Beast Record
🦂 Name: Kironis Stinger
Classification: Venomous Predatory Beast
Elemental Affinity: Shadow / Poison
Habitat: Desert ruins, wastelands, and corrupted plains
The Kironis Stinger is a colossal scorpion-like monster plated in black obsidian armor, its shell pulsing with faint violet veins of venom. Its tail ends in a segmented stinger shaped like a blade, capable of unleashing both acidic poison and shadow-forged spikes. Twelve gleaming eyes glow across its head,eyes that can pierce through darkness and spirit energy alike making ambush nearly impossible.
---
"What in the hell is that thing?!" one hunter shouted, horror cutting through his voice. He had never witness a creature like it before.
"Yes," the captain confirmed, tightening his grip on his weapon. "That's the real Kironis Stinger."
"What? Then what were those beetle-like things we fought earlier?"
"I don't know," the captain replied. "But whatever they were, people have been calling them Kironis too. This one… this is the true form."
"Great," another muttered. "We struggled just killing the minions. What chance do we have against this?"
"Kironis Stingers are solitary predators," the captain warned. "They bury themselves under sand or rubble and wait for prey to wander close. Stay sharp, every move counts."
The creature let out a guttural, ear-splitting roar, then began crawling swiftly across the dungeon walls, its claws scraping against stone. Its twelve eyes glared down at them with murderous intent. Then, with a wet hiss, it spat a stream of acid from its mouth.
"Acid! Get out of the way!" the captain shouted.
One hunter wasn't fast enough. The acid splashed across his body, and in seconds, his flesh melted into a pool of foul-smelling liquid.
"No… it's impossible to kill this thing!" another cried out.
"Listen up! The left flank, try to draw its attention from above! The front line, prepare to strike the second it touches the ground!"
"Roger that, Captain!"
"Good. Now let's execute!"
A specialized Hunter used his quickness skill to vanish and instantly reappear behind the beast. The Kironis' senses were incredibly sharp; before the Hunter could swing his blade, the massive, sharp tail pierced straight through him. The Hunter froze, staring blankly at the beast in anger. He used his last bit of strength to raise his sword and slash at the Kironis' back. The tough plating didn't break, but the blade did. Before the Hunter could process the failure, the tail struck again, finishing the job. He collapsed, dead.
"No!" a hunter yelled.
"We're down to eight! Our blades can't even cut through!"
"If that's the case, we have to aim for the eyes!" the Captain ordered.
The squad split apart, surrounding the monster in formation.
"Let me handle this, I'll try my ice spikes!" Rei called out.
Akiyama Rei, known for her mastery over ice. She raised both hands, quickly manifesting twenty sharply crystalline ice spikes. She launched the volley straight towards the beast's twelve eyes..
Whoop—!
Four of the spikes pierced deeply into four of the Kironis' eyes, causing excruciating pain. The beast screamed in agony, its furious roar shaking the entire dungeon cavern, threatening to collapse the passage around them.
"That only made it angrier!" someone shouted.
The Kironis spun its massive tail and charged forward, slicing through the air with brutal speed. One hunter's head was torn clean off; another screamed as his arm hit the ground with a thud.
"Aaagh! My arm!"
The rest managed to dodge, retreating just beyond its reach. They circled cautiously, desperately searching for a vulnerability.
The beast then began spitting the corrosive acid like a deadly machine gun. One Hunter quickly raised a metal shield, but the acid instantly melted the metal into slag.
"It melted through the steel!" he yelled.
"Everyone, stay clear of the acid!" the captain warned.
The Hunters attacked and dodged relentlessly, but their strikes were pointless; their blades couldn't even leave a scratch on the Kironis' hide.
The Captain stood panting, his gaze fixed on the beast. His eyes suddenly locked onto the Kironis' throat, where a faint purple glow pulsed beneath the chitin. "The throat!" he exclaimed to himself, eyes widening.
"It looks soft, and I think that's where the acid is generated. That has to be the vital point!"
"Listen up!" he shouted to the others. "We can't pierce its armor, but I think I've found the vital spot. Rei! Freeze the ground solid, make it lose its footing! I'll strike from above!"
"Got it, Captain!" she replied, immediately channeling her power.
The entire floor frosted over, gleaming blue under the dungeon light. The Kironis tried to advance, but its claws slipped, and it crashed hard onto its back.
"Now!" the captain roared.
The Captain quickly drew his sword, leaped high into the air, and descended with all his strength, aiming for the exposed, glowing throat of the Kironis.
The beast, sensing the mortal danger, rapidly fired a concentrated blast of poisonous shadow spikes. The Captain dodged most of them, but as he closed the distance, one spike grazed his shoulder. Ignoring the blinding pain and the imminent threat of venom, he drove his sword deep into the glowing purple spot on the Kironis' throat.
SHHHK—!
The sword pierced through the Kironis' throat, purple ichor spraying as the creature convulsed.
The captain landed softly, one knee hitting the ground as he clutched his wounded shoulder. The other hunters surrounded him, weapons raised in case the beast retaliated.
Suddenly, the purple glow at the beast's throat intensified, flickering wildly. Then, with a blinding flash of violet light.
"Everyone, back!" someone yelled.
The immense Kironis Stinger exploded from within, purple mist spilling through the cavern.
"We… we did it," a hunter breathed.
The captain smiled weakly before collapsing from exhaustion. The surviving Hunters quickly gathered around him, carrying him and their wounded comrade with the severed arm out of the dungeon.
As they stepped outside, the Gate shimmered, then dissolved into nothing.
"Finally," one whispered. "We cleared the Gate… but lost too many comrades."
The remaining members of the NHB team, their uniforms torn and spirits bruised, slowly started the trek back to their headquarters. They were happy in the grim way only survivors could be, the dangerous anomaly was gone, Akasaka was safe. Yet, their joy was utterly overshadowed by the sadness of their losses. They carried their unconscious Captain and tended to their injured comrade, the price of victory etched into their weary faces.
---
[System Notice: Daily Quest Completed.]
[Rewards Pending.]
A soft chime rang through the air as the familiar blue panel appeared before him.
His breathing was uneven, his arms still sore from the morning's training. But the sight of the message brought a flicker of satisfaction.
[Reward Unlocked: D-Rank Dungeon Key.]
A metallic key shimmered into existence, glowing faintly with dark blue energy. A black gate materialized ahead swirling and unstable, radiating the aura of death.
Dungeon: Trial
Rank: D-Rank
Target: Grave-Fanged Strider (1 unit)
Time Limit: 00:22:04
Rewards: [Shadow-Forged Dagger], [Aether-Weave Buckler], Skill: Bone Grasp leveled up to Level 2]
He pressed the key into the space before him. With a soft, tearing sound, a blue vortex opened, bathing the dingy space in cold light.
He stared at it for a moment. "A D-Rank Dungeon, huh? Let's see what's waiting inside."
---
Darkness swallowed his vision.
When it cleared, he was standing in a desolate, stone-walled cavern. Torches lined the sides, their flames flickering faintly. The smell of rot filled the air.
Then he heard a low growls echoing from the shadows.
Immediately, a cluster of low-slung, dozens of green Goblins shuffled toward him. They wielded rusty, crude cleavers, their eyes shining with dull, vicious intent.
Goblins," Renji noted, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "Standard cannon fodder."
"So, you're my warm-up."
The first goblin lunged, its dagger raised. He sidestepped, grabbed its arm, and crushed its neck with a swift motion. Another rushed in; he kicked its chest, sending it crashing into the wall. The rest charged all at once.
His movements grew faster, each strike clean and calculated. The dagger flashed in his hand, leaving trails of dark light as it cut through the goblins' skulls. By the time the last one fell, the floor was littered with their bodies, the air thick with iron and decay.
[Enemies Defeated.]
[Vitality -10%. Remaining Time: 17 minutes.]
He exhaled heavily, glancing at the system timer flickering on the corner of his vision.
"Seventeen minutes left…"
Then the ground trembled.
From the depths of the chamber, a massive figure emerged, its form crawling out of a grave-like pit. It was tall, easily twice his height, with jagged bone armor fused into its skin. A gaping mouth split its head in two, lined with needle-like fangs that dripped a dark, luminous fluid. Its eyes glowed pale blue, lifeless yet full of malice.
[Dungeon Target: Grave-Fanged Strider.]
"So that's you," he muttered, tightening his grip on the dagger.
The creature's limbs moved unnaturally, scraping against the stone as it let out a bone-rattling shriek. Then it lunged.
He barely rolled aside in time, the creature's claws slicing through stone like butter. The shockwave threw him back, skidding across the floor.
"Tch… fast for its size."
He sprang to his feet, slashing upward as it came again. Sparks erupted as his blade clashed against bone. He ducked under its second strike and drove the dagger into its leg, but it barely pierced the surface.
The system chimed again.
[Vitality: 42%]
[Remaining Time: 11 minutes.]
"Damn it… its defense is too strong."
The beast's tail lashed out, striking him across the side. Pain exploded through his ribs as he crashed into the wall. His head spun, the air knocked from his lungs.
He staggered to his knees, coughing blood. "If I don't end this soon… I'm done for."
The creature charged again, its claws glowing faintly with necrotic energy. He dodged left, narrowly avoiding a fatal hit, then slammed his palm against the ground. Bones from fallen goblins rose around him, twisting and fusing together.
[Skill Activated: Bone Grasp – Level 2.]
Skeletal hands erupted from the floor, gripping the monster's legs and pinning it momentarily.
He saw his chance.
"Now!"
He dashed forward, the dagger pulsing with shadow energy. He leapt, driving it toward the Strider's exposed neck, but the creature roared, breaking free and slamming its tail into his chest.
The impact sent him flying.
His vision blurred.
[Vitality: 9%]
[Remaining Time: 03:27.]
He could barely breathe. His body ached. Every breath felt like knives in his chest.
"Think… there's got to be a weak point…"
He glanced at the creature's chest glowed faintly, the same color as the venom dripping from its jaws.
He forced his body to move. The pain was unbearable, but his focus narrowed.
"One strike… that's all I need."