(From here I will use Kokedama as the species instead of Moss ball)
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I spent some time pondering.
The location remained unchanged—still perched atop the back of the massive Kokedama that was my host.
Several days had already passed, giving me more than enough time to think things through. By now, I’d roughly grasped what this so-called Status meant.
At its core, it was no different from what you’d see in a game—numerical representations of a character’s abilities.
Why does something like this even exist?
That question remained a complete mystery, so I decided to set aside any speculation for later and simply accept what I could understand for now.
First, HP—Hit Points.
This represented an individual’s life force.
If it hit zero, I’d probably die.
Whether things like bleeding or disease affected it, aside from just external wounds, I didn’t know—but one thing was certain: it was something I needed to keep a close eye on.
Next, MP—Magic Points.
This apparently indicated magical power.
The term “magic power” itself didn’t clarify much, and even using Appraisal didn’t tell me what it really was.
But if I went by what I knew from stories, it was probably something like the power of the soul.
Then SP—Stamina Points.
There were two kinds of SP values.
The yellow number was SP consumed by short bursts of activity—basically, how quickly you’d get winded.
The red number referred to your stored stamina, or in other words, how full you were—how much energy your body had in reserve.
Eat to increase it; let it drop too far, and you’d starve to death. Simple.
After that, there were five stats:
Attack, Defense, Magic, Resistance, and Speed.
These clearly indicated how proficient I was in various areas.
Higher Attack meant I’d deal more damage with physical blows.
Higher Defense meant I’d take less damage from physical hits.
Higher Magic showed I had enough output to use magic effectively.
Higher Resistance meant I’d take less damage from magical attacks and other special types of strikes.
Higher Speed increased my average movement speed when going all out.
I didn’t fully understand the formulas yet, but it seemed like the number was based on the distance and speed covered when running at full tilt from a full yellow SP gauge.
Then there were Skills—in other words, special abilities.
Just like the name suggested, they were markers for “you can do X with this skill.”
Some activated automatically; others had to be triggered manually.
Things like [Night Vision] and Resistances were always on by default.
I could technically turn them off and on, but there didn’t seem to be any real advantage in doing so, so leaving them on permanently seemed fine.
[Appraisal] was one of the quintessential manual-use skills.
When I wanted to use it, I’d get this hard-to-explain sensation that I was activating it, and then I’d control it consciously based on that feeling.
There were also Titles, which came with their own effects and sometimes awarded skills when acquired—but I’d leave that aside for now.
Hmm…
Alright, first, I need to get a handle on what I’ve got!
With that in mind, I decided to try out that seemingly incredible skill—[Omniscience].
《Omniscience》 activated!
Huh? Wait—ow????
Ow—GhhhaaaAAAAAH, my head—!
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Heresy Resistance LV1] acquired》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Faint Resistance LV1] acquired》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Omniscience LV1] has become [Omniscience LV2]》
…Hah! I blacked out!?
I couldn’t clearly remember what had happened.
But it felt like a flood of information had rushed into my head all at once, and before I could even process it, my consciousness had just… shut off.
Maybe I turned the skill off right before fainting, or maybe it stopped automatically—but for now, that massive flood of information had halted.
Still, if every time I used it, I got slammed with an unmanageable torrent of chaotic data… well, the skill would become unusable.
Hm? Something new popped up.
《Heresy Resistance: Increases defense against Heresy-type attacks》
Let’s appraise further.
《Heresy Attribute: An attribute that directly violates the soul》
That’s terrifying!
What the heck!? This is nothing but dangerous-sounding stuff!
I’d acquired this right after activating [Omniscience], which meant…
Every time I used it, I was damaging my soul!?
Should I seal it away…?
But still… Hmm…
︙
︙
《[Heresy Resistance LV10] acquired. Remaining skill points: 54,800》
《Conditions met. [Heresy Resistance LV10] has evolved into [Heresy Super-Resistance LV1]》
︙
[Heresy Super-Resistance LV10] acquired. Remaining skill points: 50,300》
《Conditions met. [Heresy Super-Resistance LV10] has evolved into [Heresy Nullification]》
︙
《[Faint Resistance LV10] acquired. Remaining skill points: 45,800》
《Conditions met. [Faint Resistance LV10] has evolved into [Faint Super-Resistance LV1]》
Alright!
Let’s try this again—activate!
…………
…………Amazing.
The world… is this intricate, this complex.
My head was still throbbing quite a lot, but thanks to my [Faint Super-Resistance], I could endure it.
Even though the pain felt like a severely aggravated migraine, I was able to stay conscious.
I understood that this pain stemmed from my inability to process the overwhelming flood of information. Yet, I could sense that a power had been overlaid onto my soul to shield it from harmful influences, nullifying the damage.
Around me, I could perceive the movements of the Kokedama, the flow of air, the shifts in heat, faint presences, the vast labyrinth that seemed to stretch endlessly, distortions in space—and the currents of magic.
Though I couldn’t process most of it, the sensation of becoming one with the world gave me a feeling of omnipotence, as if this tiny, insignificant me had unraveled the truths of existence.
…This is fun.
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Omniscience LV2] has become [Omniscience LV3].》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Concentration LV1] acquired.》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Parallel Thinking LV1] acquired.》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Arithmetic Processing LV1] acquired.》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Pain Resistance LV1.》
︙
︙
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Omniscience LV9] has evolved into [Omniscience LV10].》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Divinity Expansion LV1] acquired.》
I had been continuously immersing myself in this sense of unity with the world by using my skill nonstop, and before I knew it, it had leveled up to LV10, with several new skills gained along the way.
Apparently, a good amount of time had passed—the swarm had advanced a considerable distance from our previous location, my SP’s red gauge had nearly depleted, and now it hit zero. Ah—my HP was rapidly starting to drop.
Panicking, I began devouring the moss in front of me. Yet even as I ate, waves of information kept pouring in, threatening to dissolve my consciousness and drag it away. I forcibly cut the connection and cleared my mind.
That was close. To think I almost died of starvation less than a month after reincarnating… That would’ve been a bad joke taken way too far.
I hurriedly kept eating to recover and cast [Appraisal] on myself to check the changes to my skills.
The new or improved skills included: [Concentration LV4], [Thought Acceleration LV3], [Parallel Processing LV3], [Computational Processing LV3], [Pain Resistance LV2], and [Divinity Expansion LV1]—a total of six. On top of that, [Omniscience LV10] and [High Resistance to Fainting LV2 made my skills list look quite respectable.
As I munched away, reviewing my newly gained skills, the movement of the swarm halted, and from the front lines, violent roars and shockwaves reverberated toward us.
There was no way I could see it directly from here, so I activated [Omniscience] to confirm the situation.
Let’s see…
Monkeys. Monkeys. Monkeys beyond counting.
And a few larger monkeys as well.
A massive horde of monkeys, their minds seemingly lost to madness, were recklessly throwing themselves at us in a frenzied assault.
Their desperate onslaught was terrifying—but even so, they had not been able to breach the front-line defense of kokedama.
The densely packed formation of Greater Kokedama blocked the monkeys’ ferocious attacks, filling the width of the cave without gaps. Overhead, Winged Kokedama zipped through the air, spreading confusion, magic, and status effects.
Any individuals that somehow slipped through were helplessly dispatched by vividly colored, status-specialist kokedama waiting inside.
It was like a fortress wall—unyielding. Or perhaps like a tidal wave that consumed everything.
Then, sensing the housemaster Ark Kokedama’s magical power swell, the kokedama forming the wall parted left and right to open a path, creating a line of fire.
Monkeys surged into the opening—but it was already a killing ground.
Earth magic skewered them from below, Water Cutters severed their torsos, and wind spells reaped the unlucky survivors without mercy.
Witnessing that grotesque, blood-splattered storm of violence firsthand, I could barely contain my excitement.
Amazing! Amazing! Absolutely amaaaazing!!
Magical power flowed, changed form, and manifested spells from seemingly nothing.
It was a technique that rewrote the world itself—an arcane miracle capable of painting over reality as one pleased, in a world that otherwise left you no choice but to accept things as they were.
Enthralled by that sight, I could smell the sour stench of blood, see the glistening organs, and sense dying lives flickering out and dissolving into the world—and yet, only pure joy filled my heart.
I want it. If I had this, I could reshape the world—with my own hands.
Such delusions and yearning swelled within me, etching themselves deeply into my soul.
Understanding my own wishes and dreams, a clear goal—born from pure longing—began to dye my heart.
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Desire LV1] acquired.》
As I expressed my joy through my small kokedama body, steeped in intoxicated ecstasy, the battle had already ended—only a few monkeys, paralyzed and barely clinging to life, remained.
Soon, the larger kokedama began eating the dead monkeys, but for some reason, they started gathering the still-living ones in a single spot.
When the landlord lowered itself nearby, I somehow sensed the intent.
This was food for us immature younglings.
Already, the co-inhabitants living on my back were slowly stirring and descending to the ground. I hurried to follow.
Maybe because I’d pushed myself so hard, I managed to arrive almost first—but both my yellow and red SP gauges were dangerously low.
Without hesitation, I bit into one of the twitching monkeys.
It couldn’t resist at all against my bite, only shivering helplessly. I felt a twinge of pity, but telling myself it was for survival, I clamped down harder and tore into its flesh.
It was by no means tasty—in fact, it was disgusting—but I bit down over and over again with desperation. And then—
《Experience has reached the required level. Individual [Small Kokedama] has reached LV2》
《Various basic abilities have increased.》
《Skill Proficiency Level-Up Bonus acquired.》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Moss Armor LV1] has become [Moss Armor LV2]》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Paralysis Attack LV1] has become [Paralysis Attack LV2]》
《You have obtained Skill Points.》
My skin began peeling off.
Simultaneously, the moss armor, which had only partially covered me before, spread rapidly to envelop my entire body.
My depleted HP fully recovered, and my body felt slightly lighter.
Sensing that, I didn’t stop eating.
Driven purely by momentum, I kept devouring, consuming the entire larger monkey—bones and all. Then I staggered toward another still-living, uneaten monkey—and—
《Experience has reached the required level. Individual [Small Kokedama] has reached LV3》
《Experience has reached the required level. Individual [Small Kokedama] has reached LV4》
《Experience has reached the required level. Individual [Small Kokedama] has reached LV5》
《Various basic abilities have increased.》
《Skill Proficiency Level-Up Bonus acquired.》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Moss Armor LV3] has become [Moss Armor LV4].》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Paralysis Attack LV3] has become [Paralysis Attack LV4].》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Paralysis Resistance LV3] has become [Paralysis Resistance LV4].》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Poison Resistance LV1] has become [Poison Resistance LV2].》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Exhaustion Resistance LV1] has become [Exhaustion Resistance LV2].》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Acid Resistance LV1] has become [Acid Resistance LV2].》
《Proficiency has reached the required level. Skill [Overeating LV1] acquired.》
《You have obtained Skill Points.》
Ahaha… ahahahaha…
I ate relentlessly.
Not even fully aware of what I was doing, I kept eating with a drunk, dazed mind.
Because otherwise, something within me would dissolve and shatter.
Something far too premature to accept now—if I didn’t drown myself in this stupor, it would destroy me.
Things that shouldn’t be seen, things that shouldn’t be known—sank into the abyss of oblivion.
Eventually, when only bloodstains remained around us, and only I and my siblings—our mouths smeared with blood—were left, my consciousness finally began to return slightly.
Still somewhat in a dreamlike haze, I watched as my siblings climbed back up the mossy slope toward the landlord, and I absentmindedly followed.
Reaching the top of the fluffy, hard-to-climb moss hill, exhaustion washed over me all at once.
Ah… I killed. And I ate them.
I only now fully comprehended the reality of what I’d done. Yet for some reason, my heart didn’t ache much—instead, I simply basked in a state of bliss.
Was it satisfaction from having my hunger sated? Or an illusory pleasure conjured by my mind’s defense mechanism?
As I pondered such things, the housemaster, with all of us younglings on its back, began moving again.
Watching the swarm continue advancing through the dark cave, I found myself thinking:
—I need more power.
==============
Kokedama Species and Kokedama Flocks
The Kokedama species is a race that can also be found outside of labyrinths. Originally, they do not form groups and live quietly within forests.
Their temperament is gentle, and unless provoked, they will not actively attack. As a result, it is possible to pass by them unnoticed deep within the forest.
Individuals outside the labyrinth rarely evolve and are positioned at the lower end of the food chain.
The individuals in the Great Elroe Labyrinth are descendants of Kokedama that fell from a vertical shaft long ago and survived the harsh struggle for existence, managing to pass on their lineage.
Because of this, they have acquired a paralysis attribute that the original Kokedama species did not possess and always act in groups to hunt together.
In the Great Elroe Labyrinth, there is a flock of Kokedama species led by an Arc Kokedama, and the protagonist was born in this group.
It is rare for the Kokedama species to evolve to such an extent, and their strength is sufficient that they have a chance of winning in a one-on-one fight against an Arc Taratect or a lower-tier Earth Dragon.
Although this Kokedama flock has built a considerable force, their species was originally weak, and unlike the Queen Taratect, they cannot mass-produce offspring through extensive spawning. As a result, increasing individuals who can serve as combat power remains difficult.
Currently, besides the protagonist’s flock, there are only a few individuals who have evolved to the Arc stage. In the Elroe Great Labyrinth, where numerous Taratect species and even myth-class beings exist in vast numbers, it is the reality that they cannot be considered truly powerful.
Kokedama species (outside the labyrinth): Threat Level F
Kokedama species (in the labyrinth): Threat Level D ~ S
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