Chapter 10: That's what I'm talking about. Maple for the win.
In the distance, I saw a few silhouettes that crawled about the place. All of them resembled monster centipedes and by the sheer number of them, it looked like I had come across some grotesque nesting sight.
" There's no way I'm going in there that's for sure..."
[I wouldn't be so sure about that]
" What do you mean?" I asked, half confused and half hopeful. Hopeful that light might be talking about something else.
[Do you see that?] He pointed at the rocky outcrop in the distance.
I followed his finger with my eyes and it was then I noticed something, Within the rocky outcrop, it seemed like there were several holes all around it, which solidified my thoughts that this must be some nest.
I knew light wouldn't have stopped me for something like this so I took a closer look and that was when I saw it. Within one of the dark holes on the outcrop, I noticed something terrifying, a pair of large, slitted pupils.
" What on earth is that?!" I hissed in disbelief, this forest was beginning to seem more horrifying than ever.
[That's Lennie]
" Your joking, how is that Mrs Grangers cat... Are you sure that's even a cat? It's so dark in there."
[My eyes can never be hindered by darkness]
"..."
[I'm not lying, I can see perfectly fine and it fits Mrs Grangers description. A blue stripped cat]
I shifted my gaze from Light, back to menacing beast inside the dark hole, it seemed to be glaring at the several centipede monsters, at a point, it's claws would emerge from the hole at lighting speed, nicking a monster centipede or two but in my eyes, those were more like brutal lacerations than nicks...
The monster centipede's I thought to be tough and impenetrable were no different than nude worms Infront of her claws. Some of them would shriek in pain after being clawed at, some were so severely injured that they would gush out bodily fluids before wreathing around in pain, retreating several distance. Yet in the end, non of them left, they all just kept stalking around the caves entrance as if they were unwilling to.
I shivered at the sight. I began believing that after this mission, I would definitely develop a phobia for creepy-crawling things when I get back home.
[We have to help her, it's obvious she's at a disadvantage]
" D-Disadvantage?... Your calling that a disadvantage?" I stared at the several monster centipedes covered in grievous injuries. I wondered to myself, if this was what a disadvantage looked like, then how would an overwhelming victory be?
[Stop looking at what's Infront of your eyes and use your head. If she's able to do this much damage yet dosen't want to leave, there must be more to this than meets the eye.]
I turned silent after hearing lights words. Now that I thought about it, what he said made sense. There must've been something else that's keeping Lennie from leaving when it's obvious she could do so if she pleased or was it that she was injured and was afraid of the centipede monsters cashing in on that opportunity. Or could she have found some kind of treasures that these monsters converted and she refused to let go of it.
Whatever it was, It didn't matter because I needed to get home, and to do that, I had to return Mrs Grangers cat back to her.
Well I had already dealt with one of them, which improved my confidence, so I just had to figure out a way to take care of these guys.
A cold light flashed past my eyes as a wicked thought crossed my mind. Honestly it was a bit sneaky, the fact that it even crossed my mind was a bit ironic since I was supposed to be an honorary angel.
[Shape Shift]
- 1 MP
[MP: 69/70]
My body shifted from a honey badgers into an average centipedes.
The distance between I and the monster centipedes was larger now that I had shrunk myself but it wasn't impossible.
In my new form, I quietly crawled over, closing the distance little by little.
Lennie did a great job of distracting them for me, giving me the perfect opportunity to move in unnoticed.
I was thankful that they didn't notice my small stature, which allowed me to climb up one of them, up a monster centipedes legs and joints and into the gap in it's armour.
[Shape Shift]
- 5 MP
[MP: 64/70]
My mana had recovered am extra point but I didn't pay it any heed, instead, now back in my honey badger form, I began my assualt on the confused Monster centipede.
The instant I attacked, the monster centipede let out a shrill cry like it's late brethren, and then came the familiar turbulence as it began to wreath about, trying to get whatever was wrong with it's body to stop.
It's sudden actions alarmed the other monster centipedes, they became apprehensive when they saw their comrade crying out in pain yet there was no attacker in sight, which left them even more apprehensive.
[Congratulations you have slain a Lvl 10 Monster Centipede]
[EXP + 1000]
[Congratulations you have leveled up]
[Lvl 4→5]
[All stats +1]
[Unallocated stat points +1]
[Race EXP: 500/1600]
With my earlier increased stats, I quickly dealt with the Monster Centipede but I didn't stop there, I waited till some of them came closer to inspect the body of the unmoving monster centipede before I made my move, slipping into the gaps in the next monster centipede.
Shrill cries rang out again, this time the monster centipedes truly turned cautious. They let out warning cries while keeping their distance from the corpse of their brethren and the wreathing body of their comrade who was crying out in pain.
It wasn't long before I killed this monster centipede as well.
[Congratulations you have slain a Lv
l 10 Monster Centipede]
[EXP + 1000]
[Lvl 5]
[Total unallocated stat points +1]
[Race EXP: 1500/1600]