Borneo, Indonesia
High above the forest floor, nestled in the thick canopy, a small green anaconda lay coiled across a branch, basking in the warmth of the morning sun. At a glance, it was just another juvenile snake blending into the jungle. But if you looked closer—if you dared—you'd notice something wrong. Something... unnatural.
Its beady eyes didn't dart with primal instinct—they studied. Observed. Calculated.
That snake's name was Alex.
Well, it had been Alex—back when he was a human.
I still remember the nest.
Waking up cold, wet, and limbless—my heart damn near exploded. There were others around me: dozens of writhing, scale-covered newborns, twitching under the watchful gaze of our massive mother. An anaconda the size of a truck trailer, her breath slow and deep as a swamp.
At first, I panicked. Slithering was impossible. Eating raw things? Even worse.
But you'd be surprised how fast your standards drop when hunger chews at your mind like acid.
After a few days of awkward flopping, I got the hang of movement—gliding, coiling, striking. Six months later, I was still here. Alive. Stronger. Smarter.
And armed with something none of these jungle-born beasts had:
> [SYSTEM INTERFACE]
> [Name]: Alex Schiller
[Level]: 1 (0 / 500 EXP)
[Age]: 6 months
[Lifeform Tier]: Common
[Species]: Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
[Size]: 6 feet | 10 kg
[Integrated Genes]: None
[Available Evolution Points]: 500
I had spent months building those points, one kill at a time—birds, frogs, rats, the occasional fish when I got lucky near the riverbank. Each meal made me grow. Each kill fed my level.
But I was careful. I could absorb genes from whatever I devoured—but I didn't want to turn into some bloated, eldritch chimera. I wasn't going to just mash together wings, gills, and claws like a lunatic.
No. I had a plan.
My first true target would be a crocodile—not now, of course, but soon. Its thick armored skin and limbs? That was worth integrating.
But for now...
> [Confirm: Use 500 Evolution Points to Level Up?]
[YES]
A warm, tingling heat rushed through my coils. Muscles swelled. Bones stretched. My skin began to shed, sloughing off like paper as my body lengthened and grew heavier. A surge of strength pulsed through every scale.
> [Name]: Alex Schiller
[Level]: 2 (0 / 1500 EXP)
[Age]: 6 months
[Lifeform Tier]: Common
[Species]: Green Anaconda (Eunectes murinus)
[Size]: 10 feet (3.08m) | 68 kg
[Integrated Genes]: None
[Available Evolution Points]: 0
---
From above, the branch groaned. A faint crack echoed through the canopy. Before I could react, the wood beneath me snapped like a twig.
WHUMP!
I crashed to the jungle floor.
But instead of pain, I felt... nothing. Just a brief wave of disorientation.
"Guess that's part of the upgrade," I thought with a grin, flicking my tongue. "Stronger body. Denser mass. Hell yeah."
The only downside?
"Seriously... 1,500 points to reach level 3? That's just cruel."
Still, I couldn't complain. I wasn't the biggest thing in this jungle yet—not by far—but now?
Now I had a chance.
And man aim i hungry.
Borneo's forest was alive with noise—birds screeching overhead, insects humming, the wind rustling through thick foliage.
I lay motionless in the shadows, not even breathing.
Just ahead, a group of warthogs foraged, completely unaware that death slithered just meters away. Their snouts dug into the dirt, grunting, twitching—easy prey.
Then I struck.
I launched from the underbrush like a coil of living muscle and fury, my fangs sinking into one of the smaller warthogs. My body looped around it in a blur, squeezing, crushing its ribs and organs with brutal efficiency. It thrashed, squealed—then fell still.
> DING!
You have hunted a Warthog.
+69 Evolution Points.
I waited a moment to be sure, then began the long, grotesque process of swallowing it whole. Six months ago, the idea would've made me puke. Now? It was just Tuesday.
Thanks to my system-enhanced metabolism, what would take a normal anaconda weeks to digest would only take me a few hours. It didn't mean I'd be hungry again right away—I could still go a month or more without food. But it meant I could eat more. Grow faster.
And in this jungle?
Speed meant survival.
---
I'd just finished dragging the bulge of the warthog behind a tree to digest when something caught my eye—a splash of color where there shouldn't have been any.
A flower.
Vibrant. Crimson. Almost glowing.
Something about it set my instincts on fire.
> "Analyzing..."
DING!
Special flora detected: Blood Orchid
Effect: Alters reptilian cellular regeneration and longevity. Grants potential for enhanced physical traits and size.
Do you wish to integrate?
[YES] / [NO]
I froze.
No way.
I knew what this was. The Blood Orchid. The legendary plant from Anacondas: The Hunt for the Blood Orchid. It was why the snakes in this jungle grew so massive—so monstrous. Their biology twisted, enhanced, all thanks to this one flower.
I'd assumed I'd need to fight my way to the jungle's mating grounds one day just to get a chance at one. That's where the strongest males gathered. That's where blood flowed and scales tore.
I didn't think I'd just... stumble across one. Out in the open.
Luck?
Or something else?
I glanced around. My mother was the only giant around here—and only because it wasn't mating season. Once I got bigger, even she might see me as a rival. A threat. And kill me.
And that wasn't even counting the tigers. Or the crocodiles. Or the hawks. Or—worst of all—the humans.
No. I needed an edge.
I looked back at the Blood Orchid.
"Integrate."
---
> DING!
Blood Orchid integration in progress...
Trait unlocked: Regenerative Mutation (Stage I)
Effect: Moderate regeneration speed. Resistance to toxins and disease slightly increased. Cellular lifespan enhanced.
WARNING: Further mutations may occur with continued Blood Orchid exposure.
The change wasn't painful. Just... strange. A heat that surged through my veins, like liquid fire that didn't burn. My senses sharpened. My muscles twitched like they had new wiring. I felt—stronger. Cleaner. Hungrier.
I had just taken the first step toward becoming something far beyond what this jungle can handle.
--
Time.
That was the real enemy.
The Blood Orchid may have boosted my regeneration and potential lifespan, but it didn't slow down the clock that was mating season. Soon, this jungle would be crawling with monsters—gigantic anacondas warped by generations of Orchid exposure.
Male snakes fighting, bleeding, devouring each other for the right to mate.
And the females?
They were even worse.
I had maybe a few months—if I was lucky—before the first of them started roaming again. If I wanted to survive, I had to grow fast. Stronger. Smarter. And most importantly...
Different.
I needed to evolve—not just in size, but in function.
And I had just the target in mind.
---
A small crocodile basked on a muddy riverbank, maybe three feet long—still young, still stupid. But to me?
It was the gateway to my next transformation.
Its limbs.
Its jaw strength.
Its tough hide.
Any one of those traits would massively increase my combat ability. The system didn't let me choose which one I'd get upon integration, which was a risk... but honestly, I'd take anything at this point. I was tired of swallowing prey whole—I wanted options.
I watched from the underbrush, waiting.
The croc's eyes were half-closed. It didn't sense me at all.
Perfect.
---
I lunged, silent and swift. My coils wrapped around its midsection like a trap, locking its legs and snapping its tail inward before it could thrash. It hissed and twisted, jaws snapping—but too slow.
I squeezed.
Its ribs gave out with a crunch.
> DING!
You have hunted a Juvenile Crocodile
+92 Evolution Points
New genetic material available for integration: Crocodylus porosus
The system chimed in again before I could even finish dragging the body into the trees.
> Do you wish to integrate the following?
Available traits detected:
– Reinforced Dermal Armor (10% chance)
– Quadrupedal Limbs (10% chance)
– Jaw Mutation: Crushing Bite (10% chance)
One random trait will be selected.
Integrate?
[YES] / [NO]
I didn't hesitate.
"Yes."
---
> Integration initiated…
Trait Acquired: Jaw Mutation – Crushing Bite
Effect: Your jaw structure has begun mutating. While you do not possess external jaws, internal musculature has changed. Future evolution may lead to bite-capable structures.
Swallowing capacity reduced.
New attack option unlocked: Internal Constriction Bite (Stage I)
---
At first, it just felt like a headache—like pressure building at the base of my skull. But then it shifted down my throat and through my jawline. Something... changed. I couldn't feel it from the outside, but I knew—my muscles were rearranging. Strengthening.
I tested it. Pressed my mouth shut tightly around a stone the size of my head and crushed it in half.
I hissed in satisfaction.
I couldn't grow actual teeth or bone-crushing jaws yet, but the foundation had been set. I wasn't just swallowing anymore—I could maim.
A real predator now.
---
I looked back toward the river, tongue flicking through the air. The crocodile had been the first. But there would be more. Bigger ones. Stronger ones. I'd hunt them too.
I'd devour this jungle one creature at a time.
Because the clock was ticking.
And when mating season came...
I wasn't going to be prey.
---