From that one strike, Noah instantly realised the threat he was under. One hit from that hulking fist and his body would be splattered into a red mist. If he was wounded. Game over.
Noah, with one hand, grabbed hold of the reins just a little tighter than normal. Ordering Gluttony to move, to dart in between trees, but it was evident the monster had intelligence.
Instead of trying to catch the slippery prey, it turned its blood-hungry gaze on Thraz, and Krall. Feet gouging out holes in the jungle floor, it blasted for them.
Shit.
Noah spat, and instantly raised his speed to catch up. But he was behind the monster at this point. It suited Noah fine. Steadying his lance, he concentrated on his aim, then activated his offensive skills. Like a cannon leaving its barrel, the tip of his weapon shot through the air, slamming against the golden humanoid’s ankle.
However, the sight Noah expected to witness didn’t occur. The only damage that had been done was a single bloodied graze. It had barely managed to slice through flesh, let alone cause any significant damage at all.
It meant that whatever level the hallowed beast’s constitution was at, wasn’t something Noah could even hope to damage.
Still, he had to try. In quick succession, in seconds, Noah blasted attack after attack at the monster in hopes of stopping the monster from turning his companions into scrap flesh.
Nothing was working. The flesh around the humanoid was toughened to an extreme degree, and that was even if he could hit its skin. It still had the golden armour that was made out of some high tensile alloy. Whatever it was, it was incredibly durable.
Shit, think! Noah nibbled on his lip as the monster was going to reach Krall in seconds. Time slowed as he gazed at the monster. Then, with the moonlight shining down on the humanoid, Noah spotted it.
There was a gaping hole just at its neck, right where the chest armour began. Noah didn’t know how it was there, but the wound glowed a black light. It shone, like mist was seeping out of the wound. But it was clear that it was just Noah that could see it.
My helmet… Noah remembered the use of the helmet he obtained from the Lord Vanquisher. It allowed him to see the lifeforce of his enemies, and any minor weaknesses they may have. He didn’t know exactly how bad the weakness was, but Noah was determined to find out.
Using all of his offensive skills, along with the momentum brought forward by [Charge], Noah gritted his teeth. Tensing all the muscles in his body, he threw the phantom lance forward. It surged through the air, and like always, the hulking monster ignored the pest at its back.
But this pest had spotted a weakness, and his lance was aimed straight for it.
The tip bore against the hole in the monster's neck, then continued onward. However, the humanoid reacted instantly at the pain gnawing into its hardened spine.
It snapped to the side, then rolled to the ground, away from the invading lance.
The golden armoured hallowed stared at him. Its crazy killing intent surged around its body, and practically invaded Noah’s body from just a look.
Heartbeat smashing against his chest, Noah didn’t dare stop. He used the time he had created to break through the trees, and onto the wide area of golden sand.
Glancing in the distance, he could see the familiar sight of the outcrop of rocks, and the dark entrance belonging to the cave.
Unlike last time, there was no point in subterfuge. It was a mad dash towards the dungeon entrance. If it was open.
However, the reprieve didn’t last long as a cataclysmic roar appeared from behind.
Looking over his shoulder, three entire iron jungle trees were obliterated into splinters. Followed by the rampaging monstrosity of the enormous hallowed. Each heavy step caused the sand to splash outward as if he was disturbing water, not beach grains.
If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
We’re not going to make it. The thought tugged at his mind like a weight and no amount of thinking could help him avoid the berserking demon on his tail.
Noah glanced at the ocean’s water. Because of the night sky, and the thick blanketed mist, it was black. Only the light reflected off from the moon's gaze provided an iota of light. Then he looked over to the cave before tightening his grip around his lance.
A crazy plan formed, but it was the only one he had.
“Thraz, we're not going to make it!” Noah shouted, each step from the hallowed, caused goosebumps to crawl on his flesh. “Head to the ocean.”
Thraz didn’t bother replying, instead he turned on his heels, disturbing the sand into hardened ground, then leapt straight into the ocean. Just like their first meeting, the lizard displayed his prowess when it came to the water.
His strong webbed-hands thrashed the water, sending him further than what Arlo could manage.
Krall chased him, and so did Noah. Everyone tried to swim as fast as they could, but the hallowed had arrived.
It leapt straight for them. For Noah. Noah used [Shadow Blink] reappearing to the side with Gluttony as the monster landed in the ocean alongside them. The water splashed everywhere. The monster was gone.
Can it not swim? Noah thought, but the sudden sight of its red lifeforce made Noah’s blood freeze.
It happened so fast. The next moment Noah realised, a mighty hand had grabbed hold of his ankle, then yanked him under the ocean. A sharp pain tore at Noah’s ankle. Screaming under the water, only a bubbled muffle of noise left his mouth.
The monster indeed couldn’t swim, but it had grabbed hold of Noah, and wouldn’t let go.
Thankfully, he wasn’t alone.
Krall, Gluttony, and even Thraz swam under in an attempt to free Noah.
The gilded hallowed sent a punch straight for Noah, surging the water around it. If it hit, Noah would die. In the last second, he managed to twist the top half of his body, barely avoiding the incoming meteor of a fist.
Then his team arrived. Each attacking the vitals of the monster, Gluttony especially. He used the phantom blades it was able to produce, and slash them across its face. Of course, the damage it did was nonexistent.
However, it did make the monster close its eyes, offering Noah a little reprisal from its wrath.
Noah shouted, garnering Thraz’s interest. With the dragonborns sight locked onto him, Noah tapped the back of his neck, then nudged his head to the hallowed.
Thankfully Thraz’s limited intelligence picked up on the detail, and swam to the monster's back in a couple strokes. As if the dragonborn was born to be in the water, and perhaps, he was.
Reaching the gilded monster’s back in a second, Thraz instantly hefted his axe. Then reaped it downward in a mighty swing. It clashed against the hallowed’s neck, causing it to scream out in pain.
It thrashed in the water, and threw Noah through the water. The force brought him back, and slammed him against a huge underwater boulder. The impact sent blossoming pain throughout his ribs, as he even heard multiple cracks.
Grimacing in pain, Noah swam up to the surface. He could still hear the harrowing screams from the beast, but then everything grew quiet. It had drowned, and the next message only made it more obvious.
You defeated a - Level 83 Hallowed Corruption
You have Levelled up!| Noah ( Phantom Lancer ) level 59 -> Noah ( Phantom Lancer ) level 64
Krall, the Scourge of the Jungle has levelled up.| Krall level 59 -> Krall level 64
Gluttony has Levelled up.| Gluttony level 45 -> Gluttony level 55
You are being watched…
Noah wiped away the messages as he gulped in air. There was the sound of the gentle waves. The noise of the fog billowing around them. It was too quiet.
Frowning as Krall, Gluttony, and Thraz breached the water, Noah couldn’t help but feel something was wrong.
The hallowed corruption was slain, so what now? He quickly looked around in all directions, trying to find any lifeforce with his Vanquishing Helmet, but there was nothing.
Could it have been my imagination? Noah sighed in relief, then his heart tightened.
In the distance, a blazing red was fastly approaching them. It wasn’t the colour that he spotted, but the fiery lifeforce of the encroaching monster.
Whatever it was, it was perhaps even stronger than the gilded monster they had just managed to defeat by the skin of their teeth.
Then it appeared. A long, towering fin breached the waters, heading straight for them. A screech left its maw, and the visible sound waves headed straight for Noah.
Noah tried to command Gluttony to move out of the way, but the approaching attack was simply too fast for them to dodge.
The moment the sound waves engulfed Noah, he lost himself. He couldn’t see, neither could he hear, or taste anything. It was like everything that constituted his being was destroyed as he floated in the deep waters.
Noah wasn’t sure what happened, but his mind blanked. He fell unconscious. Without realising what had happened, and without knowing how he was going to die, the darkness of the world engulfed the young man whole.