B3 | Chapter 75 - It Begins
Alexia
Since there isn’t really anywhere to rest in the place, Luna and I end up sitting at the edge of one of the vein openings. Not entering the vein exactly, but entering it enough so that we’re outside of the chamber. So as to not be soaked the monster’s black parasite fluid or the vein fluids.
Then we just spend the next few hours resting until our soul reserves are fully filled. All while the black liquid continues leaking out of the black heart.
Once we’ve fully restored our soul, both of us stand up and Luna returns to her bat form. And without hesitation, we both jump down in to the chamber and begin attacking the black heart once again.
Gradually, one crack after another appears across the heart. Each of which immediately leak out more and more black liquid that joins the liquid already filling the bottom of the cavern.
Time slowly passes, and after an entire hour of just hammering away at the heart, something finally happens.
The entire chamber begins to shake. As if The Horror itself is convulsing or something.
I share a look with Luna before we both double down, attacking the heart even faster than before.
The chamber slowly begins to shake faster and faster as time moves on. Meanwhile I hear muffled screeching sounds coming from the veins. As if every parasite within the boss was going crazy.
Looks like the boss is finally taking notice of what’s going on within its own body.
Luna and I continue our barrage of attacks against the heart until the black liquid at the bottom of the chamber finally begins to act.
At first it’s just a faint ripple moving out around the massive pool of black liquid on its own. Something that didn’t even happen when the entire boss monster started convulsing. Then the small ripples turn into larger ones. And the sight of that has Luna and I quickly hastening our barrage even more, making the heart look rather beat up at this point.
Seconds pass. Then the seconds turn into minutes. And throughout this time, the ripples grow larger and larger until they turn into small wavers. Then larger waves. All the way till the black liquid is sloshing around the chamber like crazy. Like it has a mind of its own.
And once twenty minutes have passed since the start of its movements, the black liquid immediately stops moving all at once. Only to suddenly move with purpose to one particular location within the chamber.
A location I quickly realize has some sort of circular pattern on the floor. One I couldn’t see before due to the black liquid pooled all across the chamber’s floor.
The liquid rises into a large orb above the pattern, but Luna and I don’t stop attacking the black heard despite what’s happening in the chamber.
While we attack, the black liquid orb writhes in place, with some sort of black light beginning to shine from the center of the orb. A black light that grows brighter and brighter every second.
I frown, not slowing down in the least in my attacks.
Because I’m pretty sure I know what’s going to happen.
This particular parasite will likely be incredibly powerful. So powerful that I might not even be able to beat it myself. All so that it can try to stop us from destroying the heart.
Making the best choice for the moment being to continue attacking the heart no matter what.
I also can’t help but notice that the black heart is still pouring out more black liquid. Black liquid that is joining the orb as we attack, and as the orb gradually begins to shift its shape into that of some sort of beast.
Judging by how things are going, the black liquid coming out of the heart may even strengthen or heal the creature after it’s formed…
I make sure to keep an eye on the forming monster as I continue attacking the heart, forming more and more cracks on it by the minute. And the black liquid finally begins to take a solid shape.
The shape of a four legged wolf-like creature. One with tentacles growing out of its back, two black wings, glowing black claws and eyes, and three tails. Meanwhile its forelegs have scales on the front of the limbs, and the hindlegs have feathers growing out of the backs of the limbs.
Overall, the thing looks rather terrifying.
Especially since it’s standing at eight meters in height.
But what’s most terrifying about it is the aura I feel it giving off.
An aura of pure terror. Of power. And of a sense of gluttony.
Like it’s hungry and looking at me like I’m a snack.
I quickly identify it while still attacking the heart, and the moment I do, I clench my teeth, having now had my theory confirmed just from the sight of its identify result alone.
{XcdaDgEdDTGHAS??/123/.,;[psxcXCS – Lupin Parasite of Cataclysm – Level 1010}
“Luna!” I shout, making her let out a squeak in response. Then we both continue our attacks against the heart even faster than before while paying attention to the massive wolf to make sure it doesn’t attack us.
Because this fucking wolf is Tier 5.
A Tier 5 monster in a Tier 4 dungeon.
That’s just screwed up.
And it’s a Cataclysm Class one at that.
This may be one of the first times I’ve fought something that should actually be both physically and magically stronger than I am in terms of raw stats. And I’m not pleased.
It’s an entire Tier above us.
There is no way we can take this thing on.
If it weren’t a Cataclysm Class monster, it may’ve been possible.
But with it being one…
There’s just no way.
I grit my teeth and continue attacking the heart for several more seconds before the wolf finally turns its gaze onto me and Luna. And when it does, it opens its mouth, letting out an eerie black mist in the process as black liquid slowly slithers over to it from the black heart’s cracks.
A very low snarl echoes through the chamber.
Then the wolf leaps straight at us, its mouth wide open to attack.