29. Even after evolution, the actions remain the same.

First prey located.

[Identification of Elrofrogs LV5 Status Failed]

A frog now thoroughly familiar.

Yet, the level is the highest I've seen so far.

Hmm.

I wonder how much my stats have changed after evolving.

If it's called evolution, I assume it's becoming stronger.

But...

Level has dropped to one, too.

If the level adjustments from before remain as they are, that’s fine. But if it’s dropped to the equivalent of level one, that’s dangerous.

Perhaps it won’t happen, but some games do have such systems.

Temporarily weakened, but can be reforged to surpass its previous evolution stage.

Not incorrect for a grind-focused game, but in reality, that would be a serious survival issue.

Hmm.

Probably safe, but better to proceed with caution.

If there's any doubt, reckless actions aren't justified.

Life is at stake. Proceed with extreme caution.

Climb the wall slowly.

Reach the ceiling, then proceed upside down.

When directly above the frog, secure the body with thread.

Extend another thread, weaving a small net onto the front legs.

Preparation complete.

Lower the thread toward the frog, then descend along it.

Three, two, one, go!

Sweep the net over the frog from above, launching the attack.

The frog cannot evade. Trapped in the net, I fall upon it, covering it completely, then spray additional thread onto its body.

The frog is immobilized entirely. Through the net, I bite down—gab!

Hmm.

Even I must admit, this was a clean catch.

Perhaps it is time to claim the title of assassin.

Kukuku.

You don't think you can escape from these threads and fangs, do you?

Ah—first, I'll consume the frog I've subdued.

I am ready to begin.

But that is it, isn't it.

The tasks remain unchanged, even with evolution.

The initial goal of gaining battlefield experience now seems to fade into the background.

They're usually higher-ranked than me, after all.

You couldn’t survive a proper fight, no matter how many lives you had.

Could you perhaps reconsider the aptitude level a bit more?

The assassination combo from surprise attack has improved significantly.

Yet, if one is building a nest, there is no opportunity for ambush. That deviates from the initial objective—to develop the ability to confront an opponent who has broken through the nest.

...No, no!

Evolved!

Leveling up!

Higher base stats mean greater advantage.

My actions so far weren’t wasted!

Let’s just settle on that!

Hmph.

That was close—my efforts here might’ve been meaningless.

Dangerous. Dangerous.

Hmm.

But realistically, relying solely on surprise attacks indefinitely is risky.

Losing my home—partly because I overestimated its defenses.

Now would be a good time to develop another tool, something else to rely on.

Of course, if I could think of something immediately, I wouldn’t be in trouble.

The first thing that comes to mind? Probably that Heretic Magic with unknown effects.

If I could master it, new tactics might open up—but I don’t know how to use it.

Gnurr.

If I were human, could I have learned its use through another person?

Well, hypotheticals won’t help much—but having to solve everything oneself has its advantages and drawbacks.

It’s convenient not having to deal with people unnecessarily, but it’s a hassle when faced with something I can’t handle alone.

Either way, in this form, I can’t interact with humans at all.

I can’t speak.

If telepathy existed, maybe that’d be possible.

Speaking of which, I’ve reached level ten. Skill points should have accumulated by now.

Assuming one point per level, that’s two hundred points.

I obtained identification at one hundred points. So I might be able to acquire a new skill soon.

So, Heavenly Voice (Temporary), can I take a skill?

[Current Skill Points: 200]

Skill 'Telepathy LV1' can be acquired using 100 skill points.

Acquire it?

Oh.

Is it really possible to acquire it...?

Hmm.

Even so, telepathy is practically useless in current circumstances.

Declined.

But I've accumulated 200 points.

So that means 20 points per level were being stored.

Ah—so when I reached level 6, I must have been able to acquire a skill.

Given the existence of鉴定 (identification), it wouldn’t have been usable immediately after acquisition, but steadily leveling up over time might have made it usable by now.

I might have wasted something significant.

Hmm?

No—wait. Wait a moment.

Let me recall my memories more carefully.

I did try to acquire a skill around level 6, didn’t I?

Wait.

Didn’t I get told I didn’t have enough points then?

Hmm...?

One possibility: point gain increases with level height. Another: point gain increases through evolution.

Either is plausible. But verifying now is impossible.

Set aside the reason for the point increase for now.