CLANG
The mutated redskin had used its two long legs to block the attack as it was pushed back, slamming into the rocky wall behind it — but that was all. It had actually managed to defend against the Blood Rend Technique.
Rael didn't let that discourage him. As he landed on the ground, he bolted toward the enormous spider, sending two more red arcs in succession.
The mutated redskin screeched, using its metallic appendages to block each arc before recoiling its large head. Its two fangs glowed hotter as it spat a red, slick, acidic substance that immediately burned through the ground Rael had just stood on.
Gulping down more of the aether-recovery liquid in his mouth, Rael darted to the flank of the huge redskin, slashing his blade toward its scaly side. But with speed too quick, it leapt upward, planting its appendages into the webs crisscrossing the ceiling before spitting out more red, sticky substances.
Dodging each shot of the red-hot liquid, he felt the searing heat emanating from it. He sent two more red arcs toward the ceiling, missing the spider as it darted through the webs, dodging and blocking his attacks.
'Okay, this is hard,' Rael thought, seeing the wasted efforts of his charge. At least he had slowed its ascension — it clearly needed to feed on the carcass of the other ranked redskin — but that still wasn't a solution. As he sliced through the swarm and dodged the blazing projectiles, he knew he had to think of something fast.
He hopped onto a boulder, cutting through more webs as he bolted toward the mutated redskin, a plan already forming in his mind.
The mutated redskin didn't retreat this time. It dropped from the ceiling with the intention of catching Rael mid-flight.
Rael narrowed his eyes, clearly not expecting that move. With the distance closing between him and the spider — and losing the window to unleash a sweeping arc — he pointed the tip of his blade at the descending creature, throwing a bottle he had summoned from the pouch.
Boom
A small cloud of powder exploded on the spider, blinding it momentarily. Rael pivoted his body mid-air, dodging its descending fangs and appendages, then thrust his blade into the left side of its head, aiming for one of its eyes — but he missed, stabbing into its scale-like exoskeleton instead.
It screeched, whipping its first appendage and smacking Rael aside. He crashed to the ground, rolling before regaining his footing and slashing through the relentless swarm. He gulped down the remaining liquid, his eyes flashing with a ruthless light.
He gazed at the approaching mutated redskin as it rushed toward him.
"Tsk." He shifted his gaze to the ceiling before smirking and whipping the blade, pouring all the aether he could into the slash. An even bigger arc, brimming with red light, formed.
–10.2
Even the mutated redskin paused in terror — but the arc wasn't aimed at it. It swept toward the ceiling.
Boom
The entire cavern quaked as the ceiling started collapsing, sending sharp stalactites crashing down.
Screech
A huge stalactite pierced the abdomen of the mutated redskin, pinning it to the ground. Countless other redskins were pierced or smashed into pulp by the cascading rocks and falling debris. Even Rael fared only slightly better — a stalactite had cracked over his head, causing blood to run down his face.
He pushed through the pain, dodging the falling ceiling. He summoned his axe, since his blade had crumbled after that last strike.
Rumble
Rael looked up and gulped. The entire ceiling caved in — it had only been held together by the huge webs, ones he had cut through with his last attack.
…
A few minutes later, Rael crawled his way out of a pile of rubble, battered and bleeding from head to toe. Yet the only thing on his face was a smile — a devilish grin — as he gazed at the ruined cavern floor.
"I really should stop putting my life at risk these days." He had noticed the unstable ceiling earlier while the mutated redskin moved across it, and used that to bring the entire place down.
Screech
Rael flinched, turning his head toward the sound — only to see the mutated redskin, pierced by countless stalactites, still clinging stubbornly to life as it glared at him with hatred.
Rael breathed a sigh of relief. While it wasn't all the redskins that were slain, at least the mutated one wouldn't be a problem anymore.
He got to his feet, dipping his hand into the magic pouch , bringing out a green potion. He uncorked it before pouring all its contents over his head — a healing potion.
Then he walked toward the half-buried body of the mutated redskin. Without wasting time, he brought the axe down on the spider's head, chopping through its eyes and exoskeleton until all that remained was a bloody mess.
Wiping the green blood off his face, he summoned the system interface — and immediately facepalmed. He had just realized the entire fight could have been won easily if he had cast the Eye of Critic Spell, but he had clearly been carried away.
---
[Host Interface]
[Name: Rael Drakul]
[Age: 22]
[Gender: Male]
[Race: Human]
[Rank: (Tier I) Iron Fighter Rank]
[Aether Capacity: 11.3%]
[Aether Limit: 13%]
[Strength: 11]
[Agility: 9]
[Endurance: 14]
[Will: 17]
[Intelligence: 9.3]
[Aether Reserves: 2.2]
[Aether Manuscript: Warmaster Scripture I (Phase: Iron Path Initiated)]
[Aether Techniques: Blood Rend Technique]
[Aether Spells: Eye of Critic]
[Quest Logs]
—
Tier 1: ?????Unavailable??????
—
Tier 2: Clear the Surrounding Area
Status: Incomplete (89%)
Objective: Remove immediate threats and cleanse your claimed land.
Reward: Low-Class Inscription Manuscript — Boundary Ward Sigil
—
Tier 4: Survive the Withered Nights
Status: Dormant
Trigger: In 16 days
Objective: Endure the Withered Nights — a time when corrupted essence floods the land and sanity rots.
Reward: ???
---
Seeing only eleven percent remaining of the Tier 2 quest he smirked he was certain it would be completed once he wiped out the remainder of the redskins.