
Even if it barely pries off my talons and flees, it won't lurk around here anymore.
"Kiik, kisaaak!"
It let out a scream of agony.
The Phishing Snake thrashed wildly, trying to escape somehow.
This should keep it away for a while.
That was the moment I tried to retract my talons.
Twinkle twinkle.
A brown feather near the wound I inflicted glowed faintly.
"Kkak..."
Look at that alluring sheen.
Crunch!
Guess I can't let you go just yet.
I yanked its body toward me to pluck the feather.
"Kieeeek!"
I figured the feather would come out easy, and it'd seize the chance to flee.
But the result was unexpected.
Why is this guy getting dragged toward me?
"Kkak?"
Is it weaker than I thought?
My mind raced.
I'd assumed it was camping outside tossing bait because of its size.
Figured it was too big to enter my nest, so it waited out there.
But look at it now.
Its body is thinner than I expected, and it's getting pulled right into the nest.
That means it wasn't staying outside because of its bulk.
Given its girth, it could've entered anytime, but it stuck to this method?
That implies it can't gain a clear advantage over me up close.
In other words, this guy...
Thud!
"Kisaaaak!"
...is way weaker than its vicious name and looks suggest.
It can manipulate pheromones to charm foes, so maybe it never needed other weapons.
And if that's the case...
"Jjaaaeaaak!"
...it's time to show it who the real hunter is.
Snap!
"Kiaak!"
Thwack!
It didn't stay passive either.
Of course, with its tail unusable and mouth unable to close, all it could do was flail its body.
The blind thrashing didn't hurt me much, but it could damage my burrow.
One wrong move, and the whole thing might collapse.
"Jjak!"
Can't let that happen.
Time to use my sturdy beak here.
Snaaaap!
Crack crack crack!
The wound from my talons split open.
"Kiaaaak!"
I don't have many weapons.
And none of them could deal a fatal blow to it, really.
Of course, that doesn't mean I can't kill it.
Crack!
I pinned its neck and kept targeting the wound relentlessly.
"Kiaak!"
Little Crow secret technique: hit the same spot over and over.
"Jja jjak!"
How much time passed?
"Kisak..."
Its struggles gradually weakened...
Thump.
...until it finally stopped moving.
But I didn't let my guard down.
What if it's playing dead for one last strike?
Snaaap!
Crack crack!
I pecked away in a woodpecker trance.
It might fool another bird, but not a crow with a human brain.
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
[Level Up]
Status messages appeared, as if confirming the enemy's life was already at zero.
...It's really dead now.
"Ppiik..."
I let out a ragged breath.
It was a tough fight, but a strange elation welled up.
Is this the same fledgling who fled from caterpillars and squirrels?
"Kkak kkak."
I was a bit disappointed with the lame name Little Crow at first, but now it feels pretty great.
Little Crow—let's stick together and thrive.
[【Little Crow LV5(+)】 has reached max level.]
[Max level reached! 【Little Crow LV5(+)】 can now evolve!]
...Sorry, Little Crow.
Guess I'm just a guy who can't help it.
I saw a word that makes my heart race.
Evolution...!
The pathetic fledgling Little Crow is dead.
Now it's time to be reborn as a new species.
"Kkak kkak."
...But first, cleanup.