007. Billy Is a Horn

Wriggly. My body was changing. Wriggly wriggly. My bulk was growing, and my forehead itched. Wriggly wriggly wriggly wriggly. My body moved like that. It was as if something alive was stirring inside me. My scaly skin bulged out and in repeatedly. Ah, it hurts. My body feels like it's going to burst.

I'm just a lowly creature now. I can't walk anymore, can't watch TV, can't use the computer. I can't get hit by my dad or cursed at by my mom. Above all, I can't drink cool beer. Just a mere snake wriggling inside rotten wood. I crave instant ramen, the kind I got sick of and stopped eating. I hate eating mice, rotten meat, catching bugs to devour. Scales bulged out on my back. Finally, unable to withstand the pressure from within, my flesh began to tear. Pfbt. The skin split, and what burst out was a white hand. Another bloodied hand emerged, slicing through my belly and crawling out from inside. Definitely human hands. Ten fingers wriggled. Am I human now? Have I returned to a human body?

Cock-a-doodle-doo— An alarm rang out. Right, so everything up to now was just a dream? ......What a shame. Cock-a-doodle-dooo— I must have set it myself, but damn, what a refreshing alarm sound. So vivid, just like a real rooster crowing. ......Huh?

Cock-a-doodle-doooo! I opened my eyes. It was the pitch-black hollow of a tree knot. No, a real rooster was crowing somewhere. Dim dawn light was pouring in. If that rooster crows cock-a-doodle so loudly, won't other monsters hear and eat it? What a spirited guy. I should visit and eat it sometime.

I had a nightmare. The me in the dream was so pathetic, something unimaginable with my current Mental Strength of 20. I miss mom~ I miss TV~ I want ramen, boo-hoo. Screw that! Eating mice, fighting bugs—what's the big deal? Pathetic dream-me. Only those who can yearn for freedom are true humans. At least this snake-bodied me now is freer than my past life self. And snakes and bugs are more edible than I thought. ......But why is it so cramped?

The tree knot where I slept was narrow but livable enough. But not now. The space was ridiculously tight. My body must have grown during the evolution. I felt it for sure as I tried to squeeze out of the knot. I can't get out like this. The hole was just barely big enough for me before. Now with my enlarged body, passing through was definitely impossible. My body circumference was at least as thick as a pink pearl ham sausage now. If I'm not careful, this knot could become my grave.

I couldn't let that happen, so I started widening the narrow knot. By gnawing at the edges. Crunch crunch, chomp! Huh! My jaw strength has gotten stronger too. Before, it would've been gnaw gnaw, but now it's chomp chomp. Don't widen the entrance too much. The centipede couple might try a housewarming visit. We're neighborly, but not that close yet.

Once out of the knot, I climbed down the tree's bumpy grain. My body felt heavier, but my strength had improved a lot, so it wasn't hard. Man, watching all those animal YouTube videos in my past life is paying off ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠now. Climbing trees is super tough for a snake without legs. But by weaving my tail into a noose like this, I can climb up and down.

Thud. I landed on the ground. Felt majestic. Alright, time to check what changed with this evolution.

Hahaha! No more lame prefixes like 'Little.' I'm not small. Honestly not huge, but not small either. Level resetting to 1 was expected. Medusa Mom was level 89, right? How strong was she? She went through all these evolutions to become Medusa Serpent, then leveled up to 89. So level 10 isn't always the evolution point. Maybe Medusa Mom would've evolved again at 100 or higher. Anyway, I don't want to become an ugly monster like Mom.

I looked at the new trait 'Horn.' What kind of trait is Horn? Unbreakable Will and Diligence came from setting Mental Strength and Potential to 20. They're amazing perks, even if I don't know how to use them fully yet...... Is Horn just as important? Feels like I have horns on my head. No mirror, so can't see properly. I stroked my head with my tail. And marveled.

Whoa, these are some big, majestic horns. ......Sarcasm. The 'horns' on my head were pathetic protrusions, barely qualifying as horns. Some snakes are called horned snakes, like desert sand snakes—their horns are just for show. Mine too. Can't execute my grand plans with these. I wanted to be a mad national-power-level horn snake ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠that swiftly impales enemies. Well, since I met special conditions for evolution, there must be something else. Let's check skills.

There it is! A new skill appeared. Other skills didn't level up much or change, but this one has a totally incomprehensible name. What the hell is 'Borrowing Horn'? Who's Billy?! ......I was so disappointed I nearly lost my mind. Would've been nice if it was Horn Missile or something. Can't activate skills by shouting names like in games. For Swift Squirm, I focus on the action. So how do I activate Borrowing Horn?

That's when I sensed a presence and turned my head. There was the wife of the King Centipede couple. Evolution really sharpened my senses. Hello. The missus was preparing breakfast, holding something frog-like in her legs. She seemed startled, antennae twitching warily. Ah, my body's bigger now. Horns too. Even with poor centipede eyesight, she'd be suspicious.

I wagged my tail and bowed my head like our first meeting. The kind missus mimicked me, antennae twitching. She plopped down the frog. Then backed away slowly. Offering it to me. I was surprisingly moved. Housewarming return gift? In my old apartment, I never greeted neighbors for 2 years. Centipedes are better than humans!

Couldn't ignore the goodwill, so I gratefully ate the frog. It smelled like centipede, but the thought warmed me. Gulped down the moist frog.

My belly ached faintly—poison frog, huh. But no doubting her goodwill. Look ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠at her now. Yellow drool dripping from her mouth. Frogs are precious food. Neighborly exchange. I'll share prey later.

Watching the centipede missus, I wondered: Who's stronger, me or her?

Female King Centipedes are bigger. Monsters too. Not just size—she seemed stronger than the groom. But barely any resistances...... I definitely have more skills. Probably thanks to Potential. Still, she has skills I lack: Stealth, Carapace, Rending. All high utility. Especially jealous of Carapace. Centipedes have tough exoskeletons. No getting bloodsucked by Mosquito Rats. The moment I wished for Carapace myself.

Suddenly, my horns burned hot. Ugh.

Huh? Yes! My horns heated up, energy drained from my body.

Borrowing Horn. It lets me literally borrow skills. No wonder it appeared next to Unbreakable Will and Diligence. It's a monster of a trait. In an instant, my scales hardened. Like wearing scale armor. Tapped my body with my tail—clang clang. Feels different. Solid. I'm tough now! Good thing I can't speak. Would've been dragged off by cops yelling that in front of the neighbor missus.

Thrilled with the new skill, I danced for joy. The centipede watched blankly. Oops, rude? A skill that borrows others'. Infinite potential. But surely not unlimited. Need trial and error to grasp limits. Gurgle. And nothing beats hunting for that. Farewell. I set off to hunt.

Don't compare this place's ecosystem to Earth's. Hard to encounter wild animals in Korean mountains. At best, raccoon dogs, boars, or deer rarely. But here? This basin is practically a zoo. From small weak critters to big strong monsters. Worried a frail small snake like me would starve? Nah. Stinkbugs are crunchy, Mosquito Rats fearless. Survivable, but leveling's the issue. Devouring stinkbugs and rats doesn't raise levels. Means I need monsters matching my caliber.

Difficulty spikes here. Pick opponents carefully. Even trained Swift Squirm can't match a sprinting Mosquito Rat. Once engaged, must finish it. Wandering diligently, I finally found a worthy gamble.

It had horns too. Sharp protruding front teeth. Soft fur. Adorably long ears. That dangerous grass-munching beast.

A rabbit. Horned, but no Horn trait or Borrowing Horn like me. Easy to underestimate, but traits and status show its prowess. Insanely fast. Get too close, it bolts and burrows. So I'd been hiding in bushes for over an hour, waiting. Gnaw gnaw. The moment it turned its back to munch grass.

Opportunity.

Snakes can jump too, common knowledge! I leaped; the rabbit startled and jumped up. Too late. I bit its butt. Panicked rabbit shat black bean-like poop while fleeing. Might look like a miss, but.

Squeak. The burrowing rabbit flopped over. I'm a viper after all. Hunt success.

Yes!