Chapter 1 Born

The bright light from the blue mana crystals radiated on the cold rocky ground underneath it. Its rays gave minimum light to the environment. Inside a certain cave, the rays of the mana crystals crept through the cracks and landed on a nest that was buried underneath the rubble.

It consisted of rocks and sticks. It had already been over 70 days since this nest had been created and became the home for 4 eggs. However out of all four eggs, only one hadn't hatched so far. It had sat silent for all this time, not making a single movement.

Within the unknown confines of the large black egg, there rested a motionless figure. Matured from an embryo, curled up in a ball. It's heart pumped slowly in a piecemeal effort.

*Thump*

A fluctuation ran through the figure's body, then again and again, gaining momentum. The figure within the egg reached its claw out, as if it was searching for someone or something, scratching against the black walls of the inside of the shell. Impulsively, the figure lashed out through the void, stabbing it's claws against the eggshell walls erratically.

​ *Crack*

The sound of little cracking noises echoed throughout the cave. The black egg wiggled periodically, similar to how someone would shake another to wake them up from sleep.

*Crack*

*Crack*

With a few more wiggles from the egg, the crackling sounds grew louder and the egg shook more aggressively. Finally, a claw emerged from the egg.

Using its strength the creature got another of its claws out and pushed itself out from in the egg. Although small, the creature's scales glistened In the natural mana light that reflected off it. Anyone would recognize that the creature was a reptile.

As the reptile exited its egg it went motionless once more. In contrast to its instinct, the reptile didn't immediately look for something to eat, instead, it gazed around at its surroundings curiously. It scanned the environment slowly, making sure not to miss anything.

The cave was dark and spacious. Little light was visible but it could hardly help someone see clearly. However, even without light, the reptile could clearly see in the darkness. Looking around, it found small pieces of other eggshells in the nest. Maybe those were from its kin?

After a couple of glances around, the reptile felt a tightening in its stomach. It was hungry. Licking the air, the reptile turned around looking at its leftover eggshell which had the inside coated with green goo.

Immediately it began eating the leftover eggshell, quickly swallowing the green goo. As soon as the reptile downed its eggshell as if waiting for this exact moment…

[You have been awarded one biomass]

A robotic voice rang out in the reptile's mind. Although foreign, the sound of the voice was already ingrained in the reptile's very being. Like it had already been listening to the voice, even since it was an embryo.

So it was not shocked or scared when the voice came to be. Instead, the reptile instinctively pulled up a menu within its mind.

Name: Not Issued

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Level: 1

Strength: 30

Toughness: 33

Cunning: 50

Will: 27

HP: 25/25

MP: 0/0

Skills[Attack]: Venomous Bite level 1; Tail Whip level 1; Claw Swipe level 1

Skills[Support]: Dash level 1; Night Vision level 1

Species: Aeternus Lacerta Hatchling(Male)

Biomass: 1

Skill Point: 0

The lizard couldn't read but he knew what all of this meant due to instinct. Licking the air, the reptile closed the menu due to feeling another tightening in his stomach. The lizard hissed in annoyance. The eggshell wasn't enough, he was still hungry.

He continuously licked the air with his forked tongue, smelling for anything he could eat. Noticing that nothing was being picked up he began to move. He left out of the cave where he was born into.

With a burst of speed, the lizard was out of the dark cave in no time. He entered a tunnel that broke off into three different paths. The lizard began licking the air once more, trying to pinpoint which direction would lead to food.

Almost immediately he burst with speed running through a path that led towards the left. As he moved he never stopped licking the air, determined to find anything to get his jaws on.

After running in the tunnel for a while he saw some light. Picking up the pace the lizard exited the tunnel and was for the first time in his life, introduced to plants and trees. Outside of the tunnel was a huge expansion of plant life and greenery. Curiously licking the air, finally he sensed something really close.

He rushed in the direction of the smell, climbing a tree onto a thick trunk of a tree with difficulty. Stabbing his claws into the tree, he held up his small body. Eventually, he reach the branch, and in his sight was a red amphibious creature that shined with a moist skin texture. It was adorned with spiky thorns. The lizard became motionless, not even allowing himself to blink.

He watched the red creature as it croak, its neck swelled and deflated. His vertical pupil slit narrowed as he focused only on the red creature.

After a couple of seconds of perfect stiffness, the lizard burst with an insane speed towards the red thorny creature. He had instinctively used his skill Dash.

The red creature hadn't even noticed before the lizard opened its mouth, revealing many sharp teeth, and chomped down for a bite. Almost immediately after the red creature felt an unknown movement on itself it released its thorns, stretching them even further than before.

The lizard felt an immediate sensation of pain inside of his mouth as he quickly let go of the red creature. The red creature jumped from the tree branch as soon as it was dropped, escaping the lizard.

The lizard fought with himself trying to endure the electrifying pain surging through its body. He shook from all the pain and fell from the tree branch landing on the ground.

*Tack!*

Hitting the ground, multiple alerts were being set off in his mind. He was losing HP! He was dying! Fighting, using pure will the lizard endured, hoping that the unending pain would go away. After a couple more seconds the pain finally ceased.

Soon a feeling started to surge up in the lizard. He hissed dramatically. He was irritated. He had failed and the prey escaped. He was still hungry! However, he had also learned from this experience. He would not make the same mistake next time.

The lizard's HP came into view with only 7HP left. He looked at his HP and decided to hunt once more when his HP increased a bit. He would only try to hunt with as best advantages as he could. He was hungry but survival came first, he would eat after he recuperated.

***

Monster profile:

[Aeternus Lacerta Hatchling: Eternal Lizard Hatchling. High agility, bites are venomous and the tail is dangerous. Usually found in The Crypt Pits and the first Stratum of the Great Aeternus Labyrinth]