[Silver Amulet] = 50 Silver (Ring, 0.01-0.02kg) + Silver (Bar, 0.1-0.15kg) + Gemstone (Chipped, 0.02-0.05kg) + [Knife] (Copper) + [Jewelry Table] (Any)
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This new horror stood in front.
Crimson scales ran along a slug-like, bloated body, snaking out from the Seam whence it came. Iridescent ooze ran down its side. Hundreds of spindly legs clattered against the cairn floor as it slithered into the open, though they appeared to move without thought. No eyes could be seen on the creature’s head. Only a maw opened on top, its cavernous throat lined with teeth.
The monster stopped at the edge of the room and twisted around. Jay blinked in shock, that overwhelming sense holding him in place.
When was the last time he’d felt this much danger?
Bones rocked against stone nearby, and Jay instinctively looked down to the skeletal Guardian he’d crippled. The fire burning in its eye sockets was alive with fear as its jaw rattled and head jerked back and forth, seeking an escape. But no longer did this Guardian fear Jay. Its attention had focused entirely on this new monster. As if it had come to destroy them both.
And Jay consulted the Guide.
Balörvrym (Level 53) – A feral Wyrm found in upper Nightrealm planes. This monster will use its Evil Eye to trap sentient prey into nightmarish paralysis.
Jay gaped at the strange creature and its level, trying to contemplate what to do. Where were the eyes?
The Balörvrym roared, its entire head splitting apart in a giant X to reveal an even wide swath of teeth that could circumscribe a man twice his size, and a tongue stained black. They snapped shut a moment later, slobber spilling onto the concrete floor.
Nope. Jay retreated to the far end of the room, right where the cache was located. The Balörvrym’s centipede-like legs continued to thrash about, as if searching for prey.
The Guardian twisted onto its torso and tried to roll away, but one of the legs tapped its rib, and the Wyrm responded at once. With another roar, its maw expanded, with the flaps directly above the skeletal monster. The fire in its eyes suddenly dimmed, and it stopped moving.
Jay watched in horror as the jaw-laced skin flaps wrapped around the downed Guardian, the rusted ringmail armor, the tattered cape behind, and the bones, all in one swallow. But even as the Guardian got devoured, its firey eyes still burned at an even pace, as if it did not know what was happening.
And then Balörvrym chomped further, and it was gone.
The ground quaked at once, the cairn becoming unstable now that the Guardian had died.
But the Wyrm continued to suck around the floor for any chinks of bone or armor that had slipped through the cracks.
Jay yanked off the top of the cache and dug inside. He wouldn’t have much time before he redirected.
But what could he use? He yanked a Boon at once, but it couldn’t be turned into a buff without the craft. What else though? Food. Water. Meds. Duct tape? He clawed deeper into the cache, praying he’d find something new. There’s got to be something.
There was.
Right at the bottom of the cache, a new weapon sat. This weapon was shaped like a wooden stick with a metallic canister on one end, and a pull cord on the other. A picture of a fireball was painted on the side, with the cairn’s runes providing a description below.
Jay had seen this before, and the Guide confirmed as much.
[Stick Grenade] (Thermal+1) – A grenade attached to a stick. Pull the cord, and a devastating explosion will be unleashed after three seconds.
This [Stick Grenade] has been modified to increase the heat of the explosion.
Incredible. Another overpowered tool, and one that would win this fight instantly, so long as he kept a healthy distance.
But could he use this, though? Jay had come down here to beat Viktor. Not to waste his golden ticket against some random monster.
Just need to force him back. He didn’t need to destroy this monster, only leave enough room for him to sprint to safety.
He thrust what he could into his backpack and turned to face his enemy, strapping the stick grenade against his toolbelt should he suddenly need it. The Balörvrym’s gut rose and contracted as it processed the Guardian it murdered.
Need to move now. Jay gripped his sword tight, his mind going into focus. There was only one combo that would work in a space so tight.
Magical light grew on his body as he activated his weapon art, [Violent Storm]. He leaned forth, ready to unleash his full strength.
[Leap] carried him across the cairn’s chamber, but it was the [Power Attack] that followed which synergized with his weapon art, the copper scimitar blade with the +6 core and +8 Nightmarish buff, and every passive buff he’d ever gotten along the way. That would be more than enough to, at a bare minimum, knock this monster back.
…Or so he thought.
The concussive force resonated the second his blade hit the Wyrm’s carapace, but unlike the chaos hatchling he’d eviscerated not long back, nothing more happened. The counter-energy merely sent Jay flying back, as if he’d slammed his face into a brick wall. He gasped for air upon hitting the other side, his limbs vibrating after taking the brunt of so much damage.
The Balörvrym continued to flick its maw about, only the tiniest trickle of blood flowing where it had been hit.
Jay gaped. Hubris had gotten the better of him again. The chaos hatchling had been weak to melee hits, so he’d lucked out by throwing his full weight against it during his chaotic killing spreed to escape Tül’Rah’s Curse. This monster didn’t have the same disadvantage. It could tank his full power and then some.
No, Jay wasn’t strong enough to face a creature of this power level directly.
Not yet, anyway.
The Balörvrym slid across the room, its hundred legs still clattering in an unintelligent dissonance and maw and seeking him out. Jay dusted his shoulders and retreated back a few paces.
Maybe there’d be an opening. Yeah, this Wyrm wasn’t big enough to cover the whole room. The second it got too close, he’d just make a run for i–
The maw suddenly expanded again, this time facing his way. Jay stared blankly into the cavernous throat lined with thousands of teeth, ready to devour him whole.
But it was what lay at the back that pulled the air from his lungs.
A giant, orange eyeball had sprouted at the back of its throat, with a pupil as dark crimson, and black veins snaking along the rim. As the eyeball looked right at him, his eyes glazed over, and his jaw dropped.
The Balörvrym began to slither right for him, but Jay could not avert his gaze from the eyeball in its throat.
What was this sense that had gotten into him? Watching this thing was just so… Disgusting. Tantalizing. Alluring. Like a universal truth had been exposed in the pit of a nightmare, this benevolent monster was here just for him. How could he even think of looking away right now? This moment had become far too ugly. Too precious.
Yet, as the eye drew closer and its maddening glory grew more profound, his fingers began to twitch of their own accord. An instinct grew in the back of his mind. A sense of unease against this strange monster. A rejection. Yes, Jay had experienced this alien action before.
From the [Forbidden Knowledge] Curse.
That was it. As Jay gazed upon the Balörvrym and its dazzling, disgusting eye, he could feel its soul boring into his own. Invading him. Paralyzing him.
Trying to control his every move.
There was still a chance through this… The Nightmarish power of his armor staved off some of this mind control, and Jay could move his limbs an inch if he put his entire will into the act. He just needed to get that little something…
The Balörvrym was mere feet away. Jay clenched his teeth, the tears forming at the edge of his vision as he fought back.
Its maw spread wider still. Still, he could do nothing but stand and stare. Cold air flowed over his body, the monster readying to swallow him whole.
And Jay put every ounce of his strength into his ankles, his soul forcing the skill into action even as his mind remained muddled.
The maw snapped shut, but not before Jay [Leaped].
His head smacked against the concrete ceiling, clearing the Wyrm-induced delirium at once. He tumbled below a second later, landing on his side.
Only for spindly legs to slash into him. Despite their needle-like size and shape, more force pressed against him than he would have expected, as if they were made of steel and not chitin.
He slipped into [Waterform] instinctively, and the world slowed down more than he’d seen before. The legs slashed and swung, but his body ducked and twisted before any could land another hit. His thighs grew heavy from so much rapid movement, even as his legs remained anchored in place.
More than that, he could see through the attack pattern more fluidly. Which was to say, there was none at all. The Balörvrym’s limbs zipped back and forth with neither thought nor strategy, swiping at everything and nothing, both at once.
Jay clenched his jaw. He had to time this perfectly. The second [Waterform] ran out, he’d be at the mercy of the monster’s chaotic attacks, and as his muscles strained from the skill expense of using his [Power Attack] and [Violent Storm] combo, especially with his Nightrealm core’s reduced capacity for energy.
Need something else… No room to [Leap]… [Quickstep] not enough space… Need more speed… But how?
The thought snapped into place as [Waterform] reached its end. No time to think.
The spindly legs came again for him, but Jay merely bent low, angling his scimitar behind his back while focusing only on the door out. His body glowed from his weapon art.
[Rend].
With the power of [Violent Storm], Jay lurched forth at an inhuman pace, clearing the Balörvrym’s threat radius while cleaving through open space in front. Wisps of magenta essence flickered into existence as he slashed wide, the very air vibrating where his blade raced through.
Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
He exhaled at once, all the skill energy extinguished. The Balörvrym wailed, its maw seeking before spreading wide to reveal the evil eye beneath. Its aura pressed against his own a moment later, once again trying to push its will into him.
It was okay. Jay still had one ultimate trick left.
He ran.
His muscles were strained from the combat, and the Balörvrym was hot in pursuit, but Jay forced everything into his legs to force them onward, even as the pain spiked in intensity.
He just had to keep running… Keep moving… Get a little further now…
The Balörvrym roared, now zipping faster than ever. The only chance Jay had was to get to his destination before it locked him down.
The trap room opened in front, with eyeballs that could flip gravity painted on pillars, and pits of lava that could melt anything as soon as they came into contact.
Jay saw the first bridge and put every ounce of energy into one final [Leap]. His body raced into the air before crashing below, disorientation tilted him sideways on the collision.
But then his entire body locked in place. He turned before thinking otherwise, eyes now frozen against the Balörvrym’s evil eye. The monster peered deep, its fell magic coiling beneath his flesh as it sought a tighter grip than before.
And Jay could only stand and stare, incapable of anything else. How could he, when faced with such divine, aberrant energy?
The Balörvrym slithered forth, its maw extended to embrace its fresh prey, and eye focused on nothing other than the acolyte it would soon devour. It pushed onward, through the open hallway, across the bridge, an–
The Balörvrym suddenly tumbled sideways the second it passed in front of the painted eyeball which Jay had [Leaped] straight over. Before it could make another move, its bloated shell collided with the closest lava pit.
It shrieked, spindly legs flapping against the open air as its flesh became scorched.
And Jay grinned wide. This poor creature never stood a chance. Didn’t it know the one universal truth of this world?
No one should ever, ever chase after Jay Reis when he’s running away.
* * *
Jay strolled back into camp, his backpack filled with loot, ready to be utilized. Many hours still remained ahead, but he’d managed to gain two new tools for his arsenal.
The first had to be treated with utmost care. Another Boon that would permanently raise his Stats or physical attributes, depending on how he used them. He’d so far found four total since arriving on Annwyn, dumping them each into movement speed to compensate for his medium armor’s lack of innate quickness. That strategy had served him well until now, but he’d noticed diminishing returns with each one applied.
Could he afford to keep doubling down for some tiny, incremental boost? The answer was obvious.
No.
Jay wasn’t just fighting to get through the day anymore. He’d survived through enough ordeals to reach this point, and no longer felt constrained by the constant grind pushed against him. Though the night’s difficulty would forever grow, he’d been adapting with each step. The dayside threats would also continue to escalate, but he was comfortable against him.
He smiled, considering that option. When was the last time he’d made a choice not prefaced by immediate survival?
And of that, he read through the list of recipes.
In addition to permanent buffs that Boons could provide for his Stats, he could boost other physical attributes, such as strength, speed, and skill energy.
He could also forever decrease crafting and research times for different Crafts, with a new option added for his latest Sub-Craft pick. But these were all limited by proficiency, a clear buff for someone with an Expat Core, and a mere mulligan for someone like him trying to close the gap. No, that would not be enough.
He’d need more than some numeral to tick off of a spreadsheet.
Hmm… What to do? Strength? Skill energy? Vitality? Hunger? Which would be the best way to defend himself from Annwyn’s bullshit. His head throbbed, half from trying to think this through, and half by the pain he’d been inflicted by after smacking against that Wyrm.
Jay rubbed his scalp, knowing the answer. His survival was practically a foregone conclusion now, but there were plenty of things that could still throw it out of whack. If he no longer cared about surviving the combat alone, he’d have to plan for what came next.
He’d have to transcend his own limitations.
He brought the Boon back inside, his wooden bowl ready and copper hammer beside. This was going to be an interesting one.
He started with the quartz. All Boons required quartz to be tuned appropriately taking a flat five kilogram per unit. Thankfully, Jay had stockpiled so many raw ores many weeks before during his spelunking run that he’d yet to run out of this mineral. He poured them into the bowl and ground them up, his hammer smashing them into smaller pieces before getting absorbed into the Boon.
The cores came next. Like the quartz, every Minor Boon required three different T-3 or T-4 Primal Age cores. These used to be a bitch to acquire in bulk, but after reaching Copper Age, he’d always managed to keep a few on hand. He’d also conveniently netted the last one during today’s cairn raid, so he gladly put them into the bowl and mashed them in place.
Magenta essence began to leach into the Boon. It pulsed.
The last ingredients were what differentiated one Boon from another. Lifeberries and monster blood could buff vitality, while raw meat raised hunger.
This one was more nuanced. A small amount of blood was needed from regular monsters, Nightrealm monsters, and an Expatriate. Miscellaneous herbs had to also be ground up and leached into boiling fresh water to create an herbal tea, and the final decoction was then mixed with what remained of the quartz. Jay still had a decent stockpile of everything else, and only needed to slice his hand to get that last chunk of human blood.
But the result was quick, and Jay watched as everything got slowly absorbed into the Boon. Its golden color slowly turned into a pale white, with wisps of purple essence mingling with black.
He gazed upon the final result and gulped. Despite this being like any other Boon, there was something about this one that felt more imposing than before.
Minor Boon (Sanity) – A magical core that provides a minor buff to maximum sanity and protection against madness.
He gripped the Boon tight and crunched. The phantasmal magic curled around his arm before disappearing into his skin.
And the world grew into more clarity than ever before.
Jay could make out the trees, the mountains, the reeds, the vines, the gaps between. He could hear the birds in the air, the wind flowing free, and the gentle crash of the waves, all that distance away.
But such was no more than a facade, for Annwyn, like everything else, was but a drop in an ocean of possibilities. These petty squabbles could be overcome so long as he chose to be as strategic as possible in his approach.
And with that thought, more plans came together, his mind like an engine as it considered everything he’d gained until now.
He stared at the stick grenade and grinned. Yes, that could work. Why did he not think of this the moment he grabbed the grenade?
Another possibility came to mind, and he consulted his Stats.
Name: Jay Reis (Copper Age)
Vitality – 99/99
Hunger – 69/72
Thirst – 24/24
Fatigue – 42/48
Sanity – 110/110 (Enlightened)
No wonder. The power of the Boon had gifted him with a powerful yet ephemeral insight into his native world, temporarily raising his intelligence to a superhuman level.
Alas, as he consulted the Lexicon for this Affliction’s full effect, Jay learned that his “Enlightened” state would wear off in a few hours, a one-time gain for each Boon absorbed. Though, not all hope was lost. That was plenty of time for him to take advantage of its full utility by devising and formulating the path forth. He would have to record this information somewhere, lest it become lost when his mind became muddled.
What an incredible gift. Perhaps Jay could stockpile a few of these Sanity Boons to overcome future obstacles?
Yes. That could indeed work quite well.
But there were more immediate concerns, the primary one being to defeat the overleveled bandit that had claimed supremacy of this island.
He gripped the grenade tight and gleamed.
Jay knew exactly how that could get done.
Name: Jay Reis (Copper Age)
Vitality – 99/99
Hunger – 54/72
Thirst – 19/24
Fatigue – 39/48
Sanity – 110/110 (Enlightened)
Main Crafts: Alchemy 2, Armor Crafting 2, Base Building 3, Cooking 2, Jewelry 2, Medicine 2, Tailoring 2, Tool Crafting 3, Vehicles 1, Weapon Crafting 2.
Weapon Crafts: Axes 5, Bows 9, Clubs 5, Daggers 5, Spears 5, Swords 11.
Armor Crafts: Heavy Armor 5, Light Armor 5, Medium Armor 8, Shields 6.
Sub-Crafts: Curved Swords 5.
Character Skills:
[Forbidden Knowledge]
Armor Skills:
Heavy Armor: [Push], [Stampede]
Medium Armor: [Recover], [Leap], [Waterform], [Quickstep]
Light Armor: [Dash], [Feather Fall]
Shield: [Brace], [Track], [Break]
Weapon Skills:
Axes: [Chop], [Whirlwind]
Bows: [Sharpshooter], [Longshot], [Scattershot Arrow]
Clubs: [Bash], [Paralyze]
Daggers: [Slice], [Flourish]
Spears: [Thrust], [Sweep]
Swords: [Power Attack], [Slash], [Rend], [Shirk], [Violent Storm]
Armor:
[Copperplated Hat+3] (Nightmarish+5), (Buttressed+2), (Hardened+2), (Reinforced+1)
[Copperplated Coat+4] (Nightmarish+6), (Buttressed+2), (Hardened+2), (Reinforced+1)
[Copperplated Leggings+3] (Nightmarish+6), (Buttressed+2), (Hardened+2), (Reinforced+1)
[Copperplated Shoes+2] (Nightmarish+3), (Buttressed+2), (Hardened+1), (Reinforced)
[Copperplated Gloves+1] (Nightmarish+2), (Buttressed+2), (Hardened+1), (Reinforced)
[Silver Amulet]: Socketed with [Chipped Tourmaline] (Tempus)
[Silver Ring]: Socketed with [Chipped Spinel] (Vitus)
[Silver Ring]: Socketed with [Chipped Spinel] (Vitus)
Weapons:
[Copper Scimitar+6] (Nightmarish+8), (Sharpened+4), (Hardened+4), (Reinforced+2), (Stable+2)
[Treated Bow+1] (Hardened+1): Socketed with [Chipped Ruby] (Ignis)
[Basic Leather Quiver]: Contains 17 [Silver-tipped Arrows] (Elemental+2), (Stability+3) and 3 [Scattershot Arrows] (Elemental+2), (Stability+4)
[Stick Grenade]: (Thermal+1)
Tools:
[Copper Knife+3]
[Copper Axe+3]
[Copper Hammer+3]
Boons:
[Minor (Speed)] (x3), [Minor (Sanity)]