Cassian was lying in the grass, staring at the blue sky.

  Clouds drifted slowly by, forming random shapes. A bird. A face. A perfect square.

  This is... peaceful.

  For the first time in a long while, she felt calm. Relaxed.

  Then she felt something.

  On her arm.

  She looked down.

  An ant.

  She shot upright, frantically shaking her arm.

  "GET OFF! GET OFF GET OFF GET OFF!"

  She inspected every inch of her body, patting down her clothes, her hair.

  "Are there more? Are there more?!"

  Nothing.

  She stopped.

  Even in another world, it's just impossible to lie in the grass peacefully.

  Why do ants exist? What's their purpose? Besides ruining perfectly pleasant moments?

  "CASSIAN! MOVE!"

  Lena's voice.

  Cassian turned around.

  And saw a monitor lizard. A large one. Easily three meters long.

  Running straight for her.

  She threw herself to the side, tumbling into the grass.

  The lizard rushed past where she had been standing a second earlier.

  "HIRO!" she yelled. "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"

  "SORRY!"

  Hiro was ON the lizard, his sword plunged right into its skull.

  The lizard thrashed violently, shaking its head, desperately trying to throw Hiro off.

  Hiro clung on tightly, his legs wrapped around the creature's massive neck.

  ---

  Before this chaotic situation, the group had stumbled upon this creature by chance.

  Hiro, curious, had said, "Wait. I'm just gonna... check something."

  "Check what?" Lucia had asked.

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  "Just a quick thing."

  By killing a creature they'd never encountered before, the system displayed its details. Species. Traits. Weak points.

  It was like a living encyclopedia.

  "It won't take long," he promised. "Wait here quietly."

  Unfortunately, even with a sword in its skull, the monitor lizard refused to die.

  I must have missed a vital spot, Hiro thought with frustration.

  Lena rushed over to help.

  "HANG ON!"

  The lizard turned towards her.

  Its maw opened.

  And a jet of gas shot out.

  "WHAT?!"

  Lena saw sparks appear inside the creature's mouth.

  It's going to ignite the gas.

  She slid out of the blast zone just in time.

  WHOOOOSH.

  Flames erupted, creating a fireball that consumed the air where she'd stood a moment ago.

  Lena rolled, came up immediately, and drove her sword into the muscular neck of the lizard.

  SHLICK.

  The creature turned, trying to bite her.

  Lena dodged, but kept her grip on the sword.

  "It's STILL alive?!" She pulled on her blade. "I get why you're struggling, Hiro!"

  A second monitor lizard suddenly appeared.

  It had seen the group. And decided they'd make a quick snack.

  It charged.

  Straight at Lucia, who was slightly apart from the others.

  "UM..." Lucia paled. "GUYS?!"

  She started running.

  Towards Hiro and Lena.

  The first lizard, in its desperate struggle, violently swung its tail.

  WHAM.

  It accidentally slammed into the second lizard mid-charge.

  The second lizard tumbled over several meters, getting up with a furious snarl.

  It glared at the first lizard.

  Then charged.

  Not at the group.

  But at its fellow lizard.

  "Oh," Lena said, backing away quickly. "They're fighting each other now."

  Hiro dismounted from the first lizard, landing with a grimace.

  The two lizards were fiercely battling each other, completely ignoring the group.

  Claw against claw. Jaws snapping. Tails whipping.

  Hiro stood next to them, frustrated.

  "HEY!" he yelled, waving his arms. "I'M RIGHT HERE!"

  The lizards ignored him.

  "LOOK AT ME!"

  He jumped, dodging a tail swipe that could have decapitated him.

  "SERIOUSLY?!"

  Cassian watched the scene from afar, her expression completely blank.

  "The more I know Hiro," she said slowly, "the weirder I find him."

  Lucia, with exactly the same blank expression, nodded. "You never get used to it."

  Later, Hiro had finally managed to kill one.

  Well, both.

  They lay on the ground, their massive bodies still.

  Hiro looked at the system with satisfaction.

  [NEW SPECIES RECORDED: FIRE-SPITTING MONITOR LIZARD]

  [Traits: Flammable gas gland, thick hide, slow regeneration]

  [Weak Points: Base of skull, leg joints]

  [EXP Bonus: +500]

  [ASSIMILATION AVAILABLE]

  [Acquired Traits: Minor Fire Resistance, Reinforced Hide]

  All that to record an unknown species.

  But it was worth it. He'd gained quite a few lizard-related things.

  And killing everything he found was a great way to stock up on abilities with Assimilation.

  Not to mention the hefty EXP bonus for first-time kills.

  "HIRO!"

  Lena was calling him from the lake.

  "COME SWIM RIGHT NOW!"

  The lake was beautiful.

  Crystal clear water. Surrounded by trees. Completely secluded.

  Lena and Lucia were already in it, swimming happily.

  Cassian stood at the edge, only her feet in the water.

  I've never been naked in front of anyone.

  And that's not changing now.

  She watched Hiro approach.

  He's really going to do it, she realized. He's REALLY going to do it.

  Hiro quickly took off his shirt and dove in.

  SPLASH.

  Cassian looked at him sideways.

  He's got the good life, that bastard.

  Hiro, Lena, and Lucia played in the water.

  Splashing. Laughing. Water tag.

  Cassian watched them with a mix of envy and irritation.

  Hiro is having a little too good a time.

  She discreetly stretched out a hand.

  A jet of water shot out, hitting Hiro right in the face.

  "PFFF!"

  Then Cassian created mini-waves, directing them at the group.

  She expected them to protest.

  Instead, they burst out laughing.

  "That's fun!" laughed Lucia.

  "Do it again!" Lena added.

  Cassian quickly gave up.

  It's not working. They LIKE it.

  But something else caught her attention.

  She was able to feel every movement in the lake.

  As if the water was an extension of her own senses.

  By concentrating hard enough, she could detect even the tiniest creatures.

  The lake was teeming with life. She knew it, even if she couldn't see them.

  Then another idea sprouted.

  Usually, she drew from the ambient air to create water. It used up a fair bit of mana.

  But here...

  There's so much water.

  She stretched out her hands.

  And started to collect.

  Water surged from the lake, forming a floating ball.

  Which grew.

  And grew.

  Enormous. Easily ten meters in diameter.

  Hiro looked at Cassian.

  Lena looked at Cassian.

  Lucia looked at Cassian.

  Cassian slowly turned her head towards them.

  Their eyes met.

  They all knew what Cassian was thinking.

  And Cassian knew what they were thinking.

  They shook their heads vigorously.

  No. No no no.

  Cassian moved the water ball directly over them.

  A massive shadow covered them.

  "CASSIAN," Hiro said calmly. "PUT IT DOWN."

  "We can talk about this," Lena added quickly.

  "Please," Lucia begged.

  Cassian smiled.

  A cruel smile.

  "Suffer my judgment."

  They scrambled out of the water, stumbling, slipping.

  Cassian launched the water ball at them.

  SPLAAAAAAASH.

  The impact was catastrophic.

  Mainly on Lena—because Cassian was specifically targeting Lena to get back at her for the sword training.

  But Hiro and Lucia were right next to her.

  Collateral damage is to be expected, Cassian thought, snickering.

  Lena spat out water, her hair completely soaked and sticking to her face. "I'M GOING TO KILL YOU!"

  "Try," Cassian sang.

  Lena charged.

  Cassian created an ice wall between them.

  WHAM.

  Lena crashed into the wall, bouncing back.

  "OW!"

  "I expected better from you," she said with an arrogant smile.