I Am the Weakest Cat, but If I Keep Evolving, Can I Become the Strongest? - Episode 7: Encounter with an Overwhelming Being

Episode 7: Encounter with an Overwhelming Being 

▽ Episode 7: Encounter with an Overwhelming Being 

I fought. 

What I understood first was that my combat ability has definitely skyrocketed. Until now, I must have been a Rank I creature. 

Rank II is, to be blunt, physically stronger than I was when I was alive. 

The acceleration when jumping is different. 

Until now, I had to work hard to bite a Goblin’s neck. But today I could slash and kill them with my claws. It felt like I’d become the strongest. 

“Nyaa.” 

Is it really this different? 

Just one Rank. 

I try out magic too. 

I’m up in a tree, hiding in the leaves. I spotted a group of Goblins walking with noisy chatter. 

They haven’t noticed me. 

No, even if they did, Goblins are bad at climbing trees. I can just escape. 

“Nyaon ([Another Point]).” 

The space magic [Another Point] is magic that allows you to alter the appearance point of a spell. Normally, spells are fired from the hand or forehead. 

But if I use this magic— 

“Unyaaahhh ([Burn Fire]).” 

A group of Goblins walking nonchalantly. 

They seem to be mimicking caution, but it’s meaningless. 

Fire magic exploded right in the middle of them. It’s a blast spell that would normally catch even me in it. But with [Another Point], it turns into an easy area bombardment. 

The Goblins’ limbs are blown off. 

A storm of guts. Chunks of flesh torn apart. Apparently, the power of the magic has also increased. So this is the strength of Rank II. 

Goblins are no longer scary. 

……..But I don’t feel like I can get any stronger. 

No matter how many Goblins I defeat now, I don’t feel like I’ll level up at all. It might be safe here, but there’s no room for growth. 

My goal isn’t to become strong. 

It’s to survive. At minimum, for about four more years… 

If that’s the case, maybe this place is fine. 

No matter how strong I become, I don’t think I can be the strongest. At first, I planned to build a house. But in this forest, a house won’t protect me—instead, I’d have to protect the house. If that’s the case, it’s safer to stay hidden. Even if the situation is harsh. 

…I’ve decided. 

I will live in this breeding ground for the next four years. Safety and security are my top priority. 

▽ 

A few days later, I was testing out [Search]. 

This magic seems to be a buff-type magic. Once activated, for one minute, it puts me in [Search] state. 

The surroundings looked as if I was doing 3D modeling. All objects appeared semi-transparent, and I could grasp exact coordinates. 

I think it’s an amazing power. 

But there’s too much information. So I need to consciously limit it or I might get overloaded. 

For someone like me with one eye, it’s a wonderful ability. 

Maybe I should have this active all the time. 

It doesn’t cost much MP anyway… 

Satisfied with how useful [Search] was, I was just about to go out hunting… when I noticed an ominous presence. 

The forest was stirring. 

A tension that shouldn’t exist in this breeding ground was spreading. 

What is it? 

Just as I tried to strengthen [Search], my [Instinct Detection] started ringing the biggest alarm in my life. 

A feeling like death traced over my body. 

My body began to shake uncontrollably. Even I, who once wished for death, was frozen in fear by this overwhelming—presence. 

Up in the trees. 

I held my breath and watched where the world would go. My [Instinct Detection] even turned off [Search] on its own. I must not let it sense the activation of magic… 

I witnessed it. 

The breeding ground. From the far edge, countless screams were drawing near. I could only watch. I couldn’t even avert my gaze. 

About an hour later, it appeared—a giant Chimera Mantis. 

Its body base and the sickle-like hands looked like a mantis. But like a centaur, or maybe an arachne, various “forms” were swelling out from the mantis’ body. 

Human ones, Goblin ones, orc-like ones, things I’ve never even seen. 

A monster that absorbs living things. 

That Chimera Mantis wandered while making a buzzing “bububububu” sound. It was searching for prey. 

A rabbit cowering in fear under the shade of a tree was eaten by the Chimera Mantis. 

Immediately after, a rabbit-sized lump appeared on the mantis’ stomach….… 

Terrifying. 

That’s terrifying. 

Rank III… No, even higher. Rank IV or V wouldn’t be strange. 

『Bubububububububu.』 

Suddenly, my eyes met with the Chimera Mantis. 

It had noticed me. 

With a single slash of its scythe, the tree I had used as my dwelling was blown away. And the trees lined up behind it were also blown away by the wind pressure or slash pressure. 

Falling tree leaves. 

In between them, my body was thrown out. 

“…!” 

It was a reflex. My wings moved. Apparently, these wings are good at gliding. With [Flight・Slight], this is the best it can do, it seems. 

But I managed to shift the timing. 

Because the Chimera Mantis had snapped its jaws at the perfect moment as I was falling. 

The mantis jaws bit into empty space, and immediately after— 

I accelerated with [Wind Magic]. I landed quickly on the ground. And without hesitation, I activated magic. 

“Nya ([Short Warp]).” 

The magic activated. 

What I chose was underground. I had dug a pitfall. I warped into it. 

It was only a one-step warp, but I should be able to just barely disappear into the dirt. 

My vision turned dark. 

It was darkness. I had made it into the hole. 

I trembled violently. I tried to stop my body somehow, but it wouldn’t stop. I made sure not to make a sound. 

『Bububububububu…』 

For a while. 

I think the Chimera Mantis was searching for the lump of flesh that was me. 

But it seems it soon found different prey. 

Eventually, the sound disappeared. 

I was too anxious to come out of the dirt. It might be waiting in ambush. 

I was too scared to use magic, afraid it would sense it… 

I stayed underground for two days.