In small groups I start to silently move the roots around the den, slowly growing them out some and getting them into position to strike quickly. There are too many roots down here to affect all at once, my skill doesn't have the capacity to manipulate them all at once. But what I can do is line everything up and do quick successive strikes. I'm really betting on these guys not being able to dig their way out, at least not before I kill them.
After a few minutes of working everything is ready. Roots now stick out of the roof and sides of the den like spikes on a trap wall. I've also reinforced everything to be as hard as I could. I also grew some roots through the exit tunnel, that took as long as setting up the walls and roof but clogging it up should make it a lot harder for them to get out if they try to bolt, and it's not like I'm short on mana. Finally after about an hour of prep work I'm ready to start.
I take a deep breath, only to find it hard to inhale and exhale, right sap. It's still weird to me, I don't feel like I'm drowning even with this stuff in my lungs. Hell it feels so natural now I forgot I can't exactly breathe it, right getting distracted. I line up the first of the roots, it's showtime.
The first set lash out, penetrating the neck of the lowest level monster, quickly followed by a second set. As I go to fire off the third set the creature suddenly snaps up in a flash and screeches, causing the roots to miss into the ground where it was before and its friends to all jump awake with raised hackles. They look around confused and angry as I adjust the roots for a fourth strike. The roots lash out again, penetrating the neck of the creature, this time seeming to hit something important as it gives off a gargled yelp then falls to the floor wheezing. I elect to ignore it now that it’s incapacitated, instead turning my attention to the next weakest of the group. It yelps in pain and anger as the roots stab into its flank, the rest of the creatures continuing to look around unable to find the source of the attacks. The one I just attacked spins around on the spot and snaps at the air, so I stab it from behind again. It again whips around and snaps at the air, while the rest of its compatriots just look around confused. I may be having fun doing this, but enough is enough. The next hit goes into its neck, this time it snaps quick enough to bite off some of the roots before I can pull them all back.
Well that pisses me off a little, but I've still got plenty of roots. I take out my frustration by jamming another sharpened set of roots into its neck again, this time it stumbles and lets out a wheeze. Just for good measure I stab it once more, this time from the top, the force of the hit penetrates through its wings and into its back, slamming it into the ground.
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 43)
+73 EXP
The rest of the creatures are immediately enraged by this, and start thrashing, chomping, and clawing about within the den. What they are trying to get at it certainly isn't my roots, I guess they are confused and think something is in there with them. I figured they would be harder to kill being so high level, then again there are like twenty one of them left in here so maybe they are a swarm type monster or something. Either way they clearly haven't caught on and haven't tried to escape yet, so I finished off the wounded one, and that sends them deeper into their frenzy.
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 41)
+71 EXP
Hmmm, something isn’t right. They aren't dead enough yet. I pick a random one on the edge of the chaos and start stabbing. After a few hits it decides to turn and swipe at the air where the roots came from. Unfortunately for it one of its friends decided to run right where it was swinging and a little friendly fire occurred as it smacked its companion in the face. The other cratacumba did not take kindly to this and proceeded to rip the throat out of the wounded one.
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 44)
+74 EXP
Well then, I didn't expect that. After that it goes back to thrashing about the den with the others in an in vain attempt to kill whatever they think is in there with them. Talk about fair weather friends. I pick another victim and start stabbing and soon enough it falls.
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Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 43)
+73 EXP
I smile with glee as I pick off another, and another, and keep rhythmically killing until the flow is finally broken.
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 45)
+75 EXP
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 44)
+74 EXP
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 43)
+73 EXP
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 42)
+72 EXP
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 42)
+72 EXP
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 44)
+74 EXP
One of them decided it was done listening to its friends die and made for the exit. It slammed headfirst into the root blockage and stared at it for a second, probably surprised it’s blocked. It quickly gets over its stupor and starts clawing away at the roots, drawing the attention of the remainders. Suddenly the almost dozen monsters remaining in the den all go for the door and start trying to claw, rip, and bite their way out. Oh no you don’t fuckers, your hides are mine!
I immediately start to stab away into the front most creature but when I strike its skull the hit doesn't penetrate or do much damage. Damn, going to have to stick to neck shots. Necks are almost always squishy, while heads tend to have natural armor known as the skull. I redirect my net few attacks into the neck of the front one, who is too busy trying to dig to try and counter the blows. After three more hits to the neck it goes down and the one behind it quickly starts trying to tear through the corpse in an effort to get past it.
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 42)
+72 EXP
It’s an in vain attempt, as the corpse of the first one is completely blocking what little progress it made digging into the tunnel. Then, as I’m about to ready to go after the second one they change their tactics. The creatures all stop trying to dig out the entrance of the den and instead run over to the various walls of the den and start digging. I didn’t reinforce the walls, only the tunnel. The creatures have no problem tearing through the cold and hard winter dirt and quickly start to make progress to escaping. No no no, shit, once they hit snow I won’t be able to attack them with the roots. I need to stop them somehow, but I can’t think of any means off the top of my head. Roots won't grow in thick enough to stop them fast enough. I have to just start stabbing and hope I get them to jump back in. I line up the roots and start stabbing again, picking one that seems to be digging the fastest out of the group.
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 40)
+70 EXP
Eventually it goes down, and I redirect my attention back to the others, only to find most of them are halfway to the surface already. I quickly pick one that is trailing behind the others and start attacking, but by the time it goes down one of the others has reached the snow and started to rapidly dig its way out. I turn my attention to the lowest level remaining of the group and frantically stab away, not bothering to check my aim, only putting as many hits into it as possible. It quickly goes down but as it does the other one breaks through the snow to the surface. It lets out a loud screech, then extends its wings and takes to the sky with such speed I don’t have time to try and stab it down with the tree branches. The others quickly turn and blitz for the hole, uncaring of each other to such an extent they end up clogging the narrow passage trying to all cram in at once. I take the opportunity to start stabbing the ones who are stuck in an effort to clog the hole with their corpses. I manage to successfully get two more kills before one of the other creatures manages to knock one of the corpses aside and they all flow out through the hole into the sky. I manage to take a final stab at one as it passes the tree line, but it reacts quick to my attack and dodges enough to turn it into a grazing hit and letting the creature get away merely dripping a little blood.
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 43)
+73 EXP
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 41)
+71 EXP
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 43)
+73 EXP
Defeated: Cratacumba (Level: 42)
+72 EXP
After the last one escapes my range and disappears into the night screeching all is left silent. The corpses of the dead creatures still lay bleeding in the den. I take a closer look at them, might as well given they are my new prizes. Damn things are ugly, they look like dogs with bat wings but completely hairless. The eyes are bloodshot, but that may be from my stabbing and or the experience of dying. Funny enough the have fairly tan skin, I have a few roots pry open a mouth and find a set of omnivorous molars mixed with sharp canines. I guess they eat whatever then, huh, might be able to lure them some in the future depending on their feeding habits once the snow clears.
I’d call that a good day's work, there were twenty three of them in that den to start with and currently fourteen bodies litter the underground space turned tomb. The cold will set in soon thanks to the new hole the others made on their escape, hopefully keeping the corpses preserved till spring. Once the snow clears I’ll have the twiglings collect the bodies and pile them up around my pod for safe keeping. Now, what is going on with this lack of leveling up bullshit?