That Time I Reincarnated as a Stone

Chapter 16: Leviathan

We reached the nest, and there was my father, waiting anxiously. The moment our feet touched the branches, my mother released me and began scolding him. It was all growls and hisses, but to me it was obvious—she was giving him the lecture of his life for leaving us alone. He deserved it for being a coward.

After the incident with the Shockpinfinder, the area became strangely silent. I suppose that monster decided to look for less troublesome territory.

The next day, I took advantage of a moment of carelessness and slipped away. I needed to see my target. I had been told that the lake was somewhere nearby, and that the Leviathan could be found there. I didn’t know exactly where it was, so I followed my instincts. I wandered around for a while until I heard the sound of running water nearby. I approached the noise, and behind a cluster of bushes, there it was.

I arrived at a beautiful beach. I hadn’t known lakes could have such things.

The sand was almost white, and when I scooped it up in my hands it felt unbelievably soft. Strange. I looked out at the water, and it was a deep, dark blue that hinted at an abyssal depth. I sat on the shore. Perhaps I might catch sight of my prey.

I spent the entire morning watching and enjoying the calm that hung in the air. By noon the sun had grown rather strong, and I was about to leave. Maybe I’d see it tomorrow.

Just before I stood up, I saw a bird land on the water.

It was quite large—bigger than the demon dogs. Its plumage was pink like that of flamingos, with a long beak and a crest like a rooster’s.

Everything remained tranquil until, suddenly, the creature rose from the depths.

It burst out of the water and, with a single clean bite, devoured the bird before plunging back beneath the surface with a thunderous splash.

I froze.

I had only glimpsed it for a second: it was enormous, about five meters long, and looked like a serpent with bronze-colored scales. That was all I saw.

And I’m supposed to kill that monstrous thing?

I returned quickly to the nest, trying to come up with some kind of plan, but I had no idea how to proceed. My body was still small, weak, and far from fully developed.

Fortunately, I still had six years.

Six years to stop being prey—and become the hunter.

The first thing I did was set up an exercise routine to at least build some strength. It was basic, but effective. Nothing too extreme—I didn’t want to end up bald like a certain character.

Push-ups and squats. That was it.

I’d get my cardio while hunting. I still had a lot to learn.

Three years passed like that.

Liva develop at an astonishing speed. I went from being a vulnerable baby to a fully grown adult. My body became incredibly agile, and to my surprise I ended up noticeably larger than my parents.

Was it a natural mutation? Or the result of relentless training?

Every morning, as soon as I woke up, I did ninety-nine squats and ninety-nine push-ups. At first it was difficult, but over time it became almost laughably easy. My parents always looked at me strangely.

Was I the weird child?

Well, I am their only descendant, so I suppose that’s normal. Besides, they’re getting old.

During this time, my father taught me the fundamentals of survival. At first, his methods were purely primitive—based entirely on instinct—but thanks to my human intelligence I managed to optimize our hunting techniques.

Once a week, without fail, I went to the lake to study the Leviathan’s patterns.

I discovered it prefers to feed at dawn and spends most of the day patrolling the depths.

I also crafted tools and taught my father how to use them: obsidian knives, bow-drills for making fire, and stone spears. He even learned to make the traps I designed—snares, pits, and ambush points.

He turned out to be smarter than I had thought.

I also spent a lot of time with Uuk.

He is a being of immeasurable wisdom. Thanks to him, I learned that this planet—according to his species—is called Priya. A strange name, almost delicate for such a hostile place.

He revealed that he has not seen another of his kind in nearly a thousand years. Apparently, his species are profoundly solitary beings who watch centuries pass as though they were days.

Despite those three years of preparation, I still didn’t have a definitive plan.

Should I build a raft and face the creature in its own domain? Or try to lure it onto solid ground and nullify its aquatic advantage?

The main problem wasn’t just strategy—it was equipment.

My current weapons were obsolete for that kind of job. They would never pierce the armored scales of that serpent.

I needed a technological leap.

I had to move from stone tools to the Iron Age—or at least copper.

But what the hell does iron even look like in its natural state?

I assumed the rocks might have a reddish tint from rust, or that copper would appear greenish—but I’m not a geologist.

I tried to organize my thoughts.

First, the raft. But to build something decent I needed wood—and a lot of it. I couldn’t spend weeks gnawing through trunks like a beaver.

I needed real tools.

What did prehistoric humans use for this? I wondered while examining my claws.

I remembered my history classes and documentaries.

Heavy river stones, sharpened on one side, tied to sturdy wooden handles with plant fibers or animal sinew.

Hand axes.

That was the starting point.

If I wanted to kill a monster of legend, I first had to learn to tame wood—and then master fire to smelt metal.

The System’s clock kept ticking.

Three years fly by when you’re tasked with a suicidal mission.

I spent an entire afternoon searching the lakeshore for a stone dense enough for chopping. Eventually I found a dark, heavy rock.

Basalt? Granite?

Who knows. I was never much of a geology enthusiast. But it would do.

With a sturdy vine, I tied it to a thick branch and began striking a small tree.

Even as an adult, this species is frustratingly weak compared to the forest’s predators. It took me an eternity to bring down that trunk, and by the time I finished I was exhausted.

If I wanted to build a raft—and metal weapons—I needed help.

So I went to visit Uuk. I found him dozing, as usual.

“Hello, Uuk,” I greeted politely.

“Hello, little Samuel,” he replied without fully opening his crimson eyes.

“Hey… do you know any place where there are blood stones or green rocks? Maybe in a cave?”

“Perhaps… Why do you ask?”

“I have an important mission, and I need to craft weapons.”

“Weapons? What are those?”

I had forgotten that on Priya the concept of tools or technology simply doesn’t exist.

I was a complete anomaly in this ecosystem.

“Do you remember when I told you about tools?” I reminded him. “They’re objects I use to make things easier. Weapons are tools for hunting—or killing other animals.”

Uuk slowly sat up, and his expression turned icy.

“Do you wish to kill for amusement, little Samuel?” His voice rumbled with an authority that made me shrink back. “My kind abhors murder unless it is strictly for sustenance.”

I swallowed hard.

It was the first time I had seen Uuk truly angry, and his size made him terrifying.

“It’s not for fun. It’s for survival,” I lied, trying to keep my voice steady. “Have you seen the creature that lives in the lake?”

“The Leviathan?”

“Exactly. I’ve been observing it, and it’s very dangerous for my species. It won’t let us use the lake.”

I had to embellish the truth. I still didn’t know why that entity wanted the Leviathan’s head, but I needed the pseudo-dragon’s cooperation.

Uuk stared at me for a long minute, as if trying to read my soul.

“You have never done anything illogical,” he finally declared. “I suppose I can trust you. I will take you to a cave where the blood stones you seek are plentiful…

… "

–Continue reading in its original Spanish language at fictograma.com–