Main character dies from a disease. He then gets reincarnated as a meat-eating crocodile next to a river. As an apex predator, our carnivorous reptile begins his new animal life with a scream.
Cover art by @Isa_Galani77
As if not learning their lesson, two more humans enter the water. Honestly, how persistent can they get. They've already lost so many of their men, yet they still persist in continuing a losing battle. Although I can easily shred them to pieces anytime I want to, why don't I lay low in the water for now and see what their next move will be...
I can feel them shaking. The two humans who entered the water are trembling. Even though we're not directly touching each other, the faint ripples around them indicate that they're afraid. I'll leave these two cowering in fear for a while. As for me, I'll dive back underwater and go around them. Those men on land probably think they're safe just because they're out of the water. I'll take advantage of their grave misunderstanding that I'm just some mindless animal they can prey on.
With that in mind, I immediately swim further down, stepping on the riverbed, and move a significant distance around them, all while remaining discreet in the process. And, without even knowing what my plan is, the smaller crocodiles follow after me. I was able to make the other smaller crocs to stay put, but these ones keep on sticking close to me. Come to think of it, I don't even know how I did that. Did they really just do as I told them to without even saying anything? Like, they can hear what's in my mind or something? Do these guys also know about the plan I have in mind? The plan where I get out of the water, go around the hunters, and attack them from behind? As much as I want to be amazed by that, that's an invasion of privacy!
It's true that at some point, I thought about wanting to be hunted, taken to a zoo, being cared for and groomed at the warm touch of people... but, not by the hands of these primitive folks! Besides, that kind of charitable thinking will never work for my current state right now. Since I've strayed too far from my humanity to the point that I no longer hesitate to attack and kill people, I don't think a pampered life suits me at the moment. I would've never done something like this if I were still human. That's cannibalism. But now, I think I won't even mind dining on others of my kind as well.
I've gotten far enough. Time to get out of the water and sneak past behind them. I should count myself lucky that the grass is tall and thick enough to shroud me from cover. I don't even know if this is grass or weed. The other crocodiles quietly follow behind me. It's like they really know what my plan is. Meanwhile, the men are just standing there, tensely waiting in anticipation for my next attack. Sorry to disappoint them, but I'm no longer in the water.
I better hurry this up before they realize I'm out of the wate-...... and, just as I was about to arrive at the ideal spot for my surprise attack, one of their men suddenly screamed in pain. Huh? What was that? Did one of the smaller crocs come here and attack them? No, it doesn't look like it. The one who screamed just fell down in place and is still on land, so it couldn't be an attack from the water. Just what-... no. Don't get distracted. I should use this chance to strike them now.
Without them expecting it, we pounce out of the grass where we hid and launch our attacks behind the men. I bite at one man, and use my size and weight to fall down on two others, incapacitating three men in one swoop. The other crocodiles also attack the other men as well. But, each of them only got one. One of the men was quick enough to push another man out of the way, so he fell victim instead. The one who was pushed to safety was the man in full clothing. Since they saved him, that must mean he really is the leader of this crew full of half-naked men.
I crush the legs of the three men I caught, and the other Nile crocs do the same. At this point, I can't stay surprised at their mimicking actions anymore. Another man, who seemed to be hiding behind the chariots, suddenly shrieks from pain. It's the man wearing a turban on his head. The one who I failed to make a meal out of. Again, what's with the screaming? There are no other crocodiles near him, and he was out of range for our sneak attack. What made him suddenly-...... then, a baby snake crawls out from under the chariot. Oh hey, it's just you. ......... Wait, it was you?!
I was at a loss of words after seeing the baby snake come all this way and joining in the battle. Where's the falcon? I thought he was with you. Ah..... By the time I was thinking of that, the falcon already perched on my large head, in between where my eyes can't see up. What the heck were you doing all this time? You were supposed to watch over the baby snake and keep him safe! The falcon extends its neck down to one of my eyes, and tilts its head to the sides. This derpy bird. I could eat you whenever I feel like it, but you're my favorite species of bird, so I'll resist the urge.
The man in full clothing presses his back on one of the chariots and makes a dreadful face.
"Ah... aaah.... the sky god, Horus..... the snake goddess, Renenutet..... and.... the crocodile god, Sobek!"
Hm? What did he say? I couldn't quite hear him with all the screaming from the turban-headed man. He must be in unbearable pain right now. I mean, I was bitten by the same bite too, but if that screaming of his is any indication of how painful that must feel, I'm glad I was never bitten by a snake in my previous life, when I still had flimsy human skin.
Now then, the leader is cornered, his lackeys are out of commission, and the two men who entered the water can't do anything in the face of death. I could go ahead and eat the leader, but I get the feeling that he won't even be much of an appetizer. Then again, if I set him free, he'll just look for more help and an even bigger hunting group will come after me. I certainly don't want that, so in my belly he goes.
However, when I approached him, the ground began to crumble all of a sudden and an extremely deep hole appeared. My added weight only made the unstable foothold on the ground widen the hole and I couldn't get away in time. I fell down the hole, into the pitch black darkness.
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