Leveling Up By Surviving Alone - L.U.B.S.A Chapter 12
Kim Kkokko was certain:
If it had actually swallowed that bamboo shoot instead of just nibbling, it might have died.
But once Ji Yeonwoo’s hand had processed it, the deadly toxin turned into something merely bitter. The transformation was less dramatic than the first time it ate the boiled bamboo shoot, but each time it chewed a piece, it felt a surge of energy gather at the tip of its newly grown horn.
Yes—
It was getting stronger by chewing on bamboo shoots!
Of course, the same effect applied to Ji Yeonwoo, who was also an “outside” creature to this rift.
—
> **- You have consumed a Rift Sea Urchin (F).
> – As a bonus, your stamina increases by 2.**
—
“Oh, right… I forgot about that,” he said.
Stamina was another welcome stat boost. No matter how high your Strength might be, you can’t use it effectively if you don’t have enough stamina. If Strength is your power output, stamina is your battery; no matter how much output you have, if the battery is small, you’ll be guzzling potions during the hunt.
In Ji Yeonwoo’s case, his stamina was 25—enough to surpass an E-rank Hunter’s average. Yet having a large “battery” didn’t help him land critical hits if his Strength fell short, so when the rest of his party was panting and worn out, he alone would be calmly breathing. They’d look at him resentfully.
He could practically hear that tanker’s scolding voice:
> “Jeez… that guy never gets tired. It’s not like he slacks off, either… Huh? You say you spotted some weird herb? I don’t even know what that is, but fine, go do whatever. We’re gonna rest!”
“And that same guy was the first to chow down on the wild ginseng I brought,” Ji Yeonwoo muttered.
It was a slightly bitter memory, but still a memory of Earth. He couldn’t help but chuckle a little.
Anyway, after the Rift-Bream incident, it was now obvious: each time he hunted and ate a new monster, he received some kind of bonus. Likely another unique quirk of this rift.
Which made him wonder—what if he cooked them first?
On a whim, he minced the leftover green onion, mixed in sesame oil and sesame seeds, and stirred it all into the sea urchin roe. Squish, squish. Personally, he preferred dipping fresh roe in soy sauce, but this way was still delicious. It became a proper dish.
Nom!
The taste and aroma were different from eating it raw, and he found it less satisfying than the fresh version, but it was good enough.
—
> **- You have successfully cooked and eaten a Rift Sea Urchin (F)!
> – Cooking Satisfaction: 50%
> – You may learn one of the Sea Urchin’s skills.**
—
1. *Raise Spines (F)* (Active)
2. *Generate Sticky Roe (F)* (Passive)
“… …”
He had no spines to raise, and the idea of his body producing sticky roe felt terrifying. The Rift-Bream and now the sea urchin both proved that cooking and eating a monster didn’t always yield a useful skill.
He decided against learning anything, and the system’s alert reconfirmed:
—
> *– Are you sure you do not wish to learn a skill?*
—
“I’m sure. What’s there to learn?”
No further messages appeared. Indeed, a dead end.
“This hunt was a bust,” he muttered.
Honestly, he suspected the clam he was currently boiling would be similar. He doubted any skill he wanted would come from a clam.
“I guess all my hopes lie with that one.”
His gaze shifted to Kim Kkokko—or rather, to the dead sea snake behind it. A sea snake, the “outcast of the ocean,” might have something that could help him.
“C’mon… you don’t have gills, right? Please say you don’t!”
—
Meanwhile, the giant clam soup he’d made with kelp finished cooking.
The flavor was hearty—like his usual clam soup but with a faint sweetness. The clam meat, gaping wide, was so tender and soft that he couldn’t help but grin at every bite.
—
> **- You have consumed a Rift Pearl Clam (F).
> – As a bonus, your Strength increases by 3.**
—
His Strength rose again, which was always great. But before he could properly savor the thrill, more alerts arrived:
—
> **- You have successfully consumed cooked Rift Pearl Clam (F)!
> – Cooking Satisfaction: 75%
> – You may learn one of the Pearl Clam’s skills.**
—
1. *Clamp Down (F)* (Active)
2. *Produce Pearls (F)* (Passive)
3. *Form Chalky Shell (E)* (Passive)
“Ahaha… guess not…”
None of them looked appealing. He had no idea what he’d be clamping, and creating pearls inside his own body? They were basically tumors, right? As for forming a chalky shell, it sounded a bit tempting, but it was a passive skill. He worried it might transform his body on a fundamental level, so he decided to avoid it. If it were Active, maybe he’d consider it.
—
> **- You have consumed Rift Kelp (F).
> – As a bonus, your Agility increases by 1.**
—
A skill option popped up as well:
1. *Slippery Coating (F)* (Passive)
2. *Photosynthesis (E)* (Passive)
“Pass. Not learning either.”
Useless. But even so, gaining stats was encouraging. And just as in certain TV specials he’d seen, the clam indeed contained a round quail-egg-sized pearl. It had a subtle black sheen, like a tiny universe. Useless for now, but perhaps he’d gift it to his mother once he got home, so he kept it.
He was fairly stuffed by then, but there was still one more ingredient that would spoil soon if not cooked. Moreover, that ingredient might have the very skill he needed.
He approached the thing:
Thud.
A meter-long body, about two fingers thick, black and white stripes elegantly interwoven. It was the hapless sea snake Kim Kkokko had brutally killed. Its severed head lay nearby. On closer inspection, it actually looked a bit cute.
As he stared, Kim Kkokko—who had been quiet until now—squawked in alarm.
“Clu-eek!”
With a flurry of kicks, the bird stomped the snake’s head and dug a hole to bury it.
“Huh? Why freak out? Is it that dangerous?”
“Cluck!”
“What about this? I feel like I gotta eat it.”
“Clu…?!”
Really? You seriously need to eat that? its expression seemed to say. Ji Yeonwoo nodded, and Kim Kkokko sighed. With deft movements, the bird grabbed the snake, used its other sharp talons to slice open the belly, and shook out the entrails. They fell away neatly.
Now a plump strip of flesh remained, reminiscent of a well-prepared eel. Kim Kkokko handed it to Ji Yeonwoo, as if to say, “This part is safe to eat.”
“So… it’s edible?”
“Cluck!”
“Er… sure?”
Most likely, Kim Kkokko was a veteran at living in the rift—a native. Who else could he trust if not this bird?
“Thanks, Kim Kkokko!”
“Cluck!”
He skinned the snake, sliced it, and grilled the pieces. Soon, some indescribable scent drifted up—he couldn’t tell if it was good or bad. Will it taste okay?
He’d never eaten snake before. He wasn’t sure. But he was more interested in potential skills than flavor, so he didn’t hesitate. If it turned out gross, so be it.
Crunch!
In fact…
“Wow… it’s good…”
Surprisingly delicious. Out of nowhere, it reminded him of home-cooked meals his mother used to make—a table that sometimes held both chicken and mackerel. As a greedy kid, he used to tear off a chicken leg and flake some mackerel, then stuff both into his mouth at once. He remembered it being oddly good.
This sea snake tasted exactly like that combined flavor.
“Huh…!” he gasped.
It tasted like home, a flavor that made him yearn to go back.
—
> **- You have consumed a Rift Sea Snake (Juvenile) (E).
> – As a bonus, your Stamina increases by 5.
> – You have successfully consumed cooked a Rift Sea Snake (Juvenile) (E)!
> – Cooking Satisfaction: 100%
> – You may learn one of the Sea Snake’s skills.**
—
1. *Generate Tetrodotoxin in Fangs (F)* (Passive)
2. *Swift Swimming (F)* (Passive)
3. *Dive 100 Meters (F)* (Passive)
4. *Hold Breath (E)* (Passive)
Ji Yeonwoo’s eyes flew open wide.
Most of these skills seemed perfect for him right now. Generating tetrodotoxin, a deadly neurotoxin like what’s found in pufferfish, sounded incredibly useful—except it would be in his fangs. If he accidentally bit his own tongue, that would be fatal. Without a skill granting poison immunity, that was too big a risk, especially as a passive. Swift Swimming would be great, but meaningless if he couldn’t hold his breath. Diving to 100 meters likewise helped only if he had enough air capacity.
What really caught his eye was skill #4, *Hold Breath (E)*.
That’s exactly what I needed!
He could barely hold his breath for a minute. Faster swimming or deeper diving were pointless if he’d run out of air first. Before reaching 100 meters, he’d just drown.
Though option #1 was tempting, having venom in his fangs was too risky:
What if I bite my tongue?
No thanks. He wasn’t about to risk dying a humiliating death here. If it were an active skill, maybe. But not a passive. Meanwhile, Hold Breath was literally letting him hold his breath longer. Unlike the Rift-Bream’s gill skill, there was no problem learning it without having gills.
—
> *– Would you like to learn [Hold Breath (E)]?*
—
Ji Yeonwoo nodded. A faint light shimmered over his body.
He assumed he’d learned it, though he didn’t feel any different.
“Should I test how long I can hold my breath?”
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