Becoming A Snake God 3 'Status Reading'

If my novels taught me anything that would be that this is a cla.s.sic 'Game-like' scenario that I got myself into...

Well, I won't really complain about this as it is one of the things I wanted to get in my previous life, but still, that voice really scared me...

It, the voice in my head, sounded very familiar...

OH! It sounded almost like I did while I was still a human!

Maybe everyone has this 'Game-like' ability in this world.

Hmmm...

Calling it 'Game-like' would mean that it has some sort of interface or some sort of ability system.

But I saw neither, I only heard a voice in my head that sounded just like me.

Could it be that my mind is only playing tricks on me? If I were to try and explain this situation to myself, would I think of myself like a crazy person...

Well, probably!

Who would still be sane after dying, being reborn as a limbless animal... no, a Monster, and then being starved while being hunted by their own siblings.

I am as sane as I could possibly be in this situation, no matter how little it may be!

Alright!

I need to figure out how to prove that there are some 'Game-like' abilities involved, and then I need to find out how rare that ability is.

If everyone has this ability, then I am pretty much screwed, BUT if it is extremely rare or even unique, then I just might have a chance to become a respected being in this world!

But how do I prove it first?

Interface!

Appraise!

Gamemode On!

Link!

...

Huff... Even screaming in my mind is tiring...

The least I ask for is a self-status reading skill...

[Status reading-Target: Self]

Ehhh?

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Level 1,unnamed,snakeling hatchling

Vitality:0.3; Strenght:0.1; Agility:0.6;

Resistance:0.8; Magic:0.8; ▓▓▓▓

▓▓▓▓ Total:2.6; Xp:0/5;

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Skills:

Venom Bite-Lv1(Act)(bio)

Smooth Scales-Lv1(Pas)(bio)

Status Reading-LvMAX(Special)

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OHHH!

Now it wasn't a voice but a screen!

Thank you, G.o.d, whoever you may be!

Oh my... This is now the second happiest thing that happened to me in this new life of mine.

Finding that sweet water from the fountain would be the first thing and it is highly possible that the water was the cause of gaining this 'Game-like' ability.

Now, what do we have here...

A level, name and a species name...

It is very game like, I am 'Unnamed' since no one gifted me a name upon my birth.

This would also mean that me, from my previous life, is really gone forever, not even the name remaining.

Rest in peace my previous self.

... Great, I got myself feeling depressed again...

But, maybe if I manage to get named as a monster I get some special buffs!

I will try getting a name when I get a chance. Which should be after meeting an intelligent, and if possible, a humanoid being.

There are also some really game-like stats, like vitality probably being health and such.

There is also a 'Total' stat, maybe it shows my overall strength as a perso-... ehm~m, as a monster. I need to leave the previous me behind if I want to survive as a current me... but it will probably be best to leave some humanity in me, as I don't wish to hurt those that don't deserve it.

So there are also skills and...

Eeh?!

So it was called 'Status Reading', huh?

Oh, I get it now, It took what I thought before out of context and that way saved me from a lot of trouble... Thank you very much!

So now, what if I use 'Status Reading' to tell me everything I need to know about this screen in front of me... there are some blurred up stats as well... I wonder what that could be.

Maybe some stats that are unique to humans or some other species?

Let's find out.

I'll close my eyes and concentrate as hard as I can...

...Even though I have no eyelids my vision darkened...

Status Read the Interface!

. . .

*Silence*

. . .

Maybe It isn't called an interface, ehh...

Status Read the status screen...?

[Status Reading-Target: Status Screen]

Figures...

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Vitality- the combined score of the body st.u.r.diness and regenerative properties. The higher it is, higher the Hp and Hp Regen will be.

Strenght-the amount of physical power the body can produce.

The higher it is, higher the physical damage dealt.

Agility-the amount of flexibility and speed the body can handle.

The higher it is, higher the speed the body can move at with increased maneuverability.

Resistance- combined score of all resistances.

Higher it is, weaker the damage to Hp delt based on the resistance types. Resistances can be seen in resistance window once 'Status Reading' reaches a higher level.

Magic- combined score of internal mana storage and mana replenishment. The higher it is, higher the Mp and Mp regen will be.

Total- combined value of all stats. Taken into account when reading the status of others. If the difference is too big (owners status being the smaller one), status reading will fail.

Xp- calculated experience needed for the next level up... Rest of the information unavailable at the moment...

Venom Bite- a biologically acquired skill which lets its user apply 'Poison(venom*)' effect on its target, while the effect differs based on the type* and amount of venom was injected. This skill can be used as a magic skill, draining mana as a resource for activation if the user doesn't meet biological requirements.

Smooth Scales- a biologically acquired skill which pa.s.sively increases fire resistance, blunt force resistance, sharpness resistance, chemical resistance, and agility, while decreasing cold resistance. This skill can be used as a magic skill, draining mana as a resource for activation if the user doesn't meet biological requirements.

Status Reading- a special skill acquired by the ''Touch of Divinity'' requirement. This skill allows its user to see information about things and beings, with calculations in a numeric system and language understandable to the skills owner. The 'Status Reading' upgrades as the owner gets stronger. If a being getting scanned has too big of an overall stats difference, there is a high chance of failure.

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O_O

alright...

The stats are about the same thing I thought they would be...

What about this...

Status Read this...?

[Status Reading...]

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▓▓▓▓-'Status Reading' not high enough...

============================

Ohhh!

So all I need to do is to look at something as I request its status to be read. This will make things much easier!

Even a new screen pops-up so I can even compare the stats and information I get from this skill. That is amazing!

Imagine if you had a skill like this one, to see information about others, but every time you scan someone new, you lose the info to the previous scan. In this life or death situation, that would make it too hard to compare strengths between who do you have the best chance of winning against and therefore surviving.

Stats are pretty self-explanatory. As for the Skills, they also make a lot of sense. I love the part of biological skills being able to be replicated by magic. If I ever get a chance to learn magic, I would be able to replicate the abilities of any other monsters that might live around this cave.

Since I don't know how deep in the ground I am right now, I will just a.s.sume this is some sort of a dungeon since 'Status reading' the walls and the floor just came up with 'Rock' and 'Dirt'.

Even this mysterious fountain gave a screen with 'Unknown', which is very annoying as the skill originated from the water I drank from it.

Now I am certain that it was that sparkly water that gave me this 'Status Reading' skill as it was obtained by gaining that 'Touch of Divinity' thingy, which I, in turn, got from drinking that sparkly water.

Oh Right!

Status Read the 'Touch of Divinity'

[Status Reading...]

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'Touch of Divinity'- A special ability, obtained by being touched by G.o.d's Energy, which is long since lost to the world as an ancient power. Only heroes trained by The Church of Divinity are allowed to possess this ability while others are being deemed as criminals sentenced to death if in possession of this ability. This skill, once used, can empower one thing for a permanent effect which will differ based on what the ability was used on. The empowerment can only be used by those who have acquired the 'Touch of Divinity'.

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are you f-for real?

T-this is so OP!

But wait, does this mean I already made enemies with a huge organization... and it is one of those that sound like extremist religions...

This is becoming even more like some of the novels I have read before...

If this unfolds to be anything close to the things I've read about, it will either be very good or very, and I mean, VERY bad.

A good thing that might happen is being worshiped as a divine being if they find out that I possess the 'Touch of Divinity'. That would make my life much easier, not having to worry about much, except to keep up the image of a divine being.

But if this unfolds in the other direction, I will be hunted down to the edge of the world, just so they, the religious fanatics, can sacrifice me to their G.o.d, who might not even be real...

That would be such a wasted rebirth!

I need to find a way to become stronger if I wish to live a carefree life, possibly surrounded by people who I will grow to love and who will love me as well.

Let me think...

If I am correct, in my case, getting stronger should be like evolving into a higher species. I guess that is why I can see the name of the species, which looks very informative.

I need to see if there is anything more to know about my new self, besides that knowing that I am a small baby snake.

Status Read my species and evolution tree

[Status Reading...]

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Snakeling Hatchling- the lowest evolution point of the Serpent tree. laid in cl.u.s.ters of eggs, resulting in a big enough number for ten or so young to evolve before leaving the nest.

Serpent tree-'Status Reading' not high enough...

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Alright, so I was right that there is an evolutionary tree with choices one takes as they evolve. Once I am able to see what choices I have down the line, I will give it a good thinking about.

About my species... It seems that I was right when I sensed a faint bloodl.u.s.t right after being born. This species is intentionally laid in large numbers so that they eat each other, improving their rate of growth by stronger hatchlings eating the weaker ones, so that they may become even stronger before leaving the nest.

Truly a cold-hearted method for parents to resort to... but if we take into account that outside of this blocked off room, there are probably a whole lot of other, stronger monsters... Then if they didn't resort to this "kin eats kin" method, then maybe none of the hatchlings would have a chance of surviving.

As a human, it saddens me to see such a brutal method, but nature has its ways, no matter how much a sheltered human mind can't comprehend those ways, they won't change.

Yet, as a snake, it gives me hope that the number of my siblings is reducing since I know that I, as the weakest one here, am sure every one of them will hope to get a quick snack the moment that I come out.

Since the sparkly water bought me some time from starving, I will be able to wait another day before I leave this hidey-hole of mine.

But until then I must observe them from here to figure out a strategy to defeat them as one who is weaker than them, to become the one who feeds on them.