4.1. Battle: Rodents

Minor note: "Gross Feeder" title has been changed to "Foul Feeder" to match canon, not that MC has it. Ugh, am I ever going to escape the scanlations?

Now, let's look at those other three creatures, the ones that were too big to kill with [Pebblekinesis].

Two of them feel large enough that I probably need [Stone Spear]. It would use mana points, but I can get those back by leveling up. Bigger things probably reward more experience, and these things are big according to my [Presence Perception], but not dangerous according to my [Danger Perception].

[Earth Magic Lv2: Stone Spear]. (SP: 39/40 | MP: 34/39).
[Earth Magic Lv2: Stone Spear]. (SP: 38/40 | MP: 29/39).
[Earth Magic Lv2: Stone Spear]. (SP: 37/40 | MP: 24/39).
[Earth Magic Lv2: Stone Spear]. (SP: 36/40 | MP: 19/39).

Experience has reached the required level.
Individual Earth Worm (no name) has increased from Lv3 to Lv4.

All basic attributes have increased.
Skill points acquired.

Huh, I guess they took two spells each, not one. Oh well, it doesn't matter. The level-ups got all my MP and SP back.

Now, what do they "taste" like?

[Ground Magic Lv3: Pebblekinesis]. (SP: 41/42, MP: 40/41, 39/41, 38/41).

Hmm...

Juicy.

Probably mice or something, based on the shape.

Now, for that last one...

Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Danger Perception Lv1] has become [Danger Perception Lv2].

Okay.

At first my [Danger Perception Lv1] skill was telling me "Danger" and nothing else, so I didn't want to attack it. NOW my [Danger Perception Lv2] skill is telling me "Very Low Danger". That should be safe enough to beat if I have most of my stamina points and mana points (and skill points, if I need them).

I mean, the mantis was probably way worse than "Very Low Danger".

(Note: The mantis would have been "Extremely Low Danger" according to [Danger Perception Lv2]. The [Danger Perception Lv2] skill does not make judgements on the target creature relative to the strength of the creature using the skill. The judgement is relative to the wider world. The worm itself, for example, would have rated "No Danger" before evolving. As an Earth Worm, it now rates as "Almost No Danger". The NEXT level of that skill would have told the worm the danger of the target relative to itself. The worm is, of course, ignorant of all this.)

So this enemy is dangerous, but not that dangerous.

How should I do this...

Maybe I'll use up my mana at a range. That way I can still run away into the ground if it's too strong for me. Whatever it is.

[Earth Magic Lv2: Stone Spear]. (MP: 33/41)

The moment I used my first [Stone Spear] and hit the thing dead-center, it started running straight for me. So I used more stone spears-

[Earth Magic Lv2: Stone Spear]. (MP: 28/41)
[Earth Magic Lv2: Stone Spear]. (MP: 23/41)
[Earth Magic Lv2: Stone Spear]. (MP: 18/41)

Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Earth Magic Lv4] has become [Earth Magic Lv5].
Skill [Magic Power Operation Lv4] has become [Magic Power Operation Lv5].

-but they didn't slow it down much. Why is something of "Very Low Danger" so darn fast?

Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Motion Perception Lv7] has become [Motion Perception Lv8].

Wait, when did it get that close to-?

Crunch!

(HP: 32/42)

Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Pain Mitigation Lv1] has become [Pain Mitigation Lv2].
Skill [Earth Shell Lv1] has become [Earth Shell Lv2].

OUCH!

Hey! Get away! [Earth Magic Lv1: Stone Wall]. (MP: 14/41)

Ha! Pushed you back-

No, stop! [Earth Magic Lv1: Stone Wall]. (MP: 10/41)

Don't climb over it! [Earth Magic Lv1: Stone Wall]. (MP: 6/41)

Hey-

Crunch! Munch! Snap!

(HP: 7/42)

Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Pain Mitigation Lv2] has become [Pain Mitigation Lv3].
Skill [Hard Armor Lv1] has become [Hard Armor Lv2].
Skill [Earth Shell Lv2] has become [Earth Shell Lv3].
Skill [Piercing Resistance Lv5] has become [Piercing Resistance Lv6].

Ow! OW! OW!

You know what, I'm getting sick and tired of things trying to eat me alive bit by bit.

You're bigger than me, whatever you are, so how about THIS! [Enhanced Piercing Lv4]!

Proficiency has reached the required level.
Acquired skill [Hit Lv1].
Skill [Enhanced Piercing Lv4] has become [Enhanced Piercing Lv5].

HA! Try to eat me now that I'm eating you FROM THE INSIDE OUT!

Mmm, juicy.

Wait, something's pulling on my tail. Is it trying to pull me out? No you don't!

It might be the rest of my mana, but how about a [Stone Spear] from the INSIDE?

Experience has reached the required level.
Individual Earth Worm (no name) has increased from Lv4 to Lv5.
Individual Earth Worm (no name) has increased from Lv5 to Lv6.
Individual Earth Worm (no name) has increased from Lv6 to Lv7.

All basic attributes have increased. Skill proficiency level-up bonus acquired.
Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Earth Shell Lv3] has become [Earth Shell Lv4].
Skill [Earth Shell Lv4] has become [Earth Shell Lv5].
Skill [Pain Mitigation Lv3] has become [Pain Mitigation Lv4].
Skill points acquired.

Ha! Take THAT you...

You...

Um...

Wait, what did I just kill?

[Ground Magic Lv3: Pebblekinesis]. (SP: 47/48, MP: 46/47, 45/47)

Okay, let's figure out the shape.

(A few minutes of eating later...)

Take THAT, squirrel.

Not so tough NOW are you?

Chew, chew, chew...

Even your MEAT isn't tough. It's nice and tender.

Plus, the level-ups restored my stats, and the meat restored half my stamina pool, so now I can-

Proficiency has reached the required level.
Skill [Danger Perception Lv2] has become [Danger Perception Lv3].

Medium Danger: Certain Death