Chapter 2: The First Step?I mean Dig
What do I do now?
The first thing I do is think. Wait, I can think? Do worms even have brains? Did I miss some sort of update or something? The first thing that comes to mind is [Status]. And to my surprise, it actually works. Usually, in a situation like this, you'd feel a rush of excitement, but given my current… form, I wasn't expecting much. And I was right.
[Character Window]
Name: Lesser Abyssal Worm
Level: 1, Rank: J-
HP: 1/1
MP: 6/6
STA: 2/2
STR: 1
AGI: 0.5
INT: 3
EDU: 1
DEF: 0.5
M.DEF: 0.5
LCK: 55
Skills:
[Dig LV I][Regeneration LV I]
Title:
[?>:<](&^*!?]
Okay, there's a lot to unpack here. I'm super weak. Rank J-? I thought ranks couldn't go lower than F. Some manga and novels I've read only went as low as G. At least "Abyssal" is in my name—maybe that's the only reason I'm not K-rank. My HP is about what I expected for a worm, but this life seems pretty much doomed. I don't think I'll survive past tomorrow. My MP is six times higher than my HP, though. The reason must be my mysterious title:
[?>:<](&^*!?]
INT increased by twofold.
I don't even know how to pronounce that, but thank you! At least I have something going for me. The rest is pretty self-explanatory. [STR] measures how much you can curl. [AGI] is how fast you can move. [INT] is how smart or dumb you are. [EDU] is endurance, like how long you can run or endure damage. [DEF] and [M.DEF] are defense and magic defense, respectively. Wait, there's magic? Every kid who watched Harry Potter would dream of having magic. Why? Because it's cool! As I glance over my stats, I notice that my [LCK] is abnormally high—not that I have anything to compare it to.
[You have 3 initial points to invest.]
Well, I don't know how a monster or an animal would choose their own points, but I'm guessing you get a set amount to invest upon birth. I suppose my high luck stat is already paying off because, for a lesser worm, 3 points seems like a lot. You can increase any stat or learn a new skill with these points. Let's see… I should go for vision first, so I'm not stuck in darkness all the time.
[Skills Available]
[Fast Movement]
[Toxic Secretion]
[Camouflage]
[Earth Manipulation]
[Nutrient Absorption]
[Parasitic Attach]
[Molt]
…...
There's way more than I expected. The first ones that catch my eye are [Parasitic Attach] and [Detect].
[Parasitic Attach LV I]
Gradually saps the host's HP and transfers it to the worm. The worm can also gain some of the host's abilities while attached.
[Detect LV I]
Basic detection of nearby hidden objects or weak life forms within a small radius.
I think I could graduate from being a simple worm with the first skill, but the latter seems more crucial right now.
[You have used 3 points to learn [Detect]]
It's like I've gained a new sense. I can't see in the traditional sense, but I can feel the presence of things around me. The reason? This place is in complete darkness. But now, I have a glimmer of hope that I might survive tomorrow.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone