"What... is that door?"
The massive door ahead was intimidating, its presence unsettling, but something in the air warned him of an even greater threat nearby.
The Creature Approaches
A growing sense of danger overwhelmed him. His instincts kicked in as his Keen Observation skill activated.
"I knew it..." He could feel the swirling energy in the air sharpening his senses. Something enormous was closing in, and a chill rippled through his form.
Emerging from the shadows, the creature took shape—a grotesque blend of a shark's head and octopus-like tentacles. Its dark body moved with terrifying speed, and its two horns gleamed ominously in the dim light.
"Wh-what is that?" His thoughts raced, his body instinctively recoiling at the sight of the beast.
With no physical form to defend himself, he quickly summoned his abilities. "Water Shield!"
In an instant, a massive dome of water enveloped him, wrapping tightly around his glowing form, a barrier of protection.
"This is good," he thought, feeling the shield solidify. "I can create more than just water. I can manipulate it in different ways."
The creature slammed into the barrier with incredible force, its tentacles thrashing and slashing at the shield. But the water held firm, rippling only slightly from the impact.
"Alright, let's see how you handle this," he thought, feeling the intensity of the situation rise. "Perfect chance to test my power."
The creature's massive tentacles beat against the water shield, pushing and clawing at the barrier, but it couldn't break through.
"This isn't good..." He felt the pressure mounting. "If I don't keep control, I'll be overwhelmed."
Thinking quickly, he floated upward, layering more water shields around himself, stacking them in rapid succession. But the strain of maintaining the shields mounted, and his focus began to waver.
"I need space. I can't keep up with this many shields," he thought, panic creeping in as the creature continued to attack.
"I need distance," he decided, pushing himself forward, toward the gate he had seen earlier. But just as he moved, something shifted behind him—something white, oval-shaped, and still hidden in the shadows.
"What is that?" His focus wavered for a moment as he caught sight of the movement.
Before he could investigate, a sudden shockwave blasted from the creature's gaping mouth, a sonic boom that hit his shield with deafening force.
The impact sent him flying backward, crashing into the stone wall of the dungeon.
"Damn it!" He bounced off the wall, but quickly regained his composure. "Now you've done it."
A dark grin spread across his mind. "Time to get serious."
---
This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.
Water Manipulation: A New Approach
The air around him thickened with rising energy as he began to gather his strength.
"Water Manipulation." The water around him spiraled and coiled like a snake, building into a massive sphere. His concentration was immense, but the sphere continued to compress, shrinking into a more concentrated form, its power still immense.
"This should be enough," he thought, steadying himself.
Without hesitation, he launched the condensed water sphere forward like a laser, cutting through the air with immense speed. It hit the creature dead center, tearing a gaping hole through its body. The creature screeched in agony as it collapsed, lifeless.
"Ha ha ha! I'm a genius!" His mind briefly surged with exhilaration. "But damn, that was close. If I hadn't kept my distance, I would've been done for."
He floated down to inspect the fallen creature, eager to see what lay within.
---
The Mysterious Eggs
As he neared the creature's remains, something caught his attention: a large, white egg nestled within the creature's tentacles. It was striped with two blue lines, glowing with an unnatural light.
"An egg..." He focused intently. "But whose egg is this?"
Nearby, another egg lay half-eaten, its blackened shell a grim reminder of the creature's destructive habits. He eyed it warily before returning his gaze to the intact egg.
"So, that's what happened..." he realized. "The creature must have been guarding these eggs. But what's inside them?"
With a deep breath, he used his Omniverse ability to store the intact egg safely away.
"Safe for now," he thought, feeling satisfied with his decision.
A dark grin crept across his face. "What should I do with you now?" he mused, eyeing the dead creature.
---
Absorption and New Skills
The decision was simple. He activated Absorb, dark tendrils of energy reaching out to siphon the creature's essence.
---
New skill: Sound Waves confirmed.
Use: The user can create and manipulate sound waves.
---
"Nice, now I can make some noise," he mused, amused by the new power.
But the flow of energy didn't stop there. Another notification buzzed in his mind.
---
New skill: Wind confirmed.
Use: The user can manipulate wind.
---
"Makes sense," he thought. "It was using wind to fly. Now I can too."
Glancing toward the remaining egg, he moved forward, wondering what more he could gain.
He used Absorb on the second egg, waiting for any new notifications. Nothing.
"Huh, nothing from this one," he muttered.
But then, as if answering his unspoken question, another notification rang in his mind.
---
New skill: Basic Craftsmanship confirmed.
Use: The user can craft basic items.
---
"Well, that's a surprise," he said, pleased. "Looks like I'm getting a lot of useful skills today."
---
New skill: Quick Step confirmed.
Use: The user can move at a significantly faster speed.
---
"Perfect," he said with a grin. "Now I've got something to move faster when I need it."
---
The Final Encounter
Feeling empowered, he floated toward the gate, already considering how to best use his new abilities. A thrill of excitement bubbled inside him, and for a moment, he couldn't help but hum a victory tune.
"I've got new skills," he hummed. "Good skills, too."
But as he neared the massive door, the sound of something falling broke his concentration—a noise like stone dropping from a great height. He looked up to see a creature clinging to the ceiling, its body a mix of an ant's form and a spider's legs. Its size was monstrous, growing larger as he drew nearer.
"What is that?" he muttered, his mind sharpening with calculations. "How did it get so big?"
He floated cautiously, trying to size up the creature. It was unsettling, but he remained calm, analyzing every movement.
"I don't think it's an enemy..." he thought, observing the creature carefully. "But I can't be too sure."
As he neared, the creature seemed to grow in his perception, its eight legs poised for an attack.
"How the hell did it get this big?"
---
"You're cheating, man!"
He started moving back slowly, trying to retreat without alerting the creature to his intentions.
With every step, the tension grew. The distance to safety seemed endless.
"Ha! You won't catch me! I'm way too smart for that," he whispered to himself.
But after just two meters, he froze.
"What...? Why can't I move?" Panic set in as he glanced over his shoulder. The sticky, glistening threads of a web had ensnared his back, rooting him in place.
The creature's many eyes gleamed, its intelligence and malice evident.
"Oh no. No-no-no. This isn't fair!" he yelled, struggling against the webbing.
The creature began pulling him closer with unnerving precision, its movements deliberate and calculating.
Its eyes seemed to gleam with a silent message: "Think you're clever? Let's see how clever you are when you're mine."
---
The Fight Scene
"Alright, buddy. If you think I'm just going to roll over, you've got another thing coming!"
He gritted his teeth, his body pulsing with energy as he activated his skills.
With a burst of force, he severed some of the web threads holding him down, quickly darting to the side to avoid the spider's lunging legs.
"Missed me! Is this all you've got?"
The creature's movements grew faster and more aggressive. It launched itself at him, its sharp legs aiming to pierce his form. He countered, swiping his claws quickly, severing one of its legs.
"Gotcha! Who's the predator now?"
The spider screeched in fury, wrapping itself in a thick barrier of webbing for protection.
"Oh, come on! Don't tell me you're hiding already!"
Before he could finish mocking it, the spider launched itself at him through the barrier, its body aimed at his chest.
In an instant, he activated Water Manipulation, conjuring a shield of water to block the incoming attack. The spider slammed into the shield, its momentum thrown off.
Seizing the opportunity, he lunged forward, claws glowing faintly from the energy he had absorbed. With a decisive strike, he severed the spider's head.
The creature screeched one final time before collapsing to the ground, its body going limp. The threads in the room loosened, and the threat was finally neutralized.