Chapter 2: Short Life.
Using the mouse's body, it began to move cautiously deeper into the forest. Despite walking at a slow pace, its tiny size made the trees gigantic to human eyes appear absolutely colossal from a rodent's perspective. Protruding roots and weeds blocked its path. The diminutive stature made the trees seem even more enormous. The surrounding vegetation obstructed its way at every turn.
-(When I was human, I never stopped to think about what life was like for small creatures, how difficult it must be for them to move through the forest. Humans don't struggle with that.)-
It was a somewhat uncomfortable form, but not entirely negative. The body was surprisingly agile and could slip through narrow spaces. Exploring that vast forest was turning out to be intriguing.
And along the way, it noticed something unusual in the distance.
-(Maybe this isn't Earth.)- the thought surfaced in its mind.
There were plants it didn't recognize. If that were all, it would have chalked it up to a lack of knowledge. But a tree with wrinkles resembling a human face caught its attention, and upon investigating more closely, it spotted a bird wandering beneath the tree strange in appearance, unlike any bird it had ever seen and one of the branches snatched the bird and stored it inside its hollow openings. A monster.
-(What a horrible thing! I'd better leave before it eats me!)-
Further ahead it found a small clearing where the light was brighter a gap in the canopy let the sunlight pour through. It stopped and looked up, and began to analyze its situation.
-(A different world… what kind of world is this? It looks like something out of a comic book or a movie.)-
After so many experiences, it was now clear: this was not a world like its own.
-(Reincarnation in another world… I need to learn more about this place.)-
It moved around to get used to the rodent's body, but also wanted to test its other capabilities. The mental announcement had mentioned skills, symptoms, and infectious abilities. In other words, its new form was not that of a rodent it was that of a virus that had parasitized the consciousness of a rat.
Although it doubted its own sanity, assuming a parasitic ability explained its situation. It wanted to understand its potential as a virus.
It had heard the mental announcements about its base virus skills, but being a virus seemed more complex than it appeared. While it already controlled the mouse's body, a deeper investigation was necessary. Its perception of the world had changed radically since it had ceased to be human.
The first thing it discovered was the ability to see the virus. By focusing its attention, it could visualize it as particles of red sand. That was its new form. An unsettling thought.
Upon using the [Replication] skill on the mouse's body, it noticed that the infected cells were increasing. The virus used normal cells to replicate itself. Up close, the virus's appearance seemed almost silly: there were two protrusions resembling eyes, its soft body swayed like a bubble, and it produced ridiculous sounds from what appeared to be a mouth. It found it oddly curious.
-Chii… (This is really ugly…)-
Of course. If it weren't itself, it would find it completely disgusting.
A sigh escaped its mouth as it thought about this new perspective on the virus. It wanted to shrug, but its body wouldn't allow it. And so it moved on to the next skill.
[Manifestation of Skills and Symptoms] seemed to allow it to freely activate or deactivate effects on its infected hosts. The comparison to a video game was both inevitable and equally uncomfortable.
-(Is my power seriously like the options menu of a game?)-
It twitched its whiskers with something resembling resignation and continued.
[Transmission by Infection] was simpler: it simply listed the available methods. No surprises, but useful to know.
The skill that stood out the most was [Domination]. Although it had become a virus, its consciousness remained intact and unified, regardless of how many times it replicated. That made sense it would be absolute chaos if every virion thought for itself.
Despite lacking the flexibility of limbs, it could control the particles within its field of vision.
-Chiii…-
It exhaled slowly. The red sand left through its mouth, dispersing the pathogens. They floated for a few seconds before disappearing.
It soon discovered that without a host, the virus was very weak and died quickly. The dispersal range didn't exceed two meters. But at least it could activate traits and symptoms upon spreading.
-(If used correctly… it has potential.)-
Nearby, it spotted a flower and sprayed it with a virus carrying [Replication I] and [Infectivity I]. The red pathogens clung to the petals, but a buzz and an announcement resonated in its mind.
Unable to perform [Replication] on host. Life form is not Animalia. Unable to perform [Infectivity] on host. Life form is not Animalia. Unable to read RNA of host. Life form is not Animalia.
-Chii!! (Agghh you blasted voice, couldn't you be a little more careful with your announcements?!)-
With these incessant announcements repeatedly surfacing in its mind, it was clear it could not infect plants, as they were not animals. But then a skill it hadn't yet used came to mind.
[Devour] it had no idea what this skill did, but its name was self-explanatory. It simply had to eat. So it faced the flower and prepared to eat one of its petals.
-Munch… (Ugh, this thing tastes absolutely disgusting.)-
The taste was bitter and unpleasant, but if its hypothesis was correct, the skill should activate. A buzz followed by an announcement echoed in its mind.
New chemical type detected. Beginning RNA and composition analysis. Organic life form confirmed [Plant]. Copying RNA. New chemicals acquired from analysis: [Antipyretic I] [Analgesic I]
It seemed [Devour] analyzed every type of compound the host ingested and acquired skills after analyzing them. The flower was probably a medicinal plant. It thought that if it could eat more unusual or dangerous plants, it could transfer their chemicals to the virus.
It was an incredible skill. With this new information, the virus's lethality could be increased used correctly, it could leave a mark on history in this world.
-(If I collect more RNA from plants, it would make things a lot easier.)-
It focused on another identical flower and ate another petal to see if it could analyze the plant more thoroughly. Another buzz, another announcement.
Chemical type already analyzed detected. RNA of organic life form [Plant] will not be re-analyzed.
It seemed the [Devour] skill only analyzed the chemical composition of an organic life form once.
-(Is skill acquisition limited by the level of [Devour]?)-
At this rate, triggering an epidemic through natural contagion didn't seem feasible. It found the situation rather unfortunate.
It discovered it could alter the symptoms of nearby infected hosts intensifying or suppressing them simply by thinking it. A function that would prove greatly useful.
-(This is getting very interesting.)-
While it was thrilled about being a virus, being a rat was perfect. It was the classic example of a disease carrier.
Crack.
A branch snapped somewhere in the distance. The forest fell silent all at once, as if something had switched the sound off. The birds stopped singing. The wind went still.
-(What…?)-
A thick, metallic smell arrived before any image did. Its body reacted before its mind could the fur stood on end, the muscles tensed on their own.
[Danger Detection I]
It looked up, terrified.
A wolf with gray fur was stalking it from the shadows. Pointed ears, a long snout, and visible fangs. Its gaze, full of hunger, was fixed on it.
-(This situation… is not particularly good.)-
It backed away, but a mouse's step meant nothing. The wolf didn't even flinch. The tension was unbearable. It moved first.
[Cowardice I]
It turned and ran with everything it had. Winning was impossible. The virus wasn't enough. It would be devoured before it could react.
-Chiii!! (Damn it, why does this skill even activate?!)-
Trying to escape was useless. The wolf's shadow was closing in fast.
Its vision went black. It felt its entire body being bitten.
-Grrrar!-
-Chi– Chii– Chiii! (THE PAIN! IT HURTS! IT HURTS!)-
-Grrr!-
[Domination]
A low growl emerged… from itself. Its perspective was higher now, though it still walked on four legs.
-…grrr (Hm?)-
Crunching sounds came from its mouth. Flesh and fur, blood with a sharp metallic smell. The sensation was unpleasant it felt like it should spit it out, yet at the same time it tasted strangely delicious.
Below, a trail of blood… with a rat's tail.
-…gulp (How delicious! Though I'll admit the sensation was horrible and on top of that, it was my own body I just ate!)-
And after swallowing it, it felt satisfied, if a little unsettled.
The conclusion was clear. Its consciousness had abandoned the devoured rat and taken over the wolf's body. Survival of the fittest. A buzz, then an announcement.
New skills have been acquired from the new host: [Ferocity I] [Agility I] [Endurance I] [Sense of Smell I] > [Sense of Smell II]
It didn't matter if its host died. Its consciousness would leap to the next infected one. The wolf had eaten the infected rat and, in doing so, had been possessed. A common trope among characters with parasitic abilities.
-(Even though it feels like having immortality being devoured it was like dying. I didn't want to go through that again. There were physical things to verify… but it was worth it.)-
This discovery changed everything. It meant it had infinite lives. That would profoundly shape the way it lived in this new world. With no fear of death, it could go even further.
-(This is going to get even more exciting. This life… no, this viral life I will fulfill what I have promised.)-
With the wolf's body under its control, it continued on its way with a clear mind.