The Crypt Worms' nest was at the bottom of a dark, damp ravine, the air thick with a nauseating stench of decay.
Jasper held his breath, hiding with Nidhogg in the shadow of a rock. Through the rudimentary mental link they had established over the past two days, he could vaguely sense the emotions Nidhogg was transmitting—vigilance, hunger, and a hint of... desire for the nest ahead?
"Go," Jasper gave the simple command.
Like a black arrow released from a bowstring, Nidhogg shot out silently. It didn't attack directly but circled the nest's entrance, spitting out several mouthfuls of highly corrosive venom. The foul-smelling liquid landed on the slippery moss with a sizzling sound, forming an incomplete circle.
Soon, a dozen fat Crypt Worms were disturbed and swarmed out of the cave. They had no eyes, relying entirely on smell and vibrations to sense their enemies.
The moment their attention was drawn to Nidhogg, Jasper moved! He shot out from the shadows like a phantom, his fruit knife a cold glint of light as it precisely sliced across the soft underbelly of the nearest worm!
Green fluid gushed out. The worm let out a silent scream and thrashed wildly on the ground.
This successful ambush was like lighting a powder keg. All the Crypt Worms turned toward Jasper, slithering to surround him!
Jasper didn't linger in the fight. He immediately retreated, luring the battlefield toward Nidhogg's preset "trap." As the worms crawled over the venom-corroded ground, their tough hides were instantly burned, and they hissed in pain, their speed greatly reduced.
Now!
Man and dragon, one creating opportunities, the other delivering the killing blow, their coordination was seamless. Jasper's figure weaved through the swarm of worms, each strike of his knife precisely targeting an individual weakened by Nidhogg's venom.
When the last worm fell, Jasper was panting with exhaustion. He quickly collected enough mucus from the worm corpses, storing it in a small, sealed vial.
[Objective: Collect the main ingredients for the Sequence 8 'Contractor' potion—'Crystal Lens of a Three-Eyed Jackal' x1, 'Mucus of a Crypt Worm' x50ml.]
[Mission Progress: 2/2]
[All materials have been collected.]
Jasper's heart tightened. The hope of advancement was right before him!
Just as he put the vial into his backpack, ready to leave this foul-smelling place, the cold edge of a sword blade emerged silently from the shadows behind him, resting steadily against his neck.
"Don't move, loser."
Ryan's voice was like a Siberian cold front, filled with cruel amusement. His two followers flanked Jasper, cutting off all routes of escape.
"I should really thank you for doing all the dirty work for us," Ryan patted Jasper's cheek with the flat of his blade, his eyes filled with contempt. "Now, hand over everything in your backpack. Especially that Three-Eyed Jackal's crystal lens. That's not something a loser like you deserves to have."
Jasper's body trembled slightly with rage. He hadn't expected Ryan to have been tracking him with a runic sigil all this time, waiting for the very moment he gathered all the materials.
"In your dreams," Jasper squeezed the words through his teeth.
"Still got a sharp tongue," the smile on Ryan's face vanished, replaced by a savage look. "Looks like I'll have to crush this annoying pet of yours first, then slowly break your limbs."
He lifted his foot, clad in a hard leather military boot, and brought it down viciously toward Nidhogg on Jasper's shoulder!