I Am the Weakest Cat, but If I Keep Evolving, Can I Become the Strongest? - Episode 25: Adaptation

Episode 25: Adaptation 

▽ Episode 25: Adaptation

I think the basis of survival in the wild is “adaptation”. 

This ecosystem is, in a way, already complete. And any new entrant must go through a harsh path. 

There are few who rise up from the bottom like me. 

They die on the way while leveling up. If you get even one serious injury, it’s over. Even if you manage to evolve through hard work… if you can’t adapt to the next Rank zone, you die. 

If you manage to adapt, maybe that’s when you successfully settle down and prosper with your offspring. 

I don’t know since I’ve never seen anyone else who rose up from the bottom like me. 

…No, wait. 

Maybe—maybe that Two-Headed Dog is someone who rose up the same way. It’s alone, unlike the others. And it has enough strength left to overwhelm other Rank V creatures. 

“Nyan.” 

I’ve said it many times: adaptation is important. 

Then, that means the Rank IV creatures in this land… if they can’t adapt to me, they’ll die. I’m starting to understand the rules of this land. I’ve adapted. 

Now it’s their turn—if they can’t adapt to “just me,” they’ll be hunted down. 

My target is the sleeping Flame Lizard. 

I approached, using the trees and grass for cover—and activated all my buffs. It’s only things like [Battle Fur] and [Enchant Thunder], though. 

The thunder gives away my position. 

The Flame Lizard puffed its cheeks. It was about to unleash a flamethrower—and at that moment, I had already used [Dimension Strike]. 

This claw attack was different from usual. 

Normally, I would slash from top to bottom or side to side. 

But this time, I used an upward, scooping strike. 

The goal was simple. 

The lizard’s scales are too tough. I don’t think even my fangs can pierce them. 

So I flipped the lizard over to expose its soft belly. 

It’s really heavy. 

Even so, the Flame Lizard was caught off guard by the unexpected attack and got flipped over. It lied vulnerable, its limbs squirming helplessly. 

“Nyao ([Dimension Strike]).” 

I bit into its soft-looking belly. 

I succeeded in inflicting poison. “Yes,” I thought at that moment— 

A Water Bird waiting overhead… sparkled. 

…It used healing magic. 

It erased the poison I had inflicted on the Flame Lizard below. 

I got annoyed. 

That thing’s acting like a really handy partner. 

If I fire [Thunder Bolt], it gets deflected by a water barrier. 

The Flame Lizard gets back up on its own. 

Flames are ready. 

Just as I prepared myself, the flames were already released. It was really hot. Even without a direct hit, my fur felt like it was burning. 

I used [Counter Gate] to force the flamethrower onto the Water Bird above and killed it. 

Then I flipped the Flame Lizard again and re-applied poison now that the healer was gone. 

[Skill level has reached its limit.] 

[Please choose your evolution path.] 

Looks like [Strong Poison Fang] is finally going to evolve. It used to be my main damage skill, so maybe this is its comeback. 

1. 1. [Pain Poison Fang] 

 Fangs that inflict intense pain with poison. 

2. 2. [Chaos Fang] 

 Fangs that put the target into a [Chaos] state. 

3. 3. [Deadly Poison Fang] 

 Fangs that deal poison damage that gradually increases in strength. 

4. 4. [Poison Bite] 

 A poison-element bite attack. 

Those were the four options. 

I want “guaranteed victory if it lands” from [Strong Poison Fang]. 

That’s why I was leaning toward [Deadly Poison Fang], which seems to boost poison strength. 

But the fourth one—[Poison Bite]—caught my attention. 

It looks similar to [Thunder Claw], but feels slightly different. 

It’s the same kind of action I’ve been doing all along. 

And yet, it’s being presented as an evolution option—something feels off. 

Then it hit me. 

Maybe this is an active attack skill… like [Scratching] or [Acceleration]. 

Up until now, [Strong Poison Fang] felt more like a “biological trait.” 

But [Poison Bite] is an offensive move. 

…I’ve decided. 

The one I should choose is [Poison Bite]. I acquired it. 

I tried using [Poison Bite] into the air. 

—CLANG! 

A loud, intense sound echoed from my mouth. 

It was clearly different from the bites I’d done before— 

In terms of destructive power alone. 

The moment I used it, every muscle in my body felt tired. 

Not as bad as [Scratching], but if I used it three times in a row, I’d probably get exhausted. 

There’s no fixed cooldown. But I’ll need to space them out myself. 

I want to try it out. 

I started searching for prey to fall victim to my poison. 

▽ 

I set my sights on a wolf.

No, that wording isn’t accurate— 

It might be the excuse of a coward. 

To confess the truth, I had been spotted by the wolves and was being attacked.

“Nyan.” 

The reason I insist on being a cat is because it gives me an advantage in hiding and ambushing. 

But the wolves, with their sense of smell, expose both my stealth and ambush attempts beforehand. 

On top of that, the wolves had already surrounded me in advance—a fine play on their part.

Wind Wolves. 

Individually, they’re not a big deal—just Rank IV. 

Rank IV means they’re strong, sure. But they don’t have particularly special combat abilities. 

It’s just that there are a lot of them, and they’re well-coordinated.

『Awoooooooooo!』  

That’s the Wind Wolves’ buff skill. 

The more that respond to the howl, the stronger the buff’s effect becomes. 

There are about 10 enemies right now, so the buff is pretty powerful.

The wolves all leap at me at once. 

There’s nowhere to run. 

Even though it’s a forest full of obstacles, this place has become a hunting ground where I’m being driven by the Wind Wolves. 

It doesn’t look like I can hide behind anything.

“Nyaon ([Wonder Time]).” 

I vanish. 

It’s an inherited skill that lets me freely control hit detection. 

While in this invincible state, I began chanting a spell.

A big spell (intermediate level) that needs a full 30 seconds.

“Nyaooooooon ([Thunder Cannon]).” 

Fired. 

All the Wind Wolves in front of me were blown away. 

They had wind barriers up. But I guess I managed to kill them along with it.

I cancel the skill. 

The wolves to my left, right, and behind fire magic at me— 

Wind-element bolts. 

The wind itself isn’t visible. But the magic energy is tinged slightly green.

I use [Short Warp] to dodge, carefully timing it. 

My timing was perfect. So just by shifting my position, I avoided every shot.

Now then. 

This is my first time fighting so many of my equals all at once. 

I can’t run away anyway. So I might as well use this as practice to fight well.

“Nyan.” 

I might just get killed normally, though. 

In this unfavorable situation, I bristle my fur and quickly exposed my claws to the open air.