Chapter 3 - Wild Boss Appears

Further into the cave, the light stones along the walls increased in size and number. The range in colour varied from dim to outright blight across the vast walls.

Huh, am I imagining things? I turned back. I could have sworn I was being…watched. Ignoring the feeling, I pressed forward. It really sucked not having good hearing, I constantly had to check my back.

Thankfully, I was close to becoming level five. I could only imagine how powerful I’d be if I continued to grow stronger. More than anything, I wanted out of this cave, but I still couldn’t see the end. Until…

Woah now… can that really be allowed?!!

I stared wide-eyed at the massive beast with eight legs and dark armoured plates around its bulky thorax. Based on the light behind that passage, it nested around; it was the way out of this place. Too bad it was covered in all those webs, or I would have thought of a plan to bulldoze past it.

No matter how you look at it, that’s a spider… a pretty creepy-looking one at that. It looks like Death's pet! I should appraise it before getting any closer. Thanks to the light around its webby nest, I had a clear line of sight on it.

{Malevolent Arachnid Lv19}
{Mini Boss}

That’s not fair at all!!!!

I all but hit the ground in rage. I couldn’t think of a single way to get past that thing without dying. Based on its level alone, I didn’t stand a chance. It was too bad I couldn’t see its stats, but who needed to when it had a level like that? Mini Boss was right, that thing had no place being in this cave!

Wait, if it’s only an issue of level, then I just need to raise mine. I need to train so I can take that thing on and get out of here the right way. I’ll have to grind some levels like a classic RPG. Yeah, I can do that. I hope…

And so, I backtracked and explored the routes and passages I left untouched before. The darker areas of the cave system were a little more difficult to see, but not impossible.

Swift flashes of pale blue crossed my vision and collided with my body. I was being attacked by Razor Wings. There were quite a lot of them, but they were weak enough that I didn’t have to fight back. I could gain levels without having to break a sweat.

{10 Exp gained}
{10 Exp gained}
{5 Exp gained}

Wait a second, the experience is getting lower. What’s happening, system, explain yourself!

{Experience is awarded based on contribution and level difference. Lower contribution will decrease the total experience points awarded}

So that’s how it works, I guess that makes sense. I might have to try after all–

A large burst of dust filled the tunnel as I slammed my arms against the ground. I managed to catch two Razor-Wings in that attack, but ended up calling out some other prey too.

{Level Up}

{You have gained the skill ‘Wreck’}

Woah, a Skill? I didn’t know I could earn those. What else is there?

{Wreck: Generate a powerful wave of strength in one blow}

My eyes lit up with excitement as I read the skills description. I finally felt some sense of satisfaction in seeing my level grow higher.

“...”

There it was again, that sense of something following me. It was closer than before, more prevalent. Like it was right about to strike. I slowly turned and readied my arms into a fighting pose, but the sense left, and I was sure it had left.

Weird… for now, I should focus on my next prey. Look out cave monsters, I’m coming!

***

I really felt that low agility stat as I waddled my little stone legs further into the cave. I destroyed a few Razor-Wings and Dungeon Jackals, but still no sign of my little stalker, only small fry.

{Giant Rat Lv3}
{Giant Rat Lv4}

I cornered the overgrown pests from their only escape route and closed in on them, my arms raised at my sides. Due to my bulky size, I was perfect for blocking off paths and killing them off. As soon as one got close, I closed in on it and focused my thoughts on one simple task.

Crush it.

My body moved on its own, and with an overwhelming strength I wasn’t aware I had, I managed to shatter the ground beneath its weight. Two small craters formed under my arms.

Woah… that’s a little scary.

I wasn’t crazy about crushing monsters, since it was a messy experience nearly every time, but it was a small sacrifice for my goal to increase my level and escape this cave.

{10 Exp gained}
{15 Exp gained}

These guys are giving low experience, looks like I do need to fight something a little stronger. It’s too bad everything around here is either incredibly weak or impossibly strong. Hey, who knows, maybe if I take on the spider boss now, I might win?

I tried stepping forward but couldn’t budge. Even with my monstrous strength, I couldn’t move at all. I took a look and noticed a strange string attached to me–no, more like something sticking to me– it was a thin, nearly invisible thread.

I was wrapped in them. I had no idea when it got there, but it completely restricted my movements. My legs and arms were stuck in place. I followed its length up to the ceiling of the tunnel and from the faint bubble of light around a stone, I noticed thin legs clinging to the wall.

{Toxic Scout Lv10}

This feeling of uneasiness… so you’re my little stalker, I take it. As if tipping its hat to me, the creepy spider rubbed its chelicerae together.

Seeing I couldn’t move, it lowered itself from the ceiling, suspended by a single web and wrapped itself around me. More and more webs covered my shoulder and legs until only my head remained unwrapped. It was seriously scary up close!

I can’t do this, I need to escape before this thing does something terrible to me. Wait, can it even hurt me? I’m made of stone, surely I can’t be hurt–

My health bar suddenly flashed in the corner of my vision as the Toxic Scout dug its fangs into my body, and dark purple light emanated from its bite. It looked like the same light that radiated from the Light Stones but this was…ominous.

My health bar had gotten larger since levelling up, but still, it was dropping surprisingly quickly.

{HP: 90/120}

Impossible, how is it hurting me?! I panicked under the bite but couldn’t move enough to stop it. Panic and fear rose to the surface as I tried thrashing and wailing, but still my arms wouldn’t respond.

{Alert! HP has been Syphoned}
{Prolonged exposure will lead to death}