I'm a Cool Butterfly!

How long has it been since I last had bear soup?

Drool pooling in my mouth, I slowly crept toward the bear.

This bear would undoubtedly make for a sweet, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠delicious soup.

Sure, I wasn't going to boil it, and real bear soup isn't actually made of bears, but this was going to be the finest bear soup in existence.

Since it put me through so ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠much trouble, it had to have a great skill.

I'll make sure to put that skill to good use, so rest in peace in the afterlife!

Now, where should I start eating? I hope the skills pop out right away.

"Kreee!"

The bear before my eyes looked like a legendary imperial feast fit for an ancient emperor.

Up until now, I hadn't gained a single thing from the forest creatures I'd devoured, except for the Photosynthesis skill given to me by the leaf. But I had high expectations for this bear.

After all, it had clearly activated some kind of skill right at the very end.

That skill was bound to be incredibly useful to me.

It was a skill that helped it endure, and you never knew when or where a crisis might strike.

—Are you going to eat that?

Of course.

"Kree."

Nobody can stop me.

The Tree just stared at me with a look that said, Do you really have to? but didn't try to stop me.

I ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠didn't bother explaining my reasons either.

How on earth was I supposed to explain through gestures that I needed to eat this thing to acquire its skills?

It was better to just get the skill first and show it later.

Bon appétit!

I immediately unhinged my jaws and took a massive bite out of the beast's flesh.

The meat of the hunted beast was surprisingly tender.

I'd heard that wild game was usually tough and stringy because of all the muscle.

But this guy? It literally melted in my mouth like premium, well-marbled beef!

What started as a strategic devouring to gain skills quickly turned into a pure culinary experience. The meat was just too delicious, and I ended up focusing entirely on my meal.

Who knew when I'd ever get to eat like this again?

Once I finish eating this, I'll have to head to the demonic beasts' territory, right?

I guess this marks the end of the tutorial.

I had lived in this cozy forest as a caterpillar, evolving over and over until I finally took down the ruler of the forest.

Now, it was time to leave this comfortable sanctuary and head into the land of demonic beasts—a literal warzone that would mark my true beginning.

Demonic beasts were creatures that grew stronger by cannibalizing their own kind, so I had to be extremely careful.

In my heart, I wanted to live in this forest forever, but I knew that wasn't an option.

There probably weren't any creatures left in this forest that could grant me experience points anyway.

My instincts were also urging me to leave as soon as possible.

Ah, there it is.

As I dined while planning my future, I felt a strange sensation flowing into my body.

It was a feeling I'd only experienced once before when I got the Photosynthesis skill, but it was unforgettable.

The sense of fulfillment that flooded my entire being was something that couldn't be compared to anything else, nor could it ever be forgotten.

I wonder what skill it is.

Checking my status window, the changes were immediately obvious.

First of all, my level had shot up all the way to 27.

My other skill levels had gone up as well.

However, the number of levels required for my next evolution had doubled compared to before.

Well, that's a shame. It's going to get harder and harder to evolve.

Since I could evolve at level 25, it seemed I would now only be able to evolve once every 10 levels.

Or maybe even more.

I'd jokingly thought leaving the forest was the end of the tutorial, but it really seemed to be the case.

I guess I won't be able to preview my next evolution anymore.

What a bummer.

Whoa. It had two skills?

I had acquired two skills from devouring the beast.

One was Intimidation, a straightforward skill that exerted pressure on my surroundings, and the other was Indomitable, a skill that didn't have a level.

It seemed to be a passive skill, just like Instinct.

This is way better than I expected...?

Isn't this skill way too good for a mere tutorial boss to have?

Is this forest actually someone's private property, and was that beast some kind of sacred pet raised by its owner?

No way!

In an era of war against demonic beasts, how could a forest of this size be private property?

Even if it were, please direct all complaints to the jerk who reincarnated me like this.

—Are you done eating already? There's still a lot left, you can eat more.

The Tree spoke in surprise when I walked back.

Did it seriously think I was eating just to fill my stomach?

Just as I was about to feel offended that the Tree was treating me like some low-class beast, I remembered how I had looked just moments ago.

Face buried in the meat, eating in a state of absolute, ecstatic trance.

I had been the very definition of a low-class beast.

Let's go now.

"Kree."

No matter how much of a beast I'd become, eating like that was just uncivilized.

I've completely lost my humanity.

I can never go back to being human.

Well, I'm already a beast, but still.

Anyway! It's embarrassing.

To hide my burning face, I turned my head toward the west, where the Tree had told me to go.

—Not that way. We're going north.

Huh? But you told me to go west.

"Kreee?"

But the Tree picked me up, set me on its branch, and started heading north.

Didn't it clearly tell me to head west before?

Why north?

—I can't go west. It wouldn't matter if you were alone, but you're coming with me, aren't you?

Well, if that's the case, I guess we have no choice. Let's go north.

"Kreeee."

It seemed the Tree had its own reasons for avoiding the west.

Seeing how it wouldn't even tell me its name, it was definitely a beast with a complicated past.

Maybe it was the heir of some prestigious family that fell from grace, forcing it to flee?

I'd heard that intelligent beasts formed societies just like humans did.

—Aren't you going to ask anything? Like why I can't go west, or things like that.

You wouldn't tell me anyway.

"Kree."

—True. It's dangerous for you to know. So don't try to find out in the future, either.

Why is it acting so high and mighty when it was clearly hinting for me not to ask?

Was it feeling left out because I didn't pry?

What a high-maintenance tree.

Well, I should focus on my own business.

Why does this system keep recommending that stupid worm?

Do I look like I have the talent to become some world-devouring worm?

Even if I did, I have absolutely no intention of becoming a worm, okay?

Sure, they might be powerful, but they're ugly.

I'm going to become a fairy, so give it up.

I made my firm declaration and chose the Blood Butterfly.

Now I'll be able to fly around as much as I want without any restrictions, right?

Though I'll still have to rest when I get tired.

—Did you evolve again...?

Yeah. Why?

"Kree?"

As I was admiring my sturdier body and wings after evolving into a Blood Butterfly, the Tree asked.

I looked at the Tree to see what was wrong, and the answer was immediately obvious.

The Tree had grown slightly larger, and faint patterns resembling the ones on my wings were etched into its bark.

Even the color of its leaves had changed, now mixed with a pale, slightly bluish-white hue just like mine.

Well, anyone could tell with a change like that. So when I evolve, the Tree evolves with me?

Feeling my questioning gaze, the Tree spoke in a voice that sounded utterly exhausted.

—Evolution isn't supposed to be this easy. You're supposed to accumulate status and achievements over time to break through the limits of your soul, but this is...

But evolving is a good thing.

"Kree."

Isn't it a good thing when a beast evolves?

Why is it having such a hard time accepting this?

If you evolve and get stronger, you get to live longer and have an easier life.

I watched the Tree as it muttered to itself about how this made no sense and was completely unfair.

Since I had evolved from a Weak Blood Butterfly to a Blood Butterfly, my existing skill levels had simply gone up without any new skills appearing. I had nothing else to do anyway, so this was good entertainment.

The only real change was my Flight skill, but hitching a ride on the Tree was much more comfortable anyway.

—Right. A good thing is a good thing, right? Yeah. Getting stronger is good!

The Tree finally snapped out of its existential crisis and cheered itself up.

I was actually enjoying its grumbling.

What a pity.

—But why am I being affected by you? What is all this!

I don't know either.

"Kree."

I honestly had no idea why the Tree was being affected by me.

If I knew, I wouldn't still be a butterfly.

I had clearly conveyed that I didn't know, and the Tree must have understood, yet it kept glaring at me.

Was being influenced ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠by me really that frustrating?

—Don't you dare go around telling anyone that you can evolve this easily. Got it?

Why?

"Kree?"

—Because everyone will try to hunt you down and eat you, obviously! And hearing that makes me incredibly mad! Do you have any idea how hard I had to work just to evolve once...?

The Tree's voice as it warned me sounded genuinely aggrieved.

Isn't evolution just a matter of picking an option?

Besides, it's not like making those options appear is easy for me either!

I almost died several times, you know.

I didn't actually have it easy, but I decided not to say it out loud.

I was clearly different from ordinary beasts.

There was no need to pour oil on a fire that was slowly dying down.

You're actually super lucky. Because you contracted with me.

"Kreeee."

So, I decided to take full credit instead.

After all, the Tree was benefiting because of me.

—I didn't understand what you said, but it felt incredibly insulting. What did you say?

If you didn't understand, then leave it at that.

—Hey! I asked what you said!

As the Tree kept pestering me, I dodged the question, and together we left the cozy forest behind, heading north.

"Fuck. I have to go back. I can't die here..."

Bleeding from head to toe, a young girl leaned against a tree trunk, pressing down hard on a deep gash on her arm to stop the bleeding.

She couldn't afford to die here.

There was someone waiting desperately for her return.

"Come out already! If you stop making this difficult, I'll give you a quick death!"

Peering out the window of the ruined building she had slipped into, she saw a mix of demonic beasts and humans surrounding the forest.

Beyond the blockade lay a lawless city where renegade humans and beasts, having defected from their respective factions, lived side by side.

It was also the place she called home.

"You aren't planning on running deeper into the forest, are you? You might as well let me kill you instead."

"Fuck you!"

With her path back home blocked, the girl ran deeper into the forest, looking for any opportunity.

Even if the chances of survival were slim, they weren't zero.

She had to survive and make it back home, no matter what.