CHAPTER 31: | THEIR TRIBE
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"Matron!"
Shouts tore through the air, reverberating with the thunderous, segmental thuds of non-human feet.
The very flagstones trembled beneath the force, and a faint, briny scent of carapace and damp stone clung to the air in the echoing hallways.
"We've got grave news!"
The Matron's gaze, sharp as ice splinters, fixed on her chitinous child.
The rough, ridged texture of her offspring's shell was a stark contrast to her own smooth, unblemished skin as she pointed a slender, pale finger beyond the room.
"Matron... no, Mother. Our brother, the Chitinous King, died on his expedition near the border!"
The Matron rose from her seat, her form a soft, unarmored curve in stark contrast to the jagged, layered chitin of her children.
Where their movements were a percussive symphony of clicking limbs, she simply flowed, her very presence a quiet anomaly.
She gazed at her child as she pondered for a while then shook her head.
"It seems the Chitinous King met a being from beyond the 'solidified world Intent,' on his death."
The Matron waved her hands, commanding.
"An impending threat is coming our way! Tighten the surveillance! And prepare for war, my children!"
Her form was commanding as she strode out of the throne room.
Her grey hair swayed gently, and her blue eyes, so unnervingly human, gleamed with an almost metallic coldness.
Yet something felt off, differentiating her from them.
It wasn't her presence nor her aura.
But something deeper, something twisted, lay hidden within her form, waiting for an opportunity to be unleashed.
It was a faint, almost imperceptible hum beneath the skin, a twisted, coiled power threatening to unfurl.
The hallways were dark as she gazed at the intricate craft of her children with a soft expression.
"Truly those children only want the best for me... so as their mother I shall avenge their death."
The Matron's cold resolve hung heavy in the deep, leaving behind an unsettling stillness.
Yet, far below, the immediate concerns were of satiation.
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My gaze was cold, not from the abyssal chill, but from a prickle of unease.
Something was watching me, something twisted and terrifying.
But how?
How could a being from the mortal plains possess such a transcendent ability, capable of scouring such a massive distance?
It defied logic, the very fabric of the world.
Meanwhile, Liora ripped a segment from the crab exoskeleton, the satisfying crunch audible as she sucked the sweet, briny flesh from within, munching it with uninhibited delight.
Then, seemingly finished with her meal, she ran towards me, pointing at one of the lord-class crabmen with hunger.
I sighed, the sound a low rumble in the water.
"Alright, Liora."
I conceded.
"Just one of the lord-class crabmen. And try not to make too much of a mess, if that's even possible for you."
Liora simply nodded and dragged one of the immense crabmen away, brandishing her sword.
The shrieking grind of steel on chitin followed almost immediately.
Then she feasted upon the carcass with wild delight, her grin stretching from ear to ear as she let out a low, warbling hum of pure satisfaction.
While Liora feasted, I buried my own maw into the lord-class crabman.
My 'Shatter-Rip Maw' tore through muscle and sinew with a wet, tearing sound, while 'Sunder Maw' activated, crushing through the resilient chitin with a sound like splintering stone, allowing me to devour the rich meat with effortless ease.
Minutes seemed to pass like seconds as we enjoyed ourselves in a feast.
I lay down flat, the cool, slick rock a comforting pressure against my form.
Beside me, Liora let out a deep, rumbling burp of contentment before she fell into a sound sleep.
I glanced at the hologram before me congratulating my victory.
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[You have slain.]
• S: 1 | T: 7 | Level 28 | Chitinous King Crabman [5★]
• S: 1 | T: 5 | Level 20 | Chitinous Warden Crabman [4★]
• S: 1 | T: 4 | Level 18 | Chitinous Warden Crabman [4★]
[You have gained.]
[9,780,000 - EXP.]
[You have gained a level.] x26
[You have ascended to the next tier.]
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[You have devoured.]
• S: 1 | T: 7 | Level 28 | Chitinous King Crabman [5★]
• S: 1 | T: 5 | Level 20 | Chitinous Warden Crabman [4★]
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[Skills Devoured.]
• Acidic Digestion [Tier 9]
• Armored Limbs [Tier 8]
• Brute Strength [Tier 7]
• Chitinous Maw[Tier 6]
• Crushing Mandibles[Tier 5]
• Crystalline Strike [Tier 9]
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[Grotesque Physique would like to devour these skills.]
• Acidic Digestion [Tier 9]
• Armored Limbs [Tier 8]
• Brute Strength [Tier 7]
• Chitinous Maw[Tier 6]
• Crushing Mandibles[Tier 5]
• Crystalline Strike [Tier 9]
[Yes] / [No]
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Acidic Digestion [Passive | ▪︎]
Its internal digestive system produces highly corrosive acids, allowing it to break down and extract nutrients from even the toughest organic and inorganic materials. This also means its bites can inflict lingering corrosive damage.
Armored Limbs [Passive | ▪︎]
The Sovereign's numerous limbs are encased in thick, overlapping plates of chitin, making them potent defensive tools. They can withstand heavy impacts and can be used to block or deflect powerful attacks with surprising resilience.
Brute Strength [Passive | ▪︎]
Possessing immense physical power, the Warden can deliver crushing blows and withstand powerful impacts, making it a formidable close-quarters combatant.
Chitinous Maw [Passive | ▪︎]
The Sovereign possesses a powerful, heavily chitin-reinforced maw with crushing mandibles. Its bite is incredibly strong, capable of pulverizing bone and tearing through tough armor with ease, delivering concussive as well as piercing damage.
Crushing Mandibles [Passive | ▪︎]
The Warden's mouth is equipped with powerful, hardened mandibles capable of delivering a bone-splintering bite. This provides an additional close-range attack option to supplement its physical assaults.
Crystalline Strike [Active | 40 - Mana | ▪︎]
The Sovereign can instantly channel its core's energy into its limbs, causing sections of its carapace and claws to take on a razor-sharp, crystalline sheen. Its subsequent attacks (punches, kicks, slashes) strike with extreme piercing power, capable of tearing through tough hides and armor as if they were nothing.
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I let out a satisfied chuckle, gazing at their descriptions, quite the gains to have right now.
Minutes passed as I gazed at the surface from the bottom of the abyss.
The sun shone brightly above, though its light barely reached here, thousands of miles deep in the ocean.
The giant kelp fronds swayed around us, their dark forms whispering with the gentle currents of the abyss.
A long sigh, heavy with satiation, escaped my lips.
The cold, vast darkness of the deep felt strangely peaceful.
Without hesitation, I reached out, the interface of the fusion window shimmering with a soft, internal light, and dragged the compatible skills into their slots.
A click, a pulse of energy, and then I called out my status window, eager to see my growth.
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[Would you fuse these skills?]
• Rock-Hard Muscles + Brute Strength
• Adamantine Stomach + Acidic Digestion
• Demonic Carapace + Abyssal Hide
• Chitinous Maw + Crushing Mandibles
• Crystalline Strike + Armored Limbs
[Yes] / [No]
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[You have gained.]
• Abyssal Demonic Carapace [Ascension I]
• Abyssal Maw Assimilation [Ascension I]
• Crystalline Impactor [Ascension I]
• Monolithic Might [Ascension I]
• Shatter-Maw Mandibles [Ascension I]
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