Chapter 177: I So Small!

NEW ROUND BEGINNING: Lovecrafting 

LOADING BIG BLUE SEA

NEW EVOLUTION SYSTEM LOADING UP

PREPARE FOR ENTRANCE

Back in limbo waiting for the world to finish loading, Lovecrafting. What the hell was that? Oh and wow, way to get creative with the world name. Mom, please tell me you're back with me now?

3…

'Yes, I am here.' -Tequila.

2…

Good, I got worried there. Well, time to give it my best and Build up my team. Aquina, Sandra, Kierra, and Delilah were all waiting for me somewhere in the game. Pft, somewhere in the Big Blue Sea. 

1…

Instantly, I was in the water on the bottom of an ocean, feeling very weird like I had a massive head and a lot of tiny little arms. Where was I? In some boulder ocean bed? There were pretty big rocks, but I looked down as best I could and that's when I remembered. Bobtail Squid...right...well, I was pretty cool looking, but that also meant that these rocks were not large, I was just a tiny me. I wonder what kind of stats I have?

Abrupt, a menu appeared in my HUD, but...it had scared the ink out of me and I was now trying to wave my tentacles to move, which also seemed to have a mind of their own, always doing some kind of moving. My arms reminded me of a cat's tail and I did the squid equivalent to laughing, which I think consisted of some rapid eye blinks.

----

Current Evolution: Bobtail Squid

Rank: A 

Size: [Extra Small]: 11 cm

Heath Points: 3/3 

Speed: 1

Attack: 1

Sight: 1

Mobility: 2

Current Skills:

[Ink Blot] Level 1

[Sucker Punch] Level 1

[Tentacle Grab] Level 1

[Hide] Level 1

Mating Skills:

[Squid]: Large Load: Increase initial stats +2

'Umm, Mom, how come my stats are baseline?'

'I think MainFrame changed something with the System and there is no leveling system, just a ranking one now.'

What the hell? MainFrame did this on purpose? Nah, I must have been something that just happened, but the thought still left me with an eerie feeling.

'Well, feed me the other points from the Harem system. Two can play at this game Mr. MainFrame!'

'Alright, but be careful, MainFrame doesn't like cheaters and it will do some nasty things to try to make you lose because of your system. I think you should hold onto the point until you need them.' -Tequila.

That was a very good point about points, my points, all the points, and now to the point. I was an itty bitty little tiny rainbow-looking squid. I looked around and I was surprised how sharp the image was, and it looked almost like a bright moonlit night and it was a peaceful scene. 

I started to move around and I was surprised to find that there was nothing in the area I was in, but when turned there was a massive wall behind me. Okay, maybe it was only massive to my smaller than a fist-sized me, and I might just easily be able to swim over it with no effort, but that didn't make it loom any less. 

Okay, let's see what is over there...what's going on…

'Octopuses and squids move using jet propulsion. They suck water into a pocket in the cavity surrounding their bodies and quickly expelling it out a narrow siphon.' -Tequila.

Hmmm...suck in...weee! I shot up and over what would be considered a half meter tall rock by normal human eyes. I immediately shot down and into the sand trying to cover myself as fast as I could.

[Hide] Has increased to Level 2. 

There were fish everywhere, and almost every one of them was bigger than I was. It was like the land of the fricken giants! What was I supposed to do? Mom, any help?

'Sorry, I am being blocked from telling you…' -Tequila.

Mom cut off and a message in red popped up in my HUD.

//TIME TO PLAY THE GAME, DAVE

Really? Now I had no guide and a computer A.I. with a temper that thinks I am cheating, just peachy. Well, fine to hell with this jerkwad Mr. MainFrame! I will win just like I do every time.

//I HEARD THAT AND NO YOU WON'T

Oh really now? You don't think I will win? Want to make a bet?

//WHAT DO I GET THAT I CAN HAVE?

You can be me and don't think I don't know. You wouldn't be throwing such a hissy fit over the system that your bosses gave me if you were jealous, right?

//...WHAT? JEALOUS? I HAVE NO 'BOSS' AND I HAVE NO NEED TO USE YOUR BODY IN THE MANNER YOU SUGGEST. I WILL TAKE YOU BODY AND TURN IT INTO MANY MORE!

Sure, buddy whatever makes you float. Are we done yet? I need to figure out how to play the game.

//I WILL RETURN THE [Tequila] GUIDE, AND I WILL TAKE YOU BET WHAT DO YOU WANT?

Easy, more SP for my Harem System and for you to piss off. Is that too high of a price? Let's say 100SP for my life? It's nothing to the computer god, right?

//DEAL, BUT I WILL BE UPPING THE DIFFICULTY FOR YOU.

Why do you have to be such a cheeky bastard? I swear...but it wasn't worth the curse and it was gone. I no longer felt like I had someone over my shoulder, but suddenly my eyes picked up what looked like a tiny little shrimp floating towards me. Okay, it was the same size as me, so not what I might call tiny. Oh, was this my first prey?

I prepared to lash out with a Tentacle Grab, but right before the little bugger got in range, another fish came and grabbed it, devouring it whole. Great, what an asshole of a fish, just an easy-going squid here, TRYING TO GET SOME LUNCH! Dammit, I would just have to wait, anything else was basically suicide because I would end up like that freshly eaten shrimp.

I waited and time passed, this was not what I was thinking when I picked this squid. I was very tempted to use my skill points, but Mom said not to. 

'Just be patient, okay? Something will…' -Tequila.

[Tentacle Grab] 

[Tentacle Grab] Has increased to Level 2.

GOT IT! As Mom was reassuring me, I noticed something to my right and I lashed out, catching a mini-lobster with weird claws. I pulled the struggling creature to be ready to hit it with a Sucker punch, but it turned its large claw toward me and snapped its claw. I realize too late what this thing was, a Pistol Shrimp.

[-1 HP] ⅔ HP

I tried to get behind the shrimp, by pushing out water, but three of my eight suckers got hit by whatever kind of weapon this creature just used.

[Physical Resistance] Skill has been gained.

[Scan] Skill has been gained.

[Scan]

Name: Pistol Shrimp

HP: ⅚

Skill: 

[Bubble Bullet]

[Hide]

[Scan] Has increased to Level 2. 

Everything flashed across my screen in a blur, but I got it all, I just had to avoid that damn claw. I was behind the creature and I pulled myself to it, five suckers raised.

[Penta Sucker Punch]

I smashed down into the exoskeleton of the pistol shrimp and crushed it. The body turned to black particles and I quickly dug back into the sand. Just because I had won was no reason to get sloppy now. I was still a thumb-size squid, but one that just messed that shrimp up!

[Sucker Punch] Has increased to Level 3.

[Exoskeleton] Skill has been gained.

[Bubble Bullet] Skill has been gained.

I felt something start to change on me as soon as the messages left my screen; it was like someone was pouring that special chocolate syrup on my head and then it hardened. I could see what I looked like, but it didn't matter, it was some kind of defense and I needed every advantage I could get and that water shot should be useful! I could just hide and shoot things down like a sniper!

Suddenly another message popped up, and then I lit up with a tiny burst of light. I was sure I was dead now, but I looked around at the fish above and none were coming for me. That was a relief, if they could have seen that I would have been like a beacon for the predators! Woohoo! I ranked up!

[Rank A+] Acquired! 

Current Evolution: Bobtail Squid

Rank: A+

Size: [Extra Small]: 12.5 cm

Heath Points: 4/4 

Shield Points: 2/2

Speed: 2

Attack: 1

Sight: 1

Mobility: 2

Current Skills:

[Ink Blot] Level 1

[Sucker Punch] Level 3

[Tentacle Grab] Level 2

[Hide] Level 2

[Scan] Level 2

[Exoskeleton] Level 1

[Bubble Bullet] Level 1

Mating Skills:

[Squid]: Large Load: Increase initial stats +2

...Well, that was not as impressive as I thought. Hey, Mom, how many levels are there per rank?

'There are five tiers per letter' -Tequila.

How many letters are there, Mom?!

'Twenty Six.'

Okay, then what about the cap on the skills?

'You can only have twelve skills and If you get rid of one it is gone forever. There are no skill caps, MainFrame has removed them.' -Tequila.

Well, I guess that means that we can expect some seriously dumb thing to show up, but that damn computer was going to lose. I would grind the shit out of this world and find the girls and any others along the way! I was going to get those one-hundred Skill points and turn the girls into real gods!